bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exposure to bisphosphonates and risk of colorectal cancer
Authors: Ma Jingjing , Gao Sheng , Ni Xiaojian , Chen Fei , Liu Xiaofeng , Xie Hui , Yin Hong , Lu Cheng
Published: March 2013

Animal and in vitro studies suggest that the use of bisphosphonates (BPs) may be associated with reduced risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, results from these studies have been inconsistent. The aim of our study was to review and summarize the evidence provided by longitudinal studies on the association between BP use and CRC risk A comprehensive literature search for articles published up to October 2012 was performed. Prior to performing a meta‐analysis, the studies were evaluated for publication bias and heterogeneity. Relative risks (RRs) or odds ratios were calculated. Six reports (four case–control studies and two cohort studies) published between 2010 and 2012 were identified. There was evidence of an association between any use of BPs and CRC risk using a fixed‐effects model (RR = 0.80, 95% confidence interval = 0.74, 0.85) and a random‐effects model (RR = 0.80, 95% confidence interval = 0.71, 0.90). However, we did not observe any evidence of a trend with increasing duration of use. Our findings indicate that there is evidence of an association between any use of BP and reduced CRC risk. However, this subject deserves further investigation.
Safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple oral doses of apixaban, a factor Xa inhibitor, in healthy subjects
Authors: Frost Charles , Nepal Sunil , Wang Jessie , Schuster Alan , Byon Wonkyung , Boyd Rebecca A. , Yu Zhigang , Shenker Andrew , Barrett Yu Chen , Mosqueda‐Garcia Rogelio , LaCreta Frank
Published: March 2013

Aim

Apixaban is an oral factor Xa inhibitor approved for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and thromboprophylaxis in patients who have undergone elective hip or knee replacement surgery and under development for treatment of venous thromboembolism. This study examined the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple dose apixaban.

Method

This double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, parallel group, multiple dose escalation study was conducted in six sequential dose panels – apixaban 2.5, 5, 10 and 25 mg twice daily and 10 and 25 mg once daily– with eight healthy subjects per panel. Within each panel, subjects were randomized (3:1) to oral apixaban or placebo for 7 days. Subjects underwent safety assessments and were monitored for adverse events (AEs). Blood samples were taken to measure apixaban plasma concentration, international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and modified prothrombin time (mPT).

Results

Forty‐eight subjects were randomized and treated (apixaban, n = 36; placebo, n = 12); one subject receiving 2.5 mg twice daily discontinued due to AEs (headache and nausea). No dose limiting AEs were observed. Apixaban maximum plasma concentration was achieved ∼3 h post‐dose. Exposure increased approximately in proportion to dose. Apixaban steady‐state concentrations were reached by day 3, with an accumulation index of 1.3–1.9. Peak : trough ratios were lower for twice daily vs. once daily regimens. Clotting times showed dose‐related increases tracking the plasma concentration–time profile.

Conclusion

Multiple oral doses of apixaban were safe and well tolerated over a 10‐fold dose range, with pharmacokinetics with low variability and concentration‐related increases in clotting time measures.
Effect of remote ischaemic preconditioning on renal protection in patients undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: a ‘blinded’ randomised controlled trial
Authors: Huang Jiwei , Chen YongHui , Dong Baijun , Kong Wen , Zhang Jin , Xue Wei , Liu DongMing , Huang Yiran
Published: March 2013

Objective

To evaluate whether remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) reduces renal injury in patients undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN).

Patients and methods

In all, 82 patients undergoing LPN were randomly assigned to either the RIPC or control group, with 40 and 38 patients, respectively completing 6‐months follow‐up.

RIPC was conducted after induction of anaesthesia, which consisted of three 5‐min cycles of right lower limb ischaemia and 5 min of reperfusion during each cycle.

The primary outcome was the absolute change in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of the affected kidney by renal scintigraphy from baseline to 6 months.

The secondary outcomes included urinary retinol‐binding protein (RBP) levels measured at 24 and 48 h, serum creatinine, and estimated GFR (eGFR) at 1 and 6 months, and changes in GFR by renal scintigraphy.

Results

There were no differences in the change of GFR of the affected kidney at 6 months, while it was significantly decreased by 15.0% in the control group vs 8.8% in the RIPC group at 1 month (P = 0.034).

The urinary RBP levels increased 8.4‐fold at 24 h in the control group compared with a lower increase of 3.9‐fold in the RIPC group (P < 0.001).

There were no differences in the serum creatinine level or eGFR at 1 and 6 months between the two groups.

Conclusions

In patients undergoing LPN, RIPC using transient lower limb ischaemia may reduce renal impairment in the short term, but failed in the longer term despite a non‐significant trend in favour of RIPC.

