bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The clinical utility of an index of global oxygenation for guiding red blood cell transfusion in cardiac surgery
Authors: Orlov David , O'Farrell Rachel , McCluskey Stuart A. , Carroll Jo , Poonawala Humara , Hozhabri Siroos , Karkouti Keyvan
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND: This observational study explored the potential utility of oxygen extraction ratio (O2ER) as an adjunct to the hemoglobin (Hb) concentration for guiding red blood cell (RBC) transfusion decisions after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Hb and O2ER measures were obtained before as well as 15 and 120 minutes after RBC transfusion episodes (defined as 1‐2 RBC units given in succession after CPB, within 24 hr of surgery). Changes related to RBC transfusions among patients with normal (≤30%) and elevated (>30%) pretransfusion O2ERs were analyzed.

RESULTS: Of the 176 patients enrolled, 74 received RBC transfusions. Of these, 50 had data available for 62 transfusion episodes. Pretransfusion episode O2ER values were elevated in 27 cases and normal in 35 (56%) cases. Among those who received transfusion for low Hb concentration, 43 percent (27/62) had normal pretransfusion O2ER values. While the posttransfusion O2ER values did not change in patients with normal pretransfusion O2ER values, they did decrease in patients with elevated pretransfusion O2ER values (% change [±SD] at 15 and 120 min after transfusion was −5.2 ± 7.8 and −3.8 ± 8.0%, respectively; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: If a normal O2ER in anemic patients with no evidence of organ dysfunction indicates adequate tissue oxygen delivery, then our findings suggest that incorporating O2ER into the transfusion decision will substantially reduce postcardiac surgery RBC transfusions by allowing us to safely avoid transfusing this group of patients. Future studies are needed to assess the validity of this conclusion.
Likelihood evaluation using 15 common short tandem repeat loci: a practical and simulated approach to establishing personal identification via sibling/parental assessments
Authors: Tamaki Keiji , Kaszynski Richard H. , Yuan Qing‐Hua , Yoshida Koichi , Okuno Tomoko , Tsuruyama Tatsuaki
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND: In individual identification, often the only way to circumvent the lack of personal reference materials is to resort to a kinship analysis between the unidentified party (UP) and putative relatives.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Genotypes of 15 short tandem repeat loci in 20,000 families were simulated and the likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated based on the frequencies of alleles in the Japanese population. These LR values illustrate the likelihood of whether an alleged kin is related to a UP. First, three sets of kinship were assessed: UP and one parent (or child); UP and two children; and UP and both parents. Next, an UP was compared with one to three alleged siblings (ASs). In the end, these calculations were applied to 21 actual cases where the identity of an individual lay in dispute.

RESULTS: When comparisons were made between a UP and both parents, or two children, the LR median dramatically increased (6.68 × 1011 and 1.10 × 108, respectively) in comparison to assessments involving an UP and one parent or child (48,900). Similarly, when two or three true siblings were made available for comparison, the LR was far greater (7.32 × 106 and 4.50 × 108, respectively) than in cases where only one sibling was available (9,250). Of the 21 actual cases these calculations were applied to, 1 case ended in exclusion with absolute certainty and the remaining 20 cases obtained high LRs.

CONCLUSION: As demonstrated, this system is extremely effective in cases of personal identification where both parents, two or more children, or two or more ASs are available for comparison.
The Immediate Impact of New Product Introductions on Stock Price: The Role of Firm Resources and Size*
Authors: Lee Ruby P. , Chen Qimei
Published: December 2008

New product development and introduction is an ongoing important issue to facilitate a firm's success. To demonstrate the financial impact of new product introductions and the supporting role of firm resources and organizational structure, the authors collected 409 new product announcements from 1990 to 1998 and used event methodology and regression models in this research. Building on resources and capabilities perspectives, the present study argues that firm resources with emphases on research and development (R&D) are imperative to materialize new product concepts. However, the research revealed that R&D resources have dual effects on immediate shareholder value (i.e., abnormal stock returns). On one hand, when the firm commits only lower to moderate levels of R&D, investors would have perceived such R&D as expenditures reducing the firm's profit margin and thereby negatively evaluate R&D resources. Nevertheless, when the firm has dedicated its resources to R&D significant enough to signal investors its potential benefits can outweigh its costs, it generates positive shareholder value. Further, the study found that investors honor positive marketing resources that are critical to promote and launch new products to customers. Apart from resources perspectives, according to the organizational structure literature, firm size reflects the layers of bureaucracy within an organization. The research found a negative effect on shareholder value, indicating that investors evaluate more optimistically smaller firms that are likely to be more innovative and entrepreneurial resulted in more breakthrough products. In conclusion, this study provides value to practitioners in understanding the impact of firm size and, more importantly, to what extent they dedicate their resources in R&D and marketing to generate different performance outcomes.
Examining the Antecedents and Consequences of CIO Strategic Decision‐Making Authority: An Empirical Study*
Authors: Preston David S. , Chen Daniel , Leidner Dorothy E.
Published: December 2008

