bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health Impact Assessment of increased cycling to place of work or education in Copenhagen
Authors: Holm Astrid Ledgaard , Glümer Charlotte , Diderichsen Finn
Published: July 2012

Objective

To quantify the effects of increased cycling on both mortality and morbidity.

Design

Health Impact Assessment.

Setting

Cycling to place of work or education in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Population

Effects were calculated based on the working-age population of Copenhagen.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome measure was change in burden of disease (measured as disability-adjusted life years (DALY)) due to changed exposure to the health determinants physical inactivity, air pollution (particulate matter <2.5 μm) and traffic accidents.

Results

Obtainment of the proposed increase in cycling could reduce the burden of disease in the study population by 19.5 DALY annually. This overall effect comprised a reduction in the burden of disease from health outcomes associated with physical inactivity (76.0 DALY) and an increase in the burden of disease from outcomes associated with air pollution and traffic accidents (5.4 and 51.2 DALY, respectively).

Conclusion

This study illustrates how quantitative Health Impact Assessment can help clarify potential effects of policies: increased cycling involves opposing effects from different outcomes but with the overall health effect being positive. This result illustrates the importance of designing policies that promote the health benefits and minimise the health risks related to cycling.
Perineal resuturing versus expectant management following vaginal delivery complicated by a dehisced wound (PREVIEW): protocol for a pilot and feasibility randomised controlled trial
Authors: Dudley Lynn , Kettle Christine , Carter Pamela , Thomas Peter , Ismail Khaled M
Published: July 2012

Background

Each year, approximately 350 000 women in the UK experience perineal suturing following childbirth. For those women whose perineal wound dehisces, the management will vary according to individual practitioner's preferences. For most women, the wound will be managed expectantly (healing by secondary intention), whereas others may be offered resuturing. However, there is limited scientific evidence and no clear guidelines to inform best practice. PREVIEW is a two-part study aiming to identify the best management strategy for dehisced perineal wounds, in terms of clinical effectiveness and women's preferences.

Methods/design

The main part of this study is a pilot and feasibility randomised controlled trial designed to provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of resuturing versus expectant management for dehisced perineal wounds following childbirth and to feed into the design and feasibility of a larger definitive trial. 144 participants will be randomly allocated to either intervention. The primary outcome is the proportion of women with a healed perineal wound at 6–8 weeks from the trial entry. Secondary outcomes include perineal pain, breast feeding rates, dyspareunia and women's satisfaction with the aesthetic results of the wound healing at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months post randomisation. Information will be collected using validated questionnaires. The second part of this study will be to conduct semistructured interviews with 12 study participants, aiming to capture information relating to their physical and psychological experiences following perineal wound dehiscence, assess the acceptability of the research plan and ensure that all outcomes relevant to women are included in the definitive trial.

Dissemination

The results of this study will inform a definitive randomised controlled trial that will provide conclusive evidence of what is the best management of perineal wound dehiscence. This will potentially lead to significant improvements in perineal care and will help to reduce the short- and long-term morbidity experienced by women.

Clinical trials registration

PREVIEW is registered with the International Standard Research for Clinical Trials (no:ISRCTN05754020) and adopted as a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Reproductive Health and Childbirth specialty group portfolio study UKCRN ID 9098.
Coupled water retention and shrinkage properties of a compacted silt under isotropic and deviatoric stress paths
Authors: Chiu C.F. , Ng Charles W.W.
Published: July 2012

Although it is generally recognized that unsaturated soil behavior is governed by two constitutive variables (matric suction and net normal stress) and that the hydromechanical behavior of unsaturated soil is coupled, a water retention curve obtained from tests under zero stress and assuming no volume change is still fairly common. A relatively limited number of studies on the stress path–dependent water retention curve (SDWRC), particularly under a broader range of stress paths, exist in the literature. In this paper, the SDWRC, shrinkage curve, and swelling curve of a compacted silt subjected to isotropic and deviatoric stress paths are presented. The test results show that the air-entry value (AEV) increases, but the hydraulic hysteresis loop decreases with an increase in net mean stress. Furthermore, for a given stress level, the K0-compressed specimen exhibits higher AEV, but a smaller hysteresis loop than that of the isotropically compressed specimen. A nonlinear shrinkage curve is observed and the gradient of the post-yield shrinkage curve depends on the degree of saturation and net mean stress, but is independent of the stress path. For the range of suction studied, the gradient reduces with a decreasing degree of saturation, but with an increasing net mean stress. Finally, the test results are compared with the prediction of a model based on two independent constitutive stress variables.
REALIZATION OF LOW-VOLTAGE DIFFERENTIAL VOLTAGE CURRENT CONVEYOR
Authors: MANHAS PARSHOTAM S. , PAL K.
Published: July 2012

