bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FlyBoss: a web-based flystrike information and decision support system
Authors: Horton B. , Hogan L.
Published: November 2010

The FlyBoss system consists of comprehensive information on flystrike management and control, programs for assisting decision making, and sortable lists of products for preventing and treating flystrike. Readily accessible, up-to-date, best-practice information on flystrike is essential for effective, humane and economic management of flystrike by Australian wool producers, particularly those who are phasing out mulesing and those looking to adopt optimal insecticidal fly-control strategies. FlyBoss provides information on breeding and management to reduce flystrike susceptibility, effective methods of treating existing flystrike and flystrike prevention programs. The FlyBoss decision aids, which are based on simulation models and incorporate local weather data and sheep susceptibility factors, can assist sheep farmers who wish to optimise sheep management, chemical treatment and non-chemical options to minimise the risk of flystrike. FlyBoss also contains comprehensive information on fly biology, sheep and environmental factors associated with flystrike and information on appropriate chemicals for various situations. FlyBoss draws on expertise from organisations throughout Australia to provide the sheep industry with easily accessible, current and locally targeted information on flystrike management. The present report briefly describes the development of FlyBoss and associated workshops and provides an overview of current recommendations for the control and prevention of flystrike.
Changes in the potential distribution of humid tropical forests on a warmer planet
Authors: Zelazowski Przemyslaw , Malhi Yadvinder , Huntingford Chris , Sitch Stephen , Fisher Joshua B.
Published: November 2010

The future of tropical forests has become one of the iconic issues in climate-change science. A number of studies that have explored this subject have tended to focus on the output from one or a few climate models, which work at low spatial resolution, whereas society and conservation-relevant assessment of potential impacts requires a finer scale. This study focuses on the role of climate on the current and future distribution of humid tropical forests (HTFs). We first characterize their contemporary climatological niche using annual rainfall and maximum climatological water stress, which also adequately describe the current distribution of other biomes within the tropics. As a first-order approximation of the potential extent of HTFs in future climate regimes defined by global warming of 2
°
C and 4
°
C, we investigate changes in the niche through a combination of climate-change anomaly patterns and higher resolution (5 km) maps of current climatology. The climate anomalies are derived using data from 17 coupled Atmosphere–Ocean General Circulation Models (AOGCMs) used in the Fourth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change. Our results confirm some risk of forest retreat, especially in eastern Amazonia, Central America and parts of Africa, but also indicate a potential for expansion in other regions, for example around the Congo Basin. The finer spatial scale enabled the depiction of potential resilient and vulnerable zones with practically useful detail. We further refine these estimates by considering the impact of new environmental regimes on plant water demand using the UK Met Office land-surface scheme (of the HadCM3 AOGCM). The CO
2
-related reduction in plant water demand lowers the risk of die-back and can lead to possible niche expansion in many regions. The analysis presented here focuses primarily on hydrological determinants of HTF extent. We conclude by discussing the role of other factors, notably the physiological effects of higher temperature.
Regional temperature and precipitation changes under high-end (≥4
°
C) global warming
Authors: Sanderson M. G. , Hemming D. L. , Betts R. A.
Published: November 2010

Climate models vary widely in their projections of both global mean temperature rise and regional climate changes, but are there any systematic differences in regional changes associated with different levels of global climate sensitivity? This paper examines model projections of climate change over the twenty-first century from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report which used the A2 scenario from the IPCC Special Report on Emissions Scenarios, assessing whether different regional responses can be seen in models categorized as ‘high-end’ (those projecting 4
°
C or more by the end of the twenty-first century relative to the preindustrial). It also identifies regions where the largest climate changes are projected under high-end warming. The mean spatial patterns of change, normalized against the global rate of warming, are generally similar in high-end and ‘non-high-end’ simulations. The exception is the higher latitudes, where land areas warm relatively faster in boreal summer in high-end models, but sea ice areas show varying differences in boreal winter. Many continental interiors warm approximately twice as fast as the global average, with this being particularly accentuated in boreal summer, and the winter-time Arctic Ocean temperatures rise more than three times faster than the global average. Large temperature increases and precipitation decreases are projected in some of the regions that currently experience water resource pressures, including Mediterranean fringe regions, indicating enhanced pressure on water resources in these areas.
Stem cell ageing and non-random chromosome segregation
Authors: Charville Gregory W. , Rando Thomas A.
Published: November 2010

Adult stem cells maintain the mature tissues of metazoans. They do so by reproducing in such a way that their progeny either differentiate, and thus contribute functionally to a tissue, or remain uncommitted and replenish the stem cell pool. Because ageing manifests as a general decline in tissue function, diminished stem cell-mediated tissue maintenance may contribute to age-related pathologies. Accordingly, the mechanisms by which stem cell regenerative potential is sustained, and the extent to which these mechanisms fail with age, are fundamental determinants of tissue ageing. Here, we explore the mechanisms of asymmetric division that account for the sustained fitness of adult stem cells and the tissues that comprise them. In particular, we summarize the theory and experimental evidence underlying non-random chromosome segregation—a mitotic asymmetry arising from the unequal partitioning of chromosomes according to the age of their template DNA strands. Additionally, we consider the possible consequences of non-random chromosome segregation, especially as they relate to both replicative and chronological ageing in stem cells. While biased segregation of chromosomes may sustain stem cell replicative potential by compartmentalizing the errors derived from DNA synthesis, it might also contribute to the accrual of replication-independent DNA damage in stem cells and thus hasten chronological ageing.
Single-gene mutations and healthy ageing in mammals
Authors: Bartke Andrzej
Published: November 2010

