bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advanced Onset of Puberty in Gilts of Thrifty Genotype (Iberian Pig)
Authors: Gonzalez‐Añover P , Encinas T , Gomez‐Izquierdo E , Sanz E , Letelier CA , Torres‐Rovira L , Pallares P , Sanchez‐Sanchez R , Gonzalez‐Bulnes A
Published: May 2009

Contents

The Iberian pig is an autochthonous breed of the Mediterranean area, reared extensively in the central and southern areas of Spain and Portugal and that is known worldwide for the production of Iberian ham. The characteristics of the Iberian ham are related to its abundance of intramuscular fat, owing to the high capacity of the pig to accumulate fat under its skin and between the muscular fibres. This ability to store excess fat enables survival during periods of scarcity and it has been found in other antique animal breeds and even in humans, being named as the thrifty genotype. The reproductive management of the Iberian pig, in spite of a lack of accurate information unlike in other swine breeds, is based on the assumption of lower reproductive precocity and efficiency than the modern commercial breeds. The current study characterized and compared the onset of puberty in gilts of Iberian breed and meat commercial crosses (Large White × Landrace) reared in the same conditions by assessing weekly plasma progesterone profiles. At the end of the experimental period, when the gilts became 180 days old, the percentage of Iberian females that had reached puberty was 72.2%, with a mean age and weight of 160.5 ± 2.6 days and 92.9 ± 4.7 kg, respectively. The percentage of Large White × Landrace cross‐breed females reaching puberty at 180 days was only 15% (p < 0.05). The mean age and weight were 165.0 ± 4.1 days and 107.8 ± 2.2 kg (p < 0.05), respectively. Thus, converse to the traditional assumption, onset of puberty was advanced in Iberian gilts. These results are important for the reproductive management of the Iberian pig but, at the same time, may set the basis for future studies on the metabolism–reproduction link and, specifically, on the possible relationship between earlier accumulation of fat and attainment of puberty.
Pentoxifylline prevents pig serum‐induced rat liver fibrosis by inhibiting interleukin‐6 production
Authors: Toda Kyoko , Kumagai Naoki , Kaneko Fumihiko , Tsunematsu Satoshi , Tsuchimoto Kanji , Saito Hidetsugu , Hibi Toshifumi
Published: May 2009

Background/Aim:  Pig serum‐induced rat liver fibrosis is a model of liver fibrosis in the absence of obvious hepatocyte injury. Penoxifylline (PTX), a xanthine derivative, which is a well‐known suppressor of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) production from inflammatory cells, has also been shown to inhibit the growth of hepatic stellate cells and to inhibit collagen synthesis in these cells in vitro. We investigated the effect of PTX on pig serum‐induced liver fibrosis in vivo, and assessed the mechanisms of prevention of fibrogenesis by this drug.

Methods:  Male Wistar rats were given intraperitoneal injections of 0.5 ml normal pig serum twice a week for 10 weeks with or without concomitant oral administration of PTX (20 mg/kg).

Results:  Rats that received pig serum showed significant liver fibrosis, and their serum interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and hyaluronic acid levels were significantly increased. The serum levels of IL‐6 were well correlated with the serum levels of hyaluronic acid, and increased as the liver fibrosis progressed. Penoxifylline prevented the development of fibrosis in this animal model and reduced the serum levels of IL‐6 in a dose‐dependent manner. In vitro, by the addition of PTX to the culture medium of the rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the proliferation of the HSCs was significantly inhibited and IL‐6 in the culture supernatant was also reduced significantly. Exogenous addition of IL‐6 partially restored the proliferation.

Conclusion:  Penoxifylline prevents pig serum‐induced rat liver fibrosis by inhibiting the proliferation of HSCs and by inhibiting the production of IL‐6 from HSCs.
Anzygina, a new genus for some Australasian microleafhopper species formerly placed in the genusZyginaFieber (Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae: Erythroneurini)
Authors: Fletcher Murray J , Larivière Marie‐Claude
Published: May 2009

Species of Erythroneurini (Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) currently placed in the genusZyginaand found in Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands are transferred to the new genusAnzygina, type speciesErythroneura sidnicaKirkaldy, following comparison with the type species of the genus:Typhlocyba niveaMulsant and Rey. New combinations areAnzygina sidnica(Kirkaldy),Anzygina honiloa(Kirkaldy),Anzygina melanogaster(Kirkaldy) andAnzygina sativae(Evans) from Australia,Anzygina toetoe(Cumber),Anzygina agni(Knight),Anzygina dumbletoni(Ghauri) andAnzygina ramsayi(Knight) from New Zealand,Anzygina zealandica(Myers) from Australia and New Zealand,Anzygina jowettae(Knight) from Norfolk Island andAnzygina medioborealis(Ghauri) from Papua New Guinea. Lectotypes are designated forErythroneura honiloaKirkaldy andE. sidnicaKirkaldy.Anzygina billisp.n. is described from SE Qld, andAnzygina barrattaesp.n. is described from the South Island of New Zealand.A. agniis a new record for Australia and is presumed to be Australian in origin.A. dumbletonihas a distribution which suggests that it also is introduced to New Zealand although its origins are not known.A. ramsayi, A. barrattaeandA. toetoe, all of which appear to be New Zealand endemics, show affinity with each other based on aedeagal structure. A key to these species, based on males, is provided. The lack of male syntypes forErythroneura honialaKirkaldy andErythroneura lubraKirkaldy precludes establishment of their identities relative to other species of the genus, and both names are regarded as havingnomen dubiumstatus. Australian species not transferred toAnzyginaareZygina evansi(Ross) andZygina ipoloa(Kirkaldy), both of which belong elsewhere.
Expression of P2X3 purinoceptors in suburothelial myofibroblasts of the normal human urinary bladder
Authors: Liu Fei , Takahashi Norio , Yamaguchi Osamu
Published: May 2009

Objectives:  To investigate the possible localization of P2X3 receptors on suburothelial myofibroblasts and the structural relationship between these cells and sensory nerves in the human bladder.

