bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Detection of microbial biomass by intact polar membrane lipid analysis in the water column and surface sediments of the Black Sea
Authors: Schubotz Florence , Wakeham Stuart G. , Lipp Julius S. , Fredricks Helen F. , Hinrichs Kai‐Uwe 
Published: July 2009

SummaryThe stratified water column of the Black Sea produces a vertical succession of redox zones, stimulating microbial activity at the interfaces. Our study of intact polar membrane lipids (IPLs) in suspended particulate matter and sediments highlights their potential as biomarkers for assessing the taxonomic composition of live microbial biomass. Intact polar membrane lipids in oxic waters above the chemocline represent contributions of bacterial and eukaryotic photosynthetic algae, while anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria and sulfate‐reducing bacteria comprise a substantial amount of microbial biomass in deeper suboxic and anoxic layers. Intact polar membrane lipids such as betaine lipids and glycosidic ceramides suggest unspecified anaerobic bacteria in the anoxic zone. Distributions of polar head groups and core lipids show planktonic archaea below the oxic zone; methanotrophic archaea are only a minor fraction of archaeal biomass in the anoxic zone, contrasting previous observations based on the apolar derivatives of archaeal lipids. Sediments contain algal and bacterial IPLs from the water column, but transport to the sediment is selective; bacterial and archaeal IPLs are also produced within the sediments. Intact polar membrane lipid distributions in the Black Sea are stratified in accordance with geochemical profiles and provide information on vertical successions of major microbial groups contributing to suspended biomass. This study vastly extends our knowledge of the distribution of complex microbial lipids in the ocean.
Haploid technology allows for the efficient and rapid generation of homozygous antibody‐accumulating transgenic tobacco plants
Authors: Floss Doreen M. , Kumlehn Jochen , Conrad Udo , Saalbach Isolde 
Published: July 2009

SummaryThe large‐scale production of plant‐derived recombinant proteins requires the breeding of lines homozygous for the transgene(s). These can be selected by progeny testing over multiple sexual generations, but a more efficient means is to fix homozygosity in a single generation using doubled haploid technology. In this study, transgenic tobacco plants, hemizygous for both of the independently inherited genes encoding the light and heavy chains of the anti‐human immunodeficiency virus monoclonal antibody 2F5, were used to establish embryogenic pollen cultures. The improved protocol employed in this study guaranteed a very high regeneration efficiency, with more than 50% of the regenerants being spontaneously doubled haploids. Hence, there was no requirement to chemically induce chromosome doubling to recover sufficient entirely homozygous recombinants. As expected, approximately 25% of the regenerants were homozygous for both transgenes. Thus, the employment of haploid technology allowed for the efficient and rapid generation of true‐breeding tobacco lines accumulating functional immunoglobulins.
Renewal in the left periphery: economy and the complementiser layer1
Authors: Van Gelderen Elly 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThis paper examines cyclical changes involving complementisers, for instance,whetherin the history of English.Whetherstarts out as a pronoun and after frequent topicalisation is reanalysed as an element in the left‐most layer of the sentence. The same is true with prepositional phrases that are fronted and then reanalysed as part of the CP layer. The paper uses a Minimalist approach in that it seeks answers for the linguistic changes in terms of Economy Principles such as Specifier‐to‐Head Reanalysis. It examines two sources of renewal of complementisers, full phrases such as demonstrative pronouns and heads such as the verbs that reanalyse as question particles in Chinese.
‘I want to buy it’ in the Albanian glossary of Arnold von Harff1
Authors: Maynard Kelly Lynne 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe first written snippets of the Albanian language are found in writings from the fifteenth century. One of these is the small vocabulary list with Ripuarian German glosses collected by Arnold von Harff in 1497. In this paper I argue that the Albanian phrase written by von Harff as <do daple> must be transliterated as Old Albanian duo t’a blej (= Standard Albanian dua ta blej) and translated as ‘I want to buy it’. It should not be surface‐read as Standard Albanian do ta blej, a syntactic future tense construction meaning ‘I will buy it’; therefore, it should not be used as evidence that a feature of the Balkan Sprachbund, future‐tense‐with‐‘will’, had already spread to North Albanian dialects by the late fifteenth century. To situate the argument, I first give background information on von Harff, his travels, and his book, including an annotated list of the twelve extant manuscripts known. I also give and describe von Harff’s Albanian section and provide his entire Albanian glossary with transliteration and translation notes.
