bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Assessment of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Using γ-H2AX Assay
Authors: Xu Enping , Gong Yilei , Gu Jian , Jie Lin , Ajani Jaffer A. , Wu Xifeng
Published: August 2013

Background: Mutagen-induced DNA damage as measured in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) has been associated with increased risks of cancers. The formation of γ-H2AX is an early cellular response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). We hypothesize that higher level of radiation-induced γ-H2AX in PBLs may be associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Laser scanning cytometer-based immunocytochemical method was used to measure baseline and irradiation-induced γ-H2AX levels in PBLs from 211 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and 211 healthy controls. The ratio of induced γ-H2AX level to baseline level was used to evaluate individual susceptibility to DSBs. Relative risks for esophageal adenocarcinoma associated with γ-H2AX were assessed by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results: Radiation-induced γ-H2AX level and the γ-H2AX ratio were significantly higher in cases than in controls. Dichotomized at the median in controls, a significantly increased risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma was observed in association with high γ-H2AX ratio [OR = 2.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.83–4.72]. Quartile analyses showed significant dose–response associations between higher γ-H2AX ratio and increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (Ptrend, 1.64E-06). In addition, joint effect between γ-H2AX ratio and smoking was observed: smokers who had high γ-H2AX ratio exhibited the highest risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (OR = 5.53; 95% CI, 2.71–11.25) compared with never smokers with low γ-H2AX ratio.

Conclusion: Radiation-induced DNA damage assessed by γ-H2AX ratio is associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Impact: γ-H2AX assay is a new and robust method to measure DSB damage in PBLs, which can be used to assess mutagen sensitivity and esophageal adenocarcinoma risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(10); 1797–804. ©2013 AACR.
Anticancer Effects of Niclosamide in Human Glioblastoma
Authors: Wieland Anja , Trageser Daniel , Gogolok Sabine , Reinartz Roman , Höfer Heike , Keller Mihaela , Leinhaas Anke , Schelle Ramona , Normann Sabine , Klaas Lil , Waha Andreas , Koch Philipp , Fimmers Rolf , Pietsch Torsten , Yachnis Anthony T. , Pincus David W. , Steindler Dennis A. , Brüstle Oliver , Simon Matthias , Glas Martin , Scheffler Björn
Published: August 2013

Purpose: Glioblastoma is a highly malignant, invariably fatal brain tumor for which effective pharmacotherapy remains an unmet medical need.

Experimental Design: Screening of a compound library of 160 synthetic and natural toxic substances identified the antihelmintic niclosamide as a previously unrecognized candidate for clinical development. Considering the cellular and interindividual heterogeneity of glioblastoma, a portfolio of short-term expanded primary human glioblastoma cells (pGBM; n = 21), common glioma lines (n = 5), and noncancer human control cells (n = 3) was applied as a discovery platform and for preclinical validation. Pharmacodynamic analysis, study of cell-cycle progression, apoptosis, cell migration, proliferation, and on the frequency of multipotent/self-renewing pGBM cells were conducted in vitro, and orthotopic xenotransplantation was used to confirm anticancer effects in vivo.

Results: Niclosamide led to cytostatic, cytotoxic, and antimigratory effects, strongly reduced the frequencies of multipotent/self-renewing cells in vitro, and after exposure significantly diminished the pGBMs' malignant potential in vivo. Mechanism of action analysis revealed that niclosamide simultaneously inhibited intracellular WNT/CTNNB1-, NOTCH-, mTOR-, and NF-κB signaling cascades. Furthermore, combinatorial drug testing established that a heterozygous deletion of the NFKBIA locus in glioblastoma samples could serve as a genomic biomarker for predicting a synergistic activity of niclosamide with temozolomide, the current standard in glioblastoma therapy.

Conclusions: Together, our data advocate the use of pGBMs for exploration of compound libraries to reveal unexpected leads, for example, niclosamide that might be suited for further development toward personalized clinical application. Clin Cancer Res; 19(15); 4124–36. ©2013 AACR.
Coexistence of Multiple Sclerosis and Ankylosing Spondylitis: Report of Two Cases
Authors: Lourbopoulos A. , Ioannidis P. , Boura E. , Antoniadis D. , Karacostas D. , Grigoriadis N.
Published: July 2013

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) only rarely coexists with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The optimal management of these patients represents a major challenge. Methods: In the present study, we report 2 cases of AS with definite MS comorbidity. One of the AS-MS cases had received anti-TNFα treatment, which was discontinued due to exacerbation of the MS. In addition, we discuss 3 more AS cases with neurological symptoms and atypical white matter demyelinating MRI lesions after anti-TNFα treatment. Discussion: Given the fact that anti-TNFα drugs can potentially exacerbate a latent MS or induce atypical demyelination in the central nervous system, they should be discouraged or discontinued in relevant cases. The remaining effective therapeutic options for MS are either contradictory for AS (interferon-β), have no definite data regarding their safety/efficacy in AS (glatiramer acetate, azathioprine, natalizumab, fingolimod), or their efficacy in MS-AS is associated with increased treatment risks (rituximab). Any of these proposed treatments may require active patient's informed consent.
Various Roles of Th Cytokine mRNA Expression in Different Forms of Glomerulonephritis
Authors: Ifuku Masakazu , Miyake Katsuhisa , Watanebe Maho , Ito Kenji , Abe Yasuhiro , Sasatomi Yoshie , Ogahara Satoru , Hisano Satoshi , Sato Hiroshi , Saito Takao , Nakashima Hitoshi
Published: July 2013

