bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of postoperative sore throat in intubated children
Authors: Calder Alyson , Hegarty Mary , Erb Thomas O. , von Ungern‐Sternberg Britta S.
Published: November 2011

Background:  The incidence of postoperative sore throat (POST) following intubation is not well defined in the pediatric population. The etiology is multifactorial and includes impairment of subglottic mucosal perfusion and edema as a result of the pressures exerted by cuffed or uncuffed tubes.

Aim:  To determine the incidence of, and risk factors for, POST in intubated children undergoing elective day‐case surgery.

Methods:  Five hundred patients aged 3–16 years were studied prospectively. Endotracheal tube (ETT) choice (cuffed or uncuffed) was left to the anesthetist. The cuff was inflated either until loss of audible leak or to a determined pressure using a cuff manometer. The research team then measured the cuff pressure (CP). POST incidence and intensity was determined by interviewing patients prior to discharge from the same day procedure unit. Chi‐square testing and stepwise logistic regression were used to determine the predictors of POST.

Results:  Of the 111 (22%) children developed a sore throat, 19 (3.8%) a sore neck, and 5 (1%) a sore jaw. 19% of patients with cuffed ETTs complained of sore throat compared with 37% of those intubated with an uncuffed ETT. The incidence of POST increased with CP; 0–10% at 0 cmH2O, 4% at 11–20 cmH2O, 20% at 21–30 cmH2O, 68% at CP 31–40 cmH2O, and 96% at CP >40 cmH2O. The ETT CP and use of uncuffed ETTs were univariate predictors of POST.

Conclusions:  Children intubated with uncuffed ETTs are more likely to have POST. ETT CP is positively correlated with the incidence of POST. When using cuffed ETTs, CP should be routinely measured intraoperatively.
Weight loss and African–American women: a systematic review of the behavioural weight loss intervention literature
Authors: Fitzgibbon M. L. , Tussing‐Humphreys L. M. , Porter J. S. , Martin I. K. , Odoms‐Young A. , Sharp L. K.
Published: November 2011

The excess burden of obesity among African–American women is well documented. However, the behavioural weight loss intervention literature often does not report results by ethnic group or gender. The purpose of this article is to conduct a systematic review of all behavioural weight loss intervention trials published between 1990 and 2010 that included and reported results separately for African–American women. The criteria for inclusion included (i) participants age ≥18 years; (ii) a behavioural weight loss intervention; (iii) weight as an outcome variable; (iv) inclusion of African–American women; and (v) weight loss results reported separately by ethnicity and gender. The literature search identified 25 studies that met inclusion criteria. Our findings suggest that more intensive randomized behavioural weight loss trials with medically at‐risk populations yield better results. Well‐designed and more intensive multi‐site trials with medically at‐risk populations currently offer the most promising results for African–American women. Still, African–American women lose less weight than other subgroups in behavioural weight loss interventions. It is now critical to expand on individual‐level approaches and incorporate the biological, social and environmental factors that influence obesity. This will help enable the adoption of healthier behaviours for this group of women disproportionately affected by obesity.
The Dynamics of Competitor Party Behaviour
Authors: Bækgaard Martin , Jensen Carsten
Published: November 2011

We present an argument concerning the temporal dynamics of the policy positions of the main opposition parties in a legislative body; what we label competitor parties. In the article we ask how competitor parties react when losing an election, and what happens if they continue to lose election upon election. It is argued that competitor parties from the outset are trying to maximise both policy- and office-seeking preferences. We posit that this is best achieved by moving away from the median towards the party base. Yet in the event that electoral success continues to elude the competitor party a process of self-reflection, or learning, will set in within the party because the policy position of the competitor party is clearly unacceptable to pivotal voter groups. In this event, the competitor party will move strongly towards the policy position of the incumbent party, thereby neutralising any advantage the incumbent party may previously have had in terms of policy position. By giving up on its policy preferences, the competitor party maximises total utility because then, if nothing else, it becomes more likely to win office. If the competitor party continues to lose, a new cycle of divergence and convergence will set in, generating a wave-like pattern. The argument is illuminated using two well-known examples from the United States and the United Kingdom and tested employing a unique large-N data set from Danish municipalities. We show that the temporal dynamics of competitor parties are as expected.
The Factor Content of Heterogeneous Firm Trade
Authors: Kancs d’Artis , Ciaian Pavel
Published: November 2011

The present paper studies the factor content of heterogenous firm trade in the presence of market imperfections and transaction costs. The conceptual framework builds on a relative factor endowment model, which we extend to account for firm heterogeneity and transaction costs. Using a large panel of firm‐level data for the EU, we are able to examine not only the aggregate factor content of trade but also to identify differences in the factor of trade between heterogenous firms. Our empirical results suggest that because of transaction costs and market imperfections, the factor content of agricultural trade is heavily distorted in the CEE transition economies. To increase the gains of trade and the employed factor rewards, the policy should first address the transaction costs and market imperfections.
The Iconography of Punishment: Execution Prints and the Death Penalty
Authors: Carrabine Eamonn
Published: November 2011