Relationships between Economics, Welfare, Social Network Factors, and Net Migration in the United States
Authors: Cheng Lee‐Joy 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBy using economics, welfare and social network factors as frames of reference, this study aims to explore the relationship between these three factors and net migration to various US states. Adopting related variables collected from official aggregate data, this study first utilizes Logit Regression analysis to draw out seven variables that best explain net migration to the various states, then employs these variables in LISREL analyses to build a model explaining the factors influencing net migration to the various US states. Concretely, this research obtained the following findings: (1) the seven variables ‐‐ the average rate of net migrants of 2002–2005, Medicaid, federal aid, employment rate, non‐poverty population rate, and SSI subsidy ‐‐ all significantly affected (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05) net migration in 2006; (2) the main influences on net migration for the various states are, from highest to lowest, social network, economic, and welfare factors. More specifically, a better explanation is that, through the social network factor, economic and welfare factors exert an increased influence on the net number of migrants; and (3) as for the influence of social network factors on the number of net migrants, the social network factor for the previous year was found to best explain domestic migration flows, while the social network factor for the previous three‐to‐four years best explained international migration flows.
Rationalities and Images Underlying Labour Migration from Bangladesh to Malaysia
Authors: Dannecker Petra 
Published: July 2009

AbstractMost studies of temporary labour migration use economic models or examine the economic rationales of migrants to explain why people are moving. Although in migration research new approaches and perspectives have been introduced lately, temporary labour migration, especially in the global South, is still defined primarily as purely economic in nature. This article concentrates on the migrants and their rationalities for migrating, their networks as well as their perceptions and interpretations of the situation they are confronted with abroad to argue that concentrating solely on economic aspects means to lose sight of the tremendous role images and myths about migration in general and receiving countries in particular do play. Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia, who have contributed to the remarkable economic success of the country during the last decades, are in the focus. The construction of the images and the role networks play within these processes will be analysed using data gathered from field research in both settings. Of special interest in this context is the construction of a Muslim brotherhood between the countries for an understanding of the migration flows. This article intends to broaden the current discussions on temporary labour migration by analysing not only the different motives and rationalities but relating them to the constructed images in the new spaces that temporary labour migration has constituted. This important link is missing so far in studies on this global phenomenon.
Preferences of the Ponto‐Caspian amphipod Dikerogammarus haemobaphes for living zebra mussels
Authors: Kobak J. , Kakareko T. , Poznańska M. , Żbikowski J. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractA Ponto‐Caspian amphipod Dikerogammarus haemobaphes has recently invaded European waters. In the recipient area, it encountered Dreissena polymorpha, a habitat‐forming bivalve, co‐occurring with the gammarids in their native range. We assumed that interspecific interactions between these two species, which could develop during their long‐term co‐evolution, may affect the gammarid behaviour in novel areas. We examined the gammarid ability to select a habitat containing living mussels and searched for cues used in that selection. We hypothesized that they may respond to such traits of a living mussel as byssal threads, activity (e.g. valve movements, filtration) and/or shell surface properties. We conducted the pairwise habitat‐choice experiments in which we offered various objects to single gammarids in the following combinations: (1) living mussels versus empty shells (the general effect of living Dreissena); (2) living mussels versus shells with added byssal threads and shells with byssus versus shells without it (the effect of byssus); (3) living mussels versus shells, both coated with nail varnish to neutralize the shell surface (the effect of mussel activity); (4) varnished versus clean living mussels (the effect of shell surface); (5) varnished versus clean stones (the effect of varnish). We checked the gammarid positions in the experimental tanks after 24 h. The gammarids preferred clean living mussels over clean shells, regardless of the presence of byssal threads under the latter. They responded to the shell surface, exhibiting preferences for clean mussels over varnished individuals. They were neither affected by the presence of byssus nor by mussel activity. The ability to detect and actively select zebra mussel habitats may be beneficial for D. haemobaphes and help it establish stable populations in newly invaded areas.
