bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fixed-bed study of ammonia removal from aqueous solutions using natural zeolite
Authors: Mashal Ahmad , Abu-Dahrieh Jehad , A. Ahmed Ashraf , Oyedele Lukumon , Haimour No’man , Al-Haj-Ali Ahmad , Rooney David
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the performance of natural Jordanian zeolite tuff to remove ammonia from aqueous solutions using a laboratory batch method and fixed-bed column apparatus. Equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models.

Design/methodology/approach

– Column experiments were conducted in packed bed column. The used apparatus consisted of a bench-mounted glass column of 2.5 cm inside diameter and 100 cm height (column volume = 490 cm3). The column was packed with a certain amount of zeolite to give the desired bed height. The feeding solution was supplied from a 30 liter plastic container at the beginning of each experiment and fed to the column down-flow through a glass flow meter having a working range of 10-280ml/min.

Findings

– Ammonium ion exchange by natural Jordanian zeolite data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Continuous sorption of ammonium ions by natural Jordanian zeolite tuff has proven to be effective in decreasing concentrations ranging from 15-50 mg NH4-N/L down to levels below 1 mg/l. Breakthrough time increased by increasing the bed depth as well as decreasing zeolite particle size, solution flow-rate, initial NH4+ concentration and pH. Sorption of ammonium by the zeolite under the tested conditions gave the sorption capacity of 28 mg NH4-N/L at 20°C, and 32 mg NH4-N/L at 30°C.

Originality/value

– This research investigates the performance of natural Jordanian zeolite tuff to remove ammonia from aqueous solutions using a laboratory batch method and fixed-bed column apparatus. The equilibrium data of the sorption of Ammonia were plotted by using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, then the experimental data were compared to the predictions of the above equilibrium isotherm models. It is clear that the NH4+ ion exchange data fitted better with Langmuir isotherm than with Freundlich model and gave an adequate correlation coefficient value.
B‐cell‐activating factor code and human cytomegalovirus infection in renal transplant recipients
Authors: Xu Haiyan , Dong Panpan , He Xiaozhou , Ma Xuyi , Xue Dong , Zhang Yanyun , Zhang Xueguang
Published: June 2014

The objective of the present study was to explore the correlation between the BAFF signal and HCMV‐TLR activation in RTx recipients complicated by HCMV. Peripheral blood (anticoagulated by EDTA‐Na2) and urine of 113 RTx recipients were collected; healthy volunteers were controlled. Urine HCMV‐DNA was detected by real‐time PCR. Recipients were classified into a positive group (>10,000 copies/mL urine) and a negative group (<10,000 copies/mL urine). ELISA results showed that sBAFF, sera anti‐HCMV pp65 immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibody, and total IgG all significantly increased in recipients with positive HCMV‐DNA (>10,000 copies/mL urine) (P < 0.05) compared with negative recipients (<10,000 copies/mL urine). In the positive group, HCMV‐DNA copies and total IgG positively correlated with sBAFF (r = 0.988 and 0.625, respectively) (P < 0.05). Luminex assay results suggested that the incidence of anti‐HLA I and II and MICA antibody obviously increased in positive recipients. The expression level of BAFF and BAFF‐R increased in positive recipients. A total of 88 particular genes—involved in TLR signaling pathways, NF‐κB signaling pathways, and cytokine‐cytokine receptor signaling pathways—were detected in real‐time PCR chip assay. A total of 46 genes were differentially expressed greater than two‐fold, and the expression characteristic of BAFF‐R was concordant with FACS results. Our findings are that activation of HCMV would induce or enhance the activation of BAFF code in RTx recipients, which may independently or cooperatively participate in renal allograft injury and decrease the long‐term outcome of renal allografts.
Effect of HIF1α on Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25− T lymphocytes
Authors: Wu Jianguo , Cui Hongyan , Zhu Zhifeng , Wang Li , Li Hong , Wang Desheng
Published: June 2014

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of HIF1α on Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25− T lymphocytes. CD4+CD25− T lymphocytes were sorted from PBMC using a CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell isolation kit. Lentivirus containing lentiviral vector that overexpressed HIF1α (HIF‐lenti) and those containing empty expression vector (control‐lenti) were produced. Meanwhile, lentivirus that contained lentiviral vector that suppressed HIF1α expression (siHIF‐lenti) and those containing control vector (sicontrol‐lenti) were also generated. The sorted CD4+CD25− T lymphocytes were infected with HIF‐lenti, control‐lenti, siHIF‐lenti, and sicontrol‐lenti, respectively. Approximately 72 hr after transduction, real‐time PCR and Western blot were carried out to analyze the RNA and protein expression level of HIF1α and Foxp3. CD4+CD25− T lymphocytes cultured under 21% O2, 5% CO2 (normoxia) and 1% O2, 5% CO2 (hypoxia) were used as control. Our results showed that overexpression of HIF1α increased both mRNA and protein expression of Foxp3 and, meanwhile, suppression of HIF1α expression by RNAi could reverse high Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25− T lymphocytes caused by hypoxic culture. These results suggested that hypoxia could stimulate Foxp3 expression by increasing HIF1α expression in CD4+ T lymphocytes which may promote CD4+ T lymphocytes to convert to Treg.
Levamisole enhances immunity in ducklings vaccinated against Riemerella anatipestifer
Authors: Zhang Yuewei , Chen Huiling , Zeng Xiangfan , Wang Peng , Li Jinxiang , Wu Wenxue
Published: June 2014

