bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Cumulative Survival in Fistulas Requiring Surgical Interventions to Promote Fistula Maturation Compared with Endovascular Interventions
Authors: Lee Timmy , Tindni Arshdeep , Roy‐Chaudhury Prabir
Published: March 2012

Due to high nonmaturation rates, arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) frequently require intervention(s) to promote maturation. Endovascular or surgical interventions are often undertaken to salvage nonmaturing AVFs. The objective of this study was to compare the impact of surgical versus endovascular interventions to promote AVF maturation on cumulative AVF survival.

We evaluated 89 patients with new AVF placement from a Veterans Affairs population over a 5‐year period. Of these, 46 (52%) required intervention(s) to achieve successful maturation for dialysis: 31 patients had surgical revisions and 15 patients had endovascular repairs. We compared cumulative survival between AVFs requiring no intervention, surgical revision, and endovascular intervention to promote AVF maturation.

Cumulative survival was longer in AVFs receiving surgical intervention compared with angioplasty to promote AVF maturation (p = 0.05). One‐year cumulative survival was 86% vs. 83% vs. 40% for no intervention vs. surgery vs. angioplasty, respectively.

In AVFs that required interventions to promote maturation, AVFs with surgical intervention had longer cumulative survival compared with those AVFs with endovascular intervention. AVFs with surgical intervention to promote maturation had similar 1‐year cumulative survival to those AVFs that did not require intervention to promote maturation.
Moving Policies Upstream to Mitigate the Social Determinants of Early Childbearing
Authors: SmithBattle Lee
Published: March 2012

The teen birth rate in the United States is one of the highest in the post‐industrialized world. International comparisons suggest that U.S. rates reflect high levels of social disadvantage and misguided policies that frame teen parenting as costly for mothers, children, and taxpayers. Studies that control for background factors that predispose teens to become parents highlight the social inequities that contribute to early childbearing and unfavorable maternal‐child outcomes, regardless of maternal age. After reviewing these studies, federal policies that target and scrutinize teenage and single mothers are described and critiqued for the ways they disregard the social determinants of early childbearing and further the marginalization and social exclusion of low‐income families. This review calls for public health nurses to challenge the ideological assumptions driving downstream policies and to advocate for comprehensive reforms that reduce the wide and growing inequities in education, income, and health among U.S. citizens. Building the public support and political will to move upstream will remain daunting in light of the pervasive stereotypes of teen parents and the ideological assumptions that early childbearing and poor maternal‐child outcomes stem more from individual choices and lifestyles than from social inequities.
Migraine Headaches and Suicide Attempt
Authors: Breslau Naomi , Schultz Lonni , Lipton Richard , Peterson Edward , Welch K.M.A.
Published: March 2012

(Headache 2012;52:723‐731)

Background.— Previous cross‐sectional studies reported an increased risk of suicide attempt in persons with migraine headache, which was sustained when psychiatric comorbidity was statistically controlled.

Objective.— To estimate the risk of suicide attempt in persons with migraine vs controls with no history of severe headache, using prospective data and validated diagnostic assessment. To examine the specificity of the migraine‐suicide attempt risk by comparing it to the risk associated with non‐migraine headache of comparable severity and disability.

Methods.— A cohort of persons with migraine (n = 496), non‐migraine severe headaches (n = 151), and controls with no history of severe headache (n = 539) was randomly selected from the general community, assessed in 1997 and reassessed 2 years later.

Results.— Persons with migraine had an increased risk of suicide attempt during the 2‐year follow‐up period, compared with controls. Odds ratio, adjusted for sex, psychiatric disorder, and previous history of suicide attempt at baseline was 4.43 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.93, 10.2). Persons with non‐migraine headache of comparable intensity and disability also had an increased risk of suicide attempt, compared to controls: odds ratio, adjusted for the same covariates, was 6.20 (95% CI 2.40, 16.0). The difference between the 2 estimates was not significant. In the entire sample, headache severity at baseline predicted suicide attempt: a difference of 1 standard deviation (SD) in pain score increased the risk of suicide attempt by 79%, adjusting for sex and psychiatric disorders.

Conclusions.— The results suggest the possibility that pain severity might account in part for the increased risk of suicide attempt associated with migraine.
Delineation of the Etiology of a Mass‐Like Echo Density in the Left Ventricle Using Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography
Authors: Pandey Shivlal , Sudhakar Selvin , Nanda Navin C. , Zarza‐Geron Valerie , Patel Adil‐Ahmed
Published: March 2012

Live/real time three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DTTE) provides an incremental value in the delineation of various cardiac pathologies. In this study, two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DTTE) of a 56‐year‐old patient showing a prominent echo density suggestive of a mass in the left ventricle probably attached to the ventricular side of the anterior mitral leaflet, is reported. Systematic cropping of the 3DTTE dataset showed the mass to be a calcified mitral strut chord viewed in cross section. This is well visualized in the accompanying movie clip. This case highlights the advantage of 3DTTE in which the whole of the ventricle including the mitral valve apparatus is captured in the dataset facilitating cropping at any desired angulation. (Echocardiography 2012;29:502‐504)
Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Have Evidence of Left Ventricular Asynchrony
Authors: Kırış Abdulkadir , Karkucak Murat , Karaman Kayıhan , Kırış Gülhanım , Çapkın Erhan , Gökmen Ferhat , Kutlu Merih , Çelik Şükrü , Ayar Ahmet
Published: March 2012

