bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The northeast Pacific Ocean and Hawaii
Authors: Winterer Edward L. , Atwater Tanya M. , Decker Robert W.
Published: October 2013

This chapter highlights salient aspects of the geology of the northeast Pacific basin and its interactions with the rim of North America. We include all the Pacific from the equator northward to the Aleutians, and from the North American continental margin westward to longitude 165ŶE—an area about twice that of North America. The treatment is thus necessarily summary; for a more complete and balanced coverage, and for more complete lists of the works that have contributed to our knowledge of the northeast Pacific region, see Winterer and others (1989).

There has been a veritable explosion of knowledge about the northeast Pacific in the 25 years since the appearance of Menard’s (1964) Marine Geology of the Pacific. Since then, the major features of the magnetic anomaly pattern have been mapped, and can be interpreted in the framework of plate tectonics; an extensive web of seismic reflection lines and cores from a network of about 150 deep-sea drill holes provides the data and samples for dating, correlating and interpreting the oceanic sedimentary cover, the constitution of the oceanic crust, and the tectonics of the continental margins. New swathmapping techniques and near-bottom observations and sampling using deep-towed instruments and manned submersibles have opened a window into the processes of crustal accretion and hydrothermal activity along active spreading centers, and modern instrumentation has provided a rich new data base for interpretation of active volcanism in Hawaii.

To synthesize the new findings, we have organized this chapter into two topical sections and one geographic section;
The seismic structure of the continental crust and upper mantle of North America
Authors: Mooney Walter D. , Braile Lawrence W.
Published: October 2013

The seismic structure of the crust and upper mantle provides critical information regarding lithospheric composition and evolution. There are large variations in fundamental properties such as crustal thickness, crustal and upper-mantle velocity structure, and the depth to the lithosphere/asthenosphere boundary, which are interpretable in terms of processes that have formed and modified the lithosphere. Much of what we know about the seismic structure of the lithosphere has been accumulated over the past 30 years from seismic refraction profiles and surface-wave studies. Modern seismic refraction studies use denser arrays of seismic sources and recorders, improving the resolution and reliability of crustal models. Within the last 15 years, the deep-seismic reflection technique has been widely applied and has provided fundamental new insights into the structure and physical properties of the crust. Recently, seismic investigations have provided a fresh look at the properties of the Moho and the upper mantle where we may discover the “driving forces” of continental tectonics.

In this discussion we define the lithosphere as the crust and the portion of the upper mantle above the seismic low-velocity layer (asthenosphere) that occurs at a depth of 60 to 200 km and is generally more evident in the shear-wave structure than in the compressional-wave structure. The low-velocity layer contrasts with the base of the crust (Moho), which is very pronounced in compressional-wave structure and is defined as the depth below which the seismic velocity (measured on a reversed seismic refraction profile) is greater than 7.6 km/s. Where the crust/mantle boundary has been examined in detail, it appears to consist of a laminated transition zone with a thickness of 2 to 5 km. The thickness of the Earth’s crust is highly variable; typical oceanic crust has a thickness of about 7 + 3 km (excluding the water column), and continental crust typically has a thickness of 25 to 50 km.
Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection of the parotid gland in an immunocompetent elderly patient
Authors: Yamanaka Toshiaki , Okamoto Hideyuki , Hosoi Hiroshi
Published: October 2013

We experienced an extremely rare case in which combined antibacterial therapy for a non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection of the parotid gland achieved a favourable outcome in an elderly immunocompetent patient. Although a 79-year-old man, who presented with swelling and fistula formation in the left parotid gland region, initially received combined antituberculous therapy due to a positive result of acid-fast staining, the lesion did not respond to these agents. Thereafter, since the culture examination did not detectMycobacterium tuberculosisor NTM, we excluded tuberculosis and considered the possibility of an NTM infection caused by a rare mycobacterial species. Therefore, we switched to the clarithromycin-based antibacterial treatment for eight consecutive months without a surgical intervention, resulting in the complete disappearance of the lesion and no evidence of recurrence detected for 4 years. This conservative chemotherapy might be a feasible alternative to a surgical intervention for treatment against NTM infections of the parotid gland.
Lung-sparing approach for an intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst involving the right upper and middle lobes
Authors: Criscione Alessandra , Scamporlino Adriana , Calvo Damiano , Migliore Marcello
Published: October 2013

Intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts (IBC) represent 20% of abnormal budding of the respiratory tract. Lobectomy is the recommended treatment for IBC in symptomatic adults. We presented a case of a patient with an IBC involving the right upper and middle lobes (RUL–RML). A 27-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of thoracic pain, cough and haemoptysis. An opacity was found on the chest X-ray. High-resolution CT/MRI showed a 7×4.5 cm marginated mass with an air bubble inside. A video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed. The cyst was neither palpable nor visible. An intraoperative ultrasonography localised the cyst involving the RUL–RML. The lung above the cyst was incised, and a greenish-mucoid content was aspirated. A branch of the superior pulmonary vein was visible. The remaining cystic wall was cauterised. The patient was discharged on day 4. Histology confirmed the IBC. The patient is asymptomatic at a 16-month follow-up. The lung-sparing operation in a young woman with IBC involving the RUL–RML has been beneficial. A long-term follow-up is mandatory.
Identification of inadequate maternal progesterone concentrations in nulliparous dairy heifers and treatment with human chorionic gonadotrophin
Authors: King S. G. , Dobson H. , Royal M. D. , Christley R. M. , Murray R. D. , Routly J. E. , Smith R. F. , Mann G. E.
Published: October 2013

