bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Larynx‐Preserving Limited Resection and Free Jejunal Graft For Carcinoma of the Cervical Esophagus
Authors: Miyata Hiroshi , Yamasaki Makoto , Takahashi Tsuyoshi , Kurokawa Yukinori , Nakajima Kiyokazu , Takiguchi Shuji , Mori Masaki , Doki Yuichiro
Published: December 2012

Background

There is no generally accepted treatment strategy for cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of larynx‐preserving limited resection with free jejunal graft for cervical esophageal cancer.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed data of 58 patients with cervical esophageal cancer who underwent limited resection and free jejunal graft with or without laryngeal preservation. Among them, 45 patients received neoadjuvant treatment.

Results

Larynx‐preserving surgery was conducted in 33 of the 58 patients (56.9 %). A higher proportion of patients who underwent laryngopharyngectomy with cervical esophagectomy (larynx‐nonpreserving group) had cT4 tumors than those who underwent larynx‐preserving cervical esophagectomy (larynx‐preserving group) (72 vs. 12 %). The overall incidence of postoperative complications was similar in the two groups (56 vs. 52 %). The 5‐year survival rate was 44.9 % for the entire group. Laryngeal preservation did not reduce overall survival compared with the larynx‐nonpreserving operation (5‐year survival rate: 57.8 vs. 25.8 %). Multivariate analysis identified the number of metastatic lymph nodes as the only independent prognostic factor.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated that larynx‐preserving limited resection with free jejunal graft is feasible. Also, this approach did not worsen the prognosis compared with the larynx‐nonpreserving operation. Limited resection with free jejunal graft and laryngeal preservation is a promising treatment strategy for cervical esophageal cancer.
Estimating density of a forest‐dwelling bat: a predictive model for Rafinesque's big‐eared bat
Authors: Clement Matthew J. , Castleberry Steven B.
Published: December 2012

Data on species distribution and abundance are the foundation of population ecology. However, due to difficulties in surveying bats, abundance estimates for tree‐roosting microchiropterans are non‐existent. Therefore, our objective was to develop methods for estimating colony abundance and density, taking as our model Rafinesque's big‐eared bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii, a species of conservation concern found in cypress‐gum swamps of the southeastern United States. We searched 123 transects at eight study sites in the Coastal Plain of Georgia, USA to locate and characterize diurnal summer roosts of C. rafinesquii. We modeled the relationship between the number of bat colonies and landscape‐scale habitat variables with zero‐inflated negative binomial regression and used Akaike's information criterion to select the most parsimonious models. We generated a predictive density map to identify areas of high colony density and to estimate overall abundance. Colony density was predicted by the duration of wetland flooding, wetland width, and study site. Application of the regression model to a GIS indicated there were 3,734 colonies containing 6,910 adult bats on the eight study sites. Predicted density ranged from 0.07 colonies/ha and 0.07 adult bats/ha in saturated wetlands to 0.47 colonies/ha and 1.18 adult bats/ha in semi‐permanently flooded wetlands. This study is the first to estimate density and abundance of forest‐dwelling microchiropterans over a large area. Such data can serve as a baseline for future work on population trends in C. rafinesquii. In addition, our approach could be replicated for other bat species with moderately cryptic roosts.
“It's crazy being a Black, gay youth.” Getting information about HIV prevention: A pilot study
Authors: Voisin Dexter R. , Bird Jason D.P. , Shiu Cheng‐Shi , Krieger Cathy
Published: December 2012

Background

Access and adoption of HIV prevention information are important criteria for reducing HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men.

Methods

Using focus group data, researchers sought to identify sources of HIV prevention information and barriers to adopting protective behaviors among young African American men who have sex with men. Adolescents ages 18–24 were recruited for this study. Focus group data were analyzed to identify themes related to sources of HIV prevention information and barriers to adopting protective behaviors.

Results

Researchers documented that family and friends, formal education, television, and the LGBT community were major sources for HIV prevention information. However, motivation for adopting such information was hampered by apathy, homophobia, and racism.

Conclusion

Feelings of powerlessness need to be addressed when targeting Black MSM with HIV prevention information.
δ‐catenin overexpression promotes angiogenic potential of CWR22Rv‐1 prostate cancer cells via HIF‐1α and VEGF
Authors: He Yongfeng , Kim Hangun , Ryu Taeyong , Kang Youra , Kim Jeong-Ae , Kim Bo-Hyun , Lee Jae-Hyuk , Kang Keonwook , Lu Qun , Kim Kwonseop
Published: December 2012

This study revealed that CWR22Rv‐1 cells overexpressing δ‐catenin display bigger tumor formation and higher angiogenic potentials than their matched control cells in the CAM assay. In addition, δ‐catenin overexpression in CWR22Rv‐1 cells results in increased hypoxia‐inducible factor 1‐alpha (HIF‐1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Furthermore, δ‐catenin overexpression was found to enhance nuclear distribution of both β‐catenin and HIF‐1α in hypoxic condition, which is diminished by knockdown of δ‐catenin. Our current study adds novel evidence regarding contribution of δ‐catenin to the progression of prostate cancer.
Uptake of xenosiderophores in Bacillus subtilis occurs with high affinity and enhances the folding stabilities of substrate binding proteins
Authors: Miethke Marcus , Kraushaar Timo , Marahiel Mohamed A.
Published: December 2012

