bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peripheral axons of the adult zebrafish maxillary barbel extensively remyelinate during sensory appendage regeneration
Authors: Moore Alex C. , Mark Tiffany E. , Hogan Ann K. , Topczewski Jacek , LeClair Elizabeth E.
Published: May 2012

Myelination is a cellular adaptation allowing rapid conduction along axons. We have investigated peripheral axons of the zebrafish maxillary barbel (ZMB), an optically clear sensory appendage. Each barbel carries taste buds, solitary chemosensory cells, and epithelial nerve endings, all of which regenerate after amputation (LeClair and Topczewski [2010] PLoS One 5:e8737). The ZMB contains axons from the facial nerve; however, myelination within the barbel itself has not been established. Transcripts of myelin basic protein (mbp) are expressed in normal and regenerating adult barbels, indicating activity in both maintenance and repair. Myelin was confirmed in situ by using toluidine blue, an anti‐MBP antibody, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The adult ZMB contains ∼180 small‐diameter axons (<2 μm), approximately 60% of which are myelinated. Developmental myelination was observed via whole‐mount immunohistochemistry 4–6 weeks postfertilization, showing myelin sheaths lagging behind growing axons. Early‐regenerating axons (10 days postsurgery), having no or few myelin layers, were disorganized within a fibroblast‐rich collagenous scar. Twenty‐eight days postsurgery, barbel axons had grown out several millimeters and were organized with compact myelin sheaths. Fiber types and axon areas were similar between normal and regenerated tissue; within 4 weeks, regenerating axons restored ∼85% of normal myelin thickness. Regenerating barbels express multiple promyelinating transcription factors (sox10, oct6 = pou3f1; krox20a/b = egr2a/b) typical of Schwann cells. These observations extend our understanding of the zebrafish peripheral nervous system within a little‐studied sensory appendage. The accessible ZMB provides a novel context for studying axon regeneration, Schwann cell migration, and remyelination in a model vertebrate. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:4184–4203, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Computational representation of a realistic head and brain volume conductor model: electroencephalography simulation and visualization study
Authors: Kybartaite Asta
Published: May 2012

Computational head and brain volume conductor modeling is a practical and non‐invasive method to investigate neuroelectrical activity in the brain. Anatomical structures included in a model affect the flow of volume currents and the resulting scalp surface potentials. The influence of different tissues within the head on scalp surface potentials was investigated by constructing five highly detailed, realistic head models from segmented and processed Visible Human Man digital images. The models were: (1) model with 20 different tissues, that is, skin, dense connective tissue (fat), aponeurosis (muscle), outer, middle and inner tables of the scalp, dura matter, arachnoid layer (including cerebrospinal fluid), pia matter, six cortical layers, eye tissue, muscle around the eye, optic nerve, temporal muscle, white matter and internal air, (2) model with three main inhomogeneities, that is, scalp, skull, brain, (3) model with homogeneous scalp and remaining inhomogeneities, (4) model with homogeneous skull and remaining inhomogeneities, and (5) model with homogeneous brain matter and remaining inhomogeneities. Scalp potentials because of three different dipolar sources in the parietal‐occipital lobe were computed for all five models. Results of a forward solution revealed that tissues included in the model and the dipole source location directly affect the simulated scalp surface potentials. The major finding indicates that significant change in the scalp surface potentials is observed when the brain's distinctions are removed. The other modifications, for example, layers of the scalp and skull are important too, but they have less effect on the overall results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Raw Materials and Pottery Production at the Late Bronze and Iron Age Site of Puig de Sa Morisca, Mallorca, Spain
Authors: Albero Santacreu D. , Mateu Vicens G.
Published: May 2012

This paper presents an analytical study of LateBronze andIronAge ceramics and natural clay deposits from the archaeological site ofPuig deSa Morisca in southwestMallorca,Spain. In our study, we combine petrographic, micropaleontological, mineralogical (X‐ray powder diffraction) and textural (laser particle size) analyses of sherds and local clays that may have been used as raw material in ceramic production. This approach allowed us to compare the ceramics’ formal characteristics with those observed in nearby plastic clays and assess raw clay procurement and paste preparation. The results indicate the use of local (<500 m distance) calcareous clays throughout theLateBronze andIron ages. This raw material was mixed with other coarser clays or crushed calcite, as well as other calcareous tempers, such as breccias or calcarenites, located close to the site. The results demonstrate that the same clay deposit was used to make ceramic vessels following different technological choices and recipes. Thus, local communities established a strong connection with the same raw materials through time that were located within the potters’ preferential range of exploitation.
Juvenile, but not adult exposure to high‐fat diet impairs relational memory and hippocampal neurogenesis in mice
Authors: Boitard Chloe , Etchamendy Nicole , Sauvant Julie , Aubert Agnes , Tronel Sophie , Marighetto Aline , Layé Sophie , Ferreira Guillaume
Published: May 2012

