bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconciling Cladistic and Genetic Analyses in Choreotrichid Ciliates (Ciliophora, Spirotricha, Oligotrichea)
Authors: Agatha Sabine , Strüder‐Kypke Michaela C.
Published: May 2012

Fifty‐six features of halteriid, oligotrichid, and choreotrichid ciliates are cladistically analysed, including an updated hypothesis about the evolution of the somatic ciliary patterns. Based on its morphology, Lynnella clusters with Parastrombidinopsis, Parastrombidium, and Strombidinopsis, while it is basal to the other choreotrichids in the molecular phylogenies. The two clusters of Favella species in small subunit rRNA gene trees are supported by morphological features, justifying a separation at genus and family level. The genus Favella has a smooth lorica surface and a somatic ciliary pattern comprising a left and lateral ciliary field as well as two dorsal kineties and a monokinetidal ventral kinety abutting on the right ciliary field. The new genus Schmidingerella n. gen., established for the second Favella cluster, groups with Metacylis and Rhabdonella in the molecular trees. It differs from Favella in (i) a lorica wall with reticulate surface ridges and minute openings and (ii) a ventral kinety that is distinctly apart from the right ciliary field and composed of a monokinetidal anterior and a dikinetidal posterior portion. The genera Codonaria, Codonella, and Codonellopsis are affiliated with the family Dictyocystidae, whose diagnosis is improved to include the lorica sac.
Narratives of Crime and Criminals: How Places Socially Construct the Crime Problem1
Authors: Leverentz Andrea
Published: May 2012

A common narrative about crime in the contemporary United States is that offenders are primarily young black men living in poor urban neighborhoods committing violent and drug‐related crimes. There is also a local context to community, crime, and fear that influences this narrative. In this article, I address how narratives of crime and criminals play out differently within particular places. The article is based on participant observation and interviews conducted in two high‐crime Boston‐area communities. Although both communities are concerned with stereotypical offenders, there are differential community constructions of crime, formed through interactions between crime narratives and place identities. In one, crime is a community problem, in which both offenders and victims are community members. In the other, outsiders commit crime against community members. Media portrayals of crime and community, community race and class identities, and concerns over neighborhood change all contribute to place‐specific framing of “the crime problem.” These frames, in turn, shape both intergroup dynamics and support for criminal justice policy.
Community Connections: Social Capital and Community Success1
Authors: Whitham Monica M.
Published: May 2012

This article examines the impact of two types of community social capital—ties between civic organizations formed through shared members and ties between residents formed through socializing in local gathering places—on residents’ subjective appraisals of community success. Community social capital studies tend to focus on the first of these types of ties, networks of civic engagement, while the second, gathering place networks, has received relatively little scholarly attention. Studying both allows me to assess the formal and informal arenas of community sociability, providing a more thorough understanding of social capital and community life. I assess the effects of community‐level social capital networks on the individual‐level experience of residing in the community using survey data on 9,962 residents from 99 small towns in Iowa. This rich data set allows me to avoid two shortcomings common in social capital research: I construct genuine network measures of social capital (rather than infer network structure from community attributes) and conduct multi‐level analyses (rather than rely on disaggregation). My findings indicate both types of social capital are positively and significantly associated with resident ratings of community success, suggesting community networks—in both the formal and informal sectors—have important consequences for small towns and their residents.
Timing Matters: Test Preparation, Race, and Grade Level1
Authors: Devine‐Eller Audrey
Published: May 2012

This article explores which students engage in formal preparation for college entrance exams (e.g., SAT tutoring). Despite significant national attention to test prep, we know little about who participates—apart from emerging research supporting popular opinion about income inequalities in access to prep classes and tutors. Using data from the National Household Education Survey (2007), I evaluate the impact of general demographic, student‐level, and school variables on the likelihood of prep. A key finding of these analyses is that pooling high school students can obscure differences in participation in test prep by grade. The likelihood of prepping increases for each grade, with 42% of 12th graders but only 8% of 9th graders participating. Black non‐Hispanic students are more likely to participate in test prep, and there are also significant interaction effects of race and grade level on prep, with black 11th graders having the highest predicted probability of prep. Student and parent involvement are statistically significant across most models, but with relatively small substantive association. I argue that test prep is a time‐sensitive variable, and raise theoretical questions about similar variables in cross‐sectional data that represent time‐sensitive events or processes.
Certainty, Fairness, and Balance: State Resonance and Environmental Justice Policy Implementation1
Authors: Liévanos Raoul S.
Published: May 2012

