bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Sharp‐Force Thoracic Trauma on the Rate and Pattern of Decomposition
Authors: Smith Ashley C.
Published: November 2013

Given the multiple factors that may alter the rate of decomposition, one of the more difficult tasks that anthropologists and pathologists face is determining of the postmortem interval (PMI). While trauma has been widely accepted as being among those factors, recent published studies have contradicted this premise. However, major issues exist with these studies. Consequently, this study was designed to simulate a more realistic setting in an effort to settle this discrepancy in the literature. This study utilized eight porcine remains; three of which received incised wounds penetrating the thoracic cavity, three others received nonpenetrating wounds, and two were designated nontrauma controls. Measurements included evaluating the total body score (TBS) on temporal and accumulated degree days (ADD). Using a two‐way repeated measures ANOVA, the results of this study found that while trauma does have an influence in the pattern of decomposition, it does not influence the rate of decomposition.
A new species of Eupogoniopsis and new record of Eupromus ruber (Dalman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from South Korea
Authors: Lim Jongok , Lim Jong‐Su , Lee Bong‐Woo
Published: November 2013

Eupogoniopsis granulatus sp. nov., hosted on Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Her. ex Vent. (Moraceae) is described based on a large number of specimens and the spotted scarlet longhorn beetle, Eupromus ruber (Dalman, 1817) is recorded from South Korea for the first time. Descriptions of the two species are provided with diagnostic illustrations including male genitalia for each species. A key to world species of Eupogoniopsis is also presented.
Fine structure of the CNS ganglia in the geometric spider Nephila clavata (Araneae: Nephilidae)
Authors: Park Yong‐Ki , Kim Hyo‐Jeong , Kim Hoon , Moon Myung‐Jin
Published: November 2013

As web spiders usually hang with their head downward, geometrical differences in body position could affect the organization of their central nervous system (CNS). Nevertheless, most of our knowledge of spider's CNS is dependent on what has been revealed from wandering spiders. To fill the gap, we describe here the fine structural organization of the ganglionic neurons and nerves in the geometric orb web spider Nephila clavata. Nerve cells in the supraesophageal ganglion in N. clavata are packed in the frontal, dorsal and lateral regions, but the nerve cells of the subesophageal mass are only restricted to the ventral and ventrolateral regions. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals the fine structural details of the neuroglial cells and the neuronal cells which have a conspicuous Golgi apparatus, rough ER, free ribosomes and well‐developed mitochondria. Comparing fine structural characteristics of the CNS ganglia with those of wandering spiders in most respects, it has been revealed that the geometrical difference may affects to the arrangement of receptors in the central body known as an important association center for web building behavior. In particular, remarkable differences can be detected in the protocerebral area by the extraordinary development of the central body including absence of the globuli and associated mushroom bodies.
Effect of pH and Pepsin Limited Hydrolysis on the Structure and Functional Properties of Soybean Protein Hydrolysates
Authors: Cui Chun , Zhao Mouming , Yuan Boen , Zhang Yuanhong , Ren Jiaoyan
Published: November 2013

Effects of limited enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin on the functional properties and structure characteristics of soybean proteins were investigated. Hydrolysates with different incubation time (10 to 900 min) were prepared. Results showed that SPI hydrolyzed for 60 min exhibited the best emulsibility and the ability of resisting freezing/thawing. Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis proved that pepsin can degrade glycinin but had little effect on the α’ subunit of β‐conglycinin. The structure unfolding reached the largest extent after incubation for 60 min and the soluble and flexible aggregates were formed. After 120 min, glycinin was degraded totally and β‐conglycinin formed insoluble aggregates. Moreover, 2 methods were applied for the deactivation of pepsin to obtain final hydrolysates at pH 2.0 and 7.0, respectively. The structure analysis revealed that the unfolding extent and structure characteristic were different in these 2 conditions. When adjusting the pH value from 2.0 to 7.0, the unfolding protein molecular would reaggregate again at pH 7.0 due to the charge neutralization, and the hydrodynamic diameter and λmax absorbance decreased compared to pH 2.0. Moreover, some of the insoluble aggregates formed at pH 2.0 became soluble at pH 7.0, because of the salt‐in phenomenon.
Do medical procedures in the arm increase the risk of lymphoedema after axillary surgery? A review
Authors: Cheng Chris‐Tin , Deitch Jessica M. , Haines Ian E. , Porter David J. , Kilbreath Sharon L.
Published: November 2013

Lymphoedema of the arm is a potentially serious consequence of any axillary procedure performed during the management of breast cancer. In an attempt to reduce its incidence and severity, patients are instructed to avoid venepunctures and blood pressure measurements on the treated arm. These precautions are not possible in some patients and attempts to adhere to them can cause discomfort, anxiety and stress for both patients and their health‐care workers. The strength with which these recommendations are made is in contrast to the level of evidence underpinning them. This paper reviews this evidence regarding the safety, or lack thereof, of blood pressure monitoring and intravenous puncture in women who have had axillary surgery. With this evidence generally being anecdotal in nature, there appears to be no rigorous evidence‐based support for the risk‐reduction behaviours of avoiding blood pressure monitoring and venepuncture in the affected arm in the prevention of lymphoedema after axillary procedure. A clinical trial was proposed to investigate whether such avoidance measures were valuable, but failed during its inception. There remains a need for research from prospective trials on this controversial topic to determine the most appropriate patient recommendations that should be provided after axillary procedure regarding the risks for development of lymphoedema.
Demographic and production practices of pig producers trading at saleyards in eastern Australia
Authors: Schembri N , Hernandez‐Jover M , Toribio J‐ALML , Holyoake PK
Published: November 2013

Objective

To gather information on the demographics, motivations, marketing strategies and rearing techniques of producers who trade pigs at livestock markets in eastern Australia.

