bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease
Authors: Khan Maria , Naqvi Imama , Bansari Asha , Kamal Ayeesha Kamran
Published: July 2011

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is the most common proximate mechanism of ischemic stroke worldwide. Approximately half of those affected are Asians. For diagnosis of ICAD, intra-arterial angiography is the gold standard to identify extent of stenosis. However, noninvasive techniques including transcranial ultrasound and MRA are now emerging as reliable modalities to exclude moderate to severe (50%–99%) stenosis. Little is known about measures for primary prevention of the disease. In terms of secondary prevention of stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, aspirin continues to be the preferred antiplatelet agent although clopidogrel along with aspirin has shown promise in the acute phase. Among Asians, cilostazol has shown a favorable effect on symptomatic stenosis and is of benefit in terms of fewer bleeds. Moreover, aggressive risk factor management alone and in combination with dual antiplatelets been shown to be most effective in this group of patients. Interventional trials on intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis have so far only been carried out among Caucasians and have not yielded consistent results. Since the Asian population is known to be preferentially effected, focused trials need to be performed to establish treatment modalities that are most effective in this population.
Hypertension, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Renal Pathology in a Child with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome
Authors: Gordillo Roberto , Del Rio Marcela , Thomas David B. , Flynn Joseph T. , Woroniecki Robert P.
Published: July 2011

We report a child with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS) and chronic kidney disease (stage II) with histological diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). A 15-year-old male of Puerto Rico ancestry with history of HPS, hypertension (HTN), asthma, obesity, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage II presented with new-onset proteinuria without edema. His blood pressure had been controlled, serum creatinine had been 0.9–1.4 mg/dL, and first morning urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPC) ranged from 0.2 to 0.38. Due to persistent nonorthostatic proteinuria with CKD, renal biopsy was performed and FSGS (not otherwise specified) with chronic diffuse tubulopathy (tubular cytoplasmic droplets) and acute tubular injury was reported. Ceroid-like material is known to infiltrate tissues (i.e., lungs, colon, and kidney) in HPS, but the reason for the renal insufficiency is unknown. Nonspecific kidney disease and in one adult case IgA nephropathy with ANCA-positive glomerulonephritis have previously been reported in patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. To our knowledge, we report the first pediatric renal pathology case of HPS associated with CKD. This paper discusses presentation and management of renal disease in HPS.
Improved Survival with the Patients with Variceal Bleed
Authors: Sharma Praveen , Sarin Shiv K.
Published: July 2011

Variceal hemorrhage is a major cause of death in patients with cirrhosis. Over the past two decades new treatment modalities have been introduced in the management of acute variceal bleeding (AVB) and several recent studies have suggested that the outcome of patients with cirrhosis and AVB has improved. Improved supportive measures, combination therapy which include early use of portal pressure reducing drugs with low rates of adverse effects (somatostatin, octerotide or terlipressin) and endoscopic variceal ligation has become the first line treatment in the management of AVB. Short-term antibiotic prophylaxis, early use of lactulose for prevention of hepatic encephalopathy, application of early transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunts (TIPS), fully covered self-expandable metallic stent in patients for AVB may be useful in those cases where balloon tamponade is considered. Early and wide availability of liver transplantation has changed the armamentarium of the clinician for patients with AVB. High hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) >20 mmHg in AVB has become a useful predictor of outcomes and more aggressive therapies with early TIPS based on HVPG measurement may be the treatment of choice to reduce mortality further.
Role of TIPS in Improving Survival of Patients with Decompensated Liver Disease
Authors: Punamiya Sundeep J. , Amarapurkar Deepak N.
Published: July 2011

Liver cirrhosis is associated with higher morbidity and reduced survival with appearance of portal hypertension and resultant decompensation. Portal decompression plays a key role in improving survival in these patients. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts are known to be efficacious in reducing portal venous pressure and control of complications such as variceal bleeding and ascites. However, they have been associated with significant problems such as poor shunt durability, increased encephalopathy, and unchanged survival when compared with conservative treatment options. The last decade has seen a significant improvement in these complications, with introduction of covered stents, better selection of patients, and clearer understanding of procedural end-points. Use of TIPS early in the period of decompensation also appears promising in further improvement of survival of cirrhotic patients.
Thyroid Hormone Receptors in Two Model Species for Vertebrate Embryonic Development: Chicken and Zebrafish
Authors: Darras Veerle M. , Van Herck Stijn L. J. , Heijlen Marjolein , De Groef Bert
Published: July 2011

