bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polychlorinated biphenyls and hudson river white perch: implications for population-level ecological risk assessment and risk management
Authors: Barnthouse Lawrence W , Glaser David , DeSantis Liane
Published: March 2009

Risk assessments and risk management decisions concerning risks to wild fish populations resulting from exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and related chemicals have been based primarily on observations of effects of chemicals on individual organisms. Although the development and application of population-level ecological risk-assessment methods is proceeding at a rapid pace, the organism-level approach is still being justified by arguments that population-level ecological risk assessment is in an early stage of development and has not been shown to be reliable. This article highlights the importance of including population-level effects in risk-management decision-making, by examining the effects of exposures to PCBs on fish populations inhabiting the Hudson River, New York, USA, a system in which data have been collected for approximately 30 y concerning both concentrations of PCBs in sediment and fish tissue and the abundance and reproduction of exposed fish populations. We previously tested hypotheses concerning the effects of PCBs on the striped bass population of the Hudson River, and found that the available data conflicted with all of these hypotheses. Here, we report results of similar analyses of effects of historic PCB exposures on the Hudson River white perch population, using an extended data set that recently became available. As with striped bass, we found no correlation between maternal PCB tissue concentrations and any measure of reproductive success in Hudson River white perch during the 30-y period covered by the data set. Together with results of studies performed on fish populations exposed to PCBs at other sites, our results clearly demonstrate that physiological and genetic adaptation, biological compensation, and other ecological processes influence responses of fish populations to PCB exposures and should be considered in risk management decision-making.
Two Cases of Primary Yolk Sac Tumor of the Liver in Childhood: Case Reports and Literature Review
Authors: Warren Mikako , Thompson Karen S.
Published: March 2009

Primary yolk sac tumor of the liver is an extremely rare neoplasm, with fewer than 20 cases reported. We evaluated 2 pediatric cases (21-month-old and 23-month-old female patients), who presented with liver masses and markedly raised serum α-fetoprotein (AFP). One patient received a partial hepatectomy and another patient underwent a liver biopsy, both of which showed characteristic features of yolk sac tumor, with tumor cells staining strongly positive for AFP. There was no evidence of an extrahepatic primary source. Both of our patients have been healthy, without evidence of recurrent tumor, and their AFP level remains in the normal range after their chemotherapeutic treatments.
Short-term Efficacy of Upper-Extremity Exercise Training in Patients With Chronic Airway Obstruction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Costi Stefania , Di Bari Mauro , Pillastrini Paolo , D'Amico Roberto , Crisafulli Ernesto , Arletti Cinzia , Fabbri Leonardo M , Clini Enrico M
Published: March 2009

Background, Objectives, and Measurements

Patients with chronic airway obstruction (CAO) frequently experience dyspnea and fatigue during activities performed by accessory muscles of ventilation, which competitively participate in arm elevation. This systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning patients with CAO addresses the effects of upper-extremity exercise training (UEET), added to lower-extremity training or comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation, on the following patient-centered outcomes: exercise capacity, symptoms, ability to perform daily activities, and health-related quality of life.

Methods

Studies were retrieved using comprehensive database and hand-search strategies. Two independent reviewers determined study eligibility based on inclusion criteria. A detailed description of treatments was mandatory. Reviewers rated study quality and extracted information on study methods, design, intervention, and results.

Results

Forty publications were evaluated. Four RCTs met the inclusion criteria but had serious methodological limitations, which introduce possible biases that reduce their internal validity. The outcomes measured were heterogeneous, and the results were inconsistent regarding maximal exercise capacity, dyspnea, and health-related quality of life. No effect of UEET was demonstrated for measures of arm fatigue.

Limitations and Conclusions

The limited methodological quality of the studies retrieved prevented us from performing a meta-analysis, the results of which could be misleading. This systematic review shows that there is limited evidence examining UEET and that the evidence available is of poor quality. Therefore, a recommendation for the inclusion or exclusion of UEET in pulmonary rehabilitation programs for individuals with CAO is not possible. Further research is needed to definitively ascertain the effects of this training modality on patient-centered outcomes.
Rapid and Long-term Adaptations in Gait Symmetry Following Unilateral Step Training in People With Hemiparesis
Authors: Kahn Jennifer H , Hornby T George
Published: March 2009

Background and Objective

Evidence for specific physical interventions that improve walking symmetry in individuals with hemiparesis poststroke is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the rapid and prolonged effects of unilateral step training (UST) on step length asymmetry (SLA) in people with hemiparesis.

Subjects and Design

Eighteen individuals with chronic hemiparesis and substantial SLA during overground walking participated in a single-group, pretest-posttest study. The study consisted of 2 phases, with 10 subjects participating in each phase; 2 subjects participated in both phases.

