bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robotic revisional bariatric surgery: a comparative study with laparoscopic and open surgery
Authors: Buchs Nicolas C. , Pugin François , Azagury Dan E. , Huber Olivier , Chassot Gilles , Morel Philippe
Published: October 2013

Background

Revisional bariatric procedures (RBP) can be technically challenging. While robotics might provide help for complex procedures, the study aim was to report our experience with robotic RBP.

Methods

From March 2000 to June 2013, 60 consecutive RBP (11 robotic, 21 laparoscopic, 28 open) have been prospectively entered into a dedicated database and reviewed retrospectively. Outcomes have been compared between the three approaches.

Results

The robotic group had fewer complications (0 vs. 14.3% for laparoscopy, vs. 10.7% for open; P > 0.05), but took longer than the other approaches (352 vs. 270 vs. 250 minutes respectively; P < 0.05). There were fewer conversions in the robotic group (0 vs. 14.3% for laparoscopy; P > 0.05), and a significantly shorter hospital stay (6 vs. 8 vs. 9 days, respectively).

Conclusions

Robotic RBP is feasible and safe, but at the price of a longer operative time. The exact role of robotics remains yet to be defined for this indication in larger studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Discrete‐time H −  ∕ H ∞  sensor fault detection observer design for nonlinear systems with parameter uncertainty
Authors: Aouaouda S. , Chadli M. , Shi P. , Karimi H.R.
Published: October 2013

This work concerns robust sensor fault detection observer (SFDO) design for uncertain and disturbed discrete‐time Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) systems using H −  ∕ H ∞ criterion. The principle of the proposed approach is based on simultaneously minimizing the perturbation effect and maximizing the fault effect on the residual vector. Furthermore, by introducing slack decision matrices and taking advantage of the descriptor formulation, less conservative sufficient conditions are proposed leading to easier linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Moreover, the proposed (SFDO) design conditions allow dealing with unmeasurable premise variables. Finally, a numerical example and a truck–trailer system model are proposed to illustrate the efficiency of the SFDO design methodology. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A distributed kernel summation framework for general‐dimension machine learning
Authors: Lee Dongryeol , Sao Piyush , Vuduc Richard , Gray Alexander G.
Published: October 2013

Kernel summations are a ubiquitous key computational bottleneck in many data analysis methods. In this paper, we attempt to marry, for the first time, the best relevant techniques in parallel computing, where kernel summations are in low dimensions, with the best general‐dimension algorithms from the machine learning literature. We provide the first distributed implementation of kernel summation framework that can utilize: (i) various types of deterministic and probabilistic approximations that may be suitable for low and high‐dimensional problems with a large number of data points; (ii) any multidimensional binary tree using both distributed memory and shared memory parallelism; and (iii) a dynamic load balancing scheme to adjust work imbalances during the computation. Our hybrid message passing interface (MPI)/OpenMP codebase has wide applicability in providing a general framework to accelerate the computation of many popular machine learning methods. Our experiments show scalability results for kernel density estimation on a synthetic ten‐dimensional dataset containing over one billion points and a subset of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data up to 6144 cores. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining, 2013
Mechanisms to locate noncooperative transmitters in wireless networks based on residual signal strengths
Authors: Barthélémy Éric , Robert Jean‐Marc
Published: October 2013

This paper proposes new mechanisms for locating or tracking a noncooperative and immobile transmitter in wireless communication networks. They rely on a set of trusted cooperative receivers that are able to measure the residual strengths of the received signals from the transmitter. These mechanisms cannot rely on the information provided by the transmitter because the latter can be malicious. The best solution presented in the literature to solve this problem is the hyperbolic position bounding algorithm. Unfortunately, it uses an inaccurate approximation of the difference of two log‐normal random variables. When the uncertainty on the effective isotropic radiated power used by the transmitter is high, the hyperbolic position bounding algorithm gives erroneous results. Thus, we propose new algorithms that rely either on better approximations or a geometric interpretation of the problem. We also evaluate the impacts of using multiple independent signals to detect the transmitter. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Explaining the Variance in Underpricing among Venture Capital‐Backed IPOs: A Comparison Between Private and Corporate VC Firms
Authors: Wang Xiaodan ‘Abby’ , Wan William P.
Published: October 2013

In this study, we argue from the resource‐based view and multiple agency theory that private and corporate VC firms have different impacts on IPO underpricing among VC‐backed IPOs due to their different interests, motivations, and resources. Private VC firms are primarily financial oriented, but corporate VC firms generally are strategic in orientation. Using a sample of 200 VC‐backed IPOs from 2000 to 2007, we found support for the hypotheses that among VC‐backed IPOs, private VC ownership is positively associated with underpricing, whereas corporate VC ownership is negatively associated with underpricing. Copyright © 2013 Strategic Management Society.
The Selection and Nurturing Effects of Corporate Investors on New Venture Innovativeness
Authors: Park Haemin Dennis , Steensma H. Kevin
Published: October 2013