Methods:  Bladder specimens were obtained from 17 patients. Cryosections were prepared for immunofluorescent investigations using various antibodies, including cytoskeletal marker vimentin, α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SM actin), desmin, P2X3 purinoceptors, afferent nerve fibers marker calcitonin gene related peptide, substance P and Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4. Double‐labeling was employed to determine the spatial relationship of myofibroblasts with P2X3 purinoceptors and afferent fibers.

Results:  In the bladder suburothelium, there was a network of fusiform vimentin‐positive cells with branching processes. Almost all of these vimentin‐positive myofibroblasts showed immunoreactivity for α‐SM actin. P2X3 receptors' immunoreactivity was not distributed on any of the suburothelial afferent nerve fibers including calcitonin gene related peptide, substance P and isolectin B4‐containing nerves in the bladder. However, abundant P2X3 receptors localized on the small soma and branching processes of suburothelial myofibroblasts. Furthermore, a large number of suburothelial afferent fibers were found to contact closely with myofibroblasts, or intermingle with each other.

Conclusions:  In the suburothelium of the human bladder, there was a layer of vimentin‐positive myofibroblasts. Almost all vimentin‐positive myofibroblasts showed double labeling for α‐SM actin. These cells expressed P2X3 receptors. Suburothelial myofibroblasts may be intermediate in processing adenosine triphosphate‐mediated sensory activation.
TRUST, INEQUALITY AND THE SIZE OF THE CO‐OPERATIVE SECTOR: CROSS‐COUNTRY EVIDENCE
Authors: Jones Derek C. , Kalmi Panu
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT:  We provide the first empirical evidence on the determinants of differences in the size of the cooperative sector around the world. Our key data have been recently released by the ICA and are integrated with other standard sources, such as data from the World Values surveys. In our empirical work we concentrate on the links between inequality and trust and cooperative incidence and undertake selectivity correction estimates as well as a series of robustness checks. Consistent with theory we find strong support for the proposition that trust plays a causal role in accounting for differences in co‐operative incidence. Also consistent with theory, we find support (albeit much weaker) for the role of inequality. Further support for our findings flows from our estimates for conventional, listed firms, where we do not find that trust and inequality play similar roles in accounting for the variation in the incidence of large listed firms across countries.
Prognostic factors for the response to treatment in males with genital warts
Authors: Stefanaki C , Hadjivassiliou M , Katzouranis I , Bethimoutis G , Nicolaidou E , Anyfantakis V , Lagogianni E , Caroni C , Panagiotopoulos A , Antoniou C , Katsambas A
Published: May 2009

Background  Factors predicting an unfavourable course of genital warts to treatment have not been determined.

Materials and methods  Behavioural and baseline disease characteristics were recorded from 246 males with anogenital warts. Urethral swabs were obtained and examined using the Hybrid Capture 2 Microplate assay. Patients were treated for their anogenital warts with cryotherapy, imiquimod cream 5% or podophyllotoxin. They were followed up every 3 months for 1 year.

Results  Patients with a negative or low‐risk initial test tended to respond earlier to treatment than those with a high/intermediate‐risk human papillomavirus (HPV) or with a dual infection (P = 0.028). The response rate was unrelated (P > 0.05) to the duration, number and anatomical location of the lesions and to the patient's age and sexual orientation, and only marginally to the initial extent of the lesion (P = 0.046). However, the type of treatment predicted a favourable response (P ≤ 0.001), with patients who received both imiquimod and crotherapy responding worse. Considering all factors simultaneously in logistic regression, only the type of treatment and extent of the disease were found to influence the response rate.

Conclusion  The type of treatment and extent of the disease were the only factors found critical for patients’ response.
Lost in the field: ensuring student learning in the ‘threatened’ geography fieldtrip
Authors: Herrick Clare
Published: May 2009

As a result of its importance to the discipline's identity and epistemology, the nature of fieldwork and the fieldtrip itself have recently come under close scrutiny in the education and geographical literature. Moreover, not only is their pedagogical importance being debated, but also their future viability at a time of increasing pressure on institutions to minimise potential risk situations in the field, offer value for money to students as well as following the increasingly common and popular trend of long‐haul fieldtrips. This paper therefore critically interrogates the role and use of fieldwork within geographical teaching and learning in the light of its changing and increasingly contested status within the discipline in three parts. First, it outlines and reflects upon the current debate surrounding the threat to the primacy of fieldtrips in geography at a time of ongoing upheaval in higher education. Second, through the empirical example of personal experiences teaching on second‐year undergraduate urban geography fieldtrips to San Francisco in December 2007 and 2008, the paper engages with the current discussions of the pedagogical importance of fieldtrips. Third, the paper asks, to what extent teaching in ‘the field’ might foster the ‘experiential’ or ‘active’ learning needed to inspire the kind of ‘deep learning’ approaches that hold the kind of ‘transformative’ potential envisaged as a key goal of education more broadly. Through exploring these ideas with reference to recent and relevant experience, the paper aims to critically interrogate the role and value of fieldtrips at a time when their potential demise is being cast as a fundamental assault on geography's founding identity and pedagogical traditions. The paper concludes that despite the threats it faces, the pedagogical significance of fieldwork means that it must remain a fundamental tenet of the geographical educational experience.
Comparison of inhibitors of superoxide generation in vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Luo Z , Chen Y , Chen S , Welch WJ , Andresen BT , Jose PA , Wilcox CS
Published: May 2009

