bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perturbation study of climate change impacts in a snow‐fed river basin
Authors: Manandhar Sujata , Pandey Vishnu Prasad , Ishidaira Hiroshi , Kazama Futaba
Published: July 2012

A physically based distributed hydrological model developed at the University of Yamanashi based on block‐wise use of TOPMODEL and the Muskingum–Cunge method (YHyM/BTOPMC), integrated with a simple degree‐day–based snow accumulation/melt sub‐model, was applied to evaluate hydrological responses under changing climatic conditions in the snow‐fed Kali Gandaki River Basin (KGRB) in Western Nepal. Rainy season precipitation (June to September) in the basin takes up about 80% of the annual precipitation, and dry season runoff is largely contributed by snowmelt. Climate change is likely to increase the probability of extreme events and problems related to water availability. Therefore, the study aimed to simulate runoff pattern under changing climatic conditions, which will be helpful in the management of water resources in the basin. Public domain global data were widely used in this study. The model was calibrated and validated with an acceptable degree of accuracy. The results predicted that the annual average discharge will increase by 2.4%, 3.7%, and 5.7% when temperature increases by 1, 2, and 3 °C compared with the reference scenario. Similarly, maximum, minimum, and seasonal discharges in the monsoon and pre‐monsoon seasons will also increase with rising temperature. Snowmelt runoff is found sensitive to temperature changes in the KGRB. Increasing temperature will cause a faster snowmelt, but precipitation will increase the snowpack and also shed a positive effect on the total annual and monsoonal discharge. For the combined scenarios of increasing temperature and precipitation, the annual average discharge will increase. In contrast, discharge during the increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation will tend to decrease. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cytochemistry of fat body trophocytes and ovaries of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) during vitellogenesis
Authors: Paes‐de‐Oliveira Vagner Tadeu , Roat Thaisa Cristina , Berger Bruno , Da Cruz‐Landim Carminda
Published: July 2012

ABSTRACT The fat body (FB) of insects is where yolk proteins are synthesized. Therefore, relationships between the FB and oogenesis were studied in nurse workers, virgins, and physogastric queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides, a stingless bee in which the workers produce and lay eggs while provisioning brood cells. The relationships between FB and oogenesis, as well as the routes of materials from hemolymph to the oocytes, were studied through the cytochemical detection of lipids by osmium imidazole (OI), carbohydrates by ruthenium red (RR) and basic proteins by ammoniacal silver (AS). The results show differences in the presence of the studied materials in FB trophocytes and ovary of the classes of females studied and oogenesis phases. Material that tested positive for the treatments was detected among the classes of individuals studied in both, trophocytes and oocytes, and in the route of those materials from hemolymph to the oocytes. The differences found among the individual classes indicate relationships with the nutrition and adaptation to the parsimonious use of nutrients in the metabolism of reproduction. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An overview of radio or stable isotope‐labeled cis‐neonicotinoid analogs
Authors: Li Chao , Xu Xiao‐Yong , Liu Xuan‐Qi , Fu Qiu‐Guo , Wang Wei , Ye Qing‐Fu , Li Zhong
Published: July 2012

To support the metabolism and toxicology study of cis‐neonicotinoids, radio or stable isotope was introduced into different sites of the key intermediate 2‐chloro‐5‐((2‐(nitromethylene)imidazolidin‐1‐yl)methyl)pyridine (6‐Cl‐PMNI). [3H2]‐ and [14C]‐label were successively prepared from initial materials NaB3H4 and [14C]‐nitromethane, respectively. Similarly, [D2]‐6‐Cl‐PMNI was prepared from NaBD4 in four steps, with 52.6% overall isotopic yield, and dual‐labeled [D2, 13C]‐target was obtained from NaBD4 and [13C]‐nitromethane, affording overall isotopic yield of 42.5%. Moreover, [14C2] was introduced from [U‐14C]‐ethylenediamine dihydrochloride in three steps, with a 58.3% overall chemical yield. Finally, typical labeled cis‐neonicotinoids paichongding and cycloxaprid were prepared and characterized. The methods were proved to have good generality in the synthesis of other cis‐neonicotinoids, and all results would be useful in metabolism studies of new cis‐neonicotinoids. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of nitrogen deposition on soil organic carbon fractions in the subtropical forest ecosystems of S China
Authors: Chen Xiaomei , Li Yuelin , Mo Jiangming , Otieno Dennis , Tenhunen John , Yan Junhua , Liu Juxiu , Zhang Deqiang
Published: July 2012