Despite the strategic importance of information technology (IT) to contemporary firms, chief information officers (CIO) often still have varying degrees of strategic decision‐making authority. In this study, we apply the theory of managerial discretion to define CIO strategic decision‐making authority and argue that the CIO's level of strategic decision‐making authority directly influences IT's contribution to organization performance. We also draw on the power and politics perspective in the strategic decision‐making literature to identify the direct antecedents to the CIO's strategic decision‐making authority. A theoretical model is presented and empirically tested using survey data collected from a cross‐industry sample of 174 matched pairs of CIOs and top business executives through structural equation modeling. The results suggest that organizational climate, organizational support for IT, the CIO's structural power, the CIO's level of strategic effectiveness, and a strong partnership between the CIO and top management team directly influence the CIO's level of strategic decision‐making authority within the organization. The results also suggest that the CIO's strategic decision‐making authority in the organization directly influences the contribution of IT to firm performance and that effective CIOs have a greater influence on IT's contribution when provided with strategic decision‐making authority.
Explaining Anomalous High Performance in a Health Care Supply Chain*
Authors: Shah Rachna , Goldstein Susan M. , Unger Barbara T. , Henry Timothy D.
Published: December 2008

An implicit assumption in distributing and coordinating work among independent organizations in a supply chain is that a focal organization can use financial or contractual mechanisms to enforce compliance among the other organizations in meeting desired performance objectives. Absent contractual agreement or financial gain, there is little incentive for independent organizations to coordinate their process improvement activities. In this study, we examine a health care supply chain in which the work is distributed among independent organizations. We use a detailed case study and anabductive reasoningapproach to understand how and why the independent organizations choose to coordinate and collaborate in their work. Our study makes two contributions to the literature. First, we use well‐established lean principles to explain how independent organizations achieve superior performance despite highly uncertain and variable customer demand—a context considerably different from the origins of lean principles. Second, we forward relational coordination theory to explain why the organizations in this decentralized supply chain coordinate their work. Relational coordination includes the use of shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect for one another's work as primary mechanisms to explain process improvement in the absence of any contractual incentives. Our study constitutes a first step in generating theory for work design and its improvement in decentralized supply chains.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Human Uterine NK Cells Interact with Uterine Macrophages via NKG2D upon Stimulation with PAMPs
Authors: Basu Satarupa , Eriksson Mikael , Pioli Patricia A. , Conejo‐Garcia Jose , Mselle Teddy F. , Yamamoto Satoshi , Wira Charles R. , Sentman Charles L.
Published: December 2008

Problem  The initiation of an immune response often involves the cooperation of various innate immune cells. In the human endometrium, uterine natural killer (uNK) cells and uterine macrophages are present in significant numbers and in close proximity, yet how they cooperatively respond to infectious challenge is poorly understood.

Method of study  Primary autologous uNK cells and macrophages were co‐cultured to determine functional interactions after stimulation with pathogen‐associated molecular patterns.

Results  After stimulation by polyI:C, human uNK cells interact with autologous uterine macrophages and produce interferon‐γ in an NKG2D‐dependent manner. Stimulated primary uterine macrophages up‐regulated the expression of MHC Class I chain‐related protein A (MICA), but expression of the cognate receptor NKG2D remained unchanged on uNK cells, even in the presence of cytokines.

Conclusion  This study demonstrates that the NKG2D‐MICA interaction is an important molecular mechanism that is involved in the innate immune response to microbial signals in the human uterine endometrium.
SHORT COMMUNICATION: Development of a Human Model to Study Homing Behavior of Immune Cells into Decidua and Placental Villi Under Ex Vivo Conditions
Authors: Heinzelmann Joana , Enke Uta , Seyfarth Lydia , Schleussner Ekkehard , Malek Antoine , Markert Udo R.
Published: December 2008

Problem  Homing of lymphocytes and NK cells into the decidua and its regulation has been very controversially discussed. Therefore, we aimed to establish an in vivo simulation method for analysis of homing behavior, which might be also useful for other cells such as stem or tumor cells.

Method of study  A human term placenta has been perfused with medium to elute blood and then with maternal autologous carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)‐labeled peripheral blood lymphocytes for 3 hr and rinsed for another 2 hr. Tissue was analysed histologically for detection of labeled cells. Labeled lymphocytes and beads in perfusate have been identified and counted by flow cytometry.

Results  At the moment of tissue fixation for histology, the perfusate was free of labeled cells. Labeled perfused lymphocytes have been found adhered and integrated in vessel wall structures, in decidual stroma and as colonies in individual villi.

Conclusion  Placenta perfusion with a lymphocyte suspension is feasible without plugging the tube system. Time is sufficient for cells to adhere and to migrate into the stroma. Also some villi have been infiltrated which might be caused by inflammatory stimuli. The perfusion system might be useful to test substances for their capacity to influence homing of lymphocytes or other cells.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Cellular Interaction Regulates Interleukin‐8 Secretion by Granulosa‐Lutein Cells and Monocytes/Macrophages
Authors: Połeć Anna , Tanbo Tom , Fedorcsák Peter
Published: December 2008

Problem  Peri‐ovulatory migration of leukocytes towards the follicle plays an important role during corpus luteum formation. In this study, we examined the secretion of the neutrophil chemoattractant interleukin (IL)‐8 by ovarian GL cells and the role of monocytes in IL‐8 secretion.