Corporate investors can provide valuable resources to their new venture investees, but their interests may conflict with those of independent venture capitalist (IVC) coinvestors. We explore how the preferences, resources, and influence of corporate investors vis‐à‐vis their IVC coinvestors affect their selection of investment opportunities and subsequent nurturing of new venture investees. We show that corporate investors tend to fund new ventures with greater pre‐funding innovative capabilities and new ventures receiving corporate funding exhibit greater post‐funding rates of innovation compared to those funded solely by IVCs, particularly when their corporate investors are highly reputable relative to their IVC coinvestors. Copyright © 2013 Strategic Management Society.
Smart Nanovehicles Based on pH‐Triggered Disassembly of Supramolecular Peptide‐Amphiphiles for Efficient Intracellular Drug Delivery
Authors: Xu Xianghui , Li Yunkun , Li Haiping , Liu Rong , Sheng Mingming , He Bin , Gu Zhongwei
Published: October 2013

A novel type of nanovehicle (NV) based on stimuli‐responsive supramolecular peptide‐amphiphiles (SPAs, dendritic poly (L‐lysine) non‐covalently linked poly (L‐leucine)) is developed for intracellular drug delivery. To determine the pH‐dependent mechanism, the supramolecular peptide‐amphiphile system (SPAS) is investigated at different pH conditions using a variety of physical and chemical approaches. The pH‐triggered disassembly of SPAS can be attributed to the disappearance of non‐covalent interactions within SPAs around the isoelectric point of poly (L‐leucine). SPAS is found to encapsulate guest molecules at pH 7.4 but release them at pH 6.2. In this way, SPAS is able to act as a smart NV to deliver its target to tumor cells using intracellular pH as a trigger. The DOX‐loaded NVs are approximately 150 nm in size. In vitro release profiles and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images of HepG2 cells confirm that lower pH conditions can trigger the disassembly of NVs and so achieve pH‐dependent intracellular DOX delivery. In vitro cytotoxicity of the DOX‐loaded NVs to HepG2 cells demonstrate that the smart NVs enhance the efficacy of hydrophobic DOX. Fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) and CLSM results show that the NVs can enhance the endocytosis of DOX into HepG2 cells considerably and deliver DOX to the nuclei.
Inhibition of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type-1 Activity Enhances Rapid and Sustainable Hematopoietic Regeneration
Authors: Ibrahim Abd Aziz , Yahata Takashi , Onizuka Makoto , Dan Takashi , Ypersele De Strihou Charles , Miyata Toshio , Ando Kiyoshi
Published: October 2013

The prognosis of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) depends on the rapid recovery and sustained life-long hematopoiesis. The activation of the fibrinolytic pathway promotes hematopoietic regeneration; however, the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a negative regulator of the fibrinolytic pathway, has not yet been elucidated. We herein demonstrate that bone marrow (BM) stromal cells, especially osteoblasts, produce PAI-1 in response to myeloablation, which negatively regulates the hematopoietic regeneration in the BM microenvironment. Total body irradiation in mice dramatically increased the local expression levels of fibrinolytic factors, including tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), plasmin, and PAI-1. Genetic disruption of the PAI-1 gene, or pharmacological inhibition of PAI-1 activity, significantly improved the myeloablation-related mortality and promoted rapid hematopoietic recovery after HSCT through the induction of hematopoiesis-promoting factors. The ability of a PAI-1 inhibitor to enhance hematopoietic regeneration was abolished when tPA-deficient mice were used as recipients, thus indicating that PAI-1 represses tPA-dependent hematopoietic regeneration. The PAI-1 inhibitor not only accelerated the expansion of the donor HSCs during the early-stage of regeneration, but also supported long-term hematopoiesis. Our results indicate that the inhibition of PAI-1 activity could be a therapeutic approach to facilitate the rapid recovery and sustained hematopoiesis after HSCT. Stem Cells  2014;32:946–958
Effects of compatibilizers on the physico‐mechanical and foaming properties of polyproylene/wood‐fiber composites
Authors: Zhang Zhen‐Xiu , Chen Dian‐Long , Kwak Kyung‐hwan , Xin Zhen‐Xiang , Kuk Kim Jin
Published: October 2013

Polypropylene (PP)/wood‐fiber (WF) composites were prepared by intermeshing co‐rotating twin screw extruder, and microcellular closed cell PP/WF composite foams were prepared by using pressure‐quenched batch process method. The effect of various compatibilizers on the mechanical properties, morphology, crystallinity, rheological properties, and foamability of PP/WF composites were investigated. The results showed that PP/WF composite with addition of PP‐g‐MA as compatibilizer had the highest tensile strength, stiffness, and crystallinity, after foaming, it showed highest relative density and cell density, as well as the smallest cell size. Higher crystallinity of PP/WF composites, showed higher stiffness and higher relative density. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 19:250–257, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
The First Rare‐Earth Metal Telluride Chlorides, RTeCl (R = La, Ce, Pr, Nd)
Authors: Larres Markus , Pantenburg Ingo , Meyer Gerd
Published: October 2013

