bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection in chronic hepatitis B patients in eastern Turkey: still a serious problem to consider
Authors: Bahcecioglu I. H. , Aygun C. , Gozel N. , Poyrazoglu O. K. , Bulut Y. , Yalniz M.
Published: June 2010

Summary.  Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a serious cause of liver‐related morbidity and mortality. Coexistent infection with HDV tends to aggravate the course of hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐associated liver disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HDV infection among patients chronically infected with HBV in the Elazig region, which is in eastern Turkey. A group of 282 patients infected with chronic HBV were investigated for the study. Anti‐HDV seropositivity was evaluated in all patients. The anti‐HDV‐positive patients were further tested for HDV RNA. Severity of liver disease was assessed by liver biopsy. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between independent variables and HDV positivity. Of 282 chronic HBV patients, 192 were men (68.1%) and 90 were women (31.9%). The mean age was 43.8 ± 12.7 (between 18 and 73 years). Anti‐HDV was positive in 45.5% of the patients (128/282). Among the 128 anti‐HDV‐positive patients, 116 were checked for HDV RNA and 56.9% were found positive (66/116). Chronic HDV infection rate was therefore present in at least 23.4% of the whole study group (66/282). There were 83 patients with cirrhosis (29.4%) in the study group. Anti‐HDV seroprevalence and HDV RNA presence were higher in those with cirrhosis (61.4% and 42.2%, respectively). No significant relationship was found between anti‐HDV seropositivity and demographic factors such as age, sex and operation or transfusion history except family history. HDV‐RNA‐positive patients had significantly higher ALT and lower albumin levels when compared to HDV‐RNA‐negative patients. HDV‐RNA‐positive patients also had a significantly higher fibrosis stage. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that HDV infection is endemic and still a serious problem in the Elazig region of eastern Turkey. HDV infection is significantly related to the family exposure and increases the risk of severe liver fibrosis in this region.
Mites as biological tags of their hosts
Authors: BRUYNDONCKX NADIA , BIOLLAZ FRANÇOIS , DUBEY SYLVAIN , GOUDET JÉRÔME , CHRISTE PHILIPPE
Published: June 2010

Movements and spatial distribution of host populations are expected to shape the genetic structure of their parasite populations. Comparing the genetic patterns of both interacting species may improve our understanding of their evolutionary history. Moreover, genetic analyses of parasites with horizontal transmission may serve as indicators of historical events or current demographic processes that are not apparent in the genetic signature of their hosts. Here, we compared mitochondrial variation in populations of the ectoparasitic mite Spinturnix myoti with the genetic pattern of its host, the Maghrebian bat Myotis punicus in North Africa and in the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. Mite mitochondrial differentiation among populations was correlated with both host mitochondrial and nuclear differentiation, suggesting spatial co‐differentiation of the lineages of the two interacting species. Therefore our results suggest that parasite dispersal is exclusively mediated by host movements, with open water between landmasses as a main barrier for host and parasite dispersal. Surprisingly the unique presence of a continental European mite lineage in Corsica was inconsistent with host phylogeographical history and strongly suggests the former presence of European mouse‐eared bats on this island. Parasites may thus act as biological tags to reveal the presence of their now locally extinct host.
Juvenile compensatory growth has negative consequences for reproduction in Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata)
Authors: Auer Sonya K. , Arendt Jeffrey D. , Chandramouli Radhika , Reznick David N.
Published: June 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 998–1007

Compensatory or ‘catch‐up’ growth may be an adaptive mechanism that buffers the growth trajectory of young organisms from deviations caused by reduced food availability. Theory generally assumes that rapid juvenile compensatory growth impacts reproduction only through its positive effects on age and size at maturation, but potential reproductive costs to juvenile compensatory growth remain virtually unexplored. We used a food manipulation experiment to examine the reproductive consequences of compensatory growth in Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Compensatory growth did not affect adult growth rates, litter production rates or investment in offspring size. However, compensatory growth had negative effects on litter size, independent of the effects of female body length, resulting in a 20% decline in offspring production. We discuss potential mechanisms behind this observed cost to reproduction.
Who to include in measures of sexual selection is no trivial matter
Authors: Klug Hope , Lindström Kai , Kokko Hanna
Published: June 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 1094–1102

