bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Common Carp on Reproduction, Growth, and Survival of Largemouth Bass and Bluegills
Authors: Wolfe Matthew D. , Santucci Victor J. , Einfalt Lisa M. , Wahl David H.
Published: October 2009

The common carp Cyprinus carpio was introduced to North America more than a century ago, but little research has focused on interactions between this invasive species and native fishes. We used large mesocosms (600 m2) within drainable 0.4‐ha ponds to examine the effects of adult common carp on (1) reproduction of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and bluegills Lepomis macrochirus and (2) growth and survival of the larvae and juveniles of these centrarchid species. In separate enclosures, adult bluegills or largemouth bass were stocked with or without common carp. In enclosures with common carp, turbidity was substantially higher, but both centrarchid species spawned and the densities and sizes of larval largemouth bass and bluegills were similar to those of larvae in enclosures without common carp. As juveniles grew, largemouth bass survived at a higher rate but were smaller in enclosures containing common carp compared with largemouth bass in enclosures without common carp. In a second experiment, we stocked known numbers of older juvenile centrarchids into enclosures and found decreased growth for both largemouth bass and bluegills. However, survival of largemouth bass was again higher in enclosures with common carp. Although centrarchid spawning was successful and larval growth and survival did not decrease in the presence of common carp, centrarchid growth slowed at the juvenile stage, probably due to food resource limitation resulting from direct competition with common carp for invertebrate forage, high turbidity caused by common carp, or both of these factors.
Evaluation of Long‐Term Retention and Detection of Oxytetracycline Marks in Walleye Otoliths Using Genetic Methodology
Authors: Logsdon Dale E. , Miller Loren M. , Anderson Charles S.
Published: October 2009

Because neither genetic population assignments nor oxytetracycline (OTC) mark identifications are 100% accurate, genetic methods were modeled alone and in combination with OTC mark observations to identify the source of walleyes Sander vitreus in a supplemented population and to evaluate the accuracy of OTC mark examination in distinguishing stocked fish that had been treated with OTC from those produced naturally in the lake. Readers examined otoliths from 3,663 fish from two year‐classes that were sampled up to 5 years after stocking. A subset of 1,578 of the examined individuals were also assigned to source populations based on genotypes at eight microsatellite loci using baseline genetic data from the stocking source and the recipient population (the measure of genetic divergence [FST] = 0.07 between populations before stocking). The models indicated that OTC mark observation errors occurred in all samples and that the error rates varied among samples and readers. Model estimates of overall false‐negative error rates ranged from 11.4% to 17.2%, and estimates of overall false‐positive error rates ranged from 8.9% to 16.7%. Over the ages of walleyes inspected (3 months to age 5), there was neither a systematic increase in mark errors with age nor a decrease in mark intensities; thus, the OTC marks present at 3 months appeared to be permanent. Any true mark absence was due to inefficient OTC immersion treatment or the loss of a successfully applied mark before the first sample was inspected as fingerlings. The presence of both false positives and false negatives in all samples indicates that mark detection error did consistently contribute to the overall mark error rates. Thus, changes in quality control are justified for both OTC immersion treatment and mark detection procedures.
American Shad Feeding on Spawning Grounds in the St. Johns River, Florida
Authors: Harris Julianne E. , McBride Richard S.
Published: October 2009

We evaluated the feeding habits of American shad Alosa sapidissima on spawning grounds in the St. Johns River, Florida. Feeding intensity in freshwater was generally low but highly variable. The items consumed were mainly pelagic (cyclopoid copepods and woody debris), although benthic (mollusks and sand) and surface (adult insects [Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Odonata]) organisms occurred occasionally. The stomach fullness index varied by location for males, suggesting that ingestion is related to prey availability. Feeding by females also varied by location and continued during final oocyte maturation and active spawning. Egg cannibalism was suggested by the presence of some eggs morphologically similar to American shad eggs in the stomachs of males and females collected when females were running ripe. The results from diel sampling suggested that individuals consumed approximately 1.727 kJ/d in freshwater, which represents only a small fraction of the estimated daily energetic expenditure during the spawning run. Unlike iteroparous populations, Florida's American shad probably do not conserve energy for out‐migration. While this low incidence of freshwater feeding did not maintain fish weight, it may increase available energy and thereby increase fecundity.
The Structure of Complex Biological Reference Points and the Theory of Replacement
Authors: Rothschild Brian J. , Jiao Yue
Published: October 2009

