bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simple SPE–GC method for anethole determination in human serum
Authors: Dawidowicz Andrzej L. , Dybowski Michal P.
Published: December 2013

Recently, much attention has been given to congener analysis, which can be used to check the possibility of postoffence drinking claims in forensic toxicology. In this type of analysis, the information given by the defendant regarding the type, quantity, and time of consumption of a specific alcoholic beverage is used to calculate theoretically expected congener concentration in the blood and this is compared with the analytically determined concentrations in the blood sample. Many alcoholic drinks aromatized with essential oils of plants and fruits contain a specific congener, for example, anethole in aniseed drinks. The present study describes the GC procedure of anethole analysis in human plasma using SPE as the sample preparation method. The procedure involves the protein precipitation process, which generally degrades the protein–analyte complex, and SPE isolation of anethole from the examined materials. This analytical approach is proposed as a method of choice for the estimation of anethole concentration in human fluids after the consumption of alcoholic beverages and other foods containing the substance. The described method is characterized by a low LOD (8.33 ng/g) and a very high recovery (average recovery 98.37%) of the analyte.
Orienting Semi‐Conducting π‐Conjugated Polymers
Authors: Brinkmann Martin , Hartmann Lucia , Biniek Laure , Tremel Kim , Kayunkid Navaphun
Published: December 2013

The present review focuses on the recent progress made in thin film orientation of semi‐conducting polymers with particular emphasis on methods using epitaxy and shear forces. The main results reported in this review deal with regioregular poly(3‐alkylthiophene)s and poly(dialkylfluorenes). Correlations existing between processing conditions, macromolecular parameters and the resulting structures formed in thin films are underlined. It is shown that epitaxial orientation of semi‐conducting polymers can generate a large palette of semi‐crystalline and nanostructured morphologies by a subtle choice of the orienting substrates and growth conditions.

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Octopus visual system: A functional MRI model for detecting neuronal electric currents without a blood‐oxygen‐level‐dependent confound
Authors: Jiang Xia , Lu Hanbing , Shigeno Shuichi , Tan Li‐Hai , Yang Yihong , Ragsdale Clifton W. , Gao Jia‐Hong
Published: December 2013

Purpose

Despite the efforts that have been devoted to detecting the transient magnetic fields generated by neuronal firing, the conclusion that a functionally relevant signal can be measured with MRI is still controversial. For human studies of neuronal current MRI (nc‐MRI), the blood‐oxygen‐level‐dependent (BOLD) effect remains an irresolvable confound. For tissue studies where hemoglobin is removed, natural sensory stimulation is not possible. This study investigates the feasibility of detecting a physiologically induced nc‐MRI signal in vivo in a BOLD‐free environment.

Methods

The cephalopod mollusc Octopus bimaculoides has vertebrate‐like eyes, large optic lobes (OLs), and blood that does not contain hemoglobin. Visually evoked potentials were measured in the octopus retina and OL by electroretinogram and local field potential. nc‐MRI scans were conducted at 9.4 Tesla to capture these activities.

Results

Electrophysiological recording detected strong responses in the retina and OL in vivo; however, nc‐MRI failed to demonstrate any statistically significant signal change with a detection threshold of 0.2° for phase and 0.2% for magnitude. Experiments in a dissected eye‐OL preparation yielded similar results.

Conclusion

These findings in a large hemoglobin‐free nervous system suggest that sensory evoked neuronal magnetic fields are too weak for direct detection with current MRI technology. Magn Reson Med 72:1311–1319, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparative Study of the Methodology Used in the Extraction of Isoflavones from Legumes Applying a Modified QuEChERS Approach
Authors: Bustamante‐Rangel Myriam , Pérez‐Martín Lara , Delgado‐Zamarreño M. Milagros
Published: December 2013

Introduction

Isoflavones are phytochemicals of great interest because of their association with a large variety of positive effects on human health. The major sources of isoflavones in the diet are plants of the Leguminosae family, especially soybeans, although many other legumes more widely consumed in the Mediterranean diet have also been reported to contain these compounds. In previous work we extracted isoflavones from samples using a modified QuEChERS (Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe) methodology.

Objective

To compare different methods for placing the sample and the solvent in contact to optimise the extraction of isoflavones from legumes (chickpeas, lentils and white beans) using a modified QuEChERS methodology.

Method

Five different approaches to sample agitation were tested: vortex agitation, thermostatted stirring agitation and thermostatted tray shaking, and a thermostatted ultrasound bath and an ultrasound probe. To evaluate the different methodologies a modified QuEChERS approach was used as the extraction method. The separation and quantification of isoflavones was carried out using liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole/mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS).

Results

The best methods were found upon using a thermostatted shaking tray for the extraction of chickpeas and white beans and the ultrasound probe for lentil samples. These methods were chosen based on the highest amount of analytes obtained as well as the best recovery values.

Conclusion

Determination of isoflavones in foods may be affected by the different methods used to place the sample and the solvent in contact in the extraction step. The main advantages of the proposed extraction procedures are their simplicity, speed, reliability and low cost. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
First trimester detection of trisomy 16 using combined biochemical and ultrasound screening
Authors: Spencer Kevin , Pertile Mark D. , Bonacquisto Leonard , Mills Ian , Turner Steve , Donalson Kim , Jónsson Jón Jóhannes
Published: December 2013

What's already known about this topic?

