bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socially synchronized circadian oscillators
Authors: Bloch Guy , Herzog Erik D. , Levine Joel D. , Schwartz William J.
Published: July 2013

Daily rhythms of physiology and behaviour are governed by an endogenous timekeeping mechanism (a circadian ‘clock’). The alternation of environmental light and darkness synchronizes (entrains) these rhythms to the natural day–night cycle, and underlying mechanisms have been investigated using singly housed animals in the laboratory. But, most species ordinarily would not live out their lives in such seclusion; in their natural habitats, they interact with other individuals, and some live in colonies with highly developed social structures requiring temporal synchronization. Social cues may thus be critical to the adaptive function of the circadian system, but elucidating their role and the responsible mechanisms has proven elusive. Here, we highlight three model systems that are now being applied to understanding the biology of socially synchronized circadian oscillators: the fruitfly, with its powerful array of molecular genetic tools; the honeybee, with its complex natural society and clear division of labour; and, at a different level of biological organization, the rodent suprachiasmatic nucleus, site of the brain's circadian clock, with its network of mutually coupled single-cell oscillators. Analyses at the ‘group’ level of circadian organization will likely generate a more complex, but ultimately more comprehensive, view of clocks and rhythms and their contribution to fitness in nature.
Animal clocks: when science meets nature
Authors: Kronfeld-Schor Noga , Bloch Guy , Schwartz William J.
Published: July 2013

Daily rhythms of physiology and behaviour are governed by an endogenous timekeeping mechanism (a circadian ‘clock’), with the alternation of environmental light and darkness synchronizing (entraining) these rhythms to the natural day–night cycle. Our knowledge of the circadian system of animals at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organismal levels is remarkable, and we are beginning to understand how each of these levels contributes to the emergent properties and increased complexity of the system as a whole. For the most part, these analyses have been carried out using model organisms in standard laboratory housing, but to begin to understand the adaptive significance of the clock, we must expand our scope to study diverse animal species from different taxonomic groups, showing diverse activity patterns, in their natural environments. The seven papers in this Special Feature of
Proceedings of the Royal Society B
take on this challenge, reviewing the influences of moonlight, latitudinal clines, evolutionary history, social interactions, specialized temporal niches, annual variation and recently appreciated post-transcriptional molecular mechanisms. The papers emphasize that the complexity and diversity of the natural world represent a powerful experimental resource.
A genome-wide RNAi screen reveals that mRNA decapping restricts bunyaviral replication by limiting the pools of Dcp2-accessible targets for cap-snatching
Authors: Hopkins Kaycie C. , McLane Laura M. , Maqbool Tariq , Panda Debasis , Gordesky-Gold Beth , Cherry Sara
Published: July 2013

Bunyaviruses are an emerging group of medically important viruses, many of which are transmitted from insects to mammals. To identify host factors that impact infection, we performed a genome-wide RNAi screen in Drosophila and identified 131 genes that impacted infection of the mosquito-transmitted bunyavirus Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Dcp2, the catalytic component of the mRNA decapping machinery, and two decapping activators, DDX6 and LSM7, were antiviral against disparate bunyaviruses in both insect cells and adult flies. Bunyaviruses 5′ cap their mRNAs by “cap-snatching” the 5′ ends of poorly defined host mRNAs. We found that RVFV cap-snatches the 5′ ends of Dcp2 targeted mRNAs, including cell cycle-related genes. Loss of Dcp2 allows increased viral transcription without impacting viral mRNA stability, while ectopic expression of Dcp2 impedes viral transcription. Furthermore, arresting cells in late S/early G2 led to increased Dcp2 mRNA targets and increased RVFV replication. Therefore, RVFV competes for the Dcp2-accessible mRNA pool, which is dynamically regulated and can present a bottleneck for viral replication.
A new mechanism of anionic substitution in fluoride borates
Authors: Rashchenko Sergey V. , Bekker Tatyana B. , Bakakin Vladimir V. , Seryotkin Yurii V. , Kokh Alexander E. , Gille Peter , Popov Arthur I. , Fedorov Pavel P.
Published: July 2013

A comprehensive study of the BaF2–Ba3(BO3)2 phase diagram has revealed a significant difference between the two intermediate phases Ba5(BO3)3F and Ba7(BO3)4−y
F2+3y
. The latter exhibited (BO3)3− ↔ 3F− anionic substitution which, unusually, strongly influences the solidus temperature. A comparison of the Ba5(BO3)3F and Ba7(BO3)4−y
F2+3y
crystal structures, along with consideration of other compounds demonstrating (BO3)3− ↔ 3F− isomorphism, allows for the disclosure of the mechanism of (BO3)3− ↔ 3F− heterovalent anionic substitution in fluoride borates via [(BO3)F]4− tetrahedral groups being replaced by four fluoride anions. No exception to this mechanism has been discovered among all known phases with (BO3)3− ↔ 3F− substitution.
MagnesiumK-edge XANES spectroscopy of geological standards
Authors: Yoshimura Toshihiro , Tamenori Yusuke , Iwasaki Nozomu , Hasegawa Hiroshi , Suzuki Atsushi , Kawahata Hodaka
Published: July 2013