Interventions and Measurements

To investigate rapid effects of UST, the participants completed a 20-minute session of UST on a treadmill with their unimpaired limb, with the impaired limb held stationary off the treadmill. Data for spatiotemporal gait parameters during overground walking at self-selected and fastest speeds were collected prior to and following UST, with follow-up measurements at 1 day and 1 week. To investigate the prolonged effects, the participants completed ten 20-minute sessions of UST. Data for spatiotemporal gait parameters were collected prior to training as well as after every third session, with follow-up measurements at 1 and 2 weeks.

Results

Immediately following UST, SLA tested during fast-paced overground walking improved by up to 13% (49% reduced to a 36% SLA), with changes retained for up to 24 hours. Following 10 sessions of UST, SLA improved significantly, with changes retained for up to 2 weeks.

Limitations

Despite repeated baseline measurements, the absence of a control group was a limitation. Furthermore, stepping characteristics during UST were not quantified.

Conclusion

Unilateral step training may improve spatiotemporal patterns in people with substantial gait asymmetry poststroke. Repeated training may be necessary for maintenance of adaptations.
A prospective study of cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular reactivity to acetazolamide in 162 patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus
Authors: Chang Chia-Cheng , Asada Hiroyuki , Mimura Toshiro , Suzuki Shinichi
Published: March 2009

Object

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to acetazolamide were investigated prospectively in 162 patients with a proposed diagnosis of idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of the measurement of CBF and CVR in determining which patients would be likely to benefit from shunt placement.

Methods

The mean CBF of the whole brain was measured according to the Patlak plot method by using technetium-99m hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime. The CVR value was obtained from the response to administration of 500 mg acetazolamide and calculated as the percentage change from the baseline mean CBF value.

Results

One hundred forty-six patients (90.1%) responded to shunt placement (“responders”), but 16 patients (9.9%) did not (“nonresponders”). No significant difference in preoperative CBF was observed between responders and nonresponders. Preoperative CVR was significantly impaired (p < 0.0025) in responders compared with healthy controls, but not in nonresponders. Responders with the incomplete triad had a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in preoperative CVR, but not in preoperative CBF, compared with healthy controls. Responders with the complete triad had significantly lower preoperative CBF and CVR than those with the incomplete triad (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Postoperative CBF and CVR increased significantly (p < 0.025 and p < 0.001, respectively) in responders.

Conclusions

Both CBF and CVR decrease with the development of NPH, suggesting that hemodynamic ischemia may be responsible for manifestation of the symptoms. Impaired CVR and reduced CBF with the development of symptoms can be proposed as diagnostic criteria for idiopathic NPH.
Balloon-assisted transarterial embolization of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas
Authors: Shi Zhong-Song , Loh Yince , Duckwiler Gary R. , Jahan Reza , Viñuela Fernando
Published: March 2009

Object

The authors report their preliminary experience using a balloon-assisted technique (BAT) in the transarterial embolization of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs).

Methods

The authors reviewed the prospectively collected data obtained in 7 consecutive patients with DAVFs in whom embolization was achieved using transarterially injected Onyx with either the venous or arterial BAT. Procedures were performed at the Division of Interventional Neuroradiology at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center between September 2005 and January 2008.

Results

Three patients presented with cortical venous reflux and 4 did not. Three patients underwent transarterial Onyx-based embolization combined with transvenous balloon protection; the balloon was inflated in the transverse sinus in 2 of these patients and in the superior sagittal sinus in the third. One of them underwent an additional transarterial Onyx embolization with arterial BAT, whereas 4 other patients were treated with arterial BAT alone. The occipital artery was temporarily occluded with the balloon in 4 of these cases, whereas in the fifth, the authors used temporary balloon occlusion of the middle meningeal artery. Angiograms obtained immediately after embolization demonstrated complete or near-complete obliteration of the fistula in 6 patients and partial occlusion in 1 patient. There were no immediate or postprocedural complications. Two patients who presented with intracranial hemorrhage never suffered a second hemorrhage, and all other patients experienced either complete resolution or significant improvement of their symptoms.

Conclusions

The BAT provides a new complementary method in the transarterial embolization of DAVFs that are not amenable to transvenous embolization. The venous BAT protects the patency of critical venous pathways, whereas the arterial BAT provides better control of the Onyx-based embolization.
Predictors of patency of excimer laser–assisted nonocclusive extracranial-to-intracranial bypasses
Authors: Bremmer Jochem P. , Verweij Bon H. , Klijn Catharina J. M. , van der Zwan Albert , Kappelle L. Jaap , Tulleken Cornelis A. F.
Published: March 2009

Object

Excimer laser–assisted nonocclusive anastomosis (ELANA) is a technique that can be used for extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypasses, without the necessity of temporary occlusion of the donor or recipient artery. Information on predictors of patency of EC-IC bypasses in general and the ELANA bypass in particular is sparse. The authors studied 159 ELANA EC-IC bypasses to find predictors of patency.

Methods

From a prospective database of patients who underwent EC-IC bypass surgery, 143 consecutive patients who underwent a total of 159 ELANA bypasses were studied. The associations of patient characteristics, surgical aspects, and technical aspects specific to the ELANA technique with intraoperative and postoperative bypass patency were studied using logistic regression analysis.