Four previously reported cases of trisomy 16 have shown reduced levels of pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A during first trimester screening for trisomy 21.

Isolated increases in free β human chorionic gonadotrophin and nuchal translucency were observed in these four cases.

What does this study add?

During first trimester screening for aneuploidy, we observed a further 28 cases of trisomy 16, all of which had reduced levels of pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A consistent with previous reported cases.

Increased free β human chorionic gonadotrophin and increased nuchal translucency were not a consistent finding in our 28 cases.
Discussions on Thermobaric Explosives (TBXs)
Authors: Xing Xiao Ling , Zhao Sheng Xiang , Wang Zhen Yu , Ge Guang Tao
Published: December 2013

Aluminum is an important component of thermobaric explosives (TBXs). Because of the high ignition temperature of aluminum and its partial inertness during detonation, its optimum amount added to TBXs might differ, which can be used for distinguishing TBXs. According to the theory on flow in a reactive medium, the parameter σ is introduced to explain the different reaction phenomena during the detonation process of TBXs. The σ value can be used to illustrate the detonation or afterburning of each reaction stage.
Estimations of Vapor Pressures by Thermogravimetric Analysis of the Insensitive Munitions IMX‐101, IMX‐104, and Individual Components
Authors: Cuddy Michael F. , Poda Aimee R. , Chappell Mark A.
Published: December 2013

We have calculated the vapor pressures of the new explosives ordnances IMX‐101 and IMX‐104 and their respective components, 2,4‐dinitroanisole (DNAN), nitroguanidine (NQ), nitrotriazolone (NTO), and hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX) by the method of rising temperature thermogravimetric analysis. Clausius‐Clapeyron relationships were assumed for each case and the vapor pressures were estimated from the Langmuir equation over an appropriate temperature range just below substance melting/decomposition points. For vapor pressures extrapolated to room temperature, the rank with respect to decreasing volatility was found to be: DNAN>IMX‐104>IMX‐101>NQ>RDX>NTO. Interestingly, vapor pressure depression is observed in IMX formulations, where the formulation has a lower vapor pressure than its most volatile component, DNAN. The enthalpy of sublimation was determined for each substance and formulation from Clausius‐Clapeyron equations generated by analysis of the thermogravimetric data. The general trends in vapor pressures and sublimation enthalpies associated with the component materials were in good agreement with previous experimental and computational results. The results obtained by this study have importance for future investigations of IMX, specifically for chemical detection and assessment of environmental fate.
Magnetron sputtering of epitaxial ZrB2 thin films on 4H‐SiC(0001) and Si(111)
Authors: Tengdelius Lina , Birch Jens , Lu Jun , Hultman Lars , Forsberg Urban , Janzén Erik , Högberg Hans
Published: December 2013

Epitaxial ZrB2 thin films were deposited at a temperature of 900 °C on 4H‐SiC(0001) and Si(111) substrates by magnetron sputtering from a ZrB2 source at a high rate ∼80 nm/min. The films were analyzed by thin film X‐ray diffraction including pole figure measurements and reciprocal space mapping as well as high‐resolution electron microscopy.
Magnetostriction‐strain‐induced enhancement and modulation of photovoltaic performance in Si‐p–n/TbxDy1−xFe2 composite
Authors: Wu Zheng , Zhang Yihe , Fang Cong , Ma Ke , Lin He , Jia Yanmin , Chen Jianrong , Wang Yu , Chan Helen Lai Wa
Published: December 2013

High photovoltaic efficiency is a key index in the application of silicon (Si) solar cells. In this study, a composite of a photovoltaic Si p–n junction solar cell and a magnetostrictive TbxDy1−xFe2 alloy was fabricated. By utilizing the magnetostrictive strain to modulate the energy bandgap of Si, the open‐circuit voltage and the maximum photovoltaic output power of the Si p–n junction solar cell could be enhanced by ∼12% and 9.1% under a dc magnetic field of ∼250 mT, respectively. The significantly enhanced photovoltaic performance and the simple fabrication process make the Si‐p–n/TbxDy1−xFe2 composite a promising material for high‐efficiency solar cell devices.

The structure of the proposed Si‐p–n/TbxDy1−xFe2 laminated composite.
Pressure‐induced sp ferromagnetism in electride‐like elemental potassium from first‐principles
Authors: Dong Shengjie , Zhao Hui
Published: December 2013

Electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of a potential sp ferromagnetic material, i.e., pressure‐induced electride‐like phases of elemental potassium with open simple cubic structure, are analyzed using first‐principles calculation based on density‐functional theory. Analysis of the electronic structure illuminates that ferromagnetism of the present material originates in the spin polarization of the pseudo‐anions. Furthermore, the computational results demonstrate that the geometry‐dependence Stoner‐type ferromagnetism is related to the strength of ionicity, the existence of flat‐band, the consideration of d orbitals, the presence of pseudo‐anions containing a substantial fraction of an electron, and the appearance of spin‐resolved Fermi surface topological transition.
Growth and properties of InGaAs nanowires on silicon
Authors: Koblmüller Gregor , Abstreiter Gerhard
Published: December 2013