Method of study  Granulosa‐lutein cells were isolated from the pre‐ovulatory follicle. After depletion of contaminating leukocytes, GL cells were co‐cultured with the myelo‐monocytic cell line THP‐1. Intracellular IL‐8 accumulation, IL‐8 secretion, and chemotactic activity of cell culture media were examined.

Results  Intracellular IL‐8 was predominantly localized in the endoplasmatic reticulum‐Golgi both in GL cells and in THP‐1 cells. In co‐cultured cells, intracellular IL‐8‐specific immunofluorescence and IL‐8 secretion were increased compared with either GL cells or THP‐1 cells that were cultured alone. Conditioned cell culture media from GL cells and THP‐1 cells induced directed cell migration by neutrophils.

Conclusion  Human GL cells constitutively synthesize IL‐8. An increased IL‐8 secretion by co‐cultured GL cells and THP‐1 cells suggest that GL cells and monocytes mutually induce chemokine secretion. An initial interaction between GL cells and ovarian leukocytes may therefore contribute to an increased chemokine release and leukocyte recruitment to the forming corpus luteum.
Orofacial granulomatosis – a 20‐year review
Authors: Grave B , McCullough M , Wiesenfeld D
Published: December 2008

Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is the presence of persistent enlargement of the soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region, characterized by non‐caseating granulomatous inflammation in the absence of diagnosable systemic Crohn’s disease (CD) or sarcoidosis. Over 20 years have passed since OFG was first described and an extensive review of the literature reveals that there is no consensus whether OFG is a distinct clinical disorder or an initial presentation of CD or sarcoidosis. Furthermore, the precise cause of OFG is still unknown although several theories have been suggested including infection, genetic predisposition and allergy. The clinical outcome of OFG patients continues to be unpredictable. Current therapies remain unsatisfactory. Regular clinical review is indicated to identify the development of gastrointestinal or systemic involvement. The aim of this review was to analyse the developments in our understanding of the aetiology, pathogenesis and treatment protocols, with particular emphasis on management and outcomes of OFG since this entity was first described in 1985.
Behavioral characterization of mice lacking the neurite outgrowth inhibitor Nogo‐A
Authors: Willi R. , Aloy E. M. , Yee B. K. , Feldon J. , Schwab M. E.
Published: December 2008

The membrane protein Nogo‐A inhibits neurite outgrowth and regeneration in the injured central nervous system, primarily because of its expression in oligodendrocytes. Hence, deletion of Nogo‐A enhances regeneration following spinal cord injury. Yet, the effects of Nogo‐A deletion on general behavior and cognition have not been explored. The possibility of potential novel functions of Nogo‐A beyond growth inhibition is strongly suggested by the presence of subpopulations of neurons also expressing Nogo‐A – not only during development but also in adulthood. We evaluated here Nogo‐A−/− mice in a series of general basic behavioral assays as well as functional analyses related to brain regions with notable expression levels of Nogo‐A. The SHIRPA protocol did not show any major basic behavioral changes in Nogo‐A−/− mice. Anxiety‐related behavior, pain sensitivity, startle reactivity, spatial learning, and associative learning also appeared indistinguishable between Nogo‐A−/− and control Nogo‐A+/+ mice. However, motor co‐ordination and balance were enhanced in Nogo‐A−/− mice. Spontaneous locomotor activity was also elevated in Nogo‐A−/− mice, but this was specifically observed in the dark (active) phase of the circadian cycle. Enhanced locomotor reaction to systemic amphetamine in Nogo‐A−/− mice further pointed to an altered dopaminergic tone in these mice. The present study is the first behavioral characterization of mice lacking Nogo‐A and provides significant insights into the potential behavioral relevance of Nogo‐A in the modulation of dopaminergic and motor functions.
Localized low‐level re‐expression of high‐affinity mesolimbic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors restores nicotine‐induced locomotion but not place conditioning
Authors: Mineur Y. S. , Brunzell D. H. , Grady S. R. , Lindstrom J. M. , McIntosh J. M. , Marks M. J. , King S. L. , Picciotto M. R.
Published: December 2008

High‐affinity, β2‐subunit‐containing (β2*) nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are essential for nicotine reinforcement; however, these nAChRs are found on both gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and also on terminals of glutamatergic and cholinergic neurons projecting from the pedunculopontine tegmental area and the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus. Thus, systemic nicotine administration stimulates many different neuronal subtypes in various brain nuclei. To identify neurons in which nAChRs must be expressed to mediate effects of systemic nicotine, we investigated responses in mice with low‐level, localized expression of β2* nAChRs in the midbrain/VTA. Nicotine‐induced GABA and DA release were partially rescued in striatal synaptosomes from transgenic mice compared with tissue from β2 knockout mice. Nicotine‐induced locomotor activation, but not place preference, was rescued in mice with low‐level VTA expression, suggesting that low‐level expression of β2* nAChRs in DA neurons is not sufficient to support nicotine reward. In contrast to control mice, transgenic mice with low‐level β2* nAChR expression in the VTA showed no increase in overall levels of cyclic AMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) but did show an increase in CREB phosphorylation in response to exposure to a nicotine‐paired chamber. Thus, CREB activation in the absence of regulation of total CREB levels during place preference testing was not sufficient to support nicotine place preference in β2 trangenic mice. This suggests that partial activation of high‐affinity nAChRs in VTA might block the rewarding effects of nicotine, providing a potential mechanism for the ability of nicotinic partial agonists to aid in smoking cessation.
The invisible fat
Authors: Pietrobelli Angelo , Malavolti Marcella , Fuiano Nicola , Faith Myles S.
Published: December 2008

Childhood and adolescence are decisive periods in human life. Body composition and psychological changes determine nutritional requirements as well as eating and physical activity behavior variability.

