bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing the Microwave‐Induced Expansion of Starch‐Based Extruded Pellets under Vacuum
Authors: Kraus Stefan , Schuchmann Heike P. , Gaukel Volker
Published: March 2014

The microwave‐induced expansion of starch‐based extruded pellets under vacuum was investigated in order to understand the underlying mechanisms. Microwave power (400, 600 and 800 W), system pressure (20, 50, 100 and 190 mbar) and initial sample mass (100, 200 and 300 g) were selected as influencing factors. During processing, the surface temperature of the matrix mainly depended on the moisture content, independent of the process parameters applied. A kinetic factor τ was calculated, which accounts for the time necessary to remove 1 g of water from the product. This factor is a reasonable measure for the kinetics of mass transfer. The higher the power absorption of the product, the smaller the values for τ and the faster the kinetics for heat and mass transfer. This can cause a higher supersaturation of the matrix before nucleation occurs. In turn, a higher number of bubbles can be nucleated, and the resulting pore areas are shifted to smaller values. While decreasing τ from 22.6 to 5.9 s/g H2O, volume expansion increases from 0.82 to 1.49 with an increased number of pores (1.7/mm2 to 3.4/mm2) created, even when the pore areas are comparably smaller. System pressure does not significantly alter the expansion because in the investigated range, neither nucleation nor bubble growth is changed. However, it is important to keep the system pressure below a certain value (190 mbar); otherwise, coagulation of the moist pellets occurs, thus rendering the process unstable.

Practical Applications

In contrast to directly expanded extruded snacks, third‐generation snacks are produced by predrying nonexpanded, extruded pellets, followed by expansion to achieve a crispy and porous texture. Using this process route, extrusion can be performed at high moisture content, moderate temperature and shearing condition. This is beneficial in terms of preserving thermally and mechanically sensitive ingredients. A special feature of the process investigated in this study is that the expansion is achieved using microwave vacuum process, which allows an indirect expansion without the time‐ and energy‐consuming predrying process. This study shows that the total volume and inner structure of the pellets is influenced by process parameters in the expansion step, thus allowing producers to turn structure‐related properties, such as crispiness and crunchiness, into target values.
Abdominal obesity increases the risk of hip fracture. A population‐based study of 43 000 women and men aged 60–79 years followed for 8 years. Cohort of Norway
Authors: Søgaard A. J. , Holvik K. , Omsland T. K. , Tell G. S. , Dahl C. , Schei B. , Falch J. A. , Eisman J. A. , Meyer H. E.
Published: March 2014

Background

The question as to whether abdominal obesity has an adverse effect on hip fracture remains unanswered. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of waist circumference, hip circumference, waist‐hip ratio, and body mass index with incident hip fracture.

Methods

The data in this prospective study is based on Cohort of Norway, a population‐based cohort established during 1994–2003. Altogether 19,918 women and 23,061 men aged 60–79 years were followed for a median of 8.1 years. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured at baseline using standard procedures. Information on covariates was collected by questionnaires. Hip fractures (n = 1,498 in women, n = 889 in men) were identified from electronic discharge registers from all general hospitals in Norway between 1994 and 2008.

Results

The risk of hip fracture decreased with increasing body mass index, plateauing in obese men. However, higher waist circumference and higher waist‐hip ratio were associated with an increased risk of hip fracture after adjustment for body mass index and other potential confounders. Women in the highest tertile of waist circumference had an 86% (95% CI: 51–129%) higher risk of hip fracture compared to the lowest, with a corresponding increased risk in men of 100% (95% CI 53–161%). Lower body mass index combined with abdominal obesity increased the risk of hip fracture considerably, particularly in men.

Conclusion

Abdominal obesity was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture when body mass index was taken into account. In view of the increasing prevalence of obesity and the number of older people suffering osteoporotic fractures in Western societies, our findings have important clinical and public health implications.
Correlation of Nerve Ultrasound, Electrophysiological and Clinical Findings in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Authors: Kerasnoudis A. , Pitarokoili K. , Behrendt V. , Gold R. , Yoon M.‐S.
Published: March 2014

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We present the nerve ultrasound findings in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and examine their correlation with electrophysiology and functional disability.

METHODS

A total of 75 healthy controls and 48 CIDP patients underwent clinical, sonographic and electrophysiological evaluation a mean of 3.9 years(SD+/−2.7) after disease onset.

RESULTS

Nerve ultrasound revealed statistically significant higher cross‐sectional area (CSA) values of the median (P<.0001), ulnar (P<.0001), radial (P<.0001), tibial (P<.0001), fibular nerve(P<.0001) in most of the anatomic sites and brachial plexus (supraclavicular, P<.0001;interscalene space, P = .0118),when compared to controls. The electroneurography documented signs of permanent axonal loss in the majority of peripheral nerves. A correlation between sonographic and electrophysiological findings was found only between the motor conduction velocity and CSA of the tibial nerve at the ankle (r = −.451, P = .007). Neither nerve sonography nor electrophysiology correlated with functional disability. The CSA of the median nerve in carpal tunnel and the ulnar nerve in Guyon's canal correlated with disease duration (P = .036, P = .027 respectively).

