bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
THE PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRACY IN THE CASE LAW OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE
Authors: Lenaerts Koen 
Published: April 2013

AbstractThis article seeks to explore the way in which the Court of Justice of the European Union (‘CJEU’) has interpreted and applied the principle of democracy. It examines first the democratization process upon which the EU has embarked since the adoption of the Treaty of Maastricht and how that transformation was a positive reaction to those voices arguing that the EU suffers from a ‘democratic deficit’. Next, it is argued that the CJEU has understood the principle of democracy in a way which is respectful of the two sources of democratic legitimacy at EU level, namely the Member States and the peoples of Europe. Accordingly, that understanding of the principle of democracy is illustrated by some relevant examples taken from the case law of the CJEU and the European General Court (‘EGC’). Those examples show that the CJEU has strived to protect the prerogatives of the European Parliament, the only political institution of the EU whose members have, since 1979, been elected for a term of five years by direct universal suffrage in a free and secret ballot. Yet, they also show that the principle of democracy is not limited to protecting parliamentary prerogatives. That principle, like all EU constitutional principles, pervades the whole of EU law and, as such, must be read in light of societal changes. As democracy within the EU is not limited to the participation by the European Parliament in the legislative process but also encompasses other forms of governance, in particular rule-making by administrative agencies and the achievement of consensus by social partners, it is for the EU judiciary to make sure that those other forms of governance remain as democratic as possible. This can be achieved, inter alia, by making sure that they enjoy sufficient representation or are subject to parliamentary control. Furthermore, the CJEU and the EGC also take into account new mechanisms which seek to strengthen the principle of democracy, such as the principle of transparency. In so doing, they aim to enhance the democratic legitimacy of the EU by providing sufficient means for EU citizens to hold their representatives accountable. Finally, it is contended that the principle of democracy, as interpreted by the CJEU, draws inspiration from national democracies. In so doing, the CJEU strives to place national and supranational democracies in a mutually reinforcing relationship.
Locke's Inverted Quarantine: Discipline, Panopticism, and the Making of the Liberal Subject
Authors: Baltes John 
Published: April 2013

AbstractSome Thoughts Concerning Educationoffers the theory of governance theTwo Treatiseslack. Education is the key to Lockean politics: self-government and public order require virtuous citizens, and these citizens, as Locke suggested in theEssayand explains in theEducation, are made rather than found, constructed from the ground up by discipline. Through early and careful practices of education, they are enmeshed in a net of habit and custom that naturalizes the moral commitments they are taught, rendering the process, and the artifice, invisible. Locke entangles his subjects in an architecture of power of which they become the bearers, thereby providing the foundation for public order and limited government. Locke's disciplinary liberalism allows us to better appreciate late modern subjectivity as an achievement, rather than a given of political life, albeit an achievement that involves some uncomfortable compromises and a willingness to accept, if not laud, our disciplinary commitments.
Modelling distribution and potential overlap between Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus and Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius: implications for management and monitoring plans
Authors: BRAMBILLA MATTIA , BASSI ENRICO , BERGERO VALENTINA , CASALE FABIO , CHEMOLLO MARCO , FALCO RICCARDO , LONGONI VIOLETTA , SAPORETTI FABIO , VIGANÒ ENRICO , VITULANO SEVERINO 
Published: April 2013

