bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interactions between exercise and nutrition to prevent muscle waste during ageing
Authors: Breen Leigh , Phillips Stuart M.
Published: September 2012

The underlying cause of sarcopenia and dynapenia (age‐related strength loss) are not fully elucidated, but may be the result, or combination, of alterations in lifestyle or inflammatory and endocrine profiles. What is clear is that functional ability is limited and mortality risk is elevated. Mechanistically, muscle atrophy is the result of the prolonged periods of net negative muscle protein balance, brought about by the imbalance between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB). Contractile loading of skeletal muscle, through resistive‐type exercise and amino acid ingestion both act as a strong stimulus for MPS and, when combined, can induce a net positive protein balance and muscle hypertrophy. Given that MPS in older muscles displays a blunted response to anabolic stimuli compared with the young, the combined effect and manipulation of contractile and nutrient interventions to optimize muscle anabolism could be extremely important for counteracting sarcopenia. Specifically, the dose, absorption kinetics, leucine content, but less‐so the timing of ingestion, are important determinants of the mRNA translational signalling response regulating MPS. In addition, resistance exercise‐induced rates of MPS and hypertrophy appear to be dependent on exercise volume (to achieve maximal muscle fibre recruitment), as opposed to the absolute load that is lifted. A number of recent studies in young adults lend weight to this notion by showing that contraction can be manipulated; allowing low load weight lifting to effectively stimulate rates of MPS to a level comparable with traditional high loads, a finding with important implications for older adults interested in undertaking resistance exercise.
Prevalence of abnormal urinary albumin excretion in a population‐based study in Spain: results from the HERMEX Study
Authors: Robles Nicolas R. , Felix Francisco J. , Fernandez‐Berges Daniel , Perez‐Castán Jose F. , Zaro Maria J. , Lozano Luis , Alvarez‐Palacios Paula , Garcia‐Trigo Antonio , Tejero Veronica , Morcillo Yolanda , Hidalgo Ana B.
Published: September 2012

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (12): 1272–1277

Background  HERMEX is a population‐based study which try to evaluate the relative weight of cardiovascular risk factors in the population of Extremadura. This report provides the data obtained about microalbuminuria in a large Spanish population.

Design and methods  Observational, cross‐sectional, population‐based study. A total of 3402 subjects were randomly selected from the Health Care System of Extremadura. The final sample included 2813 subjects (mean age 51·2 years, 53·5% female). Urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) in first morning urine sample was analysed. Microalbuminuria was diagnosed when UAER was ≥ 22 in men or ≥ 31 mg/g in women.

Results  Prevalence of abnormal UAER in general population was 5·5% (microalbuminuria: 4·7%; proteinuria 0·8%). Microalbuminuria grew slightly in patients between 65 and 74 years and showed a dramatic increase in subject older than 75 years (P < 0·001). Men showed a high prevalence of microalbuminuria (5·8% vs. women 3·6%; P = 0·006 chi‐squared test). Increased UAER was more common in obese subjects (6·7% vs. 2·3%, P < 0·001), hypertensive patients (8·3% vs. 2·3%, P < 0·001) and diabetic ones (10·9% vs. 3·7%, P < 0·001). The multivariate analysis showed a positive correlation of abnormal UAER with body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, plasma creatinine and triglyceride levels.

Conclusions  A low frequency of abnormal UAER was detected in a randomly selected sample of Spanish general population. This finding agreed with the low rates of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity observed in Spain in spite of a high prevalence of classic cardiovascular risk factors.
Adipokines: a novel link between adiposity and carotid plaque vulnerability
Authors: Kadoglou Nikolaos P. E. , Sailer Nikolaos , Moumtzouoglou Anestis , Kapelouzou Alkistis , Gerasimidis Thomas , Kostakis Alkiviadis , Liapis Christos D.
Published: September 2012

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (12): 1278–1286

Background  In patients with carotid stenosis, we prospectively investigated the association of novel adipokines, apelin and visfatin, with gray‐scale median (GSM) score, a valid index of carotid plaque vulnerability. We also assessed the impact of atorvastatin therapy on the above biochemical and imaging markers.

Materials and methods  Seventy‐four overweight [body‐mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2, fat‐mass > 30%], statin‐free patients, with carotid stenosis, but without indications for intervention were enrolled. Thirty‐eight age‐, sex‐ and BMI‐matched healthy subjects served as healthy controls (HC). All patients received gradual titrated (10–80 mg) atorvastatin therapy to target LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL. GSM score, blood pressure (BP), fat‐mass, lipid profile, and serum high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), apelin and visfatin levels were obtained at baseline and after 24 months.

Results  At baseline, patients with carotid atherosclerosis had worse lipid profile, lower apelin and higher systolic BP, hsCRP, visfatin levels compared with HC (P < 0·05). Notably, decreased apelin (P < 0·001) and GSM score (P = 0·010), while increased visfatin (P = 0·019) and hsCRP (P = 0·039) levels were found in symptomatic rather than asymptomatic patients. At baseline, GSM score correlated with fat‐mass, BMI, LDL‐C, visfatin and apelin (P < 0·05). Apelin, visfatin and fat‐mass remained independent determinants of baseline GSM score (R2 = 0·391, P = 0·007). In parallel, we found that apelin increment and LDL‐C reduction were independently associated with the atorvastatin‐induced GSM increase (R2 = 0·411, P = 0·011).

