bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinctive anabolic roles of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and parathyroid hormone in teeth and mandible versus long bones
Authors: Liu Hong , Guo Jian , Wang Lin , Chen Ning , Karaplis Andrew , Goltzman David , Miao Dengshun
Published: August 2009

To assess the roles of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in hard tissue formation in oro-facial tissues, we examined the effect of either 1,25(OH)2D or PTH deficiency on dentin and dental alveolar bone formation and mineralization in the mandibles, and osteoblastic bone formation in long bones of 1α-hydroxylase knockout (1α(OH)ase−/−) mice. Compared with wild-type mice, the mineral density was decreased in the teeth and mandibles, and unmineralized dentin (predentin and biglycan immunopositive dentin) and unmineralized bone matrix in the dental alveolar bone were increased in 1α(OH)ase−/− mice. The dental volume, reparative dentin volume, and dentin sialoprotein immunopositive areas were reduced in 1α(OH)ase−/− mice. The cortical thickness, dental alveolar bone volume, and osteoblast number were all decreased significantly in the mandibles; in contrast, the osteoblast number and surface were increased in the trabecular bone of the tibiae in 1α(OH)ase−/− mice consistent with their secondary hyperparathyroidism. The expression of PTH receptor and IGF1 was reduced slightly in mandibles, but enhanced significantly in the long bones in the 1α(OH)ase−/− mice. To control for the role of secondary hyperparathyroidism, we also examined teeth and mandibles in 6-week-old PTH−/− mice. In these animals, dental and bone volumes in mandibles were not altered when compared with their wild-type littermates. These results suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 plays an anabolic role in both dentin and dental alveolar bone as it does in long bones, whereas PTH acts predominantly in long bones rather than mandibular bone.
SOUTHERN WATER'S COASTAL CLEAN-UP PROGRAMME.
Authors: PEACOCK S , SETTERFIELD G
Published: August 2009

This paper describes the programme of works carried out over the past decade around the coast of south-east England by Southern Water. The coastal programme, which has a value in excess of £1 billion, is among the largest of any water company. The paper illustrates the variety of the schemes within the programme by reference to a number of individual projects that serve to illustrate how the particular location for the project has determined the solution adopted. Reference is made to the public relations aspects of the programme and the lessons learned. A schedule of the projects with the scale, designers and main contractors is included.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF THE JUBILEE LINE EXTENSION.
Authors: EAST R W , MITCHELL R F
Published: August 2009

When construction work started on the Jubilee Line Extension in late 1993, it was due to take 53 months to build and cost £2.1 billion. However, the complexities of building an underground railway through London, coupled with changes in the political, financial and regulatory environment, contributed to 20 months delay and a cost over-run of more than £1 billion. Nevertheless, the project has set new standards for safety, environmental management and quality. Not a single life was lost in its construction, the work caused amazingly little disruption to Londoners and the design and construction quality of the completed scheme has set a new world benchmark. This paper describes how the project was managed, from the Hong Kong Mass Transit-inspired planning and design team of 1990 to the Bechtel-sourced commissioning team of the last year.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CANARY WHARF STATION ON THE JUBILEE LINE EXTENSION.
Authors: DRAKE D A , JACKSON M I , DOUBELL C I
Published: August 2009

Canary Wharf station is a jewel in the crown of the Jubilee Line Extension. Its vast scale and stunning architecture are simply breathtaking - but entirely appropriate for the fast-expanding financial centre that it now serves in London's Docklands. After all, the station is one of the main reasons for the line being built. But construction of a 290 m long, 27 m deep underground box in the middle of a dock surrounded by stop-start office developments was never going to be easy. As this paper explains, a major redesign was needed just as the work started and, despite round-the-clock working, led to it taking 6 rather than 4.5 years to finish.
Kurzweil-Henstock Integral in Riesz spaces
Authors: Boccuto Antonio , Riecan Beloslav , Vrabelova Marta
Published: August 2009

This Ebook is concerned with both the theory of the Kurzweil-Henstock integral and the basic facts on Riesz spaces. Moreover, even the so-called Šipoš integral, which has several applications in economy, is illustrated. The aim of this Ebook is two-fold. First, it can be understood as an introductory textbook to the Kurzweil-Henstock integral as well as to some algebraic structures which are important from the viewpoint of applications to integration and probability theory. Second, it discusses some possibilities of further developments including recent results and open problems.
Elementary Introduction to Kurzweil-Henstock Integral
Authors: Boccuto Antonio , Riecan Beloslav , Vrabelova Marta
Published: August 2009

In this chapter we introduce the theory of the Kurzweil-Henstock integral for real-valued functions, defined on a
bounded interval of the real line.