Results

At the end of the operation, 146 (92%) of the 159 bypasses were patent. A first attempt to create a bypass was almost 8 times more likely (OR 7.6, 95% CI 2.1–27.5; p = 0.02) to result in a patent bypass than a second attempt. Administration of a small amount of heparin during the operation was also associated with bypass patency (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.1–24.9; p = 0.04). One hundred twenty-three (77%) of the 159 bypasses were functional at patency assessments during the 1st month after the operation. Older age (OR 1.043 for every year of increase in age, 95% CI 1.010–1.076; p = 0.01), male sex (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3–6.5; p = 0.01), and high intraoperative bypass flow (OR 1.017 for every milliliter per minute increase in flow, 95% CI 1.004–1.030; p = 0.01) were associated with postoperative bypass patency.

Conclusions

Attempts to create a second EC-IC ELANA bypass after the first one are more likely to fail, whereas administration of heparin to the patient during the procedure increases the intraoperative bypass patency rate. Postoperative patency results are better in male and in older patients. Intraoperative bypass flow measurements are essential because high bypass flow is an important determinant of postoperative patency.
Intranasal delivery of erythropoietin plus insulin-like growth factor–I for acute neuroprotection in stroke
Authors: Fletcher Lauren , Kohli Sanjivan , Sprague Shane M. , Scranton Robert A. , Lipton Stuart A. , Parra Augusto , Jimenez David F. , Digicaylioglu Murat
Published: March 2009

Object

Individually, the cytokines erythropoietin (EPO) and insulin-like growth factor–I (IGF-I) have both been shown to reduce neuronal damage significantly in rodent models of cerebral ischemia. The authors have previously shown that EPO and IGF-I, when administered together, provide acute and prolonged neuroprotection in cerebrocortical cultures against N-methyl-d-aspartate–induced apoptosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether intranasally applied EPO plus IGF-I can provide acute neuroprotection in an animal stroke model and to show that intranasal administration is more efficient at delivering EPO plus IGF-I to the brain when compared with intravenous, subcutaneous, or intraperitoneal administration.

Methods

The EPO and IGF-I were administered intranasally to mice that underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Stroke volumes were measured after 1 hour of MCAO and 24 hours of reperfusion. To evaluate the long-term effects of this treatment, behavioral outcomes were assessed at 3, 30, 60, and 90 days following MCAO. Radiography and liquid scintillation were used to visualize and quantify the uptake of radiolabeled 125I-EPO and 125I–IGF-I into the mouse brain after intranasal, intravenous, subcutaneous, or intraperitoneal administration.

Results

Intranasal administration of EPO plus IGF-I reduced stroke volumes within 24 hours and improved neurological function in mice up to 90 days after MCAO. The 125I-EPO and 125I–IGF-I were found in the brain within 20 minutes after intranasal administration and accumulated within the injured areas of the brain. In addition, intranasal administration delivered significantly higher levels of the applied 125I-EPO and 125I–IGF-I to the brain compared with intravenous, subcutaneous, or intraperitoneal administration.

Conclusions

The data demonstrate that intranasal EPO plus IGF-I penetrates into the brain more efficiently than other drug delivery methods and could potentially provide a fast and efficient treatment to prevent chronic effects of stroke.
Fenestration of the oculomotor nerve by a duplicated posterior cerebral artery and aneurysm
Authors: Binning Mandy J. , Couldwell William T.
Published: March 2009

The authors report a case of a posterior cerebral artery aneurysm arising from an aberrant arterial branch that was found to be splitting the oculomotor nerve. This 63-year-old man presented with headaches, and CT imaging revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage primarily within the basilar cisterns. Formal angiography and CT angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm arising from the posterior cerebral artery. Intraoperatively, the third cranial nerve was found to be fenestrated with the artery and aneurysm.
Prediction of intracranial computed tomography findings in patients with minor head injury by using logistic regression
Authors: Saadat Soheil , Ghodsi Seyed Mohammad , Naieni Kourosh Holakouie , Firouznia Kavous , Hosseini Mostafa , Kadkhodaie Hamid Reza , Saidi Hossein
Published: March 2009

Object

The aim of this study was to develop a decision rule for physicians in developing countries to identify patients with minor head injury who will benefit from emergency brain CT scanning.

Methods

Three hundred eighteen patients with a history of blunt head trauma and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≥ 13 who had presented within 12 hours of trauma underwent nonenhanced brain CT and were included in this prospective study. Computed tomography findings that necessitated neurosurgical care (either observation or intervention) were considered as positive findings. Logistic regression was used to develop the decision rule.

Results

Computed tomography scans were always normal in patients < 65 years old who did not have an obvious head wound, a raccoon sign, vomiting, memory deficit, or a decrease in their GCS score. Patients with 1 major criterion (GCS score < 14, raccoon sign, failure to remember the impact, age > 65 years, or vomiting) or 2 minor criteria (wound at the scalp or GCS score < 15) had an abnormal CT scan in 13% of the cases.

