bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Capture–Recapture Estimation Using Finite Mixtures of Arbitrary Dimension
Authors: Arnold Richard , Hayakawa Yu , Yip Paul
Published: June 2009

SummaryReversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) methods are used to fit Bayesian capture–recapture models incorporating heterogeneity in individuals and samples. Heterogeneity in capture probabilities comes from finite mixtures and/or fixed sample effects allowing for interactions. Estimation by RJMCMC allows automatic model selection and/or model averaging. Priors on the parameters stabilize the estimates and produce realistic credible intervals for population size for overparameterized models, in contrast to likelihood‐based methods. To demonstrate the approach we analyze the standard Snowshoe hare and Cottontail rabbit data sets from ecology, a reliability testing data set.
Aging‐Induced Double Ferroelectric Hysteresis Loops and Asymmetric Coercivity in As‐Deposited BiFe0.95Zn0.05O3 Thin Film
Authors: Cui Shougang , Hu Guangda , Wu Weibing , Yang Changhong , Jiao Lili , Wen Zheng
Published: June 2009

The BiFe0.95Zn0.05O3 (BFZO) thin film was fabricated on indium tin oxide/glass substrate using a metal organic decomposition method combined with sequential layer annealing. Double ferroelectric hysteresis loops were observed in the as‐deposited film, indicating that the film is partially aged. This aging phenomenon can be attributed to the formation of defect complexes between oxygen vacancies and acceptors of

in the film. The nonreversible transition from double ferroelectric hysteresis loop to the single one can occur during the course of increasing the applied electric field. More importantly, an asymmetry of the coercive field can be found to be strongly dependent on the magnitude and frequency of the electric field. This phenomenon was discussed based on the asymmetric driving force for domain backswitching in BFZO film with a preferential polarization.
Effect of Phosphorus Impurity on Tricalcium Silicate T1: From Synthesis to Structural Characterization
Authors: De Noirfontaine Marie‐Noëlle , Tusseau‐Nenez Sandrine , Signes‐Frehel Marcel , Gasecki Gilles , Girod‐Labianca Caroline
Published: June 2009

Alite is the major compound of anhydrous Portland cement: it is composed of tricalcium silicate Ca3SiO5 (C3S) modified in composition and crystal structure by ionic substitutions. Alite is also the main hydraulic phase of cement and the most important for subsequent strength development. Using raw meals (rich in Ca3P2O8) as alternative fuels in cement plants raises the question about the effect of phosphorus on C3S and its consequences on reactivity with water. This paper deals with a systematic study of C3S triclinic T1 polymorph doped with P2O5 in the range 0–0.9 wt%. All the samples were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron‐microprobe analysis. The appearance of a phase rich in phosphorus is shown. It displays a structure derivative of the α′H–Ca2SiO4 polymorph, noted α′H–C2S(P). As phosphorus content increases, C3S is more and more decomposed into free lime and α′H–C2S(P). The α′H phase was detected from 0.1 wt% P2O5 and located at the interfaces of C3S grains. Two identification keys are proposed in order to highlight the α′H–C2S(P) phase: the XRD angular window at 2θCu=32.8°–33.2° and a smooth aspect on SEM micrographs.
Boron Nitride‐Based Overcoat Thick Films for MoSi2 Planar Heating Elements
Authors: Kim Byeong Kon , Lee Hyung Sub , Jeong Cheol Weon , Han Dong Bin , Jeon Min Seok , Song Jun Kwang , Cho Yong Soo
Published: June 2009

This work first reports a boron nitride‐based dielectric system that is designed for MoSi2–based planar heating elements patterned on a regular 96% alumina substrate. The dielectric system is expected to function as an overcoat layer mainly to protect the printed heating elements from environments and to reduce thermal stress induced during thermal heating through improved heat dissipation. The boron nitride (BN) pastes mixed with a low softening glass of calcium barium aluminoborosilicate were screen printed onto MoSi2 thick films and then fired at a temperature of 900°C. The addition of BN was found to increase the thermal conductivity considerably without detrimental chemical reactions with glass constituents. For instance, the thick film containing 30 wt% BN was regarded as a promising composition from the supporting evidences of good adhesion with MoSi2, an increased thermal conductivity of ∼31 W·(m·K)−1, and a high electrical resistance of 4.7 × 1010Ω.
Structural Characterization and Luminescent Properties of a Red Phosphor Series: Y2−xEux(MoO4)3 (x=0.4–2.0)
Authors: Wang Sea‐Fue , Koteswara Rao K. , Wang Yuh‐Ruey , Hsu Yung‐Fu , Chen Shih‐Hsin , Lu Yi‐Ching
Published: June 2009