Background and purpose:  We compared the dose‐dependent reductions in cellular superoxide anion (O2‐) by catalytic agents: superoxide dismutase (SOD), polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐SOD and the nitroxide 4‐hydroxy‐2,2,6,6,‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (tempol) with uncharacterized antioxidants: 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis (4‐sulphonatophenyl) porphyrinate iron (III)(Fe‐TTPS), (‐)‐cis‐3,3′,4′,5,7‐pentahydroxyflavane (2R,3R)‐2‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐3,4‐dihydro‐1(2H)‐benzopyran‐3,5,7‐triol (‐epicatechin), 2‐phenyl‐1,2‐benzisoselenazol‐3(2H)‐one (ebselen) and N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) with the spin trap nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and with the vitamins or their analogues: ascorbate, α‐tocopherol and 6‐hydroxy‐2,5,7,8‐tetramethylkroman‐2‐carboxy acid (trolox).

Experimental approach:  O2‐ was generated in primary cultures of angiotensin II‐stimulated preglomerular vascular smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats and detected by lucigenin‐enhanced chemiluminescence.

Key results:  SOD, PEG‐SOD, NAC and tempol produced a similar maximum inhibition of O2‐ of 80–90%. ‐Epicatechin, NBT, ebselen and Fe‐TTPS were significantly (P < 0.0125) less effective (50–70%), whereas trolox, α‐tocopherol and ascorbate had little action even over 24 h of incubation (<31%). Effectiveness in disrupted and intact cells was similar for the permeable agents, PEG‐SOD and tempol, but was enhanced for SOD. Generation of O2‐ was increased by NAC and NBT at low concentrations but reduced at high concentrations.

Conclusions and implications:  Maximum effectiveness against cellular production of O2‐ requires cell membrane permeability and catalytic action as exemplified by PEG‐SOD or tempol. NAC and NBT have biphasic effects on O2‐ production. Vitamins C and E or analogues have low efficacy.
Exploring Farm Investment Behaviour in Transition: The Case of Russian Agriculture
Authors: Bokusheva Raushan , Bezlepkina Irina , Lansink Alfons Oude
Published: May 2009

This paper analyses the investment behaviour of Russian farms during the period of economic stabilisation that followed Russia’s financial crisis of 1998, and is the first to apply the error‐correction investment model to describe farms’ investment behaviour in the transitional context. Additionally, the paper employs the error‐correction and the adjustment‐cost model to test for differences in the investment behaviour between various farm categories. The results show that in general Russian farms exhibited an error‐correcting behaviour in the period under investigation. From 1999 to 2005 the output–capital gap was closed by an average rate of 10% per year. Estimates of the adjustment‐cost model show that Russian farm investments are very sensitive to the sales–capital ratio, suggesting that Russian farms exhibit increasing returns to scale and positive expectations about future revenues. Yet, such farm characteristics as ownership structure, access to input markets and also regional specifics were found to be decisive for farm investment not only in the short but long term too. Finally, the results show that the adjustment‐cost model is adequate for the evaluation of differences in short‐term investment behaviour, whereas it is noticeably less powerful for investigating differences in the farms’ long‐term investment behaviour.
A novel mutation in the biliverdin reductase‐A gene combined with liver cirrhosis results in hyperbiliverdinaemia (green jaundice)
Authors: Gåfvels Mats , Holmström Petra , Somell Anna , Sjövall Fredrik , Svensson Jan‐Olof , Ståhle Lars , Broomé Ulrika , Stål Per
Published: May 2009

Background: Hyperbiliverdinaemia is a poorly defined clinical sign that has been infrequently reported in cases of liver cirrhosis or liver carcinoma, usually indicating a poor long‐term prognosis.

Aims: To clarify the pathogenesis of hyperbiliverdinaemia in an extended case report.

Methods: A 64‐year‐old man with alcoholic cirrhosis was admitted to hospital with severe bleeding from oesophageal varices. Ultrasonography showed ascites, but no dilatation of the biliary tree. The skin, sclerae, plasma, urine and ascites of the patient showed a greenish appearance. Bilirubin levels were normal, and there were no signs of haemolysis. Biliverdin was analysed in plasma and urine with liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The seven exonic regions of the biliverdin reductase‐A (BVR‐A) gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced.

Results: Biliverdin was present in plasma and urine. In nucleotide 52 of exon I of the DNA isolated from the hyperbiliverdinaemic patient, we discovered a novel heterozygous C→T nonsense mutation converting an arginine (CGA) in position 18 into a stop codon (TGA) (R18Stop) predicted to truncate the protein N‐terminally to the active site Tyr97. Two children of the proband were heterozygous for the identical mutation in the BVR‐A gene, but had no clinical signs of liver disease and had normal levels of biliverdin. The BVR‐A gene mutation was not found in 200 healthy volunteers or nine patients with end‐stage liver cirrhosis.

