bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chromobacterium vaccinii sp. nov., isolated from native and cultivated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) bogs and irrigation ponds
Authors: Soby Scott D. , Gadagkar Sudhindra R. , Contreras Cristina , Caruso Frank L.
Published: September 2012

A large number of Gram-negative, motile, mesophilic, violacein-producing bacteria were isolated from the soils and roots of Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. and Kalmia angustifolia L. plants and from irrigation ponds associated with wild and cultivated cranberry bogs in Massachusetts, USA. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences placed these isolates in a clade with

Chromobacterium

species, but the specialized environment from which they were isolated, their low genomic DNA relatedness with

Chromobacterium violaceum

ATCC 12472T and

C. subtsugae

PRAA4-1T, significant differences in fatty acid composition and colony morphology indicate that the cranberry and Kalmia isolates comprise a separate species of

Chromobacterium

, for which the name Chromobacterium vaccinii sp. nov. is proposed. Strain MWU205T ( = ATCC BAA-2314T  = DSM 25150T) is proposed as the type strain for the novel species. Phenotypic analysis of 26 independent isolates of C. vaccinii sp. nov. indicates that, despite close geographical and biological proximity, there is considerable metabolic diversity among individuals within the population.
Age-associated inflammation inhibits epidermal stem cell function
Authors: Doles Jason , Storer Mekayla , Cozzuto Luca , Roma Guglielmo , Keyes William M.
Published: September 2012

Altered stem cell homeostasis is linked to organismal aging. However, the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Here we report novel alterations in hair follicle stem cells during skin aging, including increased numbers, decreased function, and an inability to tolerate stress. Performing high-throughput RNA sequencing on aging stem cells, cytokine arrays, and functional assays, we identify an age-associated imbalance in epidermal Jak–Stat signaling that inhibits stem cell function. Collectively, this study reveals a role for the aging epidermis in the disruption of cytokine and stem cell homeostasis, suggesting that stem cell decline during aging may be part of broader tumor-suppressive mechanisms.
d-cycloserine does not facilitate fear extinction by reducing conditioned stimulus processing or promoting conditioned inhibition to contextual cues
Authors: Baker Kathryn D. , McNally Gavan P. , Richardson Rick
Published: September 2012

The NMDA receptor partial agonistd-cycloserine (DCS) enhances the extinction of learned fear in rats and exposure therapy in humans with anxiety disorders. Despite these benefits, little is known about the mechanisms by which DCS promotes the loss of fear. The present study examined whether DCS augments extinction retention (1) through reductions in conditioned stimulus (CS) processing or (2) by promoting the development of conditioned inhibition to contextual cues. Rats administered DCS prior to extinction showed enhanced long-term extinction retention (Experiments 3 and 4). The same nonreinforced CS procedure used in extinction also reduced freezing at test when presented as pre-exposure before conditioning, demonstrating latent inhibition (Experiment 1). DCS administered shortly prior to pre-exposure had no effect on latent inhibition using parameters which produced weak (Experiment 2) or strong (Experiment 3) expression of latent inhibition. Therefore, DCS facilitated learning involving CS-alone exposures, but only when these exposures occurred after (extinction) and not before (latent inhibition) conditioning. We also used a retardation test procedure to examine whether the extinction context gained inhibitory properties for rats given DCS prior to extinction. With three different footshock intensities, there was no evidence that DCS promoted accrual of associative inhibition to the extinction context (Experiment 4). The present findings demonstrate that DCS does not facilitate extinction by reducing CS processing or causing the extinction context to become a conditioned inhibitor. Investigations into the mechanisms underlying the augmentation of extinction by DCS are valuable for understanding how fear can be inhibited.
Study of Chemical Ligation Via 17‐, 18‐ and 19‐Membered Cyclic Transition States
Authors: Panda Siva S. , El‐Nachef Claudia , Bajaj Kiran , Al‐Youbi Abdulrahman O. , Oliferenko Alexander , Katritzky Alan R.
Published: September 2012

Unprotected S‐acylated cysteine isopeptides containing α‐, β‐ or γ‐amino acid units have been synthesized, and their conversion to native hexapeptides by S‐ to the N‐terminus ligations involving 17‐, 18‐ and 19‐membered cyclic transition states have been demonstrated both experimentally and computationally to be more favorable than intermolecular cross‐ligations.
Evidence on existing caries risk assessment systems: are they predictive of future caries?
Authors: Tellez M , Gomez J , Pretty I , Ellwood R , Ismail AI
Published: September 2012

Aim

To critically appraise evidence for the prediction of caries using four caries risk assessment (CRA) systems/guidelines (Cariogram, Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA), American Dental Association (ADA), and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)). This review focused on prospective cohort studies or randomized controlled trials.

