bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Switch Control between Different Speeds for a Passive Dynamic Walker
Authors: Liu Limei , Tian Yantao
Published: December 2012

To make a biped robot walk stably at various speeds, a novel switch control approach is proposed to make the gaits switch smoothly between different walking speeds. The switch controller is designed based on the Lyapunov stability theory and the sufficient condition is given to make the closed-loop system stable. This controller can allow the robot to reach the stable gaits corresponding to the various speeds and improve the robustness of switch process. Potential energy compensation control has been studied in the dynamic model of a passive dynamic walking robot with knees. The functional relationship between the initial states and the walking speed is obtained. Numerical simulations are provided to verify the effectiveness of the control strategy.
Integrating Rapid Pathogen Identification and Antimicrobial Stewardship Significantly Decreases Hospital Costs
Authors: Perez Katherine K. , Olsen Randall J. , Musick William L. , Cernoch Patricia L. , Davis James R. , Land Geoffrey A. , Peterson Leif E. , Musser James M.
Published: December 2012

Context.—Early diagnosis of gram-negative bloodstream infections, prompt identification of the infecting organism, and appropriate antibiotic therapy improve patient care outcomes and decrease health care expenditures. In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, methods to acquire and rapidly translate critical results into timely therapies for gram-negative bloodstream infections are needed.

Objective.—To determine whether mass spectrometry technology coupled with antimicrobial stewardship provides a substantially improved alternative to conventional laboratory methods.

Design.—An evidence-based intervention that integrated matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and near–real-time antimicrobial stewardship practices was implemented. Outcomes in patients hospitalized prior to initiation of the study intervention were compared to those in patients treated after implementation. Differences in length of hospitalization and hospital costs were assessed in survivors.

Results.—The mean hospital length of stay in the preintervention group survivors (n = 100) was 11.9 versus 9.3 days in the intervention group (n = 101; P = .01). After multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with decreased length of hospitalization included the intervention (hazard ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.88) and active therapy at 48 hours (hazard ratio, 2.9; confidence interval, 1.15–7.33). Mean hospital costs per patient were $45 709 in the preintervention group and $26 162 in the intervention group (P = .009).

Conclusions.—Integration of rapid identification and susceptibility techniques with antimicrobial stewardship significantly improved time to optimal therapy, and it decreased hospital length of stay and total costs. This innovative strategy has ramifications for other areas of patient care.
Reduced rank hazard regression with fixed and time‐varying effects of the covariates
Authors: Perperoglou Aris
Published: December 2012

Modelling survival data from long‐term follow‐up studies presents challenges. The commonly used proportional hazards model should be extended to account for dynamic behaviour of the effects of fixed covariates. This work illustrates the use of reduced rank models in survival data, where some of the covariate effects are allowed to behave dynamically in time and some as fixed. Time‐varying effects of the covariates can be fitted by using interactions of the fixed covariates with flexible transformations of time based on b‐splines. To avoid overfitting, a reduced rank model will restrict the number of parameters, resulting in a more sensible fit to the data. This work presents the basic theory and the algorithm to fit such models. An application to breast cancer data is used for illustration of the suggested methods.
Development of the protocol for purification of artemisinin based on combination of commercial and computationally designed adsorbents
Authors: Piletska Elena V. , Karim Kal , Cutler Malcolm , Piletsky Sergey A.
Published: December 2012

A polymeric adsorbent for extraction of the antimalarial drug artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. was computationally designed. This polymer demonstrated a high capacity for artemisinin (120 mg g−1), quantitative recovery (87%) and was found to be an effective material for purification of artemisinin from complex plant matrix. The artemisinin quantification was conducted using an optimised HPLC‐MS protocol, which was characterised by high precision and linearity in the concentration range between 0.05 and 2 μg mL−1. Optimisation of the purification protocol also involved screening of commercial adsorbents for the removal of waxes and other interfering natural compounds, which inhibit the crystallisation of artemisinin. As a result of a two step‐purification protocol crystals of artemisinin were obtained, and artemisinin purity was evaluated as 75%. By performing the second stage of purification twice, the purity of artemisinin can be further improved to 99%. The developed protocol produced high‐purity artemisinin using only a few purification steps that makes it suitable for large scale industrial manufacturing process.
Prebiotic approach alleviates hepatic steatosis: Implication of fatty acid oxidative and cholesterol synthesis pathways
Authors: Pachikian Barbara D. , Essaghir Ahmed , Demoulin Jean‐Baptiste , Catry Emilie , Neyrinck Audrey M. , Dewulf Evelyne M. , Sohet Florence M. , Portois Laurence , Clerbaux Laure‐Alix , Carpentier Yvon A. , Possemiers Sam , Bommer Guido T. , Cani Patrice D. , Delzenne Nathalie M.
Published: December 2012

Scope

Recent data suggest that gut microbiota contributes to the regulation of host lipid metabolism. We report how fermentable dietary fructo‐oligosaccharides (FOS) control hepatic steatosis induced by n‐3 PUFA depletion, which leads to hepatic alterations similar to those observed in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease patients.