The last couple of decades have seen a remarkable cultural turn in the sociology of punishment. In a field dominated by approaches emphasising class control and disciplinary power, it is no longer possible to ignore the force of representation. This article develops a cultural analysis of punishment through two iconic examples. The first is an 18th‐Century engraving byWilliamHogarth and the second is a 20th‐CenturyAndyWarhol screen print. Each sheds light on the social and political conditions existing at the time the work was produced and condensed important disputes over the meaning of punishment.
Dartmoor: Penal and Cultural Icon
Authors: Barton Alana , Brown Alyson
Published: November 2011

Dartmoor is one of the oldest British prisons still in use. Opened in 1809, it quickly gained a brutal reputation that its later history has done little to dispel. The image of Dartmoor has loomed large in England's penal and cultural past and endures because of its combination of particular architecture, topography and inmate population as well as its unique capacity to invoke, within the public consciousness, an idealised and even mythical representation of all prisons. This article examines how a combination of physical and expressive factors has established and perpetuated the brutal, yet ‘darkly glamorous’, image of Dartmoor prison and its prisoners.
Linezolid versus Vancomycin Antibiotic Lock Solution for the Prevention of Nontunneled Catheter‐related Blood Stream Infections in Hemodialysis Patients: A Prospective Randomized Study
Authors: Sofroniadou Sofia , Revela Ioanna , Smirloglou Despina , Makriniotou Ioanna , Zerbala Sinodi , Kouloubinis Alexandros , Samonis George , Iatrou Christos
Published: November 2011

The use of antibiotic lock solutions (ALSs) for the prevention of catheter‐related blood stream infections (CRBSIs) is a promising option. The efficacy and safety of linezolid as ALS were evaluated in a randomized double‐blind prospective study where 131 patients who required nontunneled catheter (NTC) for hemodialysis (HD) were randomized to receive an ALS with either (A) unfractionated heparin (2000 U/ml) alone as a catheter lock control, (B) vancomycin (5 mg/ml) + heparin (2000 U/ml), or (C) linezolid (2 mg/ml) + heparin (2000 U/ml). The primary endpoint of the study was CRBSI. A total of 152 NTCs were inserted in 131 patients. The linezolid‐locked group did not present any infective episode (CRBSI rate = 0/1000 catheter days) compared with 2 episodes in the vancomycin‐locked group (CRBSI rate = 1.21/1000 catheter days, p = 0.1021) and 11 episodes in the heparin‐locked group (CRBSI rate = 6.7/1000 catheter days, p = 0.0001). Median number of catheter days was greater in group C (median = 38) compared with group B (median = 36, p = 0.0415) and with group A (median = 34, p = 0.0036). No side effects and no resistant organisms were recorded with the use of linezolid ALS. Linezolid appears to be a safe and effective ALS, preventing CRBSI and prolonging the survival of the catheter in HD patients.
J‐tip guide wire entrapment within the heart during central venous catheterization
Authors: Kang Seok Hui , Park Won Kyu , Do Jun Young , Cho Kyu Hyang , Park Jong Won , Yoon Kyung Woo
Published: November 2011

A 55‐year‐old female was hospitalized for melena. The patient was suspected of having uremia symptoms. Use of a tunneled cuffed hemodialysis catheter of the right internal jugular vein was planned. At one point, the wire could not be extracted or advanced. In addition, whenever the guide wire was manipulated, ventricular premature rhythms developed. Fluoroscopy revealed knotting of the guide wire in the right ventricle. A 7 French guiding catheter was inserted along the guide wire, which loosened the knotting of the guide wire. The present case shows that entrapment within the heart can develop due to use of a J‐tip guide wire. If a guide wire cannot be removed despite several attempts with gentle pressure, this event should be ruled out by fluoroscopy and chest X‐ray. Using of straight or curved guide wire and real‐time surveillance using fluoroscopy or electrocardiography may be important to prevent this complication.
Indian and lesbian and what came next: Affect, commensuration, and queer emergences
Authors: DAVE NAISARGI N.
Published: November 2011

In this article, I demonstrate how a new social world of lesbian activists emerged in India around the text of a sign reading “Indian and Lesbian,” which was held aloft at a demonstration and then pictured in newspapers the following morning. I argue that the efficacy of this sign lay not in its commensuration of “Indian” and “lesbian” but, rather, in its introduction of an incommensurability that now had to be resolved. I understand incommensurability as affect, or the participation of the unknown in the world of norms such that something new emerges that struggles between multiplication and closure.
A comparative study of the ground nests of Centris flavifrons and Centris aethiocesta (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae)
Authors: Vinson S. B. , Frankie G. W.
Published: November 2011

The nests of Centris aethiocesta Snelling and Centris flavifrons (Friese) are described and compared to published accounts of C flavofasciata. The three are ground nesting solitary bee species in Costa Rica. Centris aethiocesta, like previously published C. flavofasciata, prefers the beach strand, although C. aethiocesta nests in more shaded areas. Centris flavifrons nests are constructed in the dry forest savanna, often in small depressions. All three construct one cell per tunnel, with the tunnel of completed nests filled with soil. Tunnels of completed nests of C. aethiocesta are unbranched; tunnels of C. flavifrons have 6 to 10 side tunnels also filled with soil, while only one side tunnel is published for C. flavofasciata.
Reference Groups, Mob Mentality, and Bystander Intervention: A Sociological Analysis of the Lara Logan Case1
Authors: Replogle Elaine
Published: November 2011