Siderophores play an essential role in a multitude of microbial iron acquisition pathways. Many bacteria use xenosiderophores as iron sources that are produced by different microbial species in their habitat. We investigated the capacity of xenosiderophore uptake in the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis and found that it employs several substrate binding proteins with high specificities and affinities for different ferric siderophore species. Protein–ligand interaction studies revealed dissociation constants in the low nanomolar range, while the protein folding stabilities were remarkably increased by their high‐affinity ligands. Complementary growth studies confirmed the specificity of xenosiderophore uptake in B. subtilis and showed that its fitness is strongly enhanced by the extensive utilization of non‐endogenous siderophores.
SNVDis: A Proteome-Wide Analysis Service for Evaluating nsSNVs in Protein Functional Sites and Pathways
Authors: Karagiannis Konstantinos , Simonyan Vahan , Mazumder Raja
Published: December 2012

Amino acid changes due to non-synonymous variation are included as annotations for individual proteins in UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot and RefSeq which present biological data in a protein- or gene-centric fashion. Unfortunately, proteome-wide analysis of non-synonymous single-nucleotide variations (nsSNVs) is not easy to perform because information on nsSNVs and functionally important sites are not well integrated both within and between databases and their search engines. We have developed SNVDis that allows evaluation of proteome-wide nsSNV distribution in functional sites, domains and pathways. More specifically, we have integrated human-specific data from major variation databases (UniProtKB, dbSNP and COSMIC), comprehensive sequence feature annotation from UniProtKB, Pfam, RefSeq, Conserved Domain Database (CDD) and pathway information from Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) and mapped all of them in a uniform and comprehensive way to the human reference proteome provided by UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot. Integrated information of active sites, pathways, binding sites, domains, which are extracted from a number of different sources, provides a detailed overview of how nsSNVs are distributed over the human proteome and pathways and how they intersect with functional sites of proteins. Additionally, it is possible to find out whether there is an over- or under-representation of nsSNVs in specific domains, pathways or user-defined protein lists. The underlying datasets are updated once every 3 months. SNVDis is freely available at http://hive.biochemistry.gwu.edu/tool/snvdis.
Sport and the Military
Authors: Mason Tony , Riedi Eliza
Published: December 2012

On battleships, behind the trenches of the Western Front and in the midst of the Desert War, British servicemen and women have played sport in the least promising circumstances. When 400 soldiers were asked in Burma in 1946 what they liked about the Army, 108 put sport in first place - well ahead of comradeship and leave - and this book explores the fascinating history of organised sport in the life of officers and other ranks of all three British services from 1880–1960. Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book examines how organised sport developed in the Victorian army and navy, became the focus of criticism for Edwardian army reformers, and was officially adopted during the Great War to boost morale and esprit de corps. It shows how service sport adapted to the influx of professional sportsmen, especially footballers, during the Second World War and the National Service years.
Linguistic Fieldwork
Authors: Sakel Jeanette , Everett Daniel L.
Published: December 2012

A handy beginner's guide, this textbook introduces the various stages of linguistic fieldwork, from the preparation of the work to the presentation of the results. Drawing on over forty years of fieldwork experience between them, in over two dozen languages, the authors pack the book with examples and anecdotes from their experiences and include practical exercises for students to test what they have learned. Independent of any particular perspective, the methods can be applied to a wide range of fieldwork settings, for projects with very different theoretical backgrounds and without the need to travel too far. The book covers 'traditional fieldwork' such as language description and documentation, as well as less typical methods, including language contact and quantitative studies with experiments or questionnaires.
Alien Life Imagined
Authors: Brake Mark
Published: December 2012

One day, astrobiologists could make the most fantastic discovery of all time: the detection of complex extraterrestrial life. As space agencies continue to search for life in our Universe, fundamental questions are raised: are we awake to the revolutionary effects on human science, society and culture that alien contact will bring? And how is it possible to imagine the unknown? In this book, Mark Brake tells the compelling story of how the portrayal of extraterrestrial life has developed over the last two and a half thousand years. Taking examples from the history of science, philosophy, film and fiction, he showcases how scholars, scientists, film-makers and writers have devoted their energies to imagining life beyond this Earth. From Newton to Kubrick, and Lucian to H. G. Wells, this is a fascinating account for anyone interested in the extraterrestrial life debate, from general readers to amateur astronomers and undergraduate students studying astrobiology.
The Vegetation of Antarctica through Geological Time
Authors: Cantrill David J. , Poole Imogen
Published: December 2012

