bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Orchidometry and Scrotal Circumference in Coatis (Nasua nasua)
Authors: Queiroz JPAF , Barros FFPC , Lima GL , Castelo TS , Freitas CIA , Silva AR
Published: February 2010

Contents

This study describes the morphometry of the testicles of captive coatis (Nasua nasua) and verifies the existence of correlations between the testicles and the semen producing characteristics. Twelve ejaculates were obtained from five adult specimens that were restraint by anaesthesia. Visual and morphometric evaluation of the external genitalia was performed by using a caliper. The animals presented a scrotal circumference of 9.4 ± 0.7 cm. The right testicle presented a width of 1.7 ± 0.2 cm, length of 2.6 ± 0.2 cm and volume of 3.9 ± 1.1 cm3. The left testicle presented a width of 1.7 ± 0.1 cm, length of 2.5 ± 0.3 cm and volume of 3.6 ± 0.7 cm3. No significant correlations were obtained between the scrotal circumference or total testicular volume and the semen producing characteristics (volume and sperm concentration). For the first time in this field, this study presents an important contribution to the knowledge of the reproductive morphophysiology of coatis.
Effects of Astaxanthin‐containing Oil on Development and Stress‐related Gene Expression of Bovine Embryos Exposed to Heat Stress
Authors: Namekawa T , Ikeda S , Sugimoto M , Kume S
Published: February 2010

Contents

Early bovine embryos are vulnerable to heat stress during the first few days after fertilization. The inhibitory effect of heat stress on embryonic development is known to be associated with oxidative stress, which can be attenuated by antioxidants. In the present study, we focused on the use of astaxanthin as an antioxidant and examined the effects of astaxanthin‐containing oil (Ax) on post‐fertilization development of bovine embryos subjected to heat stress in vitro and the expression of stress‐related genes. Bovine 1‐cell embryos were in vitro produced by in vitro maturation and fertilization (IVF) of oocytes recovered from abattoir‐derived ovaries. At 20 h post‐insemination (hpi, 0 h = the start of IVF), the embryos were introduced in modified synthetic oviduct fluid supplemented with 25 ppm of Ax (concentration of astaxanthin was 0.25 ppm) or vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide) up to 72 hpi. The embryos were basically cultured at 38.5°C, and in the heat stress group, embryos were exposed twice to 40.5°C for 10 h (at 20–30 and 44–54 hpi). Under the condition without the Ax treatment, the cleavage rate, rate of development to the 5–8 cell stage, blastocyst yield from cultured embryos and that from cleaved embryos were lower in the heat stress group than in the group not subjected to heat stress (p < 0.05). In the heat stress group, the rate of development to the 5–8 cell stage was improved (p < 0.05) by the addition of Ax. Subsequently, we performed semi‐quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) to investigate the effects of heat stress and Ax on the mRNA expression of Src homology 2 domain‐containing transforming protein C1 (SHC1), an oxidative stress adaptor protein, and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), a mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. In 5–8 cell embryos at 72 hpi, the mRNA expression levels of SHC1 and SOD2 were lower in the Ax‐ and heat‐treated group than in the other groups (p < 0.05). These results suggest that Ax added to the culture medium ameliorates the embryonic development impaired by heat stress with its altering effects on the expression of stress‐related genes.
Fertility Results after Vaginal Deposition of Frozen‐Thawed Buck Semen Diluted with Two Different Extenders Using One‐ or Two‐Step Procedures
Authors: Nordstoga AB , Söderquist L , Ådnøy T , Paulenz H
Published: February 2010

Contents

In two field trials (T1 and T2), the effect of two different extenders for buck semen was tested. Semen from six (T1) and seven (T2) bucks of the Norwegian Dairy Goat breed was diluted either in a milk‐based extender containing egg yolk (M) or in a commercially available extender without egg yolk [Andromed® (A)]. Dilution in M was performed in a two‐step procedure including centrifugation of the ejaculates and removal of the supernatant, while dilution in A was performed in one step. During the two trials (T1 and T2) 514 and 714, does, respectively, were artificially inseminated during natural oestrus, and the farmers performed the inseminations themselves after attending an artificial insemination (AI) training course. Vaginal insemination with 200 × 106 spermatozoa diluted in M resulted in a 25‐day non‐return rate (NRR) and kidding rate of 37.3% and 24.5%, respectively, while semen diluted in A resulted in 31.7% NRR and a kidding rate of 19.8% (T1). In T2, NRR and kidding rate for AI performed with semen diluted with M were 42.7% and 28.5%, respectively, while dilution in A gave 37.2% NRR and a kidding rate of 26.8%. There was no significant effect of extender in the two trials [T1:p = 0.068 (NRR), p = 0.148 (kidding rate), T2:p = 0.096 (NRR), p = 0.38 (kidding rate)], but farmer had a significant effect on the fertility parameters in both trials. In conclusion, the present studies may indicate that Andromed® is suitable for buck semen. However, more research is necessary to confirm the results and to improve the fertility of does after vaginal AI with frozen‐thawed semen.
Economic evaluation in clinical nephrology: Part 1. An introduction to conducting an economic evaluation in clinical practice
Authors: WONG GERMAINE , HOWARD KIRSTEN , CRAIG JONATHAN C
Published: February 2010