Background: Kidney disease is characterized by injurious immune responses to self or foreign antigens. The development and maintenance of immune responses generally involves activation of T lymphocytes. We evaluated mRNA expression patterns of T-cell cytokines to identify the principal Th-cell subset involved in the development of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antigen-associated pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (ANCAGN), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), and membranous nephropathy (MN). Methods: Kidney biopsy specimens from ANCAGN (17), MPGN (11), and MN (14) patients were evaluated for mRNA expression of various T-cell cytokines. Results: Interferon-γ mRNA expression was detected in both ANCAGN and MPGN, but not in MN patients. Furthermore, mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-12, a Th1-associated cytokine, was lower in MN patients than in ANCAGN and MPGN patients. In contrast, a significantly higher expression of IL-4 and IL-5 was observed in MN than in ANCAGN and MPGN patients. In the analyses of Th17-associated cytokine expression, a significantly higher expression of IL-6 and IL-17 was observed in ANCAGN than in MPGN and MN patients. No significant differences were observed in the expression of these cytokines between MPGN and MN patients. With regard to Treg-associated cytokines, a significantly higher IL-10 expression was observed in MN than in ANCAGN patients, and a significantly higher transforming growth factor-β expression was observed in MN than in ANCAGN and MPGN patients. Similarly, Foxp3 expression was significantly higher in MN. Conclusion: Th1 and Th17 immune responses in ANCAGN, the Th1 response in MPGN, and Th2 and Treg responses in MN patients may be integral for the distinct histological features of these diseases.
How I treat heterozygous hereditary antithrombin deficiency in pregnancy
Authors: Bramham Kate , Retter Andrew , Robinson Susan E. , Mitchell Michael , Moore Gary W. , Hunt Beverley J.
Published: August 2013

summary

Untreated hereditary antithrombin deficiency in pregnancy is associated with maternal venous thromboembolism (VTE) and possibly with fetal loss. Thromboprophylaxis during pregnancy is recommended, but dosages remain controversial. Our objective was to perform a retrospective assessment of thrombotic events and pregnancy outcomes in women with hereditary antithrombin deficiency managed according to a standard protocol. Pregnancies in individuals with hereditary antithrombin deficiency were identified from a hospital database. Women with no prior VTE received enoxaparin 40 mg daily until 16 weeks gestation and thereafter 40 mg twice daily. Women with prior VTE received intermediate dose enoxaparin (1 mg/kg) once daily, increased to twice daily at 16 weeks and anti-Xa monitored dosing. Thromboprophylaxis was stopped at initiation of labour or 12 hours prior to caesarean and 50 IU/kg antithrombin concentrate given. Thromboprophylaxis was restarted after delivery. Eighteen pregnancies in 11 women with antithrombin deficiency were identified. Seventeen pregnancies (94%) were successful. Median gestation was 39 weeks (range 30–41) and median birth-weight was 2,995 g (910–4,120 g),but 6/17 infants (35%) were small for gestational age (p=0.01). Estimated blood loss at delivery was median 375 ml (200–600 ml). Four pregnancies were complicated by VTE; one newly presented with a thrombotic event, two patients were not taking thromboprophylaxis and one occurred despite thromboprophylaxis. Two novel mutations(p.Leu317Ser and p.His33GInfsX32) are described. In conclusion, in antithrombin deficiency the use of low-molecular-weight heparin in pregnancy and puerperium with antithrombin concentrate predelivery was associated with successful pregnancy outcome; rates of VTE appear to be lower than previously reported, but remain elevated
Prostate-specific kallikrein-related peptidases and their relation to prostate cancer biology and detection
Authors: Thorek Daniel L. J. , Evans Michael J. , Carlsson Sigrid V. , Ulmert David , Lilja Hans
Published: August 2013

summary

Kallikreins are a family of serine proteases with a range of tissue-specific and essential proteolytic functions. Among the best studied are the prostate tissue-specific KLK2 and KLK3 genes and their secreted protease products, human kallikrein 2, hk2, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Members of the so-called classic kallikreins, these highly active trypsin-like serine proteases play established roles in human reproduction. Both hK2 and PSA expression is regulated by the androgen receptor which has a fundamental role in prostate tissue development and progression of disease. This feature, combined with the ability to sensitively detect different forms of these proteins in blood and biopsies, result in a crucially important biomarker for the presence and recurrence of cancer. Emerging evidence has begun to suggest a role for these kallikreins in critical vascular events. This review discusses the established and developing biological roles of hK2 and PSA, as well as the historical and advanced use of their detection to accurately and non-invasively detect and guide treatment of prostatic disease.
Historical Perspective on the Pathology of Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Jennings Robert B.
Published: August 2013

