bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health disparities across the lifespan: Meaning, methods, and mechanisms
Authors: Adler Nancy E. , Stewart Judith
Published: February 2010

Over the past two decades, exponential growth of empirical research has fueled markedly increased concern about health disparities. In this paper, we show the progression of research on socioeconomic status (SES) and health through several eras. The first era reflected an implicit threshold model of the association of poverty and health. The second era produced evidence for a graded association between SES and health where each improvement in education, income, occupation, or wealth is associated with better health outcomes. Moving from description of the association to exploration of pathways, the third era focused on mechanisms linking SES and health, whereas the fourth era expanded on mechanisms to consider multilevel influences, and a fifth era added a focus on interactions among factors, not just their main effects or contributions as mediators. Questions from earlier eras remain active areas of research, while later eras add depth and complexity.
Work and its role in shaping the social gradient in health
Authors: Clougherty Jane E. , Souza Kerry , Cullen Mark R.
Published: February 2010

Adults with better jobs enjoy better health: job title was, in fact, the social gradient metric first used to study the relationship between social class and chronic disease etiology, a core finding now replicated in most developed countries. What has been less well proved is whether this correlation is causal, and if so, through what mechanisms. During the past decade, much research has been directed at these issues. Best evidence in 2009 suggests that occupation does affect health. Most recent research on the relationship has been directed at disentangling the pathways through which lower‐status work leads to adverse health outcomes. This review focuses on six areas of recent progress: (1) the role of status in a hierarchical occupational system; (2) the roles of psychosocial job stressors; (3) effects of workplace physical and chemical hazard exposures; (4) evidence that work organization matters as a contextual factor; (5) implications for the gradient of new forms of nonstandard or “precarious” employment such as contract and shift work; and (6) emerging evidence that women may be impacted differently by adverse working conditions, and possibly more strongly, than men.
Induced Hypothermia Prior to Left Ventricular Assist Device
Authors: Thompson Mark A. , Alkadri Mohi , McMullan Paul , Patel Hamang , Ventura Hector
Published: February 2010

Induced hypothermia, a therapy that recently gained the attention of a broad spectrum of US and international medical authorities for its neuroprotective benefits in post–cardiac arrest patients, may represent an underexplored therapeutic option in patients with severe cardiac failure by optimizing hemodynamics and augmenting cardiac contractility. The authors present the first case report, to their knowledge, of a patient with severe congestive heart failure who underwent cooling prior to successful left ventricular assist device implantation. Congest Heart Fail. 2010;16:231–233. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Microperimetric changes after intravitreal bevacizumab injection for exudative age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Ozdemir Hakan , Karacorlu Murat , Senturk Fevzi , Karacorlu Serra Arf , Uysal Omer
Published: February 2010

Purpose:  To evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab on macular function in the cases of exudative age‐related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods:  A total of 21 eyes of 21 patients with exudative AMD were included in this study. In each eye, at baseline and 1, 3 and 6 months after intravitreal bevacizumab injection, logMAR visual acuity, central 4° macular sensitivity, absolute scotoma size, fixation stability and fixation location by MP‐1 microperimetry and optical coherence tomography (OCT) foveal morphologic changes were assessed. After the initial treatment phase which included three consecutive injections, the decision to re‐treat was based on OCT and clinical findings. Subsequent injections could be administered at least 1 month after the previous injection period according to the OCT‐guided treatment regimen.

Results:  Mean retinal sensitivity within central 4° (12 points) area had increased from 3.69 ± 3.44 dB at baseline to 7.16 ± 3.27 dB at month 6. In all controls after the treatment, there was significant increase in logMAR visual acuity (p < 0.001) and MP‐1 retinal sensitivity (p < 0.001). Mean absolute scotoma in test point location had decreased significantly from 12 of the 76 applied test point locations measured at baseline to five test point locations (−7 test point locations; p < 0.001) at month 6 showing statistical significance. Fixation properties had preserved in all patients 6 months after intravitreal bevacizumab treatment.

Conclusion:  Intravitreal bevacizumab therapy induced a significant increase in mean retinal sensitivity and significant decrease in mean absolute scotoma size during 6 months. The MP1 microperimetry proved to be a valuable tool in the evaluation of functional benefit of exudative AMD therapy with intravitreal bevacizumab.
Visual outcomes 12 months after phacoemulsification cataract surgery in patients with diabetes
Authors: Fong Calvin Sze‐un , Mitchell Paul , Rochtchina Elena , de Loryn Tania , Hong Thomas , Wang Jie Jin
Published: February 2010

Purpose:  To assess cataract surgery visual outcomes 12 months postoperatively in patients with diabetes, with or without diabetic retinopathy (DR), compared to patients without diabetes.

Methods:  We followed 1192 cataract surgical patients aged ≥65 for 12 months postoperatively. Standardised pre‐ and postoperative pinhole LogMAR visual acuity (VA) measurements were taken. Mean VA improvement was determined by comparing VA after 12 months to preoperative VA.

