bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Management of environmental quality and Kostolac mine areas natural resources usage
Authors: Stevovic Svetlana , Miloradovic Milica , Stevovic Ivan 
Published: March 2014

Purpose
– This paper aims to define and theoretically analyse the performance of modern methods investigated to speed up the recultivation process of degraded areas, and apply it into the mining basin, open pit mines, tailings and all other areas, which need environmental quality improvement.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper presents methods of conservation and substitution of natural resources for the purpose of faster land recultivation (reclamation) in degraded coal mine areas. Two types of methods have been developed: forest slope recultivation and agricultural recultivation of flat landfills. Indicators of positive changes include: changes in chemical properties of tailings, increase in biogenic properties and changes in biodiversity.

Findings
– The research results show that the application of these methods, along with the holistic approach and adequate investment, can significantly contribute to the length of recovery process and accelerate it.

Research limitations/implications
– Mining basin Kostolac is used as a model test. The results can be applied on all mining basin, open pits and any degraded area.

Originality/value
– All results and conclusions were drawn, based on the original measurements and experiments. Stake holders, wanting to manage environmental quality after exploitation in mining basin, applying those methods, can find the value of this paper.
LLE and LfA: two powerful tools for TC workers
Authors: Lombardo Aldo 
Published: March 2014

Purpose– This is an appraisal of two workshop formats for people involved with, or interested in Therapeutic Communities (TCs). The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approach– The author had the good fortune of being a staff member of two differently organised workshops, both of which aimed to help staff working in TCs with the role of staff member. The origin and structure of the two workshops are described in “Living-Learning Experience” (LLE) and “Learning from Action” (LfA).Findings– This is followed by some observations and reflections made possible by the privileged position of the author's participation in both, within a fortnight of each other.Originality/value– The two workshops could be considered a valuable complementary training tool.
Human‐impacted areas of France are environmental reservoirs of the Pseudallescheria boydii/Scedosporium apiospermum species complex
Authors: Rougeron Amandine , Schuliar Gaëlle , Leto Julie , Sitterlé Emilie , Landry David , Bougnoux Marie‐Elisabeth , Kobi Abdessamad , Bouchara Jean‐Philippe , Giraud Sandrine 
Published: March 2014

SummarySpecies of the Pseudallescheria boydii/Scedosporium apiospermum complex (PSC) are emerging fungal pathogens able to chronically colonize the airways of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). As P. boydii was found more frequently colonizing the lungs of CF patients in France than in other European countries in a previous report, the present study was conducted in order to clarify distribution of PSC species in France and to characterize their natural habitat. The highest densities of PSC isolates were found in human‐impacted areas, i.e. agricultural areas, fluids obtained from wastewater treatment plants, playgrounds and industrial areas. PSC was not detected from soil samples collected in forests. Most PSC culture‐positive soil samples exhibited a pH range of 6–8. Scedosporium dehoogii, the most abundant species, was detected in all human‐impacted area types except vineyards, whereas Scedosporium aurantiacum was mostly found in agricultural areas. Pseudallescheria boydii and S. apiospermum were predominantly isolated from seashores and playgrounds respectively. Pseudallescheria minutispora was found only once from a playground. This study highlights potential sources of contamination of the patients, especially in the CF context.
Dural Dissection Cyst: a More Accurate Term for Extradural Meningeal Cyst
Authors: Chen Zan , Sun Xiao‐Li , Zhao Yan , Wang Kun , Jian Feng‐Zeng 
Published: March 2014

SummaryAimsSpinal extradural meningeal cyst (EMC) aetiology remains unclear. Based on our in‐depth analysis of EMC clinical characters, we propose the alternative term ‘dural dissection cyst’ (DDC), which is more consistent with its aetiology and pathological manifestations.MethodsWe examined the clinical, imaging and operative findings of four patients with spinal EMC (type I A) and analysed the aetiology and treatment of the cyst.ResultsSpinal DDC was observed between T10 and L3 in our series. Patients presented with low back pain, lower extremity numbness and weakness, and segmental muscle atrophy. Small clefts were found on the inner wall of all cysts. Microscopic suture of the cleft successfully improved patient's symptoms and neurological deficits.ConclusionsSpinal EMC (type I A) is characterized by dural dissection, so the term DDC can best reflect its aetiology. Because it is a dissection cyst, the most reasonable treatment is to suture the fistula.
Effects of Batroxobin with Continuous Transcranial Doppler Monitoring in Patients with Acute Cerebral Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yitao He , Kefu Ma , Bingshan Tang , Xuejun Fu , Ying Zhan , Zhili Cai , Xin Jiang , Guo Yi 
Published: March 2014

