bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altruism, Foreign Aid and Humanitarian Military Intervention
Authors: Seiglie Carlos
Published: January 2009

The stated objectives for countries in providing foreign aid have been strategic, economic and humanitarian. The end of the Cold War and the recent disintegration of territorial states has increased the prominence of the humanitarian objective. Therefore, the paper concentrates on the transfer of resources from wealthier and politically stable countries to poorer and politically unstable ones. The amount of foreign aid provided by governments and international relief agencies is determined by the altruistic desires of individuals. Within a median voter framework, it is found that foreign aid is increasing in the degree of altruism of the median voter, their income, the similarity the median voter has with the ethnicity or religion of the recipient group, and the number of civilian casualties resulting from armed conflicts in the recipient nation. Foreign aid is inversely related to the size of the recipient country and the extent that international relief is being pilfered. This latter result explains "foreign aid fatigue."

An implication of this analysis is that donor nations may have an incentive to intervene militarily in civil conflicts which reduce the welfare of their altruistic citizens in order to establish order in the relief effort or to stabilize or establish a government capable of controlling the domestic unrest. This option will be chosen if the welfare of the median voter is greater under military intervention than under the status quo of continuing to send only aid. Intervention will occur, the more effective the military option is in reducing the unrest, the greater the degree of altruism of the median voter, the larger the size of the donor country, the lower the cost of intervention, the larger the extent and size of the group being victimized, the lower the relative valuation placed on alternative domestic uses of foreign aid, and the greater the size of the transfer being provided.
The Impact of Attachment on Career-Related Variables
Authors: Wright Stephen L. , Perrone Kristin M.
Published: January 2009

There has been a significant amount of research investigation focused on the construct of attachment, and also a significant amount of research investigation using the social cognitive career theory (SCCT). More recently, researchers have investigated the influence of attachment on career-related variables. Studies that focus on both attachment and career-related variables are reviewed in this article. Findings from the majority of studies reviewed support the assertion that attachment could be a crucial factor in career development. A limitation of past research has been the lack of a theoretical framework that explains the relationship between attachment constructs and career-related variables. To address this limitation, the authors propose that the combination of attachment theory and SCCT could provide a useful and more comprehensive framework to guide future research in this area. The integration of the two theories is explained, and suggestions for career counseling practice and future research are provided.
Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension: A Pharmacotherapeutic Review
Authors: Pesaturo Kimberly A. , Johnson Peter N. , Ramsey E. Zachary
Published: January 2009

Pulmonary hypertension in children is a disorder associated with increased pulmonary vascular resistance and arterial pressure, decreased cardiac output, and right-sided cardiac dysfunction that is caused by numerous etiologies. Although treatment will vary with underlying cause, pharmacological treatment has historically included inhaled nitric oxide and prostacyclin analogues. Over the past several years new agents have been added to the treatment armamentarium, including phosphodiesterase V inhibitors (eg sildenafil) and endothelin antagonists (eg bosentan). Further, more agents are currently under investigation for pulmonary hypertension in children including immunosuppressives and other endothelin antagonist entities. Limitations to treatment include the availability of appropriate, robust pediatric pharmacological data and constraints with dosage forms.
Review Article: Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinomas: A Practical Overview
Authors: Pelosi Giuseppe , Sonzogni Angelica , De Pas Tommaso , Galetta Domenico , Veronesi Giulia , Spaggiari Lorenzo , Manzotti Michela , Fumagalli Caterina , Bresaola Enrica , Nappi Oscar , Viale Giuseppe , Rosai Juan
Published: January 2009

Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas (PSCs) are currently defined as poorly differentiated non-small-cell carcinomas containing a component with sarcoma or sarcoma-like (spindle and/or giant cell) features. They consist of 5 major histological variants, namely pleomorphic carcinoma, spindle cell carcinoma, giant cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma, and pulmonary blastoma. The segregation of PSCs into a distinct clinicopathologic entity seems justified on the basis of morphologic, behavioral, and genotypic/phenotypic attributes. As a group, PSCs generally run an aggressive clinical course and may cause major difficulties in the differential diagnosis with other primary and secondary malignancies of the lung. At present, PSCs are believed to represent a family of carcinomas “in transition,” in which diverse pathways of clonal evolution account for histological differences of a common ancestor lesion. The sarcomatous or sarcomatoid component of these tumors is thought to derive from carcinoma cells during the progression of carcinogenesis through the activation of an epithelial—mesenchymal transition program leading to sarcomatous transformation or metaplasia (conversion paradigm). Conceivably, targeting the epithelial—mesenchymal transition program could become a valid therapeutic strategy for these life-threatening tumors, whose sensitivity to current medical manipulation is disappointing.
Association of renin-angiotensin system and natriuretic peptide receptor A gene polymorphisms with hypertension in a Hellenic population
Authors: Tsezou Aspasia , Karayannis Georgios , Giannatou Eirini , Papanikolaou Vassilios , Triposkiadis Filippos
Published: January 2009

Introduction. Hypertension results from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Since the renin-angiotensin and the natriuretic peptide systems contribute to blood pressure regulation, variations in the relative genes are candidates for the development of hypertension.

