bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photoselective vaporization of the prostate: Outcome according to the prostate size in a series of 102 Japanese patients
Authors: Nomura Hiroyuki , Seki Narihito , Yamaguchi Akito , Naito Seiji
Published: November 2008

Objectives:  To identify the efficacy and safety of photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) in relation to the prostate size in subjects with benign prostatic enlargement.

Methods:  The prospective study included 102 Japanese patients who underwent PVP. The efficacy and morbidity following PVP were compared in groups classified according to the baseline prostate size: prostates <40 cm3 (group 1, n = 25), 40 cm3 ≤ prostates <80 cm3 (group 2, n = 53), and 80 cm3 ≤ prostates (group 3, n = 24). Each subgroup was assessed for the treatment efficacy in terms of peak urinary flow rate, post‐void residual urine volume, International Prostate Symptom Score, and quality‐of‐life score at 3, 6 and 12 months after PVP.

Results:  Except for a difference in International Prostate Symptom Score (group 2 vs 3) and peak urinary flow rate (groups 1 vs 3) at 6 months after PVP, no significant differences were observed among the groups in the level of improvement in each outcome variable. The efficacy of vaporization was significantly lower in group 1 (P < 0.05, group 1 vs 2 or 3). The hemoglobin loss after PVP did not differ substantially among the groups. No statistically significant difference was found among the three groups regarding the total incidence of adverse events.

Conclusions:  PVP appears to be a safe and effective treatment for benign prostatic enlargement, irrespective of the prostate size.
Preliminary findings from a new animal model for Peyronie’s disease involving extracorporeal shock waves
Authors: Andrade Enrico , Cortez Italo , Claro Joaquim , Pompeu Eduardo , Leite Katia , Paranhos Mario , Borra Priscila , Marmo Lucon Antonio , Srougi Miguel
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To develop an experimental model in rabbits to analyse the efficiency of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for Peyronie’s disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used 15 adult male rabbits divided into three equal groups. In group 1 (no penile ESWT) rabbits had three sessions of ESWT with 2000 shocks each (15 kV), but a rubber mat was placed between the shock head and rabbit to protect the penis; the rabbits were killed at 7 days after the last session of ESWT. In group 2 the rabbits had three sessions of ESWT using the same parameters, and were killed immediately after the last session to analyse the penis. In group 3 the rabbits had three sessions of ESWT as before but were killed at 7 days after the last session, and the penile tissue analysed macroscopically and histologically.

RESULTS

The results showed clearly that the model was efficient, creating a similar situation to that when applying ESWT in the human penis. All of the rabbits in groups 2 and 3 had haematomas and diffuse petechiae after ESWT, and only four had urethral and penile bleeding. Almost all macroscopic changes disappeared after 48 h and only one rabbit in group 3 after 7 days had a haematoma on the dorsal penile surface. The histology (assessed using haematoxylin and eosin staining) of the cavernous body of the penis showed: unchanged histology in group 1; in group 2 there was a dilated and congested vascular space in the cavernous body, with interstitial extensive bleeding in the dermis; and in group 3 there was an increase in interstitial fibrous tissue in the cavernous septum, with deposition of collagen fibres and thickening of the tunica albuginea.

CONCLUSION

The present model was efficient in producing tissue injury in the normal penis when treated with ESWT, suggesting that this promising model should be considered for use future studies of Peyronie’s disease.
The effect of intravesical electrical stimulation on bladder function and synaptic neurotransmission in the rat spinal cord after spinal cord injury
Authors: Hong Chang Hee , Lee Hye‐young , Jin Mei Hua , Noh Ji Yeun , Lee Bong Hee , Han Sang Won
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of intravesical electrical stimulation (IVES) on bladder function and synaptic neurotransmission in the lumbosacral spinal cord in the spinalized rat, as the clinical benefits of IVES in patients with increased residual urine or reduced bladder capacity have been reported but studies on the mechanism of IVES have mainly focused on bladder Aδ afferents in central nervous system‐intact rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In all, 30 female Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided equally into three groups: normal control rats, sham‐stimulated spinalized rats and IVES‐treated spinalized rats. IVES was started 5 weeks after spinal cord injury (SCI) and was performed 20 min a day for 5 consecutive days. At 7 days after IVES, conscious filling cystometry was performed. Sections from the L6 and S1 spinal cord segments were examined for n‐methyl‐d‐aspartic acid receptor 1 (NMDAR1) subunit and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunoactivity.

