bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Public Income Induce More Consumption?*
Authors: FAN ELLIOTT
Published: September 2009

The Life‐Cycle/Permanent Income Hypothesis predicts that income uncertainty reduces an individual’s incentive to consume, while holding permanent income level constant. This implies that switching from a relatively unstable form of income to a stable one motivates consumption. This article explores this implication by quantifying and comparing the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) out of private income and income from a public pension scheme. It exploits the introduction of a public pension that provides a monthly fixed amount of payment – a relatively secure source of income. The results suggest that the provision of pension leads to a higher MPC for the beneficiaries’ households, and the estimated MPC out of the pension income is significantly larger than the corresponding estimate for private income. Further examination suggests that households facing more non‐tradable risks appear to be more prudent on consumption, highlighting the role of income uncertainty in households’ consumption decisions.
Trends in Effective Marginal Tax Rates in Australia from 1996–97 to 2006–07*
Authors: HARDING ANN , VU QUOC NGU , PAYNE ALICIA , PERCIVAL RICHARD
Published: September 2009

This article reviews trends in effective marginal tax rates (EMTRs) from 1996–1997 to 2006–2007 for working‐age Australians. Although sweeping income tax cuts reduced effective tax rates for many taxpayers, the extension of income‐tested welfare payments and tax concessions worked in the opposite direction. The proportion of working‐age Australians facing EMTRs of more than 50 per cent increased during the period, from 4.8 to 7.1 per cent, representing some 910,000 Australians. This article also provides the first international comparisons of how the distribution of EMTRs for earners in Australia compares with those prevailing in Europe.
House Price Measurement: The Hybrid Hedonic Repeat‐Sales Method
Authors: JONES CALLUM
Published: September 2009

This article supplements James Hansen’s (2009) recent article on the measurement of house prices in Australia. It provides a specific outline of the hybrid hedonic repeat‐sales measure, a model which combines the hedonic and repeat‐sales approaches examined in Hansen.
Helicobacter pylori Infection Significantly Increases Insulin Resistance in the Asymptomatic Japanese Population
Authors: Gunji Toshiaki , Matsuhashi Nobuyuki , Sato Hajime , Fujibayashi Kazutoshi , Okumura Mitsue , Sasabe Noriko , Urabe Akio
Published: September 2009

Background:  Helicobacter pylori infection has been shown to contribute to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Insulin resistance is the pathophysiologic background of the clinical features of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. We examined the association between H. pylori infection and insulin resistance in a large Japanese population.

Materials and Methods:  Fifteen hundred ninety‐eight consecutive asymptomatic subjects that underwent a complete medical survey in our institute between May 2007 and July 2008 were recruited. Cases under medication for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, or cardiovascular diseases were excluded from the study. Cases suffering from chronic renal or liver failure were also excluded. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) score was used to quantitatively estimate insulin resistance. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (SAT) were measured by computed tomography. The association between H. pylori serostatus and HOMA‐IR score was investigated by multivariate regression analysis.

Results:  A total of 988 men and 119 women were eventually eligible for this cross‐sectional survey. Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was significantly higher in 99 cases with insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR ≥2.5) compared with 1008 cases without insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR <2.5) (39.4 vs 28.7%, p = .027). There was a significant association between H. pylori serostatus and HOMA‐IR score by multiple linear regression analysis (coefficients = 0.152, 95% CI = 0.058–0.246, p = .001), after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, waist girth, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues, smoking status, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, and physical activity.

Conclusions:  Helicobacter pylori infection significantly and independently contributed to promoting insulin resistance in a large asymptomatic population.
Genetic Variation in a4GnT in Relation to Helicobacter pylori Serology and Gastric Cancer Risk
Authors: Zheng Zongli , Jia Yanbin , Hou Lifang , Persson Christina , Yeager Meredith , Lissowska Jolanta , Chanock Stephen J. , Blaser Martin , Chow Wong‐Ho , Ye Weimin
Published: September 2009

Background:  Helicobacter pylori, a known risk factor of gastric cancer, rarely colonize the deeper portion of normal gastric glands, where the mucus is rich in α‐1,4‐linked N‐acetylglucosamine capped O‐glycans, that strongly inhibit H. pylori growth in vitro.

Materials and methods:  We investigated the association between genetic variation in the O‐glycan transferase encoding gene (a4GnT) and H. pylori infection and gastric cancer risk using a Polish population‐based case–control study (273 gastric cancer patients and 377 controls).

Results:  A haplotype at the rs2622694–rs397266 locus was associated with H. pylori infection, with the A‐A haplotype associated with a higher risk compared with the most frequent G‐G haplotype (odds ratio 2.30; 95% confidence interval 1.35–3.92). The association remained significant after correction for multiple tests (global p value: nominal 0.002, empirical 0.045). Neither this haplotype nor the tagSNPs were associated with overall gastric cancer risk.