Despite that it involves mobs, bystanders, and political theater—three classic concepts in social psychology—academics have neglected analyzing the Lara Logan sexual assault case through these lenses. I explore how the case has been discussed in the media and suggest that analysis of the mob and bystanders has been, oddly, lacking. I argue that the best reference group to use when discussing this case is not other journalists or even other women who have survived assaults, but is instead enemy women who have survived politically motivated wartime gang sexual assaults. Most observers have overlooked the relevant reference group due to focusing on the traits of the victim, rather than on the context of the event itself. I argue that the case conforms to important dimensions: (1) the sociological norm that gang violence involves premeditation, (2) an agreement of values among perpetrators, and (3) that the violence itself lacked cultural and social legitimacy. Logan was likely targeted because she was a “stranger”; she was saved, in part, for the same reason. The case illustrates known patterns of mob mentalities and bystander intervention, yet it is unlike most cases of both nonwartime gender violence and violence against journalists.
It’s All in the Name: Employment Discrimination Against Arab Americans1
Authors: Widner Daniel , Chicoine Stephen
Published: November 2011

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Arab Americans faced increased discrimination that permeated almost every aspect of their lives. Previous research has documented the negative attention toward Arab Americans after 9/11 and the effect it has had on this community. However, less research has focused on discrimination against Arab Americans during the process of obtaining employment in the United States. To address this gap in the current literature, we conducted a correspondence study in which we randomly assigned a typical white‐sounding name or a typical Arab‐sounding name to two similar fictitious résumés. We sent résumés to 265 jobs over a 15‐month period. We found that an Arab male applicant needed to send two résumés to every one résumé sent by a white male applicant to receive a callback for an interview by the hiring personnel. Our findings suggest that the difference in callbacks may be the result of discrimination against the perceived race/ethnicity of the applicant by the hiring personnel.
Retention force of plastic clips on implant bars: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bayer Stefan , Komor Nathalie , Kramer Annina , Albrecht Dominic , Mericske‐Stern Regina , Enkling Norbert
Published: November 2011

Objectives

Retention of overdentures is important for patients’ satisfaction. The study tested whether the clinical performance of retentive clips made of poly‐ether‐ether‐ketone (PEEK) is superior to those made of poly‐oxy‐methylene (POM).

Methods

A total of 30 patients received complete dentures with round bars (SFI‐Bar) on two implants in a chairside technique. Two types of clip matrices (PEEK/POM) were used in a split‐mouth technique. Retention forces were measured separately for both materials at baseline when the dentures were inserted and after 1, 3 and 6 months. The measurement was performed extraorally and intraorally by using a measuring stylus equipped, respectively, with an opposing matrix or bar part. Simultaneously, at each point in time the patient and the dentist judged the retention either to be good, or to be too high or too low. Statistical analysis involved performance of global non‐parametric testing of dependence of retention force on time and material was performed with Brunner–Langer model; non‐parametric 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results

At baseline the median force for POM matrices was 6.89N (95% CI: 6.50–8.21) and for PEEK matrices 7.17N (95% CI: 6.97–7.93). After 6 months, the retention of POM decreased to 5.53N (95% CI: 4.81–7.00) and of PEEK to 6.42N (95% CI: 5.15–7.51). The retention force changed significantly over time (P = 0.004) without differences between POM and PEEK (P = 0.135). No significant alteration of the retention force over time was measured at the bar (P = 0.289). Retention was estimated to be good with 90% at baseline and with 80% after 6 months, equally by patients and dentist.

Conclusions

POM as well as PEEK material fulfills the requirements of retentive clips on round bars.
High prevalence of shoulder pain among elite Norwegian female handball players
Authors: Myklebust G. , Hasslan L. , Bahr R. , Steffen K.
Published: November 2011

Clinical experience indicates that a substantial number of handball players may suffer from shoulder pain, but they continue to play despite having shoulder pain problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and consequences of shoulder pain problems among Norwegian female elite handball players. In the preseason of the 2007–2008 season, 179 players from all 12 teams of the Norwegian elite league went through the following tests: internal and external shoulder range of motion, apprehension, relocation test, and shooting velocity. All players completed the Fahlström questionnaire and, for players with current pain, the Western Ontario shoulder instability index questionnaire. Sixty‐five (36%) players reported shoulder pain on the test day, and 40 (22%) players reported previous shoulder pain. Two thirds of the players with pain reported a gradual onset. For players with current or previous pain, 22 (36%) and 14 (36%) had missed match play, and 43 (68%) and 28 (76%) reported changing their training habits. A positive apprehension and relocation test was found among 51 (29%) of the players. In conclusion, a high proportion of female elite handball players experience shoulder pain and problems and have an unstable shoulder.
The influence of double flask investing on tooth displacement in dentures processed by microwave irradiation
Authors: Farias Neto Arcelino , dos Santos Sousa Rodrigo L. , Rizzatti‐Barbosa Célia M.
Published: November 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00587.x

The influence of double flask investing on tooth displacement in dentures processed by microwave irradiation

Objective:  This study evaluated the influence of the bimaxillary flask (BMF) and two different investing materials on first molar inclination in dentures processed by microwave irradiation.

