bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collaboration and precision in quantum measurement
Authors: Sewell Robert J. , Mitchell Morgan W.
Published: December 2011

Suitably engineered interactions between atoms and the lasers that probe them enable experimenters to dramatically improve measurement sensitivity.
Identification of weather parameters related to regional population outbreak risk of common voles (Microtus arvalis) in Eastern Germany
Authors: Imholt C. , Esther A. , Perner J. , Jacob J.
Published: December 2011

Context Common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations can increase to several thousand individuals per hectare during outbreaks. In central Europe such outbreaks usually extend across large areas but there can be significant regional differences in outbreak intensity, general outbreak risk and associated crop damage. Aims We tested whether weather parameters can be used to explain the regional variability in outbreak risk of common voles in an area of Eastern Germany where common vole outbreaks are common. Method Suitable weather parameters were identified by principal component analysis (PCA). Time series of common vole abundance from 50 locations across 36 500 km2 sampled in 1973–97 were related to weather parameters selected by PCA and multiple linear regression. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used on relevant weather parameters to display the temporal and spatial variability in vole abundance. An overlay of risk class transformed abundances allowed for the identification of appropriate threshold values to define vole outbreaks. Key results Weather parameters were closely related to the variation in regional outbreak risk of common voles. Mostly weather parameters in winter and early spring were identified to be highly important. All risk thresholds tested revealed similar patterns for the distribution of risk classes across locations and years. While most years of very low or very high outbreak risk clustered well according to weather parameters, some cases of medium risk classes did not cluster well. Conclusions Weather parameters especially in winter and early spring are related to common vole outbreak risk in the following autumn. This is the case for extremely high and low outbreak risks and is largely independent of the choice of particular threshold values for outbreak risk. Implications Weather parameters could be used to develop automated forecast systems at the spatial resolution of single weather stations. Combined with other parameters that are easily available, such as information on soil characteristics, such forecasts might be as reliable as more complex biological models developed in the past.
Can humans outsmart rodents? Learning to work collectively and strategically
Authors: Palis Florencia G. , Singleton Grant R. , Brown Peter R. , Huan Nguyen Huu , Umali Christian , Nga Nguyen Thi Duong
Published: December 2011

Context Rodents are one of the major constraints in Asian rice production, both in pre- and post-harvest. Rodents are often perceived by farmers in developing countries to be consistently outsmarting humans – a belief that needs to be overcome. Ecologically based rodent management (EBRM) is a possible solution to manage rodent populations effectively, which in turn can help sustain food security in Asia. Well coordinated community action is necessary to effectively carry out EBRM. This paper considers the socio-cultural challenges of EBRM. Aims To determine whether a multi-stakeholder partnership, facilitated through experiential learning and the use of existing social capital, can generate collective actions for strategic rodent management. Methods Participatory action research was employed in the implementation of EBRM in irrigated rice systems in the Red River Delta in Vietnam. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used including household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Key results The multi-stakeholder partnership and participatory approach effectively generated adoption of EBRM. The strong linkages between extension and political organisations generated diffusion of EBRM into neighbouring provinces. The adoption of EBRM reduced rodenticide use (50%), decreased rice areas with rodent damage (93%), increased rice yields (10–14%), increased economic returns for farmers (20%), strengthened farmers’ collective actions, and changed farmers’ perspectives on rodent management towards a biologically sustainable approach. Conclusions Humans can indeed outsmart rodents through the use of EBRM principles that rely on community actions. Sustainable community actions can be achieved through participatory approaches and a multi-stakeholder partnership built on existing social capital of the society and local communities. Overall, the adoption of EBRM meant better rice yields, higher economic returns for farmers, and reduced human health and environmental risks. Implications To address the problem of sustainable adoption by farmers of an agricultural technology for natural resource management, active participation of various stakeholders through a multi-stakeholder partnership is essential. This partnership should emanate from the social capital of the society, such as the networks of organisations across different scales, from the national to the village level, and the cultural norms and values adhered to by the members of the society and local communities.
Evolution of neuroarchitecture, multi-level analyses and calibrative reductionism
Authors: Berntson Gary G. , Norman Greg J. , Hawkley Louise C. , Cacioppo John T.
Published: December 2011

Evolution has sculpted the incredibly complex human nervous system, among the most complex functions of which extend beyond the individual to an intricate social structure. Although these functions are deterministic, those determinants are legion, heavily interacting and dependent on a specific evolutionary trajectory. That trajectory was directed by the adaptive significance of quasi-random genetic variations, but was also influenced by chance and caprice. With a different evolutionary pathway, the same neural elements could subserve functions distinctly different from what they do in extant human brains. Consequently, the properties of higher level neural networks cannot be derived readily from the properties of the lower level constituent elements, without studying these elements in the aggregate. Thus, a multi-level approach to integrative neuroscience may offer an optimal strategy. Moreover, the process of calibrative reductionism, by which concepts and understandings from one level of organization or analysis can mutually inform and ‘calibrate’ those from other levels (both higher and lower), may represent a viable approach to the application of reductionism in science. This is especially relevant in social neuroscience, where the basic subject matter of interest is defined by interacting organisms across diverse environments.
Non-local effects in radial heat transport in silicon thin layers and graphene sheets
Authors: Sellitto A. , Jou D. , Bafaluy J.
Published: December 2011