Materials and methods. In 194 hypertensives and 304 controls of Hellenic origin, the possible association between the (CA)n repeat polymorphism of angiotensinogen (AGT), the 250 bp insertion/deletion (I/D) of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), the tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism (TCTG)n of renin, and the (CT)n repeat polymorphism of the natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA) and hypertension was assessed.

Results. No association between AGT and NPRA polymorphisms and hypertension was observed. The presence of ID or DD genotype of ACE was associated with an increased risk for hypertension compared with the II genotype (OR: 1.782 [95% CI: 1.032—3.077]), whereas the LL genotype of the renin gene was associated with a decreased risk compared with the SS genotype (OR: 0.174 [95% CI: 0.044—0.689]). However, after adjustment for confounding factors only the latter association remained.

Conclusions. In the present study conducted in a homogeneous Hellenic population, no associations betweenAGT,ACE, and NPRA gene polymorphisms and hypertension were found. The presence of a significant negative association between the LL polymorphism of the renin gene and hypertension requires further confirmation.
Do We Practice What We Preach?
Authors: Day Nancy E. , Peluchette Joy
Published: January 2009

Using Pfeffer's typology of high-performance human resource management practices, this study examined faculty perceptions of how U.S. schools of business utilize such practices. Results show that faculty believe that most high-performance human resource management practices are used by their schools, particularly employment security, empowerment/self-management, and information sharing. Faculty perceive less attention being devoted to the use of training and development practices, competitive pay, and reward systems. Implications for business school management are presented, which include ensuring that deans and department chairs are trained in effectively managing faculty for achievement of business school missions and goals.
Overcoming Anglocentrism in Emotion Research
Authors: Wierzbicka Anna
Published: January 2009

Since English is not a neutral scientific language for the description of emotions (or anything else), then the key question is what (meta)language other than English can be used instead. I draw a distinction between “experiential meaning” which can only be acquired through lived experience, and “compositional meaning” which can be adequately portrayed in the mini-language of universal human concepts (NSM) developed through wide-ranging cross-linguistic investigations. The article rejects both the anglocentrism of emotion studies which take English concepts for granted and the “zoocentrism” which seeks to reduce human emotions to “mammalian responses,” behavioral patterns or neuro-physiological states. It argues that any discourse on emotions not anchored in universal human concepts is inherently ethnocentric (more often than not, anglocentric).
An Emotion's Emergence, Unfolding, and Potential for Empathy: A Study of Resentment by the “Psychologist of Avon”
Authors: Oatley Keith
Published: January 2009

To understand human emotions we need, alongside appraisal, the concept of emergence (derivation from the expectations of relationships) and the concept of unfolding (of sequences that can be expressed as narratives). These processes can be seen in resentment, which has not been studied extensively in psychology. It is associated with envy, and it can be thought of as a kind of destructive anger. Such issues can be studied in works of literature: simulations of the social world in which emotions can be experienced by means of empathy. Shakespeare's Othello enables us to understand the emergence and unfolding of resentment in Iago, who is passed over for promotion and improvises a plan to destroy Othello. Iago's resentment is difficult to empathize with, and the play raises the question of whether we need to recognize in ourselves the capacity for reprehensible emotions.
How Emotions Occur: A Reply to Commentaries by Neu, Sundararajan, and Reisenzein
Authors: Oatley Keith
Published: January 2009

Response to commentaries by Neu, Sundararajan, and Reisenzein.
Emotion Elicits the Social Sharing of Emotion: Theory and Empirical Review
Authors: Rimé Bernard
Published: January 2009

This review demonstrates that an individualist view of emotion and regulation is untenable. First, I question the plausibility of a developmental shift away from social interdependency in emotion regulation. Second, I show that there are multiple reasons for emotional experiences in adults to elicit a process of social sharing of emotion, and I review the supporting evidence. Third, I look at effects that emotion sharing entails at the interpersonal and at the collective levels. Fourth, I examine the contribution of emotional sharing to emotion regulation together with the relevant empirical evidence. Finally, the various functions that the social sharing of emotion fulfills are reviewed and the relevance of the social sharing of emotion for emotion scientists is discussed.
Spontaneous improvement in randomised clinical trials: meta-analysis of three-armed trials comparing no treatment, placebo and active intervention
Authors: Krogsbøll Lasse Theis , Hróbjartsson Asbjørn , Gøtzsche Peter C
Published: January 2009

Background

It can be challenging for patients and clinicians to properly interpret a change in the clinical condition after a treatment has been given. It is not known to which extent spontaneous improvement, effect of placebo and effect of active interventions contribute to the observed change from baseline, and we aimed at quantifying these contributions.

Methods

Systematic review and meta-analysis, based on a Cochrane review of the effect of placebo interventions for all clinical conditions. We selected all trials that had randomised the patients to three arms: no treatment, placebo and active intervention, and that had used an outcome that was measured on a continuous scale or on a ranking scale. Clinical conditions that had been studied in less than three trials were excluded.