RESULTS

In IVES‐treated spinalized rats, the number and maximal pressure of nonvoiding detrusor contractions were significantly less than in sham‐stimulated spinalized rats. The mean maximal voiding pressure was also lower in IVES‐treated than in sham‐stimulated spinalized rats. IVES significantly reduced the interval between voiding contractions compared with the untreated spinalized rats. There was an overall increase in NMDAR1 immunoactivity after SCI, which was significantly lower in IVES‐treated spinalized rats. Immunoactivity of GABA after SCI was significantly lower than in the control group and was significantly higher in IVES‐treated spinalized rats.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that IVES might affect voiding contractions in addition to inhibiting C‐fibre activity and that IVES seems to have a more complex effect on the bladder control pathway. For synaptic neurotransmission in the spinal cord, IVES could possibly shift the balance between excitation and inhibition towards inhibition.
Face‐specific binding of prothrombin fragment 1 and human serum albumin to inorganic and urinary calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals
Authors: Cook Alison F. , Grover Phulwinder K. , Ryall Rosemary L.
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVE

To compare the intracrystalline distributions of prothrombin fragment 1 (PTF1) and human serum albumin (HSA) within inorganic and urinary calcium oxalate (CaOx) monohydrate (COM) crystals and to determine whether binding of PTF1 can be explained by interactions between particular γ‐carboxyglutamic (Gla) residues and atomic arrays on individual faces of the COM crystal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

COM crystals were precipitated from inorganic solutions and ultrafiltered urine containing fluorescent HSA or PTF1 at different relative concentrations and examined by fluorescence microscopy. Accelrys Materials Studio and Discovery Studio were used to model the binding of PTF1 to the top, side and apical faces of the COM crystal.

RESULTS

PTF1 alone always adsorbed predominantly to the COM apical surfaces, while HSA bound principally to the side faces under inorganic conditions, but to the apical faces in urine. In the presence of each other, both proteins competed for adsorption to the apical faces, with attachment of PTF1 dominating over that of HSA. Modelling showed that urinary PTF1 had equal theoretical bonding potential for all three COM surfaces.

CONCLUSIONS

(i) Anisotropic inclusion of HSA and PTF1 into urinary and inorganic COM crystals results from their preferential binding to specific COM faces; (ii) the binding preference of HSA differs under inorganic and urinary conditions; (iii) preferential binding of PTF1 to the apical faces of COM is more complex than can be explained by interactions between Gla groups and surface atomic arrays; (iv) future studies of interactions between urinary proteins and stone mineral crystal surfaces should be performed in urine.
What is a Doctorate? Changing Meanings and Practices in Communication Sciences in Switzerland
Authors: PROBST CAROLE , LEPORI BENEDETTO
Published: November 2008

In this article, we analyse the organisation of the doctorate in communication sciences in the context of the overall discussion on the changing organisation of doctoral studies in Switzerland. We focus on three tensions which appear central for the field, namely the employment status of doctoral students, the importance of academic vs. professional training and, finally, the organisation of doctoral studies and the possibilities and difficulties in the introduction of a graduate school model. Our results show that in this field the doctorate has to be considered more as an orientation period, where professional and academic training coexist and where there is an extremely high diversity of objectives, activities and organisation forms, both between universities and individual students. This model is surprisingly well adapted to the situation of a field characterised by high internal diversity, rather low research intensity and strong orientation to application. Reforms like the introduction of graduate schools or the reinforcement of academic training have thus to be implemented with some care.
The Rise of the Information Society amongst European Academics
Authors: SALAJAN FLORIN D.
Published: November 2008

This study investigates the information society discourse in the European Union in relation to the European Commission's eLearning programmes, based on selected academics' conceptualisation of the term. It reveals a mixed picture of the perceptions that academics have of the information society in their respective countries. The findings indicate a convergence of these perceptions with the indicators of a presumed information society in various quantitative studies. This study considers that an integrated European Information Society, promoted by the European Commission partly through its eLearning programmes, is a concept destined to remain a motivational instrument for driving ICT policies throughout Europe.
Research and the Universities’ Image
Authors: SANTIAGO RUI , CARVALHO TERESA , RELVA ROSÁRIO
Published: November 2008

Traditionally, and from a Humboltian perspective, research was conceived as an important part of the tripartite mission of universities, with teaching and services to the community being the other two. The traditional idea of universities as cultural and social institutions is increasingly being replaced by another: the entrepreneurial, capitalist or, even, industrial university. In the new university, research also changes in line with the economic instrumentality of higher education. In this article, we shall analyse if these new ideas were institutionalised in Portuguese public universities. To do this, we analyse the way in which research is signified in communication processes by analysing the content of universities' websites. In the main webpages, the dominant implicit social meaning of research seems to be a traditional one. However, a more specific analysis reveals the presence of entrepreneurial elements. In Portuguese public universities, creating and commercialising intellectual property could be an institutional objective, but it was not used in the web communication as such. One could say that, despite the New Public Management influences on universities, the idea of research as an entrepreneurial issue was not yet completely institutionalised and, consequently, communication tools such as websites showed hybrid meanings of research.
Rapid Reform and Unfinished Business: the development of education in independent Latvia 1991–2007
Authors: KANGRO ANDRIS , JAMES DAVID
Published: November 2008

