bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of anti-rheumatic treatment on immunogenicity of pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine in patients with arthritis
Authors: Kapetanovic Meliha C , Kristensen Lars-Erik , Saxne Tore , Aktas Teodora , Mörner Andreas , Geborek Pierre
Published: January 2014

Introduction

An adjuvanted pandemic H1N1 influenza (pH1N1) vaccine (Pandemrix®) was reported as highly immunogenic resulting in seroconversion in 77 to 94% of adults after administration of a single dose. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of different anti-rheumatic treatments on antibody response to pH1N1 vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondylarthropathy (SpA).

Methods

Patients with arthritis (n = 291; mean age 57 years, 64% women) participated. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay was performed on blood samples drawn before and after a mean (SD) of 8.3 (4) months following vaccination. A positive immune response i.e. seroconversion was defined as negative prevaccination serum and postvaccination HI titer ≥40 or a ≥4-fold increase in HI titer. All patients were divided into predefined groups based on diagnosis (RA or SpA) and ongoing treatment: methotrexate (MTX), anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) as monotherapy, MTX combined with anti-TNF, other biologics (abatacept, rituximab, tocilizumab) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)/analgesics. Predictors of positive immune response were studied using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The percentage of patients with positive immune response in the different treatment groups was: 1. RA on MTX 42%; 2. RA on anti-TNF monotherapy 53%; 3. RA on anti-TNF + MTX 43%; 4. RA on other biologics (abatacept 20%, rituximab 10% and tocilizumab 50%); 5. SpA on anti-TNF monotherapy 76%; 6. SpA on anti-TNF + MTX 47%; and 7. SpA on NSAIDs/analgesics 59%. RA patients on rituximab had significantly lower (P < 0.001) and SpA on anti-TNF monotherapy significantly better response rates compared to other treatment groups (P 0.001 to 0.033). Higher age (P < 0.001) predicted impaired immune response. Antibody titers 3 to 6 months after vaccination was generally lower compared to those within the first 3 months but no further decrease in titers were observed 6 to 22 months after vaccination.

Conclusions

Rituximab treatment severely reduced antibody response to pH1N1 influenza vaccine. The other treatment groups showed acceptable antibody responses. Protective antibody titers could be detected up to 22 months after vaccination in the current patient population, with the exception of rituximab treated patients.
Editorial: IFN-γ: a Janus-faced cytokine in dendritic cell programming
Authors: Della Bella Silvia , Mavilio Domenico
Published: January 2014

Discussion on dose-dependent bivalent effects of IFN-γ in association with the acquisition of regulatory features by DCs.
Exercise for depression
Authors: Cooney G.M. , Dwan K. , Greig C. A. , Lawlor D. A. , Rimer J. , Waugh F. R. , McMurdo M. , Mead G. E.
Published: January 2014

Depression is a common and important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is commonly treated with antidepressants and/or psychological therapy, but some people prefer alternative approaches such as exercise. There are a number of theoretical reasons why exercise may improve depression. This is an update of a review first published in 2009.
Developing tomorrow's antipsychotics: the need for a more personalised approach
Authors: Hunter Robert
Published: January 2014

There has been little pharmacological advance in the treatment of schizophrenia since the introduction of chlorpromazine in the 1950s. This may be set to change as recent advances in molecular biology offer the prospect of a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disorder and allow investigation of the complex interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors. In this review I discuss future approaches to antipsychotic drug development, highlighting the need to better define symptom areas and develop drugs based on an understanding of neurobiological mechanisms. The development of biomarkers has the potential in future to improve differential diagnosis and help predict response to treatment. These developments herald the possibility of a more integrated drug discovery approach and the subsequent provision of more stratified healthcare, and hopefully significant improvements in patient care and improved long-term outcomes.
How psychiatrists can engage with the media
Authors: Bithell Claire
Published: January 2014

The media offers opportunities for psychiatrists to communicate with a wide and varied audience, thereby influencing the views of the public and policy makers on mental health issues. There are many different types of media outlet, including daily news media, documentary makers, specialist media, features and comment, and new media. The Science Media Centre is an independent press office that aims to help ensure that the views of scientists, clinicians and researchers are heard in the UK national news media when their area of expertise hits the headlines. In the news media, journalists work to tight time frames and often focus on sensational and controversial topics, presenting challenges for those wanting to engage. For experts to work effectively with the news media it helps to understand more about the way the media works and how to develop necessary skills. Psychiatrists who do work successfully with the media can help ensure that the public receive accurate information about mental health problems, and gain an appreciation of the importance of research in the field and a better understanding of the role of the psychiatrist.
Becoming a recovery-oriented practitioner
Authors: Roberts Glenn , Boardman Jed
Published: January 2014

Professional practice explicitly focused on supporting the recovery of those it serves is broadly backed by an emerging profile of necessary knowledge, key skills and innovative collaborations, although there is no universally accepted practice ‘model’. This article outlines these components and discusses the associated need for change in the culture of provider organisations along with implementation of wider social and economic policies to support peoples' recovery and social inclusion. This is a values-led approach supported by persuasive advocacy and international endorsement but still in need of further development, systematic evaluation and confirmatory evidence.
Cultures of Expertise and the Public Interventions of Economists
Authors: Mata Tiago , Medema Steven G.
Published: January 2014

