bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of ribavirin in direct acting antiviral drug regimens for chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Clark Virginia , Nelson David R.
Published: December 2011

Despite years of clinical use and extensive research efforts, the mechanism of action of ribavirin (RBV) is not well understood. Although it has only a mild, transient antiviral effect on HCV replication when administered as monotherapy, when combined with interferon, RBV improves sustained virological response (SVR) rates by approximately 25–30%. Proposed mechanisms of action for RBV against HCV include (1) a direct effect against the HCV RNA dependent RNA polymerase; (2) induction of misincorporation of nucleotides leading to lethal mutagenesis; (3) depletion of intracellular pools via inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase; (4) alteration in the cytokine balance between a Th2 profile (anti‐inflammatory) to a Th1 profile (pro‐inflammatory); and (5) potentiating the effect of interferon via up‐regulation of genes involved in interferon signalling. Given the lack of a clear understanding of RBV mechanism of action, it has been challenging to confidently position this drug with new direct antiviral agents (DAA). However, early clinical studies provide strong evidence for a benefit of RBV in combination with DAAs for both IFN containing and sparing regimens. The addition of RBV reduces viral breakthroughs and/or relapses, at least when drugs with low to moderate genetic barriers to resistance are paired together. This is particularly true in patients harbouring HCV subtype 1a. Ongoing studies are now addressing the utility of RBV in nucleoside containing DAA regimens, which offer both potent antiviral activity as well as a high genetic barrier to resistance. It is remarkable that the age‐old question of the role of RBV in the future of HCV therapy remains as real today as it was two decades ago.
Triple therapy for HCV genotype 1 infection: telaprevir or boceprevir?
Authors: Shiffman Mitchell L. , Esteban Rafael
Published: December 2011

Boceprevir and telaprevir are the first two protease inhibitors available for the treatment of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1. A sustained virological response (SVR) of 70–80% is observed when either of these protease inhibitors is utilized with pegylated interferon (PEG‐IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) in treatment naïve patients. Both agents are also highly effective in patients who failed to achieve a SVR during previous treatment with PEG‐IFN/RBV. A rapid virological response (RVR) is observed in 56–60% of treatment naïve patients. Patients who achieve a RVR can be treated with a shorter course of therapy (24–28 weeks) and still achieve a SVR rate of 90% or higher. Patients who do not achieve a RVR, those with cirrhosis and certain prior non‐responders should be treated for 48 weeks. Although the SVR rates observed with boceprevir and telaprevir are quite similar both globally and within sub‐populations, the treatment algorithms for the two agents are unique. The decision of which protease inhibitor to use should assess several factors including the treatment scheme, duration of therapy, adverse event profile, cost and the likelihood of achieving a RVR. The latter is highly dependent upon IFN sensitivity and the IL28B genotype.
Contribution of ribavirin transporter gene polymorphism to treatment response in peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy for HCV genotype 1b patients
Authors: Tsubota Akihito , Shimada Noritomo , Yoshizawa Kai , Furihata Tomomi , Agata Rie , Yumoto Yoko , Abe Hiroshi , Ika Makiko , Namiki Yoshihisa , Chiba Kan , Fujise Kiyotaka , Tada Norio , Aizawa Yoshio
Published: December 2011

Background

Standard‐dose ribavirin is crucial for the standard‐of‐care treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1), encoded by SLC29A1 gene, is the main transporter that imports ribavirin into human hepatocytes. Aims:

To determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the SLC29A1 gene could influence the probability of treatment response compared with other baseline and host genetic factors.

Methods

A total of 526 East Asian patients monoinfected with HCV genotype 1b who had received pegylated interferon alpha plus ribavirin therapy were enrolled in this study. They were assigned randomly to the derivation and confirmatory groups. SNPs related to the IL28B, ITPA and SLC29A1 genes were genotyped using real‐time detection polymerase chain reaction. Factors associated with sustained virological response (SVR) were analysed using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Multivariate analysis for the derivation group identified six baseline variables significantly and independently associated with SVR: age [P = 0.023, odds ratio (OR) = 0.97], gender (P = 0.0047, OR = 2.25), platelet count (P = 0.00017, OR = 1.11), viral load (P = 0.00026, OR = 0.54), IL28B SNP rs12979860 (P = 1.09 × 10−7, OR = 8.68) and SLC29A1 SNP rs6932345 (P = 0.030, OR = 1.85). Using the model constructed by these independent variables, positive and negative predictive values and predictive accuracy were 73.3, 70.1 and 71.9% respectively. For the confirmatory group, they were 71.4, 84.6 and 75.3% respectively. The SLC29A1 and IL28B SNPs were also significantly associated with rapid virological response.