Education in Latvia has changed a great deal in the last 15 years. The development of an independent and democratic state system has creatively combined elements of foreign experience and influence with the enrichment and further development of features of the earlier Latvian system. This article outlines the main steps in this process of change and then goes on to argue that there is still much to be done: firstly, to consolidate and secure the developments to date, and secondly, to enable a successful functioning within the EU in a rapidly changing wider context.
Applying the ECTS System to the Childhood Education Teaching Degree in Andalusia
Authors: SERRANO ROSARIO MÉRIDA , ROMERO JULIA ANGULO , DEL PINO CARMEN GIL
Published: November 2008

This article presents the research conducted as part of a Pilot Experiment regarding the application of the ECTS to the Childhood Education Teaching Degree taught at the University of Cordoba (Spain). It analyses the Experiment, which was carried out in the Education Faculty over the course of three academic years (2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07). The research questions were: (1) How much do the students taking part in the Pilot Experiment know about the different competences? (2) How much time do the students need to prepare each subject? and (3) What are the methodological skills used by lecturers as a means of improving autonomous learning? Several tools were used: Initial Student Assessment for the ECTS Pilot Experiment in Childhood Education, and three Likert Scales: a) Competence Assessment Scale for UCO's Childhood Education Teaching Degree, b) Competence Achievement Assessment Scale for UCO's Childhood Education Teaching Degree, c) Assessment Scale for Subject Methodology in relation to the Application of ECTS and the organisation of Focus Groups. The most important conclusions were: (1) The specific professional competences established in the educational profile of this degree course are very highly rated by the students; (2) According to the students, the workload for certain subjects, in terms of the number of hours devoted to them, is excessively high and not proportional to the number of credits they account for, and (3) There has been an acceptable level of exchange among teaching staff regarding the instruments and methodological strategies used to promote students' autonomous work.
When Does University Research Get Commercialized? Creating Ambidexterity in Research Institutions
Authors: Ambos Tina C. , Mäkelä Kristiina , Birkinshaw Julian , D'Este Pablo
Published: November 2008

abstract

We examine the tensions that make it difficult for a research‐oriented university to achieve commercial outcomes. Building on the organizational ambidexterity literature, we specify the nature of the tensions (between academic and commercially‐oriented activities) at both organizational and individual levels of analysis, and how these can be resolved. We develop hypotheses linking specific aspects of the organization and the individual researcher to the likelihood of their research projects generating commercial outcomes, and we test them using a novel dataset of 207 Research Council‐funded projects, combining objective data on project outcomes with the perceptions of principal investigators. We show that the tension between academic and commercial demands is more salient at the level of the individual researcher than at the level of the organization. Universities show evidence that they are able to manage the tensions between academic and commercial demands, through for example their creation of ‘dual structures’. At the individual level, on the other hand, the tensions are more acute, so that the people who deliver commercial outcomes tend to be rather different to those who are accustomed to producing academic outcomes.
Entry into Insular Domains: A Longitudinal Study of Knowledge Structuration and Innovation in Biotechnology Firms
Authors: George Gerard , Kotha Reddi , Zheng Yanfeng
Published: November 2008

abstract

We focus on the firm's decision to enter insular technology domains and its effect on the impact that its subsequent innovation has on the field. Insular domains are technical domains that rely heavily on prior innovations within the same domain for subsequent innovations. We show that the returns to entering insular domains vary with the firm's depth and breadth of knowledge. By analysing data from 128 biotechnology firms over a 20‐year period, we find that the relationship between depth of technological capabilities and technology impact is nuanced: depth is necessary but not sufficient for high impact innovation. Firms whose knowledge is spread over disparate domains have negative returns from entering insular domains. The implications of these findings for theories of innovation and the discovery of entrepreneurial opportunities are discussed.
Corporate Venture Capital, Disembodied Experimentation and Capability Development
Authors: Keil Thomas , Autio Erkko , George Gerard
Published: November 2008

abstract

Studies invoking a capabilities lens often ascribe deliberateness in organizational decisions to develop new capabilities. Drawing on five longitudinal case studies of large, global firms in the information and communication technology sector, we examine how firms engender cognizance of their future capability needs in situations characterized by high decision‐making uncertainty. We develop a theoretical account of how firms use investments in start‐ups to actively engage in experimentation outside organizational boundaries, a learning process which we term as disembodied experimentation. Disembodied experimentation creates awareness of voids in the capability base of an incumbent and helps to overcome inertial restraints thereby influencing the decision to invest in capability development. The relationship between learning from disembodied experimentation and the decision to develop capabilities is moderated by knowledge brokering functions and adaptation complexity.
Three generations of technology‐enhanced learning
Authors: Hakkarainen Kai
Published: November 2008

