bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for prediction of inadequate response to antiresorptives
Authors: Díez-Pérez Adolfo , Olmos Jose M , Nogués Xavier , Sosa Manuel , Díaz-Curiel Manuel , Pérez-Castrillón Jose Luis , Pérez-Cano Ramon , Muñoz-Torres Manuel , Torrijos Antonio , Jodar Esteban , Del Rio Luis , Caeiro-Rey Jose R , Farrerons Jordi , Vila Joan , Arnaud Claude , González-Macías Jesus
Published: December 2011

Some patients sustain fractures while on antiresorptives. Whether this represents an inadequate response (IR) to treatment or a chance event has not been elucidated. We performed a study to identify which patients are more likely to fracture while on treatment. This is a multicentric, cross-sectional study of postmenopausal women on antiresorptives for osteoporosis in 12 Spanish hospitals, classified as adequate responders (ARs) if on treatment with antiresorptives for 5 years with no incident fractures or inadequate responders (IRs) if an incident fracture occurred between 1 and 5 years on treatment. Poor compliance, secondary osteoporosis, and previous anti-osteoporosis treatment other than the assessed were exclusion criteria. Clinical, demographic, analytical, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) variables, and proximal femur structure analysis (ImaTx™) and structural/fractal analyses of distal radius were performed. A total of 179 women (76 IRs; mean (SD): age 68.2 (9.0) years; 103 ARs, age 68.5 (7.9) years) were included. History of prior fracture (p = 0.005), two or more falls in the previous year (p = 0.032), low lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) (p = 0.02), 25 hydroxyvitamin D (p = 0.017), and hip ImaTx fracture load index (p = 0.004) were associated with IR. In the logistic regression models a fracture before treatment (odds ratio [OR], 3.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47–8.82; p = 0.005) and levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D below 20 ng/mL (OR, 3.89; 95% CI, 1.55–9.77; p = 0.004) significantly increased risk for IR, while increased ImaTx fracture load (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93–0.99; p = 0.006; per every 100 units) was protective, although the latter became not significant when all three variables were fitted into the model. Therefore, we can infer that severity of the disease, with microarchitectural and structure deterioration, as shown by previous fracture and hip analysis, and low levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D carry higher risk of inadequate response to antiresorptives. More potent regimes should be developed and adequate supplementation implemented to solve this problem. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Miniaturized matrix solid‐phase dispersion combined with ultrasound‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the determination of three pyrethroids in soil
Authors: Wang Hui , Yan Hongyuan , Qiao Jindong
Published: December 2011

A simple and miniaturized pretreatment procedure combining matrix solid‐phase dispersion (MSPD) with ultrasound‐assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (UA‐DLLME) technique was proposed in first time for simultaneous determination of three pyrethroids (fenpropathrin, cyhalothrin and fenvalerate) in soils. The solid samples were directly extracted using MSPD procedure, and the eluent of MSPD was used as the dispersive solvent of the followed DLLME procedure for further purification and enrichment of the analytes before GC‐ECD analysis. Good linear relationships were obtained for all the analytes in a range of 5.0–500.0 ng/g with LOQs (S/N=10) ranged from 1.51 to 3.77 ng/g. Average recoveries at three spiked levels were in a range of 83.6–98.5% with RSD≤7.3%. The present method combined the advantages of MSPD and DLLME, and was successfully applied for the determination of three pyrethroids in soil samples.
Tapentadol: new oral opioid for acute and chronic severe pain
Authors: Chaplin Steve , Chogle Monica , Campbell William
Published: December 2011

Tapentadol (Palexia) is an oral strong opioid analgesic licensed for the treatment of acute moderate to severe pain or chronic severe pain. In our New products review, Steve Chaplin presents the clinical data relating to its efficacy and adverse events, and Drs Monica Chogle and William Campbell discuss its place in the management of pain. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Interface Ltd
Current approaches to managing heavy menstrual bleeding
Authors: Tay Jasmine , Mohan Shruti , Higham Jenny
Published: December 2011

The choice of drug treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding should take into account preference for hormonal or nonhormonal methods, mode of administration and desire for contraception. Our Drug review considers the range of drug and surgical options available, followed by sources of further information. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Interface Ltd
Study of detached back reflector designs for thin‐film silicon solar cells
Authors: Moulin Etienne , Paetzold Ulrich Wilhelm , Kirchhoff Joachim , Bauer Andreas , Carius Reinhard
Published: December 2011

We present a precise and flexible method to investigate the impact of diverse detached reflector designs on the optical response of p–i–n thin‐film silicon solar cells. In this study, the term detached reflectors refers to back reflectors that are separated from the silicon layers by an intermediate rear dielectric of several micrometers. Based on the utilization of a highly conductive n‐doped layer and a local electrical contact scheme, the method allows the use of non‐conductive rear dielectrics such as air or transparent liquids. With this approach, diverse combinations of back reflector and rear dielectric can be placed behind the same solar cell, providing a direct evaluation of their impact on the device performance. We demonstrate the positive effect of a rear dielectric of low refractive index on the light trapping and compare the performance of solar cells with an air/Ag and a standard ZnO/Ag back reflector design. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A rapid method for cross‐species quantitation of apolipoproteins A1, B48 and B100 in plasma by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Lassman Michael E. , McLaughlin Theresa M. , Somers Elizabeth P. , Stefanni Alice C. , Chen Zhu , Murphy Beth Ann , Bierilo Kathleen K. , Flattery Amy M. , Wong Kenneth K. , Castro‐Perez Jose M. , Hubbard Brian K. , Roddy Thomas P.
Published: December 2011

Apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100) and apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) are the primary protein components of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, respectively, and plasma levels of these proteins are associated with risks of cardiovascular disease. Existing apoB100 quantitation methods for animal models have been limited to affinity capture techniques such as enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot which require specialized reagents for each species and in many cases are not readily available. Here we demonstrate a single translatable ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) assay that is fast and robust and can be used to measure apolipoprotein concentrations in plasma for six species. When possible, peptide sequences that are conserved across species were identified for this assay. The sample preparation is limited and can be carried out in 96‐well microtiter plates and thus allows for multiplexed preparation of samples for analysis of large numbers of samples in a short time frame when combined with UPLC/MS/MS. Separation and quantitation of the tryptic peptides is carried out at 700 μL/min using a 1.7 µm core shell C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm). The chromatography is designed for the analysis of over 100 samples per day, and the UPLC run is less than 10 min. This assay is capable of supporting cardiovascular research by providing a single assay to measure critical biomarkers across multiple species without the need for antibodies, and does so in a high‐throughput manner. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous determination of the quantity and isotopic signature of dissolved organic matter from soil water using high‐performance liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry
Authors: Scheibe Andrea , Krantz Lars , Gleixner Gerd
Published: December 2011

We assessed the accuracy and utility of a modified high‐performance liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (HPLC/IRMS) system for measuring the amount and stable carbon isotope signature of dissolved organic matter (DOM) <1 µm. Using a range of standard compounds as well as soil solutions sampled in the field, we compared the results of the HPLC/IRMS analysis with those from other methods for determining carbon and 13C content. The conversion efficiency of the in‐line wet oxidation of the HPLC/IRMS averaged 99.3 % for a range of standard compounds. The agreement between HPLC/IRMS and other methods in the amount and isotopic signature of both standard compounds and soil water samples was excellent. For DOM concentrations below 10 mg C L–1 (250 ng C total) pre‐concentration or large volume injections are recommended in order to prevent background interferences. We were able to detect large differences in the 13C signatures of soil solution DOM sampled in 10 cm depth of plots with either C3 or C4 vegetation and in two different parent materials. These measurements also demonstrated changes in the 13C signature that demonstrate rapid loss of plant‐derived C with depth. Overall the modified HLPC/IRMS system has the advantages of rapid sample preparation, small required sample volume and high sample throughput, while showing comparable performance with other methods for measuring the amount and isotopic signature of DOM. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The lecture
Authors: Chaudhury S. Raj
Published: December 2011

Academic lectures for the purpose of instruction maintain an important presence in most colleges and universities worldwide. This chapter examines the current state of the lecture and how learning sciences research can inform the most effective use of this method.
Service‐learning
Authors: Felten Peter , Clayton Patti H.
Published: December 2011

This chapter defines service‐learning and reviews the evidence regarding its academic, civic, personal, and other learning outcomes. Although service‐learning produces positive outcomes in many areas, the pedagogy's most significant outcome may be the transformative learning that can result for all participants.
Online learning
Authors: Perry Edward H. , Pilati Michelle L.
Published: December 2011

This chapter provides a brief history of online learning and a discussion of the empirical evidence for its acceptance and effectiveness.
When Work, Family And Friendship Collide
Authors: MacShane Mandi , Mountain Helen
Published: December 2011

Mandi's sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and was referred to our Familial Cancer Program. The young age of diagnosis, characteristics of the cancer and family history suggested genetic testing and Helen was the genetic counselor involved throughout the testing process. In relaying this personal and professional story we have tried to describe the issues we faced and how we negotiated some of the difficulties when the boundaries between our many roles of family member, friends, colleagues and professionals became blurred.
The Checkered Prehistory of Rice Movement Southwards as a Domesticated Cereal—from the Yangzi to the Equator
Authors: Bellwood Peter
Published: December 2011

This paper discusses the origins ofOryza sativa japonicarice cultivation in the Yangzi region of China and asks how and with which migrating human populations it spread south to reach Taiwan by 3,000 BC and Southeast Asia by 2,000 BC. The perspective adopted is that the spread of rice was driven mainly by demographic expansion, associated with a spread of languages and archaeological material culture. Environmental barriers also played major roles in establishing a “pause, adapt, spread, pause again” mode of movement, such barriers relating to availability of rainfall and alluvial land, latitude (photoperiodism) and climatic seasonality, and the prior presences of other populations, in some cases with vegetative gardening systems that did not involve rice or other cereals. Contingency also played its part in rice history, as we can see with the inability of this crop to spread into Oceania in part due to the route followed by Neolithic colonizers.
On Cloud computational models and the heterogeneity challenge
Authors: Boutaba Raouf , Cheng Lu , Zhang Qi
Published: December 2011