Conclusions

The decision rule developed by the authors appears to be 100% sensitive and 46% specific for positive findings on brain CT and will, in developing countries, help clarify the decision to obtain scans.
James Thomas Marshall's correspondence (1887–1895) with Scotland's Alexander Somerville: practical, personal and controversial matters in conchology
Authors: MOORE P. G.
Published: March 2009

Attention is drawn to the one side remaining of a nineteenth-century correspondence addressed to Alexander Somerville that is housed in the archives of the Scottish Association for Marine Science at Oban, concerning conchological matters. Previously unstudied letters from James Thomas Marshall shed new light on the practicalities of offshore dredging by nineteenth-century naturalists in the Clyde Sea Area; on personalities within conchology; on the controversies that raged among the conchological community about the production of an agreed list of British molluscan species and on the tensions between conchology and malacology. In particular, the criticism of Canon A. E. Norman's ideas regarding taxonomic revision of J. G. Jeffreys's British conchology, as expressed by Marshall, are highlighted.
Pictorial evidence from medieval Italy of cheetahs and caracals, and their use in hunting
Authors: MASSETI MARCO
Published: March 2009

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and caracals (Caracal caracal) have been used for hunting in the Near and the Middle East since antiquity. In Iran and India the caracal was mainly trained for hunting birds, but in Europe this practice was rare, and is documented only in southern Italy and Sicily by iconographic evidence as far back as the eleventh and twelfth centuries. However, no bone remains of the species have been found so far by the archaeozoological exploration of Italian medieval sites, nor are there any known literary references for the use of caracals for hunting.
Eponyms honouring Marianna Paulucci (1835–1919)
Authors: MANGANELLI G. , LORI E. , CIANFANELLI S.
Published: March 2009

Around 40 scientific names are based on surname or personal name of Marchesa Marianna Panciatichi Ximenes d'Aragona Paulucci (1835–1919). Most eponyms were published over the 30 year period when she was active as malacologist (1870–1898) and show the esteem bestowed on her by naturalists of the time and the appreciation for giving specimens from her own collection to others for study.
Alwyne (Wyn) Cooper Wheeler (1929–2005) and the libraries of the Natural History Museum, London
Authors: DATTA ANN
Published: March 2009

As a senior scientist working in the Fish Section of the Department of Zoology at the Natural History Museum, Alwyne (Wyn) Wheeler was a regular library user and well-known to library staff. Always amiable and helpful, and possessing a broad general knowledge of natural history as well as expertise on fishes, Wyn interacted with library staff at all levels. A close working relationship developed where he contributed to section library management and collection building. He also published catalogues of some of the library's most important art collections. This paper celebrates the collaboration between Museum scientist Wyn Wheeler and librarians at the Natural History Museum.
The ornithological observations of James Parsons Burkitt in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Authors: NELSON E. CHARLES , HAFFER JÜRGEN
Published: March 2009

James Parsons Burkitt (1870–1959), a civil engineer and County Surveyor of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, was one of the pioneers of modern ornithology. He was an experienced field ornithologist when, during the early 1920s, he designed and conducted the first population study of a bird, the robin (Erithacus rubecula), based on marked (ringed) individuals. He discovered details of territorial behaviour, song, and threat display, and estimated the average life-span of this bird. After the completion of his robin study he continued to observe and to publish on the birds around his home.

In this biographical paper, hitherto unreported details of his ornithological work, including a series of maps showing the robins’ territories at Lawnakilla (1922–1926), are provided, and the places near Enniskillen where Burkitt lived and studied birds are located.
The dodo and scientific fantasies: durable myths of a tough bird
Authors: DEN HENGST JAN
Published: March 2009

It is generally accepted that the meat of the extinct dodo was not a great culinary success. The bird even acquired the name of wallowbird for making the consumers sick. It appears that this reputation came from only one source. Other chroniclers were a lot milder in their assessment of dodo meat and independently reported a delicious meal with a very good flavour. Everything left over was salted down, as they could not eat all the 50 dodos that were brought on board. The taste of the dodo has to be reconsidered.

The exact date of extinction of the dodo has been the subject of much discussion. The latest records have been dismissed as being identified as other species of birds; the misunderstanding being caused by name hopping between species. The statistical method of Roberts and Solow has indicated an extinction time for the dodo 24 years later than the confirmed last sighting. Logbooks kept by Isaac Lamotius, Governor of Mauritius between 1677 and 1692, recently discovered in the State Archives in Cape Town, shed another light on this matter.
Disparities in Health Care Utilization by Smoking Status – NHANES 1999-2004
Authors: Kahende Jennifer W. , Adhikari Bishwa , Maurice Emmanuel , Rock Valerie , Malarcher Ann
Published: March 2009

