bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Moving from reclusion to partial freedom: the experience of family caregivers for disabled elderly persons assisted in a day care center
Authors: Bocchi Silvia Cristina Mangini , Cano Karen Cristina Urtado , Baltieri Lilian , Godoy Daniele Cristina , Spiri Wilza Carla , Juliani Carmen Maria Casquel Monti
Published: September 2010

This study aimed at understanding the interactional experience between family caregivers and disabled elderly persons supported in a Day Care Center according to the caregiver's perspective. It also aimed at developing a representative theoretical model for the events experienced by such caregiver. The Grounded Theory was used as methodological framework whereas Interactional Symbolism served as the theoretical framework. Observation and interviews were used for data collection. The following phenomenon arose from the results: feeling of support by the Day Care Center, by the strength of the bond with the elderly and by spirituality in order to continue playing the challenging role of a family caregiver for a disabled elderly person. The study made possible to understand that, among these three supporting cornerstones for coping with the burden generated by the family caregiver role, the care model promoted by the Day Care Center was the intervenient variable in the process of improving the quality of life of the family caregiver-disabled elderly person binomial. This allowed the identification of the main category - moving from reclusion to partial freedom: the experience of family caregivers for disabled elderly persons assisted in a Day Care Center.
Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate by Using Serum Cystatin C and Serum Creatinine Concentrations in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Beringer Paul M. , Owens Heather , Nguyen Albert , Mordwinkin Nick , Louie Stan , Mak May , Sattler Fred
Published: September 2010

Study Objective. To compare the predictive performance of four equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) relative to the gold standard measurement, iothalamate clearance, in patients with human immuno‐deficiency virus (HIV) who have various degrees of kidney function.

Design. Prospective, cross‐sectional analysis.

Setting. General clinical research center.

Patients. Twenty‐two adult (mean age 51 yrs) HIV‐positive patients with various degrees of stable kidney function and with lean body mass considered normal for a well‐nourished person.

Intervention. Patients were administered a single dose of intravenous iothalamate 456 mg as a rapid infusion over 3 minutes, 1 hour after an oral fluid load of 600 ml of caffeine‐free, sugar‐free liquids.

Measurements and Main Results. Serial blood and urine samples were obtained for determination of measured GFR. Estimated GFR values were calculated by using four equations: the Cockcroft‐Gault equation, the simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (MDRD) equation, an equation that incorporates serum creatinine and cystatin C concentrations, and an equation incorporating only serum cystatin C concentration. The predictive performance of the equations was determined by comparing the bias, accuracy, and precision of the estimates with the measured values. Body composition was determined by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. The four predictive equations underestimated the measured GFR obtained by the iothalamate method, but the differences were not statistically significant. The MDRD equation and the equation that included both serum cystatin C and creatinine concentrations, as well as age, sex, and race, provided the least bias, most precision, and best accuracy in estimating the measured GFR.

Conclusion. The MDRD equation and the equation that included both serum cystatin C and creatinine concentrations appear to provide accurate, precise, and relatively unbiased estimates of GFR in patients with HIV Larger studies are needed that include patients with muscle wasting and lipodystrophy in order to validate these preliminary observations and the effects of body composition on the predictability of GFR with use of these equations.
Peramivir Pharmacokinetics in Two Critically Ill Adults with 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Concurrently Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Bazan Jose A. , Bauer Karri A. , Hollister Alan S. , Shidham Ganesh , Firstenberg Michael S. , Reed Erica E. , Mangino Julie E. , Goff Debra A.
Published: September 2010

Study Objective. To determine the pharmacokinetics of intravenous peramivir—an investigational neuraminidase inhibitor for the treatment of 2009 H1N1 infection or nonsubtypable influenza A thought to be the 2009 H1N1 virus—in patients concurrently receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

Design. Pharmacokinetic analysis.

Setting. Critical care unit at a university‐affiliated hospital.

Patients. Two critically ill women with 2009 H1N1 influenza A treated with compassionate‐use intravenous peramivir administered as a daily infusion of 600 mg over 30 minutes while receiving continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), a form of CRRT.

Measurements and Main Results. Plasma samples were collected from the two patients before and 30 minutes after the fourth (first patient) and ninth (second patient) peramivir infusion to estimate minimum (Cmin) and maximum (Cmax) plasma concentrations, respectively. Two additional postinfusion concentrations were measured from each patient to estimate noncompart‐mental pharmacokinetic parameters of peramivir while receiving CVVHDF. In the two patients, respectively, Cmin was 2170 and 251 ng/ml, Cmax was 18,400 and 20,300 ng/ml, area under the plasma concentration‐time curve from 0–24 hours (AUC0–24) was 178,000 and 94,400 ng•hour/ml, drug clearance was 56 and 106 ml/minutes, and plasma half‐life was 7.6 and 3.7 hours. The volume of distribution adjusted for ideal body weight at steady state was 0.51 and 0.54 L/kg, respectively.

