bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Degradation of insecticides used for indoor spraying in malaria control and possible solutions
Authors: Sibanda Mthokozisi M , Focke Walter W , Labuschagne Frederick JWJ , Moyo Lumbidzani , Nhlapo Nontete S , Maity Arjun , Muiambo Herminio , Massinga Pedro , Crowther Nico AS , Coetzee Maureen , Brindley Gordon WA
Published: November 2011

Background

The insecticide dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) is widely used in indoor residual spraying (IRS) for malaria control owing to its longer residual efficacy in the field compared to other World Health Organization (WHO) alternatives. Suitable stabilization to render these alternative insecticides longer lasting could provide a less controversial and more acceptable and effective alternative insecticide formulations than DDT.

Methods

This study sought to investigate the reasons behind the often reported longer lasting behaviour of DDT by exposing all the WHO approved insecticides to high temperature, high humidity and ultra-violet light. Interactions between the insecticides and some mineral powders in the presence of an aqueous medium were also tested. Simple insecticidal paints were made using slurries of these mineral powders whilst some insecticides were dispersed into a conventional acrylic paint binder. These formulations were then spray painted on neat and manure coated mud plaques, representative of the material typically used in rural mud houses, at twice the upper limit of the WHO recommended dosage range. DDT was applied directly onto mud plaques at four times the WHO recommended concentration and on manure plaques at twice WHO recommended concentration. All plaques were subjected to accelerated ageing conditions of 40°C and a relative humidity of 90%.

Results

The pyrethroids insecticides outperformed the carbamates and DDT in the accelerated ageing tests. Thus UV exposure, high temperature oxidation and high humidity per se were ruled out as the main causes of failure of the alternative insecticides. Gas chromatography (GC) spectrograms showed that phosphogypsum stabilised the insecticides the most against alkaline degradation (i.e., hydrolysis). Bioassay testing showed that the period of efficacy of some of these formulations was comparable to that of DDT when sprayed on mud surfaces or cattle manure coated surfaces.

Conclusions

Bioassay experiments indicated that incorporating insecticides into a conventional paint binder or adsorbing them onto phosphogypsum can provide for extended effective life spans that compare favourably with DDT's performance under accelerated ageing conditions. Best results were obtained with propoxur in standard acrylic emulsion paint. Similarly, insecticides adsorbed on phosphogypsum and sprayed on cattle manure coated surfaces provided superior lifespans compared with DDT sprayed directly on a similar surface.
Cytokine & chemokine response in the lungs, pleural fluid and serum in thoracic surgery using one-lung ventilation
Authors: Breunig Andreas , Gambazzi Franco , Beck-Schimmer Beatrice , Tamm Michael , Lardinois Didier , Oertli Daniel , Zingg Urs
Published: November 2011

Background

Thoracic surgery mandates usually a one-lung ventilation (OLV) strategy with the collapse of the operated lung and ventilation of the non-operated lung. These procedures trigger a substantial inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to analyze the cytokine and chemokine reaction in both lungs, pleural space and blood in patients undergoing lung resection with OLV with special interest in the chemokine growth-regulated peptide alpha (GROα) which is the human equivalent to the rat cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1).

Methods

Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of both the collapsed, operated and the ventilated, non-operated lung, respectively, pleural space drainage fluid and blood was collected and the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1RA and GROα were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in 15 patients.

Results

Substantial inter-individual differences in the BAL fluid between patients in cytokine and chemokine levels occurred. In the pleural fluid and the blood these inter-individual differences were less pronounced. Both sides of the lung were affected and showed a significant increase in IL-6 and IL-1RA concentrations over time but not in GROα concentrations. Except for IL-6, which increased more in the collapsed, operated lung, no difference between the collapsed, operated and the ventilated, non-operated lung occurred. In the blood, IL-6 and IL-1RA increased early, already at the end of surgery. GROα was not detectable. In the pleural fluid, both cytokine and chemokine concentrations increased by day one. The increase was significantly higher in the pleural fluid compared to the blood.

Conclusion

The inflammatory response of cytokines affects both the collapsed, operated and the ventilated, non-operated lungs. The difference in extent of response underlines the complexity of the inflammatory processes during OLV. In contrast to the cytokines, the chemokine GROα concentrations did not react in the BAL fluid or in the blood. This indicates that GROα might not be useful as marker for the inflammatory reaction in complex surgical procedures.
Gene expression profiling in acute allograft rejection: challenging the immunologic constant of rejection hypothesis
Authors: Spivey Tara L , Uccellini Lorenzo , Ascierto Maria Libera , Zoppoli Gabriele , De Giorgi Valeria , Delogu Lucia Gemma , Engle Alyson M , Thomas Jaime M , Wang Ena , Marincola Francesco M , Bedognetti Davide
Published: November 2011

In humans, the role and relationship between molecular pathways that lead to tissue destruction during acute allograft rejection are not fully understood. Based on studies conducted in humans, we recently hypothesized that different immune-mediated tissue destruction processes (i.e. cancer, infection, autoimmunity) share common convergent final mechanisms. We called this phenomenon the "Immunologic Constant of Rejection (ICR)." The elements of the ICR include molecular pathways that are consistently described through different immune-mediated tissue destruction processes and demonstrate the activation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), the recruitment of cytotoxic immune cells (primarily through CXCR3/CCR5 ligand pathways), and the activation of immune effector function genes (IEF genes; granzymes A/B, perforin, etc.).

