bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FASTA barcodes: a simple method for the identification of yeast ORF deletions
Authors: McMahon K. Wyatt , Manukyan Arkadi , Dungrawala Huzefa , Montgomery Micah , Nordstrom Brian , Wright Jill , Abraham Lesley , Schneider Brandt L.
Published: June 2011

A consortium of yeast geneticists have created ∼6000 individual ORF deletions, representing > 96% of the currently verified or predicted ORFs in S. cerevisiae. Importantly, molecular barcodes (each a unique 20 bp sequence termed either Uptag or Downtag) were used as identifiers for every ORF deletion. Microarray analyses of pooled yeast deletions has been used to identify thousands of genes involved in general fitness, haploinsufficiency, drug resistance and DNA damage repair. However, application of this powerful technology requires considerable expense, expertise and specialized equipment. While standard PCR techniques and specifically designed PCR primers can be used to confirm that a given ORF is in fact deleted, this procedure cannot be used to identify unknown deletions. In theory, every ORF deletion could be determined by barcode sequencing. However, neither a consolidated barcode database nor a reliable search engine is currently available for this purpose. To address this need, we have adapted a FASTA sequence program that utilizes the unique barcode database to allow users to identify individual ORF deletions, based upon simple sequencing reactions of PCR amplifications of either Uptag or Downtag barcodes. In silico and practical testing of this application reveals that it is an inexpensive, reliable and reproducible method for rapidly identifying unknown deletions. This approach allows laboratories to conduct small‐ or large‐scale genetic screens with pooled yeast deletion strains and identify or verify any ORF deletion without the need for microarray technology. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Resource characteristics and foraging adaptations in the silvery mole‐rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus), a solitary Afrotropical bathyergid
Authors: Šklíba Jan , Šumbera Radim , Vitámvás Miloš
Published: June 2011

The African mole rats (Bathyergidae) is a rodent family unique for subterranean life and diverse social systems. Solitary species are thought to be confined to areas with abundant, evenly distributed food resources and easily workable soils, which favors early natal dispersal and independent reproduction. However, there is a paucity of empirical data confirming this assumption. We examined ecological conditions of a typical natural habitat of the solitary silvery mole‐rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus), which is the Miombo woodland, and we identified behavioral and other adaptations which potentially improve its foraging success. We also tested food selectivity of captive mole‐rats. In the Miombo, mole‐rat food resources were clumped, but relatively ample. This, along with a predictable and relatively short period of year with dry and difficult‐to‐work soil, creates relatively moderate ecological conditions. Analysis of food stores showed that food storing alone probably does not secure enough food to overcome the advanced dry season in this species. In light of this, several other adaptations, such as food generalism and area‐restricted search can assist silvery mole‐rats retaining positive energy balance during these times. Food‐preference tests showed that silvery mole‐rats prefer tubers with high sugar content, followed by those with high water content.
Evaluation of Rhizopus oryzae Lipase for the Determination of Regiodistribution in Triacylglycerols with Medium Chain Fatty Acids
Authors: Pérignon Marlène , Lecomte Jérôme , Pina Michel , Renault Anne , Simonneau‐Deve Camille , Villeneuve Pierre
Published: June 2011

The nutritional profile and rheological behaviors of lipids is both due to fatty acid composition and regiodistribution on external and internal positions of triacylglycerol. Actual methods for regiodistribution analysis having some restrictions, there is still a need for investigating a safe, simple and environmentally friendly method for the sn‐2 position analysis that could especially be used for the analysis of fats containing medium and short chain fatty acids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the 1,3‐selectivity and typoselectivity of Rhizopus oryzae lipase in the presence of short/medium chain fatty acids in partial hydrolysis conditions used for regiodistribution analysis. Structured triacylglycerols containing eight‐carbon‐chain length fatty acids in the sn‐2 position were chemically synthesized using DCC/DMAP coupling agent and purification steps by flash‐chromatography. The final product showed very high purity and was used as the substrate for 1,3‐selectivity evaluation. Typoselectivity was assessed by investigating partial hydrolysis of equimolar blends of homogeneous TAG. This study confirmed the 1,3‐selectivity of Rhizopus oryzae lipase in the hydrolysis conditions used, and revealed that this lipase was less influenced by fatty acids chain length than pancreatic lipase. Considering this, Rhizopus oryzae lipase appeared to be a good candidate for regiodistribution analysis of fats containing medium and short chain fatty acids.
AORN Ergonomic Tool 4: Solutions for Prolonged Standing in Perioperative Settings
Authors: Hughes Nancy L. , Nelson Audrey , Matz Mary W. , Lloyd John
Published: June 2011

Prolonged standing during surgical procedures poses a high risk of causing musculoskeletal disorders, including back, leg, and foot pain, which can be chronic or acute in nature. Ergonomic Tool 4: Solutions for Prolonged Standing in Perioperative Settings provides recommendations for relieving the strain of prolonged standing, including the use of antifatigue mats, supportive footwear, and sit/stand stools, that are based on well‐accepted ergonomic safety concepts, current research, and access to new and emerging technology.
AORN and University of Michigan School of Nursing Research Alliance
Authors: Talsma AkkeNeel , Chard Robin , Kleiner Catherine , Anderson Christine , Geun HyoGeun
Published: June 2011