The fossil history of plant life in Antarctica is central to our understanding of the evolution of vegetation through geological time and also plays a key role in reconstructing past configurations of the continents and associated climatic conditions. This book provides the only detailed overview of the development of Antarctic vegetation from the Devonian period to the present day, presenting Earth scientists with valuable insights into the break up of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. Details of specific floras and ecosystems are provided within the context of changing geological, geographical and environmental conditions, alongside comparisons with contemporaneous and modern ecosystems. The authors demonstrate how palaeobotany contributes to our understanding of the palaeoenvironmental changes in the southern hemisphere during this period of Earth history. The book is a complete and up-to-date reference for researchers and students in Antarctic palaeobotany and terrestrial palaeoecology.
The IMF and Global Financial Crises
Authors: Joyce Joseph P.
Published: December 2012

The IMF's response to the global crisis of 2008–9 marked a significant change from its past policies. The Fund provided relatively large amounts of credit quickly with limited conditions and accepted the use of capital controls. This book traces the evolution of the IMF's actions to promote international financial stability from the Bretton Woods era through the most recent crisis. The analysis includes an examination of the IMF's crisis management activities during the debt crisis of the 1980s, the upheavals in emerging markets in the 1990s and early 2000s, and the ongoing European crisis. The dominant influence of the United States and other advanced economies in the governance of the IMF is also described, and the replacement of the G7 nations by the more inclusive G20, which have promised to give the IMF a role in their mutual assessment of policies while undertaking reforms of the IMF's governance.
Introduction to Bayesian Econometrics
Authors: Greenberg Edward
Published: December 2012

This textbook explains the basic ideas of subjective probability and shows how subjective probabilities must obey the usual rules of probability to ensure coherency. It defines the likelihood function, prior distributions and posterior distributions. It explains how posterior distributions are the basis for inference and explores their basic properties. Various methods of specifying prior distributions are considered, with special emphasis on subject-matter considerations and exchange ability. The regression model is examined to show how analytical methods may fail in the derivation of marginal posterior distributions. The remainder of the book is concerned with applications of the theory to important models that are used in economics, political science, biostatistics and other applied fields. New to the second edition is a chapter on semiparametric regression and new sections on the ordinal probit, item response, factor analysis, ARCH-GARCH and stochastic volatility models. The new edition also emphasizes the R programming language.
Floods in a Changing Climate Extreme Precipitation
Authors: Teegavarapu Ramesh S. V.
Published: December 2012

Measurement, analysis and modeling of extreme precipitation events linked to floods is vital in understanding changing climate impacts and variability. This book provides methods for assessment of the trends in these events and their impacts. It also provides a basis to develop procedures and guidelines for climate-adaptive hydrologic engineering. Academic researchers in the fields of hydrology, climate change, meteorology, environmental policy and risk assessment, and professionals and policy-makers working in hazard mitigation, water resources engineering and climate adaptation will find this an invaluable resource. This volume is the first in a collection of four books on flood disaster management theory and practice within the context of anthropogenic climate change. The others are: Floods in a Changing Climate: Hydrological Modeling by P. P. Mujumdar and D. Nagesh Kumar, Floods in a Changing Climate: Inundation Modeling by Giuliano Di Baldassarre and Floods in a Changing Climate: Risk Management by Slodoban Simonović.
Observations on Popular Antiquities
Authors: Brand John
Published: December 2012

John Brand (1744–1806), secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, first published his widely popular Observations on Popular Antiquities in 1777. This fascinating two-volume almanac of British superstitions and customs was in fact a heavily revised and annotated version of Henry Bourne's Antiquitates vulgares (1725). Volume 2 of Brand's almanac concerns the origins and practices of British customs and ceremonies including marriage customs, death rites, belief in fairies, witchcraft, omens, and divination. The volume also provides explanations for obscure but common phrases and expressions. Following the success of the book's initial reception, Brand continued to research English folklore with the intention of publishing fuller information. This two-volume version, published posthumously in 1813, was edited and expanded by Sir Henry Ellis, Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum, and further revisions also appeared in 1841 and 1870. Brand's book is regarded as the foundation for folklore studies in England.
Formal Languages in Logic
Authors: Dutilh Novaes Catarina
Published: December 2012

Formal languages are widely regarded as being above all mathematical objects and as producing a greater level of precision and technical complexity in logical investigations because of this. Yet defining formal languages exclusively in this way offers only a partial and limited explanation of the impact which their use (and the uses of formalisms more generally elsewhere) actually has. In this book, Catarina Dutilh Novaes adopts a much wider conception of formal languages so as to investigate more broadly what exactly is going on when theorists put these tools to use. She looks at the history and philosophy of formal languages and focuses on the cognitive impact of formal languages on human reasoning, drawing on their historical development, psychology, cognitive science and philosophy. Her wide-ranging study will be valuable for both students and researchers in philosophy, logic, psychology and cognitive and computer science.
The Theory of Probability
Authors: Venkatesh Santosh S.
Published: December 2012

