bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patients’ perspective of wide-awake hand surgery — 100 consecutive cases
Authors: Teo I. , Lam W. , Muthayya P. , Steele K. , Alexander S. , Miller G.
Published: January 2013

The wide-awake hand surgery (WAHS) technique involves injecting lidocaine with adrenaline for hand surgical procedures that are done without the use of tourniquets, sedation, regional or general anaesthetic. This is a retrospective review of the first 100 consecutive patients who underwent operations using this technique at our centre. The operations included carpal and cubital tunnel decompression, trapeziectomy, tendon transfer, and tenolysis. A questionnaire adapted from Lalonde’s previous work on wide-awake surgery was used to assess patients’ experiences. Sixty-five percent of the patients responded to the postal questionnaire, the majority reporting a high satisfaction level. Ninety-one percent of responders reported that the operation was less painful or comparable with a procedure at the dentist; 86% would prefer to be wide-awake if they needed to have hand surgery again, and 90% stated they would recommend WAHS to a friend.
Nonconvulsive Status With Metronidazole
Authors: Cantador A. A. , Meschia J. F. , Freeman W. D. , Tatum W. O.
Published: January 2013

Objective:

To expand the adverse events associated with metronidazole to include nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE).

Design:

Observational single case report of a rare association. Setting: Hospitalized lung transplant recipient treated with metronidazole for prevention of infection.

Patient:

A 56-year-old man with systemic symptoms, peripheral neuropathy, generalized seizure, and a subsequent acute deterioration of mental status due to NCSE.

Interventions:

Administration of midazolam was successful in terminating status epilepticus.

Main Outcome Measures:

Abrupt termination of NCSE was evident on continuous bedside electroencephalogam associated with clinical resolution of mental status.

Results:

Recovery occurred from NCSE eventually deteriorating to a fatal outcome. Conclusions: Metronidazole may be associated with successfully treated NCSE.
ATM-dependent spontaneous regression of early Eμ-myc–induced murine B-cell leukemia depends on natural killer and T cells
Authors: Croxford J. Ludovic , Tang Melissa Li Fang , Pan Meng Fei , Huang Caleb Weihao , Kamran Neha , Phua Cindy Meow Ling , Chng Wee Joo , Ng Siok Bian , Raulet David H. , Gasser Stephan
Published: January 2013

Key Points

Spontaneous regression of B-cell tumors in Eμ-myc mice. Regression depends on DNAM-1, natural killer cells, and T cells.
High-risk patients following hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation of COPD
Authors: Piquet Jacques , Chavaillon Jean-Michel , David Philippe , Martin Francis , Blanchon François , Roche Nicolas
Published: January 2013

The aim of this study was to assess long-term mortality and predictive factors of death after hospital admission for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

1824 patients (23.2% female; mean age 70.3±11.3 years) consecutively admitted for acute exacerbation of COPD in the respiratory medicine departments of 68 general hospitals between October 2006 and June 2007 were prospectively enrolled in a follow-up cohort. Their vital status was documented between October 2010 and April 2011.

Vital status was available for 1750 patients (95.9%), among whom 787 (45%) died during follow-up. Multivariate analysis found that age (60–80 years and ≥80 yearsversus<60 years, relative risk 2.99, 95% CI 2.31–3.89), lower body mass index (25–30 kg·m−2versus≤20 kg·m−2, relative risk 0.80, 95% CI 0.66–0.97), lung cancer (relative risk 2.08, 95% CI 1.43–3.01), cardiovascular comorbidity (relative risk 1.35, 95% CI 1.16–1.58), previous hospital admissions for acute exacerbation of COPD (four or moreversusnone, relative risk 1.91, 95% CI 1.44–2.53), use of accessory respiratory muscles (relative risk 1.19, 95% CI 1.01–1.40) or lower-limb oedema (relative risk 1.74, 95% CI (1.44–2.12)) at admission and treatment by long-term oxygen therapy at discharge (relative risk 2.09, 95% CI 1.79–2.45) were independent risk factors of death.

Mortality rate during the 4 years following hospital admission for acute exacerbation of COPD was high (45%). Simple clinical information relating to respiratory and general status can help in identifying high-risk patients and targeting more intensive follow-up and care. Interestingly, cardiovascular comorbidities and past hospitalisations for acute exacerbation of COPD, but not forced expiratory volume in 1 s, independently predicted the risk of death.
Mesenchymal stem cells promote alveolar epithelial cell wound repair in vitro through distinct migratory and paracrine mechanisms
Authors: Akram Khondoker M , Samad Sohel , Spiteri Monica A , Forsyth Nicholas R
Published: January 2013

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are in clinical trials for widespread indications including musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiac and haematological disorders. Furthermore, MSC can ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis in animal models although mechanisms of action remain unclear. One emerging concept is that MSCs may have paracrine, rather than a functional, roles in lung injury repair and regeneration.

Methods

To investigate the paracrine role of human MSC (hMSC) on pulmonary epithelial repair, hMSC-conditioned media (CM) and a selected cohort of hMSC-secretory proteins (identified by LC-MS/MS mass spectrometry) were tested on human type II alveolar epithelial cell line A549 cells (AEC) and primary human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) using an in vitro scratch wound repair model. A 3D direct-contact wound repair model was further developed to assess the migratory properties of hMSC.

Results

We demonstrate that MSC-CM facilitates AEC and SAEC wound repair in serum-dependent and –independent manners respectively via stimulation of cell migration. We also show that the hMSC secretome contains an array of proteins including Fibronectin, Lumican, Periostin, and IGFBP-7; each capable of influencing AEC and SAEC migration and wound repair stimulation. In addition, hMSC also show a strong migratory response to AEC injury as, supported by the observation of rapid and effective AEC wound gap closure by hMSC in the 3D model.

Conclusion

These findings support the notion for clinical application of hMSCs and/or their secretory factors as a pharmacoregenerative modality for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrotic lung disorders.
Effect of patient Age on surgical outcomes for Graves’ disease: a case–control study of 100 consecutive patients at a high volume thyroid surgical center
Authors: Breuer Christopher K , Solomon Daniel , Donovan Patricia , Rivkees Scott A , Udelsman Robert
Published: January 2013

Objective

To compare outcomes between children (<18 yrs) and adults undergoing total thyroidectomy for Graves’ disease (GD) at a high volume, multidisciplinary thyroid center.

Summary of background data

Reported complication rates for children undergoing surgery for Graves’ disease are worse than for adults.

Methods

100 consecutive patients (32 children; 68 adults) who underwent total thyroidectomy for Graves’ disease (GD) by a high-volume endocrine surgery team from were compared.

Results

The mean patient age was 9.7 yrs (range 3.4-17.9 yrs) in children versus 44.9 yrs (range 18.4-84.2 yrs) in adults. Operative times were longer in children (2.18 ± 0.08 hrs) than in adults (1.66 ± 0.03 hrs) (p = 0.003). Pediatric thyroid specimens averaged 38.6.0 ± 8.9 gm (range: 9–293 gm) and adult thyroid specimens averaged 48.0 ± 6.4 gm (range: 6.6-203 gm) (p = 0.34). Thyroid to body weight ratios were greater in children (0.94 ± 0.11 gm/kg) than adults (0.67 ± 0.8 gm/kg) (p = 0.05). In all patients, the hyperthyroid state resolved after surgery. There was no operative mortality, recurrence, or permanent hypoparathyroidism. Transient post-operative hypocalcemia requiring calcium infusion was greater in children than adults (6/32 vs. 1/68; p = 0.004). Transient recurrent laryngeal nerve dysfunction occurred in two children and in no adults (p = 0.32). Postoperative hematoma occurred in two adults and in no children (p = 0.46). The length of stay was longer for children (1.41 ± 0.12 days) than for adults (1.03 ±0.03 days) (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Surgical management of GD is technically more challenging in children as evidenced by longer operative times. Whereas temporary hypocalcemia occurs more commonly in children than adults, the risks of major complications including disease recurrence, permanent hypoparathyroidism, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, or neck hematoma were indistinguishable. These data suggest that excellent and equivalent outcomes can be achieved for GD surgery in children and adults when care is rendered by a high volume, endocrine surgery team.
Solitary fibrous tumors of the soft tissues: imaging features with histopathologic correlations
Authors: Papathanassiou Zafaria G , Alberghini Marco , Picci Piero , Staals Eric , Gambarotti Marco , Garaci Francesco Giuseppe , Vanel Daniel
Published: January 2013

Purpose

To describe the imaging features of soft tissue solitary fibrous tumors, with histopathological correlations and clinical outcome.

Material and methods

Twenty-seven patients with histologically proven SFTs were retrospectively evaluated. Imaging studies included six radiographs, five U/S studies, eighteen CT scans, fourteen MRI exams, and one angiography.

Results

On CT scans, two lesions were isodense and five were mildly hypodense compared to muscle while 11 lesions appeared heterogeneous-mixed of iso and hypodense areas. Heterogeneous enhancement was depicted in 13 lesions and four lesions enhanced homogeneously. Six lesions were partially calcified. On T1W MR images, seven lesions were isointense and one was slightly hyperintense relative to adjacent muscles while five lesions appeared heterogeneous-mixed of iso and hypointense areas. T2W images showed high SI in two cases and heterogeneous-mixed in seven cases. Enhancement was heterogeneous in six and homogeneous in four lesions. Patchy unenhanced areas (on CT and T1W MR images) along with patchy areas of low to markedly high SI on T2W images were depicted in 19 lesions. The enhanced portions correlated to areas of increased vascularity and cellularity. The four clinically more aggressive lesions could not be predicted on imaging.

Conclusion

Typical soft tissue SFTs are deep masses made of isodense and isointense areas relative to adjacent muscles mixed with hypodense and hypointense areas on unenhanced CT and MR T1W respectively. Variable enhancement patterns and mixed to high signal intensities on MRT2W are attributed to tumor’s cellularity, vascularity, collagen distribution and/or degeneration. Heterogeneity of SFTs affects imaging features on MRI and CT modalities. The biological behavior of soft tissue SFTs can not be predicted based solely either on histopathologic or imaging evaluation.
Country- and individual-level socioeconomic determinants of depression: multilevel cross-national comparison
Authors: Rai Dheeraj , Zitko Pedro , Jones Kelvyn , Lynch John , Araya Ricardo
Published: January 2013

Background

The prevalence and correlates of depression vary across countries. Contextual factors such as country-level income or income inequalities have been hypothesised to contribute to these differences.

Aims

To investigate associations of depression with socioeconomic factors at the country level (income inequality, gross national income) and individual (education, employment, assets and spending) level, and to investigate their relative contribution in explaining the cross-national variation in the prevalence of depression.

Method

Multilevel study using interview data of 187 496 individuals from 53 countries participating in the World Health Organization World Health Surveys.

Results

Depression prevalence varied between 0.4 and 15.7% across countries. Individual-level factors were responsible for 86.5% of this variance but there was also reasonable variation at the country level (13.5%), which appeared to increase with decreasing economic development of countries. Gross national income or country-level income inequality had no association with depression. At the individual level, fewer material assets, lower education, female gender, economic inactivity and being divorced or widowed were associated with increased odds of depression. Greater household spending, unlike material assets, was associated with increasing odds of depression (adjusted analysis).

Conclusions

The variance of depression prevalence attributable to country-level factors seemed to increase with decreasing economic development of countries. However, country-level income inequality or gross national income explained little of this variation, and individual-level factors appeared more important than contextual factors as determinants of depression. The divergent relationship of assets and spending with depression emphasise that different socioeconomic measures are not interchangeable in their associations with depression.
Treatment in a specialised out-patient mood disorder clinicv.standard out-patient treatment in the early course of bipolar disorder: randomised clinical trial
Authors: Kessing Lars Vedel , Hansen Hanne Vibe , Hvenegaard Anne , Christensen Ellen Margrethe , Dam Henrik , Gluud Christian , Wetterslev Jørn ,   The Early Intervention Affective Disorders (EIA) Trial Group
Published: January 2013

Background

Little is known about whether treatment in a specialised out-patient mood disorder clinic improves long-term prognosis for patients discharged from initial psychiatric hospital admissions for bipolar disorder.

Aims

To assess the effect of treatment in a specialised out-patient mood disorder clinicv.standard decentralised psychiatric treatment among patients discharged from one of their first three psychiatric hospital admissions for bipolar disorder.

Method

Patients discharged from their first, second or third hospital admission with a single manic episode or bipolar disorder were randomised to treatment in a specialised out-patient mood disorder clinic or standard care (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00253071). The primary outcome measure was readmission to hospital, which was obtained from the Danish Psychiatric Central Register.

Results

A total of 158 patients with mania/bipolar disorder were included. The rate of readmission to hospital was significantly decreased for patients treated in the mood disorder clinic compared with standard treatment (unadjusted hazard ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.37–0.97,P=0.034). Patients treated in the mood disorder clinic more often used a mood stabiliser or an antipsychotic and satisfaction with treatment was more prevalent than among patients who received standard care.

Conclusions

Treatment in a specialised mood disorder clinic early in the course of bipolar disorder substantially reduces readmission to a psychiatric hospital and increases satisfaction with care.
Production of chimeras between the Chinese soft-shelled turtle and Peking duck through transfer of early blastoderm cells
Authors: Zhang Wenxin , Rui Lei , Zhang Jun , Yu Xiaoxue , Yuan Fang , Yan Li , Zhang Zifu , Wan Zhiyi , Shao Qiang , Qi Cheng , Li Zandong
Published: January 2013

Chimeras are useful models for studies of developmental biology and cell differentiation. Intraspecies and interspecies germline chimeras have been produced in previous studies, but the feasibility of producing chimeras between animals of two different classes remains unclear. To address this issue, we attempted to produce chimeras between the Chinese soft-shelled turtle and the Peking duck by transferring stage X blastoderm cells to recipient embryos. We then examined the survival and development of the PKH26-labeled donor cells in the heterologous embryos. At early embryonic stages, both turtle and duck donor cells that were labeled with PKH26 were readily observed in the brain, neural tube, heart and gonads of the respective recipient embryos. Movement of turtle donor-derived cells was observed in the duck host embryos after 48 h of incubation. Although none of the hatchlings presented a chimeric phenotype, duck donor-derived cells were detected in a variety of organs in the hatchling turtles, particularly in the gonads. Moreover, in the hatched turtles, mRNA expression of tissue-specific duck genes MEF2a and MEF2c was detected in many tissues, including the muscle, heart, small and large intestines, stomach and kidney. Similarly, SPAG6 mRNA was detected in a subset of turtle tissues, including the gonad and the small and large intestines. These results suggest that duck donor-derived cells can survive and differentiate in recipient turtles; however, no turtle-derived cells were detected in the hatched ducks. Our findings indicate that chimeras can be produced between animals of two different classes.
Rapid cold hardening improves recovery of ion homeostasis and chill coma recovery in the migratory locustLocusta migratoria
Authors: Findsen Anders , Andersen Jonas Lembcke , Calderon Sofia , Overgaard Johannes
Published: January 2013

Chill tolerance of insects is defined as the ability of insects to tolerate low temperature under circumstances not involving freezing of intra- or extracellular fluids. For many insects chill tolerance is crucial for their ability to persist in cold environments and mounting evidence indicate that chill tolerance is associated with the ability to maintain ion- and water-homeostasis, thereby ensuring muscular function and preventing chill injury at low temperature. The present study describes the relationship between muscle and hemolymph ion-homeostasis and time to regain posture following cold shock (CS, 2h at -4°C) in the chill susceptible locust, Locusta migratoria. This relationship is examined in animals with and without a prior rapid cold hardening treatment (RCH, 2h at 0°C) to investigate the physiological underpinnings of RCH. Cold shock elicited a doubling of hemolymph [K+] and this disturbance was greater in locusts pre-exposed to RCH. Recovery of ion homeostasis was, however, markedly faster in RCH treated animals which correlated well with whole organism performance as hardened individuals regained posture more than 2 minutes faster than non-hardened individuals following CS. The present study indicates that loss and recovery of muscular function is associated with resting membrane potential of excitable membranes as attested from the changes in the equilibrium potential for K+ (EK) following CS. Both hardened and non-hardened animals recovered movement once K+ homeostasis was recovered to a fixed level (EK≈ -41 mV). RCH is therefore not associated with altered sensitivity to ion disturbance but instead a faster recovery of hemolymph [K+].
Internally Modified Halloysite Nanotubes as Inorganic Nanocontainers for a Flame Retardant
Authors: Jing Hui , Higaki Yuji , Ma Wei , Wu Hui , Yah Weng On , Otsuka Hideyuki , Lvov Yuri M , Takahara Atsushi
Published: January 2013

We have selectively hydrophobized halloysite nanotube lumens for efficient loading with a flame retardant for controlled releasing composite materials. The inner lumen of octadecylphosphonic-acid-modified halloysite was loaded with hydrophobic bisphenol-A bis(diphenyl phosphate). This flame retardant was released from the clay nanotubes in linear fashion over 60 h demonstrating the system potential utility as effective nanocontainers for smart composite systems.
Fabricating Perovskite BaHfO3 Hollow Nanospheres through a Mild Reflux Route
Authors: Lu Yongzheng , Huang Hua , Ye Tiannan , Yu Jianguo , Li Guodong , Zhao Yongnan
Published: January 2013

Driven by the Ostwald ripening process, perovskite-type BaHfO3 hollow nanospheres were synthesized through a facile reflux method without any templates; the products experienced variations in morphology (solid, core–shell, and hollow nanospheres) at various reaction durations.
Low-temperature Hydrothermal Synthesis of Bismuth Nanoflowers and Their Application for Heavy Metal Detection
Authors: Yang Haifeng , Yan Yan , Li Junfang , Lu Xiaojing , Xi Guangcheng , Zhang Qing , Wang Chao
Published: January 2013

Pure bismuth nanoflowers were synthesized for the first time with remarkable productivity through a low-temperature hydrothermal method. The obtained nanostructures were used to prepare modified electrodes, which showed high sensitivity for the detection of heavy metal ions in aqueous solution by stripping analysis.
Increased Th1 immune response in SERPINB3 transgenic mice during acute liver failure
Authors: Villano Gianmarco , Lunardi Francesca , Turato Cristian , Schiff Sami , Tono Natascia , Campagna Francesca , Gatta Angelo , Amodio Piero , Calabrese Fiorella , Pontisso Patrizia
Published: January 2013

Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by severe neurological complications, known as acute hepatic encephalopathy, where brain ammonia and inflammatory processes play a dominant role. In experimental models of acute liver failure SERPINB3 was found significantly increased in microglia, the intrinsic immune cells of the central nervous system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the extent of brain tissue damage and the inflammatory milieu in experimental acute liver failure using a SERPINB3-transgenic mouse model. C57BL/6J wild-type and transgenic mice were inoculated with acetaminophen or phosphate-buffered saline and sacrificed 20 h postinjection. Proliferation and apoptotic activity were analyzed in brain tissue by immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling technique. The expression of cytokines was analysed in brain and liver tissue by real time polymerase chain reaction and in the corresponding serum samples using a Bio-Plex system. Acetaminophen induced a significantly lower body temperature and shorter survival in transgenic than in wild-type mice, despite liver function was similar in both groups. The brain of transgenic mice, expressing SERPINB3 positivity in microglia, showed increased glial cell number, associated to significant lower apoptotic death events, compared with wild-type mice. In mice injected with acetaminophen, remarkably higher values of cytokines mRNA were observed in the liver of both groups, with a trend toward higher values in transgenic animals. In brain tissue similar increase of tumor necrosis factor-αwas detected in transgenic and wild-type mice, while IL-10 mRNA increased only in the wild-type group. A remarkable increase of circulating Th1 cytokines was detected in serum of transgenic mice, while in the wild-type group they remained rather unchanged. These figures were associated with lower levels of granulocyte macropage colony-stimulating factor, despite similar increase of IL-10 values in both groups. In conclusion, in acute liver failure SERPINB3 determines an enhanced inflammatory background, mainly mediated by higher levels of Th1 proinflammatory cytokines.
Rehabilitative exercise in a rat model of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity
Authors: Hydock David S , Lien Chia-Ying , Jensen Brock T , Parry Traci L , Schneider Carole M , Hayward Reid
Published: January 2013

The use of exercise to minimize doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity is gaining attention. However, very few clinically relevant reports exist investigating the effects of exercise performed during and following DOX treatments. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of voluntary wheel running during and following DOX treatment using two models of late-onset DOX cardiotoxicity in the rat. Female Sprague-Dawley rats received either DOX or saline injections using one of two separate treatment regimens. These regimens involved either daily or weekly DOX injections with cumulative doses for both protocols totaling 15 mg/kg. Daily DOX injections were 1 mg/kg and lasted for 15 consecutive days while weekly DOX injections were 2.5 mg/kg and lasted for six consecutive weeks with control animals receiving matched saline injection regimens. Immediately following the initial DOX/saline injection, animals were randomly housed in cages with voluntary running wheels or standard rat cages throughout DOX/saline treatments and continued until reaching 10 weeks. Cardiac function was then assessed using echocardiography and an isolated working heart model, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform distribution was assessed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When compared wth controls, daily DOX treatment resulted in reduced running wheel distances at weeks 2-10 (P < 0.05), and weekly DOX treatment resulted in reduced running wheel distances at weeks 2, 6 and 10 (P < 0.05). Nonetheless, wheel running during and following daily and weekly DOX dosing protected against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by preserving maximal mitral and aortic blood flow velocities, left ventricular developed pressure and MHC isoform expression. In conclusion, the overall reduced volume of activity during and following daily and weekly DOX treatments attenuated DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction suggesting that low-volume endurance training may be an effective rehabilitative approach in minimizing DOX cardiotoxicity in cancer patients.
New method for isolation of both kidneys for studies of vascular reactivity in rats
Authors: Tendero Pablo Vargas , Gomez Isabel Rodríguez , Wangensteen Rosemary , Arcas Rosario , Quintana Magdalena , Vargas Félix
Published: January 2013

The isolated perfused rat kidney technique is one of the most widely used methods in renal research. It has proven useful to investigate biochemical, physiological, pharmacological and pathophysiological aspects of renal function, allowing variables to be changed in a controlled manner and eliminating systemic influences. This study was designed to test a new surgical procedure to isolate both kidneys for their utilization in this technique, mainly as a vascular preparation. The viability of the resulting preparations was compared with those obtained by the classical method, analyzing the responsiveness to the vasoconstrictor phenylephrine and to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine. Vascular reactivity was evaluated under normal conditions and in endothelium-denuded preparations. The dose response curves to phenylephrine and to acetylcholine were similar in the three experimental groups, regardless of the procedure used for kidney isolation, in both endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded preparations. We give a step-by-step description of the isolation method and key points for the success of the technique. In conclusion, the surgical procedure proposed in this paper reduces the number of animals required by half and hence reduces the cost of the experiments. This novel procedure is of special interest for acute experiments to test new vasoactive drugs and for analysis of the action mechanisms of these drugs. It could also be used in chronic studies or in genetically modified animals when different experimental protocols are performed on the left and right kidneys and to improve the accuracy of the results by analyzing cases in duplicate.
Anaesthesia for positron emission tomography scanning of animal brains
Authors: Alstrup Aage Kristian Olsen , Smith Donald F
Published: January 2013

Positron emission tomography (PET) provides a means of studying physiological and pharmacological processes as they occur in the living brain. Mice, rats, dogs, cats, pigs and non-human primates are often used in studies using PET. They are commonly anaesthetized with ketamine, propofol or isoflurane in order to prevent them from moving during the imaging procedure. The use of anaesthesia in PET studies suffers, however, from the drawback of possibly altering central neuromolecular mechanisms. As a result, PET findings obtained in anaesthetized animals may fail to correctly represent normal properties of the awake brain. Here, we review findings of PET studies carried out either in both awake and anaesthetized animals or in animals given at least two different anaesthetics. Such studies provide a means of estimating the extent to which anaesthesia affects the outcome of PET neuroimaging in animals. While no final conclusion can be drawn concerning the ‘best’ general anaesthetic for PET neuroimaging in laboratory animals, such studies provide findings that can enhance an understanding of neurobiological mechanisms in the living brain.
Comparison of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and Dual-ISH (DISH) in the Determination of HER2 Status in Breast Cancer
Authors: Mansfield Aaron S. , Sukov William R. , Eckel-Passow Jeanette E. , Sakai Yuta , Walsh Frank J. , Lonzo Melissa , Wiktor Anne E. , Dogan Ahmet , Jenkins Robert B.
Published: January 2013