Experiments were conducted between 2003 and 2008 to examine how N additions influence soil organic C (SOC) and its fractions in forests at different succession stages in the subtropical China. The succession stages included pine forest, pine and broadleaf mixed forest, and old‐growth monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest. Three levels of N (NH4NO3)‐addition treatments comprising control, low‐N (50 kg N ha–1 y–1), and medium‐N (100 kg N ha–1 y–1) were established. An additional treatment of high‐N (150 kg N ha–1 y–1) was established in the broadleaf mixed forest. Soil samples were obtained in July 2008 for analysis. Total organic C (TOC), particulate organic C (POC, > 53 μm), readily oxidizable organic C (ROC), nonreadily oxidizable organic C (NROC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and soil properties were analyzed. Nitrogen addition affected the TOC and its fractions significantly. Labile organic‐C fractions (POC and ROC) in the topsoil (0–10 cm) increased in all the three forests in response to the N‐addition treatments. NROC within the topsoil was higher in the medium‐N and high‐N treatments than in the controls. In the topsoil profiles of the broadleaf forest, N addition decreased MBC and increased TOC, while no significant effect on MBC and TOC occurred in the pine and mixed forests. Overall, elevated N deposition increased the availability of labile organic C (POC and ROC) and the accumulation of NROC within the topsoil irrespective of the forest succession stage, and might enhance the C‐storage capacity of the forest soils.
Evaluation of lipid removal from animal fats for the determination of organochlorine, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyl indicators by gas chromatography with electron capture detector
Authors: Andrade Adriana S. , Sacheto Doriane , Hoff Rodrigo B. , Pizzolato Tania M.
Published: July 2012

For cleanup of animal fat before GC analysis of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, freezing‐lipid filtration with solid‐phase extraction and matrix solid‐phase dispersion were evaluated to replace the official Brazilian methodology that uses preparative alumina column chromatography. General drawbacks associated with this last technique, such as the use of large amounts of solvent, laborious and time‐consuming procedure could be avoided by using these alternative approaches. Experiments were carried out to study the performance by using different combinations of sorbents and elution solvents. Efficiency of alternative extraction methods in terms of fat removal and recovery capability was monitored by gravimetry, TLC, and GC with electron capture detection. Freezing‐lipid filtration with solid‐phase extraction afforded better clean up efficiency with recoveries in a range of 54.5 to 103.6% with the relative standard deviation of less than 10% for all compounds under investigation.
Cigarette smoke disrupts the integrity of airway adherens junctions through the aberrant interaction of p120‐catenin with the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1
Authors: Zhang Lili , Gallup Marianne , Zlock Lorna , Basbaum Carol , Finkbeiner Walter E. , McNamara Nancy A.
Published: July 2012

Adherens junctions (AJs) containing epithelial cadherin (E‐cad) bound to p120‐catenin (p120ctn) and β‐catenin (β‐ctn) play a crucial role in regulating cell–cell adhesion. Cigarette smoke abrogates cell–cell adhesion between epithelial cells by disrupting E‐cad, a hallmark of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), yet the underlying mechanism remains unknown. We used an organotypic culture of primary human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells treated with smoke‐concentrated medium (Smk) to establish an essential role for the interaction between p120ctn and the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 (MUC1‐CT) in regulating E‐cad disruption. Within the first 4 h of smoke exposure, apical MUC1‐CT repositioned to the basolateral membrane of pseudo‐stratified HBE cells, where it interacted with p120ctn. A time‐dependent increase in MUC1‐CT/p120ctn complexes occurred in conjunction with a time‐dependent dissociation of p120ctn/E‐cad/β‐ctn complexes, as well as the coordinated degradation of p120ctn and E‐cad. Interestingly, Smk induced a similar interaction between MUC1‐CT and β‐ctn, but this occurred 44 h after MUC1‐CT's initial interaction with p120ctn, and well after the AJs were destroyed. Blocking MUC1‐CT's interaction with p120ctn using a MUC1‐CT dominant‐negative peptide, PMIP, successfully abolished Smk's disruptive effects on AJs and recovered apical‐basolateral polarity of HBE cells. The MUC1‐CT/p120ctn interaction was highly dependent on EGFR/Src/Jnk‐mediated tyrosine phosphorylation (TyrP) of MUC1‐CT. Accordingly, EGFR, Src or Jnk inhibitors (AG1478, PP2, SP600125, respectively) abrogated Smk‐induced MUC1‐CT‐TyrP, MUC1‐CT/p120ctn interaction, AJ disruption, and loss of cellular polarity. Our work identified MUC1‐CT and p120ctn as important regulators of epithelial polarity and cell‐cell adhesion during a smoke‐induced EMT‐like process. Novel therapeutics designed to inhibit MUC1‐CT/p120ctn complex formation may prevent EMT in the smoker's airway. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MeDIP real‐time qPCR of maternal peripheral blood reliably identifies trisomy 21
Authors: Tsaliki Evdokia , Papageorgiou Elisavet A. , Spyrou Christiana , Koumbaris George , Kypri Elena , Kyriakou Skevi , Sotiriou Chrysovalanto , Touvana Evi , Keravnou Anna , Karagrigoriou Alex , Lamnissou Klea , Velissariou Voula , Patsalis Philippos C.
Published: July 2012

Objective

To reevaluate the efficiency of the 12 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) used in the methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real‐time qPCR) based approach, develop an improved version of the diagnostic formula and perform a larger validation study.

Methods

Twelve selected DMRs were checked for copy number variants in the Database of Genomic Variants. The DMRs located within copy number variants were excluded from the analysis. One hundred and seventy‐five maternal peripheral blood samples were used to reconstruct and evaluate the new diagnostic formula and for a larger‐scale blinded validation study using MeDIP real‐time qPCR.

