bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biomedical Applications of Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Petrini Lorenza , Migliavacca Francesco
Published: May 2011

Shape memory alloys, and in particular NiTi alloys, are characterized by two unique behaviors,
thermally or mechanically activated: the shape memory effect and pseudo-elastic effect. These
behaviors, due to the peculiar crystallographic structure of the alloys, assure the recovery of the original shape even after large deformations and the maintenance of a constant applied force in correspondence of significant displacements. These properties, joined with good corrosion and bending resistance, biological and magnetic resonance compatibility, explain the large diffusion, in the last 20 years, of SMA in the production of biomedical devices, in particular for mini-invasive techniques. In this paper a detailed review of the main applications of NiTi alloys in dental, orthopedics, vascular, neurological, and surgical fields is presented. In particular for each device the main characteristics and the advantages of using SMA are discussed. Moreover, the paper underlines the opportunities and the room for new ideas able to enlarge the range of SMA applications. However, it is fundamental to remember that the complexity of the material and application requires a strict collaboration between clinicians, engineers, physicists and chemists for defining accurately the problem, finding the best solution in terms of device design and accordingly optimizing the NiTi alloy properties.
Analysis on a Stochastic Predator‐Prey Model with Modified Leslie‐Gower Response
Authors: Lv Jingliang , Wang Ke
Published: May 2011

This paper presents an investigation of asymptotic properties of a stochastic predator‐prey model with modified Leslie‐Gower response. We obtain the global existence of positive unique solution of the stochastic model. That is, the solution of the system is positive and not to explode to infinity in a finite time. And we show some asymptotic properties of the stochastic system. Moreover, the sufficient conditions for persistence in mean and extinction are obtained. Finally we work out some figures to illustrate our main results.
Effects of Anaerobically Digested Slurry onMeloidogyne incognitaandPratylenchus penetransin Tomato and Radish Production
Authors: Min Yu Yu , Toyota Koki , Sato Erika , Takada Atsushi
Published: May 2011

Since effective disposable way of anaerobically digested biogas slurry is expected, ADS was applied to soil to evaluate its effects on nematode damage. Damage index of tomato by root-knot nematode was significantly () lower and the growth better in pots applied with ADS (100 and 200 mg -N kg−1) than that in those with chemical fertilizer and control (no ADS). ADS was applied into radish cultivated fields infested with the root-lesion nematode: a single (100 kg -N ha−1) in 2007 and 2008 and multiple applications (25, 50, 25 kg -N ha−1soil) in 2009. Damage to radish was 30% and 50% lower in ADS-treated fields than that in the control in 2007 and 2009, respectively, although not in 2008. These results suggest that application of ADS to fields might be feasible for mitigating nematode damage, but the rate and timing should be considered further for the best application way.
Simulation of Thermomagnetic Convection in a Cavity Using the Lattice Boltzmann Model
Authors: Hadavand Mahshid , Sousa Antonio C. M.
Published: May 2011

Thermomagnetic convection in a differentially heated square cavity with an infinitely long third dimension is numerically simulated using the single relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). This problem is of considerable interest when dealing with cooling of microelectronic devices, in situations where natural convection does not meet the cooling requirements, and forced convection is not viable due to the difficulties associated with pumping a ferrofluid. Therefore, circulation is achieved by imposing a magnetic field, which is created and controlled by placing a dipole at the bottom of the enclosure. The magnitude of the magnetic force is controlled by changing the electrical current through the dipole. In this study, the effects of combined natural convection and magnetic convection, which is commonly known as “thermomagnetic convection,” are analysed in terms of the flow modes and heat transfer characteristics of a magnetic fluid.
Long-Term Variations in Chlorophyllaand Primary Productivity in Jiaozhou Bay, China
Authors: Wang Baodong , Wang Zongling
Published: May 2011

Based on long-term data of measurements of nutrient and chlorophyllaconcentrations as well as estimates of primary production, the response of phytoplankton to nutrient enrichment was evaluated in the highly urbanized Jiaozhou Bay. Results showed that phytoplankton biomass, as indicated by chlorophyllaconcentration, did not show a direct linear response to increased nutrient concentrations. Instead, chlorophyllaconcentration was maintained at a constant level in the last two decades in Jiaozhou Bay, so did primary productivity. However, a reduction of zooplankton biomass was observed during the same period. Analysis showed that although the scale of phytoplankton blooms might be limited by availability of silicate due to low Si/N ratio and low concentration, top-down control on phytoplankton biomass by bivalve grazing may be an important factor in Jiaozhou Bay ecosystem.
On the Basic k‐nacci Sequences in Finite Groups
Authors: Deveci Ömür , Karaduman Erdal
Published: May 2011

We define the basic k‐nacci sequences and the basic periods of these sequences in finite groups, then we obtain the basic periods of the basic k‐nacci sequences and the periods of the k‐nacci sequences in symmetric group S4, its subgroups, and binary polyhedral groups which related with these groups.
The Influence of EB-Irradiated Treatment on Enhancing Barrier Property and Crystallization Behavior of Rubber-Toughened Nanocomposites
Authors: Jamal N. A. , Anuar H. , Bahri A. R. Shamsul
Published: May 2011

