bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polymorphisms of innate pattern recognition receptors, response to interferon-beta and development of neutralizing antibodies in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Enevold Christian , Oturai Annette B , Sørensen Per Soelberg , Ryder Lars P , Koch-Henriksen Nils , Bendtzen Klaus
Published: July 2010

Background: Interferon-beta therapy of patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis involves repeated ‘immunizations’ with exogenous protein solutions. Innate pattern recognition receptors play an important role in immune responses towards foreign substances and may thus be related to treatment outcome.

Objective: To determine the genotypes at 42 single nucleotide polymorphism loci in selected pattern recognition receptors for 567 prospectively followed relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated with recombinant interferon-beta, and test for relationships to several outcome parameters, including formation of interferon-beta neutralizing antibodies.

Results: The results suggest an association between the rs5743810 polymorphism (Ser249Pro) of TLR6 and development of neutralizing antibodies after 24 months of therapy in males ( p = 0.00002), but not in females ( p = 0.2). This association survived crude Bonferroni correction ( pcorrected = 0.02). Additional associations were observed in carriers of the TLR2-rs5743708 and NOD2-rs3135499 SNPs (time to relapse), the TLR7-rs179008 and NOD1-rs2075820 SNPs (time to disease progression) and the TLR4-rs7873784, TLR9-rs5743836, and NOD2-rs2066842 SNPs (frequency of neutralizing antibodies development). All of these, however, failed to survive correction for multiple testing. There were no significant differences between interferon-beta responders and non-responders for any of the investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms.

Conclusions: The rs5743810 polymorphism of TLR6 may be involved in development of anti-interferon-beta antibodies in males, although further studies are required to firmly establish this.
Adolescents’ adverse experiences and mental health in a prospective perspective
Authors: Haavet O.R. , Sagatun Å. , Lien L.
Published: July 2010

Aims: The aim of this study is to examine the possible changes in depressive symptoms related to various adverse experiences, based on a three-year follow-up among adolescents. Methods: All 10th graders invited to enter the youth section of the Oslo Health Study 2001 (n = 3,811) constituted a baseline of a longitudinal study. A high level of mental distress (Hscl-10 score ≥1.85) according to the different life experiences was compared, at baseline (15 years) and follow-up (18 years). Results: All adverse experiences were associated with a high Hscl-10 score except parents not living together and death of a close person at 15 and 18 years for boys, and death of a close person at 18 years of age for girls. A development from high Hscl-10 score at baseline to low score at follow up was defined as recovery from mental distress. The proportion of the youth that had a high Hscl-10 score related to reporting adverse life experiences at age 15, followed by a low Hscl-10 score three years later proved to be between 44% and 89% among boys and between 16% and 31% among girls. Conclusions: From a three year longitudinal perspective the recovery from mental distress is substantial and higher among boys than among girls. However, mental distress seems to persist in a considerable proportion of the adolescents. Consequently, it is insufficient to brush aside traumas and hurt and rely on a time healing process only.
Local Directors of School Education in Greece: Their Role and Main Sources of Job Stress
Authors: Lainas Athanassios
Published: July 2010

Directors of education in Greece operate at prefectural level and are the heads of the local directorates or bureaus of primary/secondary education. Because of the centralized character of the educational system, their role is restricted to facilitating the smooth operation of the local school system and implementing the national policy on school education. The research reported in this article aims at investigating the job stress experienced by the Greek directors of education. Three hundred and fifty-seven Directors of Education took part in the study. The two main questions addressed concern: (1) the level of job stress experienced by the participants; and (2) the main sources of their job stress. The results showed that directors of education in Greece experience moderate occupational stress while the main sources of their work stress come from different domains including the shortage of human and financial resources, the implementation of national educational policies and reforms, the nature and the characteristics of their work, their relations with people and specific dimensions of their career. Moreover, variations were found between the different subgroups examined with directors of secondary education and directors of directorates of education reporting higher stress.
The Initial Stage of a School’s Capacity Building
Authors: Stöcklin Sacha
Published: July 2010

The rationale of this article is that schools and their leaders need to establish and formalize a system which focuses on integrating staff effectively into the organization’s community and instituting esteem and competency. Competent educators in a professional community constitute two of the three dimensions that build the capacity to create high-performing educational institutions. This case study which was conducted in an international hotel management school in Switzerland, first, analyses and criticizes the existing program and, second, explains the technique by which any organization can begin constructing the two dimensions of its capacity building by looking at different components of a faculty’s integration. The intention of this study is to provide suggestions to school leaders that could be applied to improve their own educational institution.
Spirited Leadership and the Struggle for the Soul of Headteachers: Differentiating and Balancing Nine Types of Engagement
Authors: Luckcock Tim
Published: July 2010