These novel data support the need for a larger study of RIPC during LPN surgery.
Do Time in Child Care and Peer Group Exposure Predict Poor Socioemotional Adjustment in Norway?
Authors: Solheim Elisabet , Wichstrøm Lars , Belsky Jay , Berg‐Nielsen Turid Suzanne
Published: March 2013

Extensive exposure to nonparental child care during the first 4.5 years of life has been demonstrated in some American studies to negatively affect children's socioemotional functioning. Data from 935 preschool children who averaged 54.9 (SD = 3.0) months of age, from Trondheim, Norway were used to examine whether such negative effects, would emerge in Norway, a country with a different child‐care system. The children's externalizing problems and social competence were unrelated to their child‐care experience. More time spent in child care during the first 4.5 years of life and experiencing peer groups of < 16 or > 18 children predicted greater caregiver–child conflict. The effect sizes were small. The results are discussed in terms of cross‐national child‐care differences.
Quad‐Mesh Generation and Processing: A Survey
Authors: Bommes David , Lévy Bruno , Pietroni Nico , Puppo Enrico , Silva Claudio , Tarini Marco , Zorin Denis
Published: March 2013

Triangle meshes have been nearly ubiquitous in computer graphics, and a large body of data structures and geometry processing algorithms based on them has been developed in the literature. At the same time, quadrilateral meshes, especially semi‐regular ones, have advantages for many applications, and significant progress was made in quadrilateral mesh generation and processing during the last several years. In this survey we discuss the advantages and problems of techniques operating on quadrilateral meshes, including surface analysis and mesh quality, simplification, adaptive refinement, alignment with features, parametrisation and remeshing.
Accuracy of Short‐Term Demographic Data in Projecting Long‐Term Fate of Populations
Authors: JÄKÄLÄNIEMI ANNE , POSTILA HEINI , TUOMI JUHA
Published: March 2013

Short‐term surveys are useful in conservation of species if they can be used to reliably predict the long‐term fate of populations. However, statistical evaluations of reliability are rare. We studied how well short‐term demographic data (1999–2002) of tartar catchfly (Silene tatarica), a perennial riparian plant, projected the fate and growth of 23 populations of this species up to the year 2010. Surveyed populations occurred along a river with natural flood dynamics and along a regulated river. Riparian plant populations are affected by flooding, which maintains unvegetated shores, while forest succession proceeds in areas with little flooding. Flooding is less severe along the regulated river, and vegetation overgrowth reduces abundance of tartar catchfly on unvegetated shores. We built matrix models to calculate population growth rates and estimated times to population extinction in natural and in regulated rivers, 13 and 10 populations, respectively. Models predicted population survival well (model predictions matched observed survival in 91% of populations) and accurately predicted abundance increases and decreases in 65% of populations. The observed and projected population growth rates differed significantly in all but 3 populations. In most cases, the model overestimated population growth. Model predictions did not improve when data from more years were used (1999–2006). In the regulated river, the poorest model predictions occurred in areas where cover of other plant species changed the fastest. Although vegetation cover increased in most populations, it decreased in 4 populations along the natural river. Our results highlight the need to combine disturbance and succession dynamics in demographic models and the importance of habitat management for species survival along regulated rivers.

Precisión de Datos Demográficos de Corto Plazo en la Proyección del Destino de Poblaciones a Largo Plazo
Early detection of cutaneous melanoma by sequential digital dermatoscopy (SDD)
Authors: Kraus Sophie Luise , Haenssle Holger Andreas
Published: March 2013

The early diagnosis and excision of cutaneous melanoma is essential for an improved prognosis of the disease. Besides the investigation of pigmented lesions with the unaided eye and conventional dermatoscopy, long‐term sequential digital dermatoscopy has been shown to improve the sensitivity of melanoma detection, especially in high‐risk patients. In addition to the static clinical and dermatoscopic assessment, the sequential digital dermatoscopy strategy helps to detect changes over time. This review summarizes the latest developments in the field of sequential digital dermatoscopy, describes current strategies for the selection of patients and lesions to monitor, and suggests objective criteria that should lead to an excisional biopsy.
Serological testing for coeliac disease in Type 1 diabetes mellitus: is immunoglobulin A level measurement necessary?
Authors: Kurien M. , Leeds J. S. , Hopper A. D. , Wild G. , Egner W. , Tesfaye S. , Hadjivassiliou M. , Sanders D. S.
Published: March 2013

Aims

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) measurement is advocated when case finding for coeliac disease in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Currently, there is a paucity of contemporary studies assessing IgA deficiency in Type 1 diabetes. This study evaluates the prevalence of IgA deficiency in individuals with Type 1 diabetes, compared with patients with coeliac disease and control subjects. In addition, we evaluate whether routine IgA measurement is justifiable when case finding for coeliac disease in patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Methods

All patients were assessed using IgA endomysial antibodies, IgA anti‐tissue transglutaminase antibodies and total IgA levels. Altogether, 2434 individuals were tested: 1000 patients with Type 1 diabetes, 234 patients with coeliac disease and 1200 population control subjects. Definitive IgA deficiency was defined as total IgA levels < 0.07 g/l.