The first rare‐earth metal telluride chlorides, RTeCl with R = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, were obtained as single crystals and/or powder samples by the reaction of anhydrous rare‐earth trichlorides, RCl3, with the respective rare‐earth metals R and elemental tellurium (Te) in sealed tantalum containers at temperatures as high as 1050 °C. All four telluride‐chlorides crystallize with the so‐called tetragonal PbFCl type of structure but according to RTeCl = PbClF, with, for the example of LaTeCl‐I, a = 451.7(1), c = 827.4(2) pm, VE/Z = 84.5(1) Å3, tetragonal, P4/nnm (No. 129). LaTeCl and CeTeCl are dimorphic, the second modification crystallizes with the PbCl2 type of structure with, for LaTeCl‐II, a = 795.2(1), b = 450.8(1), c = 940.4(1) pm, VE/Z = 84.3(1) Å3, orthorhombic, Pnma (No. 62). In both structures, La3+ is nine‐coordinate, [LaTe5Cl4], with similar mean La–Te and La–Cl distances in both modifications, 333.2 vs. 333.1 pm and 302.9 vs. 301.8 pm, respectively.
A tree-level 3-point function in the su(3)-sector of planar $ \mathcal{N}=4 $ SYM
Authors: Foda Omar , Jiang Yunfeng , Kostov Ivan , Serban Didina
Published: October 2013

Abstract

We consider a particular case of the 3-point function of local single-trace operators in the scalar sector of planar
$ \mathcal{N}=4 $
supersymmetric Yang-Mills, where two of the fields are su(3) type, while the third one is su(2) type. We show that this tree-level 3-point function can be expressed in terms of scalar products of su(3) Bethe vectors. Moreover, if the second level Bethe roots of one of the su(3) operators is trivial (set to infinity), this 3- point function can be written in a determinant form. Using the determinant representation, we evaluate the structure constant in the semi-classical limit, when the number of roots goes to infinity.
Boundary conditions for Kerr-AdS perturbations
Authors: Dias Óscar J. C. , Santos Jorge E.
Published: October 2013

Abstract

The Teukolsky master equation and its associated spin-weighted spheroidal harmonic decomposition simplify considerably the study of linear gravitational perturbations of the Kerr(-AdS) black hole. However, the formulation of the problem is not complete before we assign the physically relevant boundary conditions. We find a set of two Robin boundary conditions (BCs) that must be imposed on the Teukolsky master variables to get perturbations that are asymptotically global AdS, i.e. that asymptotes to the Einstein Static Universe. In the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence, these BCs allow a non-zero expectation value for the CFT stress-energy tensor while keeping fixed the boundary metric. When the rotation vanishes, we also find the gauge invariant differential map between the Teukolsky and the Kodama-Ishisbashi (Regge-Wheeler-Zerilli) formalisms. One of our Robin BCs maps to the scalar sector and the other to the vector sector of the Kodama-Ishisbashi decomposition. The Robin BCs on the Teukolsky variables will allow for a quantitative study of instability timescales and quasinormal mode spectrum of the Kerr-AdS black hole. As a warm-up for this programme, we use the Teukolsky formalism to recover the quasinormal mode spectrum of global AdS-Schwarzschild, complementing previous analysis in the literature.
The Value of a Genetic Counselor: Improving Identification of Cancer Genetic Counseling Patients with Chart Review
Authors: Eichmeyer Jennifer N. , Burnham Christa , Sproat Patty , Tivis Rick , Beck Thomas M.
Published: October 2013

Advances in genetics are changing cancer care and requiring institutions to maximize the unique skills of genetics professionals. The identification of genetic syndromes is vital for prevention and management of families with high cancer risks. Despite this, high risk individuals who qualify are often not referred. Genetic counselors could review oncology charts to improve identification. A genetics assessment tool developed by NCI Community Cancer Centers Program was used to perform self‐assessment of the genetics program. A weekly report of all new oncology patients was provided to a genetic counselor for chart review. In 2010, 58 % of all eligible patients (n = 152) were offered a genetics evaluation. In 2011 this improved to 70 % (n = 167), which was a statistically significant difference, X2(1) = 5.13, p = 0.02. By cancer site, ovarian cancer referrals also showed statistically significant improvement, X2(1) = 6.36, p = 0.01. Breast and colon referrals were improved but not significant. Over 10 months, 129 patients were identified through the chart review program. Three were confirmed to have a genetic mutation for a hereditary cancer syndrome. An average week included review of 73 charts for 10 medical oncologists, 4 radiation oncologists, and 4 pediatric oncologists which generated 60–80 min of work for the genetic counselor. This program improved patient identification and quality, and allowed physicians to become more aware of opportunities for genetic counseling and more patients to receive genetic counseling and testing.
Phospholipid Transfer Protein Deficiency Decreases the Content of S1P in HDL via the Loss of its Transfer Capability
Authors: Yu Yang , Guo Shoudong , Feng Yumei , Feng Lei , Cui Yingjie , Song Guohua , Luo Tian , Zhang Ke , Wang Yiwei , Jiang Xian‐Cheng , Qin Shucun
Published: October 2013

Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P) is an amphiphilic signaling molecule, which is enriched in functional high density lipoprotein (HDL) and shows arterial protection. The distribution of S1P is changed with increased plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity and impaired HDL function in patients with coronary heart diseases. Therefore, we hypothesized that PLTP might transfer S1P among cells or lipoproteins. We found that plasma S1P contents were decreased by 60.1 % in PLTP knockout mice (PLTP−/−, N = 5) compared with their wild type littermates (WT, N = 5) (151.70 ± 38.59 vs. 379.32 ± 59.90 nmol/l, P<0.01). S1P content in HDL fraction (HDL‐S1P) from PLTP−/− was decreased by 64.7 % compared with WT (49.36 ± 1.49 vs. 139.76 ± 2.94 nmol/l, P<0.01). The results of the S1P transfer assay indicated that PLTP could facilitate S1P transport from erythrocytes to HDL at 37 °C in D‐Hanks buffer. Plasma content of apolipoprotein M, a specific adaptor of S1P, was not changed in PLTP−/− compared with WT. Therefore, we concluded that PLTP was a key factor to maintain plasma HDL‐S1P, and PLTP deficiency could decrease the S1P content in plasma lipoproteins, which involves its capability of transferring S1P from erythrocyte to HDL.
Non‐destructive Determination of High Oleic Acid Content in Single Soybean Seeds by Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy
Authors: Han Sang‐Ik , Chae Jong‐Hyun , Bilyeu Kristin , Shannon J. Grover , Lee Jeong‐Dong
Published: October 2013

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] with increased oleic acid is desirable to improve oxidative stability and functionality of soybean seed oil. Recently, soybean genotypes with high oleic acid (≥70 %) were developed by breeding programs. Efficient and effective identification of high oleic acid soybean genotypes using non‐destructive near infrared reflectance (NIR) on whole seeds would greatly enhance progress in breeding programs. The objective of this study was to develop a calibration equation for NIR determination of high oleic acid from single soybean seeds. A total of 600 intact, single F2 seeds were scanned by NIR. Spectral data were collected between 400 and 2,500 nm at 2 nm intervals. The relationship between NIR spectral patterns of each soybean seed and its oleic acid content was examined. The best predicted equations for oleic acid were selected on the basis of minimizing the standard error of cross‐validation and increasing the coefficient of determination. Validation demonstrated that the equations for determining total oleic acid and over 50 % oleic acid content had high predictive ability (r2 = 0.91 and r2 = 0.99, respectively). To validate the newly developed equation, F2 seeds from a different genetic background were tested. Again, high oleic acid from single soybean seeds was accurately predicted from various genetic backgrounds. Therefore, applying the calibration equations to NIR will be useful to rapidly and efficiently select high oleic acid soybean genotypes in breeding programs.
Effect of Processing Parameters on Flocculation of Picochlorum oklahomensis
Authors: Zhu Yan , Dunford Nurhan Turgut , Goad Carla
Published: October 2013

The flocculation process is commonly used to separate suspended solids from water. The microalgae strain, Picochlorum oklahomensis (PO), was investigated for its flocculation characteristics. Efficiencies of biopolymer addition, pH adjustment and electroflocculation for biomass recovery from the culture medium were examined. Flocculation efficiency of PO increased sharply above pH 11 and reached 97 % at pH 13. Chitosan was more effective in flocculating PO cells than sodium alginate and cationic starch. A generalized linear mixed model using a beta distribution for response was utilized for optimization of the chitosan flocculation process variables. Biomass: chitosan ratio, pH and settling time (ST) were the independent variables. There were significant 3‐way interactions among the variables. The highest PO flocculation efficiency, 98.4 %, was obtained at biomass: chitosan ratio of 2.78, pH 9 and ST of 12 h. The electroflocculation efficiency improved with increasing current, operation time (OT) and ST. The highest electroflocculation efficiency, 99.74 %, was obtained under the following conditions; 0.8 A (ampere) and 15 min and 12 h, OT and ST, respectively. This study demonstrated that pH adjustment, chitosan addition and electroflocculation were all technically viable methods to flocculate PO cells. However, selection of the most suitable technique and the optimum treatment conditions needs to be based not only on the application of algal biomass, but also on an economic feasibility study.
Restricted‐Range Boraginaceae Species Constitute Potential Sources of Valuable Fatty Acids
Authors: Guil‐Guerrero José Luis , Gómez‐Mercado Francisco , Ramos‐Bueno Rebeca Pilar , Rincón‐Cervera Miguel Ángel , Venegas‐Venegas Elena
Published: October 2013

The aim of this work was to establish the richness in γ‐linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n‐6) and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n‐3) of the seed oil of several restricted‐range Boraginaceae species, in a search for new valuable oils as advantageous alternatives to the commercially available sources of both polyunsaturated fatty acids. To this end, seeds of selected Boraginaceae species were collected and analyzed. The highest GLA contents (% total fatty acids) were found in the seed oils of Symphytum caucasicum M.Bieb. (22.9 %), Anchusa undulata subsp. undulata (Ten.) Cout. (22.0 %), Anchusa puechii Valdés (20.0 %), Glandora nitida Thomas (19.2 %), Echium pininana Webb & Berth. (17.1 %) and Pentaglottis sempervirens (L.) L. H. Bailey (17.0 %). With regard to SDA, the highest percentage was found in the seed oil of Echium cantabricum (M. Laínz) Fdez. Casas & M. Laínz (14.7 %), followed by Lappula patula (Lehm.) Asch ex Gürke (13.6 %). It is noticeable that several GLA‐enriched species stand under a great threat of extinction, thus revealing the importance of the preservation of the natural ecosystems for endangered species.
Clinical Issues‐November 2013
Authors: Burlingame Byron L.
Published: October 2013

This Month

Requirements for sterilization areas in the surgical suite

Key words: immediate use steam sterilization, IUSS, sub‐sterile room, SPD, mini SPD.

