bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attenuation of hippocampal mossy fiber long‐term potentiation by low micromolar concentrations of zinc
Authors: Takeda Atsushi , Kanno Shingo , Sakurada Naomi , Ando Masaki , Oku Naoto
Published: May 2008

The role of zinc in long‐term potentiation (LTP) at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses is controversial because of the contrary results obtained when using zinc chelators. On the basis of the postulation that exogenous zinc enhances the action of zinc released from mossy fibers, mossy fiber LTP after tetanic stimulation (100 Hz, 1 sec) was checked in the presence of exogenous zinc at low micromolar concentrations. Mossy fiber LTP was significantly attenuated in the presence of 5–30 μM ZnCl2, and the amplitude of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials 60 min after tetanic stimulation was decreased to almost the basal level. Mossy fiber LTP was also attenuated in the presence of 5 μM ZnCl2 5 min after tetanic stimulation. The present study is the first to demonstrate that low micromolar concentrations of zinc attenuate mossy fiber LTP. When mossy fiber LTP was induced in the presence of CaEDTA and ZnAF‐2 DA, a membrane‐impermeable and a membrane‐permeable zinc chelator, respectively, extracellular and intracellular chelation of zinc enhanced a transient posttetanic potentiation (PTP) without altering LTP. It is likely that zinc released by tetanic stimulation is immediately taken up into the mossy fibers and attenuates mossy fiber PTP. These results suggest that attenuation of PTP rather than LTP at mossy fiber synapses is a more physiological role for endogenous zinc. Targeting molecules of zinc in mossy fiber LTP seem to be different between during and after LTP induction because of the differential synaptic activity between them. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hepatoprotective effects of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) against carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury in rats
Authors: Geetha Suryakumar , Jayamurthy Purushothaman , Pal Karan , Pandey Shweta , Kumar Ratan , Sawhney RC
Published: May 2008

BACKGROUND: Liver injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride are the best‐characterized system of xenobiotic‐induced hepatotoxicity and commonly used model for the screening of hepatoprotective activities of drugs. The present study evaluates the hepatoprotective activity of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), family Elaeagnaceae, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐induced liver injury in male albino rats. The study was performed on Sprague–Dawley male albino rats weighing about 180–200 g. The animals were pretreated with three different doses of leaf extract (50, 100 and 200 mg kg−1 body weight) for 5 days. Hepatotoxicity was induced by single oral administration of 1.5 mL CCl4 kg−1 body weight on the fifth day. The animals were then sacrificed and assessed for various biochemical parameters.

RESULTS: Administration of CCl4 significantly enhanced glutamate oxaloacetate transferase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transferase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin, and decreased total protein levels in the serum. Treatment with CCl4 also significantly decreased reduced glutathione (GSH), and decreased glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. CCl4 treatment also caused a significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation as assessed by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the tissue. Pretreatment of leaf extract at a concentration of 100 and 200 mg kg−1 body weight significantly (P < 0.05) protected the animals from CCl4‐induced liver injury. The extract significantly restricted the CCl4‐induced increase of GOT, GPT, ALP and bilirubin and better maintained protein levels in the serum. Further, it also enhanced GSH and decreased MDA levels.

CONCLUSION: The results show that sea buckthorn leaf extract has significant hepatoprotective effects which might be due to its antioxidant activity and can be developed as a nutraceutical or food supplement against liver diseases. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Neurotherapeutics in multiple sclerosis: Novel agents and emerging treatment strategies
Authors: DeAngelis Tracy , Lublin Fred
Published: May 2008

New insights into the complex immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis have led to a proliferation of promising new therapeutic strategies. While the current armamentarium of immunomodulatory medications has demonstrated beneficial effects on the disease, more effective and tolerable therapies are needed. Several novel therapeutic strategies under investigation include oral therapies, monoclonal antibodies, symptomatic treatments, insights into neuroprotection and repair as well as combination regimens. New therapies may prove more efficacious and tolerable than the available arsenal of treatments; however, decisions regarding first‐line therapies will expectedly become more complicated, with greater influence if risk‐to‐benefit ratios in light of premature safety data. Biomarker profiles may help elucidate disease subtypes as well as therapeutic response in an effort to individualize treatment choice. This review will highlight recent promising therapeutic strategies under investigation in the field of MS. Mt Sinai J Med 75: 157–167, 2008 © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Management of cystic fibrosis related diabetes: A survey of UK cystic fibrosis centers
Authors: Mohan Kamlesh , Miller Helen , Burhan Hassan , Ledson Martin J. , Walshaw Martin J.
Published: May 2008

Introduction

Cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD), a poor prognostic factor in cystic fibrosis (CF), is an increasing problem and guidelines regarding its management have recently been published. However, the evidence base for CFRD screening and diagnosis is not comprehensive and its current management in the UK is unknown. We therefore conducted a questionnaire survey of all recognized UK CF centers to assess clinical practice and determine adherence to these recent recommendations.

