bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subtle white matter injury is common in term‐born infants with a wide range of risks
Authors: Iwata Sachiko , Bainbridge Alan , Nakamura Tomohiko , Tamura Masanori , Takashima Sachio , Matsuishi Toyojiro , Iwata Osuke
Published: July 2010

Objectives

Perinatal hypoxia–ischaemia affects cognitive outcomes of infants even when clinical symptoms were latent and intensive care was not required. We performed a retrospective analysis in a cohort of term infants who required intensive care (i) to investigate the incidence of abnormal white matter appearances on the magnetic resonance imaging obtained before 2 months corrected age, and (ii) to examine its relationships with other cerebral lesions, clinical backgrounds, and short‐term outcome at 12 months.

Study design

White matter appearances on T2‐weighted imaging (T2WI) and fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery imaging (FLAIR) were assessed in relationship with other cerebral lesions, clinical backgrounds, established white matter lesions on follow‐up scans, and abbreviated developmental outcomes at 12 months in 150 term‐born infants who were cared for at a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit with mixed indications for admission (positive pressure ventilation and intravenous inotropes required in 38% and 49% of infants respectively).

Results

On T2WI and FLAIR, 14.0% and 41.3% of infants showed abnormal white matter intensities respectively, which were both related with lesions in the internal capsule and deep grey matter. Abnormal T2WI appearances were correlated with low Apgar scores and low blood base‐excess whereas abnormal FLAIR appearances were associated with younger corrected age at scan. Follow‐up studies in a cohort of infants revealed that abnormal white matter intensities further correlated with chronic long‐T2 lesions after 8 months corrected age (n = 40) and severe neuro‐developmental disability at 12 months (n = 104).

Conclusions

Abnormal white matter intensities were associated with pathological clinical variables. White matter injury may not be a specific form of cerebral damage in preterm infants. For the precise evaluation of newborn brain imaging, it may be beneficial to account for corrected age even in term infants.
Polystoma okomuensisn. sp. (Monogenea: Polystomatidae) from Boulenger's striped frog,Phlyctimantis boulengeri(Perret, 1986) in Nigeria
Authors: Aisien M.S.O. , Du Preez L.H. , Imasuen A.A.
Published: July 2010

Polystoma okomuensisis described as a new species of the Polystomatidae parasitic in the urinary bladder of Boulenger's striped frogPhlyctimantis boulengeriin the Okomu National Park, Edo State, Nigeria. Although other African polystomes have been reported from Nigeria, this is the first to be described from the country and the first fromPhlyctimantis. It is distinguished from other AfricanPolystomaspecies by a combination of characters, including the body size, size and shape of the hamuli, size and shape of marginal hooklets and intestinal location.Phlyctimantis boulengeriwas found to be infected in two of four seasonal lakes where specimens were caught with prevalences and mean intensities ranging from 14.3 to 22% and 1.0 to 1.5, respectively. Of the total number of 45 frogs examined, the prevalence was 15.6% and mean intensity 1.4.
Effects of habitat type on bird nesting in the desert grasslands of central Mexico: conservation implications
Authors: Posadas-Leal César , Chapa-Vargas Leonardo , Arredondo-Moreno José Tulio , Huber-Sannwald Elisabeth
Published: July 2010

Populations of North American grassland birds have suffered drastic declines. The causes of these declines are only partially understood and may vary among regions. During the 2004 and 2005 breeding seasons we recorded survival information from 220 nests of four bird species in nine study sites representing three habitat types of the desert grasslands of central Mexico, where grassland birds had not yet been studied. We predicted that land-use change from shortgrass steppe to heavily grazed savannah-type grasslands and agriculture would negatively affect nesting success, number of fledglings and nest abundance. We also examined temporal effects on reproductive success. We found some evidence that nest survival of savannah sparrowsPasserculus sandwichensis, loggerhead shrikesLanius ludovicianusand white-winged dovesZenaida asiaticavaried with date, and that nest survival of the dove was lowest in agricultural sites. However, confidence intervals were large, suggesting that other variables were also important. Whereas white-winged dove nests were notably more abundant in agricultural areas compared to the other habitat types, western meadowlarkSturnella neglectanests were not found in agricultural areas. Ploughing caused the largest proportion of nest failures in agricultural areas and, on average, all species fledged fewer young per nest in agricultural areas. Therefore, minimizing agriculture and adjusting harvest times could enhance conservation of grassland-nesting birds in central Mexico. Our study also suggests that inter-annual variation in rainfall can change the onset of nesting by at least 2 months.
Hunting and consumption of mammals and birds by people in urban areas of western Madagascar
Authors: Randrianandrianina Félicien H. , Racey Paul A. , Jenkins Richard K.B.
Published: July 2010

