bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triple Therapy with High‐Dose Proton‐Pump Inhibitor, Amoxicillin, and Doxycycline Is Useless for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study
Authors: Almeida Nuno , Romãozinho José M. , Donato Maria M. , Luxo Cristina , Cardoso Olga , Cipriano Maria A. , Marinho Carol , Sofia Carlos
Published: February 2014

Introduction

Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics is steadily increasing and multidrug‐resistant strains are common and difficult to eliminate, mainly in countries where bismuth, tetracycline, furazolidone, and rifabutin are unavailable.

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a triple therapy with proton‐pump inhibitor (PPI), amoxicillin, and doxycycline in patients with multidrug‐resistant H. pylori.

Patients and Methods

This prospective study involved 16 patients (13 females; mean age – 50 ± 11.3 years) infected by H. pylori with known resistance to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin, but susceptibility to amoxicillin and tetracycline. All patients were previously submitted to upper endoscopy with gastric biopsies for H. pylori culture and susceptibility testing by Etest. Mutations in 23S rRNA and gyrA genes were determined by real‐time PCR. A 10‐day eradication regimen with PPI (double‐standard dose b.i.d.), amoxicillin (1000 mg b.i.d.), and doxycycline (100 mg b.i.d.) was prescribed after pretreatment with PPI during 3 days. Eradication success was assessed by 13C‐urea breath test 6–10 weeks after treatment. Compliance and adverse events were determined through phone contact immediately after treatment and specific written questionnaires.

Results

Only one patient did not complete treatment due to adverse events. Another four patients experienced mild side effects not affecting compliance. The control 13C‐urea breath test was positive in all patients. Per‐protocol and intention‐to‐treat eradication rates were 0%.

Conclusions

Although safe, a triple‐therapy protocol with high‐dose PPI, amoxicillin, and doxycycline is useless for multidrug‐resistant H. pylori eradication.
Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection by Birth Year and Geographic Area in Japan
Authors: Ueda Junko , Gosho Masahiko , Inui Yoshikatsu , Matsuda Toru , Sakakibara Masatoshi , Mabe Katsuhiro , Nakajima Shigemi , Shimoyama Tadashi , Yasuda Mitsugi , Kawai Takashi , Murakami Kazunari , Kamada Tomoari , Mizuno Motowo , Kikuchi Shogo , Lin Yingsong , Kato Mototsugu
Published: February 2014

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)‐related diseases are responsible for a tremendous amount of morbidity and mortality in Japan. We estimated the prevalence of H. pylori infection by sex, birth year, and geographic area among Japanese adults.

Materials and Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 14,716 subjects aged 20 years or more who underwent a health checkup between May 1997 and March 2013 in seven geographic areas throughout Japan. Relevant information on the demographics and status of H. pylori infection was retrieved from the electronic database. The univariate log‐binominal regression model was used to estimate the prevalence of H. pylori infection, taking birth year into consideration. The multivariate log‐binominal regression model was used to compare the prevalence of H. pylori infection between seven geographic areas.

Results

The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 37.6% in women and 43.2% in men. Among seven geographic areas, Hokkaido showed the lowest prevalence (29.4%), while Yamagata Prefecture represented the highest (54.5%). The prevalence of H. pylori infection was highest in the 1940–1949 birth cohort and then decreased in the ensuing birth cohorts; the risk ratio (RR) was 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84–0.87) for changes in the 10‐year birth cohort. Individuals in Yamagata Prefecture had the highest RR of acquiring H. pylori infection in all three birth cohorts (RR = 1.53 for 1940, RR = 1.69 for 1950, and RR = 1.85 for 1960) when compared with those in Hokkaido.

Conclusions

The prevalence of H. pylori infection increases with age and exhibits geographic variation in Japan. There has been a striking decrease in the prevalence of H. pylori infection, especially in younger Japanese populations.
The State of the Question Regarding Early Medieval Fortress Construction in Southern Germany
Authors: Ettel Peter
Published: February 2014

Early medieval fortresses and fortifications in southern Germany, and consequently both within the Frankish region and in the region influenced by the Franks, usually filled more than one function. Indeed, even large‐scale fortifications, which sometimes are denoted simply as refuges (Germ. Fluchtburgen) often can be identified as multi‐functional. Fortresses were a central tool of rule for kings, the church, and the high nobility beginning in the seventh century, and then especially again during the tenth century. This was equally true in the context of the development of territorial lordships, and in the assarting and development of new lands, both within long‐settled areas and on the frontier, from the tenth century onwards, and went hand in hand with the development of new types of fortifications. In addition, fortifications also served as symbols of power. The nobility certainly always had a part to play in these developments, and sometimes a decisive role. Thus, rather than a “dark century,” the tenth century saw a flowering in the construction of fortresses and fortifications, which were more multifunctional, multi‐dimensional, and differentiated than had been true at any other period in the early Middle Ages.
New Perspectives on the Legal History of the Middle East? Rediscovering Jacques Berque, the “Field Historian”
Authors: Clément Anne
Published: February 2014