This article is written from the perspective of a practicing headteacher as a contribution to the theory and practice of spiritual leadership in education. By using a conceptual map derived from personality type theory it seeks to articulate several distinct facets of spirited leadership, intended to denote what engages, enlivens and enlightens our personal approaches to leadership. It also engages positively with the struggle for the soul of headteachers contesting that the overemphasis on interiorizing the performative self in orthodox constructions of headship and leadership development needs to be re-balanced by other equally important qualities of personhood. Based on a series of meditative reflections on the experience of inner leadership, a utopian manifesto is presented that elaborates on the strengths of the nine facets of spirited leadership for education and what is needed to safeguard them in the current climate. It concludes by asking whether the anticipated leadership recruitment crisis in the UK may actually be caused by the prevailing model of headship and urges the wisdom of asking not merely what kind of people thrive in the practice of educational leadership but more profoundly what kind of leadership suits the breadth and balance of the human soul.
I787 provides signals for c-Kit receptor internalization and functionality that control mast cell survival and development
Authors: Orinska Zane , Föger Niko , Huber Michael , Marschall Julia , Mirghomizadeh Farhad , Du Xin , Scheller Marina , Rosenstiel Philip , Goldmann Torsten , Bollinger Annalena , Beutler Bruce A. , Bulfone-Paus Silvia
Published: July 2010

Mast cell (MC) differentiation, survival, and activation are controlled by the membrane tyrosine kinase c-Kit upon interaction with stem cell factor (SCF). Here we describe a single point mutation induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosurea (ENU) mutagenesis in C57BL/6J mice—an A to T transversion at position 2388 (exon 17) of the c-Kit gene, resulting in the isoleucine 787 substitution by phenylalanine (787F), and analyze the consequences of this mutation for ligand binding, signaling, and MC development. The Kit787F/787F mice carrying the single amino acid exchange of c-Kit lacks both mucosal and connective tissue-type MCs. In bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs), the 787F mutation does not affect SCF binding and c-Kit receptor shedding, but strongly impairs SCF-induced cytokine production, degranulation enhancement, and apoptosis rescue. Interestingly, c-Kit downstream signaling in 787F BMMCs is normally initiated (Erk1/2 and p38 activation as well as c-Kit autophosphorylation) but fails to be sustained thereafter. In addition, 787F c-Kit does not efficiently mediate Cbl activation, leading to the absence of subsequent receptor ubiquitination and impaired c-Kit internalization. Thus, I787 provides nonredundant signals for c-Kit internalization and functionality.
Overcoming barriers to engaging socio-economically disadvantaged populations in CHD primary prevention: a qualitative study
Authors: Harkins Christopher , Shaw Rebecca , Gillies Michelle , Sloan Heather , MacIntyre Kate , Scoular Anne , Morrison Caroline , MacKay Fiona , Cunningham Heather , Docherty Paul , MacIntyre Paul , Findlay Iain N
Published: July 2010

Background

Preventative medicine has become increasingly important in efforts to reduce the burden of chronic disease in industrialised countries. However, interventions that fail to recruit socio-economically representative samples may widen existing health inequalities. This paper explores the barriers and facilitators to engaging a socio-economically disadvantaged (SED) population in primary prevention for coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods

The primary prevention element of Have a Heart Paisley (HaHP) offered risk screening to all eligible individuals. The programme employed two approaches to engaging with the community: a) a social marketing campaign and b) a community development project adopting primarily face-to-face canvassing. Individuals living in areas of SED were under-recruited via the social marketing approach, but successfully recruited via face-to-face canvassing. This paper reports on focus group discussions with participants, exploring their perceptions about and experiences of both approaches.

Results

Various reasons were identified for low uptake of risk screening amongst individuals living in areas of high SED in response to the social marketing campaign and a number of ways in which the face-to-face canvassing approach overcame these barriers were identified. These have been categorised into four main themes: (1) processes of engagement; (2) issues of understanding; (3) design of the screening service and (4) the priority accorded to screening. The most immediate barriers to recruitment were the invitation letter, which often failed to reach its target, and the general distrust of postal correspondence. In contrast, participants were positive about the face-to-face canvassing approach. Participants expressed a lack of knowledge and understanding about CHD and their risk of developing it and felt there was a lack of clarity in the information provided in the mailing in terms of the process and value of screening. In contrast, direct face-to-face contact meant that outreach workers could explain what to expect. Participants felt that the procedure for uptake of screening was demanding and inflexible, but that the drop-in sessions employed by the community development project had a major impact on recruitment and retention.

Conclusion

Socio-economically disadvantaged individuals can be hard-to-reach; engagement requires strategies tailored to the needs of the target population rather than a population-wide approach.
The experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS and of their direct informal caregivers in a resource‐poor setting
Authors: Majumdar Basanti , Mazaleni Nomathemba
Published: July 2010

Background

HIV/AIDS is a critical concern in South Africa, where extreme poverty and gender issues are major determinants of health. A comprehensive home‐based care programme is needed to lessen the burden placed on the caregivers of those suffering from HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the challenges faced by people who are living with HIV/AIDS and by their caregivers in resource‐poor, remote South African villages.

Methods

In‐depth interviews were conducted with nine persons living with HIV/AIDS and their nine direct informal caregivers. Interviews explored the themes of physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Two focus groups, one involving community leaders and one with local health care providers, were conducted to build on themes emerging from the in‐depth interviews. A thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed.

