bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study on long-term evoked auditory and visual potential responses between Schizophrenic patients and normal subjects
Authors: Huang Min-Wei , Chou Frank Huang-Chih , Lo Pei-Yu , Cheng Kuo-Sheng
Published: May 2011

Background

The electrical signals measuring method is recommended to examine the relationship between neuronal activities and measure with the event related potentials (ERPs) during an auditory and a visual oddball paradigm between schizophrenic patients and normal subjects. The aim of this study is to discriminate the activation changes of different stimulations evoked by auditory and visual ERPs between schizophrenic patients and normal subjects.

Methods

Forty-three schizophrenic patients were selected as experimental group patients, and 40 healthy subjects with no medical history of any kind of psychiatric diseases, neurological diseases, or drug abuse, were recruited as a control group. Auditory and visual ERPs were studied with an oddball paradigm. All the data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software version 10.0.

Results

In the comparative study of auditory and visual ERPs between the schizophrenic and healthy patients, P300 amplitude at Fz, Cz, and Pz and N100, N200, and P200 latencies at Fz, Cz, and Pz were shown significantly different. The cognitive processing reflected by the auditory and the visual P300 latency to rare target stimuli was probably an indicator of the cognitive function in schizophrenic patients.

Conclusions

This study shows the methodology of application of auditory and visual oddball paradigm identifies task-relevant sources of activity and allows separation of regions that have different response properties. Our study indicates that there may be slowness of automatic cognitive processing and controlled cognitive processing of visual ERPs compared to auditory ERPs in schizophrenic patients. The activation changes of visual evoked potentials are more regionally specific than auditory evoked potentials.
Absence of zoonotic Bartonella species in questing ticks: First detection of Bartonella clarridgeiae and Rickettsia felis in cat fleas in the Netherlands
Authors: Tijsse-Klasen Ellen , Fonville Manoj , Gassner Fedor , Nijhof Ard M , Hovius Emil KE , Jongejan Frans , Takken Willem , Reimerink Johan R , Overgaauw Paul AM , Sprong Hein
Published: May 2011

Background

Awareness for flea- and tick-borne infections has grown in recent years and the range of microorganisms associated with these ectoparasites is rising. Bartonella henselae, the causative agent of Cat Scratch Disease, and other Bartonella species have been reported in fleas and ticks. The role of Ixodes ricinus ticks in the natural cycle of Bartonella spp. and the transmission of these bacteria to humans is unclear. Rickettsia spp. have also been reported from as well ticks as also from fleas. However, to date no flea-borne Rickettsia spp. were reported from the Netherlands. Here, the presence of Bartonellaceae and Rickettsiae in ectoparasites was investigated using molecular detection and identification on part of the gltA- and 16S rRNA-genes.

Results

The zoonotic Bartonella clarridgeiae and Rickettsia felis were detected for the first time in Dutch cat fleas. B. henselae was found in cat fleas and B. schoenbuchensis in ticks and keds feeding on deer. Two Bartonella species, previously identified in rodents, were found in wild mice and their fleas. However, none of these microorganisms were found in 1719 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. Notably, the gltA gene amplified from DNA lysates of approximately 10% of the questing nymph and adult ticks was similar to that of an uncultured Bartonella- related species found in other hard tick species. The gltA gene of this Bartonella- related species was also detected in questing larvae for which a 16S rRNA gene PCR also tested positive for "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii" . The gltA-gene of the Bartonella- related species found in I. ricinus may therefore be from this endosymbiont.

Conclusions

We conclude that the risk of acquiring Cat Scratch Disease or a related bartonellosis from questing ticks in the Netherlands is negligible. On the other hand fleas and deer keds are probable vectors for associated Bartonella species between animals and might also transmit Bartonella spp. to humans.
Sedation and renal impairment in critically ill patients: a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial
Authors: Strøm Thomas , Johansen Rasmus R , Prahl Jens O , Toft Palle
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Not sedating critically ill patients reduces the time patients receive mechanical ventilation, decreases the time in the intensive care department and reduces the total hospital length of stay. We hypothesized that no sedation improves hemodynamic stability, decreases the need for vasoactive drugs, diminishes the need for extra fluids and lowers the risk of acute kidney injury.

Methods

We performed an evaluation on the database from our previous trial of 140 patients randomized to either no sedation vs. sedation with a daily interruption of sedatives. A total of 113 patients were included in the previous statistical analysis. Ten patients had pre-existing renal impairments and were excluded. Data were collected from observational cards and blood samples.

Results

A total of 103 patients were included in this retrospective review. We registered an increased urine output in the group receiving no sedation compared to the sedated control group (1.15 ml/kg/hour (0.59 to 1.53) vs. 0.88 ml/kg/hour (0.052 to 1.26), P = 0.03). In addition we saw a decrease in the number of patients with renal impairment according to the RIFLE classification (indicating Risk of renal dysfunction; Injury to the kidney; Failure of kidney function, Loss of kidney function and End-stage kidney disease) in the group receiving no sedation compared to the sedated control group (25 (51%) vs. 41 (76%), P = 0.012). The difference in the two groups with respect to mean arterial blood pressure, fluid balance and use of vasoactive drugs was not significant.

