bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The variation of apparent crown size and canopy heterogeneity across lowland Amazonian forests
Authors: Barbier Nicolas , Couteron Pierre , Proisy Christophe , Malhi Yadvinder , Gastellu‐Etchegorry Jean‐Philippe 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTAim  The size structure of a forest canopy is an important descriptor of the forest environment that may yield information on forest biomass and ecology. However, its variability at regional scales is poorly described or understood because of the still prohibitive cost of very high‐resolution imagery as well as the lack of an appropriate methodology. We here employ a novel approach to describe and map the canopy structure of tropical forests.Location  Amazonia.Methods  We apply Fourier transform textural ordination (FOTO) techniques to subsamples of very high‐resolution satellite imagery freely available through virtual globe software (e.g. Google Earth®) to determine two key structural variables: apparent mean crown size and heterogeneity in crown size. A similar approach is used with artificial forest canopy images generated by the light interaction model (discrete anisotropic radiative transfer, DART) using three‐dimensional stand models. The effects of sun and viewing angles are explored on both model and real data.Results  It is shown that in the case of canopies dominated by a modal size class our approach can predict mean canopy size to an accuracy of 5%. In Amazonia, we could evidence a clear macrostructure, despite considerable local variability. Apparent crown size indeed consistently increases from about 14 m in wet north‐west Amazonia to more than 17 m for areas of intermediate dry season length (1–3 months) in south and east Amazonia, before decreasing again towards the ecotone with the Cerrado savanna biome. This general trend reflects the known variation of other forest physiognomic properties (height) reported for South America and Africa. Some regions show significantly greater canopy heterogeneity, a feature that may be related to substratum, perturbation rate and/or forest turnover rate.Main conclusions  Our results demonstrate the feasibility and interest of large‐scale assessment of rain forest canopy structure.
Role of microRNAs in obesity and the metabolic syndrome
Authors: Heneghan H. M. , Miller N. , Kerin M. J. 
Published: September 2009

SummaryObesity and the metabolic syndrome are major public health concerns, and present a formidable therapeutic challenge. Many patients remain recalcitrant to conventional lifestyle changes and medical therapies. Bariatric surgery has made laudable progress in the treatment of obesity and its related metabolic disorders, yet carries inherent risks. Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of metabolic disorders is essential in order to develop novel, valid therapeutic strategies. Mi(cro)RNAs play important regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes including adipocyte differentiation, metabolic integration, insulin resistance and appetite regulation. Investigation of these molecules and their genetic targets may potentially identify new pathways involved in complex metabolic disease processes, improving our understanding of metabolic disorders and influence future approaches to the treatment of obesity. This review discusses the role of miRNAs in obesity and related components of the metabolic syndrome, and highlights the potential of using miRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these diseases.
CRYOETHICS: SEEKING LIFE AFTER DEATH
Authors: SHAW DAVID 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTCryonic suspension is a relatively new technology that offers those who can afford it the chance to be ‘frozen’ for future revival when they reach the ends of their lives. This paper will examine the ethical status of this technology and whether its use can be justified.Among the arguments against using this technology are: it is ‘against nature’, and would change the very concept of death; no friends or family of the ‘freezee’ will be left alive when he is revived; the considerable expense involved for the freezee and the future society that will revive him; the environmental cost of maintaining suspension; those who wish to use cryonics might not live life to the full because they would economize in order to afford suspension; and cryonics could lead to premature euthanasia in order to maximize chances of success. Furthermore, science might not advance enough to ever permit revival, and reanimation might not take place due to socio‐political or catastrophic reasons.Arguments advanced by proponents of cryonics include: the potential benefit to society; the ability to cheat death for at least a few more years; the prospect of immortality if revival is successful; and all the associated benefits that delaying or avoiding dying would bring. It emerges that it might be imprudent not to use the technology, given the relatively minor expense involved and the potential payoff. An adapted and more persuasive version of Pascal's Wager is presented and offered as a conclusive argument in favour of utilizing cryonic suspension.
THE SUBJECTIVIST CONSEQUENCES OF EXPRESSIVISM
Authors: SUIKKANEN JUSSI 
Published: September 2009

