bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two-particle anomalous diffusion: probability density functions and self-similar stochastic processes
Authors: Pagnini Gianni , Mura Antonio , Mainardi Francesco
Published: April 2013

Two-particle dispersion is investigated in the context of anomalous diffusion. Two different modelling approaches related to time subordination are considered and unified in the framework of self-similar stochastic processes. By assuming a single-particle fractional Brownian motion and that the two-particle correlation function decreases in time with a power law, the particle relative separation density is computed for the cases with time sub-ordination directed by a unilateral
M
-Wright density and by an extremal Lévy stable density. Looking for advisable mathematical properties (for instance, the stationarity of the increments), the corresponding self-similar stochastic processes are represented in terms of fractional Brownian motions with stochastic variance, whose profile is modelled by using the
M
-Wright density or the Lévy stable density.
Equivalent system for a multiple-rational-order fractional differential system
Authors: Li Changpin , Zhang Fengrong , Kurths Jürgen , Zeng Fanhai
Published: April 2013

The equivalent system for a multiple-rational-order (MRO) fractional differential system is studied, where the fractional derivative is in the sense of Caputo or Riemann–Liouville. With the relationship between the Caputo derivative and the generalized fractional derivative, we can change the MRO fractional differential system with a Caputo derivative into a higher-dimensional system with the same Caputo derivative order lying in (0,1). The stability of the zero solution to the original system is studied through the analysis of its equivalent system. For the Riemann–Liouville case, we transform the MRO fractional differential system into a new one with the same order lying in (0,1), where the properties of the Riemann–Liouville derivative operator and the fractional integral operator are used. The corresponding stability is also studied. Finally, several numerical examples are provided to illustrate the derived results.
Nitrogen and amino acids in nectar modify food selection of nectarivorous bats
Authors: Rodríguez‐Peña Nelly , Stoner Kathryn E. , Ayala‐Berdon Jorge , Flores‐Ortiz Cesar M. , Duran Angel , Schondube Jorge E.
Published: April 2013

Chiropterophilic flowers secrete sugar nectar with low‐Nitrogen (N hereafter) content and small amounts of amino acids, which may function to attract animals; nevertheless, the role that micronutrients have on the foraging decisions of Neotropical nectarivorous bats is unknown.

We offered the nectar specialist Leptonycteris yerbabueanae and the omnivore Glossophaga soricina pairs of experimental diets mimicking either the N content or the relative abundance of 17 amino acids found in the floral nectar from the main plant species visited by these bats in a tropical dry forest. We addressed the following research questions: (i) Do bats select N‐containing or sugar‐only nectar differently based on bats' N nutritional status? (ii) Does the presence of N in nectar affect the capacity of bats to discriminate and select other nectar traits such as sugar concentration? and (iii) Are bats able to distinguish among the flavours generated by the amino acid relative abundance present in the nectar from plants they typically encounter in nature?

Our results showed that: (i) bats did not consider nectar N content regardless of their N nutritional condition, (ii) the nectar specialist L. yerbabuenae showed a preference for the most concentrated sugar‐only nectar but changed to be indifferent when nectar contained N, and (iii) L. yerbabuenae preferred diets without amino acids and preferred the taste of the amino acids present in the nectar of Pachycereus pecten (Cactaceae) over those present in the nectar of Ceiba aesculifolia (Bombacaceae).

Our results suggest that regardless of the low concentrations at which N and amino acids are present in floral nectar, their presence affects bats' food selection by interfering with the bats' ability to detect differences in sugar concentrations, and by offering particular flavours that can be perceived and selected by nectarivorous bats. We discuss the ecological implications of the presence of N and amino acids in nectar on bats' foraging decisions.
The National Academy of Sciences: Goodbye to all that (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Sahlins Marshall
Published: April 2013

In this guest editorial, Marshall Sahlins' gives his reasoning for leaving the National Science Foundation behind.
Writing development (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Karlsson Bengt G.
Published: April 2013

Development professionals spend a lot of time writing and the aid industry has a vast production of texts. The author argues here that anthropology of development needs to look anew at how these texts are being produced, circulated and the purposes they serve. I have briefly identified six features of development writing: 1. Institutional ownership, 2. multiple authorship, 3. impersonal style, 4. terminology, 5. Communicable simplifications and 6. temporality. The more general point is to call for a more sophisticated engagement with development texts. There might be more going on in these documents than immediately meets the eye. More than anything else, these texts grant legitimacy and presence to the actors involved in development. Writing development is more about the production process, the language and what it ultimately bring in terms of aid flows, rather than the substance of the text itself.
Hydraulically fractured: Unconventional gas and anthropology (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: de Rijke Kim
Published: April 2013

The predicted increase in unconventional gas production is set to change global energy and concomitant geopolitical relations. The scale and required infrastructure of unconventional gas extraction result in profound changes in the landscape where extraction and processing take place. Widespread public concerns about the impacts of this industry have emerged, particularly with regard to fracking, surface and subterranean water contamination, air pollution and a host of other environmental issues, as well as social impacts and health risks. This article sets out some of the emerging anthropological engagements with unconventional gas and fracking, including analyses of materiality, politics, discourses, rights, risk and knowledge.
British Brinkmanship and Gaelic Games: EU Treaty Ratification in the UK and Ireland from a Two Level Game Perspective
Authors: Hodson Dermot , Maher Imelda
Published: April 2013

