bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An end of egalitarianism? Social evaluations of language difference in New Zealand
Authors: Duhamel Marie-France , Meyerhoff Miriam
Published: December 2014

New Zealand has traditionally prided itself on an ethos of casual egalitarianism – a value system with positive and negative implications. The well-known linguistic homogeneity of the islands and general lack of regional dialect differences (Trudgill, Peter. 2004. New-dialect formation: The inevitability of colonial Englishes. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press) is consistent with this ethos but also clearly reflects the cultural homogeneity of New Zealand’s more recent settlers. This assessment of linguistic homogeneity requires reappraisal now for two reasons: (1) many New Zealanders claim there are speech markers that identify where a New Zealander comes from, and (2) recent significant changes in the demographics of the country mean that new ethnic varieties are plausibly emerging. The very few pronunciation and lexical stereotypes that are associated with particular regions cannot explain all the claims we hear about (1), and as long-standing shibboleths, they say nothing about awareness of recent demographic changes. Our paper highlights how comments about ethnicity, social class, and rural/urbanness emerge as salient factors in aesthetic evaluations, and may point to specific features that merit detailed and linguistically informed analysis (Niedzielski, Nancy A. & Dennis R. Preston. 2000. Folk linguistics. Berlin and New York, NY: Mouton de Gruyter).
Real-time articulatory biofeedback with electromagnetic articulography
Authors: Tilsen Sam , Das Debarghya , McKee Bruce
Published: December 2014

This paper presents an articulatory biofeedback system and discusses new research methods made possible by this technology. The real-time electromagnetic articulography biofeedback system (RT-EMA) enables speakers to observe a visual representation of the movements of their speech articulators while they are speaking. Investigators can dynamically control the visual display of virtual targets or other objects in vocal tract space, track events involving interactions between virtual objects and articulators, and define custom actions in response to such events. Preliminary findings from experimental studies and games employing biofeedback are reported, with emphasis on the potential applications of articulatory biofeedback for investigating questions of linguistic interest.
Hong Kong Identity on the Rise
Authors: Ping Yew Chiew , Kin-ming Kwong
Published: December 2014

The rise of the Hong Kong local identity vis-à-vis the Chinese national identity has been particularly pronounced in recent years. This article argues that the “Mainlandization” of Hong Kong since 2003 has alienated Hong Kongers and threatened their sense of distinctiveness, which in turn has intensified their resistance to Beijing’s top-down assimilation.
Challenges and Opportunities for Tibetan Farmers
Authors: Shiyong Wang
Published: December 2014

Non-farm activities are gradually becoming critical income sources to improve the quality of Tibetan farmers’ lives. However, Tibetan farmers’ participation is limited. Based on the experience of two Tibetan villages in Qinghai Province, China, this paper analyzes the challenges and opportunities of Tibetan farmers.
Evolutionary Categories and Musical Style from Adler to America
Authors: Mundy Rachel
Published: December 2014

As we consider music's role in defining races, cultures, and species, musicologists may benefit from examining more closely the history of conceptions of musical style. That history offers an opportunity to reassess the question of how and how much one of the core tools of music scholarship—the recognition and categorization of musical style—reflects a historical tradition of categorizing culture as a form of essential, biologized difference. This exercise seems particularly relevant in the present moment, when scholarly style categories converge with a renewed interest in evolutionary science. Tracing notions of style from the days of Guido Adler to the present, I argue that classifications of musical style have offered a way for music scholars to explore changing concepts of human difference. By asking what it means to identify a musical style, it is possible to engage more sensitively with music's power to classify human cultures, define human beings, and demarcate the perimeter of the humanities.
“Pulse for Pulse in Harmony with the Universal Whole”
Authors: Clark Prentiss
Published: December 2014

Prentiss Clark, “‘Pulse for Pulse in Harmony with the Universal Whole’: Hearing ‘Self-Reliance’ Anew” (pp. 319–341)

This essay recounts how Ralph Waldo Emerson, the nineteenth-century thinker perhaps most associated with individualism, is equally, and perhaps necessarily, a student of the intimacies in which we exist. More specifically, the essay contests the explanatory power criticism generally attributes to what Emerson called “self-reliance” by delineating how “self-reliance” (the idea and the 1841 essay by this name) participates in Emerson’s broad work of investigating what he termed “man’s true position in the universe” and its implications for one's conduct of life. In this reading, which draws from Emerson’s neglected as well as canonical essays, lectures, and sermons, “the infinitude of the private man”—the “one doctrine” Emerson says he teaches in all his lectures—has less to do with the singular human self as such than with our standing ever amid innumerable and consequential relations and accountable for all it entails. Ultimately, this essay hopes to demonstrate how Emerson speaks, from the first, to the ethical potential of rediscovering our connections—connections to ourselves, fellow persons, nature, and beyond (even when at the distances to which our differences can put us).
State-Specific Differences in School Sports Preparticipation Physical Evaluation Policies
Authors: Caswell Shane V. , Cortes Nelson , Chabolla Mary , Ambegaonkar Jatin P. , Caswell Amanda M. , Brenner Joel S.
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE:

This study evaluated the current preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE) administrative policies and cardiovascular screening content of all 50 states and Washington, DC.