This article explores Jacques Berque's early works on the legal history and anthropology of the Maghreb, originally published between 1936 and 1958 and republished about a decade ago. In the midst of the current debates about legal reform in the Middle East and North Africa, this paper argues that both Berque's method and his theoretical contributions can serve as a powerful framework to better approach the phenomenon of legal pluralism in the region. Developed at a time when the study of law was strictly divided between Orientalists, anthropologists, and social historians, Berque's truly interdisciplinary method sought to transcend the prevailing barriers and dichotomies by holistically apprehending the “legal life” of the populations studied. Such an approach subsequently allowed him to explore issues of legal and normative pluralism by focusing on the multiple symbioses betweensharī‘aand customary law and by considering the region's legal history as a succession of creations, destructions, and revivals of these syntheses.
Switch to raltegravir decreases soluble CD14 in virologically suppressed overweight women: the Women, Integrase and Fat Accumulation Trial
Authors: Lake JE , McComsey GA , Hulgan T , Wanke CA , Mangili A , Walmsley SL , Stramotas SA , Tracy R , Currier JS
Published: February 2014

Objectives

Soluble CD14 (sCD14) is a monocyte activation marker associated with increased mortality in HIV infection. We assessed 48‐week changes in sCD14 and other inflammatory biomarkers in virologically suppressed, HIV‐infected women switching to raltegravir (RAL) from a protease inhibitor (PI) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI).

Methods

HIV‐infected women with central adiposity and HIV‐1 RNA < 50 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL continued their thymidine‐sparing nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) backbone and were randomized to switch to open‐label RAL at week 0 (immediate) or 24 (delayed). In an exploratory analysis, inflammatory biomarkers were measured on stored fasting plasma.

Results

Of the 37 evaluable subjects, 78% were non‐White; the median age was 43 years, the median body mass index (BMI) was 32 kg/m2 and the median CD4 count was 558 cells/μL. At baseline, biomarker values were similar between groups. After 24 weeks, median sCD14 significantly declined in subjects switching to RAL [−21% (P < 0.001) vs. PI/NNRTI −5% (P = 0.49); between‐group P < 0.01]. After 48 weeks, immediate‐switch subjects maintained this decline and delayed‐switch subjects experienced a similar decline following the switch to RAL (−10%; within‐group P < 0.01). Immediate‐switch subjects also experienced an initial increase in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α that was neither maintained after 48 weeks nor seen in delayed‐switch subjects. After adjustment for multiple testing, only declines in sCD14 remained significant.

Conclusions

In this randomized trial of women with central adiposity, a switch to RAL from a PI or NNRTI was associated with a statistically significant decline in sCD14. Further studies are needed to determine whether integrase inhibitors have improved monocyte activation profiles compared with PIs and/or NNRTIs, and whether measured differences between antiretroviral agents translate to demonstrable clinical benefit.
Contradictory Fin-de Siècle Reform: German Masculinity, the Academic Honor Code, and the Movement against the Pistol Duel in Universities, 1890–1914
Authors: Zwicker Lisa Fetheringill
Published: February 2014

The pistol remains the weapon of cripples, the senile, and those infected with a communicable disease. The murder instrument of the highwayman, the dastardly, insidious pistol, is the preferred weapon of the officer.

—Hugo Böttger, Editor of theBurschenschaftliche Blätter

Even though fraternity men glorified their duels with swords, a series of frivolous pistol duels with deadly ends led students to organize a movement against pistol duels that swept German universities in 1902 and 1903. Students argued that pistol duels violated the rules of reason, morality, and religion—and were thus also purportedly un-German. Male students organized assemblies, made passionate speeches, and passed resolutions in opposition to the pistol duel. They then sent these resolutions to the War Ministers in Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony. Burschenschaft fraternity men built on their long tradition of liberal political activism and convened assemblies in Berlin, Bonn, Breslau, Freiburg, Giessen, Greifswald, Halle, Kiel, Königsberg, Leipzig, Marburg, Munich, Rostock, and Tübingen and passed resolutions inspired by the movement. Some of these assemblies drew large numbers of students, for example, 600 students in attendance in Leipzig, 1,500 in Munich, and 1,500 in Freiburg. In Berlin, leaders of 67 organizations representing 2,400 members signed petitions against the pistol duel. Other universities not included were majority Catholic institutions, such as Münster or Würzburg, where the opposition to all forms of the duel was even stronger as a result of the Catholic Church's prohibition against dueling. Reaching universities throughout Germany, this movement united students from across the political spectrum.
A Field of Great Promise: Teachers' Migration to the Urban Far West, 1890–1930
Authors: Morgan Michelle M. K.
Published: February 2014

In 1901, Miss M. C. French contacted Hawai‘i's superintendent and inquired about teaching positions in the islands. “As the prospect for a principalship seems possible only upon removal by death and that at an extreme age in most of the middle west towns,” she wrote, “I look to the west as a field of great promise.” Not only, in French's estimation, did teaching positions in the West offer opportunities for career advancement, but she also observed, “the west remunerates well for modern school work.” French's letter of application indicated that she had normal school training and teaching experience totaling nine years in Chicago, Salt Lake, and Des Moines, the last under future Seattle Superintendent Frank Cooper. She highlighted skills in “geography, language, and grammar.” In closing her application, she remarked, “My strong point has seemed to be discipline, which however is a natural, not acquired, talent.”
Because It's Good for You: An Argument for History of Education in Liberal Education
Authors: Graves Karen
Published: February 2014

Whatever we determine a good education to be, and a well-educated person to be, our teachers should be that and no less—not because they are teachers but because they are persons.

