bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resource discovery in ant communities: do food type and quantity matter?
Authors: PEARCE‐DUVET JESSICA M. C. , FEENER DONALD H.
Published: June 2010

1. Omnivorous woodland ant species trade off between the ability to find and behaviourally control food resources. Dominant species can limit the ability of subordinates to harvest certain food items. However, subordinate species, by being faster discoverers, could gain access to such food items by arriving at them first.

2. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that resource‐directed discovery occurs in ant communities and that good discoverers preferentially discover high value resources. We did this by measuring time to discovery and the number of discoveries of high and low levels of two resource types, crickets and honey, for species occurring in Texas and Arizona woodland ant communities.

3. Ants discovered resources roughly 10 times faster in Texas than in Arizona. They discovered crickets more rapidly than honey in both communities, but there was no difference in the discovery of different resource levels. We also found that species were not biased in their discovery of different resource types or levels.

4. These results provide indirect evidence that discovery is directed by resource stimuli but that such directedness does not impact interspecific exploitative competition.
Do changes in gastro‐intestinal blood flow explain high‐altitude anorexia?
Authors: Kalson Nicholas S. , Hext Faye , Davies Andrew J. , Chan Colin W. M. , Wright Alex D. , Imray Christopher H. E. ,   the Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society
Published: June 2010

Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (8): 735–741

Background  Gastrointestinal symptoms are common on acute exposure to high‐altitude (HA). Underlying mechanisms are not understood, but vascular shunting away from the gut could be responsible. Therefore, blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and hepatic portal vein (HPV) was examined at sea level (SL) and after ascent to 4392 m (HA).

Materials and methods  Twelve subjects [eight male, mean age 40 (22–72) years] were studied following an overnight fast and a standard meal. Cross‐sectional vessel area and blood velocity were measured by ultrasound, systolic and diastolic flow calculated for the SMA (HR × vessel area × velocity, cm3 min−1) and mean flow for the HPV.

Results  All subjects experienced reduced appetite at HA. Blood flow in the SMA and HPV increased following food at SL (mean SMA systolic flow 1024 vs. 3316 cm3 min−1, P < 0·001; HPV 505 vs. 1789, P < 0·001) and at HA (2020 vs. 3767, P < 0·001; HPV 708 vs. 1727, P < 0·001). Pre‐prandial flow in the SMA and HPV was significantly increased at HA compared with SL. The changes were due to increased vessel diameter and increased flow velocity. There was no difference in post‐prandial flow between SL and HA in the HPV, although the increase in post‐prandial flow was greater at SL than HA (254% increase vs. 144%).

Conclusions  These results show that resting blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract is increased during exposure to high‐altitude hypoxia, and that the vascular response of increased blood flow following food ingestion is maintained. Therefore, reduced flow is unlikely to cause gastrointestinal symptoms and reduced appetite at HA.
Recruitment variation in a stream galaxiid fish: multiple influences on fry dynamics in a heterogeneous environment
Authors: JELLYMAN PHILLIP G. , MCINTOSH ANGUS R.
Published: June 2010

1. The relative importance of density‐dependent and density‐independent processes in explaining fluctuations in natural populations has been widely debated. In particular, the importance of larval supply and whether it may control the type of regulatory processes a population experiences has proved contentious.

2. Using surveys and field experiments conducted in streams in Canterbury, New Zealand, we investigated how variation in the survival of non‐migratoryGalaxias vulgarisfry was affected by density‐dependent and density‐independent processes and how this variation influenced recruitment dynamics.

3. Fry populations with high settlement densities experienced a 70–80% reduction in population size from density‐related mortality during the first fourteen days after peak settlement but thereafter the influence of density‐dependent processes on fry was weak. The impact of environmental conditions on fry populations was dependent on fry size and the magnitude of the perturbation, such that flooding effects on fry survival were most severe when fry were small.

4. In streams not affected by flooding, the size and density of introduced trout (Salmo truttaandOncorhynchus mykiss) were the most significant factors determining the abundance of eventual recruits. A field experiment manipulating brown trout access to fry populations revealed that trout as small as 110 mm may be capable of greatly reducing and possibly preventing galaxiid recruitment.

5. Overall, the results indicated density‐dependent population regulation was only possible at sites with high native fish densities because trout were likely to be suppressing the number of potential recruits at sites with low native fish numbers. Whilst density‐dependent processes had a strong effect on fry survival following the period of peak fry abundance, density‐independent processes associated with flow and predatory trout influences on fry survival largely determined recruitment variability among galaxiid populations. Focusing conservation efforts on improving habitat to increase fry retention and reducing the impacts of trout on galaxiids would ensure more native fish populations reached their potential abundance.
Processing the first birth: journeying into ‘motherland’
Authors: Dahlen Hannah G , Barclay Lesley M , Homer Caroline SE
Published: June 2010

Aims and objectives.  To explore first‐time mothers’ experiences of birth at home and in hospital in Australia.

