bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Role of Religion‐Supported Secular Programs for Explaining Initiation into First Sex
Authors: Adamczyk Amy
Published: June 2012

Research finds that religious youth, compared to less religious youth, are more likely to delay their sexual debut (sometimes until marriage). This study is one of the first to examine the influence of involvement in religion‐supported secular activities for shaping initiation into vaginal sex. Does involvement in religion‐sponsored secular programs produce any health‐related benefits for youth? Using two waves of data from the National Study of Youth and Religion this study finds that among teens who have engaged in some of the precursors to first sex, namely, sexual touching, involvement in religion‐sponsored secular activities is associated with lower odds of having first sex between W1 and W2. Conservative attitudes about sex outside of marriage explain, in part, the relationship. Conversely, network overlap, the number of friends who belong to a youth group, and pressure from friends and partners to have sex do not significantly mediate the relationship.
‘Cultural Coalitions’ and International Regulatory Co‐operation*
Authors: HARCOURT ALISON
Published: June 2012

By selecting the cases of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the agreement of ‘cultural protocols’ in trade agreements between the European Union and third countries, this article explains why and how the third sector should be considered in analyses of regulatory co‐operation at the international level. The article investigates key triggers of regulatory competition and how non‐governmental organizations and broader coalitions of third‐sector actors played a key role in fostering co‐operation.
Health information support provided by professional associations in Canada
Authors: Chatterley Trish , Storie Dale , Chambers Thane , Buckingham Jeanette , Shiri Ali , Dorgan Marlene
Published: June 2012

Background

Healthcare practitioners in Alberta and across Canada have varying levels of access to information resources depending on their institutional and professional affiliations, yet access to current health information is critical for all.

Objectives

To determine what information resources and services are provided by Albertan and Canadian professional health associations to their members.

Methods

Representatives of professional colleges and associations were interviewed regarding information resources and services offered to members and perceptions of their members' information needs.

Results

National‐level associations are more likely to provide resources than provincial ones. There is a clear distinction between colleges and associations in terms of information offered: colleges provide regulatory information, while associations are responsible for provision of clinical information resources. Only half of the associations interviewed provide members with access to licensed databases, with cost being a major barrier.

Conclusions

There is considerable variation in the number of electronic resources and the levels of information support provided by professional health associations in Alberta and Canada. Access and usage vary among the health professions. National licensing of resources or creation of a portal linking to freely available alternatives are potential options for increasing access and awareness.
SHPS‐1 deficiency induces robust neuroprotection against experimental stroke by attenuating oxidative stress
Authors: Wang Lang , Lu Yanyun , Deng Shan , Zhang Yan , Yang Li , Guan Yu , Matozaki Takashi , Ohnishi Hiroshi , Jiang Hong , Li Hongliang
Published: June 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 834–843.

Src homology 2 domain–containing protein tyrosine phosphatase substrate–1 (SHPS‐1), also known as Signal‐regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) or SIRPA is a transmembrane protein that is predominantly expressed in neurons, dendritic cells, and macrophages. This study was conducted to investigate the role of SHPS‐1 in the oxidative stress and brain damage induced by acute focal cerebral ischemia. Wild‐type (WT) and SHPS‐1 mutant (MT) mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (60 min) followed by reperfusion. SHPS‐1 MT mice had significantly reduced infarct volumes and improved neurological function after brain ischemia. In addition, neural injury and oxidative stress were inhibited in SHPS‐1 MT mice. The mRNA and protein levels of the antioxidant genes nuclear factor‐E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 were up‐regulated in SHPS‐1 MT mice. The SHPS‐1 mutation suppressed the phosphorylation of SHP‐1 and SHP‐2 and increased the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β. These results provide the first demonstration that SHPS‐1 plays an important role in the oxidative stress and brain injury induced by acute cerebral ischemia. The activation of Akt signaling and the up‐regulation of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase 1 likely account for the protective effects that were observed in the SHPS‐1 MT mice.
Endothelin‐1 and the kidney – beyond BP
Authors: Dhaun Neeraj , Webb David J , Kluth David C
Published: June 2012

Since its discovery over 20 years ago endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) has been implicated in a number of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Its role in the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is well established and is an area of ongoing intense research. There are now available a number of ET receptor antagonists many of which have been used in trials with CKD patients and shown to reduce BP and proteinuria. However, ET‐1 has a number of BP‐independent effects. Importantly, and in relation to the kidney, ET‐1 has clear roles to play in cell proliferation, podocyte dysfunction, inflammation and fibrosis, and arguably, these actions of ET‐1 may be more significant in the progression of CKD than its prohypertensive actions. This review will focus on the potential role of ET‐1 in renal disease with an emphasis on its BP‐independent actions.
“The Economics of Reform in the Middle Ages”
Authors: Jasper Kathryn L.
Published: June 2012