Cloud computing is by far the most cost-effective technology for hosting Internet-scale services and applications. The MapReduce model, in particular, is largely used nowadays in Cloud infrastructures to meet the demand of large-scale data and computation intensive applications. Despite its success, the implications of MapReduce on the management of Cloud workload and cluster resources are still largely unstudied. In this article, we show that dealing with the heterogeneity of workloads and machine capabilities is a key challenge. In today’s cloud environment, workloads can have varied sizes, lengths, resource requirements, and arrival rates. The machines also have varied CPU, memory, I/O speed, and network bandwidth capacities. Jointly they pose difficult challenges pertaining, among others, to job scheduling, task and data placement, resource sharing and resource allocation. We analyze the heterogeneity challenge in these specific problem domains and survey the representative state-of-the-art works that try to address them. We found that although advances are made that partially address some of the outlined challenges, there are even more open challenges yet to be explored, and this topic at large is ripe for scientific contributions.
Taking Steps to Control Costs in the OR
Authors: Hoeksema Janice
Published: December 2011

Hospitals continue to be challenged by rising expenses in an environment of moderate reimbursements. Health care costs have increasingly come under scrutiny and, with the advent of health care reform, will continue to be scrutinized. Perioperative nurses play a key role in evaluating product safety, effectiveness and efficiency, environmental concerns, and cost and how these factors affect patient care. Cost‐saving opportunities that a hospital product evaluation committee can consider include choosing less expensive but equivalent supplies, comparing the expenses associated with disposable versus reusable products, limiting the use of custom supplies, determining ways to reduce linen use, and changing practices to eliminate products that are found to have little clinical value. Adopting effective product evaluation and purchasing practices can lead to reduced costs without affecting the quality of patient care.
Preoperative Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Applications in Clinical Practice
Authors: Kulkarni Supriya , Singh Nitin , Crystal Pavel
Published: December 2011

Results of large randomized trials have shown that survival rates after breast conserving surgery are equivalent to those obtained by radical mastectomy. Breast conserving surgery with wide local excision in women with early stage breast cancer who are thought to have a single and resectable tumour as determined by clinical examination and conventional imaging followed by postoperative irradiation is the standard of care in early breast cancer. Mapping of local disease is the key element to guide optimal surgery to obtain tumour-free margins, thereby decreasing risk of local recurrence. The usual preoperative workup of breast malignancy consists of clinical breast examination and mammography with or without ultrasound. However, mammography and ultrasound fail to accurately assess tumour extent in as many as a third of patients eligible for breast conserving therapy. It is well established that magnetic resonance imaging is far superior to mammography (with and without ultrasound) for mapping the local extent of breast cancer. Experts advocate its use despite its high costs, high number of false positive findings, and lack of evidence from randomized prospective trials and, notably, fear of “overtreatment.” This article discusses the current role of breast magnetic resonance imaging with its clinical advantages and applications.
Thyroid Incidentalomas on Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography: Incidence, Malignancy Risk, and Comparison of Standardized Uptake Values
Authors: Kao Yung H. , Lim Siew S. , Ong Seng C. , Padhy Ajit K.
Published: December 2011

Introduction

To determine the incidence of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avid thyroid incidentalomas detected on positron emission tomography (PET) with integrated computed tomography (CT), and correlate the FDG–PET-CT findings to cytology.

Methods

A total of 942 FDG–PET-CT reports were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas were further reviewed for correlative cytology.

Results

The incidence of FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas is 2.2%. Thyroid malignancies were identified in 3 of 6 patients who underwent cytologic correlation, with a positive predictive value of 50% (95% confidence interval, 14%-86%). The mean maximum standardized uptake values of benign and malignant FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas were 5.6 and 6.6, respectively.

Conclusion

A FDG-avid thyroid incidentaloma may predict underlying malignancy. Cytologic assessment should be considered for FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas.
Optimizing Community and Stakeholder Engagement in a Merger of Community Health Centres
Authors: Cohen Andrea , Fairclough Lee , Jass Janak
Published: December 2011

Community Health Centres (CHCs) are grounded in a model of care that includes engagement with the community and have a history of working with communities to respond to emerging needs. Although most CHCs consider themselves to be integrated, mergers in this sector are uncommon. In Ontario, the first voluntary merger of CHCs showed the importance of community engagement to realize the intended benefits of the integration and to effectively manage change.
The lithospheric structure of the Central and Southern Tien Shan: MTS data correlated with petrology and laboratory studies of lower-crust and upper-mantle xenoliths
Authors: Batalev V.Yu. , Bataleva E.A. , Egorova V.V. , Matyukov V.E. , Rybin A.K.
Published: December 2011

