bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of audit and feedback on physician’s prescribing indicators: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial with economic evaluation
Authors: Soleymani Fatemeh , Rashidian Arash , Dinarvand Rassoul , Kebriaeezade Abbas , Hosseini Mostafa , Abdollahi Mohammad
Published: December 2012

Background

Physician prescribing is the most frequent medical intervention with a highest impact on healthcare costs and outcomes. Therefore improving and promoting rational drug use is a great interest. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two forms of conducting prescribing audit and feedback interventions and a printed educational material intervention in improving physician prescribing.

Method/design

A four-arm randomized trial with economic evaluation will be conducted in Tehran. Three interventions (routine feedback, revised feedback, and printed educational material) and a no intervention control arm will be compared. Physicians working in outpatient practices are randomly allocated to one of the four arms using stratified randomized sampling. The interventions are developed based on a review of literature, physician interviews, current experiences in Iran and with theoretical insights from the Theory of Planned Behavior. Effects of the interventions on improving antibiotics and corticosteroids prescribing will be assessed in regression analyses. Cost data will be assessed from a health care provider’s perspective and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios will be calculated.

Discussion

This study will determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three interventions and allow us to determine the most effective interventions in improving prescribing pattern. If the interventions are cost-effective, they will likely be applied nationwide.

Trial registration

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials Registration Number: IRCT201106086740N1Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center of TUMS Ethics Committee Registration Number: 90-02-27-07
Queering the Sexual Impasse in Seventeenth-Century “Imperfect Enjoyment” Poetry
Authors: Bowen Scarlet
Published: December 2012

Responding to the recent turn in queer theory toward the aesthetic and away from the antisocial theory of sex, this essay argues for recuperating queer sexual formalism as a basis for ethical relationality and communality. The essay focuses on a group of seventeenth-century mock-love lyrics known as “imperfect enjoyments” that interrupt both sexual and formal heteroconventions, turning the sexual impasse into a queerly generative and procreative act. Although scholars traditionally read the poems as satires on sexual failure, I show that libertine poets' investments in philosophical materialism, particularly Lucretian materialism, decenter this form of generation, allowing for the exploration of nonnormative, unscripted forms of creativity and relationality to emerge. Rejecting the notion that queer theory is “postsex,” the essay draws on Lucretian materialism to highlight the unlimited metamorphic possibilities of rearranging both art and life forms.
“Permeable We!”
Authors: Bradway Teagan
Published: December 2012

This essay argues that Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's late-career turn toward positive affect is motivated by a desire to articulate an alternative ethical model to the governing paradigms of queer theory. Her ethics is premised on permeable intersubjectivity, based in the nonfoundational selves of post-structuralism and Buddhism. I map Sedgwick's ethics through her experimental memoir, A Dialogue on Love (1999), to demonstrate that its form locates subjectivity within a network of contingent, nonlinguistic, and reciprocal affective relations. By doing so, Dialogue models a permeable relationality that mitigates projective affects and offers a set of feelings more capacious than paranoia and more welcoming to queer possibilities for mutual nourishment, agency, and empathy. Sedgwick's ethics of intersubjectivity offers one way to expand queer theory's affective modalities to include a conception of durable and impersonal relations of holding that extend beyond the temporality of any one individual life.
Development of asthmatic inflammation in mice following early-life exposure to ambient environmental particulates and chronic allergen challenge
Authors: Herbert Cristan , Siegle Jessica S. , Shadie Alexander M. , Nikolaysen Stina , Garthwaite Linda , Hansbro Nicole G. , Foster Paul S. , Kumar Rakesh K.
Published: December 2012

Childhood exposure to environmental particulates increases the risk of development of asthma. The underlying mechanisms might include oxidant injury to airway epithelial cells (AEC). We investigated the ability of ambient environmental particulates to contribute to sensitization via the airways, and thus to the pathogenesis of childhood asthma. To do so, we devised a novel model in which weanling BALB/c mice were exposed to both ambient particulate pollutants and ovalbumin for sensitization via the respiratory tract, followed by chronic inhalational challenge with a low mass concentration of the antigen. We also examined whether these particulates caused oxidant injury and activation of AEC in vitro. Furthermore, we assessed the potential benefit of minimizing oxidative stress to AEC through the period of sensitization and challenge by dietary intervention. We found that characteristic features of asthmatic inflammation developed only in animals that received particulates at the same time as respiratory sensitization, and were then chronically challenged with allergen. However, these animals did not develop airway hyper-responsiveness. Ambient particulates induced epithelial injury in vitro, with evidence of oxidative stress, and production of both pro-inflammatory cytokines and Th2-promoting cytokines such as IL-33. Treatment of AEC with an antioxidant in vitro inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokine response to these particulates. Ambient particulates also induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression following administration to weanling mice. However, early-life dietary supplementation with antioxidants did not prevent the development of an asthmatic inflammatory response in animals that were exposed to particulates, sensitized and challenged. We conclude that injury to airway epithelium by ambient environmental particulates in early life is capable of promoting the development of an asthmatic inflammatory response in sensitized and antigen-challenged mice. These findings are likely to be relevant to the induction of childhood asthma.
Fabrication of ZnO Nanorods by Atmospheric-Pressure Solid-Source CVD Using Ethanol-Assisted Low-Temperature Vaporization
Authors: Miyamoto Sawako , Hasegawa Tetsuya , Takahashi Hiroyuki , Yonezawa Tetsu , Kiyono Hajime , Yanase Takashi , Nagahama Taro , Shimada Toshihiro
Published: December 2012