Scholarship has long recognized the primary economic mission of eleventh‐century Church reform as the restitution and protection of ecclesiastical property. Most monographs on the subject of reform regard the economic changes of the period as fundamental to wider negotiations of power. While the study of land tenure offers one context in which to examine how customary authority and canon law intersect, more recent work reveals a much more complex landscape of economic concerns. In particular, some excellent studies published in the last two decades consider the relationship between reform polemic and its manifestation on the ground. The interpretive shift towards a focus on local reform movements and the move towards studying the economic aspects of reform should often go hand in hand. In this way, we may arrive at a more holistic understanding of the economic issues raised during the most intense period of reform, from 1046 (Synod of Sutri) to 1122 (Concordat of Worms).
Comparative Communist History and the ‘Biographical Turn’
Authors: Morgan Kevin
Published: June 2012

The historiography of European communism has enjoyed a new lease of life since the opening up of communist archives in the early 1990s. There now exist major monographic studies of most European communist parties in the period of the Communist International (1919–1943). New perspectives have been provided on concepts like stalinism and stalinisation. A more recent body of work looks at the construction of communist identities and the communist politics of memory. This review article focuses on what has been described as the biographical turn in communist historiography. The currently prolific interest in biography of historians of communism may in part be regarded as a historiographical catching‐up exercise; it allows the provision of a familiar genre of historical writing which was hitherto little explored due to lack of appropriate sources. While the value of conventional biography is recognised here, possibilities for further development are identified with more innovative conceptions of the biographical framework. These include comparative or collective biography, the political uses of biographical capital and the construction of communist life histories and ‘work upon the self’.
Robust Classification of Functional and Quantitative Image Data Using Functional Mixed Models
Authors: Zhu Hongxiao , Brown Philip J. , Morris Jeffrey S.
Published: June 2012

Summary This article introduces new methods for performing classification of complex, high‐dimensional functional data using the functional mixed model (FMM) framework. The FMM relates a functional response to a set of predictors through functional fixed and random effects, which allows it to account for various factors and between‐function correlations. The methods include training and prediction steps. In the training steps we train the FMM model by treating class designation as one of the fixed effects, and in the prediction steps we classify the new objects using posterior predictive probabilities of class. Through a Bayesian scheme, we are able to adjust for factors affecting both the functions and the class designations. While the methods can be used in any FMM framework, we provide details for two specific Bayesian approaches: the Gaussian, wavelet‐based FMM (G‐WFMM) and the robust, wavelet‐based FMM (R‐WFMM). Both methods perform modeling in the wavelet space, which yields parsimonious representations for the functions, and can naturally adapt to local features and complex nonstationarities in the functions. The R‐WFMM allows potentially heavier tails for features of the functions indexed by particular wavelet coefficients, leading to a down‐weighting of outliers that makes the method robust to outlying functions or regions of functions. The models are applied to a pancreatic cancer mass spectroscopy data set and compared with other recently developed functional classification methods.
Lanthanum and Neodymium Solubility in Simplified SiO2–B2O3–Na2O–Al2O3–CaO High Level Waste Glass
Authors: Kidari Abdessamad , Dussossoy Jean‐Luc , Brackx Emmanuelle , Caurant Daniel , Magnin Magali , Bardez‐Giboire Isabelle
Published: June 2012

Lanthanum and neodymium incorporation in simplified high level waste glasses has been investigated for
SiO

2–
B

2

O

3–
Na

2

O
–
Al

2

O

3–
CaO
compositions quenched from 1200°C, for varying
La
/(
La
 + 
Nd
) (atomic) and increasing rare‐earth oxides contents. In this system and beyond the solubility limit, rare‐earths (RE) elements are reported to form apatite phases with the general formula
Ca

2
RE
8(
SiO

4)6

O

2. In the current study, speciation of these trivalent RE
3+ cations in both amorphous network and crystal phases was determined from X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optical absorption at 10 K, Raman spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. It appeared that RE
2

O

3 solubility was higher for
La
‐rich formulations than for
Nd
‐rich ones and that an increase in the RE oxide content reduces the connectivity of the network building units through formation of non‐bridging oxygens at the expense of the oxygen bridges. This depolymerization of the glass network did not affect neodymium environment which consisted in silicate tetrahedra. The composition of the apatite crystals was found to be affected by the
La
/(
La
 + 
Nd
) of the parent glass and deviation from the ideal composition (
Ca

2
RE
8(
SiO

4)6

O

2) occurred in the neodymium end of the system. It thus appears that both RE
2

O

3 solubility and crystal composition are strongly dependent on the type and crystal chemistry of the RE elements.
Tracing the evolution of the aggregate U.S. milk supply elasticity using a herd dynamics model
Authors: Bozic Marin , Kanter Christopher A. , Gould Brian W.
Published: June 2012

