bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OsSUV3 dual helicase functions in salinity stress tolerance by maintaining photosynthesis and antioxidant machinery in rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. IR64)
Authors: Tuteja Narendra , Sahoo Ranjan Kumar , Garg Bharti , Tuteja Renu
Published: June 2013

To overcome the salinity‐induced loss of crop yield, a salinity‐tolerant trait is required. The SUV3 helicase is involved in the regulation of RNA surveillance and turnover in mitochondria, but the helicase activity of plant SUV3 and its role in abiotic stress tolerance have not been reported so far. Here we report that the Oryza sativa (rice) SUV3 protein exhibits DNA and RNA helicase, and ATPase activities. Furthermore, we report that SUV3 is induced in rice seedlings in response to high levels of salt. Its expression, driven by a constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter in IR64 transgenic rice plants, confers salinity tolerance. The T1 and T2 sense transgenic lines showed tolerance to high salinity and fully matured without any loss in yields. The T2 transgenic lines also showed tolerance to drought stress. These results suggest that the introduced trait is functional and stable in transgenic rice plants. The rice SUV3 sense transgenic lines showed lesser lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage and H2O2 production, along with higher activities of antioxidant enzymes under salinity stress, as compared with wild type, vector control and antisense transgenic lines. These results suggest the existence of an efficient antioxidant defence system to cope with salinity‐induced oxidative damage. Overall, this study reports that plant SUV3 exhibits DNA and RNA helicase and ATPase activities, and provides direct evidence of its function in imparting salinity stress tolerance without yield loss. The possible mechanism could be that OsSUV3 helicase functions in salinity stress tolerance by improving photosynthesis and antioxidant machinery in transgenic rice.
Mastitis caused byMycobacterium kansasiiinfection in a dog
Authors: Murai Atsuko , Maruyama Soichi , Nagata Masahiko , Yuki Masashi
Published: June 2013

A 2‐year, 7‐month‐old female Chihuahua was admitted for a mammary mass measuring one cm in diameter. The dog had a history of demodicosis for 4 months and showed signs of pseudopregnancy at the time of the visit. Cytologic examination of an aspirate of the mass revealed a large number of macrophages containing nonstaining bacterial rods, which were acid‐fast in a Ziehl–Neelsen stain, suggesting mycobacterial infection. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a pyogranulomatous mastitis characterized by an infiltration with macrophages containing acid‐fast bacteria.Mycobacterium kansasiiwas subsequently cultured and identified byPCR. Surgical excision of the mass resulted in the growth of other dermal masses, but antimycobacterial treatment with rifampin and clarithromycin resolved these masses within 1 month. Three months after discontinuation of the treatment, similar organisms were found in aspirates of the enlarged bilateral inguinal lymph nodes by cytologic examination. Despite antimycobacterial treatment for another 4 months, there was no improvement and demodicosis also recurred. The dog eventually died of lymphoma 5 months after the relapse of mycobacterial infection. AlthoughMkansasiiis considered an important pathogen for pulmonary and cutaneous disease in people, there is only one report in a dog with an infection in a pleural effusion. As both adult‐onset demodicosis in dogs as well as mycobacterial infection in people have been associated with T‐lymphocyte deficiency, theMkansasiiinfection in this dog may have been associated with a condition of immune compromise.
Hyperparathyroidism caused by a functional parathyroid cyst
Authors: Suzuki Kunihiro , Sakuta Ayuko , Aoki Chie , Aso Yosimasa
Published: June 2013

A 67-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to our hospital for malaise and loss of appetite. Relevant biochemical examinations showed definite hypercalcaemia and elevated serum levels of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH). We performed thyroid ultrasonography and CT of the neck, which revealed a cystic lesion in the right lower lobe of the thyroid glands. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration was performed, and PTH level of the cystic fluid was markedly elevated. Technetium-99m-hexakis 2-methoxyisobutyi isonitrile sesta scintigraphy showed intense ring-shaped accumulation of radioactivity in the wall of the cyst. The patient underwent a right lobectomy to resect the cystic parathyroid adenoma. After surgery, her serum calcium and PTH level returned to normal ranges.
Streptococcus pneumoniaemycotic aneurysm with contiguous vertebral discitis treated by endovascular aortic repair and antibiotics
Authors: Watura Karen , Katsimihas Michael , Williams Martin
Published: June 2013

A 61-year-old man was admitted with a history of right upper quadrant and left iliac fossa pain and raised inflammatory markers. Initial investigations, including contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, were reported as normal. Following readmission 2 months later with thoracolumbar back pain and recurrent fevers, an MRI showed T11/12 discitis and an adjacent mycotic aneurysm of the aorta. CT angiogram confirmed an 8 cm mycotic aneurysm. A second, more distal aneurysm was found located at the left common femoral artery. The aortic aneurysm was treated by antegrade stenting. The left common femoral artery aneurysm was excised. The patient was also treated with antibiotics. He made a good recovery and was well 8 months later apart from mild residual thoracolumbar spinal pain. To date, he has been followed up for 1 year and remains asymptomatic.
Intracerebral haemorrhage, anticoagulation and mechanical heart valves: what should I do next?
Authors: Shah R , Shah D , Koganti S , Davies R
Published: June 2013