A series of rare earth molybdates, Y2−xEux(MoO4)3 for x=0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 were prepared by solid‐state method and their crystal structures, photo luminescent characteristics were investigated. The powders are mainly studied for their red light emission efficiency under near UV excitation. The crystal structures of the powders were found to depend on annealing temperature and the yttrium concentration. Mixtures of monoclinic (C2/c) and orthorhombic (Pba2, Pbna) structures were formed in varying proportions depending on the value of x and annealing temperatures (700°–800°C). The luminescence behavior depended on the resultant composition of the crystal phase and the Eu3+ concentration. The excitation spectra showed the characteristic and broad O→Mo charge transfer (CT) band of the MoO4 tetrahedra and the sharp intra‐configurational 4f–4f transitions of Eu3+ in the host lattice. The integrated emission ratio (5D0→7F2/5D0→7F1) of Eu3+ depends on the annealing temperature and reveals that the local site symmetry of Eu3+ ions decreases with increasing concentration of Eu3+. The emission spectra obtained by exciting at 396 nm, gave highest red emission intensity for Y0.4Eu1.6(MoO4)3 annealed at 700°C/6 h among this series of samples.
Sol–Gel Synthesis and Microstructure Analysis of Amino‐Modified Hybrid Silica Nanoparticles from Aminopropyltriethoxysilane and Tetraethoxysilane
Authors: Chen Song , Hayakawa Satoshi , Shirosaki Yuki , Fujii Eiji , Kawabata Koji , Tsuru Kanji , Osaka Akiyoshi
Published: June 2009

Agglomerated amino‐modified silica nanoparticles were prepared from a novel Stöber‐like precursor system consisting of aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), ethanol, and water where the molar ratio APTES/TEOS was 0, 0.1, 1.0, and 2.0, and the molar ratio H2O/‐SiOC2H5 was about 20 to 60, or great excess amounts of H2O were employed. APTES catalyzed the hydrolysis and condensation of both silanes. 29Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectra confirmed that the particles consisted of Qn species (Si(OSi)n(OH)4−n; n=2, 3, 4) and Tn species (NH2(CH2)3–Si(OSi)n(OH)3−n; n=2, 3). The APTES content in the precursor solutions controlled the agglomerating spherical particle size and morphology: 0.1 in the ratio APTES/TEOS led to almost independent spheres of 300–400 nm, while the larger ratios 1 and 2 led to ∼250 and ∼150 nm spheres, respectively, that were largely agglomerated and some were fused to look like peanut‐shells. When soaked in Kokubo's simulated body fluid, those amino‐modified particles deposited apatite. The mechanisms of particle formation and apatite deposition were discussed in terms of an intraparticle hydrated layer.
Dielectric Property of Aluminum‐Doped SiC Powder by Solid‐State Reaction
Authors: Li Zhimin , Zhou Wancheng , Su Xiaolei , Huang Yunxia , Li Guifang , Wang Yupeng
Published: June 2009

The Al‐doped SiC powder was prepared by solid‐state reaction at 2000°C, using Al powder and SiC powder as the starting materials. The X‐ray diffraction patterns show that there is no impurity phase in the doped powder. The Raman spectra of doped SiC reveal that the intensities of all the characteristic peaks decrease, and both the 783 and 964 cm−1 peaks shift to a higher wavenumber. The electric permittivities of undoped and doped SiC samples were determined in the frequency range of 8.2–12.4 GHz. Results show that the real part ɛ′ and imaginary part ɛ″ of the complex permittivity of SiC powder are greatly improved through Al doping.
Translucent Al2O3/LaAl11O18 Composite
Authors: Yamashita Isao , Tsukuma Koji , Kusunose Takafumi
Published: June 2009

A translucent alumina composite containing 1 vol% LaAl11O18, prepared by the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method, displays both high translucency and high fracture toughness. Its total forward transmission at 600 nm is 75% (thickness 1 mm), and its bending strength and fracture toughness are estimated to be 574±15 MPa and 5.9±0.46 MPa·m0.5, respectively. Its high translucency is due to the similarity of refractive index between the additive phase (LaAl11O18) and the matrix (alumina).
Crystallization Kinetics and Electrical Relaxation of BaO–0.5Li2O–4.5B2O3 Glasses
Authors: Vaish Rahul , Varma K.B.R.
Published: June 2009

Transparent glasses in the composition BaO–0.5Li2O–4.5B2O3 (BLBO) were fabricated via the conventional melt‐quenching technique. X‐ray powder diffraction combined with differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) studies carried out on the as‐quenched samples confirmed their amorphous and glassy nature, respectively. The crystallization behavior of these glasses has been studied by isothermal and nonisothermal methods using DSC. Crystallization kinetic parameters were evaluated from the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami equation. The value of the Avrami exponent (n) was found to be 3.6±0.1, suggesting that the process involves three‐dimensional bulk crystallization. The average value of activation energy associated with the crystallization of BLBO glasses was 317±10 kJ/mol. Transparent glass–ceramics were fabricated by controlled heat‐treatment of the as‐quenched glasses at 845 K/40 min. The dielectric constants for BLBO glasses and glass–ceramics in the 100 Hz–10 MHz frequency range were measured as a function of the temperature (300–925 K). The electrical relaxation and dc conductivity characteristics were rationalized using electric modulus formalism. The imaginary part of the electric modulus spectra was modeled using an approximate solution of the Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts relation. The temperature‐dependent behavior of stretched exponent (β) was discussed for the as‐quenched and heat‐treated BLBO glasses.
Effect of vegetation density, height, and connectivity on the oviposition pattern of the leaf beetle Galeruca tanaceti
Authors: Randlkofer Barbara , Jordan Florian , Mitesser Oliver , Meiners Torsten , Obermaier Elisabeth
Published: June 2009