The U.S. dairy sector is characterized by increasing volatility of milk prices, and consolidation in production as evidenced by declining number of dairy farms with an increasingly larger share of milk supplied from a small number of very large farms. Using aggregate national data, we build a mixed‐frequency herd dynamics econometric model of the U.S. milk supply that updates and substantially amends the model first proposed by Chavas and Klemme. We implement a dynamic residual‐based bootstrap technique that can be used in testing for changes in nonmarginal simulated long‐run supply responsiveness, and trace the evolution of long‐run milk supply elasticity from 1975 through 2010. Several papers in the past have suggested that long‐run supply elasticity increases with dairy farm size, which implies that increased importance of large farms would increase aggregate long‐run supply responsiveness. Contrary to this conclusion, we find a declining trend in long‐run supply elasticity from 1975 through 2005. Persistence of such a decline would be a major cause for worry, as ever larger price swings would be needed to equilibrate the market in face of demand shocks. However, we find that milk supply is becoming more responsive since 2005 both to milk and feed price changes. Increasing responsiveness to feed prices further justifies focusing the next generation of the dairy policy instruments on managing dairy profit margins rather than just revenue streams.
Price formation in the German biodiesel supply chain: a Markov‐switching vector error‐correction modeling approach
Authors: Busse Stefan , Brümmer Bernhard , Ihle Rico
Published: June 2012

Changing linkages between agricultural and energy markets have attracted considerable attention in research and policy discussions during recent years. As one of the largest biofuel markets worldwide, the German biodiesel market is of particular interest. It has grown rapidly since the beginning of the new millennium, with this growth being driven mainly by political interventions. Vertical price transmission channels along the biodiesel supply chain are analyzed in this study. We examine the relationship between diesel and biodiesel prices, and between rapeseed oil, soy oil, and biodiesel prices between 2002 and 2008. Due to pronounced changes in market conditions and the policy framework, a regime‐dependent Markov‐switching vector error‐correction model is used. The regimes are characterized by markedly different price adjustment behaviors. Before 2005 and from late 2007 onward, a regime characterized by the strong orientation of biodiesel prices toward diesel prices dominates. Between 2005 and 2007, biodiesel and rapeseed oil prices are mutually interdependent. Frequent switches between the regimes of the price dynamics during this period indicate a high extent of uncertainty and instability in the market.
Normal nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in brown lemursEulemur fulvus: computed tomography and cross‐sectional anatomy
Authors: Mogicato Giovanni , Raharison Fidiniaina , Ravakarivelo Monique , Sautet Jean
Published: June 2012

Background Far less is known about the normal anatomy of the nasal cavity ofEulemur fulvus; no computed tomography (CT) scan has ever been published.

Methods Relevant CT scans were taken in the transverse, dorsal and longitudinal planes. These scans were compared with anatomical sections of heads.

Results Computed tomography scans revealed almost all nasal structures, but cannot differentiate between the various layers of the nasal mucosa. Results show a double‐scroll arrangement of the ventral nasal concha. The dorsal nasal concha protrudes into the maxillary sinus, but no protrusion into the frontal sinus was observed. The ethmoturbinate I is completely closed back on itself and rostrally voluminous.

Conclusions This work shows that at a clinical level, the integrity of the different turbinates can easily be appreciated from a simple CT scan. It will assist clinicians to evaluate pathological conditions that affect the nasal region.
Kinetic analysis of purified recombinant rice N‐acetylserotonin methyltransferase and peak melatonin production in etiolated rice shoots
Authors: Park Sangkyu , Byeon Yeong , Kim Young‐Soon , Back Kyoungwhan
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  Rice (Oryza sativa) N‐acetylserotonin methyltransferase (osASMT), the last enzyme in the synthesis of melatonin, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. We then characterized its enzyme kinetics, which is the first time this has been performed in plants. Purified glutathione S‐transferase (GST)‐fused recombinant osASMT (GST‐osASMT) and GST‐free osASMT showed specific enzyme activities of 6.6 and 12.6 pmol/min per mg protein, respectively. When evaluated by the Lineweaver‐Burk equation, GST‐free osASMT exhibited a Km of 864 μm. An in vitro enzyme assay of purified osASMT showed melatonin formation to be proportional to the enzyme and substrate concentrations, as well as time. Unlike animal ASMT, high substrate concentrations did not inhibit the activity of osASMT. Finally, melatonin biosynthesis in rice seedlings was affected by light intensity, with etiolated shoots grown in continuous darkness producing more melatonin than shoots grown in continuous light. The level of melatonin in relation to the light intensity closely paralleled the mRNA level of osASMT in the shoots, suggesting that endogenous melatonin is upregulated in darkness, as is the case in animals.
Evaluation epidermal p53 immunostaining by digital image analysis
Authors: Brianezi Gabrielli , Minicucci Eliana Maria , Marques Mariângela Esther Alencar , Miot Hélio Amante
Published: June 2012

Background/purpose

Digital techniques have been developed and validated to assess semiquantitatively immunohistochemical nuclear staining. Currently visual classification is the standard for qualitative nuclear evaluation. Analysis of pixels that represents the immunohistochemical labeling can be more sensitive, reproducible and objective than visual grading. This study compared two semiquantitative techniques of digital image analysis with three techniques of visual analysis imaging to estimate the p53 nuclear immunostaining.

