bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dieback and mortality of South African fynbos shrubs is likely driven by a novel pathogen and pathogen‐induced hydraulic failure
Authors: JACOBSEN ANNA L. , ROETS FRANCOIS , JACOBS SHAYNE M. , ESLER KAREN J. , PRATT R. BRANDON
Published: June 2011

We examined whether extensive dry season dieback and mortality in a South African fynbos community were due to drought or pathogen attack. Plant dieback and mortality have been reported elsewhere in similar plant communities suggesting potential for a widespread climatic or biotic threat to this community. We collected tissue samples from Brunia noduliflora, the dominant plant in the community, and cultured them for potential plant pathogens. We also measured dry season predawn and midday water potentials of healthy and stressed plants and constructed pressure‐volume curves to assess turgor loss point. Plant stress and mortality were monitored over a 2‐year study period. Both healthy plants and plants that displayed moderate signs of stress had dry season predawn water potentials well above their turgor loss point suggesting plants were not water stressed. However, plants displaying >60% crown dieback had much lower water potentials (as low as −12 MPa). A previously undescribed fungus (Pythium sp.) was isolated from the root vascular tissue of all stressed plants and was not present in healthy plants. The proximate cause of plant stress was likely pathogen‐induced, while the ultimate cause of plant death appears to be extreme water stress. The present study suggests that Brunia (Bruniceae), Leucadendron (Proteaceae) and Erica (Ericaceae), all emblematic and dominant genera within the diverse fynbos community, may be susceptible to Pythium infection. This may pose a serious threat to communities already threatened by climate change.
Influence of nitrogen fertilization and isoxaflutole on the nodulation of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)
Authors: DATTA AVISHEK , SINDEL BRIAN M. , KRISTIANSEN PAUL , BIRCHALL CRAIG , JESSOP ROBIN S. , FELTON WARWICK L.
Published: June 2011

The effects of soil nitrate and the herbicide, isoxaflutole, on chickpea nodulation were examined in a glasshouse experiment. The treatments consisted of one isoxaflutole‐tolerant and one isoxaflutole‐sensitive chickpea cultivar, five nitrate concentrations (0, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 mmol L−1), and three herbicide rates (0, 75 [the recommended rate], and 300 g ha−1). The sensitive cultivar was more susceptible to isoxaflutole damage with an increasing herbicide rate and nitrate concentration, compared with the tolerant cultivar. Isoxaflutole at the recommended rate reduced the nodule dry weight of the sensitive cultivar by 51% and by 33% in the tolerant cultivar. The nodule dry weight of the sensitive cultivar was reduced by 28%, 40%, 64%, and 76% with the addition of the 0.75, 1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 mmol L−1 nitrate concentrations, respectively. In comparison, the nodule dry weight of the tolerant cultivar was reduced by 50% and 79% at the 3.0 and 6.0 mmol L−1 nitrate concentrations, respectively. In addition, the level of damage from increasing rates of isoxaflutole increased with the highest nitrate concentrations of 3.0 and 6.0 mmol L−1, regardless of the cultivar. Isoxaflutole at the recommended application rate had a detrimental effect on the nodulation of both chickpea cultivars, but the isoxaflutole‐tolerant cultivar suffered less injury than the sensitive one in relation to some growth parameters. The damage to chickpea from the recommended rate of isoxaflutole also increased with soils of higher nitrate content.
Exploiting natural variation to identify insect‐resistance genes
Authors: Broekgaarden Colette , Snoeren Tjeerd A.L. , Dicke Marcel , Vosman Ben
Published: June 2011

Herbivorous insects are widespread and often serious constraints to crop production. The use of insect‐resistant crops is a very effective way to control insect pests in agriculture, and the development of such crops can be greatly enhanced by knowledge on plant resistance mechanisms and the genes involved. Plants have evolved diverse ways to cope with insect attack that has resulted in natural variation for resistance towards herbivorous insects. Studying the molecular genetics and transcriptional background of this variation has facilitated the identification of resistance genes and processes that lead to resistance against insects. With the development of new technologies, molecular studies are not restricted to model plants anymore. This review addresses the need to exploit natural variation in resistance towards insects to increase our knowledge on resistance mechanisms and the genes involved. We will discuss how this knowledge can be exploited in breeding programmes to provide sustainable crop protection against insect pests. Additionally, we discuss the current status of genetic research on insect‐resistance genes. We conclude that insect‐resistance mechanisms are still unclear at the molecular level and that exploiting natural variation with novel technologies will contribute greatly to the development of insect‐resistant crop varieties.
Effects of dietary fibre on subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wanders A. J. , van den Borne J. J. G. C. , de Graaf C. , Hulshof T. , Jonathan M. C. , Kristensen M. , Mars M. , Schols H. A. , Feskens E. J. M.
Published: June 2011