The objective of this study was to assess disparities in health care utilization, by smoking status, among adults in the United States.We used 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 15,332 adults.Multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between smoking status (current, former, and never smoker), with health care utilization.After controlling for demographic characteristics, current smokers and former smokers who quit either
Calcium Ions Regulate K+ Uptake into Brain Mitochondria: The Evidence for a Novel Potassium Channel
Authors: Skalska Jolanta , Bednarczyk Piotr , Piwońska Marta , Kulawiak Bogusz , Wilczynski Grzegorz , Dołowy Krzysztof , Kunz Wolfram S. , Kudin Alexei P. , Szewczyk Adam
Published: March 2009

The mitochondrial response to changes of cytosolic calcium concentration has a strong impact on neuronal cell metabolism and viability. We observed that Ca2+ additions to isolated rat brain mitochondria induced in potassium ion containing media a mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and an accompanying increase ofmitochondrial respiration. These Ca2+ effects can be blocked by iberiotoxin and charybdotoxin, well known inhibitors of large conductance potassium channel (BKCa channel). Furthermore, NS1619 – a BKCa channel opener – induced potassium ion–specific effects on brain mitochondria similar to those induced by Ca2+. These findings suggest the presence of a calcium-activated, large conductance potassium channel (sensitive to charybdotoxin and NS1619), which was confirmed by reconstitution of the mitochondrial inner membrane into planar lipid bilayers. The conductance of the reconstituted channel was 265 pS under gradient (50/450 mM KCl) conditions. Its reversal potential was equal to 50 mV, which proved that the examined channel was cation-selective. We also observed immunoreactivity of anti-b4 subunit (of the BKCa channel) antibodies with ~26 kDa proteins of rat brain mitochondria. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the predominant occurrence of b4 subunit in neuronal mitochondria. We hypothesize that the mitochondrial BKCa channel represents a calcium sensor, which can contribute to neuronal signal transduction and survival.
Changes in Metallothionein Level in Rat Hepatic Tissue after Administration of Natural Mouldy Wheat
Authors: Vasatkova Anna , Krizova Sarka , Adam Vojtech , Zeman Ladislav , Kizek Rene
Published: March 2009

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by microfungi that are capable of causing disease and death in humans and other animals. This work was aimed at investigation of influence of mouldy wheat contaminated by pathogenic fungi producing mycotoxins on metallothionein levels in hepatic tissue of rats. The rats were administrating feed mixtures with different contents of vitamins or naturally mouldy wheat for 28 days. It was found that the wheat contained deoxynivalenol (80 ± 5 µg per kg of mouldy wheat), zearalenone (56 ± 3 µg/kg), T2-toxin (20 ± 2 µg/kg) and aflatoxins as a sum of B1, B2, G1 and G2 (3.9 ± 0.2 µg/kg). Rats were fed diets containing 0, 33, 66 and 100% naturally moulded wheat. Control group 0, 33, 66 and 100% contained vitamins according to Nutrient Requirements of Rats (NRC). Other four groups (control group with vitamins, vit33, vit66 and vit100%) were fed on the same levels of mouldy wheat, also vitamins at levels 100% higher than the previous mixtures. We determined weight, feed conversion and performed dissection to observe pathological processes. Changes between control group and experimental groups exposed to influence of mouldy wheat and experimental groups supplemented by higher concentration of vitamins and mouldy wheat were not observed. Livers were sampled and did not demonstrate significant changes in morphology compared to control either. In the following experiments the levels of metallothionein as a marker of oxidative stress was determined. We observed a quite surprising trend in metallothionein levels in animals supplemented with increased concentration of vitamins. Its level enhanced with increasing content of mouldy wheat. It was possible to determine a statistically significant decline (p
Philosophical Basis and Some Historical Aspects of Systems Biology: From Hegel to Noble - Applications for Bioenergetic Research
Authors: Saks Valdur , Monge Claire , Guzun Rita
Published: March 2009

We live in times of paradigmatic changes for the biological sciences. Reductionism, that for the last six decades has been the philosophical basis of biochemistry and molecular biology, is being displaced by Systems Biology, which favors the study of integrated systems. Historically, Systems Biology - defined as the higher level analysis of complex biological systems - was pioneered by Claude Bernard in physiology, Norbert Wiener with the development of cybernetics, and Erwin Schrödinger in his thermodynamic approach to the living. Systems Biology applies methods inspired by cybernetics, network analysis, and non-equilibrium dynamics of open systems. These developments follow very precisely the dialectical principles of development from thesis to antithesis to synthesis discovered by Hegel. Systems Biology opens new perspectives for studies of the integrated processes of energy metabolism in different cells. These integrated systems acquire new, system-level properties due to interaction of cellular components, such as metabolic compartmentation, channeling and functional coupling mechanisms, which are central for regulation of the energy fluxes. State of the art of these studies in the new area of Molecular System Bioenergetics is analyzed.
Polymerization Stress Development in Dental Composites: Effect of Cavity Design Factor
Authors: Antonucci Joseph  M. , Giuseppetti Anthony  A. , O’Donnell Justin  N.R. , Schumacher Gary  E. , Skrtic Drago
Published: March 2009