Decision‐making in clinical practice is complex and getting more complex. There are a large range of alternative actions possible, all with different consequences and trade‐offs. The complexity of medical decision‐making is best illustrated using a clinical scenario.
Quadriceps sarcopenia and visceral obesity are risk factors for postural instability in the middle‐aged to elderly population
Authors: Ochi Masayuki , Tabara Yasuharu , Kido Tomoko , Uetani Eri , Ochi Namiko , Igase Michiya , Miki Tetsuro , Kohara Katsuhiko
Published: February 2010

Aim: Aging shifts body composition to comprising more fat and less muscle. Sarcopenia, particularly in the knee extensors, and obesity, particularly visceral obesity, either alone or in combination, may exacerbate age‐related physical disability. We investigated the association between age‐related quadriceps (Qc) sarcopenia and visceral obesity, as measured by cross‐sectional area (CSA), on postural instability.

Methods: Mid‐thigh muscle CSA and abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat area at the level of the umbilicus were assessed from computed tomography (CT) images in 410 apparently healthy independent middle‐aged to elderly subjects attending the medical check‐up program in Ehime University Hospital. Static postural instability using a posturograph and one‐leg standing time with eyes open were assessed.

Results: Both abdominal visceral fat area and Qc muscle CSA corrected by body weight (BW) were associated with static postural instability, in addition to age and sex, while BW‐corrected Qc muscle CSA predicted a short one‐leg standing time. The combination of Qc sarcopenia, defined as greater than 1 standard deviation below the mean of a young group (age <60 years), and visceral obesity, defined as a visceral fat area of more than 100 cm2, were associated with static postural instability, while Qc sarcopenia was related to a higher prevalence of one‐leg standing time of less than 30 s, irrespective of visceral obesity.

Conclusion: Thigh Qc sarcopenia and visceral obesity are associated with postural instability in middle‐aged to elderly subjects. These findings suggest that age‐related, site‐specific fat and muscle mass alterations are associated with functional impairment.Geriatr Gerontol Int 2010; 10: 233–243.
Multiaxial fatigue criterion for a high‐density polyethylene thermoplastic
Authors: BERREHILI A. , CASTAGNET S. , NADOT Y.
Published: February 2010

The multiaxial fatigue behaviour of a high‐density polyethylene was investigated at room temperature and constant frequency. As a consequence of the mode of failure, an end‐of‐life criterion for fatigue tests is discussed in the first part of the work, in order to define the number of cycles to failure. Based on force controlled fatigue tests under tension, compression and torsion at two stress ratio, a multiaxial fatigue criterion including the stress‐ratio effect is proposed for the fatigue design of this polymer. This criterion is based on the maximum and mean values of the second invariant of the stress tensor.
A resource ratio theory of cooperation
Authors: De Mazancourt Claire , Schwartz Mark W.
Published: February 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 349–359

Resource ratio theory predicts that two species may coexist in the presence of two limiting nutrients provided that each species is limited by the resource it is least able to deplete. We modify this classical competition model to allow interspecific cooperation through trading. We show that resource trade expands the realm of stable coexistence, and that optimal trading partners competitively invade and exclude any other trading or non‐trading strategy. We show that natural selection favours evolution towards establishment of a trading relationship so long as partners can establish long‐term associations even though cooperation may result in a decrease in abundance of one species. This theory substantively expands traditional applications of resource competition models and suggests additional empirical experimentation.
Thermophilic anaerobes in Arctic marine sediments induced to mineralize complex organic matter at high temperature
Authors: Hubert Casey , Arnosti Carol , Brüchert Volker , Loy Alexander , Vandieken Verona , Jørgensen Bo Barker
Published: February 2010

Marine sediments harbour diverse populations of dormant thermophilic bacterial spores that become active in sediment incubation experiments at much higher than in situ temperature. This response was investigated in the presence of natural complex organic matter in sediments of two Arctic fjords, as well as with the addition of freeze‐dried Spirulina or individual high‐molecular‐weight polysaccharides. During 50°C incubation experiments, Arctic thermophiles catalysed extensive mineralization of the organic matter via extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and sulfate reduction. This high temperature‐induced food chain mirrors sediment microbial processes occurring at cold in situ temperatures (near 0°C), yet it is catalysed by a completely different set of microorganisms. Using sulfate reduction rates (SRR) as a proxy for organic matter mineralization showed that differences in organic matter reactivity determined the extent of the thermophilic response. Fjord sediments with higher in situ SRR also supported higher SRR at 50°C. Amendment with Spirulina significantly increased volatile fatty acids production and SRR relative to unamended sediment in 50°C incubations. Spirulina amendment also revealed temporally distinct sulfate reduction phases, consistent with 16S rRNA clone library detection of multiple thermophilic Desulfotomaculum spp. enriched at 50°C. Incubations with four different fluorescently labelled polysaccharides at 4°C and 50°C showed that the thermophilic population in Arctic sediments produce a different suite of polymer‐hydrolysing enzymes than those used in situ by the cold‐adapted microbial community. Over time, dormant marine microorganisms like these are buried in marine sediments and might eventually encounter warmer conditions that favour their activation. Distinct enzymatic capacities for organic polymer degradation could allow specific heterotrophic populations like these to play a role in sustaining microbial metabolism in the deep, warm, marine biosphere.
Identification of the trehalose biosynthetic loci of Pseudomonas syringae and their contribution to fitness in the phyllosphere
Authors: Freeman Brian C. , Chen Chiliang , Beattie Gwyn A.
Published: February 2010