Methods

A 2‐page postal survey was administered to 815 pig producers trading pigs at six livestock markets in eastern Australia. Preliminary demographic and managerial practices were qualitatively and quantitatively determined. Logistic regression analysis was used to provide an insight to those practices that could pose a risk for exotic disease introduction and/or spread.

Results

A response rate of 68.7% (505 survey questionnaires) was achieved. Most respondents (73.1%) resided in regional areas and 65.5% of these were classed as ‘small‐scale’ (<100 sows). Herd size was significantly (P < 0.0001) associated with the use of veterinary services, with smaller herds less likely to consult a veterinarian. In addition, peri‐urban producers (24.8%) tended (P = 0.051) to contact veterinarians more frequently than regional producers (15.2%). Motivations for keeping pigs differed by herd size, nationality and producer type. One‐third of respondents trading pigs used more than one method to market pigs, with marketing strategies differing by herd size. Producers with smaller herd sizes kept pigs as a secondary source of income, as a hobby or for home consumption (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Key risk areas for exotic disease introduction and spread identified in this study included lack of veterinary contact, motivations for keeping pigs other than financial, marketing pigs privately with no formal transaction documentation and the co‐production of pigs with ruminant and domestic bird species.
Long‐term suppression of EAE relapses by pharmacological impairment of epitope spreading
Authors: Cavone L , Peruzzi B , Caporale R , Chiarugi A
Published: November 2013

Background and Purpose

Immune events sustaining dendritic cell (DC)‐dependent epitope spreading (ES) are of key relevance to the development of relapses during multiple sclerosis (MS). Although no drugs are currently available to target ES, its inhibition would represent a major advancement in MS therapy. Inhibitors of the enzyme PARP‐1 afford protection in animal models of MS, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). These drugs epigenetically impair antigen presentation by DCs, but whether these drugs affect ES is unknown. Here, we investigated whether short‐term treatments with these compounds would impair ES, thereby preventing EAE relapses.

Experimental Approach

We used a model of relapsing EAE in SJL mice and also adopted in vivo and ex vivo models of DC‐dependent T‐cell polarization. The effect of PARP‐1 inhibitors on ES was evaluated at the humoral and cellular level.

Key Results

Short‐term treatments with PARP‐1 inhibitors during the acute phase of relapsing EAE of mice induced, at later times, more tolerogenic DCs, increased numbers of Treg cells and impairment of ES at the humoral and cellular level. These effects are followed by long‐lasting reduction of relapse severity and incidence, although drug treatment had been discontinued for several weeks. PARP‐1 inhibitors also induced tolerogenic DCs and increased Treg cells number and function in a model of ovalbumin immunization.

Conclusions and Implications

Our data emphasize the therapeutic potential of PARP‐1 inhibitors in the treatment of relapsing‐remitting MS and additional ES‐driven autoimmune disorders.
Impulse control disorders in patients with dopamine agonist‐treated prolactinomas and nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas: a case–control study
Authors: Bancos Irina , Nannenga Michael R. , Bostwick J. Michael , Silber Michael H. , Erickson Dana , Nippoldt Todd B.
Published: November 2013

Objective

We aimed to assess the prevalence of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in patients with prolactin‐secreting adenomas treated with dopamine agonists (DAs), to identify associated factors and to compare it with a group of patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.

Subjects, Design and Measurement

In a postal survey, 77 patients from Group A (patients with prolactinomas and present or past use of DAs) and 70 patients from Group B (patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma and no history of DA therapy) responded to a questionnaire on compulsive shopping, pathologic gambling, hypersexuality and punding. Associated clinical information was obtained through the survey and review of medical electronic records.

Results

The total ICD prevalence was 24·68% in Group A and 17·1% in Group B (P = 0·31). Group A had an increased rate of hypersexuality (P = 0·03). Subgroup analysis revealed that men in Group A had a significantly increased frequency of total ICDs when compared with men in Group B (27·7 vs 3·7%, P = 0·01). No differences in rates of total ICDs were found between women of Groups A and B (20 vs 25·6%, P = 0·78). No association with type, dose or duration of treatment with DA was noted.