Plasma progesterone concentrations were estimated for 381 nulliparous dairy heifers from eight farms on days 4–6 after insemination. Heifers were synchronised using two treatments of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) 11 days apart. Alternate heifers were treated with 1500 IU human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) at the time of sampling, and the pregnancy status assessed ∼35 days after insemination. Heifers with no corpus luteum (CL; n‐30) at the second PGF2α had lower progesterone concentrations (P<0.001) and pregnancy rates (PR; P=0.001) compared with heifers with CL (n=351, defined as cyclic). The risk of no CL increased in heifers <15 months of age (OR=7.5, P<0.001) and with body condition score <2.5 (OR=4.5, P=0.001). Those with no CL were removed from further analysis. The 20 per cent cyclic control heifers with progesterone concentrations ≤2 ng/ml on days 4–6 had lower PRs compared with those with higher concentrations (42 per cent vs 64 per cent, OR=0.3, P=0.01). There was no overall effect of hCG on PR compared with controls (51 per cent vs 60 per cent, P=0.10). However, heifers with high progesterone on days 4–6 (>2 ng/ml) had a lower PR after treatment (51 per cent vs 64 per cent, OR=0.6, P=0.02). Heifers inseminated with sexed (n=18) compared with conventional (n=333) semen had a decreased PR (33 per cent vs 57 per cent, OR=0.2, P=0.01). This study demonstrates that higher plasma progesterone concentrations as early as days 4–6 after insemination have a positive effect on first insemination PR, but there was no beneficial effect of hCG treatment on these days in dairy heifers.
ELASTIC AND VIBRATIONAL PROPERTIES OF ORDERED AND DISORDEREDCuMnPt6
Authors: HUANG SHUO , ZHANG CHUAN-HUI , SUN JING , SHEN JIANG
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we have measured the elastic and vibrational properties of CuMnPt6with embedded-atom method in three states of chemical order: as a disordered FCC (face-centered cubic) solid solution and as the equilibrium L12and ABC6ordered structures. Our results agree quite well with the comparable experimental values. The present calculations indicate that the ABC6and L12phases are energetically more stable than FCC phase. Numerical estimates of a set of elastic parameters, including aggregate elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and elastic anisotropy are performed, and the results demonstrate that the FCC phase is much softer than other two phases. Further analysis from the point of view of vibrational properties such as phonon density of states and vibrational entropy difference are also presented in this study.
THE STRUCTURE, MAGNETISM AND CONDUCTIVITY OF Li3V2(PO4)3: A THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
Authors: LIN ZHI-PING , ZHAO YU-JUN , ZHAO YAN-MING
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we present a combination of first-principles and experimental investigations on the structural, magnetic and electronic properties of monoclinic Li 3 V 2( PO 4)3. The change of dielectric constant indicates that the structural phase transition appear around the temperature 120°C. The first-principles calculation and magnetic measurement display that Li 3 V 2( PO 4)3 is a compound with weak ferromagnetism, with Curie constant of C = 0.004 and Curie temperature of 140 K. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrated that the Li 3 V 2( PO 4)3 is a typical semiconductor.
WORKSHOP PROCESS OPTIMIZATION BASED ON THE COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE OF WORKSHOP EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN AFTER-SALES INTELLIGENCE OF MERCEDES-BENZ CARS
Authors: WERRMANN JAN
Published: October 2013

The collective intelligence of Mercedes-Benz cars after-sales specialists, which includes customer service, car maintenance and repair, is captured in a large number of disparate and unconnected databases. It must be accessed through different retrieval systems and the information fragments found must be linked manually. In addition, best-practice and experience knowledge of workshop employees in maintenance, service and repair is not systematically gathered and evaluated. In this paper, we introduce a new method and support system for bootstrapping improvement of such workshop processes by system. Our method makes latent semantic links between information elements kept in different databases explicit in the form of an ontology whose links are used in subsequent retrieval processes. Frequent successful uses of individual links by the workshop employees increase their statistical weight in future retrieval processes supported by an ontology-based integrated retrieval system. Therefore, the ontology uses the collective intelligence of the workshop employees in order to optimize the search for relevant documents.
AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF OPTIMIZED BUSINESS PROCESS MODELS FROM CONSTRAINT-BASED SPECIFICATIONS
Authors: BARBA IRENE , DEL VALLE CARMELO , WEBER BARBARA , JIMÉNEZ ANDRÉS
Published: October 2013

