bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dispersal of Potato Cyst Nematodes Measured Using Historical and Spatial Statistical Analyses
Authors: Banks N. C. , Hodda M. , Singh S. K. , Matveeva E. M.
Published: May 2012

Rates and modes of dispersal of potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) were investigated. Analysis of records from eight countries suggested that PCNs spread a mean distance of 5.3 km/year radially from the site of first detection, and spread 212 km over ≈40 years before detection. Data from four countries with more detailed histories of invasion were analyzed further, using distance from first detection, distance from previous detection, distance from nearest detection, straight line distance, and road distance. Linear distance from first detection was significantly related to the time since the first detection. Estimated rate of spread was 5.7 km/year, and did not differ statistically between countries. Time between the first detection and estimated introduction date varied between 0 and 20 years, and differed among countries. Road distances from nearest and first detection were statistically significantly related to time, and gave slightly higher estimates for rate of spread of 6.0 and 7.9 km/year, respectively. These results indicate that the original site of introduction of PCNs may act as a source for subsequent spread and that this may occur at a relatively constant rate over time regardless of whether this distance is measured by road or by a straight line. The implications of this constant radial rate of dispersal for biosecurity and pest management are discussed, along with the effects of control strategies.
The impact of a specific aqua‐training for adult haemophilic patients – results of the WATERCISE study (WAT‐QoL)
Authors: Von MACKENSEN S. , EIFRIG B. , ZÄCH D. , KALNINS J. , WIELOCH A. , ZELLER W.
Published: May 2012

Summary.  Sport is increasingly recommended for haemophilic patients due to physical and psychological benefits. ‘WATERCISE’ is a specific aqua‐training programme for haemophiliacs in which endurance, strength, coordination and mobility are trained. In the WAT‐QoL study benefits and risks of regular WATERCISE training sessions were investigated in terms of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), physical functioning (PF), orthopaedic joint status (OJS), bleeding frequency and factor consumption. Patients in the WATERCISE group attended an aqua‐training programme once a week for 1 h over 12 months, patients in the control group did not. Patients were matched for clinical and demographic data. Information on clinical data, orthopaedic status, PF (HEP‐Test‐Q) and HRQoL were collected in both groups at baseline and at follow‐up (6 and 12 months). Twenty‐eight adult severely affected haemophilic patients (WATERCISE group: 10 haemophilia A (HA), 3 haemophilia B (HB) patients; control group: 12 HA and 3 HB patients) were enrolled (aged 40.68 ± 12.7 years). Baseline data (body mass indices, OJS, sportive activities, HRQoL and PF) were well distributed between groups. After 12 months the WATERCISE group reported a significantly better PF (MW = 65.22, SD = 11.3; MC = 52.5, SD = 15.0), especially for endurance (P < 0.004). Although always differently reported by the patients within the WATERCISE group, HRQoL did not prove to be significantly different between groups. WATERCISE seems to have a positive effect on the PF of patients suffering from haemophilia. These study findings need to be further investigated in a larger study group.
Prevalence and incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accident in ageing persons with intellectual disability
Authors: Jansen J. , Rozeboom W. , Penning C. , Evenhuis H. M.
Published: May 2012

Background  Epidemiological information on age‐related cardiovascular disease in people with intellectual disability (ID) is scarce and inconclusive. We compared prevalence and incidence of cerebrovascular accident and myocardial infarction over age 50 in a residential population with ID to that in a general practice population.

Method  A retrospective descriptive study was conducted, based on medical records of 510 persons with ID and 823 general practice patients, aged 50 years and over.

Results  Lifetime prevalences after age 50 were similar in both populations: 5.7% (95% CI 4.0–8.1%) in persons with ID and 4.4% (95% CI 3.1–6.0%) in the general population (Pearson chi‐square 1.17, P = 0.279). Incidence per gender was similar between cohorts (men P = 0.86, women P = 0.36). There was no difference in incidence rates between the ID and control groups [relative risk = 1.5 (95% CI 0.9–2.4)].

Conclusion  Prevalence and incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accident in ageing persons with ID do not appear different from those in the general population. It has to be taken into account that underdiagnosis and selection bias towards a more disabled group may have lead to underestimation of age‐related cardiovascular morbidity, and the higher age and underrepresentation of Down syndrome to overestimation.
RNA degradation in Bacillus subtilis: an interplay of essential endo‐ and exoribonucleases
Authors: Lehnik‐Habrink Martin , Lewis Richard J. , Mäder Ulrike , Stülke Jörg
Published: May 2012