We report a method to produce vapor species from ZnO powder for the fabrication of ZnO nanorods. Mixing ethanol vapor with the inert carrier gas substantially lowered the gasification temperature of ZnO. c Axis-aligned ZnO nanorods were obtained by dispersing gold nanoparticles on Si substrates. The growth was identified as a vapor–solid (VS) mechanism. Choice of the substrate materials and their surface morphology were both critically important to control the shapes and orientation of grown ZnO.
New Complete Orthonormal Sets of Exponential-Type Orbitals in Standard Convention and Their Origin
Authors: Guseinov Israfil I
Published: December 2012

In standard convention, the new complete orthonormal sets of ψ(α*)-exponential type orbitals (ψ(α*)-ETOs) are introduced as functions of the complex or real spherical harmonics and (α★)-modified and L(p★)-generalized Laguerre polynomials ((α★)-MLPs and L(p★)-GLPs),

where, 0 < ζ < ∞, x = 2ζr, p* = 2l + 2 − α*, q* = n + l + 1 − α* and α* is the noninteger or integer (−∞ < α ≤ 2 for α* = α) frictional quantum number (−∞ < α*< 3 for α* ≠ α). It is shown that the origin of the ψ(α*)-ETOs, (α★)-MLPs and L(p★)-GLPs is the self-frictional quantum forces which are analog of radiation damping or self-frictional forces introduced by Lorentz in classical electrodynamics. The relations for the quantum self-frictional potentials in terms of ψ(α*)-ETOs, (α★)-MLPs, and L(p★)-GLPs, respectively, are established. We note that, in the case of disappearing frictional forces (for α* = 1 and ζ = Z/n), the ψ(α*)-ETOs and eigenvalue are reduced to the Schrödinger’s results in nonstandard convention for the hydrogen-like atom and, therefore, the ψ(α*)-ETOs become the noncomplete, i.e., ψnlm(1) ≡ ψnlm. Here, the ψnlm is Schrödinger’s wave function in nonstandard convention. As examples of an application of ψ(α*)-ETOs as basis sets, the calculations have been performed for the total energies of some atomic and ionic systems.
Magnetic Fe3O4 Nanoparticles as Efficient and Reusable Catalyst for the Green Synthesis of 2-Amino-4H-chromene in Aqueous Media
Authors: Safari Javad , Zarnegar Zohre , Heydarian Marzieh
Published: December 2012

A simple and efficient protocol for one-pot three-component coupling of aldehyde, malononitrile, and resorcinol in water using magnetically recoverable Fe3O4 nanoparticles at room temperature is reported. The high yields of products and short reaction time were attributed to the nanosize of about 18 nm in which the catalyst could act as a nanoreactor. This methodology is found to be fairly general and catalyst is easily separated by magnetic devices and can be reused without any apparent loss of activity for the reaction.
Targeting Structural Motifs of Flavonoid Diglycosides Using Collision-Induced Dissociation Experiments on Flavonoid/Pb2+ Complexes
Authors: Ilboudo Ousmane , Tapsoba Issa , Bonzi-Coulibaly Yvonne L. , Gerbaux Pascal
Published: December 2012

Differentiation of flavonoid congeners remains a challenging analytical problem and confirming the structures of the different isomers is difficult, even when they can be adequately separated from mixtures. In the present report, in order to overcome the limits of our recently proposed method that relies on the distinctive CID behaviors of [(flavonoid – H+) + Cu2+] complexes to obtain direct structural evidences, we decided to investigate the possibility of using Pb(II) complexation to generate significant differences upon CID. We selected five flavonoid diglycosides with targeted structural features to estimate the applicability of this methodology. Electrospray ionization from methanol—not acetonitrile—solutions was advantageously used for preparing the [(flavonoid diglycoside – H+) + Pb2+]+ complexes. Upon collisional activation, [(flavonoid diglycoside – H+) + Pb2+]+ ions mainly dissociate by glycosidic bond cleavage. Nevertheless, specific cross-ring cleavages are also induced and lead to a clear-cut determination of (i) the nature of the disaccharide group, i.e. rutinose or neohesperidose, (ii) the nature of the aglycone part, flavanone or flavone and (iii) the relative position of the disaccharide substituent on the aglycone part, i.e. 3– O– vs 7– O positions.
A first-principles theoretical study of hydrogen-bond dynamics and vibrational spectral diffusion in aqueous ionic solution: Water in the hydration shell of a fluoride ion
Authors: Choudhuri Jyoti Roy , Yadav Vivek K. , Karmakar Anwesa , Mallik Bhabani S. , Chandra Amalendu
Published: December 2012