Oil‐adjuvant‐inactivated vaccine is one of the most cost‐effective vaccines used to protect ducklings against RA infection; however, it does not provide complete protection in very young ducklings with immature immune systems. In the current study, LMS was used as an immunopotentiator to improve the immune system in ducklings. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G titers and the secretions of both Th1‐type (IFN‐γ and IL‐2) and Th2‐type (IL‐4 and IL‐10) cytokines were higher in ducklings that had been vaccinated with LMS. In addition, a significantly higher T‐lymphocyte proliferation rate was obtained with the addition of LMS. Furthermore, all of the ducklings vaccinated with LMS were protected against RA on the 9th day post‐vaccination, whereas only 69.2% of the ducklings were protected in the group that did not receive LMS. These results suggest that LMS might be a useful adjuvant to enhance the immune response of ducklings. The use of LMS may also alleviate local injection lesions, caused by the oil‐emulsion vaccine, by reducing the dose of the vaccine.
A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes
Authors: Newsome Thomas M. , Ripple William J.
Published: June 2014

Top‐down processes, via the direct and indirect effects of interspecific competitive killing (no consumption of the kill) or intraguild predation (consumption of the kill), can potentially influence the spatial distribution of terrestrial predators, but few studies have demonstrated the phenomenon at a continental scale.

For example, in North America, grey wolvesCanis lupusare known to kill coyotesCanis latrans, and coyotes, in turn, may kill foxesVulpesspp., but the spatial effects of these competitive interactions at large scales are unknown.

Here, we analyse fur return data across eight jurisdictions in North America to test whether the presence or absence of wolves has caused a continent‐wide shift in coyote and red foxVulpes vulpesdensity.

Our results support the existence of a continental scale cascade whereby coyotes outnumber red foxes in areas where wolves have been extirpated by humans, whereas red foxes outnumber coyotes in areas where wolves are present. However, for a distance of up to 200 km on the edge of wolf distribution, there is a transition zone where the effects of top‐down control are weakened, possibly due to the rapid dispersal and reinvasion capabilities of coyotes into areas where wolves are sporadically distributed or at low densities.

Our results have implications for understanding how the restoration of wolf populations across North America could potentially affect co‐occurring predators and prey. We conclude that large carnivores may need to occupy large continuous areas to facilitate among‐carnivore cascades and that studies of small areas may not be indicative of the effects of top‐down mesopredator control.
Fitness prospects: effects of age, sex and recruitment age on reproductive value in a long‐lived seabird
Authors: Zhang He , Rebke Maren , Becker Peter H. , Bouwhuis Sandra
Published: June 2014

Reproductive value is an integrated measure of survival and reproduction fundamental to understanding life‐history evolution and population dynamics, but little is known about intraspecific variation in reproductive value and factors explaining such variation, if any.

By applying generalized additive mixed models to longitudinal individual‐based data of the common tern Sterna hirundo, we estimated age‐specific annual survival probability, breeding probability and reproductive performance, based on which we calculated age‐specific reproductive values. We investigated effects of sex and recruitment age (RA) on each trait.

We found age effects on all traits, with survival and breeding probability declining with age, while reproductive performance first improved with age before levelling off. We only found a very small, marginally significant, sex effect on survival probability, but evidence for decreasing age‐specific breeding probability and reproductive performance with RA.

As a result, males had slightly lower age‐specific reproductive values than females, while birds of both sexes that recruited at the earliest ages of 2 and 3 years (i.e. 54% of the tern population) had somewhat higher fitness prospects than birds recruiting at later ages. While the RA effects on breeding probability and reproductive performance were statistically significant, these effects were not large enough to translate to significant effects on reproductive value.

Age‐specific reproductive values provided evidence for senescence, which came with fitness costs in a range of 17–21% for the sex‐RA groups.

Our study suggests that intraspecific variation in reproductive value may exist, but that, in the common tern, the differences are small.
Do Anti‐immigration Parties Matter? The Case of the Sweden Democrats and Local Refugee Policy
Authors: Bolin Niklas , Lidén Gustav , Nyhlén Jon
Published: June 2014

With the increased electoral success of anti‐immigration parties, questions regarding what impact the parties actually have naturally follow. Previous research has rarely explored this question. Furthermore, within this body of research, one is given different answers. While some argue that anti‐immigration parties have made an impact on public policy, others find no such evidence. This article shows that some of this inconsistency is a consequence of the methodological strategies that have been employed. Previous studies are either single case studies or comparisons of a small number of countries. Consequently, different parties in different institutional settings are compared, making it difficult to estimate the actual impact of the party of interest. In order to circumvent such methodological problems, this article explores the question of anti‐immigration party impact on a local level and asks if the Sweden Democrats (SD) have managed to influence decisions on refugee reception in Swedish municipalities. The analysis shows mixed results. First, while unable to find an independent effect of the size of the representation of the SD, it appears that the party's impact is conditioned by them holding the balance of power. Second, the SD's impact is not dependent upon whether there is right‐wing or left‐wing rule, although local migration policy is stricter when the main right‐wing party has strong support.
Umbilical cord prolapse – changing patterns and improved outcomes: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Gibbons C , O'Herlihy C , Murphy JF
Published: June 2014

Objective

Umbilical cord prolapse is an acute obstetrical emergency requiring rapid identification and intervention. Its management has undergone significant changes over the past century. This study aims to document the changes in incidence, morbidity, and perinatal mortality over a 69‐year period.