The percent spawning‐stock biomass per recruit (PSSBR) is a commonly used biological reference point (BRP). Justification for using specific values of PSSBR as BRPs has largely been based upon graphical interrelations of (1) the dependence of recruitment on stock, (2) the dependence of stock on recruitment (i.e., replacement), and (3) the dependence of spawning‐stock biomass on fishing mortality. This paper provides analytic solutions of these interdependencies. Analytic solutions are provided for equilibrium and nonequilibrium cases: (1) fixed recruitment and fixed mortality, (2) fixed recruitment and variable mortality, and (3) variable recruitment and variable mortality. The analysis is used to develop equations for both the “replacement line” and a full recruitment→stock→recruitment cycle. The analysis clarifies the connection between iteroparous and semelparous populations in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium settings. The analytic derivations provide the opportunity to conduct research on optimization of the equations and set the stage for field and laboratory studies of the dependence of stock on recruitment, complementing the much more intensive studies of the dependence of recruitment on stock.
Evaluation of the Sampling Efficiency of Three Otolith Sampling Methods for Commercial King Mackerel Fisheries
Authors: Chih Ching‐Ping
Published: October 2009

The aims of this study were to (1) compare the efficiency of two widely used otolith sampling methods: The random otolith sampling method (ROS) and the age‐length key sampling method (ALK); (2) explore whether a new otolith sampling method, the reweighting method (REW), provides more efficiency than either the ROS or ALK methods; and (3) incorporate the concept of effective sample size into sampling design. The REW differs from the ALK in that the REW has larger sampling intervals and reweights the estimated age‐frequency distribution with the length‐frequency distribution instead of building an age‐length key. Bootstrapping approaches were used to analyze the precision of age‐frequency distributions derived with these three methods (1) when otolith samples were sampled directly from a simulated population of king mackerelScomberomorus cavallaand (2) when king mackerel samples were collected via two‐stage cluster sampling, which is the sampling method commonly used in the field. The results showed that when samples were selected directly from the simulated king mackerel population the age‐frequency distributions derived from the REW samples had slightly better precision than those estimated from the ROS and ALK samples. However, when cluster sampling was used the efficiency of the REW and ALK greatly exceeded that of the ROS. This is because the nonindependence among fish samples in individual trips makes the effective sample sizes much smaller than the actual sample sizes. The problem of nonindependence of otolith samples can be avoided when the ALK or REW is used. Overcoming the nonindependence problem of the ROS requires a number of otolith samples that can exceed the number needed for the ALK or REW by several times. Thus, the ROS is the least cost‐effective among the three sampling methods examined, while the REW provides the best combination of efficiency and flexibility.
Subtypes of Alcohol and Intimate Partner Violence: A Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Klostermann Keith , Mignone Theresa , Chen Rui
Published: October 2009

The investigation explored whether subtypes of relapse to violence exist for different levels of intimate partner violence and drinking behavior among men who relapse to both alcohol and violence after alcoholism treatment. Male clients entering an alcoholism treatment program who reported at least one incident of intimate partner violence and their female partners (N = 294) were recruited for participation. Data were analyzed using a latent class analysis of mixture model. Findings revealed that two classes of violence best described the sample of men that relapsed to violence. Class 1 contained males who had perpetrated more days of violence, relapsed to violence faster, more frequently relapsed to alcohol, and had a higher percentage of males identified as meeting diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder compared to those in class 2.
Social Reactions to Rape: Experiences and Perceptions of Women Rape Survivors and Their Potential Support Providers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Muganyizi Projestine S. , Hogan Nora , Emmelin Maria , Lindmark Gunilla , Massawe Siriel , Nystrom Lennarth , Axemo Pia
Published: October 2009

Social reactions to rape are socioculturally determined and have a strong influence on the coping and recovery of the survivor. The existing knowledge on social reactions emanates from Western countries with limited research attention on non-Western populations, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to establish the types and perceptions of social reactions that are expressed to rape survivors and people’s intentions to express them to survivors of varied social backgrounds in Tanzania. Using triangulation of research methods, experiences of social reactions among rape survivors (n = 50) and nurses (n = 44) from a community in Tanzania were explored, and the intentions to express typical social reactions to rape survivors of different social backgrounds were established from a representative community sample (n = 1,505). Twelve typical social reactions were identified with the positive reactions more commonly mentioned than the negative reactions. Nondisclosure of rape events and distracting the survivor from the event were perceived as both positive and negative. A commercial sex worker was most vulnerable to negative reactions. The cultural influences of social reactions and implications for practical applicability of the results are discussed.
Reliability of Self-Reported Childhood Physical Abuse by Adults and Factors Predictive of Inconsistent Reporting
Authors: McKinney Christy M. , Harris T. Robert , Caetano Raul
Published: October 2009

Little is known about the reliability of self-reported child physical abuse (CPA) or CPA reporting practices. We estimated reliability and prevalence of self-reported CPA and identified factors predictive of inconsistent CPA reporting among 2,256 participants using surveys administered in 1995 and 2000. Reliability of CPA was fair to moderate (κ = 0.41). Using a positive report from either survey, the prevalence of moderate (61.8%) and severe (12.0%) CPA was higher than at either survey alone. Compared to consistent reporters of having experienced CPA, inconsistent reporters were less likely to be ≥30 years old (vs. 18–29) or Black (vs. White) and more likely to have <12 years of education (vs. 12), have no alcohol-related problems (vs. having problems), or report one type (vs. ≥2) of CPA. These findings may assist researchers conducting and interpreting studies of CPA.
Degradation of pesticide residues in vineyard effluents by activated sludge treatment
Authors: Esteve K. , Poupot C. , Mietton-peuchot M. , Milisic V.
Published: October 2009