We assessed the consumption and hunting of wild animals by people in urban areas of western Madagascar using structured questionnaires in households and direct observations. Six wild mammal and five wild bird species were reported, or observed, to be sources of bushmeat although fish and domestic animals were the preferred and cheapest sources of animal protein. Bushmeat accounted for 10% of the meat consumed the day before our questionnaires were completed. Common tenrecTenrec ecaudatusand bush pigPotamochoerus larvatuswere the preferred wild meat and the former was also the most expensive type of meat. Taboos and strong dislikes limited the consumption of domestic pigs, bush pigs, goats, lemurs and fruit bats. Game species were hunted according to their availability, which coincided with the legal hunting season for fruit bats but only partly so for the other game species. Illegal hunting of Verreauxi’s sifakaPropithecus verreauxiis cause for concern and assessments of primate consumption may have been underestimated because of reluctance of interviewees to admit illegal activities.
Size and spatio-temporal variations of the Andean condorVultur gryphuspopulation in north-west Patagonia, Argentina: communal roosts and conservation
Authors: Lambertucci Sergio A.
Published: July 2010

Estimations of the population sizes of threatened species are fundamental for conservation. The current estimate of the population of the Andean condorVultur gryphusis based on limited local counts. Simultaneous censuses of 10 condor communal roosts were therefore conducted during 2006–2008 in north-west Patagonia, Argentina, to obtain a minimum population number, to estimate the size of the local population, and to describe use of the roosts by season and age classes. I fitted the data to two asymptotic models to calculate the population of condors as a function of the number of communal roosts surveyed. In an area of c. 6,300 km2I obtained a minimum population size of 246 individuals by direct observation, and a population estimate of 296 condors (range 260–332) by applying the models. This population, the largest known of this species, comprises 68.5% adults and 31.5% immatures. Condors had large aggregations in some communal roosts and used the area seasonally, increasing in numbers from autumn to spring and decreasing in summer. Long-term monitoring of communal roosts across the Andean condor’s range is essential for the monitoring of this rare and vulnerable species.
Carbon, forests and the REDD paradox
Authors: Sandbrook Chris , Nelson Fred , Adams William M. , Agrawal Arun
Published: July 2010

The institutional arrangements governing forests will be a critical factor in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) as part of the global effort to mitigate climate change. A growing body of empirical research demonstrates how local forest governance can be as, if not more, effective than centralized state-based regimes. Local forest governance can secure improvements in multiple forest outcomes such as biomass and carbon storage and livelihoods contributions for the poor, and it can do so at lower cost than is possible through centralized governance. Many national governments have implicitly recognized these findings in their pursuit of decentralized forest governance and in strengthening local rights and capacities to use and manage forests. However, such reforms are often politically resisted, particularly where the value of forest resources is high and central government bodies are able to capture the majority of benefits. Ongoing negotiations related to the design and delivery of REDD policy and practice must take into account both the importance of local forest governance arrangements and the political–economic barriers to devolving secure rights over forests to local communities. These political dimensions of forest tenure and policy create a paradox for REDD: increasing the value of forest resources through global carbon markets without attending to local governance and rights will create political incentives towards centralized governance, which could lead to greater forest loss and lower forest-related benefits for the poor.
Securing tropical forest carbon: the contribution of protected areas to REDD
Authors: Scharlemann Jörn P. W. , Kapos Valerie , Campbell Alison , Lysenko Igor , Burgess Neil D. , Hansen Matthew C. , Gibbs Holly K. , Dickson Barney , Miles Lera
Published: July 2010

Forest loss and degradation in the tropics contribute 6–17% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Protected areas cover 217.2 million ha (19.6%) of the world’s humid tropical forests and contain c. 70.3 petagrams of carbon (Pg C) in biomass and soil to 1 m depth. Between 2000 and 2005, we estimate that 1.75 million ha of forest were lost from protected areas in humid tropical forests, causing the emission of 0.25–0.33 Pg C. Protected areas lost about half as much carbon as the same area of unprotected forest. We estimate that the reduction of these carbon emissions from ongoing deforestation in protected sites in humid tropical forests could be valued at USD 6,200–7,400 million depending on the land use after clearance. This is > 1.5 times the estimated spending on protected area management in these regions. Improving management of protected areas to retain forest cover better may be an important, although certainly not sufficient, component of an overall strategy for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).
Attraction of flower visitors to plants that express indirect defence can minimize ecological costs of ant–pollinator conflicts
Authors: Hernández-Cumplido Johnattan , Benrey Betty , Heil Martin
Published: July 2010

Thousands of plant species throughout tropical and temperate zones secrete extrafloral nectar (EFN) (see www.biosci.unl.edu/emeriti/keeler/extrafloral/worldlistfamilies.htm) to attract ants, whose presence leads to an indirect defence against herbivores (Chamberlain & Holland 2009, Heil 2008, Heil & McKey 2003, Rico-Gray & Oliveira 2007). Although termed ‘extrafloral’ because the nectar is not involved in pollination, EFN can also be secreted within the inflorescences (Bentley 1977, Holland et al. 2010, Martins 2009). Because ants tend to defend reliable food sources against all types of putative competitors, it has been hypothesized that the presence of extrafloral nectaries close to flowers may lead to competition among ants and pollinators, or even to direct ant–pollinator conflicts. Such antagonistic interactions would reduce the access of pollinators to flowers and, thereby, may cause significant ‘ecological costs’ of indirect, ant-mediated defences (Heil 2002).
Habitats suitable for the establishment ofShorea curtisiiseedlings in a hill forest in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Yagihashi Tsutomu , Otani Tatsuya , Tani Naoki , Nakaya Tomoki , Abd Rahman Kassim , Matsui Tetsuya , Tanouchi Hiroyuki
Published: July 2010

Trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae dominate the emergent canopy of most lowland rain forests in Asia (Ashtonet al. 1988). The family is, therefore, one of the most ecologically important in South-East Asia.Shorea curtisiiDyer ex King is the most common tree species in the hill dipterocarp forests of Peninsular Malaysia (Burgess 1975, Symington 2004), and is considered a key species for the dynamics of such forests. Currently, most Malaysian hill forests are selectively logged. Trees over 50 cm dbh are harvested, and any subsequent harvests depend on the remaining smaller trees. Such selective logging takes no account of seedling regeneration. Hence, subsequent timber harvests rely on trees derived from the seedlings that are already present and future seeds produced by the residual trees (Appanah & Mohd. Rasol 1994). Existing seedlings ofS. curtisiiin the forest, therefore, play a significant role in the dynamics of the hill forest. However, the conditions that constitute a suitable habitat forS. curtisiiseedling establishment and survival remain unknown.
Bimodal breeding seasonality of an understorey bird, Premnoplex brunnescens, in an Ecuadorian cloud forest
Authors: Greeney Harold F.
Published: July 2010

Despite the aseasonality of temperature and day length of many tropical regions, especially when compared with temperate latitudes, most tropical animals show fairly pronounced seasonal shifts in foraging, movement patterns and reproduction (Flecker & Feifarek 1994, Saul 1975, Wolda & Fisk 1981). Understanding reproductive seasonality in tropical avian communities involves distinguishing among complex interactions between weather, resource abundance, hormones, behaviour and other life-history traits (Wikelski et al. 2003). While there is a great deal of evidence that many tropical bird species breed seasonally (Hau 2001, Marchant 1959, Miller 1963, Snow & Snow 1964), we still understand little of the causes which drive observed patterns (Wikelski et al. 2003). Most studies which address the seasonality of reproduction in tropical birds have focused on locations with fairly extreme temporal changes in rainfall (Cruz & Andrews 1989, Lack 1950, Marchant 1959, Poulin et al. 1992, Voous 1950), and comparatively few have looked at relatively aseasonal low-latitude locations (Miller 1963, Moreau 1950). Similarly, though a few studies have pointed out slight variation in the within-species initiation of breeding based on microhabitat (Wikelski et al. 2003), we know very little about how micro-habitat choice for nesting may affect (or be affected by) breeding seasonality. In this study I describe the nesting cycle of the spotted barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens), from the Ecuadorian Andes to better understand how reproduction may be seasonal when climatic cues are subtle or absent.
Seed predation and defleshing in the agouti-dispersed palmAstrocaryum standleyanum
Authors: Jansen Patrick A. , Elschot Kelly , Verkerk P. Johannes , Wright S. Joseph
Published: July 2010

The agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) meticulously defleshesAstrocaryum standleyanumpalm seeds before scatter hoarding. On Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we experimentally tested three hypotheses on how this behaviour could reduce seed predation to the mutual benefit of the tree and the rodent. The first and established hypothesis – that defleshing reduces seed predation by bruchid beetles by intercepting larvae – was rejected. Experiments in which manually defleshed seeds or entire fruits were incubated at different times showed that defleshing reduced bruchid infestation before fruit fall but not after fruit fall. The second hypothesis – that defleshing reduces cache pilferage by making seeds less conspicuous – was supported. An experiment in which intact fruits and manually defleshed seeds were placed in mimicked agouti caches and followed showed that seeds with flesh were pilfered at higher rates than defleshed seeds. The third hypothesis – that defleshing reduces post-dispersal infestation of cached seeds – was rejected. An experiment in which intact fruits and manually defleshed seeds were placed in mammal exclosures and later collected to assess infestation showed that burial reduced seed infestation but defleshing did not. Thus, seed defleshing reduced palm seed predation, but in a different way than previously believed. We also found that (1) bruchid beetles can be pre-dispersal rather than post-dispersal seed predators, (2) seed infestation by scolytid beetles may control bruchid larvae, and (3) scolytids rather than bruchids are the main invertebrate seed predators of this palm.
“Sooty Empiricks” and Natural Philosophers: The Status of Chemistry in the Seventeenth Century
Authors: Clericuzio Antonio
Published: July 2010

Argument

This article argues that during the seventeenth century chemistry achieved intellectual and institutional recognition, starting its transition from a practical art – subordinated to medicine – into an independent discipline. This process was by no means a smooth one, as it took place amidst polemics and conflicts lasting more than a century. It began when Andreas Libavius endeavored to turn chemistry into a teaching discipline, imposing method and order. Chemistry underwent harsh criticism from Descartes and the Cartesians, who reduced natural phenomena to the mechanical affections of matter, leaving little room for chemistry as an independent discipline. Boyle rejected the chemical principles and promoted the fusion of chemistry with corpuscularianism. He did not reduce chemical phenomena to the mechanical affections of matter, but strived to promote chemistry as part of natural philosophy. Lemery gave strong impulse to the recognition of chemistry as a discipline in its own right by fostering a compromise of chemistry and mechanism. Lemery adopted the chemical principles, but did not see them as the ultimate ingredients of bodies. In order to promote chemistry, he distanced it from alchemy and pursued the reform of chemical terminology.
Divine Illumination, Mechanical Calculators, and the Roots of Modern Reason
Authors: Dear Peter
Published: July 2010