Methods and results

C57Bl/6J mice fed an n‐3 PUFA‐depleted diet for 3 months were supplemented with FOS during the last 10 days of treatment. FOS‐treated mice exhibited higher caecal Bifidobacterium spp. and lower Roseburia spp. content. Microarray analysis of hepatic mRNA revealed that FOS supplementation reduced hepatic triglyceride accumulation through a proliferator‐activated receptor α‐stimulation of fatty acid oxidation and lessened cholesterol accumulation by inhibiting sterol regulatory element binding protein 2‐dependent cholesterol synthesis. Cultured precision‐cut liver slices confirmed the inhibition of fatty acid oxidation. FOS effects were related to a decreased hepatic micro‐RNA33 expression and to an increased colonic glucagon‐like peptide 1 production.

Conclusions

The changes in gut microbiota composition by n‐3 PUFA‐depletion and prebiotics modulate hepatic steatosis by changing gene expression in the liver, a phenomenon that could implicate micro‐RNA and gut‐derived hormones. Our data underline the advantage of targeting the gut microbiota by colonic nutrients in the management of liver disease.
Synthesis and Surface Active Properties of 1,1,1,1‐Tetra‐(2‐oxypropyl Sulfonate‐3‐alkylether‐propoxy)neopentanes
Authors: Zhou Ming , Zhong Xiang , Zhao Jinzhou , Wang Xu
Published: December 2012

Tetrameric sulfonate surfactants 1,1,1,1‐tetra‐(2‐oxypropyl sulfonate‐3‐alkylether‐propoxy)neopentanes were prepared with raw materials containing epichlorohydrin, pentaerythritol, long‐chain alcohols, 1,3‐propane sultone and sodium hydroxide by esterification, a ring opening reaction, and a sulfonation reaction. The chemical structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed by FTIR, 1H‐NMR and element analysis. With the increasing length of the carbon chain, the values of their CMC initially decreased. The longer the alkyl chain, the higher the melting point. The Krafft point of all these tetrameric sulfonate surfactants was below 0 °C and they had excellent water solubility. These compounds were superior in surface active properties to general sulfonate surfactants SDS. The efficiency of adsorption at the water/air interface (pC20) of these surfactants was very high. Their foaming properties, their wetting ability of a felt chip, and their lime‐soap dispersing ability was investigated.
General Perceptions of a Good Political Leader in Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Murzaeva Dinara , Akçali Pinar
Published: December 2012

This article analyzes general perceptions of a good political leader of post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan by looking at how political leadership is perceived by the ordinary people in the country. This issue seems to be particularly important with country taking a new route – parliamentary republic and facing crisis of political leadership as a result of two revolutions of 2005 and 2010. Furthermore the article sheds some light at people's expectations which are important due to the presidential elections in fall 2011. The article looks at what type of a leader the people of Kyrgyzstan wish to see, and what are the qualities (personal or professional) a political leader must possess. In an attempt to answer these questions, the article identifies ten main qualities of a “good” political leader for Kyrgyzstan as a result of a filed study and tries to evaluate the Kyrgyz case within a broader body of literature about political leadership.
TrFAST: A Tool to Predict Signaling Pathway-Specific Transcription Factor Binding Sites
Authors: Seemab Umair , Ain Qurrat ul , Nawaz Muhammad Sulaman , Saeed Zafar , Rashid Sajid
Published: December 2012

Recent advances in the development of high-throughput tools have significantly revolutionized our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying normal and dysfunctional biological processes. Here we present a novel computational tool, transcription factor search and analysis tool (TrFAST), which was developed for the in silico analysis of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) of signaling pathway-specific TFs. TrFAST facilitates searching as well as comparative analysis of regulatory motifs through an exact pattern matching algorithm followed by the graphical representation of matched binding sites in multiple sequences up to 50 kb in length. TrFAST is proficient in reducing the number of comparisons by the exact pattern matching strategy. In contrast to the pre-existing tools that find TFBS in a single sequence, TrFAST seeks out the desired pattern in multiple sequences simultaneously. It counts the GC content within the given multiple sequence data set and assembles the combinational details of consensus sequence(s) located at these regions, thereby generating a visual display based on the abundance of unique pattern. Comparative regulatory region analysis of multiple orthologous sequences simultaneously enhances the features of TrFAST and provides a significant insight into study of conservation of non-coding cis-regulatory elements. TrFAST is freely available at http://www.fi-pk.com/trfast.html.
Complete group classification of a class of nonlinear wave equations
Authors: Bihlo Alexander , Dos Santos Cardoso-Bihlo Elsa , Popovych Roman O.
Published: December 2012