Background:  The BMF may minimise tooth displacement, saving time and improving occlusion.

Methods and materials:  Forty pairs of dentures were randomised into four groups: stone wall in monomaxillary flask; silicone wall in BMF; stone wall in BMF; acrylic resin retentions and silicone in BMF. Dentures were processed by microwave irradiation. Two referential points were established on tooth surface. A microscope and a digital pachymeter were used to measure the distance between these points, and the angles α (right maxillary molar), β (left maxillary molar), α′ (right mandibular molar) and β′ (left mandibular molar) were calculated by the law of cosines. Data were submitted to Kruskal–Wallis (5% significance).

Results:  No difference was observed among the groups (p > 0.05). In the intra‐group analysis, α was significantly different for groups I, II and III; α′, for groups II and IV; β, for all groups; β′, for groups III and IV.

Conclusion:  First molar inclination was similar for monomaxillary and BMFs. The use of stone or silicone as investing materials presented the same effect on tooth inclination.
Effectiveness and tissue compatibility of a 12‐week treatment of chronic venous leg ulcers with an octenidine based antiseptic – a randomized, double‐blind controlled study
Authors: Vanscheidt Wolfgang , Harding Keith , Téot Luc , Siebert Jörg
Published: November 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of octenidine dihydrochloride/phenoxyethanol (OHP) found in vitro by conducting a randomized, double‐blind controlled clinical study focusing on its safe and effective use in chronic venous leg ulcers. In total, 126 male and female patients were treated with either OHP (n = 60) or Ringer solution (n = 66). The treatment lasted over a period of maximum 12 weeks. For the assessment of the wound‐healing process, clinical outcome parameters were employed, that is, time span until 100% epithelization, wound status and the wound surface area were analysed. Side effects were recorded during the study period. The median time to complete ulcer healing was comparable between the OHP and Ringer solution groups (92 versus 87 days; P = 0·952), without being influenced by wound size or duration of the target ulcer (P‐values: 0·947/0·978). In patients treated with OHP, fewer adverse events (AEs) were observed compared with the Ringer group (17% versus 29% of patients reported 20 versus 38 AEs). OHP is well suitable for the treatment of chronic wounds without cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, OHP does not impair the wound healing in chronic venous ulcers.
Perception: A Concept Analysis
Authors: McDonald Susan M.
Published: November 2011

PURPOSE:  Concept analysis methodology by Walker and Avant (2005) was used to define, describe, and delimit the concept of perception.

DATA SOURCE:  Nursing literature in the Medline database was searched for definitions of “perception.”

DATA SYNTHESIS:  Definitions, uses, and defining attributes of perception were identified; model and contrary cases were developed; and antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents were determined.

CONCLUSIONS:  An operational definition for the concept was developed.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE:  Nurses need to be cognizant of how perceptual differences impact the delivery of nursing care. In research, a mixed methodology approach may yield a richer description of the phenomenon and provide useful information for clinical practice.
Measurement‐Theoretic Accounts of Propositional Attitudes
Authors: Matthews Robert J.
Published: November 2011

In the late 1970s and early 1980s a number of philosophers, notably Churchland, Field, Stalnaker, Dennett, and Davidson, began to argue that propositional attitude predicates (such as believes that it’s sunny outside) are a species of measure predicate, analogous in important ways to numerical predicates by which we attribute physical magnitudes (such as mass, length, and temperature). Other philosophers, including myself, have subsequently developed the idea in greater detail. In this paper I sketch the general outlines of measurement‐theoretic accounts of propositional attitudes, explaining in the briefest terms the basic idea of such accounts, why some have thought such accounts plausible, how these accounts might go, what their implications might be both for our conception of propositional attitudes and for their role in cognitive scientific theorizing, and where the potential problems with such accounts might lie.
Fictionalism in Metaphysics
Authors: Kroon Frederick
Published: November 2011

This is a survey of contemporary work on ‘fictionalism in metaphysics’, a term that is taken to signify both the place of fictionalism as a distinctive anti‐realist metaphysics in which usefulness rather than truth is the norm of acceptance, and the fact that philosophers have given fictionalist treatments of a range of specifically metaphysical notions.
Description of Cydia piceicola, sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), feeding on Picea jezoensis in Korea
Authors: LEE Bong‐Woo , BAE Yang‐Seop , HAN Ah Reum , PARK Pil Sun , BYUN Bong‐Kyu
Published: November 2011