Studies of the effects of single-gene mutations on longevity in
Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster
and
Mus musculus
identified homologous, highly conserved signalling pathways that influence ageing. In each of these very distantly related species, single mutations which lead—directly or indirectly—to reduced insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF) or insulin/IGF-like signalling (IIS) can produce significant increases in both average and maximal lifespan. In mice, most of the life-extending mutations described to date reduce somatotropic (growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1) signalling. The reported extensions of longevity are most robust in GH-deficient and GH-resistant mice, while suppression of somatotropic signalling ‘downstream’ of the GH receptor produces effects that are generally smaller and often limited to female animals. This could be due to GH influencing ageing by both IGF-1-mediated and IGF-1-independent mechanisms. In mutants that have been examined in some detail, increased longevity is associated with various indices of delayed ageing and extended ‘healthspan’. The mechanisms that probably underlie the extension of both lifespan and healthspan of these animals include increased stress resistance, improved antioxidant defences, alterations in insulin signalling (e.g. hypoinsulinaemia combined with improved insulin sensitivity in some mutants and insulin resistance in others), a shift from pro- to anti-inflammatory profile of circulating adipokines, reduced mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated translation and altered mitochondrial function including greater utilization of lipids when compared with carbohydrates.
Computational biology for ageing
Authors: Wieser Daniela , Papatheodorou Irene , Ziehm Matthias , Thornton Janet M.
Published: November 2010

High-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies have generated a wealth of publicly available data on ageing. Easy access to these data, and their computational analysis, is of great importance in order to pinpoint the causes and effects of ageing. Here, we provide a description of the existing databases and computational tools on ageing that are available for researchers. We also describe the computational approaches to data interpretation in the field of ageing including gene expression, comparative and pathway analyses, and highlight the challenges for future developments. We review recent biological insights gained from applying bioinformatics methods to analyse and interpret ageing data in different organisms, tissues and conditions.
Drug discovery and development for ageing: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Evans William J.
Published: November 2010

The prevention and treatment of late-life dysfunction are the goals of most geriatricians and should be the primary target for discovery and development of new medicines for elderly people. However, the development of new medicines for elderly people will face a number of challenges that are not seen for other patient populations. The burdens of multiple chronic diseases, low physiological reserve and polypharmacy must result in new clinical trials in frail older people with a high expectation of safety and efficacy. The etiology of functional limitations in elderly people is complex and often ascribed to conditions that escape the traditional definition of disease. While our society urgently needs new treatments that can reduce the burden of physical decline among older persons, guidelines on how these treatments should be developed and tested are currently lacking, in part because a consensus has not yet been achieved regarding the identifiable target diseases. New potential indications included sarcopaenia, anorexia of ageing, frailty, mobility disability and reduced functional capacity secondary to hospitalization. The challenges to conducting clinical trials in the elderly should not offset the great opportunity for the development of new medicines to prevent or reverse age-associated changes in body composition and poor functional capacity in the elderly.
Associations between intracranial haemorrhage and prescribed prophylaxis in a large cohort of haemophilia patients in the United States
Authors: Witmer Char , Presley Rodney , Kulkarni Roshni , Michael Soucie J. , Manno Catherine S. , Raffini Leslie
Published: November 2010

Intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) is the most serious type of bleeding for patients with haemophilia. Prior published reports regarding ICH predate the widespread provision of prophylaxis. Our study objectives were to determine risk factors for ICH and whether prophylaxis reduces ICH occurrence. We performed a nested case‐control study of persons with haemophilia, ≥2 years of age enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Universal Data Collection project. Of 10 262 patients 199 (1·9%) experienced an ICH for an incidence rate of 390/105 patient years. Head trauma was reported in 44% (88/199). ICH mortality was 19·6% (39/199). Significant risk factors for ICH included a high titre inhibitor [odds ratio (OR) = 4·01, 95% confidence interval (2·40–6·71)], prior ICH [OR = 3·62 (2·66–4·92)] and severe haemophilia [OR = 3·25 (2·01–5·25)]. Prophylaxis was associated with a significant risk reduction for ICH occurrence in patients with severe haemophilia who were negative for human immunodeficiency virus or an inhibitor, with an OR of 0·52 (0·34–0·81) and 0·50 (0·32–0·77) respectively. The most significant risk factors for ICH included the presence of an inhibitor, prior ICH, severity of haemophilia and reported head trauma. This is the first study to demonstrate that prescribed prophylaxis conferred a protective effect against ICH in patients with uncomplicated severe disease.
PR‐924, a selective inhibitor of the immunoproteasome subunit LMP‐7, blocks multiple myeloma cell growth both in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Singh Ajita V. , Bandi Madhavi , Aujay Monette A. , Kirk Christopher J. , Hark David E. , Raje Noopur , Chauhan Dharminder , Anderson Kenneth C.
Published: November 2010

