bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DNA-binding-dependent androgen receptor signaling contributes to gender differences and has physiological actions in males and females
Authors: MacLean Helen E , Moore Alison J , Sastra Stephen A , Morris Howard A , Ghasem-Zadeh Ali , Rana Kesha , Axell Anna-Maree , Notini Amanda J , Handelsman David J , Seeman Ego , Zajac Jeffrey D , Davey Rachel A
Published: April 2010

We used our genomic androgen receptor (AR) knockout (ARKO) mouse model, in which the AR is unable to bind DNA to: 1) document gender differences between males and females; 2) identify the genomic (DNA-binding-dependent) AR-mediated actions in males; 3) determine the contribution of genomic AR-mediated actions to these gender differences; and 4) identify physiological genomic AR-mediated actions in females. At 9 weeks of age, control males had higher body, heart and kidney mass, lower spleen mass, and longer and larger bones compared to control females. Compared to control males, ARKO males had lower body and kidney mass, higher splenic mass, and reductions in cortical and trabecular bone. Deletion of the AR in ARKO males abolished the gender differences in heart and cortical bone. Compared with control females, ARKO females had normal body weight, but 14% lower heart mass and heart weight/body weight ratio. Relative kidney mass was also reduced, and relative spleen mass was increased. ARKO females had a significant reduction in cortical bone growth and changes in trabecular architecture, although with no net change in trabecular bone volume. In conclusion, we have shown that androgens acting via the genomic AR signaling pathway mediate, at least in part, the gender differences in body mass, heart, kidney, spleen, and bone, and play a physiological role in the regulation of cardiac, kidney and splenic size, cortical bone growth, and trabecular bone architecture in females.
The role of body size in individual‐based foraging strategies of a top marine predator
Authors: Weise Michael J. , Harvey James T. , Costa Daniel P.
Published: April 2010

Body size is an important determinant of the diving and foraging ability in air‐breathing marine vertebrate predators. Satellite‐linked dive recorders were used during 2003–2004 to investigate the foraging behavior of 22 male California sea lions (Zalophus californianus, a large, sexually dimorphic otariid) and to evaluate the extent to which body size explained variation among individuals and foraging strategies. Multivariate analyses were used to reduce the number of behavioral variables used to characterize foraging strategies (principal component analysis, PCA), to identify individually based foraging strategies in multidimensional space (hierarchical cluster analysis), and to classify each individual into a cluster or foraging strategy (discriminant analysis). Approximately 81.1% of the variation in diving behavior among individuals was explained by three factors: diving patterns (PC1), foraging effort (PC2), and behavior at the surface (PC3). Individuals were classified into three distinct groups based on their diving behavior (shallow, mixed depth, and deeper divers), and jackknife resampling of the data resulted in correct group assignment 86% of the time. Body size as an independent variable was positively related to dive duration and time spent ashore and negatively related to time at sea, and it was a key parameter in PC2 used to classify the three distinct clusters. Differences among individual‐based foraging strategies probably were driven by differences in body size, which enabled larger animals to dive deeper and forage more efficiently by targeting different and perhaps larger prey items. The occurrence of foraging specializations within a species and age class has implications for quantitative modeling of population‐level predator–prey interactions and ecosystem structure.
Diet breadth influences how the impact of invasive plants is propagated through food webs
Authors: Carvalheiro Luisa G. , Buckley Yvonne M. , Memmott Jane
Published: April 2010

Invasive plants are considered a major cause of ecosystem degradation worldwide. While their impacts on native plants have been widely reported, there is little information on how these impacts propagate through food webs and affect species at higher trophic levels. Using a quantitative food web approach we evaluated the impacts of an invasive plant on plant–herbivore–parasitoid communities, asking specifically how diet breadth influences the propagation of such impacts. Measuring the impact of the alien plant at the plant level seriously underestimated the community‐level effect of this weed as it also caused changes in the abundance of native herbivores and parasitoids, along with a decrease in parasitoid species richness. The invading plant affected specialist and generalist subsets of communities differently, having significant and strong negative impacts on the abundance of all specialists with no negative effect on generalist consumers. Specialist consumer decline led to further disruptions of top‐down regulatory mechanisms, releasing generalist species from competition via shared natural enemies. Plant invasion also significantly increased the evenness of species abundance of all trophic levels in the food webs, as well as the evenness of species interaction frequency. Extending impact evaluation to higher trophic levels and considering changes in trophic diversity within levels is hence essential for a full evaluation of the consequences of invasion by alien plants. Moreover, information on diet breadth of species in the invaded community should be taken into account when evaluating/predicting the impacts on any introduced species.
Consumer return chronology alters recovery trajectory of stream ecosystem structure and function following drought
Authors: Murdock Justin N. , Gido Keith B. , Dodds Walter K. , Bertrand Katie N. , Whiles Matt R.
Published: April 2010