METHODS:

PPE policies, documents, and forms from all 50 states and Washington, DC, were compared with the preparticipation physical evaluation–fourth edition (PPE-4) consensus recommendations. All electronic documents were publicly available and obtained from state interscholastic athletic associations.

RESULTS:

Fifty (98%) states required a PPE before participation. Most states (53%, n = 27) required a specific PPE form, whereas 24% (n = 12) of states recommended a specific form. Twenty-three states (45%) required or recommended use of the PPE-4 form or a modified version of it, and 27 states (53%) required or recommended use of outdated or unidentifiable forms. Ten states (20%) had not revised their PPE forms in >5 years. States permitted 9 different health care providers to administer PPEs. Only 22 states (43%) addressed all 12 of the PPE-4 personal and family history cardiovascular screening items, and 2 states (4%) addressed between 8 and 11 items. For the remaining 26 states, most (29%) addressed ≤3 screening items.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results show that inconsistencies in PPE policies exist nationwide. Most states have been slow to adopt PPE-4 recommendations and do not adequately address the personal and family cardiovascular history questions. Findings suggest a need for PPE standardization nationwide and adoption of an electronic PPE process. This approach would enable creation of a national database and benefit the public by facilitating a more evidenced PPE.
Insulin and BMI as Predictors of Adult Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Sabin Matthew A. , Magnussen Costan G. , Juonala Markus , Shield Julian P.H. , Kähönen Mika , Lehtimäki Terho , Rönnemaa Tapani , Koskinen Juha , Loo Britt-Marie , Knip Mikael , Hutri-Kähönen Nina , Viikari Jorma S.A. , Dwyer Terence , Raitakari Olli T.
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Fasting insulin concentrations are increasingly being used as a surrogate for insulin resistance and risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM), although associations with adult outcomes are unclear. Our objective was to determine whether fasting insulin concentrations in childhood associate with later T2DM.

METHODS:

Fasting insulin values were available from 2478 participants in the longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study at baseline age 3 to 18 years, along with data on adult T2DM (N = 84, mean age = 39.6 years).

RESULTS:

Among 3- to 6-year-olds, a 1-SD increase in fasting insulin was associated with a relative risk (RR) of 2.04 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54–2.70) for later T2DM, which remained significant after we adjusted for BMI and parental history of T2DM. For those aged 9 to 18 years, a 1-SD increase in insulin was associated with an RR of 1.32 (95% CI, 1.06–1.65) for T2DM, but this became nonsignificant after we adjusted for BMI and parental history of T2DM. In the latter age group, a 1-SD increase in BMI was associated with an RR of 1.45 (95% CI, 1.21–1.73) for T2DM, with adjustment for insulin and parental history of T2DM not improving this association. BMI in younger children was not associated with later T2DM. In life course analyses, those with T2DM had higher fasting insulin levels in early childhood and later adulthood but not in peripubertal years.

CONCLUSIONS:

Elevated fasting insulin concentrations in early childhood, but not adolescence, are independently associated with an elevated risk of T2DM in adulthood.
A School Health Center Intervention for Abusive Adolescent Relationships: A Cluster RCT
Authors: Miller Elizabeth , Goldstein Sandi , McCauley Heather L. , Jones Kelley A. , Dick Rebecca N. , Jetton Johanna , Silverman Jay G. , Blackburn Samantha , Monasterio Erica , James Lisa , Tancredi Daniel J.
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Few evidence-based interventions address adolescent relationship abuse in clinical settings. This cluster randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of a brief relationship abuse education and counseling intervention in school health centers (SHCs).

METHODS:

In 2012–2013, 11 SHCs (10 clusters) were randomized to intervention (SHC providers received training to implement) or standard-of-care control condition. Among 1062 eligible students ages 14 to 19 years at 8 SHCs who continued participation after randomization, 1011 completed computer-assisted surveys before a clinic visit; 939 completed surveys 3 months later (93% retention).

RESULTS:

Intervention versus control adjusted mean differences (95% confidence interval) on changes in primary outcomes were not statistically significant: recognition of abuse = 0.10 (−0.02 to 0.22); intentions to intervene = 0.03 (−0.09 to 0.15); and knowledge of resources = 0.18 (−0.06 to 0.42). Intervention participants had improved recognition of sexual coercion compared with controls (adjusted mean difference = 0.10 [0.01 to 0.18]). In exploratory analyses adjusting for intensity of intervention uptake, intervention effects were significant for increased knowledge of relationship abuse resources and self-efficacy to use harm reduction behaviors. Among participants reporting relationship abuse at baseline, intervention participants were less likely to report such abuse at follow-up (mean risk difference = −0.17 [−0.21 to −0.12]). Adolescents in intervention clinics who reported ever being in an unhealthy relationship were more likely to report disclosing this during the SHC visit (adjusted odds ratio = 2.77 [1.29 to 5.95]).