RNA processing and degradation are key processes in the control of transcript accumulation and thus in the control of gene expression. In Escherichia coli, the underlying mechanisms and components of RNA decay are well characterized. By contrast, Gram‐positive bacteria do not possess several important players of E. coli RNA degradation, most notably the essential enzyme RNase E. Recent research on the model Gram‐positive organism, Bacillus subtilis, has identified the essential RNases J1 and Y as crucial enzymes in RNA degradation. While RNase J1 is the first bacterial exoribonuclease with 5′‐to‐3′ processivity, RNase Y is the founding member of a novel class of endoribonucleases. Both RNase J1 and RNase Y have a broad impact on the stability of B. subtilis mRNAs; a depletion of either enzyme affects more than 25% of all mRNAs. RNases J1 and Y as well as RNase J2, the polynucleotide phosphorylase PNPase, the RNA helicase CshA and the glycolytic enzymes enolase and phosphofructokinase have been proposed to form a complex, the RNA degradosome of B. subtilis. This review presents a model, based on recent published data, of RNA degradation in B. subtilis. Degradation is initiated by RNase Y‐dependent endonucleolytic cleavage, followed by processive exoribonucleolysis of the generated fragments both in 3′‐to‐5′ and in 5′‐to‐3′ directions. The implications of these findings for pathogenic Gram‐positive bacteria are also discussed.
Operative start times and complications after kidney transplantation
Authors: Shaw Tavis M. , Lonze Bonnie E. , Feyssa Eyob L. , Segev Dorry L. , May Noah , Parsikia Afshin , Campos Stalin , Khanmoradi Kamran , Zaki Radi F. , Ortiz Jorge A.
Published: May 2012

The worldwide focus on work hour regulations and patient safety has led to the re‐examination of the merits of night‐time surgery, including kidney transplantation. The risks of operating during nontraditional work hours with potentially fatigued surgeons and staff must be weighed against the negative effects of prolonged cold ischemic time with resultant graft compromise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of performing renal transplantation procedures during evening versus day time hours. The main outcome measures assessed between the day and night cohorts included comparisons of the postoperative complication rates and survival outcomes for both the renal allograft and the patient. A retrospective review of 633 deceased donor renal transplants performed at a single institution was analyzed. Three statistically significant results were noted, namely, a decrease in vascular complications in the nighttime cohort, an increase in urologic complications on subgroup analysis in the 3 AM to 6 AM cohort, and the 12 AM to 3 AM subgroup had the greatest odds of any complication. There was no statistical difference in either patient or graft survival over a twelve month period following transplantation. We conclude that although the complication rate varied among cohorts this was clinically insignificant and there was no overall clinically relevant impact on patient or graft survival.
Molecular phylogeny ofGanoderma lucidumisolates collected from northernIndia
Authors: Mohanty P. S. , Harsh N. S. K. , Pandey A.
Published: May 2012

Ganoderma lucidumhas been found to be a pathogen on a wide range of tree species in India. Because of large variations found in both macro‐ and microscopic characters, traditional identification and characterization methods are unreliable for this genus. We analysed nrDNAinternal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of 52 isolates in theG. lucidumcomplex by the parsimony method, finding 17 lineages. The maximum parsimony analysis showed that the isolates ofG. lucidumfrom the same host species had high similarity inITSsequences, compared to isolates from other tree species. The result was also supported by high values of population differentiation parameters such asNSTandFSTvalues. Genetic analysis suggests the occurrence of host‐mediated genetic differentiation inG. lucidumisolates, which requires further investigation.
Pleomorphic carcinoma of the breast with expression of macrophage markers: Report of two cases
Authors: Córdoba Alicia , Del Rosario Mercado Maria , Vicente Francisco , Ederra Maria , Torrea Natalia , Guerrero‐Setas David
Published: May 2012

Pleomorphic ductal carcinoma of the breast is a rare variant included in the morphological group of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The pleomorphic carcinoma is composed predominantly of epithelial and multinucleated tumor giant cells. We report here two cases presenting a lesion composed microscopically of a proliferation of large pleomorphic cells with a predominance of multinucleated giant cells. These lesions were negative for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and Her2‐neu (triple‐negative phenotype). Basal markers (cytokeratin 5/6, cytokeratin 17 and epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR]) were present, accompanied by the presence of histiocyte marker CD163 in most neoplastic giant cells. High‐grade pleomorphic breast carcinomas with the triple‐negative phenotype and expression of basal markers might be included in the basal subtype. This is the first report about the co‐expression of macrophage marker CD163, with tumor (P53) or epithelial markers (CAM5.2), as indicated by double immunohistochemistry in pleomorphic ductal carcinoma of the breast.
Isolation of mitochondrial and plastid ftsZ genes and analysis of the organelle targeting sequence in the diatom Chaetoceros neogracile (Diatoms, Bacillariophyceae)
Authors: Nishikawa Toshikazu , Moriyama Yohsuke , Sato Mayuko , Sano Toshio , Hasezawa Seiichiro , Ota Shuhei , Kawano Shigeyuki
Published: May 2012