Conclusions

Males with prolactinomas treated with DAs were 9·9 times more likely to develop an ICD than their counterparts with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Until prospective studies on the relationship of DA use in patients with prolactinoma and ICDs are available, the authors propose that patients with prolactinoma be forewarned of possible ICD development with DA therapy.
Roles of glial cells in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration
Authors: Takeuchi Hideyuki
Published: November 2013

A gap junction is the major intercellular channel that facilitates direct signaling between cytoplasmic compartments of adjacent cells by transferring various small molecules (approximately 1 kDa) and ions. A gap junction consists of a pair of hemichannels, each of which is a hexameric cluster of protein subunits named connexin. Besides the functional gap junction with the coupled hemichannels, the uncoupled “free” hemichannels also facilitate two‐way transfer of molecules between the cytosol and extracellular space. Both gap junctions and hemichannels form the neuron–glia network, and contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis by propagating signals and buffering against toxins in the central nervous system. In contrast, recent evidence has also shown that microglial glutamate from hemichannels induces neuronal damage, and death signals are propagated from damaged cells to neighboring cells through gap junctions, suggesting that gap junctions and hemichannels are involved in the initiation and amplification of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the central nervous system. Understanding the precise pathological roles of gap junctions and .hemichannels might lead to a new therapeutic approach that could slow and halt the progression of various neurological disorders.
Lighting Simulation of Augmented Outdoor Scene Based on a Legacy Photograph
Authors: Xing Guanyu , Zhou Xuehong , Peng Qunsheng , Liu Yanli , Qin Xueying
Published: November 2013

We propose a novel approach to simulate the illumination of augmented outdoor scene based on a legacy photograph. Unlike previous works which only take surface radiosity or lighting related prior information as the basis of illumination estimation, our method integrates both of these two items. By adopting spherical harmonics, we deduce a linear model with only six illumination parameters. The illumination of an outdoor scene is finally calculated by solving a linear least square problem with the color constraint of the sunlight and the skylight. A high quality environment map is then set up, leading to realistic rendering results. We also explore the problem of shadow casting between real and virtual objects without knowing the geometry of objects which cast shadows. An efficient method is proposed to project complex shadows (such as tree's shadows) on the ground of the real scene to the surface of the virtual object with texture mapping. Finally, we present an unified scheme for image composition of a real outdoor scene with virtual objects ensuring their illumination consistency and shadow consistency. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and flexibility of our method.
Eye‐Centered Color Adaptation in Global Illumination
Authors: Gruson A. , Ribardière M. , Cozot R.
Published: November 2013

Color adaptation is a well known ability of the human visual system (HVS). Colors are perceived as constant even though the illuminant color changes. Indeed, the perceived color of a diffuse white sheet of paper is still white even though it is illuminated by a single orange tungsten light, whereas it is orange from a physical point of view. Unfortunately global illumination algorithms only focus on the physics aspects of light transport. The ouput of a global illuminantion engine is an image which has to undergo chromatic adaptation to recover the color as perceived by the HVS. In this paper, we propose a new color adaptation method well suited to global illumination. This method estimates the adaptation color by averaging the irradiance color arriving at the eye. Unlike other existing methods, our approach is not limited to the view frustrum, as it considers the illumination from all the scene. Experiments have shown that our method outperforms the state of the art methods.
Artistic QR Code Embellishment
Authors: Lin Yi‐Shan , Luo Sheng‐Jie , Chen Bing‐Yu
Published: November 2013

A QR code is a two‐dimensional barcode that encodes information. A standard QR code contains only regular black and white squares, and thus is unattractive. This paper proposes a novel framework for embellishing a standard QR code, to make it both attractive and recognizable by any human while maintaining its scanability. The proposed method is inspired by artistic methods. A QR code is typically embellished by stylizing the squares and embedding images into it. In the proposed framework, the regular squares are reshaped using a binary examplar, to make their local appearances resemble the example shape. Additionally, an error‐aware warping technique for deforming the embedded image is proposed; it minimizes the error in the QR code that is generated by the embedding of the image to optimize the readability of the code. The proposed algorithm yields lower data error than previous global transformation techniques because the warping can locally deform the embedded image to conform to the squares that surround it. The proposed framework was examined by using it to embellish an extensive set of QR codes and to test the readability with various commercial QR code readers.
Combustion Waves on the Point Set Surface
Authors: Jeong SoHyeon , Kim Chang‐Hun
Published: November 2013

This paper introduces a combustion model of heat transfer and fuel consumption for the propagation of a fire front on a point cloud surface. The heat transfer includes the heat advection by the airflow as well as diffusion, chemical reaction, and heat loss to generate complex, but controllable heat flows with a designed airflow velocity. For the stable heat advection, we solve a semi‐Lagrangian method on point samples using discrete exponential maps to trace the position from which the wind blows while preserving the geodesic distance. We also propose angular Voronoi weights for a discrete Laplace‐Beltrami operator that shows better isotropic diffusion on the inhomogeneous distribution of point clouds than the cotangent or moving least‐squares schemes. We demonstrate a diversity of burning scenarios by incorporating factors affecting the fire spreading such as buoyancy and object geometries in the airflow velocity fields, or by synthesizing patterns.
A Progressive Tri‐level Segmentation Approach for Topology‐Change‐Aware Video Matting
Authors: Ju Jinlong , Wang Jue , Liu Yebin , Wang Haoqian , Dai Qionghai
Published: November 2013