Methods

Sixty‐three sun‐exposed forearm‐skin biopsies were photographed and submitted to three visual analyses of images: the qualitative visual evaluation method (0 to 4 + ), the percentage of labeled nuclei and HSCORE. Digital image analysis was performed using ImageJ 1.45p; the density of nuclei was scored per ephitelial area (DensNU) and the pixel density was established in marked suprabasal epithelium (DensPSB).

Results

Statistical significance was found in: the agreement and correlation among the visual estimates of evaluators, correlation among the median visual score of the evaluators, the HSCORE and the percentage of marked nuclei with the DensNU and DensPSB estimates. DensNU was strongly correlated to the percentage of p53‐marked nuclei in the epidermis, and DensPSB with the HSCORE.

Conclusion

The parameters presented herein can be applied in routine analysis of immunohistochemical nuclear staining of epidermis.
Detection and visualization of intracutaneous allergic type‐specific elements using long‐wavelength near‐infrared hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Nishino Ken , Fujiyama Toshiharu , Hashizume Hideo , Nakauchi Shigeki
Published: June 2012

Background/purpose

This study aimed to develop a method for the assessment of allergic dermatitis by using the long‐wavelength near‐infrared spectrum (more than 1000 nm) to detect intracutaneous allergic type‐specific elements. Such a method was realized by establishing a spectral classifier for the spectra of type I and type IV allergic dermatitis reactions.

Methods

Near‐infrared spectral images of histamine‐induced cutaneous reaction (type I) and contact hypersensitivity erythema elicited by squaric acid dibutylester (SADBE; type IV) were obtained, and the absorption spectra of normal and inflamed skin were extracted from these spectral images. A spectral classifier was established from these training datasets, and it was then applied to two test cases, red flare by methyl nicotinate (normal) and metal allergy (type IV).

Results

The spectral classifier established by canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) achieved very accurate detection (normal: 87.67%, type I: 87.00%, type IV: 98.5%). Furthermore, the test cases were also correctly classified: the red flare induced by methyl nicotinate was categorized as normal skin and the metal allergy was categorized as a type IV allergic reaction.

Conclusions

These results suggest a possible application of near‐infrared spectral imaging to the assessment of allergic dermatitis.
Marathon of eponyms: 26 Zinsser‐Engman‐Cole syndrome (Dyskeratosis congenita)
Authors: Scully C , Langdon J , Evans J
Published: June 2012

Oral Diseases (2012) 18, 522–523

The use of eponyms has long been contentious, but many remain in common use, as discussed elsewhere (Editorial: Oral Diseases. 2009: 15; 185). The use of eponyms in diseases of the head and neck is found mainly in specialties dealing with medically compromised individuals (paediatric dentistry, special care dentistry, oral and maxillofacial medicine, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology and oral and maxillofacial surgery) and particularly by hospital‐centred practitioners. This series has selected some of the more recognised relevant eponymous conditions and presents them alphabetically. The information is based largely on data available from MEDLINE and a number of internet websites as noted below: the authors would welcome any corrections. This document summarises data about Zinsser‐Engman‐Cole syndrome.
Saliva and blood interferon gamma levels and IFNG genotypes in acute graft‐versus‐host disease
Authors: Resende RG , Correia‐Silva JDF , Silva TA , Xavier SG , Bittencourt H , Gomez RS , Abreu MHNG
Published: June 2012

Oral Diseases (2012) 18, 816–822

Objective:  Graft‐versus‐host disease is a major complication after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Interferon gamma is an important pro‐inflammatory cytokine involved in this disease. Cytokine gene polymorphisms are associated with functional differences in cytokine expression and can alter the clinical course of graft‐versus‐host disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between IFN‐γ levels in saliva, blood, and IFNG polymorphisms, as well as the occurrence of acute graft‐versus‐host disease in allogenic HSCT.

Subjects and Methods:  Fifty‐eight consecutive allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients and their donors were prospectively studied. IFN‐g levels in saliva and blood were assessed by ELISA. Samples were collected weekly from 7 days before transplantation (day −7) to 100 days after allogenic HSCT (day +100) or until death. Saliva and/or blood samples were obtained from the recipients and donors to determine IFNG gene polymorphisms.

Results:  Increased saliva and blood IFN‐g levels were observed in patients that had developed aGVHD. In the saliva, the peak levels of IFN‐g could be found one week before aGVHD diagnosis, while in the blood, peak levels of IFN‐g could be only observed upon diagnosis. A significant association could be identified between the recipients’IFNG genotypes and the IFN‐g levels in their blood, at +14 days after HSCT. No association could be observed between IFNG gene polymorphisms and the aGVHD.

Conclusion:  The present study shows that the genetic background of recipients can influence the production of IFN‐g. Moreover, as IFN‐g levels in the saliva and blood were found to be associated with aGVHD development, this cytokine may be a useful predictor of acute graft‐versus‐host disease.
Relationship between sagebrush species and structural characteristics and Landsat Thematic Mapper data
Authors: Sivanpillai Ramesh , Ewers Brent E.
Published: June 2012

Questions

Do the spectral patterns recorded by Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) for various sagebrush species differ from each other? Could ancillary data derived from topographic variables (elevation, slope and aspect) strengthen the relationship between sagebrush and spectral characteristics?

