bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma components: properties, differences, and uses
Authors: Benjamin Richard John , McLaughlin Lisa Swinton
Published: May 2012

General use of plasma components includes replacement for multiple coagulation factor deficiencies, for treatment of single coagulation factor deficiencies for which a concentrate is unavailable, and as a replacement fluid used in therapeutic plasma exchange for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Four major products currently transfused are fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP), plasma frozen within 24 hours of phlebotomy (FP24), cryoprecipitate‐poor plasma (CPP), and thawed plasma. FP24, CPP, and thawed plasma contain decreased amounts of labile coagulation factors. Pathogen reduction technology has included solvent/detergent, methylene blue, and ultraviolet light irradiation with psoralen or riboflavin treatment and is available in Europe but not in the United States. Pathogen‐reduced plasma may contain reduced levels of certain coagulant and/or anticoagulant factors compared to FFP. Clinical findings with pathogen‐reduced plasma have provided an impetus to the US Food and Drug Administration to promulgate specific requirements for approval of novel plasma products, some of which may be too burdensome for the industry to readily overcome.
Use of point‐of‐care testing for plasma therapy
Authors: Goodnough Lawrence Tim , Hill Charles C.
Published: May 2012

Use of point‐of‐care testing (POCT) has been driven by limitations of laboratory‐based testing as a tool for decisions for transfusions of blood components. Clinical settings such as liver transplantation, cardiothoracic surgery, and trauma are particularly in need of such diagnostic tests because of the complex coagulopathies that can develop in these settings of substantial hemorrhage and need for blood component support. Successful implementation of POCT requires collaboration between surgery, anesthesia, critical care, and the laboratory to ensure proper quality control of equipment, operator training and competency, medical records test results, billing procedures, and consensus‐derived transfusion algorithms for cost‐effective, targeted blood component transfusion support. In this review we summarize clinical evidence for the effectiveness of POCT, along with some future directions for this strategy.
Plasma transfusion for bedside, radiologically guided, and operating room invasive procedures
Authors: Desborough Michael , Stanworth Simon
Published: May 2012

Frozen plasma (FP) is commonly used in an attempt to correct coagulation defects before performing bedside, radiologically guided, or operating room procedures. Use of FP prophylactically is closely linked to results for standard coagulation tests in the laboratory, including prothrombin time, but there is a general lack of evidence supporting the predictive value of abnormalities of these tests for bleeding. Use of FP has little effect on correcting abnormal coagulation tests when mild and moderate results are recorded. There is no support for evidence of effectiveness for the prophylactic use of FP when reviewing the wider randomized controlled trial literature. When the lack of clinical effectiveness is combined with the risks of FP transfusion, such as transfusion‐related acute lung injury and transfusion‐associated circulatory overload, the need to challenge continued preprocedure prophylactic use of FP becomes pressing. In clinical practice, abnormalities of standard coagulation tests should not be interpreted in isolation, but alongside review of clinical bleeding history and other hemostatic markers such as platelet count. A more appropriate transfusion strategy may be one that emphasizes the therapeutic use of FP.
The association of blood transfusion with mortality after cardiac surgery: cause or confounding? (CME)
Authors: Dixon Barry , Santamaria John D. , Reid David , Collins Marnie , Rechnitzer Thomas , Newcomb Andrew E. , Nixon Ian , Yii Michael , Rosalion Alexander , Campbell Duncan J.
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND: Bleeding into the chest is a life‐threatening complication of cardiac surgery. Blood transfusion has been implicated as an important cause of harm associated with bleeding, based largely on studies demonstrating an independent association between transfusion and mortality. These studies did not, however, consider the possibility that bleeding may in itself be harmful, inasmuch as drains are inefficient at clearing blood from the chest and retained blood may compromise cardiac and lung function.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We undertook a multivariate logistic regression analysis of the risk factors associated with mortality in 2599 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Unlike previous studies the risk factors examined included the volume of chest tube drainage at 24 hours. A stratified analysis was also undertaken that compared the adjusted risk of death for patients exposed or not exposed to a postoperative blood transfusion.

RESULTS: Blood transfusion was not an independent predictor of mortality (p = 0.4). Chest tube drainage was the strongest independent predictor of mortality (p < 0.001). In the stratified analysis, chest tube drainage remained an independent predictor of mortality for patients not exposed to a blood transfusion (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the risk of death of these patients was no different from patients exposed to a blood transfusion (p = 0.7 for interaction).

