bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Symptomatic 5‐fluorouracil‐induced sinus bradycardia
Authors: Lee A. D. , McKay M. J.
Published: July 2011

5‐Fluorouracil (5‐FU) is a commonly used anti‐neoplastic agent. 5‐FU has been not uncommonly associated with cardiotoxicity, although the many potentially causative mechanisms are yet to be established. Here, we present the case of a 61‐year‐old gemstone miner who developed symptomatic sinus bradycardia while receiving a continuous 5‐FU infusion combined with radiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. This dysrhythmia is an unusual type of 5‐FU toxicity, our case being the second described. We review the actions of 5‐FU and the various proposed mechanisms of its cardiotoxic effects.
Random movement pattern of fed and unfed adult Colorado potato beetles in bare‐ground habitat
Authors: Gui Lian‐You , Boiteau Gilles , Colpitts Bruce G. , MacKinley Pamela , McCarthy Peter C.
Published: July 2011

Although the successful management of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) depends on the prevention of its dispersal, its walking pattern in the landscape remains poorly understood. In the present study, post‐diapause, early summer, late summer and colony adult beetles, both fed and unfed before release, were tracked with a harmonic radar to establish their walking movement pattern in a bare‐ground field.

The random walk model successfully described the dispersal of all beetle types, whether fed or unfed.

The diverse life history of this species was manifested by an increased distance travelled and deviations of individual paths from the random model. Starved post‐diapause beetles travelled furthest and individual paths deviating from random were both local and directed, probably aiming to maximize opportunities for host colonization. Starved early summer beetles also travelled further than fed beetles but relied more on random movement to disperse in the habitat. Starving had little impact on the distance travelled or the path deviations of late summer beetles that are searching for overwintering site rather than hosts.

The increased displacement of starving beetles over fed beetles corresponded with an increased walking step and index of straightness.

The impact of starvation on travel distance was greater than expected from laboratory tests.

In conclusion, the results obtained in the present study suggest a random walking pattern to search arable land until host volatile or visual impulses trigger a more directed walk or flight.
Pollination efficiency of wild bees and hoverflies provided to oilseed rape
Authors: Jauker Frank , Bondarenko Birgit , Becker Heiko C. , Steffan‐Dewenter Ingolf
Published: July 2011

Declining numbers in honeybees and various wild bee species pose a threat to global pollination services. The identification and quantification of the pollination service provided by different taxa within the pollinator guild is a prerequisite for the successful establishment of nature conservation and crop management regimes.

Wild bees and hoverflies are considered to be valuable pollinators in agricultural and natural systems. Although some information on pollination efficiency of individual pollinator species is available, comparative studies of both taxa at different densities are rare. In the present study, the efficiency of the solitary mason bee Osmia rufa and two hoverfly species (Eristalis tenax and Episyrphus balteatus) as pollinators of oilseed rape Brassica napus was examined in a standardized caged plant breeding regime. Honeybee Apis mellifera colonies were used as a reference pollinator taxon.

Yield parameters responded differently to pollinator density and identity. Fruit set and number of seeds per pod increased with increasing pollinator density, although these were stronger in the mason bee than the hoverfly treatment. Weight per 1000 seeds did not respond to any pollinator treatment, indicating that seed quality was not affected. Oilseed rape yield in the highest tested densities of both pollinator taxa resulted in yield values close to the efficiency of small honeybee colonies.

Hoverflies required approximately five‐fold densities of the red mason bees to reach a similar fruit set and yield. Thus, mason bees are more efficient in plant breeding and managed pollination systems. Both natural pollinator taxa, however, are of potential value in open and closed crop production systems.
Seafood mislabelling: comparisons of two western European case studies assist in defining influencing factors, mechanisms and motives
Authors: Miller Dana , Jessel Adam , Mariani Stefano
Published: July 2011

The global seafood industry, influenced by consumer demand, is closely linked to the global fishing industry, which determines the variety of fish available for consumption. The recently revealed issue of seafood mislabelling threatens to weaken this link by removing consumer power to influence patterns of fisheries exploitation through informed choice. Recognizing this, there is an urgent need to go beyond the mere documentation of the phenomenon and learn more about the origins of this problem and the nature of factors influencing its occurrence to develop solutions. In an attempt to understand seafood mislabelling more thoroughly in Europe, 226 cod products were purchased from Ireland and the UK, genetically identified using a DNA barcoding technique (COI barcoding gene), and species identification results were compared against product labels. Cod mislabelling proved more severe in Ireland than in the UK (28.4% vs. 7.4%). Moreover, whereas data show that in Ireland, cheaper species are sold as cod, in the UK, threatened Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) may be sold as ‘sustainably sourced’ Pacific cod. Considering these countries operate under the same EU policies for seafood traceability and labelling, it is likely that this situation has been influenced by heightened consumer awareness in the UK, which has created an environment where mislabelling is discouraged. In addition to identifying samples, traceability information from packaged cod was used to trace products back to supplying companies. Although inconclusive in determining blame, this exercise has demonstrated that using traceability information can add explanatory power when attempting to determine responsibility for the occurrence of mislabelling.
Do primary care psychological therapists ‘think family’? Challenges and opportunities for couple and family therapy in the context of ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) services
Authors: Shepherd Melanie
Published: July 2011