Design

A retrospective review of the annual clinical reports of the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, was performed.

Setting

The National Maternity hospital was founded in 1894 and has nearly 10 000 deliveries each year.

Population

All deliveries in the hospital for each year are included in each annual report.

Methods

We reviewed the reports from a 69‐year period (1940–2009). Information from the reports was collated into a database and analysed using Microsoft excel 2007.

Main outcome measures

Incidence and outcome of all cases of umbilical cord prolapse were recorded, along with the neurological outcome of all neonatal survivors (available since 1970).

Results

The incidence of cord prolapse has decreased from 6.4/1000 live births in the 1940s to 1.7/100 live births in the last decade. Perinatal survival increased from 46 to 94% in the same period of time. This is inversely related to the use of caesarean section as the recommended method of delivery in this emergency. Short‐ and long‐term neurological impairment remains rare.

Conclusions

There has been a large reduction in the incidence of cord prolapse over a period of 69 years. A reduction in grand multiparity and use of caesarean section as the gold standard for delivery are likely to have accounted for the changes seen. Neurological impairment remains unusual.
Demand for emergency department services in the elderly: An 11 year analysis of the Greater Sydney Area
Authors: Leonard Claire , Bein Kendall J , Latt Mark , Muscatello David , Veillard Anne‐Sophie , Dinh Michael M
Published: June 2014

Objective

To describe trends in population‐based rates of ED presentations in the Greater Sydney Area (GSA) and compare these between the elderly and non‐elderly age groups.

Methods

This was a retrospective study using ED presentation data from all public hospitals in the GSA and population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2001 and 2011. Age‐specific ED presentation rates stratified by age group (<65 years, 65–79 years and ≥80 years of age) were presented and compared using negative binomial regression and generalised linear regression models.

Results

Over 11 million ED presentations were analysed. The annualised rate of increase in ED presentations per 1000 population was 1.8% per annum. The adjusted incidence rate ratio for patients aged 80 years and over was 3.6 times higher than patients younger than 65 years (95% CI 2.8, 4.7, P < 0.001) and 1.6 times higher for patients between 65 and 79 years of age (95% CI 1.4, 1.8, P < 0.001). There was an increase of 40 patients per 1000 population per year admitted to hospital from ED (β = 40, 95% CI 29, 52 P < 0.001) in patients aged 80 years or older compared with those aged less than 65 years of age.

Conclusions

A disproportionate increase in ED presentation rates and in‐patient admission rates in patients aged 80 years and over was demonstrated over 11 years in the GSA. ED models of care and system wide strategies to address these demographic changes are required.
Do statins reduce the cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?
Authors: Danninger Kathrin , Hoppe Uta C. , Pieringer Herwig
Published: June 2014

Objective

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at significantly higher risk of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality compared with the general population. Traditional CV risk factors cannot explain the total excess of CV morbidity and mortality in RA patients. At present, it is not clear whether treatment with statins might be of benefit in RA patients. The aim of the present systematic literature review is to summarize the published evidence concerning treatment with statins and its impact on CV events in RA patients.

Methods

A systematic literature review of studies on RA and statins was carried out in the database PubMed. Search terms were ‘simvastatin OR atorvastatin OR fluvastatin OR lovastatin OR pravastatin OR rosuvastatin OR statin AND arthritis’. Papers were included in this review when the reported outcome was on CV events in RA patients. After exclusion of the studies not fulfilling our inclusion criteria four studies were finally analyzed. The total number of RA patients included in these studies was 4896.

Results

Statins were associated with reduced CV events and mortality in RA in primary prevention but not in secondary prevention. In secondary prevention after myocardial infarction (MI) there was no statistically significant difference between RA or non‐RA patients either receiving atorvastatin 80 mg or simvastatin 20–40 mg daily. Treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg led to a reduction in overall risk of CV disease in both patients with and without inflammatory joint disease compared to patients receiving the conventional/low‐dose statin treatment. Statin discontinuation in RA patients was associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction or CV mortality. Myalgia, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and nausea may be more frequent in RA patients than in controls.