The determination of HER2 amplification is critical to selecting appropriate patients for HER2 targeted therapy in breast cancer. Dual in situ hybridization (DISH), an alternative to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry, is now available. To compare the FISH and DISH methods, we tested 251 samples enriched for common or difficult-to-assess HER2 anomalies. Seven samples failed DISH testing. There was a 64% (156/244) concordance between FISH and DISH by anomaly (κ = 0.58, 95% confidence interval, 0.51-0.65; P < .0001) and an 83% (203/244) concordance by amplification status (κ = 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.69; P < .0001). DISH resulted in lower estimates of HER2/ centromere 17 ratios than FISH, and many cases that were equivocal with FISH were normal with DISH. DISH did not detect any case with coamplification of HER2 and centromere 17. Using a cohort of difficult specimens, we observed less than 95% concordance between FISH and DISH. DISH may underestimate the HER2/chromosome 17 ratio, or FISH may overestimate this ratio.
Salience and construal in the use of synonymy: A study of two sets of near-synonymous nouns
Authors: Liu Dilin
Published: January 2013

Via a corpus-based collocation analysis and a forced-choice questionnaire examination, this study investigates the use of two sets of near-synonymous nouns: authority/power/right and duty/obligation/responsibility. The corpus analysis reveals the prototypical meanings of the nouns in each set and the semantic and usage pattern differences among the synonymous nouns. Also, the corpus analysis and the results of the forced-choice study jointly show that the level of lexical salience and the language users' construal are two key factors in the use of synonymous nouns. Due to entrenchment effects, speakers/writers typically use a synonymous noun with the highest salience in a given semantic context unless the speaker/writer's construal operations result in a decision to use a different noun whose prototypical meaning fits the context better. It is also found that the selection of a non-salient noun in a given context typically signifies a difference in meaning. Furthermore, the meanings of synonymous nouns and the internal semantic structure of a synonymous-noun set seem to show a certain degree of fluidity, influenced by the competition of lexical salience and language users' construal. The study has also demonstrated the effectiveness of combining corpus-based analysis and elicited data examination in the study of synonyms.
You can't cry your way to candy: Motion events and paths in the x's way construction
Authors: Szczesniak Konrad
Published: January 2013

This paper examines previous analyses of the x's way construction, focusing on the readings attributed to it within the Construction Grammar framework and constraints on the types of verbs allowed in the construction. It questions some of the characterizations of the construction and offers an alternative view that accounts for uses of the construction that have not been considered before. Specifically, it will demonstrate that metaphoric uses, particularly those with obtainment readings, reveal interesting properties of the construction that define how it assembles motion events and paths in these events. These will be shown to follow constraints of differing rigidity. While motion events can involve disparate subevents blended together, paths do not allow any integration of incongruous elements. The construction follows universal principles which govern how complex event schemas can be blended out of simpler schemas in linguistic constructions. More generally, as a closed-class form, not only does the construction conform to event-schema protocol, but its meaning associated with a motion event is a spare reading typical of a closed-class form. Thus the present analysis attempts to reconcile its constructionist approach to the way construction with the traditional division into closed- and open-class forms.
Context sensitivity and insensitivity in object naming
Authors: Malt Barbara C.
Published: January 2013

Objects can almost always be called by more than one name, and the name chosen depends on the context. However, studies of naming in some traditions elicit names by showing objects in isolation and asking merelyWhat is it?If the names produced are not the same as those that would be given in more fully specified communicative contexts, the value of the tasks for understanding object naming is in doubt. The current study examined the effects of different communicative demands on naming of 60 household containers. A standard “free naming” task was contrasted with two other versions. In these two, participants had the goal of getting an addressee to find a target object among others. In one, each object needed to be distinguished from a small set of dissimilar objects, visible to the addressee. In the other, each needed to be distinguished from a large set of similar objects, not visible to the addressee. Responses were sensitive to context in the number of modifiers produced. However, they were insensitive in the head nouns produced. Simple naming tasks such asWhat is it?can produce results for head nouns equivalent to those from tasks providing more fully specified communicative contexts.
Crystal structure of the supramolecular complex Ce(sal)3phen2, C45H31CeN4O9
Authors: Zhu Wen-Qing , Zhang Chao , Wang Jin-Ping , Yuan Yu-Kun
Published: January 2013

C45H31CeN4O9, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 16.121(2) Å, b = 10.922(1) Å, c = 22.380(2) Å, β = 90.026(2)°, V = 3940.4 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0461, wRref(F2) = 0.1061, T = 296 K
Early recruitment dynamics in tropical restoration
Authors: de la Peña-Domene Marinés , Martínez-Garza Cristina , Howe Henry F.
Published: January 2013

Unassisted secondary succession in abandoned tropical pastures often results in species‐poor forests of pioneer trees that persist for decades. We characterize recruitment rates of woody vegetation in planting treatments during the first 60 months of experimental restoration on thin, eroded soils at Los Tuxtlas, southern Mexico. We test the hypothesis that recruitment of later‐successional trees is greater in fenced plots planted with native trees than in fenced controls that simulate natural succession, and further that recruitment of such species would be greater in plots planted with animal‐dispersed trees than in those planted with wind‐dispersed trees.