Results

Seven DMRs entered the final model of the prediction equation and a larger blinded validation study demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 99.2% specificity. No significant evidence for association was observed between cell free fetal DNA concentration and D value.

Conclusion

The MeDIP real‐time qPCR method for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21 was confirmed and revalidated in 175 samples with satisfactory results demonstrating that it is accurate and reproducible. We are currently working towards simplification of the method to make it more robust and therefore easily, accurately, and rapidly reproduced and adopted by other laboratories. Nevertheless, larger scale validation studies are necessary before the MeDIP real‐time qPCR‐based method could be applied in clinical practice. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Contributions of a Network Approach to Personality Theory and Research
Authors: Furr R. Michael , Fleeson William , Anderson Michelle , Arnold Elizabeth Mayfield
Published: July 2012

Understanding personality structure and processes is one of the most fundamental goals in personality psychology. The network approach presented by Cramer et al. represents a useful path towards this goal, and we address two facets of their approach. First, we examine the possibility that it solves the problem of breadth, which has inhibited the integration of trait theory with social cognitive theory. Second, we evaluate the value and usability of their proposed method (qgraph), doing so by conducting idiographic analyses of the symptom structure of borderline personality disorder. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the impact of cancer among Dutch non‐Hodgkin lymphoma survivors compared with their American counterparts: a cross‐national study
Authors: Oerlemans Simone , Smith Sophia K. , Crespi Catherine M. , Zimmerman Sheryl , van de Poll‐Franse Lonneke V. , Ganz Patricia A.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

To understand cultural differences in the impact of cancer (IOC) by (i) performing an independent psychometric evaluation of the Dutch version of the Impact of Cancer Scale version 2 (IOCv2) in a non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) sample and (ii) examining differences between Dutch and American NHL survivors in perceived IOC and identifying associations with socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods

Data collected from 491 Dutch and 738 American NHL survivors were used in this study. IOCv2 responses were obtained from all survivors; the Dutch survivors also completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core questionnaire, which measures quality of life.

Results

Exploratory factor analysis of the Dutch version yielded a factor solution similar to the American structure but with some subscales merging into single factors. Internal consistency was good; Cronbach's alpha was 0.88 for the Positive and 0.94 for the Negative summary scales. Large differences were observed between survivors, whereby Dutch survivors reported fewer Positive (Δ −0.4, p < 0.001, effect size: 0.27) and more Negative (Δ 0.2, p ≤ 0.001, effect size: 0.13) impacts of cancer independent of socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics.

Conclusion

Similar impact domains of the IOCv2 were observed in the Dutch sample, providing evidence that IOCv2 scales measure common and important survivor concerns across two different Western nations. Higher positive impacts for US survivors might be explained by more personal control and availability of supportive services. Future research should focus on determinants of the IOC in both Dutch and American survivors to gain better understanding of the factors that might improve it and suggest how health care may be modified toward that end. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of perceived social support on the mental health and health‐related quality of life in cancer patients: results from a nationwide, multicenter survey in South Korea
Authors: Eom Chun‐Sick , Shin Dong Wook , Kim So Young , Yang Hyung Kook , Jo Heui Sug , Kweon Sun Seog , Kang Yune Sik , Kim Jong‐Heun , Cho Be‐Long , Park Jong‐Hyock
Published: July 2012

Objective

We investigated whether and how perceived social support is associated with depression and quality of life among patients with various cancer diagnoses.

Methods

Data were collected from 1930 cancer patients treated at the National Cancer Center and nine regional cancer centers across Korea. The Duke‐UNC functional social support scale was used to measure the perceived social support, and the PHQ‐9 and the EORTC QLQ‐C30 were used to measure the cancer patients' depression levels and quality of life, respectively.

Results

Subjects with low perceived social support reported significantly higher levels of depression, lower scores on all functional scales, higher scores on all three symptom scales, lower global health/quality of life scale scores, and higher scores on most single items than subjects with high perceived social support. There was no interaction between potential stressors and perceived social support, supporting the main effect model as the mechanism that the perceived social support reduce the adverse psychological outcomes.

Conclusion

Perceived social support was associated with mental health and quality of life in cancer patients, through direct effect rather than stress‐buffering effect. Interventions to enhance perceived social support might be helpful for improving mental health and QOL in cancer patients. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mixture distributions in multi‐state modelling: Some considerations in a study of psoriatic arthritis
Authors: O'Keeffe Aidan G. , Tom Brian D.M. , Farewell Vernon T.
Published: July 2012