PR‐924 is an LMP‐7‐selective tripeptide epoxyketone proteasome inhibitor that covalently modifies proteasomal N‐terminal threonine active sites. In the present study, we show that PR‐924 inhibits growth and triggers apoptosis in multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines and primary patient MM cells, without significantly affecting normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. PR‐924‐induced apoptosis in MM cells is associated with activation of caspase‐3, caspase‐8, caspase‐9, BID, PARP and cytochrome–c release. In vivo administration of PR‐924 inhibits tumour growth in human plasmacytoma xenografts. Results from SCID‐hu model show a significant reduction in the shIL‐6R levels in mice treated with PR‐924 versus vehicle‐control. PR‐924 treatment was well tolerated as evidenced by the lack of weight loss. Importantly, treatment of tumour‐bearing mice with PR‐924, but not vehicle alone, prolonged survival. Our preclinical findings therefore validate immunoproteasome LMP‐7 subunit as a novel therapeutic target in MM.
Effects of anti‐adhesive therapy on kidney biomarkers of ischemia reperfusion injury in human deceased donor kidney allografts1,2
Authors: Cheadle Chris , Watkins Tonya , Ehrlich Eva , Barnes Kathleen , Osama Gaber A. , Hemmerich Stefan , Rabb Hamid
Published: November 2010

Cheadle C, Watkins T, Ehrlich E, Barnes K, Gaber AO, Hemmerich S, Rabb H. Effects of anti‐adhesive therapy on kidney biomarkers of ischemia reperfusion injury in human deceased donor kidney allografts. Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 766–775. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Introduction:  Molecular biomarkers validated previously in animal models are increasingly being studied in conjunction with traditional clinical endpoints in therapeutic trials.

Patient and Methods:  We hypothesized that human kidneys would exhibit a brisk, gene‐specific inflammatory response during ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), which would be modified by anti‐adhesive therapy. Forty deceased‐donor kidneys were biopsied prior to implantation and ∼1 h after reperfusion during an intervention trial with the selectin antagonist YSPSL (recombinant P‐selectin glycoprotein ligand Ig). Ten inflammatory genes were measured by RT‐PCR and normalized to three housekeeping genes.

Results:  Pre‐implantation kidney biopsies were already significantly inflamed relative to healthy tissue, with transcripts encoding IL‐6, IL‐8, and CD25 > 10‐fold elevated. After reperfusion, IL‐6 and IL‐8 increased additional 60‐ and 120‐fold (p < 0.05), while already elevated CD25‐levels remained stable. Furthermore, transcripts encoding MCP‐1, E‐selectin, and TNFα were also induced significantly upon reperfusion (p < 0.0005). Systemic treatment of the recipient with YSPSL pre‐reperfusion, with or without pre‐implantation YSPSL flush of the donor organ, attenuated the post‐reperfusion increase in MCP‐1 and TGFβ (p < 0.05), E‐selectin and hemoxygenase 1 transcripts (p < 0.1).

Conclusions:  Our data in humans demonstrate a robust increase in inflammatory gene transcript levels during kidney transplantation IRI and reduction thereof by inhibition of leukocyte adhesion.
Does body size of dairy cows, at constant ratio of maintenance to production requirements, affect productivity in a pasture‐based production system?
Authors: Hofstetter P. , Steiger Burgos M. , Petermann R. , Münger A. , Blum J. W. , Thomet P. , Menzi H. , Kohler S. , Kunz P.
Published: November 2010

This study compared productivity of dairy cows with different body weight (BW), but a constant ratio of maintenance to production requirements in their first lactation, in a pasture‐based production system with spring calving. Two herds, Herd L (13 and 14 large cows in 2003 and 2004 respectively; average BW after calving, 721 kg) and Herd S (16 small cows in both years; 606 kg) [Correction added after online publication 14 January 2011: 16 small cows in both years; 621 kg was changed to 16 small cows in both years; 606 kg], all in their second or following lactations, were each allocated 6 ha of pasture and rotationally grazed on 10 parallel paddocks with equal herbage offer and nutritional values. Winter hay, harvested from the same pastures, was offered ad libitum in the indoor periods in a tied stall barn. Each herd received, per lactation and year, approximately 2000 kg dry matter (DM) of concentrates and of fodder beets, equally distributed to every individual. Indoors, the L‐cows ingested more DM than the S‐cows (18.7 vs. 16.3 kg DM/cow per day; p < 0.01), but DM intake per 100 kg of metabolic BW was similar (13.0 vs. 13.1 kg DM/cow per day). Estimates based on the n‐alkane technique gave similar results on pasture (17.9 vs. 15.5 kg DM/cow per day; p < 0.001). Roughage intakes per 100 kg of metabolic BW, at 13.5 kg DM/cow per day, were similar. Mean annual yield of energy‐corrected milk (ECM)/ha was slightly higher for the S‐herd than the L‐herd (13 026 vs. 12 284 kg) but was associated with a higher stocking rate (on average +20%) for the S‐herd. Feed conversion efficiency (1.2 vs. 1.3 kg ECM/kg DM intake) and overall milk production efficiency (45.3 vs. 47.3 kg ECM/kg metabolic BW) were similar in L‐ and S‐cows. Thus, both dairy cow types were equally efficient in utilising pasture‐based forage.
Spatial analysis of Tasmania’s native vegetation cover and potential implications for biodiversity conservation
Authors: Michaels Karyl , Norton Tony , Lacey Michael , Williams Jann
Published: November 2010