CONCLUSIONS: Our results argue that for patients undergoing cardiac surgery bleeding contributes to mortality through mechanisms unrelated to blood transfusion.
Expanding the Use of 7‐Fr Radial Access to Primary Percutaneous Intervention
Authors: SUBRAMANIAM VEERAN , RAJATHURAI THIRUMARAN
Published: May 2012

(J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:315–316)
Immediate colposcopic evaluation in postmenopausal women with low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion cytology
Authors: AKBAYIR OZGUR , CILESIZ GOKSEDEF BEHIYE PINAR , NUMANOĞLU CEYHUN , CORBACIOGLU AYTUL , ULKER VOLKAN , AKYOL ALPASLAN , GÜRASLAN HAKAN , CETIN AHMET , GULKILIK AHMET
Published: May 2012

Objective. To compare the final diagnosis among pre‐ and postmenopausal women with low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL) cervical smear results. Design. Retrospective, comparative study. Setting. Departments of obstetrics and gynecology in two teaching and research hospitals. Population. Data were evaluated on 712 women with LGSIL between April 2005 and April 2011. Methods. Results from 129 postmenopausal women with LGSIL were compared with 583 premenopausal women with a similar LGSIL result with respect to sociodemographic data and histopathology. Main outcome measures. Final clinicopathological diagnosis. Results. The mean age of the pre‐ and postmenopausal women was 37.2 and 52.5 years, respectively, and lesions of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse were detected by biopsy and/or endocervical curettage in 13.6 and 9.3%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the final diagnosis among pre‐ and postmenopausal women with LGSIL cytology (relative risk 1.43; 95% confidence interval 0.82–2.48; p= 0.19). Invasive cervical cancer was detected in three premenopausal (0.5%) and two postmenopausal women (1.6%). Conclusions. Cervical pre‐invasive and invasive disease rates were similar in pre‐ and postmenopausal women with LGSIL cytology. For this reason, LGSIL in postmenopausal women should be considered more seriously, and colposcopic evaluation may be as acceptable an option in the management of LGSIL in this group of patients as it is with premenopausal women.
Parasitic leiomyomas after laparoscopic surgery with morcellation
Authors: LEREN VIBEKE , LANGEBREKKE ANTON , QVIGSTAD ERIK
Published: May 2012

Parasitic leiomyomas after laparoscopic surgery with morcellation are a rare entity, and only a few small series and single case reports have been published in recent years. This was first known as a spontaneously occuring condition, but in recent years it has been observed more frequently as an iatrogenic condition after morcellation, and may occur several years after primary surgery. We present three patients diagnosed in an eight year period, representing an incidence of 0.12% after morcellation procedures in our department. The mechanisms leading to parasitic leiomyomas are discussed, as well as how we should minimize the risk of development of this rare condition.
Human skin cancer stem cells: a tale of mice and men
Authors: Colmont Chantal S. , Harding Keith G. , Piguet Vincent , Patel Girish K.
Published: May 2012

Carcinomas, cancers of epithelial tissues, are the commonest malignancies and cause the greatest cancer mortality worldwide. Among these, the incidence of keratinocyte‐derived non‐melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), by far the greatest, is increasing rapidly. Yet despite access to tumor tissue, acceptance of human NMSC as a model carcinoma has been hindered by the lack of a reliable xenograft model. Instead, we have relied on the murine two‐step carcinogenesis protocol as a reproducible squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) model, but this differs from their human counterpart in cause, site, genetic basis and biological behaviour. By xeno‐engraftment of primary human SCC, we were recently successful in demonstrating the presence of primary human SCC cancer stem cells or tumor‐initiating cells. These findings once more align the study human SCC as the archetypal carcinoma model. In this review, we describe the evidence for the existence of tumor‐initiating cells, with emphasis on skin cancer, limiting our discussions to primary human cancer studies where possible.
Comprehensive Analysis of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in 76 Women with Recurrent Miscarriage before and after Lymphocyte Immunotherapy
Authors: Liang Peiyan , Mo Meilan , Li Guan‐Gui , Yin Biao , Cai Jing , Wu Tonghua , He Xuebing , Zhang Xu , Zeng Yong
Published: May 2012

Problem

The efficacy of lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) for unexplained recurrent miscarriage (uRM) remains indefinite. The objective of the present study is to comprehensively evaluate the alterations in the proportions and functions of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with uRM before and after LIT.

Method of study

Seventy‐six women with uRM were included in the present study. Immunophenotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes (76 patients), NK cytotoxicity (62 patients) and Th1 (IFN‐γ and TNF‐α)/Th2 (IL‐10) ratios (73 patients) were assessed during the luteal phase before LIT and after the third LIT by the flow cytometer.

Results

To date, 29 patients had already delivered or been pregnant more than 20 weeks (successful pregnancy group) and 5 patients experienced subsequent abortion (abortion group). The percentages of CD3+ T cell, CD3+ CD4+ T cell and IL‐10‐producing Th1 cell were significantly increased, whereas the percentages of CD3+ HLA‐DR+ T cell, CD56+ CD3− NK cell and CD56dim CD16+ NK cell, the NK cytotoxicity and the ratios of Th1/Th2 were significantly decreased after LIT in the total patients and in the successful pregnant group. The percentages of CD56+ CD3− NK cell and IFN‐γ‐producing cell, and the ratio of IFN‐γ/IL‐10 were significantly lower after LIT in the successful pregnant group compared to those in the abortion group.

Conclusions

LIT alters the proportions and functions of most peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets. Some of these alterations may be beneficial for pregnancy maintenance, whereas some may be potential markers for predicting subsequent abortion.
Consensus in diagnostic definitions for bone or joint infections in children by a Delphi method with European French‐speaking experts
Authors: Mitha Ayoub , Boulyana Mohamed , Hue Valérie , Pruvost Isabelle , Martinot Alain ,   the European French‐speaking expert group, Dubos François
Published: May 2012

Aim:  Various diagnostic criteria have been proposed for bone or joint infection. This study used a Delphi process to determine the consensual definitions for arthritis, osteomyelitis and bone or joint infections in general in children.