Telomerase activity, telomere length and human telomerase reverse transcriptase expression in hepatocellular carcinoma is independent of hepatitis virus status
Authors: Saini Nitin , Srinivasan Radhika , Chawla Yogesh , Sharma Sanjeev , Chakraborti Anuradha , Rajwanshi Arvind 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBackground:Telomerase expression and the maintenance of a critical telomere length (TL) in cancer initiation indicates that telomere shortening and telomerase expression initiates cancer by induction of chromosomal instability.Methods:Telomerase activity, TL and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression were investigated in 58 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 17 chronic hepatitis patients by the telomerase repeat amplification protocol, Southern blotting and reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction.Results:Telomerase was positive in 76% of HCC and 11.8% of chronic hepatitis patients (P<0.0001). The mean telomere length (MTL) in HCC was significantly shorter compared with chronic hepatitis (P<0.0001). The MTL was not significantly different in HCC patients with and without cirrhosis (P=0.77). In hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and non‐B non‐C‐related HCC groups, no differences were found in telomerase activity and MTL (P=0.77). hTERT, a regulator of telomerase, was, however, positive in 81% of HCCs. The correlation between telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA expression was statistically significant (P<0.0001). The MTL in telomerase‐positive HCC cases was significantly shorter than the MTL in telomerase‐negative cases (P<0.0001).Conclusion:The majority of HCCs exhibited telomerase activity that correlated well with hTERT expression. MTL in HCC was significantly shorter than chronic hepatitis. It was also found that shorter telomeres are present in telomerase‐positive HCC cases. However, no correlation was found between telomerase activity and TL with respect to the viral status in HCC.
Why Are Buyouts Levered? The Financial Structure of Private Equity Funds
Authors: AXELSON ULF , STRÖMBERG PER , WEISBACH MICHAEL S. 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTPrivate equity funds are important to the economy, yet there is little analysis explaining their financial structure. In our model the financial structure minimizes agency conflicts between fund managers and investors. Relative to financing each deal separately, raising a fund where the manager receives a fraction of aggregate excess returns reduces incentives to make bad investments. Efficiency is further improved by requiring funds to also use deal‐by‐deal debt financing, which becomes unavailable in states where internal discipline fails. Private equity investment becomes highly sensitive to aggregate credit conditions and investments in bad states outperform investments in good states.
The Corporate Propensity to Save
Authors: RIDDICK LEIGH A. , WHITED TONI M. 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTWhy do corporations accumulate liquid assets? We show theoretically that intertemporal trade‐offs between interest income taxation and the cost of external finance determine optimal savings. Intriguingly, we find that, controlling for Tobin's q, saving and cash flow are negatively related because firms lower cash reserves to invest after receiving positive cash‐flow shocks, and vice versa. Consistent with theory, we estimate negative propensities to save out of cash flow. We also find that income uncertainty affects saving more than do external finance constraints. Therefore, contrary to previous evidence, saving propensities reflect too many forces to be used to measure external finance constraints.
Target Behavior and Financing: How Conclusive Is the Evidence?
Authors: CHANG XIN , DASGUPTA SUDIPTO 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTThe notion that firms have a debt ratio target that is a primary determinant of financing behavior is influential in finance. Yet, how definitive is the evidence? We address this issue by generating samples where financing is unrelated to a firm's current debt ratio or a target. We find that much of the available evidence in favor of target behavior based on leverage ratio changes can be reproduced for these samples. Taken together, our findings suggest that a number of existing tests of target behavior have no power to reject alternatives.
