bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Ambulatory Medical Care in Hypertension Screening
Authors: Cypress Beulah K.
Published: December 2011

Data from the 1975-1976 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics were examined retrospectively to determine the extent to which blood pressure was measured during visits to office-based physicians in the conterminous United States. Blood pressure was more often measured for females (especially black) than for males although males (especially black) in certain age groups had a higher prevalence of hypertension and comprised the higher proportion of undiagnosed hypertensives. Blood pressure measurement increased with age, but was rarely measured for those under 15 years of age. Blood pressure was measured about 79 per cent of the time when hypertension was present but only 30 per cent of the time when hypertension was absent. When diseases shown to be frequently concomitant with hypertension were diagnosed in the absence of hypertension, blood pressure checks ranged from 24 per cent of visits diagnosed neuroses to 66 per cent diagnosed obesity. Blood pressure was measured during about 12 per cent of visits for diseases of the nervous system and sense organs as well as diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue; 24 per cent of visits for infective and parasitic diseases, diseases of the respiratory system, and mental disorders. Blood pressure was measured most often when diagnoses were in the categories of diseases of the circulatory system and endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases. Opportunities for blood pressure measurement during routine visits did not appear to be fully utilized, nor did some specialists take frequent blood pressure measurements. (Am. J. Public Health 69:19-24, 1979.)
Effects of restricted public funding for legal abortions: a second look.
Authors: Selik R M , Cates W , Tyler C W
Published: December 2011

At hospitals in three cities where public funding for legal abortions had been restricted, we reviewed the records of women with complications of all types of abortions. We compared the number of complications in the year before funding restriction with the number in the following year, during restriction. For complications of illegal and spontaneous abortions, we found no significant change in either the number or proportion of publicly funded hospitalizations. For complications of legal abortions, we found a decrease in both the number and proportion of publicly funded hospitalizations. For poor women, it appears that restriction of public funding for legal abortions has not markedly increased the number of illegal abortions, but has reduced the number of legal abortions, especially those at later gestational ages, which would have cost more and been at greater risk of complications.
The incidence of treated end stage renal disease in the eastern United States: 1973-1979.
Authors: Sugimoto T , Rosansky S J
Published: December 2011

Incidence rates of treated end stage renal disease (ESRD) by age, sex, race, and reported primary etiology were analyzed for 20 contiguous Eastern States for the period 1973-1979. For White males and females rates have stabilized at 60 and 40 per million person-years, respectively, since 1977. The incidence rates for Blacks (125 per million person-years in males, and 100 in females in 1979), for hypertensive and diabetic nephropathy patients, and for the 65+ age group continue to increase. Higher incidence rates in males were noted for both races during the entire study period. Blacks had twice as high an incidence of treated ESRD as Whites, primarily due to hypertensive and diabetic nephropathy patients (7 and 2.5 times higher, respectively).
Consumption of coffee or tea and symptoms of anxiety.
Authors: Eaton W W , McLeod J
Published: December 2011

The relationship of consumption of coffee or tea to self-reported symptoms of anxiety is examined with data from the detailed examination component of the National Center for Health Statistics Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among this nationwide sample of 3,854 respondents, there was no significant association between consumption of coffee or tea and symptoms of anxiety.
Influence of a sedentary lifestyle on self-reported mental health status among community-dwelling older adults with depression: Implications for secondary prevention efforts
Authors: Dickerson Justin B. , Lee Smith Matthew , Ory Marcia G.
Published: December 2011

The relationship between sedentary behavior and mental health is documented in the primary prevention literature in the context of mental illnesses such as depression. However, these relationships have not been studied to the same extent for secondary prevention efforts, especially among at risk communitydwelling older adults. The Brazos Valley Health Assessment was administered to nearly 4000 adults. Respondents self-reported disease status, lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity and nutrition habits, perceptions of physical and mental health, and socio-demographics. The selection criteria for inclusion in our study sample were being at least 55 years old and having been diagnosed with depression by a healthcare provider. This criterion resulted in a sample of 545. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the association between number of the past 30 days where mental health days were not good and sedentary behaviors such as time spent watching television and time spent using a computer. For each day per week respondents did not engage in at least 10 min of moderate physical activity (such as fast walking) relative to their peers, they were 5% less likely to report positive mental health (IRR=0.95, P=0.036). For each additional hour per day respondents spent watching television relative to their peers, they were 12% more likely to report poorer mental health (IRR=1.12, P=0.033). Secondary prevention efforts should recognize the influence of sedentary behaviors and emphasize similar interventions used for primary prevention of depression.
Modified Gap Arthroplasty and Myrhaug's Incision as a Treatment Option in Management of Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis: A Study of 10 Cases
Authors: Gupta Shalini , Agarwal Arvind , Ruparelia Brijesh , Kubawat Ajay , Patel Sandeep
Published: December 2011

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of modified gap arthroplasty procedure and modified Myrhaug's preauricular incision for treating bony temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis.