Results:  Of 1192 surgical patients, 324 (27.2%) had diabetes, of whom, 136 (42.0%) had DR. After adjusting for age, gender, diabetes duration and preoperative pinhole VA, the average VA gained 12 months after surgery was 10.8 letters among 868 patients without diabetes, 10.6 letters among 188 patients with diabetes but no DR, 10.0 letters among 95 patients with DR but no past laser treatment, and no letters among 41 patients with DR plus past laser treatment (p < 0.0001, compared to the other three groups). Diabetes duration ≥20 years was associated with mean VA gain of 3 fewer letters than duration <10 years (7 versus 10 letters, p = 0.023), after adjusting for age, gender, DR and preoperative pinhole VA.

Conclusion:  Cataract surgery improved VA by an average two lines for patients both with and without diabetes, or with DR but no past laser treatment. No significant VA improvement was evident for patients who had preoperative DR and laser therapy.
Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
Authors: Gluck Paul
Published: February 2010

There have been two articles in this journal1,2 that described a pair of collision carts used to demonstrate vividly the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions. One cart had a series of washers that were mounted rigidly on a rigid wooden framework, the other had washers mounted on rubber bands stretched across a framework. The rigidly mounted cart bounced off a wall with little loss of velocity; the rubber mounted version had very little recoil speed and came to a halt. For teachers who would like a faster way to demonstrate the effect with a less elaborate device demanding less skill to prepare, we describe a single cart with just one moving part and easily made, serving as a model that demonstrates the idea of both elastic and inelastic collisions. The finished product is shown in Fig. 1.
The Answer to Rising Gas Prices…Nitrogen?
Authors: Lee Frank , Batelaan Herman
Published: February 2010

It is claimed by the company NitroFill and the GetNitrogen Institute that filling car tires with nitrogen improves gas mileage considerably. The reason given is that oxygen leaks out of tires so that the increased rolling friction causes a reduced gas mileage. Because it is hard to do an actual road test, we report on a simple visual test of leakage from oxygen- and nitrogen-filled balloons. This experiment can be repeated in classrooms to address a controversial and topical issue, while at the same time highlighting hypothesis formulation, verification, and falsification in scientific experiments.
In a Hurry to Work with High-Speed Video at School?
Authors: Heck André , Uylings Peter
Published: February 2010

Casio Computer Co., Ltd., brought in 2008 high-speed video to the consumer level with the release of the EXILIM Pro EX-F1 and the EX-FH20 digital camera.® The EX-F1 point-and-shoot camera can shoot up to 60 six-megapixel photos per second and capture movies at up to 1200 frames per second. All this, for a price of about US $1000 at the time of introduction and with an ease of operation that allows high school students to work in 10 minutes with the camera. The EX-FH20 is a more compact, more user-friendly, and cheaper high-speed camera that can still shoot up to 40 photos per second and capture up to 1000 fps. Yearly, new camera models appear and prices have gone down to about US $250–300 for a decent high-speed camera. For more details we refer to Casio's website.1
What Is Wrong with Water Barometers?
Authors: Sullivan Dan M. , Smith Robert W. , Kemnitz E. J. , Barton Kevin , Graham Robert M. , Guenther Raymond A. , Webber Larry
Published: February 2010

Every student who studies atmospheric pressure in physics or chemistry learns the principles behind the construction of barometers. Cistern barometers, such as those found in most laboratories, consist of a long glass tube containing an inverted column of liquid having an open end in a cistern of the liquid. Students learn that the column of liquid is supported by air pressure and is equal in weight to a column of air of the same diameter.
Daytime Celestial Navigation for the Novice
Authors: Sadler Philip M. , Night Christopher
Published: February 2010

What kinds of astronomical lab activities can high school and college astronomy students carry out easily in daytime? The most impressive is the determination of latitude and longitude from observations of the Sun. The “shooting of a noon sight” and its “reduction to a position” grew to become a daily practice at the start of the 19th century1 following the perfection of the marine chronometer by John Harrison and its mass production.2 This technique is still practiced by navigators in this age of GPS. Indeed, the U.S. Coast Guard exams for ocean-going licenses include celestial navigation.3 These techniques continue to be used by the military and by private sailors as a backup to all-too-fallible and jammable electronic navigation systems. A sextant, a nautical almanac,4 special sight reduction tables,5 and involved calculations are needed to determine position to the nearest mile using the Sun, Moon, stars, or planets. Yet, finding latitude and longitude to better than 30 miles from measurements of the Sun's altitude is easily within the capability of those taking astronomy or physics for the first time by applying certain basic principles. Moreover, it shows a practical application of astronomy in use the world over. The streamlined method described here takes advantage of the similar level of accuracy of its three components: 1.Observations using a homemade quadrant6 (instead of a sextant), 2. Student-made graphs of the altitude of the Sun over a day7 (replacing lengthy calculation using sight reduction tables), and 3. An averaged 20-year analemma used to find the Sun's navigational coordinates8,9 (rather than the 300+ page Nautical Almanac updated yearly).
Using vacuum food sealers as a low-cost vacuum pump
Authors: McClymer Jim
Published: February 2010

A vacuum pump provides many entertaining, educational, and attention-getting demonstrations and experiments at all levels. Most pumps, however, are expensive, heavy, and noisy, which may limit their availability both in the classroom and for the independent experimenter. The proliferation of inexpensive vacuum food sealers removes many of the barriers to performing many vacuum demonstrations.
Circular thinking
Authors: Riendeau Diane
Published: February 2010