Dietary fibres are believed to reduce subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight. However, different types of dietary fibre may affect these outcomes differently. The aim of this review was to systematically investigate the available literature on the relationship between dietary fibre types, appetite, acute and long‐term energy intake, and body weight. Fibres were grouped according to chemical structure and physicochemical properties (viscosity, solubility and fermentability). Effect rates were calculated as the proportion of all fibre–control comparisons that reduced appetite (n = 58 comparisons), acute energy intake (n = 26), long‐term energy intake (n = 38) or body weight (n = 66). For appetite, acute energy intake, long‐term energy intake and body weight, there were clear differences in effect rates depending on chemical structure. Interestingly, fibres characterized as being more viscous (e.g. pectins, β‐glucans and guar gum) reduced appetite more often than those less viscous fibres (59% vs. 14%), which also applied to acute energy intake (69% vs. 30%). Overall, effects on energy intake and body weight were relatively small, and distinct dose–response relationships were not observed. Short‐ and long‐term effects of dietary fibres appear to differ and multiple mechanisms relating to their different physicochemical properties seem to interplay. This warrants further exploration.
Voice over instant messaging as a tool for enhancing the oral proficiency and motivation of English‐as‐a‐foreign‐language learners
Authors: Yang Ya‐Ting C. , Gamble Jeffrey , Tang Shiun‐Yi S.
Published: June 2011

The challenge of providing authentic experiences and interactions for fostering oral proficiency and motivation in foreign languages is an opportunity for innovation in educational technology and instructional design. Although several recent innovations have received the attention of scholars, empirical investigation and validation is often lacking, as is the case with voice over instant messaging (VoIM). The goal of this study was to empirically test the effectiveness of VoIM for enhancing students' oral English proficiency and learning motivation. Different types of online discussions were examined—unstructured, structured without the facilitation of English teaching assistants (ETAs) and structured with the facilitation of ETAs. A pre‐test and post‐test quasi‐experimental design was employed to achieve this goal. The participants, 90 students enrolled in three sections of a freshman English course at a large university in Asia, participated in eight VoIM discussions in addition to their regular coursework. The results provide empirical support for the importance of structured discussions and the facilitation of ETAs in improving both oral English proficiency and learning motivation. These findings highlight the role of facilitation in VoIM discussions, and recommend prompt feedback, modelling and encouragement for fostering oral proficiency and learning motivation in foreign language classes. Based on the results of this study, recommendations for future research are provided.
The Art of Narrating and the Question of Cultural Acknowledgment: The Case of Die Kinder von Golzow and a Reunified Germany
Authors: Grüning Barbara
Published: June 2011

Some twenty years since the reunification of Germany, the cultural and interpersonal communication between eastern and western Germans remains problematic – complicated by oversimplified media representations of the GDR-past that induce an attitude of mistrust towards eastern Germans as well as making them feel unacknowledged. This paper explores the question of German integration post-1989 through an analysis of the documentary series Die Kinder von Golzow (Winfried and Winfried, 1961–2005). The aim is to show how the series, even if marginal in the public memory, offers a cultural meeting ground by narrating the recent past from the perspective of everyday-life. The paper argues that the construction of a political community is not only the result of institutional politics, but also of everyday praxis. In other words, it is necessary to distinguish between two levels of integration in the case of the reunification of Germany: on the one hand the acceptance of institutions of the Federal Republic; and on the other the exchange of historical (collective and individual) experiences, since these form the basis of a cultural and mutual acknowledgment of identity and difference among eastern and western Germans.
The Political-Opportunity Structure of the Spanish Anti-War Movement (2002–2004) and its Impact
Authors: Estellés Isis Sánchez
Published: June 2011

This paper contributes to the study of social movements and their impact by approaching the topic through a discussion of the framework of political-opportunity structure. While there is a lack of research on the impact of movements, and few theories have yet been developed, there is a healthy debate on the elements that configure a movement's political-opportunity structure. This paper aims to contribute to these debates by first analysing the political opportunities of the anti-war movement in Spain (2002–2004) and, second, noting its impact in terms of the subsequent withdrawal of troops from Iraq after the elections in March 2004. After reviewing the literature on impact in social movement theory, the analysis then presents the elements of a movement's political-opportunity structure, explaining which elements should be considered variable and which stable. The paper closes by exploring which of these elements explains most powerfully the policy impact of movements.
Migrants’ international transfers and educational expenditure
Authors: Cattaneo Cristina
Published: June 2011

The primary objective of this article is to cast some light upon the relationship between education expenditure and the volume of remittances sent to Albania from abroad by international migrants. To assess the existence of an education enhancing effect of remittances, an Engel curve framework is used. In addition, quintile regression analysis is employed to investigate whether migrants’ remittances have a differentiated effect on various quantiles of the conditional distribution of education consumption. The two main empirical findings are that household income has a positive and well‐determined impact on education expenditure, whereas international transfers do not influence education spending.
Specifically requesting surgical tattoo removal: are deep personal motivations involved?
Authors: Koljonen V. , Kluger N.
Published: June 2011

Background  Motivations for tattoo removal include employment reasons, stigmata, changes in lifestyles or partners, incompatibility with present attitudes and values and clothing problems. Most studies on the motivations for tattoo removal have focused on patients seeking laser therapy. We hypothesized that patients seeking surgical tattoo removal would present with different motivations.

Objective  We analysed the characteristics and motivations of patients specifically requesting surgical tattoo removal.

Methods  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 16 patients in Helsinki, Finland, from 2005 to 2011. Demographic, clinical data, number of tattoos, location and size, time elapsed since tattooing, reason(s) for wanting surgical tattoo removal and surgical operations were analysed and compared with the other literature on tattoo removal.