AbstractJackson and Pettit argue that expressivism in metaethics collapses into subjectivism. A sincere utterer of a moral claim must believe that she has certain attitudes to be expressed. The truth‐conditions of that belief then allegedly provide truth‐conditions also for the moral utterance. Thus, the expressivist cannot deny that moral claims have subjectivist truth‐conditions. Critics have argued that this argument fails as stated. I try to show that expressivism does have subjectivist repercussions in a way that avoids the problems of the Jackson‐Pettit argument. My argument, based on the norms for asserting moral sentences, attempts to tie expressivists to a more modest form of subjectivism than the previous arguments.
HOW DEMONSTRATIVE PICTORIAL REFERENCE GROUNDS CONTEXTUALISM
Authors: VOLTOLINI ALBERTO 
Published: September 2009

AbstractIn a very recent paper (forthcoming),Dominic McIver Lopeshas claimed that pictures perceptually ground demonstrative reference to depicted objects. If as I think Lopes is right, this has important consequences for the debate on the semantics/pragmatics divide. For one can exploit Lopes' claim in order to provide one more argument in favour of the well‐known contextualist thesis that wide context has not only both a pre‐ and a post‐semantic role, but also a semantic role – to put it inPerry's (1997) terms.
Different problems – same treatment. Swedish juvenile offenders in community‐based rehabilitative programmes
Authors: Hau Hanna Ginner , Smedler Ann‐Charlotte 
Published: September 2009

Ginner Hau H, Smedler A‐C. Different problems – same treatment. Swedish juvenile offenders in community‐based rehabilitative programmesInt J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 87–96 © 2009 The Author, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.Young delinquents may be regarded as children in need of rehabilitation or as offenders deserving of consequences proportional to the committed crime. The focus has increasingly been on the latter, while research shows that individual risk assessment is essential for effective rehabilitation. This study explored self‐reported history of antisocial behaviour among Swedish male offenders 15–17 years of age (n= 189) who were sentenced to participate in rehabilitative programmes conducted by local social services. Antisocial behaviour was extensive and, according to a principal component analysis, consisted of three dimensions: (i) adolescent delinquency; (ii) violence and theft; (iii) drug‐related crimes. Using cluster analysis, the participants were divided into four subgroups representing different levels and characteristics of delinquency, which explained 73 per cent of the variance in antisocial behaviour. The conclusion is that assignment to rehabilitative programmes appeared unrelated to subgroups, i.e. to risk level. Organisational obstacles to an evidence‐based practice are discussed.
A Comparative Study of Net Transfers for Different Immigrant Groups: Evidence from Germany
Authors: Gerdes Christer 
Published: September 2009