Results

This study sheds light on the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and the needs of their direct informal caregivers in a rural area of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. These needs include: physical/medical, social, material, financial, physiological/emotional, gender issues, and instrumental.

Conclusions

In developing home‐based care programmes, it is vital to consider the perceived needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and their direct informal caregivers. The results from this study serve as a basis for the development of a home‐based care programme in one resource‐poor setting of South Africa and could provide a model for such programmes in similar areas.
Serum ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid concentrations in routine samples submitted for biochemical analysis
Authors: White G
Published: July 2010

Background

The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of undetected potassium EDTA contamination in routine blood samples submitted for biochemical analysis.

Methods

Over a seven-day period, serum EDTA concentrations were measured in all blood samples submitted for routine biochemical analysis.

Results

EDTA contamination was detected in 22 of 4789 samples submitted for analysis (0.46%), of which only seven (0.15%) would have been detected by staff using subjective methods. Detection of low but significant concentrations of EDTA was not necessarily associated with hyperkalaemia or hypocalcaemia. Haemolysis remains the leading cause of non-reporting of analyte results.

Conclusion

The presence of EDTA in serum does not always result in spurious hyperkalaemia or hypocalcaemia. Routine measurement of serum EDTA concentrations has the potential to reveal contamination which is not obvious using subjective measures and its routine measurement has the potential to identify minimally contaminated samples.
Identification of N-homocysteinylated apolipoprotein AI in normal human serum
Authors: Ishimine N , Usami Y , Nogi S , Sumida T , Kurihara Y , Matsuda K , Nakamura K , Yamauchi K , Okumura N , Tozuka M
Published: July 2010

Background

In human serum, a portion of homocysteine (Hcy) exists as an N-linked form to the ε-amino group of protein lysine residues. N-homocysteinylated proteins differ structurally and functionally from native proteins. The present study strives to develop detection and potential semi-quantification methods for N-homocysteinylated apolipoprotein AI ( N-Hcy-apoAI) in human serum.

Methods

Serum treated with or without cysteamine was supplied to isoelectric focusing (IEF) followed by an immunoblot using an anti-apoAI antibody. Cysteamine treatment increased the isoelectric point for N-Hcy-apoAI, but not for unmodified apoAI, due to the presence of -SH group(s) derived from Hcy and the absence of a cysteine residue in the apoAI molecule. N-Hcy-apoAI was semi-quantified from the scanned immunoblot pattern via a computer.

Results

After cysteamine treatment, N-Hcy-apoAI in the serum was identified by IEF at the position with a higher pI value compared with intact apoAI. The reproducibility (between assays) of the semi-quantification method was 19.1% CV (coefficient of variation) for an average ratio 5.9% of N-Hcy-apoAI to the whole apoAI in the serum. Approximately 1.0–7.4% of apoAI was N-homocysteinylated in the serum obtained from 27 healthy subjects. Neither the ratio of N-Hcy-apoAI nor its concentration, calculated by total apoAI concentration, indicated correlation with the so-called total (free and S-linked) Hcy concentration.

Conclusions

We directly found that a portion of apoAI in the serum undergoes homocysteinylation in an N-linkage manner, and used this to develop a potential semi-quantification method for N-Hcy-apoAI.
Development of a clinically relevant liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for 13 drugs of abuse in urine, designed to meet the needs of the service users
Authors: Duxbury K , Romagnoli C , Anderson M , Watts R , Waite G
Published: July 2010

Background

The clinical requirements of the users of assay results must be at the centre of assay development. We aimed to develop a single liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for drugs of abuse in urine that would meet the needs of our service users and replace the multiple screening and confirmatory techniques previously in use.

Methods

After discussion with our users, it was decided that 13 drugs and metabolites should be measured in our panel: morphine, codeine, norcodeine, dihydrocodeine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, acetyl codeine, methadone and its metabolite, buprenorphine and its metabolite, amphetamine, benzoylecgonine and cotinine. Urine samples were prepared by the addition of internal standard, enzymatic hydrolysis and solid-phase extraction. Chromatography conditions were optimized so that the analytes were separated within a run time of 6 min. Optimal parent to daughter m/z ion transitions were chosen for all drugs and daughter ion ratios were used.

Results

The LC-MS/MS assay was successfully validated with acceptable precision and lower limits of quantification for all drugs. No matrix effects were seen. The results produced by the LC-MS/MS assay compared well with the previous combination of techniques in use.

Conclusions

We have developed and validated a fit-for-purpose LC-MS/MS assay for 13 drugs of abuse in urine that obviates the need for multiple screening and confirmatory analytical techniques.
Retrospective Study to Determine the Change in Referral Pattern to St George's Hospital Orthodontic Department before and after the 2006 NHS Dental Contract Changes
Authors: Izadi Maryam , Gill Daljit S , Naini Farhad B
Published: July 2010

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the possible effects of the 2006 National Health Service General Dental Services contract changes on the referral pattern to the orthodontic department at St George's Hospital, South West London.