Life-long oral anticoagulant therapy is recommended to all patients with mechanical heart valves to reduce the incidence of thromboembolic events. However, intracerebral haemorrhage is the fatal complication associated with anticoagulation, with an estimated 6-month mortality of 67%. (1) The incidence of cerebral bleeding while on anticoagulation is 0.3–0.7%/year, with as many as 85% of survivors left with permanent neurological deficits. (2) Difficulties in management arise when anticoagulation is temporarily discontinued as mechanical valves, particularly mitral, are exposed to significant thromboembolic and valve dysfunction risk. The decision on when to appropriately restart anticoagulation needs to be balanced with the risk of precipitating further cerebral haemorrhage. There are currently no guidelines on the optimal time to start anticoagulation. We describe a case of the management approach implemented in a patient with a mechanical valve presenting to the emergency department with an acute intracerebral haemorrhage.
Diffuse perforated necrotising amoebic colitis with histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent individual presenting as an acute abdomen
Authors: Badyal Rama Kumari , Gupta Rajesh , Vaiphei Kim
Published: June 2013

Perforated necrotising amoebic colitis associated with intestinal histoplasmosis has rarely been reported in an immunocompetent individual. Radiology and preoperative features are non-specific and requires histopathological examination for a definitive diagnosis. Hence, this condition needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of complicated infective colitis.
Growth of corneal epithelial cells over in situ therapeutic contact lens after simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET)
Authors: Bhalekar Swapnil , Sangwan Virender S , Basu Sayan
Published: June 2013

An 11-year-old boy underwent simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET) from the healthy right eye to his left eye for total limbal stem cell deficiency. One month later, corneal surface epithelialised and whitish plaques overlying the transplants were seen inferiorly. Those plaques were adherent to the surface of the contact lens and underlying corneal surface had smooth elevations. Similar findings were noted in a 23-year man following cyanoacrylate glue application for corneal perforation. On histological and immunohistochemical analysis, cells lining the contact lenses were identified as corneal epithelial cells. These cases illustrate epithelial cell growth on the contact lens and epithelial hyperplasia on corresponding surface of the cornea. Exorbitant proliferation of the epithelial cells may be owing to young age; therefore, early contact lens removal after SLET in young age, can possibly avoid epithelial hyperplasia. This also reiterates the possibility of using contact lens as a scaffold to grow epithelial cells.
Bilateral dens evaginatus (talon cusp) in permanent maxillary lateral incisors: a rare developmental dental anomaly with great clinical significance
Authors: Manuja Naveen , Chaudhary Seema , Nagpal Rajni , Rallan Mandeep
Published: June 2013

Talon cusp is an accessory cusp-like structure which projects from the cingulum area or cementoenamel junction. It is important for dentists to be aware of the potential complications that may occur with talon cusp. Early diagnosis and treatment is important, especially to prevent pulpal complications in permanent teeth which may be in developing stage in paediatric patients. The purpose of this paper is to report a case of bilateral talon cusp in permanent maxillary lateral incisors. Associated dental anomalies and clinical problems are discussed along with successful management of the case with conservative therapy.
Glomus jugulare: high index of clinical suspicion is important for optimal management
Authors: Ahmad Mehtab , Malik Islahuddin Mohammed , Siddiqui Azfar , Malik Azharuddin Mohammed
Published: June 2013

Glomus tumour is a type of extra-adrenal chemodectoma or paraganglioma, originating within the wall of jugular bulb. We report a case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with hearing loss and pulsatile tinnitus. High index of suspicion and appropriate use of imaging led to early diagnosis. However, the patient did not give consent for surgery and was managed satisfactorily with radiotherapy.
Nebulised DNase post-therapeutic bronchoalveolar lavage in near fatal asthma exacerbation in an adult patient refractory to conventional treatment
Authors: Chia A C L , Menzies D , McKeon D J
Published: June 2013

Mucus plugging plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of fatal and near fatal asthma as demonstrated in various postmortem studies. There is a paucity of published literature on how to manage mucus plugging in adult patients with refractory asthma exacerbation not responding to conventional therapies as compared with its paediatric cohort. We describe a dramatic improvement with the use of rhDNase, following bronchoalveolar lavage in an intubated adult female patient, with status asthmaticus refractory to conventional treatment.
Successful treatment of pain in melorheostosis with zoledronate, with improvement on bone scintigraphy
Authors: Slimani Samy , Nezzar Adlen , Makhloufi Hachemi
Published: June 2013

Melorheostosis is a very rare sclerosing bone disorder that involves frequently one limb. It may be asymptomatic, but pain and limb deformity may occur and can be very debilitating. Different reports have indicated efficacy of bisphosphonates (pamidronate and etidronate) on symptoms. We report an adult patient with a very painful melorheostosis, who  improved after treatment with zoledronate, either on symptoms or on bone scans.
Rare sites of delayed metastasis in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Chawla Arun , Mishra Dilip , Bansal Rolika , Chundru Medha
Published: June 2013