Surprisingly little is known of the trehalose biosynthetic pathways in pseudomonads, despite the importance of trehalose to protecting cells from environmental stresses such as low water availability. The genome of the foliar pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3000 contains genes for two trehalose biosynthetic pathways, TreS and TreYZ, and lacks genes for the more common OtsAB pathway. Deletion of either the treS (PSPTO_2760‐2762) or treY/treZ (PSPTO_3125‐3134) locus eliminated trehalose accumulation and reduced bacterial growth under hyperosmotic conditions. In evaluating the role of trehalose in P. syringae fitness on leaves, we found that a double deletion mutant lacking these loci exhibited poorer survival than the wild type on tomato leaves over a 2‐week period in a growth chamber. Similarly, this mutant exhibited reduced survival on leaves of susceptible and resistant cultivars of the host plant tomato and of the non‐host plant soybean over a 10‐day period in field plots. Thus, the trehalose biosynthetic loci in P. syringae, which are highly conserved among pseudomonads, contributed to DC3000 fitness on leaves, supporting a role for trehalose in P. syringae survival and population maintenance in the phyllosphere.
New Labour's Ethical Dimension: Statistical Trends in Tony Blair's Foreign Policy Speeches
Authors: Mumford Densua , Selck Torsten J.
Published: February 2010

Debate has raged over the extent to which New Labour has succeeded in incorporating an ethical dimension in British foreign policy. The assumption has been that New Labour at least changed the context of foreign policy by adopting a more moralistic language. However, there has been no attempt as yet to show this statistically. Using computer-assisted content analysis of Margaret Thatcher's, Robin Cook's and Tony Blair's foreign policy speeches, and assuming that Blair, as opposed to Cook, is the representative voice of New Labour, this research finds that New Labour has indeed changed the context significantly. However, this change did not occur until after the events of 9/11.
Does One Trust Judgement Fit All? Linking Theory and Empirics
Authors: Fisher Justin , Van Heerde Jennifer , Tucker Andrew
Published: February 2010

Few questions in political science have received more attention in recent times than the role of trust in democracy, democratic government and political participation. In Britain this has become a particular concern as levels of democratic engagement in traditional politics have declined, exacerbated by media reports of politicians' untrustworthy behaviour. A common feature of previous empirical work on political trust is that trust is treated as a single theoretical concept. Scholars have assumed that trust operates in a similar fashion across different political institutions—that citizens' trust mechanisms are the same for trusting parliament, the prime minister or the European Union. As a consequence, the operationalisation of trust has generally been through a single measure. In this article we draw on recent research from political theory, where different forms of judgements whether to trust—strategic, moral and deliberative—have been conceptualised, to argue that trust judgements may vary in application and significance depending upon the institution under examination. Using specially designed data sets generated from YouGov's weekly omnibus and the British Election Study's Continuous Monitoring Panel, we operationalise these three forms of trust judgements to examine trust in two British institutions—political parties and politicians. We find, as hypothesised, that different forms of trust judgements are of differing significance depending upon the institution under consideration.
Much Ado about Not Very Much: The Electoral Consequences of Postal Voting at the 2005 British General Election
Authors: Rallings Colin , Thrasher Michael , Borisyuk Galina
Published: February 2010

The liberalisation of the rules covering postal voting attracted a good deal of attention during the 2005 general election campaign, including several allegations of fraud and malpractice. This article uses both survey and aggregate-level data to examine the increase in the numbers of postal voters and its impact on both turnout and party choice at that election. It demonstrates the legacy of the all-postal voting pilots held between 2000 and 2004 in prompting a rise in the postal electorate, and a consequent reduction in the correlation between constituency marginality and turnout. In general, however, postal voting on demand did not prove to be a panacea for the turnout ‘problem’ and had only a very weak effect on the distribution of party support.
John Ruskin's Political Economy: ‘There is No Wealth but Life’
Authors: May Christopher
Published: February 2010

In 2010 it will be 150 years since John Ruskin's major intervention in political economy was published. While in many ways Ruskin remains a well-known British commentator, his work on political economy has languished, relatively under-appreciated and seldom discussed. In this short review of Ruskin's political economy, the central aspects of his analysis are introduced and summarised. This is then allied to a short indication of how these ideas remain (especially) relevant today, as a prompt to those interested in thinking through analytical alternatives in light of the current travails of contemporary capitalism, to examine and re-engage with John Ruskin's insights into the character and problems of economics.
Managing Transdisciplinarity in Strategic Foresight
Authors: Rasmussen Birgitte , Andersen Per Dannemand , Borch Kristian
Published: February 2010