Electron beam (EB) irradiation technique was introduced to modify the crystallization and oxygen (O2) barrier properties of high density-polyethylene (HDPE)/ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) matrix and HDPE/EPDM filled withorganophilic montmorillonite (OMMT). The absorbed dose for EB-irradiation was fixed at 100 kGy. HDPE/EPDM matrix and HDPE/EPDM filled with OMMT at 4 vol% loading were prepared via melt intercalation method. It was found that the barrier resistance of HDPE/EPDM filled withOMMT against oxygen (O2) transmission was significantly enhanced by EB-irradiation absorbed dose of 100 kGy as compared to the control system. The crystallization temperature,Tc, and melting temperature,Tm, were also improved with the addition of OMMT along with the aids of EB-irradiation technique. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) revealed that the stacking condition of OMMT particles was greatly reduced by EB-irradiation treatment as evidenced by finer surface and less formation of voids.
Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Cross-Linked Rubber-Toughened Nanocomposites via Electron Beam Irradiation
Authors: Jamal N. A. , Anuar H. , Bahri A. R. Shamsul
Published: May 2011

Improving the mechanical properties of a pristine system is the main target of developing nanocomposites. The nanocomposites systems were first prepared via intercalation technique with different organophilic montmorillonite (OMMT) loading. Two types of cross-linking techniques were applied, namely, as maleic anhydride polyethylene (MAPE) and electron beam (EB) irradiated system. The effectiveness of these systems was then compared with the control one and analyzed based on the mechanical tests and morphological examination. The mechanical tests revealed that control, MAPE, and EB irradiated systems had attained the optimum mechanical properties at 4 vol% OMMT content. EB irradiated unit of a dose of 100 kGy showed excellent mechanical properties with higher crosslinking degree which were proved by gel content analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the existence of delamination structure with MAPE and EB irradiation techniques based on the disappearance of characteristic peak. The degree of delamination was further investigated by transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Does the Serum Testosterone Level Have a Relation to Coronary Artery Disease in Elderly Men?
Authors: Helaly Mohamed A. , Daoud Eid , El-Mashad Noha
Published: May 2011

Background. The low serum level of testosterone in the elderly subjects may contribute to coronary artery disease (CAD). Our aim is to study serum levels of free testosterone in elderly men with CAD.Subjects and Methods. This study was conducted on 100 elderly males with CAD, one half of them was presented with ACS (with mean age year), and the other half was presented with stable CAD (with mean age year), in addition to 50 apparently healthy elderly males (with mean age year) as a control group. We detected the levels of serum free testosterone, cortisol, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1), high sensitive C-reactive protein(hsCRP), interleukin-6(IL-6).Results. Cases with CAD had significant lower values of free testosterone and HDL-c, but they had significant higher values of cortisol, fibrinogen, PAI-1, IL-6, hsCRP, in comparison to control group. Cases with ACS had significant higher values of cortisol, hsCRP, IL-6, fibrinogen, PAI-1, total cholesterol and BMI more than those with stable CAD. The free testosterone had significant negative correlation with fibrinogen, PAI-1, hsCRP and IL-6 in both groups of patients.Conclusion. The lower value of serum free testosterone in elderly male subjects may contribute to CAD.
Gefitinib in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Costanzo Raffaele , Piccirillo Maria Carmela , Sandomenico Claudia , Carillio Guido , Montanino Agnese , Daniele Gennaro , Giordano Pasqualina , Bryce Jane , De Feo Gianfranco , Di Maio Massimo , Rocco Gaetano , Normanno Nicola , Perrone Francesco , Morabito Alessandro
Published: May 2011

Gefitinib is an oral, reversible, tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that plays a key role in the biology of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Phase I studies indicated that the recommended dose of gefitinib was 250 mg/day. Rash, diarrhea, and nausea were the most common adverse events. The positive results obtained in early phase 2 clinical trials with gefitinib were not confirmed in large phase 3 trials in unselected patients with advanced NSCLC. The subsequent discovery that the presence of somatic mutations in the kinase domain of EGFR strongly correlates with increased responsiveness to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors prompted phase 2 and 3 trials with gefitinib in the first line‐treatment of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC. The results of these trials have demonstrated the efficacy of gefitinib that can be now considered as the standard first‐line treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC harbouring activating EGFR mutations.
Pharmacological Treatment of Neonatal Opiate Withdrawal: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Authors: Liu Anthony , Björkman Tracey , Stewart Caroline , Nanan Ralph
Published: May 2011

