bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alpha4 subunit‐containing GABAA receptors in the accumbens shell contribute to the reinforcing effects of alcohol
Authors: Rewal Mridula , Donahue Rachel , Gill T. Michael , Nie Hong , Ron Dorit , Janak Patricia H.
Published: April 2011

The α4βδ gamma‐aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR) has been proposed to mediate the rewarding effects of low‐to‐moderate concentrations of alcohol (ethanol) that approximate those achieved by social drinking. If this is true, then this receptor should be necessary for the reinforcing effects of ethanol as assessed in an instrumental self‐administration procedure in which rats are trained to lever press for oral ethanol. We used viral‐mediated RNA interference to transiently reduce expression of the α4 GABAAR subunit in the shell region of the nucleus accumbens (NAc). We found that responding for ethanol was significantly reduced after α4 reductions in the NAc shell, but not NAc core. This reduction was specific to ethanol, as responding for sucrose was not altered. The presence of ethanol was also required as unreinforced responding for ethanol in subjects previously trained to respond for ethanol (i.e. responding during an extinction test) was not altered. In addition, responding during reinforced sessions was not altered during the initial 5 minutes of the session, but decreased after 5 minutes, following multiple reinforced responses. Together, these findings indicate that the α4 GABAAR subunit in the NAc shell is necessary for the instrumental reinforcing effects of oral ethanol, further supporting a role for α4‐containing GABAARs in the rewarding/reinforcing effects of ethanol. Possible pharmacological and non‐pharmacological explanations for these effects are considered.
Changes in the magnitude of drug‐unconditioned stimulus during conditioning modulate cocaine‐induced place preference in mice
Authors: Itzhak Yossef , Anderson Karen L.
Published: April 2011

Drug reinforcement learning is relevant for the development of addiction. The present study investigated how changes in the magnitude of drug‐unconditioned stimulus during associative learning modulate the acquisition and extinction of cocaine‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP). B6;129S F2 mice were conditioned by three dosing schedules of cocaine: (1) ascending, (2) fixed and (3) descending daily doses. Following acquisition of CPP, extinction was induced by (1) context re‐exposure, (2) reconditioning by saline and (3) reconditioning by descending doses of cocaine. The magnitude of CPP following conditioning by daily ascending doses of cocaine (2, 4, 8 and 16 mg/kg) was significantly higher than that obtained from conditioning by either a fixed daily dose (16 mg/kg × 4 days) or daily descending doses (24, 12, 6 and 3 mg/kg). Extinction following context re‐exposure showed persistent CPP in the ‘ascending’ group compared to the other two groups. However, extinction via reconditioning by saline was equally effective in all groups. Interestingly, reconditioning by descending doses of cocaine (1) extinguished CPP and (2) resulted in partial resistance to the reinstatement of conditioned response by cocaine priming. Results underscore the significance of daily changes in cocaine dosage in the development and extinction of drug‐induced conditioned response. Increase and decrease in cocaine dosage strengthens and weakens cocaine‐associated memory, respectively. Moreover, extinction by ‘tapering down’ drug reward may be superior to extinction by saline.
Donor–recipient relationships in African American vs. Caucasian live kidney donors
Authors: Reeves‐Daniel A. , Bailey A. , Assimos D. , Westcott C. , Adams P. L. , Hartmann E. L. , Rogers J. , Farney A. C. , Stratta R. J. , Daniel K. , Freedman B. I.
Published: April 2011

Reeves‐Daniel A, Bailey A, Assimos D, Westcott C, Adams PL, Hartmann EL, Rogers J, Farney AC, Stratta RJ, Daniel K, Freedman BI. Donor–recipient relationships in African American vs. Caucasian live kidney donors. Clin Transplant 2011: 25: E487–E490. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Purpose:  The purpose of the study was to characterize differences in donor and recipient relationships between African American (AA) and Caucasian living kidney donors.

Methods:  Data from all successful living kidney donors at a single institution between 1991 and 2009 were reviewed. Relationships between donor and recipient were categorized and between‐group comparisons performed.

Results:  The study sample consisted of 73 (18%) AA and 324 Caucasian living kidney donors. The distribution of donor–recipient relationships differed significantly between AA and Caucasians. AA donors were more likely to be related to the recipient (88% vs. 74%, p = 0.007) than Caucasians. AA donors were more likely to participate in child to parent donation and were less likely to participate in parent to child donation or to donate to unrelated individuals. Sibling and spousal donations were similar in both groups. Caucasian donors were more likely to be unrelated to the recipient than AA donors.