Conclusion

The published evidence shows that in RA patients statin treatment appears to reduce CV risk in primary prevention and that statin discontinuation is associated with an increased risk for CV events. However, the significance of statin treatment in RA patients still remains unclear as only very little evidence has been published. Whether all RA patients would benefit from treatment with statins still needs to be investigated.
SRT2104 extends survival of male mice on a standard diet and preserves bone and muscle mass
Authors: Mercken Evi M. , Mitchell Sarah J. , Martin‐Montalvo Alejandro , Minor Robin K. , Almeida Maria , Gomes Ana P. , Scheibye‐Knudsen Morten , Palacios Hector H. , Licata Jordan J. , Zhang Yongqing , Becker Kevin G. , Khraiwesh Husam , González‐Reyes José A. , Villalba José M. , Baur Joseph A. , Elliott Peter , Westphal Christoph , Vlasuk George P. , Ellis James L. , Sinclair David A. , Bernier Michel , de Cabo Rafael
Published: June 2014

Increased expression of SIRT1 extends the lifespan of lower organisms and delays the onset of age‐related diseases in mammals. Here, we show that SRT2104, a synthetic small molecule activator of SIRT1, extends both mean and maximal lifespan of mice fed a standard diet. This is accompanied by improvements in health, including enhanced motor coordination, performance, bone mineral density, and insulin sensitivity associated with higher mitochondrial content and decreased inflammation. Short‐term SRT2104 treatment preserves bone and muscle mass in an experimental model of atrophy. These results demonstrate it is possible to design a small molecule that can slow aging and delay multiple age‐related diseases in mammals, supporting the therapeutic potential of SIRT1 activators in humans.
Anaphylaxis to diclofenac: nine cases reported to the Allergy Vigilance Network in France
Authors: Picaud J. , Beaudouin E. , Renaudin J. M. , Pirson F. , Metz‐Favre C. , Dron‐Gonzalvez M. , Moneret‐Vautrin D. A.
Published: June 2014

Nine cases of diclofenac hypersensitivity recorded by the Allergy Vigilance Network in France from 2002 to 2012 were studied. Data from history, symptoms, skin tests, basophil activation tests, and oral challenge (OC) were recorded. Grade 3 severe anaphylactic reactions occurred in seven cases of nine. IgE‐dependent anaphylaxis was confirmed in six cases: positive intradermal tests (n = 4), a syndromic reaction during skin tests (n = 1), and one case with grade 1 reaction and negative skin tests had an anaphylactic shock to theOC. A nonimmune reaction was suspected in one case. An IgE‐dependent mechanism may be the predominant cause of adverse reactions to diclofenac. Allergy skin tests must be carried out sequentially at the recommended concentrations.BATs may be helpful because they can support the diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Given the risks of a direct challenge to diclofenac,OCto aspirin should be performed first to exclude a nonimmunologic hypersensitivity toNSAIDs. Tests for specific IgEs to most frequently usedNSAIDs such as diclofenac and ibuprofen are urgently needed.
THE 2007–2008 U.S. RECESSION: WHAT DID THE REAL‐TIME GOOGLE TRENDS DATA TELL THE UNITED STATES?
Authors: Chen Tao , So Erin Pik Ki , Wu Liang , Yan Isabel Kit Ming
Published: June 2014

In the extant literature of business cycle predictions, the signals for business cycle turning points are generally issued with a lag of at least 5 months. In this paper, we make use of a novel and timely indicator—the Google search volume data—to help to improve the timeliness of business cycle turning point identification. We identify multiple query terms to capture the real‐time public concern on the aggregate economy, the credit market, and the labor market condition. We incorporate the query indices in a Markov‐switching framework and successfully “nowcast” the peak date within a month that the turning occurred. (JEL E37, G17)
IS THE WIGWAM WORTH IT? A CONTINGENT VALUATION METHOD ESTIMATE FOR A SMALL‐CITY SPORTS ARENA
Authors: Harter John F. R.
Published: June 2014

The public good benefits arising from an historic high school gymnasium are estimated using the contingent valuation method. While other works focus on larger cities and usually emphasize new buildings for professional teams, this study looks at an historic building for amateur sports. It is found that the benefits are small in spite of the importance of the building and high school sports in general to the history of the city. Because this gymnasium is particularly large and recognized, this would seem to give an upper bound to the value of sports arenas in cities of this size.(JELH41, L83)
Effects of conservatively treated diseased cementum with or without EMD on in vitro cementoblast differentiation and in vivo cementum‐like tissue formation of human periodontal ligament cells
Authors: Qi Y. , Feng W. , Cai J. , Sun Q. , Li S. , Li M. , Song A. , Yang P.
Published: June 2014

Objectives

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of conservatively treated diseased cementum on in vitro cementoblast differentiation and in vivo cementum‐like tissue formation of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs), and observe differential effects of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) on in vivo cementum formation by hPDLCs.

Materials and methods

Forty‐eight cementum slices and 48 dentin slices were prepared from periodontitis compromised teeth, and hPDLCs were inoculated on to all root slices. Twenty‐four co‐cultured root slices of each group were used for mRNA expression of cementum attachment protein and CEMP1. With application of EMD, 24 co‐cultured root slices (divided into groups C, D, C+E, D+E) were transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice. All root fragments were reviewed by histological analysis and immunohistochemical staining for bone sialoprotein.