Results

The prevalence of IgA deficiency was significantly more common in patients with Type 1 diabetes (0.9%, n = 9/1000; P = 0.036) and coeliac disease (1.29%, n = 3/234; P = 0.041) when compared with population control subjects (prevalence of 0.17%, 2/1200). No statistical difference between Type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease for IgA deficiency was identified (P = 0.87). Of patients in the group with Type 1 diabetes, 3.3% (33/1000) had coeliac disease, and of those only one patient had IgA deficiency leading to an antibody‐negative presentation. Both IgA‐deficient individuals within the population control subjects had normal duodenal biopsies and no relevant symptoms.

Conclusions

IgA deficiency is more common in Type 1 diabetes compared with population control subjects. Despite this, very few individuals with Type 1 diabetes and IgA deficiency appear to have villous atrophy on biopsy. These outcomes question the practice of routine IgA measurement when case finding for coeliac disease in patients with Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes structured education: what are the core self‐management behaviours?
Authors: Grant L. , Lawton J. , Hopkins D. , Elliott J. , Lucas S. , Clark M. , MacLellan I. , Davies M. , Heller S. , Cooke D.
Published: March 2013

Aims

Study aims were to (1) describe and compare the way diabetes structured education courses have evolved in the UK, (2) identify and agree components of course curricula perceived as core across courses and (3) identify and classify self‐care behaviours in order to develop a questionnaire assessment tool.

Methods

Structured education courses were selected through the Type 1 diabetes education network. Curricula from five courses were examined and nine educators from those courses were interviewed. Transcripts were analysed using framework analysis. Fourteen key stakeholders attended a consensus meeting, to identify and classify Type 1 diabetes self‐care behaviours.

Results

Eighty‐three courses were identified. Components of course curricula perceived as core by all diabetes educators were: carbohydrate counting and insulin dose adjustment, hypoglycaemia management, group work, goal setting and empowerment, confidence and control. The broad areas of self‐management behaviour identified at the consensus meeting were carbohydrate counting and awareness, insulin dose adjustment, self‐monitoring of blood glucose, managing hypoglycaemia, managing equipment and injection sites; and accessing health care. Specific self‐care behaviours within each area were identified.

Conclusions

Planned future work will develop an updated questionnaire tool to access self‐care behaviours. This will enable assessment of the effectiveness of existing structured education programmes at producing desired changes in behaviour. It will also help people with diabetes and their healthcare team identify areas where additional support is needed to initiate or maintain changes in behaviour. Provision of such support may improve glycaemia and reduce diabetes‐related complications and severe hypoglycaemia.
Hatching and residual yolk internalization in lizards: evolution, function and fate of the amnion
Authors: Pezaro N. , Doody J.S. , Green B. , Thompson M.B.
Published: March 2013

Most egg‐laying vertebrates hatch without depleting the entire yolk reserve. The residual yolk is internalized before emergence from the egg is completed and the yolk is subsequently metabolized during early neonatal life. Here we provide the first description of the mechanism of yolk internalization in non‐avian reptiles. We describe the hatching of two lizard species (Physignathus lesueurii and Varanus rosenbergii) and provide a step‐by‐step account of sequence of events leading to yolk internalization and emergence from the egg. We also conducted incubation experiments to determine the cause of failed yolk internalization. Contraction of the ruptured amnion is the mechanism by which the residual yolk is internalized, which provides an explanation for the functional significance of amniotic contractions. Failures of internalization occur when the amount of residual yolk exceeds that which can be enclosed by the ruptured amnion. We conclude that, because of the connections formed between the amnion and both the allantois and chorion, the pipping and retraction of the amnion pulls the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) off the surface of the eggshell, which impairs the capacity for gas exchange and forces the embryo to breach the eggshell to commence breathing. We further speculate that the loss of amniotic contractions in mammals may indicate an incompatibility of amnion‐assisted yolk internalization with viviparity, an evolutionary process that could be tested by examining viviparous squamates.
Role of avoidance behavior in the response of Folsomia candida to above‐freezing cooling temperatures
Authors: Boiteau G. , MacKinley P.
Published: March 2013

Although avoidance behavior is thought to be one of the major strategies for arthropods to cope with cold, there is a general lack of data supporting its use. This study tested the suggestion that Collembola migrate deeper into the soil to avoid cooling temperatures during the transition from summer to winter. We released mature hemi‐edaphic Folsomia candida Willem (Collembola: Isotomidae) in large (5 301 cm3) and small (306 cm3) soil microcosms exposed to ambient temperatures ranging between 5 and 20 °C. Springtails released in the large microcosms for periods of 2, 3, and 4 weeks dispersed throughout the soil column but remained more abundant in the upper third layer of the soil column whether exposed to weekly decreasing temperatures or a constant ambient temperature of 20 °C. Both small (juvenile) and large (mature) springtails exposed to cooling were more abundant in the upper third than in the middle or lower third of the soil columns after 2, 3, or 4 weeks. Groups of F. candida released in small microcosms provided with a positive soil temperature gradient displayed the same vertical distribution, with 90% of individuals clustered in the top 4.5 cm of the 15‐cm column whether exposed to air temperatures of 5, 10, 15, or 20 °C. Results from the two types of microcosms demonstrated that the vertical distribution of springtails remains strongly biased to the upper soil layer regardless of the temperature of their environment and whether the temperature in the soil column was uniform or graduated. This supports our prediction that hemi‐edaphic species such as F. candida do not relocate to warmer deeper soil layers, but tend to remain in the surface soil layer where they can acclimate to the cooling temperature.
Treatment of anxiety disorders in epilepsy: An evidence‐based approach
Authors: Mula Marco
Published: March 2013