Conclusions:  Differences exist in donor–recipient relationships between AA and Caucasian living kidney donors. Future studies exploring cultural differences and family dynamics may provide targeted recruitment strategies for AA and Caucasian living kidney donors. Living unrelated kidney transplantation appears to be a potential growth area for living kidney donation in AA.
Load Lightening in Southern Lapwings: Group‐Living Mothers Lay Smaller Eggs than Pair‐Living Mothers
Authors: Santos Eduardo S. A. , Macedo Regina H.
Published: April 2011

Females of some cooperative‐breeding species can decrease their egg investment without costs for their offspring because helpers‐at‐the‐nest compensate for this reduction either by feeding more or by better protecting offspring from predation. We used the southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) to evaluate the effects of the presence of helpers on maternal investment. Southern lapwings are cooperative (some breeding pairs are aided by helpers), chick development is precocial, thus adults do not feed the chicks, and adults offer protection from predators through mobbing behaviors. We tested whether southern lapwing females reduced their reproductive investment (i.e. load‐lightening [LL] hypothesis) or increased their investment (i.e. differential allocation hypothesis) when breeding in groups when compared with females that bred in pairs. We found that increased group size was associated with lower egg volume. A significant negative association between the combined egg nutritional investment (yolk, protein, and lipid mass) and group size was observed. Chicks that hatched from eggs laid in nests of groups were also smaller than chicks hatched in nests of pairs. However, there was no relationship between the body mass index of chicks, or clutch size and group size, which suggests that such eggs are, simply, proportionally smaller. Our results support the LL hypothesis even in a situation where adults do not feed the chicks, allowing females to reduce investment in eggs without incurring a cost to their offspring.
Efficacy of PGF2α on Pre‐ovulatory Follicle and Corpus Luteum Blood Flow
Authors: Neglia G , Vecchio D , Russo M , Di Palo R , Pacelli C , Comin A , Gasparrini B , Campanile G
Published: April 2011

Contents

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cloprostenol administration on the blood flow of pre‐ovulatory follicle (PF) and corpus luteum (CL), progesterone secretion and pregnancy outcome in buffaloes subjected to AI. The trial was performed on 75 Italian buffaloes at 182 ± 8 days in milk. Synchronized animals were randomly divided into two groups on the day of oestrus: Group T (n = 37) received a 0.524 mg intramuscular injection of cloprostenol and Group C (n = 38) received saline. Ultrasound examinations of the ovaries were performed 5 h after AI on the PF and 10 and 20 days after AI on the CL. Resistive (RI) and pulsatily index (PI) were calculated by colour‐Doppler mode in each examination. Blood samples were collected on days 10, 20 and 25 after AI for progesterone assay and 25 days after AI, ultrasonography was performed to assess pregnancy, which was confirmed on day 45. Subjects pregnant on day 25 but not on day 45 were considered to have undergone late embryonic mortality (LEM). Statistical analysis was performed by anova. No differences were found in PF dimensions, CL size and blood flow on day 10 and 20 after AI between treated and control groups. Pre‐ovulatory follicle area was higher in buffaloes that resulted pregnant on day 25 after AI compared to those that were non‐pregnant (2.13 vs 1.66 cm in pregnant and non‐pregnant buffaloes, respectively), while non‐pregnant buffaloes showed higher values of RI (0.49 vs 0.30; p < 0.05) and PI (1.0 vs 0.37; p = 0.07) compared to pregnant subjects. Treatment by cloprostenol did not influence pregnancy rate both on day 25 (31/75; 41.3%) and 45 (27/75; 36.0%), progesterone levels and incidence of LEM (4/31; 12.9%). In conclusion, cloprostenol administration at the time of AI does not seem to affect PF and CL blood flow.
Roles of human liver type fatty acid binding protein in kidney disease clarified using hL‐FABP chromosomal transgenic mice
Authors: KAMIJO‐IKEMORI ATSUKO , SUGAYA TAKESHI , MATSUI KATSUOMI , YOKOYAMA TAKESHI , KIMURA KENJIRO
Published: April 2011

Kidney disease develops to renal failure over a period of days, months or years, hence, clinical markers that indicate the real‐time renal pathophysiological conditions is important. Liver type fatty acid binding protein (L‐FABP) is a 14 kDa molecule predominantly expressed in human proximal tubules. Clinical studies demonstrate that urinary excretion of L‐FABP derived from the proximal tubules is an excellent biomarker for predicting and monitoring deterioration of renal function or for early detection of kidney disease. However, in order to clarify the pathophysiological roles or dynamics of renal L‐FABP in diseased settings, in vivo experimental studies of kidney diseases are indispensable. Since L‐FABP is not endogenously expressed in murine kidneys, a transgenic (Tg) mouse model with expression of the human L‐FABP gene was established. This review article summarizes the findings on the pathophysiological roles and dynamics of renal human L‐FABP in the recent experimental studies performed using this Tg mouse model.
Mirtazapine in combination with perospirone synergistically enhances dopamine release in the rat prefrontal cortex via 5‐HT1A receptor activation
Authors: Morita Michiaki , Nakayama Kazuhiko
Published: April 2011

Aims:  The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism underlying the clinical efficacy of mirtazapine–perospirone combination therapy for treatment‐resistant depression in a rat model.

Methods:  We studied the effect of combination therapy of the noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant mirtazapine and the serotonin‐dopamine antagonist perospirone on serotonin (5‐HT) and dopamine release in the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) by using microdialysis. Male Wistar rats (250–330 g bodyweight) underwent implantation of a guide cannula in the mPFC, and a microdialysis probe was then inserted into the guide cannula to ensure its final placement in the mPFC. Microdialysis and subsequent chromatographic analysis were performed to estimate the extracellular 5‐HT and dopamine concentrations.