Magnetotelluric soundings (MTS) in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan along 74° and 76° E profiles reveal conductors in the crust which delineate the boundaries of the At-Bashi accretionary-collisional zone and the Issyk-Kul microcontinent. Correlated to earthquake converted-wave patterns (vP) along the MANAS profile collected in 2007, the geoelectric model for the At-Bashi zone lends support to the hypothesis that the position and dip of large thrust sheets, as well as the way and direction of exhumation of eclogites in this zone, are similar to those in Northwest China. Petrological analysis, geothermobarometry, and elastic P-wave velocities measured in laboratory on lower-crust and upper-mantle xenoliths indicate that at the time when the xenoliths were dragged to the surface about 70 Ma ago, the Moho was 20 km shallower than now (35 km against 55 km) and the heat flux was 20 mW/m2 higher (80 against 60 mW/m2).
The junction of the eastern Central Asian Fold Belt and the Siberian Platform: deep structure and Mesozoic tectonics and geodynamics
Authors: Shevchenko B.F. , Goroshko M.V. , Didenko A.N. , Gur’yanov V.A. , Starosel’tsev V.S. , Sal’nikov A.S.
Published: December 2011

The tectonic structure of the junction of the eastern Central Asian Fold Belt and the Siberian Platform, along with the deep structure of the Earth’s crust and lithosphere in this region, has been described on the basis of new geological and geophysical data (seismic, geoelectric, and space-structural studies as well as new-generation geological maps), combined with new interpretation techniques (processing of the previous data by special software). The data suggest the existence of oblique collision during the convergence of the tectonic plates and, correspondingly, tectonic units composing these plates, when the Mongol–Okhotsk paleobasin closed. Such a scenario within the Aldan–Stanovoi Shield is evidenced by areas of syn- and postcollisional magmatism, with their deep-level and geochemical characteristics, and by the presence of a Late Mesozoic fold–thrust zone. Deep “traces” of these tectonomagmatic events, detected in the course of geological and geophysical modeling, are manifested in inclined deep boundaries between the crustal and lithospheric blocks. On the Earth’s surface, they correspond to large fault systems: the Dzheltulak, North and South Tukuringra, Gulyui, and Stanovoi. It has been found that the influence of collision decreases northward with distance from the junction of the eastern Central Asian Fold Belt and the Siberian Platform (Dzheltulak and North Tukuringra transcrustal faults).
Because It's There … The Education of George Mallory
Authors: Madhok Rishi , Lemery Jay , Rodway George W.
Published: December 2011

Initiative, creativity, and resolve represent both the pillars of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) and the story of George Mallory. His journey from humble beginnings to his rise to become one of history's most legendary mountaineers is a testament to the impact of great mentors as well as the development of Mallory as a mentor himself. In this light, the path of George Mallory in mountaineering and the role of WMS in wilderness medicine share a common theme. This essay is not only a tribute to George Mallory but also a testament to the importance of mentorship and the role of WMS in inspiring mentorship and education to future pioneers.
Cool, wet conditions late in the Younger Dryas in semi-arid New Mexico
Authors: Hall Stephen A. , Penner William L. , Palacios-Fest Manuel R. , Metcalf Artie L. , Smith Susan J.
Published: December 2011

A thick alluvial sequence in central New Mexico contains the Scholle wet meadow deposit that traces upstream to a paleospring. The wet meadow sediments contain an abundant fauna of twenty-one species of freshwater and terrestrial mollusks and ten species of ostracodes. The mollusks and ostracodes are indicative of a local high alluvial water table with spring-supported perennial flow but without standing water. Pollen analysis documents shrub grassland vegetation with sedges, willow, and alder in a riparian community. Stable carbon isotopes from the wet meadow sediments have δ13C values ranging from − 22.8 to − 23.3‰, indicating that 80% of the organic carbon in the sediment is derived from C3species. The wet meadow deposit is AMS dated 10,400 to 970014C yr BP, corresponding to 12,300 to 11,100 cal yr BP and overlapping in time with the Younger Dryas event (YD). The wet meadow became active about 500 yr after the beginning of the YD and persisted 400 yr after the YD ended. The Scholle wet meadow is the only record of perennial flow and high water table conditions in the Abo Arroyo drainage basin during the past 13 ka.
Managing Setbacks for the International Criminal Court in Africa
Authors: Keppler Elise
Published: December 2011

The International Criminal Court (ICC) suffered two notable setbacks in Africa in 2010: the African Union's (AU) renewed call for members not to cooperate in executing ICC arrest warrants for Sudanese President al-Bashir; and the president's first visits to the territory of ICC states parties since warrants were issued in 2009 and 2010. Factors surrounding these developments suggest they do not represent the predominant view or approach to the court in Africa, where there is considerable backing for the ICC among African government officials and civil society. African ICC states parties and civil society should enhance initiatives to demonstrate the support that exists for the court, and to ensure that attacks on it are understood as limited efforts that emanate more from criticisms of the UN Security Council than of the court. Developments in 2011 reinforce these assessments.
A double refresh rate sonar ring with FPGA-based continuous matched filtering
Authors: Browne Damien C. , Kleeman Lindsay
Published: December 2011

Existing sonar rings are limited in their refresh rate to the transmit echo rate, that is, waiting for maximum range echoes to arrive before transmitting again. This paper presents a sonar ring refreshing at 60 Hz for 5.7-m range, which is twice the transmit echo rate, and this leads to lower latency, denser measurements. Two custom Field Programmable Gate Array signal processors provide real time continuous match filtering with dynamic templates. A new method is implemented to select the transmit time from a random set based on minimizing interference. Experiments demonstrate the increased refresh rate, interference rejection, and maps generated by the sonar ring.
Comments on Guimarães & Sawaya. Pretending to be venomous: is a snake's head shape a trustworthy signal to a predator?
Authors: Valkonen Janne K. , Mappes Johanna
Published: December 2011