The study evaluates the feasibility of the degradation of thirteen pesticides by an activated sludge aerobic treatment, used for the purification of wastewater effluents produced from a winemaking process. Chemical analyses were used to determine the capacity of the treatment to eliminate the implied pollution hazard. The results show that the biological treatment of such pesticides by activated sludge is possible if a minimum adaptation period of approximately 8 days is applied. System stability is reached in 30 days. The related degradation of twelve pesticides was 97%, the exception being anilinopyrimidin. However, the sludge biomass is dispersed (the pesticides destroyed the biomass flocs) and it was necessary to add a flocculation stage to concentrate and remove the free micro-organisms by using sedimentation.
Optimization of intracellular microcystin-LR extraction for its analysis by protein phosphatase inhibition assay
Authors: Sevilla E. , Smienk H. , Razquin P. , Mata L. , Peleato M. L.
Published: October 2009

Microcystins are toxins produced by some strains of cyanobacteria. Several methods have been developed to allow the quantification of microcystins, which are mainly endotoxins. Among those methods, the protein phosphatase inhibition assay is a good candidate as a screening method because of its sensitivity, simplicity and specificity. In this work a method for intracellular microcystin extraction in field water samples and lab cyanobacterial cultures prior to their analysis by protein phosphatase inhibition assay has been optimized. Microcystin-LR and Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 were used as reference microcystin and strain, respectively, in order to optimize the protocol. The protocol consists on filtering the sample through a nylon filter of 0.8 μm, filter extraction with methanol 80% 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) 0.1% tween 20, extract centrifugation and supernatant dilution (1/20). The establishment of an extraction protocol was carried out determining the extraction volume, time of extraction and number of extractions. The advantages of the method developed in this work are basically its simplicity and avoiding the use of specific and expensive equipment.
The effect of adapting cellulose degrading microorganisms to 25°C providing energy sources for biological sulphate removal
Authors: Greben Harma , Sigama Julia
Published: October 2009

Vast volumes of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) are still being generated in South Africa, due to decant from both active and closed mines. Research to find a cost effective, environmentally friendly treatment system to reduce the salinity and to neutralise the acidity of AMD is ongoing. The study presented here showed that high sulphate removal efficiencies were achieved applying the biological treatment technology, thereby using the degradation products of grass-cellulose as the carbon and energy sources. The process was conducted at 25°C, as opposed to 37°C described previously, using a one-stage hybrid reactor system, treating both sulphate rich synthetic feed water and pre-treated AMD. The results showed that the fermentation microbes, originating from rumen fluid, derived from cattle, could generate the carbon and energy sources for the sulphate reducing bacteria at 25°C. When comparing the results obtained at 25°C with those obtained at 37°C, it was observed that these were similar. However, at the higher temperature a faster flow-rate to the reactor was possible. The findings implied that the biological sulphate removal system described can be operated more economically at 25°C than at 37°C, as heating the reactor system can be omitted.
Fractional analysis of arsenic in subsurface-flow constructed wetlands with different length to depth ratios
Authors: Singhakant C. , Koottatep T. , Satayavivad J.
Published: October 2009

Arsenic (As) removal in subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (CW) planting with vetiver grasses was experimented by comparing between two different configurations; (i) deep-bed units (dpCW) with length to depth (L:D) ratio = 2 and (ii) shallow-bed units (shCW) with L:D ratio = 8; operating at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6, 9, and 12 days. The tracer study of CW units revealed that no effect of L:D ratio on dispersion number could be determined, but affecting to the effective volume ratio. Based on the data obtained from the pilot-scale experiments of CW units for 117 days, it is apparent that the dpCW could achieve relatively high As removals (52.9%, 59.2%, and 72.1% at HRT of 6, 9, and 12 days, respectively). Analysis of As mass balance showed that only 0.2–0.4% of As input was uptaken by vetiver grasses whereas the major portion was retained in the CW media (38.9–77.6%). Forms of the retained As was determined by sequential fractionation which could indicate As complexation with iron and manganese on the media surface of 31–38% and As trapping into the media of 42–52% of the total. No obvious difference of As fractions in bed of between dpCW and shCW units was observable.
Reducing microbial contamination in storm runoff from high use areas on California coastal dairies
Authors: Lewis D. J. , Atwill E. R. , Lennox M. S. , Pereira M. D. G. , Miller W. A. , Conrad P. A. , Tate K. W.
Published: October 2009