Conclusion:  a4GnT genetic variation may be relevant to H. pylori infection, but not to gastric cancer risk.
Interaction of Helicobacter pylori with Genetic Variants in the MDM2 Promoter, is Associated with Gastric Cancer Susceptibility in Chinese Patients
Authors: Wang Xiaoyong , Yang Jing , Ho Bo , Yang Yang , Huang Zuhu , Zhang Zhihong , Zhang Guoxin
Published: September 2009

Background and Aims:  MDM2 is a major negative regulator of p53, and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MDM2 promoter region SNP309 (rs2279744) has been shown to increase the affinity of the transcriptional activator Sp1, resulting in elevated MDM2 transcription and expression in some cancers. The aim of this study was to determine whether SNP309 is associated with susceptibility to gastric cancer in Chinese patients.

Methods:  Two hundred and sixty patients with gastric cancer and 260 healthy controls were genotyped for MDM2 SNP309 using the PCR‐RFLP method. Helicobacter pylori’s infection status was determined using a validated serology test.

Results:  The healthy control group was found to be in Hard–Weinberg equilibrium at the polymorphic loci studied (χ2 = 3.63, p = 0.06). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the risk of gastric cancer for SNP309 (G/G) was significantly increased when compared with T carriers (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31–3.20). Further stratification analyses based on the recessive models reveal that a significantly increased risk of gastric cancer associated with the GG genotype was evident among subjects with H. pylori infection (adjusted OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.45–4.37), and noncardia gastric cancer patients (adjusted OR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.41–3.71), compared with the T carriers. When stratified by histologic subtype of gastric cancer, the risk was also statistically significant. There was no significant difference in age at diagnosis among genotypes.

Conclusions:  The MDM2 promoter SNP309 is associated with the presence of gastric cancer in Chinese patients especially those with H. pylori infection.
Helicobacter pylori Infection and Family History of Gastric Cancer Decrease Expression of FHIT Tumor Suppressor Gene in Gastric Mucosa of Dyspeptic Patients
Authors: Stec‐Michalska Krystyna , Peczek Lukasz , Michalski Blazej , Wisniewska‐Jarosinska Maria , Krakowiak Agnieszka , Nawrot Barbara
Published: September 2009

Background:  The expression of a fragile histidine triad (FHIT) protein is lost in stomach tumors. The study aimed at determining whether FHIT expression is affected by Helicobacter pylori infection, strain virulence (vacA and cagA genes) and histopathological changes in the gastric mucosa of patients with functional dyspepsia having first‐degree relatives with gastric cancer.

Materials and Methods:  Eighty‐eight never‐smoking patients with functional dyspepsia were selected for the study, and 48 of them had first‐degree relatives with gastric cancer. Bacterial DNA amplification was used to identify H. pylori colonization. The level of FHIT gene expression was determined by qRT‐PCR (mRNA) and Western blot (FHIT protein) analyses.

Results:  For patients having first‐degree relatives with gastric cancer FHIT expression was lower (mRNA by ca. 40–45% and protein by 30%) compared with the control patients (p < .05). H. pylori infection decreased the FHIT mRNA level by 10–35% and the protein level by 10–20%. Bacterial strain vacA(+)cagA(+) lowered FHIT mRNA by ca. 30–35% in the antrum samples of both groups and in corpus samples of patients with first‐degree relatives with gastric cancer (p < .05). The FHIT mRNA level was twice as high in control H. pylori‐negative patients with intestinal metaplasia, compared with those with non‐atrophic gastritis.

Conclusions:  The decreased FHIT gene expression associated with hereditary factors and with H. pylori infection, especially with vacA(+)cagA(+)‐positive strains, may be related to gastric carcinoma development.
BOLD Response During Spatial Working Memory in Youth With Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Spadoni Andrea D. , Bazinet Alissa D. , Fryer Susanna L. , Tapert Susan F. , Mattson Sarah N. , Riley Edward P.
Published: September 2009

Background:  Prenatal alcohol exposure has been consistently linked to neurocognitive deficits and structural brain abnormalities in affected individuals. Structural brain abnormalities observed in regions supporting spatial working memory (SWM) may contribute to observed deficits in visuospatial functioning in youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).

Methods:  We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response in alcohol‐exposed individuals during a SWM task. There were 22 young subjects (aged 10–18 years) with documented histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (ALC, n = 10), and age‐ and sex‐matched controls (CON, n = 12). Subjects performed a SWM task during fMRI that alternated between 2‐back location matching (SWM) and simple attention (vigilance) conditions.

Results:  Groups did not differ on task accuracy or reaction time to the SWM condition, although CON subjects had faster reaction times during the vigilance condition (617 millisecond vs. 684 millisecond, p = 0.03). Both groups showed similar overall patterns of activation to the SWM condition in expected regions encompassing bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal lobes and parietal areas. However, ALC subjects showed greater BOLD response to the demands of the SWM relative to the vigilance condition in frontal, insular, superior, and middle temporal, occipital, and subcortical regions. CON youth evidenced less increased brain activation to the SWM relative to the vigilance task in these areas (p < 0.05, clusters > 1,664 μl). These differences remained significant after including Full Scale IQ as a covariate. Similar qualitative results were obtained after subjects taking stimulant medication were excluded from the analysis.