Very little couple or family work takes place in primary care despite the advantages offered by the context. This pilot study investigated the experiences of primary care adult therapists regarding the place of families in their clinical work. Semi‐structured interviews with seven therapists were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings tentatively suggest that primary care psychological therapists ‘think family’ primarily from the perspective of their main therapeutic model when offering individual therapy. Some study participants questioned the appropriateness of their family/context focus. Family members were extremely rarely seen together. Facilitating factors included supervision and training. Barriers to family work were both external (the work setting) and internal (beliefs about it). The impact of the current dominance of cognitive behavioural therapy in National Health Service adult psychological therapy services and the development of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services on the provision of couple and family therapy are discussed. Some challenges and opportunities presented by IAPT for couple and family therapy are explored.
Facilitating forgiveness in the treatment of infidelity: an interpersonal model
Authors: Fife Stephen T. , Weeks Gerald R. , Stellberg‐Filbert Jessica
Published: July 2011

This article presents a unique clinical model of forgiveness developed specifically for use in the treatment of infidelity. The model focuses on forgiveness as a central component of the process of healing for couples who desire relationship reconciliation following an affair. Infidelity causes significant damage for couples and results in a loss of trust and relationship stability. However, couples can become reunified and trust may be restored as couples work through the process of forgiveness. Forgiveness is facilitated as therapists and clients focus on four unifying factors: empathy, humility, commitment and apology. Specific steps are outlined for therapists to help them guide clients through the process of forgiveness. The clinical application of the model is illustrated with a brief case example.
Ethnic Adjectives as pseudo‐adjectives: a case study on syntax–morphology interaction and the structure of DP*
Authors: Alexiadou Artemis , Stavrou Melita
Published: July 2011

Abstract. The paper discusses the complex behavior of a subgroup of relational demominal adjectives, namely ethnic adjectives. These adjectives exhibit a hybrid nature, sharing properties of both nouns and adjectives. The paper proposes that these adjectives have a nominal source visible at the level of interpretation. This nominal ‘base’ explains basic aspects of their morphosyntactic and semantic behavior. By contrast, the homophonous counterpart of ethnic adjectives, namely classificatory adjectives, are argued to be completely opaque to semantic‐syntactic processes, and thus are analyzed here as ‘deep’ adjectives. The empirical focus of the paper is the behavior of ethnic adjectives in Greek, which we compare mainly to their English (and Romance) counterparts, but also to Slavic possessive adjectives.
Possessive Dative Revisited: Another View of External Possession in Spanish
Authors: Conti Carmen
Published: July 2011

Abstract.  This paper deals with the question of which factors constrain the merging of possessive dative in Spanish. In particular, I will check to what extent the most important explanations of the construction, such as the affectedness condition as well as the structural approaches of this phenomenon, account for the employment of possessive dative in contemporary Spanish. My aim in this paper will be to demonstrate that the merging of possessive dative is related to several factors, among which the saliency of the possessor and its resemblance with semantic controllers seem to play an important role.
A Phase Extension Approach to Double Object Constructions – Evidence from Modern Greek*
Authors: Roos Mikko
Published: July 2011

Abstract. This article examines A‐movement (a)symmetries in the double object construction in Modern Greek. Two types of double object constructions are attested in this language, the “dative construction” and the “double accusative construction”. These constructions, which are analysed as low applicatives, differ with regard to (i) the Case marking of the Goal, (ii) A‐movement properties of Themes and (iii) formation of adjectival passives with Goal externalisation. The article shows that (i)–(iii) are interrelated phenomena in Greek and that they can be accounted for by exploiting recent findings on phases, namelyphase extensionwhereby a phase expands as a result of movement of the phase head. The phase extension approach to double object constructions illustrates that head movement interacts with locality as a narrow syntactic operation and that locality‐violating passives can be licensed without phase EPP‐features or multiple Specifiers. The article also dwells on the controversial issue concerning the quirky Subject status of fronted dative Goals in Greek and shows that the phase extension approach, in which dative clitics are analysed as phonetic realizations of applicative heads, supports the quirky Subject status of dative Goals.
The Sensitivity of Respondent-Driven Sampling
Authors: Lu Xin , Bengtsson Linus , Britton Tom , Camitz Martin , Kim Beom Jun , Thorson Anna , Liljeros Fredrik
Published: July 2011

