bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Response of Boar Sperm to the Treatment with Cholesterol‐Loaded Cyclodextrins Added Prior to Cryopreservation
Authors: Blanch E , Tomás C , Graham JK , Mocé E
Published: February 2012

Contents

Cryopreserved boar sperm is not used extensively for artificial insemination, owing to the poor fertility rates of the sperm after freezing and thawing. The sperm membrane is damaged as the cells are cooled from body temperature to 5°C (cold shock), as well as during the freeze–thaw process. Increasing the cholesterol content of boar sperm membranes could help them survive cryopreservation, similar to sperm from other species that are cold shock sensitive. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal cholesterol‐loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) concentration to use for boar sperm cryopreservation, and the influence of CLCs on the cryosurvival of sperm from boars classified as good or poor freezers. Treating boar sperm with 1 mg of CLC/120 × 106 sperm slightly improved (p < 0.05) the percentage of viable sperm after freezing–thawing. On the other hand, sperm, from both good and poor freezers, responded similarly to CLC treatment. Nevertheless, additional studies will be needed to study the effect of this treatment on other parameters of sperm quality.
Hydrocortisone and long‐term outcomes in very‐low‐birthweight infants
Authors: Yamasaki Chika , Uchiyama Atsushi , Nakanishi Hidehiko , Masumoto Kenichi , Aoyagi Hiroyuki , Washio Yosuke , Totsu Satsuki , Imai Ken , Kusuda Satoshi
Published: February 2012

Background:  The long‐term effects of hydrocortisone (HDC) used for very‐low‐birthweight (VLBW) infants with chronic lung disease (CLD) are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine the short‐term clinical effects and long‐term impact of a physiological replacement dose of HDC on acute deterioration of CLD in VLBW infants.

Methods:  This prospective case–control study included 110 of the 174 VLBW infants admitted to our facility between 2003 and 2006 who were followed up to a corrected age of 18 months. Infant deaths and infants with congenital deformities were excluded from the study. The infants were classified into the following three groups: infants with CLD and treated with HDC (1–2 mg/kg/dose) due to progressive deterioration in oxygenation (CLD treatment group; n= 24); infants with CLD but not treated with HDC (CLD untreated group; n= 40); and infants without CLD (non‐CLD group; n= 46).

Results:  The fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) in the CLD treatment group improved significantly after treatment (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of growth and neurodevelopmental quotient at the corrected age of 18 months following adjustment for birthweight, sex, and presence of light‐for‐date infants. There were also no significant intergroup differences in all three areas of developmental quotient.

Conclusions:  Physiological doses of HDC replacement are effective in treating acute deterioration in oxygenation in VLBW infants with CLD. Furthermore, this treatment modality did not adversely affect the growth and development of infants at the corrected age of 18 months.
Rapid genetic change underpins antagonistic coevolution in a natural host‐pathogen metapopulation
Authors: Thrall Peter H. , Laine Anna‐Liisa , Ravensdale Michael , Nemri Adnane , Dodds Peter N. , Barrett Luke G. , Burdon Jeremy J.
Published: February 2012

Ecology Letters(2012)15: 425–435

Antagonistic coevolution is a critical force driving the evolution of diversity, yet the selective processes underpinning reciprocal adaptive changes in nature are not well understood. Local adaptation studies demonstrate partner impacts on fitness and adaptive change, but do not directly expose genetic processes predicted by theory. Specifically, we have little knowledge of the relative importance of fluctuating selection vs. arms‐race dynamics in maintaining polymorphism in natural systems where metapopulation processes predominate. We conducted cross‐year epidemiological, infection and genetic studies of multiple wild host and pathogen populations in theLinum‐Melampsoraassociation. We observed asynchronous phenotypic fluctuations in resistance and infectivity among demes. Importantly, changes in allelic frequencies at pathogen infectivity loci, and in host recognition of these genetic variants, correlated with disease prevalence during natural epidemics. These data strongly support reciprocal coevolution maintaining balanced resistance and infectivity polymorphisms, and highlight the importance of characterising spatial and temporal dynamics in antagonistic interactions.
Ethnicity Effects in Graduates' Résumé Content
Authors: Hiemstra Annemarie M.F. , Derous Eva , Serlie Alec W. , Born Marise P.
Published: February 2012

Highly educated ethnic minority entrants in Western countries need more time to find a job compared to their Western ethnic majority counterparts. The present study examined whether this differential job access is partly explained by the way ethnic minorities present themselves in their résumés. To this end, a comparison between 100 non‐Western ethnic minority graduate résumés and 100 native Western ethnic majority graduate résumés was made. Non‐Western ethnic minorities score significantly lower on reported organisational internships, leadership experiences, and extracurricular activities. Although most effects were small, these differences in résumé content resulted in lower job suitability ratings for non‐Western ethnic minorities compared to Western ethnic majorities, as judged by professional recruiters/HR experts. Résumé presentation (e.g. layout and grammar) also was a significant predictor of job suitability ratings, but no ethnicity effects were found in these résumé characteristics. Because rater effects which may be related to hiring discrimination were controlled for, it can be concluded that the reported human capital in résumés can explain differential job access of ethnic minority compared to ethnic majority graduates. Theoretical and practical implications for assessing ethnic minorities upon organisational entry are discussed.
Personality‐Based Profile Matching in Personnel Selection: Estimates of Method Prevalence and Criterion‐Related Validity
Authors: Kulas John T.
Published: February 2012

