bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exogenous Application of Glycinebetaine Modulates Activities of Antioxidants in Maize Plants Subjected to Salt Stress
Authors: Nawaz K. , Ashraf M. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe influence of exogenously applied glycinebetaine (0, 50 and 100 mm) as a foliar spray at different growth stages, i.e. vegetative, reproductive or both at the vegetative and reproductive stages on gas exchange characteristics, glycinebetaine (GB) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) was examined in plants of two maize cultivars, Golden and C‐20 grown under saline conditions. Salt stress caused a marked decrease in photosynthetic capacity, chlorophyll contents and SOD activity in both maize cultivars. However, activities of CAT and POD remained almost unchanged in both maize cultivars under salt stress. Accumulation of GB increased with an increase in exogenous level of GB, i.e. 100 mm GB spray caused a greater accumulation of GB in the leaves of maize plants than did 0 or 50 mm. Although exogenously applied GB enhanced photosynthetic capacity of salt‐stressed plants of both cultivars, it enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, SOD, CAT and POD, in salt‐stressed plants of cv. C‐20 only. Overall, the adverse effects of salt stress on maize plants were alleviated by the exogenous application of GB at different growth stages, which up‐regulated photosynthetic capacity and the activities of some antioxidant enzymes.
Nursing competencies for physical assessment of the respiratory system in Japan
Authors: Shinozaki Emiko , Yamauchi Toyoaki 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to establish the minimum essential Japanese nursing education health assessment competency levels, with particular emphasis on the respiratory system, from the viewpoint of clinical nurses and nurse educators. The design of this study was a quantitative descriptive study using the Delphi technique. The participants consisted of two groups, including 210 clinical nurses and 76 nurse educators. Questionnaires were sent three times to each group, along with summaries of each previous result. The respondents selected 29 competency items in the following categories: five structure and function items; six interview items; eight inspection items; one palpation item; six auscultation items; and three diagnostic test items. By releasing the results of this survey to nurse educators, it might be possible to improve the nursing curriculum. For clinical nurses, knowing these results will help them to bridge the gap between essential nursing education and clinical practice.
Improving mental health care for older people within a general hospital in the UK
Authors: Harrison Anthony , Brandling Janet 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThis article describes a participatory action research study aimed at improving the care of older people with mental health needs who are cared for in an older people's unit of a general hospital in the UK. A multicollaborative and interpretivist action research approach was adopted, whereby the researchers, managers, clinical staff, patients, and carers came together to identify the problems and their potential solutions. Focus groups, interviews, and observations of care were used to collect the data and to inform the action and development cycles and a grounded theory approach was used to analyze these data and to develop theoretical descriptions regarding the dynamics that occur within this setting. Four overarching themes were identified as contributing to the theoretical understanding of this type of care: cultural knowledge, contextual reality, giving care, and coping with “the problem”. Understanding the theoretical elements is of importance in assisting nurses, and others, to consider care that is person‐centred.
LONG‐TERM PROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS AFTER ENDOSCOPIC SPHINCTEROTOMY FOR CHOLEDOCHOLITHIASIS
Authors: Kageoka Masanobu , Watanabe Fumitoshi , Maruyama Yasuhiko , Nagata Ken , Ohata Akihiko , Noda Yuji , Miwa Ichita , Ikeya Kentarou 
Published: June 2009

Introduction:  The aims of the present study were to clarify the long‐term prognosis of endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) for choledocholithiasis and to evaluate the need for cholecystectomy after EST.Methods:  Between 1993 and 2007, 262 patients who underwent successful EST for choledocholithiasis were followed up for more than 6 months). Eighteen patients had previously undergone cholecystectomy (Group A), 129 had a calculous gallbladder (GB) and underwent cholecystectomy after EST (Group B), 46 had a calculous GB in situ (Group C), and 69 had an acalculous GB in situ (Group D). Late complications, including recurrence of choledocholithiasis, acute cholecystitis and biliary carcinoma, were evaluated.Results:  Of the 262 patients, late complications occurred in 34 patients (13.0%) and recurrence of choledocholithiasis occurred in 29 patients (11.1%). The rate of late complications was higher in Group C (23.9%) than in Group B (7.8%) (P < 0.001). The rate of recurrent choledocholithiasis was higher in Group C (17.4%) than in Group B (7.8%) (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis indicated that pneumobilia after EST was associated with the recurrence of choledocholithiasis (P < 0.001). Acute cholecystitis occurred in eight (7.0%) of 115 patients with intact GB. A gallbladder carcinoma was found after EST. Late complications were not serious and endoscopically or surgically manageable.Conclusions:  EST for choledocholithiasis is safe and effective. Cholecystectomy after EST is recommended in patients with calculous GB, but is not necessary in patients with acalculous GB. Pneumobilia was associated with the recurrence of choledocholithiasis.
ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION (TWO‐POINT FIXED ESD) FOR EARLY ESOPHAGEAL CANCER
Authors: Motohashi Osamu , Nishimura Ken , Nakayama Norisuke , Takagi Seiichi , Yanagida Naoki 
Published: June 2009

Background:  We have been attempting to improve the safety, reliability and simplicity of endoscopic submucosal dissection for the treatment of early esophageal cancer and to shorten the time needed for this operation.Methods:  The present study involved nine patients with well‐differentiated intramucosal early esophageal cancer over 20 mm in diameter. Two‐point fixed endoscopic submucosal dissection was carried out.Results:  In all nine cases, the mucosal area to be dissected was successfully identified and kept under direct vision, allowing two‐point fixation of the mucosa with forceps and the hood during adequate counter‐traction. In this way, the respiration‐caused movement of submucosal tissue between the two fixing points was suppressed almost completely. Hemostasis and manipulation on blood vessels were easy with this procedure and dissection could be completed safely, without causing perforation.Conclusion:  Endoscopic submucosal dissection with a transparent hood fitted with a mucosa‐holding forceps channel is highly useful, safe and simple when applied to the esophagus.
Estimating stochastic elasticities directly from longitudinal data
Authors: Haridas C. V. , Tuljapurkar Shripad , Coulson Tim 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe elasticities of long‐run population growth rate with respect to vital rates are useful in studying selection on vital rates, and in evaluating management policy that aims to control vital rates. In temporally varying environments, elasticity is often calculated from simulations that assume a probability distribution for the environmental states. Here we develop a method to estimate elasticities directly from demographic data. Using a time‐series of demographic matrices and age‐structure we construct a consistent statistical estimator of elasticity that converges to the correct limiting value as the sample length increases. We also construct confidence intervals for elasticities from temporal data and suggest tools for testing hypotheses about the strength of selection. We use data on a natural population to show that our method can indeed accurately estimate elasticities using relatively short time series.
Reciprocal specialization in ecological networks
Authors: Joppa Lucas N. , Bascompte Jordi , Montoya Jose M. , Solé Ricard V. , Sanderson Jim , Pimm Stuart L. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractTheories suggest that food webs might consist of groups of species forming ‘blocks’, ‘compartments’ or ‘guilds’. We consider ecological networks – subsets of complete food webs – involving species at adjacent trophic levels. Reciprocal specializations occur when (say) a pollinator (or group of pollinators) specializes on a particular flower species (or group of such species) and vice versa. Such specializations tend to group species into guilds. We characterize the level of reciprocal specialization for both antagonistic interactions – particularly parasitoids and their hosts – and mutualistic ones – such as insects and the flowers that they pollinate. We also examine whether trophic patterns might be ‘palimpsests’– that is, there might be reciprocal specialization within taxonomically related species within a network, but these might be obscured when these relationships are combined. Reciprocal specializations are rare in all these systems when tested against the most conservative null model.