Conclusions

The SNP at the major ribavirin transporter ENT1 gene SLC29A1 was one of significantly independent factors influencing treatment response, although the impact on the prediction was small.
Variability in Veterans’ Alcohol Use by Place of Residence
Authors: Vander Weg Mark W. , Cai Xueya
Published: December 2011

Rates of risky alcohol use appear to be elevated among active duty and veteran military personnel. Little is known, however, about characteristics associated with alcohol misuse in these groups. Furthermore, although there is evidence to suggest that patterns of alcohol use differ according to place of residence, no prior studies have investigated variability in alcohol use according to level of rurality and geographic region in US military veterans. The present study evaluated variations in alcohol use (ie, past 30‐day use, heavy use, and binge drinking) and drinking and driving according to place of residence among 55,452 US military veterans participating in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Veterans residing in rural areas were significantly less likely than those from suburban and urban areas to have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days (p < .001). Conversely, rural‐dwelling veterans who did drink alcohol had higher odds of binge drinking (p < .005) and (relative to urban residents) drinking and driving (p = .013). Veterans residing in the South were significantly less likely than those from other geographic regions to report past 30‐day alcohol use (p < .001). In addition, veterans living in the Midwest were significantly more likely than those from the South to report drinking and driving (p = .017). No differences in heavy alcohol use were observed based on location of residence. (Am J Addict 2011;21:31–37)
Intractable Diffuse Alopecia Caused by Multifactorial Side‐Effects in Treatment of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia: Connection to Iatrogenic Failure of Estrogen Secretion
Authors: Nomiyama Tomoko , Arakawa Akiko , Hattori Sayoko , Konishi Keisuke , Takenaka Hideya , Katoh Norito
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Treatment of infantile acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) may cause failure to thrive and hypogonadism due to hypopituitarism induced by chemotherapy and whole‐brain radiotherapy. We report the case of a 22‐year‐old girl with a genetic predisposition to pattern hair loss who developed inveterate diffuse alopecia. The patient had onset of ALL at 8 years old and underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Diffuse alopecia gradually advanced over her whole body. Her vellus scalp hair gradually came out, and hair loss progressed again at 8 years, after BMT. She later developed iatrogenic failure of secretion of estrogen and was treated with estrogen substitution therapy for 14 months from the age of 20. There was a small increase in the volume of hair during therapy, but alopecia returned to the former level after the therapy was suspended. Histopathologic examinations of the scalp performed during estrogen substitution therapy and 2 years after suspension of the therapy showed a 60% decrease in the number of hair follicles and prominent development of vellus hair. We conclude that estrogen influenced hair growth in the context of a genetic predisposition for pattern hair loss in this case.
A rest period before agitation may improve some in vitro apheresis platelet parameters during storage
Authors: Skripchenko Andrey , Myrup Andrew , Awatefe Helen , Thompson‐Montgomery Dedeene , Wagner Stephen J.
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Whole blood‐derived platelets (PLTs) prepared by the PLT‐rich plasma method are subjected to a recommended 1‐hour rest period after the second centrifugation to avoid excessive PLT activation. Different apheresis PLT preparation methods demonstrate different levels of PLT activation and ability to form macroscopic aggregates immediately after collection. PLT collections are lost on Day 1 of storage if aggregates are not dispersed. It is possible that a rest period may help to disperse PLT aggregates. It is not established whether apheresis PLTs require a rest period before agitation and what the length of this period should be.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Apheresis PLTs (Amicus, Fenwal, Inc.) were divided into five identical aliquots. One aliquot was placed on the flatbed agitator immediately after division. The other aliquots were subjected to agitation after 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours of rest. Samples were taken on Days 1, 5, and 7 for standard PLT assays.

RESULTS: No differences during 7‐day storage were observed in PLT content, mean PLT volume, pH levels, bicarbonate, glucose, lactate, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, hypotonic shock response, aggregation, and activation markers in PLT aliquots subjected to different rest periods or without a rest period. In contrast, values of extent of shape change, percentage of discoid PLTs, and expression of GP1b‐α were greater in aliquots subjected to different periods of rest compared to those of PLTs without a rest period.

CONCLUSION: A rest period from 1 to 6 hours may improve some but not all in vitro PLT storage parameters.
Factors affecting microbial contamination rate of cord blood collected for transplantation
Authors: Clark Pamela , Trickett Annnette , Stark Damien , Vowels Marcus
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Collection and processing of cord blood (CB) is associated with significant risk of microbial contamination and hence relevant standards mandate microbial screening of the final product. This study aimed to determine the contamination rate and associated risk factors during 14 years of banking at the Sydney Cord Blood Bank.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: CB was collected and processed using a closed system and tested for contamination using blood culture bottles (BacT/ALERT, bioMérieux) incubated for a minimum of 5 days. Four microbial screening methods were used with different combinations of inoculated bottles (adult or pediatric) and associated sample volumes (10 or 1 mL).