Profile matching refers to selection based on applicant similarity to a pre‐specified pattern of standing across several mutually considered personality dimensions. Although many investigations support the use of personality data through univariate, linear‐based selection methodologies, there is no evidence within the literature that supports (or refutes) the use of profile matching. Regardless, a phone survey revealed that 62 per cent of consultative vendor organisations implement some form of profile matching. The current study addresses this scientist–practitioner void by investigating the broad, cross‐organisational viability of three different profile matching strategies (profile band specification, profile similarity estimation, and configural scoring). Although some specifications of profile matching came close (empirically) to challenging linear regression cross‐validation estimates, the profile matching strategy is considered to be burdened with additional conceptual concerns (primarily resulting from a lack of formal model specification) as well as practical limitations (for example, the likely creation of an artificial predictor ceiling). Linear regression is presented here as the more effective use of multi‐trait information; however, if practitioners continue to utilise profile matching, it is suggested that they consider either adopting a configural scoring approach or referencing an index of profile similarity rather than retaining and applying desired profile bands.
Working with young adults with Type 1 diabetes: Views of a multidisciplinary care team and implications for service delivery
Authors: Brierley S. , Eiser C. , Johnson B. , Young V. , Heller S.
Published: February 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, 677–681 (2012)

Aims  Young adults with Type 1 diabetes experience difficulties achieving glucose targets. Clinic attendance can be poor, although health and self‐care tend to be better among those who attend regularly. Our aims were to describe staff views about challenges working with this age‐group (16–21 years).

Methods  Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 staff from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals diabetes care team. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results  Three main themes emerged. Unique challenges working with young adults included staff emotional burden, the low priority given to self‐care by young adults and the complexity of the diabetes regimen. Working in a multidisciplinary team was complicated by differences in consultation styles, poor team cohesion and communication. An ideal service should include psychological support for the professional team, identification of key workers, and development of individualized care plans.

Conclusions  Staff differed in their views about how to achieve optimal management for young adults, but emphasized the need for greater patient‐centred care and a range of interventions appropriate for individual levels of need. They also wanted to increase their own skills and confidence working with this age‐group. While these results reflect the views of staff working in only one diabetes centre, they are likely to reflect the views of professionals delivering care to individuals of this age; replication is needed to determine their generalizability.
Ethnic differences in mother–infant language and gestural communications are associated with specific skills in infants
Authors: Tamis‐LeMonda Catherine S. , Song Lulu , Leavell Ashley Smith , Kahana‐Kalman Ronit , Yoshikawa Hirokazu
Published: February 2012

We examined gestural and verbal interactions in 226 mother–infant pairs from Mexican, Dominican, and African American backgrounds when infants were 14 months and 2 years of age, and related these interactions to infants’ emerging skills. At both ages, dyads were video‐recorded as they shared a wordless number book, a wordless emotion book, and beads and string. We coded mothers’ and infants’ gestures and language/vocalizations. Each maternal utterance was coded as referential (e.g. ‘That’s a bead’) or regulatory (e.g. ‘Put it there’). Mothers reported on infants’ gestural, receptive, and productive vocabularies at 14 months, and infants were assessed on receptive language, expressive language, and action sequencing and imitation at 2 years of age. Mothers of the three ethnicities differed in their gesturing, distributions of the two types of language, and coupling of language and gestures. Mothers’ ethnicity, language, and gestures were differentially associated with infants’ 2‐year skills. Mother–infant communicative interactions are foundational to infant learning and development, and ethnic differences in modes of early communication portend divergent pathways in the development of specific skills.
Dynamic pointing triggers shifts of visual attention in young infants
Authors: Rohlfing Katharina J. , Longo Matthew R. , Bertenthal Bennett I.
Published: February 2012

Pointing, like eye gaze, is a deictic gesture that can be used to orient the attention of another person towards an object or an event. Previous research suggests that infants first begin to follow a pointing gesture between 10 and 13 months of age. We investigated whether sensitivity to pointing could be seen at younger ages employing a technique recently used to show early sensitivity to perceived eye gaze. Three experiments were conducted with 4.5‐ and 6.5‐month‐old infants. Our first goal was to examine whether these infants could show a systematic response to pointing by shifting their visual attention in the direction of a pointing gesture when we eliminated the difficulty of disengaging fixation from a pointing hand. The results from Experiments 1 and 2 suggest that a dynamic, but not a static, pointing gesture triggers shifts of visual attention in infants as young as 4.5 months of age. Our second goal was to clarify whether this response was based on sensitivity to the directional posture of the pointing hand, the motion of the pointing hand, or both. The results from Experiment 3 suggest that the direction of motion is necessary but not sufficient to orient infants’ attention toward a distal target. Infants shifted their attention in the direction of the pointing finger, but only when the hand was moving in the same direction. These results suggest that infants are prepared to orient to the distal referent of a pointing gesture which likely contributes to their learning the communicative function of pointing.
Debating Abortion, Deliberative Reciprocity and Parliamentary Advocacy
Authors: Weale Albert , Bicquelet Aude , Bara Judith
Published: February 2012