SummaryCorrelative species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly widespread in the conservation literature. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including addressing practical conservation tasks on the basis of a spatially explicit assessment of environmental suitability for target taxa, which in turn allows for a transparent evaluation of needs and opportunities. Here we used the maximum entropy method (by means of the software MaxEnt) to model distribution of the rare Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus and the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, which excavates the nest-holes used by the owl for breeding. We believe that monitoring surveys for Boreal Owl should consider areas suitable for both species as priority sites, whereas the provision of nest-boxes for the owl may be particularly desirable in habitat patches that are suitable for that species but not for the keystone species whose nest-holes represent the usual nest site for the owl. Finally, areas suitable for both species can represent priority areas for the conservation of forest birds in the Alps, as both species have been reported as umbrella and/or keystone species. Our example provides a possible framework to model management and monitoring opportunities in other species or species pairs, but such an approach can be used to infer the need for particular management options when both limiting factors and species distribution can be spatially modelled, and also to model the areas where different target species are more likely to overlap and interact. The use of distribution models as tools to address practical conservation tasks should also be encouraged in order to accomplish practical tasks according to sound knowledge and transparent methods.
SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY IN SIMPLE DETERMINISTIC SIR MODELS ASSESSED ECOLOGICALLY
Authors: WATERS E. K. , SIDHU H. S. , MERCER G. N. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractPatchy or divided populations can be important to infectious disease transmission. We first show that Lloyd’s mean crowding index, an index of patchiness from ecology, appears as a term in simple deterministic epidemic models of the SIR type. Using these models, we demonstrate that the rate of movement between patches is crucial for epidemic dynamics. In particular, there is a relationship between epidemic final size and epidemic duration in patchy habitats: controlling inter-patch movement will reduce epidemic duration, but also final size. This suggests that a strategy of quarantining infected areas during the initial phases of a virulent epidemic might reduce epidemic duration, but leave the population vulnerable to future epidemics by inhibiting the development of herd immunity.
A MODIFIED PROJECTED CONJUGATE GRADIENT ALGORITHM FOR UNCONSTRAINED OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS
Authors: HUANG SHUAI , WAN ZHONG , DENG SONGHAI 
Published: April 2013

AbstractWe propose a modified projected Polak–Ribière–Polyak (PRP) conjugate gradient method, where a modified conjugacy condition and a method which generates sufficient descent directions are incorporated into the construction of a suitable conjugacy parameter. It is shown that the proposed method is a modification of the PRP method and generates sufficient descent directions at each iteration. With an Armijo-type line search, the theory of global convergence is established under two weak assumptions. Numerical experiments are employed to test the efficiency of the algorithm in solving some benchmark test problems available in the literature. The numerical results obtained indicate that the algorithm outperforms an existing similar algorithm in requiring fewer function evaluations and fewer iterations to find optimal solutions with the same tolerance.
Zymogen activation of neurotrypsin and neurotrypsin-dependent agrin cleavage on the cell surface are enhanced by glycosaminoglycans
Authors: Gisler Claudio , Lüscher Daniel , Schätzle Philipp , Dürr Stephanie , Baici Antonio , Galliciotti Giovanna , Reif Raymond , Bolliger Marc F. , Kunz Beat , Sonderegger Peter 
Published: April 2013

The serine peptidase neurotrypsin is stored in presynaptic nerve endings and secreted in an inactive zymogenic form by synaptic activity. After activation, which requires activity of postsynaptic NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, neurotrypsin cleaves the heparan sulfate proteoglycan agrin at active synapses. The resulting C-terminal 22-kDa fragment of agrin induces dendritic filopodia, which are considered to be precursors of new synapses. In the present study, we investigated the role of GAGs (glycosaminoglycans) in the activation of neurotrypsin and neurotrypsin-dependent agrin cleavage. We found binding of neurotrypsin to the GAG side chains of agrin, which in turn enhanced the activation of neurotrypsin by proprotein convertases and resulted in enhanced agrin cleavage. A similar enhancement of neurotrypsin binding to agrin, neurotrypsin activation and agrin cleavage was induced by the four-amino-acid insert at the y splice site of agrin, which is crucial for the formation of a heparin-binding site. Non-agrin GAGs also contributed to binding and activation of neurotrypsin and, thereby, to agrin cleavage, albeit to a lesser extent. Binding of neurotrypsin to cell-surface glycans locally restricts its conversion from zymogen into active peptidase. This provides the molecular foundation for the local action of neurotrypsin at or in the vicinity of its site of synaptic secretion. By its local action at synapses with correlated pre- and post-synaptic activity, the neurotrypsin–agrin system fulfils the requirements for a mechanism serving experience-dependent modification of activated synapses, which is essential for adaptive structural reorganizations of neuronal circuits in the developing and/or adult brain.
Redesign of a cross-reactive antibody to dengue virus with broad-spectrum activity and increased in vivo potency
Authors: Tharakaraman Kannan , Robinson Luke N. , Hatas Andrew , Chen Yi-Ling , Siyue Liu , Raguram S. , Sasisekharan V. , Wogan Gerald N. , Sasisekharan Ram 
Published: April 2013