Strategic foresight deals with the long term future and is a transdisciplinary exercise which, among other aims, addresses the prioritization of science and other decision making in science and innovation advisory and funding bodies. This article discusses challenges in strategic foresight in relation to transdisciplinarity based on empirical as well as theoretical work in technological domains. By strategic foresight is meant future oriented, participatory consultation of actors and stakeholders, both within and outside a scientific community. It therefore allows multiple stakeholders to negotiate over how to attain a desirable future. This requires creative thinking from the participants, who need to extend their knowledge into the uncertainty of the future. Equally important is skilled facilitating in order to create a space for dialogue and exploration in a contested territory. Although strategic foresight has now been widely accepted for strategy‐making and priority‐setting in science and innovation policy, the methodologies underpinning it still need further development. Key findings are the identification of challenges, aspects and issues related to management and facilitation of strategic foresight exercises in complex systemic contexts that transcend science in relation to both the persons and problems involved.
Output that counts: pedometers, sociability and the contested terrain of older adult fitness walking
Authors: Copelton Denise A.
Published: February 2010

Based on five months of participant observation and interviews with members of a hospital‐sponsored walking club, I explore the rejection of pedometer technology among older adult walkers. Health researchers praise pedometers as a useful tool for measuring walking activity, setting fitness goals, and charting progress towards goals. Older adult walkers, however, viewed pedometers and the monitoring they enable as anathema to walking group norms that stress sociability. I assess the differential construction of pedometers by fitness researchers, group leaders, and walkers themselves. While fitness researchers construct pedometer technology as a motivator for exercise adherence, walkers believed pedometers would create competition and hierarchy that might destroy group camaraderie. In contrast to biomedical models of health and wellness, which focus predominantly on exercise outputs like step counts, these findings suggest that sociability is an important component of health maintenance leisure activities for older adult walkers.
Market‐Based Measures of Monetary Policy Expectations and Their Evolution Since the Introduction of the Euro
Authors: Filipozzi Fabio
Published: February 2010

The paper considers the relation between monetary policy expectations and financial markets in the case of Europe. A number of money market instruments are compared, with the result that the 1‐month forward interest rates extracted from the Libor yield curve has the best prediction power of the future monetary policy path. These forward rates have been used to study the evolution of market expectations regarding the monetary policy of the European Central Bank (ECB). The sharp increases and the following decreases in interest rates during 2000–2001 have reduced the predictive power of money market instruments, but smoother management of interest rates and better communication from the ECB has helped to improve the forecasting power of money market instruments.
International Dynamic Asset Allocation and Return Predictability
Authors: Basu Devraj , Oomen Roel , Stremme Alexander
Published: February 2010

Abstract:  The presence of time varying investment opportunity sets has been documented in the context of international asset allocation, and the economic value associated with these is a topic of lively debate in the academic literature. This paper constructs simple, real‐time dynamic international asset allocation strategies based on daily data that exploit the return predictability arising from time varying market integration. Our timing strategies outperform the major (US, UK, Japanese and German) country indices and related portfolios, particularly in down markets. The strategies appear to capture much of the economic value of the return predictability implied by market integration and have many of the characteristics of successful timing strategies.
Genotype does not predict severity of behavioural phenotype in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (Batten disease)
Authors: ADAMS HEATHER R , BECK CHRISTOPHER A , LEVY ERIKA , JORDAN RACHEL , KWON JENNIFER M , MARSHALL FREDERICK J , VIERHILE AMY , AUGUSTINE ERIKA F , DE BLIECK ELISABETH A , PEARCE DAVID A , MINK JONATHAN W
Published: February 2010

Aim  The primary aim of this investigation was to examine genotype and clinical phenotype differences in individuals with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) who were homozygous for a common disease‐causing deletion or compound heterozygous. The secondary aim was to cross‐validate the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS), a disease‐specific JNCL rating scale.

Method  Sixty individuals (28 males, 32 females; mean age 15y 1mo, SD 4y 9mo, range 5y 8mo–31y 1mo) with JNCL completed the UBDRS.

Results  No significant genotype and clinical phenotype differences were identified when comparing individuals homozygous for the deletion with a heterogeneous group of compound heterozygous individuals. There were significant correlations among related behaviour items and scales on the CBCL and UBDRS (Spearman’s rho ranging from 0.39 [p<0.05] to 0.72 [p<0.01]). Behaviour and physical function ratings were uncorrelated, supporting divergent validity of these two constructs in JNCL.