An influential model of deliberative democracy advances a principle of reciprocity as a norm of democratic debate on morally controversial issues. This norm is at odds with behaviour that has been observed in political campaigning and policy making where advocates of competing positions talk past one another. Does this inconsistency stem from a contrast between the normative and empirical or from not considering empirically plausible practices of democratic debate in which reciprocity might be respected? One such practice is free votes on conscience issues in the UK parliament. This article examines six second reading debates in the UK House of Commons on abortion legislation to assess whether, in favourable circumstances, political debate is consistent with reciprocity. Utilising computer-aided text analysis, via the Alceste program, it finds no gross departure from the norm of reciprocity, suitably operationalised, but neither does it find complete conformity to the norm of reciprocity. Because advocacy is an important component of political representation, deliberative norms are qualified in practice.
Very-Short-Term Probabilistic Forecasting of Wind Power With Generalized Logit–Normal Distributions
Authors: Pinson P.
Published: February 2012

Very-short-term probabilistic forecasts, which are essential for an optimal management of wind generation, ought to account for the non-linear and double-bounded nature of that stochastic process. They take here the form of discrete–continuous mixtures of generalized logit–normal distributions and probability masses at the bounds. Both auto-regressive and conditional parametric auto-regressive models are considered for the dynamics of their location and scale parameters. Estimation is performed in a recursive least squares framework with exponential forgetting. The superiority of this proposal over classical assumptions about the shape of predictive densities, e.g. normal and beta, is demonstrated on the basis of 10-min-ahead point and probabilistic forecasting at the Horns Rev wind farm in Denmark.
Estimating Probabilities in Recommendation Systems
Authors: Sun Mingxuan , Lebanon Guy , Kidwell Paul
Published: February 2012

Recommendation systems are emerging as an important business application with significant economic impact. Currently popular systems include Amazon's book recommendations, Netflix's movie recommendations and Pandora's music recommendations. We address the problem of estimating probabilities associated with recommendation system data by using non-parametric kernel smoothing. In our estimation we interpret missing items as randomly censored observations of preference relations and obtain efficient computation schemes by using combinatorial properties of generating functions. We demonstrate our approach with several case-studies involving real world movie recommendation data. The results are comparable with state of the art techniques while also providing probabilistic preference estimates outside the scope of traditional recommender systems.
How Information Scarcity Influences the Policy Agenda: Evidence from U.K. Immigration Policy
Authors: BOSWELL CHRISTINA
Published: February 2012

This article explores how patterns of information supply on policy problems influence political attention. It advances two central claims. First, different policy areas are associated with distinct practices in monitoring policy problems: Some produce abundant, ongoing, and reliable information, while others yield scarce, sporadic, and/or unreliable data. Second, these variations in information supply are likely to influence political attention, with information‐rich areas associated with a more proportionate distribution of attention, and information‐poor areas yielding punctuated attention. The article tests these claims through comparing U.K. political attention to asylum and illegal immigration. Asylum is observed on an ongoing basis through bureaucratic data, court hearings, and lay observations, producing more constant and proportiate political attention. Illegal immigration is observed sporadically through focusing events, usually police operations, eliciting more punctuated attention. These insights about political attention may also help explain why policy responses may be punctuated or incremental.
Postnatal histomorphogenesis of the mandible in the house mouse
Authors: Martinez‐Maza Cayetana , Montes Laëtitia , Lamrous Hayat , Ventura Jacint , Cubo Jorge
Published: February 2012

The mandible of the house mouse, Mus musculus, is a model structure for the study of the development and evolution of complex morphological systems. This research describes the histomorphogenesis of the house mouse mandible and analyses its biological significance from the first to the eighth postnatal weeks. Histological data allowed us to test a hypothesis concerning modularity in this structure. We measured the bone growth rates by fluorescent labelling and identified the bone tissue types through microscopic analysis of histological cross‐sections of the mandible during its postnatal development. The results provide evidence for a modular structure of the mouse mandible, as the alveolar region and the ascending ramus show histological differences throughout ontogeny. The alveolar region increases in length during the first two postnatal weeks by bone growth in the posterior region, while horizontally positioned incisors preclude bone growth in the anterior region. In the fourth postnatal week, growth dynamics shows a critical change. The alveolar region drifts laterally and the ramus becomes more vertical due to the medial growth direction of the coronoid region and the lateral growth of the ventral region of the ramus. Diet changes after weaning are probably involved in these morphological changes. In this way, the development of the masticatory muscles that insert on the ascending ramus may be particularly related to this shape modeling of the house mouse mandible.
Habitat and resource partitioning between abundant and relatively rare grazing ungulates
Authors: Macandza V. A. , Owen‐Smith N. , Cain J. W.
Published: February 2012

