bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Absence of the crayfish plague pathogen (Aphanomyces astaci) facilitates coexistence of European and American crayfish in central Europe
Authors: SCHRIMPF ANNE , MAIWALD TORSTEN , VRÅLSTAD TRUDE , SCHULZ HOLGER K. , ŚMIETaNA PRZEMYSLAW , SCHULZ RALF
Published: February 2013

1. Most European crayfish species are strongly threatened, mainly as a result of the introduced pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, transmitted by invasive North American crayfish. Long‐term coexistence of American and European crayfish species is therefore regarded as almost impossible, even though some coexisting populations have been observed.

2. In this study, crayfish were collected from presently coexisting populations of the introduced spiny‐cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) and the native noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) from nine standing waters in central Europe. Our aim was to resolve whether the coexistence resulted from reduced virulence in local strains of A. astaci, increased immunity in the native crayfish or an absence of the pathogen in these populations. We used highly sensitive A. astaci‐specific real‐time PCR to evaluate the crayfish latent carrier status, combined with transmission experiments to further validate the molecular results.

3. From the total of 523 crayfish tested (490 spiny‐cheek crayfish, 33 noble crayfish), none positive for A. astaci was detected. Transmission experiments confirmed these results: No abnormal mortality or behavioural changes were seen in noble crayfish kept together with American crayfish from the coexisting populations. If we assume a very low prevalence of A. astaci of 10% in a carrier population, there is a 98% probability of disease being absent in five of the nine coexisting populations tested. Hence, a consistent absence, or an extremely low prevalence, of A. astaci seems to allow the coexistence of European and American crayfish in these central European populations.

4. The results are important for native crayfish conservation and management and demonstrate that disease transmission risk may vary substantially between the different populations of spiny‐cheek crayfish in central Europe.
The Politics of Childcare Provisioning: A Geographical Perspective
Authors: Gallagher Aisling
Published: February 2013

Childcare has been an important site of analysis for feminist geographers over the last twenty years. This paper will offer a review of work to date in geography which focuses on childcare. The review is organised under three themes; the changing policy landscape around childcare and its implications for service provision, the spatial politics of access to childcare and the (re)production of childcare as ‘women’s work’. Given the breadth of work in these areas, and reflecting the contexts in which much of this work has been conducted, the debates highlighted speak to concerns raised in liberal welfare regimes. In the process I argue that there remain pertinent areas where geographers are well placed to contribute and signal some new questions which need to be asked around the politics of childcare provision today.
Documenting glacial changes between 1910, 1970, 1992 and 2010 in theTurgenMountains,MongolianAltai, using repeat photographs, topographic maps, and satellite imagery
Authors: Kamp Ulrich , McManigal Kevin G , Dashtseren Avirmed , Walther Michael
Published: February 2013

TheTurgenMountains lie in northwesternMongolia, roughly 80 km south of theRussian border. The area was visited in 1910 by aRoyalGeographicalSociety expedition led byDouglasCarruthers. The party undertook an extensive survey of the range and also documented the extent of the glaciers with photographs. One hundred years later, in summer 2010, aUS–Mongolian expedition retraced portions of the 1910 expedition. Camera locations were matched to the historical photographs and repeated photographs taken. In addition, the termini of the two main glacial lobes were surveyed byGPS. Analyses of field data, repeated photographs from 1910 and 2010, topographic maps from 1970, and satellite imagery from 1992 and 2010 were used to describe the changes in the glacial system. The results suggest that while the snow and ice volume on the summits appears to be intact, lower elevation glaciers show significant recession and ablation. From 1910 to 2010,WestTurgenGlacier receded byc. 600 m and down‐wasted byc. 70 m. This study successively demonstrates the utility of using historic expedition documents to extend the modern record of glacial change.
Hypovolemia in Extracorporeal Life Support Can Lead to Arterial Gaseous Microemboli
Authors: Simons Antoine P. , Ganushchak Yuri M. , Teerenstra Steven , Bergmans Dennis C. , Maessen Jos G. , Weerwind Patrick W.
Published: February 2013

Next to severely decreased pump flow, hypovolemia in extracorporeal life support (ELS) can result in subatmospheric venous line pressure. Such pressure may lead to degassing and resultant gaseous microemboli (GME), with potential changes in neurological clinical outcome. CME activity resulting from degassing was investigated in relation to subatmospheric venous line pressure, partial oxygen pressure (pO2), and hematocrit in a model of a centrifugal pump‐based circuit for long‐term ELS. Additionally, a device that provides instantaneous volume buffer capacity during hypovolemia was evaluated in relation to GME appearance. An exponential relationship was found between decreasing venous line pressure and GME downstream of the centrifugal pump (P = 0.001). Arterial bubble activity appeared at subatmospheric venous line pressures of −200 mm Hg and less. A rising (pO2) increased formation of GME (P = 0.05). A rise in hematocrit, in contrast, did not affect embolic activity (P = 0.22). With simulated hypovolemia, volume buffer capacity added to the venous line dampened fluctuations of venous line pressure by approximately 40%, but a significant reduction in GME formation could not be found (P = 0.22). Moreover, the device enabled a 14% higher support flow. With ELS flow being related to patient volume status, hypovolemia can diminish support. A coherent decrease of venous line pressure triggers degassing of blood‐dissolved gases and causes arterial GME, which can become massive during persistent conditions of limited venous return. Incorporation of a volume buffer capacity device into the extracorporeal support circuit enables a higher and more stable support flow in critically low patient filling.
Digital Analysis of Anterior Dental Esthetic Parameters in Patients with Bilateral Maxillary Lateral Incisor Agenesis
Authors: Pini Núbia Pavesi , De‐Marchi Luciana Manzotti , Gribel Bruno Frazão , Pascotto Renata Corrêa
Published: February 2013