Here, we challenge the ICR hypothesis by using a meta-analytical approach and systematically reviewing microarray studies evaluating gene expression on tissue biopsies during acute allograft rejection. We found the pillars of the ICR consistently present among the studies reviewed, despite implicit heterogeneity.

Additionally, we provide a descriptive mechanistic overview of acute allograft rejection by describing those molecular pathways most frequently encountered and thereby thought to be most significant. The biological role of the following molecular pathways is described: IFN-γ, CXCR3/CCR5 ligand, IEF genes, TNF-α, IL-10, IRF-1/STAT-1, and complement pathways. The role of NK cell, B cell and T-regulatory cell signatures are also addressed.
Synthesis of hexagonal structured wurtzite and chalcopyrite CuInS2 via a simple solution route
Authors: Sheng Xia , Wang Lei , Luo Yeping , Yang Deren
Published: November 2011

Wurtzite semiconductor CuInS2 [CIS] has been reported in recent years. As a kind of metastable structure, it is a great challenge to synthesize pure wurtzite CIS at low temperature. In this paper, via a simple and quick solution route, we synthesize both wurtzite- and chalcopyrite-structure CIS. Well-controlled wurtzite CIS hexagonal plates are obtained when an appropriate agent is added. The influence of the used agent triethanolamine [TEA] has also been studied, and it turns out that without TEA, chalcopyrite CIS with a kind of rare morphology is formed through this method.
Visceral Hyperalgesia Induced by Forebrain-Specific Suppression of Native Kv7/KCNQ/M-Current in Mice
Authors: Bi Yeping , Chen Hui , Su Jun , Cao Xu , Bian Xiling , Wang KeWei
Published: November 2011

Background:

Dysfunction of brain-gut interaction is thought to underlie visceral hypersensitivity which causes unexplained abdominal pain syndromes. However, the mechanism by which alteration of brain function in the brain-gut axis influences the perception of visceral pain remains largely elusive. In this study we investigated whether altered brain activity can generate visceral hyperalgesia.

Results:

Using a forebrain specific αCaMKII promoter, we established a line of transgenic (Tg) mice expressing a dominant-negative pore mutant of the Kv7.2/KCNQ2 channel which suppresses native KCNQ/M-current and enhances forebrain neuronal excitability. Brain slice recording of hippocampal pyramidal neurons from these Tg mice confirmed the presence of hyperexcitable properties with increased firing. Behavioral evaluation of Tg mice exhibited increased sensitivity to visceral pain induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of either acetic acid or magnesium sulfate, and intracolon capsaicin stimulation, but not cutaneous sensation for thermal or inflammatory pain. Immunohistological staining showed increased c-Fos expression in the somatosensory SII cortex and insular cortex of Tg mice that were injected intraperitoneally with acetic acid. To mimic the effect of cortical hyperexcitability on visceral hyperalgesia, we injected KCNQ/M channel blocker XE991 into the lateral ventricle of wild type (WT) mice. Intracerebroventricular injection of XE991 resulted in increased writhes of WT mice induced by acetic acid, and this effect was reversed by co-injection of the channel opener retigabine.

Conclusions:

Our findings provide evidence that forebrain hyperexcitability confers visceral hyperalgesia, and suppression of central hyperexcitability by activation of KCNQ/M-channel function may provide a therapeutic potential for treatment of abdominal pain syndromes.
AUDocker LE: A GUI for virtual screening with AUTODOCK Vina
Authors: Sandeep Gaddam , Nagasree Kurre Purna , Hanisha Muppaneni , Kumar Muthyala Murali Krishna
Published: November 2011

Background

AUTODOCK Vina is an open-source program which is steadfast and authentic to perform docking simulations. Though, Auto Dock Tools can help perform docking simulations with Vina, it largely remains as a platform for docking single molecule at a time.

Findings

"AUDocker LE" is designed with an aim to develop a software tool as a front end graphical interface with C# language to perform docking experiments in Windows based computers. It helps users to perform automated continuous docking of large ligand databases into a set of predefined protein targets. It will also help the user to analyze the results to select promising lead molecules.

Conclusion

AUDocker LE provides a straight forward graphical interface which can be used in a standard personal computer with Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 7 as the operating system where Autodock Vina, Python 2.5 and .net frame work are preinstalled.
Separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides from simulated high-level waste using cobalt bis(dicarbollide) ion derivate substituted with diphenyl-N-tert.octyl-carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide
Authors: Selucký P. , Lučaníková M. , Grüner B.
Published: November 2011