Our objective was to determine whether continuous transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring could safely enhance the efficacy of batroxobin, a thrombin‐like enzyme extracted from Bothrops atrox moojeni venom, in the treatment for acute cerebral stroke beyond the thrombolytic time window. Ninety patients suffering an acute cerebral stroke were recruited into the study within 12 hours after the onset of symptoms. Patients were randomized to receive batroxobin with (target group) or without 1 hour of continuous TCD monitoring (control group). Clinical evaluation of stroke was based on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, Barthel index (BI), Thrombolysis in Brain Ischemia score (TIBI), the incidence of advancing stroke, and the recurrence of cerebral infarction. The patients receiving continuous TCD monitoring showed significant improvement in NIHSS score at 57 days post treatment compared with the control. Similarly, patients receiving continuous TCD monitoring also showed significant improvement in BI at 3 months compared with the controls. Consistently, both the incidence of advancing stroke after 1 week and the incidence of stroke recurrence after 3 months were significantly lower in TCD monitored group than control group. Moreover, the safety of the employment of TCD monitoring in the treatment of these patients was confirmed as there was no significant difference of the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage at 1 week after the treatment between the target and control groups. Taken together, our study showed that batroxobin, in combination with continuous TCD monitoring at the middle cerebral artery, reduced the incidence of advancing stroke and stroke recurrence after treatment without adverse effects in terms of poststroke intracranial hemorrhage.
Infant Preference for Natural Texture Statistics is Modulated by Contrast Polarity
Authors: Balas Benjamin , Woods Rebecca 
Published: March 2014

Adult observers are sensitive to statistical regularities present in natural images. Developmentally, research has shown that children do not show sensitivity to these natural regularities until approximately 8–10 years of age. This finding is surprising given that even infants gradually encode a range of high‐level statistical regularities of their visual environment in the first year of life, We suggest that infants may in fact exhibit sensitivity to natural image statistics under circumstances where images of complex, natural textures, such as a photograph of rocks, are used as experimental stimuli and natural appearance is substantially manipulated. We tested this hypothesis by examining how infants' visual preference for real versus computer‐generated synthetic textures was modulated by contrast negation, which produces an image similar to a photographic negative. We observed that older infants' (9‐months of age) preferential looking behavior in this task was affected by contrast polarity, suggesting that the infant visual system is sensitive to deviations from natural texture appearance, including (1) discrepancies in appearance that differentiate natural and synthetic textures from one another and (2) the disruption of contrast polarity following negation. We discuss our results in the context of adult texture processing and the “perceptual narrowing” of visual recognition during the first year of life.
Molecular phylogeny of the New World gecko genus Homonota (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae)
Authors: Morando Mariana , Medina Cintia D. , Avila Luciano J. , Perez Cristian H. F. , Buxton Amy , Sites Jack W. 
Published: March 2014