Objective

To analyze anterior dental esthetic parameters—width/height ratio (WHR), gingival zenith (GZ), and apparent contact dimension (ACD)—in patients with maxillary lateral incisor agenesis (MLIA) bilaterally treated with space closure and recontouring of the canines, or with implant‐supported prostheses.

Methods

Fifty‐two participants were allocated into three groups as follows: MLIA patients (N = 18) treated with teeth recontouring (RG); MLIA patients (N = 10) treated with implants (IG); and volunteers without agenesis (N = 24), who served as controls (CG). Dental casts of all patients were obtained and electronically scanned. Digital images were analyzed with 3Shape A/S OrthoAnalyser software (Copenhagen, Denmark). Shapiro–Wilk test, Spearman correlation, and Kruskal–Wallis statistical tests (p < 0.05) were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Although IG presented smaller means when compared with RG and CG, no statistical differences were found for WHR among groups (p > 0.05). Concerning GZ, RG presented more discrepancies than IG and CG, with statistically significant differences (p = 0.0165). IG presented statistically significant differences for the ACD in comparison with RG and CG (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Based on the results of this study, patients treated with space closure and teeth recontouring (RG) were shown to be closest to patients without agenesis (CG) in relation to the anterior dental esthetic parameters evaluated.

Clinical Significance

The digital analysis of esthetic principles, such as those investigated in this study involving maxillary incisor agenesis, is paramount to successful esthetic treatment planning. The results of the present study, as well as those found in the literature, indicate that clinicians should use esthetic parameters, such as those investigated herein, when treatment planning extensive oral rehabilitation cases.
The Apple is Grown, the Grape is Given: Two Modes of Mapuche Exchange
Authors: Course Magnus
Published: February 2013

Este trabajo explora el contraste entre dos modos sociales de beber entre los Mapuche del Sur de Chile: el implicado por la chicha, y el referido al vino. Mientras que la chicha es producida y compartida sin mayor elaboración, el intercambio de vino aparece como altamente elaborado y es entendido como el acto paradigmático para la creación de una relación social. Mi análisis sugiere que esta diferente estimación de dos tipos de bebida, superficialmente similares, deriva del hecho de que el vino y la chicha están metonímica y respectivamente relacionados con el intercambio mercantil y la producción doméstica. Mientras que la chicha se produce en el seno del hogar, el vino sólo puede obtenerse en la medida en que se ingresa en relaciones mercantiles con los no mapuche. Esta desvalorización de la producción frente al intercambio sirve como punto de partida para reflexionar acerca de las conceptualizaciones mapuche referidas a la economía, otorgándonos adicionalmente una nueva perspectiva vinculada a algunos intentos antropológicos recientes de retratar a las sociedades amerindias en general como caracterizadas por un modelo de relaciones sociales de “intercambio” en lugar de uno centrado en la “producción”.
Sex‐dependent alterations in BDNF‐TrkB signaling in the hippocampus of reelin heterozygous mice: a role for sex steroid hormones
Authors: Hill Rachel A. , Wu Yee‐Wen Candace , Gogos Andrea , van den Buuse Maarten
Published: February 2013

Neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia may be caused by a combination of gene × environment, gene × gene, and/or gene × sex interactions. Reduced expression of both Reelin and Brain‐Derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been associated with schizophrenia in human post‐mortem studies. However, it remains unclear how Reelin and BDNF interact (gene × gene) and whether this is sex‐specific (gene × sex). This study investigated BDNF‐TrkB signaling in the hippocampus of male and female Reelin heterozygous (Rln+/−) mice. We found significantly increased levels of BDNF in the ventral hippocampus (VHP) of female, but not male Rln+/− compared to wild‐type (WT) controls. While levels of TrkB were not significantly altered, phosphorylated TrkB (pTrkB) levels were significantly lower, again only in female Rln+/− compared to WT. This translated to downstream effects with a significant decrease in phosphorylated ERK1 (pERK1). No changes in BDNF, TrkB, pTrkB or pERK1/2 were observed in the dorsal hippocampus of Rln+/− mice. Ovariectomy (OVX) had no effect in WT controls, but caused a significant decrease in BDNF expression in the VHP of Rln+/− mice to the levels of intact WT controls. The high expression of BDNF was restored in OVX Rln+/− mice by 17β‐estradiol treatment, suggesting that Rln+/− mice respond differently to an altered estradiol state than WT controls. In addition, while OVX had no significant effect on TrkB or ERK expression/phosphorylation, OVX + estradiol treatment markedly increased TrkB and ERK1 phosphorylation in Rln+/− and, to a lesser extent in WT controls, compared to intact genotype‐matched controls. These data may provide a better understanding of the interaction of Reelin and BDNF in the hippocampus, which may be involved in schizophrenia.
In Their Profession's Service: How Staff Professionals Exert Influence in Their Organization
Authors: Daudigeos Thibault
Published: February 2013

