bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrastructure of the fossula spongiosa and pretarsus in Haematoloecha nigrorufa (Stål) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Ectrichodinae)
Authors: WANG JI , LIANG AI-PING
Published: May 2015

The ultrastructure of the fossula spongiosa and pretarsus of adult Haematoloecha nigrorufa (Stål) (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Ectrichodinae) was examined for the first time using scanning electron microscope. The fossula spongiosa of H. nigrorufa is located on the ventral surface of the distal part of the tibia of both the fore- and midlegs. The area of the fossula spongiosa on the female foreleg is approximately 251338.88 μm2, while the area of the fossula spongiosa on the male foreleg is markedly smaller, only about 196548.98 μm2. For both genders the area of the fossula spongiosa on the foreleg is approximately 1.50 times as large as that on the midleg. Externally, the ventral surface of the fossula spongiosa is covered by a large number of tenent hairs that are evenly interspersed with a few mechanosensory setae. Each tenent hair consists of two parts: a hair shaft and an apical plate. A tenent hair is 22.58±1.60 μm in length, 1.90±0.09 μm in shaft diameter, and 10.90±0.63 μm2 in apical plate area. Morphologically, the tenent hairs are similar and constitute a nearly uniform hair array on the ventral side of the fossula spongiosa. The density of tenent hairs is about 4.46±0.35 hairs per 100 μm2 and the total number of tenent hairs is more than ten thousand on the fossula spongiosa of the female foreleg. These tenent hairs are presumed to function as adherence during locomotion or prey capture of the assassin bugs. In addition, scanning micrographs and descriptions for the pretarsus are also given.
Review of the fish-parasitic genus Ceratothoa Dana, 1852 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cymothoidae) from Australia, with description of two new species
Authors: MARTIN MELISSA B. , BRUCE NIEL L. , NOWAK BARBARA F.
Published: May 2015

The genus Ceratothoa Dana, 1852, is revised for Australian waters. Ceratothoa is represented in Australia by nine species, including two new species: Ceratothoa barracuda sp. nov. described from Cairns and Ceratothoa globulus sp. nov. described from Lord Howe Island. Ceratothoa imbricata Fabricius, 1775 is redescribed, with Ceratothoa trillesi (Avdeev, 1979) and Ceratothoa huttoni Filhol, 1885 placed into junior synonymy; the preferred hosts are species of the genus Trachurus (Carangidae). Ceratothoa banksii (Leach, 1818) is validated and brought out of synonymy with Ceratothoa imbricata; host species are from the families Kyphosidae, Scombridae, Latridae, Carangidae, Mugilidae, Salmonidae, Scatophagidae, Pomatomidae and Hemiramphidae. Species excluded from the Australian fauna are Ceratothoa trigonocephala (Leach, 1818) with an unknown host identity and type locality; and Ceratothoa lineata Miers, 1876a, that here is transferred to the genus Mothocya Costa, 1851, with Mothocya ihi Bruce, 1986 placed into junior synonymy. Ceratothoa contracta (Miers, 1880), the New Zealand Ceratothoa novaezelandiae Filhol, 1885 and the East Pacific Ceratothoa gaudichaudii (Milne Edwards, 1840) are regarded here as species inquirenda. A key to the Australian species of Ceratothoa is presented.
The external and internal structures of Amphizoa davidi Lucas (Coleoptera, Amphizoidae), using X-ray phase contrast microtomography
Authors: LI DEE , ZHANG KAI , LI XIAOYAN , ZHU PEIPING , XU CAIFENG , WU ZIYU , ZHOU HONGZHANG
Published: May 2015

The Chinese endemic water beetle Amphizoa davidi Lucas, is a rare and endangered species belonging to the monotypic family Amphizoidae (Coleoptera: Adephaga). A study of the external and internal structures of A. davidi is here presented, by using X-ray phase contrast tomography and light microscopy. Morphological details and three dimensional (3D) structures of this species are provided: skeletons, muscles, reproductive organs of male and female, nervous system, alimentary canal and pygidial gland. The reproductive organs of females are compared in two different developmental phases (ages): before copulation without mature ovaries and after copulation with mature ovaries. Such detailed 3D tomographic study based on micro-CT technology may promote our understanding of the detailed morphology in Amphizoidae and Coleoptera in general.
Taxonomic studies on Oriental Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with description of two new species from South India
Authors: RANJITH A.P. , RAJESH K.M. , NASSER M.
Published: May 2015

The Oriental species of Microplitis Foerster are reviewed. 21 species are recognized from the Oriental region, of which two are described as new, Microplitis narendrani sp. nov. and M. pennatulae sp. nov., and Microplitis carinicollis (Cameron), M. demolitor Wilkinson, M. maculipennis (Szépligeti) and M. similis Lyle are redescribed. Four species, Microplitis areyongensis Austin & Dangerfield, M. bicoloratus Xu & He, M. vitellipedis Li, Tan & Song and M. zhaoi Xu & He are recorded for the first time from the Indian subcontinent. Host records are summarized. An illustrated key to the Oriental species is provided along with a character matrix to aid identification. Distributional pattern in Oriental region, host-parasitoid association and biology of the genus are critically summarized.
A review of the Japanese species of Barycnemis Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae)
Authors: KHALAIM ANDREY I.
Published: May 2015

