bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of ultrasound biometry obtained by local health workers in a refugee camp on the Thai–Burmese border
Authors: Rijken M. J. , Mulder E. J. H. , Papageorghiou A. T. , Thiptharakun S. , Wah N. , Paw T. K. , Dwell S. L. M. , Visser G. H. A. , Nosten F. H. , McGready R.
Published: January 2012

Objective

In a refugee camp on the Thai–Burmese border, accurate dating of pregnancy relies on ultrasound measurements obtained by locally trained health workers. The aim of this study was to substantiate the accuracy of fetal biometry measurements performed by locally trained health workers by comparing derived reference equations with those published for Asian and European hospitals.

Methods

This prospective observational study included 1090 women who had a dating crown–rump length (CRL) scan and one study‐appointed ultrasound biometry scan between 16 and 40 weeks of gestation. The average of two measurements of each of biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length was used in a polynomial regression model for the mean and SD against gestational age (GA). The biometry equations obtained were compared with published equations of professional sonographers from Asian and European hospitals by evaluation of the SD and Z‐scores of differences between models.

Results

Reference equations of biometric parameters were found to fit cubic polynomial models. The observed SD values, for any given GA, of fetal biometric measurements obtained by locally trained health workers were lower than those previously reported by centers with professional sonographers. For nearly the entire GA range considered, the mean values of the Asian and European equations for all four biometric measurements were within the 90% expected range (mean ± 1.645 SD) of our equations.

Conclusion

Locally trained health workers in a refugee camp on the Thai–Burmese border can obtain measurements that are associated with low SD values and within the normal limits of published Asian and European equations. The fact that the SD values were lower than in other studies may be explained by the use of the average of two measurements, CRL dating or motivation of the locally trained sonographers. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S‐1 after surgical resection for advanced biliary carcinoma: outcomes and prognostic factors
Authors: Murakami Yoshiaki , Uemura Kenichiro , Sudo Takeshi , Hashimoto Yasushi , Nakashima Akira , Sakabe Ryutaro , Kobayashi Hironori , Kondo Naru , Nakagawa Naoya , Sueda Taijiro
Published: January 2012

Background/Purpose

The aims of this study were to evaluate long‐term outcomes and to determine prognostic factors for survival in patients with resected biliary carcinoma who received adjuvant gemcitabine plus S‐1 chemotherapy.

Methods

Seventy patients with International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stage II, III, or IV biliary carcinoma received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of intravenous gemcitabine 700 mg/m2 on day 1 and oral S‐1 60—100 mg/body for seven consecutive days, followed by a 1‐week pause of chemotherapy. Patients received up to ten 2‐week cycles. Long‐term outcomes and predictors of survival with this adjuvant chemotherapy regimen were analyzed.

Results

The median duration of follow‐up was 47 months. Fifty‐six percent of patients had node‐positive disease, and 80% of patients underwent R0 resection. Overall and disease‐free survival rates were 91 and 81% at 1 year, 56 and 55% at 3 years, and 40 and 46% at 5 years, respectively. Lymph node status (p = 0.025) and surgical margin status (p = 0.033) were independently associated with long‐term survival by multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Adjuvant gemcitabine plus S‐1 chemotherapy may be a promising strategy for patients with resected biliary carcinoma, and nodal status and surgical margin status may be predictors of survival with this treatment strategy.
DNA Detection by Conventional and Real‐Time PCR After Extraction from Vegetable Oils
Authors: Debode Frédéric , Janssen Eric , Marien Aline , Berben Gilbert
Published: January 2012

DNA was searched for in samples of 11 different types of vegetable oil at different stages of the oil refining process. Samples of oil from soybean, rapeseed, maize and flax were taken at different stages of oil production. DNA was extracted and analysis performed by PCR and real‐time PCR with TaqMan probes. Targets with low and high cellular copy numbers were used for PCR. Results showed that it is possible to recover DNA even in refined oil at least for high copy DNA targets. A loss of extracted DNA was also observed in parallel with the advancement of the refining process. High cellular copy number targets gave better results than low cellular copy number targets.
Vertical distribution and gas bladder inflation/deflation in postlarval anchoveta Engraulis ringens during upwelling events
Authors: Landaeta Mauricio F. , Castro Leonardo R.
Published: January 2012

Vertical distribution of fish larvae can be modified by a series of physical processes occurring in the water column at different time and spatial scales and also by biological processes occurring during larval development. To assess the factors affecting the vertical distribution of larval anchoveta Engraulis ringens during austral spring, meteorological and oceanographic features were measured and stratified ichthyoplankton sampling was carried out in central Chile during active upwelling events. In November 2001, during the upwelling season, southerly winds dominate, and intrusion of low dissolved oxygen occurred in nearshore waters; preflexion larvae of E. ringens were collected in the mixed layer of the water column (the Ekman layer) irrespective of day and night hours. Larvae larger than 10 mm showed an inflated gas bladder during night collections, and non-inflated gas bladder during day hours. Larvae with inflated gas bladders were located significantly at shallower depths during night than at day hours, indicating a direct relationship between gas bladder inflation, diel vertical migration of larval E. ringens and decrease of wind-induced turbulence at night. We discuss the potential implications of larval E. ringens vertical distribution and its variability on the horizontal transport off coastal waters during the upwelling season off central Chile as a biophysical coupling to enhance coastal retention.
Population structure and reproduction of the seagrass shrimp Hippolyte zostericola (Decapoda: Hippolytidae) at Laguna de Términos, Campeche, Mexico
Authors: Romero-Rodríguez J. , Román-Contreras R.
Published: January 2012