The purpose of the present paper was to examine three generations of research on technology‐mediated learning carried on by the present investigator's research group. The first generation focused on examining computer‐supported collaborative learning from the cognitive perspective. The main focus was to examine to what extent knowledge‐seeking inquiry elicited conceptual change. Problems of transferring inquiry learning culture from one country to another pushed us to examine social practices and other participatory aspects of learning that had been invisible to cognitive researchers. The second‐generation research focused on analyzing patterns of participation in computer‐supported collaborative learning. The emerging third generation research aims at overcoming the dichotomy between the cognitive (knowledge acquisition) perspective and socio‐cultural (participation) perspective by means of long‐standing and deliberate efforts of knowledge‐creation, involving what is calledobjects of activity. Theoretical and methodological implications of the generations are discussed.
Continuities and Discontinuities in Children and Scholarship
Authors: Liben Lynn S.
Published: November 2008

This article introduces a collection of essays on continuity and discontinuity in cognitive development. In his lead essay, J. Kagan (2008) argues that limitations in past research (e.g., on number concepts, physical solidarity, and object permanence) render conclusions about continuity premature. Commentaries respectively (1) argue that longitudinal contexts are essential for interpreting developmental data, (2) illustrate the value of converging measures, (3) identify qualitative change via dynamical systems theory, (4) redirect the focus from states to process, and (5) review epistemological premises of alternative research traditions. Following an overview of the essays, this introductory article discusses how the search for developmental structures, continuity, and process differs between mechanistic‐contextualist and organismic‐contextualist metatheoretical frameworks, and closes by highlighting continuities in Kagan’s scholarship over the past half century.
In Defense of Qualitative Changes in Development
Authors: Kagan Jerome
Published: November 2008

The balance between the preservation of early cognitive functions and serious transformations on these functions shifts across time. Piaget’s writings, which favored transformations, are being replaced by writings that emphasize continuities between select cognitive functions of infants and older children. The claim that young infants possess elements present in the older child’s concepts of number, physical impossibility, and object permanence is vulnerable to criticism because the inferences are based primarily on the single measure of change in looking time. It is suggested that investigators use unique constructs to describe phenomena observed in young infants that appear, on the surface, to resemble the psychological competences observed during later developmental stages.
Rediscovering Development in Infancy
Authors: Campos Joseph J. , Witherington David , Anderson David I. , Frankel Carl I. , Uchiyama Ichiro , Barbu‐Roth Marianne
Published: November 2008

This commentary endorses J. Kagan’s (2008) conclusion that many of the most dramatic findings on early perceptual, cognitive, and social competencies are ambiguous. It supports his call for converging research operations to disambiguate findings from single paradigms and single response indices. The commentary also argues that early competencies must be placed into a longitudinal framework, thereby allowing researchers to (a) identify whether regressive phenomena play a role in skill development, (b) understand what functions (if any) given skills play in their precocious manifestations and whether these functions are comparable in later instantiations of skills, and (c) avoid rich interpretations by identifying how robust a suspected competency is across contexts.
Adrenocortical Underpinnings of Children’s Psychological Reactivity to Interparental Conflict
Authors: Davies Patrick T. , Sturge‐Apple Melissa L. , Cicchetti Dante , Cummings E. Mark
Published: November 2008

This study examined interrelationships among children’s cortisol reactivity and their psychological reactivity to interparental conflict in a sample of 208 first graders (mean age = 6.6 years). Assessments of children’s psychological reactivity to conflict distinguished among their distress, hostile, and involvement responses across multiple methods (i.e., observation, questionnaire) and informants (i.e., observer, parent). Relative to other forms of conflict reactivity, children’s distress responses to interparental conflict were consistent, unique predictors of their elevated cortisol reactivity to interparental conflict even after inclusion of demographic factors as moderators and covariates. Moderator analyses further revealed that associations between distress and elevated cortisol levels in response to interparental conflict were particularly pronounced when children exhibited high levels of involvement in conflicts.
Stress Regulation in Adolescents: Physiological Reactivity During the Adult Attachment Interview and Conflict Interaction
Authors: Beijersbergen Mariëlle D. , Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J. , Van IJzendoorn Marinus H. , Juffer Femmie
Published: November 2008

The current study examined whether adolescents’ attachment representations were associated with differences in emotion regulation during the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI; C. George, N. Kaplan, & M. Main, 1996) and during a mother–adolescent conflict interaction task (Family Interaction Task [FIT]; J. P. Allen et al., 2003). Participants were one hundred and fifty‐six 14‐year‐old adolescents. Dismissing adolescents showed less interbeat interval (IBI) reactivity (indicating less stress) during the AAI than secure adolescents. However, during the FIT, dismissing adolescents showed more IBI reactivity. No differences in physiological reactivity were found between individuals with resolved or unresolved loss or trauma during the AAI or FIT. The results indicate that dismissing adolescents may effectively use a defensive strategy during the AAI but less so in direct conflict interaction with their attachment figure.
Childhood Maltreatment and the Development of Relational and Physical Aggression: The Importance of a Gender‐Informed Approach
Authors: Cullerton‐Sen Crystal , Cassidy Adam R. , Murray‐Close Dianna , Cicchetti Dante , Crick Nicki R. , Rogosch Fred A.
Published: November 2008