The essays in this volume examine the economist as public intellectual. Rather than assessing the changing status of the public intellectual in culture or attempting to define the identity of the public intellectual, our approach is to study the public interventions of economists, that is, the encounters between economists and their publics. In the volume we constrain ourselves to the long twentieth century in the United States and the United Kingdom, fenced at one end by the Progressive Era and Fabianism and the ongoing economic crisis at the other. Economists then and now have been occupants of the public sphere, and to understand their encounters with the public we must appreciate the expectations they bring to the meeting and the institutional contexts that enable the encounters. The unifying claim of our collection is that economists’ public interventions have been of profound consequence for both the structure and the content of the public sphere.
Henry Hazlitt as an Intellectual Middleman of “Orthodox Economics”
Authors: Boettke Peter , Palagashvili Liya
Published: January 2014

Henry Hazlitt was a public intellectual who had unusual strength in both economic reasoning and articulation and played a central role in communicating the ideas of classical, or “orthodox,” economics to the general public. He occupied a unique position in the mid-twentieth-century intellectual life in the United States as a prominent figure in the world of journalism— both as a literary critic and as an economist—and his influence extended to the discipline of economics where his work commanded the attention of professional economists. In his editorial writings in the Nation, the New York Times, and Newsweek, as well as in his best-selling book, Economics in One Lesson, in public speeches, and in numerous appearances on TV and radio, Hazlitt offered economic commentary to the current issues of his day and was fundamental in popularizing the ideas of free market economists from the 1930s through the 1960s.
Federal Reserve Bank Presidents as Public Intellectuals
Authors: McGregor Rob Roy , Young Warren
Published: January 2014

In this essay, we focus on three district Federal Reserve Bank presidents who took on the role of public intellectual in the 1970s and early 1980s. They reflected their districts’ economic concerns, presenting them and their own views at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) while expressing both in public pronouncements in speeches and in print. Despite possible dissonance, the presidents were able to integrate information emerging from their district constituents with the overall state of the national economy in their input to the FOMC, while explaining the economic situation—in the framework of their economic worldviews—to the public at large, that is to say, both communicating their views externally and disturbing the internal status quo of economic thinking at the Federal Reserve.
Age of Certainty: Galbraith, Friedman, and the Public Life of Economic Ideas
Authors: Burgin Angus
Published: January 2014

In 1977 John Kenneth Galbraith hosted the documentary series The Age of Uncertainty on public television; three years later Milton Friedman hosted a competing series, Free to Choose. This essay examines the development of these two projects, examining both the institutions that supported them and the ways in which Galbraith and Friedman approached the visual representation of economic ideas. Friedman’s series drew on support from advocacy organizations and corporate interests, relayed accessible expositions via an empirical documentary style, and framed its episodes around Friedman’s proposed solutions to contemporary economic problems. Galbraith’s series, by contrast, relied on public financing, adopted an ironic and self-reflective stance toward its medium, and maintained a posture of uncertainty in regard to contemporary economic debates. Free to Choose proved the more enduring popular and critical success. These differences between these two series, the essay argues, help explain the divergent trajectories of right-wing and left-wing economic rhetoric in the late twentieth-century public sphere.
Working Harder or Hardly Working? Posting Performance Eliminates Social Loafing and Promotes Social Laboring in Workgroups
Authors: Lount Robert B. , Wilk Steffanie L.
Published: January 2014

The current paper examines how posting performance—an act that triggers increased social comparisons between workers—influences employees' motivation when working in groups. In the study, posting employee performance moderated the relationship between groupwork and employee motivation. When individual performance was publicly posted in the workplace, employees working in a group performed better than when working alone (i.e., social laboring); however, when individual performance was not posted, employees working in a group performed worse than when working alone (i.e., social loafing). The findings shed light on how social comparisons can have positive implications for employee performance in groups.

This paper was accepted by Jesper Sørensen, organizations.
China’s reception of Michelangelo Antonioni’s Chung Kuo
Authors: Liu Xin
Published: January 2014

In 1972, during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Michelangelo Antonioni was invited by Chinese government to document the New China. After three weeks of filming, Antonioni edited the footage into a three and a half hour documentary entitled Chung Kuo/China (1972). However, this film was banned in 1974 by the Chinese government, and Antonioni became target of a massive criticism campaign in China. Only as late as 2004 was the ban lifted and the documentary finally shown at Beijing Film Academy. This article is conceived as a measured methodological intervention into China’s reception of Antonioni’s Chung Kuo. I examine the social and historical contexts of China’s reception of the film, attempting to reveal the complex motivations behind China’s reactions in different periods. The first section analyses the international tensions that China was facing in 1970s. The second section describes the domestic social and political environment in which the criticism against Antonioni was initiated. The third section addresses Chinese audiences’ responses to Chung Kuo after the Cultural Revolution, while the fourth section outlines a series of Chinese multi-media artworks inspired by Chung Kuo.
Muslim and secular: Performing ‘Muslim exemplarity’ and public debates on Islam in France
Authors: Kiwan Nadia
Published: January 2014