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a lethal malignancy with a propensity for metastatic spread to any part of the body. The common sites of metastases from RCC include lungs, adrenals, intestines and brain and most intra-abdominal organs which may present as synchronous or metachronous to the primary tumour. A long follow-up is advised to deal with the risk of delayed metastases even when the primary has been well controlled. There have been few case reports in regard to rare sites of RCC metastasis. In this series of three cases, we present three rarest sites of metastatic RCC reported after 5 years of the primary malignancy.
Sinus pauses and high-grade atrioventricular block in Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy with pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism
Authors: Rahmat N , Venables P
Published: June 2013

Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is a rare inherited syndrome involving the molecular defects in the gene encoding the α subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gsα). AHO has several variants, mainly pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) and pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP). We present a family that share the same inactivating GNAS1 mutation, the daughter being affected by PPHP and her late father with PHP. The daughter, in her late teens, presented with a long history of presyncopal and syncopal attacks. Her father died suddenly in his mid-40 s. As expected, her laboratory tests to date have shown normal biochemistry and hormonal levels. Subsequently, an implantable loop recorder was inserted. This demonstrated extreme sinus pauses of >11 s and also high-grade atrioventricular block. A dual-chamber pacemaker was therefore inserted.
Adenomatoid odontogenic tumour
Authors: Prakasam Michael , Tiwari Saba , Satpathy Mrinal , Banda Vanaja Reddy
Published: June 2013

Adenomatoid odontogenic tumour (AOT) is a benign non-invasive odontogenic tumour, having mostly a slow and sustained growth pattern. AOT is an uncommon lesion of odontogenic origin, which affects young individuals, with a female predilection and mostly occurring in the second decade. In the literature, it has been considered as a hamartoma rather than a true neoplasm because of its limited size, minimal growth potential and the lack of recurrence. We present an extrafollicular central variant of AOT with a occurrence rate of 30%, adjacent to the incisors.
Florid osseous dysplasia
Authors: Mohan Ravi Prakash Sasankoti , Verma Sankalp , Singh Udita , Agarwal Neha
Published: June 2013

Florid osseous dysplasia (FOD) is the most dramatic and rare variant of the cemento-osseous lesions in which the normal cancellous bone is replaced by dense, acellular cemento-osseous tissue in a background of fibrous connective tissue. It appears to be a widespread form of periapical cemental dysplasia (PCD). No clear definition indicates that when the multiple lesions of PCD can be termed as FOD. If PCD is identified in three or four quadrants or is extensive in one jaw, then it is considered as FOD. Here, in this article, we report a case of FOD in 35-year-old woman.
Mycotic aneurysm: a rare and dreaded complication of infective endocarditis
Authors: Singla Vivek , Sharma Rajni , Nagamani A C , Manjunath Cholenahally Nanjappa
Published: June 2013

Mycotic cerebral aneurysm is a rare and potentially fatal complication of infective endocarditis. A young man was diagnosed with culture negative infective endocarditis of mitral valve with cerebral aneurysm. The patient was started on conservative management, but he died owing to intracerebral haemorrhage. In the absence of large randomised trials, there is a lack of consensus regarding the management of unruptured aneurysms. Since mycotic aneurysms are known to resolve or decrease in size with antimicrobial therapy, several institutions advice the conservative approach. A few case reports like the present case have shown that the risk of aneurysmal rupture and death is considerably high with the conservative approach. Endovascular therapy has shown to reduce the mortality in this subgroup. These patients should be managed aggressively with endovascular or surgical procedure along with antimicrobial therapy.
Aggressive fibromatosis (desmoid tumour) of the head and neck: a benign neoplasm with high recurrence
Authors: Prabhu Raghunath , Natarajan Arjun , Shenoy Rajgopal , Vaidya Kuldeep
Published: June 2013

A 50-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of swelling over the right side of neck. The swelling was associated with dull aching pain radiating to the forearm without associated weakness of upper extremity or sensory loss. There was no history of trauma. On examination a fixed mass approximately 8×6 cm in size, smooth, firm in consistency, with ill-defined margins was present in the right posterior triangle. MRI scan of the neck revealed well-defined, lobulated, heterogeneously enhancing altered signal intensity mass at the root of neck. Debulking of the tumour was performed in view of its close proximity to the brachial plexus. Histopathology revealed aggressive fibromatosis (AF). AF is a benign fibrous neoplasm arising from fascia, periosteum and musculoaponeurotic structures of the body. AF in the head and neck region tends to be locally aggressive with a nature to invade bone and soft tissue structures.
Veterinary cardiology: a journey through time
Authors: Boswood Adrian
Published: June 2013

Adrian Boswood poses the question of which diagnostic tool veterinary cardiologists would choose today if they were allowed only one. He then looks back over the past 125 years, considering the development of different diagnostic aids and explains how they have affected the discipline.
Root-colonizing and soil-borne communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a temperate forest understorey
Authors: Saks Ülle , Davison John , Öpik Maarja , Vasar Martti , Moora Mari , Zobel Martin
Published: June 2013