Species assemblages commonly include species persisting at low density alongside more abundant species, raising questions about the mechanisms enabling this coexistence. Relatively rare species may persist through (1) specializing on a narrow range of resource types that are sparsely but widely available or (2) precisely selecting patches where their favoured resources are concentrated that are only lightly exploited by more abundant species. Our study compared the habitat and resource use across a range of scales of relatively uncommon sable antelope with those of more abundant buffalo and zebra sharing a common preference for relatively tall grass. Buffalo occupied a wide range of habitat types, but shifted towards lowlands during the late dry season when water became limiting. Sable and zebra foraged year‐round in upland regions, undertaking journeys to water. Zebra occupied mainly the prevalent habitat type on basaltic substrates. Sable more narrowly exploited habitats on quartzitic sandstone where green leaves persisted in grasslands through the dry season, and favoured the grass species that retained green leaves. Buffalo and zebra were tolerant of grass that was mostly brown. Hence, the coexistence of sable was enabled by their precise selection for the green foliage remaining in between the depletion zones generated by the more abundant grazers. Nevertheless, the local sable distribution had contracted following an influx of zebra, suggesting that resource use distinctions were insufficient to prevent the competitive displacement of sable from a wider region by zebra. Hence, niche breadth and resource availability concepts both have relevance.
N‐Terminal pyroglutamate formation of Aβ38 and Aβ40 enforces oligomer formation and potency to disrupt hippocampal long‐term potentiation
Authors: Schlenzig Dagmar , Rönicke Raik , Cynis Holger , Ludwig Hans‐Henning , Scheel Eike , Reymann Klaus , Saido Takaomi , Hause Gerd , Schilling Stephan , Demuth Hans‐Ulrich
Published: February 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 121, 774–784.

Pyroglutamate (pGlu)‐modified amyloid peptides have been identified in sporadic and familial forms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the inherited disorders familial British and Danish Dementia (FBD and FDD). In this study, we characterized the aggregation of amyloid‐β protein Aβ37, Aβ38, Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADan species in vitro, which were modified by N‐terminal pGlu (pGlu‐Aβ3‐x, pGlu‐ADan) or possess the intact N‐terminus (Aβ1‐x, ADan). The pGlu‐modification confers rapid formation of oligomers and short fibrillar aggregates. In accordance with these observations, the pGlu‐modified Aβ38, Αβ40 and Αβ42 species inhibit hippocampal long term potentiation of synaptic response, but pGlu‐Aβ3‐42 showing the highest effect. Among the unmodified Aβ peptides, only Aβ1‐42 exhibites such propensity, which was similar to pGlu‐Aβ3‐38 and pGlu‐Aβ3‐40. Likewise, the amyloidogenic peptide pGlu‐ADan impaired synaptic potentiation more pronounced than N‐terminal unmodified ADan. The results were validated using conditioned media from cultivated HEK293 cells, which express APP variants favoring the formation of Aβ1‐x, Aβ3‐x or N‐truncated pGlu‐Aβ3‐x species. Hence, we show that the ability of different amyloid peptides to impair synaptic function apparently correlates to their potential to form oligomers as a common mechanism. The pGlu‐modification is apparently mediating a higher surface hydrophobicity, as shown by 1‐anilinonaphtalene‐8‐sulfonate fluorescence, which enforces potential to interfere with neuronal physiology.
The thermal structure of continental crust in active orogens: insight from Miocene eclogite and granulite xenoliths of the Pamir Mountains
Authors: GORDON S. M. , LUFFI P. , HACKER B. , VALLEY J. , SPICUZZA M. , KOZDON R. , KELEMEN P. , RATSHBACHER L. , MINAEV V.
Published: February 2012

Rare ultrahigh‐temperature–(near)ultrahigh‐pressure (UHT–near‐UHP) crustal xenoliths erupted at 11 Ma in the Pamir Mountains, southeastern Tajikistan, preserve a compositional and thermal record at mantle depths of crustal material subducted beneath the largest collisional orogen on Earth. A combination of oxygen‐isotope thermometry, major‐element thermobarometry and pseudosection analysis reveals that, prior to eruption, the xenoliths partially equilibrated at conditions ranging from 815 °C at 19 kbar to 1100 °C at 27 kbar for eclogites and granulites, and 884 °C at 20 kbar to 1012 °C at 33 kbar for garnet–phlogopite websterites. To reach these conditions, the eclogites and granulites must have undergone mica‐dehydration melting. The extraction depths exceed the present‐day Pamir Moho at ∼65 km depth and suggest an average thermal gradient of ∼12–13 °C km−1. The relatively cold geotherm implies the introduction of these rocks to mantle depths by subduction or gravitational foundering (transient crustal drip). The xenoliths provide a window into a part of the orogenic history in which crustal material reached UHT–(U)HP conditions, partially melted, and then decompressed, without being overprinted by the later post‐thermal relaxation history.
X Chromosome Inactivation in Women with Alcoholism
Authors: Manzardo Ann M. , Henkhaus Rebecca , Hidaka Brandon , Penick Elizabeth C. , Poje Albert B. , Butler Merlin G.
Published: February 2012

Background

All female mammals with 2 X chromosomes balance gene expression with males having only 1 X by inactivating one of their X chromosomes (X chromosome inactivation [XCI]). Analysis of XCI in females offers the opportunity to investigate both X‐linked genetic factors and early embryonic development that may contribute to alcoholism. Increases in the prevalence of skewing of XCI in women with alcoholism could implicate biological risk factors.