Research Highlights and Abstract

Viewed from the theory of two-level games, the European Union (EU) Act (2011) is a rare example of a government tying its hands in international diplomacy. The UK government could find its hands more tightly bound than anticipated under the EU Act, inter alia, due to the enhanced role of the courts in EU treaty ratification. The EU Act could convey bargaining advantages to the UK, but it could also encourage other EU member states to walk away from the negotiating table. The risks posed by tighter ratification rules are borne out by Ireland's experience of EU treaty ratification since the Supreme Court ruling Crotty v. An Taoiseach (1987). David Cameron's ‘veto’ of plans for a new EU treaty in December 2011 illustrates the difficulties of knowing ex ante when a referendum is required under the EU Act.

The European Union (EU) Act (2011) provides for greater parliamentary oversight and the possibility of a referendum before EU treaties can be ratified. This article explores the EU Act from a two-level game perspective, seeing it as a rare example of a government tying its hands in international diplomacy. That the UK government could find its hands more tightly bound than anticipated is suggested by Ireland's turbulent experience of treaty ratification in the light of Crotty v. An Taoiseach (1987), a landmark ruling by the Irish Supreme Court and an inspiration for the EU Act. This situation could, the theory of two-level games predicts, bolster the UK's bargaining position in Brussels, but it could also damage the country's credibility and encourage other member states to walk away from the negotiating table. This last point helps to shed some light on the UK's ‘veto’ of the Fiscal Compact in December 2011.
Identity and stammering: negotiating hesitation, side‐stepping repetition, and sometimes avoiding deviation
Authors: Butler Clare
Published: April 2013

Individuals who experience speech dysfluency are often stigmatised because their speech acts differ from the communicative norm. This article is located in and seeks to further the identity debates in exploring how individuals who are subject to the intermittent emergence of a stigmatised characteristic manage this randomised personal discrediting in their identity work. Through a series of focus groups and semi‐structured interviews participants grudgingly report their management approaches which include concealing, drafting in unwitting others, role‐playing and segregating self from their stammer. In describing how they manage their stammer they detail their use of the social space in a number of ways, including as a hiding place; a site for ‘it’ (the stammer); a gap in which to switch words; and a different area in which to perform. This study offers important insights, increasing our understanding of the often hidden negotiations of identity work and the sometime ingenious use of space in the management of a social stigma.
The innovation journey of genomics and asthma research
Authors: Bitsch Lise , Stemerding Dirk
Published: April 2013

Abstract  This article concerns the transformative potential of medical genomics for common disease research. We analysed 13 review articles in asthma research in the period 1999 to 2008. Our aim was to understand how genomics has emerged in this research field, and the attendant changes. Motivated by Lippman’s geneticisation thesis, we use the concept of an ‘innovation journey’ to trace how expectations of improved understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment structure a dynamic co‐evolutionary process through which a genome‐based discourse emerges. We show how the asthma researchers involved continuously struggle to define their contribution to asthma research, as well as to clinical practice. Along the way, the researchers propose changes to both the definition and the aetiological model of asthma, thus highlighting gene–gene and gene–environment interactions. It is, however, difficult to characterise this discourse as one of geneticisation. With increasing attention being given to epigenetics, metabolomics, proteomics and systems biology, the emerging picture suggests an important, but much less deterministic, role for genes.
Serum Phosphate and Calcium Should Be Primarily and Consistently Controlled in Prevalent Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Taniguchi Masatomo , Fukagawa Masafumi , Fujii Naohiko , Hamano Takayuki , Shoji Tetsuo , Yokoyama Keitaro , Nakai Shigeru , Shigematsu Takashi , Iseki Kunitoshi , Tsubakihara Yoshiharu ,   Committee of Renal Data Registry of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy
Published: April 2013

Mineral metabolism affects mortality in hemodialysis patients and is identified by imbalances in serum phosphate (P), calcium (Ca), and parathyroid hormone (PTH). We examined associations between annual mineral values (P,Ca,PTH) and mortality in a 3‐year cohort (Dec 2006–2009) of 128 125 hemodialysis patients using three models, that is, baseline, time‐dependent and time‐averageCox models. We also examined associations between achieved Japanese guideline targets (P: 3.5−6.0 mg/dL, correctedCa 8.4−10.0 mg/dL, intactPTH60−180 mg/dL) and all‐cause survival to elucidate which parameter should be controlled as a priority. High and low serumP(>6.0 or ≤3.5 mg/dL), highCa(>9.5 mg/dL), higherPTH(>300 pg/mL) and lowerPTH(≤60 pg/mL) were significantly associated with high mortality in all three models (P < 0.01). When we examined the association between combination of mineral targets and mortality, patients who achieved all targets simultaneously (20% of subjects, reference) showed lowest mortality. Those who achieved bothPandCatargets showed the same mortality as the reference group. Those who only metPtarget had a lower risk of death (hazard ratio = 1.17) compared to those that achievedCaorPTHtarget (1.41, 1.47, respectively). As time of achievingPandCatargets increased, all‐cause mortalities diminished incrementally, significantly. Mineral metabolism disorder would lead to high mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients. Among mineral values,Pwould be the strongest predictor for high mortality. Consistent achievement ofPandCatargets would lead to good survival.
Comparison between Supercritical CO2 Extraction and Hydrodistillation for Two Species of Eucalyptus: Yield, Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Herzi Najia , Bouajila Jalloul , Camy Séverine , Cazaux Sylvie , Romdhane Mehrez , Condoret Jean Stéphane
Published: April 2013