Research related to perioperative care requires advanced training and is well suited to take place at a research‐intensive university. A recent research alliance established between AORN and the University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, uses the strengths of both a robust perioperative professional organization and a research‐intensive university to make progress toward improving patient safety and transforming the perioperative work environment. Research activities undertaken by this alliance include investigating nurse staffing characteristics and patient outcomes, as well as evaluating the congruence and definitions of data elements contained in AORN's SYNTEGRITY™ Standardized Perioperative Framework. Disseminating the findings of the alliance is expected to facilitate the communication and application of new knowledge to nursing practice and help advance the perioperative nursing profession.
Clinical Issues—June 2011
Authors: Blanchard Joan
Published: June 2011

This Month

Evaluating environmental services personnel on terminal cleaning practices

Key words: terminal cleaning practices, performance evaluation.

Risk of infection during construction projects

Key words: OR renovation, construction, remodeling, opportunistic fungi, at‐risk patients.

Policies and procedures for cleaning product selection and use

Key words: cleaning products, methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Environmental Protection Agency‐registered disinfectant.
Der Wert der Gesundheit für die Geschlechterdebatte
Authors: Stiehler Matthias
Published: June 2011

Einleitung

Im Gesundheitsdiskurs werden zentrale Themen menschlichen Lebens angesprochen und damit die Verfasstheit unseres gesellschaftlichen Zusammenlebens thematisiert, u.a. das Verhältnis der Geschlechter. Doch nicht nur die Gesellschaft spiegelt sich im Gesundheitsdiskurs wider, sie wird auch durch diesen beeinflusst. Dabei bringt Gesundheit einen normativen Wert ein, der sich bei aller gesellschaftlichen Konstruktion einer völligen Beliebigkeit und ideologischen Einseitigkeit widersetzt.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome: Soft Tissue and Biomechanical Factors in Evaluation and Treatment
Authors: Baker Robert L. , Souza Richard B. , Fredericson Michael
Published: June 2011

Muscle performance factors and altered loading mechanics have been linked to a variety of lower extremity musculoskeletal disorders. In this article, biomechanical risk factors associated with iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) are described, and a strategy for incorporating these factors into the clinical evaluation of and treatment for that disorder is presented. Abnormal movement patterns in runners and cyclists with ITBS are discussed, and the pathophysiological characteristics of this syndrome are considered in light of prior and current studies in anatomy. Differential diagnoses and the use of imaging, medications, and injections in the treatment of ITBS are reviewed. The roles of hip muscle strength, kinematics, and kinetics are detailed, and the assessment and treatment of muscle performance factors are discussed, with emphasis on identifying and treating movement dysfunction. Various stages of rehabilitation, including strengthening progressions to reduce soft‐tissue injury, are described in detail. ITBS is an extremely common orthopedic condition that presents with consistent dysfunctional patterns in muscle performance and movement deviation. Through careful assessment of lower quarter function, the clinician can properly identify individuals and initiate treatment.
Accuracy of Ultrasound‐Guided and Palpation‐Guided Knee Injections By an Experienced and Less‐Experienced Injector Using a Superolateral Approach: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Curtiss Heather M. , Finnoff Jonathan T. , Peck Evan , Hollman John , Muir Jeff , Smith Jay
Published: June 2011

Objectives

To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound (US)‐guided and palpation‐guided knee injections by an experienced and a less‐experienced clinician with use of a superolateral approach.

Design

Single‐blinded, prospective study.

Setting

Academic institution procedural skills laboratory.

Participants

Twenty cadaveric knee specimens without trauma, surgery, or major deformity.

Intervention

US‐guided and palpation‐guided knee injections of colored liquid latex were performed in each specimen by an experienced and a less‐experienced clinician with use of a superolateral approach. The order of injections was randomized. The specimens were subsequently dissected by a blinded investigator and assessed for accuracy.

Main Outcomes

Accuracy was divided into 3 categories: (1) accurate (all of the injectate was within the joint), (2) partially accurate (some of the injectate was within the joint and some was within the periarticular tissues), and (3) inaccurate (none of the injectate was within the joint). The accuracy rates were calculated for each clinician and guidance method.

Results

US‐guided knee injections that used a superolateral approach were 100% accurate for both clinicians. Palpation‐guided knee injections that used a superolateral approach were significantly influenced by experience, with the less‐experienced investigator demonstrating an accuracy rate of 55% (95% confidence interval = 34%‐74%) and the more experienced investigator demonstrating an accuracy rate of 100% (95% confidence interval = 81%‐100%).