Argument

Talk of “reason” and “rationality” has been perennial in the philosophy and sciences of the European, Latin tradition since antiquity. But the use of these terms in the early-modern period has left especial marks on the specialties and disciplines that emerged as components of “science” in the modern world. By examining discussions by seventeenth-century philosophers, including natural philosophers such as Descartes, Pascal, and Hobbes, the practical meanings of, specifically, inferential reasoning can be seen as reducing, for most, to intellectual processes deriving from foundations that required intuitional insight that was owing to God. Mechanical reasoning, or artificial intelligence, was a contradiction in terms for such as Pascal, whose views of his own arithmetical machine illustrate the issue well. Hobbes’ analysis of reason, however, replaced the ineffable authority of God with the authority of the civil power, to reveal the social reality of “reason” as nothing other than authorized judgment.
The Myth of Primordialism in Cicero's Theory of Jus Gentium
Authors: CONKLIN WILLIAM E.
Published: July 2010

After setting out the importance of the notion of an international community in contemporary treaties, International Court of Justice judgments and opinio juris, this paper claims that we need to turn to Cicero's works in order to appreciate a sense of what an international community is. Cicero was the first jurist known to recognize and elaborate a theory of the international community and this through his concept of jus gentium. Cicero's theory of jus gentium, I argue, was neither a positivist theory nor a natural law theory. Instead, jus gentium dwelt in an intermediate position between posited state laws and the laws of nature. I find a problem, however, in that Cicero exempts certain types of society from the guidance and protection of the jus gentium. I document examples of the sort of society so exempted. In order to understand why Cicero exempts such societies from the protection of the jus gentium, I argue, Cicero's theory depends on a primordial condition where human beings, living an animal-like existence, lack a language and reason. Cicero posits that human beings must leap from such a primordial condition into a civilized world where language is shared. Cicero associates a civilized world with communication, deliberation, reason, and law, particularly the jus gentium. His theory of jus gentium thereby hierarchizes societies and begs that we ask whether such a hierarchy remains presupposed in contemporary international law and international legal theory.
Role of probiotic in preventing acute diarrhoea in children: a community-based, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled field trial in an urban slum
Authors: SUR D. , MANNA B. , NIYOGI S. K. , RAMAMURTHY T. , PALIT A. , NOMOTO K. , TAKAHASHI T. , SHIMA T. , TSUJI H. , KURAKAWA T. , TAKEDA Y. , NAIR G. B. , BHATTACHARYA S. K.
Published: July 2010

Acute diarrhoea remains a major public health challenge in developing countries. We examined the role of a probiotic in the prevention of acute diarrhoea to discover if there was an effect directed towards a specific aetiology. A double-blind, randomized, controlled field trial involving 3758 children aged 1–5 years was conducted in an urban slum community in Kolkata, India. Participants were given either a probiotic drink containingLactobacillus caseistrain Shirota or a nutrient drink daily for 12 weeks. They were followed up for another 12 weeks. The primary outcome of this study was the occurrence of first episodes of diarrhoea. We assessed this during 12 weeks of intake of study agent and also for 12 weeks of follow-up. There were 608 subjects with diarrhoea in the probiotic group and 674 subjects in the nutrient group during the study period of 24 weeks. The level of protective efficacy for the probiotic was 14% (95% confidence interval 4–23,P<0·01 in adjusted model). The reduced occurrence of acute diarrhoea in the probiotic group compared to nutrient group was not associated with any specific aetiology. No adverse event was observed in children of either probiotic or nutrient groups. The study suggests that daily intake of a probiotic drink can play a role in prevention of acute diarrhoea in young children in a community setting of a developing country.
Moral Aspirations and Ideals
Authors: BROWNLEE KIMBERLEY
Published: July 2010

My aim is to vindicate two distinct and important moral categories –idealsandaspirations– which have received modest, and sometimes negative, attention in recent normative debates. Anidealis a conception of perfection or model of excellence around which we can shape our thoughts and actions. Anaspiration, by contrast, is an attitudinal position of steadfast commitment to, striving for, or deep desire or longing for, an ideal. I locate these two concepts in relation to more familiar moral concepts such asduty,virtue, andthe goodto demonstrate, amongst other things, first, that what is morally significant about ideals and aspirations cannot be fully accommodated within a virtue ethical framework that gives a central role to the Virtuous Person as a purported model of excellence. On a certain interpretation, the Virtuous Person is not a meaningful ideal for moral agents. Second, I articulate one sense in which aspirations are morally required imaginative acts given their potential to expand the realm of practical moral possibility.
Authentic Happiness
Authors: BOGNAR GREG
Published: July 2010

This article discusses L. W. Sumner's theory of well-being as authentic happiness. I distinguish between extreme and moderate versions of subjectivism and argue that Sumner's characterization of the conditions of authenticity leads him to an extreme subjective theory. More generally, I also criticize Sumner's argument for the subjectivity of welfare. I conclude by addressing some of the implications of my arguments for theories of well-being in philosophy and welfare measurement in the social sciences.
Being and Betterness
Authors: JOHANSSON JENS
Published: July 2010