Conclusions

A no sedation strategy to patients undergoing mechanical ventilation increases the urine output and decreases the number of patients with renal impairments.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov registration number NCT00466492.
High-resolution three-term AVO inversion by means of a Trivariate Cauchy probability distribution
Authors: Alemie Wubshet , Sacchi Mauricio D.
Published: May 2011

Three-term AVO inversion can be used to estimate P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and density perturbations from reflection seismic data. The density term, however, exhibits little sensitivity to amplitudes and, therefore, its inversion is unstable. One way to stabilize the density term is by including a scale matrix that provides correlation information between the three unknown AVO parameters. We investigate a Bayesian procedure to include sparsity and a scale matrix in the three-term AVO inversion problem. To this end, we model the prior distribution of the AVO parameters via a Trivariate Cauchy distribution. We found an iterative algorithm to solve the Bayesian inversion and, in addition, comparisons are provided with the classical inversion approach that uses a Multivariate Gaussian prior. It is important to point out that the Multivariate Gaussian prior allows us to include the correlation of the AVO parameters in the solution of the inverse problem. The Trivariate Cauchy prior not only permits us to incorporate correlation but also leads to high-resolution (broadband) P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and density perturbations.
Endocytic adaptors – social networking at the plasma membrane
Authors: Reider Amanda , Wendland Beverly
Published: May 2011

Receptor-mediated endocytosis is a dynamic process that is crucial for maintaining plasma membrane composition and controlling cell-signaling pathways. A variety of entry routes have evolved to ensure that the vast array of molecules on the cell surface can be differentially internalized by endocytosis. This diversity has extended to include a growing list of endocytic adaptor proteins, which are thought to initiate the internalization process. The key function of adaptors is to select the proteins that should be removed from the cell surface. Thus, they have a central role in defining the physiology of a cell. This has made the study of adaptor proteins a very active area of research that is ripe for exciting future discoveries. Here, we review recent work on how adaptors mediate endocytosis and address the following questions: what characteristics define an endocytic adaptor protein? What roles do these proteins fulfill in addition to selecting cargo and how might adaptors function in clathrin-independent endocytic pathways? Through the findings discussed in this Commentary, we hope to stimulate further characterization of known adaptors and expansion of the known repertoire by identification of new adaptors.
Control of Photophysical Properties of 1,8-Naphthalimides by Electron-Withdrawing Substituents Introduced into N-Alkyl Side Chains
Authors: Matsubayashi Kazuhiko , Kajimura Chisato , Kubo Yasuo , Yoshihara Toshitada , Tobita Seiji
Published: May 2011

The fluorescence intensity of naphthalimides 1–7 in dichloromethane was found to be remarkably enhanced by the introduction of an electron-withdrawing substituent, such as OCOMe, CO2Me, Cl, and CN, into the N-alkyl side chain. The rate constants of the fluorescence emission kf, the intersystem crossing kisc, and the internal conversion kic for 1–7 in dichloromethane and in acetonitrile were determined based on the measurements of the fluorescence lifetimes τf, by using picosecond single photon counting, and the quantum yields of the intersystem crossing Φisc determined by time-resolved thermal lensing. These results indicate that the value of kisc decreases with an increase in the electron-withdrawing ability of the substituent. Furthermore, an almost linear Hammett relationship (ρ = −1.48 in dichloromethane, ρ = −1.85 in acetonitrile) between the logarithm of kisc and the substituent constant σI for inductive effect of the substituent through the σ bond was observed. The enhancement of the fluorescence intensity by the introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents was thus explained by a decrease in the efficiency of the intersystem crossing from 1(ππ*) to 3(nπ*), whose energy was increased by the inductive effect of the substituent through the σ bonds.
Theoretical Design of Hexacoordinate Hypervalent Carbon Compounds by Analyzing Substituent Effects
Authors: Nakai Hiromi , Okoshi Masaki , Atsumi Teruo , Kikuchi Yasuaki , Akiba Kin-ya
Published: May 2011

A hexacoordinate hypervalent carbon compound with an ideal octahedral structure was proposed theoretically in a previous study (Chem. Phys. Lett.2008, 460, 37). However, there is no report telling of success in synthesizing the compound and/or its derivatives. In order to perform a theoretical design for stronger hypervalent bonds, the present study systematically investigated the substituent effects at the para position of phenyl groups of axial C–C and equatorial C–O bonds by adopting 14 functional groups involving both electron-donating and -withdrawing groups. The results showed that the substituent effect at the former position is more influential than that at the latter. In the former case, a good correlation between the C–C and C–O distances is found and the hypervalent C–O bonds are strengthened as the substituent becomes more electron-withdrawing. In the latter case, both electron-donating and -withdrawing groups slightly weaken the hypervalent C–O bonds.
Avoiding Inappropriate Invitations to Cancer Screening Programmes: The Role of Primary Care
Authors: Campbell Christine , Anandan Chantelle , Appleton Sally , Elton Rob , Patnick Julietta , Weller David
Published: May 2011

Objectives

To examine current procedures for cancer screening invitation list (SIL) checking in primary care, and to make recommendations for the future use of these procedures.