This paper presents floating gate MOSFET (FGMOS)-based second generation differential voltage current conveyor (DVCCII) at low voltage levels. In analog circuit design, the FGMOS transistors are very often used in low voltage circuits, where the reduction obtained in the transistor apparent threshold voltage is of great importance. The given circuit provides very high input impedance at its Y-terminals, low output impedance at X-terminal and high impedance at Z-terminals and consumes less power. This circuit is a powerful building block, especially for applications demanding differential or floating inputs. The circuit behavior has been verified using PSpice simulations for 0.5 μm technology and indicates the excellent performance.
A SIMPLE MINIMAX ESTIMATOR FOR QUANTUM STATES
Authors: NG HUI KHOON , ENGLERT BERTHOLD-GEORG
Published: July 2012

Quantum tomography requires repeated measurements of many copies of the physical system, all prepared by a source in the unknown state. In the limit of very many copies measured, the often-used maximum-likelihood (ML) method for converting the gathered data into an estimate of the state works very well. For smaller data sets, however, it often suffers from problems of rank deficiency in the estimated state. For many systems of relevance for quantum information processing, the preparation of a very large number of copies of the same quantum state is still a technological challenge, which motivates us to look for estimation strategies that perform well even when there is not much data. After reviewing the concept of minimax state estimation, we use minimax ideas to construct a simple estimator for quantum states. We demonstrate that, for the case of tomography of a single qubit, our estimator significantly outperforms the ML estimator for small number of copies of the state measured. Our estimator is always full-rank, and furthermore, has a natural dependence on the number of copies measured, which is missing in the ML estimator.
ONE-STEP IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTROLLED PHASE GATES FOR THREE ATOMS TRAPPED IN SEPARATED CAVITIES
Authors: LU DAO-MING , ZHENG SHI-BIAO
Published: July 2012

A scheme is proposed for implementing the controlled phase gate for three atoms trapped in separated cavities coupled by optical fibers. The energy-level distances of the qubit system become unequal as a consequence of the virtual photon exchange between the atomic qubits, which allows the selective excitation of the qubit system in the symmetric Dicke subspace. The conditional phase shift is produced after a single selective Rabi oscillation and the operation is insensitive to cavity loss and fiber decay.
CRYPTANALYSIS OF THE QSDC PROTOCOL WITHOUT USING PERFECT QUANTUM CHANNEL
Authors: GAO FEI , QIN SU-JUAN , WEN QIAO-YAN , ZHU FU-CHEN
Published: July 2012

We study the security of quantum secure direct communication without perfect quantum channel. Our analysis is focused on a general individual attack, i.e. entangle-ancilla attack. The sufficient and necessary condition for a successful eavesdropping operation is obtained, and a particular attack is presented, by which Eve can elicit the whole secret without being discovered. Finally we find the root of this loophole and give a possible improvement of this protocol accordingly.
Investment, Valuation, and Growth Options
Authors: Abel Andrew B. , Eberly Janice C.
Published: July 2012

We develop a model in which the opportunity for a firm to upgrade its technology to the frontier (at a cost) leads to growth options in the firm's value; that is, a firm's value is the sum of value generated by its current technology plus the value of the option to upgrade. Variation in the technological frontier leads to variation in firm value that is unrelated to current cash flow and investment, though variation in firm value anticipates future upgrades and investment. We simulate this model and show that, consistent with the empirical literature, in situations in which growth options are important, regressions of investment on Tobin's Q and cash flow yield small positive coefficients on Q and larger coefficients on cash flow. We also show that growth options increase the volatility of firm value relative to the volatility of cash flow.
Characterization of highly fractured basement, Say'un Masila Basin, Yemen
Authors: Murray Ann , Montgomery David W.
Published: July 2012

This case study of ten oil wells drilled into highly fractured and heterogeneous crystalline basement rocks of the Bayoot Field, Say'un Masila Basin, Yemen, brings together the findings from a wealth of oil field data and shows that a multidisciplinary approach is required for full characterization. An improved method for targeting hydrocarbons has been established for the study area. This has been achieved by drilling highly deviated wellbores into the upper basement reaches and optimally orienting them to intersect a maximum number of stress-sensitive fractures together with major seismic-scale fault damage zones that are not in direct connection to the local Bayoot Fault.
A Man for All Seasons: Reflections on the Life and Legacy of George Palade
Authors: Farquhar Marilyn G.
Published: July 2012

In this perspective, I review the scientific career of George E. Palade, the man many consider to be the father of cell biology. Palade's scientific contributions spanned more than 50 years (from the late 1940s to 2001) and were amazingly diverse and fundamental. He is best known for his discovery of ribosomes, for establishing their role in protein synthesis, and for delineation of the secretory pathway. In addition to these groundbreaking contributions, he also developed basic techniques for tissue preservation and cell fractionation that allowed rapid progress during the early days of cell biology, and he and his collaborators provided the first description of the mitochondrial cristae, neuronal synapses, junctional complexes in epithelia, plasmalemmal vesicles, and Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelium, among others. He and his collaborators also contributed key experimental data to our understanding not only of protein synthesis and the secretory process but also of membrane biogenesis and vascular permeability. In addition to his scientific discoveries, he had a profound impact on the lives of many cell biologists and served the scientific community tirelessly while making major contributions to the development of cell biology in three major institutions.
Ecological Mechanisms Underlying Arthropod Species Diversity in Grasslands
Authors: Joern Anthony , Laws Angela N.
Published: July 2012