A derivative with cobalt bis(dicarbollide)(1−) ion covalently bonded with diphenyl-N-tert.octyl-carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide with a formula [(8-Ph2P(O)-CH2C(O)N-t-C8H17-(CH2-CH2O)2-(1,2-C2B9H10)(1´,2´-C2B9H11)-3,3´-Co]− (CMPO-COSAN) has been evaluated for actinides(III)/lanthanides(III) separation from high level liquid waste (HLLW) from PUREX reprocessing. The procedures for HLLW treatment by CMPO-COSAN dissolved in low polar mixture of hexylmethylketone and hydrogenated tetrapropylene (HMK/TPH, 1:1) or polar mixture of nitrobenzene/bromoform (NB/BF, 9:1) were proposed. The good separation of Am(III)/Ln(III) from bulk of fission products was achieved. The trivalent radionuclides were effectively stripped from the loaded organic phase by using ammonium citrate or solution of ammonium citrate and ammonium diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA). The co-extraction of some undesirable elements as Zr, Mo, Pd was suppressed using oxalic acid and HEDTA in extraction and a scrub steps. However, co-extraction of Ag has to be solved, yet.
Ambient erbium luminescence in silicon and silicon-germanium films
Authors: Abedrabbo Sufian , Fiory Anthony
Published: November 2011

Prior studies have shown that photoluminescence from Er3+ impurities in silicon is severely limited at room temperature by non-radiative relaxation and solid solubility, and room temperature emission from Er3+ in oxide-based hosts becomes diminished at high erbium concentrations. This work presents studies of thin films (0·2 µm thick) prepared by vacuum co-evaporation from elemental sources (erbium, silicon and silicon/germanium) followed by vacuum annealing (600°C); materials of this type, which are produced with high Er3+ concentrations, are shown to be capable of yielding strong room temperature photoluminescence. Alloy films of Si–Er–O and Si–Ge–Er–O, containing (20 ± 2) at.% erbium and incorporating (16 ± 2) at.% oxygen (introduced by way of vacuum scavenging reactions), exhibit emission bands with dominant components at 1·51 and 1·54 µm (~0·04-µm overall spectral widths). Results are discussed in terms of erbium–oxygen complex formation and the effects of local randomness on cooperative inter-Er3+ energy transfer among thermal-broadened and local-field Stark-split 4I13/2→4I15/2 transitions. This paper discusses the advantages of scalability and low costs associated with producing optically active silicon-based materials.
Uneventful Disappearance of a Large Left Atrial Ball Thrombus with Enoxaparin in a Patient with Mitral Stenosis Associated with Pregnancy
Authors: Martínez Espínola Jorge Ernesto , Acosta Colmán María Isabel , Antonio Centurión Osmar
Published: November 2011

An atrial thrombus is a relatively common echocardiographic finding in patients with mitral valve stenosis (MVS) and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, a “ball thrombus” or floating thrombus in the left atrium is a rare and specific entity associated with MVS. A 24-year-old woman with rheumatic MVS presented with complaints of progressive dyspnea and inferior limbs edema that began 23 days earlier after a caesarean operation for stillbirth carried out at 8 months of pregnancy. At the time of hospitalization, she was in New York Heart Association functional class III and the ECG showed sinus rhythm. Transthoracic color-flow Doppler echocardiography revealed a thick, stenotic mitral valve with a valvular area of 0.9 cm2, and an echogenic large left-atrial mass diagnosed as a free-floating left-atrial thrombus that was corroborated by transesophageal echocardiography. She refused surgery and was treated medically, and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) (enoxaparin 80 mg/12 h) was given for 14 days and was discharged uneventfully on coumarin. Two days before discharge, a transthoracic and transesophageal ecocardiography showed disappearance of the ball thrombus uneventfully leaving spontaneous echo contrast inside the left atrium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case showing disappearance of a giant left atrial ball thrombus with LMWH treatment in a patient with severe MVS during sinus rhythm associated with pregnancy.
Improved Metabolic Control in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Rosenbauer Joachim , Dost Axel , Karges Beate , Hungele Andreas , Stahl Anna , Bächle Christina , Gerstl Eva Maria , Kastendieck Christian , Hofer Sabine E. , Holl Reinhard W. ,   on behalf of the DPV Initiative and the German BMBF Competence Network Diabetes Mellitus
Published: November 2011

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the temporal trend of metabolic control and potential predictors in German and Austrian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This study is based on a large, multicenter database for prospective longitudinal documentation of diabetes care in Germany and Austria. Data from 30,708 patients documented in 305 diabetes centers between 1995 and 2009 were analyzed. Generalized linear mixed regression models were used to adjust trend analysis for relevant confounders.

RESULTS

Unadjusted mean HbA1c decreased from 8.7 ± 1.8% in 1995 to 8.1 ± 1.5% in 2009. In multiple regression analysis, treatment year, age, sex, diabetes duration, migration background, BMI-SDS, and daily insulin dose were significant predictors of metabolic control (P < 0.001). After multiple adjustment, mean HbA1c decreased significantly by 0.038% per year (95% CI 0.032–0.043%), average odds ratio (OR) per year for HbA1c >7.5% (>9.0%) was 0.969 (95% CI 0.961–0.977) (0.948, 95% CI 0.941–0.956). Intensified insulin regimen was associated with lower frequency of poor metabolic control (HbA1c >9%; P = 0.005) but not with average HbA1c (P = 0.797). Rate of severe hypoglycemia and hypoglycemic coma decreased significantly (relative risk [RR] per year 0.948, 95% CI 0.918–0.979; RR 0.917, 95% CI 0.885–0.950) over the study period. Diabetic ketoacidosis rate showed no significant variation over time.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed a significant improvement in metabolic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes during the past decade and a simultaneous decrease in hypoglycemic events. The improvement was not completely explained by changes in the mode of insulin treatment. Other factors such as improved patient education may have accounted for the observed trend.
Simple Method to Identify Marl Soils
Authors: Jung Chulmin , Bobet Antonio , Siddiki Nayyar Zia
Published: November 2011