Methods

A questionnaire survey (regarding screening, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of CFRD) sent to all 45 recognized CF centers (>50 patients) in the UK.

Results

Completed questionnaires were returned by 37 centers (82%). Although 35 (95%) centers screened patients annually for CFRD, 12 (34%) used a single investigation whereas the remaining 23 (66%) used two or more methods. As regards diagnosis only 11 (30%) used the recommended combination of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and serial glucose monitoring, with 18 (49%) using OGTT alone. Insulin was the preferred treatment of choice in 36 (97%) centers, and pediatric centers were less likely to use oral hypoglycemic agents (4/17 vs. 9/16; χ2 = 3.6, P < 0.05). 29 (78%) centers carried out an annual diabetes review and in 34 (92%) patients were cared for jointly between the CF and endocrinology teams. Glycosylated hemoglobin and serial glucose monitoring were the most common investigations used to monitor glycemic control.

Conclusions

This survey highlights the disparities in the management of CFRD with regards to screening and diagnostic practice, and poor adherence to national guidelines. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:642–647. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Atypical invasive aspergillosis in a neutropenic child
Authors: Nyman A.G. , Peters M. , Jaffe A. , Sonnappa S.
Published: May 2008

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate requiring a high index of clinical suspicion in susceptible patients. We report an atypical presentation of IA, not previously published. A 2‐year‐old girl with underlying neuroblastoma developed IA, which manifested as fungal pneumonia associated with an intrabronchial polypoid mass. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:717–720. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A drop in gas temperature in the external part of the endotracheal tube is problematic during neonatal respiratory support
Authors: Yamada Yasumasa , Kyuno Teruo , Suzuki Satoshi , Ito Tetsuya , Kato Ineko , Togari Hajime
Published: May 2008

During neonatal respiratory support, maintaining optimal humidity minimizes the risk of airway occlusion and chronic lung disease. With neonatal respiratory support using a heated humidifier,condensation following decreases in temperature within the unheated part of the inspiratory circuit represents a serious problem, due to the resulting drop in absolute humidity. Several reports describing the temperature/humidity gradient in the unheated inspiratory limb have excluded the endotracheal tube (ETT). The present study investigated the extent to which the temperature gradient in the ETT affects breathing gas conditioning in premature infants, who display tiny minute volumes. By measuring temperature/dew point at various sites along the inspiratory circuit, including inside the ETT, we evaluated the effects of temperature change in the ETT using an in vitro model of a micropremie on mechanical respirator care in an incubator. We confirmed significant moisture loss (absolute humidity loss; 7.5–10.1 mg/L) with decreasing gas temperature in the ETT external to the body, with subsequent drying of the gas (relative humidity drop, 10.7–22.3%) as temperature increased in the ETT inside the body. The present results suggest that temperature decreases in the ETT represent an important issue in the respiratory care of very premature infants. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:666–673. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cloud‐resolving ensemble simulations of the August 2005 Alpine flood
Authors: Hohenegger Cathy , Walser André , Langhans Wolfgang , Schär Christoph
Published: May 2008

In this study we explore the potential benefits of applying a cloud‐resolving ensemble prediction system (EPS; 2.2 km grid spacing) over its driving synoptic‐scale limited‐area EPS (COSMO‐LEPS, 10 km grid spacing, driven by the ECMWF EPS) for a case of heavy precipitation over the Alpine region. The selected event is the devastating August 2005 flood that affected the northern Alpine slopes. The cloud‐resolving EPS includes an explicit treatment of deep convection and dynamically downscales the COSMO‐LEPS information. Results are compared against rain‐gauge and radar data. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the results to initial versus lateral boundary uncertainties are analyzed using a series of additional simulations.

Comparison of the cloud‐resolving and its driving limited‐area EPS pinpoints the high skill of both ensembles in simulating the major phase of heavy precipitation. The high‐resolution EPS yields more realistic rain amounts, in particular in areas of active convection, but in general the resolution‐induced differences tend to be smaller than typical member‐to‐member variability. The differences between the two ensembles can be tied to the synoptic situation (stratiform or convective precipitation, location of the cyclone), to the mesoscale interaction of the flow with the topography (flow over the Alpine ridge), and to the experimental set‐up (lead time and computational domain).

For the considered event and set‐up, the growth of initial perturbations dominates over lateral boundary uncertainties during the first ∼12 integration hours. Afterwards, the ensemble spread is controlled by large‐scale error growth advected from the lateral boundaries into the domain. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Late collapse of distal radius fractures after K-wire removal: is it significant?
Authors: Kurup H. V. , Mandalia V. M. , Shaju K. A. , Singh B. , Beaumont A. R.
Published: May 2008

Background

The aim of this study was to find out whether distal radius fractures treated by Kirschner wire (K wire) fixation loose reduction after wire removal and analyze the variables may influence this.