RESULTS: Of 13,344 CB units screened, 537 (4.0%) tested positive for contamination, with Bacteroides spp. (20.9%), Staphylococcus spp. (18.6%), and Propionibacterium spp. (13.7%) being the most common isolates. The contamination rate reduced from 10% in 1997 to 1.1% in 2009. Multivariate analysis demonstrated the following variables were independently associated with higher contamination rates: vaginal delivery, collection by obstetric staff, and use of an anaerobic bottle in addition to an aerobic bottle (which facilitated a larger sample inoculation volume than pediatric bottles).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that contamination rates of CB collected for transplantation can be substantially reduced by collection after cesarean delivery and utilizing trained CB collection staff. These data also indicate that the common practice of testing using a pediatric (aerobic) bottle with its attendant small volume of the final CB product may be suboptimal for sensitive detection of contaminating anaerobic microbes.
Urban Aboriginal health: Examining inequalities between Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal populations in Canada
Authors: Wilson Kathi , Cardwell Nicolette
Published: December 2011

This article contributes to the nascent literature on the health of urban Aboriginal people by comparing the health status and determinants of health of the urban Aboriginal and urban non‐Aboriginal population in Canada. Data for the research were taken from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) and the 2000–2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Cycle 1.1. Framed within a population health approach, we explore the extent to which health status and determinants of health differ between Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal populations living in urban areas. Health status is measured by three variables—self‐assessed health status, chronic conditions, and activity limitations. While disparities in health exist between the urban Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal population, they are not as large as those between the Aboriginal population living on a reserve and non‐Aboriginal people. The social determinants of health are quite similar between the two populations but the results also reveal the significance of cultural factors in shaping health among the urban Aboriginal population. The research demonstrates a need for future research to focus on culturally specific determinants of health as one potential explanation for disparities in health between urban Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal people.
Two‐Dimensional Informative Array Testing
Authors: McMahan Christopher S. , Tebbs Joshua M. , Bilder Christopher R.
Published: December 2011

Summary Array‐based group‐testing algorithms for case identification are widely used in infectious disease testing, drug discovery, and genetics. In this article, we generalize previous statistical work in array testing to account for heterogeneity among individuals being tested. We first derive closed‐form expressions for the expected number of tests (efficiency) and misclassification probabilities (sensitivity, specificity, predictive values) for two‐dimensional array testing in a heterogeneous population. We then propose two “informative” array construction techniques which exploit population heterogeneity in ways that can substantially improve testing efficiency when compared to classical approaches that regard the population as homogeneous. Furthermore, a useful byproduct of our methodology is that misclassification probabilities can be estimated on a per‐individual basis. We illustrate our new procedures using chlamydia and gonorrhea testing data collected in Nebraska as part of the Infertility Prevention Project.
Spark Plasma Sintering of Diamond Binderless WC Composites
Authors: Grasso Salvatore , Hu Chunfeng , Maizza Giovanni , Sakka Yoshio
Published: December 2011

A new method was developed to fully consolidate binderless tungsten carbide and diamond powders by means of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in current‐control mode (CCm). Below 900°C, the 2 cm diameter sample was slowly heated by a dc current of 1000 A. Above 900°C the imposed current was suddenly raised to 4000 A. The combination of the relatively high heating rate of 2000°C/min and the relatively short holding time of 1.5 min (above 1300°C) was successful to fabricate fully dense binderless WC/diamond composite. No graphitization of diamond was detected after ultrafast sintering as confirmed by optical and SEM microstructure observations, XRD and Raman analysis. The sample showed very high wear resistance in comparison to fully dense monolithic binderless WC compacts. The developed method, unlike previously published works, did not require any diamond coating to prevent diamond graphitization.
Applicability of the Bruggeman Equation for Analyzing Dielectric Slurries Containing Ceramic Powders with High Permittivity
Authors: Zhou Wei , Hinojosa Beverly Brooks , Nino Juan C.
Published: December 2011

Based on effective medium theory, the Bruggeman equation and Maxwell‐Wagner (M‐W) equation were applied to extract the permittivity of SrTiO3 and BaTiO3 powders in slurries with various solids loadings. It was found that the margin of error for the calculated permittivity broadened with decreasing solids loading and increasing powder permittivity. However, the margin of error for permittivity calculated from the Bruggeman equation is consistently smaller than that from the M‐W equation. This smaller margin of error resulted in the applicability of the Bruggeman equation to extract the permittivity for all of the slurries in this work, in contrast to the M‐W equation which is restricted to dilute SrTiO3 slurries. Therefore, for slurries of powders with high permittivity (e.g., BaTiO3) or slurries with high solid loading the Bruggeman equation is necessary instead of the M‐W equation.
Intracranial Abscess as a Complication of Allergic Fungal Sinusitis
Authors: Holbrook John F. , Eastwood James D. , Kilani Ramsey K.
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This case involves a common disease, allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS), with the uncommon complication of intracranial abscess. Although AFS is known to result in bone erosion, invasive complications are rare.

METHODS

The clinical and pathologic information were reviewed. A literature review was performed to clarify the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of AFS.

RESULTS

The clinical and radiographic presentations were typical for AFS, including the relatively common complication of sinus wall erosion. Follow‐up imaging demonstrated spread of fungal disease into the adjacent masticator space and intracranial spread by foramen ovale.