The main properties are illustrated, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and some convergence theorems are proved;
moreover some examples and exercises are given.
Advances in Sampling Theory-Ratio Method of Estimation
Authors: Hulya Cingi  , Cem Kadilar
Published: August 2009

This is an ideal textbook for researchers interested in sampling methods, survey methodologists in government organizations, academicians, and graduate students in statistics, mathematics and biostatistics. This textbook makes advanced topics easy to grasp for the readers. Many theoretical discussions about the latest estimators in literature are incorporated into almost all the chapters. This feature helps the academicians acquire necessary skills to follow up recent studies on their own. More than just an introductory text, the reader, who has mastered the contents of this book, should attain a level so as to be able to make a major contribution to the technical and research literature of sampling theory.
Ratio Estimators For The Population Mean In The Simple Random Sampling
Authors: Cingi Hulya , Kadilar Cem
Published: August 2009

Statisticians have proposed efficient estimators for the population parameters for last
5 decades. The concept of “efficient” is a vital key word for an estimator and it depends on the
“Mean Square Error (MSE)”. Therefore, the fundamentals of the MSE in Statistics should be
known exactly. For this reason, Chapter 1 discusses the basic formula of the MSE and explains
how to apply this formula to the estimators in Sampling Theory to find the approximate MSE
equations for these estimators. For this illustration, The Classical Ratio Estimator, Searls
Estimator, Prasad Estimator, Sisodia – Dwivedi Estimator, Singh – Kakran Estimator and
Upadhyaya – Singh Estimator are used. Obtaining the MSE equations, the efficiencies of these
estimators are also compared in theory and in applications.
Topology Control for Wireless Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks
Authors: Li Deying , Li Zheng , Wang Feng
Published: August 2009

Topology control is one of the most fundamental issues in wireless ad hoc and sensor
networks. In this chapter, we give a summary of our recently works for topology control
problem. Firstly, we briefly summarize existing works and research activities. Secondly, we
address QoS topology control problem in homogeneous and non-homogeneous ad hoc networks
including minimizing the total energy cost and minimizing maximum transmitting power of
nodes and give our results. Thirdly, we introduce strongly connected topology control including
non-restricted and restricted topology control problem in the wireless sensor networks, and give
the corresponding results.
Microcirculation: Structural and Functional Specificities
Authors: Bouskela Eliete , Bottino Daniel , Wiernsperger Nicolas
Published: August 2009

Microcirculation is an « invisible » world, representing billions of smallest
vessels and about 500m2 endothelium, the largest endocrine organ in human body. It is
organized in a fractal fashion, in essentially three vessel subtypes: mid-and small sized
arterioles (regulating vascular resistance), capillaries (<10µm) and venules which
collect blood from tissues. Microvessel structure, effector mechanisms and their
regulation are strictly adapted to function and fundamental differences exist between
the microvessel segments, as well as between the microvascular and the macrovascular
beds. This chapter aims at giving to the unaware reader a short but complete overview
of these specificities for a better understanding of forthcoming chapters, which are
devoted to describe our concept, namely that microcirculatory defects, eventually
appearing very early in life, can cause and/or aggravate insulin resistance leading to
diabetes and cardiovascular diseases some decades later.
Techniques to Measure Microcirculatory Parameters in Insulin Resistant States in Humans
Authors: Guilherme Kraemer-Aguiar Luiz , Bouskela Eliete
Published: August 2009

Obesity and insulin resistance show increasing incidence in all ages,
especially but not only, in western countries. The world epidemic on obesity imposes a
higher prevalence of subjects with insulin resistance. This latter condition is associated
with impairments on macro and microvascular function of different degrees. The exact
interrelationship and meaning of this association and subsequent result on glucose
homeostasis, vascular damage and end-organ impairments deserve further investigations.
Techniques used to study the microcirculation could help researchers to clarify these
questions. This chapter will focus on techniques employed in humans to investigate the
microcirculation, endothelial reactivity, their significance and importance for the
understanding of microcirculatory function with special focus on those employed and
experienced by the authors.
Protective Bystander Effects Simulated with the State-Vector Model
Authors: Schöllnberger Helmut , Eckl Peter M.
Published: August 2009

Apoptosis induced in non-hit bystander cells is an important biological mechanism which operates after exposure to low doses of low-LET radiation. This process was implemented into a deterministic multistage model for in vitro neoplastic transformation: the State-Vector Model (SVM). The new model is tested on two data sets that show a reduction of the transformation frequency below the spontaneous level after exposure of the human hybrid cell line CGL1 to low doses of γ-radiation. Stronger protective effects are visible in the data for delayed plating while the data for immediate plating show more of an LNT-like dose-response curve. It is shown that the model can describe both data sets. The calculation of the time-dependent numerical solution of the model also allows to obtain information about the time-dependence of the protective apoptosis-mediated process after low dose exposures. These findings are compared with experimental observations after high dose exposures.
Nonfinancial Information and Accounting: A Reconsideration of Benefits and Challenges
Authors: Luft Joan
Published: August 2009