Significance
Dengue virus infects more than 200 million people each year, and incidence of severe disease is increasing with no effective countermeasures. We demonstrate in this paper the engineering of an antibody that binds to all four serotypes of dengue virus with potent activity in vitro and in vivo. We also outline a distinct and widely applicable approach to antibody engineering that provides important information on the paratope/epitope interface in the absence of crystal structure data, enabling identification of antibody amino acids that could be mutated. We demonstrate experimentally the alteration of both specificity (enabling cross-serotype binding) and affinity of the engineered antibody.
Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tracking versus Snorkeling: Quantification of Fright Bias and Comparison of Techniques in Habitat Use Studies
Authors: Ellis Theoren R. , Linnansaari Tommi , Cunjak Richard A. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractQuantitative assessment of day and night fright bias (i.e., flight response) of Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar parr during passive integrated transponder (PIT) tracking surveys was carried out during summer (water temperature, 18–22°C) and autumn (water temperature, <3°C). In addition, PIT‐tracking and snorkeling survey methods were compared to assess whether the two methods result in similar habitat use data for Atlantic Salmon parr at the same study site. During summer fright bias surveys, 0–15% of parr displayed a flight response to PIT‐tracking techniques in the riffle–run–pool habitat types commonly used by Atlantic Salmon parr; 24–25% displayed a flight response in relatively unused, shallow, calm water habitats. No flight responses were observed in autumn surveys with colder water temperatures in any habitat type. Larger numbers of salmon parr were observed using PIT tracking regardless of stream discharge. Furthermore, significant differences in habitat use frequency curves between these two methods were observed due largely to higher Atlantic Salmon parr abundances being detected by PIT tracking in shallow water depths at lower discharges and the ability to detect inactive salmon parr hiding within the substrate. PIT tracking was found to be a valid method for habitat assessment and provides more reliable habitat use data than traditional snorkeling methods in small streams.
Development of a Sperm Cryopreservation Protocol for Redside Dace: Implications for Genome Resource Banking
Authors: Butts Ian A. E. , Mokdad Ali , Trippel Edward A. , Pitcher Trevor E. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractPopulations of Redside DaceClinostomus elongatushave declined in many areas across the species’ North American range. Therefore, the development of sperm cryopreservation technology would provide an invaluable means of preserving genetic diversity in populations that are in imminent danger of extirpation. We developed cryopreservation protocols by testing the effects of diluent (buffered sperm motility‐inhibiting saline solution [BSMIS]; BSMIS + glycine; sucrose; and Hanks’ balanced salt solution [HBSS]), cryoprotectant (dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO]; propylene glycol [PG]; N,N‐dimethylacetamide [DMA]; and methanol), freezing rate (1, 5, and 10°C/min), and male‐to‐male variation on sperm quality. Incubating sperm in extenders affected motility; BSMIS + glycine + methanol, BSMIS + glycine + PG, and HBSS + methanol were the only treatments for which motility was not significantly different from that of fresh sperm. Sperm frozen with sucrose had higher motility than sperm frozen with BSMIS + glycine, and sperm frozen with DMSO had higher motility than sperm frozen with methanol. Freezing rates were evaluated for BSMIS + glycine, HBSS, and sucrose; all diluents were frozen with DMSO. The effect of freezing rate was not significant for BSMIS + glycine or for HBSS, but an effect was detected for sucrose, with sperm frozen at 5°C/min or 10°C/min having higher motility than sperm frozen at 1°C/min. The effect of extender was not significant at 1°C/min or 5°C/min, but an effect was detected at 10°C/min such that sperm frozen with sucrose had the highest motility. Male‐to‐male variability was evaluated by using sucrose + DMSO and a freezing rate of 10°C/min. For these males, the sperm motility recovery index ranged from 6.67% to 79.27%, and the sperm velocity recovery index ranged from 21.37% to 57.33%. Our findings demonstrate that cryopreservation of Redside Dace sperm in a sucrose + DMSO extender at a freezing rate of 10°C/min is adequate for preserving genetic diversity via sperm banks.
Rangewide Survey of the Introgressive Status of Guadalupe Bass: Implications for Conservation and Management
Authors: Bean Preston T. , Lutz‐Carrillo Dijar J. , Bonner Timothy H. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractThe stocking of fishes outside of their native range for the purpose of sport fisheries can lead to secondary contact and introgression between species that were historically allopatrically distributed. Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu were introduced within the range of Guadalupe Bass M. treculii in central Texas and introgressive hybridization subsequently occurred. One recent survey of temporal changes in introgression in the Blanco River found that introgression had increased and that Guadalupe Bass had been extirpated. Thus, a survey of changes in introgression across the range of the Guadalupe Bass was conducted in 12 subbasins in the Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe–San Antonio, and Nueces drainages in Texas using 15 microsatellite loci. The results indicate that introgression is now occurring in four subbasins but no longer occurring in the Lampasas and San Gabriel rivers, where rates were previously 6% and 46%, respectively. Additionally, we found no evidence that stocking of hatchery‐reared individuals in the Guadalupe and Nueces rivers has led to severely depressed genetic variation. The variable success of restoration efforts to prevent extirpation of the Guadalupe Bass suggests that protection of the remaining nonintrogressed populations should be a priority for the conservation of this species.
The Effect of Short‐Duration Seawater Exposure and Acoustic Tag Implantation on the Swimming Performance and Physiology of Presmolt Juvenile Coho Salmon
Authors: Morrison Phillip R. , Groot Erick P. , Welch David W. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractTo assess the potential impact of “tag effect” on seaward‐migrating Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, presmolt juveniles were surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters followed by exposure to freshwater (FW, 0‰ salinity) or seawater (SW; 30‰ salinity) for 24 h and then subjected to repeated critical swimming speed (Ucrit) trials. Three different experimental tag‐treatment groups were established: control (no surgery), sham (surgery but no tag), and tagged (surgically implanted tag), with a range of 9–12 fish in each group. Tagged fish were implanted with Vemco V6 dummy acoustic transmitters (DAT: 17.0 mm long × 6 mm diameter, 1.0 g in air). After completion of two Ucrit trials, separated by a recovery period, all fish were euthanized and sampled to determine hematocrit (Hct) and plasma osmolality. In the FW exposure, the mean Ucrit of the control treatment was significantly higher than that of the tagged treatment (P = 0.04). No significant differences in swimming performance were observed among the SW treatment groups, and no significant differences were observed between Ucrit trials (Ucrit1 and Ucrit2) for any of the experimental treatments groups. Seawater exposure did, however, result in slightly reduced, but not statistically different, swimming speeds and concomitantly higher plasma osmolalities (P < 0.001) compared with FW exposure. Predictions made with data from this study suggest that sample sizes (per tag treatment) of n = 25 are sufficient to detect a 15–20% difference in Ucrit sample means with 80% power. Collectively, these data do not provide substantial statistical evidence that the swimming performance of juvenile Coho Salmon tagged with surgically implanted acoustic transmitters is significantly reduced compared with untagged fish.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Enhanced Cleaning to Reduce Contamination of Healthcare Worker Gowns and Gloves with Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Hess Aaron S. , Shardell Michelle , Johnson J. Kristie , Thom Kerri A. , Roghmann Mary-Claire , Netzer Giora , Amr Sania , Morgan Daniel J. , Harris Anthony D. 
Published: April 2013