Mitochondria and plastids multiply by division in eukaryotic cells. Recently, the eukaryotic homolog of the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ was identified and shown to play an important role in the organelle division process inside the inner membrane. To explore the evolution of FtsZ proteins, and to accumulate data on the protein import system in mitochondria and plastids of the red algal lineage, one mitochondrial and three plastid ftsZ genes were isolated from the diatom Chaetoceros neogracile, whose plastids were acquired by secondary endosymbiotic uptake of a red alga. Protein import into organelles depends on the N‐terminal organelle targeting sequences. N‐terminal bipartite presequences consisting of an endoplasmic reticulum signal peptide and a plastid transit peptide are required for protein import into diatom plastids. To characterize the organelle targeting peptides of C. neogracile, we observed the localization of each green fluorescent protein‐tagged predicted organelle targeting peptide in cultured tobacco cells and diatom cells. Our data suggested that each targeting sequences functioned both in tobacco cultured cells and diatom cells.
Subfertility in women with familial Mediterranean fever
Authors: Zayed Abdelhady , Nabil Hanan , State Omnia , Badawy Ahmed
Published: May 2012

Aim:  The aim of this study was to examine the causes and different modalities used for management of subfertile patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).

Material and Methods:  The study comprised of 74 infertile women with FMF. All patients were diagnosed as having FMF. All patients underwent a full infertility work‐up. They were scheduled to expectant treatment, ovulation induction and timed intercourse, intrauterine insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Results:  Anovulation was reported in 18 patients (24.32%). Anovulation was due to polycystic ovary syndrome in 12 (16.22%) cases and due to other causes in six patients (8.11%). Excessive clear peritoneal fluid was present in 56 (57.67%) and male‐factor infertility was present in 14 couples (18.91%). Ovulation induction and timed intercourse was adopted for a maximum of six cycles and intrauterine insemination for three cycles. In vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection was needed in six cases using standard long agonist protocol. Twenty‐six women became pregnant.

Conclusion:  The causes of infertility in patients with FMF are not different from those expected in the general population. Treatment of the problem should be causal, adopting the conventional lines of treatment up to in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection when appropriate. Colchicine is the treatment of choice and it is important to use it in its proper doses to control the disease.
Establishing reference values for mean notch depth index, pulsatility index and resistance index in the uterine artery at 16–23 weeks' gestation
Authors: Takahashi Kayo , Ohkuchi Akihide , Hirashima Chikako , Matsubara Shigeki , Suzuki Mitsuaki
Published: May 2012

Aim:  Our aim was to determine the reference values of indices of impedance to flow in uterine arteries at 16–23 weeks, and to evaluate the effects of these indices for predicting early‐onset pre‐eclampsia (EO‐PE), which was defined as PE with onset at <32 weeks.

Methods:  During 2004 to 2008, 1536 women with a singleton pregnancy were recruited into a prospective cohort study at 16–23 weeks. The mean notch depth index (mNDI), mean pulsatility index (mPI) and mean resistance index (mRI) were calculated.

Results:  Early‐onset pre‐eclampsia occurred in 16 (1.0%). The 80th, 90th, 95th and 97.5th percentiles of the mNDI at 16–23 weeks were determined. Normal reference ranges of the mPI and mRI were constructed, and individual standard deviation scores (SDS) of the mPI and mRI were calculated. The area under the receiver‐operating characteristics curves (AROC) of the mNDI, mPI, mRI and bilateral notching (BN) for predicting EO‐PE were 0.807, 0.809, 0.782 and 0.798, respectively. For predicting EO‐PE, a mNDI of the 90th percentile, mPI‐SDS of 1.383, mRI‐SDS of 0.975 and BN yielded sensitivities (specificities) of 0.688 (0.886), 0.750 (0.889), 0.813 (0.809) and 0.750 (0.845) with positive likelihood ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 6.0 (4.2–8.6), 6.8 (4.9–9.3), 4.3 (3.3–5.5) and 4.9 (3.6–6.6), respectively.

Conclusions:  We established the reference values for mNDI, mRI and mPI at 16–23 weeks. The positive likelihood ratios of mNDI and mPI for predicting EO‐PE showed moderate screening performances, indicating mNDI or mPI in the second trimester could assist to find high risk women with the subsequent onset of EO‐PE.
Felling date affects the occurrence of Pityogenes chalcographus on Scots pine logging residues
Authors: Foit Jiří
Published: May 2012

Logging residues form a substantial portion of the dead wood in managed forests, and logging residues can facilitate bark beetle multiplication and outbreaks. For these reasons, it is highly advisable to find a way of reducing the risk of bark beetle outbreaks without extensive removal of logging residues, which is inconsistent with nature conservation.

The coverage of Pityogenes chalcographus (L.) galleries and the presence of other bark beetle species on 3520 fragments of logging residues of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) that originated over different months from 2004 to 2008 were examined in 135 stands in four study areas of the Czech Republic.

Pityogenes chalcographus was the most abundant species.

The month of felling had a significant effect on the coverage of P. chalcographus galleries on logging residues.