SYNOPSIS: Recent years have seen widespread interest in supplementing or replacing accounting information with nonfinancial information (NFI) in a variety of uses such as incentive compensation, prediction of costs and profits, and firm valuation. The joint use of NFI and accounting has had mixed results, however. Research has documented benefits to such use but has also documented significant challenges. This commentary summarizes research that addresses two particularly important challenges in using combinations of accounting and NFI: measuring nonfinancial performance accurately and weighting measures appropriately when multiple accounting and nonfinancial measures are used together. These challenges are related, in that the nature and magnitude of measurement error helps to determine appropriate weights on multiple measures. Two common themes appear in strategies for dealing successfully with these challenges. The first is that matching information properties to decision types can limit the need for costly or infeasible improvements in measurement. Measurement errors that have significant negative impact on some decisions can be innocuous when the information is used for other decisions. The second theme is a portfolio approach to measurement error: the negative decision effects of error in individual measures can be significantly mitigated by well-chosen combinations of NFI and accounting measures.
Outpatient Management of Eating Disorders in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Goebel-Fabbri Ann E. , Uplinger Nadine , Gerken Stephanie , Mangham Deborah , Criego Amy , Parkin Christopher
Published: August 2009

In Brief

Disturbed eating behaviors are common in adolescent girls and young women; however, these behaviors are significantly more common in those with type 1 diabetes than in the general population. Long-term treatment of patients with eating disorders and type 1 diabetes (ED-DMT1) often occurs in outpatient settings. This article reviews the clinical issues and strategies relevant to the outpatient treatment of ED-DMT1.
The effect of drying seeds of European larch, Douglas-fir and mountain pine foreseen for a long-term storage on their viability
Authors: Witowska Olesia , Aniśko Ewa , Załęski Andrzej
Published: August 2009

Wpływ warunków podsuszania nasion modrzewia europejskiego, daglezji zielonej i sosny górskiej przeznaczonych do długookresowego przechowywania na ich żywotność
Reid and Moral Emotions
Authors: Roeser Sabine
Published: August 2009

The name of Thomas Reid rarely appears in discussions of the history of moral thought. This is a pity, since Reid has a lot of interesting ideas that can contribute to the current discussions in meta-ethics. Reid can be understood as an ethical intuitionist. What makes his account especially interesting is the role affective states play in his intuitionist theory. Reid defends a cognitive theory of moral emotions. According to Reid, there are moral feelings that are the result of a moral judgment made by reason. The judgment and the feeling together constitute what Reid calls sentiments. Reid thinks that affective states (feelings and sentiments) play the role of helping reason to guide and control the egoistic feelings and passions. The affective states are particularly important, in Reid's view, because the motivating force of reason is often defeated by the stronger motivating force of the passions. So without affective states, we would often not be able to do what is morally good or right. In this paper, I will argue that the role of the affective states is still too limited in Reid's approach. He takes affective states to have a merely motivational function, namely, to help reason to control the passions and motivate to action where reason is too weak. Reid thinks that in making moral judgments we do not need to have feelings, feelings are at most a result of a judgment. Instead, I will argue that affective states also play an epistemological role.
Investigation of the Performance of a Heat Pump Using Waste Water as a Heat Source
Authors: Kahraman Ali , Çelebi Alaeddin
Published: August 2009

In this research, a water-water heat pump system using waste water as a heat source, a type that is not often used in Turkey and the World, was experimentally modeled. The experiments were performed under the conditions of simulated waste water temperature values of 20 °C, 30 °C and 40 °C. Inlet and outlet water temperatures of the evaporator and condenser, water flow rates in the evaporator and condenser circuits, pressures at the compressor inlet and outlet and power consumption of the system were measured. The heating coefficients of performance were calculated based on the measurements. It was found that the maximum temperature in the energy storage tank was about 50.6 °C. For the heat source temperatures of 20 °C, 30 °C and 40 °C, the heating coefficients of the performance of the system became 3.36, 3.43 and 3.69, respectively, 6 min. after the start time of the experiments and then they were decreased to 1.87, 1.83 and 1.77 with increasing water temperature in the condenser tank. The mean uncertainty value of the measurement parameters was found to be about ±2.47%. Finally, for the purpose of meeting hot water need as well as floor heating system requirements, it is seen that energy quality level of a waste low grade temperature heat source can be increased by using a heat pump system.
Biodegradability of Poly(hydroxyalkanoate) Materials
Authors: Numata Keiji , Abe Hideki , Iwata Tadahisa
Published: August 2009

Poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA), which is produced from renewable carbon resources by many microorganisms, is an environmentally compatible polymeric material and can be processed into films and fibers. Biodegradation of PHA material occurs due to the action of extracellular PHA depolymerase secreted from microorganisms in various natural environments. A key step in determining the overall enzymatic or environmental degradation rate of PHA material is the degradation of PHA lamellar crystals in materials; hence, the degradation mechanism of PHA lamellar crystals has been studied in detail over the last two decades. In this review, the relationship between crystal structure and enzymatic degradation behavior, in particular degradation rates, of films and fibers for PHA is described.
Theoretical Studies of [2,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangements of Allylic Selenoxides and Selenimides
Authors: Bayse Craig A. , Antony Sonia
Published: August 2009