MagnesiumK-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra have been investigated to develop a systematic understanding of a suite of Mg-bearing geological materials such as silicate and carbonate minerals, sediments, rocks and chemical reagents. For the model compounds the Mg XANES was found to vary widely between compounds and to provide a fingerprint for the form of Mg involved in geologic materials. The energy positions and resonance features obtained from these spectra can be used to specify the dominant molecular host site of Mg, thus shedding light on Mg partitioning and isotope fractionation in geologic materials and providing a valuable complement to existing knowledge of Mg geochemistry.
TheClinton–Cornwallis Controversy and Responsibility for theBritish Surrender atYorktown
Authors: Middleton Richard
Published: July 2013

TheBritish surrender atYorktown proved one of the most decisive engagements in the history of theAtlantic world. While theAmerican conduct of the campaign has been endlessly studied, theBritish side has been studiously neglected. This article seeks to show how theBritish army came to be stationed atYorktown and why its occupation ended in disaster. Many accusations were made at the time as to who was responsible for the debacle. However, the most public recriminations were those exchanged by the two leading generals, SirHenryClinton andEarlCornwallis.Clinton chargedCornwallis with responsibility forYorktown on three counts. Firstly, he had entered Virginia without authorization, thereby dangerously extendingBritain's military commitments. Secondly, it wasCornwallis who had chosenYorktown as the site for an operational base in Virginia. FinallyCornwallis had failed to exercise proper judgement when faced by imminent danger of entrapment. However, analysis of the evidence reveals thatYorktown was a disaster principally ofClinton's making. It wasClinton who did most to extend theBritish effort inVirginia, andClinton who changed the nature of the war there by insisting on the establishment of an enlarged naval facility. Finally it wasClinton who failed to see the impending danger or the need for revised orders toCornwallis once that danger was clear.
State Expansion and the Criminal Investigation Militia during theRussianCivilWar
Authors: Frame Murray
Published: July 2013

This article examines the militia – the Soviet regular police force – and its criminal investigation branch in the context of the state's dramatic expansion during theRussian civil war, 1917–21. It argues that, although theBolsheviks harboured ideological doubts about centralized police forces, they quickly came to regard the militia as a key fulcrum of the revolutionary state, evidenced not least by the re‐establishment of a unitary force under central state supervision, by its rapid growth during the civil war, and by efforts to ensure its political reliability. Despite the importance attached to the militia, however, it remained a dysfunctional organization during the 1917–21 period. Its criminal investigation branch, in particular, was afflicted by a range of operational problems that undermined its ability to function as an effective arm of the state. This suggests a counter‐narrative to the assumption that statization in itself conferred extensive coercive influence upon theBolshevik regime. Despite the dramatic growth of the state during the civil war, its traction at the grassroots of society remained uneven and unpredictable.
Method for Approximating Colloid Osmotic Pressure in Long‐Term Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Ookawara Susumu , Sato Hiroya , Takeda Hisatoshi , Tabei Kaoru
Published: July 2013

Colloid osmotic pressure (COP) is important in calculating vascular permeability during hemodialysis (HD). However, few reports have directly measured COP in HD patients. Therefore, the currently published formulas may not be clinically optimal for predicting COP for HD patients. Here, the study aims were (i) to directly measure COP in HD patients and compare the measured and predicted COP values using four previously reported formulas, and (ii) to develop a formula for approximating COP using clinical parameters. We obtained 212 measured COP values using an osmometer; the average value was 22.0 ± 0.2 mm Hg. The predicted COP based on the four different formulas was positively correlated with the measured COP (0.87 < r < 0.89), but was significantly overestimated compared to it (P < 0.001). We also performed a stepwise analysis using serum albumin and non‐albumin protein concentrations and obtained the following simple formula for COP approximation: COP (mm Hg) = −7.91 + 5.64 × albumin (g/dL) + 3.00 × non‐albumin proteins (g/dL). A positive linear correlation was observed between the measured COP and approximated COP using this formula (r = 0.90, P < 0.001). We calculated the mean Kr (plasma‐refilling coefficient) as a marker for determining dry weight in HD patients using the measured COP and approximated COP. No differences were observed between the mean Kr derived from the measured and approximated COP. We report here significant differences between measured and predicted COP values, and have devised a simple formula for COP approximation in HD patients.
Lithium tremor revisited: pathophysiology and treatment
Authors: Baek J. H. , Kinrys G. , Nierenberg A. A.
Published: July 2013

Objective

Tremor occurs frequently as a side‐effect of lithium, and it is, however, easily overlooked in the clinical setting. In this article, we attempt to review the pathophysiology and the clinical approach of lithium tremor.

Method

We searched the Pubmed and Cochrane Library for relevant articles up to the year 2012. Sixty‐four articles including 10 review papers, 3 clinical trials, and 12 case reports were reviewed.

Results

Lithium tremor is classified as a postural tremor and subcategorized as an exaggerated physiologic tremor. Differential diagnosis includes metabolic abnormalities, benign essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and lithium toxicity. Various methods of evaluating lithium tremor and treatment options are discussed.