High use areas are a fundamental part of California coastal dairies and grazing livestock ranches as feeding areas, nurseries, and sick pens. High stocking densities and daily use in these areas lead to soil surfaces devoid of vegetation and covered in manure, with high potential for manure transport during winter rains to receiving waters regulated for shellfish harvesting and recreation. We characterized the association between California's Mediterranean climate and a series of existing and proposed management practices on fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) transport from high use areas on dairies and ranches. Results from 351 storm runoff samples collected below 35 high-use areas indicate that removal of cattle during winter, locating high use areas on level ground, application of straw and seeding, and vegetative buffer strip implementation were significantly associated with FCB concentration and load reductions. These results complement our findings for reductions of specific pathogens in runoff from these areas. These findings have practical significance because they document surface water quality benefits that the studied management practices provide in application on working farms and ranches. This direction is critical and timely for on-farm management efforts seeking to reduce microbial pollution in runoff and comply with indicator bacteria water quality criteria.
Pollutant load removal efficiency of pervious pavements: is clogging an issue?
Authors: Kadurupokune N. , Jayasuriya N.
Published: October 2009

Pervious pavements in car parks and driveways reduce the peak runoff rate and the quantity of runoff discharged into urban drains as well as improve the stormwater quality by trapping the sediments in the infiltrated water. The paper focuses on presenting results from the laboratory tests carried out to evaluate water quality improvements and effects of long-term decrease in infiltration rates with time due to sediments trapping (clogging) within the pavement pores. Clogging was not found to be a major factor affecting pervious pavement performance after simulating 17 years of stormwater quality samples.
Real-time in-situ measurement of haemoglobin in wastewater
Authors: Sutherland-Stacey L. , Dexter R. , McWilliams B. , Watson K.
Published: October 2009

The meat processing industry generates large volumes of relatively high load wastewater. In New Zealand and Australia this wastewater is often pre-treated on site and then discharged to environmental waters or municipal sewers. Owing to the limited number of water quality parameters which can be measured in real-time it is often difficult for industry to optimise treatment processes or public bodies to monitor for water-quality compliance. Abattoir wastewater is often observed to be red in colour, owing to the presence of haemoglobin. Measurement of visible light absorption spectra of wastewater grab samples has for some time provided information about blood concentration. However such grab sampling techniques are piecemeal and cannot provide instantaneous time resolved signals which are required for process control or comprehensive monitoring. In this work an in-situ UV/VIS spectrometer is used to continuously determine the concentration of haemoglobin in wastewater arriving for treatment at two different Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs). The data is of high temporal resolution- data recorded at the distant WWTPs allows for identification process events, such as the end of shift wash downs.
Three dimensional modelling of interaction between surface and Darcy flow regimes through soils
Authors: Kaveh-Baghbaderani B. , Nassehi V. , Kulkarni A.
Published: October 2009

The present paper deals with the impact of surface flow on hydrodynamic conditions in saturated underground domains. A three dimensional finite element scheme has been used to simulate underground flow resulting from the flow of water over a saturated land. The results clearly show the effects of the surface flow on the hydrodynamic conditions of the subsurface porous regions. This analysis is an important prerequisite for the prediction of contaminant mobility in soils and hence provides a convenient tool for the prediction of interaction between surface and subsurface flow processes. For low permeability cases, considered here, the governing equations consist of water continuity and Darcy equations. These equations are solved using a robust and reliable finite element procedure.
Molecular assessment of salt-tolerant, perchlorate- and nitrate-reducing microbial cultures
Authors: Zuo G. , Roberts D. J. , Lehman S. G. , Jackson G. W. , Fox G. E. , Willson R. C.
Published: October 2009

The microbial ecology of enrichment cultures adapted to the removal of perchlorate and nitrate from high salt solutions and ion-exchange brines was examined over a period of four years using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and total DNA extraction with cloning and in each case partial sequencing of the 16S rDNA genes. The cultures studied were a result of enrichment from marine sediment inoculum initiated in 2001. The resulting enrichment cultures were fed perchlorate, or perchlorate and nitrate, in a 3% (w/v) NaCl defined medium or ion-exchange brines (5.6% NaCl) containing perchlorate and nitrate with acetate as the electron donor. All of the sequences' closest matches in the NCBI GenBank database were to marine or salt-tolerant organisms. Strains belonging to the genera Halomonas or Marinobacter were found to dominate in cultures that were fed nitrate in addition to perchlorate, but were effectively absent from cultures fed perchlorate alone. The cultures fed perchlorate as the sole electron acceptor were relatively diverse with the dominant sequences belonging to the genera Dechloromarinus and Denitromonas. A study examining the effects of growing the cultures on different electron acceptors to the cultures revealed that Denitromonas may be more dominant than Dechloromarinus as the salt-tolerant, perchlorate-reducing organism.
Alendronate Inhibits VEGF Expression in Growth Plate Chondrocytes by Acting on the Mevalonate Pathway
Authors: Evans K.D. , Oberbauer A.M.
Published: October 2009