Density-functional theory is used to model the endo and exo transition states for [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic aryl-selenoxides and -selenimides. The endo transition state is generally preferred for selenoxides if there is no substitution at the 2 position of the allyl group. Based upon the relative energies of the endo and exo transition states, enantioselectivity of rearrangements is expected to be greatest for molecules with substitutions at the 1- or (E)-3- position of the allyl group. Ortho substitution of a nitro group on the ancillary selenoxide phenyl ring reduces the activation barriers, increases the difference between the endo and exo activation barriers and shifts the equilibrium toward products.
Antiproliferative, Cytotoxic, Antioxidant Activity and Polyphenols Contents in Leaves of Four Staphylea L. Species
Authors: Lacikova Lubica , Jancova Marianna , Muselik Jan , Masterova Irena , Grancai Daniel , Fickova Maria
Published: August 2009

Staphylea has been used for long time in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and by Native Americans in a number of therapeutical indications. The present study describes in vitro antiproliferative, cytotoxic properties (MTT and LDH test) and antioxidant activities (reduction of DPPH radical and peroxynitrite radical) of Staphylea colchica Stev. (SC), S. elegans Zab. (SC), S. holocarpa Hemsl. (SH) and S. pinnata L. (SP) leave water extracts. Time- (24 and 72 h) and dose- (1-150 μg/mL) dependent effects of the above extracts were tested at the mitochondrial (MTT test) and plasma membrane level (LDH leakage) in A431 human skin carcinoma cells. Screening of these properties has shown time and dose dependent increase of harmful effects, the highest activity was observed for the SE, while the less active was the SH extract. The ED50 values for the mitochondrial and membrane damage were nearly identical for the SE and very similar for SH extract. These findings indicate simultaneous injury of both cell compartments by SE and SH extracts. The highest antioxidant potential of SE species is accompanied by the highest content of flavones/flavonols and polyphenols. Only flavonoid contents are associated with antiproliferative effects and cell membrane injury, while antioxidant properties are the result of polyphenol content. The data clearly demonstrate that individual Staphylea L. species differ, not only in the amount of biologically active compounds, but also by the extent of harmful and beneficial effects.
An Investigation of Predictors of Satisfaction and Future Intention: Links to Motivation, Involvement, and Service Quality in a Local Festival
Authors: Lee Joohyun , Beeler Cheryl
Published: August 2009

This study examines the relative weights of motivation, involvement, service quality, and demographics on satisfaction and future intention. A set of sequential multiple regression analyses were performed to determine if the addition of information regarding motivation, service quality,
and involvement improved prediction of satisfaction and future intention beyond that afforded by differences in demographic variables among local festival attendees. The findings suggest that motivation, service quality, and involvement are significant predictors of satisfaction and future
intention. Service quality is the strongest predictor of satisfaction and future intention, followed by involvement and motivation.
"I Traveled Alone, but Never Felt Alone": An Exploration of the Benefits of an Older Women's Group Tour Experience
Authors: Liechty Toni , Ribeiro Nuno F. , Yarnal Careen M.
Published: August 2009

Older women's group travel is a neglected research topic in tourism studies. Furthermore, research into the sociopsychological benefits of travel is in its infancy. The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits of a group tour leisure experience for older women. Using self-directed photography, 30 members of the Red Hat Society, an all-women's social leisure group, took photographs during their vacation. Later, they expanded on their photographic selections through personal narratives. Findings suggested that the group tour afforded "Red Hattishness," a multidimensional context to have fun, to be self-expressive, and to develop social relationships. Participants articulated that Red Hattishness fostered positive emotions, which in turn led to expressions of well-being. Results are discussed by extending current conceptualizations of group travel for older women and the role of positive emotions in the travel experience, and by exploring possible links between older women's group travel and their well-being.
Using Hotel Web Ratings Data: Understanding Customers' Overall Satisfaction Ratings
Authors: Otto James , Sanford Doug , Chuang Michael
Published: August 2009

This article presents techniques that hotel managers can use to analyze online rating data and effectively allocate scarce resources to improve a hotel's overall customer ratings. We apply the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) technique to analyze online hotel customer component ratings and their relationship to overall hotel satisfaction ratings. We demonstrate that the CART technique shows how strongly component ratings associate with the overall hotel satisfaction rating. Although customer satisfaction ratings are important to customer decisions about which hotel to engage, we have found that little research has been done on this topic. We provide recommendations to hotel managers about how they can collect and analyze online ratings data to help improve the overall satisfaction of their customers.
Early Detection of Functional and Cognitive Decline After Hospital Discharge: The Role of Community Nursing and Multidisciplinary Teams
Authors: Palacios-Ceña Domingo , Álvarez-López Cristina , Cachón-Pérez Miguel , Alonso-Blanco Cristina
Published: August 2009