Arthropods are an important component of grassland systems, contributing significantly to biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. Climate, fire, and grazing by large herbivores are important drivers in grasslands worldwide. Arthropod responses to these drivers are highly variable and clear patterns are difficult to find, but responses are largely indirect with respect to changes in resources, species interactions, habitat structure, and habitat heterogeneity resulting from interactions among fire, grazing, and climate. Here, we review these ecological mechanisms influencing grassland arthropod diversity. We summarize hypotheses describing species diversity at local and regional scales and then discuss specific factors that may affect arthropod diversity in grassland systems. These factors include direct and indirect effects of grazing, fire, and climate, species interactions, above- and belowground interactions, and landscape-level effects.
After Critical Legal History: Scope, Scale, Structure
Authors: Tomlins Christopher
Published: July 2012

This review outlines a course for US legal historical writing distinct from the ascendant mode of the past 30 years, generally known as critical legal history or critical historicism. Critical legal history (CLH) is premised on the conventional historical strategy of exploring the nature of an object by situating it in an appropriate context and examining the conjunction between object and context. In CLH's case, the object is law and the context is polity, economy, or society, or more usually a realm of action that is a mixture of all three. CLH is also premised on the further, theoretical, contention that whatever the realm of action in relation to which law is situated, the outcome is the same: indeterminacy marked by contingency, alternative possibilities, paths not taken. In this regard, CLH shares in the general turn in the qualitative social sciences and humanities toward complexity. The results of this contextualizing or relational approach have been empirically rich but are inevitably marked by an abandonment of authoritative causal explanation (metatheory) for thick description. This review lays out an alternative to CLH's parsing of relations between law and what is extrinsic to it, by exploring the explanatory potential of allegory, by which what are imagined as distinct become the same. Allegory is strikingly visual in conception—figurative, emblematic. John Wycliffe called it “ghostly understanding.” I explore the potential of allegory along three optical dimensions—scope (appearance), scale (perspective), and structure (constellation)—that together produce what Walter Benjamin called “the dialectical image,” a nonrelational theory of representation with striking historical applications.
Substance, Scale, and Salience: The Recent Historiography of Human Rights
Authors: Moyn Samuel
Published: July 2012

This review evaluates the current state of the historiography of human rights, which originated as a field a mere decade ago. It proposes that the substantive contents of norms, doctrines, and law still attract most historians interested in human rights but are only part of a necessarily broader domain of inquiry. Promisingly, recent entries in the field focus on the extension of the geographical scale of application of human rights, as well as on the differing political and ideological salience that human rights ideas have achieved in diverse moments. The historiographical survey concludes with a discussion of why the history of human rights began to be written and whether it is a pressing task to continue building the field.
Remote Sensing of the Nearshore
Authors: Holman Rob , Haller Merrick C.
Published: July 2012

The shallow waters of the nearshore ocean are popular, dynamic, and often hostile. Prediction in this domain is usually limited less by our understanding of the physics or by the power of our models than by the availability of input data, such as bathymetry and wave conditions. It is a challenge for traditional in situ instruments to provide these inputs with the appropriate temporal or spatial density or at reasonable logistical or financial costs. Remote sensing provides an attractive alternative. We discuss the range of different sensors that are available and the differing physical manifestations of their interactions with the ocean surface. We then present existing algorithms by which the most important geophysical variables can be estimated from remote sensing measurements. Future directions and opportunities will depend on expected developments in sensors and platforms and on improving processing algorithms, including data assimilation formalisms.
The alternative crosstalk between RAGE and nitrative thioredoxin inactivation during diabetic myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Liu Yi , Qu Yan , Wang Rutao , Ma Yanzhuo , Xia Chenhai , Gao Chao , Liu Jingyi , Lian Kun , Xu Aibing , Lu Xiaoyan , Sun Lu , Yang Lu , Lau Wayne B. , Gao Erhe , Koch Walter , Wang Haichang , Tao Ling
Published: July 2012