“This is what college is supposed to be like!” That is what I thought before I was too far along in my EPS 201 course, “Social Foundations of American Education,” at the University of Illinois. I was a transfer student, and it was my first semester at the university. The professor was Paul Violas and my teaching assistant (TA) was Steve Tozer; the course was a survey of the history of education in the United States. I recall one day we had a guest lecture by Professor James Anderson, who drew material from a new book he was working on. What we learned in EPS 201 was substantial. It was, far and away, the most meaningful course in my undergraduate education. It was, also, the most significant preparation I had as a secondary school mathematics teacher.
Cannon‐ball bladder stones: a complication of prolonged recumbence and benign prostate enlargement
Authors: Mandal Swarnendu , Massey Mercy , Goel Apul
Published: February 2014

Chronically bedridden patients are predisposed to various urological complications such as urinary infections, incomplete urinary bladder emptying after voiding and stone formation in the urinary tract, more so in the absence of good nursing care. Multiple giant bladder stones giving rise to ‘cannon ball’ appearance have rarely been reported. We present the case of an 85‐year‐old frail gentleman who was bedridden for the last 25 years and presented with haematuria. On evaluation he was found to have multiple large bladder stones and bladder diverticuli with enlarged prostate gland. This case highlights a relatively rare urological complication of prolonged recumbency, and emphasizes the importance of proper nursing care, early detection, management and prevention of such complications.
Bilateral oral focal mucinosis on the palate of a 2‐year‐old child: a case report
Authors: Woo Johnathan , Cheung Wa Sham
Published: February 2014

Background

Oral focal mucinosis (OFM) is an uncommon benign oral lesion. The aetiology of the lesion is unknown. Histologically, it appears as a well‐circumscribed myxomatous mass surrounded by denser, collagenous connective tissue. Most cases of OFM were found in adults. It is very unusual for young children to have OFM.

Case Report

A case of OFM in a 2‐year‐old child is reported. The patient was presented with non‐painful bilateral enlargements on the palate. The overlying mucosa was smooth and not ulcerated and appeared in the same colour as the adjacent tissue. The histology of the lesion showed myxomatous mass indicative of OFM. Treatment consisted of surgically removing the lesions under general anaesthetic.

Conclusion

Paediatric dentists should consider OFM in their differential diagnosis of soft tissue oral lesions in children.
Assessing the impact of public health interventions on the transmission of pandemicH1N1 influenza a virus aboard a Peruvian navy ship
Authors: Vera Delphis M. , Hora Ricardo A. , Murillo Anarina , Wong Juan F. , Torre Armando J. , Wang David , Boulay Darbi , Hancock Kathy , Katz Jacqueline M. , Ramos Mariana , Loayza Luis , Quispe Jose , Reaves Erik J. , Bausch Daniel G. , Chowell Gerardo , Montgomery Joel M.
Published: February 2014

Background

Limited data exist on transmission dynamics and effectiveness of control measures for influenza in confined settings.

Objectives

To investigate the transmission dynamics of a 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A outbreak aboard a Peruvian Navy ship and quantify the effectiveness of the implemented control measures.

Methods

We used surveillance data and a simple stochastic epidemic model to characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of control interventions implemented during an outbreak of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A aboard a Peruvian Navy ship.

Results

The serological attack rate for the outbreak was 49·1%, with younger cadets and low‐ranking officers at greater risk of infection than older, higher‐ranking officers. Our transmission model yielded a good fit to the daily time series of new influenza cases by date of symptom onset. We estimated a reduction of 54·4% in the reproduction number during the period of intense control interventions.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that the patient isolation strategy and other control measures put in place during the outbreak reduced the infectiousness of isolated individuals by 86·7%. Our findings support that early implementation of control interventions can limit the spread of influenza epidemics in confined settings.
Ultrastructural and elemental analysis of sialoliths and their comparison with nephroliths
Authors: Rakesh Nagaraju , Bhoomareddy Kantharaj Yashoda Devi , Agarwal Manjushree , Agarwal Kunal
Published: February 2014

Aim

Sialoliths are common in the submandibular gland and its duct system, although their exact cause of formation is still a matter of debate. The aims of this study were to: (a) analyze sialoliths ultrastructurally, and to determine the role of foreign bodies or organic materials in the formation of sialolith nuclei; and (b) compare nephroliths with sialoliths ultrastructurally.

Methods

Three sialoliths and two nephroliths were analyzed ultrastructurally by a scanning electron microscope and X‐ray diffractometer.

Results

The main structures of the sialoliths were found to be hydroxyapatite crystals. No organic cores were observed in the central parts of the sialoliths. In nephroliths, calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and struvite crystals were found. The energy‐dispersive X‐ray microanalysis found that sialoliths and nephroliths were predominantly composed of elements comprising calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, chloride, silicon, iron, and potassium.

