bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disturbance and change in biodiversity
Authors: Dornelas Maria
Published: October 2010

Understanding how disturbance affects biodiversity is important for both fundamental and applied reasons. Here, I investigate how disturbances with different ecological effects change biodiversity metrics. I define three main types of disturbance effects:
D
disturbance (shifts in mortality rate),
B
disturbance (shifts in reproductive rates) and
K
disturbance (shifts in carrying capacity). Numerous composite disturbances can be defined including any combination of these three types of ecological effects. The consequences of
D
,
B
and
K
disturbances, as well as of composite
DBK
disturbances are examined by comparing metrics before and after a disturbance, in disturbed and undisturbed communities. I use simulations of neutral communities and examine species richness, total abundance and species abundance distributions. The patterns of change in biodiversity metrics are consistent among different types of disturbance.
K
disturbance has the most severe effects, followed by
D
disturbance, and
B
disturbance has nearly negligible effects. Consequences of composite
DBK
disturbances are more complex than any of the three types of disturbance, with unimodal relationships along a disturbance gradient arising when
D, B
and
K
are negatively correlated. Importantly, regardless of disturbance type, community isolation enhances the negative consequences and hinders the positive effects of disturbances.
Biological diversity in a changing world
Authors: Magurran Anne E. , Dornelas Maria
Published: October 2010

From the pioneering explorations of Joseph Banks (later a President of the Royal Society), to the present day, a great deal has been learnt about the extent, distribution and stability of biological diversity in the world. We now know that diverse life can be found even in the most inhospitable places. We have also learned that biological diversity changes through time over both large and small temporal scales. These natural changes track environmental conditions, and reflect ecological and evolutionary processes. However, anthropogenic activities, including overexploitation, habitat loss and climate change, are currently causing profound transformations in ecosystems and unprecedented loss of biological diversity. This series of papers considers temporal variation in biological diversity, examines the extent of human-related change relative to underlying natural change and builds on these insights to develop tools and policies to help guide us towards a sustainable future.
Adaptive selection of an incretin gene in Eurasian populations
Authors: Chang Chia Lin , Cai James J. , Lo Chiening , Amigo Jorge , Park Jae-Il , Hsu Sheau Yu Teddy
Published: October 2010

Diversities in human physiology have been partially shaped by adaptation to natural environments and changing cultures. Recent genomic analyses have revealed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with adaptations in immune responses, obvious changes in human body forms, or adaptations to extreme climates in select human populations. Here, we report that the humanGIPlocus was differentially selected among human populations based on the analysis of a nonsynonymous SNP (rs2291725). Comparative and functional analyses showed that the humanGIPgene encodes a cryptic glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) isoform (GIP55S or GIP55G) that encompasses the SNP and is resistant to serum degradation relative to the known mature GIP peptide. Importantly, we found that GIP55G, which is encoded by the derived allele, exhibits a higher bioactivity compared with GIP55S, which is derived from the ancestral allele. Haplotype structure analysis suggests that the derived allele at rs2291725 arose to dominance in East Asians ∼8100 yr ago due to positive selection. The combined results suggested that rs2291725 represents a functional mutation and may contribute to the population genetics observation. Given that GIP signaling plays a critical role in homeostasis regulation at both the enteroinsular and enteroadipocyte axes, our study highlights the importance of understanding adaptations in energy-balance regulation in the face of the emerging diabetes and obesity epidemics.
Types of drinkers and drinking settings: an application of a mathematical model
Authors: Mubayi Anuj , Greenwood Priscilla , Wang Xiaohong , Castillo‐Chávez Carlos , Gorman Dennis M. , Gruenewald Paul , Saltz Robert F.
Published: October 2010

Aims US college drinking data and a simple population model of alcohol consumption are used to explore the impact of social and contextual parameters on the distribution of light, moderate and heavy drinkers. Light drinkers become moderate drinkers under social influence, moderate drinkers may change environments and become heavy drinkers. We estimate the drinking reproduction number, Rd, the average number of individual transitions from light to moderate drinking that result from the introduction of a moderate drinker in a population of light drinkers.

Design and Settings Ways of assessing and ranking progression of drinking risks and data‐driven definitions of high‐ and low‐risk drinking environments are introduced. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, via a novel statistical approach, are conducted to assess Rdvariability and to analyze the role of context on drinking dynamics.

Findings Our estimates show Rdwell above the critical value of 1. Rdestimates correlate positively with the proportion of time spent by moderate drinkers in high‐risk drinking environments. Rdis most sensitive to variations in local social mixing contact rates within low‐risk environments. The parameterized model with college data suggests that high residence times of moderate drinkers in low‐risk environments maintain heavy drinking.