Conclusion. The first patient had a slower peramivir plasma clearance compared with the second patient, but both patients had higher peramivir clearances as calculated from AUC0–24 than those predicted by CRRT. Thus, the dosage of intravenous peramivir was appropriate in these patients. Additional pharmacokinetic data are needed to confirm these results and help guide dosing in patients receiving various forms of CRRT.
Systemic Preexposure Prophylaxis for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Romanelli Frank , Murphy Brian
Published: September 2010

Antiretroviral therapy has significantly improved the typical course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in industrialized nations, and life expectancies associated with the infection have increased. However, infection rates have generally remained unchanged, with increases noted among certain subpopulations. The use of systemic preexposure prophylaxis for HIV infection has been proposed as an intervention to reduce the risk of disease transmission in at‐risk individuals. The basis of this prophylaxis involves the orchestrated use of antiretrovirals in uninfected individuals either continuously or just before high‐risk situations, such as perinatal and occupational exposure to HIV in order to reduce the likelihood of successful HIV infection. Data from the use of antiretrovirals to prevent HIV infection in these scenarios support the concept of preexposure prophylaxis. Preliminary animal studies have focused on the use of antiretrovirals to prevent simian immunodeficiency virus infection in macaque monkeys, and these data have provided support for the potential efficacy of preexposure prophylaxis for HIV in humans. Limited human data are available, however, but studies are ongoing. Clinical trials have focused on the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate either alone or in combination with emtricitabine. Tenofovir‐emtricitabine‐based regimens may be ideal, given the drugs' pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. Some investigators have surveyed at‐risk individuals to assess their knowledge of preexposure prophylaxis and whether they used or intended to use this prevention strategy. Routine use of preexposure prophylaxis and even knowledge of its existence appear to be very limited. If efficacy is proved, use of preexposure prophylaxis faces several ethical issues. Ultimately, its success will depend on proof of cost‐effectiveness. Until the many questions concerning optimal use of preexposure prophylaxis for HIV are answered, however, its use should be limited to research‐related clinical investigations.
Mosquito‐Borne Illnesses in Travelers: A Review of Risk and Prevention
Authors: Mirzaian Edith , Durham Melissa J. , Hess Karl , Goad Jeffery A.
Published: September 2010

In 2008, residents of the United States made 12 million visits to developing countries in Asia, South America, Central America, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa. Due to the presence of Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquitoes, travel to these destinations poses a risk for diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis that cause significant morbidity and mortality. To gain a better understanding of the major emerging and established travel‐related infectious diseases transmitted principally by mosquitoes and the measures for their prevention in U.S. residents who travel to these developing countries, we performed a literature search of the PubMed and MEDLINE databases (January 1950–February 2010). Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization and relevant references from the publications identified were also reviewed. Vaccines for the prevention of Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever are commercially available to U.S. travelers and should be administered when indicated. However, the prevention of malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, and West Nile virus relies on personal insect protection measures and chemoprophylaxis for malaria. As the rate of international travel continues to rise, individuals traveling overseas should be made aware of the risk of various infectious diseases and the importance of prevention. Physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other practitioners can play a vital role in disease education and prevention, including the administration of vaccines and provision of chemoprophylactic drugs.
Everolimus: A Proliferation Signal Inhibitor with Clinical Applications in Organ Transplantation, Oncology, and Cardiology
Authors: Gabardi Steven , Baroletti Steven A.
Published: September 2010

Everolimus, a proliferation signal inhibitor in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) drug class, has many clinical applications, including in organ transplantation, oncology, and cardiology. It currently has United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for prophylaxis against rejection in de novo renal transplant recipients, treatment of renal cell carcinoma, and use as a drug‐eluting stent. To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of everolimus, we performed a search of the MEDLINE database (January 1997–April 2010) for all English‐language articles of in vitro and in vivo studies that evaluated everolimus, as well as abstracts from recent scientific meetings and the manufacturer. In transplantation, everolimus demonstrates immunosuppressive properties and has been used to prevent acute rejection in cardiac, liver, lung, and renal transplant recipients. It appears that this agent may be potent enough to allow for the minimization or removal of calcineurin inhibitors in the long‐term management of renal transplant recipients. In oncology, everolimus has been proven effective for the management of treatment‐resistant renal cell carcinoma. In cardiology, everolimus is available as a drug‐coated stent and is used in percutaneous coronary interventions for prevention of restenosis. In transplant recipients and patients with renal cell carcinoma, everolimus appears to have an extensive adverse‐event profile. The pharmacologic properties of everolimus differentiate this agent from other drugs used in these clinical areas, and its pharmacokinetic properties differentiate it from sirolimus.
Association Between Abacavir Exposure and Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Schafer Jason J. , Short William R. , Squires Kathleen E.
Published: September 2010