Preliminary group classification became a prominent tool in the symmetry analysis of differential equations due to the paper by Ibragimov, Torrisi, and Valenti [J. Math. Phys. 32, 2988–2995 (1991)10.1063/1.529042]. In this paper the partial preliminary group classification of a class of nonlinear wave equations was carried out via the classification of one-dimensional Lie symmetry extensions related to a fixed finite-dimensional subalgebra of the infinite-dimensional equivalence algebra of the class under consideration. In the present paper we implement the complete group classification of the same class up to both usual and general point equivalence using the algebraic method of group classification. This includes the complete preliminary group classification of the class and finding those Lie symmetry extensions which are not associated with subalgebras of the equivalence algebra. The complete preliminary group classification is based on listing all inequivalent subalgebras of the whole infinite-dimensional equivalence algebra whose projections are qualified as maximal extensions of the kernel algebra. The set of admissible point transformations of the class is exhaustively described in terms of the partition of the class into normalized subclasses.
Optimal and suboptimal networks for efficient navigation measured by mean-first passage time of random walks
Authors: Zhang Zhongzhi , Sheng Yibin , Hu Zhengyi , Chen Guanrong
Published: December 2012

For a random walk on a network, the mean first-passage time from a node i to another node j chosen stochastically, according to the equilibrium distribution of Markov chain representing the random walk is called the Kemeny constant, which is closely related to the navigability on the network. Thus, the configuration of a network that provides optimal or suboptimal navigation efficiency is a question of interest. It has been proved that complete graphs have the exact minimum Kemeny constant over all graphs. In this paper, by using another method we first prove that complete graphs are the optimal networks with a minimum Kemeny constant, which grows linearly with the network size. Then, we study the Kemeny constant of a class of sparse networks that exhibit remarkable scale-free and fractal features as observed in many real-life networks, which cannot be described by complete graphs. To this end, we determine the closed-form solutions to all eigenvalues and their degeneracies of the networks. Employing these eigenvalues, we derive the exact solution to the Kemeny constant, which also behaves linearly with the network size for some particular cases of networks. We further use the eigenvalue spectra to determine the number of spanning trees in the networks under consideration, which is in complete agreement with previously reported results. Our work demonstrates that scale-free and fractal properties are favorable for efficient navigation, which could be considered when designing networks with high navigation efficiency.
Hong Kong’s physics departments adapt to education overhaul
Authors: Day Charles
Published: December 2012

In September universities in the Chinese territory switched from three-year, English-style degree programs to four-year, US-style degree programs.
Are We Sitting Comfortably? Domestic Imaginaries, Laptop Practices, and Energy Use
Authors: Spinney Justin , Green Nicola , Burningham Kate , Cooper Geoff , Uzzell David
Published: December 2012

The considerable literature on domestic energy consumption practices has tended to focus on either the (re)production and contestation of normative imaginaries, or the links between escalating standards and energy use. Far less has been written which links these related areas together. Accordingly, this paper is positioned at the intersection of debates on domestic consumption, energy use, and home cultures. Through a qualitative study of laptop use in the home, we illustrate how energy-intensive practices, such as ‘always-on-ness’, and changing computer ecologies and infrastructures, are intimately bound up with the reproduction of particular domestic imaginaries of family and home. A key insight in this paper is that a purely physiological conception of comfort would fail to explain fully why practices such as always-on-ness emerge, and thus we theorise comfort as an accomplishment comprised of inseparable temporal, bodily, spatial, and material elements. Ultimately, we argue here that comfort needs to be understood as a multivalent imaginary that is itself bound up in broader idealised notions of family and home in order to comprehend shifting practices, computing ecologies, and rising energy consumption.
The Urban Roots of Anti-Neoliberal Social Movements: The Case of Athens, Greece
Authors: Arampatzi Athina , Nicholls Walter J
Published: December 2012

The recent rounds of anti-neoliberal mobilizations in Europe have shown to be rooted in cities. Whereas Madrid has become a central hub in Spain's social movement, Athens has assumed a central and centralizing role in Greece. Through a case study on Athens, Greece, this paper aims to show how cities have become the driving force of these national movements. The argument maintains that political institutional factors and local networking processes among activists contributed to making Athens a central hub of this national movement. First, weak state traditions in Greece undermined the abilities of government officials to mitigate the most egregious effects of urban neoliberalism during the 1990s and 2000s. As this triggered a proliferation of struggles throughout Athens, weak state traditions also denied local authorities the capacities to co-opt and control aggrieved inhabitants. Second, as urban grievances spurred countless localized struggles, participants formed new ties to one another, learned how to engage in their broader public worlds, and discovered new ways to become political. At the same time, well-networked activists within these particularistic struggles assumed the role of brokers between localized mobilizations and the wider social movement space. This networking process permitted the city of Athens to become an important staging ground in national mobilizations. In sum, we maintain that political opportunities and urban networking processes combined in ways to make Athens a driving force of the country's anti-neoliberal social movement.
God from the Machine? Urban Movements Meet Machine Politics in Neoliberal Chicago
Authors: Sites William
Published: December 2012

