bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What is the mechanism of flow‐mediated arterial dilatation
Authors: Markos Farouk , Ruane O'Hora Therese , Noble Mark IM
Published: May 2013

The present review attempts to explain the controversies concerning the mechanism of shear stress‐mediated arterial dilatation, commonly called flow‐mediated arterial dilatation (FMD). Flow‐mediated dilatation occurs in an artery when the blood flow to the organ supplied by the artery is increased.

There are two hypotheses regarding the stimulus for FMD: (i) a wave of endothelial and smooth muscle hyperpolarization, conducted in a retrograde fashion from the vasodilated peripheral vascular bed towards the relevant conduit artery; and (ii) an increase in shear stress sensed by the endothelial cells.

The latter hypothesis is associated with two further postulates concerning the method of mechanotransduction of the shear stress stimulus: (i) direct transmission from endothelial cell cytoskeleton to the vascular smooth muscle to induce dilatation; and (ii) indirect transmission to the endothelial cell cytoskeleton via the glycocalyx. The virtues and inconsistencies of these hypotheses are discussed.

The first hypothesis is excluded because a vasodilated peripheral vascular bed does not cause dilation of the upstream conduit artery if an increase in flow within the conduit artery is prevented and because FMD is completely blocked by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS).

It is probable that the stimulus is an increase in shear stress between the blood and the adjacent layer of the arterial wall, the glycocalyx. Ultimately, a change in the endothelial cell cytoskeleton is the likely event that leads to activation of NOS and this activation does not occur without a functioning glycocalyx.
Methods Teaching through a Discipline Research-Oriented Approach
Authors: Leston-Bandeira Cristina
Published: May 2013

In a context of intense debate around the need to promote stronger research skills in politics graduates, this article explores an approach to teaching research methods which focuses on the discipline, student and research process. Through a case study, we show that adopting a discipline-embedded research-oriented approach ensures student engagement with methods teaching. Following the principle that students should experience primary research from the moment of choosing a research topic up to the stage of implementation and analysis of results, students engage with this module through their interest in the discipline and sense of ownership of their learning process.
The Principle of Cyclicality of the Second-Order Election Theory for Simultaneous Multi-Level Elections
Authors: Romanova Valentyna
Published: May 2013

The principle of cyclicality in the leading theory of multi-level voting – second-order election theory – assumes that simultaneous multi-level voting should be congruent and that regional electoral contests should have no second-order election effects: regional turnout should not decrease, parties in office should not lose support, while opposition, small and new parties should not attract more votes. This article tests the principle of cyclicality of second-order election theory against a set of simultaneous multi-level elections in order to explain why second-order election effects rise and fall.
Ultrasound‐guided transcervical forceps extraction of unruptured interstitial pregnancy
Authors: Ahn J‐W , Lee S‐J , Lee SH , Kang SP , Won H‐S
Published: May 2013

This report introduces a method for ultrasound‐guided transcervical forceps extraction (UTCE) of unruptured interstitial pregnancies; this method does not necessitate elective caesarean delivery for future pregnancies. This report also compares this technique with conventional methods. A retrospective review was conducted involving 16 women treated for interstitial pregnancies. Among these women, UTCE was successfully performed in six of 16 women, with only one woman requiring additional intervention; conventional treatment was performed in the other ten women. UTCE is a safe, effective and minimally invasive option for treating interstitial pregnancies and should be considered as an alternative treatment modality.
Risk factors for obstetric anal sphincter injury after a successful multicentre interventional programme
Authors: Stedenfeldt M , Øian P , Gissler M , Blix E , Pirhonen J
Published: May 2013

Objective

To evaluate and compare the risk profile of sustaining obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) and associated risks in five risk groups (low to high), after the OASIS rate was reduced from 4.6% to 2.0% following an interventional programme. The main focus of the intervention was on manual assistance during the final part of second stage of labour.

Design

A multicentre interventional cohort study with before and after comparison.

Setting

Four Norwegian obstetric departments.

Sample

A total of 40 154 vaginal deliveries in 2003–09.

Methods

Pre‐intervention and postintervention analyses. The associations of OASIS with possible risk factors were estimated using odds ratios obtained by logistic regression.

Main outcome measure

Risk factors of OASIS.

Results

The risk of sustaining OASIS decreased by 59% (odds ratio [OR] 0.41; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.36–0.46) after the intervention. Associations with obstetric risks for OASIS were largely unchanged after the intervention, including first vaginal delivery (OR 3.84; 95% CI 2.90–5.07), birthweight ≥4500 g (OR 4.42; 95% CI 2.68–7.27), forceps delivery (OR 3.54; 95% CI 1.99–6.29) and mediolateral episiotomy (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.70–1.12). However, the highest reduction of OASIS, (65%), was observed in group 0 (low‐risk) (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.24–0.51), and a 57% (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.35–0.52), 61% (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.31–0.48), and 58% (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.30–0.60) reduction in groups with one, two and three risk factors, respectively. No change was observed in the group with four risk factors.