Increased consumption of high‐fat diet (HFD) leads to obesity and adverse neurocognitive outcomes. Childhood and adolescence are important periods of brain maturation shaping cognitive function. These periods could consequently be particularly sensitive to the detrimental effects of HFD intake. In mice, juvenile and adulthood consumption of HFD induce similar morphometric and metabolic changes. However, only juvenile exposure to HFD abolishes relational memory flexibility, assessed after initial radial‐maze concurrent spatial discrimination learning, and decreases neurogenesis. Our results identify a critical period of development covering adolescence with higher sensitivity to HFD‐induced hippocampal dysfunction at both behavioral and cellular levels. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Maternal perceptions of the infant: Relationship to maternal self‐efficacy during the first six weeks' postpartum
Authors: Fulton Janet M. , Mastergeorge Ann M. , Steele Joel S. , Hansen Robin L.
Published: May 2012

Mothers' perceptions of their infants and their own levels of self‐efficacy contribute to developing maternal‐infant attunement. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the associations between maternal perceptions of their own infants relative to other infants and maternal self‐efficacy in a group of ethnically diverse, low‐income, first‐time mothers during the first six weeks postpartum. By employing a structural equation model approach, we explored relationships between the predictor (maternal neonatal perceptions) and dependent variable (maternal self‐efficacy). Changes in maternal perceptions of their own infants significantly contributed to self‐reported levels of self‐efficacy while controlling for concurrent self‐esteem. Maternal perceptions of her infant as less difficult than the average infant at six weeks postpartum predicted increased levels of maternal self‐reported self‐efficacy. The present study supports further exploration of the first six weeks postpartum as a sensitive period for targeting intervention and support, particularly for mothers and infants at highest risk.
Enhanced adsorption of Acid Red 88 by an excellent adsorbent prepared from alunite
Authors: Tunali Akar Sibel , Alp Tugba , Yilmazer Dilek
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND: Calcination significantly increased the adsorption performance of alunite for Acid Red 88.

RESULTS: The adsorption properties of calcined alunite for Acid Red 88 were investigated. pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and ionic strength were found to influence the adsorption. Temperature did not significantly affect the process. Kinetic data obey a pseudo‐second‐order model, while intraparticle diffusion is not the only rate‐limiting step. The Langmuir isotherm well described the equilibrium data. The monolayer adsorption capacity of calcined alunite was found to be 832.81 mg g−1. It was successfully used for the removal of dye in continuous mode at a flow rate of 4.0 mL min−1. Co‐anions affected the adsorption capacity of calcined alunite but the presence of other organic compounds in the same medium did not significantly change the adsorption performance. Reusability studies showed that the calcined alunite can be reused four times. Electrostatic interaction, ion‐exchange and complexation were found to be effective mechanisms for the adsorption of Acid Red 88 by calcined alunite.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that calcined alunite has excellent adsorption performance and might be a very good adsorbent for Acid Red 88 as an abundant, economical and practical material. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Biochemical and morphological characterization of MAGI‐1 in neuronal tissue
Authors: Ito Hidenori , Morishita Rika , Sudo Kaori , Nishimura Yoshiaki V. , Inaguma Yutaka , Iwamoto Ikuko , Nagata Koh‐ichi
Published: May 2012

The membrane‐associated guanylate kinase with inverted organization (MAGI) proteins consist of three members, MAGI‐1, MAGI‐2 (also known as S‐SCAM), and MAGI‐3. Although MAGI‐2 has been analyzed and shown to interact with a variety of postsynaptic proteins, functional analyses and characterization of MAGI‐1 in neuronal tissues have been rare. In this study, we prepared a specific antibody against MAGI‐1, anti‐MAGI‐1, and carried out biochemical and morphological analyses of MAGI‐1 in rat neuronal tissues. By Western blotting, a high level of MAGI‐1 was detected in nervous tissues, especially in olfactory bulb. Biochemical fractionation clarified that MAGI‐1 was relatively enriched in the synaptosomal vesicle and synaptic plasma membrane fractions, whereas MAGI‐2 and MAGI‐3 appeared to be in the synaptic plasma membrane and postsynaptic density fractions. Immunofluorescent analyses revealed diffuse distribution of MAGI‐1 in the cell body and processes of primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons, whereas MAGI‐2 and MAGI‐3 were likely to be enriched at synapses. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that MAGI‐1 was expressed in Purkinje cells, in hypocampal neurons in CA1 region, in the glomerulus region of olfactory bulb, and at the dorsal root entry zone in embryonic rat spinal cord. These results suggest neuronal roles of MAGI‐1 different from those of MAGI‐2/3. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of rainfall spells for urban water management
Authors: Chowdhury Rezaul K. , Beecham Simon
Published: May 2012