Consumers are increasingly being recognized as important drivers of ecological succession, yet it is still hard to predict the nature and direction of consumer effects in nonequilibrium environments. We used stream consumer exclosures and large outdoor mesocosms to study the impact of macroconsumers (i.e., fish and crayfish) on recovery of intermittent prairie streams after drying. In the stream, macroconsumers altered system recovery trajectory by decreasing algal and macroinvertebrate biomass, primary productivity, and benthic nutrient uptake rates. However, macroconsumer influence was transient, and differences between exclosures and controls disappeared after 35 days. Introducing and removing macroconsumers after 28 days resulted mainly in changes to macroinvertebrates. In mesocosms, a dominant consumer (the grazing minnowPhoxinus erythrogaster) reduced macroinvertebrate biomass but had little effect on algal assemblage structure and ecosystem rates during recovery. The weak effect ofP. erythrogasterin mesocosms, in contrast to the strong consumer effect in the natural stream, suggests that both timing and diversity of returning consumers are important to their overall influence on stream recovery patterns. Although we found that consumers significantly altered ecosystem structure and function in a system experiencing rapid changes in abiotic and biotic factors following disturbance, consumer effects diminished over time and trajectories converged to similar states with respect to primary producers, in spite of differences in consumer colonization history. Thus, consumer impacts can be substantial in recovering ecosystems and are likely to be dependent on the disturbance regime and diversity of the consumer community.
Salicylate‐mediated interactions between pathogens and herbivores
Authors: Thaler Jennifer S. , Agrawal Anurag A. , Halitschke Rayko
Published: April 2010

Plants employ hormone‐mediated signaling pathways to defend against pathogens and insects. We tested predictions about the relative effect of jasmonate and salicylate pathways and how they mediate interactions between pathogens and herbivores. We employed two pathogens of tomato, Pseudomonas syringae (Pst) and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), that are known to elicit distinct components of the two pathways, and we address the consequences of their induction for resistance in wild‐type and salicylate‐deficient transgenic plants in field experiments. We report that Pst infection induced jasmonic acid and proteinase inhibitors (PIs), and reduced the growth of Spodoptera exigua caterpillars on wild‐type and salicylate‐deficient plants. Pst and TMV both induced salicylic acid in wild‐type but not salicylate‐deficient plants. Although TMV did not affect jasmonic acid or PIs, infection increased caterpillar growth on wild‐type plants, but not on salicylate‐deficient plants. Aphid population growth was higher on salicylate‐deficient compared to wild‐type plants, and lower on salicylate‐induced plants compared to controls. Natural aphid colonization was reduced on TMV‐infected wild types, but not on salicylate‐deficient plants. In sum, jasmonate‐mediated resistance is induced by some pathogens, independent of salicylate, and salicylate‐mediated induction by other pathogens results in induced susceptibility to a chewer and resistance to an aphid. We conclude with a predictive model for the expression of defense pathways and their consequences.
Habitat heterogeneity, disturbance, and productivity work in concert to regulate biodiversity in deep submarine canyons
Authors: McClain Craig R. , Barry James P.
Published: April 2010

Habitat heterogeneity is a major structuring agent of ecological assemblages promoting beta diversity and ultimately contributing to overall higher global diversity. The exact processes by which heterogeneity increases diversity are scale dependent and encompass variation in other well‐known processes, e.g., productivity, disturbance, and temperature. Thus, habitat heterogeneity likely triggers multiple and cascading diversity effects through ecological assemblages. Submarine canyons, a pervasive feature of the world's oceans, likely increase habitat heterogeneity at multiple spatial scales similar to their terrestrial analogues. However, our understanding of how processes regulating diversity, and the potential for cascading effects within these important topographic features, remains incomplete. Utilizing remote‐operated vehicles (ROVs) for coring and video transects, we quantified faunal turnover in the deep‐sea benthos at a rarely examined scale (1 m–1 km). Macrofaunal community structure, megafaunal density, carbon flux, and sediment characteristics were analyzed for the soft‐bottom benthos at the base of cliff faces in Monterey Canyon (northeast Pacific Ocean) at three depths. We documented a remarkable degree of faunal turnover and changes in overall community structure at scales <100 m, and often <10 m, related to geographic features of a canyon complex. Ultimately, our findings indicated that multiple linked processes related to habitat heterogeneity, ecosystem engineering, and bottom‐up dynamics are important to deep‐sea biodiversity.
Facilitation drives 65 years of vegetation change in the Sonoran Desert
Authors: Butterfield Bradley J. , Betancourt Julio L. , Turner Raymond M. , Briggs John M.
Published: April 2010