In many animals acquiring limited reproductive opportunities involves competition for resources, mates and opposite‐sex gametes. There is ambiguity in which competitive steps are included in measures of sexual selection: individuals who fail to obtain resources necessary for reproduction are often excluded. We illustrate the implications of variation in who is included in measures of selection. We quantified selection on male length and the opportunity for selection associated with nest acquisition, mate acquisition, and fertility of mates at two levels of density and two levels of nest availability in the sand goby. Both measures varied significantly across the three episodes of selection. Nest and mate acquisition contributed substantially to the overall opportunity for selection and selection on male size. Focusing only on males with nests led to lower estimates of selection. The effects of density and nest availability depended on the selective episodes considered. While there is nothing wrong with focusing on particular episodes of interest, inconsistency in who is included in measures of sexual selection across studies will make it difficult to answer broad research questions.
Metagenomic analyses of novel viruses and plasmids from a cultured environmental sample of hyperthermophilic neutrophiles
Authors: Garrett Roger A. , Prangishvili David , Shah Shiraz A. , Reuter Monika , Stetter Karl O. , Peng Xu
Published: June 2010

Two novel viral genomes and four plasmids were assembled from an environmental sample collected from a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park, USA, and maintained anaerobically in a bioreactor at 85°C and pH 6. The double‐stranded DNA viral genomes are linear (22.7 kb) and circular (17.7 kb), and derive apparently from archaeal viruses HAV1 and HAV2. Genomic DNA was obtained from samples enriched in filamentous and tadpole‐shaped virus‐like particles respectively. They yielded few significant matches in public sequence databases reinforcing, further, the wide diversity of archaeal viruses. Several variants of HAV1 exhibit major genomic alterations, presumed to arise from viral adaptation to different hosts. They include insertions up to 350 bp, deletions up to 1.5 kb, and genes with extensively altered sequences. Some result from recombination events occurring at low complexity direct repeats distributed along the genome. In addition, a 33.8 kb archaeal plasmid pHA1 was characterized, encoding a possible conjugative apparatus, as well as three cryptic plasmids of thermophilic bacterial origin, pHB1 of 2.1 kb and two closely related variants pHB2a and pHB2b, of 5.2 and 4.8 kb respectively. Strategies are considered for assembling genomes of smaller genetic elements from complex environmental samples, and for establishing possible host identities on the basis of sequence similarity to host CRISPR immune systems.
Who attends a UK diabetes screening programme? Findings from the ADDITION‐Cambridge study
Authors: Sargeant L. A. , Simmons R. K. , Barling R. S. , Butler R. , Williams K. M. , Prevost A. T. , Kinmonth A. L. , Wareham N. J. , Griffin S. J.
Published: June 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 995–1003 (2010)

Aims  One of the factors influencing the cost‐effectiveness of population screening for Type 2 diabetes may be uptake. We examined attendance and practice‐ and individual‐level factors influencing uptake at each stage of a diabetes screening programme in general practice.

Methods  A stepwise screening programme was undertaken among 135 825 people aged 40–69 years without known diabetes in 49 general practices in East England. The programme included a score based on routinely available data (age, sex, body mass index and prescribed medication) to identify those at high risk, who were offered random capillary blood glucose (RBG) and glycosylated haemoglobin tests. Those screening positive were offered fasting capillary blood glucose (FBG) and confirmatory oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT).

Results  There were 33 539 high‐risk individuals invited for a RBG screening test; 24 654 (74%) attended. Ninety‐four per cent attended the follow‐up FBG test and 82% the diagnostic OGTT. Seventy per cent of individuals completed the screening programme. Practices with higher general practitioner staff complements and those located in more deprived areas had lower uptake for RBG and FBG tests. Male sex and a higher body mass index were associated with lower attendance for RBG testing. Older age, prescription of antihypertensive medication and a higher risk score were associated with higher attendance for FBG and RBG tests.

Conclusions  High attendance rates can be achieved by targeted stepwise screening of individuals assessed as high risk by data routinely available in general practice. Different strategies may be required to increase initial attendance, ensure completion of the screening programme, and reduce the risk that screening increases health inequalities.
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in Type 1 diabetes: patient experiences of ‘living with a machine’
Authors: Todres L. , Keen S. , Kerr D.
Published: June 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 1201–1204 (2010)

Aims  The aims of this study were to provide in‐depth insight into the changes that may be experienced by patients embarking on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and to answer the research question, what is it like to live with an insulin pump?