Financially Constrained Stock Returns
Authors: LIVDAN DMITRY , SAPRIZA HORACIO , ZHANG LU 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTWe study the effect of financial constraints on risk and expected returns by extending the investment‐based asset pricing framework to incorporate retained earnings, debt, costly equity, and collateral constraints on debt capacity. Quantitative results show that more financially constrained firms are riskier and earn higher expected stock returns than less financially constrained firms. Intuitively, by preventing firms from financing all desired investments, collateral constraints restrict the flexibility of firms in smoothing dividend streams in the face of aggregate shocks. The inflexibility mechanism also gives rise to a convex relation between market leverage and expected stock returns.
First‐Order Risk Aversion, Heterogeneity, and Asset Market Outcomes
Authors: CHAPMAN DAVID A. , POLKOVNICHENKO VALERY 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTWe examine a wide range of two‐date economies populated by heterogeneous agents with the most common forms of nonexpected utility preferences used in finance and macroeconomics. We demonstrate that the risk premium and the risk‐free rate in these models are sensitive to ignoring heterogeneity. This follows because of endogenous withdrawal by nonexpected utility agents from the market for the risky asset. This finding is important precisely because these alternative preferences have frequently been proposed as possible resolutions to various asset pricing puzzles, and they have all been examined exclusively in a representative agent framework.
Who Gambles in the Stock Market?
Authors: KUMAR ALOK 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTThis study shows that the propensity to gamble and investment decisions are correlated. At the aggregate level, individual investors prefer stocks with lottery features, and like lottery demand, the demand for lottery‐type stocks increases during economic downturns. In the cross‐section, socioeconomic factors that induce greater expenditure in lotteries are associated with greater investment in lottery‐type stocks. Further, lottery investment levels are higher in regions with favorable lottery environments. Because lottery‐type stocks underperform, gambling‐related underperformance is greater among low‐income investors who excessively overweight lottery‐type stocks. These results indicate that state lotteries and lottery‐type stocks attract very similar socioeconomic clienteles.
The Psychological Impact of Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator Recalls and the Durable Positive Effects of Counseling
Authors: FISHER JOHN D. , KOULOGIANNIS KONSTANTINOS P. , LEWALLEN LINDA , KATZ DANIEL , KIM SOO G. , FERRICK KEVIN J. , GROSS JAY N. , KRUMERMAN ANDREW K. , JOHNSTON DEBRA R. , MERCALDI BRIDGET C. 
Published: July 2009

Background: It is known that patients with lifesaving devices such as implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICDs) may be alarmed and worried by recalls or alerts related to their ICDs.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether counseling has any short‐ or long‐term benefits, and to look for characteristics that identify those most worried and those most in need of counseling.
Methods: Among 100 patients with recall or alert ICDs, 14 were pacer dependent; 50 had ICDs for 1° prevention and 22 were women. Patients completed a survey indicating how worried they were on learning of the recall or alert (0–10 scale). After counseling and advice in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, patients were asked to indicate their level of worry, and were again asked after 6 months.
Results: For all patients, the “worry level” at the initial interview was 5.0±3.7, falling to 2.2±3.0 after counseling (P < 0.001) and 1.4±2.3 after 6 months (P < 0.001 vs both earlier levels). There were no significant differences between those implanted for 1° versus 2° prevention or for pacer dependency. Women were initially more worried than men, but not for the long term. The 49 patients whose ICDs could be managed by reprogramming or software fix had significant reduction in worry after counseling and at 6 months compared to others. The 18 patients recommended for operative intervention remained more concerned after counseling (3.5±3.3 vs 1.9±2.9, P = 0.043).
Conclusions: Patients’ concerns resulting from ICD recalls or alerts can be reduced by appropriate counseling. Those patients whose ICDs could be reprogrammed to safer parameters had the most reduction in worry levels.
Right Ventricular Myocardial Function in Patients with Either Idiopathic or Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy Without Clinical Sign of Right Heart Failure: Effects of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: D’ANDREA ANTONELLO , SALERNO GEMMA , SCARAFILE RAFFAELLA , RIEGLER LUCIA , GRAVINO RITA , CASTALDO FRANCESCA , COCCHIA ROSANGELA , LIMONGELLI GIUSEPPE , ROMANO MASSIMO , CALABRÒ PAOLO , NIGRO GERARDO , CUOMO SERGIO , BOSSONE EDUARDO , CASO PIO , CALABRÒ RAFFAELE 
Published: July 2009

Objective: In dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), right ventricular (RV) dysfunction has been reported and attributed both to altered loading conditions and to RV involvement in the myopathic process. The aim of the study was to detect RV myocardial function in DCM using two‐dimensional (2D) strain echocardiography and to assess the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on RV myocardial strain during a 6‐month follow‐up.