CONCLUSIONS:

This is the first evidence of the potential benefit of a SHC intervention to address abusive relationships among adolescents.
Long-term Outcome of a Successful Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant in Mevalonate Kinase Deficiency
Authors: Giardino Stefano , Lanino Edoardo , Morreale Giuseppe , Madeo Annalisa , Di Rocco Maja , Gattorno Marco , Faraci Maura
Published: December 2014

Mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD) is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism with an autoinflammatory phenotype that may be expressed as a spectrum of disease phenotypes, from those with prevailing autoinflammatory syndrome and variable response to anti-inflammatory therapies, to mevalonic aciduria, which is associated with dysmorphic features, severe neurologic involvement, and the worst prognosis. We describe a boy, aged 2 years, 10 months, with severe phenotype of mevalonate kinase deficiency who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from HLA-identical unrelated cord blood because his condition had failed to improve with antiinflammatory treatment as first-line therapy and an anticytokine drug as second-line therapy. The child had a sustained remission of febrile attacks and inflammation after transplant, and during a 5-year follow-up period, psychomotor and neurologic development were normal, without signs of underlying disease or late transplant-related effects. This case confirms that allogeneic HSCT is a safe and effective cure for patients affected by MKD in whom anticytokine drugs alone are insufficient for the management of autoinflammatory syndrome and for the unfavorable outcome of the disease.
Curcumin a potent cancer preventive agent: Mechanisms of cancer cell killing
Authors: Tuorkey Muobarak
Published: December 2014

There is no doubt that diet could effectively improve health and halt cancers. Dietary phytochemical compounds and their derivatives represent a cornucopia of effectively anticancer compounds. This review discusses existing data on the anticancer activities of curcumin, and then offers possible explanations for and mechanisms of its cancer-preventive action. This review also offers insights into the molecular mechanism and targets through which curcumin modulates cell cycle, apoptotic signals, anti-apoptotic proteins, miRNAs, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, protein kinases, nuclear factor-κB, proteasome activation, epigenetic regulation including DNA methylation and histone modification. Finally, this review provides explanations for how curcumin reverses the multi-drug resistance (MDR) of cancer cells.
Cone Beam Computerized Tomography Measurement of Alveolar Ridge at Posterior Mandible for Implant Graft Estimation
Authors: Zhang Wenjian , Tullis Justin , Weltman Robin
Published: December 2014

Damaging the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) is the most serious complication when harvesting an autogenous graft from posterior mandible. The objective of this study was to use cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) to measure dimensions of the alveolar ridge in the posterior mandible for estimation of a safe graft size, and then analyze how it is related to the gender, age, and dentition status of subjects. CBCT scans were screened to include 59 subjects without interfering pathologies. Alveolar height was measured from the alveolar crest to superior border of IAN and also to the inferior border of the mandible. Alveolar width (from buccal to lingual cortical plates) and buccal bone thickness (from buccal cortical plate to mandibular molar mesial root buccal surface) were measured at the coronal, middle, and apical thirds divided from the alveolar crest to the IAN. It was found that males and dentate sites had larger alveolar dimensions than did females and edentulous sites, respectively. Bone volume did not correlate significantly with age. Buccal bone thicknesses increased from coronal to apical and from the first to the third molar generally. A larger bone graft could be harvested from male than female patients, with a mean harvestable graft dimension (height × width in mm) for male was 15.5 × 3.2, and for female was 14.1 × 2.9. In conclusion, males and dentate arches demonstrate larger alveolar volumes than do females and edentulous regions, respectively. Larger alveolar grafts can be harvested from males compared to the females. Age does not seem to affect alveolar dimension/graft volume.
MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INFLAMMATORY REACTION IN PATIENTS WITH INFILTRATIVE PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS
Authors: Titarenko O. T. , Dyakova M. E. , Manicheva O. A. , Esmedlyaeva D. S. , Dogonadze M. Z. , Alexeyeva N. P. , Perova T. L. , Melnikova N. N.
Published: December 2014

Host-pathogen relations were analyzed on basis of the results of examinations of 42 patients with newly diagnosed, previously untreated infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis (IPT) with regard for the biological characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) and the biomarkers of the inflammatory reaction — the acute phase proteins (APPs). The genotypes of MBT (Beijing and the others) and the efficacy of threeonth antituberculosis therapy were used as the grouping factors. Genotype Beijing MBT patients were significantly often characterised by multiple drug resistant, had widespread pulmonary damage and association of MBT cytoxicity with the effect of therapy. The patients with the best postreatment effect had initial (pretreatment) APPs levels in the range of the referent ones. These conclusions were confirmed by analysis of the correlation pleads of the characteristics of the “host-pathogen” system and their discriminant analysis with regard for MBT genotypes and results of antituberculosis three-month therapy. It was shown that the constellation of four host’s APP characteristics (haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, elastase and adenoaminase activities) has above 90% prognostic efficacy of treatment in spite of MBT genotype. It is suggested that in IPT patients the first component of the “host-pathogen” system reflecting the reaction of the patient’s organism to the MBT induced inflammatory process is more prognostically important.
Senocrate e Ermodoro. Testimonianze e frammenti. Εdizione, traduzione e commento a cura di Margherita Isnardi Parente. Edizione rivista e aggiornata a cura di Tiziano Dorandi
Authors: Stavru Alessandro
Published: December 2014

Senocrate e Ermodoro. Testimonianze e frammenti. Εdizione, traduzione e commento a cura di Margherita Isnardi Parente. Edizione rivista e aggiornata a cura di Tiziano Dorandi, Pisa: Edizioni della Normale 2012. XXII, 410 S. 45 €.
Antonino Grillone: Gromatica militare: lo ps. Igino. Prefazione, testo, traduzione e commento.
Authors: Lindermann Jens-Olaf
Published: December 2014

Antonino Grillone: Gromatica militare: lo ps. Igino. Prefazione, testo, traduzione e commento. Bruxelles: Éditions Latomus 2012. 268 S. 6 Taf. (Collection Latomus. 339.).
Mats Malm: The Soul of Poetry Redefined. Vacillations of Mimesis from Aristotle to Romanticism.
Authors: Huß Bernhard
Published: December 2014

Mats Malm: The Soul of Poetry Redefined. Vacillations of Mimesis from Aristotle to Romanticism. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press 2012. 238 S. 34 €.
Recruitment facilitation and spatial pattern formation in soft‐bottom mussel beds
Authors: Commito John A. , Commito Ann E. , Platt Rutherford V. , Grupe Benjamin M. , Piniak Wendy E. Dow , Gownaris Natasha J. , Reeves Kyle A. , Vissichelli Allison M.
Published: December 2014

Mussels (Mytilus edulis) build massive, spatially complex, biogenic structures that alter the biotic and abiotic environment and provide a variety of ecosystem services. Unlike rocky shores, where mussels can attach to the primary substrate, soft sediments are unsuitable for mussel attachment. We used a simple lattice model, field sampling, and field and laboratory experiments to examine facilitation of recruitment (i.e., preferential larval, juvenile, and adult attachment to mussel biogenic structure) and its role in the development of power‐law spatial patterns observed in Maine, USA, soft‐bottom mussel beds. The model demonstrated that recruitment facilitation produces power‐law spatial structure similar to that in natural beds. Field results provided strong evidence for facilitation of recruitment to other mussels—they do not simply map onto a hard‐substrate template of gravel and shell hash. Mussels were spatially decoupled from non‐mussel hard substrates to which they can potentially recruit. Recent larval recruits were positively correlated with adult mussels, but not with other hard substrates. Mussels made byssal thread attachments to other mussels in much higher proportions than to other hard substrates. In a field experiment, mussel recruitment was highest to live mussels, followed by mussel shell hash and gravel, with almost no recruitment to muddy sand. In a laboratory experiment, evenly dispersed mussels rapidly self‐organized into power‐law clusters similar to those observed in nature. Collectively, the results indicate that facilitation of recruitment to existing mussels plays a major role in soft‐bottom spatial pattern development. The interaction between large‐scale resource availability (hard substrate) and local‐scale recruitment facilitation may be responsible for creating complex power‐law spatial structure in soft‐bottom mussel beds.
Mortality as a bivariate function of age and size in indeterminate growers
Authors: Colchero Fernando , Schaible Ralf
Published: December 2014

Mortality in organisms that grow indefinitely, known as indeterminate growers, is thought to be driven primarily by size. However, a number of ageing mechanisms also act as functions of age. Thus, to explain mortality in these species, both size and age need to be explicitly modeled. Here we developed a model that treats age‐ and size‐specific mortality as a bivariate process. This method facilitates the exploration of the underlying (unobserved) contributions of age and size to mortality. We show that, in theory, a population can show declining mortality with age and size while the underlying contribution of age, as a proxy for chronological deterioration, is of typical senescence; while a seemingly senescent population can have underlying age‐related negative senescence, which is, however, overcome by negative underlying size effects (i.e., increasing size‐specific mortality). We show how inference about these unobserved processes can be made using a simple Bayesian model, and how all of the mortality parameters are accurately retrieved. We then apply the methods to published datasets on water pythons and freshwater mussels and test different hypotheses regarding the effects of age and size on mortality. In both cases we found age‐dependent senescent mortality, with size having only negligible effects. The methods we present here can help to improve the demographic models commonly applied to a vast number of species of commercial and conservation importance such as fish, trees or bivalves, among many other, for which both age and size are relevant. In addition, the application of these methods can help to shed light on the existence of processes such as negative senescence, and contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms of senescence in species that do not fit the established theories.
Comparison of ultraviolet radiation/hydrogen peroxide, Fenton and photo-Fenton processes for the decolorization of reactive dyes
Authors: Radovic Miljana , Mitrovic Jelena , Kostic Milos , Bojic Danijela , Petrovic Milica , Najdanovic Slobodan , Bojic Aleksandar
Published: December 2014

The effectivness of UV/H2O2 process, Fenton and photo-Fenton process at
decolorization of commercially important textile dyes Reactive Orange 4 (RO4)
and Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) was evaluated. The effect of operational
condition such as initial pH, initial H2O2 concentration, initial Fe2+
concentration and initial dye concentration on decolorization of RO4 and RB19
was studied. The photo-Fenton process is found to be more efficient than
UV/H2O2 and Fenton process for decolorization of simulated dye bath effluent
and solutions of the dyes in water alone under optimum conditions. In
simulated dye bath the removal efficiency was slightly lower than for the
solutions of the dyes in water alone for both dyes types. The results
revealed that the tested advanced oxidation processes were very effective for
decolorization of RO4 and RB19 in aqueous solution.
Development of a conceptual model of oral health for malocclusion patients
Authors: Masood Mohd , Masood Yaghma , Newton Tim , Lahti Satu
Published: December 2014

Objectives: 

To provide an empirical test of the applicability of Locker's conceptual model of oral health for malocclusion patients, and to suggest alternative models of the effect of malocclusion on well-being.

Materials and Methods: 

Data from a survey of 323 adolescents attending for orthodontic treatment were analyzed to develop a new oral health model for malocclusion patients. Oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) was measured using the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile; malocclusion was measured using the Dental Health Component (DHC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Using structural equation modeling, the relationship between conceptual domains in Locker's model was explored and three models of their interrelationship tested for goodness of fit.

Results: 

Fit indexes for Locker's model indicated that it did not fit the data well. Therefore, a modified model was developed to incorporate additional paths between other levels to better fit the data. The best fit was provided by a model in which the direct effects of malocclusion on pain, discomfort, and handicapping—and the direct effect of pain on disability—were removed. A direct effect of functional limitation on disability was allowed. The modified Oral Health Impact Profile model proved to be a good fit to the data (root mean square error of approximation  =  0.069).

Conclusion: 

The pathways identified in Locker's (1988) conceptual model of oral health may not be appropriate for describing the relationships between OHRQoL constructs in individuals with malocclusion. An alternative model is proposed.
Should Sulfonylureas Remain an Acceptable First-Line Add-on to Metformin Therapy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes? No, It’s Time to Move On!
Authors: Genuth Saul
Published: December 2014

Since their introduction to clinical practice in the 1950s, sulfonylureas have been widely prescribed for use in patients with type 2 diabetes. Of all the other medications currently available for clinical use, only metformin has been used more frequently. However, several new drug classes have emerged that are reported to have equal glucose-lowering efficacy and greater safety when added to treatment of patients in whom metformin monotherapy is no longer sufficient. Moreover, current arguments also suggest that the alternative drugs may be superior to sulfonylureas with regard to the risk of cardiovascular complications. Thus, while there is universal agreement that metformin should remain the first-line pharmacologic therapy for those in whom lifestyle modification is insufficient to control hyperglycemia, there is no consensus as to which drug should be added to metformin. Therefore, given the current controversy, we provide a Point-Counterpoint on this issue. In the preceding point narrative, Dr. Abrahamson provides his argument suggesting that avoiding use of sulfonylureas as a class of medication as an add-on to metformin is not appropriate as there are many patients whose glycemic control would improve with use of these drugs with minimal risk of adverse events. In the counterpoint narrative below, Dr. Genuth suggests there is no longer a need for sulfonylureas to remain a first-line addition to metformin for those patients whose clinical characteristics are appropriate and whose health insurance and/or financial resources make an alternative drug affordable.

—William T. Cefalu

Editor in Chief, Diabetes Care
Effect of Ceramic Etching Protocols on Resin Bond Strength to a Feldspar Ceramic
Authors: Bottino MA , Snellaert A , Bergoli CD , Özcan M , Bottino MC , Valandro LF
Published: December 2014

This study sought to evaluate the resin microtensile bond strength (MTBS) stability of a leucite-reinforced ceramic after different ceramic etching protocols. The microtensile test had 40 ceramic blocks (5×5×6 mm) assigned to five groups (n=8), in accordance with the following surface etching protocols: NE nonetched (control); 9HF: hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching (9%HF)+wash/dry; 4HF: 4%HF+wash/dry; 5HF: 5%HF+wash/dry; and 5HF+N: 5%HF+neutralizer+wash/dry+ultrasonic-cleaning. Etched ceramic surfaces were treated with a silane agent. Next, resin cement blocks were built on the prepared ceramic surface and stored for 24 hours in distilled water at 37°C. The specimens were then sectioned to obtain microtensile beams (32/block), which were randomly assigned to the following conditions, nonaged (immediate test) and aged (water storage for 150 days plus 12,000 thermal cycles), before the microtensile test. Bond strength data were submitted to one-way analysis of variance and Tukey test (α=0.05). Additional ceramic samples were subjected to the different ceramic etching protocols and evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (n=2) and atomic force microscopy (n=2). Aging led to a statistically significant decrease in the MTBS for all groups, except the untreated one (NE). Among the groups submitted to the same aging conditions, the untreated (NE) revealed inferior MTBS values compared to the 9HF and 4HF groups. The 5HF and 5HF+N groups had intermediate mean values, being statistically similar to the higher values presented by the 9HF and 4HF groups and to the lower value associated with the NE group. The neutralization procedure did not enhance the ceramic/resin cement bond strength. HF acid etching is a crucial step in resin/ceramic bonding.
Influence of Etching Protocol and Silane Treatment with a Universal Adhesive on Lithium Disilicate Bond Strength
Authors: Kalavacharla VK , Lawson NC , Ramp LC , Burgess JO
Published: December 2014

Objectives

To measure the effects of hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching and silane prior to the application of a universal adhesive on the bond strength between lithium disilicate and a resin.

Methods and Materials

Sixty blocks of lithium disilicate (e.max CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent) were sectioned into coupons and polished. Specimens were divided into six groups (n=10) based on surface pretreatments, as follows: 1) no treatment (control); 2) 5% HF etch for 20 seconds (5HF); 3) 9.5% HF etch for 60 seconds (9.5HF); 4) silane with no HF (S); 5) 5% HF for 20 seconds + silane (5HFS); and 6) 9.5% HF for 60 seconds + silane (9.5HFS). All etching was followed by rinsing, and all silane was applied in one coat for 20 seconds and then dried. The universal adhesive (Scotchbond Universal, 3M ESPE) was applied onto the pretreated ceramic surface, air thinned, and light cured for 10 seconds. A 1.5-mm-diameter plastic tube filled with Z100 composite (3M ESPE) was applied over the bonded ceramic surface and light cured for 20 seconds on all four sides. The specimens were thermocycled for 10,000 cycles (5°C-50°C/15 s dwell time). Specimens were loaded until failure using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The peak failure load was used to calculate the shear bond strength. Scanning electron microscopy images were taken of representative e.max specimens from each group.

Results

A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) determined that there were significant differences between HF etching, silane treatment, and the interaction between HF and silane treatment (p<0.01). Silane treatment provided higher shear bond strength regardless of the use or concentration of the HF etchant. Individual one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc analyses were performed for each silane group. Shear bond strength values for each etch time were significantly different (p<0.01) and could be divided into significantly different groups based on silane treatment: no silane treatment: 0 HF < 5% HF < 9.5% HF; and RelyX silane treatment: 0 HF < 5% HF and 9.5% HF.

Conclusions

Both HF and silane treatment significantly improved the bond strength between resin and lithium disilicate when used with a universal adhesive.
Pleura Nodosum: Fetal Squamous Debris in an Unusual Location
Authors: Kocovski Linda , Stein Nina , Arredondo Jorge
Published: December 2014

We present a pathologic-radiologic case of a fetus with a right extralobar bronchopulmonary sequestration that required intervention in the form of a thoraco-amniotic shunt for management of a right pleural effusion. The intervention was successful in reducing the pleural effusion and the infant was born at 39 weeks gestational age but required some respiratory support for the 1st day of life. The pulmonary sequestration was excised on day 7 of life and demonstrated several small nodules on its pleural surface. Histologic examination demonstrated that the nodules consisted of granulomatous plaques containing squamous epithelium and hairs. The nodules are similar to those described in amnion nodosum, when the amniotic membrane incorporates fetal skin within the superficial tissue layers of the placenta in cases of oligohydramnios. To our knowledge, this is the 1st reported case of nodules containing amniotic fetal squamous debris to occur on lung visceral pleura.
Procoagulant phospholipid concentration in canine erythrocyte concentrates stored with or without prestorage leukoreduction
Authors: Smith Stephanie A. , Ngwenyama Thandeka R. , O'Brien Mauria , Herring Jennifer M. , Corsi Rafaella , Galligan Alyssa , Beloshapka Alison N. , Deng Ping , Swanson Kelly S. , McMichael Maureen
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE To evaluate canine erythrocyte concentrates (ECs) for the presence of procoagulant phospholipid (PPL), determine whether PPL concentration changes during the course of storage of ECs, and ascertain whether prestorage leukoreduction (removal of leukocytes via gravity filtration) reduces the development of PPL.

SAMPLE 10 whole blood units (420 g each) collected from 10 random-source, clinically normal dogs (1 U/dog).

PROCEDURES The dogs were randomized to 1 of 2 groups. Of the 10 whole blood units collected, 5 were processed through a standard method, and 5 underwent leukoreduction. Whole blood units were processed to generate ECs, from which aliquots were aseptically collected from each unit weekly for 5 weeks. Supernatants from the concentrates were evaluated for procoagulant activity, which was converted to PPL concentration, by use of an automated assay and by measurement of real-time thrombin generation.

RESULTS Supernatants from stored canine ECs contained procoagulant activity as measured by both assays. In general, the PPL concentration gradually increased during the storage period, but leukoreduction reduced the development of increased procoagulant activity over time.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The presence of PPL in canine ECs may be associated with procoagulant and proinflammatory effects in vivo, which could have adverse consequences for dogs treated with ECs.
Temporal and spatial dynamics of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection in the United States
Authors: Tousignant Steven J. P. , Perez Andres M. , Lowe James F. , Yeske Paul E. , Morrison Robert B.
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE To measure incidence and estimate temporal and spatial dynamics of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection in US sow herds.

ANIMALS 371 sow herds in the United States from 14 production companies.

PROCEDURES The exponentially weighted moving average was used to monitor incident PRRSV infections for onset of an epidemic. The spatial scan statistic was used to identify areas at significantly high risk of PRRS epidemics. A χ2 test was used to estimate whether there were significant differences in the quarterly and annual PRRS incidence among time periods, and a bivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate whether PRRSV infection during a given year increased the odds of that herd being infected in the following year.