Bisphosphonates decrease chondrocyte turnover at the growth plate and impact bone growth. Likewise vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in endochondral bone elongation by influencing chondrocyte turnover at the growth plate. To investigate whether the action of bisphosphonate on the growth plate works through VEGF, VEGF protein expression and isoform transcription in endochondral chondrocytes isolated from growing mice and treated with a clinically used bisphosphonate, alendronate, were assessed. Alendronate at 10µM and 100µM concentrations decreased secreted VEGF protein expression but not cell associated protein. Bisphosphonates are known to inhibit the mevalonate intracellular signaling pathway used by VEGF. Addition of the mevalonate pathway intermediates farnesol (FOH) and geranylgeraniol (GGOH) interacted with the low concentration of alendronate to further decrease secreted VEGF protein whereas FOH partially restored VEGF protein secretion when combined with the high alendronate. Similar to the protein data, the addition of alendronate decreased VEGF mRNA isoforms. VEGF mRNA levels were rescued by the GGOH mevalonate pathway intermediate at the low alendronate dose whereas neither intermediate consistently restored the VEGF mRNA levels at the high alendronate dose. Thus, the bisphophonate alendronate impairs growth plate chondrocyte turnover by down-regulating the secreted forms of VEGF mRNA and protein by inhibiting the mevalonate pathway.
Inclusion on the Agenda in Four Different School Contexts in Canada (Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Québec)
Authors: Bélanger Nathalie , Gougeon Nathalie A.
Published: October 2009

Four case studies from four different Canadian provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Québec) are examined in order to better understand meanings given to an inclusive approach in education, as it is defined and experienced by the actors, practitioners, parents, and students. The data examined in this article come from a larger research project which aimed at documenting what are deemed ‘inclusive educational initiatives’, both in Canada and internationally. The article begins with a brief overview of the theoretical literature in which inclusive education has been discussed followed by a brief description of the case studies examined. It goes on to explain the conditions that were put in place following each province's policies regarding special educational needs and their evolution. The results discussed are school priorities and/or teaching strategies, life in the schools and the involvement of various actors, as well as the resources available and used in each context.
A study of selected phytoestrogens retention by reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes - the role of fouling and scaling
Authors: Dudziak Mariusz , Bodzek Michał
Published: October 2009

Fouling and scaling are common phenomena that accompany membrane filtration and are caused by the presence of organic and inorganic matter in water, which may affect the removal of low-molecular mass organic micropollutants. Comparative filtration of deionized water containing selected phytoestrogens (biochanin A, daidzein, genistein, and coumestrol) was carried out using one new membrane and one contaminated with organic or inorganic matter. Two commercial Osmonics DS membranes were selected for the research, reverse osmosis DS3SE and nanofiltration DS5DK. Filtration was carried out in the dead-end mode. Higher removal of phytoestrogens was caused by reverse osmosis and retention depended on the molar mass of the compound. The decrease in membrane efficiency associated with fouling or scaling brings about an increase in the retention coefficient of phytoestrogens during both reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. The highest increase in phytoestrogen retention was found for the nanofiltraton membrane which was more susceptible to fouling than the osmotic one. This confirms the effect of membrane porosity on the phenomenon studied. The increase in micropollutants removal observed after fouling or scaling was caused by the modification of the membrane surface, hindered diffusion of the compound, and intensified or limited adsorption of micropollutants on the membrane surface.
Factors influencing detection of Potato Leafroll Virus and Potato Virus Y in potato tuber extracts
Authors: Treder Krzysztof , Przewodowski Włodzimierz , Barnyk Agnieszka
Published: October 2009

Factors influencing detection of Potato Leafroll Virus and Potato Virus Y in potato tuber extracts

Detection of Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) and Potato virus Y (PVY) directly in potato tubers has been influenced by several factors. The most important were: the place of tuber sampling, preincubation of tuber sap before loading into wells of microplate and duration of tubers storage after collecting from field. The concentration of both viruses was highest in the heel part of tubers, whenever tested. Preincubation of tuber sap for several hours improved true/false signal ratio for dormant tubers and enabled reliable detection of both viruses. However after natural dormancy breaking it was necessary to change Cocktail-ELISA procedure to obtain reliable results, consistent with DAS-ELISA on leaves. The sap was not preincubated but loaded into wells directly after sample collecting and immuno-enzymatic reaction was developed overnight in refrigerator.
Equine recurrent uveitis: A clinical manifestation of leptospirosis
Authors: Frellstedt L.
Published: October 2009

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution affecting domestic animals, wildlife and man. The bacterial disease is caused by pathogenicLeptospiraspp., which are transmitted from reservoir hosts to accidental hosts. Horses are accidental hosts and can become susceptible to leptospiral infections. Widespread exposure to leptospires exists and is significantly more common than clinical disease.

Leptospirosis can have different clinical manifestations including abortion, still birth, systemic disease with hepatic or renal dysfunction, and equine recurrent uveitis (ERU). ERU is the most frequently encountered clinical manifestation and this article will focus on the review of leptospira‐associated ERU.