Summary  The landscape modification model proposed by McIntyre and Hobbs (1999) was used to assess the modification of Tasmania’s native vegetation and its potential implications for biodiversity conservation. The inclusion of new ‘substates’ in the model allowed the varying degrees of landscape variegation and fragmentation observed in Tasmania to be quantified. The mapped extent of Tasmania’s native vegetation is approximately 5.06 million ha or 74% of the land area. The extent of native vegetation varies across bioregions from a low of around 36% in the Tasmanian Northern Midlands bioregion to a high of 94% in the Tasmanian West bioregion. Overall, the Tasmanian landscape can be described as medium variegated as the State retains 76% cover of native vegetation, by area. Two of Tasmania’s nine bioregions are in an intact state, four are variegated, and three are fragmented. Seven of the State’s 48 catchments are in an intact state, 24 catchments are variegated, and 17 are fragmented. Tasmania was estimated to support 33 760 patches of native vegetation. Fewer than 3% of these patches exceed 50 ha in area. Small and medium patches occur predominantly on freehold land with grazing as a major land use, whereas large patches occur predominantly on crown land with conservation and production forestry as the major land uses. One feature of the State’s native vegetation is the large tract of native vegetation ecosystems in western Tasmania. Opportunities arise to sustain the resilience of these native ecosystems both by consolidating the formal protection of vegetation within catchments such as the Arthur and Pieman and by strengthening environmental management in adjacent areas. Bioregions and catchments where climate change may be of particular concern for biodiversity conservation and management include the Tasmanian Northern Midlands bioregion and Cam catchment in north‐western Tasmania. The maintenance and enhancement of patches of remnant vegetation in these areas will be challenging and appears likely to require strategic, multiscale and coordinated natural resource management over decades. Limiting the loss of native vegetation across the entire range of landscape states in Tasmania appears essential to mitigate the further decline of biodiversity.
Role of oxidative stress markers and antioxidants in the placenta of preeclamptic patients
Authors: Rani Neerja , Dhingra Renu , Arya Dharamveer Singh , Kalaivani Mani , Bhatla Neerja , Kumar Rani
Published: November 2010

Aim:  The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the placental variables of oxidative stress markers in preeclamptic women.

Methods:  A total of 60 placentas were collected. Of these, 30 were obtained from normotensive pregnancies, and 30 from pregnancies with preeclampsia as per International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP) criteria. Each placental tissue was analyzed for levels of pro‐oxidant (malondialdehyde) and antioxidants (glutathione and superoxide dismutase) using the standard enzymatic assays.

Results:  Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher (12.21 ± 4.1 versus 4.7 ± 2.1 nmol/g tissue, P < 0.0001) and glutathione (GSH) levels were significantly lower (0.46 ± 0.37 versus 1.03 ± 0.43 µmol/g tissue, P < 0.0001) in the placentas of preeclamptic women when compared to those of normal pregnancies. Though not statistically significant, decreases in superoxide dismutase levels were observed in placentas of preeclamptic women (4.14 ± 2.25 versus 5.22 ± 2.0 units/mg tissue protein, P < 0.055). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of malondialdehyde revealed a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 87%, at a cutoff value 6.5 nmol/g. Similarly, GSH had a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 77% at a cutoff value 0.62 µmol/g.

Conclusion:  The present study demonstrated that increased placental lipid peroxidation and decreased levels of antioxidants may play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. These findings are suggestive of involvement of oxidative stress markers in preeclamptic patients.
Genomic variants of human papillomavirus genotypes 16, 18, and 33 in women with cervical cancer in Slovenia
Authors: Vrtačnik Bokal Eda , Kocjan Boštjan J. , Poljak Mario , Bogovac Željka , Jančar Nina
Published: November 2010

Aim:  Our aim was to analyze genomic variants of the three most common human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes found in Slovenian women with cervical cancer (CC).

Material & Methods:  A total of 40 isolates of HPV 16, 20 isolates of HPV 18 and 11 isolates of HPV 33 were included in the study. The genomic diversity of HPV 16, HPV 18 and HPV 33 isolates was investigated within the long control region (LCR), and E6 and E7 genomic regions using direct polymerase chain reaction‐sequencing.