Vegetation structure can profoundly influence patterns of abundance, distribution, and reproduction of herbivorous insects and their susceptibility to natural enemies. The three main structural traits of herbaceous vegetation are density, height, and connectivity. This study determined the herbivore response to each of these three parameters by analysing oviposition patterns in the field and studying the underlying mechanisms in laboratory bioassays. The generalist leaf beetle, Galeruca tanaceti L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), preferentially deposits its egg clutches on non‐host plants such as grasses. Earlier studies revealed that oviposition within structurally complex vegetation reduces the risk of egg parasitism. Consequently, leaf beetle females should prefer patches with dense, tall, or connected vegetation for oviposition in order to increase their reproductive success. In the present study, we tested the following three hypotheses on the effect of stem density, height, and connectivity on oviposition: (1) Within habitats, the number of egg clutches in areas with high stem densities is disproportionately higher than in low‐density areas. The number of egg clutches on (2) tall stems or (3) in vegetation with high connectivity is higher than expected for a random distribution. In the field, stem density and height were positively correlated with egg clutch presence. Moreover, a disproportionately high presence of egg clutches was determined in patches with high stem densities. Stem height had a positive influence on oviposition, also in a laboratory two‐choice bioassay, whereas stem density and connectivity did not affect oviposition preferences in the laboratory. Therefore, stem height and, potentially, density, but not connectivity, seem to trigger oviposition site selection of the herbivore. This study made evident that certain, but not all traits of the vegetation structure can impose a strong influence on oviposition patterns of herbivorous insects. The results were finally compared with data on the movement patterns of the specialised egg parasitoid of the herbivore in comparable types of vegetation structure.
Immunomodulatory and anti‐inflammatory effects of chondroitin sulphate
Authors: du Souich Patrick , García Antonio G. , Vergés Josep , Montell Eulàlia
Published: June 2009

Biochemistry of chondrotin sulphate

Mechanism of action of chondroitin sulphate

Human use of chondroitin sulphate

Conclusions

Chondroitin sulphate (CS) is a natural glycosaminoglycan present in the extracellular matrix and is formed by the 1–3 linkage of D‐glucuronic acid to N‐acetylgalactosamine. In chondrocytes, CS diminishes interleukin‐1p(IL‐1p)‐induced increases in p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) and signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) phosphorylation, and decreases nuclear factor‐KB (NF‐kB) nuclear translocation and as a consequence, reduces the formation of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, IL‐1pand TNF‐a, and pro‐inflammatory enzymes, such as phospholipase A2 (PLA2), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‐2) and nitric oxide synthase‐2 (NOS‐2). The mechanism of action of CS explains its beneficial effect on the cartilage, synovial membrane and subchondral bone. On the other hand,in vivo, CS given orally prevents hepaticNF‐kBnuclear translocation, suggesting that systemic CS may elicit an anti‐inflammatory effect in many tissues besides the articulation. There is preliminary evidence showing that in human beings, CS may be of benefit in other diseases where inflammation is an essential marker, such as psoriasis and atherosclerosis. The review of the literature suggest that CS might also be of interest for the treatment of other diseases with an inflammatory and/or autoimmune character, such as inflammatory bowel disease, degenerative diseases of the central nervous system and stroke, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
Survival following an acute coronary syndrome: a pet theory put to the test
Authors: Parker G. B. , Gayed A. , Owen C. A. , Hyett M. P. , Hilton T. M. , Heruc G. A.
Published: June 2009

Objective:  The aim of this study was to revisit findings from previous studies reporting that pet ownership improves outcome following an admission for acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Method:  Four hundred and twenty‐four patients admitted to a cardiac unit with an ACS completed questions regarding pet ownership in hospital. Rates of cardiac death and readmission were assessed 1 year following hospitalization.

Results:  Pet owners were more likely to experience a death or readmission following their hospitalization, after controlling for key psychosocial and medical covariates. When dog and cat owners were considered separately, cat ownership was significantly associated with increased risk of death or readmission.

Conclusion:  In this independent study, pet ownership at baseline, and cat ownership in particular, was associated with increased cardiac morbidity and mortality in the year following an admission for an acute coronary syndrome, a finding contrary to previous reports.
Script‐driven imagery of self‐injurious behavior in patients with borderline personality disorder: a pilot FMRI study
Authors: Kraus A. , Valerius G. , Seifritz E. , Ruf M. , Bremner J. D. , Bohus M. , Schmahl C.
Published: June 2009

Objective: Self‐injurious behavior (SIB) is one of the most distinctive features of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and related to impulsivity and emotional dysregulation.

Method: Female patients with BPD (n = 11) and healthy controls (n = 10) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while listening to a standardized script describing an act of self‐injury. Experimental sections of the script were contrasted to the neutral baseline section and group‐specific brain activities were compared.

Results: While imagining the reactions to a situation triggering SIB, patients with BPD showed significantly less activation in the orbitofrontal cortex compared with controls. Furthermore, only patients with BPD showed increased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during this section and a decrease in the mid‐cingulate while imagining the self‐injurious act itself.

Conclusion: This pattern of activation preliminary suggests an association with diminished emotion regulation, impulse control as well as with response selection and reappraisal during the imagination of SIB.
Child to adult continuities of psychopathology: a 24‐year follow‐up
Authors: Reef J. , Diamantopoulou S. , Van Meurs I. , Verhulst F. , Van Der Ende J.
Published: June 2009

Objective:  To determine continuities of mental health problems of children across a 24‐year follow‐up period.