Equine recurrent uveitis is the most common cause of vision impairment and blindness in horses. The pathogenesis of leptospira‐associated ERU involves direct bacterial effects and immune‐mediated responses. Clinical signs vary between the acute and chronic phases of the disease and progress over time. The diagnosis of leptospira‐associated ERU can be difficult and usually requires a combination of diagnostic tests. Medical and surgical treatments have been described with varying outcomes. The prognosis for sight is usually poor, although core vitrectomy may improve the outcome. Avoidance of leptospiral exposure of horses is the only reliable prevention of leptospira‐associated disease.
Epithelioid variant of haemangiosarcoma in a gelding
Authors: Dawson D. R. , Scrivani P. V. , Schaefer D. M. W. , Bogdanovic L. B. , Ainsworth D. M.
Published: October 2009

This case report provides a clinical description of an epithelioid variant of haemangiosarcoma in a horse. Haemangiosarcomas are rare neoplasms in equids, and only recently have the pathological aspects of the epithelioid variant in horses been described. Despite performance of cytology and surgical biopsy, theante mortemdiagnosis was incorrect in this case, demonstrating the common problem with diagnosing this neoplasm due to the lack of overt vascular differentiation. Due to the deteriorating condition of the patient, no antineoplastic treatment was attempted. Apost mortemcomputed tomography helped characterise the invasive nature of the tumour. Only withpost mortemsampling was the diagnosis of epithelioid variant of haemangiosarcoma discovered.
Diagnostic Value of Ultrasonography in Patients with Palpable Mammographically Noncalcified Breast Tumors
Authors: Skaane Per , Sager E. M. , Olsen J. B. , Abdelnoor M. , Berger A. , Wolff P. A. , Kullmann G.
Published: October 2009

Purpose: To analyze the diagnostic accuracy of mammography, ultrasonography (US), and both methods combined in evaluation of palpable noncalcified breast tumors.

Material and Methods: Mammograms and sonograms of 200 patients with palpable noncalcified breast masses were retrospectively analyzed independently by four experienced radiologists in 3 sessions: Mammography or US interpretations in the first two and combined reading in the last session. Nonneoplastic abnormalities and mammographically obvious cancers were excluded. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed for 115 (60 benign and 55 malignant) tumors and subgroups according to tissue density and tumor size. A single ROC curve for each diagnostic test was obtained by pooling the individual ratings. The area under the ROC curve was used as a measure of diagnostic performance.

Results: US revealed significantly higher diagnostic performance than mammography for tumors larger than 2 cm. Combined reading showed significantly higher performance than mammography except for tumors smaller than 2 cm. The performance of all three tests was reduced in dense parenchyma, and significantly so for mammographic and combined interpretation.

Conclusion: The accuracy of US in patients with palpable mammographically noncalcified and not obviously malignant breast tumors is lower than reported for mixed sample populations. The accuracy of US may be influenced by breast parenchyma density. Combined reading offers the highest diagnostic accuracy.
Variability in the Interpretation of Ultrasonography in Patients with Palpable Noncalcified Breast Tumors
Authors: Skaane P. , Olsen J. B. , Sager E. M. , Abdelnoor M. , Berger A. , Kullmann G. , Wolff P. A.
Published: October 2009

Purpose: To analyze interobserver variability of ultrasonography (US) as an adjunct to mammography in patients with palpable noncalcified breast tumors.

Material and Methods: Mammographic, US, and combined reading of 200 patients with palpable noncalcified breast masses were performed independently by four experienced radiologists. Nonneoplastic abnormalities and mammographically obvious cancers were excluded. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis based on 115 tumors was carried out for mammography, US, and both combined for each radiologist. The US diagnoses of the 45 cancers excluded from ROC analysis and the 55 cancers included were compared.

Results: One radiologist revealed a significantly higher diagnostic performance with US than with mammography. Combined reading showed the highest performance for all observers, but the improvement as compared with mammography was significant for only two. Higher accuracy on combined reading was mainly caused by correct upgrading of tumors with benign or indeterminate mammographic findings. One radiologist had benefit of US for downgrading of tumors. All four radiologists made a malignant US diagnosis twice as often in mammographically obvious cancers than in mammographically non-conclusive tumors.

Conclusion: Radiologists differ substantially in interpretation of breast imaging. Combined reading offers the highest diagnostic accuracy mainly by correct upgrading of tumors on US. The role of US for downgrading tumors is operator-dependent.
Automated Stereotactic Core Needle Biopsy of Microcalcifications with Correlation to Surgical Biopsy
Authors: Roth W.-D. , von Smitten K. , Heikkilä P. , Edgren J. , Laasonen L.
Published: October 2009

Purpose: To compare pathologic findings from stereotactic core and excisional biopsies in patients with microcalcifications in the breast.

Material and Methods: Stereotactic core needle biopsies of 101 lesions with mammographic evidence of microcalcifications were performed with long-throw (2.2 cm) automated core biopsy devices fitted with 2.1-mm needles. The core specimens were placed on microscope slides and radiographed. The pathologic features of core and excisional specimens were compared.