Several species of non-venomous snake are known to flatten their heads when disturbed, and this behaviour has been suggested to be a mimicry of vipers (Arnold & Ovenden 2002, Hailey & Davies 1986, Young et al. 1999). Using plasticine models, Guimarães & Sawaya (2011) tested the antipredatory function of a triangular head shape in snakes. Their article presents the first published empirical experiment testing the adaptive significance of vipers' triangular head shape. Guimarães & Sawaya (2011) found no support for the viper mimicry hypothesis. Accordingly, they concluded that ‘the shape of [the] head seemed not to confer advantage itself’. Although the use of plasticine models is a generally accepted method of testing predation pressure on snakes, we argue that the experiment may have failed to find the antipredatory function of triangulation due to the pooling of attacks by mammalian and avian predators. Mammals generally rely on olfactory cues during foraging. Plasticine has a strong odour which does not resemble the odour of any prey species. It is thus unlikely that mammals would treat snake replicas as true snakes.
Cyanolichens: a link between the phosphorus and nitrogen cycles in a Hawaiian montane forest
Authors: Benner Jon W. , Vitousek Peter M.
Published: December 2011

Low phosphorus (P) supply frequently has been shown to limit the abundance and activity of nitrogen (N)-fixing organisms, potentially constraining N inputs to ecosystems. Previous research in a montane Hawaiian forest has shown that ground-level P-fertilization led to significant increases in the population size of epiphytic N-fixing lichens (cyanolichens), as well as a shift in community composition from crustose to leafy species. In this study, we ask whether these changes in the cyanolichen community have resulted in increased N inputs to the forest, and also whether the very high levels of P in the canopy of P-fertilized forest stimulate individual lichen fixation rates over those of lichens from a nearby unfertilized reference forest. We used acetylene reduction (AR) assays to measure the fixation rates of 14 cyanolichen species from P-fertilized forest, and calibrated these rates by measuring15N2fixation incorporation in four species. We found that the ratio of acetylene reduced to N fixed ranged from 2.4 ± 0.4 inPseudocyphellaria crocatato 9.3 ± 2.4 inLeptogium denticulatum. Nitrogen fixation rates in the P-fertilized forest ranged from 0.64 ± 0.05 nmol N cm−2h−1inNephroma helveticumto 3.97 ± 1.48 nmol N cm−2h−1inParmeliella nigrocincta. Fixation rates did not vary greatly among species from P-fertilized forest. We compared these P-fertilized rates to those of 10 species from the reference forest, and found that mass-based fixation rates of P-fertilized lichens were not greater than those of lichens from the unfertilized forest. Using the measured AR rates, we estimate that the P additions increase cyanolichen N inputs to the forest 30-fold, from ~0.3 kg N ha−1y−1to ~9 kg N ha−1y−1. These results suggest that P additions to this ecosystem increase N inputs primarily by increasing the abundance of cyanolichens, and that shifts in cyanolichen community composition and changes in individual fixation rate were of lesser importance in determining ecosystem N inputs.
Dengue: a newly emerging viral infection in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: CHAAITHANYA I. K. , BHATTACHARYA D. , MURUGANANDAM N. , THAMIZHMANI R. , BABU B. V. SURESH , SUNDARAM S. G. , MATTA M. , SINGH S. S. , VIJAYACHARI P.
Published: December 2011

Prior to 2009 dengue fever had not been reported in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. In 2009, a few patients with dengue fever-like illness were reported, some of whom tested positive for dengue antibodies. In 2010, 516 suspected cases were reported, including some with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS); 80 (15·5%) were positive for dengue antibodies. DENV RNA was detected in five patients and PCR-based typing showed that three of these belonged to serotype 1 and two to serotype 2. This was confirmed by sequence typing. Two clones of dengue virus, one belonging to serotype 1 and the other to serotype 2 appeared to be circulating in Andaman. Emergence of severe diseases such as DHF and DSS might be due to recent introduction of a more virulent strain or because of the enhancing effect of sub-neutralizing levels of antibodies developed due to prior infections. There is a need to revise the vector-borne disease surveillance system in the islands.
AnHcp100gene fragment revealsHistoplasma capsulatumpresence in lungs ofTadarida brasiliensismigratory bats
Authors: GONZÁLEZ-GONZÁLEZ A. E. , ALIOUAT-DENIS C. M. , CARRETO-BINAGHI L. E. , RAMÍREZ J. A. , RODRÍGUEZ-ARELLANES G. , DEMANCHE C. , CHABÉ M. , ALIOUAT E. M. , DEI-CAS E. , TAYLOR M. L.
Published: December 2011