In this work, 2 Eucalyptus species extracts (Eucalyptus cinerea and Eucalyptus camaldulensis) were prepared by hydrodistillation (HD) and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SCE) techniques. The best yields of E. cinerea and E. camaldulensis (27.5 and 8.8 g/kg, respectively) were obtained using SCE at 90 bar, 40 °C compared to HD (23 and 6.2 g/kg, respectively). Extracts were quantified by gas chromatography‐flame ionization detection and identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. 1,8‐cineole and p‐menth‐1‐en‐8‐ol were the major compounds of E. cinerea essential oil obtained by HD (64.89% and 8.15%, respectively) or by SCE (16.1% and 31.87%, respectively). Whereas, in case of E. camaldulensis, 1,8‐cineole (45.71%) and p‐cymene (17.14%) were the major compounds obtained by HD, and 8,14‐cedranoxide (43.79%) and elemol (6.3%) by SCE. Their antioxidant activity was assessed using 2 methods: 2,2‐azino‐di‐3‐ethylbenzothialozine‐sulphonic acid radical cation (ABTS•+) and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•). In the SCE extracts from both E. cinerea and E. camaldulensis, a promising radical scavenging activity was observed with ABTS•+, (65 and 128 mg/L, respectively). The total phenolics composition of the extracts was measured and the range was 2 to 60 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g dry plant material. The SCE method was superior to HD, regarding shorter extraction times (30 min for SCE compared with 4 h for HD), a low environmental impact, allows production of nondegraded compounds and being part of green chemistry.
Effect of Sequestering Intrinsic Iron on the Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Signals in Powdered Soy Proteins
Authors: Boatright William L. , Jahan M. Shah
Published: April 2013

This investigation examined iron in powdered soy protein products using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and the effect that selectively binding free iron in isolated soy protein (ISP) had on the occurrence of metastable radicals in powdered soy proteins. EPR analyses of soybean defatted flour, commercial ISP and laboratory ISP samples revealed a peak at g = 4.3 characteristic of high‐spin ferric iron in a rhombic‐coordinated environment. Commercial ISP samples examined contained higher levels of the rhombic ferric iron than laboratory‐prepared ISP samples. During the first 6 wk of storage the primary singlet EPR signal at g = 2.0049 in the commercial ISP samples approximately doubled, and the laboratory prepared samples increased by about 9‐fold. The EPR signal was initially about 4‐times higher in the freshly prepared commercial samples compared to the corresponding laboratory ISP. Laboratory ISP samples prepared with added deferoxamine to sequester endogenous iron exhibited a large increase in the high‐spin ferric iron EPR signal at g = 4.3. ISP treated with deferoxamine also exhibited a multiple‐line EPR signal at about g = 2.007, instead of the typical singlet signal at g = 2.0049. The power at which the signal amplitude was half‐saturated also changed from about 1 mW in the control ISP to about 20 mW in the deferoxamine treated ISP. The multiple‐line EPR spectrum from the ISP treated with deferoxamine increased during storage over a 6‐wk period by about 6‐fold. The observed changes in EPR line‐shape, g‐value, and power saturation with the deferoxamine treatment indicate that the primary free‐radical signal in powdered ISP samples may be from stabilized tyrosine radicals with spin densities distributed over the aromatic ring.
Current role of short‐term intensive insulin strategies in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (短期胰岛素强化治疗策略对初诊2型糖尿病患者的作用)
Authors: Xu Wen , Weng Jianping
Published: April 2013

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive disease characterized by worsening insulin resistance and a decline in β‐cell function. Achieving good glycemic control becomes more challenging as β‐cell function continues to deteriorate throughout the disease process. The traditional management paradigm emphasizes a stepwise approach, and insulin has generally been reserved as a final armament. However, mounting evidence indicates that short‐term intensive insulin therapy used in the early stages of type 2 diabetes could improve β‐cell function, resulting in better glucose control and more extended glycemic remission than oral antidiabetic agents. Improvements in insulin sensitivity and lipid profile were also seen after the early initiation of short‐term intensive insulin therapy. Thus, administering short‐term intensive insulin therapy to patients with newly diagnosed T2DM has the potential to delay the natural process of this disease, and should be considered when clinicians initiate treatment. Although the early use of insulin is advocated by some guidelines, the optimal time to initiate insulin therapy is not clearly defined or easily recognized, and a pragmatic approach is lacking. Herein we summarize the current understanding of early intensive insulin therapy in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM, focusing on its clinical benefit and problems, as well as possible biological mechanisms of action, and discuss our perspective.
Spherical k‐means clustering is good for interpreting multivariate species occurrence data
Authors: Hill Mark. O. , Harrower Colin A. , Preston Christopher D.
Published: April 2013

Clustering multivariate species data can be an effective way of showing groups of species or samples with similar characteristics. Most current techniques classify the samples first and then the species. A disadvantage of classifying the samples first is that relatively subtle differences between occurrence profiles of species can be obscured.