Materials and methods

Patients who underwent K wire fixation for unstable fractures of distal radius over a period of 3 years were included in this retrospective study. Fractures were classified according to AO classification. Radiographs taken just prior to removal of K wires and radiographs taken at least 1 month after wire removal were analyzed to study three radiological parameters; Palmar or dorsal tilt, radial inclination and ulnar variance. Loss of these angles was analyzed statistically against variables like age, sex, AO classification and duration of fixation.

Results

59 fractures were analyzed with mean age of 56 years and male to female ratio of 1:2. Average loss of radial tilt was 2.6°, loss of palmar tilt was 2.6° and loss of ulnar variance was 1.3 mm.

Conclusions

We found that distal radius fractures treated by percutaneous K wire fixation, did not suffer significant loss of reduction of fracture position after removal of wires. This remains true regardless of age, sex, fracture type according to AO type or duration of wire fixation.
Severe neurological crisis in a patient with hereditary tyrosinaemia type I after interruption of NTBC treatment
Authors: Schlump J.‐U. , Perot C. , Ketteler K. , Schiff M. , Mayatepek E. , Wendel U. , Spiekerkoetter U.
Published: May 2008

Neurological crises do not occur in patients with tyrosinaemia type I treated with NTBC. We report an 8 month‐old boy with severe neurological crisis after interruption of NTBC treatment including progressive ascending polyneuropathy and diaphragmatic paralysis, arterial hypertension, respiratory distress requiring mechanical ventilation who later also developed impaired liver function and tubulopathy. After re‐introduction of NTBC the patient slowly regained normal neurological functions and recovered completely.
Unusual complication following trauma to a bone-anchored hearing aid: case report and literature review
Authors: McDermott A-L , Barraclough J , Reid A P
Published: May 2008

Objective:

We report the second published case of a child with a serious traumatic injury involving the fixture and abutment of their bone-anchored hearing aid.

Method:

Case reports and review of the world literature concerning unusual complications following trauma to bone-anchored hearing aids.

Results:

A nine-year-old girl with Dubowitz syndrome sustained an intrusion injury of her bone-anchored hearing aid fixture and abutment following a fall. No other injury was sustained, and there was no neurological complication. The patient underwent immediate removal of the implant and subsequently made a full recovery. Such serious and unusual complications are fortunately very rare. On review of the literature, four cases of similar complications were identified. Only one involved a traumatic injury in a child.

Conclusion:

Provision of bone-anchored hearing aids involves many clinicians. All clinicians involved in this procedure must be aware of the need to monitor their patients carefully, and to remember that unusual and unexpected complications, although rare, do happen. The patient's need for care continues long after the surgery is complete.
Impact of communication on consumers' food choices
Authors: Verbeke Wim
Published: May 2008

Consumers' food choices and dietary behaviour can be markedly affected by communication and information. Whether the provided information is processed by the receiver, and thus becomes likely to be effective, depends on numerous factors. The role of selected determinants such as uncertainty, knowledge, involvement, health-related motives and trust, as well as message content variables, are discussed in the present paper based on previous empirical studies. The different studies indicate that: uncertainty about meat quality and safety does not automatically result in more active information search; subjective knowledge about fish is a better predictor of fish consumption than objective knowledge; high subjective knowledge about functional foods as a result of a low trusted information source such as mass media advertising leads to a lower probability of adopting these foods in the diet. Also, evidence of the stronger impact of negative news as compared with messages promoting positive outcomes of food choices is discussed. Finally, three audience-segmentation studies based on consumers' involvement with fresh meat, individuals' health-related-motive orientations and their use of and trust in fish information sources are presented. A clear message from these studies is that communication and information provision strategies targeted to a specific audience's needs, interests or motives stand a higher likelihood of being attended to and processed by the receiving audience, and therefore also stand a higher chance of yielding their envisaged impact in terms of food choice and dietary behaviour.
Physiological changes in the gastrointestinal tract and host protective immunity: learning from the mouse-Trichinella spiralismodel
Authors: Khan W. I.
Published: May 2008

Infection and inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract induces a number of changes in the GI physiology of the host. Experimental infections with parasites represent valuable models to study the structural and physiological changes in the GI tract. This review addresses research on the interface between the immune system and GI physiology, dealing specifically with 2 major components of intestinal physiology, namely mucin production and muscle function in relation to host defence, primarily based on studies using the mouse-Trichinella spiralissystem. These studies demonstrate that the infection-induced T helper 2 type immune response is critical in generating the alterations of infection-induced mucin production and muscle function, and that this immune-mediated alteration in gut physiology is associated with host defence mechanisms. In addition, by manipulating the host immune response, it is possible to modulate the accompanying physiological changes, which may have clinical relevance. In addition to enhancing our understanding of immunological control of GI physiological changes in the context of host defence against enteric infections, the data acquired using the mouse-T. spiralismodel provide a basis for understanding the pathophysiology of a wide range of GI disorders associated with altered gut physiology.
The suitability of the fuel used for motor-sledging on Scott's last expedition, 1910–1913
Authors: McIntyre Cameron P. , Volk Herbert , Batts Barry D. , George Simon C.
Published: May 2008