During recent years growing attention has been paid to psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy. However, anxiety disorders still remain underrecognized and undertreated. This is largely related to the lack of specific screening instruments and the frequent co‐occurrence with mood disorders. Data on treatment are insufficient and clinical practice still relies heavily on individual experience. In this article we review evidence‐based treatment strategies for primary major anxiety disorders and adapt them to the specific needs of patients with epilepsy. In panic disorder, a combined approach, namely serotonin‐reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is always indicated during the acute phase. Long‐term maintenance treatment may include combined therapy or CBT alone depending on individual cases. For generalized anxiety disorders pregabalin has to be considered first choice for short‐term and long‐term treatment. In social anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder SSRIs, in particular sertraline and paroxetine, can be safely used. Obsessive‐compulsive disorder represents a serious condition that needs to be approached in a psychiatric setting. CBT should be considered as the first choice in patients with epilepsy. If drug treatment is needed, epileptologists have to be aware that high‐dose antidepressants are appropriate and that SSRIs, in particular sertraline, should be considered first choice. In these patients, careful clinical monitoring is indicated, in selected cases, for potential seizure precipitation and side effects due to pharmacodynamics interactions.
Caregiving and Early Life Trauma: Exploring the Experiences of Family Caregivers to Aging Holocaust Survivors
Authors: Anderson Keith A. , Fields Noelle L. , Dobb Lynn A.
Published: March 2013

For older adults who have experienced early life trauma, the aging process can be particularly challenging as resources, abilities, and environments change. Although researchers have documented these challenges well, few studies have examined the experiences of family caregivers to older adults who have endured early life trauma. In this qualitative study, the researchers interviewed 17 family caregivers to Holocaust survivors. Content analysis revealed themes typical of caregiving, including stress, filial piety, and guilt; however, these themes appeared to be amplified by the early life trauma endured by the older adults. Caregivers were also reluctant to seek assistance, as they compared their own stress with the incomparable stress endured by the Holocaust survivors. The findings provide an understanding of the specific challenges faced by family caregivers to older adults who have experienced early life trauma and hold important implications for health care professionals who work with these groups.
Early Family Ties and Marital Stability Over 16 Years: The Context of Race and Gender
Authors: Orbuch Terri L. , Bauermeister José A. , Brown Edna , McKinley Brandyn‐Dior
Published: March 2013

Spouses' emotional ties to family early in marriage are linked to marital outcomes, but little is known about how these ties affect marital stability and whether these effects vary by race and gender. The present study examines the links between emotional ties to family of origin and in‐laws in the first year of marriage and marital stability over the first 16 years of marriage. Data were collected as part of a longitudinal study following Black American (n = 199) and White American (n = 174) married couples. Analyses revealed that perceptions of closeness to in‐laws early in marriage were associated with odds of divorce over time, but the results varied by race and gender. Findings are discussed in terms of couples' ties to family early in marriage and the role that in‐law bonds play for marital stability. We also offer insights for practitioners who provide premarital and marital education and counseling services to couples.
Mothers' Attitudes About and Goals for Early Adolescents' Cross‐Ethnic Peer Relationships: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Mounts Nina S. , Karre Jennifer , Kim Hyun‐Soo
Published: March 2013

This qualitative investigation examined parental attitudes and goals about cross‐ethnic peers in an ethnically diverse sample of 78 caregivers of 7th graders. Four attitudes about cross‐ethnic peer relationships emerged from the analyses: Ethnicity is not important, ethnicity is not important with conditions attached, ethnicity is important, and child is given complete autonomy in friendship choice. Egalitarianism, pluralism, cultural socialization, acculturation, and preventing racism emerged as goals regarding cross‐ethnic relationships. Parents who reported that cross‐ethnic peer relationships were not important to them did not report goals of pluralism or preventing racism. Parents who reported that ethnicity was not important in peer relationships, with specific conditions attached, only reported that preventing racism was an important goal. Parents who reported that cross‐ethnic peer relationships were important reported having goals of pluralism, cultural socialization, and preventing racism. When granting autonomy in regard to peer relationships was important, parents reported goals of egalitarianism.
Cancer stem‐like cell properties are regulated by EGFR/AKT/β–catenin signaling and preferentially inhibited by gefitinib in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Ma Lei , Zhang Gong , Miao Xiao‐Bo , Deng Xu‐Bin , Wu Yue , Liu Ying , Jin Zhi‐Ru , Li Xi‐Qing , Liu Qiu‐Zhen , Sun Du‐Xin , Testa Joseph R. , Yao Kai‐Tai , Xiao Guang‐Hui
Published: March 2013