Researchers in many scientific fields make inferences from individuals to larger groups. For many groups, however, there is no list of members from which to draw a random sample. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a relatively new sampling methodology that circumvents this difficulty by using the social networks of the groups under study. The RDS method has been shown to provide unbiased estimates of population proportions given certain conditions. The method is now widely used in human immunodeficiency virus related studies among high risk populations globally. We test the RDS methodology by simulating RDS studies on the social networks of a large Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Web community. The robustness of the RDS method is tested by violating, one by one, the conditions under which the method provides unbiased estimates. Simulations indicate that the bias is large if networks are directed or respondents choose to invite people on the basis of characteristics that are correlated with the study outcomes. The bias and variance increase if participants invite close as opposed to more distant friends whereas sampling in denser networks sharply reduces variance. However, the RDS method shows strong resistance to sampling without replacement, low response rates and certain errors in the participants’ reporting of their network sizes, as well as the selection criteria of seeds. The effects of network structure and the number of seeds and coupons are also discussed.
THE COMMUNICATIVE POTENTIAL OF THERAN MURALS IN LATE BRONZE AGE AKROTIRI: APPLYING VIEWSHED ANALYSIS IN 3D TOWNSCAPES
Authors: PALIOU ELEFTHERIA
Published: July 2011

This paper aims to contribute to the discussion of the social functions of Aegean wall painting, by examining the communicative impact and possible socio‐symbolic significance of Theran murals in the urban landscape of Late Bronze Age Akrotiri (Thera, Greece). It uses a novel method of computational analysis to investigate the visibility of mural painting in the prehistoric townscape which combines the functionalities of 3D modelling and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The benefits of this approach lie in that it considers virtually all observer locations in the study area, while taking more fully into account the precise shape of built forms and the physiological structure of the human visual system than other established methods of visibility analysis used in landscape and urban studies. The application of the methodology in the townscape of Akrotiri highlights some previously unobserved spatial relationships that could have played a role in enhancing the communicative impact of Theran murals in the LBA built environment, consequently encouraging the wide production of mural decoration in the settlement.
PAST ‘DISTURBANCES’ OF GRAVES AS A SOURCE: TAPHONOMY AND INTERPRETATION OF REOPENED EARLY MEDIEVAL INHUMATION GRAVES AT BRUNN AM GEBIRGE (AUSTRIA) AND WINNALL II (ENGLAND)
Authors: ASPÖCK EDELTRAUD
Published: July 2011

Early medieval graves that were reopened in the past are usually considered ‘disturbed’ and hence an unreliable source for traditional cemetery analysis. This paper aims to highlight how the analysis of these ‘disturbances’ can contribute to our understanding of early medieval mortuary rites and attitudes towards the buried human body. Two case studies of cemeteries with high proportions of reopened graves are presented. Thorough archaeological analysis, with careful consideration of the taphonomy of reopened graves, is the key to an understanding of the reopening practices. At Brunn am Gebirge (Austria) most graves were reopened for ‘grave‐robbery’– to remove grave goods – at a time when the bodies were already fully disarticulated. The graves at Winnall II (England) were reopened very soon after burial to manipulate the still largely intact corpses.
Leaf‐out phenology of temperate woody plants: from trees to ecosystems
Authors: Polgar Caroline A. , Primack Richard B.
Published: July 2011

Leafing‐out of woody plants begins the growing season in temperate forests and is one of the most important drivers of ecosystem processes. There is substantial variation in the timing of leaf‐out, both within and among species, but the leaf development of almost all temperate tree and shrub species is highly sensitive to temperature. As a result, leaf‐out times of temperate forests are valuable for observing the effects of climate change. Analysis of phenology data from around the world indicates that leaf‐out is generally earlier in warmer years than in cooler years and that the onset of leaf‐out has advanced in many locations. Changes in the timing of leaf‐out will affect carbon sequestration, plant–animal interactions, and other essential ecosystem processes. The development of remote sensing methods has expanded the scope of leaf‐out monitoring from the level of an individual plant or forest to an entire region. Meanwhile, historical data have informed modeling and experimental studies addressing questions about leaf‐out timing. For most species, onset of leaf‐out will continue to advance, although advancement may be slowed for some species because of unmet chilling requirements. More information is needed to reduce the uncertainty in predicting the timing of future spring onset.

Contents

Summary
926

I.
Introduction
927

II.
What triggers a plant to leaf‐out?
928

III.
Variation in leaf‐out among species
929

IV.
Leaf‐out and climate change
932

V.
Conclusions
937

Acknowledgements
937

References
937
Assessing the malignant potential of ovarian inclusion cysts in postmenopausal women within the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS): a prospective cohort study
Authors: Sharma A , Gentry‐Maharaj A , Burnell M , Fourkala E‐O , Campbell S , Amso N , Seif MW , Ryan A , Parmar M , Jacobs I , Menon U ,   for the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS)
Published: July 2011

Please cite this paper as: Sharma A, Gentry‐Maharaj A, Burnell M, Fourkala E, Campbell S, Amso N, Seif M, Ryan A, Parmar M, Jacobs I, Menon U, for the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS). Assessing the malignant potential of ovarian inclusion cysts in postmenopausal women within the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS): a prospective cohort study. BJOG 2012;119:207–219.