In this article I discuss the question of whether a person's existence can be better (or worse) for him than his non-existence. Recently, Nils Holtug and Melinda A. Roberts have defended an affirmative answer. These defenses, I shall argue, do not succeed. In different ways, Holtug and Roberts have got the metaphysics and axiology wrong. However, I also argue that a person's existence can after all be better (or worse) for him than his non-existence, though for reasons other than those provided by Holtug and Roberts.
Moral Demands, Moral Pragmatics, and Being Good
Authors: SMILANSKY SAUL
Published: July 2010

I point out an odd consequence of the role that broadly pragmatic considerations regularly (and reasonably) play in determining moral demands. As a result of the way in which moral demands are formed, it turns out that people will frequently become morally good in a strange and rather dubious way. Because human beings are not very good, we will lower our moral demands and, as a result, most people will turn out, in an important sense, to be morally good. Our relative badness, by giving us good reasons to limit moral demands, makes us morally good.
Reference genes validation for qPCR normalization inDeschampsia antarcticaduring abiotic stresses
Authors: Lee Hyoungseok , Kim Ji Hyun , Park Mira , Kim Il-Chan , Yim Joung Han , Lee Hong Kum
Published: July 2010

Quantitative real time PCR is the most sensitive and widely used method for the analysis of gene expression. The choice of one or several reference genes is very important for a normalization process, which should not fluctuate under stress conditions, to reduce error rate and bias during experimental procedure. In the present study, the expression stability of nine reference genes (two actins, two tubulins, two elongation factor 1α, two ubiquitins, and cyclophilin) during abiotic stresses such as cold, salt, and PEG treatments, was evaluated onDeschampsia antarcticaplants using geNorm software. Results from various experimental conditions indicated that cyclophilin and elongation factor 1α were the most stable genes in the leaf and the root, respectively. The expression of the other reference genes varied under stress. The relative quantification of the TACR7 gene varied according to the kind and the number of reference genes used, suggesting the importance of considering the implications of a combination of reference genes under different stress conditions and in different tissues.
Combinational dormancy in winter annualFabaceae
Authors: Van Assche Jozef A. , Vandelook Filip E.A.
Published: July 2010

Among 14 species of herbaceousFabaceae, all six winter annuals show a marked non-deep physiological dormancy of the embryo in addition to physical dormancy. This physiological dormancy is apparent at 23°C, but not at lower temperatures of 10°C and 5°C and disappears after 3 months of dry storage. These results corroborate the hypothesis that combinational dormancy is a double safety mechanism for delaying germination during summer: physical dormancy postpones germination, and even in early softened seeds germination is prevented by physiological dormancy of the embryo. Softened, swollen seeds ofMedicago arabicatolerate a subsequent desiccation and remain viable even after five cycles of dehydration and rehydration. The rate of natural softening ofM. arabicaseeds increases exponentially at higher temperatures, with a Q10between 3.4 and 5.1, and obeys the Arrhenius equation. This indicates that a chemical reaction might be involved in breakdown of physical dormancy. Winter annuals with hard seeds show similar properties as winter annuals with permeable seeds: the need for afterripening and requirement of lower temperatures delay germination until autumn. Only one species,Vicia sativa, loses physical dormancy during dry storage. Drying during summer might be a supplementary cue for germination in autumn.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE BUSINESS CYCLE? A BAYESIAN ANALYSIS OF JOBLESS RECOVERIES
Authors: Engemann Kristie M. , Owyang Michael T.
Published: July 2010

During the typical recovery from U.S. postwar period economic downturns, employment recovers to its prerecession level within months of the output trough. However, during the past two recoveries, employment has taken up to three years to achieve its prerecession benchmark. We propose a formal empirical model of business cycles with recovery periods to demonstrate that the past two recoveries have been statistically different from previous experiences. We find that this difference can be attributed to a shift in the speed of transition between business cycle regimes. Moreover, we find this shift results from both durable and nondurable manufacturing sectors losing their cyclical characteristics. We argue that this finding of acyclicality in post-1980 manufacturing sectors is consistent with previous hypotheses (e.g., improved inventory management) regarding the reduction in macroeconomic volatility over the same period. These results suggest a link between the two phenomena, which have heretofore been studied separately.
‘HEE-HAW … LLELUJAH’: HANDEL AMONG THE VAUXHALL ASSES (1732)
Authors: CHRISSOCHOIDIS ILIAS
Published: July 2010

The discovery of a satirical list from 1732 helps us revisit Handel's affairs during the early 1730s. Placing the composer among elite guests at the opening night of Vauxhall Gardens in 1732, the new document predates his known links with the venue by six years, offers a rare description of him as subservient to John James Heidegger and possibly alludes to his medical condition prior to 1737. It also invites an exploration of hidden affinities between English oratorio and John Henley's much-abused Oratory, including a hypothesis about the strictures applied to Esther by the Bishop of London. Much more important, it helps launch a re-examination of Handel's role in the ‘Second Academy’ as a court composer in an entrepreneurial milieu.
Die Konstruktion des akademischen Selbstkonzeptes
Authors: Gniewosz Burkhard
Published: July 2010