We present a first-principles simulation study of vibrational spectral diffusion and hydrogen-bond dynamics in solution of a fluoride ion in deuterated water. The present calculations are based on ab initio molecular dynamics simulation for trajectory generation and wavelet analysis for calculations of frequency fluctuations. The O–D bonds of deuterated water in the anion hydration shell are found to have lower stretching frequency than the bulk water. The dynamical calculations of vibrational spectral diffusion for hydration shell water molecules reveal three time scales: a short-time relaxation (~100 fs) corresponding to the dynamics of intact ion-water hydrogen bonds, a slower relaxation (~7.5 ps) corresponding to the lifetimes of fluoride ion-water hydrogen bonds, and an even longer time scale (~26 ps) associated with the escape dynamics of water from the anion hydration shell. However, the slowest time scale is not observed when the vibrational spectral diffusion is calculated over O–D bonds of all water molecules, including those in the bulk.
Minimal Effect of Gene Clustering on Expression inEscherichia coli
Authors: Liang Lusha W , Hussein Razika , Block Dena H S , Lim Han N
Published: December 2012

Genes that interact or function together are often clustered in bacterial genomes, and it has been proposed that this clustering may affect gene expression. In this study, we directly compared gene expression in nonclustered arrangements and in three common clustered arrangements (codirectional, divergent, and operon) using synthetic circuits in Escherichia coli. We found that gene clustering had minimal effects on gene expression. Specifically, gene clustering did not alter constitutive expression levels or stochastic fluctuations in expression (“expression noise”). Remarkably, the expression of two genes that share the same chromosome position with the same promoter (operon) or with separate promoters (codirectional and divergent arrangements) was not significantly more correlated than genes at different chromosome positions (nonclustered arrangements). The only observed effect of clustering was increased transcription factor binding in codirectional and divergent gene arrangements due to DNA looping, but this is not a specific feature of clustering. In summary, we demonstrate that gene clustering is not a general modulator of gene expression, and therefore any effects of clustering are likely to occur only with specific genes or under certain conditions.
Towards methodologically more rigorous corpus-based translation studies
Authors: Sutter Gert , Goethals Patrick , Leuschner Torsten , Vandepitte Sonia
Published: December 2012

This paper argues in favour of a more rigorous methodology for corpusbased translation studies. According to our proposal, research papers in the field should be minimally required to (i) provide a meticulous overview of the corpus materials used and of the exact procedures for selecting, annotating and sifting the data; (ii) comment on any specific problems encountered during data selection and annotation, including explicit and motivated statements as to the solutions being adopted; (iii) include elaborate testing for statistical significance as a complement of, not in opposition to, thorough qualitative analysis. This approach, we suggest, not only offers a way around many theoretical and methodological problems that have been noted in the recent literature (e.g., House 2008; Becher 2010; Bernardini and Ferraresi 2011), it also facilitates more rigorous replication and reinterpretation of previous work, potentially leading to a re-assessment of some popular but unproven assumptions such as the notion that linguistic features in translations are independent of source language or genre. By thus moving forward the empirical cycle of testing and re-testing of hypotheses, the methodology advocated here encourages collaborative research, and leads ultimately to more scientific progress.
English is less rich in manner-of-motion verbs when translated from French
Authors: Cappelle Bert
Published: December 2012

This paper reports on a corpus-based method used to compare translated and non-translated English texts, more specifically with respect to how extensively they use verbs expressing manner of motion. On the basis of the well-known typological distinction between verb-framed and satellite-framed languages, it is hypothesized that English translations from French, which is a verb-framed language, contain relatively fewer manner-ofmotion verbs than originally produced English texts. Furthermore, no such difference should exist between English translated from German and original English, as Germanic languages are classified as satellite-framed. Both these hypotheses are borne out, both for self-motion (e.g. crawl, hop, scurry) and caused motion (e.g. chuck, heap, sweep). It is argued that these findings challenge the Explicitation Hypothesis and support the Unique Items Hypothesis.
Explicitation vs. implicitation: a bidirectional corpus-based analysis of causal connectives in french and dutch translations
Authors: Denturck Kathelijne
Published: December 2012

The present paper discusses the asymmetry hypothesis (Klaudy 2003) through a bidirectional qualitative translation analysis with reference to the expression of causal relations. Bidirectional analysis allows researchers to verify whether explicitations in one translation direction are counterbalanced by implicitations in the other translation direction. According to Klaudy’s (2009) asymmetry hypothesis, this is not the case since translators prefer operations involving explicitation over operations involving implicitation. The asymmetry hypothesis, studying translation in two translation directions of one language pair provides proof for the explicitation hypothesis as a universal strategy of translation. In this study we consider one language pair (French and Dutch), one text genre (novels) and one type of cohesive markers, i.e. causal conjunctions, to reveal the extent and nature of explicitation and implicitation in either direction. To this purpose, a bidirectional parallel corpus was compiled and the translations of sentences with one of four connectives in each language were scrutinized. The results show that, while there are indeed many instances of explicitation in both translation directions, a fair number of explicit causal markers were omitted in translation, suggesting that explicitation is counterbalanced by implicitation, thus contradicting the asymmetry hypothesis.
An analysis of explicitation in the COVALT corpus: The case of the substituting pronoun one(s) and its translation into catalan
Authors: Marco Josep
Published: December 2012