Results  Patients were mainly Caucasian females (ratio 3 : 1, median age of 26 years). Tattoos were all done by studio artists, most measured less than 30 cm², and were quite recent (median 5.3 years). Personal reasons accounted for 42.8% of all reasons, professional/social reasons for 37.5% and miscellaneous for 18.8%. Personal concerns were usually marital status changes, with few expressing dissatisfaction with the actual design of the tattoo. Tattoos were excised during a single procedure in 70% of the cases with only one case producing a hypertrophic scar.

Conclusions  Patients seeking surgical removal were aware of the limits and risks of the technique. They expressed intense personal reasons for wanting radical surgical removal. The possibility of surgical tattoo removal should be accessible to patients if the tattoo is small and discussion reveals strong personal motivation.
Panel: What could be Jungian about Human Rights work?
Authors: Berg Astrid , Salman Tawfiq , Troudart Tristan
Published: June 2011

Abstract:  The question of whether Jungian analysts should move beyond the consulting room to engage with mental health issues that pertain to the collective is the focus of this paper. Two narratives are presented: one from the view point of a psychiatrist in Occupied Palestine, the other from the conflicted situation which faces an Israeli analyst. Despite the strong ambivalence that is experienced on both sides, there is a willingness to meet and to take a standpoint without necessarily coming to a resolution. A third position is offered by describing experiences from the South African perspective. The African notion of Ubuntu is offered as a moral entry point that states that community goes beyond one's own; from this point of view, Jungian analysts can do no other than to act.
Genus Colocasiomyia (Drosophilidae: Diptera) in Sabah, Bornean Malaysia: High species diversity and use of host aroid inflorescences
Authors: TODA Masanori J. , LAKIM Maklarin B.
Published: June 2011

A total of 21 Colocasiomyia species, including 17 undescribed species, are reported from Sabah (Mt. Kinabalu and neighboring areas), Malaysia, based on samples collected from inflorescences of 14 or 15 Araceae species. This number of species is the largest as a local fauna of this genus in the world. The high species diversity is attributed to 12 undescribed species belonging to the Colocasiomyia baechlii species group. A particular breeding habit of Colocasiomyia is sharing of the same inflorescence by a pair of species, with partial niche separation between them: one species uses exclusively the pistillate (lower female‐flower) section of the spadix for oviposition and larval development, whereas the other mostly uses the staminate (upper male‐flower) section. However, the baechlii group species show quite different patterns of host plant use: many (up to eight) species cohabit on the same inflorescence. It is unlikely that they separate their breeding niches micro‐allopatrically within an inflorescence. Instead, species composition and their proportions of individual numbers vary among different localities, seasons and host plants, with partial overlap among them. Such partial separations in local distribution, phenology and host selection would in combination contribute to their coexistence and promote the species diversity of this group.
Women and Climate Change: A Case‐Study from Northeast Ghana
Authors: Glazebrook Trish
Published: June 2011

This paper argues that there is ethical and practical necessity for including women's needs, perspectives, and expertise in international climate change negotiations. I show that climate change contributes to women's hardships because of the conjunction of the feminization of poverty and environmental degradation caused by climate change. I then provide data I collected in Ghana to demonstrate effects of extreme weather events on women subsistence farmers and argue that women have knowledge to contribute to adaptation efforts. The final section surveys the international climate debate, assesses explanations for its gender blindness, and summarizes the progress on gender that was made at Copenhagen and Cancun in order to document and provoke movement toward climate justice for women.
Continuous Multimechanistic Postoperative Analgesia: A Rationale for Transitioning from Intravenous Acetaminophen and Opioids to Oral Formulations
Authors: Pergolizzi Joseph V. , Raffa Robert B. , Tallarida Ronald , Taylor Robert , Labhsetwar Sumedha A.
Published: June 2011

Abstract:  Good surgical outcomes depend in part on good pain relief, allowing for early mobilization, optimal recovery, and patient satisfaction. Postsurgical pain has multiple mechanisms, and multimechanistic approaches to postoperative analgesia are recommended and may be associated with improved pain relief, lowered opioid doses, and sometimes a lower rate of opioid‐associated side effects. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is a familiar agent for treating many types of pain, including postsurgical pain. Oral acetaminophen has been shown to be safe and effective in a variety of acute pain models. Combination products using a fixed‐dose of acetaminophen and an opioid have also been effective in treating postsurgical pain. Combination products with acetaminophen have demonstrated an opioid‐sparing effect, which inconsistently results in a reduced rate of opioid‐associated side effects. Intravenous (IV) acetaminophen and an opioid analgesic administered in the perioperative period may be followed by an oral acetaminophen and opioid combination in the postoperative period. Transitioning from an IV acetaminophen and opioid formulation to a similar but oral formulation of the same drugs appears to be a reasonable step in that both analgesic therapies are known to be safe and effective. For postsurgical analgesia with any acetaminophen product, patient education is necessary to be sure that the patient does not concurrently take any over‐the‐counter products containing acetaminophen and accidentally exceed dose limits.
Preoperative Gabapentin for Acute Post‐thoracotomy Analgesia: A Randomized, Double‐Blinded, Active Placebo‐Controlled Study
Authors: Kinney Michelle A. O. , Mantilla Carlos B. , Carns Paul E. , Passe Melissa A. , Brown Michael J. , Michael Hooten W. , Curry Timothy B. , Long Timothy R. , Thomas Wass C. , Wilson Peter R. , Weingarten Toby N. , Huntoon Marc A. , Rho Richard H. , Mauck William D. , Pulido Juan N. , Allen Mark S. , Cassivi Stephen D. , Deschamps Claude , Nichols Francis C. , Robert Shen K. , Wigle Dennis A. , Hoehn Sheila L. , Alexander Sherry L. , Hanson Andrew C. , Schroeder Darrell R.
Published: June 2011