Business process (BP) models are usually defined manually by business analysts through imperative languages considering activity properties, constraints imposed on the relations between the activities as well as different performance objectives. Furthermore, allocating resources is an additional challenge since scheduling may significantly impact BP performance. Therefore, the manual specification of BP models can be very complex and time-consuming, potentially leading to non-optimized models or even errors. To overcome these problems, this work proposes the automatic generation of imperative optimized BP models from declarative specifications. The static part of these declarative specifications (i.e. control-flow and resource constraints) is expected to be useful on a long-term basis. This static part is complemented with information that is less stable and which is potentially unknown until starting the BP execution, i.e. estimates related to (1) number of process instances which are being executed within a particular timeframe, (2) activity durations, and (3) resource availabilities. Unlike conventional proposals, an imperative BP model optimizing a set of instances is created and deployed on a short-term basis. To provide for run-time flexibility the proposed approach additionally allows decisions to be deferred to run-time by using complex late-planning activities, and the imperative BP model to be dynamically adapted during run-time using replanning. To validate the proposed approach, different performance measures for a set of test models of varying complexity are analyzed. The results indicate that, despite the NP-hard complexity of the problems, a satisfactory number of suitable solutions can be produced.
TIP LEAKAGE FLOW AND HEAT TRANSFER ON TURBINE STAGE TIP AND CASING: EFFECT OF UNSTEADY STATOR–ROTOR INTERACTIONS
Authors: RAHMAN MD HAMIDUR , KIM SUNG IN , HASSAN IBRAHIM
Published: October 2013

Unsteady simulations were performed to investigate time dependent behaviors of the leakage flow structures and heat transfer on the rotor blade tip and casing in a single stage gas turbine engine. This paper mainly illustrates the unsteady nature of the leakage flow and heat transfer, particularly, that caused by the stator–rotor interactions. In order to obtain time-accurate results, the effects of varying the number of time steps, sub iterations, and the number of vane passing periods was firstly examined. The effect of tip clearance height and rotor speeds was also examined. The results showed periodic patterns of the tip leakage flow and heat transfer rate distribution for each vane passing. The relative position of the vane and vane trailing edge shock with respect to time alters the flow conditions in the rotor domain, and results in significant variations in the tip leakage flow structures and heat transfer rate distributions. It is observed that the trailing edge shock phenomenon results in a critical heat transfer region on the blade tip and casing. Consequently, the turbine blade tip and casing are subjected to large fluctuations of Nusselt number (about Nu = 2000 to 6000 and about Nu = 1000 to 10000, respectively) at a high frequency (coinciding with the rotor speed).
Adiponectin inhibits oxidative/nitrative stress during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion via PKA signaling
Authors: Zhang Yanqing , Wang Xiao-Liang , Zhao Jianli , Wang Ya-Jing , Lau Wayne Bond , Yuan Yue-Xing , Gao Er-He , Koch Walter J. , Ma Xin-Liang
Published: October 2013

The cardioprotective effects of adiponectin (APN) against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury are well known. However, comprehension of the mechanisms mediating intracellular APN signaling remains incomplete. We recently demonstrate the antioxidant/antinitrative effects of APN are not dependent on AMPK. Protein kinase A (PKA) has been previously shown to be activated by APN, with uncertain relevance to APN cardiac protection. The current study determined whether the antioxidative/antinitrative effect of APN is mediated by PKA. Administration of APN (2 μg/g) 10 min before reperfusion significantly enhanced cardiac PKA activity, reduced oxidative stress, and decreased infarct size. Knockdown of cardiac PKA expression (PKA-KD) by intramyocardial injection of PKA-siRNAs (>70% suppression) significantly inhibited APN cardioprotection determined by cardiac apoptosis, infarct size, and cardiac function. Moreover, PKA-KD virtually abolished the suppressive effect of APN on MI/R-induced NADPH oxidase overexpression and superoxide overproduction and partially inhibited the effect of APN on nitrative protein modification in MI/R heart. Mechanistically, APN significantly inhibited MI/R-induced IKK/IκB phosphorylation and NF-κB activation, which were blocked in PKA-KD heart. Finally, the PKA-mediated antioxidant/antinitrative and cardioprotective effects of APN are intact in AMPK-deficient mice, suggesting that there is no cross talk between AMPK and PKA signaling in APN cardioprotection. Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time that APN inhibits oxidative/nitrative stress during MI/R via PKA-dependent NF-κB inhibition.
Determinants of reversibility of β-cell dysfunction in response to short-term intensive insulin therapy in patients with early type 2 diabetes
Authors: Kramer Caroline Kaercher , Choi Haysook , Zinman Bernard , Retnakaran Ravi
Published: October 2013