Concentrating felling in August and September (and possibly October) can minimize the risk of P. chalcographus multiplication and outbreaks.
THE IMPACT OF HIV EDUCATION ON BEHAVIOR AMONG YOUTHS: A PROPENSITY SCORE MATCHING APPROACH
Authors: ANDERSON D. MARK
Published: May 2012

There has been a long‐standing debate as to whether sex or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) education actually influences the way young people behave. To the extent these programs work, they represent a potential mechanism policy‐makers might use to reduce risky behavior among youths. This paper uses data from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey to examine if students who have received school‐based HIV instruction behave differently than those who have not. To address potentially endogenous exposure to HIV education, this paper considers a propensity score matching approach. Findings from the propensity score analysis suggest that standard ordinary least squares results are biased. Despite this, there remains some evidence that exposure to HIV education decreases risky sexual activity. Among male students, HIV education is also negatively related to the rate of using needles to inject illegal drugs into the body. The needle use results are robust to a sensitivity analysis, while the results for sexual behaviors are not. (JEL H75, I18, I28, K32)
LIMITS OF THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL INFORMATION ON THE VOLUNTARY PROVISION OF PUBLIC GOODS: EVIDENCE FROM FIELD EXPERIMENTS
Authors: CROSON RACHEL , SHANG JEN
Published: May 2012

Previous work has demonstrated the effect of social information in the voluntary provision of public goods in the field. In this article, we demonstrate the boundary conditions of the effect. We show that when social information is too extreme, it ceases to influence individual contributions. The results highlight a natural limitation of the social information effect, and provide a characterization of the most effective levels for an organization to use. (JEL M31, H41, D64)
Has Australian financial reporting become more conservative over time?
Authors: Lai Cheng , Lu Meiting , Shan Yaowen
Published: May 2012

This study examines whether Australian financial reporting became more conservative over the period of 1993–2009. Unlike the United States and European evidence in Givoly and Hayn (2000) and Grambovas et al. (2006), the Australian evidence is not consistent with the notion that conservatism has increased over time. The degree of conservatism fluctuates without any obvious trend over the 17‐year period, especially for the constant sample of firms appearing throughout the period. We also examine the impact of mandatory International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on accounting conservatism in Australia. Our evidence suggests the adoption of IFRS has led to a decrease in conditional conservatism (i.e. asymmetric timeliness).
The initial private placement of equity and changes in operating performance in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Hsu‐Huei , Chan Min‐Lee
Published: May 2012

We propose the corporate governance hypothesis which suggests that the outside blockholders arising from the private placement of equity are more likely to have a significantly positive effect on firms with poor corporate governance. Using a sample of Taiwan‐listed firms with initial private placements of equity, our study’s results indicate that an improvement in operating performance is more likely to be seen after a private placement for those firms that are without independent directors, are controlled by a family, have lower insider shareholdings or are characterized by a pyramidal ownership structure. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis.
Taking Chances: The Effect that Growing Up on Welfare Has on the Risky Behavior of Young People*
Authors: Cobb‐Clark Deborah A. , Ryan Chris , Sartbayeva Anastasia
Published: May 2012

In this paper, we analyze the effect that growing up in a family with a history of welfare receipt has on young people's engagement in a variety of social and health risks. Unique administrative data matched to survey data for 18‐year‐olds and their mothers allow us to evaluate the effect of welfare receipt over the course of a young person's childhood. Much of the apparent link between family welfare history and risk taking disappears once we control for the effects of family structure, mothers’ own risk taking, and mothers’ investments in their children. We find no evidence that growing up on welfare causes young people to engage in risky behavior.
Host limitation of the thick‐shelled river mussel: identifying the threats to declining affiliate species
Authors: Douda K. , Horký P. , Bílý M.
Published: May 2012

The conservation of endangered affiliate species, which are critically dependent on the presence of another species, is often hindered by a poor understanding of the relationships between the interacting partners. The parasitic stage of endangered unionid bivalves constitutes a tight host–affiliate linkage between the mussels and their host fishes. However, the threats resulting from potential shortages of the host species are rarely sufficiently quantified and incorporated into conservation strategies. In this paper, we integrated both host quality and availability analyses to assess the potential threats to the endangered thick‐shelled river mussel Unio crassus that result from the impairment of its host resources in Central Europe. The experimental determination of the compatibility of U. crassus parasitic larvae (glochidia) with its potential host fishes revealed an intermediate level of host specificity. At least, some glochidia successfully developed on 14 of the 27 potential hosts that were evaluated. Nevertheless, only three fish species (Scardinius erythrophthalmus, Phoxinus phoxinus and Cottus gobio) enabled the majority of the attached glochidia to transform successfully. Subsequently, our analysis of host availability at sites inhabited by living or extirpated populations of U. crassus showed that the local extirpations of U. crassus are likely associated with an impaired status of the fish assemblage and with the absence of the primary host fishes. These results indicate that the availability of host fish resources may have played at least an additive role in the present pan‐European decline of U. crassus and that the evaluation of host limitation without precise data on the host compatibility or host abundance may be ineffective for identifying the threats to particular species. It demonstrates a strong need for more thorough incorporation of host limitation issues into conservation strategies for U. crassus and probably also for other species of freshwater mussels that were previously considered safe from host limitation.
Evolution of form and function: morphophysiological relationships and locomotor performance in tropidurine lizards
Authors: Kohlsdorf T. , Navas C.
Published: May 2012