Conclusions:  In the context of equivalent performance to a SWM task, the current results suggest that widespread increases in BOLD response in youth with FASDs could either indicate decreased efficiency of relevant brain networks, or serve as a compensatory mechanism for deficiency at neural and/or cognitive levels. In context of existing fMRI evidence of heightened prefrontal activation in response to verbal working memory and inhibition demands, the present findings may indicate that frontal structures are taxed to a greater degree during cognitive demands in individuals with FASDs.
Selected Line Difference in the Effects of Ethanol Dependence and Withdrawal on Allopregnanolone Levels and 5α‐Reductase Enzyme Activity and Expression
Authors: Tanchuck Michelle A. , Long Season L. , Ford Matthew M. , Hashimoto Joel , Crabbe John C. , Roselli Charles E. , Wiren Kristine M. , Finn Deborah A.
Published: September 2009

Background: Allopregnanolone (ALLO) is a progesterone derivative that rapidly potentiates γ‐aminobutyric acidA(GABAA) receptor‐mediated inhibition and modulates symptoms of ethanol withdrawal. Because clinical and preclinical data indicate that ALLO levels are inversely related to symptoms of withdrawal, the present studies determined whether ethanol dependence and withdrawal differentially altered plasma and cortical ALLO levels in mice selectively bred for differences in ethanol withdrawal severity and determined whether the alterations in ALLO levels corresponded to a concomitant change in activity and expression of the biosynthetic enzyme 5α‐reductase.

Methods: Male Withdrawal Seizure‐Prone (WSP) and ‐Resistant (WSR) mice were exposed to 72 hours ethanol vapor or air and euthanized at select times following removal from the inhalation chambers. Blood was collected for analysis of ALLO and corticosterone levels by radioimmunoassay. Dissected amygdala, hippocampus, midbrain, and cortex as well as adrenals were examined for 5α‐reductase enzyme activity and expression levels.

Results: Plasma ALLO was decreased significantly only in WSP mice, and this corresponded to a decrease in adrenal 5α‐reductase expression. Cortical ALLO was decreased up to 54% in WSP mice and up to 46% in WSR mice, with a similar decrease in cortical 5α‐reductase activity during withdrawal in the lines. While cortical gene expression was significantly decreased during withdrawal in WSP mice, there was a 4‐fold increase in expression in the WSR line during withdrawal. Hippocampal 5α‐reductase activity and gene expression was decreased only in dependent WSP mice.

Conclusions: These results suggest that there are line and brain regional differences in the regulation of the neurosteroid biosynthetic enzyme 5α‐reductase during ethanol dependence and withdrawal. In conjunction with the finding that WSP mice exhibit reduced sensitivity to ALLO during withdrawal, the present results are consistent with the hypothesis that genetic differences in ethanol withdrawal severity are due, in part, to modulatory effects of GABAergic neurosteroids such as ALLO.
Alcohol and Cognitive Function: Assessment in Everyday Life and Laboratory Settings Using Mobile Phones
Authors: Tiplady Brian , Oshinowo Bami , Thomson Joanne , Drummond Gordon Blair
Published: September 2009

Background:  Mobile phone (cellphone) technology makes it practicable to assess cognitive function in a natural setting. We assessed this method and compared impairment of performance due to alcohol in everyday life with measurements made in the laboratory.

Methods:  Thirty‐eight volunteers (20 male, aged 18–54 years) took part in the everyday study, completing assessments twice a day for 14 days following requests sent by text messages to the mobile phone. Twenty‐six of them (12 male, aged 19–54) took part in a subsequent two‐period crossover lab study comparing alcohol with no alcohol (placebo).

Results:  Everyday entries with 5 or more units of alcohol consumed in the past 6 hours (inferred mean blood alcohol concentration 95 ml/100 ml) showed higher scores for errors in tests of attention and working memory compared with entries with no alcohol consumed that day. Response times were impaired for only 1 test, sustained attention to response. The laboratory comparison of alcohol (mean blood alcohol concentration 124 mg/100 ml) with placebo showed impairment to both reaction time and error scores for all tests. A similar degree of subjective drunkenness was reported in both settings.

Conclusions:  We found that mobile phones allowed practical research on cognitive performance in an everyday life setting. Alcohol impaired function in both laboratory and everyday life settings at relevant doses of alcohol.
Operant Behavior and Alcohol Levels in Blood and Brain of Alcohol‐Dependent Rats
Authors: Gilpin Nicholas W. , Smith Amanda D. , Cole Maury , Weiss Friedbert , Koob George F. , Richardson Heather N.
Published: September 2009

Background: The purpose of the present investigation was to more clearly define blood‐alcohol parameters associated with alcohol dependence produced by alcohol vapor inhalation and alcohol‐containing liquid diet.

Methods: Alcohol levels in blood and brain were compared during and after 4 hours of acute alcohol vapor exposure; also, brain‐alcohol levels were assessed in alcohol‐exposed (14‐day alcohol vapor) and alcohol‐naïve rats during and after 4 hours of acute alcohol vapor exposure. A separate group of rats were implanted with i.v. catheters, made dependent on alcohol via vapor inhalation, and tested for operant alcohol responding; blood‐alcohol levels (BALs) were measured throughout operant alcohol drinking sessions during alcohol withdrawal. A final group of rats consumed an alcohol‐liquid diet until they were dependent, and those rats were then tested for operant behavior at various withdrawal time points; BALs were measured at different withdrawal time points and after operant sessions.