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the receipt of antiretroviral therapy have been associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. The occurrence of cardiovascular events in HIV‐infected patients has often been associated with treatment‐induced dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and body composition changes. These treatment‐related complications are often the result of exposures to protease inhibitors or thymidine analogs such as stavudine or zidovudine. Recent investigations, however, have suggested an association between exposure to the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, abacavir, and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease events. Based on these findings, current guidelines recommend using caution in patients receiving abacavir who are at a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Decisions to replace abacavir in a patient's regimen should be considered on an individual basis and with complete evaluation of the associated benefits and risks. Furthermore, additional studies are necessary to definitively determine the association between abacavir exposure and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease events. Studies are also necessary to definitively identify the contributions of both HIV infection and individual antiretroviral agents on the development of cardiovascular disease.
Postoperative Acquired Coagulopathy: A Pilot Study to Determine the Impact on Clinical and Economic Outcomes
Authors: Devine Emily Beth , Chan Lingtak‐Neander , Babigumira Joseph , Kao Henry , Drysdale Troy , Reilly Dominic , Sullivan Sean
Published: September 2010

Study Objective. To characterize the clinical factors associated with postoperative acquired coagulopathy, and to estimate the economic impact of resources used to treat postoperative patients with this coagulopathy compared with postoperative patients who did not develop the coagulopathy.

Design. Case‐control study.

Setting. Academically affiliated public hospital and level I trauma referral center.

Patients. Twenty‐six patients (mean age 53.9 yrs) who experienced acquired coagulopathy after undergoing an index surgery (cases), and 26 patients (mean age 50.8 yrs) matched to these case patients by index surgery, age, and sex (controls).

Measurements and Main Results. Data were collected from a database of 5367 adult surgical admissions over 6 months during 2008, corresponding inpatient electronic health records, billing data, and Medicare Resource‐Based Relative Value Scale payments. Case patients had a minimum of two postoperative consecutively drawn episodes of prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) elevated to greater than 20% above the upper limit of normal. Patients with inherited clotting disorders or other identifiable causes of coagulopathy were excluded. Case patients underwent the following surgeries: 12 orthopedic (46%), six cardiovascular (23%), four gastrointestinal (15%), and four neurosurgical (15%). Mean values of the first elevated PT and aPTT were 19.7 and 50.8 seconds, respectively. Mean postoperative stay was 31.5 days for cases versus 9.8 days for controls (p<0.05). Mean cost (2008 U.S. dollars) of resources used was $112,280 for cases versus $38,357 for controls (p<0.001). Costs incurred between the onset of coagulopathy and discharge constituted 67% of postoperative costs. Physician reimbursement expenditures were minimal.

Conclusion. Postoperative acquired coagulopathy was associated with stays that were 3 times longer and resource use costs that were 3 times higher than those of controls. This type of coagulopathy may be an under‐recognized and underappreciated event. The case‐control design is limited to exploring associations and does not establish causality. Prospective studies need to be conducted to establish the causes of acquired coagulopathy and methods for screening and diagnosing this condition.
Comparison of biodiesel productivities of different vegetable oils by acidic catalysis
Authors: Sagiroglu Ayten , Selen Isbilir , Ozcan Mevlut , Paluzar Hatice , Toprakkiran Neslihan
Published: September 2010

nema
Semigroups of transformations restricted by an equivalence
Authors: Mendes-Gonçalves Suzana , Sullivan Robert
Published: September 2010

Suppose σ is an equivalence on a set X and let E(X, σ) denote the semigroup (under composition) of all α: X → X such that σ ⊆ α ∘ α
−1. Here we characterise Green’s relations and ideals in E(X, σ). This is analogous to recent work by Sullivan on K(V, W), the semigroup (under composition) of all linear transformations β of a vector space V such that W ⊆ ker β, where W is a fixed subspace of V.
A fixed point theorem for affine mappings and its application to elasticity theory
Authors: Zubelevich Oleg
Published: September 2010

In this paper we obtain a general fixed point theorem for an affine mapping in Banach space. As an application of this theorem we study existence of periodic solutions to the equations of the linear elasticity theory.
Generation of vorticity motion by sound in a chemically reacting gas and inversion of acoustic streaming in the non-equilibrium regime
Authors: Perelomova Anna , Wojda Paweł
Published: September 2010

Nonlinear stimulation of the vorticity mode caused by losses in the momentum of sound in a chemically reacting gas is considered. The instantaneous dynamic equation for the vorticity mode is derived. It includes a quadratic nonlinear acoustic source, which reflects the fact that the reason for the interaction between sound and the vorticity mode is nonlinear. Both periodic and aperiodic sound may be considered as the origin of the vorticity flow. The equation governing the mean flow (the acoustic streaming) in the field of periodic sound is also derived. In the non-equilibrium regime of a chemical reaction, there may exist streaming vortices whose direction of rotation is opposite to that of the vortices in the standard thermoviscous flows. For periodic sound, this is illustrated by an example. The theory and the example describe both equilibrium and non-equilibrium chemical reactions.
Wavefront compensation method using novel index in holographic data storage
Authors: Ishii Norihiko , Muroi Tetsuhiko , Kinoshita Nobuhiro , Kamijo Koji , Shimidzu Naoki
Published: September 2010