Conclusions

US‐guided knee injections that use a superolateral approach are very accurate in a cadaveric model, whereas the accuracy of palpation‐guided knee injections that use the same approach is variable and appears to be significantly influenced by clinician experience. These findings suggest that US guidance should be considered when one performs knee injections with a superolateral approach that require a high degree of accuracy.
Comparison of Self‐Reported Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score to Performance Measures in Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Stevens‐Lapsley Jennifer E. , Schenkman Margaret L. , Dayton Michael R.
Published: June 2011

Objective

To characterize patient outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by (1) examining changes in self‐report measures (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS]) and performance measures over the first 6 months after TKA, (2) evaluating correlations between changes in KOOS self‐report function (activities of daily living [ADL] subscale) and functional performance (6‐minute walk [6MW]), and (3) exploring how changes in pain correlate with KOOS ADL and 6MW outcomes.

Design

Retrospective cohort evaluation.

Setting

Clinical research laboratory.

Patients (or Participants)

Thirty‐nine patients scheduled for a unilateral, primary TKA for end‐stage unilateral knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

Patients were evaluated 2 weeks before surgery and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery.

Main Outcome Measurements

KOOS, 6MW, timed‐up‐and‐go (TUG), and stair climbing tests (SCT), quadriceps strength.

Results

Three of 5 KOOS subscales significantly improved by 1 month after TKA. All 5 KOOS subscales significantly improved by 3 and 6 months after TKA. In contrast, performance measures (6MW, TUG, SCT, and quadriceps strength) all significantly declined from preoperative values by 1 month after TKA and significantly improved from preoperative values by 3 and 6 months after TKA; yet, improvements from preoperative values were not clinically meaningful. Pearson correlations between changes in the KOOS ADL subscale and 6MW from before surgery were not statistically significant at 1, 3, or 6 months after TKA. In addition, KOOS Pain was strongly correlated with KOOS ADL scores at all times, but KOOS Pain was not correlated with 6MW distance at any time.

Conclusions

Patient self‐report by using the KOOS did not reflect the magnitude of performance deficits present after surgery, especially 1 month after TKA. Self‐report KOOS outcomes closely paralleled pain relief after surgery, whereas performance measures were not correlated with pain. These results emphasize the importance of including performance measures when tracking recovery after TKA as opposed to solely relying on self‐reported measures.
Infectious Diseases Associated with Caves
Authors: Igreja Ricardo Pereira
Published: June 2011

In recent times, caving has become increasingly popular, with almost 2 million people visiting national park caves each year in the United States. Although the 2 million tourist visits are extremely low risk, smaller numbers of sport cavers are at risk for some high risk conditions, and expedition cavers are at risk for some obscure infections. Infectious diseases like histoplasmosis, rabies, leptospirosis, and tick-borne relapsing fever may be transmitted by the underground fauna. To reduce the risk of illness or injury while caving, knowledge of potential risks before engaging in this activity is important. Caving preparation needs to be carefully planned and executed, including vaccinations, prophylactic medications, and advice regarding safe conduct and behaviors.
Mid- to late Holocene environmental and climatic changes in New Caledonia, southwest tropical Pacific, inferred from the littoral plain Gouaro-Déva
Authors: Wirrmann Denis , Sémah Anne-Marie , Debenay Jean-Pierre , Chacornac-Rault Magali
Published: June 2011

Multiproxy analysis of three littoral cores from western New Caledonia supports the hypothesis that the main controlling factors of environmental changes are sea-level change, ENSO variability and extra-tropical phenomena, such as the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) marked by a tendency for La Niña-like conditions in the tropical Pacific. The record starts during the late Holocene sea-level rise when the terrestrial vegetation indicated wet and cool conditions. The site was a coastal bay definitely transformed into a freshwater swamp at around 3400 cal yr BP, after the rapid drawdown of sea level to its current level. Sediments and foraminiferal assemblages indicated subsequent episodes of freshwater infillings, emersion or very high-energy conditions, likely related to climatic changes and mostly controlled by ENSO variability. Between 2750 and 2000 cal yr BP, relatively dry and cool climate prevailed, while wetter conditions predominated between ca. 1800 and 900 cal yr BP. The Rhizophoraceae peak between ca. 1080 and 750 cal yr BP, coeval with the MWP, may indicate a global phenomenon. Microcharcoal particles present throughout the record increased after 1500 cal yr BP, suggesting an anthropogenic source. From ca. 750 cal yr BP the appearance of current type of vegetation marks the human impact.
Experiments and modelling of premixed laminar stagnation flame hydrodynamics
Authors: BERGTHORSON JEFFREY M. , SALUSBURY SEAN D. , DIMOTAKIS PAUL E.
Published: June 2011