Results

mRNA expressions of cementum attachment protein and cementum protein ‐ 1 from hPDLCs on cementum slices were statistically higher than those of dentin slices. Seven specimens of group C and 10 specimens of group C+E revealed a layer of cementum‐like tissue (NFC) on surfaces of pre‐existing cementum. NFC was thicker in group C+E than in group C. All NFCs were positively stained for bone sialoprotein, however, there was no NFC formation on dentin slices.

Conclusion

Conservatively treated diseased cementum promoted in vitro cementoblast differentiation and in vivo cementum‐like tissue formation by hPDLCs, and the in vivo effect was enhanced by the presence of EMD.
Loeffler's syndrome: an interesting case report
Authors: Ekin Selami , Sertogullarindan Bunyamin , Gunbatar Hulya , Arisoy Ahmet , Yildiz Hanifi
Published: June 2014

Loeffler's syndrome is an acute pneumonia with an unclear cause. One fourth of Loeffler's syndrome patients are idiopathic, although the most common etiologic causes include parasites. Asymptomatic form is usually a reversible, self‐limited disease, which does not require a specific treatment regimen. We presented a 17‐year‐old young man with diagnosis of Loeffler syndrome.
The cell composition of infused donor lymphocyte has different impact in different types of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Zhao Xiao‐su , Wang Yu , Yan Chen‐hua , Wang Jing‐zhi , Zhang Xiao‐hui , Xu Lan‐ping , Liu Kai‐yan , Huang Xiao‐jun
Published: June 2014

Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) is often used to enhance the graft‐versus‐leukemia (GVL) effect after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT). In this study, we first evaluated the impact of the cell composition of a modified DLI (mDLI) on the prognoses of patients. A total of 194 patients undergoing allo‐HSCT were enrolled and received mDLI for various clinical reasons. The infused cellular components of the mDLI were examined by flow cytometry. The results showed that infusion with a lower dose of CD14+ cells (<0.33 × 108/kg) was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of II–IV acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD) (HR = 0.104, p = 0.032) in human leukoctye antigen‐identical transplant patients. In addition, a dose of CD14+ cells greater than the 50th percentile was associated with a lower incidence of hematological relapse and longer disease‐free survival (DFS) after the mDLI (relapse: HR = 0.193, p = 0.007; DFS: HR = 0.259, p = 0.016). However, we also found that a greater number of CD14+ cells were an independent risk factor for II–IV aGVHD (HR = 1.758, p = 0.034) in haploidentical allo‐HSCT. In conclusion, our data were the first to demonstrate that the cell composition of a 56 mDLI played a distinct role in different types of allo‐HSCT. This finding provided a novel approach for the development of cellular therapies by manipulating the components of infused cells.
Development in an Era of Economic Reform in India
Authors: Daftary Dolly
Published: June 2014

This article explores transformations of development practice after economic reforms, through an empirical account from Gujarat, western India — the country's poster‐state of neoliberal reforms. It draws upon ethnographic fieldwork on the Hariyali watershed development intervention and the delivery of state‐sponsored microcredit through the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana programme in Dahod district, eastern Gujarat. This study of development practice reveals the ascendancy of market rationalities in development agencies; the rise of contracting and subcontracting by a restructured rural bureaucracy; the state's devolution of policy implementation to local political actors; and the deployment of self‐governance techniques, specifically notation and inscription technologies, to create self‐regulating development subjects. Springing from transformations within the state itself, these changes constitute fundamental shifts in the governance of development.
‘Romanian Peasants’ into ‘European Farmers’? Using Statistics to Standardize Agriculture
Authors: Roger Antoine
Published: June 2014

In this article, the agricultural sector in Romania provides the basis of a sociological enquiry into the contribution of statistics to the definition of legitimate economic organization. Using the analytical tools developed by James C. Scott, the emphasis is laid on the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) developed by the European Commission to define ‘economically viable’ farms. The measurement units which the FADN provides are applied at national level to determine legitimate agricultural practices. This imposes a productivist definition of the agricultural economy which diverges from the modes of social and economic organization observed in rural areas in Romania. Four million Romanian citizens make their living directly from working the land. The majority own smallholdings received during decollectivization and practise subsistence farming at the fringes of the legal economy. Instead of employing a definition of agriculture consistent with their practices and developing local distribution channels, quantification instruments provided by the European Commission form the basis of a selection procedure among these smallholders. These instruments have enabled the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture to set a threshold of ‘economic viability’ below which producers are deemed unable to develop a commercial approach to their activities. The objective is to help those who just about reach the required level to consolidate their agricultural holdings and take up intensive farming. The remainder are disqualified and encouraged to leave the sector. To further this objective, the category ‘semi‐subsistence’ agriculture has been created and takes centre stage in all measures implemented. Nevertheless, the statistical dividing lines on which this category is based have no substance and the structure of agriculture is manifesting high levels of inertia.
Neurophysiological abnormalities in the sensorimotor cortices during the motor planning and movement execution stages of children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Kurz Max J , Becker Katherine M , Heinrichs‐Graham Elizabeth , Wilson Tony W
Published: June 2014

Aim

This investigation used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine the neural oscillatory responses of the sensorimotor cortices during the motor planning and movement execution stages of children with typical development and children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

The study involved 13 children with CP (nine males, four females; mean [SD] age 14y 3mo [9mo], range 10–18y; height 1.61m [0.08m]; weight 52.65kg [13kg]), and 13 age‐ and sex‐matched typically developing children (height 1.64m [0.06m]; weight 56.88kg [10kg]). The experiment required the children to extend their knee joint as whole‐head MEG recordings were acquired. Beamformer imaging methods were employed to quantify the source activity of the beta‐frequency (14–28Hz) event‐related desynchronization (ERD) that occurs during the motor planning period, and the gamma‐frequency (~50Hz) event‐related synchronization (ERS) that occurs at the motor execution stage.