Conclusions With regard to alcohol consumption in US college students, drinking places, the connectivity (traffic) between drinking venues and the strength of socialization in local environments are important determinants in transitions between light, moderate and heavy drinking as well as in long‐term prediction of the drinking dynamics.
Review article: explaining risks of inflammatory bowel disease therapy to patients
Authors: Siegel C. A.
Published: October 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 33: 23–32

Background  Medical treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has advanced significantly over the past decade, but it is important to communicate effectively the balance of benefits and risks of therapy to patients to facilitate informed medical decisions.

Aim  To review the available data describing the risk of side effects of IBD medications and to describe effective methods for communicating risk.

Methods  To identify relevant articles for this review, a PubMed search was conducted using relevant key words and phrases. In addition, reference lists from identified manuscripts were searched and recent abstracts from National meetings were reviewed.

Results  The steroid‐sparing medications used for the treatment of IBD all carry risks of both common and rare adverse events. Trade‐offs need to be made between the risks of these medications vs. the risks of poorly treated disease and corticosteroids. There has been significant research on how best to present risk data to patients, which is summarized in this review.

Conclusions  To ensure that our patients understand their choices and feel comfortable with their treatment, we need to communicate risk data to patients clearly. Patients comprehend absolute numbers better than relative risk, and when available, pictorial representations of data are preferred over solely presenting numerical outcomes.
Diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease: shared pathology and treatment?
Authors: Akter Kawser , Lanza Emily A. , Martin Stephen A. , Myronyuk Natalie , Rua Melanie , Raffa Robert B.
Published: October 2010

Epidemiological and basic science evidence suggest a possible shared pathophysiology between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has even been hypothesized that AD might be ‘type 3 diabetes’. The present review summarizes some of the evidence for the possible link, putative biochemical pathways and ongoing clinical trials of antidiabetic drugs in AD patients. The primary and review literature were searched for articles published in peer‐reviewed sources that were related to a putative connection between T2DM and AD. In addition, public sources of clinical trials were searched for the relevant information regarding the testing of antidiabetic drugs in AD patients. The evidence for a connection between T2DM and AD is based upon a variety of diverse studies, but definitive biochemical mechanisms remain unknown. Additional study is needed to prove the existence or the extent of a link between T2DM and AD, but sufficient evidence exists to warrant further study. Presently, AD patients might benefit from treatment with pharmacotherapy currently used to treat T2DM and clinical trials of such therapy are currently underway.
Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of an intravenous bolus of sildenafil in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Vachiery Jean‐Luc , Huez Sandrine , Gillies Hunter , Layton Gary , Hayashi Naoto , Gao Xiang , Naeije Robert
Published: October 2010

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare syndrome of dyspnoea and fatigue due to an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. Although the disease remains incurable, targeted therapies have been shown to be beneficial to patients. Oral sildenafil (20 mg three times daily) is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor with proven efficacy on exercise capacity, symptoms and pulmonary haemodynamics in patients with PAH.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

It is advisable that chronic therapies for PAH, including oral sildenafil, not be interrupted. However, patients may not be able to take their medication because of an intervening illness or a requirement to undergo general anaesthesia, preventing oral drug administration. This study demonstrates that an intravenous bolus of 10 mg sildenafil in stable patients with PAH is safe, well tolerated and maintains plasma levels to preserve drug exposure.

AIMS To assess pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a 10 mg intravenous sildenafil bolus in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients stabilized on 20 mg sildenafil orally three times daily.

METHODS Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis.

RESULTS After an acute increase, plasma concentrations stabilized within the range reported previously for a 20 mg oral tablet. At 0.5 h, mean ± SD changes from baseline were −8.4 ± 11.7 mmHg (systolic pressure), −2.6 ± 7.3 mmHg (diastolic pressure) and −3.5 ± 10.4 beats min−1 (heart rate). There was no symptomatic hypotension.

CONCLUSIONS Although further research is warranted, a 10 mg sildenafil intravenous bolus appears to provide similar exposure, tolerability and safety to the 20 mg tablet.
The association between repetitive behaviours, impulsivity and hyperactivity in people with intellectual disability
Authors: Burbidge C. , Oliver C. , Moss J. , Arron K. , Berg K. , Furniss F. , Hill L. , Trusler K. , Woodcock K.
Published: October 2010

Background  There is a need for assessments of psychological difference and disorder in people who have more severe intellectual disability (ID). Hyperactivity and impulsivity are two behavioural domains of importance as they are correlated with self‐injury and aggression and this alludes to a shared cognitive correlate of compromised behavioural inhibition. Additionally, compromised behavioural inhibition is demonstrably related to repetitive behaviour and the latter might be expected to be associated with impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Methods  The Activity Questionnaire (TAQ) was developed for this study. Three sub‐scales with high levels of face validity were supported by factor analysis of the scoring of 755 intellectually disabled participants on the TAQ items. These sub‐scales mapped onto the constructs of Overactivity, Impulsivity and Impulsive Speech. Test–retest, inter‐rater reliability and internal consistency were robust. TAQ scores and scores on the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire (RBQ) were collected for a sample of 136 participants with varying degrees of ID.