RESULTS During the 4-year period of this study, 29% (91/319; 2009 to 2010), 33% (106/325; 2010 to 2011), 38% (135/355; 2011 to 2012), and 32% (117/371; 2012 to 2013) of the herds reported new infections. Weekly incidence was low during spring and summer and high during fall and winter. The exponentially weighted moving average signaled the onset of a PRRSV epidemic during the middle 2 weeks of October each year. Disease incidence was spatially clustered. Infection in the previous year increased the odds of infection in 2010 to 2011 and 2011 to 2012.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated a striking repeatability in annual PRRSV temporal and spatial patterns across 4 years of data among herds from 14 production companies, which suggested that efforts to control PRRSV at a regional level should continue to be supported.
Comparison among the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, insulin-modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test, and oral glucose tolerance test for assessment of insulin sensitivity in healthy Standardbreds
Authors: Pratt-Phillips Shannon E. , Geor Ray J. , McCutcheon L. Jill
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE To compare, in horses, estimates of insulin sensitivity obtained from minimal model analysis (MMA) of a frequently sampled IV glucose tolerance test (FSIGTT) with estimates from the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (EHC) and to evaluate the validity of surrogate estimates of insulin sensitivity derived from an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

ANIMALS 18 mature Standardbreds (mean ± SD body weight, 428.9 ± 35.9 kg; mean ± SD body condition score, 4.4 ± 1.0 [on a scale of 1 to 9]).

PROCEDURES All horses underwent at least 2 of the 3 procedures (EHC [n = 15], insulin-modified FSIGTT [18], and OGTT [18]) within a 10-day time frame to evaluate insulin sensitivity.

RESULTS Insulin sensitivity variables derived from the EHC and FSIGTT were strongly correlated (r = 0.88). When standardized to the same units of measure, these measures were still strongly correlated (r = 0.86) but were not equivalent. Area under the curve, peak insulin concentration, insulin concentration at 120 minutes, and 2 calculated indices from glucose and insulin data from the OGTT were significantly correlated with the EHC- and FSIGTT-derived estimates of insulin sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In healthy Standardbreds with moderate body condition score, insulin sensitivities from the EHC and FSIGTT were strongly correlated but not equivalent. Estimates derived from an OGTT also may be useful to estimate insulin sensitivity.
Minimally Invasive Dynamic Hip Screw Fixation for the treatment of stable Intertrochanteric Fractures of femur
Authors: Pandey Bimal Kumar , Rijal Kiran Prasad , Prasai Tanup , Panthi Sagar , Pradhan Rabindra Lal , Sharma Sashmit , Manandhar Rajeev Raj , Lakhey Shishir
Published: December 2014

Background: Trochanteric fracture is the commonest fracture in elderly people. These fractures carry risks associated with prolonged immobility. Early fracture fixation allowing early mobilization of the patients is the aim of the treatment. Dynamic hip screw and plate remains the most common method for treating stable intertrochanteric fractures. Minimal invasive technique has advantages of less blood loss, minimal soft tissue dissection, early mobilization, lesser requirement of analgesics and shorter hospital stay.Objectives: The study was done to evaluate the amount of intraoperative blood loss, reduction of post operative haemoglobin, requirement of post-operative analgesics and days of postoperative hospital stay in the patients of stable intertrochanteric femur fracture treated with minimal invasive dynamic hip screw (MIDHS).Methods: Twenty-five cases of stable intertrochanteric fractures of femur were treated with minimal invasive Dynamichip screw technique. Average blood loss during surgery, reduction of postoperative haemoglobin, requirement of post-operative analgesics and total days of postoperative hospital stay were studied.Results: Mean intraoperative blood loss was 53 ml, mean reduction of postoperative haemoglobin was 0.9 gm/dl. Average wound size was of five cm. Postoperative analgesic requirement was twice a day in an average and for five days. Mean hospital stay after surgery was five days.Conclusion: Minimal invasive Dynamic hip screw is a safe technique having advantages of less blood loss, minimal soft tissue dissection, lesser requirement of post-operative analgesics and shorter hospital stay in treating stable intertrochanteric fractures.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v2i4.11739  Journal of Kathmandu Medical CollegeVol. 2, No. 4, Issue 6, Oct.-Dec., 2013Page: 170-174
Kyphotic deformity in pott’s spine
Authors: Poudel Sushil
Published: December 2014

Kyphotic deformity is a well-known complication in spinal tuberculosis patients. This deformity, which is seen in 15% of patients treated conservatively, progresses in two phases: Phase I, which includes the changes in the active phase, and Phase II, which includes changes after the disease is cured. Factors influencing deformity progression are severity of the angle before treatment, the level of the lesion, and age of the patient. Adults have an increase less than 30? during the active phase with no additional changes in the healed phase. During the growth spurt of the children, there is worsening of the deformity in 39% (Type I), an improvement in 44% (Type II), and no change in 17% (Type III). Spine-at risk radiologic signs aid in early identification of the children at risk of late progressive deformity. Surgery for preventing deformity must be done earlier rather than later and in patients with severe disease.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v2i4.11790Journal of Kathmandu Medical CollegeVol. 2, No. 4, Issue 6, Oct.-Dec., 2013Page: 201-204
Comparing Centralized and Rolling Horizon Approaches for Optimal Aircraft Traffic Control in Terminal Areas
Authors: Samà Marcella , D'Ariano Andrea , D'Ariano Paolo , Pacciarelli Dario
Published: December 2014