Special thanks to Jaime Stasiorowski, Deerfield High School for some of the video cited in this column.
Helping Out
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: February 2010

The neurotransmitter GABA acts in the immune system to ameliorate symptoms in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.
Decoding a Second Messenger’s Message
Authors: Riddihough Guy
Published: February 2010

A bacterial signaling molecule induces the dimerization and activation of a biofilm-promoting transcription factor.
Science Signaling
Podcast: 16 February 2010
Authors: Hajishengallis George , VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: February 2010

The pathogen
Porphyromonas gingivalis
evades the innate immune system by initiating signaling crosstalk.
Association of MRI Markers of Vascular Brain Injury With Incident Stroke, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Dementia, and Mortality
Authors: Debette Stéphanie , Beiser Alexa , DeCarli Charles , Au Rhoda , Himali Jayandra J. , Kelly-Hayes Margaret , Romero Jose R. , Kase Carlos S. , Wolf Philip A. , Seshadri Sudha
Published: February 2010

Background and Purpose—

White matter hyperintensities and MRI-defined brain infarcts (BIs) have individually been related to stroke, dementia, and mortality in population-based studies, mainly in older people. Their significance in middle-aged community-dwelling persons and the relative importance of these associations remain unclear. We simultaneously assessed the relation of white matter hyperintensities and BI with incident stroke, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and mortality in a middle-aged community-based cohort.

Methods—

A total of 2229 Framingham Offspring Study participants aged 62±9 years underwent volumetric brain MRI and neuropsychological testing (1999 to 2005). Incident stroke, dementia, and mortality were prospectively ascertained and for 1694 participants in whom a second neuropsychological assessment was performed (2005 to 2007), incident mild cognitive impairment was evaluated. All outcomes were related to white matter hyperintensities volume (WMHV), age-specific extensive WMHV and BI adjusting for age and gender.

Results—

Extensive WMHV and BI were associated with an increased risk of stroke (hazard ratio [HR]=2.28, 95% CI: 1.02 to 5.13; HR=2.84, 95% CI: 1.32 to 6.10). WMHV, extensive WMHV, and BI were associated with an increased risk of dementia (HR=2.22, 95% CI: 1.32 to 3.72; HR=3.97, 95% CI: 1.10 to 14.30; HR=6.12, 95% CI: 1.82 to 20.54) independently of vascular risk factors and interim stroke. WMHV and extensive WMHV were associated with incident amnestic mild cognitive impairment in participants aged ≥60 years only (OR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.31 to 4.66 and OR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.97). WMHV and extensive WMHV were associated with an increased risk of death (HR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.69; HR=2.27, 95% CI: 1.41 to 3.65) independent of vascular risk factors and of interim stroke and dementia.

Conclusions—

In a large community-based sample of middle-aged adults, BI predicted an increased risk of stroke and dementia independent of vascular risk factors. White matter hyperintensities portended an increased risk of stroke, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and death independent of vascular risk factors and interim vascular events.
Pretending Not to See or Hear, Refusing to Signify: The Farce and Tragedy of Geocentric Public Affairs Scholarship
Authors: Witt Matthew T.
Published: February 2010

This article opens with an inventory of how popular culture passion plays are homologous to the stampeding disenfranchisement everywhere of working classes and the emasculation of professional codes of ethics under siege by neoliberal initiatives and gambits.The article then examines a recent example of contemporary,“deconstructive” scholarly analysis and inventory of presidential “Orwellian doublespeak.” The preoccupation among contemporary critical scholarship with “discourse analysis” and language gambits is criticized for displacing interrogation of real-event anomalies, as with the porous account given by the 9/11 Commission for what happened that fateful day. The article concludes by explaining how critical scholarship consistently falls short of unmasking Master Signifiers.
Accelerated Weathering on Glass Fiber/Epoxy/Organo-montmorillonite Nanocomposites
Authors: Chang L.N. , Chow W.S.
Published: February 2010

The glass fiber/epoxy composites with different loading of organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) were prepared using the hand lay-up technique. The effects of OMMT loading on the mechanical and morphological properties of glass fiber/epoxy/OMMT nanocomposites have been investigated. In this study, the effect of UV exposure on flexural properties and fracture toughness of glass fiber/ epoxy/OMMT nanocomposites has been studied using accelerated weathering test. The epoxy hybrid nanocomposites were subjected to UV radiation for 100 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy were performed to characterize the fractography of the glass fiber/epoxy/OMMT nanocomposites. The XRD analysis showed that glass fiber/epoxy/OMMT (1—3 wt%) exhibit exfoliated structures while glass fiber/epoxy/OMMT (4 wt%) showed intercalated structures. The retention-ability in flexural modulus and strength of epoxy hybrid nanocomposites after being subjected to accelerated weathering are considerably excellent. However, the fracture toughness of the glass fiber/epoxy/OMMT nanocomposites was reduced upon exposure to UV radiation.
Comparison of Fiber and Cuticular Attributes of Alpaca and Llama Fleeces
Authors: Valbonesi A. , Cristofanelli S. , Pierdominici F. , Gonzales M. , Antonini M.
Published: February 2010