Setting

Cancer screening departments/units and associated general practices across England.

Methods

1) An analysis of the outputs of screening programme SIL checking, and accompanying practice questionnaire, for cancers of the cervix (9 screening centres, 36 general practices), breast (6 centres, 76 practices) and bowel (pilot hub, 7 practices)-supplemented by an audit of calls to screening centres to identify inappropriate invitations; 2) a national postal questionnaire survey sent to all 80 breast screening departments across England and 320 associated general practices; 3) telephone interviews with 13 NHS screening staff to obtain detailed perspectives about SIL checking procedures.

Results

SIL checking in primary care is undertaken by a variety of clinical and non-clinical staff. It plays a useful role in cervical screening with tangible evidence of refinements to the SIL and support from both primary care and screening centre staff. Conversely, its role in breast and bowel screening is not supported by the results of this study. Overall, there is no significant evidence of adverse effects from inappropriate invitations.

Conclusions

SIL checking in primary care for cervical cancer should continue, but its use in breast and bowel cancer screening is not supported by our results. New ways of undertaking the SIL checking process to make it more accurate and less burdensome should be examined.
Monitoring the Prenatal Detection of Structural Fetal Congenital Anomalies in England and Wales: Register-based Study
Authors: Boyd Patricia A , Tonks Ann M , Rankin Judith , Rounding Catherine , Wellesley Diana , Draper Elizabeth S ,   The Binocar Working Group
Published: May 2011

Objective:

To provide current population-based prevalence and prenatal diagnosis rates (PND) for specified major congenital anomalies in England and Wales to enable monitoring of the Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP).

Design:

Secondary analysis of prospectively collected registry data.

Setting:

Seven multiple-source, population-based congenital anomaly registers, members of the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers (BINOCAR) in 2005 and 2006.

Population:

2,883 births with congenital anomalies from a total of 601,545 live and stillbirths.

Main outcome measures:

PND and birth prevalence of selected congenital anomaly groups/subtypes (anencephaly, spina-bifida, serious cardiac, diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, bilateral renal agenesis, lethal/severe skeletal dysplasia, cleft lip with or without cleft palate [CL + /-P]).

Results

Of the selected anomaly groups, the most frequently reported were serious cardiac (14.1 per 10,000 births [95% CI 13.0-15.2]) and CL + /-P (9.7 per 10,000 births [8.9-10.5]); the least frequent were bilateral renal agenesis and lethal/severe skeletal dysplasia (<1.5 per 10,000 births). The PND varied for different anomalies from 53.1% (95% CI 43.5-65.2) for serious cardiac anomalies to 99.6% (95% CI 97.9-100.0) for anencephaly. Least variation in PND rates was for anencephaly (range 98.9-100%) and gastroschisis (93.5-100%); greatest variation was for serious cardiac (43.5-65.2%) and lethal/severe skeletal dysplasias (50.0-100%).

Conclusions:

BINOCAR registers can, uniquely, provide contemporary data on PND and birth prevalence rates to enable monitoring of the ultrasound component of FASP at a national and regional level, allowing comparisons between populationstobemade, planningofresourcesfacilitatedand assistance for parents making informed decisions on whether to enter the screening programme.
Pre-notification Increases Uptake of Colorectal Cancer Screening in All Demographic Groups: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Libby Gillian , Bray Jane , Champion Jennifer , Brownlee Linda A , Birrell Janice , Gorman Dermot R , Crighton Emilia M , Fraser Callum G , Steele Robert J C
Published: May 2011

Objectives

To assess whether pre-notification is effective in increasing uptake of colorectal cancer screening for all demographic groups.

Setting

Scottish national colorectal cancer screening programme.

Methods

Males and females aged 50-74 years received a faecal occult blood test by post to complete at home. They were randomized to receive in addition: the pre-notification letter, the pre-notification letter + information booklet, or the usual invitation. Overall, 59,953 subjects were included in the trial between 13/04/09 and 29/05/09 and followed to 27/11/09. Pre-notification letters were posted two weeks ahead of the screening test kit. Uptake was defined as the return of a screening test and chi-squared tests compared uptake between the trial arms. Logistic regression assessed the impact of the letter and letter + booklet on uptake independently of gender, age, deprivation and screening round.

Results

Uptake was higher with both the letter (59.0%) and the letter + booklet (58.5%) compared with the usual invitation (53.9%, p < 0.0001). This increased uptake was seen for males, females, all age groups and all deprivation categories including least deprived females (letter 69.9%, usual invitation 66.6%) and most deprived males (42.6% vs. 36.1%), the groups with the highest and lowest levels of uptake respectively in the pilot screening rounds conducted prior to the roll out of the programme. Uptake with the pre-notification letter compared with the usual invitation was higher both unadjusted and adjusted for demographic factors (odds ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.193-1.294).