Conclusion

When lithium tremor has developed, thorough history taking, physical examination, and blood examination including serum lithium level are needed. Pharmacotherapy is indicated only in patients with disabling tremor.
Effect of the Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitor Sivelestat on Perioperative Inflammatory Response After Pediatric Heart Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Prospective Randomized Study
Authors: Kohira Satoshi , Oka Norihiko , Inoue Nobuyuki , Itatani Keiichi , Hanayama Naoji , Kitamura Tadashi , Fujii Masami , Takeda Akikazu , Oshima Hiroyuki , Tojo Keiichi , Yoshitake Shigenori , Miyaji Kagami
Published: July 2013

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) elicits a systemic inflammatory response. The neutrophil elastase inhibitor sivelestat is known to suppress this systemic inflammatory response, which can eventually result in acute organ failure. The prophylactic effect of sivelestat on acute lung injury, especially in pediatric cardiac surgery, remains unclear. This prospective double‐blind, randomized study evaluated the perioperative prophylactic effect of sivelestat in patients undergoing elective pediatric open heart surgery with CPB. Thirty consecutive patients, weighing 5–10 kg and undergoing open heart surgery with CPB, were assigned to sivelestat (n = 15) or control (n = 15) groups. From CPB initiation to 24 h after surgery, patients in the sivelestat group received a continuous intravenous infusion of 0.2 mg/kg/h sivelestat, whereas patients in the control group received the same volume of 0.9% saline. Blood samples were collected, and levels of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, tumor necrosis factor alpha, polymorphonuclear elastase (PMN‐E), C‐reactive protein (CRP), as well as the white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet count, and neutrophil count (NC) were measured. PMN‐E levels, IL‐8 levels, WBC count, NC, and CRP levels were significantly lower, and platelet count was significantly higher in the sivelestat group, according to repeated two‐way analysis of variance. The activated coagulation time was significantly shorter in the sivelestat group, similarly, blood loss was significantly less in the sivelestat group. In conclusion, Sivelestat attenuates perioperative inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing pediatric heart surgery with CPB.
Effects of Pulsatile Bioreactor Culture on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Seeded on Electrospun Poly (lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) Scaffold
Authors: Mun Cho Hay , Jung Youngmee , Kim Sang‐Heon , Kim Hee Chan , Kim Soo Hyun
Published: July 2013

Electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds have several advantages, such as an extremely high surface‐to‐volume ratio, tunable porosity, and malleability to conform over a wide variety of sizes and shapes. However, there are limitations to culturing the cells on the scaffold, including the inability of the cells to infiltrate because of the scaffold's nano‐sized pores. To overcome the limitations, we developed a controlled pulsatile bioreactor that produces static and dynamic flow, which improves transfer of such nutrients and oxygen, and a tubular‐shaped vascular graft using cell matrix engineering. Electrospun scaffolds were seeded with smooth muscle cells (SMCs), cultured under dynamic or static conditions for 14 days, and analyzed. Mechanical examination revealed higher burst strength in the vascular grafts cultured under dynamic conditions than under static conditions. Also, immunohistology stain for alpa smooth muscle actin showed the difference ofSMCdistribution and existence on the scaffold between the static and dynamic culture conditions. The higher proliferation rate ofSMCs in dynamic culture rather than static culture could be explained by the design of the bioreactor which mimics the physical environment such as media flow and pressure through the lumen of the construct. This supports regulation of collagen and leads to a significant increase in tensile strength of the engineered tissues. These results showed that theSMCs/electrospinning poly (lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) scaffold constructs formed tubular‐shaped vascular grafts and could be useful in vascular tissue engineering.
Obesity and the need for bariatric surgery in Pakistan
Authors: Shah Adil Aijaz , Shariff Amir Hafeez
Published: July 2013

After establishing a foothold in the West, the pandemic of obesity now threatens to spin out of control in the developing nations of Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Like many of its neighbors, Pakistan has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the number of overweight and obese individuals in its population, and obesity is proving to be an issue of considerable public health concern. Conventional medical therapies for obesity and related complications have proven to be less than effective, especially in the population of the southeast, which appears to be inherently predisposed to developing obesity‐related complications. Bariatric surgery is fast emerging as a definitive therapeutic alternative for obesity and has proven to be highly successful and cost‐effective at producing remission of complications of the same. In this article, we expound the need for introducing and incorporating bariatric surgery as part of the therapeutic protocols for obese individuals of South Asian descent suffering from the chronic and debilitating complications of obesity.
The effects of computer‐simulation game training on participants' opinions on leadership styles
Authors: Siewiorek Anna , Gegenfurtner Andreas , Lainema Timo , Saarinen Eeli , Lehtinen Erno
Published: July 2013