In many studies, interest lies in determining whether members of the study population will undergo a particular event of interest. Such scenarios are often termed ‘mover–stayer’ scenarios, and interest lies in modelling two sub‐populations of ‘movers’ (those who have a propensity to undergo the event of interest) and ‘stayers’ (those who do not). In general, mover–stayer scenarios within data sets are accounted for through the use of mixture distributions, and in this paper, we investigate the use of various random effects distributions for this purpose. Using data from the University of Toronto psoriatic arthritis clinic, we present a multi‐state model to describe the progression of clinical damage in hand joints of patients with psoriatic arthritis. We consider the use of mover–stayer gamma, inverse Gaussian and compound Poisson distributions to account for both the correlation amongst joint locations and the possible mover–stayer situation with regard to clinical hand joint damage. We compare the fits obtained from these models and discuss the extent to which a mover–stayer scenario exists in these data. Furthermore, we fit a mover–stayer model that allows a dependence of the probability of a patient being a stayer on a patient‐level explanatory variable. © 2012 The authors. Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Doubly robust testing and estimation of model‐adjusted effect‐measure modification with complex survey data
Authors: Zheng Hao W. , Brumback Babette A. , Lu Xiaomin , Bouldin Erin D. , Cannell Michael B. , Andresen Elena M.
Published: July 2012

Model‐based standardization enables adjustment for confounding of a population‐averaged exposure effect on an outcome. It requires either a model for the probability of the exposure conditional on the confounders (an exposure model) or a model for the expectation of the outcome conditional on the exposure and the confounders (an outcome model). The methodology can also be applied to estimate averaged exposure effects within categories of an effect modifier and to test whether these effects differ or not. Recently, we extended that methodology for use with complex survey data, to estimate the effects of disability status on cost barriers to health care within three age categories and to test for differences. We applied the methodology to data from the 2007 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey (BRFSS). The exposure modeling and outcome modeling approaches yielded two contrasting sets of results. In the present paper, we develop and apply to the BRFSS example two doubly robust approaches to testing and estimating effect modification with complex survey data; these approaches require that only one of these two models be correctly specified. Furthermore, assuming that at least one of the models is correctly specified, we can use the doubly robust approaches to develop and apply goodness‐of‐fit tests for the exposure and outcome models. We compare the exposure modeling, outcome modeling, and doubly robust approaches in terms of a simulation study and the BRFSS example. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation methods for marginal and association parameters for longitudinal binary data with nonignorable missing observations
Authors: Li Haocheng , Yi Grace Y.
Published: July 2012

In longitudinal studies, missing observations occur commonly. It has been well known that biased results could be produced if missingness is not properly handled in the analysis. Authors have developed many methods with the focus on either incomplete response or missing covariate observations, but rarely on both. The complexity of modeling and computational difficulty would be the major challenges in handling missingness in both response and covariate variables. In this paper, we develop methods using the pairwise likelihood formulation to handle longitudinal binary data with missing observations present in both response and covariate variables. We propose a unified framework to accommodate various types of missing data patterns. We evaluate the performance of the methods empirically under a variety of circumstances. In particular, we investigate issues on efficiency and robustness. We analyze longitudinal data from the National Population Health Study with the use of our methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of certified providers of medical abortion: Evidence from Bihar and Maharashtra, India
Authors: Acharya Rajib , Kalyanwala Shveta
Published: July 2012

Objective

To explore Indian abortion providers’ knowledge of medical abortion (MA), their personal experiences and practices of providing medical abortion, and their attitudes toward providing MA to eligible women who were poor, uneducated, and/or from rural areas.

Methods

In selected districts of India's Bihar and Maharashtra states, interviews were conducted with 270 physicians who were certified as abortion providers, using a structured questionnaire.

Results

The providers’ knowledge of the gestational limit, the recommended doses of mifepristone and misoprostol, and other aspects of the approved protocol was far from universal. Only about two‐thirds of these physicians authorized to perform MA actually performed it. Although they all counseled women about the procedure before they took mifepristone, the matters discussed were often limited to pain management and possible complications. Contraception was usually not discussed until the follow‐up visit. Most providers thus missed the opportunity to provide sustained counseling to their MA patients, and did not counsel them about the need to protect themselves in the 2 weeks following the administration of mifepristone. Moreover, many providers were reluctant to offer MA to poor, uneducated, and/or rural women.

Conclusions

These findings shed light on the need to raise awareness and dispel misgivings about MA among certified providers of abortion services. By placing emphasis on the method's safety and effectiveness, additional training to these would increase their confidence about offering MA to eligible women.
Differential regulation of nuclear factor‐kappa B subunits on epidermal keratinocytes by ultraviolet B and tacrolimus
Authors: Wu Ching‐Shuang , Lan Cheng‐Che E. , Kuo Hsuan‐Yu , Chai Chee‐Yin , Chen Wan‐Tzu , Chen Gwo‐Shing
Published: July 2012