We analyzed arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities in plant root samples from a natural forest ecosystem — a primeval forest in Järvselja, Estonia. AMF small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA genes were subjected to 454-pyrosequencing and BLAST-based taxonomic identification. Seventy-six AMF sequence groups (virtual taxa, VT) were identified from plant roots. Taken together with seven additional VT recorded in an earlier investigation of soil AMF communities at the site, this represents the highest number of AMF reported from a single ecosystem to date. The six study plant species hosted similar AMF communities. However, AMF community composition in plant roots was significantly different from that in soil and considerably more VT were retrieved from roots than from soil. AMF VT identified from plant roots as a whole and from individual plant species were frequently phylogenetically clustered compared with local and global taxon pools, suggesting that nonrandom assembly processes, notably habitat filtering, may have shaped fungal assemblages. In contrast, the phylogenetic dispersion of AMF communities in soil did not differ from random subsets of the local or global taxon pools.
Experimental and numerical study of adhesively bonded glass fibre-reinforced polymer – to-steel double-shear lap splices
Authors: Rameshni Ramin , Arcovio Stefano , Green Mark , MacDougall Colin
Published: June 2013

This study investigates, experimentally and using finite element analysis, the adhesive bond between glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) and steel. Seventeen double-shear lap-splice were fabricated and tested in tension. The results show that the methacrylate adhesive used had higher bond strengths than the epoxy adhesive. A finite element model for selected test specimens was developed to analyze the stress within the adhesive. The model was verified by comparison with strain data from the shear lap-splice tests. The model was used to determine the maximum principal stress in the epoxy adhesive and the maximum shear strain in the methacrylate adhesive at failure, and thus quantify the characteristic strength of these adhesives. It was shown that the ductility of the methacrylate adhesive allowed it to yield at locations of stress concentrations, providing higher splice capacity, despite having a lower nominal shear strength as compared with the epoxy adhesive.
SPEEDUP-AWARE CO-SCHEDULES FOR EFFICIENT WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT
Authors: SHANTHARAM MANU , YOUN YOUNGTAE , RAGHAVAN PADMA
Published: June 2013

Many HPC systems run workloads comprising scientific simulations where the problem size is often fixed while model parameters are changed for each run. The speedup profile of such applications can often be determined using data from previous runs. Many applications exhibit sublinear speedups and thus only incremental improvements in execution time when larger numbers of processors are used. In this paper, we consider a workload of applications queued for execution and co-schedules that can exploit speedup profiles. More specifically, we seek co-schedules to reduce workload completion time (i.e., makespan), and total energy consumed by the system. Additionally, we explore how co-schedules may reduce average application turnaround time and thus benefit the user. We propose speedup-aware processor partitioning (SAPP) co-scheduling schemes, including optimal and greedy variants. We show that our greedy co-schedules reduce system energy, workload makespan and average application turnaround time when compared to a base scheme that runs each application on all available processors. Our experiments demonstrate that on a system with 128 processors, on average, our SAPP-greedy co-schedules can reduce makespan and turnaround time by 20% and decrease total energy consumed by 40%.
NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS IN 5D STANDING WAVE BRANEWORLD
Authors: GOGBERASHVILI MERAB , SAKHELASHVILI OTARI , TUKHASHVILI GIORGI
Published: June 2013

Within the 5D standing wave braneworld model numerical solutions of the equations for matter fields with various spins are found. It is shown that corresponding action integrals are factorizable and convergent over the extra coordinate, i.e. 4D fields are localized on the brane. We find that only left massless fermions are localized on the brane, while the right fermions are localized in the bulk. We demonstrate also quantization of Kaluza–Klein excited modes in our model.
EFFECT OF NONZERO θ13 ON THE MEASUREMENT OF θ23
Authors: RAUT SUSHANT K.
Published: June 2013

The moderately large measured value of θ13 signals a departure from the approximate two-flavor oscillation framework. As a consequence, the relation between the value of θ23 in nature, and the mixing angle measured in νμ disappearance experiments is nontrivial. In this paper, we calculate this relation analytically. We also derive the correct conversion between degenerate values of θ23 in the two octants. Through simulations of a νμ disappearance experiment, we show that there are observable consequences of not using the correct relation in calculating oscillation probabilities. These include a wrong best-fit value for θ23, and spurious sensitivity to the octant of θ23.
DISCUSSION OF THE CENTER OF MASS MOTION IN A SYSTEM WITH THREE DEGREES OF FREEDOM
Authors: SCHEID WERNER
Published: June 2013

This paper considers the problem of the center of mass motion of three fermionic particles, e. g., equal nucleons (no spin), which can move only in the x-direction in the laboratory system. This system (with three degrees of freedom only) is transformed to a system where one coordinate is proportional to the center of mass coordinate. The center of mass moves in a harmonic oscillator potential. The basis set of wave functions is constructed with Hermite polynomials in part. As example we study the case of a quadratic intrinsic potential between the particles. The problem may be important for the motion of three nucleons in a crystal channel.
Novel Application of Crystalline Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide Technology to LSI: Dynamically Reconfigurable Programmable Logic Device Based on Multi-Context Architecture
Authors: Okamoto Yuki , Nakagawa Takashi , Aoki Takeshi , Ikeda Masataka , Kozuma Munehiro , Osada Takeshi , Kurokawa Yoshiyuki , Ikeda Takayuki , Yamade Naoto , Okazaki Yutaka , Miyairi Hidekazu , Koyama Jun , Yamazaki Shunpei
Published: June 2013