Forty alpaca kids, comprising 20 huacaya and 20 suri, and 20 llama “chaku” (or woolly type), were chosen for a comparative investigation of the fiber and cuticular attributes based on fiber diameter, number of cuticular scales per 100 µm of fiber length, and scale height. Out of the three parameters investigated, the number of cuticular scales proved to be a valid diagnostic trait in distinguishing suri fleece from both huacaya and llama fleeces. A further characterization of the suri fleece was obtained by considering the frequency distribution of both fiber diameter and number of cuticular scale classes. The suri fleece was clearly different from both the huacaya and llama in that it possessed the highest percentage of fibers with less than eight scales, the lowest percentage of fibers with more than nine scales, along with the lowest percentage of fibers with a diameter of more than 35 µm. The validity of these classification criteria was fully supported by a classification discriminant analysis based on the jointed investigation of the data related to scale and diameter frequency classes, whose output was a 100% correct classification of the suri specimens along with an 85.7% and 71.4% of cases correctly classified in huacaya and llama, respectively.
A statistical framework for differential network analysis from microarray data
Authors: Gill Ryan , Datta Somnath , Datta Susmita
Published: February 2010

Background

It has been long well known that genes do not act alone; rather groups of genes act in consort during a biological process. Consequently, the expression levels of genes are dependent on each other. Experimental techniques to detect such interacting pairs of genes have been in place for quite some time. With the advent of microarray technology, newer computational techniques to detect such interaction or association between gene expressions are being proposed which lead to an association network. While most microarray analyses look for genes that are differentially expressed, it is of potentially greater significance to identify how entire association network structures change between two or more biological settings, say normal versus diseased cell types.

Results

We provide a recipe for conducting a differential analysis of networks constructed from microarray data under two experimental settings. At the core of our approach lies a connectivity score that represents the strength of genetic association or interaction between two genes. We use this score to propose formal statistical tests for each of following queries: (i) whether the overall modular structures of the two networks are different, (ii) whether the connectivity of a particular set of "interesting genes" has changed between the two networks, and (iii) whether the connectivity of a given single gene has changed between the two networks. A number of examples of this score is provided. We carried out our method on two types of simulated data: Gaussian networks and networks based on differential equations. We show that, for appropriate choices of the connectivity scores and tuning parameters, our method works well on simulated data. We also analyze a real data set involving normal versus heavy mice and identify an interesting set of genes that may play key roles in obesity.

Conclusions

Examining changes in network structure can provide valuable information about the underlying biochemical pathways. Differential network analysis with appropriate connectivity scores is a useful tool in exploring changes in network structures under different biological conditions. An R package of our tests can be downloaded from the supplementary websitehttp://www.somnathdatta.org/Supp/DNA.
Basophil sensitivity through CD63 or CD203c is a functional measure for specific immunotherapy
Authors: Mikkelsen Susan , Bibby Bo Martin , Dolberg Mette Konow Bøgebjerg , Dahl Ronald , Hoffmann Hans Jürgen
Published: February 2010

Background

Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (SCIT) modifies the allergic response and relieves allergic symptoms. SCIT is the only and a very effective treatment for insect venom allergy. We hypothesized that basophil sensitivity, measured through the basophil activation test, would decrease during SCIT up dosing. Expression of CD203c was compared to CD63 as marker for basophil activation, using a Bland Altman plot and ROC curves.

Methods

Patients (n = 18) starting subcutaneous SCIT for wasp allergy with an up dosing scheme of 7 to 11 weeks were enrolled. Heparinised blood samples were drawn at weeks 1-4, 7 and at the first maintenance visit. Basophils were stimulated at 7 log dilutions of V. vespula allergen for 15 min, and were stained with CD203c and CD63. Basophils were identified as CD203c+ leukocytes, and the proportion of CD63+ and CD203c+ cells were plotted against allergen concentration. A sigmoid curve was fitted to the points, and the allergen concentration at which half of the maximal activation was achieved, LC50, was calculated. In another series of experiments, LC50 calculated in whole blood (AP) was subtracted from LC50 calculated with basophils suspended in plasma from a nonatopic donor (HS) to determine the protective effect of soluble factors in blood of patients treated with SCIT.

Results

Heparin blood basophil activation was similar through CD63 and CD203c. Basophils were significantly more sensitized three weeks after initiation of SCIT compared to baseline (p < 0,01). The difference in LC50 increased by 1,04 LC50 units (p = 0,04) in patients that had just achieved maintenance dose compared with patients before initiating SCIT. When maintenance allergen concentrations had been reached, an increase in the protective plasma component was documented. Blood basophil concentration was marginally reduced by SCIT.