Background.  The first birth has unique physical and psychological impacts on women. With the first birth, women become mothers.

Design.  A grounded theory methodology was used. Data were generated from in‐depth interviews with women in their own homes.

Methods.  Nineteen women were interviewed in Sydney, Australia. The experiences of seven women who gave birth for the first time in a public hospital and seven women who gave birth for the first time at home were contrasted with two mothers who gave birth for the first time in birth centres, one mother who gave birth for the first time in a private hospital and two women who had given birth more than once.

Results.  Following the birth, women ‘processed the birth’ by ‘remembering’, ‘talking (storytelling)’ and ‘feeling’. This activity appeared to help most women resolve their feelings about the birth and understand what it actually means to be a new mother. ‘Personal and social integration’ occurred for most women as they entered ‘motherland’.

Conclusion.  First‐time mothers appear to ‘process the birth’ to a greater extent than multiparous women because they are experiencing this for the first time. These women also have limited social networks in ‘motherland’, and these are facilitated through sharing the experiences of their labour or ‘processing the birth’.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Identifying the novice status of first‐time mothers and understanding the way they process the birth can help health providers to be sensitive to the specific needs of primiparous women. In particular, their need to tell their birth stories following birth; understanding that these stories help women to process the birth and connect to other women.
Why carers of frail older people are not using available respite services: an Australian study
Authors: Stockwell‐Smith Gillian , Kellett Ursula , Moyle Wendy
Published: June 2010

Aim.  The purpose of this study was to explore the limiting and motivating factors that influence carers’ use of respite services and the ability of currently available respite services to meet the needs of carers of frail older people.

Background.  The development of community carer support services, their availability and usage and the common barriers that affect or impact on carers’ use of community services in general and respite services in particular need to be examined to ensure they meet client needs.

Design.  A qualitative descriptive approach informed by critical social theory was used to expose the inequities inherent in community services.

Methods.  A qualitative examination of carer relationships with respite services was informed and guided by critical theory. Sixteen carers took part in four focus groups. A purposeful sampling strategy was adopted to engage with carers not currently using respite services. Study participants were recruited from a state‐wide carer support organisation and a community service organisation in Queensland, Australia.

Results.  Three themes emerged from the data: ‘Commitment’ characterised by reciprocity, role definition and role frustration, ‘Needing Help’ discussed in terms of trust, confidence in service, fear and resistance, and ‘Support’ discussed in relation to informal networking, misinformation and lack of knowledge.

Conclusion.  This study improves our understanding of the caring role, its significance in carer’s lives and how this shapes their formal service expectations and use. The findings suggest that further investigation of the factors involved in carers’ service expectations and service‐seeking is warranted to develop a deeper understanding of how care giving influences the ways carers seek help from formal services.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Service delivery changes towards a model of care, which engages and promotes user control and fosters genuine participatory relations between informal and professional carers may improve uptake of respite services.
‘Again’: the impact of recurrence on survivors of cancer and family members
Authors: Vivar Cristina G , Whyte Dorothy A , Mcqueen Anne
Published: June 2010

Aim.  To examine the psychosocial impact of recurrence on survivors of cancer and their family members.

Background.  Cancer recurrence is described as one of the most stressful phases of cancer. Recurrence brings back many negative emotions, which are different and may be more intense than those after first diagnosis of cancer. Survivors and their family members have to deal with new psychological distress.

Design.  A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in four cancer units of two hospitals in North of Spain.

Methods.  Fifteen survivors of cancer with a recent diagnosis of recurrence, 13 family members and 14 nurses were interviewed. Data collection and analysis were based on the constant comparative method of grounded theory.

Results.  Four major categories were found: (1) ‘Again’: when cancer comes back, (2) the shock of recurrence, (3) the impact of the diagnosis on family life, and (4) factors that influence the impact of recurrence. Learning that cancer had come back was, for most of the families, more devastating than hearing that they had cancer for the first time. Signs of shock and suffering were experienced by families as an initial response to recurrence. The new diagnosis often entailed a change in the family life. Survivorship period and age seemed also significant in the psychosocial experience of recurrence.

Conclusions.  The term ‘again’, used by all the participants to describe a recurrence of the disease, symbolised a beginning and a continuation with cancer; it implied a re‐encounter with health services, and it represented new suffering for the families.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Therapeutic nursing interventions should be planned and provided to both patients with recurrent cancer and their family members. Family nursing can play an important role in helping families master the impact of the recurrent illness.
Quality of life in chronic disease: a comparison between patients with heart failure and patients with aphasia after stroke
Authors: Franzén‐Dahlin Åsa , Karlsson Monica Rydell , Mejhert Märit , Laska Ann‐Charlotte
Published: June 2010

Objectives.  This study aimed to describe the impact of heart failure and of stroke with aphasia on quality of life (QoL) and to compare the different domains of QoL in these groups.