Airflow in endoscope cleaning rooms

Key words: endoscopy, decontamination, air pressure, endoscope cleaning.

Use of instrument marking tape

Key words: instrument tape, color‐coded tape, sterilization, marking tape.

Noise in the OR

Key words: noise, hearing, communication, music.
SWITCH for Safety: Perioperative Hand‐off Tools
Authors: Johnson Fay , Logsdon Patty , Fournier Kim , Fisher Sandra
Published: October 2013

Communication breakdown is the leading cause of reported sentinel events in the perioperative setting. Barriers to optimal communication include noise, stress, multitasking, and rapid turnover between procedures. AORN has identified communication during personnel changes (ie, hand offs) as a point of vulnerability for the surgical patient. A standardized hand‐off method provides an opportunity for personnel to ask and answer questions and should be available in the perioperative setting. At one facility, the standardization of hand‐off reporting resulted in the development of new hand‐off tools specific to the perioperative environment. A standardized reporting method enabled health care providers to address communication barriers and to maintain their focus on the patient during critical moments (eg, shift changes), thereby improving patient safety.
Effects of plastic film mulching with drip irrigation on N2O and CH4 emissions from cotton fields in arid land
Authors: LI Z. , ZHANG R. , WANG X. , CHEN F. , LAI D. , TIAN C.
Published: October 2013

To evaluate the effects of a modern cultivation system of plastic film mulching with drip irrigation (MD) on soil greenhouse gas fluxes, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes were quantified and contrasted in an MD system and a traditional system of mulch-free flood-irrigated (MFF) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in fields of northwest China. The results showed that soil N2O flux and the absorption rate of CH4 were lower in the MD than the MFF sites. A possible reason for the higher CH4 emissions at MD sites was that the relatively low gaseous oxygen (O2) availability and high ammonium (NH4+) content in the MD soil increased CH4 generation by methanogens and decreased CH4 oxidation by methanotrophs. The lower N2O in the MD sites may be due to an increase of soil denitrification by Thiobacillus denitrificans that reduced some nitrous compounds further into nitrogen gas (N2). Taking into account the global warming potentials of CH4 and N2O in a 100-year time horizon, during the entire growth period, the contribution of CH4 to the greenhouse effect was significantly lower than N2O in these two treatments. Considering these two greenhouse gas fluxes together, a transition from non-mulching cultivation to mulching cultivation could reduce atmospheric emissions by c. 20 g CO2 e m2/season. Based on these findings and previous studies, it can be concluded that mulched-drip irrigation cultivation is a good way to decrease the emission of greenhouse gases and reduce the global warming impact of arid farmlands.
Molecular epidemiology of influenza A virus infection in Cyprus in four consecutive seasons (2009 pandemic–2013)
Authors: PANAYIOTOU C. , RICHTER J. , BASHIARDES S. , KOPTIDES D. , TRYFONOS C. , CHRISTODOULOU C.
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of influenza A virus infection in Cyprus from the 2009 pandemic until 2013. Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus infections outnumbered infections with other respiratory viruses until the end of 2009. The pandemic virus was also the prevalent influenza strain during influenza season 2010–2011; however, it was completely replaced by H3N2 subtype in the next season. During the most recent influenza season, 2012–2013, the pandemic strain was once again the only influenza A virus circulating in Cyprus. Full-length neuraminidase gene sequencing revealed mutations that had previously been identified as permissive. No significant difference in the expression of the IFN-inducible genesOASandIFIT1were observed. The phylogenetic analysis of the neuraminidase gene sequences revealed a picture of continuous importation of influenza strains in the island of Cyprus with local circulation playing only a minor role in determining the prevalent strain of the next influenza season.
The Life of Things Long Dead: a Biography of Iron Age Animal Skulls from Battlesbury Bowl, Wiltshire
Authors: Hambleton Ellen
Published: October 2013

This study expands perceptions of ritual behaviour in the British Iron Age, which conventionally focus on the deposition and burial of objects. Classification of animal bones as special deposits in Iron Age Britain, and interpretation of the ritual activities they may represent, has tended to concentrate on the significance of their burial location and composition and/or the cultural perception of the particular animal species deposited. Other than for consumption and sacrifice, little consideration has been given to the complex, dynamic histories (biographies) and cultural significance of animal remains in the period between death and burial. Detailed examination of the taphonomic and pre-depositional histories of animal deposits, are one means by which it is possible to explore the activities that occurred above ground in the past. Zooarchaeological investigations of a group of cattle and horse skulls from Battlesbury Bowl, Hampshire, provide an excellent example of a ‘special deposit’ where it was the objects themselves, as much as their species, location or structured burial that held special significance for the Iron Age community. By taking a biographical approach, we can create detailed narratives of archaeological animal bones and their treatment, thereby expanding the view of activities that fall under the ‘ritual’ umbrella.
Dull-edged Weapons and Low-level Fighting in the Late Prehistoric Southern Levant
Authors: Shimelmitz Ron , Rosenberg Danny
Published: October 2013

