bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How to (or not to) … measure performance against the Abuja target for public health expenditure
Authors: Witter Sophie , Jones Alex , Ensor Tim 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
In 2001, African heads of state committed ‘to set a target of allocating at least 15% of our annual budget to the improvement of the health sector’. This target has since been used as a benchmark to hold governments accountable. However, it was never followed by a set of guidelines as to how it should be measured in practice. This article sets out some of the areas of ambiguity and argues for an interpretation which focuses on actual expenditure, rather than budgets (which are theoretical), and which captures areas of spending that are subject to government discretion. These are largely domestic sources, but include budget support, which is externally derived but subject to Ministry of Finance sectoral allocation. Theoretical and practical arguments in favour of this recommendation are recommended using a case study from Sierra Leone. It is recommended that all discretionary spending by government is included in the numerator and denominator when calculating performance against the target, including spending by all ministries on health, social health insurance payments, debt relief funds and budget support. Conversely, all forms of private payment and earmarked aid should be excluded. The authors argue that the target, while an important vehicle for tracking political commitment to the sector, should be assessed intelligently by governments, which have legitimate wider public finance objectives of maximizing overall social returns, and should be complemented by a wider range of indicators, to avoid distortions.
Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution in the Pig Is Associated with Renal Tissue Edema, Impaired Renal Microvascular Oxygenation, and Functional Loss
Authors: Konrad Franziska M. , Mik Egbert G. , Bodmer Sander I. A. , Ates N. Bahar , Willems Henriëtte F. E. M. , Klingel Karin , de Geus Hilde R. H. , Stolker Robert Jan , Johannes Tanja 
Published: June 2013

Abstract

Background:
The authors investigated the impact of acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) on intrarenal oxygenation and its functional short-term consequences in pigs.

Methods:
Renal microvascular oxygenation (µPo
2) was measured in cortex, outer and inner medulla via three implanted optical fibers by oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence. Besides systemic hemodynamics, renal function, histopathology, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression were determined. ANH was performed in n = 18 pigs with either colloids (hydroxyethyl starch 6% 130/0.4) or crystalloids (full electrolyte solution), in three steps from a hematocrit of 30% at baseline to a hematocrit of 15% (H3).

Results:
ANH with crystalloids decreased µPo
2 in cortex and outer medulla approximately by 65% (P < 0.05) and in inner medulla by 30% (P < 0.05) from baseline to H3. In contrast, µPo
2 remained unaltered during ANH with colloids. Furthermore, renal function decreased by approximately 45% from baseline to H3 (P < 0.05) only in the crystalloid group. Three times more volume of crystalloids was administered compared with the colloid group. Alterations in systemic and renal regional hemodynamics, oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption during ANH, gave no obvious explanation for the deterioration of µPo
2 in the crystalloid group. However, ANH with crystalloids was associated with the highest formation of renal tissue edema and the highest expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, which was mainly localized in distal convoluted tubules.

Conclusions:
ANH to a hematocrit of 15% statistically significantly impaired µPo
2 and renal function in the crystalloid group. Less tissue edema formation and an unimpaired renal µPo
2 in the colloid group might account for a preserved renal function.
Relationship between Volume and Survival in Closed Intensive Care Units Is Weak and Apparent Only in Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Authors: Fernández Rafael , Altaba Susana , Cabre Lluis , Lacueva Victoria , Santos Antonio , Solsona Jose-Felipe , Añon Jose-Manuel , Catalan Rosa-Maria , Gutierrez Maria-Jose , Fernandez-Cid Ramon , Gomez-Tello Vicente , Curiel Emilio , Fernandez-Mondejar Enrique , Oliva Joan-Carles 
Published: June 2013

Abstract

Background:
Recent studies have found an association between increased volume and increased intensive care unit (ICU) survival; however, this association might not hold true in ICUs with permanent intensivist coverage. Our objective was to determine whether ICU volume correlates with survival in the Spanish healthcare system.