CONCLUSION

This case illustrates the importance of identifying AFS and describing findings such as sinus erosion that may alter management. In this example, knowledge of the altered anatomy and potential for mucosal injury may facilitate surgical planning and decrease the likelihood of future complications.
Conspecific attraction and nest site selection in a nomadic species, the zebra finch
Authors: Mariette Mylene M. , Griffith Simon C.
Published: December 2011

Conspecific nesting density affects many aspects of breeding biology, as well as habitat selection decisions. However, the large variations in breeding density observed in many species are yet to be fully explained. Here, we investigated the settlement patterns in a colonial species with variable breeding density and where resource distribution could be manipulated. The zebra finch,Taeniopygia guttata, is a classic avian model in evolutionary biology but we know surprisingly very little about nest site selection strategies and nesting densities in this species, and in fact, in nomadic species in general. Yet, important determinants of habitat selection strategies, including temporal predictability and breeding synchrony, are likely to be different in nomadic species than in the non‐nomadic species studied to date. Here, we manipulated the distribution of nesting sites (by providing nest boxes) and food patches (feeders) to test four non‐exclusive habitat selection hypotheses that could lead to nest aggregation: 1) attraction to resources, 2) attraction to breeding conspecifics, and 3) attraction to successful conspecifics and 4) use of private information (i.e. own reproductive success on a site). We found that wild zebra finches used conspecific presence and possibly reproductive success, to make decisions over where to locate their nests, but did not aggregate around water or food within the study areas. Moreover, there was a high degree of inter‐individual variation in nesting density preference. We discuss the significance of our results for habitat selection strategy in nomadic species and with respect to the differential selection pressures that individuals breeding at different densities may experience.
The influence of enamel matrix derivative on the angiogenic activity of primary endothelial cells
Authors: Kasaj A. , Meister J. , Lehmann K. , Stratul S. I. , Schlee M. , Stein J. M. , Willershausen B. , Schmidt M.
Published: December 2011

Kasaj A, Meister J, Lehmann K, Stratul SI, Schlee M, Stein JM, Willershausen B, Schmidt M. The influence of enamel matrix derivative on the angiogenic activity of primary endothelial cells. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 479–487. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Background and Objective:  Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in early wound healing and tissue regeneration. Although enamel matrix derivative (EMD) has demonstrated the potential to stimulate periodontal regeneration, the biological effects of EMD on angiogenesis and underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to examine the angiogenic effects of EMD in vitro.

Material and Methods:  Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to assess the effect of EMD on proliferation, survival, adhesion and migration. The effect of EMD on HUVEC angiogenesis was assessed by a three‐dimensional sprouting assay. In order to understand the signalling mechanism of altered cell proliferation of HUVECs caused by EMD, the phosphorylation status of ERK1/2 and of the serine/threonine protein kinase Akt was analysed by western blot using phospho‐specific antibodies.

Results:  The proliferation of HUVECs was stimulated by 50 μg/mL EMD, whereas higher concentrations (≥ 100 μg/mL) resulted in an increased apoptotic rate. The mitogenic response to EMD was associated with the activation of ERK1/2. Enamel matrix derivative did not affect cell adhesion, but all concentrations of EMD tested (0.1–250 μg/mL) promoted migration of HUVECs. Furthermore, EMD induced capillary‐like sprout formation from HUVEC spheroids in a dose‐dependent manner.

Conclusion:  Our data indicate that EMD acts as a proangiogenic factor in vitro and, as such, might contribute to periodontal tissue regeneration by stimulation of vessel formation during wound healing.
Protective effects of β‐carotene and melanin against protoporphyrine IX‐induced phototoxicity in the photo hen's egg test
Authors: Bafteh Pascal R. , Siegesmund Marko , Hanneken Sandra , Neumann Norbert J.
Published: December 2011

Purpose

The aim of our study was to evaluate the photoprotective potential of melanin and β‐carotene against protoporphyrine IX‐induced phototoxicity via photo hen's egg test.

Methods

In three independent test groups, the yolk sac blood vessel system of hen's eggs was exposed to protoporphyrine IX and irradiated with ultraviolet A (UVA). One of the test groups also received melanin to investigate its photoprotective capacity; another test group received β‐carotene for the same purpose. Morphological changes and embryo lethality were recorded in these three test groups for a period of 24 h. The same parameters were obtained in five different control groups.

Results

The control groups exhibited only minimal morphological changes and no fatalities. In contrast, severe phototoxic damage and a high lethality rate (75%) were observed in the test group exposed to protoporphyrine IX and UVA. Lethality was somewhat lower in the β‐carotene test group (58%) and was considerably lower in the melanin test group (17%).