The fuel used for motor-sledging during Scott's 1910–1913 expedition has been reanalysed to assess its suitability for that task in Antarctica. A research octane number of 65 and volatility were low compared with modern fuels but probably suitable when considering the design of the flathead engine. The findings are consistent with view that engine design was the primary cause of the mechanical failings.
A further note on the Belgica project
Authors: Loy Walter
Published: May 2008

Further progress is reported concerning the preservation of Belgica, currently a wreck in Norwegian waters. The construction of a full sized replica of the ship has been commenced.
Ontology change: classification and survey
Authors: FLOURIS GIORGOS , MANAKANATAS DIMITRIS , KONDYLAKIS HARIDIMOS , PLEXOUSAKIS DIMITRIS , ANTONIOU GRIGORIS
Published: May 2008

Ontologies play a key role in the advent of the Semantic Web. An important problem when dealing with ontologies is the modification of an existing ontology in response to a certain need for change. This problem is a complex and multifaceted one, because it can take several different forms and includes several related subproblems, like heterogeneity resolution or keeping track of ontology versions. As a result, it is being addressed by several different, but closely related and often overlapping research disciplines. Unfortunately, the boundaries of each such discipline are not clear, as the same term is often used with different meanings in the relevant literature, creating a certain amount of confusion. The purpose of this paper is to identify the exact relationships between these research areas and to determine the boundaries of each field, by performing a broad review of the relevant literature.
Electrical conductivity and lattice expansion of β-Ga2O3 below room temperature
Authors: Víllora Encarnación G. , Shimamura Kiyoshi , Ujiie Takekazu , Aoki Kazuo
Published: May 2008

The temperature dependence of the electrical properties of β-Ga2O3 is analyzed from liquid helium to room temperature by Hall measurements. Below 100K, the carrier motion takes place within the impurity conduction band and it shows a power-law dependence. An electrostructural coupling is ascertained. Thermal activation in the conduction band is observed above 100K, with an activation energy Ea=7meV. Thermal conductivity is measured to 13Wm−1K−1. Further, it is shown that Ti is a good Ohmic electrode for n-type β-Ga2O3 substrates.
Growth mechanism for spherical carbon particles in a dc methane plasma
Authors: Nagai Tatsuzo , Feng Zongbao , Kono Akihiko , Shoji Fumiya
Published: May 2008

The growth mechanism for spherical carbon particles of micron sizes observed in a vertically excited CH4∕Ar columnar plasma [F. Shoji, Z. Feng, A. Kono, and T. Nagai, Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 171504 (2006)] is investigated theoretically, based on a model in which the particles are negatively charged in the plasma sheath region where they grow by capturing graphite onions with a diameter of ca. 10nm and a positive charge. A balance of gravity and electric force keeps the particles in the sheath region during their growth. It is found that the particle radius initially increases linearly with time and then approaches a saturation radius, and that the center of gravity of the particle executes a simple harmonic oscillation about its balance position with a characteristic frequency of the order of 10Hz determined by its specific charge, gravity, and sheath structure.
Interband dot-to-well transitions in InAs∕InGaAs dots in a well probed via photocurrent and electroluminescence spectroscopy
Authors: Defensor M. , Magusara V. , Estacio E. , Mateo C. , Somintac A. , Salvador A.
Published: May 2008

Hole states of InAs∕InGaAs dots in a well are optically probed by observing interband–quantum well (QW)–quantum dot (QD) transitions through photocurrent and electroluminescence (EL) spectroscopy. We find multiple sharp peaks with spacing in the range of 10–20meV in between the expected QD and the QW signals. The spacing and the observed temperature dependent EL suggest that the features are brought about by transitions between the QW electron ground state and the QD hole states. The data extracted from these transitions provide experimental values for the QD hole confinement energies, which can potentially aid in the verification of theoretical models in QD structures.
Mesoscale reverse stick-slip nanofriction behavior of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube superlattices
Authors: Lou J. , Ding F. , Lu H. , Goldman J. , Sun Y. , Yakobson B. I.
Published: May 2008

Characteristics of sliding friction behaviors of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) superlattices have been investigated in this letter. Friction force was measured using both regular atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe and colloidal AFM probe consisting of a 15μm diameter borosilicate sphere attached to the end of regular cantilever. A distinct reverse stick-slip behavior was observed in the current study compared to the usual stick-slip behavior reported in literature. It was found that this reverse stick-slip behavior was primarily due to the combined effects of surface topology and elastic deformation of CNTs, which were verified by experiments and atomistic simulations.
A Bayesian estimator of protein–protein association probabilities
Authors: Gilmore Jason M. , Auberry Deanna L. , Sharp Julia L. , White Amanda M. , Anderson Kevin K. , Daly Don S.
Published: May 2008

Summary: The Bayesian Estimator of Protein–Protein Association Probabilities (BEPro aff3) is a software tool for estimating probabilities of protein–protein association between bait and prey protein pairs using data from multiple-bait, multiple-replicate, protein liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry LC–MS/MS affinity isolation experiments.

