bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photosynthesis, vegetative habit and culinary properties of sage (Salvia officinalis) in response to low-light conditions
Authors: Mapes Christine , Xu Yan
Published: March 2014

Mapes, C. and Xu, Y. 2014. Photosynthesis, vegetative habit and culinary properties of sage (Salvia officinalis) in response to low-light conditions. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 881–889. Culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) is known to grow better at sunny locations with good drainage. However, when there is a necessity to propagate it in controlled environments with minimal additional lighting, or at shady locations, how significantly its growth and production would be restricted has not been well investigated. The objective of this study was to examine the responses of sage grown in a greenhouse over the winter when ambient light in the greenhouse is lower than 212 μmol m−2 s−1 (or a daily light integral of 9.2 mol m−2 d−1). Sage seedlings were planted in growing media and covered with various shade cloths to reach 70, 50 and 30% of the ambient irradiance. Photochemical efficiency and in situ chlorophyll status were estimated at 7, 21, and 56 d. The daily leaf emergence rate was calculated by monitoring changes in leaf number. Plant height, leaf size, biomass, aroma rating and soluble protein content of the sage plants grown under various light levels were measured at 84 d. The results indicate that light impacted the integrity of chloroplasts and the photosynthetic capacity of sage plants, as manifested by the lower the light level, the more the declines in variable fluorescence/maximal fluorescence and chlorophyll content index. Biochemical analysis revealed that the concentration of chlorophyll (per gram leaf dry mass) slightly increased under 50 and 30% light, but that of carotenoids was not changed. Light also affected the vegetative habit of sage plants. With reduced light intensity, plant height increased, whereas leaf size and number decreased. Double-blind aroma testing suggested that adequate light intesity might be required for the biosynthesis of essential oil in sage, attenuating its aroma. The soluble protein content in sage leaves declined at 50 and 30% light, suggesting a deminished source of essential amino acids contained in the plant. In summary, sage responds sensitively to reducing irradiance, which directly restricts its photosynthesis, and thus alters its vegetative growth and culinary properties.
Are fungicide applications to control crown rust of oat beneficial?
Authors: May W. E. , Ames N. , Irvine R. B. , Kutcher H. R. , Lafond G. P. , Shirtliffe S. J.
Published: March 2014

May, W. E., Ames, N., Irvine, R. B., Kutcher, H. R., Lafond, G. P. and Shirtliffe, S. J. 2014. Are fungicide applications to control crown rust of oat beneficial? Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 911–922. Crown rust (Puccinia coronata Corda f. sp. avenae Eriks.) negatively impacts seed quality and yield in oat (Avena sativa L.) in rust-prone areas of eastern Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. Genetic resistance is the primary means for controlling this disease, but early seeding and fungicide applications have been suggested to reduce yield losses. Trials were conducted in six locations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba in 2009–2011 to determine the interactions between cultivar, fungicide application, crown rust and seeding date. The cultivars were chosen to represent a range of resistance to the current races of crown rust: AC Morgan, very susceptible; CDC Orrin, susceptible; CDC Boyer, partially resistant; and Leggett, resistant. Crown rust severity varied among locations and cultivars. The sprayed flag and penultimate leaves of AC Morgan tended to have similar amounts of crown rust as the unsprayed leaves of CDC Boyer and CDC Orrin regardless of the level of crown rust infection. Leggett's yield and quality did not respond to fungicide application. Only AC Morgan consistently benefited from a fungicide application. At high crown rust sites fungicide application improved AC Morgan's yield by 17 to 27% (690 kg ha−1 to 781 kg ha−1). Delayed seeding reduced grain yield from 8 to 26% with 8% occurring at low crown rust sites and the largest reductions occurring at high crown rust sites in susceptible cultivars. The test weight of AC Morgan increased from 242 g 0.5 L−1 to 255 g 0.5 L−1 when fungicide was applied at high crown rust sites seeded in mid-May. Fungicide application did not change the test weight of Leggett. The β-glucan level was affected more by seeding date (0.4%) and cultivar (0.4%) than fungicide application (0.1%). Seeding a cultivar with better crown rust resistance than AC Morgan in mid-May eliminated most of the benefits derived from fungicide application. These results indicate that prophylactic fungicide applications are unlikely to provide yield improvement when early planting is combined with even a moderately disease-resistant cultivar.
Oral storytelling and national kinship: Reflections on the oral narrative performance in the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festivals
Authors: Opondo Rose A.
Published: March 2014