Locomotor capacity is often considered an excellent measure of whole animal performance because it requires the integrated functioning of many morphological, physiological (and biochemical) traits. However, because studies tend to focus on either structural or functional suits of traits, we know little on whether and how morphological and physiological traits coevolve to produce adequate locomotor capacities. Hence, we investigate the evolutionary relationships between morphological and physiological parameters related to exercise physiology, using tropidurine lizards as a model. We employ a phylogenetic principal component analysis (PCA) to identify variable clusters (factors) related to morphology, energetic metabolism and muscle metabolism, and then analyze the relationships between these clusters and measures of locomotor performance, using two models (star and hierarchical phylogenies). Our data indicate that sprint performance is enhanced by simultaneous evolutionary tendencies affecting relative limb and tail size and physiological traits. Specifically, the high absolute sprint speeds exhibited by tropidurines from the sand dunes are explained by longer limbs, feet and tails and an increased proportion of glycolytic fibers in the leg muscle, contrasting with their lower capacity for overall oxidative metabolism [principal component (PC1)]. However, when sprint speeds are corrected for body size, performance correlates with a cluster (PC3) composed by moderate loads for activity metabolic rate and body size. The simultaneous measurement of morphological and physiological parameters is a powerful tool for exploring patterns of coadaptation and proposing morphophysiological associations that are not directly predictable from theory. This approach may trigger novel directions for investigating the evolution of form and function, particularly in the context of organismal performance.
Vocal expression of emotions in mammals: mechanisms of production and evidence
Authors: Briefer E. F.
Published: May 2012

Emotions play a crucial role in an animal's life because they facilitate responses to external or internal events of significance for the organism. In social species, one of the main functions of emotional expression is to regulate social interactions. There has recently been a surge of interest in animal emotions in several disciplines, ranging from neuroscience to evolutionary zoology. Because measurements of subjective emotional experiences are not possible in animals, researchers use neurophysiological, behavioural and cognitive indicators. However, good indicators, particularly of positive emotions, are still lacking. Vocalizations are linked to the inner state of the caller. The emotional state of the caller causes changes in the muscular tension and action of its vocal apparatus, which in turn, impacts on vocal parameters of vocalizations. By considering the mode of production of vocalizations, we can understand and predict how vocal parameters should change according to the arousal (intensity) or valence (positive/negative) of emotional states. In this paper, I review the existing literature on vocal correlates of emotions in mammals. Non‐human mammals could serve as ideal models to study vocal expression of emotions, because, contrary to human speech, animal vocalizations are assumed to be largely free of control and therefore direct expressions of underlying emotions. Furthermore, a comparative approach between humans and other animals would give us a better understanding of how emotion expression evolved. Additionally, these non‐invasive indicators could serve various disciplines that require animal emotions to be clearly identified, including psychopharmacology and animal welfare science.
Towards a better definition of the motor phenotype of Tourette syndrome
Authors: CARDOSO FRANCISCO
Published: May 2012

This commentary is on the original article by Buse et al. on pages 629‐635 of this issue
Effects of conservation agriculture on soil quality and productivity in contrasting agro‐ecological environments of Zimbabwe
Authors: Thierfelder C. , Wall P. C.
Published: May 2012

Experimentation by farmers with conservation agriculture (CA) is increasing in southern Africa, but local longer term data on these new production systems are scarce. This study focuses on CA research at two contrasting on‐farm sites and one on‐station long‐term trial in Zimbabwe. The on‐farm trials were conducted at Chikato village on a sandy soil at Zimuto Communal Area with low rainfall and at Hereford farm near Bindura on a clay‐rich soil in a high rainfall area. The on‐station trial was at Henderson Research Station near Mazowe where more in‐depth soil studies were possible. Results of CA systems from the on‐station site show on average 38 and 65% greater water infiltration on ripline‐seeded (RS) and direct‐seeded CA treatments compared with conventionally ploughed control treatments. Results from on‐farm sites show a 123 and 168% greater aggregate stability at Hereford and 11 and 24% lower dispersion ratio at Chikato on the two CA compared with the conventionally ploughed control treatments. Soil carbon increased by 46% in the first 20 cm on the sandy soils at Chikato in RS and by 104% in direct‐seeded CA treatments in four cropping seasons from 2004 to 2008, while it stayed at low levels on the conventionally tilled control treatment. Yields on CA plots were higher on the sandy soils in dry seasons, but lower in very wet seasons because of waterlogging. Yields on clay soils were less affected by the rainfall season. Crop productivity from CA systems increased at all sites over time owing to better management although significant differences between CA and conventional treatments on the three sites were apparent only after several cropping seasons. Conservation agriculture offers practical solutions to small‐scale farmers threatened by future soil degradation and fertility loss, but its successful use will depend on weed control and adequate application of fertilizers. The results indicate that there is no immediate increase in maize (Zea mays L.) yield when changing from a tilled to a CA system, but there is gradual improvement in some soil quality indicators over time.
A software tool for estimating the capacity of agricultural land in England and Wales for recycling organic materials (ALOWANCE)
Authors: NICHOLSON F. A. , HUMPHRIES S. , ANTHONY S. G. , SMITH S. R. , CHADWICK D. , CHAMBERS B. J.
Published: May 2012

