bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variations of plasma leptin in show horses during a work season
Authors: Amato C. , Martin L. , Dumon H. , Jaillardon L. , Nguyen P. , Siliart B.
Published: December 2011

Leptin is an adipocytokine mainly expressed by adipose tissue. Secretion of leptin in healthy animals is closely related to fat mass and metabolic activity. The aim of this study was to investigate plasma leptin variations, in relation to nutritional and exercise parameters in adult show horses during a work season. EDTA‐blood samples were taken at rest from 37 Iberian horses. Body weight, body condition score and fat percentage determined by ultrasonic measurement of rump fat thickness were measured. Plasma leptin was determined with a multi‐species RIA kit. Linear mixed effects model was used to assess relationship between plasma leptin and other biological parameters. Plasma leptin concentration was <12.6 ng/ml (mean = 2.8 ± 1.6 ng/ml) and was significantly higher during training periods (p < 0.0001) (4.5 ± 1.7 ng/ml) than in show periods (2.0 ± 1.1 ng/ml), despite a significant increase (p < 0.0001) in energy intake. The body weight remained almost constant. The plasma leptin concentrations were significantly affected by exercise (p < 0.0001), body weight (p = 0.04) and BCS (p < 0.0001), but were not affected by percentage of fat. In conclusion, the marked decrease in leptin values observed during a period of intense (i.e. excessive) exercise could result from an adaptation to cumulative alterations in energy balance, to exercise per se or to a combination of both.
Pro patria et spes gentis: military medicine, paediatric surgery and those who care for children
Authors: Pearn John
Published: December 2011

Children and military medicine have many links. On humanitarian and disaster deployments, the surgery of war has increasingly seen children as the focus of clinical salvage. When Romans spoke of children, they used the phrase ‘spes gentis’–‘the hope of the race’. In modern times, there developed a synergy, in the context of defensive war, that its prosecution depended not only on the defence of territory but also on its hopes for continuation of people and culture, into the future. In the 19th century, in Australia, several regiments had the motto ‘Pro Aris et Focis’–‘For the Defence of Hearth and Home’. Hearth implies the family and that implies children. From the point of view of an attending military clinician, the centrum of all medical care is the patient himself, and that centrality is reflected equally in the helplessness of a bomb‐blast or gunshot victim as it is in the vulnerability of a sick or injured infant or child. The life and service of Major General Rupert Downes (1885–1945), whom the Downes Memorial Lecture commemorates, reflected this nexus. His career was that of a national leader in military medicine and that of paediatric surgery. The 2011 Rupert Downes Lecture explores and documents the extraordinary corpus of service of Australian paediatric surgeons and their contributions to military medicine from the 19th to the 21st centuries.
Building from Scratch: The aesthetics of post‐disaster reconstruction(Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Nygaard‐Christensen Maj
Published: December 2011

This article looks at the visual character of post‐conflict and post‐disaster settings, and shows how states of physical ruin can help to produce an ‘aesthetics of post‐disaster reconstruction’. With examples primarily drawn from the author's field site in Timor‐Leste, the article shows how ruins, ashes and demolition may be perceived as enabling particular kinds of agency and opportunity. Thus, some of the most hopeful of international‐intervention dreams of recent decades have been produced out of sites of mass‐scale destruction.
Effect of pregnancy on emtricitabine pharmacokinetics
Authors: Stek AM , Best BM , Luo W , Capparelli E , Burchett S , Hu C , Li H , Read JS , Jennings A , Barr E , Smith E , Rossi SS , Mirochnick M
Published: December 2011

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe emtricitabine pharmacokinetics during pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods

The International Maternal Pediatric and Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT), formerly Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG), study P1026s is a prospective pharmacokinetic study of HIV‐infected pregnant women taking antiretrovirals for clinical indications, including a cohort taking emtricitabine 200 mg once daily. Intensive steady‐state 24‐hour emtricitabine pharmacokinetic profiles were performed during the third trimester and 6–12 weeks postpartum, and on maternal and umbilical cord blood samples collected at delivery. Emtricitabine was measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry with a quantification limit of 0.0118 mg/L. The target emtricitabine area under the concentration versus time curve, from time 0 to 24 hours post dose (AUC0‐24), was ≥7 mg h/L (≤30% reduction from the typical AUC of 10 mg h/L in nonpregnant historical controls). Third‐trimester and postpartum pharmacokinetics were compared within subjects.

Results

Twenty‐six women had pharmacokinetics assessed during the third trimester (median 35 weeks of gestation) and 22 postpartum (median 8 weeks postpartum). Mean [90% confidence interval (CI)] emtricitabine pharmacokinetic parameters during the third trimester vs. postpartum were, respectively: AUC: 8.0 (7.1–8.9) vs. 9.7 (8.6–10.9) mg h/L (P = 0.072); apparent clearance (CL/F): 25.0 (22.6–28.3) vs. 20.6 (18.4–23.2) L/h (P = 0.025); 24 hour post dose concentration (C24): 0.058 (0.037–0.063) vs. 0.085 (0.070–0.010) mg/L (P = 0.006). The mean cord:maternal ratio was 1.2 (90% CI 1.0–1.5). The viral load was <400 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL in 24 of 26 women in the third trimester, in 24 of 26 at delivery, and in 15 of 19 postpartum. Within‐subject comparisons demonstrated significantly higher CL/F and significantly lower C24 during pregnancy; however, the C24 was well above the inhibitory concentration 50%, or drug concentration that suppresses viral replication by half (IC50) in all subjects.