Materials and methods

A total of 10 cases were included in the study with Sawhney's type III and IV TMJ ankylosis. Study consisted of 6 males and 4 females. Three cases were treated for bilateral ankylosis and 7 were treated for unilateral ankylosis. All the patients were treated with modified gap arthroplasty and modified Myrhaug's incision was used. In this modification, osteotomy cuts were modified in such a way that coronoid process was also removed simultaneously along with the osteotomized ankylosed mass in one piece.

Results

All the patients were followed up for 5 years and none of them presented with recurrence. Two patients had transient paresis to zygomatic and temporal branch of facial nerve and none had permanent damage to the nerve. Seven patients had mouth opening more than 25 mm (p) when followed for 5 years. Anterior open bite was seen in 4 patients and deviation of the jaw on ipsilateral side was noted in 2 patients.

Conclusion

Modified gap arthroplasty gave successful results in the follow-up period and eliminated the need of separate coronoidectomy. Use of modified Myrhaug's preauricular approach, provided excellent visibility particularly of the elongated coronoid process, minimized bleeding, prevented damage to the vital anatomical structures surrounding the joint and gave acceptable cosmetic results.

Clinical significance

The modified incision has been found to be reducing intra- and postoperative morbidity as well as provides excellent accessibility. The modified osteotomy technique eliminated the need for separate coronoidectomy thus significantly reducing the operating time.

How to cite this article

Agarwal A, Ruparelia B, Kubawat A, Patel S, Gupta S. Modified Gap Arthroplasty and Myrhaug's Incision as a Treatment Option in Management of Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis: A Study of 10 Cases. J Contemp Dent Pract 2011;12(4):295-300.
Revolution in the Countryside: Russian Poland, 1905-1906
Authors: Lewis Richard D.
Published: December 2011

Revolution broke out in the Russian Empire in early 1905 and quickly encompassed both the Russian core and the national minority areas along the empire's borders. Strategically located on Russia's most western flank, the Kingdom of Poland witnessed intense revolutionary activity-- in the cities and in the countryside. The outlines of urban events in Russian Poland in the Revolution of 1905 are quite well-known, those of the rural areas less so. The purpose of this essay is to discover what was revolutionary about events in the Polish countryside in the years 1905-1906--· and what was not.
Voluntary Associations and the Russian Autocracy: The Case of Private Charity
Authors: Lindenmeyr Adele
Published: December 2011

Among the most striking manifestations of the rapid social changes taking place now in the Soviet Union under Gorbachev is the reemergence, after decades of apparent extinction, of genuine voluntary associations, including organized charity. There has never been a better time to explore the history of these phenomena, which are often overlooked in studies of pre-revolutionary Russia. An examination of the tsarist government's policy towards voluntarism, focusing not on politically challenging movements but on charity, can shed much light on the history of the relationship between the state and voluntary public initiative. While the autocracy's suspicion of voluntarism waxed and waned from the eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries, an underlying and highly significant trend can be discerned. Like the sorcerer's apprentice, the autocracy ended up losing effective control over the voluntarism it had initially, beginning with Catherine II, encouraged Russian society to embrace.
The Rule of Law and Russian Military Reform: The Role of Soldiers' Mothers in Russian Society
Authors: Vallance Brenda
Published: December 2011

Russian journals and newspapers today are filled with discussions about the need to reform the military, and this issue continues to be a subject debated in elections, headlined in the front pages of leading papers, and addressed in presidential speeches. It is not a new discussion, however, but the continuation of discussions and debates that began as early as 1987. At that time articles increasingly critical of the military began to appear in all types of Soviet journals and newspapers, with both civilian and military experts analyzing what needed to be done to make the military a democratic institution. Yet little progress has been made in military reform. Clearly, the upheavals of a state in transition from communism and the concomitant instability contributed to a basic neglect of the military. At the same time, one would think that the continual call for military reform over the last ten years, often voiced at the highest levels, would have elicited some reform action. Certainly there are people with enough power in Russia today, especially given the strong presidential system, to order military reform. Yet it has not happened. Given this lack of action, the intent of this essay is to ask, Who, finally will reform the Russian military?
The Russian Regions: A Bibliography
Authors: Löwenhardt John , White Stephen
Published: December 2011

Not long ago scholars had little access to information about the Russian regions. In Soviet times, a handful of studies had dealt with regional and local government within the Soviet state, but the lack of accessibility of the oblasti, kraia, and avtonomnye respubliki made the empirical base for such studies rather flimsy. Local newspapers, as former Sovietologists remember well, could not be exported, and a trip to Saratov or Vladivostok to interview the party bosses on the details of decision- making in the provincial party bureau was not likely to yield dividends. Our view of politics and society in the USSR, as a result, was pretty much limited to what went on within the “Garden Ring” of Moscow. Up to the end of Soviet rule, Merle Fainsod’s seminal study of provincial life in the 1930s, based on the Smolensk Party Archives captured by German troops in 1941, stood more or less alone.
Popular Culture, Identity, and Soviet Youth in Dniepropetrovsk, 1959–84
Authors: Zhuk Sergei I.
Published: December 2011

