bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distribution trends of colorectal adenoma and cancer: A colonoscopy database analysis of 11 025 Chinese patients
Authors: Bai Yu , Gao Jun , Zou Duo‐Wu , Li Zhao‐Shen
Published: June 2010

Background and Aim:  A left‐to‐right shift of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been reported in Western studies. However, few Asian studies have investigated the anatomic distribution of colorectal adenoma and CRC. We aimed to describe the time trends in the distribution of colorectal adenoma and CRC in a Chinese population.

Methods:  A colonoscopy database was reviewed, and all consecutive patients with lower gastrointestinal symptoms who underwent colonoscopy from 1998 to 2009 were identified. Data, including patients' sex, age, symptoms, and the number and anatomic locations of colorectal adenoma and CRC, were documented.

Results:  A total of 11 025 patients were included in the final analysis; 1012 and 363 patients were diagnosed with colorectal adenoma and CRC, respectively. Overall, there were more distal than proximal adenomas (54.4% vs 37.9%), and the proportion of proximal adenomas remained stable from 1998–2006 to 2007–2009 (38.2% vs 37.6%). Similarly, there were more distal than proximal CRC (56.5% vs 42.4%), and the proportion of proximal CRC declined from 45.8% in 1998–2006 to 38.4% in 2007–2009. Colorectal adenoma and CRC were equally distributed among both sexes. For elderly patients (> 50 years), there was a non‐significant trend towards more proximal adenoma and CRC.

Conclusions:  The present study suggests no distal‐to‐proximal shift of colorectal adenoma and CRC among the Chinese population in Shanghai over the past 12 years. The distribution pattern of colorectal adenoma and CRC of Chinese patients is different from that of Western patients, who had more colorectal lesions located in the distal part.
Diets of sympatric native and introduced carnivores in the Barrington Tops, eastern Australia
Authors: GLEN A. S. , PENNAY M. , DICKMAN C. R. , WINTLE B. A. , FIRESTONE K. B.
Published: June 2010

Invasive predators have severe impacts on global biodiversity, and their effects in Australia have been more extreme than on any other continent. The spotted‐tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), an endangered marsupial carnivore, coexists with three eutherian carnivores, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), feral cat (Felis catus) and wild dog (Canis lupus ssp.) with which it did not coevolve. No previous study has investigated dietary overlap between quolls and the suite of three eutherian carnivores. By analysing scats, we aimed to quantify dietary overlap within this carnivore assemblage in eastern Australia, and to detect any differences that may facilitate coexistence. We also sought evidence of intraguild predation. Dietary overlap between predators was extensive, with the greatest similarity occurring between foxes and cats. However, some differences were apparent. For example, cats mainly consumed smaller prey, and wild dogs larger prey. Quolls showed greater dietary overlap with foxes and cats than with dogs. Intraguild predation was evident, with fox remains occurring in 3% of wild dog scats. Our results suggest wild dogs competitively dominate invasive foxes, which in turn are likely to compete with the endangered quoll.
Respiratory interactions of soil bacteria with (semi)conductive iron‐oxide minerals
Authors: Kato Souichiro , Nakamura Ryuhei , Kai Fumiyoshi , Watanabe Kazuya , Hashimoto Kazuhito
Published: June 2010

Pure‐culture studies have shown that dissimilatory metal‐reducing bacteria are able to utilize iron‐oxide nanoparticles as electron conduits for reducing distant terminal acceptors; however, the ecological relevance of such energy metabolism is poorly understood. Here, soil microbial communities were grown in electrochemical cells with acetate as the electron donor and electrodes (poised at 0.2 V versus Ag/AgCl) as the electron acceptors in the presence and absence of iron‐oxide nanoparticles, and respiratory current generation and community structures were analysed. Irrespective of the iron‐oxide species (hematite, magnetite or ferrihydrite), the supplementation with iron‐oxide minerals resulted in large increases (over 30‐fold) in current, while only a moderate increase (∼10‐fold) was observed in the presence of soluble ferric/ferrous irons. During the current generation, insulative ferrihydrite was transformed into semiconductive goethite. Clone‐library analyses of 16S rRNA gene fragments PCR‐amplified from the soil microbial communities revealed that iron‐oxide supplementation facilitated the occurrence of Geobacter species affiliated with subsurface clades 1 and 2. We suggest that subsurface‐clade Geobacter species preferentially thrive in soil by utilizing (semi)conductive iron oxides for their respiration.
Pathological T2 sub‐divisions as a prognostic factor in the biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer
Authors: Caso Jorge R. , Tsivian Matvey , Mouraviev Vladimir , Polascik Thomas J. , Moul Judd W.
Published: June 2010

Study Type – Prognosis (case series) Level of Evidence 4

OBJECTIVE

To determine the adequacy of T2 prostate cancer (PCa) sub‐staging as an independent Predictor of biochemical disease‐free survival (bDFS) after radical prostatectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Duke Prostate Center database was queried for patients who underwent radical prostatectomy between 1988 and 2007 and had pT2 PCa, identifying 1990 cases. Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) recurrence was defined as a single value ≥0.2 ng/mL. Kaplan–Meier curves compared differences in bDFS between T2 sub‐divisions. Multivariate analysis was performed, adjusting for age, pathological Gleason sum, surgical margin status, preoperative PSA, race, total tumour percentage and prostate weight on biochemical recurrence.