Conclusion

After the intervention the most significant decrease of OASIS was observed in low‐risk births, although the main risk factors for OASIS remained unchanged.
Elective caesarean section at 38 weeks versus 39 weeks: neonatal and maternal outcomes in a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Glavind J , Kindberg SF , Uldbjerg N , Khalil M , Møller AM , Mortensen BB , Rasmussen OB , Christensen JT , Jørgensen JS , Henriksen TB
Published: May 2013

Objectives

To investigate whether elective caesarean section before 39 completed weeks of gestation increases the risk of adverse neonatal or maternal outcomes.

Design

Randomised controlled multicentre open‐label trial.

Setting

Seven Danish tertiary hospitals from March 2009 to June 2011.

Population

Women with uncomplicated pregnancies, a single fetus, and a date of delivery estimated by ultrasound scheduled for delivery by elective caesarean section.

Methods

Perinatal outcomes after elective caesarean section scheduled at a gestational age of 38 weeks and 3 days versus 39 weeks and 3 days (in both groups ±2 days).

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission within 48 hours of birth. Secondary outcomes were neonatal depression, NICU admission within 7 days, NICU length of stay, neonatal treatment, and maternal surgical or postpartum adverse events.

Results

Among women scheduled for elective caesarean section at 38+3 weeks 88/635 neonates (13.9%) were admitted to the NICU, whereas in the 39+3 weeks group 76/637 neonates (11.9%) were admitted (relative risk [RR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.65–1.15). Neonatal treatment with continuous oxygen for more than 1 day (RR 0.31; 95% CI 0.10–0.94) and maternal bleeding of more than 500 ml (RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.63–0.99) were less frequent in the 39 weeks group, but these findings were insignificant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. The risk of adverse neonatal or maternal outcomes, or a maternal composite outcome (RR 1.1; 95% CI 0.79–1.53) was similar in the two intervention groups.

Conclusions

This study found no significant reduction in neonatal admission rate after ECS scheduled at 39 weeks compared with 38 weeks of gestation.
Investigating the social engagement of children with autism in mainstream schools for the purpose of identifying learning targets
Authors: Conn Carmel
Published: May 2013

The social needs of children with autism are complex, and their inclusion in mainstream schools necessitates a consideration of the nature of a child's participation in peer culture and how it is received by others. The case study reported here sought to investigate the social engagement of a child with autism and his peers using naturalistic methods to provide contextualised and detailed information. A comparative approach was used to study different social contexts: the wider class group, the peer group which included the child with autism, and the individual participation of the child with autism compared with this smaller group. Findings indicate that the child with autism demonstrated a number of competencies in relation to his own social group and that social difficulties were not necessarily seen as a weakness within the peer culture. The importance of careful analysis of social processes and the use of reflective assessment to autism education is highlighted.
Accessibility and autonomy preconditions to ‘our’ inclusion: a grounded theory study of the experiences of secondary students with vision impairment
Authors: Whitburn Ben
Published: May 2013

In this paper, I report core findings of a small‐scale qualitative study that I conducted with a group of young people with vision impairment who attended an inclusive secondary school in the Australian state of Queensland. My objective was to capture their voiced experiences of their schooling through face‐to‐face interviews and to develop a substantive theory that was grounded in the collected data. Relevant to the study was my status as an insider researcher, which impacted both data collection and analysis. Here, I develop the methodological process that I followed and present core findings of the study. These findings shed light on the practices within schools that are designed to promote inclusion yet perpetuate exclusion for students with impaired vision.
A critical interrogation of the contemporary discourses associated with inclusive education in England
Authors: Glazzard Jonathan
Published: May 2013

This paper argues that the standards agenda works in opposition to the inclusion agenda despite government rhetoric, which suggests that both agendas are complementary. The paper emphasises the need to embrace a broader understanding of what constitutes achievement in order to enable all learners to experience success. In developing this critique of recent and current policies of inclusion, the paper draws on earlier papers that have contributed to the debate. This paper argues that the current Code of Practice perpetuates a deficit model of the child, which is largely at odds with notions of inclusion.
Amplicon pyrosequencing late Pleistocene permafrost: the removal of putative contaminant sequences and small‐scale reproducibility
Authors: Porter Teresita M. , Golding G. Brian , King Christine , Froese Duane , Zazula Grant , Poinar Hendrik N.
Published: May 2013

DNA sequencing of ancient permafrost samples can be used to reconstruct past plant, animal and bacterial communities. In this study, we assess the small‐scale reproducibility of taxonomic composition obtained from sequencing four molecular markers (mitochondrial 12S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), prokaryote 16S rDNA, mitochondrial cox1 and chloroplast trnL intron) from two soil cores sampled 10 cm apart. In addition, sequenced control reactions were used to produce a contaminant library that was used to filter similar sequences from sample libraries. Contaminant filtering resulted in the removal of 1% of reads or 0.3% of operational taxonomic units. We found similar richness, overlap, abundance and taxonomic diversity from the 12S, 16S and trnL markers from each soil core. Jaccard dissimilarity across the two soil cores was highest for metazoan taxa detected by the 12S and cox1 markers. Taxonomic community distances were similar for each marker across the two soil cores when the chi‐squared metric was used; however, the 12S and cox1 markers did not cluster well when the Goodall similarity metric was used. A comparison of plant macrofossil vs. read abundance corroborates previous work that suggests eastern Beringia was dominated by grasses and forbs during cold stages of the Pleistocene, a habitat that is restricted to isolated sites in the present‐day Yukon.
The Political Economy of Global Business: the Case of the BRICs
Authors: Goldstein Andrea
Published: May 2013