Conclusions

The photoprotective potential against protoporphyrine IX‐induced phototoxic damage was moderate for β‐carotene and was remarkable for melanin. Given that synthetic melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) analogues induce a de novo synthesis of melanin without any previous ultraviolet irradiation in human skin, the application of MSH analogues might be conceived of as ‘light hardening’ without light. Synthetic MSH analogues thus may represent a new promising therapeutic option for photodermatoses especially for erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Incomplete efficacy of 5‐aminolevulinic acid (5 ALA) photodynamic therapy in the treatment of widespread extramammary Paget's disease
Authors: Al Yousef Abdullah , Boccara Olivia , Moyal‐Barracco Micheline , Zimmermann Ute , Saiag Philippe
Published: December 2011

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using 5‐aminolevulinic acid (5‐ALA) is an effective treatment for several conditions such as Bowen's disease, subsets of basal cell carcinomas and actinic keratosis. Surgical resection is the first‐choice therapy for extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD), but extensive resection is highly invasive and recurrences are frequent. We report two cases of genital EMPD treated by PDT with partial efficacy. The first patient, a 78‐year‐old male, suffered from pubic and scrotal Paget's disease for 6 years despite numerous treatments. The second patient, a 78‐year‐old female, had vulvar involvement for 2 years that was resistant to multiple treatments. The disease was recurrent and chronic with important pruritus and significant impact on the quality of life. Methyl 5‐aminolevulinate was applied for 3 h, and irradiation was applied with red light (630 nm) using a total light dose of 37 J/cm2 for a period of 10 min. The patients were treated every 2 to 4 weeks for a total of at least three treatments. Both patients experienced a partial transient reduction in their symptoms. One patient had a partial transient remission (< 50% reduction of the involved surface), whereas in the other patient, PDT failed to reduce the surface area of the lesions.
Sna3 Is an Rsp5 Adaptor Protein that Relies on Ubiquitination for Its MVB Sorting
Authors: MacDonald Chris , Stringer Daniel K. , Piper Robert C.
Published: December 2011

The process in which ubiquitin (Ub) conjugation is required for trafficking of integral membrane proteins into multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and eventual degradation in the lumen of lysosomes/vacuoles is well defined. However, Ub‐independent pathways into MVBs are less understood. To better understand this process, we have further characterized the membrane protein Sna3, the prototypical Ub‐independent cargo protein sorted through the MVB pathway in yeast. We show that Sna3 trafficking to the vacuole is critically dependent on Rsp5 ligase activity and ubiquitination. We find Sna3 undergoes Ub‐dependent MVB sorting by either becoming ubiquitinated itself or associating with other ubiquitinated membrane protein substrates. In addition, our functional studies support a role for Sna3 as an adaptor protein that recruits Rsp5 to cargo such as the methionine transporter Mup1, resulting in efficient Mup1 delivery to the vacuole.
Primary cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas
Authors: Kempf Werner , Denisjuk Natalja , Kerl Katrin , Cozzio Antonio , Sander Christian
Published: December 2011

Cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas (CBCL) are the second most common form of primary cutaneous lymphomas. The cutaneous follicle center lymphoma and the cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma (extranodal MALT type lymphoma) account for the vast majority of CBCL and manifest with nodules. These two lymphoma entities have an indolent, slowly progressive course and an excellent prognosis despite a high rate of recurrences. In contrast, cutaneous diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, leg type, and other rare forms of CBCL display an impaired prognosis and therefore require to be treated with multiagent chemotherapy and anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibodies in most cases. Clinico‐pathologic correlation, histology with immunohistochemical profile and genotyping as well as staging examinations are crucial diagnostic elements in the work‐up of CBCL.
Should children dive with self‐contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)?
Authors: Winkler Bernd E , Muth Claus‐Martin , Tetzlaff Kay
Published: December 2011

Diving with self‐contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) has become a popular recreational activity in children and adolescents. This article provides an extensive review of the current literature.

Conclusions:  Medical contraindications to SCUBA diving for adults apply to children and adolescents, too, but must be adapted. Additional restrictions to the fitness to dive must apply to both, children and adolescents. Children should always be accompanied by a trained adult when diving.
Chinese Context and Theoretical Contributions to Management and Organization Research: A Three-decade Review
Authors: Jia Liangding , You Shuyang , Du Yunzhou
Published: December 2011

In this study, we develop a context-emic model to evaluate articles which use the Chinese context for their theoretical contributions to management and organization research. We apply the model to 259 articles published in six leading general management and organization journals between 1981 and 2010 and 43 articles fromManagement and Organization Review (MOR)from its launch in 2005 to 2010. We found ten articles in the six leading journals and four articles inMORto have some degree of Chinese contextualization in their concepts or constructs (what), their relationships (how), and tlie logics underlying the relationships (why). In particular, we discovered only three new concepts (market transition, network capitalism, andguanxi), and some reference to Confucianism and its related concepts. As expected,MORarticles have a higher level of Chinese contextualization than articles in the top six journals. Using the Colquitt and Zapata-Phelan theory-building-testing taxonomy, we found Chinese-context research to have contributed to both theory-building and theory-testing over time. We also found that empirical articles with a higher level of Chinese contextualization garner more citations. Finally, we discuss the implications of the study's results for future contextualization research related to China.
Oral microcirculation in post‐menopause: a possible correlation with periodontitis
Authors: Scardina Giuseppe A. , Messina Pietro
Published: December 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00608.x

Oral microcirculation in post‐menopause: a possible correlation with periodontitis

Objectives:  The reduction in the level of oestrogen, typical in menopause, has some effect on the health of the oral cavity. In fact, post‐menopausal women present more severe periodontal disease than pre‐menopausal women. Numerous factors can be held to be responsible for this increase, among which are the effects of oestrogens on the oral epithelium, on the salivary glands, on bone tissue and on the endothelium. Our double blind study aims to evaluate the possible variations in oral microcirculation in post‐menopausal women.