Method

This study was carried out on a retrospective basis. The notes of consecutive patients referred between 1st May and 30th September in 2005 and 2008 were assessed, and the patient's Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the source of referral noted.

Results

The total numbers of referrals increased from 260 in 2005 to 405 in 2008. The number of referrals from general dental practitioners decreased slightly from 165 to 156, as did the numbers of referrals from other sources, such as tertiary referrals. The number of referrals made by specialist practitioners increased from 41 in 2005 to 207 in 2008, representing an increase from 16% to 51% of overall referrals. Overall, the number of patients being referred with an IOTN dental health component grade of 5 increased from 27% to 55%.

Conclusion

The increase in referrals from specialist practitioners may be partly due to the changes brought to the commissioning of orthodontic services for specialist practitioners. Overall, the number of cases being referred with IOTN grades 4 and 5 remains high at St George's Hospital, indicating that appropriate referrals are being made.
Motivation to change and pathological gambling: Analysis of the relationship with clinical and psychopathological variables
Authors: Gómez‐Peña Mónica , Penelo Eva , Granero Roser , Fernández‐Aranda Fernando , Álvarez‐Moya Eva , Santamaría Juan José , Moragas Laura , Aymamí Maria‐Neus , Bueno Blanca , Gunnard Katarina , Menchón José M. , Jiménez‐Murcia Susana
Published: July 2010

Objectives. The present study analyses the internal factor structure of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) Scale in pathological gambling (PG). The scale's association with the clinical profile of patients is also evaluated.

Method. The factor analysis was based on a sample of 531 men with a DSM‐IV diagnosis of pathological gambling. The statistical analysis included confirmatory factor analysis and linear correlation.

Results. The analyses confirmed the internal structure obtained for the URICA. The internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha between .74 and .85). The association between URICA scores and the socio‐demographic and clinical profile of patients ranged between moderate and weak (R coefficients below .30). Lower motivation was present in 28.4% of cases and it was associated with shorter duration of the disorder, lower severity of the PG symptoms, and high psychopathology.

Conclusions. The results support the validity and reliability of the URICA in a Spanish clinical population of pathological gamblers.
Judgment of age and attractiveness in a paired comparison task: Testing a picture set developed for diagnosing paedophilia
Authors: Mokros Andreas , Butz Matthias , Dombert Beate , Santtila Pekka , Bäuml Karl‐Heinz , Osterheider Michael
Published: July 2010

Purpose. The Not‐Real‐People picture set serves as stimulus material for assessing paedophilic sexual interest. The pictures were generated according to five stages of sexual maturation from infancy to adulthood. While experts seem to be able to discern between the pictures based on maturity levels for a nude variant of the stimuli, it remained unclear whether lay persons would be able to reliably distinguish between picture of clothed individuals from various maturity levels.

Methods. Heterosexual university students (52 females, 50 males) participated in a paired comparison task, deciding which of the persons shown on two pictures was younger and which one was more attractive. Additionally, reaction times were recorded.

Results. Both male and female judges were able to differentiate between stimuli from the opposite sex with regard to age: the perception of the stages of pubertal development conformed to a measurement on a ratio scale. Similarly, the decisions on attractiveness of the categories were in accordance with a ratio scale. Male participants favoured adolescent and adult female stimuli. Contrary to expectation, female participants did not show a preference for any single age category.

Conclusions. The stimuli appear suitable for diagnostic purposes. The participants' decisions reflect the inherent maturity levels of the persons depicted. Reaction times in the paired comparison paradigm increase with task difficulty (i.e., similitude of pictures). The implications for indirect measures of sexual interest, based on reaction times, are discussed.
Evaluation of Polymer‐Coated Urea and Urease Inhibitor for Winter Wheat in Southern Alberta
Authors: McKenzie Ross H. , Middleton A. B. , Pfiffner P. G. , Bremer E.
Published: July 2010

Nitrogen fertilization of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the drier regions of the Canadian prairies is currently accomplished by banding urea or anhydrous ammonia at seeding or broadcasting urea in early spring. This study was conducted to determine if the efficacy of urea could be improved by using polymer‐coated urea (PCU) or treatment with urease inhibitor N‐(n‐butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT). Two field experiments were conducted for 3 yr on wheat stubble and on fallow at Bow Island and at Lethbridge. Grain yield and protein concentration response of winter wheat was determined for noncoated urea (NCU) and PCU banded in the soil at seeding at seven rates from 30 to 210 kg N ha−1 (Exp. 1) and for four N fertilizer types broadcast on the soil surface in early spring at rates of 30, 60, and 90 kg N ha−1 (Exp. 2): NCU, ammonium nitrate (AN), NBPT‐treated urea (NTU), and PCU. When N fertilizer was banded at seeding, grain yield was higher for PCU than NCU, but differences were small (<100 kg ha−1, <5%) and likely not due to reduced N losses. Grain protein concentration was unaffected by fertilizer type. When N fertilizer was broadcast on the soil surface in the spring, grain yield and protein concentration were similar for NCU, AN, and NTU, but reduced for PCU due to excessive delay in N release. The negligible impact of polymer coating or treatment with NBPT on urea efficacy reflects the low risk of urea N loss in this region.
Grass Forage Response to Broadcast or Surface‐Banded Liquid Dairy Manure and Nitrogen Fertilizer
Authors: Carter Jeffrey E. , Jokela William E. , Bosworth Sidney C.
Published: July 2010