Background.  The prevalence of chronic conditions has increased during the last decades, and chronic diseases such as stroke and heart failure may have a great impact on QoL.

Design.  Comparative study of patients from two randomised controlled studies.

Method.  Seventy‐nine patients with heart failure and 70 patients with aphasia after stroke were evaluated concerning the severity of their disease and by QoL, as measured with the Nottingham Health Profile, in the acute phase and after six months.

Results.  The severity of the disease improved between baseline and six month for both groups. Correlations between New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and all QoL domains were seen in patients with heart failure after six months. The degree of aphasia correlated to mobility, social, emotional and total score after six month. QoL in patients with heart failure was more affected in the domains of sleep and energy in the acute phase and in the energy domain at six months.

Conclusion.  Although low energy is more frequent among patients with heart failure, both groups report poor QoL. Improvement in severity of the disease is not necessarily accompanied by improvement in QoL.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Nottingham Health Profile can easily be used as a screening instrument, aiming to identify patients at risk for adverse effects on QoL. A better understanding of the subjective QoL of patients with chronic disease is fundamental for health care professionals to be able to identify and support vulnerable patients.
The effect of clothes on sphygmomanometric blood pressure measurement in hypertensive patients
Authors: Pinar Rukiye , Ataalkin Sıddıka , Watson Roger
Published: June 2010

Aims.  To test whether there is any difference between blood pressure readings with patients wearing clothes under the manometer’s cuff and not wearing clothes.

Background.  The few studies published on this subject have shown that blood pressure measurements give similar results whether the patients’ arm is covered by clothing or not. However, it has not been clarified whether this is also true in hypertensive patients.

Method.  Blood pressure was measured on non‐sleeved arm, sleeved arm and again on non‐sleeved arm in 258 hypertensive patients using a mercury‐filled column sphygmomanometer. Three nurses who were experienced and specially trained for the study performed blood pressure measurements. They were unaware of the purpose of the research.

Results.  Measuring blood pressure with the manometer’s cuff over participant’s sleeved arm did not differ significantly from non‐sleeved arm measurements.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Sleeves have no effect on blood pressure results. Blood pressure readings taken over the sleeves will be much more practical and time saving in busy departments like emergency rooms, during disasters like earthquake where decisions have to make in minutes. Additionally, it will be time saving for general health screening surveys. Finally, it may have preferable because of hygiene concerns, patient privacy and religious beliefs.
Metastatic spinal cord compression: a review of practice and care
Authors: Kilbride Lynn , Cox Marie , Kennedy Catriona M , Lee Siew Hwa , Grant Robin
Published: June 2010

Aim and objectives.  The aim of this review was to address: (1) How is spinal stability assessed? (2) What is the role of bracing/should braces be used? (3) When is it safe to mobilise the patient? (4) What position should the patient be nursed in?

Background.  Controversy surrounds the care for patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). There is some evidence to indicate that care for patients with MSCC is based on individual clinician preference rather than evidence‐based guidelines which has been shown to cause delays and discrepancies in patient treatment.

Design.  A structured literature review to synthesise the available evidence about the management of MSCC.

Methods.  The following databases were searched: Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Systematic Reviews Database, SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network), NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence), AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) and BNI (British Nursing Index). Publications were selected from the past 10 years. The search yielded a total of 1057 hits, 755 abstracts were screened, and 73 articles were retrieved and examined. Thirty‐five articles were included.

Results.  The findings identified a gap and evidence relating to spinal stability, bracing, patient mobilisation, and positioning is limited and may be inconclusive. It is important for patients with a poor prognosis that their preferences and quality of life are considered.

Conclusion.  Currently, the evidence base to underpin care is limited, and further research in this area is necessary for patients and healthcare professionals alike.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Patients who suffer from MSCC suffer numerous physical, psychological and social issues. Because of lack of consensus, the current guidelines to inform clinical decision‐making of professional staff are of limited benefit.
The competence of primary care doctors in the investigation of patients with elevated blood pressure: results of a cross‐sectional study using clinical vignettes
Authors: Windak Adam , Gryglewska Barbara , Tomasik Tomasz , Narkiewicz Krzysztof , Yaphe John , Grodzicki Tomasz
Published: June 2010

Background  Specific laboratory tests are required to ensure adequate management of patients with hypertension, according to internationally accepted guidelines. There is wide variation in doctor test ordering behaviour. Many factors are known to affect this. Little is known about the interaction between doctor, patient and practice characteristics. The current study was designed to explore this.