Previous video matting approaches mostly adopt the “binary segmentation + matting” strategy, i.e., first segment each frame into foreground and background regions, then extract the fine details of the foreground boundary using matting techniques. This framework has several limitations due to the fact that binary segmentation is employed. In this paper, we propose a new supervised video matting approach. Instead of applying binary segmentation, we explicitly model segmentation uncertainty in a novel tri‐level segmentation procedure. The segmentation is done progressively, enabling us to handle difficult cases such as large topology changes, which are challenging to previous approaches. The tri‐level segmentation results can be naturally fed into matting techniques to generate the final alpha mattes. Experimental results show that our system can generate high quality results with less user inputs than the state‐of‐theart methods.
Animated 3D Line Drawings with Temporal Coherence
Authors: Xu X. , Seah H. S. , Quah C. K.
Published: November 2013

Producing traditional animation is a laborious task where the key drawings are first drawn by artists and thereafter inbetween drawings are created, whether it is by hand or computer‐assisted. Auto‐inbetweening of these 2D key drawings by computer is a non‐trivial task as 3D depths are missing. An alternate approach is to generate all the drawings by extracting lines directly from animated 3D models frame by frame, concatenating and rendering them together into an animation. However, animation quality generated using this straightforward method bears two problems. Firstly, the animation contains unsatisfactory visual artifacts such as line flickering and popping. This is especially pronounced when the lines are extracted using high‐order derivatives, such as ridges and valleys, from 3D models represented in triangle meshes. Secondly, there is a lack of temporal continuity as each drawing is generated without taking its neighboring drawings into consideration. In this paper, we propose an improved approach over the straightforward method by transferring extracted 3D line drawings of each frame into individual 3D lines and processing them along the time domain. Our objective is to minimize the visual artifacts and incorporate temporal relationship of individual lines throughout the entire animation sequence. This is achieved by creating correspondent trajectory of each line from each frame and applying global optimization on each trajectory. To realize this target, we present a fully automatic novel approach, which consists of (1) a line matching algorithm, (2) an optimizing algorithm, taking into account both the variations of numbers and lengths of 3D lines in each frame, and (3) a robust tracing method for transferring collections of line segments extracted from the 3D models into individual lines. We evaluate our approach on several animated model sequences to demonstrate its effectiveness in producing line drawing animations with temporal coherence.
Boundary‐Aware Extinction Mapping
Authors: Gautron Pascal , Delalandre Cyril , Marvie Jean‐Eudes , Lecocq Pascal
Published: November 2013

We introduce Boundary‐Aware Extinction Maps for interactive rendering of massive heterogeneous volumetric datasets. Our approach is based on the projection of the extinction along light rays into a boundary‐aware function space, focusing on the most relevant sections of the light paths. This technique also provides an alternative representation of the set of participating media, allowing scattering simulation methods to be applied on arbitrary volume representations. Combined with a simple out‐of‐core rendering framework, Boundary‐Aware Extinction Maps are valuable tools for interactive applications as well as production previsualization and rendering.
A Programmable Graphics Processor based on Partial Stream Rewriting
Authors: Middendorf L. , Haubelt Ch.
Published: November 2013

Current graphics processing units (GPU) typically offer only a limited number of programmable pipeline stages, whose usage, data flow and topology are mostly fixed. Although a more flexible, custom rendering pipeline can be emulated using the compute functionality of existing GPUs, this approach requires to manage work queues, synchronization, and scheduling in software. In this paper, we present a hardware architecture for a novel, programmable rendering pipeline, which is based on a circulating stream of data and control tokens that are iteratively modified via pattern matching. Our architecture provides light‐weight mechanisms for dynamic thread creation, lock‐free synchronization, and scheduling to support recursion, dynamic shader linkage and custom primitive types. A hardware prototype, running complex examples, demonstrates the improved reconfigurability also the scalability of our graphics architecture.
Level‐of‐Detail Streaming and Rendering using Bidirectional Sparse Virtual Texture Functions
Authors: Schwartz Christopher , Ruiters Roland , Klein Reinhard
Published: November 2013

Bidirectional Texture Functions (BTFs) are among the highest quality material representations available today and thus well suited whenever an exact reproduction of the appearance of a material or complete object is required. In recent years, BTFs have started to find application in various industrial settings and there is also a growing interest in the cultural heritage domain. BTFs are usually measured from real‐world samples and easily consist of tens or hundreds of gigabytes. By using data‐driven compression schemes, such as matrix or tensor factorization, a more compact but still faithful representation can be derived. This way, BTFs can be employed for real‐time rendering of photo‐realistic materials on the GPU. However, scenes containing multiple BTFs or even single objects with high‐resolution BTFs easily exceed available GPU memory on today's consumer graphics cards unless quality is drastically reduced by the compression. In this paper, we propose the Bidirectional Sparse Virtual Texture Function, a hierarchical level‐of‐detail approach for the real‐time rendering of large BTFs that requires only a small amount of GPU memory. More importantly, for larger numbers or higher resolutions, the GPU and CPU memory demand grows only marginally and the GPU workload remains constant. For this, we extend the concept of sparse virtual textures by choosing an appropriate prioritization, finding a trade off between factorization components and spatial resolution. Besides GPU memory, the high demand on bandwidth poses a serious limitation for the deployment of conventional BTFs. We show that our proposed representation can be combined with an additional transmission compression and then be employed for streaming the BTF data to the GPU from from local storage media or over the Internet. In combination with the introduced prioritization this allows for the fast visualization of relevant content in the users field of view and a consecutive progressive refinement.
Coarse‐to‐Fine Normal Filtering for Feature‐Preserving Mesh Denoising Based on Isotropic Subneighborhoods
Authors: Zhu Lei , Wei Mingqiang , Yu Jinze , Wang Weiming , Qin Jing , Heng Pheng‐Ann
Published: November 2013