Results:  When they were used individually, perospirone (0.25 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and mirtazapine (4 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) induced increased dopamine release up to 134% and 190% relative to the pretreatment level, respectively. Their combination therapy synergistically and significantly (P < 0.0001) increased the dopamine concentration up to 397% of the pretreatment level compared with that induced by the individual drugs. This combination‐induced dopamine release was attenuated by 5‐HT1A antagonist WAY 100635 (0.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), to a peak dopamine release of 151%. Extracellular 5‐HT release in the mPFC was not altered in any of the treatment groups.

Conclusions:  The large increase in the dopamine concentration in the rat mPFC after the combination therapy was unique and may be responsible for the profound antidepressive effect observed in patients with treatment‐resistant depression.
Parental bonding in patients with eating disorders and self‐injurious behavior
Authors: Fujimori Akihito , Wada Yoshihisa , Yamashita Tatsuhisa , Choi Hyungin , Nishizawa Susumu , Yamamoto Haruka , Fukui Kenji
Published: April 2011

Aim:  The goal of the study was to investigate the correlations among parental bonding patterns, eating disorders (ED) and self‐injurious behavior (SIB).

Methods:  The subjects were 80 patients with ED who were divided into two groups based on those that had (n = 25) and had not engaged in SIB at least once in the last month. The patients and 120 healthy control subjects were evaluated using the Eating Disorder Inventory and the Parental Bonding Instrument.

Results:  On the Parental Bonding Instrument, the ED + SIB group showed significantly lower paternal care compared with the ED/no SIB and control groups. On the Eating Disorder Inventory, the ED + SIB group showed higher body dissatisfaction, and increased maturity fear compared with the other two groups. The total scores and perfectionism and interoceptive awareness differed significantly among the three groups.

Conclusion:  ED + SIB patients had a more severe ED pathology than ED/no SIB patients, and also felt that they had received low paternal care during childhood. Therefore, paternal care may be linked to severe ED pathology.
Sibling risk of anxiety disorders based on hospitalizations in Sweden
Authors: Li Xinjun , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina
Published: April 2011

Aims:  This study used nationwide hospital records to examine sibling risk of any type of anxiety disorder in Sweden over a 40‐year period.

Methods:  This study, carried out between 1 January 1968 and 31 December 2007, of the entire population of Sweden, linked information on family relationships from the nationwide Multi‐Generation Register with information from the nationwide Swedish Hospital Discharge Register on first diagnosis of anxiety disorder. A total of 42 602 persons hospitalized for anxiety disorders and 2093 affected siblings were identified. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated by comparing risk in siblings of persons hospitalized for anxiety disorders with risk in persons whose siblings had no hospital diagnosis of anxiety disorders.

Results:  The sibling risk was 2.26, which was independent of sex and age differences between siblings. The SIR was highest in siblings <20 years of age (2.83). Analysis of risk by subtype showed that having a sibling diagnosed with any anxiety disorder resulted in increased risks of a number of disorders; the highest increased risk was of social phobia (SIR 3.68, 95% confidence interval, 1.68–7.69). Risk of panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder was raised in female but not male siblings.

Conclusions:  Heritable effects likely play an important role in the cause of anxiety disorders, but the extent of their role remains to be established. Important contributions could be made by studies of gene–environment interactions that have sufficient sample sizes to produce reliable results.
Neurocognitive impairment in Chinese patients with obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome
Authors: CHEN RUI , XIONG KANG‐PING , HUANG JUAN‐YING , LIAN YI‐XIN , JIN FA , LI ZHEN‐HUA , ZHAO MIN‐YAN , LIU CHUN‐FENG
Published: April 2011

Background and objective:  Sleep‐disordered breathing is known to be associated with impairment in cognitive function. The aim of this study was to characterize neurocognitive impairment in a cohort of Chinese patients with varying severities of obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS), and to develop a sensitive instrument for routine screening of cognitive impairment.

Methods:  Eligible patients (n = 394) were categorized into a primary snoring group, and mild, moderate and severe OSAHS groups, based on assessment of AHI. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) questionnaires were administered to assess cognitive function, and the correlations between questionnaire scores and clinical and polysomnographic parameters were further evaluated by stepwise multivariate regression.

Results:  MoCA scores decreased progressively across the spectrum from primary snoring to severe OSAHS. Importantly, mild neurocognitive impairment as defined by a MoCA score <26 was more common in the moderate (38.6%) and severe (41.4%) OSAHS groups than in the mild OSAHS (25.0%) and primary snoring (15.2%) groups. In contrast, MMSE scores were largely normal and comparable among all four groups. Evaluation of MoCA subdomains further revealed selective reduction in memory/delayed recall, visuospatial and executive function, and attention span in the severe OSAHS group compared with the other groups. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that MoCA scores correlated significantly with lowest oxygen saturation (L‐SaO2) and years of education.