Conclusions

While we found higher emtricitabine CL/F and lower C24 and AUC during pregnancy compared with postpartum, these changes were not sufficiently large to warrant dose adjustment during pregnancy. Umbilical cord blood concentrations were similar to maternal concentrations.
New initiative, old problem: classroom assistants and the under‐valuation of women's work
Authors: Gilbert Kay , Warhurst Chris , Nickson Dennis , Hurrell Scott , Commander Johanna
Published: December 2011

Centred on classroom assistants in Scotland, this article examines the process by which an occupation dominated by female workers becomes under‐valued. The qualitative data reveals the cognitive errors made by the key actors—government, employers and unions in this process.
Frequency and prognostic value of D alloantibodies after D‐mismatched allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after reduced‐intensity conditioning
Authors: Worel Nina , Böhm Alexandra , Rabitsch Werner , Leitner Gerda , Mitterbauer Margit , Kalhs Peter , Mayr Wolfgang R. , Schwartz Dieter , Greinix Hildegard T.
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Due to the fact that the ABO and D system is inherited independently from the HLA system, approximately 40% of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) are performed across the blood group barrier. Reports on the development of de novo anti‐D in patients undergoing reduced‐intensity conditioning (RIC) followed by D‐mismatched allogeneic HSCT are rare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of anti‐D alloimmunization after D‐mismatched HSCT following RIC and its prognostic impact on transplant outcome.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty patients with hematologic diseases who underwent D‐mismatched HSCT were retrospectively analyzed: 19 D− patients with a D+ donor and 21 D+ patients with a D− donor. Routine serologic testing for blood group typing and antibody screening was performed by a column agglutination method every time when transfusion of red blood cell units was requested and in the posttransplantation course to demonstrate establishment of donor ABO type and to detect alloimmunization.

RESULTS: After a median serologic follow‐up of 21 (range, 0 to 73) months after HSCT, anti‐D was identified in 2 of 21 (10%) D+ patients receiving a D− transplant, 23 and 34 months after HSCT. None of the 19 D− patients with a D+ donor developed an anti‐D.

CONCLUSION: We observed an infrequent de novo anti‐D formation that is more likely in D+ recipients of D− grafts. However, the development of anti‐D does not normally impair the transplant outcome and is not of clinical relevance in the posttransplant course.
Correlation Between Intrinsic Microstructure and Piezoresistivity in a SiOC Polymer‐Derived Ceramic
Authors: Toma Liviu , Kleebe Hans‐Joachim , Müller Mathis M. , Janssen Enrico , Riedel Ralf , Melz Tobias , Hanselka Holger
Published: December 2011

Transmission electron microscopy was performed on a carbon‐containing SiOC material derived from a polymer precursor pyrolyzed at 1100°C and subsequently annealed at 1400°C. The TEM study focused on the correlation between micro/nanostructure evolution and the piezoresistivity monitored on the annealed sample. Upon pyrolysis, the material was completely amorphous with no local crystallization of the thermodynamically stable phases. Upon annealing, however, the formation of turbostratic carbon and SiC was observed. Unexpectedly, crystallization only occurred within intrinsic pores while the bulk of the sample remained amorphous. As the nanopores formed a percolation network throughout the entire material, the piezoresistive effect is predominantly a consequence of turbostratic carbon formation inside the residual porosity.
High Energy Density, High Temperature Capacitors Utilizing Mn‐Doped 0.8CaTiO3–0.2CaHfO3 Ceramics
Authors: Shay Dennis P. , Podraza Nikolas J. , Donnelly Niall J. , Randall Clive A.
Published: December 2011

Single layer air co‐fired capacitors with Pt internal electrodes were prototyped for the compositions 0.8CaTiO3–0.2CaHfO3 (CHT) and 0.5 mol% Mn‐doped 0.8CaTiO3–0.2CaHfO3 (CHT + Mn) to yield a material with a room‐temperature relative permittivity of εr ~170, thermal coefficient of capacitance (TCC) of ±15.8% to ±16.4% from −50°C to 150°C, and a band gap of ~4.0 eV. Impedance spectroscopy revealed that doping with Mn reduces both the ionic and electronic conductivity. Undoped CHT single layer capacitors exhibited ambient energy densities as large as 9.0 J/cm3, but showed a drastic decrease in energy density above 100°C. When doped with 0.5 mol% Mn, the temperature dependence of the breakdown strength was minimized, and energy densities similar to ambient values (9.5 J/cm3) were observed up to 200°C. At 300°C, energy densities as large as 6.5 J/cm3 were measured. The design rationale for these dielectrics centered on materials with large band gaps, linear or weakly nonlinear permittivities, and high breakdown strengths. These observations suggest that with further reductions in grain size and dielectric layer thickness, the CaTiO3–CaHfO3 system is a strong candidate for integration into future power electronics applications.
Bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension
Authors: De Gottardi Andrea , Seijo Susana , Milá Montserrat , Alvarez M. Isabel , Bruguera Miquel , Abraldes Juan G. , Bosch Jaime , García‐Pagán Juan‐Carlos
Published: December 2011

In idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) typical vascular lesions are present in the branches of the portal vein or in the perisinusoidal area of the liver. Similar histological alterations have been reported in the pulmonary vasculature of patients with idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension (IPAH). As IPAH is associated with mutations of the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) gene, the aim of this study was to investigate whether this association might also be found in patients with IPH. Twenty‐three samples belonging to 21 unrelated caucasian patients with IPH followed in the hepatic haemodynamic laboratory of the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona were included in the study. All patients were studied for the entire open reading frame and splice site of the BMPR2 gene by direct sequencing and multiple ligation probe amplification (MLPA) in order to detect large deletions/duplications. None of the 23 patients had pulmonary artery hypertension. Four patients presented one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in intron 5, four patients had a SNP in exon 12 and a SNP in exon 1 was found in two cases. Two patients had both intron 5 and exon 12 polymorphisms. All SNPs were previously described. Except for these three SNPs, neither mutations nor rearrangements have been identified in the BMPR2 gene in this population. We did not detect mutations or rearrangements in the coding region of the BMPR2 gene in our patients with IPH. These findings suggest that, in contrast to IPAH, mutations in BMPR2 are not involved in the pathogenesis of IPH.
Modeling bird species distribution change in fire prone Mediterranean landscapes: incorporating species dispersal and landscape dynamics
Authors: Brotons Lluís , De Cáceres Miquel , Fall Andrew , Fortin Marie‐Josée
Published: December 2011

Species distribution models (SDMs) have traditionally been founded on the assumption that species distributions are in equilibrium with environmental conditions and that these species–environment relationships can be used to estimate species responses to environmental changes. Insight into the validity of this assumption can be obtained from comparing the performance of correlative species distribution models with more complex hybrid approaches, i.e. correlative and process‐based models that explicitly include ecological processes, thereby accounting for mismatches between habitat suitability and species occupancy patterns. Here we compared the ability of correlative SDMs and hybrid models, which can accommodate non‐equilibrium situations arising from dispersal constraints, to reproduce the distribution dynamics of the ortolan bunting Emberiza hortulana in highly dynamic, early successional, fire driven Mediterranean landscapes. Whereas, habitat availability was derived from a correlative statistical SDM, occupancy was modeled using a hybrid approach combining a grid‐based, spatially‐explicit population model that explicitly included bird dispersal with the correlative model. We compared species occupancy patterns under the equilibrium assumption and different scenarios of species dispersal capabilities. To evaluate the predictive capability of the different models, we used independent species data collected in areas affected to different degree by fires. In accordance with the view that disturbance leads to a disparity between the suitable habitat and the occupancy patterns of the ortolan bunting, our results indicated that hybrid modeling approaches were superior to correlative models in predicting species spatial dynamics. Furthermore, hybrid models that incorporated short dispersal distances were more likely to reproduce the observed changes in ortolan bunting distribution patterns, suggesting that dispersal plays a key role in limiting the colonization of recently burnt areas. We conclude that SDMs used in a dynamic context can be significantly improved by using combined hybrid modeling approaches that explicitly account for interactions between key ecological constraints such as dispersal and habitat suitability that drive species response to environmental changes.
Genetic structure among arable populations of Capsella bursa‐pastoris is linked to functional traits and in‐field conditions
Authors: Begg Graham S. , Wishart Jane , Young Mark W. , Squire Geoff R. , Iannetta Pietro P. M.
Published: December 2011

Wild arable plants can be an economic burden but they also support diverse arable food webs and contribute to valuable ecosystem functions. These benefits may have been compromised over recent decades by declining weed diversity. The decline in wild arable plant diversity has been viewed predominantly in terms of species shifts a view that ignores the genetic and functional variation existing within species and the impact on ecological and evolutionary processes which this may have. To examine within‐species diversity, ISSR markers were used in parallel with environmental and phenotypic characterisation, to investigate the population structure and diversity of Capsella bursa‐pastoris (shepherd's purse) from arable fields in the UK. Analysis of 338 ISSR products for 109 individuals from 51 accessions obtained from the seed banks of 33 arable fields showed that in‐field populations of shepherd's purse were genetically differentiated between individuals, and among accessions and fields. In addition, cluster analysis identified three genetically distinct regional‐scale populations. Phenotypic variation was present at all scales of genetic differentiation, including the regional scale where populations differed in their key life‐history traits: flowering time, fecundity and dormancy. Genetic drift is proposed as a contributor to differentiation among genetically isolated but locally co‐occurring accessions. In addition, the genetic and phenotypic variation in shepherd's purse exhibited large scale, spatial trends and showed statistically significant associations with cropping intensity and soil‐pH. These results suggest that adaptation as a result of selection by cropping practise and soil‐pH has played a role in the ability of shepherd's purse to colonise and persist in arable fields.
Neuroanatomic and magnetic resonance imaging references for normal development of cerebral sulci of laboratory primate, cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Sawada Kazuhiko , Fukunishi Katsuhiro , Kashima Masatoshi , Imai Noritaka , Saito Shigeyoshi , Sakata‐Haga Hiromi , Aoki Ichio , Fukui Yoshihiro
Published: December 2011

Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) is a popular laboratory primate belonging to Old World monkeys, which are the group most closely related to humans except for the apes. This paper summarizes a series of our studies regarding the development of cerebral sulci and gyri in this primate, and the stated possibility of evaluation of the sulcal development for assessing the developmental toxicity testing. The cerebrum of cynomolgus monkeys experienced a regular sequence of emergence of sulci and gyri on gross observation while such timetables corresponded to those obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a lag time of 10–30 days. When the timetables for the emergence of anatomically identical primary sulci and gyri were compared between cynomolgus monkeys and humans, their chronological sequences were comparable, while some sulci and gyri located on the phylogenetically newer cortical region in humans emerged earlier in monkeys. The present paper further indicates brief procedures for evaluating cerebral abnormalities and/or maturity using brain specimens without MRI measurements. The primary sulcal lengths measured by the ‘cotton thread’ method were a brief index of the degree of regional gyrification. As the development of a calcarine sulcus was closely correlated with morphological maturation of the lateral ventricle, which changed drastically during embryonic days (EDs) 90–100, the cerebral maturity on ED 100 could be evaluated by the infolding of that sulcus. Thus, the present paper provides gross anatomical and MRI references and brief procedures for investigating the normality of the development of cerebral sulci and gyri of laboratory primates, cynomolgus monkeys.
A randomised comparative trial on the use of a hydrogel with tepescohuite extract (Mimosa tenuiflora cortex extract‐2G) in the treatment of venous leg ulcers
Authors: Lammoglia‐Ordiales Lorena , Vega‐Memije Maria Elisa , Herrera‐Arellano Armando , Rivera‐Arce Erika , Agüero Juan , Vargas‐Martinez Felipe , Contreras‐Ruiz José
Published: December 2011

Tepescohuite is an extract obtained from the bark of the Mimosa tenuiflora tree and is used as an empirical treatment in wounds for its healing and antiseptic properties. Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are a common health care problem in most countries with a high rate of morbidity. The standard of care is moist interactive healing and compression; however, the ideal topical treatment is yet to be established. This study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of M. tenuiflora cortex extract (MTC‐2G) in the treatment of VLUs in an Interdisciplinary Wound and Ostomy Care Center (IWOCC). A randomised, placebo‐controlled, double blind clinical trial was conducted to compare the use of a hydrogel containing MTC‐2G with the hydrogel alone in VLUs. The study included all patients with venous ulcers referred to the IWOCC. Laboratory tests and tissue biopsies were performed at the beginning and at the end of the study. The patients were instructed to daily cleansing followed by topical application of the hydrogel and compression. Forty‐one patients were included, 22 patients received the MTC‐2G and 19 patients received the hydrogel only. Of the 41 patients, 32 completed the study, 18 in the experimental arm and 14 in the control group, 19 were women and 13 men. The mean age of the subjects was 60 years. The mean time from presentation was 38 months. The mean surface reduction was 6·29 cm2 [confidence interval (IC) 95%: 3·28–9·29] (P = 0·0001) in the MTC‐2G group and 5·85 cm2 (95% CI: 3·58–8·12) (P = 0·001) in the hydrogel group. There was no significant difference between the groups (P = 0·815). No changes in the laboratory parameters were noted. In the histology, there were not any differences between groups either. A hydrogel containing MTC‐2G was not superior to a hydrogel alone in the treatment of VLUs.
Environmental hazards and natural disasters
Authors: Pawson Eric
Published: December 2011

How can the apparently growing frequency and cost of environmental hazards be explained? Drawing on a range of examples, and especially the Canterbury earthquakes, it is argued that the creation of knowledge about these events depends on the interplay of lived and historical experience with scientific awareness. But often the vulnerability of places to particular events is obscured by popular use of the terms ‘natural hazard’ or ‘natural disaster’, as if human behaviour is absolved from any responsibility. It is shown how such thinking often increases the extent of the hazard, so that although we do not cause earthquakes, floods and bushfires, we are implicated and complicit in the outcomes.
Representing the Bar: how the barristers' profession sells itself to prospective members
Authors: Rogers Justine
Published: December 2011

The barristers' profession of England and Wales no longer relies on its special reputation to attract the next generation of practitioners. Today, the Bar deliberately sells itself to prospective members. This activity is designed to construct and communicate an appealing self-identity, and to tacitly sort out desirable recruits. It is a significant component of the Bar's enduring status ‘project’. Nonetheless, these processes take place within a complex wider environment, one which calls on the Bar to be competitive and distinct, as well as rational and inclusive. This paper is a unique, qualitative examination of the ways in which the barristers' profession markets itself within this context. It is the product of an investigation of the recruitment initiatives of one of the Inns of Court, targeted at law students. This paper identifies four main strands of the Bar's professional identity at this stage of entry: the Bar as traditional community; profession of excellence; inclusive profession; and a group facing certain challenges to its commanding position. The analysis shows how these multiple, sometimes conflicting, and often ambiguous themes are conveyed and handled. In the process, it reveals areas where the Bar is taking advantage of the current climate, and others where serious fault-lines in the Bar's identity have emerged. Finally, this analysis identifies the sorts of demands these images make of potential members if they want to be accepted into this old and sought-after profession.
Improving care, education, and research: the Asian primary immunodeficiency network
Authors: Lee Pamela Pui‐Wah , Lau Yu‐Lung
Published: December 2011