Chicken and zebrafish are two model species regularly used to study the role of thyroid hormones in vertebrate development. Similar to mammals, chickens have one thyroid hormone receptorα(TRα) and one TRβgene, giving rise to three TR isoforms: TRα, TRβ2, and TRβ0, the latter with a very short amino-terminal domain. Zebrafish also have one TRβgene, providing two TRβ1 variants. The zebrafish TRαgene has been duplicated, and at least three TRαisoforms are expressed: TRαA1-2 and TRαB are very similar, while TRαA1 has a longer carboxy-terminal ligand-binding domain. All these TR isoforms appear to be functional, ligand-binding receptors. As in other vertebrates, the different chicken and zebrafish TR isoforms have a divergent spatiotemporal expression pattern, suggesting that they also have distinct functions. Several isoforms are expressed from the very first stages of embryonic development and early chicken and zebrafish embryos respond to thyroid hormone treatment with changes in gene expression. Future studies in knockdown and mutant animals should allow us to link the different TR isoforms to specific processes in embryonic development.
The Involvement of Neuroinflammation and Kynurenine Pathway in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Zinger Anna , Barcia Carlos , Herrero Maria Trinidad , Guillemin Gilles J.
Published: July 2011

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterised by loss of dopaminergic neurons and localized neuroinflammation occurring in the midbrain several years before the actual onset of symptoms. Activated microglia themselves release a large number of inflammatory mediators thus perpetuating neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. The Kynurenine pathway (KP), the main catabolic pathway for tryptophan, is one of the major regulators of the immune response and may also be implicated in the inflammatory response in parkinsonism. The KP generates several neuroactive compounds and therefore has either a neurotoxic or neuroprotective effect. Several of these molecules produced by microglia can activate the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-signalling pathway, leading to an excitotoxic response. Previous studies have shown that NMDA antagonists can ease symptoms and exert a neuroprotective effect in PD bothin vivoandin vitro. There are to date several lines of evidence linking some of the KP intermediates and the neuropathogenesis of PD. Moreover, it is likely that pharmacological modulation of the KP will represent a new therapeutic strategy for PD.
Multihost Tuberculosis: Insights from the Portuguese Control Program
Authors: Cunha Mónica V. , Monteiro Madalena , Carvalho Paulo , Mendonça Paula , Albuquerque Teresa , Botelho Ana
Published: July 2011

This paper describes the current situation of animal tuberculosis in Portugal, reviewing the accomplishments and constraints of the 2001–2009 period. Notwithstanding the substantial progress achieved with the implementation of a comprehensive test and cull scheme, notification, postmortem inspection and surveillance at slaughterhouses, herd and animal prevalence have unexpectedly increased in 2009. In parallel, the recent awareness of tuberculosis in local free-ranging wildlife species causes concern regarding the final steps towards eradication, demanding new approaches to the existing disease control policies.
A Brief Review on Diagnosis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease of Livestock: Conventional to Molecular Tools
Authors: Longjam Neeta , Deb Rajib , Sarmah A. K. , Tayo Tilling , Awachat V. B. , Saxena V. K.
Published: July 2011

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the highly contagious diseases of domestic animals. Effective control of this disease needs sensitive, specific, and quick diagnostic tools at each tier of control strategy. In this paper we have outlined various diagnostic approaches from old to new generation in a nutshell. Presently FMD diagnosis is being carried out using techniques such as Virus Isolation (VI), Sandwich-ELISA (S-ELISA), Liquid-Phase Blocking ELISA (LPBE), Multiplex-PCR (m-PCR), and indirect ELISA (DIVA), and real time-PCR can be used for detection of antibody against nonstructural proteins. Nucleotide sequencing for serotyping, microarray as well as recombinant antigen-based detection, biosensor, phage display, and nucleic-acid-based diagnostic are on the way for rapid and specific detection of FMDV. Various pen side tests, namely, lateral flow, RT-LAMP, Immunostrip tests, and so forth. are also developed for detection of the virus in field condition.
A comprehensive, holistic people integration process for mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Steynberg Rina P. , Veldsman Theo H.
Published: July 2011

Orientation: Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) are a frequent, alternative strategic growth option to organic growth for organisations. The failure rate of mergers and acquisitions is alarmingly high (70% plus failures). The people factor is seen as one of the main contributors to this failure.Research purpose: To develop and validate a comprehensive, holistic model for the people integration process during mergers and acquisitions.Motivation for the study: The literature on a comprehensive, holistic people integration process for mergers and acquisitions is sparse and fragmented.Research design, approach and method: A qualitative approach was adopted consisting of a three step process which solicited the views of seasoned M&A Practioners; these views were compared against the available literature. Finally, practioners were asked to critique the final model from a practice perspective. The utility of the final model was assessed against two mergers and acquisitions case studies.Main findings: A comprehensive, holistic people integration process model for mergers and acquisitions was developed and validated. However, this model will only significantly enhance mergers and acquisitions value realisation if it is applied from the appropriate vantage point.Practical/managerial implications: The proposed approach will increase the probability of a successful M&A people-wise and M&A value realisation.Contribution/value add: Theoretically, the development and validation of a M&A people process integration model; practically, guidelines for successful people integration; organisationally, significantly enhancing the chances of M&A success; and community wise, the reduction of the negative effects of M&A failure on communities.
The efficiency and quality dilemma: What drives South African call centre management performance indicators?
Authors: Banks Diane , Roodt Gert
Published: July 2011

