bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reliability, Validity, and Responsiveness of a Modified International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (Pedi-IKDC) in Children With Knee Disorders
Authors: Kocher Mininder S. , Smith Jeremy T. , Iversen Maura D. , Brustowicz Katherine , Ogunwole Olabode , Andersen Jason , Yoo Won Joon , McFeely Eric D. , Anderson Allen F. , Zurakowski David
Published: November 2010

Background: The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form is a knee-specific measure of symptoms, function, and sports activity. A modified IKDC Subjective Knee Form (pedi-IKDC) has been developed for use in children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric characteristics of the pedi-IKDC in children and adolescents with knee disorders.

Hypothesis: The pedi-IKDC is a reliable, valid, and responsive patient-administered outcome instrument in the pediatric population with knee disorders.

Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: Test-retest reliability, content validity, criterion validity, construct validity, and responsiveness to change were determined for the pedi-IKDC in patients aged 10 to 18 years with a variety of knee disorders. Test-retest reliability was measured in a group of 72 patients with a stable knee disorder. Validity was measured in a group of 589 patients with the Child Health Questionnaire to determine criterion validity. Responsiveness was measured in a group of 98 patients undergoing a variety of knee surgical procedures.

Results: The overall pedi-IKDC had acceptable test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, .91) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach alpha, .91). The form also demonstrated acceptable floor (0%) and ceiling (6%) effects. There was acceptable criterion validity with significant ( P < .01) correlation between the overall pedi-IKDC and 9 relevant domains of the Child Health Questionnaire. Construct validity was acceptable, with all 11 hypotheses demonstrating significance ( P < .0001). Responsiveness to change was acceptable (effect size, 1.39; standardized response mean, 1.35).

Conclusion: The pedi-IKDC demonstrated overall acceptable psychometric performance for outcome assessment of children and adolescents with various disorders of the knee.
Examination of the Latent Structure of the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale
Authors: You Sukkyung , Ritchey Kristin M. , Furlong Michael J. , Shochet Ian , Boman Peter
Published: November 2010

Despite its widespread use, there has been limited examination of the underlying factor structure of the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the PSSM to refine its utility for researchers and practitioners using a sample of 504 Australian high school students. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the PSSM is a multidimensional instrument. Factor analysis procedures identified three factors representing related aspects of students’ perceptions of their school membership: caring relationships, acceptance , and rejection.
Social Stratification of Body Weight Trajectory in Middle-Age and Older Americans: Results From a 14-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Botoseneanu Anda , Liang Jersey
Published: November 2010

Objective: To depict the trajectory of BMI from middle to late adulthood and to examine social variations in BMI trajectories. Method: Eight waves (1992-2006) of the Health and Retirement Study involving a nationally representative sample of Americans aged 51 to 61 years at baseline were used. Changes in BMI were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling with time-constant and time-varying covariates. Results: BMI increased linearly over time. Compared with Caucasians, African-Americans had higher BMI levels, while Hispanics had similar BMI levels, but lower rates of increase over time. Higher education predicted lower BMI levels and was not associated with the rate of change. Younger age-at-baseline predicted lower BMI level and lower rate of increase. No gender differences were found. Discussion: Observed racial/ethnic and educational differences in BMI trajectory from middle to old age inform policies and interventions aimed at modifying health risks and reducing health disparities in old age.
Conditional decomposition diagnostics for regression analysis of zero-inflated and left-censored data
Authors: Yang Yan , Simpson Douglas G
Published: November 2010

Health and safety studies that entail both incidence and magnitude of effects produce semi-continuous outcomes, in which the response is either zero or a continuous positive value. Zero-inflated left-censored models typically employ latent mixture constructions to allow different covariate processes to impact the incidence versus the magnitude. Assessment of the model, however, requires a focus on the observable characteristics. We employ a conditional decomposition approach, in which the model assessment is partitioned into two observable components: the adequacy of the marginal probability model for the boundary value and the adequacy of the conditional model for values strictly above the boundary. A conditional likelihood decomposition facilitates the statistical assessment. For corresponding residual and graphical analysis, the conditional mean and quantile functions for events above the boundary and the marginal probabilities of boundary events are investigated. Large sample standard errors for these quantities are derived for enhanced graphical assessment, and simulation is conducted to investigate the finite-sample behaviour. The methods are illustrated with data from two health-related safety studies. In each case, the conditional assessments identify the source for lack of fit of the previously considered model and thus lead to an improved model.
Haploinsufficiency for ribosomal protein genes causes selective activation of p53 in human erythroid progenitor cells
Authors: Dutt Shilpee , Narla Anupama , Lin Katherine , Mullally Ann , Abayasekara Nirmalee , Megerdichian Christine , Wilson Frederick H. , Currie Treeve , Khanna-Gupta Arati , Berliner Nancy , Kutok Jeffery L. , Ebert Benjamin L.
Published: November 2010