From classical foundations to advanced modern theory, this self-contained and comprehensive guide to probability weaves together mathematical proofs, historical context and richly detailed illustrative applications. A theorem discovery approach is used throughout, setting each proof within its historical setting and is accompanied by a consistent emphasis on elementary methods of proof. Each topic is presented in a modular framework, combining fundamental concepts with worked examples, problems and digressions which, although mathematically rigorous, require no specialised or advanced mathematical background. Augmenting this core material are over 80 richly embellished practical applications of probability theory, drawn from a broad spectrum of areas both classical and modern, each tailor-made to illustrate the magnificent scope of the formal results. Providing a solid grounding in practical probability, without sacrificing mathematical rigour or historical richness, this insightful book is a fascinating reference and essential resource, for all engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians.
The Foundations of Modern Terrorism
Authors: Miller Martin A.
Published: December 2012

Why is it that terrorism has become such a central factor in our lives despite all the efforts to eradicate it? Ranging from early modern Europe to the contemporary Middle East, Martin Miller reveals the foundations of modern terrorism. He argues that the French Revolution was a watershed moment as it was then that ordinary citizens first claimed the right to govern. The traditional notion of state legitimacy was forever altered and terrorism became part of a violent contest over control of state power between officials in government and insurgents in society. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries terrorism evolved into a way of seeing the world and a way of life for both insurgents and state security forces with the two sides drawn ever closer in their behaviour and tactics. This is a groundbreaking history of terrorism which, for the first time, integrates the violence of governments and insurgencies.
Popular Protest in Late Medieval English Towns
Authors: Cohn, Jr Samuel K. , Aiton Douglas
Published: December 2012

Contrary to received opinion, revolts and popular protests in medieval English towns were as frequent and as sophisticated, if not more so, as those in the countryside. This groundbreaking study refocuses attention on the varied nature of popular movements in towns from Carlisle to Dover and from the London tax revolt of Longbeard in 1196 to Jack Cade's Rebellion in 1450, exploring the leadership, social composition, organisation and motives of popular rebels. The book charts patterns of urban revolt in times of strong and weak kingship, contrasting them with the broad sweep of ecological and economic change that inspired revolts on the continent. Samuel Cohn demonstrates that the timing and character of popular revolt in England differed radically from revolts in Italy, France and Flanders. In addition, he analyses repression and waves of hate against Jews, foreigners and heretics, opening new vistas in the comparative history of late medieval Europe.
Effects of probioticLactobacillus rhamnosusGG andPropionibacterium freudenreichiissp.shermaniiJS supplementation on intestinal and systemic markers of inflammation in ApoE*3Leiden mice consuming a high-fat diet
Authors: Oksaharju Anna , Kooistra Teake , Kleemann Robert , van Duyvenvoorde Wim , Miettinen Minja , Lappalainen Jani , Lindstedt Ken A. , Kovanen Petri T. , Korpela Riitta , Kekkonen Riina A.
Published: December 2012

A high-fat diet disturbs the composition and function of the gut microbiota and generates local gut-associated and also systemic responses. Intestinal mast cells, for their part, secrete mediators which play a role in the orchestration of physiological and immunological functions of the intestine. Probiotic bacteria, again, help to maintain the homeostasis of the gut microbiota by protecting the gut epithelium and regulating the local immune system. In the present study, we explored the effects of two probiotic bacteria,Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG (GG) andPropionibacterium freudenreichiispp.shermaniiJS (PJS), on high fat-fed ApoE*3Leiden mice by estimating the mast cell numbers and the immunoreactivity of TNF-α and IL-10 in the intestine, as well as plasma levels of several markers of inflammation and parameters of lipid metabolism. We found that mice that received GG and PJS exhibited significantly lower numbers of intestinal mast cells compared with control mice. PJS lowered intestinal immunoreactivity of TNF-α, while GG increased intestinal IL-10. PJS was also observed to lower the plasma levels of markers of inflammation including vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and also the amount of gonadal adipose tissue. GG lowered alanine aminotransferase, a marker of hepatocellular activation. Collectively, these data demonstrate that probiotic GG and PJS tend to down-regulate both intestinal and systemic pro-inflammatory changes induced by a high-fat diet in this humanised mouse model.
Tensor structure on kC-mod and cohomology
Authors: Xu Fei
Published: December 2012

Let $\mathcal{C}$ be a finite category and let k be a field. We consider the category algebra $k\mathcal{C}$ and show that $k\mathcal{C}$-mod is closed symmetric monoidal. Through comparing $k\mathcal{C}$ with a co-commutative bialgebra, we exhibit the similarities and differences between them in terms of homological properties. In particular, we give a module-theoretic approach to the multiplicative structure of the cohomology rings of small categories. As an application, we prove that the Hochschild cohomology rings of a certain type of finite category algebras are finitely generated.
Splitting fusion systems over 2-groups
Authors: Oliver Bob
Published: December 2012