The place of Islam and Muslims in contemporary France has occupied the public sphere for well over two decades now, taking the form of a series of well-documented confrontations over the visibility of ‘Islamic’ symbols in schools and the public sphere. What generally attracts less scrutiny is the concurrent emergence of a number of organizations that define themselves as being simultaneously Muslim and secular. This article explores the phenomenon of secular Muslim organizations in France by posing a series of questions that highlight the paradoxical position that these groupings can find themselves in. One key aspect of the dilemma is illustrated by the curious nature of the musulman laïque (secular) label, which hints at an anxiety amongst these French Muslims to prove themselves as ‘exemplary citizens’. This article argues that an unintended consequence of such a public stance is that religion becomes the main identifier for this population, and instead of transcending religious belonging through secularism secular Muslim organizations illustrate the ways in which tensions between secularism and Islam magnify Muslim affiliation in France.
The Effect of College Applications on Enrollment
Authors: Smith Jonathan
Published: January 2014

This article investigates determinants of the number of four-year colleges to which students apply and how the number of applications affects their probabilities of enrollment. To estimate the effect on enrollment, I use a novel instrument: the adoption rate of the Common Application near a student’s home. I find that applying to one additional college increases students’ likelihood of enrollment, but only for those applying to very few colleges. Going from one to two applications and two to three applications increases students’ probabilities of enrollment by 40% and 10%, respectively. This is partially due to the increase in the probability of being accepted to some college but also due to the increase in the probability of choosing to enroll, conditional on being accepted.
In Whom We Trust: The Role of Certification Agencies in Online Drug Markets
Authors: Bate Roger , Jin Ginger Zhe , Mathur Aparna
Published: January 2014

This article uses an audit sample and a consumer survey to study the intriguing market of online prescription drugs facing US customers and assesses the role that certification agencies play in online drug markets.

On the supply side, we acquire samples of five popular brand-name prescription drugs from three types of online pharmacies: tier 1 are US-based and certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) or LegitScript.com, tier 2 are certified by PharmacyChecker.com or the Canadian International Pharmacy Association but not by NABP or LegitScript, and tier 3 are not certified by any of the four agencies. Most tier-2 and tier-3 websites are foreign. We find that 37 of the 365 delivered samples are different from the products we ordered and, therefore, non-testable. Conditional on testable samples, Raman spectrometry test finds no failure of authenticity except for eight Viagra samples from tier-3 websites. After controlling for testability and authenticity, tier-2 websites are 49.2% cheaper (p<0.01) and tier-3 websites are 54.8% cheaper (p < 0.01) than tier-1 sites. These differences are driven by non-Viagra drugs. For Viagra, failing samples are cheaper, but there is no significant price difference across tiers once we condition on testability and authenticity.

To study the demand side, we designed a survey that was distributed by RxRights. Among the 2,522 respondents who have purchased prescription medication and are concerned about the price of US pharmaceuticals, results show that 61.54% purchase drugs online and mostly from foreign websites, citing cost saving as the leading reason. Conditional on shopping online, 41.11% check with a credentialing agency.

Both samples convey a consistent message that certification agencies deliver useful information for foreign websites and online consumers. Further, while these findings confirm the Food and Drug Administration warning against rogue websites, they do suggest that a blanket ban against all foreign websites may deny consumers substantial savings from certified tier-2 websites.
Chaos-based Color Image Encryption Using One-time Keys and Choquet Fuzzy Integral
Authors: Liu Hongjun , Wang Xingyuan , Kadir Abdurahman
Published: January 2014

This paper proposes a chaos-based color image encryption scheme using one-time keys and Choquet fuzzy integral (CFI). The major core of the encryption algorithm is a pseudo-random number generator based on the CFI, and the key is plain-image dependent. Before encrypting the color image, the hash function is applied to generate the 256-bit key, and the hyper chaotic Qi system is iterated for limited times to generate the initial parameters sequences for the CFI. The outputs of the CFI are employed to confuse and diffuse the red, green and blue components for the image respectively. Experiment results and security analysis show that the scheme not only can achieve good encryption result and large key space, but also can resist against common attacks, so the scheme is reliable to be adopted for image encryption in secure communications.
On bounding the diameter of the commuting graph of a group
Authors: Giudici Michael , Pope Aedan
Published: January 2014

The commuting graph of a group
Postoperative Pain Management in Children, Parental English Proficiency, and Access to Interpretation
Authors: Jimenez Nathalia , Jackson Douglass L. , Zhou Chuan , Ayala Nelly C. , Ebel Beth E.
Published: January 2014

Background and Objective:

Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) are at risk for undertreated pain. The goal of this study was to examine the association between parental language proficiency, interpreted care, and postsurgical pediatric pain management.

Methods:

This was a retrospective matched cohort study among children <18 years of age. Children of LEP and English-proficient (EP) parents were matched according to age group, surgical procedure, and admission date. Mean number of daily pain assessments and mean daily pain scores were compared between language groups. We also compared the association between pain scores and type of medication given (opioid versus nonopioid). Within the LEP group, similar analyses compared pain assessment and treatment of children whose families received ≥2 professional interpretations per day versus those who received lower rates of interpretation.