Four species of the genus Barycnemis Förster are found to occur in Japan: B. dissimilis (Gravenhorst), B. harpura (Schrank), B. naganoensis sp. nov. and B. tobiasi Khalaim. These are the first records of Barycnemis from this country. All recognized Japanese species belong to the harpura species group. An identification key to four species of Barycnemis occurring in Japan is provided. Barycnemis funiuensis Sheng, 2002 from East China is synonymised with the widely distributed Holarctic species Porizon dissimilis Gravenhorst, 1829 (syn. nov.).
The Influence of the Spectral Truncation on the Simulation of Waves in the Tropical Stratosphere
Authors: Krismer T. R. , Giorgetta M. A. , von Storch J. S. , Fast I.
Published: May 2015

Convectively triggered waves are the main driver of the tropical stratospheric circulation. In atmospheric models, the model’s resolution limits the length of the simulated wave spectrum. In this study, the authors compare the tropical tropospheric wave sources, their projection on the wave field in the lower stratosphere, and the circumstances of their upward propagation in the atmospheric model ECHAM6 with three spectral truncations of T63, T127, and T255. The model internally generates the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), which dominates the variability in the tropical stratosphere. This analysis focuses on two opposite phases of the QBO to account for the influence of the background wind field on the wave filtering. It is shown that, compared to the high-resolution model versions, the T63 version has less convective variability and less wave momentum in the lower stratosphere at wavenumbers larger than 20, well below the version’s truncation limit. In the low-resolution version, the upward propagation of the waves is further hindered by the highly active (relative to the high-resolution versions) horizontal diffusion scheme. However, even in the T255 version of ECHAM6, the convective variability is too small compared to TRMM observations at periods shorter than 2 days and wavelengths shorter than 1000 km. Hence, to model a realistic tropical wave activity, the convective parameterization of the model has to improve to increase the day-to-day precipitation variability.
Estimation of Finescale Rainfall Fields Using Broadcast TV Satellite Links and a 4DVAR Assimilation Method
Authors: Mercier François , Barthès Laurent , Mallet Cécile
Published: May 2015

This study proposes a method based on the use of a set of commercial satellite-to-Earth microwave links to rebuild finescale rainfall fields. Such microwave links exist all over the world and can be used to estimate the integrated rain attenuation over the links’ first 5–7 km with a very high temporal resolution (10 s in the present case). The retrieval algorithm makes use of a four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVAR) method involving a numerical advection scheme. The advection velocity is recovered from the observations or from radar rainfall fields at successive time steps.

This technique has been successively applied to simulated 2D rain maps and to real data recorded in the autumn of 2013 during the Hydrological Cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment (HyMeX), with one sensor receiving microwave signals from four different satellites. The performance of this system is assessed and is compared to an operational Météo-France radar and a network of 10 rain gauges. Because of the limitations of the propagation model, this study is limited to the events with strong advective characteristics (four out of eight recorded events). For these events (only), the method produces rainfall fields that are highly correlated with the radar maps at spatial resolutions greater than . The point-scale results are also satisfactory for temporal resolutions greater than 10 min (mean correlation with rain gauge data equal to approximately 0.8, similar to the correlation between radar and rain gauge data).

This method can also be adapted to the fusion of a rain gauge with microwave link measurements and, through the use of several sensors, it has the potential of being applied to larger areas.
Documenting Reading Achievement and Growth for Students Taking Alternate Assessments
Authors: Tindal Gerald , Nese Joseph F. T. , Farley Dan , Saven Jessica L. , Elliott Stephen N.
Published: May 2015

Students with disabilities have been included in state accountability systems for more than a decade; however, only in the past few years have alternate assessments of alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) become stable enough to allow examination of these students’ achievement growth. Using data from Oregon’s AA-AAS in Reading during the period 2008–2009 to 2010–2011, we examined the achievement growth for a sample of 1,061 elementary students using two growth models: a transition matrix and a multilevel linear growth model. The authors found with the transition matrix model that a majority of students remained at the same performance level from one year to the next, whereas with the multilevel linear growth model, students’ scores revealed small, but statistically meaningful, growth year to year. The article concludes by noting advantages and disadvantages of these models to characterize growth and their implications for policy and practice.
A Rebuttal to Jack Niemonen’s “Whither the White Working Class?”
Authors: Khanna Nikki , Harris Cherise A.
Published: May 2015