We report that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway plays a critical role in regulating cancer stem‐like cells (CSCs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), one of the most common malignant tumors in Southeast Asia. Effects of EGFR on maintaining CSCs are mainly mediated by AKT signaling, and β–catenin is responsible for governing CSC properties in response to EGFR/AKT activation. Significantly, CSCs are enriched by cisplatin and decreased by gefitinib in NPC xenograft models. Upon reimplantation in secondary mice, tumor cells derived from cisplatin‐treated mice grew rapidly, whereas regrowth of tumor cells from gefitinib‐treated mice was severely diminished. We further demonstrate that expression of EGFR correlates with expression of β–catenin and Nanog in primary tumor specimens from NPC patients. These findings provide mechanistic and preclinical evidence supporting the use of gefitinib alone or in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent in first‐line therapy for patients with NPC. In addition, our results suggest that targeting β–catenin represents a rational clinical modality for patients whose tumors harbor activated EGFR or AKT.
Challenges for the Kasatoshi volcano hypothesis as the cause of a large return of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to the Fraser River in 2010
Authors: McKinnell Skip
Published: March 2013

In August 2008 the Kasatoshi volcano in the Aleutian archipelago erupted. Prevailing winds carried volcanic ash to the Gulf of Alaska, where its soluble iron dissolved and initiated a widespread phytoplankton bloom. Two years later, the abundance of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) returning to spawn in the Fraser River was larger than any observed since 1913. Kasatoshi's influence on growth and survival has been proposed as the ultimate cause of the abundant return. However, when relevant data are brought to bear on the hypothesis, it shows that: (1) survival of the abundant sockeye salmon cohort was unremarkable when compared with the historical record; (2) without an accompanying volcano, survival of the returns in 2011 was about the same as in 2010; (3) parental abundance that spawned the abundant return in 2010 was the sixth largest since 1948; (4) during their first summer at sea, sockeye salmon are not known to migrate in the offshore region where the anomalous chlorophyll bloom occurred; (5) an older cohort that was likely exposed to the chlorophyll bloom had the second lowest productivity on record when it returned in 2009; (6) immature sockeye salmon do not feed on diatoms, so any trophodynamic benefit derived from excess chlorophyll in mid‐to late August 2008 would have to have found a rapid trophic pathway to sockeye salmon on the continental shelf; and (7) no other populations of sockeye salmon or other species of salmon that are known to rear in the same region had unexpectedly high returns.
Soil carbon stocks and carbon sequestration rates in seminatural grassland in Aso region, Kumamoto, Southern Japan
Authors: Toma Yo , Clifton‐Brown John , Sugiyama Shinji , Nakaboh Makoto , Hatano Ryusuke , Fernández Fabián G. , Ryan Stewart J. , Nishiwaki Aya , Yamada Toshihiko
Published: March 2013

Global soil carbon (C) stocks account for approximately three times that found in the atmosphere. In the Aso mountain region of Southern Japan, seminatural grasslands have been maintained by annual harvests and/or burning for more than 1000 years. Quantification of soil C stocks and C sequestration rates in Aso mountain ecosystem is needed to make well‐informed, land‐use decisions to maximize C sinks while minimizing C emissions. Soil cores were collected from six sites within 200 km2 (767–937 m asl.) from the surface down to the k‐Ah layer established 7300 years ago by a volcanic eruption. The biological sources of the C stored in the Aso mountain ecosystem were investigated by combining C content at a number of sampling depths with age (using 14C dating) and δ13C isotopic fractionation. Quantification of plant phytoliths at several depths was used to make basic reconstructions of past vegetation and was linked with C‐sequestration rates. The mean total C stock of all six sites was 232 Mg C ha−1 (28–417 Mg C ha−1), which equates to a soil C sequestration rate of 32 kg C ha−1 yr−1 over 7300 years. Mean soil C sequestration rates over 34, 50 and 100 years were estimated by an equation regressing soil C sequestration rate against soil C accumulation interval, which was modeled to be 618, 483 and 332 kg C ha−1 yr−1, respectively. Such data allows for a deeper understanding in how much C could be sequestered in Miscanthus grasslands at different time scales. In Aso, tribe Andropogoneae (especially Miscanthus and Schizoachyrium genera) and tribe Paniceae contributed between 64% and 100% of soil C based on δ13C abundance. We conclude that the seminatural, C4‐dominated grassland system serves as an important C sink, and worthy of future conservation.
Life histories predict coral community disassembly under multiple stressors
Authors: Darling Emily S. , McClanahan Timothy R. , Côté Isabelle M.
Published: March 2013