Methods  An in‐depth, qualitative, multiple interview study of individuals with Type 1 diabetes using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in a secondary care setting in the south of England. Four patients (two male, two female) across the age range and with varied experience of pump use, were recruited from a specialist diabetes centre.

Results  Switching from multiple injection therapy to insulin pump therapy presents challenges in the short term. Over a longer period, use of this technology is associated with a significant improvement in quality of life for the users and also a change in the relationship between the patient and their specialist healthcare provider.

Conclusions  Insulin pump therapy has additional qualitative benefits beyond improvements in glycaemic control and reducing the risk of hypoglycaemia for people with Type 1 diabetes.
Low local but high beta diversity of tropical forest dung beetles in Madagascar
Authors: Viljanen Heidi , Escobar Federico , Hanski Ilkka
Published: June 2010

Aims  We have compared local (alpha) and regional (beta) species diversities of dung beetles in wet forests in the main tropical regions including Madagascar. Madagascar is exceptional in lacking native large herbivorous mammals which produce the key resource for dung beetles elsewhere.

Location  Central and South America, mainland Africa, Madagascar and Southeast Asia.

Methods  Trapping data on dung beetles and data on mammalian faunas were obtained from published and unpublished studies. We used our original data for Madagascar.

Results  Species richness of dung beetles and that of large‐bodied (> 15 mm length) species in particular were highly significantly explained by the regional number of large‐bodied (> 10 kg) mammals (R2 from 50 to 80%). For a given pairwise spatial distance between two communities, beta diversity was significantly higher in Madagascar than elsewhere, explaining the very high total species richness in Madagascar in spite of low local diversity.

Main conclusion  The presence and numbers of large herbivorous mammals greatly influence the species richness of dung beetles in tropical wet forests. The lack of native large herbivores rather than a limited species pool explains the low local diversity in Madagascar. Exceptionally high beta diversity in Madagascar suggests a pattern of old radiation involving extensive allopatric speciation.
Ethical and public policy aspects of childhood obesity: opinions of scientists working on an intervention study
Authors: Wickins‐Drazilova D. , Williams G.
Published: June 2010

Scientists working on an obesity intervention project were asked questions, via questionnaire and interviews, relating to ethical and public‐policy aspects of tackling childhood obesity. The main areas of enquiry concerned elements responsible for the rise in childhood obesity, key ethical areas of obesity interventions, helpfulness and effectiveness of policy measures, socioeconomic factors, and media coverage and political debate. Key results from this indicate that: there is disagreement about the amount of information about the causes of obesity that is needed before implementing interventions; an improvement in health and nutrition education of both children and adults through positive messages is seen as highly desirable; scientists regard environment, rather than genetics, as playing the major role in rising obesity levels; the level of individual responsibility being placed on parents and children may be unfair and unhelpful; whole‐system, long‐term and sensitive policy actions are needed rather than relying on quick fixes such as miracle pills; and there are country‐specific issues related to rising obesity levels that need to be considered, though the respondents tended to have a great deal of faith in EU‐wide interventions.
Nesfatin‐1: a novel inhibitory regulator of food intake and body weight
Authors: Stengel A. , Goebel M. , Taché Y.
Published: June 2010

The protein nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) or NEFA (DNA binding/EF‐hand/acidic amino acid rich region) was identified over a decade ago and implicated in intracellular processes. New developments came with the report that post‐translational processing of hypothalamic NUCB2 may result in nesfatin‐1, nesfatin‐2 and nesfatin‐3 and convergent studies showing that nesfatin‐1 and full length NUCB2 injected in the brain potently inhibit the dark phase food intake in rodents including leptin receptor deficient Zucker rats. Nesfatin‐1 also reduces body weight gain, suggesting a role as a new anorexigenic factor and modulator of energy balance. In light of the obesity epidemic and its associated diseases, underlying new mechanisms regulating food intake may be promising targets in the drug treatment of obese patients particularly as the vast majority of them display reduced leptin sensitivity or leptin resistance while nesfatin‐1's mechanism of action is leptin independent. Although much progress on the localization of NUCB2/nesfatin‐1 in the brain and periphery as well as on the understanding of nesfatin‐1's anorexic effect have been achieved during the past three years, several important mechanisms have yet to be unraveled such as the identification of the nesfatin‐1 receptor and the regulation of NUCB2 processing and nesfatin‐1 release.
Bayesian Change-Point Analysis for Atomic Force Microscopy and Soft Material Indentation
Authors: Rudoy Daniel , Yuen Shelten G. , Howe Robert D. , Wolfe Patrick J.
Published: June 2010