Ecological processes of low‐productivity ecosystems have long been considered to be driven by abiotic controls with biotic interactions playing an insignificant role. However, existing studies present conflicting evidence concerning the roles of these factors, in part due to the short temporal extent of most data sets and inability to test indirect effects of environmental variables modulated by biotic interactions. Using structural equation modeling to analyze 65 years of perennial vegetation change in the Sonoran Desert, we found that precipitation had a stronger positive effect on recruitment beneath existing canopies than in open microsites due to reduced evaporation rates. Variation in perennial canopy cover had additional facilitative effects on juvenile recruitment, which was indirectly driven by effects of density and precipitation on cover. Mortality was strongly influenced by competition as indicated by negative density‐dependence, whereas precipitation had no effect. The combined direct, indirect, and interactive facilitative effects of precipitation and cover on recruitment were substantial, as was the effect of competition on mortality, providing strong evidence for dual control of community dynamics by climate and biotic interactions. Through an empirically derived simulation model, we also found that the positive feedback of density on cover produces unique temporal abundance patterns, buffering changes in abundance from high frequency variation in precipitation, amplifying effects of low frequency variation, and decoupling community abundance from precipitation patterns at high abundance. Such dynamics should be generally applicable to low‐productivity systems in which facilitation is important and can only be understood within the context of long‐term variation in climatic patterns. This predictive model can be applied to better manage low‐productivity ecosystems, in which variation in biogeochemical processes and trophic dynamics may be driven by positive density‐dependent feedbacks that influence temporal abundance and productivity patterns.
Bayesian analysis of size‐dependent overwinter mortality from size‐frequency distributions
Authors: Carlson Stephanie M. , Kottas Athanasios , Mangel Marc
Published: April 2010

Understanding the relationship between body size and mortality is an important problem in ecology. We introduce a novel Bayesian method that can be used to quantify this relationship when the only data available are size‐frequency distributions of unmarked individuals measured at two successive time periods. The inverse Gaussian distribution provides a parametric form for the statistical model development, and we use Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to evaluate posterior distributions. We illustrate the method using data on threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) collected before and after the winter season in an Alaskan lake. Our method allows us to compare the intensity of size‐biased mortality in different years. We discuss generalizations that include more complicated relationships between size and survival as well as time‐series modeling.
Habitat fragmentation and altered fire regime create trade‐offs for an obligate seeding shrub
Authors: Regan Helen M. , Crookston John B. , Swab Rebecca , Franklin Janet , Lawson Dawn M.
Published: April 2010

Habitat loss is widely considered the greatest threat to biodiversity. However, habitat loss brings with it myriad other threats that exacerbate impacts to biodiversity. For instance, altered fire regime is associated with habitat loss and fragmentation with unknown consequences to biodiversity. Plant functional groups that rely on fire to complete their life cycle may be adversely affected by disruptions to the natural fire regime, particularly when coupled with population declines due to habitat loss. We used a spatially explicit stochastic population model linked with fire hazard functions to investigate the cumulative effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, and altered fire regime on the expected minimum abundance of a long‐lived obligate‐seeding shrub,Ceanothus greggiivar.perplexans. This species is endemic to the California Floristic Province, a biodiversity hotspot, and is representative of a functional group of plants found in many fire‐prone ecosystems. We tested the impact of a range of different fire frequencies under three different combinations of fuel accumulation and weather. The best average fire return interval for population abundance was consistently in the range of 30–50 years. However, observed average fire return intervals in highly fragmented areas can be approximately 20 years or less, and model results show this to be detrimental toC. greggiipopulations. Results also show that if fires are uncorrelated across habitat fragments then the impact of altered fire regime on populations is worse than the impact of habitat fragmentation because of spatial and temporal decoupling of fire events across the landscape. However, the negative impacts of altered fire regime are outweighed by habitat loss as fragmentation increases. Our results show that large unplanned fires, operating under an altered fire regime, are ultimately detrimental to perennial obligate‐seeding shrubs in fragmented landscapes.
Single‐pool exponential decomposition models: potential pitfalls in their use in ecological studies
Authors: Adair E. Carol , Hobbie Sarah E. , Hobbie Russell K.
Published: April 2010

The importance of litter decomposition to carbon and nutrient cycling has motivated substantial research. Commonly, researchers fit a single‐pool negative exponential model to data to estimate a decomposition rate (k). We review recent decomposition research, use data simulations, and analyze real data to show that this practice has several potential pitfalls. Specifically, two common decisions regarding model form (how to model initial mass) and data transformation (log‐transformed vs. untransformed data) can lead to erroneous estimates of k. Allowing initial mass to differ from its true, measured value resulted in substantial over‐ or underestimation of k. Log‐transforming data to estimate k using linear regression led to inaccurate estimates unless errors were lognormally distributed, while nonlinear regression of untransformed data accurately estimated k regardless of error structure. Therefore, we recommend fixing initial mass at the measured value and estimating k with nonlinear regression (untransformed data) unless errors are demonstrably lognormal. If data are log‐transformed for linear regression, zero values should be treated as missing data; replacing zero values with an arbitrarily small value yielded poor k estimates. These recommendations will lead to more accurate k estimates and allow cross‐study comparison of k values, increasing understanding of this important ecosystem process.
The conflicting role of matrix habitats as conduits and barriers for dispersal
Authors: Kuefler Daniel , Hudgens Brian , Haddad Nick M. , Morris William F. , Thurgate Nicole
Published: April 2010