The so-called explicitation hypothesis was first formulated by Blum-Kulka (1986) and later put forward as a possible translation universal by corpus-based translation scholars. Even though it has given rise to a considerable body of literature, the notion is far from unproblematic as regards definition, nature of the findings and reasons underlying explicitating techniques. After providing a brief overview of the kinds of problems just mentioned, the present article attempts to determine to what extent explicitating techniques are used in the English-Catalan sub-corpus of the COVALT corpus with regard to a specific cohesive device, the substituting pronoun one(s). A number of translation techniques for dealing with the substituting pronoun are first identified and then arranged on the explicitation-implicitation scale. The results of the quantitative analysis provide evidence of explicitation, as explicitating techniques account for 17.89% of the total number of segment pairs where either explicitating or neutral techniques have been used. A qualitative analysis suggests that explicitating techniques tend to occur when clarity or even intelligibility are at stake. In line with previous research, the present study indicates that explicitation is used to make reference more unambiguous and to avoid repetition through the use of synonyms, both features making for more readable target texts.
Using a hybrid methodology in the analysis of the topic and non-topic markers wa and ga in Chinese-to-Japanese translation
Authors: Teng Minchun
Published: December 2012

This case study on Chinese-Japanese translation investigates the use of the topic marker wa and the non-topic marker ga in Japanese translations in contrast to Japanese non-translations. A small-scale comparable corpus of both translated and original Japanese texts was constructed, the results of which suggest that the frequency of the topic marker wa (a.o. compared to ga) is significantly higher in translation than in non-translated writings. The prevalence of wa in translations is argued to be an instantiation of a standardization tendency among translators. A follow-up questionnaire and interview study was conducted to investigate contexts in which the topic marker wa competed with ga. The results from this study show that translators tend to use wa even when ga is available, indicating the same trend toward standardization.
The Dharma’s Gatekeepers. Sakya Pandita on Buddhist Scholarship in Tibet, by Jonathan C. Gold
Authors: Samuel Geoffrey
Published: December 2012

The Dharma’s Gatekeepers. Sakya Pandita on Buddhist Scholarship in Tibet, by Jonathan C. Gold. New York: State University of New York Press, 2007. xii + 267pp. ISBN: 978-0-791471-65-4 (hbk); ISBN: 978-0-791471-66-1 (pbk). $65/$29.95.
Reading Against the Orientalist Grain: Performance and Politics Entwined with a Buddhist Stain, by Syed Jamil Ahmed
Authors: Samuel Geoffrey
Published: December 2012

Reading Against the Orientalist Grain: Performance and Politics Entwined with a Buddhist Stain, by Syed Jamil Ahmed. Kolkata, India: Anderson Printing House Pvt. Ltd. (www.andersonindia.com ), 2008. xv + 357pp. ISBN: 978-8-190671-90-3. Rs. 1500.
Determination of trace elements in refined gold samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry
Authors: Steharnik Mirjana , Todorovic Marija , Manojlovic Dragan , Stankovic Dalibor , Mutic Jelena , Trujic Vlastimir
Published: December 2012

This paper presents a method for determination the trace contents of silver,
copper, iron, palladium, zinc and platinum in refined gold samples.
Simultaneous inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer with
radial torch position and cross flow nebulizer was used for determination. In
order to compare the different calibration strategies, two sets of
calibration standards were prepared. The first set was based on matrix
matched calibration standards and the second was prepared without the
addition of matrix material. Detection limits for matrix matching
calibrations were higher for some elements than those without matrix
matching. In addition, the internal standardization method was applied and
experiments indicated that indium was the best option as internal standard.
The obtained results for gold sample by matrix matching and matrix free
calibrations were compared with the obtained results by standard addition
method. The accuracy of the methods was tested performing recovery test.
Recoveries for spiked sample were in the range of 90-115 %. The accuracy of
the methods was also tested by analysis of certified reference material of
high pure goldAuGHP1. The best results were achieved by matrix free
calibration and standard addition method using indium as internal standard at
wavelength of 230 nm.
Magnetic labelled HRP-polymer nanoparticles: A recyclable nanobiocatalyst
Authors: Khosravi Arezoo , Vossoughi Manouchehr , Shahrokhian Saeed , Alemzadeh Iran
Published: December 2012