Aims of the present paper are to discuss recent advances in measurements for quantifying total body and regional adiposity, and for mapping adipose tissue distribution in order to evaluate metabolic risk factors in children.

Among the new methods available for assessing pediatric body composition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can serve as a reference method for measuring tissue and organ volumes because estimates is reliable independent of age. MRI is the method of choice for calibrating field methods designed to measure adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in vivo and is the only method available for measurement of internal tissues and organs.

MRI can be used to validate measures of important molecular level components such as fat measured by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry and bioimpedance analysis. Moreover, the large gap in available information for certain topics makes MRI measurement a dynamic and growing scientific area of body composition investigation.
Physical activity—key issues in treatment of childhood obesity
Authors: Nowicka P , Flodmark C‐E
Published: December 2008

Changes in physical activity with the aim of increasing energy expenditure are usually an important component of childhood obesity treatment. Physical activity also has several other aspects that are positive for the obese child's health, such as improving the metabolic profile and psychological well being. The aim of this paper is to give a short review of what we know about physical activity in paediatric obesity treatment. In addition, practical recommendations will be presented which a health care provider can suggest to obese children and their families with a special focus on daily activity, participation in physical education classes and sports, sedentary behaviours, active commuting to school and how to get family and friends involved in supporting the child.
Health Promotion Needs of Older Aboriginal People
Authors: Crowe M.
Published: December 2008

This paper explores the health promotion needs of older Aboriginal people. A qualitative study was conducted in Brisbane of both younger and older Aborigines' conceptions of what ageing is and what the needs of older Aborigines are. It discusses the areas of health which are identified as being particularly significant to the Aboriginal community, the difference in perceptions according to age and gender, and strategies which will increase the relevance and success of Aboriginal health programs.
Seasonality of a Diverse Beetle Assemblage Inhabiting Lowland Tropical Rain Forest in Australia
Authors: Grimbacher Peter S. , Stork Nigel E.
Published: December 2008

One of the least understood aspects of insect diversity in tropical rain forests is the temporal structuring, or seasonality, of communities. We collected 29,986 beetles of 1473 species over a 4‐yr period (45 monthly samples), with the aim to document the temporal dynamics of a trophically diverse beetle assemblage from lowland tropical rain forest at Cape Tribulation, Australia. Malaise and flight interception traps were used to sample adult beetles at five locations at both ground and canopy levels. Beetles were caught throughout the year, but individual species were patchy in their temporal distribution, with the 124 more abundant species on average being present only 56 percent of the time. Climatic variables (precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation) were poorly correlated with adult beetle abundance, possibly because: (1) seasonality of total beetle abundance was slight; (2) the peak activity period (September–November) did not correspond to any climatic maxima or minima; or (3) responses were nonlinear owing to the existence of thresholds or developmental time‐lags. Our results do not concur with the majority of tropical insect seasonality studies suggesting a wet season peak of insect activity, perhaps because there is no uniform pattern of insect seasonally for the humid tropics. Herbivores showed low seasonality and individual species’ peaks were less temporally aggregated compared to nonherbivores. Canopy‐caught and larger beetles (> 5 mm) showed greater seasonality and peaked later in the year compared to smaller or ground‐caught beetles. Thus seasonality of adult beetles varied according to the traits of feeding ecology, body size, and habitat strata.
Multilingualism in Educational Contexts: Ideologies and Identities
Authors: Fuller Janet M.
Published: December 2008

There is a growing body of research that addresses the sociolinguistics of multilingual classrooms. Three themes within the research can be identified. The first is classroom discourse strategies; these studies address the interactional functions of language choice. Another theme is how power relations in the larger society influence language use in the school and classroom. The third theme in this body of research is the construction of social identity by students in bilingual settings. These three intertwining areas of research are a reflection of the themes of interest in sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology in general: language ideologies, social identities, and the mapping of linguistic forms on to interactional functions. Educational implications of these studies include challenging perspectives on multilingualism as exceptional and creating policies that encourage multilingual practices.
Supply and Demand: Prostitution and Sexual Trafficking in Northern Thailand
Authors: Roby Jini L. , Tanner Jacob
Published: December 2008

In northern Thailand poverty, political turmoil, sex tourism and cultural dynamics converge to create a booming sex industry. The purpose of this article is to examine how the dynamics of supply and demand feed into prostitution in that region, with attention to available information on human trafficking. While the line separating prostitution and sex trafficking is difficult to establish, there is ample evidence that both co‐exist in the region. Understanding this phenomenon requires an exploration of both the demand and supply sides as well as their interaction. Such an exploration, it is hoped, will contribute to the positive development of policy and practice.
Transnationalism Unbound: Detailing New Subjects, Registers and Spatialities of Cross‐Border Lives
Authors: Collins Francis Leo
Published: December 2008