The k‐means method of clustering minimizes the sum of squared distances between cluster centres and cluster members. If the entities to be clustered are projected on the unit sphere, then a natural measure of dispersion is the sum of squared chord distances separating the entities from their cluster centres; k‐means clustering with this measure of dispersion is called spherical k‐means (SKM). We also consider a variant in which the sum of squared perpendicular distances to a central ray is minimized.

Unweighted SKM is liable to produce clusters of very rare species. This feature can be avoided if each point on the unit sphere is weighted by the length of the ray that produced it. The standard SKM algorithm converges to very numerous local optima. To avoid this problem, we have developed a computationally intensive algorithm that uses multiple randomizations to select high‐quality seed species.

The species clustering can be used to define simplified attributes for the samples. If the samples are then classified using the same technique, the resulting matrix of clustered species and clustered samples provides a biclustering of the data. The strength of the relationship between clusters can be measured by their mutual information, which is effectively the entropy of the biclustering.

The technique was tested on five ecological and biogeographical datasets ranging in size from 30 species in 20 samples to 1405 species in 3857 samples. Several variants of SKM were compared, together with results from the established program Twinspan. When judged by entropy, SKM always performed adequately and produced the best clustering in all datasets but the smallest.
Stock Return Predictability of Residual‐Income‐Based Valuation: Risk or Mispricing?
Authors: Hwang Lee‐Seok , Lee Woo‐Jong
Published: April 2013

In an influential paper, Frankel and Lee (1998) conclude that the stock return predictability of the value‐to‐price ratio (V/P) results from market mispricing. This paper confirms whether the V/P reflects the rational risk premiums associated with the V/P factor or is better explained by market inefficiency. Following Daniel and Titman (1997), this paper examines whether the V/P characteristics or the V/P factor loadings predict stock returns. The findings show that the V/P loadings are positively associated with average returns even after controlling for the V/P characteristics in both time series and cross‐sectional tests. The overall results suggest that the mispricing explanation of the V/P effect is premature.
TORC1 signaling inhibition by rapamycin and caffeine affect lifespan, global gene expression, and cell proliferation of fission yeast
Authors: Rallis Charalampos , Codlin Sandra , Bähler Jürg
Published: April 2013

Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is implicated in growth control and aging from yeast to humans. Fission yeast is emerging as a popular model organism to study TOR signaling, although rapamycin has been thought to not affect cell growth in this organism. Here, we analyzed the effects of rapamycin and caffeine, singly and combined, on multiple cellular processes in fission yeast. The two drugs led to diverse and specific phenotypes that depended on TORC1 inhibition, including prolonged chronological lifespan, inhibition of global translation, inhibition of cell growth and division, and reprograming of global gene expression mimicking nitrogen starvation. Rapamycin and caffeine differentially affected these various TORC1‐dependent processes. Combined drug treatment augmented most phenotypes and effectively blocked cell growth. Rapamycin showed a much more subtle effect on global translation than did caffeine, while both drugs were effective in prolonging chronological lifespan. Rapamycin and caffeine did not affect the lifespan via the pH of the growth media. Rapamycin prolonged the lifespan of nongrowing cells only when applied during the growth phase but not when applied after cells had stopped proliferation. The doses of rapamycin and caffeine strongly correlated with growth inhibition and with lifespan extension. This comprehensive analysis will inform future studies into TORC1 function and cellular aging in fission yeast and beyond.
Assessment of trends in predation pressure on insects across temperate forest microhabitats
Authors: Šipoš Jan , Drozdová Michaela , Drozd Pavel
Published: April 2013

Experimental tests of whether predation pressure on insects is sometimes restricted to particular forest microhabitats have been carried out only in one or two vegetation periods and described for only a few predators. In the present study, we describe the seasonal dynamics of a wide spectrum of insect predators among forest microhabitats.

We also examine the impact of weather conditions on insect predation, and predict that forest openness would influence the predation trends among forest microhabitats.

The design of our experiments enabled direct measurement of relative predation pressure on bait (larvae of the blowfly Calliphora vicina) pinned onto selected microhabitats (the base, trunk and leaves of trees) within a temperate floodplain forest (Czech Republic).

The most parsimonious generalized additive model showed significant trends in the predation rate among the forest microhabitats. The highest predation rate for bait was at the base of trees and the lowest predation rate was on leaves.