Photopolymer media that uses holographic data storage generally causes volume shrinkage. This volume shrinkage distorts the recorded interference fringes. We propose an adaptive optics using novel index to compensate this distortion. The SNR value is improved from 2.1 dB to 3.4 dB in the worst part of a reproduced image and the peak intensity and the full width of the half maximum of an angle are improved by 6% and 10%, respectively. These results prove that adaptive optics using this novel index worked effectively.
Volumetric multiple optical traps produced by Devil’s lenses
Authors: Furlan Walter D. , Giménez Fernando , Calatayud Arnau , Remón Laura , Monsoriu Juan A.
Published: September 2010

We propose the use of a new diffractive optical element coined Devil’s Vortex-Lens (DVL) to produce optical tweezers. In its more general form it results as the combination of a Devil’s lens and a helical vortex phase mask. It is shown that under monochromatic illumination a DVL generates a focal volume with several concatenated doughnut modes that are axially distributed according to the self-similarity of the lens. The orbital angular momentum associated to each link in the chain is investigated.
3D-measurement with the stereo scanning electron microscope on sub-micrometer structures
Authors: Vynnyk T. , Schultheis T. , Fahlbusch T. , Reithmeier E.
Published: September 2010

In this paper the photometric or the so called “shape from shading” method is presented. In comparison to existing methods the efficiency of the detector system was considered and the requirements of the cosine Lambert’s law for the angle distribution of the emitted electrons are suppressed. This new method was experimentally verified by measuring a steel sphere, a holographic grating and a hologram.
Low-loss amorphous silicon waveguides grown by PECVD on indium tin oxide
Authors: Rao Sandro , Della Corte Francesco G. , Summonte Caterina
Published: September 2010

Low-loss hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si:H) waveguides were realized by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) on a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer which is intended to provide the buried contact for the application of an external bias in active devices, e.g. switches and modulators. In particular we propose a technological solution to overcome both the strong reduction in optical transmittance due to the very high extinction coefficient of metal contacts and, at the same time, the optical scattering induced by the texturization effect induced in α-Si:H films grown on TCO. The very high optical propagation losses were minimized by depositing a spin-on-glass (SOG) layer between the α-Si:H core-layer and the TCO bottom contact. In this case, propagation losses of 2.5 dB/cm at 1550 nm were measured. All the fabricated samples were optically characterized and the surface roughness was accurately measured using a mechanical profilometer. We observed that, for an α-Si:H core-layer directly deposited on the TCO contact, the surface roughness is of the order of 100 nm leading to totally opaque waveguides. The experimental performances have been compared to those obtained through calculations using an optical simulation package. The results are found to be in agreement with the experimental data.
Electro-optical modulating multistack device based on the CMOS-compatible technology of amorphous silicon
Authors: Rao Sandro , Della Corte Francesco G.
Published: September 2010

In this paper we report results on a field-effect induced light modulation at λ = 1.55 µm in a high-index-contrast waveguide based on a multisilicon-on-insulator (MSOI) platform. The device is realized with the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si:H) technology and it is suitable for monolithic integration in a CMOS Integrated Circuit. The device exploits the free carrier optical absorption electrically induced in the semiconductor core waveguide. The dynamic behaviour of the device was experimentally and theoretically analyzed in presence of a visible illumination showing a link between the photogeneration and the free carriers provided by doped α-Si:H layers. The core waveguide contains several thin dielectric films of amorphous silicon carbonitride (α-SiCN) embedded along its thickness highly enhancing the absorbing action of the modulator held in the on-state.
'Reordering and Counterordering': Forestry Preservation, Bush Clearing and the Sociophysical Mapping of Chepalungu, Kericho District, Kenya, 1930-1963
Authors: Otieno Alphonse
Published: September 2010

Recent research on Africa has emphasised conservation and trypanosomiasis control as the major factors, which first motivated colonial officials and scientists to embark on forestry preservation and bush clearing policies in colonial Africa. This paper, drawing on recent emphasis on the high modernist nature of colonial policies in general, contends that in Chepalungu, Kenya, forestry preservation and bush clearing were implemented with the objective to create a racially and tribally segregated landscape - not merely to conserve the landscape and control trypanosomiasis. Whereas colonial policies have commonly been generalised into imposed instruments of power which local people merely submitted to or resisted, this paper argues that the bush clearing and forestry preservation in Chepalungu unfolded in ways that exceeded imposition and resistance. The colonial officials and Kipsigis inhabitants of Chepalungu were not only in conflict with each other; they were also in negotiation over the use of the environment. In the process policies were adapted to local Kipsigis practices, just as Kipsigis interests were insinuated into the policies. Thus, just as conflicts were central in the policy making, tangled processes also played a significant role.
Science and Land Use: The Kosciusko Primitive Area Dispute of 1958-65
Authors: Slattery Deirdre
Published: September 2010