Methods  A series of eight case vignettes was designed to examine test ordering behaviour among primary care doctors in Poland. The cases differed with regard to the level of blood pressure and the presence or absence of other cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes. Doctors stated their choices of laboratory investigations needed in these cases. Their responses were compared with recommendations in the 2003 European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology hypertension guidelines. Associations between the correct responses and patient, doctor and practice characteristics were tested.

Results  One hundred and twenty‐five out of 192 invited doctors (65%) participated in the study. They ordered a mean of 4.9 laboratory tests per case. This represents 47.9% of the tests recommended by current guidelines. Older doctors working in smaller practices and private settings ordered fewer laboratory tests. Specialization in family medicine was associated with greater compliance with guidelines. Grade 2 hypertension and the presence of other risk factors of cardiovascular disease were associated with ordering more tests but the presence of diabetes did not improve compliance with guidelines.

Conclusions  Further educational efforts are needed to promote rational test ordering for hypertensive patients by Polish primary health care doctors.
Impact of timing of bile duct interventions on resource use and clinical outcome of cholecystectomy patients in Japan
Authors: Kuwabara Kazuaki , Matsuda Shinya , Fushimi Kiyohide , Ishikawa Koichi B. , Horiguchi Hiromasa , Hayashida Kenshi , Fujimori Kenji
Published: June 2010

Aims  Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is increasingly used for acute cholecystitis, in conjunction with staged bile duct interventions (BDIs). However, few studies have evaluated the impact of BDI timing on costs and clinical outcomes during hospitalization. This study assessed the effects of several types of BDI and their timing on resource utilization and complications.

Methods  A total of 13 738 cholecystectomy patients were treated for benign gallbladder diseases in 66 academic and 376 community hospitals in Japan in 2006. Variables analysed included: BDIs including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), percutaneous gallbladder or common bile duct drainage (external drainage), endoscopic sphincterotomy, clearance of choledocholithiasis (internal drainage); and length of stay (LOS), total charges (TCs), procedure‐related complications, and hospital function. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the impact of LC or BDIs on LOS, TCs and complications.

Results  A total of 11 690 (85.1%) patients underwent LC. Inflammation was diagnosed in 70.7% of open cholecystectomy (OC) and 42.1% of LC patients. Complications were 7.7% in OC and 5.4% in LC patients. LC was associated with reduced LOS and TCs. BDIs were performed in more OC than LC patients. Preoperative was more costly than postoperative ERCP. Postoperative external drainage was significantly associated with LOS, TCs and complications. Advantages of pre‐ or postoperative internal drainage were not proven.

Conclusions  External drainage should be completed preoperatively. Postoperative ERCP may be preferable for bile duct scrutiny alone. Further evaluation of the timing of cholecystectomy will determine precisely the superiority of pre‐ or postoperative BDIs in terms of quality of care for complicated patients.
Tai chi for lowering resting blood pressure in the elderly: a systematic review
Authors: Lee Myeong Soo , Lee Eun‐Nam , Kim Jong‐In , Ernst Edzard
Published: June 2010

Objectives  To assess the evidence for tai chi in reducing resting blood pressure (BP) in the elderly.

Methods  Databases were searched up to February 2009. All randomized clinical trials (RCTs) testing the effects of tai chi on resting BP in the elderly were considered. The selection of studies, data extraction and validation were performed independently by two reviewers. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Jadad score.

Results  A total of 329 potentially relevant articles were identified and four RCTs met the inclusion criteria. One study suggested a significant BP reduction compared with no treatment or wellness education programme, while the others showed no effects compared with resistance exercise and usual activity. Two RCTs failed to show a reduction of resting BP compared with aerobic exercise, low impact exercise and no exercise control.

Conclusion  The evidence for tai chi in reducing BP in the elderly individuals is limited. Whether tai chi has benefits over exercise is still unclear. The number of trials and the total sample size are too small to draw any firm conclusions. Further rigorous RCTs are warranted.
A population‐based cohort study of ambulatory care service utilization among older adults
Authors: Nie Jason X. , Wang Li , Tracy C Shawn , Moineddin Rahim , Upshur Ross E.G.
Published: June 2010

Rationale, aims and objectives  Age‐related effects on ambulatory care service utilization are not well understood. We aim to measure the utilization patterns of ambulatory health care services (i.e. family physician visits, specialist physician visits and emergency room visits) in the late life course (65 years and older).

Methods  A population‐based retrospective cohort study was conducted for the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006. All Ontario, Canada, residents aged 65+ and eligible for government health insurance were included in the analysis.

Results  This population‐based cohort study demonstrates considerable increase in utilization rates and variability of ambulatory services as age increases. Variations in utilization were observed by gender as overall women were more likely to consult a family physician, and men more likely to visit specialists and the emergency room. A small group of high users, constituting 5.5% of the total population, accounted for 18.7% of total ambulatory visits. Finally, we report socio‐economic status (SES) based disparity for specialist services in which high users were more likely to have higher SES.