Free‐standing ternary InGaAs nanowires (NW) are at the core of intense investigations due to their integration capabilities on silicon (Si) for next‐generation photovoltaics, integrated photonics, tunneling devices, and high‐performance gate all‐round III–V/Si NW transistors. In this review, recent progress on the growth, structural, optical and electrical properties of InGaAs NWs on Si substrate is highlighted. Particular focus is on a comparison between conventional catalyst‐assisted and catalyst‐free growth methods as well as self‐assembled versus site‐selectively grown NW arrays. It will be shown that catalyst‐free, high‐periodicity NW arrays with extremely high compositional uniformity are mandatory to allow un‐ambiguous structure–property correlation measurements. Here, interesting insights into the electronic/optical properties of wurtzite, zincblende and mixed crystal phases of InGaAs will be highlighted based on recent photoluminescence spectroscopy data. Finally, the InGaAs NW‐on‐Si system is also discussed in the realms of heterojunction properties, providing a promising system for steep‐slope tunneling field effect transistors in future low‐power post‐CMOS intergrated microelectronics and broad‐band photoabsorption and detec‐tion devices. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Finite‐time H ∞  control for discrete‐time switched nonlinear systems with time delay
Authors: Zong Guangdeng , Wang Ruihua , Zheng Weixing , Hou Linlin
Published: December 2013

In this paper, the problem of finite‐time H ∞  control is addressed for a class of discrete‐time switched nonlinear systems with time delay. The concept of H ∞  finite‐time boundedness is first introduced for discrete‐time switched delay systems. Next, a set of switching signals are designed by using the average dwell time approach, under which some delay‐dependent sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the H ∞  finite‐time boundedness of the closed‐loop system. Then, a finite‐time H ∞  state feedback controller is also designed by solving such conditions. Furthermore, the problem of uniform finite‐time H ∞  stabilization is also resolved. All the conditions are cast into linear matrix inequalities, which can be easily checked by using recently developed algorithms for solving linear matrix inequalities. A numerical example and a water‐quality control system are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the main results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental Quantification of the Austenite‐Stabilizing Effect of Mn in CrMnNi As‐Cast Stainless Steels
Authors: Wendler Marco , Mola Javad , Krüger Lutz , Weiß Andreas
Published: December 2013

In this study, the austenite‐stabilizing effect of manganese in as‐cast Fe–(12–16)Cr–(0–13)Mn–6Ni (concentrations in wt%) stainless steels was investigated by means of light optical microscopy (LOM) and magnetic scale measurements. The well known Schaeffler‐diagram was used for the prediction of the microstructure at room temperature. Major deviations were observed between the Schaeffler‐diagram predictions and the experimentally determined phase fractions. Manganese contents above 2% were found to stabilize austenite more than expected on the basis of the Schaeffler‐diagram. To make that, the Schaeffler‐diagram matches the experimental observations using CrMnNi steels, the boundary between austenite and austenite + martensite regions, which denotes the beginning of the athermal martensite formation, must be displaced to lower nickel‐equivalents. Alternatively, the efficiency coefficient of manganese in the Ni‐equivalent formula can be increased which is preferred as it does not involve displacement of the boundaries in the Schaeffler‐diagram. The best match between observed microstructures and the Schaeffler‐diagram was obtained by defining the manganese efficiency coefficient in the Ni‐equivalent formula as a quadratic equation of the Cr‐equivalent.
Reliability in the performance‐based concept of fib Model Code 2010
Authors: Bigaj‐van Vliet Agnieszka , Vrouwenvelder Ton
Published: December 2013

The design philosophy of the new fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 represents the state of the art with regard to performance‐based approach to the design and assessment of concrete structures. Given the random nature of quantities determining structural behaviour, the assessment of structural performance cannot be well established by deterministic methods, instead requires a probabilistic approach. The performance‐based approach is introduced in Part I of fib Model Code 2010 by applying the concept of performance requirements and reliability management during service life. Correct understanding of the reliability concept of fib Model Code 2010 is a basic prerequisite for applying its design philosophy in an appropriate manner. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to explain some decidedly non‐trivial issues related to safety and reliability management aspects. In this context, this paper indicates how this general philosophy in fib Model Code 2010 is further developed into a set of operational rules for the design and assessment of concrete structures.
Life's Lessons Learned as a Reader
Authors: Robinson Richard
Published: December 2013

View From the Chalkboard essays share readers' reflections on teaching experiences, advice for new teachers, and perspectives on current issues.
Close Readings and Children's Literature
Authors: Serafini Frank
Published: December 2013

The concept of close reading is an important consideration when addressing the Common Core State Standards. In addition, close reading permeates the CCSS and suggests a particular way of reading and responding to texts. Trying to help students become successful readers in both school based settings and in the world outside of school is still our primary goal as reading teachers. We need to develop our own understandings of the requirements for close reading in various contexts, be ready to demonstrate to our students what this type of reading entails, and provide resources and instructional support to ensure our students' success.
Tree species composition affects productivity and carbon dynamics of different site types in boreal forests
Authors: Shanin Vladimir , Komarov Alexander , Mäkipää Raisa
Published: December 2013