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of the cavity design factor (C-factor) on polymerization stress development (PSD) in resin composites. An experimental resin (BT resin) was prepared, which contained 2,2-bis[p-(2’-hydroxy-3’-methacryloxypropoxy)phenylene]propane (B) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (T) in 1:1 mass ratio, and an activator for visible light polymerization. An experimental composite with demonstrated remineralizing potential was also formulated by inclusion into the BT resin of zirconia-hybridized amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) filler at a mass fraction of 40 % (BT/ACP composite). A commercial glass-filled composite (TPH) was used as a control. To assess the effect of the test geometry on PSD, C-factor was systematically varied between 0.8 and 6.0 by varying the height of the cylindrical composite specimens. The measured PSD values obtained by cantilever beam tensometry for specimens with variable C-factors were normalized for mass to specimens with a C-factor of 1.33 (h=2.25 mm) as controls to give calculated PSD values. Degrees of vinyl conversions (DC) attained in the TPH control and in the experimental BT/ACP composites were measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. In both the TPH and BT/ACP composite series, PSDcalc increased with the increasing C-factor, confirming the hypothesis that the C-factor value influences PSD values. The higher PSDmeas and PSDcalc values for the experimental BT/ACP composite compared to the commercial TPH composite probably reflect differences in the type and mass of the resin and filler phases in the two types of composite. These differences also account for the observed variation (21 %) in DC attained in a BT/ACP composite 2 h after cure (69.5 %) and in the DC of the TPH composite (57.5 %) having the same C-factor. The cavity design factor seems to play a key role in influencing the PSD of bonded composites, but other factors such as composite mass and composition also must be considered for their effects on PSD.
Ring-substituted 4-Hydroxy-1H-quinolin-2-ones: Preparation and Biological Activity
Authors: Jampilek Josef , Musiol Robert , Pesko Matus , Kralova Katarina , Vejsova Marcela , Carroll James , Coffey Aidan , Finster Jacek , Tabak Dominik , Niedbala Halina , Kozik Violetta , Polanski Jaroslaw , Csollei Jozef , Dohnal Jiri
Published: March 2009

In the study, a series of twelve ring-substituted 4-hydroxy-1H-quinolin-2-one derivatives were prepared. The procedures for synthesis of the compounds are presented. The compounds were analyzed using RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity and tested for their photosynthesis-inhibiting activity using spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. All the synthesized compounds were also evaluated for antifungal activity using in vitro screening with eight fungal strains. For all the compounds, the relationships between the lipophilicity and the chemical structure of the studied compounds are discussed, as well as their structure-activity relationships (SAR).
Optimal Spectral Domain Selection for Maximizing Archaeological Signatures: Italy Case Studies
Authors: Cavalli Rosa Maria , Pascucci Simone , Pignatti Stefano
Published: March 2009

Different landscape elements, including archaeological remains, can be automatically classified when their spectral characteristics are different, but major difficulties occur when extracting and classifying archaeological spectral features, as archaeological remains do not have unique shape or spectral characteristics. The spectral anomaly characteristics due to buried remains depend strongly on vegetation cover and/or soil types, which can make feature extraction more complicated. For crop areas, such as the test sites selected for this study, soil and moisture changes within near-surface archaeological deposits can influence surface vegetation patterns creating spectral anomalies of various kinds. In this context, this paper analyzes the usefulness of hyperspectral imagery, in the 0.4 to 12.8 mm spectral region, to identify the optimal spectral range for archaeological prospection as a function of the dominant land cover. MIVIS airborne hyperspectral imagery acquired in five different archaeological areas located in Italy has been used. Within these archaeological areas, 97 test sites with homogenous land cover and characterized by a statistically significant number of pixels related to the buried remains have been selected. The archaeological detection potential for all MIVIS bands has been assessed by applying a Separability Index on each spectral anomaly-background system of the test sites. A scatterplot analysis of the SI values vs. the dominant land cover fractional abundances, as retrieved by spectral mixture analysis, was performed to derive the optimal spectral ranges maximizing the archaeological detection. This work demonstrates that whenever we know the dominant land cover fractional abundances in archaeological sites, we can a priori select the optimal spectral range to improve the efficiency of archaeological observations performed by remote sensing data.
Fabricating an Amperometric Cholesterol Biosensor by a Covalent Linkage between Poly(3-thiopheneacetic acid) and Cholesterol Oxidase
Authors: Nien Po-Chin , Chen Po-Yen , Ho Kuo-Chuan
Published: March 2009

In this study, use of the covalent enzyme immobilization method was proposed to attach cholesterol oxidase (ChO) on a conducting polymer, poly(3-thiopheneacetic acid), [poly(3-TPAA)]. Three red-orange poly(3-TPAA) films, named electrodes A, B and C, were electropolymerized on a platinum electrode by applying a constant current of 1.5 mA, for 5, 20 and 100 s, respectively. Further, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylamiopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC‧HCl) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) were used to activate the free carboxylic groups of the conducting polymer. Afterwards, the amino groups of the cholesterol oxidase were linked on the activated groups to form peptide bonds. The best sensitivity obtained for electrode B is 4.49 mA M-1 cm-2,with a linear concentration ranging from 0 to 8 mM, which is suitable for the analysis of cholesterol in humans. The response time (t95) is between 70 and 90 s and the limit of detection is 0.42 mM, based on the signal to noise ratio equal to 3. The interference of species such as ascorbic acid and uric acid increased to 5.2 and 10.3% of the original current response, respectively, based on the current response of cholesterol (100%). With respect to the long-term stability, the sensing response retains 88% of the original current after 13 days.
Leeches as Sensor-bioindicators of River Contamination by PCBs
Authors: Macova Stanislava , Harustiakova Danka , Kolarova Jitka , Machova Jana , Zlabek Vladimir , Vykusova Blanka , Randak Tomas , Velisek Josef , Poleszczuk Gorzyslaw , Hajslova Jana , Pulkrabova Jana , Svobodova Zdenka
Published: March 2009

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of leeches of the genus Erpobdella as a means of assessing polychlorinated biphenyl contamination of watercourses. The River Skalice, heavily contaminated with PCBs, was selected as a model. The source of contamination was a road gravel processing factory in Rožmitál pod Třemšínem from which an estimated 1 metric ton of PCBs leaked in 1986. Levels of PCB were measured in leeches collected between 1992 to 2003 from 11 sites covering about 50 km of the river (the first sampling site upstream to the source of contamination and 10 sites downstream). The PCB indicator congeners IUPA no. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180 were measured. Levels were highest at the four sampling sites nearest the source of pollution. The highest values of PCB congeners were found in 1992. PCB content decreased from 1992 to 2003 and with distance from the source. The study indicated that leeches of the genus Erpobdella are a suitable bioindicator of contamination in the surface layer of river sediments.
A Review on Direct Electrochemistry of Catalase for Electrochemical Sensors
Authors: Prakash Periasamy Arun , Yogeswaran Umasankar , Chen Shen-Ming
Published: March 2009

Catalase (CAT) is a heme enzyme with a Fe(III/II) prosthetic group at its redox centre. CAT is present in almost all aerobic living organisms, where it catalyzes the disproportionation of H2O2 into oxygen and water without forming free radicals. In order to study this catalytic mechanism in detail, the direct electrochemistry of CAT has been investigated at various modified electrode surfaces with and without nanomaterials. The results show that CAT immobilized on nanomaterial modified electrodes shows excellent catalytic activity, high sensitivity and the lowest detection limit for H2O2 determination. In the presence of nanomaterials, the direct electron transfer between the heme group of the enzyme and the electrode surface improved significantly. Moreover, the immobilized CAT is highly biocompatible and remains extremely stable within the nanomaterial matrices. This review discusses about the versatile approaches carried out in CAT immobilization for direct electrochemistry and electrochemical sensor development aimed as efficient H2O2 determination. The benefits of immobilizing CAT in nanomaterial matrices have also been highlighted.
An Evaluation of Relative Damage to the Powertrain System in Tracked Vehicles
Authors: Lee Sang-Ho , Lee Jeong-Hwan , Goo Sang-Hwa , Cho Yong-Cheol , Cho Ho-Young
Published: March 2009

The objective of this study was to improve the reliability of the endurance test for the powertrain system of military tracked vehicles. The measurement system that measures the driving duty applied to the powertrain system caused by mobility on roads consists of eight analog channels and two pulse channels, including the propeller shaft output torques for the left and right sides. The data obtained from this measurement system can be used to introduce a new technology that produces the output torque of a torque converter and that can be applied to analyze the revolution counting for the endurance and road mobility in the front unit and represent the relative fatigue damages analysis technique and its results according to the driven roads through a cumulative fatigue method.
Applications of SAR Interferometry in Earth and Environmental Science Research
Authors: Zhou Xiaobing , Chang Ni-Bin , Li Shusun
Published: March 2009

This paper provides a review of the progress in regard to the InSAR remote sensing technique and its applications in earth and environmental sciences, especially in the past decade. Basic principles, factors, limits, InSAR sensors, available software packages for the generation of InSAR interferograms were summarized to support future applications. Emphasis was placed on the applications of InSAR in seismology, volcanology, land subsidence/uplift, landslide, glaciology, hydrology, and forestry sciences. It ends with a discussion of future research directions.
Speech Understanding Using Surgical Masks: A Problem in Health Care?
Authors: Mendel Lisa Lucks , Gardino Julie A. , Atcherson Samuel R.
Published: March 2009