Modulation of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) expression has important clinical implications including anti‐inflammation. Recently, we have shown that direct regulation of NF‐κB/p65 subunit may account for tacrolimus ointment's remarkable clinical efficacy on treating inflammatory dermatoses. However, NF‐κB is a dimeric transcription factor formed by hetero‐ or homodimeration of the five Rel family proteins. The complete operational scheme of different NF‐κB subunits remains obscure. It has been shown that homodimers consist of NF‐κB/p50 may serve an inhibitory role in suppressing inflammation while dimers consisting of NF‐κB/p65 activate inflammatory pathway. Our current study aimed to explore the effects of ultraviolet B (UVB) on epidermal keratinocytes in terms of specific NF‐κB subunits NF‐κB/p50 and NF‐κB/p65. Additionally, the effects of tacrolimus on differential regulation of NF‐κB subunits of UVB irradiated keratinocytes were also investigated. Our result showed that UVB sequentially regulated the activities of different subunits of NF‐κB: the activity of NF‐κB/p50 was downregulated in the early stage (6 hours), followed by upregulation of NF‐κB/p65 in the later stage (12 hours). The results from immunofluorescence, immunocytochemical, and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that the nuclear expression of NF‐κB/p50 could be seen constitutively while the nuclear expression of NF‐κB/p65 could only be seen after UVB irradiation. Furthermore, treatment with tacrolimus didn’t affect the nuclear activation and translocation of NF‐κB/p50, while the UVB induced NF‐κB/p65 nuclear expression was suppressed by tacrolimus. In summary, we have shown that UVB irradiation sequentially regulated different NF‐κB subunits. The clinical efficacy of tacrolimus may be attributed to its specific regulatory effect on NF‐κB/p65 but not NF‐κB/p50 of the NF‐κB pathway.
The r-monotonicity of generalized Bernstein polynomials
Authors: Zhu Laiyi , Huang Zhiyong
Published: July 2012

Let f ∊ C[0, 1] and let the Bn(f, q; x) be generalized Bernstein polynomials based on the q-integers that were introduced by Phillips. We prove that if f is r-monotone, then Bn(f, q; x) is r-monotone, generalizing well-known results when q = 1 and the results when r = 1 and r = 2 by Goodman et al. We also prove a sufficient condition for a continuous function to be r-monotone.
Harmonic maps between rotationally symmetric manifolds
Authors: Fotiadis A.
Published: July 2012

We prove the existence and uniqueness of harmonic maps between rotationally symmetric manifolds that are asymptotically hyperbolic.
VOTE TRAFFICKING IN LEBANON
Authors: Corstange Daniel
Published: July 2012

Vote buying and vote selling are prominent features of electoral politics in Lebanon. This article investigates how vote trafficking works in Lebanese elections and examines how electoral rules and practices contribute to wide and lively vote markets. Using original survey data from the 2009 parliamentary elections, it studies vote selling with a list experiment, a question technique designed to elicit truthful answers to sensitive questions. The data show that over half of the Lebanese sold their votes in 2009. Moreover, once we come to grips with the sensitivity of the topic, the data show that members of all sectarian communities and political alliances sold their votes at similar rates.
Introduction
Authors: Ergene Boğaç A.
Published: July 2012

The purpose of this roundtable is to discuss the major methodological and theoretical challenges involved in economic research in the context of Middle Eastern/Islamic history. We asked scholars representing a diverse spectrum of training and specialization to reflect on the state of the field (or the sub-fields with which they are familiar) and to comment on its (their) strengths and shortcomings. The participants had the opportunity to read all papers and modify their own contributions accordingly. The result, we believe, is a focused and critical conversation that reflects the plurality of opinions and approaches in the field. Outside of conference panels and small-scale workshops, exclusively methodological and theoretical exchanges in Middle Eastern/Islamic economic history are rare. We hope that this forum will stimulate further conversation and research on the issues discussed here.
Economic History, Institutions, and Institutional Change
Authors: Pamuk Şevket
Published: July 2012

Until recently the discipline of economic history was concerned mostly with the Industrial Revolution and the period since. A large majority of the research and writing focused on Great Britain, western Europe, and the United States. There has been a striking change in the last three decades. Economic historians today are much more interested in the earlier periods: the early modern and medieval eras and even the ancient economies of the Old World. They have been gathering empirical materials and employing various theories to make sense of the evolution of these economies. Equally important, there has been a resurgence in the studies of developing regions of the world. Global economic history, focusing on all regions of the world and their interconnectedness since ancient times, is on its way to becoming a major field of study. Even the Industrial Revolution, the most central event of economic history, is being studied and reinterpreted today not as a British or even western European event but as a breakthrough resulting from many centuries of interaction between Europe and the rest of the world.
Beyond Histories of Stagnation to “Living” Histories of Possibilities
Authors: İslamoğlu Huri
Published: July 2012

A central question of economic history since the 19th century has been why capitalist development (often identified with modern transformation) took place in western Europe and not in other parts of the world, notably, in China and Islamic lands, which experienced commercial expansion and the beginnings of industrial development. Diverging patterns of institutional change in the West and elsewhere, representing divergent responses to changing conditions of trade and production, have attracted historians’ attention especially at moments of dramatic institutional shifts such as those of the 19th century. These moments coincided with the establishment of the hegemony of one region over others. With respect to the Ottoman Empire, Islam and its institutional deficiencies—most notably, of its law—have been invoked as explanations for the region's inability to achieve modern economic development. Scholars have portrayed a pragmatist state culture as responsible for the empire's longevity, while the same scholars also held that culture responsible for impeding liberal market development by allowing intensive state intervention in the economy.
Contextualization Is Not Antagonistic to Theorization
Authors: Platteau Jean-Philippe
Published: July 2012