Methods:  A group of European French‐speaking experts participated in an email Delphi process. Definitions were identified during a systematic search of the PubMed database. Five definitions of arthritis, eight for osteomyelitis and five for bone or joint infections in general were included in a three‐round process. We sought two sorts of definitions: definitions for ‘definitive’ diagnoses for epidemiological studies and definitions for ‘probable’ diagnoses for clinical or therapeutic studies, considering enlarged criteria.

Results:  Ten experts were involved in the Delphi process. A consensus was reached for a definitive diagnosis of arthritis, osteomyelitis and bone or joint infections in general. A consensus was also reached for a probable diagnosis of bone or joint infections in general.

Conclusion:  This Delphi process made consensus definitions and criteria available for bone or joint infections that could improve the comparability of both epidemiological and clinical studies. This is a first step to standardise diagnostic criteria and distinguish definitive and probable bone or joint infections in children.
Lactose and fructose malabsorption in children with recurrent abdominal pain: results of double‐blinded testing
Authors: Gijsbers CFM , Kneepkens CMF , Büller HA
Published: May 2012

Aim:  To investigate malabsorption of lactose and fructose as causes of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP).

Methods:  In 220 children (128 girls, mean age 8,8 [4.1–16.0] years) with RAP, hydrogen breath tests (H2BT; abnormal if ΔH2 > 30 ppm) were performed with lactose and fructose. Disappearance of RAP with elimination, recurrence with provocation and disappearance with re‐elimination, followed by a 6‐month pain‐free follow‐up, were considered indicative of a causal relation with RAP. For definite proof, a double‐blinded placebo‐controlled (DBPC) provocation was performed.

Results:  Malabsorption of lactose was found in 57 of 210, of fructose in 79 of 121 patients. Pain disappeared upon elimination in 24/38 patients with lactose malabsorption, and in 32/49 with fructose malabsorption. Open provocation with lactose and fructose was positive in 7/23 and 13/31 patients. DBPC provocation in 6/7 and 8/13 patients was negative in all. However, several children continued to report abdominal symptoms upon intake of milk or fructose.

Conclusion:  Lactose intolerance nor fructose intolerance could be established as causes of RAP, according to preset criteria including elimination, open provocation and DBPC provocation. However, in clinical practice, persistent feeling of intolerance in some patients should be taken seriously and could warrant extended elimination with repeated challenges.
Maxillary Overdentures Supported by Anteriorly or Posteriorly Placed Implants Opposed by a Natural Dentition in the Mandible: A 1‐Year Prospective Case Series Study
Authors: Slot Wim , Raghoebar Gerry M. , Vissink Arjan , Meijer Henny J. A.
Published: May 2012

Background: For maxillary overdenture therapy, treatment guidelines are missing. There is a need for longitudinal studies.

Purpose: The purpose of this 1‐year prospective case series study was to assess the treatment outcome of maxillary overdentures supported by six dental implants opposed by natural antagonistic teeth in the mandible.

Materials and Methods: Fifty patients were treated with a maxillary overdenture supported by six dental implants, either placed in the anterior region (n = 25 patients) or in the posterior region (n = 25 patients). Items of evaluation were the following: survival of implants, condition of hard and soft peri‐implant tissues, and patients' satisfaction.

Results: One‐year implant survival rate was 98% in the anterior group and 99.3% in the posterior group. Mean radiographic bone loss in the anterior and posterior groups after 1 year of loading was 0.22 and 0.50 mm, respectively. Mean scores for plaque, calculus, gingiva, bleeding, and pocket probing depth were low, and patients' satisfaction was high, with no differences between the groups.

Conclusion: Six dental implants placed in either the anterior region or the posterior region of the edentulous maxilla, connected with a bar, and opposed by antagonistic teeth in the mandible supply a proper base for the support of an overdenture.
Dominant Gene cplsr1 Corresponding to Premature Leaf Senescence Resistance in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)F
Authors: Zhao Jingqing , Jiang Tengfei , Liu Zhi , Zhang Wenwei , Jian Guiliang , Qi Fangjun
Published: May 2012

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) premature leaf senescence‐resistant inbred XLZ33 and senescence‐susceptible inbred lines XLZ13 were selected and crossed to produce F1, F1‐reciprocal, F2 and BC1 generations for evaluation of leaf senescence process and inheritance. The results showed that leaf senescence processes for XLZ13 and XLZ33 were obviously different and leaf senescence traits could be distinguished between the two parents at particular periods of cotton growth. Inheritance anlysis for the cotton premature leaf senescence resistant trait further showed that the segregation in the F2 fit a 3:1 ratio inheritance pattern, with resistance being dominant. The backcross of F1 to the susceptible parent produced a 1:1 ratio, confirming that cotton premature leaf senescence resistant trait was from a single gene. The single dominant gene controlling cotton premature leaf senescence resistance in XLZ33 was named as cotton premature leaf senescence resistance 1, with the symbol cplsr1.
Effects of In‐Center Nocturnal Versus Conventional Hemodialysis on Endothelial Dysfunction
Authors: Jin Xiucai , Rong Shu , Mei Changlin , Ye Chaoyang , Chen Jiabin , Chen Xiaoyu
Published: May 2012