DISCUSSION

CIDP seems to show inhomogenous CSA enlargement in brachial plexus and peripheral nerves, with weak correlation to electrophysiological findings. Neither nerve sonography nor electrophysiology correlated with functional disability in CIDP patients. Multicenter, prospective studies are required to proof the applicability and diagnostic values of these findings.
Effect of Number of Acquisitions in Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Pediatric Brain: Optimizing Scan Time and Diagnostic Experience
Authors: Soman Salil , Holdsworth Samantha J. , Skare Stefan , Andre Jalal B. , Van Anh T. , Aksoy Murat , Bammer Roland , Rosenberg Jarrett , Barnes Patrick D. , Yeom Kristen W.
Published: March 2014

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is useful for multiple clinical applications, but its routine implementation for children may be difficult due to long scan times. This study evaluates the impact of decreasing the number of DTI acquisitions (NEX) on interpretability of pediatric brain DTI.

METHODS

15 children with MRI‐visible neuropathologies were imaged at 3T using our motion‐corrected, parallel imaging‐ accelerated DT‐EPI technique with 3 NEX (scan time 8.25 min). Using these acquisitions, NEX = 1 (scan time 2.75 min) and NEX = 2 (scan time 5.5 min) images were simulated. Two neuroradiologists scored diffusion‐weighted images (DWI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), and first eigenvector color‐encoded (EV) images from each NEX for perceived SNR, lesion conspicuity and clinical confidence. ROI FA/ADC and image SNR values were also compared across NEX.

RESULTS

NEX = 2 perceived SNR, lesion conspicuity, and clinical confidence were not inferior to NEX = 3 images. NEX = 1 images showed comparable lesion conspicuity and clinical confidence as NEX = 3, but inferior perceived SNR. FA and ADC ROI measurements demonstrated no significant difference across NEX. The greatest SNR increase was seen between NEX = 1 and NEX = 2.

CONCLUSION

Reducing NEX to shorten imaging time may impact clinical utility in a manner that does not directly correspond with SNR changes.
Diffusion‐Weighted Imaging Volume as the Best Predictor of the Diffusion–Perfusion Mismatch in Acute Stroke Patients within 8 Hours of Onset
Authors: Aoki Junya , Tateishi Yohei , Cummings Christopher L. , Cheng‐Ching Esteban , Ruggieri Paul , Hussain Muhammad Shazam , Uchino Ken
Published: March 2014

BACKGROUND

Diagnostic accuracies of standard NCCT, CTA, CTA‐SI, FLAIR, and DWI to detect the diffusion–perfusion mismatch (DPM) were compared.

METHODS

Stroke patients considered for endovascular therapy within 8 hours of onset were enrolled. DPM was defined as at least 160% mismatch between DWI and PWI volume.

RESULTS

DPM was seen in 35 (71%) of 49 patients. ASPECTS on NCCT, CTA‐SI, and DWI was 9 (8‐9), 8 (6‐9), and 7 (5‐9) in mismatch group, and 6 (4‐9), 6 (2‐7), 5 (2‐6) in nonmismatch group, respectively (P = .027, .006, and .001). Ischemic volume on CTA‐SI and DWI was 4.6 (.2‐13.0) cm3 and 21.5 (9.7‐44.0) cm3 in mismatch group, and 61.5 (6.6‐101.1) cm3 and 94.9 (45.7‐139.8) cm3 in nonmismatch group (P = .003 and <.001). Significant collateralization on CTA‐SI and FLAIR was seen in 80% and 88% in mismatch group, and 42% and 58% in nonmismatch group (P = .026 and .039). Odds ratios (95% CI) of DWI volume of ≤70 cm3 to predict the mismatch was 30.17 (2.06‐442.41) after adjusting for ASPECTSs on NCCT, CTA‐SI, and DWI, 44.90 (2.75‐732.73) for ischemic volume on CTA‐SI, and 42.80 (3.05‐601.41) for significant collateralization on CTA‐SI and FLAIR (P = .013, .008, and .005).

CONCLUSIONS

DWI volume was the best predictor of DPM.
Whole blood manganese concentrations in dogs with primary hepatitis
Authors: Kilpatrick S. , Jacinto A. , Foale R. D. , Tappin S. W. , Burton C. , Frowde P. E. , Elwood C. M. , Powell R. , Duncan A. , Mellanby R. J. , Gow A. G.
Published: March 2014

Objectives

Increased whole blood manganese concentrations have been reported in humans with primary liver disease. Due to the neurotoxic effects of manganese, altered manganese homeostasis has been linked to the development of hepatic encephalopathy. Whole blood manganese concentrations are increased in cases of canine congenital portosystemic shunts, but it remains unclear whether dogs with primary hepatopathies also have altered manganese homeostasis.

Methods

Whole blood manganese concentrations were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry in 21 dogs with primary hepatitis, 65 dogs with a congenital portosystemic shunt, 31 dogs with non‐hepatic illnesses and 18 healthy dogs.

Results

The whole blood manganese concentrations were significantly different between dogs with primary hepatitis, dogs with non‐hepatic illnesses and healthy dogs (P=0·002). Dogs with primary hepatitis had significantly increased whole blood manganese concentrations compared with healthy dogs (P<0·05) and dogs with non‐hepatic illnesses (P<0·01). Dogs with primary hepatitis had significantly lower whole blood manganese concentration compared with dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts (P=0·0005).