Results:  A total of 26 genomic variants of HPV 16, consisting of 22 LCR, 10 E6 and 5 E7 variants were identified. Thirty‐eight (95%) HPV 16 isolates belonged to the European branch, one (2.5%) to the African 2 branch and one (2.5%) to the Asian‐American branch. A total of 18 genomic variants of HPV 18 consisting of 18 LCR, two E6 and four E7 variants were identified: 19 (95%) HPV 18 isolates belonged to the European branch and one (5%) to the African branch. A total of seven genomic variants of HPV 33 consisting of seven LCR, two E6 and three E7 variants were identified: five (45.5%) HPV 33 isolates belonged to prototypic and six (54.5%) to non‐prototypic HPV 33 genomic variants.

Conclusions:  The majority of HPV 16 and HPV 18 isolates from Slovenian patients with CC analyzed in this study belonged to European branches. Prototypic and non‐prototypic HPV 33 genomic variants were equally distributed among Slovenian patients with CC. Several novel mutations were identified in all three genotypes examined.
Premenstrual and menstrual symptomatology in young adult Japanese females who smoke tobacco
Authors: Sakai Hiroko , Kawamura Chieko , Cardenas Xiaodong , Ohashi Kazutomo
Published: November 2010

Aim:  The present study examines the correlation between premenstrual and menstrual symptomatology and smoking status in young adult Japanese females.

Material and Methods:  A cross‐sectional study was conducted to assess premenstrual and menstrual symptomatology using the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ). Findings were compared between smokers and nonsmokers. The correlation between symptomatology and smoking status assessed by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependency (FTND) and the Reasons for Smoking Scale (RSS), which identifies smoker's motives, was determined.

Results:  Data were obtained from 785 participants, including 71 smokers, 29 quitters and 685 nonsmokers. All smokers consumed 20 or fewer cigarettes per day with the exception of one heavy smoker. Smoking status affected the cycle of menstruation, but did not affect the duration. Smokers demonstrated more severe symptomatology than nonsmokers during the menstrual and premenstrual phases. Among smokers, premenstrual symptomatology was significantly more severe than menstrual symptomatology. Five premenstrual symptom groups (pain, concentration, water retention, behavior change and negative affect) were significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers. Overall MDQ scores and those of three subcategories (concentration, behavior change, and negative affect) during the premenstrual phase were significantly correlated with nicotine dependency and smoking motives. Smoking motives were also correlated with the severity of autonomic reaction.

Conclusion:  Our findings suggest that young adult Japanese females with a light smoking habit have severe premenstrual symptomatology, which was correlated with nicotine dependency and smoking motives.
Different protein profile in amniotic fluid with nervous system malformations by surface‐enhanced laser desorption‐ionization/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (SELDI‐TOF‐MS) technology
Authors: Ma Zhe , Liu Cun , Deng Biping , Dong Shaogang , Tao Guowei , Zhan Xinfeng , Wang Chuner , Liu ShaoPing , Qu Xun
Published: November 2010

Aim:  To detect the distinct proteins in amniotic fluid (AF) between nervous system malformations fetuses and normal fetuses.

Material and Methods:  Surface‐enhanced laser desorption‐ionization/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry was used to characterize AF peptides in AF between nervous system malformations fetuses and normal fetuses. WCX2 protein chips were used to characterize AF peptides in AF. Protein chips were examined in a PBSIIC protein reader, the protein profiling was collected by ProteinChip software version 3.1 (Ciphergen Biosystems, Fremont, CA, USA) and analyzed by Biomarker Wizard software (Ciphergen Biosystems). Nine distinct proteins were identified in AF between nervous system malformations fetuses and normal fetuses.

Results:  Compared with the control group, three proteins with m/z 4967.5 Da, 5258.0 Da, and 11 717.0 Da were down‐regulated, and six proteins with m/z 2540.4 Da, 3107.1 Da, 3396.8 Da, 4590.965 Da, 5589.2 Da and 6429.4 Da up‐regulated in nervous system malformations fetuses.

Conclusion:  The results suggest that there are distinct proteins in protein profiling of AF between nervous system malformations fetuses and normal fetuses.
Impact of propofol on electrocardiographic alterations during intravascular application of bupivacaine – a study in piglets
Authors: Mauch Jacqueline Y. , Kutter Annette P. N. , Martin Jurado Olga , Madjdpour Caveh , Spielmann Nelly , Frotzler Angela , Bettschart‐Wolfensberger Regula , Weiss Markus
Published: November 2010

Background:  Intravascular application of a small dose of local anesthetics (LA) with epinephrine as well as larger doses of LA under sevoflurane anesthesia results in increase in T‐wave amplitude in the electrocardiogram (ECG). The aim of this study was to elucidate whether propofol anesthesia affects these ECG alterations or not.

Methods:  Thirty neonatal pigs were randomized into two groups. Group 1 was anesthetized with sevoflurane, group 2 with sevoflurane plus continuous propofol infusion (10 mg·kg−1·h−1). A test dose of 0.2 ml·kg−1 bupivacaine 0.125% + epinephrine 1 : 200 000 was injected intravenously. Arterial pressure was monitored. ECG was analyzed for changes in T‐wave amplitude (positive if ≥25% baseline) and heart rate. In another setting, bupivacaine 0.125% was intravenous infused at a rate of 4 mg·kg−1·min−1. ECG was analyzed for alteration in T‐wave amplitude and heart rate at 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg·kg−1 bupivacaine infused.