We explore non-local effects in radially symmetric heat transport in silicon thin layers and in graphene sheets. In contrast to one-dimensional perturbations, which may be well described by means of the Fourier law with a suitable effective thermal conductivity, two-dimensional radial situations may exhibit a more complicated behaviour, not reducible to an effective Fourier law. In particular, a hump in the temperature profile is predicted for radial distances shorter than the mean-free path of heat carriers. This hump is forbidden by the local-equilibrium theory, but it is allowed in more general thermodynamic theories, and therefore it may have a special interest regarding the formulation of the second law in ballistic heat transport.
Programmed Cell Death Occurs Asymmetrically during Abscission in Tomato
Authors: Bar-Dror Tal , Dermastia Marina , Kladnik Aleš , Žnidarič Magda Tušek , Novak Maruša Pompe , Meir Shimon , Burd Shaul , Philosoph-Hadas Sonia , Ori Naomi , Sonego Lilian , Dickman Martin B. , Lers Amnon
Published: December 2011

Abscission occurs specifically in the abscission zone (AZ) tissue as a natural stage of plant development. Previously, we observed delay of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaf abscission when the LX ribonuclease (LX) was inhibited. The known association between LX expression and programmed cell death (PCD) suggested involvement of PCD in abscission. In this study, hallmarks of PCD were identified in the tomato leaf and flower AZs during the late stage of abscission. These included loss of cell viability, altered nuclear morphology, DNA fragmentation, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species and enzymatic activities, and expression of PCD-associated genes. Overexpression of antiapoptotic proteins resulted in retarded abscission, indicating PCD requirement. PCD, LX, and nuclease gene expression were visualized primarily in the AZ distal tissue, demonstrating an asymmetry between the two AZ sides. Asymmetric expression was observed for genes associated with cell wall hydrolysis, leading to AZ, or associated with ethylene biosynthesis, which induces abscission. These results suggest that different abscission-related processes occur asymmetrically between the AZ proximal and distal sides. Taken together, our findings identify PCD as a key mechanism that occurs asymmetrically during normal progression of abscission and suggest an important role for LX in this PCD process.
Spatial‐temporal expression of pum1 and pum2 in medaka Oryzias latipes
Authors: Zhao H. , Cui J. , Wang Y. , Liu X. , Zhao D. , Duan J.
Published: December 2011

Two pumilios, pum1 and pum2, were identified in medaka Oryzias latipes. Oryzias latipes pum1 and pum2 are ubiquitous in the adult tissues but with specific expression in the germ cells of gonads, ovary and testis. Pum1 is expressed in the spermatogonia to spermatocytes whilst pum2 presents in spermatocytes of testis only. Oryzias latipes pum1 and pum2 are maternally supplied RNA with ubiquitous expression in the early stages, and embryonic expression of pum1 and pum2 may begin from early gastrula. Both pum1 and pum2 are expressed in the tissues including brain, eye and trunk, and both are expressed in the gonads after hatching. Taken together, Pum1 and Pum2 may play important roles in embryonic and germ cell development of O. latipes.
Clinical significance of the WHO grades of follicular lymphoma in a population‐based cohort of 505 patients with long follow‐up times
Authors: Wahlin Björn E. , Yri Olav E. , Kimby Eva , Holte Harald , Delabie Jan , Smeland Erlend B. , Sundström Christer , Christensson Birger , Sander Birgitta
Published: December 2011

The prognostic value of grading follicular lymphoma has been debated since the 1980s. There is consensus that World Health Organization (WHO) grades 1 and 2 are indolent, but not whether grades 3A or 3B are aggressive. We retrospectively reviewed the follicular lymphoma diagnoses according to the 2008 WHO classification in all diagnostic specimens from a population‐based cohort of 505 patients with a median follow‐up time of 10·0 years (range, 4·6–16·0). After excluding 43 patients with concomitant diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, 345 remained with grade 1–2, 94 with grade 3A, and 23 with grade 3B follicular lymphoma. Grades 1–2 and 3A seemed equally indolent, with indistinguishable clinical courses, even in patients receiving anthracyclines. Compared with grades 1–3A and independently of clinical factors, grade 3B correlated with higher mortality (P = 0·008), but outcome was improved after upfront anthracycline‐containing therapy (P = 0·015). In contrast to grade 1–3A patients, grade 3B patients experienced no relapses or deaths beyond 5 years of follow‐up. Furthermore, patients with grade 3B were predominantly male and seldom presented with bone‐marrow involvement. We conclude that follicular lymphoma grade 1–3A is indolent and incurable with conventional therapy. Grade 3B appears to be an aggressive but curable disease.
Electronic medical records for appropriate timing of arthroplasty
Authors: Tirkkonen Kari , Hurme Saija , Rautava Päivi , Virolainen Petri
Published: December 2011

Objective  The objective of this study was to analyse whether electronic medical records (EMRs) of total hip and knee arthroplasty can be used to manage the optimal time of surgery.