Results: Blood‐ and brain‐alcohol levels responded similarly to vapor, but brain‐alcohol levels peaked at a higher point and more slowly returned to zero in alcohol‐naïve rats relative to alcohol‐exposed rats. Alcohol vapor exposure also produced an upward shift in subsequent operant alcohol responding and resultant BALs. Rats consumed large quantities of alcohol‐liquid diet, most of it during the dark cycle, sufficient to produce high blood‐alcohol levels and elevated operant alcohol responding when tested during withdrawal from liquid diet.

Conclusions: These results emphasize that the key determinants of excessive alcohol drinking behavior are the BAL range and pattern of chronic high‐dose alcohol exposure.
Challenging “Best Practices” in Family Literacy and Parent Education Programs: The Development and Enactment of Mothering Knowledge among Puerto Rican and Latina Mothers in Chicago
Authors: Johnson Laura Ruth
Published: September 2009

This article discusses the findings of an ethnographic research study exploring the experiences of Puerto Rican women attending a family literacy program in Chicago. In particular, the study investigated the repositories of knowledge and information available to participating women that figured into the development of their notions about parenting, in the process posing these various trajectories against the types of knowledge and approaches usually promoted within family literacy and parent education programs. [teen mothers, family literacy programs, parent education, Puerto Rican mothers, Chicago, Latino/a communities]
Aqueous Colloidal Characterization and Forming of Multimodal Barium Titanate Powders
Authors: Munro Cameron D. , Plucknett Kevin P.
Published: September 2009

Aqueous suspensions of two barium titanate (BaTiO3) powders, with 100 and 500 nm nominal size, were found to be stabilized by a predominantly steric mechanism when using a polyelectrolyte surfactant, an ammonium salt of poly(methacylate) (PMA‐NH4). Considerable amounts of barium ions were shown to readily dissolve from BaTiO3 powders in an aqueous environment, even without the addition of acid or base. This barium dissolution obscured the accurate measurement of the isoelectric point of the two powders. Suspension stabilization was observed to occur at basic pH when using PMA‐NH4. Concentrated suspensions of each individual powder exhibited shear thinning behavior, with the onset of shear thickening occurring at relatively high shear rates. Suspensions containing 85 vol% coarse/15 vol% fine powders demonstrated the lowest apparent viscosity for a given solids loading, while the highest sintered density was obtained with a mixture of 70 vol% coarse/30 vol% fine, when sintering at 1300°C for 2 h (97.4% of theoretical, slip cast from a suspension containing 50 vol% solids).
Synthesis of NiO‐Deposited YSZ Composite Powders by Urea Hydrolysis
Authors: Lin Jyung‐Dong , Wu Zhao‐Lun
Published: September 2009

The urea hydrolysis method was used to prepare NiO‐deposited YSZ composite powders. First, micrometer‐sized YSZ particles were fabricated, and then the nanosized NiO particles were deposited on the surface of the YSZ particles. The microstructure of composite powders and the sintered bulk were further characterized with the aid of XRD, SEM, and TEM. The results indicated that the mesoporous and microsheet‐like Ni(OH)2·xH2O (x=0–1) crystals were deposited on the surface of YSZ particles. As the concentration of Ni2+ ion in the stock solution increased, the deposited NiO content and thickness of NiO layer on the YSZ particle surface also increased. In addition, the YSZ particle size showed significant influence on the microstructure and conductivity of Ni/YSZ cermet anode produced by NiO‐deposited YSZ composite powders. Such NiO‐deposited YSZ composite powders can be easily sintered to form a continuous NiO network.
Effects of CuO Doping on the Microstructural and Dielectric Properties of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Lee Ying‐Chieh , Huang Yen‐Lin
Published: September 2009

This study investigates the effect of CuO on the sintering behavior, dielectric properties, and microstructures of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST) ceramics. The ceramics were sintered in air at temperatures ranging from 1000° to 1230°C. It is found that a small amount of added CuO (0.6 mol%) can significantly increase the density and improve the dielectric properties of BST ceramics. Doped BST ceramics can be sintered to a density >95% of the theoretical density at 1150°C. scanning electron microscopic observations show that the BST grain sizes increase with increasing amounts of CuO. No secondary phases in the BST ceramics are observed using X‐ray diffraction pattern for CuO additions up to 0.9 mol%. However, compositional analysis using transmission electron microscopy‐EDX for the BST ceramics with 0.9 mol% CuO sintered at 1150°C showed that a small level of secondary phase formation is present. On the other hand, large dislocations are observed for BST with 0.6 mol% CuO addition as a result of lattice distortion, which creates the vacancy condensation because of the atomic mismatch in the solid solutions. Optimal CuO doping concentrations can reduce the loss tangents of BST that can also ensure a high dielectric constant. When the doping concentration of CuO is 0.6 mol% and the ceramic is sintered at 1150°C, the BST ceramic has the following properties at 1 MHz: dielectric constant=4094, tan δ=0.55%.
Diffusion of Water Species in Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia
Authors: Duong Tuan , Limarga Andi M. , Clarke David R.
Published: September 2009