Short-term intensive insulin therapy (IIT) can improve pancreatic β-cell function when administered early in the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the degree of improvement in response to this therapy varies between patients. Thus, we sought to characterize the determinants of improvement in β-cell function in response to short-term IIT in early T2DM. Sixty-three patients with mean 3.0 ± 2.1 yr duration of T2DM and Hb A1c of 6.8 ± 0.8% underwent 4 wk of IIT consisting of basal insulin detemir and premeal insulin aspart, with oral glucose tolerance test administered at baseline and 1 day post-IIT. β-Cell function before and after IIT was assessed by Insulin Secretion Sensitivity Index-2 (ISSI-2). Reversibility of β-cell dysfunction was defined as percentage change in ISSI-2 of ≥25%. Overall, the study population experienced an increase in ISSI-2 from baseline to post-IIT ( P = 0.01), with one-third of participants achieving ≥25% improvement in ISSI-2. Compared with their peers, those with increases in ISSI-2 of ≥25% had greater decrements in fasting glucose ( P < 0.0001), Hb A1c ( P = 0.001), ALT ( P = 0.04), AST ( P = 0.02), and HOMA-IR ( P < 0.0001). On logistical regression analysis, baseline Hb A1c (OR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.16–6.88, P = 0.02) and change in HOMA-IR (OR = 0.008, 95%CI 0.0004–0.16, P = 0.001) emerged as independent predictors of reversibility of β-cell dysfunction. Indeed, reversibility of β-cell dysfunction was achieved in only those participants in whom IIT yielded an improvement in HOMA-IR. In conclusion, decline in HOMA-IR may be a key determinant of improvement of β-cell function in response to short-term IIT, suggesting a fundamental contribution of insulin resistance to the reversible component of β-cell dysfunction in early T2DM.
Distinguishing hair cell from neural potentials recorded at the round window
Authors: Forgues Mathieu , Koehn Heather A. , Dunnon Askia K. , Pulver Stephen H. , Buchman Craig A. , Adunka Oliver F. , Fitzpatrick Douglas C.
Published: October 2013

Almost all patients who receive cochlear implants have some acoustic hearing prior to surgery. Electrocochleography (ECoG), or electrophysiological measures of cochlear response to sound, can identify remaining auditory nerve activity that is the basis for this residual hearing and can record potentials from hair cells that are no longer functionally connected to nerve fibers. The ECoG signal is therefore complex, being composed of both hair cell and neural signals. To identify signatures of different sources in the recorded potentials, we collected ECoG data across frequency and intensity from the round window of gerbils before and after treatment with kainic acid, a neurotoxin. Distortions in the recorded waveforms were produced by different sources over different ranges of frequency and intensity. In response to tones at low frequencies and low-to-moderate intensities, the major source of distortion was from neural phase-locking that was sensitive to kainic acid. At high intensities at all frequencies, the distortion was not sensitive to kainic acid and was consistent with asymmetric saturation of the hair cell transducer current. In addition to loss of phase-locking, changes in the envelope after kainic acid treatment indicate that sustained neural firing combines with receptor potentials from hair cells to produce the envelope of the response to tones. These results provide baseline data to interpret comparable recordings from human cochlear implant recipients.
Reflex responses of human masseter motor units to mechanical stimulation of the teeth
Authors: Uginčius P. , Atiş E. S. , Türker K. S.
Published: October 2013

Our aim was to investigate the jaw reflexes using both the probability- and the discharge rate-based analysis methods. Twelve consenting volunteer subjects participated in this study. Subjects bit gently on bite bars that carried the impression of their teeth. Surface and intramuscular electrical activity of the masseter was recorded. With the help of audio feedback from one motor unit, each subject bit to discharge the unit at a fixed rate. While the subject continuously activated the selected motor unit, 4-N stimuli were delivered to the upper right central incisor either at a rapid or a slow rate. For each trial, ≥300 stimuli were delivered, and, once a trial was completed, local anesthetic block was applied around the stimulated tooth, and the experiment was repeated. While preceding local anesthesia, the rapid-rate stimuli (“tap”) induced substantial inhibitory reflex responses; during local anesthetic block, the same stimulus induced excitatory and inhibitory reflex responses. Slow-rate stimuli (“push”), on the other hand, usually generated a combination of inhibitory and excitatory responses that disappeared completely during the local anesthetic block. This study discovered that the strength of the inhibitory reflex response to a tooth-tap stimulus was much larger than previously reported. This study also found that whereas the probability-based analyses were better for illustrating the existence and latency of small earlier responses, the discharge rate-based method was better for indicating the duration of earlier responses and the existence, sign, and duration of later responses.
Topographical representations of taste response characteristics in the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract in the rat
Authors: Yokota T. , Eguchi K. , Hiraba K.
Published: October 2013

The rostral nucleus of the solitary tract (rNST) is the first-order taste relay in rats. This study constructed topographical distributions of taste response characteristics (best-stimulus, response magnitude, and taste-tuning) from spike discharges of single neurons in the rNST. The rNST is divided into four subregions along the rostrocaudal (RC) axis, which include r1–r4. We explored single-neuron activity in r1–r3, using multibarreled glass microelectrodes. NaCl (N)-best neurons were localized to the rostral half of r1–r3, while HCl (H)-best and sucrose (S)-best neurons showed a tendency toward more caudal locations. NaCl and HCl (NH)-best neurons were distributed across r2–r3. The mean RC values and Mahalanobis distance indicated a significant difference between the distributions of N-best and NH-best neurons in which N-best neurons were located more rostrally. The region of large responses to NaCl (net response >5 spikes/s) overlapped with the distribution of N-best neurons. The region of large responses to HCl extended widely over r1–r3. The region of large responses to sucrose was in the medial part of r2. The excitatory region (>1 spike/s) for quinine overlapped with that for HCl. Neurons with sharp to moderate tuning were located primarily in r1–r2, while those with broad tuning were located in r2–r3. The robust responses to NaCl in r1–r2 primarily contributed to sharp to moderate taste-tuning. Neurons in r3 tended to have broad tuning, apparently due to small responses to both NaCl and HCl. Therefore, the rNST is spatially organized by neurons with distinct taste response characteristics, suggesting that these neurons serve different functional roles.
Altered gene expression patterns in muscle ring finger 1 null mice during denervation- and dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy
Authors: Furlow J. David , Watson Monica L. , Waddell David S. , Neff Eric S. , Baehr Leslie M. , Ross Adam P. , Bodine Sue C.
Published: October 2013