Conclusions  There is increasing utilization and variability in ambulatory service utilization with increase in age. Further research is required to explain the gender and SES differences reported in this study.
Olfactory Experience Affects the Response of Meadow Voles to the Opposite‐Sex Scent Donor of Mixed‐Sex Over‐Marks
Authors: Ferkin Michael H. , Ferkin Daniel A. , Ferkin Benjamin D. , Vlautin Christian T.
Published: June 2010

Scent marking and over‐marking are important forms of communication between the sexes for many terrestrial mammals. Over the course of three experiments, we determined whether the amount of time individuals investigate the scent marks of opposite‐sex conspecifics is affected by 4 d of olfactory experience with those conspecifics. In Experiment 1, female meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, spent more time investigating the scent mark of the novel male conspecific than that of the familiar male donor, whereas male voles spent similar amounts of time investigating the scent mark of the familiar female and a novel female conspecific. In Experiment 2, voles were exposed to a mixed‐sex over‐mark in which subjects did not have 4 d of olfactory experience with either the top‐scent donor or the bottom‐scent donor. During the test phase, male and female voles spent more time investigating the scent mark of the opposite‐sex conspecific that provided the top‐scent mark than that of a novel, opposite‐sex conspecific. Male and female voles spent similar amounts of time investigating the scent mark of the bottom‐scent donor and that of a novel opposite‐sex conspecific. In Experiment 3, voles were exposed to a mixed‐sex over‐mark that contained the scent mark of an opposite‐sex conspecific with which they had 4 d of olfactory experience. During the test phase, male voles spent more time investigating the mark of the familiar, top‐scent female than the scent mark of a novel female donor but spent similar amounts of time investigating the mark of the familiar, bottom‐scent female and that of a novel female donor. In contrast, female voles spent more time investigating the mark of a novel male donor than that of either the familiar, top‐scent male or that of the familiar, bottom‐scent male. The sex differences in the responses of voles to scent marks and mixed‐sex over‐marks are discussed in relation to the natural history and non‐monogamous mating system of meadow voles.
Benefits and Costs of Dominance in the Angelfish Centropyge bicolor
Authors: Ang Tzo Zen , Manica Andrea
Published: June 2010

Social groups are often structured by dominance hierarchies in which subordinates consistently defer to dominants. High‐ranking individuals benefit by gaining inequitable access to resources, and often achieve higher reproductive success; but may also suffer costs associated with maintaining dominance. We used a large‐scale field study to investigate the benefits and costs of dominance in the angelfish Centropyge bicolor, a sequential hermaphrodite. Each haremic group contains a single linear body size‐based hierarchy with the male being most dominant, followed by several females in descending size order. Compared to their subordinate females, dominant males clearly benefited from disproportionately high spawning frequencies, but bore costs in lower foraging rates and greater aggressive defence of their large territories. Within the female hierarchy, more dominant individuals benefited from higher spawning frequencies and larger home ranges, but displayed neither higher foraging rates nor spawn order priority. However, dominance in females was also linked to aggressiveness, particularly towards immediate subordinates, suggesting that females were using energetically costly aggression to maintain their high rank. We further showed by experimentally removing dominant females that the linear hierarchy was also a social queue, with subordinates growing to inherit higher rank with its attendant benefits and costs when dominants disappeared. We suggest that in C. bicolor, the primary benefit of high rank is increased reproductive success in terms of current spawning frequency and the prospect of inheriting the male position in the near future, which may be traded off against the cost of aggressively defending rank and territory.
In vitro susceptibility of Aspergillus spp. to dithiocarbamate organoruthenium compounds
Authors: Nogueira Luciano J. , de Resende Maria A. , Oliveira Sheila R. , de Araújo Maria Helena , Magalhães Thais F. F. , de Oliveira Milena B. , Martins Cleide V. B. , Lopes Miriam T. P. , Araújo e Silva Ana C. , Donnici Claudio L.
Published: June 2010

The in vitro antifungal activity of ruthenium dithiocarbamate compounds (1–5) was investigated and assessed for its activity against seven different species of Aspergillus (Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus nomius, Aspergillus tamarii and Aspergillus terreus). Analysis of in vitro susceptibility was performed using broth microdilution assay following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines for filamentous fungi. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Aspergillus clavatus and A. fumigatus were more susceptible species for complexes 1 and 2. Other complexes showed excellent minimum inhibitory concentration (4–64 μg ml−1) against most microorganisms. Complexes 1 and 2 are respectively 180‐ and 95‐fold more active than the corresponding free ligands against A. clavatus and the complex 5 is 46‐fold more active than free ligand against A. niger. Aspergillus niger was more susceptible to the action of the complexes 1 and 5 (16 μg ml−1). A low cytotoxic activity (IC50 > 10−6 mol l−1) on normal mammalian cells (BHK‐21) to the evaluated complexes was measured. Ruthenium complexes are promising antifungal agents against the development of novel effective drug against different species of Aspergillus; however, for A. nomius and A. terreus, they were not active in the highest concentration tested.
The effect of brief exposure to sub‐therapeutic concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate on germ tube formation of oral Candida dubliniensis
Authors: Ellepola Arjuna N. B.
Published: June 2010