Clinical Significance

Dogs with primary hepatopathies have increased concentrations of whole blood manganese although these concentrations are not as high as those in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts. The role of altered manganese homeostasis in canine hepatic encephalopathy is worthy of further study.
In Vivo Histologically Equivalent Evaluation of Gastric Mucosal Topologic Morphology in Dogs By using Confocal Endomicroscopy
Authors: Sharman M.J. , Bacci B. , Whittem T. , Mansfield C.S.
Published: March 2014

Background

Confocal endomicroscopy (CEM) is an endoscopic technology permitting in vivo cellular and subcellular imaging. CEM aids real‐time clinical assessment and diagnosis of various gastrointestinal diseases in people. CEM allows in vivo characterization of small intestinal mucosal morphology in dogs.

Objective

To determine the feasibility of CEM to evaluate gastric mucosal morphology in dogs and to characterize the appearance in healthy dogs.

Animals

Fourteen clinically healthy research colony dogs.

Methods

Experimental study. Under general anesthesia, dogs underwent standard endoscopic evaluation and CEM of the gastric mucosa. In the initial 6 dogs, fluorescent contrast was provided with the fluorophore acriflavine (0.05% solution), applied topically. Subsequently, 8 dogs were assessed using a combination of fluorescein (10% solution, 15 mg/kg IV), followed by acriflavine administered topically. For each fluorophore, a minimum of 5 sites were assessed.

Results

Confocal endomicroscopy provided high quality in vivo histologically equivalent images of the gastric mucosa, but reduced flexibility of the endoscope tip limited imaging of the cranial stomach in some dogs. Intravenous administration of fluorescein allowed assessment of cellular cytoplasmic and microvasculature features. Topical application of acriflavine preferentially stained cellular nucleic acids, allowing additional evaluation of nuclear morphology. Identification of Helicobacter‐like organisms was possible in 13 dogs.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Confocal endomicroscopy provides in vivo images allowing assessment of gastric mucosal morphology during endoscopy, potentially permitting real‐time diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease.
Spectrum of pathogens in native liver, bile, and blood during pediatric liver transplantation
Authors: Schukfeh Nagoud , Doerner Judith M. , Heintschel von Heinegg Evelyn , Steinmann Joerg , Metzelder Martin L. , Kathemann Simone , Hoyer Peter F. , Paul Andreas , Gerner Patrick
Published: March 2014

During LTX, there may be a risk that pathogens of the native liver are released into the systemic circulation. No investigations on incidence/spectrum of pathogens in native livers have been published. We hypothesized that pathogens are found in the native liver of a large proportion of pediatric patients during LTX and investigated the microbiology of native livers. These data may help optimize antibiotic therapy. Twenty‐two consecutive pediatric patients (median age 14 months, range, 5 months–15 yr) receiving LTX in our department from October 2010 to October 2011 were included in this prospective study. Tissue and bile were collected from the explanted liver and were cultivated on different media. All liver tissues were investigated using a broad‐range PCR (SepsiTest®). In 16 patients, blood cultures were collected post‐transplantation. Eleven patients (50%) had at least one pathogen detected; nine of these patients had an underlying diagnosis of biliary atresia. SepsiTest® was positive in seven patients. In four patients it was the only test detecting any pathogen. In detail, the positivity rate for liver tissue in all patients was 41% (n = 9); for bile 25% (n = 3); and for blood 25% (n = 4). Thirteen different pathogens (69% bacterial, 31% fungal) were isolated. A highly‐sensitive broad‐range PCR appears to be an effective method to detect pathogens in native livers of patients undergoing LTX. A high number and variety of microbes, including a high proportion of fungal pathogens, were detected.
Medical Paternalism – Part 2
Authors: Groll Daniel
Published: March 2014

Medical clinicians – doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners etc. – are charged to act for the good of their patients. But not all ways of acting for a patient's good are on par: some are paternalistic; others are not. What does it mean to act paternalistically, both in general and specifically in a medical context? And when, if ever, is it permissible for a clinician to act paternalistically? In Medical Paternalism Part 1, I answered the first question. This paper answers the second.

The place of paternalism in clinical medicine is best understood, I argue, in terms of the potential for conflict between the autonomy principle and the beneficence principle. The first enjoins clinicians to respect the decisions of patients with respect to their (the patients') own care. The second enjoins clinicians to act for the good of their patients. Clinicians act paternalistically, I argue, when they act on the beneficence principle to the exclusion of the autonomy principle. Understanding just what these principles amount to (particularly the autonomy principle) reveals that the autonomy principle defeasibly trumps the beneficence principle and that, as a result, acting paternalistically (at least when it comes to competent patients) is presumptively impermissible.
Simulated games activity vs continuous running exercise: A novel comparison of the glycemic and metabolic responses in T1DM patients
Authors: Campbell M. D. , West D. J. , Bain S. C. , Kingsley M. I. C. , Foley P. , Kilduff L. , Turner D. , Gray B. , Stephens J. W. , Bracken R. M.
Published: March 2014