Determining connectivity within complex landscapes is difficult if habitats that facilitate dispersal differ from habitats where animals normally are found or enter. We addressed the question of how landscape features affect dispersal by quantifying two critical aspects of animal movement behavior that determine dispersal rates across complex landscapes: conductivity of major habitat types and behavior at boundaries between habitat types. Our tests consisted of behavioral experiments and observational surveys of a wetland butterfly,Satyrodes appalachia. Displacement rates varied among habitats, with the longest moves and straightest paths leading to greater displacement rate in open habitat and shortest moves and most sinuous paths causing the slowest displacement rate in riparian forest habitat. We found a strong negative relationship between the probability of entering a habitat and the speed of moving through it. Recognizing this central conflict between entering and moving through habitat is important for assessing the connectivity of complex landscapes.
Spatial scale and cross‐taxon congruence of terrestrial vertebrate and vascular plant species richness in China
Authors: Qian Hong , Kissling W. Daniel
Published: April 2010

In ecology and biogeography it is often recognized that the species richness of different groups of organisms is spatially congruent (and thus positively correlated). However, ecological phenomena are often scale dependent and can change with spatial scale (i.e., grain size and extent). Because species richness gradients are also correlated with environmental gradients and plant species richness is thought to influence animal species richness, the relative roles of environment and plant richness in influencing cross‐taxon congruence of animal richness at different spatial scales remain poorly explored. In this study, we examine the spatial concordance in species richness among terrestrial vertebrates and vascular plants at two spatial grain sizes (local and regional) across China. We hypothesize that (H1) cross‐taxon richness relationships are weaker at the local scale; (H2) climatic predictors of species richness are stronger at the regional scale; (H3) effects of habitat heterogeneity on species richness are stronger at the local scale; (H4) plant richness positively affects vertebrate richness after accounting for environmental effects; and (H5) the plant–vertebrate richness relationship is weaker at the regional scale. We found significant and positive correlations between species richness of the groups, with correlations being stronger at the regional scale than at the local scale (supporting H1). Climate has weaker effects on species richness at the regional scale than at the local scale (rejecting H2), and for vertebrates (but not for plants) effects of habitat heterogeneity are stronger at the local scale (supporting hypothesis H3). Plant richness positively affects vertebrate richness after accounting for environmental effects (supporting H4), but the effect is stronger for the two endothermic groups (mammals and birds) than for the two ectothermic groups (reptiles and amphibians). In contrast to hypothesis H5, the effect of plant richness on species richness of vertebrates is stronger at the regional scale than at the local scale. Our study suggests that plant richness has a significant influence on animal species richness across spatial scales and that the strength of the effects of plant species richness, climate, and topographic heterogeneity on animal species richness depends on the spatial grain size of sampling units.
Abandoning Sverdrup's Critical Depth Hypothesis on phytoplankton blooms
Authors: Behrenfeld Michael J.
Published: April 2010

The Critical Depth Hypothesis formalized by Sverdrup in 1953 posits that vernal phytoplankton blooms occur when surface mixing shoals to a depth shallower than a critical depth horizon defining the point where phytoplankton growth exceeds losses. This hypothesis has since served as a cornerstone in plankton ecology and reflects the very common assumption that blooms are caused by enhanced growth rates in response to improved light, temperature, and stratification conditions, not simply correlated with them. Here, a nine‐year satellite record of phytoplankton biomass in the subarctic Atlantic is used to reevaluate seasonal plankton dynamics. Results show that (1) bloom initiation occurs in the winter when mixed layer depths are maximum, not in the spring, (2) coupling between phytoplankton growth (μ) and losses increases during spring stratification, rather than decreases, (3) maxima in net population growth rates (r) are as likely to occur in midwinter as in spring, and (4) r is generally inversely related to μ. These results are incompatible with the Critical Depth Hypothesis as a functional framework for understanding bloom dynamics. In its place, a “Dilution–Recoupling Hypothesis” is described that focuses on the balance between phytoplankton growth and grazing, and the seasonally varying physical processes influencing this balance. This revised view derives from fundamental concepts applied during field dilution experiments, builds upon earlier modeling results, and is compatible with observed phytoplankton blooms in the absence of spring mixed layer shoaling.
Development and Testing of Nurses’ Perceptions of the Use of Hydrotherapy in Labor Questionnaire
Authors: Stark Mary Ann , Miller Michael G.
Published: April 2010