Conclusion

Sialoliths in the submandibular salivary glands might form secondary to sialadenitis, but not via a luminal organic nidus.
Microwave‐assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Single‐crystal Nanorods of Rhabdophane‐type Sr‐doped LaPO4·nH2O
Authors: Colomer María T. , Delgado Ismael , Ortiz Angel L. , Fariñas Juan C.
Published: February 2014

A novel, simple, soft, and fast microwave‐assisted hydrothermal method was used for the preparation of single‐crystal nanorods of hexagonal rhabdophane‐type La1−xSrxPO4−x/2·nH2O (x = 0 or 0.02) from commercially available La(NO3)3·6H2O, Sr(NO3)2, and H3PO4. The synthesis was conducted at 130°C for 20 min in a sealed‐vessel microwave reactor specifically designed for synthetic applications, and the resulting products were characterized using a wide battery of analytical techniques. Highly uniform, well‐shaped nanorods of LaPO4·nH2O and La0.98Sr0.02PO3.99·nH2O were readily obtained, with average length of 213 ± 41 nm and 102 ± 25 nm, average aspect ratio (ratio between length and diameter) of 21 ± 9 and 12 ± 5, and specific surface area of 45 ± 2 and 51 ± 1 m2/g, respectively. In both cases, the single‐crystal nanorods grew anisotropically along their c crystallographic‐axis direction. At 700°C, the hexagonal rhabdophane‐type phase has already transformed into the monoclinic monazite‐type structure, although the undoped and Sr‐doped nanorods retain their morphological features and specific surface area during calcination.
Effect of BiMeO3 on the Phase Structure, Ferroelectric Stability, and Properties of Lead‐Free Bi0.5(Na0.80K0.20)0.5TiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Hao Jigong , Shen Bo , Zhai Jiwei , Chen Haydn
Published: February 2014

The effects of BiMeO3 (Me = Fe, Sc, Mn, Al) addition on the phase transition and electrical properties of Bi0.5(Na0.80K0.20)0.5TiO3 (BNKT20) lead‐free piezoceramics were systematically investigated. Results showed that addition of BiFeO3 into BNKT20 induces a phase transition from tetragonal–rhombohedral coexisted phases to a tetragonal phase with the observation of enhanced piezoelectric properties (d33 = 150 pC/N for 0.02BiFeO3). BiScO3, BiMnO3, and BiAlO3 substitutions into BNKT20 induce a phase transition from coexistence of ferroelectric tetragonal and rhombohedral to a relaxor pseudocubic with a significant disruption of the long‐range ferroelectric order, and correspondingly adjusts the ferroelectric–relaxor transition point TF–R to room temperature. Accordingly, large accompanying normalized strains of 0.34%–0.36% are obtained near the ferroelectric–relaxor phase boundary, and the mergence of large strain response can be ascribed to a reversible field‐induced ergodic relaxor‐to‐ferroelectric phase transformation. Moreover, our study also revealed that the composition located at the ferroelectric–relaxor phase boundary where the strain response is consistently derivable shifts to a BNKT20‐rich composition as the tolerance factor t of the end‐member BiMeO3 increases, and this relationship is expected to provide a guideline for designing high‐performance (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3‐based materials by searching the ferroelectric–relaxor phase boundary.
Short‐Range Order in Ge–As–Te Glasses
Authors: Jóvári Pál , Lucas Pierre , Yang Zhiyong , Bureau Bruno , Kaban Ivan , Beuneu Brigitte , Bednarčik Jozef
Published: February 2014

The structure of Te‐rich (75–80 at.% Te) and Te‐poor (40 at.% Te) Ge–As–Te glasses has been investigated by diffraction and extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements. Large‐scale structural models have been created by fitting simultaneously diffraction and EXAFS datasets by the reverse Monte Carlo simulation technique. It is found that As–As bonds improve the fit quality in the case of Te‐rich glasses while no Ge–Ge bonding is necessary in these compositions. In the Te‐poor glasses, Te–Te homopolar bonds are also observed while Ge binds preferentially to Te rather than to As. Ge–As and Ge–Te coordination numbers do not change significantly with increasing Ge content.
Microstructure Development of PZT Ceramics by Doping with Small Amounts of Al2O3, SiO2, and Fe2O3
Authors: Kühnlein Tobias , Stiegelschmitt Alfons , Roosen Andreas , Rauscher Martin
Published: February 2014

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics are used in a wide range of applications as sensors and actuators. Typically, they are formulated by the mixed oxide route, using several mixing and milling steps. Due to wear, these processes introduce impurities into the ceramic mass, which on their part can strongly influence densification behaviour and final properties of the PZT. In this study, the effect of such impurities, such as iron oxide, alumina, and silica, on the sintering behaviour and microstructure development of PZT ceramic is evaluated. A commercial Nb‐doped PZT powder was used and doped by adding Al2O3, SiO2, and Fe2O3 with an amount of up to 0.001 mol%. Bulk samples were prepared and sintered in air. The mass loss, density, and grain size were correlated by regression analysis using the doping elements and levels, respectively. Due to the complex interactions between the oxides and the ceramic properties, the experiments were performed with the design‐of‐experiment method (DoE). The results showed a significant influence of these low amounts of doping levels on the microstructure development. Moreover, it was shown that doping after calcination affects the microstructure in a similar way to doping before calcination. Thus, a possibility to compensate concentration variations in the calcined ceramic mass is demonstrated, to homogenize the chemical composition and the final microstructure of the sintered PZT ceramic in the manufacturing processes.
Durability of Alkali‐Activated Materials: Progress and Perspectives
Authors: Bernal Susan A. , Provis John L.
Published: February 2014