Manure can provide valuable nutrients, especially N, for grass forage, but N availability is limited because of high NH3 volatilization losses from standard surface‐broadcast application. Field experiments were conducted for 2 yr at two sites in Vermont to evaluate effects of broadcast or banded liquid dairy manure and broadcast N fertilizer on grass yield and N utilization. Treatments were applied to orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) on a well‐drained silt loam and to reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) on a somewhat poorly drained clay soil. Manure was applied three or four times per year at rates of 25 or 50 m3 ha−1 either by broadcasting or by trailing‐foot spreading in narrow bands. Fertilizer N was broadcast at 0, 28, 56, and 84 kg N ha−1 on separate plots at the same time as each manure application. Fertilizer N increased yields significantly to the medium rate (224 kg ha−1 yr−1) on orchardgrass and the high rate (252 kg ha−1 yr−1) on the reed canarygrass site. The high rate of banded manure produced 80 to 110% of the yields from the high N fertilizer rate. Yields from the trailing‐foot, banded manure application were 6 to 14% higher than those from broadcast manure in the two site‐years where method had a significant effect. Fertilizer N equivalence of manure averaged 44% with banded and 34% with broadcast application. We conclude that surface‐banding manure with a trailing‐foot applicator has the potential to provide benefits over conventional broadcast application by improving N utilization and increasing yield.
Selection System for the Stay‐Green Drought Tolerance Trait in Sorghum Germplasm
Authors: Burke J. J. , Franks C. D. , Burow G. , Xin Z.
Published: July 2010

Post‐flowering drought tolerance is an essential trait for increasing the production of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and other cereals in Mediterranean and semiarid tropical climates. Current methodologies for identifying the nonsenescent (stay‐green) trait require the right intensity of drought stress at the right developmental stage to visually evaluate lines in the field. Field‐based evaluations of drought tolerance are notoriously difficult to manage, and often require growing lines in multiple locations across several years to acquire a meaningful assessment of the stay‐green trait. By means of a 30‐min high‐temperature challenge to leaf tissue during flowering of well‐watered sorghum and a 30‐min room temperature recovery, we show that stay‐green lines can be readily identified. Using chlorophyll fluorescence to monitor tissue injury, we found that tissue with higher intercellular sucrose concentrations exhibited higher chlorophyll fluorescence yield following the temperature challenge. Stay‐green lines evaluated in this study maintained higher dawn leaf sucrose levels than the senescent lines among the five youngest leaf positions. Evaluation of 10 known stay‐green and senescent sorghum lines, previously reported in the literature, with this bioassay allowed us to separate the two classes of sorghum from well‐watered flowering plants. The stay‐green lines can also be separated from senescent lines under well‐watered greenhouse conditions from the boot stage onward. This technology will greatly reduce the selection time needed to identify drought tolerant sorghum.
Water Balance and Nitrate Leaching under Corn in Kura Clover Living Mulch
Authors: Ochsner Tyson E. , Albrecht Kenneth A. , Schumacher Todd W. , Baker John M. , Berkevich Robert J.
Published: July 2010

Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) living mulch has potential to improve the environmental impact of corn (Zea mays L.) production, especially in the context of corn silage or stover harvest. Our objective was to determine the effects of kura clover living mulch on the water balance and nitrate leaching under corn near Arlington, WI. Treatments in the 2.5‐yr experiment (April 2006–November 2008) were N‐fertilized no‐till corn following killed kura clover as the control and no‐till corn in living mulch with fertilizer rates of 0 and 90 kg N ha−1 yr−1 Soil water storage was 37 to 50 mm lower under the living mulch than the control in the spring, while the control experienced 29 to 36 mm greater soil water depletion than the living mulch in the summer. Evapotranspiration was similar across treatments, except in May when it was greater under the living mulch by 11 to 41 mm. The living mulch did not appreciably reduce drainage. Nitrate‐N storage in the soil profile and nitrate‐N concentrations in the soil solution at 1‐m depth were significantly reduced (p = 0.10) under both living mulch treatments relative to the control. Flow‐weighted nitrate‐N concentrations were 23 mg L−1 for the control, 17 mg L−1 for the living mulch with 90 kg N ha−1 yr−1, and 6 mg L−1 for the living mulch with 0 kg N ha−1 yr−1 Total nitrate‐N leached was reduced 31 and 74% relative to the control under the living mulch with 90 and 0 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively.
One‐Time Tillage of No‐Till Crop Land Five Years Post‐Tillage
Authors: Wortmann C. S. , Drijber R. A. , Franti T. G.
Published: July 2010