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and thioredoxin (Trx) play opposing roles in diabetic myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R) injury. We recently demonstrated nitrative modification of Trx leads to its inactivation and loss of cardioprotection. The present study is to determine the relationship between augmented RAGE expression and diminished Trx activity pertaining to exacerbated MI/R injury in the diabetic heart. The diabetic state was induced in mice by multiple intraperitoneal low-dose streptozotocin injections. RAGE small-interfering RNA (siRNA) or soluble RAGE (sRAGE, a RAGE decoy) was via intramyocardial and intraperitoneal injection before MI/R, respectively. Mice were subjected to 30 min of myocardial infarction followed by 3 or 24 h of reperfusion. At 10 min before reperfusion, diabetic mice were randomized to receive EUK134 (peroxynitrite scavenger), recombinant hTrx-1, nitrated Trx-1, apocynin (a NADPH oxidase inhibitor), or 1400W [an inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor] administration. The diabetic heart manifested increased RAGE expression and Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML, major advanced glycation end product subtype) content, reduced Trx-1 activity, and increased Trx nitration after MI/R. RAGE siRNA or administration of sRAGE in diabetic mice decreased MI/R-induced iNOS and gp91phoxexpression, reduced Trx nitration, preserved Trx activity, and decreased infarct size. Apocynin or 1400W significantly decreased nitrotyrosine production and restored Trx activity. Conversely, administration of either EUK134 or reduced hTrx, but not nitrated hTrx, attenuated MI/R-induced superoxide production, RAGE expression, and CML content and decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis in diabetic mice. Collectively, we demonstrate that RAGE modulates the MI/R injury in a Trx nitrative inactivation fashion. Conversely, nitrative modification of Trx blocked its inhibitory effect upon RAGE expression in the diabetic heart. This is the first direct evidence demonstrating the alternative cross talk between RAGE overexpression and nitrative Trx inactivation, suggesting that interventions interfering with their interaction may be novel means of mitigating diabetic MI/R injury.
Behavioral responses to orexin, orexin receptor gene expression, and spontaneous physical activity contribute to individual sensitivity to obesity
Authors: Perez-Leighton Claudio E. , Boland Kelsey , Teske Jennifer A. , Billington Charles , Kotz Catherine M.
Published: July 2012

There is significant variability in diet-induced obesity (DIO) among humans and rodents, which has been associated with differences in intrinsic spontaneous physical activity (SPA). The orexin neuropeptides positively modulate SPA through multiple brain sites, but the effects of DIO on orexin's activity are not well understood. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that DIO sensitivity is mediated by decreased SPA and changes in the function of the orexins. As a DIO model, we used male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat (HF; 45% kcal from fat) or a low-fat (LF; 10% kcal from fat) diet for 10 wk. We measured SPA before and after HF or LF feeding and expression of orexin receptors by real-time PCR after dietary treatments. We tested DIO effects on orexin signaling by measuring SPA after injection of orexin A in the rostral lateral hypothalamus (RLH) before and after 10 wk of HF feeding. Finally, we tested whether daily orexin A RLH injections prevent DIO caused by HF feeding. Our results show that resistance to DIO is associated with an increase in SPA, SPA after injection of orexin A in RLH, and orexin receptor expression in sites that mediate orexin's effect on SPA, including RLH. We show that daily injections of orexin peptide in RLH prevent DIO without altering food intake. We estimate that the energetic cost of SPA after orexin A RLH injection accounts for approximately 61% of the extra caloric intake associated with HF intake, suggesting additional effects of orexins. In summary, our results suggest that variability in DIO sensitivity is mediated through adaptations in the activity of the orexin peptides and their receptors.
Effects of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency on the metabolic and cardiac responses to obesogenic or high-fructose diets
Authors: Hecker Peter A. , Mapanga Rudo F. , Kimar Charlene P. , Ribeiro Rogerio F. , Brown Bethany H. , O'Connell Kelly A. , Cox James W. , Shekar Kadambari C. , Asemu Girma , Essop M. Faadiel , Stanley William C.
Published: July 2012

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common human enzymopathy that affects cellular redox status and may lower flux into nonoxidative pathways of glucose metabolism. Oxidative stress may worsen systemic glucose tolerance and cardiometabolic syndrome. We hypothesized that G6PD deficiency exacerbates diet-induced systemic metabolic dysfunction by increasing oxidative stress but in myocardium prevents diet-induced oxidative stress and pathology. WT and G6PD-deficient (G6PDX) mice received a standard high-starch diet, a high-fat/high-sucrose diet to induce obesity (DIO), or a high-fructose diet. After 31 wk, DIO increased adipose and body mass compared with the high-starch diet but to a greater extent in G6PDX than WT mice (24 and 20% lower, respectively). Serum free fatty acids were increased by 77% and triglycerides by 90% in G6PDX mice, but not in WT mice, by DIO and high-fructose intake. G6PD deficiency did not affect glucose tolerance or the increased insulin levels seen in WT mice. There was no diet-induced hypertension or cardiac dysfunction in either mouse strain. However, G6PD deficiency increased aconitase activity by 42% and blunted markers of nonoxidative glucose pathway activation in myocardium, including the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway activation and advanced glycation end product formation. These results reveal a complex interplay between diet-induced metabolic effects and G6PD deficiency, where G6PD deficiency decreases weight gain and hyperinsulinemia with DIO, but elevates serum free fatty acids, without affecting glucose tolerance. On the other hand, it modestly suppressed indexes of glucose flux into nonoxidative pathways in myocardium, suggesting potential protective effects.
Thyroid hormone and estradiol have overlapping effects on kidney glutathioneS-transferase-α gene expression
Authors: Faustino Larissa C. , Almeida Norma A. S. , Pereira Guilherme F. , Ramos Rafael G. , Soares Raquel M. , Morales Marcelo M. , Pazos-Moura Carmen C. , Ortiga-Carvalho Tania M
Published: July 2012