Gaining greater knowledge of the characteristics of large firms that dominate the global economy is an inherently important endeavour. Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRIC economies) have gained influence in the global economy and this is reflected in the increasing weight of their companies in Fortune Global 500 rankings. Uneven access to data and information makes understanding the strategy, structure, ownership and performance of large business an ambitious programme of research. The BRIC economies are different from each other and this is also true as far as the heights of their respective business worlds are considered. But they also share some crucial features: concentrated ownership, with governments and families at the helm, diversification and internationalisation.
Program SimAssem: software for simulating species assemblages and estimating species richness
Authors: Reese Gordon C. , Wilson Kenneth R. , Flather Curtis H.
Published: May 2013

Species richness, the number of species in a defined area, is the most frequently used biodiversity measure. Despite its intuitive appeal and conceptual simplicity, species richness is often difficult to quantify, even in well‐surveyed areas, because of sampling limitations such as survey effort and species detection probability. Nonparametric estimators have generally performed better than other options, but no particular estimator has consistently performed best across variation in assemblage and survey parameters.

In order to evaluate estimator performances, we developed the program SimAssem. SimAssem can: (i) simulate assemblages and surveys with user‐specified parameters, (ii) process existing species encounter history files, (iii) generate species richness estimates not available in other programs and (iv) format encounter history data for several other programs.

SimAssem can help elucidate relationships between assemblage and survey parameters and the performance of species richness estimators, thereby increasing our understanding of estimator sensitivity, improving estimator development and defining the bounds for appropriate application.
Non‐medical use of prescription opioids and prescription opioid‐related harms: why so markedly higher in North America compared to the rest of the world?
Authors: Fischer Benedikt , Keates Annette , Bühringer Gerhard , Reimer Jens , Rehm Jürgen
Published: May 2013

Aims

This paper aims to identify possible system‐level factors contributing to the marked differences in the levels of non‐medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) and prescription opioid (PO)‐related harms in North America (i.e. the United States and Canada) compared to other global regions.

Methods

Scientific literature and information related to relevant areas of health systems, policy and practice were reviewed and integrated.

Results

We identified several but different factors contributing to the observed differences. First, North American health‐care systems consume substantially more Pos—even when compared to other high‐income countries—than any other global region, with dispensing levels associated strongly with levels of NMPOU and PO‐related harms. Secondly, North American health‐care systems, compared to other systems, appear to have lesser regulatory access restrictions for, and rely more upon, community‐based dispensing mechanisms of POs, facilitating higher dissemination level and availability (e.g. through diversion) of POs implicated in NMPOU and harms. Thirdly, we note that the generally high levels of psychotrophic drug use, dynamics of medical–professional culture (including patient expectations for ‘effective treatment’), as well as the more pronounced ‘for‐profit’ orientation of key elements of health care (including pharmaceutical advertising), may have boosted the PO‐related problems observed in North America.

Conclusions

Differences in the organization of health systems, prescription practices, dispensing and medical cultures and patient expectations appear to contribute to the observed inter‐regional differences in non‐medical prescription opioid use and prescription opioid‐related harms, although consistent evidence and causal analyses are limited. Further comparative examination of these and other potential drivers is needed, and also for evidence‐based intervention and policy development.
Canopy openness in gaps determines the influence of herbaceous climbers and insect folivory on the survival of a tropical pioneer tree, Neoboutonia macrocalyx Pax
Authors: Piiroinen Tiina , Nyeko Philip , Roininen Heikki
Published: May 2013

Gaps created 10 years ago by clearing of conifer plantations in Kibale National Park, Uganda, still experience very little tree regeneration. We studied the arrested succession by examining the survival of Neoboutonia macrocalyx Pax in different sized canopy gaps. We examined whether Neoboutonia seedlings can survive in gaps, which the tree rarely colonizes naturally and whether survival is limited by the size of the canopy opening, herbaceous climbers or insect folivory. A total of 384 seedlings were planted in 24 gaps, and survival was monitored for 19 months. Survival was dependent on canopy openness, being lowest in small gaps and highest in large gaps. We found a significant negative relationship between survival and folivory and a positive relationship between survival and climber infestation. Because 53% of the seedlings survived, regeneration could be limited by seed dispersal, rather than high seedling mortality. However, considering its high survival rate in arrested succession gaps, Neoboutonia seems to have good potential for forest restoration.
Women with anorexia nervosa should not be treated with estrogen or birth control pills in a bone‐sparing effect
Authors: Bergström Ingrid , Crisby Milita , Engström Anne‐May , Hölcke Mats , Fored Monika , Jakobsson Kruse Pia , of Sandberg Ann‐Marie
Published: May 2013