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end‐stage renal disease who undergo hemodialysis and endothelial dysfunction is an early key step in the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thrice‐weekly in‐center nocturnal hemodialysis (INHD, 8 h per session and three sessions per week) and conventional hemodialysis (CHD, 4 h per session and three sessions per week) on endothelial dysfunction in patients with end‐stage renal disease. 32 INHD and 58 matched CHD patients were enrolled, baseline and 12‐month measures of blood pressure (BP), serum calcium and phosphorus, serum intact PTH (iPTH) and brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) were collected and analyzed. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups except that serum phosphorus and calcium × phosphorus were higher in the INHD group. At the 12‐month follow‐up, there was a significant increase in FMD (6.0 ± 1.5% to 7.1 ± 1.8%, P < 0.01) in INHD patients. Multivariate analysis showed that FMD was inversely correlated with systolic BP (SBP) (β = −0.485, P < 0.01), diastolic BP (DBP) (β = −0.428, P < 0.01), iPTH (β = −0.405, P < 0.01) and serum phosphorus level (β = −0.375, P < 0.01). There was no significant change in FMD in the CHD group. Compared with CHD, INHD improves endothelial function, and control of serum phosphorus is associated with the improvement of endothelial function.
Randomized Crossover Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Sevelamer Hydrochloride and Lanthanum Carbonate in Japanese Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
Authors: Kasai Satoshi , Sato Kazuto , Murata Yaeko , Kinoshita Yasumichi
Published: May 2012

Insufficient control of serum calcium and phosphate levels in patients undergoing hemodialysis is associated with increased mortality. As commonly used calcium‐containing phosphate binders can cause arterial calcification, newly developed calcium‐free phosphate binders, such as sevelamer hydrochloride (SH) and lanthanum carbonate (LC), have received much attention. We assessed the efficacy and safety of SH and LC treatment in Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis in a prospective randomized open blinded endpoint (PROBE) crossover study. Forty‐two patients were randomized to receive SH or LC for 13 weeks, with the dosages adjusted every 2 weeks, followed by treatment with the other drug for another 13 weeks. The average daily doses of SH and LC were 2971 ± 1464 mg and 945 ± 449 mg, respectively. The mean dosage ratio of SH to LC was 3.05, which was maintained throughout the treatment period. SH and LC were similarly effective at controlling serum calcium and phosphate levels in the majority of patients (78–93%). A few serious adverse events (AEs) involving the biliary system occurred during the LC treatment period, but they were not considered to be treatment‐induced. Although the incidence of constipation, the most common treatment‐related AE, was higher during the SH period (27% vs. 5%; P < 0.05), no difference was observed in total treatment‐related AEs. This study demonstrates that SH and LC are comparable treatments for controlling serum phosphate and calcium levels, and that both compounds are safe and well‐tolerated in Japanese patients undergoing hemodialysis.
INFLUENCE OF COMBINED MICROWAVE‐VACUUM DRYING ON DRYING KINETICS AND QUALITY OF DRIED TOMATO SLICES
Authors: ABANO E.E. , MA H. , QU W.
Published: May 2012

The study investigated the influence of four microwave powers on the drying kinetics and quality of tomato slices in a microwave‐vacuum dryer at vacuum pressures of 0.04, 0.05 and 0.06 MPa. The results showed that increase in microwave‐vacuum drying conditions increased drying rates and resulted in decreased drying time from 84 to 14 min. The nonenzymatic browning index increased with microwave power whereas the overall flavor degradation was between 18.99 and 20.80%. The brightness and the yellowness of the dried tomatoes generally increased but there was a slight reduction in redness when compared with the fresh. The effective moisture diffusivity increased with microwave power and was 7.22 × 10−9, 9.10 × 10−9, 14.99 × 10−9 and 25.19 × 10−9 m2/s at respective microwave powers of 200, 300, 500 and 700 W.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Microwave‐vacuum drying is one of the advanced methods with numerous advantages including high thermal efficiency, shorter drying time and improved product quality. Tomato is the second most important vegetable with enormous health benefits, which include reduction of cholesterol, improvement of vision, maintenance of gut, lowering of hypertension, alleviation of diabetes, and prevention of urinary tract infections and gallstones. The quality of dried products obtained using the microwave‐vacuum dryer provides industries with method that can be used to enhance the quality of dried tomatoes. The dried product is a valuable ingredient in the preparation of soups and sauces, as well as in cosmetics and pharmaceutical formulations.
P2RY1 and P2RY12 polymorphisms and on‐aspirin platelet reactivity in patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: TIMUR A. A. , MURUGESAN G. , ZHANG L. , AUNG P. P. , BARNARD J. , WANG Q. K. , GAUSSEM P. , SILVERSTEIN R. L. , BHATT D. L. , KOTTKE‐MARCHANT K.
Published: May 2012

Introduction:  Association of P2RY1 and P2RY12 polymorphisms with on‐aspirin platelet reactivity was investigated.