While effective for labor pain, hydrotherapy is not often used. The purpose of this study was to develop and test an instrument of nurses’ perceptions of the barriers to the use of hydrotherapy in labor. Following generation of items and review by content experts, the Nurses’ Perceptions of the Use of Hydrotherapy in Labor (NPUHL) questionnaire was administered to 65 intrapartum nurses (phase I) and to 401 nurses (phase II). In phase I, the mean score of the NPUHL was significantly and negatively correlated with the Labor Support Scale (r = –.30, p = .016), indicating that nurses who demonstrated more labor-supportive behaviors also perceived fewer barriers to the use of hydrotherapy in labor. In phase II, exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors: Health Care Environment, Knowledge and Beliefs, Personal Concerns, Effort Required for Hydrotherapy, and Technology. There was a significant negative correlation (r = –.61) between use of hydrotherapy and the total NPUHL score and those of its subscales (r = –.12 to –.61); nurses with access to hydrotherapy tubs perceived fewer barriers to hydrotherapy than nurses without (t = 9.71, df = 387, p < .01). For the revised 30-item NPUHL, Cronbach’s alpha was .93, and subscale alphas ranged from .58 to .93. The 30-item NPUHL scale demonstrated evidence of good initial reliability and validity.
Reliability and Validity Testing of the Short-Form Health Survey in a Sample of Community-Dwelling African American Older Adults
Authors: Cernin Paul A. , Cresci Kay , Jankowski Thomas B. , Lichtenberg Peter A.
Published: April 2010

The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12; Ware, Kosinski, & Keller, 1996) is a widely used screening device for measuring physical and mental health to assess quality of life. However, limited psychometric data exist for older adults, especially minority aging samples. Findings from Resnick and Nahm (2001) suggest revising traditional SF-12 scoring for use in older adults because of different factor loadings for two questions. This study sought to examine the reliability and validity of a verbally administered SF-12 in a community-dwelling sample of African Americans using the Detroit City-Wide Needs Assessment Database (N = 985). Reliability analysis resulted in an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.77. Factor analysis with principal components extraction and varimax rotation yielded two factors. Consistent with Resnick and Nahm (2001), question 10 loaded on the physical health factor and question 12 on both the physical and the mental health factors. The overall SF-12 score was significantly related to use of home health services, visits to a physician, number of prescription drugs, as well as number of chronic diseases. The SF-12 appears to be a valid and reliable measure used as a screening device for use with African American elders overall. However, for optimal measurement, modifications to traditional scoring methods for the SF-12 should be considered.
Linguistic Bias in Multiple-Choice Test Questions
Authors: Lampe Susan , Tsaouse Bess
Published: April 2010

Nurse educators are finding more and more nonnative speakers of English in the classroom. These students bring a much-needed cultural diversity to the nursing profession. Their success in nursing school can be enhanced when nurse educators learn how to minimize linguistic bias in multiple-choice exam questions.
Leading and Managing an Intergenerational Workforce
Authors: Dols Jean , Landrum Peggy , Wieck K. Lynn
Published: April 2010

Focus group discussions with four generations of staff nurses identified five themes that participants believed must be addressed in order to make the current work environment a desirable place to conduct their careers as nurses. These themes are: transitioning from student to nurse, managing difficult staffing conditions, maintaining morale, dealing with safety matters, and building relationships that enhance teamwork. Manager challenges are discussed in relation to each theme and suggested leadership strategies are offered.
Seniors ‘Experiences of Congregate Housing in Sweden
Authors: Wikström Britt-Maj
Published: April 2010

A study of older people's experiences of living in congregate housing units in Sweden found three categories of adaptation to this mode of living: good adaptation (found a new home), intermediate adaptation (having no choice), and poor adaptation (remaining grief). Support in daily care must be individual depending on the degree of adaptation.
A Short‐Term Evaluation of Nd:YAG Laser as an Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planing in the Treatment of Periodontal Inflammation
Authors: Qadri Talat , Poddani Pavlina , Javed Fawad , Tunér Jan , Gustafsson Anders
Published: April 2010

Background: This split‐mouth, single‐masked, randomized, controlled clinical trial compares the short‐term outcomes of a combined treatment with scaling and root planing (SRP) and neodymium‐doped:yttrium, aluminum, and garnet (Nd:YAG)–laser irradiation with treatment with SRP alone.

Methods: Thirty patients were recruited. The mandibular left or right side was randomly assigned as the test side (SRP with laser treatment) or control side (SRP alone). The water‐cooled Nd:YAG laser was used at 4 W, 80 mJ/pulse, 50 Hz, and with a pulse width of 350 μs. At baseline, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples were taken from the test and control sides, and levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐8 and interleukin (IL)‐1β, ‐4, ‐6, and ‐8 were measured using standard techniques. The plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and probing depth (PD) were measured by calibrated examiners.

Results: At the 1‐week follow‐up, PD (P <0.001), PI (P <0.05), and GCF volume (P <0.001) showed significant improvement on test sides compared to control sides. At the 3‐month follow‐up, PD (P <0.01), PI (P <0.01), GI (P <0.01), and GCF volume (P <0.05) also showed significant improvement on test sides compared to control sides. At the 1‐week follow up, IL‐1β and MMP‐8 levels were significantly reduced on test sides compared to control sides. The 3‐month follow‐up confirmed that the improvements on test sites had been sustained compared to the treatment outcomes of control sites.