This paper explores the connections between cultural consumption, ideology, and identity formation in one particular city of the Soviet Ukraine during the Brezhnev era before perestroika. This industrial city, Dniepropetrovsk, was closed to foreigner visits by the KGB in 1959 because it became the location for one of the biggest missile factories in the Soviet Union. Given its closed, sheltered existence, Dniepropetrovsk became a unique Soviet social and cultural laboratory in which various patterns of late socialism collided with the new Western cultural infl uences. Using archival documents, periodicals, personal diaries and interviews as historical sources, this paper focuses on how various aspects of cultural consumption (reading books, listening and dancing to Western music) among the youth of the Soviet “closed city” contributed to various forms of cultural identifi cation, which eventually became elements of post-Soviet Ukrainian national identity.
What is the “West”? Nationalism, Cosmopolitanism, and the “West” in Early Twentieth-Century Serbian Culture
Authors: Milutinovic Zoran
Published: December 2011

The study reinterprets the confl ict between Jovan Skerlić (1877–1914), a literary historian, social-democrat politician, staunch advocate of the Europeanization of Serbia, one of the most infl uential public intellectuals of his time, generally considered to be the “apostle of the West,” and Isidora Sekulić (1877–1958), a writer, who despite the modernist poetics of her works, is regarded as a belated exponent of national Romanticism. The interpretation of their works, focused on their respective constructions of the “West” and “Europe” on the eve of the First World War, reveals how unstable and shifting are the conceptual frames in which conventional interpretations of nationalist and “Westernizer” positions are carried out. The study argues that the stability which the “pro-” and “anti- Western” positions have in the Cold War context cannot be transferred to an analysis of early twentieth-century East European culture. Despite their clash, neither Skerlić nor Sekulić can be branded as either Westernizers or nationalists. The study aims to analyze the position occupied by both of them—in addition to many other East European intellectuals and politicians of the same period—and suggest “cosmopolitan nationalism” as its name.
Multifunctionality of poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofiber webs containing titanium dioxide
Authors: Lee Kyung , Lee Seungsin
Published: December 2011

We prepared titanium dioxide/PVA nanocomposite fiber webs for application in multifunctional textiles by electrospinning. The morphological properties of the TiO2/PVA nanocomposite fibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Layered fabric systems with electrospun TiO2 nanocomposite fiber webs were developed using various concentrations of TiO2 and a range of web area densities, and then the UV‐protective properties, antibacterial functions, formaldehyde decomposition ability, and ammonia deodorization efficiency of the fabric systems were assessed. Layered fabric systems with TiO2 nanocomposite fiber webs containing 2 wt% TiO2 nanoparticles at 3.0 g m−2 web area density exhibited an ultraviolet protection factor of greater than 50, indicating excellent UV protection. The same system showed a 99.3% reduction in Staphylococcus aureus. Layered fabric systems with TiO2 nanocomposite fiber webs containing 3 wt % TiO2 nanoparticles at 3.0 g m−2 web area density exhibited a 85.3% reduction in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Titanium dioxide nanocomposite fiber webs containing 3 wt % TiO2 nanoparticles at 3.0 g m−2 web area density exhibited a formaldehyde decomposition efficiency of 40% after 2 h, 60% after 4 h, and 80% after 15 h under UV irradiation. The same system showed an ammonia deodorization efficiency of 32.2% under UV irradiation for 2 h. These results demonstrate that TiO2 nanocomposite fibers can be used to produce advanced textile materials with multifunctional properties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Dry adhesion of polythiophene nanotube arrays with drag‐induced direction dependence
Authors: Huang Cancan , Sheng Kaixuan , Qu Liangti , Shi Gaoquan
Published: December 2011

Polythiophene (Pth) bilayer films each consists of a nanotube layer and a compact layer had been prepared by electrochemical polymerization and using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as template. The films were treated by mechanical polishing and freeze drying to improve the degree of orientation of nanotubes and their surface smoothness. A treated Pth bilayer film can adhere strongly on glass with its nanotube surface by applying a dragging preload. The applied dragging preload caused the original vertically aligned Pth nanotube array to tilt opposite to the direction of preload, which induced a superstrong shear adhesion force of up to 144 ± 30 N cm−2 for the film with a tube length of 26 μm as the film was dragged along the direction of preload. However, the shear adhesion force opposite to the direction of dragging preload was relatively low (44 ± 17 N cm−2). The direction‐dependent force management of Pth bilayer films is quite similar to that gecko does, indicating the potential for developing advanced adhesive systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Evaluation of the efficiency of silicone polyether additives as antifoams in crude oil
Authors: Fraga Assis K. , Santos Raquel F. , Mansur Claudia R. E.
Published: December 2011