Results

We analysed 37 trials (2900 patients) that covered 8 clinical conditions. The active interventions were psychological in 17 trials, physical in 15 trials, and pharmacological in 5 trials. Overall, across all conditions and interventions, there was a statistically significant change from baseline in all three arms. The standardized mean difference (SMD) for change from baseline was -0.24 (95% confidence interval -0.36 to -0.12) for no treatment, -0.44 (-0.61 to -0.28) for placebo, and -1.01 (-1.16 to -0.86) for active treatment. Thus, on average, the relative contributions of spontaneous improvement and of placebo to that of the active interventions were 24% and 20%, respectively, but with some uncertainty, as indicated by the confidence intervals for the three SMDs. The conditions that had the most pronounced spontaneous improvement were nausea (45%), smoking (40%), depression (35%), phobia (34%) and acute pain (25%).

Conclusion

Spontaneous improvement and effect of placebo contributed importantly to the observed treatment effect in actively treated patients, but the relative importance of these factors differed according to clinical condition and intervention.
Carcinosarcoma of the breast: two case reports and review of the literature
Authors: Esses Kristi M , Hagmaier Ramona M , Blanchard Susan A , Lazarchick John J , Riker Adam I
Published: January 2009

Carcinosarcoma of the breast, often referred to as metaplastic carcinoma of the breast, is a rare malignancy with two distinct cell lines described as a breast carcinoma of ductal type with a sarcoma-like component. Clinically, carcinosarcoma of the breast is an aggressive breast cancer. The prognosis for carcinosarcoma of the breast is less favorable compared to more common types of breast cancer such as infiltrating ductal or lobular carcinoma. Currently, the evaluation of breast carcinoma includes hormone receptor analysis of the tumor tissue, with those positive for estrogen or progesterone responding better to both hormonal and chemotherapy.

Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) is available as an adjunct treatment for tumors which over-express the HER2/neu gene. Typically, metaplastic carcinomas of the breast do not express the estrogen or progesterone receptors and do not over-express the HER2/neu oncogene. As a result of this "triple negative" phenotype, such tumors tend to be more aggressive and are unlikely to respond to targeted therapy with Herceptin. The epidermal growth factor receptor HER-1/EGFR protein is expressed in the majority of metaplastic carcinomas and thus may serve as a potential therapeutic target for EGFR inhibitors such as gefitinib and cetuximab. The two cases we describe exemplify the aggressive nature of carcinosarcoma of the breast and support the findings that this tumor type does not express the common receptors found in other breast carcinomas. These case reports also emphasize the need for investigating the role for blockade of the HER-1/EGFR receptor with targeted therapies when found to be over-expressed in the primary tumor.
Local migration with extrapolated VSP Green’s functions
Authors: Xiao Xiang , Schuster Gerard T.
Published: January 2009

We have developed a novel vertical seismic profile (VSP) imaging method that requires only a local velocity model around the well. This method is denoted as a “local migration,” where the model-based forward-propagation and backward-propagation operators are computed using a local velocity model between the well and the target body. The velocity model for the complex overburden and salt body is not needed, and the source-side statics are automatically accounted for. In addition, kinematic and dynamic effects, including anisotropy, absorption, and other unknown/undefined rock effects outside of this local velocity model, are mostly accounted for. Numerical tests on an acoustic 2D Sigsbee VSP data set, an elastic salt model, and offset 2D VSP data in the Gulf of Mexico partly validate the effectiveness of this method by accurately imaging the sediments next to the vertical well.
ABVD Compared With BEACOPP Compared With CEC for the Initial Treatment of Patients With Advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Results From the HD2000 Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio dei Linfomi Trial
Authors: Federico Massimo , Luminari Stefano , Iannitto Emilio , Polimeno Giuseppe , Marcheselli Luigi , Montanini Antonella , La Sala Antonio , Merli Francesco , Stelitano Caterina , Pozzi Samantha , Scalone Renato , Di Renzo Nicola , Musto Pellegrino , Baldini Luca , Cervetti Giulia , Angrilli Francesco , Mazza Patrizio , Brugiatelli Maura , Gobbi Paolo G.
Published: January 2009

Purpose

To compare doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) versus bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP) versus cyclophosphamide, lomustine, vindesine, melphalan, prednisone, epidoxirubicin, vincristine, procarbazine, vinblastine, and bleomycin (COPPEBVCAD; CEC) for advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL).

Patients and Methods

Three hundred seven patients with advanced HL (stage IIB, III, and IV) were randomly assigned to receive six courses of ABVD, four escalated plus two standard courses of BEACOPP, or six courses of CEC, plus a limited radiation therapy program.

Results

After a median follow-up of 41 months, BEACOPP resulted in a superior progression-free survival (PFS), with a significant reduction in risk of progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.50) compared with ABVD. No differences between BEACOPP and CEC, or CEC and ABVD were observed. The 5-year PFS was 68% (95% CI, 56% to 78%), 81% (95% CI, 70% to 89%), and 78% (95% CI, 68% to 86%), for ABVD, BEACOPP, and CEC, respectively (BEACOPP v ABVD, P = .038; CEC v ABVD and BEACOPP v CEC, P = not significant [NS]). The 5-year overall survival was 84% (95% CI, 69% to 92%), 92% (95% CI, 84% to 96%), and 91% (95% CI, 81% to 96%) for ABVD, BEACOPP, and CEC, respectively (P = NS). BEACOPP and CEC resulted in higher rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia than ABVD (P = .016); BEACOPP was associated with higher rates of severe infections than ABVD and CEC (P = .003).