Conclusion  Increased fat‐mass, low apelin and high visfatin serum levels seem to correlate with carotid plaque vulnerability in patients with carotid stenosis. The atorvastatin‐induced modification of apelin and LDL‐C may beneficially affect carotid plaque stability.
The effect of stocking rate and calving date on grass production, utilization and nutritive value of the sward during the grazing season
Authors: McCarthy B. , Pierce K. M. , Delaby L. , Brennan A. , Fleming C. , Horan B.
Published: September 2012

A 2‐year whole‐farm system study compared the accumulation, utilization and nutritive value of grass in spring‐calving grass‐based systems differing in stocking rate (SR) and calving date (CD). Six treatments (systems) were compared over two complete grazing seasons. Stocking rates used in the study were low (2·5 cows ha−1), medium (2·9 cows ha−1) and high (3·3 cows ha−1), respectively, and mean CDs were 12 February (early) and 25 February (late). Each system had its own farmlet of eighteen paddocks and one herd that remained on the same farmlet area for the duration of the study. Stocking rate had a small effect on total herbage accumulation (11 860 kg DM ha−1 year−1), but had no effect on total herbage utilization (11 700 kg DM ha−1 year−1). Milk and milk solids (MS; fat + protein) production per ha increased by 2580 and 196 kg ha−1 as SR increased from 2·5 to 3·3 cows ha−1. Milk production per ha and net herbage accumulation and utilization were unaffected by CD. Winter feed production was reduced as SR increased. Increased SR, associated with increased grazing severity, resulted in swards of increased leaf content and nutritive value. The results indicate that, although associated with increased milk production per ha, grazed grass utilization and improved sward nutritive value, the potential benefits of increased SR on Irish dairy farms can only be realized if the average level of herbage production and utilization is increased.
Enhanced detection of infectious salmon anaemia virus using a low‐speed centrifugation technique in three fish cell lines
Authors: Molloy S D , Thomas E , Hoyt K , Bouchard D A
Published: September 2012

Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA), caused by ISA virus (ISAV), is a serious disease of farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Recently, molecular‐ and immunofluorescent‐based techniques have become powerful diagnostic tools for ISAV detection, but culture‐based techniques remain the gold standard. A disadvantage of ISAV culture is that the incubation time required before cytopathic effect (CPE) is observed in cell monolayers. To decrease time until CPE is observed, a low‐speed centrifugation technique was applied to existing standard operating procedures for ISAV culture in three fish cell lines. Time until CPE observation was compared in CHSE, SHK and ASK cells, treated or not treated with low‐speed centrifugation after inoculation with ISAV. Low‐speed centrifugation treatment significantly enhanced observable cell infection. Compared to control cells, the length of time until ISAV CPE observation decreased in centrifuged ASK and CHSE cells. Low‐speed centrifugation was also incorporated into a modified clinical shell vial assay. At 48 h post‐inoculation with approximately 20 viral particles, ISAV was detected by an immunofluorescence antibody test in treated ASK and SHK1 cells but not in control cells. Finally, this enhanced viral adsorption assay performed in ASK cells demonstrated higher sensitivity than a real‐time RT‐PCR assay performed on RNA isolated from ISAV‐spiked salmon kidney homogenates.
Obesity and overweight in intellectual and non‐intellectually disabled children
Authors: Slevin E. , Truesdale‐Kennedy M. , McConkey R. , Livingstone B. , Fleming P.
Published: September 2012

Background

Few studies have compared overweight and obesity in intellectually disabled (ID) and non‐intellectually disabled (N‐ID) children. This research compared the prevalence of overweight and obesity between a sample of 218 ID and 229 N‐ID school pupils in Northern Ireland (NI). Comparison of the physical activity and dietary behaviour of the two groups of school pupils were also undertaken.

Methods

Each pupil completed (assisted if required) a food intake and physical activity questionnaire. Following this body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were measured and recorded.

Results

Significantly more ID pupils (72, 33%) were overweight/obese compared with 55 (24%) of the N‐ID pupils in accordance with their BMI. ID pupils also had significantly higher waist circumferences. Over a quarter of foods consumed by the pupils were fatty and sugary foods and close to 30% of these foods were eaten by the ID children. Pupils spent most of their time engaging in low levels of activity such as reading, watching TV, on games consoles and listening to music. Pupils with an ID spent fewer hours on moderate and high levels of activities compared with those children with N‐ID.