Methods:  Twenty‐seven women in post‐menopause (age: Mean ± SD: 57.3 ± 8.73) and 27 women in pre‐menopause (age: Mean ± SD: 27.77 ± 3.56) were examined. Oral microcirculation was investigated using oral videocapillaroscopy.

Results:  The study showed significant differences between cases and controls for the following parameters: decrease in diameter of loops (mean ± SD: 0.038 ± 0.008; 0.045 ± 0.005), increase in tortuosity (mean ± SD: 3.83 ± 1.13; 1.83 ± 1.06) in labial mucosa and decrease in density in periodontal mucosa (Mean ± SD: 28.86 ± 10.92; 89.62 ± 17.83).

Conclusion:  The decrease in periodontal density may compromise the epithelium tropism, making it prone to inflammation. The tortuosity may indicate a greater permanence of inflammatory factors, increased in post‐menopausal women.
Testing cosmology with extreme galaxy clusters
Authors: Harrison Ian , Coles Peter
Published: December 2011

Motivated by recent suggestions that a number of observed galaxy clusters have masses which are too high for their given redshift to occur naturally in a standard model cosmology, we use extreme value statistics to construct confidence regions in the mass–redshift plane for the most extreme objects expected in the universe. We show how such a diagram not only provides a way of potentially ruling out the concordance cosmology, but also allows us to differentiate between alternative models of enhanced structure formation. We compare our theoretical prediction with observations, placing currently observed high- and low-redshift clusters on a mass–redshift diagram, and find – provided we consider the full sky to avoid a posteriori selection effects – that none is in significant tension with concordance cosmology.
On the efficiency of the Blandford–Znajek mechanism for low angular momentum relativistic accretion
Authors: Das Tapas K. , Czerny B.
Published: December 2011

The Blandford–Znajek (BZ) mechanism has usually been studied in the literature for accretion with considerably high angular momentum leading to the formation of either a cold Keplerian disc or a hot and geometrically thick sub-Keplerian flow as described within the framework of advection-dominated accretion flow/radiatively inefficient accretion flow. However, in nearby elliptical galaxies, as well as for our own Galactic Centre, accretion with very low angular momentum is prevalent. Such quasi-spherical strongly sub-Keplerian accretion has complex dynamical features and can accommodate stationary shocks. In this Letter, we present our calculation for the maximum efficiency obtainable through the BZ mechanism for complete general relativistic weakly rotating axisymmetric flow in the Kerr metric. Both shocked and shock-free flows have been studied in detail for rotating and counter-rotating accretion. Such a study has never been done in the literature before. We find that the energy extraction efficiency is low, about 0.1 per cent, and increases by a factor of 15 if the ram pressure is included. Such an efficiency is still much higher than the radiative efficiency of such optically thin flows. For the BZ mechanism, shocked flow produces a higher efficiency than the shock-free solutions and retrograde flow provides a slightly larger value of the efficiency than that for the prograde flow.
Evolutionary Perspectives on Rural Australia
Authors: TONTS MATTHEW , ARGENT NEIL , PLUMMER PAUL
Published: December 2011

An enduring concern within Australian rural geography has been to understand the nature and implications of change. Much of the intellectual effort has been focused on interpreting how rural economies, populations, social institutions, cultures, and land uses have been transformed through processes operating across a range of spatial and temporal scales. This paper offers a critical appraisal of recent rural research in Australia and how this body of work has attempted to make sense of change. It argues that despite an ongoing focus on the nature of change, it is often reduced to a relatively simple historical narrative. We suggest that some of the emerging ideas in ‘evolutionary economic geography’ might offer an alternative means of conceptualising the trajectories of rural economies, institutions, and communities. The paper outlines the contours of evolutionary economic geography and the ways in which some of its key conceptual foundations might offer a means of understanding not only rural change, but also continuity.
Use of Single‐Well Tracer Dilution Tests to Evaluate LNAPL Flux at Seven Field Sites
Authors: Mahler Nicholas , Sale Tom , Smith Tim , Lyverse Mark
Published: December 2011