We find conditions which imply that a saturated fusion system over a product of 2-groups splits as a product of fusion systems over the factors.
Spaces with Noetherian cohomology
Authors: Andersen Kasper K. S. , Castellana Natàlia , Franjou Vincent , Jeanneret Alain , Scherer Jérôme
Published: December 2012

Is the cohomology of the classifying space of a p-compact group, with Noetherian twisted coefficients, a Noetherian module? In this paper we provide, over the ring of p-adic integers, such a generalization to p-compact groups of the Evens–Venkov Theorem. We consider the cohomology of a space with coefficients in a module, and we compare Noetherianity over the field with p elements with Noetherianity over the p-adic integers, in the case when the fundamental group is a finite p-group.
On inverse categories and transfer in cohomology
Authors: Linckelmann Markus
Published: December 2012

It follows from methods of B. Steinberg, extended to inverse categories, that finite inverse category algebras are isomorphic to their associated groupoid algebras; in particular, they are symmetric algebras with canonical symmetrizing forms.We deduce the existence of transfer maps in cohomology and Hochschild cohomology from certain inverse subcategories. This is in part motivated by the observation that, for certain categories $\mathcal{C}$, being a Mackey functor on $\mathcal{C}$ is equivalent to being extendible to a suitable inverse category containing $\mathcal{C}$. We further show that extensions of inverse categories by abelian groups are again inverse categories.
On the differential mediating role of emotions in revenge and reconciliation
Authors: Leiser David , Joskowicz-Jabloner Lisa
Published: December 2012

McCullough et al. suggest that revenge and forgiveness rest upon risk computation. Risk computation is implemented by emotions that evolved for additional functions, giving rise to phenomena such as betrayal aversion and taboo-tradeoffs, and specific patterns of forgiveness we have documented. A complete account of revenge and reconciliation should incorporate broader constructs from social psychology, including emotions and values hierarchies.
The logic of moral outrage
Authors: Uhlmann Eric Luis
Published: December 2012

McCullough et al.'s functionalist model of revenge is highly compatible with the person-centered approach to moral judgment, which emphasizes the adaptive manner in which social perceivers derive character information from moral acts. Evidence includes act–person dissociations in which an act is seen as less immoral than a comparison act, yet as a clearer indicator of poor moral character.
No such thing as genuine forgiveness?
Authors: McCoy Mark G. , Shackelford Todd K.
Published: December 2012

McCullough et al. propose adaptations that motivate forgiveness when the potential benefits of continuing the relationship outweigh the costs incurred by the transgression. The costs incurred are definite, whereas future benefits of forgiveness are only probabilistic. This situation exposes the forgiver to cheating in the form of repeat transgression. Adaptations motivating genuine forgiveness are therefore unlikely to evolve.
Formulas, Routines, and Conventional Expressions in Pragmatics Research
Authors: Bardovi-Harlig Kathleen
Published: December 2012

This article reviews the recent research on formulaic language in pragmatics from three perspectives: foundational issues, recurrent research questions, and the populations studied. Examination of foundational issues, including definitions and operationalization of the concept offormulain pragmatics, shows the way in which pragmatics understands formulaic language and what it contributes to the study of formulaic language, namely, a strong sense of social contract. Recurrent themes in contemporary investigations include how formulas are used in general and in specific contexts, determining how extensive the use of formulas is, attitudes toward formulas, acquisition of formulas in second language (L2) pragmatics, and formulas in pragmatics pedagogy. The third section reviews pragmatic research according to language community, defined for the purposes of this review as first language (L1; native-speaker communities), L2, cross-cultural comparisons, indigenized varieties, and lingua franca communities. The investigation of formula use by different communities addresses questions of the particular and the universal in formula use and the importance of community and community membership.
The organisation of markets as a key factor in the rise of Holland from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century: a test case for an institutional approach
Authors: VAN BAVEL BAS , DIJKMAN JESSICA , KUIJPERS ERIKA , ZUIJDERDUIJN JACO
Published: December 2012

Although the importance of New Institutional Economics and the institutional approach for understanding pre-industrial economic development and the early growth of markets are widely accepted, it has proven to be difficult to assess more directly the effects of institutions on the functioning of markets. This paper uses empirical research on the rise of markets in late medieval Holland to illuminate some of the factors behind the development of the specific institutional framework of markets for land, labour, capital and goods, and some effects of these institutions on the actual functioning of the markets. The findings are corroborated by a tentative comparison with the functioning of markets in Flanders and eastern England.
Estimates of missing women in twentieth-century China
Authors: JIANG QUANBAO , LI SHUZHUO , FELDMAN MARCUS W. , SÁNCHEZ-BARRICARTE JESÚS JAVIER
Published: December 2012

The phenomenon of ‘missing women’ has existed throughout the twentieth century in China. Using data from five censuses, with appropriate adjustments, we estimate the numbers and percentage of missing women from the period 1900–2000. The analysis is broken down into historically important periods, and the consequences of missing women, particularly that of China's ‘bare branches’, are explored. Implications for Chinese society are then discussed.
Gesturing with an injured brain: How gesture helps children with early brain injury learn linguistic constructions
Authors: ÖZÇALIŞKAN ŞEYDA , LEVINE SUSAN C. , GOLDIN-MEADOW SUSAN
Published: December 2012