Zusammenfassung. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Konstruktion des fachbezogenen akademischen Selbstkonzeptes von Sekundarschülern in Mathematik und Deutsch. Dabei wird die Rolle der Kompetenzwahrnehmung durch die Eltern als Einflussgröße neben leistungsbezogenem Feedback in Form von Zensuren betrachtet. Den Analysen liegt eine zwei Erhebungswellen umfassende Längsschnittstichprobe über 1,5 Jahre von 1019 Fünftklässlern und deren Eltern zu Grunde. Strukturgleichungsmodellanalysen zeigten für Mathematik signifikante Effekte der Zensuren und der Elternkompetenzeinschätzungen aus beiden Fachdomänen auf das akademische Selbstkonzept. Für die verbalen Selbsteinschätzungen der Schüler erwiesen sich allein die Deutschnoten als signifikante Prädiktoren. Die Kompetenzeinschätzungen der Eltern für Mathematik und Deutsch konnten hauptsächlich durch Zensuren innerhalb des Schulfaches vorhergesagt werden. Die Rolle der fachspezifischen Kompetenzeinschätzungen der Eltern als eigenständige Informationsquellen für die Selbstkonzeptkonstruktion der Kinder wird diskutiert. Des Weiteren wird die unterschiedliche Nutzung von leistungsindikativen Informationen für die Konstruktion der Fähigkeitswahrnehmungen von Schülern und Eltern erörtert.
Quantum memory for light takes a leap forward
Authors: Miller Johanna
Published: July 2010

A solid-state device catches and releases light pulses like fireflies—without killing their quantum states.
Adaptive multiscale model for simulating cardiac conduction
Authors: Hand Paul E. , Griffith Boyce E.
Published: July 2010

We present a multiscale model and an adaptive numerical scheme for simulating cardiac action potential propagation along a linear strand of heart muscle cells. This model couples macroscale partial differential equations posed over the tissue to microscale equations posed over discrete cellular geometry. The microscopic equations are used only near action potential wave fronts, and the macroscopic equations are used everywhere else. We study the effects of gap-junctional and ephaptic coupling on conduction in the multiscale model and its fully macroscale and fully microscale analogues. Our simulations reveal that the adaptive multiscale model accurately reproduces the action potential wave forms and wave speeds of the fully microscale model. They also demonstrate that, at low gap-junctional conductivities, the accuracy of fully macroscale simulations is sensitive to numerical grid spacing. Moreover, adaptive multiscale simulations capture the effect of ephaptic coupling, whereas fully macroscale simulations do not. We propose two ways of generalizing our multiscale model to higher dimensions, and we argue that such generalizations may be necessary to obtain accurate three-dimensional simulations of cardiac conduction in certain pathophysiological parameter regimes.
Low temperature synthesis of α-Al2O3 films by high-power plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition
Authors: Jiang Kaiyun , Sarakinos Kostas , Konstantinidis Stephanos , Schneider Jochen M
Published: July 2010

In this study, we deposit Al2O3 films using plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition (PACVD) in an Ar–H2–O2–AlCl3 atmosphere. A novel generator delivering approximately 4 times larger power densities than those conventionally employed in PACVD enabling efficient AlCl3 dissociation in the gas phase as well as a more intense energetic bombardment of the growing film is utilized. We demonstrate that these deposition conditions allow for the growth of dense α-Al2O3 films with negligible Cl incorporation and elastic properties similar to those of the bulk α-Al2O3 at a temperature of 560 ± 10 °C.
On the microwave breakdown stability of a spherical hot spot in air
Authors: Rasch J , Semenov V E , Anderson D , Lisak M , Puech J
Published: July 2010

An analysis is made of the basic physical conditions under which a small local microwave-induced breakdown region in a gas may develop to extended ‘global’ breakdown. The analysis describes the different nonlinear stages of the microwave breakdown process. In the first stage, the increasing breakdown plasma density suppresses the electric field in the breakdown region to reach a quasi-stationary state with constant electron density. The subsequent heating of the gas due to absorption of microwave power in the breakdown plasma is then analysed and the corresponding steady state for the thermal evolution is found including the temperature dependence of the breakdown electric field. The stability properties of the stationary state are examined and it is found that there exists a critical (unstable) radius of the initial breakdown plasma region such that initial regions smaller than this critical dimension will shrink to ultimately vanish whereas plasma regions larger than the critical dimension will grow indefinitely and transform the local breakdown region into full scale ‘global’ breakdown. The practical implication of this model is to give an order of magnitude estimate for the critical size of hot spots, regions of enhanced field and intensified heating in rf systems.
Correction of mass calibration gaps in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry metabolomics data
Authors: Benton H. Paul , Want Elizabeth J. , Ebbels Timothy M. D.
Published: July 2010

Motivation: High mass accuracy is an important goal in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry experiments. Some manufacturers employ a mass calibration system that regularly switches between the analyte and a standard reference compound, and leads to gaps in the analyte data. We present a method for correction of such gaps in global molecular profiling applications such as metabolomics. We demonstrate that it improves peak detection and quantification, successfully recovering the expected number of peaks and intensity distribution in an example metabolomics dataset.