While duels and other types of fighting with a relatively low level of lethal risk are well known from the ethnographic record, these have been less studied from an archaeological perspective. These fights are different from ‘war’ in the lack of killing intent and they are commonly referred to as ‘ritual fighting’, thus implying the social significance of the act and not just the outcome. Our study concentrates on the Late Pottery Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods of the southern Levant from which the physical evidence of violence is relatively scarce, although conflicts are assumed to have intensified due to the increase in long-term settlements and density of population. We will argue that the three types of weapons found during these periods — maceheads, slingstones and transverse arrowheads — are characterized by dull or blunt peripheries and were intentionally designed not to cause maximal injury or inflict lethal blows. These weapons are well represented only after the hunting of wild game dramatically declined and we suggest that they represent the conduct of low-level fighting, consequently indicating the presence of rules and social organization that are essential elements for the formation of early complex societies.
Homer's Entangled Objects: Narrative, Agency and Personhood In and Out of Iron Age Texts
Authors: Whitley James
Published: October 2013

In recent years, material culture studies have come to embrace contemporary Melanesia and European prehistory, but not classical archaeology and art. Prehistory is still thought, in many quarters, to be intrinsically more ‘ethnographic’ than historical periods; in this discourse, the Greeks (by default) become proto-modern individuals, necessarily opposed to Melanesian ‘dividuals’. Developments in the study of the Iron Age Mediterranean and the world of Homer should undermine such stark polarities. Historic and proto-historic archaeologies have rich potential for refining our notions both of agency and of personhood. This article argues that the forms of material entanglements we find in the Homeric poems, and the forms of agency (sensu Gell 1998) that we can observe in the archaeological record for the Early Iron Age of Greece (broadly 1000–500 bc) are of the same kind. The agency of objects structures Homeric narrative, and Homeric descriptions allow us precisely to define Homeric ‘human–thing entanglement’. This form of ‘material entanglement’ does not appear in the Aegean world before 1100 BC.
Echocardiography in sickle cell anaemia patients under 20 years of age: a descriptive study in the Brazilian Western Amazon
Authors: Ribera Melissa C. V. , Ribera Ricardo B. , Koifman Rosalina J. , Koifman Sérgio
Published: October 2013

Introduction

Cardiac abnormalities in sickle cell anaemia are frequent and early, despite being more evident in adulthood. The study on cardiac abnormalities is essential in the current context, as, owing to improved health, children are increasingly able to reach adulthood and suffering the consequences of chronic cardiac injury.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of echocardiographic changes in patients under 20, suffering from sickle cell disease in Rio Branco, Brazilian Western Amazon.

Methods

The descriptive epidemiological study compare two sets of children and adolescents, one including sickle cell anaemia patients (n=45), and other one (n=109) without sickle cell anaemia or heart disease. The echocardiographic measurements were indexed according to body surface using z-scores, and the prevalence of echocardiographic changes in both groups, with their respective 95% confidence intervals, ascertained and compared.

Results

Compared with the non-sickle cell anaemia series, the sickle cell anaemia group showed z-scores 13.1-fold higher for the diastolic diameter of the left ventricle, 5.2 times higher for the thickness of the posterior wall, 4.9 higher for the left atrium, 2.5 times higher for the right ventricle and 2.0 times higher for the septum thickness. Also the rate of left ventricular mass, systolic pressure of the right ventricle and the relative wall thickness were significantly higher in sickle cell anaemia set.

Conclusions

Cardiac abnormalities were observed in 93.5% of patients. Early detection of cardiac abnormalities and quantifying them using the indexation of echocardiographic measurements according to body surface will allow proper identification and attendance of these children.
Decision Making in Stepped Care: How Do Therapists Decide Whether to Prolong Treatment or Not?
Authors: Delgadillo Jaime , Gellatly Judith , Stephenson-Bellwood Simone
Published: October 2013

Background: The efficiency of stepped care systems partly relies on systematic monitoring of patient outcomes and timely decisions to “step up” patients without any clear therapeutic gains to the next level of treatment. Qualitative evidence has suggested that this does not occur consistently, nor always congruently with clinical guidelines. Aims: To investigate factors that influence psychological therapists’ decisions to prolong or to conclude treatment in cases with little evidence of therapeutic gains. Method: Eighty-two clinicians in stepped care services completed questionnaires about the likelihood of “holding” non-improving patients in treatment, and factors associated with referrals and holding (FARAH-Q). The factor structure, internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the measures was examined prior to assessing correlations between FARAH-Q items and likelihood of holding. Results: A 4-factor solution indicated that clinicians’ decision making is influenced by a complex interplay between beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms and self-efficacy. Correlational analysis indicated that holding is more likely to happen if there are perceived barriers to refer the patient for further treatment, if the therapist likes the patient and has a good therapeutic alliance, and if the therapist feels confident that s/he has the ability to achieve a positive outcome by prolonging treatment. Conclusions: Decisions to prolong or conclude treatment are not only influenced by evidence and guidelines, but also subjective beliefs, norms and attitudes. Understanding this decision making process is relevant to clinicians and supervisors interested in enhancing the efficiency of stepped care.
Delivering palliative care to patients and caregivers in inner-city communities: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Kayser Karen , DeMarco Rosanna F. , Stokes Charu , DeSanto-Madeya Susan , Higgins Philip C.
Published: October 2013

Objective:

Social and economic barriers can hinder access to quality palliative and end-of-life care for patients living in inner-city communities. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, we investigated the stresses associated with living with a chronic disease and barriers to access and utilization of palliative care resources experienced by low-income patients and caregivers in five inner-city communities.