A pass gate (PG) configured with a configuration memory (CM) composed of a c-axis aligned crystalline In-Ga-Zn-O (CAAC-IGZO) FET and a pass transistor composed of an NMOS FET is applied to a multi-context routing switch (MC-RS) of a dynamically reconfigurable programmable logic device (DRPLD) based on multi-context architecture (MC-DRPLD). The proposed PG (OS PG) requires fewer transistors than a conventional PG configured with an SRAM cell served as a CM (SRAM PG). A MC-RS configured with the OS PG (OS MC-RS) has enabled its layout area to be 40% less than that of a MC-RS configured with the SRAM PG (SRAM MC-RS). Further, the delays of the MC-RSs with 2 to 16 contexts have been reduced by 24% to 37%. The MC-DRPLD including the OS MC-RS can switch contexts in one clock (50 nsec) at a clock frequency of 20 MHz, which enables dynamic reconfiguration at high speed.
Polychromatic Single-Shot Spectroscopy on SOI-FET Trapped Electrons
Authors: Tenorio-Pearl Jaime Oscar , Milne William I , Hasko David G.
Published: June 2013

The behavior of trapped electrons, in a dielectric close to the channel of a silicon SOI-FET, is studied by cryogenic microwave spectroscopy. On-resonance microwave excitation causes one of these trapped electrons to undergo spatial Rabi oscillations between widely separated trap sites. This charge displacement causes a change in the drain current of the transistor, resulting in high quality factor resonances in continuous wave spectroscopy. The potential of this effect for non-classical information processing is investigated through polychromatic single-shot spectroscopy, using on-resonance and difference frequencies. Interaction between different trapped electrons is seen in the post excitation behavior and the possibilities of quantum gate operations are discussed.
Temperature Dependences of Transistor Characteristics of Single-Drain and Lightly-Doped-Drain Poly-Si TFTs
Authors: Kimura Mutsumi , Taya Jun , Nakashima Akihiro
Published: June 2013

We have compared temperature dependences of transistor characteristics between single-drain (SD) and lightly-doped-drain (LDD) poly-Si thin-film transistors (TFTs). It is found that the temperature dependence of the off-leakage current for the LDD TFT is larger because the electric field at the drain junction is weaker. Moreover, the change of the temperature dependence from low drain voltage (V
ds) to high V
ds for the LDD TFT is smaller because the main mechanism of the off-leakage current is always phonon-assisted tunneling, whereas that for the SD TFT shifts from the phonon-assisted tunneling to the band-to-band tunneling.
(Invited) Monolithic Integration of Oxides on Semiconductors
Authors: Demkov Alexander A. , Posadas Agham B. , Seo Hosung , Choi Miri , Kormondy Kristy J. , Ponath Patrick , Hatch Richard C. , McDaniel Martin D. , Ngo Thong Q. , Ekerdt John G.
Published: June 2013

Integration of functional oxides with semiconductors opens ways of creating novel hybrid architectures. However, epitaxy of these different types of materials brings challenges unlike those encountered in traditional semiconductor epitaxy. In this paper we will discuss our recent work on monolithic integration of perovskite oxides SrTiO3 and BaTiO3 on Si(001) and Ge(001), and the use of these pseudosubstrates to integrate other functional oxides using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and atomic layer deposition (ALD).
Possible Mechanisms Involved in Subthalamotomy-Induced Dyskinesia in Patients with Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Vilela-Filho Osvaldo , Silva Delson J. , Morais Barbara A. , Souza Joaquim T. , Ragazzo Paulo C.
Published: June 2013

Background/Aims: Operation-induced dyskinesia (OID) occurs in approximately 10% of patients submitted to subthalamotomy. The goal of the authors was to determine the possible causes of this feared complication. Methods: The 54 patients who underwent unilateral subthalamotomy were divided into two groups: the OID group (OIDG), composed of 6 patients who developed dyskinesia following the operation, and the control group (CG), consisting of 48 patients who did not present this complication. The two groups were compared regarding age; sex; presence of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) and/or stimulation-induced dyskinesia (SID); side of the operation; territories of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) involved by the lesion, and degree of lesion extension towards the zona incerta (ZI). Results: The lesion involved the dorsolateral territory of the STN and was almost completely restricted to this nucleus in all patients of the OIDG, while it spread to the ZI in all but 1 patient of the CG. SID was significantly (p < 0.05) more frequent in the OIDG. There was also a strong trend favoring LID (p = 0.055). Conclusions: Damage to the dorsolateral territory of the STN and sparing of the ZI seem to be essential for the development of OID. SID and, to a lesser extent, LID are apparently significant risk factors for the development of this complication.
Macrolide Therapy Decreases Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yao Guo-Yan , Ma Yan-Liang , Zhang Mo-Qin , Gao Zhan-Cheng
Published: June 2013