Location

Rawlins, Wyoming, USA.

Methods

Field data on sagebrush species and structural characteristics collected in 2005 were regressed against spectral values and transformed indices derived from Landsat TM data. Step‐wise regression methods were used to build (1) a combined model that ignored species and physical differences in sagebrush, and (2) four different models that took those differences in account. Parsimonious models were selected with significant independent variables that accounted for the largest amount of the ground‐measured variation in cover.

Results

In the combined model, a subset of Landsat bands and topographic values accounted for 65% (P < 0.001) of variance in sagebrush canopy cover. However, when separate regression models were fitted based on species type (big and low sagebrush) and height (for big sagebrush only), Landsat data accounted for 71–85% (P < 0.001) of the ground measured variance.

Conclusions

Spectral patterns of sagebrush species and their physical characteristics were distinguishable with Landsat TM data. Transformed indices derived from Landsat data accounted for more variance than the original spectral bands. Future research should focus on testing the relationship between Landsat TM data and sites where sagebrush is present with other vegetation to facilitate landscape and regional mapping of changing sagebrush ecosystems.
Simultaneous Total Corporal Reconstruction and Implantation of a Penile Prosthesis in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction and Severe Fibrosis of the Corpora Cavernosa
Authors: Sansalone Salvatore , Garaffa Giulio , Djinovic Rados , Antonini Gabriele , Vespasiani Giuseppe , Ieria Francesco Pio , Cimino Sebastiano , Loreto Carla , Ralph David J
Published: June 2012

Introduction

Implantation of a penile prosthesis in severely scarred corporal bodies represents a great challenge as fibrosis can compromise dilatation and subsequent closure of the corpora cavernosa and limit size, type, and function of the device.

Aim

The aim of this study is to report our experience of simultaneous corporeal reconstruction and penile prosthesis implantation in patients with severe penile contracture consequence of diffuse fibrosis.

Methods

Between March 2006 and February 2010, 18 patients with severe penile contracture and coporeal fibrosis underwent simultaneous corporeal reconstruction and placement of a penile prosthesis.

Main Outcome Measures

Surgical outcome and complications have been recorded during postoperative follow-up. Patients’ satisfaction has been assessed 6 months postoperatively with the administration of the modified Erectile Dysfunction Index of Treatment Satisfaction questionnaire.

Results

Although the dilatation of the corpora was extremely difficult due to the severe fibrosis, a penile prosthesis has been implanted in all patients. A malleable penile prosthesis has been inserted in four patients and a three-piece inflatable device in the remainder. After an average follow-up of 26 months (range 6–36), revision surgery was required in four patients (elective exchange to three-piece inflatable device in three patients and upsizing of the implant in one patient). Although all patients were able to achieve penetrative sexual intercourse, four patients were partially dissatisfied because of significant penile shortening.

Conclusion

In expert hands, simultaneous penile prosthesis implantation and corporal reconstruction of severely scarred corpora yield satisfactory results. Patients must be warned that complication rate in presence of severe fibrosis is significantly higher than in virgin cases and that downsized cylinders might be required due to the contracture of the tunica albuginea.
Review of Penile Prosthetic Reservoir: Complications and Presentation of a Modified Reservoir Placement Technique
Authors: Levine Laurence A. , Hoeh Michael P.
Published: June 2012

Introduction

Multiple modifications have been made to the inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) since its inception in the 1970s. These modifications have made reservoir-related mechanical malfunctions highly unlikely in current IPP models. Although these complications are rare, it would be incumbent upon the implanting surgeon to be aware of these potential complications, how they present, how they are best treated, and how to prevent them from occurring.

Aims

The aim of this article was to present our experience with complications associated with penile prosthesis reservoirs, perform a review of the literature regarding reservoir-related complications, and present our modified technique to place the reservoir into the space of Retzius.

Main Outcome Measures

Reservoir-related complications including inguinal herniation, erosion into bladder or bowel, intraperitoneal reservoir placement with subsequent visceral injury, vascular injury, autoinflation, and infection.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed our experience with penile prosthesis reservoir complications or procedures requiring an alternative implantation approach at our center over the past 10 years where over 400 devices were implanted. We also review reservoir-related complications published in the English literature since the 1980s.

Results

While exceedingly rare, reservoir complications do occur. Six cases from our institution are presented including one reservoir herniation, one postoperative direct inguinal hernia, one bladder laceration during revision surgery, one ectopic reservoir placement due to morbid obesity, one iliac vein compression syndrome, and one vascular laceration during reservoir revision. Reported reservoir complications include inguinal herniation, erosion into the bladder or bowel, intraperitoneal reservoir placement with subsequent injury to the ureter or bowel, vascular injury, autoinflation, and infection.