Eating disorders are prevalent, serious conditions that affect mainly young women. An early and enduring sign of anorexia is amenorrhea. There is no evidence for benefits of hormone therapy in patients with anorexia; however, hormone medication and oral contraceptives are frequently prescribed for young women with anorexia as a prevention against and treatment for low bone mineral density. The use of estrogens may create a false picture indicating that the skeleton is being protected against osteoporosis. Thus the motivation to regain weight, and adhere to treatment of the eating disorder in itself, may be reduced. The most important intervention is to restore the menstrual periods through increased nutrition. Hormone and oral contraceptive therapy should not be prescribed for young women with amenorrhea and concurrent eating disorders.
Single‐incision laparoscopic stoma creation: Experience with 31 consecutive cases
Authors: Hasegawa Junichi , Hirota Masaki , Kim Ho Min , Mikata Shoki , Shimizu Junzo , Soma Yoshihito , Nezu Riichiro
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Fecal diversion may be performed using various techniques. Each technique has advantages that affect patient selection. In this report, we report our experience with 31 patients who underwent single‐incision laparoscopic stoma creation using only a pre‐selected stoma site as the point of port access.

Methods

A 2.5‐cm skin incision was made at a previously marked stoma site, and two 5‐mm trocars were placed into the abdomen through the stoma site. An optional third trocar was inserted at the stoma site only if the bowel needed to be mobilized or if adhesions needed to be divided. After full intra‐abdominal exploration, a selected intestinal loop was brought up to the stoma site, and the ostomy was then matured using standard techniques.

Results

Between April 2009 and March 2012, 31 patients (19 men) with a mean age of 68 years (range, 46–87 years) underwent single‐incision laparoscopic stoma creation. Fecal diversion included ileostomy (n = 18) and colostomy (n = 13). There were no intraoperative complications. Two patients (6.5%) required additional port placement in the midline suprapubic area. Conversion to open laparotomy was required in two patients (6.5%) because of the presence of extensive adhesions. Postoperative complications were observed in two patients and included peristomal ileus and dehydration due to high ileostomy output.

Conclusions

Single‐incision laparoscopic stoma creation is an effective technique that allows full intra‐abdominal visualization and bowel mobilization, while reducing the need for additional skin incisions beyond that of the stoma site.
Effects of Oil‐Palm Plantations on Diversity of Tropical Anurans
Authors: FARUK AISYAH , BELABUT DAICUS , AHMAD NORHAYATI , KNELL ROBERT J. , GARNER TRENTON W. J.
Published: May 2013

Agriculturally altered vegetation, especially oil‐palm plantations, is rapidly increasing in Southeast Asia. Low species diversity is associated with this commodity, but data on anuran diversity in oil‐palm plantations are lacking. We investigated how anuran biological diversity differs between forest and oil‐palm plantation, and whether observed differences in biological diversity of these areas is linked to specific environmental factors. We hypothesized that biological diversity is lower in plantations and that plantations support a larger proportion of disturbance‐tolerant species than forest. We compared species richness, abundance, and community composition between plantation and forest areas and between site types within plantation and forest (forest stream vs. plantation stream, forest riparian vs. plantation riparian, forest terrestrial vs. plantation terrestrial). Not all measures of biological diversity differed between oil‐palm plantations and secondary forest sites. Anuran community composition, however, differed greatly between forest and plantation, and communities of anurans in plantations contained species that prosper in disturbed areas. Although plantations supported large numbers of breeding anurans, we concluded the community consisted of common species that were of little conservation concern (commonly found species include Fejervarya limnocharis, Microhyla heymonsi, and Hylarana erythrea). We believe that with a number of management interventions, oil‐palm plantations can provide habitat for species that dwell in secondary forests.

Efectos de las Plantaciones de Palma de Aceite sobre la Diversidad de Anuros Tropicales Faruk et al.
Dynamic Simulation and Static Matching for Action Prediction: Evidence From Body Part Priming
Authors: Springer Anne , Brandstädter Simone , Prinz Wolfgang
Published: May 2013

Accurately predicting other people's actions may involve two processes: internal real‐time simulation (dynamic updating) and matching recently perceived action images (static matching). Using a priming of body parts, this study aimed to differentiate the two processes. Specifically, participants played a motion‐controlled video game with either their arms or legs. They then observed arm movements of a point‐light actor, which were briefly occluded from view, followed by a static test pose. Participants judged whether this test pose depicted a coherent continuation of the previously seen action (i.e., “action prediction task”). Evidence of dynamic updating was obtained after compatible effector priming (i.e., arms), whereas incompatible effector priming (i.e., legs) indicated static matching. Together, the results support action prediction as engaging two distinct processes, dynamic simulation and static matching, and indicate that their relative contributions depend on contextual factors like compatibility of body parts involved in performed and observed action.
Treatment delay and pathways to care in early psychosis
Authors: Ehmann Tom S. , Tee Karen A. , MacEwan G.W. , Dalzell Kacey L. , Hanson Laura A. , Smith Geoff N. , Kopala Lili C. , Honer William G.
Published: May 2013

Objective

To examine the treatment delay associated with community and inpatient pathways into care for persons experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

Methods

A total of 104 clients entering a specialized early psychosis intervention (EPI) program and their family members were assessed for help‐seeking behaviours, psychiatric symptoms, level of functioning and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP).