The diffusion of moisture‐related species into both tetragonal and cubic single crystals at temperatures characteristic of moisture‐enhanced low‐temperature degradation of tetragonal zirconia is reported using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The crystals were immersed in D and O18 isotopically labeled water and in O18 gas environments over the temperature range of 100°–220°C and SIMS profiles of H, D, O18, and O18D determined. The oxygen diffusivities in both tetragonal and cubic crystals were the same, irrespective of whether the crystals were exposed to gas or water. Furthermore, the oxygen diffusivities were consistent with extrapolations of the oxygen diffusivities in cubic crystals reported at higher temperatures using the reported activation energy for oxygen vacancy diffusion. Both H and D diffuse into the tetragonal crystal when immersed in water but despite having a higher concentration of vacancies no diffusion of H or D was detectable in the cubic single crystals exposed under identical conditions. Quantification of the H and D diffusion into the tetragonal crystal proved unreliable due to charging effects even though the SIMS profiling was performed at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Nevertheless, it was concluded that D can diffuse in tetragonal zirconia at room temperatures over a period of several months. Finally, although a species of mass 20 amu, which is the same as the isotopic labeled OH (O18D) ion, was detected in the tetragonal single crystal zirconia exposed to water, it was concluded that this was a SIMS artifact and that moisture does not diffuse in zirconia as either an OH or H2O ion.
Crystal Structure–Ionic Conductivity Relationships in Doped Ceria Systems
Authors: Omar Shobit , Wachsman Eric D. , Jones Jacob L. , Nino Juan C.
Published: September 2009

In the past, it has been suggested that the maximum ionic conductivity is achieved in ceria, when doped with an acceptor cation that causes minimum distortion in the cubic fluorite crystal lattice. In the present work, this hypothesis is tested by measuring both the ionic conductivity and elastic lattice strain of 10 mol% trivalent cation‐doped ceria systems at the same temperatures. A consistent set of ionic conductivity data is developed, where the samples are synthesized under similar experimental conditions. On comparing the grain ionic conductivity, Nd0.10Ce0.90O2−δ exhibits the highest ionic conductivity among other doped ceria systems. The grain ionic conductivity is around 17% higher than that of Gd0.10Ce0.90O2−δ at 500°C, in air. X‐ray diffraction profiles are collected on the sintered powder of all the compositions, from room temperature to 600°C, in air. From the lattice expansion data at high temperatures, the minimal elastic strain due to the presence of dopant is observed in Dy0.10Ce0.90O2−δ. Nd0.10Ce0.90O2−δ exhibits larger elastic lattice strain than Dy0.10Ce0.90O2−δ with better ionic conductivity at intermediate temperatures. Therefore, it is shown that the previously proposed crystal structure–ionic conductivity relationship based on minimum elastic strain is not sufficient to explain the ionic conductivity behavior in ceria‐based system.
Highly Temperature Stable Dielectric Properties of Nanograin Barium Strontium Titanate Thin Films Grown on Silicon Substrate
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Wang Genshui , Chen Ying , Yang Lihui , Cao Fei , Dong Xianlin , Meng Xiangjian , Yang Jing
Published: September 2009

Temperature‐insensitive dielectric properties of nanograin size Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 thin films were grown on LaNiO3/Si substrates by rf magnetron sputtering. Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction investigations show the grain size is about 25 nm. The thin films with nanograin size have much better temperature stability of dielectric properties. The dielectric constant and loss tangent varied slightly as temperature increased from −60° to 60°C. The tunabilities were stable around 15.5% at 50 kV/mm and the temperature coefficients of capacitances relative to the capacitance value at 0°C were all about 2 × 10−4/°C during this broad temperature range.
Highly Dispersive Carbon Nanotube/Alumina Composites and their Electrospun Nanofibers
Authors: Lu Ping , Huang Qing , Jiang Dongtao , Ding Bin , Hsieh You‐Lo , Ovid'ko Ilya A. , Mukherjee Amiya
Published: September 2009

Noncovalent functionalization approach was used to make negatively charged carbon nanotubes (CNTs) suspension in water medium. Stable alumina/CNT sol solution was consequently formed by simple titration process, which allowed high dispersibility of CNTs in final composite powders and final CNT/alumina (CA) nanocomposites. Moreover, these CA composite powders were transformed to continuous composite fibers via electrospinning technique. Very significant shear stresses exerted on alumina were well recorded and reflected by shifts of X‐ray diffraction peaks. The as‐fabricated CA fibers possess a specific surface area 30 times larger than that of pure poly(acrylic acid) fibers. The axial alignment of CNTs observed in the composite fibers is promising for developing textured ceramics, and also for the study of the effect of orientation of fillers on the mechanical and functional properties.
Fabrication of Oriented ZSM‐5 Thin Films on Porous Substrates Using Slow Dissolution of Solid Source Materials
Authors: Kita Tomoyuki , Nishimoto Shunsuke , Matsuda Motohide , Miyake Michihiro
Published: September 2009

Dense b‐axis‐oriented ZSM‐5 zeolite films with a thickness of approximately 300 nm were successfully synthesized on porous Y2O3‐stabilized ZrO2 supports. The films were produced via an in situ crystallization method based on a slow dissolution of solid source materials, which continuously supplies a superficial layer for the film growth.
Mechanochemical Synthesis of Slow‐Release Fertilizers through Incorporation of Alumina Composition into Potassium/Ammonium Phosphates
Authors: Zhang Qiwu , Solihin  , Saito Fumio
Published: September 2009