Methods

A systematic search strategy was developed to locate papers published in Medline Ovid and Cochrane databases. The search identified 539 scientific reports, and after title and abstract review, 137 were selected for full review and 14 met the following inclusion criteria: (i) used as validating criterion caries incidence/increment, (ii) involved human subjects and natural carious lesions, and (iii) published in peer‐reviewed journals. In addition, papers were excluded if they met one or more of the following criteria: (i) incomplete description of sample selection, outcomes, or small sample size and (ii) not meeting the criteria for best evidence under the prognosis category of the Oxford Centre for Evidence‐Based Medicine.

Results

There are wide variations among the systems in terms of definitions of caries risk categories, type and number of risk factors/markers, and disease indicators. The Cariogram combined sensitivity and specificity for predicting caries in permanent dentition ranges from 110 to 139 and is the only system for which prospective studies have been conducted to assess its validity. The Cariogram had limited prediction utility in preschool children, and a moderate to good performance for sorting out elderly individuals into caries risk groups. One retrospective analysis on CAMBRA's CRA reported higher incidence of cavitated lesions among those assessed as extreme‐risk patients when compared with those at low risk.

Conclusion

The evidence on the validity for existing systems for CRA is limited. It is unknown if the identification of high‐risk individuals can lead to more effective long‐term patient management that prevents caries initiation and arrests or reverses the progression of lesions. There is an urgent need to develop valid and reliable methods for caries risk assessment that are based on best evidence for prediction and disease management rather than opinions of experts.
Is blood glucose on admission a predictor of mortality in adult acute pneumonia?
Authors: Foltran Francesca , Gregori Dario , Caropreso Antonio , Pagano Eva , Bruno Alberto
Published: September 2012

Background

Even if hyperglycaemia is often identified as an independent risk factor for developing respiratory tract infection, only few studies have investigated this relationship. The aim of this study is to investigate if plasma glucose on admission is related with in‐hospital mortality among patients with pneumonia and to identify the glycaemic range with significant reductions of mortality risks in non‐intensive care patients.

Methods

Data come from administrative records of 1018 non‐intensive care patients hospitalised with diagnosis of pneumonia. For every patient, administrative records were linked with the plasma glucose. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed in order to evaluate the associations between in‐hospital mortality and a set of demographic and clinical variables. Plasma glucose was added to the model as restricted cubic spline; risk estimates for hypoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic patients have been derived on the basis of this nonlinear model and presented with two values of odds ratio (OR).

Results

The minimal risk of in‐hospital mortality was found at plasma glucose levels of mean 86 mg/dL [95% confidence interval (CI) 61–102]. The adjusted OR of deaths for plasma glucose on admission for hypoglycaemic patients (below 86 mg/dL) is 0.78 (95% CI 0.62–0.98) for each 10 mg/dL of decrease, whereas for hyperglycaemic patients (above 86 mg/dL), the OR is 1.33 (95% CI 1.07–1.66) for each 10 mg/dL of increase in plasma glucose.

Conclusions

Our observations suggest that in non‐intensive care patients, hypoglycaemia, as hyperglycaemia, is associated with in‐hospital mortality.
The involvement of KATP channels in morphine‐induced antinociception and hepatic oxidative stress in acute and inflammatory pain in rats
Authors: Afify Elham A. , Khedr Mohamed M. , Omar Amal G. , Nasser Suzanne A.
Published: September 2012

This study investigated the role of KATP channels in morphine‐induced antinociception and hepatic oxidative stress in acute and inflammatory pain. The KATP channel modulators (KATP channel opener, diazoxide 100 mg/kg, p.o, and KATP channel blocker, glibenclamide, 3 mg/kg i.p.) were administered with morphine (80 mg/kg, i.p.). Antinociception was assessed by the tail‐flick and formalin tests in rats and measured by the area under the curve values and the maximum percent effect for 3 h. The indices of hepatic oxidative stress: glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde were then determined in the liver homogenates obtained from the treated animals. In both tests, glibenclamide antagonized morphine‐induced antinociception, whereas diazoxide augmented it in the tail‐flick test only. In the formalin test, glibenclamide alone has a significant hyperalgesic effect, whereas diazoxide decreased the number of flinches. Coadministration of glibenclamide with morphine antagonized the hepatotoxic effect of morphine in both animal models. In the tail‐flick test, glibenclamide administered alone significantly increased malondialdehyde's level. Coadministration of diazoxide with morphine increased glutathione level in the formalin test. Diazoxide administered alone exacerbated the hepatic oxidative stress in both animal models. These findings suggest a role of KATP channel modulators on morphine‐induced antinociception and hepatic oxidative stress. The administration of glibenclamide may prevent morphine‐induced hepatotoxicity. The effectiveness of diazoxide in the management of pain is limited due to its deleterious effect on the liver. However, the interaction of the KATP channel modulators with morphine depends on the differential sensitivity to the pain stimulus.
Why in vivo may not equal in vitro – new effectors revealed by measurement of enzymatic activities under the same in vivo‐like assay conditions
Authors: García‐Contreras Rodolfo , Vos Paul , Westerhoff Hans V. , Boogerd Fred C.
Published: September 2012