Conclusions:  Neurocognitive impairment is common in patients with OSAHS. The MoCA is a brief and sensitive tool for the assessment of cognitive impairment in OSAHS patients, whose performance on the MMSE is in the normal range.
Prevalence and molecular study of G6PD deficiency in Malaysian Orang Asli
Authors: Amini F. , Ismail E. , Zilfalil B‐A.
Published: April 2011

This study aims to define the prevalence and the molecular basis of G6PD deficiency in the Negrito tribe of the Malaysian Orang Asli. Four hundred and eighty seven consenting Negrito volunteers were screened for G6PD deficiency through the use of a fluorescent spot test. DNA from deficient individuals underwent PCR‐RFLP analysis using thirteen recognized G6PD mutations. In the instances when the mutation could not be identified by PCR‐RFLP, the entire coding region of the G6PD gene was subjected to DNA sequencing. In total, 9% (44/486) of the sample were found to be G6PD‐deficient. However, only 25 samples were subjected to PCR‐RFLP and DNA sequencing. Of these, three were found to carry Viangchan, one Coimbra and 16, a combination of C1311T in exon 11 and IVS11 T93C. Mutation(s) for the five remaining samples are unknown. The mean G6PD enzyme activity ranged 5.7 IU/gHb in deficient individuals. Our results demonstrate that the frequency of G6PD deficiency is higher among the Negrito Orang Asli than other Malaysian races. The dual presence of C1311T and IVS11 T93C in 64% of the deficient individuals (16/44) could well be a result of genetic drift within this isolated group.
CDM prediction of creep failure modes in thin and thick section Cr‐Mo‐V Butt‐welded pipes under combined internal pressure and end loads at temperatures in the range 540–620 °C
Authors: HAYHURST R. J. , DEAN D. W.
Published: April 2011

The paper examines the dependence of creep failure modes of butt‐welded pipes upon: temperatures in the range 540–620 °C; the ratio of axial to pressure loadings (loading condition); and, load levels which result in failure times in the region 2000–250 000 h. Continuum damage mechanics (CDM) analyses have been used to analyse two extreme geometries: thin section pipes (4.52 mm) and thick section steam pipes (46 mm) of the type found in power generation plant. The thick pipes have been selected to allow through‐thickness constraint to be developed. Two predominant modes of failure have been predicted: Fusion Boundary failure and Type IV failure. For the thin section pipes the modes of failure are not strongly dependent on applied loading levels, and loading condition, but are dependent on temperature: at 540 °C failure is in the Fusion Boundary and at 620 °C it is in the Type IV region. Failure mode in the thick pipes is dependent on temperature, and applied loading levels, but is essentially independent of loading condition. At 540 and 565 °C failure is in the Fusion Boundary; whereas at 575 °C, failure is in the Type IV region at higher applied stress levels, and in the Fusion Boundary at lower applied stress levels.
Development of a new outcome prediction model in carcinoma invading the bladder based on preoperative serum C‐reactive protein and standard pathological risk factors: the TNR‐C score
Authors: Gakis Georgios , Todenhöfer Tilman , Renninger Markus , Schilling David , Sievert Karl‐Dietrich , Schwentner Christian , Stenzl Arnulf
Published: April 2011

Study Type – Prognosis (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

There is increasing evidence for a prognostic significance of pretherapeutically elevated serum C‐reactive protein levels in various cancers. However, little is known about its significance in patients with invasive bladder cancer. This study shows that serum CRP is an independent predictor for cancer‐specific survival in bladder cancer, and its incorporation into a new outcome model (TNR‐C Score) encompassing major pathological determinants for survival, increases significantly its predictive accuracy.

OBJECTIVE

• To assess the predictive value of preoperative C‐reactive protein (CRP) in patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) for carcinoma invading the bladder in light of recent data showing it to be an independent indicator of adverse oncological outcome in other malignancies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• A contemporary, consecutive series of 246 patients undergoing RC and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy for bladder cancer between 1999 and 2009.

• Elevated CRP was defined as >0.5 mg/dL and was consistent during the study period. The median (range) follow‐up was 30 (6–116) months.

• Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to estimate cancer‐specific survival (CSS) using a log‐rank test and Cox regression analysis for multivariate analysis of risk factors.

• Based on regression estimates of significant parameters in multivariate analysis, a new CRP‐based scoring model was developed to predict cancer‐specific outcomes. The predictive accuracy of the model was evaluated using the concordance index.

RESULTS

• The 3‐year CSS was 74.0% in patients with normal and 44.0% with elevated CRP (P < 0.001).

• In multivariate analysis, CRP (P < 0.001; used as a continuous variable), tumour stage (P= 0.001), lymph‐node density ≥0.09 (P= 0.02) and resection margin status (P < 0.001) were independent predictors of CSS.

• The 3‐year CSS in patients with a score in the ranges 0–2, 3–6 and 7–10 was 80.5%, 44.9% and 7.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). Consideration of CRP in the final model increased its predictive accuracy by 4.9% with a concordance index of 0.788 (P= 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

• This is the largest, contemporary series to date indicating that preoperative serum CRP is an independent risk factor for CSS.