Background:  The role of preoperative gabapentin in postoperative pain management is not clear, particularly in patients receiving regional blockade. Patients undergoing thoracotomy benefit from epidural analgesia but still may experience significant postoperative pain. We examined the effect of preoperative gabapentin in thoracotomy patients.

Methods:  Adults undergoing elective thoracotomy were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study, and randomly assigned to receive 600 mg gabapentin or active placebo (12.5 mg diphenhydramine) orally within 2 hours preoperatively. Standardized management included thoracic epidural infusion, intravenous patient‐controlled opioid analgesia, acetaminophen and ketorolac. Pain scores, opioid use and side effects were recorded for 48 hours. Pain was also assessed at 3 months.

Results:  One hundred twenty patients (63 placebo and 57 gabapentin) were studied. Pain scores did not significantly differ at any time point (P = 0.53). Parenteral and oral opioid consumption was not significantly different between groups on postoperative day 1 or 2 (P > 0.05 in both cases). The frequency of side effects such as nausea and vomiting or respiratory depression was not significantly different between groups, but gabapentin was associated with decreased frequency of pruritus requiring nalbuphine (14% gabapentin vs. 43% control group, P < 0.001). The frequency of patients experiencing pain at 3 months post‐thoracotomy was also comparable between groups (70% gabapentin vs. 66% placebo group, P = 0.72).

Conclusions:  A single preoperative oral dose of gabapentin (600 mg) did not reduce pain scores or opioid consumption following elective thoracotomy, and did not confer any analgesic benefit in the setting of effective multimodal analgesia that included thoracic epidural infusion.
Twelve Hours of Sustained Ventricular Fibrillation Supported by a Continuous‐Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device
Authors: SIMS DANIEL B. , ROSNER GREGG , URIEL NIR , GONZÁLEZ‐COSTELLO JOSÉ , EHLERT FREDERICK A. , JORDE ULRICH P.
Published: June 2011

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy improves survival and quality of life by mechanically unloading the left ventricle and maintaining hemodynamics in patients with end‐stage heart failure. LVADs can also be lifesaving by maintaining hemodynamics during ventricular arrhythmia. Continuous‐flow LVADs have become the preferred LVAD technology. As presented here, a continuous‐flow LVAD successfully provided hemodynamic support to a patient in sustained ventricular fibrillation for over 12 hours when the internal defibrillator was unable to terminate the arrhythmia. This case demonstrates that continuous‐flow LVADs can be lifesaving in the setting of otherwise certain hemodynamic collapse from sustained ventricular fibrillation. (PACE 2012; 35:e144–e148)
“This Is My Profession”—Changes in African Ritual Consciousness over Thirty‐One Years
Authors: TURNER EDITH
Published: June 2011

In this article, I point out significant changes in the field of Ndembu ritual after a gap of 31 years, 1954 until 1985—when I returned to Zambia. I depict rituals for spirit affliction, first in 1954, and later in 1985. In the 1954 era, many other adepts used to join with the main patient in trance. The success of such rituals was about 1 in 4. In 1985 the story tells of but one medicine man, Kabwita, dressed in traditional garb. Kabwita was proud. He would say to me, “This is my profession.” Now, later in 2011, anthropology itself has changed. The empathy of fieldworkers has taken a step forward so that their subjects hardly seem “subjects” at all but are simply comembers of the human race and coresearchers.
When You Sing It Now, Just Like New
Authors: RIDINGTON ROBIN
Published: June 2011

During my nearly 50 years working with the Dane‐zaa of northeastern British Columbia, I have seen both their culture and the culture of anthropology change. This article describes how collaborative work influenced my anthropological thinking and benefited the Dane‐zaa First Nations.
Confrontation, Understanding, and Friendship in a Redneck Culture
Authors: GRINDAL BRUCE
Published: June 2011

This article presents an anthropologist's narrative of three experiences over 30 years of informal research among the boys at Down Home Auto Repair in Tallahassee, Florida.
Relationship between adipose maturity and fatty acid composition in various adipose tissues of Japanese Black, Holstein and Crossbred (F1) steers
Authors: LEE Ju‐Hwan , YAMAMOTO Ichiro , JEONG Jin‐Suk , NADE Toshihiro , ARAI Toshiro , KIMURA Nobuhiro
Published: June 2011