Objectives: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that often leads to cardiovascular complications including aortic regurgitation and conduction disturbances. Left ventricular (LV) systolic asynchrony is defined as loss of the simultaneous peak contraction of corresponding cardiac segments. The aim of this study was to evaluate LV systolic asynchrony noninvasively in patients with AS by using tissue synchrony imaging (TSI). Methods: Asynchrony was evaluated in 77 AS patients (61 male, mean age 36.4 ± 10 years) and 40 controls (35 male, mean age 39.1 ± 8.2 years). All study population underwent a comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation including TSI. The time to regional peak systolic velocity (Ts) during the ejection phase in LV was measured from TSI images by the six‐basal and six‐midsegmental model, and four TSI parameters of systolic asynchrony were computed. Results: The baseline demographic and echocardiographic characteristics were similar between the patients enrolled and controls. All TSI parameters of LV asynchrony were prolonged in patients with AS compared to controls: the standard deviation (SD) of the 12 LV segments Ts (39.6 ± 19.6 vs. 24.7 ± 11.6, P < 0.001); the maximal difference in Ts between any 2 of the 12 LV segments (122.1 ± 52.9 vs. 82.2 ± 38.6, P < 0.001); the SD of the six basal LV segments (33.5 ± 20.2 vs. 23 ± 13.3, P = 0.008); and the maximal difference in Ts between any two of the six basal LV segments (84.6 ± 48.1 vs. 60.4 ± 34.6, P = 0.008). The asynchrony parameters were significantly correlated with index of myocardial performance (Tei index) and peak systolic mitral annular velocity. Conclusion: TSI showed presence of LV systolic asynchrony in patients with AS which may account for the cardiovascular complications of AS. (Echocardiography 2012;29:661‐667)
Responsible Choices: Situating Pregnancy Intention among Haitians in South Florida
Authors: Fordyce Lauren
Published: March 2012

In this article, I focus on unintended pregnancy as a means to interrogate the intersections of abortion and prenatal discourses in the United States, and the ways in which these discourses assume certain kinds of moral, liberal subjects. Using media material, congressional legislation, public health policy, and ethnographic data from South Florida (2004–06), I trace how these discourses assume that women will behave in “rational,”“responsible” ways to plan their reproductive futures, and how these assumptions intersect with Haitian women migrants’ lived experiences in South Florida. My research illustrates how decisions about family planning are situated within particular local moral worlds, where gender relations, religion, power, and desires for children inform women's everyday lives.[unintended pregnancy, Haitian migrants, maternal responsibility]
The Weight of the Self: Care and Compassion in Guatemalan Dietary Choices
Authors: Yates‐Doerr Emily
Published: March 2012

The Public Health Nutrition (PHN) community categorizes dietary‐related chronic illnesses as “noncommunicable,” fixing these afflictions within individual bodies where they are best managed by individual choices. Yet within clinical encounters in Guatemala, nutritionists and patients treat eating and dieting as relational, transmissible practices. Patients actively seek nutritionists’ care, asserting their self‐care attempts have failed and they need support from others; nutritionists meanwhile develop treatment plans that situate “personal choice” as lying outside the control of a solitary individual. This article moves between international policy–pedagogy and patient–nutritionist interactions to examine forms of personhood, responsibility, and rationalities of choice present in body weight–management practices in Guatemala. Although nutrition discourses might appear to exemplify how institutional (bio)power manifests through internalized self‐monitoring and preoccupation for one's own self, I argue that within the lived experiences of “nutrition‐in‐action,” the self–body of the patient becomes broadly conceived to include the nutritionist, the family, and the broader community.[care, intersubjectivity, dietary practice, Guatemala]
Genetic polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor‐α gene and the risk of endometrial cancer: a meta‐analysis
Authors: WANG YUMEI , CUI MENG , ZHENG LIQIANG
Published: March 2012