Prof. Niemonen claims that the concept of white privilege is “anti-sociological” and “mask[s] complex race–class interactions.” He highlights the importance of including social class in discussions of white privilege but focuses exclusively on the white working class, neglecting how race and social class also intersect for people of color. Further, while different social identities mediate how whites experience race privilege, race remains a key factor in shaping life chances and opportunities. We agree that racial groups cannot be treated as homogenous, but we argue for the importance of teaching students about disparities between races before showing them heterogeneity within races; doing so in reverse minimizes the very real ways that race shapes people’s lives. Nonetheless, taking into account Niemonen’s points, we offer an addendum to our original exercise that stresses the importance of intersectionality; this can be offered as a second step once students have an understanding of white privilege.
Coupling mechanical design and control design for energy-efficient and stable walking of a compass-like biped
Authors: Wang Zidong , Yan Gangfeng , Tang Chong , Lin Zhiyun , Miao Yizhou
Published: May 2015

This paper aims at developing a highly efficient walking scheme for compass-like biped robots with feet. Towards this goal, a latch attached to the hip is introduced to lock the hip joint when the hip joint retracts to the desired value and spring devices are installed in the ankle joints to reduce the inputs of the ankles. Moreover, the stance foot allowed to rotate about the toe is considered. With these setups, a highly efficient limit-cycle walking gait is obtained by using the method of Poincaré shooting with the objective of minimizing the dimensionless specific mechanical cost of transport. However, this limit-cycle walking gait is unstable. To stabilize it, a new control strategy is proposed based on transverse coordinate linearization on moving Poincaré sections. A series of numerical simulations show that such a robot model under the proposed control law can walk stably and efficiently.
Comparison of two XML query languages from the perspective of learners
Authors: Lassila Matti , Junkkari Marko , Kekäläinen Jaana
Published: May 2015

Two XML query languages were tested for intuitivity, learnability and memorability. The languages differ with relation to the query structures like the use of variables, iterators and reference to attributes. One of the languages, XQuery, is a procedural, expressive and data-oriented query language that is suitable even for programming purposes; the other, XIL, is more declarative, document-oriented query language with a simpler syntax. A query-writing test with the learners of the languages was executed. The study indicates that, in the query writing, the more procedural query language yields a greater number of correct queries. Similarity between the tested languages, and to SQL, is discussed from the point of view of learnability.
The role of the induction of mild hypothermia in adult patient outcomes after cardiac arrest: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies
Authors: Yu Tao , Longhini Federico , Wu Rongrong , Yao Weidong , Lu Weihua , Jin Xiaoju
Published: May 2015

Objective

To determine whether patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) following cardiac arrest who received mild hypothermia have improved mortality and neurological outcomes compared with those who do not receive mild hypothermia.

Methods

Online database searches were performed for English-language randomized controlled trials published before March 2014, comparing mild hypothermia (32–34℃) with normothermia or hypothermia other than mild hypothermia after cardiac arrest, in adults with ROSC. Data were independently extracted using a dedicated form. Mortality rates and neurological outcomes were recorded for the overall population and for in-hospital and prehospital mild hypothermia subgroups.

Results

Seven articles were identified for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Mild hypothermia demonstrated no significant beneficial effects in terms of overall mortality or neurological outcomes. In addition, no significant outcome differences were observed between the pre- and in-hospital subgroups.

Conclusions

On the basis of this limited data set, mild hypothermia does not improve mortality rates or neurological outcomes in patients with ROSC after cardiac arrest, regardless of the timing of the hypothermia. Larger trials need to be carried out to confirm these findings.
Calculating Critique: Thinking Outside the Methods Matching Game
Authors: Barkin J. Samuel , Sjoberg Laura
Published: May 2015

This article suggests to quantitative methodologists that the tools that they use (and often others they do not) are more broadly applicable than is often assumed; to reflexivist researchers that there are many more tools available to their research than are often seen as appropriate; and to the IR discipline writ large that most of the disciplinary thinking about the relationships between research, ontology, epistemology, methodology and methods is unnecessarily narrow. Our core goal is to reveal the problematically inaccurate nature of both the qualitative/quantitative and the positivist/post-positivist divides, as well as of traditional methods training. We suggest that the ability to pair, and the utility of pairing, quantitative (traditionally neopositivist) methods with critical (traditionally non-neopositivist) theorising makes this intervention. To this end, the article begins with discussions of the relationships between epistemology and method in IR research. We continue on to frame a disunity of social science in the quantitative/qualitative divide, which lays the groundwork for a section rethinking traditional understandings of how methods, methodology, and epistemology relate. We then make the case for the utility of methods traditionally classified as ‘quantitative’ for critical research in IR. The article concludes by discussing the transformative implications of this understanding for critical theorising, and for theorising knowledge within disciplinary IR.
Staging a Battle, Losing the Wars? International Studies, ‘Science’ and the Neoliberalisation of the University
Authors: Sabaratnam Meera
Published: May 2015