Petroleum liquids, referred to as light non‐aqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs), are commonly found beneath petroleum facilities. Concerns with LNAPLs include migration into clean soils, migration beyond property boundaries, and discharges to surface water. Single‐well tracer dilution techniques were used to measure LNAPL fluxes through 50 wells at 7 field sites. A hydrophobic tracer was mixed into LNAPL in a well. Intensities of fluorescence associated with the tracer were measured over time using a spectrometer and a fiber optic cable. LNAPL fluxes were estimated using observed changes in the tracer concentrations over time. Measured LNAPL fluxes range from 0.006 to 2.6 m/year with a mean and median of 0.15 and 0.064 m/year, respectively. Measured LNAPL fluxes are two to four orders of magnitude smaller than a common groundwater flux of 30 m/year. Relationships between LNAPL fluxes and possible governing parameters were evaluated. Observed LNAPL fluxes are largely independent of LNAPL thickness in wells. Natural losses of LNAPL through dissolution, evaporation, and subsequent biodegradation, were estimated using a simple mass balance, measured LNAPL fluxes in wells, and an assumed stable LNAPL extent. The mean and median of the calculated loss rates were found to be 24.0 and 5.0 m3/ha/year, respectively. Mean and median losses are similar to values reported by others. Coupling observed LNAPL fluxes to observed rates of natural LNAPL depletion suggests that natural losses of LNAPL may be an important parameter controlling the overall extent of LNAPL bodies.
What is Left of the Law and Society Paradigm after Critique? Revisiting Gordon's “Critical Legal Histories”
Authors: Tomlins Christopher
Published: December 2011

For more than twenty-five years, Robert Gordon's “Critical Legal Histories” has been savored by legal historians as one of the most incisive explanations available of what legal history can and should be. Gordon's essay, however, is of significance to the course of sociolegal studies in general. This commentary offers an appreciation, and a critique, of “Critical Legal Histories.” It explores Gordon's articulation of the central themes of critical legal studies, in particular his corrosion of functionalism and embrace of the indeterminacy thesis, and assesses the consequences for sociolegal and legal-historical analysis of the resultant stress on the contingency and complexity of social life.
Contract Law, Relational Contracts, and Reputational Networks in International Trade: An Empirical Investigation into Cross-Border Contracts in the Software Industry
Authors: Dietz Thomas
Published: December 2011

The following case study investigates the contract enforcement institutions that enable German customers to purchase software in Asia and Eastern Europe. The case study shows that nation-states are hardly able to generate a legal “shadow” for cross-border business relations. The same holds true for the so-called New Lex Mercatoria. Instead, economic actors create their own informal mechanisms. Relational contracts and reputational networks are nowadays far more effective due to developments in the field of information and communication technology. Overall, the importance of formal contract law in international trade is even smaller than is assumed by the classic theory of relational contracts.
Field Theory, Cultural Capital, and the First Amendment: Two Paradoxes in the Legitimation of News
Authors: Martinez Elizabeth E.
Published: December 2011

Does law influence the legitimation of news? I examine legitimations offered during ethics debates about news stories in which private people are thrust into the media spotlight. When navigating the space between what can be published lawfully and what should be published, journalism organizations offer legitimations that vary in ways that reflect the hierarchy of legal frameworks for decision. According to field theory, the cultural capital of the juridical field is constitutive of status hierarchies in the journalism field, even though the First Amendment leaves journalism to structure itself. This structuring leads to two paradoxes. First, in the performance ofnegative legitimation, news organizations justify ethics violations by converting the minimum standard of lawful speech into claimsmaking about laudable speech. Second, in acts ofdisplacing legitimation, reporters suggest that more publicity is the remedy for invading privacy, translating the valorization of speech rights over privacy rights into a puzzling norm.
Privacy Codes and Institutional Record Keeping: Procedural versus Strategic Approaches
Authors: Rule James B.
Published: December 2011

Privacy codes aim at protecting individuals' interests in the treatment of data on themselves held by institutions. One can distinguish between procedural and strategic principles underlying these codes. The former aim at shaping treatment of personal information, once compiled within data systems; the latter aim at limiting and dispersing personal information from the start. A historical view of the workings of these two principles gives more reasons for optimism in the case of strategic measures. In contrast, procedural restrictions on access to personal information are evidently subject to erosion and reversal with changes in larger political climates.
Humanized mice as a preclinical tool for infectious disease and biomedical research
Authors: Shultz Leonard D. , Brehm Michael A. , Bavari Sina , Greiner Dale L.
Published: December 2011

Immunodeficient mice bearing an IL2rγnull mutation permit engraftment of a functional human immune system and study of human‐specific infectious agents that was not previously possible.
Humanized mice for the study of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Authors: Greiner Dale L. , Brehm Michael A. , Hosur Vishnu , Harlan David M. , Powers Alvin C. , Shultz Leonard D.
Published: December 2011

The availability of immunodeficient mice engrafted with functional human immune systems and islets permits in vivo study of human diabetes without putting patients at risk.
Systems biology of the heart: hype or hope?
Authors: Quinn T. Alexander , Kohl Peter
Published: December 2011

Systems biology, the approach that combines reduction and integration to explore dynamic structure–function interrelations across biomedically relevant spatio‐temporal scales, is applied to heart research.
Relevance of angiotensin II‐induced aortic pathologies in mice to human aortic aneurysms
Authors: Bruemmer Dennis , Daugherty Alan , Lu Hong , Rateri Debra L.
Published: December 2011