Results

The children with CP had a stronger mean beta ERD during the motor planning phase and reduced mean gamma ERS at the onset of movement.

Interpretation

The uncharacteristic beta ERD in the children with CP suggests that they may have greater difficulty planning knee joint movements. We suggest that these aberrant beta ERD oscillations may have a cascading effect on the gamma ERS, which ultimately affects the execution of the motor command.
Measurement of rivaroxaban and apixaban in serum samples of patients
Authors: Harenberg Job , Krämer Sandra , Du Shanshan , Zolfaghari Shabnam , Schulze Astrid , Krämer Roland , Weiss Christel , Wehling Martin , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: June 2014

Background

The determination of rivaroxaban and apixaban from serum samples of patients may be beneficial in specific clinical situations when additional blood sampling for plasma and thus the determination of factor Xa activity is not feasible or results are not plausible.

Materials and methods

The primary aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of rivaroxaban and apixaban in serum with those measured in plasma. Secondary aims were the performance of three different chromogenic methods and concentrations in patients on treatment with rivaroxaban 10 mg od (n = 124) or 20 mg od (n = 94) or apixaban 5 mg bid (n = 52) measured at different time.

Results

Concentrations of rivaroxaban and apixaban in serum were about 20–25% higher compared with plasma samples with a high correlation (r = 0·79775–0·94662) using all assays (all P < 0·0001). The intraclass correlation coefficients were about 0·90 for rivaroxaban and 0·55 for apixaban. Mean rivaroxaban concentrations were higher at 2 and 3 h compared with 1 and 12 h after administration measured from plasma and serum samples (all P‐values < 0·05) and were not different between 1 vs. 12 h (plasma and serum).

Conclusions

The results indicate that rivaroxaban and apixaban concentrations can be determined specifically from serum samples.
Measurement of soil moisture content under physical crust by millimetre‐wave backscattering
Authors: Eliran A. , Goldshleger N. , Yahalom A. , Agassi M. , Ben‐dor E.
Published: June 2014

This paper presents a multi‐sensor remote sensing study of physically crusted soil with various moisture contents by using millimetre‐wave backscatter radiation. The backscattered radiation was used to generate an empirical model to estimate soil moisture at the thin surface crust scale by using a set of soils with known moisture content as a reference. The model was then used to assess the moisture content of a new set of soils from the same group. Real‐time measurement of soil moisture in the top layer beneath the soil crust is impractical at best and impossible using traditional methods. The proposed method, therefore, paves the way to assessing soil moisture content immediately beneath the surface crust as well as in a micro‐profile at depths of 0–3 cm. It can be combined with other active and passive remote sensing methods to provide a micro‐profile measurement of soil moisture to the depth of the entire upper root zone (0–30 cm) and of the plough layer (0–20 cm) under undisturbed conditions. The method is based on the emerging technology of millimetre waves, which provide improved spatial resolution of the subsurface concurrent with surface mapping. Further development and use of the method described herein will make it simple and practical to analyse and understand the processes governing the soil–water interface. The major processes for which this information is important are soil crusting, water budgets (infiltration, runoff and evaporation) and soil erosion.
A novel β‐trefoil lectin from the parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) is nematotoxic
Authors: Žurga Simon , Pohleven Jure , Renko Miha , Bleuler‐Martinez Silvia , Sosnowski Piotr , Turk Dušan , Künzler Markus , Kos Janko , Sabotič Jerica
Published: June 2014

Lectins are carbohydrate‐binding proteins present in all organisms. Some cytoplasmic lectins from fruiting bodies of dikaryotic fungi are toxic against a variety of parasites and predators. We have isolated, cloned and expressed a novel, single domain lectin from Macrolepiota procera, designated MpL. Determination of the crystal structure revealed that MpL is a ricin B‐like lectin with a β‐trefoil fold. Biochemical characterization, site‐directed mutagenesis, co‐crystallization with carbohydrates, isothermal titration calorimetry and glycan microarray analyses show that MpL forms dimers with the carbohydrate‐binding site at the α‐repeat, with the highest specificity for terminal N‐acetyllactosamine and other β‐galactosides. A second putative carbohydrate‐binding site with a low affinity for galactose is present at the γ‐repeat. In addition, a novel hydrophobic binding site was detected in MpL with specificity for molecules other than carbohydrates. The tissue specific distribution of MpL in the stipe and cap tissue of fruiting bodies and its toxicity towards the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans indicate a function of MpL in protecting fruiting bodies against predators and parasites.