Agricultural Land and Organic ‘Waste’: A National Capacity Estimator (ALOWANCE) is a GIS‐based tool that estimates the available agricultural landbank in England and Wales for recycling organic materials based on a number of physical and practical constraints, and legislative restrictions. It can be used to identify areas where there is a potential shortage or surplus of available agricultural land and to determine the length of time for which the agricultural landbank would continue to be available to receive organic materials. Two versions of ALOWANCE have been developed. ALOWANCE‐PLUS is a PC‐based tool that provides the full functionality of ALOWANCE to a small number of ‘expert’ users. It incorporates scenario testing capabilities, allowing the agricultural landbank capacity to be calculated interactively. ALOWANCE‐ONLINE is a web‐based version that provides information to ‘general’ users, including pre‐selected map ‘layers’ (generated from ALOWANCE‐PLUS) and a simple query tool. Results from ALOWANCE‐PLUS showed that after exclusions and after accounting for current sources of organic materials (livestock manures, biosolids, compost, paper crumble and digestate), the estimated agricultural landbank in England and Wales for the addition of ‘new’ sources of organic materials was c. 5.1 million ha. Spatial representations showed that in some parts of the country (e.g. north‐west England), the agricultural landbank was already under ‘pressure’ and transport of any future emerging sources of organic materials away from these areas may be required.
Migration, urban growth and commuting distance in Toronto's commuter shed
Authors: Axisa Jeffrey J , Newbold K Bruce , Scott Darren M
Published: May 2012

This paper examines the relationship between migration, residential location and commute distance within Toronto's commuter shed. The study utilises data from the master file of the 2006 Canadian Census, allowing migrants to be disaggregated by duration of residence. Multiple regressions indicate that living in the most accessible rural areas and being a recent migrant are significantly associated with longer commutes. Furthermore, findings demonstrate that the commute distance of very recent migrants (those who migrated in the year immediately prior to the census) have the longest commute distances. As residential duration increases, commute distance decreases.
Processing Fluency and Investors’ Reactions to Disclosure Readability
Authors: RENNEKAMP KRISTINA
Published: May 2012

The SEC's emphasis on the use of plain English is designed to make disclosures more readable and more informative. Using an experiment, I find that more readable disclosures lead to stronger reactions from small investors, so that changes in valuation judgments are more positive when news is good and more negative when news is bad. Drawing on research in psychology to explain this result, I predict and find that processing fluency from a more readable disclosure acts as a subconscious heuristic cue and increases investors’ beliefs that they can rely on the disclosure. Although I do not find that more readable disclosures directly increase perceptions of management credibility, I do find evidence of an indirect effect operating through feelings of processing fluency. In supplemental analyses, I find that investors who receive more readable disclosures revise their valuation judgments to be less extreme when they are explicitly made aware of the potential for variation in readability. I discuss potential explanations for these revised valuation judgments.
Headaches in Soldiers With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Findings and Phenomenologic Descriptions
Authors: Finkel Alan G. , Yerry Juanita , Scher Ann , Choi Young S.
Published: May 2012

Objective.— The primary goal of this study was to use headache criteria‐based classification for headache types described by service members.

Background.— Headache is common in soldiers returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. To date, few papers have provided detailed descriptions of these headaches.

Methods.— The first 25 patients seen by a certified headache specialist at the Traumatic Brain Injury Center at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC, between August 2008 and December 2009 are reported.

Results.— Service members described a total of 55 headaches. Most, but not all, headaches began within 1 week after injury. Migraine type was most common. Aura occurred in 5 soldiers. Continuous headaches were described in 88%. Uncommon headache types including cluster type were diagnosed. Additional symptoms and service outcomes are described.

Conclusions.— We conclude that headaches occurring after various types of head injury, including explosions, can be assigned primary and secondary headache diagnoses using standard classifications not necessarily available to larger survey‐based studies.
Metal Mining and Environmental Assessments
Authors: Tuusjärvi Mari , Vuori Saku , Mäenpää Ilmo
Published: May 2012