The aim of this paper is to describe the population structure and some reproductive aspects of Hippolyte zostericola during an annual cycle. Samples were taken bimonthly, from June 2009 to April 2010, with a Colman–Seagrove sledge net on seagrass meadows located in the internal margin of Isla del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico. The population structure of H. zostericola was similar throughout the cycle analysed. The males, significantly smaller than females (0.57–1.8 and 0.55–3.52 mm carapace length (CL), respectively), were more frequent between 0.8 and 1.54 mm CL, whereas in larger size-classes (1.8–3.52 mm CL) only females were registered, ovigerous principally. The sex-ratio was always in favour of males, mean of 1.3 males per female. Size at maturity (CL50) was 2.28 ± 0.1 mm CL. Based on the presence of ovigerous females throughout the year it is considered that the reproduction of H. zostericola is continuous. The main breeding season and recruitment occurs during the first third of the year. The mean fecundity of the species was 144 ± 69 eggs and varies with female size. The higher egg loss occurred in larger females (37.3%) and the relationship between fecundity and female size was estimated as negative allometric, which suggests that age influences the fecundity of the species.
LOCAL INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLE METHOD FOR THE GENERALIZED ADDITIVE-INTERACTIVE NONLINEAR VOLATILITY MODEL ESTIMATION
Authors: Levine Michael , Li Jinguang
Published: January 2012

In this article we consider a new separable nonparametric volatility model that includes second-order interaction terms in both mean and conditional variance functions. This is a very flexible nonparametric ARCH model that can potentially explain the behavior of the wide variety of financial assets. The model is estimated using the generalized version of the local instrumental variable estimation method first introduced in Kim and Linton (2004, Econometric Theory 20, 1094–1139). This method is computationally more effective than most other nonparametric estimation methods that can potentially be used to estimate components of such a model. Asymptotic behavior of the resulting estimators is investigated and their asymptotic normality is established. Explicit expressions for asymptotic means and variances of these estimators are also obtained.
Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability at Saturn's magnetopause: Cassini ion data analysis
Authors: Wilson R. J. , Delamere P. A. , Bagenal F. , Masters A.
Published: January 2012

On 13 December 2004 Cassini, on approach to Saturn from the dawn flank, crossed the magnetopause multiple times. During these events the plasma spectrometer had a good field of view of both the magnetospheric and magnetosheath plasmas that often flow in nearly opposite directions (compared with more typical orientations that only allow one regime to be sampled). This fortunate viewing permitted ion plasma parameters to be measured, particularly flow speeds in both regions near simultaneously for the first time, facilitating detailed investigation of the multiple boundaries crossings. This allowed different plasma regions to be identified via analysis of thermal ion data (plasma velocity, densities and temperatures of protons and water group ions) and a search for Kelvin‐Helmholtz instabilities to be undertaken. This interval had previously been studied by Masters et al. (2010), who identified a single Kelvin‐Helmholtz vortex, however their study lacked ion plasma parameters and a measured flow speed. The new processed ion data set presented here supports their identification and identifies a second vortex ∼3 h earlier, highlighting the value of ion plasma parameters to such studies.
A new application of a multifrequency submillimeter radiometer in determining the microphysical and macrophysical properties of volcanic plumes: A sensitivity study
Authors: Baran Anthony J.
Published: January 2012

In this paper, the potential of a multifrequency submillimeter radiometer to characterize ash plumes in the near‐field of a volcanic eruption is evaluated. The radiometer's sensitivity to mass concentration and particle effective dimension is shown to depend most critically on aerosol altitude and ejected water vapor concentration. There is also some dependence on temperature, aerosol shape and complex refractive index. For this study, the volcanic aerosols are assumed to be randomly oriented solid hexagonal silicates of aspect ratio unity. The T‐matrix method is used to calculate the single‐scattering properties of the aerosols at 36 frequencies between 90 GHz and 880 GHz, and the aerosol bulk scattering properties are derived assuming lognormal size distribution functions. A midlatitude standard summer atmosphere and a perturbed midlatitude summer atmosphere are used to quantify the sensitivity, using the delta‐Eddington two‐stream approximation, of the radiometer to the presence of aerosol. It is shown that at 34 frequencies, between 113 GHz and 880 GHz, the sensitivity to aerosol is a maximum if the following four conditions are satisfied: (i) The altitude of the aerosol layer should be ≫ 3 km, (ii) 0.1 g m−3 < mass concentration < 30 g m−3 (iii) the aerosol effective dimension, De, 20 μm < De < 1000 μm and (iv) water vapor ejected by a volcano into the atmosphere should be < 1000 times greater than the background water vapor concentration. The paper demonstrates the potential usefulness of using spectrally resolved submillimeter measurements in the near‐field of volcanic eruptions to characterize plume properties.
Clinical Toxicology of Insecticides
Authors: Vale Allister , Bradberry Sally , Proudfoot Alex
Published: January 2012