An experimental investigation proposed a simple, practical method to identify marl soils in the laboratory and to classify the soils. The percentage of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) of the soil was determined with three methods: (a) thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), (b) sequential loss on ignition (LOI), and (c) chemical reaction following ASTM C25. The sequential LOI test has the advantage that both organic and CaCO3 content of the soil can be determined with a conventional furnace. X-ray diffraction, pH, and Atterberg limits tests were also conducted. The percentage of CaCO3 determined from the sequential LOI tests agreed well with those from the TGA tests and from the chemical tests. No correlation was found between the percentage of CaCO3 and organic content in the soil. As the organic content of the soil increases, the liquid limit increases and the plasticity of the soil increases. As the CaCO3 content of the soil increases, the liquid limit of the soil decreases and the soil becomes less plastic. The geotechnical engineering properties of marl soils depend on organic content and CaCO3 content, and so the soils should be classified according to both organic content and CaCO3 content.
Influence of Reduced Nitrogen Diets on Ammonia Emissions from Cattle Feedlot Pens
Authors: Galles Karen , Ham Jay , Westover Elin , Stratton Joshua , Wagner John , Engle Terry , Bryant Tony C.
Published: November 2011

Reducing crude protein (CP) in livestock diets may lower ammonia emissions. A feeding trial was conducted with crossbred steers at the Southeast Colorado Research Center in Lamar, Colorado from December 2009 to March 2010. Three diet treatments were investigated: Reduced (11.6% CP), Oscillating (13.5% crude protein 4 days/week and 11.6% CP 3 days/week) and Control (13.5% CP). Intact soil core samples (n = 36 per sampling date) were collected from the pen surfaces on three dates corresponding to 45, 92, and 148 days into the feeding cycle. Four pens from each diet treatment were sampled. Cores were placed into flow-through laboratory chambers for seven days and ammonia fluxes were trapped in acid bubblers that were refreshed every 24 h. Average daily ammonia emissions for the Control diet ranged from 6.6 to 9.4 g NH3 m−2·day−1; average daily emission for the Oscillating diet ranged from 6.3 to 8.8 g NH3 m−2·day−1; and average daily flux for the Reduced diet ranged from 4.1 to 5.8 g NH3 m−2·day−1. Ammonia fluxes from the reduced N treatment were significantly lower (21% to 40%) than from the control diet on the first two sample dates. There was no significant difference between the Oscillating and Control treatments. Reducing CP in cattle feedlot diets may be an effective method for reducing ammonia emissions from pen surfaces. More research is needed to validate these results at commercial scales in different environments to determine if reductions in ammonia can be sustained with lower CP diets without affecting rate of gain, feed efficiency and health.
Carbohydrate Mimetic Peptides Augment Carbohydrate-Reactive Immune Responses in the Absence of Immune Pathology
Authors: Hennings Leah , Artaud Cecile , Jousheghany Fariba , Monzavi-Karbassi Behjatolah , Pashov Anastas , Kieber-Emmons Thomas
Published: November 2011

Among the most challenging of clinical targets for cancer immunotherapy are Tumor Associated Carbohydrate Antigens (TACAs). To augment immune responses to TACA we are developing carbohydrate mimetic peptides (CMPs) that are sufficiently potent to activate broad-spectrum anti-tumor reactivity. However, the activation of immune responses against terminal mono- and disaccharide constituents of TACA raises concerns regarding the balance between “tumor destruction” and “tissue damage”, as mono- and disaccharides are also expressed on normal tissue. To support the development of CMPs for clinical trial testing, we demonstrate in preclinical safety assessment studies in mice that vaccination with CMPs can enhance responses to TACAs without mediating tissue damage to normal cells expressing TACA. BALB/c mice were immunized with CMPs that mimic TACAs reactive with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin 1 (GS-I), and tissue reactivity of serum antibodies were compared with the tissue staining profile of GS-I. Tissues from CMP immunized mice were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin stain, and Luxol-fast blue staining for myelination. Western blots of membranes from murine mammary 4T1 cells, syngeneic with BALB/c mice, were also compared using GS-I, immunized serum antibodies, and naive serum antibodies. CMP immunization enhanced glycan reactivities with no evidence of pathological autoimmunity in any immunized mice demonstrating that tissue damage is not an inevitable consequence of TACA reactive responses.
Water Soluble Polymers for Pharmaceutical Applications
Authors: Kadajji Veeran Gowda , Betageri Guru V.
Published: November 2011

Advances in polymer science have led to the development of novel drug delivery systems. Some polymers are obtained from natural resources and then chemically modified for various applications, while others are chemically synthesized and used. A large number of natural and synthetic polymers are available. In the present paper, only water soluble polymers are described. They have been explained in two categories (1) synthetic and (2) natural. Drug polymer conjugates, block copolymers, hydrogels and other water soluble drug polymer complexes have also been explained. The general properties and applications of different water soluble polymers in the formulation of different dosage forms, novel delivery systems and biomedical applications will be discussed.
Profitability of Nitrification Inhibitors for Abatement of Nitrate Leaching on a Representative Dairy Farm in the Waikato Region of New Zealand
Authors: Doole Graeme J. , Paragahawewa Upa H.
Published: November 2011