State‐of‐theart normal filters usually denoise each face normal using its entire anisotropic neighborhood. However, enforcing these filters indiscriminately on the anisotropic neighborhood will lead to feature blurring, especially in challenging regions with shallow features. We develop a novel mesh denoising framework which can effectively preserve features with various sizes. Our idea is inspired by the observation that the underlying surface of a noisy mesh is piecewise smooth. In this regard, it is more desirable that we denoise each face normal within its piecewise smooth region (we call such a region as an isotropic subneighborhood) instead of using the anisotropic neighborhood. To achieve this, we first classify mesh faces into several types using a face normal tensor voting and then perform a normal filter to obtain a denoised coarse normal field. Based on the results of normal classification and the denoised coarse normal field, we segment the anisotropic neighborhood of every feature face into a number of isotropic subneighborhoods via local spectral clustering. Thus face normal filtering can be performed again on the isotropic subneighborhoods and produce a more accurate normal field. Extensive tests on various models demonstrate that our method can achieve better performance than state‐of‐theart normal filters, especially in challenging regions with features.
As‐Rigid‐AsPossible Distance Field Metamorphosis
Authors: Weng Yanlin , Chai Menglei , Xu Weiwei , Tong Yiying , Zhou Kun
Published: November 2013

Widely used for morphing between objects with arbitrary topology, distance field interpolation (DFI) handles topological transition naturally without the need for correspondence or remeshing, unlike surface‐based interpolation approaches. However, lack of correspondence in DFI also leads to ineffective control over the morphing process. In particular, unless the user specifies a dense set of landmarks, it is not even possible to measure the distortion of intermediate shapes during interpolation, let alone control it. To remedy such issues, we introduce an approach for establishing correspondence between the interior of two arbitrary objects, formulated as an optimal mass transport problem with a sparse set of landmarks. This correspondence enables us to compute non‐rigid warping functions that better align the source and target objects as well as to incorporate local rigidity constraints to perform as‐rigid‐aspossible DFI. We demonstrate how our approach helps achieve flexible morphing results with a small number of landmarks.
Efficient Shadow Removal Using Subregion Matching Illumination Transfer
Authors: Xiao Chunxia , Xiao Donglin , Zhang Ling , Chen Lin
Published: November 2013

This paper proposes a new shadow removal approach for input single natural image by using subregion matching illumination transfer We first propose an effective and automatic shadow detection algorithm incorporating global successive thresholding scheme and local boundary refinement. Then we present a novel shadow removal algorithm by performing illumination transfer on the matched subregion pairs between the shadow regions and non‐shadow regions, and this method can process complex images with different kinds of shadowed texture regions and illumination conditions. In addition, we develop an efficient shadow boundary processing method by using alpha matte interpolation, which produces seamless transition between the shadow and non‐shadow regions. Experimental results demonstrate the capabilities of our algorithm in both the shadow removal quality and performance.
Suitability of native and ornamental oak species inCalifornia forAgrilus auroguttatus
Authors: Haavik L.J. , Graves A.D. , Coleman T.W. , Flint M.L. , Venette R.C. , Seybold S.J.
Published: November 2013

Goldspotted oak borer,Agrilus auroguttatusSchaeffer (Coleoptera:Buprestidae), is a new invasive species in southernCalifornia, USA. The extent of the host range of this insect is not known, but this knowledge will have a major impact on assessment of the risks that this pest poses to oaks [Quercusspp. (Fagaceae)]. We conducted laboratory tests to determine the potential suitability of native and ornamental oak species for larvae and adults ofA. auroguttatus. We infested 179 cut logs (from 163 different trees) with eggs or larvae, measured neonate survival and, after 5 months, counted feeding galleries, and noted the proportion of galleries with late instars. Initial larval survival was generally high when larvae penetrated the phloem (range: 62–98% among oak species), and low by the time larvae began to feed at the phloem/xylem interface (range: 0–25% among oak species). The majority of larvae that established a visible feeding gallery survived to the fourth instar (total of 73% for all oak species). Larval galleries were established with greater frequency in red oaks (SectionLobatae) compared with other oaks (19 vs. 7 or 4%). All red oaks tested (Q. agrifoliaNée,Q. kelloggiiNewberry, andQ. wislizeniA.DC.) were likely suitable hosts for larvae. Larvae were apparently able to feed on some of the other oaks (Q. chrysolepisLeibmann,Q. suberL.,Q. lobataNée, andQ. douglasiiHook &Arn), although it remains unclear whether these species would be preferred hosts under natural conditions. Adult longevity and fecundity varied little by species of oak foliage fed to adults. The host range ofA. auroguttatusis likely limited by suitability of oak species for the larval rather than the adult life stage. Results support published field observations that red oaks are more suitable hosts than white oaks.
Adapting the personality‐targetedPreventureprogram to prevent substance use and associated harms among high‐riskAustralian adolescents
Authors: Barrett Emma L. , Newton Nicola C. , Teesson Maree , Slade Tim , Conrod Patricia J.
Published: November 2013