This article features an individual example describing the multifactorial interventions of community nursing and a multidisciplinary team as they assess an older man's progressive functional decline, changes in behavior, and loss of previous social habits after being discharged from the hospital for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. Such nursing evaluation should include the following aspects: social environment, home environment, neighborhood characteristics, architectural barriers, capacity to perform activities of daily living, walking difficulties, risk of falling, changes in behavior and social habits, cognitive-affective state, pharmacological management, and the existence of nearby social organizations. The different approaches of community nursing and the multidisciplinary team are discussed.
Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Among Older Korean American Women
Authors: Eun Young , Lee Eunice E. , Kim Mi Ja , Fogg Louis
Published: August 2009

Korean American women's breast cancer screening rates are low, and the rates among older Korean American women are even lower. This article describes health beliefs related to older Korean American women's screening behaviors, comparing them to beliefs of younger Korean American women. The 73 women age 65 and older had significantly different health beliefs than the 114 women between ages 40 and 64. Further, older women's perceptions of the seriousness of the disease and benefits of and barriers to taking action to prevent the disease predated their screening behaviors. Interventions to change the health beliefs of older Korean American women are suggested.
Immunohistological Evaluation of the Healing Response at the Flap Interface in Patients With LASIK Ectasia Requiring Penetrating Keratoplasty
Authors: Esquenazi Salomon , Esquenazi Isi , Grunstein Lev , He Juicheng , Bazan Haydee
Published: August 2009

Purpose:

To evaluate the healing response at the flap interface in corneas with LASIK ectasia that required penetrating keratoplasty (PK).

Methods:

Corneas of five patients who developed corneal ectasia after LASIK (range: 2.5 to 5 years postoperative) were collected after corneal transplant surgery. The corneas were bisected and processed for conventional histologic analysis and immunofluorescence.

Results:

Light microscopy showed a hypocellular fibrotic scar at the wound margin compared with the adjacent corneal stroma in all eyes. All corneas had positive staining for alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), a myofibroblast marker. In one eye, alpha-SMA cells were located in the fibrotic scar region in the area of the semicircular ring of haze along the margin of the LASIK flap corresponding to an area of epithelial ingrowth. In all other eyes, alpha-SMA positive cells were fewer and mainly located in the superficial stroma under the epithelial wound margin surface. Type III collagen was minimal or absent in the central zone and wound margin of all corneas except for the cornea with epithelial ingrowth present in the hypercellular fibrotic scar region. Chondroitin sulfate was stronger in the periphery of the flap wound coinciding with a higher presence of alpha-SMA–positive cells in that region. Positive staining for matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in the paracentral wound margin scar was seen.

Conclusions:

A wound-healing process characterized by absence of significant fibrosis and myofibroblasts at the wound edge in the flap interface was noted in all keratectatic eyes. However, changes in the composition of collagen and the presence of MMP-9 at the wound edge several years after LASIK indicates active wound remodeling that may explain the ongoing loss of tissue and tendency of the cornea to bulge. [
J Refract Surg.
2009;25:739–746.]
Treatment of Six Cases of Advanced Ectasia After LASIK With 6-mm Intacs SK
Authors: Rodríguez Luís A. , Villegas Anny E. , Porras Dianela , Benavides María A. , Molina Javier
Published: August 2009

Purpose:

To describe the outcome after implantation of 6-mm Intacs SK implants (Addition Technology Inc) for treatment of ectasia after LASIK.

Methods:

Retrospective descriptive longitudinal case series. Seven eyes of six patients with advanced keratectasia after LASIK were treated with 6-mm Intacs SK implantation. Parameters evaluated preoperatively and at 9 months were uncorrected (UCVA) and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), average keratometry (AvK), and spherical equivalent refractive error (SEQ).

Results:

Mean preoperative UCVA was 1.56±0.43 logMAR (∼20/800), BSCVA was 0.57±0.24 logMAR (∼20/75), SEQ was −14.67±5.30 diopters (D), and AvK was 53.80±6.30 D. Postoperative examination showed a clinically significant improvement in UCVA, which improved to 0.27±0.14 logMAR (∼20/40). Mean BSCVA improved to 0.24±0.08 logMAR (∼20/32), mean SEQ reduced to −2.93±0.86 D, and AvK reduced to 48.57±5.00 D.

Conclusions:

Within the scope of six cases with 9-month postoperative follow-up, implantation of 6-mm Intacs SK appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for management of advanced cases of keratectasia after LASIK.

[
J Refract Surg
. 2009;25:1116–1119.]
Outcomes After Topography-Based LASIK and LASEK with the WaveLight Oculyzer and Topolyzer Platforms
Authors: Cummings Arthur B. , Mascharka Nadia
Published: August 2009

Purpose:

To explore the efficacy, safety, and predictability of topography-guided laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and LASIK treatments using the ALLEGRO Oculyzer (rotating Scheimpflug image-based) as compared to the ALLEGRO Topolyzer (Placido disk-based) platform (WaveLight AG).

Methods:

In this retrospective, non-comparative case series, 72 eyes were treated using Oculyzer data and 71 eyes were treated using Topolyzer data. Seventy-nine men and 64 women ranging in age from 21 to 63 years were included in the study. The 6-month postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) of patients were compared to the preoperative values. The data analysis was stratified based on the preoperative refractions, separating patients into three categories: myopes, hyperopes, and mixed astigmatics.