Because the methodology of historical research gives primary importance to the study of the context in which events occur, it is often seen as antithetical to theory. Theory implies an abstraction from the details of historical reality—it is constructed on the basis of stylized facts—and seems therefore incompatible with the historian's approach. The latter purports to interpret the raw facts in all their richness and complexity. Interpretation is needed not only because all the facts are not known with certainty but also because the manner in which their effects interact is often open to debate. In the eyes of most historians, however, the ambition to interpret the raw facts in all their richness and complexity excludes any recourse to the artifact of a model, on the grounds that it is always a simplified version of reality that adds an unnecessary second-order elaboration of the facts.
POSTCOLONIALITY, THE OTTOMAN PAST, AND THE MIDDLE EAST PRESENT
Authors: Göçek Fatma Müge
Published: July 2012

During the last decade, the postcolonial approach has become influential in the humanities and the social sciences. Tracing its own historical origin to interaction with Western European modernity, it focuses on contemporary power inequality, which it intends to eliminate by demonstrating the connection between power and knowledge. Hence, this approach not only puts the present in conversation with the past but also poses power inequality as the analytical lens through which to approach states and societies. In the last decades, a number of scholars working on the Middle East have adopted the postcolonial approach. In this review essay, I initially discuss its application in the study of the region and then contextualize eight recent works within that framework.
Notes on the Later Prehistoric Radiocarbon Chronology of Eastern and Southern Africa
Authors: Phillipson D. W.
Published: July 2012

This paper is intended as the first of a biennial series summarizing for the benefit of historians the latest developments in radiocarbon dating for the later prehistory of eastern and southern Africa. Ninety new dates have been released during the past year and these are discussed and evaluated in comparison with dates obtained previously. It should be emphasized that many of the dates included in this paper are here published in advance of fully detailed reports, which are in preparation by the archaeologists concerned, and that some of the conclusions reached are provisional pending a fuller examination and evaluation of the archaeological data.
The Cowrie Currencies of West Africa Part I
Authors: Johnson Marion
Published: July 2012

This part of the paper deals with the cowrie shells and their import into West Africa, and the cost of their transport in West Africa; with the cowrie currency area and its changes; with the oddities of cowrie arithmetic; and with the final decline of the cowrie currency. A second part will deal with the value of cowries at various times and places, and with cowrie economics.
Facial paralysis during air travel: case series and literature review
Authors: Ah-See K L , Shakeel M , Maini S K , Hussain S S M
Published: July 2012

Objective:

We report three cases of recurrent, unilateral facial palsy associated with air travel.

Method:

The three cases are presented, along with a brief literature review concerning barotrauma and its association with air travel and facial palsy.

Results:

All three patients experienced unilateral facial paralysis during air travel, accompanied by additional symptoms which varied between cases. Symptoms resolved spontaneously in all cases. Two patients received ventilation tube insertion to prevent further recurrence. Computed tomography scanning revealed no bony defect in two patients, while the third exhibited dehiscence of the facial canal which may have contributed to the condition.

Conclusion:

Available evidence suggests that eustachian tube dysfunction can contribute to increased pressure within the middle ear, leading to neuropraxia of the facial nerve. Cases of facial paralysis associated with air travel are under-reported. Since there is no evidence-based management protocol for this condition, further investigation of its pathology is encouraged in order to improve our understanding.
A 2(3-RRPS) parallel manipulator inspired by Gough–Stewart platform
Authors: Gallardo-Alvarado Jaime , García-Murillo Mario A. , Castillo-Castaneda Eduardo
Published: July 2012

This study addresses the kinematics of a six-degrees-of-freedom parallel manipulator whose moving platform is a regular triangular prism. The moving and fixed platforms are connected to each other by means of two identical parallel manipulators. Simple forward kinematics and reduced singular regions are the main benefits offered by the proposed parallel manipulator. The Input–Output equations of velocity and acceleration are systematically obtained by resorting to reciprocal-screw theory. A case study, which is verified with the aid of commercially available software, is included with the purpose to exemplify the application of the method of kinematic analysis.
New type F lineage-related Tn1546and avanA/vanBtype vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus faeciumisolated from patients in Dammam, Saudi Arabia during 2006–2007
Authors: KHAN M. A. , SHORMAN M. , AL-TAWFIQ J. , HAYS J. P.
Published: July 2012

Knowledge regarding vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from Middle Eastern countries is scarce. We therefore investigated the antimicrobial resistance profiles and genetic relationships of VREEnterococcus faeciumisolates obtained from patients attending the King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, during 2006–2007. The predominant VRE comprised 20vanB, fivevanAand onevanA/vanBtype isolates, which tended to fall into two genetic clusters that were identifiable phenotypically by their susceptibility to tetracycline. Multi-locus sequence typing of a random selection of isolates showed that they were part of clonal cluster 17, showing the importance of this genotype in nosocomial VRE infections in Saudi Arabia. Further analysis showed that four of thevanAgenotype isolates possessed a new type F Tn1546transposon, associated with IS1216Vand IS1251. Finally,E. faecium vanA/Bisolates are rarely reported in the clinical setting including in Saudi Arabia.
A model for dynamic communicators
Authors: MANTZARIS ALEXANDER V. , HIGHAM DESMOND J.
Published: July 2012