Conclusion: Hyperbiliverdinaemia (green jaundice) with green plasma and urine may be caused by a genetic defect in the BVR‐A gene in conjunction with decompensated liver cirrhosis.
RELEASE OF CARBOHYDRATES AND PROTEINS BY A SUBTROPICAL STRAIN OF RAPHIDIOPSIS BROOKII (CYANOBACTERIA) ABLE TO PRODUCE SAXITOXIN AT THREE NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS1
Authors: Yunes João Sarkis , De La Rocha Sabrina , Giroldo Danilo , Silveira Savenia Bonoto da , Comin Rubens , Bicho Miriam da Silva , Melcher Silvia Susanne , Sant’anna Célia Leite , Vieira Armando Augusto Henriques
Published: May 2009

Raphidiopsis brookii P. J. Hill (cyanobacteria) was isolated from a small subtropical eutrophic pond (Biguá Pond) located in the grounds of Rio Grande University in the extreme south of Brazil, following a toxic bloom of this species. Growth, saxitoxin production, and release of carbohydrates and protein were monitored at three sodium nitrate concentrations (500, 1,000, and 1,500 μM), from inoculation up to the stationary growth phase. Growth was monitored by determining the biovolume, chl content, and trichome count. Growth was better described in terms of biovolume and chl measurements, because trichome fragmentation was observed to increase at the stationary growth phase. Carbohydrates and proteins were released in small amounts during most of the experiment, with a significant increase during the stationary phase. Extracellular polysaccharides were essentially composed of glucose, galactose, N‐acetyl‐glucosamine, mannose, xylose, rhamnose, arabinose, and fucose. The relative proportions of these units showed no significant variation during growth. Small quantities of extracellular free carbohydrates were also detected, and only fucose was released in significant amounts at the lowest nitrate concentration (500 μM). R. brookii produced both saxitoxin and dc‐saxitoxin, the former at four times the rate of the latter. This was the first study demonstrating saxitoxin production and the release of both carbohydrate and protein by R. brookii.
CHARACTERIZATION OF MARTENSIA (DELESSERIACEAE, RHODOPHYTA) BASED ON A MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR STUDY OF THE TYPE SPECIES, M. ELEGANS, AND M. NATALENSIS SP. NOV. FROM SOUTH AFRICA1
Authors: Lin Showe‐Mei , Hommersand Max H. , Fredericq Suzanne , De Clerck Olivier
Published: May 2009

An examination of a series of collections from the coast of Natal, South Africa, has revealed the presence of two species of Martensia C. Hering nom. cons: M. elegans C. Hering 1841, the type species, and an undescribed species, M. natalensis sp. nov. The two are similar in gross morphology, with both having the network arranged in a single band, and with reproductive thalli of M. elegans usually larger and more robust than those of M. natalensis. Molecular studies based on rbcL sequence analyses place the two in separate, strongly supported clades. The first assemblage occurs primarily in the Indo‐West Pacific Ocean, and the second is widely distributed in tropical and warm‐temperate waters. Criteria that have been used in the past for separating the two, namely, the number and shape of the blades, the presence of a single‐ versus a multiple‐banded network, and blade margins entire or toothed, were determined to be unreliable. Although the examination of additional species is required, the morphology and position of procarps and cystocarps, whether at or near the corners of the longitudinal lamellae and the cross‐connecting strands or along the lobed, membranous edges of the longitudinal lamellae or on the thallus margins, may prove to be diagnostic at the subgenus level. We recognize subg. Martensia, including the type of Martensia: M. elegans and subg. Mesotrema (J. Agardh) De Toni based on Martensia pavonia (J. Agardh) J. Agardh.
PATERNAL LEAKAGE OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA IN A FUCUS (PHAEOPHYCEAE) HYBRID ZONE1
Authors: Hoarau Galice , Coyer James A. , Olsen Jeanine L.
Published: May 2009

Eukaryotic mitochondria are mostly uniparentally (maternally) inherited, although mtDNA heteroplasmy has been reported in all major lineages. Heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one mitochondrial genome in an individual, can arise from recombination, point mutations, or by occasional transmission of the paternal mtDNA (=paternal leakage). Here, we report the first evidence of mtDNA paternal leakage in brown algae. In Denmark, where Fucus serratus L. and Fucus evanescens C. Agardh have hybridized for years, we found eight introgressed individuals that possessed the very distinct haplotypes of each parental species. The finding of heteroplasmy in individuals resulting from several generations of backcrosses suggests that paternal leakage occurred in earlier generations and has persisted through several meiotic bottlenecks.
Context‐dependent defence in terrestrial plants: the effects of light and nutrient availability on plant resistance against herbivory
Authors: Hendriks Rob J. J. , Luijten Leon , Van Groenendael Jan M.
Published: May 2009