The hydrodynamics of a reacting impinging laminar jet, or stagnation flame, is studied experimentally and modelled using large activation energy asymptotic models and numerical simulations. The jet-wall geometry yields a stable, steady flame and allows for precise measurement and specification of all boundary conditions on the flow. Laser diagnostic techniques are used to measure velocity and CH radical profiles. The axial velocity profile through a premixed stagnation flame is found to be independent of the nozzle-to-wall separation distance at a fixed nozzle pressure drop, in accord with results for non-reacting impinging laminar jet flows, and thus the strain rate in these flames is only a function of the pressure drop across the nozzle. The relative agreement between the numerical simulations and experiment using a particular combustion chemistry model is found to be insensitive to both the strain rate imposed on the flame and the relative amounts of oxygen and nitrogen in the premixed gas, when the velocity boundary conditions on the simulations are applied in a manner consistent with the formulation of the streamfunction hydrodynamic model. The analytical model predicts unburned, or reference, flame speeds that are slightly lower than the detailed numerical simulations in all cases and the observed dependence of this reference flame speed on strain rate is stronger than that predicted by the model. Experiment and simulation are in excellent agreement for near-stoichiometric methane–air flames, but deviations are observed for ethylene flames with several of the combustion models used. The discrepancies between simulation and experimental profiles are quantified in terms of differences between measured and predicted reference flame speeds, or position of the CH-profile maxima, which are shown to be directly correlated. The direct comparison of the measured and simulated reference flame speeds, ΔSu, can be used to infer the difference between the predicted flame speed of the combustion model employed and the true laminar flame speed of the mixture, ΔSOf, i.e. ΔSu=ΔSOf, consistent with recently proposed nonlinear extrapolation techniques.
Effect of anthocyanins on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in naproxen-induced gastric ulcers
Authors: Kim Sun-Joong , Park Young Sam , Paik Hyun-Dong , Chang Hyo Ihl
Published: June 2011

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cause gastric ulceration through a number of mechanisms including inhibition of PG synthesis, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induction of apoptosis. Recently, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) have been suggested to play a crucial role in these mechanisms. The present study investigated the protective effect of anthocyanins isolated from black rice bran (Heugjinjubyeo) against naproxen-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. The oral administration of anthocyanins (5, 25 or 50 mg/kg body weight) showed significant protection against naproxen (80 mg/kg body weight)-induced gastric ulcer and inhibited lipid peroxidation in the gastric mucosa. In addition, pretreatment with anthocyanins resulted in a significant increase in the activities of radical-scavenging enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Also biochemical and zymographic analyses suggested that the administration of anthocyanins gives a significant protection against naproxen-induced gastric antral ulcer through scavenging ROS and regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity. The results of intracellular radical activation show that anthocyanins suppress the generation of intracellular ROS and attenuate the suppression of MMP-2 activity by naproxen. These results suggest that anthocyanins extracted from black rice may offer potential remedy of gastric antral ulceration.
A potential role for CD25+ regulatory T-cells in the protection against casein allergy by dietary non-digestible carbohydrates
Authors: Schouten Bastiaan , van Esch Betty C. A. M. , Hofman Gerard A. , de Kivit Sander , Boon Louis , Knippels Léon M. J. , Garssen Johan , Willemsen Linette E. M.
Published: June 2011

Dietary non-digestible carbohydrates reduce the development of cows' milk allergy in mice. In the present study, the contribution of CD25+ regulatory T-cells (Treg) was investigated using in vivo Treg depletion and adoptive transfer studies. Mice were orally sensitised with casein and fed a diet containing 2 % short-chain galacto-, long-chain fructo- and acidic oligosaccharides (GFA) or a control diet. Donor splenocytes of mice sensitised with casein and fed the GFA or control diet were adoptively transferred to naive recipient mice, which were casein- or sham-sensitised and fed the control diet. In addition, in vivo or ex vivo CD25+ Treg depletion was performed using anti-CD25 (PC61). The acute allergic skin response upon intradermal casein challenge and casein-specific Ig were determined. Furthermore, T-helper (TH) 1 and TH2 cell numbers were analysed in the mesenteric lymph nodes. The oligosaccharide diet strongly reduced the development of the acute allergic skin response, which was abrogated by the in vivo anti-CD25 treatment. The diet enhanced the percentage of TH1 cells and tended to reduce the percentage of TH2 cells in casein-sensitised mice. Recipient mice were protected against the development of an acute allergic skin response when transferred with splenocytes from casein-sensitised GFA-fed donor mice before sensitisation. Ex vivo depletion of CD25+ Treg abrogated this transfer of tolerance. Splenocytes from sham-sensitised GFA-fed donor mice did not suppress the allergic response in recipient mice. In conclusion, CD25+ Treg contribute to the suppression of the allergic effector response in casein-sensitised mice induced by dietary intervention with non-digestible carbohydrates.
SNP and mRNA expression for glutathione peroxidase 4 in Kashin-Beck disease
Authors: Hong Du Xiao , Xia Dai Xiao , Xia Song Rui , Zhen Zou Xiu , Yan Sun Wen , Yan Mo Xiao , Lu Bai Guang , Min Xiong Yong
Published: June 2011