Method:  In 1983, parent ratings of emotional and behavioral problems were collected with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a general population sample of 2076 children. Twenty‐four years later, 1365 participants completed Adult Self‐Reports (ASR) to assess emotional and behavioral problems.

Results:  Of the participants who were classified as deviant in childhood, 22.2% were also classified as deviant in adulthood. Both homotypic and heterotypic continuity was found. Childhood aggressive, delinquent, and anxious/depressed problems were associated with most adult psychopathology. Attention problems did not predict later problems independently.

Conclusion:  Even though assessed with parent‐reports in childhood and analogous self‐reports in adulthood, and over a large period of 24 years, continuity of psychopathology was found from childhood into adulthood. Anxious/depressed problems, delinquent behavior and aggressive behavior in childhood are core predictors for adult psychopathology.
Evidence that tufted puffinsFratercula cirrhatause colony overflights to reduce kleptoparasitism risk
Authors: Blackburn Gwylim S. , Hipfner J. Mark , Ydenberg Ronald C.
Published: June 2009

Predation, foraging and mating costs are critical factors shaping life histories. Among colonial seabirds, colony overflights may enhance foraging or mating success, or diminish the risk of predation and kleptoparasitism. The latter possibility is difficult to test because low predation or kleptoparasitism rates could be due either to low danger or to effective counter‐tactics by prey. Tufted puffinsFratercula cirrhatabreeding at a large colony in British Columbia, Canada, deliver several loads of fish each day to their nestlings and are targets for kleptoparasitism by glaucous‐winged gullsLarus glaucescens. In the present study, we documented the ecological conditions under which overflights occurred in order to assess when overflights were made and to statistically isolate the effect of overflights on kleptoparasitism risk at this site. Load‐carrying puffins engaged in overflights under ecological conditions associated with relatively high rates of kleptoparasitism. Further, when ecological factors determining risk were statistically controlled, overflights were correlated with marginally lower chances of kleptoparasitism than when the risk factors were ignored. The results suggest that breeding puffins at this site use overflights for kleptoparasite avoidance. This tactic is used sparingly, suggesting it is costly. Costs of overflight behaviour might contribute to the impact of kleptoparasitism on the breeding success of tufted puffins.
Autoimmune acrosyringitis with ductal cysts: reclassification of case of eruptive syringoma
Authors: Chandler Wells M. , Bosenberg Marcus W.
Published: June 2009

Syringomas are architecturally complex tumors composed of small, cystically dilated segments of dermal eccrine duct. Syringomas typically form isolated flesh‐colored periorbital papules, however, in a peculiar condition termed eruptive syringoma; scores develop simultaneously in near confluence over a large surface area. While traditionally regarded as a neoplasm, more recent observations indicate eruptive syringoma is a reactive proliferation secondary to autoimmune disruption of the acrosyringium. We present the case of a 44‐year‐old woman with eruptive syringoma of the labia majora and prominent lymphocytic inflammation in the acrosyringium. Immunohistochemical stains confirm that the infiltrate is composed of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, without significant CD20 B cells or CD138 plasma cells. Sequential sections of the syringoma reveal a complex 3‐dimensional architecture with functionally isolated cysts, not connected to adjacent cysts or ducts by a discernable epithelium. These findings support the conclusion that eruptive syringoma is a tortuous proliferation of dermal eccrine ducts and fibrous stroma secondary to autoimmune destruction of the acrosyringium. Conceptually, the disorganized expansion of an eccrine duct syringoma may be analogous to a peripheral nerve traumatic neuroma.
Fatal HHV6 infection in an immunocompromised patient presenting with skin involvement
Authors: Galan Anjela , McNiff Jennifer M. , Choi Jennifer Nam , Lazova Rossitza
Published: June 2009

Infection with human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV6) has a broad distribution in the human population, with a seroprevalence approaching 100% worldwide. Primary infection takes place during childhood, after which the virus remains latent mostly in lymphocytes and monocytes at various sites. Immunosuppression can result in viral reactivation, associated with clinical sequelae and even death. We report a case of a disseminated HHV6 infection in a 53‐year‐old patient, who was immunocompromised after allogeneic bone marrow transplant treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia. Initially, he presented with a macular eruption of the skin, followed by involvement of other sites. Histopathologic analysis of skin biopsies revealed superficial perivascular large atypical mononuclear cells with intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions. Most affected cells labeled with antibodies to CD3 and CD43 as lymphocytes, and some labeled with CD68 as macrophages. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies of the blood, skin, liver, colon, cerebrospinal fluid and brain were positive for HHV6 virus. Additionally, the serologic titers for HHV6 were high. Viral particles were also detected by electron microscopy (EM) in the colon. Although rare, HHV6 virus may be an important pathogen in immunocompromised patients, and may present initially in the skin. Awareness of this infection is critical to diagnosis in acute settings.