The adult and the early stages of Cydia piceicola, sp. nov., are described and illustrated from Korea. Larvae of the new species feed on Picea jezoensis (Siebold et Zucc.) Carrière, The life history and larval feeding habits are briefly discussed.
Effect of Sourdough on Quality and Acceptability of Wheat Flour Tortillas
Authors: Ontiveros‐Martínez M. del Refugio , Ochoa‐Martínez L. Araceli , González‐Herrera Silvia M. , Delgado‐Licon Efren , Bello‐Pérez L. Arturo , Morales‐Castro Juliana
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  As an alternative on the search for functional food products, this study evaluated the use of sourdough in the preparation of wheat flour tortillas. The sourdough was elaborated with Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis and the wheat flour tortillas were prepared with different concentrations of mother sponge (5%, 15%, and 25%) and fermentation times (1 and 3 h) at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C). Quality (diameter, height, color, pH, stretchability scores, and Kramer shear cell results) of wheat tortillas was evaluated after 24 h of preparation. The mother sponge concentration and fermentation time affected some quality parameters and acceptability properties (taste, aroma, color, opacity, and rollability). In addition, the sourdough tortillas had higher stretchability values than control tortillas. Since most of the prepared sourdough tortillas had acceptability values similar to those of tortilla controls, the introduction of sourdough is a viable means to incorporate additional nutritional and nutraceutical value into wheat tortillas.
All 4 Bile Salt Hydrolase Proteins Are Responsible for the Hydrolysis Activity in Lactobacillus plantarum ST‐III
Authors: Ren Jing , Sun Kejie , Wu Zhengjun , Yao Jing , Guo Benheng
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  In vertebrates, bile salt hydrolysis plays an essential role in fat metabolism. Bile salts are synthesized in the liver. And in the small intestine glycine and taurine are de‐conjugated from bile salts by the enzyme bile salt hydrolase (BSH) from intestinal microbes. However, the mechanism of bile salt hydrolysis in Lactobacillus plantarum is still ambiguous. Four predicted bile salt hydrolase (bsh) genes from L. plantarum ST‐III were cloned into Escherichia coli. The function of these genes was explored by overexpression. All 4 proteins that were studied showed activity against glycine‐ or taurine‐conjugated bile salts. Substrate preference was also observed in BSH proteins, especially for the enzyme BSH1, which had high hydrolysis activity for glycodeoxycholic acid. These results suggest that all 4 bile salt hydrolases may be responsible for the bile salt hydrolysis activity in L. plantarum ST‐III.

Practical Application:  Hypercholesterolemia is considered one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease. More interest has focused on intestinal microbes because of their role in the decrease of serum cholesterol. BSH proteins play an important role in the reduction of cholesterol. This paper adds to a better understanding of BSH proteins of intestinal microbes. It gives a great hint that probiotics can be used to solve hypercholesterolemia one day.
β‐Blockade: Benefits Beyond Blood Pressure Reduction?
Authors: Cockcroft John R. , Pedersen Michala E.
Published: November 2011

Hypertension is a major cardiovascular (CV) risk factor, but several other common conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), have been shown to independently increase the risk of CV events and death. The physiological basis for an increased CV risk in those conditions probably lies in the augmentations of oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and arterial stiffness, which all are also hallmarks of hypertension. β‐Blockers have been used for the treatment of hypertension for more than 40 years, but a number of meta‐analyses have demonstrated that treatment with these agents may be associated with an increased risk of CV events and mortality. However, the majority of primary prevention β‐blocker trials employed atenolol, an earlier‐generation β1‐selective blocker whose mechanism of action is based on a reduction of cardiac output. Available evidence suggests that vasodilatory β‐blockers may be free of the deleterious effects of atenolol. The purpose of this review is to summarize pathophysiologic mechanisms thought to be responsible for the increased CV risk associated with COPD, osteoporosis, and PAD, and examine the possible benefits of vasodilatory β‐blockade in those conditions. Our examination focused on nebivolol, a β1‐selective agent with vasodilatory effects most likely mediated via β3 activation.
Opa Was a Nazi: Family, Memory, and Generational Difference in 2005 Films by Malte Ludin and Jens Schanze1
Authors: Dembling Kerstin Mueller
Published: November 2011

German authors have consistently broken the cultural taboo against discussing the Nazi legacy within the family in the so‐called Väterliteratur and later Enkelliteratur. While the former typically assumes an accusatory stance toward the parent generation, the latter has been characterized as forgiving and empathetic toward wartime Germans. Filmmakers have also contributed to this discourse, with autobiographical documentaries that explore their families' Nazi legacies. Jens Schanze's Winterkinder—Die schweigende Generation (2005) is a prime example of the grandchildren's empathetic yet critical examination of their family's past, especially when compared with Malte Ludin's 2 oder 3 Dinge, die ich von ihm weiß (2005), which displays the confrontational, accusatory stance typically attributed to works of the children of the war generation. Both films impressively highlight what Sigrid Weigel calls a telescoping effect that allows for certain modes of denial to be passed on, and they expose the after effects on succeeding generations caused by such transferred silences and denials.
Characterization of the butyl homologues of Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and cannabidiol in samples of cannabis by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry
Authors: Harvey D I
Published: November 2011

The butyl homologues of Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol, Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, cannabinol and cannabidiol have been identified in several samples of cannabis. 8 samples contained Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, one sample contained cannabinol and one sample contained both cannabinol and cannabidiol. Separation by gas chromatography and identification by gas chromotography-mass spectrometry was achieved by the preparation of trimethylsilyl, d9-trimethylsilyl, triethylsilyl and tri-n-propylsilyl derivatives.
Mœglin’s theorem and Goldie rank polynomials in Cartan type A
Authors: Brundan Jonathan
Published: November 2011