Illicit drug use with opiates in pregnancy is a major global health issue with neonatal withdrawal being a common complication. Morphine is the main pharmacological agent administered for the treatment of neonatal withdrawal. In the past, morphine has been considered by and large inert in terms of its long-term effects on the central nervous system. However, recent animal and clinical studies have demonstrated that opiates exhibit significant effects on the growing brain. This includes direct dose-dependent effects on reduction in brain size and weight, protein, DNA, RNA, and neurotransmitters—possibly as a direct consequence of a number of opiate-mediated systems that influence neural cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. At this stage, we are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. There are no real alternatives to pharmacological treatment with opiates and other drugs for neonatal opiate withdrawal and opiate addiction in pregnant women. However, pending further rigorous studies examining the potential harmful effects of opiate exposure in utero and the perinatal period, prolonged use of these agents in the neonatal period should be used judiciously, with caution, and avoided where possible.
Poor Perception of Body Weight Category amongst the Overweight and Obese with Chronic Hepatitis C: A Target for Intervention
Authors: Pattullo Venessa , Alkazaz Nour , Sockalingam Sanjeev , Heathcote E. Jenny
Published: May 2011

Obesity in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with adverse hepatic and metabolic outcomes. This prospective study evaluates the agreement between self-perceived body weight (BW) status and measured body mass index (BMI) category and factors associated with its underestimation in CHC. Body size perception was measured with the Contour Drawing Rating Scale. Two hundred and seventy-three patients with CHC (overweight 45%, obese 18%) participated in this study. Although both overweight and obese demonstrated good body size perception, agreement between perceived BW and measured BMI categories was poor (κ=0.315, 95% CI 0.231–0.399); 33% of overweight/obese respondents considered themselves normal or underweight. Male gender (OR 2.84) and overweight (OR 2.42) or obese BMI (OR 14.19) were associated with underestimation of BW category. Targeted interventions are needed to improve body weight perception, thereby enhancing the uptake of health advice on management of excess body weight in CHC.
Action of Coriandrum sativum L. Essential Oil upon Oral Candida albicans Biofilm Formation
Authors: Furletti V. F. , Teixeira I. P. , Obando-Pereda G. , Mardegan R. C. , Sartoratto A. , Figueira G. M. , Duarte R. M. T. , Rehder V. L. G. , Duarte M. C. T. , Höfling J. F.
Published: May 2011

The efficacy of extracts and essential oils from Allium tuberosum, Coriandrum sativum, Cymbopogon martini, Cymbopogon winterianus, and Santolina chamaecyparissus was evaluated against Candida spp. isolates from the oral cavity of patients with periodontal disease. The most active oil was fractionated and tested against C. albicans biofilm formation. The oils were obtained by water‐distillation and the extracts were prepared with macerated dried plant material. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration—MIC was determined by the microdilution method. Chemical characterization of oil constituents was performed using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC‐MS). C. sativum activity oil upon cell and biofilm morphology was evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The best activities against planktonic Candida spp. were observed for the essential oil and the grouped F8–10 fractions from C. sativum. The crude oil also affected the biofilm formation in C. albicans causing a decrease in the biofilm growth. Chemical analysis of the F8–10 fractions detected as major active compounds, 2‐hexen‐1‐ol, 3‐hexen‐1‐ol and cyclodecane. Standards of these compounds tested grouped provided a stronger activity than the oil suggesting a synergistic action from the major oil constituents. The activity of C. sativum oil demonstrates its potential for a new natural antifungal formulation.
Defective Polysialylation and Sialylation Induce Opposite Effects on Gating of the Skeletal Na+ Channel NaV1.4 in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells
Authors: Ahrens Jörg , Foadi Nilufar , Eberhardt Ania , Haeseler Gertrud , Dengler Reinhard , Leffler Andreas , Mühlenhoff Martina , Gerardy-Schahn Rita , Leuwer Martin
Published: May 2011

Polysialic acid (polySia) is a large, negatively charged homopolymer of 2,8-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid residues resulting from remodeling and extension of protein-bound sialic acid (Sia) residues and seems to have a key role in regulating neural cell development and function. The aim of this study was to explore and compare the effects of polySia and sialylation on gating of voltage-gated sodium channels. The skeletal muscle α-subunit NaV1.4 was transiently expressed in wild-type Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells or in mutant CHO cells with deficits in their capacity to produce sialylated or polysialylated membrane components. Expression in both mutant cell lines resulted in larger peak current amplitudes as compared to wild-type CHO cells. Loss of Sia and polySia also resulted in significant shifts of voltage-dependent activation and steady-state inactivation, however, in opposite directions. Furthermore, only the loss of Sia had a significant effect on recovery from fast inactivation. Our data demonstrate for the first time that gating of voltage-gated sodium channels seems to be differentially regulated by polySia and Sia.
The Role of High-Mobility Group Box-1 Protein in the Development of Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Kim Junghyun , Sohn Eunjin , Kim Chan-Sik , Jo Kyuhyung , Kim Jin Sook
Published: May 2011