Background: Macrolide antibiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, and long-term administration may reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. Objective: To investigate the effects of long-term treatment of macrolide therapy for COPD. Methods: We searched the PubMed and Embase databases to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of macrolide therapy (of at least 2 weeks) for COPD. The primary outcome assessed was the frequency of acute exacerbations during follow-up. Results: Six trials involving 1,485 COPD patients were included in the analysis. Analysis of the pooled data of all 6 trials showed that macrolide administration reduced the frequency of acute exacerbations of COPD [risk ratio (RR) = 0.62; 95% CI 0.43-0.89, p = 0.01]. Subgroup analysis showed that only erythromycin might be associated with decreased COPD exacerbations (erythromycin: p = 0.04, azithromycin: p = 0.22, clarithromycin: p = 0.18). Moreover, macrolide therapy for 3 months did not significantly reduce the number of exacerbations (p = 0.18), whereas a beneficial effect was conclusive in the 6-month (p = 0.009) and 12-month (p = 0.03) treatment subgroups. In addition, nonfatal adverse events were more frequent in the macrolide treatment groups than in the controls (RR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.06-1.64, p = 0.01). However, related clinical factors had no influence on the overall result (p = 0.19). There was no publication bias among the included trials. Conclusions: Macrolide therapy was effective and safe in decreasing the frequency of exacerbations in patients with COPD. Treatment might provide a significant benefit but only when therapy lasts more than 6 months.
Single-Port Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Surgery Using a Modified Single-Port Device in Urology
Authors: Shi Lixin , Cai Wei , Dong Juan , Zhang Xu , Gao Jiangping , Song Tao , Sun Shengkun , Zu Qiang , Wang Wei
Published: June 2013

Objectives: To investigate the use of a flexible instrument platform in performing single-port laparoscopic retroperitoneal urologic surgeries and to verify the safety and feasibility of these surgeries. Methods: The homemade instrument platform consisted of two control loops and a powder-free surgical glove to form multichannels. 56 patients underwent this kind of single-port surgery for different urologic diseases, including radical nephrectomy in 31 patients, nephroureterectomy in 7 patients, partial nephrectomy in 8 patients, living donor nephrectomy in 4 patients, adrenalectomy in 3 patients, renal cyst surgery in 2 patients and ureterolithotomy in 1 patient. Results: All surgeries were completed successfully with no switch to conventional laparoscopic or open surgery. The mean hospital stay was 13.13 days (range 6-36). All patients were satisfied without major complications. Conclusions: Retroperitoneal laparoendoscopic single-site surgery using our cost-effective homemade instrument platform appears to be a feasible and safe surgical strategy to perform retroperitoneal laparoscopic urologic surgery.
Measurement of Salivary Cortisol as a Marker of Stress in Newborns in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Cabral Débora Macedo , Antonini Sonir Roberto Rauber , Custódio Rodrigo José , Martinelli Jr. Carlos Eduardo , da Silva Carlos Antonio Bruno
Published: June 2013

Aims: The study was designed to evaluate the newborn (NB) stress response during the inpatient time in the neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: A quantitative, prospective, observational study was conducted with two NB groups. The first group consisted of 12 NB patients in the neonatal intensive care unit as the experimental group (EG), and the second included 43 NBs who were sent to their own homes and were considered the control group (CG). The EG's salivary cortisol concentration was measured on the 2nd day (D2) and 9th day (D9) of life. The CG's salivary cortisol concentration was measured on the 14th day of life at the child's own home. Results: The salivary cortisol concentration levels for the EG on D2 and D9 and for the CG were 4.3151 ± 2.6492, 1.826 ± 1.2252, and 1.0166 ± 0.8300 ng/dl, respectively. These findings indicated the presence of an adrenal response to stress during the first inpatient days. Conclusions: The salivary cortisol concentration is an accurate method to indicate neonatal stress. The glucocorticoids frequently used in the prenatal period suppress the adrenal glands and interfere with the stress response.
The Key Role of Psychosocial Risk on Therapeutic Outcome in Obese Children and Adolescents. Results from a Longitudinal Multicenter Study
Authors: Röbl Markus , de Souza Martin , Schiel Ralf , Gellhaus Ines , Zwiauer Karl , Holl Reinhard W. , Wiegand Susanna
Published: June 2013

Objective: Childhood obesity is high on the global public health agenda. Although risk factors are well known, the influence of social risk on the therapeutic outcome of lifestyle intervention is poorly examined. This study aims to investigate the influence of migration background, low education, and parental unemployment. Methods: 62,147 patients participated in multidimensional lifestyle intervention programs in 179 pediatric obesity centers. Data were collected using standardized software for longitudinal multicenter documentation. 12,305 (19.8%) attended care for 6-24 months, undergoing an intensive therapy period and subsequent follow-ups for up to 3 years. A cumulative social risk score was calculated based on different risk indicators. Results: Migration background, low education, and parental employment significantly influenced the outcome of lifestyle intervention. The observed BMI-SDS reduction was significantly higher in the subgroup with low social risks factors (Δ BMI-SDS -0.19) compared to those presenting moderate (Δ BMI-SDS -0.14) and high social risk (Δ BMI-SDS -0.11). Conclusion: Our data underline the effect of children's social setting on the outcome of multidimensional lifestyle intervention. The presence of a high social risk burden is a negative predictor for successful weight loss. Specific therapeutic programs need to be developed for disadvantaged children and adolescents.
Minus Piggyback Lens Overlaying ReSTOR® Multifocal Lens in High Myopia
Authors: Gupta Isha , Oakey Zack , Stagg Brian C. , Ambati Balamurali K.
Published: June 2013