Some insects compete for our food, some damage construction materials and some are important disease vectors in humans and animals. Hence, it is not surprising that chemicals (insecticides) have been developed that kill insects and other arthropods. More recently introduced insecticides, such as the neonicotinoids, have been produced with the intent that humans and animals will not be harmed by their appropriate use. This chapter reviews the clinical features and management of exposure to organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate insecticides, neonicotinoids, phosphides and pyrethroids. In the developing world where the ambient temperature is often high and personal protection equipment often not worn, poisoning particularly from OP and carbamate insecticides is common in an occupational setting, though more severe cases are due to deliberate ingestion of these pesticides. Both of these insecticides produce the cholinergic syndrome. The neonicotinoids, a major new class of insecticide, were introduced on the basis that they were highly specific for subtypes of nicotinic receptors that occur only in insect tissues. However, deliberate ingestion of substantial amounts of a neonicotinoid has resulted in features similar to those found in nicotine (and OP and carbamate) poisoning, though the solvent in some formulations may have contributed to their toxicity. Phosphides interact with moisture in air (or with water or acid) to liberate phosphine, which is the active pesticide. Inhalation of phosphine, however, is a much less frequent cause of human poisoning than ingestion of a metal phosphide, though the toxicity by the oral route is also due to phosphine liberated by contact of the phosphide with gut fluids. It is then absorbed through the alimentary mucosa and distributed to tissues where it depresses mitochondrial respiration by inhibiting cytochrome c oxidase and other enzymes. Dermal exposure to pyrethroids may result in paraesthesiae, but systemic toxicity usually only occurs after ingestion, when irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and CNS toxicity, predominantly coma and convulsions, result.
Perceived gender inequality, sexual communication self-efficacy, and sexual behaviour among female undergraduate students in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam
Authors: Bui Thanh Cong , Markham Christine M. , Ross Michael W. , Williams Mark L. , Beasley R. Palmer , Tran Ly T. H. , Nguyen Huong T. H. , Le Thach Ngoc
Published: January 2012

Background
Worldwide, the literature on sexual behaviour has documented associations between gender-based relationship inequality and sexual communication ability and the actual use of condoms or other contraceptives among young women. This study aimed to examine these associations among undergraduate female students in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1181 female third-year students from two universities in the Mekong Delta was conducted. Latent variable modelling and logistic regression were employed to examine the hypothesised associations. Results: Among the 72.4% of students who had ever had boyfriends, 44.8% indicated that their boyfriends had asked for sex, 13% had had penile–vaginal sex and 10.3% had had oral sex. For those who had had penile–vaginal sex, 33% did not use any contraceptive method, including condoms, during their first sexual intercourse. The greater a student’s perception that women were subordinate to men, the lower her self-efficacy for sexual communication and the lower her actual frequency of discussing safer sex matters and asking her partner to use a condom. Sexual communication self-efficacy was associated with actual contraceptive use (P = 0.039) but only marginally with condom use (P = 0.092) at first sexual intercourse. Conclusion: Sexual health promotion strategies should address the influence of gender relations on young women’s sexual communication self-efficacy and the subsequent impact on actual contraceptive and condom use.
Dissociable neural representations of reinforcement and belief prediction errors underlie strategic learning
Authors: Zhu Lusha , Mathewson Kyle E. , Hsu Ming
Published: January 2012

Decision-making in the presence of other competitive intelligent agents is fundamental for social and economic behavior. Such decisions require agents to behave strategically, where in addition to learning about the rewards and punishments available in the environment, they also need to anticipate and respond to actions of others competing for the same rewards. However, whereas we know much about strategic learning at both theoretical and behavioral levels, we know relatively little about the underlying neural mechanisms. Here, we show using a multi-strategy competitive learning paradigm that strategic choices can be characterized by extending the reinforcement learning (RL) framework to incorporate agents’ beliefs about the actions of their opponents. Furthermore, using this characterization to generate putative internal values, we used model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate neural computations underlying strategic learning. We found that the distinct notions of prediction errors derived from our computational model are processed in a partially overlapping but distinct set of brain regions. Specifically, we found that the RL prediction error was correlated with activity in the ventral striatum. In contrast, activity in the ventral striatum, as well as the rostral anterior cingulate (rACC), was correlated with a previously uncharacterized belief-based prediction error. Furthermore, activity in rACC reflected individual differences in degree of engagement in belief learning. These results suggest a model of strategic behavior where learning arises from interaction of dissociable reinforcement and belief-based inputs.
Comparative metatranscriptomics identifies molecular bases for the physiological responses of phytoplankton to varying iron availability
Authors: Marchetti Adrian , Schruth David M. , Durkin Colleen A. , Parker Micaela S. , Kodner Robin B. , Berthiaume Chris T. , Morales Rhonda , Allen Andrew E. , Armbrust E. Virginia
Published: January 2012