The context‐dependent defence (CDD) hypothesis predicts that defence levels of plant species against herbivory are not fixed but vary with environmental conditions, in a way that is specific for plant species that share evolutionary adaptations to resource conditions exemplified by similar maximum relative growth rates. More specifically, we expected plants from resource‐poor environments to display high defence levels but not when grown under resource‐rich conditions, whereas the reverse – plants from resource‐rich conditions displaying low defence levels but not when grown under resource‐poor conditions – is not necessarily the case. In this study, we used multiple‐choice bioassays in which leaf discs were fed to larvae of Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as an efficient and effective way of indicating plant defence levels. This generalist herbivore was capable of detecting both inter‐ and intraspecific differences in defence among plant species. The CDD was tested by exploring the effects of various experimental resource conditions (light, nutrients) upon the herbivore preferences and by comparing these preferences with the maximum relative growth rate of plant species. The experimental results provide general support for the CDD hypothesis with respect to nutrient‐level variation but the effects were not related to the origin of the plant species tested. Variation in light conditions did not result in consistent effects upon herbivore preferences. The CDD therefore can be formulated more precisely as: defence levels of plant species vary under different environmental conditions but in a way that is specific for plant species that share evolutionary adaptations to similar nutrient conditions. This more precise CDD hypothesis is a useful addition to existing optimal‐defence theory because of its focus on the possible plastic effects of resource conditions upon plant defence levels. This is relevant when designing experimental plant–herbivore studies.
Clinical and histological evaluation of an acellular dermal matrix allograft in combination with the coronally advanced flap in the treatment of miller class I recession defects: an experimental study in the mini‐pig
Authors: Núñez Javier , Caffesse Raul , Vignoletti Fabio , Guerra Fernando , San Roman Fidel , Sanz Mariano
Published: May 2009

Objectives: To study the wound healing of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) allografts when used together with coronally advanced flaps (CAF) in the treatment of localized gingival recessions in the mini‐pig experimental model.

Material and Methods: Dehiscence defects 4 × 5 mm were surgically created in one buccal root surface in each quadrant of PI, II, or III in three mini‐pigs. They were then treated with CAF and the interposition of either a connective tissue graft (CTG) or ADM. As the primary outcome, the histological interface between the ADM and the root surface was studied and was compared with CTG. As secondary outcomes, we assessed the amount and quality of the keratinized tissue and clinical outcomes in terms of root coverage and recession reduction.

Results: At 3 months, the CTG group attained a mean 76% root coverage, versus 62% in the ADM group. The histological interface with the root surface was similar in both groups. The apical migration of the epithelium was 1.79±0.46 mm for the CTG and 1.21±0.35 mm for ADM. Newly formed cementum was observed with both treatments. New bone and a newly formed periodontal ligament were shown in five specimens in the ADM group and in three in the CTG group.

Conclusion: Both materials showed similar clinical and histological outcomes.
Metastatic tumours to the oral cavity: a survival study with a special focus on gingival metastases
Authors: Seoane Juan , Van der Waal Isaäc , Van der Waal Rutger I. F. , Cameselle‐Teijeiro José , Antón Iosu , Tardio Antoni , Alcázar‐Otero Juan J. , Varela‐Centelles Pablo , Diz Pedro
Published: May 2009

Aims: To describe survival from oral metastases, particularly gingival metastases, and to identify clinical prognostic variables.

Materials and Methods: A series of 39 patients were studied, analysing age, gender, primary tumour site, oral metastases site and histological type.

Results: Mean age: 62.3±9.2 years, with similar prevalence by gender. The most frequent sites for primary tumours were the kidney (20.5%), lung (20.5%) and breast (20.5%). Gingival metastases represented 63.6% of all oral soft tissue metastases (7/11). The average time between primary tumour diagnosis and appearance of the gingival metastases was 9.7±13.4 months. The median survival time since gingival metastases appearance was 5.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI)=0–13.6]; no statistically significant difference with other oral locations was found by the Kaplan–Meier curves (log rank: 0.29; p>0.05). Oral metastases involving the gingiva were more frequently found in the maxilla (85.7%versus 14.3%), whereas intra‐osseous metastatic tumours were more frequent in the mandible (77.8%versus 22.2%; p<0.05; odds ratio=21; 95% CI=2.0–210.1). None of the variables considered had a prognostic value as indicated by the Kaplan–Meier test.

Practical implications: The data in this paper show that 25% (and in other studies up to 37%) of oral metastases came from unknown primary tumours; thus a biopsy with histopathologic analysis is mandatory for every patient with a gingival mass.

Conclusions: This study reinforces the significance of gingival metastases as a poor prognosis indicator. Dental practitioners should suspect that gingival masses mimicking benign or inflammatory lesions may represent a sign of underlying malignant tumours.
Incidental chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in a biopsy of Merkel cell carcinoma
Authors: Craig Paul J. , Calonje Jaime E. , Harries Mark , Stefanato Catherine M.
Published: May 2009

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) shows cutaneous involvement in 2% of cases. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare primary cutaneous epithelial neoplasm most commonly found in sun‐exposed sites in elderly male Caucasians. A 66‐year‐old man presented with a 2‐month history of a purple painless 2 cm tumor on the scalp. Excision biopsy revealed an incompletely excised MCC, and at the periphery of the MCC, a lymphocytic infiltrate interpreted as reactive. A re‐excision biopsy showed residual MCC as well as dense aggregates of small lymphocytes within and surrounding the MCC. Immunohistochemistry showed characteristic dot‐like cytoplasmic positivity for cytokeratin 20 in the MCC; the lymphocytic infiltrate was positive for CD5, CD20 and CD23, diagnostic of CLL. Subsequent staging revealed widespread lymphadenopathy, and lymph node biopsy showed CLL. Histologically, CLL and MCC are ‘round blue cell tumors’ and are therefore in the differential diagnoses of each other. Whenever there is a more prominent than expected infiltrate of small lymphocytes surrounding a skin lesion in an elderly patient, immunohistochemistry to rule out CLL is advised. This case adds to the literature suggesting an increased incidence of CLL and other neoplasms in patients with MCC and vice versa.
Cigarette smoke condensate affects the collagen‐degrading ability of human gingival fibroblasts
Authors: Zhang W. , Song F. , Windsor L. J.
Published: May 2009

Background and Objective:  Cigarette smoke condensate, the particulate matter of cigarette smoke, is composed of thousands of chemicals, including nicotine. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for periodontal disease. This study investigated the influence of cigarette smoke condensate on the collagen‐degrading ability of human gingival fibroblasts and its mechanism.