In this paper, the reusability and process stability of nano-reengineered
horseradish peroxidase was investigated in fluorescence based sensing system
for hydrogen peroxide determination as a model application. To this end,
dendron macromolecules were attached to enzyme surface through
bio-conjugation techniques. The resulted enzyme-polymer nanoparticles, with
average size of 14(?2) nm, showed significant life time and thermal
stability. For enzyme recovery and reusability purposes, the enzyme-polymer
nanoparticles were labelled with magnetic nanoparticles with a labelling
yield of 90%. These labelled enzyme molecules showed significant process
stability up to 7 recycling period in a model sensing system. A linear
calibration curve was obtained over the hydrogen peroxide concentrations
ranging from 5?10-8 mol L-1 to 1?10-5 mol L-1 with detection limit of
1.3?10-9 mol L-1 for the sensing system under the optimal conditions.
Testing the quality of molecular structure descriptors. Vertex-degree-based topological indices
Authors: Gutman Ivan , Tosovic Jelena
Published: December 2012

The correlation ability of 20 vertex-degree-based topological indices,
occurring in the chemical literature, is tested for the case of standard
heats of formation and normal boiling points of octane isomers. It is found
that the correlation ability of many of these indices is either rather weak
or nil. The augmented Zagreb index and the atom-bond connectivity index yield
the best results.
The Effect of Political Sensitivity and Bargaining Power on Taxes: Evidence from Federal Contractors
Authors: Mills Lillian F. , Nutter Sarah E. , Schwab Casey M.
Published: December 2012

We investigate whether politically sensitive contractors pay higher taxes and whether their bargaining power reduces these tax costs. Using federal contractor data, we develop a new composite measure of political sensitivity that captures both the political visibility arising from federal contracts and the importance of federal contracts to the firm. We proxy for bargaining power using the firm-level proportion of contract revenues not subject to competition, the firm-level proportion of contract revenues arising from defense contracts, and industry-level concentration ratios. We find that politically sensitive firms pay higher federal taxes, all else equal. However, firms with greater bargaining power incur fewer tax-related political costs. Our study provides new evidence on the political cost hypothesis in a tax setting and the first evidence of the interactive effects of a firm's political sensitivity and bargaining power on tax-related political costs.

JEL Classifications: M41; H26
The Effects of Carbohydrate, Unsaturated Fat, and Protein Intake on Measures of Insulin Sensitivity
Authors: Gadgil Meghana D. , Appel Lawrence J. , Yeung Edwina , Anderson Cheryl A.M. , Sacks Frank M. , Miller Edgar R.
Published: December 2012

OBJECTIVE

Impaired insulin sensitivity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although calorie restriction and weight loss increase insulin sensitivity, the effects of modifying macronutrient composition on insulin sensitivity are uncertain. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects on insulin sensitivity of a carbohydrate-rich diet (CARB; similar to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH] diet), a protein-rich diet (PROT; protein predominantly from plant sources), and an unsaturated fat–rich diet (UNSAT; predominantly monounsaturated).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This study was a randomized, controlled, three-period, crossover feeding study. The study participants were 164 individuals with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension without diabetes. Diets were administered for 6 weeks each, with a washout period between diets of 2–4 weeks. Weight was held constant throughout the study. For our primary outcome, we calculated the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) using the end-of-period fasting serum glucose and insulin. QUICKI is a validated measure of insulin sensitivity. The primary analyses used generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

At baseline, mean (SD) BMI was 30.2 (6.1) kg/m2, and mean (SD) QUICKI was 0.35 (0.04). The UNSAT diet increased QUICKI by 0.005, more than the CARB diet (P = 0.04). PROT had no significant effect compared with CARB.

CONCLUSIONS

A diet that partially replaces carbohydrate with unsaturated fat may improve insulin sensitivity in a population at risk for cardiovascular disease. Given the well-recognized challenges of sustaining weight loss, our results suggest an alternative approach for improving insulin sensitivity.
Influence of Diabetes on Left Ventricular Systolic and Diastolic Function and on Long-Term Outcome After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: Höke Ulas , Thijssen Joep , van Bommel Rutger J. , van Erven Lieselot , van der Velde Enno T. , Holman Eduard R. , Schalij Martin J. , Bax Jeroen J. , Delgado Victoria , Marsan Nina Ajmone
Published: December 2012

OBJECTIVE

The influence of diabetes on cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains unclear. The aims of the current study were to 1) assess the changes in left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function and 2) evaluate long-term prognosis in CRT recipients with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 710 CRT recipients (171 with diabetes) were included from an ongoing registry. Echocardiographic evaluation, including LV systolic and diastolic function assessment, was performed at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Response to CRT was defined as a reduction of ≥15% in LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) at the 6-month follow-up. During long-term follow-up (median = 38 months), all-cause mortality (primary end point) and cardiac death or heart failure hospitalization (secondary end point) were recorded.