The amount of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) is intimately related to adipose softness, melting point (MP) and flavor in beef. Stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD) is a main gene involved in MUFA synthesis. Mature adipose tends to be highly saturated, whereas immature or maturing adipose is highly unsaturated when chronologically based, so the degree of non‐saturation can be an index of adipose maturity. In this study, three different adipose tissues (coelomic (CL), perirenal (PR), and subcutaneous (SC)) from three beef breeds with differing slaughter ages (Japanese Black (29.5 months), Holstein (20.1 month), and F1 crossbreed (25.6 months)) were examined to: (i) determine adipose maturity level as indexed by MUFA %; and (ii) determine SCD and other lipogenic gene messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels in relation to unsaturated fatty acid content. Fatty acid composition was significantly different between adipose tissues (P < 0.05). MUFA amount was high in the following order: SC > CL > PR. This pattern corresponded to SCD mRNA expression profile showing higher expression in SC than CL and PR. However, Japanese black cattle are an exception with CL adipose containing similar UFA % as SC adipose, yet having the lowest SCD mRNA expression level among all adipose tissues tested. Therefore, SCD mRNA expression and MUFA % appear to be directly related; however, differences in SCD mRNA expression among three adipose tissues may reflect differences in the fat development characteristics affected by chronological age of the cattle breeds.
Sexual Function Assessment in Postmenopausal Women with the 14-Item Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire
Authors: Llaneza Plácido , Fernández-Iñarrea José M. , Arnott Begoña , García-Portilla María P. , Chedraui Peter , Pérez-López Faustino R.
Published: June 2011

Introduction

Sexual function assessment is relevant to improve female health care.

Aim

Assess sexual function in postmenopausal women and determine predictors related to sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related female/partner data and tool measures.

Methods

Cross-sectional study in which 117 sexually active postmenopausal women filled out the 14-item Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ-14), the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale (CESD-10), the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and a general questionnaire containing female/partner data. Correlations between tool measurements and female/partner data were analyzed.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary end point was sexual function predictors.

Results

Median age was 57 years, 8.5% had low income, 3.4% had surgical menopause, 17.1% had hypertension, and 66.7% increased body mass index. In addition, 21.4% were current hormone therapy users and 28.2% engaged in regular exercise. According to the MRS, muscle/joint problems (86.3%) and physical/mental exhaustion (81.2%) were the top encountered menopausal symptoms. Also, 48.7% displayed depressed mood (CESD-10 total scores ≥10) and 64.1% displayed total CSFQ-14 scores ≤41, suggesting sexual dysfunction. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was high for all tools: total CSFQ-14 scale (0.87), total MRS (0.80), and the CESD-10 (0.85). CSFQ-14 total scores inversely correlated with MRS scores (total, psychological, and urogenital, P < 0.05). Arousal scale scores inversely correlated with MRS total and urogenital scores whereas orgasm scores only with the total MRS. CESD-10 scores inversely correlated with all CSFQ-14 scores and positively with all MRS scores. Multiple linear regression was used to obtain a reduced best-fit model predicting total CSFQ-14 scores (sexual function). Total CSFQ-14 scores were positively correlated to female education, and education and regular exercising in the partner and inversely correlated to CESD-10 total scores.

Conclusion

Assessed with the CSFQ-14 tool, sexual function of this postmenopausal sample correlated to female/partner educational, lifestyle, and health factors. More research is warranted in this regard.
Radiation-Induced Erectile Dysfunction Using Prostate-Confined Modern Radiotherapy in a Rat Model
Authors: Kimura Masaki , Yan Hui , Rabbani Zahid , Satoh Takefumi , Baba Shiro , Yin Fang-fang , Polascik Thomas J. , Donatucci Craig F. , Vujaskovic Zeljko , Koontz Bridget F.
Published: June 2011

Introduction

The mechanisms of radiation-induced erectile dysfunction (ED) are unclear, as clinical studies are limited, and previous animal models were based on wide-field irradiation, which does not model current radiotherapy (RT) techniques.

Aims

To perform functional and morphological analyses of erectile function (EF) utilizing image-guided stereotactic prostate-confined RT in a rat model.

Methods

Sixty young adult male rats aged 10–12 weeks old were divided into age-matched sham and RT groups. A single 20-Gy fraction to the prostate was delivered to RT animals. Penile bulb, shaft, and testes were excluded from treatment fields.

Main Outcome Measures

Bioassay and intracavernous pressure (ICP) measurements were conducted at 2, 4, and 9 weeks following RT. Perfusion analysis of the corpora cavernosa (CC) was conducted using Hoechst injected prior to sacrifice. Penile shaft and cavernous nerve (CN) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Plasma testosterone level was analyzed using a testosterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay kit.

Results

Irradiated animals demonstrated statistically significant time-dependent functional impairment of EF by bioassay and ICP measurement from 4 weeks. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression was decreased in CN by 4 weeks. In CC, expression levels of anti-alpha smooth muscle actin and endothelial NOS were significantly decreased at 9 weeks. In penile dorsal vessels, smooth muscle/collagen ratio was significantly decreased at 4 and 9 weeks. Additionally, Hoechst perfusion showed time-dependent decrease in CC of RT animals, whereas CD31 expression was not affected. No toxicities were noted; testosterone levels were similar in both groups.