Adherence of Candida has been implicated as the first step in the pathogenesis of oral candidosis, and germ tube formation, a contributory attribute. While chlorhexidine gluconate is by far the most common antiseptic mouthwash prescribed in dentistry, its intraoral concentration fluctuates considerably because of the dynamics of the oral cavity. Hence, the main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of brief exposure to three different sub‐therapeutic concentrations of chlorhexidine gluconate on germ tube formation of Candida dubliniensis. Twelve oral isolates of C. dubliniensis were exposed to three different sub‐therapeutic concentrations of 0.005%, 0.0025% and 0.00125% chlorhexidine gluconate for 30 min. The antiseptic was removed, and following subsequent incubation in a germ tube inducing medium, the germ tube formation of these isolates was quantified microscopically. When compared with the controls, brief exposure to 0.005%, 0.0025% and 0.00125% chlorhexidine gluconate suppressed the ability to form germ tubes by 76.53% (P < 0.01), 49.17% (P < 0.01) and 3.45% (P > 0.05) respectively. These findings imply that brief exposure to sub‐therapeutic levels of chlorhexidine gluconate may modulate germ tube formation of C. dubliniensis, thereby suppressing its pathogenicity in vivo.
Relationship between circadian salivary melatonin levels and sleep–wake behavior in infants
Authors: Shinohara Hitomi , Kodama Hideya
Published: June 2010

Background:  There have been calls for more aggressive intervention for infants with failure in development of a sleep–wake rhythm. If development of the ‘biological clock’ in infants can be assessed by measuring melatonin, this may provide a useful indicator of the sleep–wake rhythm development. Thus, we investigated relationship between circadian salivary melatonin concentrations and sleep–wake behavioral parameters in infants.

Methods:  Sixty‐seven mothers who had infants aged 3–15 months were requested to record sleep–wake behavior of their baby for 2 days, and to collect their baby's saliva four times daily in the morning (06:00–09:00 h), noon (11:00–13:00 h), evening (16:00–18:00 h), and night (19:00–22:00 h) for measurement of melatonin concentrations by ELISA.

Results:  The mean melatonin concentrations of the saliva were: morning 40 ± 4 pg/mL, noon 14 ± 3 pg/mL, evening 15 ± 3 pg/mL, and night 23 ± 4 pg/mL. The melatonin concentrations, at each measurement point, were highest in infants aged 3–5 months, and decreased as age increased. Morning melatonin concentrations showed a negative correlation with nocturnal sleep duration (P < 0.05). Increased morning concentrations were related to early waking time (P < 0.05). In infants with open air baths on most days, evening and night melatonin concentrations were significantly lower (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  Salivary melatonin concentrations in infants between 06:00 and 22:00 decreased by age, and elevation of morning values may indicate an immature sleep–wake rhythm. Frequent open air baths may contribute to decreased melatonin levels.
The invasion and potential impact of the Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) in Australia
Authors: HOSKIN CONRAD J.
Published: June 2010

Hemidactylus frenatus is an Asian gecko that has spread pantropically to become one the world's most widespread reptiles. It has been established in Australia for approximately 50 years, but the last two decades have seen massive range expansion across settled areas of northern and eastern Australia; and this spread continues at pace. Disturbingly, H. frenatus is increasingly being detected in natural habitats in Australia, in some cases at high densities. Despite rampant spread, there has been little concern regarding the potential impact of this species on native geckos or natural systems more broadly. This is surprising given that Australia is a centre of gecko origin and diversity, and that H. frenatus has had well documented detrimental impacts on geckos in other parts of its introduced range. Here I review the biology and global distribution of H. frenatus, plot its spread in Australia over the five decades since establishment, and review the research on invasive populations of this species overseas and in Australia to assess potential impacts. I argue that Australia should be more concerned about H. Frenatus because: (i) it is spreading rapidly across northern, eastern and central Australia; (ii) it can invade natural habitats; (iii) it is a very strong competitor and may out‐compete Australian geckos in some situations; and (iv) it carries novel parasites that may impact native reptile species. Hemidactylus frenatus is here to stay and represents a potential threat to Australia's diversity and ecology. A key question is the degree to which it will invade natural habitats and what its impacts will be in these. Research is required to assess the current and potential impacts of H. frenatus in Australia so as to determine how these can be managed and the level of investment warranted.
3D J‐integral evaluation using the computation of line and surface integrals
Authors: HAKIMELAHI B. , SOLTANI N.
Published: June 2010