Database

Nucleotide sequence data have been deposited in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession numbers HQ449738 and HQ449739. Structural data have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under accession codes 4ION, 4IYB, 4IZX and 4J2S.
The transcriptional activator NrpA is crucial for inducing nitrogen fixation in Methanosarcina mazei Gö1 under nitrogen‐limited conditions
Authors: Weidenbach Katrin , Ehlers Claudia , Schmitz Ruth A.
Published: June 2014

With the aim of unraveling their potential involvement in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism in Methanosarcina mazei strain Gö1, we characterized five genes that are differentially transcribed in response to changing nitrogen availability and encoding putative transcriptional regulators. Study of the respective mutant strains under nitrogen‐limited conditions revealed a growth delay for M. mazei MM0444::pac and MM1708::pac, and strongly reduced diazotrophic growth for MM0872::pac, whereas the absence of MM2441 or MM2525 did not affect growth behaviour. Transcriptome analyses further demonstrated that only MM1708 – encoding a CxxCG zinc finger protein – plays a regulatory role in nitrogen metabolism, most likely by specifically enhancing transcription of the N2 fixation (nif) operon under nitrogen‐limited conditions. In agreement with this, a palindromic binding motif was predicted in silico in the nifH promoter region, nine nucleotides upstream of the BRE box, and confirmed to bind purified maltose‐binding protein–MM1708 by electromobility shift assays. As MM1708 itself is under the control of the global nitrogen repressor NrpR, this adds a secondary level to the transcriptional regulation of the nif genes, and is most likely crucial for maximal nif induction under nitrogen‐limited conditions. This is in accordance with the finding that protein expression of NifH is highly reduced in the absence of MM1708 under nitrogen‐limited conditions. On the basis of our findings, we hypothesize that, in M. mazei, nitrogen fixation is controlled by a hierarchical network of two transcriptional regulators, the global nitrogen repressor NrpR, and the newly identified activator NrpA (MM1708), thereby providing tight control of N2 fixation.
Professors in the Boardroom and Their Impact on Corporate Governance and Firm Performance
Authors: Francis Bill , Hasan Iftekhar , Wu Qiang
Published: June 2014

We find that companies with directors from academia are associated with higher performance. This relation is driven by professors without administrative positions. We also find that academic directors play an important governance role through their advising and monitoring functions. Specifically, our results show that the presence of academic directors is associated with greater acquisition performance, a higher number of patents and citations, higher stock price informativeness, lower discretionary accruals, lower chief executive officer (CEO) compensation, and higher CEO forced turnover‐performance sensitivity. Overall, our results indicate that academic directors are valuable advisors and effective monitors and firms benefit from having academic directors.
Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms, overactive bladder and urinary incontinence in western Turkey: Results of a population‐based survey
Authors: Zumrutbas Ali E , Bozkurt Ali I , Tas Erdogan , Acar Cenk I , Alkis Okan , Coban Kazim , Cetinel Bulent , Aybek Zafer
Published: June 2014

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms, urinary incontinence and overactive bladder in western Turkey.

Method

This cross‐sectional, population‐based survey was carried out between May and October 2012. A random sample of 2128 women and men aged ≥18 years was selected from the health registries. A questionnaire including sociodemographic data, comorbid conditions, lower urinary tract symptoms, overactive bladder and urinary incontinence symptoms, body mass index, vital signs, and dipstick urinalysis was developed. The questions were answered by the participants, and remaining data were provided by the site staff. International Continence Society definitions were used.

Results

A total of 1571 (74%) individuals agreed to participate, and analysis were carried out on 1555 people (636 men [40.9%] and 919 women [59.1%]) after 16 individuals with a nitrite‐positive dipstick test were excluded. Lower urinary tract symptoms were reported by 71.0% of the study population. The prevalence of storage, voiding and post‐micturition symptoms were 56.1% (44.2% men, 64.1% women), 39.3% (40.9% men, 37.8% women) and 30.7% (38.6% men, 28.7% women), respectively. The most prevalent storage symptom was urgency, which was reported by 29.3% of the study population (20.1% men, 35.6% women). The prevalence of urge, stress and mixed urinary incontinence were: 6.5% (3.9% men, 8.2% women), 14.1% (3.9% men, 21.2% women) and 5.6% (0.8% men, 9.0% women), respectively.

Conclusion

The present study is the first and largest population‐based survey evaluating the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms, urinary incontinence and overactive bladder in Turkey. Our findings show these symptoms are highly prevalent in western Turkey.
Life‐Course Transitions and the Age Profile of Internal Migration
Authors: Bernard Aude , Bell Martin , Charles‐Edwards Elin
Published: June 2014

Despite underlying regularities in the age profile of migration, there is mounting evidence of cross‐national variations in the ages at which migration occurs. Explanations for these differences have variously been sought by reference to cultural, social, and economic factors, and through analysis of reasons for moving. There is also a growing body of work linking migration events to particular transitions in the life course. We set out a conceptual framework that links contextual factors to the age structure of migration through life‐course transitions that act as proximate determinants of the age at migration. We propose metrics to capture the prevalence, timing, and spread of four key life‐course transitions: education completion, labor force entry, union formation, and first childbearing. We then seek to quantitatively establish the link between these indicators and the age and intensity of internal migration at its peak for a global sample of 27 countries. Correlation and factor analysis reveal substantial diversity in the timing and spread of transitions to adult roles, and show that cross‐national differences in the age profile of migration closely parallel variations in the age structure of the life course for over two‐thirds of countries. Migration age profiles are aligned with transitions to adulthood for both sexes but most strongly among women.
Effects of Childhood Mortality and Morbidity on the Fertility Transition in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Aksan Anna‐Maria
Published: June 2014