α-Class GST ( Gsta) represents an essential component of cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms in both the liver and the kidney. Estrogens and thyroid hormones (TH) play central roles in animal development, physiology, and behavior. Evidence of the overlapping functions of thyroid hormones and estrogens has been shown, although the molecular mechanisms are not always clear. We evaluated an interaction between TH and estradiol in regulating kidney Gsta expression and function. First, we observed that female mice expressed greater amounts of Gsta compared with males and showed an opposite pattern of expression in TRβ knock-in mice. To further investigate these sex differences, hypothyroidism was induced by a 5-propyl-2-thiouracil diet, and hyperthyroidism was induced by daily T3injections. Hypothyroidism increased kidney Gsta expression in male mice but not in female mice, indicating that sex hormones could be influencing the regulation of Gsta by thyroid hormones. To analyze this hypothesis, ovariectomized females were subjected to hypo- and hyperthyroidism, which led to a male profile of Gsta expression. When hypo- or hyperthyroid ovariectomized mice were treated with 17β-estradiol benzoate, we were able to confirm that estradiol was interfering with TH modulation; Gsta expression is increased by T3when estradiol is present and decreased by T3when estradiol is absent. Using proximal tubule cells, we also showed that estradiol and T3worked together to modulate Gsta expression in an overlapping fashion. In summary, 1) the sex difference in the basal expression of Gsta impacts the detoxification process, 2) kidney Gsta expression is regulated by TH in males and females but in opposite directions, and 3) T3and estradiol interact directly in renal proximal cells to regulate Gsta expression in females.
Inactivation of the dual Bmp/Wnt inhibitor Sostdc1 enhances pancreatic islet function
Authors: Henley Kathryn D. , Gooding Kimberly A. , Economides Aris N. , Gannon Maureen
Published: July 2012

Current endeavors in the type 2 diabetes (T2D) field include gaining a better understanding of extracellular signaling pathways that regulate pancreatic islet function. Recent data suggest that both Bmp and Wnt pathways are operative in pancreatic islets and play a positive role in insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. Our laboratory found the dual Bmp and Wnt antagonist Sostdc1 to be upregulated in a mouse model of islet dysmorphogenesis and nonimmune-mediated lean diabetes. Because Bmp signaling has been proposed to enhance β-cell function, we evaluated the role of Sostdc1 in adult islet function using animals in which Sostdc1 was globally deleted. While Sostdc1-null animals exhibited no pancreas development phenotype, a subset of mutants exhibited enhanced insulin secretion and improved glucose homeostasis compared with control animals after 12-wk exposure to high-fat diet. Loss of Sostdc1 in the setting of metabolic stress results in altered expression of Bmp-responsive genes in islets but did not affect expression of Wnt target genes, suggesting that Sostdc1 primarily regulates the Bmp pathway in the murine pancreas. Furthermore, our data indicate that removal of Sostdc1 enhances the downregulation of the closely related Bmp inhibitors Ctgf and Gremlin in islets after 8-wk exposure to high-fat diet. These data imply that Sostdc1 regulates expression of these inhibitors and provide a means by which Sostdc1-null animals show enhanced insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. Our studies provide insights into Bmp pathway regulation in the endocrine pancreas and reveal new avenues for improving β-cell function under metabolic stress.
Temporary Vascular Occlusion by Rapid Reverse Phase Polymer: A Preliminary In Vitro Study of Retrograde Injection
Authors: Dregelid Einar
Published: July 2012

During vascular surgical operations, there is a need for a simpler and more reliable method of temporary arterial occlusion than those currently employed, especially of heavily calcified arteries. A thermosensitive polymer, LeGoo (LG) (Pluromed, Woburn, MA), has been used successfully for temporary vascular occlusion. It has hitherto been injected by a cannula that has been introduced into the artery to be occluded, here henceforth called the “cannulation method.” Injection into arterial ostia without cannulation, using an injection device that arrests blood flow during the injection, here henceforth called “a retrograde method” may enable temporary hemostasis when ostial stenoses render it impossible to inject LG using the cannulation method. The objective of the present study was to study the feasibility of a retrograde method and to compare it with the cannulation method in an in vitro model, incorporating a narrow orifice to simulate ostial stenosis, using tap water at 37°C instead of blood. The retrograde method of LG injection, using a modified paediatric Foley catheter, turned out to be feasible to produce a durable LG plug more reliably, at higher water pressure and with less deep LG injection than with the cannulation method.
Prolactin and Dexamethasone Regulate Second Messenger-Stimulated Cl− Secretion in Mammary Epithelia
Authors: Anantamongkol Utchariya , Ao Mei , Sarathy nee Venkatasubramanian Jayashree , Devi Y. Sangeeta , Krishnamra Nateetip , Rao Mrinalini C.
Published: July 2012