• CRP may be a useful parameter to include in predictive bladder cancer nomograms.
Behaviour and metabolic control in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus on insulin pump therapy: 2‐year follow‐up
Authors: Knight S. J. , Northam E. A. , Cameron F. J. , Ambler G. R.
Published: April 2011

Diabet. Med. 28, 1109–1112 (2011)

Aims  This study investigated whether continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion is associated with sustained improvement in behaviour and metabolic control.

Methods  Children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 27, 8–18 years old) who had been assessed previously prior to commencing continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, and 6–8 weeks later, were re‐evaluated 2 years after commencing insulin pump therapy. Behaviour was reassessed using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children—2nd edition (BASC‐2) and current HbA1c levels were recorded.

Results  Two years after commencing continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, parent‐reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms were significantly lower than pre‐insulin pump therapy commencement levels. Self reports of internalizing and externalizing problems did not differ significantly across the three assessment points. There was no significant difference between pre‐insulin pump therapy HbA1c and HbA1c after 2 years on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, despite an initial improvement 6–8 weeks after commencing the therapy.

Conclusions  Children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus showed sustained improvements in parent‐reported behaviour, but not in self reports of behaviour or in metabolic control 2 years after commencement of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion.
Give and take: A re‐analysis of assessor and assessee's roles in technology‐facilitated peer assessment
Authors: Li Lan , Liu Xiongyi , Zhou Yuchun
Published: April 2011

The study examined how playing two roles as assessors and assessees in technology‐assisted peer assessment contributes to students' performance. Data from a previous study was recoded and analysed to understand peer assessment processes from a different angle. Findings of our previous study supported the importance of the assessor's role, but not the assessee's role. In the present study, the assessee's role was re‐examined based on the assessee's ability to critically judge and act upon peer feedback, instead of quality of peer feedback that they received. Regression analysis was conducted, and results suggested that how students responded to peer feedback, as indicated by the number of good versus misleading suggestions incorporated, significantly predicted their final project scores. The findings support the importance of both assessor and assessee's roles in peer assessment and provide valuable implications for effective implementation of peer assessment.
Aggressive reactions to abusive supervision: The role of interactional justice and narcissism
Authors: BURTON JAMES P. , HOOBLER JENNY M.
Published: April 2011

Burton, J. P. & Hoobler, J. M. (2011). Aggressive reactions to abusive supervision: The role of interactional justice and narcissism. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 389–398.

In this study, we explore personality and situational conditions in which negative leadership – specifically, abusive supervision – is associated with aggressive behavior in subordinates. That is, we examine the role that interactional justice and narcissism play in an employee’s decision to respond aggressively to an abusive supervisor. We demonstrate that interactional justice mediates the relationship between perceptions of abusive supervision and subsequent employee aggression. In addition, we demonstrate that narcissism interacts with interactional justice perceptions to predict workplace aggression. We find that individuals with high levels of narcissism are the employees who are most likely to respond aggressively when they interpret their leader’s behavior as abusive.
Factors associated with violence by a current partner in a nationally representative sample of German women
Authors: Stöckl Heidi , Heise Lori , Watts Charlotte
Published: April 2011

Partner violence is a serious human rights violation and public health issue. Although its pervasiveness is well documented, more research is needed on risk and protective factors to inform interventions. This study is based on a secondary analysis of the first national survey on violence against women in Germany. Women who reported partner violence by their current partner were compared to women who never reported partner violence. The prevalence of physical or sexual violence, or both, by current partners was 17 per cent. Women who experienced violence during their childhood had higher odds of experiencing partner violence. Partner violence was associated with women’s drug use in the last 5 years, physical disability or debilitating illness, having more than three children, experiencing violence by a non‐partner and feeling socially excluded. The odds of violence also increased if both partners were unemployed or lacked vocational training or if only the woman had vocational skills. Relationships shorter than 5 years or where the man or both partners drank heavily were likewise associated with higher odds of violence. Partner violence interventions should focus on reducing children’s exposure to violence and preparing women and men for the job market as well as including interventions that tackle social isolation and substance use.
‘Wakey wakey baby’: narrating four‐dimensional (4D) bonding scans
Authors: Roberts Julie
Published: April 2011

Abstract Commercial companies market 4D ultrasound scans to expectant parents for the stated purpose of reassurance, to promote bonding, and to get ‘baby’s first picture’. This article describes in detail the process of commercial 4D scanning in the UK, paying particular attention to the discursive exchanges in the scan room. It is argued that sonographers and clients engage in a process of ‘collaborative coding’ that, despite the realism of 4D, is essential to making the imagery on the screen personally and socially meaningful. While sonographers first help clients to get their bearings, expectant parents and others often engage in a complex process of narrating the images on the screen as they are created. The capacities of 4D ultrasound to image facial features and movements inform stories about fetal experience and family resemblances as well as enabling playfully imagined interactions with the fetus. While these stories are primarily based in experiences of the visual, there is also evidence that pregnant women seek to map the image onto their bodies and to reintroduce some elements of their embodied experiences into the narratives.
An essay on ‘health capital’ and the Faustian bargains struck by workers in the globalised shipping industry
Authors: Bloor Michael
Published: April 2011