In this short response to Patrick Jackson’s absorbing and provocative keynote at a very enjoyable Millennium conference, I highlight some problems with the arguments presented therein for the logical distinctiveness of ‘science’, before briefly reflecting on the neoliberal pressures on universities globally and how these interact with ‘diversity’ issues. Speculatively, I suggest that they may be connected in this historical moment.
Of Algorithms, Data and Ethics: A Response to Andrew Bennett
Authors: Mutlu Can E.
Published: May 2015

Developments in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will have a significant impact on the way we study international relations. Opportunities related to data processing and automated reasoning that emerge through developments in complex algorithms will inevitably generate a debate on research methods in social sciences. Algorithms provide novel and innovative ways to sort and make sense of digital data. Applications of ‘big data’ and its potential uses in the social sciences remain understudied in IR. The field has not fully picked up on the potential uses of algorithmic processing for research. This article looks at the ethical questions that arise from the use of algorithmic data processing and automated reasoning. In particular, the article asks whether there should be any ethical limitations on the ways we collect data to be processed by algorithms.
Impact of aspartame and saccharin on the rat liver: Biochemical, molecular, and histological approach
Authors: Alkafafy Mohamed El-Sayed , Ibrahim Zein Shaban , Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed , El-Shazly Samir Ahmed
Published: May 2015

The current work was undertaken to settle the debate about the toxicity of artificial sweeteners (AS), particularly aspartame and saccharin. Twenty-five, 7-week-old male Wistar albino rats with an average body weight of 101 ± 4.8 g were divided into a control group and four experimental groups (n = 5 rats). The first and second experimental groups received daily doses equivalent to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of aspartame (250 mg/Kg BW) and four-fold ADI of aspartame (1000 mg/Kg BW). The third and fourth experimental groups received daily doses equivalent to ADI of saccharin (25 mg/Kg BW) and four-fold ADI of saccharin (100 mg/Kg BW). The experimental groups received the corresponding sweetener dissolved in water by oral route for 8 weeks. The activities of enzymes relevant to liver functions and antioxidants were measured in the blood plasma. Histological studies were used for the evaluation of the changes in the hepatic tissues. The gene expression levels of the key oncogene ( h-Ras) and the tumor suppressor gene ( P27) were also evaluated. In addition to a significant reduction in the body weight, the AS-treated groups displayed elevated enzymes activities, lowered antioxidants values, and histological changes reflecting the hepatotoxic effect of aspartame and saccharin. Moreover, the overexpression of the key oncogene ( h-Ras) and the downregulation of the tumor suppressor gene ( P27) in all treated rat groups may indicate a potential risk of liver carcinogenesis, particularly on long-term exposure.
Use of control interventions in adult in-patient mental health services
Authors: Mah Tina M. , Hirdes John P. , Heckman George , Stolee Paul
Published: May 2015

This study examined the prevalence of Control Intervention (CI) use in adult in-patient psychiatric units/hospitals in Ontario and developed a profile of those patients who had CI use during their admission between April 2006 and March 2010. Control intervention types included mechanical/physical, chair prevents rising, acute control medications, and seclusion. The profiles of patients with control intervention use included an examination of sociodemographic, mental health service use, and mental health clinical characteristics.
Access to psychiatrists by French-speaking patients in Ontario hospitals
Authors: Tempier Raymond , Bouattane El Mostafa , Hirdes John P.
Published: May 2015

There has been a limited amount of research suggesting that cultural and linguistic variables may affect access to health services, but no study has examined the access of French-speaking Canadians to psychiatrists. The present study used data from the Ontario Mental Health Reporting System to examine patterns of daily contact with psychiatrists in the first 3 days of admission to mental health facilities in Ontario. The results showed that after controlling for a broad range of covariates, French-speaking Ontarians were about one-third as likely to have daily contact with psychiatrists in that time period compared to English-speaking patients. These results were not explained by regional differences. Instead, they point to the possibility that language poses an important barrier to specific and highly specialized mental health services in this province.
Exposure to Violence and Children’s Desensitization Attitudes in Lebanon
Authors: Tarabah Asma , Badr Lina Kurdahi , Usta Jinan , Doyle John
Published: May 2015

Children exposed to multiple sources of violence may become desensitized, increasing the possibility of them imitating the aggressive behaviors they watch and considering such behavior as normal. The purpose of this article is to assess the association between exposure to various types of violence (including war) and desensitization in Lebanese children. A cross-sectional design with 207 school-aged children assessed exposure to violence using three surveys: (a) violence in the media (the Media Preference survey), (b) exposure to violence (the KID-SAVE survey), and (c) desensitization attitudes (the Attitude Toward Violence–Child Version). Children were between 8 and 12 years old, 56% were males, and 70%were from middle socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Seventy-six percent of children reported being exposed to violence, with more exposure in males and in the lower SES group. Impact, however, was greater on girls. The predictors of attitude toward violence were “Frequency” of exposure, “Impact” of exposure, and the amount of violence viewed on television. Children are massively exposed to violence in Lebanon resulting in desensitization, which may habituate them to accept violence as normal and put them at risk for imitating violent behaviors.
Assessing the Validity of an Annual Survey for Measuring the Enacted Literacy Curriculum
Authors: Camburn Eric M. , Han Seong Won , Sebastian James
Published: May 2015