Conclusion

Penile prosthesis reservoirs rarely fail mechanically but are associated with a variety of complications or may require alternate implantation technique. In our experience, the Jorgensen scissors technique allows safe entry into the space of Retzius with diminished risk of hernia as well as vascular, bladder, or bowel injury.
Is Testosterone Treatment Good for the Prostate? Study of Safety During Long-Term Treatment
Authors: Feneley Mark R. , Carruthers Malcolm
Published: June 2012

Introduction

For men with androgen deficiency on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), clinical concern relates to the development of prostate cancer (PCa).

Aim

An updated audit of prostate safety from the UK Androgen Study was carried out to analyze the incidence of PCa during long-term TRT.

Main Outcome Measures

Diagnosis of PCa in men receiving TRT, by serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examination (DRE), and its relation to different testosterone preparations.

Methods

One thousand three hundred sixty-five men aged 28–87 (mean 55) years with symptomatic androgen deficiency and receiving TRT have been monitored for up to 20 years. All patients were prescreened for PCa by DRE and PSA along with endocrine, biochemical, hematological, and urinary profiles at baseline and every 6 months. Abnormal findings or rising PSA were investigated by transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy. The data were compared for the four different testosterone preparations used in TRT, including pellet implants, Restandol, mesterolone, and Testogel.

Results

Fourteen new cases of PCa were diagnosed at one case per 212 years treatment, after 2,966 man-years of treatment (one case per 212 years). Time to diagnosis ranged from 1 to 12 years (mean 6.3 years). All tumors were clinically localized and suitable for potentially curative treatment. Initiating testosterone treatment had no statistically significant effect on total PSA, free PSA or free/total PSA ratio, and any initial PSA change had no predictive relationship to subsequent diagnosis of cancer.

Conclusions

The incidence of PCa during long-term TRT was equivalent to that expected in the general population. This study adds to the considerable weight of evidence that with proper clinical monitoring, testosterone treatment is safe for the prostate and improves early detection of PCa. Testosterone treatment with regular monitoring of the prostate may be safer for the individual than any alternative without surveillance.
The rise of the constitutional regulatory state in Colombia: The case of water governance
Authors: Urueña Rene
Published: June 2012

This article interprets the regulatory state in Colombia as the result of a dialectic process between transnational knowledge and domestic politics, which influence, transform, and inspire each other. Such a process results in an interesting constitutional variant of the regulatory state, in which neo‐constitutionalism becomes a counterbalance to the unchecked expansion of neo‐liberal regulatory practices. I, therefore, distinguish between neoliberal and constitutional regulatory states. As a result of neo‐constitutionalism, the domestic judiciary is empowered, and becomes a crucial actor to understand both the specific traits of this regulatory experience, and its interaction with global centers of power.
Modulation of tight junction proteins in the perineurium for regional pain control
Authors: Hackel D. , Brack A. , Fromm M. , Rittner H.L.
Published: June 2012

Peripheral neurons are surrounded by the perineurium that forms the blood–nerve barrier and protects the nerve. Although the barrier serves as protection, it also hampers drug delivery of analgesic drugs to the peripheral nerve. We previously showed that opening of the barrier using hypertonic solutions facilitates drug delivery, for example, of hydrophilic opioids, which selectively target nociceptors. The perineurial barrier is formed by tight junction proteins, including claudin‐1, claudin‐5, and occludin. Under pathophysiological conditions such as nerve crush injury, the perineurial barrier is opened and tight junction proteins are no longer present. After several days, tight junction proteins reappear and the barrier reseals. Similarly, perineurial injection of hypertonic saline transiently opens the barrier, claudin‐1 disappears, and hydrophilic analgesic drugs are effective. In the future, these findings could be used to reseal the barrier breakdown and could be applied to other barriers like the blood–brain or the intestinal mucosal barrier.
Diverse types of junctions containing tight junction proteins in stratified mammalian epithelia
Authors: Franke Werner W. , Pape Ulrich‐Frank
Published: June 2012

Molecular compositions and functions of tight junctions (TJs), that is, continuous, cell–cell‐connecting zonulae occludentes serving as barrier structures for the paracellular transport of molecules and particles, have hitherto been determined for simple epithelia and for endothelia. In 2002, special TJ structures with barrier functions were identified in the stratum granulosum of mammalian epidermis. In addition, using biochemical and immunocytochemical methods, various types of TJ‐type junctions have also been described that also contain claudins and/or occludin as well as typical TJ plaque proteins, in cell layers of all stratified squamous epithelia (e.g., various types of epidermis, gingiva, lingual, and other kinds of oral mucosa, pharynx, esophagus, trachea, vagina, and exocervix), including tissues without a lumen, such as the reticulum and Hassall corpuscles of the thymus, and tumors derived from such epithelia, notably squamous cell carcinomas. Biological and pathological aspects of TJ‐related structures in such tissues are discussed.
Involvement of claudins in zebrafish brain ventricle morphogenesis
Authors: Zhang Jingjing , Liss Martin , Wolburg Hartwig , Blasig Ingolf E. , Abdelilah‐Seyfried Salim
Published: June 2012