When mining is included in life cycle assessment (LCA), the solving of multifunctionality can be necessary in the inventory phase, as many mines produce multiple metals. Although the methodology of LCA is standardized, the methodology for solving this multifunctionality by allocation has remained controversial. In this article, we review the problems of allocation in the context of mining and introduce a new allocation method applicable to metal mining. The new normalized mass‐based (NMB) allocation method is a derivative of a mass‐based (MB) allocation method. In the new method, the masses of mined metals are normalized with predefined reference values to enable better description of the physical and economic causalities of the mining system. The NMB allocation method is compared to the MB and value‐based (VB) allocation methods in case studies. The results indicate that the most suitable methods for allocation in metal mining are NMB allocation and VB allocation (when based on average prices). The ability to reflect changes in production and the economic value of metals without the need for additional price data make the NMB allocation method a reasonable option for allocation in environmental studies related to metal mining.
Antimicrobial activity of platelet (PLT)‐poor plasma, PLT‐rich plasma, PLT gel, and solvent/detergent‐treated PLT lysate biomaterials against wound bacteria
Authors: Burnouf Thierry , Chou Ming‐Li , Wu Yu‐Wen , Su Chen‐Yao , Lee Lin‐Wen
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND: Platelet (PLT) gels exhibit antimicrobial activity useful for wound healing. The nature of the antibacterial component(s) is unknown.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PLT‐poor plasma (PPP), PLT‐rich plasma (PRP), PLT gel (PG), and solvent/detergent‐treated PLT lysate (S/D‐PL) from two donors were evaluated either native or after complement heat inactivation. Materials were spiked at a 10% ratio (vol/vol) with approximately 107‐8 colony‐forming units/mL with four Gram‐positive and four Gram‐negative bacteria of the wound flora. Bacterial count was determined by plate assays at time of spiking and after 3 and 48 hours at 31°C. Bacteria growth inhibition tests were also performed.

RESULTS: There was no viable Escherichia coli colony for 48 hours after spiking to the plasma and PLT materials from both donors, corresponding to greater than 7.51 to greater than 9.05 log inactivation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus were inactivated (approx. 4.7, 7, and 2 log, respectively) 3 hours after spiking to PRP, PPP, or S/D‐PL from the first donor but less (1.1, 4.6, and 0.2 log, respectively) in PG, before a regrowth at 48 hours in all materials. Similar data were obtained with the second donor. No plasma and PLT material had antimicrobial activity against Enterobacter cloacae, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Complement‐inactivated samples had no antimicrobial activity.

CONCLUSION: Plasma complement is mostly responsible for the activity of plasma and PLT biomaterials against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus. Activation of the coagulation to prepare PG may reduce antimicrobial activity. These findings may help optimize the control of wound infections by blood biomaterials.
Comparison of Intraoperative Three‐Dimensional Doppler Color Flow Mapping to Assess Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Hien Maximilian D. , Weymann Alexander , Rauch Helmut , Grossgasteiger Manuel , Motsch Johann , Rosendal Christian
Published: May 2012

Background: Three‐dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) enables the determination of the vena contracta area (VCA), which is an approved parameter to quantify mitral regurgitation (MR). The aim of this study was to determine the VCA in the operative setting and to compare it to alternative 3D and standard 2D methods, with respect to different etiologies of MR. Methods: MR in 56 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery was evaluated using 2D and 3D TEE. VCA, vena contracta (VC), and effective regurgitation orifice area (EROA) by 3D and 2D flow convergence methods were determined. The correlations among the methods and the determined areas were evaluated. Results: EROA determination using 3D flow convergence areas correlated strongly with VCA (r = 0.653), however the resulting areas were considerably smaller. VC measurements in the 3D data set correlated slightly less (r = 0.629). EROA, which was determined using 2D flow convergence areas, showed the strongest correlation among the 2D methods (r = 0.406). 2D VC measurements showed weak to no correlation with VCA. Although a correlation was detected when using the biplane method or the midesophageal long‐axis view to measure VC, statistical significance was only reached in functional MR and MR due to simple prolapse. Conclusions: Intraoperative 3D methods to determine MR were feasible and showed improved correlation with VCA compared to 2D measurements. The agreement of 2D methods with VCA declined from functional MR to MR due to prolapse. We recommend the utilization of 3D color Doppler for intraoperative evaluation of MR, especially in patients with complex mitral valve prolapses.
Bayesian Meta‐Analysis of the Accuracy of a Test for Tuberculous Pleuritis in the Absence of a Gold Standard Reference
Authors: Dendukuri Nandini , Schiller Ian , Joseph Lawrence , Pai Madhukar
Published: May 2012

Summary Absence of a perfect reference test is an acknowledged source of bias in diagnostic studies. In the case of tuberculous pleuritis, standard reference tests such as smear microscopy, culture and biopsy have poor sensitivity. Yet meta‐analyses of new tests for this disease have always assumed the reference standard is perfect, leading to biased estimates of the new test’s accuracy. We describe a method for joint meta‐analysis of sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic test under evaluation, while considering the imperfect nature of the reference standard. We use a Bayesian hierarchical model that takes into account within‐ and between‐study variability. We show how to obtain pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity, and how to plot a hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve. We describe extensions of the model to situations where multiple reference tests are used, and where index and reference tests are conditionally dependent. The performance of the model is evaluated using simulations and illustrated using data from a meta‐analysis of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for tuberculous pleuritis. The estimate of NAAT specificity was higher and the sensitivity lower compared to a model that assumed that the reference test was perfect.
“God made beautiful things”: Proper faith and religious authority in a Jordanian high school
Authors: Adely Fida
Published: May 2012