Muscle atrophy can result from inactivity or unloading on one hand or the induction of a catabolic state on the other. Muscle-specific ring finger 1 (MuRF1), a member of the tripartite motif family of E3 ubiquitin ligases, is an essential mediator of multiple conditions inducing muscle atrophy. While most studies have focused on the role of MuRF1 in protein degradation, the protein may have other roles in regulating skeletal muscle mass and metabolism. We therefore systematically evaluated the effect of MuRF1 on gene expression during denervation and dexamethasone-induced atrophy. We find that the lack of MuRF1 leads to few differences in control animals, but there were several significant differences in specific sets of genes upon denervation- and dexamethasone-induced atrophy. For example, during denervation, MuRF1 knockout mice showed delayed repression of metabolic and structural genes and blunted induction of genes associated with the neuromuscular junction. In the latter case, this pattern correlates with blunted HDAC4 and myogenin upregulation. Lack of MuRF1 caused fewer changes in the dexamethasone-induced atrophy program, but certain genes involved in fat metabolism and intracellular signaling were affected. Our results demonstrate a new role for MuRF1 in influencing gene expression in two important models of muscle atrophy.
Explaining Variance in the Cumulus Mammographic Measures That Predict Breast Cancer Risk: A Twins and Sisters Study
Authors: Nguyen Tuong L. , Schmidt Daniel F. , Makalic Enes , Dite Gillian S. , Stone Jennifer , Apicella Carmel , Bui Minh , MacInnis Robert J. , Odefrey Fabrice , Cawson Jennifer N. , Treloar Susan A. , Southey Melissa C. , Giles Graham G. , Hopper John L.
Published: October 2013

Background: Mammographic density, the area of the mammographic image that appears white or bright, predicts breast cancer risk. We estimated the proportions of variance explained by questionnaire-measured breast cancer risk factors and by unmeasured residual familial factors.

Methods: For 544 MZ and 339 DZ twin pairs and 1,558 non-twin sisters from 1,564 families, mammographic density was measured using the computer-assisted method Cumulus. We estimated associations using multilevel mixed-effects linear regression and studied familial aspects using a multivariate normal model.

Results: The proportions of variance explained by age, body mass index (BMI), and other risk factors, respectively, were 4%, 1%, and 4% for dense area; 7%, 14%, and 4% for percent dense area; and 7%, 40%, and 1% for nondense area. Associations with dense area and percent dense area were in opposite directions than for nondense area. After adjusting for measured factors, the correlations of dense area with percent dense area and nondense area were 0.84 and −0.46, respectively. The MZ, DZ, and sister pair correlations were 0.59, 0.28, and 0.29 for dense area; 0.57, 0.30, and 0.28 for percent dense area; and 0.56, 0.27, and 0.28 for nondense area (SE = 0.02, 0.04, and 0.03, respectively).

Conclusions: Under the classic twin model, 50% to 60% (SE = 5%) of the variance of mammographic density measures that predict breast cancer risk are due to undiscovered genetic factors, and the remainder to as yet unknown individual-specific, nongenetic factors.

Impact: Much remains to be learnt about the genetic and environmental determinants of mammographic density. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2395–403. ©2013 AACR.
Tanning Bed Use Is Not Associated with Internal Cancer Risk: Evidence from a Large Cohort Study
Authors: Zhang Mingfeng , Song Fengju , Hunter David J. , Qureshi Abrar A. , Han Jiali
Published: October 2013

Background: Increased risk of skin cancer by indoor tanning has drawn public attention. However, there are arguments that tanning bed use increases vitamin D production, which may therefore prevent internal cancers.

Methods: We followed 73,358 female nurses for 20 years (1989–2009) in the Nurses' Health Study II and investigated the frequency of tanning bed use during high school/college and at ages 25 to 35 in relation to the incidence of total cancers (excluding skin cancers). We used multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of total cancers and each individual major cancer with more than 100 cases.

Results: During follow-up, a total of 4,271 internal cancer–related cases were diagnosed. No association was found between tanning bed use and risk of total cancers (multivariable-adjusted HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.95–1.04 for every 4 times/y use on average during high school/college and at ages 25–35). In addition, no association was found for the risk of any individual major cancers, such as breast cancer, thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or endometrial cancer.

Conclusions: Our data do not suggest any association between the use of tanning beds and risk of internal cancers.