Children with pre/perinatal unilateral brain lesions (PL) show remarkable plasticity for language development. Is this plasticity characterized by the same developmental trajectory that characterizes typically developing (TD) children, with gesture leading the way into speech? We explored this question, comparing eleven children with PL – matched to thirty TD children on expressive vocabulary – in the second year of life. Children with PL showed similarities to TD children for simple but not complex sentence types. Children with PL produced simple sentences across gesture and speech several months before producing them entirely in speech, exhibiting parallel delays in both gesture + speech and speech-alone. However, unlike TD children, children with PL produced complex sentence types first in speech-alone. Overall, the gesture–speech system appears to be a robust feature of language learning for simple – but not complex – sentence constructions, acting as a harbinger of change in language development even when that language is developing in an injured brain.
The benefit of orthographic support for oral vocabulary learning in children with Down syndrome
Authors: MENGONI SILVANA E. , NASH HANNAH , HULME CHARLES
Published: December 2012

Children with Down syndrome typically have weaknesses in oral language, but it has been suggested that this domain may benefit from learning to read. Amongst oral language skills, vocabulary is a relative strength, although there is some evidence of difficulties in learning the phonological form of spoken words. This study investigated the effect of orthographic support on spoken word learning with seventeen children with Down syndrome aged seven to sixteen years and twenty-seven typically developing children aged five to seven years matched for reading ability. Ten spoken nonwords were paired with novel pictures; for half the nonwords the written form was also present. The spoken word learning of both groups did not differ and benefited to the same extent from the presence of the written word. This suggests that compared to reading-matched typically developing children, children with Down syndrome are not specifically impaired in phonological learning and benefit equally from orthographic support.
Gender differences in health service use for mental health reasons in community dwelling older adults with suicidal ideation
Authors: Vasiliadis Helen-Maria , Gagné Sarah , Jozwiak Natalia , Préville Michel
Published: December 2012

Background:To ascertain gender-specific determinants of antidepressant and mental health (MH) service use associated with suicidal ideation.

Methods:Data used in this study came from the ESA (Enquête sur la Santé des Aînés) survey carried out in 2005–2008 on a large sample of community-dwelling older adults (n= 2,004). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out.

Results:The two-year prevalence of suicidal ideation was 8.4% and 20.3% had persistent suicidal thoughts at one-year follow-up. In males, the prevalence of antidepressant and MH service use in respondents with suicidal ideation reached 32.2% and 48.9%, respectively. In females, the corresponding rates were 42.6% and 65.6%. Males were less likely to consult MH services than females when their MH was judged poorly. Male respondents with higher income and education were less likely to use antidepressant and MH services. However, males using benzodiazepines were more likely than females to be dispensed an antidepressant. Among respondents with suicidal ideation, gender was not associated with service use. Younger age, however, was associated with antidepressant use.

Conclusions:Increased promotion campaigns sensitizing men to the prodromal symptoms of depression and the need to foster access to MH care when the disorder is manageable may be needed.
What Predicts Outcome, Response, and Drop-out in CBT of Depressive Adults? A Naturalistic Study
Authors: Schindler Amrei , Hiller Wolfgang , Witthöft Michael
Published: December 2012

Background: The efficacy of CBT for unipolar depressive disorders is well established, yet not all patients improve or tolerate treatment. Aims: To identify factors associated with symptomatic outcome, response, and drop-out in depressive patients under naturalistic CBT. Method: 193 patients with major depression or dysthymia were tested. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were entered as predictors in hierarchical regression analyses. Results: A higher degree of pretreatment depression, early improvement, and completion of therapy were identified as predictors for symptomatic change and response. Drop-out was predicted by concurrent personality disorder, less positive outcome expectancies, and by failure to improve early in treatment. Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of early response to predict improvement in routine CBT. Attempts to refine the quality of treatment programs should focus on avoiding premature termination (drop-out) and consider motivational factors in more depth. Routinely administered standardized assessments would enhance symptom monitoring and help to identify persons at risk of not improving under therapy.
Shock experiments up to 30 GPa and their consequences on microstructures and magnetic properties in pyrrhotite
Authors: Mang Christoph , Kontny Agnes , Fritz Jörg , Schneider Reinhard
Published: December 2012