Conclusion

Basophil activation is a versatile and sensitive tool that measures changes in the humoral immune response to allergen during SCIT.
Fabrication of Thin Film Surface Templates from Two Immiscible Polymers by Phase Separation and Phototethering
Authors: Kawamura Koichi , Yokoi Kazuhiro , Fujita Mitsuhiro
Published: February 2010

Thin layer surface templates were fabricated by spin coating two immiscible polymers onto a photoreactive substrate, followed by photoirradiation and removal of the unreacted polymer with solvent. Phase-separation occurs during the spin coating process and the separated structure was tethered onto the substrate surface by photoirradiation, to yield a thin surface pattern on the substrate. The surface patterns thus obtained were robust, applicable to large areas, and could be tuned at will by designing component polymers.
Reshuffling Activity of Protein Disulfide Isomerase Reduces Refolding Yield in the Structure-forming Step of the Oxidative Protein Folding Reaction
Authors: Pal Rituraj , Gonzalez Veronica , Narayan Mahesh
Published: February 2010

We have determined the impact of the oxidoreductase chaperone protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) on the critical structure-forming step during the oxidative maturation of model disulfide-bond-containing proteins. This is achieved by using a novel tool to trap and populate native-disulfide-containing intermediates in unstructured forms that are poised to fold. Our data reveals that PDI inhibits the conformational folding step of oxidative fold maturation and, therefore, has limited overall catalytic efficiency as an oxidoreductase chaperone. Such an anomalous behavior of PDI during a key step in oxidative regeneration may contribute to misfolding in the endoplasmic reticulum, aggregation, and neurodegenerative disease.
Atypical Functional Brain Activation During a Multiple Object Tracking Task in Girls With Turner Syndrome: Neurocorrelates of Reduced Spatiotemporal Resolution
Authors: Beaton Elliott A. , Stoddard Joel , Lai Song , Lackey John , Shi Jianrong , Ross Judith L. , Simon Tony J.
Published: February 2010

Turner syndrome is associated with spatial and numerical cognitive impairments. We hypothesized that these nonverbal cognitive impairments result from limits in spatial and temporal processing, particularly as it affects attention. To examine spatiotemporal attention in girls with Turner syndrome versus typically developing controls, we used a multiple object tracking task during functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging. Participants actively tracked a target among six distracters or passively viewed the animations. Neural activation in girls with Turner syndrome during object tracking overlapped with but was dissimilar to the canonical frontoparietal network evident in typically developing controls and included greater limbic activity. Task performance and atypical functional activation indicate anomalous development of cortical and subcortical temporal and spatial processing circuits in girls with Turner syndrome.
Luteotrophic effects of relaxin, chorionic gonadotrophin and FSH in common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus)
Authors: Beindorff Nicola , Einspanier Almuth
Published: February 2010

In early pregnant primates, relaxin (RLX) is highly upregulated within the corpus luteum (CL), suggesting that RLX may have an important role in the implantation of the blastocyst. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the local effects of RLX and gonadotrophins on the maintenance of the CL using anin vitromicrodialysis system. CLs of common marmoset monkeys were collected by luteectomy during different stages of the luteal phase and early pregnancy. Each CL was perfused with either Ringer's solution alone or Ringer's solution supplemented with either porcine RLX (250, 500 and 1000 ng/ml) or gonadotrophins (50 IU/ml). Application of RLX provoked a significant luteal response of progesterone (P4) and oestradiol (E2) secretions during the mid-luteal phase (500 ng/ml: P454±42%, E224±11%; 1000 ng/ml: E216±13%), and especially during the late luteal phase (250 ng/ml: P453±10%; 500 ng/ml: P444±15%; 1000 ng/ml: P462±15%, E218±7%). The effects of RLX on steroid secretion were irrespective of the RLX dosages. While treatment with human chorionic gonadotrophin did not affect luteal steroid or RLX secretion, the application of FSH resulted in a significant increase in the secretion of both P4(20±8%) and E2(37±28%), and a prominent rise in RLX during early pregnancy. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that RLX and FSH have a luteotrophic function in the marmoset monkeys; moreover, FSH has a function beyond its traditional role just as a follicle-stimulating hormone.
Sensitivity of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Testing for Swine-Origin 2009 A (H1N1) Influenza Virus in Children
Authors: Hawkes Michael , Richardson Susan E. , Ipp Moshe , Schuh Suzanne , Adachi Dena , Tran Dat
Published: February 2010

BACKGROUND:

The rapidly evolving pandemic of novel 2009 swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) demands that accurate and practical diagnostics be urgently evaluated for their potential clinical utility.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of a rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) and direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) assay for S-OIV by using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as the reference standard.

METHODS:

We prospectively recruited children (aged 0–17 years) assessed in the emergency department of a pediatric referral hospital and a community pediatric clinic for influenza-like illness between May 22 and July 25, 2009. RIDT (performed on-site) and DFA were compared with RT-PCR to determine their sensitivity and specificity for S-OIV. We also compared the sensitivity of RIDT for S-OIV to that for seasonal influenza over 2 preceding seasons.