Results  Scores on the TAQ at sub‐scale and full‐scale level were not related to level of adaptive functioning. There were significant positive associations between overactivity (TAQ) and stereotyped behaviour (RBQ), impulsivity (TAQ) and restricted preferences (RBQ), and impulsive speech (TAQ) and repetitive speech (RBQ).

Conclusions  The TAQ is a reliable assessment of hyperactivity and impulsivity for people with ID with robust factor structure. Validity requires evaluation. The relationship between impulsivity and restricted preferences may result from a common cognitive impairment in inhibition, which may underpin these two classes of behaviour.
Surgical injuries of pancreatic allografts during procurement
Authors: Marang‐van de Mheen Perla J. , Hilling Denise E. , Dirkes Marcel C. , Baranski Andrzej G.
Published: October 2010

Marang‐van de Mheen PJ, Hilling DE, Dirkes MC, Baranski AG. Surgical injuries of pancreatic allografts during procurement.  Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 737–743. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Quality of most procured pancreata is considered acceptable or good by surgeons, but remains difficult to ascertain. Little is known on how often pancreata are refused for transplantation during back‐table inspection. Purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and type of problems responsible for refusal during back‐table inspection and to identify possible risk factors. All 134 pancreata accepted and procured for whole‐organ transplantation and transported to the Leiden University Medical Center in the period February 2002 until May 2008 were included. These were retrospectively analyzed on donor characteristics, procurement characteristics, and (non‐)critical problems. A total of 111 (82.8%) pancreata were transplanted while 23 (17.2%) were refused for transplantation during back‐table inspection, regardless of procurement region (χ2 = 0.16 p = 0.93). Fourteen pancreata (13.4%) were refused solely because of surgical injuries. In refused pancreata, on average 2.7 critical problems per pancreas were found and 0.6 non‐critical problems (vs. 0.3 in transplanted pancreata, t = 1.83 p = 0.08). Chances of refusal increased in pancreata from older donors (odds ratio 1.08 [1.02–1.14]) procured in centers not performing pancreas transplantations (odds ratio 7.95 [2.43–25.97]). We conclude that pancreatic allografts are frequently refused during back‐table inspection, partly because of the surgical injuries suggesting that quality of procurement may be improved.
Bilateral Epididymal Sperm Granulomas Following Urethrostomy in a German Shepherd Dog
Authors: Batista‐Arteaga M , Santana M , Lozano O , Niño T , Alamo D , Rodríguez F
Published: October 2010

Contents

Bilateral enlargement of both epididymes was observed in a 6‐year‐old German shepherd dog following a pre‐scrotal urethrostomy. Testicular parenchyma showed regular structure, and the spermatogenesis and the steroidogenic functions were not modified. However, macroscopic examination of the tail and the body of both epididymes exhibited multiple white and well‐delimited foci. Histopathological study of the epididymes confirmed the development of granulomas associated with extravasated spermatozoa. Urethrostomy caused a severe stenosis of the penile urethra, favouring the retention of urine at the urinary bladder. The retrograde pressure exerted by the distension of the urinary bladder could have allowed the urine to reach the prostatic urethra and the deferent ducts and, finally, the epididymes, causing irritation and rupture of the mucous layer of the epididymal duct, the consequent sperm extravasation and the development of sperm granulomas. We speculate that the inadequate surgical resolution of the urethral calculi caused the bladder distension, the subsequent retrograde flow of urine and the development of the lesions.
The relationship of palliative transurethral resection of the prostate with disease progression in patients with prostate cancer
Authors: Krupski Tracey L. , Stukenborg George J. , Moon Kihyuck , Theodorescu Dan
Published: October 2010

Study Type – Prognosis (exception cohort) Level of Evidence 1b

OBJECTIVES

To test, in a prostate‐cancer population‐based database, the validity of the finding that in single‐institution series, palliative transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) is associated with an increased risk of progression.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using the Surveillance Epidemiology and END Results Registry, we identified men who had a TURP subsequent to their diagnosis of prostate cancer, from 1998 or 1999. The outcome of interest was disease progression, as defined by the initiation of androgen‐deprivation therapy or procedures indicating progressive urinary obstruction. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the adjusted odds of signal events related to disease progression adjusting for the concurrent effect of the covariates.

RESULTS

There were 29 361 men with prostate cancer and 2742 (9.3%) had a TURP after the diagnosis. These men had a mean age of 75 years and were unlikely to undergo definitive primary treatment. Men receiving TURP were more likely to undergo orchidectomy than men who did not have a TURP (odds ratio 1.64; 95% confidence interval 1.03–2.60) even after adjusting for differences in cancer‐directed treatment, tumour stage and grade, prostate‐specific antigen level, race, and age at diagnosis. These men were also more likely to have malignant urinary obstruction (ureteric and bladder outlet) than were men who did not have TURP.