It is common for crude oil from wells to be accompanied by gas and water because of the presence of natural surfactants in the oil that stabilize the associated water. This causes foaming during processing in gas/oil separators because of the constant agitation and shear forces, which reduce the efficiency of the process and require chemical control by the addition of defoaming additives, or antifoams. In this work, we evaluated the chemical and physicochemical properties of commercial antifoam products based on silicone polyethers along with their efficiency in inhibiting foaming and water/oil (W/O) phase separation. The commercial surfactants were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, determination of solubility in different solvents, and measurement of the surface and interfacial tensions. A method to test the formation of foam in oil was used to mimic the operating conditions in gas/oil separators. Finally, tests were performed with the addition of aliquots of the additive solutions (30% p/v) in oil to evaluate their efficiency in breaking up the foam under different conditions. The results show that the most polar additive (SL2) was the most efficient in breaking up the foam. Additive SP1, which formed a heterogeneous phase in the oil, was also an efficient foam inhibitor and helped to separate these phases. The antifoam tests showed that these additives did not stabilize W/O emulsions, so they could be used in gravitational separation tanks in the field. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Mechanochemical synthesis and characterization of poly(2,5‐dimethoxy aniline) salts
Authors: Palaniappan Subramanian , Chang Yu‐Tsern , Liu Chung‐Ming , Manisankar Paramasivam
Published: December 2011

The interfacial interaction and orientation of molecules during the polymerization process plays a vital role in the enhancement of the surface properties of conducting polymers. In this perspective, a solid‐phase mechanochemical route is employed to prepare poly(2,5‐dimethoxy aniline) (PDMA) and its salts with superior properties. Various studies performed on the as‐prepared polymer highlights the formation of polymeric particles with excellent physicochemical properties. Elemental analysis showed the presence of dopants anion in the polymeric backbone. Spectroscopic profile of PDMAs revealed the formation of emeraldine form of PDMAs. Moreover, these studies indicate the formation of PDMA‐HCl in a highly doped state. The surface morphological pictures of PDMAs revealed the formation of aggregated microstructured to nanostructured particulates. X‐ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry were used to evaluate the physicochemical properties of PDMAs. PDMA salts exhibited crystalline behavior and good electrochemical activity. TG/DTA analysis showed that all the PDMAs were thermally stable up to 240°C. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Alarmins S100A8 and S100A9 elicit a catabolic effect in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes that is dependent on Toll‐like receptor 4
Authors: Schelbergen Rik F. P. , Blom Arjen B. , van den Bosch Martijn H. J. , Slöetjes Annet , Abdollahi‐Roodsaz Shahla , Schreurs B. Wim , Mort John S. , Vogl Thomas , Roth Johannes , van den Berg Wim B. , van Lent Peter L. E. M.
Published: December 2011

Objective

S100A8 and S100A9 are two Ca2+ binding proteins classified as damage‐associated molecular patterns or alarmins that are found in high amounts in the synovial fluid of osteoarthritis (OA) patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether S100A8 and/or S100A9 can interact with chondrocytes from OA patients to increase catabolic mediators.

Methods

Using immunohistochemistry, we stained for S100A8 and S100A9 protein, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and a cartilage‐breakdown epitope specific for MMPs (VDIPEN) in cartilage from OA donors. Isolated chondrocytes or explants from OA and non‐OA donors were stimulated with S100A8 and/or S100A9. Messenger RNA and protein levels of MMPs, cytokines, and cartilage matrix molecules were determined with quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and Luminex techniques, respectively. For receptor blocking studies, specific inhibitors for Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR‐4), receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), and carboxylated glycans were used.

Results

In cartilage from OA patients, the expression of S100A8 and S100A9 protein close to chondrocytes was associated with proteoglycan depletion and expression of MMP‐1, MMP‐3, and VDIPEN. Stimulation of chondrocytes with S100A8 and S100A9 caused a strong up‐regulation of catabolic markers (MMPs 1, 3, 9, and 13, interleukin‐6 [IL‐6], IL‐8, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1) and down‐regulation of anabolic markers (aggrecan and type II collagen), thereby favoring cartilage breakdown. Blocking TLR‐4, but not carboxylated glycans or RAGE, inhibited the S100 effect. The catabolic S100 effect was significantly more pronounced in chondrocytes from OA patients as compared to those from non‐OA patients, possibly due to higher TLR‐4 expression.