Estrogen receptor‐α is a key mediator of the estrogen response in endometrial tissue. The most‐studied gene variants are the PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms, which may be associated with altered sensitivity to estrogen. However, studies evaluating the associations between these polymorphisms and endometrial cancer risk have produced controversial conclusions. To explore a more robust estimate of the role of estrogen receptor‐α polymorphisms in endometrial carcinogenesis, we searched all published articles indexed in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Highwire and the CNKI database from 1995 to 2010. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers using a standardized data extraction form. Overall, the meta‐analysis included 1944 cases and 3075 controls for PvuII polymorphisms, and 1831 cases and 2875 controls for XbaI polymorphisms. Our results did not show any statistically significant association between endometrial cancer risk and either PvuII or XbaI polymorphisms. However, PvuII polymorphisms, both the CT and the CC genotypes, significantly increased the risk of endometrial cancer in an Asian‐Australian population (pooled OR = 1.50, 95%CI 1.09‐2.08 and pooled OR = 1.55, 95%CI 1.08‐2.22, respectively). The CC genotype significantly decreased the risk of endometrial cancer (pooled odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.64–0.94) in a European population. In contrast, the stratified analysis suggested that the XbaI polymorphism was not significantly associated with endometrial cancer between different populations. This meta‐analysis provides evidence that PvuII polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene, which encodes for estrogen receptor‐α, could modify the susceptibility to endometrial cancer. However, the genetic effect varied between different geographical regions for unknown reasons.
Pelvic organ prolapse contributes to sexual dysfunction: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: ATHANASIOU STAVROS , GRIGORIADIS THEMOS , CHALABALAKI ANTONIA , PROTOPAPAS ATHANASIOS , ANTSAKLIS ARIS
Published: March 2012

Objective. To evaluate the effect of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) on female sexual dysfunction. Design. Cross‐sectional, observational study. Setting. Gynecological outpatient and urogynecological university clinics in Greece. Population. One hundred and one women with POP seen in the urogynecology clinic (study group) and 70 women without POP seen in the gynecology outpatient department (control group). Methods. Women with and without POP completed a condition‐specific sexual dysfunction questionnaire (DYSQ) comprising four domains: sexual behavior; physical problems other than urinary incontinence; urinary incontinence problems; and satisfaction. Pelvic organ prolapse was assessed by the International Continence Society Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System grading system. The primary outcome of the study was the assessment of sexual function by DYSQ in women with and without POP. Main outcome measures. We compared sexual function in women with and without POP and evaluated the extent of the effect of various grades of POP on sexual function. Results. One hundred and seventy‐one women were recruited, 101 in the POP group and 70 in the control group. The total and factor‐specific DYSQ scores in the POP group were worse than those in the control group (p < 0.001) but did not seem to worsen with an increasing grade of prolapse. Linear regression showed that the best model to describe the DYSQ score includes the presence of POP and years of menopause. These variables explain 15.6% of the total variability in DYSQ scores. Conclusions. The presence of prolapse only partly explains impaired sexual functioning in women with POP. Sexual dysfunction is related to the presence of POP and not the grade of POP.
A comparison of Er:YAG laser and mechanical debridement for the non‐surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis: A randomized, prospective clinical study
Authors: Soo Lingfeng , Leichter Jonathan W. , Windle Judith , Monteith Brian , Williams Sheila M. , Seymour Gregory J. , Cullinan Mary P.
Published: March 2012

Aims

To compare a monotherapy of Er:YAG laser debridement (ERL), wavelength 2940 nm, with mechanical scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of chronic periodontitis using clinical and patient‐centred outcomes.

Methods

Twenty‐eight participants had two randomly assigned quadrants treated with ERL and two with SRP. Full‐mouth plaque index, probing depth, bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level and gingival recession were recorded at baseline and 6‐ and 12‐weeks post therapy. A questionnaire was used to assess pain, discomfort and satisfaction during and after treatment.

Results

Twenty‐two participants completed treatment and had 6‐ and 12‐week clinical re‐evaluations. SRP provided greater mean pocket depth reduction at 6‐ and 12‐weeks (p = 0.01 and p = 0.003 respectively), and a greater reduction in pockets ≥ 4 mm at 6 weeks only (p = 0.03) compared with ERL. SRP also resulted in a significant reduction in bleeding on probing (BOP) sites at 12 weeks compared with ERL and a statistically significant greater reduction in mean clinical attachment level (CAL) at 6‐ (p = 0.02) and 12‐weeks (p = 0.03). Patients expressed greater satisfaction with SRP on the day of treatment but were equally satisfied subsequently.

Conclusion

SRP resulted in a statistically significant greater short‐term improvement in clinical parameters and patient satisfaction compared with ERL.
International peer review in undergraduate dentistry: enhancing reflective practice in an online community of practice
Authors: Gardner K. , Bridges S. , Walmsley D.
Published: March 2012

To stimulate and enhance student learning in the areas of global citizenship, critical reflection and e‐learning, an online international peer review using a purpose‐built web platform, has been developed between international dental schools. Since its inception in 2007, n = 6 dental schools from six different countries have participated with n = 384 dental students engaged in online peer review. Project development was conceptually analysed utilising Lave and Wenger’s notion of a community of practice (CoP). Analysis drew on the three core components within the CoP organising framework: domain, community and practice. All three components were evident in building project identity. The domain focused on both curriculum and institutional co‐operation. The community was evident for both educators and students. Finally, analysis of practice was found to be significant in terms of sustained interaction and collaboration. Empirical evaluation is recommended as the next phase of project design.
Undergraduate students’ experiences of outreach placements in dental secondary care settings
Authors: Johnson I. , Hunter L. M. , Chestnutt I. G.
Published: March 2012

Introduction:  Outreach teaching is delivered as part of the undergraduate curricula of many dental schools. Evaluations of outreach in primary care settings have found learning opportunities beyond those available in the dental school setting, but less is known about secondary care placements. The aim of this evaluation was to assess dental students’ experiences of an undergraduate outreach placement in secondary care.