Methods:

Post hoc analysis of a prospective study of all patients admitted to 29 ICUs during 3 months. At ICU discharge, the authors recorded demographic variables, severity score, and specific ICU treatments. Follow-up variables included ICU readmission and hospital mortality. Statistics include logistic multivariate analyses for hospital mortality according to quartiles of volume of patients.

Results:
The authors studied 4,001 patients with a mean predicted risk of death of 23% (range at hospital level: 14–46%). Observed hospital mortality was 19% (range at hospital level: 11–35%), resulting in a standardized mortality ratio of 0.81 (range: 0.5–1.3). Among the 1,923 patients needing mechanical ventilation, the predicted risk of death was 32% (14–60%) and observed hospital mortality was 30% (12–61%), resulting in a standardized mortality ratio of 0.96 (0.5–1.7). The authors found no correlation between standardized mortality ratio and ICU volume in the entire population or in mechanically ventilated patients. Only mechanically ventilated patients in very low-volume ICUs had slightly worse outcome.

Conclusion:
In the currently studied healthcare system characterized by 24/7 intensivist coverage, the authors found wide variability in outcome among ICUs even after adjusting for severity of illness but no relationship between ICU volume and outcome. Only mechanically ventilated patients in very low-volume centers had slightly worse outcomes.
A Suppressor Screen of the Chimeric AtCNGC11/12 Reveals Residues Important for Intersubunit Interactions of Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channels
Authors: Abdel-Hamid Huda , Chin Kimberley , Moeder Wolfgang , Shahinas Dea , Gupta Deepali , Yoshioka Keiko 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
To investigate the structure-function relationship of plant cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels (CNGCs), we identified a total of 29 mutant alleles of the chimeric AtCNGC11/12 gene that induces multiple defense responses in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant, constitutive expresser of PR genes22 (cpr22). Based on computational modeling, two new alleles, S100 (AtCNGC11/12:G459R) and S137 (AtCNGC11/12:R381H), were identified as counterparts of human CNGA3 (a human CNGC) mutants. Both mutants lost all cpr22-mediated phenotypes. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana as well as functional complementation in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) showed that both AtCNGC11/12:G459R and AtCNGC11/12:R381H have alterations in their channel function. Site-directed mutagenesis coupled with fast-protein liquid chromatography using recombinantly expressed C-terminal peptides indicated that both mutations significantly influence subunit stoichiometry to form multimeric channels. This observation was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation in planta. Taken together, we have identified two residues that are likely important for subunit interaction for plant CNGCs and likely for animal CNGCs as well.
The Trehalose 6-Phosphate/SnRK1 Signaling Pathway Primes Growth Recovery following Relief of Sink Limitation
Authors: Nunes Cátia , O’Hara Liam E. , Primavesi Lucia F. , Delatte Thierry L. , Schluepmann Henriette , Somsen Govert W. , Silva Anabela B. , Fevereiro Pedro S. , Wingler Astrid , Paul Matthew J. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Trehalose 6-P (T6P) is a sugar signal in plants that inhibits SNF1-related protein kinase, SnRK1, thereby altering gene expression and promoting growth processes. This provides a model for the regulation of growth by sugar. However, it is not known how this model operates under sink-limited conditions when tissue sugar content is uncoupled from growth. To test the physiological importance of this model, T6P, SnRK1 activities, sugars, gene expression, and growth were measured in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings after transfer to cold or zero nitrogen compared with sugar feeding under optimal conditions. Maximum in vitro activities of SnRK1 changed little, but T6P accumulated up to 55-fold, correlating with tissue Suc content in all treatments. SnRK1-induced and -repressed marker gene expression strongly related to T6P above and below a threshold of 0.3 to 0.5 nmol T6P g−1 fresh weight close to the dissociation constant (4 µm) of the T6P/ SnRK1 complex. This occurred irrespective of the growth response to Suc. This implies that T6P is not a growth signal per se, but through SnRK1, T6P primes gene expression for growth in response to Suc accumulation under sink-limited conditions. To test this hypothesis, plants with genetically decreased T6P content and SnRK1 overexpression were transferred from cold to warm to analyze the role of T6P/SnRK1 in relief of growth restriction. Compared with the wild type, these plants were impaired in immediate growth recovery. It is concluded that the T6P/SnRK1 signaling pathway responds to Suc induced by sink restriction that enables growth recovery following relief of limitations such as low temperature.
A Rapid Ribosome Profiling Method Elucidates Chloroplast Ribosome Behavior in Vivo
Authors: Zoschke Reimo , Watkins Kenneth P. , Barkan Alice 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
The profiling of ribosome footprints by deep sequencing has revolutionized the analysis of translation by mapping ribosomes with high resolution on a genome-wide scale. We present a variation on this approach that offers a rapid and cost-effective alternative for the genome-wide profiling of chloroplast ribosomes. Ribosome footprints from leaf tissue are hybridized to oligonucleotide tiling microarrays of the plastid ORFeome and report the abundance and translational status of every chloroplast mRNA. Each assay replaces several time-consuming traditional methods while also providing information that was previously inaccessible. To illustrate the utility of the approach, we show that it detects known defects in chloroplast gene expression in several nuclear mutants of maize (Zea mays) and that it reveals previously unsuspected defects. Furthermore, it provided firm answers to several lingering questions in chloroplast gene expression: (1) the overlapping atpB/atpE open reading frames, whose translation had been proposed to be coupled, are translated independently in vivo; (2) splicing is not a prerequisite for translation initiation on an intron-containing chloroplast RNA; and (3) a feedback control mechanism that links the synthesis of ATP synthase subunits in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii does not exist in maize. An analogous approach is likely to be useful for studies of mitochondrial gene expression.
RETRACTED:ArabidopsisAUGMIN Subunit8 Is a Microtubule Plus-End Binding Protein That Promotes Microtubule Reorientation in Hypocotyls
Authors: Cao Lingyan , Wang Linhai , Zheng Min , Cao Hong , Ding Lian , Zhang Xiaolan , Fu Ying 
Published: June 2013