In vast expanses of the oceans, growth of large phytoplankton such as diatoms is limited by iron availability. Diatoms respond almost immediately to the delivery of iron and rapidly compose the majority of phytoplankton biomass. The molecular bases underlying the subsistence of diatoms in iron-poor waters and the plankton community dynamics that follow iron resupply remain largely unknown. Here we use comparative metatranscriptomics to identify changes in gene expression associated with iron-stimulated growth of diatoms and other eukaryotic plankton. A microcosm iron-enrichment experiment using mixed-layer waters from the northeastern Pacific Ocean resulted in increased proportions of diatom transcripts and reduced proportions of transcripts from most other taxa within 98 h after iron addition. Hundreds of diatom genes were differentially expressed in the iron-enriched community compared with the iron-limited community; transcripts of diatom genes required for synthesis of photosynthesis and chlorophyll components, nitrate assimilation and the urea cycle, and synthesis of carbohydrate storage compounds were significantly overrepresented. Transcripts of genes encoding rhodopsins in eukaryotic phytoplankton were significantly underrepresented following iron enrichment, suggesting rhodopsins help cells cope with low-iron conditions. Oceanic diatoms appear to display a distinctive transcriptional response to iron enrichment that allows chemical reduction of available nitrogen and carbon sources along with a continued dependence on iron-free photosynthetic proteins rather than substituting for iron-containing functional equivalents present within their gene repertoire. This ability of diatoms to divert their newly acquired iron toward nitrate assimilation may underlie why diatoms consistently dominate iron enrichments in high-nitrate, low-chlorophyll regions.
Interpretation of pH, Acidity, and Alkalinity in Aquaculture and Fisheries
Authors: Boyd Claude E , Tucker Craig S , Viriyatum Rawee
Published: January 2012

Measurements of pH, acidity, and alkalinity are commonly used to describe water quality. The three variables are interrelated and can sometimes be confused. The pH of water is an intensity factor, while the acidity and alkalinity of water are capacity factors. More precisely, acidity and alkalinity are defined as a water's capacity to neutralize strong bases or acids, respectively. The term “acidic” for pH values below 7 does not imply that the water has no alkalinity; likewise, the term “alkaline” for pH values above 7 does not imply that the water has no acidity. Water with a pH value between 4.5 and 8.3 has both total acidity and total alkalinity. The definition of pH, which is based on logarithmic transformation of the hydrogen ion concentration ([H+]), has caused considerable disagreement regarding the appropriate method of describing average pH. The opinion that pH values must be transformed to [H+] values before averaging appears to be based on the concept of mixing solutions of different pH. In practice, however, the averaging of [H+] values will not provide the correct average pH because buffers present in natural waters have a greater effect on final pH than does dilution alone. For nearly all uses of pH in fisheries and aquaculture, pH values may be averaged directly. When pH data sets are transformed to [H+] to estimate average pH, extreme pH values will distort the average pH. Values of pH conform more closely to a normal distribution than do values of [H+], making the pH values more acceptable for use in statistical analysis. Moreover, electrochemical measurements of pH and many biological responses to [H+] are described by the Nernst equation, which states that the measured or observed response is linearly related to 10-fold changes in [H+]. Based on these considerations, pH rather than [H+] is usually the most appropriate variable for use in statistical analysis.
Transitioning Coho Salmon Broodstock to a Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)-Rich Diet during Vitellogenesis: Effects on Egg Composition and Embryo and Fry Quality
Authors: Johnson Ronald B , Kroeger Eric L , Carter Cameron S , Reichert William L , Rust Michael B
Published: January 2012

Female coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch were fed one of two broodstock diets during vitellogenesis to evaluate the contribution of dietary lipids to egg lipids and to assess any embryo or fry quality differences that were attributable to treatment. The diets contained lipids with different fatty acid profiles and carbon stable isotope signatures (δ13C). Diets were formulated by top-dressing a low-fat salmon broodstock feed with either sardine oil (fish oil feed) or an algal oil–corn oil blend (algal oil feed). The added oils were balanced for total n-3 fatty acid content but contained markedly different levels of linoleic acid (LA), eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Analysis of δ13C revealed that dietary lipids were significantly incorporated into egg lipids during vitellogenesis and that polar and neutral lipid fractions were equally affected. Eggs of fish in the algal oil treatment group had significantly higher levels of DHA and significantly lower protein content than the eggs of fish in the fish oil treatment group. Embryo survival and fry survival and growth were similar between the two treatment groups. Eggs from the algal oil treatment additionally had higher levels of LA, and there was evidence of direct elongation of LA to eicosadienoic acid (20:2[n-6]) and bioconversion of LA to arachidonic acid by the fish. Results from this experiment demonstrate the feasibility of increasing the DHA content of egg lipids in cultured salmonids without a concomitant decrease in egg or fry quality. The proposed enrichment would allow for the production of a value-added, high-DHA product for the cured roe market without reducing the value of eggs that are destined for the hatchery market.
The Critical Thermal Maximum of Juvenile Red Drum Reared for Out-of-Season Stocking in Texas
Authors: McDonald Dusty L , Cason Paul D , Bumguardner Britt W
Published: January 2012