Conclusion

We demonstrated time-dependent ED following image-guided stereotactic RT. Our results imply that reduction of neuronal NOS expression in cavernous nerve could trigger consecutive reduction of smooth muscle content as well as blood perfusion in CC that resulted in corporal veno-occlusive dysfunction. Present study could be a cornerstone to future research that may bring comprehensive scientific understanding of radiation-induced ED.
Hyperthyroidism: A Risk Factor for Female Sexual Dysfunction
Authors: Atis Gokhan , Dalkilinc Ayhan , Altuntas Yuksel , Atis Alev , Gurbuz Cenk , Ofluoglu Yilmaz , Cil Esra , Caskurlu Turhan
Published: June 2011

Introduction

Hyperthyroidism is a common hormonal disorder in women that may cause female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

Aim

To assess sexual function in women with hyperthyroidism.

Methods

A total of 40 women with clinical hyperthyroidism and 40 age-matched voluntary healthy women controls were included in the study. All the subjects were evaluated with a detailed medical and sexual history, including a Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire for sexual status and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for psychiatric assessment.

Main Outcomes Measures

The levels of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormones, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone (tT), free testosterone (fT), prolactin, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were measured.

Results

The mean total FSFI scores were 24.2 ± 9.96 in the hyperthyroidic group and 29 ± 10.4 in the control group (P < 0.0001). Desire (P < 0.040), arousal (P < 0.0001), lubrication (P < 0.0001), orgasm (P < 0.0001), satisfaction (P < 0.0001), and pain (P < 0.007) domain scores were also significantly lower in women with hyperthyroidism. The mean BDI score for hyperthyroidic patients was significantly greater than the score for the control group (P < 0.0001). The mean SHBG level in the hyperthyroidic group was found to be significantly higher than the level in the controls (P < 0.0001), whereas the mean fT level in the hyperthyroidic group was lower than in the control group (P < 0.0001). The FSFI score showed a significant negative correlation with the serum SHBG (r = −0.309, P = 0.005), free triiodothyronine (r = −0.353, P = 0.006) and free tetraiodothyronine (r = −0.305, P = 0.018) levels, BDI scores (r = −0.802, P = 0.0001) and positive correlation with tT (r = 0.284, P = 0.011), fT (r = 0.407, P = 0.001), and TSH (r = 0.615, P = 0.0001) levels.

Conclusions

A significant percentage of women with clinical hyperthyroidism had sexual dysfunction. Increased depressive symptoms, increased SHBG level, and decreased fT levels were all found to be associated with FSD in clinical hyperthyroidism.
NEAR WELL‐SCALE HETEROGENEITIES IN A KHUFF OUTCROP EQUIVALENT (SAIQ PLATEAU, AL JABAL AL AKHDAR, SULTANATE OF OMAN)
Authors: Zeller M. , Koehrer B. , Adams E. W. , Pöppelreiter M. , Aigner T.
Published: June 2011

The Middle Permian to Lower Triassic Khuff Formation is one of the world's most prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study is part of a research project on Khuff outcrop equivalents whose overall aim is to investigate the reservoir architecture on different scales. The present paper focuses on heterogeneities in Khuff‐equivalent grainstones at the near well scale.

An outcrop in the Oman Mountains, where the Khuff‐equivalent Saiq and Mahil Formations are exposed in an area 1800 m long by 100 m high, was studied to map lateral and vertical depositional heterogeneities. The investigated section represents parts of three third‐order sequences: the upper part of Khuff sequence (KS)3 (grain‐dominated), the whole of KS2 (mud‐dominated), and the lower part of KS1 (grain‐dominated). Real‐Time Kinematic GPS, satellite imagery, outcrop gamma‐ray and digitized sedimentary logs were used for outcrop description and were integrated into a three‐dimensional digital outcrop model.

The resulting 3D facies model indicates that the apparently simple, layer‐cake geometry of the grainstone reservoir facies shows pinching and swelling with a standard deviation of 12.75% of bed thickness. These thickness variations may influence volume calculations during reservoir assessments. The heterogeneities of grainstone bodies are represented by compositional (ooid, peloid or intraclast‐dominated) and grain‐size variations.

Muddy event beds at the cm‐scale were mapped out in detail in a 200 × 40 m outcrop window and together form a dense network of potential baffles to fluid flow. The thickness of these beds varies significantly due to syndepositional erosion.

An important conclusion of this near well‐scale study is that the perceived simple, layer‐cake Khuff‐equivalent succession in the study area is in fact heterogeneous in mud‐rich deposits, while grain‐rich deposits extend over a wide area with some thickness variations. These findings can be directly applied in Khuff subsurface correlation and modelling attempts.
GEOCHEMISTRY AND ORIGIN OF CRUDE OILS AND CONDENSATES FROM THE CENTRAL PERSIAN GULF, OFFSHORE IRAN
Authors: Mobarakabad A. Fathi , Bechtel A. , Gratzer R. , Mohsenian E. , Sachsenhofer R.F.
Published: June 2011

Biomarker‐ and compound‐specific carbon isotope analyses were used to compare oil samples recovered from Late Jurassic and Early to Middle Cretaceous reservoirs at South Pars and nearby fields in the Iranian portion of the Persian Gulf, and condensate samples associated with the super‐giant gas accumulation in Permo‐Triassic reservoirs at South Pars.