Results: In 100 of the 101 breast lesions, a correct choice for an additional diagnostic procedure or definitive treatment could have been made upon histo-pathologic findings of the core needle biopsy.

Conclusion: Stereotactic core needle biopsy is a reliable alternative to surgical biopsy of breast lesions with microcalcifications provided that specimen radiography has been performed to ensure that appropriate tissue has been obtained. Excisional biopsy may be avoided if microcalcifications are visible in radiographs of core biopsy specimen with benign histology.
MR Imaging in Tibial Shaft Fractures
Authors: Tervonen Osmo , Junila J. , Ojala R.
Published: October 2009

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between MR findings at the fracture site during the healing process and the outcome of patients with tibial shaft fracture.

Material and Methods: Twelve consecutive patients with an uncomplicated tibial fracture treated conservatively were imaged by MR 1 to 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after the trauma. MR imaging consisted of sagittal/coronal T1-weighted, T2-weighted, proton density, short-tau inversion recovery, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo images. The images were analysed for the extent of signal pathology in the bone marrow adjacent to the fracture, the extent of soft tissue oedema, and the intensity and homogeneity of the contrast enhancement of the callus.

Results: The differences between normal (n=7) and delayed union (n=5) were observed within 3 to 6 weeks after the trauma, mainly in the homogeneity of the callus in T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced images.

Conclusion: MR imaging is a potentially valuable method for early visualization of delayed union in tibial shaft fractures.
Radiographic Absorptiometry of the Phalanges as a Screening Instrument to Detect Osteoporosis of the Hip
Authors: Versluis R. G. J. A. , Vismans F. J. F. E. , van de Ven C. M. , Springer M. P. , Petri H.
Published: October 2009

Objective: To determine the validity of radiographic absorptiometry (RA) of the phalanges in detecting osteoporosis of the femoral neck, measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Material and Methods: In a group practice, 494 Causasian women aged 55 to 84 years were recruited. Hand radiographs and DXA measurements of the hip were performed in 449 women. 409 (91.1%) hand radiographs had sufficient quality for analysis by RA. Change of bone mass by age was obtained by using linear regression. Correlations between RA and DXA were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity of RA were calculated for several RA cut-off levels.

Results: The mean bone mineral density at the femoral neck was 0.866 g/cm and 92.57 arbitrary units at the phalanges. A moderate correlation of 0.53 (p<0.01) was found between RA and DXA. Depending on the cut-off level used, the sensitivity and specificity of RA in detecting osteoporosis at the femoral neck was 0.84–0.55 and 0.61–0.88, respectively.

Conclusion: RA may be used as a screening technique to detect osteoporosis, but confirmation is necessary in the subgroup with a positive outcome on RA.
The Incidence of Gallbladder Stones and Gallbladder Function in Beta-Thalassemic Children
Authors: Kalayci A. G. , Albayrak D. , Güneş M. , Incesu L. , Agaç R.
Published: October 2009

Purpose: To determine gallbladder motor function and gallstone prevalence in beta-thalassemic children. Abnormalities in gallbladder function or bile acid metabolism may contribute to gallstone formation in these patients.

Material and Methods: In 17 beta-thalassemic patients and 12 normal healthy children with similar age, sex and weight, gallbladder size was measured using real-time US, and volume was calculated using the ellipsoid method.

Results: In the beta-thalassemic patients, cholelithiasis was present in 2 patients (11.8%). Sludge, which can be a predisposing factor for cholelithiasis and cholecystitis when it persists, was detected in 5 patients (29.4%). One of the patients had both cholelithiasis and sludge. Compared with the control group, beta-thalassemic children had larger fasting volume, residual volume, and smaller contraction index.

Conclusion: Beta-thalassemic patients have enlarged gallbladders that retain an increased residual volume of bile. Gallbladder enlargement, bile stasis, and impaired emptying of sludge may be important events in the pathogenesis of pigment gallstones in beta-thalassemic patients.
Timing Adjustment in Gadolinium MR Angiography by Raw Data Recombination
Authors: Smedby Ö. , Weis J.
Published: October 2009

To solve the problem of injection timing in gadolinium MR angiography, a simple procedure is proposed which allows the acquisition interval to be chosen after injection. Starting simultaneously with the injection, several consecutive acquisitions are made, after which raw data acquired in a contiguous interval with a variable starting time are recombined to one data set, which is then used for delayed image reconstruction.
An Adaptive h-Refinement Algorithm for Local Damage Models
Authors: Pitt Jonathan  S. , Costanzo Francesco
Published: October 2009