This paper seeks to better understand the way staff professionals bring professional practices inside their organization by examining how they enact a practical agency to promote or disrupt practices. From an inductive study of occupational safety and health managers in a multinational construction company, we develop a framework of how staff professionals build perceived legitimacy and exert unobtrusive influence tactics to manoeuvre around social constraints. We contend that our principal contribution to the literature on institutional work is to provide a situated account of the practical agency of staff professionals inside one organization. In doing so, we extend current knowledge of the embedded agency paradox. Finally, our analysis offers new insights into the literature on professions and institutions by highlighting the work of staff professionals in a real‐life context, which has received scant attention in the last three decades.
Contrasting effects of climate change on the timing of reproduction and reproductive success of a temperate insectivorous bat
Authors: Lučan R. K. , Weiser M. , Hanák V.
Published: February 2013

We used long‐term datasets to analyse (1) the patterns of covariation between basic climatic variables (temperature and rainfall) and the timing of reproduction and reproductive success; and (2) long‐term trends in both reproductive parameters of a maternity colony of Daubenton's bats Myotis daubentonii in South Bohemia, Czech Republic. The mean April temperature was the best predictor of the timing of reproduction. The higher the April temperature, the earlier the first neonates appeared. The mean date of first parturition was June 4, but it advanced significantly by c. 11 days between 1970 and 2012. Similarly, the mean April temperature increased over the study period by c. 2.7°C. Between 1999 and 2012, the mean reproductive success (proportion of reproductive females) was 74%, but varied between 33% (2009) and 93% (2006). It was negatively related to May–July precipitation. Thus, reproductive success was lower in years with increased rainfall. Given the published evidence that advancement in parturition is positively related to survival of juvenile bats rising spring temperatures may have a beneficial influence on the population dynamics of Daubenton's bats. However, increased incidence of climatic extremes, such as excessive summer rainfall, may largely buffer this effect. Consequently, populations of temperate insectivorous bats may experience increasing environmental stress under continuing climate change.
Reaching the Mountaintop: Addressing the Common Core Standards in Mathematics for Students with Mathematics Difficulties
Authors: Powell Sarah R. , Fuchs Lynn S. , Fuchs Doug
Published: February 2013

The Common Core State Standards provide teachers with a framework of necessary mathematics skills across grades K‐12, which vary considerably from previous mathematics standards. In this article, we discuss concerns about the implications of the Common Core for students with mathematics difficulties (MD), given that students with MD, by definition, struggle with mathematical skills. We suggest that instruction centered on the Common Core will be challenging and may lead to problematic outcomes for this population. We propose that working on foundational skills related to the Common Core standards is a necessary component of mathematics instruction for students with MD, and we provide teachers with a framework for working on foundational skills concurrent with the Common Core standards. We caution, however, that implementation of the Common Core is in its infancy, and the implications of the Common Core for students with MD need to be monitored carefully.
Rotational Acetabular Osteotomy through an Ollier Lateral U Approach for Early‐stage Osteoarthritis Secondary to Acetabular Dysplasia
Authors: Sun Wei , Shi Zhen‐cai , Li Zi‐rong , Yang Yu‐run , Wang Bai‐liang , Guo Wan‐shou
Published: February 2013

Objective

To explore the surgical technique and mid‐term results of rotational acetabular osteotomy for early ‐stage osteoarthritis secondary to acetabular dysplasia.

Methods

Rotational acetabular osteotomies were performed on 14 hips of 12 patients from May 2000 to May 2006 and the patients followed up. All patients were female and their average age was 28.9 years (range, 13–46 years) at the time of surgery. The mean duration of clinical and roentgenographic follow‐up was 6.0 years (range, 3.1–9.1 years). The lateral center‐edge (CE) angle, acetabular roof angle and head lateralization index were measured on radiographs taken preoperatively, postoperatively and at the time of final follow‐up. Clinical follow‐up included use of the Harris hip score. The acetabular osteotomies were performed through an Ollier lateral U transtrochanteric approach and postoperative traction and cast immobilization were not used.

Results

All patients had satisfactory pain relief. The mean preoperative Harris score was 72 points; this had improved to a mean of 91 points at the time of last follow‐up (P < 0.05). The mean CE angle improved from 0.9° preoperatively to 27° postoperatively (P < 0.05), the mean acetabular roof angle from 29° to 5° (P < 0.05) and the mean head lateralization index from 0.68 to 0.65. Solid bone‐to‐bone healing of the osteotomy sites and great trochanters occurred in all patients.