Objective  To evaluate the malignant potential of ultrasound‐detected ovarian inclusion cysts in the development of ovarian cancer (OC) in postmenopausal women.

Design  Prospective cohort study.

Setting  UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS).

Population  Postmenopausal women.

Methods  In UKCTOCS, women in the ultrasound group have annual scans. Women with inclusion cysts (single/multiple anechoic ≤10‐mm ovarian cysts) and normal ovaries (both uniform hypoechogenicity) on their first scan were identified and followed up through cancer registry/questionnaires.

Main outcome measures  Relative risk (RR) of developing OC, invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (iEOC), breast cancer (BC) and endometrial cancer (EC) in women with inclusion cysts relative to those with normal ovaries. The incidence was compared with UK age‐adjusted expected rates (Office for National Statistics, 2005).

Results  Postmenopausal women (n = 48 230) attended the year 1 (11 June 2001–6 December 2006) screen; 1234 (2.5%) had inclusion cysts alone and 22 914 had normal scans. By 1 November 2009 (median follow‐up, 6.13 years; interquartile range, 4.96–6.98 years), four, three (one Type II), seven and 22 women with inclusion cysts and 32, 29 (20 Type II), 90 and 397 women with normal ovaries were diagnosed with OC, iEOC, EC and BC, respectively. The RR values for the respective cancers (OC [RR, 2.32; confidence interval [CI], 0.86–6.28], iEOC [RR, 1.92; CI, 0.62–5.92], EC [RR, 1.44; CI, 0.68–3.05], BC [RR, 1.12; CI, 0.73–1.73]) were not increased. There was no difference between the observed versus expected incidence rates for these cancers in women with inclusion cysts.

Conclusions  Postmenopausal women with ultrasound‐detected inclusion cysts do not seem to be at increased risk of ovarian or breast/endometrial (hormone‐dependent) cancers.
Patterns of change in English as a lingua franca in the UAE
Authors: Boyle Ronald
Published: July 2011

As foreign workers constitute about 90 per cent of the workforce of the UAE, English is used as the country's acrolectal lingua franca. In order to discover what effect this community of multilingual speakers is having on the lexicogrammar of English, a million‐word corpus of examples of formal, written English as a lingua franca (ELF) was compiled, and was compared with data from the Longman Spoken and Written English Corpus. The results suggest that the patterns of use of non‐finite complement clauses and of transitive and intransitive verbs, in particular, are beginning to change and that the changes are systematic. Where a choice of patterns exists, ELF usage appears to be converging on the dominant pattern.
Validity and interaction in the ZPD: interpreting learner development through L2 Dynamic Assessment
Authors: Poehner Matthew E.
Published: July 2011

Based on Vygotsky's articulation of the zone of proximal development, dynamic assessment (DA) involves offering mediation to help learners perform beyond their level of independent functioning while simultaneously supporting development of those abilities, and thus integrating teaching and assessment as a single activity. As with any assessment, it is imperative to determine how well L2 DA fulfills its intended purposes, namely providing insights into abilities that are still forming and promoting development. While concerns have been raised over adopting existing concepts and procedures in validation for use in the classroom, this paper relies on key validity notions of evidence, interpretations, and consequences to consider the process of mediator‐learner dialoguing on a micro level as well as outcomes of DA interactions.

Basée sur le concept de la zone de développement proximal proposé par Vygotsky, l'évaluation dynamique implique que l'on offre aux apprenants des formes de médiation qui les aident à fonctionner au‐delà de leur capacité individuelle et qui soutiennent le développement de leurs compétences émergeantes au cours d'une tâche. Ainsi, l'évaluation dynamique intègre l'enseignement et l'évaluation dans une même activité. Comme toute autre approche à l'évaluation, il faut impérativement déterminer jusqu'à quel point une évaluation dynamisée répond à ses objectifs, notamment d'arriver à mieux connaître les compétences de l'apprenant encore en train de se former et de promouvoir son développement. Bien que l'application des concepts et des démarches de validation existants en contexte de salle de classe ait été mise en question, cet article s'appuie sur des notions clés de validité (e.g., indices, interprétations et conséquences) afin de considérer le processus des interactions dialogiques entre médiateur et apprenant au micro‐niveau ainsi que les résultats de ces interactions en contexte d'une évaluation dynamisée.
The types and severity of high myopic maculopathy in Chinese patients
Authors: Chen Hui , Wen Feng , Li Haitao , Zuo Chengguo , Zhang Xiongze , Huang Shizhou , Luo Guangwei
Published: July 2011

Citation information: Chen H, Wen F, Li H, Zuo C, Zhang X, Huang S & Luo G. The types and severity of high myopic maculopathy in Chinese patients. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00861.x

Objective:  To describe the severity and morphological features of high myopic maculopathy in Chinese patients and to evaluate their association with age, refractive error and visual acuity.