Results

DUP (median = 30.5 weeks) was associated with younger age of onset, poorer engagement with the EPI program and more severe symptoms. Almost one‐third of clients had four or more contacts before receiving antipsychotic medication or entering the EPI program and one in five received interventions not specifically indicated for psychosis. Referrals directly involving family members accounted for about 81% of hospital‐initiated treatment (39% of all referrals) and 46% of community‐initiated treatment (61% of all referrals). Community entry was associated with longer DUP, more time‐seeking treatment, younger age of onset, younger age at referral, greater likelihood of receiving other medication or counselling before receiving antipsychotic medication, schizophrenia, less severe symptoms and less substance use in the previous year. Those with schizophrenia showed no differences across pathway type for time‐seeking treatment, being provided interventions not specifically indicated for psychosis after onset or rates of substance use.

Conclusions

Treatment delay and the provision of interventions not specifically indicated for psychosis may be increased in first‐episode populations who are younger and have less severe symptoms. Improving literacy about early psychosis in both professionals and families merits greater attention.
Broadening the early intervention paradigm: a one stop shop for youth
Authors: Lee Vivian Wing Woon , Murphy Brendan Patrick
Published: May 2013

Aim:

Despite recognition of the early onset and disease burden of mental and substance use disorders in young people, poor access to services persists. A new youth outreach clinic, with principles consistent with the early intervention paradigm and intake criteria not linked to presumptive diagnostic status, was set up within an existing youth hub. The service development and early service delivery are described.

Methods:

The particulars of the clinic, including location, service recipients and service delivery structure, were conceptualized and implemented. A service model based on secondary and primary consultations and up to six sessions of treatment was adopted to maximize the number of referrers and clients the clinic could service.

Results:

Twenty referrals were received by the clinic in the first 2 months. The clients' ages ranged from 14 to 21 with just less than half under 18 years of age. Clients had complex mixes of symptomatology that fulfilled multiple diagnoses.

Conclusions:

The described model of service delivery can help improve accessibility, fulfil gaps in current youth mental health delivery, and build the capacity of non‐tertiary level services. This is consistent with the early intervention paradigm.
Very long‐lasting remission of refractory T‐large granular lymphocytes leukemia and myeloma by lenalidomide treatment
Authors: Pelliccia Sabrina , Di Napoli Arianna , Naso Virginia , Alma Eleonora , Rebecchini Caterina , Cox Maria C.
Published: May 2013

Background

Large granular lymphocyte leukemias (LGLLs) represent a spectrum of biologically distinct lymphoproliferative diseases originating from either mature T cells (CD3+) or natural killer (NK) cells (CD3−). Both T‐cell and NK‐cell LGL leukemia can manifest as indolent or aggressive neoplasia. These rare lymphoproliferative disorders are often associated with autoimmune diseases and impaired hematopoiesis. Symptomatic patients are treated with immunosuppressive drugs. The co‐association of T‐LGLL with clonal B‐cell disorders is reported in more than 10% of patients.

Case presentation

We describe the case of a 57‐yr‐old white male patient with no history of autoimmune disorders, with refractory T‐LGLL and myeloma who was treated with bortezomib and subsequently with lenalidomide. After 30 months of on‐going lenalidomide therapy, the patient is in partial remission from myeloma and in continuous complete hematological remission from T‐LGLL.

Conclusions

As far as we know, this is the first report of a patient with refractory T‐LGLL treated with bortezomib and lenalidomide. As refractory T‐LGLL is a challenging condition, we think that lenalidomide and bortezomib deserve further investigation.
Comparative steady‐state pharmacokinetic evaluation of immediate‐release topiramate and USL255, a once‐daily extended‐release topiramate formulation
Authors: Bialer Meir , Shekh‐Ahmad Tawfeeq , Braun Tricia L. , Halvorsen Mark B.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Compare the pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of immediate‐ and extended‐release formulations of topiramate (TPM) in healthy subjects following multiple dosing, and evaluate maintenance of topiramate exposures after switching formulations.

Methods

A randomized, open‐label, single‐center, two‐way crossover, multiple‐dose study comparing the steady‐state PK profile of once‐daily extended‐release topiramate (USL255) to immediate‐release topiramate (TPM‐IR) administered twice‐daily. The TPM PK profile was evaluated using standard PK parameters (e.g., AUC0–24, Cmax, Cmin) as well as less common PK criteria such as fluctuation index (FI), peak occupancy time (POT), and percent coefficient of variation (%CV). In addition, partial AUC (AUCp) analyses provided comparisons of the AUC profiles over predetermined time intervals between TPM‐IR and USL255. Pharmacokinetic equivalence between formulations was defined as containment of the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the USL255/TPM‐IR geometric least‐squares mean (GLSM) ratio within the equivalence limits of 80–125%. The effect of switching between treatments was assessed by evaluating equivalence of PK parameters between the day prior to formulation switch and the day immediately following formulation switch. Maintenance of steady state after switching formulations was also evaluated by comparing the slope between Cmin values at formulation switch and 24 h postswitch. Tolerability was evaluated through adverse event monitoring, vital sign measurements, and clinical laboratory evaluations.