Material and Methods:  Human gingival fibroblasts were exposed for 72 h to various concentrations of total particulate matter cigarette smoke condensate. Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were evaluated using water‐soluble tetrazolium‐1 and lactate dehydrogenase, respectively. The collagen‐degrading ability of human gingival fibroblasts was evaluated in collagen‐coated six‐well plates. Conditioned media and membrane extracts were collected for zymography and western blot analyses of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs).

Results:  Cell proliferation decreased and cytotoxicity increased in human gingival fibroblasts with increasing concentrations of cigarette smoke condensate. Cell proliferation decreased by more than 50% (p < 0.05) when the concentrations of total particulate matter cigarette smoke condensate were above 200 μg/mL, and cytotoxicity increased to more than 30% (p < 0.05) when the concentrations of total particulate matter cigarette smoke condensate were above 400 μg/mL. Cigarette smoke condensate increased the collagen‐degrading ability of human gingival fibroblasts, especially at a concentration of 100 μg/mL (1.5‐fold increase, p < 0.05) compared with the control. Cigarette smoke condensate increased the production of proMMP‐1, proMMP‐2, MMP‐14 and TIMP‐1, and decreased the production of TIMP‐2, in conditioned media. Furthermore, compared with the control group, cigarette smoke condensate increased the production of MMP‐2, MMP‐14 and TIMP‐2 in membrane extracts, especially at concentrations of 50–100 μg/mL.

Conclusion:  Cigarette smoke condensate affects human gingival fibroblast proliferation and is toxic at total particulate matter cigarette smoke condensate concentrations of ≥ 400 μg/mL. Cigarette smoke condensate can increase the collagen‐degrading ability of human gingival fibroblasts by altering the production and localization of MMPs and TIMPs.
Remediation of Heterogeneous Aquifers Subject to Uncertainty
Authors: Ricciardi K. L.
Published: May 2009

Optimal cost pump‐and‐treat ground water remediation designs for containment of a contaminated aquifer are often developed using deterministic ground water models to predict ground water flow. Uncertainty in hydraulic conductivity fields used in these models results in remediation designs that are unreliable. The degree to which uncertainty contributes to the reliability of remediation designs as measured by the characterization of the uncertainty is shown to differ depending upon the geologic environments of the models. This conclusion is drawn from the optimal design costs for multiple deterministic models generated to represent the uncertainty of four distinct models with different geologic environments. A multi scenario approach that includes uncertainty into the remediation design called the deterministic method for optimization subject to uncertainty (DMOU) is applied to these distinct models. It is found that the DMOU is a method for determining a remediation design subject to uncertainty that requires minimal postprocessing efforts. Preprocessing, however, is required for the application of the DMOU to unique problems. In the ground water remediation design problems, the orientation of geologic facies with respect to the orientation of flow patterns, pumping well locations, and constraint locations are shown to affect the preprocessing, the solutions to the DMOU problems, and the computational efficiency of the DMOU approach. The results of the DMOU are compared to the results of a statistical analysis of the effects of the uncertainty on remediation designs. This comparison validates the efficacy of the DMOU and illustrates the computational advantages to using the DMOU over statistical measures.
An Inexpensive Multilevel Array of Sensors for Direct Ground Water Velocity Measurement
Authors: Devlin J.F. , Tsoflias G. , McGlashan M. , Schillig P.
Published: May 2009

The point velocity probe (PVP) is an instrument capable of measuring ground water velocity in situ at the centimeter scale. It is based on detecting an electrically conductive tracer transported by ground water around the perimeter of the cylindrical probe. PVPs are easily constructed from inexpensive materials and can be deployed as a single sensor or in multilevel arrays. A multilevel array of these instruments, consisting of four PVPs stacked vertically on each of five stands, was installed as a fence within a sheet‐pile alleyway at the Canadian Forces Base Borden test site in Ontario, Canada. The data from the fence revealed notable velocity variations both spatially and temporally. Ground water velocity data of these kinds are likely to be valuable for permeable reactive barrier design and assessment, regulatory compliance assessments, and a variety of research level investigations concerned with local flow phenomena.
Effects of Mixing Granular Iron with Sand on the Kinetics of Trichloroethylene Reduction
Authors: Bi Erping , Devlin J. F. , Huang Bei
Published: May 2009