Background/Aims: The purpose of the experiment reported here was to assess the involvement of high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and nuclear factor (NF)-ĸB signaling pathway in the development of rat diabetic nephropathy. Methods: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection in 7-week-old male rats. At 20 weeks of age, renal expression of HMGB1 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of RAGE and NF-ĸB activity was studied by Western blot and electrophoretic mobility shift assay in renal tissues of normoglycemic and diabetic rats, respectively. Results: HMGB1 was highly expressed in both the cytoplasmic and nuclear patterns in diabetic renal glomerular cells and tubular epithelial cells, although in normal rats, HMGB1 was expressed only in the cell nuclei. The expression of RAGE, a potential receptor for HMGB1, and NF-ĸB activity were also greater in diabetic than in normal rats. Moreover, diabetes increased the binding of NF-ĸB to the RAGE promoter. Conclusion: These findings suggest that hyperglycemia-induced HMGB1 release may induce the renal injury in diabetic rats, and that the pathogenic role of HMGB1 might be dependent on RAGE and through activation of NF-ĸB.
Dendrin Location in Podocytes Is Associated with Disease Progression in Animal and Human Glomerulopathy
Authors: Asanuma Katsuhiko , Akiba-Takagi Miyuki , Kodama Fumiko , Asao Rin , Nagai Yoshiko , Lydia Aida , Fukuda Hiromitsu , Tanaka Eriko , Shibata Terumi , Takahara Hisatsugu , Hidaka Teruo , Asanuma Etsuko , Kominami Eiki , Ueno Takashi , Tomino Yasuhiko
Published: May 2011

Background: Adriamycin (ADR) nephrosis in mice has been extensively studied and has enabled a greater understanding of the processes underlying the progression of renal injury. Dendrin is a novel component of the slit diaphragm with proapoptotic signaling properties, and it accumulates in the podocyte nucleus in response to glomerular injury in mice. The present study re-evaluated chronic progressive nephropathy in ADR mice and the localization of dendrin in mice and in human glomerulopathy. Methods: To investigate the localization of dendrin, a mouse model of nephrosis and glomerulosclerosis was used, in which ADR was injected once. WT-1-positive cells and apoptotic cells were counted in vivo and in vitro. To check the expression of dendrin in ADR mice, immunostaining and Western blot were performed. A survey of dendrin staining was performed on human kidney biopsy specimens. Results: The injection of ADR induced proteinuria, podocyte loss and glomerulosclerosis. It also caused the relocation of dendrin from the slit diaphragm to the podocyte nucleus. We demonstrated the location of dendrin to podocyte nuclei in several cases of human glomerulopathy. The mean occurrence of dendrin-positive nucleus per glomerulus increased in several cases of human glomerulopathy. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the relocation of dendrin to the podocyte nuclei is useful as a novel marker of podocyte injury in human glomerulopathy.
Effect of ZP123, a Gap Junction Modifier, on Prolonged Ventricular Fibrillation in Swine
Authors: Li Jing-sha , Zhong Jing-quan , Zeng Qi-xian , Liu Hong-zhen , Su Guo-ying , Zhang Yun
Published: May 2011

Objectives: It was the aim of this study to investigate the effect of ZP123 on prolonged ventricular fibrillation (VF) in swine. Methods: VF was electrically induced in 20 pigs. The animals randomly received either ZP123 or saline control infusion before VF. After 8 min of untreated VF, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and biphasic defibrillation shocks were applied. VF mean frequency (VFmf) and mean amplitude (VFma), hemodynamics, outcome of defibrillation and the rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were analyzed. Results: Compared with the control group, VFmf was higher but VFma lower during the 8 min of VF in the drug group (11.8 ± 2.1 vs. 10.4 ± 2.0 Hz and 0.24 ± 0.10 vs. 0.31 ± 0.16 mV, respectively; p < 0.05). Hemodynamic variables in the 2 groups were comparable (p > 0.05). The defibrillation threshold was lower and the rate of successful defibrillation was higher in the drug group compared with the control group (92.2 ± 26.4 vs. 133.3 ± 28.9 J and 90 vs. 30%, respectively; p < 0.05). The rate of ROSC was not different between the 2 groups (40 vs. 30%; p > 0.05). Conclusion: In prolonged VF, ZP123 could decrease the defibrillation threshold and improve the rate of successful defibrillation. However, it could not improve the rate of ROSC – which may be due to its side effect of decreasing VFma.
Incidence of Non-AIDS-Defining Cancer in Antiretroviral Treatment-Naïve Subjects after Antiretroviral Treatment Initiation: An ACTG Longitudinal Linked Randomized Trials Analysis
Authors: Krishnan Supriya , Schouten Jeffrey T. , Jacobson Denise L. , Benson Constance A. , Collier Ann C. , Koletar Susan L. , Santana Jorge , Sattler Fred R. , Mitsuyasu Ronald ,   for the ACTG-ALLRT Protocol Team
Published: May 2011