Materials and methods:  Platelet reactivity was assessed by the light transmission aggregometry and TxB2 assay in 423 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) on aspirin. High residual platelet reactivity (RPR) was defined by ≥20% and ≥70% maximal aggregation stimulated with 0.5 mg/mL arachidonic acid (AA) and 10 μm ADP, respectively. Moderate RPR was considered aggregation ≥20% with AA, ≥70% with ADP, or ≥1 ng/mL stimulated TxB2. Fourteen P2RY1 and 35 P2RY12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped.

Results:  High RPR was detected in 24% of the patients. Moderate RPR was observed in 31% with AA, 57% with 5 μm ADP, and 82% with 10 μm ADP. Stimulated TxB2 was ≥1 ng/mL in 23% of patients. P2RY12 SNP rs9859538 was associated with high RPR (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.24–3.75, P‐value = 0.004). Four P2RY12 SNPs, rs1491974, rs10513398, rs3732765, and rs10935841, showed association with moderate RPR (OR = 1.79–2.94, P‐value = 0.04–0.028), while five, rs7615865, rs1388623, rs1388622, rs7634096, and rs7637803, were associated with low RPR (OR = 0.50–0.55, P‐value = 0.008–0.026), following ADP stimulation. TxB2 level <1 ng/mL was linked to five P2RY1 SNPs, rs1439010, rs1371097, rs701265, rs12497578, and rs2312265 (OR = 0.36–0.54, P‐value = 0.003–0.039).

Conclusions:  Polymorphisms in P2RY1 and P2RY12 are associated with on‐aspirin platelet reactivity in patients with CAD.
Evolution of root plasticity responses to variation in soil nutrient distribution and concentration
Authors: Grossman Judah D. , Rice Kevin J.
Published: May 2012

Root plasticity, a trait that can respond to selective pressure, may help plants forage for nutrients in heterogeneous soils. Agricultural breeding programs have artificially selected for increased yield under comparatively homogeneous soil conditions, potentially decreasing the capacity for plasticity in crop plants like barley (Hordeum vulgare). However, the effects of domestication on the evolution of root plasticity are essentially unknown. Using a split container approach, we examined the differences in root plasticity among three domestication levels of barley germplasm (wild, landrace, and cultivar) grown under different concentrations and distribution patterns of soil nutrients. Domestication level, nutrient concentration, and nutrient distribution interactively affected average root diameter; differential root allocation (within‐plant plasticity) was greatest in wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum), especially under low nutrient levels. Correlations of within‐plant root plasticity and plant size were most pronounced in modern cultivars under low‐nutrient conditions. Barley plants invested more resources to root systems when grown in low‐nutrient soils and allocated more roots to higher‐nutrient locations. Root plasticity in barley is scale dependent and varies with domestication level. Although wild barley harbors a greater capacity for within‐plant root plasticity than domesticated barley, cultivars exhibited the greatest capacity to translate within‐plant plasticity into increased plant size.
Hybridization, cryptic diversity, and invasiveness in introduced variable‐leaf watermilfoil
Authors: Tavalire Hannah F. , Bugbee Gregory E. , LaRue Elizabeth A. , Thum Ryan A.
Published: May 2012

Hybridization may be important in the evolution of invasiveness, but few empirical studies compare introduced hybrid and parental lineages. Invasive ‘variable‐leaf watermilfoil’ (Myriophyllum heterophyllum) in the northeastern United States consists of at least three distinct lineages: an interspecific hybrid (M. heterophyllum × Myriophyllum laxum) and two historically allopatric lineages of pure M. heterophyllum. Previous observations suggested that hybrid populations of variable‐leaf watermilfoil may be comparatively more ‘invasive’ than pure lineages. However, no quantitative data comparing hybrid and parental lineages have been collected, nor has invasiveness been compared between parental lineages. Here, we demonstrate that these distinct lineages are also ecologically distinct. We find some support for the hypothesis that hybridization has played a role in the evolution of invasiveness: hybrids exhibited higher biomass, individual plant size, and greater branching than at least one parental lineage of M. heterophyllum. However, parental lineages did not differ from the hybrid for some traits, demonstrating that pure parental lineages can also be invasive. In addition, we found no evidence for a role of intraspecific hybridization in the evolution of invasiveness in these lineages of variable‐leaf watermilfoil, even where they co‐occurred locally. Our study suggests that distinguishing among cryptic lineages will help prioritize rapid response control efforts.
Peripheral autofluorescence findings in age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Witmer Matthew T. , Kozbial Andrzej , Daniel Sara , Kiss Szilárd
Published: May 2012

Purpose:  To describe the peripheral autofluorescent findings in patients with age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) using ultrawide‐field imaging.

Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed the ultra‐wide‐field autofluorescent images of all patients diagnosed with AMD or macular drusen at the Department of Ophthalmology of Weill Cornell Medical College from July 2010 to September 2011. Peripheral autofluorescent phenotypes included normal autofluorescence, focal pinpoint hyperfluorescence, granular fluorescent changes, patchy hypofluorescence, and reticular hypofluorescence.