Background: We report the case of a 40-year-old female patient treated with implantation of the Acrysof® IQ ReSTOR® lens (Alcon, Fort Worth, Tex., USA) with overlaying Acrysof EXpand® minus piggyback lens (Alcon). Methods: The patient had high myopia and was diagnosed with presbyopia and bilateral posterior subcapsular cataract. She desired to be spectacle-free and opted to undergo bilateral placement of the ReSTOR multifocal lens. The necessary intraocular lens (IOL) power was +3.5 in the right eye and +4.0 in the left eye, though the range of commercially available ReSTOR lenses is +6.0 to +34.0 D. In order to achieve emmetropia in this case of high myopia, it was determined that an EXpand minus piggyback lens would be necessary. Results: Implantation of the ReSTOR lens with overlaying EXpand minus piggyback lens was performed successfully and without complication. At 5 months postoperatively, the patient had 20/20 uncorrected visual acuity in both eyes. She reported a high level of satisfaction and was able to return to her daily activities including reading and driving without spectacles. Conclusion: We report successful primary implantation of AcrySof EXpand minus piggyback lenses overlying the AcrySof IQ ReSTOR lens in a patient with high myopia. Long-term follow-up and further evaluation is necessary to establish piggyback IOL implantation with multifocal IOL as an accepted treatment for high myopia with presbyopia.
Liver Abscess following Hematogenous Transmission due to Rectal Foreign Body Perforation
Authors: Kobborg Martin , Trap Rete
Published: June 2013

Liver abscess caused by hematogenous transmission from a gastrointestinal perforation by a foreign body is a rare but life-threatening condition. We present the case of a 57-year-old male with a pyogenic liver abscess generated on the basis of a foreign body perforation of the rectum. This has not been reported previously. During the examination of the patient, computed tomography scan showed not only the liver abscess but also an inflammatory presacral process, which communicated with the rectum through a 6.5-cm-long foreign body. Subsequent sigmoidoscopy showed a toothpick placed transmurally in the rectum; the toothpick was removed endoscopically. We discuss the importance of computed tomography scans and colonoscopies in relation to liver abscesses of unknown etiology, including the importance of detecting possible perforation caused by possible foreign bodies, polyps or cancer.
Neural Correlates of Visual versus Abstract Letter Processing in Roman and Arabic Scripts
Authors: Carreiras Manuel , Perea Manuel , Gil-López Cristina , Abu Mallouh Reem , Salillas Elena
Published: June 2013

In alphabetic orthographies, letter identification is a critical process during the recognition of visually presented words. In the present experiment, we examined whether and when visual form influences letter processing in two very distinct alphabets (Roman and Arabic). Disentangling visual versus abstract letter representations was possible because letters in the Roman alphabet may look visually similar/dissimilar in lowercase and uppercase forms (e.g., c-C vs. r-R) and letters in the Arabic alphabet may look visually similar/dissimilar, depending on their position within a word (e.g., - vs. - ). We employed a masked priming same–different matching task while ERPs were measured from individuals who had learned the two alphabets at an early age. Results revealed a prime–target relatedness effect dependent on visual form in early components (P/N150) and a more abstract relatedness effect in a later component (P300). Importantly, the pattern of data was remarkably similar in the two alphabets. Thus, these data offer empirical support for a universal (i.e., across alphabets) hierarchical account of letter processing in which the time course of letter processing in different scripts follows a similar trajectory from visual features to visual form independent of abstract representations.
Associations between Basal Cortisol Levels and Memory Retrieval in Healthy Young Individuals
Authors: Ackermann Sandra , Hartmann Francina , Papassotiropoulos Andreas , de Quervain Dominique J.-F. , Rasch Björn
Published: June 2013

Cortisol is known to affect memory processes. On the one hand, stress-induced or pharmacologically induced elevations of cortisol levels enhance memory consolidation. On the other hand, such experimentally induced elevations of cortisol levels have been shown to impair memory retrieval. However, the effects of individual differences in basal cortisol levels on memory processes remain largely unknown. Here we tested whether individual differences in cortisol levels predict picture learning and recall in a large sample. A total of 1225 healthy young women and men viewed two different sets of emotional and neutral pictures on two consecutive days. Both sets were recalled after a short delay (10 min). On Day 2, the pictures seen on Day 1 were additionally recalled, resulting in a long-delay (20 hr) recall condition. Cortisol levels were measured three times on Days 1 and 2 via saliva samples before encoding, between encoding and recall as well as after recall testing. We show that stronger decreases in cortisol levels during retrieval testing were associated with better recall performance of pictures, regardless of emotional valence of the pictures or length of the retention interval (i.e., 10 min vs. 20 hr). In contrast, average cortisol levels during retrieval were not related to picture recall. Remarkably during encoding, individual differences in average cortisol levels as well as changes in cortisol did not predict memory recall. Our results support previous findings indicating that higher cortisol levels during retrieval testing hinders recall of episodic memories and extend this view onto interindividual changes in basal cortisol levels.
New chironomids from Eocene Sakhalinian amber (Diptera; Chironomidae; Orthocladiinae)
Authors: Baranov Viktor , Perkovsky Evgeny E.
Published: June 2013