Key Findings

USL255 was well tolerated and provided TPM plasma exposure equivalent to TPM‐IR at various time intervals. USL255 also demonstrated a significantly lower Cmax (p < 0.001) and higher Cmin (p < 0.001), longer tmax, lower %CV, and 26% decreased FI, as compared with TPM‐IR. Further, switching between TPM‐IR and USL255 did not affect TPM concentrations, including Cmin, immediately after transitioning and at steady state.

Significance

As compared with TPM‐IR, USL255 provided equivalent plasma exposure with an extended absorption profile. Therefore, USL255 offers a once‐daily alternative to twice‐daily TPM‐IR, with reduced TPM fluctuations.
Virulence evolution of a generalist plant virus in a heterogeneous host system
Authors: Betancourt Mónica , Escriu Fernando , Fraile Aurora , García‐Arenal Fernando
Published: May 2013

Modelling virulence evolution of multihost parasites in heterogeneous host systems requires knowledge of the parasite biology over its various hosts. We modelled the evolution of virulence of a generalist plant virus, Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) over two hosts, in which CMV genotypes differ for within‐host multiplication and virulence. According to knowledge on CMV biology over different hosts, the model allows for inoculum flows between hosts and for host co‐infection by competing virus genotypes, competition affecting transmission rates to new hosts. Parameters of within‐host multiplication, within‐host competition, virulence and transmission were determined experimentally for different CMV genotypes in each host. Emergence of highly virulent genotypes was predicted to occur as mixed infections, favoured by high vector densities. For most simulated conditions, evolution to high virulence in the more competent Host 1 was little dependent on inoculum flow from Host 2, while in Host 2, it depended on transmission from Host 1. Virulence evolution bifurcated in each host at low, but not at high, vector densities. There was no evidence of between‐host trade‐offs in CMV life‐history traits, at odds with most theoretical assumptions. Predictions agreed with field observations and are relevant for designing control strategies for multihost plant viruses.
Energy acquisition and allocation to egg production in relation to fish reproductive strategies
Authors: McBride Richard S , Somarakis Stylianos , Fitzhugh Gary R , Albert Anu , Yaragina Nathalia A , Wuenschel Mark J , Alonso‐Fernández Alexandre , Basilone Gualtiero
Published: May 2013

Oogenesis in fishes follows a universal plan; yet, due to differences in the synchrony and rate of egg development, spawning frequency varies from daily to once in a lifetime. Some species spawn and feed in separate areas, during different seasons, by storing energy and drawing on it later for reproduction (i.e. capital breeding). Other species spawn using energy acquired locally, throughout a prolonged spawning season, allocating energy directly to reproduction (i.e. income breeding). Capital breeders tend to ovulate all at once and are more likely to be distributed at boreal latitudes. Income breeding allows small fish to overcome allometric constraints on egg production. Income breeders can recover more quickly when good‐feeding conditions are re‐established, which is a benefit to adults regarding bet‐hedging spawning strategies. Many species exhibit mixed capital‐ and income‐breeding patterns. An individual's position along this capital–income continuum may shift with ontogeny or in relation to environmental conditions, so breeding patterns are a conditional reproductive strategy. Poor‐feeding environments can lead to delayed maturation, skipped spawning, fewer spawning events per season or fewer eggs produced per event. In a few cases, variations in feeding environments appear to affect recruitment variability. These flexible processes of energy acquisition and allocation allow females to prioritize their own condition over their propagules' condition at any given spawning opportunity, thereby investing energy cautiously to maximize lifetime reproductive value. These findings have implications for temporal and spatial sampling designs, for measurement and interpretation of fecundity, and for interpreting fishery and ecosystem assessments.
Bacterial abundance and composition in marine sediments beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica
Authors: Carr S. A. , Vogel S. W. , Dunbar R. B. , Brandes J. , Spear J. R. , Levy R. , Naish T. R. , Powell R. D. , Wakeham S. G. , Mandernack K. W.
Published: May 2013