Conclusion

As adopted in this study BEACOPP is associated with a significantly improved PFS compared with ABVD, with a predictable higher acute toxicity.
Pediatric-Inspired Therapy in Adults With Philadelphia Chromosome–Negative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: The GRAALL-2003 Study
Authors: Huguet Françoise , Leguay Thibaut , Raffoux Emmanuel , Thomas Xavier , Beldjord Kheira , Delabesse Eric , Chevallier Patrice , Buzyn Agnes , Delannoy André , Chalandon Yves , Vernant Jean-Paul , Lafage-Pochitaloff Marina , Chassevent Agnès , Lhéritier Véronique , Macintyre Elizabeth , Béné Marie-Christine , Ifrah Norbert , Dombret Hervé
Published: January 2009

Purpose

Retrospective comparisons have suggested that adolescents or teenagers with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) benefit from pediatric rather than adult chemotherapy regimens. Thus, the aim of the present phase II study was to test a pediatric-inspired treatment, including intensified doses of nonmyelotoxic drugs, such as prednisone, vincristine, or l-asparaginase, in adult patients with ALL up to the age of 60 years.

Patients and Methods

Between 2003 and 2005, 225 adult patients (median age, 31 years; range, 15 to 60 years) with Philadelphia chromosome–negative ALL were enrolled onto the Group for Research on Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia 2003 protocol, which included several pediatric options. Some adult options, such as allogeneic stem-cell transplantation for patients with high-risk ALL, were nevertheless retained. Results were retrospectively compared with the historical France-Belgium Group for Lymphoblastic Acute Leukemia in Adults 94 (LALA-94) trial experience in 712 patients age 15 to 55 years.

Results

Complete remission rate was 93.5%. At 42 months, event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 55% (95% CI, 48% to 52%) and 60% (95% CI, 53% to 66%), respectively. Age remained an important bad prognostic factor, with 45 years of age as best cutoff. In older versus younger patients, there was a higher cumulative incidence of chemotherapy-related deaths (23% v 5%, respectively; P < .001) and deaths in first CR (22% v 5%, respectively; P < .001), whereas the incidence of relapse remained stable (30% v 32%, respectively). Complete remission rate (P = .02), EFS (P < .001), and OS (P < .001) compared favorably with the previous LALA-94 experience.

Conclusion

These results suggest that pediatric-inspired therapy markedly improves the outcome of adult patients with ALL, at least until the age of 45 years.
Novel Optimization Models for Abnormal Brain Activity Classification
Authors: Chaovalitwongse W. Art , Fan Ya-Ju , Sachdeo Rajesh C.
Published: January 2009

This paper proposes a new classification technique, called support feature machine (SFM), for multidimensional time-series data. The proposed technique was applied to the classification of abnormal brain activity represented in electroencephalograms (EEGs). First, the dynamical properties of EEGs from each electrode were extracted. These dynamical profiles were put in SFM, which is an optimization model that maximizes classification accuracy by selecting electrodes (features) that correctly classify unlabeled EEG samples based on the nearest-neighbor classification rule. The empirical studies were performed on the EEG data sets collected from 10 subjects. The performance of SFM was assessed and compared with the ones achieved by the traditional k-nearest-neighbor classifier and support vector machines (SVMs). The results show that SFM achieved, on average, over 90% correct classification and outperformed other classification techniques. In the validation step, SFM correctly classified unseen preseizure and normal EEGs with over 73% accuracy.
Reducing Delays for Medical Appointments: A Queueing Approach
Authors: Green Linda V. , Savin Sergei
Published: January 2009

Many primary care offices and other medical practices regularly experience long backlogs for appointments. These backlogs are exacerbated by a significant level of last-minute cancellations or “no-shows,” which have the effect of wasting capacity. In this paper, we conceptualize such an appointment system as a single-server queueing system in which customers who are about to enter service have a state-dependent probability of not being served and may rejoin the queue. We derive stationary distributions of the queue size, assuming both deterministic as well as exponential service times, and compare the performance metrics to the results of a simulation of the appointment system. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of the queueing models in providing guidance on identifying patient panel sizes for medical practices that are trying to implement a policy of “advanced access.”
Personal Decisions Are the Leading Cause of Death
Authors: Keeney Ralph L.
Published: January 2009

This paper analyzes the relationships between personal decisions and premature deaths in the United States. The analysis indicates that over one million of the 2.4 million deaths in 2000 can be attributed to personal decisions and could have been avoided if readily available alternative choices were made. Separate analyses indicate 46% of deaths due to heart disease and 66% of cancer deaths are attributable to personal decisions, about 55% of all deaths for ages 15–64 are attributable to personal decisions, and over 94% of the deaths attributable to personal decisions result in the death of the individual making the decisions. Relative to the current 45%, retrospective appraisal suggests that roughly 5% of deaths in 1900 and 20%–25% of deaths in 1950 could be attributed to personal decisions. These results suggest that more effort directed toward improving personal choices regarding life risks may be an effective and economical way to save lives.
Milestone Payments or Royalties? Contract Design for R&D Licensing
Authors: Crama Pascale , Reyck Bert De , Degraeve Zeger
Published: January 2009