Background: Prospective data on factors associated with the non-AIDS-defining cancer (NADC) incidence in HIV-infected individuals are limited. Methods: We examined the NADC incidence in 3,158 antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve subjects after ART initiation in AIDS Clinical Trials Group trials; extended follow-up was available for 2,122 subjects. Poisson regression was used to examine the associations between covariates and incident NADC. Results: At ART initiation, subjects (median age 37 years) were 40% non-Hispanic whites, and 82% were male; 23% had CD4+ T cell count ≤50 cells/mm3 and 25% had CD4 >350 cells/mm3. Median follow-up was 3.8 years. Among 64 incident NADCs, the most common were 8 anal cancers, 8 basal cell carcinomas, 8 Hodgkin’s disease, and 6 lung cancers. In univariate models, age, smoking and recent (time-updated) CD4 were associated with incident NADC. There was no association between initial ART drug class (protease inhibitor, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) and NADC. After adjusting for age, race and sex: smoking [relative risk = 2.12 (95% CI = 1.1–4.08)] and recent CD4 (≤50 cells/mm3: 3.58, 1.22–10.45; 51–200 cells/mm3: 2.54, 1.30–5.0; 201–350 cells/mm3: 2.37, 1.32–4.26 vs. >350 cells/mm3) were associated with NADC. Conclusion: Smoking and lower recent CD4 levels, but not initial ART drug class, were associated with NADC. Strategies for maintaining higher CD4 cell counts and successful smoking cessation may reduce the NADC incidence in the HIV-infected population.
Different Isoforms of Nitric Oxide Synthase Are Involved in Angiotensin-(1–7)-Mediated Plasticity Changes in the Amygdala in a Gender-Dependent Manner
Authors: Staschewski Jörg , Kulisch Christoph , Albrecht Doris
Published: May 2011

Background: The amygdala receives afferent sensory input and processes information related to hydromineral balance. Angiotensin acts on and through the amygdala to stimulate thirst and sodium appetite. In addition, different angiotensins seem to play a role in cognition and learning mechanisms by acting on and through the amygdala. Recently, we showed that angiotensin-(1–7) (Ang-(1–7)) enhances the magnitude of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) via the Mas receptor. Methods: Extracellular field potentials were measured in the LA. Results: LA-LTP induced by stimulation of the external capsule was nitric oxide (NO)-dependent because the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME reduced LA-LTP. The LA-LTP was also reduced in both male and female nNOS and eNOS knockout mice. In male eNOS–/– mice, Ang-(1–7) enhanced LA-LTP, whereas the LTP-enhancing effect of Ang-(1–7) was missing in female eNOS–/– mice. Therefore, the LTP-enhancing effect of Ang-(1–7) was mediated by eNOS in females. In contrast, Ang-(1–7) strongly enhanced the LTP in nNOS–/– females, whereas the effect of Ang-(1–7) was missing in nNOS–/– males. Thus, Ang-(1–7) induced an increase in the magnitude of LTP via the involvement of nNOS in males. Conclusion: Our data support not only the hypothesis that NO contributes to plasticity changes in the lateral amygdala, but also show for the first time a gender-dependent involvement of different isoforms of NOS in the mediation of Ang-(1–7) on LTP in the amygdala.
Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of the Olfactory System in Kallmann Syndrome: Correlation with a Clinical Smell Test
Authors: Koenigkam-Santos Marcel , Santos Antonio Carlos , Versiani Beatriz R. , Diniz Paula Rejane B. , Junior Jorge Elias , de Castro Margaret
Published: May 2011

Objectives: To measure olfactory bulbs and sulci using dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences and specific measurement tools in Kallmann syndrome (KS) patients with a well-established genotype and phenotype, as well as correlate MRI findings with a clinical smell test. Methods: MRI was performed in 21 patients with KS and 16 healthy volunteers; olfactory dysfunction was assessed using the Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), a qualitative suprathreshold olfaction test. Coronal turbo spin echo T2-weighted and volumetric T1-weighted gradient echo sequences were acquired in a 1.5T system. ImageJ software was used to obtain olfactory bulb volumes and olfactory sulcus depths and lengths. Data were analyzed with SPSS 15.0 and the Kappa index was used to evaluate the agreement between the UPSIT and MRI. Results: The UPSIT showed 14 patients with anosmia and 6 with moderate hyposmia. Eighteen patients (85%) presented altered rhinencephalon structures in the MRI. Sixteen patients (76%) presented olfactory bulb aplasia (14/16 bilaterally), and these patients presented a total of 16 aplastic sulci. There was moderate agreement between the MRI quantitative evaluation and the UPSIT (overall Kappa = 0.55), but when considering the presence of aplastic bulbs and anosmia, we found almost perfect agreement (Kappa = 0.87). Three patients had normal rhinencephalon structures, including one with a KAL1 gene mutation. Conclusion: Olfactory bulb and sulcus aplasia were the most common findings in KS patients. We objectively demonstrated agreement between MRI findings and the smell test, especially the presence of bulb aplasia and anosmia. Therefore, our findings help ascertain MRI accuracy in the diagnosis of KS, differentiating patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with an apparently normal or difficult to evaluate sense of smell.
Dyssynchrony, Contractile Function, and Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: Knappe Dorit , Pouleur Anne-Catherine , Shah Amil M. , Cheng Susan , Uno Hajime , Hall W. Jackson , Bourgoun Mikhail , Foster Elyse , Zareba Wojciech , Goldenberg Ilan , McNitt Scott , Pfeffer Marc A. , Moss Arthur J. , Solomon Scott D. ,   for the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial–Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Investigators
Published: May 2011

Background—

Despite benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with severe but less symptomatic heart failure, approximately 30% of patients do not fully respond to treatment. We hypothesized that a combined assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony and contractile function by strain-based imaging would identify patients who would most benefit from CRT.