Marine sediments of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, harbor microbial communities that play a significant role in the decomposition, mineralization, and recycling of organic carbon (OC). In this study, the cell densities within a 153‐cm sediment core from the Ross Sea were estimated based on microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations and acridine orange direct cell counts. The resulting densities were as high as 1.7 × 107 cells mL−1 in the top ten centimeters of sediments. These densities are lower than those calculated for most near‐shore sites but consistent with deep‐sea locations with comparable sedimentation rates. The δ13C measurements of PLFAs and sedimentary and dissolved carbon sources, in combination with ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene pyrosequencing, were used to infer microbial metabolic pathways. The δ13C values of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in porewaters ranged downcore from −2.5‰ to −3.7‰, while δ13C values for the corresponding sedimentary particulate OC (POC) varied from −26.2‰ to −23.1‰. The δ13C values of PLFAs ranged between −29‰ and −35‰ throughout the sediment core, consistent with a microbial community dominated by heterotrophs. The SSU rRNA gene pyrosequencing revealed that members of this microbial community were dominated by β‐, δ‐, and γ‐Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Bacteroidetes. Among the sequenced organisms, many appear to be related to known heterotrophs that utilize OC sources such as amino acids, oligosaccharides, and lactose, consistent with our interpretation from δ13CPLFA analysis. Integrating phospholipids analyses with porewater chemistry, δ13CDIC and δ13CPOC values and SSU rRNA gene sequences provides a more comprehensive understanding of microbial communities and carbon cycling in marine sediments, including those of this unique ice shelf environment.
Developing a diagnostic model for estimating terrestrial vegetation gross primary productivity using the photosynthetic quantum yield and Earth Observation data
Authors: Ogutu Booker O. , Dash Jadunandan , Dawson Terence P.
Published: May 2013

This article develops a new carbon exchange diagnostic model [i.e. Southampton CARbon Flux (SCARF) model] for estimating daily gross primary productivity (GPP). The model exploits the maximum quantum yields of two key photosynthetic pathways (i.e. C3 and C4) to estimate the conversion of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation into GPP. Furthermore, this is the first model to use only the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by photosynthetic elements of the canopy (i.e. FAPARps) rather than total canopy, to predict GPP. The GPP predicted by the SCARF model was comparable to in situ GPP measurements (R2 > 0.7) in most of the evaluated biomes. Overall, the SCARF model predicted high GPP in regions dominated by forests and croplands, and low GPP in shrublands and dry‐grasslands across USA and Europe. The spatial distribution of GPP from the SCARF model over Europe and conterminous USA was comparable to those from the MOD17 GPP product except in regions dominated by croplands. The SCARF model GPP predictions were positively correlated (R2 > 0.5) to climatic and biophysical input variables indicating its sensitivity to factors controlling vegetation productivity. The new model has three advantages, first, it prescribes only two quantum yield terms rather than species specific light use efficiency terms; second, it uses only the fraction of PAR absorbed by photosynthetic elements of the canopy (FAPARps) hence capturing the actual PAR used in photosynthesis; and third, it does not need a detailed land cover map that is a major source of uncertainty in most remote sensing based GPP models. The Sentinel satellites planned for launch in 2014 by the European Space Agency have adequate spectral channels to derive FAPARps at relatively high spatial resolution (20 m). This provides a unique opportunity to produce global GPP operationally using the Southampton CARbon Flux (SCARF) model at high spatial resolution.
Thermal controls of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and invasive fishes under climate change
Authors: Al‐Chokhachy Robert , Alder Jay , Hostetler Steven , Gresswell Robert , Shepard Bradley
Published: May 2013

We combine large observed data sets and dynamically downscaled climate data to explore historic and future (2050–2069) stream temperature changes over the topographically diverse Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (elevation range = 824–4017 m). We link future stream temperatures with fish growth models to investigate how changing thermal regimes could influence the future distribution and persistence of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) and competing invasive species. We find that stream temperatures during the recent decade (2000–2009) surpass the anomalously warm period of the 1930s. Climate simulations indicate air temperatures will warm by 1 °C to >3 °C over the Greater Yellowstone by mid‐21st century, resulting in concomitant increases in 2050–2069 peak stream temperatures and protracted periods of warming from May to September (MJJAS). Projected changes in thermal regimes during the MJJAS growing season modify the trajectories of daily growth rates at all elevations with pronounced growth during early and late summer. For high‐elevation populations, we find considerable increases in fish body mass attributable both to warming of cold‐water temperatures and to extended growing seasons. During peak July to August warming, mid‐21st century temperatures will cause periods of increased thermal stress, rendering some low‐elevation streams less suitable for YCT. The majority (80%) of sites currently inhabited by YCT, however, display minimal loss (<10%) or positive changes in total body mass by midcentury; we attribute this response to the fact that many low‐elevation populations of YCT have already been extirpated by historical changes in land use and invasions of non‐native species. Our results further suggest that benefits to YCT populations due to warmer stream temperatures at currently cold sites could be offset by the interspecific effects of corresponding growth of sympatric, non‐native species, underscoring the importance of developing climate adaptation strategies that reduce limiting factors such as non‐native species and habitat degradation.
Fairy Tales in the Modern(ist) World: Gerhart Hauptmann's Bahnwärter Thiel and Marie von Ebner‐Eschenbach's Das Gemeindekind
Authors: Byram Katra A.
Published: May 2013