We study how innovators can optimally design licensing contracts when there is incomplete information on the licensee's valuation of the innovation, and limited control over the licensee's development efforts. A licensing contract typically contains an up-front payment, milestone payments at successful completion of a project phase, and royalties on sales. We use principal-agent models to formulate the licensor's contracting problem, and we find that under adverse selection, the optimal contract structure changes with the licensee's valuation of the innovation. As the licensee's valuation increases, the licensor's optimal level of involvement in the development—directly or through royalties—should decrease. Only a risk-averse licensor should include both up-front and milestone payments. Moral hazard alone is not detrimental to the licensor's value, but may create an additional value loss when combined with adverse selection. Our results inform managerial practice about the advantages and disadvantages of the different terms included in licensing contracts and recommend the optimal composition of the contract.
Estimating the Patient's Price of Privacy in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Sandıkçı Burhaneddin , Maillart Lisa M. , Schaefer Andrew J. , Alagoz Oguzhan , Roberts Mark S.
Published: January 2009

In the United States, patients with end-stage liver disease must join a waiting list to be eligible for cadaveric liver transplantation. Due to privacy concerns, the details of the composition of this waiting list are not publicly available. This paper considers the benefits associated with creating a more transparent waiting list. We study these benefits by modeling the organ accept/reject decision faced by these patients as a Markov decision process in which the state of the process is described by patient health, quality of the offered liver, and a measure of the rank of the patient in the waiting list. We prove conditions under which there exist structured optimal solutions, such as monotone value functions and control-limit optimal policies. We define the concept of the patient's price of privacy, namely, the number of expected life days lost due to the lack of complete waiting list information. We conduct extensive numerical studies based on clinical data, which indicate that this price of privacy is typically on the order of 5% of the optimal solution value.
A Stereological Approach for Estimation of Cellular Immunogold Labeling and Its Spatial Distribution in Oriented Sections Using the Rotator
Authors: Lucocq John Milton , Gawden-Bone Christian
Published: January 2009

Particulate gold labeling applied to ultrathin sections is a powerful approach for locating cellular proteins and lipids on thin sections of cellular structures and compartments. Effective quantitative methods now allow estimation of both density and distribution of gold labeling across aggregate organelles or compartment profiles. However, current methods generally use random sections of cells and tissues, and these do not readily present the information needed for spatial mapping of cellular quantities of gold label. Yet spatial mapping of gold particle labeling becomes important when cells are polarized or show internal organization or spatial shifts in protein/lipid localization. Here we have applied a stereological approach called the rotator to estimate cellular gold label and proportions of labeling over cellular compartments at specific locations related to a chosen cell axis or chosen cellular structures. This method could be used in cell biology for mapping cell components in studies of protein translocation, cell polarity, cell cycle stages, or component cell types in tissues.
Differentiation-dependent PTPIP51 Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle Cell Culture
Authors: Barop Justus , Sauer Heinrich , Steger Klaus , Wimmer Monika
Published: January 2009

Protein tyrosine phosphatase-interacting protein 51 (PTPIP51) expression was analyzed in proliferating and differentiating human myogenic cells cultured in vitro. Satellite cell cultures derived from four different individuals were used in this study. To analyze the expression of PTPIP51, myoblasts were cultured under conditions promoting either proliferation or differentiation. In addition, further differentiation of already-differentiated myobtubes was inhibited by resubmitting the cells to conditions promoting proliferation. PTPIP51 protein and mRNA were investigated in samples taken at defined time intervals by immunostaining, immunoblotting, in situ hybridization, and PCR. Image analyses of fluorescence immuno-stainings were used to quantify PTPIP51 in cultured myoblasts and myotubes. Myoblasts grown in the presence of epidermal and fibroblast growth factors (EGF and FGF), both promoting proliferation, expressed PTPIP51 on a basic level. Differentiation to multinuclear myotubes displayed a linear increase in PTPIP51 expression. The rise in PTPIP51 protein was paralleled by an augmented expression of muscle-specific proteins, namely, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase and myosin heavy-chain protein, both linked to a progressive state of myotubal differentiation. This differentiation-induced increase in PTPIP51 was partly reversible by resubmission of differentiated myotubes to conditions boosting proliferation. The results clearly point toward a strong association between PTPIP51 expression and differentiation in human muscle cells. (J Histochem Cytochem 57:425–435, 2009)
Nitrogen mitigates effect of salinity on plant water relations and photosynthesis in indian mustard ( Brassica juncea )
Authors: Nathawat N. , Kuhad M. , Patel A. , Kumar R. , Goswami C.
Published: December 2008