RESULTS

The mean age at surgery was 62 years, and 16% of patients were African‐American. Median prostate weight was 40 g [interquartile range (IQR) 31–52] and median preoperative PSA was 5.6 (IQR 4.2–7.8). Pathological Gleason score was ≤6 in 57%, 7 in 38%, and ≥8 in 5%; pathological T stage distribution was 18% T2a, 6% T2b, and 76% T2c; and percentage tumour involvement was ≤5% in 43%, between 5.1 and 10% in 24%, between 10.1 and 15% in 10%, and >15% in 19%. 366 (18.4%) patients had a biochemical recurrence after a median of 4.6 years (IQR 2.1–8.2) follow‐up. bDFS was significantly (P= 0.006) higher for pT2a disease than for pT2b and pT2c, which were comparable. Adjusting for demographic and other pathological variables, T2 sub‐divisions lost statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Pathological T2a prostate cancer has significantly higher bDFS than the pT2b or pT2c sub‐groups in univariate but not multivariate analyses. Different pathological features should be explored to create more meaningfully predictive pathological T2 sub‐divisions.
The Limits to Evidence‐Based Policy: Evidence, Emotion and Criminal Justice1
Authors: Freiberg Arie , Carson W.G.
Published: June 2010

While ‘evidence‐based’ or ‘rationalist’ approaches to criminal policy may appeal to technocrats, bureaucrats and a number of academics, they often fail to compete successfully with the affective approaches to law and order policies which resonate with the public and which appear to meet deep‐seated psychological needs. They also often fail to recognise that ‘policy’ and ‘politics’ are related concepts and that debates about criminal justice are played out in broader arenas than the academy, the bureau or the agency. To be successful, penal reform must take account of the emotions people feel in the face of wrongdoing. Further, successful reform must take into account changes in public ‘mood’ or emotions over time and be sensitive to different political and social cultures. This article argues that criminal justice policies are more likely to be adopted if, in addition to the gathering and presentation of evidence, they recognise and deal with the roles of emotions, symbols, faith, belief and religion in the criminal justice system. It also recognises that evidence alone is unlikely to be the major determinant of policy outcomes and that the creation and successful implementation of policy also requires extensive engagement and evidence‐based dialogue with interested and affected parties. This necessitates a different kind of modelling for evidence‐based policy processes.
The National Renewable Energy Target: An Example of Post‐Machiavellian Policy‐Making?
Authors: Jones Stephen
Published: June 2010

Since the election of the Rudd Government in 2007 intergovernmental relations have been a major feature of the political agenda. A ‘new federalism’ approach introduced a re‐invigorated Council of Australian Governments (COAG) focused on developing national policies that reflect coordinated and cooperative policy‐making processes. The establishment of COAG working groups provided the means for developing policies that reflect new levels of agreement between jurisdictions and a common approach to reform. The development of the 20% Renewable Energy Target has been one of the first initiatives of this new approach to policy‐making. This research analyses the process behind the development of the target and places it within the context of the post‐Machiavellian approach, and looks at the implications for future intergovernmental relations.
Harnessing Market Competition in PPP Procurement: The Importance of Periodically Taking a Strategic View
Authors: Mols Frank
Published: June 2010

Public‐Private Partnerships (PPP) procurement is routinely portrayed as offering greater scope for harnessing competitive market forces to secure Value for Money (VfM) than traditional procurement approaches (

OECD 2008

). The aim of this article is (a) to demonstrate the importance of periodically taking a more systematic and strategic view when assessing VfM in PPP procurement (

OGC 2003

), and (b) to develop an analytical framework for such an analysis. Road infrastructure procurement in South East Queensland is used as a case study to test the usefulness of the proposed framework, and to show how a narrow focus on individual contracts increases the risk of overlooking overdependence on one supplier (

OGC 2003

). Discussion focuses on the need to combine detailed analysis of individual contracts with longitudinal analyses of market competitiveness when assessing best VfM.
Unequal Voices: ‘Strategic’ Consultation in South Australia
Authors: Manwaring Rob
Published: June 2010

In 2006, the South Australian government undertook the largest consultation ever to take place in the state. Over 1600 South Australians were involved with the consultation on the revision of South Australia's Strategic Plan (SASP). This ‘big‐picture’ consultation was a significant attempt to connect with, and gain feedback from, the South Australian ‘community’ on the Rann government's vision for the state. This article is the first formal evaluation of the 2006 consultation on the SASP. To critically evaluate the consultation process, this article uses Pratchett's framework which examines participative processes through the two principles of responsiveness and representativeness. The article concludes that the state government's rhetoric about the success of the consultation obscures a number of deficiencies and tensions that underpinned the consultation process. This critique of the South Australian consultation provides some key insights for the current trend for strategic planning at the state level in Australia.
Forgotten Outcomes for Rural Areas in Central Policy‐Making: The Case of Blue Gums in Australia
Authors: O’Toole Kevin , Keneley Monica
Published: June 2010