Histoplasma capsulatumwas sampled in lungs from 87 migratoryTadarida brasiliensisbats captured in Mexico (n=66) and Argentina (n=21). The fungus was screened by nested-PCR using a sensitive and specificHcp100gene fragment. This molecular marker was detected in 81·6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 73·4–89·7] of all bats, representing 71 amplified bat lung DNA samples. Data showed aT. brasiliensisinfection rate of 78·8% (95% CI 68·9–88·7) in bats captured in Mexico and of 90·4% (95% CI 75·2–100) in those captured in Argentina. Similarity with theH. capsulatumsequence of a reference strain (G-217B) was observed in 71Hcp100sequences, which supports the fungal findings. Based on the neighbour-joining and maximum parsimonyHcp100sequence analyses, a high level of similarity was found in most Mexican and all Argentinean bat lung samples. Despite the fact that 81·6% of the infections were molecularly evidenced, only threeH. capsulatumisolates were cultured from all samples tested, suggesting a low fungal burden in lung tissues that did not favour fungal isolation. This study also highlighted the importance of using different tools for the understanding of histoplasmosis epidemiology, since it supports the presence ofH. capsulatuminT. brasiliensismigratory bats from Mexico and Argentina, thus contributing new evidence to the knowledge of the environmental distribution of this fungus in the Americas.
Gradient syllable weight and weight universals in quantitative metrics
Authors: Ryan Kevin M.
Published: December 2011

Homeric Greek, Kalevala Finnish, Old Norse and Middle Tamil are all languages in which weight is claimed to be exclusively binary in the poetic metrics. As I demonstrate through corpus studies of these traditions, the poets were sensitive to additional grades of weight, such that finely articulated continua of syllable weight can be inferred from distributional asymmetries in the metres. Across all four languages, the scales are strongly correlated (for example, in each, C0V<C0VC<C0VV<C0VVC). These language-internal scales reflect the cross-linguistic typology of categorical weight criteria, providing new evidence for weight universals. A metrical grammar is proposed in a maximum entropy constraint framework in which categorical and scalar/gradient constraints interact to generate the weight-mapping typology.
The timing of phrase-initial tones in Seoul Korean: a weighted-constraint model
Authors: Cho Hyesun
Published: December 2011

This paper examines the timing of the L and H tonal targets that constitute the phrase-initial pitch rise in the Seoul Korean LHLH intonation pattern. Two hypotheses, the segmental anchoring hypothesis and the constant duration hypothesis, are examined, by varying speech rate. The segmental anchoring hypothesis states that the beginning and the end of a pitch rise are independently aligned with respect to segments. The alternative hypothesis holds that the interval between the L and H tones should remain stable. It was found that segmental alignment and duration targets simultaneously affect the timing of L and H tonal targets. The model proposed here, the ‘Alignment-Duration’ model, takes these two factors as weighted constraints, which require alignment and duration targets to be realised. The actual timing of the F0 events is determined as the values that minimise the summed cost of violations of these constraints, yielding a compromise between their demands.
THE USDA GRADUATE SCHOOL: GOVERNMENT TRAINING IN STATISTICS AND ECONOMICS, 1921–1945
Authors: RUTHERFORD MALCOLM
Published: December 2011

The USDA Graduate School was founded in 1921 to provide statistical and economic training to the employees of the Department of Agriculture. The school did not grant degrees, but its graduate courses were accepted for credit by a significant number of universities.

In subsequent years, the activities of the school grew rapidly to provide training in many different subject areas for employees from almost all federal departments. The training in statistics provided by the school was often highly advanced (instructors included Howard Tolley and, later, Edwards Deming), while the economics taught displayed an eclectic mix of standard and institutional economics. Mordecai Ezekiel taught both economics and statistics at the school, and had himself received his statistical training there. Statistics instruction in 1936 and 1937 included seminar series from R.A. Fisher and J. Neyman, and courses on the probability approach to sampling involving Lester Frankel and William Hurwitz became important after 1939. The instruction in economics was noticeably institutionalist in the period of the New Deal. Towards the end of the period considered here, the instruction in economics became narrower and more focused on agricultural economics.

The activities of the school provide a basis for understanding some of the sources of the relative statistical sophistication of agricultural economists and of the statistical work done in government in the interwar period. It is noteworthy than within the USDA Graduate School, and in contrast to the Cowles Commission, statistical sophistication coexisted with an approach to economics that was not predominantly neoclassical. It also provides a light on the place of institutional economics in the training of government economists through the same time span.
ETHICS AND THE SCIENCE OF ECONOMICS: ROBBINS'S ENDURING FALLACY
Authors: WITZTUM AMOS
Published: December 2011

The basic principles of Robbins's Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science are still present in most textbooks in economics. We thus face a combined problem of historical and contemporary nature. Robbins's assertion concerning the ethics–economics relationship has two main difficulties. Firstly, the presumption of means–ends analysis, which is oblivious of the ends people seek to promote, is not as neutral as it appears. Robbins chooses to ignore the ends by focusing on cost minimization. This implicitly (though not inherently) suggests another end—wealth, or means, maximization—which by no means can be considered as ethically neutral. Secondly, there is an implicit assumption that whatever the ends people seek to promote, there will always be a coordinated outcome to their actions. As competitive prices are the means to achieve waste minimization (through proper pricing by opportunity costs), the assumed coordination must be that of general equilibrium and, thus, cooperative-based coordination must be excluded.
Discourse structure and language technology
Authors: WEBBER B. , EGG M. , KORDONI V.
Published: December 2011