The story, in the form of the oral narrative, has always been a communalizing genre in the traditional African setting. It then functioned as a tool that brings together not only the artist and the particular audience, but also the entire community within which the performances are derived and performed. However, postcolonial, modern and global situations have greatly impacted on the traditional kinship structures in Africa and kinship fostering tools like the African oral narrative have not been spared. The introduction of the oral storytelling onto the proscenium stage in the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festivals (KSCDF) has contributed to perpetuate the performance of this genre to significant degrees. This move has not only recalled attention to oral narratives, but also has revolutionized the performance and functional aspects of oral storytelling. Various aspects of the oral narrative genre have changed, from the multi-ethnic audience to the elaborate narrative structures and the varying orientationsÂ  of the oral artists in KSCDF. The dramatic elements of the narrative have also been enhanced to justify its inclusion within the wider dramatic genre. This article investigates the structural and thematic reorientations of the contemporary Kenyan oral narrative and how it influences the reorientations of kinship in a postcolonial reality characterized by heterogeneous consumer audience and the need for national commonality. The aim is to understand the reorientations of oral storytelling and its scripted machinations of multi-ethnicity woven into the narrative as part of its contemporarily requisite features; the question is whether or not these reorientations enable the ideological adoption of some form of kinship across the diverse ethnic groups in Kenya.
Kinship, collegiality and witchcraft: South African perceptions of sorcery and the occult aspects of contemporary academia
Authors: Wood Felicity
Published: March 2014

Certain South African perceptions of sorcery acquire new resonance when considered in the context of present-day corporatised, managerially governed higher education. Concepts of witchcraft from elsewhere in Africa further illuminate this. Indeed, there are certain striking metaphorical parallels between distinctive trends in the contemporary market-driven academic environment and various perceptions of witchcraft. These include the connections between kinship and witchcraft; also the belief that greed, jealousy and the selfish accumulation of material resources can be associated with sorcery. This conviction has certain points of comparison with the damaging effects of the impetus towards “individualism, competition and consumption” (Salim Vally) in higher education, stemming from broader trends in globalised corporate capitalism. Thus there are areas of commonality between certain African perceptions of sorcery and the corporatised academic environment.
« Paroles d’Afrique » Structuration d’un hypermedia—De la théorie à la pratique
Authors: Dauphin-Tinturier Anne-Marie
Published: March 2014

The ethnographic museum of Bordeaux (France) scheduled an exhibition « Paroles d’Afrique » (“Words from Africa”) from October 2012 to May 2013. The items for the exhibition, properly scanned and contextualized, were brought together on a hypermedia platform, so as to retain a record of the exhibition. The hypermedia material was distributed with the exhibition catalogue and published on the museum website. The author was in charge of the creating the hypermedia platform. This paper outlines the approach to structuring the text, and explains the difficulties and successes encountered during the collection of the material.
Figures of pedagogy in Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes and Buchi Emecheta’s Double Yoke
Authors: Fubara Angela M.
Published: March 2014

Writers and critics of women emancipation have lifted and advanced the struggle to another phase. The last decade has witnessed feminist writing from female disparagement, subjugation, women as victims craving to be fulfilled wives and mothers endowed with “pretty faces and fertile ova” (Chukwuma), to women striving for empowerment and assertion. A revisit of Buchi Emecheta’s Double Yoke and Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes reveals that these inimitable feminist writers, while depicting the women in the abyss of debasement in patriarchal society portray assertive heroines teaching by precepts immanent in pedagogical assets. Economic independence and education are added advantages to factors that make for self-assertion. Self-assertion, seen as a woman’s greatest weapon, serves as a pedagogical instrument for equipping both sexes. This article focuses on narrative strategies that evoke images that go beyond women disparagement and marginalisation to female empowerment and selfassertion through close rereadings of Emecheta’s and Aidoo’s novels.
Die boek van toeval en toeverlaat (Ingrid Winterbach): ’n Teosofieskabbalistiese perspektief
Authors: Spruyt Marie
Published: March 2014

The main character, Helena Verbloem, goes on a journey of discovery: to find her stolen shells, and to determine what role chance and contingency plays in man’s search for meaning and order. On both these journeys she is accompanied by her colleague Sof Benadé and to a certain extent her employer, Theo Verwey. Sof introduces her to a world of duality, where good and evil exist but where one has a choice, in spite of disappointments that characterize daily life. Verwey dies before she can really get to know him, but he leaves her with the knowledge of the nature of language, that it is as subject to contingency as everything else. By analysing the text from a theosophical and Kabbalistic viewpoint Helena’s journeys of discovery and self-discovery are revealed. It is shown that although she still believes that one’s life is not determined by a Higher Order but through small contingencies, she no longer needs to be obsessed with the many losses she suffered, including that of her treasured shells, or the intellectual struggle to understand the origin of life and the role of human cognition in the suffering of humankind. This helps her to heal her relationships with the living and the dead, and in the process also herself.
A calibration equation for oxygen optodes based on physical properties of the sensing foil
Authors: McNeil Craig L. , D'Asaro Eric A.
Published: March 2014