Results:

A total of 474 children (237 LEP and 237 EP) were included in the study. Children of LEP parents had fewer pain assessments (mean: 7 [95% confidence interval: 2–13] vs 9 [95% confidence interval: 4–15]; P = .012), and higher levels of pain recorded before receiving opioid analgesics, compared with children of EP parents (P = .003). Within the LEP group, children with ≥2 interpretations per day had lower pain scores after medication administration (P < .05) and were more likely to receive opioids at pain levels similar to those of EP families.

Conclusions:

Children of LEP parents received fewer pain assessments and were less likely to receive opioid analgesics for similar levels of pain compared with children of EP parents. More frequent use of professional interpreters when assessing pain may aid in reducing the gap in pain management between LEP and EP pediatric patients.
Human Evolution, Genomics, and Birth Timing: New Approaches for Investigating Preterm Birth
Authors: Newman Tondra , Lengyel Candice , Pavlicev Mihaela , Muglia Louis J.
Published: January 2014

Preterm birth and its complications remain one of the most challenging problems in neonatology. Although preventative strategies to reduce preterm birth have been a long-standing goal, limited progress has been achieved in reducing its incidence. In part, the barriers to designing better interventions to prevent preterm birth have reflected our incomplete understanding of human pregnancy maintenance and termination because events differ in humans compared with most other species. In this review, we highlight new insights into understanding progesterone signaling during pregnancy that may allow humans to enter labor without overt, systemic progesterone withdrawal, which indicates a lack of progesterone action despite abundant circulating levels at parturition. Hypotheses regarding how increased human brain size in the context of pelvic or metabolic constraints have shaped the time for birth are discussed, and how this information can facilitate population genetic studies are provided. With increasing access to genomic information from humans, nonhuman primates, and other mammals, as well as growing numbers of well-phenotyped cohorts related to pregnancy outcomes, new opportunities related to the discovery of prematurity prevention options are now available.
Arrayed ZnO Nanorods Fabrication on ZnO Film by Self-catalyst Growth Method in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Pradeep E. K.C. , Li X. , Kawaharamura T. , Wang D. , Hatta A. , Li C.
Published: January 2014

ZnO nanorods were grown up from as-deposited ZnO film on which the zinc self-catalysts generated by a novel reducing method. Well aligned ZnO nanorods with a uniform high aspect ratio were grown up on multi-annealed samples. The length of nanorods depended significantly on the reaction time in the hydrothermal synthesis.
Revision ofVesiculentomon, Nosekientomonn. g. (Protura: Acerentomidae, Nipponentominae), and a Key to Genera of Nipponentominae
Authors: Shrubovych Julia , Rusek Josef , Bernard Ernest C
Published: January 2014

Based on recent reexamination of types, Vesiculentomon rusekiNosek, 1977, differs significantly from Vesiculentomon marshalliRusek, 1974, in composition and shape of maxillary gland, number of anterior setae on metanotum, and shape of foretarsal sensillum t1. A new genus Nosekientomon is erected for V. ruseki. Nosekientomon n. gen. is characterized by three pairs of anterior setae on the metanotum, claviform foretarsal sensillum t1, and a smooth globular vesicle on the calyx of the maxillary gland. Vesiculentomon Rusek has four pairs of anterior setae on the metanotum, baculiform foretarsal sensillum t1, and a large vesicle near the calyx with dense granulation along its narrow proximal part. The original descriptions are corrected and supplemented with new characters, including head chaetotaxy, setal lengths, and porotaxy. A key to world genera of Nipponentominae is provided.
Epidermis Associated with Wax Secretion in theHarpactor angulosus(Hemiptera: Reduviidae)
Authors: Pikart Tiago G , Souza Gabriely K , Ribeiro Rafael C , Zanuncio José C , Serrão José E
Published: January 2014

Beginning at the third instar, the generalist predator Harpactor angulosus (Lepeletier & Serville) (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) appears gray in color because of the presence of a whitish particulate wax-like material covering all body segments. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that epidermal cells are responsible for the secretion of the wax-like substance onto the cuticle of H. angulosus. The integument of third instar to the adults of H. angulosus have no external structures specialized in wax secretion, as the wax particles are deposited in a filamentous manner. Third to fourth instars and adult stages have a single-layered epidermis composed of columnar cells. In contrast, lack of wax deposit on the body surface of first and second instars is associated with flattened epidermal cells. The columnar epidermal cells are characterized by a well-developed nucleus, basal cell surface with large infoldings, and a cytoplasm rich in vacuoles. These vacuoles are negative for the presence of carbohydrates and proteins, but strongly positive for the presence of lipids. The structural features of the epidermis and the presence of lipid droplets suggest that lipid metabolism is active within the epidermis from the third instar to the adult of H. angulosus. This is the first record of a glandular epidermis associated with wax secretions in Reduviidae.
Models for Assessing the Male Annihilation ofBactroceraspp. with Methyl Eugenol Baits
Authors: Barclay Hugh J , Hendrichs Jorge
Published: January 2014