Shock experiments with pressures ranging from 3 to 30 GPa have been conducted on a mixed assemblage of hexagonal and monoclinic pyrrhotite. All samples were studied with respect to their particular shock‐induced microstructures and magnetic properties at high and low temperatures. Up to 8 GPa, microstructures in shocked pyrrhotite are characterized by mechanical deformation producing a damage of the crystal structure. At pressures of 20 GPa and upward, amorphization and mechanical twinning are the dominant structural features induced by shock. Within the lower‐pressure range coercivity, saturation isothermal remanent magnetization and coercivity of remanence increase with shock pressures, in agreement with more single‐domain (SD)‐like behavior. Simultaneously, the λ‐peak of hexagonal pyrrhotite decreases and the 34 K transition of monoclinic pyrrhotite broadens and is depressed. Magnetic hardening is triggered by grain‐size reduction, but also by the formation of SD within discrete multidomain grains. Planar deformation features subdivide such multidomain grains into lath‐shaped domains with average sizes lying in the SD range. The planar deformation features disappear at 20 GPa and irregular, nanometer‐sized “amorphous domains” occur instead. Pressure release from 30 GPa finally triggers partial melting of pyrrhotite. The sharp interfaces between molten and crystalline pyrrhotite document a rapid change of thermal conditions. Within molten pyrrhotite, quenched iron crystals occur. The presence of native iron strongly influences the magnetic properties, depending on the particular amount in the studied sample and likely affects the magnetic properties of impact lithologies on Earth and extraterrestrial material.
FGF19 (fibroblast growth factor 19) as a novel target gene for activating transcription factor 4 in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Shimizu Makoto , Li Juan , Maruyama Ryuto , Inoue Jun , Sato Ryuichiro
Published: December 2012

FGF19 (fibroblast growth factor 19), expressed in the small intestine, acts as an enterohepatic hormone by mediating inhibitory effects on the bile acid synthetic pathway and regulating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. In an attempt to identify novel agents other than bile acids that induce increased FGF19 expression, we found that some ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress inducers were effective. When intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells were incubated with thapsigargin, marked increases were observed in the mRNA and secreted protein levels of FGF19. This was not associated with the farnesoid X receptor. Reporter gene analyses using the 5′-promoter region of FGF19 revealed that a functional AARE (amino-acid-response element) was localized in this region, and this site was responsible for inducing its transcription through ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4), which is activated in response to ER stress. EMSAs (electrophoretic mobility-shift assays) and ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) assays showed that ATF4 bound to this site and enhanced FGF19 expression. Overexpression of ATF4 in Caco-2 cells induced increased FGF19 mRNA expression, whereas shRNA (short hairpin RNA)-mediated depletion of ATF4 significantly attenuated a thapsigargin-induced increase in FGF19 mRNA.
Surgical Outcomes of Osteoporotic Vertebral Collapse: A Retrospective Study of Anterior Spinal Fusion and Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy
Authors: Okuda Shinya , Oda Takenori , Yamasaki Ryoji , Haku Takamitsu , Maeno Takafumi , Iwasaki Motoki
Published: December 2012

The purpose of this retrospective study was to demonstrate the surgical outcomes of anterior spinal fusion (ASF) and posterior subtraction osteotomy (PSO) for osteoporotic vertebral collapse (OVC). Forty patients who underwent surgery for OVC at the thoracolumbar junction with neurological deficits were included in this study. ASF was primarily chosen for patients without vertebral compression fracture at other levels, and PSO was chosen for patients with more severe kyphosis or with multiple vertebral fractures. ASF was performed in 26 patients and PSO was performed in 14 patients. We evaluated the pre- and postoperative clinical status consisting of pain, gait, paralysis, and bladder function analysis. Additionally, pre- and postoperative kyphosis, correction angle, correction loss, and upright balance were investigated radiologically. Improvements in pain level, gait, paralysis, and bladder function were obtained in both groups. Average correction angles in the ASF and PSO groups were 16 and 37, respectively. Average correction losses at the final follow-up in the ASF and PSO groups were 7 and 13, respectively. Newly developed postsurgical vertebral compression fracture adjacent to the level of instrumentation was observed in four patients (15%) in the ASF group and in 11 patients (79%) from the PSO group. ASF provided satisfactory outcomes for patients with thoracolumbar OVC, who have no vertebral compression fracture at other levels. Although PSO has benefits for the correction of kyphosis, several problems persist with this procedure, especially for patients with severe osteoporosis.
Organised labour and the politics of class formation in post-apartheid South Africa
Authors: Beresford Alexander
Published: December 2012

This paper will examine the processes of class formation being augmented by South Africa's democratic transition and the impacts these processes are having on trade union organising. Through a case study of the National Union of Mineworkers in the energy industry, it will be argued that affirmative action and employment equity policies are opening up divisions within the union and eroding its unifying class identity. This poses a great challenge, not only to trade union organisation, but also to how we understand the political role of South Africa's trade unions within the post-apartheid era.

[Le travail organisé et la politique de formation des classes après l'époque de l'apartheid en Afrique du Sud.] Le présent document examine les processus de formation des classes mis en croissance par la transition démocratique en Afrique du Sud et les impacts que ces processus ont sur l'organisation syndicale. Grâce à une étude de cas du Syndicat national des mineurs (NUM) dans le secteur de l'énergie, on fera valoir que l'action positive et les politiques d'équité dans le domaine de l'emploi suscitent des divisions au sein de l'Union et entament l'identité de la classe unificatrice. Cela pose un grand défi, non seulement à l'organisation syndicale, mais aussi à la façon dont nous comprenons le rôle politique des syndicats d'Afrique du Sud à travers l'ère d'après- apartheid.