Impact: On the basis of the strong evidence of increase in skin cancer risk and no evidence of reduction in internal cancer risk by tanning bed use, it is important to warn the public against indoor tanning. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2425–9. ©2013 AACR.
Prevalence of Prediabetes and Newly Diagnosed Diabetes in Patients with a Transient Ischemic Attack or Stroke
Authors: Fonville Susanne , Zandbergen Adrienne A.M. , Vermeer Sarah E. , Dippel Diederik W.J. , Koudstaal Peter J. , den Hertog Heleen M.
Published: October 2013

Background: Patients with a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke and prediabetes or newly diagnosed diabetes are at high risk of recurrent stroke or cardiovascular events. This underlines the importance of accurate screening for impaired glucose metabolism in clinical practice. Fasting plasma glucose levels are currently the most commonly measured glycemic parameter to detect prediabetes or diabetes, even if 2-hour postload glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels can be used as well. We assessed the prevalence of prediabetes and newly diagnosed diabetes with different screening methods, including fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour postload glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels in consecutive patients with recent TIA, ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to the stroke unit or visiting the specialized TIA outpatient clinic in the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Methods: We measured fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour postload glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels in 269 patients with a TIA, 374 with ischemic stroke and 57 with intracerebral hemorrhage, all without a history of diabetes mellitus. Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose levels of 5.6-6.9 mmol/l and/or 2-hour postload glucose levels of 7.8-11.0 mmol/l and/or glycosylated hemoglobin levels of 5.7-6.4%. Newly diagnosed diabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose levels of ≥7.0 mmol/l and/or 2-hour postload levels of ≥11.1 mmol/l and/or glycosylated hemoglobin levels of ≥6.5%. The diagnosis was based on a one-time measurement. Results: Based on fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour postload glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels combined, 365 patients (52%) were identified as prediabetics and 188 (27%) as having newly diagnosed diabetes. Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage had more often newly diagnosed diabetes compared with patients with an ischemic stroke or a TIA [27 (47%) and 161 (25%), respectively; p < 0.001]; the prevalence of prediabetes was similar. Newly diagnosed diabetes was identified more frequently by 2-hour postload glucose levels (n = 162; 23%) than by fasting plasma glucose (n = 49; 7%) or glycosylated hemoglobin levels (n = 36; 5%). About one third of the patients with normal fasting glucose levels has impaired glucose tolerance or elevated glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Conclusions: Prediabetes and newly diagnosed diabetes are highly prevalent in patients with a TIA or stroke. The majority of these patients would not have been identified by fasting plasma glucose levels alone. Both 2-hour postload glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels identify more patients with a disturbed glucose metabolism.
The Effects of Racial Differences on Body Composition and Total Body Water Measured by Multifrequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Influence Delivered Kt/V Dialysis Dosing
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev , Khosravi Maryam , Massart Annick , Potluri Madhu , Davenport Andrew
Published: October 2013

Introduction: Haemodialysis dosing is traditionally based on urea clearance (Kt/V). Aiming for the same Kt/V target, some racial groups have better survival. We investigated whether body composition differs with ethnicity and may lead to differences in Kt/V delivered. Methods: We compared total body water (TBW) measured by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MF-BIA) that calculated from standard anthropometric equations. Results: Three hundred and seventy-one adult patients, with a mean age of 58.2 ± 16.6 years, 60.6% of whom were male, 29.1% diabetic, 38.5% Caucasoid, 29.4% African/Afro-Caribbean, 24.8% South Asian and 5.4% East Asian, were studied. TBW measured by MF-BIA differed significantly from that predicted by anthropometric equations. Body fat of women and diabetics was greater, and muscle mass in South Asians was reduced. The difference between the TBW MF-BIA measurement and that of the equation by Watson et al. [11] was associated with % muscle mass (β -10.8, p < 0.001), age (β 0.23, p < 0.001), serum albumin (β -0.24, p < 0.001), body mass index (β 0.91, p = 0.001) and racial origin (β -9.86, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Variation in body composition between ethnic groups potentially leads to over-estimation of delivered dose for some ethnic groups and underestimation for others when using anthropometric equations. MF-BIA assessments of body water should be evaluated as a method for dosing dialysis patients.
Improved Detection of Silent Atrial Fibrillation Using 72-Hour Holter ECG in Patients With Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Grond Martin , Jauss Marek , Hamann Gerhard , Stark Erwin , Veltkamp Roland , Nabavi Darius , Horn Markus , Weimar Christian , Köhrmann Martin , Wachter Rolf , Rosin Ludger , Kirchhof Paulus
Published: October 2013

Background and Purpose—

Adequate diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF), including paroxysmal AF, is an important part of stroke workup. Prolonged ECG monitoring may improve the detection of paroxysmal, previously undiagnosed AF (unknown AF). Therefore, we evaluated systematic 72-hour Holter ECG monitoring to detect unknown AF for the workup of patients with stroke.