Material indentation studies, in which a probe is brought into controlled physical contact with an experimental sample, have long been a primary means by which scientists characterize the mechanical properties of materials. More recently, the advent of atomic force microscopy, which operates on the same fundamental principle, has in turn revolutionized the nanoscale analysis of soft biomaterials such as cells and tissues. The paper addresses the inferential problems that are associated with material indentation and atomic force microscopy, through a framework for the change-point analysis of pre-contact and post-contact data that is applicable to experiments across a variety of physical scales. A hierarchical Bayesian model is proposed to account for experimentally observed change-point smoothness constraints and measurement error variability, with efficient Monte Carlo methods developed and employed to realize inference via posterior sampling for parameters such as Young’s modulus, which is a key quantifier of material stiffness. These results are the first to provide the materials science community with rigorous inference procedures and quantification of uncertainty, via optimized and fully automated high throughput algorithms, implemented as the publicly available software package BayesCP. To demonstrate the consistent accuracy and wide applicability of this approach, results are shown for a variety of data sets from both macromaterials and micromaterials experiments—including silicone, neurons and red blood cells—conducted by the authors and others.
A Bayesian Model for Biclustering with Applications
Authors: Zhang Jian
Published: June 2010

The paper proposes a Bayesian method for biclustering with applications to gene microarray studies, where we want to cluster genes and experimental conditions simultaneously. We begin by embedding bicluster analysis into the framework of a plaid model with random effects. The corresponding likelihood is then regularized by the hierarchical priors in each layer. The resulting posterior, which is asymptotically equivalent to a penalized likelihood, can attenuate the effect of high dimensionality on cluster predictions. We provide an empirical Bayes algorithm for sampling posteriors, in which we estimate the cluster memberships of all genes and samples by maximizing an explicit marginal posterior of these memberships. The new algorithm makes the estimation of the Bayesian plaid model computationally feasible and efficient. The performance of our procedure is evaluated on both simulated and real microarray gene expression data sets. The numerical results show that our proposal substantially outperforms the original plaid model in terms of misclassification rates across a range of scenarios. Applying our method to two yeast gene expression data sets, we identify several new biclusters which show the enrichment of known annotations of yeast genes.
Assessing the long‐term impact of Ranavirus infection in wild common frog populations
Authors: Teacher A. G. F. , Cunningham A. A. , Garner T. W. J.
Published: June 2010

Amphibians are declining worldwide, and one cause of this is infectious disease emergence. Mass mortalities caused by a virus or a group of viruses belonging to the genus Ranavirus have occurred in wild common frogs Rana temporaria in England since the 1980s, and ranaviral disease is widespread in amphibians in North America and Canada, where it can also cause mass die‐offs. Although there have been numerous reports of Ranavirus‐associated mass mortality events, no study has yet evaluated the long‐term impacts of this disease. This study follows up archived records of English common frog mortalities likely caused by Ranavirus. There is a preliminary indication that common frog populations can respond differently to the emergence of disease: emergence may be transient, catastrophic, or persistent with recurrent mortality events. We subsequently focused on populations that had recurring mortality events (n=18), and we report median declines of 81% in the number of adult frogs in these populations from 1996 to 2008. Comparable uninfected populations (n=16) showed no change in population size over the same time period. Regressions show that larger frog populations may be more likely to experience larger declines than smaller populations, and linear models show that percentage population size change is significantly correlated with disease status, but that habitat age (a possible proxy for environmental quality) has no significant effect on population size change. Our results provide the first evidence of long‐term localized population declines of an amphibian species which appear to be best explained by the presence of Ranavirus infection.
The nutritional significance of cheese in the UK diet
Authors: ASH ANTHONY , WILBEY ANDREW
Published: June 2010