The results indicate that all of the oil samples, including heavy oil from South Pars and oil from the Salman, Reshadat, Resalat and Balal fields, are genetically related. The most probable source rocks for these oils are Jurassic marine limestones or marls deposited under anoxic conditions. Based on the methyl phenanthrene index, source rock maturity was inferred to be equivalent to vitrinite reflectance values of about 0.8% Rc. The distribution and maturity pattern of the source rocks suggest migration from a depocentre located to the south, with inferred migration distances of up to 250 km.

There is no genetic relationship between the heavy oil which has accumulated in Mesozoic reservoirs at South Pars and condensates which are associated with the super‐giant gas accumulation in Permo‐Triassic reservoirs there. Based on biomarker compositions, the condensates at South Pars appear to be derived from shaly marine or lacustrine source rocks deposited under dysoxic conditions. The δ13C values of short‐chain n‐alkanes and isoprenoids in condensate samples suggest a common source and an equal maturity for the source rocks. Pristane/n‐C17 versus phytane/n‐C18 characteristics are in agreement with published data for Silurian‐sourced condensates. High thermal maturities equivalent to 1.7% Rc are also consistent with a Palaeozoic (Silurian) source rock.
Simply the best? The case for using ‘threshold selection’ in hiring decisions
Authors: Noon Mike
Published: June 2011

This paper argues the case for a more progressive approach to diversity and inclusion that incorporates a form of positive discrimination in the selection process: ‘threshold selection’. It outlines the distinctive features of threshold selection and argues that it is an approach that resolves the tension between suitability and acceptability criteria, relies on high formalisation and transparency, can mitigate some of the self‐serving bias among selectors and ties the selection needs to the goals of the organisation. In these respects, although controversial, threshold selection offers a thorough and systematic approach that is entirely consistent with the general tendency towards greater professionalisation of HRM.
Multiplexed microsatellite recovery using massively parallel sequencing
Authors: JENNINGS T. N. , KNAUS B. J. , MULLINS T. D. , HAIG S. M. , CRONN R. C.
Published: June 2011

Conservation and management of natural populations requires accurate and inexpensive genotyping methods. Traditional microsatellite, or simple sequence repeat (SSR), marker analysis remains a popular genotyping method because of the comparatively low cost of marker development, ease of analysis and high power of genotype discrimination. With the availability of massively parallel sequencing (MPS), it is now possible to sequence microsatellite‐enriched genomic libraries in multiplex pools. To test this approach, we prepared seven microsatellite‐enriched, barcoded genomic libraries from diverse taxa (two conifer trees, five birds) and sequenced these on one lane of the Illumina Genome Analyzer using paired‐end 80‐bp reads. In this experiment, we screened 6.1 million sequences and identified 356 958 unique microreads that contained di‐ or trinucleotide microsatellites. Examination of four species shows that our conversion rate from raw sequences to polymorphic markers compares favourably to Sanger‐ and 454‐based methods. The advantage of multiplexed MPS is that the staggering capacity of modern microread sequencing is spread across many libraries; this reduces sample preparation and sequencing costs to less than $400 (USD) per species. This price is sufficiently low that microsatellite libraries could be prepared and sequenced for all 1373 organisms listed as ‘threatened’ and ‘endangered’ in the United States for under $0.5 M (USD).
Lubricated Hybrid Journal Bearings
Authors: Bassani Roberto
Published: June 2011

This chapter deals with a hydrodynamic journal bearing provided with hollow bushings, capable of supporting very high loads, even at low speeds, at which separation between the shaft and the housing’s bushing is induced by a specific self-regulating hydrostatic system. The same amount of lubricant can be used for both hydrostatic and hydrodynamic lubrication, thereby facilitating transition between the two. This hybrid bearing can be used in several applications.
Design and Experimental Characterization of a High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Stack
Authors: Radu Robert , Zuliani Nicola , Taccani Rodolfo
Published: June 2011

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells based on polybenzimidazole (PBI) polymers and phosphoric acid can be operated at temperature between 120 °C and 180 °C. Reactant humidification is not required and CO content up to 1% in the fuel can be tolerated, only marginally affecting performance. This is what makes high-temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cells very attractive, as low quality reformed hydrogen can be used and water management problems are avoided. From an experimental point of view, the major research effort up to now was dedicated to the development and study of high-temperature membranes, especially to development of acid-doped PBI type membranes. Some studies were dedicated to the experimental analysis of single cells and only very few to the development and characterization of high-temperature stacks. This work aims to provide more experimental data regarding high-temperature fuel cell stacks, operated with hydrogen but also with different types of reformates. The main design features and the performance curves obtained with a three-cell air-cooled stack are presented. The stack was tested on a broad temperature range, between 120 and 180 °C, with pure hydrogen and gas mixtures containing up to 2% of CO, simulating the output of a typical methanol reformer. With pure hydrogen, at 180 °C, the considered stack is able to deliver electrical power of 31 W at 1.8 V. With a mixture containing 2% of carbon monoxide, in the same conditions, the performance drops to 24 W. The tests demonstrated that the performance loss caused by operation with reformates, can be partially compensated by a higher stack temperature.
Metal Embedded Optical Fiber Sensors: Laser-Based Layered Manufacturing Procedures
Authors: Alemohammad Hamidreza , Toyserkani Ehsan
Published: June 2011