Interpretation  Previous reports of genotype and clinical phenotype differences were unsupported in this investigation, which did not find differences between individuals homozygous or heterozygous for the CLN3 deletion. The CBCL, an already validated measure of behaviour problems, appears valid for use in JNCL and cross‐validates well with the UBDRS.
A Meta‐Analytic Review of Corridor Effectiveness
Authors: GILBERT‐NORTON LYNNE , WILSON RYAN , STEVENS JOHN R. , BEARD KAREN H.
Published: February 2010

Abstract: Using corridors for conservation is increasing despite a lack of consensus on their efficacy. Specifically, whether corridors increase movement of plants and animals between habitat fragments has been addressed on a case‐by‐case basis with mixed results. Because of the growing number of well‐designed experiments that have addressed this question, we conducted a meta‐analysis to determine whether corridors increase movement; whether corridor effectiveness differs among taxa; how recent changes in experimental design have influenced findings; and whether corridor effectiveness differs between manipulative and natural experiments. To conduct our meta‐analysis, we analyzed 78 experiments from 35 studies using a conservative hierarchical Bayesian model that accounts for hierarchical and sampling dependence. We found a highly significant result that corridors increase movement between habitat patches by approximately 50% compared to patches that are not connected with corridors. We found that corridors were more important for the movement of invertebrates, nonavian vertebrates, and plants than they were for birds. Recent methodological advances in corridor experiments, such as controlling for the area added by corridors, did not influence whether corridors increased movement, whereas controlling for the distance between source and connected or unconnected recipient patches decreased movement through corridors. After controlling for taxa differences and whether studies controlled for distance in experimental design, we found that natural corridors (those existing in landscapes prior to the study) showed more movement than manipulated corridors (those created and maintained for the study). Our results suggest that existing corridors increase species movement in fragmented landscapes and that efforts spent on maintaining and creating corridors are worthwhile.
The Ecosystem: Model or Metaphor?
Authors: Hess Gérald
Published: February 2010

Industrial ecology offers an original way of looking at economic activities. The approach is based on an analogy between certain objects studied by the science of ecology (ecosystems, metabolisms, symbiosis, biocenosis, etc.) and industrial systems. However, this analogical relationship raises difficulties due to the various interpretations to which it is open. Although there is agreement regarding its heuristic function, the analogy can nevertheless be understood either as a model or as a metaphor. The present article first attempts to show how models differ from metaphors. It then sets out to justify the epistemological relevance of this distinction for industrial ecology research. The reflection should thus contribute to clarifying the debate on the (supposed or desired) role of analogy in the field of industrial ecology and heighten the interest this field of investigation represents for implementing sustainable development.
Model System for Measuring the Effects of Position and Curvature of Fiber Reinforcement Within a Dental Composite
Authors: Rashidan Nayereh , Esmaeili Vahid , Alikhasi Marzieh , Yasini Sara
Published: February 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of fiber curvature and position on flexural strength (FS), toughness, and elastic modulus in a dental flowable composite test specimen.

Methods and Materials: Test specimens made of composite resin (Denfil Flow) were reinforced with preimpregnated glass fibers (Interlig). Control specimens (group A) did not contain fiber reinforcement. Fibers were placed with different positions and orientations into the test specimens (2 mm × 2 mm × 25 mm) (groups B, C, D). The test specimens (n = 10) were stored in distilled water for 3 days at 37°C before testing in a three‐point loading test (ISO 10477) at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min to determine FS, flexural modulus (FM), and toughness. Data were analyzed with 1‐way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD (σ= 0.05).

Results: The FM varied from 4.7 ± 0.5 to 6.7 ± 0.5 GPa. The lowest flexural strength and toughness values in reinforced specimens resulted from compression side fiber reinforcement (132 ± 12 MPa, 21 ± 4 MJ) and the highest from curved fiber reinforcement (174 ± 8 MPa, 83 ± 28 MJ), though this was not statistically significant from tension‐side reinforcement. Although the toughness of the curved reinforced group was significantly higher than other groups, the flexural strength of curved reinforcement was not significantly higher than tension‐side reinforcement.

Conclusion: Position and fiber orientation influenced the flexural strength, FM, and toughness. The most effective in increasing toughness was curved placement of fibers.
Resident Selection Criteria for Advanced Education in Prosthodontic Programs: Program Directors’ Perspective
Authors: Yuan Judy Chia‐Chun , Lee Damian J. , Knoernschild Kent L. , Campbell Stephen D. , Sukotjo Cortino
Published: February 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the criteria used by advanced education in prosthodontic program (AEPP) directors to select their residents, to rank them by perceived importance, and further assist prospective candidates with the application process for AEPP.

Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to all prosthodontic program directors (N = 46). The program directors were requested to respond in five sections: (1) general information, (2) information obtained from applications and letters of recommendation, (3) interview process, (4) decision process, and (5) retrospective view of the selection process. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Data were collected and compiled into mean, standard deviation, and range. Results were tabulated and ranked.

Results: Thirty‐eight responses (82.61%) were returned and analyzed. Most of the programs (75.77%) indicated that a combination of the program director, current residents, prosthodontic faculty, and staff members were involved in conducting the interview process. Factors considered very important when choosing applicants to the prosthodontic program were (1) interview process, (2) dental school class rank, (3) dental school grades (prosthodontics), (4) letters of recommendation, (5) dental school grades (clinical). Letters from the prosthodontic post‐doc program director and prosthodontic faculty were considered the most important source of recommendation. Honesty, organization, and energy were ranked as the most positive characteristics of the applicants during the interview. Almost all respondents (97%) were satisfied with the current selection process. When asked about the current applicant pool, most program directors (91.67%) were satisfied.