Haploinsufficiency for ribosomal protein genes has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) and the 5q− syndrome, a subtype of myelodysplastic syndrome. The p53 pathway is activated by ribosome dysfunction, but the molecular basis for selective impairment of the erythroid lineage in disorders of ribosome function has not been determined. We found that p53 accumulates selectively in the erythroid lineage in primary human hematopoietic progenitor cells after expression of shRNAs targeting RPS14, the ribosomal protein gene deleted in the 5q− syndrome, or RPS19, the most commonly mutated gene in DBA. Induction of p53 led to lineage-specific accumulation of p21 and consequent cell cycle arrest in erythroid progenitor cells. Pharmacologic inhibition of p53 rescued the erythroid defect, whereas nutlin-3, a compound that activates p53 through inhibition of HDM2, selectively impaired erythropoiesis. In bone marrow biopsies from patients with DBA or del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome, we found an accumulation of nuclear p53 staining in erythroid progenitor cells that was not present in control samples. Our findings indicate that the erythroid lineage has a low threshold for the induction of p53, providing a basis for the failure of erythropoiesis in the 5q− syndrome, DBA, and perhaps other bone marrow failure syndromes.
Algorithm-driven Artifacts in median polish summarization of Microarray data
Authors: Giorgi Federico M , Bolger Anthony M , Lohse Marc , Usadel Bjoern
Published: November 2010

Background

High-throughput measurement of transcript intensities using Affymetrix type oligonucleotide microarrays has produced a massive quantity of data during the last decade. Different preprocessing techniques exist to convert the raw signal intensities measured by these chips into gene expression estimates. Although these techniques have been widely benchmarked in the context of differential gene expression analysis, there are only few examples where their performance has been assessed in respect to coexpression-based studies such as sample classification.

Results

In the present paper we benchmark the three most used normalization procedures (MAS5, RMA and GCRMA) in the context of inter-array correlation analysis, confirming and extending the finding that RMA and GCRMA consistently overestimate sample similarity upon normalization. We determine that median polish summarization is responsible for generating a large proportion of these over-similarity artifacts. Furthermore, we show that most affected probesets show also internal signal disagreement, and tend to be composed by individual probes hitting different gene transcripts. We finally provide a correction to the RMA/GCRMA summarization procedure that massively reduces inter-array correlation artifacts, without affecting the detection of differentially expressed genes.

Conclusions

We propose tRMA as a modification of RMA to normalize microarray experiments for correlation-based analysis.
Genes regulated by the Escherichia coli SOS repressor LexA exhibit heterogenous expression
Authors: Kamenšek Simona , Podlesek Zdravko , Gillor Osnat , Žgur-Bertok Darja
Published: November 2010

Background

Phenotypic heterogeneity may ensure that a small fraction of a population survives environmental perturbations or may result in lysis in a subpopulation, to increase the survival of siblings. Genes involved in DNA repair and population dynamics play key roles in rapid responses to environmental conditions. In Escherichia coli the transcriptional repressor LexA controls a coordinated cellular response to DNA damage designated the SOS response. Expression of LexA regulated genes, e.g. colicin encoding genes, recA, lexA and umuDC, was examined utilizing transcription fusions with the promoterless gfp at the single cell level.

Results

The investigated LexA regulated genes exhibited heterogeneity, as only in a small fraction of the population more intense fluorescence was observed. Unlike recA and lexA, the pore forming and nuclease colicin activity genes as well as umuDC, exhibited no basal level activity. However, in a lexA defective strain high level expression of the gene fusions was observed in the large majority of the cells. All of the investigated genes were expressed in a recA defective strain, albeit at lower levels, revealing expression in the absence of a spontaneous SOS response. In addition, the simultaneous expression of cka, encoding the pore forming colicin K, and lexA, investigated at the single cell level revealed high level expression of only cka in rare individual cells.

Conclusion

LexA regulated genes exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity as high level expression is observed in only a small subpopulation of cells. Heterogenous expression is established primarily by stochastic factors and the binding affinity of LexA to SOS boxes.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16, 18, 31, 45 DNA loads and HPV-16 integration in persistent and transient infections in young women
Authors: Ramanakumar Agnihotram V , Goncalves Otelinda , Richardson Harriet , Tellier Pierre , Ferenczy Alex , Coutlée François , Franco Eduardo L
Published: November 2010

Background

HPV burden is a predictor for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer. The natural history of HPV load in young women being recently exposed to HPV is described in this paper.

Methods

A total of 636 female university students were followed for 2 years. Cervical specimens with HPV-16, -18, -31, or -45 DNA by consensus PCR were further evaluated with type-specific and β-globin real-time PCR assays. Proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of infection clearance. Generalized estimating equations assessed whether HPV loads was predictive of HPV infection at the subsequent visit.

Results

HPV loads were consistently higher among women <25 years old, and those who had multiple sex partners, multiple HPV type infections and smokers. HPV-16 integration was encountered only in one sample. Infection clearance was faster among women at lower tertiles of HPV-16 (HR = 2.8, 95%CI: 1.0-8.1), HPV-18 (HR = 3.5, 95%CI: 1.1-11.2) or combined (HR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.8-6.2) DNA loads. The relationship between HPV-16 and HPV-18 DNA loads and infection clearance followed a clear dose-response pattern, after adjusting for age and number of sexual partners. GEE Odds Ratios for HPV persistence of the middle and upper tertiles relative to the lower tertile were 2.7 and 3.0 for HPV-16 and 3.8 and 39.1 for HPV-18, respectively. There was no association between HPV-31 or -45 DNA loads and persistence.