This investigation examined the associations between maltreatment and aggression using a gender‐informed approach. Peer ratings, peer nominations, and counselor reports of aggression were collected on 211 maltreated and 199 nonmaltreated inner‐city youth (M age = 9.9 years) during a summer day camp. Maltreatment was associated with aggressive conduct; however, these effects were qualified by gender, maltreatment subtype, and the form of aggression under investigation. Findings revealed that maltreatment was associated with physical aggression for boys and relational aggression for girls. Physical abuse was associated with physically aggressive behaviors, but sexual abuse predicted relational aggression for girls only. Findings suggest that investigating the interaction between familial risk and gender is important in understanding aggressive behaviors of boys and girls.
Trumping Shame by Blasts of Noise: Narcissism, Self‐Esteem, Shame, and Aggression in Young Adolescents
Authors: Thomaes Sander , Bushman Brad J. , Stegge Hedy , Olthof Tjeert
Published: November 2008

This experiment tested how self‐views influence shame‐induced aggression. One hundred and sixty‐three young adolescents (M = 12.2 years) completed measures of narcissism and self‐esteem. They lost to an ostensible opponent on a competitive task. In the shame condition, they were told that their opponent was bad, and they saw their own name at the bottom of a ranking list. In the control condition, they were told nothing about their opponent and did not see a ranking list. Next, participants could blast their opponent with noise (aggression measure). As expected, narcissistic children were more aggressive than others, but only after they had been shamed. Low self‐esteem did not lead to aggression. In fact, narcissism in combination with high self‐esteem led to exceptionally high aggression.
Children’s Cortisol and the Quality of Teacher–Child Relationships in Child Care
Authors: Lisonbee Jared A. , Mize Jacquelyn , Payne Amie Lapp , Granger Douglas A.
Published: November 2008

Teacher–child relationships were examined as predictors of cortisol change in preschool children. Saliva for assays was collected from one hundred and ninety‐one 4‐year‐olds (101 boys) in the mornings and afternoons on 2 days at child care, and before and after a series of challenging tasks and a teacher–child interaction session outside the classroom. Parents reported on children’s temperament, teachers and children reported on teacher–child relationship quality, and observers rated group‐level teacher insensitivity. Teacher‐reported relationship conflict predicted cortisol increases during teacher–child interaction and teacher‐reported overdependence predicted cortisol increases from morning to afternoon, even after controlling for individual teacher, child, and classroom characteristics. The findings extend earlier work by suggesting that cortisol change across the child‐care day is influenced by teacher–child relationship characteristics.
Postural and Object‐Oriented Experiences Advance Early Reaching, Object Exploration, and Means–End Behavior
Authors: Lobo Michele A. , Galloway James C
Published: November 2008

The effects of 3 weeks of social (control), postural, or object‐oriented experiences on 9‐ to 21‐week‐old infants’ (N= 42) reaching, exploration, and means–end behaviors were assessed. Coders recorded object contacts, mouthing, fingering, attention, and affect from video. Postural and object‐oriented experiences advanced reaching, haptic exploration of objects, and developing means–end behavior compared to social experience. Object‐oriented experience best‐advanced means–end behavior. The results suggest that the development of novel behaviors is dependent on multiple subsystems and can be similarly advanced by addressing a variety of these subsystems. They also suggest that past experiences with active object exploration can facilitate early information processing and the development of early knowledge.
Testing an Idealized Dynamic Cascade Model of the Development of Serious Violence in Adolescence
Authors: Dodge Kenneth A , Greenberg Mark T , Malone Patrick S ,   Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group
Published: November 2008

A dynamic cascade model of development of serious adolescent violence was proposed and tested through prospective inquiry with 754 children (50% male; 43% African American) from 27 schools at 4 geographic sites followed annually from kindergarten through Grade 11 (ages 5–18). Self, parent, teacher, peer, observer, and administrative reports provided data. Partial least squares analyses revealed a cascade of prediction and mediation: An early social context of disadvantage predicts harsh–inconsistent parenting, which predicts social and cognitive deficits, which predicts conduct problem behavior, which predicts elementary school social and academic failure, which predicts parental withdrawal from supervision and monitoring, which predicts deviant peer associations, which ultimately predicts adolescent violence. Findings suggest targets for in‐depth inquiry and preventive intervention.
Capital Inflows, Resource Reallocation and the Real Exchange Rate*
Authors: Lartey Emmanuel K. K.
Published: November 2008