AbstractIn plant cells, cortical microtubules provide tracks for cellulose-synthesizing enzymes and regulate cell division, growth, and morphogenesis. The role of microtubules in these essential cellular processes depends on the spatial arrangement of the microtubules. Cortical microtubules are reoriented in response to changes in cell growth status and cell shape. Therefore, an understanding of the mechanism that underlies the change in microtubule orientation will provide insight into plant cell growth and morphogenesis. This study demonstrated that AUGMIN subunit8 (AUG8) in Arabidopsis thaliana is a novel microtubule plus-end binding protein that participates in the reorientation of microtubules in hypocotyls when cell elongation slows down. AUG8 bound to the plus ends of microtubules and promoted tubulin polymerization in vitro. In vivo, AUG8 was recruited to the microtubule branch site immediately before nascent microtubules branched out. It specifically associated with the plus ends of growing cortical microtubules and regulated microtubule dynamics, which facilitated microtubule reorientation when microtubules changed their growth trajectory or encountered obstacle microtubules during microtubule reorientation. This study thus reveals a novel mechanism underlying microtubule reorientation that is critical for modulating cell elongation in Arabidopsis.
Family growth versus family firm growth: professional management and succession process
Authors: Bañegil Palacios Tomás M. , Barroso Martínez Ascensión , Luis Tato Jiménez Juan 
Published: June 2013