It has long been understood that work directly generates ill health and disability through injuries and occupational exposure to toxic and carcinogenic materials, but the more complex relationship between work and ill health that is seemingly mediated through psychological distress is more controversial. For example, the ‘Karasek model’, whereby high job demands coupled with limited latitude in decision making were thought to generate ill health, has not been supported in large‐scale surveys. This paper postulates an alternative linking mechanism between work and health, namely Mildred Blaxter’s concept of ‘health capital’, and specifically explores the value of the concept in understanding lay theorising about the links between labour intensification and self‐perceived health: workers’ perceptions that their work has become more effortful may be bracketed with their belief that their continuing employment is demanding accelerating expenditure of their health capital. The argument is illustrated by qualitative interviews with an international sample of seafarers, a proto‐typically globalised labour force.
Regression Shrinkage and Selection via The Lasso: A Retrospective
Authors: Tibshirani Robert
Published: April 2011

In the paper I give a brief review of the basic idea and some history and then discuss some developments since the original paper on regression shrinkage and selection via the lasso.
Self-Consistent Method for Density Estimation
Authors: Bernacchia Alberto , Pigolotti Simone
Published: April 2011

The estimation of a density profile from experimental data points is a challenging problem, which is usually tackled by plotting a histogram. Prior assumptions on the nature of the density, from its smoothness to the specification of its form, allow the design of more accurate estimation procedures, such as maximum likelihood. Our aim is to construct a procedure that makes no explicit assumptions, but still providing an accurate estimate of the density. We introduce the self-consistent estimate: the power spectrum of a candidate density is given, and an estimation procedure is constructed on the assumption, to be released a posteriori, that the candidate is correct. The self-consistent estimate is defined as a prior candidate density that precisely reproduces itself. Our main result is to derive the exact expression of the self-consistent estimate for any given data set, and to study its properties. Applications of the method require neither priors on the form of the density nor the subjective choice of parameters. A cut-off frequency, akin to a bin size or a kernel bandwidth, emerges naturally from the derivation. We apply the self-consistent estimate to artificial data generated from various distributions and show that it reaches the theoretical limit for the scaling of the square error with the size of the data set.
LONG‐TERM GROWTH AND SHORT‐TERM VOLATILITY: THE LABOUR MARKET NEXUS*
Authors: ANNICCHIARICO BARBARA , CORRADO LUISA , PELLONI ALESSANDRA
Published: April 2011

We study the relationship between growth and variability in a growth DSGE model with nominal rigidities and learning‐by‐doing. We show this relationship may be positive or negative depending on the source of fluctuations. A key role is played by labour market features. We find that monetary shocks volatility will generally have a negative effect on growth, while the opposite is true for fiscal and productivity shocks. These findings are consistent with empirical evidence, as data show an ambiguous relationship between output growth and its variance, but a negative relationship between output growth and nominal variability.
Short‐term Herding of Institutional Traders: New Evidence from the German Stock Market
Authors: Kremer Stephanie , Nautz Dieter
Published: April 2011

This paper employs a new and comprehensive data set to investigate short‐term herding behaviour of institutional investors. Using data of all transactions made by financial institutions in the German stock market, we show that herding behaviour occurs on a daily basis. However, in contrast to longer‐term herding measures obtained from quarterly data, results based on daily data do not indicate that short‐term herding tends to be more pronounced in small capitalised stocks or in times of market stress. Moreover, we find that herding measures based on anonymous transactions can lead to misleading results about the behaviour of institutional investors during the recent financial crisis.
Treatment of plaque‐type psoriasis with oral CF101: data from an exploratory randomized phase 2 clinical trial
Authors: David M. , Akerman L. , Ziv M. , Kadurina M. , Gospodinov D. , Pavlotsky F. , Yankova R. , Kouzeva V. , Ramon M. , Silverman M.H. , Fishman P.
Published: April 2011

Aims  CF101 demonstrated a marked anti‐inflammatory effect in Phase 2 studies conducted in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and dry eye syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CF101 for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque‐type psoriasis.

Materials and methods  This was a phase 2, multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, dose‐ranging, placebo‐controlled study. Seventy five patients with moderate to severe plaque‐type psoriasis were enrolled, randomized and treated with CF101 (1, 2, or 4 mg) or placebo administered orally twice daily for 12 weeks. Safety and change from base line of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and physician’s global assessment (PGA) score over 12 weeks.

Results  In the 2 mg CF101‐treated group, a progressive improvement in the mean change from baseline in the PASI score vs. placebo throughout the study period was observed, with a statistically significant difference on weeks 8 and 12 (P = 0.047; P = 0.031, respectively). In this group, 35.3% of the patients achieved PASI ≥50 response, and 23.5% of the patients achieved a PGA score of 0 or 1. CF101 was safe and well tolerated.