Conclusions

Results of this study found higher levels of overweight and obesity in this sample than in international published research. Additionally significantly higher numbers of ID pupils were overweight and obese indicating the need for future research and public health to focus on this issue.
Increased Responses to the Actions of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 on Energy Balance and Body Weight in a Seasonal Model of Adiposity
Authors: Murphy M. , Samms R. , Warner A. , Bolborea M. , Barrett P. , Fowler M. J. , Brameld J. M. , Tsintzas K. , Kharitonenkov A. , Adams A. C. , Coskun T. , Ebling F. J. P.
Published: September 2012

The present study aimed to investigate the actions of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on energy balance in a natural model of relative fatness, the Siberian hamster. Hamsters were studied under long days (LD) to promote weight gain, or short days to induce weight loss, and treated with rhFGF21 (3 mg/kg/day) via s.c. minipumps for 14 days. On days 7–9, detailed assessments of ingestive behaviour, metabolic gas exchange and locomotor activity were made. FGF21 caused substantial (P < 0.0001) weight loss in the fat LD state but not in the lean SD state: at the end of the study, FGF21‐treated hamsters in LD lost 18% of body weight compared to vehicle controls, which is comparable to the natural body weight loss observed in SD. Epididymal fat pads, a correlate of total carcass fat content, were reduced by 19% in FGF21 treated hamsters in LD, whereas no difference was found in SD. Body weight loss in LD was associated with a reduction in food intake (P < 0.001) and a decreased respiratory exchange ratio (P < 0.001), indicating increased fat oxidation. Treatment with FGF21 maintained the normal nocturnal increase in oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production into the early light phase in hamsters in LD, indicating increased energy expenditure, although locomotor activity was unaffected. These data suggest a greater efficacy of FGF21 in hamsters in LD compared to those in SD, which is consistent with both the peripheral and possibly central actions of FGF21 with respect to promoting a lean phenotype. The observed differences in FGF21 sensitivity may relate to day length‐induced changes in adipose tissue mass.
Experimental infection of wild‐caught European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with Sarcoptes scabiei from a naturally infected wild rabbit
Authors: MILLÁN J. , CASAIS R. , COLOMAR V. , BACH E. , PRIETO J. M. , VELARDE R.
Published: September 2012

Scabies was recently reported for the first time in the European wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae). We experimentally exposed 10 seronegative wild‐caught rabbits to skin from a mangy wild rabbit. Serological, physiological, parasitological and histopathological changes were recorded. Three rabbits developed antibodies at 2–5 weeks post‐infection (w.p.i.), two of which then developed lesions at 7 w.p.i. One of these had a small area of alopecia on the hind limb that healed naturally within 1 week; the other developed more extensive lesions restricted to the hind limbs (as typically observed in wild rabbits) that lasted until the rabbit died (12.5 w.p.i.). The third rabbit died of trauma 5 w.p.i. before developing any lesions. Antibodies in the healed rabbit disappeared from serum at 8 w.p.i., whereas antibody levels in the sick rabbit increased until its death. Disseminated intravascular coagulation and hepatic necrosis, probably arising from a concomitant infection with rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, were the likely final cause of death in this rabbit. The mangy rabbit that served as a donor died of a multifocal fibrinosuppurative pneumonia that may have been secondary to the skin bacterial pyoderma.
Production of hydrogen peroxide and expression of ROS‐generating genes in peach flower petals in response to host and non‐host fungal pathogens
Authors: Liu J. , Macarisin D. , Wisniewski M. , Sui Y. , Droby S. , Norelli J. , Hershkovitz V.
Published: September 2012

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play dual roles in plant–microbe interactions in that they can either stimulate host resistance or enhance pathogen virulence. Innate resistance in peach (Prunus persica) to the brown rot fungal pathogen Monilinia fructicola is very limited, and knowledge of the mechanism of virulence is rudimentary. In this study, production of hydrogen peroxide, a major component of ROS, was determined in peach flower petals in response to M. fructicola (a host pathogen) and Penicillium digitatum (a non‐host pathogen). Monilinia fructicola was able to infect flower petals while P. digitatum was not. During the host‐specific interaction, M. fructicola induced hydrogen peroxide accumulation in flower petals. Application of exogenous antioxidants significantly reduced hydrogen peroxide accumulation as well as the incidence of brown rot disease. Application of M. fructicola spores to the surface of intact flower petals induced gene expression and increased enzyme activity of NADPH oxidase and cell wall peroxidase in host tissues, resulting in the production of hydrogen peroxide. Petals inoculated with M. fructicola exhibited high levels of protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation. No significant response in gene expression, enzyme activity or hydrogen peroxide levels was observed in peach flower petals treated with P. digitatum. These results suggest that M. fructicola, as with other necrotrophic fungi, uses the strong oxidative response as part of a virulence mechanism.
Perception of insect feeding by plants
Authors: Bonaventure G.
Published: September 2012