Availability: BEPro 3 is public domain software, has been tested on WIndows XP, Linux and Mac OS, and is freely available from http://www.pnl.gov/statistics/BEPro3.

Contact:  ds.daly@pnl.gov

Supplementary Information: A user guide, example dataset with analysis and additional documentation are included with the BEPro 3 download.
MALDI‐TOF MS analysis of labile Lolium perenne major allergens in mixes
Authors: Irañeta S. G. , Acosta D. M. , Duran R. , Apicella C. , Orlando U. D. , Seoane M. A. , Alonso A. , Duschak V. G.
Published: May 2008

Background
It is well known that allergen extracts used for specific therapy of allergic disorders are commonly stored as mixtures, causing an alteration of its stability.

Objective
The aim of this report is to identify pollen allergens susceptible to degradation during storage of mixtures containing different sources of proteases in the absence of glycerol as a preserving agent.

Methods
Mixes containing Lolium perenne (Lol p) pollen extract with either Aspergillus fumigatus or Periplaneta americana extracts were prepared and co‐incubated for 90 days at 4 °C. Samples were taken off at fixed times and comparatively tested by in vitro and in vivo assays with atopic patients. Selected pollinic allergens were subjected to MALDI‐TOF MS analysis.

Results
ELISA inhibition evidenced the loss of potency from ryegrass extract, and immunoblotting assays showed the degradation of specific pollinic allergens during storage of mixtures containing protease‐rich sources. An in vivo intradermal skin assay confirmed the gradual loss of the biological activity of L. perenne pollen extract co‐incubated with non‐related protease‐rich extracts in comparison with that of the control pollen extract. MALDI‐TOF MS analysis allowed us to determine that Lol p 1 and Lol p 5 are susceptible to proteolysis whereas Lol p 4 was found to be resistant to degradation during storage.

Conclusions
Lol p 1 and Lol p 5 degradation is responsible for the loss of the biological activity of L. perenne pollen extract when co‐incubated with protease‐rich fungal and cockroach extracts in the same vial for months in the absence of glycerol as a preserving agent. The integrity of these major allergens must be preserved to increase the vaccine stability and to assure efficacy when mixes are used for immunotherapy.
δ18O of water vapour, evapotranspiration and the sites of leaf water evaporation in a soybean canopy
Authors: WELP LISA R. , LEE XUHUI , KIM KYOUNGHEE , GRIFFIS TIMOTHY J. , BILLMARK KAYCIE A. , BAKER JOHN M.
Published: May 2008

Stable isotopes in water have the potential to diagnose changes in the earth's hydrological budget in response to climate change and land use change. However, there have been few measurements in the vapour phase. Here, we present high‐frequency measurements of oxygen isotopic compositions of water vapour (δv) and evapotranspiration (δET) above a soybean canopy using the tunable diode laser (TDL) technique for the entire 2006 growing season in Minnesota, USA. We observed a large variability in surface δv from the daily to the seasonal timescales, largely explained by Rayleigh processes, but also influenced by vertical atmospheric mixing, local evapotranspiration (ET) and dew formation. We used δET measurements to calculate the isotopic composition at the sites of evaporative enrichment in leaves (δL,e) and compared that with the commonly used steady‐state prediction (δL,s). There was generally a good agreement averaged over the season, but larger differences on individual days. We also found that vertical variability in relative humidity and temperature associated with canopy structure must be addressed in canopy‐scale leaf water models. Finally, we explored this data set for direct evidence of the Péclet effect.
Levator trauma is associated with pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Dietz HP , Simpson JM
Published: May 2008

Objective  To estimate the risk of prolapse associated with levator avulsion injury among a urogynaecological clinic population.

Design  Retrospective observational study.

Setting  Tertiary urogynaecological unit.

Sample  A total of 934 women seen for interview, examination using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP‐Q) staging system and imaging of the levator ani muscle by four‐dimensional translabial ultrasound.

Methods  Retrospective review of charts and stored imaging data.

Main outcome measures  Pelvic organ prolapse stage II and higher and presence of defects of the levator ani muscle.

Results  After exclusion of 137 women with a history of anti‐incontinence or prolapse surgery, and a further exclusion of 16 women in whom either examination or imaging was impossible, we compared prolapse and imaging data in 781 women. Mean age was 53 years (range 15–89 years), and median parity was 2 (range 0–12). Women reported stress incontinence (76%), urge incontinence (69%), frequency (47%), nocturia (49%) and symptoms of prolapse (38%). Significant prolapse (stage II or higher) was diagnosed in 415 (53%) women, and 181 (23%) women were found to have levator avulsion defects. Prolapse was seen in 150/181 (83%) women with avulsion and in 265/600 (44%) women without avulsion, giving a relative risk (RR) of 1.9 (95% CI 1.7–2.1). The association was strongest for cystocele (RR 2.3, 95% CI 2.0–2.7) and uterine prolapse (RR 4.0, 95% CI 2.5–6.5).