The interaction between salinity (8 and 12 dS m
−1
) and three levels (40, 80 and 120 kg ha
−1
) of different forms of nitrogen (NO
3−
, NH
4+
and NO
3−
+ NH
4+
) were studied in
Brassica juncea
cv. RH-30. The plants were salinized with 8 and 12 dS m
−1
at 35 and 55 days after sowing. The relative water content (RWC), water potential (Ψ
w
) and osmotic potential (Ψ
s
) exhibited a marked decline under salinity stress. The application of the combined form (NO
3−
+ NH
4+
) of nitrogen (120 kg ha
−1
) considerably improved the water status and mitigated the adverse effect of salinity on growth. The salinity-induced osmotic effect led to stomatal closure and caused a substantial reduction in net photosynthetic rate (P
N
), stomatal conductance (g
s
) and transpiration rate (E) at the pre-flowering and flowering stages (45 and 65 DAS). Salinity effects were considerably moderated by additional nitrogen supply, which varied with the source of nitrogen, the level of salinity/fertilizer and the stage of plant growth. The inhibition in photosynthesis was relatively greater in ammonium-fed (NH
4+
) than in nitrate-fed (NO
3−
) plants, while the transpiration rate was relatively lower in nitrate-fed plants grown either with or without saline water irrigation. The nitrate form of nitrogen @ 120 kg ha
−1
proved best in alleviating the adverse effect of salinity on photosynthesis and transpiration at both the growth stages.
Effects of atrazine on dna damage and antioxidative enzymes in Vicia faba
Authors: Song Yan , Zhu Lu-Sheng , Xie Hui , Wang Jun , Wang Jin-Hua , Liu Wei , Dong Xiao-Li
Published: January 2009

To evaluate atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine) ecotoxicology in soil, the effect of atrazine on the activity of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and guaiacol peroxidase [POD]) was investigated in Vicia faba roots. Tissues from each treatment were collected on the days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Compared with the controls, SOD activity in V. faba roots was stimulated by the 2.5 mg/kg treatment and inhibited by the 5 and 10 mg/kg treatments, and CAT and POD activities in the 10 mg/kg treatment were inhibited on the whole. The Olive tail moments of single-cell gel electrophoresis of root cells were enhanced after treatment with different doses of atrazine on days 7, 14, 21, and 28, and significant differences were found compared to the controls. In conclusion, atrazine induces oxidative stress and DNA damage on V. faba.
Direct toxicity assessment of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater and derivation of a site-specific guideline
Authors: Hunt James , Birch Gavin , Warne Michael St John , Krassoi Rick
Published: January 2009

Groundwater contaminated with a mixture of 14 volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCHs) discharges to an estuarine embayment in Sydney, Australia. A screening-level hazard assessment identified a potential risk to aquatic organisms from surface water contaminated by the groundwater. Direct toxicity assessment of the groundwater was undertaken on 5 indigenous marine species to assess toxicity and derive a site-specific guideline. The testing included acute tests, subchronic tests on early life stages, and a chronic test. Test organisms included a microalga (Nitzschia closterium), an amphipod (Allorchestes compressa), a polychaete worm (Diopatra dentata), and sea urchin (Heliocidaris tuberculata) and oyster larvae (Saccostrea commercialis). Toxicity testing was undertaken in sealed containers to prevent loss of VCHs, and concentrations of VCHs were measured to accurately assess exposure concentrations. No observed effect concentration (NOEC) values varied from 1.56% dilution (1.11 mg total VCHs) to 50% dilution (45.5 mg total VCHs). EC50 values varied from 4.8% dilution (3.77 mg total VCHs) to more than 50% dilution (45.5 mg total VCHs). NOEC data were used to derive species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) and a site-specific guideline. SSDs were derived from Burr type III (including the Pareto) and log-normal distributions. The log-normal distribution represented the best fit, and because the Pareto distribution is a finite threshold model more suited to toxicants with a threshold mode of action, the log-normal SSD and the associated 95% trigger value (TV) of 830 μg/L of total VCHs, was adopted as the site-specific TV for the groundwater.
Estimating soil thaw energy in sub-Alpine tundra at the hillslope scale, Wolf Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada
Authors: Shirazi T. , Allen D. M. , Quinton W. L. , Pomeroy J. W.
Published: January 2009

Accurate representations of subsurface flow in hydrologic models of permafrost terrain during spring thaw require an understanding of soil thaw and soil thaw rates. Field data, including daily photographs for snowcover estimation and meteorological measurements, and measurements of soil thaw depth, soil temperature and soil moisture content, were acquired on an organic-covered hillslope in Granger Basin, Yukon Territory, to quantify relationships between net radiation and soil thaw energy. The infiltration and freezing of meltwater into the soil likely contributes to pre-thaw warming. When this energy (1.82 MJ m−2 d−1) is taken into consideration, the daily mean contribution to soil thaw from net radiation is approximately 9%. Accounting for a period of refreezing that occurred during the study period and distributing the energy across the hillslope, the measured and estimated soil thaw depths compared well (R2=0.92 and slope = 1.09). This research contributes to the understanding of active layer development, sheds insight into the role of infiltrating and freezing meltwater on soil thaw and provides an approach for the estimation of soil thaw based on a direct link between surface net radiation and the subsurface energy regime.
Characterization of dissolved organic matter in watersheds of Lake Biwa and Lake Kasumigaura by excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy and application of humification index
Authors: Kusakabe T. , Kitamura T. , Suzuki Y.
Published: January 2009