The field of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) is marked by continuous discoveries in the mechanisms of disease, genetic etiologies, and treatments. A widening gap between cutting‐edge scientific research and its translation to clinical practice is noticeable. To narrow this gap, collaborative networks must be made that bring together a critical mass of specialists to share the knowledge required for the next innovations. In this paper, we describe the current status of the Asian primary immunodeficiency network, which links 40 hospitals in China and Southeast Asia. Over the past 10 years, genetic studies performed on more than 500 patients have led to genetic confirmation of primary immunodeficiency in 272 patients, as well as generating cohort studies that have provided unique phenotypic observations. The network has a dynamic capacity to accommodate priorities and interests of collaborating units, from consultations and genetic testing to scientific research involving next‐generation sequencing technologies.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for primary immunodeficiency diseases
Authors: Slatter Mary A. , Cant Andrew J.
Published: December 2011

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is now highly successfully curing a widening range of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). Better tissue typing, matching of donors, less toxic chemotherapy, better virus detection and treatment, improved supportive care, and graft‐versus‐host disease prophylaxis mean up to a 90% cure for severe combined immunodeficiency patients and a 70–80% cure for other PIDs given a matched unrelated donor, and rising to 95% for young patients with specific PIDs, such as Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome. Precise molecular diagnosis, detailed data on prognosis, and careful pre‐HSCT assessment of infective lung and liver damage will ensure an informed benefit analysis of HSCT and the best outcome. It is now recognized that the best treatment option for chronic granulomatous disease is HSCT, which can also be curative for CD40 ligand deficiency and complex immune dysregulation disorders.
Regulation of mucosal IgA responses: lessons from primary immunodeficiencies
Authors: Cerutti Andrea , Cols Montserrat , Gentile Maurizio , Cassis Linda , Barra Carolina M. , He Bing , Puga Irene , Chen Kang
Published: December 2011

Adaptive co‐evolution of mammals and bacteria has led to the establishment of complex commensal communities on mucosal surfaces. In spite of having available a wealth of immune‐sensing and effector mechanisms capable of triggering inflammation in response to microbial intrusion, mucosal immune cells establish an intimate dialogue with microbes to generate a state of hyporesponsiveness against commensals and active readiness against pathogens. A key component of this homeostatic balance is IgA, a noninflammatory antibody isotype produced by mucosal B cells through class switching. This process involves activation of B cells by IgA‐inducing signals originating from mucosal T cells, dendritic cells, and epithelial cells. Here, we review the mechanisms by which mucosal B cells undergo IgA diversification and production and discuss how the study of primary immunodeficiencies facilitates better understanding of mucosal IgA responses in humans.
Prospective comparisons of intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide and bevacizumab for macular oedema due to branch retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Higashiyama Tomoaki , Sawada Osamu , Kakinoki Masashi , Sawada Tomoko , Kawamura Hajime , Ohji Masahito
Published: December 2011

Purpose:  To compare the efficacy of intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and that of bevacizumab for macular oedema because of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Design:  Prospective, comparative, randomized, interventional clinical trial.

Methods:  Forty‐three eyes of 43 patients with macular oedema because of BRVO were randomly assigned to 4‐mg intravitreal injections of TA (IVTA)(21 patients, IVTA group) or 1.25‐mg intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (IVB) (22 patients, IVB group) and followed for 12 months. No additional treatments were administered for 3 months after the initial injection; additional injections were administered when macular oedema recurred between 3 and 12 months after the initial injection. The best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured at baseline and monthly. The main outcome measures were changes in the logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA and CRT from baseline to 12 months.

Results:  Eighteen eyes of 18 patients in the IVTA group and 18 eyes of 18 patients in the IVB group completed follow‐up at 12 months. The mean improvements in BCVA from baseline to 12 months were 0.12 in the IVTA group and 0.33 in the IVB group, which was significantly (p = 0.032) higher than in the IVTA group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the mean reduction in CRT from baseline to 12 months after the initial injection. Two eyes in the IVTA group required intraocular pressure–lowering medications.

Conclusion:  Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab may be of greater benefit than that of TA for macular oedema because of BRVO.
Relation between sleep duration and BMI varies by age and sex in youth age 8–19
Authors: Storfer‐Isser A. , Patel S. R. , Babineau D. C. , Redline S.
Published: December 2011

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to (i) compare the strength of associations between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI) in middle childhood, and early and late adolescence; (ii) determine whether sleep duration in middle childhood predicts BMI in early or late adolescence; and (iii) examine the consistency of these associations by sex.

Methods

Subjects included 313 children/adolescents aged 8–19 participating in a longitudinal cohort study on sleep and health. Participants were assessed at three time points approximately 4 years apart: ages 8–11, 12–15 and 16–19. BMI z‐score (BMIz) was calculated using age and sex normative data from the Centers for Disease Control. Sleep duration was reported by the parent (ages 8–15) or the adolescent (ages 16–19).

Reuslts

Half of the participants were male and 79% were Caucasian. Sleep duration had a negative linear association with BMIz for boys but not girls, and the magnitude of this association decreased with age. Sleep duration at age 8–11 predicted BMIz in early and late adolescence for boys but not girls, and associations were largely attenuated after adjusting for BMIz at age 8–11. The strongest predictor of adolescent BMIz was BMIz at age 8–11 for both boys and girls.