Surveys are frequently used to inform consequential decisions about teachers, policies, and programs. Consequently, it is important to understand the validity of these instruments. This study assesses the validity of measures of instruction captured by an annual survey by comparing survey data with those of a validated daily log. The two instruments produced similar rankings of the frequency with which teachers use particular practices but more than three fourths of the teachers in the study were found to overreport their instruction on the annual survey. Multilevel models revealed a number of teacher and school characteristics related to survey reporting error. The study’s implications for users of survey evidence are discussed.
A Historical Mission in the Accountability Era
Authors: Jones Tiffany
Published: May 2015

The case study is an analysis of a state performance funding policy at a public historically Black college and university (HBCU). The policy attaches state funding to HBCU performance on measures like graduation rates and equity measures like the reduction in achievement gaps between Black and non-Black students. Participants liked that the policy helped the institution to become more outcome minded, but were critical of the equity measures and their relationship with the state system of higher education. The article addresses how the HBCU’s mission was addressed in the policy and its plans for responding that includes focusing on Latino students.
An ant colony optimization–based approach for a single-product flow-line reconfigurable manufacturing systems
Authors: Maniraj M , Pakkirisamy V , Jeyapaul R
Published: May 2015

Reconfigurable manufacturing systems focus on part family products with its customized flexibility. The characteristics of reconfigurable manufacturing systems help in rapid change of system and cost-effective manufacturing of products. Reconfigurable manufacturing systems can be modified both physically by changing layout, machines and material handling devices and logically by changing route, schedule, planning and so on, which is easy for implementation in reconfigurable manufacturing systems compare to other manufacturing systems. This article aims at configuration selection of a single-product flow-line reconfigurable manufacturing systems using ant colony optimization approach consisting of two phases. In the first phase, priority-based encoding technique is used to find feasible operation clusters, and the second phase uses ant colony optimization technique for minimizing the capital cost of the reconfigurable manufacturing systems. A case study is illustrated with the proposed approach by developing a tool box in MATLAB software. The approach is validated by finding 10-best configurations with the consideration of minimum capital cost. The results are also supported by convergence curve derived by the software.
The 5.5–4.5 kyr climatic transition as recorded by the sedimentation pattern of coastal deposits of the Apulia region, southern Italy
Authors: Vincenzo De Santis , Massimo Caldara
Published: May 2015

Coastal marine Holocene deposits of the Apulia region, considered as indicators of palaeoclimatic conditions, were studied. Our data show that (1) up to c. 5500 cal. yr BP, a phase of accumulation of flint pebbles from the Gargano headland occurred at the Riviera sud di Manfredonia (Adriatic coast); their transport from the Gargano headland (north of the study site) is incompatible with the current northward littoral drift and is best explained by a prevalence and dominance of NE and E winds and (2) after c. 4500 cal. yr BP, there was a rapid accumulation of sediments at the Marina di Ugento (Ionian coast), which is best explained by a prevalence and dominance of S, SW and SE winds. The two different wind regimes identified can be explained by a change in the mean pressure configuration in the central Mediterranean. The first phase (until c. 5500 cal. yr BP) consisted of more frequent cyclogenesis to the east-southeast of the Italian Peninsula, followed by a second phase (from c. 4500 cal. yr BP) of more frequent cyclogenesis to the west-northwest. The period between 5500 and 4500 cal. yr BP represents a transitional phase between the two different regimes. In other words, there was a ‘retreat’ of the central Mediterranean cyclogenesis towards the west-northwest. This pattern is contemporaneous with the termination of the African Humid period. We interpret both the ‘retreat’ of the Mediterranean cyclogenesis and the termination of the African Humid period as the expression of an expansion of the tropical dry Saharan belt.
Peatland paleohydrology in the southern West Siberian Lowlands: Comparison of multiple testate amoeba transfer functions, sites, and Sphagnum δ13C values
Authors: Willis Katherine S , Beilman David , Booth Robert K , Amesbury Matt , Holmquist James , MacDonald Glen
Published: May 2015