Orientation: Call centres have become principal channels of communication with customers. Therefore, companies attempt to reduce costs and improve the quality of their interactions with customers simultaneously. These objectives are often conflicting and call centre managers struggle to balance the efficiency and quality priorities of the business.Research purpose: This study explored the key performance indicators that drive management practices in the South African call centre industry in the context of the dilemma between efficiency and quality.Motivation for the study: The South African government has identified call centres as a method of creating jobs and foreign investment. Management practices affect centres’ performance. Understanding these practices will help to achieve these aims.Research design: The researchers used a web-based questionnaire in a survey with South African call centre managers in more than 44 different organisations that represented nine industry sectors.Main findings: This study indicated that the dilemma between efficiency and quality is prevalent in South African call centres and that efficiency key performance indicators drive management practices.Practical/managerial implications: The inconsistencies the study reported mean that South African organisations should assess the alignment between their organisational visions, the strategic intentions of their call centres and the performance measures they use to assess their call centre managers.Contribution/value-add: This study adds to the relatively small amount of empirical research available on the call centre industry in South Africa. It contributes to the industry’s attempt to position itself favourably for local and international outsourcing opportunities.
Cities of God in northern Asia minor: Using Stark's social theories to reconstruct Peter's communities
Authors: Wilson Mark W.
Published: July 2011

This article used seven hypotheses from R. Stark�s Cities of God (2007) as a heuristic tool toinvestigate the rise of Christianity in the five Roman provinces mentioned in 1 Peter 1:1. It affirmed that the Christian communities in these provinces were located in an urban, not rural, setting. Building on the research of Hort and Hemer, seven major cities in these provinces were proposed to test Stark�s hypotheses with. These cities are Sinope and Amisus in Pontus, Ancyra in Galatia, Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, Dorylaeum in Asia and Nicea and Nicomedia in Bithynia. An important factor noted in several of these cities was their prominence as a commercial seaport and the presence of a Diaspora Jewish community. Utilising this methodological approach helped to elucidate more fully the audience of 1 Peter�s geographic and historical background.
Gender representation in Christian book covers: A case study
Authors: Viljoen Stella , Koenig-Visagie Leandra
Published: July 2011

In this article, we described how gender is represented on two Christian book covers by popular author, John Eldredge, namely Wild at Heart. Discovering the Secret to a Man�s Soul (2001) and Captivating. Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman�s Soul (2005). Through semiotic visual analysis, we explored how the active male�passive female opposition functions on these covers. This opposition is constructed by visually associating the male figure on the cover of Wild at Heart with active outdoor adventurism and the female figure on Captivating with passive situatedness in nature. The titles of the two books also contribute to positioning the male as active and the female as passive. We further investigated how certain myths are created on these covers in support of an active male�passive female opposition and its underlying ideologies. The cover of Wild at Heart creates and also taps into the colonial myth of conquest. The cover of Captivating creates and taps into the myth of the fairytale and visually represents the female figure in a whimsical manner, thus constructing her as a representation of the spiritual or divine. The article questioned the role this information design plays in prescribing the expectations of gendered identity.
Reactive processing of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in aqueous aerosol mimics: surface tension depression and secondary organic products
Authors: Li Z. , Schwier A. N. , Sareen N. , McNeill V. F.
Published: July 2011

Abstract. The reactive uptake of carbonyl-containing volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) by aqueous atmospheric aerosols is a likely source of particulate organic material. The aqueous-phase secondary organic products of some cVOCs are surface-active. Therefore, cVOC uptake can lead to organic film formation at the gas-aerosol interface and changes in aerosol surface tension. We examined the chemical reactions of two abundant cVOCs, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, in water and aqueous ammonium sulfate (AS) solutions mimicking tropospheric aerosols. Secondary organic products were identified using Aerosol Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry (Aerosol-CIMS), and changes in surface tension were monitored using pendant drop tensiometry. Hemiacetal oligomers and aldol condensation products were identified using Aerosol-CIMS. A hemiacetal sulfate ester was tentatively identified in the formaldehyde-AS system. Acetaldehyde depresses surface tension to 65(±2) dyn cm−1 in pure water and 62(±1) dyn cm−1 in AS solutions. Surface tension depression by formaldehyde in pure water is negligible; in AS solutions, a 9 % reduction in surface tension is observed. Mixtures of these species were also studied in combination with methylglyoxal in order to evaluate the influence of cross-reactions on surface tension depression and product formation in these systems. We find that surface tension depression in the solutions containing mixed cVOCs exceeds that predicted by an additive model based on the single-species isotherms.
Narrative Identity against Biographical Illusion: The Shift in Sociology from Bourdieu to Ricœur
Authors: Truc Gérôme
Published: July 2011

Since the publication of Oneself as Another, many sociologists have referred to the work of Paul Ricœur, some of them considering his notion of narrative identity to be a useful means of analyzing some aspects individual identity left unresolved by Bourdieu’s notion of habitus. Bourdieu had, however, already discredited the sociological relevance of the notion of narrative in his 1986 article “The Biographical Illusion.” Through a careful re-reading of both texts, this article will determine to what extent the sociological use of Ricœur’s notions can escape the confines of Bourdieu’s analysis and, moreover, the different conceptions of the human being and of ethics underlying the two distinct frameworks of analysis.
Reconnaissance, critique sociale et politique: Entretien de Gonçalo Marcelo avec Emmanuel Renault
Authors: Marcelo Gonçalo , Renault Emmanuel
Published: July 2011