Conclusion

We conclude that the association between sleep duration and BMIz varies by sex and age, with stronger associations in boys and in middle childhood compared with adolescence.
Effects of Welding Residual Stresses on High Tensile Steel Plate Ultimate Strength: Nonlinear Finite Element Method Investigations
Authors: Kee Paik Jeom , Min Sohn Jung
Published: December 2011

The primary objective of the present paper is to examine the effects of welding residual stresses on ultimate strength of high tensile steel plates under axial compression in terms of their magnitude and pattern. The ANSYS nonlinear finite element method is employed for the purpose. The secondary objective of the present paper is to study a nonlinear finite element method modeling technique for welded plate structures with residual stresses. Three levels of residual stresses, namely slight, average, and severe, are considered. As another important parameter of influence on the plate ultimate strength, the plate thickness is also varied in the numerical computations to examine their role and trend. Important insights and conclusions developed from the present study are documented.
On Buckling Collapse of a Fusion-welded Aluminum-stiffened Plate Structure: An Experimental and Numerical Study
Authors: Kee Paik Jeom , Ju Kim Bong , Min Sohn Jung , Hoon Kim Sung , Min Jeong Jae , Seok Park June
Published: December 2011

The primary objective of the present paper is to experimentally examine the buckling collapse characteristics of fusion welded aluminum-stiffened plate structures under axial compression until and after the ultimate limit state is reached. The secondary objective of the paper is to study a nonlinear finite element method modeling technique for computing the ultimate strength behavior of welded aluminum structures. A set of aluminum-stiffened plate structures fabricated via gas metal arc welding is studied. The test structure is equivalent to a full scale deck structure of an 80 m long high speed vessel. The plate part of the structures is made of 5383-H116 aluminum alloy, and extruded stiffeners are made of 5083-H112 aluminum alloy. Welding induced initial imperfections such as plate initial deflection, column type global initial deflection of stiffeners, sideways initial distortion of stiffeners, welding residual stresses, and softenng in the heat-affected zone are measured. The ANSYS nonlinear finite element method is employed for the numerical computations of the test structure’s ultimate strength behavior by means of a comparison with experimental data. Insights and conclusions developed from the present study are documented.
An Application of Evolutionary Optimization Algorithms for Determining Concentration and Velocity Profiles in Sheet Flows and Overlying Layers
Authors: Bakhtyar R. , Meraji S. H. , Barry D. A. , Yeganeh-Bakhtiary A. , Li L.
Published: December 2011

The particle swarm optimization (PSO) method and the genetic algorithm (GA) were used to derive formulas for determining the velocity and concentration profiles in sheet flows. Specifically, these evolutionary optimization algorithms were used in conjunction with experimental data to determine coefficients and identify parameters for preselected formulas. The objective function, defined as the sum-of-squared errors between observed and predicted values of sediment velocity and concentration, was minimized by adjusting the parameter values in the formulas. Two well-known empirical formulas were also applied to the same data. The bias, root mean square error and scatter index were used to evaluate the comparison between predictions and measurements. The results indicated that the errors based on the PSO and GA approaches to predicting sediment parameters were less than those of the existing empirical formulas. Overall, both evolutionary approaches provided formulas that were in good agreement with the experimental data, giving improved descriptions of the vertical distribution of velocity and sediment concentration in the sheet flow for practical purposes. These models also described well the behavior of the velocity and sediment concentration above the sheet flow layer; in contrast with most existing formulas that are applicable only to the sheet flow layer.
Intelligent Risk Assessment for Pipeline Third-Party Interference
Authors: Hu Jinqiu , Zhang Laibin , Liang Wei , Guo Cunjie
Published: December 2011

In petroleum industry, pipeline is singled out as it is the safest and the most economically viable means of transporting large quantities of oil and natural gas. However, accidents to pipelines because of the third-party interference have been recorded. An intelligent risk assessment approach is proposed to estimate the risk of each pipeline section and classify various risk patterns, using self-organization mapping neural network theory, which incorporates the factors of pipeline laying conditions, historical damage records, safety-related actions, management measures, and the environment around the underling pipeline. A field case study of Shaanxi–Beijing gas pipeline in China is undertook so that the effectiveness of the proposed risk pattern classification approach could be verified, which helps safety engineer to take effective and accurate safety measures according to different risk patterns.
Stabilization of Load’s Position in Offshore Cranes
Authors: Maczyński A. , Wojciech S.
Published: December 2011

It is often desirable to keep the load of an offshore crane in a fixed point in space despite the movement of its base. To solve the problem of stabilizing the load’s position, the authors have proposed application of the hoisting winch drum’s drive and an auxiliary system. The auxiliary system enables independent moving of a selected point of the hoisting rope in two perpendicular planes. In this paper, two methods for determining the drive functions of the auxiliary system and the hoisting winch’s drum ensuring stabilization of an offshore crane’s load are presented. Both methods are based on a simplified model of a crane and allow compensation for a pseudo-harmonic base motion. In order to take into account the deviations of base motion from the assumed and avoid over simplifications, the second, more sophisticated model is developed. This model is proposed to be applied in closed-loop control systems with a PID controller. Results of sample numerical simulations are included that proved useful information about the developed methods and models for stabilization of an offshore crane’s load.
Development of a Control Model for a Four Wheel Mecanum Vehicle
Authors: de Villiers M. , Tlale N. S.
Published: December 2011