A 2700-year-old peat core from the southern West Siberian Lowlands was used to reconstruct past water-table depth using testate amoeba analysis and to compare hydrological changes with temperature variations associated with the Medieval Climate Anomaly, ‘Little Ice Age’, and 20th-century warming. The robustness of water-table results was assessed using comparisons of four separate transfer functions, a testate amoeba reconstruction from an additional site in southern West Siberia, and an independent hydrological proxy of the δ13C values of Sphagnum remains from the same core. The paleohydrology results were robust in that (1) all four transfer functions returned similar results, (2) both peatland sites displayed very similar water-table fluctuations despite their distance from each other, and (3) Sphagnum δ13C values showed similar overall changes as the testate amoeba–inferred hydrology, but at a coarser temporal resolution. When comparing reconstructed hydrology in southern West Siberia to Northern Hemisphere temperatures, we found that during most of the record warmer time intervals tended to be wet locally and cooler time intervals tended to be dry including during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (~1150–650 cal. BP). This pairing continued until the ‘Little Ice Age’ (~650–100 cal. BP) when conditions became cool and wet, and recently, conditions have become warm again, but unlike the earlier wet interval, the peatlands have dried. Drier conditions shown by the water-table depth reconstruction suggest that future warming may continue the drying of southern peatland surfaces in the West Siberian Lowlands and may promote peat carbon respiration.
Factors controlling the past ~150-year ecological dynamics of Lake Wuliangsu in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, China
Authors: He Yuxin , Sun Dayang , Wu Jinglu , Sun Yongge
Published: May 2015

Lacustrine ecosystem history since the industrial revolution provides important evidence of natural versus anthropogenic effects on the environment. With high-resolution sedimentary core samples and organic–inorganic geochemical methods, we reconstruct the past ~150-year ecosystem evolution of Lake Wuliangsu in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, and probe factors controlling the ecological dynamics. In this study, ecological changes in Lake Wuliangsu over the past ~150 years were identified. After the lake formed in the 1850s, biological productivity of the lake was still under-developed until the 1950s. During the period of 1950s–1970s, submerged macrophytes became the dominant organisms in the lake because of lake area expansion and slight increases of nutrient input from agricultural development in the catchment. The domination of submerged macrophytes ceased after the 1970s, which was possibly induced by the shrinkage of the lake area. After the 1990s, the main contributor of sedimentary n-alkanes most likely shifted to reeds because of eutrophication caused by anthropogenic activities. The results clearly demonstrate that the ecosystem in Lake Wuliangsu before the 1950s strongly depended on the natural discharge, whereas at later stages, it was significantly influenced by human activities. During the period of 1950s–1990s, the human-monitored lake area seems to be the main factor in the lake ecosystem evolution. However, when the nutrient supply went beyond the tipping point after the 1990s, eutrophication took over and played a key role in the lake ecosystem evolution.
Late-Holocene record of lagoon evolution, climate change, and hurricane activity from southeastern Cuba
Authors: Peros Matthew , Gregory Braden , Matos Felipe , Reinhardt Eduard , Desloges Joseph
Published: May 2015

A sediment core from a lagoon in southeastern Cuba was the focus of a multi-proxy paleoenvironmental study to investigate lagoon response to sea-level change and climate change and also to infer changes in the frequency of past hurricane strikes. The proxy data examined included benthic foraminifera, fossil pollen, particle size analysis, and macrocharcoal influx values. The core was dated using 137Cs and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon methods. The results show that lagoon formation began approximately 4000 years ago and that the lagoon environment evolved through four phases: (1) from ~4000 to 2800 cal. yr BP, the lagoon was a shallow polyhaline to euryhaline system with limited mangrove coverage; (2) from ~2800 to 2000 cal. yr BP, there was a decrease in salinity which facilitated the expansion of red mangrove; (3) from ~2000 to 1000 cal. yr BP, sea-level rise resulted in an increase in water depth and possibly salinity; and (4) from ~1000 cal. yr BP to the present, water level continued to rise and the mangrove environment diversified. The shift to lower salinity conditions from ~2800 to 2000 cal. yr BP may have been climate driven as similar changes are seen at lagoons elsewhere in Cuba. The particle size data show several periods where sand-sized particles are more abundant; these periods are similar to data from Puerto Rico that document times of relatively frequent hurricanes. This paper shows that coastal lagoons are useful archives of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental information in the Caribbean region and that they should be the focus of additional research efforts.
A case of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome: first report with advanced cardiac imaging using MRI
Authors: Rosenbaum A N , Anavekar N S , Ernste F C , Mankad S V , Le R J , Manocha K K , Barsness G W
Published: May 2015