The recognition of phytophagous insects by plants induces a set of very specific responses aimed at deterring tissue consumption and reprogramming metabolism and development of the plant to tolerate the herbivore. The recognition of insects by plants requires the plant’s ability to perceive chemical cues generated by the insects and to distinguish a particular pattern of tissue disruption. Relatively little is known about the molecular basis of insect perception by plants and the signalling mechanisms directly associated with this perception. Importantly, the insect feeding behaviour (piercing‐sucking versus chewing) is a decisive determinant of the plant’s defence response, and the mechanisms used to perceive insects from different feeding guilds may be distinct. During insect feeding, components of the saliva of chewing or piercing‐sucking insects come into contact with plant cells, and elicitors or effectors present in this insect‐derived fluid are perceived by plant cells to initiate the activation of specific signalling cascades. Although receptor–ligand interactions controlling insect perception have yet not been molecularly described, a significant number of regulatory components acting downstream of receptors and involved in the activation of defence responses against insects has been reported. Some of these regulators mediate changes in the phytohormone network, while others directly control gene expression or the redox state of the cell. These processes are central in the orchestration of plant defence responses against insects.
Cell cycle regulation in mouse heart during embryonic and postnatal stages
Authors: Ikenishi Aiko , Okayama Hitomi , Iwamoto Noriko , Yoshitome Satoshi , Tane Shoji , Nakamura Kazuomi , Obayashi Tetsuya , Hayashi Toshinori , Takeuchi Takashi
Published: September 2012

The regulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation is important for heart development and function. Proliferation levels of mouse cardiomyocytes are high during early embryogenesis and start to decrease at midgestation. Many cardiomyocytes undergo mitosis without cytokinesis, resulting in binucleated cardiomyocytes during early postnatal stages, following which the cell cycle arrests irreversibly. It remains unknown how the proliferation pattern is regulated, and how the irreversible cell cycle arrest occurs. To clarify the mechanisms, fundamental information about cell cycle regulators in cardiomyocytes and cell cycle patterns during embryonic and postnatal stages is necessary. Here, we show that the expression, complex formation, and activity of main cyclins and cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs) changed in a synchronous manner during embryonic and postnatal stages. These levels decreased from midgestation to birth, and then showed one wave in which the peak was around postnatal day 5. Detailed analysis of the complexes suggested that CDK activities were inhibited before the protein levels decreased. Analysis of DNA content distribution patterns in mono‐ and binucleated cardiomyocytes after birth revealed changes in cell cycle distribution patterns and the transition from mono‐ to binucleated cells. These analyses indicated that the wave of cell cycle regulator expression or activities during postnatal stages mainly produced binucleated cells from mononucleated cells. The data obtained should provide a basis for the analysis of cell cycle regulation in cardiomyocytes during embryonic and postnatal stages.
Health needs of Australian Indigenous young people entering detention
Authors: Doolan Ivan , Najman Jackob M , Cherney Adrian
Published: September 2012

Aim:  To determine whether there are different health needs associated with differences between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous youth in detention in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Methods:  All records of young people (aged 10 to 21 years) taken into detention in Brisbane Queensland over the period 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2009 were reviewed, and data were extracted documenting the mental health and related behaviours of those referred to the Mental Health, Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Service. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems – Tenth Revision (ICD‐10) criteria were applied to a clinical interview. ICD‐10 diagnostic outcomes and reason for referral are presented by Indigenous status and age.

Results:  Young male (under 14 years of age) Indigenous respondents are substantially over‐represented in youth in detention. Indigenous youth in detention are disproportionately referred and diagnosed with a substance use problem. Referral and diagnosis of substance use problems was not as commonly found for non‐Indigenous youth.

Conclusions:  Young Indigenous persons are substantially over‐represented in those taken into detention in Queensland. This study shows significant differences in relation to mental health and substance use assessment outcomes for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous young people in youth detention in Queensland. Further research focusing on service delivery for Indigenous young people should focus on their specific needs.
Current status and future prospects for cultured limbal tissue transplants in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Harkin Damien G , Apel Andrew J , Di Girolamo Nick , Watson Stephanie , Brown Karl , Daniell Mark D , McGhee J Jane , McGhee Charles NJ
Published: September 2012

Cultured limbal tissue transplants have become widely used over the last decade as a treatment for limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). While the number of patients afflicted with LSCD in Australia and New Zealand is considered to be relatively low, the impact of this disease on quality of life is so severe that the potential efficacy of cultured transplants has necessitated investigation. We presently review the basic biology and experimental strategies associated with the use of cultured limbal tissue transplants in Australia and New Zealand. In doing so, we aim to encourage informed discussion on the issues required to advance the use of cultured limbal transplants in Australia and New Zealand. Moreover, we propose that a collaborative network could be established to maintain access to the technology in conjunction with a number of other existing and emerging treatments for eye diseases.
Effects of musical training on the early auditory cortical representation of pitch transitions as indexed by change‐N1
Authors: Itoh Kosuke , Okumiya‐Kanke Yoko , Nakayama Yoh , Kwee Ingrid L. , Nakada Tsutomu
Published: September 2012