Methods:  Six hundred and four eyes of 337 patients (ages 8–88 years) with high myopia (refractive error ≤ −6.0 D) presenting to the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center were studied retrospectively. All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination including digital colour fundus photography. Fundus fluorescein angiography was performed in 251 patients (443 eyes) and indocyanine green angiography was performed in 35 patients (63 eyes). The type and severity of myopic degeneration were categorized in each eye. Risk factors associated with high myopic maculopathy were evaluated using General Estimating Equation models.

Results:  Two hundred and fifty‐one patients (443 eyes) presented with maculopathy in this study. The most common subtype of high myopic maculopathy was lacquer cracks (prevalence 29.1%). The most commonly observed degree was M3 (choroidal pallor and tessellation, with posterior staphyloma and lacquer cracks). Older age was significantly associated with diffuse chorioretinal atrophy (p = 0.024), patchy chorioretinal atrophy (p < 0.001), choroidal neovascularisation (CNV, p < 0.001) and macular atrophy (p = 0.002). Younger age was associated with lacquer cracks (p < 0.001). A higher degree of myopia was a risk factor for almost all kinds of maculopathy: tessellated fundus (p = 0.001), lacquer cracks (p < 0.001), diffuse chorioretinal atrophy (p < 0.001), patchy chorioretinal atrophy (p = 0.025) and macular atrophy p < 0.001), whereas a lower degree of myopia was associated with CNV (p = 0.001). A worse visual acuity was associated with lacquer cracks (p = 0.001), macular atrophy (p < 0.001) and CNV p < 0.001), while better visual acuity was associated with tessellated fundus (p < 0.001) and diffuse atrophy (p = 0.002). Older age (p < 0.001), more myopic refractive error (p < 0.001) and worse visual acuity (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a greater severity of maculopathy. There was no gender difference in the type and severity of myopic maculopathy.

Conclusions:  Age and refractive error are important risk factors playing different roles in the development of distinct subtypes and varying severities of high myopic maculopathy. Visual acuity is significantly associated with various subtypes and the severity of high myopic maculopathy.
Childhood ethnic differences in ametropia and ocular biometry: the Aston Eye Study
Authors: Logan Nicola S , Shah Parth , Rudnicka Alicja R , Gilmartin Bernard , Owen Christopher G
Published: July 2011

Citation information: Logan NS, Shah P, Rudnicka AR, Gilmartin B & Owen CG. Childhood ethnic differences in ametropia and ocular biometry: the Aston Eye Study. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 550–558. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00862.x

Purpose:  To describe the methodology, sampling strategy and preliminary results for the Aston Eye Study (AES), a cross‐sectional study to determine the prevalence of refractive error and its associated ocular biometry in a large multi‐racial sample of school children from the metropolitan area of Birmingham, England.

Methods:  A target sample of 1700 children aged 6–7 years and 1200 aged 12–13 years is being selected from Birmingham schools selected randomly with stratification by area deprivation index (a measure of socio‐economic status). Schools with pupils predominantly (>70%) from a single race are excluded. Sample size calculations account for the likely participation rate and the clustering of individuals within schools. Procedures involve standardised protocols to allow for comparison with international population‐based data. Visual acuity, non‐contact ocular biometry (axial length, corneal radius of curvature and anterior chamber depth) and cycloplegic autorefraction are measured in both eyes. Distance and near oculomotor balance, height and weight are also assessed. Questionnaires for parents and older children will allow the influence of environmental factors on refractive error to be examined.

Results:  Recruitment and data collection are ongoing (currently N = 655). Preliminary cross‐sectional data on 213 South Asian, 44 black African Caribbean and 70 white European children aged 6–7 years and 114 South Asian, 40 black African Caribbean and 115 white European children aged 12–13 years found myopia prevalence of 9.4% and 29.4% for the two age groups respectively. A more negative mean spherical equivalent refraction (SER) was observed in older children (−0.21 D vs +0.87 D). Ethnic differences in myopia prevalence are emerging with South Asian children having higher levels than white European children 36.8% vs 18.6% (for the older children). Axial length, corneal radius of curvature and anterior chamber depth were normally distributed, while SER was leptokurtic (p < 0.001) with a slight negative skew.