A substantial cost of granular iron permeable reactive barriers is that of the granular iron itself. Cutting the iron with sand can reduce costs, but several performance issues arise. In particular, reaction rates are expected to decline as the percentage of iron in the blend is diminished. This might occur simply as a function of iron content, or mass transfer effects may play a role in a much less predictable fashion. Column experiments were conducted to investigate the performance consequences of mixing Connelly granular iron with sand using the reduction kinetics of trichloroethylene (TCE) to quantify the changes. Five mixing ratios (i.e., 100%, 85%, 75%, 50%, and 25% of iron by weight) were studied. The experimental data showed that there is a noticeable decrease in the reaction rate when the content of sand is 25% by weight (iron mass to pore volume ratio, Fe/Vp = 3548 g/L) or greater. An analysis of the reaction kinetics, using the Langmuir‐Hinshelwood rate equation, indicated that mass transfer became an apparent cause of rate loss when the iron content fell below 50% by weight (Fe/Vp = 2223 g/L). Paradoxically, there were tentative indications that TCE removal rates were higher in a 15% sand + 85% iron mixture (Fe/Vp = 4416 g/L) than they were in 100% iron (Fe/Vp = 4577 g/L). This subtle improvement in performance might be due to an increase of iron surface available for contact with TCE, due to grain packing in the sand‐iron mixture.
Foams Prepared from Whey Protein Isolate and Egg White Protein: 2. Changes Associated with Angel Food Cake Functionality
Authors: Berry Tristan K. , Yang Xin , Foegeding E. Allen
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT:  The effects of sucrose on the physical properties and thermal stability of foams prepared from 10% (w/v) protein solutions of whey protein isolate (WPI), egg white protein (EWP), and their combinations (WPI/EWP) were investigated in wet foams and angel food cakes. Incorporation of 12.8 (w/v) sucrose increased EWP foam stability (drainage 1/2 life) but had little effect on the stability of WPI and WPI/EWP foams. Increased stability was not due to viscosity alone. Sucrose increased interfacial elasticity (E ′) of EWP and decreased E′ of WPI and WPI/EWP combinations, suggesting that altered interfacial properties increased stability in EWP foams. Although 25% WPI/75% EWP cakes had similar volumes as EWP cakes, cakes containing WPI had larger air cells. Changes during heating showed that EWP foams had network formation starting at 45 °C, which was not observed in WPI and WPI/EWP foams. Moreover, in batters, which are foams with additional sugar and flour, a stable foam network was observed from 25 to 85 °C for batters made from EWP foams. Batters containing WPI or WPI/EWP mixtures showed signs of destabilization starting at 25 °C. These results show that sucrose greatly improved the stability of wet EWP foams and that EWP foams form network structures that remain stable during heating. In contrast, sucrose had minimal effects on stability of WPI and WPI/EWP wet foams, and batters containing these foams showed destabilization prior to heating. Therefore, destabilization processes occurring in the wet foams and during baking account for differences in angel food cake quality.
Foams Prepared from Whey Protein Isolate and Egg White Protein: 1. Physical, Microstructural, and Interfacial Properties
Authors: Yang Xin , Berry Tristan K. , Foegeding E. Allen
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT:  Foams were prepared from whey protein isolate (WPI), egg white protein (EWP), and combinations of the 2 (WPI/EWP), with physical properties of foams (overrun, drainage 1/2 life, and yield stress), air/water interfaces (interfacial tension and interfacial dilatational elasticity), and foam microstructure (bubble size and dynamic change of bubble count per area) investigated. Foams made from EWP had higher yield stress and stability (drainage 1/2 life) than those made from WPI. Foams made from mixtures of EWP and WPI had intermediate values. Foam stability could be explained based on solution viscosity, interfacial characteristics, and initial bubble size. Likewise, foam yield stress was associated with interfacial dilatational elastic moduli, mean bubble diameter, and air phase fraction. Foams made from WPI or WPI/EWP combinations formed master curves for stability and yield stress when normalized according to the above‐mentioned properties. However, EWP foams were excluded from the common trends observed for WPI and WPI/EWP combination foams. Changes in interfacial tension showed that even the lowest level of WPI substitution (25% WPI) was enough to cause the temporal pattern of interfacial tension to mimic the pattern of WPI instead of EWP, suggesting that whey proteins dominated the interface. The higher foam yield stress and drainage stability of EWP foams appears to be due to forming smaller, more stable bubbles, that are packed together into structures that are more resistant to deformation than those of WPI foams.
Genomic analysis of acute leukemia
Authors: MULLIGHAN C. G.
Published: May 2009

Acute leukemia is the commonest childhood cancer and a major cause of morbidity from hematologic malignancies in adults. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is commonest in children, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is more frequent in adults. Apart from childhood ALL, the prognosis of acute leukemia is suboptimal, with many patients experiencing relapse, which carries a poor prognosis, or toxicities from nonspecific therapies. Recent years have witnessed great interest in the application of high‐resolution, genome wide approaches to the study of acute leukemia. These studies have identified multiple novel genetic alterations targeting critical cellular pathways that contribute to leukemogenesis, including alterations of genes regulting lymphoid development, tumor suppressors, apoptosis regulators, and oncogenes. These studies have also delineated novel genetic alterations that are associated with prognosis, and have demonstrated substantial evolution in patterns of genetic alterations from diagnosis to relapse, indicating that specific genetic changes determine resistance to therapy in ALL. Overall, fewer recurring alterations have been identified in AML. These studies have demonstrated the power of genome‐wide approaches to identify new lesions in acute leukemia, and suggest that ongoing genomic analyses, including deep resequencing and epigenetic analysis, will continue to yield novel, clinically relevant insights into the pathogenesis of this disease.
Subcooled Pool Boiling Experiments on Horizontal Heaters Coated With Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Sathyamurthi V. , Ahn H-S. , Banerjee D. , Lau S. C.
Published: May 2009