We develop and test an intuitively simple dynamic network model to describe the type of time-varying connectivity structure present in many technological settings. The model assumes that nodes have an inherent hierarchy governing the emergence of new connections. This idea draws on newly established concepts in online human behaviour concerning the existence of discussion catalysts, who initiate long threads, and online leaders, who trigger feedback. We show that the model captures an important property found in e-mail and voice call data – ‘dynamic communicators’ with sufficient foresight or impact to generate effective links and having an influence that is grossly underestimated by static measures based on snaphots or aggregated data.
Staining Characteristics ofLonchocarpus cyanescensLeaf Extract on the Testis of Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Bassey Rosemary B. , Bakare Airat A. , Edagha Innocent A. , Osinubi Abraham A.A. , Oremosu Ademola A.
Published: July 2012

The use of nonallergic, nontoxic, and eco-friendly natural dyes has become a matter of significant importance due to increased environmental awareness on the need to avoid hazardous synthetic dyes. This study was to determine the staining properties of the dye extract ofLonchocarpus cyanescenson histomorphology of the testis. Freshly cut leaves ofL. cyanescensobtained from Akpan Ifia Inan village in Ikono local government area of Akwa Ibom state (latitude 5° 10′ 12″ N; longitude 7° 48′ 0″ E) were put into a plastic jar and boiling water was poured to cover the leaves. It was covered and left for an hour. The liquid was strained and potassium hydroxide was added to the dye water mixture to reach a pH of 9. A whisk was used to mix air into the liquid, and the mixuture was then allowed to sit until the blue indigo had settled to the bottom of the container. The dye was diluted with 70% ethanol to a concentration of 0.1 g/mL and was used to stain sections of testes. Its potential for use as a counterstain was also investigated. The testes sections were stained in shades of blue. The dye overshadowed the colors of haematoxylin and eosin. Preliminary phytochemical screening ofL. cyanescensrevealed that it contains alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, and tannins.
How Low Can You Go?
Authors: Bell Bethany A. , Morgan Grant B. , Schoeneberger Jason A. , Kromrey Jeffrey D. , Ferron John M.
Published: July 2012

Whereas general sample size guidelines have been suggested when estimating multilevel models, they are only generalizable to a relatively limited number of data conditions and model structures, both of which are not very feasible for the applied researcher. In an effort to expand our understanding of two-level multilevel models under less than ideal conditions, Monte Carlo methods, through SAS/IML, were used to examine model convergence rates, parameter point estimates (statistical bias), parameter interval estimates (confidence interval accuracy and precision), and both Type I error control and statistical power of tests associated with the fixed effects from linear two-level models estimated with PROC MIXED. These outcomes were analyzed as a function of: (a) level-1 sample size, (b) level-2 sample size, (c) intercept variance, (d) slope variance, (e) collinearity, and (f) model complexity. Bias was minimal across nearly all conditions simulated. The 95% confidence interval coverage and Type I error rate tended to be slightly conservative. The degree of statistical power was related to sample sizes and level of fixed effects; higher power was observed with larger sample sizes and level-1 fixed effects.
Reconciling modeled and observed temperature trends over Antarctica
Authors: Calvo N. , Garcia R. R. , Marsh D. R. , Mills M. J. , Kinnison D. E. , Young P. J.
Published: July 2012

Over the last three decades, ozone depletion over Antarctica has affected temperature and winds in the lower stratosphere, and even in the troposphere and at the surface. The second Chemistry Climate Model Validation activity (CCMVal2) concluded that chemistry‐climate models simulate stratospheric cooling that is too large compared to observations, even though the modeled and observed ozone trends are similar. However, these comparisons were based only on radiosonde data available for 1969–1998. Here, we investigate trends in the Southern Hemisphere polar cap in the latest version of the Community Earth System Model (CESM1) with its high‐top atmospheric component, WACCM4, fully coupled to an ocean model. We compare model trends with observations for different periods and with other modeling studies to show much better agreement with more recent data, and conclude that the discrepancy between observed trends and those calculated by high‐top models may not be as large as previously reported.
Achieving temperature-size changes in a unicellular organism
Authors: Forster Jack , Hirst Andrew G , Esteban Genoveva F
Published: July 2012

The temperature-size rule (TSR) is an intraspecific phenomenon describing the phenotypic plastic response of an organism size to the temperature: individuals reared at cooler temperatures mature to be larger adults than those reared at warmer temperatures. The TSR is ubiquitous, affecting >80% species including uni- and multicellular groups. How the TSR is established has received attention in multicellular organisms, but not in unicells. Further, conceptual models suggest the mechanism of size change to be different in these two groups. Here, we test these theories using the protist Cyclidium glaucoma. We measure cell sizes, along with population growth during temperature acclimation, to determine how and when the temperature-size changes are achieved. We show that mother and daughter sizes become temporarily decoupled from the ratio 2:1 during acclimation, but these return to their coupled state (where daughter cells are half the size of the mother cell) once acclimated. Thermal acclimation is rapid, being completed within approximately a single generation. Further, we examine the impact of increased temperatures on carrying capacity and total biomass, to investigate potential adaptive strategies of size change. We demonstrate no temperature effect on carrying capacity, but maximum supported biomass to decrease with increasing temperature.
Phylogenetic stratigraphy in the Guerrero Negro hypersaline microbial mat
Authors: Kirk Harris J , Gregory Caporaso J , Walker Jeffrey J , Spear John R , Gold Nicholas J , Robertson Charles E , Hugenholtz Philip , Goodrich Julia , McDonald Daniel , Knights Dan , Marshall Paul , Tufo Henry , Knight Rob , Pace Norman R
Published: July 2012