RESULTS:

Of 820 children enrolled, 651 were from the emergency department and 169 were from the clinic. RIDT sensitivity was 62% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52%–70%) for S-OIV, with a specificity of 99% (95% CI: 92%–100%). DFA sensitivity was 83% (95% CI: 75%–89%) and was superior to that of RIDT (P < .001). RIDT sensitivity for S-OIV was comparable to that for seasonal influenza when using DFA supplemented with culture as the reference standard. RIDT sensitivity for influenza viruses was significantly higher in children 5 years of age or younger (P = .003) and in patients presenting ≤2 days after symptom onset (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

The sensitivity of RIDT for detection of S-OIV is higher than recently reported in mixed adult-pediatric populations but remains suboptimal.
Egy ülésben végzett kétoldali VATS-sympathectomia súlyos fokú hyperhidrosis kezelésérer
Authors: Herke László , Vincze Károly , Matkó Ida
Published: February 2010

Absztrakt

A szerzők fiatal nőbeteg műtéti megoldását ismertetik, akinél súlyos fokú palmaris hyperhidrosis miatt végeztek szimultán bilateralis mellkasi sympathectomiát VATS-módszerrel. Bemutatják az alkalmazott anaesthesiologiai és műtéttechnikai lépéseket. Az 55 perces műtét során végzett Th2-Th3-as ganglionectomia, illetve az érintett sympathicus köteg eltávolítását követően betegük zavartalan kórlefolyás után panaszmentessé vált, hyperhidrosisa megszűnt. Az endoscopos (VATS) thoracalis sympathectomia rutin eljárás súlyos fokú felső testféli (palmaris, axillaris, facialis) hyperhidrosis kezelésére. Kétoldali érintettség esetén racionális elképzelés az egyidejű bilateralis megoldás, melyet a szerzők az alkalmazott VATS-technikával eredményesen végeztek. Röviden vázolják a hyperhidrosis sebészi kezelésének előzményeit. Véleményük szerint a bilateralis megjelenésű kóros izzadékonyság műtéteit, a nemzetközi szakirodalom adataival egybevágóan, célszerűnek látják egy ülésben mindkét oldalon elvégezni. A módszer biztonságos, kellő hatással bír, emellett rövidebb kórházi tartózkodást igénylő eljárás.
Study of Biodiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Addition with Different Organic Matter in Different Seasons of Kavre District (Central Nepal)
Authors: Vaidya Geeta Shrestha , Shrestha Keshab , Khadge Buddhi R , Johnson Nancy C , Wallander Håkan
Published: February 2010

Different types of organic matter (dried and powdered 5 gms. leaves of Tithonia diversifolia, Eupatorium adenophorum, Lantana camara, farmers compost) and triple-superphosphate were mixed with eroded soil collected from sites with no vegetation. Eroded soil without amendments served as control. The mixture was placed in mesh bags (50 Mm mesh) that allowed fungal colonization but excluded roots. Two sets of mesh bags were buried around Bauhinia purpurea and Leucaena diversifolia that had been planted in an eroded site. The first set was buried in June 2003 and harvest in December 2003 (the monsoon period) and the second set was buried in December 2003 and harvested in June 2004 (The drier period). We found that more Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal biomas and spores were produced during the wet season than during the dry season. The different types of organic matter had similar influence on the amount of AM biomass but the species composition was varied with the types of organic matter. In wet season nine species of AM spores and in dry season ten species of AM spores were found. In dry season Scutellospora nigra was found which was different from wet season. Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhiza; Organic matter; Wet season; Dry season. DOI: 10.3126/sw.v5i5.2660 Scientific World, Vol. 5, No. 5, July 2007 75-80
A Survey of Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in Upper Mustang
Authors: Chhetri HB , Gupta VNP
Published: February 2010

A survey was conducted in Upper Mustang in July 2003 for the documentation of NTFPs using PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) and vegetation sampling methods. Altogether 101 species of NTFPs belonging to 36 families and 79 genera were recorded in Upper Mustang (Chhuksang to Lomanthang). A total of 90 species were recorded from the 160 sampling plots in 8 different sampling sites in three major regions Samar, Ghami and Lomanthang of sub alpine and alpine regions. Out of which 61 species were NTFPs and the rest were associated species. In an average 26 species were recorded from each sampling sites out of which an average of 17 species were NTFPs. The index of diversity was higher for NTFPs in comparison to the associated species except in Lomanthang I and Samar I sampling sites. Index of diversity for NTFPs was highest in Samar Lek sampling site followed by Vena, Ghami I, Lomanthang II and Ghami II. The stockings of highly used NTFPs like Thymus linearis and Allium wallichii were high (more than 14 plant m-2) whereas the stockings of Calbetia sps., Dactylorhiza hatagirea and Cordyceps sinensis were very low (less than 0.2 plant m-2). Sustainable harvesting and management techniques of NTFPs are thought to be of utmost importance in order to conserve and commercialize them. Key words: NTFPs; Sampling plots; Diversity index; PRA; Upper Mustang. DOI: 10.3126/sw.v5i5.2663 Scientific World, Vol. 5, No. 5, July 2007 89-94
Phylogenetic relationships and natural hybridization among the North American woody bamboos (Poaceae: Bambusoideae:Arundinaria)
Authors: Triplett Jimmy K. , Oltrogge Kimberly A. , Clark Lynn G.
Published: February 2010