To compare the glycemic and metabolic responses to simulated intermittent games activity and continuous running exercise in type 1 diabetes. Nine patients (seven male, two female; 35 ± 4 years; HbA1c 8.1 ± 0.2%/65 ± 2 mmol/mol) treated on a basal‐bolus regimen completed two main trials, a continuous treadmill run (CON) or an intermittent running protocol (INT). Patients arrived to the laboratory fasted at ∼ 08:00 h, replicating their usual pre‐exercise meal and administering a 50% reduced dose of rapid‐acting insulin before exercising. Blood glucose (BG), K+, Na++, pH, triglycerides, serum cortisol and NEFA were measured at baseline and for 60 min post‐exercise. Interstitial glucose was measured for a further 23 h under free‐living conditions. Following exercise, BG declined under both conditions but was less under INT (INT −1.1 ± 1.4 vs CON −5.3 ± 0.4 mmol/L, P = 0.037), meaning more patients experienced hypoglycemia (BG ≤ 3.5 mmol/L; CON n = 3 vs INT n = 2) but less hyperglycemia (BG ≥ 10.9 mmol/L; CON n = 0 vs INT n = 6) under CON. Blood lactate was significantly greater, and pH lower, with a temporal delay in K+ under INT (P < 0.05). No conditional differences were observed in other measures during this time, or in interstitial glucose concentrations during the remaining 23 h after exercise. Simulated games activity carries a lower risk of early, but not late‐onset hypoglycemia than continuous running exercise in type 1 diabetes.
Validation of Sysmex XT‐2000iV generated quantitative bone marrow differential counts in untreated Wistar rats
Authors: Criswell Kay A. , Bock Jeffrey H. , Wildeboer Samantha E. , Johnson Kjell , Giovanelli Richard P.
Published: March 2014

Background

Preclinical drug trials frequently require assessment of bone marrow toxicity in animals to evaluate hematopoietic safety. Since the gold standard, cytologic evaluation, is time consuming and requires highly trained individuals, automated methods remain intriguing.

Objective

The Sysmex XT‐2000iV hematology analyzer allows user‐developed customizable gating. This study was conducted to validate the gating of bone marrow cell populations in Sysmex cytograms from untreated rats.

Methods

B‐ and T‐lymphocytes and myeloid cells were experimentally depleted from Charles River Wistar Han IGS (CRL: WI [Han]) rat whole bone marrow suspension using a magnetic cell sorting (MACS) method. The positively and negatively selected populations were used to verify select gates within the Sysmex cytogram. Intra‐ and inter‐animal precision, comparability between right and left femur, as well as agreement with microscopic myelograms based on 500 counted cells, were determined.

Results

Intra‐sample precision and right‐to‐left femur comparability confirmed that gating was reproducible and stable. In 50 tested rats, myeloid to erythroid ratios (M:E) were 1.32 ± 0.33 in males and 1.38 ± 0.29 in females by Sysmex compared to 1.36 ± 0.32 in males and 1.42 ± 0.32 in females by microscopic evaluations. Bland–Altman differences between methods was ≤ ±0.35 units for M:E, ≤ 5.4% for maturing myeloid cells, ≤ 3.4% for proliferating myeloid cells, ≤ 6.0% for maturing myeloid cells, ≤ 3.4% for proliferating myeloid cells, and ≤ 4.1% for lymphocytes.

Conclusions

In untreated control Charles River Wistar Han IGS (CRL: WI [Han]) rats, the Sysmex XT‐2000iV produced an automated M:E and 5‐part differential count equivalent to microscopic differential counts.
Feline atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study of 45 cases (2001–2012)
Authors: Ravens Philippa A. , Xu Bei J. , Vogelnest Linda J.
Published: March 2014

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is recognized as a common cause of pruritus in cats, but it remains incompletely characterized.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The aim of the study was to evaluate cases of confirmed feline AD.

Animals

Fourty‐five cats from a dermatology referral practice (2001–2012).

Methods

A retrospective case record review was carried out using strict diagnostic criteria, including exclusion of flea‐bite hypersensitivity and adverse food reaction.

Results

Disease prevalence was 12.5%, with domestic mixed (n = 24), Abyssinian (n = 6) and Devon rex (n = 3) cat breeds predisposed. Median age of onset was 2 years (62% <3 years; 22% >7 years; range 3 months to 12 years). Common presentations were severe (82%), nonseasonal (82%), waxing/waning (36%) pruritus, with alopecia/crusting/excoriations and/or erosions/ulceration (73%). Miliary dermatitis (20%) and eosinophilic granuloma complex lesions (27%) occurred. The face/head (71%), ventral abdomen (51%), neck (51%), limbs (38%), pinnae (31%), dorsum/rump (31%) and feet (16%) were frequently affected sites; lesions were restricted to the head/neck in only five cats (11%). Concurrent otitis externa (16%), superficial bacterial pyoderma (49%), Malassezia dermatitis (7%), flea‐bite hypersensitivity (24%) and adverse food reaction (13%) occurred. Strong reactions on intradermal allergen testing were common (68%; 19 of 30), most frequently to pollens (61%) and/or insects (46%). Good response to ciclosporin (100%; 10 of 10), systemic glucocorticoids (55%; 22 of 40) and allergen‐specific immunotherapy (57%; 13 of 23) and good/partial response to antihistamines (67%; 22 of 33) were reported.