Results:  One hundred and ten consecutive patients (220 eyes) with a diagnosis of AMD or macular drusen were imaged using ultra‐wide‐field autofluorescent technology during the study period. Eighty‐three patients (157 eyes) were included in the final analysis. Peripheral autofluorescent abnormalities were present in 63.6% of eyes with AMD versus 35.7% of control eyes (p = 0.049). Granular fluorescent changes (p = 0.0001) and patchy hypofluorescence (p = 0.0015) were more common in eyes with advanced AMD than in eyes with early AMD or control eyes. Granular fluorescent changes were also more common in eyes with choroidal neovascularization (p = 0.026) or geographic atrophy (p = 0.0001). Patchy hypofluorescence (0.0001) was more common in eyes with geographic atrophy.

Conclusions:  Peripheral autofluorescent abnormalities are common in eyes with AMD. The peripheral findings in eyes with AMD may represent different phenotypes, which may indicate different environmental or genetic factors in the development of AMD. Characterizing the different peripheral phenotypes may have implications for diagnosis and treatment of AMD subtypes.
Carbon debt and carbon sequestration parity in forest bioenergy production
Authors: Mitchell Stephen R. , Harmon Mark E. , O'Connell Kari E. B.
Published: May 2012

The capacity for forests to aid in climate change mitigation efforts is substantial but will ultimately depend on their management. If forests remain unharvested, they can further mitigate the increases in atmospheric CO2 that result from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. Alternatively, they can be harvested for bioenergy production and serve as a substitute for fossil fuels, though such a practice could reduce terrestrial C storage and thereby increase atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the near‐term. Here, we used an ecosystem simulation model to ascertain the effectiveness of using forest bioenergy as a substitute for fossil fuels, drawing from a broad range of land‐use histories, harvesting regimes, ecosystem characteristics, and bioenergy conversion efficiencies. Results demonstrate that the times required for bioenergy substitutions to repay the C Debt incurred from biomass harvest are usually much shorter (< 100 years) than the time required for bioenergy production to substitute the amount of C that would be stored if the forest were left unharvested entirely, a point we refer to as C Sequestration Parity. The effectiveness of substituting woody bioenergy for fossil fuels is highly dependent on the factors that determine bioenergy conversion efficiency, such as the C emissions released during the harvest, transport, and firing of woody biomass. Consideration of the frequency and intensity of biomass harvests should also be given; performing total harvests (clear‐cutting) at high‐frequency may produce more bioenergy than less intensive harvesting regimes but may decrease C storage and thereby prolong the time required to achieve C Sequestration Parity.
nadiv: an R package to create relatedness matrices for estimating non‐additive genetic variances in animal models
Authors: Wolak Matthew E.
Published: May 2012

1. The Non‐Additive InVerses (nadiv) R software package contains functions to create and use non‐additive genetic relationship matrices in the animal model of quantitative genetics.

2. This study discusses the concepts relevant to non‐additive genetic effects and introduces the package.

3. nadiv includes functions to create the inverse of the dominance and epistatic relatedness matrices from a pedigree, which are required for estimating these genetic variances in an animal model. The study focuses on three widely used software programs in ecology and in evolutionary biology (ASReml, MCMCglmm and WOMBAT) and how nadiv can be used in conjunction with each. Simple tutorials are provided in the Supporting Information.
The Children's Complementary Therapy Network: past, present and future
Authors: Lee Rhonda T
Published: May 2012

The Children's Complementary Therapy Network (CCTN) was established in the UK in 2003 as a multidisciplinary network in response to the growing trend of CAM use amongst children, and the professional isolation experienced by practitioners. The objective of this article is to outline the past, present and future initiatives of the CCTN. The list of CCTN activities, and the outcomes of these initiatives, was derived from the experiences and observations of the author, as well as from anecdotes from CCTN members and key stakeholders. To date, the CCTN has organised five successful national conferences on paediatric CAM service development and a number of health topics, including autism, cerebral palsy, palliative care and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Other advocacy, research and educative activities include encouraging disclosure of CAM use by parents through the dissemination of ‘Tell your Doctor’ posters, an evaluation of CAM use in children with autism, and supporting the development of a paediatric strand within a new post‐graduate integrated medicine programme. Collaborative network efforts like the CCTN and other paediatric CAM networks have an instrumental role in advancing paediatric CAM research and practice, while progressing its move towards integration into the NHS.
Effects of mind–body therapies in children
Authors: Hartmann Frederique , Vlieger Arine M
Published: May 2012

Mind–body medicine encompasses different treatment modalities, all focusing on interactions between the mind and the body, with the intent to using the mind to affect physical functioning and promote health. Our objective was to summarise the current evidence on four mind–body therapies that have been evaluated extensively for their efficacy in paediatrics: hypnotherapy/guided imagery, meditation, music therapy and yoga. A Medline search was undertaken of all reports and reviews published between 1990 and 2011 on the above‐mentioned mind–body modalities. Hypnotherapy and guided imagery are shown to be effective in reducing acute pain during medical procedures as well as chronic pain in functional gastro‐intestinal disorders. Benefits of meditation have been reported for mental‐health problems, high blood pressure, behavioural problems and learning disabilities. Music therapy appears to be a promising adjunct to the treatment of children undergoing painful or potentially fear‐inducing procedures. Positive effects of yoga have been shown in persons with mental‐health problems, eating disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. There is considerable evidence that mind–body interventions have mild to moderate effects on physical symptoms, psychological functioning and QoL, and may be particularly helpful for children coping with acute pain (e.g. due to clinical procedures), chronic abdominal pain due to irritable bowel syndrome, and mental‐health problems.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and Integrative Medicine: past, present and future
Authors: Rosen Lawrence
Published: May 2012

A century ago, paediatricians were dismissed as ‘baby doctors’ as the medical care of children was considered the secondary responsibility of general practitioners. Over the past century, though, the specialised medical care of infants and children has come to be an accepted and valued profession. This article provides an opportunity to reflect on where we are, how we got here and where we would like to be.
Insufficient evidence on acupuncture and acupressure for labour pain management
Authors: Lee H
Published: May 2012

Smith CA, Collins CT, Crowther CA, Levett KM.