We also observed significant differences in the species structure of predators in various microhabitats. The most common source of predation on trunks was from birds, whereas wasps were the most common predator on leaves and ants were the most common at the base of trees.
Comparison of the EORTC QLQ‐BM22 and the BOMET‐QOL quality of life questionnaires in patients with bone metastases
Authors: Bedard Gillian , Zeng Liang , Poon Michael , Lam Henry , Lauzon Natalie , Chow Edward
Published: April 2013

Aims

Bone metastases are a common complication of advanced cancer and often result in a decrease in patients' quality of life. Very few specific modules have been created to accurately assess quality of life in this patient group. The purpose of this study was to compare two questionnaires, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire for patients with bone metastases (EORTC QLQ‐BM22) and the bone metastases quality of life questionnaire (BOMET‐QOL.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in Medline, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, Embase and Embase Classic to identify studies that discussed the development, validation and reliability of the (EORTC) QLQ‐BM22 and the BOMET‐QOL. Studies that discussed the development and validity of the questionnaire along with studies using these tools were included.

Results

Both questionnaires were developed in collaboration with patients and health‐care professionals. The QLQ‐BM22 is over twice the length of the BOMET‐QOL, with 22 questions as compared to 10. The QLQ‐BM22 has four subscales while the BOMET‐QOL has no subscales. The QLQ‐BM22 gives a more in‐depth analysis of symptoms and well‐being and includes issues such as mobility, side effects, complications of treatment and dependency. The BOMET‐QOL is shorter and gives an overall assessment of pain and mobility. Scoring, item format, organization and response options vary between the questionnaires but the recall period for both is the previous week. Both questionnaires have been determined valid and reliable.

Conclusion

The QLQ‐BM22 and the BOMET‐QOL are designed specifically for patients with bone metastases and each has strengths and weaknesses. Use of one over the other is ultimately dependent on trial design and investigators' goals.
Minimal important differences in the EORTC QLQ‐C30 in patients with advanced cancer
Authors: Bedard Gillian , Zeng Liang , Zhang Liying , Lauzon Natalie , Holden Lori , Tsao May , Danjoux Cyril , Barnes Elizabeth , Sahgal Arjun , Poon Michael , Chow Edward
Published: April 2013

Aims

Quality of life (QOL) is important in patients with advanced cancer. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ‐C30 is a general QOL tool used in cancer patients. Often, with a large enough sample, statistical significance of changecan be reached, however the clinical significance is often unknown. This study aimed to determine the magnitude of change that is meaningful to advanced cancer patients in the EORTC QLQ‐C30.

Methods

Patients completed the EORTC QLQ‐C30 at baseline and 1 month post‐radiation to assess changes in their QOL. Minimal important differences (MID) were calculated through anchor and distribution‐based methods for improvement and deterioration. The two anchors of overall health and overall QOL were used to determine meaningful change.

Results

Statistically significant meaningful changes were seen in the use of both anchors. The overall health anchor produced a greater number of scales and symptoms that reached a statistically significant meaningful change. Meaningful change for improvement with these two anchors ranged from 9.1 units (cognitive functioning) to 23.5 units (pain), and for deterioration it ranged from 7.2 units (physical functioning) to 13.5 units (role functioning). Distribution‐based estimates were closest to 0.5 SD.

Conclusion

Knowledge of meaningful change on the EORTC QLQ‐C30 allows physicians to assess patients' changes over time, along with evaluating the impact of treatment on a patient's QOL. This knowledge gives insight into whether the treatment is effective and, ultimately, whether it should be continued. Knowledge of MID may assist in the determination of sample size for future trials.
Urbanisation and Financialisation in the Context of a Rescaling State: The Case of Spain
Authors: Coq‐Huelva Daniel
Published: April 2013

The secondary circuit is a central element in the processes of capital accumulation, and its relevance has become more acute in recent years as urban planning, housing, and real estate have become privileged arenas of the territoriality “variegated” processes of neoliberalisation. This paper explores three theoretical concepts, all closely associated with neoliberalisation: the rescaling of the state, urban entrepreneurialism and financialisation. The paper uses these three theoretical concepts to explain, on the one hand, the increasing relevance of housing and real estate and, on the other hand, their connection with two of the major manifestations of the current financial crisis: excessive private indebtedness and the credit crunch. Analysing the Spanish case is particularly revealing because of the intensity of construction work until 2007, the severity of the subsequent economic crisis, and the wide range of agents involved in the growth of a neoliberalised and financialised secondary circuit of capital in Spain.
Meta‐analysis: the risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Yuhara H. , Steinmaus C. , Corley D. , Koike J. , Igarashi M. , Suzuki T. , Mine T.
Published: April 2013

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a systemic disorder that predominantly affects the bowels but is also associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Aim

To provide a quantitative assessment of the association of IBD with venous thromboembolism risk and to explore the possible sources of heterogeneity in the current literature, a meta‐analysis of case–control and cohort studies was conducted.

Methods

Studies were identified by a literature search of the PubMed and Scopus databases (from inception inclusive 31 December 2012) for English language studies. Summary relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with fixed‐ and random‐effects models. Several subgroup analyses were performed to explore potential study heterogeneity and bias.

Results

Eleven studies met our inclusion criteria. The summary RR for deep venous thromboembolism (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) comparing subjects both with and without IBD was 2.20 (95% CI 1.83–2.65). After adjusting for obesity and smoking, summary relative risks near 2.0 were seen for venous thromboembolism in both UC and CD patients.