Conclusions

The association between HPV load and persistence is not uniform across high-risk genital genotypes. HPV-16 integration was only rarely demonstrated in young women.
Sequencing of DC-SIGN promoter indicates an association between promoter variation and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in cantonese
Authors: Xu Ya-Fei , Liu Wan-Li , Dong Ju-Qin , Liu Wen-Sheng , Feng Qi-Sheng , Chen Li-Zhen , Zeng Yi-Xin , Zeng Mu-Sheng , Jia Wei-Hua
Published: November 2010

Background

The dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3 grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) is an important pathogen recognition receptor of the innate immune system.DC-SIGNpromoter variants play important role in the susceptibility to various infectious diseases. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignancy that is common in southern China and whetherDC-SIGNpromoter variants have effects on susceptibility to NPC is still unknown. The aim of this study is to ascertain the potential involvement ofDC-SIGNpromoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NPC susceptibility.

Methods

We conducted a case control study based on Cantonese population including 444 NPC patients and 464 controls matched on age and sex. The 1041 bp ofDC-SIGNpromoter region was directly sequenced for all samples. Sequence alignment and SNP search were inspected using DNAStar analysis programs and haplotype frequencies were estimated in Haploview V 4.0. The associations between the SNPs and the risk of NPC were analyzed using chi-square test and non-conditional logistic regression analysis with SPSS 13.0 software.

Results

A total of six variants were observed in theDC-SIGNpromoter region andDC-SIGN-139 GG and -939 AA were significantly associated with NPC risk with adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) of 2.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23-3.59;P= 0.006) and 2.52 (1.29-4.93;P= 0.007) respectively and subjects carrying the risk alleleDC-SIGN-871 G had 1.47-fold (95% CI = 1.14-1.90) increased risks of developing NPC (P= 0.003). Haplotype analysis revealed that h1 'AAAG' was significantly associated with protection against NPC (OR = 0.69;P= 0.0002) and the association was still significant when using 1000 permutation test runs (P= 0.001).

Conclusions

Our study indicated thatDC-SIGNpromoter variants appear to be involved in the susceptibility to NPC and the detailed mechanism of this effect need further studies.
SpineCor treatment for Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis: SOSORT award 2010 winner
Authors: Coillard Christine , Circo Alin B , Rivard Charles H
Published: November 2010

Introduction

Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis is a condition used to describe patients who are least 4 years of age but younger than 10 when the deformity is first identified. In these patients, the condition is usually progressive and those that are diagnosed at five years or younger have a high chance of progression to a large curve, with additional pulmonary and cardiac complications. The main form of conservative treatment for juvenile scoliosis is the use of a bracing system. This prospective interventional study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Dynamic SpineCor orthosis for juvenile idiopathic scoliosis as well as to evaluate the stability of the spine after the weaning point.

Material and Methods

For this study, 150 juvenile patients were treated by the SpineCor orthosis between 1993 and 2009. Of these, 67 patients had a definite outcome and 83 are still actively being treated. To determine the effectiveness of the brace theOUTCOMEcriteria recommended by the SRS was used.

Results

The results from our study showed that of the 67 patients with a definite outcome, 32.9% corrected their Cobb angle by at least 5° and 10.5% had a stabilization of their Cobb angle. Within the patients with a definite outcome, 37.3% of patients where recommended for surgery before authorized end of treatment. For this group of patients, surgery was postponed. Looking at the stability of the curves 2 years after the end of the treatment, we found 12.5% of the patients continued their correction without the brace being used and 71.4% remained stable.

Discussion

From our study we can clearly see that the effectiveness of the SpineCor orthosis in obtaining and maintaining the neuromuscular integration of the corrective movement can be achieved effectively for juvenile patients. Over 75% of all patients that finished the treatment had remained stable with a few continuing to correct their Cobb angle after the use of the SpineCor orthosis was discontinued.

Conclusion

Our conclusion from this study is that the SpineCor orthosis is a very effective method of treatment of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis. The results obtained also indicate that treatment outcomes are better with early bracing. Most encouraging perhaps is the fact that the positive outcome appears to be maintained in the long term, and that surgery can be avoided or at least postponed.
Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and its influence on microvascular complications in the Indian population with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology And Molecular Genetic Study (SN-DREAMS, report 14)
Authors: Raman Rajiv , Gupta Aditi , Pal Swakshyar S , Ganesan Suganeswari , Venkatesh Kadri , Kulothungan Vaitheeswaran , Sharma Tarun
Published: November 2010

Background

The Metabolic syndrome (MS) consists of central obesity, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, low high density lipoproteins, high triglycerides and hypertension. Different studies have observed that MS causes microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of MS in the Indian population with type 2 diabetes mellitus in relation to gender, duration of diabetes, and to evaluate the influence of MS and its individual components on microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic neuropathy.