In this paper, a refined control model for a Mecanum-wheeled mobile robot is developed and presented. Available control models in literature for Mecanum-wheeled mobile robots are based on a simplification which defines the contact point of the wheel on the ground as the point in the center of the wheel, which does not vary. This limits the smoothness of motion of a mobile robot employing these wheels and impacts the efficiency of locomotion of mobile robots using Mecanum wheels. The control model proposed in this paper accounts for the fact that the contact point in fact changes position down the axle of the wheel as the angle roller moves on the ground. The developed control model is verified with experimental results. Using the refined model, control of Mecanum-wheeled mobile robot is made more predictable and accurate.
Carbon nanomechanical resonator fabrication from PMMA by FIB/electron-beam dual-beam lithography
Authors: Kometani Reo , Hatakeyama Taiki , Kuroda Kouhei , Warisawa Shin’ichi , Ishihara Sunao
Published: December 2011

An ultra-thin carbon nanomechanical resonator was fabricated from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using focused-ion-beam (FIB) and electron-beam dual-beam lithography. A suspended PMMA structure was cured using an ion-beam modification technique using a 30-kV Ga+ FIB, and carbonized to a diamondlike carbon. In addition, we analyzed the vibrational properties of the cured PMMA nanowire to confirm that it functioned as a resonant structure.
The 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake: Displacement Reaching the Trench Axis
Authors: Fujiwara Toshiya , Kodaira Shuichi , No Tetsuo , Kaiho Yuka , Takahashi Narumi , Kaneda Yoshiyuki
Published: December 2011

Vertical and horizontal displacement that occurred up to the Japan trench likely contributed to formation of the tsunami.
Enhancing Hydrogen Evolution Activity in Water Splitting by Tailoring Li
+
-Ni(OH)
2
-Pt Interfaces
Authors: Subbaraman Ram , Tripkovic Dusan , Strmcnik Dusan , Chang Kee-Chul , Uchimura Masanobu , Paulikas Arvydas P. , Stamenkovic Vojislav , Markovic Nenad M.
Published: December 2011

Combining two different types of catalysts accelerated the hydrogen-generation step in water electrolysis.
Personalized Oncology Through Integrative High-Throughput Sequencing: A Pilot Study
Authors: Roychowdhury Sameek , Iyer Matthew K. , Robinson Dan R. , Lonigro Robert J. , Wu Yi-Mi , Cao Xuhong , Kalyana-Sundaram Shanker , Sam Lee , Balbin O. Alejandro , Quist Michael J. , Barrette Terrence , Everett Jessica , Siddiqui Javed , Kunju Lakshmi P. , Navone Nora , Araujo John C. , Troncoso Patricia , Logothetis Christopher J. , Innis Jeffrey W. , Smith David C. , Lao Christopher D. , Kim Scott Y. , Roberts J. Scott , Gruber Stephen B. , Pienta Kenneth J. , Talpaz Moshe , Chinnaiyan Arul M.
Published: December 2011

The mutations present in advanced cancers can be identified by integrative high-throughput sequencing to enable biomarker-driven clinical trials and, ultimately, treatment.
Genetic Screening to Beat Cancer
Authors: Nielson Carrie M.
Published: December 2011

Rapid screening for ovarian cancer genes is made possible by high-throughput sequencing.
It’s What You Do that Matters
Authors: Niewold Timothy B.
Published: December 2011

The risk for cardiovascular disease conferred by a well-established genetic variant can be eliminated by a healthier diet.
Prospective Evaluation of an Australian Pertussis Toxin IgG and IgA Enzyme Immunoassay
Authors: May Meryta L. , Doi Suhail A. , King David , Evans Jenny , Robson Jennifer M.
Published: December 2011

Serological diagnosis of recent pertussis infection is an important part of both clinical assessment and epidemiological documentation of this disease. Standardization of serological testing and interpretation remains challenging despite international efforts to improve it. Currently, determining the anti-pertussis toxin (PT) IgG titer is recommended as the most accurate serological test in Europe and the United States, while Australia relies predominantly on measurement of
Bordetella pertussis
IgA antibody responses. Using
B. pertussis
PCR and the WHO clinical case definition as reference standards, the diagnostic utility of in-house anti-PT IgG and anti-PT IgA assays was evaluated prospectively in an Australian community-based cohort (
n
= 327). Patients provided up to four consecutive serum samples to document the kinetics of antibody response and decay. Previously validated cutoffs for positivity were converted to international units by using WHO-approved reference sera. At currently used cutoffs, both anti-PT IgG (>94 IU/ml) and anti-PT IgA (>20 IU/ml) assays had good specificity (80% [95% confidence interval {95% CI}, 68 to 88%] and 87% [95% CI, 77 to 94%]), but anti-PT IgG assay was consistently more sensitive than anti-PT IgA assay across a range of cutoffs (60 to 79% [95% CI, 53 to 84%] versus 41 to 62% [95% CI, 34 to 69%]). The combination of anti-PT IgG and anti-PT IgA assays performed no better than anti-PT IgG assay alone. The anti-PT IgA response in children under 12 years of age was poor. The accuracy of serology was optimal between 2 and 8 weeks after symptom onset. Cutoffs of >94 IU/ml for anti-PT IgG and >20 IU/ml for anti-PT IgA correlated well with recent pertussis infection and were consistent with recent recommendations from the EU Pertstrain group. Anti-PT IgG assay was superior to anti-PT IgA assay as the test of choice for the diagnosis of pertussis from a single sample.
Life-Threatening Respiratory Tract Disease with Human Bocavirus-1 Infection in a 4-Year-Old Child
Authors: Edner Niklas , Castillo-Rodas Paul , Falk Lars , Hedman Klaus , Söderlund-Venermo Maria , Allander Tobias
Published: December 2011