Methods—

Unselected survivors of a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) without known AF were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter cohort study of 72-hour Holter ECG monitoring in 9 German secondary and tertiary stroke centers between May 2010 and January 2011. In addition to standardized workup of stroke pathogenesis according to the German Stroke Unit protocol, all patients underwent 72-hour Holter ECG monitoring directly after admission. All ECGs were centrally analyzed by 2 independent observers. We determined the proportion of unknown AF and compared the detection rates of 72- and 24-hour monitoring.

Results—

A total of 1135 patients were enrolled (mean age, 67 years [SD, 13.1 years], 45% women, 29% TIA). Unknown AF was detected in 49 out of 1135 patients (4.3%, [95% confidence interval, 3.4–5.2%]) by 72-hour ECG monitoring. Unknown AF was diagnosed in 29 patients (2.6%) within the first 24 hours of ECG monitoring, and in 20 more patients only by 72 hours of ECG monitoring. The number needed to screen by 72-hour ECG was 55 patients (95% confidence interval [35–123]) for each additional AF diagnosis. Patients with unknown AF were significantly older and had more often a history of previous stroke. Patients with unknown AF were equally distributed within categories of pathogenesis according to Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification.

Conclusions—

In unselected survivors of stroke or TIA, 72-hour ECG monitoring is feasible and improves the detection rate of silent paroxysmal AF.
MNEs and Energy Efficiency in Southeast Asian Manufacturing
Authors: Ramstetter Eric D. , Binti Shahrazat , Kohpaiboon Archanun , Narjoko Dionisius
Published: October 2013

After controlling for the influences of plant-level factor usage and technical characteristics, foreign multinational enterprises (MNEs) used fuel and total energy more efficiently than local manufacturing plants in about one-third of Malaysia's large energy using industries. MNE-local or MNE-private differentials were insignificant, however, in most industries for electricity in Malaysia; total energy, electricity and three fuels (diesel, natural gas, and coal) in Indonesia; and total energy in Thailand. In short, MNEs and local or private plants generally used purchased energy with similar efficiency, probably because they faced similar host country policies and used similar energy technologies.
Coping with Rising Inequality in Asia: How Effective Are Fiscal Policies?
Authors: Claus Iris , Martinez-Vazquez Jorge , Vulovic Violeta
Published: October 2013

This paper discusses the role and effectiveness of redistributive fiscal policies and provides estimates of the effects of taxation and government expenditure on income inequality in Asia. Tax systems around the world tend to be progressive, but government expenditure is generally found to be a more effective tool for redistributing income. In Asia, government spending on social protection has a distinctive differential distributive impact. Social protection spending appears to increase income inequality in Asia, whereas it reduces it in the rest of the world. Government expenditure on housing is also adversely affecting the distribution of income in Asia. Policy options for improving the redistributional effectiveness of fiscal policies in Asia are discussed.
Ethos and Education: Beyond Romanticism and Enlightenment
Authors: Milbank John
Published: October 2013

Education is characteristically either considered as the apolitical transmission of knowledge or, more politically, as the formation of citizens. A more fluid relation between education and politics was imagined in the ancient world and was to some extent recapitulated in the eighteenth century Enlightenment. It has since, however, collapsed one of two directions: an instrumentalised model of education, supported by the state, and supporting it in turn, with a stress on individual freedom; or a Romantic vision of education, represented by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which favours the ‘natural’ individual over the socialised citizen. Both work with a structure shorn of transcendence. In contrast, the church offers a unique angle on education, based upon meeting the human being in his or her particularity, where what is spontaneous and arises from within, and what is traditional and imparted from without, are acknowledged to have a kinship with proceeds from their relation to the creator.
Correction and addition to “Contribution to the knowledge of the Polia praecipua (Staudinger, 1895) species complex with description of a new species from China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Hadenini)”
Authors: STÜNING DIETER , SALDAITIS AIDAS
Published: October 2013

In our recent Correspondence on Polia systematics, we omitted some essential changes during the proofing stage, and present these here.  The changes all apply to the account for Polia sublimis on page 599.  That text should be amended as follows, with changes in boldface italic and our explanations for the changes following in square brackets...
Cloud Microphysical Properties Retrieved from Downwelling Infrared Radiance Measurements Made at Eureka, Nunavut, Canada (2006–09)
Authors: Cox Christopher J. , Turner David D. , Rowe Penny M. , Shupe Matthew D. , Walden Von P.
Published: October 2013

The radiative properties of clouds are related to cloud microphysical and optical properties, including water path, optical depth, particle size, and thermodynamic phase. Ground-based observations from remote sensors provide high-quality, long-term, continuous measurements that can be used to obtain these properties. In the Arctic, a more comprehensive understanding of cloud microphysics is important because of the sensitivity of the Arctic climate to changes in radiation. Eureka, Nunavut (80°N, 86°25′W, 10 m), Canada, is a research station located on Ellesmere Island. A large suite of ground-based remote sensors at Eureka provides the opportunity to make measurements of cloud microphysics using multiple instruments and methodologies. In this paper, cloud microphysical properties are presented using a retrieval method that utilizes infrared radiances obtained from an infrared spectrometer at Eureka between March 2006 and April 2009. These retrievals provide a characterization of the microphysics of ice and liquid in clouds with visible optical depths between 0.25 and 6, which are a class of clouds whose radiative properties depend greatly on their microphysical properties. The results are compared with other studies that use different methodologies at Eureka, providing context for multimethod perspectives. The authors’ findings are supportive of previous studies, including seasonal cycles in phase and liquid particle size, weak temperature–phase dependencies, and frequent occurrences of supercooled water. Differences in microphysics are found between mixed-phase and single-phase clouds for both ice and liquid. The Eureka results are compared with those obtained using a similar retrieval technique during the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment.
Storm Track Shifts under Climate Change: What Can Be Learned from Large-Scale Dry Dynamics
Authors: Mbengue Cheikh , Schneider Tapio
Published: October 2013