Results indicated much greater recruitment of later‐successional animal‐dispersed trees in planted plots as compared with controls. Three censuses per year recorded 960 recruited individuals of 44 species of trees and shrubs from 20–60 months after cattle exclusion. Ninety‐six percent of recruits were not of planted species. Repeated‐measures analyses of variance indicated that recruited communities included more species of pioneers than of later‐successional trees and shrubs, with more individuals and species dispersed by animals than by wind. Recruitment of pioneers did not differ between control and planted plots. Later‐successional recruits dispersed by animals accumulated >10 times faster in planted than control plots, with apparent acceleration after planted Cecropia obtusifolia and Ficus yoponensis first produced fleshy fruits 48 months after cattle exclusion. Sparse later‐successional wind‐dispersed recruits did not differ by treatment. Our preliminary results over the first five years after cattle exclusion indicate that planted stands clearly accelerate succession through accumulation of later‐successional trees and shrubs dispersed by animals.
Regulated Self-Regulation or External Control? Effects of Different Legislative Approaches in the Petroleum Sector in Norway and Brazil
Authors: Hellebust Celma Regina , Braut Geir Sverre
Published: January 2013

This is a comparison of the regulatory regimes related to health and safety in the offshore petroleum sector in Norway and Brazil. Even though Norway and Brazil show principal similarities regarding the legal system, they have chosen quite different strategies related to regulation of occupational health and safety in the petroleum sector.

The Norwegian legislation seems to rely highly upon the willingness of the actors to work closely together to shape a culture supporting safety. If there are greater tensions and conflicts in the industry or in the surrounding society, the Brazilian model may give better control with defined risk factors.
Experimental Investigation of Near-Miscible Water-Alternating-Gas Injection Performance in Water-Wet and Mixed-Wet Systems
Authors: Fatemi S. Mobeen , Sohrabi Mehran
Published: January 2013

Laboratory data on water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection for non-water-wet systems are very limited, especially for near-miscible (very low IFT) gas/oil systems, which represent injection scenarios involving high-pressure hydrocarbon gas or CO2 injection. Simulation of these processes requires three-phase relative permeability (kr) data. Most of the existing three-phase relative permeability correlations have been developed for water-wet conditions. However, a majority of oil reservoirs are believed to be mixed-wet and, hence, prediction of the performance of WAG injection in these reservoirs is associated with significant uncertainties. Reliable simulation of WAG injection, therefore, requires improved relative permeability and hysteresis models validated by reliable measured data.

In this paper, we report the results of a comprehensive series of coreflood experiments carried out in a core under natural water-wet conditions. These included water injection, gas injection, and also WAG injection. Then, to investigate the impact of wettability on the performance of these injection strategies, the wettability of the same core was changed to mixed-wet (by aging the core in an appropriate crude oil) and a similar set of experiments were performed in the mixed-wet core. WAG experiments under both wettability conditions started with water injection (I) followed by gas injection (D), and this cyclic injection of water and gas was repeated (IDIDID).

The results show that in both the water-wet and mixed-wet cores, WAG injection performs better than water injection or gas injection alone. Changing the rock wettability from water-wet to mixed-wet significantly improves the performance of water injection. Under both wettability conditions (water-wet and mixed-wet), the breakthrough (BT) of the gas during gas injection happens sooner than the BT of water in water injection. Ultimate oil recovery by gas injection is considerably higher than that obtained by water injection in the water-wet system, while in the mixed-wet system, gas injection recovers considerably less oil.
Understanding the Heat-Transfer Mechanism in the Steam-Assisted Gravity-Drainage (SAGD) Process and Comparing the Conduction and Convection Flux in Bitumen Reservoirs
Authors: Irani Mazda , Ghannadi Sahar
Published: January 2013

SAGD is one successful thermal recovery technique applied in the Athabasca and Peace River reservoirs in central and northern Alberta, Canada. In SAGD, steam is injected into a horizontal injection well and is forced outward, losing its latent heat when it comes into contact with the cold bitumen at the edge of a depletion chamber. As a consequence, the viscosity of the bitumen falls several orders of magnitude, its mobility rises several orders of magnitude, and then it flows under gravity toward a horizontal production well located several meters below and parallel to the injection well. Heat-transfer mechanisms are pivotal to the SAGD process. Though heat energy is transferred from steam to reservoir by conduction and convection, heat transfer by convection is not considered in the classic SAGD mathematical models such as Butler?s. Researchers such as Butler and Stephens (1981), Reis (1992), Akin (2005), Liang (2005), Nukhaev et al. (2006), and Azad and Chalaturnyk (2010) considered conduction from steam to cold reservoir to be the only heat-transfer component. However, because the heat capacity of water is typically two to five times that of bitumen, convection caused by the mobile condensate flow in the reservoir may contradict these studies. Farouq-Ali (1997) was the first to criticize the assumption that there is only a thermal conduction mechanism in the SAGD process. He pointed out that with so much condensate flowing, convection would be expected to be the dominant heat-transfer mechanism, which can be plausible at high temperatures. In response, Edmunds (1999a) stated that on the basis of the associated change in enthalpy, the heat transfer into a cold reservoir because of convection is probably less than 5% of that because of conduction. Ito (1999) challenged Edmunds (1999a) statement, on the basis of Ito and Suzuki (1996, 1999) and Ito et al. (1998), pointing out that "this number, 5%; i.e., ratio between convection to conduction presented by Edmunds (1999a) is unrealistically low, (and) it should be in the range of 50%. This study examined the relative roles of convective and conductive heat transfer at the edge of SAGD steam chambers. In summary, the mathematical model developed in this study considered both conduction and convection, and the resultant output from the model is reasonably consistent with published field data. This study supports the idea that although convection can dominate near the chamber edge in high-water-saturation reservoirs, in bitumen-rich reservoirs, its contribution to heat transfer is less than 1% and can be neglected.
NMR Facies Definition for Permo-Triassic Kangan/Dalan Carbonate Formation by Use of Core/Log and Pore-Scale Measurements
Authors: Mardani Alireza , Rezaee Reza , Eskandar Ashkan A.
Published: January 2013