Does the understanding of the dynamics of biochemical networks in vivo, in terms of the properties of their components determined in vitro, require the latter to be determined all under the same conditions? An in vivo‐like assay medium for enzyme activity determination was designed based on the concentrations of the major ionic constituents of the Escherichia coli cytosol: K+, Na+, Mg2+, phosphate, glutamate, sulfate and Cl−. The maximum capacities (Vmax) of the extracted enzymes of two pathways were determined using both this in vivo‐like assay medium and the assay medium specific for each enzyme. The enzyme activities differed between the two assay conditions. Most of the differences could be attributed to unsuspected, pleiotropic effects of K+ and phosphate. K+ activated some enzymes (aldolase, enolase and glutamate dehydrogenase) and inhibited others (phosphoglucose isomerase, phosphofructokinase, triosephosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate kinase, phosphoglycerate mutase), whereas phosphate inhibited all glycolytic enzymes and glutamine synthetase but only activated glutamine 2‐oxoglutarate amidotransferase. Neither a high glutamate concentration, nor macromolecular crowding affected the glycolytic or nitrogen assimilation enzymes, other than through the product inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase by glutamate. This strategy of assessing all pathway enzymes kinetically under the same conditions may be necessary to avoid inadvertent differences between in vivo and in vitro biochemistry. It may also serve to reveal otherwise unnoticed pleiotropic regulation, such as that demonstrated in the present study by K+ and phosphate.
The role of repeatedly heated soybean oil in the development of hypertension in rats: association with vascular inflammation
Authors: Ng Chun‐Yi , Kamisah Yusof , Faizah Othman , Jaarin Kamsiah
Published: September 2012

Thermally oxidized oil generates reactive oxygen species that have been implicated in several pathological processes including hypertension. This study was to ascertain the role of inflammation in the blood pressure raising effect of heated soybean oil in rats. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into four groups and were fed with the following diets, respectively, for 6 months: basal diet (control); fresh soybean oil (FSO); five‐time‐heated soybean oil (5HSO); or 10‐time‐heated soybean oil (10HSO). Blood pressure was measured at baseline and monthly using tail‐cuff method. Plasma prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) were measured prior to treatment and at the end of the study. After six months, the rats were sacrificed, and the aortic arches were dissected for morphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Blood pressure was increased significantly in the 5HSO and 10HSO groups. The blood pressure was maintained throughout the study in rats fed FSO. The aortae in the 5HSO and 10HSO groups showed significantly increased aortic wall thickness, area and circumferential wall tension. 5HSO and 10HSO diets significantly increased plasma TXA2/PGI2 ratio. Endothelial VCAM‐1 and ICAM‐1 were significantly increased in 5HSO, as well as LOX‐1 in 10HSO groups. In conclusion, prolonged consumption of repeatedly heated soybean oil causes blood pressure elevation, which may be attributed to inflammation.
Bayesian transmogrification of clade divergence dates: a critique
Authors: Heads Michael
Published: September 2012

The crucial step in Bayesian dating of phylogenies is the selection of prior probability curves for clade ages. In studies on regions derived from Gondwana, many authors have used steep priors, stipulating that clades can only be a little older than their oldest known fossil. These studies have ruled out vicariance associated with Gondwana breakup, but only because of the particular priors that were adopted. The use of non‐flat priors for fossil‐based ages is not justified and is unnecessary. Tectonic calibrations can be integrated with fossil calibrations that are used to give minimum clade ages only.
‘If and when?’: the beliefs and experiences of community living staff in supporting older people with intellectual disability to know about dying
Authors: Wiese M. , Dew A. , Stancliffe R. J. , Howarth G. , Balandin S.
Published: September 2012

Background The aim of this study was to explore the way in which community living staff engaged with people with intellectual disability (ID) about dying and death.

Method Guided by grounded theory methodology, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with staff who had either no experience with client death, experience of a client sudden death, or a client death experience which was pre‐dated by a period of end‐of‐life care.

Results While in principle, staff unanimously supported the belief that people with ID should know about dying, there was limited in‐practice engagement with clients about the topic. Engagement varied according to staff experience, client capacity to understand and the nature of the ‘opportunity’ to engage. Four ‘opportunities’ were identified: ‘when family die’, ‘incidental opportunities’, ‘when clients live with someone who is dying’ and ‘when a client is dying’. Despite limited engagement by staff, people with ID are regularly exposed to dying and death.

Conclusions People with ID have a fundamental right to know about dying and death. Sophisticated staff skills are required to ensure that people with ID can meaningfully engage with end‐of‐life issues as opportunities arise.
Psychiatrists' knowledge, training and attitudes regarding the care of individuals with intellectual disability
Authors: Werner S. , Stawski M. , Polakiewicz Y. , Levav I.
Published: September 2012

Background  Psychiatrists are responsible for providing proper care for people with intellectual disability who have psychiatric disorders. This study examined psychiatrists' perceptions of their own training, knowledge and therapeutic skills, as well as their attitudes towards this population.

Methods  Questionnaires were distributed to 679 psychiatrists working within the public sector in Israel.