Pool boiling experiments were conducted with three horizontal, flat, silicon surfaces, two of which were coated with vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The two wafers were coated with MWCNT of two different thicknesses: 9 μm (Type-A) and 25 μm (Type-B). Experiments were conducted for the nucleate boiling and film boiling regimes for saturated and subcooled conditions with liquid subcooling of 0–30°C using a dielectric fluorocarbon liquid (PF-5060) as test fluid. The pool boiling heat flux data obtained from the bare silicon test surface were used as a base line for all heat transfer comparisons. Type-B MWCNT coatings enhanced the critical heat flux (CHF) in saturated nucleate boiling by 58%. The heat flux at the Leidenfrost point was enhanced by a maximum of ∼150% (i.e., 2.5 times) at 10°C subcooling. Type-A MWCNT enhanced the CHF in nucleate boiling by as much as 62%. Both Type-A MWCNT and bare silicon test surfaces showed similar heat transfer rates (within the bounds of experimental uncertainty) in film boiling. The Leidenfrost points on the boiling curve for Type-A MWCNT occurred at higher wall superheats. The percentage enhancements in the value of heat flux at the CHF condition decreased with an increase in liquid subcooling. However the enhancement in heat flux at the Leidenfrost points for the nanotube coated surfaces increased with liquid subcooling. Significantly higher bubble nucleation rates were observed for both nanotube coated surfaces.
Transport Processes Governing the Drawing of a Hollow Optical Fiber
Authors: Yang Jing , Jaluria Yogesh
Published: May 2009

This paper presents a mathematical model to simulate the silica hollow optical fiber-drawing process. Two neck-down profiles, which represent the inner and outer surfaces of the hollow fiber, are generated by using an iterative numerical scheme. The zonal method is applied to calculate the radiative transport within the glass. The effects of variable properties for air are investigated and results indicate that these can be neglected for simulating the draw process under typical draw conditions. Inclusion of buoyancy in the flow is also studied and it is found that the flow can be significantly affected due to buoyancy. The validation of the model is carried out by comparing the results with those obtained by using the optical thick method as well as those for a solid-core fiber. The effects of drawing parameters such as the temperature of the furnace, feeding speed, and drawing speed on the temperature and velocity distributions and on the draw tension are studied. It is found that the geometry and qualities of the final hollow optical fiber are highly dependent on the drawing parameters, especially the drawing temperature and the feeding speed.
Numerical Study of Capillary Flow in Microchannels With Alternate Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Bottom Wall
Authors: Saha Auro Ashish , Mitra Sushanta K.
Published: May 2009

A two-dimensional numerical simulation of flow in patterned microchannel with alternate layers of different sizes of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces at the bottom wall is conducted here. The effect of specified contact angle and working fluid (de-ionized (DI) water and ethanol) on capillary phenomena is observed here. The volume of fluid method is used for simulating the free surface flow in the microchannel. Meniscus profiles with varying amplitude and shapes are obtained under the different specified surface conditions. Nonsymmetric meniscus profiles are obtained by changing the contact angles of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. A meniscus stretching parameter is defined here and its relation to the capillary phenomena in the microchannel is discussed. Flow variation increases as the fluid traverses alternately between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. The pattern size and the surface tension of the fluid are found to have significant influence on the capillary phenomena in the patterned microchannel. Smaller pattern size produces enhanced capillary effect with DI water, whereas no appreciable gain is observed for ethanol. The magnitude of maximum velocity along the channel height varies considerably with the pattern size and the contact angle. Also, the rms velocity is found to be higher for smaller alternate patterned microchannel. The meniscus average velocity difference at the top and bottom walls increases for a dimensionless pattern size of 0.6 and thereafter it decreases with the increase in pattern size in the case of DI water with hydrophilic-hydrophobic pattern. Using such patterned microchannel, it is possible to manipulate and optimize fluid flow in microfluidic devices, which require enhanced mixing for performing biological reactions.
Development of a Novel Oil Cavitation Jet Peening System and Cavitation Jet Erosion in Aluminum Alloy, AA 6063-T6
Authors: Grinspan A. Sahaya , Gnanamoorthy R.
Published: May 2009

Compressive residual stresses that improve fatigue strength of material are obtained by peening the surface. Unlike traditional processes, a novel process of oil cavitation jet peening was developed. The process is based on implosion generated by the oil cavitation jet that plastically deforms the surface, imparting compressive residual stresses. The process developed involves injection of a high-speed oil jet (∼230 m/s) through a suitably designed nozzle, into an oil-filled chamber containing the specimen to be peened. The region of cavitation generation, growth, and collapse, at the various cavitation numbers, was recorded using high-speed photography. To optimize the process parameters, a simple erosion test was performed in aluminum alloy, AA 6063-T6, specimens. The impact pressure generated during the implosion of cavitation bubbles causes plastic deformation and erosion of the surface. The surface deformation and cavitation jet erosion in the exposed specimens were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopies. The standoff distance, which measures jet impact zone of the specimen from nozzle, was optimized at 15 mm in a cavitation number (which is a measure of pressure ratio across the nozzle) of 0.0017. The surface deformation produced by collapse of the oil bubble was similar to impact of oil droplet on the surface. The material removal mechanism during implosion of the bubble is predominately by ductile shear deformation.