In the last decade, there has been rapid growth in interest in alternative binders, as part of the toolkit of cement technologies needed to mitigate the carbon footprint associated with the construction industry. Alkali‐activated materials (AAMs), including geopolymer binders and other related systems, have been identified as a key component of this move to lower CO2 cements and concretes. These are clinker‐free cements which can exhibit comparable performance to conventional portland/blended cements, when they are adequately formulated and cured. However, AAMs have a somewhat limited record of durability in service, and this is one of the main limitations facing their commercial adoption at present. To provide the best possible answers to the question of long‐term durability within an experimentally accessible timeframe, standardized accelerated degradation testing methods have been widely adopted, in an attempt to simulate natural processes. It has been identified that the interactions between material and environment, which take place on microstructural and nanostructural levels, have a very significant influence on the outcomes of the durability tests. Here, we present an overview of the results obtained when AAMs are exposed to aggressive testing conditions such as elevated concentrations of CO2, sulfates or chlorides. The key outcome of this article is a broader synthesis of the available data regarding the interactions between these new materials and their surrounding environment, which is then available to be used in the design, development, and implementation of environmentally sustainable, high‐performance cements and concretes for the 21st century.
Dielectric Relaxor Evolution and Frequency‐Insensitive Giant Strains in (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3‐Modified Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3–PbTiO3 Ferroelectric Ceramics
Authors: Zhao Wanli , Zuo Ruzhong , Zheng Donggeng , Li Longtu
Published: February 2014

The 0.45Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3–(0.55 − x)PbTiO3–x(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 (BMT–PT–xBNT) ternary solid solution ceramics were prepared via a conventional solid‐state reaction method; the evolution of dielectric relaxor behavior and the electrostrain features were investigated. The XRD and dielectric measurements showed that all studied compositions own a single pseudocubic perovskite structure and undergo a diffuse‐to‐relaxor phase transition owing to the evolution of the domain from a frozen state to a dynamic state. The formation of the above dielectric relaxor behavior was further confirmed by a couple of measurements such as polarization loops, polarization current density curves, as well as bipolar strain loops. A large strain value of ~0.41% at a driving field of 7 kV/mm (normalized strain d33* of ~590 pm/V) was obtained at room temperature for the composition with x = 0.32, which is located near the boundary between ergodic and nonergodic relaxor. Moreover, this electric field‐induced large strain was found to own a frequency‐insensitive characteristic.
Sodium Doping Effects on Layered Cobaltate Bi2Sr2Co2Oy Thin Films
Authors: Wei Renhuai , Tang Xianwu , Hui Zhenzhen , Yang Jie , Hu Ling , Chen Li , Dai Jianming , Zhu Xuebin , Sun Yuping
Published: February 2014

Highly c‐axis oriented Bi2−xNaxSr2Co2Oy (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) thin films were successfully deposited onto LaAlO3 (0 0 1) single crystal substrates by the chemical solution deposition method. The Na‐doping effects on microstructures as well as transport and thermoelectric properties were investigated. The crystallite size normal to the thin film surface was decreased with Na doping, and the carrier concentration and mobility was enhanced and decreased, respectively. As for the transport properties, it is suggested that Na‐doping‐induced disorders play a more important role at low temperatures, while at the medium temperature the doping play a trivial role, at higher temperatures Na‐doping weakens the electron correlation. Combined with the transport properties and Seebeck coefficient results, it is suggested that the thermoelectric properties are mainly controlled by carrier concentration due to the hole doping in blocking layers. Power factor at 300 K was enhanced about 22% for the Bi1.7Na0.3Sr2Co2Oy thin film as compared with that of the undoped thin films, suggesting that Na doping at blocking layer in Bi2Sr2Co2Oy was an effective route to enhance the thermoelectric power factor.
A longitudinal exploration of ‘Four Critical Moments’ during treatment trajectory in patients with operable lung cancer and the feasibility of an exercise intervention: a research protocol
Authors: Missel Malene , Pedersen Jesper Holst , Hendriksen Carsten , Tewes Marianne , Christensen Karl Bang , Adamsen Lis
Published: February 2014

Aim

This article described a research protocol for a study exploring the lived experiences of patients with operable lung cancer in daily life at ‘Four Critical Moments’ during the disease and treatment trajectory.

Background

Patients with lung cancer may experience complex problems during the disease and treatment trajectory, and studies conclude this population to be at higher risk in developing emotional distress than other cancer populations. It is required to explore the supportive needs of patients with lung cancer through the treatment trajectory.

Design

A longitudinal design with a method of multiple data collection. The study is performed at four time points ‘Four Critical Moments’.

Methods

The study contained three samples. Sample I and sample II explored the expected four critical moments for patients with operable lung cancer within the first 4 months following diagnosis and surgery. Sample III explored the patients' participation and the feasibility of an exercise intervention targeting patients with operable lung cancer. For all three samples, interviews will be performed: (1) 5 days following diagnosis; (2) the day after surgery; (3) 7 weeks; and (4) 4 months following surgery. Data from questionnaires for all three samples will be collected at baseline and 4 months following surgery.