Objective.To determine whether enhanced daily cleaning would reduce contamination of healthcare worker (HCW) gowns and gloves with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB).Design.A cluster-randomized controlled trial.Setting.Four intensive care units (ICUs) in an urban tertiary care hospital.PARTICIPANTS.ICU rooms occupied by patients colonized with MRSA or MDRAB.INTERVENTION.Extra enhanced daily cleaning of ICU room surfaces frequently touched by HCWs.Results.A total of 4,444 cultures were collected from 132 rooms over 10 months. Using fluorescent dot markers at 2,199 surfaces, we found that 26% of surfaces in control rooms were cleaned and that 100% of surfaces in experimental rooms were cleaned (P < .001). The mean proportion of contaminated HCW gowns and gloves following routine care provision and before leaving the rooms of patients with MDRAB was 16% among control rooms and 12% among experimental rooms (relative risk, 0.77 [95% confidence interval, 0.28-2.11]; P = .23). For MRSA, the mean proportions were 22% and 19%, respectively (relative risk, 0.89 [95% confidence interval, 0.50-1.53]; P = .16).Discussion.Intense enhanced daily cleaning of ICU rooms occupied by patients colonized with MRSA or MDRAB was associated with a nonsignificant reduction in contamination of HCW gowns and gloves after routine patient care activities. Further research is needed to determine whether intense environmental cleaning will lead to significant reductions and fewer infections.Trial Registration.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01481935.
Reliability Testing for Portable Adenosine Triphosphate Bioluminometers
Authors: Whiteley Greg S. , Derry Chris , Glasbey Trevor 
Published: April 2013