Methods:

Four focus groups (N = 33) were conducted with community stakeholders, including healthcare professionals (social workers and nurses), persons living with chronic illnesses (e.g., HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and cancer), and caregivers. Focus group responses were analyzed using thematic analyses.

Results:

Patients' and caregivers' stresses centered around five themes: lack of family support, communication barriers with healthcare professionals, minority stress, caregiver burden, and lack of spiritual support. The community stakeholders identified resources and services to improve access to care and the quality of life of underserved, low-income populations living with chronic illnesses.

Significance of Results:

A CBPR approach enabled us to develop an interdisciplinary and culturally sensitive intervention to begin addressing the palliative and end-of-life needs of the patients and caregivers of the inner-city community.
PHILOSOPHICAL HISTORY AND THE SCIENCE OF MAN IN SCOTLAND: ADAM FERGUSON'S RESPONSE TO ROUSSEAU
Authors: MCDANIEL IAIN
Published: October 2013

Jean-Jacques Rousseau'sDiscourse on the Origin and the Foundations of Inequalityis now recognized to have played a fundamental role in the shaping of Scottish Enlightenment political thought. Yet despite some excellent studies of Rousseau's influence on Adam Smith, his impact on Smith's contemporary, Adam Ferguson, has not been examined in detail. This article reassesses Rousseau's legacy in eighteenth-century Scotland by focusing on Ferguson's critique of Rousseau in hisEssay on the History of Civil Society(1767), hisHistory of the Progress and Termination of the Roman Republic(1783), and his lectures and published writings in moral philosophy. Ferguson's differences from Rousseau were more pronounced than is sometimes assumed. Not only did Ferguson offer one of the most substantial eighteenth-century refutations of the Genevan's thinking on sociability, nature, art, and culture, he also provided an alternative to the theoretical history of the state set out in theDiscourse on Inequality.
WHY THEY MATTERED: THE RETURN OF POLITICS TO PURITAN NEW ENGLAND
Authors: PETERSON MARK
Published: October 2013

Puritans had big stories to tell, and they cast themselves big parts to play in those stories. The fervent English Protestants who believed that the Elizabethan Church urgently needed further reformation, and the self-selecting band among them who went on to colonize New England, were sure that they could re-create the churches of the apostolic age, and eliminate centuries’ worth of Romish accretions. By instituting scriptural forms of worship, these purified churches might have a beneficial influence on the state as well, and bring about the rule of the godly. If a purified English church and state could inaugurate reformation across all of Christendom, spread the gospel to infidels around the globe, and usher in the millennium, then all the better. In 1641, an anonymous tract called A Glimpse of Sions Glory announced that the new puritan-controlled Parliament would bring on “Babylon's destruction . . . The work of the day [is] to give God no rest till he sets up Jerusalem in the praise of the whole world.” The leading minister of colonial Boston at the time, John Cotton, predicted that as soon as 1655, as Michael Winship summarizes Cotton:

the states and Christian princes of Europe, under irresistible supernatural influence, would have instituted congregationalism [Massachusetts’ form of church polity] and overthrown Antichrist and Muslim Turkey. The example of their churches’ pure Christianity would have brought about the conversion of Jews and pagans across the globe. Thereafter, the churches of Christ would enjoy the millennium's thousand years of peace before the climactic battle with Gog and Magog at the end of time.

Those are big stories.
FREEDOM, MODERNITY, AND MASS CULTURE
Authors: COUVARES FRANCIS G.
Published: October 2013

InReforming Hollywood, William D. Romanowski defends mainline Protestants from the charge that they acted like bluenose censors during the movie controversies of the twentieth century. In fact, he claims, they consistently supported free expression even as they fought to make Hollywood acknowledge and give scope to moral values beyond the profit motive. Unlike these mainline Protestant “structuralists,” who sought to morally elevate the broader society, both Catholics in the earlier part of the century and evangelicals in the latter took a “pietistic” approach that emphasized individual morality and sought to censor obscenity, blasphemy, and ideological unorthodoxy in film. While structuralists (whom the author often simply identifies as liberals) wanted to cooperate with Hollywood in campaigns of “movie betterment,” pietists (conservatives) wanted to rein in the moviemakers and cleanse the screen of “unwholesome” content.
Complementarity between the ICRC and the United Nations and international humanitarian law and international human rights law, 1948–1968
Authors: Fortin Katharine
Published: October 2013

This article shows that between the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the Tehran conference in 1968, international human rights law and international humanitarian law and their respective guardian institutions, the United Nations (UN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), were not so conceptually far apart as is sometimes suggested. Its purpose is to give further legitimacy to the role of human rights law in armed conflict and show that cooperation between the UN and the ICRC has a long history.
Positive epistasis between co-infecting plasmids promotes plasmid survival in bacterial populations
Authors: San Millan Alvaro , Heilbron Karl , MacLean R Craig
Published: October 2013