Conclusion: In the short‐term, SRP in combination with a single application of a water‐cooled Nd:YAG laser significantly improves clinical signs associated with periodontal inflammation compared to treatment with SRP alone.
Compliance as a Prognostic Indicator. II. Impact of Patient's Compliance to the Individual Tooth Survival
Authors: Miyamoto Takanari , Kumagai Takashi , Lang Melissa S. , Nunn Martha E.
Published: April 2010

Background: Existing evidence concerning the validity of an appropriate regular periodontal maintenance (PM) regimen and the role of patient compliance is controversial and inconsistent. The objectives of this study are to identify the impact of patient compliance (complete versus erratic) on alveolar bone loss and tooth survival.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using data from 295 patients with ≥20 years of observation, which included treatment and ≥15 years of maintenance therapy, in a private practice in Yamagata, Japan. Subject‐level variables and tooth‐level variables were recorded at the initial visit, the reevaluation visit, and the final visit. In total, 7,502 teeth in 295 subjects met inclusion criteria and were divided into two groups: non‐molar teeth (n = 5,585) and molar teeth (n = 1,917). A tooth‐level multivariate survival model and multiple logistic regression model using the method of generalized estimating equations were constructed to analyze the effects of compliance and periodontal maintenance intervals on tooth loss and alveolar bone loss, respectively.

Results: Of 7,502 teeth, 284 molar teeth and 364 non‐molar teeth were lost. Molar teeth had an approximately 30% reduction in risk of tooth loss for complete compliance, with 2‐year compliance classification achieving statistical significance (P = 0.033), and 30% compliance classification approaching statistical significance (P = 0.072). Complete compliers under 30% compliance classification showed over 50% reduction in the risk of alveolar bone loss among non‐molars (P = 0.015).

Conclusion: Complete patient compliance with increased frequency of periodontal maintenance is important for improved dental prognosis through reduction of tooth loss among molars and minimization of alveolar bone loss among non‐molars.
Race and Distance Effects on Regular Syringe Exchange Program Use and Injection Risks: A Geobehavioral Analysis
Authors: Williams Chyvette T. , Metzger David S.
Published: April 2010

Objectives. We conducted “geobehavioral” analyses by race to understand how distances among injection drug users' (IDUs') residences, drug purchase and use locations, and syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are associated with injection behaviors.

Methods. Data were from the HIV Prevention Trial Network 037 (2002–2006) site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a randomized study evaluating the efficacy of a network-oriented HIV prevention intervention for IDUs. At prescreening, participants were asked the nearest intersections to their residence, where they buy and use drugs, and about their injection behaviors.

Results. Geographic distances had independent and interactive effects on injection risk behaviors and SEP use. Blacks, regardless of distance, were less likely than Whites to inject in public places (odds ratio [OR] = 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.43, 0.90), to use syringes after someone else (OR = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.38), and to access syringes from SEPs (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.48, 2.92). Latinos' injection behaviors were more distance-dependent than Blacks' or Whites'.

Conclusions. Distances among IDUs' homes, drug purchase and injecting sites, and prevention resources affected safe injection practices differentially by race. Understanding individuals' geographic relation to the risks and resources that surround them is an important aspect of understanding effects of the environment on health and behavior and the development of targeted interventions.
Pervasive Trauma Exposure Among US Sexual Orientation Minority Adults and Risk of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Roberts Andrea L. , Austin S. Bryn , Corliss Heather L. , Vandermorris Ashley K. , Koenen Karestan C.
Published: April 2010

Objectives. We assessed sexual orientation disparities in exposure to violence and other potentially traumatic events and onset of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a representative US sample.

Methods. We used data from 34 653 noninstitutionalized adult US residents from the 2004 to 2005 wave of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Results. Lesbians and gay men, bisexuals, and heterosexuals who reported any same-sex sexual partners over their lifetime had greater risk of childhood maltreatment, interpersonal violence, trauma to a close friend or relative, and unexpected death of someone close than did heterosexuals with no same-sex attractions or partners. Risk of onset of PTSD was higher among lesbians and gays (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34, 3.06), bisexuals (AOR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.38, 3.29), and heterosexuals with any same-sex partners (AOR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.54, 2.74) than it was among the heterosexual reference group. This higher risk was largely accounted for by sexual orientation minorities’ greater exposure to violence, exposure to more potentially traumatic events, and earlier age of trauma exposure.

Conclusions. Profound sexual orientation disparities exist in risk of PTSD and in violence exposure, beginning in childhood. Our findings suggest there is an urgent need for public health interventions aimed at preventing violence against individuals with minority sexual orientations and providing follow-up care to cope with the sequelae of violent victimization.
Evaluation of a Voluntary Menu-Labeling Program in Full-Service Restaurants
Authors: Pulos Elizabeth , Leng Kirsten
Published: April 2010

Objectives. We assessed whether labeling restaurant menus with information on the nutrient content of menu items would cause customers to alter their ordering patterns.