The expansion of private forestry and the partnership between government and private sector timber growers and processors highlights the issues associated with a functionally based rather than a place based approaches to changing patterns of land use in rural areas. Rural development through blue gum forestry was promoted as a means of revitalising rural communities, providing both economic and social gains to regional areas. The purpose of this study is to examine the economic consequences of policies designed to promote plantation forestry at a local level. It concludes that while plantation forestry may bring benefits to the national economy, these benefits may not be apparent at a local level especially if the industry operates in competition with a viable alternative.
TESTING FOR STATIONARITY IN HETEROGENEOUS PANEL DATA IN THE CASE OF MODEL MISSPECIFICATION
Authors: Rao Yao , Hadri Kaddour , Bu Ruijun
Published: June 2010

This paper investigates the performance of the tests proposed by Hadri and by Hadri and Larsson for testing for stationarity in heterogeneous panel data under model misspecification. The panel tests are based on the well known KPSS test (cf. Kwiatkowski et al.) which considers two models: stationarity around a deterministic level and stationarity around a deterministic trend. There is no study, as far as we know, on the statistical properties of the test when the wrong model is used. We also consider the case of the simultaneous presence of the two types of models in a panel. We employ two asymptotics: joint asymptotic, T, N →∞ simultaneously, and T fixed and N allowed to grow indefinitely. We use Monte Carlo experiments to investigate the effects of misspecification in sample sizes usually used in practice. The results indicate that the assumption that T is fixed rather than asymptotic leads to tests that have less size distortions, particularly for relatively small T with large N panels (micro‐panels) than the tests derived under the joint asymptotics. We also find that choosing a deterministic trend when a deterministic level is true does not significantly affect the properties of the test. But, choosing a deterministic level when a deterministic trend is true leads to extreme over‐rejections. Therefore, when unsure about which model has generated the data, it is suggested to use the model with a trend. We also propose a new statistic for testing for stationarity in mixed panel data where the mixture is known. The performance of this new test is very good for both cases of T asymptotic and T fixed. The statistic for T asymptotic is slightly undersized when T is very small (≤10).
ON NON‐MONETARY MEASURES IN THE FACE OF RISKS AND THE SIGNS OF THE DERIVATIVES
Authors: Courbage Christophe , Rey Béatrice
Published: June 2010

Vulnerability of both prudence and temperance towards a sure loss and towards a zero‐mean background risk seems to be a very realistic assumption on individual preference. This paper shows that when the concepts of prudence and temperance are defined in non‐monetary terms, the above assumption is equivalent to the usual signs of the successive derivatives of the utility function.
Not for turning? Power, institutional ethos and the ethics of irreversibility
Authors: Munro Rolland
Published: June 2010

Adoption of an ‘ethics of reversibility’ can seem fashionably enlightened, even democratic, but appears less radical when issues of power are opened up. Adopting the motif of keeping, this paper sets its questioning of an on‐going individuation of ethics within the context of an insidious reduction of institutional mores to business parlance. Keeping Derrida's ‘philosophy of reversals’ in view, the discussion resists the double bind of attempts to make higher‐level decisions ever more ‘irreversible’ on the one hand, while devolving ethical responsibilities for outcomes downwards on the other. In criss‐crossing, back and forth, on variations of these themes, the aim of the paper is to contest a division of moral labour in which the more powerful style themselves as ‘not for turning’, while those dispossessed of authority are left to vacillate within the market agendas of flexibility and transparency.
The Global Adherence Project (GAP): a multicenter observational study on adherence to disease‐modifying therapies in patients with relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Devonshire V. , Lapierre Y. , Macdonell R. , Ramo‐Tello C. , Patti F. , Fontoura P. , Suchet L. , Hyde R. , Balla I. , Frohman E. M. , Kieseier B. C. ,   for the GAP Study Group
Published: June 2010

Background:  Most disease‐modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) are self‐injectable medications that must be taken on an ongoing basis to reduce disease activity. Thus, adherence to therapy becomes an important challenge that must be addressed to maximize benefits of therapy. This study evaluated rates of adherence to prescribed treatment and explored factors affecting adherence amongst patients with relapsing‐remitting MS.

Methods:  This was an observational, multicenter, multinational, phase 4 study. Patients and physicians received paper questionnaires regarding adherence to DMTs approved at the time of the study, including intramuscular interferon beta‐1a (IFNβ‐1a), subcutaneous IFNβ‐1a, IFNβ‐1b, and glatiramer acetate. Quality of life and cognition data also were collected. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with adherence to long‐term DMTs.

Results:  Two thousand six hundred and forty‐eight patients were studied, revealing an average treatment duration of 31 months. Seventy‐five percent of patients (n = 1923) were adherent to therapy. The most common reasons for non‐adherence were forgetting to administer the injection (50.2%) and other injection‐related reasons (32.0%). Adherent patients reported better quality of life (P < 0.05) and fewer neuropsychological issues (P < 0.001) than non‐adherent patients. Adherent patients had significantly shorter duration of disease (P < 0.001) and shorter duration of therapy (P = 0.005) than non‐adherent patients. Women were more likely than men to adhere to treatment.