Climate change is reshaping biological communities against a background of existing human pressure. Evaluating the impacts of multiple stressors on community dynamics can be particularly challenging in species‐rich ecosystems, such as coral reefs. Here, we investigate whether life‐history strategies and cotolerance to different stressors can predict community responses to fishing and temperature‐driven bleaching using a 20‐year time series of coral assemblages in Kenya. We found that the initial life‐history composition of coral taxa largely determined the impacts of bleaching and coral loss. Prior to the 1998 bleaching event, coral assemblages within no‐take marine reserves were composed of three distinct life histories – competitive, stress‐tolerant and weedy– and exhibited strong declines following bleaching with limited subsequent recovery. In contrast, fished reefs had lower coral cover, fewer genera and were composed of stress‐tolerant and weedy corals that were less affected by bleaching over the long term. Despite these general patterns, we found limited evidence for cotolerance as coral genera and life histories were variable in their sensitivities to fishing and bleaching. Overall, fishing and bleaching have reduced coral diversity and led to altered coral communities of ‘survivor’ species with stress‐tolerant and weedy life histories. Our findings are consistent with expectations that climate change interacting with existing human pressure will result in the loss of coral diversity and critical reef habitat.
A Constructive Critique of the Endogenous Development Approach in the European Support of Rural Areas
Authors: Margarian Anne
Published: March 2013

In recent years, the endogenous development (ED) approach has gained influence within the rhetoric of European rural development policies (RP). This paper provides a fundamental critique of the approach and shows that neither the economic elements of RP in general nor ED in particular are targeted towards the specific economic needs and capabilities of rural areas. The second part of this paper consists of the search for possible alternative concepts for a more targeted and effective RP. Based on a synopsis of existing theories, an integrated approach is proposed that builds upon the different coordination mechanisms for economic activity suggested by different theories. The new, integrated perspective enables an economic characterisation of rural areas and indicates that the successful support of local coordination of economic activity is determined by specific local conditions. It also makes evident that localised approaches usually cannot compensate rural areas for the lack of agglomeration advantages. Therefore, programmes for the economic development of rural areas which support the local coordination of economic activity remain a second‐best policy. As such, they do not free the state from policies of spatial redistribution if the political aim is the creation of comparable living conditions.
Industrial Structure and the Sources of Agglomeration Economies: Evidence from Manufacturing Plant Production
Authors: Drucker Joshua
Published: March 2013

The impacts of agglomeration and local industrial structure are examined through an analysis of establishment‐level productivity. Using micro‐level data, measures of regional industrial specialization, economic diversity, and industrial competitive structure are incorporated together into a production function system estimated cross‐sectionally for three years and three manufacturing industries in the U.S. The findings demonstrate the importance of the influences of regional industrial competitive structure and diversity on performance.
Evaluating the Importance of Business Location Factors: The Influence of Facility Type
Authors: Kimelberg Shelley M. , Williams Elizabeth
Published: March 2013

This study examines two important issues concerning the evaluation of business location factors. First, in contrast to many analyses that seek to determine the influence of a single factor or set of factors on site selection, this study aims to measure the relative importance of a wide range of factors. Second, it investigates the extent to which the perceived importance of a given location factor varies based on the type of facility in question. While there is a substantial amount of research devoted to identifying industry‐specific location factors, little is known about the influence that facility type has on the assessment of location criteria. Drawing on original survey data collected from real estate professionals in the U.S., we found significant differences in the mean ratings for more than half of the 39 location factors on the basis of facility type. In particular, “corporate/office” respondents were significantly more likely than “manufacturing” or “retail” respondents to assign higher ratings to “quality‐of‐life” location factors, such as crime rates, amenities, housing, and schools. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research on location theory.
Location Determinants of New Firms: Does Skill Level of Human Capital Really Matter?
Authors: Arauzo‐Carod Josep‐Maria
Published: March 2013

This paper is about the role played by the stock of human capital on location decisions of new manufacturing plants. I analyse the effect of several skill levels (from basic school to PhD) on decisions about the location of plants in various industries and, therefore, of different technological levels. I also test whether spatial aggregation level biases the results and determines the most appropriate areas to be considered in the analyses of these phenomena. My main statistical source is the Register of Manufacturing Establishments of Catalonia, which has plant‐level microdata on the locations of new manufacturing plants.
Eradication of hepatitis C virus could improve immunological status and pyoderma gangrenosum‐like lesions
Authors: Kondo Yasuteru , Iwata Tomoaki , Haga Takahiro , Kimura Osamu , Ninomiya Masashi , Kakazu Eiji , Kogure Takayuki , Morosawa Tatsuki , Aiba Setsuya , Shimosegawa Tooru
Published: March 2013

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can affect immune cells and induce various kinds of immune‐related diseases including pyoderma gangrenosum. We experienced a difficult‐to‐treat case of pyoderma gangrenosum‐like lesions in a patient with HCV infection. The patient was treated with pegylated interferon (PEG IFN)‐α‐2b and ribavirin (RBV) therapy and achieved a sustained virological response. Before the eradication of HCV, the frequency of T‐helper 17 cells was remarkably high in comparison to chronic hepatitis C patients without extrahepatic immune‐related diseases. Moreover, we could detect negative and positive strand‐specific HCV RNA in the CD19+ B lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes. However, after the eradication of HCV, the immunological status became normal and the pyoderma gangrenosum‐like lesions became stable without immunosuppressive therapy. Here, we report a sequential immunological analysis during PEG IFN/RBV therapy and the beneficial effect of HCV eradication in difficult‐to‐treat pyoderma gangrenosum‐like lesions.
Sexuality, Migration, and Tourism in the 20th Century U.S.‐Mexico Borderlands
Authors: Medrano Marlene
Published: March 2013