Rainfall events and inter‐event spell properties were analysed in this study using observed daily rainfall sequences for Adelaide and Melbourne in Australia. First and higher order transitional probabilities of dry and wet days were also estimated. Various statistical moments of spells were estimated and compared between Adelaide and Melbourne. Six theoretical distributions were fitted to the dry and wet spells. These were geometric, compound geometric, generalized Pareto, logarithmic series, Polya and truncated negative binomial distributions. The probability of longer dry spells was found to be higher in Adelaide than in Melbourne. Mean dry spell length was found to be highest in summer, where 7 days and 5.5 days were observed in February in Adelaide and Melbourne respectively. Mean wet spell length was observed to be longer in Adelaide than in Melbourne during autumn and winter. The study revealed that dry and wet spells in Adelaide and Melbourne are best fitted by geometric and compound geometric distributions. The Polya distribution was also found to fit the Melbourne dry spell lengths and Adelaide wet spell lengths. The Implications of dry spell properties for urban water management (for example water sensitive urban design) are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Varying sediment sources (Hudson Strait, Cumberland Sound, Baffin Bay) to the NW Labrador Sea slope between and during Heinrich events 0 to 4
Authors: Andrews J. T. , Barber D. C. , Jennings A. E. , Eberl D. D. , Maclean B. , Kirby M. E. , Stoner J. S.
Published: May 2012

Core HU97048‐007PC was recovered from the continental Labrador Sea slope at a water depth of 945 m, 250 km seaward from the mouth of Cumberland Sound, and 400 km north of Hudson Strait. Cumberland Sound is a structural trough partly floored by Cretaceous mudstones and Paleozoic carbonates. The record extends from ∼10 to 58 ka. On‐board logging revealed a complex series of lithofacies, including buff‐colored detrital carbonate‐rich sediments [Heinrich (H)‐events] frequently bracketed by black facies. We investigate the provenance of these facies using quantitative X‐ray diffraction on drill‐core samples from Paleozoic and Cretaceous bedrock from the SE Baffin Island Shelf, and on the < 2‐mm sediment fraction in a transect of five cores from Cumberland Sound to the NW Labrador Sea. A sediment unmixing program was used to discriminate between sediment sources, which included dolomite‐rich sediments from Baffin Bay, calcite‐rich sediments from Hudson Strait and discrete sources from Cumberland Sound. Results indicated that the bulk of the sediment was derived from Cumberland Sound, but Baffin Bay contributed to sediments coeval with H‐0 (Younger Dryas), whereas Hudson Strait was the source during H‐events 1–4. Contributions from the Cretaceous outcrops within Cumberland Sound bracket H‐events, thus both leading and lagging Hudson Strait‐sourced H‐events. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Value of general surgical risk models for predicting postoperative liver failure and mortality following liver surgery
Authors: Haga Yoshio , Ikejiri Koji , Takeuchi Hitoshi , Ikenaga Masakazu , Wada Yasuo
Published: May 2012

Background and Objectives

This study evaluated the ability of general surgical models to predict postoperative morbidity and mortality in liver surgery.

Methods

The postoperative course and mortality rates predicted by general surgical models were investigated in 960 patients who underwent hepatectomy or ablation therapy for primary or metastatic liver carcinoma.

Results

The area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (95% confidence intervals) for detecting postoperative liver failure was 0.89 (0.84–0.94), 0.85 (0.78–0.92), and 0.78 (0.72–0.85) for the Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E‐PASS) model, the modified E‐PASS (mE‐PASS) model, and the Portsmouth Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (P‐POSSUM) model, respectively, and those for detecting in‐hospital mortality were 0.85 (0.76–0.93), 0.85 (0.78–0.92), and 0.79 (0.71–0.87), respectively. Nevertheless, all of the models overpredicted the overall mortality rate (by 2.3‐fold for E‐PASS, 2.3‐fold for mE‐PASS, and 2.9‐fold for P‐POSSUM).

Conclusions

The general surgical risk models demonstrated high discriminatory power for predicting postoperative outcomes in liver surgery, but overpredicted the overall mortality rate by more than twofold. Therefore, these models should be refined to make them more suitable for predicting liver surgery outcomes. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:898–904. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantitative Analysis of Five Kudinosides in the Large‐leaved Kudingcha and Related Species from the Genus Ilex by UPLC–ELSD
Authors: Li Li , Peng Yong , Ma Guizhi , He Congfen , Feng Yuxiong , Lei Qifang , Xiao Peigen
Published: May 2012

Introduction

The large‐leaved Kudingcha from the genus Ilex, which is used as a traditional Chinese tea, contains several characteristic triterpenoid saponins that can be subjected to quality control evaluation.

Objective

To develop and validate a rapid method incorporating reverse‐phase ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (UPLC–ELSD) for the simultaneous determination of the five triterpenoid saponins kudinoside L (1), kudinoside C (2), kudinoside A (3), kudinoside F (4) and kudinoside D (5) in several species of the large‐leaved Kudingcha from the genus Ilex and ‘Yerba Mate’ (Ilex paraguariensis).

Methodology

The five compounds were separated using a water–acetonitrile mobile phase with a Waters Acquity BEH C18‐column (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm).

Results

Separation took 13 min with detection and quantification limits ranging from 12.5 to 29.8 ng and 41.3 to 98.2 ng, respectively. The method was validated according to the regulatory guidelines with respect to precision, stability, repeatability and recovery. The triterpenoid saponins showed a good regression relationship (r2 > 0.999) within the test ranges, and the recovery of the method was in the 95–105% range.