Conclusion:  Identifying factors that affect adherence to prescribed treatments is the first step in improving adherence of patients with MS to therapy, thereby helping maximize the benefits of long‐term DMTs.
Molecular and morphological variation in a South African velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae): evidence for cryptic speciation
Authors: Daniels S. R. , Ruhberg H.
Published: June 2010

The systematics of Peripatopsis moseleyi (Wood‐Mason, 1879), a widely distributed South Africa velvet worm species, was examined to test the occurrence of cryptic lineages within this taxon. A total of 81 specimens of P. moseleyi were collected from 12 localities throughout its known distribution in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu‐Natal provinces of South Africa. All specimens were sequenced for a 631 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase one subunit (COI) locus, while a 717 bp pair fragment of the 18S rDNA locus was sequenced for a single sample for each of the clades evident from the COI topology. DNA sequence data were analysed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inferences, while a haplotype network was constructed and an analysis of molecular variation was conducted. Gross morphological characteristics, such as the number of pre‐genital leg pairs, the genital areas and colour variation in each sample locality were examined. Moreover, characters of the antennae, the shape of the main dermal papillae and male genital pad features were investigated. Topologies derived from the combined DNA analyses (COI and 18S rDNA) were congruent and revealed that P. moseleyi is a complex comprised of five genetically distinct clades. At present, these clades could not be differentiated based on morphological characters, suggesting that traditional species‐discriminating characters have limited taxonomic utility. However, colour differences between the two sympatric morphs may be used to differentiate these clades. Our results indicate that cryptic speciation is present within P. moseleyi, with most of the novel detected lineages characterized by restricted geographic distribution.
Plasticity of the visual system after early brain damage
Authors: GUZZETTA ANDREA , D’ACUNTO GIULIA , ROSE STEPHEN , TINELLI FRANCESCA , BOYD ROSLYN , CIONI GIOVANNI
Published: June 2010

The aim of this review is to discuss the existing evidence supporting different processes of visual brain plasticity after early damage, as opposed to damage that occurs during adulthood. There is initial evidence that some of the neuroplastic mechanisms adopted by the brain after early damage to the visual system are unavailable at a later stage. These are, for example, the ability to differentiate functional tissue within a larger dysplastic cortex during its formation, or to develop new thalamo‐cortical connections able to bypass the lesion and reach their cortical destination in the occipital cortex. The young brain also uses the same mechanisms available at later stages of development but in a more efficient way. For example, in people with visual field defects of central origin, the anatomical expansion of the extrastriatal visual network is greater after an early lesion than after a later one, which results in more efficient mechanisms of visual exploration of the blind field. A similar mechanism is likely to support some of the differences found in people with blindsight, the phenomenon of unconscious visual perception in the blind field. In particular, compared with people with late lesions, those with early brain damage appear to have stronger subjective awareness of stimuli hitting the blind visual field, reported as a conscious feeling that something is present in the visual field. Expanding our knowledge of these mechanisms could help the development of early therapeutic interventions aimed at supporting and enhancing visual reorganization at a time of greatest potential brain plasticity.
Handwriting, visuomotor integration, and neurological condition at school age
Authors: VAN HOORN JESSIKA F , MAATHUIS CAREL GB , PETERS LIEKE HJ , HADDERS‐ALGRA MIJNA
Published: June 2010

Aim  The study investigated the relationships between handwriting, visuomotor integration, and neurological condition. We paid particular attention to the presence of minor neurological dysfunction (MND).

Method  Participants were 200 children (131 males, 69 females; age range 8–13y) of whom 118 received mainstream education (mean age 10y 5mo, SD 1y 4mo) and 82 special education (mean age 10y 8mo, SD 1y 2mo). Each child had four assessments: a neurological examination, which paid attention to the type and severity of MND, a test to measure motor performance, a handwriting test, and the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration.

Results  Dysgraphic handwriting and slow writing speed were closely related to the severity of neurological dysfunction (both p<0.001); impaired visuomotor integration was related to the presence of MND (p<0.001) but somewhat less to its severity. Impaired handwriting and visuomotor integration were strongly related to two specific dysfunctions: fine manipulative disability and coordination problems (both p<0.001). Impaired visuomotor integration was weakly related to dysfunctional muscle tone regulation (p=0.009) and sensory dysfunction (p=0.042).

Interpretation  Poor handwriting and impaired visuomotor integration are related to MND, but in a differential way. Poor handwriting is related to the severity of neurological dysfunction and to dysfunctions of complex supraspinal circuitries. Impaired visuomotor integration is associated with the presence of any of the most common types of MND.
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: an update
Authors: GUTIERREZ JOSE , ISSACSON RICHARD S , KOPPEL BARBARA S
Published: June 2010