Conclusions  Women with levator avulsion defects were about twice as likely to show pelvic organ prolapse of stage II or higher than those without. This effect is mainly due to an increased risk of cystocele and uterine prolapse.
Too Many Preachers? Black Participation in the Ministry in Northern U.S. Cities during the Great Migration
Authors: Boyd Robert L.
Published: May 2008

Past studies have claimed that during the Great Migration the church participation of southern black migrants in northern cities was weakened by the circumstances of urban life. The present study, building on theories of subculture formation and the ethnic niche, challenges this claim by examining the participation of blacks in a religious occupation: the ministry. An analysis of Census data suggests that, in those northern cities with relatively large black populations, a “critical mass” of blacks created by in‐migration helped to support the entry of blacks into the ministry. The findings are consistent with the assertion that the Great Migration stimulated the church participation of blacks in these cities. They are also in agreement with the argument that the size and distinctive cultural traditions of an ethnic minority group may, together, sustain some of the group's members in a special occupational niche.
Percutaneous Lysis of Epidural Adhesions—Evidence for Safety and Efficacy
Authors: Racz Gabor B. , Heavner James E. , Trescot Andrea
Published: May 2008

▪ Abstract

Background:  Percutaneous lysis of epidural adhesions is done worldwide. Over 1.7 million of these procedures were done in the U.S.A. by 2006. This interventional pain management technique is used to treat chronic low back pain (LBP) and/or radiculopathy. The primary object of the approach is to target drug delivery to areas of pathology in the spinal epidural space. The procedure involves removing barriers, such as epidural fibrosis, that prevent drug from reaching target sites.

Literature search:  Primary sources of information for this manuscript include: (1) 2 systematic literature reviews that include literature published through September 2006; (2) expert opinions; and (3) peer reviewed publications from September 2006 to January 2008. The focus was on percutaneous entry using catheters via the sacral hiatus to treat pain in the lumbosacral region.

Results:  The evidence is strong for short‐term efficacy (3 months) and moderate for long‐term efficacy (greater than 3 months). Complications do occur, but limited literature exists that documents incidence.

Conclusion:  The cumulative evidence through January 2008 show that percutaneous adhesiolysis with targeted drug delivery is an effective treatment for LBP and/or radiculopathy. ▪
Staff attitudes about event reporting and patient safety culture in hospital transfusion services
Authors: Sorra Joann , Nieva Veronica , Fastman Barbara Rabin , Kaplan Harold , Schreiber George , King Melissa
Published: May 2008

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how transfusion service staff view issues pertaining to event reporting and patient safety. The goal of this study was to assess transfusion service staff attitudes about these issues.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A survey was developed and administered to 945 transfusion service staff from 43 hospital transfusion services in the United States and 10 in Canada. The overall response rate was 73 percent (693 responses), with a mean of 15 respondents per site.

RESULTS: While events resulting in patient harm are reported (91%) as well as mistakes not corrected that could cause harm (79%), less than one‐third of respondents report deviations from procedures with no apparent potential to harm (31%) and mistakes that staff catch and correct on their own (27%). Staff indicated that the main reasons mistakes happen are interruptions (51%) and staff in other departments not knowing or understanding proper procedures (49%). Staff had overall positive attitudes about event reporting, but a significant minority were afraid of punitive consequences. Most were positive about their supervisor's safety actions and believed that their transfusion service tries to identify causes of mistakes. Only 31 percent, however, agreed that nursing staff would work with the transfusion service to reduce mistakes.

CONCLUSION: Overall, the transfusion services had very positive attitudes about event reporting and safety culture. Transfusion services do well recording events that result in patient harm or have the potential for harm, but there is a need to increase reporting of deviations from procedures and mistakes that staff catch and correct on their own. In addition, there are a few areas of safety culture that warrant improvement, particularly the transfusion service's work relationship with nursing staff. The study provides useful descriptive information about how staff view event reporting and safety‐related issues and identifies strengths and areas for improvement.
Cutaneous adverse drug reactions during chemotherapy: consider non‐antineoplastic drugs
Authors: Bursztejn A. C. , Tréchot Ph. , Cuny J. F. , Schmutz J. L. , Barbaud A.
Published: May 2008