The objective of this study is to elucidate new information on the possibility of leadership training through business computer‐simulation gaming in a virtual working context. In the study, a business‐simulation gaming session was organised for graduate students (n = 26). The participants played the simulation game in virtual teams that were geographically dispersed and that were brought together by the use of technology. Before the gaming session, the team leaders were preselected and trained in how to operate the simulation game. Data consist of pre‐ and posttest questionnaires (the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire measuring transformational, transactional and passive/avoidance leadership styles) and answers to open‐ended questions. The results showed the difference in participants' opinions on leadership styles before and after the training. After the gaming sessions, team members scored lower in transformational and transactional scales than team leaders. Only team leaders' leadership styles correlated with game performance. However, shared leadership among team members was typical for most successful teams. Implications for leadership training are discussed.
Left Atrial Responses to Acute Right Ventricular Apical Pacing in Patients with Sick Sinus Syndrome
Authors: Kim Seong‐Man , Cho Kyoung‐Im , Cha Tae‐Joon , Heo Jung‐Ho , Kim Hyun‐Su , Lee Jae‐Woo
Published: July 2013

Chronic right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing can lead to an increased risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, but the acute effects of RVA pacing on left atrial (LA) function are not well known. Twenty‐four patients with sick sinus syndrome and intact intrinsic atrioventricular conduction were included. All patients received dual‐chamber pacemaker implants with the atrial lead in the right atrial appendage and the ventricular lead in the right ventricular (RV) apex. Transthoracic standard and strain echocardiography (measured by tissue Doppler imaging and speckle tracking image) were performed to identify functional changes in the left ventricle (LV) and LA before and after 1 hour of RVA pacing. The LA volume index did not change after pacing; however, the ratio of peak early diastolic mitral flow velocity (E) to peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity (Ea) was significantly increased and peak systolic LA strain (Sm), mean peak systolic LA strain rate (SmSR), peak early diastolic LA strain rate (EmSR), and peak late diastolic LA strain rate (AmSR) were significantly reduced after RV pacing. LV dyssynchrony, induced by RV pacing, had a significant correlation with E/Ea, Sm, and SmSR after pacing. E/Ea also had a negative correlation with Sm and SmSR after pacing. Multivariate regression analysis identified LV dyssynchrony and E/Ea as important factors that affect Sm, SmSR, EmSR, and AmSR after acute RVA pacing. Acute RVA pacing results in LA functional change and LV dyssynchrony and higher LV filling pressures reflected by E/Ea are important causes of LA dysfunction after acute RVA pacing.
State‐owned Enterprises, Inequality, and Political Ideology
Authors: Avsar Veysel , Karayalcin Cem , Ulubasoglu Mehmet Ali
Published: July 2013

State‐owned enterprises continue to play a considerable role in many economies. In this study we empirically investigate the connections between these enterprises and inequality as mediated through political ideology. Using cross‐country data on the relative size of the state‐owned enterprise sector, we find strong empirical support for an inverted U‐shaped relationship between its size and income inequality. We also find strong evidence that left‐wing (vis‐a‐vis right‐wing) governments are associated with a larger state‐owned enterprise sector in countries with higher inequality. This result is robust to using cross‐sectional vs. panel data, different identification strategies, and various controls.
Increased disease severity in non‐Western immigrants with multiple sclerosis in Oslo, Norway
Authors: Berg‐Hansen P. , Smestad C. , Sandvik L. , Harbo H. F. , Celius E. G.
Published: July 2013

Background and purpose

Non‐Western immigrants to Norway acquire an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) after migration. Ethnicity and the presence of oligoclonal bands (OCBs) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) might influence the disease course. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in disease severity and in the presence of OCBs in ethnic Norwegian and immigrant MS patients.

Methods

Clinical data and CSF findings from 47 non‐Western immigrants with MS were compared with those from 447 Norwegian and 48 immigrant patients from Western countries.

Results

The non‐Western immigrants had a higher mean Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) than the Norwegian patients (5.68 vs. 4.13, P = 0.001). Age at onset was 4 years lower amongst the non‐Western immigrants (P = 0.001). After adjusting for year of birth, age at onset, gender and disease course, the mean difference in MSSS between the groups was 2.17 (P < 0.001). Amongst the non‐Western immigrants, 70% received disease‐modifying drugs, compared with 48% of the Norwegian patients (P = 0.005). In both groups, 88% were OCB‐positive.

Conclusions

Non‐Western immigrants with MS had an increased disease severity compared with native Norwegians and immigrants from Western countries. The presence of OCBs in the CSF was not different between the groups.
Identification of FUS p.R377W in essential tremor
Authors: Rajput A. , Rajput A. H. , Rajput M. L. , Encarnacion M. , Bernales C. Q. , Ross J. P. , Farrer M. J. , Vilariño‐Güell C.
Published: July 2013

Background and purpose

Exome sequencing analysis has recently identified a nonsense mutation in fused in sarcoma (FUS) segregating with essential tremor (ET) within a large French‐Canadian family. Further characterization of FUS resulted in the identification of additional mutations in ET patients; however, their pathogenicity still remains to be confirmed. The role of FUS in an independent cohort of ET patients from Canada was evaluated.

Methods

The entire coding sequence of FUS in 217 patients diagnosed with ET was analyzed and two missense variants in 219 healthy controls were genotyped by Sanger sequencing.