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a chronic encephalitis occurring after infection with measles virus. The prevalence of the disease varies depending on uptake of measles vaccination, with the virus disproportionally affecting regions with low vaccination rates. The physiopathology of the disease is not fully understood; however, there is evidence that it involves factors that favour humoral over cellular immune response against the virus. As a result, the virus is able to infect the neurons and to survive in a latent form for years. The clinical manifestations occur, on average, 6 years after measles virus infection. The onset of SSPE is insidious, and psychiatric manifestations are prominent. Subsequently, myoclonic seizures usually lead to a final stage of akinetic mutism. The diagnosis is clinical, supported by periodic complexes on electroencephalography, brain imaging suggestive of demyelination, and immunological evidence of measles infection. Management of the disease includes seizure control and avoidance of secondary complications associated with the progressive disability. Trials of treatment with interferon, ribavirin, and isoprinosine using different methodologies have reported beneficial results. However, the disease shows relentless progression; only 5% of individuals with SSPE undergo spontaneous remission, with the remaining 95% dying within 5 years of diagnosis.
Care providers’ perceptions of the importance of oral care and its performance within everyday caregiving for nursing home residents with dementia
Authors: Sonde Lars , Emami Azita , Kiljunen Hannes , Nordenram Gunilla
Published: June 2010

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 92–99
 
Care providers’ perceptions of the importance of oral care and its performance within everyday caregiving for nursing home residents with dementia

Background:  The oral caregiving in nursing homes for persons with dementia often becomes complicated due to the patients’ lack of compliance, which in turn can result in giving oral care a low priority in daily care. Furthermore, directives for responsibilities are unclear.

Objective:  The aim of this article was to describe care providers’ perception of and reasoning for the oral care for nursing home residents with dementia and to describe registered nurses’ reasoning in relation to their responsibility for monitoring oral care interventions within the regular caregiving routines for nursing home residents with dementia.

Methods:  Two sub‐studies were carried out; focus group discussions with nine care providers and interviews with four nurses. All participants were staff in nursing home units specialized in dementia.

Results:  The focus group discussion revealed three themes: Art of caregiving, Barriers and Treatment strategies. Themes related to the nurses’ statements about oral hygiene within caregiving were Care, Responsibility for care and Information.

Conclusion:  Three main findings from the study are discussed: Unclear responsibilities of different staff members related to daily oral care for the nursing home patients; a lack of guidelines and routines for oral hygiene and a lack of guidelines for sharing information between the different professional groups.
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix in the UK: recovery status, set‐aside and shooting
Authors: AEBISCHER NICHOLAS J. , EWALD JULIE A.
Published: June 2010

The Grey Partridge Perdix perdix is a European Species of Conservation Concern and a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) launched a major programme to help partridge recovery in the UK, built on the GWCT’s Partridge Count Scheme (PCS) and including a demonstration site from 2002. We contrast the national picture of no population change since 1999 from BTO monitoring with a doubling of spring pair density on PCS sites. At the demonstration site, where set‐aside was used for habitat creation, Grey Partridge breeding density increased six‐fold, to 18 pairs/km2, then fell back. The drop coincided with bad weather but also with the disappearance of rotational set‐aside when the set‐aside rate fell to zero, which halved the amount of brood‐rearing habitat. Non‐rotational set‐aside remained unchanged, as did the amount of nesting habitat that it provided. Grey Partridge density was significantly linked to rotational set‐aside, especially wild bird cover, but not to non‐rotational set‐aside. The demonstration project also showed that, with appropriate precautions, it was possible to shoot over 60% of Red‐legged Partridges Alectoris rufa while maintaining Grey Partridge losses below 5%. On PCS sites, the annual change in spring density in recent years differed in relation to neither shooting pressure nor intensity of Red‐legged Partridge releasing. Provision of brood‐rearing habitats and game cover increased with the latter, and probably counteracts the shooting losses of Grey Partridges on Red‐legged Partridge shoots when, as on PCS sites, active measures keep those losses below 20%. Targeted personal advice channelled through the PCS has been fundamental to these successes and must be expanded.
Modelling power‐line collision risk for the Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus in South Africa
Authors: SHAW JESSICA M. , JENKINS ANDREW R. , SMALLIE JON J. , RYAN PETER G.
Published: June 2010

The Overberg wheatbelt population of Blue Cranes Anthropoides paradiseus in the Western Cape of South Africa is approximately half the global population of this vulnerable species. Blue Cranes are highly susceptible to collisions with overhead power lines, and a spatial model was developed to identify high‐risk lines in the Overberg for proactive mitigation. To ground‐truth this model, we surveyed 199 km of power lines. Although Blue Cranes were the most commonly killed birds found (54% of all carcasses), the model was unable to predict lines with high collision risk for Blue Cranes. Further Geographic Information System (GIS) modelling was undertaken to test a wider range of landscape and power‐line variables, but only the presence or absence of cultivated land could usefully identify lines posing a collision risk. Modelling was limited by a lack of detailed spatial habitat data and recent information on Crane numbers and distributions. We used recent carcass counts to estimate a Blue Crane collision rate, corrected for sample biases, of 0.31/km power line per year (95% CI 0.13–0.59/km/year), which means that approximately 12% (5–23%) of the total Blue Crane population within the Overberg study area is killed annually in power‐line collisions. This represents a possibly unsustainable source of mortality. There is urgent need for further research into risk factors and for mitigation measures to be more widely implemented.
EXPECTED VOLATILITY, UNEXPECTED VOLATILITY, AND THE CROSS‐SECTION OF STOCK RETURNS
Authors: Chua Choong Tze , Goh Jeremy , Zhang Zhe
Published: June 2010