This paper examines the anti-Wal-Mart and immigrant rights movements in Chicago in order to understand how local political institutions influence dynamics of exclusion and incorporation. Tracing the post-1970s reconfiguration of the city's machine politics, I argue that a mayor-centered neoclientelism has enabled the local state to flexibly manage the political challenges posed by movements. This analysis seeks to contribute to broader conceptions of contemporary urban governance, suggesting how a ‘deviant’ set of local institutions may facilitate the sort of hybridized formations upon which a neoliberal politics relies.
“Because We've Got History Here”: Nuclear Waste, Cooperative Siting, and the Relational Geography of a Complex Issue
Authors: Bickerstaff Karen
Published: December 2012

This paper takes as its focus recent developments in UK radioactive waste management policy and, through a relational reading of siting conflicts, stresses the need to locate, historically, controversy that takes place in the present. In particular, I argue that temporally distant actors and events, which remain culturally very salient, are critical in shaping the pathway of contentious planning processes. Here I trace the space—time relations that configure the (possible) siting of a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) for higher activity nuclear waste, through a cooperative process of volunteerism, as a matter of concern for publics in West Cumbria. The history, economy, and culture of West Cumbria is intimately connected with the nuclear industry—and, at the time of writing, the region represents the only area of England and Wales for which there are recorded expressions of interest in hosting a GDF. The paper demonstrates that controversy centred on the spatial ordering of the siting process by government—a politics that was rooted in the area's history with nuclear waste—and the actors and events that had structured this past. In this regard, I argue for a geographical reading of siting controversy that acknowledges the agency of the absent, and the play of distant others in configuring a public politics of the present.
Good Water Governance without Good Urban Governance? Regulation, Service Delivery Models, and Local Government
Authors: Furlong Kathryn
Published: December 2012

‘State failure’ came to prominence in the 1980s to explain a range of challenges facing water supplies. Given the apparent problem, water supply was said to require organizational reform which would reduce government involvement in and influence over service delivery. Service providers, it was argued, should be independent from government. Among the associated reforms privatization has drawn the most attention, but alternative service delivery (ASD) has also proven important. Concomitantly, the regulatory role of senior governments was initially ‘rolled back’. Since that time, regulatory oversight at higher scales has been reasserted in many cases, yet the perceived need to circumscribe the role of municipal governments through organizational reforms like ASD persists. Using a case study of water sector reform in Ontario, Canada, I argue that such views conflate organizations with governance, thus ignoring underlying municipal issues affecting water supply. This, in turn, can limit the effectiveness of regulatory improvements at higher scales. Given the increased focus on institutions to resolve water-supply challenges, these findings have implications for other contexts. In Canada a municipality is a local government whose powers and responsibilities are defined by the provinces under their respective municipal acts. While these powers are typically limited compared with other jurisdictions, in keeping with trends elsewhere municipal responsibilities have been increasing.
The Land-Use Diversity in Urban Villages in Shenzhen
Authors: Hao Pu , Geertman Stan , Hooimeijer Pieter , Sliuzas Richard
Published: December 2012

China's dynamic urbanisation since 1978 has led to the proliferation of so-called ‘urban villages’ in many cities. Their development, via a self-help approach by indigenous villagers, delivers low-cost housing and various other social and economic activities. Consequently, urban villages are characterised by growing numbers of buildings and a mix of functions, including residential, industrial, commercial, and public services. These uses enable different activities in urban villages, assimilating migrants into the city by providing an alternative niche for working and living. Variations in land-use diversity in Shenzhen's 318 urban villages were analysed using 2009 data, for more than 333 000 buildings. Four statistical models, including three based on a spatial regimes analysis, are used to explain their land-use diversity. The results reveal that an urban village's land-use pattern is linked to its location in the urban fabric, its phase of development, and the development level of its environs. Different patterns are apparent inside and outside the Special Economic Zone of Shenzhen, suggesting that the current uniform redevelopment policy for urban villages may not be appropriate.
Does Specification Matter? Experiments with Simple Multiregional Probabilistic Population Projections
Authors: Raymer James , Abel Guy J , Rogers Andrei
Published: December 2012

Population projection models that introduce uncertainty are a growing subset of projection models in general. In this paper we focus on the importance of decisions made with regard to the model specifications adopted. We compare the forecasts and prediction intervals associated with four simple regional population projection models: an overall growth rate model, a component model with net migration, a component model with in-migration and out-migration rates, and a multiregional model with destination-specific out-migration rates. Vector autoregressive models are used to forecast future rates of growth, birth, death, net migration, in-migration and out-migration, and destination-specific out-migration for the North, Midlands, and South regions in England. They are also used to forecast different international migration measures. The base data represent a time series of annual data provided by the Office for National Statistics from 1976 to 2008. The results illustrate how both the forecasted subpopulation totals and the corresponding prediction intervals differ for the multiregional model in comparison to other simpler models, as well as for different assumptions about international migration. The paper ends with a discussion of our results and possible directions for future research.
Brightness Alteration with Interweaving Contours
Authors: Roncato Sergio
Published: December 2012