Results

Sequencing of FUS identified a previously reported non‐pathogenic mutation p.G174_G175del in one ET patient and two healthy controls, and a novel p.R377W in one patient with family history of disease. This mutation is highly conserved and strongly predicted to be damaging by in silico analysis.

Conclusion

This study has identified a novel FUS p.R377W substitution in ET patients. Additional genotyping studies in a large number of ET patients and controls are necessary to conclusively define its pathogenicity.
Polymorphisms in TNC and COL5A1 genes are associated with risk of superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses
Authors: Tully L. J. , Murphy A. M. , Smith R. K. W. , Hulin‐Curtis S. L. , Verheyen K. L. P. , Price J. S.
Published: July 2013

Reasons for performing the study

To explore whether genetic susceptibility is a potential risk factor for superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy in Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses.

Objectives

To identify informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that capture genetic diversity across a range of candidate genes and to investigate, in a case–control study, their association with SDF tendinopathy in UK National Hunt TB racehorses in training.

Study design

Case–control candidate gene association study.

Methods

This study used in silico gene assembly and DNA sequencing to screen candidate genes for SNPs. Seven candidate genes were selected using a hypothesis‐driven approach: tenascin‐C (TNC), collagen, type 1, α 1 (COL1A1), collagen, type 5, α 1 (COL5A1), matrix metalloproteinase type 3 (MMP3), matrix metalloproteinase type 13 (MMP13), fibromodulin (FMOD) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). The SNPs were validated in DNA isolated from 48 TB racehorses and used to genotype 270 racehorses with SDF tendinopathy and 270 yard‐matched controls. Genotyping of cases and controls was performed using SNaPshot™.

Results

Racehorses heterozygous for the TNC BIEC2‐696469 polymorphism were less likely to have SDF tendinopathy than racehorses homozygous for the wild‐type allele (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36–0.85, P = 0.01). This finding remained significant after adjustment for age and racing background (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.36–0.92, P = 0.03). Racehorses homozygous for the novel COL5A1 COL5A1_01 variant allele were nearly 3 times more likely to have SDF tendinopathy than those homozygous for the wild‐type allele (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.25–6.35, P = 0.01); this association remained significant after adjustment for age and racing background (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.18–6.53, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Results suggest that sequence variants in TNC and COL5A1 genes are associated with SDF tendinopathy in TB racehorses. In future genetic markers may be used to identify horses at risk of SDF tendinopathy.
A new energy‐based isothermal and thermo‐mechanical fatigue lifetime prediction model for aluminium–silicon–magnesium alloy
Authors: Farrahi G. H. , Azadi M. , Winter G. , Eichlseder W.
Published: July 2013

In this paper, a new fatigue lifetime prediction model is presented for the aluminium–silicon–magnesium alloy, A356.0. This model is based on the plastic strain energy density per cycle including two correction factors in order to consider the effect of the mean stress and the maximum temperature. The thermal term considers creep and oxidation damages in A356.0 alloy. To calibrate the model, isothermal fatigue and out‐of‐phase thermo‐mechanical fatigue (TMF) tests were conducted on the A356.0 alloy. Results showed an improvement in predicting fatigue lifetimes by the present model in comparison with classical theories and also the plastic strain energy density (without any correction factors). Therefore, this model is applicable for TMF, low cycle fatigue (LCF) and both TMF/LCF lifetimes of the A356.0 alloy. Furthermore, this model can be easily used for the estimation of thermo‐mechanical conditions in components such as cylinder heads.
How comparable are species distributions along elevational and latitudinal climate gradients?
Authors: Halbritter Aud H. , Alexander Jake M. , Edwards Peter J. , Billeter Regula
Published: July 2013

Aim

Because climatic factors, especially temperature, show similar trends with elevation and latitude, it is often assumed that elevational gradients can be used as a proxy for understanding ecological processes along latitudinal gradients. We investigated the validity of this assumption for herbaceous plants, testing the hypotheses that (1) species reach the same climate limits, and (2) exhibit similar distribution patterns along both types of gradient.

Location

SwissAlps andScandinavia.

Methods

We recorded the occurrence of 155 ruderal plant species along an elevational gradient in the Swiss Alps and a latitudinal gradient, both reaching beyond the distribution limit of most species. Principal components analysis was used to summarize climatic variation in temperature and precipitation across these gradients and assessed the relationship across species between climatic limits along the two gradients. We used logistic regressions to compare how the probability of occurrence of individual species changed with climate along the two gradients.

Results

We found no correlation of species principal components analysis (PCA) values (climate limit) along an elevational and latitudinal precipitation gradient (PC1) but a positive correlation along a temperature gradient (PC2). Species reached a colder climate limit (on average 244 growing degree days lower) and decreased in occurrence more gradually along the elevational compared to the latitudinal gradient.