Methods and Results—

We studied 1077 patients with New York Heart Association class I/II, LV ejection fraction ≤30% and QRS width ≥130 ms enrolled in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial–Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy trial with sufficient echocardiographic image quality for cardiac deformation analysis (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator [ICD], n=416; CRT, n=661). Patients were assigned to CRT plus an ICD or to ICD alone in 3:2 random assignment. We assessed the degree to which baseline echocardiographic assessments of dyssynchrony, measured as the standard deviation of time-to-peak transverse strain over 12 segments, contractile function, measured as global longitudinal strain, or both predicted the effect of treatment on the primary outcome of death or heart failure. With 213 primary events occurring over a mean of 2.4 years, the benefit of CRT plus an ICD relative to ICD alone was greatest in patients with mild to moderate dyssynchrony (time-to-peak transverse strain standard deviation, 142 to 230 ms) and greater baseline contractile function (global longitudinal strain ≤−8.7%). Overall, those patients with mild to moderate dyssynchrony and those with best contractile function at baseline demonstrated the greatest benefit from CRT (adjusted hazards ratio, 0.20; 95% confidence interval, 0.09 to 0.44). Dyssynchrony and global longitudinal strain predicted response to CRT independent of each other, QRS width, LV ejection fraction, and presence versus absence of left bundle-branch block, although the observed benefit remained greatest in patients with left bundle-branch block.

Conclusions—

Both mechanical dyssynchrony and contractile function are important independent correlates of benefit from CRT.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00180271.
Deictic Abstractions:On the Occasional References to Ideal Objectivities Producible with the Words “This” and “Thus”*
Authors: Sowa Rochus
Published: May 2011

This essay introduces the concept of deictic abstraction (deictic ideation), taking as a point of departure Husserl’s prototypical but insufficient description of the act of ideation in which a shade of color comes to givenness as an ideal object, i.e., a non-individual or abstract object, on the basis of a perceived individual object. This concept comprises not only color-ideation and ideations (abstractions) of universalities of the sensuous sphere (species infima of certain sounds, noises, smells, tastes), but all acts founded in perceptions in which ideal objects are directly referred to by means of demonstrative expressions (“this,” “like this,” “such,” etc.). This allows various types of deictic ideations or abstractions, corresponding to the degree of universality and the kind of ideal object concerned, to be brought to light through the analysis of particular cases of everyday acts of deictic abstraction, including deictic abstractions of predicative universals of the lowest level of universality (e.g., “this smell of perfume,” “a bug like this”); deictic abstractions of non-predicative universals, especially of universal ways (manners, schemata) of doing something (e.g., of tying a shoelace); and deictic abstractions of individual styles of doing something (e.g., of playing a musical composition in a typical individual way). Deictic abstractions not only turn out to be constitutive for the formation of perceptual concepts of the lower and lowest levels, but also prove to be foundational for all kinds of learning in which schemata of actions are acquired from a model (observational learning).
The Importance of Securing the Psychologically Impalpable: The Vicissitudes of the Perception of Expressiveness*
Authors: Giorgi Amedeo
Published: May 2011

Historically, when psychology broke away from a philosophical mode of scholarship it strove to become a natural science. This meant that it largely imitated the concepts and practices of the natural sciences which included the use of abstract terms to designate many of its phenomena with the consequence that psychology is often more abstract and generic than it ought to be. Husserl has emphasized the role of the life-world as the ultimate basis of all knowledge and a serious consideration of its role implies that psychology’s manner of labeling its phenomena should be less abstract and closer to the way the phenomena are experienced in the lifeworld. If so, this means that psychology’s primary data should be physiognomies or the expressive characteristics intrinsic to objects and situations. However, the complexities involved in the perception of physiognomies create difficulties for the practice of science. It is suggested that certain Husserlian phenomenological contributions concerning categorial modes of experiencing could be helpful in meeting scientific criteria.
A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experience of Pivotal Moments in Therapy as Defined by Clients*
Authors: Giorgi Barbro
Published: May 2011

This study was concerned with the clarification of the experience of pivotal moments in therapy. By pivotal moment is understood an event within the therapeutic process that leads to enduring change experienced as an important improvement in the life-experience of the client. Retrospective descriptions of a therapeutic process were obtained from three clients in which a distinguishable chain of events could be discerned that the clients identified as a pivotal moment. The descriptive material was analyzed according to the descriptive phenomenological psychological method developed by Amedeo Giorgi on the basis of the philosophical phenomenology of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty. The results show that the pivotal moment is experienced as a figural moment within the therapeutic process where a serious challenge to old assumptions takes place, necessitating a break from old cognitive, affective and behavioral patterns in a context of trust and safety within the therapeutic relationship.
Citizens to Lords: A Social History of Western Political Thought From Antiquity to the Middle Ages
Authors: Kennedy Geoff
Published: May 2011

This article seeks to contextualise Ellen Meiksins Wood’s recent survey of classical and medieval political thought within the context of some of the prevailing approaches to the history of political thought. After an initial elaboration of Wood’s ‘political-Marxist’ approach to issues of historical development and contextualisation, I emphasise what is significant about Wood’s specific contribution to the study of Greek, Roman and medieval political ideas in particular, as well as to the history of political thought in general.
Editorial Introduction
Authors: Blackledge Paul
Published: May 2011