Results:  T‐wave elevation after the administration of an epinephrine containing LA test dose was similar between the two groups. Increase in heart rate caused by the test dose were significantly higher in group 2 (P = 0.008). During continuous bupivacaine administration, T‐wave elevation occurred in 40% and 71% (group 1 and 2) at 1.25 mg·kg−1, in 80% and 100% at 2.5 mg·kg−1, and in 93% and 86% at 5 mg·kg−1 bupivacaine infused.

Conclusion:  Continuous propofol infusion does not suppress the ECG signs of a systemically administered epinephrine containing LA test dose nor does it suppress the ECG signs caused by high doses of intravenous applied bupivacaine.
Intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer: laparoscopic vs open surgery approach
Authors: Laurent C. , Paumet T. , Leblanc F. , Denost Q. , Rullier E.
Published: November 2010

Aim  Laparoscopic sphincter‐saving surgery has been investigated for rectal cancer but not for tumours of the lower third. We evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for low rectal cancer.

Method  From 1990 to 2007, patients with rectal tumour below 6 cm from the anal verge and treated by open or laparoscopic curative intersphincteric resection were included in a retrospective comparative study. Surgery included total mesorectal excision with internal sphincter excision and protected low coloanal anastomosis. Neoadjuvant treatment was given to patients with T3 or N+ tumours. Recurrence and survival were evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the Logrank test. Function was assessed using the Wexner continence score.

Results  Intersphincteric resection was performed in 175 patients with low rectal cancer: 110 had laparoscopy and 65 had open surgery. The two groups were similar according to age, sex, body mass index, ASA score, tumour stage and preoperative radiotherapy. Postoperative mortality (zero) and morbidity (23%vs 28%; P = 0.410) were similar in both groups. There was no difference in 5‐year local recurrence (5%vs 2%; P = 0.349) and 5‐year disease‐free survival (70%vs 71%; P = 0.862). Function and continence scores (11 vs 12; P = 0.675) were similar in both groups.

Conclusion  Intersphincteric resection did not alter long‐term tumour control of low rectal cancer. The safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic approach for intersphincteric resection are suggested by a similar short‐ and long‐term outcome as obtained by open surgery.
Impact of smoking on outcomes after intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy for urothelial carcinoma not invading muscle of the bladder
Authors: Sfakianos John P. , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Favaretto Ricardo Lima , Rioja Jorge , Herr Harry W.
Published: November 2010

Study Type – Prognosis (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

The main goal of a prostate biopsy is to identify clinically relevant prostate cancer with the lowest possible morbidity from the procedure. Through time many have tried different variations in the procedure in an attempt to find the optimal methodology for performing prostate biopsies. These changes include better equipment in helping optimize cancer localizing, varying the number of cores in efforts to improve cancer detection and sampling various areas of the prostate to find cancer that may be hiding. To our knowledge we are the first to describe performing prostate biopsies with keeping the sampling size constant and varying the number of cores based on the size of the prostate.

The study adds a variation in the current techniques used for prostate biopsies. In certain situations using a standard number of cores makes obtaining proper sampling of a prostate difficult. We propose a methodology in performing prostate biopsies that will allow for standardization of the tissue per core analyzed thus allowing for an improved sampling of the prostate.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the influence of smoking on the outcomes of patient with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) not invading muscle treated with BCG therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted on 623 consecutive patients treated with BCG therapy for high‐grade Ta (n= 219; 35.2%), T1 (n= 215; 34.5%) and/or carcinoma in situ (n= 189; 30.3%). Cigarette smoking status was categorized as (smokers vs non‐smokers) and as (current smokers vs past smokers vs never smokers). In addition, we analyzed the time since smoking cessation as a continuous and categorical variable (smoking cessation after diagnosis vs 0.1–10 years before diagnosis vs more than 10 years before diagnosis). Association with outcomes was examined by univariate and multivariable analyses, adjusting for the effects of age, gender, stage and grade.

RESULTS

The study cohort consisted of 423 males (67.9%) and 200 females (32.1%). Overall, 386 patients (62.0%) were past smokers, 97 (15.6%) were current smokers and 140 (22.5%) had never smoked. In both univariate and multivariable analyses, smoking status by any definition was not associated with the response to BCG therapy, disease recurrence, progression, all‐cause mortality or UCB‐specific mortality. TUR grade was significantly associated with disease progression. TUR stage and BCG response at 6 months were significantly associated with disease recurrence, progression, all‐cause mortality and UCB‐specific mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking does not appear to affect the response to BCG therapy or long‐term oncological outcomes.
Taking a climate chance: A procedural critique of Vietnam's climate change strategy
Authors: Fortier François
Published: November 2010