Chromatic induction is observed whenever the perceived colour of a target surface shifts towards the hue of a neighbouring surface. Some vivid manifestations may be seen in a white background where thin coloured lines have been drawn (assimilation) or when lines of different colours are collinear (neon effect) or adjacent (watercolour) to each other. This study examines a particular colour induction that manifests in concomitance with an opposite effect of colour saturation (or anti-spread). The two phenomena can be observed when a repetitive pattern is drawn in which outline thin contours intercept wider contours or surfaces, colour spreading appear to fill the surface occupied by surfaces or thick lines whereas the background traversed by thin lines is seen as brighter or filled of a saturated white. These phenomena were first observed by Bozzi (1975) and Kanizsa (1979) in figural conditions that did not allow them to document their conjunction. Here we illustrate various manifestations of this twofold phenomenon and compare its effects with the known effects of brightness and colour induction. Some conjectures on the nature of these effects are discussed.
Problems in Using d' Measures to Assess Subjective Awareness
Authors: Amihai Ido
Published: December 2012

An accurate method of assessing the awareness to primes is crucial to investigations of subliminal perception. In a recent paper, Vermeiren and Cleeremans (2012) contend that traditional measures of prime detection potentially overestimate awareness to the prime. This can lead to wrongly classifying effects as subliminal, since even when primes are detected at chance level, it could be due to factors other than visibility. Here, I address this and point to another fundamental issue that is inherent to d' calculations, and has to be considered when using signal detection methods to assess awareness. In subliminal perception studies, unconscious processing of the stimuli is assumed when d' is not significantly different from zero. However, this is a null finding that leaves open the possibility of there being differences that the statistical test was not sensitive enough to detect. Hence, reported subliminal effects, especially small effects, could have occurred as a consequence of visible trials even when d' did not significantly differ from chance. Therefore, additional measures such as bootstrapping, which could complement d' in ensuring that the effects were not a consequence of a small number of trials, should be utilized in future studies.
Musket: a multistage k-mer spectrum-based error corrector for Illumina sequence data
Authors: Liu Yongchao , Schröder Jan , Schmidt Bertil
Published: December 2012

Motivation: The imperfect sequence data produced by next-generation sequencing technologies have motivated the development of a number of short-read error correctors in recent years. The majority of methods focus on the correction of substitution errors, which are the dominant error source in data produced by Illumina sequencing technology. Existing tools either score high in terms of recall or precision but not consistently high in terms of both measures.

Results: In this article, we present Musket, an efficient multistage k-mer-based corrector for Illumina short-read data. We use the k-mer spectrum approach and introduce three correction techniques in a multistage workflow: two-sided conservative correction, one-sided aggressive correction and voting-based refinement. Our performance evaluation results, in terms of correction quality and de novo genome assembly measures, reveal that Musket is consistently one of the top performing correctors. In addition, Musket is multi-threaded using a master–slave model and demonstrates superior parallel scalability compared with all other evaluated correctors as well as a highly competitive overall execution time.

Availability: Musket is available at http://musket.sourceforge.net.

Contact:  liuy@uni-mainz.de or bertil.schmidt@uni-mainz.de

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Can individualized weight monitoring using the HeartPhone algorithm improve sensitivity for clinical deterioration of heart failure?
Authors: Ledwidge Mark T. , O'Hanlon Rory , Lalor Lorraine , Travers Bronagh , Edwards Nuala , Kelly Deirdre , Voon Victor , McDonald Kenneth M.
Published: December 2012

Aims

Previous studies have demonstrated poor sensitivity of guideline weight monitoring in predicting clinical deterioration of heart failure (HF). This study aimed to evaluate patterns of remotely transmitted daily weights in a high‐risk HF population and also to compare guideline weight monitoring and an individualized weight monitoring algorithm.

Methods and results

Consenting, consecutive, high‐risk patients were provided with a mobile phone‐based remote weight telemonitoring device. We aimed to evaluate population vs. individual weight variability, weight patterns pre‐ and post‐events of clinical deterioration of HF, and to compare guideline weight thresholds with the HeartPhone algorithm in terms of sensitivity and specificity for such events. Of 87 patients recruited and followed for an average of 23.9 ± 12 weeks, 19 patients experienced 28 evaluable episodes of clinical deterioration of HF. Following a post‐discharge decline, the population average weight remained stable for the follow‐up period, yet the 7‐day moving average of individual patients exceeded 2 kg in three‐quarters of patients. Significant increases in weight were observed up to 4 days before HF events. The HeartPhone algorithm was significantly more sensitive (82%) in predicting HF events than guideline weight thresholds of 2 kg over 2–3 days (21%) and a ‘rule of thumb’ threshold of 1.36 kg over 1 day (46%).