PurposeGiven the relevance of family businesses and the substantial weight that they carry within the socio‐economic make‐up of any country, this paper consists of the analysis of family firms to explore whether there are any differences between companies which grow at a faster rate than the family and those in which the family grows at a greater rate than the company, in terms of their process of succession and the professionalisation of the people involved and the methods of management. The purpose of this paper is to differentiate between different groups of family businesses through a set of independent variables.Design/methodology/approachThe paper opted for discriminant analysis as an appropriate statistical tool, since it allowed the assigning of an individual to a pre‐defined group (dependent variable) on the basis of a number of characteristics (independent variables). A total of 180 family businesses were analysed.FindingsThe results of the study show that significant differences exist between family firms where the family grows more than the company and those where the company grows more than the family. Each group has a different vision. The former is more oriented towards meeting their family needs through the company, whereas the latter is more oriented towards business and professional efficiency.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations arises from the fact that the question concerning the rate of growth of the company and the family is a “self‐reported” question that can lead to bias due to the subjective perception of growth. Other limitations arise from the cross‐cutting and exploratory nature of the research.Originality/valueThis paper analyses the differences between family firms where the family grows more than the company and those where the company grows more than the family.
Solitary angiokeratoma on palms and soles: A clinicopathological analysis of 21 cases
Authors: Wang Lei , Gao Tianwen , Wang Gang 
Published: June 2013

AbstractAngiokeratoma includes a group of unrelated diseases characterized by hyperkeratosis and dilation of vessels in the superficial dermis. In this study, 21 cases of solitary lesions located on palms and soles and histopathologically diagnosed as angiokeratoma were analyzed retrospectively. All lesions presented as red to violet macules or plaques. Histopathologically, all of them showed hyperkeratosis and vascular dilation in the papillary to deep dermis. The elongated vessels were of different sizes and shape, lined by a single layer of endothelial cells. In 13 lesions, the endothelial cells protruded into the lumen, forming a hobnail appearance. Immunohistochemical study showed the endothelial cells were positive for CD31 and CD34, negative for D2‐40, and focally positive for Wilms tumor 1 (WT‐1) in most cases. Our cases represented a rare type of angiokeratoma located on the palms and soles, in which the focal positivity of WT‐1 was different from previously reported vascular proliferations.
Visco‐acoustic prestack reverse‐time migration based on the time‐space domain adaptive high‐order finite‐difference method
Authors: Yan Hongyong , Liu Yang 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTIt is important to include the viscous effect in seismic numerical modelling and seismic migration due to the ubiquitous viscosity in an actual subsurface medium. Prestack reverse‐time migration (RTM) is currently one of the most accurate methods for seismic imaging. One of the key steps of RTM is wavefield forward and backward extrapolation and how to solve the wave equation fast and accurately is the essence of this process. In this paper, we apply the time‐space domain dispersion‐relation‐based finite‐difference (FD) method for visco‐acoustic wave numerical modelling. Dispersion analysis and numerical modelling results demonstrate that the time‐space domain FD method has great accuracy and can effectively suppress numerical dispersion. Also, we use the time‐space domain FD method to solve the visco‐acoustic wave equation in wavefield extrapolation of RTM and apply the source‐normalized cross‐correlation imaging condition in migration. Improved imaging has been obtained in both synthetic and real data tests. The migration result of the visco‐acoustic wave RTM is clearer and more accurate than that of acoustic wave RTM. In addition, in the process of wavefield forward and backward extrapolation, we adopt adaptive variable‐length spatial operators to compute spatial derivatives to significantly decrease computing costs without reducing the accuracy of the numerical solution.
Effects of soil fungi, disturbance and propagule pressure on exotic plant recruitment and establishment at home and abroad
Authors: Maron John L. , Waller Lauren P. , Hahn Min A. , Diaconu Alecu , Pal Robert W. , Müller‐Schärer Heinz , Klironomos John N. , Callaway Ragan M. 
Published: June 2013