Mammary gland ion transport is essential for lactation and is regulated by prolactin and glucocorticoids. This study delineates the roles of prolactin receptors (PRLR) and long-term prolactin and dexamethasone (P-D)-mediation of [Ca2+]i and Cl− transport in HC-11 cells. P-D (24 h) suppressed ATP-induced [Ca2+]i. This may be due to decreased Ca2+ entry since P-D decreased transient receptor potential channel 3 (TRPC3) but not secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase 2 (SPCA2) mRNA. ATP increased Cl− transport, measured by iodide (I−) efflux, in control and P-D-treated cells. P-D enhanced I− efflux response to cAMP secretagogues without altering Cl− channels or NKCC cotransporter expression. HC-11 cells contain only the long form of PRLR (PRLR-L). Since the short isoform, PRLR-S, is mammopoietic, we determined if transfecting PRLR-S (rs) altered PRLR-L-mediated Ca2+ and Cl− transport. Untreated rs cells showed an attenuated [Ca2+]i response to ATP with no further response to P-D, in contrast to vector-transfected (vtc) controls. P-D inhibited TRPC3 in rs and vtc cells but increased SPCA2 only in rs cells. As in wild-type, cAMP-stimulated Cl− transport, in P-D-treated vtc and rs cells. In summary, 24 h P-D acts via PRLR-L to attenuate ATP-induced [Ca2+]i and increase cAMP-activated Cl− transport. PRLR-S fine-tunes these responses underscoring its mammopoietic action.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Language Mapping in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Wang An , Peters Terry M. , de Ribaupierre Sandrine , Mirsattari Seyed M.
Published: July 2012

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive technique that is increasingly used to understand the cerebral cortical networks and organizations. In this paper, we describe the role of fMRI for mapping language networks in the presurgical workup of patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Studies comparing fMRI with the intracarotid sodium amobarbital (Wada) test and fMRI with intraoperative cortical stimulation mapping for language lateralization and/or localization in medically intractable TLE are discussed.
Interpretation of Melanoma Risk Feedback in First-Degree Relatives of Melanoma Patients
Authors: Hay Jennifer L. , Baguer Carlos , Li Yuelin , Orlow Irene , Berwick Marianne
Published: July 2012

Little is known about how individuals might interpret brief genetic risk feedback. We examined interpretation and behavioral intentions (sun protection, skin screening) in melanoma first-degree relatives (FDRs) after exposure to brief prototypic melanoma risk feedback. Using a 3 by 2 experimental pre-post design where feedback type (high-risk mutation, gene environment, and nongenetic) and risk level (positiveversusnegative findings) were systematically varied, 139 melanoma FDRs were randomized to receive one of the six scenarios. All scenarios included an explicit reminder that melanoma family history increased their risk regardless of their feedback. The findings indicate main effects by risk level but not feedback type; positive findings led to heightened anticipated melanoma risk perceptions and anticipated behavioral intentions. Yet those who received negative findings often discounted their family melanoma history. As such, 25%, 30%, and 32% of those who received negative mutation, gene-environment, and nongenetic feedback, respectively, reported that their risk was similar to the general population. Given the frequency with which those who pursue genetic testing may receive negative feedback, attention is needed to identify ideal strategies to present negative genetic findings in contexts such as direct to consumer channels where extensive genetic counseling is not required.
Ion Chromatography Based Urine Amino Acid Profiling Applied for Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Fan Jing , Hong Jing , Hu Jun-Duo , Chen Jin-Lian
Published: July 2012

Aim. Amino acid metabolism in cancer patients differs from that in healthy people. In the study, we performed urine-free amino acid profile of gastric cancer at different stages and health subjects to explore potential biomarkers for diagnosing or screening gastric cancer.Methods. Forty three urine samples were collected from inpatients and healthy adults who were divided into 4 groups. Healthy adults were in group A (n=15), early gastric cancer inpatients in group B (n=7), and advanced gastric cancer inpatients in group C (n=16); in addition, two healthy adults and three advanced gastric cancer inpatients were in group D (n=5) to test models. We performed urine amino acids profile of each group by applying ion chromatography (IC) technique and analyzed urine amino acids according to chromatogram of amino acids standard solution. The data we obtained were processed with statistical analysis. A diagnostic model was constructed to discriminate gastric cancer from healthy individuals and another diagnostic model for clinical staging by principal component analysis. Differentiation performance was validated by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results. The urine-free amino acid profile of gastric cancer patients changed to a certain degree compared with that of healthy adults. Compared with healthy adult group, the levels of valine, isoleucine, and leucine increased (P<0.05), but the levels of histidine and methionine decreased (P<0.05), and aspartate decreased significantly (P<0.01). The urine amino acid profile was also different between early and advanced gastric cancer groups. Compared with early gastric cancer, the levels of isoleucine and valine decreased in advanced gastric cancer (P<0.05). A diagnosis model constructed for gastric cancer with AUC value of 0.936 tested by group D showed that 4 samples could coincide with it. Another diagnosis model for clinical staging with an AUC value of 0.902 tested by 3 advanced gastric cancer inpatients of group D showed that all could coincide with the model.Conclusions. The noticeable differences of urine-free amino acid profiles between gastric cancer patients and healthy adults indicate that such amino acids as valine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, histidine and aspartate are important metabolites in cell multiplication and gene expression during tumor growth and metastatic process. The study suggests that urine-free amino acid profiling is of potential value for screening or diagnosing gastric cancer.
Double Jeopardy? Age, Race, and HRQOL in Older Adults with Cancer
Authors: Bellizzi Keith M. , Aziz Noreen M. , Rowland Julia H. , Weaver Kathryn , Arora Neeraj K. , Hamilton Ann S. , Oakley-Girvan Ingrid , Keel Gretchen
Published: July 2012