Acupuncture or acupressure for pain management in labour.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011; 7: CD009232.
Acupuncture for cerebral palsy
Authors: Mandziuk Kurt , Liu Yali , Adams Denise , Vohra Sunita
Published: May 2012

Cerebral palsy (CP) has been defined as a disorder affecting body movement, motor skills and postural control. It is caused by damage to the developing fetal or infant brain during pregnancy, at birth or during the first 3–5 years of life. Patients with CP often seek out CAM treatments, such as acupuncture. The objective of this study was to examine the evidence for the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture for CP. Four databases (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, EMBASE and MEDLINE) were searched for RCTs and systematic reviews (SRs) of acupuncture and CP. Titles and abstracts were screened; articles meeting the selection criteria were retrieved in full. Studies were included if they were SRs or RCTs and evaluated the effectiveness of an acupoint stimulation technique in children with CP. Only English and Chinese language papers were included. The search identified seven studies; six RCTs and one quasi‐RCT that included acupuncture in at least one group. Three of the RCTs compared different types of acupuncture, while four compared acupuncture to another active intervention, including osteopathy, massage, music and play. The evidence of safety and effectiveness for acupuncture and cerebral palsy is difficult to interpret due to poor reporting. When the effectiveness of a treatment is unknown, data about its safety are paramount. With regards to paediatric needle acupuncture, there is reasonable evidence to suggest that it is safe in trained hands. However, the safety of acupoint injection is unknown, particularly when foreign proteins are being injected.
Effects of Reynolds Number and Surface Roughness Magnitude and Location on Compressor Cascade Performance
Authors: Back Seung Chul , Hobson Garth V. , Song Seung Jin , Millsaps Knox T.
Published: May 2012

An experimental investigation has been conducted to characterize the influence of Reynolds number and surface roughness magnitude and location on compressor cascade performance. Flow field surveys have been conducted in a low-speed, linear compressor cascade. Pressure, velocity, and loss have been measured via a five-hole probe, pitot probe, and pressure taps on the blades. Four different roughness magnitudes, Ra values of 0.38 μm (polished), 1.70 μm (baseline), 2.03 μm (rough 1), and 2.89 μm (rough 2), have been tested. Furthermore, various roughness locations have been examined. In addition to the as manufactured (baseline) and entirely rough blade cases, blades with roughness covering the leading edge, pressure side, and 5%, 20%, 35%, 50%, and 100% of suction side from the leading edge have been studied. All of the tests have been carried out for Reynolds numbers ranging from 300,000 to 640,000. For Reynolds numbers under 500,000, the tested roughnesses do not significantly degrade compressor blade loading or loss. However, loss and blade loading become sensitive to roughness at Reynolds numbers above 550,000. Cascade performance is more sensitive to roughness on the suction side than pressure side. Furthermore, roughness on the aft 2/3 of suction side surface has a greater influence on loss. For a given roughness location, there exists a Reynolds number at which loss begins to significantly increase. Finally, increasing the roughness area on the suction surface from the leading edge reduces the Reynolds number at which the loss begins to increase.
The Effect of Rotor Tip Clearance Size onto the Separated Flow Through a Super-Aggressive S-Shaped Intermediate Turbine Duct Downstream of a Transonic Turbine Stage
Authors: Marn A. , Göttlich E. , Malzacher F. , Pirker H. P.
Published: May 2012