The effects of musical training on the early auditory cortical response to pitch transitions in music were investigated by use of the change‐N1 component of auditory event‐related potentials. Musicians and non‐musicians were presented with music stimuli comprising a melody and a harmony under various listening conditions. First, when the subjects played a video game and were instructed to ignore the auditory stimuli, the onset of stimuli elicited a typical, fronto‐central onset‐N1, whereas melodic and harmonic pitch transitions within the stimuli elicited so‐called change‐N1s that were more posterior in scalp distribution. The pitch transition change‐N1s, but not onset‐N1, were enhanced in musicians. Second, when the listeners attended to the same stimuli as above to detect infrequently occurring target stimuli, the change‐N1 elicited by pitch changes (in non‐target stimuli) was augmented, in non‐musicians only when the target was easily detectable, and in both musicians and non‐musicians when it was difficult to detect. Thus, the early, obligatory cortical response to pitch transitions during passive listening was chronically enhanced by training in musicians, and, reflecting this training‐induced enhancement, the task‐related modulation of this response was also different between musicians and non‐musicians. These results are the first to demonstrate the long‐term effects of training, short‐term effects of task and the effects of their interaction on the early (~100‐ms) cortical processing of pitch transitions in music. The scalp distributions of these enhancement effects were generally right dominant at temporal electrode sites, suggesting contributions from the radially oriented subcomponent of change‐N1, namely, the Tb (N1c) wave of the T‐complex.
Modified Kuhnt–Szymanowski surgical procedure for secondary cicatricial ectropion in a horse
Authors: Henriksen Michala de Linde , Plummer Caryn E. , Brooks Dennis E.
Published: September 2012

A 1‐year‐old Dutch Warmblood gelding was presented to the University of Florida’s Large Animal Hospital (UF‐LAH) for correction of ectropion of the right lower eyelid. The ectropion was the result of a lower eyelid laceration. A primary repair was performed by the referring veterinarian; however, the horse prematurely removed the sutures and the wound healed with inversion of the eyelid margin. Surgical correction of the entropion, with removal of tissue from the lower eyelid, resulted in cicatricial ectropion. During the initial evaluation at UF‐LAH, a corneal ulcer was noted in the right eye because of exposure from the anatomically nonfunctional lower eyelid. A modified Kuhnt–Szymanowski procedure was performed to correct the ectropion and repair the eyelid margin. The surgical site healed appropriately with an acceptable cosmetic and functional result. No recurrences of corneal ulcers in the right eye were reported in the 18 months following surgical correction of the ectropion.
Cost‐effective treatment of low‐risk carcinoma not invading bladder muscle
Authors: Green David A. , Rink Michael , Cha Eugene K. , Xylinas Evanguelos , Chughtai Bilal , Scherr Douglas S. , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Lee Richard K.
Published: September 2012

Study Type – Therapy (cost effectiveness analysis)

Level of Evidence 2a

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Bladder cancer is one of the costliest malignancies to treat throughout the life of a patient. The most cost‐effective management for low–risk non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer is not known.

The current study shows that employing cystoscopic office fulguration for low‐risk appearing bladder cancer recurrences can materially impact the cost‐effectiveness of therapy. In a follow‐up protocol where office fulguration is routinely employed for low‐risk bladder cancers, peri‐operative intravesical chemotherapy may not provide any additional cost‐effectiveness benefit.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the cost‐effectiveness of fulguration vs transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) with and without perioperative intravesical chemotherapy (PIC) for managing low‐risk carcinoma not invading bladder muscle (NMIBC). Low‐risk NMIBC carries a low progression rate, lending support to the use of office‐based fulguration for small recurrences rather than traditional TURBT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A Markov state transition model was created to simulate treatment of NMIBC with vs without PIC, with recurrence treated by formal TURBT vs treatment with fulguration.

Costing data were obtained from the Medicare Resource Based Relative Value Scale.

Data regarding the success of PIC were obtained from the peer‐reviewed literature, as were corresponding utilities for bladder cancer‐related procedures.

Sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

At 5‐year follow‐up, a strategy of fulguration without PIC was the most cost‐effective (mean cost‐effectiveness = US $654.8/quality‐adjusted life year), despite a lower recurrence rate with PIC.

Both fulguration strategies dominated each TURBT strategy.

Sensitivity analysis showed that fulguration without PIC dominated all other strategies when the recurrence rate after PIC was increased to ≥14.2% per year.

Similarly, the cost‐effectiveness of TURBT becomes more competitive with fulguration when the total cost of TURBT declines < US $1175.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows that fulguration without PIC was the most cost‐effective strategy for treating low‐risk NMIBC.

The effectiveness of PIC and the cost of TURBT can materially impact the cost‐effectiveness of the different management strategies.