Earth’s storm tracks are instrumental for transporting heat, momentum, and moisture and thus strongly influence the surface climate. Climate models, supported by a growing body of observational data, have demonstrated that storm tracks shift poleward as the climate warms. But the dynamical mechanisms responsible for this shift remain unclear. To isolate what portion of the storm track shift may be accounted for by large-scale dry dynamics alone, disregarding the latent heat released in phase changes of water, this study investigates the storm track shift under various kinds of climate change in an idealized dry general circulation model (GCM) with an adjustable but constant convective stability. It is found that increasing the mean surface temperature or the convective stability leads to poleward shifts of storm tracks, even if the convective stability is increased only in a narrow band around the equator. Under warming and convective stability changes roughly corresponding to a doubling of CO2 concentrations from a present-day Earthlike climate, storm tracks shift about 0.8° poleward, somewhat less than but in qualitative agreement with studies using moist GCMs. About 63% (0.5°) of the poleward shift is shown to be caused by tropical convective stability variations. This demonstrates that tropical processes alone (the increased dry static stability of a warmer moist adiabat) can account for part of the poleward shift of storm tracks under global warming. This poleward shift generally occurs in tandem with a poleward expansion of the Hadley circulation; however, the Hadley circulation expansion does not always parallel the storm track shift.
Physical changes associated with gamma doses on wood/polypropylene composites
Authors: Ndiaye Diène , Badji Ansou Malang , Tidjani Adams
Published: October 2013

The effect of gamma radiation on the morphology, thermal behavior and mechanical properties of wood polypropylene composites has been investigated. Simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have been performed on wood polymer composite (WPC) samples of 9.5 ± 0.1 mg. These samples were exposed to different gamma dose in the range 10–100 kGy. The results indicated that gamma radiation improves the mechanical properties while the thermal stability is decreased. With gamma radiation, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the micrographs became smoother and we can notice an improvement of interaction between polymer and wood fibers.
The impact response of environmental-friendly sandwich structures
Authors: Hassan M Z , Umer R , Balawi S , Cantwell W J
Published: October 2013

The low-velocity impact response of sandwich structures based on fully-recyclable skin and core materials has been investigated. Particular attention has been focused on structures based on self-reinforced polypropylene skins combined with a polypropylene honeycomb core. Two types of skin designs were considered, the first being based on a single ‘as-supplied’ monolithic self-reinforced polypropylene laminate and the second being manufactured from thin self-reinforced polypropylene sheets bonded together using a hot-melt polypropylene film. For comparative purposes, a limited number of tests have also been carried out on a more conventional GFRP/aluminium honeycomb sandwich structure. Drop-weight impact test have shown that all-polypropylene honeycomb sandwich structures absorb significant energy through plastic deformation in the composite skins as well as plastic buckling in the honeycomb core. It has also been shown that the design of the self-reinforced polypropylene skin has a significant effect on the energy-absorbing characteristics of the sandwich structure, with the performance of systems based on multiple layer skins greatly exceeding that observed following tests on a monolithic design. Tests on plain laminates also yielded similar conclusions, with multilayer systems offering much higher perforation resistances than their plain counterparts. Finally, it has been demonstrated that when the impact data are normalised by their respective areal densities, the all-polypropylene composites significantly out-perform GFRP/aluminium honeycomb sandwich structures.
Nitric Oxide Signaling Contributes to Ectopic Orofacial Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Sugiyama T. , Shinoda M. , Watase T. , Honda K. , Ito R. , Kaji K. , Urata K. , Lee J. , Ohara K. , Takahashi O. , Echizenya S. , Iwata K.
Published: October 2013

Inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury induces persistent ectopic pain which spreads to a wide area in the orofacial region. Its exact mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in relation to ectopic orofacial pain caused by IAN transection (IANX). We assessed the changes in mechanical sensitivity of the whisker pad skin following IANX, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the trigeminal ganglion (TG), and the functional significance of NO in relation to the mechanical allodynia following intra-TG administration of a chemical precursor to NO and selective nNOS inhibitors. IANX induced mechanical allodynia, which was diminished by intra-TG administration of selective nNOS inhibitors. NO metabolites and nNOS immunoreactive neurons innervating the lower lip were also increased in the TG. Intra-TG administration of nNOS substrate induced the mechanical allodynia. The present findings suggest that NO released from TG neurons regulates the excitability of TG neurons innervating the whisker pad skin, and the enhancement of TG neuronal excitability may underlie ectopic mechanical allodynia.