Conclusion

The present method can be used successfully for the quality control of the large‐leaved Kudingcha. The different Ilex species showed differences in distribution of the five triterpenoids. Ilex kudingcha, which makes up the major species of the large‐leaved Kudingcha, contains the maximum amount of triterpenoid saponins. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nucleation effect of clay on crystallization of polypropylene under carbon dioxide
Authors: Oda Takafumi , Kono Fumiya , Saito Hiromu
Published: May 2012

We investigated the crystallization growth of isotactic polypropylene (PP)/clay phase‐separated microcomposites under carbon dioxide (CO2) by in situ observation with a specially designed high‐pressure visualized cell. The number density of the spherulite was larger and the size of the spherulite filled in the whole space was smaller in the PP/clay microcomposites than those in the neat PP, indicating nucleation effect of clay on the crystallization of PP. The increase of the number density of the spherulite by addition of clay was much larger under CO2 than that under air at ambient pressure, suggesting that the nucleation effect of clay is enhanced under CO2. Microscopic observation and small angle X‐ray scattering measurement revealed that lamellae grow from the surface of the clay tactoids, and the lamellae and lamellar stacks arrange irregularly due to the growth of lamellae from the irregular shaped clay in different directions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Secure multicast key protocol for electronic mail systems with providing perfect forward secrecy
Authors: Chen Hsing‐Chung
Published: May 2012

Electronic mail (e‐mail) systems are widely used in the Internet. A user usually needs to send an e‐mail to a group of users. In this paper, a secure multicast key protocol for e‐mail systems with providing perfect forward secrecy is proposed to ensure confidentiality and authentication of this kind of e‐mail system. The protocol employs the Chinese Remainder Theorem, RSA public key cryptosystems, and one‐way hash functions. The protocol can save redundant key materials used for the e‐mails. Via the security analysis, the protocol can satisfy the security requirements. In addition, we analyze the computation complexity of the protocol. The result showed that the protocol can save the computation cost for each e‐mail sender. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measuring molecular biomarkers in epidemiologic studies: laboratory techniques and biospecimen considerations
Authors: Erickson Heidi S.
Published: May 2012

The future of personalized medicine depends on the ability to efficiently and rapidly elucidate a reliable set of disease‐specific molecular biomarkers. High‐throughput molecular biomarker analysis methods have been developed to identify disease risk, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets in human clinical samples. Currently, high throughput screening allows us to analyze thousands of markers from one sample or one marker from thousands of samples and will eventually allow us to analyze thousands of markers from thousands of samples. Unfortunately, the inherent nature of current high throughput methodologies, clinical specimens, and cost of analysis is often prohibitive for extensive high throughput biomarker analysis. This review summarizes the current state of high throughput biomarker screening of clinical specimens applicable to genetic epidemiology and longitudinal population‐based studies with a focus on considerations related to biospecimens, laboratory techniques, and sample pooling. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prospective validation of fetal weight estimation using fractional limb volume
Authors: Lee W. , Deter R. , Sangi‐Haghpeykar H. , Yeo L. , Romero R.
Published: May 2012

Objectives

To prospectively validate the use of fractional limb volume measurements for estimated fetal weight (EFW) during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and to summarize the medical literature regarding application of fractional limb volume for fetal weight estimation.

Methods

One hundred and sixty‐four women prospectively underwent three‐dimensional ultrasonography within 4 days of delivery. Birth weights (BWs) ranged from 390 to 5426 g. Fetal measurements were extracted using volume datasets for biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference, femur diaphysis length, fractional arm volume and fractional thigh volume. Fractional limb volumes were manually traced from a central portion of the humerus or femur diaphysis. Mean percentage differences and SDs of the percentage differences were calculated for EFW. The proportion of newborns with EFW within 5 or 10% of BW were compared with an estimate obtained using a Hadlock formula that was modified using model coefficients from the same local population sample.

Results

Ultrasound scans were performed between 21.7 and 42 weeks' menstrual age. Optimal model performance (1.9 ± 6.6%) resulted from using a combination of biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference and fractional thigh volume. The precision of this model was superior to results obtained using a modified Hadlock model (1.1 ± 8.4%), although accuracy of these predictions was slightly decreased for female infants. For all fetuses, the prediction model that incorporated fractional thigh volume correctly classified a greater proportion of EFW within 5% (55.1 vs 43.7%; P = 0.03) or 10% (86.5 vs 75.9%; P < 0.05) of BW when compared with the modified Hadlock model.

Conclusions

Fractional thigh volume can be added to two‐dimensional sonographic measurements of the head and trunk to improve the precision of fetal weight estimation. This approach permits the inclusion of soft tissue development as part of a weight estimation procedure for the assessment of generalized fetal nutritional status.
Prognostic value of a hernia sac in congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Spaggiari E. , Stirnemann J. , Bernard J.‐P. , De Saint Blanquat L. , Beaudoin S. , Ville Y.
Published: May 2012

Objective

To investigate the prognostic value of a hernia sac in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Methods

Our database was searched to identify all consecutive cases of CDH referred to our fetal medicine unit between January 2004 and August 2011. Presence or absence of a hernia sac was assessed in liveborn cases using surgery or postnatal autopsy reports. We studied the correlation between the presence of a hernia sac and prenatal findings and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Results

Over the study period, there were 70 cases with isolated CDH born alive in which either a surgery or autopsy report was available. Neonatal death, either preoperative or postoperative, occurred in 1/18 (5.6%) infants with a hernia sac and in 17/52 (32.7%) cases without a hernia sac
(P = 0.03). Patients with a hernia sac had a significantly higher observed to expected pulmonary volume on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (51.9 vs 39.3%, P = 0.01). Neonatal morbidity in surviving infants was lower in the group with a hernia sac, although not significantly.