Conclusions and clinical importance

The prevalence of feline AD was higher than previously suggested, and breed predispositions were confirmed. Severe nonseasonal pruritus was most common, with a varied spectrum of lesions affecting a range of body areas.
Short Spray Penetration for Direct Injection Gasoline Engines With Secondary-Drop-Breakup Simulation Integrated With Fuel-Breakup Simulation
Authors: Ishii Eiji , Ehara Hideharu , Abe Motoyuki , Ishikawa Toru
Published: March 2014

Direct injection gasoline engines have both better engine power and fuel efficiency than port injection gasoline engines. However, direct injection gasoline engines also emit more particulate matter (PM) than port injection gasoline engines do. To decrease PM, fuel injectors with short spray penetration are required. More effective fuel injectors can be preliminarily designed by numerically simulating fuel spray. We previously developed a fuel-spray simulation. Both the fuel flow within the flow paths of an injector and the liquid column at the injector outlet were simulated by using a grid method. The liquid-column breakup was simulated by using a particle method. The motion of droplets within the air/fuel mixture (secondary-drop-breakup) region was calculated by using a discrete droplet model (DDM). In this study, we applied our fuel-spray simulation to sprays for the direct injection gasoline engines. Simulated spray penetrations agreed relatively well with measured spray penetrations. Velocity distributions at the outlet of three kinds of nozzles were plotted by using a histogram, and the relationship between the velocity distributions and spray penetrations was studied. We found that shrinking the high-speed region and making the velocity-distribution uniform were required for short spray penetration.
Silicon nitride thin films deposited using electron-beam evaporation in an RF plasma MBE system
Authors: Katzer D. Scott , Meyer David J. , Storm David F. , Nepal Neeraj , Wheeler Virginia D.
Published: March 2014

Silicon nitride (SiNx) thin films were deposited on (100) Si wafers in a molecular-beam epitaxy growth chamber equipped with a customized multipocket electron-beam evaporator, a Si effusion cell, and an RF plasma source for reactive nitrogen. The films were characterized using atomic-force microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and specular x-ray reflectivity. For films deposited using an electron-beam Si source with N/Si > 1.33, the deposition temperature determined the density and refractive index. Stoichiometric Si3N4 films were produced when the deposition temperature was greater than 725 °C, in agreement with our previous results that used an effusion cell for Si. By using the electron-beam Si source, an order of magnitude increase in SiNx deposition rate was achieved over the conventional effusion cell method.
Key Features of Hip Hop Dance Motions Affect Evaluation by Judges
Authors: Sato Nahoko , Nunome Hiroyuki , Ikegami Yasuo
Published: March 2014

The evaluation of hip hop dancers presently lacks clearly defined criteria and is often dependent on the subjective impressions of judges. Our study objective was to extract hidden motion characteristics that could potentially distinguish the skill levels of hip hop dancers and to examine the relationship between performance kinematics and judging scores. Eleven expert, six nonexpert, and nine novice dancers participated in the study, where each performed the “wave” motion as an experimental task. The movements of their upper extremities were captured by a motion capture system, and several kinematic parameters including the propagation velocity of the wave were calculated. Twelve judges evaluated the performances of the dancers, and we compared the kinematic parameters of the three groups and examined the relationship between the judging scores and the kinematic parameters. We found the coefficient of variation of the propagation velocity to be significantly different among the groups (P< .01) and highly correlated with the judging scores (r= –0.800,P< .01). This revealed that the variation of propagation velocity was the most dominant variable representing the skill level of the dancers and that the smooth propagation of the wave was most closely related to the evaluation by judges.
One-Leg Standing Performance and Muscle Activity: Are There Limb Differences?
Authors: Muehlbauer Thomas , Mettler Claude , Roth Ralf , Granacher Urs
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare static balance performance and muscle activity during one-leg standing on the dominant and nondominant leg under various sensory conditions with increased levels of task difficulty. Thirty healthy young adults (age: 23 ± 2 years) performed one-leg standing tests for 30 s under three sensory conditions (ie, eyes open/firm ground; eyes open/foam ground [elastic pad on top of the balance plate]; eyes closed/firm ground). Center of pressure displacements and activity of four lower leg muscles (ie, m. tibialis anterior [TA], m. soleus [SOL], m. gastrocnemius medialis [GAS], m. peroneus longus [PER]) were analyzed. An increase in sensory task difficulty resulted in deteriorated balance performance (P < .001, effect size [ES] = .57−2.54) and increased muscle activity (P < .001, ES = .50−1.11) for all but two muscles (ie, GAS, PER). However, regardless of the sensory condition, one-leg standing on the dominant as compared with the nondominant limb did not produce statistically significant differences in various balance (P > .05, ES = .06−.22) and electromyographic (P > .05, ES = .03−.13) measures. This indicates that the dominant and the nondominant leg can be used interchangeably during static one-leg balance testing in healthy young adults.
A Brief Exploration of Measurement and Evaluation in Kinesiology
Authors: Mahar Matthew T. , Rowe David A.
Published: March 2014

A comprehensive review of the impact of measurement and evaluation in kinesiology is difficult to accomplish within the framework of a single research paper. Measurement touches nearly every research area in the field of kinesiology. In fact, for quantitative research it can be argued that without good measurement there can be no good research. Measurement researchers in kinesiology have impacted various areas, including criterion-referenced evaluation of test scores, development of fitness tests to measure body composition and aerobic fitness, health-related physical fitness, physical activity epidemiology, youth fitness testing, and many others. They have introduced innovative statistical techniques such as item response theory, which provides the underlying basis for modern standardized testing. Issues of test equating, differential item functioning, and the great impact of the expansion of computers and the Internet deserve special attention. Unfortunately, not all of the important contributions in the measurement field can be expanded upon in this manuscript. Instead, this paper will focus mainly on key measurement and evaluation influences on public health issues. In applied measurement research, two major themes have been the assessment of physical fitness and the assessment of physical activity. The last 40 years have been a time of defining the content area of measurement in kinesiology. Important measurement textbooks were published during this period (Baumgartner & Jackson, 1975; Morrow, Jackson, Disch, & Mood, 1995; Safrit, 1986). Since the 1970s the measurement field and the kinesiology field in general expanded from a focus on physical education to include all of the exercise and sport sciences. This paper will explore measurement and evaluation in kinesiology by (a) providing an overview of major milestones in measurement and evaluation over the last 40 years, (b) discussing current key areas of research and inquiry in measurement and evaluation, and (c) speculating about future research and inquiry in measurement and evaluation. The absence in this article of other important issues in measurement and evaluation in kinesiology does not imply anything about their importance.
Back to the Future: Reflecting on the Past and Envisioning the Future for Kinesiology Research
Authors: Freedson Patty
Published: March 2014