Conclusion

S100A8 and S100A9 have a catabolic effect on human chondrocytes that is TLR‐4 dependent. OA chondrocytes are more sensitive than normal chondrocytes to S100 stimulation.
Interlaboratory Study Comparison of the 15‐Day Intact Adult Male Rat Screening Assay: Evaluation of an Antithyroid Chemical and a Negative Control Chemical
Authors: Becker Richard A. , Bergfelt Don R. , Borghoff Susan , Davis Jeffrey P. , Hamby Bonnie T. , O'Connor John C. , Kaplan A. Michael , Sloan Carol S. , Tyl Rochelle W. , Wade Michael , Marty Mary Sue
Published: December 2011

Validation of the 15‐day intact adult male rat screening assay (IAMRSA), an endocrine activity screen, was extended beyond the 28 substances evaluated to date. Two independent laboratories evaluated specificity using allyl alcohol (AA), a putative negative control, and DE‐71 (technical grade pentabromodiphenyl ether) for comparison with previous pubertal assays that demonstrated thyroid effects. Male rats (15/group) were gavaged daily with AA (0, 10, 30, or 40 mg/kg/day) or DE‐71 (0, 3, 30, or 60 mg/kg/day) for 15 days. Body and organ weights and serum hormone concentrations were measured, and a limited histopathological assessment was conducted. AA results were considered negative at doses that did not exceed the maximum tolerated dose (MTD); effects reported were dose‐related decreases in weight gain, increased liver weights and, although the pattern varied across studies, alterations in some androgen‐sensitive endpoints in the high‐dose where the maximum tolerated dose was exceeded. In the DE‐71 studies, dose‐dependent increases in liver weights (consistent with hepatic enzyme induction), decreases in tri‐iodothyronine and thyroxine, concomitant thyroid stimulating hormone increases were observed and one laboratory reported histopathological thyroid changes in mid‐ and high‐dose groups, and the other increased thyroid weights. For DE‐71, the IAMRSA was comparable in sensitivity to the pubertal assays. Overall, the specificity and sensitivity of the IAMRSA for deployment in an endocrine screening battery are supported. However, differentiating primary endocrine‐mediated effects from secondary effects caused by systemic toxicity will be challenging, emphasizing the need to utilize a battery of assays and a weight of evidence approach when evaluating the potential endocrine activity of chemicals.
Retinoic Acid Signaling Regulates Sonic Hedgehog and Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signalings During Genital Tubercle Development
Authors: Liu Liqing , Suzuki Kentaro , Nakagata Naomi , Mihara Kenichiro , Matsumaru Daisuke , Ogino Yukiko , Yashiro Kenta , Hamada Hiroshi , Liu Zhonghua , Evans Sylvia M. , Mendelsohn Cathy , Yamada Gen
Published: December 2011

Retinoic acid (RA) plays pivotal roles in organogenesis, and both excessive and reduced amounts of RA cause developmental abnormalities. Reproductive organs are susceptible to teratogen toxigenicity, and the genital tubercle (GT) is one such representative organ. The physiological function of endogenous RA signaling and the mechanisms of RA‐induced teratogenicity are poorly understood during the GT development. The objective of this study is to understand the developmental and teratogenic roles of RA during GT development by analyzing genetically modified mouse models. We found dynamic patterns of gene expression for the RA‐synthesizing enzyme, Raldh2, and for the RA‐catabolizing enzyme, Cyp26b1, during GT development. Rarb, an indicator gene for RA signaling, starts its expression in the prospective corpus cavernosum penis and in the urethral plate epithelium (UE), which plays central roles during GT development. Excessive RA signaling in Cyp26b1−/− mutants leads to abnormal extents of cell proliferation and differentiation during GT development, and also upregulates expression of growth factor signalings. They include Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling and Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling, which are expressed in the UE and its bilateral mesenchyme. RA signaling positively regulatesShh and Bmp4 expression during GT development as testified also by the experiment of RA administration and analyses of loss–of‐function of RA signaling mutants. Thus, RA signaling is involved in the developmental cascade necessary for UE formation and GT development.
The Development of Domino Reactions Incorporating the Heck Reaction: The Formation of N‐Heterocycles
Authors: Rixson James E. , Chaloner Thomas , Heath Charles H. , Tietze Lutz F. , Stewart Scott G.
Published: December 2011

The methodological development of a series of domino or cascade reactions affording a series of N‐heterocycles is described. The rapid formation of these ring systems is in each case associated with the incorporation of a Heck reaction at either an early or a late stage of the domino process. A range of catalytic conditions and substrate modifications for optimisation of domino Tsuji–Trost/Heck, Buchwald–Hartwig/Heck and Heck/carbopalladation reaction sequences are reported.
Assisted activated carbon‐microwave degradation of the sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate by nano‐ or micro‐Fe3O4 and comparison of their catalytic activity
Authors: Zhang Zhaohong , Xu Yao , Shen Manli , Dionysiou Dionysios D. , Wu Dan , Chen Zhonglin , Li Fangyi , Liu Danni , Zhang Fengqiu
Published: December 2011