Methods

The pattern of XCI was examined in DNA isolated in blood from 44 adult women meeting DSM‐IV criteria for an alcohol use disorder and 45 control women with no known history of alcohol abuse or dependence. XCI status was determined by analyzing digested and undigested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of the polymorphic androgen receptor (AR) gene located on the X chromosome. Subjects were categorized into 3 groups based upon the degree of XCI skewness: random (50:50 to 64:36%), moderately skewed (65:35 to 80:20%), and highly skewed (>80:20%).

Results

XCI status from informative women with alcoholism was found to be random in 59% (n = 26), moderately skewed in 27% (n = 12), or highly skewed in 14% (n = 6). Control subjects showed 60, 29, and 11%, respectively. The distribution of skewed XCI observed among women with alcoholism did not differ statistically from that of control subjects (χ2 test = 0.14, 2 df, p = 0.93).

Conclusions

Our data did not support an increase in XCI skewness among women with alcoholism or implicate early developmental events associated with embryonic cell loss or unequal (nonrandom) expression of X‐linked gene(s) or defects in alcoholism among women.
Actin Dynamics in Development of Behavioral Sensitization After Withdrawal from Long‐Term Ethanol Administration to Mice
Authors: Shibasaki Masahiro , Kurokawa Kazuhiro , Mizuno Koji , Suzuki Tsutomu , Ohkuma Seitaro
Published: February 2012

Background and Methods

The present study investigated the role of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) in the brain of mice after withdrawal from continuous ethanol (EtOH) vapor inhalation for 9 days using C57BL/6J and ADF mutant mice.

Results

C57BL/6J mice with withdrawal signs 10 hours after withdrawal from EtOH vapor inhalation showed transient and significant enhancement of locomotor activity by a single injection of EtOH (2 g/kg, i.p.) and of EtOH‐induced place preference 3 days after withdrawal from EtOH vapor inhalation, suggesting the development of sensitization of locomotion activity to EtOH and of place preference 3 days after withdrawal from EtOH in C57BL/6J mice with EtOH physical dependence. The levels of ADF and G‐actin in the ventral tegmental area, including a little bit of surrounding tissues, increased immediately (0 hours), 10 hours, and 3 days after withdrawal from EtOH vapor. F‐actin, synaptic vesicle‐associated protein 38, and postsynaptic density 95 increased 0 hours and 3 days after withdrawal with their decreases 10 hours after withdrawal from EtOH vapor. An F‐actin stabilizing agent phalloidin (3 nmol/mouse/d, i.c.v., once a day) administered daily for 3 days after withdrawal from continuous EtOH vapor inhalation for 9 days significantly suppressed the increase in both EtOH‐induced place preference and locomotor activity by a single injection of EtOH 3 days after withdrawal from long‐term EtOH vapor inhalation for 9 days. In addition, the changes in behavioral sensitization in ADF mutant mice were significantly weaker than those observed in C57BL/6J mice (wild‐type mice for ADF mutant mice).

Conclusions

The findings presented here suggest that withdrawal from EtOH physical dependence causes behavioral sensitization to EtOH, which may be, at least in part, mediated by alternation of actin dynamics.
American Geriatrics Society Updated Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults
Authors:   The American Geriatrics Society 2012 Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel
Published: February 2012

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) continue to be prescribed and used as first‐line treatment for the most vulnerable of older adults, despite evidence of poor outcomes from the use of PIMs in older adults. PIMs now form an integral part of policy and practice and are incorporated into several quality measures. The specific aim of this project was to update the previous Beers Criteria using a comprehensive, systematic review and grading of the evidence on drug‐related problems and adverse drug events (ADEs) in older adults. This was accomplished through the support of The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the work of an interdisciplinary panel of 11 experts in geriatric care and pharmacotherapy who applied a modified Delphi method to the systematic review and grading to reach consensus on the updated 2012 AGS Beers Criteria. Fifty‐three medications or medication classes encompass the final updated Criteria, which are divided into three categories: potentially inappropriate medications and classes to avoid in older adults, potentially inappropriate medications and classes to avoid in older adults with certain diseases and syndromes that the drugs listed can exacerbate, and finally medications to be used with caution in older adults. This update has much strength, including the use of an evidence‐based approach using the Institute of Medicine standards and the development of a partnership to regularly update the Criteria. Thoughtful application of the Criteria will allow for (a) closer monitoring of drug use, (b) application of real‐time e‐prescribing and interventions to decrease ADEs in older adults, and (c) better patient outcomes.
Numerical Discretization‐Based Estimation Methods for Ordinary Differential Equation Models via Penalized Spline Smoothing with Applications in Biomedical Research
Authors: Wu Hulin , Xue Hongqi , Kumar Arun
Published: February 2012