Non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) are recorded in the Sakhalinian amber (Russia) for the first time.Pseudorthocladius zherikhinisp. n. is described in an extant genus of Orthocladiinae also known from the Baltic amber.Antillocladussp. (Orthocladiinae) is the first representative of this genus recorded from fossil resins.
A Summary of Convective-Core Vertical Velocity Properties Using ARM UHF Wind Profilers in Oklahoma
Authors: Giangrande Scott E. , Collis Scott , Straka Jerry , Protat Alain , Williams Christopher , Krueger Steven
Published: June 2013

This study presents a summary of the properties of deep convective updraft and downdraft cores over the central plains of the United States, accomplished using a novel and now-standard Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) scanning mode for a commercial wind-profiler system. A unique profiler-based hydrometeor fall-speed correction method modeled for the convective environment was adopted. Accuracy of the velocity retrievals from this effort is expected to be within 2 m s−1, with minimal bias and base core resolution expected near 1 km. Updraft cores are found to behave with height in reasonable agreement with aircraft observations of previous continental convection, including those of the Thunderstorm Project. Intense updraft cores with magnitudes exceeding 15 m s−1are routinely observed. Downdraft cores are less frequently observed, with weaker magnitudes than updrafts. Weak, positive correlations are found between updraft intensity (maximum) and updraft diameter length (coefficientrto 0.5 aloft). Negligible correlations are observed for downdraft core lengths and intensity.
Greenland Sea Surface Temperature Change and Accompanying Changes in the Northern Hemispheric Climate
Authors: Nakamura Mototaka
Published: June 2013

A sudden change in the reference Greenland Sea surface temperature (GSST) in 1979 is identified. It is found to be a part of complex changes in the northern North Atlantic seas. The GSST change, in particular, resulted in a major change in the near-surface baroclinicity in the region, in addition to a large change in the net surface heat flux at the air–sea boundary over the Greenland Sea. The differences in the atmospheric mean state between two periods, one before and the other after the GSST change in the late 1970s, resemble those between the high and low North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index states. In addition to the changes in the mean state, major changes in the interannual variability of the atmosphere are found. A particularly interesting change in the interannual variability is found in the relationship between July GSST and the NAO phase in the following February. There is a strong correlation between July GSST and the NAO phase in the following February before the late 1970s but not at all after the late 1970s. The characteristics of these changes suggest that they may be a part of the high-frequency details of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation.
Identification of the Eurasian–North Pacific Multidecadal Oscillation and Its Relationship to the AMO
Authors: Lee Ming-Ying , Hsu Huang-Hsiung
Published: June 2013

A multidecadal geopotential height pattern in the upper troposphere of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere (NH) is identified in this study. This pattern is characterized by the nearly zonal symmetry of geopotential height and temperature between 35° and 65°N and the equivalent barotropic vertical structure with the largest amplitude in the upper troposphere. This pattern is named the Eurasian–Pacific multidecadal oscillation (EAPMO) to describe its multidecadal time scale and the largest amplitudes over Eurasia and the North Pacific. Although nearly extending over the entire extratropics, the EAPMO exhibits larger amplitudes over western Europe, East Asia, and the North Pacific with a zonal scale equivalent to zonal wavenumbers 4 and 5. The zonally asymmetric perturbation tends to amplify over the major mountain ranges in the region, suggesting a significant topographic influence. The EAPMO has fluctuated concurrently with the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) at least since the beginning of the twentieth century. The numerical simulation results suggest that the EAPMO could be induced by the AMO-like sea surface temperature anomaly and strengthened regionally by topography, especially over the Asian highland region, although the amplitude was undersimulated.

This study found that the multidecadal variability of the upper-tropospheric geopotential height in the extratropical NH is much more complicated than in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere (SH). It takes both first (warming trend) and second (multidecadal) EOFs to explain the multidecadal variability in the extratropical NH, while only the first EOF, which exhibited a warming trend, is sufficient for the tropics and SH.
Atmospheric Rivers as Drought Busters on the U.S. West Coast
Authors: Dettinger Michael D.
Published: June 2013

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) have, in recent years, been recognized as the cause of the large majority of major floods in rivers all along the U.S. West Coast and as the source of 30%–50% of all precipitation in the same region. The present study surveys the frequency with which ARs have played a critical role as a common cause of the end of droughts on the West Coast. This question was based on the observation that, in most cases, droughts end abruptly as a result of the arrival of an especially wet month or, more exactly, a few very large storms. This observation is documented using both Palmer Drought Severity Index and 6-month Standardized Precipitation Index measures of drought occurrence for climate divisions across the conterminous United States from 1895 to 2010. When the individual storm sequences that contributed most to the wet months that broke historical West Coast droughts from 1950 to 2010 were evaluated, 33%–74% of droughts were broken by the arrival of landfalling AR storms. In the Pacific Northwest, 60%–74% of all persistent drought endings have been brought about by the arrival of AR storms. In California, about 33%–40% of all persistent drought endings have been brought about by landfalling AR storms, with more localized low pressure systems responsible for many of the remaining drought breaks.