Background: Successful communication is necessary in health-care environments. Yet the presence of noise in hospitals, operating rooms, and dental offices may have a deleterious effect on health-care personnel and patients understanding messages accurately. The presence of a
surgical mask and hearing loss may further affect speech perception. Purpose: To evaluate whether a surgical mask had an effect on speech understanding for listeners with normal hearing and hearing impairment when speech stimuli were administered in the presence or absence of dental
office noise. Research Design: Participants were assigned to one of two groups based on hearing sensitivity in this quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study. Study Sample: A total of 31 adults participated in this study (1 talker, 15 listeners with normal hearing, and 15 with
hearing impairment). The normal hearing group had thresholds of 25 dB HL or better at the octave frequencies from 250 through 8000 Hz while the hearing loss group had varying degrees and configurations of hearing loss with thresholds equal to or poorer than 25 dB HL for
the same octave frequencies. Data Collection And Analysis: Selected lists from the Connected Speech Test (CST) were digitally recorded with and without a surgical mask present and then presented to the listeners in four conditions: without a mask in quiet, without a mask in noise, with
a mask in quiet, and with a mask in noise. Results: A significant difference was found in the spectral analyses of the speech stimuli with and without the mask. The presence of a surgical mask, however, did not have a detrimental effect on speech understanding in either the normal-hearing
or hearing-impaired groups. The dental office noise did have a significant effect on speech understanding for both groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the presence of a surgical mask did not negatively affect speech understanding. However, the presence of noise did have
a deleterious effect on speech perception and warrants further attention in health-care environments.
Older Oklahomans’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Advance Directives
Authors: Matzo Marianne , Hijjazi Kamal , Outwater Mary
Published: March 2009

This study sought to document older Oklahomans’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the decision to write an advance directive. In Oklahoma, 67% of individuals older than age 18 do not have an advance directive; 76% say the reason is that they “have not gotten around to it.” The findings from this study also indicate that some groups in Oklahoma, because of their age and race, need nurses to initiate this conversation. The discussion about advance directives should be part of the health promotion teaching provided by nurses and presented to the general public as a normal part of health care, with the focus on planning for a comfortable and peaceful death.
Social Support as a Moderator in a Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults
Authors: Fukukawa Yasuyuki , Kozakai Rumi , Niino Naoakira , Nishita Yukiko , Ando Fujiko , Shimokata Hiroshi
Published: March 2009

This study examined the moderating effects of social support in a fall prevention program for community-dwelling older adults. Twenty-six Japanese older adults age 65 and older participated in a 2-month exercise program and were measured in anthropometrical, physical, and psychological functioning at baseline, 2 months (intervention termination), and 5 months (3 months after intervention termination). Analyses indicated that the program did not improve participants’ body mass index, balance, or walking speed. However, participants’ falls self-efficacy significantly increased from baseline to intervention termination and was maintained at a higher level at the 5-month postintervention follow up. This efficacy-improving effect was prominent in the participants who had received less social support at baseline. The findings emphasized the importance of considering participants’ social resources and targeted intervention outcomes when evaluating the effect of exercise.
Reliability and Validity of The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index in Turkey
Authors: Ergül Safak , Akar Gülcan Coskun
Published: March 2009

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 101 older adults living at a residential home in the Izmir municipality of Turkey. The Turkish version of the GOHAI showed acceptable reliability and validity. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.75, and item-scale (Pearson’s) correlations varied between 0.30 and 0.67. Low GOHAI scores were associated with perceived poor oral health (p < 0.01) and dissatisfaction with oral health status (p < 0.05). Factor analyses of the index indicated a two-factor solution. It was concluded that the Turkish version of the GOHAI is a reliable and valid measure for use with Turkish adults age 65 and older.
Effect of Bupivacaine on Cultured Tenocytes
Authors: Scherb Michael B. , Han Seung-Hwan , Courneya Jean-Paul , Guyton Gregory P. , Schon Lew C.
Published: March 2009

Proliferation of cultured human fibroblasts and other types of cells has been shown to be hindered by exposure to local anesthetics, which are widely used in musculoskeletal medicine for their use in regional anesthesia, selective nerve blocks, bursography, and brisement. We hypothesized that bupivacaine would decrease cell proliferation and production of extracellular matrix components collagen and proteoglycan in healthy human tenocytes in culture. Primary human tenocyte cultures were prepared from samples of normal tendons obtained from healthy tissue that would otherwise have been discarded during lower extremity tendon transfer surgery. Samples were obtained from 6 patients, 5 women and 1 man with an average age of 69 years (range, 17–73 years). Five flexor digitorum longus tendon samples and 1 peroneus longus tendon sample were used. Harvested tendon tissues (5 mm
3
) were used as explants for primary cell cultures. To measure the proliferative response to bupivacaine, seeded cells were exposed to saline control or to various concentrations of bupivacaine in 1% fetal bovine serum DMEM/F12 or 10% fetal bovine serum DMEM/F12. The 1% fetal bovine serum medium demonstrated the pure bupivacaine effect, and 10% fetal bovine serum more closely approximated the in vivo environment. Seeded cells were starved of fetal bovine serum for 12 hours before exposure to phosphate-buffered saline (control group) and 500 μM bupivacaine (experimental group). This concentration of bupivacaine was selected because it was found to significantly hinder proliferation in both the 1% and 10% fetal bovine serum groups in our proliferation assay. Tenocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix component production were significantly lower (
P
⩽0.05) at ⩾1 time points up to 6 days in bupivacaine-treated groups as compared with controls.