Summary Differential equations are extensively used for modeling dynamics of physical processes in many scientific fields such as engineering, physics, and biomedical sciences. Parameter estimation of differential equation models is a challenging problem because of high computational cost and high‐dimensional parameter space. In this article, we propose a novel class of methods for estimating parameters in ordinary differential equation (ODE) models, which is motivated by HIV dynamics modeling. The new methods exploit the form of numerical discretization algorithms for an ODE solver to formulate estimating equations. First, a penalized‐spline approach is employed to estimate the state variables and the estimated state variables are then plugged in a discretization formula of an ODE solver to obtain the ODE parameter estimates via a regression approach. We consider three different order of discretization methods, Euler’s method, trapezoidal rule, and Runge–Kutta method. A higher‐order numerical algorithm reduces numerical error in the approximation of the derivative, which produces a more accurate estimate, but its computational cost is higher. To balance the computational cost and estimation accuracy, we demonstrate, via simulation studies, that the trapezoidal discretization‐based estimate is the best and is recommended for practical use. The asymptotic properties for the proposed numerical discretization‐based estimators are established. Comparisons between the proposed methods and existing methods show a clear benefit of the proposed methods in regards to the trade‐off between computational cost and estimation accuracy. We apply the proposed methods t an HIV study to further illustrate the usefulness of the proposed approaches.
Phenol‐Based Antioxidants and the In Vitro Methods Used for Their Assessment
Authors: Craft Brian D. , Kerrihard Adrian L. , Amarowicz Ryszard , Pegg Ronald B.
Published: February 2012

Abstract:  In recent years, much interest has been observed in the field of phenol‐based antioxidants. As a result of this, many analytical methods have been developed for the purpose of the quantification of phenolic and polyphenolic antioxidant capacities in biological materials. Many of these methods have been altered for application toward the in vitro assessment of antioxidant activities in animal and human model systems as well as in vivo. Due to the varied applicability and usage, methods for the assessment of phenol antioxidant capacities have become so widespread that they are often misused. It is the intent of this work to review the chemistry behind the antioxidant activity of phenolics as well as summarize the many methods applicable for the measurement of in vitro phenolic antioxidant capacity.
Evaluating Global Barriers to the Use of Red Palm Oil as an Intervention Food to Prevent Vitamin A Deficiency
Authors: Burri Betty J.
Published: February 2012

Abstract:  Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is an important cause of blindness and premature death. Red palm oil (RPO) is the richest food source of VA‐forming carotenoids. RPO carotenoid concentration and bioavailability were evaluated and this data used to estimate the amount of RPO needed to meet VA requirements. Amounts ranged from 6.7 to 29.2 g/d (1.5 to 6.5 tsp/d), which are easily consumed. The amount of RPO needed to supply recommended dietary intakes of VA for all 208100000 individuals most in danger for VAD worldwide for 1 y is 0.80 million metric tons, a fraction of annual world palm oil production. Despite its abundance, RPO has seldom been used for VAD prevention on a national level. Pareto charts were constructed to highlight the variables that influence the ability of RPO to prevent VAD on the national level. The most important variable by far was refining method. Most refining methods are designed to remove color and flavor from RPO, resulting in a bland product that lacks carotenoids. Thus, the important barriers to the use of RPO as a food‐based intervention to prevent VAD appear to be that: (1) RPO requires refining, limiting its profitability and availability for small farmers. (2) The goal of most refining methods is to create a low‐cost bland, odorless, and colorless fat which requires removal of carotenoids. (3) Cost, since RPO use competes with high‐dose VA supplements, which are heavily subsidized. It appears that RPO could prevent VAD in many food‐deficit countries if carotenoids were conserved during oil refining, and costs were low enough to make it an attractive alternative to nutritional supplements.
Commentary: The Complementarity of Intrapsychic and Intersubjective Dimensions of Social Reality
Authors: Jackson Michael D.
Published: February 2012

This comment revisits the pioneering work of George Devereux in arguing for a reintegration of ethnographic and psychological perspectives in anthropology. The focus is not on an epistemological fusion of these different perspectives but on methodological strategies whose measure of value may be practical, aesthetic, or interpretive, depending on the researcher's interests and the research subject's own concerns. [George Devereux, psychoanalytic anthropology, phenomenological anthropology]
Home birth and hospital birth trends in Bo, Sierra Leone
Authors: JACOBSEN KATHRYN H. , ABDIRAHMAN HAFSA A. , ANSUMANA RASHID , BOCKARIE ALFRED S. , BANGURA UMARU , JIMMY DAVID HENRY , MALANOSKI ANTHONY P. , SUNDUFU ABU JAMES , STENGER DAVID A.
Published: February 2012