The papers published in this issue of Kinesiology Review are based on presentations delivered at the 2013 National Academy of Kinesiology meeting held in Colorado Springs, CO from September 19–21, 2013. The theme for the conference was Back to the Future: Refecting on the Past and Envisioning the Future for Kinesiology Research. The goals of the meeting were (a) to provide evidence-based impressions describing the key research discoveries/innovations in kinesiology over the last half century and (b) to project/predict key directions for research over the next 10–20 years.

In maintaining the strong multi-disciplinary spirit of the field of kinesiology, some of the presentations were specific to our sub-disciplines and other presentations were related to physical activity and movement in different populations. The presentations were designed to catalyze discussions about where we came from, how kinesiology has matured, and where we anticipate new knowledge and discovery will take us in the future.
Angiophagy Prevents Early Embolus Washout But Recanalizes Microvessels Through Embolus Extravasation
Authors: Grutzendler Jaime , Murikinati Sasidhar , Hiner Bennett , Ji Lingling , Lam Carson K. , Yoo Taehwan , Gupta Shobhana , Hafler Brian P. , Adelman Ron A. , Yuan Peng , Rodriguez Guadalupe
Published: March 2014

Endothelial engulfment of emboli (angiophagy) occurs in microvascular beds throughout the body, resulting in emboli extravasation and vessel recanalization.
To Catch a Pre-Leukemia
Authors: Margolin Adam A.
Published: March 2014

DNMT3A
mutations occur in pre-leukemic hematopoietic stem cells and define early-stage events in the progression to acute myeloid leukemia.
Taking the Fight Outside
Authors: Seker Erkin
Published: March 2014

Engineered miniature wells connected to biomimetic paths attract cancer cells away from the tumor site for eradication.
SORT
ing Out That Pesky Cholesterol
Authors: Voight Benjamin F.
Published: March 2014

SORT1
interacts

with
PCSK9
to facilitate its secretion from the liver, which regulates levels of plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
DNA Repair Pathways in Trypanosomatids: from DNA Repair to Drug Resistance
Authors: Genois Marie-Michelle , Paquet Eric R. , Laffitte Marie-Claude N. , Maity Ranjan , Rodrigue Amélie , Ouellette Marc , Masson Jean-Yves
Published: March 2014

All living organisms are continuously faced with endogenous or exogenous stress conditions affecting genome stability. DNA repair pathways act as a defense mechanism, which is essential to maintain DNA integrity. There is much to learn about the regulation and functions of these mechanisms, not only in human cells but also equally in divergent organisms. In trypanosomatids, DNA repair pathways protect the genome against mutations but also act as an adaptive mechanism to promote drug resistance. In this review, we scrutinize the molecular mechanisms and DNA repair pathways which are conserved in trypanosomatids. The recent advances made by the genome consortiums reveal the complete genomic sequences of several pathogens. Therefore, using bioinformatics and genomic sequences, we analyze the conservation of DNA repair proteins and their key protein motifs in trypanosomatids. We thus present a comprehensive view of DNA repair processes in trypanosomatids at the crossroads of DNA repair and drug resistance.
Endoscopic haemostasis by polypectomy: a case of sigmoid colon tubular adenoma with arterial haemorrhage
Authors: Shibukawa Narihiro , Kuzushita Noriyoshi , Nishiyama Osamu , Inoue Atsuo
Published: March 2014

An 84-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a massive lower intestinal bleeding (LIB). The enhanced CT showed extravasation of blood in the sigmoid colon during the arterial phase. After discussion with the interventional radiologists, we proceeded to perform emergency colonoscopy that demonstrated massive gushing of blood from a pedunculated sigmoid colon polyp. The polyp was removed by snare polypectomy, which resulted in complete haemostasis. The pathological finding of the resected lesion was a tubular adenoma.
An unusual cause for epigastric pain in pregnancy. Spontaneous uterine rupture with herniation of the amniotic sac in a 33-week primigravida
Authors: Al-Kufaishi Asmaa , Erasmus Kim , Carr David , Owen Elizabeth
Published: March 2014

A 29-year-old in vitro fertilisation patient presented at 33 weeks of gestation with abdominal pain. An abdominal ultrasound revealed a cystic lesion adjacent to the fundus. During caesarean section, a defect at the fundus was identified with herniation of the amniotic sac through this defect. There were no complications postoperatively and the patient made an unremarkable recovery. With at least one maternal death reported in the most recent confidential enquiry into maternal death, uterine rupture is an obstetric emergency and can have catastrophic outcomes. The incidence of uterine rupture as a result of previous perforation is unclear with little published data and few case reports. Cases of uterine rupture after perforation following hysteroscopic resection of fibroids, uterine septum are well published but the authors found no known previous cases related to laparoscopy. Counselling patients post perforation should include discussion regarding the management of future pregnancies and the risk of uterine rupture.
Meta-analysis: the effects of smoking on the disposition of two commonly used antipsychotic agents, olanzapine and clozapine
Authors: Tsuda Yoshiyuki , Saruwatari Junji , Yasui-Furukori Norio
Published: March 2014

Objective

To clarify the effects of smoking on the disposition of two commonly used antipsychotics, olanzapine and clozapine, and to create standards to adjust the doses of these drugs in clinical practice based on the smoking status.