Conclusions:  The AES will allow ethnic differences in the ocular characteristics of children from a large metropolitan area of the UK to be examined. The findings to date indicate the emergence of higher levels of myopia by early adolescence in second and third generation British South Asians, compared to white European children. The continuation of the AES will allow the early determinants of these ethnic differences to be studied.
Eclogitization of the Monviso ophiolite (W. Alps) and implications on subduction dynamics
Authors: ANGIBOUST S. , LANGDON R. , AGARD P. , WATERS D. , CHOPIN C.
Published: July 2011

To constrain deep (40–100 km) subduction dynamics, extensive P–T data are provided on the eclogitic Monviso ophiolite derived from the subducted Liguro‐Piemontese oceanic lithosphere (which was exhumed, together with associated continental units, before the Alpine collision). The Monviso ophiolite has so far been interpreted either as a fossilized subduction channel, with tectonic blocks detached from the slab at different depths and gathered in a weak serpentinized matrix, or as a more or less continuous portion of oceanic lithosphere. To evaluate potential heterogeneities within and between the various subunits, extensive sampling was undertaken on metasedimentary rocks and Fe–Ti metagabbros. The results indicate that the Monviso ophiolite comprises two main coherent tectonic subunits (the Monviso and Lago Superiore Units) detached during subduction at different depths and later juxtaposed at epidote–blueschist facies during exhumation along the subduction interface. Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material suggests (i) a difference in peak temperature of ∼50 °C between these two subunits and (ii) a good temperature homogeneity within each subunit. Pseudosections and average P–T estimates using thermocalc in the Lago Superiore Unit suggest for the first time homogeneous HP to UHP conditions (∼550 °C, 26–27 kbar). Parageneses, peak conditions and tectonic setting are very similar to those of the Zermatt‐Saas ophiolite, 200 km northwards, thus suggesting a common detachment mechanism for the whole Western Alpine belt.
Number of recent sexual partners among blood donors in Brazil: associations with donor demographics, donation characteristics, and infectious disease markers
Authors: Patavino Giuseppina Maria , de Almeida‐Neto Cesar , Liu Jing , Wright David J. , Mendrone‐Junior Alfredo , Ferreira Maria Inês Lopes , de Freitas Carneiro Anna Bárbara , Custer Brian , Ferreira João Eduardo , Busch Michael P. , Sabino Ester Cerdeira ,   for the NHLBI Retrovirus Epidemiology Study‐II (REDS‐II), International Component
Published: July 2011

BACKGROUND: Brazilian blood centers ask candidate blood donors about the number of sexual partners in the past 12 months. Candidates who report a number over the limit are deferred. We studied the implications of this practice on blood safety.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed demographic characteristics, number of heterosexual partners, and disease marker rates among 689,868 donations from three Brazilian centers between July 2007 and December 2009. Donors were grouped based on maximum number of partners allowed in the past 12 months for each center. Chi‐square and logistic regression analysis were conducted to examine associations between demographic characteristics, number of sex partners, and individual and overall positive markers rates for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T‐lymphotropic virus Types 1 and 2, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and syphilis.

RESULTS: First‐time, younger, and more educated donors were associated with a higher number of recent sexual partners, as was male sex in São Paulo and Recife (p < 0.001). Serologic markers for HIV and syphilis and overall were associated with multiple partners in São Paulo and Recife (p < 0.001), but not in Belo Horizonte (p = 0.05, p = 0.94, and p = 0.75, respectively). In logistic regression analysis, number of recent sexual partners was associated with positive serologic markers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.2‐1.5), especially HIV (AOR, 1.9‐4.4).

CONCLUSIONS: Number of recent heterosexual partners was associated with HIV positivity and overall rates of serologic markers of sexually transmitted infections. The association was not consistent across centers, making it difficult to define the best cutoff value. These findings suggest the use of recent heterosexual contacts as a potentially important deferral criterion to improve blood safety in Brazil.
The [R]Evolving Relationship Between Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Authors: Robinson Lisa A. , Levy Jonathan I.
Published: July 2011

In Science and Decisions: Advancing Risk Assessment, the National Research Council recommends improvements in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approach to risk assessment. The recommendations aim to increase the utility of these assessments, embedding them within a new risk‐based decision‐making framework. The framework involves first identifying the problem and possible options for addressing it, conducting related analyses, then reviewing the results and making the risk management decision. Experience with longstanding requirements for regulatory impact analysis provides insights into the implementation of this framework. First, neither the Science and Decisions framework nor the framework for regulatory impact analysis should be viewed as a static or linear process, where each step is completed before moving on to the next. Risk management options are best evaluated through an iterative and integrative procedure. The extent to which a hazard has been previously studied will strongly influence analysts’ ability to identify options prior to conducting formal analyses, and these options will be altered and refined as the analysis progresses. Second, experience with regulatory impact analysis suggests that legal and political constraints may limit the range of options assessed, contrary to both existing guidance for regulatory impact analysis and the Science and Decisions recommendations. Analysts will need to work creatively to broaden the range of options considered. Finally, the usefulness of regulatory impact analysis has been significantly hampered by the inability to quantify many health impacts of concern, suggesting that the scientific improvements offered within Science and Decisions will fill an crucial research gap.
Informative Dorfman Screening
Authors: McMahan Christopher S. , Tebbs Joshua M. , Bilder Christopher R.
Published: July 2011