Methods

A population-based cross sectional survey was conducted with 1414 patients having type 2 diabetes mellitus. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria were used to identify the metabolic syndrome. Diabetic retinopathy was graded using the stereoscopic digital fundus photography. Neuropathy was assessed by measuring the vibration perception threshold through a sensitometer. Nephropathy was diagnosed by the presence of microalbuminuria in the first morning urine sample.

Results

The age and gender adjusted prevalence of MS, using the IDF criteria, in the South Indian population was 73.3%. The prevalence was higher in women (83.3%), compared to men (65.3%). In subjects with diabetes mellitus, without and with MS, the prevalence of retinopathy was 21.3% and 16.9% (p = 0.057); prevalence of nephropathy was 20.5% and 18.0% (p = 0.296), and prevalence of neuropathy was17.2% and 19.4% (p = 0.353) respectively. Overall and in women, the clustering of MS components led to an increase in the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy. The prevalence of retinopathy and neuropathy in MS subjects, who had diabetes for < 10 years, was more in both men and women; it was more in women but not in men when the duration of diabetes varied from 11-20 years.

Conclusions

The association of MS with microangiopathies decreased with an increase in the duration of diabetes. MS behaved differently in men and women. It may need to be managed differently in the two groups.
A Western Diet Increases Serotonin Availability in Rat Small Intestine
Authors: Bertrand R. L. , Senadheera S. , Markus I. , Liu L. , Howitt L. , Chen H. , Murphy T. V. , Sandow S. L. , Bertrand P. P.
Published: November 2010

Diet-induced obesity is associated with changes in gastrointestinal function and induction of a mild inflammatory state. Serotonin (5-HT) containing enterochromaffin (EC) cells within the intestine respond to nutrients and are altered by inflammation. Thus, our aim was to characterize the uptake and release of 5-HT from EC cells of the rat ileum in a physiologically relevant model of diet-induced obesity. In chow-fed (CF) and Western diet–fed (WD) rats electrochemical methods were used to measure compression evoked (peak) and steady state (SS) 5-HT levels with fluoxetine used to block the serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT). The levels of mRNA for tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) and SERT were determined by quantitative PCR, while EC cell numbers were determined immunohistochemically. In WD rats, the levels of 5-HT were significantly increased (SS: 19.2±3.7 μm; peak: 73.5±14.1 μm) compared with CF rats (SS: 12.3±1.8 μm; peak: 32.2±7.2 μm), while SERT-dependent uptake of 5-HT was reduced (peak WD: 108% of control versus peak CF: 212% control). In WD rats, there was a significant increase in TPH1 mRNA, a decrease in SERT mRNA and protein, and an increase in EC cells. In conclusion, our data show that foods typical of a Western diet are associated with an increased 5-HT availability in the rat ileum. Increased 5-HT availability is driven by the up-regulation of 5-HT synthesis genes, decreased re-uptake of 5-HT, and increased numbers and/or 5-HT content of EC cells which are likely to cause altered intestinal motility and sensation in vivo.
Developmental Time Course of Estradiol, Testosterone, and Dihydrotestosterone Levels in Discrete Regions of Male and Female Rat Brain
Authors: Konkle Anne T. M. , McCarthy Margaret M.
Published: November 2010

The prevailing view of sexual differentiation of mammalian brain is that androgen synthesized in the fetal and neonatal testis and aromatized centrally during a perinatal sensitive period is the sole source of brain estradiol and the primary determinant of sex differences. Subregions of the diencephalon are among the most sexually dimorphic in the brain, and there are well-established sex differences in the amount of testosterone and estradiol measured in the hypothalamus and preoptic area during the perinatal period. We previously reported unexpectedly high estradiol in the hippocampus and cortex of both male and female newborn rat. This prompted a thorough investigation of the developmental profile of steroids in the rat brain using RIA to quantify the level of estradiol, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone in discrete subregions of the brain from embryonic d 19 to adulthood. Plasma estradiol levels from individual animals were assessed when sufficient sample was available. A significant sex difference in hypothalamic testosterone prior to birth was consistent with previous findings. Postnatally, there was a distinct pattern of changing steroid concentrations in each brain region, and these were unrelated to circulating steroid. Removal of the gonads and adrenals at birth did not significantly reduce steroids in any brain region assayed 3 d later. Aromatase activity was detectable in all brain areas at birth, and the difference in activity level paralleled the observed regional differences in estradiol content. Based on these findings, we propose that steroidogenesis in the brain, independent of peripherally derived precursors, may play a critical role in mammalian brain development of both sexes, beyond the establishment of sex differences.
Efficient regeneration by activation of neurogenesis in homeostatically quiescent regions of the adult vertebrate brain
Authors: Berg Daniel A. , Kirkham Matthew , Beljajeva Anna , Knapp Dunja , Habermann Bianca , Ryge Jesper , Tanaka Elly M. , Simon András
Published: November 2010