Models were presented that describe the attraction and killing at toxic baits or traps of adult males and females of an insect pest species. These models were used to test the effects of the following factors on ease of control: female monogamy versus polygamy, attraction of only males versus both sexes, initiating mating before versus after responding to baits/traps, the ability of males to mate many times each day versus only once per day, and the existence of a time lag of several days before females can mate versus mating immediately after emergence. The models indicated that mating before trapping or the ability of males to mate many times each day will probably render this control method ineffective. The other factors tested (mating habit and specifics of attraction) had little effect on the efÞciency of trapping males as a control method. We then included age structure and a refractory period for virgin females before they can mate. The models were then made specific to Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) by using parameter values derived from the literature. The results of the models imply that the attraction and killing of large numbers of males is rather ineffective to suppress populations. However, the combination of attracting both males and females can be more effective than attracting either sex alone. The increased attraction of females to methyl eugenol baits that has been observed with the declining presence of males during Male Annihilation Technique campaigns may explain the reported effectiveness against invasive Bactrocera pest species.
Instar Numbers, Development, Flight Period, and Fecundity of Dendroctonus valens (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in China
Authors: Liu Zhudong , Xu Bingbing , Sun Jianghua
Published: January 2014

The red turpentine beetle, Dendroctonus valens LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is one of the most destructive invasive forest pests in China. Little is known about the biological characteristics of red turpentine beetle. Analysis of the frequency distribution has shown that red turpentine beetle's larvae have five instars with head capsule width 0.64, 0.83, 1.16, 1.45, and 1.99 mm, respectively. The ratio of increase of head capsule width is 1.33, which is consistent with Dyar's rule. The duration of egg, larval, and pupal is ≈10,84, and 10 d, respectively. After its emergence, the callow adult darkens to the typical reddish brown by the time it is ready to leave the tree; beetles begin to "fly out” at the 10th day and continue for 20 d, with the peak flight taking place on the 21st day. Pairs of red turpentine beetles introduced into pine bolts produced 106 offspring. Such basic information is important for developing management strategies to combat this invasive bark beetle in China.
Seasonal Phenology of the Cerambycid Beetles of East Central Illinois
Authors: Hanks Lawrence M , Reagel Peter F , Mitchell Robert F , Wong Joseph C H , Meier Linnea R , Silliman Christina A , Graham Elizabeth E , Striman Becca L , Robinson Kenneth P , Mongold-Diers Judith A , Millar Jocelyn G
Published: January 2014

We summarize field data on the species composition and seasonal phenology of the community of cerambycid beetles of east central Illinois. Data were drawn from field bioassays conducted during 2009–2012 that tested attraction of adult beetles of diverse species to a variety of synthetic pheromones and host plant volatiles. In total, 34,086 beetles of 114 species were captured, including 48 species from the subfamily Cerambycinae, 41 species from Lamiinae, 19 species from Lepturinae, 2 species from Spondylidinae, and 1 species each from Necydalinae, Parandrinae, Prioninae, and Disteniidae. Most of the best-represented species were attracted to pheromones that were included in field experiments, particularly species that use (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one as a pheromone component. The species captured and their patterns of abundance and seasonal phenology were similar to those in an earlier study conducted in Pennsylvania. The most abundant species identified in both studies included the cerambycines Elaphidion mucronatum (Say), Neoclytus acuminatus acuminatus (F.), Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (F.), and Xylotrechus colonus (F.). Cerambycine species became active in an orderly progression from early spring to late fall, whereas most lamiine species were active in the summer and fall, and lepturine species were limited to the summer. Potential cross attraction between some cerambycine species that shared pheromone components may have been averted by differences in seasonal activity period and by minor pheromone components that acted as synergists for conspecifics, antagonists for heterospecifics, or both. These results provide quantitative data on the abundance and seasonal phenology of a large number of species.
Uranotaenia novobscura ryukyuana (Diptera: Culicidae) Population Dynamics are Denso-Dependent and Autonomous from Weather Fluctuations
Authors: Hoshi Tomonori , Higa Yukiko , Chaves Luis Fernando
Published: January 2014

Larvae of the mosquito Uranotaenia novobscura ryukyuana Tanaka et al., have been reported in tree-holes, bamboo stumps, and artificial water containers. So far, no study has addressed the role that density dependence and weather fluctuations could have played in the abundance of this nonvector mosquito. A year-long study was conducted on the population dynamics of this mosquito using oviposition traps in Okinawa, Japan. Time series analysis and the Ricker population model were used to analyze the association between mosquito density and population growth and fluctuations in relative humidity, temperature, and rainfall. Our results suggest that Ur. novobscura ryukyuana has stable denso-dependent dynamics, which are autonomous from weather fluctuations. Our results were opposite to patterns observed in other subtropical mosquito species, whose population dynamics might be partially driven by weather fluctuations, thus highlighting the diversity of responses that mosquitoes can have to changing environments.
Are Sweetpotato Weevils (Coleoptera: Brentidae) Differentially Attracted to Certain Colors?
Authors: Gadi Nirupa , Reddy GVP
Published: January 2014