Hatchery-propagated red drum Sciaenops ocellatus are released by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) during the spring, summer, and fall to supplement natural stocks. Reported success of red drum stocked out of season in summer has been low or nonexistent; several potential causes, including mortality due to high temperatures, have been suggested. The present study was devised to determine the critical thermal maximum (CTM) of pond-raised juvenile red drum that had previously been exposed to diurnal temperatures of the summer season. Laboratory studies designed to mimic the rate of temperature increase (0.25°C per hour) typical of TPWD rearing ponds were used to examine rates of mortality in juvenile red drum that were collected from three separate ponds exposed to the ambient fluctuating temperatures of the summer season. The CTM (temperature that was lethal to 50% of the test fish [LT50]) was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) for two of the fish trials (LT50 = 37.1°C and 37.0°C) than for a third trial (LT50 = 38.7°C). This difference correlated with the size of fish in each trial; the two trials with smaller-sized fish (range = 18–32 mm total length) had the lower CTMs, whereas the trial with larger-sized fish (range = 31–50 mm total length) had the higher CTM, suggesting positive size dependence in the CTM. The CTMs obtained here are higher than the maximum temperatures encountered in grow-out ponds during summer, indicating that high temperature exposure may not be the sole cause for the low success of red drum stocked out of season.
Growth Performance, Tissue Fatty Acid Composition, and Consumer Appeal of Rainbow Trout Reared on Feeds Containing Terrestrially Derived Rendered Fats
Authors: Trushenski Jesse , Rosenquist Justin , Gause Brian
Published: January 2012

We evaluated the growth, fillet fatty acid composition and consumer appeal of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss raised on feeds containing fish oil or blends of fish oil and terrestrially derived rendered fats. The fish (128 ± 2 g, mean ± SE) were stocked in a recirculation system (eight fish/tank) and fed a fish-oil-based feed or feeds containing 50/50 blends of fish oil and beef tallow, pork lard, poultry fat, or restaurant grease exclusively (18 weeks) or in combination with a finishing feed (10 weeks grow out + 8 weeks finishing). Survival (94 ± 2%, mean ± SE), weight gain (384 ± 11%), specific growth rate (1.14 ± 0.02% body weight/d), feed conversion ratio (1.57 ± 0.03), cumulative individual consumption (755 ± 13 g), and feed intake (1.97 ± 0.03% body weight/d) were equivalent among the feeding regimens. The fillet fatty acid composition changed during grow out to more closely resemble the composition of the rendered-fat-based feeds, but at harvest the fillets were quite similar across all regimens. The results of the taste test showed that participants were able to correctly identify differences between the fillets of fish fed the experimental feeds and those fed the fish-oil-based feed exclusively in only 36% of comparisons, and the participants showed no obvious preference for fillets from any regimen. Beef tallow, pork lard, poultry fat, and restaurant grease may be used to spare fish oil in diets for rainbow trout without grossly impacting production performance or the sensory or nutritional quality of the resultant fillets. Finishing with a fish-oil-based feed may correct minor differences in fillet fatty acid composition; however, finishing may not be necessary to achieve a desirable fillet profile. Significant cost savings may be realized through implementation of rendered fats as fish oil alternatives in rainbow trout feeds.
Sperm Metabolism and Biochemical Characteristics in First-Time and Second-Time Spawners of Farmed Atlantic Cod
Authors: Hamoutene Dounia , Lush Lynn , Burt Kimberly , Samuelson Stephanie , Drover Dwight , Walsh Andy
Published: January 2012

We compared sperm biochemical characteristics of first-generation (F1) hatchery-reared broodstock of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua during the first and second spawnings to investigate potential improvements in sperm quality between the two spawning events. To gain further perspective on the sperm characteristics investigated, the values for farmed Atlantic cod were also compared with sperm characteristics of wild, experienced spawners that had been kept captive for 4 years. In particular, we investigated differences in the lactate dehydrogenase (glycolytic metabolism) and lipase (lipid catabolism) enzyme activities as well as sperm respiration rates and energy levels. Fertilization percentages for the F1 hatchery males at the first and second spawnings and for the wild broodstock were also obtained. The wild broodstock males were older and larger than the farmed males and produced sperm with higher energy levels, protein levels, and fertilization rates relative to the sperm of farmed naïve spawners. Our results showed no differences in characteristics between the first and second spawnings and seemed to contradict previous findings that demonstrated an improvement between first and second spawnings in captive wild Atlantic cod. Further investigations on sperm of hatchery-reared Atlantic cod broodstock (e.g., sperm motility; fertilization rates of the same males) are necessary to confirm the present findings.
The Role of Activated Lignite Carbon in the Development of Head and Lateral Line Erosion in the Ocean Surgeon
Authors: Hemdal Jay , Odum R Andrew
Published: January 2012