The genus Homonota was described by Gray (1845) and currently includes 10 species: Homonota andicola, H. borellii, H. darwinii, H. fasciata, H. rupicola, H. taragui, H. underwoodi, H. uruguayensis, H. williamsii & H. whitii and one subspecies of H. darwinii (H. darwinii macrocephala). It is distributed from 15° latitude south in southern Brazil, through much of Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina to 54° south in Patagonia and across multiple different habitats. Several morphological taxonomic studies on a subset of these species have been published, but no molecular phylogenetic hypotheses are available for the genus. The objective of this study is to present a molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for all the described species in the genus. We sequenced two mitochondrial genes (cyt‐b & 12S: 1745 bp), seven nuclear protein coding (RBMX, DMLX, NKTR, PLRL, SINCAIP, MXRA5, ACA4: 5804 bp) and two anonymous nuclear loci (30Hb, 19Hb: 1306 bp) and implemented traditional concatenated analyses (MP, ML, BI) as well as species‐tree (*beast) approaches. All methods recovered almost the same topology. We recovered the genus Homonota as monophyletic with strong statistical support. Within Homonota, there are three strongly supported clades (whitii, borellii and fasciata), which differ from those previously proposed based on scale shape, osteology, myology and quantitative characters. Detailed morphological analyses based on this highly resolved and well‐supported phylogeny will provide a framework for understanding morphological evolution and historical biogeography of this phenotypically conservative genus. We hypothesize that extensive marine transgressions during Middle and Late Miocene most probably isolated the ancestors of the three main clades in eastern Uruguay (borellii group), north‐western Argentina‐southern Bolivia (fasciata group), and central‐western Argentina (whitii group). Phylogeographic and morphological/morphometric analyses coupled with paleo‐niche modelling are needed to better understand its biogeographical history.
-modules on spaces of rational maps
Authors: Barlev Jonathan 
Published: March 2014

AbstractLet$X$be an algebraic curve. We study the problem of parametrizing geometric structures over$X$which are only generically defined. For example, parametrizing generically defined maps (rational maps) from$X$to a fixed target scheme$Y$. There are three methods for constructing functors of points for such moduli problems (all originally due to Drinfeld), and we show that the resulting functors are equivalent in the fppf Grothendieck topology. As an application, we obtain three presentations for the category of$D$-modules ‘on’$B(K)\backslash G(\mathbb{A})/G(\mathbb{O})$, and we combine results about this category coming from the different presentations.
A Diagnosis of the Seasonally and Longitudinally Varying Midlatitude Circulation Response to Global Warming*
Authors: Simpson Isla R. , Shaw Tiffany A. , Seager Richard 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Zonal-mean or basin-mean analyses often conclude that the midlatitude circulation will undergo a poleward shift with global warming. In this study, the models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project are used to provide a detailed examination of midlatitude circulation change as a function of longitude and season. The two-dimensional vertically integrated momentum budget is used to identify the dominant terms that maintain the anomalous surface wind stress, thereby allowing a distinction between features that are maintained by high-frequency eddies and those that involve changes in the lower-frequency or stationary flow.
In the zonal mean, in each season and hemisphere there is a poleward shifting of the midlatitude surface wind stress, primarily maintained by high-frequency transient eddies. This is not necessarily the case locally. In the Southern Hemisphere, for the most part, the interpretation of the response as being a high-frequency eddy-driven poleward shifting of the midlatitude westerlies holds true. The Northern Hemisphere is considerably more complex with only the fall months showing a robust poleward shift of both the Atlantic and Pacific jets. During the winter months the jet in the east Pacific actually shifts equatorward and the Atlantic jet strengthens over Europe. An important role for altered climatological stationary waves in these responses is found. This motivates future work that should focus on zonal asymmetries and stationary wave changes, as well as the changes in high-frequency transients that bring about the poleward shifting of the westerlies in the zonal mean.
Optical properties of Ag nanoparticle-polymer composite film based on two-dimensional Au nanoparticle array film
Authors: Wang Long-De , Zhang Tong , Zhang Xiao-Yang , Song Yuan-Jun , Li Ruo-Zhou , Zhu Sheng-Qing 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
The nanocomposite polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) films containing Ag nanoparticles and Rhodamine 6G are prepared on the two-dimensional distinctive continuous ultrathin gold nanofilms. We investigate the optical properties and the fluorescence properties of silver nanoparticles-PVP polymer composite films influenced by Ag nanoparticles and Au nanoparticles. Absorption spectral analysis suggests that the prominently light absorption in Ag nanowire/PVP and Ag nanowire/PVP/Au film arises from the localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanowire and Au nanofilm. The enhanced fluorescence is observed in the presence of Ag nanowire and Au nanofilm, which is attributed to the excitation of surface plasmon polariton resonance of Ag nanowire and Au nanofilm. The gold nanofilm is proven to be very effective fluorescence resonance energy transfer donors. The fabricated novel structure, gold ultrathin continuous nanofilm, possesses high surface plasmon resonance properties and prominent fluorescence enhancement effect. Therefore, the ultrathin continuous gold nanofilm is an active substrate on nanoparticle-enhanced fluorescence.
Laparoscopic patch repair of recurrent anterior diaphragmatic hernia in a child with SMA
Authors: Cantone Noemi , Destro Francesca , Libri Michele , Pavia Stefania , Lima Mario 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
An anterior congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a diaphragmatic defect that allows the passage of abdominal organs into the thorax. It is typically asymptomatic (the diagnosis is incidental) and it requires surgical correction. In this paper we present a 6 year-old girl affected by spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who was diagnosed with anterior CDH. Four years after laparoscopic closure of the defect by interrupted suture the girl returned for hernia recurrence. Another laparoscopic procedure was performed and the defect was closed using a GORE-TEX patch. We postulate a mechanism of altered respiratory dynamic and increased abdominal pressure related to scoliosis favouring CDH recurrence in patients with neuromuscular pathologies such as SMA. In these patients patch interposition should be considered in the first place in order to reduce tension over margins. Laparoscopy is a safe and feasible procedure for CDH correction also in case of recurrence and when the interposition of a patch is required.
HMGB1 as a drug target in staphylococcal pneumonia
Authors: Fink Mitchell P 
Published: March 2014