This paper describes laser-based layered manufacturing processes for embedding optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in metal structures to develop cutting tools with embedded sensors. FBG is a type of optical fiber that is used for the measurement of parameters manifesting as the changes of strain or temperature. The unique features of FBGs have encouraged their widespread use in structural measurements, failure diagnostics, thermal measurements, pressure monitoring, etc. Considering the unique features of FBGs, embedding of the sensors in metal parts for in-situ load monitoring is a cutting-edge research topic with a variety of applications in machining tools, aerospace, and automotive industries. The metal embedding process is a challenging task, as the thermal decay of UV-written gratings can start at a temperature of ∼200 °C and accelerates at higher temperatures. The embedding process described in this paper consists of low temperature laser microdeposition of on-fiber silver thin films followed by nickel electroplating in a steel part. A microscale laser-based direct write (DW) method, called laser-assisted maskless microdeposition (LAMM), is employed to deposit silver thin films on optical fibers. To attain thin films with optimum quality, a characterization scheme is designed to study the geometrical, mechanical, and microstructural properties of the thin films in terms of the LAMM process parameters. To realize the application of embedded FBG sensors in machining tools, the electroplating process is followed by the deposition of a layer of tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) by using laser solid freeform fabrication (LSFF). An optomechanical model is also developed to predict the optical response of the embedded FBGs. The performance of the embedded sensor is evaluated in a thermal cycle. The results show that the sensor attains its linear behavior after embedding. Microscopic analysis of the tool with the embedded sensor clearly exhibits the integrity of the deposited layers without cracks, porosity, and delamination.
Fabrication of Lensed Plastic Optical Fiber Array Using Electrostatic Force
Authors: Tseng Yih-Tun , Huang Jhong-Bin , Lin Che-Hsin , Chen Chin-Lung , Cheng Wood-Hi
Published: June 2011

The GI (graded-index) POFs (Plastic optical fibers), which has been proven to reach distances as long as 1 km at 1.25 Gb/s has a relatively low numerical aperture . Therefore, the efficient coupling of GI POFs to the light source has become critical to the power budget in the system. Efficient coupling for a POFs system normally involves either a separate lens or the direct formation of the lens at the end of the fiber. Forming the lens-like structure directly on the fiber end is preferred for simplicity of fabrication and packaging, such as polishing and fusion, combine different fibers with the cascaded fiber method and hydroflouride (HF) chemical etching. These approaches are well established, but applicable only to glass. Optical assembly architecture for multichannel fibers and optical devices is critical to optical fiber interconnections. Multichannel fiber-pigtail laser diode (LD) modules have potential for supporting higher data throughput and longer transmission distances. However, to be of practical use, these modules must be more precise. This work proposes and manufactures lensed plastic optical fibers (LPOF) array. This novel manipulation can be utilized to fabricate an aspherical lens on a fiber array after the UV curing of the photo-sensitive polymer; the coupling efficiency (CE) is increased and exceeds 47% between the LD array and the fiber array.
Image filtering as an alternative to the application of a different reconstruction kernel in CT imaging: Feasibility study in lung cancer screening
Authors: Ohkubo Masaki , Wada Shinichi , Kayugawa Akihiro , Matsumoto Toru , Murao Kohei
Published: June 2011

Purpose: While the acquisition of projection data in a computed tomography (CT) scanner is generally carried out once, the projection data is often removed from the system, making further reconstruction with a different reconstruction filter impossible. The reconstruction kernel is one of the most important parameters. To have access to all the reconstructions, either prior reconstructions with multiple kernels must be performed or the projection data must be stored. Each of these requirements would increase the burden on data archiving. This study aimed to design an effective method to achieve similar image quality using an image filtering technique in the image space, instead of a reconstruction filter in the projection space for CT imaging. The authors evaluated the clinical feasibility of the proposed method in lung cancer screening.Methods: The proposed technique is essentially the same as common image filtering, which performs processing in the spatial‐frequency domain with a filter function. However, the filter function was determined based on the quantitative analysis of the point spread functions (PSFs) measured in the system. The modulation transfer functions (MTFs) were derived from the PSFs, and the ratio of the MTFs was used as the filter function. Therefore, using an image reconstructed with a kernel, an image reconstructed with a different kernel was obtained by filtering, which used the ratio of the MTFs obtained for the two kernels. The performance of the method was evaluated by using routine clinical images obtained from CT screening for lung cancer in five subjects.Results: Filtered images for all combinations of three types of reconstruction kernels (“smooth,” “standard,” and “sharp” kernels) showed good agreement with original reconstructed images regarded as the gold standard. On the filtered images, abnormal shadows suspected as being lung cancers were identical to those on the reconstructed images. The standard deviations (SDs) for the difference between filtered images and reconstructed images ranged from 1.9 to 23.5 Hounsfield units for all kernel combinations; these SDs were much smaller than the noise SDs in the reconstructed images.Conclusions: The proposed method has good performance and is clinically feasible in lung cancer screening. This method can be applied to images reconstructed on any scanner by measuring the PSFs in each system.