Conclusions

An individualized approach to weight monitoring in HF with the HeartPhone algorithm improved prediction of HF deterioration. Further evaluation of HeartPhone with and without other biomarkers of HF deterioration is warranted.
On the impossible NGC 4372 V1 and V2: an extended AGB to the [Fe/H] = −2.2 cluster
Authors: McDonald I. , Zijlstra A. A. , Rajoelimanana A. F. , Johnson C. I.
Published: December 2012

The asymptotic giant branch (AGB) of the globular cluster NGC 4372 appears to extend to unexpectedly high luminosities. We show, on the basis of proper motions and spatial distribution, that the extended AGB is indeed a likely part of the cluster. We also present the first spectra of the very cool (2600 K), very luminous (8000 L⊙), very dusty, oxygen-rich, purported long-period variable stars V1 and V2 that define the AGB tip. In particular, on the basis of their radial velocities, we conclude that V1 and V2 are probably members. We find that V1 and V2 are likely undergoing the superwind phase that terminates their nuclear-burning evolution. We hypothesize that the mass-loss processes that terminate the AGB are inhibited in NGC 4372 due to a lack of atmospheric pulsation and the high gas-to-dust ratio in the ejecta, leading to a delay in the associated enhanced mass loss and dust production. Previously predicted, but never observed, this explains the high mass of the white dwarf in Pease 1 in M15 without the need to invoke a stellar merger. If commonplace, this phenomenon has implications for the mass return from stars, the production of carbon stars and supernovae through the Universe's history, and the AGB contribution to light from unresolved metal-poor populations.
Rhizobium tarimense sp. nov., isolated from soil in the ancient Khiyik River
Authors: Turdahon Maripat , Osman Ghenijan , Hamdun Maryam , Yusuf Khayir , Abdurehim Zumret , Abaydulla Gulsumay , Abdukerim Muhtar , Fang Chengxiang , Rahman Erkin
Published: December 2012

A Gram-negative, non-motile, pale-yellow, rod-shaped bacterial strain, PL-41T, was isolated fromPopulus euphraticaforest soil at the ancient Khiyik River valley in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. Strain PL-41Tgrew optimally at 30 °C and pH 7.0–8.0. The major quinone was Q-10. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain PL-41Twere summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7cand C18 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0and C19 : 0cyclo ω8c. Polar lipids of strain PL-41Tinclude two unidentified aminophospholipids (APL1, 2), two unidentified phospholipids (PL1, 2), phosphatidylcholine and three unidentified lipids (L1–3). Strain PL-41Tshowed 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.0–97.5 % to the type strains of recognized species of the genusRhizobium. Phylogenetic analysis of strain PL-41Tbased on the sequences of housekeeping genesrecAandatpDconfirmed (similarities are less than 90 %) its position as a distinct species of the genusRhizobium. The DNA G+C content was 57.8 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain PL-41Tand the type strains ofRhizobium huautlenseS02T,Rhizobium alkalisoliCCBAU 01393T,Rhizobium vignaeCCBAU 05176TandRhizobium loessenseCCBAU 7190BTwere 33.4, 22.6, 25.5 and 45.1 %, respectively, indicating that strain PL-41Twas distinct from them genetically. Strain PL-41Talso can be differentiated from these four phylogenetically related species of the genusRhizobiumby various phenotypic properties. On the basis of phenotypic properties, phylogenetic distinctiveness and genetic data, strain PL-41Tis considered to represent a novel species of the genusRhizobium, for which the nameRhizobiumtarimensesp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PL-41T( = CCTCC AB 2011011T = NRRL B-59556T).
Allograft Cellular Bone Matrix in Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion: Preliminary Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Tohmeh Antoine G. , Watson Blake , Tohmeh Mirna , Zielinski Xavier J.
Published: December 2012

Introduction. Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) is a minimally disruptive alternative for anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Recently, synthetic and allograft materials have been increasingly used to eliminate donor-site pain and complications secondary to autogenous bone graft harvesting. The clinical use of allograft cellular bone graft has potential advantages over autograft by eliminating the need to harvest autograft while mimicking autograft's biologic function. The objective of this study was to examine 12-month radiographic and clinical outcomes in patients who underwent XLIF with Osteocel Plus, one such allograft cellular bone matrix.Methods. Forty (40) patients were treated at 61 levels with XLIF and Osteocel Plus and included in the analysis.Results. No complications were observed. From preoperative to 12-month postoperative followup, ODI improved 41%, LBP improved 55%, leg pain improved 43.3%, and QOL (SF-36) improved 56%. At 12 months, 92% reported being “very” or “somewhat” satisfied with their outcome and 86% being either “very” or “somewhat likely” to choose to undergo the procedure again. Complete fusion was observed in 90.2% (55/61) of XLIF levels.Conclusions. Complete interbody fusion with Osteocel Plus was shown in 90.2% of XLIF levels, with the remaining 9.8% being partially consolidated and progressing towards fusion at 12 months.
Transposon-Mediated Alteration of TaMATE1B Expression in Wheat Confers Constitutive Citrate Efflux from Root Apices
Authors: Tovkach Andriy , Ryan Peter R. , Richardson Alan E. , Lewis David C. , Rathjen Tina M. , Ramesh Sunita , Tyerman Stephen D. , Delhaize Emmanuel
Published: December 2012