Galan A, McNiff JM, Nam Choi J and Lazova R. Fatal HHV6 infection in an immunocompromised patient presenting with skin involvement.
Comparative genome hybridization analysis of laser‐capture microdissected in situ melanoma
Authors: Vincek Vladimir , Xu Suying , Fan Yao‐Shan
Published: June 2009

Background: The progression of melanoma occurs through discrete stages with known clinical and histologic features. Although many molecular events that occur during the progression of invasive and metastatic melanomas have been elucidated, there is limited knowledge of genetic changes that occur in the earliest stages of melanoma development. In this pilot study, we investigated genetic changes that happen in in situ melanoma so that we can better understand early melanoma development.

Materials and methods: DNA was extracted from five laser‐capture microdissected Clark's level III melanomas, five in situ melanomas and five compound nevi all from sun exposed skin. Array‐based comparative genomic hybridization was performed using Agilent 44 K platform.

Results: The group of Clark's level III melanomas was characterized with multiple large deletions and duplications. In the group of in situ melanoma, deletions and duplications were limited in size. Deletions in in situ melanomas were present only on chromosomes 13q and 16q. Compound nevi did not show any significant chromosomal aberrations.

Conclusion: In situ melanomas show characteristic chromosomal aberrations that are limited compared to melanomas that invade the dermis. Deletion of 13q found in in situ melanomas, which encompass the Rb1 tumor suppressor gene, might be one of the first events in the development of melanoma.
Spontaneous pathology of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and tamarins (Saguinus oedipus, Saguinus mystax)
Authors: David John M. , Dick Jr Edward J. , Hubbard Gene B.
Published: June 2009

Background  Marmosets and tamarins are increasingly used in research, but their pathology remains poorly defined compared with Old World primates.

Methods  Necropsy records of 129 marmosets and 52 tamarins were reviewed; none was used experimentally.

Results  The most common marmoset lesions were dehydration, emaciation, nephritis, colitis, and inanition. The most common tamarin lesions were dehydration, ascites, emaciation, and congestive heart failure. Colitis and heart disease were the most common cause of death in marmosets and tamarins, respectively. Immature marmoset and tamarin deaths often occurred within the first month of life. Immature marmosets usually died from inanition, stillbirth, and colitis; immature tamarins from atelectasis, stillbirth, heart failure, and colitis. Lymphoma was the most common neoplasm for both marmosets and tamarins.

Conclusion  The findings were similar to prior reports with differences in frequency and severity. We report the first case of endometriosis in a marmoset.
In vivo skin elastography with high‐definition optical videos
Authors: Zhang Yong , Brodell Robert T. , Mostow Eliot N. , Vinyard Christopher J. , Marie Hazel
Published: June 2009

Background/aims: Continuous measurements of biomechanical properties of skin provide potentially valuable information to dermatologists for both clinical diagnosis and quantitative assessment of therapy. This paper presents an experimental study on in vivo imaging of skin elastic properties using high‐definition optical videos. The objective is to (i) investigate whether skin property abnormalities can be detected in the computed strain elastograms, (ii) quantify property abnormalities with a Relative Strain Index (RSI), so that an objective rating system can be established, (iii) determine whether certain skin diseases are more amenable to optical elastography and (iv) identify factors that may have an adverse impact on the quality of strain elastograms.

Methods: There are three steps in optical skin elastography: (i) skin deformations are recorded in a video sequence using a high‐definition camcorder, (ii) a dense motion field between two adjacent video frames is obtained using a robust optical flow algorithm, with which a cumulative motion field between two frames of a larger interval is derived and (iii) a strain elastogram is computed by applying two weighted gradient filters to the cumulative motion data.

Results: Experiments were carried out using videos of 25 patients. In the three cases presented in this article (hypertrophic lichen planus, seborrheic keratosis and psoriasis vulgaris), abnormal tissues associated with the skin diseases were successfully identified in the elastograms. There exists a good correspondence between the shape of property abnormalities and the area of diseased skin. The computed RSI gives a quantitative measure of the magnitude of property abnormalities that is consistent with the skin stiffness observed on clinical examinations.

Conclusions: Optical elastography is a promising imaging modality that is capable of capturing disease‐induced property changes. Its main advantage is that an elastogram presents a continuous description of the spatial variation of skin properties on the pixel level that would otherwise be impossible with other sensors. Its value will be further enhanced when used with a point‐wise measuring device such as a cutometer that yields absolute elasticity values.
Approximate lesion localization in dermoscopy images
Authors: Celebi M. Emre , Iyatomi Hitoshi , Schaefer Gerald , Stoecker William V.
Published: June 2009

Background: Dermoscopy is one of the major imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of melanoma and other pigmented skin lesions. Because of the difficulty and subjectivity of human interpretation, automated analysis of dermoscopy images has become an important research area. Border detection is often the first step in this analysis.

Methods: In this article, we present an approximate lesion localization method that serves as a preprocessing step for detecting borders in dermoscopy images. In this method, first the black frame around the image is removed using an iterative algorithm. The approximate location of the lesion is then determined using an ensemble of thresholding algorithms.