Continuous no‐till (NT) can be beneficial relative to tillage with fewer field operations, reduced erosion, and surface soil improvement. Field research was conducted at two locations for 5 yr in eastern Nebraska to test the hypotheses that one‐time tillage of NT can result in increased grain yield, reduced stratification of soil properties persisting for at least 5 yr, a net gain in soil organic carbon (SOC), and a restoration of the soil microbial community to NT composition. Stratification of soil test P, SOC, and bulk density was similar for all tillage treatments at 5 yr after tillage. Water stable soil aggregates (WSA) were not affected by tillage treatments except that there was more soil as macroaggregates at one location in the 5‐ to 10‐cm depth with moldboard plow tillage (MP) compared with NT. Tillage treatments had no effect on SOC mass in the 0‐ to 30‐cm depth. Soil microbial biomass was greater at the 0‐ to 5‐cm compared with the 5‐ to 10‐cm depth. Biomass of bacteria, actinomycetes, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was greater with NT compared with one‐time MP at one location but not affected by the one‐time tillage at the other location. Microbial community structure differed among tillage treatments at the 0‐ to 5‐cm depth at one location but not at the other location. Grain yield generally was not affected by tillage treatment. One‐time tillage of NT can be done without measureable effects on yield or soil properties.
Changes in Alfalfa Yield and Nutritive Value within Individual Harvest Periods
Authors: Brink Geoffrey , Hall Marvin , Shewmaker Glen , Undersander Dan , Martin Neal , Walgenbach Richard
Published: July 2010

Understanding the relationship between alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) yield and nutritive value throughout the growing season will permit optimum timing of harvest. Our objective was to determine the rate at which alfalfa yield and fiber components change during each of four harvest periods. In spring, early summer, late summer, and fall of 2004 and 2005 at Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Idaho, primary growth of three alfalfa cultivars was initially harvested at late vegetative stage and every 5 d thereafter for 20 d. Forage dry matter (DM) yield, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) were measured at each harvest. Rate of DM production of all cultivars was greatest both years during the spring at Pennsylvania (222.5 and 702.2 kg ha−1 d−1, respectively) and early summer at Wisconsin (83.4 and 278.8 kg ha−1 d−1, respectively), and in early and late summer at Idaho (198.4 and 194.4 kg DM ha−1 d−1, respectively, in 2005 only). The rate of increase in NDF was generally greatest during spring at Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and during early summer at Idaho, while the rate of decrease in NDFD was generally greatest during early summer at all locations. The results suggest that the negative association between yield and nutritive value has greatest impact on timing of harvests made in spring and early summer in humid environments, and in early and late summer in more arid regions.
Genetic Factors Influencing Adverse Effects of Mesotrione and Nicosulfuron on Sweet Corn Yield
Authors: Meyer Michael D. , Pataky Jerald K. , Williams Martin M.
Published: July 2010

Sensitivity to certain P450‐metabolized herbicides in corn (Zea mays L.) is largely conditioned by a single cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene. Little to no research has been done to evaluate the effect of CYP genotype on sweet corn yield. Yield of 23 sweet corn hybrids of known CYP genotype was evaluated in 2007, 2008, and 2009 following postemergence applications of mesotrione, an hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitor, or nicosulfuron, an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor, at two growth stages. Mesotrione and nicosulfuron were evaluated in separate experiments. Treatments included herbicide application during the V3 to V5 or V5 to V7 growth stages and a nontreated control. Crop injury, measured 7 d after treatment (DAT), ranged from 0 to 87% for mesotrione and 0 to 54% for nicosulfuron among CYP genotypes. Injury from both mesotrione and nicosulfuron was most severe following application during V3 to V5 growth stages on hybrids with mutant (i.e., nonfunctional) cyp alleles. Only hybrids homozygous for mutant cyp alleles (i.e., cypcyp) suffered yield losses from mesotrione, ranging from 9 to 40%. These hybrids were not evaluated for nicosulfuron because applications of ALS‐inhibiting herbicides kill cypcyp hybrids. Nicosulfuron reduced the yield of CYPcyp hybrids only; whereas mesotrione did not. Yield losses from nicosulfuron ranged from 9 to 35% among CYPcyp hybrids and were associated with moderate to severe loss of kernel rows (i.e., ear pinching). Yield of CYPCYP hybrids was not affected by mesotrione or nicosulfuron.
Cladophora in the Great Lakes: impacts on beach water quality and human health
Authors: Verhougstraete M. P. , Byappanahalli M. N. , Rose J. B. , Whitman R. L.
Published: July 2010

Cladophora in the Great Lakes grows rapidly during the warm summer months, detaches, and becomes free-floating mats as a result of environmental conditions, eventually becoming stranded on recreational beaches. Cladophora provides protection and nutrients, which allow enteric bacteria such as Escherichia coli, enterococci, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Salmonella to persist and potentially regrow in the presence of the algae. As a result of wind and wave action, these microorganisms can detach and be released to surrounding waters and can influence water quality. Enteric bacterial pathogens have been detected in Cladophora mats; E. coli and enterococci may populate to become part of the naturalized microbiota in Cladophora; the high densities of these bacteria may affect water quality, resulting in unnecessary beach closures. The continued use of traditional fecal indicators at beaches with Cladophora presence is inadequate at accurately predicting the presence of fecal contamination. This paper offers a substantial review of available literature to improve the knowledge of Cladophora impacts on water quality, recreational water monitoring, fecal indicator bacteria and microorganisms, and public health and policy.
Factors affecting economies of scale in combined sewer systems
Authors: Maurer Max , Wolfram Martin , Anja Herlyn
Published: July 2010