Head and lateral line erosion (HLLE) is an acute or chronic, often progressive problem affecting captive fishes. Its etiology is enigmatic. This study examined the relationship between the use of activated carbon as a filtrant and the development of HLLE lesions in ocean surgeons Acanthurus bahianus. Three identical, 454-L marine aquarium systems were established. Thirty-five ocean surgeons were distributed among the three aquarium systems. Activated lignite carbon was added to one system, and pelleted carbon was added to the second system. The fish in the third system were not exposed to any carbon. All 12 fish that were exposed to lignite carbon developed severe HLLE within 3 months. The 12 fish that were exposed to pelleted carbon did not develop gross symptoms, but microscopic lesions were discovered upon histological examination. The 11 control fish did not develop any visible or microscopic lesions. Based on these results, the use of activated lignite carbon in marine aquariums that house HLLE-susceptible species is discouraged.
Ferrite-based material as a permanent magnet for components of electrical generators
Authors: Sebayang Perdamean , Masbah Muljadi , Siregar R T , Walyo Tomi Budi
Published: January 2012

A permanent magnet based on ferrite for use as components of electrical generators has been fabricated by two different methods: solid–solid mixing and cooprecipitation. The conventional solid–solid mixing method uses Fe
2
O
3 and BaCO
3 as starting materials with mole ratio n=BaO:Fe
2
O
3=1: 6. The mixture is calcinated at 1100 °C and two crystal structures, BaOFe
2
O
3 and BaFe
12
O
19, were obtained with particle size of about 0.5–1.5 μm. Sintering at 1100 °C was followed by a magnetization process. Measurements give the following physical parameter values: remanence, Br=0.0792 T; magnetic saturation, Bs=1.21 T; coersivity, Hc=44.7 kA 
m
-1; density 3.43 g 
cm
-3 and porosity 9.16%. On the other hand, the cooprecipitation method uses FeCl
3 and BaCl
2 solution with mole ratio n=BaCl
2:FeCl
3=1:6. After the calcination at 900 °C and higher temperatures a single crystal structure of BaO·6Fe
2
O
3 is formed with particle size of about 30–60 nm. The optimum sintering temperature for the formation of this single phase crystal structure is 1050 °C. The physical parameters of the final product have the following values: Br=0.2673 T; Bs=1.42 T; Hc=89.4 kA 
m
-1; density 4.34 g 
cm
-3 and porosity 3.36%.
A secreted MMP is required for reepithelialization during wound healing
Authors: Stevens Laura J. , Page-McCaw Andrea
Published: January 2012

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular proteases highly expressed at wound sites. However, the precise function of MMPs during reepithelialization in vivo has been elusive in mammalian models because of the high level of redundancy among the 24 mammalian MMPs. For this reason we used Drosophila melanogaster, whose genome encodes only two MMPs—one secreted type (Mmp1) and one membrane-anchored type (Mmp2)—to study the function and regulation of the secreted class of MMPs in vivo. In the absence of redundancy, we found that the Drosophila secreted MMP, Mmp1, is required in the epidermis to facilitate reepithelialization by remodeling the basement membrane, promoting cell elongation and actin cytoskeletal reorganization, and activating extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling. In addition, we report that the jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway upregulates Mmp1 expression after wounding, but that Mmp1 is expressed independent of the JNK pathway in unwounded epidermis. When the JNK pathway is ectopically activated to overexpress Mmp1, the rate of healing is accelerated in an Mmp1-dependent manner. A primary function of Mmp1, under the control of the JNK pathway, is to promote basement membrane repair, which in turn may permit cell migration and the restoration of a continuous tissue.
Interest Group Ratings and Regression Inconsistency
Authors: Herron Michael C.
Published: January 2012

This article uses spatial voting theory to analyze the properties of linear regressions that employ interest group ratings as measures of legislator policy preferences. Such regressions, in general, yield inconsistent results. In particular, least-squares estimation of a bivariate regression which contains an interest group rating as a regressor produces an inflated slope estimate. Instrumenting for the rating with a second rating, as proposed by Brunell et al. (1999), does not fix this problem, and this is because errors in both sets of ratings are correlated. Finally, estimation of a trivariate regression that contains an interest group rating and a party indicator on its right-hand side yields inconsistent slope estimates and, in particular, a party coefficient estimate of unreliable sign. Hence, regressions including both ratings and party indicators are not useful tools in the debate on whether party affiliation has an independent impact on legislator behavior.
Structure of a pectin methylesterase fromYersinia enterocolitica
Authors: Boraston Alisdair B. , Abbott D. Wade
Published: January 2012