CONCLUSION

The requirement for TURP is an adverse prognostic marker even when this is adjusted for classical tumour characteristics. Although the exact reasons for this finding are unclear, consideration should be given to adjuvant treatment in patients undergoing TURP.
Bayesian Non-Parametric Multivariate Statistical Models for Testing Association Between Quantitative Traits and Candidate Genes in Structured Populations
Authors: Li Meijuan , Hanson Timothy
Published: October 2010

Population-based linkage disequilibrium mapping permits finer scale mapping than linkage analysis. However, the population-based association mapping is subject to false positive results due to the population structure and the kinship between the samples. Although there is interest in simultaneously testing the association between a candidate gene and the multiple phenotypes of interest, the currently available association mapping methods are limited to univariate traits only. Here we present a new method for population-based multitrait candidate gene association mapping as a Bayesian semiparametric approach, where the error distribution is flexibly modelled via a multivariate mixture of Polya trees centred on the family of multivariate normal distributions. The method that we develop accounts for the population structure and the complex relatedness between the samples. We compare the new proposal in type I error rate and power with the existing multivariate version of the parametric model of Yu and co-workers and Li’s univariate semiparametric model by using the previously published two type Arabidopsis thaliana flowering data sets of association mapping, as well as simulated data.
Legislation and politics in late Carolingian Italy: the Ravenna constitutions
Authors: MacLean Simon
Published: October 2010

This article considers some overlooked evidence for royal legislation in the dying days of the Carolingian empire, a series of charters known as the Ravenna constitutions. These documents, which deal with the status of Italian freemen, are often analysed as sources for social history but rarely as texts in their own right. Reconstructing the context in which the charters were issued enables us to cast light on political events and royal self‐representation in early 880s Italy; and by drawing attention to the peculiarities of their form, we can use them to reflect more broadly on the nature of Carolingian capitulary legislation and the meaning of its disappearance at the end of the ninth century.
Behavioural responses to human‐induced environmental change
Authors: Tuomainen Ulla , Candolin Ulrika
Published: October 2010

The initial response of individuals to human‐induced environmental change is often behavioural. This can improve the performance of individuals under sudden, large‐scale perturbations and maintain viable populations. The response can also give additional time for genetic changes to arise and, hence, facilitate adaptation to new conditions. On the other hand, maladaptive responses, which reduce individual fitness, may occur when individuals encounter conditions that the population has not experienced during its evolutionary history, which can decrease population viability. A growing number of studies find human disturbances to induce behavioural responses, both directly and by altering factors that influence fitness. Common causes of behavioural responses are changes in the transmission of information, the concentration of endocrine disrupters, the availability of resources, the possibility of dispersal, and the abundance of interacting species. Frequent responses are alterations in habitat choice, movements, foraging, social behaviour and reproductive behaviour. Behavioural responses depend on the genetically determined reaction norm of the individuals, which evolves over generations. Populations first respond with individual behavioural plasticity, whereafter changes may arise through innovations and the social transmission of behavioural patterns within and across generations, and, finally, by evolution of the behavioural response over generations. Only a restricted number of species show behavioural adaptations that make them thrive in severely disturbed environments. Hence, rapid human‐induced disturbances often decrease the diversity of native species, while facilitating the spread of invasive species with highly plastic behaviours. Consequently, behavioural responses to human‐induced environmental change can have profound effects on the distribution, adaptation, speciation and extinction of populations and, hence, on biodiversity. A better understanding of the mechanisms of behavioural responses and their causes and consequences could improve our ability to predict the effects of human‐induced environmental change on individual species and on biodiversity.
Histamine modulates γδ‐T lymphocyte migration and cytotoxicity, via Giand Gsprotein‐coupled signalling pathways
Authors: Truta‐Feles K , Lagadari M , Lehmann K , Berod L , Cubillos S , Piehler S , Herouy Y , Barz D , Kamradt T , Maghazachi AA , Norgauer J
Published: October 2010

Background and purpose: The biogenic amine, histamine plays a pathophysiological regulatory role in cellular processes of a variety of immune cells. This work analyses the actions of histamine on γδ‐T lymphocytes, isolated from human peripheral blood, which are critically involved in immunological surveillance of tumours.

Experimental approach: We have analysed effects of histamine on the intracellular calcium, actin reorganization, migratory response and the interaction of human γδ T cells with tumour cells such as the A2058 human melanoma cell line, the human Burkitt's Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma cell line Raji, the T‐lymphoblastic lymphoma cell line Jurkat and the natural killer cell‐sensitive erythroleukaemia cell line, K562.