Direct policies for the management of nonpoint source pollution are difficult to apply given asymmetric information, spatial and temporal variability, and uncertainty. There is increasing awareness that these limitations may be overcome where profitable mitigation practices are broadly adopted by polluters. Nitrification inhibitors (chemicals applied to paddocks that retard the nitrification process in soils) are a rare example of a mitigation practice that reduces pollutant loads and potentially increases farm profit through promoting pasture production. This study investigates their capacity to achieve both goals to inform policy makers and producers of their potential for simultaneously improving farm profit and water quality. With an assumed 10 percent increase in pasture production in response to nitrification inhibitor application, nitrification inhibitors are a profitable innovation because greater pasture production supports higher stocking rates. Nonetheless, their overall impact on farm profit is low, even when the cost of inhibitors or their impact on subsequent pasture production is substantially altered. However, inhibitors are found to be a critical mitigation practice for farmers posed with decreasing leaching loads to satisfy regulatory requirements. These findings suggest that, despite their shortcomings for nonpoint pollution regulation, direct policies appear to be the only way to motivate producers to account for their impact on environmental values given the current lack of profitable mitigations.
Nuclear and chloroplast SSR markers in Paeonia delavayi (Paeoniaceae) and cross‐species amplification in P. ludlowii
Authors: Zhang Jin‐Mei , Liu Jing , Sun Hai‐Lu , Yu Jing , Wang Jian‐Xiu , Zhou Shi‐Liang
Published: November 2011

• Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers were developed for Paeonia delavayi and P. ludlowii (Paeoniaceae) to study their population genetics and phytogeography.

• Methods and Results: Nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci were isolated from an enriched library of P. delavayi and primers were designed. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 16; the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.014 to 0.687 and 0.042 to 0.875, respectively. Six polymorphic chloroplast microsatellite loci were identified in P. delavayi and primers were provided. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to six and the polymorphic information content ranged from 0.08 to 0.716. Both nuclear and chloroplast primers were successfully applicable to P. ludlowii.

• Conclusions: The markers developed here will facilitate analyses of genetic diversity, population genetic structure, phytogeographical patterns, and conservation for P. delavayi and P. ludlowii.
SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF Fe-MODIFIED CALCIUM-DEFICIENT HYDROXYAPATITE NANOCRYSTAL FOR MRI CONTRAST AGENT
Authors: Chang Kuo-Chi , Li Chia-Yu , Hsu Chung-King , Kuo Min-Shin
Published: November 2011

In order to achieve for a better magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, the synthesis, degradation and magnetic properties of Fe -modified calcium deficient hydroxyapatite nanoparticles ( Fe -CDHAP, ( Ca , Fe )10-x( HPO 4)x( PO 4)6-x( OH )2-x), which synthesizes using ultrasonic assisted precipitation at low temperature, were investigated. The MRI contrast agent should be stable, biodegradable and also with great magnetism. The synthesized sample demonstrates needle-like morphology with dimension less than 50 nm in width and 300 nm in length under SEM. The structure and crystal deformation were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), which show 0.2% shrinkage in cell volume, through the pattern shifting and the lattice parameters calculations. Thermal gravity analysis (TGA) analysis indicated Fe -CDHAP were stable up to 1200°C and confirmed the structure of the Fe -CDHAP, which is stable. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) assisted to define the influence of iron substitution and gave the hint of internal structure variation on [Formula: see text] sites that reflect on the great amount of phosphate ions release in acidic solution. The methods above prove the structure of Fe -CDHAP and also indicate the effect to [Formula: see text], which is caused by the doping of iron ions. The degradation test confirms the biodegradability of Fe -CDHAP that can degrade faster than CDHAP and also release a great amount of phosphate ions in a short time. The magnetic property of CDHAP and Fe -CDHAP were determined with VSM to and found the transformation of diamagnetic into paramagnetic.
AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF COLORECTAL POLYPS IN STATIC IMAGES
Authors: Cheng Da-Chuan , Ting Wen-Chien , Chen Yung-Fu , Jiang Xiaoyi
Published: November 2011

Colorectal cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Scanning using colorectal endoscopy is a useful and common method in clinical examinations. However, the scanning and polyps detections are performed by physicians. Failures to detect polyps might be caused due to lack of experience or knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to discover a scheme able to distinguish polyps from normal tissue in static images off-line.Texture features are studied for the discrimination between polyps and normal tissue. Two useful and simple features are proposed. The student's t-test is applied in selecting useful features to reduce the computation time. The support vector machine is used as a classifier to identify the position of polyps. A study on the numbers in the training patterns is done in order to select an optimal ratio between the polyps and non-polyps sub-images. Seventy-four colonoscopic images are collected to test the system. Half are used as training images and half for testing. The experimental result shows the system can identify all polyps if the colonoscopic images contain a single polyp. The sensitivity is 86.2% and the false-positive rate is 1.26 marks per image.
Are the Stages of Change Socioeconomically Distributed? a Scoping Review
Authors: Adams Jean , White Martin
Published: November 2011

Objective.