Rushing for Gold: Mobility and Small‐Scale Mining in East Africa
Authors: Jønsson Jesper Bosse , Bryceson Deborah Fahy 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTAfrican rural dwellers have faced depressed economic prospects for several decades. Now, in a number of mineral‐rich countries, multiple discoveries of gold and precious stones have attracted large numbers of prospective small‐scale miners. While their ‘rush’ to, and activities within, mining sites are increasingly being noted, there is little analysis of miners' mobility patterns and material outcomes. In this article, on the basis of a sample survey and interviews at two gold‐mining sites in Tanzania, we probe when and why miners leave one site in favour of another. Our findings indicate that movement is often ‘rushed’ but rarely rash. Whereas movement to the first site may be an adventure, movement to subsequent sites is calculated with knowledge of the many risks entailed. Miners spend considerable time at each site before migrating onwards. Those with the highest site mobility tend to be more affluent than the others, suggesting that movement can be rewarding for those willing to ‘try their luck’ with the hard work and social networking demands of mining another site.
The Problems with Patents: A Less than Optimistic Reading of the Future
Authors: Carolan Michael S. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThis article examines a number of problems associated with patents. These are aspects of patents (and patent law) that are masked by conventional discourse that frequently equates strong patent protections with innovation and, ultimately, economic growth. This article will discuss: patents' links with knowledge and expertise; infrastructural requirements; innovation incentive structures; coercive tendencies (via high litigation and transactions costs); and global ‘harmonization' agreements (specifically TRIPs). In sum, it provides a glimpse of why patent law matters for understanding today's political economy and why global inequalities will continue to grow unless the international socio‐legal landscape changes substantially.
Superior detection of threat‐relevant stimuli in infancy
Authors: LoBue Vanessa , DeLoache Judy S. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe ability to quickly detect potential threat is an important survival mechanism for humans and other animals. Past research has established that adults have an attentional bias for the detection of threat‐relevant stimuli, including snakes and spiders as well as angry human faces. Recent studies have documented that preschool children also detect the presence of threatening stimuli more quickly than various non‐threatening stimuli. Here we report the first evidence that this attentional bias is present even in infancy. In two experiments, 8‐ to 14‐month‐old infants responded more rapidly to snakes than to flowers and more rapidly to angry than to happy faces. These data provide the first evidence of enhanced visual detection of threat‐relevant stimuli in infants and hence offer especially strong support for the existence of a general bias for the detection of threat in humans.
Young children's use of features to reorient is more than just associative: further evidence against a modular view of spatial processing
Authors: Newcombe Nora S. , Ratliff Kristin R. , Shallcross Wendy L. , Twyman Alexandra D. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractProponents of a geometric module have argued that instances of young children’s use of features as well as geometry to reorient can be explained by a two‐stage process. In this model, only the first stage is a true reorientation, accomplished by using geometric information alone; features are considered in a second stage using association (Lee, Shusterman & Spelke, 2006). This account is contradicted by the data from two experiments. Experiment 1a sets the stage for Experiment 1b by showing that young children use geometric information to reorient in a complex geometric figure without a single principal axis of symmetry (an octagon). In such a figure, there are two sets of geometrically congruent corners, with four corners in each set. The addition of a colored wall leads to the existence of three geometrically congruent but, crucially, all unmarked corners; using the colored wall to distinguish among them could not be done associatively. In Experiment 1b, both 3‐ and 5‐year‐old children showed true non‐associative reorientation using features by performing at above‐chance levels on all‐white trials. Experiment 2 used a paradigm without distinctive geometry, modeled on Lee et al. (2006), involving an equilateral triangle of hiding places located within a circular enclosure, but with a large stable feature rather than a small moveable one. Four‐year‐olds (the age group studied by Lee et al.) used features at above‐chance levels. Thus, features can be used to reorient, in a way not dependent on association, in contradiction to the two‐stage version of the modular view.