Understanding the post-treatment physical and mental function of older adults from ethnic/racial minority backgrounds with cancer is a critical step to determine the services required to serve this growing population. The double jeopardy hypothesis suggests being a minority and old could have compounding effects on health. This population-based study examined the physical and mental function of older adults by age (mean age = 75.7, SD = 6.1), ethnicity/race, and cancer (breast, prostate, colorectal, and gynecologic) as well as interaction effects between age, ethnicity/race and HRQOL. There was evidence of a significant age by ethnicity/race interaction in physical function for breast, prostate and all sites combined, but the interaction became non-significant (for breast and all sites combined) when comorbidity was entered into the model. The interaction persisted in the prostate cancer group after controlling for comorbidity, such that African Americans and Asian Americans in the 75–79 age group report lower physical health than non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanic Whites in this age group. The presence of double jeopardy in the breast and all sites combined group can be explained by a differential comorbid burden among the older (75–79) minority group, but the interaction found in prostate cancer survivors does not reflect this differential comorbid burden.
Methyl Mercury Exposure at Niigata, Japan: Results of Neurological Examinations of 103 Adults
Authors: Maruyama Kimio , Yorifuji Takashi , Tsuda Toshihide , Sekikawa Tomoko , Nakadaira Hiroto , Saito Hisashi
Published: July 2012

Background. Large-scale poisonings caused by methyl mercury (MeHg) have occurred in Japan (Minamata in the 1950s and Niigata in the 1960s) and Iraq (in the 1970s). The current WHO neurological risk standard for adult exposure (hair level: 50 μg/g) was based partly on evidence from Niigata which did not consider any cases who were diagnosed later and/or exposed to low level of MeHg (hair mercury level less than 50 μg/g).Methods. Early in the Niigata epidemic in June 1965 there were two extensive surveys. From these two surveys, we examined 103 adults with hair mercury measurement who consulted two medical institutions. We compared the prevalence and the distribution of neurological signs related to MeHg poisoning between exposure categories.Result. We found 48 subjects with neurological signs related to MeHg poisoning who had hair mercury concentration less than 50 μg/g. Among the neurological signs, sensory disturbance of the bilateral distal extremities was observed more frequently, followed by disequilibrium, hearing impairment, and ataxia, in groups with hair MeHg concentration both below 50 μg/g and over 50 μg/g.Conclusion. The present study suggests the possibility that exposure to MeHg at levels below the current WHO limits could cause neurologic signs, in particular, sensory disturbance.
Simulation Study of Building Integrated Solar Liquid PV-T Collectors
Authors: Matuska Tomas
Published: July 2012

Influence of building integration of polycrystalline PV modules on their performance and potential for use of active liquid cooling by use of BIPV-T collectors has been investigated by simulation analysis with a detailed model. Integration of PV modules into building envelope could reduce the annual production of electricity by a rate above 5% and negatively influence lifetime due to thermal stresses induced by high operation temperatures above 100°C in the case of warm climate and above 90°C in moderate climate. Two configurations of unglazed PV-T collectors (low-tech, high-tech) and their ability to eliminate overheating of BIPV module have been discussed. Simulation study on combined heat and electricity production from given BIPV-T collectors has been presented for three typical applications (5°C: primary circuits of heat pumps; 15°C: cold water preheating; 25°C: pool water preheating). Thermal output of unglazed BIPV-T collectors is up to 10 times higher than electricity. Electricity production could be up to 25% higher than BIPV (without cooling) for warm climate and up to 15% in moderate climate.
A Hybrid Gradient‐Projection Algorithm for Averaged Mappings in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Tian Ming , Li Min-Min
Published: July 2012

It is well known that the gradient‐projection algorithm (GPA) is very useful in solving constrained convex minimization problems. In this paper, we combine a general iterative method with the gradient‐projection algorithm to propose a hybrid gradient‐projection algorithm and prove that the sequence generated by the hybrid gradient‐projection algorithm converges in norm to a minimizer of constrained convex minimization problems which solves a variational inequality.
Research on the Multiroute Probit‐Based Public Transit Assignment Model Based on Bus Stop
Authors: Mei Zhenyu , Wang Dianhai , Wang Fujian , Chen Jun , Wang Wei
Published: July 2012

A public transit network differs from a general road network. The passenger flow of bus stops and the limited capacity of buses have a greater effect than road traffic flow on the running time of buses. As a result, conventional public transit assignment models that adopt the econometric road network path concept have numerous limitations. Based on the analysis, the generalized bus trip time chain is analyzed, and the concept of a congestion function is proposed to describe the relationship between trip resistance and flow in the current paper. On the premise of this study, the transit network resistance function is formed and the multiroute probit‐based loading model is established. With using STOCH or Dial′s algorithm, the process of distribution is proposed. Finally, the model is applied to the transit network assignment of Deqing Town in Zhejiang Province. The result indicates that the model can be applied to practical operations with high‐precision results.
Study of Thermal Energy Production by Combustion of Lard and Diesel Mixtures
Authors: San José Alonso J. F. , Alonso Miñambres S. , Gobernado Arribas I.
Published: July 2012