A large capital inflow to a developing economy can potentially cause a real exchange rate appreciation that is detrimental to the prospects of its tradable sector; a phenomenon known as the Dutch Disease. I analyse the effects of both the level and share of capital inflow on resource reallocation and real exchange rate movements in a small open economy. I find that there exists a trade‐off between resource reallocation and the degree of real exchange rate appreciation. In particular, the less labour the tradable sector loses to the non‐tradable sector, the greater is the real exchange rate appreciation. This result is driven by the share of investment accounted for by foreign capital, and suggests that an emerging market economy that adopts a production technique which utilizes a greater share of foreign capital relative to domestic capital will be more susceptible to the Dutch Disease following an increase in capital inflow. The results also imply that a policy designed to minimize real exchange rate appreciation during capital inflow episodes should encompass measures aimed at stabilizing prices of non‐tradables.
Applying evidence in the real world: a case study in library and information practice
Authors: Sladek Ruth M. , Tieman Jennifer
Published: November 2008

Background/objectives:  Methodological decisions made during the research process can influence generalizability of findings to real world practice. The aims of this study were to explore the impact of decisions made in the development of a palliative care search filter and to consider the implications for implementation.

Methods:  Three elements of the original study methodology were explored: (i) choice of OVID medline field delimiters; (ii) use of the general medical literature to evaluate the filter's performance; and (iii) use of the OVID interface. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and precision rates of variant search strategies were compared to consider each issue.

Results:  The delimiter .af. outperformed the alternatives of .tw. or .mp. in OVID medline, improving sensitivity from 45.4 to 46.2%. Applying the filter in the specialist palliative literature resulted in 87.5% (692/791) of articles being retrieved using either .tw. or .mp., increasing to 100% (791/791) with the .af. delimiter. Finally, a PubMed version of the filter was successfully validated.

Conclusions:  Reviewing three methodological decisions that preserved validity in an original study led to the improved utility of a search filter in practice. Generating high‐quality evidence is only part of evidence‐based practice: consideration of generalizability issues can inform further research and effective evidence implementation.
Impact of heme oxygenase‐1 on cholesterol synthesis, cholesterol efflux and oxysterol formation in cultured astroglia
Authors: Hascalovici Jacob R. , Song Wei , Vaya Jacob , Khatib Soliman , Fuhrman Bianca , Aviram Michael , Schipper Hyman M.
Published: November 2008

Up‐regulation of heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and altered cholesterol (CH) metabolism are characteristic of Alzheimer‐diseased neural tissues. The liver X receptor (LXR) is a molecular sensor of CH homeostasis. In the current study, we determined the effects of HO‐1 over‐expression and its byproducts iron (Fe2+), carbon monoxide (CO) and bilirubin on CH biosynthesis, CH efflux and oxysterol formation in cultured astroglia. HO‐1/LXR interactions were also investigated in the context of CH efflux. hHO‐1 over‐expression for 3 days (∼2–3‐fold increase) resulted in a 30% increase in CH biosynthesis and a two‐fold rise in CH efflux. Both effects were abrogated by the competitive HO inhibitor, tin mesoporphyrin. CO, released from administered CORM‐3, significantly enhanced CH biosynthesis; a combination of CO and iron stimulated CH efflux. Free iron increased oxysterol formation three‐fold. Co‐treatment with LXR antagonists implicated LXR activation in the modulation of CH homeostasis by heme degradation products. In Alzheimer’s disease and other neuropathological states, glial HO‐1 induction may transduce ambient noxious stimuli (e.g. β‐amyloid) into altered patterns of glial CH homeostasis. As the latter may impact synaptic plasticity and neuronal repair, modulation of glial HO‐1 expression (by pharmacological or other means) may confer neuroprotection in patients with degenerative brain disorders.
In‐situ grown silica sinters in Icelandic geothermal areas
Authors: TOBLER DOMINIQUE J , STEFÁNSSON ANDRI , BENNING LIANE G
Published: November 2008

Field in‐situ sinter growth studies have been carried out in five geochemically very different Icelandic geothermal areas with the aim to quantify the effects of water chemistry, (e.g. silica content (250 to 695 p.p.m. SiO2), salinity (meteoric to seawater), pH (7.5 to 10)), temperature (42–96 °C) and microbial abundance (prevalence, density) on the growth rates, textures and structures of sinters forming within and around geothermal waters. At each location, sinter growth was monitored over time periods between 30 min and 25 months using glass slides that acted as precipitation substrates from which sinter growth rates were derived.