Cheese currently suffers from an adverse nutritional image largely due to a perceived association between saturated fatty acid, cholesterol and the salt content of cheese with cardiovascular disease. However, cheese is also a rich source of essential nutrients such as proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals that play an integral part of a healthy diet. This review outlines the composition, structure and physiological characteristics of the nutritionally significant components of cheese, whilst presenting some of the controversies that surround the role of cheese in dietary guidelines and the potential cheese has to improve health in the UK population.
Elevated augmentation index derived from peripheral arterial tonometry is associated with abnormal ventricular–vascular coupling
Authors: Heffernan Kevin S. , Patvardhan Eshan A. , Hession Michael , Ruan Jenny , Karas Richard H. , Kuvin Jeffrey T.
Published: June 2010

Background:  Although typically derived from the contour of arterial pressure waveform, augmentation index (AIx) may also be derived from the digital pulse volume waveform using finger plethysmography (peripheral arterial tonometry, PAT). Little is known regarding the physiologic correlates of AIx derived from PAT. In this study, we investigated the relation of PAT‐AIx with measures of ventricular–vascular coupling.

Methods:  Pulse volume waves were measured via PAT and used to derive AIx. Using 2‐dimensional echocardiography, effective arterial elastance index (EaI) was estimated as end‐systolic pressure/stroke volume index. Left ventricular (LV) end‐systolic elastance index (ELVI) was calculated as end‐systolic pressure/end‐systolic volume index. Ventricular–vascular coupling ratio was defined as EaI/ELVI.

Results:  Given the bi‐directional nature of ventricular–vascular uncoupling as measured by echocardiography, patients were separated into three groups: low EaI/ELVI (<0·6, n = 21), optimal EaI/ELVI (mean 0·6–1·2, n = 16) and high EaI/ELVI (>1·2, n = 10). Adjusting for potential confounders (age, mean arterial pressure, height and heart rate), patients with optimal EaI/ELVI had lower AIx (1 ± 4%, P<0·05) compared to those with low EaI/ELVI (13 ± 4%) and high EaI/ELVI (19 ± 5%).

Conclusions:  Abnormal ventricular–vascular coupling, arising from either increased effective arterial elastance or increased ventricular elastance, is associated with increased AIx as measured by PAT. Additional research is needed to examine other vascular correlates of PAT‐AIx.
Estimation of the Uncertainty in Measurement of Composite Material Mechanical Properties During Static Testing
Authors: Lekou D. J. , Assimakopoulou T. T. , Philippidis T. P.
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  For the design of composite structures in general and more specific for wind turbine rotor blades, mechanical material properties of the composites are usually obtained through experiments, following appropriate standards. However, the available standards do not provide an indication of the measurement uncertainty obtained through application of the experimental method. On the other hand, this information is of high importance if comparisons are to be conducted or the effect of a parameter whether environmental or other on a material property is to be sought. Therefore, in this work the estimation of the measurement uncertainty is presented for the basic material parameters extracted through these tests, namely the strength, the elasticity modulus and the Poisson’s ratio.
Stress Evolution With Temperature in Titanium‐Rich NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Films
Authors: Kumar A. , Sharma S. K. , Kamat S. V. , Mohan S.
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  The effect of deposition temperature on residual stress evolution with temperature in Ti‐rich NiTi films deposited on silicon substrates was studied. Ti‐rich NiTi films were deposited on 3″ Si (100) substrates by DC magnetron sputtering at three deposition temperatures (300, 350 and 400 °C) with subsequent annealing in vacuum at their respective deposition temperatures for 4 h. The initial value of residual stress was found to be the highest for the film deposited and annealed at 400 °C and the lowest for the film deposited and annealed at 300 °C. All the three films were found to be amorphous in the as‐deposited and annealed conditions. The nature of the stress response with temperature on heating in the first cycle (room temperature to 450 °C) was similar for all three films although the spike in tensile stress, which occurs at ∼330 °C, was significantly higher in the film deposited and annealed at 300 °C. All the films were also found to undergo partial crystallisation on heating up to 450 °C and this resulted in decrease in the stress values around 55–60 °C in the cooling cycle. The stress response with temperature in the second thermal cycle (room temperature to 450 °C and back), which is reflective of the intrinsic film behaviour, was found to be similar in all cases and the elastic modulus determined from the stress response was also more or less identical. The three deposition temperatures were also not found to have a significant effect on the transformation characteristics of these films such as transformation start and finish temperatures, recovery stress and hysteresis.
The Optical Method of Reflected Caustics Applied for a Plate With a Central Hole: Critical Points and Limitations
Authors: Pazis D. N. , Agioutantis Z. , Kourkoulis S. K.
Published: June 2010