Au cours de cet entretien, Emmanuel Renault nous offre un aperçu de la manière dont la thématique de la reconnaissance est traitée en France aujourd’hui, notamment à travers le renouveau des études sur Hegel et Marx. Il explique la façon dont la reconnaissance a pu s’ériger en paradigme (en dépit de ses usages multiples et variés en France comme ailleurs), au cours de la dernière décennie et le rôle joué par Axel Honneth dans ce procès. Finalement, il explicite sa manière d’envisager la pratique de la philosophie politique et son projet d’une critique du capitalisme. Emmanuel Renault nous livre également un commentaire critique mais constructif sur la manière dont Paul Ricœur envisage la reconnaissance et suggère quelques pistes concernant les possibles développements futurs des usages de la reconnaissance.
DC Conduction and Switching Mechanisms in Electroformed Al/ZnTe:V/Cu Devices at Atmospheric Pressure
Authors: Hossain M. S. , Islam R. , Khan K. A.
Published: July 2011

Vanadium-doped zinc telluride (ZnTe:V) thin film sandwiched by two different metal electrodes, that is, Al/ZnTe:V/Cu structure, was deposited onto the glass substrate by e-beam deposition technique in vacuum at a pressure of ~8 × 10−4 Pa. The deposition rate of the film was maintained at 2.052 nms−1. Circulation current was measured through this device as a function of potential difference applied across the structure. The Al/ZnTe:V/Cu structures exhibit memory switching characteristics at atmospheric pressure in room temperature. Switching characteristics of deposited Al/ZnTe:V/Cu structure as a memory device have been investigated in detail for various vanadium compositions, thicknesses of ZnTe:V films as well as various film temperatures, respectively. In all cases, it is seen that the metal/insulator/metal (Al/ZnTe:V/Cu) structures based on ZnTe:V can undergo an electroforming process and exhibit voltage-controlled negative resistance (VCNR) or a new switching process. It is also observed that the electric field, temperature, thickness, and dopant composition have important role in the switching characteristics. Switching characteristics have been interpreted by using a filamentary model. The switching effects of Al/ZnTe:V/Cu device may have important applications in the energy-oriented devices.
Levels-of-Processing Effects on “Remember” Responses in Recognition for Familiar and Unfamiliar Tunes
Authors: Mungan Esra , Peynirvioglu Zehra F. , Halpern Andrea R.
Published: July 2011

We investigated the effect of level-of-processing manipulations on “remember” and “know” responses in episodic melody recognition (Experiments 1 and 2) and how this effect is modulated by item familiarity (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, participants performed 2 conceptual and 2 perceptual orienting tasks while listening to familiar melodies: judging the mood, continuing the tune, tracing the pitch contour, and counting long notes. The conceptual mood task led to higher d’ rates for “remember” but not “know” responses. In Experiment 2, participants either judged the mood or counted long notes of tunes with high and low familiarity. A level-of-processing effect emerged again in participants’ “remember” d’ rates regardless of melody familiarity. Results are discussed within the distinctive processing framework.
A Systemic Model of Doping Behavior
Authors: Johnson Michael B.
Published: July 2011

Human behavior occurs within a system, and as such, so do behaviors in performance-related domains (e.g., athletics, academics). Doping is a performance enhancement behavior that can be problematic because of the negative physical and psychological effects associated with the use of some substances and the common argument that doping is unfair. However, doping continues and may be increasing. Because a firm theoretical or empirical understanding of doping does not exist, this article proposes a conceptual, comprehensive, and innovative systemic model of doping behavior. The model is built from relevant empiricism supporting the idea that contemporary doping behavior is a function of systemic transactions between historical doping practices, the present environment, current antidoping interventions, one’s genetic makeup, developmental milestones, social factors, and epigenetics.
On the Left Hand of Time
Authors: Hancock P.A.
Published: July 2011

The present experiment examined the effects of sex and handedness on the perception of brief intervals up to 20 s in duration. In order to obtain participants with sufficiently high scores on a scale of handedness, we screened 1,276 people; the process yielded 16 men and 16 women eligible for testing. In an empty production procedure, each person estimated 4 intervals of 1, 3, 7, and 20 s, respectively, using both their preferred and nonpreferred hands to provide recorded responses. The order of presentation was randomized across participants but yoked across the sexes in each of the respective handedness subgroups. Results indicated significant effects for handedness in conjunction with the hand used to make the respective response. The pattern of these interactive effects differed between male and female participants, however. These results are discussed in terms of a hemispheric account of interval timing control and potential sex difference in hemispheric specialization.
White Womanhood, Property Rights, and the Campaign for Choreographic Copyright: Loïe Fuller's Serpentine Dance
Authors: Kraut Anthea
Published: July 2011

In 1892 Loïe Fuller, often figured as one of the “mothers” of modern dance, brought an infringement suit in New York against a chorus girl named Minnie Renwood Bemis in an attempt to enjoin Bemis from performing a version of the Serpentine Dance, which Fuller claimed to have invented. The dance, distinctive for its use of yards of illuminated silk fabric, made the American-born Fuller famous in Europe and spawned a host of imitators on both sides of the Atlantic.