Conclusions: The most and least important factors in selecting applicants by the program directors were described and ranked. This study was intended to provide the profession with some insight on how advanced Prosthodontic programs select their applicants. It may also serve as a valuable instrument for prospective applicants to AEPPs in the future.
Crystallographic Evolution, Dielectric, and Piezoelectric Properties of Bi4Ti3O12:W/Cr Ceramics
Authors: Hou Jungang , Qu Yuanfang , Vaish Rahul , Varma K. B. R. , Krsmanovic Dalibor , Kumar R. Vasant
Published: February 2010

W/Cr codoped Bi4Ti3O12 ceramics, Bi4Ti3−xWxO12+x+0.2 wt%Cr2O3 (BITWC, x=0–0.15), were prepared using a solid‐state reaction method. The crystallographic evolution and phase analysis were distinctly determined focusing on the X‐ray diffraction peak changes in (020)/(200) and (220)/(1115) diffraction planes, by which the lattice parameters, a, b, and c can be refined. The thermal variations of permittivity, dielectric loss (tan δ), impedance, and electrical conductivity properties were characterized. A decrease in the values of Curie temperature from 675° to 640°C and an increase in the values of the dielectric constant due to an increase of W6+/Cr3+ content were observed. The highest piezoelectric constant, d33 of 22 pC/N, was achieved with the composition of Bi4Ti2.975W0.025O12.025+0.2 wt% Cr2O3. Also, this composition had a lower electrical conductivity than the other investigated compositions.
Toward Deterministic Material Removal and Surface Figure During Fused Silica Pad Polishing
Authors: Suratwala Tayyab I. , Feit Michael D. , Steele William A.
Published: February 2010

The material removal and surface figure after ceria pad polishing of fused silica glass have been measured and analyzed as a function of kinematics, loading conditions, and polishing time. Also, the friction at the workpiece/lap interface, the slope of the workpiece relative to the lap plane, and lap viscoelastic properties have been measured and correlated to material removal. The results show that the relative velocity between the workpiece and the lap (i.e., the kinematics) and the pressure distribution determine the spatial and temporal material removal, and hence the final surface figure of the workpiece. In cases where the applied loading and relative velocity distribution over the workpiece are spatially uniform, a significant nonuniformity in material removal, and thus surface figure, is observed. This is due to a nonuniform pressure distribution resulting from: (1) a moment caused by a pivot point and interface friction forces; (2) viscoelastic relaxation of the polyurethane lap; and (3) a physical workpiece/lap interface mismatch. Both the kinematics and these nonuniformities in the pressure distribution are quantitatively described, and have been combined to develop a spatial and temporal model, based on Preston's equation, called Surface Figure or SurF. The surface figure simulations are consistent with the experiment for a wide variety of polishing conditions. This study is an important step toward deterministic full‐aperture polishing, allowing optical glass fabrication to be performed in a more repeatable, less iterative, and hence more economical manner.
The Predictive Power of Electronic Polarizability for Tailoring the Refractivity of High‐Index Glasses: Optical Basicity Versus the Single Oscillator Model
Authors: McCloy John , Riley Brian , Johnson Bradley , Schweiger Michael , Qiao Hong Amy , Carlie Nathan
Published: February 2010

High‐density (∼8 g/cm3) heavy metal oxide glasses composed of PbO, Bi2O3, and Ga2O3 were produced, and refractivity parameters (refractive index and density) were computed and measured. Refractive indices were measured at six discrete wavelengths from 0.633 to 10.59 μm using a prism coupler, and data were fitted to the Sellmeier expression. Optical basicity was computed using three models—average electronegativity, ionic‐covalent parameter, and energy gap—and the results were used to compute oxygen polarizability and subsequently the refractive index. Single oscillator energy and dispersion energy were calculated from experimental indices and from oxide energy parameters. The predicted glass index dispersion based on oxide oscillator parameters underestimates the measured index by only 3%–4%. The predicted glass index from optical basicity, based on oxide energy gaps, underpredicts the index at 0.633 μm by only 2%. The calculated glass energy gap based on this optical basicity overpredicts the experimental optical gap by 6%–10%. Thus, we have shown that the density, the refractive index in the visible, and the energy gap can be reasonably predicted using only composition, optical basicity values for the constituent oxides, and partial molar volume coefficients. The relative contributions of the oxides to the total polarizability were assessed, providing an additional insight into controlling the refractivity of high‐index glasses.
Experience with a naphthylmedetomidine – ketamine – hyaluronidase combination in inducing immobilization in anthropoid apes
Authors: Hess L. , Votava M. , Schreiberová J. , Málek J. , Horáček M.
Published: February 2010

Background  The aim of the study was to compare the effect of naphthylmedetomidine to medetomidine on the behavior of orangutans and chimpanzees.

Methods  The immobilization was performed as part of a medical examination in five chimpanzees and three orangutans. Following pre‐medication with midazolam (0.70–1.20 mg/kg p.o.), naphthylmedetomidine (50–70 μg/kg), or medetomidine (20–30 μg/kg) was given with ketamine (3 mg/kg) and hyaluronidase (150 M.U.) into musculus deltoideus.