Results  Completed questionnaires were returned from 256 psychiatrists (38% response rate). Most (90%) participants reported having had limited training in the diagnosis and treatment of people with intellectual disabilities, while between 34% and 72% reported having inadequate knowledge in specific areas.

Conclusion  The findings of limited training and self‐perceived inadequate knowledge are at least partially explained by the service model, wherein people with intellectual disabilities are cared for by general mental health services. The identified inadequacies could be overcome through the implementation of a model in which specially trained psychiatrists are deployed within generic services.
Ageing with an intellectual disability: the impact of personal resources on well‐being
Authors: Lehmann B. A. , Bos A. E. R. , Rijken M. , Cardol M. , Peters G.‐J. Y. , Kok G. , Curfs L. M. G.
Published: September 2012

Background  The population of ageing people with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities (ID) is growing rapidly. This study examines how personal resources (physical health, mental health and social networks) impact the well‐being of ageing people with ID.

Methods  Longitudinal survey data on 667 people with a mild or moderate ID were acquired via interviews in 2006 and 2010. Indicators of personal resources (physical health, mental health and social networks) were assessed, as were indicators of well‐being (satisfaction with life, happiness and loneliness). Additionally, data on background characteristics and autonomy were gathered.

Results  The results show that age is positively related to decreased mobility and auditory disabilities and negatively related to independent living, autonomy in how one spends one's leisure time and autonomy in decision‐making. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that, with the exception of health that deteriorated, and social satisfaction that improved, almost all variables remained stable over the 4‐year period. Further, good physical health in 2006 predicted happiness in 2010.

Conclusion  Despite the fact that age is associated with poorer physical and mental health and a smaller social network, this study showed that older people with ID have relatively high levels of well‐being. Findings are discussed in the light of coping with ageing and impact of life events.
Towards realistic estimates of HCV incidence in Egypt
Authors: Breban R. , Doss W. , Esmat G. , Elsayed M. , Hellard M. , Ayscue P. , Albert M. , Fontanet A. , Mohamed M. K.
Published: September 2012

Accurate incidence estimates are essential for quantifying hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic dynamics and monitoring the effectiveness of public health programmes, as well as for predicting future burden of disease and planning patient care. In Egypt, the country with the largest HCV epidemic worldwide, two modelling studies have estimated age‐specific incidence rates that, applied to the age pyramid, would correspond to more than 500 000 Egyptians getting infected annually. This is in contrast to figures of the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population that estimates new infections to be approximately 100 000 per year. We performed new analyses of nationwide data to examine the modelling assumptions that led to these estimates. Thus, we found that the key assumption of these models of a stationary epidemic is invalid. We propose an alternate approach to estimating incidence based on analysing cohort data; we find that the number of annual new infections is <150 000.
The role of targeted viral load testing in diagnosing virological failure in children on antiretroviral therapy with immunological failure
Authors: Davies Mary‐Ann , Boulle Andrew , Technau Karl , Eley Brian , Moultrie Harry , Rabie Helena , Garone Daniela , Giddy Janet , Wood Robin , Egger Matthias , Keiser Olivia ,   for the IeDEA Southern Africa Collaboration
Published: September 2012

Objectives  To determine the improvement in positive predictive value of immunological failure criteria for identifying virological failure in HIV‐infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART) when a single targeted viral load measurement is performed in children identified as having immunological failure.

Methods  Analysis of data from children (<16 years at ART initiation) at South African ART sites at which CD4 count/per cent and HIV‐RNA monitoring are performed 6‐monthly. Immunological failure was defined according to both WHO 2010 and United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 2008 criteria. Confirmed virological failure was defined as HIV‐RNA >5000 copies/ml on two consecutive occasions <365 days apart in a child on ART for ≥18 months.

Results  Among 2798 children on ART for ≥18 months [median (IQR) age 50 (21–84) months at ART initiation], the cumulative probability of confirmed virological failure by 42 months on ART was 6.3%. Using targeted viral load after meeting DHHS immunological failure criteria rather than DHHS immunological failure criteria alone increased positive predictive value from 28% to 82%. Targeted viral load improved the positive predictive value of WHO 2010 criteria for identifying confirmed virological failure from 49% to 82%.

Conclusion  The addition of a single viral load measurement in children identified as failing immunologically will prevent most switches to second‐line treatment in virologically suppressed children.
Birth prevalence and characteristics of congenital toxoplasmosis in Sergipe, North‐east Brazil
Authors: de Melo Inagaki Ana Dorcas , Carvalheiro Cristina Gardonyi , Cipolotti Rosana , Gurgel Ricardo Queiroz , Rocha Dayse Alves , Pinheiro Kariny Souza , Araújo Raquel Melo , Lima Dorothy Ribeiro Resende , Winandy Jacques Leon , Mussi‐Pinhata Marisa Márcia
Published: September 2012

Objectives  To estimate, by neonatal screening, the birth prevalence of congenital toxoplasmosis among live‐born infants in Sergipe state, Brazil, and to investigate the clinical features of affected infants.