Conclusion

The presence of a hernia sac is associated with a higher pulmonary volume and a better overall prognosis for CDH. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Learning process for performing and analyzing 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound imaging and interobserver reliability study
Authors: Siafarikas F. , Stær‐Jensen J. , Brækken I. H. , Bø K. , Engh M. Ellström
Published: May 2012

Objectives

To evaluate the learning process for acquiring three‐ and four‐dimensional (3D/4D) transperineal ultrasound volumes of the levator hiatus (LH) dimensions at rest, during pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction and on Valsalva maneuver, and for analyzing the ultrasound volumes, as well as to perform an interobserver reliability study between two independent ultrasound examiners.

Methods

This was a prospective study including 22 women. We monitored the learning process of an inexperienced examiner (IE) performing 3D/4D transperineal ultrasonography and analyzing the volumes. The examination included acquiring volumes during three PFM contractions and three Valsalva maneuvers. LH dimensions were determined in the axial plane. The learning process was documented by estimating agreement between the IE and an experienced examiner (E) using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Agreement was calculated in blocks of 10 ultrasound examinations and analyzed volumes. After the learning process was complete the interobserver reliability for the technique was calculated between these two independent examiners.

Results

For offline analysis of the first 10 ultrasound volumes obtained by E, good to very good agreement between E and IE was achieved for all LH measurements except for the left and right levator–urethra gap and pubic arc. For the next 10 analyzed volumes, agreement improved for all LH measurements. Volumes that had been obtained by IE and E were then re‐evaluated by IE, and good to very good agreement was found for all LH measurements indicating consistency in volume acquisition. The interobserver reliability study showed excellent ICC values (ICC, 0.81–0.97) for all LH measurements except the pubic arc (ICC = 0.67).

Conclusion

3D/4D transperineal ultrasound is a reliable technique that can be learned in a short period of time. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reliability of fetal thymus measurement in prediction of 22q11.2 deletion: a retrospective study using four‐dimensional spatiotemporal image correlation volumes
Authors: Bataeva R. , Bellsham‐Revell H. , Zidere V. , Allan L. D.
Published: May 2012

Objectives

To evaluate the thymic–thoracic ratio (TT‐ratio) method in assessment of the fetal thymus in normal fetuses and in those with cardiac abnormalities, in the presence or absence of 22q11.2 deletion.

Method

Database records were reviewed for cases of conotruncal and arch abnormalities found on fetal echocardiography between January 2007 and September 2011. The 22q11.2 deletion status was retrieved and cases in which this was not known were excluded from the analysis, as were fetuses with aneuploidy or other genetic disorders. An additional 55 normal fetuses were analyzed as a control group. The TT‐ratio was measured retrospectively using stored spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) volume datasets.

Results

Sixty‐nine fetuses with relevant cardiac diagnoses were identified and, of these, 18 (26%) had 22q11.2 deletion. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 22 weeks. Significant pairwise differences, but also overlap, were observed between all three groups (i.e. fetuses with heart defects with and without the 22q11.2 deletion and controls). The mean TT‐ratio was 0.44 in our normal control group and was significantly smaller in fetuses with 22q11.2 deletion, corresponding to previously published data. However, the mean TT‐ratio in the group with conotruncal anomalies but without the 22q11.2 deletion was also smaller than that in controls, in contrast to previously published data. The TT‐ratio was above the normal mean, regardless of fetal karyotype, in all cases of interrupted aortic arch.

Conclusion

The TT‐ratio method is a feasible and potentially useful tool during detailed fetal heart assessment. However, the absolute measurement is not reliable for prediction of 22q11.2 deletion and the obtained results should therefore be interpreted with caution. Fetal karyotyping should be recommended in cases with conotruncal heart abnormalities, irrespective of the TT‐ratio.
Boundary conditions and unitarity: the Maxwell-Chern-Simons system in AdS3/CFT2
Authors: Andrade Tomás , Jottar Juan I. , Leigh Robert G.
Published: May 2012

Abstract

We consider the holography of the Abelian Maxwell-Chern-Simons (MCS) system in Lorentzian three-dimensional asymptotically-AdS spacetimes, and discuss a broad class of boundary conditions consistent with conservation of the symplectic structure. As is well-known, the MCS theory contains a massive sector dual to a vector operator in the boundary theory, and a topological sector consisting of flat connections dual to U(1) chiral currents; the boundary conditions we examine include double-trace deformations in these two sectors, as well as a class of boundary conditions that mix the vector operators with the chiral currents. We carefully study the symplectic product of bulk modes and show that almost all such boundary conditions induce instabilities and/or ghost excitations, consistent with violations of unitarity bounds in the dual theory.
Estimating Smoking-Attributable Mortality in the United States
Authors: Fenelon Andrew , Preston Samuel H.
Published: May 2012

Tobacco use is the largest single cause of premature death in the developed world. Two methods of estimating the number of deaths attributable to smoking use mortality from lung cancer as an indicator of the damage from smoking. We reestimate the coefficients of one of these, the Preston/Glei/Wilmoth model, using recent data from U.S. states. We calculate smoking-attributable fractions for the 50 states and the United States as a whole in 2004, and estimate the contribution of smoking to the high adult mortality of the southern states. We estimate that 21% of deaths among men and 17% among women were attributable to smoking in 2004. Across states, attributable fractions range from 11% to 30% among men and from 7% to 23% among women. Smoking-related mortality also explains as much as 60% of the mortality disadvantage of southern states compared with other regions. At the national level, our estimates are in close agreement with those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Preston/Glei/Wilmoth, particularly for men, although we find greater variability by state than does CDC. We suggest that our coefficients are suitable for calculating smoking-attributable mortality in contexts with relatively mature epidemics of cigarette smoking.
The effect of vitamin C or vitamin E supplementation on basal and H2O2-induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes
Authors: Brennan Lisa A. , Morris Gerard M. , Wasson Gillian R. , Hannigan Bernadette M. , Barnett Yvonne A.
Published: May 2012

There is a wealth of epidemiological information on antioxidants and their possible prevention of disease progression but very little of the research on antioxidants has involved intervention studies. In this study, the potential protective effect of vitamin C or E supplementationin vivoagainst endogenous and H2O2-induced DNA damage levels in lymphocytes was assessed. The supplementation involved fourteen healthy male and female non-smokers mean age 25·53 (SD 1·82) years, who were asked to supplement an otherwise unchanged diet with 1000 mg vitamin C daily for 42 d or 800 mg vitamin E daily for 42 d. DNA damage in H2O2-treated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and untreated PBL before and after supplementation, and during a 6-week washout period was assessed using an ELISA. At each sampling time-point, the red cell concentrate activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were also determined. Supplementation with vitamin C or vitamin E decreased significantly H2O2-induced DNA damage in PBL, but had no effect on endogenous levels of DNA damage. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were suppressed during the supplementation period. These supplementation regimens may be used to limit the possible adverse effects of reactive oxygen species (including those produced during the course of an immune response) on lymphocytesin vivo, and so help to maintain their functional capacity.
Systematic reviews in nutrition: standardized methodology
Authors: Wanden-Berghe Carmina , Sanz-Valero Javier
Published: May 2012

The objective of this study is to establish a methodological proposal in order to carry out qualitative systematic reviews and apply these findings to a review of Omega-3 Fatty Acids with respect to health and illness. Based on a methodological proposal, a general protocol was developed to provide a sound basis for the preparation of the reviews in this journal supplement. A systematic technique was proposed in order to revise the existing scientific literature on Omega-3 Fatty Acids, with particular emphasis on aspects relating to health and illness. The aim of qualitative systematic reviews is to collate and summarise the results of the primary studies reviewed which will be carried out through a descriptive synthesis. It can be concluded that systematic reviews provide a summary of the existing primary documents on a specific scientific question. The detailed and explicit methods used lead to the identification, critical evaluation and synthesis of the scientific literature. Furthermore, both bias and random effects are reduced, resulting in more reliable data from which to draw conclusions and make recommendations to support decision-making.
Dietary sources of omega 3 fatty acids: public health risks and benefits
Authors: Tur J. A. , Bibiloni M. M. , Sureda A. , Pons A.
Published: May 2012

Omega 3 fatty acids can be obtained from several sources, and should be added to the daily diet to enjoy a good health and to prevent many diseases. Worldwide, general population use omega-3 fatty acid supplements and enriched foods to get and maintain adequate amounts of these fatty acids. The aim of this paper was to review main scientific evidence regarding the public health risks and benefits of the dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids. A systematic literature search was performed, and one hundred and forty-five articles were included in the results for their methodological quality. The literature described benefits and risks of algal, fish oil, plant, enriched dairy products, animal-derived food, krill oil, and seal oil omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids, gestation and pregnancy outcomes
Authors: Larqué Elvira , Gil-Sánchez Alfonso , Prieto-Sánchez María Teresa , Koletzko Berthold
Published: May 2012

Pregnancy is associated with a reduction in maternal serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) percentage and its possible depletion in the maternal store. Since the synthesis of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in the fetus and placenta is low, both the maternal LCPUFA status and placental function are critical for their supply to the fetus. Maternal supplementation with DHA up to 1 g/d or 2·7 g n-3 LCPUFA did not have any harmful effect. DHA supplementation in large studies slightly the enhanced length of gestation (by about 2 days), which may increase the birth weight by about 50 g at delivery. However no advice can be given on their general using to avoid preterm deliveries in low or high risk pregnancies. Several studies, but not all, reported improvements of the offspring in some neurodevelopmental tests as a result of DHA supplementation during gestation, or, at least, positive relationships between maternal or cord serum DHA percentages and cognitive skills in young children. The effect seems more evident in children with low DHA proportions, which raises the question of how to identify those mothers who might have a poor DHA status and who could benefit from such supplementation. Most studies on the effects of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy on maternal depression were judged to be of low-to-moderate quality, mainly due to small sample sizes and failure to adhere to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines. In contrast, the effects of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation on reducing allergic diseases in offspring are promising.
Omega 3 fatty acids on child growth, visual acuity and neurodevelopment
Authors: Campoy Cristina , Escolano-Margarit Mª Victoria , Anjos Tania , Szajewska Hania , Uauy Ricardo
Published: May 2012

The aim of this review is to evaluate the effects of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation in pregnant and lactating women and infants during postnatal life, on the visual acuity, psychomotor development, mental performance and growth of infants and children. Eighteen publications (11 sets of randomized control clinical trial [RCTs]) assessed the effects of the n-3 LCPUFA supplementation duringpregnancyon neurodevelopment and growth, in the same subjects at different time points; 4 publications (2 data sets from RCTs) addressed physiological responses to n-3 LCPUFA supplementation duringpregnancy & lactationand 5 publications (3 data sets from RCTs) exclusively duringlactation. Some of these studies showed beneficial effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation especially on visual acuity outcomes and some on long-term neurodevelopment; a few, showed positive effects on growth. There were also 15 RCTs involving term infants who received infant formula supplemented with DHA, which met our selection criteria. Many of these studies claimed a beneficial effect of such supplementation on visual, neural, or developmental outcomes and no effects on growth. Although new well designed and conducted studies are being published, evidence from RCTs does not demonstrate still a clear and consistent benefit of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation on term infants growth, neurodevelopment and visual acuity. These results should be interpreted with caution due to methodological limitations of the included studies.
POVERTY, SEXUAL EXPERIENCE AND HIV VULNERABILITY RISKS: EVIDENCE FROM ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Authors: SORI ASSEFA TOLERA
Published: May 2012

This study explores the relationship between poverty and vulnerability to HIV infection in Ethiopia using primary (quantitative and qualitative) and secondary data from two sub-cities of Addis Ababa. The data show that sexual experience is influenced by diverse factors such as age, gender, economic status and education level. Household economic status and migration explain the nature of sexual experience and level of vulnerability to HIV infection. Poor uneducated women in poor neighbourhoods are more likely to engage in risky sexual encounters despite awareness about the risk of HIV infection as they operate in an environment that provides the ‘path of least resistance’ (Lindegger & Wood, 1995, p. 7). This article argues that poverty provides a situation where early sexual initiation, ‘transactional sex’ and an inability to negotiate for safer sex are associated with low income, lack of education and increased vulnerability to HIV infection. This vulnerability is simultaneously contested and accepted as a commitment to even sacrifice one's life for the sake of one's loved ones. As a modest contribution to the ‘structural violence’ approach, which emphasizes social inequalities based on gender, class, ethnicity and race and inequalities in terms of exposure to risk and access to health care (Massé, 2007), this article challenges the ‘African promiscuity’ discourse, which ‘does not permit policymakers to think beyond sex’ (Stillwaggon, 2006, p. 156), and encourages researchers and policymakers to ask the right questions to understand the complexity of HIV/AIDS and seek solutions to the pandemic.
Put Out Your Tongue! The Role of Clinical Insight in the Study of the History of Medicine
Authors: Edwards Martin
Published: May 2012

Historians of medicine are often gloomily familiar with clinicians' incursions into their intellectual arena. We physicians offer hagiographic biographies of obscure nineteenth-century medical figures, triumphalist narratives of medical progress and – the most heinous offence – retrospective diagnosis of ailments afflicting historical characters. But clinicians have also offered some excellent insights to the discipline. As a medical practitioner, I intend to argue that clinical insight can be valuable; not in providing answers – here, clinicians' contemporary interpretations of disease and its treatment can lead us to become unstuck – but in raising questions which might not occur to historians.
Smallpox and the Epidemiological Heritage of Modern Japan: Towards a Total History
Authors: Suzuki Akihito
Published: May 2012

This article examines one of the long-term structural forces that contributed to the making of public health in Modern Japan. My overall argument is that the history of public health should be conceived as a total history, encompassing not just political, administrative, and scientific factors but also natural, social, and economic factors. Elsewhere I have discussed two of these factors in some detail, both of which were long-term structural forces resulting from the interactions of different realms: 1) the effect of the topography and the pattern of the use of land; and 2) the effect of the market as a medium for people's behaviour seeking the prevention of the disease. Here I will argue that the Japanese long-term experience of diseases provided another structural force that shaped public health in Japan. The long-term cumulative factor can be called the ‘epidemiological heritage’ of Japan.
Creative adoption: trends in Anglicisms in Korea
Authors: Kim Eun-Young Julia
Published: May 2012