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic endemic osteoarthropathy, which mainly occurs in West and Northeast China. Epidemiological studies suggest that Se deficiency is an important environmental factor for the incidence of KBD. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) belongs to the glutathione peroxidase family, which is crucial for optimal antioxidant defences. Our purpose is to investigate the putative association between GPx4 polymorphisms and the risk of KBD. Restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR was used to detect two SNP (rs713041, rs4807542) in 219 cases and 194 controls in Han Chinese subjects, and quantitative analysis for the GPx4 mRNA level was performed by the real-time PCR method. The results revealed that linkage disequilibrium existed in the two SNP. A significant difference was observed in the haplotype A-T (P = 0·0066) of GPx4, which was obviously lower in the KBD cases (0·006 v. 0·032 %). Correlation analysis based on a single locus showed no association between each SNP and KBD risk. Furthermore, the GPx4 mRNA level was dramatically lower in the blood of KBD patients. Overall, our finding indicated GPx4 polymorphisms and decreased mRNA level may be related to the development of KBD in the Chinese population, suggesting GPx4 as a possible candidate susceptibility gene for KBD.
Apatite fission-track thermochronology of the Western Pontides (NW Turkey)
Authors: CAVAZZA WILLIAM , FEDERICI ILARIA , OKAY ARAL I. , ZATTIN MASSIMILIANO
Published: June 2011

The results of apatite fission-track analyses of the Western Pontides of NW Turkey point to three discrete episodes of Cenozoic exhumation correlatable with major supraregional tectonic events. (1) Paleocene–early Eocene exhumation reflected the closure of the İzmir–Ankara ocean. (2) Late Eocene–earliest Oligocene exhumation was the result of renewed tectonic activity along the İzmir–Ankara suture. (3) Late Oligocene–early Miocene exhumation recorded the onset of northern Aegean extension. Samples collected north and south of the tectonic contact between the two terranes forming the Western Pontides (i.e. İstanbul and Sakarya terranes) record the same cooling events, suggesting that such terranes were amalgamated in pre-Cenozoic times.
Ageing driver licensing requirements and traffic safety
Authors: TAY RICHARD
Published: June 2011

As the population in most developed countries continues to age, there is an increasing concern about its effect on traffic safety, resulting in calls to tighten the licensing renewal policies for mature drivers. This study examines the licensing requirements in five Canadian provinces and their respective vehicle collision rates for ageing drivers. Contrary to expectation, we find a positive correlation between the stringency of the licensing system and the mean crash rates. Therefore, increasing the mandatory testing and licensing requirements is not recommended at this time.
Morphological and behavioral limit of visual resolution in temperate (Hippocampus abdominalis) and tropical (Hippocampus taeniopterus) seahorses
Authors: LEE HIE RIN , BUMSTED O’BRIEN KEELY M.
Published: June 2011

Seahorses are visually guided feeders that prey upon small fast-moving crustaceans. Seahorse habitats range from clear tropical to turbid temperate waters. How are seahorse retinae specialized to mediate vision in these diverse environments? Most species of seahorse have a specialization in their retina associated with acute vision, the fovea. The purpose of this study was to characterize the fovea of temperateHippocampus abdominalisand tropicalH. taeniopterusseahorses and to investigate their theoretical and behavioral limits of visual resolution. Their foveae were identified and photoreceptor (PR) and ganglion cell (GC) densities determined throughout the retina and topographically mapped. The theoretical limit of visual resolution was calculated using formulas taking into account lens radius and either cone PR or GC densities. Visual resolution was determined behaviorally using reactive distance. Both species possess a rod-free convexiclivate fovea. PR and GC densities were highest along the foveal slope, with a density decrease within the foveal center. Outside the fovea, there was a gradual density decrease towards the periphery. The theoretically calculated visual resolution on the foveal slope was poorer forH. abdominalis(5.25 min of arc) compared withH. taeniopterus(4.63 min of arc) based on PR density. Using GC density,H. abdominalis(9.81 min of arc) had a lower resolution compared withH. taeniopterus(9.04 min of arc). Behaviorally,H. abdominalishad a resolution limit of 1090.64 min of arc, whileH. taeniopteruswas much smaller, 692.86 min of arc. Although both species possess a fovea and the distribution of PR and GC is similar,H. taeniopterushas higher PR and GC densities on the foveal slope and better theoretical and behaviorally measured visual resolution compared toH. abdominalis. These data indicate that seahorses have a well-developed acute visual system, and tropical seahorses have higher visual resolution compared to temperate seahorses.
COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME
Authors: AZIZIA MALLIKA , HARDIMAN PAUL
Published: June 2011

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder affecting around 5–8% of women of reproductive age. It has a variable clinical spectrum including hyperandrogenism, menstrual abnormalities, polycystic ovaries and metabolic features like diabetes mellitus, obesity and dyslipidaemia. The manifestation of PCOS and its impact especially on reproductive function and pregnancy are profoundly affected by associated features of obesity/raised body mass index and metabolic syndrome.
Successful surgical excision of a large left ventricular fibroma in a child
Authors: António Marta T. , Powell Andrew J. , del Nido Pedro J.
Published: June 2011

Primary cardiac tumours in children are rare. Despite the majority of these tumours being benign, they may cause blood flow obstruction, ventricular dysfunction, and life-threatening arrhythmias. We present a case of a 4-year-old boy with repeated presyncope episodes in whom we found a large left ventricular fibroma. Our case emphasises that surgical resection is safely feasible even with large fibromas, avoiding cardiac transplantation in childhood.
Systemic arterial supply of the right lung with venous drainage to the pulmonary arterial circuit
Authors: Fritsch Peter , Smolle-Juettner Freyja-Maria , Gamillscheg Andreas
Published: June 2011