Results  We observed the distinct anti‐aggressive effect of naphthylmedetomidine. The immobilization with naphthylmedetomidine was shallower and the influence on cardiac frequency less substantial compared to medetomidine. The overall sedative effect of naphthylmedetomidine lasted for less time, and its effect was incompletely antagonized with atipamezole in comparison to medetomidine.

Conclusions  Naphthylmedetomidine could replace medetomidine for inducing immobilization and sedation. A combination of naphthylmedetomidine–ketamine is suitable for relocating animals to other cages or for painless medical examinations.
Epizootic fatal amebiasis in an outdoor group of Old World monkeys
Authors: Ulrich Reiner , Böer Michael , Herder Vanessa , Spitzbarth Ingo , Hewicker‐Trautwein Marion , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Wohlsein Peter
Published: February 2010

Background Entamoeba(E.)histolyticais an obligate parasite of humans and non‐human primates.

Methods This report describes the pathomorphological, immunohistological, and microbiological findings of fatalE. histolyticainfection in two mantled guerezas (Colobus guereza) and one Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus) from an epizootic outbreak of amebiasis in an open‐range recreation park.

Results Pathomorphological examination revealed multifocal necrotizing and granulomatous hepatitis with intralesional protozoan trophozoites in all three cases. In addition, necrotizing and ulcerative gastritis was detected in both mantled guerezas. Furthermore, oligofocal acute pulmonary embolization was detected in one of these cases. No extra‐hepatic lesions were observed in the Hanuman langur. Immunohistological examination confirmed the etiologic diagnosis ofE. histolytica‐induced lesions.

Conclusions AlthoughE. histolyticais a rarely diagnosed pathogen in Western European countries, veterinarians and animal keepers involved in handling and care taking of non‐human primates should be aware of the potential threat caused by this zoonotic parasite.
Muscle function and postural balance in lifelong trained male footballers compared with sedentary elderly men and youngsters
Authors: Sundstrup E. , Jakobsen M. D. , Andersen J. L. , Randers M. B. , Petersen J. , Suetta C. , Aagaard P. , Krustrup P.
Published: February 2010

The present study investigated whether elderly subjects exposed to lifelong football training have better rapid muscle force characteristics, body composition and postural stability in comparison with untrained elderly. Ten elderly men exposed to lifelong football training (FTE; 69.6 ± 1.4 years) and eight age‐matched untrained elderly men (UE; 70.5 ± 1.0 years) were studied and 49 untrained young men (UY; 32.4 ± 0.9 years) served as a reference group. FTE showed an elevated rate of force development (RFD) and impulse at 0–30, 100 and 200 ms (relative RFD at 1/6 MVC: 567 ± 39 vs 353 ± 42% MVC/s), higher total lean body mass (56.9 ± 0.8 vs 52.7 ± 2.2 kg) and better postural stability (Flamingo test: 15 ± 1 vs 33 ± 2 falls) compared with UE (P<0.05), with no difference between FTE and UY. The proportion of type IIA fibers was higher and the area percentage of type IIX fibers was lower in FTE than in UE (P<0.05). Rapid muscle force characteristics and postural stability were consistently higher in elderly subjects exposed to lifelong football training, providing an enhanced ability to counteract unexpected perturbations in postural balance. The superior RFD and balance in elderly footballers were of such a magnitude that no deficit could be observed when compared with young untrained individuals.
When to image neurologically normal children with headaches: development of a decision rule
Authors: Ahmed MAS , Martinez A , Cahill D , Chong K , Whitehouse WP
Published: February 2010

Aims:  The aim of this study was to develop and refine a decision rule on when to undertake brain imaging (BI) in neurologically normal children with headaches.

Methods:  From the literature and a questionnaire study, a list of red flags (RFs) was drawn‐up. During the prospective 4‐year period, consecutive children with headache were classified according to RFs and the headache diagnosis.

Result:  Three of 709 (0.4%) neurologically normal children had significant brain abnormalities. BI was carried out in 389 of 498 (78%) children with RFs. Significant abnormalities were found in three of 389 children (0.8%), all had unclassified headache (UH). BI was not arranged for the 211 children with no RFs. None of these developed RFs or abnormal signs on follow‐up for a mean of 13 months.

Conclusion:  In addition to BI for those with neurological signs, we think BI should be considered for neurologically normal patients with UH and RFs. This would have saved imaging children needlessly: only 101 of 709 (14%) would have had scans arranged, instead of 389 of 709.
Utility of multidetector CT and virtual bronchoscopy in tracheobronchial obstruction in children
Authors: Sodhi Kushaljit Singh , Aiyappan Senthil Kumar , Saxena Akshay Kumar , Singh Meenu , Rao KLN , Khandelwal Niranjan
Published: February 2010

Purpose:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of multidetector CT (MDCT) and virtual bronchoscopy (VB) in the evaluation of tracheobronchial patency in children with suspected bronchial obstruction and to compare its findings with fibreoptic/rigid bronchoscopy or surgery.