A generic model is introduced that represents the combined sewer infrastructure of a settlement quantitatively. A catchment area module first calculates the length and size distribution of the required sewer pipes on the basis of rain patterns, housing densities and area size. These results are fed into the sewer-cost module in order to estimate the combined sewer costs of the entire catchment area. A detailed analysis of the relevant input parameters for Swiss settlements is used to identify the influence of size on costs. The simulation results confirm that an economy of scale exists for combined sewer systems. This is the result of two main opposing cost factors: (i) increased construction costs for larger sewer systems due to larger pipes and increased rain runoff in larger settlements, and (ii) lower costs due to higher population and building densities in larger towns. In Switzerland, the more or less organically grown settlement structures and limited land availability emphasise the second factor to show an apparent economy of scale. This modelling approach proved to be a powerful tool for understanding the underlying factors affecting the cost structure for water infrastructures.
Transitioning to a waterways city: municipal context, capacity and commitment
Authors: Morison P. J. , Brown R. R. , Cocklin C.
Published: July 2010

In Melbourne, Australia, the adoption of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and the inclusion of best practice in new urban development has shifted the “drained city” of the 1960s toward an environmentally-oriented “waterways city” for the future. However, the “waterways city” is tenuous owing to the variable commitment of local municipalities to WSUD. This paper reports on the first phase of a social research project, which aims to secure a model of the waterways city by addressing the commitment and capacity deficits of local municipalities. Municipal commitment and capacity across three geographical areas in Melbourne are measured quantitatively using an innovative, comprehensive, and replicable assessment technique. The results show variability in municipal capacity and commitment across the areas, with a pronounced deficit in the rural-regional area. Consequently, intergovernmental attempts to normalise modes of integrated urban water management (such as WSUD) need to include innovative and flexible mechanisms that are responsive to the dynamics of municipal commitment and capacity. These principles have broader application to cities internationally where the management of urban stormwater is the shared responsibility of multiple governments.
Associative and Dissociative Imagery Effects on Perceived Exertion and Task Duration
Authors: Razon Selen , Basevitch Itay , Filho Edson , Land William , Thompson Brooke , Biermann Marie , Tenenbaum Gershon
Published: July 2010

The study was designed to examine the effects of associative and dissociative imagery interventions on reported ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and task-duration across a handgrip-squeezing task. Sixty adults (Mage = 22.19 years) were randomly assigned to three groups: associative imagery, dissociative imagery, and control (non-imagery). Participants were instructed to perform a 30% maximal handgrip-squeezing task until volitional fatigue. During the squeezing task, RPE and attention allocation were measured every 30 seconds. A series of RM MANOVA procedures revealed that (a) RPE increased linearly across all three groups as a function of increased effort output, (b) as compared to control participants, RPE was lower in participants using either associative or dissociative imagery, and (c) as compared to control participants, participants using either imagery remained longer on task. While the effects of imagery use on RPE and task-duration were descriptively evident, not all effects were significant. Future studies must examine imagery applications for tasks that vary in workload intensities. Findings shed light on interventions that can possibly render exercise experience more pleasant and less exertive for the general population.
The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Relief and Disaster Assistance Missions: An Approach to Better Collaboration with the Public Sector in Post‐Disaster Operations
Authors: Egan Matthew Jude , Tischler Gabor H.
Published: July 2010

FEMA currently divides post‐disaster operations into two phases: Response and Recovery. The nonprofit sector, primarily through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) member organizations, provides services and distributes goods in ways that straddle both Response and Recovery. In terms of provision of goods and services to individuals, these two phases invoke ESF‐6 and ESF‐14. FEMA has traditionally had a difficult time categorizing National VOAD members' activities, partially because of the difficulty in categorizing whether their work fits into Response or Recovery. As FEMA is currently drafting the National Recovery Framework, this paper suggests that this is a particularly strong opportunity for FEMA to better capture the way in which National VOAD members participate in post‐disaster operations. The paper describes National VOAD member operations, the “relief and disaster assistance” missions (hereinafter referred to interchangeably as “Relief” or “Relief and Disaster Assistance”), as a current of activities that run through the preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery stages of the disaster cycle. This paper argues that by developing a better understanding of the types of services National VOAD members provide and the motivations for providing them, FEMA and state and local governments will be better able to utilize the nonprofit sector in post‐disaster operations.
Unipolar Depression During Pregnancy: Nonpharmacologic Treatment Options
Authors: Tjoa Christopher , Pare Emmanuelle , Kim Deborah R
Published: July 2010