The sweetpotato weevil Cylas formicarius (F.) (Coleoptera: Brentidae) is one of the most serious insects causing damage to sweetpotatoes in the world. Small populations of these insects can cause severe damage to tubers of the crop. Without proper and effective control, weevil populations are likely to cause a huge or complete loss of sweetpotato production in sweetpotato growing areas. Consequently, there is an urgent need for development of an eco-friendly control method for this weevil. Although some control methods are effective, toxic pesticides applications are detrimental and damaging to our environment. Although pheromone traps are currently being used, no effective control of this weevil was achieved. Therefore, studies were carried out as part of the development of a trapping system for C. formicarius. Previous color-choice field tests have confirmed that C. formicarius preferred red traps over gray, green, brown, blue, white, yellow, or black; light red was more attractive than other shades of red. The current study aimed to know whether C. formicarius behavior changes in indoor conditions. Among the eight colored traps tested in the laboratory, green-colored traps were more effective in attracting C. formicarius than all other colors. It attracted nearly double the number of weevils than standard traps presently being used by growers. Based on these results, it is recommended to use green-colored traps to mass trap weevils (by attracting and killing) from sweetpotatoes grown under indoor (storage) conditions.
Understanding the Components of Information Privacy Threats for Location-Based Services
Authors: Raschke Robyn L. , Krishen Anjala S. , Kachroo Pushkin
Published: January 2014

Given the increase in global positioning system enabled devices and the ubiquitous ability to connect wirelessly to information through location-based services, organizations are challenged to offer privacy-by-design support systems. Given this, we offer a conceptual framework to capture the impact of the individual component weights of concern for information privacy on behavioral intent of disclosing information. Through a sample of 217 respondents, our PLS model shows that privacy protection beliefs negatively impact concern for collection, unauthorized use, and improper access of information and that privacy risk beliefs positively impact concern for collection and existence of errors; additionally, concern for collection negatively impacts behavioral intentions to disclose information, as does concern for unauthorized use. With such detailed information, firms can address both cognitive and affective consumer concerns, enhance transparency, and communicate multiple services while handling privacy controls as an extension of those services.
Oxidative Indices Correlate with Dyslipidemia and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Fluoride-Exposed Rats
Authors: Afolabi Olusegun Kayode , Oyewo Emmanuel Bukoye , Adekunle Adeniran Sanmi , Adedosu Olaniyi Tope , Adedeji Adebayo Lawrence
Published: January 2014

The aim of this study was to establish the effects of fluoride on lipid metabolism and attendant inflammatory response by exposing rats to 50 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1 of fluoride through drinking water for seven weeks. Both concentrations led to hypercholesterolemia while the 100 mg L-1 concentration induced hypertriglyceridaemia. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels dropped in the exposed rats while interleukin 2 (IL-2) increased more than 1.5-fold (p<0.05) and IL-6 and plasma TNF-α more than 2.5 fold (p<0.05). Fluoride-exposed rats also had significantly higher levels of liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) but lower plasma paraoxonase (PON1) activity. Oxidative stress indices correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and plasma cholesterol. In contrast, proinflammatory cytokines inversely correlated with plasma triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and PON1. Our results suggest that the association between fluoride exposure with cardiovascular diseases may be related to its ability to disturb lipid homeostasis, and trigger pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.
Effects of Psychosocial Strain on Back Symptoms in Tehran General Hospital Nursing Personnel
Authors: Golabadi Majid , Attarchi Mirsaeed , Raeisi Saeed , Namvar Mohamad
Published: January 2014

Nursing is a stressful and highly demanding job. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between psychosocial job strain and the prevalence of back symptoms in nursing personnel using the demand-control model. In a cross-sectional study, 545 nursing professionals answered to a self-administered questionnaire on demography, job content, and lower and upper back symptoms (LBS and UBS, respectively). Based on their answers, the participants were grouped as follows: low strain, high strain, active job, and passive job. The groups were compared in regard to the prevalence of LBS and UBS (totalling 58.5 % and 47.9 %, respectively) over the past 12 months. We found no association between job control and back symptoms, but participants with high psychosocial job demands showed greater risk of LBS (OR=1.57 and p=0.014) and UBS (OR=1.73 and p=0.005) than those with low job demands. LBS in the low strain, high strain, and active job groups was more prevalent than in the passive group (OR=1.64, OR=2.49 and OR=1.90, respectively; p≤0.05). In addition, the high strain group showed greater prevalence of UBS than the passive group (OR=1.82 and p=0.019). Our study suggests that psychosocial job strain, high psychosocial demands in particular, may be associated with greater prevalence of back symptoms in nursing personnel. Our findings may help to design preventive measures that would lower the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in this profession.
Antineoplastic DNA-Binding Compounds: Intercalating and Minor Groove Binding Drugs
Authors: Mišković Katarina , Bujak Maro , Baus Lončar Mirela , Glavaš-Obrovac Ljubica
Published: January 2014