Abstract:  Some critical points related to the applicability of the optical method of reflected caustics in the case of a plate with a central hole are explored in the present paper. The study is carried out in a combined experimental and numerical procedure: poly‐methyl‐meth‐acrylate plates with a central hole are subjected to uniaxial tension and the diameter of the caustics developed is measured for various load steps from a series of successive photographs with the aid of suitable software. The remote stress is then calculated according to the method of caustics and the results are compared with those of the load cell. In addition, the finite element method is employed for the determination of the stress field and the shape and magnitude of the plastic zones around the hole. Conclusions are drawn concerning the range of the external load for which the results of the method of caustics are valid as a function of the relative dimension of the width of the plate versus the diameter of the hole. In addition, the factors influencing the results of the method are considered and the sensitivity of the results to the even the slightest misalignments of the experimental set‐up, to the kind of the optical setup preferred and to the slightest deviation from flatness of the lateral faces of the plate is pointed out. This sensitivity of the method was proved to be responsible for discrepancies between theory and experiment, which sometimes exceed 100%.
Three‐Dimensional Computer‐Aided Design–Based Geometric Modeling of a New Trileaflet Aortic Valve
Authors: Praveen Kumar Gideon , Mathew Lazar
Published: June 2010

Our objective was to design a new trileaflet aortic valve using computer‐aided design (CAD). Quantification of aortic valve geometries is essential in understanding normal and pathological valvular function and eventually in the design of valves. We have designed a new tissue valve model to investigate its suitability in aortic valve replacement. Steps involved in three‐dimensional CAD‐based geometric modeling of a trileaflet aortic valve and the effects of different component dimensions on the mechanical behavior of valve are presented in this article. Conceptual designing of individual components was used to build the total geometric model. A new geometric model of a trileaflet aortic valve was designed. This may be of great interest to designers of new prosthetic heart valve models, as well as to surgeons involved in valve‐sparing surgery.
Diagnosis of Congenital Unicuspid Aortic Valve in Adult Population: The Value and Limitation of Transesophageal Echocardiography
Authors: Chu John W. , Picard Michael H. , Agnihotri Arvind K. , Fitzsimons Michael G.
Published: June 2010

Background: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of two‐dimensional echocardiography (echo) in diagnosing unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) and to determine echo features that could improve the diagnosis. Method: We reviewed transthoracic/transesophageal echoes (TTE/TEE) from our hospital database for adult patients who had aortic valve surgery with a preoperative echo diagnosis of UAV or equivocal diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) BAV/UAV. Morphological characteristics of AV and ascending aortic dimensions were evaluated. Results: Nineteen patients were identified, 13 (11 Male, 2 Female, mean age 47 ± 10 years) had surgically confirmed diagnosis of UAV, six had BAV. The incidence of UAV was 2.6%. For diagnosing UAV, the sensitivity and specificity of TTE was 27% and 50% and those of TEE was 75% and 86%, respectively. For TTE, positive predictive value (PPV) was 60% and negative predictive value (NPV) was 20%. By TEE, PPV was 90% and the NPV was 67%. In UAV patients, 85% had severe aortic stenosis (mean gradient 45 ± 16 mmHg, AVA: 0.9 ± 0.2 cm2). 46% had ascending aorta aneurysm (mean aortic root, sinutubular junction, ascending aorta dimensions: 36 ± 3 mm, 31 ± 4 mm and 41 ± 8 mm). Patients with ascending aortic aneurysm were younger (41 ± 11 years vs. 52 ± 5 years, P < 0.05) All UAV were unicommissural with a posteriorly positioned commissural attachment, 69% were heavily calcified. Diagnostic accuracy was limited by quality of images, severity, and distribution of calcification. Conclusion: TEE is the diagnostic modality of choice in UAV. Identifying several echo features may improve its diagnostic accuracy. (Echocardiography 2010;27:1107‐1112)
Acute Left Main Stent Thrombosis Diagnosed by Transesophageal Echocardiography
Authors: Paluszkiewicz Lech , Koertke Heinrich
Published: June 2010