In a girl suffering from “Scimitar syndrome”, a rerouting of the scimitar vein was performed at the age of 6 years, but no embolisation of the aberrant systemic vessel was done. She presented with recurring respiratory problems 13 years later. An angiography revealed an invert flow from the aberrant systemic vessel via the right pulmonary artery into the left pulmonary artery. After pneumonectomy, she recovered well.
Title VI and Fulbright-Hays Cuts Impact Social Science
Research
Authors: Marmon Brooks
Published: June 2011

The APSA discovered just before going to press that the
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Program,
funded by the U.S. Department of Education, has been cancelled for
FY 2011. From the inception of the awards in 1965 through 1994, 13%
of all Fulbright-Hays fellowships supported students of political
science or economics. In FY 2010, at least ten doctoral political
science students received DDRA funding for work in locations ranging
from Brazil to Burma. The following article provides further
background and highlights some specific research projects DDRA
funding has enabled in Africa.

When this article was written, it was hoped that in a worst-case
scenario, the FY 2011 budget passed by Congress would result in a
smaller overall number of awards. Unfortunately, the funding
constraints discussed here have been fully realized, causing this
year's program to be cancelled entirely. The piece remains in its
original form, in the hope that it poignantly illustrates the value
of DDRA funding and helps make the case for its restoration in the
FY 2012 congressional budget. The APSA continues to work with
several partners, including the National Humanities Alliance and the
Coalition for International Education, to reinstate this valuable
resource for the social science scholarship of our nation's emerging
academics.
Reducing the population's sodium intake: the UK Food Standards Agency's salt reduction programme
Authors: Wyness Laura A , Butriss Judith L , Stanner Sara A
Published: June 2011

Objective

To describe the UK Food Standards Agency's (FSA) salt reduction programme undertaken between 2003 and 2010 and to discuss its effectiveness.

Design

Relevant scientific papers, campaign materials and evaluations and consultation responses to the FSA's salt reduction programme were used.

Setting

Adult salt intakes, monitored using urinary Na data collected from UK-wide surveys, indicate a statistically significant reduction in the population's average salt intake from 9·5 g/d in 2000–2001 to 8·6 g/d in 2008, which is likely to have health benefits.

Subjects

Reducing salt intake will have an impact on blood pressure; an estimated 6 % of deaths from CHD in the UK can be avoided if the number of people with high blood pressure is reduced by 50 %.

Results

Salt levels in food, monitored using commercial label data and information collected through an industry self-reporting framework, indicated that substantial reductions of up to 70 % in some foods had been achieved. The FSA's consumer campaign evaluation showed increased awareness of the benefits of reducing salt intake on health, with 43 % of adults in 2009 claiming to have made a special effort to reduce salt in their diet compared with 34 % of adults in 2004, before the campaign commenced.

Conclusions

The UK's salt reduction programme successfully reduced the average salt intake of the population and increased consumers’ awareness. Significant challenges remain in achieving the population average salt intake of 6 g/d recommended by the UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. However, the UK has demonstrated the success of its programme and this approach is now being implemented elsewhere in the world.
Nutrient and food intakes differ among Latina subgroups during pregnancy
Authors: Hromi-Fiedler Amber , Bermúdez-Millán Angela , Segura-Pérez Sofia , Pérez-Escamilla Rafael
Published: June 2011

Objective

To document nutrient and food group serving intakes from food sources among Latina subgroups living in the same geographical area.

Design

A cross-sectional study. Nutrient and food group serving intakes were assessed by means of a 24 h recall administered immediately after a prenatal survey.

Setting

Hartford, CT, USA.

Subjects

A total of 233 low-income pregnant Latinas. For analyses, Latinas were classified into two groups on the basis of self-reported ethnic identity: Puerto Ricans and non-Puerto Rican Latinas.

Results

Puerto Rican Latinas were more likely than non-Puerto Rican Latinas to be more acculturated and to consume foods (i.e. processed meat, cheese, soft drinks) and higher levels of nutrients (i.e. fat, SFA, MUFA,transfatty acids) that have been implicated in the development of chronic diseases. By contrast, non-Puerto Rican Latinas were more likely to consume foods (i.e. fruits, dark green/yellow vegetables, tomatoes, non-starchy vegetables) and higher levels of nutrients (i.e. fibre, vegetable protein, folate, β-carotene) that promote health when compared with Puerto Rican Latinas.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that acculturation may play a role in dietary intake. Clinicians and dietitians need to be aware of these differences to encourage healthy eating patterns among more acculturated pregnant Latina clients.
Does consuming breakfast influence activity levels? An experiment into the effect of breakfast consumption on eating habits and energy expenditure
Authors: Halsey Lewis G , Huber Jörg W , Low Tzetze , Ibeawuchi Chinwe , Woodruff Polly , Reeves Sue
Published: June 2011

Objective

To experimentally compare the effects of eating or skipping breakfast on energy expenditure, activity levels and dietary habits.