The TaMATE1B gene (for multidrug and toxic compound extrusion) from wheat (Triticum aestivum) was isolated and shown to encode a citrate transporter that is located on the plasma membrane. TaMATE1B expression in roots was induced by iron deficiency but not by phosphorus deficiency or aluminum treatment. The coding region of TaMATE1B was identical in a genotype showing citrate efflux from root apices (cv Carazinho) to one that lacked citrate efflux (cv Egret). However, sequence upstream of the coding region differed between these two genotypes in two ways. The first difference was a single-nucleotide polymorphism located approximately 2 kb upstream from the start codon in cv Egret. The second difference was an 11.1-kb transposon-like element located 25 bp upstream of the start codon in cv Carazinho that was absent from cv Egret. The influence of these polymorphisms on TaMATE1B expression was investigated using fusions to green fluorescent protein expressed in transgenic lines of rice (Oryza sativa). Fluorescence measurements in roots of rice indicated that 1.5- and 2.3-kb regions upstream of TaMATE1B in cv Carazinho (which incorporated 3′ regions of the transposon-like element) generated 20-fold greater expression in the apical 1 mm of root compared with the native promoter in cv Egret. By contrast, fluorescence in more mature tissues was similar in both cultivars. The presence of the single-nucleotide polymorphism alone consistently generated 2-fold greater fluorescence than the cv Egret promoter. We conclude that the transposon-like element in cv Carazinho extends TaMATE1B expression to the root apex, where it confers citrate efflux and enhanced aluminum tolerance.
Prognostic value of added stratification of circumferential resection margin status in oesophageal carcinoma
Authors: Ahmad Jawad , Loughrey Maurice B , Donnelly David , Ranaghan Lisa , Shah Rajeev , Napolitano Giulio , Kennedy Andrew J
Published: December 2012

Aims

Involved circumferential resection margin (CRM) (R1) in oesophageal carcinoma (OC) has conflicting definitions. This study aimed to compare two such definitions applied to a cohort of OC resection specimens and also evaluated a novel three‐tier CRM stratification.

Methods and results

OC patients with pT3 disease were classified as R0 or R1 on the basis of Royal College of Pathologists (UK) (RCPath) and College of American Pathologists (CAP) criteria and group survivals were compared. Patients were then stratified into three groups on the basis of tumour distance from the CRM (>1 mm, 0.1–1 mm, 0 mm). A total of 195 patients were included. According to RCPath criteria, 50 resections were R0 and 145 R1; median survival was 72.0 and 18.1 months. Using CAP criteria, 137 resections were R0 and 58 R1; median survival was 30.1 and 12.6 months. Using three‐tier stratification, tumour was clear by >1 mm (R0) in 50 cases, 0.1–1 mm from CRM (RCPath R1; CAP R0) in 87 cases and 0 mm (R1) in 58 cases; median survival was 72.0, 24.6 and 12.6 months, respectively. Survival difference was statistically significant using each binary system and also the three‐tier system.

Conclusions

Both RCPath and CAP criteria to define CRM have similar prognostic value. A novel three‐tier classification of CRM status provides more detailed prognostication.
Factors That Contribute to Becoming Unbanked
Authors: RHINE SHERRIE L.W. , GREENE WILLIAM H.
Published: December 2012

The proportion of US families that are unbanked (i.e., have no type of checking or savings account) has steadily declined for more than two decades. Nonetheless, more than nine million families still do not participate in the financial mainstream, and roughly half these unbanked families previously held a traditional bank account. This study uses the 2004 longitudinal Survey of Income Program Participation to examine the dynamic process within which changes in families' circumstances contribute to their becoming unbanked. Our findings suggest that families are significantly more likely to become unbanked when there is a decline in family income, loss of employment, or loss of health insurance coverage. Race and ethnicity, level of education or family income, and marital or housing status are also important determinants of whether families participate in the financial mainstream or not. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of the dynamic process by which families change bank status.
Spatiotemporal differences in tree spatial patterns between alluvial hardwood and mountain fir–beech forests: do characteristic patterns exist?
Authors: Janik David , Adam Dušan , Hort Libor , Král Kamil , Šamonil Pavel , Unar Pavel , Vrška Tomáš , Horal David
Published: December 2012

Questions

What are the differences between the tree spatial patterns (TSP) of various recruit and mortality waves in alluvial hardwood forests and mountain fir–beech forests? Are there any statistically significant differences between the meanTSPof these forest types? Are these differences stable over time?

Location

Alluvial floodplain forests at the confluence of theMorava andDyje rivers, and mountain fir–beech forests in theOuterWesternCarpathians,CzechRepublic.

Methods

In both forest types, seven 2‐ha rectangular plots were analysed. The pair correlation functiong(r) was used to describe tree density variability of trees withDBH ≥ 10 cm. The analyses were carried out for data sets from the 1970s, 1990s and 2000s. A bootstrap method was used to test for significant differences between the mean values ofg(r) from alluvial forests and from fir–beech forests.

Results

Recruits in mountain fir–beech forests revealed consistent clustering to at least 5 m. In alluvial hardwood forests, recruits also showed random distribution as well as occasional regular distribution at distances over 20 m. Bootstrap significance tests revealed significant differences between the mean values ofg(r) for alluvial forests and fir–beech forests. Alluvial floodplain forests showed statistically significant stronger clustering up to a distance of 4 m in all study periods. At distances over 20 m, mountain fir–beech forests demonstrated stronger clustering. In the 1970s, this was statistically significant only at a distance of 32 m, but in the 2000s, it was at intervals of 22–30 and 34–38 m.