The demand for a further increased bypass ratio of aero engines will lead to low pressure turbines with larger diameters, which rotate at a lower speed. Therefore, it is necessary to guide the flow leaving the high pressure turbine to the low pressure turbine at a larger diameter without any loss generating separation or flow disturbances. Due to costs and weight, this intermediate turbine duct (ITD) has to be as short as possible. This leads to an aggressive (high diffusion) and, furthermore, to a super-aggressive s-shaped duct geometry. In order to investigate the influence of the blade tip gap size on such a high diffusion duct flow a detailed test arrangement under engine representative conditions is necessary. Therefore, the continuously operating Transonic Test Turbine Facility (TTTF) at Graz University of Technology has been adapted: An super-aggressive intermediate duct is arranged downstream of a transonic high pressure (HP)-turbine stage providing an exit Mach number of about 0.6 and a swirl angle of –15 deg. A second low pressure (LP)-vane row is located at the end of the duct and represents the counter-rotating low pressure turbine at a larger diameter. A following deswirler and a diffuser are the connection to the exhaust casing of the facility. In order to determine the influence of the blade tip gap size on the flow through such a super-aggressive s-shaped turbine, duct measurements were conducted with two different tip gap sizes, a 1.5% span (0.8 mm) and a 2.4% span (1.3 mm). The aerodynamic design of the HP-turbine stage, ITD, LP-vane, and the de-swirler was done by MTU Aero engines. In 2007 at the ASME Turbo Expo, the influence of the rotor clearance size onto the flow through an aggressive ITD was presented. For the present investigation, this aggressive duct has been further shortened by 20% (super-aggressive ITD) so that the flow at the outer duct wall is fully separated. This paper shows the influence of the rotor tip clearance size on to this separation. The flow through this intermediate turbine duct was investigated by means of five-hole-probes, static pressure taps, boundary layer rakes, and oil flow visualization. The oil flow visualization showed the existence of vortical structures within the separation where they seem to be imposed by the upstream HP-vanes.
Internal Flow and Noise Investigations About the Cross-Flow Fan With Different Blade Angles
Authors: Ouyang Hua , Tian Jie , Li You , Zheng Zhiming , Du Zhaohui
Published: May 2012

The experimental and numerical studies have been carried out to investigate the flow and the noise characteristics of the three impellers with different blade angles in a cross-flow fan (CFF). First, the aerodynamic performances of the fan with these impellers are obtained experimentally, and the averaged flow patterns inside the impellers are measured by the three-hole probe. Second, the far-field noise generated by CFF with different impellers has been measured in a semianechoic chamber under different throttling conditions. Third, the two-dimensional unsteady CFD simulations have been performed by commercial software. The internal flow patterns influenced by the different blade angles have been summarized through the computational results. The accuracy of the calculations is validated by the corresponding experimental ones. The detail analysis has been carried out on the unsteady vortex flow properties of the three impellers, which is considered to be the main factor that influences the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of the CFF. Finally, the relative far field noise generated by different impellers are evaluated by an empirical formula based on the assumption that the total sound pressure levels are proportional to the sixth power law of the relative velocity on the outer and inner circumferences of the impeller. The circumferential distributions of relative velocity are provided from the numerical solutions. The varying trends of predicted results agree well with the actual relative noise of the CFF with three different impellers.
Numerical Modelling and Analysis of Peripheral Airway Asymmetry and Ventilation in the Human Adult Lung
Authors: Henry F. S. , Llapur C. J. , Tsuda A. , Tepper R. S.
Published: May 2012

We present a new one-dimensional model of gas transport in the human adult lung. The model comprises asymmetrically branching airways, and heterogeneous interregional ventilation. Our model differs from previous models in that we consider the asymmetry in both the conducting and the acinar airways in detail. Another novelty of our model is that we use simple analytical relationships to produce physiologically realistic models of the conducting and acinar airway trees. With this new model, we investigate the effects of airway asymmetry and heterogeneous interregional ventilation on the phase III slope in multibreath washouts. The model predicts the experimental trend of the increase in the phase III slope with breath number in multibreath washout studies for nitrogen, SF6 and helium. We confirm that asymmetrical branching in the acinus controls the magnitude of the first-breath phase III slope and find that heterogeneous interregional ventilation controls the way in which the slope changes with subsequent breaths. Asymmetry in the conducting airways appears to have little effect on the phase III slope. That the increase in slope appears to be largely controlled by interregional ventilation inhomogeneities should be of interest to those wishing to use multibreath washouts to detect the location of the structural abnormalities within the lung.
Strain Transfer Through the Aortic Valve
Authors: Anssari-Benam Afshin , Gupta Himadri S. , Screen Hazel R. C.
Published: May 2012

The complex structural organization of the aortic valve (AV) extracellular matrix (ECM) enables large and highly nonlinear tissue level deformations. The collagen and elastin (elastic) fibers within the ECM form an interconnected fibrous network (FN) and are known to be the main load-bearing elements of the AV matrix. The role of the FN in enabling deformation has been investigated and documented. However, there is little data on the correlation between tissue level and FN-level strains. Investigating this correlation will help establish the mode of strain transfer (affine or nonaffine) through the AV tissue as a key feature in microstructural modeling and will also help characterize the local FN deformation across the AV sample in response to applied tissue level strains. In this study, the correlation between applied strains at tissue level, macrostrains across the tissue surface, and local FN strains were investigated. Results showed that the FN strain distribution across AV samples was inhomogeneous and nonuniform, as well as anisotropic. There was no direct transfer of the deformation applied at tissue level to the fibrous network. Loading modes induced in the FN are different than those applied at the tissue as a result of different local strains in the valve layers. This nonuniformity of local strains induced internal shearing within the FN of the AV, possibly exposing the aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) to shear strains and stresses.
On the Stress Singularities at Clamped Butt Joints
Authors: Sinclair G. B. , Kardak Ajay A.
Published: May 2012

This note considers two elastic quarter-planes perfectly bonded together on their common boundary and clamped on their other boundaries. Asymptotic analysis of the stresses in the corners of the quarter-planes identifies the power singularities present for a full range of elastic moduli. Configurations with nonsingular stresses at this juncture are also identified. These last results offer some means for removing stress singularities from clamped butt joints by perturbing elastic moduli.