The existing literature finds conflicting results on the cross‐sectional relation between expected returns and idiosyncratic volatility. We contend that at the firm level, the sample correlation between unexpected returns and expected idiosyncratic volatility can cloud the true relation between the expected return and expected idiosyncratic volatility. We show strong evidence that unexpected idiosyncratic volatility is positively related to unexpected returns. Using unexpected idiosyncratic volatility to control for unexpected returns, we find expected idiosyncratic volatility to be significantly and positively related to expected returns. This result holds after controlling for various firm characteristics, and it is robust across different sample periods.
Relationship between Strain Rate Imaging and Coronary Flow Reserve in Assessing Myocardial Viability after Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Park Seong‐Mi , Hong Soon‐Jun , Park Jae‐Suk , Lim Sang‐Yup , Ahn Chul‐Min , Lim Do‐Sun , Shim Wan‐Joo
Published: June 2010

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between strain rate (SR) imaging and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in assessing viability of akinetic myocardium after acute myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: Forty patients with acute first ST‐elevation MI were analyzed. SR imaging and CFR by intracoronary flow measurement were obtained on the same day, 3∼5 days after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Viability of the akinetic myocardium was determined on 6‐week echocardiography. Results: Systolic SR (SRs, −0.42 ± 0.10 vs. −0.35 ± 0.11 per second, P = 0.03), early diastolic SR (SRe, 0.68 ± 0.31 vs. 0.41 ± 0.22 per second, P = 0.003), and systolic strain (Ss, −5.9 ± 3.4 vs. −2.5 ± 4.0%, P = 0.04) were greater in akinetic, but viable myocardium of 21 patients than in akinetic and nonviable myocardium of 19 patients. CFR was also higher in patients with akinetic, but viable myocardium (2.0 ± 0.5 vs. 1.5 ± 0.5, P < 0.001). SRs, SRe, and Ss were significantly related to CFR (r =−0.50, r = 0.58, r =−0.56, respectively, all P ≤ 0.001) and SRe was most related to CFR (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity to predict myocardial viability were 85.7% and 68.4% for CFR (cutoff = 1.75), and 90.5% and 57.9% for SRe (cutoff = 0.37 per second), respectively. Conclusions: The degree of myocardial deformation determined by SR imaging was related to the degree of microvascular integrity determined by CFR, and can be used as a noninvasive method to predict myocardial viability after acute MI. (Echocardiography 2010;27:977‐984)
Current concepts on human papillomavirus infections in children
Authors: SYRJÄNEN STINA
Published: June 2010

Syrjänen S. Current concepts on human papillomavirus infections in children. APMIS 2010; 118: 494–509.

Current evidence is strong enough to conclude that human papillomavirus (HPV) can be transmitted both sexually and non‐sexually. The debate on HPV infections in children still continues but it is more focused on HPV prevalence than on transmission modes. HPV DNA detection in amniotic fluid, foetal membranes, cord blood and placental trophoblastic cells all suggest HPV infection in utero, i.e. prenatal transmission. Based on recent meta‐analysis, vertical transmission occurs in approximately 20% of cases. Most of the mucosal HPV infections in infants are incident, persistent infections in oral and genital mucosa being found in less than 10% and 2% respectively. The mother seems to be the main transmitter of HPV to her newborn, but subsequent HPV infections are acquired horizontally via saliva or other contacts. Bimodal peak prevalence is seen for skin warts, oral papillomas and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in younger and older age groups, suggesting similar epidemiology. Of the clinical HPV diseases, juvenile‐onset‐RRP and genital condylomata are problematic; the former because of its life‐threatening potential and the latter because of possible sexual abuse. HPV6 and 11 are the most common genotypes in both the lesions. Early in life, infections by the high‐risk HPV genotypes may also remain persistent for a considerable period, and should be of considerable importance for HPV vaccination strategies.
Psychological models of behaviour change and oral hygiene behaviour in individuals with periodontitis: a call for more and better trials of interventions
Authors: Newton Jonathon T.
Published: June 2010

Newton JT. Psychological models of behaviour change and oral hygiene behaviour in individuals with periodontitis: a call for more and better trials of interventions. J Clin Peridontol 2010; 37: 910–911. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐051X.2010.01591.x.
Determinants of serum IgG responses to periodontal bacteria in a nationally representative sample of US adults
Authors: Vlachojannis Christian , Dye Bruce A. , Herrera‐Abreu Miriam , Pikdöken Levent , Lerche‐Sehm Julia , Pretzl Bernadette , Celenti Romanita , Papapanou Panos N.
Published: June 2010

Vlachojannis C, Dye BA, Herrera‐Abreu M, Pikdöken L, Lerche‐Sehm J, Pretzl B, Celenti R, Papapanou PN. Determinants of serum IgG responses to periodontal bacteria in a nationally representative sample of US adults. J Clin Periodontol 2010; 37: 685‐696 doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01592.x

Aim: To assess the distribution of elevated antibody titres to multiple periodontal bacteria, including established/putative pathogens and health‐related species, by selected demographic, behavioural, and oral‐ and general health‐related characteristics.

Methods: Data from 8153 40‐year‐old participants from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, including 1588 edentulous individuals. We used checkerboard immunoblotting to assess serum IgG levels to 19 periodontal species. Thresholds for elevated antibody responses were defined for each species using the 90th percentile titre in periodontal healthy participants, using two alternative definitions of periodontitis.