The Primitive Area dispute of 1958-65 is a seminal episode in the development of a nature conservation philosophy in Australia. Led by the Australian Academy of Science (AAS) and informed by detailed and growing understanding of the specifics of ecology in the Australian Alps, the debate was a turning point in thinking about land use in the mountain catchments. This article examines the conflicts behind the scenes, within the AAS, between the AAS and the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority (SMA), and within the SMA. It argues that the scientists' conflict with the SMA over plans for the summit area of Mount Kosciusko (now Kosciuszko) not only established ecology as a scientific basis for conservation thinking: it foreshadowed the current idea that management of healthy country involves recognition of the links between aesthetic and scientific thinking. In this respect science had and still has the capacity to offer alternative visions to the community about the relationship between natural resource management and land health. An important element of modern environmentalism is community acceptance that broad ecological processes underpin sustainable landscapes. Growing concern about catchment health may well see renewed appreciation of the links between the ecological function of mountain catchments and their aesthetic and recreational value.
Colonial Forestry at its Limits: The Latter Day Career of Sir David Hutchins in New Zealand 1915-1920
Authors: Roche Michael
Published: September 2010

This paper explores imperial forestry networks by focusing on a single individual, Sir David Hutchins, who spent the final years of his life in New Zealand extolling the need for scientific forest management in the Dominion. Hutchins' career had taken him from India to Southern Africa, to British East Africa and Australia, then finally to New Zealand. In New Zealand he advocated a colonial forestry model derived from his Indian and African experience. Whereas in Africa Hutchins was regarded as a champion of exotic afforestation, in New Zealand he was closely identified with indigenous forest management, further reinforcing Sivaramakrishnan's ideas about how colonial location reshaped the appearance of scientific forestry. Hutchins focused much attention of the Kauri ( Agathis australis ) forests but encountered unexpected opposition and resistance from settler farmers, local politicians, and the local scientific community such as it was.
Dark is the World to Thee: A Historical Perspective on Environmental Forewarnings
Authors: Kwiatowska Teresa , Holland Alan
Published: September 2010

Evidence of human impact on the natural world and of environmental degradation has existed from approximately the fifth century B.C. From time to time we find this evidence noted by a variety of sources ranging from the classical through to the medieval period. However, what we like to think of as our modern environmental consciousness was slow to form. We review and offer some analysis both of the evidence and of the responses to it over this period. The overall aim of the paper is to chart and to understand the contingencies of our predecessors' understanding of their environmental predicament, the better to understand and put in context the contingencies of our own understanding.
Toiling in Paradise: Knowledge Acquisition in the Context of Colonial Agriculture in Brazil's Atlantic Forest
Authors: Ribeiro De Oliveira Rogerio , Winiwarter Verena
Published: September 2010

Four centuries of colonial extraction lead to severe ecological degradation of the forests and soils of the Atlantic region of Brazil. After an overview of the history of colonial plantation agriculture, we discuss the knowledge developed in this context. Over the course of time, several agricultural manuals were published for or in the colony. Landowners recommended agricultural techniques developed for European temperate climates, but also included their local experience. Indigenous knowledge about cultivation was not suitable for the extractive colonial system and therefore played little role in colonial agriculture. Based on agricultural manuals published in Brazil over a period of more than two centuries, we discuss the management of soil fertility and the relationship between agricultural practices and forest stands. The process of acquisition and distribution of agronomic knowledge by Brazilian authors was slow during the colonial period. The strongest point in common among the authors was their concern with the preservation of forests. Their soil classification systems show clear evidence of indigenous influence. The agricultural manuals have not been studied explicitly as sources for the environmental history of Brazil. Therefore, we studied some of the particular ecological circumstances of their writing. The Atlantic forest does gain substantial nutrients from rainwater, a fact the authors allude to in their recommendations. At least one author developed plant indicators using native species Although written in a colonial context, Brazilian agronomic literature was full of recommendations for a sustainable use of Brazil's biodiversity, and argued against the devastation wrought by colonial exploitation.
Book Reviews
Authors: Benson Etienne , Winchester Angus J.L. , Riley Mark , Fleming James , Barrow, Jr. Mark V. , Collier Peter , Hsiung David , Sen Satadru
Published: September 2010

Mark Cioc, The Game of Conservation (Etienne Benson)
Harriet Ritvo, The Dawn of Green (Angus J.L. Winchester)
Sverker Sörlin and Paul Warde, eds., Nature's End (Mark Riley)
Wolfgang Behringer, A Cultural History of Climate (James Fleming)
Kevin C. Armitage, The Nature Study Movement (Mark V. Barrow, Jr.)
Charles E. Closmann, ed., War and the Environment (Peter Collier)
Anthony N. Penna and Conrad Edick Wright, eds., Remaking Boston (David Hsiung)
Anand Pandian, Crooked Stalks (Satadru Sen)
Animals, Quo Vadis? Welcome to a New, Multidisciplinary, Integrated, Open Access Journal: Animals
Authors: Phillips Clive
Published: September 2010