Outside the formal and intended curriculum in Jordanian schools, the efforts of students and instructors to teach about religion and living piously as Muslim women span a myriad of spaces and approaches. At the al‐Khatwa Secondary School for Girls, tensions surrounding religious authority were enmeshed with struggles outside school, specifically with a local piety movement and with a politics of authenticity that has women at its center. Competing interpretations of Islamic orthodoxy, and contests for moral authority, come to the fore in schools in unique ways, and schools provide a space and tools for young women to negotiate these tensions. [women, education, Islam, schools, Jordan, religion]
Language and the frontiers of the human: Aymara animal‐oriented interjections and the mediation of mind
Authors: Smith Benjamin
Published: May 2012

In this article, I offer an analysis of Peruvian Aymara speech directed toward sheep and alpacas, children, and marbles (specifically, the use of “animal‐oriented interjections”). The use of these forms positions addressees as reduced (quasi) agents and thereby mediates Aymara ideologies about the scaled or graduated character of those enminded beings that regularly act as addressees. Ultimately, the analysis reveals an Aymara human–nonhuman frontier that requires attention to both the interactional encounters sustained across perceived ontological divides (divides understood to turn on species and ethnodevelopmental difference, etc.) and the (scaled) character of the ideologies that renders these divides “ontological.”[humans, animals, childhood, materiality, semiotics, mind, Andes]
The sexual economy of a sugar plantation: Privatization and social welfare in northern Tanzania
Authors: Holt Norris Alison , Worby Eric
Published: May 2012

Drawing on intensive ethnographic work, we explore how privatization has transformed the field of social and sexual relations on a large sugar plantation in northern Tanzania. Privatization has resulted in permanent layoffs, intensified labor discipline, and the displacement of former residents and of informal economic activities from the plantation itself into villages on the plantation perimeter. We show how spatial and temporal changes in the labor economy of the plantation following privatization have had complex consequences for residents and have fueled a new sexual economy. [plantation workers, privatization, sovereignty, sexual economy, sugar estates, Tanzania]
NGOs as shadow pseudopublics: Grassroots community leaders’ perceptions of change and continuity in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Authors: Junge Benjamin
Published: May 2012

In this article, I examine changing meanings of participation for grassroots community leaders in Porto Alegre, Brazil, since the 2004 defeat of the Workers Party (PT) municipal government and a subsequent rise in the presence of both the private sector and NGOs in community politics. Through an ethnographic analysis of community politics in one municipal district, based on interviews I carried out in 2008, I argue that the changing relationship between state, private sector, and civil society has contributed to destabilization of the narrative of active citizenship hegemonic in earlier years, implanting a market‐oriented, individualistic ethos in its place. [participation, citizenship, civil society, neoliberalism, NGOs, private sector, Brazil]
ZrB2–SiC Sharp Leading Edges in High Enthalpy Supersonic Flows
Authors: Monteverde Frédéric , Savino Raffaele
Published: May 2012

Aero‐thermodynamic tests have been carried out in an arc‐jet supersonic plasma wind tunnel using a very sharp wedge made of ultra‐high temperature ceramic (UHTC) in the ZrB2–SiC system. The comparison with a lower thermal conductivity ceramic material (Si3N4–MoSi2) with the same sharp shape, pointed out at the performance advantages of the UHTC material. When subjected to heat fluxes in the order of 7 MW/m2, the surface temperature of the UHTC wedge increased up to 2450°C near the leading edge. The present study demonstrated that the high thermally conductive UHTC survived such extreme conditions by re‐distributing heat over colder regions downstream of the sharp tip. As a consequence, radiative equilibrium temperatures in the range 1400°C–1650°C were established over 85% of the exposed surface. On the other hand, the less thermally conductive Si3N4–MoSi2 material failed to withstand the same heat flux and underwent partial melting with significant mass loss. The post‐test microstructural observations of the UHTC wedge proved to be a fundamental source of information which was input into a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code and by a thermal simulation software to simulate the experimental tests and correlate the in situ observations of the material evolution during testing.
The Influence of Couple Emotional Intimacy on Job Perceptions and Work–Family Conflict
Authors: McAllister Shelece , Thornock Carly M. , Hammond Jeffrey R. , Holmes Erin K. , Hill E. Jeffrey
Published: May 2012

The purpose was to investigate the influence of couple emotional intimacy on job perceptions (job concerns and job rewards) and work–family conflict (both work‐to‐family conflict and family‐to‐work conflict). Data on 567 couples came from a subset of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care taken when the target children were fifth graders. The researchers used an actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) to examine mothers’ and fathers’ couple emotional intimacy and its influence on self‐ and partner perceptions of job concerns and job rewards as well as work‐to‐family conflict and family‐to‐work conflict. Both mothers’ and fathers’ couple emotional intimacy predicted fewer job concerns, more job rewards, less work‐to‐family conflict, and less family‐to‐work conflict for her‐ and himself. No partner effects were found in the model.