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADR) during chemotherapy are not rare, but difficult to manage. Case 1, a 49‐year‐old man was treated with 5‐fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin for a pancreatic tumour. He developed a generalized urticaria during his seventh course of chemotherapy. 2 months later, skin tests determined a granisetron allergy with an ondansetron cross‐reaction. Substituting the anti‐emetic allowed continuation of the chemotherapy. Case 2, a 44‐year‐old woman, having recurring breast cancer that was treated with doxorubicin, and docetaxel developed a maculo‐papular rash (MPR) the day after the first chemotherapy treatment. 2 weeks later, skin tests determined a corticosteroid class A allergy. Using a class C corticosteroid, no other reaction occurred. Case 3, a 44‐year‐old woman, having breast cancer treated with 5‐fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, and epirubicin developed an MPR after the second chemotherapy treatment. 12 days later, skin tests showed a granisetron allergy. Using alizapride, chemotherapy was continued with no further reaction. CADR necessitate a thorough investigation, modified according to the patient’s chemotherapy treatment chronology and precautions while testing the molecules. Tests are rarely carried out, however, these tests allow for continuation of effective chemotherapy once the responsible agent has been determined. The 3 cases reported underline the role of complementary treatment and the necessity to test those molecules.
DETERMINING THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CHERRY TOMATO VARIETIES FOR HANDLING
Authors: KABAS ONDER , OZMERZI AZIZ
Published: May 2008

Tomatoes, like other vegetables, are susceptible to different kinds of damage during and after harvest. Such damage is a major cause of quality loss in fruit. In order to reduce these losses, it is necessary to know the mechanical properties of the fruit. These mechanical properties of tomato were determined in terms of average rupture force, deformation energy, specific deformation and modulus of elasticity. Variance analysis was carried out on three tomato varieties, and the difference between the mean values was investigated by the least significant difference test. Mean values were represented with the standard error.

The results provide useful data to be used by engineers in the design of sorting, grading and packing machines, equipment for loading and unloading, storage structures, drying equipment, (all postharvest operations), harvesting machines and conveyors.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Our aim for this research is to get useful data for engineers in the design of sorting, grading and packing machines, equipment for loading and unloading, storage structures, drying equipment, harvesting machines and conveyors.
GELLING BEHAVIOR OF RICE FLOUR DISPERSIONS AT DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF SOLIDS AND TIME OF HEATING
Authors: KAPRI ALKA , BHATTACHARYA SUVENDU
Published: May 2008

Rice flour dispersions, under suitable conditions of processing, can form a gel. The effect of concentration of solids (10–18%) and time (0–75 min) of processing on textural attributes, and viscoelasticity were investigated along with sensory attributes. The textural attribute determined is gel strength, while viscoelasticity was determined in terms of mechanical spectra like storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″), complex viscosity (η*) and loss factor (tan δ) during a frequency sweep varying from 0.01 to 40 Hz at a constant stress of 25 Pa. Microstructural observation indicates the swelling of starch granules in the beginning of heating, while damaged granule and leached‐out materials are visible at the end of the gelling process. Desirability function analysis has been applied to obtain a rice gel with acceptable textural attributes; a solid concentration of 15.2% and a heating time of 75 min can lead to the development of a gel with a satisfaction level of 0.6.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Rice flour gels in the form of hard‐set gels, porridges and spreads are popular in several parts of the world particularly for feeding of infants and children. The application of the present study lies in understanding the role of major processing variables on the quality attributes and viscoelasticity of a product, characterization of cooked gels and for developing rice flour‐based food gels. The findings may also be extended for the development of other cereal‐based gels.
Preemptive Federalism or Regulatory Dismantlement? The Bush Administration's Implementation of the Federal Coal Mining Reclamation Program
Authors: Davis Charles
Published: May 2008

This article examines the implementation of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) under the administration of President George W. Bush. It addresses a problem that is both conceptual and practical: how does a chief executive deal with policies that are at odds with each other? While the original purpose of SMCRA was to reclaim lands adversely affected by coal mining operations, I suggest that implementation efforts since 2001 have placed greater emphasis upon coal production than upon the maintenance of reclamation standards. This has been achieved by combining the factors often found within policy implementation approaches with the discretionary use of executive authority. The net result is that the president's preferred policy position, i.e., the development of domestic energy resources, has been enhanced despite some cost to countervailing policy goals, i.e., the conservation of water quality and wildlife in Appalachia.
Use of biodegradable urethane‐based adhesives to appose meniscal defect edges in an ovine model: a preliminary study
Authors: FIELD JR , GUNATILLAKE P , ADHIKARI R , RAMSHAW JAM , WERKMEISTER JA
Published: May 2008

Objective  To evaluate the biological response to two urethane‐based adhesives used to repair full thickness meniscal wounds created in the partially vascularised (red‐white) zone.

Design  An ovine bilateral meniscal defect model was used to evaluate the initial biological response of the meniscal cartilage and synovium over a 1‐month period. A 10‐mm full‐thickness defect was created in the medial meniscus of each femorotibial joint. The defects were either left untreated or repaired using the urethane‐based adhesives. Synovial fluid, synovial membrane and the meniscal cartilages were retrieved at necropsy for cytological and histological assessment.

Results  The ovine model proved to be a suitable system for examining meniscal repair. Untreated defects showed no tissue apposition or cellular healing response, whereas all eight defects repaired with the two urethane‐based adhesive formulations showed signs of repair and tissue regeneration with indications of cell infiltration and new collagen deposition in and around the polymer. No adverse cellular response to the adhesives was observed in the meniscal defect or in the synovial membrane and fluid.