Design

A meta-analysis was conducted by searching MEDLINE, Scopus and the Cochrane Library for relevant prospective and retrospective studies.

Included studies

We included the studies that investigated the effects of smoking on the concentration to dose (C/D) ratio of olanzapine or clozapine.

Primary outcome measure

The weighted mean difference was calculated using a DerSimonian-Laird random effects model, along with 95% CI.

Results

Seven association studies, comprising 1094 patients (652 smokers and 442 non-smokers) with schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders, were included in the meta-analysis of olanzapine. The C/D ratio was significantly lower in smokers than in non-smokers (p<0.00001), and the mean difference was −0.75 (ng/mL)/(mg/day) (95% CI −0.89 to −0.61). Therefore, it was estimated that if 10 and 20 mg/day of olanzapine would be administered to smokers, about 7 and 14 mg/day, respectively, should be administered to non-smokers in order to obtain the equivalent olanzapine concentration. Four association studies of clozapine were included in the meta-analysis of clozapine, comprising 196 patients (120 smokers and 76 non-smokers) with schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders. The C/D ratio was significantly lower in smokers than in non-smokers (p<0.00001), and the mean difference was −1.11 (ng/mL)/(mg/day) (95% CI −1.53 to −0.70). Therefore, it was estimated that if 200 and 400 mg/day of clozapine would be administered to smokers, about 100 and 200 mg/day, respectively, should be administered to non-smokers.

Conclusions

We suggest that the doses of olanzapine and clozapine should be reduced by 30% and 50%, respectively, in non-smokers compared with smokers in order to obtain an equivalent olanzapine or clozapine concentration.
A dynamical time operator in Dirac's relativistic quantum mechanics
Authors: Bauer M.
Published: March 2014

A self-adjoint dynamical time operator is introduced in Dirac's relativistic formulation of quantum mechanics and shown to satisfy a commutation relation with the Hamiltonian analogous to that of the position and momentum operators. The ensuing time-energy uncertainty relation involves the uncertainty in the instant of time when the wave packet passes a particular spatial position and the energy uncertainty associated with the wave packet at the same time, as envisaged originally by Bohr. The instantaneous rate of change of the position expectation value with respect to the simultaneous expectation value of the dynamical time operator is shown to be the phase velocity, in agreement with de Broglie's hypothesis of a particle associated wave whose phase velocity is larger than c. Thus, these two elements of the original basis and interpretation of quantum mechanics are integrated into its formal mathematical structure. Pauli's objection is shown to be resolved or circumvented. Possible relevance to current developments in electron channeling, in interference in time, in Zitterbewegung-like effects in spintronics, graphene and superconducting systems and in cosmology is noted.
LOCAL ANALYSIS OF GRAUERT–REMMERT-TYPE NORMALIZATION ALGORITHMS
Authors: BÖHM JANKO , DECKER WOLFRAM , SCHULZE MATHIAS
Published: March 2014

Normalization is a fundamental ring-theoretic operation; geometrically it resolves singularities in codimension one. Existing algorithmic methods for computing the normalization rely on a common recipe: successively enlarge the given ring in form of an endomorphism ring of a certain (fractional) ideal until the process becomes stationary. While Vasconcelos' method uses the dual Jacobian ideal, Grauert–Remmert-type algorithms rely on so-called test ideals. For algebraic varieties, one can apply such normalization algorithms globally, locally, or formal analytically at all points of the variety. In this paper, we relate the number of iterations for global Grauert–Remmert-type normalization algorithms to that of its local descendants. We complement our results by a study of ADE singularities. All intermediate singularities occurring in the normalization process are determined explicitly. Besides ADE singularities the process yields simple space curve singularities from the list of Frühbis-Krüger.
Undirected replicas of directional binary algebras
Authors: Matczak K. , Smith J. D. H.
Published: March 2014

Following the prototype of dimonoids, directional algebras are obtained from universal algebras by splitting each fundamental operation into a number of distinct fundamental operations corresponding to directions or selected arguments in the original fundamental operation. Thus dimonoids are directional semigroups, with left- and right-directed multiplications. Directional quasigroups appear in a number of versions, depending on the axiomatization chosen for quasigroups, but this paper concentrates on 4-diquasigroups, which incorporate a left and right quasigroup structure. While introducing several new instances of 4-diquasigroups, including dicores and group-representable diquasigroups, the paper is primarily devoted to the study of undirected replicas of directional binary algebras, dimonoids, digroups, and diquasigroups, where the two directed multiplications are identified. Undirected replicas of diquasigroups are two-sided quasigroups, and thus offer a new approach to the construction of quasigroups of various kinds.
Covering an arithmetic progression with geometric progressions and vice versa
Authors: Sanna Carlo
Published: March 2014