Main conclusions

We suggest that the differences in distribution patterns and limits along similar climatic gradients are mainly due to the much shorter dispersal distances along elevational than latitudinal gradients, although other explanations are also possible. We can therefore expect plants in mountains and lowland regions to respond differently to rapid climate change, and so caution must be exercised when using elevation as a proxy for latitude in studies of species distribution. Nonetheless, comparative studies along such gradients can yield important insights into the factors that limit species distributions.
Inhibition of androgen induces autophagy in benign prostate epithelial cells
Authors: Li Mengqiang , Yang Xu , Wang Huili , Xu Enci , Xi Zhijun
Published: July 2013

Objective

5‐α Reductase inhibitor can reduce the volume of benign prostatic hyperplasia by lowering benign prostatic hyperplasia level and consequently inducing epithelial cells apoptosis. The present study investigated whether autophagy and apoptosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial cells are influenced by low benign prostatic hyperplasia levels.

Methods

PWR‐1E prostate epithelial cells transfected with GFP‐LC3 plasmid were subjected to androgen deprivation conditions. Then the autophagic puncta were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy, and the cellular apoptosis rate was detected by 4, 6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole staining after blocking of autophagic process by 3‐methyladenine. Furthermore, autophagy status was also determined in hyperplasia prostate tissues from 5‐α reductase inhibitor‐treated patients by immunohistochemistry.

Results

In the androgen deprivation medium, autophagic punta increased markedly in PWR‐1E cells, and blockage of autophagy by 3‐methyladenine significantly promoted PWR‐1E cells’ apoptosis rate. In vivo, the expression of LC3 protein (an important autophagic marker) in hyperplasia prostate tissue significantly increased after 5‐α reductase inhibitor treatment. Meanwhile, the prostate‐specific antigen, as an inner control, decreased.

Conclusion

5‐α Reductase inhibitor treatment increases autophagy and possibly decreases the apoptosis of prostate epithelial cells.
The Effects of Ownership Structure on Corporate Financing Decisions: Evidence from Stock Market Liberalization
Authors: O'Connor Thomas , Flavin Thomas
Published: July 2013

We analyze the impact of firm‐specific stock market liberalization events on the capital structure and debt maturity decisions of firms from emerging market economies. We differentiate between firms based on their ownership structures at the time of liberalization and analyze their post‐liberalization behavior regarding corporate financing decisions. Our empirical results show that single–class‐share firms (typically with stronger corporate governance and better information environments) respond differently to their dual–class‐share counterparts. Liberalization results in lower debt reliance for the former group while the latter lengthen the maturity of their debt portfolios.

Jel Classification: F30; G15; G32.
Bodily perspective taking goes social: the role of personal, interpersonal, and intercultural factors
Authors: Mohr Christine , Rowe Angela C. , Kurokawa Izumi , Dendy Laura , Theodoridou Angeliki
Published: July 2013

Mentally placing the self in the physical position of another person might engage social perspective taking because participants have to match their own position with that of another. We investigated the influence of personal (sex), interpersonal (siblings, parental marital status), and cultural (individualistic, collectivistic) factors on individuals' abilities to mentally take the position of front‐facing and back‐facing figures in an online study (369 participants). Replicating findings from laboratory studies responses were slower for front‐facing than back‐facing figures. Having siblings, parents' marital status, and cultural background influenced task performance in theoretically predictable ways. The present perspective‐taking task is a promising experimental paradigm to assess social perspective taking and one that is free from the response biases inherent in self‐report.
A study to explore the effects of self‐regulated learning environment for hearing‐impaired students
Authors: Chen Y‐T.
Published: July 2013

Although computer‐ and Internet‐aided learning for hearing‐impaired students has been a trend in the modern days, a few studies were done to examine their effectiveness in strengthening learning motivation and, in turn, enhancing learning efficiency. This study attempts to establish an interactive self‐regulated learning environment and employs Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction motivation model, hyperlink technology, modular concepts and online learning community to design teaching contents and presentation of teaching materials. An empirical study was conducted to examine the effects of hearing‐impaired students learning motivation and cognitive attitude of learning environment. The results showed that interactive and self‐regulated learning environment could effectively strengthen learning motivation and promote positive learning behaviour in hearing‐impaired students.
Immunohistochemical Evidence for the Presence of Various Kisspeptin Isoforms in the Mammalian Brain
Authors: Franceschini I. , Yeo S. H. , Beltramo M. , Desroziers E. , Okamura H. , Herbison A. E. , Caraty A.
Published: July 2013

Kisspeptins are small peptides encoded by the Kiss1 gene that have been the focus of intense neuroendocrine research during the last decade. Kisspeptin is now considered to have important roles in the regulation of puberty onset and adult oestrogen‐dependent feedback mechanisms on gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone secretion. Several kisspeptin antibodies have been generated that have enabled an overall view of kisspeptin peptide distribution in the brain of many mammalian species. However, it remains that the distribution of the different kisspeptin isoforms is unclear in the mammalian brain. In the present study, we report on two new N‐terminal‐directed kisspeptin antibodies, one against the mouse kisspeptin‐52 sequence (AC053) and one against the rat kisspeptin‐52 sequence (AC067), and use them to specifically map these long isoforms in the brains of mouse and rat, respectively. Kisspeptin‐52 immunoreactivity was detected in the two main kisspeptin neuronal populations of the rostral periventricular area and arcuate nucleus but not in the dorsomedial hypothahamus. A large number of fibres throughout the ventral forebrain were also labelled with these two antibodies. Finally, a comparison with the most commonly used C‐terminal‐directed kisspeptin antibodies further suggests the presence of shorter kisspeptin fragments in the brain with specific inter‐ and intracellular expression patterns.
Using the Donabedian framework to examine the quality and safety of nursing service innovation
Authors: Gardner Glenn , Gardner Anne , O'Connell Jane
Published: July 2013

Aims and objectives

To evaluate the safety and quality of nurse practitioner service using the audit framework of Structure, Process and Outcome.