Little research has examined how and why institutional context and framing dynamics shape the institutionalization of movement claims into the state’s formal policies, and what the implication of these processes might be for movements attempting to mobilize on the same conceptual terms after institutionalization. In this study, I explore the role institutional context and framing play in the institutionalization of movement claims in a case: the implementation of environmental justice policy in the California Environmental Protection Agency from 2002 to 2007. I ask: How and why were aspects of the environmental justice frame institutionalized into regulatory policy while others were not? I use ethnographic field methods and content analysis of archival data to answer this question and offer two contributions to previous research. First, I add to previous scholarship on the environmental justice movement by identifying the character of newer problems faced by movement actors as they engage in regulatory policy processes with opponents in the United States. Second, I extend social movement framing theory by developing the notion of “state resonance” to understand how and why a collective action frame is institutionalized and implemented in regulatory policy.
Disclosing doubtful indications for emergency cesarean sections in rural hospitals in Tanzania: a retrospective criterion‐based audit
Authors: MAALØE NANNA , BYGBJERG IB CHRISTIAN , ONESMO RWAKYENDELA , SECHER NIELS JØRGEN , SORENSEN BJARKE LUND
Published: May 2012

Objective. To investigate in depth to what extent indications for emergency cesarean sections followed evidence‐based audit criteria for realistic best practice. Design. A quality assurance analysis based on a retrospective criterion‐based audit. Setting. Two rural hospitals in Tanzania. Population. From 2009, 400 cesarean section instances were investigated. Of these, 303 were emergency cesarean sections and therefore included. Methods. Documented indications for and management preceding the emergency cesarean sections were compared with the audit criteria. Main outcome measures. Prevalence of suboptimal care. Results. Of the emergency sections, 26% appeared to be decided based on inappropriate indications, and in an additional 38%, the indications were unclear. Prolonged labor was the leading indication; in 36% of these, labor progressed timely and/or the membranes were still intact. In 26%, previous cesarean section was the indication, half of these with one previous section only. Fetal distress was an indication in 14%, but for 84% of these the fetal heart rate was either reassuring or not documented. For nine women, section was decided upon because of intrauterine fetal death; none had a trial of forceps/vacuum extraction or destructive surgery. Conclusion. A considerable number of the audited emergency cesarean sections were performed on doubtful indications. In the light of the rising trend in global cesarean section rates, there seems to be a need to ensure quality of management preceding cesarean sections. This is particularly called for in rural sub‐Saharan Africa where cesarean rates are still low and health risks of emergency surgery not negligible.
Exclusion of root competition increases competitive abilities of subordinate plant species through root–shoot interactions
Authors: Mariotte P. , Buttler A. , Johnson D. , Thébault A. , Vandenberghe C.
Published: May 2012

Questions

What is the importance of root competition in the competitive abilities of dominant and subordinate species?

Location

Pair‐wise greenhouse experiment based on field data from a semi‐natural grassland community in the Swiss Jura Mountains (Col du Marchairuz, Switzerland).

Methods

The dominance hierarchy from a mountain wood‐pasture ecosystem was used to identify five dominant and three subordinate species. These species were grown in pair‐wise combinations under full competition and in the absence of root competition, enabling us to calculate indices of competitive effect and response and overall asymmetry.

Results

Root competition exclusion led to a decrease in the competitive abilities of dominants, whereas subordinates became overall more competitive. Total asymmetry also decreased, indicating reduced competition between the two species groups. The exclusion of root competition increased both below‐ground and above‐ground growth of subordinates, whereas for dominants below‐ground growth was unaffected and above‐ground growth decreased.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that root competition through root–shoot competition interactions is an important factor driving the competitive dominance of species and the structure of grazed grassland communities. Locally, reduction of root competition involved in gap creation might explain persistence of subordinate species within the vegetation community and lead to an aggregated spatial pattern of subordinates involved in species co‐existence in grasslands.
Docosahexaenoic acid status at 9 months is inversely associated with communicative skills in 3‐year‐old girls
Authors: Engel Sara , Tronhjem Kathrine Marie Hagerup , Hellgren Lars I. , Michaelsen Kim F. , Lauritzen Lotte
Published: May 2012

The objective of the present observational study was to investigate if the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status assessed in infant erythrocytes (RBC) at 9 months was associated with the age when the infants reach developmental milestones and their psychomotor function at 3 years of age. Three hundred eleven healthy Danish children were followed from 9 months to 3 years of age (the SKOT cohort). RBC fatty acid composition was analysed by gas chromatography in 272 of the children. Milestone age was collected by questionnaires at 9 and 18 months and psychomotor development at 3 years of age was assessed by the parents using third edition of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ‐3). RBC DHA levels ranged from 2.2% to 12.6% of the RBC fatty acids. The age of reaching milestones correlated with psychomotor development, particularly with gross motor function at 3 years. An association between milestones and later personal and social skills was also observed, but only for girls. In girls, RBC–DHA was found to be inversely correlated with communication at 3 years of age (odds ratio = 0.69, 95% confidence interval: 0.56–0.86, P = 0.001), but no other associations with psychomotor development or milestones were found. The results from study indicate that DHA status at 9 months may not have a pronounced beneficial effect on psychomotor development in early childhood and that communicative skills at 3 years of age may even be inversely associated with early RBC–DHA levels in girls.
Current problems of in vivo developmental neurotoxicity tests and a new in vivo approach focusing on each step of the developing central nervous system
Authors: Kuwagata Makiko
Published: May 2012

Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) tests usually focus on postnatal indicators, such as behavior and neuropathology, for the detection of chemically induced neurodevelopmental defects in the central nervous system (CNS). However, low reliability, especially low reproducibility, of behavioral results often causes concern among scientists and the scientific community in general. Guidance of neurohistopathological examination in the DNT guideline also has some shortcomings, especially relating to the methodological aspects. Ongoing international trends in DNT tests have shifted from the use of original in vivo animal (mammalian) studies to in vitro experiments using cell cultures and/or non‐mammalian species, such as fish. In vitro systems might initially be useful to screen test chemicals for their DNT potential. Although in vitro systems are employed as alternative approaches for DNT studies, the use of in vivo studies based on animal models remains an important factor when data are to be extrapolated to the human case. In this review, a new in vivo approach that focuses on histopathological observation of each developmental step of the CNS, such as proliferation of neural stem cells, migration of immature neurons, and formation of neural networks, using fetal and neonatal brains after chemical exposure is introduced, and some queries and arguments for current DNT experimental guidelines are discussed.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Parents Seeking Health Care for Their Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Shields Linda , Zappia Tess , Blackwood Diana , Watkins Rochelle , Wardrop Joan , Chapman Rose
Published: May 2012

Background: Few studies have examined the issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)‐parented families in relation to their access to and satisfaction with healthcare services for their children. It is thought that LGBT individuals have experienced negative interactions with the healthcare environment.

Aims: To systematically review the literature investigating the experience of LGBT parents seeking health care for their children.

Methods: A search of the following databases: Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, Google Scholar, Medline, PsychInfo, Science Direct, Sociological Abstracts, Proquest, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted. Using the PRISMA flow chart and processes of the United Kingdom Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, we selected and analysed relevant studies.

Findings: Four studies that met the inclusion criteria were identified. Studies showed that while the experience of LGBT parents seeking health care was largely positive, strategies need to be implemented to improve the quality of healthcare services for LGBT families and ensure that their needs are met.

Discussion: Although many LGBT parents have positive experiences of health care, some still experience discrimination and prejudice.

Implications for practice: Specific educational interventions are needed to support LGBT parents seeking health care for their children.

Conclusions: Further research is required to explore LGBT‐parented families’ experiences of healthcare services, and this should include children's experiences.
Association between genetic variants in adhesion molecules and outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplants
Authors: Thyagarajan B. , Jackson S. , Basu S. , Jacobson P. , Gross M. D. , Weisdorf D. J. , Arora M.
Published: May 2012

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Adhesion molecules play an important role in endothelial activation and initiation of inflammatory response. We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the endothelial molecules may contribute to heterogeneity in HCT outcomes. We evaluated the association of 4 SNPs in
ICAM1 (rs5498),
PECAM1 (rs668 and rs1131012) and
SELL
(rs2229569) genes with acute and chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) and those experiencing transplant‐related mortality (TRM) within 1 year among 425 allogeneic HCT recipient–donor pairs. Using a Fine and Gray proportional hazards model to evaluate the association between genetic variants and clinical outcomes, after adjustment for recipient age, race, diagnosis, disease status, gender mismatch, cytomegalovirus serostatus, gender, donor type, conditioning regimen and year of transplant, only rs5498 in the
ICAM1 gene among both recipients and donors was associated with a decreased risk of TRM (P ≤ 0.02). None of the SNPs were associated with acute or chronic GvHD risk. These findings suggest that genetic variants in the vascular adhesion molecules may be used to identify patients at high risk for TRM.
Designing Evidence‐based Disclosures: A Case Study of Financial Privacy Notices
Authors: GARRISON LORETTA , HASTAK MANOJ , HOGARTH JEANNE M. , KLEIMANN SUSAN , LEVY ALAN S.
Published: May 2012

Disclosure is a key component of consumer protection policy. By informing consumers about a product or service, disclosures can help consumers understand product features and shop among products and providers to find the combination of features and price that best meets their needs. For example, the Gramm‐Leach‐Bliley Act (GLBA, 15 U.S.C. 6801‐6809) provides for disclosures of information‐sharing practices of financial institutions and, in some cases, requires that these institutions offer consumers the opportunity to limit some of this sharing. Using these disclosures as a case study, this paper explores how research can help policymakers shift from a perspective of developing disclosures that are in technical compliance with the law to one of developing disclosures that consumers pay attention to, understand and use in their decision making.
Rhinolithiasis in two miniature dogs
Authors: Schuenemann R. , Oechtering G.
Published: May 2012