Conclusions

Pre-notification is an effective method of increasing uptake in colorectal cancer screening for both genders and all age and deprivation groups.
Resistance and Risk: Examining the Effects of Message Cues in Encouraging End-of-Life Planning
Authors: Kemp Elyria , Kopp Steven W.
Published: May 2011

Several organizations have made efforts in their marketing communications to encourage consumers to make decisions about death care and other end-of-life alternatives before these services are needed. The purpose of this research is to compare persuasive communication strategies derived from the approach–avoidance conflict model to encourage end-of-life planning behavior. This research addresses the psychological resistance consumers may have toward planning, including factors that may impede message processing. Results provide evidence that planning may be influenced by the use of specific messages that reduce resistance and perceptions of invulnerability. The authors conclude with implications for social marketing programs that encourage end-of-life planning.
Do Credit Card Users Systematically Underestimate Their Interest Rates? Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances
Authors: Frank Joshua M.
Published: May 2011

This study examines credit card penalty pricing using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances. In particular, the author uses a flag in the data set for the first time to analyze bias in reported credit card interest rate. He also uses this flag to estimate how frequently people mistakenly believe they are not at a penalty interest rate. The results imply that, on average, consumers underestimate their credit card interest rate by 30%–33%. Penalty rates seem to compound this bias. There is also some evidence that consumers who are more optimistic using other measures derived from the survey tend to underestimate their rate by a larger amount.
Transforming Consumer Health
Authors: Scammon Debra L. , Keller Punam A. , Albinsson Pia A. , Bahl Shalini , Catlin Jesse R. , Haws Kelly L. , Kees Jeremy , King Tracey , Miller Elizabeth Gelfand , Mirabito Ann M. , Peter Paula C. , Schindler Robert M.
Published: May 2011

The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is intended to transform the U.S. health care system. Its success will require the transformation of consumers’ views about health and their willingness to participate in healthful behaviors. Focusing on three barriers to consumers’ engagement in healthful behaviors, the authors review the research literature and suggest opportunities for further research. Using a social marketing perspective, they suggest actions for health care providers, marketers, and policy makers to help overcome these barriers.
Navigating the Central Tensions in Research on At-Risk Consumers: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Pechmann Cornelia (Connie) , Moore Elizabeth S. , Andreasen Alan R. , Connell Paul M. , Freeman Dan , Gardner Meryl P. , Heisley Deborah , Lefebvre R. Craig , Pirouz Dante M. , Soster Robin L.
Published: May 2011

A perennial problem in social marketing and public policy is the plight of at-risk consumers. The authors define at-risk consumers as marketplace participants who, because of historical or personal circumstances or disabilities, may be harmed by marketers’ practices or may be unable or unwilling to take full advantage of marketplace opportunities. This definition refers to either objective reality or perceptions. Early research focused on consumers who were at risk because they were poor, ethnic or racial minorities, immigrants, women, or elderly. Today's researchers also study consumers who are at risk because they are from religious minorities, disabled, illiterate, homeless, indigent, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The authors identify four tensions affecting research on and policy and marketing applications for at-risk populations: the value of focusing on (1) vulnerabilities versus strengths, (2) radical versus marginal change, (3) targeting versus nontargeting, and (4) encouraging knowledgeable versus naive consumers. They conclude with a discussion of the significance of including at-risk consumers as full marketplace participants and identify future research directions.
From Nutrients to Nurturance: A Conceptual Introduction to Food Well-Being
Authors: Block Lauren G. , Grier Sonya A. , Childers Terry L. , Davis Brennan , Ebert Jane E.J. , Kumanyika Shiriki , Laczniak Russell N. , Machin Jane E. , Motley Carol M. , Peracchio Laura , Pettigrew Simone , Scott Maura , Bieshaar Mirjam N.G. Ginkel
Published: May 2011

The authors propose a restructuring of the “food as health” paradigm to “food as well-being.” This requires shifting from an emphasis on restraint and restrictions to a more positive, holistic understanding of the role of food in overall well-being. The authors propose the concept of food well-being (FWB), defined as a positive psychological, physical, emotional, and social relationship with food at both individual and societal levels. The authors define and explain the five primary domains of FWB: food socialization, food literacy, food marketing, food availability, and food policy. The FWB framework employs a richer definition of food and highlights the need for research that bridges other disciplines and paradigms outside and within marketing. Further research should develop and refine the understanding of each domain with the ultimate goal of moving the field toward this embodiment of food as well-being.
Advertising and Policy Insights for the Voter versus Customer Trade-Off
Authors: Gelb Betsy D. , Bush Darren
Published: May 2011