Background

Health service and workforce reform are on the agenda of governments and other service providers seeking to contain healthcare costs whilst providing safe and effective health care to communities. The nurse practitioner service is one health workforce innovation that has been adopted globally to improve timely access to clinical care, but there is scant literature reporting evaluation of the quality of this service innovation.

Design

A mixed‐methods design within the Donabedian evaluation framework was used.

Methods

The Donabedian framework was used to evaluate the Structure, Process and Outcome of nurse practitioner service. A range of data collection approaches was used, including stakeholder survey (n = 36), in‐depth interviews (11 patients and 13 nurse practitioners) and health records data on service processes.

Results

The study identified that adequate and detailed preparation of Structure and Process is essential for the successful implementation of a service innovation. The multidisciplinary team was accepting of the addition of nurse practitioner service, and nurse practitioner clinical care was shown to be effective, satisfactory and safe from the perspective of the clinician stakeholders and patients.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that the Donabedian framework of Structure, Process and Outcome evaluation is a valuable and validated approach to examine the safety and quality of a service innovation. Furthermore, in this study, specific Structure elements were shown to influence the quality of service processes further validating the framework and the interdependence of the Structure, Process and Outcome components.

Relevance to clinical practice

Understanding the Structure and Process requirements for establishing nursing service innovation lays the foundation for safe, effective and patient‐centred clinical care.
DO LOCATION‐BASED TAX INCENTIVES IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND QUALITY OF BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT?
Authors: Reynolds C. Lockwood , Rohlin Shawn
Published: July 2013

We examine how location‐based tax incentives affect quality of life and business environment through changes in property values and equilibrium wages. Using the federal Empowerment Zone program, we determine whether offering tax incentives to firms improves the welfare of the citizens and attractiveness to firms. We demonstrate that quality of life methodologies can be applied using small geographically aggregated data, such as census block groups. We find that the tax incentives offered by the program notably enhances the quality of business environment for firms in the area while modestly improving the quality of life for the individuals living in the area.
Neonatal self‐inflating bags: Achieving titrated oxygen delivery using low flows: An experimental study
Authors: Sasi Arun , Chandrakumar Natarajan , Deorari Ashok , Paul Vinod K , Shankar Jeeva , Sreenivas Vishnubhatla , Agarwal Ramesh
Published: July 2013

Aim

To determine delivered O2 concentration (dFiO2) during manual inflations using neonatal self‐inflating resuscitation bags (SIBs) at oxygen (O2) flow rates <1 L/min.

Methods

This experimental study, determined dFiO2 during 216 sets of manual inflations at different O2 flow rate (L/min; 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 5.0), controlling peak inspiratory pressures (PIP; cm of H2O; 10–15, 15–20 and 20–25), inflation rates (per min; 30, 40 and 60), with and without O2 reservoir using two SIBs – the Laerdal infant resuscitator (240 mL) and Ambu Mark IV resuscitator (300 mL).

A leak proof circuit connecting the SIB in series with pressure transducer, O2 analyzer and test lung was used. All possible combinations were tested four times each. The dFiO2 with each possible combination was compared using generalised estimating equation.

Results

The mean dFiO2 with SIB even without reservoirs varied with rates and PIP from 75 to 93% at O2 flow rate of 5 L/min. At 1 L/min flow itself, 65–85% O2 is delivered. The dFiO2 was reduced to approximately 40% with flow of 0.2 L/min, PIP 20–25 cmH2O and inflations 40–60 per min.

Conclusion

During manual breaths using neonatal SIBs, the delivered O2 concentration of nearly 40% is attained at clinically used inflation pressures and rates by using lower flows. A graded increase in O2 delivery from 40 to 99% was obtained with flow varying from 0.2 to 5 L/min and addition of reservoir. However, even at such low flows, reduction in O2 concentration below 40% was unattained.
Risk tools for the prediction of violence: ‘VRAG, HCR‐20, PCL‐R’
Authors: Jaber F. S. , Mahmoud K. F.
Published: July 2013

Accessible summary

This paper compare between three tools used in the assessment of patients for the violence risk.

The nurses can use this tools to predict the violent patient so that they can protect themselves and the other patients.

The comparison between this three tools gives the health care provider the ability to choose the best tool that is suitable to situations.