Conclusions

Rotational acetabular osteotomy through an Ollier lateral U approach, which provides wide exposure and technical ease, for early‐stage osteoarthritis secondary to acetabular dysplasia can relieve pain and delay the appearance or reduce the severity of osteoarthritis. Satisfactory mid‐term results can be obtained.
Genetic diversity and population structure of the selected core set in Amaranthus using SSR markers
Authors: Khaing Aye Aye , Moe Kyaw Thu , Chung Jung‐Wook , Baek Hyung‐Jin , Park Yong‐Jin
Published: February 2013

The genus Amaranthus has gained much attention, particularly for its high economic and nutritional value. It is a genus of taxonomic complexity with many interspecific hybrids. For effective conservation and management of the germplasm collected, the development of a core set of accessions is especially important. A core set of 63 accessions was successfully developed from an entire collection of 634 accessions using the powercore 1.0. Among the tested methods for developing the core set – the advanced M strategy using the modified heuristic method (HCC), randomly chosen collections and stratified random collections – HCC was found to be best, with 100% coverage of alleles and minimum redundancy. Allele frequency distribution of the core set developed with HCC was highly correlated with that of entire collections (r = 0.91). Model‐based structure analysis revealed the presence of three subpopulations and 11 admixtures in the selected core set, which is basically consistent with clustering based on the genetic distance. The results from this study will provide effective information for future germplasm conservation and improvement programmes in Amaranthus.
Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling to Evaluate the Design of Hospital Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Systems for Inactivating Airborne Mycobacteria†
Authors: Xu Peng , Fisher Noah , Miller Shelly L.
Published: February 2013

This research was conducted to evaluate the design of hospital ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems and to assess their effectiveness for inactivating airborne mycobacteria. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed and tested by simulating previous experiments measuring the effectiveness of a lab‐based UVGI system. Model testing showed reasonable agreement with experimental measurements. The model captured trends similar to the experiments: Effectiveness of an upper‐room UVGI system is higher when there is no ventilation compared with when there is ventilation, and wintertime ventilation conditions can markedly decrease the performance of an upper‐room UVGI system. The CFD model was then applied to evaluate the design of three hospital patient rooms. A patient and an exam room with upper‐room UVGI systems, and a patient room with an exhaust duct system were studied. Results showed that one of the UVGI systems was not very effective, due to the very efficient ventilation design. The other two configurations were reasonably to very effective at inactivating airborne mycobacteria. The most effective application was the one in which the room air‐exchange rate was very low. CFD modeling can be useful for assessing whether hospital UVGI installations and ventilation systems are effective for infection control.
Rigid versus semi‐rigid thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of pleural disease: A randomized pilot study
Authors: Rozman Ales , Camlek Luka , Marc‐Malovrh Mateja , Triller Nadja , Kern Izidor
Published: February 2013

Background and objective

Thoracoscopy with a semi‐rigid instrument is a recent technique successfully used for diagnosing pleural diseases. However, there are concerns about the diagnostic adequacy of biopsy samples obtained by semi‐rigid procedures when compared with rigid thoracoscopy. The purpose of this study was to compare the size, quality and diagnostic adequacy of biopsy specimens obtained at semi‐rigid and rigid thoracoscopy in a prospective, randomized fashion.

Methods

Patients with pleural effusion of unknown origin and/or pleural irregularities suspicious for pleural malignancy were included after less invasive means of diagnosis had failed. All procedures were performed under local anaesthesia with intravenous sedation/analgesia with a single point of entry. Patients were randomly assigned to a rigid instrument procedure (Olympus EndoEYE WA50120A, forceps) or semi‐rigid instrument procedure (Olympus LTF‐160, FB‐55CR‐1 forceps).

Results

Eighty‐four patients were randomized. Five of them were excluded because of lack of pleural space. Thirty‐eight patients were assigned to a rigid and 41 to a semi‐rigid procedure, with mean follow up 24.1 (±8.1) months after the procedure. The average size of the sample obtained by rigid thoracoscopy was 24.7 mm2 (±12.9), and 11.7 mm2 (±7.6) by semi‐rigid thoracoscopy. There were no differences in the quality and interpretability of the specimens assessed by the pathologist. The diagnostic accuracy was 100% for the rigid procedure and 97.6% for the semi‐rigid procedure.

Conclusions

The samples obtained by semi‐rigid thoracoscopy were smaller, but of adequate quality. The diagnostic accuracy was comparable with that of rigid thoracoscopy in the evaluation of pleural disease.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Porcine Parvovirus (PPV) Provisionally Designated PPV5
Authors: Xiao Chao-Ting , Halbur Patrick G. , Opriessnig Tanja
Published: February 2013

A new porcine parvovirus (PPV) was identified from pig lung tissues in the United States. It is most closely related to the recently identified PPV4 with overall genomic identities of 64.1 to 67.3%. Unlike PPV4, this virus lacks the additional open reading frame 3 (ORF3) and has a much longer ORF2. The name PPV5 is provisionally proposed.
Genome Sequence of a Novel Archaeal Rudivirus Recovered from a Mexican Hot Spring
Authors: Servín-Garcidueñas Luis E. , Peng Xu , Garrett Roger A. , Martínez-Romero Esperanza
Published: February 2013