Results:

Of the preoperative myopes in the Oculyzer group, 76% remained the same, 5% lost 1 line, 14% gained 1 line, and 5% gained 2 lines of visual acuity at 6 months. In the Topolyzer group, 69% remained the same, 25% gained 1 line, and 6% gained 2 lines of BSCVA. Using the Oculzyer, 95% of myopes, 80% of hyperopes, and 60% of patients with mixed astigmatism were within ±0.50 diopters (D) of target refraction. Using the Topolyzer, 88% of myopes, 78% of hyperopes, and 50% of patients with mixed astigmatism were within ±0.50 D of target. The outcomes of the preoperative hyperopes and patients with mixed astigmatism are similarly reported. The difference in outcomes between the Oculyzer and Topolyzer cohorts in the myopes and patients with mixed astigmatism was not statistically significant. In the hyperopes, patients treated with the Oculyzer had superior UCVA to those treated with the Topolyzer platform.

Conclusions:

This case series demonstrates that the Oculyzer and Topolyzer are both effective tools in topography-guided corneal excimer laser surgery. In myopes and patients with mixed astigmatism, both systems were comparable in efficacy and safety. In the hyperopes, the resultant UCVA in the Oculyzer cohort was slightly superior.
Comparing the handwriting behaviours of true and false writing with computerized handwriting measures
Authors: Luria Gil , Rosenblum Sara
Published: August 2009

The goal of this study is to compare the handwriting behaviours of true and false writing. Based on the cognitive load and dis‐automaticity known to be experienced while communicating a deceptive message, we hypothesized a difference (in temporal and spatial, pressure measures and peak velocities) between the handwriting of truevs.false messages. Thirty‐four participants wrote true and false sentences on a digitizer, which is part of a new system called the Computerized Penmanship Evaluation Tool (ComPET). The ComPET evaluates brain‐hand performance, as manifested through handwriting behaviour, and was found to be a valid measure for detecting the dis‐automaticity that is indicative of certain diseases in the clinical field. Differences were found in mean pressure, spatial measures (mean stroke length and mean stroke height), but no differences were found in temporal measures and in the number of peak velocities. The use of ComPET in lie detection is discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Climate Signatures in the Morphological Differentiation of Worldwide Modern Human Populations
Authors: Hubbe Mark , Hanihara Tsunehiko , Harvati Katerina
Published: August 2009

The ability of cranial morphology to reflect population/phylogenetic history, and the degree to which it might be influenced by environmental factors and selection pressures have been widely discussed. Recent consensus views cranial morphology as largely indicative of population history in humans, with some anatomical cranial regions/measurements being more informative on population history, while others being under selection pressure. We test earlier findings using the largest and most diverse cranial dataset available as yet: 7,423 male specimens from 135 geographic human population samples represented by 33 standard craniometric linear measurements. We calculated Mahalanobis D2 for three datasets: complete cranial dataset; facial measurement dataset; and neurocranial measurement dataset; these morphological distance matrices were then compared to matrices of geographic distances as well as of several climatic variables. Additionally, we calculated Fst values for our cranial measurements and compared the results to the expected Fst values for neutral genetic loci. Our findings support the hypothesis that cranial, and especially neurocranial morphology, is phylogenetically informative, and that aspects of the face and cranium are subject to selection related to climatic factors. The Fst analysis suggest that selection to climate is largely restricted to groups living in extremely cold environments, including Northeast Asia, North America, and Northern Europe, though each of these regions appears to have arrived at their morphology through distinct adaptive pathways. Anat Rec, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Face of Siamopithecus: New Geometric‐Morphometric Evidence for Its Anthropoid Status
Authors: Zollikofer Christoph P.E. , De León Marcia S. Ponce , Chaimanee Yaowalak , Lebrun Renaud , Tafforeau Paul , Khansubhaand Sasidhorn , Jaeger Jean‐Jacques
Published: August 2009

Amphipithecids assume a key position in early primate evolution in Asia. Here we report on new maxillofacial and associated mandibular remains of Siamopithecus eocaenus, an amphipithecid primate from the Late Eocene of Krabi (Thailand) that currently represents the most complete specimen belonging to this group. We used synchrotron microtomography and techniques of virtual reconstruction to recover the three‐dimensional morphology of the specimen. Geometric‐morphometric analysis of the reconstructed specimen within a comparative sample of recent and fossil primates clearly associates Siamopithecus with the anthropoids. Like modern anthropoids, Siamopithecus displays a relatively short face and highly convergent and frontated orbits, the lower rim of which lies well above the alveolar plane. The cooccurrence of spatially correlated anthropoid features and classical anthropoid dental characters in one individual represents a strong argument to support the anthropoid status of Siamopithecus. It is, thus, highly unlikely that amphipithecids are specialized adapiforms exhibiting complete convergence with anthropoids. Anat Rec, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Coherence shifts in probabilistic inference tasks
Authors: Glöckner Andreas , Betsch Tilmann , Schindler Nicola
Published: August 2009