A selective history of the pathophysiological, structural, and metabolic changes found during an episode of severe myocardial ischemia in the canine heart is presented. The changes that cause ischemic injury to become irreversible are discussed in detail because these changes are the target of any successful therapy designed to prevent ischemic cell death. Of these, the disruption of the sarcolemma, an injury the development of which is accelerated in vivo by the contraction of viable tissue elsewhere in the heart traumatizing the ischemic area, plus the changes in high-energy phosphate and the total adenine nucleotide pool are considered to be the critical events leading to the development of irreversibility. The discovery of preconditioning with ischemia is discussed, together with a brief description of postconditioning. Finally, reperfusion injury is discussed in a summary fashion. The evidence for the fact that myocytes are salvaged by reperfusion is presented, as is the evidence that myocytes become unsalvageable by reperfusion as the duration of ischemia increases. The concept that some of the myocytes that die after successful reperfusion with arterial blood actually are killed by changes initiated by reperfusion, so-called lethal reperfusion injury, is attractive in that prevention of this change would lead to greater salvage; however, the prevalence of this phenomenon in clinical practice remains to be determined.
Does Rapid Auditory Stimulation Accelerate an Internal Pacemaker? Don’t Bet on It
Authors: Repp Bruno H. , Mendlowitz Hannah B. , Hove Michael J.
Published: July 2013

Several interesting studies in the literature have demonstrated that a temporal interval coinciding with or following a rapid sequence of auditory stimuli is subjectively lengthened relative to a baseline interval without such rapid auditory stimulation (RAS). It has also been found that an interval preceding RAS is subjectively shortened. These effects have been attributed to acceleration of an internal pacemaker by RAS. The present study used musically trained participants in two experiments, similar to some reported in the literature. In Experiment 1, rapid chromatic scales preceded, followed, or intervened between two empty intervals that had to be compared. In Experiment 2, a series of comparison intervals, each preceded by a series of rapidly repeated tones, had to be compared to a memorized standard interval. Neither experiment yielded any effects of RAS relative to a control condition without RAS. These negative results raise questions about the conditions under which RAS affects interval judgment, and whether pacemaker acceleration is the correct explanation for these effects when they do occur.
Time Estimates of Internet Surfing and Video Gaming
Authors: Bisson Nicolas , Grondin Simon
Published: July 2013

Time estimation researchers have long been interested in the effects exerted by the time estimation paradigms, the task’s target duration and the nature of the task on the precision and variability of time estimates. Only a few studies though have focused on how these results can be applied to daily life tasks. Hence, the present study aims at exploring these effects with two different tasks: surfing the Internet and playing a video game. Results show that the time estimation paradigms, target duration and task effects normally observed in short and simple tasks can be extended to daily life tasks. Of relevance, the video gaming task was significantly underestimated compared to the Internet surfing task. These findings are discussed in the light of the current time estimation literature.
Impaired Interval Timing and Spatial–Temporal Integration in Mice Deficient in CHL1, a Gene Associated with Schizophrenia
Authors: Buhusi Mona , Scripa Ioana , Williams Christina L. , Buhusi Catalin V.
Published: July 2013

Interval timing is crucial for decision-making and motor control and is impaired in many neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia — a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. Several gene mutations, polymorphisms or rare copy number variants have been associated with schizophrenia. L1 cell adhesion molecules (L1CAMs) are involved in neurodevelopmental processes, and in synaptic function and plasticity in the adult brain. Mice deficient in the Close Homolog to L1 (CHL1) adhesion molecule show alterations of hippocampal and thalamo-cortical neuroanatomy as well as deficits in sensorimotor gating and exploratory behavior. We analyzed interval timing and attentional control of temporal and spatial information in male CHL1 deficient (KO) mice and wild type (WT) controls. In a 20-s peak-interval timing procedure (standard and reversed), KO mice showed a maintained leftward shift of the response function relative to WT, indicative of a deficit in memory encoding/decoding. In trials with 2, 5, or 10-s gaps, KO mice shifted their peak times less than WT controls at longer gap durations, suggesting a decreased (attentional) effect of interruptions. In the spatial–temporal task, KO mice made more working and reference memory errors than controls, suggestive of impaired use of spatial and/or temporal information. When the duration spent on the central platform of the maze was manipulated, WT mice showed fewer spatial errors at the trained duration than at shorter or longer durations, indicative of discrimination based upon spatial–temporal integration. In contrast, performance was similar at all tested durations in KO mice, indicative of control by spatial cues, but not by temporal cues. These results suggest that CHL1 KO mice selectively attend to the more relevant cues of the task, and fail to integrate more complex spatial–temporal information, possibly as a result of reduced memory capacity related to hippocampal impairment, and altered temporal-integration mechanisms possibly due to thalamo-cortical anomalies.
Time, Emotion and the Embodiment of Timing
Authors: Droit-Volet Sylvie , Fayolle Sophie , Lamotte Mathilde , Gil Sandrine
Published: July 2013