An integrated and quantitative approach is taken here to the Permo-Triassic Kangan/Dalan carbonate formation. We apply pore-network characterization to the problem of the classification of these complex carbonate gas-reservoir rocks. We start with the useful and convenient nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) data on 28 samples to define NMR facies (NMRF). The NMRF grouping is performed with both the relaxivity constant (ρ2) and the specific-surface-volume (Sgv) data. Seven NMRF have been defined with a combination of core/log NMR data, petrographic image analysis, and mercury-injection examinations for two wells.

The advantage of evaluation of the pore spaces rather than grain properties is to discover trends that are not apparent when one uses a conventional sedimentological facies definition. Lithology-independent NMRF exhibit properties that are associated with pore geometry. This should have special importance for the formation evaluation of carbonates.
Quartz Crystal Microbalance Evaluation of Inhibitors for Inorganic Scale
Authors: Bertran Celso A. , Sousa Maria F.B.
Published: January 2013

In this paper, the use of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with a quartz crystal sensor coated with iron oxide is proposed to evaluate the efficacy of inhibitors in the prevention of scale formation. The quartz crystal was first iron-plated by electrodeposition over the original gold film on the outer side of the crystal and then oxidized. The iron oxide layer is more representative for an evaluation of the inhibitor's effectiveness because tubing and equipment in oil-industry facilities are made of low carbon steel that is coated with an iron oxide layer. The scale formation was conducted under a steady supersaturation condition. The experiments were performed with slow addition (0.2 cm3/min) of 40 cm3 of Na2CO3 solution (1,000 ppm) to 200 cm3 of synthetic formation water (AF-W2). The performance at 10 ppm concentration of two commercial scale inhibitors, diethylenetriamine penta(methylenephosphonic acid) (DETPMPA) and polyphosphonocarboxylic acid (PPCA), was evaluated. The mass variation on the iron oxide plated QCM crystal sensor, caused by CaCO3 deposition, is related to supersaturation, pH value, and efficacy of scale inhibitor. Scanning-electron-microscope (SEM) images show that besides calcite crystals, there are also deposits in the form of spherical lenses, which is characteristic of the polymorph vaterite.
The Outcomes of Patients with ESRD and ANCA-Associated Vasculitis in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Tang Wen , Bose Bhadran , McDonald Stephen P. , Hawley Carmel M. , Badve Sunil V. , Boudville Neil , Brown Fiona G. , Clayton Philip A. , Campbell Scott B. , Peh Chen Au , Johnson David W.
Published: January 2013

Background and objectives

This study aimed to evaluate dialysis and transplant outcomes of patients with ESRD secondary to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

All ESRD patients who commenced renal replacement therapy in Australia and New Zealand between 1996 and 2010 were included. Outcomes were assessed by Kaplan–Meier, multivariable Cox regression, and competing-risks regression survival analyses.

Results

Of 36,884 ESRD patients, 228 had microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and 221 had granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). Using competing-risks regression, compared with other causes of ESRD, MPA patients (hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.73–1.08; P=0.24) and GPA patients (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.74–1.19; P=0.62) experienced comparable survival on dialysis. Forty-six MPA patients (21%) and 47 GPA (20%) patients received 98 renal allografts. Respective 10-year first graft survival rates in MPA, GPA, and non-AAV patients were 50%, 62%, 70%, whereas patient survival rates were 68%, 85% and 83%, respectively. Compared with non-AAV patients, MPA transplant recipients had higher risks of graft failure (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.07–3.25; P=0.03) and death (HR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.02–3.69; P=0.04), whereas GPA transplant recipients experienced comparable renal allograft survival (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.43–1.93; P=0.81) and patient survival (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.23–2.27; P=0.58). AAV recurrence was observed in two renal allografts (2%).

Conclusions

Compared with ESRD patients without AAV, those with GPA have comparable renal replacement therapy outcomes, whereas MPA patients have comparable dialysis survival but poorer renal transplant allograft and patient survival rates.