THE PROFIT–INVESTMENT–UNEMPLOYMENT NEXUS AND CAPACITY UTILIZATION IN A STOCK‐FLOW CONSISTENT MODEL
Authors: Chatelain Jean‐Bernard 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper studies under which conditions the share of profit in value‐added, financial constraints on investment and capital shortage may foster unemployment and may limit the growth of capital and/or the growth of aggregate demand, in a stock‐flow consistent model. The efficiency of demand‐side versus supply‐side economic policies (decrease of the real interest rate and/or of the real wage, increase of the leverage ceiling constraint) depends on capital shortage and credit rationing, which are not necessarily simultaneous due to the effects of investment on aggregate demand and supply.
The Reformation of the Ministry in Fife, 1560–1640
Authors: McCALLUM JOHN 
Published: June 2009

AbstractOne of the most pressing tasks facing the Scottish Church after the Reformation in 1560 was the provision of a Protestant parish ministry. This was essential if parishes were to enjoy preaching and the sacraments, and if church discipline was to be imposed. It was also vital for inculcating Protestantism in the laity. Using the county of Fife as a case study, this article traces the progress made in providing ministers to parishes as well as the educational backgrounds and geographical mobility of the clergy. Although there were significant problems with the provision of sufficient ministers, leading to most parishes having to share a minister, few parishes were entirely vacant. Furthermore, considerable progress was made in providing university‐educated ministers from the outset, and even the first generation of ministers enjoyed relatively stable careers. Thus despite problems with quantity, the quality of the early Scottish reformed ministry was relatively high.
Kinship and Religious Politics among Catholic Families in England, 1570–1640
Authors: KELLY JAMES E. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractHistorians have argued that the Reformation provoked emotional turmoil amongst vast numbers of English men and women as they attempted to come to terms with the religious changes. Moreover, cases of family divisions between – to use partly anachronistic terms – Catholics and Protestants, are amply available. This article will examine the effect on Catholic families endeavouring to survive in an increasingly hostile legal atmosphere. As Catholics gradually awoke to the realization that no change in the established religion was coming soon, decisions had to be made regarding Mission strategy. Paramount was the issue of self‐definition, particularly for leading Catholic families. Through this politicizing process, hitherto close communities, networks and even families, such as that centred on the Barons Petre of Writtle in Essex, which incorporated as key members the Southcote family, were ripped apart. Nevertheless, it is here that are found both the faultlines within the Catholic community and also, paradoxically, the ideological glue that bound it together.
Effectors of biotrophic fungi and oomycetes: pathogenicity factors and triggers of host resistance
Authors: Dodds Peter N. , Rafiqi Maryam , Gan Pamela H. P. , Hardham Adrienne R. , Jones David A. , Ellis Jeffrey G. 
Published: June 2009

SummaryMany biotrophic fungal and oomycete pathogens share a common infection process involving the formation of haustoria, which penetrate host cell walls and form a close association with plant membranes. Recent studies have identified a class of pathogenicity effector proteins from these pathogens that is transferred into host cells from haustoria during infection. This insight stemmed from the identification of avirulence (Avr) proteins from these pathogens that are recognized by intracellular host resistance (R) proteins. Oomycete effectors contain a conserved translocation motif that directs their uptake into host cells independently of the pathogen, and is shared with the human malaria pathogen. Genome sequence information indicates that oomycetes may express several hundred such host‐translocated effectors. Elucidating the transport mechanism of fungal and oomycete effectors and their roles in disease offers new opportunities to understand how these pathogens are able to manipulate host cells to establish a parasitic relationship and to develop new disease‐control measures.