Design  Retrospective registry study.

Setting  Data on waiting time for operation, age, gender, body mass index (BMI), operable condition pre‐operatively and the functional scores at 3 and 12 months after arthroplasty were obtained from EMRs and from an electronic implant database.

Participants  The participants of the study were 162 arthroplasty patients.

Results  An increase in waiting time of hip patients decreased significantly the change in functional scores at 3 months (P = 0.006, n = 56). The score reductions of older patients were more marked than of younger patients and of patients of normal weight compared with overweight patients. In patients undergoing knee arthroplasty, the association between a longer waiting time and profound change in functional score was statistically significant after 1 year (P = 0.03, n = 75). After adjustment of the results for pre‐operative scores, age group, BMI class, American Society of Anesthesiologists class and gender, the waiting time turned out to affect only the scores of patients undergoing hip arthroplasty at 3 months post‐operatively.

Conclusions  Data from electronic patient entries complemented with data of the operable condition can be used for defining the optimal operation time with regard to the pre‐operative condition of the patients. The implication of prolonged waiting times was not very profound, but elderly patients benefit from a short waiting time.
Invasive candidiasis following liver transplantation and surgical complications
Authors: Auzinger Georg
Published: December 2011

The following case report describes a patient with acute liver failure who presented in multiple organ failure and required emergency liver transplantation. A complicated postoperative course lead to sepsis which did not respond to conventional anti bacterial therapy. Despite antifungal prophylaxis with an azole invasive candidiasis was diagnosed and the patient was successfully treated with anidulafungin. The difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of invasive fungal infections in this population are highlighted.
Getting it right first time in a patient with Candida peritonitis
Authors: de Lange D. W.
Published: December 2011

Here a patient is presented with a mediastinitis, pleural empyema and peritonitis with Candida glabrata and Enterococcus faecium after a complicated robot‐assisted thoracolaparoscopic oesophagolymphadectomy esophagectomy. This case description highlights some of the therapeutic dilemmas that physicians face when treating critically ill patients with health care‐associated invasive Candida infections. The current guidelines and treatment with echinocandins are discussed.
ON THE “PRO‐POORNESS” OF GROWTH IN A MULTIDIMENSIONAL CONTEXT
Authors: BÉRENGER VALÉRIE , BRESSON FLORENT
Published: December 2011

This paper represents a first attempt to bring together the issues of multidimensional poverty and growth “pro‐poorness” assessments. More specifically, we suggest the use of sequential dominance procedures to test the “pro‐poorness” of observed growth spells when poverty is measured on the basis of income and another discrete well‐being attribute. Sequential procedures are also used to obtain graphical tools that are consistent with the spirit of Ravallion and Chen's growth incidence curve and Son's poverty growth curve. Contrary to traditional unidimensional tests, our method makes it possible to take into account the importance of deprivation correlations at the individual level and thus may reverse results observed with the traditional tools used to check the “pro‐poorness” of growth. An illustration of our approach is given using Turkish data for the period 2003–05.
Enhanced actions of adenosine in medial entorhinal cortex layer II stellate neurons in temporal lobe epilepsy are mediated via A1‐receptor activation
Authors: Hargus Nicholas J. , Jennings Conor , Perez‐Reyes Edward , Bertram Edward H. , Patel Manoj K.
Published: December 2011

Purpose:  The adenosinergic system is known to exert an inhibitory affect in the brain, and as such adenosine has been considered an endogenous anticonvulsant. Entorhinal cortex (EC) layer II neurons, which serve as the primary input to the hippocampus, are spared in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and become hyperexcitable. Because these neurons also express adenosine receptors, the activity of these neurons may be controlled by adenosine, specifically during seizure activity when adenosine levels are thought to rise. In light of this, we determined if the actions of adenosine on medial EC (mEC) layer II stellate neurons are augmented in TLE and by which receptor subtype.

Methods:  Horizontal brain slices were prepared from rats exhibiting spontaneous seizures (TLE) induced by electrical stimulation and compared with age‐matched control rats. mEC layer II stellate neurons were visually identified, and action potentials (APs) were evoked either by a series of depolarizing current injection steps or via presynaptic stimulation of mEC deep layers. The effects of adenosine were compared with actions of adenosine A1 and A2A receptor–specific agonists (CPA and CGS‐21680) and antagonists (DPCPX and ZM‐241385), respectively. Immunohistochemical and qPCR techniques were also employed to assess relative adenosine A1‐receptor message and expression.

Key Findings:  mEC layer II stellate neurons were hyperexcitable in TLE, evoking a higher frequency of APs when depolarized and generating bursts of APs when synaptically stimulated. Adenosine reduced AP frequency and synaptically evoked APs in a dose‐dependent manner (500 nm–100 μm); however, in TLE, the inhibitory actions of adenosine occurred at concentrations that were without affect in control neurons. In both cases, the inhibitory actions of adenosine were mediated via activation of the A1‐ and not the A2A‐receptor subtype. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemical experiments revealed an upregulation of the adenosine A1 mRNA and an increase in A1‐receptor staining in TLE neurons compared to control.