Results: Edentulous individuals showed lower antibody responses than dentate participants, notably for titres to “red complex” species and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Elevated titres to Porphyromonas gingivalis were twice as prevalent in participants with periodontitis than in periodontal healthy individuals. Non‐Hispanic blacks and Mexican‐Americans were more likely to display elevated titres for P. gingivalis compared with non‐Hispanic whites (22.9%versus 19.4%versus 9.5%). Current smokers were significantly less likely to exhibit high titres to multiple bacteria than never smokers.

Conclusion: Demographic, behavioural, and oral‐ and general health‐related characteristics were strong determinants of systemic antibody responses to periodontal bacteria in a nationally representative sample of US adults.
Placental Interleukin‐15 Expression in Recurrent Miscarriage
Authors: Toth Bettina , Haufe Thomas , Scholz Christoph , Kuhn Christina , Friese Klaus , Karamouti Maria , Makrigiannakis Antonis , Jeschke Udo
Published: June 2010

Citation Toth B, Haufe T, Scholz C, Kuhn C, Friese K, Karamouti M, Makrigiannakis A, Jeschke U. Placental Interleukin‐15 expression in recurrent miscarriage. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 64: 402–410

Problem  Cytokines play a fundamental role at the feto–maternal interface. A dysregulation of the cytokine profile could be linked with fetal rejection. This study investigated differences in the expression of the Th1 cytokine interleukin‐15 (IL‐15) of normal and disturbed pregnancy.

Method of study  Analysis of IL‐15 expression by immunohistochemistry and real‐time RT‐PCR in placental tissue from normal pregnancies, spontaneous miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage (RM) was performed.

Results  Expression of IL‐15 was upregulated on mRNA and protein level in the placenta of miscarriage patients, especially in patients with RM. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double staining revealed extravillous trophoblast cells (EVT) as IL‐15‐expressing cells. Staining results were confirmed by real‐time PCR (TaqMan).

Conclusion  Increased expression of IL‐15 in the decidua of patients with RM may be linked to disturbed implantation and vascularization with consecutive placental and fetal rejection.
Leukocyte Pyruvate Kinase Expression is Reduced in Normal Human Pregnancy but not in Pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Xu Yi , Madsen‐Bouterse Sally A. , Romero Roberto , Hassan Sonia , Mittal Pooja , Elfline Megan , Zhu Aiping , Petty Howard R.
Published: June 2010

Citation Xu Y, Madsen‐Bouterse SA, Romero R, Hassan S, Mittal P, Elfline M, Zhu A, Petty HR. Leukocyte pyruvate kinase expression is reduced in normal human pregnancy but not in pre‐eclampsia. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 64: 137–151

Problem  Emerging evidence suggests that metabolism influences immune cell signaling and immunoregulation. To examine the immunoregulatory role of glycolysis in pregnancy, we evaluated the properties of pyruvate kinase in leukocytes from non‐pregnant women and those with normal pregnancy and pre‐eclampsia.

Method of study  We evaluated pyruvate kinase expression in lymphocytes and neutrophils from non‐pregnant, pregnant, and pre‐eclampsia patients using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Leukocyte pyruvate kinase activity and pyruvate concentrations were also evaluated. To study pyruvate’s effect on signaling, we labeled Jurkat T cells with Ca2+ dyes and measured cell responses in the presence of agents influencing intracellular pyruvate.

Results  The expression of pyruvate kinase is reduced in lymphocytes and neutrophils from normal pregnant women in comparison with those of non‐pregnant women and pre‐eclampsia patients. Similarly, the activity of pyruvate kinase and the intracellular pyruvate concentration are reduced in leukocytes of normal pregnant women in comparison with non‐pregnant women and women with pre‐eclampsia. Using Jurkat cells as a model of leukocyte signaling, we have shown that perturbations of intracellular pyruvate influence Ca2+ signals.

Conclusion  Normal pregnancy is characterized by reduced pyruvate kinase expression within lymphocytes and neutrophils. We speculate that reduced pyruvate kinase expression modifies immune cell responses due to reduced pyruvate concentrations.
Nurse–patient encounters in the hospital ward, from the perspectives of older persons: an analysis using the Authentic Consciousness Framework
Authors: Mitchell Elizabeth A. , McCance Tanya
Published: June 2010

mitchell e.a. & mccance t. (2012) Nurse–patient encounters in the hospital ward, from the perspectives of older persons: an analysis using the Authentic Consciousness Framework. International Journal of Older People Nursing7, 95–104  doi: 10.1111/j.1748‐3743.2010.00233.x

Background.  Despite a growing theoretical base to support the development of person‐centred practice, the evidence would suggest that this way of working is somewhat elusive in the care of older people.

Aims.  The study aims to explore nurse–older person encounters and relationships within the context of person‐centredness.

Design and methods.  This study involved secondary analysis of interview data originally collected from a commissioned study investigating whole‐systems approaches in services for older people. The process of analysis used the Authentic Consciousness Framework.

Results.  Nurses are often invisible to the patient, unless they are providing care to address a physical need. A sense of rolelessness pervaded the data, when patients were deprived from actively participating in important decisions about their future care.