Results: The method is tested on a set of 428 dermoscopy images. The localization error is quantified by a metric that uses dermatologist‐determined borders as the ground truth.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the method presented here achieves both fast and accurate localization of lesions in dermoscopy images.
Correction of malocclusion by anterolateral osteotomy in a traumatized maxilla
Authors: Güler Nurhan , Cabbar Fatih , Duygu Gonca
Published: June 2009

Abstract –  Injuries to the face may cause long‐term defects both aesthetic and functional consequences when the treatment is delayed, inadequate or absent. The varieties of osteotomy techniques are applied to improve posttraumatic malposition of the maxillofacial bones and occlusal function. In this article, a 21‐year‐old female involved in a traffic accident presented a severe deformity in maxilla and treated by anterolateral osteotomy is presented.
Salivary levels of Epstein‐Barr virus DNA correlate with subgingival levels, not severity of periodontitis
Authors: Dawson III DR , Wang C , Danaher RJ , Lin Y , Kryscio RJ , Jacob RJ , Miller CS
Published: June 2009

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine the presence and quantity of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) DNA in the saliva of patients with periodontitis, and investigate the correlation between these factors.

Methods:  Presence and amounts of viral DNA in saliva and subgingival plaque samples, from healthy and disease sites, of 65 adults diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were determined using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results:  Epstein‐Barr virus DNA was detected in saliva of 81.5% (53/65) of patients at a median concentration of 4325 copies ml−1. CMV DNA was detected in saliva of one individual (1.5%) at low copy number. Patients who had EBV in saliva were 10 times more likely to have EBV in subgingival plaque than patients lacking EBV in saliva (odds ratio = 10.1, 95% confidence interval = 2.6–39.5; P = 0.0009). EBV DNA burden in saliva positively correlated with the amounts detected in plaque and with amounts detected in increasing number of affected sites (P < 0.0001). EBV DNA presence and quantity in saliva did not correlate with increasing severity of disease as measured by periodontal indices.

Conclusions:  Epstein‐Barr virus DNA presence and burden in saliva are associated with its presence and burden in subgingival plaque, but presence and burden in saliva does not correlate with periodontal disease severity.
Deletion of agouti‐related protein blunts ethanol self‐administration and binge‐like drinking in mice
Authors: Navarro M. , Cubero I. , Ko L. , Thiele T. E.
Published: June 2009

The melanocortin (MC) system is composed of peptides that are cleaved from the polypeptide precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Recent pharmacological and genetic evidence suggests that melanocortin receptor (MCR) signaling modulates neurobiological responses to ethanol and ethanol intake. Agouti‐related protein (AgRP) is synthesized by neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and is a natural antagonist of MCRs. Because central administration of the functionally active AgRP fragment AgRP‐(83–132) increases ethanol intake by C57BL/6 J mice, we determined if mutant mice lacking normal production of AgRP (AgRP−/−) and maintained on a C57BL/6 J genetic background would show reduced self‐administration of ethanol relative to littermate wild‐type (AgRP+/+) mice. AgRP−/—mice showed reduced 8% (v/v) ethanol‐reinforced lever‐pressing behavior relative to AgRP+/+mice in daily 2‐h sessions, but normal sucrose‐, saccharin‐ and water‐reinforced lever‐pressing. Similarly, AgRP−/−mice showed reduced consumption of 8% ethanol in a two‐bottle limited access test (2 h/day), although this effect was largely sex‐dependent. Using drinking‐in‐the‐dark (DID) procedures, AgRP−/—mice showed blunted binge‐like drinking of 20% (v/v) ethanol which was associated with lower blood ethanol levels (85 mg/dl) relative to AgRP+/+mice (133 mg/dl) after 4 h of intake. AgRP−/−mice showed normal ethanol metabolism and did not show altered sensitivity to the sedative effects of ethanol. These observations with genetically altered mice are consistent with previous pharmacological data and suggest that endogenous AgRP signaling modulates the reinforcing properties of ethanol and binge‐like ethanol drinking.
Increased salivary lipid peroxidation in human subjects with oral lichen planus
Authors: Agha‐Hosseini F , Mirzaii‐Dizgah I , Mikaili S , Abdollahi M
Published: June 2009

Abstract:  Background:  Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucosal disease of unknown aetiology. Recently, increased oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lipid peroxidation level, in the saliva of patients with OLP.

Method:  Thirty patients with OLP (15 men, 15 women; mean age 44.0, SD ± 11.4 years) and 30 control subjects (16 men, 14 women; aged 23–67 years), matched for age and gender, were enrolled in this case and control study. This study was conducted at the Clinic of Oral Medicine of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2007. The unstimulated whole saliva malondialdehyde (MDA), as an indicator of lipid peroxidation and TAC levels were assayed by thiobarbituric acid and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), respectively, in both groups.

Results:  Mean levels of saliva MDA, but not TAC, in patients with OLP was significantly higher than those of the control group.

Conclusion:  We conclude that OLP patients have more cellular lipid peroxidation than healthy subjects.
Molar furcation entrance and its relation to the width of curette blades used in periodontal mechanical therapy
Authors: Dos Santos KM , Pinto SCS , Pochapski MT , Wambier DS , Pilatti GL , Santos FA
Published: June 2009

Abstract: Aim:  The purpose of this research was to evaluate molar furcation entrances and the width of periodontal curette blades used in periodontal instrumentation.

Materials and methods:  One hundred extracted molars (50 upper and 50 lower) were analysed. The furcation entrances were measured using orthodontic wires of different predetermined diameters: 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and 0.9 mm. McCall 17–18, Gracey 5–6 and Gracey 5–6 mini‐five curette blades were measured at their anterior (AT), middle (MT) and posterior (PT) thirds by a single trained investigator, through the use of a digital caliper.