Methods  Dried blood spot specimens obtained from 15 204 neonates were assayed for the presence of anti‐T. gondii IgM antibodies. Duplicate retesting was done in infants with positive and borderline results. Confirmatory testing in peripheral blood samples consisted of testing for anti‐T. gondii IgG and IgM in infants and mothers. Those with possible congenital toxoplasmosis were evaluated and followed up to a median age of 20 months. Congenital infection was confirmed in the presence of persisting anti‐T. gondii IgG antibodies beyond 12 months of age. All infants with confirmed infection were treated with pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine and folinic acid for 1 year.

Results  Fifty‐three infants had detectable IgM in dried blood spot specimens. Confirmatory testing was reactive in 39/50, of which, 38 completed follow‐up. Six of 15 204 newborns were diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis, resulting in an estimated birth prevalence of four per 10 000 [CI 95% 1.4–8.0]. Four infants (67%) showed signs of congenital toxoplasmosis in their first year of life; three (75%) had retinochoroidal scars, and one had cerebral calcifications. Two infants remained asymptomatic until 20 months of age.

Conclusions  The birth prevalence of congenital toxoplasmosis is high in the Brazilian state of Sergipe, with most of the infants showing ocular lesions. Preventive measures are strongly warranted.
Non‐physician cataract surgeons in Sub‐Saharan Africa: situation analysis
Authors: Lewallen Susan , Etya’ale Daniel , Kello Amir Bedri , Courtright Paul
Published: September 2012

Objectives  Non‐physician cataract surgeons (NPCS) provide cataract surgical services in some Sub‐Saharan African (SSA) countries. However, their training, placement, legal framework and supervision have not been documented. We sought to do so to inform decision‐making regarding future training.

Methods  Standard questionnaires were sent to national eye coordinators and other ophthalmologic leaders in Africa to collect information. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted at training programmes in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, and email interviews were conducted with directors at training programmes in the Gambia and Malawi.

Results  Responses were provided for 31/39 (79%) countries to which questionnaires were sent. These countries represent about 90% of the population of SSA. Overall, 17 countries have one or more NPCS; two‐thirds of the total 245 NPCS are found in only three countries. Thirty‐six percent of NPCS work alone, but a formal functioning supervision system was reported to be present in only one country. The training centres are similar and face similar challenges.

Conclusions  There is considerable variation across SSA in the use and acceptance of NPCS. The placement and support of NPCS after training generally does not follow expectations, and training centres have little role in this. Overall, there was no consensus on whether the cadre, as it is currently viewed, is necessary, desirable or will contribute to addressing cataract surgical needs in SSA.
The economic burden of hypertension in rural south‐west China
Authors: Le Cai , Zhankun Shu , Jun Dong , Keying Zhao
Published: September 2012

Objective  To estimate the economic burden of hypertension in a given year in rural Yunnan Province of China, including direct, indirect and intangible costs.

Methods  A prevalence‐based cost‐of‐illness method was used to estimate the economic burden of hypertension. Data on participants’ demographic characteristics, inpatient hospitalisation expenditures, outpatient visit expenditures, self‐medication costs and indirect costs related to hypertension were collected from a cross‐sectional health examination and questionnaire survey, involving 9396 consenting individuals aged ≥18 years and 3500 households. Blood pressure (BP) levels were determined from the average of three BP measurements. Years of life lost (YLL) because of hypertension was estimated using medical death certificates.

Results  The overall prevalence of and YLL/1000 population because of hypertension was 24.8% and 1.5 years for the survey population, respectively. Mean unit direct medical costs, direct non‐medical costs, morbidity costs, mortality costs, intangible costs and cost of illness were estimated to be $467.2, $20.1, $23.5, $8265.1, $417.4 and $9393.3, respectively. The total cost of hypertension was estimated to be $231.7 million. Direct costs represented the largest component of economic cost of hypertension. On average, males had higher overall direct, indirect and intangible costs of hypertension than females. Both indirect and intangible costs decreased with age, whereas direct costs increased with age. The incidence of household catastrophic health payment and household impoverishment because of hypertension was 8.9% and 4.1%, respectively.

Conclusions  Hypertension inflicts a considerable economic burden upon individual households and society as a whole in Yunnan Province, China.
Capacity for NADPH regeneration in the leaves of two poplar genotypes differing in ozone sensitivity
Authors: Dghim Ata Allah , Dumont Jennifer , Hasenfratz‐Sauder Marie‐Paule , Dizengremel Pierre , Le Thiec Didier , Jolivet Yves
Published: September 2012