An adaptive mesh refinement strategy is proposed for local damage models that often arise from internal state variable based continuum damage models. The proposed algorithm employs both the finite element method and the finite difference method to integrate the equations of motion of a linear elastic material with simple isotropic microcracking. The challenges of this problem include the time integration of coupled partial differential equations with time-dependent coefficients, and the proper choice of solution spaces to yield a stable finite element formulation. Discontinuous elements are used for the representation of the damage field, as it is believed that this reduction in regularity is more consistent with the physical nature of evolving microcracking. The adaptive mesh refinement algorithm relies on custom refinement indicators, two of which are presented and compared. The two refinement indicators we explore are based on the time rate of change of the damage field and on the energy release rate, respectively, where the energy release rate measures the energy per unit volume available for damage to evolve. We observe the performance of the proposed algorithm and refinement indicators by comparing the predicted damage morphology on different meshes, hence judging the capability of the proposed technique to address, but not eliminate, the mesh dependency present in the solutions of the damage field.
A(H5N1) Virus Evolution in South East Asia
Authors: Gutiérrez Ramona  Alikiiteaga , Naughtin Monica  Jane , Horm Srey  Viseth , San Sorn , Buchy Philippe
Published: October 2009

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus is an ongoing public health and socio-economic challenge, particularly in South East Asia. H5N1 is now endemic in poultry in many countries, and represents a major pandemic threat. Here, we describe the evolution of H5N1 virus in South East Asia, the reassortment events leading to high genetic diversity in the region, and factors responsible for virus spread. The virus has evolved with genetic variations affecting virulence, drug-resistance, and adaptation to new host species. The constant surveillance of these changes is of primary importance in the global efforts of the scientific community.
A Multifunctional Nanodevice Capable of Imaging, Magnetically Controlling, and In Situ Monitoring Drug Release
Authors: Hu Shang‐Hsiu , Kuo Kuan‐Ting , Tung Wei‐Lin , Liu Dean‐Mo , Chen San‐Yuan
Published: October 2009

The multifunctional nanodevice described here integrates nanoscaled imaging, targeting, and controlled drug delivery, as well as the capability to monitor, in situ, the amount of drug released from the nanodevice with single‐cell resolution. The nanodevice is composed of a polymer core/single‐crystal iron oxide shell nanostructure bonded to a quantum dot. It shows outstanding release and retention characteristics via an external on/off manipulation of a high‐frequency magnetic field. Upon magnetic stimulation, the single‐crystal iron oxide shell demonstrates formation of nanometer‐sized polycrystal domains of varying orientation. This allows a variation between retention and slow release of the drug. Further stimulation causes permanent rupturing of the shell, causing release of the drug in a burst‐like manner. The quantum dot bonded to the nanodevice provides optical information for in situ monitoring of the drug release through use of a magnetic field. Remote control drug release from the nanodevice in a cancerous cell line (HeLa) was successfully accomplished using the same induction scenario. When nanodevices equipped with quantum dots are taken into cancerous cells, they are able to provide real‐time drug dose information through a corresponding variation in emission spectrum. The nanodevice designed in this study has achieved its potential as a cell‐based drug‐delivery system for therapeutic applications.
Enhanced Adsorption of Ammonia on Metal‐Organic Framework/Graphite Oxide Composites: Analysis of Surface Interactions
Authors: Petit Camille , Bandosz Teresa J.
Published: October 2009

Composites of the metal‐organic framework (MOF), MOF‐5, and graphite oxide (GO) with different ratios of the two components are prepared and tested in ammonia removal under dry conditions. The parent and composite materials are characterized before and after exposure to ammonia by sorption of N2, X‐ray diffraction, thermal analyses, and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The results show a synergetic effect resulting in an increase in the ammonia uptake compared to the parent materials. It is linked to enhanced dispersive forces in the pore space of the composites. Additionally, ammonia interacts with zinc oxide tetrahedra via hydrogen bonding and is intercalated between the layers of GO. Retention of a large quantity of ammonia eventually leads to a collapse of the MOF‐5 structure in the composites. The effect resembles that observed when MOF‐5 is exposed to water. Taking into account the similarity of ammonia and water molecules, it is hypothesized that ammonia causes a destruction of the MOF‐5 and composite structure as a result of its hydrogen bonding with the zinc oxide clusters.
A centroid‐based sampling strategy for kriging global modeling and optimization
Authors: Davis Eddie , Ierapetritou Marianthi
Published: October 2009

A new sampling strategy is presented for kriging‐based global modeling. The strategy is used within a kriging/response surface (RSM) algorithm for solving NLP containing black‐box models. Black‐box models describe systems lacking the closed‐form equations necessary for conventional gradient‐based optimization. System optima can be alternatively found by building iteratively updated kriging models, and then refining local solutions using RSM. The application of the new sampling strategy results in accurate global model generation at lower sampling expense relative to a strategy using randomized and heuristic‐based sampling for initial and subsequent model construction, respectively. The new strategy relies on construction of an initial kriging model built using sampling data obtained at the feasible region's convex polytope vertices and centroid. Updated models are constructed using additional sampling information obtained at Delaunay triangulation centroids. The new sampling algorithm is applied within the kriging‐RSM framework to several numerical examples and case studies to demonstrate proof of concept. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010