An increasing number of researchers and practitioners in Natural Language Engineering face the prospect of having to work with entire texts, rather than individual sentences. While it is clear that text must have useful structure, its nature may be less clear, making it more difficult to exploit in applications. This survey of work on discourse structure thus provides a primer on the bases of which discourse is structured along with some of their formal properties. It then lays out the current state-of-the-art with respect to algorithms for recognizing these different structures, and how these algorithms are currently being used in Language Technology applications. After identifying resources that should prove useful in improving algorithm performance across a range of languages, we conclude by speculating on future discourse structure-enabled technology.
Preposition stranding and orphaning: The case of bare prepositions in French
Authors: KAISER GEORG A.
Published: December 2011

In their keynote contribution, Poplack, Zentz & Dion (henceforth PZD; Poplack, Zentz & Dion, 2011, this issue) propose an interesting “scientific test of convergence” (under section heading: “Introduction”) which contains criteria to check whether a particular feature in a given language in contact with another one is due to language contact or not. This is a valiant endeavor with a laudable goal. It is valiant because the answer to this question requires a complex investigation of the languages at issue. It is laudable since it is commonly believed that a given feature of a language in contact with another one is the result of convergence. This belief however is, in general, only a mere conjecture due to superficial similarities of the features at issue, for which no empirical evidence is provided. Yet, there is no doubt that PZD accomplish their endeavor in an outstanding manner. Based on a thorough study of substantial data from Canadian French and Canadian English, they demonstrate in a convincing way how it is possible to reveal whether a given feature is contact-induced or not.
What counts as (contact-induced) change
Authors: POPLACK SHANA , ZENTZ LAUREN , DION NATHALIE
Published: December 2011

We are most grateful to our commentators for their careful reading of our Keynote Article (henceforth KA) and their incisive observations on contact-induced change, and for the many challenging and thought-provoking issues they raise. We welcome the opportunity to respond to (some of) them, especially since, perhaps not surprisingly, these are symptomatic of the very issues in the field of contact linguistics that prompted us to write this KA in the first place.
Meat and milk intakes and toddler growth: a comparison feeding intervention of animal-source foods in rural Kenya
Authors: Long Jennifer K , Murphy Suzanne P , Weiss Robert E , Nyerere Susan , Bwibo Nimrod O , Neumann Charlotte G
Published: December 2011

Objective

To examine the effects of animal-source foods on toddler growth.

Design

A 5-month comparison feeding intervention study with one of three millet-based porridges randomized to eighteen feeding stations serving 303 children aged 11–40 months. Feeding stations served plain millet porridge (Plain group), porridge with milk (Milk group) or porridge with beef (Meat group). Anthropometry, morbidity and food intake were measured at baseline and regular intervals. Longitudinal mixed models were used to analyse growth.

Setting

Embu, Kenya.

Subjects

Two hundred and seventy-four children were included in final analyses.

Results

Linear growth was significantly greater for the Milk group than the Meat group (P = 0·0025). Slope of growth of mid-arm muscle area of the Plain group was significantly greater than in the Meat group (P = 0·0046), while the Milk group's mid-upper arm circumference growth rate was significantly greater than the Meat group's (P = 0·0418). The Milk and Plain groups’ measures did not differ.

Conclusions

Milk and meat porridges did not have a significantly greater effect on growth than plain porridge in this undernourished population. Linear growth was influenced by more than energy intakes, as the Plain group's total body weight-adjusted energy intakes were significantly greater than the Meat group's, although linear growth did not differ. Energy intakes may be more important for growth in arm muscle. The diverse age distribution in the study makes interpretation difficult. A longer study period, larger sample size and more focused age group would improve clarity of the results.
Ethnic Redistribution in Bipolar Societies: The Crafting of Asymmetric Policy Claims in Two Asia-Pacific States
Authors: Shoup Brian D.
Published: December 2011

Many post-colonial states use ethnically-based redistribution (EBR) programs to address economic inequalities between dominant minority communities and professedly autochthonous majority communities. Nevertheless, despite considerable efforts such programs have generally failed in terms of advancing the economic status of majorities. In this article I will suggest that EBRs in post-colonial states are not solely intended to ameliorate economic gaps, but rather are also a policy tool used by governing elites to advance a narrative of state ownership, and by extension a decidedly non-liberal notion of democratic citizenship. I explore this claim through an analysis of Malaysia and Fiji, two post-colonial states characterized by persistent asymmetric claims by ethnic majorities who claim legitimacy by virtue of indigenousness. The discussion will focus first on the formation, deployment, and persistence of claims of ethnic hierarchy by professedly indigenous groups. Second, attention will be paid to how such claims are linked to demands for ethnically based redistribution following a direct challenge to extant ethnic hierarchies. Finally, the policies will be assessed both in terms of their stated economic objectives and in terms of their ability to generate a broader sense of autochthonous identity.
Spectral properties of the Peregrine soliton observed in a water wave tank
Authors: Chabchoub A. , Neumann S. , Hoffmann N. P. , Akhmediev N.
Published: December 2011