We present a new physically based calibration equation for Aanderaa Inc. oxygen sensing optodes. We use the two site fluorescence quenching model of Demas et al. (1995) to describe the nonlinear Stern‐Volmer response of the optode foil to oxygen partial pressure. Seven (minimally six) coefficients quantify foil response to oxygen and temperature; another quantifies response to hydrostatic pressure. These eight coefficients are related, theoretically, to basic physical properties of the foil. The equation provides a framework to study causes of variability and drift in optodes and to develop better quality control and handling procedures. We tested the equation using factory calibrations of 24 optode foils. When accurate multi‐point calibration data are unavailable, two additional coefficients empirically correct the usually large differences observed between factory foil calibrations and post‐factory laboratory/field calibrations; we cannot eliminate this major cause of uncertainty in optode calibrations. Excluding two potentially anomalous foils, the calibration equation fits 13 similarly calibrated foils, totaling 455 calibration points over 3 − 40°C to −0.57 ± 1.48 mbar. Analysis of the resulting best fit coefficients reveals an underlying variability in optodes associated with variability in site 2 and site 1 Stern‐Volmer coefficients of 32% and 20%, respectively. The fraction of unquenched fluorophores responding with the more accessible site 1 quenching characteristics varies by only 3%. The equation fits multi‐point data for two optodes within manufacturer's specifications, the greater of ± 2.5 µmol.kg−1 and ± 1.5%. Detailed measurements of calibration changes over time will be required to understand the causes of optode drift.
Analysis of Near Miss Cases as a Reflection of Emergency Obstetric Services and Need of Obstetric ICCU
Authors: Desai Ajesh , Kansara Vijay , Sahijwani Disha Vijay
Published: March 2014

Objectives

World Health Organization (WHO) has defined near miss case as ‘a woman presenting any life-threatening condition and surviving a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy’. This study aims to calculate near miss rate (NMR), maternal mortality rate (MMR), severe maternal outcome ratio, and near miss maternal death of our hospital. Indications of near miss events (NME) and their mortality index and the incidence of each organ dysfunction and its mortality index have been studied.

Design

A retrospective study of hospital records was done to complete proforma and summarize obstetric and perinatal events from April 2011 to October 2011 at Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad. Near miss events were identified according to criteria of organ dysfunction given by Mantel et al 1998.

Results

Out of total 3, 242 live births, 97 NME occurred among which 27 expired. Thus, NMR and MMR of our hospital is 21.5 per 1,000 and 832.8 per 100,000 live births respectively. Severe maternal outcome ratio is 29.9 (97/3242) and maternal mortality to near miss ratio is 1:2.58. Mortality index of our institute is 27.8% (27/97). 80.4% patients developed NME before hospitalization. Severe-PIH was the most common cause of NME but carried a low mortality index of 5.8%. Whereas, complicated cases of malaria and hepatitis E had high mortality index of 75 and 38.8% respectively.

Conclusion

This study describes a relatively high mortality index and NMR (21.5/1,000 live births) as compared to data from other developing countries.

How to cite this article

Sahijwani DV, Desai A, Kansara V. Analysis of Near Miss Cases as a Reflection of Emergency Obstetric Services and Need of Obstetric ICCU. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2013;5(3):99-101.
Weight does Matter! A Study of Effect of Obesity on Pregnancy and its Outcome
Authors: Maru Laxmi , Daksha Shraddha , Dave Anupama , Natu Neeta
Published: March 2014

Objectives

To analyze the significant risk associated with obesity and its consequences on obstetrics management and perinatal outcome.

Materials and methods

A prospective study was carried out in the Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, MGM Medical College and My Hospital, Indore. The study enrolled 200 pregnant women with body mass index (BMI) >25 and equal number of women with normal BMI (18-24.9) as control.

Results

A total of 76 (38%) out of 200 pregnant women were overweight, 70 (35%) were obese type 1 (BMI: 30-34.9), 44 (22%) had BMI (35-39.9) and 10 (5%) had BMI >40. In comparison to normal BMI pregnant women, women with BMI >25 had significant risk of gestation hypertension (p = 0.004), pre-eclampsia (p = 0.04) gestational diabetes mellitus and shoulder dystocia (p = 0.021), cesarean section (0.0001), induced labor (0.0001) and decreased incidence of VBAC (p = 0.037) with postoperative wound infection. Neonates of these women were mostly macrosomic (p = 0.021) and had high incidence of shoulder dystocia.

Conclusion

High maternal BMI at booking is associated with increased risk of pregnancy complications. Achieving a normal BMI prior to conception with the institution of healthy eating and exercise regimens may represent an ideal option.

How to cite this article

Dave A, Maru L, Daksha S, Natu N. Weight does Matter! A Study of Effect of Obesity on Pregnancy and its Outcome. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2013;5(3): 107-110.
Attitude and Practice of Contraception among Gynecologists at a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Hemani Sunita , Mital Premlata
Published: March 2014

Medical healthcare providers are an important link with the general public to impart knowledge regarding contraception. However, their own attitude and practice of contraception is often lacking.

Objective

This study was conducted to assess the attitude and practice of contraception over the last 5 years of the gynecologists themselves in a tertiary care hospital in Jaipur.