Design

A randomised cross-over trial, lasting 2 weeks. Participants were provided breakfast during one week and were required to fast until mid-day during the other week.

Setting

University campus.

Subjects

Forty-nine participants (twenty-six female and twenty-three male participants) were recruited. Food intake was monitored using food diaries, and energy expenditure was assessed using pedometers and heart rate monitors. Morningness–eveningness, physical activity and health were assessed using validated questionnaires.

Results

Across all participants, daily energy expenditure did not differ between the two experimental conditions. Total energy intake over 24 h did not vary with condition (male participants: 8134 (sd447) kJ/d and 7514 (sd368) kJ/d; female participants: 7778 (sd410) kJ/d and 7531 (sd535) kJ/d, for the breakfast and no-breakfast conditions, respectively). However, when comparing habitual breakfast eaters with those with irregular or breakfast-skipping habits, it was found that male non-habitual breakfast eaters consumed significantly (P= 0·029) more energy during the breakfast condition. Furthermore, female participants who were habitual breakfast eaters were found to eat significantly (P= 0·005) more and later in the day under the no-breakfast condition.

Conclusions

Although the suggestion that breakfast is a behavioural marker for appropriate dietary and physical activity patterns is not refuted by the present findings, our data suggest that the effect of breakfast may vary as a function of gender and morning eating habits, and thus there may be other mechanisms that link BMI and breakfast consumption behaviour.
Universal iron supplementation: a simple and effective strategy to reduce anaemia among low-income, postpartum women
Authors: Mitra Amal K , Khoury Amal J
Published: June 2011

Objective

To reduce prevalence of anaemia in low-income postpartum women.

Design

A randomised, non-blind clinical trial was conducted among 959 low-income, postpartum women in eleven clinics in Mississippi. The clinics were randomised to one of three treatment groups: (i) selective anaemia screening of high-risk women as recommended currently (control); (ii) universal anaemia screening and treatment of anaemic women (group I); and (iii) universal Fe supplementation of 65 mg/d for two months to all low-income women (group II). All study participants within each clinic received the same treatment. Women were followed up at 6 months after delivery. Hb was measured at baseline and at follow-up. The primary outcome variable was the proportion of women with anaemia after treatment.

Setting

Eleven health clinics in Mississippi.

Subjects

Low-income, postpartum women.

Results

Baseline characteristics of the three study groups were compared using one-way ANOVA and an appropriate post hoc test for continuous variables and the χ2 test for categorical variables. Fifty-two per cent of postpartum women were anaemic (Hb < 12·0 g/dl) and the rate decreased to 33 % at 6 months after the intervention. Group II women, who received universal Fe supplementation, improved their Hb status significantly (P < 0·001) at 6 months postpartum compared with the other groups. Prevalence of anaemia was also significantly lower among group II women (22·5 %) compared with controls (34 %) and group I women (43 %; P < 0·001).

Conclusions

A universal Fe supplementation strategy was effective in reducing the prevalence of anaemia among low-income postpartum women.
Vitamin D and public health: an overview of recent research on common diseases and mortality in adulthood
Authors: Scragg Robert
Published: June 2011

Objective

There is increasing interest in vitamin D and its possible health effects. The aims of the present overview are to summarise the research on common diseases for which there is substantial evidence on vitamin D, identify diseases where vitamin D may be beneficial and discuss the public health implications of these findings.

Design

Literature search of PubMed for the years 2000 to 2010 to identify cohort studies with baseline measures of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and randomised controlled trials (RCT) of vitamin D supplementation in relation to fractures, colorectal cancer, CVD and all-cause mortality. Risk ratios of disease from comparisons between 25(OH)D quantiles in these studies were summarised using RevMan software version 5·1 (The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen).

Setting

Community-based samples recruited into cohort studies from many countries.

Subjects

Older men and women, mostly above 50 years of age.

Results

When comparing the lowest 25(OH)D category with the highest (or reference), the pooled risk ratio (95 % CI) was: 1·34 (1·13, 1·59) for fractures from nine studies; 1·59 (1·30, 1·95) for colorectal cancer from nine studies; 1·35 (1·17, 1·56) for CVD from twelve studies; and 1·42 (1·23, 1·63) for all-cause mortality from twelve studies.

Conclusions

Cohort studies show that baseline 25(OH)D levels predict increased risk of fractures, colorectal cancer, CVD and all-cause mortality. These associations are weak and could be explained by confounding variables such as obesity and physical activity. Because of their potential public health significance, RCT using vitamin D doses ≥50 μg/d are required to determine whether vitamin D protects against these diseases.
Just Poor Enough: Gilded Age Charity Applicants Respond to Charity Investigators
Authors: Ruswick Brent
Published: June 2011

This article examines the strategies used by charity applicants of the 1880s to present themselves in ways most likely to win relief from the Indianapolis Charity Organization Society (COS), while also preserving autonomy from an organization willing to use threats of starvation or institutionalization to force compliance from the poor. Investigators treated charity applicants as objects to be scientifically observed and categorized and then molded to conform to middle-class mores, but the applicants’ responses ranged from accommodation to complete defiance. Successful applications to the COS ultimately depended more on the vagaries of the investigator than on the strategies chosen by the applicant. Those applications often led to decisions that illustrate the draconian, punitive tendencies suggested by the leading theoretical treatises in the scientific charity movement. However, they also reveal instances where charity applicants guided investigators toward more generous decisions.
The Eyes of Anna Held: Sex and Sight in the Progressive Era
Authors: Monod David
Published: June 2011