Results:  The results showed significant differences (P < 0.0001) in relation to furcation entrances. The buccal upper molar furcations showed the narrowest dimensions. In relation to the blade diameter, significant differences among the instruments were found for their MT and PT (P < 0.0001), but not for the AT (P = 0.183). Significant differences were found among curette manufacturers. Nineteen per cent of evaluated furcations presented entrances <0.60 mm and 75% of the blades at their AT presented width >0.60 mm.

Conclusions:  These findings demonstrated that some molar furcation entrances could not be adequately instrumented with the tested curettes. The use of other hand instruments, such as periodontal files, rotating instruments and ultrasonic devices should be taken into consideration during periodontal therapy.
A systematic review of musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals
Authors: Hayes MJ , Cockrell D , Smith DR
Published: June 2009

Abstract:  Musculoskeletal problems have become a significant issue for the profession of dentistry and dental hygiene. This review provides a detailed examination and discussion regarding the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in dental personnel and possible causative factors. All research studies or literature reviews, which have reported on the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and/or potential risk factors for this problem in dentists, dental hygienists and dental students, were selected for inclusion. Our literature suggests that the prevalence of general musculoskeletal pain ranges between 64% and 93%. The most prevalent regions for pain in dentists have been shown to be the back (36.3–60.1%) and neck (19.8–85%), while the hand and wrist regions were the most prevalent regions for dental hygienists (60–69.5%). Interestingly, we found that studies on MSDs among dental and dental hygiene students are quite limited. Many risk factors have been identified, including static and awkward posture and work practices. Overall, the review suggests that musculoskeletal problems represent a significant burden for the dental profession. More research in the form of larger studies is urgently required, to help more clearly elucidate the development of this important issue for dental hygienists and dental hygiene students.
The influence of academic stress on gingival inflammation
Authors: Johannsen A , Bjurshammar N , Gustafsson A
Published: June 2009

Abstract:  Objective:  The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of academic stress on periodontal health, in relation to inflammatory markers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and cortisol in saliva.

Materials and methods:  The study included 20 healthy dental hygienists (females: mean age 29.3 ± 8.5 SD) and was conducted during a major exam period and 4 weeks later after the exams. A clinical examination was performed and GCF was collected from four sites in each subject on these two occasions. Interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐10 levels were determined using Luminex 100 and cortisol amounts by radioimmunoassay (RIA 125I). Students registered their perceived stress on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Significance of the findings was determined using paired t‐test, Wilcoxon‐matched pair and Spearman’s rank correlations.

Results:  Students had higher amounts of dental plaque (P < 0.007) and gingival inflammation (P < 0.001) during the exam period compared with after the exams. The amounts of IL‐6 and IL‐10 in GCF were significantly increased during the time of examinations. The median level of cortisol in saliva was also significantly raised during the exam period compared with after the exams, 20.52 nmol/l (range: 11.91–27.34) and 16.41 nmol/l (range: 10.91–24.17) respectively, P < 001. The results from the VAS registration revealed a significant difference (P < 001) between the two occasions.

Conclusion:  Academic stress appears to affect periodontal health, shown by more plaque accumulation, gingival inflammation and increased amounts of IL‐6, IL‐10 in GCF and cortisol in saliva.
Oral health status and treatment needs among school children in Sana’a City, Yemen
Authors: Al‐Haddad KA , Al‐Hebshi NN , Al‐Ak’hali MS
Published: June 2009

To cite this article:
 
Int J Dent Hygiene  DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2009.00398.x Al‐Haddad KA, Al‐Hebshi NN, Al‐Ak’hali MS. Oral health status and treatment needs among school children in Sana’a City, Yemen.

Abstract:  Data on the oral health status and treatment needs among Yemeni children are lacking.

Objectives:  To assess caries prevalence, treatment needs and gingival health status among school children in Sana’a City and to examine how these are affected by age, gender and khat chewing.

Methods:  1489 children (6‐ to 14‐year old) were randomly selected from 27 schools representing all nine districts of Sana’a City. Dental caries and treatment needs were evaluated using standard WHO oral survey methods. The plaque index (PI), calculus index (CI) and the gingival index (GI), recorded at the six Ramfjord’s teeth, were used to assess gingival health status.

Results:  4.1% of the study subjects were caries‐free. Prevalence of these was significantly higher among the males. Overall, mean dmfs, dmft, DMFS and DMFT scores were 8.45, 4.16, 3.59 and 2.25 respectively. The decayed component accounted for >85% of the scores. The highest dmfs/dmft means were found among the 6–8 years age group, while the highest DMFS/DMFT means were scored by the 12–14 years age group. The need for restorative treatment and extractions was high; the former was significantly higher among the females. All subjects had gingivitis; the mean PI, CI and GI were 1.25, 0.3 and 1.36 respectively. Khat chewing did not affect caries experience; however, it was significantly associated with higher PI, CI and GI scores.

Conclusions:  The prevalence of caries, gingivitis and treatment needs among children in Sana’a city is high. More surveys in other Yemeni cities to generate comprehensive data are required.
Could we obtain better estimates of plot species richness from multiple‐observer plant censuses?
Authors: Archaux Frédéric
Published: June 2009

Question: Could we better estimate plot species richness by asking several botanists to survey the same plots and using non‐parametric estimators of richness?