To conduct a rapid scoping review to explore the hypothesis that socioeconomic affluence is associated with a more advanced stage of change for health behaviors.

Data Source.

Key-word searches of MEDline, Embase, PyschINFO, and www.google.com were conducted.

Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria.

Studies identified by the searches were included if they were published between 1982 and September 2003, written in English, and reported information on the distribution of the stages of change for any health behavior according to a marker of socioeconomic position (SEP).

Data Extraction.

Data on the behavior studied, the sample studied, the measure of SEP used, the definitions of the stages of change used, and the distribution of the stages of change according SEP were extracted by a single reviewer.

Data Synthesis.

As far as possible, data were reanalyzed by the chi-square test to determine if there was evidence that the distribution of the stages of change varied according to SEP. A formal meta-analysis was not appropriate.

Results.

Twenty-one studies reporting data on 30 samples and 188,850 individuals were included. Significant variations in the distribution of the stages of change were found according to SEP, in the expected direction, in 16 (53%) samples representing 171,183 (91%) individuals.

Conclusions.

There is substantial published evidence that more-affluent people tend to be in more-advanced stages of change than are more-deprived people.
Impact of Intervention Dose on Cancer-Related Health Behaviors among Working-Class, Multiethnic, Community Health Center Patients
Authors: Kaphingst Kimberly A. , Lobb Rebecca , Fay Martha E. , Hunt Mary K. , Suarez Elizabeth Gonzalez , Fletcher Robert H. , Emmons Karen M.
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

To examine the relationship between intervention dose and health behavior change in Healthy Directions–Health Centers, an intervention designed to reduce cancer risk factors.

Design.

Analysis of intervention condition participant data from a randomized controlled trial.

Setting.

Community health centers in Massachusetts.

Subjects.

Patients residing in low-income, working-class, multiethnic neighborhoods.

Intervention.

Components were clinician endorsement, in-person counseling session and four telephone counseling sessions with a trained health advisor, and social-contextual tailored materials.

Measures.

Intervention dose was number of six possible intervention components completed by each participant. Changes in fruit and vegetable consumption, red meat consumption, physical activity, and multivitamin intake between baseline (n = 1088) and 8-month follow-up (n = 967; 89% of baseline sample) were determined.

Analysis.

Bivariate and multivariate associations between intervention dose and change in health behaviors were examined.

Results.

In multivariate analysis, the association between intervention dose and increase in multivitamin intake approached significance (p < .07). Seventy percent of participants completed all intervention activities. In bivariate analysis, completion of four telephone counseling calls was associated with decrease in red meat consumption (p < .05).

Conclusion.

These findings indicate that future studies should examine the number, content, and length of contacts needed for behavior change. The results also suggest that health centers are a channel for reaching diverse populations, as shown by the high level of intervention implementation.
Environment and Active Living: The Roles of Health Risk and Economic Factors
Authors: Lee Chanam
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

This study examines the associations that a neighborhood's physical and social environments have with transportation and recreation physical activities, with an emphasis on the roles of health risk and economic factors.

Design.

It is a cross-sectional study with a hypothesis-testing approach.

Setting.

The study was conducted within the city of Seattle, Washington.

Subjects.

The subjects included 438 able-bodied, randomly selected adults.

Measures.

Physical activity and sociodemographic data came from a telephone survey (34% response rate). Environmental variables were measured subjectively as people's perceptions and objectively using the Geographic Information System. Bivariate analyses and the Structural Equation Model were used to test the overall theoretic framework and the relationships among latent and observed variables.

Results.

Lower-income populations lived in areas with more routine destinations and higher densities and were more active for transportation than higher-income populations. People with higher health risks were less active for both transportation and recreation purposes. The social environment—perception of people walking and biking in the neighborhood—was more strongly associated with recreational physical activities, while the physical environment was more strongly associated with transportation physical activities.

Conclusion.

Further investigation of different subpopulations and explicit distinction among different purposes of physical activities are needed in future research and interventions. This study is limited to urban areas and cross-sectional data.
The Urban Built Environment and Obesity in New York City: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Rundle Andrew , Roux Ana V. Diez , Freeman Lance M. , Miller Douglas , Neckerman Kathryn M. , Weiss Christopher C.
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

To examine whether urban form is associated with body size within a densely-settled city.

Design.

Cross-sectional analysis using multilevel modeling to relate body mass index (BMI) to built environment resources.

Setting.

Census tracts (n = 1989) within the five boroughs of New York City.

Subjects.

Adult volunteers (n = 13,102) from the five boroughs of New York City recruited between January 2000 and December 2002.

Measures.

The dependent variable was objectively-measured BMI. Independent variables included land use mix; bus and subway stop density; population density; and intersection density. Covariates included age, gender, race, education, and census tract–level poverty and race/ethnicity.

Analysis.

Cross-sectional multilevel analyses.

Results.

Mixed land use (Beta = 2.55, p < .01), density of bus stops (Beta = −.01, p < .01) and subway stops (Beta = −.06, p < .01), and population density (Beta = −.25, p < .001), but not intersection density (Beta = −.002) were significantly inversely associated with BMI after adjustment for individual- and neighborhood-level sociodemographic characteristics. Comparing the 90th to the 10th percentile of each built environment variable, the predicted adjusted difference in BMI with increased mixed land use was −.41 units, with bus stop density was −.33 units, with subway stop density was −.34 units, and with population density was −.86 units.