AbstractHigh mobility group box (HMGB)1 is a small DNA-binding protein. In the nucleus, HMGB1 plays a role in gene expression and DNA replication. When it is released or secreted into the extracellular milieu, HMGB1 functions as a pro-inflammatory cytokine-like mediator. Recently reported data support the view that treatment with a neutralizing anti-HMGB1 antibody ameliorated pulmonary damage in a murine model of pneumonia caused by a pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus. These findings suggest that HMGB1 may be an important drug target as scientists, clinical investigators and pharmaceutical companies seek to develop better agents for the treatment of staphylococcal pneumonia. Unfortunately, however, encouraging results from murine models of human disease often fail to translate into positive findings in clinical trials. Thus, before moving from pre-clinical into clinical studies, it may be prudent to validate and extend the recent experimental findings by carrying out additional studies, using a large animal model of pneumonia.
Disruption of pknG enhances production of gamma-aminobutyric acid by Corynebacterium glutamicum expressing glutamate decarboxylase
Authors: Okai Naoko , Takahashi Chihiro , Hatada Kazuki , Ogino Chiaki , Kondo Akihiko 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a building block of the biodegradable plastic polyamide 4, is synthesized from glucose by Corynebacterium glutamicum that expresses Escherichia coli glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) B encoded by gadB. This strain was engineered to produce GABA more efficiently from biomass-derived sugars. To enhance GABA production further by increasing the intracellular concentration of its precursor glutamate, we focused on engineering pknG (encoding serine/threonine protein kinase G), which controls the activity of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (Odh) in the tricarboxylic acid cycle branch point leading to glutamate synthesis. We succeeded in expressing GadB in a C. glutamicum strain harboring a deletion of pknG. C. glutamicum strains GAD and GAD ∆pknG were cultured in GP2 medium containing 100 g L−1 glucose and 0.1 mM pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Strain GAD∆pknG produced 31.1 ± 0.41 g L−1 (0.259 g L−1 h−1) of GABA in 120 hours, representing a 2.29-fold higher level compared with GAD. The production yield of GABA from glucose by GAD∆pknG reached 0.893 mol mol−1.
Higher Estrogen Levels During Pregnancy in Andean Than European Residents of High Altitude Suggest Differences in Aromatase Activity
Authors: Charles Shelton M. , Julian Colleen G. , Vargas Enrique , Moore Lorna G. 
Published: March 2014

Context:
Uteroplacental hypoxia has been reported to lower estrogen levels in preeclampsia as the result of reduced aromatase activity.

Objective:
We asked whether the chronic hypoxia of residence at high altitude in the absence of preeclampsia lowered estrogen, whether such effects differed in Andean vs European high-altitude residents, and whether such effects were related to uterine artery diameter or blood flow.

Design, Setting, and Participants:
Studies at weeks 20 and 36 of pregnancy were conducted in 108 healthy Bolivian low- (400 m, n = 53) or high-altitude (3600 m, n = 55) residents of European (n = 28 low and 26 high altitude) or Andean (n = 25 low and 29 high altitude) ancestry. All groups were similar in age, nonpregnant body mass index, and pregnancy weight gain.