The objective was to analyse how differences in the initial proportions of tree species and site fertility affect carbon sequestration in living biomass and soil. We used the individual-based simulation model EFIMOD, which is able to simulate spatially explicit competition between trees for light and nutrients. Simulations were carried out for three site types with distinct initial stocks of soil nutrients. For each site, the 100-years undisturbed dynamics of monocultures and mixtures of three tree species (Betula pendulaRoth,Pinus sylvestrisL. andPicea abies(L.) H. Karst.) was predicted. Changes in the proportions of competing tree species were dependent on the fertility of the site: on poor sites, pine was the most competent species, while on rich sites, spruce increased its proportion during stand succession. Net primary production (NPP) and soil respiration were the highest in stands of two coniferous species and in stands with a high initial proportion of pine. Mixed stands were more productive than monocultures; the highest overyielding was observed with mixtures of two coniferous species. Simulated NPP and carbon stocks in all pools increased from poor to rich sites. The highest carbon stocks in standing biomass were observed for mixtures of conifer species and three-species mixtures; the greatest accumulation of forest floor occurred in stands with high proportions of pine.
Public Trust in Genomic Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Mills Rachel , Barry William , Haga Susanne B.
Published: December 2013

Patient trust in personal medical information is critical to increasing adherence to physician recommendations and medications. One of the anticipated benefits of learning of one's genomic risk for common diseases is the increased adoption of screening, preventive care and lifestyle changes. However, the equivocal results thus far reported of the positive impact of knowledge of genomic risk on behavior change may be due to lack of patients’ trust in the results. As part of a clinical study to compare two methods of communication of genomic risk results for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we assessed patients’ trust and preferred methods of delivery of genomic risk information. A total of 300 participants recruited from the general public in Durham, NC were randomized to receive their genomic risk for T2DM in‐person from a genetic counselor or online through the testing company's web‐site. Participants completed a baseline survey and three follow‐up surveys after receiving results. Overall, participants reported high levels of trust in the test results. Participants who received their results in‐person from the genetic counselor were significantly more likely to trust their results than those who reviewed their results on‐line (p = 0.005). There was not a statistically significant difference in levels of trust among participants with increased genetic risk, as compared to other those with decreased or same as population risk (p = 0.1154). In the event they undergo genomic risk testing again, 55 % of participants overall indicated they would prefer to receive their results online compared to 28 % that would prefer to receive future results in‐person. Of those participants preferring to receive results online, 77 % indicated they would prefer to have the option to speak to someone if they had questions with the online results (compared to accessing results online without the option of professional consultation). This is the first study to assess satisfaction with genomic risk testing by the method of delivery of the test result. The higher rate of trust in results delivered in‐person suggests that online access reports may not result in serious consideration of results and lack of adoption of recommended preventive recommendations.
Prevention of Surgical Site Infection in Total Joint Arthroplasty: An International Tertiary Care Center Survey
Authors: Ricciardi Benjamin F. , Bostrom Mathias P. , Lidgren Lars , Ranstam Jonas , Merollini Katharina M. D. , W-Dahl Annette
Published: December 2013

Background

Prevention strategies are critical to reduce infection rates in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), but evidence-based consensus guidelines on prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) remain heterogeneous and do not necessarily represent this particular patient population.

Questions/Purposes

What infection prevention measures are recommended by consensus evidence-based guidelines for prevention of periprosthetic joint infection? How do these recommendations compare to expert consensus on infection prevention strategies from orthopedic surgeons from the largest international tertiary referral centers for TJA?

Patients and Methods

A review of consensus guidelines was undertaken as described by Merollini et al. Four clinical guidelines met inclusion criteria: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's, British Orthopedic Association, National Institute of Clinical Excellence's, and National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC). Twenty-eight recommendations from these guidelines were used to create an evidence-based survey of infection prevention strategies that was administered to 28 orthopedic surgeons from members of the International Society of Orthopedic Centers. The results between existing consensus guidelines and expert opinion were then compared.

Results

Recommended strategies in the guidelines such as prophylactic antibiotics, preoperative skin preparation of patients and staff, and sterile surgical attire were considered critically or significantly important by the surveyed surgeons. Additional strategies such as ultraclean air/laminar flow, antibiotic cement, wound irrigation, and preoperative blood glucose control were also considered highly important by surveyed surgeons, but were not recommended or not uniformly addressed in existing guidelines on SSI prevention.

Conclusion

Current evidence-based guidelines are incomplete and evidence should be updated specifically to address patient needs undergoing TJA.
Bilateral Congenital Absence of the Opponens Pollicis Muscle: A Case Report
Authors: Taş Süleyman , Top Hüsamettin
Published: December 2013

Background

Thumb hypoplasia and thenar muscle anomalies are complex congenital conditions that are associated with other congenital anomalies or syndromes. Congenital absence of the opponens pollicis muscle is very rare and is associated with the absence of other muscles.