This work addresses the real-time problem of managing takeoff and landing operations during traffic disturbances at a busy terminal control area (TCA). An important objective of traffic controllers is the minimization of delay propagation, which may reduce the aircraft travel time and the energy consumption. To improve the effectiveness of air traffic monitoring and control in a busy TCA, this paper presents an advanced optimization-based decision support system and compares centralized and rolling horizon approaches. The possible aircraft conflict detection and resolution actions were viewed as aircraft timing and routing decisions. The problem was modeled by an alternative graph formulation (i.e., a detailed model of air traffic flows in the TCA) and solved by scheduling and rerouting algorithms. The paper also proposes a new mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation to compute (near) optimal scheduling and routing solutions. The paper compares the first-in, first-out (FIFO) rule, used as a surrogate for the dispatchers’ behavior, a truncated branch and bound algorithm for aircraft scheduling with fixed routes, a tabu search algorithm for combined aircraft scheduling and rerouting, and the MILP formulation solved via a commercial solver. Computational experiments are presented for practical-sized instances from Milano Malpensa Airport in Milan, Italy. Disturbed traffic situations were generated by simulating various sets of delayed landing and departing aircraft. A detailed analysis of the experimental results demonstrates that the solutions produced by the optimization algorithms are of a remarkably better quality compared with the FIFO rule, in relation to delay and travel time minimization.
Mechanical Responses and Viscoelastic Properties of Asphalt Mixtures under Heavy Static and Dynamic Aircraft Loads
Authors: Guercio Maria Chiara , McCarthy Leslie Myers , Mehta Yusuf
Published: December 2014

The introduction of larger aircraft on flexible airfield pavements has led to a need for asphalt mixtures capable of sustaining such heavy loads. This laboratory and analytical study investigated the mechanical responses of a number of modified asphalt mixtures to identify their potential for use in airfield aprons and taxiways that were subjected to heavy, static, or slow-moving aircraft loads. The airfield flexible pavement section constructed at the FAA's National Airport Pavement Test Facility Construction Cycle 1 was modeled by using the three-dimensional finite element analysis software ABAQUS. Laboratory-compacted specimens of each modified asphalt mixture were tested by using AASHTO standards to determine volumetric properties and mechanical responses. The effects of static and dynamic aircraft loading were evaluated in ABAQUS with the material properties of the mixtures determined in the laboratory. On the basis of the findings of this study, it appears that several mixtures more commonly used in highway pavements, including modified mixtures, warm-mix asphalt, and reclaimed asphalt pavement, perform similarly to or even outperformed the FAA standard asphalt mixture. The results of this initial study support the idea that an opportunity exists for airports to implement emerging asphalt paving materials without compromising the pavement design life.
A Laser Photoacoustic Analysis of Residual CO2 and H2O in Larch Stems
Authors: Ageev Boris , Ponomarev Yurii , Sapozhnikova Valeria , Savchuk Dmitry
Published: December 2014

Every so often, the results obtained from investigations into the effects of varying environmental conditions on the tree growth rate at the same sites and on the change in the carbon balance in plants, using traditional methods, are found to differ widely. We believe that the reason for the ambiguity of the data has to do with failure to account for the role of the residual CO2 (and H2O) in the tree wood exhibiting a climate response. In our earlier work, the results of a laser photoacoustic gas analysis of CO2 and H2O vacuum-desorbed from disc tree rings of evergreen conifer trees were presented. In this paper, laser photoacoustic measurements of tree ring gases in deciduous conifer trees and CO2 carbon isotope composition determined by means of a mass spectrometer are given. Conclusions are made regarding the response of annual larch CO2 disc tree ring distributions to climatic parameters (temperatures and precipitation). The data about the CO2 disc content for different sites are compared.
Music as Environment: An Ecological and Biosemiotic Approach
Authors: Reybrouck Mark
Published: December 2014

This paper provides an attempt to conceive of music in terms of a sounding environment. Starting from a definition of music as a collection of vibrational events, it introduces the distinction between discrete-symbolic representations as against analog-continuous representations of the sounds. The former makes it possible to conceive of music in terms of a Humboldt system, the latter in terms of an experiential approach. Both approaches, further, are not opposed to each other, but are complementary to some extent. There is, however, a distinction to be drawn between the bottom-up approach to auditory processing of environmental sounds and music, which is continuous and proceeding in real time, as against the top-down approach, which is proceeding at a level of mental representation by applying discrete symbolic labels to vibrational events. The distinction is discussed against the background of phylogenetic and ontogenetic claims, with a major focus on the innate auditory capabilities of the fetus and neonate and the gradual evolution from mere sensory perception of sound to sense-making and musical meaning. The latter, finally, is elaborated on the basis of the operational concepts of affordance and functional tone, thus bringing together some older contributions from ecology and biosemiotics.