Materials and methods:  Questionnaire survey based on a single cohort of final‐year undergraduate dental students at Cardiff University who had completed a 1‐week outreach secondment to a District General Hospital.

Results:  Fifty‐five of the 57 eligible students completed the questionnaire. Outreach placements in secondary care were experienced to provide positive additional educational benefit and were considered to be worthwhile by many (but not all) students. Clinical opportunities and staff teaching varied by site.

Discussion:  In the current programme, the variability of student experience during secondments to secondary care means that some students report more benefit than others. However, even apparently negative experiences, such as cancelled operating lists, can contribute to the overall outcome in that they accurately reflect the reality of hospital practice.

Conclusion:  Careful management of secondary care undergraduate secondments is needed to ensure worthwhile learning experiences.
Evaluation of cytotoxic T‐cell activation, chemokine receptors, and adhesion molecules in blood and serum in patients with oral lichen planus
Authors: Namdar Pekiner Filiz , Demirel Gulderen Y. , Borahan Mehmet O. , Özbayrak Semih
Published: March 2012

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 484–489

Background:  Our purpose is to study cytotoxic T‐cell activation (through evaluation of CD8+CD40+ and CD8+CD154+ cells), chemokine receptors (through evaluation of CD8+CD184+ and CD8+CD195+ cells), and adhesion molecules (through evaluation of CD8+CD152+ cells) which play a part in cell activation in blood and serum samples of patients with OLP and then to compare them with healthy controls.

Methods:  Thirty patients with OLP, and 30 matched healthy controls participated. The mean ages of OLP patients and controls were 51,10 ± 12,25 and 48,09 ± 11,92, respectively. Percentage of apoptotic cells, granzyme‐B+, CD8+, CD8+CD40+, CD8+CD152+ (CTLA‐4), CD8+CD154+(CD40L), CD8+CD184+(CXCR‐4) and CD8+CD195+(CCR‐5) were detected by immunophenotyping on flow cytometry. Apoptosis measurements were accomplished with Annexin V/Propidium Iodide kit.

Results:  A higher percentage of CD8+CD154+ and granzyme‐B+ and a lower percentage of CD8+, CD8+CD184+ and apoptotic cells were found in OLP patients than in controls. No statistical differences were observed in the percentages of the other markers between groups.

Conclusions:  It is observed that because of increase in granzyme B+ and CD154 which is the activation marker, CD8+ cells present efforts to sustain their activity even though decrease in their cell number. Lower levels of CD8+CD184+ cells in OLP than control is evaluated as a factor that makes OLP to be localised in our study. In addition, our findings lead us to think that there may be some changes in apoptosis pathways of the cells. But this needs to be clarified by further studies exploring the mechanisms of the apoptosis in OLP patients.
Mining for liquid gold: midwifery language and practices associated with early breastfeeding support
Authors: Burns Elaine , Fenwick Jenny , Sheehan Athena , Schmied Virginia
Published: March 2012

Internationally, women give mixed reports regarding professional support during the early establishment of breastfeeding. Little is known about the components of midwifery language and the support practices, which assist or interfere with the early establishment of breastfeeding. In this study, critical discourse analysis has been used to describe the language and practices used by midwives when supporting breastfeeding women during the first week after birth. Participant observation at two geographically distant Australian health care settings facilitated the collection of 85 observed audio‐recorded dyadic interactions between breastfeeding women and midwives during 2008–2009. Additionally, 23 interviews with women post discharge, 11 interviews with midwives and four focus groups (40 midwives) have also been analysed. Analysis revealed three discourses shaping the beliefs and practices of participating midwives. In the dominant discourse, labelled ‘Mining for Liquid Gold’, midwives held great reverence for breast milk as ‘liquid gold’ and prioritised breastfeeding as the mechanism for transfer of this superior nutrition. In the second discourse, labelled ‘Not Rocket Science’, midwives constructed breastfeeding as ‘natural’ or ‘easy’ and something which all women could do if sufficiently committed. The least well‐represented discourse constructed breastfeeding as a relationship between mother and infant. In this minority discourse, women were considered to be knowledgeable about their needs and those of their infant. The language and practices of midwives in this approach facilitated communication and built confidence. These study findings suggest the need for models of midwifery care, which facilitate relationship building between mother and infant and mother and midwife.
Ectomycorrhizal Associations of the Dipterocarpaceae
Authors: Brearley Francis Q.
Published: March 2012