The fast‐and‐frugal heuristics approach to probabilistic inference assumes that individuals often employ simple heuristics to integrate cue information that commonly function in a non‐reciprocal fashion. Specifically, the subjective validity of a certain cue remains stable during the application of a heuristic and is not changed by the presence or absence of another cue. The parallel constraint satisfaction (PCS) model, in contrast, predicts that information is processed in a reciprocal fashion. Specifically, it assumes that subjective cue validities interactively affect each other and are modified to coherently support the favored choice. Corresponding to the model's simulation, we predicted the direction and the size of such coherence shifts. Cue validities were measured before, after (Experiment 1), and during judgment (Experiments 2 and 3). Coherence shifts were found in environments involving real‐world cue knowledge (weather forecasts) and in a domain for which the application of fast‐and‐frugal heuristics has been demonstrated (city‐size tasks). The results indicate that subjective cue validities are not fixed parameters, but that they are interactively changed to form coherent representations of the task. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental study on protection of vitamin B6 on TCDD‐induced palatal cleft formation in the mice
Authors: Li Cheng‐hao , He Wei , Meng Tian , Shi Bing
Published: August 2009

BACKGROUND: 2, 3, 7, 8‐Tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) can cause a high percentage of cleft palate in fetuses when administered during organogenesis in certain strains of mice including the C57BL/6J. In this study, vitamin B6 (B6) was tested for antiteratogenic effects on TCDD‐induced cleft palate in fetal mice. METHODS: The pregnant C57BL/6J mice were dosed with 24 µg TCDD/kg and/or 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg B6/kg body weight on gestation day (GD) 10. The control group mice were dosed with 50 ml sesame oil/kg body weight on GD10. The mice were sacrificed on GD12.5, GD13.5, GD14.5, GD15.5, and GD17.5, respectively. The harvested embryos were examined to detect the incidence of cleft palate and the developing palatal shelves in a different phase were investigated morphologically and histologically among different groups. RESULTS: Total frequency of clefts is 55.56% in the TCDD group and 31.81% (5 mg), 44.44% (10 mg), 40.90% (20 mg), and 32.00% (40 mg) in the TCDD+ B6 groups. There were no statistically significant differences among the TCDD and TCDD+ B6 groups (p=0.743>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated in this study that B6 could not antagonize 2, 3, 7, 8‐TCDD‐indued cleft palate. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 86:357–361, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reproductive toxicity of BioThrax® in rabbits
Authors: Franco Cynthia , Lewis Elise , Morseth Sandra , Simon Louise , Waytes A. Thomas
Published: August 2009

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of women are being vaccinated during child‐bearing years, including vaccination with BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, or AVA). As only a limited number of studies exist in humans that have examined the effects of AVA on reproductive health, this study was conducted in order to evaluate the impact AVA vaccination may have on pregnant female rabbits and their offspring. METHODS: Two hundred female rabbits were vaccinated with saline, adjuvant, or AVA twice prior to mating and on one of two occasions during gestation, in order to have exposure to the antigen during organogenesis. Blood samples were collected from does and fetuses/kits to assess the development and in utero transfer of antibodies to Bacillus anthracisprotective antigen (anti‐PA IgG). Half of the does underwent Caesarean‐sectioning on gestation day 29 and a gross necropsy was performed on both the does and their fetuses. The other half were allowed to naturally deliver and gross necropsy of the does and their kits was performed on lactation day 29. RESULTS: ELISA results showed that anti‐PA IgG was generated by the does and passed to the fetuses/kits at detectable levels. CONCLUSIONS: AVA directly, or indirectly through the production of anti‐PA IgG, did not appear to have an adverse effect on the pregnant females or their offspring, as measured by mating and fertility indices, natural delivery observations, clinical signs, gross lesions, in utero growth and survival, morphological development, or kit viability. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 86:370–376, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mathematical model of the rate‐limiting steps for retrovirus‐mediated gene transfer into mammalian cells
Authors: Tayi Venkata S. , Bowen Bruce D. , Piret James M.
Published: August 2009

A quantitative understanding of the process of retrovirus‐mediated gene transfer into mammalian cells should assist the design and optimization of transduction protocols. We present a mathematical model of the process that incorporates the essential rate‐limiting transduction steps including diffusion, convection and decay of viral vectors, their binding at the cell surface and entry into the cell cytoplasm, reverse transcription of uncoated RNA to form DNA intermediates, transport of the latter through the cytosol to the cell nucleus and, finally, nuclear import and integration of the delivered DNA into the target cell genome. Cell and virus population balances are used to account for the kinetics of multiple vector infections which influence the transduction efficiency and govern the integrated copy number. The mathematical model is validated using gibbon ape leukemia virus envelope pseudotyped retroviral vectors and K562 target cells. Viral intermediate complexes derived from the internalized retroviral vectors are found to remain stable inside the K562 cells and the cytoplasmic trafficking time is consistent with the time scale for retrovirus uncoating, reverse transcription and transport to the cell nucleus. The model predictions of transduction efficiency and integrated copy number agree well with experimental data for both static (i.e., standard gravity) and centrifugation‐based gene transfer protocols. The formulation of the model can also be applied to transduction protocols involving lenti‐ or foamy‐viruses and so should prove to be useful for the optimization of several types of gene transfer processes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;105: 195–209. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cell‐free production of transducible transcription factors for nuclear reprogramming
Authors: Yang William C. , Patel Kedar G. , Lee Jieun , Ghebremariam Yohannes T. , Wong H. Edward , Cooke John P. , Swartz James R.
Published: August 2009