Key results: γδ T lymphocytes express mRNA for different histamine receptor subtypes. In human peripheral blood γδ T cells, histamine stimulatedPertussistoxin‐sensitive intracellular calcium increase, actin polymerization and chemotaxis. However, histamine inhibited the spontaneous cytolytic activity of γδ T cells towards several tumour cell lines in a cholera toxin‐sensitive manner. A histamine H4receptor antagonist abolished the histamine induced γδ T cell migratory response. A histamine H2receptor agonist inhibited γδ T cell‐mediated cytotoxicity.

Conclusions and implications: Histamine activated signalling pathways typical of chemotaxis (Giprotein‐dependent actin reorganization, increase of intracellular calcium) and induced migratory responses in γδ T lymphocytes, via the H4receptor, whereas it down‐regulated γδ T cell mediated cytotoxicity through H2receptors and Gsprotein‐coupled signalling. Our data suggest that histamine activated γδ T cells could modulate immunological surveillance of tumour tissue.
When Schools Are the Ones that Choose: The Effects of Screening in Chile*
Authors: Contreras Dante , Sepúlveda Paulina , Bustos Sebastián
Published: October 2010

Objective.The voucher scheme introduced in Chile in 1981 allows for‐profit private subsidized schools to choose their students. The objective of this article is to present evidence of this practice and examine its relationship with academic performance using information from the 2005 SIMCE test, in which parents were asked about the admission requirements for their children's schools. We present evidence indicating that student selection is a widespread practice among private subsidized schools.

Methods.Using OLS and after controlling for a series of selection criteria and the segmentation effects that they produce, the evidence indicates that there are no differences in results between public and private subsidized education.

Results.Our results show that a student attending a school that uses selection criteria obtains 7–9 percent higher results in standardized mathematics tests than a student from a school that does not use selection.

Conclusion.The main conclusion of this study is that the basic belief behind the voucher system in Chile that competition will lead to better quality of all schools is not being met.
Justifications of Inequality: The Normative Basis of Pay Differentials in 31 Nations*
Authors: Evans M. D. R. , Kelley Jonathan , Peoples Clayton D.
Published: October 2010

Objectives. We investigate social consensus and dissensus within and between nations in three important justifications for pay differences: family needs, performance on the job, and education/authority.

Methods. Data are from 31 nations and 66,777 individual respondents analyzed using structural equation and multilevel regression methods with multiple imputation of missing data.

Results. In poor countries, but not in rich, most believe that family needs legitimate higher pay. Within countries—particularly English‐speaking ones—low SES groups endorse family needs, but high SES groups reject them. Valuing performance and effort is widespread throughout the world and throughout all segments of society, high and low. Education and authority are widely valued, more in poor nations than in rich, with some demographic differences but few socioeconomic cleavages.

Conclusions. There is conflict both within nations and between them as to whether need and education/authority justify unequal pay, but consensus that performance on the job does justify it.
Determinants of the detrital arthropod community structure: the effects of temperature and resources along an environmental gradient
Authors: Lessard Jean‐Philippe , Sackett Tara E. , Reynolds William N. , Fowler David A. , Sanders Nathan J.
Published: October 2010

Understanding the factors that shape community structure, and whether those factors vary geographically, has a long history in ecology. Because the abiotic environment often varies in predictable ways along elevational gradients, montane systems are ideal to study geographic variation in the determinants of community structure. In this study, we first examined the relative importance of environmental gradients, microclimate, and food resources in driving spatial variation in the structure of detrital communities in forests of the southeastern USA. Then, in order to assess whether the determinants of detrital community structure varied along a climatic gradient, we manipulated resource availability and microclimatic conditions at 15 sites along a well‐studied elevational gradient. We found that arthropod abundance and richness generally declined with increasing elevation, though the shape of the relationship varied among taxa. Overall community composition and species evenness also varied systematically along the climatic gradient, suggesting that broad‐scale variation in the abiotic environment drives geographic variation in both patterns of diversity and community composition. After controlling for the effect of climatic variation along the elevational gradient, food resource addition and microclimate alteration influenced the richness and abundance of some taxa. However, the effect of food resource addition and microclimate alteration on the richness and abundance of arthropods did not vary with elevation. In addition, the degree of community similarity between control plots and either resource‐added or microclimate‐altered plots did not vary with elevation suggesting a consistent influence of microclimate and food addition on detrital arthropod community structure. We conclude that using manipulative experiments along environmental gradients can help tease apart the relative importance and detect the interactive effects of local‐scale factors and broad‐scale climatic variation in shaping communities.
State of the Art of Short Dental Implants: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Neldam Camilla Albeck , Pinholt Else Marie
Published: October 2010

Background: Short implants (≤8 mm) are manufactured for use in atrophic regions of the jaws. As implant length in many studies has been proven to play a major role in implant survival it is indicated to evaluate survival of short implants in the present literature.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was systematically to evaluate publications concerning short dental implants defined as an implant with a length of ≤8 mm installed in the maxilla or in the mandible with special reference to implant type, survival rate, location of implant site, and observation time.