Summary Since the early 1940s, group testing (pooled testing) has been used to reduce costs in a variety of applications, including infectious disease screening, drug discovery, and genetics. In such applications, the goal is often to classify individuals as positive or negative using initial group testing results and the subsequent process of decoding of positive pools. Many decoding algorithms have been proposed, but most fail to acknowledge, and to further exploit, the heterogeneous nature of the individuals being screened. In this article, we use individuals’ risk probabilities to formulate new informative decoding algorithms that implement Dorfman retesting in a heterogeneous population. We introduce the concept of “thresholding” to classify individuals as “high” or “low risk,” so that separate, risk‐specific algorithms may be used, while simultaneously identifying pool sizes that minimize the expected number of tests. When compared to competing algorithms which treat the population as homogeneous, we show that significant gains in testing efficiency can be realized with virtually no loss in screening accuracy. An important additional benefit is that our new procedures are easy to implement. We apply our methods to chlamydia and gonorrhea data collected recently in Nebraska as part of the Infertility Prevention Project.
Ab Initio Computations of Electronic, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of ZrB2 and HfB2
Authors: Lawson John W. , Bauschlicher Charles W. , Daw Murray S.
Published: July 2011

A comprehensive ab initio analysis of the ultra high temperature ceramics ZrB2 and HfB2 is presented. Density functional theory (DFT) computations were performed for the electronic, mechanical, thermal, and point defect properties of these materials. Lattice constants and elastic constants were determined. Computations of the electronic density of states, band structure, electron localization function, etc. show the diverse bonding types that exist in these materials. They also suggest the connection between the electronic structure and the superior mechanical properties. Lattice dynamical effects were considered, including phonon dispersions, vibrational densities of states, and specific heat curves. Point defect (vacancies and antisites) structures and energetics are also presented.
Structural and Dielectric Properties of Bi (Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3–BaTiO3 Lead‐Free Ceramics
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Li Zhenrong , Li Fei , Xu Zhuo
Published: July 2011

By the conventional mixed oxide method (1−x)Bi(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3–xBaTiO3 ((1−x)BMT–xBT, x = 0.2−1.0) ceramics were prepared. For x ≤ 0.4, a bismuth‐rich phase was observed beside the perovskite phase. For 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 0.92 ceramics, all the compositions belong to the pseudocubic phase, while the tetragonal phases were formed when x ≥ 0.94. With the increase of BT content, a change from a relaxor‐like behavior to a normal ferroelectric behavior was observed, while the change of Tmax is in the form of “U” curve. Furthermore, stable dielectric permittivity (1500–3000) and low losses (tan δ < 2%) were obtained in the 0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 ceramics in the temperature range 200°C–400°C, indicating a potential for high‐temperature applications.
Ink‐Jet Printing of Zirconia: Coffee Staining and Line Stability
Authors: Dou Rui , Wang Tianming , Guo Yunshan , Derby Brian
Published: July 2011

We have prepared a 10 vol% zirconium oxide (ZrO2) powder aqueous ink for ink‐jet printing. This ink shows severe segregation or coffee staining during drying on solid substrates. Coffee staining is suppressed by the addition of 10 wt% poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to the ink formulation. However, coffee staining occurs with the PEG solution ink when drops are printed onto a substrate made from a preprinted ZrO2 powder layer. The mechanism for this phenomenon remains unknown but may be related to the draining of solvent into the powder. The stability of printed features is controlled by the overlap of printed drops and the range of line stability is shown to be consistent with models in the literature.
Spontaneous Formation of Nano‐fibrillar Boehmite and the Enhancement Effect of Polyethylene Glycol
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Mao , Li Xiao‐Yan , Shih Kaimin
Published: July 2011

Nano‐fibrillar boehmite is a desirable product due to its high specific surface area and potential application in a wide variety of engineering applications. Inorganic salts are the preferred raw materials for fabricating such products because of their low cost. In this study, nano‐sized (10–20 nm in diameter) boehmite fibrils were fabricated by the hydrothermal (105°C) digestion of a suspension prepared from either aluminum sulfate or nitrate salt under a neutral pH. It appears that the formation of fibrils is spontaneous and thermodynamically favorable. The presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) was found to further enhance the formation of fibrils by promoting the transportation of aluminum ions to the crystal nuclei. The growth direction of the crystals in the fibrils is normal to the boehmite (020) plane. The formation of boehmite fibrils was greatly reduced under an acidic pH and at a lower digestion temperature due to kinetic restriction. The structures of the immediate products generated from aluminum sulfate and aluminum nitrate were different, which is probably due to the stronger adsorption of sulfate ions on the surface of gelatinous aggregates. The fibrils derived from as‐precipitated and coagulated amorphous aluminum hydroxide grains experienced a series of structural evolutions in which they progressed from a sponge‐like structure to a fibrillar structure with time.
Synthesis of Spherical Non‐Oxide Silicon Carbonitride Ceramic Particles
Authors: Yu Yuxi , Chen Yaohan , Xu Chengying , Fang Jiyu , An Linan
Published: July 2011