This case report describes two dogs, a Chihuahua and a Pekingese each with rhinolithiasis. Both dogs were presented with chronic nasal obstruction and discharge. Rhinoliths were noted on computed tomography scans in both animals, and removed via endoscopic extraction in one case and laserassisted endoscopic surgery in the other. The stone from the Chihuahua comprised calcium carbonate. A potential exogenous nidus in the form of plant material was identified in the Pekingese. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of rhinolithiasis in veterinary medicine.
Functional group and fertilization affect the composition and bioenergy yields of prairie plants
Authors: Jarchow Meghann E. , Liebman Matt , Rawat Vertika , Anex Robert P.
Published: May 2012

Prairies used for bioenergy production have potential to generate marketable products while enhancing environmental quality, but little is known about how prairie species composition and nutrient management affect the suitability of prairie biomass for bioenergy production. We determined how functional‐group identity and nitrogen fertilization affected feedstock characteristics and estimated bioenergy yields of prairie plants, and compared those prairie characteristics to that of corn stover. We tested our objectives with a field experiment that was set up as a 5 × 2 incomplete factorial design with C3 grasses, C4 grasses, legumes, and multi‐functional‐group mixtures grown with and without nitrogen fertilizer; a fertilized corn treatment was also included. We determined cell wall, hemicellulose, cellulose, and ash concentrations; ethanol conversion ratios; gross caloric ratios; aboveground biomass production; ethanol yields; and energy yields for all treatments. Prairie functional‐group identity affected the biomass feedstock characteristics, whereas nitrogen fertilization did not. Functional group and fertilization had a strong effect on aboveground biomass production, which was the major predictor of ethanol and energy yields. C4 grasses, especially when fertilized, had among the most favorable bioenergy characteristics with high estimated ethanol conversion ratios and nongrain biomass production, relatively high gross caloric ratios, and low ash concentrations. The bioenergy characteristics of corn stover, from an annual C4 grass, were similar to those of the biomass of perennial C4 grasses. Both functional‐group composition and nitrogen fertility management were found to be important in optimizing bioenergy production from prairies.
Self‐Injury and Disordered Eating: Expressing Emotion Dysregulation Through the Body
Authors: Muehlenkamp Jennifer J. , Peat Christine M. , Claes Laurence , Smits Dirk
Published: May 2012

Previous research has suggested that emotion dysregulation, body‐related concerns, and depressive symptoms are associated with nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) and disordered eating (DE) separately and in combination. However, it has been difficult to ascertain to what extent these constructs contribute to NSSI and DE given the relatively small number of studies examining their co‐occurrence, particularly among nonclinical samples. Based on responses to self‐report questionnaires, college‐aged women who completed the study were divided into three groups: NSSI only; DE only; and NSSI + DE based on clinical cutoff criteria. Results support hypotheses that emotion dysregulation is a shared vulnerability and that body‐related concerns and depression exhibit unique patterns of association across the three groups. It appears that NSSI is best understood as a response to negative affective states relative to DE, which is best understood as a set of behaviors motivated by body image concerns. The presence of both NSSI and DE is primarily influenced by emotion dysregulation and the dominant difficulties linked to each behavior; depression and body dissatisfaction. These findings suggest that treatment and prevention efforts should emphasize emotion regulation skills and differentially target body concerns or depressive symptoms according to the primary behavioral dysfunction that is present.
Examining the Impact of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Comorbidity on the Medical Lethality of Adolescent Suicide Attempts
Authors: Mc Manama O’Brien Kimberly H. , Berzin Stephanie C.
Published: May 2012

Specific psychiatric diagnoses and comorbidity patterns were examined to determine if they were related to the medical lethality of suicide attempts among adolescents presenting to an urban general hospital (N = 375). Bivariate analysis showed that attempters with substance abuse disorders had higher levels of lethality than attempters without substance abuse. Regression results indicated having depression comorbid with any other diagnosis was not associated with medical lethality. However, having a substance abuse disorder was associated with higher suicide attempt lethality, highlighting the importance of substance abuse as a risk factor for lethal suicide attempts in adolescents. This finding stimulates critical thinking around the understanding of suicidal behavior in youth and the development and implementation of treatment strategies for suicidal adolescents with substance abuse disorders.
Inhibition of Porphyromonas gingivalis‐induced periodontal bone loss by CXCR4 antagonist treatment
Authors: McIntosh M.L. , Hajishengallis G.
Published: May 2012