Materials and Methods: A Medline and a hand search were conducted to identify studies concerning short dental implants of length ≤8 mm published between 1992 and October 2009. The articles included in this study report data on implant length ≤8 mm, implant surface, registered region of installment, observation time, single tooth restorations, supporting overdentures, splinted implants, and implants used for prostheses.

Results: The 27 included studies represent zero randomized clinical trial studies, 15 prospective nonrandomized, noncontrolled clinical trials, 11 retrospective nonrandomized, noncontrolled clinical trials, and one review. Data on 6‐mm implants were few and most frequent represented was manufactured Straumann implants representing 441 out of 549 implants. Brånemark implants, 7 mm in length, comprised 1607 implants out of 1808. Straumann implants, 8 mm in length, comprised 2040 out of 2352 implants. Failures varied between 0 and 14.5%, 0 and 37.5% and 0 and 22.9% of the 6‐, 7‐, and 8‐mm‐long implants, respectively.

Conclusion: Short implant length was not related to observation time, installment region, failures, and dropouts were not specified, subsequently a meta‐analysis was not possible to perform.
Withdrawn: Comparison of Fit Accuracy between Procera Custom Abutments and Three Implant Systems
Authors: Alves da Cunha Tiago de Morais , Correia de Araújo Roberto Paulo , Barbosa da Rocha Paulo Vicente , Pazos Amoedo Rosa Maria
Published: October 2010

Background: Although increase of misfit has been reported when associating implant and abutment from different manufacturers, Procera® (Nobel Biocare™, Göteborg, Sweden) custom abutment has been universally used in clinical practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to compare the vertical gap of zirconia Procera abutment associated with implants from the same manufacturer (Nobel Biocare) and two other implant systems.

Materials and Methods: Twenty‐four zirconia Procera abutments were produced using computer‐assisted design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) and paired with (1) eight MK Iii RP 4.1 × 10 mm implants (Nobel Biocare) – GNB group; (2) eight Try on, 4.1 × 10 mm implants (Sistema de Implantes, São Paulo, Brazil) – ES group; and (3) eight Master screw, 4.1 × 10 mm implants (Conexão Sistema de Prótese, São Paulo, Brazil) – EC group. A comparison of the vertical misfit at the implant‐abutment interface was taken at six measuring sites on each sample using scanning electron microscopy with a magnification of 408×. One‐way analysis of variance was used to test for differences, and Tukey's test was used for pairwise comparison of groups (α = 0.05).

Results: Significant differences relative to average misfit were found when Procera abutments were associated with other implant manufacturers. The ES group and EC group did not differ significantly, but both demonstrated significantly larger average misfit than the GNB group (p = .001). The average misfit was 5.7 µm ± 0.39, 9.53 µm ± 0.52 and 10.62 µm ± 2.16, respectively, for groups GNB, ES, and EC.

Conclusion: The association of Procera zirconia abutment with other implant systems different from its manufacturer demonstrated significant alteration of vertical misfit at implant‐abutment interface.
Ridge Alterations following Immediate Implant Placement and the Treatment of Bone Defects with Bio‐Oss in an Animal Model
Authors: Hsu Kuo‐Mei , Choi Byung‐Ho , Ko Chang‐Yong , Kim Han‐Sung , Xuan Feng , Jeong Seung‐Mi
Published: October 2010

Background: Conflicting data exist on the outcome of placing Bio‐Oss® (Geitslich Pharm AG, Wolhausen, Switzerland) into extraction sockets. It is therefore relevant to study whether the incorporation of Bio‐Oss into extraction sockets would influence bone healing outcome at the extraction sites.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess peri‐implant bone changes when implants were placed in fresh extraction sockets and the remaining defects were filled with Bio‐Oss particles in a canine mandible model.

Materials and Methods: Six mongrel dogs were used in the study. In one jaw quadrant of each animal, the fourth mandibular premolars were extracted with an elevation of the mucoperiosteal flap; implants were then placed in the fresh extraction sockets and the remaining defects were filled with Bio‐Oss particles. After 4 months of healing, micro‐computed tomography at the implant sites was performed. Osseointegration was calculated as the percent of implant surface in contact with bone. Additionally, bone height was measured in the peri‐implant bone.

Results: Average osseointegration was 28.5% (ranged between 14.8 and 34.2%). The mean crestal bone loss was 4.7 ± 2.1 mm on the buccal aspect, 0.4 ± 0.5 mm on the mesial aspect, 0.4 ± 0.3 mm on the distal aspect, and 0.3 ± 0.4 mm on the lingual aspect.