In contrast to mammals, salamanders and teleost fishes can efficiently repair the adult brain. It has been hypothesised that constitutively active neurogenic niches are a prerequisite for extensive neuronal regeneration capacity. Here, we show that the highly regenerative salamander, the red spotted newt, displays an unexpectedly similar distribution of active germinal niches with mammals under normal physiological conditions. Proliferation zones in the adult newt brain are restricted to the forebrain, whereas all other regions are essentially quiescent. However, ablation of midbrain dopamine neurons in newts induced ependymoglia cells in the normally quiescent midbrain to proliferate and to undertake full dopamine neuron regeneration. Using oligonucleotide microarrays, we have catalogued a set of differentially expressed genes in these activated ependymoglia cells. This strategy identified hedgehog signalling as a key component of adult dopamine neuron regeneration. These data show that brain regeneration can occur by activation of neurogenesis in quiescent brain regions.
Modelling of Molecular/Nano Devices
Authors: Lamba V , Engles S J , Engles D , Malik S S , Verma M
Published: November 2010

A novel approach to the simulation of electron transport properties in nano structures is proposed. The considered system is an open system accelerated by an external electromotive force and dissipating energy through inelastic scattering with a heat bath acting on the charge. Periodic boundary conditions and the density functional theory are used to recast the many-particle problem into a series of single-particle mean-field problems. By explicitly treating the dissipation in the electrodes the proposed method allows the behaviour of system to be followed as a function of the applied electrochemical potential; unlike the situation encountered using scattering approaches based on the Landauer formalism. The self-consistent steady-state solution is obtained and the out-of-equilibrium electron distribution, the electrical characteristics, and the behaviour of the self-consistent potential and the density of states of the system are analysed. The proposed method is used to elucidate the electron transport properties of a molecular wire formed out of di-thiol benzene molecules connected by a bridge of gold atoms with the molecular ensemble then being sandwiched between gold electrodes.
Clustering of Lipid Rafts in Plasma Membranes by Hybrid Liposomes for Leukemia Cells along with Apoptosis
Authors: Komizu Yuji , Nakata Sayuri , Goto Koichi , Matsumoto Yoko , Ueoka Ryuichi
Published: November 2010

Clustering of lipid rafts in plasma membranes by hybrid liposomes (HL-23) composed of l-α-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and polyoxyethylene(23) dodecyl ether (C12(EO)23) for human leukemia HL-60 cells was observed for the first time. It was suggested that the induction of apoptosis by HL-23 could be related to an increase of membrane fluidity and the formation of lipid rafts in the plasma membranes of HL-60 cells.
Fluoro-substituted Phenyleneethynylenes: Acetylenic n-Type Organic Semiconductors
Authors: Matsuo Daisuke , Yang Xin , Hamada Akiko , Morimoto Kyo , Kato Takuji , Yahiro Masayuki , Adachi Chihaya , Orita Akihiro , Otera Junzo
Published: November 2010

Fluoro-substituted phenyleneethynylenes are synthesized by Sonogashira coupling and acetylide-nucleophilic substitution of fluorobenzenes. Fluoro-substitution of benzenes enables deep LUMO potential, and CF3-substitution provides high electron mobility in deposited film (μ = 5.5 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1).
Evaluating Information in Zero-Sum Games with Incomplete Information on Both Sides
Authors: De Meyer Bernard , Lehrer Ehud , Rosenberg Dinah
Published: November 2010

We study zero-sum games with incomplete information and analyze the impact that the information players receive has on the payoffs. It turns out that the functions that measure the value of information share two properties. The first is Blackwell monotonicity, which means that each player gains from knowing more. The second is concavity on the space of conditional probabilities. We prove that any function satisfying these two properties is the value function of a zero-sum game.
Clinical presentation and early care relationships in ‘poor‐me’ and ‘bad‐me’ paranoia
Authors: Morris Emma , Milner Philip , Trower Peter , Peters Emmanuelle
Published: November 2010

Objective. To test the proposal that ‘poor‐me’ (PM) and ‘bad‐me’ (BM) paranoia can be differentiated in terms of (1) current emotional experience and presence of grandiose delusions and (2) early caregiving and threats to self‐construction.

Method. Participants experiencing persecutory delusions were separated into PM (N= 21) and BM (N= 15) groups on the basis of perceived deservedness of the persecution. The groups were compared on measures examining grandiose delusions, shame and depression, parental care, and threats of alienation and insecurity.

Results. As predicted, BM patients scored higher on shame and depression, and lower on grandiose delusions, than PM patients. BM patients reported higher levels of parental overprotection, but PM patients were not characterized by neglect, and the groups did not differ in type of threat to self‐construction.

Conclusion. The two paranoia types were differentiated on symptomatic and emotional presentation, but predicted differences in early relationships and self‐construction were not fully supported.
Preparation of Eu3+—Y3+ Coactivating Na+ Based Red-Emitting Luminous Materials for Light-Emitting Diodes and Investigation of its Characteristics
Authors: Cao Fa-Bin , Li Liao-Sha , Tian Yan-Wen , Wu Xing-Rong , Chen Yong-Jie , Xiao Lin-Jiu
Published: November 2010

By solid-state reaction and doping, a series of red-emitting phosphors NaxY0.92–x/3(MoO4)y(WO4)1–yO0.5 : zEu3+ have been synthesized. Through optimization of the process conditions and photoluminescent analysis, one type of red emission is obtained that matches nicely with ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED) chips.
Selection of Multiple Optimal Absorption Transitions for Nonuniform Temperature Sensing
Authors: Ma Lin , Li Xuesong , Cai Weiwei , Roy Sukesh , Gord James R. , Sanders Scott T.
Published: November 2010

A crucial aspect in the design of sensors based on absorption spectroscopy involves selecting the optimal transitions. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to develop a method of selecting multiple optimal transitions for the measurement of nonuniform temperature distributions based on absorption spectroscopy. Previously developed methods are largely restricted to the relatively simple case of selecting two transitions for uniform distributions. Our new method addresses the restrictions of previous methods and is applicable to more general cases. The method was validated using both numerical tests and experimental results and is expected to be useful in the design of sensors based on multispectral absorption spectroscopy.
Differentiation of Animal Fats from Different Origins: Use of Polymorphic Features Detected by Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Motoyama Michiyo , Ando Masahiro , Sasaki Keisuke , Hamaguchi Hiro-O
Published: November 2010

Food safety requires the development of reliable techniques that ensure the origin of animal fats. In the present work, we try to verify the efficacy of using the polymorphic features of fats for discriminating animal-fat origins. We use Raman spectroscopy to collect the structural information of fat crystals. It is shown that a single Raman band at 1417 cm−1 successfully differentiates pork fats from beef fats. This band is known to be characteristic of the β‘-polymorph of fats. Pork fats show this band because they contain the β’-polymorph after rapid cooling to 0 °C. In beef–pork-fat mixtures, this band is not detected even in the presence of 50% pork fat; an addition of beef fat to pork fat is likely to produce a mixed fat with a completely different polymorphic behavior. This method seems to have the potential to detect beef products contaminated with pork-adipose tissue.
In Situ Studies of Variant Selection During the α-β-α Phase Transformation in Zr-2.5Nb
Authors: Mosbrucker P. , Daymond M. R. , Holt R. A.
Published: November 2010

In situ phase transformation experiments have been carried out using neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction to monitor the texture evolution and establish the criteria for variant selection during the α→β→α phase transformation in Zr-2.5Nb. There is clear evidence of a strong variant selection occurring during the α→β transformation and a weaker variant selection during the β→α transformation. Further, comparing hot-worked specimens with those that have received additional cold-work revealed that cold-work introduced microstructural characteristics that inhibited the full development of the transformed texture seen in the hot-worked samples. A study of the effect of external biasing stresses during transformation was conducted. An external biasing stress was applied along the hoop axis during different components of the α→β→α transformation. An external stress during heating does not appear to significantly influence variant selection, at least for the stress magnitudes tested here, while an external stress during cooling did have some influence on the resultant texture.
Energy Based Laboratory Fatigue Failure Criteria for Asphalt Materials
Authors: Shen Shihui , Lu Xin
Published: November 2010

The definition of fatigue failure in the laboratory is not only an important but also a controversial issue. Researchers have developed a number of fatigue failure criteria, including the most traditional one, which defines failure at the cycle to 50 % initial modulus reduction. However, this definition is always challenged due to its lack of physical background. Recent studies showed that the dissipated energy ratio approach appears to be a favorable concept, which takes into account the fundamental dissipated energy evolution behavior of asphalt materials during a cyclic fatigue test. This paper conducted a review of three different energy based fatigue failure criteria and evaluated their applicability for fatigue data from asphalt binders and mixtures and under both stress and strain controlled loading modes. A macroscopic failure criterion is recommended, which is defined as the sudden change of the dissipated energy evolution curve and is consistently related to the beginning of macrocrack propagation. In addition, by comparing different failure criteria, the traditional 50 % initial modulus reduction criterion was found to have a strong correlation with energy based macroscopic fatigue failure for both mixtures and binders. It is thus suggested that the 50 % initial modulus reduction failure can be used as a simple but reasonable fatigue criterion, which indicates the transition from microcrack to macrocrack.
Effectiveness of Early Intervention with Florfenicol on a Streptococcus iniae Infection in Blue Tilapia
Authors: Darwish Ahmed M
Published: November 2010

A study was performed to assess the efficacy of feeding a florfenicol (FFC)-medicated diet to control experimental Streptococcus iniae infection in blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus. Tested doses of FFC were 0, 5, 10, 15, and 30 mg of active ingredient per kilogram of fish body weight (BW) per day. Fish were subjected to waterborne S. iniae exposure after skin scraping, and administration of medicated feed started at 6 h postchallenge and continued for 10 consecutive days, followed by a 12-d posttreatment observation period. Administration of FFC-medicated feed for 10 d significantly increased (P < 0.05) the survival of S. iniae-infected blue tilapia from 19% in the challenged, nonmedicated positive control group to 94, 96, 99, and 98% in the 5-, 10-, 15-, and 30-mg/kg FFC treatment groups, respectively. The survival rates of the different FFC-medicated treatment groups were not significantly different. At the conclusion of the experiment, no S. iniae carriers were detected in any challenged group receiving the FFC-medicated diet, while the bacterium was recovered from the S. iniae-challenged, nonmedicated survivors of the infection. This study suggests that using FFC at 10 mg/kg BW daily for 10 d is an effective treatment against S. iniae infection in blue tilapia.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Agent AquaFrin as a Bactericide and Selective Algicide for Use in Channel Catfish Aquaculture
Authors: Schrader Kevin K , Bommer Jerry C , Jori Giulio
Published: November 2010