The Supreme Court decision allowing corporations to promote candidates close to an election raises many relevant marketing questions: Will doing so antagonize customers? If a firm spends advertising dollars to influence elections rather than simply to promote goods and services, how can those dollars be spent effectively? Should a company advertise as part of a coalition? Will procandidate or antiopponent advertisements be the better choice, or are special events a wiser choice than any advertising? The authors explore these marketing questions, which have public policy implications, because proposed legislation to limit the effect of the Supreme Court decision is best evaluated according to understanding of corporate priorities. A key issue is transparency—that is, whether the audience for any promotion to support or oppose a candidate knows which corporations are the sponsors or whether their identity is hidden within a coalition.
An inverse problem for a system of evolution equations
Authors: Anikonov Yurii E. , Li Shumin
Published: May 2011

In this paper, we consider an inverse problem for a system of evolution equations. The inverse problem can also be interpreted as a exact control problem in the transition of a substanceW(x, t) from a nonlocal stateW1(x) to another nonlocal stateW2(x). The control element is assumed to have a nonlocal form. We show the existence of the inverse problem in classes of entire functions with respect to the spatial variableby the constructive method. Explicit formulas of the unknown functionsW(x, t) andλ(x) are presented.
Function spaces and optimal currents in impedance tomography
Authors: Jin Bangti , Khan Taufiquar , Maass Peter , Pidcock Michael
Published: May 2011

The main objective of this paper is to compare – analytically as well as numerically – different approaches for obtaining optimal input currents in impedance tomography. Following the approaches described in, e.g. [Cheney and Isaacson, IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 39: 852–860, 1992, Isaacson, IEEE Trans. Med. Imag. 5: 91–95, 1986, Ito and Kunisch, SIAM J. Contr. Optim. 33: 643–666., 1995, Knowles, An optimal current functional for electrical impedance tomography, 2004], we aim at constructing input currents j, which contain the most information about the difference between the unknown physical conductivity σ* and a given approximation σ
0. The differences can be measured by different discrepancy functionals and the optimal input currents which maximize these functionals depend on the function spaces chosen for defining j and on the norm for measuring the discrepancy. Moreover, the definition of the appropriately weighted Sobolev spaces depends on σ and this subsequently influences the iteration for maximizing the functionals.

Numerical experiments illustrate features of the optimal input currents obtained for several combinations of function spaces. The reconstructions with these optimal currents are compared with those with standard input currents (sinusoid and dipole). The differences between the optimal currents obtained by different function space settings are significant. Two newly developed optimal currents can yield qualitatively better reconstructions.
An Overview of Progress and New Developments in FTIR Lubricant Condition Monitoring Methodology
Authors: van de Voort F. R. , Sedman J. , Pinchuk D.
Published: May 2011

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has found an important analytical niche in the field of condition monitoring (CM) of lubricants, lubricant quality being a primary determinant of the wear and operational efficiency of engines and machinery. The ability to track a wide range of functional groups associated with chemical changes in lubricants by FTIR spectroscopy allows the overall quality of lubricants to be assessed and informed decisions made as to whether a lubricant needs to be replaced or not. Newer automated FTIR systems in centralized laboratories are now capable of analyzing oil samples at rates of>120 samples/h, providing trending information on soot, moisture, glycol, oxidative status, anti-wear additives, and nitration, amongst other measures. The current FTIR CM methodology is based on ASTM Standard Practice E2412-10 and is restricted primarily to petroleum or mineral oils; however, the ability to spectrally classify oils could overcome this limitation and broaden the scope of the methodology substantially. Quantitative FTIR methods have come to the fore to carry out more specific measures related to oil condition, specifically the determination of acid content and base content, as well as moisture. These methods have been designed to overcome some key limitations associated with the corresponding ASTM titrimetric procedures and expand the overall utility of FTIR instrumentation in centralized lubricant analysis laboratories. This paper provides an overview of FTIR CM, how it has been and can be further improved, and discusses the recent advances in the newer quantitative FTIR CM methods as well as the issues that need to be addressed to further enhance the utility of FTIR spectroscopy in relation to lubricant analysis.
Auditory Efferents Facilitate Sound Localization in Noise in Humans: Figure 1.
Authors: Andéol Guillaume , Guillaume Anne , Micheyl Christophe , Savel Sophie , Pellieux Lionel , Moulin Annie
Published: May 2011

The mammalian auditory system contains descending neural pathways, some of which project onto the cochlea via the medial olivocochlear (MOC) system. The function of this efferent auditory system is not entirely clear. Behavioral studies in animals with olivocochlear (OC) lesions suggest that the MOC serves to facilitate sound localization in noise. In the current work, noise-induced OC activity (the OC reflex) and sound-localization performance in noise were measured in normal-hearing humans. Consistent with earlier studies, both measures were found to vary substantially across individuals. Importantly, significant correlations were observed between OC-reflex strength and the effect of noise on sound-localization performance; the stronger the OC reflex, the less marked the effect of noise. These results suggest that MOC activation by noise helps to counteract the detrimental effects of background noise on neural representations of direction-dependent spectral features, which are especially important for accurate localization in the up/down and front/back dimensions.
Selective Movement Preparation Is Subserved by Selective Increases in Corticomuscular Gamma-Band Coherence
Authors: Schoffelen Jan-Mathijs , Poort Jasper , Oostenveld Robert , Fries Pascal
Published: May 2011