Patients and methods:  A total of 43 children (15 girls, 28 boys) with clinically suspected bronchial obstruction underwent contrast enhanced MDCT, using an age‐ and weight‐ adjusted low dose protocol. Post‐processing was performed and VB and multiplanar reformations (MPR) were obtained at the same sitting. Findings obtained at MDCT and VB were compared with fibreoptic/rigid bronchoscopy and surgery.

Results:  Obstructive pathology was found in 26 children, which included endoluminal foreign body, mucus plugs in 13 children, endobronchial tumour in three children and extrinsic compression (lymph node, aberrant Vessels, mediastinal cysts/tumours) of the tracheobronchial tree in 10 children. In 17 children, no obstructive lesion was identified. Excellent positive correlation was obtained, between MDCT‐VB and bronchoscopy/surgery, however, in one child with endobronchial obstruction caused by tracheitis, low dose MDCT‐VB was normal, but bronchoscopy revealed granularity and plaques.

Conclusion:  MDCT‐Virtual bronchoscopy is useful in evaluating bronchial stenosis and obstruction caused by both endoluminal pathology and external compression and has the advantage of looking beyond stenosis. Its main application lies in providing the exact location of suspected foreign body, prior to bronchoscopy. However, it fails to disclose exact nature of obstructing pathology.
The Impact of Tort Reforms on the Sanctioning of Physicians by State Licensing Boards
Authors: Jesilow Paul , Ohlander Julianne
Published: February 2010

This article evaluates the impact of changes in tort laws on state medical licensing board actions in the United States, an area of study that has largely been overlooked in the tort reform debate. We employ negative binomial models with random effects to ascertain the impact of the passage of individual tort reforms, additional explanatory variables, and period effects on board licensing actions. Our results suggest that alterations to states' joint and several liability rules, the enactment of penalties for frivolous lawsuits, and the establishment of the National Practitioner Data Bank may have increased the use of serious sanctions by medical licensing boards, while implementation of arbitration and attorney fee regulation may have decreased their use. We call for greater attention to be paid to the impact of tort reforms on licensing actions.
Frontloading Mitigation: The “Legal” and the “Human” in Death Penalty Defense
Authors: Cheng Jesse
Published: February 2010

The bifurcation of capital trials into determinations of guilt and sentencing presents defense advocates with what seem to be two distinct domains of knowledge—one apparently “legal” in character, the other “human.” But this epistemological division is actually not so clear in practice. This article dissects the procedural and strategic mechanisms through which these two domains unsettle and reconstitute the other. I provide a historical, empirically grounded account that explicitly articulates the connections between developments in legal procedure, prevailing standards of care concerning the need to conduct humanistic investigations of mitigating factors, and the on‐the‐ground trial practice of “frontloading” as a defense strategy. Drawing from documentary research, interview data with leading capital defense practitioners, and analytical observations based on my own experience as a mitigation specialist, this article presents itself as a case study of the processes of mutually constitutive rupturing that reconfigure the categories of the legal and the human.
Judging from a Guilty Conscience: The Chilean Judiciary's Human Rights Turn
Authors: Huneeus Alexandra
Published: February 2010

Since the detention of General Pinochet in London in 1998 on charges of crimes against humanity, Chile's judges have sentenced more former officials of the military regime for human rights violations than judges of any other country in Latin America. This article argues that the prosecutorial turn reflects the judiciary's attempt to atone for its complicity with the dictatorship. The London arrest created pressure for prosecution of Pinochet‐era human rights violations; but it is the contest over the judiciary's legacy, as an important piece of postauthoritarian memory struggles, that explains why Chile's notoriously illiberal judiciary ceded to that pressure. By reconceptualizing judicial culture as contested, heterogeneous, and dynamic, this article opens the door to richer understandings of judicial politics, transitional justice, and the reception of international human rights.
Performing Impartiality: Judicial Demeanor and Legitimacy
Authors: Mack Kathy , Roach Anleu Sharyn
Published: February 2010

The demeanor exhibited by a judge is a key element in criminal proceedings, especially in direct interactions with the defendant, defense representatives, and prosecutors. The judicial demeanor(s) displayed must meet the normative confines of the judicial role—primarily impartiality—within the practical constraints of long case lists, when interactions are subject to considerable time pressure.

Drawing on findings from an extensive national court observation study, this article examines the varied demeanors displayed by magistrates—the presiding judicial officers—in Australia's lower courts. It explores the complex meanings of these demeanors, and considers how they may enhance or undermine the legitimacy of judicial authority.
Recasting the Movement and Reframing the Law in Risa Goluboff's The Lost Promise of Civil Rights
Authors: Lichtenstein Nelson
Published: February 2010

Risa Goluboff's The Lost Promise of Civil Rights (2007) advances the historiographical idea that a long civil rights movement, beginning well before the mid‐1950s, had a robust and innovative legal dimension. Her study of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, as well as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) itself, demonstrates that lawyers in those organizations took guidance from many working‐class clients to successfully deploy a conception of civil rights rooted on the farm and in the factory to challenge the economic and social edifice of Jim Crow, in the North as well as the South.