We report the consensus genome sequence of a novel GC-rich rudivirus, designated SMR1 (
Sulfolobales
Mexican rudivirus 1), assembled from a high-throughput sequenced environmental sample from a hot spring in Los Azufres National Park in western Mexico.
ON THE DISCRETE UNIT DISK COVER PROBLEM
Authors: DAS GAUTAM K. , FRASER ROBERT , LÓOPEZ-ORTIZ ALEJANDRO , NICKERSON BRADFORD G.
Published: February 2013

Given a set [Formula: see text] of n points and a set [Formula: see text] of m unit disks on a 2-dimensional plane, the discrete unit disk cover (DUDC) problem is (i) to check whether each point in [Formula: see text] is covered by at least one disk in [Formula: see text] or not and (ii) if so, then find a minimum cardinality subset [Formula: see text] such that the unit disks in [Formula: see text] cover all the points in [Formula: see text]. The discrete unit disk cover problem is a geometric version of the general set cover problem which is NP-hard. The general set cover problem is not approximable within [Formula: see text], for some constant c, but the DUDC problem was shown to admit a constant factor approximation. In this paper, we provide an algorithm with constant approximation factor 18. The running time of the proposed algorithm is [Formula: see text]. The previous best known tractable solution for the same problem was a 22-factor approximation algorithm with running time [Formula: see text].
A LARGE EXTRASKELETAL CHONDROMA IN THE HAND OF AN ELDERLY PATIENT — A CASE REPORT
Authors: Ikeda Kazuo , Osamura Naoki , Kasashima Satomi
Published: February 2013

This paper examines a case of extraskeletal chondroma in the hand of an 82-year-old female, first noticed about two years ago. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass in the carpal tunnel which extended from the wrist to the palm. The tumor was located between the thenar area and the hypothenar area at the palm level. There was no continuity to the carpal bone or radius bone. The entire size of the tumor was 120 mm × 45 mm × 42 mm. Although extraskeletal chondroma is sometimes seen, a large one in the hand is extremely rare. Since the tumor was too large to excise totally because median nerve entrapped it, it was divided into two parts and excised. After the operation, there was no neurological deficit or pain in the median nerve lesion.
INFLUENCE OF NONLINEAR ELECTRON MOBILITY ON RESPONSE TIME IN PHOTOREFRACTIVE SEMICONDUCTOR QUANTUM WELLS
Authors: WICHTOWSKI MAREK , ZIOLKOWSKI ANDRZEJ , WEINERT-RACZKA EWA , JABLONSKI BLAZEJ , KARWECKI WOJCIECH
Published: February 2013

Nonlinear transport of hot electrons in semi-insulating GaAs / AlGaAs quantum wells significantly affects their photorefractive properties. In case of two waves mixing, this influence consists, among others, in an increased shift of photorefractive grating relative to light intensity distribution. The influence of nonlinear transport on grating recording time is less examined experimentally and theoretically. This study compares numerical and analytical solutions describing grating dynamics in approximation of small fringe contrast. The influence of nonlinear electron mobility on space-charge field was examined depending on external electric field intensity and on the grating constant. It was found that in the electric field range below 20 kV/cm, the nonlinear transport of electrons does not shorten the grating generation time.
Synthesis of tiled patterns using factor graphs
Authors: Yeh Yi-Ting , Breeden Katherine , Yang Lingfeng , Fisher Matthew , Hanrahan Pat
Published: February 2013

Patterns with pleasing structure are common in art, video games, and virtual worlds. We describe a method for synthesizing new patterns of tiles on a regular grid that are similar in appearance to a set of example patterns. Exemplars are used both to specify valid tile arrangements and to emphasize multi-tile structures. We model a pattern as a probabilistic graphical model called a
factor graph
. Factors represent the hard logical constraints between tiles, the soft statistical relationships that determine style, and the local dependencies between tiles at neighboring sites. We describe a simple method for learning factor functions from a small exemplar. We then synthesize new patterns through a stochastic search method that is inspired by MC-SAT. Efficient synthesis is challenging because of the combination of hard and soft constraints. Our synthesis algorithm, called BlockSS, scales linearly with the number of tiles and the hardness of the problem. We use our technique to model building facades, cities, and decorative patterns.
Some Induced Correlated Aggregating Operators with Interval Grey Uncertain Linguistic Information and Their Application to Multiple Attribute Group Decision Making
Authors: Ma Zu-Jun , Zhang Nian , Dai Ying
Published: February 2013