Ectopic expression of a defined set of transcription factors chosen from Oct3/4, Sox2, c‐Myc, Klf4, Nanog, and Lin28 can directly reprogram somatic cells to pluripotency. These reprogrammed cells are referred to as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To date, iPSCs have been successfully generated using lentiviruses, retroviruses, adenoviruses, plasmids, transposons, and recombinant proteins. Nucleic acid‐based approaches raise concerns about genomic instability. In contrast, a protein‐based approach for iPSC generation can avoid DNA integration concerns as well as provide greater control over the concentration, timing, and sequence of transcription factor stimulation. Researchers recently demonstrated that polyarginine peptide conjugation can deliver recombinant protein reprogramming factor (RF) cargoes into cells and reprogram somatic cells into iPSCs. However, the protein‐based approach requires a significant amount of protein for the reprogramming process. Producing fusion RFs in the large amounts required for this approach using traditional heterologous in vivo production methods is difficult and cumbersome since toxicity, product aggregation, and proteolysis by endogenous proteases limit yields. In this work, we show that cell‐free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a viable option for producing soluble and functional transducible transcription factors for nuclear reprogramming. We used an E. coli‐based CFPS system to express the above set of six human RFs as fusion proteins, each with a nona‐arginine (R9) protein transduction domain. Using the flexibility offered by the CFPS platform, we successfully addressed proteolysis and protein solubility problems to produce full‐length and soluble R9‐RF fusions. We subsequently showed that R9‐Oct3/4, R9‐Sox2, and R9‐Nanog exhibit cognate DNA‐binding activities, R9‐Nanog translocates across the plasma and nuclear membranes, and R9‐Sox2 exerts transcriptional activity on a known downstream gene target. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 1047–1058. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Maintenance of pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells cultured on a synthetic substrate in conditioned medium
Authors: Mahlstedt Magdalena M. , Anderson David , Sharp James S. , McGilvray Roger , Barbadillo Muñoz Maria D. , Buttery Lee D. , Alexander Morgan R. , Rose Felicity R.A.J. , Denning Chris
Published: August 2009

Realizing the potential clinical and industrial applications of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is limited by the need for costly, labile, or undefined growth substrates. Here we demonstrate that trypsin passaging of the hESC lines, HUES7 and NOTT1, on oxygen plasma etched tissue culture polystyrene (PE‐TCPS) in conditioned medium is compatible with pluripotency. This synthetic culture surface is stable at room temperature for at least a year and is readily prepared by placing polystyrene substrates in a radio frequency oxygen plasma generator for 5 min. Modification of the polystyrene surface chemistry by plasma etching was confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS), which identified elemental and molecular changes as a result of the treatment. Pluripotency of hESCs cultured on PE‐TCPS was gauged by consistent proliferation during serial passage, expression of stem cell markers (OCT4, TRA1‐60, and SSEA‐4), stable karyotype and multi‐germlayer differentiation in vitro, including to pharmacologically responsive cardiomyocytes. Generation of cost‐effective, easy‐to‐handle synthetic, defined, stable surfaces for hESC culture will expedite stem cell use in biomedical applications. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;105: 130–140. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cutaneous perforators of the peroneal artery: Cadaveric study with implications in the design of the osteocutaneous free fibular flap
Authors: Papadimas Dimitrios , Paraskeuopoulos Tilemachos , Anagnostopoulou Sophia
Published: August 2009

Bilateral dissection of 15 formalin embalmed cadaver legs was performed in order to study the anatomic pattern of the peroneal artery (PA) and its cutaneous perforating vessels (CB). The total number of CB from the PA was 125 or an average of 4.17 branches per leg. CB were distributed in the superoinferior axis between 18.25 and 84.25% of the length of the fibula and their average length was 5 ± 1.8 cm. 86/125 (68.8%) of the CB were classified as myocutaneous branches (MC) that penetrated muscle before reaching the skin, whereas 39/125 (31.2%) were septocutaneous branches (SC) that passed through the intermuscular septum. The mean distance between the posterior border of the fibula and the site where the perforators emerged was 1.88 ± 0.79 cm for the SC and 1.21 ± 0.87 cm for the MC. These anatomic findings should encourage the surgeon to design the skin paddle in the boundary between the middle and the distal third of the fibular length about 2 cm behind the posterior fibular border on the posterolateral leg, where the number of CB is maximal. Clin. Anat. 22:826–833, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.