The emergence of transnationalism as a central focus in the study of migration in the early 1990s marked a significant departure in scholarly understandings of cross‐border movements and their consequences. Indeed, the recognition that migrants do not simply follow linear pathways of departure, settlement and assimilation or return has both highlighted the importance of and provided an empirical base for reconfiguring conceptualisations of nations, societies and cultures in the light of globalising processes. Initially, this emergent cross‐disciplinary field was dominated by anthropologists, sociologists and political scholars and less so by geographers, resulting in a reduced concern for the spatial characteristics and consequences of transnationalism. More recently, however, geographers have taken significant interest in both the theoretical and empirical study of transnationalism and have made a significant contribution to understandings of different subjects, registers and spatialities of this phenomenon. This article examines the different ways that geographers have engaged with issues relating to transnationalism. In particular, I argue that the work of geographers has served to unbind the study of transnationalism from its concern only with sustained forms of transnational activity, as well as the latent representational fixes and limited geographical foci of the field. Latent gaps within and future possibilities for the study of transnationalism within geography are also outlined.
Atrazine biodegradation in the lab and in the field: enzymatic activities and gene regulation
Authors: Govantes Fernando , Porrúa Odil , García‐González Vicente , Santero Eduardo
Published: December 2008

Atrazine is an herbicide of the s‐triazine family that is used primarily as a nitrogen source by degrading microorganisms. While many catabolic pathways for xenobiotics are subjected to catabolic repression by preferential carbon sources, atrazine utilization is repressed in the presence of preferential nitrogen sources. This phenomenon appears to restrict atrazine elimination in nitrogen‐fertilized soils by indigenous organisms or in bioaugmentation approaches. The mechanisms of nitrogen control have been investigated in the model strain Pseudomonas sp. ADP. Expression of atzA, atzB ad atzC, involved in the conversion of atrazine in cyanuric acid, is constitutive. The atzDEF operon, encoding the enzymes responsible for cyanuric acid mineralization, is a target for general nitrogen control. Regulation of atzDEF involves a complex interplay between the global regulatory elements of general nitrogen control and the pathway‐specific LysR‐type regulator AtzR. In addition, indirect evidence suggests that atrazine transport may also be a target for nitrogen regulation in this strain. The knowledge about regulatory mechanisms may allow the design of rational bioremediation strategies such as biostimulation using carbon sources or the use of mutant strains impaired in the assimilation of nitrogen sources for bioaugmentation.
Mechanistic Simulation of Tree Effects in an Urban Water Balance Model1
Authors: Wang Jun , Endreny Theodore A. , Nowak David J.
Published: December 2008

Abstract: A semidistributed, physical‐based Urban Forest Effects – Hydrology (UFORE‐Hydro) model was created to simulate and study tree effects on urban hydrology and guide management of urban runoff at the catchment scale. The model simulates hydrological processes of precipitation, interception, evaporation, infiltration, and runoff using data inputs of weather, elevation, and land cover along with nine channel, soil, and vegetation parameters. Weather data are pre‐processed by UFORE using Penman‐Monteith equations to provide potential evaporation terms for open water and vegetation. Canopy interception algorithms modified established routines to better account for variable density urban trees, short vegetation, and seasonal growth phenology. Actual evaporation algorithms allocate potential energy between leaf surface storage and transpiration from soil storage. Infiltration algorithms use a variable rain rate Green‐Ampt formulation and handle both infiltration excess and saturation excess ponding and runoff. Stream discharge is the sum of surface runoff and TOPMODEL‐based subsurface flow equations. Automated calibration routines that use observed discharge has been coupled to the model. Once calibrated, the model can examine how alternative tree management schemes impact urban runoff. UFORE‐Hydro model testing in the urban Dead Run catchment of Baltimore, Maryland, illustrated how trees significantly reduce runoff for low intensity and short duration precipitation events.
Regulating Industrial Stormwater: State Permits, Municipal Implementation, and a Protocol for Prioritization1
Authors: Cross Lindsay M. , Duke L. Donald
Published: December 2008

Abstract:  This research evaluated the effectiveness of regulations for stormwater pollutants originating from industrial facilities. Industrial facilities discharging stormwater are subject to General Permits implemented by state and federal agencies, which require facility operators to identify themselves and to implement pollution prevention measures. An overlying system of permits require Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System operators to identify and inspect facilities in their jurisdictions capable of discharging substantial pollutant loads into stormwater conveyances, introducing more active regulation and strategic prioritization, but with unequal implementation in different urban regions. This research evaluated the interaction between the regulations and ways in which the regulations succeed, or fail, at protecting water quality. The research evaluated potential for pollutant discharges at 136 industrial facilities in Pinellas County, Florida, using telephone interviews; off‐site facility visits; and on‐site facility inspections, targeting four industrial categories: wood products; stone, clay, glass, and concrete products; fabricated metal products; and electronic products. Results documented that a large proportion of facilities subject to General Permits conduct few or no activities likely to produce stormwater pollutants, indicating that the regulations’ equal treatment of all facilities may constitute overregulation. The research developed a methodology to assess facilities using intensity of industrial activities exposed to stormwater, a rational measurement that could regularize municipal agencies’ requirements and prioritize implementation toward facilities with the potential to impact receiving water quality.
Adaptive Management and Watersheds: A Social Science Perspective1
Authors: Allan Catherine , Curtis Allan , Stankey George , Shindler Bruce
Published: December 2008