Methods and Results: A total of 110 patients (mean age: 55.4 ± 11.2 years) with either idiopathic (n = 60) or ischemic (n = 50) DCM, without overt clinical signs of RV failure, underwent standard echo and 2D strain analysis of RV longitudinal strain in RV septal and lateral walls. The two groups were comparable for clinical variables (New York Heart Association class III in 81.8%). Left ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, stroke volume, and mitral valve effective regurgitant orifice were similar between the two groups. No significant differences were evidenced in Doppler mitral and tricuspid inflow measurements. RV diameters were mildly increased in patients with idiopathic DCM, while RV tricuspid annulus systolic excursion and Tei‐index were comparable between the two groups. RV global longitudinal strain and regional peak myocardial strain were significantly impaired in patients with idiopathic DCM compared with those having ischemic DCM (all P < 0.001). Using left ventricular end‐systolic volume as marker for response to CRT, 70 patients (63.3%) were long‐term responders. Ischemic DCM patient responders to CRT showed a significant improvement in RV peak systolic strain. Conversely, in patients with idiopathic DCM and in ischemic patients nonresponders to CRT, no improvement in RV function was evidenced. By multivariable analysis, in the overall population, ischemic etiology of DCM (P < 0.0001), positive response to CRT (P < 0.001), and longitudinal intraventricular dyssynchrony (P <0.01) emerged as the only independent determinants of RV global longitudinal strain after CRT.
Conclusions: Two‐dimensional strain represents a promising noninvasive technique to assess RV myocardial function in patients with DCM. RV myocardial deformation at baseline and after CRT are more impaired in idiopathic compared with ischemic DCM patients. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to understand the natural history of RV myocardial function, the extent of reversibility of RV dysfunction with CRT, and the possible prognostic impact of such indexes in patients with congestive heart failure.
Intracardiac Echocardiography‐Guided Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Technique and Clinical Application
Authors: SAKSENA SANJEEV , SIMON ANN MARIE , MATHEW PHILIP , NAGARAKANTI RANGADHAM 
Published: July 2009

Background: We undertook a pilot investigation to evaluate the feasibility of a novel technique using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) for intraoperative assessment of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
Methods: We evaluated ICE intraoperative imaging of left ventricular (LV) function and aortic valvular flow as well as safety of implementation. ICE was used to guide CRT system lead placement, assess impact of pacing modes, and optimization of device programming.
Results: Twenty‐three patients underwent ICE imaging. ICE showed global hypokinesis in six patients, regional wall motion abnormality only in 10 patients, and both in seven patients. Optimized CRT modes included mean atrioventricular (AV) interval of 170 ms and interventricular timing using simultaneous right ventricular (RV)‐LV pacing (five patients), LV pacing only (one patient), and sequential LV to RV stimulation (15 patients) or RV to LV stimulation (two patients). ICE‐guided CRT acutely improved mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from 24 ± 9% to 41 ± 1% (P < 0.00001). During follow‐up of 3–24 (mean 11) months, New York Heart Association class improved in all patients from a mean of 3.2 ± 0.4 at implant to 1.6 ± 0.7 (P < 0.0001), with improvement of LVEF from 19 ± 7% to 34 ± 12% (P = 0.0001). Actuarial survival was 83% at 12 months.
Conclusions:

(1) ICE imaging is reliable and safe for continuous intraoperative imaging of LV wall motion, and assesses baseline status and impact of CRT interventions.
(2) Intraoperative ICE‐guided CRT optimization resulted in an increase in LVEF acutely and consistent improvement in heart failure.
(3) Sequential biventricular pacing and longer AV interval programming were more often used in ICE‐guided CRT.