This article asks through what processes and for which interests the emerging Vietnamese climate change strategy is being designed, and if, ultimately, it is likely or not to be effective in the face of the looming threat. Through a review of an emerging body of literature and field observations, the paper finds the strategy partial and problematic in several ways. Its technocratic process prevents a pluralist representation of interests, obfuscating and perpetuating sectorial ones, at the expense of a more transparent and democratic resource allocation. The strategy therefore reflects and reinforces existing power relations in both politics and production. It feeds into a business‐as‐usual complacency, protecting national and international interests vested in unchallenged continuity, even when considering post‐carbon technological fixes, which largely serve to expand capital accumulation opportunities. The article concludes that the national climate change strategy provides an illusion of intervention and security, but largely fails to identify and mitigate the underlying causes of climate change, or to lay the ground for a robust mid‐ and long‐term adaptation strategy that can cope with yet unknown levels of climatic and other structural changes.
Researching Pacific island livelihoods: Mobility, natural resource management and nissology
Authors: Christensen Andreas E. , Mertz Ole
Published: November 2010

Small island literature is vast in focus and aim, and is rooted in many different disciplines. The challenge is to find common grounds for researching small islands conceptually and theoretically. The aim of this article is to comment on how to research small islands, including a discussion on contemporary theories of nissology and conceptual analytical frameworks for island research. Through a review of selected case‐study‐based island literature on changing livelihoods coming out of the South Pacific, we wish to illustrate and discuss advantages of finding common grounds for small island studies. The focus is on two dimensions of island livelihood, migration and natural resource management, both of which are significant contributors in making island livelihoods and shaping Pacific seascapes. We argue that there is still a substantial lack of studies targeting small island dynamics that are empirical and interdisciplinary in focus and link socio‐economic and ecological processes of small island societies at temporal and analytical scales.
Guam culture, immigration and the US military build‐up
Authors: Owen Amy
Published: November 2010

The island of Guam, located at a strategic aquatic cross‐roads in the Pacific, is undergoing changes that will greatly impact the local population and culture. This study investigates the concerns and perceptions of local Guam people regarding recent changes in US policy. The impending build‐up of the US Military and the recent opening of Guam to immigration are explored through a historic contextual analysis of current events along with a survey of the island population. The survey results indicate that positive feelings towards the build‐up were lower than what may have been expected from public discourse and uncertainty considerably greater than what have been expected from public discourse. Views varied by age and by income, with the youth and middle class the least optimistic. The build‐up was viewed overall as good for the island's economy and bad for the island's culture. Concerns over the build‐up, as well as incoming immigrants were based on access to already strained island resources rather than ethnic or racial bias. Unexpectedly, little variation existed among the attitudes of the diverse ethnicities that form Guam's unique ‘Guamanian’ culture.
ON ESTIMATION OF THE POPULATION SPECTRAL DISTRIBUTION FROM A HIGH‐DIMENSIONAL SAMPLE COVARIANCE MATRIX
Authors: Bai Zhidong , Chen Jiaqi , Yao Jianfeng
Published: November 2010