Conclusion: The findings from this study demonstrated that the placement of implants and Bio‐Oss® particles into fresh extraction sockets resulted in significant buccal bone loss with low osseointegration.
Microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer
Authors: IACOPETTA Barry , GRIEU Fabienne , AMANUEL Benhur
Published: October 2010

Approximately 20 percent of right‐sided colon cancers and 5 percent of left‐sided colon and rectal cancers have a deficient DNA mismatch repair system. This results in the widespread accumulation of mutations to nucleotide repeats, some of which occur within the coding regions of cancer‐related genes such as TGFβRII and BAX. A standardized definition for microsatellite instability (MSI) based on the presence of deletions to mononucleotide repeats is gaining widespread acceptance in both research and the clinic. Colorectal cancer (CRC) with MSI are characterized histologically by an abundance of tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes, poor differentiation and a signet ring or mucinous phenotype. In younger patients these tumors usually develop along the chromosomal instability pathway, in which case the mismatch repair genes are inactivated by germline mutation, somatic mutation and loss of heterozygosity. In older patients MSI CRC usually develops against a background of widespread hypermethylation that includes methylation‐induced silencing of the mismatch repair gene MLH1. The overall biological and clinical phenotype of MSI CRC that arise in these two pathways is likely to be different and may account for some of the discordant results reported in the literature relating to the clinical properties of these tumors. The available evidence indicates that MSI is unlikely to be a clinically useful marker for the prognostic stratification of early‐stage CRC. The predictive value of MSI for response to 5‐fluorouracil‐based chemotherapy remains controversial, while for other agents the predictive value is difficult to assess because they are used in combination regimens. The MSI phenotype is being actively investigated for novel therapeutic approaches based on the principle of synthetic lethality. Finally, the MSI status of CRC is an extremely useful marker for population‐based screening programs that aim to identify individuals and families with the hereditary cancer condition known as Lynch syndrome.
Proliferative and necrotising otitis in a kitten: first demonstration of T‐cell‐mediated apoptosis
Authors: Vidémont E. , Pin D.
Published: October 2010

Otitis externa in cats is relatively uncommon. This report describes a case of a rare, visually distinctive, proliferative and necrotising otitis in a three‐month‐old Persian kitten. The cat had proliferative, erythematous and necrotic tissue covering most of the proximal pinnae and vertical ear canals. On histopathological examination, the most striking feature was the existence of scattered apoptotic‐appearing keratinocytes within severely hyperplastic epithelium. For the first time, immunohistochemistry was used to show a closed association between CD3+ T cells and caspase‐3 stained keratinocytes, consistent with a keratinocyte apoptosis by epidermal‐infiltrating T cells. Treatment was initiated using topical tacrolimus twice daily and an ear cleanser once daily. A marked improvement was observed after 10 days of treatment and the lesions completely resolved over a period of three weeks. The origin of T cells directed against keratinocytes is currently unknown.
Employment services as an early intervention for young people with mental illness
Authors: Browne Deborah J. , Waghorn Geoffrey
Published: October 2010

Aim:To examine the service characteristics and effectiveness of a segregated employment service assisting young clients with mental illness in New Zealand.

Methods:The service assisted both youth and adults with severe mental illness to find and keep competitive employment. A retrospective case study method was used to examine service effectiveness with respect to employment outcomes attained by 49 clients aged 16–25 years over a 2‐year period (2005–2007). These results were compared with recent national and international benchmarks.

Results:As a service segregated from public mental health services, there were no formal arrangements with local mental health teams, limiting coordination of services and reducing fidelity to evidence‐based practices in supported employment. Despite an inability to collaborate closely with local community mental health services and a contract not specifically targeting youth, the service was high performing on a range of employment outcome variables.

Conclusions:Subject to some study design and benchmarking limitations, these results support the continuing use of evidence‐based practices in supported employment and supported education as important early interventions for young people with mental illnesses.
Verbal and visuospatial working memory development and deficits in children and adolescents with schizophrenia
Authors: White Tonya , Schmidt Marcus , Karatekin Canan
Published: October 2010

Aim: Deficits in working memory are considered a core feature of schizophrenia and are present early in the course of the illness. Because working memory continues to mature through childhood and into early adulthood, it was the aim of this study to assess developmental trajectories of verbal and visuospatial working memory performance in children and adolescents with schizophrenia. Differences in the developmental trajectories in patients compared with controls may reflect differential effects within specific neural networks involved in working memory performance.

Methods: Twenty‐six children and adolescents with schizophrenia (age range of 8–19 years) and 37 controls matched on age and gender participated in the study. Modified versions of both a verbal and visuospatial Sternberg Item Recognition Paradigm were administered.

Results: In the three age groups studied, patients performed significantly worse than controls on the verbal working memory tasks. There were significant effects of diagnosis and load on the verbal Sternberg, with patients performing worse than controls. However, there was no diagnosis by load interactions. Similar findings were present for the visuospatial Sternberg, except for the youngest age group. The 8‐ to 12‐year‐old patients had a disproportionately lower performance on the verbal working memory task than on the visuospatial task.