RESULTS

At the 6-month follow-up, significant LV reverse remodeling was observed both in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. However, the response to CRT occurred more frequently in non-diabetic patients than in diabetic patients (57 vs. 45%, P < 0.05). Furthermore, a significant improvement in LV diastolic function was observed both in diabetic and non-diabetic patients, but was more pronounced in non-diabetic patients. The determinants of the response to CRT among diabetic patients were LV dyssynchrony, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and insulin use. Both primary and secondary end points were more frequent in diabetic patients (P < 0.001). Particularly, diabetes was independently associated with all-cause mortality together with ischemic cardiomyopathy, renal function, LVESV, LV dyssynchrony, and LV diastolic dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart failure patients with diabetes exhibit significant improvements in LV systolic and diastolic function after CRT, although they are less pronounced than in non-diabetic patients. Diabetes was independently associated with all-cause mortality.
Impact of Prediabetic Status on Coronary Atherosclerosis
Authors: Kurihara Osamu , Takano Masamichi , Yamamoto Masanori , Shirakabe Akihiro , Kimata Nakahisa , Inami Toru , Kobayashi Nobuaki , Munakata Ryo , Murakami Daisuke , Inami Shigenobu , Okamatsu Kentaro , Ohba Takayoshi , Ibuki Chikao , Hata Noritake , Seino Yoshihiko , Mizuno Kyoichi
Published: December 2012

OBJECTIVE

To determine if prediabetes is associated with atherosclerosis of coronary arteries, we evaluated the degree of coronary atherosclerosis in nondiabetic, prediabetic, and diabetic patients by using coronary angioscopy to identify plaque vulnerability based on yellow color intensity.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixty-seven patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent angioscopic observation of multiple main-trunk coronary arteries. According to the American Diabetes Association guidelines, patients were divided into nondiabetic (n = 16), prediabetic (n = 28), and diabetic (n = 23) groups. Plaque color grade was defined as 1 (light yellow), 2 (yellow), or 3 (intense yellow) based on angioscopic findings. The number of yellow plaques (NYPs) per vessel and maximum yellow grade (MYG) were compared among the groups.

RESULTS

Mean NYP and MYG differed significantly between the groups (P = 0.01 and P = 0.047, respectively). These indexes were higher in prediabetic than in nondiabetic patients (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively), but similar in prediabetic and diabetic patients (P = 0.44 and P = 0.21, respectively). Diabetes and prediabetes were independent predictors of multiple yellow plaques (NYPs ≥2) in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio [OR] 10.8 [95% CI 2.09–55.6], P = 0.005; and OR 4.13 [95% CI 1.01–17.0], P = 0.049, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability were more advanced in prediabetic than in nondiabetic patients and comparable between prediabetic and diabetic patients. Slight or mild disorders in glucose metabolism, such as prediabetes, could be a risk factor for CAD, as is diabetes itself.
Influence of Nd:YAG Laser on the Bond Strength of Self-etching and Conventional Adhesive Systems to Dental Hard Tissues
Authors: Marimoto AK , Cunha LA , Yui KCK , Huhtala MFRL , Barcellos DC , Prakki A , Gonçalves SEP
Published: December 2012

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Nd:YAG laser on the shear bond strength to enamel and dentin of total and self-etch adhesives when the laser was applied over the adhesives, before they were photopolymerized, in an attempt to create a new bonding layer by dentin-adhesive melting.

Material and Methods

One-hundred twenty bovine incisors were ground to obtain flat surfaces. Specimens were divided into two substrate groups (n=60): substrate E (enamel) and substrate D (dentin). Each substrate group was subdivided into four groups (n=15), according to the surface treatment accomplished: X (Xeno III self-etching adhesive, control), XL (Xeno III + laser Nd:YAG irradiation at 140 mJ/10 Hz for 60 seconds + photopolymerization, experimental), S (acid etching + Single Bond conventional adhesive, Control), and SL (acid etching + Single Bond + laser Nd:YAG at 140 mJ/10 Hz for 60 seconds + photopolymerization, experimental). The bonding area was delimited with 3-mm-diameter adhesive tape for the bonding procedures. Cylinders of composite were fabricated on the bonding area using a Teflon matrix. The teeth were stored in water at 37°C/48 h and submitted to shear testing at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min in a universal testing machine. Results were analyzed with three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA; substrate, adhesive, and treatment) and Tukey tests (α=0.05). ANOVA revealed significant differences for the substrate, adhesive system, and type of treatment: lased or unlased (p<0.05). The mean shear bond strength values (MPa) for the enamel groups were X=20.2 ± 5.61, XL=23.6 ± 4.92, S=20.8 ± 4.55, SL=22.1 ± 5.14 and for the dentin groups were X=14.1 ± 7.51, XL=22.2 ± 6.45, S=11.2 ± 5.77, SL=15.9 ± 3.61. For dentin, Xeno III self-etch adhesive showed significantly higher shear bond strength compared with Single Bond total-etch adhesive; Nd:YAG laser irradiation showed significantly higher shear bond strength compared with control (unlased).