Discussion

The study will add new perspectives on the lived experiences of patients with lung cancer along the treatment trajectory based on empirical and theoretical findings for both the general lung cancer population and patients participating in an exercise intervention. This will provide a basis for optimizing and developing interventions for patients with lung cancer starting in the surgical context.
What Does Society Owe Me If I Am Responsible for Being Worse Off?
Authors: Andersen Martin Marchman
Published: February 2014

Luck egalitarians need to address the question of cost‐responsibility: If an individual is responsible for being worse off than others, then what benefits, if any, is that individual uniquely cost‐responsible for? By applying luck egalitarianism to justice in health I discuss different answers to this question inspired by two different interpretations of luck egalitarianism, namely ‘standard luck egalitarianism’ and ‘all luck egalitarianism’, respectively. Even though I argue that the latter is more plausible than the former, I ultimately suggest and defend a third interpretation of luck egalitarianism, which I label ‘universal luck egalitarianism’. Finally, I adjust my findings to a (all things considered) more plausible currency, namely welfare.
Unlikely allies: credibility transfer during a corporate crisis
Authors: Heinze Justin , Uhlmann Eric Luis , Diermeier Daniel
Published: February 2014

A company that faces a crisis can reestablish trust with stakeholders by announcing an independent investigation by a third party. Announcing an independent investigation, without knowing its outcome, significantly restored attitudes toward the company while an internal investigation was ineffective. Liberals responded most positively to a company that invited an independent investigation by a consumer advocacy group (Study 1). Experimentally activating liberal values using an implicit priming procedure likewise enhanced credibility transfer from a consumer advocacy group's investigation to a company in crisis (Study 2).
Vested interest and environmental risk communication: improving willingness to cope with impending disasters
Authors: De Dominicis Stefano , Crano William D. , Ganucci Cancellieri Uberta , Mosco Benedetta , Bonnes Mirilia , Hohman Zachary , Bonaiuto Marino
Published: February 2014

Vested interest theory (VIT), first investigated on environmental risk, suggests that the hedonic relevance of an attitude object moderates relations between attitudes, intentions, and responses to danger. Emphasizing vested interest may maximize impacts of risk communications. Study 1 (N = 215) assessed differences between inhabitants of two flood‐risk areas in Italy on past experience, risk perceptions, concerns, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.

Objectively, higher risk areas' residents reported more experience, and greater perceived risk and concern, while no preparedness differences were found (both at “between cities” and “within city” levels). Study 2 (N = 444) looked at the moderating role of VIT‐based risk communication messages on the relationship between vested interest and behavioral intentions. Components of vested interest moderate attitude–intention consistency, suggesting a new method of developing effective risk announcements.
The role of self‐perceived agency and job attainability in women's impressions of successful women in masculine occupations
Authors: Lawson Katie M. , Lips Hilary M.
Published: February 2014

Past research indicates that both men and women rate successful women in masculine occupations high in interpersonal hostility and low in likeability. Such unfavorable ratings may constitute impediments to women's career success. The present study investigates social comparison as a possible mechanism contributing to the negative impressions formed by women about successful women in masculine occupations. Students from a U.S. university (n = 236) read a job description, completed self‐perceived agency and job attainability measures, and rated a successful woman in the occupation. Results suggest that for women only, participants high in agency viewed masculine occupations as more attainable, and thus were apparently not motivated to disparage the successful woman in the masculine occupation to salvage their self‐views. The findings support the idea that different underlying mechanisms contribute to women's and men's devaluation of successful women.
Creating joint representations of collaborative problem solving with multi‐touch technology
Authors: Mercier E. , Higgins S.
Published: February 2014

Multi‐touch surfaces have the potential to change the nature of computer‐supported collaborative learning, allowing more equitable access to shared digital content. In this paper, we explore how large multi‐touch tables can be used by groups of students as an external representation of their group interaction processes. Video data from 24 groups of students working on a logic reasoning problem was examined to identify their levels of reasoning about the task, and how they used the table to support their reasoning. Results indicate that of the 13 groups who solved or nearly solved the problem, 12 used the table to represent their reasoning process, while only four groups who used the table to support their reasoning process did not solve the problem. Examples from three groups are used to explore the different ways the table was used as an external representation of the groups' processes. The findings indicate that the group problem‐solving process can be enhanced with the use of multi‐touch tables, although students may need support in using the technology effectively to support their collaborative reasoning.
Protumoral effect of macrophage through Axl activation on mucoepidermoid carcinoma
Authors: Chiu Kuo‐Chou , Lee Chien‐Hsing , Liu Shyun‐Yeu , Yeh Chi‐Tai , Huang Ren‐Yeong , Yuh Da‐Yo , Cheng Jen‐Chan , Chou Yu‐Ting , Shieh Yi‐Shing
Published: February 2014

Objective

This study aims to test the potential involvement of Axl signaling in the protumoral effect of tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC).