Dipterocarps are one of the most important tree families in the lowland forests of Southeast Asia and are somewhat unusual among tropical trees in that they form ectomycorrhizal (EcM) symbiotic root‐inhabiting fungal associations. It has been hypothesized that dipterocarps have been partnered in this mutualistic association prior to the separation of Gondwana. Under many conditions EcMs form rapidly on dipterocarp seedlings through inocula present in the soil, although few studies have been conducted to provide evidence that they improve seedling establishment and performance. There are hundreds of EcM species associated with dipterocarps. Fungal fruit body surveys suggest that the most important families are Amanitaceae, Boletaceae, and Russulaceae, although Thelephoraceae also become numerically important when root tips are examined. EcM communities are affected by various biotic and abiotic factors, as well as anthropogenic perturbations, and the importance of these in structuring EcM communities is examined herein.
Monogamy and family life in callitrichid monkeys: deviations, social dynamics and captive management
Authors: Anzenberger G. , Falk B.
Published: March 2012

Marmosets, tamarins andGoeldi's monkeysCallimico goeldii(Callitrichidae) are well represented in zoos. Owing to their small size, their attractive appearance and their social organization in family groups along with extensive alloparental care, these clawedNewWorld monkeys make fine contributions to any primate collection. In the wild, callitrichids became famous for their so‐called ‘social flexibility’, whereas in captivity they can only be kept in heterosexual pairs or grown family groups. This contradiction is addressed in this article. Based on proximate aspects of behaviour, it is concluded that monogamy is the modal social grouping of any callitrichid taxon. In captive family groups of callitrichids, the underlying behavioural mechanisms that ensure the social and sexual integrity of that taxon‐specific pattern give rise to the kind of social dynamics that zoo personnel have to cope with at regular intervals; that is, marked intra‐group aggression and expulsion of group members. In summary, the overall behavioural theme of naturally grown groups of marmosets, tamarins andGoeldi's monkeys seems to be that their members are torn between cooperation and competition, resulting in occasional periods of social instability.
Epigenetic mechanisms as targets and companions of viral assaults
Authors: Ernberg Ingemar , Karimi Mohsen , Ekström Tomas J.
Published: March 2012

The past decade has seen an explosion of interest for understanding epigenetic mechanisms. This is not surprising since it has been obvious that we need this knowledge to understand basic biology, such as cellular differentiation, stem cell maintenance, and pathological phenotype, etiology, and therapy responses. It is also evident that the constant exposure to the environment affects our functional genomes through epigenetic mechanisms. This short review will bring up general principles of epigenetic mechanisms as well as how viral infections, which constantly affect our physiology, can interphase with these in order to evade host defense and promote their own multiplication and/or latency.
The evolution of Mycoplasma genitalium
Authors: Blanchard Alain , Bébéar Cécile
Published: March 2012

Mycoplasma genitalium is the smallest microrganism capable of self‐replication. With its small genome, M. genitalium is the best representative of a minimal cell. The comparison of genome evolution among the three urogenital mycoplasmas, M. genitalium, M. hominis, and Ureaplasma parvum, not only indicated that they share a core genome of ∼250 protein‐encoding genes that correspond to their basic cell metabolism, but also showed a striking difference in their energy‐generating pathways. M. genitalium is a sexually transmitted organism associated with nongonococcal urethritis in men and several inflammatory reproductive tract syndromes in women, such as cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility. The treatment of M. genitalium infections has not yet been standardized. Macrolides are recommended, especially single‐dose azithromycin; tetracyclines are responsible for a large number of therapeutic failures without any acquired resistance demonstrated. Acquired resistance to macrolides and fluoroquinolones leading to therapeutic failure has been described.
Feasibility of mindfulness‐based therapy in patients recovering from a first psychotic episode: a pilot study
Authors: van der Valk Renate , van de Waerdt Susanna , Meijer Carin J. , van den Hout Ingrid , de Haan Lieuwe
Published: March 2012

Aim: Recently, a mindfulness therapy for people with psychotic disorders was developed. However, clinicians and researchers are cautious given case reports in which extensive meditation provoked psychotic symptoms in people with a psychotic disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility, adverse effects and possible favourable effects of mindfulness‐based therapy (MBT) in people recently recovering from a first episode of psychosis.

Method: A nonrandomized, non‐controlled prospective follow‐up study. Patients were offered an MBT that consisted of eight 1‐hour sessions within a 4‐week time span. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Symptoms Checklist 90 and the Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire were assessed before and after the therapy.

Results: Of the 16 persons who started MBT, 13 completed (81.5%) the therapy. No significant increase in psychotic symptoms was found. Between two meetings, one participant initially misunderstood the mindfulness instructions, which led to an increase in distress. No increased awareness of intrusive thoughts or visual or auditory hallucinations was reported by participants. We found a decrease in agoraphobic symptoms (p < 0.028) and in psychoneuroticism (P < 0.025).