In spite of the ecological and economic importance of temperate bamboos, relatively little is known about their population biology or evolutionary history. Recently, hybridization has emerged as a potential source of diversity in this group, as well as an underlying cause of taxonomic problems. As part of a broader phylogenetic study of the temperate bamboos, we report the results of an analysis of the North AmericanArundinaria giganteaspecies complex, including estimates of genetic variation and molecular evidence of natural hybridization amongA. gigantea, A. tecta, andA. appalachiana. The study involved a comparative analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and chloroplast DNA sequences representing diversity within and among all three species plus individuals with intermediate or unusual morphological characteristics (putative hybrids). Molecular results support the recognition of three species previously defined on the basis of morphology, anatomy, and ecology, with most of the molecular variance accounted for by among‐species variation. Molecular evidence also demonstrates thatA. tectaandA. appalachianaare sister species, forming a clade that is significantly divergent fromA. gigantea. The role of hybridization in the phylogenetic history ofArundinariais discussed along with implications for the evolution and taxonomy of the temperate woody bamboos.
Vertical (La,Sr)MnO3 Nanorods from Track‐Etched Polymers Directly Buffering Substrates
Authors: Carretero‐Genevrier Adrián , Gázquez Jaume , Puig Teresa , Mestres Narcís , Sandiumenge Felip , Obradors Xavier , Ferain Etienne
Published: February 2010

A novel and general methodology for preparing vertical, complex‐oxide nanostructures from a sol–gel‐based polymer‐precursor solutions is developed using track‐etched polymers directly buffering substrates. This method is able to develop a nanostructure over the entire substrate, the dimensions and localization of the vertical nanostructures being preset by the polymeric nanotemplate. Thereby, nanostructures with lateral sizes in the range of 100 to 300 nm and up to 500 nm in height have been grown. Two examples are presented herein, the latter being the evolution of the initial, metastable nanostructure. Specifically, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 polycrystalline rods are grown at mild temperatures (800 °C); upon strong thermal activation (1000 °C) they suffer a profound transformation into vertical, single‐crystalline (La,Sr)xOy nanopyramids sitting on a La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 epitaxial wetting layer. The driving force for this outstanding nanostructural evolution is the minimization of the total energy of the system, which is reached by reducing the grain‐boundary, total‐surface, and strain‐relaxation energies. Finally, advanced electron‐microscopy techniques are used to highlight the complex phase separation and structural transformations occurring when the metastable state is overcome.
DNA‐Based Micelles: Synthesis, Micellar Properties and Size‐Dependent Cell Permeability
Authors: Liu Haipeng , Zhu Zhi , Kang Huaizhi , Wu Yanrong , Sefan Kwame , Tan Weihong
Published: February 2010

Functional nanomaterials based on molecular self‐assembly hold great promise for applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. However, their efficacy could be a problem and can be improved by precisely controlling the size, structure, and functions. This would require a molecular engineering design capable of producing monodispersed functional materials characterized by beneficial changes in size, shape, and chemical structure. To address this challenge, we have designed and constructed a series of amphiphilic oligonucleotide molecules. In aqueous solutions, the amphiphilic oligonucleotide molecules, consisting of a hydrophilic oligonucleotide covalently linked to hydrophobic diacyllipid tails, spontaneously self‐assemble into monodispersed, three‐dimensional micellar nanostructures with a lipid core and a DNA corona. These hierarchical architectures are results of intermolecular hydrophobic interactions. Experimental testing further showed that these types of micelles have excellent thermal stability and their size can be fine‐tuned by changing the length of the DNA sequence. Moreover, in the micelle system, the molecular recognition properties of DNA are intact, thus, our DNA micelles can hybridize with complimentary sequences while retaining their structural integrity. Importantly, when interacting with cell membranes, the highly charged DNA micelles are able to disintegrate themselves and insert into the cell membrane, completing the process of internalization by endocytosis. Interestingly, the fluorescence was found accumulated in confined regions of cytosole. Finally, we show that the kinetics of this internalization process is size‐dependent. Therefore, cell permeability, combined with small sizes and natural nontoxicity are all excellent features that make our DNA–micelles highly suitable for a variety of applications in nanobiotechnology, cell biology, and drug delivery systems.
Compartmentalization of the precheliceral neuroectoderm in the spider Cupiennius salei: Development of the arcuate body, optic ganglia, and mushroom body
Authors: Doeffinger Carola , Hartenstein Volker , Stollewerk Angelika
Published: February 2010

Similarly to vertebrates, arthropod brains are compartmentalized into centers with specific neurological functions such as cognition, behavior, and memory. The centers can be further subdivided into smaller functional units. This raises the question of how these compartments are formed during development and how they are integrated into brain centers. We show here for the first time how the precheliceral neuroectoderm of the spider Cupiennius salei is compartmentalized to form the distinct brain centers of the visual system: the optic ganglia, the mushroom bodies, and the arcuate body. The areas of the visual brain centers are defined by the formation of grooves and vesicles and express the proneural gene CsASH1, followed by expression of the neural differentiation marker Prospero. Furthermore, the transcription factor dachshund, which is strongly enriched in the mushroom bodies and the outer optic ganglion of Drosophila, is expressed in the optic anlagen and the mushroom bodies of the spider. The developing brain centers are further subdivided into single neural precursor groups, which become incorporated into the grooves and vesicles but remain distinguishable throughout development, suggesting that they encode spatial information for neural subtype identity. Several molecular and morphological aspects of the development of the optic ganglia and the mushroom bodies are similar in the spider and in insects. Furthermore, we show that the primary engrailed head spot contributes neurons to the optic ganglia of the median eyes, whereas the secondary head spot, which has been associated with the optic ganglia in insects and crustaceans, is absent. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:2612–2632, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Structure Determination of a Flexible Cyclic Peptide Based on NMR and MD Simulation 3J‐Coupling
Authors: Gattin Zrinka , Zaugg Judith , van Gunsteren Wilfred F.
Published: February 2010