Conclusion

Nd:YAG laser application prior to photopolymerization of adhesive systems significantly increased the bond strength to dentin.
A Retrospective Clinical Study of Cervical Restorations: Longevity and Failure-Prognostic Variables
Authors: Namgung C , Rho YJ , Jin BH , Lim BS , Cho BH
Published: December 2012

The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to compare the longevity of cervical restorations between resin composite (RC) and glass ionomer (GI) and to investigate variables predictive of their outcome. The clinical performance of the two restorative materials in function was compared using the ratings of the modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. A total of 479 cervical restorations were included in the study. Ninety-one already-replaced restorations were reviewed from dental records. The other 388 restorations still in function were evaluated according to the modified USPHS criteria by two investigators. Longevity and prognostic variables were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. The clinical performances of the two materials were evaluated according to the ratings of the USPHS criteria and compared using the Pearson chi-square test and Fisher exact test. The longevity was not significantly different between RC and GI (median survival time, 10.4 ± 0.7 and 11.5 ± 1.1 years, respectively). The main reasons for failure were loss of retention (82.2%) and secondary caries (17.8%). The longevity of cervical restoration was significantly influenced by tooth group and operator group (Wald test, p<0.05), while material, gender, presence or absence of systemic diseases, arch, and reason for treatment did not affect the longevity. Contrary to the longevity, the clinical performance of RC was superior to GI in the criteria of retention, marginal discoloration, and marginal adaptation, but similar in secondary caries, wear, and postoperative sensitivity.
Outcome of surgical endodontic treatment in dogs: 15 cases (1995–2011)
Authors: Fulton Amy J. , Fiani Nadine , Arzi Boaz , Lommer Milinda J. , Kuntsi-Vaattovaara Helena , Verstraete Frank J. M.
Published: December 2012

Objective—To document the short- and long-term outcomes of surgical endodontic treatment in dogs in a clinical setting.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—15 dogs that underwent surgical endodontic treatment.

Procedures—Medical records of dogs that underwent surgical endodontic treatment at 3 institutions from January 1995 to December 2011 were reviewed. Information extracted included signalment, history, initial clinical signs, physical and radiographic examination findings, treatment, and outcome. Outcome was determined through evaluation of the pre- and postoperative radiographs as well as clinical and radiographic findings at follow-up evaluations. On the basis of radiographic findings, treatment was considered successful if the periapical lesion and bone defect created by surgery had completely healed and no new root resorption was detected; a treatment was considered to have no evidence of failure if the periapical lesion remained the same or had not completely resolved and root resorption was static.

Results—15 dogs were treated by means of apicoectomy and retrograde filling following a failed or complicated orthograde root canal treatment. The mean long-term follow-up time was 15.2 months (range, 3 to 50 months). On radiographic evaluation, 10 of 15 dogs had successful resolution of the periapical disease; 5 dogs had no radiographic evidence of failure of endodontic treatment. All dogs were considered to have a successful clinical outcome.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Surgical endodontic treatment was an effective option for salvaging endodontically diseased but periodontally healthy teeth of dogs in which orthograde treatment was unsuccessful and nonsurgical retreatment was unlikely to succeed.
Using simple elastic bands to explain quantum mechanics: a conceptual review of two of Aerts’ machine-models
Authors: Sassoli de Bianchi Massimiliano
Published: December 2012

From the beginning of his research, the Belgian physicist Diederik Aerts has shown great creativity in inventing a number of concrete machine-models that have played an important role in the development of general mathematical and conceptual formalisms for the description of the physical reality. These models can also be used to demystify much of the strangeness in the behavior of quantum entities, by allowing to have a peek at what’s going on behind the “quantum scenes,” during a measurement. In this author’s view, the importance of these machine-models, and of the approaches they have originated, have been so far seriously underappreciated by the physics community, despite their success in clarifying many challenges of quantum physics. To fill this gap, and encourage a greater number of researchers to take cognizance of the important work of so-called Geneva-Brussels school, we describe and analyze in this paper two of Aerts’ historical machine-models, whose operations are based on simple breakable elastic bands. The first one, called the spin quantum-machine, is able to replicate the quantum probabilities associated with the spin measurement of a spin-1/2 entity. The second one, called the connected vessels of water model (of which we shall present here an alternative version based on elastics) is able to violate Bell’s inequality, as coincidence measurements on entangled states can do.
Marine radar observations of iceberg distribution in the summer Southern Ocean
Authors: Lu Peng , Li Zhijun , Shi Liqiong , Huang Wenfeng
Published: December 2012

During the 19th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition from December 2002 to January 2003, 1085 icebergs were observed along the cruise track within the range 58–68° S in the Southern Ocean using the marine radar on the R/V Xuelong. These icebergs were located mainly in the Ross Sea, Weddell Sea and Prydz Bay with lengths ranging from 68 to 8169 m. Both power-law and Weibull functions are applied to the curve fitting of cumulative probability distribution of iceberg length in each region. The results reveal that the power-law function underestimates the measured data in the middle of the data, but overestimates them for both the smallest and largest iceberg sizes, whereas the Weibull function underestimates the measured data when iceberg length is large enough. To reduce the relative error increasing with iceberg length, the Weibull function is used only in fitting to iceberg lengths less than a threshold value of iceberg size (Lt) and the power-law function is used in fitting to iceberg lengths >Lt. The improved curve fits show a good correlation over the full range of the data. This clearly reveals that an upper limit of iceberg length exists in the good agreement between the Weibull function and the measured data, which is attributed to different thermodynamic effects on calving processes and subsequent modification of large and small icebergs. In addition, iceberg size in Prydz Bay increases and then decreases when approaching the Amery Ice Shelf as a result of bergy bits and growlers calved from large icebergs in front of the ice shelf.
Registration of ‘B2’ Connecticut Broadleaf Cigar‐Wrapper Tobacco Resistant to Fusarium Wilt, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Cyst Nematodes, and Blue Mold
Authors: LaMondia James A.
Published: December 2012