An improved method of the integration of activated carbon‐microwave (AC/MW) system with magnetic material such as nano‐ or micro‐Fe3O4 is proposed. A series of experiments to study the Fe3O4 assisted AC/MW (Fe3O4/AC/MW) degradation of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), as a model organic contaminant, was performed. The catalytic activities of nano‐Fe3O4/AC and micro‐Fe3O4/AC under MW irradiation were also compared. Some influence factors like added amount of Fe3O4, MW irradiation time, initial SDBS concentration, solution acidity, and Fe3O4/AC dose on the degradation were assessed in detail. The results showed that the addition of Fe3O4 significantly promoted the AC/MW degradation and nano‐Fe3O4/AC displayed higher catalytic activity under MW irradiation. By comparison, the nano‐Fe3O4/AC/MW process exhibited many advantages including high degradation rate, short irradiation time, low cost, no residual intermediates, and no secondary pollution in application. Thus, it shows to be a promising technology for the destruction of organic contaminants in wastewater treatment applications. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 181‐186, 2013
Oxidative stress-related PMK-1 P38 MAPK activation as a mechanism for toxicity of silver nanoparticles to reproduction in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Lim Dongyoung , Roh Ji-yeon , Eom Hyun-jeong , Choi Jeong-Yun , Hyun JinWon , Choi Jinhee
Published: December 2011

In the present study, a toxic mechanism of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on the involvement of oxidative stress in reproduction toxicity. Initially, AgNPs were tested as potential oxidative stress inducers, and increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in AgNP-exposed C. elegans. Subsequently, the potential upstream signaling pathway activated in response to AgNP exposure was investigated, paying special attention to the C. elegans PMK-1 p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Increased PMK-1 p38 MAPK gene and protein expressions were observed in C. elegans exposed to AgNPs. Expression of the p38-dependent transcription factor genes and glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme activity was also investigated in wildtype (N2) and pmk-1 mutant (km25) C. elegans exposed to AgNPs. The results indicated that AgNP exposure led to increased ROS formation, increased expression of PMK-1 p38 MAPK and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1), GST enzyme activity, and decreased reproductive potential in wildtype (N2) C. elegans; whereas in the AgNP-exposed pmk-1 (km25) mutant, ROS formation and HIF-1 and GST activation were not observed, and decreased reproductive potential was rescued. These results suggest that oxidative stress is an important mechanism of AgNP-induced reproduction toxicity in C. elegans, and that PMK-1 p38 MAPK plays an important role in it. The results also suggest that GST and HIF-1 activation by AgNP exposure are PMK-1 p38 MAPK–dependent, and that both play an important role in the PMK-1 p38 MAPK-mediated defense pathway to AgNP exposure in C. elegans. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:585–592. © 2011 SETAC
Association of direct‐to‐consumer genome‐wide disease risk estimates and self‐reported disease
Authors: Bloss Cinnamon S. , Topol Eric J. , Schork Nicholas J.
Published: December 2011

The ongoing controversy surrounding direct‐to‐consumer (DTC) personal genomic tests intensified last year when the U.S. Government Accountability Office released results of an undercover investigation of four companies that offer such testing. Among their findings, they reported that some of their donors received DNA‐based predictions that conflicted with their actual medical histories. We aimed to more rigorously evaluate the relationship between DTC genomic risk estimates and self‐reported disease by leveraging data from the Scripps Genomic Health Initiative. We prospectively collected self‐reported personal and family health history data for 3,416 individuals, who went on to purchase a commercially available DTC genomic test. For 5 out of 15 total conditions studied, we found that risk estimates from the test were significantly associated with self‐reported family and/or personal health history. The five conditions included Graves' disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Lupus, Alzheimer's disease, and Restless Leg Syndrome. To further investigate these findings, we ranked each of the 15 conditions based on published heritability estimates and conducted post hoc power analyses, based on the number of individuals in our sample who reported significant histories of each condition. We found that high heritability, coupled with high prevalence in our sample and thus adequate statistical power, explained the pattern of associations observed. Our study represents one of the first evaluations of the relationship between risk estimates from a commercially available DTC personal genomic test and self‐reported health histories in the consumers of that test.Genet. Epidemiol. 36 : 66–70, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
DCE‐MRI of the human kidney using BLADE: A feasibility study in healthy volunteers
Authors: Lietzmann Florian , Zöllner Frank G. , Attenberger Ulrike I. , Haneder Stefan , Michaely Henrik J. , Schad Lothar R.
Published: December 2011

Purpose:

To evaluate the degree of motion compensation in the kidney using two different sampling methods, each in their optimized settings: A BLADE k‐space acquisition technique and a routinely used kidney perfusion acquisition scheme (TurboFLASH).

Materials and Methods:

Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance examinations were performed in 16 healthy volunteers on a 3 Tesla MR‐system with two parameterizations of the BLADE sequence and the standard reference acquisition scheme. Signal intensity enhanced time curves were analyzed with a mathematical model and a widely published separable compartment model on cortex regions to assess robustness versus motion artifacts.

Results:

BLADE‐measurements with a strip‐width of 32 lines constituted the smallest mean values for the sum of squared errors (6065 ± 4996) compared with the measurement with a strip‐width of 64 lines (13849 ± 14079) or the standard TurboFLASH (11884 ± 8076). Calculations concerning goodness of the fit of the applied compartment model yielded an overall average of the Akaike Fit Error of 732 ± 141 for BLADE (646 ± 149 for a strip‐width of 32 lines, 816 ± 53 for 64 lines) and 1626 ± 303 for the TurboFLASH (TFL) sequence.