Local groups of neurons engaged in a cognitive task often exhibit rhythmically synchronized activity in the gamma band, a phenomenon that likely enhances their impact on downstream areas. The efficacy of neuronal interactions may be enhanced further by interareal synchronization of these local rhythms, establishing mutually well timed fluctuations in neuronal excitability. This notion suggests that long-range synchronization is enhanced selectively for connections that are behaviorally relevant. We tested this prediction in the human motor system, assessing activity from bilateral motor cortices with magnetoencephalography and corresponding spinal activity through electromyography of bilateral hand muscles. A bimanual isometric wrist extension task engaged the two motor cortices simultaneously into interactions and coherence with their respective corresponding contralateral hand muscles. One of the hands was cued before each trial as the response hand and had to be extended further to report an unpredictable visual go cue. We found that, during the isometric hold phase, corticomuscular coherence was enhanced, spatially selective for the corticospinal connection that was effectuating the subsequent motor response. This effect was spectrally selective in the low gamma-frequency band (40–47 Hz) and was observed in the absence of changes in motor output or changes in local cortical gamma-band synchronization. These findings indicate that, in the anatomical connections between the cortex and the spinal cord, gamma-band synchronization is a mechanism that may facilitate behaviorally relevant interactions between these distant neuronal groups.
PSD-95 and PSD-93 Play Critical But Distinct Roles in Synaptic Scaling Up and Down
Authors: Sun Qian , Turrigiano Gina G.
Published: May 2011

Synaptic scaling stabilizes neuronal firing through the homeostatic regulation of postsynaptic strength, but the mechanisms by which chronic changes in activity lead to bidirectional adjustments in synaptic AMPA receptor (AMPAR) abundance are incompletely understood. Furthermore, it remains unclear to what extent scaling up and scaling down use distinct molecular machinery. PSD-95 is a scaffold protein proposed to serve as a binding “slot” that determines synaptic AMPAR content, and synaptic PSD-95 abundance is regulated by activity, raising the possibility that activity-dependent changes in the synaptic abundance of PSD-95 or other membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs) drives the bidirectional changes in AMPAR accumulation during synaptic scaling. We found that synaptic PSD-95 and SAP102 (but not PSD-93) abundance were bidirectionally regulated by activity, but these changes were not sufficient to drive homeostatic changes in synaptic strength. Although not sufficient, the PSD-95 MAGUKs were necessary for synaptic scaling, but scaling up and down were differentially dependent on PSD-95 and PSD-93. Scaling down was completely blocked by reduced or enhanced PSD-95, through a mechanism that depended on the PDZ1/2 domains. In contrast, scaling up could be supported by either PSD-95 or PSD-93 in a manner that depended on neuronal age and was unaffected by a superabundance of PSD-95. Together, our data suggest that scaling up and down of quantal amplitude is not driven by changes in synaptic abundance of PSD-95 MAGUKs, but rather that the PSD-95 MAGUKs serve as critical synaptic organizers that use distinct protein–protein interactions to mediate homeostatic accumulation and loss of synaptic AMPAR.
Neural Crest and Ectodermal Cells Intermix in the Nasal Placode to Give Rise to GnRH-1 Neurons, Sensory Neurons, and Olfactory Ensheathing Cells
Authors: Forni Paolo Emanuele , Taylor-Burds Carol , Melvin Vida Senkus , Williams Taylor , Wray Susan
Published: May 2011

The origin of GnRH-1 cells and olfactory ensheathing cells has been controversial. Genetic Cre-lox lineage tracing of the neural crest (NC) versus ectodermal contribution to the developing nasal placode was performed using two complementary mouse models, the NC-specificWnt1Cremouse line and an ectodermal-specificCrectmouse line. Using these lines we prove that the NC give rise to the olfactory ensheathing cells and subpopulations of GnRH-1 neurons, olfactory and vomeronasal cells. These data demonstrate that Schwann cells and olfactory ensheathing cells share a common developmental origin. Furthermore, the results indicate that certain conditions that impact olfaction and sexual development, such as Kallmann syndrome, may be in part neurocristopathies.
Interracial Activism in the Los Angeles Community Service Organization: Linking the World War II and Civil Rights Eras
Authors: Bernstein Shana
Published: May 2011

Through the lens of the Community Service Organization (CSO), this article explores the emergence of Los Angeles ethno-racial communities' political activism and what enabled their success in a difficult Cold War climate. The CSO's creation in 1947, when it became the first enduring civil rights organization for the largest urban Mexican-origin population in the United States, is striking since historical narratives generally assume the Cold War crushed meaningful civil rights change. The CSO complicates this declensionist narrative. Its success stemmed in part from its reliance upon interracial networks that sustained it in its early years. The CSO reveals links between different racial and ethnic communities, in three different eras—the World War II, Cold War, and civil rights eras—that made the emergence and persistence of such activism possible.
Puget Sound's Security Codependencyand Western Cold War Histories, 1950–1984
Authors: Casserly Brian G.
Published: May 2011