In the analysis of fracture mechanics of structures using three‐dimensional (3D) J‐integral, an integral evaluation of line and surface is required. However, because surface integral evaluation requires the calculation of the second derivative of displacement field and commercial finite element codes cannot calculate it, then this portion of the integral is neglected in some research. In this paper, a method for computing 3D J‐integral is presented using finite element analysis. In the analysis, the second derivative evaluation of displacement field is employed. The method is implemented in calculating the J‐integral of some 3D cracks and results are compared to well‐known reference values. The results show that the method is reliable and is suitable for applications in engineering. The portion of 3D J‐integral, namely the surface integral value is investigated and it is shown that neglecting this portion can introduce considerable error in the final results.
Does timing of post‐renal transplant diuresis affect graft survival in live‐donor renal transplants?
Authors: Osman Yasser , El‐Husseini Amr , Kamal Mohamed , Refaie Ayman , Sheashaa Hussein , Sobh Mohamed
Published: June 2010

Study Type – Prognosis (case series) Level of Evidence 4

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Delayed graft function had an adverse impact upon graft survival in deceased kidney transplantation. The current study provides evidence of a similar effect in an exclusive live donor renal recipient population.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of timing of diuresis on short and long term graft survival in live‐donor (LD) renal transplants.

METHODS

Between 1976 and 2005, 1747 consecutive LD renal transplants were performed in a single institution. Patients were classified according to timing of diuresis after vascular de‐clamping; group 1 included patients with diuresis within 10 min; group 2 started diuresis between 10 and 60 min after de‐clamping; group 3 started diuresis between 1 and 24 h after de‐clamping; and group 4 started diuresis >24 h after de‐clamping. Patients’ data were stored on an electronic database and were reviewed for risk factors and clinical relevance of timing of diuresis.

RESULTS

Groups 1–4 comprised 1598 (91.5%), 87 (5%), 44 (2.5%) and 18 (1%) patients, respectively. By multivariate analysis, vascular thrombosis was the significant risk factor for delayed diuresis. Delayed diuresis was significantly associated with the occurrence of acute tubular necrosis (ATN), and acute and chronic rejection. Graft and patient survival rates were significantly affected by the timing of diuresis. The 1‐year graft survival rates were 93.8, 83.0, 83.6 and 55.6%, and the 5‐year graft survival rates were 77.4, 59.4, 69.4 and 35.7% in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively (P < 0.001). The 1‐year patient survival rates were 96.5, 84.4, 90.7 and 61.1% and the 5‐year patient survival rates were 87.1, 72.0, 78.1 and 52.4% in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Delayed diuresis is a rare event after LD renal transplantation, which has an adverse effect on short‐ and long‐term graft and patient survival.
Rapid processing of letters, digits and symbols: what purely visual‐attentional deficit in developmental dyslexia?
Authors: Ziegler Johannes C. , Pech‐Georgel Catherine , Dufau Stéphane , Grainger Jonathan
Published: June 2010

Visual‐attentional theories of dyslexia predict deficits for dyslexic children not only for the perception of letter strings but also for non‐alphanumeric symbol strings. This prediction was tested in a two‐alternative forced‐choice paradigm with letters, digits, and symbols. Children with dyslexia showed significant deficits for letter and digit strings but not for symbol strings. This finding is difficult to explain for visual‐attentional theories of dyslexia which postulate identical deficits for letters, digits and symbols. Moreover, dyslexics showed normal W‐shaped serial position functions for letter and digit strings, which suggests that their deficit is not due to an abnormally small attentional window. Finally, the size of the deficit was identical for letters and digits, which suggests that poor letter perception is not just a consequence of the lack of reading. Together then, our results show that symbols that map onto phonological codes are impaired (i.e. letters and digits), whereas symbols that do not map onto phonological codes are not impaired. This dissociation suggests that impaired symbol‐sound mapping rather than impaired visual‐attentional processing is the key to understanding dyslexia.
The latest progress report on ICT application in Chinese basic education
Authors: Jingtao Zhang , Yuanyuan Fang , Xiaoling Ma
Published: June 2010

Facilitating educational modernisation through information and communication technology (ICT) application in education is an important strategic measure taken by the Chinese government on the requirement of educational reform and development. After briefly introducing the status quo of Chinese basic education, this paper elaborates the significant measures for promoting ICT application in basic education adopted by Chinese government. From seven aspects of basic education (ICT infrastructure, ICT resources construction, the status quo of ICT education in schools, educational technology standards for teachers in schools, policies and regulations, criterion building about ICT application in instruction, and ICT in Chinese rural areas) the authors comprehensively introduce the latest progress of ICT in Chinese basic education.
The mechanism for organising and propelling educational technology in China
Authors: Yongqian Liu , Dongyuan Cheng , Xinli Liu
Published: June 2010