AbstractIn the wake of immigration to Western welfare states, certain aspects, such as the financial cost of providing social welfare, have become a subject of debate. The net amount of costs and tax payments, sometimes referred to as net transfers, has been used as a measure for evaluating the sustainability of welfare state systems. The present study analyses determinants of the volume of net transfers in Germany in 2002 with reference to immigrants from Poland, Turkey, former Yugoslavia, Lebanon and Iran. The study focuses on the differences and similarities between their outcomes. In line with previous research, the results below suggest that employment situation and family composition explain a large part of the differences in net transfers. One outcome that has not previously been adequately addressed, however, is that the legal immigration status granted on arrival in Germany is of considerable importance.
Management of cutaneous side‐effects of cetuximab therapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Ocvirk J , Cencelj S 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground  Cetuximab is a chimeric human‐murine monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It has shown activities against multiple malignancies in clinical trials. EGFR‐inhibitors (EGFRI) often cause skin toxicity, most frequently acneiform eruption. Xerosis, eczema, fissures, teleangiectases, nail changes and paronychia can be seen in some cases, rarely hyperpigmentation.Materials and methods  We reviewed local practice of skin toxicity management during treatment with cetuximab. From November 2005 to January 2007, 31 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy. They all suffered from acne‐like rash. They were followed up for at least 3 months, once per week. Skin toxicity was evaluated according to NCI CTCAE, v3.0.Results  Of 31 patients, six had grade three rash, 16 patients Grade 2 and nine patients Grade 1 acne like rash. Less frequently, pruritus, dry skin, desquamation, hair modification, conjunctivitis, telangiectases, paronychia or fissures were observed. After the first documented cutaneous toxicity, topical use of emollients was started. For Grade 2 rash, we used emollients and topical antibiotics. Therapy with cetuximab was discontinued at Grade 3 until skin reactions resolved. Skin reactions at Grade 3 were generally manageable with emollients, topical and systemic antibiotics. No Grade 4 skin reactions were observed.Conclusion  During the treatment with EGFRI, it is necessary to recognize and manage adverse reactions promptly to assure better patient quality of life and allowing continuation of therapy without dose reduction or drug discontinuation.
Emotion identification in girls at high risk for depression
Authors: Joormann Jutta , Gilbert Kirsten , Gotlib Ian H. 
Published: September 2009

Background:  Children of depressed mothers are themselves at elevated risk for developing a depressive disorder. We have little understanding, however, of the specific factors that contribute to this increased risk. This study investigated whether never‐disordered daughters whose mothers have experienced recurrent episodes of depression during their daughters’ lifetime differ from never‐disordered daughters of never‐disordered mothers in their processing of facial expressions of emotion.Method:  Following a negative mood induction, daughters completed an emotion identification task in which they watched faces slowly change from a neutral to a full‐intensity happy, sad, or angry expression. We assessed both the intensity that was required to accurately identify the emotion being expressed and errors in emotion identification.Results:  Daughters of depressed mothers required greater intensity than did daughters of control mothers to accurately identify sad facial expressions; they also made significantly more errors identifying angry expressions.Conclusion:  Cognitive biases may increase vulnerability for the onset of disorders and should be considered in early intervention and prevention efforts.
Scale‐dependent relationships between native richness, resource stability and exotic cover in dock fouling communities of Washington, USA