Conclusion

This meta‐analysis showed that inflammatory bowel disease is associated with an approximately two‐fold increase in the risk of venous thromboembolism.
Edges, exotics and deer: the seed bank of a suburban secondary successional temperate deciduous forest
Authors: Beauchamp Vanessa B. , Ghuznavi Nureen , Koontz Stephanie M. , Roberts Roland P.
Published: April 2013

Questions

(1) What is the utility of the soil seed bank in passive restoration of a suburban secondary successional temperate deciduous forest? (2) What is the composition and structure of the seed bank? (3) How abundant are woody and exotic species and how are they distributed in the seed bank? (4) Are edge effects evident in seed bank composition? (5) What is the influence of a suite of abiotic and biotic variables, including deer browse, on seed bank richness and abundance?

Location

A 413‐ha suburban forest near Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Methods

We sampled the seed bank and vegetation of 100 permanent plots in a Liriodendron–Fagus–Acer–Quercus dominated secondary successional forest. Information on soil chemistry, canopy cover, leaf litter cover and depth, deer browse severity and distance to the nearest urban edge and path was also collected for each plot. Seedling emergence was monitored in a greenhouse over 2 yr.

Results

A total of 76 species emerged from the seed bank, including 16 woody species and 22 exotic species. Compositional similarity between the seed bank and vegetation was low. Woody species were under‐represented and exotic species were over‐represented, with exotic species found in the seed bank of 94 of 100 plots. Species composition and exotic species richness and abundance were similar between edge or path and interior plots. Leaf litter cover, vegetation cover, browse severity and variables related to soil fertility were included in top models explaining patterns in seed bank richness and abundance.

Conclusions

Reliance on the soil seed bank as a passive restoration strategy will be insufficient for restoring a mature secondary successional suburban forest community. However, a suite of shade‐tolerant exotic shrubs and vines that are of concern to management do not appear to use the seed bank, indicating that targeted removal of these species may be successful. Increased deer browse was associated with decreased seed bank abundance and richness, suggesting that deer may directly reduce inputs to the seed bank. If deer are impacting seed bank composition, active restoration will need to include understorey herbs in addition to overstorey species.
Morphological adaptations to arboreal habitats and heart position in species of the neotropical whipsnakes genusChironius
Authors: Guimarães Murilo , Gaiarsa Marília P. , Cavalheri Hamanda B.
Published: April 2013

The evolution of arboreality in snakes is accompanied by modifications that are remarkably similar across species. Gravity is one of the most important selective agents, and arboreal snakes present adaptations to circumvent the gradient of pressure, including modifications on heart position (HP) and body slenderness (BS). However, the degree to which different life‐history traits influence the cardiovascular system of snakes remains unclear. Here, we used an ecological and a phylogenetic approach to explore the relationship between habitat,HP,BS, and heart size (HS) in five species of the neotropical whipsnakes genusChironiusthat occupy terrestrial, semiarboreal, and arboreal habits. Our ecological comparison indicated that the arboreal species have the most posterior‐positioned heart, the most slender body, and the smallestHS, whereas the terrestrial representative of the group exhibited the most anterior heart, the less flattened body, and the largestHS. After removing the phylogenetic effect, we found no difference inHPandBSbetween terrestrial and arboreal species. Habitat only differed when contrasting withHS. Body slenderness andHSwere correlated withHP. Our results suggest that different restrictions, such as anatomical constraints, behavior, and phylogenetic inertia, may be important for the studied species.
Effect of negative attributions on depressive symptoms of patients with coronary heart disease after controlling for physical functional impairment
Authors: Sanjuán Pilar , Arranz Henar , Castro Almudena
Published: April 2013

Objectives

Negative attributional style (NAS), or tendency to explain negative events through internal, stable, and global causes, has proved to be an important predictor of depressive symptoms and poor health, including coronary heart disease (CHD). The goal of this two‐wave longitudinal study was to look at whether depressive symptoms are caused by or are a consequence of this style in a sample of patients with CHD while controlling for the effect of physical functional impairment on the development of these symptoms.

Methods

Ninety‐one patients, who had just suffered a first cardiac episode, were evaluated on NAS, depressive symptoms and functional capacity (measured in metabolic equivalent levels or METs) both on the first and on last day of an 8‐week cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Results

Globality dimension of NAS at Time 1 predicted depressive symptoms at Time 2 after controlling for both depressive symptoms and METs at Time 1. However, depressive symptoms at Time 1 could not predict any dimension of this style at Time 2.

Conclusions

These results seem to support that negative attributions about the disease are one of the causes contributing to the development of depression and not a consequence of it, and also suggest that intervention programme should be aimed not only at reducing depressive symptoms, but also at replacing stable and global attributions of negative situations with more unstable and specific explanations.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Negative attributional style (NAS) is an important predictor of depressive symptoms.

Depressive symptoms worsen the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients.

What does this study add?

Globality dimension predicts depression in patients with CHD after controlling for functional capacity.