Cell capacity for cytosolic NADPH regeneration by NADP‐dehydrogenases was investigated in the leaves of two hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra) genotypes in response to ozone (O3) treatment (120 ppb for 17 days). Two genotypes with differential O3 sensitivity were selected, based on visual symptoms and fallen leaves: Robusta (sensitive) and Carpaccio (tolerant). The estimated O3 flux (POD0), that entered the leaves, was similar for the two genotypes throughout the treatment. In response to that foliar O3 flux, CO2 assimilation was inhibited to the same extent for the two genotypes, which could be explained by a decrease in Rubisco (EC 4.1.1.39) activity. Conversely, an increase in PEPC (EC 4.1.1.31) activity was observed, together with the activation of certain cytosolic NADP‐dehydrogenases above their constitutive level, i.e. NADP‐G6PDH (EC 1.1.1.49), NADP‐ME (malic enzyme) (EC 1.1.1.40) and NADP‐ICDH (NADP‐isocitrate dehydrogenase) (EC1.1.1.42). However, the activity of non‐phosphorylating NADP‐GAPDH (EC 1.2.1.9) remained unchanged. From the 11th fumigation day, NADP‐G6PDH and NADP‐ME profiles made it possible to differentiate between the two genotypes, with a higher activity in Carpaccio than in Robusta. At the same time, Carpaccio was able to maintain high levels of NADPH in the cells, while NADPH levels decreased in Robusta O3‐treated leaves. All these results support the hypothesis that the capacity for cells to regenerate the reducing power, especially the cytosolic NADPH pool, contributes to improve tolerance to high ozone exposure.
Long‐term stock grazing management in Travelling Stock Reserves and influence on conservation values
Authors: Spooner Peter G. , Morris Mark C.
Published: September 2012

We examined the nature of long‐term grazing management implemented in 51 Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs) in the Albury region, and investigated potential relationships between grazing intensity and conservation values. In general, grazing intensities in most TSRs decreased over the 22 year study period. Most TSRs were lightly grazed (density = 1.1 DSE/ha/year), and stocked for <2 months per year, but some were much more heavily grazed. Spring grazing intensity was found to be negatively associated with TSR conservation values. Our results suggest that grazing management aims to achieve both production and conservation outcomes are not necessarily exclusive to each other.
Governing Homo Subprimicus: Beyond Financial Citizenship, Exclusion, and Rights
Authors: Kear Mark
Published: September 2012

The paper presents an alternative to scholarship on the distributional politics of finance that emphasizes citizenship‐based claims to new financial rights. To compensate for the dominance of exclusion‐based etiologies of financial marginality in financial geography, I reframe financial exclusion as a problem of financial government—that is, as a problem of conducting the conduct of risky populations without threatening the security and autonomy of financial markets. Drawing on Foucault's distinction between technologies of discipline and security, I describe how barriers to the extension of financial government create tiered processes of financial subject formation. The inchoate “subprime’ financial subject produced is the correlate of a specialized financial governmentality—a homo subprimicus eminently governable by financial means. I close by calling for greater attention to questions regarding the relationship between technologies for valorizing bare life, new systems of financially mediated value extraction, and emerging capitalist class processes.
Engaged versus Disengaged Ownership: The Case of Pension Funds in the UK
Authors: Tilba Anna , McNulty Terry
Published: September 2012

Manuscript Type

Empirical

Research Question/Issue

This study examines how the practice of pension fund investment management informs the ownership behavior of pension funds vis‐à‐vis investee corporations.

Research Findings/Insights

Using data from: 35 in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with pension fund trustees, executives, investment officers and financial intermediaries; documentary analysis; and observations of four fund investment meetings, we find a variation in pension fund behavior, where a very small number of well‐resourced and internally managed pension funds exhibit engaged ownership behavior. By contrast, the vast majority of pension funds operate at a considerable distance from their investee corporations having delegated pension fund investment management to a chain of external relationships involving actuaries, investment consultants, and fund managers. These relationships are laced with divergent interests and influence dynamics, which explain why these pension funds give primary emphasis to fund investment performance and display little concern for matters of ownership and corporate governance.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

The “New Financial Capitalism” is characterized by ownership concentration, yet at the same time liquidity and a lack of institutional investor engagement with corporations. Findings suggest that the principal‐agent view of the relationship between institutional investors and corporate managers is more assumed than demonstrated. This widely assumed theory of investor ownership and control is shown to be contingent upon the meanings and practices that underpin investment fund management by institutions.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

Shareowner engagement is proposed as a solution to problems of corporate governance. Findings about the relationships within the investment chain undermine the notions of pension funds behaving as owners and upholding corporate governance and accountability. This raises skepticism about realizing aspirations for engaged ownership and shareowner stewardship contained in institutional investors' engagement codes such as the Stewardship Code (2010) and contemporary policy debate in the UK and beyond.
Victimhood Status and Public Attitudes towards Post-conflict Agreements: Northern Ireland as a Case Study
Authors: Brewer John D. , Hayes Bernadette C.
Published: September 2012