Conclusions: Our findings support disruptions in shared verbal and visuospatial working memory networks, such as those supporting encoding processes, in children and adolescents with schizophrenia. We also found specific deficits in non‐shared verbal working memory performance in childhood‐onset schizophrenia.
Reconstruction of the regulatory network of Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 on basis of correlated gene expression and conserved regulatory motifs
Authors: Wels Michiel , Overmars Lex , Francke Christof , Kleerebezem Michiel , Siezen Roland J.
Published: October 2010

Gene regulatory networks can be reconstructed by combining transcriptome data from many different experiments to elucidate relations between the activity of certain transcription factors and the genes they control. To obtain insight in the regulatory network of Lactobacillus plantarum, microarray transcriptome data from more than 70 different experimental conditions were combined and the expression profiles of the transcriptional units (TUs) were compared. The TUs that displayed correlated expression were used to identify putative cis‐regulatory elements by searching the upstream regions of the TUs for conserved motifs. Predicted motifs were extended and refined by searching for motifs in the upstream regions of additional TUs with correlated expression. In this way, cis‐acting elements were identified for 41 regulons consisting of at least four TUs (correlation > 0.7). This set of regulons included the known regulons of CtsR and LexA, but also several novel ones encompassing genes with coherent biological functions. Visualization of the regulons and their connections revealed a highly interconnected regulatory network. This network contains several subnetworks that encompass genes of correlated biological function, such as sugar and energy metabolism, nitrogen metabolism and stress response.
Comparison of primer sets for the study of Planctomycetes communities in lentic freshwater ecosystems
Authors: Pollet Thomas , Tadonléké Rémy D. , Humbert Jean‐F.
Published: October 2010

In search of a primer set that could be used to study Planctomycetes dynamics in lakes and especially via fingerprinting methods, e.g. denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), three existing specific primer sets, developed for marine and soil systems, have been tested on water samples from four freshwater ecosystems. The first primer set (PLA46F/PLA886R) allowed PCR amplification of Planctomycetes sequences in only one of the four ecosystems, whereas the second primer set (PLA40F/P518R) amplified Planctomycetes sequences in all the studied ecosystems but with a low specificity, since sequences belonging to Verrucomicrobiales and Chlamydiales clades were also amplified. Finally, the third primer set (PLA352F/PLA920R) allowed amplification of Planctomycetes sequences in the four ecosystems with a very high specificity. It amplified all known Planctomycetes genera and yielded the highest Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) richness and diversity estimates. In silico analyses supported these results. Further experiments comparing PLA352F/PLA920R to PLA46F/P1390R (a primer set generating a longer PCR fragment, also used to study Planctomycetes) yielded very similar results. Our findings suggest that the primer set PLA352F/PLA920R provides good estimates of Planctomycetes richness and diversity compared with other, and can thus be used to study Planctomycetes dynamics in lentic freshwater ecosystems.
Primary biliary cirrhosis is associated with oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction but not increased cardiovascular risk
Authors: Cash William J. , McCance David R. , Young Ian S. , McEneny Jane , Cadden Ian S. , McDougall Neil I. , Callender Michael E.
Published: October 2010

Aim:  Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic disease which is associated with hypercholesterolaemia. Further, cholestatic diseases are associated with deficiencies of anti‐oxidant vitamins. Despite these associations PBC is not associated with an increase in cardiovascular mortality. The aim of this study is to assess if primary biliary cirrhosis is associated with oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and alteration of vascular compliance which is a surrogate marker for cardiovascular risk.

Methods:  Fifty‐one PBC patients and 34 control subjects were studied. Lipid soluble vitamins A, and E in addition to ascorbate and carotenoids were measured to assess anti‐oxidant status. C‐reactive protein, hydroperoxides and adhesion molecules sICAM‐l/sVCAM‐l were assessed as serological measures of endothelial function. Finally, measures of vascular compliance were assessed by applanation tonometer.

Results:  CRP, sICAM and sVCAM were all significantly higher in PBC patients (469.14 vs 207.13, P < 0.001; 768.12 vs 308.03,P < 0.001; 708.40 vs 461.31, P < 0.001) whilst anti‐oxidant vitamin levels were lower in PBC patients, with ascorbate, vitamin E and vitamin A all significantly lower in PBC patients (39.91 vs 72.68, P < 0.001; 2.63 vs 3.14, P = 0.02; 1.08 vs 1.81, P < 0.001). Despite these findings PBC patients have a lower pulse wave velocity than control subjects (8.22 m/s vs 8.78 m/s, P = 0.022).

Conclusion:  PBC patients appear to have reduced vascular risk as assessed by pulse wave velocity but concurrently have evidence of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and anti‐oxidant deficiency.