Angiotensin II infusion in mice promotes abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms, which provides a feasible approach to study the mechanisms of these two distinct diseases.
Best practices for the use of animals in toxicological research and testing
Authors: Stokes William S.
Published: December 2011

Animal models serve an important role in assessing preclinical safety and efficacy of new medicines and vaccines; however, such assessments can involve significant pain and distress and large numbers of animals. Best practice approaches seek to enhance animal well‐being, minimize or avoid pain and distress, and use fewer animals. Advances in science and technology are providing opportunities for improved mechanism‐based models and integrated safety assessments that will support improved animal welfare and reduce animal use.
Animal welfare and the 3Rs in European biomedical research
Authors: Wells Dominic J.
Published: December 2011

The new Directive 2010/63/EU to ensure harmonization of animal experimentation rules has potential to increase implementation of the 3Rs (reduce, refine, replace) and improve animal welfare across Europe.
Current models and strategies in the development of antiobesity drugs
Authors: Kinsey‐Jones James S. , Murphy Kevin G.
Published: December 2011

Animal models have enabled investigation of the complex mechanisms underlying energy homeostasis and, therefore, the development of antiobesity drugs.
Modeling inflammation and microvascular dysfunction
Authors: Gavins Felicity N.E.
Published: December 2011

We are using confocal intravital microscopy to understand the mechanisms behind leukocyte trafficking in the brain, thus providing potential therapeutic targets for neurovascular diseases, for example, stroke and multiple sclerosis.
Photosensitizing Mechanism and Identification of Levofloxacin Photoproducts at Ambient UV Radiation
Authors: Dwivedi Ashish , Mujtaba Syed F. , Kushwaha Hari N. , Ali Daoud , Yadav Neera , Singh S. K. , Ray Ratan S.
Published: December 2011

Levofloxacin (LVFX) is a broad spectrum third generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic, used in the treatment of severe or life‐threatening bacterial infections. Photosensitizing mechanism of LVFX was investigated under the ambient environmental intensities of UV‐A, UV‐B and sunlight exposure. Phototoxic effects of LVFX were assessed on NIH‐3T3 and HaCaT cell lines. Results identified first time three photoproducts of LVFX at ambient levels of UV‐R by LC‐MS/MS. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was investigated photochemically as well as intracellularly in HaCaT cell line. ROS were significantly quenched by specific quenchers like DABCO, NaN3, d‐mannitol and NAC. Photosensitized LVFX caused lipid peroxidation at different concentrations. Quenching study with superoxide dismutase confirms the LVFX‐induced lipid photoperoxidation. Further, photocytotoxicity of LVFX showed significant reduction in cell viability by MTT and neutral red uptake assays. LVFX caused cell arrest in G2/M phases as well as induced apoptosis through ROS‐dependent pathway. In addition, photosensitized LVFX also induced upregulation of p21 and Bax/Bcl‐2 genes ratio. India is a tropical country and most of the human activities such as agriculture, commerce, sports, etc. take place in bright sunlight; therefore, photosensitive LVFX may lead to skin/ocular disorders and immune suppression. Information is needed regarding the phototoxicity of LVFX for human safety.
Development of a 44K SNP assay focussing on the analysis of a varroa‐specific defence behaviour in honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica)
Authors: SPÖTTER A. , GUPTA P. , NÜRNBERG G. , REINSCH N. , BIENEFELD K.
Published: December 2011

Honey bees are exposed to a number of damaging pathogens and parasites. The most destructive among them, affecting mainly the brood, is Varroa destructor. A promising approach to prevent its spread is to breed for Varroa‐tolerant honey bees. A trait that has been shown to provide significant resistance against the Varroa mite is hygienic behaviour, a behavioural response of honey bee workers to brood diseases in general. This study reports the development of a 44K SNP assay, specifically designed for the analysis of hygienic behaviour of individual worker bees (Apis mellifera carnica) directed against V. destructor. Initially, 70 000 SNPs chosen from a large set of SNPs published by the Honey Bee Genome Project were validated for their suitability in the analysis of the Varroa resistance trait ‘uncapping of Varroa‐infested brood’. This was achieved by genotyping of pooled DNA samples of trait bearers and two trait‐negative controls using next‐generation sequencing. Approximately 36 000 of these validated SNPs and another 8000 SNPs not validated in this study were selected for the construction of a SNP assay. This assay will be employed in following experiments to analyse individualized DNA samples in order to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in the control of the investigated trait and to evaluate and possibly confirm QTL found in other studies. However, this assay is not just suitable to study Varroa tolerance, it is as well applicable to analyse any other trait in honey bees. In addition, because of its high density, this assay provides access into genomic selection with respect to several traits considered in honey bee breeding. It will become publicly available via AROS Applied Biotechnology AS, Aarhus, Denmark, before the end of the year 2011.