We show that there exists a positive constant C such that the following holds: Given an infinite arithmetic progression [Formula: see text] of real numbers and a sufficiently large integer n (depending on [Formula: see text]), there is a need of at least Cn geometric progressions to cover the first n terms of [Formula: see text]. A similar result is presented, with the role of arithmetic and geometric progressions reversed.
Increased myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in renal failure involves cardiac adiponectin signal deficiency
Authors: Song Yanbin , Yu Qiujun , Zhang Junyi , Huang Weidong , Liu Yi , Pei Haifeng , Liu Jingyi , Sun Lu , Yang Lu , Li Congye , Li Yan , Zhang Fuyang , Qu Yan , Tao Ling
Published: March 2014

Plasma levels of adiponectin (APN) are significantly increased in patients with renal dysfunction and are inversely related to the risk of cardiovascular mortality. The present study was designed to determine the role of APN in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R) injury in mice with renal failure and delineate the underlying mechanisms. Renal failure was induced by subtotal nephrectomy (SN). Human recombinant globular domain of adiponectin (gAd) or full-length adiponectin (fAd) was administered via intraperitoneal injection once daily for 7 consecutive days after SN, and in vivo MI/R was introduced 3 wk later. Both plasma and urinary levels of APN increased significantly in SN mice. Compared with sham-operated mice, cardiac function was significantly depressed, and myocardial infarct size and apoptosis increased in SN mice following MI/R. The aggravated MI/R injury was further intensified in APN-knockout mice and markedly ameliorated by treatment with gAd but not fAd. Moreover, SN increased myocardial NO metabolites, superoxide, and their cytotoxic reaction product peroxynitrite, upregulated inducible NO synthase expression, and decreased endothelial NOS phosphorylation. In addition, SN mice also exhibited reduced APN receptor-1 (AdipoR1) expression and AMPK activation. All these changes were further amplified in the absence of APN but reversed by gAd treatment. The present study demonstrates that renal dysfunction increases cardiac susceptibility to ischemic-reperfusion injury, which is associated with downregulated APN/AdipoR1/AMPK signaling and increased oxidative/nitrative stress in local myocardium, and provides the first evidence for the protective role of exogenous supplement of gAd on MI/R outcomes in renal failure.
New visuomotor maps are immediately available to the opposite limb
Authors: Carroll Timothy J. , Poh Eugene , de Rugy Aymar
Published: March 2014

Humans can learn to make accurate movements when the required map between vision and motor commands changes, but can visuomotor maps obtained through experience with one limb benefit the other? Complete transfer would require new maps to be both fully compatible and accessible between limbs. However, when this question is addressed by providing subjects with rotated visual feedback during reaching, transfer is rarely apparent in the first few trials with the unpracticed limb and is sometimes absent altogether. Partial transfer might be explained by limited accessibility to remapped brain circuits, since critical visuomotor transformations mediating unilateral movements appear to be lateralized. Alternatively, if adaptation involves movement representations associated with both extrinsic (i.e., direction of motion in space) and intrinsic (i.e., joint or muscle based) frames of reference, new visuomotor maps might be incompatible with opposite limb use when visual distortions have opposite effects for the two limbs in intrinsic coordinates. Here we addressed this issue when subjects performed an isometric aiming task with the index finger. We manipulated the alignment of visuomotor distortion for the two hands in different reference frames by altering body posture relative to the orientation of the finger and the visual display. There was strong, immediate transfer of adaptation between limbs only when visuomotor distortion had identical effects in eye- and joint-based coordinates bilaterally. This implies that new visuomotor maps are encoded in neural circuits associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic movement representations and are available to both limbs.
Reprogramming Tumor-Infiltrating Dendritic Cells for CD103+CD8+ Mucosal T-cell Differentiation and Breast Cancer Rejection
Authors: Wu Te-Chia , Xu Kangling , Banchereau Romain , Marches Florentina , Yu Chun I. , Martinek Jan , Anguiano Esperanza , Pedroza-Gonzalez Alexander , Snipes G. Jackson , O'Shaughnessy Joyce , Nishimura Stephen , Liu Yong-Jun , Pascual Virginia , Banchereau Jacques , Oh Sangkon , Palucka Karolina
Published: March 2014

Our studies showed that tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells (DC) in breast cancer drive inflammatory Th2 (iTh2) cells and protumor inflammation. Here, we show that intratumoral delivery of the β-glucan curdlan, a ligand of dectin-1, blocks the generation of iTh2 cells and prevents breast cancer progression in vivo. Curdlan reprograms tumor-infiltrating DCs via the ligation of dectin-1, enabling the DCs to become resistant to cancer-derived thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), to produce IL-12p70, and to favor the generation of Th1 cells. DCs activated via dectin-1, but not those activated with TLR-7/8 ligand or poly I:C, induce CD8+ T cells to express CD103 (αE integrin), a ligand for cancer cells, E-cadherin. Generation of these mucosal CD8+ T cells is regulated by DC-derived integrin αvβ8 and TGF-β activation in a dectin-1–dependent fashion. These CD103+CD8+ mucosal T cells accumulate in the tumors, thereby increasing cancer necrosis and inhibiting cancer progression in vivo in a humanized mouse model of breast cancer. Importantly, CD103+CD8+ mucosal T cells elicited by reprogrammed DCs can reject established cancer. Thus, reprogramming tumor-infiltrating DCs represents a new strategy for cancer rejection. Cancer Immunol Res; 2(5); 487–500. ©2014 AACR.