Conclusion: The MBT had no significant adverse effect on psychotic symptoms in patients in this small pilot study, neither did it raise the level of mindfulness in the participants. A decrease in psychological symptoms was found, although one patient experienced an increase in symptoms of distress. Our study demonstrates that therapists should be cautious that therapy and practice instructions are understood properly. Future studies are feasible and needed, in larger samples with an RCT design, in order to draw conclusions regarding the effects of the MBT.
Exposure Times to the Spring Atrazine Flush Along a Stream‐Reservoir System1
Authors: Stoeckel James A. , Morris Jade , Ames Elizabeth , Glover David C. , Vanni Michael J. , Renwick William , González María J.
Published: March 2012

Stoeckel, James A., Jade Morris, Elizabeth Ames, David C. Glover, Michael J. Vanni, William Renwick, and María J. González, 2012. Exposure Times to the Spring Atrazine Flush Along a Stream‐Reservoir System. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 616‐634. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00633.x

Abstract:  We used enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to examine reservoir‐mediated shifts in spring to fall exposure of aquatic organisms to the spring atrazine pulse over four years in a Midwestern stream‐reservoir system. Peak atrazine concentrations in the major inflowing stream exceeded 10 μg/l in all four years. The reservoir had a beneficial effect in two of four years by diluting atrazine below the 10 μg/l threshold. However, during the other two years, exposure times above 10 μg/l were approximately doubled in the reservoir compared to the major inflowing stream. Thresholds of 3 and 5 μg/l were exceeded during all four years in the reservoir. The uplake and downlake reservoir sites were four to five times more likely to exceed these thresholds and aquatic organisms were subjected to longer exposure times above these thresholds compared to the inflowing stream. Release of elevated atrazine concentrations from the reservoir extended exposure times in the outflowing stream. This effect was most pronounced just below the dam. Aquatic organisms upstream of the reservoir were most likely to experience acute exposures whereas organisms within and immediately downstream of the reservoir were more likely to experience chronic exposures. The ubiquity of reservoirs and the annual spring herbicide flush highlight the importance of considering the presence and relative location of reservoirs when assessing risk to aquatic communities as well as locations of drinking water intakes.
A 3‐year follow‐up study on the risk of stroke among patients with conjunctival haemorrhage
Authors: Wang Tsung‐Jen , Keller Joseph J. , Sheu Jau‐Jiuan , Lin Herng‐Ching
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  To the best of our knowledge, no large population‐based studies on the relationship between conjunctival haemorrhage and stroke have been conducted to date. Using a nationwide population‐based data set, this study investigated the relationship between conjunctival haemorrhage and the subsequent risk of stroke within a 3‐year period following diagnosis.

Methods:  We analysed data sourced from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. The study cohort consisted of 17 349 patients with conjunctival haemorrhage and 86 745 comparison subjects. Each patient was individually tracked for a 3‐year period from their index date to identify all those who had subsequently received a diagnosis of stroke.

Results:  The incidence rate of stroke was 2.44 (95% CI = 2.31–2.55) per 100 person‐years in patients with conjunctival haemorrhage and 1.63 (95% CI = 1.59–1.68) per 100 person‐years in comparison patients. After adjusting for patients’ monthly income and geographic location, as well as for hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and coronary heart disease, stratified Cox proportional hazards regressions revealed a statistically significant hazard ratio for stroke in patients with conjunctival haemorrhage (HR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.24–1.42, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:  In this study, patients with conjunctival haemorrhage were found to be at a significant risk of stroke during a 3‐year follow‐up period after diagnosis.
Intracameral mydriatics in phacoemulsification cataract surgery – a 6‐year follow‐up
Authors: Lundberg Björn , Behndig Anders
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  To evaluate the long‐term safety of intracameral mydriatics (ICM) in phacoemulsification cataract surgery compared with conventional topical mydriatics (TM).

Methods:  A total of 45 patients were examined 6 years after phacoemulsification cataract surgery. The patients had previously participated in a prospective randomized double‐blind study including 60 patients, operated with either ICM or TM. The follow‐up included best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), grade of posterior capsule opacification (PCO), YAG laser capsulotomy rate, pupil size, corneal thickness and endothelial morphology.

Results:  No differences in postoperative BCVA, IOP, pupil size, PCO or YAG rate were observed between the groups. Endothelial cell loss, endothelial morphology and corneal thickness were also equivalent.

Conclusions:  Intracameral mydriatics is a safe alternative to topical mydriatics in phacoemulsification cataract surgery with no long‐term disadvantages at 6‐year follow‐up.
Posterior capsular opacification in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome: a long‐term perspective
Authors: Østern Atle E. , Sæthre Marit , Sandvik Gunhild , Råen Marianne , Drolsum Liv
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  To compare posterior capsular opacification in patients with and without pseudoexfoliation syndrome 6–7 years following surgery.

Methods:  Forty‐four eyes of 44 patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome who underwent cataract surgery with phacoemulsification in 2001 and 2002 were available for follow‐up in 2008. These patients were compared to 86 age‐ and gender‐matched patients (86 eyes) without pseudoexfoliation syndrome who had surgery during the same time period. Posterior capsule opacification was assessed using digital retroillumination photography. The images were analysed with a software program (POCOman) to determine the extent and severity of the capsular opacification.