Mots-clés: Afrique du Sud  ; les syndicats  ; l'action positive  ; COSATU  ; ANC
Assessing South Africa's New Growth Path: framework for change?
Authors: Fine Ben
Published: December 2012

The New Growth Path (NGP) is the symbolic policy document of South Africa's newly formed Department of Economic Development. It marks an intended break with the growth path of the first two decades of the post-apartheid era. But does it do so in principle and is it likely to do so in practice? This paper suggests otherwise because of its failure to address, let alone remedy, the key determining features of the post-apartheid economic landscape. These are the (international) financialisation of (domestic) conglomerate capital especially associated with (illegal) capital flight, the complicity of a newly formed black elite, and the continuing reliance upon how these interact with South Africa's longstanding minerals–energy complex (MEC). Without breaking with these features, the NGP in particular, and policy more generally, will seek to temper the gains and organisational opposition of better-off workers for putative benefits to those deprived of employment and basic levels of public provision.

[Évaluer la nouvelle direction de croissance d'Afrique du Sud : cadre pour le changement?] La nouvelle ligne de croissance (NGP) est le document de la politique symbolique du nouveau ministère sud-africain de développement économique. Il marque une pause prévue avec la ligne de la croissance des deux premières décennies survenues après l'ère de l'apartheid. Mais est-ce que cela se confirme dans le principe et dans la pratique? Ce document suggère le contraire, à cause de son incapacité à répondre - sans parler de remède – aux principales caractéristiques qui déterminent le paysage économique de la période après l'apartheid. Il s'agit de la financiarisation (internationale) du capital conglomérat (domestique), en particulier associée à la fuite (illégale) des capitaux, la complicité d'une élite noire nouvellement constituée, et d'un appui persistant sur la façon dont ceux-ci interagissent avec le complexe de longue date des minéraux d'énergie de l'Afrique du Sud. Sans rompre avec ces caractéristiques, la NGP en particulier, et plus généralement la politique, cherchera à tempérer les gains et l'opposition de l'organisation des travailleurs plus aisés pour des avantages supposés aux personnes privées d'emploi et les niveaux de base de la prestation publique.

Mots-clés: La Nouvelle trajectoire de croissance  ; financiarisation  ; complexe des minéraux d'énergie  ; Afrique du Sud
A hierarchy of struggles? The ‘economic’ and the ‘political’ in Egypt's revolution
Authors: Abdelrahman M.
Published: December 2012

Egypt's revolutionary process is facing serious challenges, not least of which is the absence of a broadly based movement that can harness the energy of the masses. The forces of the counter-revolution are using all means to derail the process especially by effecting a schism between ‘economic’ and ‘political’ demands where the former is portrayed as extraneous to the course of the revolution. The article demonstrates how this separation in any struggle is falsely conceived and in the case of Egypt is being used as a deliberate tactic to protect the interests of the capitalist state and its agents.

[Une hiérarchie de lutte? L'aspect « économique » et « politique » dans la révolution égyptienne.] Le processus révolutionnaire d'Égypte est confronté à de sérieux défis, non des moindres est l'absence d'un vaste mouvement qui peut canaliser l'énergie des masses. Les forces de la contre-révolution utilisent tous les moyens pour déstabiliser le processus, notamment en effectuant un schisme entre les demandes « économique » et « politique », où l'ancien est dépeint comme étant étranger à la marche de la révolution. L'article montre comment cette séparation dans toute lutte est faussement conçue et dans le cas où l'Égypte est utilisée comme une tactique délibérée pour protéger les intérêts de l'État capitaliste et ses agents.

Mots-clés: Égypte  manifestations  néolibéralisme
Lexical availability and grammatical encoding scope during spoken sentence production
Authors: Wheeldon Linda , Ohlson Natalie , Ashby Aimee , Gator Sophie
Published: December 2012

Three sentence production experiments investigate the relationship between lexical and structural processing scope. Speakers generated sentences with varying phrase structures in response to visual displays (e.g., The dog and the hat move above the fork and the tree/The dog moves above the hat and the fork and the tree). On half of the trials, one of the pictures in the arrays was previewed. Filler sentences varied preview position and sentence structure from trial to trial. When speakers could not anticipate the position of the previewed picture in the upcoming sentence (Experiment 1), preview benefit for pictures corresponding to the second noun to be produced was limited to pictures that fell within the sentence-initial phrase. When the linear position of the previewed picture was predictable, preview benefits were observed for the second noun to be produced, irrespective of phrase position (Experiment 2). However, no preview benefits were observed for the third noun to be produced (Experiment 3). In contrast, significant effects of initial phrase structure were observed in all experiments, with latencies increasing with initial phrase length. The results are consistent with speakers operating a phrasal scope for structural planning within which the scope of lexical access can vary.