Methods

A 6-year-old male was referred to our clinic with a provisional diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome because electromyography findings at the referring hospital were consistent with this diagnosis. He was unable to oppose his thumbs to his other fingers or grasp objects. All physical examination, electromyography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings were consistent with bilateral absence of the opponens pollicis muscle.

Results

The patient underwent bilateral transfer of the extensor indicis proprius tendon. At 1 year after surgery, he had satisfactory thumb opposition on both sides.

Conclusions

Differentiation between congenital muscle anomalies and carpal tunnel syndrome is very important in order to avoid performing unnecessary surgical procedures. We present a case of bilateral congenital absence of the opponens pollicis muscle, which has not previously been reported, and review the literature regarding congenital muscle anomalies of the hand.
Effect of α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐Tocotrienol on the Singlet Oxygen Oxidation of Lard
Authors: Kim Hyun Jung , Paik Hyun‐Dong
Published: December 2013

The impacts of four different types of tocotrienol homologues on the singlet oxygen oxidation of lard were evaluated by measuring the headspace oxygen content and the peroxide value. Singlet oxygen oxidation of lard was induced by chlorophyll photosensitization. Samples of 0.100, 0.250, and 0.400 M lard in methylene chloride containing chlorophyll and α‐, β‐, γ‐, or δ‐tocotrienol were prepared and stored under light at 3,000 lux for 4 h. All tocotrienol homologues at 1.20 mM significantly prevented the singlet oxygen oxidation of lard. Chlorophyll under light produced singlet oxygen at 1.09 μmol oxygen/mL headspace/h. A steady state kinetic study showed that tocotrienols reduced the singlet oxygen oxidation of lard by quenching the singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygen reacted with lard at 6.50 × 104M−1 s−1. α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocotrienol quenched singlet oxygen with the rate of 2.16, 1.99, 2.05, and 0.800 × 107M−1 s−1, respectively. Among them, α‐tocotrienol significantly prevented singlet oxygen oxidation of lard.
The need for a new European identity?
Authors: Delibašić Ivan
Published: December 2013

European identity has often been regarded as a potential source of common identification for the peoples of Europe. As such, it has been compared with other supranational identities and deemed to fail. This article proposes a different perception of European identity, as a cultural convergence and individual identification rather than the nineteenth-century conception of national identity. It scrutinises two failed attempts to create supranational identities and explores the potential for a European approximation. The article concludes that student exchange programmes and labour mobility contribute to a broader understanding of the shared elements of European cultures and that multilin-gualism could be an effective surrogate for a common language.
From Crisis to Credibility: The Need for Quality Jobs for Young People
Authors: Higgins James , Porcaro Giuseppe
Published: December 2013

The youth unemployment crisis that has unravelled in Europe since 2008 has dramatically impacted the lives of young people. The transition from education to employment has become increasingly difficult. Not only is the rate of youth unemployment at record levels, but young people are more likely to be in poorly paid and precarious jobs. As a result, the number of young people at risk of poverty and social exclusion has been growing steadily throughout Europe. This article aims to contextualise youth unemployment in terms of the changes to the European economy and European social model over the past 20 years, and to propose areas that need to be addressed in order to reduce unemployment and positively impact the lives of young people in Europe.
Adventures in digital surveillance
Authors: Zevenbergen Bendert
Published: December 2013

Common concerns about the extent of government intrusion into digital communications were confirmed by the extensive revelations by Edward Snowden, a young contractor to the US National Security Agency. Snowden used the press to inform the world that a global surveillance state may be being built. This led to the beginning of a global political debate on digital communications surveillance. This article focuses on Anna, a 28 year-old typical and entirely fictional computer science Ph.D. student at a European university. It explores the development of Anna's concerns about digital surveillance through interactions with her direct circle of friends and family. The purpose is to give the reader information and ideas for an informed ethical self-analysis of the position he or she may take in this ever-intensifying debate.
A118G polymorphism in the μ-opioid receptor gene and levels of β-endorphin are associated with provoked vestibulodynia and pressure pain sensitivity
Authors: Heddini Ulrika , Johannesson Ulrika , Grönbladh Alfhild , Nyberg Fred , Nilsson Kent W. , Bohm-Starke Nina
Published: December 2013

Background and aims

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is the most common cause of dyspareunia among young women. The aetiology is largely unknown and treatment is often extensive and longstanding with varying outcomes. Patients display general pain hypersensitivity and there are correlations with other chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia later in life. The A118G polymorphism in the μ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene influences endogenous pain regulation and pain sensitivity, but has not been studied in this patient group before. We aimed to investigate a possible association between A118G polymorphism and PVD, with correlation to plasma levels of β-endorphin, and to explore relationships between this polymorphism and pain sensitivity among women with PVD and healthy controls.

Methods

This case-control study included 98 women with PVD and 103 controls. Participants filled out study-specific questionnaires and underwent quantitative sensory testing of pressure pain thresholds on the arm, leg and in the vestibular area. Levels of β-endorphin were analyzed by radioimmunoassay using the EURIA-beta-endorphin kit, and the A118G single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; rs1799971) in the OPRM1 gene was analyzed using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay.