DNA intercalating and minor groove binding compounds are new weapons in the battle against malignant diseases. These antineoplastic agents target the DNA molecule and interfere with the cell cycle leading to rapidly proliferating cell death. They are mainly derivates of a naturally occurring organic compound derived from a microorganism or plant. Intercalators usually act as topoisomerase I and/or II poisons, while the mechanisms of DNA minor groove binders are a combination of several steps including topoisomerase poisoning. This paper gives an overview of some of the developed DNA intercalating and minor groove binding compounds, as well as an explanation of their chemical structures, origins, and application in chemotherapy.
Clinical, Haematological, and Neurocognitive Findings in Lead-Exposed Workers of a Battery Plant in Iran
Authors: Malekirad Ali Akbar , Kalantari-Dehaghi Razieh , Abdollahi Mohammad
Published: January 2014

The aim of this comparative cross-sectional study was to assess neurocognitive impairment, haematological findings, and clinical symptoms of lead exposure among 316 male battery plant workers aged between 20 and 61 years. Compared to 123 matched controls (matching in age and years of work), the exposed workers showed significantly higher mean blood lead level (BLL) and lower haematocrit, haemoglobin, and red blood cell count. Mean BLL significantly correlated with clinical symptoms such as nocturia, increased urination frequency, oedema, drop in deep tendon reflex, concentration impairment, agitation, headache, depression, abdominal pain, palpitation, fatigue, and diminished sex drive. Workers with clinical disorders had higher BLL and lower haematological parameters. These findings warn that silent toxicological problems caused by lead might go unnoticed by health professionals.
137Cs in Soil and Fallout Around Zagreb (Croatia) at the Time of the Fukushima Accident
Authors: Šoštarić Marko , Petrinec Branko , Babić Dinko
Published: January 2014

This paper addresses the noticeable increase of 137Cs activity concentrations in soil and fallout in the area surrounding Zagreb (Croatia) that occurred at the time of the 2011 Fukushima accident. This topic is important for public health as 137Cs is highly toxic due to its long half-life of radioactive decay and chemical similarity to potassium. 137Cs concentrations in fallout were much greater than in soil, but remained present longer in the latter. While being detectable in our measurements, 137Cs did not spread through the food chain in amounts exceeding the maximum allowed level of radioactive food contamination. However, more thorough and consistent measurements need to be done in order to establish the precise activity trends of 137Cs in Zagreb soil and fallout.
Immunological Aspects and Anti-Amyloid Strategy for Alzheimer’s Dementia
Authors: Liščić Rajka M.
Published: January 2014

Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) is the most common form of dementia among the elderly, accounting for at least two-thirds of all dementia cases. It represents a costly burden, since its global prevalence is estimated at 24 million cases. Amyloid beta or Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles define AD pathologically but do not fully explain it, because dementia may also be caused by inflammation resulting in neuronal, axonal synaptic loss and dysfunction. An important component of AD pathophysiology are amyloid plaques surrounded by activated microglia, cytokines, and complement components, suggesting inflammation. In the diagnosis of AD, cerebrospinal fluid markers, especially in vivo amyloid measurements, contribute to an accurate assessment of AD pathology and differential diagnosis. Aβ levels are a very good marker for the presence of amyloid deposits in the brain, while total tau and phosphorylated tau are useful for the detection of neurodegeneration. The implementation of anti-amyloid therapy and other disease-modifying interventions may have immense clinical impact if initiated at an early or presymptomatic stage of AD, before significant brain damage occurs. This paper briefly reviews the abovementioned topics and provides recommendations for future studies.
Selected harmful elements in polish lignite
Authors: Bielowicz Barbara
Published: January 2014

Streszczenie

W węglu brunatnym z polskich złóż występują liczne pierwiastki rzadkie, śladowe i rozproszone, z których część może wywierać niekorzystny wpływ na środowisko naturalne oraz człowieka. Jednak pierwiastki te w większości nie osiągają koncentracji szkodliwych w analizowanym węglu. W pracy zbadano zawartości wybranych pierwiastków szkodliwych w każdym stężeniu i pierwiastków szkodliwych w większym stężeniu. Analizowano udział tych elementów zarówno w próbkach węgla brunatnego, jak i popiołach tego surowca uzyskanych metodą powolnego spalania. Do pierwiastków toksycznych w każdym stężeniu zaliczono Pb, Hg, Cd, Be, As, a w większym stężeniu: Zn, Se, Sb, Cu, Mn. Pierwiastki śladowe oznaczano metodą instrumentalnej neutronowej analizy aktywacyjnej (INAA), ICPMS-Mikrofala i ICP-OES. Ze względu na brak norm określających dopuszczalną zawartość pier- wiastków szkodliwych w węglu brunatnym oparto się na porównywaniu oznaczonej zawartości z dopuszczalnymi dziennymi dawkami dla ludzi i dopuszczalnej zawartości tych pierwiastków w glebach oraz w wodach. Zawartość Hg, Pb, As i Cd w badanym węglu brunatnym jest nieduża, a ich stężenia osiągają maksymalnie: Hg do 2,6 ppm, Pb do 26,22 ppm, As do 19,72 ppm i Cd do 17,76 ppm. Podane koncentracje są bardzo małe w porównaniu do granicznych dopuszczalnych wartości w glebach. Wyjątek stanowi średnia zawartość rtęci w złożu Adamów. Zawartość pierwiastków toksycznych w popiołach jest wyższa w porównaniu z węglem surowym, co świadczy, że składniki te związane są z substancją mineralną węgla. Zawartość innych oznaczonych pierwiastków śladowych (Sb, Zn, Mn i Cu) w badanym węglu jest również nieduża i nie stanowi zagrożenia dla środowiska naturalnego. Jednocześnie pierwiastki takie jak Mn, Pb i Cu mają małą lotność, przez co obserwuje się ich koncentrację w popiele po spaleniu węgla. Z drugiej strony takie pierwiastki jak Cd i Hg ze względu na swoją wysoką lotność ulatniają się w trakcie spalania wraz ze spalinami i dlatego ich zawartość w popiele jest niższa niż w węglu.
Magnesite industry in the Slovak Republic
Authors: Csikósoya Adriana , Ćulkoya Katarina , Antośoya Maria
Published: January 2014