This present case pertains to a 48-year-old woman with a history of antiphospholipid syndrome, who presented with progressive fatigue, generalized weakness, and orthopnea acutely. She had a prior diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome with recurrent deep vein thromboses (DVTs) and repeated demonstration of lupus anticoagulants. She presented in cardiogenic shock with markedly elevated troponin and global myocardial dysfunction on echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization revealed minimal disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed, which revealed findings of perfusion defects and microvascular obstruction, consistent with the pathophysiology of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). Diagnosis was made based on supportive imaging, including head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealing multifocal, acute strokes; microvascular thrombosis in the dermis; and subacute renal infarctions. The patient was anticoagulated with intravenous unfractionated heparin and received high-dose methylprednisolone, plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and one dose each of rituximab and cyclophosphamide. She convalesced with eventual myocardial recovery after a complicated course. The diagnosis of CAPS relies on the presence of (1) antiphospholipid antibodies and (2) involvement of multiple organs in a microangiopathic thrombotic process with a close temporal association. The myocardium is frequently affected, and heart failure, either as the presenting symptom or cause of death, is common. Despite echocardiographic evidence of myocardial dysfunction in such patients, MRIs of CAPS have not previously been reported. This case highlights the utility in assessing the involvement of the myocardium by the microangiopathic process with MRI. Because the diagnosis of CAPS requires involvement in multiple organ systems, cardiac MRI is likely an underused tool that not only reaffirms the pathophysiology of CAPS, but could also clue clinicians in to the possibility of a diffuse thrombotic process.
The quality of obtaining surgical informed consent
Authors: Joolaee Soodabeh , Faghanipour Somayeh , Hajibabaee Fatemeh
Published: May 2015

Background:

Informed consent goes beyond signing a form; it is a process of providing necessary information, helping patients make an informed decision, and actively participate in their treatment.

Aim/objective:

This study aimed to assess the quality of obtaining surgical informed consent in hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Research design/participants/context:

In a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study, 300 patients were chosen through stratified sampling from seven hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers and analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics on SPSS software.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval of this study was granted by Tehran University of Medical Sciences research ethics committee. Written informed consent for participation was obtained. The participants were reassured that their information will be used anonymously and their answers will not affect their treatment and care.

Findings:

The mean score of quality of acquisition of informed consent was 17.13 out of 35, indicating that the quality falls in the inappropriate category. The results indicate that 48% of the signatories do not even read the form before signing it. Among the 52% who did read the consent form, 61.3% mentioned varying degrees of incomprehensibility of the consent form and 94.2% mentioned the presence of incomprehensible technical, medical and legal vocabulary. Only 12% and 18% of respondents reported that they were not in hurry and they had no fear or anxiety, respectively, when signing the form. The quality of obtaining informed consent was higher in women, younger patients, patients with higher education, and those who had special surgeries.

Discussion:

This study shows a poor practice in obtaining surgical informed consent in Iran. It seems necessary to consider fundamental changes in the process of acquiring consent based on the temporal and local conditions of the patients.
Comparing Genomic Profiles of Women With and Without Fibromyalgia
Authors: Lukkahatai Nada , Walitt Brian , Espina Alexandra , Wang Dan , Saligan Leorey N.
Published: May 2015

Background:

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a chronic musculoskeletal condition characterized by diffuse pain, fatigue, sleep impairment, and cognitive dysfunction, is associated with significant functional disability. Its underlying biological mechanisms are unknown. This study investigated differentially expressed genes between women with FMS and healthy volunteers.

Methods:

Women who met the 1990 or 2010 American College of Rheumatology fibromyalgia criteria were compared to age- and race-matched pain-free healthy women. Peripheral blood samples were collected, and a full genome microarray gene expression analysis was performed. One-way analysis of variance was used to identify differentially expressed genes using the filtering criterion of 1% false discovery rate. Analysis of canonical pathways associated with these genes was performed. Confirmatory quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay verified microarray results. Independent t-tests compared gene and protein expression between groups.

Result:

Participants were 54 women with FMS and 25 controls. Expression arrays from a subset of women with FMS ( n = 29) and controls ( n = 20) showed upregulation of 12 genes (>1.8-fold change, p < .05) in the FMS sample. Differentially expressed genes were related to B-cell development, primary immunodeficiency signaling, and mitotic roles of polo-like kinase. CENPK and HSP90AA1 were the most differentially expressed genes ( p < .01).

Conclusion:

Activity of interrelated pathways related to immune response, and homeostasis appears to be relevant to the experience of FMS. Replication and exploration of the relationship between gene expression and symptom severity will help determine clinical relevance of these findings.
Characteristics of lesional and extra-lesional cortical grey matter in relapsing–remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: A magnetisation transfer and diffusion tensor imaging study
Authors: Yaldizli Özgür , Pardini Matteo , Sethi Varun , Muhlert Nils , Liu Zheng , Tozer Daniel J , Samson Rebecca S , Wheeler-Kingshott Claudia AM , Yousry Tarek A , Miller David H , Chard Declan T
Published: May 2015

Background:

In multiple sclerosis (MS), diffusion tensor and magnetisation transfer imaging are both abnormal in lesional and extra-lesional cortical grey matter, but differences between clinical subtypes and associations with clinical outcomes have only been partly assessed.

Objective:

To compare mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy and magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) in cortical grey matter lesions (detected using phase-sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR) imaging) and extra-lesional cortical grey matter, and assess associations with disability in relapse-onset MS.