Chris Wickham’s Framing the Early Middle Ages is a towering comparative overview of Rome’s successor-states in the four centuries after its collapse in the West. Not only does it bring together evidence from across the continent in a way that will inform all subsequent serious discussions of the period, it also conceptualises an important, peasant-mode of production. Notwithstanding these strengths, Framing has been criticised for its structuralist, static characterisation of feudalism. The debates surveyed in this essay suggest that, while Wickham’s book will act as a milestone in the history of Europe, it should also act as a spur to further research and critical reflection on the period. Moreover, in the light of recent criticisms of Marxist historiography, Wickham’s book and the debate surrounding it point to the continued vibrancy of historical materialism.
Framing the Early Middle Ages
Authors: Haldon John
Published: May 2011

Chris Wickham’s important intervention in debates about the transformation of the Roman world from the fifth century onwards presents a vast array of evidence about the nature of social relations, the economy and the late-Roman and early-medieval state across the Mediterranean and Western-European world. Wickham is successful in taking into account both the high level of regional variation and differentiation across the Roman world and, at the same time, the various key unifying elements which bound these regions together. But, in arguing that the nature of the fiscal apparatus and structures of extraction, redistribution and consumption of surpluses of the late-Roman state were formative in the structure and appearance of the late-Roman élites in East and West as well as in the evolution of their early-medieval successors, a number of structural tensions in the model become apparent. This discussion highlights some of the issues at stake, while, at the same time, affirming the critical importance of the book, more especially its emphasis on the structural force of late-Roman institutions and social relations for the successor-states of the early-medieval West.
Agency and Ethics, Past and Present
Authors: Knight Kelvin
Published: May 2011

Chris Wickham’s work appears to be motivated by an implicit ethic of ‘protagonism’ or praxis. This essay attempts to explicate that ethic. It argues that his work indicates why and how historical materialism, having abandoned historical teleology, should be combined with a teleological ethics.*
Peasant-Based Societies in Chris Wickham’s Thought
Authors: Astarita Carlos
Published: May 2011

This engagement with Chris Wickham’s Framing the Early Middle Ages argues that Germanic kings settled as political authorities in fiscal lands, and granted districts to some of the loyal members of their entourage over which they exercised power. This process relates to the fact that kings preserved fiscus-taxes, but that system had already deteriorated and finally disintegrated in the sixth century. In the long run, the problem was expressed in an organic crisis of the ruling class. In consequence, popular revolts against taxation ensued. These revolts are an indicator that the collapsed ancient machinery of domination was not replaced by another in the short term, thus giving way to a political vacuum. The fugitive slaves or serfs reflected in the laws are an indicator pointing in the same direction. Under these conditions free peasant-communities multiplied. These events take us to the concept of peasant-mode societies that Wickham contributes to our understanding of the period. Despite the importance he attaches to this concept, he observes nuances; not in all regions, he claims, did peasant-logic prevail. The evidence allows us, on the contrary, to extend the scope of the concept and to establish a single theoretical basis for the construction of the feudal system on a European scale.
The Problems of Comparison
Authors: Wickham Chris
Published: May 2011

This essay replies to the various criticisms made of Framing the Early Middle Ages (2005). It concedes a number of points relating to the importance of ideologies, the distinction between élites and aristocracies, the issue of money, and the question of the importance of the productive forces. It defends the comparative method and defends the discussions of coloni and of the spatial limitations of the peasant-mode of production in Framing. It also explores the nature of the state and aristocracy in this period.
The Bolivarian Process in Venezuela: A Left Forum
Authors: Lebowitz Michael A. , Denis Roland , Motta Sara , Ellner Steve , Spronk Susan , Ciccariello-Maher George , Fernandes Sujatha , Webber Jeffery R. , Purcell Thomas
Published: May 2011

The ‘Bolivarian Revolution’ in Venezuela under Hugo Chávez has reignited debate in Latin America and internationally on the questions of socialism and revolution. This forum brings together six leading intellectuals from different revolutionary traditions and introduces their reflections on class-struggle, the state, imperialism, counter-power, revolutionary parties, community and communes, workplaces, economy, politics, society, culture, race, gender, and the hopes, contradictions, and prospects of ‘twenty-first-century socialism’ in contemporary Venezuela.
Comparison of reproductive traits between two salt-marsh wolf spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae) under different habitat suitability conditions
Authors: Puzin Charlène , Acou Anthony , Bonte Dries , Pétillon Julien
Published: May 2011