Synthesis of potassium/ammonium phosphates and alumina composites through a mechanochemical approach is presented for the first time. γ‐alumina and the phosphate are coground and the ground products are characterized by X‐ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Quantitative evaluation of the remaining soluble part of the prepared amorphous phase at a low percentage around 10% demonstrates a potential use of the ground samples as slow‐release fertilizers.
Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus to Reduce Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality: A Review of the Evidence
Authors: Giles Thomas D.
Published: September 2009

Cardiovascular disease accounts for the majority of deaths in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lifestyle interventions aimed at weight loss and increased physical activity and therapy with antidiabetic drugs have proven effective in reducing the risk of new‐onset diabetes in high‐risk individuals. Substantial evidence also suggests that drugs that inhibit the renin‐angiotensin system, namely angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers, also prolong the time to onset of clinical diabetes. An open question is whether delay of new‐onset diabetes with antidiabetic or antihypertensive agents reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A large ongoing study is investigating whether therapy with an oral antidiabetic drug or an angiotensin II receptor blocker reduces the incidence of new‐onset diabetes and cardiovascular events in high‐risk patients.
Ascorbic acid influences the development and immunocompetence of larval Heliothis virescens
Authors: Popham Holly J. R. , Shelby Kent S.
Published: September 2009

Ascorbic acid, known to be a free radical scavenger and vital to insect development, is important in larval resistance to baculovirus infection. We sequentially elevated the ascorbic acid content in an ascorbic acid‐depleted diet and evaluated the effect on larval Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) development and immunocompetence. Dietary ascorbic acid levels lower than 0.7 g l−1 slowed the growth rate of larvae, reduced pupal weights significantly, and severely inhibited adult emergence. Larvae developing on ascorbic acid‐free diet experienced far higher levels of mortality following per os infection with virus. Additionally, viral infection in larvae fed an ascorbic acid‐free diet, as monitored by epifluorescence microscopy, showed signs of infection much earlier than larvae fed control levels of ascorbic acid. These results demonstrate an indirect correlation between the level of ascorbic acid in the food stream of larval H. virescens and the susceptibility of the insect to baculoviral infection.
Weed–barley interactions affect plant acceptance by aphids in laboratory and field experiments
Authors: Ninkovic Velemir , Glinwood Robert , Dahlin Iris
Published: September 2009

Increased botanical diversity can lead to suppression of insect pests. One route by which botanical diversity is increased in crops is through the occurrence of weeds, which increasingly interact with crop plants as organic production expands. However, the mechanisms by which this might affect insect herbivores are poorly understood. This study examined whether volatile chemical interactions between weeds and barley, Hordeum vulgare L. (Poaceae), can affect plant acceptance by the bird cherry oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae). In laboratory experiments, exposure of barley to volatiles from Chenopodium album L. (Amaranthaceae) and Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae) resulted in significantly reduced aphid acceptance compared with unexposed plants. In a series of field experiments in which the occurrence of weeds was manipulated in plots of barley, significantly lower aphid acceptance was recorded on barley plants grown in plots with C. album compared with barley plants in weedless plots. The results indicate that interaction between weeds and barley can affect aphid–plant interactions in the field as well as in the laboratory and provide further evidence that the effects of chemical interactions between visibly undamaged plants can extend to higher trophic levels.
Comment on: Tattooing of skin results in transportation and light‐induced decomposition of tattoo pigments
Authors: Jemec Gregor B. E.
Published: September 2009

Abstract:  Decorative tattoos have become a common feature of many societies. Their popularity appears mainly driven by fashion, and scant attention has been paid to any associated risk. The risks can be associated either with the tattooees’ proclivity for risk taking in general, or with the substances used in the tattoos.

It is well established that tattoo pigments wander widely in the body after they have been injected, and research now suggests that azo pigments may become mutagenic after exposure to either natural light or laser light. This may not only affect the risk profile of tattoos themselves, but also tattoo removal using lasers.
A Secretory Golgi Bypass Route to the Apical Surface Domain of Epithelial MDCK Cells
Authors: Tveit Heidi , Akslen Linn Kristin Aa. , Fagereng Gro Live , Tranulis Michael A. , Prydz Kristian
Published: September 2009

Proteins leave the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for the plasma membrane via the classical secretory pathway, but routes bypassing the Golgi apparatus have also been observed. Apical and basolateral protein secretion in epithelial Madin‐Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells display differential sensitivity to Brefeldin A (BFA), where low concentrations retard apical transport, while basolateral transport still proceeds through intact Golgi cisternae. We now describe that BFA‐mediated retardation of glycoprotein and proteoglycan transport through the Golgi apparatus induces surface transport of molecules lacking Golgi modifications, possessing those acquired in the ER. Low concentrations of BFA induces apical Golgi bypass, while higher concentrations were required to induce basolateral Golgi bypass. Addition of the KDEL ER‐retrieval sequence to model protein cores allowed observation of apical Golgi bypass in untreated MDCK cells. Basolateral Golgi bypass was only observed after the addition of BFA or upon cholesterol depletion. Thus, in MDCK cells, an apical Golgi bypass route can transport cargo from pre‐Golgi organelles in untreated cells, while the basolateral bypass route is inducible.
Traumatic lesions from congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis in a pediatric patient: dental management
Authors: Neves Beatriz Gonçalves , Roza Rosemere Teixeira , Castro Gloria Fernanda
Published: September 2009