We use the theory of finite W-algebras associated to nilpotent orbits in the Lie algebra $\mathfrak {g} = \mathfrak {gl}_N({\mathbb C})$ to give another proof of Mœglin’s theorem about completely prime primitive ideals in the enveloping algebra U(𝔤). We also make some new observations about Joseph’s Goldie rank polynomials in Cartan type A.
Semiglobal Output Feedback Stabilization of a Generalized Class of MIMO Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Zhai Junyong , Qian Chunjian , Ye Hui
Published: November 2011

This paper considers the problem of semiglobal stabilization by output feedback for a class of generalized multi-input and multi-output uncertain nonlinear systems. Due to the presence of mismatched uncertainties and the lack of triangularity condition, the systems under consideration are not uniformly completely observable. Combining the output feedback domination approach and block-backstepping scheme together, a series of linear output feedback controllers are constructed recursively for each subsystems and the closed-loop system is rendered semiglobally asymptotically stable.
Development of a Fabrication Process for the Manufacturing of a Microspherical Probe for Coordinate Measuring Machine Applications
Authors: Ji H. , Chua J. , Hsu H.-Y. , Wedding A. B.
Published: November 2011

In recent years, downscaled coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) are in demand and bring challenges to the development of micro/nanoscale probes for a variety of microscale structure measurement applications. A working prototype apparatus is developed in which a microspherical optical fiber probe tip is created from a strand of standard single mode silica optical fiber using an electric discharge technique. The Taguchi method has been used to investigate the general effects of probe fabrication conditions that result in controllable fabrication of a quality probe tip. With proper control of the process parameters, spherical optical fiber probe tips with the desired diameters in the range of 133–360 μm with a diameter variance within 3% and minimum spherical tip center offset of about 2.2 μm have been achieved. An economical and flexible technique for the fabrication of a quality microspherical probe for micro/nano-CMM application is developed in this work.
An Experimental Study of a Turbulent Wall Jet on Smooth and Transitionally Rough Surfaces
Authors: Rostamy N. , Bergstrom D. J. , Sumner D. , Bugg J. D.
Published: November 2011

The effect of surface roughness on the mean velocity and skin friction characteristics of a plane turbulent wall jet was experimentally investigated using laser Doppler anemometry. The Reynolds number based on the slot height and exit velocity of the jet was approximately Re = 7500. A 36-grit sheet was used to create a transitionally rough flow (44 < ks+ < 70). Measurements were carried out at downstream distances from the jet exit ranging from 20 to 80 slot heights. Both conventional and momentum-viscosity scaling were used to analyze the streamwise evolution of the flow on smooth and rough walls. Three different methods were employed to estimate the friction velocity in the fully developed region of the wall jet, which was then used to calculate the skin friction coefficient. This paper provides new experimental data for the case of a plane wall jet on a transitionally rough surface and uses it to quantify the effects of roughness on the momentum field. The present results indicate that the skin friction coefficient for the rough-wall case compared to a smooth wall increases by as much as 140%. Overall, the study suggests that for the transitionally rough regime considered in the present study, roughness effects are significant but mostly confined to the inner region of the wall jet.
A Peptidomimetic Targeting White Fat Causes Weight Loss and Improved Insulin Resistance in Obese Monkeys
Authors: Barnhart Kirstin F. , Christianson Dawn R. , Hanley Patrick W. , Driessen Wouter H. P. , Bernacky Bruce J. , Baze Wallace B. , Wen Sijin , Tian Mei , Ma Jingfei , Kolonin Mikhail G. , Saha Pradip K. , Do Kim-Anh , Hulvat James F. , Gelovani Juri G. , Chan Lawrence , Arap Wadih , Pasqualini Renata
Published: November 2011

A peptide-based drug that targets the vasculature of adipose tissue induces weight loss and improves metabolic function in spontaneously obese monkeys.
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans Bacteremia in an Immunocompromised Host with a Liver Graft and Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Verstreken Isabel , Laleman Wim , Wauters Georges , Verhaegen Jan
Published: November 2011

Desulfovibrio
spp. are anaerobic, sulfate-reducing, nonfermenting, Gram-negative bacteria found in the digestive tract of humans. Identification of these species with conventional methods is difficult. The reported case of a
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans
bacteremia occurring in an immunocompromised host with ulcerative colitis confirms that this organism may be a possible opportunistic human pathogen.
Subtyping Influenza A Virus with Monoclonal Antibodies and an Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay
Authors: Johnson Jennifer , Higgins Angela , Navarro Adriana , Huang Yung , Esper Frank L. , Barton Nicole , Esch Derek , Shaw Carl , Olivo Paul D. , Miao Lynn Yihong
Published: November 2011