Abstract  As of April 2010, all maternity care at government healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone is provided at no cost to patients. In late 2010, we conducted a community health census of 18 sections of the city of Bo (selected via randomized cluster sampling from 68 total sections). Among the 3421 women with a history of pregnancy who participated in the study, older women most often reported having a history of both home and hospital deliveries, while younger women showed a preference for hospital births. The proportion of lastborn children delivered at a healthcare facility increased from 71.8% of offspring 10–14 years old to 81.1% of those one to nine years old and 87.3% of infants born after April 2010. These findings suggest that the new maternal healthcare initiative has accelerated an existing trend toward a preference for healthcare facility births, at least in some urban parts of Sierra Leone.
Pregnancy outcomes and the effect of metformin treatment in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: an overview
Authors: GHAZEERI GHINA S. , NASSAR ANWAR H. , YOUNES ZEINA , AWWAD JOHNNY T.
Published: February 2012

This article is a review of the literature assessing pregnancy outcomes and the effect of metformin treatment among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A review of research published in English was undertaken using PubMed and MEDLINE databases. The weight of the available evidence suggests that pregnant women with PCOS are at an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth and early pregnancy loss. Obesity is a contributory factor for the increased risk of gestational diabetes in this group of women and is estimated to affect 5–40% of pregnant women with PCOS. The prevalence of other obstetric complications is estimated at 10–30% for gestational hypertension, 8–15% for pre‐eclampsia and 6–15% for preterm birth. The association between PCOS and early pregnancy loss may not be direct, wherein the presence of PCOS‐associated hyperinsulinemia, leading to hyperandrogenemia, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of early pregnancy loss. Apart from the role of metformin in improving the metabolic consequences accompanying PCOS, it has been shown to improve pregnancy rates in women with PCOS who are resistant to clomiphene citrate. In conclusion, pregnancy in women with PCOS is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes (multiple adverse obstetric risk). Whether metformin should be administered throughout pregnancy still remains controversial. Further prospective studies that foster a larger number of participants and adjust for all potentially confounding factors are needed.
Urinary steroid profile in early pregnancy after in vitro fertilization
Authors: BÍRÓ ILDIKÓ , BUFA ANITA , WILHELM FERENC , MÁNFAI ZOLTÁN , KILÁR FERENC , GOCZE PÉTER MIKLÓS
Published: February 2012

Objective. The aim of the study was to compare the levels of urinary steroid metabolites of patients with successful in vitro fertilization and patients who failed to achieve pregnancy. Design. Comparison of urinary steroid profiles prior to oocyte pick‐up and three weeks after embryo transfer. Setting. University hospital. Sample. Eleven women in the same age range with pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and eleven women who failed to achieve pregnancy. Methods. The standard “long” protocol was used for ovarian stimulation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection for assisted in vitro fertilization. The steroid metabolites in urine samples collected for 24 h were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Main outcome measures. Steroid metabolite levels in urine samples determined in the early pregnancy period. Results. The levels of androsterone, etiocholanolone, pregnanediol, tetrahydro‐11‐dehydrocorticosterone and tetrahydro‐corticosterone were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the urine of women with successful pregnancy three weeks after the embryo transfer, while the levels of tetrahydrocortisone, tetrahydrocortisol, allo‐tetrahydrocortisol and α‐cortolone became higher in the group of patients with unsuccessful pregnancy. Conclusions. The production of androgens, progesterone and corticoid steroid metabolites is altered in the early pregnancy period after in vitro fertilization.
Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder with oppositional defiant disorder in Swedish children – an open study of collaborative problem solving
Authors: Johnson Mats , Östlund Sven , Fransson Gunnar , Landgren Magnus , Nasic Salmir , Kadesjö Björn , Gillberg Christopher , Fernell Elisabeth
Published: February 2012

Aim:  To evaluate collaborative problem solving (CPS) in Swedish 6–13‐year‐old children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

Methods:  Seventeen families completed 6–10 sessions of CPS training. Primary outcome measures were SNAP‐IV [attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ODD scores] and Clinical Global Impression‐Improvement (CGI‐I) scores at baseline, post‐intervention and 6 months later. Secondary outcome measures were the Conners’ 10‐item scale and the Family Burden of Illness Module (FBIM).

Results:  All 17 participants completed the intervention. The whole group had significant reductions in SNAP‐IV ODD, ADHD, total Conners’ and FBIM scores, both at post‐intervention and at 6‐month follow‐up. Eight of the children, although significantly improved on ODD scores and the Conners’ emotional lability subscale at post‐intervention, had almost no improvement in hyperactivity/impulsivity. Post‐intervention, this group received stimulant medication for their ADHD. CGI‐I scores of much improved or very much improved were reached by 53% (9/17) of all at post‐intervention, and by 81% (13/16) at 6‐month follow‐up.

Conclusion:  Collaborative problem solving significantly reduced ODD, ADHD and emotional lability symptoms. A subgroup improved in their ADHD symptoms only after adding stimulant medication.
Relative Bone Width of the Edentulous Maxillary Ridge. Clinical Implications of Digital Assessment in Presurgical Implant Planning
Authors: Katsoulis Joannis , Enkling Norbert , Takeichi Takuro , Urban Istvan A. , Mericske‐Stern Regina , Avrampou Marianna
Published: February 2012

Background: Healthy, well‐structured mucosa may clinically disguise atrophic jawbone in preimplant diagnosis.