In geothermal areas like Svartsengi and Reykjanes, subaqueous sinters developed rapidly with growth rates of 10 and 304 kg year−1 m−2, respectively, and this was attributed primarily to the near neutral pH, high salinity and medium to high silica content within these geothermal waters. The porous and homogeneous precipitates that formed at these sites were dominated by aggregates of amorphous silica and they contained few if any microorganisms. At Hveragerdi and Geysir, the geothermal waters were characterized by slightly alkaline pH, low salinity and moderate silica contents, resulting in substantially lower rates of sinter growth (0.2–1.4 kg year−1 m−2). At these sites sinter formation was restricted to the vicinity of the air–water interface (AWI) where evaporation and condensation processes predominated, with sinter textures being governed by the formation of dense and heterogeneous crusts with well‐defined spicules and silica terraces. In contrast, the subaqueous sinters at these sites were characterized by extensive biofilms, which, with time, became fully silicified and thus well preserved within the sinter edifices. Finally, at Krafla, the geothermal waters exhibited high sinter growth rates (19.5 kg year−1 m−2) despite being considerably undersaturated with respect to amorphous silica. However, the bulk of the sinter textures and structure were made up of thick silicified biofilms and this indicated that silica precipitation, i.e. sinter growth, was aided by the surfaces provided by the thick biofilms. These results further suggest that the interplay between purely abiotic processes and the ubiquitous presence of mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms in modern silica rich terrestrial hydrothermal settings provides an excellent analogue for processes in Earth's and possibly Mars's ancient past.
Analysis of Digital Speckle‐Pattern Interferometry Fringe Patterns Issued from Transitory Mechanical Loadings
Authors: Valle V. , Robin E. , Brémand F.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  During a dynamic mechanical loading, we cannot use a phase‐shifting technique because the mechanical parameters evolve according to the time. This problem can be avoided by the development of algorithms which can extract the mechanical information from only one fringe pattern. In this way, we present two algorithms, the modulated phase correlation (MPC) and the polynomial modulated phase correlation (pMPC). These processes are based on the use of the virtual fringe pattern which locally approaches the real fringe morphology. The similarity degree between real and virtual fringe pattern is estimated by digital correlation technique. When the best similarity is obtained, we suppose that the virtual phase function is very close to the real phase function. Some examples are presented to show the low noise sensitivity of these techniques. So, we propose to use the MPC or the pMPC algorithms to extract the relief from a single interferogram obtained by digital speckle‐pattern interferometry. In this paper, we present experimental tests of impact loading on plates. The frame rate is adapted to the dynamic conditions of loading. Recorded fringe patterns and results of the unwrapped phase demodulated with our algorithms are shown.
Investigation on the Static Response and Failure Process of Metallic Open Lattice Cellular Structures
Authors: Labeas G. N. , Sunaric M. M.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  The response of three different cellular core types, suitable for manufacturing crashworthiness sandwich cellular structures, is investigated in this paper. A methodology is developed, comprising linear static and eigenvalue buckling analysis, as well as nonlinear material elastoplastic analysis. The methodology is used to study the structural response and failure process of open lattice metallic cellular cores and derive the most important structural properties of the cellular core, i.e. elasticity modulus, plateau stress and compaction strain. The critical elastoplastic buckling stress of the metallic struts is approximated by analytical solutions, while a simple engineering approach is applied for the estimation of the compaction strain. The influence of core basic design parameters, i.e. strut aspect ratio (radius/length), unit‐cell spatial configuration and unit‐cell size on the structural behaviour is assessed.
Mechanical Characterisation of a New Biodegradable Film
Authors: Casavola C. , Lamberti L. , Mastrandrea G. , Pappalettere C.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  Plastics are utilised in almost every manufacturing industry in the world because of the favourable balance of mechanical, technological and cost factors. However, to minimise the environmental impact of plastic materials, researchers are attempting to synthesise new biodegradable polymers that can satisfy also standard requirements on manufacturability and mechanical properties. This paper studies a new material where an aliphatic–aromatic biodegradable component is included in a polyester matrix. For that purpose, microbiological tests, manufacturability tests and mechanical tests are carried out. In particular, thin films are exposed to the attack of spore colonies to check if the new material is fully biodegradable and compostable. Material formability in fashion of blown films is investigated for different volume fractions of biodegradable component added into the formula. Mechanical behaviour of the new material is then assessed by carrying out tensile tests. Experimental results demonstrate that thin films of the new material can be produced using the standard technologies currently available. Mechanical properties are better than those possessed by traditional non‐biodegradable plastics like polyethylene.
Use of Approximate Inference in an Index of Completeness of Biological Inventories
Authors: NAKAMURA MIGUEL , SOBERÓN JORGE
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  To assess the completeness of a floristic or faunal inventory, one may use the ratio of the observed number of species to the “true number” of species (C). If the inventory is complete, C =1. The estimate of the true number can be obtained from accumulation curves, nonparametric methods, or other techniques. We devised a simple method for computing confidence intervals (CI) for C and for evaluating the null hypothesis that the inventory is complete. The method is based on the assumptions that an estimate of the variance of the true number of species is known and that the distribution of the estimator of the true number of species is approximately normal. We applied our method to bird inventories in the Balsas Basin of Mexico. The completeness index for subtransects were lower (84.0, 85.4, and 89.9%) than for the whole transect (91.6%) (all significantly different from 100%). Thus, these particular inventories were incomplete at 2 spatial resolutions. Our method of estimating CI for C can be used to estimate species richness obtained from databases of different sites or to test the null hypothesis that an inventory derived from a database is complete.