The Peregrine soliton, which is commonly considered to be a prototype of a rogue wave in deep water, is observed and measured in a wave tank. Using the measured data of water elevation, we calculated the spectra of the Peregrine soliton and confirmed that they have triangular shapes, in accordance with the theory.
Temperature regulation of virulence factors in the pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus
Authors: Kimes Nikole E , Grim Christopher J , Johnson Wesley R , Hasan Nur A , Tall Ben D , Kothary Mahendra H , Kiss Hajnalka , Munk A Christine , Tapia Roxanne , Green Lance , Detter Chris , Bruce David C , Brettin Thomas S , Colwell Rita R , Morris Pamela J
Published: December 2011

Sea surface temperatures (SST) are rising because of global climate change. As a result, pathogenic Vibrio species that infect humans and marine organisms during warmer summer months are of growing concern. Coral reefs, in particular, are already experiencing unprecedented degradation worldwide due in part to infectious disease outbreaks and bleaching episodes that are exacerbated by increasing SST. For example, Vibrio coralliilyticus, a globally distributed bacterium associated with multiple coral diseases, infects corals at temperatures above 27 °C. The mechanisms underlying this temperature-dependent pathogenicity, however, are unknown. In this study, we identify potential virulence mechanisms using whole genome sequencing of V. coralliilyticus ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) BAA-450. Furthermore, we demonstrate direct temperature regulation of numerous virulence factors using proteomic analysis and bioassays. Virulence factors involved in motility, host degradation, secretion, antimicrobial resistance and transcriptional regulation are upregulated at the higher virulent temperature of 27 °C, concurrent with phenotypic changes in motility, antibiotic resistance, hemolysis, cytotoxicity and bioluminescence. These results provide evidence that temperature regulates multiple virulence mechanisms in V. coralliilyticus, independent of abundance. The ecological and biological significance of this temperature-dependent virulence response is reinforced by climate change models that predict tropical SST to consistently exceed 27 °C during the spring, summer and fall seasons. We propose V. coralliilyticus as a model Gram-negative bacterium to study temperature-dependent pathogenicity in Vibrio-related diseases.
Bacterial community dynamics in the hyporheic zone of an intermittent stream
Authors: Febria Catherine M , Beddoes Paul , Fulthorpe Roberta R , Williams D Dudley
Published: December 2011

The dynamics of in situ bacterial communities in the hyporheic zone of an intermittent stream were described in high spatiotemporal detail. We assessed community dynamics in stream sediments and interstitial pore water over a two-year period using terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Here, we show that sediments remained saturated despite months of drought and limited hydrologic connectivity. The intermittency of stream surface water affected interstitial pore water communities more than hyporheic sediment communities. Seasonal changes in bacterial community composition was significantly associated with water intermittency, phosphate concentrations, temperature, nitrate and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. During periods of low- to no-surface water, communities changed from being rich in operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in isolated surface pools, to a few OTUs overall, including an overall decline in both common and rare taxa. Individual OTUs were compared between porewater and sediments. A total of 19% of identified OTUs existed in both porewater and sediment samples, suggesting that bacteria use hyporheic sediments as a type of refuge from dessication, transported through hydrologically connected pore spaces. Stream intermittency impacted bacterial diversity on rapid timescales (that is, within days), below-ground and in the hyporheic zone. Owing to the coupling of intermittent streams to the surrounding watershed, we stress the importance of understanding connectivity at the pore scale, consequences for below-ground and above-ground biodiversity and nutrient processing, and across both short- and long-time periods (that is, days to months to years).
Targeting of pro-apoptotic TLR adaptor SARM to mitochondria: definition of the critical region and residues in the signal sequence
Authors: Panneerselvam Porkodi , Singh Laishram Pradeepkumar , Ho Bow , Chen Jianzhu , Ding Jeak Ling
Published: December 2011

The fifth and the most well-conserved member of the TLR (Toll-like receptor) adaptor, SARM (sterile α- and HEAT/armadillo-motif-containing protein), has been reported to be an important mediator of apoptosis. However, the exact cellular localization of SARM with respect to its role is unclear. In the present study we show that SARM specifically co-localizes with mitochondria. Endogenous SARM is mainly found in the mitochondria. We demonstrate that the N-terminal 27 amino acids (S27) of SARM, which is hydrophobic and polybasic, acts as a mitochondria-targeting signal sequence, associating SARM to the mitochon-dria. The S27 peptide has an inherent ability to bind to lipids and mitochondria. This sequence effectively translocates the soluble EGFP (enhanced green fluorescence protein) reporter into the mitochondria. Positioning S27 downstream of the EGFP abrogates its mitochondria-targeting ability. Transmission electron microscopy confirms the ability of S27 to import EGFP into the mitochondria. Importantly, by mutagenesis study, we delineated the specificity of the mitochondria-targeting ability to the arginine residue at the 14th position. The R14A SARM mutant also showed reduced apoptotic potential when compared with the wild-type. Taken together, S27, which is a bona fide signal sequence that targets SARM to the mitochondria, explains the pro-apoptotic activity of SARM.