These results should be considered in treatment decisions in the context of preserving oncological control.
Go naked: diapers affect infant walking
Authors: Cole Whitney G. , Lingeman Jesse M. , Adolph Karen E.
Published: September 2012

In light of cross‐cultural and experimental research highlighting effects of childrearing practices on infant motor skill, we asked whether wearing diapers, a seemingly innocuous childrearing practice, affects infant walking. Diapers introduce bulk between the legs, potentially exacerbating infants’ poor balance and wide stance. We show that walking is adversely affected by old‐fashioned cloth diapers, and that even modern disposable diapers – habitually worn by most infants in the sample – incur a cost relative to walking naked. Infants displayed less mature gait patterns and more missteps and falls while wearing diapers. Thus, infants’ own diapers constitute an ongoing biomechanical perturbation while learning to walk. Furthermore, shifts in diapering practices may have contributed to historical and cross‐cultural differences in infant walking.
Origins of the human pointing gesture: a training study
Authors: Matthews Danielle , Behne Tanya , Lieven Elena , Tomasello Michael
Published: September 2012

Despite its importance in the development of children’s skills of social cognition and communication, very little is known about the ontogenetic origins of the pointing gesture. We report a training study in which mothers gave children one month of extra daily experience with pointing as compared with a control group who had extra experience with musical activities. One hundred and two infants of 9, 10, or 11 months of age were seen at the beginning, middle, and end of this one‐month period and tested for declarative pointing and gaze following. Infants’ability to point with the index finger at the end of the study was not affected by the training but was instead predicted by infants’ prior ability to follow the gaze direction of an adult. The frequency with which infants pointed indexically was also affected by infant gaze following ability and, in addition, by maternal pointing frequency in free play, but not by training. In contrast, infants’ ability to monitor their partner’s gaze when pointing, and the frequency with which they did so, was affected by both training and maternal pointing frequency in free play. These results suggest that prior social cognitive advances, rather than adult socialization of pointing per se, determine the developmental onset of indexical pointing, but socialization processes such as imitation and adult shaping subsequently affect both infants’ ability to monitor their interlocutor’s gaze while they point and how frequently infants choose to point.
Resilience and Well‐Being Among Children of Migrant Parents in South‐East Asia
Authors: Jordan Lucy P. , Graham Elspeth
Published: September 2012

There has been little systematic empirical research on the well‐being of children in transnational households in South‐East Asia—a major sending region for contract migrants. This study uses survey data collected in 2008 from children aged 9, 10, and 11 and their caregivers in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam (N = 1,498). Results indicate that while children of migrant parents, especially migrant mothers, are less likely to be happy compared to children in nonmigrant households, greater resilience in child well‐being is associated to longer durations of maternal absence. There is no evidence for a direct parental migration effect on school enjoyment and performance. The analyses highlight the sensitivity of results to the dimension of child well‐being measured and who makes the assessment.
A NEW SUPERVISED FEATURE SELECTION METHOD FOR PATTERN CLASSIFICATION
Authors: Liu Huawen , Wu Xindong , Zhang Shichao
Published: September 2012

With the rapid development of information techniques, the dimensionality of data in many application domains, such as text categorization and bioinformatics, is getting higher and higher. The high‐dimensionality data may bring many adverse situations, such as overfitting, poor performance, and low efficiency, to traditional learning algorithms in pattern classification. Feature selection aims at reducing the dimensionality of data and providing discriminative features for pattern learning algorithms. Due to its effectiveness, feature selection is now gaining increasing attentions from a variety of disciplines and currently many efforts have been attempted in this field. In this paper, we propose a new supervised feature selection method to pick important features by using information criteria. Unlike other selection methods, the main characteristic of our method is that it not only takes both maximal relevance to the class labels and minimal redundancy to the selected features into account, but also works like feature clustering in an agglomerative way. To measure the relevance and redundancy of feature exactly, two different information criteria, i.e., mutual information and coefficient of relevance, have been adopted in our method. The performance evaluations on 12 benchmark data sets show that the proposed method can achieve better performance than other popular feature selection methods in most cases.
Generative Semantics, Generative Morphosyntax
Authors: Williams Edwin
Published: September 2012

Abstract.  “GSGM” builds no syntactic structures; rather, semantics and morphosyntax are both generative and run in parallel, and so have no need of mediating syntactic structure. In this environment, positing different modes of embedding for NPs and clauses, as in Williams 2003, affords new minimal accounts of movement, scope, agreement, and the bounds on them. Syntax/morphosyntax is instantiated as a single parameterized function (“Combine”). Combine derives both mirroring and nonmirroring structure, as any theory must, but in distinctive “size‐relative” patterns determined by its parameters.
Classification of fuzzy data based on the support vector machines
Authors: Forghani Yahya , Sadoghi Yazdi Hadi , Effati Sohrab
Published: September 2012

Data may be afflicted with uncertainty. Uncertain data may be shown by an interval value or in general by a fuzzy set. A number of classification methods have considered uncertainty in features of samples. Some of these classification methods are extended version of the support vector machines (SVMs), such as the Interval‐SVM (ISVM), Holder‐ISVM and Distance‐ISVM, which are used to obtain a classifier for separating samples whose features are interval values. In this paper, we extend the SVM for robust classification of linear/non‐linear separable data whose features are fuzzy numbers. The support of such training data is shown by a hypercube. Our proposed method tries to obtain a hyperplane (in the input space or in a high‐dimensional feature space) such that the nearest point of the hypercube of each training sample to the hyperplane is separated with the widest symmetric margin. This strategy can reduce the misclassification probability of our proposed method. Our experimental results on six real data sets show that the classification rate of our novel method is better than or equal to the classification rate of the well‐known SVM, ISVM, Holder‐ISVM and Distance‐ISVM for all of these data sets.
Higher order spectra analysis of breast thermograms for the automated identification of breast cancer
Authors: Acharya U. Rajendra , Ng E.Y.K. , Sree S. Vinitha , Chua Chua Kuang , Chattopadhyay Subhagata
Published: September 2012