Without animals this planet would be a very different place, indeed many of the remaining life forms could not exist. As animals ourselves we are linked to a vast network of moving, living, reproducing organisms that form an essential part of the various ecosystems that are themselves competing for survival. By virtue of our large cognitive capacity and complex societal living structures, we manage and influence many of these ecosystems, in the most extreme way by keeping animals captive for our own benefit. [...]
Bioelectric Applications for Treatment of Melanoma
Authors: Beebe Stephen J. , Schoenbach Karl H. , Heller Richard
Published: September 2010

Two new cancer therapies apply bioelectric principles. These methods target tumor structures locally and function by applying millisecond electric fields to deliver plasmid DNA encoding cytokines using electrogene transfer (EGT) or by applying rapid rise-time nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs). EGT has been used to locally deliver cytokines such as IL-12 to activate an immune response, resulting in bystander effects. NsPEFs locally induce apoptosis-like effects and affect vascular networks, both promoting tumor demise and restoration of normal vascular homeostasis. EGT with IL-12 is in melanoma clinical trials and nsPEFs are used in models with B16F10 melanoma in vitro and in mice. Applications of bioelectrics, using conventional electroporation and extensions of it, provide effective alternative therapies for melanoma.
Welcome to Coatings: a New Open Access Journal
Authors: Bardi Ugo , Lavacchi Alessandro
Published: September 2010

The journal Coatings is starting its activity as a peer-reviewed, open access journal. As editors, we believe that it will fulfill an important role in the community of researchers and developers in the field of coatings. There already exists several high quality journals dedicated to coatings, but none of them has “free access”, a characteristic that we believe is very important in a field which is traditionally very close to industrial activity and where researchers aim not only at academic research but toward products of an industrial and marketable value. For these researchers, it is important that they can publish their results in a journal that guarantees quality that comes from peer-review, but that at the same time breaks the traditional boundaries of academic journals which need a subscription or a pay-per-view option to access the published data. [...]
Superstatistics and Gravitation
Authors: Obregón Octavio
Published: September 2010

We suggest to consider the spacetime as a non-equilibrium system with a long-term stationary state that possess as a spatio-temporally fluctuating quantity ß . These systems can be described by a superposition of several statistics, “superstatistics”. We propose a Gamma distribution for f(ß) that depends on a parameter ρ1. By means of it the corresponding entropy is calculated, ρ1 is identified with the probability corresponding to this model. A generalized Newton’s law of gravitation is then obtained following the entropic force formulation. We discuss some of the difficulties to try to get an associated theory of gravity.
Uncertainty in Forest Net Present Value Estimations
Authors: Holopainen Markus , Mäkinen Antti , Rasinmäki Jussi , Hyytiäinen Kari , Bayazidi Saeed , Vastaranta Mikko , Pietilä Ilona
Published: September 2010

Uncertainty related to inventory data, growth models and timber price fluctuation was investigated in the assessment of forest property net present value (NPV). The degree of uncertainty associated with inventory data was obtained from previous area-based airborne laser scanning (ALS) inventory studies. The study was performed, applying the Monte Carlo simulation, using stand-level growth and yield projection models and three alternative rates of interest (3, 4 and 5%). Timber price fluctuation was portrayed with geometric mean-reverting (GMR) price models. The analysis was conducted for four alternative forest properties having varying compartment structures: (A) a property having an even development class distribution, (B) sapling stands, (C) young thinning stands, and (D) mature stands. Simulations resulted in predicted yield value (predicted NPV) distributions at both stand and property levels. Our results showed that ALS inventory errors were the most prominent source of uncertainty, leading to a 5.1–7.5% relative deviation of property-level NPV when an interest rate of 3% was applied. Interestingly, ALS inventory led to significant biases at the property level, ranging from 8.9% to 14.1% (3% interest rate). ALS inventory-based bias was the most significant in mature stand properties. Errors related to the growth predictions led to a relative standard deviation in NPV, varying from 1.5% to 4.1%. Growth model-related uncertainty was most significant in sapling stand properties. Timber price fluctuation caused the relative standard deviations ranged from 3.4% to 6.4% (3% interest rate). The combined relative variation caused by inventory errors, growth model errors and timber price fluctuation varied, depending on the property type and applied rates of interest, from 6.4% to 12.6%. By applying the methodology described here, one may take into account the effects of various uncertainty factors in the prediction of forest yield value and to supply the output results with levels of confidence.
Anticipation of Traffic Demands to Guarantee QoS in IP/Optical Networks
Authors: Pinart Carolina
Published: September 2010