Authors: Grey Erin K. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractAim  In terrestrial plant communities, the relationship between native species diversity and exotic success is typically scale‐dependent. It is often proposed that within local neighbourhoods, high native diversity limits resources, thereby inhibiting exotic success. However, environmental variation that manifests over space or time can create positive correlations between native diversity and exotic success at larger scales. In marine habitats, there have been few multi‐scale surveys of this pattern, so it is unclear how diversity, resource limitation and the environment influence the success of exotic species in these systems.Location  Washington, USA.Methods  I analysed nested spatial and temporal surveys of fouling communities, which are assemblages of sessile marine invertebrates, to test whether the relationships between native richness, resource availability and exotic cover supported the diversity‐stability and diversity‐resistance theories, to test whether these relationships changed with spatio‐temporal scale, and to explore the temperature preferences of native and exotic fouling species.Results  Survey data failed to support diversity‐stability theory: space availability actually increased with native richness at the local neighbourhood scale, and neither space availability nor variability decreased with native richness across larger spatio‐temporal scales. I did find support for diversity‐resistance theory, as richness negatively correlated with exotic cover in local neighbourhoods. Unexpectedly, this negative correlation disappeared at intermediate scales, but emerged again at the regional scale. This scale‐dependent pattern could be partially explained by contrasting water temperature preferences of native and exotic species.Main conclusions  Within local neighbourhoods, native diversity may inhibit exotic abundance, but the mechanism is unlikely related to resource limitation. At the largest scale, correlations suggest that native richness is higher in cooler environments, whereas exotic richness is higher in warmer environments. This large‐scale pattern contrasts with the typical plant community pattern, and has important implications for coastal management in the face of global climate change.
Formation and diagenesis of modern marine calcified cyanobacteria
Authors: PLANAVSKY N. , REID R. P. , LYONS T. W. , MYSHRALL K. L. , VISSCHER P. T. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractCalcified cyanobacterial microfossils are common in carbonate environments through most of the Phanerozoic, but are absent from the marine rock record over the past 65 Myr. There has been long‐standing debate on the factors controlling the formation and temporal distribution of these fossils, fostered by the lack of a suitable modern analog. We describe calcified cyanobacteria filaments in a modern marine reef setting at Highborne Cay, Bahamas. Our observations and stable isotope data suggest that initial calcification occurs in living cyanobacteria and is photosynthetically induced. A single variety of cyanobacteria, Dichothrix sp., produces calcified filaments. Adjacent cyanobacterial mats form well‐laminated stromatolites, rather than calcified filaments, indicating there can be a strong taxonomic control over the mechanism of microbial calcification. Petrographic analyses indicate that the calcified filaments are degraded during early diagenesis and are not present in well‐lithified microbialites. The early diagenetic destruction of calcified filaments at Highborne Cay indicates that the absence of calcified cyanobacteria from periods of the Phanerozoic is likely to be caused by low preservation potential as well as inhibited formation.
Examining the individual within marriage: Personal strengths and relationship satisfaction
Authors: GORDON CAMERON L. , BAUCOM DONALD H. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractThe present investigation aims to identify individual strengths that may benefit efforts toward marital enhancement. Ninety‐two married couples from the Southeastern United States completed questionnaires measuring positive affectivity, optimism, coping skills, personal expansion, and marital satisfaction. Results indicate that perceptions of a spouse's positive affectivity, as well as one's own positive affectivity, are related to relationship satisfaction. In addition, positive affectivity contributed to satisfaction above and beyond negative affectivity. Finally, optimism, coping skills, and personal expansion appear to be important resources for marriage via their association with each partner's affectivity. The discussion considers these results in the context of marital enhancement and relationship flourishing.
2. A New Framework for Macroeconomics
Authors: Gaffney Mason 
Published: September 2009