Results:  Percentage and severity of posterior capsular opacification within the central 4.0 and 1.3 mm of the optical zone were compared in eyes with and without pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Neither of these results were statistically significant. Before the re‐examination in 2008, neodymium:yttrium‐aluminium‐garnet laser posterior capsulotomy had been conducted in 16% (n = 7) of eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, as well as in 16% (n = 14) of eyes without pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Conclusion:  Our study indicates that, with phacoemulsification, development of long‐term posterior capsular opacification is not increased in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome after uncomplicated cataract surgery.
Ocular phenotype of CORD5, an autosomal dominant retinal dystrophy associated with PITPNM3 p.Q626H mutation
Authors: Reinis Ainars , Golovleva Irina , Köhn Linda , Sandgren Ola
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  To describe in detail the phenotype of CORD5 in two families segregating a mutation c.1878G>C (p.Q626H) in the PITPNM3 gene.

Methods:  The study included 35 individuals from two different families of Swedish origin, all heterozygous for a PITPNM3 p.Q626H mutation. All participants underwent ophthalmological examination including kinetic perimetry, and in selected cases adaptometry, colour vision tests and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Electrophysiological studies were also performed. In some cases, the data were obtained from medical records.

Results:  The majority of patients showed subnormal visual acuity and light sensitivity from childhood. Early signs of macular degeneration were also observed. There was a progressive decrease in visual acuity leading to legal blindness in early adulthood. Electrophysiological testing showed a progressive loss of photoreceptor function restricted mainly to the cones. OCT revealed decreased macular thickness with flattened and enlarged fovea.

Conclusion:  Our observations of the PITPNM3 p.Q626H mutation carriers confirm that CORD5 is a disease not to mix with other retinal degenerations mapped to 17p13. The results of our clinical evaluation so far indicate that CORD5 is characterized by predominant cone dysfunction without signs of general involvement of the retinal pigment epithelium. The rod system also seems to be unaffected. In this sense, CORD5 is different from other autosomal dominant CORDs where rod involvement is present to some degree in a late phase of the disease. Some intra‐ and inter‐familial differences regarding the severity of the clinical picture were observed.
Isolation of Campylobacter from Feral Swine (Sus scrofa) on the Ranch Associated with the 2006 Escherichia coli O157:H7 Spinach Outbreak Investigation in California
Authors: Jay‐Russell M. T. , Bates A. , Harden L. , Miller W. G. , Mandrell R. E.
Published: March 2012

We report the isolation of Campylobacter species from the same population of feral swine that was investigated in San Benito County, California, during the 2006 spinach‐related Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak. This is the first survey of Campylobacter in a free‐ranging feral swine population in the United States. Campylobacter species were cultured from buccal and rectal‐anal swabs, colonic faeces and tonsils using a combination of selective enrichment and antibiotic‐free membrane filtration methods. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS, Bruker Daltonics, Inc., Billerica, MA, USA) was used to identify species followed by confirmatory multiplex PCR or 16S rRNA sequencing. Genetic relatedness of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains was determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and porA allele sequencing. Altogether, 12 (40%) of 30 feral swine gastrointestinal and oral cavity specimens were positive, and six species were isolated: Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter fetus, Campylobacter hyointestinalsis, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter lanienae and Campylobacter sputorum. Campylobacter jejuni subtypes were closely related to MLST sequence type 21 (ST‐21) and had identical porA sequences. Campylobacter coli subtypes were unrelated to isolates in the pubMLST/porA database. This feral swine population lived in close association with a ‘grassfed’ beef cattle herd adjacent to spinach and other leafy green row crop fields. The findings underscore the importance of protecting raw vegetable crops from faecal contamination by wild or feral animals. The study also illustrates a potential risk of Campylobacter exposure for hunters during handling and processing of wild swine meat.
A community pharmacy-based cardiovascular screening service: views of service users and the public
Authors: Taylor Julia , Krska Janet , Mackridge Adam
Published: March 2012

Objectives

To determine whether pharmacy-based cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening reached the desired population, the local population's awareness of pharmacy screening and the views of service users and the general public about CVD screening.

Methods

Pharmacy staff, located in one English Primary Care Trust providing a CVD screening service, issued questionnaires to service users who had undergone screening. Face-to-face street surveys were conducted with members of the general public within the vicinity of each participating pharmacy.

Key findings

A total of 259 people were screened within the first 6 months of service provision, 97 of whom (37.4%) completed the evaluation questionnaire. In addition, 261 non-service users participated in street surveys. Most respondents among both service users and non-users had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including smoking and lack of exercise. Responses to statements regarding CVD screening showed a high level of agreement with the need for screening in both groups. However, significantly more service users (90.7%) agreed that a pharmacy was a good place for screening compared to the non-users (77.4%; P < 0.005). Likewise significantly fewer service users agreed that screening should be only carried out by doctors (10.3 compared to 25.3% of non-users; P < 0.005). The overall majority of service users 96 (99.7%) had a positive experience of the screening service, agreeing that they were given enough time and pharmacists made them feel at ease. Only 9% of non-users were aware of the pharmacy service and, although the majority (78.4%) were willing to be screened at a pharmacy, this was significantly lower among males than females (69.9 compared to 82.7%; P < 0.005). Perceived concerns about confidentiality and lack of privacy were among barriers identified to taking up screening.