Materials and methods

The study was conducted on 125 female gynecologists in a tertiary care hospital in Jaipur. All were given a questionnaire which was duly filled by them and data obtained was analyzed.

Results

All the doctors used some form of contraception. The mean age was 29.32 years. The commonest was the barrier method (38.4%) followed by OC pills (27.2%). Twenty-one percent of the barrier users used them occasionally. Emergency contraception was used by either those using natural methods of contraception or who were occasional users of OC pills or condoms. Fifty percent of the couples relying on natural methods conceived.

Conclusion

Gynecologists have complete knowledge regarding contraception, yet fail to use it regularly. Proper attitude and practice is essential to prevent unintended pregnancies.

How to cite this article

Hemani S, Hooja N, Mital P. Attitude and Practice of Contraception among Gynecologists at a Tertiary Care Hospital. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2013;5(3): 129-131.
Chronic Pelvic Pain: An Overview
Authors: Goel Jai Kishan , Goel Siddharth
Published: March 2014

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is not a disease but a complex multidimensional syndrome. Although any one disorder may be the cause of CPP, pain can also be the end result of several medical conditions, with each contributing to the generation of pain and requiring management.

Women with chronic pelvic pain are often disappointed with the quality of their medical consultations and want their clinician, a personalized care, empathetic and take their symptoms seriously, provide an explanation as to the cause of their pain syndrome and be reassuring. Gastrointestinal, urological, gynecological, psychological, and musculoskeletal sources should be considered in evaluating women with chronic pelvic pain. A complete history, physical examination and counseling can take 45 to 90 minutes to women with CPP. Laboratory testing is of limited value in evaluating women with CPP and, however, pelvic ultrasound is highly sensitive for identifying pelvic masses and determining the origin of the mass. Diagnostic laparoscopy is recommended, if GI, GU and myofascial and neuropathic causes are ruled out or treated and the results of the psychological evaluation are negative. However in 30% of the cases, no cause is ever determined and it presents a therapeutic challenge to the clinician.

Success in treating women with chronic pelvic pain is greatly facilitated by earning their trust and confidence. To decide on the best therapeutic plan for an individual patient, the physician and patient should have a thorough discussion of her preferences and values regarding testing, medical versus surgical treatment and childbearing plans. For many patients, the optimal approach involves a combination of treatments.

How to cite this article

Goel JK, Goel S. Chronic Pelvic Pain: An Overview. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2013;5(3): 147-153.
Effectiveness of Manual Vacuum Aspiration in Missed Miscarriage of Less Than 12 Weeks Gestation
Authors: Ambreen Afshan , Intsar Ayesha
Published: March 2014

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of manual vaccum aspiration in missed miscarriage of less than 12 weeks gestation.

Place and duration of study

Department of Obstetric and gynecology, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore for a period of 6 months from March 2012 to August 2012 and 87 patients with missed miscarriage were included in the study. In all patients evacuation was done by Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA). The data of each patient and outcome of procedure was recorded in a performa.

Results

In this study MVA was 96.5% effective to evacuate the uterus up to 12 weeks gestation while in 3.5% cases procedure failed and further procedure was required to evacuate the uterus. Highest frequency of effectiveness was found in age group of between 15 and 30 years. Primiparous women had highest frequency of effective evacuation. MVA was 100% effective at gestational age between 8 and 10 weeks. Increased BMI was associated with incomplete evacuation.

Conclusion

The present study shows that MVA is effective method to treat missed miscarriage of less than 12 weeks of gestation. In this study we concluded that there is an association between young patient age, low parity, early gestational age, low BMI and effectiveness of MVA.

How to cite this article

Ambreen A, Intsar A. Effectiveness of Manual Vacuum Aspiration in Missed Miscarriage of Less Than 12 Weeks Gestation. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2013;5(3):154-157.
The Real Versus the Financial Economy: A Global Tale of Stability Versus Volatility
Authors: Mundt Philipp , Förster Niels , Alfarano Simone , Milaković Mishael
Published: March 2014

The question how the real and the financial side of a capitalist economy relate to each other has been a frequently recurring topic in the history of economic thought. Our paper addresses this question from the viewpoint that capital ultimately seeks returns from its perpetual reallocation and essentially faces two choices: it can either be “entrepreneurially” allocated to real economic activity, or it can be “financially” invested in legal claims against such activity. Adopting such a perspective, we study here how real and financial returns relate to each other over the past fifteen years, both within and across countries, by considering more than 30,000 publicly traded firms in more than forty countries that stand for 70% of the global population and about 90% of world income. We compare the average rates of return to both types of investment and their respective volatilities. While average returns, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, turn out to be roughly equal across the two domains, the volatility of financial returns exceeds ‘real volatility’ by an order of magnitude. From a systemic point of view, these findings raise the question why capital would seek out financial investments in the first place.
A pooled analysis of patient-specific factors and efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol extended release treatment for moderate to severe chronic pain
Authors: Etropolski, MD Mila , Lange, MD, MSc Bernd , Goldberg, PhD Jutta , Steup, Dipl.-Stat. Achim , Rauschkolb, MD, PhD Christine
Published: March 2014