Abstract: Adaptive management is often proposed as the most effective way to manage complex watersheds. However, our experience suggests that social and institutional factors constrain the search for, and integration of, the genuine learning that defines adaptive management. Drawing on our work as social scientists, and on a guided panel discussion at a recent AWRA conference, we suggest that watershed‐scale adaptive management must be recognized as a radical departure from established ways of managing natural resources if it is to achieve its promise. Successful implementation will require new ways of thinking about management, new organizational structures and new implementation processes and tools. Adaptive management encourages scrutiny of prevailing social and organizational norms and this is unlikely to occur without a change in the culture of natural resource management and research. Planners and managers require educational, administrative, and political support as they seek to understand and implement adaptive management. Learning and reflection must be valued and rewarded, and fora established where learning through adaptive management can be shared and explored. The creation of new institutions, including educational curricula, organizational policies and practices, and professional norms and beliefs, will require support from within bureaucracies and from politicians. For adaptive management to be effective researchers and managers alike must work together at the watershed‐scale to bridge the gaps between theory and practice, and between social and technical understandings of watersheds and the people who occupy and use them.
Estimating Forest Ecosystem Evapotranspiration at Multiple Temporal Scales With a Dimension Analysis Approach1
Authors: Zhou Guoyi , Sun Ge , Wang Xu , Zhou Chuanyan , McNulty Steven G. , Vose James M. , Amatya Devendra M.
Published: December 2008

Abstract: It is critical that evapotranspiration (ET) be quantified accurately so that scientists can evaluate the effects of land management and global change on water availability, streamflow, nutrient and sediment loading, and ecosystem productivity in watersheds. The objective of this study was to derive a new semi‐empirical ET modeled using a dimension analysis method that could be used to estimate forest ET effectively at multiple temporal scales. The model developed describes ET as a function of water availability for evaporation and transpiration, potential ET demand, air humidity, and land surface characteristics. The model was tested with long‐term hydrometeorological data from five research sites with distinct forest hydrology in the United States and China. Averaged simulation error for daily ET was within 0.5 mm/day. The annual ET at each of the five study sites were within 7% of measured values. Results suggest that the model can accurately capture the temporal dynamics of ET in forest ecosystems at daily, monthly, and annual scales. The model is climate‐driven and is sensitive to topography and vegetation characteristics and thus has potential to be used to examine the compounding hydrologic responses to land cover and climate changes at multiple temporal scales.
Nitrate Removal in a Restored Spring‐Fed Wetland, Pennsylvania, USA1
Authors: Woltemade Christopher J. , Woodward Jinnieth
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT:  In 2001, the 1.04‐ha Hornbaker wetland in south‐central Pennsylvania was restored by blocking an artificial drainage ditch to increase water storage and hydraulic retention time (HRT). A primary goal was to diminish downstream delivery of nitrate that enters the wetland from a limestone spring, its main source of inflow. Wetland inflow and outflow were monitored weekly for two years to assess nitrate flux, water temperature, pH, and specific conductivity. In Year 2, spring discharge was measured weekly to allow calculation of nitrate loads and hydraulic retention time. Surface runoff was confirmed to be a small fraction of wetland inflows via rainfall‐runoff modeling with TR‐55. The full dataset (n = 102) was screened to remove 13 weeks in which spring discharge constituted < 85% of total inflows because of high precipitation and surface runoff. Over two years (n = 89), mean nitrate‐nitrogen concentrations were 7.89 mg/l in inflow and 3.68 mg/l in outflow, with a mean nitrate removal of 4.19 mg/l. During Year 2 (n = 47), for which nitrate load data were available, the wetland removed an average of 2.32 kg N/day, 65% of the load. Nitrate removal was significantly correlated with HRT, water temperature, and the concentration of nitrate in inflow and was significantly greater during the growing season (5.36 mg/l, 64%) than during the non‐growing season (3.23 mg/l, 43%). This study indicates that hydrologic restoration of formerly drained wetlands can provide substantial water quality benefits and that the hydrologic characteristics of spring‐fed wetlands, in particular, support effective nitrogen removal.
Efficacy of Pradofloxacin in Cats with Feline Upper Respiratory Tract Disease due toChlamydophila felisorMycoplasmaInfections
Authors: Hartmann A.D. , Helps C.R. , Lappin M.R. , Werckenthin C. , Hartmann K.
Published: December 2008

Background:Upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) of cats is caused by a number of pathogens, includingChlamydophila felisandMycoplasmaspp. For effective treatment of both infections, doxycycline and enrofloxacin are recommended, but adverse effects limit their use in cats.

Hypothesis:That the fluoroquinolone pradofloxacin is effective againstC. felisandMycoplasmainfection in cats with URTD or conjunctivitis.