Conclusions  CF101 was well tolerated and demonstrated clear evidence of efficacy in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
The role of the pod in seed development: strategies for manipulating yield
Authors: Bennett Emma J. , Roberts Jeremy A. , Wagstaff Carol
Published: April 2011

Pods play a key role in encapsulating the developing seeds and protecting them from pests and pathogens. In addition to this protective function, it has been shown that the photosynthetically active pod wall contributes assimilates and nutrients to fuel seed growth. Recent work has revealed that signals originating from the pod may also act to coordinate grain filling and regulate the reallocation of reserves from damaged seeds to those that have retained viability. In this review we consider the evidence that pods can regulate seed growth and maturation, particularly in members of the Brassicaceae family, and explore how the timing and duration of pod development might be manipulated to enhance either the quantity of crop yield or its nutritional properties.

Contents

Summary
838

I.
Introduction
838

II.
Pod structure and development
839

III.
The pod as a sink in plant resource allocation
840

IV.
Resource transport into the seeds via the pod
842

V.
Pod senescence and dehiscence
843

VI.
The role of plant phytohormones in pod development
845

VII.
Silique biosynthesis of compounds for the seed
848

VIII.
Conclusion
850

References
850
Melatonin in autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: ROSSIGNOL DANIEL A , FRYE RICHARD E
Published: April 2011

Aim  The aim of this study was to investigate melatonin‐related findings in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorders, not otherwise specified.

Method  Comprehensive searches were conducted in the PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, and ERIC databases from their inception to October 2010. Two reviewers independently assessed 35 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Of these, meta‐analysis was performed on five randomized double‐blind, placebo‐controlled studies, and the quality of these trials was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist.

Results  Nine studies measured melatonin or melatonin metabolites in ASD and all reported at least one abnormality, including an abnormal melatonin circadian rhythm in four studies, below average physiological levels of melatonin and/or melatonin derivates in seven studies, and a positive correlation between these levels and autistic behaviors in four studies. Five studies reported gene abnormalities that could contribute to decreased melatonin production or adversely affect melatonin receptor function in a small percentage of children with ASD. Six studies reported improved daytime behavior with melatonin use. Eighteen studies on melatonin treatment in ASD were identified; these studies reported improvements in sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and night‐time awakenings. Five of these studies were randomized double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover studies; two of the studies contained blended samples of children with ASD and other developmental disorders, but only data for children with ASD were used in the meta‐analysis. The meta‐analysis found significant improvements with large effect sizes in sleep duration (73min compared with baseline, Hedge’s g 1.97 [95% confidence interval {CI} CI 1.10–2.84], Glass’s Δ 1.54 [95% CI 0.64–2.44]; 44min compared with placebo, Hedge’s g 1.07 [95% CI 0.49–1.65], Glass’s Δ 0.93 [95% CI 0.33–1.53]) and sleep onset latency (66min compared with baseline, Hedge’s g−2.42 [95% CI −1.67 to −3.17], Glass’s Δ−2.18 [95% CI −1.58 to −2.76]; 39min compared with placebo, Hedge’s g−2.46 [95% CI −1.96 to −2.98], Glass’s Δ−1.28 [95% CI −0.67 to −1.89]) but not in night‐time awakenings. The effect size varied significantly across studies but funnel plots did not indicate publication bias. The reported side effects of melatonin were minimal to none. Some studies were affected by limitations, including small sample sizes and variability in the protocols that measured changes in sleep parameters.

Interpretation  Melatonin administration in ASD is associated with improved sleep parameters, better daytime behavior, and minimal side effects. Additional studies of melatonin would be helpful to confirm and expand on these findings.
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β in the basolateral amygdala is critical for the reconsolidation of cocaine reward memory
Authors: Wu Ping , Xue Yan‐xue , Ding Zeng‐bo , Xue Li‐fen , Xu Chun‐mei , Lu Lin
Published: April 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 10.1111/j.1471‐4159.2011.07277.x

Exposure to cocaine‐associated conditioned stimuli elicits craving and increases the probability of cocaine relapse in cocaine users even after extended periods of abstinence. Recent evidence indicates that cocaine seeking can be inhibited by disrupting the reconsolidation of the cocaine cue memories and that basolateral amygdala (BLA) neuronal activity plays a role in this effect. Previous studies demonstrated that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK‐3β) plays a role in the reconsolidation of fear memory. Here, we used a conditioned place preference procedure to examine the role of GSK‐3β in the BLA in the reconsolidation of cocaine cue memories. GSK‐3β activity in the BLA, but not central amygdala (CeA), in rats that acquired cocaine (10 mg/kg)‐induced conditioned place preference increased after re‐exposure to a previously cocaine‐paired chamber (i.e., a memory reactivation procedure). Systemic injections of the GSK‐3β inhibitor lithium chloride after memory reactivation impaired the reconsolidation of cocaine cue memories and inhibited subsequent cue‐induced GSK‐3β activity in the BLA. Basolateral amygdala, but not central amygdala, injections of SB216763, a selective inhibitor of GSK‐3β, immediately after the reactivation of cocaine cue memories also disrupted cocaine cue memory reconsolidation and prevented cue‐induced increases in GSK‐3β activity in the BLA. The effect of SB216763 on the reconsolidation of cocaine cue memories lasted at least 2 weeks and was not recovered by a cocaine priming injection. These results indicate that GSK‐3β activity in the BLA mediates the reconsolidation of cocaine cue memories.
Decreased N2O reduction by low soil pH causes high N2O emissions in a riparian ecosystem
Authors: VAN DEN HEUVEL R. N. , BAKKER S. E. , JETTEN M. S. M. , HEFTING M. M.
Published: April 2011