(Echocardiography 2010;27:E94‐E95)
Fatal Migratory Pulmonary Thromboembolism Following Successful Pericardiocentesis
Authors: Warsame Tahlil A. , Yang Hyun Suk , Mookadam Farouk , Sorajja Dan , Den Yang , Moustafa Sherif E. , Alharthi Mohsen S. , Chandrasekaran Krishnaswamy
Published: June 2010

Echocardiography‐guided pericardiocentesis is relatively safe with minimal risk in experienced hands. However, complications can occur because of the procedure. This report describes a unique case of an 84‐year‐old man with unanticipated fatal pulmonary thromboembolism following a successful pericardiocentesis. (Echocardiography 2010;27:E125‐E127)
Genetic Identities of Cryptic Species in the Strombidium stylifer/apolatum/oculatum Cluster, Including a Description of Strombidium rassoulzadegani n. sp.
Authors: McMANUS GEORGE B. , XU DAPENG , COSTAS BARBARA A. , KATZ LAURA A.
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACT. To assess diversity among cryptic species of the ciliate genus Strombidium, we characterized the small subunit ribosomal DNA gene (SSU‐rDNA) from several lineages that had been identified previously as distinct based on the internal transcribed spacer regions of the rDNA locus. We sequenced SSU‐rDNA from four members of a cryptic species cluster of ciliates from tidepools in the North Atlantic Ocean. One of the sequences was very similar (>99% similarity) to that of Strombidium apolatum. The other three sequences differed from each other and from the closest named species on GenBank by 4–10%. We were able to cultivate only one of these three species. Here we name it Strombidium rassoulzadegani n. sp. and describe its morphology, behavior, and feeding. The history of observations of tidepool Strombidiidae is discussed along with hypotheses about how they may partition the tidepool niche for coexistence. Given the apparent high degree of cryptic diversity of ribotypes in the Strombidiidae, we recommend that no new species descriptions be made without accompanying genetic information.
Adh1 first intron polymorphisms in Argentinean populations of Ceratitis capitata
Authors: Lanzavecchia SB , Remis MI , Cladera JL , Zandomeni RO
Published: June 2010

DNA size polymorphisms were utilized in a study of 24 natural populations of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Argentina. The first intron of alcohol dehydrogenase 1 gene (Adh1) was amplified using exon priming intron crossing‐polymerase chain reaction. Three size variants were detected among the 307 samples analyzed. To better differentiate the size variants, further digestion of PCR products with the EcoRI restriction enzyme was carried out. Complete nucleotide sequences of the three‐allele variants were obtained and single changes, insertions, deletions, and EcoRI recognition sites were located. Population allele frequencies were analyzed and a global mean heterozygosity (He) of 0.33 was obtained. In most populations, observed allelic frequencies conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectations. Significant differences between provinces and sampling sites within these provinces, and among some populations were found. The average number of insects exchanged among populations (Nm) was estimated and high values were observed between Argentina and populations from two African countries (Morocco and Kenya), Australia, and Hawaii (Kauai). Pest introduction sources and dispersion patterns in Argentina are discussed based on these results as well as on available bibliographical data.
An energy budget approach for evaluating the biocontrol potential of cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) by the ladybeetle Propylaea japonica
Authors: Gao Feng , Jifon John , Liu Xiang‐Hui , Ge Feng
Published: June 2010

Biological control of economically important crop pests is an important component of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Predator–prey energy relationships are critical to the success of biocontrol strategies; however, these relationships are often ignored in many IPM programs. In this study, the biocontrol potential of cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii (Glover) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), by the ladybeetle Propylaea japonica (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was estimated in terms of energy budgets calculated at 27 ± 1 °C. The energy equivalent of prey subjects (aphids) consumed was estimated from bomb calorimetry and partitioned into the energy associated with ingestion, assimilation, respiration, reproduction, and waste for each developmental stage of the lady beetle. The average assimilation efficiencies for larval and adult ladybeetles were 88.2 and 91.1%, respectively, whereas net ecological efficiencies were 17.6% for larvae and 2.6% for adults. Similarly, assimilation efficiencies of cotton aphids were 71.5 and 74.4% for nymphs and adults, respectively. Based on energy budget calculations, approximately 520, 3‐day‐old aphids and 5 356, 3‐day‐old aphids were estimated to be consumed by the ladybeetle larval stage and the female adult stage, respectively. These estimates were similar to the actual number of aphids consumed by the ladybeetles, based on actual counts. The current data demonstrate that P. japonica is an important natural enemy of the cotton aphid, and that predator–prey energy relationships can play a critical role in biocontrol strategies and IPM programs.
Aestivation and diapause syndromes reduce the water balance requirements for pupae of the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor
Authors: Benoit Joshua B. , Morton Philip K. , Cambron Susan E. , Patrick Kevin R. , Schemerhorn Brandon J.
Published: June 2010