The past few decades have seen an explosion in studies exploring the effects of emotion on time judgments. The aim of this review is to describe the results of these studies and to look at how they try to explain the time distortions produced by emotion. We begin by examining the findings on time judgments in affective disorders, which allow us to make a clear distinction between the feelings of time distortion that originate from introspection onto subjective personal experience, and the effects of emotion on the basic mechanisms involved in time perception. We then report the results of behavioral studies that have tested the effects of emotions on time perceptions and the temporal processing of different emotional stimuli (e.g. facial expressions, affective pictures or sounds). Finally, we describe our own studies of the embodiment of timing. Overall, the different results on time and emotion suggest that temporal distortions are an indicator of how our brain and body adapt to the dynamic structure of our environment.
Dopaminergic Modulation of Motor Timing in Healthy Volunteers Differs as a Function of Baseline DA Precursor Availability
Authors: Coull Jennifer T. , Hwang Hye J. , Leyton Marco , Dagher Alain
Published: July 2013

Although numerous experiments in patients and animals implicate the dopamine (DA) system in timing, there are relatively few studies examining this effect in healthy volunteers. Moreover, the majority of these studies employed tasks of perceptual timing. We therefore investigated the DA modulation of motor timing in healthy volunteers using Acute Phenylalanine/Tyrosine Depletion (APTD), an amino-acid drink that reduces concentrations of the DA precursors tyrosine and phenylalanine. We also examined how APTD’s effects on timing might differ as a function of underlying DA function, as indexed by baseline levels of DA precursors. 18 healthy volunteers performed a Mixed Temporal Reproduction task, in which reproduction of five different sample durations (500 ms–1500 ms) were tested within a single testing block. Reproduction times conformed to Vierordt’s Law, such that the shortest durations were overestimated and the longest ones underestimated. Yet contrary to reported effects in Parkinson’s disease, we found no DA modulation of this ‘migration’ effect in our healthy volunteers. Instead, APTD produced systematic shifts in reproduction time across all durations. However, the direction of the shift differed according to individual differences in baseline levels of DA precursor availability. Specifically, APTD slowed reproduction times in participants with low baseline DA precursor levels whereas it speeded them in participants with high baseline levels. These apparently paradoxical effects can be reconciled in terms of the inverted U-shaped relationship between DA function and cognition. Finally, APTD had no effect on a test of temporal production in which participants were asked to provide spontaneous estimates of a one-second time interval. The differential effect of APTD on the reproduction versus production tasks suggests DA modulates the magnitude of the duration initially encoded into working memory, rather than clock-speed.
Response Rates Are Governed More by Time Cues Than Contingency
Authors: Freestone David M. , MacInnis Mika L. M. , Church Russell M.
Published: July 2013

Classical conditioning is normally thought to strengthen associations between stimuli, and instrumental conditioning is thought to select responses. This difference has been used to account for the usual result that instrumental conditioning produces higher response rates than classical conditioning. The present experiment suggests that the comparison of instrumental and classical tasks has overlooked temporal cues that are often confounded with response contingency, and that the time cues exert a critical influence on response rate. When the two tasks are equated for temporal cues, the response rate of rats is similar in classical and instrumental tasks.
A review of the Central American and Caribbean species of the ant genus Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf, 1961 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a key to New World species
Authors: LONGINO JOHN T.
Published: July 2013

The ant genus Eurhopalothrix occurs throughout the Neotropics and Australasian tropics, where it is an inhabitant of forest leaf litter and soil. The New World species are reviewed, with an emphasis on the fauna of the MesoAmerican corridor and the Caribbean. Previously unappreciated characters of mandibular dentition and labrum shape vary dramatically among species and species groups. A total of 28 New World species are recognized, of which 14 are described as new. A key to workers of all New World species is provided. Eurhopalothrix procera is reported for the first time in the New World. The following new species are described: E. cimu Longino, sp. nov., E. circumcapillum Longino, sp. nov., E. guadeloupensis Longino, sp. nov., E. hunhau Longino, sp. nov., E. mabuya Longino, sp. nov., E. machaquila Longino, sp. nov., E. megalops Longino, sp. nov., E. ortizae Longino, sp. nov., E. oscillum Longino, sp. nov., E. semicapillum Longino, sp. nov., E. sepultura Longino, sp. nov., E. vulcan Longino, sp. nov., E. xibalba Longino, sp. nov., and E. zipacna Longino, sp. nov. Eurhopalothrix schmidti (Menozzi) is removed from synonymy with E. gravis (Mann).
One new species and a new record of the genus Chordodes (Nematomorpha: Gordiida) from North-East India
Authors: SCHMIDT-RHAESA ANDREAS , YADAV ARUN K.
Published: July 2013

Fifteen species of freshwater Nematomorpha have been described from India, five of which belong to the genus Chordodes. This paper describes one new species of horsehair worms (Nematomorpha): Chordodes lasuboni and a new record, C. moutoni from North-East India, which raises the total number of described species from India to 17. Chordodes lasuboni is characterized by a novel cuticular pattern in the head region and by the presence of slender, hooked thorn areoles on the body cuticle. Compared to the large size and ecological diversity of India, the nematomorph fauna is regarded as under-sampled and several new species are to be expected.
Krobia petitella, a new species of cichlid fish from the Berbice River in Guyana (Teleostei: Cichlidae)
Authors: STEELE SARAH E. , LIVERPOOL ELFORD , LÓPEZ-FERNÁNDEZ HERNÁN
Published: July 2013