Plasmids have a key role in the horizontal transfer of genes among bacteria. Although plasmids are catalysts for bacterial evolution, it is challenging to understand how they can persist in bacterial populations over the long term because of the burden they impose on their hosts (the ‘plasmid paradox’). This paradox is especially perplexing in the case of ‘small’ plasmids, which are unable to self-transfer by conjugation. Here, for the first time, we investigate how interactions between co-infecting plasmids influence plasmid persistence. Using an experimental model system based on interactions between a diverse assemblage of ‘large’ plasmids and a single small plasmid, pNI105, in the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we demonstrate that positive epistasis minimizes the cost associated with carrying multiple plasmids over the short term and increases the stability of the small plasmid over a longer time scale. In support of these experimental data, bioinformatic analysis showed that associations between small and large plasmids are more common than would be expected owing to chance alone across a range of families of bacteria; more generally, we find that co-infection with multiple plasmids is more common than would be expected owing to chance across a wide range of bacterial phyla. Collectively, these results suggest that positive epistasis promotes plasmid stability in bacterial populations. These findings pave the way for future mechanistic studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms of plasmid–plasmid interaction, and evolutionary studies aimed at understanding how the coevolution of plasmids drives the spread of plasmid-encoded traits.
Down under the tunic: bacterial biodiversity hotspots and widespread ammonia-oxidizing archaea in coral reef ascidians
Authors: Erwin Patrick M , Pineda Mari Carmen , Webster Nicole , Turon Xavier , López-Legentil Susanna
Published: October 2013

Ascidians are ecologically important components of marine ecosystems yet the ascidian microbiota remains largely unexplored beyond a few model species. We used 16S rRNA gene tag pyrosequencing to provide a comprehensive characterization of microbial symbionts in the tunic of 42 Great Barrier Reef ascidian samples representing 25 species. Results revealed high bacterial biodiversity (3 217 unique operational taxonomic units (OTU0.03) from 19 described and 14 candidate phyla) and the widespread occurrence of ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota in coral reef ascidians (24 of 25 host species). The ascidian microbiota was clearly differentiated from seawater microbial communities and included symbiont lineages shared with other invertebrate hosts as well as unique, ascidian-specific phylotypes. Several rare seawater microbes were markedly enriched (200–700 fold) in the ascidian tunic, suggesting that the rare biosphere of seawater may act as a conduit for horizontal symbiont transfer. However, most OTUs (71%) were rare and specific to single hosts and a significant correlation between host relatedness and symbiont community similarity was detected, indicating a high degree of host-specificity and potential role of vertical transmission in structuring these communities. We hypothesize that the complex ascidian microbiota revealed herein is maintained by the dynamic microenvironments within the ascidian tunic, offering optimal conditions for different metabolic pathways such as ample chemical substrate (ammonia-rich host waste) and physical habitat (high oxygen, low irradiance) for nitrification. Thus, ascidian hosts provide unique and fertile niches for diverse microorganisms and may represent an important and previously unrecognized habitat for nitrite/nitrate regeneration in coral reef ecosystems.
Biofilm development and enhanced stress resistance of a model, mixed-species community biofilm
Authors: Lee Kai Wei Kelvin , Periasamy Saravanan , Mukherjee Manisha , Xie Chao , Kjelleberg Staffan , Rice Scott A
Published: October 2013

Most studies of biofilm biology have taken a reductionist approach, where single-species biofilms have been extensively investigated. However, biofilms in nature mostly comprise multiple species, where interspecies interactions can shape the development, structure and function of these communities differently from biofilm populations. Hence, a reproducible mixed-species biofilm comprising Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas protegens and Klebsiella pneumoniae was adapted to study how interspecies interactions affect biofilm development, structure and stress responses. Each species was fluorescently tagged to determine its abundance and spatial localization within the biofilm. The mixed-species biofilm exhibited distinct structures that were not observed in comparable single-species biofilms. In addition, development of the mixed-species biofilm was delayed 1–2 days compared with the single-species biofilms. Composition and spatial organization of the mixed-species biofilm also changed along the flow cell channel, where nutrient conditions and growth rate of each species could have a part in community assembly. Intriguingly, the mixed-species biofilm was more resistant to the antimicrobials sodium dodecyl sulfate and tobramycin than the single-species biofilms. Crucially, such community level resilience was found to be a protection offered by the resistant species to the whole community rather than selection for the resistant species. In contrast, community-level resilience was not observed for mixed-species planktonic cultures. These findings suggest that community-level interactions, such as sharing of public goods, are unique to the structured biofilm community, where the members are closely associated with each other.
Near-field ptychography: phase retrieval for inline holography using a structured illumination
Authors: Stockmar Marco , Cloetens Peter , Zanette Irene , Enders Bjoern , Dierolf Martin , Pfeiffer Franz , Thibault Pierre
Published: October 2013

Inline holography is a common phase-contrast imaging method which uses free-space propagation to encode the phase signal into measured intensities. However, quantitative retrieval of the sample's image remains challenging, imposing constraints on the nature of the sample or on the propagation distance. Here, we present a way of simultaneously retrieving the sample's complex-valued transmission function and the incident illumination function from near-field diffraction patterns. The procedure relies on the measurement diversity created by lateral translations of the sample with respect to a structured illumination. The reconstruction approach, in essence identical to that employed in ptychography, is applied to hard X-ray synchrotron measurements and to simulations. Compared to other inline holography techniques, we expect near-field ptychography to reduce reconstruction artefacts by factoring out wavefront imperfections and relaxing constraints on the sample's scattering properties, thus ultimately improving the robustness of propagation-based X-ray phase tomography.