Conclusion

Pharmacy-based CVD screening is acceptable to the public. Its uptake could be improved through increased awareness of the service and by addressing concerns about privacy and confidentiality in promotional activities.
Assuring Tube-to-Tubesheet Joint Tightness and Strength
Authors: Yokell Stanley
Published: March 2012

This paper describes preparing mockup tubesheet specimens for visual examination using a digital microscope to determine that tube joint welds are of the specified size and that expanded joints are satisfactory for the intended purpose. It discusses nondestructive examinations (NDE) of tubesheets and tube joints intended to assure achieving sufficient tightness and strength to satisfy the uses to which the exchangers will be put. The paper refers to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (Code) paragraphs that apply to tube joint welds and expanded joints including shear load testing when the Code requires it.[1] The discussion also addresses the need for manufacturers to have qualified tube joining procedures and personnel who use the procedures. The work concludes with a summary of ways to assure tube joint tightness and strength.
Investigation on Flame Characteristics of Oxy-Fuel Combustion
Authors: Dam Bidhan , Islam Md. , Love Norman , Choudhuri Ahsan
Published: March 2012

Oxy-fuel combustion is currently being considered as a technology that could substantially reduce NOx and CO2 emissions. Currently the gas turbine industry has begun to consider implementing oxy-fuels on a large scale in some combustors. In an effort to better understand and characterize the fundamental flame characteristics of oxy-fuel combustion this article presents the results of stability and flame length experiments. From the results, the flame length primarily depends on the percentage of oxygen and fuel firing input. Flames with a fuel firing input of 1313 W had a higher flame length (275 mm) compared to the same fuel at a firing rate of 925 W (240 mm). It was observed that as the percentage of oxygen increased, the length of the flames decreased for both firing rates. The stability maps of CH4-O2 were plotted using six different tubular burner diameters, ranging from 1 to 6 mm. The flame from the 1 mm diameter burner tube tended to extinguish, even at lower mass flow rates due to a quenching effect. For larger burner diameters, 2 to 6 mm, the flames tended to flashback. It was also observed that the stability regime increased with an increase in CO2 concentration in the fuel mixtures.
Heating Performance and Application Analysis of the Low-Pressure Injection Heater With Tapered Mixing Space
Authors: Ran Jing-yu , Wu Wei-di , Liu Zhi-hua , Zhang Li
Published: March 2012

A new type of low-pressure injection heater was presented. The tapered structure of the heater’s mixture space was designed. Heating performance of the low-pressure heater was studied through the experimental method. Then, the influence of entrance parameters on the outlet temperature, the outlet pressure and the ejecting coefficient were analyzed. The results show that the increase of water mass flow rate can lead to the ejecting coefficient declines under the condition of steam pressure (0.2MPa). Meanwhile, the increases temperature at the outlet can be over 60°C at the inlet water temperature Tw = 20°C. The injection heater has a good adaptability for changing the entrance parameters, which can eliminate the danger that high pressure water enters system. At the same time, based on the theory of Equivalent Enthalpy Drop Method (EEDM) and thermodynamic system state equations, the results of calculation are also shown that the optimization transformation can improve a certain economic profit. The injection heater could be used in the low-pressure feed water system of 200MW steam power plant. The calculated results also indicate that it can replace the sub-last stage surface heat exchanger and raise thermal efficiency of the whole system by 0.07%. Moreover, if all low-pressure surface heat exchangers are replaced by the injection heater, the thermal economy of the whole system can be enhanced by 0.224%.
Numerical Investigation of Hot Air Recirculation in an Air-Cooled Steam Condenser Under Ambient Conditions
Authors: He Weifeng , Dai Yiping , Ma Qingzhong , Xie Danmei
Published: March 2012

Air-cooled steam condensers (ACSCs) have been extensively utilized to reject heat in modern power plant. Hot air recirculation, which implies that the heated air from the exchangers is again drawn back into the axial fans influence the performance of the ACSC. Hot air recirculation under different wind speeds and directions is numerically simulated in an ACSC of a 2×600MW air-cooled power plant with the commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code, FLUENT, and the performance of the ACSC is investigated. Fan boundary is applied to simulate the fan characteristics when the ambient air flows through the rotor and the source term is added to the Navier-Stokes equation to simulate the pressure loss when the air flows through the exchangers. Phase transition is involved in the simulation because the turbine exhaust condensates in the finned tube exchangers while the ambient air flows outside. As a result, user define function based on the actual steam property is applied to simulate the heat transfer course between the exhaust and the ambient air. Two different mechanisms of hot air are simulated: one is based on wind speed and the other is based on wind direction. The simulation result shows that when the wind blows in the front of the ACSC, the hot air from the heat exchanger flow out free at low wind speed while it flows into the fan in the A-frame, and reverse irrigation occurs. Recirculation rate reaches its peak value at α = 135° under the obstacle effect of the turbine and boiler houses. The hot air recirculation under ambient conditions is systematically studied in the paper, and the research results provide the reference for the design and operation of the power plant.