Aim

Substance use among adolescents is of significant concern and the need for preventive interventions is clear. Although universal prevention programs have shown to reduce substance use among Australian adolescents, no effective selective program has been developed for high‐risk youth inAustralia.Preventureis a personality‐targeted intervention that has shown to be effective in theUKandCanada and is yet to be trialled inAustralia. Before doing so, it is necessary to ensure the content is relevant for the Australian setting. This study reports data collected to update and adapt theUK‐basedPreventureprogram for use inAustralia.

Methods

Eight focus groups were conducted with 69 students from three secondary schools inSydney,Australia. Students who screened high risk for early‐onset substance misuse were invited to participate in focus groups specific to their personality profile and provide feedback. Written feedback was also obtained from 12 teachers and health professionals.

Results

Students, teachers and experts recommended specific changes to the content, language, scenarios and graphics of thePreventuremanuals. The majority of teachers and experts believed that the educational content of the program was appropriate for students and that it would be effective in reducing substance use in this population.

Conclusions

The information obtained in the current study was used to update thePreventureprogram for use withAustralian adolescents. It is expected that this modifiedPreventureprogram will demonstrate similar effects in reducing alcohol and drug use among high‐risk youth inAustralia, as it did in theUKandCanada.
Oncogenic potential of CK2α and its regulatory role in EGF‐induced HDAC2 expression in human liver cancer
Authors: Kim Hyung S. , Chang Young G. , Bae Hyun J. , Eun Jung W. , Shen Qingyu , Park Se J. , Shin Woo C. , Lee Eun K. , Park Soha , Ahn Young M. , Park Won S. , Lee Jung Y. , Nam Suk W.
Published: November 2013

Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) is aberrantly regulated and plays a pivotal role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through regulation of cell‐cycle components at the transcriptional level, but the underlying mechanism leading to oncogenic HDAC2 remains unknown. In this study, we show that expression of CK2α (casein kinase II α subunit) was up‐regulated in a large cohort of human HCC patients, and that high expression of CK2α was significantly associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients in terms of five‐year overall survival. It was also found that CK2α over‐expression positively correlated with HDAC2 over‐expression in a subset of HCCs. We observed that treatment with epidermal growth factor (EGF) elicited an increase in CK2α expression and Akt phosphorylation, causing induction of HDAC2 expression in liver cancer cells. It was also observed that ectopic expression of dominant‐negative CK2α blocked EGF‐induced HDAC2 expression, and that ectopic CK2α expression attenuated the suppressive effect of Akt knockdown on HDAC2 expression in liver cancer cells. Targeted disruption of CK2α influenced the cell cycle, causing a significant increase in the number of liver cancer cells remaining in G2/M phase, and suppressed growth via repression of Cdc25c and cyclin B in liver cancer cells. Taken together, our findings suggest the oncogenic potential of CK2α in liver tumorigenesis. Furthermore, a regulatory mechanism for HDAC2 expression is proposed whereby EGF induces transcriptional activation of HDAC2 by CK2α/Akt activation in liver cancer cells. Therefore, this makes CK2α a promising target in cancer therapy.
Interstitiality: Making Space for Migration, Diaspora, and Racial Complexity
Authors: Sheth Falguni A.
Published: November 2013

In this essay, I consider how to conceptualize “diasporic” subjects, namely those whose identities and homes cannot be easily attributed, with regard to the political and racial dynamics of intra‐group tensions, alliances, and divergences of interest. These concerns are important relatives to topics that Critical Race Theorists and Critical Race Feminists have readily addressed, such as the war on terror, the not‐so‐gradual erosion of dignity and rights protections accorded to non‐citizens, and the increasing antagonism, surveillance, and brutality toward Latino and Muslim migrants. As such, the former issues should become central concerns for Critical Race Theorists. In what follows, I want to introduce a framework called “interstitiality” as a way to address them.1
An innovative nano‐sorbent for selective solid‐phase extraction and spectrophotometric determination of p‐amino benzoic acid in cosmetic products
Authors: Abdolmohammad‐Zadeh H. , Falaghi S. , Rahimpour E.
Published: November 2013

Synopsis

Objective

A novel nano‐sorbent was developed for selective extraction and pre‐concentration of p‐amino benzoic acid (PABA) prior to determination by spectrophotometry.

Methods

Selective extraction of PABA from aqueous solutions was performed using a solid‐phase extraction column packed with 200 mg of nickel–zinc–aluminium layered double hydroxide (Ni‐Zn‐Al LDH) as a nano‐sorbent. Extraction procedure is based on the adsorption of p‐amino benzoate ions on the Ni‐Zn‐Al‐nitrate LDH and/or their exchanging with LDH interlayer nitrate ions. After elution of extracted analyte by 2.5 mL of 2 mol L−1 NaCl solution, its concentration was determined spectrophotometrically at λmax = 268 nm.