SummaryBiogeographic experiments that test how multiple interacting factors influence exotic plant abundance in their home and recipient communities are remarkably rare. We examined the effects of soil fungi, disturbance and propagule pressure on seed germination, seedling recruitment and adult plant establishment of the invasiveCentaurea stoebein its native European and non‐native NorthAmerican ranges.Centaurea stoebecan establish virtual monocultures in parts of its non‐native range, but occurs at far lower abundances where it is native. We conducted parallel experiments at four European and four Montana (USA) grassland sites with all factorial combinations of ± suppression of soil fungi, ±disturbance and low versus high knapweed propagule pressure [100 or 300 knapweed seeds per 0.3 m × 0.3 m plot (1000 or 3000 per m2)]. We also measured germination in buried bags containing locally collected knapweed seeds that were either treated or not with fungicide.Disturbance and propagule pressure increased knapweed recruitment and establishment, but did so similarly in both ranges. Treating plots with fungicides had no effect on recruitment or establishment in either range. However, we found: (i) greater seedling recruitment and plant establishment in undisturbed plots in Montana compared to undisturbed plots in Europe and (ii) substantially greater germination of seeds in bags buried in Montana compared to Europe. Also, across all treatments, total plant establishment was greater in Montana than in Europe.Synthesis. Our results highlight the importance of simultaneously examining processes that could influence invasion in both ranges. They indicate that under ‘background’ undisturbed conditions, knapweed recruits and establishes at greater abundance in Montana than in Europe. However, our results do not support the importance of soil fungi or local disturbances as mechanisms for knapweed's differential success in North America versus Europe.
Transgenerational effects of herbivory in a group of long‐lived tree species: maternal damage reduces offspring allocation to resistance traits, but not growth
Authors: Holeski Liza M. , Zinkgraf Matthew S. , Couture John J. , Whitham Thomas G. , Lindroth Richard L. 
Published: June 2013

Summary

Numerous studies have explored plant strategies of resource allocation to growth and/or resistance traits within a single generation. In contrast, exceedingly little is known about whether such patterns hold across generations; that is, in seedlings of plants that experienced maternal herbivory.

In a common garden study with clonally replicated genotypes of three cottonwood taxa (Populus angustifolia, Populus fremontii and their F1 hybrids), we examined transgenerational response to maternal herbivory in terms of half‐sibling seedling offspring (i) germination and growth and (ii) constitutive vs. transgenerational plastic allocation to resistance (measured as both phytochemical content and concentration). Two major results emerged.

First, we found that taxa (and often genotypes within a taxon) significantly differed in their constitutive allocation to both growth and resistance. Fremont (P. fremontii) seedlings grew up to seven times more rapidly than did narrowleaf (P. angustifolia) seedlings and had higher or similar content of two key phytochemical resistance traits. Overall, this led to a dilution effect in Fremont relative to narrowleaf, whereby concentrations of two key phytochemical resistance traits were more than 50% lower.

Secondly, maternal herbivory by cottonwood leaf beetle larvae on foliage adjacent to developing seeds did not significantly alter offspring growth, but did decrease offspring phytochemical content by 10–55% relative to offspring of maternal control (undamaged) trees. As a result, concentrations of offspring phytochemical resistance traits were reduced by 10–18% in seedlings with maternal herbivory, relative to maternal control seedlings, across all three taxa. These patterns suggest an allocational trade‐off, whereby maternal damage results in maintenance of offspring seed size and growth traits at the expense of phytochemical defences in the next generation.

Synthesis: This is the first instance in which transgenerational effects of herbivory on growth and defence traits have been described in long‐lived, woody plant species. Populus differs substantially from herbaceous plant species or short‐lived animals in which transgenerational plasticity of resistance has been examined, in terms of life history (time from germination or hatching to reproductive maturity) and/or in the lag time between generations. These differences may influence the ecological and evolutionary relevance of transgenerational plasticity in defence.
Estimating glomerular number: Why we do it and how
Authors: Bertram John F 
Published: June 2013

Summary

There is currently much interest in determining the number of glomeruli, and thereby nephrons, in the kidney.

Researchers have been trying to count glomeruli since the 19th century and currently four general approaches are available: (i) acid maceration; (ii) counting glomerular profiles in histological sections; (iii) model‐based stereology; and (iv) design‐based stereology.

Although design‐based stereological methods are generally considered the gold‐standard method, all current methods have limitations. A new approach using magnetic resonance imaging has recently been described and may ultimately enable glomerular imaging and quantification in vivo.

This report considers the advantages and disadvantages of current methods for counting glomeruli and describes the new magnetic resonance approach. In addition, a method for counting glomeruli in developing kidneys is described.