Conclusion:

We demonstrated that renal dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using BLADE k‐space sampling with a strip‐width of 32 is significantly less sensitive to motion than a widely published Turbo‐Flash sequence with nearly similar parameters. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:868–874. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Imaging evidence of early brain tissue degeneration in patients with vanishing white matter disease: A multimodal MR study
Authors: Ding Xiao‐Qi , Bley Annette , Ohlenbusch Andreas , Kohlschütter Alfried , Fiehler Jens , Zhu Wenzhen , Lanfermann Heinrich
Published: December 2011

To find imaging signs of active degenerative processes in vanishing white matter disease (VWM), six VWM patients and six matched controls underwent MR examinations. The data were analyzed with modified Scheltens scales for morphological findings and determined quantitatively for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Single‐voxel MR spectra were acquired at the parietal white matter and analyzed with LCModel. Typical VWM brain lesions were found in all patients accompanied by proton diffusion abnormalities: Increased ADC appeared in brain regions with severe myelin destruction in all patients, and reduced ADC in two of six younger patients in remaining white matter adjacent to the lesions or at the borders around the lesions, who had a short history of the disease (≤ 1 year). The MR spectroscopy revealed reductions of NAA, Cho, and Cr, which correlate to the grade of white matter abnormalities. An increase of myo‐inositol as marker of reactive gliosis was missing. Thus, restricted proton diffusion was evident in younger VWM patients with short history of disease, which in combination with lack of reactive gliosis may reflect early white matter degeneration in VWM. The multimodal MR methods are useful for characterizing such tissue degeneration in brain in vivo. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:926–932. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Controlled release of drug via tuning electrospun polymer carrier
Authors: Song Xiaofeng , Gao Zhantuan , Ling Fengguang , Chen Xuesi
Published: December 2011

Medicated‐fibers have been obtained through electrospinning after rifampin was dissolved in poly (lactic acid)/chloroform solution. The relationship between polymer variables [such as concentration, molecular weight (Mw), and introducing hydrophilic block] and drug release from the electrospun fibers is disclosed. The results show that polymeric concentration and Mw are crucial for producing the medicated fibers, which influence not only the morphology of the medicated‐fiber but also drug release rate from fiber. At the same Mw, the drug release rate decreases with the increase of spinning concentration. At two different Mw blends, drug release behaviors change. When the low Mw content is in a dominant position, drug release rate depends largely on mixing ratio of two Mw contents; on the other hand, drug release rate is also dependent on concentration of spinning fluid. In addition, the block copolymer [poly‐L‐lactic acid (PLLA)‐polyethylene glycol‐PLLA] shows faster release rate as compared to homopolymer (PLLA). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011
The rise of self‐assembled monolayers for fabricating electrochemical biosensors—an interfacial perspective
Authors: Gooding J. Justin , Darwish Nadim
Published: December 2011

Electrochemical biosensors have witnessed a tremendous growth in nanotechnology and in depth characterisation over the last two decades. In particular, modification of surfaces with self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) has provided a molecular control of the interfaces, which has paved the way to fabricate improved biosensing devices. Here we focus on the important advances of using SAMs in enzyme electrodes and affinity biosensors such as for peptides, DNA and antibodies. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100013
Contactless conductivity detection for electrophoretic microseparation techniques
Authors: Mai Thanh Duc , Hauser Peter C.
Published: December 2011

The technique of capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection for electrophoretic separations is discussed. The position of the combination of the two techniques, which both rely on the control of the movement of ions in the electric field, is highlighted. A brief historical overview and an introduction into the fundamental mechanisms is also given, but this exploration focuses mainly on the unique aspects of the intimate interfacing between ionic conduction in the measuring cell and the electronic conduction in the electronic detector circuitry. The general scope of application of the method is discussed as well as the recently introduced use of hydrodynamic pumping, which is a special feature of capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity, not possible with the standard UV‐detection method. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100039
Ethanol production from alkali-treated rice straw via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using newly isolated thermotolerant Pichia kudriavzevii HOP-1
Authors: Oberoi Harinder Singh , Babbar Neha , Sandhu Simranjeet Kaur , Dhaliwal Sandeep Singh , Kaur Ujjal , Chadha B S , Bhargav Vinod Kumar
Published: December 2011