Materials and Methods

We carried out co‐cultured experiments by incubation of MEC cells (UT‐MUC‐1) and macrophages (THP‐1) and examined Axl activation status. The expression of MMPs and behavior change were examined in UT‐MUC‐1 cells. The effect of Axl signaling on co‐cultured cancer cells was further investigated by knockdown Axl expression and suppression by Axl‐specific inhibitor R428.

Results

Activation of Axl signaling and increased expression and activity of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 along with increased invasion/migration ability in MEC cells were observed when co‐cultured with TAMs. Upon knockdown of Axl in MEC or addition of R428 in the co‐cultured system, these co‐cultured effects were diminished.

Conclusion

TAMs play a protumoral role in MEC via activation of the Axl signaling pathway, up‐regulating MMPs expression, and increasing invasion/migration ability.
Relationship Between Ralstonia solanacearum Diversity and Severity of Bacterial Wilt Disease in Tomato Fields in China
Authors: Zheng Xue‐fang , Zhu Yu‐jing , Liu Bo , Zhou You , Che Jian‐mei , Lin Nai‐quan
Published: February 2014

A field survey was conducted to determine the relationship between Ralstonia solanacearum diversity and severity of bacterial wilt disease in tomato plants grown in plastic greenhouses. Both vegetative and reproductive stages of the plants were surveyed, and the symptoms were empirically categorized into five scales: 0 (asymptomatic): 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. The bacterial wilt pathogen was isolated from infected plants at each disease scale; pathogenic characteristics and population densities of the bacterial strains were assessed. Two hundred and eighty‐two isolates were identified as R. solanacearum, which were divided into three pathogenic types, virulent, avirulent and interim, using the attenuation index (AI) method and a plant inoculation bioassay. Ralstonia solanacearum was detected in all asymptomatic and symptomatic tomato plants, with population numbers, ranging from 10.5 to 86.7 × 105 cfu/g. However, asymptomatic plants harboured only avirulent or interim R. solanacearum, whereas tomato plants displaying 1st or 2nd disease degree contained interim and virulent strains. Additionally, 3rd and 4th degree plants harboured only virulent strains. The disease was more severe in vegetative‐stage plants (disease severity index (DSI) 0.20) with higher total numbers of interim and virulent R. solanacearum strains than those in reproductive‐stage plants (DSI 0.12). Three pathotypes of R. solanacearum coexisted in a competitive growth system in the tomato field, and their distribution closely correlated with the severity of tomato bacterial wilt.
Rating the rat: global patterns and research priorities in impacts and management of rodent pests
Authors: Capizzi Dario , Bertolino Sandro , Mortelliti Alessio
Published: February 2014

We report the results of the first systematic assessment of global patterns and research priorities emerging in the field of rodent pest management. We carried out an extensive literature review targeted towards identifying the most relevant rodent pests, their impacts and the most common methods used to control them.

We identified three disproportionally important pest species that are characterized by severe, generalist and geographically widespread impacts: the black rat Rattus rattus, the Norway rat Rattus norvegicus and the house mouse Mus musculus. Overall, only 7% of known rodent species may be considered pests. Scansorial (i.e. terrestrial and semi‐arboreal) and fossorial species are generally important as pests, while aquatic and arboreal species have only specific impacts.

Impacts of rodent pests on arable crops were studied most, followed by impacts on ecosystems. Studies on arable crops were typical in countries with low net income and health expenditure, while the opposite was observed for studies on ecosystems. Poisons were the most commonly used control method, followed by traps and habitat management. The need to control rodent species is expanding, especially to protect ecosystems and public health. Unlike in other fields of pest management (e.g. insect control), in rodent control we are approaching new problems with old solutions; control strategies and methods have not kept pace with emerging impacts.

The need to control a rodent pest species is higher when it is non‐native than within its original geographical range. The impact of a rodent species in its native range is a good predictor of the impact it may have in areas of introduction.

Our review will contribute towards guiding researchers and stakeholders to focus research efforts and investments on a subset of species, and on new, less hazardous control techniques.
Standardized mapping of nodulation patterns in legume roots
Authors: Remmler Lauren , Clairmont Lindsey , Rolland‐Lagan Anne‐Gaëlle , Guinel Frédérique Catherine
Published: February 2014

Optimizing nodulation in legumes is a target for crop improvement, and the spatial control of nodulation is just beginning to be unravelled. However, there is currently no method for standard phenotyping of nodulation patterns. Here we present a method and software for the quantitative analysis of nodulation phenotypes.

Roots of nodulated peas (Pisum sativum), wild‐type and two mutants, were photographed. Data from the photographs were extracted using custom image and data analysis software.

The software makes it possible to extract each nodule's position along primary and lateral roots, and to represent the nodulated root system in a standardized way independent of the way roots are arranged in the soil. A wide variety of nodulation and root variables are calculated, and average spatial nodulation patterns can be computed from multiple samples.