Child mortality rates have fallen substantially in developing countries since 1960. The expected fertility decline has followed only weakly in sub‐Saharan Africa compared to other recent and historic demographic transitions. Disease and anthropometric data suggest that morbidity remains prevalent in Africa despite child survival improvements. The uniquely high infectious disease burden among children in Africa reduces population health and diminishes the returns to human capital investment, thwarting the quantity–quality tradeoff for children that typically accompanies the mortality transition. Individual‐level data from the Demographic and Health Surveys are used to show that persistent morbidity has weakened the positive relationship between child mortality and total fertility rates throughout the region, slowing Africa's demographic transition.
Beyond Self‐Reports: Changes in Biomarkers as Predictors of Mortality
Authors: Glei Dana A. , Goldman Noreen , Rodríguez Germán , Weinstein Maxine
Published: June 2014

The proliferation of biosocial surveys has increased the importance of weighing the costs and benefits of adding biomarker collection to population‐based surveys. A crucial question is whether biomarkers offer incremental value beyond self‐reported measures, which are easier to collect and impose less respondent burden. We use longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of older Taiwanese (aged 54+ in 2000, examined in 2000 and 2006 with mortality follow‐up through 2011) to address that question with respect to predicting all‐cause mortality. A summary measure of biomarkers improves mortality prediction (as measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) compared with self‐reports alone, but individual biomarkers perform better than the summary score. We find that incorporating change in biomarkers over a six‐year period yields a small improvement in mortality prediction compared with one‐time measurement. But, is the incremental value worth the costs?
Unmet Need for Contraception: Issues and Challenges
Authors: Cleland John , Harbison Sarah , Shah Iqbal H.
Published: June 2014

Unmet need for contraception has been a central indicator for monitoring the progress of family planning programs for 25 years. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad context for the more focused contributions that follow in this special issue. The validity and measurement of the concept of unmet need are discussed. We then present regional trends among married women since 1970. Major reductions in unmet need have been achieved, with the clear exception of sub‐Saharan Africa. Less success can be claimed in addressing the needs of sexually active unmarried women, who contribute nearly 20 percent to overall unmet need in developing countries. Prominent reasons for unmet need in settings where contraceptive uptake is low include social resistance and insufficient information concerning methods. As contraceptive use increases, the importance of these reasons wanes, but concerns regarding side effects and health impact remain a barrier, and discontinued users now constitute a large proportion of those with unmet need. Drawing on these reasons, we outline measures to further reduce unmet need.
Understanding Unmet Need: History, Theory, and Measurement
Authors: Bradley Sarah E.K. , Casterline John B.
Published: June 2014

During the past two decades, estimates of unmet need have become an influential measure for assessing population policies and programs. This article recounts the evolution of the concept of unmet need, describes how demographic survey data have been used to generate estimates of its prevalence, and tests the sensitivity of these estimates to various assumptions in the unmet need algorithm. The algorithm uses a complex set of assumptions to identify women: who are sexually active, who are infecund, whose most recent pregnancy was unwanted, who wish to postpone their next birth, and who are postpartum amenorrheic. The sensitivity tests suggest that defensible alternative criteria for identifying four out of five of these subgroups of women would increase the estimated prevalence of unmet need. The exception is identification of married women who are sexually active; more accurate measurement of this subgroup would reduce the estimated prevalence of unmet need in most settings.
Do Natural Methods Count? Underreporting of Natural Contraception in Urban Burkina Faso
Authors: Rossier Clémentine , Senderowicz Leigh , Soura Abdramane
Published: June 2014

Natural methods of contraception were widely used in developed countries until the late 1960s to space and limit childbirth. In France, when the first contraceptive surveys were conducted, researchers noticed that the use of natural methods was underreported, and questions to correct for this bias were subsequently added. The Demographic and Health Surveys do not currently include questions specific to natural methods. We added such questions to the standard DHS question regarding current contraceptive use when we conducted the Health and Demographic Surveillance System of Ouagadougou (2010 Ouaga HDSS) health survey in Burkina Faso among 758 women aged 15–49. Doing so enabled us to find a notable increase in the proportion of women in union who reported practicing contraception: 58 percent, compared with 38 percent in Ouagadougou in the 2010 Burkina Faso DHS. Thirty‐two percent of women reported using modern medical methods or condoms in both surveys, but use of natural methods was much greater in the 2010 Ouaga HDSS health survey (26 percent) than in the 2010 Burkina Faso DHS (5 percent). Many women classified as having unmet need for family planning in Ouagadougou by the DHS data are in fact users of natural methods. Additional questions that would measure use of natural methods more completely should be tested in different settings.