Krobia petitella, new species, is described from the Berbice River drainage of northeastern Guyana. It is distinguished from all other described species of Krobia (K. guianensis Regan, K. itanyi Puyo and K. xinguensis Kullander) as well as the closely related ‘Aequidens’ potaroensis and ‘A’. paloemeuensis by tubed scales of the upper lateral line extending caudally into a line bisecting the lateral band blotches posterior to the mid-lateral spot. Krobia petitella n. sp. can be further diagnosed by the anterior lateral band spots lying immediately ventral to the upper lateral line, instead of being separated from the upper lateral line by a complete row of scales in all other species. Additionally, K. petitella n. sp. possesses a unique lateral coloration pattern formed by the combination of six vertical bars and four lateral band spots (vs. K. itanyi 5 bars/3 or 4 spots, K. guianensis 5/5, K. xinguensis 7/6, ‘Aequidens’ potaroensis 6/6, ‘A’. paloemeuensis 5/5). The presence of Krobia petitella n. sp. in reaches of the Berbice River drainage in the Upper Demerara–Berbice  region provides a novel locality for the genus in the Guianas and suggests the Berbice River has been isolated from the rest of nearby Guianese basins, particularly the Essequibo and the Corantijn.
The genus Macronemus Dejean, 1835 (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae): two new species, new records and a new synonymy
Authors: MACHADO VANESSA S. , MONNÉ MARCELA L.
Published: July 2013

The genus Macronemus Dejean, 1835 is redescribed and two new species are described: Macronemus mimus sp. nov. from Brazil (Bahia to Santa Catarina) and Argentina and Macronemus giuglarisi sp. nov. from French Guiana and Brazil (Amapá, Amazonas). M. verrucosus (Pascoe, 1866) is considered a new synonym of M. asperulus White, 1855. New distributional data and a key to the seven species of the genus are provided.
Redescription of Phalotris labiomaculatus (Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Elapomorphini), with notes on the taxonomic boundaries within the nasutus group
Authors: HAMDAN BRENO , DA SILVA NELSON JORGE JR , SILVA HELDER LUCIO RODRIGUES
Published: July 2013

Phalotris labiomaculatus Lema, 2002 was described based on a single specimen from Porto Franco, south of the Brazilian state of Maranhão, being rediscovered three years later in Mateiros, a municipality in the north of the state of Tocantins, attesting to its occurrence in the cerrado of both banks of the Tocantins River. The discovery of 28 new specimens from other localities during field expeditions (2009–2011) allowed a redescription of the species, adding new data on meristic and morpho-qualitative traits. These results enable a better diagnosis of intraspecific, ontogenetic and sexual variation, consolidating its taxonomic relationships with other species belonging to the nasutus group. The distribution map of P. labiomaculatus, as well as an identification key to the species of the natusus group, are provided. The type-locality is fixed to the municipality of Porto Franco, state of Maranhão.
Review of the species of Visiana Swinhoe from the Papua New Guinea region (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)
Authors: SCHMIDT OLGA
Published: July 2013

The genus Visiana Swinhoe which belongs to the subfamily Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is widely distributed within the Indo-Australian region. The present study is the first extensive review of historic Visiana specimens from the Papua New Guinea region deposited in the Natural History Museum (London, UK) and Australian National Insect Collection (Canberra, Australia). The species examined are as follows: V. hyperctenista (Prout) from the Bismarck Archipelago, V. vinosa (Warren) from the eastern part of Papua New Guinea, V. ranensis (Prout), stat. nov. from the Moluccas (Indonesia), and four newly described species V. horista, sp. nov. from Bougainville Island, V. grandivinosa sp. nov. from New Britain, V. variovinosa, sp. nov. from the eastern part of Papua New Guinea, and V. morobensis, sp. nov. from the Morobe province. The lectotype is designated for V. hyperctenista. Redescriptions of V. hyperctenista, V. vinosa and V. ranensis are provided, the four new species are described, figures of all seven species are shown. The species V. hyperctenista and V. horista are treated as a sister-group, the diagnostic characters are defined. A checklist of the known Papuan species of the genus Visiana is provided.
A new species of Lycengraulis Günther, 1868 (Clupeiformes: Engraulinae) from the Amazon basin, Brazil, with comments on Lycengraulis batesii (Günther, 1868)
Authors: LOEB MARINA VIANNA , ALCÂNTARA AYDA VERA
Published: July 2013

A new species of Lycengraulis from the Amazon basin is described. Lycengraulis figueiredoi can be distinguished from L. grossidens by a short upper maxilla, its posterior margin not reaching the lower maxilla joint (vs. upper maxilla longer, its posterior margin reaching to or a little past of mandible joint). Lycengraulis figueiredoi can be distinguished also from L. poeyi by 26 to 31 anal-fin rays (vs. 21 to 23 anal-fin rays) and by 44 to 46 vertebrae (vs. 42 vertebrae), and from L. batesii by having the anal-fin origin at vertical through base of second to fifth dorsal-fin ray (vs. anal-fin origin at vertical through base of sixth to 10th dorsal-fin ray) and by 17-21 gill rakers on the lower branch of first gill arch (vs. 12–15 gill rakers on the lower branch of first gill arch). The new species occurs in the rio Purus, Negro, Trombetas and Solimões, in the Amazon basin, Brazil.
Two new species and one new country record of Protaphorura Absolon, 1901 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from northeast China
Authors: SUN XIN , ZHANG BING , WU DONGHUI
Published: July 2013