Conclusions.  Patients would like nurses to work with them in more transparent ways. Patients are very conscious that nurses are busy and attempt to share the coping with the busy workload by limiting their expectations of the nurse.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Person‐centred strategies must enhance the capacity of not only older patients and their ability to assert self, but also the capacity of their nurses. Nurses must work to actively recruit the patient in all decision making.
Psoriatic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint – a surgical alternative to treating a medical problem
Authors: Popat R. , Matthews N.S. , Connor S.
Published: June 2010

We describe the case of a 43‐year‐old female who suffered pain and profound functional impairment in both tempormandibular joints (TMJ), secondary to psoriatic arthritis. The inability to eat and talk without severe pain had rendered the patient unable to seek employment and with a poor quality of life. Her symptoms had proved refractory to anti‐TNF medication (Etanercept) and other treatments such as hydrocortisone injections and bilateral TMJ condylar shaves. The patient underwent bilateral total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacements in May 2008. Her recovery was uneventful and she is now pain‐free and has a vastly improved quality of life. This case gives an overview of psoriatic arthritis, especially as it affects the TMJ and highlights the benefits of total TMJ replacement. We recommend that consideration should be given to its use as a surgical alternative in cases which prove refractory to medical management.
A pedicled mandibular osteomuscular flap for reconstructing composite mandibular defects
Authors: Chen W‐L. , Chang S‐H. , Ye J‐T. , Huang Z‐Q. , Chai Q.
Published: June 2010

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reliability of reconstructing composite defects of the mandible with a local pedicled mandibular osteomuscular flap.

Materials and methods:  A retrospective study examined patients undergoing secondary mandibular reconstruction following tumour ablation using local pedicled mandibular osteomuscular flaps. The study included five men and three women. The segmental defects of the mandible resulted from oral carcinoma in five cases and mandibular ameloblastoma in three.

Results:  All of the flaps survived. Proper aesthetics and complete functionality were obtained, and no donor‐site problems occurred. The patients were followed for 16–24 months and no recurrence was seen.

Conclusions:  The pedicled mandibular osteomuscular flap is technically simple, fast to harvest, and has an exceptionally long arc of rotation, which enables the reconstruction of composite segmental defects of the mandible following tumour ablation.
Contextualizing ethanol avoided carbon emissions in Brazil
Authors: MARTINELLI LUIZ A. , BALBAUD OMETTO JEAN PIERRE HENRY , FILOSO SOLANGE , VICTORIA REYNALDO L.
Published: June 2010

We propose to compare avoided emissions from ethanol use in Brazil with emissions caused by the use of fossil fuel, and by land use changes, specifically Amazon deforestation. The avoided emissions of CO2 in Brazil due to ethanol use in 2008 ranged from approximately 9 to 12 Tg C yr−1. These values are an order of magnitude higher than the amount of carbon that could be potentially sequestered in soils if sugarcane cultivation in Brazil switches completely to mechanized harvesting, and two orders of magnitude higher than the carbon emissions in soils cultivated with sugarcane and that undergo harvest with burning. In relation to fossil fuel emissions, ethanol avoided emissions are equivalent to 20–30% of the carbon emissions associated with the use of gasoline and diesel in the transportation sector, and to approximately 10% of the total use of fossil fuel in the country. When compared with the carbon emissions from Amazon deforestation ethanol avoided emissions are again one order of magnitude lower. We conclude that ethanol avoided emissions are relatively important within the transport sector, but are still incipient if compared with the emissions from total fossil fuel combustion and emissions from deforestation indicating that climate mitigation efforts in Brazil needs to focus outside of biofuel production. Consequently, we suggest that Brazil develop equally strong actions towards increased energy efficiency use in the country and, more importantly to drastically reduce carbon emissions associated with Amazon deforestation.
PpoR, an orphan LuxR‐family protein of Pseudomonas putida KT2440, modulates competitive fitness and surface motility independently of N‐acylhomoserine lactones
Authors: Fernández‐Piñar Regina , Cámara Miguel , Soriano María Isabel , Dubern Jean‐Frédéric , Heeb Stephan , Ramos Juan L. , Espinosa‐Urgel Manuel
Published: June 2010

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 does not produce any of the common molecules involved in quorum sensing signalling described in other bacteria. However, as is the case in other microorganisms, the genome of this strain contains an open reading frame (PP_4647) coding for a transcriptional regulator belonging to the LuxR protein family. In this article, we present evidence indicating that this protein, named PpoR, modulates swarming motility in KT2440 and plays a role in the survival of this strain in the presence of potential competitors. These functions appear to be independent of known N‐acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs), since we show that P. putida KT2440 does not produce significant quantities of these molecules under any condition tested and PpoR does not influence the expression of quorum sensing‐dependent promoters even in the presence of exogenous AHLs. A ppoR mutant shows increased sensitivity to the iron chelator 2,2′‐dipyridyl, while iron supplementation compensates the fitness loss of the mutant in competition with other Pseudomonas. All these data suggest that PpoR participates in both inter‐ and intraspecific processes relevant to the fitness of P. putida related to iron acquisition, and not necessarily mediated by canonical quorum sensing signal molecules.