Conclusion.

BMI is associated with built environment characteristics in New York City.
Spatial Measures Associated with Stair Use
Authors: Nicoll Gayle
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

Although stair use in workplaces can provide an accessible means of integrating physical activity into work routines, there is little information available on how building design influences stair use.

Design.

This cross-sectional study assessed the relationship between stair use and the design and location of stairs.

Setting.

Ten three- or four-story academic buildings on two university campuses.

Sample.

The buildings contained a total of 38 stairs and 12 elevators.

Measures.

Stair use was measured using infrared monitors. Eighteen environmental variables that operationalized the appeal, convenience, comfort, legibility, and safety of stairs were measured.

Results.

Regression analysis identified eight spatial variables associated with stair use: travel distances from stair to nearest entrance and the elevator, effective area or occupant load of each stair, accessibility of each stair, area of stair isovist (a graphic representation of the horizontal extent of a person's visual field from a specific point of reference within a building floor plan), number of turns required for travel from the stair to closest entrance, and the most integrated path (MIP). Three variables (effective area, area of stair isovist, and number of turns for travel from the MIP), explained 53% of stair use in the 10 buildings. Most variables operationalizing the appeal, comfort, and safety of stairs were not statistically influential.

Conclusions.

This study suggests that the spatial qualities that optimize the convenience and legibility of stairs may have the most influence on stair use in buildings.
Using Objective and Subjective Measures of Neighborhood Greenness and Accessible Destinations for Understanding Walking Trips and BMI in Seattle, Washington
Authors: Tilt Jenna H. , Unfried Thomas M. , Roca Belen
Published: November 2011

Purpose.

Examine the influence of destinations within walking distance of a residence and vegetation on walking trips and body mass index (BMI).

Design.

Cross-sectional analysis of data from residences with varying accessibility and greenness.

Setting.

Seattle, Washington.

Subjects.

Stratified random sample of residents, stratified by accessibility and greenness. Response rate: 17.5%, 529 respondents.

Measures.

Accessibility and greenness were measured objectively by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Network Analysis and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), respectively. Self-reported destinations, natural features, walking trips, BMI, and importance of destinations were measured through a postal survey.

Results.

Objective accessibility were related to walking trips per month (r2 = .110, p < .0001), as was subjective greenness (r2 = .051, p < .0001), although objective measures of actual greenness were not. In areas with high accessibility, BMI was lower in areas that had high NDVI, or more greenness (r2 = .129428, model p < .0001; t-test of interaction p = .0257). Low NDVI areas were associated with overestimation of the number of destinations within walking distance (F1, 499 = 11.009, p < .001).

Conclusions.

Objective and subjective measurements of accessibility and greenness led to an understanding of variation among walking trips and BMI in different neighborhoods.
Status of organochlorine pesticides in the drinking water well-field located in the Delhi region of the flood plains of river Yamuna
Authors: Mutiyar P. K. , Mittal A. K. , Pekdeger A.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. This study presents the occurrence of pesticides in a well-field located in Yamuna flood plain of Delhi region. Ground water sampling campaigns were carried out during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods covering 21 borewells and 5 Ranney wells. Major 17 organochlorine pesticides (OCP's) along with other water quality parameters were monitored during this period. Pesticide concentrations were determined using GC-ECD, while GC-MS was used for confirmatory purposes. OCP's groups like ∑HCH, ∑DDT, endosulfan and aldrin were observed in this well-field. Concentration of OCPs from Ranney well exceeded the limit (1 μg l−1) prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in pre-monsoon season, though OCP levels in borewells were within BIS limits. However, these levels were very close to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Union (EU) limit of for pesticides (0.5 μg l−1) in many samples. Borewell produced better quality water compared to the water from Ranney wells. Although, the level of OCP's was slightly lower than prescribed limit of national regulatory agency but such low doses may cause long-term damage to human populations if such water is consumed for longer durations. At low doses OCP's acts as endocrine disrupting agent and cause metabolic disorders in local population.
Adowa (Adwa, Adua), Battle of (1896)
Authors: Vandervort Bruce
Published: November 2011

On March 1, 1896, outside Adowa, a market town in the Ethiopian province of Tigray, some 200 km from the Red Sea, an Italian army blundered into a battle with a much larger Ethiopian force and was decimated. Nearly 50 percent of the Italian soldiers were killed, making Adowa the bloodiest battle fought during the nineteenth century wars of imperial conquest. The defeat brought to an end the first Italo‐Ethiopian War, which had begun in 1894. In Italy, it brought down the government of the day and instilled in some Italians a desire for revenge that would mature in the 1930s in a second, and this time temporarily successful, invasion of Ethiopia by the Fascist army of Benito Mussolini. For Ethiopians, March 1 henceforth would be celebrated as “Adowa Day,” the country's national holiday.
Aerial warfare
Authors: Gentile Gian P.
Published: November 2011