The rights and needs of victims have become an increasingly controversial issue in post-conflict societies. Yet to date, the views of victims concerning the new political arrangements in post-conflict settlements remain unexplored. Mindful of this omission and using Northern Ireland as a case study, this article investigates the relationship between victimhood status and attitudes towards the new political arrangements of devolved government in Northern Ireland, namely the Assembly and its power-sharing Executive. Based on the 2010 Northern Ireland Election Survey, the results suggest that individual victims – those who had directly and indirectly experienced violent instances and perceived themselves as victims – are notably more supportive of these new political arrangements and this relationship remains regardless of whether Protestants or Catholics are considered. A key factor in accounting for this phenomenon is their greater endorsement of its systems of governance, or underlying consociational principles of inclusion and decision making, as well as a positive view of its current political leaders. The Northern Ireland evidence suggests that victims can act as ‘moral beacons’, providing a positive and inclusive force for political accommodation and societal reconciliation in societies emerging from conflict.
ENDOGENOUS TIMING OF INCENTIVE CONTRACTS IN MIXED MARKETS UNDER BERTRAND COMPETITION*
Authors: BÁRCENA‐RUIZ JUAN CARLOS
Published: September 2012

In this paper we analyze whether owners of firms prefer to decide on incentive contracts for their managers sequentially or simultaneously under Bertrand competition. It is shown that, in a private duopoly, if one firm is the leader in incentive contracts the other firm prefers to be the follower and thus in equilibrium firms' owners decide incentive contracts sequentially. However, in a mixed duopoly both the private and the public firm want to be the leader in incentive contracts and thus in equilibrium firms make decisions simultaneously.
MIXED DUOPOLY, PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION AND COMPETITION*
Authors: KITAHARA MINORU , MATSUMURA TOSHIHIRO
Published: September 2012

We examine the relationship between the equilibrium price and the degree of product differentiation in a mixed duopoly in which a welfare‐maximizing public enterprise competes against a profit‐maximizing private firm. Existing works on private economy show that increased product differentiation mitigates price competition. We find that, in a mixed economy, increased product differentiation can accelerate competition when the demand is elastic. The private firm chooses to locate itself too close to the public firm (and thus makes the resulting degree of product differentiation too low) for social welfare, which never appears in the private economy.
Looking into myself: Changes in interoceptive sensitivity during mirror self‐observation
Authors: Ainley Vivien , Tajadura‐Jiménez Ana , Fotopoulou Aikaterini , Tsakiris Manos
Published: September 2012

Interoceptive sensitivity is an essential component of recent models of “the self.” Increased focus on the self (e.g., self‐observation in a mirror) can enhance aspects of self‐processing. We examined whether self‐observation also enhances interoceptive sensitivity. Participants performed a heartbeat detection task while looking at their own face in a mirror or at a black screen. There was significant improvement in interoceptive sensitivity in the mirror condition for those participants with lower interoceptive sensitivity at baseline. This effect was independent of the order of conditions, gender, age, body mass index, habitual exercise, and changes in heart rate. Our results suggest that self‐observation may represent a viable way of manipulating individuals' interoceptive sensitivity, in order to directly test causal relations between interoceptive sensitivity and exteroceptive self‐processing.
Rapid Increases and Time‐Lagged Declines in Amphibian Occupancy after Wildfire
Authors: HOSSACK BLAKE R. , LOWE WINSOR H. , CORN PAUL STEPHEN
Published: September 2012

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of drought and wildfire. Aquatic and moisture‐sensitive species, such as amphibians, may be particularly vulnerable to these modified disturbance regimes because large wildfires often occur during extended droughts and thus may compound environmental threats. However, understanding of the effects of wildfires on amphibians in forests with long fire‐return intervals is limited. Numerous stand‐replacing wildfires have occurred since 1988 in Glacier National Park (Montana, U.S.A.), where we have conducted long‐term monitoring of amphibians. We measured responses of 3 amphibian species to fires of different sizes, severity, and age in a small geographic area with uniform management. We used data from wetlands associated with 6 wildfires that burned between 1988 and 2003 to evaluate whether burn extent and severity and interactions between wildfire and wetland isolation affected the distribution of breeding populations. We measured responses with models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate occupancy during prefire (0–4 years) and different postfire recovery periods. For the long‐toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) and Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), occupancy was not affected for 6 years after wildfire. But 7–21 years after wildfire, occupancy for both species decreased ≥25% in areas where >50% of the forest within 500 m of wetlands burned. In contrast, occupancy of the boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas) tripled in the 3 years after low‐elevation forests burned. This increase in occupancy was followed by a gradual decline. Our results show that accounting for magnitude of change and time lags is critical to understanding population dynamics of amphibians after large disturbances. Our results also inform understanding of the potential threat of increases in wildfire frequency or severity to amphibians in the region.

Incrementos Rápidos y Declinaciones Desfasadas en la Ocupación de Anfibios Después de un Incendio
Fetal Brain Function in Response to Maternal Alcohol Consumption: Early Evidence of Damage
Authors: Hepper Peter G. , Dornan James C. , Lynch Catherine
Published: September 2012

Background

Studies of the adverse neurobehavioral effects of maternal alcohol consumption on the fetus have been largely confined to the postnatal period, after exposure to alcohol has finished. This study explored the brain function of the fetus, at the time of exposure to alcohol, to examine its effect on information processing and stability of performance.