The microbial mats of Guerrero Negro (GN), Baja California Sur, Mexico historically were considered a simple environment, dominated by cyanobacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Culture-independent rRNA community profiling instead revealed these microbial mats as among the most phylogenetically diverse environments known. A preliminary molecular survey of the GN mat based on only ∼1500 small subunit rRNA gene sequences discovered several new phylum-level groups in the bacterial phylogenetic domain and many previously undetected lower-level taxa. We determined an additional ∼119 000 nearly full-length sequences and 28 000 >200 nucleotide 454 reads from a 10-layer depth profile of the GN mat. With this unprecedented coverage of long sequences from one environment, we confirm the mat is phylogenetically stratified, presumably corresponding to light and geochemical gradients throughout the depth of the mat. Previous shotgun metagenomic data from the same depth profile show the same stratified pattern and suggest that metagenome properties may be predictable from rRNA gene sequences. We verify previously identified novel lineages and identify new phylogenetic diversity at lower taxonomic levels, for example, thousands of operational taxonomic units at the family-genus levels differ considerably from known sequences. The new sequences populate parts of the bacterial phylogenetic tree that previously were poorly described, but indicate that any comprehensive survey of GN diversity has only begun. Finally, we show that taxonomic conclusions are generally congruent between Sanger and 454 sequencing technologies, with the taxonomic resolution achieved dependent on the abundance of reference sequences in the relevant region of the rRNA tree of life.
Racial Differences in Urinary F2‐Isoprostane Levels and the Cross‐Sectional Association With bmi
Authors: Il'yasova Dora , Wang Frances , Spasojevic Ivan , Base Karel , D'Agostino Ralph B. , Wagenknecht Lynne E.
Published: July 2012

Levels of four urinary F2‐isoprostanes (F2‐IsoPs) were examined in a large sample of the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS) multiethnic cohort: 237 African Americans (AAs), 342 non‐Hispanic whites (NHWs), and 275 Hispanic whites (HWs). F2‐IsoP isomers — iPF2a‐III, 2,3‐dinor‐iPF2a‐III, iPF2a‐VI, and 8,12‐iso‐iPF2a‐VI — were measured in 854 urine samples using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection. In AAs, levels of all four F2‐IsoPs were lower compared with NHWs and HWs (P values <0.05). When stratified by BMI, this gap was not observed among participants with normal BMI but appeared among overweight participants and increased among obese participants. Examining the slopes of the associations between BMI and F2‐IsoPs showed no association between these variables among AAs (P values >0.2), and positive associations among whites (P values <0.05). Taking into account that positive cross‐sectional associations between systemic F2‐IsoP levels and BMI have been consistently demonstrated in many study populations, the lack of such an association among AAs reveals a new facet of racial/ethnic differences in obesity‐related risk profiles.
Effects of flame interaction on the rate of spread of heading and suppression fires in shrubland experimental fires
Authors: Vega J. A. , Jiménez E. , Dupuy J.-L. , Linn R. R.
Published: July 2012

Suppression fires are frequently used in wildland firefighting operations. However, little is known about how suppression fires behave and how the main front and the suppression fire interact. Lack of information limits the operational use and effectiveness of suppression fires and compromises the safety of firefighters. A series of experimental fires were conducted in a shrubland fuel complex in Galicia to quantify the effect of the interaction between a heading fire burning upslope with the prevailing wind and a suppression fire burning downslope from a control line against the wind. An empirical model was developed to estimate the possible effect of interaction between fronts on the rate of spread of both fronts. For heading fires, the explanatory variables were: wind speed on the windward side of the fire, distance between fronts and slope angle. In contrast, for suppression fires, the only significant explanatory variable was the distance between fronts. The models reflected the observed low to moderate acceleration in the rate of spread of both fronts and the short distance over which interaction occurred (<20 m). The study revealed that the safe and effective use of suppression firing is more limited than previously expected. In fact, with moderately high wind velocities on flat and moderately steep terrain, the use of line firing appeared unsafe.
Molecular cloning of a member of a third class of Shaker-family K+ channel genes in mammals.
Authors: McCormack T , Vega-Saenz de Miera E C , Rudy B
Published: July 2012

In the human proteolipid protein gene, the base sequence of the intronic region 5' to exon 6 was found to be 5'-ctctttcattttcctgcag-3' and not 5'-ctctttt-cattttcctgcag-3' as previously reported.