Methods:

Seventy-two people with MS (46 relapsing–remitting (RR), 26 secondary progressive (SP)) and 36 healthy controls were included in this study. MTR, mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were measured in lesional and extra-lesional cortical grey matter.

Results:

Mean fractional anisotropy was higher and MTR lower in lesional compared with extra-lesional cortical grey matter. In extra-lesional cortical grey matter mean fractional anisotropy and MTR were lower, and mean diffusivity was higher in the MS group compared with controls. Mean MTR was lower and mean diffusivity was higher in lesional and extra-lesional cortical grey matter in SPMS when compared with RRMS. These differences were independent of disease duration. In multivariate analyses, MTR in extra-lesional more so than lesional cortical grey matter was associated with disability.

Conclusion:

Magnetic resonance abnormalities in lesional and extra-lesional cortical grey matter are greater in SPMS than RRMS. Changes in extra-lesional compared with lesional cortical grey matter are more consistently associated with disability.
Is there concordance in attitudes and beliefs between parents and scientists about autism spectrum disorder?
Authors: Fischbach Ruth L , Harris Mark J , Ballan Michelle S , Fischbach Gerald D , Link Bruce G
Published: May 2015

There is no reported investigation comparing concordance in attitudes and beliefs about autism spectrum disorder between parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and scientists who research autism spectrum disorder. To investigate the level of concordance between these groups on causes of autism, priorities of research, perceived stigma, and disclosure of genetic test results, telephone interviews were conducted. Parents (n = 502) were recruited from the Simons Simplex Collection, and research scientists (n = 60) were recruited from investigators funded by the Simons Foundation. Response rates were notable (parents 91%, scientists 80%). Parents and scientists differed significantly regarding beliefs of the likely major cause of autism (p = 0.007) and priorities for further research (p < 0.001). Scientists believed in genetic causes while many parents believed in vaccines as the cause of autism. Parents (37%) were more likely to hesitate vaccinating their child (p < 0.001). In contrast, there was strong concordance regarding extent of perceived stigma (95% vs 92%) and preferences for disclosure of genetic test results, including incidental findings. While scientists believed communication important, paradoxically fewer than half reported it important for scientists to communicate directly with parents. Better communication between parents and scientists should improve mutual understanding and ultimately the health and well-being of children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
An exploration of social workers' role in remunerative vocational training: Caring, controlling, or contractual?
Authors: Cheung Johnson Chun-Sing
Published: May 2015

From supervision and on-the-job training to emotional support, career counseling, and life planning, social workers' contributions to young trainees in remunerative vocational training (RVT) are important. However, their contributions have rarely been discussed in the literature. Consequently, five in-depth interviews were conducted with social workers and agency administrators from five state-sponsored NGOs in Hong Kong to examine the role of social workers in RVT. This study examines the experience of RVT and the construction of the social worker role from a social work perspective that has rarely been discussed. Narrative inquiry is used to analyze and understand the stories told. The findings suggest that tensions arise in this atypical worker–client relationship because of the simultaneous incorporation of caring, controlling, and contractual elements. Arranging appropriate resources at the policy level and establishing a supportive working environment at the agency level are recommended to relieve the burdens of over-worked practitioners.
High-flow venous pouch aneurysm in the rabbit carotid artery: A model for large aneurysms
Authors: Krähenbühl Anna K , Gralla Jan , Abu-Isa Janine , Mordasini Pasquale , Widmer Hans R , Raabe Andreas , Reinert Michael
Published: May 2015

Background and purpose

Currently one of the most widely used models for the development of endovascular techniques and coiling devices for treatment of aneurysm is the elastase-induced aneurysm model in the rabbit carotid artery. Microsurgical techniques for creating an aneurysm with a venous pouch have also been established, although both techniques usually result in aneurysms less than 1 cm in diameter. We investigated whether an increase in blood flow toward the neck would produce larger aneurysms in a microsurgical venous pouch model.

Materials and methods

Microsurgical operations were performed on 11 New Zealand white rabbits. Both carotid arteries and the right jugular vein were dissected, and the right carotid artery was temporarily clipped followed by an arteriotomy. The left carotid artery was also clipped proximally, ligated distally, and sutured onto the proximal half of the arteriotomy in the right carotid artery. The venous graft was sutured onto the distal half of the arteriotomy. Digital subtraction angiography was also performed.

Results

Angiography showed patent anastomosed vessels and aneurysms in the seven surviving rabbits. Mean aneurysm measurements among surviving rabbits with patent vessels were: 13.9 mm length, 9.3 mm width, and neck diameter 4.7 mm. The resulting mean aspect ratio was 3.35 and the mean bottleneck ratio was 3.05.

Conclusion

A large venous graft and increased blood flow toward the base of the aneurysm seem to be key factors in the creation of large venous pouch aneurysms. These large aneurysms allow testing of endovascular devices designed for large and giant aneurysms.