We propose the interval grey uncertain linguistic correlated ordered arithmetic averaging (IGULCOA) operator and the induced interval grey uncertain linguistic correlated ordered arithmetic averaging (I-IGULCOA) operator based on the correlation properties of the Choquet integral and the interval grey uncertain linguistic variables to investigate the multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problems, in which both the attribute weights and the expert weights are correlative. Firstly, the relative concepts of interval grey uncertain linguistic variables are defined and the operation rules between the two interval grey uncertain linguistic variables are established. Then, two new aggregation operators: the interval grey uncertain linguistic correlated ordered arithmetic averaging (IGULCOA) operator and the induced interval grey uncertain linguistic correlated ordered arithmetic averaging (I-IGULCOA) operator are developed and some desirable properties of the I-IGULCOA operator are studied, such as commutativity, idempotency, monotonicity, and boundness. Furthermore, the IGULCOA and I-IGULCOA operators based approach is developed to solve the MAGDM problems, in which both the attribute weights and the expert weights are correlative and the attribute values take the form of the interval grey uncertain linguistic variables. Finally, an illustrative example is given to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.
Complete Controllability of Fractional Neutral Differential Systems in Abstract Space
Authors: Wang Fang , Liu Zhen-hai , Li Jing
Published: February 2013

By using fractional power of operators and Sadovskii fixed point theorem, we study the complete controllability of fractional neutral differential systems in abstract space without involving the compactness of characteristic solution operators introduced by us.
Human Resistin Inhibits Myogenic Differentiation and Induces Insulin Resistance in Myocytes
Authors: Sheng Chun Hua , Du Zhen Wu , Song Yang , Wu Xiao Dong , Zhang Yu Cheng , Wu Mei , Wang Qian , Zhang Gui Zhen
Published: February 2013

This study is aimed to investigate the effect of human resistin on myocyte differentiation and insulin resistance. The human resistin eukaryotic expression vector was stable transfected into C2C12 myocyte cells and was transiently transfected into COS7 cells. The effects of human resistin on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells were examined. Glucose uptake assays was performed on C2C12 myotubes by using [3H] 2-deoxy-D-glucose. The mRNA levels of insulin receptor (IR) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) were evaluated by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Results showed by the C2C12 cells transfected with human resistin gene compared with that without transfecting gene are as follows: (1) cell proliferation was significantly promoted, (2) after inducing differentiation, the myotube’s diameters and expression of desmin and myoglobin decreased, and (3) glucose uptake ratio was lowered and expression of IR and GLUT4 decreased. However, there was no significant difference in the glucose uptake ratio between C2C12 myotubes treated with a human resistin conditioned medium of COS7 cells and treated with control medium. These results suggest that maybe human resistin has not a direct role on insulin sensitivity of myocytes. However, maybe it impaired the insulin sensitivity of myocytes through suppressing myogenesis and stimulating proliferation of myoblasts.
An Improved Diagonal Jacobian Approximation via a New Quasi-Cauchy Condition for Solving Large-Scale Systems of Nonlinear Equations
Authors: Waziri Mohammed Yusuf , Abdul Majid Zanariah
Published: February 2013

We present a new diagonal quasi-Newton update with an improved diagonal Jacobian approximation for solving large-scale systems of nonlinear equations. In this approach, the Jacobian approximation is derived based on the quasi-Cauchy condition. The anticipation has been to further improve the performance of diagonal updating, by modifying the quasi-Cauchy relation so as to carry some additional information from the functions. The effectiveness of our proposed scheme is appraised through numerical comparison with some well-known Newton-like methods.
Interactions between Human Liver Fatty Acid Binding Protein and Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Selective Drugs
Authors: Velkov Tony
Published: February 2013

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) act as intracellular shuttles for fatty acids as well as lipophilic xenobiotics to the nucleus, where these ligands are released to a group of nuclear receptors called the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs). PPAR mediated gene activation is ultimately involved in maintenance of cellular homeostasis through the transcriptional regulation of metabolic enzymes and transporters that target the activating ligand. Here we show that liver- (L-) FABP displays a high binding affinity for PPAR subtype selective drugs. NMR chemical shift perturbation mapping and proteolytic protection experiments show that the binding of the PPAR subtype selective drugs produces conformational changes that stabilize the portal region of L-FABP. NMR chemical shift perturbation studies also revealed that L-FABP can form a complex with the PPAR ligand binding domain (LBD) of PPARα. This protein-protein interaction may represent a mechanism for facilitating the activation of PPAR transcriptional activity via the direct channeling of ligands between the binding pocket of L-FABP and the PPARαLBD. The role of L-FABP in the delivery of ligands directly to PPARαvia this channeling mechanism has important implications for regulatory pathways that mediate xenobiotic responses and host protection in tissues such as the small intestine and the liver where L-FABP is highly expressed.
Influence of Variable Permeability and Radiation Absorption on Heat and Mass Transfer in MHD Micropolar Flow over a Vertical Moving Porous Plate
Authors: Harish Babu D. , Satya Narayana P. V.
Published: February 2013

An analysis of unsteady free convection with heat and mass transfer flow for a micropolar fluid through a porous medium with a variable permeability bounded by a semi-infinite vertical plate in the presence of heat generation, thermal radiation, first-order chemical reaction, and the radiation absorption is reported. The plate is assumed to move with a constant velocity in the direction of fluid flow. A uniform magnetic field acts perpendicular to the porous surface which absorbs micropolar fluid with a suction velocity varying with time. The dimensionless governing equations for this investigation are solved analytically using two-term harmonic and nonharmonic functions. To observe physical insight and interesting aspects of the problem, the velocity, angular velocity, temperature, and concentration field are numerically studied and displayed graphically for pertinent parameters.
Occupational Contact Dermatitis in 10,582 French Patients Reported between 2004 and 2007: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Halioua B. , Bensefa-Colas L. , Bouquiaux B. , Crépy M.N. , Assier H. , Billon S. , Chosidow O.
Published: February 2013