Quantification of harmful nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from soils is essential for mitigation measures. An important N2O producing and reducing process in soils is denitrification, which shows deceased rates at low pH. No clear relationship between N2O emissions and soil pH has yet been established because also the relative contribution of N2O as the denitrification end product decreases with pH. Our aim was to show the net effect of soil pH on N2O production and emission. Therefore, experiments were designed to investigate the effects of pH on NO3− reduction, N2O production and reduction and N2 production in incubations with pH values set between 4 and 7. Furthermore, field measurements of soil pH and N2O emissions were carried out. In incubations, NO3− reduction and N2 production rates increased with pH and net N2O production rate was highest at pH 5. N2O reduction to N2 was halted until NO3− was depleted at low pH values, resulting in a built up of N2O. As a consequence, N2O:N2 production ratio decreased exponentially with pH. N2O reduction appeared therefore more important than N2O production in explaining net N2O production rates. In the field, a negative exponential relationship for soil pH against N2O emissions was observed. Soil pH could therefore be used as a predictive tool for average N2O emissions in the studied ecosystem. The occurrence of low pH spots may explain N2O emission hotspot occurrence. Future studies should focus on the mechanism behind small scale soil pH variability and the effect of manipulating the pH of soils.
Iron isotope fractionation during microbial dissimilatory iron oxide reduction in simulated Archaean seawater
Authors: PERCAK‐DENNETT E. M. , BEARD B. L. , XU H. , KONISHI H. , JOHNSON C. M. , RODEN E. E.
Published: April 2011

The largest Fe isotope excursion yet measured in marine sedimentary rocks occurs in shales, carbonates, and banded iron formations of Neoarchaean and Paleoproterozoic age. The results of field and laboratory studies suggest a potential role for microbial dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) in producing this excursion. However, most experimental studies of Fe isotope fractionation during DIR have been conducted in simple geochemical systems, using pure Fe(III) oxide substrates that are not direct analogues to phases likely to have been present in Precambrian marine environments. In this study, Fe isotope fractionation was investigated during microbial reduction of an amorphous Fe(III) oxide–silica coprecipitate in anoxic, high‐silica, low‐sulphate artificial Archaean seawater at 30 °C to determine if such conditions alter the extent of reduction or isotopic fractionations relative to those observed in simple systems. The Fe(III)–Si coprecipitate was highly reducible (c. 80% reduction) in the presence of excess acetate. The coprecipitate did not undergo phase conversion (e.g. to green rust, magnetite or siderite) during reduction. Iron isotope fractionations suggest that rapid and near‐complete isotope exchange took place among all Fe(II) and Fe(III) components, in contrast to previous work on goethite and hematite, where exchange was limited to the outer few atom layers of the substrate. Large quantities of low‐δ56Fe Fe(II) (aqueous and solid phase) were produced during reduction of the Fe(III)–Si coprecipitate. These findings shed new light on DIR as a mechanism for producing Fe isotope variations observed in Neoarchaean and Paleoproterozoic marine sedimentary rocks.
Discovery of large conical stromatolites in Lake Untersee, Antarctica
Authors: ANDERSEN D. T. , SUMNER D. Y. , HAWES I. , WEBSTER‐BROWN J. , MCKAY C. P.
Published: April 2011

Lake Untersee is one of the largest (11.4 km2) and deepest (>160 m) freshwater lakes in East Antarctica. Located at 71°S the lake has a perennial ice cover, a water column that, with the exception of a small anoxic basin in the southwest of the lake, is well mixed, supersaturated with dissolved oxygen, alkaline (pH 10.4) and exceedingly clear. The floor of the lake is covered with photosynthetic microbial mats to depths of at least 100 m. These mats are primarily composed of filamentous cyanophytes and form two distinct macroscopic structures, one of which – cm‐scale cuspate pinnacles dominated by Leptolyngbya spp. – is common in Antarctica, but the second – laminated, conical stromatolites that rise up to 0.5 m above the lake floor, dominated by Phormidium spp. – has not previously been reported in any modern environment. The laminae that form the conical stromatolites are 0.2–0.8 mm in thickness consisting of fine clays and organic material; carbon dating implies that laminations may occur on near decadal timescales. The uniformly steep sides (59.6 ± 2.5°) and the regular laminar structure of the cones suggest that they may provide a modern analog for growth of some of the oldest well‐described Archean stromatolites. Mechanisms underlying the formation of these stromatolites are as yet unclear, but their growth is distinct from that of the cuspate pinnacles. The sympatric occurrence of pinnacles and cones related to microbial communities with distinct cyanobacterial compositions suggest that specific microbial behaviors underpin the morphological differences in the structures.