Salt-marsh invasions by the grass Elymus athericus (Poaceae) recently transformed usual areas dominated by Atriplex portulacoides (Chenopodiaceae) into homogeneous meadows. Two wolf spider species, Pardosa purbeckensis and Arctosa fulvolineata, show contrasting densities and habitat preferences in salt marshes (respectively dominant and co-dominant ground-living spiders) and oppositely respond to the grass invasion. This allowed us to test whether invasive species that alter habitat structure affect reproduction in addition to previously recorded changes in density. Reproductive traits (female mass, cocoon mass, number and volume of eggs, hatched cocoon as a proxy of reproduction date) were studied in both invaded and natural salt marshes during 2007 and 2008 in the Mont St-Michel Bay (France). In both species, reproductive outputs (cocoon mass) were higher in optimal habitats and volume of eggs was found to be independent from female mass, whereas the latter significantly influenced the number of eggs. In A. fulvolineata, lower reproductive outputs due to less numerous although larger eggs were found in suboptimal habitats whereas the opposite pattern was found in optimal habitats, showing the existence of plastic phenotypic trade-offs in habitats of different qualities. In P. purbeckensis, despite differences in population size among habitats, no reproductive trade-off was found. This study thus shows that two sympatric species belonging to the same family can differ in reproductive strategies and phenotypic plasticity under changes in habitat suitability.
A simple and reliable molecular method for sex identification of the Brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) from non-invasively collected samples
Authors: Wu Yuzhen , Feng Ruizhi , Zhang Qiuhua , Zhao Chungui , Wang Mengben , Zhang Feng
Published: May 2011

For sex identification of the Brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum), one of the critically endangered endemic birds in China, the morphological method of checking the astragalus, an extra tiny bone on the ankle only of male ones is inconvenient and even impossible for wild populations. In this paper, we investigated a simple reliable non-invasive method according to the difference of the sizes of sex-linked genes CHD1-W and CHD1-Z (Griffiths et al., 1996; Ellegren, 1996) to identify the gender of individuals in two captive populations of the Brown-eared pheasant. We extracted DNA from blood and feather samples and amplified the genes by PCR using two pairs of primers P2/P8 (Griffiths et al., 1998) and 2550F/2718R (Fridolfsson et al., 1999). The products amplified with P2/P8 failed to show the sex due to the low resolution of the agarose gel. PCR using the 2550F/2718R primer set amplified two products of different sizes for all known females and a single product for all known males when scored on the 2.0% agarose gel, which indicated that this primer set enabled sex identification. Both blood and feather samples gave identical results although the products amplified from the feather samples were fewer than the blood samples which were taken invasively and acted as control. This is the first time molecular methods was used for sex identifications of the Brown-eared pheasant and will assist their management by means of artificial propagation and allow the study of the ecology and conservation genetics of the Brown-eared pheasant.
Habitat use by the jacky lizard Amphibolurus muricatus in a highly degraded urban area
Authors: Hitchen Dennis John , Burgin Shelley , Ridgeway Peter , Wotherspoon Danny
Published: May 2011

Over time native vegetation remnants in urban areas are typically eroded in size and number due to pressures from urban expansion and consolidation. Such remnants, frequently neglected and invaded by weeds, may constitute the last remaining habitat for some species' populations in urban areas. In the restoration of remnants for biodiversity, weed removal is often a high priority but there is a dearth of information on the role that exotic vegetation plays as habitat for fauna such as small reptiles. We investigated the vegetation type preference of urban remnants at the edge of a Sydney golf course by Amphibolurus muricatus, the native jacky lizard. The three vegetation types present were Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (an Endangered Ecological Community) with sparse groundcover, dense stands of the introduced Eragrostis curvula African love grass, and open fairways of lawn: three structurally different habitats. Captured jacky lizards were spooled and their movements traced by following the thread left as they moved through their home range. Jacky lizards preferred areas that afford them most cover. While they foraged throughout the stands of love grass, they tended to avoid the edge of native vegetation remnants. They also basked on the lawn close to the vegetation where they had recently foraged, or traversed it to enter natural vegetation or grass. We concluded that introduced love grass offered additional habitat because of the relatively dense vegetation cover, and that areas should not be managed with the assumption that invasive weeds are detrimental to native species without appropriate assessment.
Comparison of plasma dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity in two caiman species: Caiman latirostris and Caiman yacare (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae)
Authors: Siroski Pablo , Merchant Mark , Marcó María Parachú , Poletta Gisela , Ortega Hugo
Published: May 2011

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) is a well-characterized protease with broad substrate specificity, functionally-related to the activity of many bioactive peptides. It plays an important role as physiological regulator of a number of peptides that serve as biochemical messengers within the immune system. Plasma DPPIV activity was characterized with respect to temperature, kinetics and concentration dependence in two species of caiman, the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) and the black yacare (Caiman yacare). DPPIV activity showed a significant positive correlation from titrations carried out in the presence of different plasma concentrations. DPPIV activity was lower in C. yacare than in C. latirostris at all temperatures tested. C. yacare DPPIV activity showed a significant increase only at higher temperatures whilst C. latirostris plasma demonstrated a strong positive correlation starting at the lowest temperature, probably due to an adaptation for the tolerance of lower temperatures. Exposure of C. latirostris and C. yacare plasma at different time points showed that plasma DPPIV activities were time-dependent, and that the titer-dependent curves were different for the two species. These results revealed that plasma DPPIV activities were different between these two crocodilian species, which could contribute to the differences in susceptibility to infection between them.