Animals:Thirty‐nine cats with signs of URTD or conjunctivitis.

Methods:Placebo‐controlled, double‐blind clinical trial. Cats were randomly entered into 1 of 2 treatment groups: treated PO with either 5 mg/kg pradofloxacin q24h or 5 mg/kg doxycycline q12h for 42 consecutive days. Changes in health status and clinical scores were evaluated. The presence ofC. felisandMycoplasmaspp. was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR of conjunctival swabs, respectively.

Results:At the beginning of the study,C. felisandMycoplasmaspp. were detected in 23 and 20 cats, respectively. Cats of both groups responded rapidly with a marked improvement in clinical signs within the 1st week. During treatment with either drug,C. felisDNA copy number declined quickly. Complete elimination ofMycoplasmaspp. was achieved in both groups; however, whereas all cats receiving doxycycline eliminatedC. felis, 4 cats treated with pradofloxacin remained PCR‐positive.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance:This study demonstrates that both pradofloxacin and doxycycline have good efficacy againstC. felisandMycoplasmaspp., resulting in a marked improvement of clinical signs. However,C. felisDNA remained in some cats after treatment with pradofloxacin, suggesting that infection might not have been eliminated.
Amantadine in a Multimodal Analgesic Regimen for Alleviation of Refractory Osteoarthritis Pain in Dogs
Authors: Lascelles B.D.X. , Gaynor J.S. , Smith E.S. , Roe S.C. , Marcellin‐Little D.J. , Davidson G. , Boland E. , Carr J.
Published: December 2008

Background:Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) do not always provide sufficient pain relief in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA).

Hypothesis:The use of amantadine in addition to NSAID therapy will provide improved pain relief when compared with the use of nonsteroidal analgesics alone in naturally occurring OA in dogs.

Animals:Thirty‐one client‐owned dogs with pelvic limb lameness despite the administration of an NSAID.

Methods:The study was randomized, blinded, and placebo controlled with parallel groups (days 21–42). On day 0, analgesic medications were discontinued. On day 7, all dogs received meloxicam for 5 weeks. On day 21, all dogs received amantadine (3–5 mg/kg once daily per os) or placebo for 21 days, in addition to receiving meloxicam. Assessments were performed before the study and on days 7, 21, and 42. Primary outcome measures were blinded owner assessments of activity using client‐specific outcome measures (CSOM) on days 0, 7, 21, and 42. Data were analyzed by a mixed model approach.

Results:For CSOM activity, there was a significant time by treatment effect (P=.009). On the basis of the planned post hoct‐tests of postrandomization means, there was a significant difference between treatment groups on day 42 (P=.030), with the amantadine group being more active.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance:In dogs with osteoarthritic pain refractory to an NSAID, physical activity is improved by the addition of amantadine. Amantadine might be a useful adjunct therapy for the clinical management of canine osteoarthritic pain.
Cardiac Arrhythmias and Serum Cardiac Troponins in Vipera palaestinae Envenomation in Dogs
Authors: Segev G. , Ohad D.G. , Shipov A. , Kass P. H. , Aroch I.
Published: December 2008

Background: Vipera palaestinae is responsible for most poisonous envenomations in people and animals in Israel. Cardiac arrhythmias were reported in a retrospective study of V. palaestinae envenomations in dogs.

Hypothesis: Cardiac arrhythmias in V. palaestinae‐envenomed dogs are associated with myocardial injury reflected by increased serum concentrations of cardiac troponins (cTns).

Animals: Forty‐eight client‐owned dogs envenomed by V. palaestinae.

Methods: Blood sampling (serum biochemistry and cTns, CBC, and coagulation tests) and electrocardiography were performed periodically up to 72 hours postenvenomation. Cardiac rhythm strips were assessed blindly for the presence and type of arrhythmias.

Results: Serum cTn‐T and cTn‐I concentrations were increased in 25% (n = 12) and 65% (n = 31) of the dogs at least once during hospitalization, respectively. Arrhythmias were identified in 29% (n = 14) of the dogs. Dogs with increased cTn‐T had a significantly higher occurrence of arrhythmias (58 versus 19%), and higher resting heart rate upon admission and within the following 24 hours. Dogs with increased serum cTn‐T concentrations were hospitalized for a significantly (P= .001) longer period compared to those with normal serum cTn‐T concentrations.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Dogs envenomed by V. palaestinae appear to sustain some degree of myocardial injury, as reflected by increased serum cTn concentrations and by the occurrence of arrhythmias. The latter should alert clinicians to a potentially ongoing cardiac injury. An increase in cTn‐T may be of clinical relevance and indicate a cardiac injury in V. palaestinae envenomations in dogs.
A Single Sample Method for Evaluating51Chromium‐Ethylene Diaminic Tetraacetic Acid Clearance in Normal and Hyperthyroid Cats
Authors: Vandermeulen E. , Van Hoek I. , De Sadeleer C. , Piepsz A. , Ham H.R. , Bosmans T. , Dobbeleir A. , Daminet S. , Peremans K.
Published: December 2008

Background:Chronic kidney failure is frequently seen in middle‐aged and elderly cats.51Chromium‐ethylene diaminic tetraacetic acid (51Cr‐EDTA) clearance and single blood sample (SBS) method are used in several species to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Hypothesis:The hypothesis of this study was that51Cr‐EDTA clearance could be determined using an SBS method in normal and hyperthyroid cats.