The disease spectrum associated with human bocavirus-1 infection remains to be fully defined. We report a case of bocavirus-1-associated bronchiolitis, leading to severe respiratory failure and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a 4-year-old child, and suggest blood testing for human bocavirus-1 in children with severe respiratory tract infection.
Genome Analysis of Bat Adenovirus 2: Indications of Interspecies Transmission
Authors: Kohl Claudia , Vidovszky Márton Z. , Mühldorfer Kristin , Dabrowski Piotr Wojtek , Radonić Aleksandar , Nitsche Andreas , Wibbelt Gudrun , Kurth Andreas , Harrach Balázs
Published: December 2011

The genome of bat adenovirus 2 was sequenced and analyzed. It is similar in size (31,616 bp) to the genomes of bat adenovirus 3 and canine adenoviruses 1 and 2. These four viruses are monophyletic and share an identical genome organization, with one E3 gene and four E4 genes unique to this group among the mastadenoviruses. These findings suggest that canine adenoviruses may have originated by interspecies transfer of a vespertilionid bat adenovirus.
Elicitation of Anti-1918 Influenza Virus Immunity Early in Life Prevents Morbidity and Lower Levels of Lung Infection by 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus in Aged Mice
Authors: Giles Brendan M. , Bissel Stephanie J. , Craigo Jodi K. , DeAlmeida Dilhari R. , Wiley Clayton A. , Tumpey Terrence M. , Ross Ted M.
Published: December 2011

The Spanish influenza virus pandemic of 1918 was responsible for 40 million to 50 million deaths and is antigenically similar to the swine lineage 2009 pandemic influenza virus. Emergence of the 2009 pandemic from swine into humans has raised the possibility that low levels of cross-protective immunity to past shared epitopes could confer protection. In this study, influenza viruslike particles (VLPs) were engineered to express the hemagglutinin (HA) and genes from the 1918 influenza virus to evaluate the duration of cross-protection to the H1N1 pandemic strain by vaccinating young mice (8 to 12 weeks) and then allowing the animals to age to 20 months. This immunity was long lasting, with homologous receptor-blocking antibodies detected throughout the lifespan of vaccinated mice. Furthermore, the 1918 VLPs fully protected aged mice from 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus challenge 16 months after vaccination. Histopathological assessment showed that aged vaccinated mice had significant protection from alveolar infection but less protection of the bronchial tissue than adult vaccinated mice. Additionally, passive transfer of immune serum from aged vaccinated mice resulted in protection from death but not morbidity. This is the first report describing the lifelong duration of cross-reactive immune responses elicited by a 1918 VLP vaccine in a murine model. Importantly, these lifelong immune responses did not result in decreased total viral replication but did prevent infection of the lower respiratory tract. These findings show that immunity acquired early in life can restrict the anatomical location of influenza viral replication, rather than preventing infection, in the aged.
Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Evades Host Cytokine Production via Replication Transactivator-Induced RelA Degradation
Authors: Dong Xiaonan , He Zhiheng , Durakoglugil Deniz , Arneson Lisa , Shen Yan , Feng Pinghui
Published: December 2011

Cytokines play crucial roles in curtailing the propagation and spread of pathogens within the host. As obligate pathogens, gammaherpesviruses have evolved a plethora of mechanisms to evade host immune responses. We have previously shown that murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV68) induces the degradation of RelA, an essential subunit of the transcriptionally active NF-κB dimer, to evade cytokine production. Here, we report that the immediately early gene product of γHV68,
r
eplication
t
rans
a
ctivator (RTA), functions as a ubiquitin E3 ligase to promote RelA degradation and abrogate cytokine production. A targeted genomic screen identified that RTA, out of 24 candidates, induces RelA degradation and abolishes NF-κB activation. Biochemical analyses indicated that RTA interacts with RelA and promotes RelA ubiquitination, thereby facilitating RelA degradation. Mutations within a conserved cysteine/histidine-rich, putative E3 ligase domain impaired the ability of RTA to induce RelA ubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, infection by recombinant γHV68 carrying mutations that diminish the E3 ligase activity of RTA resulted in more robust NF-κB activation and cytokine induction than did infection by wild-type γHV68. These findings support the conclusion that γHV68 subverts early NF-κB activation and cytokine production through RTA-induced RelA degradation, uncovering a key function of RTA that antagonizes the intrinsic cytokine production during gammaherpesvirus infection.