Negative attributions contribute to the development of depression and are not a consequence of it.
Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is not an independent predictor of outcome in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) after long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Zhang Ben Y. , Thompson R. Houston , Lohse Christine M. , Dronca Roxana S. , Cheville John C. , Kwon Eugene D. , Leibovich Bradley C.
Published: April 2013

Objective

To evaluate carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) expression as an independent prognostic marker for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). With recent smaller studies showing conflicting results, we aimed to update our initial analysis in 2007 with an additional 5‐year follow‐up.

Patients and Methods

We provided long‐term follow‐up of the same cohort used in our 2007 study (730 patients with unilateral, sporadic ccRCC treated surgically between 1990 and 1999).

Associations of CAIX expression with RCC death and distant metastases were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

CAIX was expressed in 708 (97.0%) of the specimens; 163 tumours (22.3%) had low (≤85%) expression and 567 (77.7%) high (>85%) expression.

There were 483 deaths and 265 RCC‐specific deaths. The median follow‐up for the 247 patients still under observation was 13.8 years.

Univariately, low CAIX expression was associated with an increased risk of RCC death vs high expression (hazard ratio 1.62; P < 0.001).

Low CAIX expression was not statistically significantly associated with RCC death or distant metastases after adjusting for nuclear grade or coagulative tumour necrosis.

Conclusion

After additional long‐term follow‐up of our large cohort, our results continue to suggest that CAIX is not an independent prognostic marker for ccRCC.
Improving risk stratification in patients with prostate cancer managed by active surveillance: a nomogram predicting the risk of biopsy progression
Authors: Iremashvili Viacheslav , Burdick‐Will Joshua , Soloway Mark S.
Published: April 2013

Objective

To develop a clinical tool that integrates different risk factors and provides individual predictions of the risk of biopsy progression in patients with prostate cancer managed by active surveillance.

Materials and Methods

Our analysis included 205 patients on active surveillance, each of whom had had at least two surveillance biopsies.

We used the Cox proportional hazard regression model to analyse the association between different risk factors and progression‐free survival over successive biopsies. This multivariate model was then used to develop a nomogram.

Discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were internally validated using 200 bootstrap resamplings.

Results

The median follow‐up of patients free of progression was 4.6 years. A total of 58 (28%) patients experienced progression.

Factors significantly associated with progression were: overall number of positive cores in the diagnostic and first surveillance biopsies, race and prostate‐specific antigen density.

The bootstrapping concordance index of the nomogram including these variables was 81%.

The nomogram tended to underestimate the probability of progression but it identified fairly accurately the distinct groups of patients at low, intermediate and high risk of progression.

Conclusions

In the development cohort, the nomogram was able to separate patients with respect to their risk of biopsy progression.

Since accurate risk stratification is essential to optimize patient care, this tool, if external validation confirms its performance, may prove useful for both the counselling and management of patients with low‐volume, Gleason 6 prostate cancer.
Neuroprotective activities of catalpol against CaMKII‐dependent apoptosis induced by LPS in PC12 cells
Authors: Chen Wenna , Li Ximing , Jia Lian‐Qun , Wang Jun , Zhang Lin , Hou Diandong , Wang Junyan , Ren Lu
Published: April 2013

Background and Purpose

Neurodegenerative diseases present progressive neurological disorder induced by cell death or apoptosis. Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside isolated from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, is present in a wide range of plant families. Although catalpol is an effective anti‐apoptotic agent in LPS‐induced neurodegeneration, the underlying mechanism has not been established. Here we have identified some of the mechanisms involved the prevention by catalpol of apoptosis induced by LPS in an experimental model of neurodegeneration in vitro.

Experimental Approach

Apoptosis was induced by adding LPS (80 ng·mL−1) to pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, pretreated with catalpol for 12 h. We measured intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis and intracellular calcium concentration ( [Ca2+]i) by flow cytometry or laser confocal scanning microscopy. We also analysed the protein expression of Bcl‐2, Bax and Ca2+‐calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)‐dependent apoptosis signal‐regulating kinase‐1 (ASK‐1)/JNK/p38 signalling pathway in PC12 cells by Western blot.

Key Results

Catalpol stimulated expression of Bcl‐2 and inhibited the expression of Bax. Catalpol also attenuated the increase in Ca2+ concentration induced by LPS in PC12 cells and down‐regulated CaMK phosphorylation. The CaMKII‐dependent ASK‐1/JNK/p38 signalling cascade was blocked by catalpol. All these changes were accompanied by a decrease of apoptosis induced by LPS in PC12 cells.