AbstractMost forms of macroeconomics today, whether Keynesian or monetarist, presuppose that problems of economic instability can be treated as errors in financial management. Neither fiscal nor monetary policy recognizes the existence of systemic faults in the real economy that result in overinvestment in durable capital that turns over slowly, in contrast to forms of capital that interact more frequently with land and labor. Only by removing serious distortions in microeconomic relations can macroeconomic problems be resolved. The current global economic crisis exemplifies the limitations of policies that ignore distortions in the rate of turnover of investment capital.
Primary Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation: Does the Atrial Lead Position Influence the Incidence of Atrial Arrhythmias in Patients with Sinus Node Dysfunction? Results from the PASTA Trial
Authors: SPITZER STEFAN G. , WACKER PETRA , GAZAREK STEFFEN , MALINOWSKI KLAUS , SCHIBGILLA VOLKER ,   on behalf of the PASTA Study Group
Published: September 2009

Introduction: PASTA (pacing of the atria in sinus node disease) is a prospective and randomized trial, assessing the effect of different atrial lead positions on the atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in patients with sinus node disease (SND).
Method: The atrial lead position is randomized to: (a) free right atrial wall, (b) right atrial appendage (RAA), (c) coronary sinus ostium (CS‐Os), or (d) dual site right atrial pacing (CS‐Os + RAA). The pacemakers (Vitatron Selection 9000 or Prevent AF, Vitatron B.V., Arnhem, The Netherlands) are programmed in DDDR 70 mode and the total follow‐up duration is 24 months. To describe the atrial rhythm state, pacemaker‐derived data (arrhythmia counter) were assessed for AF episodes. AF was considered as evident, if the AF burden (time in AF related to follow‐up interval) was >1% (i.e., 15 min/d). Follow‐up data after 24 months were evaluated.
Results: The analysis evaluates 142 patients (77 male, 74.5 ± 7.8 years). There was no statistical significant difference with respect to the occurrence of AF between the four groups after 24 months (A: 36%; B: 38%, C: 32%, D: 48%). The percentage of atrial/ventricular pacing was in A: 78/76%, in B: 84/81%, in C: 70/65%, and in D: 79/69%. These differences were not significant.
Conclusion: The evaluation of the AF burden >1% and the total AF burden after 24 months did not show differences in the incidence of AF in patients with dual chamber pacemaker therapy for SND. We were not able to demonstrate a significant influence of right atrial lead position on the incidence of AF recurrence.
Nonlinear FEM Simulation of Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) Skirt Joint Under Tension Loading
Authors: ZHOU JIA , GUO JINTING , TANG WENYONG , ZHANG SHENGKUN 
Published: September 2009

AbstractThe mechanical properties of an air cushion vehicle (ACV) skirt cloth, which is a nonlinear rubber‐coated fabric, are tested on a Series IX 4465 electron tension machine manufactured by Instron Company. Compared with the Mooney–Rivlin and Ogden form, the second‐order Mooney–Rivlin form agrees with the model test result better. The ultimate bearing capacity of an ACV skirt joint structure is tested on a mechanical tension machine and the ultimate load is recorded manually. Then, considering the contact effect of each assembly and the large‐displacement of skirt elements, a nonlinear finite element method (FEM)‐based simulation process of an ACV skirt joint structure under tension loading is presented. The simulation process comprises three steps: assembly of parts, bolts' tightening, and tensioning the skirt cloth. Under these loadings, the stress distribution and deformation of the skirt cloth, and the cloth broken locations and directions are obtained. These results agree well with the test results. As for the ultimate bearing capacity of the skirt joint, the simulation result is slightly smaller than the test result. Thus, this FEM‐based simulation method is proven to be reliable and relatively conservative.
Molecular risk stratification in advanced heart failure patients
Authors: Lamirault Guillaume , Meur Nolwenn Le , Roussel Jean‐Christian , Cunff Marie‐France Le , Baron Daniel , Bihouée Audrey , Guisle Isabelle , Raharijaona Mahatsangy , Ramstein Gérard , Teusan Raluca , Chevalier Catherine , Gueffet Jean‐Pierre , Trochu Jean‐Noël , Léger Jean J. , Houlgatte Rémi , Steenman Marja 
Published: September 2009

AbstractRisk stratification in advanced heart failure (HF) is crucial for the individualization of therapeutic strategy, in particular for heart transplantation and ventricular assist device implantation. We tested the hypothesis that cardiac gene expression profiling can distinguish between HF patients with different disease severity. We obtained tissue samples from both left (LV) and right (RV) ventricle of explanted hearts of 44 patients undergoing cardiac transplantation or ventricular assist device placement. Gene expression profiles were obtained using an in‐house microarray containing 4217 muscular organ‐relevant genes. Based on their clinical status, patients were classified into three HF‐severity groups: deteriorating (n= 12), intermediate (n= 19) and stable (n= 13). Two‐class statistical analysis of gene expression profiles of deteriorating and stable patients identified a 170‐gene and a 129‐gene predictor for LV and RV samples, respectively. The LV molecular predictor identified patients with stable and deteriorating status with a sensitivity of 88% and 92%, and a specificity of 100% and 96%, respectively. The RV molecular predictor identified patients with stable and deteriorating status with a sensitivity of 100% and 96%, and a specificity of 100% and 100%, respectively. The molecular prediction was reproducible across biological replicates in LV and RV samples. Gene expression profiling has the potential to reproducibly detect HF patients with highest HF severity with high sensitivity and specificity. In addition, not only LV but also RV samples could be used for molecular risk stratification with similar predictive power.