One species new to China, Protaphorura bicampata (Gisin, 1956), and two new species, Protaphorura changbaiensis sp. nov. and Protaphorur minima sp. nov., are reported from northeast China. P. changbaiensis sp. nov. is similar to P. ajudagi and P. microcellata, but it can be distinguished from them by absence of a-pso on Th. II tergum. Protaphorura minima sp. nov. is chracterized by its male ventral organ on Abd. VI sternum. It can be separated from other species of the genus with the male ventral organ by the position of the male ventral organ and the dorsal pso formula.
Tersilochinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Costa Rica, part 2. Genera Megalochus gen. nov. and Stethantyx Townes
Authors: KHALAIM ANDREY I. , BROAD GAVIN R.
Published: July 2013

Two Costa Rican genera, Megalochus gen. nov. and Stethantyx Townes, are revised. These genera comprise a distinctive generic group that we refer to as the Stethantyx genus-group, veins Rs+2r and Rs angled more than 90°, vein 2rs-m and abscissa of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu not or very weakly thickened, hind wing with vein cu1&cu-a (nervellus) more or less vertical, and prepectal carina with upper end not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron, continuing above and backwards to the subtegular ridge. Both genera include medium sized to large species with body length 4.0 to 15.0 mm.           Megalochus comprises only the type species, M. grandis sp. nov., occurring in Costa Rica, Ecuador and southern Brazil. It is the largest representative of the subfamily, with a body length of 10.5 to 15.0 mm. Megalochus differs from Stethantyx, besides the larger body size, by the slenderer first metasomal segment, which is round in cross-section and lacking glymmae, propodeum and metapleuron with coarse rugae, and shortened antennae with strongly transverse flagellomeres.          Stethantyx is the dominant, most species-rich genus in the Costa Rican tersilochine fauna and probably in the Neotropical region. Twenty two species of this genus were discovered in Costa Rica, all are new: S. alajuela sp. nov., S. altamira sp. nov., S. aprica sp. nov., S. cacaoensis sp. nov., S. cartagoa sp. nov., S. cecilia sp. nov., S. curvator sp. nov., S. guanacasteca sp. nov., S. heredia sp. nov., S. limona sp. nov., S. mesoscutator sp. nov., S. niger sp. nov., S. nigrofemorata sp. nov., S. notaulator sp. nov., S. orosia sp. nov., S. osa sp. nov., S. propodeator sp. nov., S. pseudoorosia sp. nov., S. pseudoosa sp. nov., S. puntarenasa sp. nov., S. sanjosea sp. nov. and S. tenoriosa sp. nov.          A key for distinguishing the genera Megalochus and Stethantyx, and a key to 22 Costa Rican species of Stethantyx are provided.
The bee genus Colletes Latreille 1802 in Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae)
Authors: KUHLMANN MICHAEL , PAULY ALAIN
Published: July 2013

The Ethiopian species of the bee genus Colletes are revised and redescribed to facilitate their identification and future research. Colletes langano Kuhlmann sp. n., C. aethiopicus Kuhlmann sp. n. and C. senkelensis Kuhlmann sp. n. are described as new. The females of C. abessinicus Friese 1915 and C. microdontus Cockerell 1937 and the males of C. rothschildi Vachal 1909 and C. somereni Cockerell 1947 are described for the first time. Colletes rufitarsis Friese 1909 is removed from the list of Ethiopian species so currently a total of eight Colletes species are known from this country. A key is provided to facilitate species identification.
A new species of the genus Achaemenothrombium (Acari: Achaemenothrombiidae) from Iran
Authors: SABOORI ALIREZA , WOHLTMANN ANDREAS , HAKIMITABAR MASOUD , SHIRVANI ASGHAR
Published: August 2013

Achaemenothrombium dariusi Saboori, Wohltmann & Hakimitabar sp. nov. (Acari, Prostigmata: Trombidioidea) is described and illustrated from larvae ectoparasitic on Euxoa fallax (Eversmann) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Sirch and Cheshmeh Bondar, Kerman province, Iran. It is the third species of this genus, which is recorded only from Iran. The status of this small family is discussed and a key to species of Achaemenothrombium (larvae) is presented.
A new species of Dialeurolobus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from Protea nitida in South Africa
Authors: MILLAR I. M. , DOOLEY J. W.
Published: August 2013

Dialeurolobus proteae sp. nov. is described from Protea nitida (Proteaceae) in South Africa, and from specimens intercepted on protea plants imported into the U.S.A. from South Africa. Its affinities to the other species of Dialeurolobus are discussed, and a diagnostic key is provided to identify the species of this genus.
A Conservative Semi-Lagrangian Discontinuous Galerkin Scheme on the Cubed Sphere
Authors: Guo Wei , Nair Ramachandran D. , Qiu Jing-Mei
Published: August 2013

The discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods designed for hyperbolic problems arising from a wide range of applications are known to enjoy many computational advantages. DG methods coupled with strong-stability-preserving explicit Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) time discretizations provide a robust numerical approach suitable for geoscience applications including atmospheric modeling. However, a major drawback of the RKDG method is its stringent Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) stability restriction associated with explicit time stepping. To address this issue, the authors adopt a dimension-splitting approach where a semi-Lagrangian (SL) time-stepping strategy is combined with the DG method. The resulting SLDG scheme employs a sequence of 1D operations for solving multidimensional transport equations. The SLDG scheme is inherently conservative and has the option to incorporate a local positivity-preserving filter for tracers. A novel feature of the SLDG algorithm is that it can be used for multitracer transport for global models employing spectral-element grids, without using an additional finite-volume grid system. The quality of the proposed method is demonstrated via benchmark tests on Cartesian and cubed-sphere geometry, which employs nonorthogonal, curvilinear coordinates.
The effect of electronic ordering on pre-analytical errors in primary care
Authors: Turner Helen E , Deans Kevin A , Kite Austen , Croal Bernie L
Published: July 2013

Background

Pre-analytical variables are common across all laboratories and can negatively impact on patient care. The aim of this study was to review the impact of electronic requesting in Primary Care on the number of pre-analytical errors seen by the laboratory.

Method

Error data were reviewed during two six-month periods, pre- and post-implementation of Primary Care electronic requesting. The outcome measures related to: the correct information on the sample tube (patient name, unique patient ID number, date of collection); the correct sample received and the availability of a clinical history.

Results

There was a marked decrease in the number of pre-analytical errors following the introduction of electronic requesting (2764 pre-implementation vs. 498 post-implementation, P < 0.001). There was an improvement in the quality of information provided with each request in the forms of clinical history, date and time of sample collection.

Conclusions

The introduction of electronic requesting in Primary Care can reduce the number of pre-analytical errors and can improve the quality of information received with each request.
Effect of disperse dye on the preparation of poly(vinyl acetate)/poly(vinyl alcohol)/disperse dye composite microspheres
Authors: Yeum Jeong H , Park Sung M , Kim Jong W , Choi Jin H , Han Sang I , Oh Weontae , Cheong In W , Deng Yulin
Published: August 2013

Microspheres of poly(vinyl acetate)/poly(vinyl alcohol)/disperse dye composite were prepared through suspension polymerization followed by the heterogeneous saponification. The effects of disperse dye on the rate of polymerization and saponification of poly(vinyl acetate) were studied. It was found that the rate of polymerization of poly(vinyl acetate) decreased when the concentration of the disperse dye increased. Also, the rates of poly(vinyl acetate) saponification decreased dramatically by the addition of disperse dye. The presence of disperse dye has almost no effect on the microsphere morphology.
How Dynamic is the Private Sector? Job Creation and Insights from Workplace-Level Data
Authors: Butcher Bob , Bursnall Matt
Published: July 2013

Private sector employment rose by over a million in the past three years. Commentators often interpret this number – which is a net figure – as ‘job creation’. But how many jobs really are created each year, and conversely how many are lost? How has this changed with the downturn and what does it imply for the recovery?

This article uses findings from business and workplace-level data to map i) job creation and destruction over recent years, ii) its components in accounting terms, iii) the relative contribution by firms of different size and age, and iv) the reallocation of resource between firms and to workplaces within firms. There are four main points:

a)

Job churn far outweighs net change. Before the downturn, an average of 4.0 million jobs were created each year and a slightly smaller number lost (3.7m), resulting in a net increase of about 300,000 per year.

b)

Most job creation (over 70 per cent) is within existing firms; but within that, over a third comes from the creation of new workplaces set up within those firms.

c)

The net reduction in jobs in 2008–11 was not, in contrast to earlier recessions, due to higher rates of job loss; instead it reflects a sustained period of lower job creation in new workplaces, especially in SMEs (figure 1). This is consistent with ongoing credit constraints hitting SMEs particularly hard, as discussed in Armstrong et al. (2013), or could simply be in line with lack of confidence to invest at this time.

d)

Looking at the years 2008–11 individually, the downturn begins with reduced levels of entry, followed by a peak of job destruction in 2009 in line with reduced aggregate demand, and then a continuation of low levels of entry of new SMEs, and lower levels of destruction too (figure 2).
On Time, Stocks and Flows: Understanding the Global Macroeconomic Challenges
Authors: Borio Claudio
Published: July 2013

Five years after the financial crisis, the global economy remains unbalanced and many of the advanced countries are still struggling to return to robust, sustainable growth. Taking a historical perspective, I argue that this predicament reflects a failure to adjust to profound changes in the economic landscape, which have given rise to the (re-)emergence of major financial booms and busts. The economic developments that really matter now take much longer to unfold – economic time has slowed down relative to calendar time – and yet the planning horizons of economic agents have shortened. The key problems arise from the cumulative effects of past decisions on stocks, and yet these effects are treated as short-term flow issues. The risk is that instability will become entrenched in the system. Policy needs to adjust.
Credit Dynamics and Financial Globalisation
Authors: Lane Philip R.
Published: July 2013

This paper reviews the impact of financial globalisation on credit dynamics. In particular, it argues that financial globalisation fundamentally alters credit demand and credit supply, since borrowers and lenders have foreign options as well as domestic options in terms of the selection of projects and funding sources. The rapid accumulation of large cross-border debt positions was a central feature in the boom phase of the European credit cycle during 2003–8 and has influenced the nature of the post-2008 financial crisis. Finally, the paper considers the range of policy reforms needed to improve macro-financial stability under international financial integration.
Bank Financing for SMEs – Lessons from the Literature
Authors: Beck Thorsten
Published: July 2013