Availability and implementation: Available in XCMS versions 1.23.3 and higher. Distributed via Bioconductor under GNU General Public License. (http://www.bioconductor.org/packages//2.7/bioc/html/xcms.html)

Contact:  hpaul.benton08@imperial.ac.uk; hpbenton@gmail.com; t.ebbels@imperial.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Effect of a sequential education and monitoring programme on quality‐of‐life components in heart failure
Authors: Cruz Fátima das Dores , Issa Victor Sarli , Ayub‐Ferreira Silvia Moreira , Chizzola Paulo Roberto , Souza Germano Emilio Conceição , Moreira Luiz Felipe Pinho , Lanz‐Luces José Ramón , Bocchi Edimar Alcides
Published: July 2010

Aims

Trials of disease management programmes (DMP) in heart failure (HF) have shown controversial results regarding quality of life. We hypothesized that a DMP applied over the long‐term could produce different effects on each of the quality‐of‐life components.

Methods and results

We extended the prospective, randomized REMADHE Trial, which studied a DMP in HF patients. We analysed changes in Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire components in 412 patients, 60.5% male, age 50.2 ± 11.4 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 34.7 ± 10.5%. During a mean follow‐up of 3.6 ± 2.2 years, 6.3% of patients underwent heart transplantation and 31.8% died. Global quality‐of‐life scores improved in the DMP intervention group, compared with controls, respectively: 57.5 ± 3.1 vs. 52.6 ± 4.3 at baseline, 32.7 ± 3.9 vs. 40.2 ± 6.3 at 6 months, 31.9 ± 4.3 vs. 41.5 ± 7.4 at 12 months, 26.8 ± 3.1 vs. 47.0 ± 5.3 at the final assessment; P < 0.01. Similarly, the physical component (23.7 ± 1.4 vs. 21.1 ± 2.2 at baseline, 16.2 ± 2.9 vs. 18.0 ± 3.3 at 6 months, 17.3 ± 2.9 vs. 23.1 ± 5.7 at 12 months, 11.4 ± 1.6 vs. 19.9 ± 2.4 final; P < 0.01), the emotional component (13.2 ± 1.0 vs. 12.1 ± 1.4 at baseline, 11.7 ± 2.7 vs. 12.3 ± 3.1 at 6 months, 12.4 ± 2.9 vs. 16.8 ± 5.9 at 12 months, 6.7 ± 1.0 vs. 10.6 ± 1.4 final; P < 0.01) and the additional questions (20.8 ± 1.2 vs. 19.3 ± 1.8 at baseline, 14.3 ± 2.7 vs. 17.3 ± 3.1 at 6 months, 12.4 ± 2.9 vs. 21.0 ± 5.5 at 12 months, 6.7 ± 1.4 vs. 17.3 ± 2.2 final; P < 0.01) were better (lower) in the intervention group. The emotional component improved earlier than the others. Post‐randomization quality of life was not associated with events.

Conclusion

Components of the quality‐of‐life assessment responded differently to DMP. These results indicate the need for individualized DMP strategies in patients with HF.

Trial registration information www.clincaltrials.gov NCT00505050—REMADHE.
Consequences of catch-and-release angling on the physiological status, injury, and immediate mortality of great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) in The Bahamas
Authors: O'Toole Amanda C. , Danylchuk Andy J. , Suski Cory D. , Cooke Steven J.
Published: July 2010

O'Toole, A. C., Danylchuk, A. J., Suski, C. D., and Cooke, S. J. 2010. Consequences of catch-and-release angling on the physiological status, injury, and immediate mortality of great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) in The Bahamas. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1667–1675. Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) are a common marine predatory fish readily captured by anglers (frequently as incidental bycatch while pursuing other gamefish) and are consequently released at high rates. A study was conducted in coastal waters of The Bahamas to evaluate how common angling techniques influence their physiological status, hooking injury, and immediate mortality. Post-angling blood glucose and plasma sodium levels increased with fight-time duration, though lactate levels increased only with longer blood sampling times. Concentrations of plasma chloride and potassium were not influenced by angling duration. We did not observe any differences in injury, bleeding, hook removal, or hooking depth among three types of artificial lure tested. Most fish were hooked in non-critical areas and experienced minimal or no bleeding at the hook site, so immediate mortality upon landing was negligible. Although great barracuda appear to be fairly resilient to physiological stress and injury associated with catch-and-release angling and immediate mortality was insignificant, they typically reside in habitats where post-release predation is possible. As such, efforts should be made to promote careful handling to ensure high rates of survival.
Effect of yolk utilization on the specific gravity of chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii) paralarvae: implications for dispersal on the Agulhas Bank, South Africa
Authors: Martins Rodrigo S. , Roberts Michael J. , Chang Nicolette , Verley Philippe , Moloney Coleen L. , Vidal Erica A. G.
Published: July 2010