The recent association of certain influenza A virus subtypes with clinically relevant phenotypes has led to the increasing importance of subtyping by clinical virology laboratories. To provide clinical laboratories with a definitive immunofluorescence assay for the subtyping of influenza A virus isolates, we generated a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the major circulating influenza A virus subtypes using multiple inactivated H1N1, H3N2, and 2009 H1N1 strains individually as immunogens. Eleven MAbs that target hemagglutinin (HA) of H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes were selected. These MAbs were combined into three subtype-specific reagents, one each for pan-H1 (seasonal and 2009 strains), H3, and 2009 H1, for the subtyping of influenza A virus-positive specimens by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Each subtype-specific reagent was tested on 21 prototype influenza A virus strains and confirmed to be specific for its intended subtype. In addition, the subtyping reagents did not cross-react with any of 40 other viruses. The clinical performance of the subtyping reagents was evaluated with 75 archived clinical samples collected between 2006 and 2009 using the D
3
Ultra DFA influenza A virus identification reagent (Diagnostic Hybrids, Inc., Athens, OH) and the influenza A virus subtyping reagents by IFA simultaneously. Sixty-four samples grew virus and were subtyped as follows: 30 as H3N2, 9 as seasonal H1N1, and 25 as 2009 H1N1. RT-PCR was used to confirm the influenza A virus subtyping of these samples, and there was 100% agreement with IFA. This subtyping IFA provides clinical laboratories with a cost-effective diagnostic tool for better management of influenza virus infection and surveillance of influenza virus activity.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Serum 1,3-β-
d
-Glucan for Pneumocystis jiroveci Pneumonia, Invasive Candidiasis, and Invasive Aspergillosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Onishi Akira , Sugiyama Daisuke , Kogata Yoshinori , Saegusa Jun , Sugimoto Takeshi , Kawano Seiji , Morinobu Akio , Nishimura Kunihiro , Kumagai Shunichi
Published: November 2011

Serum 1,3-β-
d
-glucan (BG) assay may be helpful as a marker for the diagnosis of
Pneumocystis jiroveci
pneumonia (PJP) and invasive fungal infection (IFI). We conducted a systematic review to assess the diagnostic accuracy of this assay. We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Collaboration databases, Ichushi-Web, reference lists of retrieved studies, and review articles. Our search included studies of serum BG assay that used (i) positive cytological or direct microscopic examination of sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for PJP and (ii) European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer or similar criteria for IFI as a reference standard and provided data to calculate sensitivity and specificity. Only major fungal infections such as invasive candidiasis and invasive aspergillosis were included in the IFI group. Twelve studies for PJP and 31 studies for IFI were included from January 1966 to November 2010. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-SROC) for PJP were 96% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 92% to 98%), 84% (95% CI, 83% to 86%), 102.3 (95% CI, 59.2 to 176.6) and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.94 to 0.99), respectively. No heterogeneity was found. For IFI, the values were 80% (95% CI, 77% to 82%), 82% (95% CI, 81% to 83%), 25.7 (95% CI, 15.0 to 44.1), and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82 to 0.93). Heterogeneity was significant. The diagnostic accuracy of the BG assay is high for PJP and moderate for IFI. Because the sensitivity for PJP is particularly high, the BG assay can be used as a screening tool for PJP.
A 5-year follow-up study of Alfredson's heel-drop exercise programme in chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy
Authors: van der Plas A , de Jonge S , de Vos R J , van der Heide H J L , Verhaar J A N , Weir A , Tol J L
Published: November 2011

Background

Eccentric exercises have the most evidence in conservative treatment of midportion Achilles tendinopathy. Although short-term studies show significant improvement, little is known of the long-term (>3 years) results.

Aim

To evaluate the 5-year outcome of patients with chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy treated with the classical Alfredson's heel-drop exercise programme.

Study design

Part of a 5-year follow-up of a previously conducted randomised controlled trial.

Methods

58 patients (70 tendons) were approached 5 years after the start of the heel-drop exercise programme according to Alfredson. At baseline and at 5-year follow-up, the validated Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment–Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire score, pain status, alternative treatments received and ultrasonographic neovascularisation score were recorded.

Results

In 46 patients (58 tendons), the VISA-A score significantly increased from 49.2 at baseline to 83.6 after 5 years (p<0.001) and from the 1-year to 5-year follow-up from 75.0 to 83.4 (p<0.01). 39.7% of the patients were completely pain-free at follow-up and 48.3% had received one or more alternative treatments. The sagittal tendon thickness decreased from 8.05 mm (SD 2.1) at baseline to 7.50 mm (SD 1.6) at the 5-year follow-up (p=0.051).

Conclusion

At 5-year follow-up, a significant increase of VISA-A score can be expected. After the 3-month Alfredson's heel-drop exercise programme, almost half of the patients had received other therapies. Although improvement of symptoms can be expected at long term, mild pain may remain.
Validity of internal expression of the major histocompatibility complex class I in the diagnosis of inflammatory myopathies
Authors: Salaroli Roberta , Baldin Elisa , Papa Valentina , Rinaldi Rita , Tarantino Lucia , De Giorgi Lucilla Badiali , Fusconi Marco , Malavolta Nazzarena , Meliconi Riccardo , D'Alessandro Roberto , Cenacchi Giovanna
Published: November 2011

Objective

The inflammatory myopathies (IMs) are a group of disorders characterised by weakness and inflammation of the skeletal muscles. Muscle biopsy is the most crucial test to confirm the clinical diagnosis, but also the most common cause of misdiagnosis. There are currently no markers specific or sensitive enough to distinguish IMs from other diseases with similar clinical and morphological features, and an international multidisciplinary effort is under way to develop new classification criteria for IMs.