Sample covariance matrices play a central role in numerous popular statistical methodologies, for example principal components analysis, Kalman filtering and independent component analysis. However, modern random matrix theory indicates that, when the dimension of a random vector is not negligible with respect to the sample size, the sample covariance matrix demonstrates significant deviations from the underlying population covariance matrix. There is an urgent need to develop new estimation tools in such cases with high‐dimensional data to recover the characteristics of the population covariance matrix from the observed sample covariance matrix. We propose a novel solution to this problem based on the method of moments. When the parametric dimension of the population spectrum is finite and known, we prove that the proposed estimator is strongly consistent and asymptotically Gaussian. Otherwise, we combine the first estimation method with a cross‐validation procedure to select the unknown model dimension. Simulation experiments demonstrate the consistency of the proposed procedure. We also indicate possible extensions of the proposed estimator to the case where the population spectrum has a density.
Torture by Cieng: Ethical Theory Meets Social Practice among the Dinka Agaar of South Sudan
Authors: Deal Jeffery L.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT  Here I detail violence in South Sudan by first discussing a specific Dinka Agaar practice alongside existing discourses on the social aspects of violence and universal human rights, then I show how these acts had meaning and purpose using data from personal accounts of violence. I posit that the violence described was consistent with Dinka Agaar concepts of justice and basic human rights and that it cannot be judged against any universal human rights standard, devoid of local context or of an overarching metanarrative. These events highlight conflicting subjectivities, ethical norms, and the painful difficulties inherent to advocacy in areas of conflict. Viewed from the perspective of the larger social unit, it is easy to see how violence was required to end violence. However, witnessing punitive violence purposefully enacted on innocent individuals to achieve peace has the potential to create conflicting positions that modern anthropological discourse cannot reconcile.
Events of Translation: Intertextuality and Christian Ethnotheologies of Change among Guhu‐Samane, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Handman Courtney
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT  Translation has long been a part of anthropology, and recently analysts have focused on the politics, poetics, and ethics of translations that account for much of the global flow of discourses. This literature can be thought of as histories of how translators forge denotational links between source and target texts and how communities engage with the texts that result. Here, however, I want to highlight a different mode of translation in which connections between source and target texts become models of transformation for communities that engage with them. Moreover, participants can actually enact transformations in ritual moments that foreground the relationships between translated texts. I focus on Guhu‐Samane Christian communities of Papua New Guinea who use performances of the local‐language translation of the New Testament to comment on the kind of Christian transformations they have experienced. This perspective offers a particularly compelling way to investigate Christian models of temporality.
Cultural Patterns of Trauma among 19th‐Century‐Born Males in Cadaver Collections
Authors: De La Cova Carlina
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT  Comprehending violence among bioarchaeological and historical groups is a topic of recent interest among biological anthropologists. This research examines trauma among African American and Euro‐American males of low socioeconomic status born between 1825 and 1877. A total of 651 male skeletons from the Cobb, Terry, and Hamann‐Todd anatomical collections were macroscopically evaluated for skeletal trauma, based on the presence of fractures and weapon‐related wounds, and statistically analyzed according to ancestry, birth (Antebellum, Civil War, Reconstruction), combined ancestry–birth, and collection cohorts. Results indicated that African Americans and Euro‐Americans expressed ethnic differences in regard to interpersonal violence. To interpret these disparities, documentary data were used to reconstruct the socioeconomic and cultural environment of these individuals. This research emphasizes the importance of evaluating skeletal data within the context of class, culture, and environment so that behavioral patterns observed in the skeleton can be better understood.
Anthropology‐Led Community‐Engagement Programs
Authors: Simmons David
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT  In this review essay, the merit of three community‐engagement programs directed by anthropologists—the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center (UROC), the University of Maryland‐College Park's Cultural Systems Analysis Group, and the University of Texas at Austin's Division of Diversity and Community Engagement—are explored. I consider the intellectual and practical lineages from which these programs draw and their impacts on community‐service provision.
Somatosensory evoked potentials of median and tibial nerves in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) under captivity: influence of ontogenic status in neonatal, infant, young, adult, and senile stages
Authors: Hernández‐Godínez Braulio , Ibáñez‐Contreras Alejandra , Durand‐Rivera Alfredo , Reyes‐Pantoja Sergio A. , Ramírez‐Hernández Roberto , Rodríguez‐Guzmán Paris , Tena‐Betancourt Eduardo
Published: November 2010

Background Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) constitute a useful neurophysiologic tool commonly used to assess the functionality and developmental degree of the nervous system.

Objective To analyze somatosensory pathways of theMacaca mulattaspecies throughout different ontogenetic statuses.

Methods Twenty non‐human primates were divided into five age‐dependant groups. Recording of SEPs was executed by stimulation of lower limb at the tibial nerve and upper limb and recorded at the median nerve.

Results Two wave series were observed for all groups for both limbs studied. Significant differences were found at the upper right limb at C4, C7 and also for the antecubital fossa site. The lower limbs showed a single significant right‐wing deflection.

Conclusions Differences found in signals generated by the nervous system in response to somatosensory stimuli among the studied groups are thought to be developmental in origin, as the most remarkable deviations were seen in younger monkeys.
The Role of the Foreskin in Male Circumcision: An Evidence‐Based Review
Authors: Dinh Minh H. , Fahrbach Kelly M. , Hope Thomas J.
Published: November 2010

Citation Dinh MH, Fahrbach KM, Hope TJ. The role of the foreskin in male circumcision: an evidence‐based review.  Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65: 279–283

HIV sexual transmission via the male genital tract remains poorly defined. Male circumcision was shown to reduce female‐to‐male transmission in Africa, providing a clue that the foreskin plays a role in the route of transmission. Scientific data in four categories relating to how the foreskin might affect HIV transmission is summarized: (i) surface area, (ii) microbiologic environment, (iii) HIV‐1‐susceptible cells, and (iv) tissue structure. The relative contribution of each of these areas is yet unknown, and further studies will be crucial in understanding how male circumcision affects HIV transmission in men.
Anoikis mediators in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Bunek J , Kamarajan P , Kapila YL
Published: November 2010

Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 355–361

Anoikis – apoptotic cell death triggered by loss of extracellular matrix (ECM) contacts – is dysregulated in many chronic debilitating and fatal diseases. Mechanisms rendering tumor cells resistant to anoikis, although not completely understood, possess significant therapeutic promise. In death receptor‐mediated anoikis mechanisms, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and receptor‐interacting protein (RIP) dissociate, leading to association of RIP with Fas, formation of the death‐inducing signaling complex (DISC), activation of caspase‐3, and propagation of anoikis. In contrast, anoikis resistance is accomplished through constitutive activation of survival pathways that include integrin‐dependent activation of FAK and extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase (ERK). In addition, FAK and RIP association confers anoikis resistance by inhibiting the association of RIP with Fas and formation of the death signaling complex, which allows cells to escape anoikis. Up‐regulation of CD44 also contributes to survival signals and promotes anoikis resistance. This review will focus on the roles of death receptors, prosurvival pathways, and the molecular players involved in anoikis escalation and resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma.