bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction complicated with esophageal varices: a case report
Authors: Akiyama Tomoyuki , Abe Yasunobu , Iida Hiroshi , Endo Hiroki , Hosono Kunihiro , Yoneda Kyoko , Takahashi Hirokazu , Inamori Masahiko , Ryo Akihide , Yamanaka Shoji , Inayama Yoshiaki , Nakajima Atsushi
Published: May 2010

Introduction

Standard endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection is a procedure for patients with minute cancers, complicated with esophageal varices that puts them at high risk of bleeding.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man with alcoholic cirrhosis who underwent a routine endoscopy examination as a screening procedure for esophageal varices and was incidentally diagnosed as having minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction with esophageal varices. Endoscopic ultrasonography findings suggested that the minute cancer was a non-invasive carcinoma (carcinoma in situ) and a 2 mm in diameter blood vessel, feeding the esophageal varices, pierced the lesion. Following the examination, we carried out endoscopic treatment of the minute cancer and esophageal varices. Endoscopic variceal ligation was performed using a pneumo-activated device (Sumitomo Bakelite, Tokyo, Japan). Two years after the treatment, during the follow-up endoscopic examination on the patient, recurrence of carcinoma was not detected endoscopically or histologically.

Conclusion

Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation device for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction, complicated with esophageal varices, may be an acceptable and easily applicable method.
The use of tacrolimus for recurrent lupus enteritis: a case report
Authors: Shirai Tsuyoshi , Hirabayashi Yasuhiko , Watanabe Ryu , Tajima Yumi , Fujii Hiroshi , Takasawa Naruhiko , Ishii Tomonori , Harigae Hideo
Published: May 2010

Introduction

Patients with lupus enteritis sometimes experience recurrence. In such cases, the addition of cyclophosphamide to the treatment regimen is recommended. However, an appropriate treatment has not been established in cases where cyclophosphamide failed to prevent the disease.

Case presentation

An 18-year-old Japanese woman was admitted for a recurrence of lupus enteritis. One year before admission she was treated for lupus enteritis with high-dose corticosteroid together with intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy. Upon admission, she was administered again with high-dose corticosteroid and her abdominal pain rapidly subsided. Tacrolimus was later used as an immunosuppressive agent and a complete remission has been maintained.

Conclusion

Tacrolimus can be a useful agent for recurrent lupus enteritis that is resistant to conventional therapy.
SR140333 counteracts NK-1 mediated cell proliferation in human breast cancer cell line T47D
Authors: Huang Wei-Qing , Wang Ji-Gang , Chen Lei , Wei Hong-Jun , Chen Hua
Published: May 2010

Background

It has been demonstrated that certain NK-1 antagonists could reduce proliferation of several cancer cell lines, however, it is unknown whether SR140333 exerts proliferation inhibition in breast cancer cell line.

Methods

Immunohistochemical staining was carried out to investigate the immunolocation of NK-1 in breast cancer tissues and T47D cell line, thereafter, various concentrations of [Sar9, Met(O2)11]substance P and SR140333 were applied alone or combined. MTT assay was applied to detect cytoactivation and coulter counter was to detect growth curve. The Hoechst33258 staining was performed to detect apoptosis.

Results

We found that breast cancer and T47D cells bear positive expression of NK-1. SR140333 inhibited cell growth in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, SR140333 could counteract [Sar9, Met(O2)11]substance P induced proliferation. Hoechst33258 staining revealed the presence of apoptosis after SR140333 treatment.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated SR140333 exert proliferation inhibition in breast cancer cell line T47D and indicates NK-1 play a central role in the substance P related cell proliferation in breast cancer.
Efficient inhibition of lung cancer in murine model by plasmid-encoding VEGF short hairpin RNA in combination with low-dose DDP
Authors: Ma Yong P , Yang Yang , Zhang Shuang , Chen Xiang , Zhang Na , Wang Wei , Cao Zhi X , Jiang Yu , Zhao Xia , Wei Yu Q , Deng Hong X
Published: May 2010

Background

VEGF is a well-validated target for antiangiogenic intervention in cancer. To date, RNAi technology has been proven to be a promising approach for targeted therapy. DDP is frequently used as a first-line drug in chemotherapy for lung cancer but usually causes severe toxicity. In this study, we investigated a novel strategy of administering and combining RNAi mediated VEGF-targeted therapy with DDP for treatment of lung cancer, with the aim of increasing efficacy and decreasing toxicity.

Methods

In this study, a plasmid encoding VEGF shRNA was constructed to knockdown VEGF both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, specificity and potency of the targeting sequence were validated in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells by RT-PCR and ELISA assays. In vivo, therapy experiments were conducted on nude mice bearing A549 xenograft tumors. The VEGF shRNA expressing plasmids were administered systemically in combination with low-dose DDP on a frequent basis. The tumor volume and weight were measured. MVD, the number of apoptotic cells and proliferation index in tumor tissues were assessed by CD31, TUNEL and PCNA immunostaining.

Results

The VEGF shRNA was highly effective in attenuating VEGF expression both in vitro and in vivo. The treatment with the VEGF shRNA alone reduced the mean tumor weight by 49.40% compared with the blank control (P < 0.05). The treatment with the VEGF shRNA plus DDP yielded maximal benefits by reducing the mean tumor weight by 83.13% compared with the blank control (P < 0.01). The enhanced antitumor efficacy was associated with decreased angiogenesis and increased induction of apoptosis.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated synergistic antitumor activity of combined VEGF shRNA expressing plasmids and low-dose DDP with no overt toxicity, suggesting potential applications of the combined approach in the treatment of lung cancer.
Quality of care of Egyptian asthmatic children: Clinicians adherence to asthma guidelines
Authors: Salama Ashraf A , Mohammed Ahmed A , El okda El Sayed E , Said Rasha M
Published: May 2010

Background

Despite the development and dissemination of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma, a gap remains between current recommendations and actual practice.

Objectives

To assess the physicians attitude towards asthma guidelines and their adherence to its recommendations.

Methods

Three hundred and fifty two clinicians (101 General practitioners, 131 pediatric specialists, 35 pediatric consultants and 85 doctors did not report the qualification) engaged in direct childhood asthma care in Cairo, Egypt were subjected to a self-administered questionnaire with 35 questions of which most were multiple choices, aiming at assessment of three important aspects about the involved physicians; physician's knowledge, practice and attitude. 165 of the clinicians were working in governmental hospitals, 68 clinicians work in private clinics and 119 clinicians work in both.

Results

Agreement with asthma guidelines was present in 76.2% of the studied physicians, however those who not in agreement with the guidelines claimed that this was mainly due to patient factors, firstly the poor socioeconomic standard of the patient (18.1%) and secondly due to poor patient compliance (16%). Poor knowledge was found in 28.5%, poor practice was found in 43.6% and poor attitude was found in 14.4% of the studied physicians. There was positive highly significant correlation between qualification and knowledge, (p < 0.01), positive highly significant correlation between qualification and practice, (p < 0.01), and positive highly significant correlation between qualification and attitude, (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The attitude of the studied physicians revealed agreement of their majority with the guidelines, while the disagreement was mainly explained by the poor socioeconomic standard of the patients. The degree of poor practice is more marked than that of poor knowledge or poor attitude reflecting resources limitations and applications obstacles in the physician's practice.
Phase III Study of Bevacizumab Plus Docetaxel Compared With Placebo Plus Docetaxel for the First-Line Treatment of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Miles David W. , Chan Arlene , Dirix Luc Y. , Cortés Javier , Pivot Xavier , Tomczak Piotr , Delozier Thierry , Sohn Joo Hyuk , Provencher Louise , Puglisi Fabio , Harbeck Nadia , Steger Guenther G. , Schneeweiss Andreas , Wardley Andrew M. , Chlistalla Andreas , Romieu Gilles
Published: May 2010

Purpose

The efficacy and safety of combining bevacizumab (7.5 and 15 mg/kg) with docetaxel as first-line therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) –negative, locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) was investigated in a three-arm, placebo-controlled, phase III trial.

Patients and Methods

Patients (N = 736) were randomly assigned to docetaxel 100 mg/m2 plus either placebo or bevacizumab 7.5 or 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary end points included best overall response, duration of response, time to treatment failure, overall survival, and safety.

Results

Combination of bevacizumab 15 mg/kg, but not 7.5 mg/kg, with docetaxel showed superior median PFS (mPFS) to placebo plus docetaxel in unstratified analysis (placebo mPFS, 8.2 months; 7.5 mg/kg mPFS, 9.0 months [hazard ratio (HR), 0.86; P = .12]; 15 mg/kg mPFS, 10.1 months [HR, 0.77; P = .006]) and stratified analysis (placebo mPFS, 8.1 months; 7.5 mg/kg mPFS, 9.0 months [HR, 0.80; P = .045]; 15 mg/kg mPFS, 10.0 months [HR, 0.67; P < .001]). Response rates in patients with measurable disease at baseline also increased with bevacizumab 15 mg/kg (46% [placebo] v 55% [7.5 mg/kg; P = .07] and 64% [15 mg/kg; P < .001]). Combination with bevacizumab had limited impact on the known toxicity profile of docetaxel.

Conclusion

Combination of bevacizumab with docetaxel did not significantly impact on the safety profile of docetaxel. Bevacizumab 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks significantly increased PFS when combined with docetaxel as first-line therapy for MBC compared with docetaxel plus placebo.
Consolidation Radiotherapy in Patients With Advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Survival Data From the UKLG LY09 Randomized Controlled Trial (ISRCTN97144519)
Authors: Johnson Peter W.M. , Sydes Matthew R. , Hancock Barry W. , Cullen Michael , Radford John A. , Stenning Sally P.
Published: May 2010

Purpose

This study analyzed the outcomes of nonrandomized consolidation radiotherapy (RT) given after chemotherapy in the initial treatment of advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). The results were collected prospectively within a randomized controlled trial of induction chemotherapy.

Patients and Methods

Patients were randomly assigned between doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine and one of two prespecified multidrug regimens. At least six cycles of chemotherapy were planned, with up to eight for patients showing slower response. Involved-field RT was recommended for incomplete response to chemotherapy or bulk disease at presentation. The primary outcome measure was progression-free survival (PFS), landmarked from the end of chemotherapy.

Results

Among 807 patients randomly assigned, 702 achieved objective response. Postchemotherapy RT for consolidation was reported in 300 (43%). With median follow-up of 6.9 years, 161 PFS events and 83 deaths were reported. Baseline characteristics showed more patients with bulk disease having RT (190 [63%] v 111 [28%]) and only partial response after chemotherapy (150 [50%] v 36 [9%]). Other baseline characteristics were similar. PFS was superior for patients having RT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.43; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.60) with 5-year PFS 71% without RT, 86% with RT. A similar advantage was seen for overall survival (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.77). There was no evidence of heterogeneity of treatment effect across subgroups.

Conclusion

Patients who received consolidation RT apparently had better outcomes, consistently across all prognostic groups which persisted in multivariate analysis. This suggests that RT contributes significantly to the cure rate for advanced HL, although patient selection for combined modality treatment requires better definition in prospective trials.
Rearrangement ofMYCIs Associated With Poor Prognosis in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated in the Era of Rituximab
Authors: Barrans Sharon , Crouch Simon , Smith Alex , Turner Kathryn , Owen Roger , Patmore Russell , Roman Eve , Jack Andrew
Published: May 2010

Purpose

Rearrangement of MYC occurs in a proportion of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), where they may be associated with an adverse clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of MYC translocations in DLBCL and their prognostic impact in the era of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone plus rituximab (CHOP-R) therapy.

Patients and Methods

Three hundred three patients with previously untreated DLBCL, with no evidence of underlying follicular lymphoma, were investigated using immunohistochemistry and interphase fluorescent in situ hybridization for MYC, BCL6, and t(14;18)/BCL2 rearrangements. All patients (median age, 71.1 years; range, 23 to 96 years) were treated when CHOP-R was standard therapy for DLBCL and observed for a maximum of 4 years. Overall survival (OS) at 3 years was 49% (95% CI, 42% to 56%).

Results

MYC rearrangements were demonstrated in 35 (14%) of 245 biopsies with data available. Of these, 26 (74%) also had a t(14;18), 10 (26%) were BCL6 and MYC rearranged, and seven had all three abnormalities. Only age, International Prognostic Index, and MYC rearrangement retained prognostic significance in the final model. OS was significantly worse for patients with rearrangement of MYC (survival probability at 2 years = 0.35 in v 0.61 in the nonrearranged group).

Conclusion

The presence of a MYC rearrangement is a strongly adverse prognostic factor in CHOP-R–treated patients and can be used in combination with patients' age and IPI to accurately predict clinical outcome. In DLBCL, rearrangement of MYC is rarely found as the sole genetic abnormality and the poor prognosis of these patients is likely to reflect a synergistic effect alongside deregulation of BCL6 or BCL2.
The Narrative Reconfiguration of Time Beyond Ricoeur
Authors: Grethlein Jonas
Published: May 2010

In Time and Narrative, Paul Ricoeur argues that narrative reconfigures human time. While the link between narrative and the temporal character of human experience is very plausible, Ricoeur's description of the reconfiguration of time remains rather vague and does not deal with narrative qua narrative. This article takes up Ricoeur's thesis of a narrative reconfiguration of time but tries to find it in the very structures of narrative. A brief presentation and critique of Ricoeur's approach is followed by a second section that draws on the phenomenological tradition to define human time as the tension between expectation and experience. This tension can be found at the two levels in narrative, the level of the action and the level of the reception. The double reconfiguration of time can be explored by an examination of narrative structures. In the third section the attempt to combine a phenomenological approach with structuralist narratology is illustrated by a comparison of Homeric epic with modernist novels. They reconfigure time very differently and highlight that narratives allow us both to enact and to distance the temporal structures of our lives. Whereas evolutionary literary studies have recently argued that narrative serves an adaptive function, the approach outlined here foregrounds the opportunity to have experiences without the restraints of the everyday world as a crucial factor in the prominence of narrative across ages and cultures.
Paired and LIM class homeodomain proteins coordinate differentiation of the C. elegans ALA neuron
Authors: Van Buskirk Cheryl , Sternberg Paul W.
Published: May 2010

The ancient origin of sleep is evidenced by deeply conserved signaling pathways regulating sleep-like behavior, such as signaling through the Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In Caenorhabditis elegans, a sleep-like state can be induced at any time during development or adulthood through conditional expression of LIN-3/EGF. The behavioral response to EGF is mediated by EGFR activity within a single cell, the ALA neuron, and mutations that impair ALA differentiation are expected to confer EGF-resistance. Here we describe three such EGF-resistant mutants. One of these corresponds to the LIM class homeodomain (HD) protein CEH-14/Lhx3, and the other two correspond to Paired-like HD proteins CEH-10/Chx10 and CEH-17/Phox2. Whereas CEH-14 is required for ALA-specific gene expression throughout development, the Prd-like proteins display complementary temporal contributions to gene expression, with the requirement for CEH-10 decreasing as that of CEH-17 increases. We present evidence that CEH-17 participates in a positive autoregulatory loop with CEH-14 in ALA, and that CEH-10, in addition to its role in ALA differentiation, functions in the generation of the ALA neuron. Similarly to CEH-17, CEH-10 is required for the posterior migration of the ALA axons, but CEH-14 appears to regulate an aspect of ALA axon outgrowth that is distinct from that of the Prd-like proteins. Our findings reveal partial modularity among the features of a neuronal differentiation program and their coordination by Prd and LIM class HD proteins.
FOXA1 is an essential determinant of ERα expression and mammary ductal morphogenesis
Authors: Bernardo Gina M. , Lozada Kristen L. , Miedler John D. , Harburg Gwyndolen , Hewitt Sylvia C. , Mosley Jonathan D. , Godwin Andrew K. , Korach Kenneth S. , Visvader Jane E. , Kaestner Klaus H. , Abdul-Karim Fadi W. , Montano Monica M. , Keri Ruth A.
Published: May 2010

FOXA1, estrogen receptor α (ERα) and GATA3 independently predict favorable outcome in breast cancer patients, and their expression correlates with a differentiated, luminal tumor subtype. As transcription factors, each functions in the morphogenesis of various organs, with ERα and GATA3 being established regulators of mammary gland development. Interdependency between these three factors in breast cancer and normal mammary development has been suggested, but the specific role for FOXA1 is not known. Herein, we report that Foxa1 deficiency causes a defect in hormone-induced mammary ductal invasion associated with a loss of terminal end bud formation and ERα expression. By contrast, Foxa1 null glands maintain GATA3 expression. Unlike ERα and GATA3 deficiency, Foxa1 null glands form milk-producing alveoli, indicating that the defect is restricted to expansion of the ductal epithelium, further emphasizing the novel role for FOXA1 in mammary morphogenesis. Using breast cancer cell lines, we also demonstrate that FOXA1 regulates ERα expression, but not GATA3. These data reveal that FOXA1 is necessary for hormonal responsiveness in the developing mammary gland and ERα-positive breast cancers, at least in part, through its control of ERα expression.
Non-molting glossy/shroud encodes a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase that functions in the ‘Black Box’ of the ecdysteroid biosynthesis pathway
Authors: Niwa Ryusuke , Namiki Toshiki , Ito Katsuhiko , Shimada-Niwa Yuko , Kiuchi Makoto , Kawaoka Shinpei , Kayukawa Takumi , Banno Yutaka , Fujimoto Yoshinori , Shigenobu Shuji , Kobayashi Satoru , Shimada Toru , Katsuma Susumu , Shinoda Tetsuro
Published: May 2010

In insects, the precise timing of molting and metamorphosis is strictly guided by a principal steroid hormone, ecdysone. Among the multiple conversion steps for synthesizing ecdysone from dietary cholesterol, the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to 5β-ketodiol, the so-called ‘Black Box’, is thought to be the important rate-limiting step. Although a number of genes essential for ecdysone synthesis have recently been revealed, much less is known about the genes that are crucial for functioning in the Black Box. Here we report on a novel ecdysteroidgenic gene, non-molting glossy (nm-g)/shroud (sro), which encodes a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase. This gene was first isolated by positional cloning of the nm-g mutant of the silkworm Bombyx mori, which exhibits a low ecdysteroid titer and consequently causes a larval arrest phenotype. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the closest gene to nm-g is encoded by the sro locus, one of the Halloween mutant members that are characterized by embryonic ecdysone deficiency. The lethality of the sro mutant is rescued by the overexpression of either sro or nm-g genes, indicating that these two genes are orthologous. Both the nm-g and the sro genes are predominantly expressed in tissues producing ecdysone, such as the prothoracic glands and the ovaries. Furthermore, the phenotypes caused by the loss of function of these genes are restored by the application of ecdysteroids and their precursor 5β-ketodiol, but not by cholesterol or 7-dehydrocholesterol. Altogether, we conclude that the Nm-g/Sro family protein is an essential enzyme for ecdysteroidogenesis working in the Black Box.
Nurse-led varicose vein assessment and implementation of guidelines for treatment
Authors: Holdsworth J , Robinson L , Williamson E A
Published: May 2010

Objective: Report of a nurse-led clinic to assess varicose veins and, based on locally developed guidelines, only offer treatment to those with skin changes and ulcers in order to reduce the number of patients listed for surgery.

Methods: Over 12 months, 152 patients were seen and 145 diagnosed as having varicose veins.

Results: Surgery was considered necessary for 38% of those with varicose veins. The remaining 62% were not listed for treatment. When compared with the previous 12 months, 53% fewer patients were listed for surgery and the number on the waiting list had fallen by 62%.

Conclusions: This new service was considered to have achieved its aim of reducing the size of the waiting list.
Lean Production Control at a High-Variety, Low-Volume Parts Manufacturer
Authors: Bokhorst Jos A. C. , Slomp Jannes
Published: May 2010

Eaton Electric General Supplies, a parts manufacturing unit that supplies parts for Eaton's electrical business unit, implemented several lean control elements in its high-variety, low-volume production units. These control elements include a constant work-in-process mechanism to limit and control the amount of work in process, first-in-first-out sequencing to control the order of departing jobs, and takt time to control the timing of departing jobs. We conducted a simulation study to (1) illustrate the control-element operations for planners and supervisors, (2) indicate the general applicability of the elements, and (3) support the development of a production progress screen to support the workers in the production units.
Tissue and Cellular Expression Patterns of Porcine CFTR: Similarities to and Differences From Human CFTR
Authors: Plog Stephanie , Mundhenk Lars , Bothe Melanie K. , Klymiuk Nikolai , Gruber Achim D.
Published: May 2010

Emerging porcine models of cystic fibrosis (CF) are expected to mimic the human disease more closely than current mouse models do. However, little is known of the tissue and cellular expression patterns of the porcine CF transmembrane conductance regulator (pCFTR) and possible differences from human CFTR (hCFTR). Here, the expression pattern of pCFTR was systematically established on the mRNA and protein levels. Using specific anti-pCFTR antibodies, the majority of the protein was immunohistochemically detected on paraffin-embedded sections and on cryostate sections in the apical cytosol of intestinal crypt epithelial cells, nasal, tracheal, and bronchial epithelial cells, and other select, mostly glandular epithelial cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy with co-localization of the Golgi marker 58K localized the protein in the cytosol between the Golgi apparatus and the apical cell membrane with occasional punctate or diffuse staining of the apical membrane. The tissue and cellular distribution patterns were confirmed by RT-PCR from whole tissue lysates or select cells after laser capture microdissection. Thus, expression of pCFTR was found to largely resemble that of hCFTR except for the kidney, brain, and cutaneous glands, which lack expression in pigs. Species-specific differences between pCFTR and hCFTR may become relevant for future interpretations of the CF phenotype in pig models.
Forced Migration, Social Exclusion and Poverty: Introduction
Authors: Davidson Graham R. , Carr Stuart C.
Published: May 2010

This special issue of the journal, which is part of a global research initiative on psychology and poverty reduction, focuses specifically on the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers. Application of contemporary constructions of relative poverty and social exclusion to understanding asylum and humanitarian refuge emphasises the relative financial and social disadvantages experienced by many of these forced migrants, which may lead subsequently to them having negative experiences of resettlement and poor mental health and overall wellbeing. We argue that governments need to be cognisant of the poverty pitfalls of forced migration and to examine carefully their policies on social inclusion to ensure that current and future humanitarian and climate change refugees arriving on their shores are not forced into relative poverty.
Sudanese Refugees in Australia: The Impact of Acculturation Stress
Authors: Milner Karla , Khawaja Nigar G.
Published: May 2010

Refugees from Sudan are the fastest growing community in Australia. Australian mental health professionals have to be prepared to offer services to this ethnic group along with the other mainstream and diverse consumers. In order to offer culturally competent services, these mental health professionals are required to be familiar with this emerging community. As such, a review was undertaken with two main goals. Firstly, the review aimed to educate Australian mental health professionals about the demographics and culture of Sudan, the traumas encountered as a result of the civil war, factors leading to massive exodus and the difficulties of the transit and postmigration phase. Secondly, the review intended to inform Australian mental health professionals about the possible acculturation stress that is manifested in the form of intergeneration and role conflict and marital difficulties. The review highlights limitations on the number of studies addressing acculturation stress of Sudanese refugees and even fewer on the impact it has on relationships. Future research directions are discussed.
Sub-Surface Initiated Rolling Contact Fatigue—Influence of Non-Metallic Inclusions, Processing History, and Operating Conditions
Authors: Lund Thore B.
Published: May 2010

A number of competing failure mechanisms are involved in bearing failure initiation. For well manufactured bearings operating under clean and well controlled running conditions, sub-surface initiated fatigue is the classical initiation form. Three mechanisms dominate the concept of sub-surface induced initiation and growth: (i) The well documented slow structural breakdown of the steel matrix due to accumulation of fatigue damage in a process superficially similar to tempering, (ii) stress induced generation of butterflies by a process enabling the growth of butterfly micro-cracks and accompanying wings at non-metallic inclusions, and (iii) surface induced hydrogen intrusion causing hydrogen-enhanced fatigue damage accumulation in the matrix. The development of butterflies as a function of contact stress, over-rolling, and non-metallic inclusion characteristics is presented, and the influence of metallurgical cleanliness and processing history on this progression is discussed. The results of laboratory conducted tests are compared to results from field applications where premature spallings have occurred. The progression from butterfly micro-cracks to extending cracks with non-etching borders has been studied. Special interest has been paid to the interaction between the non-metallic inclusion composition and morphology and their propensity to generate butterfly wing formations, as this may affect the way that inclusion harmfulness should be judged in rolling bearing steel quality assurance efforts. Complex oxy-sulfides are the main butterfly initiators in today’s bearing steels.
Untersuchungen an einem Antennenmessplatz im GHz-Bereich
Authors: Kraft Karl Heinz
Published: May 2010

Für einen Freifeldmessplatz mit Groundplane für Antennen- und EMV-Messungen insbesondere im GHz. B.reich werden einerseits Berechnungen in Bezug auf ideale Bedingungen durchgeführt und andererseits vor allem Messergebnisse im Frequenz- und Zeitbereich vorgestellt und analysiert. Daraus ergeben sich die Messplatzeigenschaften sowie praktisch relevante Antennenparameter.
Zügige Vermessungsmethode für pneumatische Miniaturkomponenten
Authors: Fritz Stephan , Murrenhoff Hubertus , Siebertz Karl
Published: May 2010

Der Beitrag stellt eine Methodik vor, mit der die Durchflusseigenschaften pneumatischer Komponenten zeitsparend bestimmt werden können. Durch die auf thermodynamischen Zusammenhängen beruhende Auswertung des statischen Drucks und die explizite Berechnung der Temperatur im Messvolumen kann der instationär umgesetzte Massenstrom bestimmt werden. Die Verifikation der Methodik wird mit Ergebnissen der direkten Massenstrommessung durchgeführt. Die entwickelte Methodik vermeidet Nachteile anderer Verfahren und kann zur 100%-Qualitätskontrolle pneumatischer Komponenten eingesetzt werden.
Werkstückeinfluss bei der Auswertung in der Koordinatenmesstechnik
Authors: Lanza Gisela , Peters Jochen
Published: May 2010

Messergebnisse in der Koordinatenmesstechnik werden in der Regel mit Hilfe idealgeometrischer Ersatzelemente ausgewertet und zu Messergebnissen verknüpft. Formabweichungen des Messobjekts verringern dabei die Aussagekraft der Ausgleichsgeometrie und führen zu einem nicht einheitlichen Einfluss der einzelnen Messpunkte. In dem vorliegenden Artikel wird eine Methode zur Identifikation einflussreicher Messpunkte und zur Bewertung der Unsicherheit der Auswertung durch beobachtete Formabweichungen auf Basis des statischen Resampling-Verfahrens “The Jackknife” beschrieben.
NIR-Feuchtemesstechnik mit vereinfachter Kalibrierfunktion
Authors: Kappes Regina , Grimm Christian
Published: May 2010

Die Feuchte bestimmt viele Materialeigenschaften wie z. B. die Haltbarkeit und Verarbeitbarkeit. Direkte Feuchtemessmethoden sind zeitraubend und probenzerstörend, weshalb indirekte Messmethoden wie die NIR-Spektroskopie insbesondere für die Prozesskontrolle interessant sind. Die NIR-Spektroskopie bedarf allerdings einer Kalibrierung mit statistischen Methoden. Es wurde daher ein Messgerät entwickelt, bei dem die Kalibrierung durch geschickte Kombination der indirekten Methode der NIR-Spektroskopie mit der direkten Methode der NIR-Trocknung und eine automatische Auswerteroutine deutlich vereinfacht wird. Die Auswerteroutine erstellt aus den eingemessenen Daten zuverlässig ein robustes Modell und validiert es, sodass zur Bedienung keine speziellen Fachkenntnisse notwendig sind. Damit ermöglicht das Gerät einen sehr einfachen Off- und At-line-Einsatz.
On the Tomato Trail: In Search of Ancestral Roots
Authors: estabrook barry
Published: May 2010

A profile of Roger Chetelat, the director of the C.M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center at the University of California, Davis. Chetelat maintains one of the largest collections of tomato seeds in the world. Many of those seeds come from wild tomato species that Chetelat and his associates collect on field research trips to the dry coastal areas of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Wild tomatoes are tough, versatile organisms that have evolved resistance to virtually all common tomato diseases and pests and stubbornly tolerate extreme environmental conditions. Some boast extraordinarily high levels of sugars, beta carotene, vitamin C, lycopene, and antioxidants. Chetelat has dedicated his career to finding and preserving these genetic riches. Modern cultivated tomatoes are a frail, inbred lot. They all trace their origins to a single, wild tomato plant that underwent a random mutation sometime in prehistory. Because of this genetic fluke, that plant's fruits were plump, juicy, and many, many times larger than the output of its progenitors. Offspring from that tomato were taken away from the Andes and domesticated in what is present-day Mexico, becoming severed from their wild ancestors and the vast pool of genetic diversity that tomatoes had evolved over the millennia. Botanists call this a ““bottleneck.”” It leaves subsequent generations susceptible to disease and unable to adjust to rapid climate changes. The stored wild seeds at the Rick Center enable plant breeders to re-incorporate desirable wild traits into new tomato varieties, literally reconnecting them to their ancestral roots, ensuring that this vast reservoir of genetic diversity will be available when it is needed.
The Rogue Winemaker of Bully Hill
Authors: raich susan
Published: May 2010

Walter S. Taylor (1931––2001), a home-grown hero of Finger Lakes viticulture, pioneered the movement toward independent estate wine production in upstate New York. Although his family name was a prominent one in the wine industry of the 1960s, Walter's disputes with family business practices led him to set up his own winery, Bully Hill vineyards, by 1970. There, he committed himself to using hybrid-variety, locally grown grapes to produce bona fide New York State wine. His was the first independent winery to be established after Prohibition, and he advocated for legislation which allowed other farmers to bottle and sell their own vintages. Walter trumpeted an irreverent approach to the old winemaking establishment, particularly after his family's business brought legal action against him for using the Taylor name on his own bottle labels. To protest the oppression of the Taylor company corporation, Walter staged parades, promoted his own renegade image and that of Guilt Free (his pet goat), and insisted that wine must be produced with care and drunk with cheer. Walter's own artwork decorates Bully Hill bottles, and the winery shares his full-bodied spirit with thousands of visitors to this day.
Parental Postoperative Pain Management: Attitudes, Assessment, and Management
Authors: Rony Rachel Yaffa Zisk , Fortier Michelle A. , Chorney Jill MacLaren , Perret Danielle , Kain Zeev N.
Published: May 2010

OBJECTIVES:

Previous studies suggested that parents frequently do not adequately treat postoperative pain that is experienced at home. Reasons for these parental practices have not been extensively studied. Aims of this study were to examine parental postoperative pain assessment and management practices at home as well potential attitudinal barriers to such pain practices.

METHODS:

This was a longitudinal study involving 132 parents of children who were aged 2 to 12 years and undergoing elective outpatient surgery. Parental attitudes about pain assessment and management were assessed preoperatively, and children's pain severity and analgesic administration were assessed postoperatively for the first 48 hours after discharge.

RESULTS:

Although postoperative parental ratings indicated significant pain, parents provided a median of only 1 dose of analgesics (range: 0–3) during the first 48 hours after surgery. In the attitudinal survey, parents' responses have indicated significant barriers. For example, 52% of parents indicated that analgesics are addictive, and 73% reported worries concerning adverse effects. Also, 37% of parents thought that “the less often children receive analgesics, the better they work.” Regression analysis demonstrated that, overall, more preoperative attitudinal barriers to pain management were significantly associated with provision of fewer doses of analgesics by parents (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS:

Parents detected pain in their children yet provided few doses of analgesics. Parents may benefit from interventions that provide them with information that addresses individual barriers regarding assessing and treating pain.
Prevention of Drowning
Authors:   Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, Weiss Jeffrey
Published: May 2010

This Technical Report was revised. See https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052227.

Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death in children. In 2006, approximately 1100 US children younger than 20 years died from drowning. A number of strategies are available to prevent these tragedies. As educators and advocates, pediatricians can play an important role in the prevention of drowning.
Recommendations for the Prevention of Streptococcus pneumoniae Infections in Infants and Children: Use of 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) and Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23)
Authors:   Committee on Infectious Diseases
Published: May 2010

Routine use of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), available since 2000, has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) attributable to serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae contained in the vaccine. However, IPD caused by nonvaccine pneumococcal serotypes has increased, and nonvaccine serotypes are now responsible for the majority of the remaining cases of IPD occurring in children. A 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has been licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration, which, in addition to the 7 serotypes included in the original PCV7, contains the 6 pneumococcal serotypes responsible for 63% of IPD cases now occurring in children younger than 5 years. Because of the expanded coverage provided by PCV13, it will replace PCV7. This statement provides recommendations for (1) the transition from PCV7 to PCV13; (2) the routine use of PCV13 for healthy children and children with an underlying medical condition that increases the risk of IPD; (3) a supplemental dose of PCV13 for (a) healthy children 14 through 59 months of age who have completed the PCV7 series and (b) children 14 through 71 months of age with an underlying medical condition that increases the risk of IPD who have completed the PCV7 series; (4) “catch-up” immunization for children behind schedule; and (5) PCV13 for certain children at high risk from 6 through 18 years of age. In addition, recommendations for the use of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for children at high risk of IPD are also updated.
Consumo de álcool entre estudantes de escolas públicas da Região Metropolitana do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil
Authors: Gomes Betânia da Mata Ribeiro , Alves João Guilherme Bezerra , Nascimento Lucila Castanheira
Published: May 2010

Este estudo objetivou identificar o consumo de álcool e comportamentos de risco à saúde em adolescentes, por meio de estudo epidemiológico transversal de base populacional, realizado de abril a setembro de 2006, empregando amostragem estratificada segundo porte da escola e turnos. Utilizando o questionário Global School-Based Student Health Survey, 1.878 estudantes de 29 escolas públicas da Região Metropolitana do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil, foram investigados quanto à idade, ao sexo, ao consumo de bebidas alcoólicas, à embriaguez na vida e a consequências negativas. O consumo de álcool, nos últimos 30 dias, foi de 29,8%. Os adolescentes reportaram que adquiriram facilmente bebidas alcoólicas em estabelecimentos comerciais e também em contextos sociais. A ocorrência de embriaguez na vida e a ocorrência de consequências negativas foram relatadas por, respectivamente, 30,5% e 14,5% dos estudantes pesquisados. Concluiu-se que o conhecimento dos comportamentos de risco em virtude do consumo de álcool por adolescentes poderá subsidiar políticas públicas de educação para a saúde.
Práticas contraceptivas entre jovens universitários: o uso da anticoncepção de emergência
Authors: Borges Ana Luiza Vilela , Fujimori Elizabeth , Hoga Luiza Akiko Komura , Contin Marcelo Vieira
Published: May 2010

Este estudo investigou as práticas contraceptivas de 487 jovens estudantes de uma universidade pública paulista, tendo como enfoque o uso da anticoncepção de emergência. Um questionário estruturado foi enviado por endereço eletrônico em dezembro de 2007. Os jovens referiram altas proporções de uso de métodos, principalmente o preservativo masculino e a pílula. A anticoncepção de emergência já havia sido utilizada por metade dos estudantes, muitas vezes concomitantemente a métodos de alta eficácia. Entre as mulheres, análise de regressão logística múltipla mostrou associação do uso da anticoncepção de emergência com a idade, idade de início da vida sexual, ter deixado de usar preservativo masculino em alguma relação sexual, ter vivenciado ruptura acidental do preservativo masculino e conhecer alguém que já a tenha utilizado. A opção pela anticoncepção de emergência mostrou-se mais relacionada a inconsistências no uso de métodos regulares do que ao não uso propriamente dito, podendo ser considerada um marcador de descontinuidades nas práticas contraceptivas.
Adesão a listas de medicamentos essenciais em municípios de três estados brasileiros
Authors: Dal Pizzol Tatiane da Silva , Trevisol Daisson José , Heineck Isabela , Flores Liziane Maahs , Camargo Aline Lins , Köenig Álvaro , Torres Iraci Lucena da Silva , Kadri Mônica Cristina Toffoli , Monreal Maria Tereza Ferreira Duenhas , Melo Adriana Mary Mestriner Felipe de , Ferreira Maria Beatriz Cardoso
Published: May 2010