In this article, we report a simple technique for synthesizing spherical non‐oxide silicon carbonitride ceramic particles from a polysilazane precursor. In this technique, the spherical particles of the polysilazane precursor were synthesized first via a precipitation polymerization process and then converted to ceramic particles by pyrolysis. The resultant ceramic particles exhibited a close‐to‐perfect spherical shape and a narrow size distribution around 430 nm. The precipitation and pyrolysis processes were characterized using SEM, TEM, FTIR, and XRD to illustrate the formation mechanisms of the ceramic particles.
Biomarkers to Distinguish Surgical Etiologies in Females With Lower Quadrant Abdominal Pain
Authors: Reed Jennifer L. , Strait Rick T. , Kachelmeyer Andrea M. , Byczkowski Terri L. , Ho Mona L. , Huppert Jill S.
Published: July 2011

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:686–691 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Objectives:  Lower abdominal pain is a common complaint in girls and young women presenting to a pediatric emergency department (PED). An extensive evaluation may be required to exclude surgical emergencies such as appendicitis and ovarian torsion. However, clinicians and families prefer to limit invasive procedures and radiation exposure. The literature suggests that serum biomarkers such as the cytokine interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) can predict ovarian torsion in adults, while the membrane glycoprotein cluster of differentiation‐64 (CD64) has been linked with bacterial infections and sepsis. Therefore, the study objective was to assess whether plasma IL‐6 or neutrophil CD64 surface levels would assist clinicians in distinguishing surgical diagnoses (ovarian torsion and appendicitis) from nonsurgical diagnoses in young females with lower abdominal pain.

Methods:  This study was a prospective, cross‐sectional, pilot study of young females presenting with lower abdominal pain. Demographics, clinical and laboratory data, and final diagnoses were recorded. Plasma IL‐6 and neutrophil CD64 were quantified. Nonparametric Kruskal‐Wallis test was used to detect significant differences in IL‐6 and CD64 values between surgical and nonsurgical patients. Further analysis was done to detect differences among the surgical patients (appendicitis vs. ovarian torsion). A bivariate analysis using the Wilcoxon rank sum was used to test for significant differences in IL‐6 and CD64 by selected clinical factors.

Results:  There were 112 female subjects ages 6 to 21 years enrolled. Final diagnoses were grouped as appendicitis (n = 38, 34%), ovarian torsion (n = 15, 13%), and nonsurgical (n = 59, 53%). Surgical cases had significantly higher levels of IL‐6 compared to nonsurgical cases (p < 0.0001), and appendicitis patients had significantly higher CD64 indexes compared to ovarian torsion patients (p = 0.007). The clinical characteristics of fever of ≥38°C (p = 0.0002) and constant pain (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with elevated IL‐6. Fever of ≥38°C (p = 0.02) was significantly associated with a higher CD64 index.

Conclusions:  Interleukin‐6 was significantly elevated in surgical patients compared to nonsurgical patients in this sample of young females, and CD64 was significantly elevated in appendicitis patients compared to ovarian torsion patients. These data suggest that with larger sample sizes and future confirmatory studies, these biomarkers may be useful in the evaluation of young women with lower quadrant abdominal pain.
Cost‐effectiveness of Targeted Human Immunodeficiency Virus Screening in an Urban Emergency Department
Authors: Dowdy David W. , Rodriguez Robert M. , Bradley Hare C. , Kaplan Beth
Published: July 2011

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:745–753 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Objectives: Although targeted screening of patients at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the emergency department (ED) improves patient outcomes and may prevent HIV transmission, ED‐based screening programs incur additional costs and have thus not been widely scaled up. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of ED‐based targeted HIV screening as implemented in actual practice.

Methods: This was a cost‐utility analysis of a rapid HIV screening program in an urban ED. Physicians were encouraged to screen patients undergoing inpatient admission or who had HIV risk factors. The authors measured costs directly and estimated quality‐adjusted life expectancy using chart review, literature assumptions, and mathematical modeling. Incremental cost utility was evaluated from a societal perspective using a lifetime time horizon.

Results: From June 2008 through September 2009, a total of 3,766 HIV tests were ordered (235 tests per month), of which an estimated 2,406 (64%) represented screening in patients without HIV‐related signs or symptoms. Nineteen (0.8%) patients were newly diagnosed through screening during the study period, of whom nine (47%) were eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART) and maintained consistent outpatient follow‐up. Estimated screening costs were $82,300 per year, or $45.53 per screening test, of which $28.01 (62%) was for program management. Targeted screening prevented an estimated 2.1 HIV transmission events over 16 months. Per patient screened, targeted screening saved $112 (95% uncertainty range [UR] = $20 to $225) and resulted in 2.71 quality‐adjusted life‐days gained (95% UR = 1.71 to 4.01). Cost‐utility was most sensitive to the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV in the screened population.

Conclusions: Targeted HIV screening, as implemented in an urban ED, is cost saving and increases quality‐adjusted life expectancy.