Breast cancer is a leading cancer affecting women worldwide. Mammography is a scanning procedure involvingX‐rays of the breast. It causes discomfort and may cause high incidence of false negatives. Breast thermography is a new screening method of breast that helps in the early detection of cancer. It is a non‐invasive imaging procedure that captures the infrared heat radiating off from the breast surface using an infrared camera. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the use of higher order spectral features extracted from thermograms in classifying normal and abnormal thermograms. For this purpose, we extracted five higher order spectral features and used them in a feed‐forward artificial neural network (ANN) classifier and a support vector machine (SVM). Fifty thermograms (25 each of normal and abnormal) were used for analysis.SVM presented a good sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 84%, and theANN classifier demonstrated higher values of sensitivity (92%) and specificity (88%). The proposed system, therefore, shows great promise in automatic classification of normal and abnormal breast thermograms without the need for subjective interpretation.
Citizen Participation in Urban Governance in the Context of Democratization: Evidence from Low‐Income Neighbourhoods in Mexico
Authors: Lombard Melanie
Published: September 2012

Participation has recently been subject to renewed attention and critique in the context of neoliberal urban governance. This is especially relevant in countries where decentralization and democratization in the context of neoliberalism have led to increased promotion of local‐level participation. This article suggests that current critiques of participation's potential for democratic citizen engagement in a neoliberal context would benefit from further reflection on how participation is implemented in contexts, particularly the global South, where neoliberalism and democracy may be understood differently. Different ‘cultures of engagement’ in specific settings suggest that understandings and practices of participation draw on different traditions, including corporatism and self‐help. This article seeks to add to the debate by exploring the socio‐spatial consequences of participation structures in low‐income neighbourhoods in a provincial Mexican city. Based on qualitative research in two low‐income neighbourhoods in Xalapa, Mexico, it examines how the provisions of the local citizen‐participation framework compare with residents' experiences of it. Formalized conceptions of participation, framed as involvement in service provision, interact with and shape residents' activities in developing their neighbourhoods. This has consequences for urban development there, including the reflection and reproduction of social and spatial marginalization.
Housing Preferences of Temporary Migrants in UrbanChina in the wake of GradualHukouReform: A Case Study ofShenzhen
Authors: Hui Eddie Chi Man , Yu Ka Hung , Ye Yinchuan
Published: September 2012

In the wake of the recent announcement by the State Council concerning the provision of public rental housing acrossChina, and the gradual reform ofChina's household registration system (hukou), this article explores how potential adjustments in government housing policies (namely access to public rental housing) influence the housing preferences of temporary migrants who are currently residing inside thechengzhongcun(urban villages) ofShenzhen. The results indicate that dissatisfaction with rental cost and living conditions in these urban villages are the key reasons for migrants wishing to move into public rental housing if it is offered to them — and not the fact that they are treated differently within thehukousystem. Public rental housing is welcomed in particular by newly arriving migrants who live outside theShenzhenSpecialEconomicZone (SEZ), and migrants who have decided to remain inShenzhen for the foreseeable future. By contrast, dissatisfaction with urban villages is the sole contributor to housing preferences for those residing inside theSEZ.
In vivo methods for the analysis of the penetration of topically applied substances in and through the skin barrier
Authors: Lademann J. , Meinke M. C. , Schanzer S. , Richter H. , Darvin M. E. , Haag S. F. , Fluhr J. W. , Weigmann H.‐J. , Sterry W. , Patzelt A.
Published: September 2012

Synopsis

The efficacy of a drug is characterized by its action mechanism and its ability to pass the skin barrier. In this article, different methods are discussed, which permit this penetration process to be analysed non‐invasively. Providing qualitative and quantitative information, tape stripping is one of the oldest procedures for penetration studies. Although single cell layers of corneocytes are removed from the skin surface, this procedure is considered as non‐invasive and is applicable exclusively to the stratum corneum. Recently, optical and spectroscopic methods have been used to investigate the penetration process. Fluorescence‐labelled drugs can be easily detected in the skin by laser scanning microscopy. This method has the disadvantage that the dye labelling changes the molecular structures of the drug and consequently might influence the penetration properties. The penetration process of non‐fluorescent substances can be analysed by Raman spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, CARS and multiphoton microscopic measurements. Using these methods, the concentration of the topically applied formulations in different depths of the stratum corneum can be detected by moving the laser focus from the skin surface deeper into the stratum corneum. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods will be discussed in this article.
Estimates of seabird incidental catch by pelagic longline fisheries in the South Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Yeh Y‐M. , Huang H‐W. , Dietrich K. S. , Melvin E.
Published: September 2012

Read the Commentaries on this Feature Paper: Finding the missing pieces: working to solve the fisheries bycatch puzzle; Next step for reducing seabird bycatch; Requisite improvements to the estimation of seabird by‐catch in pelagic longline fisheries