This paper surveys the recent literature on the relationship between SMEs, financial deepening and economic development. While a large SME sector is not associated with faster economic growth or poverty alleviation, financial deepening can have a pro-growth and pro-poor impact by alleviating SMEs’ financing constraints, enabling firm entry and entrepreneurship, and better resource allocation. It is important to differentiate between different segments of the SME population, most critically between subsistence micro entrepreneurs and transformational entrepreneurs. This paper also discusses the importance of market structure, competition and regulations for SMEs and their access to finance over the business cycle and during crises.
An Assessment of Bank Lending to UK SMEs in the wake of the crisis
Authors: Armstrong Angus , Davis E. Philip , Liadze Iana , Rienzo Cinzia
Published: July 2013

The availability of bank finance to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is important to allow SMEs to start up and finance investment for growth. To assess changes in such availability over 2001–12, we used data from a series of surveys that provide detailed information on the characteristics of a sample of UK SMEs, their owners and experiences of obtaining finance. Using econometric models, which included controls for SME characteristics and risk factors, indicators of changes in the provision of bank lending over the time period abstracting from borrower risk could be obtained. The results suggest ongoing restrictions on the availability of SME bank finance up to 2012 – which appear to have persisted into 2013. Further research using macro data shows an impact of economic uncertainty on such finance. If unresolved, these patterns could imply adverse effects on economic performance in the short and long term.
SME Financing Conditions in Europe: Credit Crunch or Fundamentals?
Authors: Holton Sarah , Lawless Martina , McCann Fergal
Published: July 2013

Cross-country divergence in credit availability to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has been a salient feature of the recent Euro Area economic crisis. This paper uses firm level and macroeconomic data to identify heterogeneity in SME credit conditions within the Euro Area since 2009. By taking account of differences in firm quality and in the risk-free interest rate, we use remaining residual differences in credit supply conditions to identify a ‘credit crunch’. We investigate whether macroeconomic conditions such as real economy growth and private sector leverage can explain these residual credit crunches, finding that banks respond to these factors when allocating credit to SMEs. The analysis allows identification of economies where credit conditions appear both unexpectedly restrictive and accommodative.
Automating the News
Authors: Beam Michael A.
Published: August 2013

This study investigates the impact of personalized news recommender system design on selective exposure, elaboration, and knowledge. Scholars have worried that proliferation of personalization technologies will degrade public opinion by isolating people from challenging perspectives. Informed by selective exposure research, this study examines personalized news recommender system designs using a communication mediation model. Recommender system design choices examined include computer-generated personalized recommendations, user-customized recommendations, and full or limited news information environments based on recommendations. Results from an online mock election experiment with Ohio adult Internet users indicate increased selective exposure when using personalized news systems. However, portals recommending news based on explicit user customization result in significantly higher counterattitudinal news exposure. Expected positive effects on elaboration and indirect effects on knowledge through elaboration are found only in personalized news recommender systems that display only recommended headlines. Lastly, personalized news recommender system use has a negative direct effect on knowledge.
The Impact of Exponential Growth Variables on Regression Models of the Market–Accounting Relation
Authors: Falta Michael , Willett Roger J.
Published: July 2013

Exponential growth of market value, book value, and earnings is a basic characteristic of many firms. We propose a simple theory linking market value to a multiplicative relation of accounting variables and a lognormal error term, when model variables exhibit this characteristic. Implications for the interpretation of estimated coefficients in commonly used additive linear models of the market–accounting relation in both levels and returns are discussed. We test the theory using a selected panel of 30 of some of the largest long-lived U.S. firms over a 50-year period. Annual cross-section and firm-specific dynamic models of market regressed on accounting values are estimated in levels. Multiplicative models of levels data produce markedly improved statistical specifications compared with additive forms. Lags are also shown to be necessary to produce well-specified dynamic models. A multiplicative returns model based on error correction principles is derived from the multiplicative levels model providing for a straightforward interpretation of the magnitude of coefficients relating market to accounting values. Estimates from deflated returns models are reinterpreted in the light of these results as approximations to estimates derived from multiplicative levels models.
The Impact of Corporate Governance and Earnings Management on Stock Market Liquidity in a Highly Concentrated Ownership Capital Market
Authors: Bar-Yosef Sasson , Prencipe Annalisa
Published: July 2013

We provide insights to the effects of corporate governance mechanisms and earnings management on market liquidity (measured by bid–ask spreads [B_As] and trading volume) in a setting characterized by highly concentrated noninstitutional ownership. First, we document that high noninstitutional ownership increases B_As and depresses trading volumes. Next, we show that volume of trade tends to be higher and B_A tends to be lower for firms with better corporate governance mechanisms (e.g., board independence and CEO–chairman separation) when there is high concentration of noninstitutional ownership. In contrast to prior findings, when controlling for corporate governance quality, B_As are unaffected by earnings management, while trading volume increases when earnings management is higher, presumably due to an increase in investor disagreement. Our results are robust to changes in the market trading system across the sample period.