Producers of pond-raised channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in the southeastern United States can experience huge economic losses due to enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC) and columnaris disease and to the presence of certain odor-producing cyanobacteria in production ponds that result in “off-flavor” channel catfish. AquaFrin (lauryl methyl pyrifrin), a product currently being evaluated for commercial use, belongs to a class of porphyrins that have been shown to be very effective as antibacterial agents. As a preliminary step to assess the potential use of AquaFrin as a therapeutant against ESC and columnaris, we used a rapid bioassay to evaluate AquaFrin for antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacterium Edwardsiella ictaluri (etiological agent of ESC), two genotypes of the Gram-negative bacterium Flavobacterium columnare (etiological agent of columnaris disease), and the representative Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (American Type Culture Collection 29213) for comparison. In addition, we performed a bioassay-directed evaluation of AquaFrin for selective toxicity toward the musty cyanobacterium Planktothrix perornata. AquaFrin was found to possess antibacterial activity toward all tested bacteria and yielded the following minimal inhibitory concentration results: 0.5 mg/L for F. columnare isolate ALM-00-173, 1.0 mg/L for F. columnare isolate BioMed, 0.1 mg/L for S. aureus, and 9.8 mg/L for E. ictaluri. The range of 96-h 50% inhibition concentrations (0.07–0.2 mg/L) for AquaFrin toward P. perornata and the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum indicates strong potential for its use as a broad-spectrum algicide.
Desmistificação do regime contábil de competência
Authors: Borges Thiago Bernardo , Mario Poueri do Carmo , Cardoso Ricardo Lopes , Aquino André Carlos Busanelli de
Published: November 2010

Este artigo apresenta o regime de competência de forma simples e objetiva, e discute como pode ser aplicado às organizações públicas no Brasil. Para tanto, usa a experiência do governo do estado de Minas Gerais no processo de preparação para a adoção do regime de competência puro, que desde 2001 estuda a possibilidade de adoção do regime. Esse processo foi acelerado em 2009 pela iminência de convergência às normas internacionais de contabilidade para o setor público, demandada pela Secretaria do Tesouro Nacional e pelo Conselho Federal de Contabilidade. A análise apresenta os incentivos à iniciativa da adoção do regime, mesmo antes da exigência legal, e os potenciais impactos de tal adoção no processo decisório. O processo de reforma administrativa no caso de Minas Gerais, incentivado primariamente pela necessidade de saneamento fiscal, levou à adoção do conceito de contratualização, o que passou a demandar informação de desempenho. Apesar dos benefícios em potencial do regime de competência para decisão e accountability, o Estado necessitará enfrentar questões como capacitação, adequação de sistemas e incertezas quanto aos parâmetros da Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal
Nanofibras de algodão obtidas sob diferentes condições de hidrólise ácida
Authors: Teixeira Eliangela de M. , Oliveira Cauê R. de , Mattoso Luiz H. C. , Corrêa Ana C. , Paladin Priscila D.
Published: November 2010

As propriedades de termo estabilidade das nanofibras de celulose estão relacionadas diretamente com a sua aplicação e em especial ao processamento de polímeros cujas temperaturas típicas de processamento encontram-se em torno de 200 °C. Neste trabalho, nanofibras de algodão comercial foram extraídas empregando-se diferentes ácidos: ácido sulfúrico, ácido clorídrico e mistura (1:1; ácido sulfúrico: ácido clorídrico). As nanofibras resultantes foram caracterizadas quanto à morfologia por microscopia de transmissão (MET), potencial zeta, análise elementar, cristalinidade por difração de raio X (DRX) e estabilidade térmica em atmosfera de ar (TGA). Os resultados indicaram uma morfologia muito similar entre as nanofibras bem como a cristalinidade das mesmas, independentemente do ácido utilizado na hidrólise. A principal diferença encontrada foi em relação ao estado de agregação das mesmas e quanto à estabilidade térmica. O estado de agregação das nanofibras em suspensões seguiu a ordem HCl >H2SO4:HCl > H2SO4 devido ao aumento da carga superficial nesta ordem avaliada via medidas de potencial zeta. A incorporação de HCl ao H2SO4 para a obtenção de nanofibras de celulose revelou-se eficaz no aumento da estabilidade térmica das nanofibras relativamente a extrações empregando-se somente H2SO4 e uma melhor dispersão em relação a nanofibras obtidas com o uso somente de HCl.
Caloric density of Loricariichthys platymetopon (Osteichthyes, Loricariidae) in the Upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil
Authors: Garcia Daniela Aparecida , Benedito Evanilde , Takeda Alice Michiyo
Published: November 2010