Intent on staking her proprietary claim on the dance, Fuller took the precaution of submitting a written description of it to the U. S. Copyright Office. Ultimately, however, the judge for the U.S. Circuit Court denied Fuller's request for an injunction on the grounds that the Serpentine Dance told no story and was therefore not eligible for copyright protection. Although Fuller clearly regarded her expressive output as intellectual property, dance at the time lacked legal recognition as a copyrightable category in its own right and merited protection only if it qualified as a “dramatic” or “dramatico-musical composition.”
Canada’s Commercial Seal Hunt: It’s More Than a Question of Humane Killing
Authors: Lavigne David M. , Lynn William S.
Published: July 2011

Canada’s commercial seal hunt has been the subject of controversy for over 40 years. Much of the debate has centered on the question of humane killing. The reality, however, is that debates about commercial sealing are political debates involving conflicting values and ethics. We argue that the time has come for conservationists, scientists, managers of free-living animals, bureaucrats, politicians, and society at large to think beyond populations and ecosystems and consider also the well-being of individual, sentient animals. The fundamental question then becomes, “Can commercial seal hunts be morally justified in the twenty-first century?”
Miceli’s Method of Internal, External, and Mediated Levels: Elements for the Definition of a Film-Musical Dramaturgy
Authors: Miceli Sergio
Published: July 2011

Most systems for locating music within a film’s dramaturgy have been formulated by and for musicologists or cinema studies specialists. The present translated excerpt from chapter 4 of Ennio Morricone and Sergio Miceli’s book Composing for the Cinema (2001) is aimed at composers. It postulates three levels or points of view for understanding the position and function of the music within a film, internal, external and mediated, and gives many complex examples. Particularly the mediated level is an original contribution to the discourse on this subject. In addition, the excerpt includes a breathtakingly insightful short essay by Pier Paolo Pasolini about the purpose and function of film music.

The editors wish to thank the Film Music Foundation for making possible the translation of the Miceli article.
¡Un Forastero! Issues of Virtuality and Diegesis in Videogame Music
Authors: van Elferen Isabella
Published: July 2011

This essay investigates the role that music plays in videogame virtuality and diegesis. An evaluation of diegetic and nondiegetic levels in game music raises questions regarding the involvement of extradiegetic surroundings and embodiment in the process of gaming. Music, it will be argued, supradiegetically expands the magic circle of videogaming into the real-life surroundings of the player. In this way, it underlines the potentially uncanny dimension of videogaming.
Environmental Communication and Visual Pollution in the Nigerian City of Port Harcourt: Implications for Design Education and City Planning
Authors: Emeji Michael J.
Published: July 2011

This essay examines the relations between the environment and human-made communications, and their significance to the aesthetic life of a given people. The report considers Nigerian sign-writers, who are indigenous local advertising practitioners trained under a traditional Nigerian apprenticeship system. A pilot study of signwriters’ signs in the city of Port Harcourt was conducted to further examine and problematize this form of communication. The results of this study suggest that pollution in an oil and gas city such as Port Harcourt cannot be limited only to pollutants such as noise, oil spills, urban blight, gas flares, and plumes of smoke (which were excluded from this study). Rather, the visual communication systems created by Nigerian sign-writers have also been identified and classified as environmental visual pollution in Port Harcourt. It is argued here that specific abuses by this form of visual pollution degrade environmental visual order. The essay concludes that, in order to remediate the current tend toward visual pollution in Port Harcourt, environmental design educators should work with and educate cultural planners, city planners, architects, and engineers to enhance the visual aesthetic quality of the built environment in Nigerian cities.
Landscape-Scale Conservation Planning of the Ewaso Nyiro: A Model for Land Use Planning in Kenya?
Authors: Didier Karl A. , Cotterill Alayne , Douglas-Hamilton Iain , Frank Laurence , Georgiadis Nicholas J. , Graham Max , Ihwagi Festus , King Juliet , Malleret-King Delphine , Rubenstein Dan , Wilkie David , Woodroffe Rosie
Published: July 2011