Purpose: To analyze bone width in relation to the complete ridge thickness comparing the anterior with the posterior edentulous maxilla.

Materials and Methods: Data of 52 patients (mean age 62 ± 9 years) who were edentulous for at least 1 year and who received implant treatment were analyzed. Computed tomography (CT) scans were obtained and virtually analyzed in perpendicular sections of 12 maxillary positions (central and lateral incisors, canines, premolars, and first molars) using an implant planning software. Absolute thickness of complete jaw, bone, and mucosa were digitally measured at crestal and basal ridge levels allowing for relative bone width (B‐rel) calculation.

Results: Mean B‐rel at crestal levels was lower than at basal levels (38.6% vs 51.5%, p < .001). Bone width increased significantly (p < .001) in the posterior maxilla at both levels, whereas the thickness of palatal and buccal mucosa was considerably stable. Mean basal B‐rel ranged from 49% (6.2 ± 2.0 mm) at incisors to 59% (9.0 ± 2.3 mm) at first molars (p < .001). Mean proportion of regions showing B‐rel < 50% were 43% at basal and 80% at crestal levels.

Conclusions: The osseous volume of a large edentulous ridge might be clinically overestimated in preimplant diagnosis, as the relative bone width was generally lower than 50%. Clinicians can use the present results of the virtual bone and mucosa measurements to have a better first estimation of the osseous proportion depending on the maxillary area. However, up to date implant therapy for the edentulous maxilla requires CT‐based prosthetically driven implant planning and preferably combination with guided implant placement by transferring planning information to a surgical template.
The Effect of Repeated Torque in Small Diameter Implants with Machined and Premachined Abutments
Authors: Saboury Abolfazl , Neshandar Asli Hamid , Vaziri Shahram
Published: February 2012

Background: Detorquing value is an important factor in the amount of preload stresses during abutment screw fastening. This study evaluated the percentage of detorque values in two‐piece machined titanium and premachined cast abutments in small diameter implants.

Materials and Methods: Three groups of five samples were evaluated. Group 1 (G1), machined titanium abutments, group 2 (G2), premachined cast straight abutments that cast with gold‐palladium, and group 3 (G3), premachined angled cast abutments that cast with the same alloy, were angled before casting. Each abutment was torque to 24 Ncm according to the manufacturer's instructions and detorqued five times. The means of detorquing and torquing values in all groups were recorded. The mean of detorque in each group as a percentage of the toque value was calculated. The data for all groups were compared and calculated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t‐test.

Results: Mean detorque values in G1, G2, and G3 were 88.1 ± 1.69, 93.1 ± 2.68, and 80.9 ± 4.95%, respectively. The ANOVA showed significant differences in mean of applied detorque (p < .001) and torque (p = .06) tightening among different groups. G2 had significantly greater detorque values (p < .05). No significant differences were found between G1 and G2. Surprisingly, abutment screw fracture occurred in three samples of G3.

Conclusions: G3 showed significant percentage torque reduction (p < .05) and exhibited abutment screw fracture during evaluation. G2 presented the lowest torque reduction. Screw fracture occurred only in G3.
Malpositioned Osseointegrated Implants Relocated with Segmental Osteotomies: A Retrospective Analysis of a Multicenter Case Series with a 1‐ to 15‐Year Follow‐Up
Authors: Stacchi Claudio , Chen Stephen T. , Raghoebar Gerry M. , Rosen Daren , Poggio Carlo E. , Ronda Marco , Bacchini Marco , Di Lenarda Roberto
Published: February 2012

Purpose: This multicenter case series evaluates retrospectively the clinical outcomes of malpositioned implants surgically relocated in a more convenient position by segmental osteotomies.

Materials and Methods: Authors who published, on indexed journals or books, works about malpositioned implant correction by segmental osteotomies were contacted. Five centers, out of 11 selected, accepted to participate in this study. The dental records of patients who underwent implant relocation procedures were reviewed. Implant survival rates were analyzed and a blinded assessor examined clinical photos and periapical radiographs to evaluate esthetic outcome (pink esthetic score [PES]) and changes of marginal bone level over time. Patients were requested to fill a verbal rating scale form about discomfort, compliance, and satisfaction related to the procedure.

Results: Fifteen malpositioned implants relocated by segmental osteotomies were followed for a period ranging from 1 to 15 years (mean 6.0 ± 3.9 years). The overall implant survival rate from baseline to the last follow‐up visit was 100%. The mean marginal bone loss was 0.36 mm at the 12‐month follow‐up visit and no relevant further changes were observed at the following examinations. Significant esthetic improvement was recorded at 1‐year examination with PES evaluation (p < .0001). Patients' feedback described this procedure as not excessively invasive and uncomfortable, reporting a high final satisfaction rate.

Conclusions: The present study suggests that implant relocation with segmental osteotomies could be an effective alternative method to correct the position of unrestorable malpositioned implants in a single‐stage surgery.