Methods. Six full-service restaurants in Pierce County, Washington, added nutrition information to their menus, and they provided data on entrée sales for 30 days before and 30 days after the information was added. We assessed the prelabeling versus postlabeling difference in nutrient content of entrées sold, and we surveyed restaurant patrons about whether they noticed the nutrition information and used it in their ordering.

Results. The average postlabeling entrée sold contained about 15 fewer calories, 1.5 fewer grams of fat, and 45 fewer milligrams of sodium than did the average entrée sold before labeling. Seventy-one percent of patrons reported noticing the nutrition information; 20.4% reported ordering an entrée lower in calories as a result, and 16.5% reported ordering an entrée lower in fat as a result.

Conclusions. The concentration of calorie reduction among 20.4% of patrons means that each calorie-reducing patron ordered about 75 fewer calories than they did before labeling. Thus, providing nutrition information on restaurant menus may encourage a subset of restaurant patrons to significantly alter their food choices.
Gay and Bisexual Men's Willingness to Receive Anal Papanicolaou Testing
Authors: Reed Alison C. , Reiter Paul L. , Smith Jennifer S. , Palefsky Joel M. , Brewer Noel T.
Published: April 2010

Objectives. We assessed the willingness of gay and bisexual men, who have high rates of anal cancer that might be prevented through regular screening, to receive anal Papanicolaou tests.

Methods. We surveyed a national sample of men aged 18 to 59 years who self-identified as gay (n = 236) or bisexual (n = 70).

Results. Most respondents were willing to accept free screening (83%), but fewer would pay for the test (31%; McNemar's χ2 = 158.02; P < .001). Willingness to pay for screening was higher among men who reported greater worry about getting anal cancer (OR [odds ratio] = 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06, 2.72), higher perceived likelihood of anal cancer (OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.18, 2.99), and higher income (OR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.18, 3.98), in adjusted analyses. Only 33% (17 of 51) of HIV-positive respondents, who have the highest risk for anal cancer, had received anal Papanicolaou tests.

Conclusions. Anal cancer screening was highly acceptable to gay and bisexual men, although cost was a major barrier. Efforts to reduce anal cancer disparities should target beliefs about anal cancer and barriers to anal Papanicolaou testing in this population.
Engaging Key Stakeholders to Assess and Improve the Professional Preparation of MPH Health Educators
Authors: Linnan Laura A. , Steckler Allan , Maman Suzanne , Ellenson Meg , French Elizabeth , Blanchard Lynn , Bowling Mike , Yamanis Nina , Succop Stacey , Davenport Amy , Moracco Beth
Published: April 2010

Objectives. We described the process of engaging key stakeholders in a systematic review of requirements for a master of public health (MPH) degree within the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, and summarized resulting changes.

Methods. A benchmarking study of 11 peer institutions was completed. Key stakeholders (i.e., current students, alumni, faculty, staff, employers, and practicum preceptors) received online or print surveys. A faculty retreat was convened to process results and reach consensus on program revisions.

Results. MPH program changes included (1) improved advising and mentoring program, (2) elimination of research and practice track options, (3) increased elective and decreased required credit hours, (4) replacement of master's paper requirement with “deliverables” (written products such as reports, documents, and forms) produced as part of the required “Capstone” course, (5) extended community field experience to 2 semesters and moved it to year 2 of the program, and (6) allowed practica of either 200, 300, or 400 hours.

Conclusions. Engaging key stakeholders in the program review process yielded important changes to the MPH degree program requirements. Others may consider this approach when undertaking curriculum reviews.
Temperature effects on bank filtration: redox conditions and physical-chemical parameters of pore water at Lake Tegel, Berlin, Germany
Authors: Gross-Wittke A. , Gunkel G. , Hoffmann A.
Published: April 2010

In the city of Berlin, artificial groundwater recharge techniques, such as bank filtration and infiltration ponds, are an important source for drinking water production. Climate change with increasing surface water temperatures can influence the water purification processes during bank filtration mainly due the intensification of metabolic processes leading to a decrease of oxygen and an increase of anaerobic conditions. In Lake Tegel a significant increase of water temperature in the epilimnion of 2.4°C within the last 30 years was recorded. For a better understanding of induced bank filtration at Lake Tegel, redox processes and physical-chemical conditions within the surface sediment layers (0–26 cm depth) at the littoral infiltration zone were investigated. The influence of temperature in the range of 0–25°C on microbial catalysis of redox processes, such as reduction of nitrate and sulphate, was examined during the period March 2004–June 2005. High water temperatures (16–25°C) were accompanied by negative redox potentials (EH=−47 mV) and decreasing Ninorg concentrations, while the amount of ammonia, Mn2 +  and Fe2 +  was rising. This indicates redox processes such as denitrification, Mn4 +  reduction, nitrate respiration and ammonification, as well as Fe3 +  reduction. The reduction of sulphate, however, has not yet become significant at Lake Tegel, but with increasing water temperature, sulphate reduction must be expected.
Modelling climate change impacts on the flood pulse in the Lower Mekong floodplains
Authors: Västilä K. , Kummu M. , Sangmanee C. , Chinvanno S.
Published: April 2010