The objectives of this research were to characterize dissolved organic matter (DOM) by excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy and to apply humification index (HIX) to differentiate the origin and extent of humification of DOMs in watersheds of Lake Biwa and Lake Kasumigaura, Japan. EEM and HIX techniques were applied to lacustrine, riverine, and effluent organic matters. EEM spectra suggest that algal activity and the thermocline formation are critical to composition and distribution of DOM in Lake Biwa. Lake Kasumigaura DOM is evenly distributed over the lake. The effects of allochthonous sources are more conclusive for Lake Kasumigaura DOM than for Lake Biwa DOM. Seasonal and vertical variations in HIX were observed in Lake Biwa similar to results by EEM approach. Upstream DOMs were mostly humified fulvic acid originating from forest soil. DOM from a paddy field and municipal wastewater had the lowest HIX value and consisted mainly of less humified, fresh organic materials. Lacustrine and effluent DOMs demonstrated the same extent of humification in watersheds of Lake Biwa and Lake Kasumigaura. Allochthonous sources such as elution from a paddy field and municipal wastewater are more responsible for the composition of Lake Kasumigaura DOM compared to that of Lake Biwa DOM.
Manganese and Copper Catalysts for the Phenolic Wastewaters Remediation by Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation
Authors: Lopes Rodrigo , Quinta-Ferreira Rosa M
Published: January 2009

The catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of a simulated phenolic wastewater was investigated at temperatures up to 200ºC and 15 bar of air partial pressure. Laboratorial (Mn-Ce-O 70/30 IMP, Mn-Ce-O 70/30 CP, MnCu 70/30, MnCu 50/50) and a commercial catalyst (N140: CuO-MnOx 22/50) were used to evaluate the catalytic activity in terms of Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Among the manganese/cerium and manganese/copper catalysts tested with different molar ratios, Mn-Ce-O was the most active leading to the complete mineralization after 120 min of an aqueous solution containing six representative phenolic acids. The co-oxidation effect was identified when comparing the oxidation of global phenolic mixture and the individual parent compounds' depletion. The catalyst preparation method had no significant differences in terms of catalytic activity. During the CWAO experiments, acetic acid and phenol were detected and measured by HPLC as the main reaction intermediate compounds. Concerning catalytic stability, manganese and copper catalyst revealed good properties in terms of active metal leaching to the bulk liquid as well as in the deposition of only 3.152% (W/W) of carbonaceous material on the catalyst surface for the co-precipitated Mn-Ce-O 70/30 catalyst.
Three-year Evaluation of Posterior Vertical Bite Reconstruction Using Direct Resin Composite–A Case Series
Authors: Schmidlin P. R. , Filli T. , Imfeld C. , Tepper S. , Attin T.
Published: January 2009

Clinical Relevance

The occlusion of extensively worn teeth can be restored using direct resin composite materials. The quality over a mean observation period of three years is good. The proposed method, using a wax-up-based template, can help the clinician to restore the occlusal anatomy and function.
Local Detection Of Defects From Image Sequences
Authors: Rafajłowicz Ewaryst , Wnuk Marek , Rafajłowicz Wojciech
Published: January 2009

Local Detection Of Defects From Image Sequences

Our aim is to discuss three approaches to the detection of defects in continuous production processes, which are based on local methods of processing image sequences. These approaches are motivated by and applicable to images of hot metals or other surfaces, which are uniform at a macroscopic level, when defects are not present. The first of them is based on the estimation of fractal dimensions of image cross-sections. The second and third approaches are compositions of known techniques, which are selected and tuned to our goal. We discuss their advantages and disadvantages, since they provide different information on defects. The results of their testing on 12 industrial images are also summarized.
Infestation of the black cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis L. 1758) from the colony on the Selment Wielki, with the nematode Contracaecum rudolphii Hartwich, 1964 (Nematoda, Anisakidae)
Authors: Dziekońska-Rynko Janina , Rokicki Jerzy
Published: January 2009

Seasonal changes in the intensity and prevalence of infestation of the black cormorants from the colony on Lake Selment Wielki were investigated. In 2006, the cormorants were procured in April, August, and October, while in 2007, they were collected in August and September. The prevalence of the infestation was very high and reached 100%. The highest intensity (mean values of 102.46 and 82.17 nematodes/bird in 2006 and 2007, respectively) was revealed in the cormorants shot in August. Intensity of infestation of those birds procured in autumn 2006 was more than twice that found in spring and one-fourth of that found in summer of that year. Similarly, in autumn of 2007, the birds' stomachs contained less than half of the number of nematodes recorded in summer of that year.
Cyanobacterial blooms in the Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic): the main effect of eutrophication
Authors: Jóźwiak Tomasz , Mazur-Marzec Hanna , Pliński Marcin
Published: January 2009

The most striking aspect of eutrophication in the Baltic are the summer blooms of cyanobacteria. Some of the blooms are toxic to marine organisms and poisonous to people. Our studies, conducted over the last three decades, report on mass occurrences of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (L.) Ralphs and Nodularia spumigena Mertens. It is generally assumed that cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea are stimulated by the low ratio of N:P and initiated by high water temperatures. The mean annual value of this ratio in the Gulf of Gdańsk, since 1981, is 7:1-8:1, with the lowest values, of about 4, being seen in July when the cyanobacterial blooms begin. During three years of observations (1992-1994) the smallest number of recorded taxa was reported in 1993, concurrent with the lowest water temperature (16°C in summer). In August 1994, when the temperature increased to 22°C, a huge bloom was seen. Nodularia spumigena was very abundant in that bloom, and nodularin concentration of 2.59 mg toxin per g dry weight of bloom sample was recorded. A similar situation has also been observed in the years 2003-2006.
Holocene diatom biostratigraphy of the SW Gulf of Gdańsk, Southern Baltic Sea (part III)
Authors: Leśniewska Małgorzata , Witak Małgorzata
Published: January 2009