Measurement of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) using portable bioluminometers has been adapted from the food manufacturing sector, and it has been suggested that it could be used as an indicator of surface soiling or cleanliness in hospital settings. Some healthcare authorities are considering the use of portable ATP bioluminometers as a tool for standard setting for surface cleanliness to improve cleaning standards. Central to this approach is the use of a commonly accepted level of detected ATP—expressed as relative light units (RLUs)—that may be used as a surrogate for underlying soiling, including the presence of pathogenic microorganisms.It has been demonstrated that improvements can be made to cleaning processes with fluorescent markers through a simpler approach that provides a qualitative efficiency measurement of the cleaning process. Measurement of surface hygiene using ATP bioluminometers is thought to provide a more quantitative surrogate of surface cleanliness.
Risk of Acquiring Extended-Spectrumβ-Lactamase–ProducingKlebsiellaSpecies andEscherichia colifrom Prior Room Occupants in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Ajao Adebola O. , Johnson J. Kristie , Harris Anthony D. , Zhan Min , McGregor Jessina C. , Thom Kerri A. , Furuno Jon P. 
Published: April 2013

Objective.To quantify the association between admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) room most recently occupied by a patient positive for extended-spectrumβ-lactamase (EBSL)-producing gram-negative bacteria and acquisition of infection or colonization with that pathogen.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting and Patients.The study included patients admitted to medical and surgical ICUs of an academic medical center between September 1, 2001, and June 30, 2009.Methods.Perianal surveillance cultures were obtained at admission to the ICU, weekly, and at discharge from the ICU. Patients were included if they had culture results that were negative for ESBL-producing gram-negative bacteria at ICU admission and had an ICU length of stay longer than 48 hours. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed on ESBL-positive isolates from patients who acquired the same bacterial species (eg,Klebsiellaspecies orEscherichia coli) as the previous room occupant.Results.Among 9, 371 eligible admissions (7, 651 unique patients), 267 (3%) involved patients who acquired an ESBL-producing pathogen in the ICU; of these patients, 32 (12%) were hospitalized in a room in which the prior occupant had been positive for ESBL. Logistic regression results suggested that the prior occupant's ESBL status was not significantly associated with acquisition of an ESBL-producing pathogen (adjusted odds ratio, 1.39 [95% confidence interval, 0.94-2.08]) after adjusting for colonization pressure and antibiotic exposure in the ICU. PFGE results suggested that 6 (18%) of 32 patients acquired a bacterial strain that was the same as or closely related to the strain obtained from the prior occupant.Conclusions.These data suggest that environmental contamination may not play a substantial role in the transmission of ESBL-producing pathogens among ICU patients. Intensifying environmental decontamination may be less effective than other interventions in preventing transmission of ESBL-producing pathogens.