The flood pulse is a key element characterizing the hydrology of the Mekong River and driving the high ecosystem productivity in the Lower Mekong floodplains, both in the Cambodian lowlands and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. This paper assesses the impacts of climate change, both in terms of changed basin water balance and sea level rise, on the Lower Mekong flood pulse. The impacts were simulated by a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model using the projected changes in sea level and the Mekong mainstream discharge under the influence of climate change as boundary conditions. The model simulations projected that average and maximum water levels and flood duration increase in 2010–2049. The most consistent and notable changes occurred in the average and dry hydrological years. Sea level rise had the greatest effects in the Mekong Delta, whereas the impacts of changed basin water balance were more notable in the upper areas of the Mekong floodplains. The projected impacts were mostly opposite to those resulting from regional water infrastructure development. Higher and longer flooding could cause damage to crops, infrastructure and floodplain vegetation, and decrease the fertile land area. On the other hand, it might boost ecosystem productivity and enhance dry season water availability.
Corrective Primary Impression Technique
Authors: Fernandes Aquaviva , Dua Neha , Herekar Manisha
Published: April 2010

The article describes a simple, quick and corrective technique for making the preliminary impression. It records the extensions better as compared to the impressions made using only impression compound. This technique is accurate and gives properly extended custom tray. Any deficiencies seen in the compound primary impression are corrected using this technique hence, this technique is called as a “corrective primary impression technique”.
A Method of Correcting for Tilt from Horizontal in Downwelling Shortwave Irradiance Measurements on Moving Platforms
Authors: Long C. N. , Bucholtz A. , Jonsson H. , Schmid B. , Vogelmann A. , Wood J.
Published: April 2010

The downwelling shortwave irradiance typically consists of both a direct component of radiation from the sun, and a diffuse component of scattered sunlight from the sky. Significant offsets can occur in downwelling shortwave irradiance measurements made from moving platforms due to the tilt of the instruments from horizontal which changes the angular orientation of the direct component of sunlight to the instrument and causes an artificial variation in the measured signal. To properly correct for this tilt, a-priori knowledge of the partitioning between the direct and diffuse components of the total shortwave irradiance is needed to properly apply a correction for tilt. This partitioning information can be adequately provided using a newly available commercial radiometer named the SPN1 that produces reasonable measurements of the total and diffuse shortwave irradiance (and by subtraction the direct shortwave irradiance) with no moving parts and regardless of azimuthal orientation. We have developed methodologies for determining the constant pitch and roll offsets of the radiometers for aircraft applications, and for applying a tilt correction to the total shortwave irradiance data. Results suggest that the methodology is accurate for tilt up to +/-10°, with 90% of the data corrected to within 10 Wm-2 at least for clear-sky data. Without a proper tilt correction, even data limited to 5° of tilt can still exhibit large errors, greater than 100 Wm-2 in some cases. Given the low cost, low weight, and low power consumption of the SPN1 total and diffuse radiometer, opportunities previously excluded for moving platform measurements such as small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and solar powered buoys now become feasible using our methodology. The increase in measurement accuracy is important, given current concerns over long-term climate variability and change especially over the 70% of the Earth's surface covered by ocean where long-term records of these measurements are sorely needed and must be made on ships and buoys.
Real‐Time Determination of the Efficacy of Residual Disinfection to Limit Wastewater Contamination in a Water Distribution System Using Filtration‐Based Luminescence
Authors: Lee Jiyoung , Deininger Rolf A.
Published: April 2010

Water distribution systems can be vulnerable to microbial contamination through cross‐connections, wastewater backflow, the intrusion of soiled water after a loss of pressure resulting from an electricity blackout, natural disaster, or intentional contamination of the system in a bioterrrorism event. The most urgent matter a water treatment utility would face in this situation is detecting the presence and extent of a contamination event in real‐time, so that immediate action can be taken to mitigate the problem. The current approved microbiological detection methods are culture‐based plate count methods, which require incubation time (1 to 7 days). This long period of time would not be useful for the protection of public health. This study was designed to simulate wastewater intrusion in a water distribution system. The objectives were 2‐fold: (1) real‐time detection of water contamination, and (2) investigation of the sustainability of drinking water systems to suppress the contamination with secondary disinfectant residuals (chlorine and chloramine). The events of drinking water contamination resulting from a wastewater addition were determined by filtration‐based luminescence assay. The water contamination was detected by luminescence method within 5 minutes. The signal amplification attributed to wastewater contamination was clear—102‐fold signal increase. After 1 hour, chlorinated water could inactivate 98.8% of the bacterial contaminant, while chloraminated water reduced 77.2%.