Animals:Forty‐six cats were included in this study, with an average age of 9.5 years. Of these cats, 27 had hyperthyroidism; 19 were healthy.

Methods:After IV injection of51Cr‐EDTA (average dose: 4.25 MBq), 7 blood samples were obtained between 5 and 240 minutes. Reference clearance was calculated in mL/min and mL/min/kg body weight, using a 2‐compartment model. Optimal time for clearance measurement with SBS was then determined by systematically comparing each individual plasma concentration to the reference multisample clearance.

Results:The average reference plasma clearance of51Cr‐EDTA for all cats was 14.9 mL/min (3.7 mL/min/kg). The clearance in hyperthyroid cats averaged 16.4 mL/min (4.3 mL/min/kg) and in normal cats averaged 10.3 mL/min (2.4 mL/min/kg).

The optimal time for the SBS was 48 minutes after injection of tracer51Cr‐EDTA (R2= 0.9414), giving the following converting equation: clearance = (0.0066 × DV48 minutes) – 0.9277 (in mL/min).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance:In this study, the single sample51Cr‐EDTA clearance method was used to estimate the global GFR in cats. The method identified differences in clearance between normal and hyperthyroid cats. The optimal time for an SBS was 48 minutes.
Effect of Spironolactone on Diastolic Function and Left Ventricular Mass in Maine Coon Cats with Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: MacDonald K.A. , Kittleson M.D. , Kass P.H.
Published: December 2008

Background:Myocardial fibrosis occurs in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and is one factor that leads to diastolic dysfunction. Spironolactone (SPIR) reduces myocardial fibrosis in several models of HCM and in humans with cardiac disease.

Hypothesis:SPIR will improve diastolic function and reduce left ventricular (LV) mass in Maine Coon cats with HCM.

Methods:Maine Coon cats with familial HCM were included if there was concentric hypertrophy (≥6 mm end diastolic wall thickness) and decreased early lateral mitral annular velocity (Em) or summated early and late mitral annular velocity (EAsum) measured by pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography. Cats were paired by Em‐EAsum and randomized to receive 2 mg/kg SPIR (n = 13) or placebo (n = 13) PO q12 h for 4 months. Em‐EAsum, systolic velocity, LV mass, and the ratio of left atrial to aortic diameter were measured at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months. Statistical analysis included 2‐way repeated measures analysis of variance and the Student'st‐test.

Results:Plasma aldosterone concentration increased in cats treated with SPIR (235 ng/mL, baseline; 935 ng/mL, 2 months; 1,077 ng/mL, 4 months;P< .001 at 2 and 4 months). No significant treatment effect was identified for early or early‐late summated diastolic mitral annular velocity or any other variable except plasma aldosterone concentration. Severe facial ulcerative dermatitis developed in 4 of 13 cats treated with SPIR, requiring discontinuation of the drug.

Conclusion:SPIR did not improve Em or EAsum of the lateral mitral annulus or alter LV mass over 4 months. One third of cats treated with SPIR developed severe ulcerative facial dermatitis.
The Effect of Adding Oral Dexamethasone to Feed Alterations on the Airway Cell Inflammatory Gene Expression in Stabled Horses Affected with Recurrent Airway Obstruction
Authors: DeLuca L. , Erb H.N. , Young J.C. , Perkins G.A. , Ainsworth D.M.
Published: December 2008

Background: Chemokine expression in airway epithelium and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells of horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is increased.

Hypothesis: For RAO‐affected horses that are stabled and fed a pelleted ration, the addition of oral dexamethasone further improves pulmonary function and reduces inflammatory gene expression in pulmonary cells.

Animals: Twelve RAO‐affected horses.

Methods: In a randomized cross‐over experiment, the effect of feeding pellets in lieu of hay to stabled, RAO‐affected horses was compared with the effect of feeding pellets and administering a 21‐day decreasing dose regimen of oral dexamethasone on the expression (by kinetic polymerase chain reaction) of interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2), IL‐1β, IL‐6, and β‐actin in the BALF cells and of IL‐8, CXCL2, 2 IL‐1 receptor (IL‐1R2), Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), and glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase in the bronchial epithelium 2 days after the final dose.

Results: Both treatments reduced airway neutrophilia and breathing efforts but the addition of dexamethasone was associated with fewer treatment failures. Compared with feed changes alone, dexamethasone administration further reduced the expression of IL‐8, CXCL2, and IL‐1β in the BALF cells 3.3‐, 2.5‐, and 4.7‐fold, respectively. In the airway epithelium, both treatments were equally efficacious in reducing the expression of IL‐8 and CXCL2 expression relative to pretreatment values, but either treatment failed to alter the expression of IL‐1R2 and TLR4.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance: For a rapid and consistent improvement in pulmonary function and a reduction in inflammatory gene expression of the BALF cells, a decreasing dose of oral dexamethasone in combination with feed alterations is more efficacious for horses that must remain stabled.