Zebrafish brain ventricle morphogenesis involves an initial circulation‐independent opening followed by a blood flow– and circulation‐dependent expansion process. Zebrafish claudin‐5a is required for the establishment of a neuroepithelial–ventricular barrier, which maintains the hydrostatic pressure within the ventricular cavity, thereby contributing to brain ventricle opening and expansion. In mammalia, several claudin family members, including claudin‐3 and claudin‐5, are expressed within microvessel endothelial cells of the blood–brain barrier. Whether zebrafish brain ventricle morphogenesis provides a model for studying these claudins during early embryonic development was unknown. This review focuses on the expression and function of these zebrafish claudins during brain ventricle morphogenesis.
Dynamic properties of the tight junction barrier
Authors: Weber Christopher R.
Published: June 2012

A principal role of tight junctions is to seal the apical intercellular space and limit paracellular flux of ions and molecules. Despite the fact that tight junctions form heavily cross‐linked structures, functional studies have fostered the hypothesis that the tight junction barrier is dynamic and defined by opening and closing events. However, it has been impossible to directly measure tight junction barrier function with sufficient resolution to detect such events. Nevertheless, recent electrophysiological and sieving studies have provided tremendous insight into the presence of at least two pathways of trans‐tight junction flux: a high‐capacity ion‐selective “pore” pathway and a low‐capacity “leak” pathway that allows the passage of macromolecules. Furthermore, it is now known that the tight junction molecular structure is highly dynamic and that dynamics are correlated with barrier function. Taken together, these data support a dynamic model of tight junction conductance and suggest that regulation of tight junction openings and closings may provide sensitive means of barrier regulation.
ZO‐2, a tight junction scaffold protein involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis
Authors: Gonzalez‐Mariscal Lorenza , Bautista Pablo , Lechuga Susana , Quiros Miguel
Published: June 2012

ZO‐2 is a membrane‐associated guanylate kinase homologue (MAGUK) tight protein associated with the cytoplasmic surface of tight junctions. Here, we describe how ZO‐2 is a multidomain molecule that binds to a variety of cell signaling proteins, to the actin cytoskeleton, and to gap, tight, and adherens junction proteins. In sparse cultures, ZO‐2 is present at the nucleus and associates with molecules active in gene transcription and pre‐mRNA processing. ZO‐2 inhibits the Wnt signaling pathway, reduces cell proliferation, and promotes apoptosis; its absence, mutation, or overexpression is present in various human diseases, including deafness and cancer.
Determinants contributing to claudin ion channel formation
Authors: Veshnyakova Anna , Krug Susanne M. , Mueller Sebastian L. , Piontek Jörg , Protze Jonas , Fromm Michael , Krause Gerd
Published: June 2012

Pore‐forming properties of claudins (Cld) are likely defined by residues of their first extracellular loop (ECL1). Detailed mechanisms are unclear. MDCK cells overexpressing FLAG‐Cld‐1 wild‐type and mutants were characterized by transepithelial resistance (TER) and ion permeability measurements. Replacing ECL1 residues of sealing Cld‐1 by corresponding Cld‐2 residues we aimed to identify new determinants responsible for sealing and/or pore formation. We found that E48K and S53E substitutions in human Cld‐1 strongly reduced TER and increased permeability for Na+ and Cl−. In contrast, K65D, D68S, and other single substitutions showed no significant change of TER and permeability for Na+ and Cl−. Double substitution S53E/K65D did not change TER and ion permeability, whereas S53E/D68S decreased TER, albeit weaker than S53E. Ratio of permeabilities for Na+ and Cl− revealed no clear charge specificity of the pore induced by S53E or S53E/D68S in Cld‐1, suggesting that primarily S53 and potentially D68 in Cld‐1 are involved in sealing of the paracellular cleft and that charge‐unselective pores may be induced by substituting S53E.
Antimicrobial Activity of Whey Protein Isolate Edible Films with Essential Oils against Food Spoilers and Foodborne Pathogens
Authors: Fernández‐Pan Idoya , Royo Maite , Ignacio Maté Juan
Published: June 2012

Abstract:  The use of antimicrobial edible film is proposed as a means of improving food safety and extending the shelf‐life of food systems by controlling the release of antimicrobials on food surfaces. In this work we first selected and studied 8 different essential oils (EOs) from plants, namely, oregano, clove, tea tree, coriander, mastic thyme, laurel, rosemary, and sage as natural antimicrobials against 2 gram‐positive bacteria (Listeria innocua and Staphylococcus aureus) and 2 gram‐negative bacteria (Salmonella enteritidis and Pseudomona fragi) by using the agar disk diffusion method. EOs from oregano, clove, and tea tree produced the largest surfaces of inhibition against the growth of the 4 bacterial strains tested. Second and following the assessment of compatibility, stable antimicrobial edible films based on whey protein isolate (WPI) with increasing concentrations (0.5% to 9%) of the 8 EOs were developed and tested for antimicrobial activity against the same gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria. WPI‐edible films incorporating oregano or clove EO were found to have the most intense inhibitory effect of microbial growth. The bacterial strain gram‐negative P. fragi presented the less susceptibility to the effect of those films. Moreover, only the edible films based on these 2 EOs were active against all 4 studied microorganisms. On the other hand, the edible films incorporating tea tree, coriander, mastic thyme, laurel, rosemary, or sage EOs even at high concentrations (7% to 9%) did not cause any antimicrobial effect against the pathogens S. aureus or S. enteritidis.