Microbial pathogens have evolved mechanisms to proactively manipulate innate immunity, thereby improving their fitness in mammalian hosts. We have previously shown that Porphyromonas gingivalis exploits CXC‐chemokine receptor‐4 (CXCR4) to instigate a subversive crosstalk with Toll‐like receptor 2 that inhibits leukocyte killing of this periodontal pathogen. However, whether CXCR4 plays a role in periodontal disease pathogenesis has not been previously addressed. Here, we hypothesized that CXCR4 is required for P. gingivalis virulence in the periodontium and that treatment with AMD3100, a potent CXCR4 antagonist, would inhibit P. gingivalis‐induced periodontitis. Indeed, mice given AMD3100 via osmotic minipumps became resistant to induction of periodontal bone loss following oral inoculation with P. gingivalis. AMD3100 appeared to act in an antimicrobial manner, because mice treated with AMD3100 were protected against P. gingivalis colonization and the associated elevation of the total microbiota counts in the periodontal tissue. Moreover, even when administered 2 weeks after infection, AMD3100 halted the progression of P. gingivalis‐induced periodontal bone loss. Therefore, AMD3100 can act in both preventive and therapeutic ways and CXCR4 antagonism could be a promising novel approach to treat human periodontitis.
Colloidal characteristics and formulation of pure protein particulate vaccines
Authors: White Paul J , Hickey Pascal , Sze Tu Linda , Headey Stephen J , Scanlon Martin J , Boyd Ben J , Pouton Colin W
Published: May 2012

Objectives

We recently reported that dense gas processing of the protein ovalbumin (OVA) resulted in the formation of particles that were insoluble in water and which retained their immunogenicity in vivo. In the present study, the colloidal properties of these pure protein particles were investigated to in part inform rational formulation approaches.

Methods

The colloidal properties of the particles, in terms of size, zeta potential and pH-dependent surface and solution properties, were examined.

Key findings

In phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4), flocculation of the particles was observed, which was prevented when particles were suspended in acetate buffer at pH lower than 4. The resulting particle size was 300 nm with low polydispersity and zeta potential of 22.9 ± 3.1 mV (mean ± SEM, n = 3) at pH 3. Dense gas OVA particles were also prevented from flocculation using steric stabilisation with Pluronic F127. In this form the particles were stable in Krebs–Henseleit solution for 48 h at room temperature.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that insoluble pure protein particles produced by dense gas processing have desirable characteristics as particulate vaccines, including consistency of particle size under controlled conditions and high colloid stability.
The social life of ‘eugh’: Disgust as assessment in family mealtimes
Authors: Wiggins Sally
Published: May 2012

Disgust is a complex phenomenon that pervades a number of social situations. To date, disgust has primarily been understood as an individually experienced emotion or as a way of defining boundaries between people or objects; the detailed social practices through which disgust is choreographed, however, have yet to be fully explored. The social implications of disgust are particularly apparent when food and eating are involved, as it is in such settings that individuals, objects, and social boundaries coincide. In this paper, I argue that the enactment of disgust is an inherently social event, and that we can evidence it as such through the way in which it is produced and oriented to in everyday interaction. The setting for this paper is family mealtimes, as a situation in which children and parents explore the boundaries of what is, and what is not, disgusting. A large corpus of video and audio recordings of mealtimes in England and Scotland were analysed using a discursive psychological approach, with a focus on explicating the sequential and prosodic features of disgust markers (DMs), such as ‘eugh’ and ‘yuck’. The analysis demonstrates that DMs are typically preceded by a ‘noticing’ by speakers and that ‘eugh’ is usually uttered alone and at the start of a turn in talk. It is argued that, regardless of their putative status as emotions or cultural concepts, DMs work as assessments of food and eating practices in everyday interaction. They orient others to a trouble source and attend to people's entitlements to ‘know’ disgust. The implications for our understanding of disgust as a social psychological concept are further explored.
Effect of Hot Streak Migration on Unsteady Blade Row Interaction in an Axial Turbine
Authors: Jenny P. , Lenherr C. , Abhari R. S. , Kalfas A.
Published: May 2012

This paper presents an experimental study of the effect of unsteady blade row interaction on the migration of hot streaks in an axial turbine. The hot streaks can cause localized hot spots on the blade surfaces in a high-pressure turbine, leading to high heat loads and potentially catastrophic failure of the blades. An improved understanding of the effect of unsteady blade row interaction on an inlet temperature distortion is of crucial importance. The impact of hot streaks on the aerodynamic performance of a turbine stage is also not well understood. In the current experiment, the influence of hot streaks on a highly loaded 1.5-stage unshrouded model axial turbine is studied. A hot streak generator has been developed specifically for this project to introduce hot streaks that match the dimensional parameters of real engines. The temperature profile, spanwise position, circumferential position, and cross-section shape of the hot streak can be independently varied. The recently developed ETH Zurich two-sensor high temperature (260 °C) fast response aerodynamic probe (FRAP) technique and the fast response entropy. Probe (FENT) systems are used in this experimental campaign. Time resolved measurements of the unsteady pressure, temperature, and entropy are made at the NGV inlet and between the rotor and stator blade rows. From the nozzle guide vane inlet to outlet the measurements show a reduction in the maximum relative entropy difference between the free stream and the hot spot of 30% for the highest temperature gases in the core of the hot streak, indicating a region of heat loss. Time resolved flow field measurements at the rotor exit based on both measurement methods showed the hot gases traveling towards the hub and tip casing on the blade pressure side and interacting with secondary flows such as the hub passage vortex.
An Experimental and Numerical Study of Heat Transfer From Arrays of Impinging Jets With Surface Ribs
Authors: Spring Sebastian , Xing Yunfei , Weigand Bernhard
Published: May 2012