Pectin methylesterases (PMEs) are family 8 carbohydrate esterases (CE8s) which remove the methyl group from methylesterified galacturonic acid (GalA) residues within pectin. Although the role of pectinases such as PMEs within dedicated phytopathogens has been well established, the significance of homologous enzymes found within the genomes of human enteropathogens remains to be determined. Presented here is the low-resolution (3.5 Å) structure of the CE8 fromYersinia enterocolitica(YeCE8). The high degree of structural conservation in the topology of the active-site cleft and catalytic apparatus that is shared with a characterized PME from a bacterial phytopathogen (i) indicates thatYeCE8 is active on methylated pectin and (ii) highlights a more prominent role for pectin utilization inYersiniathan in other enteropathogenic species.
Oestrogen receptor β in adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary glands
Authors: Marques Yonara M F S , Giudice Fernanda S , Freitas Vanessa M , Abreu e Lima Maria do C C , Hunter Keith D , Speight Paul M , Machado de Sousa Suzana C O
Published: January 2012

Marques Y M F S, Giudice F S, Freitas V M, Abreu e Lima M d C C, Hunter K D, Speight P M & Machado de Sousa S C O  (2012) Histopathology 60, 609–616 Oestrogen receptor β in adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary glands

Aims:  This study aimed to describe the expression of oestrogen receptor (ER)α, ERβ and aromatase in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

Methods and results:  ERα, ERβ and aromatase expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarray blocks from 38 cases of ACC and seven normal salivary glands. The intracellular localization and amount of total protein expression were investigated by immunofluorescence and western blotting in an ACC cell line. Western blotting analysis showed overexpression of ERα, ERβ and aromatase in the ACC cell line; however, with immunofluorescence, only ERβ was shown to be expressed in the nucleus. Immunohistochemistry revealed positive nuclear expression of ERβ, positive cytoplasmic expression of aromatase and a lack of ERα expression as compared with normal salivary glands.

Conclusions:  The nuclear expression of ERβ indicates that oestrogen may be active in ACC and possibly able to mediate E2‐targeted gene transcription. This study strongly suggests that ERβ may be involved in tumour progression, playing a role in tumour development, and thus corroborating the indication for ER antagonists in the clinical control of ACC. This study opens a new perspective on the potential use of anti‐oestrogens and aromatase inhibitors as therapeutic agents against ACC.
Fell‐Muir Lecture: Chondroitin sulphate glycosaminoglycans: fun for some and confusion for others
Authors: Caterson Bruce
Published: January 2012

This review emphasizes the importance of glycobiology in nature and aims to highlight, simplify and summarize the multiple functions and structural complexities of the different oligosaccharide combinatorial domains that are found in chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate (CS/DS) glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. For example, there are 1008 different pentasaccharide sequences possible within CS, DS or CS/DS hybrid GAG chains. These combinatorial possibilities provide numerous potential ligand‐binding domains that are important for cell and extracellular matrix interactions as well as specific associations with cytokines, chemokines, morphogens and growth factors that regulate cellular differentiation and proliferation during tissue development, for example, morphogen gradient establishment. The review provides some details of the large and diverse number of different enzymes that are involved in CS/DS biosynthesis and attempts to explain how differences in their expression patterns in different cell types can lead to subtle but important differences in the GAG metabolism that influence cellular proliferation and differentiation in development as well as regeneration and repair in disease. Our laboratory was the first to generate and characterize monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that very specifically recognize different ‘native’ sulphation motif/epitopes in CS/DS GAG chains. These monoclonal antibodies have been used to identify very specific spatio‐temporal expression patterns of CS/DS sulphation motifs that occur during tissue and organ development (in particular their association with stem/progenitor cell niches) and also their recapitulated expression in adult tissues with the onset of degenerative joint diseases. In summary, diversity in CS/DS sulphation motif expression is a very important necessity for animal life as we know it.
Drivers and Performance Outcomes of Innovativeness: An Empirical Study
Authors: Kyrgidou Lida P. , Spyropoulou Stavroula
Published: January 2012

The issue of innovativeness within organizations has attracted considerable attention in the literature. However, limited knowledge exists about the drivers of and their simultaneous effects on innovativeness and the role of innovativeness in enhancing performance. We adopt the resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm and insights from the literature on capabilities to investigate specific capability types serving as antecedents to innovativeness and to examine its performance outcomes. From a sample of 218Greek manufacturers, the results indicate that managerial, entrepreneurial and technical capabilities facilitate the establishment of innovativeness, which in turn enhances business performance. The study lends support to prior research that highlights the importance of innovativeness in enhancing organizational performance and sharpens understanding of the drivers of innovativeness and the way they collectively operate through innovativeness to boost performance. The study further provides new insights into the role of innovativeness from the perspective of theRBV, while highlighting certain firm capabilities that might both enable and impede competitive advantage and superior performance creation. As such, this study contributes to the effective management of the innovativeness process within organizations.
Computer‐Aided Design of Prestressed Concrete Cellular Bridge Decks
Authors: Lounis Z. , Cohn M. Z.
Published: January 2012