Background: Limited epidemiological data are available in France for occupational contact dermatitis (OCD), a non- infectious inflammatory skin condition arising from direct skin contact with substances used in the workplace. Objective: To estimate the occurrence of, and number of workdays lost to, OCD in France. Methods: Descriptive study of all OCD declared by salaried workers and recognised as occupational disease in France over a 4-year period. Results: 10,582 OCD cases were reported, representing 9.6% of all occupational diseases recognised. The estimated annual incidence of OCD recognised was 15.72/100,000 salaried workers (i.e. 146.87/100,000 employees for all occupational diseases). OCD cases were mainly in the construction and public works industries with 3,057 (36.7%) salaried workers affected. In the services sector, OCD predominantly affected employees aged less than 30 years (41%), particularly hairdressers (69%). OCD accounted for the loss of 395,069 working days. Conclusion: OCD represents a significant public health problem in France, particularly for construction workers and hairdressers.
Western Sahara: A frozen conflict
Authors: Chavez-Fregoso Carolina , Živković Nikola
Published: February 2013

The conflict in the Western Sahara is one of the oldest and most neglected. It is a conflict that moves yet fails to transform. It includes a number of internal and external traits, a high involvement of external actors and, apparently, no real desire to negotiate, impeding the disputing parties from transforming their initial positions that render this conflict frozen. It is a conflict in which, despite decades of negotiations and the expressed desire to reach a resolution (whether by autonomy, annexation or independence), economic and political interests, identities and the influence of foreign relations seem to obstruct rather than contribute to the conflict transformation. !is article offers arguments that explain the Western Sahara conflict as a frozen one, and argues that acknowledgment of this reality is necessary to enable a conflict transformation that would contribute to the security of the region of North Africa.
Development of the Upgraded Tangent Linear and Adjoint of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model
Authors: Zhang Xin , Huang Xiang-Yu , Pan Ning
Published: February 2013

The authors propose a new technique for parallelizations of tangent linear and adjoint codes, which were applied in the redevelopment for the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with its Advanced Research WRF dynamic core using the automatic differentiation engine. The tangent linear and adjoint codes of the WRF model (WRFPLUS) now have the following improvements: A complete check interface ensures that developers write accurate tangent linear and adjoint codes with ease and efficiency. A new technique based on the nature of duality that existed among message passing interface communication routines was adopted to parallelize the WRFPLUS model. The registry in the WRF model was extended to automatically generate the tangent linear and adjoint codes of the required communication operations. This approach dramatically speeds up the software development cycle of the parallel tangent linear and adjoint codes and leads to improved parallel efficiency. Module interfaces were constructed for coupling tangent linear and adjoint codes of the WRF model with applications such as four-dimensional variational data assimilation, forecast sensitivity to observation, and others.
Resistance, politics and violence: The catch of the Palestinian struggle
Authors: Grinberg Lev Luis
Published: February 2013

This article analyzes violence within the framework of power relations and social conflict, aiming to comprehend the different dynamics that lead to escalation of violence or its containment by opening political space for representation. It distinguishes between the violence of dominant and non-dominant groups and explores the conditions of effective resistance that facilitate recognition and negotiation. The Israeli–Palestinian case provides an opportunity to explore the dynamics of resistance and violence and their relation to politics. The goal is to explain the contradictory reactions to the First and Second Intifada in order to analyze options for the future. The article argues that the First Intifada opened up political space for recognition and negotiations but since the Second Intifada there has been only violence, no politics. The First Intifada demarcated the borders of the Israeli state and the imagined Palestinian state, while the second blurred them. Palestinian resistance is in a catch: when it uses violence it is oppressed, and when it uses diplomatic negotiations it is ignored. Given the absence of recognized borders and the imbalance of power between Israelis and Palestinians, international intervention is required both in the form of pressure on Israel and in the form of peace troops.
The Role of Heritage and Cultural Elements in Coastal Tourism Destination Preferences
Authors: Lacher R. Geoffrey , Oh Chi-Ok , Jodice Laura W. , Norman William C.
Published: February 2013

Despite the shifting demands of coastal tourists, little information exists on the consumer demand for cultural or heritage elements in coastal destinations.This study examines tourists' demand for regional character when vacationing on the South Carolina coast. Preferences for authentic trip elements such as the destination's local character and the local ownership of restaurants were measured using stated preference choice modeling. This method forces individuals to make choices between hypothetical trips based on tradeoffs of attributes such as number of activities, amount of locally owned restaurants, degree of local character, and trip cost. The results of a survey with South Carolina Coastal Tourists ( N = 697) indicate significant preferences for local character and local restaurant ownership, suggesting that tourists likely have a considerable desire for regional character in their vacations. However this desire was lower than the desire for other attributes that did not involve cultural or heritage elements.
Mitigating Theme Park Crowding with Incentives and Information on Mobile Devices
Authors: Brown Amber , Kappes Jacqueline , Marks Joe
Published: February 2013