Results

The spectrophotometry method gave a linear response for PABA within the range of 12.5–425.0 μg L−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9994. In the optimum experimental conditions, the limit of detection and sorption capacity were 3.78 μg L−1 and 21.25 mg g−1, respectively.

Conclusion

The presented method uses mild separation conditions and is a sensitive, reproducible, simple, low‐cost and environment‐friendly technique that could be used for the extraction and determination of PABA in various cosmetic samples.
Impatiens liboensis sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae) from Guizhou, China
Authors: Kuang Ren‐Ping , Duan Lin‐Dong , Gu Jian‐Zhong , Cai Xiu‐Zhen , Cong Yi‐Yan , Liu Ke‐Ming
Published: November 2013

Impatiens liboensis K. M. Liu & R. P. Kuang, a new species collected from Xiaoqikong Scenic Area in southern Guizhou, China, is described and illustrated, including its seed and pollen micro‐morphology. Impatiens liboensis is similar to I. chishuiensis Y. X. Xiong and I. tubulosa Hemsl., but differs by having obviously irregular underground tubers, white or pink–white flowers, lower sepal with a 1.2–1.5 cm long spur, obovate dorsal petal, and obovate‐oblong or obliquely obovate lower lobes of the lateral petals with retuse apex.
Flower structure and sex expression of leaky dioecy in Eurya obtusifolia
Authors: Wang Qian , Deng Hong‐Ping , Ding Bo , Zhou Guang‐Lin
Published: November 2013

The genus Eurya is described as strictly dioecious, but rare leaky plants have been found in some species, causing much confusion about the sex expression of the genus. Through field investigations from 2009 to 2011, morphologically hermaphroditic flowers in Eurya obtusifolia were discovered. In order to understand the sex expression of these plants, their stamens, pistils and ovules were carefully observed. Staining methods were used to assess the functional gender. The flowers of the leaky plants can be classified into six types: pistillate, staminate, cryptic pistillate, cryptic staminate, hermaphrodite and infertile. Leaky plants usually exhibit a combination of different kinds of flowers, making them either gynoecious, androecious, gynomonoecious or monoecious. Some individuals have infertile flowers. Bagging experiments verified the bisexual function of E. obtusifolia plants, some of which possess the ability to self‐pollinate. The flower morphology of leaky plants varied more than that of dioecious ones, and the number of ovules were significantly negatively correlated with the number of stamens. These plants show lower fitness than normal dioecious plants. This may owe to allocation tradeoffs or sexual genome conflicts. As leaky dioecy is rarely reported in this genus, E. obtusifolia is an important species to study in order to better understand the ecological adaptations and evolutionary pathways that lead to dioecy in Eurya. Our findings provide some evidence that dioecy of Eurya evolved from hermaphroditism, but further studies are still needed.
Effect of Heat Stress on the Photosynthetic Characteristics in Flag Leaves at the Grain‐Filling Stage of Different Heat‐Resistant Winter Wheat Varieties
Authors: Feng B. , Liu P. , Li G. , Dong S. T. , Wang F. H. , Kong L. A. , Zhang J. W.
Published: November 2013

Heat stress has become an increasingly important factor in limiting wheat yields. In northernChina, high temperature (>30 °C) during the grain filling is one of the major constraints in increasing wheat productivity. We used two winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) cultivars with different sensitivities to heat stress (Jimai 22 ‘JM22’, low sensitivity and Xinmai 26 ‘XM26’, high sensitivity) to study the various aspects of photosynthetic characteristics during the grain filling stage under heat stress. The results showed that photosynthesis rates (Pn) in flag leaves ofXM26 decreased faster than inJM22 under heat stress during the grain‐filling stage.Pndecreased more rapidly under heat stress than without stress, by up to 69.9% and 59.3%, respectively, at 10 days following heat stress (10DAS). This decline ofPnwas not caused by heat‐induced stomatal limitation, but rather by a decline in Rubisco activity and a functional drop in photosystemII(PSII). After heat stress, the grain yield ofJM22 decreased by 6.41%, butXM26 decreased by 11.43%, when compared with their respective controls. Heat stress also caused an alteration of mesophyll cell ultrastructure. Injury caused by heat stress to organelles inXM26 was more severe thanJM22. Moreover, theJM22 cultivar showed some self‐repair capacity following heat stress injury. These results indicate that declines in photosynthetic performance caused by heat stress were cultivar‐dependent. Compared withXM26, theJM22 cultivar had superior heat stability in terms ofPSIIfunction and carboxylation activity, both of which are susceptible to heat stress.
The effects of cultural intelligence on performance in multicultural teams
Authors: Moon Taewon
Published: November 2013