In this study, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) was employed to produce ethanol from 1% sodium hydroxide-treated rice straw in a thermostatically controlled glass reactor using 20 FPU gds−1 cellulase, 50 IU gds−1 β-glucosidase, 15 IU gds−1 pectinase and a newly isolated thermotolerant Pichia kudriavzevii HOP-1 strain. Scanning electron micrograph images showed that the size of the P. kudriavzevii cells ranged from 2.48 to 6.93 μm in diameter while the shape of the cells varied from oval, ellipsoidal to elongate. Pichia kudriavzevii cells showed extensive pseudohyphae formation after 5 days of growth and could assimilate sugars like glucose, sucrose, galactose, fructose, and mannose but the cells could not assimilate xylose, arabinose, cellobiose, raffinose, or trehalose. In addition, the yeast cells could tolerate up to 40% glucose and 5% NaCl concentrations but their growth was inhibited at 1% acetic acid and 0.01% cyclohexamide concentrations. Pichia kudriavzevii produced about 35 and 200% more ethanol than the conventional Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells at 40 and 45°C, respectively. About 94% glucan in alkali-treated rice straw was converted to glucose through enzymatic hydrolysis within 36 h. Ethanol concentration of 24.25 g l−1 corresponding to 82% theoretical yield on glucan basis and ethanol productivity of 1.10 g l−1 h−1 achieved using P. kudriavzevii during SSF hold promise for scale-up studies. An insignificant amount of glycerol and no xylitol was produced during SSF. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting ethanol production from any lignocellulosic biomass using P. kudriavzevii.
Forced Termination of American Clergy: Its Effects and Connection to Negative Well-Being
Authors: Tanner Marcus N. , Zvonkovic Anisa M. , Adams Charlie
Published: December 2011

Forced termination of clergy involves constant negativity found in personal attacks and criticism from a small congregational faction. The minister feels psychologically pressured to step down from the ministry position and this process is often demeaning to the emotional and physical well-being of the minister. The prevalence of forced termination among clergy has ranged from 25% among many denominations to 41% among Assemblies of God ministers. Forced termination and its effects are serious problems that have yet to be adequately addressed by scholars in social science research. The lack of scholarly research in this area called for a large national study from a reputable research institution. This online study shows that 28% of ministers among 39 denominations experienced a forced termination. Forced termination was associated with high levels of depression, stress, and physical health problems. Forced termination was also associated with low levels of self-efficacy, and self-esteem.
A review of control methods and resistance mechanisms in stored-product insects
Authors: Boyer S. , Zhang H. , Lempérière G.
Published: December 2011

This review describes the major stored-product insect species and their resistance to insecticides. The economic importance of the control of those pests is highlighted with a loss of more than one billion US dollars per year worldwide. A detailed common description of species resistance throughout the world has been developed, and we observed 28 recurrent studied species involved in resistance cases disseminated on the five continents. The different mechanisms, including behavioral resistance, were studied particularly onOryzaephilus surinamensis. The role of detoxifying enzymes and studies on the genetic resistance, involving thekdrmutation mechanisms and the transmission of the genes of resistance, are also described. A chapter clarifying definitions on cross and multiple resistance is enclosed.
Dots and Lines in the South China Sea: Insights from the Law of Map Evidence
Authors: FRANCKX Erik , BENATAR Marco
Published: December 2011

On 7 May 2009, the People's Republic of China (PRC) protested Vietnamese and joint Malaysian-Vietnamese submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). In support of Chinese claims, a map was annexed to the letter of protest portraying a dotted U-shaped line engulfing the greater part of the South China Sea. Following a brief primer on the genesis of the U-line, this article aims to decipher the text of the protest letter accompanying the U-line, suggesting several possible interpretations. This contribution argues that the map is of doubtful probative value in the light of various factors fleshed out in international jurisprudence regarding map evidence. Attention will be paid to the reactions of third-party states to the U-line. This article maintains that effective protest on the part of regional states has prevented the map from becoming opposable to them.
A case study of upstream wave transmission to the ground at polar and low latitudes
Authors: Francia P. , Regi M. , De Lauretis M. , Villante U. , Pilipenko V. A.
Published: December 2011

In this study we analyzed a long‐duration ULF wave event detected on 18–19 February 2005 by Cluster satellites, upstream of the nose of the bow shock. The availability of simultaneous data from Geotail satellite, located in the foreshock region close to the dawn flank of the bow shock, allowed us to make a comparison between the observations at the two different sites. The results can be explained in terms of local wave generation, depending on the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field with respect to the local bow shock normal. In addition, simultaneous data from Polar satellite in the inner magnetosphere and from ground stations in the southern polar cap and at low latitude allowed us to investigate the transmission of the external waves through the magnetosphere up to the ground. The observations suggest different paths of transmission. Waves generated upstream of the bow shock nose directly transmit near the subsolar point, progressively propagate into the magnetosphere and, after conversion into field‐guided Alfven modes, reach the ground at high and low latitudes; waves generated on the flanks of the bow shock do not affect the subsolar magnetosphere, and consequently, there is no propagation along the closed field lines at both high and low latitudes. On the other hand, near the geomagnetic pole, the occurrence of pulsations can be related to the transmission across the magnetopause flanks of upstream waves, anywhere generated, as they are convected downstream by the solar wind; the compressional waves do not propagate deeply into the tail lobes but can couple to Alfven‐guided waves along the outermost field lines.