Conclusions and Implications

The data presented here provide new mechanistic insights into the links between the CaMKII‐dependent ASK‐1/JNK/p38 signalling pathway and the protective effect of catalpol on apoptosis induced by LPS in PC12 cells.
Patterns of Cenozoic sediment flux from western Scandinavia: discussion
Authors: Rasmussen E. S. , Dybkjær K.
Published: April 2013

The recent paper by Gołędowski et al. (2012) is a contribution to the ongoing debate regarding the possible processes involved in the geological evolution of the North Sea basin and adjacent hinterlands during the Cenozoic. Their major conclusions state (1) that the prominent seismic feature called the ‘mid‐Miocene unconformity’ (MMU) is a diachroneous surface in the North Sea basin and forms a regional hiatus and (2) that sediment flux from western Scandinavia was primarily controlled by climate and vegetation cover from the Late Eocene and onwards. We believe, however, that regarding the eastern North Sea basin, which was the depocentre for sediments sourced from southwestern Scandinavia, these conclusions are not supported by the geological record. The so‐called ‘mid‐Miocene unconformity’ is not a regional hiatus in the Danish and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea basin, but represents a distinct shift from prograding delta/slope systems to deposition of deeper marine hemipelagic mud, and thus provides a distinct seismic marker horizon. However, detailed studies show that there is a continuous sedimentation dominated by glacony‐rich mud where a ca. 3 m thick mudlayer spans several millions years and thus are below seismic resolution. Consequently, seismic stratigraphy is not applicable for this condensed section. (1) Warm climate and dense vegetation cover in southern Scandinavia during the mid‐Miocene Climatic Optimum were not able to hinder the progradation of a major siliciclastic wedge from Scandinavia into the North Sea basin. (2) The distinct temperature decrease in the Serravallian does not correlate with the aforementioned progradation, but on the contrary, correlate with the culmination of a major flooding event and deposition of a condensed succession of marine glaucony‐rich clay.
Ara h 1 CD4+ T cell epitope‐based peptides: candidates for a peanut allergy therapeutic
Authors: Prickett S. R. , Voskamp A. L. , Phan T. , Dacumos‐Hill A. , Mannering S. I. , Rolland J. M. , O'Hehir R. E.
Published: April 2013

Background

Peanut allergy is a life‐threatening condition; there is currently no cure. While whole allergen extracts are used for specific immunotherapy for many allergies, they can cause severe reactions and even fatalities in peanut allergy.

Objective

To identify short, HLA‐degenerate CD4+ T cell epitope‐based peptides of the major peanut allergen Ara h 1 that target allergen‐specific T cells without causing IgE‐mediated inflammatory cell activation, as candidates for safe peanut‐specific immunotherapy.

Methods

Ara h 1‐specific CD4+ T cell lines (TCL) were generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of peanut‐allergic subjects using CFSE‐based methodology. T cell epitopes were identified using CFSE and thymidine‐based proliferation assays. Epitope HLA‐restriction was investigated using blocking antibodies, HLA‐genotyping and epitope prediction algorithms. Functional peanut‐specific IgE reactivity to peptides was assessed by basophil activation assay.

Results

A total of 145 Ara h 1‐specific TCL were generated from 18 HLA‐diverse peanut‐allergic subjects. The TCL recognized 20‐mer peptides throughout Ara h 1. Nine 20‐mers containing the most frequently recognized epitopes were selected and their recognition confirmed in 18 additional peanut‐allergic subjects. Ten core epitopes were mapped within these 20‐mers. These were HLA‐DQ and/or HLA–DR restricted, with each presented on at least two different HLA‐molecules. Seven short (≤ 20 aa) non‐basophil‐reactive peptides encompassing all core epitopes were designed and validated in peanut‐allergic donor PBMC T cell assays.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Short CD4+ T cell epitope‐based Ara h 1 peptides were identified as novel candidates for a safe, T cell targeted peanut‐specific immunotherapy for HLA‐diverse populations.
MiR‐139 Inhibits Mcl‐1 Expression and Potentiates TMZ‐Induced Apoptosis in Glioma
Authors: Li Rui‐Yan , Chen Ling‐Chao , Zhang Hai‐Yan , Du Wen‐Zhong , Feng Yan , Wang Han‐Bing , Wen Jin‐Qiong , Liu Xin , Li Xian‐Feng , Sun Ying , Yang Dong‐Bo , Jiang Tao , Li Yong‐Li , Jiang Chuan‐Lu
Published: April 2013

Aims

Mcl‐1, an antiapoptotic member of the Bcl‐2 family, is overexpressed in human glioblastoma, conferring a survival advantage to tumor cells. The mechanisms underlying its dysregulation have not been clarified. In this study, we explored the involvement of micro‐RNAs that acted as endogenous sequence‐specific suppressors of gene expression.

Methods and results

Using computational and TCGA analysis, we identified miR‐139 as being downregulated in glioblastoma in comparison with human brain tissue, as well as possessing a putative target site in Mcl‐1 mRNA. Overexpression of miR‐139 led to a clear decrease in Mcl‐1 expression in gliomas. Reporter assays revealed direct post‐transcriptional regulation involving miR‐139 and the 3′‐untranslated region of Mcl‐1. Human glioma tissues with low expression of miR‐139 displayed higher expression of Mcl‐1 protein than those with high expression, suggesting that low miR‐139 contributes to Mcl‐1 overexpression. In addition, upregulation of miR‐139 suppressed the proliferation and enhanced temozolomide (TMZ)‐induced apoptosis. Finally, we observed that Mcl‐1 knockdown resulted in similar effects compared with miR‐139 transfection.

Conclusion

Our results suggested that miR‐139 negatively regulated Mcl‐1 and induced apoptosis in cooperation with an anticancer drug TMZ in glioma.