This study investigates the relative performance changes of multicultural teams (MCTs) over time, as well as the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and performance in MCTs. More specifically, we argue that MCTs' CQ alleviates the adverse effect of cultural diversity on team performance, thereby demonstrating the importance of CQ for multicultural teams. Using data from 73 project groups comprising 327 members, the results have demonstrated that the degree of cultural diversity on MCTs influences team performance over time, and that those teams with higher levels of CQ tend to gradually exhibit higher rates of performance improvement. In addition, the results indicate that CQ moderates the relationship between cultural diversity and team performance.
Can climate explain interannual local extinctions among bird species?
Authors: Boucher‐Lalonde Véronique , Thériault Francois L. , Currie David J.
Published: November 2013

Aim

Geographical variations in species richness are strongly related to temperature and precipitation. On ecological time‐scales, these variations in species richness should reflect rates of immigration and local extinction (extirpation). Here we ask whether the probability of local extinction in passerine birds covaries with climate. Specifically, we test whether local extinctions increase with climatic harshness or with the climatic distance from a species' optimal climate.

Location

USA and Canada.

Methods

We obtained bird counts from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) from 1967 to 2012. For each BBS route, we calculated the probability of interannual local extinction for each of 206 passerine birds. We then used linear mixed‐effects models and structural equation modelling to relate local extinction rates to our hypothesized predictor variables: temperature, precipitation and their distance from the species' most occupied temperature and precipitation.

Results

We found that local extinctions are nearly independent of temperature and precipitation: no climate is inherently more extinction‐prone than any other. Similarly, the climatic distance from a species' maximally occupied temperature and precipitation has only an extremely weak positive effect on the probability of local extinction. We found that only abundance has a strong negative effect on the probability of local extinction.

Main conclusions

Although variations in local extinctions are typically spatially structured, we conclude that they are not related to contemporary climate in a consistent way among species. Broad‐scale geographical gradients of species richness are unlikely to be driven by higher extinction rates in climatically harsh areas.
Piscirickettsiosis and Piscirickettsia salmonis in fish: a review
Authors: Rozas M , Enríquez R
Published: November 2013

The bacterium Piscirickettsia salmonis is the aetiological agent of piscirickettsiosis a severe disease that has caused major economic losses in the aquaculture industry since its appearance in 1989. Recent reports of P. salmonis or P. salmonis‐like organisms in new fish hosts and geographical regions have increased interest in the bacterium. Because this gram‐negative bacterium is still poorly understood, many relevant aspects of its life cycle, virulence and pathogenesis must be investigated before prophylactic procedures can be properly designed. The development of effective control strategies for the disease has been limited due to a lack of knowledge about the biology, intracellular growth, transmission and virulence of the organism. Piscirickettsiosis has been difficult to control; the failure of antibiotic treatment is common, and currently used vaccines show variable long‐term efficacy. This review summarizes the biology and characteristics of the bacterium, including its virulence; the infective strategy of P. salmonis for survival and evasion of the host immune response; the host immune response to invasion by this pathogen; and newly described features of the pathology, pathogenesis, epidemiology and transmission. Current approaches to the prevention of and treatment for piscirickettsiosis are discussed.
CONNECT for Better Fall Prevention in Nursing Homes: Results from a Pilot Intervention Study
Authors: Colon‐Emeric Cathleen S. , McConnell Eleanor , Pinheiro Sandro O. , Corazzini Kirsten , Porter Kristie , Earp Kelly M. , Landerman Lawrence , Beales Julie , Lipscomb Jeffrey , Hancock Kathryn , Anderson Ruth A.
Published: November 2013

Objectives

To determine whether an intervention that improves nursing home (NH) staff connections, communication, and problem solving (CONNECT) would improve implementation of a falls reduction education program (FALLS).

Design

Cluster randomized trial.

Setting

Community (n = 4) and Veterans Affairs (VA) NHs (n = 4).

Participants

Staff in any role with resident contact (n = 497).

Intervention

NHs received FALLS alone (control) or CONNECT followed by FALLS (intervention), each delivered over 3 months. CONNECT used storytelling, relationship mapping, mentoring, self‐monitoring, and feedback to help staff identify communication gaps and practice interaction strategies. FALLS included group training, modules, teleconferences, academic detailing, and audit and feedback.

Measurements

NH staff completed surveys about interactions at baseline, 3 months (immediately after CONNECT or control period), and 6 months (immediately after FALLS). A random sample of resident charts was abstracted for fall risk reduction documentation (n = 651). Change in facility fall rates was an exploratory outcome. Focus groups were conducted to explore changes in organizational learning.

Results

Significant improvements in staff perceptions of communication quality, participation in decision‐making, safety climate, caregiving quality, and use of local interaction strategies were observed in intervention community NHs (treatment‐by‐time effect P = .01) but not in VA NHs, where a ceiling effect was observed. Fall risk reduction documentation did not change significantly, and the direction of change in individual facilities did not relate to observed direction of change in fall rates. Fall rates did not change in control facilities (falls/bed per year: baseline, 2.61; after intervention, 2.64) but decreased by 12% in intervention facilities (falls/bed per year: baseline, 2.34; after intervention, 2.06); the effect of treatment on rate of change was 0.81 (95% confidence interval = 0.55–1.20).

Conclusion

CONNECT has the potential to improve care delivery in NHs, but the trend toward improving fall rates requires confirmation in a larger ongoing study.