Results:
High-altitude residence increased circulating progesterone, cortisol, estrone, 17β-estradiol, and estriol levels (all P &lt; .01). High-altitude Andeans vs Europeans at week 36 had higher progesterone, estrone, 17β-estradiol, and estriol levels as well as product to substrate ratios for the reactions catalyzed by aromatase, whereas week 36 cortisol levels were greater in the European than Andean women (all P &lt; .05). Lower cortisol, higher estriol (both P &lt; .01), and trends for higher progesterone and 17β-estradiol levels were associated with greater uterine artery diameters and blood flow at high altitude.

Conclusions:
Chronic hypoxia does not lower but rather raises estrogen levels in multigenerational Andeans vs shorter-term Europeans, possibly as the result of greater aromatase activity. Because hypoxia alone does not lower estrogen, other attributes of the disease may be responsible for the lower estrogen levels seen previously in preeclamptic women.
Electronic Structure of CsBi4Te6
Authors: Larson P. , Mahanti S.D. , Chung D-Y , Kanatzidis M.G. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACTRecently, CsBi4Te6 has been reported as a high-performance thermoelectric material for low temperature applications with a higher thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ∼ 0.8 at 225 Kelvin) than conventional Bi2-xSbzTe3-ySey alloys at the same temperature. First-principle electronic structure calculations within density functional theory performed on this material give an indirect narrow-gap semiconductor. Dispersions of energy bands along different directions in k-space display large anisotropy and multiple conduction band minima close in energy, characteristics of a good thermoelectric material.
Tumor Necrosis Factor‐α and Oral Inflammation in Patients With Crohn Disease
Authors: Schulz Susanne , Reichert Stefan , Streetz Konrad , Trautwein Christian , Reichert Yvonne , Gläser Christiane , Schaller Hans‐Günter , Stein Jamal M. 
Published: March 2014

Background: Crohn disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease often accompanied by periodontal symptoms. Based on its function in immune response, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and its genetic variants have been discussed as risk indicators in inflammatory processes. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of TNF‐α polymorphisms on periodontal parameters and inflammatory lesions of oral mucosa as a characteristic of CD.Methods: A total of 142 patients with CD were included in the study. Oral soft tissue alterations and periodontal parameters were assessed. Genotypes, alleles, and haplotypes of TNF‐α polymorphisms (rs1800629, cDNA−308G > A; and rs361525, cDNA−238G > A) were determined by polymerase chain reaction with sequence‐specific primers (PCR‐SSP).Results: Patients with CD who exhibit more severe oral soft tissue alterations were significantly more often A allele carriers of rs361525 than G allele carriers (14.2% versus 2.2%; P <0.001). Furthermore, A allele carriers had a higher mean periodontal probing depth (P <0.05), mean clinical attachment level (P <0.05), and sites with bleeding on probing (not significant). Similar results were obtained when evaluating A allele‐containing genotypes (AG + AA) and haplotypes (GA). In multivariate analyses considering age, sex, smoking, and medication as confounders, the A allele was proven to be an independent risk indicator for oral soft tissue alterations in patients with CD. No genotype‐dependent influence of rs1800629 was observed.Conclusion: The TNF‐α A allele of rs361525 represents a significant risk indicator for oral soft tissue alterations in patients with CD.
Novel method for determining sex of live adult Laricobius nigrinus (Coleoptera: Derodontidae)
Authors: Shepherd William P. , Montgomery Michael E. , Sullivan Brian T. , Mayfield Albert E. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractA method for determining the sex of live adult Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) is described. Beetles were briefly chilled and positioned ventral-side-up under a dissecting microscope. Two forceps with blunted ends were used to gently brace the beetle and press on the centre of the abdomen to extrude its terminal segments. Male beetles were distinguished by a sclerotised, reticulate ninth abdominal sternite. In females, the distinct ovipositor (tergite, valvifers (ninth sternite), and laterotergites of the ninth abdominal segment) was visible. The procedure was rapid and harmed only a small number of individuals (fewer than 5%).