Abstract –  Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a rare autosomal‐recessive disorder characterized by unexplained fever episodes, anhidrosis, pain insensitivity, self‐mutilating behavior, and mental retardation. The lack of sensitivity to pain results in traumatic lesions, such as ulcers, fractures, burns, bites, scars, and digital amputations. Several methods have been suggested to treat these patients; however, appropriate management is difficult, especially when the mutilation is particularly severe. This report describes the case of a 2‐year‐old female patient who had severe self‐mutilating injuries to her tongue, hands, lips, and oral mucosa caused by biting. The patient presented digital amputation and also a premature loss of a permanent tooth germ during the treatment. The dental management is described and discussed. It is important to include the dentist on the multidisciplinary team to reduce the frequency and severity of the self‐inflicted lesions in these patients, also to prevent complications.
Late reposition of a lateral luxated maxillary incisor with an immature apex
Authors: Pelka Matthias , Berthold Christine , Van Waes Hubertus
Published: September 2009

Abstract –  Here we describe an unusual trauma case. A recently erupted permanent upper‐right incisor sustained a lateral luxation when a 5‐year‐old girl on a playground climbing net dropped off, catching the right upper incisor in the net. The tooth was laterally luxated in vestibular direction, and no other signs of injury occurred. A dental practitioner could not reposition the bony locked tooth. Four days later, the girl came to our clinic, and we performed an incomplete repositioning of the tooth and made a flexible splint. Controls were made at 1, 6, and 12 weeks and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months later. The 24‐month follow‐up clinical examination revealed the patient to be asymptomatic and the tooth to be completely functional, and the recall radiograph showed further apical root growth. The implications of a late incomplete reposition of laterally luxated permanent teeth with immature apices are discussed.
Cancellous Bone Block Allografts for the Augmentation of the Anterior Atrophic Maxilla
Authors: Nissan Joseph , Mardinger Ofer , Calderon Shlomo , Romanos George E. , Chaushu Gavriel
Published: September 2009

Background: Pre‐implant augmentative surgery is a prerequisite in many cases in the anterior maxilla to achieve a stable, long‐term esthetic final result.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcome of ridge augmentation with cancellous freeze‐dried block bone allografts in the anterior atrophic maxilla followed by placement of dental implants.

Materials and Methods: Thirty‐one consecutive patients were included in the study. A bony deficiency of at least 3 mm horizontally and up to 3 mm vertically according to computerized tomography (CT) served as inclusion criteria. Sixty‐three implants were inserted after a healing period of 6 months. Nineteen of sixty‐three implants were immediately restored. Bone measurements were taken prior to bone augmentation, during implant placement, and at second‐stage surgery.

Results: Forty‐six cancellous allogeneic bone blocks were used. The mean follow‐up was 34 ± 16 months. Mean bone gain was 5 ± 0.5 mm horizontally, and 2 ± 0.5 mm vertically. Mean buccal bone resorption was 0.5 ± 0.5 mm at implant placement, and 0.2 ± 0.2 mm at second‐stage surgery. Mean bone thickness buccal to the implant neck was 2.5 ± 0.5 mm at implant placement, and 2.3 ± 0.2 mm at second‐stage surgery. There was no evidence of vertical bone loss between implant placement and second‐stage surgery. Block and implant survival rates were 95.6 and 98%, respectively. All patients received a fixed implant‐supported prosthesis.

Conclusion: Cancellous block allografts appear to hold promise for grafting the anterior atrophic maxilla.
Care and Aftercare Related to Implant‐Retained Dental Crowns in the Maxillary Aesthetic Region: A 5‐Year Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Visser Anita , Raghoebar Gerry M. , Meijer Henny J.A. , Meijndert Leo , Vissink Arjan
Published: September 2009

Aim: To prospectively assess surgical and prosthetic care and aftercare related to the placement of implant‐retained dental crowns after local bone augmentation in patients missing one tooth in the maxillary aesthetic region.

Methods: Ninety‐three patients were randomly allocated to one of three local augmentation groups: (1) chin bone; (2) chin bone covered by a Bio‐Gide® membrane (Geistlich, Wolhusen, Switzerland); and (3) Bio‐Oss® covered by a Bio‐Gide® membrane. After local augmentation, implant placement (ITI) and fabrication of an implant‐retained dental crown (cemented metal‐ceramic dental crown) was performed. Prosthetic and surgical care and aftercare was scored from the first visit until 5 years after the augmentation of the implant region.

Results: The need for care and aftercare was comparable between the local augmentation groups. Three implants were lost (5‐year implant survival rate: 96.7%). Surgical aftercare was needed in 9% of patients and consisted of care related to peri‐implant tissue problems. Prosthetic aftercare was needed more often: all patients needed periodic routine inspections; 63% needed supplemental oral hygiene support; and 16% needed additional prosthetic care, mainly consisting of fabricating new crowns (12%).