Location: Two French deciduous forests.

Methods: Using replicated, independent censuses made by 11 professional botanists on the same eight 100‐m2 forest plots, the relative performance of different richness estimators (Lincoln‐Petersen, Jackknife 1&2, Chao 1&2, Bootstrap, Chao Mth, Darroch) and the variation in their performance with the number of botanists involved (teams with two to eight botanists) were investigated. The sensitivity of these estimators to the presence of misidentifications in the data was also assessed.

Results: When misidentifications are removed, Chao Mth estimators converged fastest to true richness, but none of the tested estimators correctly accounted for differences in exhaustiveness between the teams. Finally, all estimators were highly sensitive to misidentifications.

Conclusions: Richness estimators are of little help in the presence of misidentifications and are ineffective at removing between‐team discrepancies, thus strongly limiting their usefulness in practice. Methods are presented to show how surveys can be designed to remove misidentifications and limit between‐team discrepancies. A sensible sampling design for 100‐m2 plots in temperate forests would involve triplets of botanists and correcting data with the Chao N1. Pairs of botanists would already significantly improve the richness estimates, but such estimates would still be biased low. However, further research is needed to design new richness estimators that are more robust to observer effects.
Numerical reproduction of traditional classifications and automatic vegetation identification
Authors: De Cáceres Miquel , Font Xavier , Vicente Paloma , Oliva Francesc
Published: June 2009

Questions: Is it possible to develop an expert system to provide reliable automatic identifications of plant communities at the precision level of phytosociological associations? How can unreliable expert‐based knowledge be discarded before applying supervised classification methods?

Material: We used 3677 relevés from Catalonia (Spain), belonging to eight orders of terrestrial vegetation. These relevés were classified by experts into 222 low‐level units (associations or sub‐associations).

Methods: We reproduced low‐level, expert‐defined vegetation units as independent fuzzy clusters using the Possibilistic C‐means algorithm. Those relevés detected as transitional between vegetation types were excluded in order to maximize the number of units numerically reproduced. Cluster centroids were then considered static and used to perform supervised classifications of vegetation data. Finally, we evaluated the classifier's ability to correctly identify the unit of both typical (i.e. training) and transitional relevés.

Results: Only 166 out of 222 (75%) of the original units could be numerically reproduced. Almost all the unrecognized units were sub‐associations. Among the original relevés, 61% were deemed transitional or untypical. Typical relevés were correctly identified 95% of the time, while the efficiency of the classifier for transitional data was only 64%. However, if the second classifier's choice was also considered, the rate of correct classification for transitional relevés was 80%.

Conclusions: Our approach stresses the transitional nature of relevé data obtained from vegetation databases. Relevé selection is justified in order to adequately represent the vegetation concepts associated with expert‐defined units.
Reconsidering the Northwest European Family System: Living Arrangements of the Aged in Comparative Historical Perspective
Authors: Ruggles Steven
Published: June 2009

During the past four decades, historians and demographers have argued that historical Northwest Europe and North America had a unique weak‐family system characterized by neolocal marriage and nuclear family structure. This analysis uses newly available micro‐data from 84 historical and contemporary censuses of 34 countries to evaluate whether the residential behavior of the aged in historical Northwest Europe and North America was truly distinctive. The results show that with simple controls for agricultural employment and demographic structure, comparable measures of the living arrangements of the aged show little systematic difference between nineteenth‐century Northwest Europe and North America and twentieth‐century developing countries. These findings cast doubt on the hypothesis that Northwest Europeans and North Americans had an exceptional historical pattern of preference for nuclear families.
Landscapes and LiDAR: History Under the Greenwood Tree
Authors: Crow Peter
Published: June 2009

Our woods and forests have been used by man from prehistoric to modern times. They have given timber for our ships and fuel for industry; they have been fenced for medieval deerparks; they camouflaged dumps and depots during World War Two. Traces of these and other activities remain—but they are usually hidden. Peter Crow explains how LiDAR helps archaeologists see through the trees and reveals the hidden landscapes of the past.
Ethnic Ghettos in Britain: A Fact or a Myth?
Authors: Simpson Ludi , Finney Nissa
Published: June 2009

A common claim is that Britain's minorities live isolated “parallel lives” in inner cities that have become ethnic ghettos. Does the evidence confirm such dangerous lack of integration?Ludi Simpson and Nissa Finney find a basic misunderstanding about population change—a misunderstanding that makes changing the ethnic mix of neighbourhoods an unrealistic policy goal.
Is the Statistics Authority Another Factory Inspectorate?
Authors: Maclean Ian
Published: June 2009

It is a year since the Statistics Authority came into being. Official statistics are now supposed to be independent and on course to be trustworthy—and transformed to serve not just government but society as a whole. Has it all worked out? Ian Maclean of the Statistics Users Forum says a start has been made, but progress has been slower than hoped.
Eminent Victorians and Early Statistical Societies
Authors: Magnello Eileen
Published: June 2009

The Victorians who founded statistical societies had a passion for facts and a concern for the poor. They were a varied bunch: novelists, the inventor of the computer, a predictor of population catastrophe and a philosopher who had his own corpse preserved and put on public display. In the Royal Statistical Society's 175th anniversary year Eileen Magnello looks at the characters who helped to form it.