Aerial warfare, like warfare in general, encompasses a lot, so it will help to start with a definition. Aerial warfare means the art—or activity—of waging war from the air. It is the application of destructive force from things that fly in the sky. Of course, in war in general, lots of things fly through the sky to kill, or destroy, or observe other things on the ground. For example, in 1225 at the famous Battle of Agincourt, Henry V's English longbowmen loosed flurries of arrows that flew through the sky and struck their French enemies: the arrows were objects intended to destroy, falling from the sky to pierce French armor. However, that was not aerial warfare. What makes aerial warfare distinctive is that the things that fly through the sky—bombs, bullets, missiles, etc.—are generally launched from a platform that is also in the sky. Those platforms over time have consisted of such things as kites, hot air balloons, aircraft, and today the possibility of satellites in outer space.
Aguinaldo, General Emilio (1869–1964)
Authors: Angeles J. Amiel
Published: November 2011

Emilio Aguinaldo was born on March 22, 1869, in the town of Kawit in the Cavite province of the Philippines. His father Carlos Aguinaldo was mayor of Kawit, and came from a wealthy and influential family. His mother was Trinidad Famy y Valero from Noveleta, Cavite, who also came from a similarly positioned family. Emilio Aguinaldo went to Manila for his higher education, but had to cut short his studies upon his father's death. Aguinaldo spent the next few years as a trader, until he was elected as
capitan
municipal (or mayor) of Kawit in 1895.
Alexander Nevsky, Saint (ca. 1220–1263)
Authors: Lind John
Published: November 2011

Alexander was the oldest son of Prince Iaroslav Vsevolodich, hereditary prince of Pereiaslavl'‐Zalesskii and elected prince of the rich city‐republic of Novgorod. In 1236 Iaroslav decided to leave Novgorod to become prince of Kiev. By then Iaroslav must already have persuaded the Novgorodians to adopt his young son Alexander as their new prince: in contrast to other Russian principalities, princes in Novgorod were on contract and could be discharged with short notice. In doing so the city leaders doubtless counted on continued aid from Iaroslav, one of Novgorod's longest‐serving princes, should a military threat against Novgorod arise. The main role of the prince in Novgorod was to provide the city‐state with a professional army in addition to its town militia.
Allenby, Field Marshal Edmund (1861–1936)
Authors: Bou Jean
Published: November 2011

Field Marshal Edmund Allenby was a British army officer and later colonial administrator who successfully commanded the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) against the Ottoman armies in Palestine in 1917–1918.
Ammianus Marcellinus (ca. 330–395)
Authors: Tucci Jim
Published: November 2011

Ammianus Marcellinus was the last major historian of antiquity to write in Latin, and his work is the best source extant from the fourth century
CE
. As a soldier and man of letters, he continued the tradition of ancient men of action who also wrote history, a tradition running from Thucydides in the fifth century
BCE
to Procopius in the sixth century
CE
. Ammianus' writings, though not without their stylistic and philological problems, remain one of the most important historical works of late antiquity.
Anglo‐Scottish Wars (1296–1328, 1332–1357)
Authors: Brown Michael
Published: November 2011

The sixty years after 1296 witnessed sustained attempts by the kings of England to conquer Scotland and incorporate the northern kingdom into their dominions. On three occasions, in 1296, 1304, and 1333, they appeared to be close to achieving this goal but their forces were expelled from Scotland by renewed opposition led by William Wallace, Robert Bruce, and other Scottish leaders. These wars involved a number of major developments. Both sides appealed to a sense of national identity to recruit and motivate their troops. The English crown began to experiment with paying for military service and raising armies through contracts. Though major battles were rare, the clashes at Falkirk in 1298, Bannockburn in 1314, and Dupplin Moor and Halidon Hill in 1332 and 1333 each demonstrated important tactical lessons involving the use of massed infantry.
Argentine War of Independence (1808–1818)
Authors: Turner Blair
Published: November 2011

The so‐called royal crisis of 1808 in Spain sent shock waves through the Spanish empire in the Americas. Napoleon Bonaparte removed the Spanish Bourbon monarchs and crowned his brother Joseph king of Spain. Thecortes(parliament) balked and moved to Seville, the center of administration for the empire, in an attempt to sustain Spanish independence from France. The impact on Latin America was profound and unavoidable: the ruling elites in the majorcabildos(city coun‐cils) and administrative centers were forced to proclaim their loyalty, but to whom: the exiled Bourbon, the French usurper, the rebelcortes?Most chose the conservative option to exercise power in the name of thecortes(as long as they lasted) or of the deposed monarch until he might return. Few localities chose to take the opportunity to proclaim independence from Spain, but the viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, centered in thecabildoof Buenos Aires, did.
Armée Coloniale
Authors: Vandervort Bruce
Published: November 2011

On July 7, 1900, the French parliament passed a law transforming the French marine corps (Troupes de Marine) into a colonial army or Armée Coloniale (henceforth known to its troops and the public as simply La Coloniale). This was more than a name change. It reflected the restructuring of the French Empire taking place at the time, as responsibility for administration of France's colonies outside North Africa was transferred from the navy ministry to the new ministry of colonies (established in 1889). The shift in responsibility also can be seen as the culmination of efforts, fairly continuous since the seventeenth century, to incorporate France's marine infantry into its land army, through the ministry of war.