The United States‐Mexico border is a site in which ethnic and sexual boundaries are constructed and contested. Spatial mobility has profound effects on perceptions and expressions of sexuality. Recent scholarship on the U.S.‐Mexico borderlands has illuminated the ways in which migration and tourism influence sexual identities, sexual behavior, and state efforts to monitor sexuality. Further research is essential to understanding these intercultural and cross‐class interactions. Furthermore, this is a topic of study that would result in productive interdisciplinary collaboration.
Masculinity and Criminology: The Social Construction of Criminal Man
Authors: McFarlane Helen
Published: March 2013

The development of a masculine criminology is something that has been missing from much of the criminological literature. Until recently, there was little consideration given to the concept of masculinity as a tool for understanding men and criminal behaviour. Therefore, this article discusses the relevance of masculinity as a tool for developing our understanding of male criminality with reference to the case of Raoul Moat. The discussion focuses upon the social construction of masculine identity and the relationship that exists between masculinity and criminality as both theoretical and analytical concepts in the study of men and crime.
Perioperative and early oncological outcomes after robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in morbidly obese patients: a propensity score‐matched study
Authors: Abdul‐Muhsin Haidar , Giedelman Camilo , Samavedi Srinivas , Schatloff Oscar , Coelho Rafael , Rocco Bernardo , Palmer Kenneth , Ebra George , Patel Vipul
Published: March 2013

Objective

To evaluate the perioperative and pathological outcomes associated with robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in morbidly obese men.

Patients and Methods

Between January 2008 and March 2012, 3041 patients underwent RARP at our institution by a single surgeon (V.P.).

In all, 44 patients were considered morbidly obese with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥40 kg/m2.

A propensity score‐matched analysis was conducted using multivariable analysis to identify comparable groups of patients with a BMI of ≥40 and <40 kg/m2.

Perioperative, pathological outcomes and complications were compared between the two matched groups.

Results

There was no significant difference in operative time. However, the mean estimated blood loss was higher in morbidly obese patients, at a mean (sd) of 113 (41) vs 130 (27) mL (P = 0.049).

Anastomosis was more difficult in morbidly obese patients (P = 0.001).

There were no significant differences in laterality, ease of nerve sparing, or transfusion rate between the groups.

There were no intraoperative complications in either group. Postoperative pathological outcomes were similar between the groups.

Differences in positive surgical margins and ease of nerve sparing approached statistical significance (P = 0.097, P = 0.075 respectively). Postoperative complication rates, pain scores, length of stay and indwelling catheter duration were similar in the groups.

Conclusions

RARP in morbidly obese patients is technically demanding. However, it can be accomplished with acceptable morbidity and resource use.

In the hands of an experienced surgeon, it is a safe procedure and offers beneficial clinical outcomes.
The Role of Information and Communications Technologies in Migrants from Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution
Authors: Paradiso Maria
Published: March 2013

The role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in the Arab Spring of 2011 has been widely discussed in the popular media, but has received little scholarly attention. This paper presents the results of field work carried out at the Italian island of Lampedusa in March 2011, which investigated migrants' use of the Internet and mobile communications technologies while still in their North African countries of origin, and the influence of ICTs on recent democratic movements there. Empirical work proved that the use of digital social networks helped to break migrants' isolation, spread information and indignation, and virally coordinated demonstrations. The paper stresses the role of emotions and affect in this process, injecting these into regional analysis.
Estimating phosphorus delivery with its mitigation measures from soil to stream using fuzzy rules
Authors: Zhang T. , Page T. , Heathwaite L. , Beven K. , Oliver D. M. , Haygarth P. M.
Published: March 2013

To meet our environmental management responsibilities, there is a need to estimate the likely effect of current and future soil and land management policies on water quality and choose the most effective strategies given catchment characteristics, climate and economic drivers. Efficient management of diffuse phosphorus (P) delivery from agricultural soils to streams requires mitigation strategies to be modelled such that catchment mitigation strategies can be optimized. Owing to limited catchment‐scale experimental results upon which a mitigation measure rule‐base can be based, expert opinion was employed to make scale‐dependent extrapolations from the information available. Riparian buffer zone and wetlands are selected as two examples showing how the fuzzy rules are built. We discuss the challenges in the derivation and implementation of the fuzzy rules for the mitigation measures effectiveness such as, P trapping efficiency, up‐scaling process, catchment properties effect and the combination effect. The results demonstrated how effective each mitigation method could be for reducing the P delivery coefficient and that mitigation options should be selected according to catchment properties. This model can be applied for the evaluation of the effect of installed and to be installed mitigation measures on P delivery coefficient and give support for land management strategies.
Changes in plant‐available and easily soluble phosphorus within 1 year after P amendment
Authors: Djodjic F. , Mattsson L.
Published: March 2013