Significance:  Our data indicate that the actions of adenosine on mEC layer II stellate neurons is accentuated in TLE due to an upregulation of adenosine A1‐receptors. Because adenosine levels are thought to rise during seizure activity, activation of adenosine A1‐receptors could provide a possible endogenous mechanism to suppress seizure activity and spread within the temporal lobe.
Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Biomarkers of Myocardial Ischemia Increase after Defibrillation Threshold Testing
Authors: FRANCIS CHARLES K. , KUO YEN‐HONG , AZZAM IYAD , SELIM SAMY , PATEL NISHANT , BERI ROHIT , GOLDMAN DANIEL , GIRGIS IHAB , DANIELS STEVEN
Published: December 2011

Background: During implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion, induced ventricular fibrillation followed by test shocks (defibrillation threshold testing [DFT]) is utilized to confirm effective device function. The effect of DFT on ventricular function is uncertain. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a marker of ventricular dysfunction and hemodynamic stress. We hypothesized that DFT causes increased BNP levels.

Methods: BNP, creatine kinase, creatine kinase‐MB (CK‐MB), and troponin I (cTnI) were measured in 31 patients (mean age 71.4 years; 12 women) at preinsertion (T1), at 2–4 hours (T2), and at 8–12 hours (T3) after DFT. Biomarker levels were compared in patients receiving one shock (Group A) or two shocks (Group B).

Results: After DFT all biomarkers increased above baseline levels but did not reach levels diagnostic for myocardial infarction. From T1 to T2, elevations in CK‐MB and cTnI occurred in the highest proportion of patients (CK‐MB 90% and cTnI 84%). From T1 to T3, elevation in BNP and cTnI were most prevalent (BNP 83% and cTnI 90%). Significant increases were measured in BNP levels from T1 to T3 (P = 0.0003), CK‐MB levels from T1 to T2 (P < 0.0001), and cTnI levels from T1 to T2 (P < 0.0001) and from T1 to T3 (P < 0.0001). CK‐MB levels did not increase significantly from T1 to T3 (P = 0.51).

Conclusions: BNP levels rise progressively after DFT accompanied by early CK‐MB increases and sustained increases in cTnI. These data suggest that DFT is associated with hemodynamic stress and left ventricular dysfunction, as evidenced by increases in BNP. (PACE 2011;1–6)
Bone remodeling‐associated salivary biomarker MIP‐1α distinguishes periodontal disease from health
Authors: Al‐Sabbagh M. , Alladah A. , Lin Y. , Kryscio R. J. , Thomas M. V. , Ebersole J. L. , Miller C. S.
Published: December 2011

Al‐Sabbagh M, Alladah A, Lin Y, Kryscio RJ, Thomas MV, Ebersole JL, Miller CS. Bone remodeling‐associated salivary biomarker MIP‐1α distinguishes periodontal disease from health. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 389–395. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Background and Objective:  The field of salivary diagnostics lacks an accepted and validated biomarker of alveolar bone remodeling. To address this, we examined levels of salivary biomolecules specifically associated with biological aspects of bone remodeling in subjects with chronic periodontitis in a case–control study.

Material and Methods:  Levels of macrophage inflammatory protein‐1α (MIP‐1α), osteoprotegerin, C‐telopeptide pyridinoline cross‐links of type I collagen and β‐C‐terminal type I collagen telopeptide in unstimulated whole saliva of 80 subjects (40 subjects with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis and 40 sex‐ and age‐matched healthy control subjects) were measured using enzyme immunosorbent assays. Saliva was collected before clinical examination, which included probing depth, clinical attachment loss and bleeding on probing.

Results:  The mean level of MIP‐1α in subjects with periodontitis was 18‐fold higher than in healthy subjects (p < 0.0001). Clinical periodontal indices correlated significantly with MIP‐1α levels (p < 0.0001). Of the biomolecules examined, MIP‐1α demonstrated the greatest ability to discriminate between periodontal disease and health as determined by the area under the curve (0.94) and classification and regression tree analysis (sensitivity 94% and specificity 92.7%). Osteoprotegerin levels were elevated 1.6‐fold (p = 0.055), whereas C‐telopeptide pyridinoline cross‐links of type I collagen and β‐C‐terminal type I collagen telopeptide levels were below the level of detection in the majority of subjects.