Standardized spatial analysis of nodulation patterns opens the way for comparative analyses among genotypes of a single legume species, as here in pea. This approach could also be used to compare nodulation patterns among crops, among plants grown under different environmental conditions, or among plants exposed to different pharmacological treatments. The proposed method should therefore prove useful for studies on nodule organogenesis and nodule physiology and for optimizing nodulation in crops.
Moral realism in nursing
Authors: Edwards Steven D.
Published: February 2014

For more than 15 years Professor Per Nortvedt has been arguing the case for moral realism in nursing and the health‐care context more generally. His arguments focus on the clinical contexts of nursing and medicine and are supplemented by a series of persuasive examples. Following a description of moral realism, and the kinds of considerations that support it, criticisms of it are developed that seem persuasive. It is argued that our moral responses are explained by our beliefs as opposed to moral realities. In particular, two key arguments presented by Nortvedt are challenged: the so‐called argument from convergence and the argument from clinical sensitivity. Both of these key planks in the case for moral realism are rejected, and an alternative ‘social conditioning’ account briefly sketched, which, it is claimed, has the same explanatory power as Nortvedt's thesis but does not rest on an appeal to independently existing moral properties.
Interplays between nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in cryptogein signalling
Authors: KULIK ANNA , NOIROT ELODIE , GRANDPERRET VINCENT , BOURQUE STÉPHANE , FROMENTIN JÉRÔME , SALLOIGNON PAULINE , TRUNTZER CAROLINE , DOBROWOLSKA GRAŻYNA , SIMON‐PLAS FRANÇOISE , WENDEHENNE DAVID
Published: February 2014

Nitric oxide (NO) has many functions in plants. Here, we investigated its interplays with reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the defence responses triggered by the elicitin cryptogein. The production of NO induced by cryptogein in tobacco cells was partly regulated through a ROS‐dependent pathway involving the NADPH oxidase NtRBOHD. In turn, NO down‐regulated the level of H2O2. Both NO and ROS synthesis appeared to be under the control of type‐2 histone deacetylases acting as negative regulators of cell death. Occurrence of an interplay between NO and ROS was further supported by the finding that cryptogein triggered a production of peroxynitrite (ONOO−). Next, we showed that ROS, but not NO, negatively regulate the intensity of activity of the cryptogein‐induced protein kinase NtOSAK. Furthermore, using a DNA microarray approach, we identified 15 genes early induced by cryptogein via NO. A part of these genes was also modulated by ROS and encoded proteins showing sequence identity to ubiquitin ligases. Their expression appeared to be negatively regulated by ONOO−, suggesting that ONOO− mitigates the effects of NO and ROS. Finally, we provided evidence that NO required NtRBOHD activity for inducing cell death, thus confirming previous assumption that ROS channel NO through cell death pathways.
Transcriptome analysis of soybean lines reveals transcript diversity and genes involved in the response to common cutworm (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) feeding
Authors: WANG YONGLI , WANG HUI , FAN RUI , YANG QING , YU DEYUE
Published: February 2014

The interaction between soybeans and the destructive common cutworm insect is complicated. In this paper, the time course of induced responses to common cutworm was characterized in two soybean lines, and the results showed that the induced resistance peaked at different times in the resistant (WX) and susceptible (NN) soybean lines. Two sets of transcriptome profiles from the WX and NN lines at the peak of their induced resistance were compared using microarray analysis. In total, 827 and 349 transcripts were differentially expressed in the WX and NN lines, respectively, with 80 probes common regulated and seven regulated in the opposite direction. All common‐ and unique‐regulated genes were grouped into 10 functional categories based on sequence similarity searches, which showed that most of the genes were related to stress and defence responses. qRT‐PCR analysis of 22 genes confirmed the results of the microarray analysis. The spatiotemporal expression patterns of the six genes revealed the consistency of systemic expression levels with the timing of the resistance response observed in the bioassay experiments. In summary, we described the conceptual model of induced resistance in two soybean lines and provided the first large‐scale survey of common cutworm‐induced defence transcripts in soybean.
Lacking chloroplasts in guard cells of crumpled leaf attenuates stomatal opening: both guard cell chloroplasts and mesophyll contribute to guard cell ATP levels
Authors: WANG SHU‐WEI , LI YING , ZHANG XIAO‐LU , YANG HAI‐QIANG , HAN XUE‐FEI , LIU ZHAO‐HUI , SHANG ZHONG‐LIN , ASANO TOMOYA , YOSHIOKA YASUSHI , ZHANG CHUN‐GUANG , CHEN YU‐LING
Published: February 2014

Controversies regarding the function of guard cell chloroplasts and the contribution of mesophyll in stomatal movements have persisted for several decades. Here, by comparing the stomatal opening of guard cells with (crl‐ch) or without chloroplasts (crl‐no ch) in one epidermis of crl (crumpled leaf) mutant in Arabidopsis, we showed that stomatal apertures of crl‐no ch were approximately 65–70% those of crl‐ch and approximately 50–60% those of wild type. The weakened stomatal opening in crl‐no ch could be partially restored by imposing lower extracellular pH. Correspondingly, the external pH changes and K+ accumulations following fusicoccin (FC) treatment were greatly reduced in the guard cells of crl‐no ch compared with crl‐ch and wild type. Determination of the relative ATP levels in individual cells showed that crl‐no ch guard cells contained considerably lower levels of ATP than did crl‐ch and wild type after 2 h of white light illumination. In addition, guard cell ATP levels were lower in the epidermis than in leaves, which is consistent with the observed weaker stomatal opening response to white light in the epidermis than in leaves. These results provide evidence that both guard cell chloroplasts and mesophyll contribute to the ATP source for H+ extrusion by guard cells.