Conclusions

The methods of data analysis in this study enabled us to find significant features ofTSPat finer resolution than the common resulting trichotomy of univariate analysis: clustering, randomness and regularity. We believe that, on the basis of detailed spatial analyses, it is possible to create aTSPmodel that reflects the typical features of particular forest types.
Through‐focus performance with multifocal contact lenses: effect of binocularity, pupil diameter and inherent ocular aberrations
Authors: Plainis Sotiris , Ntzilepis George , Atchison David A , Charman W Neil
Published: December 2012

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of the wearer's pupil size and spherical aberration on visual performance with centre‐near, aspheric multifocal contact lenses (MFCLs). The advantage of binocular over monocular vision was also investigated.

Methods

Twelve young volunteers, with an average age of 27 ± 5 years, participated in the study. LogMAR Visual Acuity (VA) was measured under cycloplegia for a range of defocus levels (from +3.0 to −3.0 D, in 0.5 D steps) with no correction and with three aspheric MFCLs (Air Optix Aqua Multifocal) with a centre‐near design, providing correction for ‘Low’, ‘Med’ and ‘High’ near demands. Measurements were performed for all combinations of the following conditions: (1) artificial pupils of 6 and 3 mm diameter, (2) binocular and monocular (dominant eye) vision. Depth‐of‐focus (DOF) was calculated from the VA vs defocus curves. Ocular aberrations under cycloplegia were measured using iTrace.

Results

VA at −3.0 D defocus (simulating near performance) was statistically higher for the 3 mm than for the 6 mm pupil (p = 0.006), and for binocular rather than for monocular vision (p < 0.001). Similarly, DOF was better for the 3 mm pupil (p = 0.002) and for binocular viewing conditions (p < 0.001). Both VA at −3.0 D defocus and DOF increased as the ‘addition’ of the MFCL correction increased. Finally, with the centre‐near MFCLs a linear correlation was found between VA at −3.0 D defocus and the wearer's ocular spherical aberration (R2 = 0.20 p < 0.001 for 6 mm data), with the eyes exhibiting the higher positive spherical aberration experiencing worse VAs. By contrast, no correlation was found between VA and spherical aberration at 0.00 D defocus (distance vision).

Conclusions

Both near VA and depth‐of‐focus improve with these MFCLs, with the effects being more pronounced for small pupils and for binocular rather than monocular vision. Coupling of the wearer's ocular spherical aberration with the aberration profiles provided by MFCLs affects their functionality.
Temperature‐dependent shade avoidance involves the receptor‐like kinase ERECTA
Authors: Patel Dhaval , Basu Manojit , Hayes Scott , Majláth Imre , Hetherington Flora M. , Tschaplinski Timothy J. , Franklin Keara A.
Published: December 2012

Plants detect the presence of neighbouring vegetation by monitoring changes in the ratio of red (R) to far‐red (FR) wavelengths (R:FR) in ambient light. Reductions in R:FR are perceived by the phytochrome family of plant photoreceptors and initiate a suite of developmental responses termed the shade avoidance syndrome. These include increased elongation growth of stems and petioles, enabling plants to overtop competing vegetation. The majority of shade avoidance experiments are performed at standard laboratory growing temperatures (>20°C). In these conditions, elongation responses to low R:FR are often accompanied by reductions in leaf development and accumulation of plant biomass. Here we investigated shade avoidance responses at a cooler temperature (16°C). In these conditions, Arabidopsis thaliana displays considerable low R:FR‐mediated increases in leaf area, with reduced low R:FR‐mediated petiole elongation and leaf hyponasty responses. In Landsberg erecta, these strikingly different shade avoidance phenotypes are accompanied by increased leaf thickness, increased biomass and an altered metabolite profile. At 16°C, low R:FR treatment results in the accumulation of soluble sugars and metabolites associated with cold acclimation. Analyses of natural genetic variation in shade avoidance responses at 16°C have revealed a regulatory role for the receptor‐like kinase ERECTA.
Monetary Dynamics of Inflation in China
Authors: Zhang Chengsi
Published: December 2012

This paper investigates both the short‐run and the long‐run relationships between monetary growth and inflation in China between 1980 and 2010. We construct multivariate dynamic models based on Friedman’s quantity theory of money (but permitting money to be endogenous) and Meltzer’s monetarist model. The empirical results provide robust evidence that there is a bilateral causal relationship between monetary growth and inflation as well as between monetary growth and output growth. An indirect and implicit causal relationship between monetary growth and inflation is found through the asset inflation channel. There are also long‐run equilibrium relationships between money stock, price index and other relevant variables. The present paper further provides a historical exploration of the mechanism of the monetary dynamics of inflation in China over the underlying period. We conclude that the monetary growth rule is likely to be the most promising policy orientation for China to manage its inflation.