This work presents the experimental results of lard combustion with diesel for heating. The work is divided into two parts, the first of which deals with the identification of lard as fuels and characterization of diesel, as well as determining the chemical and thermodynamic properties of mixtures of both components. The second part studies the optimum combustion point of lard and oil mixtures in a conventional plant, varying the percentage of lard in mixing, air flow, and injection pressure.
Syntheses and Antibacterial Studies of Some 1‐Phenyl‐3‐(4‐(2‐ethanoloxy) phenyl)‐5‐aryl‐1H‐pyrazoles
Authors: Goyal Anju , Jain Sandeep
Published: July 2012

A series of 1‐phenyl‐3‐(4‐(2‐ethanoloxy) phenyl)‐5‐aryl‐1H‐pyrazoles were synthesized from chalcones, that is, 3‐aryl‐1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl) prop‐2‐en‐1‐ones and studied for their in vitro antibacterial activity. Chalcones 1 on reaction with phenyl hydrazine in the presence of acetic acid and few drops of hydrochloric acid yielded the corresponding 1‐phenyl‐3‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐5‐aryl‐1H‐pyrazoles 2 which on further reaction with 2‐chloroethanol furnished the title compounds 3. These compounds were characterized by CHN analyses, IR, mass and 1H NMR spectral data. All the compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity against two Gram positive strains (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram negative strains (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined.
Dysplastic Squamous Cells Are Frequently Present in Urine Cytology Specimens of Patients with High-Grade Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Sojitra Payal , Venkataraman Girish , Masoom Saeedeh , Kapur Umesh , Wojcik Eva M.
Published: July 2012

Background: In urothelial carcinoma (UCA), squamous differentiation (SqD) occurs mainly in high-grade UCA with invasion. Therefore, we sought to determine the frequency of dysplastic squamous cells (DSC) in urine specimens obtained from patients with high-grade UCA asking if DSC could serve as a surrogate marker for high-grade UCA. Design: We searched for cases with a histologic diagnosis of high-grade UCA and available concurrent cytology, yielding 93 surgical specimens (including 71 biopsies, 12 cystectomies, 5 nephrectomies, 4 ureterectomies, and 1 urethrectomy) from 68 patients with 98 urine cytology samples. Both cytology and histologic specimens were evaluated for the presence of any SqD on histology and the presence of DSC on cytology besides urothelial cells. Results: Forty-three of 68 patients (63%) had a cytologic diagnosis of ‘positive/suspicious’. Twenty-one patients (30%) had surgical specimens that showed SqD. Seventeen patients had urine cytology specimens showing DSC (25%). Thirteen of these 17 patients showed DSC with concurrent malignant urothelial cells, while 4 patients displayed only isolated DSC. Conclusion: SqD is common in patients with high-grade UCA. DSC were detected in a subset of specimens from patients with high-grade UCA. In some instances, isolated DSC on cytology may represent the only evidence of an unsampled high-grade malignancy.
Fine-Needle Aspiration of Follicular Patterned Lesions of the Thyroid: Diagnosis, Management, and Follow-Up according to Thyroid Bethesda System
Authors: Üstün Hüseyin , Astarcı Hesna Müzeyyen , Altunkaya Canan , Yılmaz Sırma , Barın Ahmet , Ekici Serap , Çaydere Muzaffer
Published: July 2012

Objective: The goal of this study was to report an experience with thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases that can be placed into National Cancer Institute-designated thyroid FNA diagnostic categories for follicular patterned lesions divided into three diagnostic categories: follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS), suspicious for follicular neoplasm (SFON), and suspicious for malignancy. Study Design: The study cohort included 4,284 cases for the period between January 2007 and July 2011 and all available follow-up data was obtained. All cases classified as ‘atypical’ and ‘rule out follicular neoplasm’ were included in the AUS/FLUS category (n = 3,903), whereas cases classified as ‘suspicious for’ or ‘consistent with follicular or Hürthle cell neoplasm’ (n = 381) were included in the SFON diagnostic category and compared with histopathologic follow-up. Results: During this period, 14,628 thyroid FNAs were reported in 12,238 patients. Repeat FNA (RFNA) was performed in 1,366/3,903 (35%) patients classified as AUS/FLUS. Histologic outcome data was available in 1,756/3,903 (45%) cases diagnosed as AUS/FLUS and 243/381 (64%) cases diagnosed as SFON. The rate of malignancy in AUS/FLUS cases with and without RFNA was 29 and 14% respectively, and it was 26% in SFON cases. Conclusion: The current data shows that the malignancy rates differ between categories and AUS/FLUS cases are best managed by RFNA for selection of cases that can benefit from surgical excision.