Results

The 118G allele was more common in controls (44%) than in patients (30%) (p = 0.042). The odds ratio of having PVD was 1.8 in participants carrying the 118A allele compared to participants hetero- or homozygous for the 118G allele (OR = 1.846, CI: 1.03-3.31, p = 0.039). Pressure pain thresholds on the leg were higher for participants carrying the 118G allele (mean 480 kPa, SD 167.5) than for those carrying the 118A allele (mean 419, SD 150.4, p = 0.008). Levels of β-endorphin were higher in patients (mean 17.9 fmol/ml, SD 4.71) than in controls (mean 15.8 fmol/ml, SD 4.03) (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We found an association between the A118G polymorphism in the OPRM1 gene and an increased risk of PVD and increased pain sensitivity among participants carrying the 118A allele. PVD patients were more sensitive to pressure pain and had higher levels of plasma β-endorphin than controls. The results indicate that differences in endogenous pain modulation involving the opioid system could contribute to the pathophysiology of PVD and the general pain hypersensitivity seen in these women.

Implications

The data support the conceptualization of PVD as part of a general pain disorder with a possible genetic predisposition. The age of onset of PVD is usually between 18 and 25 years and already at this age general pain hypersensitivity is present but rarely causing disability. We believe that early recognition and treatment, with the risk of further development of chronic pain taken into consideration, might prevent future aggravated pain problems in this patient group.
Effects of Variable Viscosity and Thermal conductivity on Natural-Convection of Nanofluids Past a Vertical Plate in Porous Media
Authors: Noghrehabadi A. , Ghalambaz M. , Ghanbarzadeh A.
Published: December 2013

The effects of variable viscosity and thermal conductivity on the natural convection heat transfer over a vertical plate embedded in a porous medium saturated by a nanofluid are investigated. In the nanofluid model, a gradient of nanoparticles concentration because of Brownian motion and thermophoresis forces is taken into account. The nanofluid viscosity and the thermal conductivity are assumed as a function of local nanoparticles volume fraction. The appropriate similarity variables are used to convert the governing partial differential equations into a set of highly coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations, and then, they numerically solved using the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method. The practical range of non- dimensional parameters is discussed. The results show that the range of Lewis number as well as Brownian motion and thermophoresis parameters which were used in previous studies should be reconsidered. The effect of non-dimensional parameters on the boundary layer is examined. The results show that the reduced Nusselt number would increase with increase of viscosity parameter and would decrease with increase of thermal conductivity parameter.
Re-interpreting the Danebury Assemblage: Houses, Households, and Community
Authors: Davis Oliver
Published: December 2013

Cunliffe's excavations at Danebury have revealed an Iron Age settlement in extraordinary detail. Its inhabitants have come to represent, in the popular literature at least, the idealised hillfort community of warriors, craftsmen, farmers, and their families in a hierarchically ordered settlement system. This model has been vigorously challenged, although largely from a theoretical perspective, and there has been little contextual re-analysis of the dataset. This paper seeks to re-examine the Danebury structural assemblage and question why Iron Age people came together in this place, and how those that did come perceived their place within wider group identities. By examining patterns of activity within the interior of Danebury this paper demonstrates that the nature of the community that resided in the hillfort changed considerably over the course of the Early and Middle Iron Age. In particular, it is argued that Danebury was occupied by a permanent population. The organisation of domestic space, however, was tightly managed. In the early period occupation was characterised by single round-houses of individual household units emphasising their distinctiveness by spatial isolation and variability in round-house design. A dramatic change in the nature and intensity of occupation came in the late period. A large number of ‘identikit’ round-houses were tightly packed into the quarry hollows in the lee of the ramparts. This probably represents households from the surrounding settlements moving into the hillfort. It is also argued that the communal construction and maintenance of Danebury's defences would have been a way for a dispersed population to have reproduced a sense of community. Participation may also have been a mechanism of maintaining networks and relationships with other households in the long term
The Enemy Within: Regulating Prostitution and Controlling Venereal Disease in Cisleithanian Austria during the Great War
Authors: Wingfield Nancy M.
Published: December 2013

During summer 1917, civilians using the city baths in Olmütz, Moravia, demanded that soldiers stationed at the local Emperor Francis Joseph infantry barracks cease swimming nude in the March River opposite the city baths, especially during the women's swimming hour. In addition to those of soldiers, the bathing habits of other culprits offended the good citizens of the city. One resident complained that children, adolescent boys and girls, and even some grown-ups, among them “buxom” prostitutes, were swimming nude in the March and thus offending the morals of others. “Flashers” also caught the attention of the public and the police, including the unknown man who made “immoral,” but unrecorded, remarks and exposed himself to the women who frequented the promenade under the Freundschaftshöhe in the western Bohemian spa town, Karlsbad, during the summer. The offended women provided the police with a good description of this man, said to be between forty-five and fifty years old, of average size, with gray, grizzled hair, a graying mustache, and a goatee. They described his clothing, a dark suit with knee-length pants, knee-high stockings, hiking boots, and a panama hat. (Records do not indicate whether police apprehended the suspect.) In the Bukovinian provincial capital Czernowitz, an eighteen-year-old electrical technician accused a forty-seven-year-old man from Saxony who allegedly propositioned him on the city's Ringplatz one late summer's evening in 1918 of “crimes against nature.” The most common “morals” problem to preoccupy the police and the military during the Great War, however, was neither flashers nor nude bathers; it was prostitution.
EFFECT OF SOIL DRYING ON RATE OF STRESS DEVELOPMENT, LEAF GAS EXCHANGE AND PROLINE ACCUMULATION IN ROBUSTA COFFEE (COFFEA CANEPHORAPIERRE EX FROEHNER) CLONES
Authors: TESFAYE S. G. , ISMAIL M. R. , RAMLAN M. F. , MARZIAH M. , KAUSAR H.
Published: December 2013