This study analyzed the muscle energy content (caloric density) of L. platymetopon captured at different sites of the Upper Paraná River floodplain, and potential relationships between the content and various environmental variables (water temperature, oxygen dissolved in water, food availability, relative numeric abundance) and biological variables (body size and reproductive cycle). Quarterly samplings from September 2006 to June 2007 in the lakes and rivers resulted in a sample of 739 specimens, whose muscle caloric density was determined using a calorimeter. Differences between the caloric averages of the males and females and among the different stages of gonadal development were not significant. Caloric density varied over time and space, with two seasonal variation trends. The intensity of the correlation between the caloric density and each environmental variable, as well as the type of correlation, varied according to the sampled site. Body size and reproductive cycle were not correlated with caloric density.
Equilíbrio no espaço: experimentação e modelagem matemática
Authors: Borges P.A. Pereira , Toniazzo N.A. , Silva J.C. da
Published: November 2010

A elaboração e realização de experimentos, associadas à interpretação dos resultados, construção e aplicação de conceitos e uso de recursos da informatica, constituem uma opção metodológica desafiadora no ensino de física dos dias atuais, considerando as necessidades de conhecimento, habilidades e criatividade que as novas gerações devem ter para enfrentar os problemas científicos e tecnológicos. Este trabalho tem como objetivos apresentar o problema de cálculo das forças atuantes em cabos e hastes que sustentam massas no espaço, desenvolver um modelo matemático geral, como um estudo de modelagem fortemente integrador dos conteúdos das disciplinas de Mecânica Geral, Algebra Linear e Cálculo Numérico de cursos de engenharia, física ou matemática. O modelo foi testado com verificação experimental para varias situações, sendo três delas descritas no artigo: casos simétrico e assimétrico com forças de tração e um caso assimétrico com força de compressão. Foi realizada a analise de incerteza das medidas de comprimento dos cabos e posicionamento dos apoios. O trabalho evidenciou a riqueza de situações de aprendizagem e aplicação de conceitos, técnicas de tratamento de dados de medida e desafios matemáticos, ao associar ações teóricas e experimentais para a validação do modelo, além de apresentar outras investigações relacionadas com o tema abordado.
Morphology, Phylogeny, Evolution, and Dispersal of Pelecinid Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae) Over 165 Million Years
Authors: Shih Chungkun , Feng Hua , Liu Chenxi , Zhao Yunyun , Ren Dong
Published: November 2010

Large female pelecinid wasps, elegant and beautiful with uniquely elongated metasoma, are found only in North, Central, and South America. These distinctive wasps are “living fossils” in a relict family of Pelecinidae. Recent discoveries of well preserved pelecinid fossils from the Middle Jurassic (165 Mya) to the Early Cretaceous (125 Mya) of northeastern China, of which Megapelecinus changi gen. et sp. nov. and Megapelecinus nashi, sp. nov. are described herein, provide strong evidence for morphological changes and evolution of pelecinids, such as body size, antennae and wing venation, over the past ≈165 million years. A phylogenetic analysis using 22 morphological characters, 12 extinct pelecinid taxa and one extant pelecinid taxon at the generic level suggests that Megapelecinus gen. nov. is the most basal pelecinid, whereas CathaypelecinusShih, Liu et Ren 2009, ArchaeopelecinusShih, Liu et Ren 2009, and IscopinusKozlov, 1974 forming a basal clade. Natural selection is demonstrated in pelecinids by the preference of larger female body size offering potentially better ovipositing capability and more efficient forewing venation with an X pattern providing potentially stronger wing structure and better flight performance for large-sized pelecinids. Furthermore, temporal and spatial analyses indicate that the most parsimonious hypothesis is that pelecinid might have originated from Northeastern China, spread to Central and Eastern Asia, and then dispersed to Americas.
Patterns of Genetic Variation and Host Adaptation in an Invasive Population of Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Valenzuela Isabel , Ridland Peter M , Weeks Andrew R , Hoffmann Ary A
Published: November 2010

Adaptive changes to local conditions are often thought to be required for successful invasions. However, there are also successful invasive asexual species that may have limited potential for evolutionary change. The bird cherry-oat aphid, Bhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is thought to have been introduced in Australia 100 yr ago and is now an established pest of cereal crops. Here, we use mitochondrial DNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and nuclear microsatellites to characterize the genetic diversity in invasive R. padi. Asexual reproduction was detected and clonal diversity was low; with two multilocus genotypes, Rp1 and Rp2, dominating all populations. No geographic or host association was detected between the dominant genotypes on cereals but Rp2 was not found on sweet corn, Zea mays L., crops. The fitness of the predominant multilocus genotypes, Rp1 and Rp2, and an uncommon genotype, Rp26, were investigated on different host types (wheat | Triticum aestivum L. |, barley |Hordeum vulgare L. |, triticale | × Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus. |, and sweet corn | Zea mays L. var. rugosa|) at two temperatures. Rp1 and Rp2 performed similarly on cereals and Rp26 performed poorly on all hosts, patterns that might explain field distributions and abundance of these clones. The results suggest that a high level of clonal diversity is not required for successful invasion and that host associations may develop despite low diversity.