The palaeoenvironmental changes of the south-western part of the Gulf of Gdańsk during the last 8,000 years, with reference to the stages of the Baltic Sea, were reconstructed. Diatom analyses of two cores taken from the shallower and deeper parts of the basin enabled the conclusion to be drawn that the microflora studied developed in the three Baltic phases: Mastogloia, Littorina and Post-Littorina. Moreover, the so-called anthropogenic assemblage was observed in subbottom sediments of the study area.
The Effect of Living Mulches on Yield and Quality of Tomato Fruits
Authors: Adamczewska-Sowińska Katarzyna , Kołota Eugeniusz
Published: January 2009

The Effect of Living Mulches on Yield and Quality of Tomato Fruits

In the experiment conducted in 2004-2006 there was evaluated the effects of living mulches in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivation. As the living mulches there were used white clover (Trifolium repens L.), serradella (Ornithopus sativus Brot.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.). All these species were sown in the field in early and late April, at the time of tomato planting (20 May) or three weeks thereafter. In some treatments growth rate of living mulches was restricted by mowing or gliphosate application. Tomato plants cv. Delfine F1 were trained to one stem and tied to stakes. Harvest of fruits was conducted in one week intervals since the end of July till the end of September. In samples of fruits harvested at the end of August there were evaluated the contents of dry matter, vitamin C, total and reducing sugars.

Data of the study showed that serradella and perennial ryegrass were less competitive for tomato than white clover and marigold, due to lower production of biomass at the end of growing period. In the average they reduced the yield of fruits by 21.6%. Irrespective of the plant species used as living mulch, the delay of undersowing to the date of tomato planting or three weeks thereafter as well as restriction of their growth by mowing were the efficient methods for increasing tomato fruit yield. Chemical analysis of tomato fruits did not show any significant influence of compared living mulch species or date of undersowing on contents of dry matter, vitamin C, total and reducing sugars.
The After-Effect of Conservation Tillage of Onion With Mulch Utilization Made of Spring Rye And Common Vetch On The Yield of Carrot Roots
Authors: Kęsik Tadeusz , BłaŻewicz-Woźniak Marzena
Published: January 2009

The After-Effect of Conservation Tillage of Onion With Mulch Utilization Made of Spring Rye And Common Vetch On The Yield of Carrot Roots

The after-effect of conservation tillage of onion on carrot yielding was investigated in field experiment. Biomass from intercrops: spring rye (Secale cereale) and common vetch (Vicia sativa) was cultivated for forecrop (onion) and incorporated with the soil with the use of fall and spring disking or direct sowing of onion in mulch. Check was determined as a conventional ploughing without mulching plants. Carrot as a successive crop was cultivated in conventional tillage without differentiation of pre-sowing cultivation. Various methods of conservation tillage with spring rye and common vetch utilization as cover crops for forecrop (onion) were proved positive influence on total and marketable yield of carrots roots in after-effect in the second year after their application. Conservation tillage was exerted advantageous influence on all tested properties of roots yield in after-effect in comparison to conventional cultivation without cover crops.
Trichoderma spp. - The Cause of Green Mold on Polish Mushroom Farms
Authors: Szczech Magdalena , Staniaszek Mirosława , Habdas Hanna , Uliński Zbigniew , Szymański Jan
Published: January 2009

Trichoderma spp. - The Cause of Green Mold on Polish Mushroom Farms

The first reports concerning green mold on Polish mushroom farms are from 2002. In Europe and the United States Trichoderma harzianum was initially described as a causative agent of the disease. However, soon two biotypes of Trichoderma, Th2 in Europe and Th4 in America, were recognised as responsible for commercial losses and were designated as a new species named T. aggressivum. Until now it has not been clear which species of Trichoderma and which form of the species was a causative agent of the disease outbreak in Poland and what was the main source of infection. Therefore, studies were conducted on the composition of the Trichoderma species in Polish mushroom farms and in compost samples. The isolates were identified by phenotypic and microscopic studies. The classification of the strains recognised as T. aggressivum was then confirmed by PCR methods. The aggressiveness of Trichoderma spp., especially T. aggressivum, was estimated in in vitro studies. The most frequently isolated Trichoderma spp. were: T. harzianum, T. aggressivum, T. atroviride and T. longibrachiatum. Using the technique of PCR, multiplex PCR and PCR-RAPD it was determined that 24 isolates from Polish mushroom farms belonged to T. aggressivum f. europeanum (Th2). However, a large variation between isolates indicated the possibility that Polish biotypes of T. aggressivum were different from those, which were found in western Europe. All isolates of T. aggressivum were highly pathogenic towards Agaricus bisporus.