A combined experimental and numerical investigation of the heat transfer characteristics within arrays of impinging jets with rib-roughened surfaces is presented. Two configurations are considered: One with an inline arrangement of jets and ribs oriented perpendicular to the direction of cross-flow and one with a staggered arrangement of jets and broken ribs aligned with the direction of cross-flow. For both cases, the jet Reynolds number is 35,000, the separation distance measures H/D = 3, the spent air is routed through one exit contributing to the maximum cross-flow condition, and the rib height and width is both 1 D. The experiments are carried out in perspex models using the transient liquid crystal method. Local jet temperatures are measured at several positions on the impingement plate to account for an exact evaluation of the heat transfer coefficient. In addition to the measurements, a numerical analysis using the commercial CFD software package ANSYSCFX is conducted. Heat transfer predictions are compared with those obtained from experiments with regards to local distributions as well as averaged quantities. A good overall agreement is found but discrepancies for local values need to be accepted. The present investigation also emphasizes that configurations including rib roughness elements should be compared based on the amount of transferred heat flux in order to account for the area enlarging effect. This allows a correct evaluation of the thermal performance.
To Serve and Neuro-Protect
Authors: Baker Aaron B.
Published: May 2012

A new drug shows promise for protecting the brain after stroke.
Bang for Development Bucks
Authors: Barnabas Ruanne V.
Published: May 2012

Spending on HIV treatment and care is associated with lower overall mortality rates.
Pesticides Perturb Prenatal Brain
Authors: Bettegowda Chetan
Published: May 2012

Prenatal exposure to a common pesticide has been linked to changes in brain structure and function.
Smog Signals
Authors: Calfee Carolyn S.
Published: May 2012

A natural experiment explores the mechanisms by which air pollution affects cardiovascular health.
Mutations in 23S rRNA Confer Resistance against Azithromycin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Marvig Rasmus Lykke , Søndergaard Mette S. R. , Damkiær Søren , Høiby Niels , Johansen Helle Krogh , Molin Søren , Jelsbak Lars
Published: May 2012

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is an important concern in the treatment of long-term airway infections in cystic fibrosis patients. In this study, we report the occurrence of azithromycin resistance among clinical
P. aeruginosa
DK2 isolates. We demonstrate that resistance is associated with specific mutations (A2058G, A2059G, and C2611T in
Escherichia coli
numbering) in domain V of 23S rRNA and that introduction of A2058G and C2611T into strain PAO1 results in azithromycin resistance.
Pneumococcal Interactions with Epithelial Cells Are Crucial for Optimal Biofilm Formation and Colonization
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Authors: Marks Laura R. , Parameswaran G. Iyer , Hakansson Anders P.
Published: May 2012

The human nasopharynx is the main reservoir for
Streptococcus pneumoniae
(the pneumococcus) and the source for both horizontal spread and transition to infection. Some clinical evidence indicates that nasopharyngeal carriage is harder to eradicate with antibiotics than is pneumococcal invasive disease, which may suggest that colonizing pneumococci exist in biofilm communities that are more resistant to antibiotics. While pneumococcal biofilms have been observed during symptomatic infection, their role in colonization and the role of host factors in this process have been less studied. Here, we show for the first time that pneumococci form highly structured biofilm communities during colonization of the murine nasopharynx that display increased antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, pneumococcal biofilms grown on respiratory epithelial cells exhibited phenotypes similar to those observed during colonization
in vivo
, whereas abiotic surfaces produced less ordered and more antibiotic-sensitive biofilms. The importance of bacterial-epithelial cell interactions during biofilm formation was shown using both clinical strains with variable colonization efficacies and pneumococcal mutants with impaired colonization characteristics
in vivo
. In both cases, the ability of strains to form biofilms on epithelial cells directly correlated with their ability to colonize the nasopharynx
in vivo
, with colonization-deficient strains forming less structured and more antibiotic-sensitive biofilms on epithelial cells, an association that was lost when grown on abiotic surfaces. Thus, these studies emphasize the importance of host-bacterial interactions in pneumococcal biofilm formation and provide the first experimental data to explain the high resistance of pneumococcal colonization to eradication by antibiotics.
A rare and unusual case of urethral bleeding
Authors: Kwong Tsong , Larner Tim
Published: May 2012

A 46-year-old man presented with urethral trauma following the unusual sexual practice of urethral sounding. He was able to urinate freely and was treated conservatively. He did not require any follow-up. Urethral sounding is uncommon sexual practice, where commonly a metal object is inserted per urethra for gratification. This practice is actively discouraged because of the long-term risks from urethral trauma.
Quality of life valuations of HPV-associated cancer health states by the general population
Authors: Conway E Lynne , Farmer K Chip , Lynch William J , Rees Guy L , Wain Gerard , Adams Jane
Published: May 2012

Objectives

To obtain health-related quality of life valuations (ie, utilities) for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancer health states of vulval, vaginal, penile, anal and oropharyngeal cancers for use in modelling cost-effectiveness of prophylactic HPV vaccination.