Long wait times for rides and restaurants are major sources of visitor dissatisfaction with theme and amusement parks. Crowding is often worse than it needs to be because park visitors distribute themselves unevenly. In this paper, we discuss a novel method of routing visitors to less crowded areas by offering them well-timed incentives and information on mobile devices. Two large field studies ( n = 910 and n = 1,370) were conducted to test how receptive visitors were to altering their paths in response to incentives and information. The results indicate that a system such as ours can mitigate suboptimal crowd distribution in real time in a typical theme park environment.
The morbidity and mortality linked to melancholia: two cohorts compared, 1875–1924 and 1995–2005
Authors: Harris Margaret , Farquhar Fiona , Healy David , Le Noury Joanna C , Linden Stefanie C , Hughes J Andrew , Roberts Anthony P
Published: February 2013

For over a century, melancholia has been linked to increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Data from two epidemiologically complete cohorts of patients presenting to mental health services in North Wales (1874–1924 and 1995–2005) have been used to look at links between diagnoses of melancholia in the first period and severe hospitalized depressive disorders today and other illnesses, and to calculate mortality rates. This is a study of the hospitalized illness rather than the natural illness, and the relationship between illness and hospitalization remains poorly understood. These data confirm that melancholia is associated with a substantial increase in the standardized mortality rate both formerly and today, stemming from a higher rate of deaths from tuberculosis in the historical sample and from suicide in the contemporary sample. The data do not link melancholia to cancer or cardiac disease. The comparison between outcomes for melancholia historically and severe mood disorder today argue favourably for the effectiveness of asylum care.
General Dental Practitioners’ Views on Early Childhood Caries and Timing of the First Dental Visit in Selangor, Malaysia
Authors: Hussein Alaa S. , Schroth Robert J. , Abu-Hassan Mohamed I.
Published: February 2013

This survey evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in Selangor regarding early childhood caries (ECC) prevention and the recommended timing of a child’s first dental visit. A questionnaire was mailed to 521 licensed GDPs. Descriptive statistics were used, and bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed. The response rate was 52.6%. Although 89.8% mentioned counseling parents and caregivers, only 44.2% were familiar with anticipatory guidance. Whereas 98.2% agreed that early examinations are important to prevent ECC, only 51.8% were aware of the recommendation for a first visit by 12 months of age. GDPs who recommended early dental visits were significantly more likely to be recent graduates, more familiar with professional guidelines, and less likely to be deterred by a child’s crying or behavior. In conclusion, GDPs in Selangor are aware about the importance of early dental visits in ECC prevention. However, a considerable number of them are still not aware of the recommendation that children must first visit the dentist by 12 months of age. Furthermore, some of their current practices in ECC management and prevention do not match professional recommendations.
Renoprotective effects of the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats
Authors: Bae Eun Hui , Kim In Jin , Joo Soo Yeon , Kim Eun Young , Choi Joon Seok , Kim Chang Seong , Ma Seong Kwon , Lee JongUn , Kim Soo Wan
Published: February 2013

This study aimed to examine the protective effects of aliskiren on gentamicin-induced nephropathy. Rats were injected with gentamicin (100 mg/kg per day) for 14 days. Aliskiren was infused for two weeks. Human proximal tubular epithelial cell lines (HK-2) were cultured with gentamicin in the absence or presence of aliskiren. Inflammatory profibrotic and apoptotic markers were evaluated in vivo and in vitro. Aliskiren treatment attenuated the decreased creatinine clearance, increased fractional sodium excretion, glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis and counteracted the increased ED-1 expression in gentamicin-treated rats. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ) and adhesion molecules (MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) increased in the gentamicin-treated kidneys. These changes were restored by aliskiren co-treatment. Aliskiren effectively reversed transforming growth factor-β-induced fibrotic responses such as induction of α-smooth muscle actin in gentamicin-treated rat kidneys. Along with these changes, aliskiren also attenuated the increase in nuclear factor κB and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK 1/2) levels in HK-2 cells cultured with gentamicin. In addition, aliskiren decreased the number of TUNEL-positive nuclei and reduced the expression of proapoptotic markers in gentamicin-treated HK-2 cells. These findings suggest that aliskiren attenuates gentamicin-induced nephropathy by suppression of inflammatory, profibrotic and apoptotic factors through inhibition of the nuclear factor κB, Smads and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways.
The Impact of 2008 Presidential Campaign Media on Latinos
Authors: Winneg Kenneth M. , Hardy Bruce W. , Hall Jamieson Kathleen
Published: February 2013

To examine the effects of the 2008 Obama campaign’s targeted media effort aimed at Latino voters, we married 2008 campaign media data from multiple sources to survey data on registered Latino voters in Nevada and Arizona to examine the specific impact of advertisement buys on that population. In the presence of controls, Obama’s media spending advantage over McCain had a significant and positive relationship with an Obama vote. When looking at local broadcast, cable and radio specifically, we find a significant relationship between spending differentials on local broadcast advertising and vote intention but not between spending differentials on radio and cable buys.