Delays in investigation and management of acute arterial ischaemic stroke in children
Authors: McGlennan Catherine , Ganesan Vijeya 
Published: June 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate the timing and course of investigation and diagnosis in children with acute arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS) and factors influencing this using a retrospective case‐note review. Participants comprised 50 children (26 males, 24 females; median age at presentation 3y 4mo, range 2mo–16y 10mo). Although all had brain infarction, symptoms resolved in less than 24 hours in 21 children (transient ischaemic attack [TIA] group). Thirty‐seven children saw a doctor within 6 hours of the attack; 32 did not see a paediatric neurologist until after 24 hours. Initial neuroimaging (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) occurred in less than 6 hours in 13/46 children and in more than 24 hours in 18/46 children. Brain magnetic resonance imaging occurred in more than 24 hours in 43/47 children. Time to clinical diagnosis (data available on 42 children) was less than 6 hours in 14 children, 6 to12 hours in six, 12 to 24 hours in eight, and more than 24 hours in 14 children. In multiple regression analysis, patients with stroke were more likely to have shorter time to diagnosis than those with TIA.Our results show that most children with acute AIS are seen within 6 hours but definitive imaging and specialist assessment take more than 24 hours. Time to diagnosis is significantly longer in children with TIA (p=0.001). Trials of acute treatment being designed for childhood AIS will require rapid transfer to tertiary centers and access to definitive neuroimaging, but these data suggest that this will challenge existing practice.
A longitudinal study of neurological soft signs from late childhood into early adulthood
Authors: Martins Isabel , Lauterbach Martin , Slade Peter , Luís Henriques , DeRouen Timothy , Martin Michael , Caldas Alexandre , Leitão Jorge , Rosenbaum Gail , Townes Brenda 
Published: June 2009

Neurological examination of children includes the screening for soft neurological signs (NSS). There is little knowledge about their evolution during adolescence, except that their lasting presence has been associated with developmental, psychological, and cognitive disorders.We report the results of a NSS exam (assessing gross and fine motor function and the presence of hyperactivity and motor impersistence) over a 5‐year period, among a group of healthy children who were followed annually as part of a dental study. Their ages ranged from 11 to 15 years at onset to 14 to 18 years at the end. Participants were divided into four groups by age (younger and older) and sex.At the first evaluation there were 191 males and 150 females. NSS score diminished both with increasing age and follow‐up time in both groups, but at different rates in males and females. Females reached the lowest scores two years before the younger subgroup of males.These results show that NSS change rapidly in adolescence and at different rates in males and females, which must be taken into account in clinical contexts. The evolution of NSS suggests that they are a signature of neural development.
Twenty years after childhood‐onset symptomatic generalized epilepsy the social outcome is usually dependency or death: a population‐based study
Authors: Camfield Carol , Camfield Peter 
Published: June 2009

Aims:  To document the adult social outcome for childhood onset symptomatic generalized epilepsies (SGE).Methods:  Using the Nova Scotia population‐based epilepsy cohort we identified children who developed SGE between 1977 and 1985. Social outcome for those >18 years old was assessed in 2003–5 by semi‐structured interview with patients and/or caretakers.Results:  Eighty children developed SGE, 12% of childhood epilepsy. Syndromes at onset were: SGE undefined 32 (37%), West 32 (42%), Lennox‐Gastaut 4, myoclonic astatic 9, other 3. Nineteen (24%) died. Fifty‐two survivors (22 women, 30 men) were 23.7 SD 3.6 years old: 46 (88%) had mental retardation; 34 (65%) continued AEDs; and 27 (51%) were unable to walk. Social outcome was good (live independently) in 7 (13%), moderate (unable to live independently but independent for most daily activities) in 15 (29%) and poor (dependent for nearly all activities) in 30 (58%). Twenty‐nine (56%) remained at home, 40% in group homes or institutions. Financial dependency was marked – complete dependence on parents/state in 90%. Eleven (20%) were socially isolated, and only 7 (13%) had significant social interaction in community activities. Health was satisfactory in 49 (94%). There were no pregnancies. Only 2 were seizure‐free, off AEDs, living independently and financially independent.Conclusion:  The social outcome of children with SGE 20 years after diagnosis is usually disappointing. One quarter die and nearly all survivors have mental retardation and are highly dependent.