The nineteenth century was an era of perceptual certitude. Scientists collected and cataloged, explorers mapped and charted, artists rendered what they observed. The empirical approach to perception was grounded in the ideas that God had created an orderly and rational world and that the senses connected people to the intrinsic meanings of the things they contacted and observed. But by the 1890s, uncertainty about the reality of what people perceived was beginning to transform American popular culture. Among other things, the acceptance of perception as relative transformed attitudes to erotic displays and provided a foundation for the modernization of sexual attitudes. Anna Held was a prominent performer whose sexual play excited and challenged Progressive Era audiences. The public's response to her sexuality reveals the depth of the doubt that the questioning of Victorian certitude created. The progressive impulse, which sought to reaffirm certainty with regard to sexual identities and behaviors, can be seen as a reaction to the doubts that cultural modernists embraced and Anna Held's public enjoyed.
What the Progressives Had in Common
Authors: Gendzel Glen
Published: June 2011

When Professor Benjamin Parke De Witt of New York University sat down to write the first history of the progressive movement in 1915, he promised “to give form and definiteness to a movement which is, in the minds of many, confused and chaotic.” Apparently it was a fool's errand, because confusion and chaos continued to plague historians of early twentieth-century reform long after Professor De Witt laid his pen to rest. The maddening variety of reform and reformers in the early twentieth century has perpetually confounded historians' efforts to identify what, if anything, the progressives had in common. Back in the 1950s, Richard Hofstadter charitably allowed that progressives were “of two minds on many issues,” whereas Arthur Link argued that “the progressive movement never really existed” because it pursued so many “contradictory objectives.” In the 1960s, Robert Wiebe concluded that the progressives, if they constituted a movement at all, showed “little regard for consistency.” In the 1970s, Peter Filene wrote an “obituary” for progressivism by reasserting Link's claim that the movement had “never existed” because it was so divided and diffuse. In the 1980s, Daniel Rodgers tried to recast the “ideologically fluid” progressive movement as a pastiche of vaguely related rhetorical styles. By the 1990s, so many competing characterizations of progressivism had emerged that Alan Dawley wondered if “they merely cancel each other out.” In 2002, Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore declared emphatically that “historianscannotagree” on progressivism. In 2010, Walter Nugent admitted that “the movement's core theme has been hard to pin down” because progressivism had “many concerns” and “included a wide range of persons and groups.”
Metals shortage prompts Europe to seek solutions
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: June 2011

Headlines about China's temporary suspension of exports of rare earth elements to Japan last year, due to a territorial dispute, brought into sharp focus the heavy dependence of many industrialized countries on imports of critical metals. Concern about the dependence on imports of rare earth elements and other key metals—including iron ore, copper, nickel, and zinc—was the focus of a “great debate” and news briefing at the European Geosciences Union's (EGU) General Assembly held in Vienna, Austria, last month.
Update on U.S. federal scientific integrity policies
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: June 2011

U.S. federal science and technology departments and agencies need to provide draft scientific integrity plans to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) by 29 June, OSTP director John Holdren announced at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Forum on Science and Technology Policy on 5 May. In April, more than 30 executive branch departments, agencies, and offices submitted progress reports on the development of their scientific integrity policies, with a handful by that time providing draft or complete policies for review, according to a 5 May OSTP blog posting.
AGU take your child to work day
Authors: Panning Jeanette , Asher Pranoti
Published: June 2011

Sixteen children participated in the first annual AGU Take Your Child to Work Day, held on 21 April 2011 at AGU headquarters in Washington, D. C. AGU chief executive officer and executive director Chris McEntee kicked off the event by talking to the children—who are children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews of AGU staff—about the importance of science. Then AGU member Lindsay Knippenberg, currently an Einstein Fellow in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Education, engaged the children in a discussion about earthquakes, plate tectonics, and the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The children enthusiastically participated in her tsunami demonstration, which made use of Fruit Roll‐Ups, graham crackers, and cake icing.
Structural Geology
Authors: Weber John , Frankel Kurt L.
Published: June 2011

Structural geology and continental tectonics were ushered in to the modern quantitative age of geosciences with the arrival of the global plate tectonics paradigm (circa 1968), derived using new data from the oceans' depths, and John Ramsay's 1967 seminal work, Folding and Fracturing of Rocks. Fossen is to be applauded for crafting a unique, high‐caliber, and accessible undergraduate textbook on structural geology that faithfully reflects this advance and the subsequent evolution of the discipline. This well‐written text draws on Fossen's wealth of professional experience, including his broad and diverse academic research and experience in the petroleum industry. This book is beautifully illustrated, with excellent original color diagrams and with impressive color field photographs that are all keyed to locations and placed into geologic context.