Este estudo comparou as Relações Municipais de Medicamentos Essenciais (REMUME), analisou a adesão dos prescritores e a disponibilidade de medicamentos essenciais em unidades de saúde vinculadas ao Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Foram coletados dados sobre as REMUME e os medicamentos prescritos a 2.411 pacientes arrolados consecutivamente em oito serviços de atenção primária ou secundária de municípios da região centro-sul do país. A disponibilidade dos medicamentos foi verificada por meio da existência de estoque na farmácia. De um total de 5.222 medicamentos prescritos, 76,4% constavam nas REMUME, 76,8% na Relação Nacional de Medicamentos Essenciais (RENAME) e 63% na lista da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Entre os medicamentos mais prescritos, um ou mais não pertenciam às respectivas REMUME. Do total de medicamentos prescritos, 76,1% estavam disponíveis nos locais pesquisados; entre os medicamentos essenciais, a disponibilidade aumentou para 88,1%. A prescrição em desacordo com as REMUME pode ser resultado da indisponibilidade dos medicamentos nos locais investigados ou da inadequação das listas frente ao nível de complexidade da atenção.
Urate‐Lowering Therapy for Gout: Focus on Febuxostat
Authors: Love Bryan L. , Barrons Robert , Veverka Angie , Snider K. Matthew
Published: May 2010

Gout is a common, painful, and often debilitating rheumatologic disorder that remains one of the few arthritic conditions that can be diagnosed with certainty and cured with appropriate therapy. Allopurinol is the most frequently prescribed agent for gout in the United States. Unfortunately, most patients treated with allopurinol do not achieve target serum uric acid (sUA) levels, possibly due to a perceived intolerability to allopurinol in doses above 300 mg and the need for reduced doses in patients with renal insufficiency. Febuxostat, an orally administered, nonpurine inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug administration for chronic management of hyperuricemia in patients with gout. Patients treated with febuxostat achieve rapid and substantial reductions in sUA levels. Compared with allopurinol‐treated patients, patients receiving febuxostat 80 mg/day were more likely to achieve sUA concentrations less than 6 mg/dl. In long‐term studies (up to 5 yrs), febuxostat demonstrated sustained reductions in sUA levels, nearly complete elimination of gout flares, and a frequency of adverse effects comparable to allopurinol. The most commonly reported adverse effects were liver function abnormalities, rash, nausea, and arthralgias. The recommended starting dose of febuxostat is 40 mg/day, which may be increased to 80 mg/day after 2 weeks if patients do not achieve sUA levels less than 6 mg/dl. Dosage adjustment in mild‐to‐moderate renal insufficiency is unnecessary; however, data are lacking on the safety of febuxostat in patients with severe renal impairment. Although more costly than allopurinol, febuxostat appears to be an acceptable alternative for the treatment of gout and hyperuricemia, and may be advantageous in patients with renal impairment, intolerance to allopurinol, or the inability to attain sUA levels less than 6 mg/dl despite adequate therapy with available agents.
Ten Years Recording Common Oral Clefts with a New Descriptive System
Authors: Luijsterburg Antonius J.M. , Vermeij-Keers Christi
Published: May 2010

Objective

After introducing a new descriptive recording system for congenital craniofacial abnormalities in The Netherlands, common oral clefts are highlighted.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

Fifteen cleft palate teams, united in the Dutch Association for Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies, registered patients from 1997 to 2006.

Patients

All unoperated patients with a common oral cleft were included.

Main Outcome Measures

Detailed information and birth prevalence rates of cleft lip/alveolus, cleft lip/alveolus and palate, and cleft palate were provided, relating referral age, gender, family history, additional congenital abnormalities, and syndrome diagnoses to these three categories.

Results

This study included 3512 patients, resulting in an overall prevalence of 16.6 per 10,000 live births. Patients showed a cleft lip/alveolus (28%), a cleft lip/alveolus and palate (39%), or a cleft palate (33%). The three categories exhibited very heterogeneous cleft types. Mean referral age was 5.8 months (median 3 weeks). Birth weight was the lowest in cleft palate patients (3238 g; p < .001 to .009). Cleft palate patients showed less positive family history concerning congenital anomalies (23%, p < .001 to .013), but more syndrome diagnoses were established in this category (24%, p < .001). Ten percent of all cleft patients showed additional abnormalities of the head and neck area, and 13% displayed congenital anomalies of other systems.

Conclusions

This new recording method allows adequate description of common oral clefts. Many cleft types exist within these three categories and should be differentiated, because they originate from different time frames and/or cell biological mechanisms during embryogenesis.