The unique wildlife of the Ewaso Nyiro and valuable services that the ecosystem provides for humans (e.g., clean water and productive grasslands) cannot be conserved by working solely on traditional conservation strongholds such as the national reserves and private ranches of central Laikipia. To reach objectives for conserving wildlife, stakeholders must work to preserve wildlife habitat and corridors in the surrounding human-dominated landscape—a daunting task considering the complexity of working at large spatial scales (e.g., many landowners, competing land uses) and limited conservation resources available. Systematic, landscape-scale conservation planning helps stakeholders set meaningful and transparent objectives, identify where to work to meet those objectives, and prioritize areas for immediate investment. We describe results and implications of an initial landscape-scale planning exercise for the Ewaso Nyiro that culminated in a workshop in January 2006. Forty participants selected nine focal features, set quantitative objectives for four of them (elephants, Grevy’s zebra, lions, wild dogs), and set spatial conservation priorities for the entire landscape on the basis of complementary needs of critical species. The modest objectives for these species (e.g., maintaining a population of 300 wild dogs) cannot be met by conservation focused solely on traditional strongholds. The exercise indicated that nearly 84% of the landscape needs conservation investment, and it identified three near-term priorities: (1) maintain current investments in conservation strongholds, (2) increase investment to secure the narrow corridor between Samburu and Laikipia Districts, and (3) increase investment to secure portions of Samburu District, including the Matthews Range. The results we describe represent the initiation of a land use planning process that, if continued, can help meet both biodiversity and livelihood development objectives. We recommend this process be carried forward in the Ewaso Nyiro and then in similar ecosystems in Kenya and eastern Africa.
Pathways for Positive Cattle–Wildlife Interactions in Semiarid Rangelands
Authors: Augustine David J. , Veblen Kari E. , Goheen Jacob R. , Riginos Corinna , Young Truman P.
Published: July 2011

Livestock-wildlife interactions in rangelands are often viewed in terms of competition, but livestock and native ungulates can also benefit each other through longterm modifications of rangeland habitats. Here we synthesize research on rangelands in central Laikipia focusing on two types of cattle-wildlife interactions that have implications for their long-term coexistence. The first interaction occurs via redistribution of soil nutrients within the ecosystem, which is a consequence of the use of bomas (temporary corrals) to manage livestock. Our studies on two different soil types show that rotational boma management creates hectare-scale patches in the landscape that are enriched in soil and plant nutrients and persist for decades to centuries. In both of the predominant soil types in Laikipia, forage phosphorus content is low relative to ungulate demands during peak lactation. Nutrient-rich boma sites (hereafter referred to as glades) provide a key wet-season forage resource of nutritional sufficiency for lactation. Our studies further show that a wide range of native ungulates selectively use glades relative to surrounding nutrient-poor habitats. Impala (Aepyceros melampus) in particular show intensive use of glades on sandy soils and are rare in portions of the landscape lacking glades. A second important pathway for cattle-wildlife interaction occurs through the influence of native browsing ungulates on woody vegetation. Shrub and tree cover has been increasing in Laikipia over the past century, followed by increases in native browsers in recent decades on ranches where wildlife are allowed to coexist with cattle. Our exclosure experiments in central Laikipia indicate that native browsers suppress shrub encroachment on both dominant soil types. However, the strength of browser effects are three to seven times greater on sandy soils, where two browsers, dik-dik and elephants, are both abundant, compared to heavy clay soils, where elephants are the only dominant browser. In the clay soils, native browsers still exert a significant influence on dynamics of the dominant tree, Acacia drepanolobium, and suppress encroachment by subdominant shrub species. Browser effects on woody vegetation likely enhance forage production for cattle and maintain open habitats favored by native grazers for predator avoidance. Taken together, our studies indicate that boma rotation and browser control of shrub encroachment are key interaction pathways that promote cattle-wildlife coexistence in the Ewaso ecosystem.
Prospective study of self‐reported pain, radiographic osteoarthritis, sarcopenia progression, and falls risk in community‐dwelling older adults
Authors: Scott David , Blizzard Leigh , Fell James , Jones Graeme
Published: July 2011

Objective

To examine the potential role of self‐reported joint pain, stiffness, and dysfunction, and radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA), in sarcopenia progression and falls risk in older adults.

Methods

Seven hundred nine older adults (50% women, mean ± SD age 62 ± 7 years) were examined at baseline and followup (mean ± SD 2.6 ± 0.4 years). ROA was assessed using the Altman atlas, and pain at 7 anatomic sites was self‐reported. Dual x‐ray absorptiometry assessed leg lean mass, dynamometry assessed knee extension and whole leg strength, leg muscle quality (LMQ) was calculated as whole leg strength relative to leg lean mass, and the Physiological Profile Assessment assessed falls risk.

Results

In women only, baseline knee pain predicted a greater decline in knee extension strength, whole leg strength, and LMQ, and a greater increase in falls risk. Severe knee pain, stiffness, and dysfunction predicted greater declines in knee extension strength and increases in falls risk (all P < 0.05). Hip pain also predicted a greater decline in knee extension strength (−1.53 kg; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] −2.95, −0.11). No associations were observed between pain and sarcopenia indicators in men. Somewhat surprisingly, higher baseline total knee ROA score predicted a greater increase in mean leg lean mass (0.05 kg; 95% CI 0.02, 0.08) in both sexes. A path analysis demonstrated that knee ROA may contribute to declines in LMQ in women, through increases in pain, stiffness, and dysfunction.