Having started early in the 1920s as a spontaneously launched educational activity by civil organisations under the influence of American audio‐visual theory and practice, Chinese educational technology was later put under governmental management. This paper is composed of five parts covering mainly the historical development of educational technology in China. Part 1 is a brief history of educational technology in China. Part 2 presents the major tasks of management in educational technology. Part 3 talks about the organisation of educational technology management within universities and schools. Part 4 discusses civil organisations of educational technology in China. And part 5 is a conclusion about the managerial features of Chinese educational technology.
Educational technology in China
Authors: Meifeng Liu , Jinjiao Lv , Cui Kang
Published: June 2010

This paper elaborates the two different academic views of the identity of educational technology in China at the current time—advanced‐technology‐oriented cognition, known as Electrifying Education, and problem‐solving‐oriented cognition, known as Educational Technology. It addresses five main modes of educational technology in China: as a programme, as a research direction, as a discipline area, as an institution and as an enterprise. The authors provide a brief description of the field of educational technology in China.
Contours for a Public Lutheran Theology in the Face of Empire
Authors: Hansen Guillermo
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  Three themes structure Lutheranism's interpretation of the biblical narrative as it intersects with the present challenges of Empire: justification by faith as a declaration of inclusiveness; God's threefold‐multidimensional action creating and sustaining democratic practices (two kingdoms); and the cross as the critical ‘weapon’ against the ‘glory’ of Empire. This implies placing our theology within the present cultural and religious debate in a way consistent with the methodology of the cross: a theology done from the bowels of Empire, revealing its true face behind its alleged ‘benevolent’ mask.
Empire, Eschatology and Stolen Land
Authors: Jorgenson Allen G.
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  In this article I propose that empire be countered by a revised understanding of eschatology. I first explore the idea of an eschatology of space, wherein the notion of eschatos as limit is advanced. I then revisit a temporal understanding of eschatology illumining the theme of the pause, or rest. This Sabbath theme, in concert with attentiveness to space, is then brought to bear upon the primal North American experience of empire: the expropriation of aboriginal lands.
Doctrine of Scripture in Lutheran Theology—Its Missional Thrust: A Response to Lamin Sanneh's Hein‐Fry Lecture 20081
Authors: Persaud Winston
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  In this article, I argue that Lutheran doctrine of Scripture is rooted in a christological centre, a centre that is coherent with Lamin Sanneh's thesis that the missionary experience must encompass both the work of the missionary who comes from ‘outside’ and, more especially, the reflections of the ‘indigenous’ peoples on Scripture in its witness to God's coming in Jesus Christ. This essential mutuality of ‘receiving’ and ‘giving’ in reading Scripture christologically undercuts imperial biblical hermeneutical practices that privilege certain cultures, languages, ethnic, racial, and class groupings as bearers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Engaging God's Mission and Diakonia in Life of Public Spheres: Justification and Economic Justice
Authors: Chung Paul S.
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  This article approaches the theology of mission from the point of view of God's mission and diakonia, seeking a missional model of the grace of justification and economic justice in an age of World Christianity. The author engages a hermeneutical‐prophetic side of evangelization—viva vox evangelii—in the public sphere, and demonstrates the intrinsic connection between missio and diakonia Dei in Jesus Christ using a trinitarian‐hermeneutical perspective. The article shows that evangelization as God's mission occupies a central place by taking into account challenges from the postcolonial emancipation in the context of Empire.
Opposition to the Living Wage: Discourse, Rhetoric, and American Exceptionalism
Authors: Karjanen David
Published: June 2010

In this analysis my aim is to further a line of inquiry into the cultural logics surrounding the ways that people conceptualize work, worth, and the compensation of labor. By analyzing public attitudes towards wage floor policies such as the living wage, ethnographers can contribute to the broader effort at dismantling the naturalized cultural logic of neoliberalism regarding progressive economic policies, specifically living wages. I conclude that the discursive constitution of living wages by opponents reflects broader and more deeply held ideological assertions about American society and the marketplace, and reinforcing a notion of American exceptionalism.
The Feasibility of Folk Science
Authors: Keil Frank C.
Published: June 2010

If folk science means individuals having well worked out mechanistic theories of the workings of the world, then it is not feasible. Laypeople’s explanatory understandings are remarkably coarse, full of gaps, and often full of inconsistencies. Even worse, most people overestimate their own understandings. Yet recent views suggest that formal scientists may not be so different. In spite of these limitations, science somehow works and its success offers hope for the feasibility of folk science as well. The success of science arises from the ways in which scientists learn to leverage understandings in other minds and to outsource explanatory work through sophisticated methods of deference and simplification of complex systems. Three studies ask whether analogous processes might be present not only in laypeople but also in young children and thereby form a foundation for supplementing explanatory understandings almost from the start of our first attempts to make sense of the world.