Practical Application:  Potential applications of this technology can introduce direct benefits to the food industry by improving safety and microbial product quality. The results of this research have direct application in the food industry with potential applications in various foodstuffs, including meat and poultry products where the control of spoilage bacteria such as P. fragi throughout their chilled storage or the improvement of food safety by controlling pathogens such as S. enteritidis are topics of particular interest for the industry.
Young people at risk for psychosis: case finding and sample characteristics of the Oulu Brain and Mind Study
Authors: Veijola Juha , Mäki Pirjo , Jääskeläinen Erika , Koivukangas Jenni , Moilanen Irma , Taanila Anja , Nordström Tanja , Hurtig Tuula , Kiviniemi Vesa , Mukkala Sari , Heinimaa Markus , Lindholm Päivi , Jones Peter B. , Barnett Jennifer H. , Murray Graham K. , Miettunen Jouko
Published: June 2012

Aim: Set within the general population‐based Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986, the Oulu Brain and Mind Study aims to explore the causes and pathogenesis of psychotic illness by following young people at risk for psychosis due to having a first‐degree relative with psychotic illness or due to having experienced psychotic‐like symptoms themselves. We report the study methods and explore the relationship between these definitions of high risk for psychosis and operational criteria for a prodromal psychosis syndrome based on interview.

Methods: Prospectively collected data from earlier follow‐ups of this cohort were combined with health register data to categorize subjects as those with familial risk (n = 272), symptomatic risk (n = 117), psychosis (n = 78), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n = 103) and a sample of controls (n = 193) drawn randomly from the remaining cohort. The Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) was applied to all, 295 participants together with questionnaires measuring psychosis vulnerability and schizotypal traits.

Results: There were 29 (10%) current prodromal cases. Criteria for the current prodromal syndrome were fulfilled by 12% of the familial risk group and 19% of the symptomatic risk group, compared with 5% of the ADHD group and 4% of controls.

Conclusion: We successfully detected young people with a prodromal psychosis syndrome although relatively few subjects deemed to be at high risk met the full operational criteria according to the SIPS interview. Combining methods from familial, clinical and psychometric high‐risk approaches provides a tractable method for studying risk of psychosis in the general population.
Borderline personality features and development of psychosis in an ‘Ultra High Risk’ (UHR) population: a case control study
Authors: Thompson Andrew , Nelson Barnaby , Bechdolf Andreas , Chanen Andrew M. , Domingues Isabel , McDougall Emma , Yung Alison R.
Published: June 2012

Aims: There is clinical uncertainty as to whether borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits in those with an ‘at risk mental state’ have an effect on the risk of ‘transition’ to psychosis. We aimed to investigate the relationship between baseline BPD features, risk of transition and type of psychotic disorder experienced.

Method: This is a case‐control study of ‘Ultra High Risk’ (UHR) for psychosis patients treated at the clinic, between 2004 and 2007. ‘Cases’ were UHR individuals who made the ‘transition’ to full threshold psychotic disorder within 24 months; ‘Control’ group was a matched UHR sample who had not developed a psychotic disorder at 24 months. Individuals were matched on time of entry to the clinic, age and gender. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM‐IV) BPD features were assessed from clinical assessments using a structured instrument (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV Axis II Disorder for BPD (SCID‐II BPD) ). Psychosis diagnosis following transition was rated from the clinical files using the operational criteria in studies of psychotic illness (OPCRIT) computer algorithm. The number of BPD traits and number with full threshold BPD were compared in those who developed psychosis and those who did not.

Results: We analysed data from 48 cases and 48 controls. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of transition to psychosis for those with baseline full‐threshold BPD, compared with those without BPD. The number of BPD traits or number with full threshold BPD did not differ by psychosis diagnosis grouping.

Conclusions: Co‐occurring BPD or BPD features does not appear to strongly influence the risk of short‐term transition to psychosis or the risk of developing a non‐affective psychotic disorder in this population.
Encyclopaedias and Genre, 1670‐1750
Authors: LOVELAND JEFF
Published: June 2012

This article examines genres of general encyclopaedias in western Europe from 1670 to 1750. My approach is twofold. First, by examining references to genres in discourse about encyclopaedias, I will try to determine whether consensus existed about the kinds of general encyclopaedias. Second, I will evaluate late seventeenth‐ and early eighteenth‐century claims about the kinds of encyclopaedias in light of works' contents to arrive at a similar but more dynamic classification. Finally, besides providing information about the kinds of encyclopaedias in the early modern period, this investigation is meant to cast light on the ancestry of the modern encyclopaedia.