Conclusion  Trauma to the knee commonly results in tears to the meniscal cartilage, with the majority of these occurring in the partially vascularised (red‐white) or non‐vascularised (white) zones of the meniscus. Repair, and subsequent healing, of these tears is poor because of the reduced vascularity and limited surgical access. The present data indicate that an ovine model is a suitable system for examining meniscal repair, and that development of urethane‐based adhesives offers a strategy that may be clinically effective for the treatment of these injuries.
The Power of Expectation – Understanding the Placebo and Nocebo Phenomenon
Authors: Rief Winfried , Hofmann Stefan G. , Nestoriuc Yvonne
Published: May 2008

Although placebo pills are supposed to have no pharmacological activity, people taking placebo pills describe a variety of positive (i.e., placebo phenomenon) and negative (i.e., nocebo phenomenon) reactions. This has major clinical implications. Placebo reactions account for a substantial part of improvement when treating patients with hypertension, mental disorders, and even after surgical procedures. The nocebo phenomenon on the other hand is responsible for non‐compliance and discontinuation of many pharmaceutical interventions. Mechanisms that underlie the placebo and nocebo effects may be related to expectation and/or classical conditioning, but some methodological issues should also be considered. Most experimental studies investigating the placebo effect have used paradigms to induce ‘placebo analgesia’, the reduction of pain perception after receiving an inert substance and an instruction that this medication would relieve pain. This paradigm allows investigators to examine the neurobiological circuitry of the placebo response using neuroimaging techniques.
‘The Inner Citadels of the Color Line’: Mapping the Micro‐Ecology of Racial Segregation in Everyday Life Spaces
Authors: Dixon John , Tredoux Colin , Durrheim Kevin , Finchilescu Gillian , Clack Beverley
Published: May 2008

The role of racial segregation in perpetuating racial prejudice and inequality has been widely investigated by social scientists. Most research has concentrated on the macro‐sociological organization of institutions of residence, education and employment. In this paper, we suggest that such work may be usefully complemented by research that investigates the so‐called ‘micro‐ecology of segregation’ in everyday life spaces – the dynamic, largely informal network of social practices through which individuals maintain racial isolation within settings where members of other race groups are physically co‐present. Developing this argument, we discuss some historical examples of research on the micro‐ecological dimension of race segregation in the United States. We also draw examples from an ongoing program of work on everyday practices of contact and segregation in post‐apartheid South Africa. The paper concludes by exploring some conceptual and methodological implications of treating racial segregation as a micro‐ecological practice.
Orai, STIM1 and iPLA2β: a view from a different perspective
Authors: Bolotina Victoria M.
Published: May 2008

The mechanism of store‐operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) remains one of the intriguing mysteries in the field of Ca2+ signalling. Recent discoveries have resulted in the molecular identification of STIM1 as a Ca2+ sensor in endoplasmic reticulum, Orai1 (CRACM1) as a plasma membrane channel that is activated by the store‐operated pathway, and iPLA2β as an essential component of signal transduction from the stores to the plasma membrane channels. Numerous studies have confirmed that molecular knock‐down of any one of these three molecules impair SOCE in a wide variety of cell types, but their mutual relations are far from being understood. This report will focus on the functional roles of Orai1, STIM1 and iPLA2β, and will address some specific questions about Orai1 and TRPC1, and their relation to SOC channels in excitable and non‐excitable cells. Also, it will analyse the novel role of STIM1 as a trigger for CIF production, and the complex relationship between STIM1 and Orai1 expression, puncta formation and SOCE activation. It will highlight some of the most recent findings that may challenge simple conformational coupling models of SOCE, and will offer some new perspectives on the complex relationships between Orai1, STIM1 and iPLA2β in the SOCE pathway.
Present Status and Temporal Trends of Organochlorine Contaminants in Young-of-the-Year Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius) from Lake Ontario
Authors: Suns K. , Hitchin G. , Adamek E.
Published: May 2008

Contaminant residue data from Ontario nearshore collections of young-of-the-year spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) were used to assess present status and temporal trends of bioavailable organochlorine contaminants in Lake Ontario. PCB residues in spottail shiners were in excess of the International Joint Commission Aquatic Life Guideline at 11 of the 14 sites sampled in 1987; mirex residues exceeded the Guideline at 7 of the 14 sites sampled. PCB and total DDT residues in the recent shiner collections were significantly (p < 0.01) lower relative to residue levels in collections in the 1970's. However, residue declines have slowed during the 1980's. Thus, PCB residues in spottail shiners declined by 69% over a 5-yr interval (1975–80) whereas residues declined only by 17% at the same sites during the following 7-yr interval (1980–87). Residues of hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, aldrin, total hexachlorocyclohexane, octachlorostyrene, total chlordane, and toxaphene were generally near their detection limits in all shiner collections. A Forage Fish Contaminant Index was established for the purpose of ranking the collection sites in relative order of contamination to assess the need for point-source investigations.