Diffuse losses of phosphorus (P) from arable land are often related to soil P and P amendments. We follow the in situ dynamics of plant‐available [ammonium lactate/acetic acid (P‐AL)] and easily soluble (0.01 m CaCl2) P during 1 year after fertilizer application at five sites in long‐term fertility field experiments in Sweden with three different soil P levels and amendment rates and two different crop rotation systems. Clear differences between soils and P treatments were found. These can to a large extent be explained by the amount of applied of P and soil sorption capacity. The ‘bell curve’ indicating the development of plant‐available P can be described successfully using Gaussian modelling. Strong correlation between plant‐available and easily soluble P as determined by the above‐mentioned methods shows that the existing agronomic soil test P can be a good indicator even for easily soluble P, especially if other soil properties such as soil sorption capacity are taken into account. From the management standpoint, small increases in both plant‐available and easily soluble P as in the P replacement treatment indicate that such a management strategy may reduce environmental risks as a result of P amendments. Increases in P amendments above the agronomic optimum increased plant‐available P for a considerable time after P amendment (2–4 months) to indicate high environmental risk.
Assessment of phosphorus fertilizer practices in altered wetland soils using uncertainty analysis
Authors: Litaor M. I , Chashmonai I. , Barnea I. , Reichmann O. , Shenker M.
Published: March 2013

Intensive P fertilizer application is widely practised in East Mediterranean altered wetland soils, even when results from the Olsen‐P extract indicate sufficiency (>10 mg P/kg). To reduce or even eliminate this practice we conducted a large field study to test the feasibility of a major reduction in the use of P fertilizers. A total of 90 sample sites were evenly spaced with respect to their parent material (deep peat, shallow peat, marl). Soils were analysed for Olsen‐P, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, and nitrate, chloride and sulphate in saturated paste extracts. We determined variograms and estimated the spatial structure of Olsen‐P data by ordinary kriging. We then used a sequential Gaussian model to produce 100 alternative simulations to measure the joint spatial uncertainty of P concentrations in the study area (ca. 1500 ha). Finally, we post‐processed the simulation results to compute the probability of exceeding the threshold Olsen‐P value of 10 mg/kg. The simulation results indicate a high probability of exceeding the 10 mg/kg threshold in most peat soils supporting an earlier recommendation to reduce or even eliminate P fertilizer application in these fields. On the other hand, a very low probability of exceeding this threshold was observed in most marl soils justifying continued fertilizer application. However, the added P is likely to affect adjacent waterways and increase potential downstream eutrophication due to high conductance and flow continuity between the marl soils and adjacent waterways.
Managing farmed closed depressional areas using blind inlets to minimize phosphorus and nitrogen losses
Authors: Smith D. R. , Livingston S. J.
Published: March 2013

Closed depressions are sites within a landscape from glacial origin in which runoff water tends to collect because there is no natural outlet. When farmed, this water is often drained via a tile riser, a vertical tube that connects the bottom of the low point of a closed depression with the subsurface tile drainage network. Two field‐sized closed depressions (ca. 4 ha) and two small catchments (ca. 300 ha) were used to test the hypothesis that water quality could be improved by replacing tile risers with blind inlets, ca. 18 m2 holes filled to 1 m depth so that a high infiltration capacity was attained. At the field scale discharge, sediment and nutrient loads were lower when drained with the blind inlet compared to the tile riser. Late Spring 2010 was much wetter than normal, and increased nutrient loading was observed in both small catchments compared with previous years. In 2010, discharge and total P loading from Catchment AME (control catchment drained with tile risers) increased 417% and 737%, respectively, compared to the mean for the six previous years, whereas in Catchment BME (treatment catchment drained with blind inlets), there was only a 64% and 92% increase, respectively. Results from this study indicate that replacing tile risers with blind inlets to drain closed depressions may be one method to effectively reduce nutrient and sediment loading to Lake Erie and other sensitive water bodies that lie in landscapes formed by Wisconsin, Weichselian or Devensian glaciation.
Effectiveness of buffer strips without added fertilizer to reduce phosphorus loads from flat fields to surface waters
Authors: Noij I. G. A. M. , Heinen M. , Heesmans H. I. M. , Thissen J. T. N. M. , Groenendijk P.
Published: March 2013

Buffer strips with no added fertilizers are a mitigation measure to reduce P loads from agricultural land to surface water. However, the experimental evidence on their effectiveness (BSE) has been from sloping locations with shallow flow and surface runoff. The aim of this experimental study was to quantify BSE for P on flat agricultural lowland, predominantly with deep flow. We selected sites characteristic of five major hydrogeological classes in the Netherlands and in each experimental field installed paired 5‐m‐wide unfertilized grass (BS) and reference treatments (REF) that abutted the ditch. The REF treatments were managed similar to the adjacent grass or maize field, but BS treatments were only harvested. Each treatment had a reservoir in the ditch to collect and measure discharge and flow‐proportional P concentration for 3 or 4 yr. We also measured net P withdrawal, the P status of the soil and P concentration in upper groundwater. We found a significant BSE for P of 61% on the site with the shallowest flow and steepest slope (2%). At the other sites, BSE was low and statistically insignificant. We conclude that harvested unfertilized buffer strips reduce P loads from flat fields only in specific areas with high surface runoff and/or shallow flow, especially in combination with a high original soil P status.