Traffic in the Internet backbone is expected to grow above a few Tbit/s in 2020. To cope with this, operators are moving to IP/optical network architectures, where IP is the convergence layer for all services. On the other hand, the quality of service (QoS) requirements of future applications encompasses the individualization of services and the assurance of stricter quality parameters such as latency, jitter or capacity. In other words, future optical networks will not only transport more IP data, but they will also have to offer differentiated QoS requirements to services. Finally, some emerging applications, e.g., grid computing, need greater flexibility in the usage of network resources, which involves establishing and releasing connections as if they were virtualized resources controlled by other elements or layers. In this context, traffic-driven lightpath provisioning and service-plane approaches arise as very interesting candidate solutions to solve the main challenges described above. This work reviews the concepts of service-oriented and self-managed networks and relates them to propose an integrated approach to assure QoS by offering flow-aware networking in the sense that traffic demands will be anticipated in a suitable way, lightpaths will be established taking into account QoS information (i.e., impairments) and complex services will be decomposed into optical connections so that the above techniques can be employed to assure QoS for any service.
Partial Cooperative Equilibria: Existence and Characterization
Authors: Béal Sylvain , Chakrabarti Subhadip , Ghintran Amandine , Solal Philippe
Published: September 2010

We study the solution concepts of partial cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibria and partial cooperative Stackelberg equilibria. The partial cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibrium is axiomatically characterized by using notions of rationality, consistency and converse consistency with regard to reduced games. We also establish sufficient conditions for which partial cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibria and partial cooperative Stackelberg equilibria exist in supermodular games. Finally, we provide an application to strategic network formation where such solution concepts may be useful.
TSPY and Male Fertility
Authors: Krausz Csilla , Giachini Claudia , Forti Gianni
Published: September 2010

Spermatogenesis requires the concerted action of thousands of genes, all contributing to its efficiency to a different extent. The Y chromosome contains several testis-specific genes and among them the AZF region genes on the Yq and the TSPY1 array on the Yp are the most relevant candidates for spermatogenic function. TSPY1 was originally described as the putative gene for the gonadoblastoma locus on the Y (GBY) chromosome. Besides its oncogenic properties, expression analyses in the testis and in vitro and in vivo studies all converge on a physiological involvement of the TSPY1 protein in spermatogenesis as a pro-proliferative factor. The majority of TSPY1 copies are arranged in 20.4 kb of tandemly repeated units, with different copy numbers among individuals. Our recent study addressing the role of TSPY1 copy number variation in spermatogenesis reported that TSPY1 copy number influences spermatogenic efficiency and is positively correlated with sperm count. This finding provides further evidence for a role of TSPY1 in testicular germ cell proliferation and stimulates future research aimed at evaluating the relationship between the copy number and the protein expression level of the TSPY1 gene.
Aging Images as a Motivational Trigger for Smoking Cessation in Young Women
Authors: Weiss Carine , Hanebuth Dirk , Coda Paola , Dratva Julia , Heintz Margit , Stutz Elisabeth Zemp
Published: September 2010

Recruiting adolescents into smoking cessation programs has been challenging, and there is a lack of effective smoking cessation interventions for this age group. We aimed to assess whether the approach of using aging images can be used to recruit young, female smokers for a smoking cessation course. In this study, 853 14- to 18-year-old subjects were photographed (2006–2007). After software-aided aging, the images evoked strong emotions, especially in subjects with an advanced motivational stage to quit. Twenty-four percent of current smokers reported that the aging images increased their motivation to quit smoking (pre-contemplation: 8%; contemplation: 32%; and preparation: 71%). In multivariate analyses, the aged images had a high motivational impact to quit smoking that was associated with an increased readiness to stop smoking and the individual’s assessment of the aging images as shocking, but not with the number of previous attempts to quit and the assessment of the pictures as realistic. However, it was not possible to recruit the study population for a smoking cessation course. We concluded that aging images are a promising intervention for reaching young women and increasing their motivation to stop smoking. However, smoking cessation courses may not be appropriate for this age group: none of the recruits agreed to take a cessation course.
Is Malnutrition Associated with Crowding in Permanent Dentition?
Authors: Thomaz Erika B. A. F. , Cangussu Maria Cristina T. , Silva Antônio Augusto M. da , Assis Ana Marlúcia O.
Published: September 2010

Evidence suggests that energy-protein malnutrition is associated with impaired growth and development of facial bones. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between nutritional status and reduced space for dental eruption (crowding) in permanent dentition. A cross-sectional study with probabilistic sampling design was used. We evaluated 2,060 students aged 12 to 15 years enrolled in schools in the northeast of Brazil. Crowding was defined according to World Health Organization (WHO) as misalignment of teeth due to lack of space for them to erupt in the correct position. Nutritional status was evaluated by means of body mass index and height-for-age, using the WHO’s reference curves. Parents and adolescents responded to a questionnaire about demographic, socioeconomic, biological and behavioral characteristics. The associations were estimated by odds ratio (OR) in multivariate logistic regression analysis (alpha = 0.05). Confounding and effect-modification were taken into account. An association between low height-for-age (z-score < –1SD) and crowding was only observed in adolescents with a prolonged history of mouth breathing (OR = 3.1). No association was observed between underweight and crowding. Malnutrition is related to crowding in permanent dentition among mouth-breathing adolescents. Policy actions aimed at reducing low height-for-age and unhealthy oral habits are strongly recommended. However, further studies are needed to increase the consistency of these findings and improve understanding of the subject.
Removal of Parabens from Aqueous Solution Using β-Cyclodextrin Cross-Linked Polymer
Authors: Chin Yuk Ping , Mohamad Sharifah , Abas Mhd Radzi Bin
Published: September 2010