Conclusion:  These findings suggest that the chemokine MIP‐1α may aid in identifying periodontitis. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to determine whether this biomarker can help in ascertaining the progression of bone loss in subjects with periodontal disease.
Platelet‐rich fibrin and bovine porous bone mineral vs. platelet‐rich fibrin in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects
Authors: Lekovic V. , Milinkovic I. , Aleksic Z. , Jankovic S. , Stankovic P. , Kenney E. B. , Camargo P. M.
Published: December 2011

Lekovic V, Milinkovic I, Aleksic Z, Jankovic S, Stankovic P, Kenney EB, Camargo PM. Platelet‐rich fibrin and bovine porous bone mineral vs. platelet‐rich fibrin in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 409–417. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Background and Objective:  Bovine porous bone mineral (BPBM) is a xenograft that has been successfully utilized in periodontal regeneration. Platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) is a leukocyte and platelet preparation that concentrates various polypeptide growth factors and therefore has the potential to be used as regenerative treatment for periodontal defects. The purpose of this study was to examine the suitability of autologous PRF as regenerative treatment for periodontal intrabony defects in humans and to examine the ability of BPBM to augment the regenerative effects exerted by PRF.

Material and Methods:  Using a split‐mouth design, 17 paired intrabony defects were randomly treated either with PRF or with PRF–BPBM combination. Re‐entry surgeries were performed at 6 mo. Primary study outcomes were changes in pocket depth, attachment level and defect fill.

Results:  Preoperative pocket depths, attachment levels and transoperative bone measurements were similar for the PRF and PRF–BPBM groups. Postsurgical measurements revealed a significantly greater reduction in pocket depth in the PRF–BPBM group (4.47 ± 0.78 mm on buccal and 4.29 ± 0.82 mm on lingual sites) when compared with the PRF group (3.35 ± 0.68 mm on buccal and 3.24 ± 0.73 mm on lingual sites). The PRF–BPBM group presented with significantly greater attachment gain (3.82 ± 0.78 mm on buccal and 3.71 ± 0.75 mm on lingual sites) than the PRF group (2.24 ± 0.73 mm on buccal and 2.12 ± 0.68 mm on lingual sites). Defect fill was also greater in the PRF–BPBM group (4.06 ± 0.87 mm on buccal and 3.94 ± 0.73 mm on lingual sites) than in the PRF group (2.21 ± 0.68 mm on buccal and 2.06 ± 0.64 mm on lingual sites).

Conclusion:  The results of this study indicate that PRF can improve clinical parameters associated with human intrabony periodontal defects, and BPBM has the ability to augment the effects of PRF in reducing pocket depth, improving clinical attachment levels and promoting defect fill.
Bacterial communities in floral nectar
Authors: Fridman Svetlana , Izhaki Ido , Gerchman Yoram , Halpern Malka
Published: December 2011

Floral nectar is regarded as the most important reward available to animal‐pollinated plants to attract pollinators. Despite the vast amount of publications on nectar properties, the role of nectar as a natural bacterial habitat is yet unexplored. To gain a better understanding of bacterial communities inhabiting floral nectar, culture‐dependent and ‐independent (454‐pyrosequencing) methods were used. Our findings demonstrate that bacterial communities in nectar are abundant and diverse. Using culture‐dependent method we showed that bacterial communities of nectar displayed significant variation among three plant species: Amygdalus communis, Citrus paradisi and Nicotiana glauca. The dominant class in the nectar bacterial communities was Gammaproteobacteria. About half of the isolates were novel species (< 97% similarities of the 16S rRNA gene with known species). Using 454‐pyrosequencing we demonstrated that nectar microbial community are distinct for each of the plant species while there are no significant differences between nectar microbial communities within nectars taken from different plants of the same species. Primary selection of the nectar bacteria is unclear; it may be affected by variations in the chemical composition of the nectar in each plant. The role of the rich and diverse nectar microflora in the attraction–repulsion relationships between the plant and its nectar consumers has yet to be explored.
A five‐year assessment of clinical incidents requiring transfer in a dental hospital day surgery unit
Authors: Verco S , Bajurnow A , Grubor D , Chandu A
Published: December 2011

Background:  Previous studies regarding general anaesthesia related morbidity and mortality rates for dental surgery have taken the form of a retrospective survey. The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists also do not record morbidity and mortality for dental/oral and maxillofacial procedures. The aim of this study was to document the clinical incidents requiring transfer to another hospital and mortality.

Methods:  Records from patients transferred to another hospital after having treatment under general anaesthesia performed at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2009 were prospectively reviewed.

Results:  There were 17 557 general anaesthesia procedures performed during the review period, including paediatric, special needs and minor oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures. The incidence of morbidity requiring transfer to a hospital with overnight stay facilities was 0.13%. There were no cases of mortality recorded. The most common complication was low oxygen saturation.