Conclusion

Knee and hip pain may directly contribute to the progression of sarcopenia and increased falls risk in older women.
Cobalt‐Catalyzed Carbon‐Carbon Bond Formation: Synthesis and Applications of Enantiopure Pyrrolidine Derivatives[1]
Authors: Hsu Shih‐Fan , Ko Chih‐Wei , Wu Yao‐Ting
Published: July 2011

In the presence of cobalt catalysts and tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), the iodine atom in (S)‐2‐(iodomethyl)pyrrolidines was replaced by an aryl or an alkynyl group from the corresponding Grignard reagent, and the coupling products were obtained in good to excellent yields (16 examples; 75–94% yields). The scope and limitations of this protocol were examined. The stereochemistry of the pyrrolidines was unaffected by the reaction conditions. The coupling products are important building blocks of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids. Palladium‐catalyzed formal [4+2] cycloaddition of 2,2′‐diiodobiphenyl with the thus‐generated (S)‐2‐(3‐trimethylsilyl‐2‐propynyl)pyrrolidine gave a good yield of the desilylated phenanthrene, which was then converted into unnatural (+)‐(S)‐tylophorine by the Pictet–Spengler cyclization.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed Aerobic Coupling between Aldehydes and Arenesulfinic Acid Salts: A Novel Synthesis of Aryl Ketones
Authors: Rao Honghua , Yang Luo , Shuai Qi , Li Chao‐Jun
Published: July 2011

A novel rhodium‐catalyzed desulfinative coupling between aldehydes and arenesulfinic acid sodium salts was developed, generating a new protocol for the synthesis of aryl ketones. Most importantly, the coupling reaction uses molecular oxygen (O2) as the oxidant and finally releases sodium hydrogen sulfate (NaHSO4) from the reaction system; furthermore, this reaction occurs without the need for any additives.
Palladium/Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed α‐Allylation of Aldehydes with Allylic Alcohols
Authors: Jiang Gaoxi , List Benjamin
Published: July 2011

A simple, highly efficient, and readily scalable direct α‐allylation of aldehydes with allylic alcohols that is co‐catalyzed by palladium and a Brønsted acid has been developed.
A new process for Al2O3 production from low‐grade diasporic bauxite based on reactive silica dissolution and stabilization in NaOH‐NaAl(OH)4 media
Authors: Ma Jiayu , Li Zhibao , Xiao Qinggui
Published: July 2011

A new process of Al2O3 production from low‐grade diasporic bauxite based on the reactive silica dissolution and stabilization in concentrated NaOH‐NaAl(OH)4 solutions is proposed and proved feasible. NaOH and Al2O3 concentrations and leaching temperature were found to be the main factors affecting the leaching process of reactive silica. The A/S (mass ratio of Al2O3/SiO2) of diasporic bauxite was enhanced from 5.4 to 15 by reactive silica removal under the optimum operation conditions. Two obvious steps control the whole leaching process of reactive silica in NaOH‐NaAl(OH)4 media: reactive silica dissolution and desilication products (DSPs) precipitation. The kinetics data of two controlling steps fit a shrinking core model based on the calculation of OH− activity with the aid of OLI platform and an empirical kinetic model well, respectively. Apparent activation energies of reactive silica leaching in the temperature range from 80 to 110 °C are 101.91 and 58.65 kJ mol−1 for the two steps, respectively. The stabilization mechanism of reactive silica in concentrated NaOH‐NaAl(OH)4 solution was also elucidated based on the complexation of aluminum‐bearing species and the calculation of supersaturation to DSP. It was found that the concentration of OH− sharply decreases due to the formation of Al(OH) species with increasing aluminum concentration, suppressing greatly DSP precipitation. This proposed process paves the way for Al2O3 production from low‐grade diasporic bauxite with high‐reactive silica content. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
Metastable boundary conditions of water‐in‐oil emulsions in the hydrate formation region
Authors: Chen Jun , Sun Chang‐Yu , Liu Bei , Peng Bao‐Zi , Wang Xiu‐Lin , Chen Guang‐Jin , Zuo Julian Y. , Ng Heng‐Joo
Published: July 2011

A stepwise pressurization method was proposed for determining the metastable boundary conditions of water‐in‐oil emulsions in the hydrate formation region. The metastable boundary pressures of four water‐in‐n‐octane emulsions in the presence of methane gas were determined at four specified temperatures. The experimental results show that the metastable boundary pressures increase with decreasing water droplet sizes. A thermodynamic model was developed for calculating the metastable boundary conditions of a water‐in‐oil emulsion in which assuming that the collapse of a metastable emulsion requires the formation of a stable hydrate film with a critical thickness on the surfaces of water droplets. The model was used to correlate the experimental data and determine the critical thickness of the hydrate film. It was demonstrated that the calculated results were in good agreement with the experimental data. The determined critical thickness is at nanoscale, ranging from 14 to 40 nm, which decreases with decreasing water droplet sizes. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 6 rescue resulting in paternal UPD6 with novel placental findings
Authors: Cajaiba Mariana M. , Witchel Selma , Madan‐Khetarpal Suneeta , Hoover Jaqueline , Hoffner Lori , Macpherson Trevor , Surti Urvashi
Published: July 2011