The removal of four parabens, methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and benzyl-paraben, by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) polymer from aqueous solution was studied. Different β-CD polymers were prepared by using two cross-linkers, i.e., hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) and toluene-2,6-diisocyanate (TDI), with various molar ratios of cross-linker. β-CD-HMDI polymer with molar ratio of 1:7 and β-CD-TDI polymer with ratio 1:4 gave the highest adsorption of parabens among the β-CD-HMDI and β-CD-TDI series, and were subsequently used for further studies. The adsorption capacity of β-CD-HMDI is 0.0305, 0.0376, 0.1854 and 0.3026 mmol/g for methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and benzyl-paraben, respectively. β-CD-TDI have higher adsorption capacities compared with β-CD-HMDI, the adsorption capacity are 0.1019, 0.1286, 0.2551, and 0.3699 mmol/g methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and benzyl-paraben respectively. The parameters studied were adsorption capacity, water retention, and reusability. Role of both cross-linker in adsorption, hydrophobicity of polymers, and adsorption capacity of different parabens were compared and discussed. All experiments were conducted in batch adsorption technique. These polymers were applied to real samples and showed positive results.
Prediction of PKCθ Inhibitory Activity Using the Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Hao Ming , Li Yan , Wang Yonghua , Zhang Shuwei
Published: September 2010

This work is devoted to the prediction of a series of 208 structurally diverse PKCθ inhibitors using the Random Forest (RF) based on the Mold2 molecular descriptors. The RF model was established and identified as a robust predictor of the experimental pIC50 values, producing good external R2pred of 0.72, a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 0.45, for an external prediction set of 51 inhibitors which were not used in the development of QSAR models. By using the RF built-in measure of the relative importance of the descriptors, an important predictor—the number of group donor atoms for H-bonds (with N and O)―has been identified to play a crucial role in PKCθ inhibitory activity. We hope that the developed RF model will be helpful in the screening and prediction of novel unknown PKCθ inhibitory activity.
The Chemical Master Equation Approach to Nonequilibrium Steady-State of Open Biochemical Systems: Linear Single-Molecule Enzyme Kinetics and Nonlinear Biochemical Reaction Networks
Authors: Qian Hong , Bishop Lisa M.
Published: September 2010

We develop the stochastic, chemical master equation as a unifying approach to the dynamics of biochemical reaction systems in a mesoscopic volume under a living environment. A living environment provides a continuous chemical energy input that sustains the reaction system in a nonequilibrium steady state with concentration fluctuations. We discuss the linear, unimolecular single-molecule enzyme kinetics, phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle (PdPC) with bistability, and network exhibiting oscillations. Emphasis is paid to the comparison between the stochastic dynamics and the prediction based on the traditional approach based on the Law of Mass Action. We introduce the difference between nonlinear bistability and stochastic bistability, the latter has no deterministic counterpart. For systems with nonlinear bistability, there are three different time scales: (a) individual biochemical reactions, (b) nonlinear network dynamics approaching to attractors, and (c) cellular evolution. For mesoscopic systems with size of a living cell, dynamics in (a) and (c) are stochastic while that with (b) is dominantly deterministic. Both (b) and (c) are emergent properties of a dynamic biochemical network; We suggest that the (c) is most relevant to major cellular biochemical processes such as epi-genetic regulation, apoptosis, and cancer immunoediting. The cellular evolution proceeds with transitions among the attractors of (b) in a “punctuated equilibrium” manner.
Interferon-alpha Induces High Expression of APOBEC3G and STAT-1 in Vitro and in Vivo
Authors: Chen Hui , Wang Lu-Wen , Huang Yan-Qing , Gong Zuo-Jiong
Published: September 2010

To investigate whether the JAK-STAT (Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription) pathway participates in the regulation of APOBEC3G (Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G) gene transcription and to study the molecular mechanisms of interferon resistance in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), changes in APOBEC3G and STAT-1 expression levels in HepG2.2.15 cells after treatment with various concentrations of IFN-a, were detected using real-time RT-PCR and Western-blot. In addition, the differences in STAT-1 and APOBEC3G expression in liver tissues were also observed in patients with different anti-viral responses to IFN-a. It is found that IFN-a suppressed HBV replication and expression markedly in HepG2.2.15 cells, and simultaneously enhanced APOBEC3G expression in a dose- or time-dependent manner within a certain range. Moreover, a corresponding gradual increase in STAT-1 expression levels was also observed. The expression levels of STAT-1 and APOBEC3G in the liver of CHB patients with a complete response to IFN-a are significantly higher than that of the patients with non-response to IFN-a treatment. It is suggested that inducing intracellular APOBEC3G expression may be one of anti-HBV mechanisms of IFN-a, and IFN-a-induced APOBEC3G expression may be via the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Moreover, interferon resistance may be related to the down-regulation of STAT-1 expression in the patients who had non-response to IFN-a treatment.