Conclusions:  The low incidence of morbidity seen is most likely attributed to the safety of modern anaesthesia and appropriate patient selection. Dentists and dental specialists performing general anaesthesia procedures should be aware of the complications that arise so that informed consent can be obtained. This study also provides a benchmark for general anaesthesia morbidity/mortality for dental procedures.
Colic and diaphragmatic hernias in neonatal foals
Authors: Palmer J. E.
Published: December 2011

Colic in neonatal foals is common and unusual causes of colic are not rare. The case reported in this issue byTapioet al. (2012) is a good example of an unusual cause of neonatal colic which presents both a diagnostic challenge and unusual consequences. Gastrointestinal disease, especially colic, ranks as one of the most common reasons why foals require veterinary attention during their first week of life, beyond the initial post natal examination. Foals with colic present a special diagnostic challenge, especially to the practitioner who might not have extensive experience in neonatal medicine. With the often rapid progression of neonatal diseases it is important to make a rapid and accurate assessment.
Pellet-Cladding Interaction Probability Assessment Model
Authors: Paramonov Dmitry V.
Published: December 2011

The main objective of the reported study was developing a method for predicting pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) failure probability in pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel in transient conditions that would strike a balance between simplicity and accuracy, allows for straightforward implementation within a transient analysis methodology or core monitoring system, and include treatment of the most important PCI factors. The developed best estimate method relies on readily calculated/available quantities, such as nodal burn-up, local power, average cladding temperature, and pressure differential across cladding at zero burnup, uses a power increase past gap closure as a failure criterion. The method allows for calculating failure probability for a given rate of power change or establishing a rate of power change corresponding to a certain failure probability. It also provides for accuracy comparable to a fuel performance code when calculating PCI failure probability in ramp tests and offers a way to infer a safe PCI threshold from ramp test data.
A Global Limit Load Solution for Plates With Embedded Off-Set Elliptical Cracks Under Combined Tension and Bending
Authors: Li Rongsheng , Gao Zengliang , Lei Yuebao
Published: December 2011

A global limit load solution is derived in this paper for embedded off-set elliptical cracks in a plate under combined tension and bending, based on the net-section collapse principle. The new limit load solution is validated using 3D elastic-perfectly plastic finite element (FE) limit analyses. The results show that the limit load solution developed in this paper is conservative and close to the elastic-perfectly-plastic FE results. The global limit load solution is then compared with the limit load solution based on the rectangular crack assumption, showing that the difference between the two solutions is negligible as the ratio of crack length to the plate width is less than 0.25. However, the difference may become significant when the ratio approaches one.
Molecular characterization of organellar rhomboid proteins inArabidopsis
Authors: Sedivy-Haley Katharine , Powles Joshua , Newcomb William , Ko Kenton
Published: December 2011

The list of cellular processes involving rhomboid serine proteases and regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) is growing, diverse, and spans different species. The latest entrants to the RIP phenomenon are the plant rhomboid proteases. Although natural rhomboid protease substrates and their corresponding processes have been identified from insects to mammals, the current knowledge on plant rhomboid proteases is limited. This study was thus aimed at revealing further details about the roles of three Arabidopsis organellar rhomboid proteases and like proteins. Globally, the patterns revealed at the transcript level suggest that the three Arabidopsis rhomboid proteins under study are linked partly to growth and development. Further evidence for a linkage to growth and development was obtained for the organellar rhomboid protein, At1g74130. This link was most evident during the early growth phases of the various tissues assessed, e.g., At1g74130 expression was greater in young, expanding leaves than in mature leaves. This expression pattern appears to correlate with the responses of the Arabidopsis At1g74130 mutant, where there were observable delays in germination and growth. These delays appear to be associated with the early stages of plastid development and can be observed as changes at the cellular level and at the level of chlorophyll content. The data reported here suggest that organellar rhomboid proteins, in particular At1g74130, may take part in growth and development.
RESULTS FROM PHENIX AT RHIC WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR LHC
Authors: TANNENBAUM M. J.
Published: December 2011

Results from the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in nucleus–nucleus and proton–proton collisions at c.m. energy [Formula: see text] are presented in the context of the methods of single and two-particle inclusive reactions which were used in the discovery of hard-scattering in p–p collisions at the CERN ISR in the 1970's. These techniques are used at RHIC in A + A collisions because of the huge combinatoric background from the large particle multiplicity. Topics include J/Ψ suppression, jet quenching in the dense medium (sQGP) as observed with π0 at large transverse momentum, thermal photons, collective flow, two-particle correlations, suppression of heavy quarks at large pT and its possible relation to Higgs searches at the LHC. The differences and similarities of the measurements in p–p and A + A collisions are presented. The two discussion sessions which followed the lectures on which this article is based are included at the end.
Energy Homeostasis and Body Weight before and after Cessation of Block and Replacement Therapy in Euthyroid Patients with Graves' Disease
Authors: Klieverik Lars P. , Kalsbeek Andries , Ackermans Mariëtte T. , Sauerwein Hans P. , Wiersinga Wilmar M. , Fliers Eric
Published: December 2011

Patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism (GH) treated with a combination of thyrostatic drugs and T4, that is, block and replacement therapy (BRT), often report body weight (BW) gain. We aimed to determine changes in BW and energy metabolism upon cessation of BRT in these patients, and to identify possible endocrine determinants. We analysed 22 patients with GH (i) during BRT, and (ii) 12 weeks after BRT cessation. Patients were euthyroid at both visits. There were no differences in BW or resting energy expenditure (REE) between visits. At visit 1, after 13.5 (9.5–48.0) months of BRT, serum free (F)T4correlated positively with REE (, ) and negatively with body fat % (, ). Plasma FT3and FT3/FT4ratio showed an increase 12 w after cessation of BRT (20%, and 16%, , resp.). Moreover, the relative change in FT3/FT4ratio showed a significant, positive correlation with the relative change in REE between the 2 visits (, ). In conclusion, serum FT4determines REE in euthyroid patients with GH treated with BRT. Twelve weeks after BRT cessation, BW and energy homeostasis are unaltered. However, as serum FT3/FT4ratio increases after cessation of BRT, which is a positive determinant of changes in REE, a longer term BW decrease is likely to occur.
The Phonetic Manifestation of French /s#∫/ and /∫#s/ Sequences in Different Vowel Contexts: On the Occurrence and the Domain of Sibilant Assimilation
Authors: Niebuhr Oliver , Meunier Christine
Published: December 2011

While assimilation was initially regarded as a categorical replacement of phonemes or phonological features, subsequent detailed phonetic analyses showed that assimilation actually generates a wide spectrum of intermediate forms in terms of speech timing and spectrum. However, the focus of these analyses predominantly remained on the assimilated speech sound. In the present study we go one step ahead in two ways. First, we look at acoustic phonetic detail that differs in the French vowels /i, a, u/ preceding single /s/ and /∫/ sibilants as well as /s#∫/ and /∫#s/ sibilant sequences. Second, our vowel measurements include not only F1 and F2 frequencies, but also traditional prosodic parameters like duration, intensity and voice quality. The vowels and sibilants were recorded as the central part of CVC#CVC pseudo-names in a contextualized read-speech paradigm. In the single-sibilant conditions we found that the vowels preceding /∫/ were longer, breathier, less intense, and had more cardinal F2 values than before /s/. For the /s#∫/ and /∫#s/ conditions we found regressive and progressive /s/-to-[∫] assimilation that was complete in terms of spectral centre-of-gravity measurements, although French is said to have only voice assimilation. Moreover, the vowels preceding the /s#∫/ sequences still bear an imprint of /s/ despite the assimilation towards [ ∫∫]. We discuss the implications of these findings for the time window and the completeness of assimilation as well as for the basic units in speech communication.
The slave who was slain twice: causality and the lex Aquilia (Iulian. 86 dig. D. 9,2,51)
Authors: Sirks A.J.B.
Published: December 2011

D. 9,2,51, in which a slave is slain twice and dies, and where Julian considers both assailants equally liable for killing, has been interpreted in the context of causa superveniens. In that case Julian's opinion becomes contradictory. It is argued that the text should be read in the context of the Stoic theories on causality as current among the jurists in the first centuries AD. In these theories there existed no causa superveniens as of the modern causality theory. As such its application is ill at place here. Instead, in applying these Stoic theories Julian's view can be explained as his attributing a causa antecedens to the first assailant, with full imputation of the effect of the subsequent causa principalis to him, and attributing a causa adiuvans to the second assailant, while valuing at the same time the latter not just as a reinforcing cause but also as a causa mortis and a full effective cause. For other jurists the latter evidently went too far.
R2P's Missing Link, Culture
Authors: Mani Rama , Weiss Thomas G.
Published: December 2011

Culture has been absent from analyses and debates about the responsibility to protect (R2P) norm. The use of the military to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya and to protect civilians took place with support from the local population and more widely across the Arab World even when the dominant 'culture' supposedly made outside interference unthinkable. As R2P enters its second decade, a deeper understanding of culture is desirable, as is the incorporation of cultural perspectives in framing responses to mass atrocities. UN debates and resolutions have helped dispel myths about R2P and reaffirmed its validity as a universal norm that is close to a 'tipping point'. Instead of an 'emerging' norm (the original contention in 2001 by the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty), R2P has 'emerged' as consensus continues to widen and deepen across the North and the global South. This essay shares insights from research about cultural perspectives in the global South from local researchers who explore three themes (religion and spirituality, philosophy and ethics, and art and aesthetics) and three country cases (Rwanda, Kosovo, and Nepal).
Genome-wide case-control study in GAW17 using coalesced rare variants
Authors: Wang Libo , Pungpapong Vitara , Lin Yanzhu , Zhang Min , Zhang Dabao
Published: December 2011

Genome-wide association studies have successfully identified numerous loci at which common variants influence disease risks or quantitative traits of interest. Despite these successes, the variants identified by these studies have generally explained only a small fraction of the variations in the phenotype. One explanation may be that many rare variants that are not included in the common genotyping platforms may contribute substantially to the genetic variations of the diseases. Next-generation sequencing, which would better allow for the analysis of rare variants, is now becoming available and affordable; however, the presence of a large number of rare variants challenges the statistical endeavor to stably identify these disease-causing genetic variants. We conduct a genome-wide association study of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 case-control data produced by the next-generation sequencing technique and propose that collapsing rare variants within each genetic region through a supervised dimension reduction algorithm leads to several macrovariants constructed for rare variants within each genetic region. A simultaneous association of the phenotype to all common variants and macrovariants is undertaken using a linear discriminant analysis using the penalized orthogonal-components regression algorithm. The results suggest that the proposed analysis strategy shows promise but needs further development.
Evaluating methods for the analysis of rare variants in sequence data
Authors: Luedtke Alexander , Powers Scott , Petersen Ashley , Sitarik Alexandra , Bekmetjev Airat , Tintle Nathan L
Published: December 2011