Depression during pregnancy can negatively affect maternal and fetal health. Some women will choose not to take psychotropic medications during pregnancy. This article reviews alternatives to pharmacologic treatments for women suffering from unipolar depression during pregnancy, focusing on exercise therapy, phototherapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation and acupuncture.
Reduction in Down's Syndrome Screening Acceptance is Predominantly Observed in Women Aged 25–35 Years
Authors: Gidiri Muchabayiwa , Holding Stephen , Lindow Stephen W
Published: July 2010

Background: The risk of having a child with Down's syndrome increases with maternal age. However, uptake of screening has never been analyzed according to age. Different studies have shown different screening uptake rates, some low and some high, but it is not clear which age categories are responsible for these trends. Aims: To demonstrate if any age cohorts are responsible for the noted decline in uptake of serum screening. Setting: A large teaching hospital in Hull and East Yorkshire, which has offered second trimester serum screening for Down's syndrome for over 16 years using the same test (triple test). Main outcome measures: Uptake of serum screening for Down's syndrome in each 5-year age cohort per year, over 4 years. A secondary outcome measure was the uptake according to parity. Methods: We accessed our hospital records covering a 5-year period for all women booking and delivering in a large North of England teaching hospital. The women were categorized into 5-year age cohorts for analysis of the data. Results: Down's syndrome screening uptake rates indicate a decline from 63.2 and 65.1% in 2003 to 38.6 and 39% in 2006, respectively, in the age groups 25–29.9 and 30–34.9 years who constitute at least 50% of all pregnant women. There was no evidence of the effect of parity on serum screening. Conclusion: It is apparent that the noted overall decline in the trends of serum screening uptake are due to the reduced uptake by the 25–35 years age group.
Screening of Women at High Familial Risk of Breast Cancer
Authors: Narod Steven A
Published: July 2010

Evaluation of: Kuhl C, Weigel S, Schrading S et al.: Prospective multicenter cohort study to refine management recommendations for women at elevated familial risk of breast cancer: the EVA trial. J. Clin. Oncol. 28, 1450–1457 (2010). In the EVA trial, Kuhl et al. screened 687 women at high risk of breast cancer for up to 3 years with annual MRI. A total of 27 breast cancers were diagnosed, including 11 DCIS and two local recurrences. There were no interval cancers. This data suggests that MRI screening can be used to downstage breast cancers, but larger studies with longer follow-up periods are required to confirm these findings.
21st European Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Authors: Hornnes Peter
Published: July 2010

The 21st European Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology took place in Antwerp 5–8 May 2010. The congress provided the participants with an overview of recent scientific and clinical developments throughout the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, and these are summarized in this article.
Sex and Sensitivity: The Continued Need for Sex-Based Biomedical Research and Implementation
Authors: Tingen Candace M , Kim Alison M , Wu Pei-Hsuan , Woodruff Teresa K
Published: July 2010

The phrase ‘women's health research’ embraces women as part of the biomedical research engine while categorizing women as separate. Before personalized medicine can become a reality, we must first ensure that basic physiological differences between the sexes are clearly delineated. In this article we argue that research into sex differences should be encouraged at the most fundamental levels of the biomedical sciences. Moreover, appropriate representation of both sexes as participants in clinical studies is still critically needed. Academic and governmental organizations must continue to articulate strong policy in order to ensure inclusion and analysis of sex as a critical variable. Focused attention on sex as a contributing factor to health, disease and therapeutic activity will increase our fund of knowledge regarding our everyday health, increase the pace of clinical research and ensure a healthier population.
Sources of Parent-Adolescent Conflict: Content and Form of Parenting
Authors: Sorkhabi Nadia
Published: July 2010

Parent-adolescent conflicts are examined as a function of parental rule construction, use of reason at points of disagreement, and regulation of personal, moral, conventional, and prudential social domains. Multiple regression analyses of interviews with mothers, fathers, and adolescents
revealed that, across all perspectives, variations in parental use of reason explain unique variance in conflict frequency above and beyond rule construction or regulation of domains. Furthermore, based on mothers' reports about their parenting and adolescents' reports of their mothers, the
domains mothers regulate do not explain unique variance in conflict frequency but fathers' reports about their parenting and adolescents' reports of their fathers do. Differences in parents' and adolescents' perspectives are examined and it is concluded that content and form of parenting are
both important in explaining conflict in differential ways between mother-adolescent and father-adolescent dyads.
Emotional Intelligence and Personality Traits as Predictors of Psychological Well-Being in Spanish Undergraduates
Authors: Augusto Landa Jose M. , Martos Manuel Pulido , López-Zafra Esther
Published: July 2010

The relationships were analyzed among emotional intelligence (EI), personality traits, and psychological well-being in undergraduates. In addition, the predictive capacity of EI and personality traits was analyzed. Results showed that low scores in neuroticism and high scores in extraversion
are the dimensions of personality most related to all the psychological well-being scales, and also the best predictors of psychological well-being. Furthermore, high scores in clarity and emotional repair were found to be two consistent predictors for all the scales of psychological well-being,
after controlling for personality factors. These results confirm the prognostic significance for EI on psychological well-being.