Uniparental disomy (UPD) is defined by the inheritance of both copies of a chromosome pair from one single parent. Although 23 cases of paternal UPD6 have been reported earlier, the occurrence of trisomy 6 rescue with paternal UPD6 has not been previously reported. The phenotype of paternal UPD6 results from biallelic expression of the maternally imprinted, paternally expressed ZAC and HYMAI genes, and includes transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM), intra‐uterine growth restriction (IUGR), macroglossia, and minor anomalies. Trisomy rescue has been proposed as a pathogenic mechanism leading to UPD of other chromosomes. We report on the first case of a prenatally diagnosed infant with UPD6 and describe the clinical, cytogenetic, molecular, and novel placental findings in a female infant with paternal UPD6. Low‐level trisomy 6 and paternal UPD6 were prenatally diagnosed through amniocentesis. After birth trisomy 6 was documented in the placenta but was not found in three different cell lines from the infant. The placenta was small with a peculiar pattern of vascular proliferation. Our results of trisomy 6 cells predominantly present in the placenta and only in low levels in the amniotic fluid suggest that the distribution and proportion of trisomic and diploid UPD cells contribute to the variability of fetal and placental phenotypes. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Down syndrome and dementia: A randomized, controlled trial of antioxidant supplementation
Authors: Lott Ira T. , Doran Eric , Nguyen Vinh Q. , Tournay Anne , Head Elizabeth , Gillen Daniel L.
Published: July 2011

Individuals with Down syndrome over age 40 years are at risk for developing dementia of the Alzheimer type and have evidence for chronic oxidative stress. There is a paucity of treatment trials for dementia in Down syndrome in comparison to Alzheimer disease in the general (non‐Down syndrome) population. This 2‐year randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial assessed whether daily oral antioxidant supplementation (900 IU of alpha‐tocopherol, 200 mg of ascorbic acid and 600 mg of alpha‐lipoic acid) was effective, safe and tolerable for 53 individuals with Down syndrome and dementia. The outcome measures comprised a battery of neuropsychological assessments administered at baseline and every 6 months. Compared to the placebo group, those individuals receiving the antioxidant supplement showed neither an improvement in cognitive functioning nor a stabilization of cognitive decline. Mean plasma levels of alpha‐tocopherol increased ∼2‐fold in the treatment group and were consistently higher than the placebo group over the treatment period. Pill counts indicated good compliance with the regimen. No serious adverse events attributed to the treatment were noted. We conclude that antioxidant supplementation is safe, though ineffective as a treatment for dementia in individuals with Down syndrome and Alzheimer type dementia. Our findings are similar to studies of antioxidant supplementation in Alzheimer disease in the general population. The feasibility of carrying out a clinical trial for dementia in Down syndrome is demonstrated. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Techno‐economic analysis of a 300 MWe coal‐fired power plant retrofitted with post‐combustion CO2 capture
Authors: Zhang Dan , Xu Minghou , Li Aijun
Published: July 2011

To evaluate the integrated system which post‐combustion capture was combined with a typical Chinese coal‐fired power plant and investigate the effect of coal ranks on techno‐economic analysis of the retrofitted power plant, the retrofitted power plant with post‐combustion CO2 capture (MEA) process and the economic performance were analysed using an Aspen Plus software and a cash flow model in this study (Aspen Technology Inc, 2001). The results indicated that the net power outputs of the retrofitted power plant dropped from 302.62 to 249.45 MWe for lignite, 254.97 MWe for bituminous coal and 249.90 MWe for anthracite, respectively. For three cases, the net efficiencies decreased about 7%. The cash flow model was also used for economic analysis. The annual cost of the total retrofitted power plant (CT) increased from 80.6 M$ /year to 87.5 M$ /year for lignite, 90.8 M$ /year for bituminous coal and 88.8 M$ /year for anthracite, respectively. The cost of power generation (CCOE) increased to 48.7 $ /MWh for lignite, 50.5 $ /MWh for bituminous coal and 48.4 $ /MWh for anthracite, respectively. There were significant effects of different coal ranks on the techno‐economic performance. The costs of CO2 avoided (CAVOID) for lignite, bituminous coal and anthracite were estimated to be 15.0 $ /tonne, 19.6 $ /tonne and 15.2 $ /tonne, respectively. © 2011 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermal and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) plasticized with glycerol
Authors: Mohsin Mahmood , Hossin Asiful , Haik Yousef
Published: July 2011

Thermomechanical behavior of membranes based on blends of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with different weight percentage (wt %) of glycerol has been studied. Solid‐state PVA/Glycerol polymer membranes were prepared by a solution casting method. The films were studied for thermal characteristics by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis and for the mechanical properties including hardness and modulus by nanoindentation method. The dispersion of glycerol within the polymer matrix was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the formation of hydrogen bonding between the plasticizer and PVA in their blends and also to provide information on compatibility and physical interactions between the glycerol and PVA. It was found that the thermal properties particularly the melting point (Tm) for PVA blends exhibit a reduced value proportional to the glycerol content. The hardness and elastic modulus were also found to decrease with an increase in plasticizer content. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011