Abstract: This paper illustrates the application of an effective optimization procedure for the design of prestressed concrete cellular bridge decks consisting of single‐ and two‐cell box girders or voided slab systems. An approximate live load moment analysis using the finite‐strip method and finite‐difference techniques that determines moment sensitivities to changes in the deck depth and flange thickness is proposed for box girder decks. The optimization process is much simplified by eliminating the need of finite‐strip reanalysis at each iteration. The optimal design is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem and solved by the projected lagrangian method. The resulting solutions may be used as preliminary designs for short‐ and medium‐span highway bridges, for which cellular decks represent competitive solutions. Optimization results show that voided slab decks are more economical than box girder decks for the short span range and wide decks, and single‐cell box girders are a cost‐effective alternative for medium span range and narrow decks.
Does Television Personalise Voting Behaviour? Studying the Effects of Media Exposure on Voting for Candidates or Parties
Authors: Elmelund‐Præstekær Christian , Hopmann David Nicolas
Published: January 2012

Scholars have long argued that politics has become personalised throughout the post Second World War era. Increasingly, focus shifts from policy to politicians' personal traits. The media – particularly television, it is argued – is the driving force in the process by focusing more on individual politicians and their personal traits than parties and their policy proposals. Empirically, it is not known whether the personalisation of media content affects the political behaviour of voters. Based on survey data from the 2009 Danish local elections (N = 3,336), this article explores the determinants of preferential voting – that is, voting for a specific candidate rather than a party. The findings show that institutional factors and individual characteristics are far better predictors of personalised voting behaviour than any measure of media exposure – and that viewing the main national news bulletins, as well as reading regional newspapers, have a similar positive effect. Thus, the study provides answers to the highly debated but rarely studied question of whether and how the media possibly personalise politics with regard to voting behaviour.
Virtue Epistemology and the ‘Epistemic Fitness’ of Democracy
Authors: Farrelly Colin
Published: January 2012

In this article I explore three distinct advantages of linking virtue epistemology to an epistemic defence of democracy. First, because intellectual agents and communities are the primary focus of epistemic evaluation, virtue epistemology offers political theorists the opportunity to develop an epistemic defence of democracy that takes ‘realism’ seriously (e.g. the cognitive limitations and biases of humans). Second, because virtue epistemology conceives of epistemology as a normative discipline, it builds normative criteria into the exercise of assessing the ‘epistemic fitness’ of a political arrangement (e.g. democracy vs. epistocracy). Third, by assessing the epistemic powers of democracy from a virtue-epistemological perspective, a more robust (Deweyan) conception of democracy needs to be employed and assessed than the minimalist conception employed by the Condorcet Jury Theorem.
New Product Development Speed: Too Much of a Good Thing?
Authors: Chen Jiyao , Reilly Richard R. , Lynn Gary S.
Published: January 2012

New product development (NPD) speed has become increasingly important for managing innovation in fast‐changing business environments due to continuous reduction in the product life cycle time and increase in competition from technological advancements and globalization. While the existing literature has not produced consistent results regarding the relationship between speed and success for NPD projects, many scholars and practitioners assert that increasing NPD speed is virtually always important to NPD success. The purpose of this paper is to examine the implicit assumption that faster is better as it relates to new product success (NPS).

From the perspectives of time‐compression diseconomies and absorptive capacity, the authors question the assumption that speed has a linear relationship with success. The authors further argue that time‐compression diseconomies depend on levels of uncertainty involved in NPD projects. Using survey data of 471 NPD projects, the hypotheses were tested by hierarchical regression analysis and subgroup polynomial regression. The results of this study indicate that NPD speed has a curvilinear relationship with NPS, and the nature of the speed–success relationship varies, depending on type and level of uncertainty. When turbulence or technological newness is high, the relationship is curvilinear, but when uncertainties are low, the relationship is linear. In contrast, the results of this study suggest a curvilinear relationship under conditions of low market newness but not when market newness is high.

The present paper asserts that time‐compression diseconomies and absorptive capacity are important theoretical constructs in understanding speed in NPD. The different impact of market newness and market turbulence on NPD speed supports the distinction of newness and turbulence as two different sources of uncertainty. Discussion focuses on the implications of NPD speed under the different conditions of uncertainty. NPD teams need to pursue NPD speed as a critical strategy, but it is necessary to analyze the source and degree of uncertainty about projects before a time‐based strategy is selected. In order to address the challenges of high uncertainty, a firm needs to probe, learn, and iterate fast. In particular, NPD teams need to distinguish between the different requirements for new products in emerging and new markets, and those in fast‐changing markets. Moreover, NPD teams need to balance how fast they need to go with how fast they can go by considering team absorptive capacity and customer absorptive capacity.