Response from the authors: Incidental catch of seabirds: strengthening observer programs and increasing cooperation
Is regional species diversity bounded or unbounded?
Authors: Cornell Howard V.
Published: September 2012

Two conflicting hypotheses have been proposed to explain large‐scale species diversity patterns and dynamics. The unbounded hypothesis proposes that regional diversity depends only on time and diversification rate and increases without limit. The bounded hypothesis proposes that ecological constraints place upper limits on regional diversity and that diversity is usually close to its limit. Recent evidence from the fossil record, phylogenetic analysis, biogeography, and phenotypic disparity during lineage diversification suggests that diversity is constrained by ecological processes but that it is rarely asymptotic. Niche space is often unfilled or can be more finely subdivided and still permit coexistence, and new niche space is often created before ecological limits are reached. Damped increases in diversity over time are the prevalent pattern, suggesting the need for a new ‘damped increase hypothesis'. The damped increase hypothesis predicts that diversity generally increases through time but that its rate of increase is often slowed by ecological constraints. However, slowing due to niche limitation must be distinguished from other possible mechanisms creating similar patterns. These include sampling artifacts, the inability to detect extinctions or declines in clade diversity with some methods, the distorting effects of correlated speciation‐extinction dynamics, the likelihood that opportunities for allopatric speciation will vary in space and time, and the role of undetected natural enemies in reducing host ranges and thus slowing speciation rates. The taxonomic scope of regional diversity studies must be broadened to include all ecologically similar species so that ecological constraints may be accurately inferred. The damped increase hypothesis suggests that information on evolutionary processes such as time‐for‐speciation and intrinsic diversification rates as well as ecological factors will be required to explain why regional diversity varies among times, places and taxa.
Instructed extinction differentially affects the emotional and cognitive expression of associative fear memory
Authors: Sevenster Dieuwke , Beckers Tom , Kindt Merel
Published: September 2012

Instructed extinction after fear conditioning is relatively effective in attenuating electrodermal responding. Testing the single‐process account of fear learning, we examined whether this manipulation similarly affects the startle response. Skin conductance responses (SCRs), startle responses, and online unconditioned stimulus (US) expectancy ratings were measured during fear acquisition (Day 1), extinction, and reinstatement (Day 2). Before extinction onset, half of the subjects were instructed that the conditioned stimulus would not be followed by the US (Instructed Extinction) whereas the other subjects were not instructed (Normal Extinction). This simple instruction completely abolished both differentialSCRandUSexpectancy ratings, but not the startle fear response. Although the manipulation facilitated extinction learning, it did not prevent the recovery of the startle response. The present findings are better explained by a dual‐ rather than a single‐process account of fear learning.
A comparison of in‐air and in‐saline focimeter measurement of the back vertex power of spherical soft contact lenses
Authors: Pearson Richard M , Evans Bruce JW
Published: September 2012

Citation information: RM Pearson & BJW Evans. A comparison of in‐air and in‐saline focimeter measurement of the back vertex power of spherical soft contact lenses. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 508–517. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00932.x

Purpose:  To compare the repeatability and validity of measurements of the back vertex power (BVP) of spherical soft contact lenses made in‐air using the method specified in the International Standard (ISO 18369‐3:2006) with the corresponding values when BVP was calculated from measurements made using a wet cell and focimeter method that is not approved by this Standard.

Methods:  The BVP of 20 hydrogel and 20 silicone hydrogel lenses, with labelled powers ranging from +8.00 to −12.00 D, were measured with a focimeter by two operators on two occasions in‐air in accordance with the relevant International Standard. Equivalent sets of measurements were made with the lenses immersed in‐saline within a wet cell and their BVPs in‐air were calculated. The validity of each method was assessed by comparing their results with an instrument that used the Hartmann method.

Results:  The reliability results were generally a little better for the in‐saline measurements than for the in‐air measurements, although all reliability data demonstrated absolute values of mean errors (inter‐operator and inter‐session) that were <0.05 D for hydrogel lenses and <0.07 D for silicone hydrogel lenses. The in‐air 95% confidence intervals were <0.45 D and <0.40 D for hydrogel and silicone hydrogel lenses, respectively and in‐saline <0.39 and <0.31 D for hydrogel and silicone hydrogel lenses, respectively. The validity data revealed a relationship between measurement error and BVP for the in‐air data (the focimeter overestimates the power of high plus and high minus lenses compared with the Hartmann instrument) and possibly a more complex relationship for the in‐saline data. The 95% limits of agreement indicate better agreement for the in‐saline validity data (−0.55 to +0.48 D for hydrogel lenses and −0.42 to +0.54 D for silicone hydrogel lenses) than those obtained in‐air (−0.64 to +0.68 D for hydrogel lenses and −0.57 to +0.44 D for silicone hydrogel lenses).

Conclusions:  Using equipment readily available in a clinical setting, the wet cell method of measurement of the BVP of spherical soft contact lenses has been shown to provide results for reliability and validity that were at least as good as those obtained with the in‐air method approved by the International Standard.