Martins, R. S., Roberts, M. J., Chang, N., Verley, P., Moloney, C. L., and Vidal, E. A. G. 2010. Effect of yolk utilization on the specific gravity of chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii) paralarvae: implications for dispersal on the Agulhas Bank, South Africa. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1323–1335. Specific gravity is an important parameter in the dispersal of marine zooplankton, because the velocity of currents, and therefore the speed of transport, is usually greatest near the surface. For the South African chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii), recruitment is thought to be influenced by the successful transport of paralarvae from the spawning grounds to a food-rich feature known as the cold ridge some 100–200 km away. The role of paralarval specific gravity on such transport is investigated. Specific gravity ranged from 1.0373 to 1.0734 g cm−3 during the yolk-utilization phase, implying that paralarvae are always negatively buoyant, regardless of yolk content. The data were incorporated into a coupled individual-based model (IBM)—Regional Ocean Modelling System model. The output showed that dispersal was dominantly westward towards the cold ridge. Also, modelled paralarval vertical distribution suggested that hydrodynamic turbulence was an important factor in dispersal. The negative buoyancy of early chokka squid paralarvae may reduce the risk of paralarvae being advected off the eastern Agulhas Bank and into the open ocean, where food is less abundant, so specific gravity may be important in enhancing the survival and recruitment of chokka squid.
Convergence in life-history traits in migratory deep-water squid and fish
Authors: Arkhipkin Alexander I. , Laptikhovsky Vladimir V.
Published: July 2010

Arkhipkin, A. I., and Laptikhovsky, V. V. 2010. Convergence in life-history traits in migratory deep-water squid and fish. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1444–1451. The life-history traits of two species of nektonic squid, Onykia ingens and Gonatus antarcticus, and Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides, all from the Southwest Atlantic, are reviewed to reveal the extent to which their life cycles have converged. All three follow similar ontogenetic migration, with spawning and egg development in meso-bathypelagic water over the continental slope. Larvae and small juveniles ascend to epipelagic water to feed and grow near the slope. Juveniles and immature adults migrate to the shelf and use it as their feeding grounds. After this period of fast growth on the shelf, the adults descend back to deep water to spawn. The potential advantages that such a life cycle gives to migratory deep-water animals over obligate bathypelagic and benthic fauna are discussed. The most likely cause of ontogenetic migration of juvenile deep-water organisms to the shelf, with the resulting fast growth, is to increase individual fecundity during the adult deep-water phase. Escape from predation and resource utilization at the next trophic level are also examined, but found to be less plausible explanations. Larger, mature animals have higher fecundity, bigger eggs, and larger, better-developed hatchlings, all of which enhance the survival rates of the species at the early stages of their ontogenesis.
Comparison of Antioxidant Components and Activity of Buckwheat and Wheat Flours
Authors: Sedej Ivana , Mandić Anamarija , Sakač Marijana , Mišan Aleksandra , Tumbas Vesna
Published: July 2010

Plant phenolics and tocopherols content were determined in light and wholegrain buckwheat and wheat flour. Antioxidant activity of flours were comparatively assessed by scavenging activity on 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•), hydroxyl (•OH), and superoxide anion (O2•–) radicals, reducing activity, and chelating activity on Fe2+. Rutin, quercetin, and ferulic acid were quantified in both buckwheat flours, while ferulic acid was quantified in wholegrain wheat flour. Significantly higher content of phenolics and tocopherols was found in buckwheat than in wheat flours. Tocopherols in buckwheat flours were present in the order: γ‐ > α‐>> δ‐tocopherol, and in wheat flours: α‐ > γ‐ >> δ‐tocopherol. Buckwheat flours possessed better scavenging abilities on DPPH•, •OH and O2•– radicals, as well as better reducing activity, while wheat flours showed better chelating activity on Fe2+, according to IC50 values. Results suggest the possibility of improving the antioxidant properties of wheat‐based food products through addition of buckwheat flour.
Soybean blotchy mosaic virus, a New Cytorhabdovirus Found in South Africa
Authors: Lamprecht R. L. , Kasdorf G. G. F. , Stiller M. , Staples S. M. , Nel L. H. , Pietersen G.
Published: July 2010

A previously unidentified plant Rhabdovirus sp. associated with a blotchy mosaic symptom of soybean (Glycine max), prevalent in the lower-lying, warmer soybean production areas of South Africa, was isolated and partially characterized. The virus was shown to be transmitted by mechanical inoculation and at least one species of leafhopper (Peragallia caboverdensis Lindberg (Cicadellidae, Agalliinae)). To determine the morphology and virion size, as well as intercellular accumulation, negative-stained preparations or embedded ultrathin sections of infected plant samples were observed under a transmission electron microscope. The distribution of the virions within the cytoplasm and its bullet-shaped morphology and size (338 to 371 nm by 93 nm) suggested that it is a putative member of the genus Cytorhabdovirus. Degenerate primers designed to a conserved region of the polymerase gene of a number of Rhabdovirus spp. were used in reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction with total RNA from symptomatic plants as template. Amplicons were sequenced and compared with related sequences available on GenBank. The analysis confirmed that the virus was related to Cytorhabdovirus spp., with the highest nucleotide similarity being 60.7% with Northern cereal mosaic virus. The particle morphology, typical virion accumulation in the cytoplasm of infected cells, nucleotide sequence similarity with that of other plant Rhabdovirus spp., and unique symptoms on soybean suggest that the virus is a previously unknown Cytorhabdovirus sp., for which we propose the name Soybean blotchy mosaic virus (SbBMV).