Conclusion: Placing an implant in the maxillary esthetic region after local bone augmentation is a safe and reliable treatment option not needing much specific aftercare other than periodic preventive routine inspections, routine oral hygiene care, and fabrication of a new crown in one out of every eight to nine patients in 5 years. The method used for augmentation was irrespective of the patients' need for aftercare.
Early Loading after 21 Days of Healing of Nonsubmerged Titanium Implants with a Chemically Modified Sandblasted and Acid‐Etched Surface: Two‐Year Results of a Prospective Two‐Center Study
Authors: Morton Dean , Bornstein Michael M. , Wittneben Julia‐Gabriela , Martin William C. , Ruskin James D. , Hart Christopher N. , Buser Daniel
Published: September 2009

Purpose: The aim of this two‐center study was to evaluate screw‐type titanium implants with a chemically modified, sandblasted and acid‐etched surface when placed in the posterior maxilla or mandible, and loaded 21 days after placement.

Material and Methods: All 56 patients met strict inclusion criteria and provided informed consent. Each patient displayed either a single‐tooth gap, an extended edentulous space, or a distal extension situation in the posterior mandible or maxilla. Eighty‐nine dental implants (SLActive®, Institut Straumann AG, Basel, Switzerland) were inserted according to an established nonsubmerged protocol and underwent undisturbed healing for a period of 21 days. Where appropriate, the implants were loaded after 21 days of healing with provisional restorations in full occlusion. Definitive metal ceramic restorations were fabricated and positioned on each implant after 6 months of healing. Clinical measurements regarding soft tissue parameters and radiographs were obtained at different time points up to 24 months after implant placement.

Results: Of the 89 inserted implants, two (2.2%) implants failed to integrate and were removed during healing, and two (2.2%) additional implants required a prolonged healing time. A total of 85 (95.6%) implants were therefore loaded without incident after 21 days of healing. No additional implant was lost throughout the study period, whereas one implant was lost to follow‐up and therefore left unaccounted for further analysis. The remaining 86 implants all exhibited favorable radiographic and clinical findings. Based on strict success criteria, these implants were considered successfully integrated 2 years after insertion, resulting in a 2‐year success rate of 97.7%.

Conclusion: The results of this prospective two‐center study demonstrate that titanium implants with a modified SLA surface can predictably achieve successful tissue integration when loaded in full occlusion 21 days after placement. Integration could be maintained without incident for at least 2 years of follow‐up.
Divergent Patterns in the Ethnic Transformation of Societies
Authors: Coleman David
Published: September 2009

The uneven timing of the demographic transition in different countries of the world will lead to divergence between countries in ethnic and religious homogeneity. Developed‐country populations that began their fertility transitions relatively early are becoming increasingly diverse with respect to the ethnic origin and religion of their inhabitants, primarily as a result of high recent levels of immigration. Many demographic patterns of the developed world, such as low death and birth rates, are becoming universal. It might be expected that less developed countries will also turn from emigration to experiencing immigration, as their populations age and their economies develop. This essay suggests, however, that future ethnic diversity arising from immigration may be less marked in many of those developing countries than in the West, especially among latecomers to the fertility transition. Five reasons are advanced as impediments to the globalization of ethnic heterogeneity arising from immigration: demographic, economic, political, and factors related to resource constraints, and climate change. The essay considers what social, economic, and political consequences might arise if high levels of ethnic diversity, and possibly ethnic replacement, remained an idiosyncratic peculiarity of today's developed countries, which would therefore diverge in important ways from the rest of the world as the twenty‐first century unfolds.
The Sex Ratio Transition in Asia
Authors: Guilmoto Christophe Z.
Published: September 2009

This article adopts a comparative perspective to review the recent increase in the sex ratio at birth (SRB) across Asia. It first describes and compares the most recent birth statistics in Asia in order to identify commonalities in the gradual rise of SRBs observed from Armenia to South Korea. This comparison provides the basis for identifying specific transition patterns in the changes in SRBs. Their recent rise is then interpreted in a social and historical framework borrowed from fertility decline and based on three preconditions: access to sex‐selection technology, preference for male births, and pressure from low fertility. On a broader plane, the process of growing imbalances in the sex composition of the population gives rise to a tragedy of the commons. This article indicates the factors that appear most likely to trigger a turnaround in this transitional demographic situation and to facilitate a return to biologically normal sex ratios in the future.
An Imperfect Contraceptive Society: Fertility and Contraception in Italy
Authors: Gribaldo Alessandra , Judd Maya D. , Kertzer David I.
Published: September 2009

Italy represents an unexpected and in some ways paradoxical outcome in terms of fertility control: a drop to one of the lowest birth rates in the world has been accompanied by continuing extensive use of traditional methods despite the availability of modern contraception. Using data from 349 interviews conducted in 2005–06 in four Italian cities, we argue that Italian women commonly achieve “unplanned” and desired conceptions through the use of withdrawal and natural methods. While data from other countries reveal similar notions of ambivalence surrounding pregnancy intentions and contraceptive use, Italy stands out for the surprising correlation between highly “managing” the conditions under which children are born and the socially commended approach of “letting births happen.” Such results suggest the need to rethink theoretical understandings of low fertility. Through the use of non‐technological methods, individuals manipulate culturally produced norms and beliefs about the appropriate time to have a child; simultaneously, their actions are embedded in larger cultural, economic, and political processes.