Objective: To evaluate via retrospective analysis the efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol extended release (ER; 100-250 mg bid) based on patient-specific factors, including baseline pain intensity, prior opioid experience, gender, and body mass index (BMI).Design: Data were pooled from three randomized, double-blind phase III studies of similar design that evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol ER for the management of moderate to severe, chronic osteoarthritis knee pain (NCT00421928, NCT00486811) or low back pain (NCT00449176).Setting: In the original trials, patients were recruited at primary, secondary, and tertiary care centers, institutional settings, and private practices in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.Patients: Data were analyzed separately for groups of patients divided by baseline pain intensity, prior opioid experience, gender, and BMI.Interventions: Patients received twice-daily placebo, tapentadol ER (100-250 mg), or oxycodone HCl controlled release (CR; 20-50 mg) for a 3-week titration and 12-week maintenance period.Main outcome measures: Changes from baseline in average pain intensity (11-point numerical rating scale) at week 12 of the maintenance period and for the overall maintenance period.Results: Efficacy and tolerability were evaluated in 2,968 and 2,974 patients, respectively. The efficacy of tapentadol ER was shown in subpopulations divided by baseline pain intensity, prior opioid experience, gender, and BMI. Tapentadol ER was also shown to be well tolerated and associated with better gastrointestinal tolerability than oxycodone CR in the evaluated subpopulations (divided by prior opioid experience and gender).Conclusions: Results suggest that tapentadol ER (100-250 mg bid) provides similar pain relief and tolerability, regardless of baseline pain intensity, prior opioid experience, gender, or BMI.
Physician management of moderate-to-severe acute pain: Results from the Physicians Partnering Against Pain (P3) Study
Authors: McCarberg, MD Bill H. , Patel, PharmD, MBA Aarti A. , Benson, MS Carmela J. , Mody, PharmD, MBA Samir H. , Chow, PharmD, MPH Wing , Zema, PhD Carla L. , Vorsanger, PhD, MD Gary J. , Kim, PhD, MBA, MA Myoung S.
Published: March 2014

Objective: To evaluate differences among physician specialties in the management of acute pain including prescribing practices and management of opioid-related side effects.Design and participants: The Physicians Partnering Against Pain (P3) survey was a nationwide study of US physicians and their patients with severe to moderate acute pain (<3 months).Main measures: Physicians were surveyed about volume of patients with moderate-to-severe acute pain in their practice, frequency of prescribing opioid analgesics, percentage of these patients returning for a follow-up visit after treatment, reasons patients discontinue treatment, frequency of recommending or prescribing treatment for opioid-related gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, and frequency of patients taking opioid analgesics that take additional treatments to manage GI side effects.Results: The 5,982 participating physicians represented primary care physicians (PCPs; 52 percent), pain specialists (25 percent), and other specialists (23 percent). PCPs and other specialists were less likely than pain specialists to prescribe opioid analgesics to patients (25.8 percent, 29.5 percent, and 44.8 percent, respectively). The vast majority of pain specialists (78 percent) also indicated that more than three quarters of their patients returned for a follow-up visit compared with only 40 percent of PCPs and 65 percent of other specialists. When ranking the reasons why they think patients discontinue opioid analgesics, pain specialists ranked unacceptable side effects higher than PCPs and other specialists. PCPs and pain specialists were more likely than other specialists to recommend or prescribe treatments to manage opioid-related side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation (38.3 percent, 38.5 percent, and 23.1 percent, respectively). Conclusion: The P3 Study confirms the challenge of pain management while balancing tolerability of opioid treatments from the physician perspective.
Comparison of 75 and 150 µg doses of intrathecal morphine for postoperative analgesia after transurethral resection of the prostate under spinal anesthesia
Authors: Özbek, MD Halime , Deniz, MD Mustafa N. , Erakgun, MD Arzum , Erhan, MD Elvan
Published: March 2014

Objective: The administration of single dose intrathecal (IT) morphine with local anesthetics during spinal anesthesia produces an effective postoperative analgesia. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of two different doses of IT morphine with bupivacaine for postoperative analgesia after transurethral resection of prostate (TURP).Study design: Prospective, randomized study.Setting: Urology Department.Patients, participants: Sixty patients who were scheduled to undergo TURP with spinal anesthesia.Methods: Patients were allocated to receive IT morphine (75 µg) with bupivacaine heavy (group I) and IT morphine (150 µg) with bupivacaine heavy (group II). Postoperative pain was evaluated by Visual Analogous Scale during 24 hours. The need for rescue analgesia, adverse effects and patient satisfaction were recorded.Results: Groups were comparable with respect to demographic data. VAS scores were similarly low in both groups. However, the request for analgesia was significantly higher in group I (27 percent) than group II (7 percent; p = 0.04). The incidence of postoperative nausea was similarly low in both groups. No patients reported pruritis in group I where as six patients (20 percent) reported mild pruritis not necessitating treatment in group II (p = 0.036) Patients satisfaction was similarly high in both the groups.Conclusions: IT morphine 150 µg reduced the need for rescue analgesia compared to IT morphine 75 µg in patients undergoing TURP under spinal anesthesia. As the incidence of pruritis was low with no treatment, IT morphine 150 µg may be a suitable dose for postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing TURP under spinal anesthesia.
Opioid overuse pain syndrome (OOPS): The story of opioids, Prometheus unbound
Authors: Mehendale, MD Anand W. , Goldman, PhD Mark P. , Mehendale, BA Rachel P.
Published: March 2014

Throughout history, opioids have effectively alleviated pain but not without the risk of addiction and death. Seductive and dangerous, full of promise and destruction, opioids are both revered and feared by Western culture. Their exponential use in “developed countries” is now an enormous public health problem and requires us to harness their properties with scientific rigor and adequate safeguards. The use of opioids for the treatment of chronic nonterminal pain (CNTP) has been a relatively new phenomenon which has coincided with the proclamation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organization in 2000 that pain assessment be the “fifth vital sign,” notwithstanding the fact that pain is a symptom and not a sign.1 Nonetheless, this resulted in a culture of a marked increase in use of opioids for acute and chronic pain management. Consequently, there are many unintended outcomes which include opioid-induced hyperalgesia increased diversion, addiction, and death. Understandably, this has resulted in many regulatory responses from such agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state medical boards. This article proposes a clinically relevant paradigm of opioid overuse pain syndrome. The goal of this article is to inform the clinicians of the complicated neurobiology of opioids. It is our hope that scientists rather than government regulators dictate the appropriate response to the epidemic of over prescription of opioids. A similar designation of “medication overuse headache” has resulted in near extinction of excessive use of opioids in the field of headache medicine.
Potential impact of abrupt opioid therapy discontinuation in the management of chronic pain: A pilot study on patient perspective
Authors: Hao, MD, PhD Joy , Lucido, PhD David , Cruciani, MD, PhD Ricardo A.
Published: March 2014

Objectives: This survey highlights the perspective of patients with chronic pain when confronted with the possibility of abrupt opioid discontinuation.Design: Anonymous and self-administered survey.Setting: Pain Clinic in an urban academic hospital setting.Participants: Patients with chronic pain of at least 6 months, and age 18 years or older.Main outcome measures: The perceived impact of abrupt opioid discontinuation on mood, daily functioning, and potential for opioid misuse.Results: When patients were asked how they would feel if told their opioids would be discontinued, the responses were neglected (scale mean, 7.1), angry (6.3), helpless (6.7), and upset (7.0) on a scale of 0-10. The majority predicted loss of independence in activities of daily living (scale mean, 7.5), inability to enjoy their lives (7.4), and inability to work (7.8). A group of 19 patients (11.6 percent) reported that they would obtain opioids from friends or family, and 7 (4.4 percent) would obtain them illegally. These patients reported higher scores of neglect, anger, suspicion, helplessness, and upset (p = 0.000-0.019) and were more likely to have previously obtained opioids illegally (p = 0.008-0.023). The most common nonopioid strategies tried by patients were lumbar epidural (71.5 percent), physical therapy (78.9 percent), and exercise (83.5 percent). The strategies considered to be effective as opioid replacement therapy were lumbar epidural (42.3 percent), exercise (43.2 percent), and massage (42.0 percent).Conclusions: These data suggest that opioid therapy discontinuation is an emotionally distressing experience for most patients, and the transition to nonopioid treatments is a complex process that will require patient participation to achieve optimal care.
Treatment of opioid-related central sleep apnea with positive airway pressure: A systematic review
Authors: Reddy, MD Roopika , Adamo, RPSGT David , Kufel, MD Thomas , Porhomayon, MD Jahan , El-Solh, MD, MPH Ali A.
Published: March 2014

Objective: To systematically review the various modalities of positive airway pressure (PAP) in the treatment of opioid-related central sleep apnea (CSA).Design: Systematic review.Interventions: MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were screened through March 2013 to identify articles which investigated treatment of opioid-related CSA with PAP. Eligible articles were identified in a staged process and were assessed by two investigators independently. The methodological quality of the reporting of eligible articles was assessed using a set of questions addressing both general and statistical methodologies.Results: Five articles met the inclusion criteria for a total of 127 patients. All patients had been on opioids for at least 6 months. The dose ranged from 10 mg to 450 mg daily of morphine equivalent dose. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was proven mostly ineffective in reducing central apneic events. Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) with and without supplemental oxygen achieved elimination of central apneas in 62 percent of patients. Adaptive servo ventilation (ASV) yielded conflicting results with 58 percent of participants attaining a central apnea index <10 per hour. The presence of ataxic breathing predicted poor response to PAP.Conclusions: The available evidence on the efficacy of PAP in opioid-related CSA is inconclusive. With the increasing use of opioids, further studies are needed to assess optimal PAP therapy and predictors of success in this group of patients.
Contribution of ship traffic to aerosol particle concentrations downwind of a major shipping lane
Authors: Kivekäs N. , Massling A. , Grythe H. , Lange R. , Rusnak V. , Carreno S. D. , Skov H. , Swietlicki E. , Nguyen Q. T. , Glasius M. , Kristensson A.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Particles in the atmosphere are of concern due to their toxic properties and effects on climate. In coastal areas ship emissions can be a significant anthropogenic source. In this study we investigated the contribution from ship emissions to the total particle number and mass concentrations at a remote location. We studied the particle number concentration (12 to 490 nm in diameter), the mass concentration (12 to 150 nm in diameter) and number and volume size distribution of aerosol particles in ship plumes for a period of four and a half months at Høvsøre, a coastal site on the western coast of Jutland in Denmark. During episodes of western winds the site is about 50 km downwind of a major shipping lane and the plumes are approximately one hour aged when they arrive at the site. We have used a sliding percentile based method for separating the plumes from the measured background values and to calculate the ship plume contribution to the total particle number and PM0.15 mass concentration (mass of particles below 150 nm in diameter, converted from volume assuming sphericity) at the site. The method is not limited to particle number or volume concentration, but can also be used for different chemical species in both particle and gas phase. The total number of analyzed ship plumes was 726, covering on average 19% of the time when air masses were arriving to the site over the shipping lane. During the periods when plumes were present, the particle concentration exceeded the background values on average by 790 cm−3 by number and 0.10 μg m−3 by mass. The corresponding daily average values were 170 cm−3 and 0.023 μg m−3, respectively. This means that the ship plumes contributed between 11 and 19% to the particle number concentration, and between 9 and 18% to PM0.15 during days when air was arriving over the shipping lane. The estimated annual contribution from ship plumes, where all wind directions were included, was in the range of 5–8% in particle number concentration and 4–8% in PM0.15.
Uncertainties in assessing the environmental impact of amine emissions from a CO2 capture plant
Authors: Karl M. , Castell N. , Simpson D. , Solberg S. , Starrfelt J. , Svendby T. , Walker S.-E. , Wright R. F.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. In this study, a new model framework that couples the atmospheric chemistry transport model system WRF-EMEP and the multimedia fugacity level III model was used to assess the environmental impact of amine emissions to air from post-combustion carbon dioxide capture. The modelling framework was applied to a typical carbon capture plant artificially placed at Mongstad, west coast of Norway. WRF-EMEP enables a detailed treatment of amine chemistry in addition to atmospheric transport and deposition. Deposition fluxes of WRF-EMEP simulations were used as input to the fugacity model in order to derive concentrations of nitramines and nitrosamine in lake water. Predicted concentrations of nitramines and nitrosamines in ground-level air and drinking water were found to be highly sensitive to the description of amine chemistry, especially of the night time chemistry with the nitrate (NO3) radical. Sensitivity analysis of the fugacity model indicates that catchment characteristics and chemical degradation rates in soil and water are among the important factors controlling the fate of these compounds in lake water. The study shows that realistic emission of commonly used amines result in levels of the sum of nitrosamines and nitramines in ground-level air (0.6–10 pg m−3) and drinking water (0.04–0.25 ng L−1) below the current safety guideline for human health enforced by the Norwegian Environmental Directorate. The modelling framework developed in this study can be used to evaluate possible environmental impacts of emissions of amines from post-combustion capture in other regions of the world.
Ozone ProfilE Retrieval Algorithm (OPERA) for nadir-looking satellite instruments in the UV–VIS
Authors: van Peet J. C. A. , van der A R. J. , Tuinder O. N. E. , Wolfram E. , Salvador J. , Levelt P. F. , Kelder H. M.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. For the retrieval of the vertical distribution of ozone in the atmosphere the Ozone ProfilE Retrieval Algorithm (OPERA) has been further developed. The new version (1.26) of OPERA is capable of retrieving ozone profiles from UV–VIS observations of most nadir-looking satellite instruments like GOME, SCIAMACHY, OMI and GOME-2. The setup of OPERA is described and results are presented for GOME and GOME-2 observations. The retrieved ozone profiles are globally compared to ozone sondes for the years 1997 and 2008. Relative differences between GOME/GOME-2 and ozone sondes are within the limits as specified by the user requirements from the Climate Change Initiative (CCI) programme of ESA (20% in the troposphere, 15% in the stratosphere). To demonstrate the performance of the algorithm under extreme circumstances, the 2009 Antarctic ozone hole season was investigated in more detail using GOME-2 ozone profiles and lidar data, which showed an unusual persistence of the vortex over the Río Gallegos observing station (51° S, 69.3° W). By applying OPERA to multiple instruments, a time series of ozone profiles from 1996 to 2013 from a single robust algorithm can be created.
Long-term trends observed in the middle atmosphere temperatures using ground based LIDARs and satellite borne measurements
Authors: Kishore P. , Venkat Ratnam M. , Velicogna I. , Sivakumar V. , Bencherif H. , Clemesha B. R. , Simonich D. M. , Batista P. P. , Beig G.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Long-term data available from Lidar systems located at three different locations namely São José dos Campos, Brazil (23.2° S, 45.8° W), Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E) and Reunion (20.8° S, 55.5° E) have been used to investigate the long-term variations like Annual, Semi-annual, Quasi-biennial, El Nino Southern Oscillation and solar cycle. These oscillations are also extracted from simultaneous satellite borne measurements of HALogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) instrument onboard UARS and SABER onboard TIMED over these stations making largest time series covering the entire middle atmosphere. A good agreement is found between the LIDAR and satellite-derived amplitudes and phases between 30 and 65 km altitude, which suggests that satellite measurements can be used to investigate the long-term trends globally. Latter measurements are extended to 80 km in order to further investigate these oscillations. Large difference in the amplitudes between the eastern pacific and western pacific is noticed in these oscillations. Changing from cooling trends in the stratosphere to warming trends in the mesosphere occurs more or less at altitude around 70 km altitude and this result agrees well with that observed by satellite measurements reported in the literature. The peak in the cooling trend does not occur at a fixed altitude in the stratosphere however maximum warming trend is observed around 75 km at all the stations. The observed long-term trends including various oscillations are compared with that reported with various techniques.
Evaluation of changes in different climates of Iran, using De Martonne index and Mann–Kendall trend test
Authors: Zareiee A. R.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. In this paper, according to the data of 40 stations in Iran during 1967–2005, changes in different climates of Iran evaluated. The De Martonne index and Mann–Kendall trend test are indexes that by uses the precipitation and temperature provide the evaluate possibility of the climate condition and pattern of climate changes. The objective of this study is to evaluation of changes in different climates in Iran. The results of this research showed that, The surface percent of Iran in the hyper arid, semi arid, humid and hyper humid type 1 climate categories have had a ascending trend, but only the ascending trend of the hyper arid category has been significant and the surface percent of the humid, hyper humid type 1 and semi arid categories have had a insignificant trend. The surface percent of Iran in the arid, Mediterranean, semi humid and hyper humid type 2 climate categories have had a descending trend, but the descending trend of the hyper humid type 2, Mediterranean and semi humid categories have been significant and the surface percent of the arid categories have had an insignificant trend. So the total results showed that, Iran is going to be more arid.
Regional livestock grazing, human demography and fire incidence in the Portuguese landscape
Authors: Torres-Manso Filipa , Fernandes Paulo , Pinto Rui , Botelho Hermínio , Monzon Aurora
Published: March 2014

Aim of study:Wildfire incidence in Portugal is high in comparison with other Mediterranean Europe countries. Wildfire problems have been worsened by complex interactions between land use, livestock grazing and human population during the 20th century. In this study we try to understand these interactions and relationships.Area of study: Portugal country. Material and Methods: For the mainland Portuguese territory we present a statistical temporal analysis (1930-2001) based on the densities of livestock grazing and human inhabitants at the smallest administrative unit level, the parish. We compare these data with fire incidence descriptors (average area burned and average fire density) between 1990 and 2007. Research highlights: We have identified clusters of parishes sharing common trends in the evolution of livestock and human inhabitant densities. A cause-effect relationship was not detected between livestock grazing density and fire incidence. However, the results point out clusters of parishes where conflicts between forest, fire and livestock grazing are important in the North, Centre and South regions of Portugal.Key Words: Livestock grazing; inhabitants; forest; fire; vegetation.
Soil development mediated by traditional practices shape the stand structure of Spanish juniper woodland
Authors: De la Fuente-Leon Javier , Lafuente-Jimenez Edgar , Hermosilla Daphne , Broto-Cartagena Miguel , Gasco Antonio
Published: March 2014

Aim of study: Assessing the effect of soil development on the stand structure of a Spanish juniper forest traditionally shaped by livestock browsing and wood extraction. Area of study: Berlanga de Duero (Soria, Castilla y León), Spain.Material and Methods: A stand inventory served to record stand structure. Tree age, height, DBH, basal area, and overbark volume were determined in each plot. Results were pooled considering two well-differentiated degrees of soil evolution. One-way ANOVAs (and Tukey’s test) and regressions between growth parameters were performed to assess significant differences between growth performances on both types of soils. Research highlights: Deeper soils yielded significant higher plant density and stand stock figures than stony shallower profiles despite the intense past livestock activity in the area; and single tree-size was also significantly greater. Non-significant differences were found for merchantable junipers age (≈120-160 years). Wood extraction and livestock browsing should be limited on shallower soils to allow soil and forest evolution; as well as to preserve the genetic pool better adapted to hardest growing conditions.Keywords: livestock browsing; forest development; Juniperus thurifera L.; soil evolution; stand stock.