Methods

Five groups of fetuses, defined by maternal alcohol consumption patterns, were examined: control (no alcohol); moderate (5 to 10 units/wk either drunk evenly across the week or as a binge, in 2 to 3 days); heavy (20+ units/wk drunk evenly or as a binge). Fetal habituation performance was examined on 3 occasions, separated by 7 days, beginning at 35 weeks of gestation. The number of trials required to habituate on each test session and the difference in performance across test sessions were recorded.

Results

Fetuses exposed to heavy binge drinking required significantly more trials to habituate and exhibited a greater variability in performance across all test sessions than the other groups. Maternal drinking, either heavily but evenly or moderately as a binge, resulted in poorer habituation, and moderate binge drinking resulted in greater variability compared with no, or even, drinking.

Conclusions

Decreased information processing, reflected by poorer habituation, and increased variability in performance may reflect the initial manifestations of structural damage caused by alcohol to the brain. These results will lead to a greater understanding of the effects of alcohol on the fetus's brain, enable the antenatal identification of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and lead to the early implementation of better management strategies.
Markers of Bone Resorption and Formation During Abstinence in Male Alcoholic Patients
Authors: Malik Peter , Gasser Rudolf W. , Moncayo Roy , Kemmler Georg , Wolfgang Fleischhacker W.
Published: September 2012

Background

Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) is commonly found in alcohol‐dependent patients. Many risk factors have been reported, yet the course of markers of bone formation and resorption in abstinent alcoholic patients have not received much attention.

Methods

In a prospective longitudinal study, we investigated BMD in male abstinent inpatients of an alcohol rehabilitation clinic aged 21 to 50 years at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment. At baseline and at week 8, all patients had blood drawn for the analysis of liver function tests, calcium, phosphate, parathormone, 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, osteocalcin (OC), serum crosslaps, sex hormones, and prolactin. BMD was determined by dual X‐ray absorptiometry in the lumbar spine and the proximal right femur. We also determined the amount of physical activity prior to inpatient treatment by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).

Results

Low BMD was found in 15.1% of the patients for the lumbar spine, in 5.7% for the femoral neck, and in 1.9% for the total hip. BMD differed significantly from normal values, in the lumbar spine and in the femoral neck. At baseline, crosslaps were elevated in 34% of the patients, while OC levels were lowered in 17%. Over the course of the 8 weeks, we found a significant increase in OC plasma levels, indicating a higher rate of bone formation during continuous abstinence. There were also positive correlations between IPAQ scores and BMD as reflected by Z‐scores in all regions, pointing to a protective effect of physical activity.

Conclusions

In summary, this report confirms earlier cross‐sectional studies of lowered BMD in alcoholic noncirrhotic men. We could also demonstrate that the initial imbalance between bone formation and resorption seems to adjust toward a balance between the two during abstinence.
Clinical Indices of Familial Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Kendler Kenneth S. , Myers John
Published: September 2012

Background

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are clinically heterogeneous and strongly influenced by familial/genetic factors. Can we identify specific clinical features of AUDs that index familial liability to illness?

Methods

In twins from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders meeting DSM‐IV criteria for lifetime AUDs, we examined whether clinical features of AUDs, including individual DSM‐IV criteria for alcohol dependence (AD) and alcohol abuse (AA), predicted risk for AUDs in cotwins and/or parents. Analyses of individual criterion were repeated controlling for the total number of endorsed criteria.

Results

Across these analyses, examining narrowly and broadly defined AUDs, risk of AUDs in relatives was more consistently predicted by abuse criteria than by dependence criteria, and by criteria reflecting negative psychosocial consequences rather than pharmacologic/biological criteria. Age at onset (AAO) poorly predicted risk in relatives. AUD associated legal problems, the one criterion slated for removal in DSM‐5, was the most consistent single predictor of familial risk. Associations observed between individual criteria and risks of illness in relatives were generally stronger in monozygotic than dizygotic twin pairs, suggesting that these symptoms reflect a genetic risk for AUDs.

Conclusions

Individual DSM‐IV criteria for AA and AD differ meaningfully in the degree to which they reflect the familial/genetic liability to AUDs. Contrary to expectation, the familial/genetic risk to AUDs was better reflected by symptoms of abuse and negative psychosocial consequences of AUD than by early AAO, or symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal.
Order Imbalance and Daily Momentum Investing: Evidence from Taiwan
Authors: Chang Chiao‐Yi
Published: September 2012

We propose that price‐order‐imbalance momentum strategies will produce outcomes that are more profitable for investors than price momentum strategies in the very short term. Adopting order imbalances information, investors themselves may employ untraded order data or exhibit herding behavior following others’ investing decisions related to order imbalance. Taiwan stock market investors have easy access to order imbalance information. This suggests that, in this emerging market, a strategy considering order imbalance may be more descriptive of investor behavior than a price momentum strategy.