Methods

Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy recommendations to validate a diagnostic test based on the quantification of internal major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) positive fibres were adopted. MHC-I immunostained specimens from 64 patients were scored by two independent blinded investigators, and the percentage of positive fibres was determined. Agreement between investigators was evaluated with the k-weighted statistic. The receiver operating characteristic curve, area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of each percentage range of positive fibres versus the diagnosis of IM were calculated.

Results

The main difference between IM and non-inflammatory samples was the number of internal MHC-I positive fibres. The k-weighted value was 0.89 for a percentage of MHC-I positive fibres above 50%; the positive predictive value was 100%, and the negative predictive value was 94%.

Conclusions

This is the first study on the validity of a quantitative analysis of internal MHC-I positive fibres for an IM diagnosis performed according to Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy recommendations. The interobserver agreement was almost perfect, thus making the method reproducible. Applying an MHC-I cut-off above 50% is an optimal marker for polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) diagnosis.
KINETIC MODELING OF THE TRANSPORT OF DUST PARTICLES IN A RAREFIED ATMOSPHERE
Authors: CHARLES FRÉDÉRIQUE , DELLACHERIE STÉPHANE , SEGRÉ JACQUES
Published: November 2011

We propose kinetic models to describe dust particles in a rarefied atmosphere in order to model the beginning of a Loss of Vacuum Accident (LOVA) in the framework of safety studies in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). After having studied characteristic time and length scales at the beginning of a LOVA in ITER and underlined that these characteristic scales justify a kinetic approach, we firstly propose a kinetic model by supposing that the collisions between dust particles and gas molecules are inelastic and are given by a diffuse reflexion mechanism on the surface of dust particles. This collision mechanism allows us to take into account the macroscopic character of dust particles compared to gas molecules. This leads to establish new Boltzmann type kinetic operators that are non-classical. Then, by noting that the mass of a dust particle is huge compared to the mass of a gas molecule, we perform an asymptotic expansion to one of the dust–molecule kinetic operators with respect to the ratio of mass between a gas molecule and a dust particle. This allows us to obtain a dust–molecule kinetic operator of Vlasov type whose any numerical discretization is less expensive than any numerical discretization of the original Boltzmann type operator. At last, we perform numerical simulations with Monte–Carlo and Particle-In-Cell (PIC) methods which validate and justify the derivation of the Vlasov operator. Moreover, examples of 3D numerical simulations of a LOVA in ITER using these kinetic models are presented.
p53 Modulates Acquired Resistance to EGFR Inhibitors and Radiation
Authors: Huang Shyhmin , Benavente Sergio , Armstrong Eric A. , Li Chunrong , Wheeler Deric L. , Harari Paul M.
Published: November 2011

There is presently great interest in mechanisms of acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors that are now being used widely in the treatment of a variety of common human cancers. To investigate these mechanisms, we established EGFR inhibitor–resistant clones from non–small cell lung cancer cells. A comparative analysis revealed that acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors was associated consistently with the loss of p53 and cross-resistance to radiation. To examine the role of p53, we first knocked down p53 in sensitive parental cells and found a reduction in sensitivity to both EGFR inhibitors and radiation. Conversely, restoration of functional p53 in EGFR inhibitor–resistant cells was sufficient to resensitize them to EGFR inhibitors or radiation in vitro and in vivo. Further studies indicate that p53 may enhance sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors and radiation via induction of cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and DNA damage repair. Taken together, these findings suggest a central role of p53 in the development of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors and prompt consideration to apply p53 restoration strategies in future clinical trials that combine EGFR inhibitors and radiation. Cancer Res; 71(22); 7071–9. ©2011 AACR.
Afferent and Efferent Connections of the Pineal Organ in the European Sea Bass Dicentrarchus labrax: A Carbocyanine Dye Tract-Tracing Study
Authors: Servili Arianna , Herrera-Pérez Patricia , Yáñez Julián , Muñoz-Cueto José Antonio
Published: November 2011

The pineal organ of fish is a photosensitive structure that receives light information from the environment and transduces it into hormonal (rhythmic melatonin secretion) and neural (efferent projections/neurotransmitters) signals. In this study, we focused on this neural output. Thus, we performed a tract-tracing study using 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI), a fluorescent carbocyanine dye, in order to elucidate the efferent and afferent connections of the pineal organ in the European sea bass. The axonal transport of DiI revealed extensive bilateral projections in the sea bass brain. The efferent projections of the sea bass pineal organ reach the habenula, ventral thalamus, periventricular pretectum, central pretectal area, posterior tubercle and medial and dorsal tegmental areas. In addition, in this study we also examined the pinealopetal system in sea bass. This analysis demonstrated that the sea bass pineal organ receives central projections from neurons located, to a large extent, in brain areas innervated by pineal efferent projections, i.e. the thalamic eminence, habenula, ventral thalamus, dorsal thalamus, periventricular pretectum, posterior commissure, posterior tubercle and medial tegmental area. This study is the first description of pinealofugal projections in a representative of Perciformes, which constitutes a derived order within teleosts. Moreover, it represents the first evidence for the presence of pinealopetal neurons in the brain of a teleost species. Our findings, together with the analysis of retinal connections, represent a step forward in the understanding of the integration of photoperiodic signals into the central nervous system of sea bass.