Streszczenie

Baza zasobowa magnezytów w Republice Słowackiej sięga 3400 milionów ton magnezytu surowego. Roz- poznane światowe zasoby magnezytu są oceniane na około 12 milardów ton, a poza nimi znane są także wielkie zasoby innych surowców magnezonośnych, takich jak: dolomit, brucyt czy oliwin. Co więcej, związki magnezu mogą być także pozyskiwane w sposób ekonomicznie uzasadniony z solanek metodą ługowania otworowego, z jezior solankowych oraz z wody morskiej. Ta ostatnia zawiera średnio 0,13% mas. magnezu, będąc znaczącym źródłem związków magnezu. Niniejsza praca miała na celu podanie krótkiej informacji o rozwoju górnictwa i przetwórstwa magnezytu na Słowacji, a także o historii słowackiego przemysłu magnezytowego. Artykuł podsumowuje możliwości produkcyjne słowackiego przemysłu magnezytowego oraz możliwości jego utrzymania w świetle silnej konkurencji z innymi światowymi producentami magnezytu. Działalność słowackiego przemysłu magnezytowego, choć przynosi wymierne efekty w postaci produkcji surowców magnezytowych, ma także niekorzystny wpływ na najważniejsze składniki środowiska naturalnego, tj. gleby, wody, atmosferę oraz faunę i florę. Jest on wywołany głównie emisją gazowo pyłową, przede wszystkim z etapu termicznego przetwórstwa magnezytów surowych. Obecnie wielkość tej emisji została znacząco ograniczona dzięki instalacji odpowiednich filtrów wyłapujących pyły.
New hard coal-mining projects in the russian federation
Authors: Stala-Szlugaj Katarzyna
Published: January 2014

Streszczenie

Federacja Rosyjska znajduje się w ścisłej czołówce wśród światowych producentów i eksporterów węgla. Zgodnie z jej długoterminową polityką, węgiel nadal będzie odgrywał istotną rolę w gospodarce tego kraju. Według tych planów, w roku 2030 produkcja węgla ma osiągnąć poziom 430 min ton (w stosunku do bazowego roku 2010 ma wzrosnąć o 33%), a eksport węgla kamiennego ma wynieść 125 min ton (względem 2010 r. wzrost o 46%). Ze względu na przewidywany szereg nowych inwestycji w rosyjskim górnictwie węgla, niniejszy artykuł poświecono ich omówieniu. Podobnie, jak i inni światowi producenci i eksporterzy węgla, Rosja skupia się zwłaszcza na odbiorcach azjatyckich. Skutkuje to tym, że większość nowych inwestycji w górnictwie węgla planowana jest na Dalekim Wschodzie. Długoterminowy program rozwoju górnictwa węgla w Rosji nie tylko koncentruje się na zagospodarowaniu dwóch najbardziej perspektywicznych złóż węgla: Elginskoje (Republika Jakucji) oraz położonego w Republice Tuwy - złoża Elegetskoje. Zakłada on również budowę nowych centrów wydobywczych węgla w złożach położonych w Republikach: Komi, Tuwy i Jakucji, Obwodach: Rostowskim, Kemerowskim, Irkuckim i Sacha- lińskim, w Chabarowskim i Zabajkalskim Kraju oraz w Chanty-Mansyjskim Okręgu Autonomicznym. W sumie nowe inwestycje planowane są w dziesięciu jednostkach administracyjnych Rosji. W przypadku każdej inwestycji omówiono: w jakim złożu będzie prowadzona eksploatacja węgla, za- stosowany sposób eksploatacji, dodatkowe inwestycje (na przykład: budowa zakładu przeróbczego, budowa elektrowni, linii kolejowej, rozbudowa morskiej infrastruktury transportowej itp.), a także liczbę nowych miejsc pracy oraz kwotę planowanych nakładów inwestycyjnych. Łącznie długoterminowy program przewiduje 37 projektów, z których aż 16 będzie realizowanych w Ob- wodzie Kemerowskim. W efekcie - mają tam powstać nowe kopalnie węgla koksowego i energetycznego, siedem nowych zakładów wzbogacania węgla, dwie elektrownie (o mocy 500 MW i 40 MW), 30 km linii kolejowych oraz nowe składowisko węgla surowego.