Methods

Written case descriptions of each HPV-associated cancer describing the ‘average’ patient surviving after the initial cancer diagnosis and treatment were developed in consultation with oncology clinicians. A general overview, standard gamble questionnaire for each health state and a quiz was conducted in 120 participants recruited from the general population.

Results

In the included population sample (n=99), the average age was 43 years (range = 18–70 years) with 54% men, 44% never married/43% married, 76% education beyond year 12 and 39% employed full-time. The utility values for the five health states were 0.57 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.62) for anal cancer, 0.58 (0.53 to 0.63) for oropharyngeal cancer, 0.59 (0.54 to 0.64) for vaginal cancer, 0.65 (0.60 to 0.70) for vulval cancer and 0.79 (0.74 to 0.84) for penile cancer. Participants demonstrated a very good understanding of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of these cancers with a mean score of 9 (SD=1.1) on a 10-item quiz.

Conclusions

This study provides utility estimates for the specific HPV-related cancers of vulval, vaginal, penile, anal and oropharyngeal cancers valued by a general population sample using standard gamble. The results demonstrate considerable quality of life impact associated with surviving these cancers that will be important to incorporate into modelling cost-effectiveness of prophylactic HPV vaccination in different populations.
A cross-sectional study on the acceptability of self-collection for HPV testing among women in rural China
Authors: Guan YaoYao , Castle Philip E , Wang Shaoming , Li Belinda , Feng Changyan , Ci Puwa , Li Xue , Gravitt Patti , Qiao You-Lin
Published: May 2012

Objective

To assess the acceptability of using self-collection as a method of sampling for human papilloma virus testing in rural China.

Methods

174 women from the national cervical cancer screening programme in Xiangyuan County, China, were enrolled in our study and underwent self-collection, clinician collection, colposcopy examination and were administered questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed the patients' preference and acceptability of collection method.

Results

The mean overall acceptability score for self-collection, although significantly less than the overall score for clinician collection (p<0.01), still is well above 4 (4.33 of 5), indicating high acceptability. The acceptability scores for self-collection and clinician collection were not significantly different on scales measuring comfort and convenience (p>0.05). The scores were significantly lower for self-collection on scales measuring trust, ability to collect specimen and perceived effects of testing compared with clinician collection (p<0.01). 74% of participants preferred clinician collection, and of these participants, 86% preferred it because they thought the results were more accurate.

Conclusions

The study shows that self-collection was highly acceptable and that self-collection and clinician collection were equally comfortable and convenient; however, the participants still preferred clinician collection because of lack of trust in the results of self-collection. This indicates that self-collection is an acceptable potential method for screening but education programmes about the validity of self-collection that target general population may be needed prior to implementation.
Genetic evidence of subaortic stenosis in the Newfoundland dog
Authors: Reist‐Marti S. B. , Dolf G. , Leeb T. , Kottmann S. , Kietzmann S. , Butenhoff K. , Rieder S.
Published: May 2012

Subaortic stenosis (SAS) is a cardiac disorder with a narrowing of the descending aorta below the left ventricular outflow tract of the heart. It occurs in several species and breeds. The Newfoundland is one of the dog breeds where it is more common and usually leads to death at early adulthood. It is still discussed to which extent SAS has a genetic background and what its mode of inheritance could be. Extensive pedigree data comprising more than 230,000 Newfoundland dogs from the European and North American population reaching back to the 19th century including 6023 dogs with a SAS diagnosis were analysed for genetic factors influencing SAS affection. The incidence and prevalence of SAS in the analysed Newfoundland population sample were much higher than those reported in previous studies on smaller population samples. Assuming that some SAS‐affected dogs remained undiscovered or were not reported, these figures may even be underestimated. SAS‐affected Newfoundland dogs were more often inbred and closer related to each other than unaffected dogs, which is an indicator for a genetic background of SAS. The sex had no significant impact on SAS affectedness, pointing at an autosomal inheritance. The only simple mode of inheritance that fitted the data well was autosomal codominant with lethal homozygosity and a penetrance of 1/3 in the heterozygotes.
Risk of bovine tuberculosis for cattle sold out from herds during 2005 in Ireland
Authors: Berrian A. M. , O'Keeffe J. , White P. W. , Norris J. , Litt J. , More S. J. , Olea‐Popelka F. J.
Published: May 2012