Despite the dark impulses that drive many fairy tales, popular nineteenth‐century collections were animated by modern optimism. In this article, I contend that two 1887 novellas, Gerhart Hauptmann's Bahnwärter Thiel and Marie von Ebner‐Eschenbach's Das Gemeindekind, demonstrate what happened to this optimism and the fairy tale that embodied it at the inception of twentieth‐century modernity. I show the way in which these authors use fairy tale frameworks to express a proto‐Naturalist worldview and draw out the affinities that make this improbable combination fruitful, the foremost of which was a common concern with poverty and its consequences. Both novellas lack the fairy tale's miraculous resolution of these problems and the modern optimism it expresses. At the same time, each demonstrates the continuities underlying the shift from nineteenth‐century modernity to twentieth‐century modernism. While Hauptmann's story retains the dream of domestic sanctuary and belief in overwhelming supernatural powers that often characterize the fairy tale, Ebner‐Eschenbach's preserves a remnant of humanist hope.
Dwelling in GDR Literature
Authors: Swope Curtis
Published: May 2013

In this article I treat the way the GDR authors Günter de Bruyn, Brigitte Reimann, and Christa Wolf reconsidered domesticity and urbanism in key works from the late 1960s. Their reflections on prescriptive Wohnkultur, life in tenement apartments, and the relationship between domesticity and life cycles were responses to new regimes of image circulation and represented alienation in shifting urban environments. In engaging with these processes, these writers linked innovation in literary form to the possibility for critical intervention in debates on the political value of new and inherited spaces of everyday life. Their sophisticated conceptual engagements with social change and reflections on the status of language yielded a literary modernism unique to the GDR, yet with intellectual parallels to critiques of modern architecture, commodity fetishism, and institutionality in the FRG, France, and the United States.
Consumption and Consummation: Domestic Tales of the Economic Miracle in Arno Schmidt's Das steinerne Herz1
Authors: Uelzmann Jan
Published: May 2013

In this article I read Arno Schmidt's 1956 novel Das steinerne Herz: Historischer Roman aus dem Jahre 1954 nach Christi as a social commentary on the dynamics of gender relations during the time of the emerging West German economic miracle. I focus on Schmidt's presentation of the reinstatement of traditional bourgeois gender norms in Germany during the 1950's culture of female domesticity. To make my case, I concentrate upon the way Schmidt organizes the novel around genre conventions, a decision that reinforces the novel's specific, parodic realism. I argue that the novel's parody is designed to highlight how the reinstatement of male authority in the private sphere coincided with relationships based upon exchange values. The West German 1950s are thereby depicted as a time during which notions of gender and consumption were intrinsically connected in an environment where economic restoration outweighed most other social considerations.
The Obligations of Memory? Gender and Historical Responsibility in Tanja Dückers'sHimmelskörperand Arno Geiger'sEs geht uns gut
Authors: Mattson Michelle
Published: May 2013

In this article, I analyze Tanja Dückers'sHimmelskörper(2003) and Arno Geiger'sEs geht uns gut(2005) in the context of questions concerning remembering history and feminist ethics, specifically the development of care ethics from the early 1980s into the present. The purpose of the analysis is to understand what, if anything, gender and reproduction have to do with remembering and the obligations that remembering generates. I argue that the way the authors of these novels explore the connections among gender, historical memory, and responsibility closely resembles certain aspects of the work of feminist scholars on care ethics, who, at the beginning of the discipline, sought to locate in maternal behavior an alternative ethical paradigm to the tradition of Western ethics. Reading the development of feminist ethics together with the way Dückers and Geiger lay out the relationships that each novel's protagonist has with others, I conclude that the obligation to remember arises primarily from the responsibilities to which human relationships give rise, rather than from the specific relationship between mother and child.
Community end‐of‐life care amongChinese older adults living in nursing homes
Authors: Chu Leung‐Wing , So Jason C , Wong Lai‐Chin , Luk James KH , Chiu Patrick KC , Chan Cherry SY , Kwan Fiona SM , Chau June , Hui Elsie , Woo Jean , McGhee Sarah M
Published: May 2013

Aim

The aim of the present study was to investigate the preference and willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) of olderChinese adults for community end‐of‐life care in a nursing home rather than a hospital.

Methods

A total of 1540 olderChinese adults from 140 nursing homes were interviewed. Four hypothetical questions were asked to explore their preferences for end‐of‐life care. Using a discrete choice approach, specific questions explored acceptable trade‐offs between three attributes: availability of doctors onsite, attitude of the care staff and additional cost of care per month.

Results

Approximately 35% of respondents preferred end‐of‐life care in the nursing home, whereas 23% of them would consider it in a better nursing home. A good attitude of staff was the most important attribute of the care site. Respondents were willing to pay an extra cost ofUS$5 (HK$39) per month for more coverage of doctor's time, andUS$49 (HK$379) for a better attitude of staff in the nursing home. The marginalWTPfor both more coverage of doctor's time and better attitude of staff amounted toUS$54 (HK$418). Respondents on government subsidy valued the cost attribute more highly, as expected, validating the hypothesis that those respondents would be less willing to pay an additional cost for end‐of‐life care.

Conclusions

OlderChinese adults living in nursing homes are willing to pay an additional fee for community end‐of‐life care services in nursing homes. Both the availability of the doctor and attitudes of nursing home staff are important, with the most important attribute being the staff attitudes.GeriatrGerontolInt 2013; 14: 273–284.