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, in which experimental values such as nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs), dipolar couplings, 3J‐coupling constants or crystallographic structure factors are used to bias the values of specific molecular properties towards experimental ones, are often carried out to study the structure refinement of peptides and proteins. However, 3J‐coupling constants are usually not employed because of the multiplicity of torsional angle values (φ) corresponding to each 3J‐coupling constant value. Here, we apply the method of adaptively enforced restraining using a local‐elevation (LE) biasing potential energy function in which a memory function penalizes conformations in case both the average <3J> and the current 3J‐values deviate from the experimental target value. Then, the molecule is forced to sample other parts of the conformational space, thereby being able to cross high energy barriers and to bring the simulated average <3J> close to the measured <3J> value. Herein, we show the applicability of this method in structure refinement of a cyclo‐β‐tetrapeptide by enforcing the 3J‐value restraining with LE on twelve backbone torsional angles. The resulting structural ensemble satisfies the experimental 3J‐coupling data better than the NMR model structure derived using conventional single‐structure refinement based on these data. Thus, application of local‐elevation search MD simulation in combination with biasing towards 3J‐coupling makes it possible to use 3J‐couplings quantitatively in structure determination of peptides.
Association of two clones allows for optimal detection of human FOXP3
Authors: Presicce Pietro , Moreno‐Fernandez Maria E. , Lages Celine S. , Orsborn Kris I. , Chougnet Claire A.
Published: February 2010

FOXP3 is a key transcription factor expressed by regulatory T cells (Treg cells). However, differences in staining and analysis protocols have led to conflicting results. Moreover, the transient upregulation of FOXP3 that follows activation in non‐Treg cells renders the interpretation of FOXP3 data more difficult in humans than in mice. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), isolated CD25− or CD25+CD4+ T cells were stained with three different anti‐FOXP3 clones (PCH101, 206D, and 259D) alone or in combination, and using different permeabilization methods. FOXP3 expression was evaluated following T cell activation by several pathways. Gating based on a population that did not express FOXP3 (such as CD3−CD4− T cells) allowed for the optimal characterization of Treg cells. The 206D clone detected a lower percentage of cells than PCH101 or 259D. In contrast, 259D stained a population of activated T cells that PCH101 did not. Staining with two clones together consistently increased the proportion of FOXP3+ cells. However, it is likely that only the double positive cells are Treg cells, as they expressed the highest CD25 and lowest CD127 levels. Our results emphasize that the choice of staining protocol leads to very different results concerning the frequency of Treg cells in humans. A more consistent identification of these cells will improve the knowledge of their biology, particularly during disease processes. © 2010 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
DeadEasy neurons: Automatic counting of HB9 neuronal nuclei in Drosophila
Authors: Forero Manuel G. , Pennack Jenny A. , Hidalgo Alicia
Published: February 2010

Research into the genetic basis of nervous system development and neurodegenerative diseases requires counting neurons to find out the extent of neurogenesis or neuronal loss. Drosophila is a widely used model organism for in vivo studies. However, counting neurons throughout the nervous system of the intact animal is humanly unfeasible. Automatic methods for cell counting in intact Drosophila are desirable. Here, we show a method called DeadEasy Neurons to count the number of neurons stained with anti‐HB9 antibodies in Drosophila embryos. DeadEasy Neurons employs image filtering and mathematical morphology techniques in 2D and 3D, followed by identification of nuclei in 3D based on minimum volume, to count automatically the number of HB9 neurons in vivo. The resultant method has been validated for Drosophila embryos and we show here how it can be used to address biological questions. Counting neurons with DeadEasy is very fast, extremely accurate, and objective, and it enables analyses otherwise humanly unmanageable. DeadEasy Neurons can be modified by the user for other applications, and it will be freely available as an ImageJ plug‐in. DeadEasy Neurons will be of interest to the microscopy, image processing, Drosophila, neurobiology, and biomedical communities. © 2010 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Assessing climate change impacts on river flows and environmental flow requirements at catchment scale
Authors: Gül Gülay Onuşluel , Rosbjerg, Dan , Gül Ali , Ondracek Maria , Dikgola Kobamelo
Published: February 2010

The fourth assessment report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests studies that increase the spatial resolution to solve the scale mismatch between large‐scale climatic models and the catchment scale while addressing climate change impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Impacts occur mostly at the local scale, though potential changes in the hydrological cycle and eco‐hydrological processes are more difficult to model and analyse at this level. The difficulty is even greater for studies on lowland river systems, which require the modelling of hydrological processes in greater detail. In this study, the regional impacts of climate change on river flow and environmental flow requirement, which is a negotiated trade‐off between water uses, are analysed for a lowland catchment in Denmark through MIKE SHE/MIKE 11 coupling. The coupled model possesses an important capacity for simulating stream flows and groundwater head levels in a dynamic system. Although the simulation results from different global circulation models (GCMs) indicate different responses in flows to the climate change, there are obvious deviations of the river flows and environmental flow potentials computed for all the scenario cases from the averages of the base period with current conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.