Many instruments have been introduced as measures of violence risk prediction. Studies on risk assessment displayed two major approaches – clinical risk evaluation and actuarial measures – and three tools were mostly used: (1) Violence Risk Appraisal Guide, (2) Historical‐Clinical‐Risk‐20 item scale and (3) Psychopathy Checklist‐Revised. Although these tools are commonly used in clinical practice, they differ in their uses, benefits and limitations, and their ability to predict future violence. Subsequently, this paper aim to provide the readers an in‐depth description that specifies these aspects, as well as a comparison of these tools in order to help readers decide which tool to use.
The Subjectivity of Habitus
Authors: Chandler Bret
Published: July 2013

Departing from Bourdieu's collective habitus, this essay develops a theory of the subjectivity of habitus, meaning the social‐psychological processes comprising the agent and fueling deliberation. By incorporating George Ainslie's theory of the will and deliberation as the intertemporal bargaining of a population of interests, I theorize the “saturated agent” composed of an economy of interests, analogous to Bourdieu's “economy of practices” invested and saturated with cultural capital. Here culturally saturated interests negotiate strategically within the agent, with the ending balance constituting the habitus. Additionally, reflexivity becomes amenable to habitus as “desaturation” or suspending the commitment to a set of culturally saturated interests as a result of a crisis, followed by “resaturation”, the restructuring of the economy of interests.
Early English Empiricism and the Work of Catharine Trotter Cockburn
Authors: Duran Jane
Published: July 2013

This article examines the work of the seventeenth‐century thinker Catharine Trotter Cockburn with an eye toward explication of her trenchant empiricism, and the foundations upon which it rested. It is argued that part of the originality of Cockburn's work has to do with her consistent line of thought with regard to evidence from the senses and the process of abstract conceptualization; in this she differed strongly from some of her contemporaries. The work of Martha Brandt Bolton and Fidelis Morgan is cited, and there is an auxiliary argument to the effect that Cockburn is probably better known as a playwright than she is as a philosophical thinker.
Getting Luck Properly Under Control
Authors: McKinnon Rachel
Published: July 2013

This article proposes a new account of luck and how luck impacts attributions of credit for agents' actions. It proposes an analogy with the expected value of a series of wagers and argues that luck is the difference between actual outcomes and expected value. The upshot of the argument is that when considering the interplay of intention, chance, outcomes, skill, and actions, we ought to be more parsimonious in our attributions of credit when exercising a skill and obtaining successful outcomes, and more generous in our attributions of credit when exercising a skill but obtaining unsuccessful outcomes. Furthermore, the article argues that when agents skillfully perform an action, they deserve the same amount of credit whether their action is successful or unsuccessful in achieving the goal.
Monks, Sovereigns, and Malign Spirits: Profiles of Tengu in Medieval Japan
Authors: Wakabayashi Haruko
Published: July 2013

The most significant development in tengu images of medieval Japan is their association with ma (skt. Māra)—an evil that is specific to Buddhism, defined as a force that defies Buddhism or disturbs Buddhist monks and hinders them from attaining enlightenment. They appear as malign spirits that seek to disturb the Buddhist Law and thereby bring chaos to the society, or as enemies of Buddhism that harass the monks and delude the people with their magic tricks. Monks who failed to attain enlightenment could also become a tengu, as they fell into the “realm of tengu” because of their conceit and worldly attachment. While most tengu are simply referred to as “tengu,” we find several outstanding tengu from this period. This essay surveys various images of tengu prominent during the medieval period, particularly between the 12th and 15th centuries, in an effort to critically explore and understand the meanings attributed to these mythical creatures.
Missionary Politics – A Contribution to the Study of Populism
Authors: Zúquete José Pedro
Published: July 2013

The sacralization of politics is commonly studied in terms of movements and regimes of the past. This article explains and develops the political–religious concept of missionary politics as an analytical tool to understand political activism in the twenty‐first century. Missionary Politics is a political religion that has at its center a charismatic leadership, a narrative of salvation, ritualization, and the creation of a moral community invested with a collective mission of combating conspiratorial enemies and redeeming the community from its putative crisis. Ongoing research regarding missionary politics demonstrates the continuing importance of the sacralization of the political, which manifests itself in many ways, in contemporary times.
Developments in Hindu Law from the Colonial to the Present
Authors: Acevedo Deepa Das
Published: July 2013

Hinduism and law have often been understood as Hindu law: A body of fixed positive law and legal hermeneutics that can be used to govern the lives of Hindus. Marriage, adoption, inheritance, property, and contract are just some of the vast areas of private and public life which colonial officials classified under the rubric of Hindu law and attempted to regulate using Sanskrit texts and native scholar‐translators. Which texts were used, in what versions, and to what purposes were animating concerns during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Similarly, colonial officials debated the extent to which material identified as correct Hindu law should be reformed and brought into keeping with modern principles of equality and justice. After independence, the Indian state has been deeply involved in regulating and reforming the lives of its Hindu citizens through constitutional measures as well as through judicial interpretations and legislative reforms. This relationship between the Indian state and Hindu law has generated novel conceptions of secular governance from scholars and legislators while also reaffirming the interdependence of textual analysis and state law.