Today many people associate Korea with large corporations such as Samsung, Hyundai, or LG. As remarkable as its rapid technological advancement is the country's growing fervor for learning English. Compared with other countries, Korea is rather distinctive in remaining monocultural in its overall demographic composition. Behind the seemingly quiet, monolingual and monocultural façade is a vibrant force that drives its people toward an Anglophone world. Once colonized by Japan, Korea was heavily influenced by the Japanese language and culture. It is no coincidence that the Korean lexicon contains many words of English origin (Anglicisms) that are also found in Japanese. Examples include hotchkiss (‘stapler’), ball pen (‘ballpoint pen’), pama (‘perm’), manicure (‘nail polish’), salaryman (‘salaried man’), and mass com (from ‘mass communication’, used for ‘media’). These represent only a handful of examples among numerous Anglicized words that entered the Korean language during the Japanese colonization which spanned a period of thirty-six years.
Linguistic interplay between Yoruba and English
Authors: Adamo Grace Ebunlola
Published: May 2012

The purpose of this paper is to foreground the extent to which the English language has eroded the originality and purity of the Yoruba language. The main focus will be on code-switching practices, which I believe to be detrimental to Yoruba in the long run. Although linguists have long proposed a ‘leave-your-language-alone’ attitude (see Hall, 1950), there is little doubt that the effects of first British colonization and then globalization have changed the linguistic ecology of Africa. Few sociolinguists would deny that a people's language is a symbol of their identity and culture. In an important textbook in the field, Holmes (1992: 70) confirms that ‘Language is an important component of identity and culture for many groups, maintaining their distinct identity and culture is usually important to … self esteem.’ What are we then to make of the extensive code-switching that I will be documenting in this article? Linguists' tolerance has certainly extended to code-switching studies in Africa, from which much important data has been drawn. The main scholar in this area is Carol Myers-Scotton, whose two books on code-switching (1993a,b) were based primarily on her research in Africa and remain central to the field internationally. Scholars like Coupland and Jaworski (1997) propose that the use of mixed speech in a conversation is not necessarily a language defect but a sign of flexibility and creativity. Understanding the social, psycholinguistic and syntactic motivations for switching is one thing, but the applied linguist and educationist also has to ask serious questions about what this means for the future of local languages heavily implicated in code-switching.
Estimating the prevalence of activeHelicobacter pyloriinfection in a rural community with global positioning system technology-assisted sampling
Authors: MELIUS E. J. , DAVIS S. I. , REDD J. T. , LEWIN M. , HERLIHY R. , HENDERSON A. , SOBEL J. , GOLD B. , CHEEK J. E.
Published: May 2012

We investigated a possible outbreak ofH. pyloriin a rural Northern Plains community. In a cross-sectional survey, we randomly sampled 244 households from a geocoded emergency medical system database. We used a complex survey design and global positioning system units to locate houses and randomly selected one eligible household member to administer a questionnaire and a13C-urea breath test for activeH. pyloriinfection (n = 166). In weighted analyses, activeH. pyloriinfection was detected in 55·0% of the sample. Factors associated with infection on multivariate analysis included using a public drinking-water supply [odds ratio (OR) 12·2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·9–50·7] and current cigarette smoking (OR 4·1, 95% CI 1·7–9·6). People who lived in houses with more rooms, a possible indicator of decreased crowding in the home, were less likely to have activeH. pyloriinfections (OR 0·7, 95% CI 0·5–0·9 for each additional room).
Unhealthy behaviour is contagious: an invitation to exploit models for infectious diseases
Authors: BLOK D. J. , VAN EMPELEN P. , VAN LENTHE F. J. , RICHARDUS J. H. , DE VLAS S. J.
Published: May 2012

We argue that the spread of unhealthy behaviour shows marked similarities with infectious diseases. It is therefore interesting and challenging to use infectious disease methodologies for studying the spread and control of unhealthy behaviour. This would be a great addition to current methods, because it allows taking into account the dynamics of individual interactions and the social environment at large. In particular, the application of individual-based modelling holds great promise to address some major public health questions.
Germination ecology of the perennial Centaurium somedanum, a specialist species of mountain springs
Authors: Fernández-Pascual Eduardo , Jiménez-Alfaro Borja , García-Torrico Ana I. , Pérez-García Félix , Díaz Tomás E.
Published: May 2012

To improve understanding of how a rare endemic species of Centaurium adapts to a specialized ecological niche, we studied the germination ecology of the mountain spring specialist, C. somedanum, a perennial species restricted to an unusual habitat for this genus. We conducted laboratory experiments with fresh seeds collected from two populations for three consecutive years, to investigate: (1) the effect of temperature and light on germination; (2) the existence of seed dormancy; and (3) inter-population and inter-annual variation in germinability. Germination occurred only in the light and at relatively low temperatures (15–22°C) with no differences between constant and alternating regimes, and a significant decrease at high temperatures (25°C and 30°C). We found non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy and variation in seed germinability depending on the year of seed collection. C. somedanum diverged from the common germination characteristics of the genus in: (1) its germination at lower temperatures, which contrasts with what is generally expected in wetland species but could be adaptive in the spring habitat; and (2) its morphophysiological dormancy, which we report here for the first time in the genus and which could be an adaptation to its mountain habitat.