Monitoring Change in Vertebrate Abundance: the Living Planet Index
Authors: COLLEN BEN , LOH JONATHAN , WHITMEE SARAH , McRAE LOUISE , AMIN RAJAN , BAILLIE JONATHAN E. M.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  The task of measuring the decline of global biodiversity and instituting changes to halt and reverse this downturn has been taken up in response to the Convention on Biological Diversity's 2010 target. It is an undertaking made more difficult by the complex nature of biodiversity and the consequent difficulty in accurately gauging its depletion. In the Living Planet Index, aggregated population trends among vertebrate species indicate the rate of change in the status of biodiversity, and this index can be used to address the question of whether or not the 2010 target has been achieved. We investigated the use of generalized additive models in aggregating large quantities of population trend data, evaluated potential bias that results from collation of existing trends, and explored the feasibility of disaggregating the data (e.g., geographically, taxonomically, regionally, and by thematic area). Our results show strengths in length and completeness of data, little evidence of bias toward threatened species, and the possibility of disaggregation into meaningful subsets. Limitations of the data set are still apparent, in particular the dominance of bird data and gaps in tropical‐species population coverage. Population‐trend data complement the longer‐term, but more coarse‐grained, perspectives gained by evaluating species‐level extinction rates. To measure progress toward the 2010 target, indicators must be adapted and strategically supplemented with existing data to generate meaningful indicators in time. Beyond 2010, it is critical a strategy be set out for the future development of indicators that will deal with existing data gaps and that is intricately tied to the goals of future biodiversity targets.
Quantifying Eradication Success: the Removal of Feral Pigs from Santa Cruz Island, California
Authors: RAMSEY DAVID S. L. , PARKES JOHN , MORRISON SCOTT A.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  A major challenge facing pest‐eradication efforts is determining when eradication has been achieved. When the pest can no longer be detected, managers have to decide whether the pest has actually been eliminated and hence to decide when to terminate the eradication program. For most eradication programs, this decision entails considerable risk and is the largest single issue facing managers of such programs. We addressed this issue for an eradication program of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) from Santa Cruz Island, California. Using a Bayesian approach, we estimated the degree of confidence in the success of the eradication program at the point when monitoring failed to detect any more pigs. Catch‐effort modeling of the hunting effort required to dispatch pigs during the eradication program was used to determine the relationship between detection probability and searching effort for different hunting methods. We then used these relationships to estimate the amount of monitoring effort required to declare eradication successful with criteria that either set a threshold for the probability that pigs remained undetected (type I error) or minimized the net expected costs of the eradication program (cost of type I and II errors). For aerial and ground‐based monitoring techniques, the amount of search effort required to declare eradication successful on the basis of either criterion was highly dependent on the prior belief in the success of the program unless monitoring intensities exceeded 30 km of searching effort per square kilometer of search area for aerial monitoring and, equivalently, 38 km for ground monitoring. Calculation of these criteria to gauge the success of eradication should form an essential component of any eradication program as it allows for a transparent assessment of the risks inherent in the decision to terminate the program.
Trade‐Offs in the Design of Fishery Closures: Management of Silky Shark Bycatch in the Eastern Pacific Ocean Tuna Fishery
Authors: WATSON JORDAN T. , ESSINGTON TIMOTHY E. , LENNERT‐CODY CLERIDY E. , HALL MARTIN A.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  Bycatch—the incidental catch of nontarget species—is a principal concern in marine conservation and fisheries management. In the eastern Pacific Ocean tuna fishery, a large fraction of nonmammal bycatch is captured by purse‐seine gear when nets are deployed around floating objects. We examined the spatial distribution of a dominant species in this fishery's bycatch, the apex predator silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis), from 1994 to 2005 to determine whether spatial closures, areas where fishing is prohibited, might effectively reduce the bycatch of this species. We then identified candidate locations for fishery closures that specifically considered the trade‐off between bycatch reduction and the loss of tuna catch and evaluated ancillary conservation benefits to less commonly captured taxa. Smoothed spatial distributions of silky shark bycatch did not indicate persistent small areas of especially high bycatch for any size class of shark over the 12‐year period. Nevertheless, bycatch of small silky sharks (<90 cm total length) was consistently higher north of the equator during all years. On the basis of this distribution, we evaluated nearly 100 candidate closure areas between 5°N and 15°N that could have reduced, by as much as 33%, the total silky shark bycatch while compromising only 12% of the tuna catch. Although silky sharks are the predominant species of elasmobranchs caught as bycatch in this fishery, closures also suggested reductions in the bycatch of other vulnerable taxa, including other shark species and turtles. Our technique provides an effective method with which to balance the costs and benefits of conservation in fisheries management. Spatial closures are a viable management tool, but implementation should be preceded by careful consideration of the consequences of fishing reallocation.