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine the risk of bovine tuberculosis (TB) among animals sold out from herds that were free to trade animals during the year 2005 according to their bovine TB testing history during the year 2005. The present study sample comprised of 338,960 animals, of which 124,360 animals were sold out from herds that were restricted from trading at some stage during 2005 (bovine TB ‘exposed’) and 214,600 animals that were sold from herds which did not have their trading status withdrawn in 2005 (bovine TB ‘non‐exposed’). The overall risk of a diagnosis of bovine TB during the two‐year period after the animals were sold out was 0.69 per cent. The odds of bovine TB were 1.91 higher for animals sold out from bovine TB ‘exposed’ herds compared with animals sold out from bovine TB ‘non‐exposed’ herds (OR 95 per cent CI: 1.76 to 2.07, P < 0.0001). Ten per cent of animals identified during field surveillance with bovine TB did so less than two months after being sold out in 2005, and similarly, 10 per cent of the animals classified as bovine TB positive by finding a bovine TB lesion at slaughter did so within 25 days (or less) of being sold out in 2005.
Vegetation height and egg coloration differentially affect predation rate and overheating risk: an experimental test mimicking a ground-nesting bird
Authors: Gillis H. , Gauffre B. , Huot R. , Bretagnolle V.
Published: May 2012

Avian eggs need to be laid in protected environments to develop and survive. Nest predation is known as the main cause of breeding failure for many birds, but nest microclimate conditions are also important for embryo development. These two selective pressures are particularly marked in ground-nesting birds. Vegetation height has been shown to be a critical factor for nest-site selection in ground-nesting birds because it can counteract predation and overheating simultaneously. It is therefore difficult to disentangle the respective influences of these risks on selection of a particular nest vegetation height. To develop a conceptual framework for understanding and predicting the relative effects of vegetation on predation and nest microclimate during a breeding season, we used vegetation height to manipulate differentially these two risks. We therefore exposed artificial nests to a wide range of vegetation heights, replicated the experimental tests during spring, and manipulated egg color to estimate predation risk. We confirmed that tall vegetation is relevant to protect unattended eggs against both risks. Whereas predation risk is stable for a given vegetation height, overheating risk presents inter- and intra-seasonal variations. Therefore, over a breeding season, for a given vegetation height, the respective strengths of the two risks are unbalanced and depends on egg coloration. The breeding strategy of ground-nesting birds thus should have been shaped by both selective pressures, but the ultimate choice may depend on the species-specific laying dates and alternative behavioral strategies for protecting the clutch. This study provides new perspectives to investigate avian parental behaviour.
Molecular phylogeny ofGyrodactylus(Monogenea) parasitizing fishes in fresh water, estuarine, and marine habitats in Canada
Authors: Gilmore S.R. , Cone D.K. , Lowe G. , King S.K. , Jones S.R.M. , Abbott C.L.
Published: May 2012

Gyrodactylus Nordmann, 1832 is a genus of monogenean flatworms that is well-studied in Europe and best known for the destructive pathogen of Atlantic salmon, Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg, 1957. However, there is a paucity of information on species of Gyrodactylus occurring elsewhere despite that the genus is thought to be extremely speciose. Here we present the first major molecular phylogeny of Gyrodactylus using samples from host fishes in North America. Our aims were to characterize species and molecular diversity of North American Gyrodactylus to allow a determination of their evolutionary relationship with congenerics sampled from Europe. Specimens belonging to 25 species of Gyrodactylus and closely related species from Canada and the northern United States of America were identified using morphology and sequenced at 18S rDNA and ITS2 rDNA (totaling ca. 1430 bp). Significant molecular groups in North American Gyrodactylus were found to correspond to a major division in the genus based on the structure of the male copulatory organ. Results corroborate earlier findings suggesting that the genus Fundulotrema Kritsky and Thatcher, 1977, traditionally thought to be distinct from Gyrodactylus owing to the presence of a peduncular bar, falls within Gyrodactylus. The usefulness and application of the broadly conserved 18S primers as a standard tool for Gyrodactylus taxonomy is discussed and advocated.
Foraging interactions between wading birds and strand-feeding bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in a coastal salt marsh
Authors: Fox Adam G. , Young Robert F.
Published: May 2012

Strand-feeding is a unique foraging technique used by Atlantic bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821)) in salt marshes of the southeastern USA wherein a group of dolphins rushes a creek bank, temporarily stranding themselves to capture fish that have been pushed ashore by their bow wave. Wading birds are attracted to these events to forage on stranded fish. We hypothesized that birds foraging in association with dolphins experience greater foraging efficiency than birds foraging away from dolphins and that some birds are able to meet their entire daily metabolic needs by foraging at strand-feeding events. The species composition, abundance, and foraging success of birds at 569 strand-feeding events were compared with the same parameters from marsh surveys of birds not associated with dolphins. Only Great Egrets ( Ardea alba L., 1758) were proportionately more common at strand-feeding events than in the marsh overall (p < 0.001). During peak strand-feeding hours, energy intake per hour was higher for Great Egrets foraging with strand-feeding dolphins than for birds foraging away from dolphins (p = 0.04). Bioenergetic models indicated that prey intake by Great Egrets at strand-feeding events was sufficient to meet their existence and likely their active metabolic requirements.