Seasonal drought stresses as a result of changes in global climate and local weather conditions are among the major factors adversely affecting growth and productivity of Robusta coffee (Coffea canephorapierre ex froehner) in many areas producing the crop. It is believed that there exists a wide range of genetic variability among Robusta coffee clones for traits associated with drought tolerance. Therefore, in an attempt to determine differences among Robusta coffee clones for some growth, physiological and biochemical parameters and identify drought-tolerant materials, 12 months old seedlings of six clones (IC-2, IC-3, IC-4, IC-6, IC-8 and R-4) were subjected to two treatments: well-watered control and drought-stressed (soil drying) by withholding irrigation for three weeks in a rain shelter at University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. The rate of stress development, expressed as extent of wilting and damage to leaves, was considerably higher for clones IC-8, IC-4, R-4 and IC-2 than for IC-3 and IC-6 during the stress period. Leaf water potential (LWP), stomatal conductance (gs) and rate of net photosynthesis (PN) progressively decreased but leaf proline (LP) concentration substantially increased with time of exposure of the plants to soil drying. There was a considerable difference between coffee clones for the rate of change in these parameters. All the clones except IC-6 and IC-8 showed a negative carbon balance with the most negative value for R-4 at the end of the stress period. Six days after rewatering, LWP,gsandPNincreased rapidly while LP concentration decreased and reached a level equivalent to those of well-watered plants, especially for clones IC-3 and IC-6. Among the drought-stressed plants, IC-6 and IC-3 had still significantly higher shoot growth, total dry matter yield and root to shoot ratio than did IC-2, IC-4, IC-8 and R-4. In general, clones IC-6 and IC-3 exhibited quite a better performance in almost all the parameters considered in this study and seemed to be less sensitive to drought stress. Hence, drought tolerance attributes in these clones could be linked to a more effective osmotic adjustment due to more rapid accumulation of LP and probably some morphological parameters, such as increased root-to-shoot ratio. However, further analyses at molecular level, detail biochemical studies and observations under diverse field conditions are required to come up with more conclusive recommendations.
Far-field tectonic effects of the Arabia–Eurasia collision and the inception of the North Anatolian Fault system
Authors: ALBINO IRENE , CAVAZZA WILLIAM , ZATTIN MASSIMILIANO , OKAY ARAL I. , ADAMIA SHOTA , SADRADZE NINO
Published: December 2013

New thermochronological data show that rapid Middle Miocene exhumation occurred synchronously along the Bitlis suture zone and in the southeastern Black Sea region, arguably as a far-field effect of the Arabia–Eurasia indentation. Collision-related strain focused preferentially along the rheological boundary between the multideformed continental lithosphere of northeastern Anatolia and the strong (quasi)oceanic lithosphere of the eastern Black Sea. Deformation in the southeastern Black Sea region ceased in late Middle Miocene time, when coherent westward motion of Anatolia and the corresponding activation of the North and East Anatolian Fault systems mechanically decoupled portions of the foreland from the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone.
Laryngeal cancer management in a small, rural, multidisciplinary team setting: 15-year review
Authors: Hamilton D W , McMeekin P J , Dyson P , Robson A K
Published: December 2013

Background:

The Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, serves a largely remote, rural population of 330 000. The aim of this study was to report the treatment and survival figures for patients treated for laryngeal cancer at this centre.

Methods:

The study included 209 consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx diagnosed between 1996 and 2010 at the Cumberland Infirmary.

Results:

Disease-specific survival was 100 per cent for stage one, 76 per cent for stage two, 87 per cent for stage three and 46 per cent for stage four. In total, 76 patients (36 per cent) had a laryngectomy, either as primary treatment or as a salvage procedure.