Puget Sound provides a case study of significant changes in the West's Cold War experience and illustrates that this era can be understood in terms of two distinct phases, with a turning point in the late 1960s/early 1970s. This transition saw shifts in relationships between Puget Sound residents and the military, from a traditional, almost unanimous support for the military's presence in the region, to the development of a much more hostile attitude among some segments of the public. This change reflected growing concerns about the environment and skepticism about military-related economic growth. It was also shaped by concerns about nuclear weapons and the role of the armed services in U.S. foreign relations, the result of the rebirth of the anti-nuclear movement across the United States in the 1970s.
The Cinema of Defection: Auteur Theory and Institutional Life
Authors: Menne Jeff
Published: May 2011

This essay identifies a genre of Hollywood film developed in certain peak years of poststudio reorientation, 1967–1974, the narratives of which might be deemed anticlassical for their tendency to depict protagonists—typically a defecting couple—as objects more than subjects. These films, significantly the work of those directors known as auteurs, can be taken as the aesthetic version of the New Left's political repudiation of institutional life.
Effect of Surface Roughness and Low-Level Laser Therapy on Removal Torque of Implants Placed in Rat Femurs
Authors: Primo Bruno Tochetto , da Silva Rovene Cordeiro , Grossmann Eduardo , Miguens Jr Sergio Augusto Quevedo , Hernandez Pedro Antonio Gonzalez , Silva Aurelício Novaes
Published: May 2011

The present study measured removal torque and bone-implant interface resistance of machined implants, acid-etched implants, or machined implants irradiated around the implant area with infrared low-level laser therapy (LLLT; 830 nm) immediately after surgery. There were statistically significant differences between Groups A (control) and B (rough surface) (P = .03). Implants with a rough surface seem to add resistance to the bone-implant interface compared with smooth titanium implants or implants treated with LLLT.
Use of Titanium Mesh in Lieu of a Fixation Screw to Stabilize an Autogenous Block Graft: A Case Report
Authors: Kulkarni Sudhindra , Thakur Srinath , Kamath Sujatha , Kumar Sampath
Published: May 2011

Localized alveolar augmentation is carried out either before, during, or sometimes after implant placement. The placement of autogenous graft as a block or a particulate alone or in combination with anorganic bone mineral has been practiced with a great deal of success. The block graft is secured in place with a screw and protected by a membrane. This case report describes the treatment of a female patient with a bucco-lingual bone deficiency grafted with autogenous block and a titanium mesh. Five months later, implant was placed in the grafted area. The definitive prosthesis was cemented 6 months later and followed up for 2 years.
Gingival Recession in Individuals with Cleft Lip and Palate: Prevalence and Severity
Authors: De Almeida Ana Lúcia Pompéia Fraga , Esper Luis Augusto , Pegoraro Thiago Amadei , Valle Accácio Lins Do
Published: May 2011

Objective

To analyze the prevalence and severity of gingival recession in individuals with cleft lip and alveolus with or without cleft palate.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

Tertiary referral hospital.

Participants

A total of 400 individuals with cleft lip and alveolus with or without cleft palate, aged 15 to 49 years, without any previous periodontal treatment.

Main Outcome Measures

Gingival recession was evaluated by measuring the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the most coronal point on the gingival margin, analyzing the prevalence and scoring its severity as mild (<3 mm), moderate (3 to 4 mm), or severe (4 mm). The prevalence and severity of gingival recession was compared between sextant 2 (cleft sextant) and the mean of the other sextants (1, 3,4,5, and 6: noncleft sextants). The relationship between gingival recession in the cleft area and gender was evaluated and data were analyzed statistically. The correlation between gingival recession and age was assessed also.

Results

There was no statistically significant gender difference in gingival recession. The prevalence and severity of gingival recession increased with age, and most of the affected teeth were premolars and molars. The cleft area did not present a higher prevalence and severity of gingival recession.

Conclusions

Individuals with cleft lip and alveolus with or without cleft palate presented the same prevalence and severity of gingival recession compared with other populations. The area adjacent to the cleft (sextant 2) did not show greater risk of gingival recession than other areas (sextants 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6).
Chronic Foreign Body of the Nasal Cavity and Sphenoid Sinus: Surgical Implications
Authors: Kamat Ameet , Tabaee Abtin
Published: May 2011

Chronic sinonasal foreign bodies present unique surgical challenges including tissue integration and anatomic migration. A patient with a history of multiple surgeries for cleft lip, palate, and nasal deformity presented with radiographic findings of a 4.3-cm linear foreign body traversing the nasal cavity and sphenoid sinus. Mucosalization and integration into the sphenoid rostrum were noted at the time of surgery. Endoscopic surgery techniques facilitated removal of the overlying mucosa and encasing bone, allowing successful surgical extraction. On inspection, the foreign body was consistent with a retained Kirschner wire. Potential pathophysiologic and management implications of this case are discussed.
Selective Postemergence Herbicide Control of Torpedograss in Centipedegrass
Authors: Taverner James , Beasley Jeffrey S. , Strahan Ronald E. , Griffin James L. , Borst Steven M.
Published: May 2011