‘B2’ Connecticut broadleaf cigar‐wrapper tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) (Reg. No. CV‐124, PI 664300) is a male‐sterile hybrid released by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and is resistant to Fusarium wilt, Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), the tobacco cyst nematode [TCN; Globodera tabacum tabacum (Lownsbery and Lownsbery 1954) Stone 1973], and blue mold [caused by Peronospora tabacina de Bary Adam 1933 (= Peronospora hyoscyami de Bary 1863 f. sp. tabacina Skalicky 1964)]. Initial crosses were made in 1987 between VA‐81 and PD4 flue‐cured tobacco and three broadleaf inbreds resistant to Fusarium wilt [caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend.:Fr. f. sp. nicotianae (J. Johnson) W.C. Snyder & H.N. Hans.] and TMV. F2 selections were backcrossed twice to broadleaf lines, inbred and selected across 12 generations using bulk modified single‐seed descent with 2% of plants (20 plants of 1000) selected most years; selection for TMV and TCN resistance was conducted in greenhouse screens with fewer plants. Lines were field selected for reduced ozone weather fleck. One F12 selection was backcrossed again to the broadleaf cultivar ‘Scantic’ and inbred via pedigree selection across 10 generations with field and greenhouse selection. Progeny testing was used to select F8 plants homozygous for resistance to TCN and for hypersensitive TMV resistance from Nicotiana glutinosa L. A superior male‐fertile inbred (MF‐2) resulting from 27 generations of selection for broadleaf characteristics with 8 cycles of selection each for Fusarium wilt, TMV and TCN resistance was identified and crossed with a male‐sterile CT broadleaf line resistant to TMV and Fusarium wilt (MS‐1) to produce the F1 male‐sterile hybrid B2.
‘Prosper’: A High‐Yielding Hard Red Spring Wheat Cultivar Adapted to the North Central Plains of the USA
Authors: Mergoum Mohamed , Frohberg Richard C. , Stack Robert W. , Simsek Senay , Adhikari Tika B. , Rasmussen Jack B. , Zhong Shaobin , Acevedo Maricelis , Alamri Mohammed S. , Singh Pawan K. , Friesen Timothy L. , Anderson James A.
Published: December 2012

Providing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growers and industry with adapted wheat cultivars with high‐quality attributes is essential for maintaining wheat as a competitive crop in the spring‐wheat growing region of the USA. Therefore, our breeding program aims to develop modern wheat cultivars using both traditional and modern breeding tools. ‘Prosper’ (Reg. No. CV‐1080, PI 662387) hard red spring wheat was developed at North Dakota State University and released jointly by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station because of its good adaptation to the spring‐wheat‐growing regions in the U.S. North Central Plains. However, the high yield potential of Prosper under high rainfall conditions makes it more adapted mainly to wheat‐growing regions in eastern North Dakota, western Minnesota, and high‐rainfall regions of neighboring states. It has high yield potential and good milling and baking properties. Gene postulation shows that Prosper has the Lr21 gene, which confers resistance to leaf rust (caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks.). However, 2011 field observations show that Prosper is susceptible to a new race that overcomes the Lr21 gene. Prosper is resistant to stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Per.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn) and moderately resistant to Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab [caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe; telomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch].
Personality Characteristics of Dental Students in Relation to their Academic Performance
Authors: Hoque Afroza , Ara Iffat , Talukder Humayun Kabir , Hossain Sakhawat , Mashrur Abu Rushid Md , Azad SMS , Salahuddin Md , Akhter N
Published: December 2012

This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out to explore the relationship between the personality variables and academic performance of dental student. The study population was dental students. Study was carried out at one government and three non-government dental colleges. Sample size was 200 and sampling technique was purposive. Data was collected by self administered structured questionnaire. Academic performance data for each respondent were collected throughout the one academic year (2nd year) in dental students files. It was measured by two term examination marks of four subjects based on 1 hour 30 minutes written exams. Personality of dental student was assessed through the Big Five Inventory (BFI). This well-established questionnaire was a 44-item measure of the Big Five personality factors: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness. The self administered items involve questions about typical behaviours or reactions, which was answered on a five-point Likert scale. This study revealed that there was no statistically significant relationship between students personality characteristics and academic performance of dental students. Extraversion, neuroticism and openness had negative correlation with academic performance though it was not statistically significant. So, for better performance afore mention factors should be minimized as much as possible.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v1i1.12852 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education Vol.1(1) 2010 pp.1-7