Conclusion:

Our tumour-specific survival rate was very high, and this success may be due in part to high rates of surgical intervention. Survival data compared favourably with other centres, despite less radical radiotherapy regimes. Laryngeal cancer can be managed effectively in a small, relatively remote, multidisciplinary team setting.
Revision of the genusMegasyllis(Annelida, Syllidae) with descriptions of four new species
Authors: San Martín Guillermo , Aguado María Teresa , Álvarez-Campos Patricia
Published: December 2013

The genusMegasyllisis herein reorganized excluding the size from the diagnosis, since it is not a characteristic of all the species of the genus. We provide here a taxonomic account of all known species and a key to species identification. Seven species are new combinations, and re-descriptions of the four latter are included:Megasyllis nipponica(Imajima, 1966) andM. multiannulata(Aguado, San Martín & Nishi, 2008) from Japan;Megasyllis procera(Hartman, 1965) from the Atlantic;Megasyllis pseudoheterosetosa(Böggemann & Westheide, 2004) from the Indian Ocean.Megasyllis glandulosa(Augener, 1913), from Australia;Megasyllis marquesensis(Monro, 1939) from the Marquesas Islands, Micronesia andMegasyllis subantennata(Hartmann-Schröder, 1984) from Australia. Four new species from the Pacific Ocean namelyMegasyllis tigrinasp. nov.,Megasyllis mariandreworumsp. nov. (both from Australia),Megasyllis chrissyaesp. nov. (from the Philippines) andMegasyllis eduardoisp. nov. (from New Zealand) are described.
Curidia nunoi sp. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Ochlesidae), a new benthic species from a tropical coral reef southern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Winfield Ignacio , Ortiz Manuel
Published: December 2013

A new species of Curidia is described based on material collected from Sisal Coral Reef System, south-east Gulf of Mexico, Mexico. It is the eighth species of this genus described worldwide. Curidia nunoi sp. nov. is morphologically similar to C. wakabarae and C. andreae. Curidia nunoi sp. nov., however, differs from these two species by a combination of several characters, including: the posteroventral spine of peduncle articles 1 and 2 of antenna 1, the distoventral spine of peduncle article 4 of antenna 2, the distal margin of coxa of gnathopod 1, the dactylus of gnathopod 2, the inner and outer plates of maxilla 1, and the distal margin of telson. The global geographical distribution of the genus Curidia is mostly from tropical to subtropical seas; five species are documented in the southern hemisphere and three in the northern hemisphere. Only C. debrogania, C. monicae, and C. nunoi sp. nov. are restricted to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Depression is more than the sum score of its parts: individual DSM symptoms have different risk factors
Authors: Fried E. I. , Nesse R. M. , Zivin K. , Guille C. , Sen S.
Published: December 2013

Background

For diagnostic purposes, the nine symptoms that compose the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) are assumed to be interchangeable indicators of one underlying disorder, implying that they should all have similar risk factors. The present study investigates this hypothesis, using a population cohort that shifts from low to elevated depression levels.

Method

We assessed the nine DSM-5 MDD criterion symptoms (using the Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9) and seven depression risk factors (personal and family MDD history, sex, childhood stress, neuroticism, work hours, and stressful life events) in a longitudinal study of medical interns prior to and throughout internship (n = 1289). We tested whether risk factors varied across symptoms, and whether a latent disease model could account for heterogeneity between symptoms.

Results

All MDD symptoms increased significantly during residency training. Four risk factors predicted increases in unique subsets of PHQ-9 symptoms over time (depression history, childhood stress, sex, and stressful life events), whereas neuroticism and work hours predicted increases in all symptoms, albeit to varying magnitudes. MDD family history did not predict increases in any symptom. The strong heterogeneity of associations persisted after controlling for a latent depression factor.

Conclusions

The influence of risk factors varies substantially across DSM depression criterion symptoms. As symptoms are etiologically heterogeneous, considering individual symptoms in addition to depression diagnosis might offer important insights obfuscated by symptom sum scores.
The Staggering State of Scottish Statesmen
Authors: Chancellors
Published: December 2013

1. James, Earl of Morton, Chancellor in Queen Mary's time, whose actions are at length set down in the histories of Buchanan and Knox, and Home's history of the family of Douglas, begot divers bastards, one of whom he made Laird of Spot, another Laird of Tofts. The first was purchased from his heirs by Sir Robert Douglas, and the last by one Belsches, an advocate. He was thereafter made regent in King James the VI.'s minority, anno 1572; but in that time was taxed with great avarice and extortion of the people, and by heightening the rate of money, and for coining of base coin, for adultery, and for delivering up the Earl of Northumberland to Queen Elizabeth, when he had fled to Scotland for refuge, being allured thereto by a sum of money. He was overthrown by the means of the Earls of Argyle, Athole, and Montrose; and was accused and condemned for being art and part in the king's father's murder, which was proven by the means of Sir James Balfour, Clerk-Register, who produced his handwriting.
Presidential Address
Authors: Honble Right , Duff Mountstuart E. Grant
Published: December 2013

When I was reading for my degree at Oxford, I thought that the ‘Politics’ of Aristotle would be likely to interest me more than his ‘Rhetoric,’ which was then usually taken into the Schools with the inevitable and sacramental ‘Ethics.’ Few people read it in those days, and my desire to take it up was treated rather as a harmless eccentricity, in the spirit of the words ‘Tiens, tu aimes ton mari; c'est bizarre, pourtant ce n'est pas défendu.’ This was in the year 1850, and I never returned to my old subject of study, after passing my examination, until, a few months ago, it occurred to me to read the book once again, and to see how it struck me after many years passed in politics and administration.