Torpedograss infestation in centipedegrass has reduced centipedegrass quality in home lawns along the Gulf Coast. This study was conducted to evaluate three selective postemergence herbicides. Field trials were conducted at two sites in Louisiana to evaluate quinclorac, sethoxydim, and clethodim applied once or sequentially every 4 wk for selective torpedograss control in centipedegrass turf. Herbicides were applied to mixed stands of torpedograss/centipedegrass at two locations in Louisiana and evaluated for changes in torpedograss coverage and centipedegrass injury every 2 wk for 16 wk. All herbicides controlled torpedograss more with each sequential application. Sethoxydim and clethodim applied three times reduced torpedograss cover 84 and 87%, respectively, and more than quinclorac 12 wk after initial treatment (WAIT). Increasing clethodim or sethoxydim rates did not improve torpedograss control. Torpedograss regrowth occurred within weeks after final herbicide applications regardless of herbicide. Only multiple clethodim applied at twice manufacturer's labeled rate or quinclorac applications resulted in commercially unacceptable (> 25%) injury to centipedegrass. Multiple sethoxydim or clethodim applications at 0.32 kg ha−1or 0.30 kg ha−1every 4 wk reduced torpedograss competitiveness in centipedegrass; however, multiple applications for more than 1 yr might be necessary to achieve torpedograss control.
Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) Growth as Affected by Plant Density and Clipping
Authors: Patracchini Cristina , Vidotto Francesco , Ferrero Aldo
Published: May 2011

During the past century, common ragweed has spread from its native eastern North America to Europe, where it has become an increasing problem from both an agricultural and a human health perspective. Two field experiments were performed over a 2-yr period in a naturally infested fallow field in northern Italy to evaluate the effects of common ragweed plant density on its growth dynamics and to study its response to clipping. In the first experiment, three plant densities were tested (4, 12.5, and 25 plants m−2) and plant height, aboveground biomass, and leaf area were assessed. Intraspecific competition had a substantial negative effect on leaf area and aboveground biomass on a per plant basis in both years, but did not affect plant height. However, the high-density (25 plants m−2) treatment resulted in the highest total aboveground biomass (1,428 and 4,377 g m−2) and leaf area index (5.6 and 12.6 m2m−2) in 2006 and 2007, respectively. In the second experiment, common ragweed plants were clipped at reaching 20 cm (four clippings during the season), 50 cm (three clippings), or 80 cm (two clippings) plant height. Number of surviving plants, flowering plants, and aboveground biomass were assessed before each clipping. Clipping resulted in a partial reduction in the surviving plants and did not prevent flowering. Under the most stressing condition (clipping at 20 cm height), more than 67% of plants survived to the last clipping and, among these, more than 97% flowered, whereas before the last clipping at reaching 80 cm height from 50 to 100% of plants survived and 100% of them flowered. These findings in northern Italy confirm that common ragweed is a fast-growing annual species, capable of producing considerable aboveground biomass at various pure stand densities and that plants can still flower from plants clipped at various frequencies.
Weed Management with Glyphosate- and Glufosinate-Based Systems in PHY 485 WRF Cotton
Authors: Whitaker Jared R. , York Alan C. , Jordan David L. , Culpepper A. Stanley
Published: May 2011

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) Palmer amaranth has become a serious pest in parts of the Cotton Belt. Some GR cotton cultivars also contain the WideStrike™ insect resistance trait, which confers tolerance to glufosinate. Use of glufosinate-based management systems in such cultivars could be an option for managing GR Palmer amaranth. The objective of this study was to evaluate crop tolerance and weed control with glyphosate-based and glufosinate-based systems in PHY 485 WRF cotton. The North Carolina field experiment compared glyphosate and glufosinate alone and in mixtures applied twice before four- to six-leaf cotton. Additional treatments included glyphosate and glufosinate mixed withS-metolachlor or pyrithiobac applied to one- to two-leaf cotton followed by glyphosate or glufosinate alone on four- to six-leaf cotton. All treatments received a residual lay-by application. Excellent weed control was observed from all treatments on most weed species. Glyphosate was more effective than glufosinate on glyphosate-susceptible (GS) Palmer amaranth and annual grasses, while glufosinate was more effective on GR Palmer amaranth. Annual grass and GS Palmer amaranth control by glyphosate plus glufosinate was often less than control by glyphosate alone but similar to or greater than control by glufosinate alone, while mixtures were more effective than either herbicide alone on GR Palmer amaranth. Glufosinate caused minor and transient injury to the crop, but no differences in cotton yield or fiber quality were noted. This research demonstrates glufosinate can be applied early in the season to PHY 485 WRF cotton without concern for significant adverse effects on the crop. Although glufosinate is often less effective than glyphosate on GS Palmer amaranth, GR Palmer amaranth can be controlled with well-timed applications of glufosinate. Use of glufosinate in cultivars with the WideStrike trait could fill a significant void in current weed management programs for GR Palmer amaranth in cotton.