A number of rare variant statistical methods have been proposed for analysis of the impending wave of next-generation sequencing data. To date, there are few direct comparisons of these methods on real sequence data. Furthermore, there is a strong need for practical advice on the proper analytic strategies for rare variant analysis. We compare four recently proposed rare variant methods (combined multivariate and collapsing, weighted sum, proportion regression, and cumulative minor allele test) on simulated phenotype and next-generation sequencing data as part of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17. Overall, we find that all analyzed methods have serious practical limitations on identifying causal genes. Specifically, no method has more than a 5% true discovery rate (percentage of truly causal genes among all those identified as significantly associated with the phenotype). Further exploration shows that all methods suffer from inflated false-positive error rates (chance that a noncausal gene will be identified as associated with the phenotype) because of population stratification and gametic phase disequilibrium between noncausal SNPs and causal SNPs. Furthermore, observed true-positive rates (chance that a truly causal gene will be identified as significantly associated with the phenotype) for each of the four methods was very low (<19%). The combination of larger than anticipated false-positive rates, low true-positive rates, and only about 1% of all genes being causal yields poor discriminatory ability for all four methods. Gametic phase disequilibrium and population stratification are important areas for further research in the analysis of rare variant data.
Identifying rare disease variants in the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 simulated data: a comparison of several statistical approaches
Authors: Fan Ruixue , Huang Chien-Hsun , Lo Shaw-Hwa , Zheng Tian , Ionita-Laza Iuliana
Published: December 2011

Genome-wide association studies have been successful at identifying common disease variants associated with complex diseases, but the common variants identified have small effect sizes and account for only a small fraction of the estimated heritability for common diseases. Theoretical and empirical studies suggest that rare variants, which are much less frequent in populations and are poorly captured by single-nucleotide polymorphism chips, could play a significant role in complex diseases. Several new statistical methods have been developed for the analysis of rare variants, for example, the combined multivariate and collapsing method, the weighted-sum method and a replication-based method. Here, we apply and compare these methods to the simulated data sets of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 and thereby explore the contribution of rare variants to disease risk. In addition, we investigate the usefulness of extreme phenotypes in identifying rare risk variants when dealing with quantitative traits. Finally, we perform a pathway analysis and show the importance of the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway in explaining different phenotypes.
Testing gene-environment interactions in gene-based association studies
Authors: Wang Xuefeng , Qin Huaizhen , Morris Nathan J , Zhu Xiaofeng , Elston Robert C
Published: December 2011

Gene-based and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) set association studies provide an important complement to SNP analysis. Kernel-based nonparametric regression has recently emerged as a powerful and flexible tool for this purpose. Our goal is to explore whether this approach can be extended to incorporate and test for interaction effects, especially for genes containing rare variant SNPs. Here, we construct nonparametric regression models that can be used to include a gene-environment interaction effect under the framework of the least-squares kernel machine and examine the performance of the proposed method on the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 unrelated individuals data set. Two hundred simulated replicates were used to explore the power for detecting interaction. We demonstrate through a genome scan of the quantitative phenotype Q1 that the simulated gene-environment interaction effect in the data can be detected with reasonable power by using the least-squares kernel machine method.
Detecting functional rare variants by collapsing and incorporating functional annotation in Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 mini-exome data
Authors: Yan Xiting , Li Lun , Lee Joon Sang , Zheng Wei , Ferguson John , Zhao Hongyu
Published: December 2011

Association studies using tag SNPs have been successful in detecting disease-associated common variants. However, common variants, with rare exceptions, explain only at most 5–10% of the heritability resulting from genetic factors, which leads to the common disease/rare variants assumption. Indeed, recent studies using sequencing technologies have demonstrated that common diseases can be due to rare variants that could not be systematically studied earlier. Unfortunately, methods for common variants are not optimal if applied to rare variants. To identify rare variants that affect disease risk, several investigators have designed new approaches based on the idea of collapsing different rare variants inside the same genomic block (e.g., the same gene or pathway) to enrich the signal. Here, we consider three different collapsing methods in the multimarker regression model and compared their performance on the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 data using the consistency of results across different simulations and the cross-validation prediction error rate. The comparison shows that the proportion collapsing method seems to outperform the other two methods and can find both truly associated rare and common variants. Moreover, we explore one way of incorporating the functional annotations for the variants in the data that collapses nonsynonymous and synonymous variants separately to allow for different penalties on them. The incorporation of functional annotations led to higher sensitivity and specificity levels when the detection results were compared with the answer sheet. The initial analysis was performed without knowledge of the simulating model.