We report the water balance of aestivating (summer), diapausing (winter), and non‐diapausing pupae of Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Maintaining water requirements during pupal dormancy is particularly important because water cannot be replenished actively by drinking. Dehydration tolerance (25% loss before succumbing to dehydration) and water content (63–65%) were not different for the three types of pupae. Differences were noted in the net transpiration rates (NTRs, % body water per hour at 0% r.h.) between dormant (0.24–0.28% per hour) and non‐diapausing (0.47% per hour) pupae 10 days after pupariation, but not between aestivating (0.28% per hour) and diapausing (0.24% per hour) pupae. These reduced NTRs result in extended pupal survival, indicated by adult eclosion, during exposure to dehydrating conditions. Net transpiration rates for aestivating and diapausing pupae were further reduced as dormancy progressed (up to 130 days) until individuals were moved to conditions that break dormancy. Pupae could not take up water from the atmosphere below vapor saturation (100% r.h. or 1.00 av), and rely upon contact with liquid water or moist plant tissue to replenish their water stores. The critical transition temperatures (CTT) of the aestivating and diapausing pupae were significantly higher than those of non‐diapausing pupae, suggesting that modified cuticular lipids are present on aestivating and diapausing pupae. Thus, aestivation and diapause trigger a dormancy specific water balance profile characterized by reduced NTRs and increased CTTs.
An economic evaluation of different sinus lift techniques
Authors: Listl Stefan , Faggion Clovis Mariano
Published: June 2010

Listl S, Faggion CM. An economic evaluation of different sinus lift techniques. J Clin Periodontol 2010; 37: 777‐787 doi:10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01577.x.

Purpose:To identify the most cost‐effective approach to sinus lifting on the basis of currently available evidence.

Methods:We incorporate the costs and clinical outcomes of nine different sinus lift techniques within a decision tree model in which costs are based on insurance regulations in Germany and health outcomes follow two recent meta‐analyses. The most cost‐effective treatment option is identified on the basis of the maximum net benefit criterion. Uncertainties regarding health outcomes are incorporated via probabilistic sensitivity analysis based on Monte‐Carlo simulation.

Results:When there are no financial restrictions, the optimum treatment strategy is the lateral approach with autogenous particulate bone and a resorbable membrane. When, however, monetary resources for sinus‐floor elevation are scarce, the most cost‐effective option is the transalveolar technique without bone grafting. Only if relatively high costs can be afforded or if initial bone height at implant site is below 5 mm is the maximum net benefit achieved by lateral approaches.

Conclusions:On the basis of currently available evidence, the transalveolar technique is advisable when monetary resources for sinus‐floor elevation are scarce and initial bone height is sufficiently high. Lateral approaches are primarily recommended for lower pre‐operative bone heights.
Therapy‐related leukemia following chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer
Authors: Mimura Naoya , Tsujimura Hideki , Ise Mikiko , Sakai Chikara , Takagi Toshiyuki , Nagata Matsuo , Kumagai Kyoya
Published: June 2010

Chemoradiotherapy has improved the outcome of patients with esophageal cancer. Although a sufficiently long‐time survival has resulted in the increase of several treatment‐related late toxicities, little is still known about the incidence of secondary malignancies. In our hospital, 348 patients with esophageal cancer received chemotherapy consisting of nedaplatin and 5‐fluorouracil and concurrent irradiation. Median and average follow‐up durations were 8 and 21 months (1–92), respectively. Four patients developed leukemia after 19–48 months of follow‐up. Two patients were diagnosed with overt leukemia from myelodysplastic syndrome presenting a complex karyotype, including the deletion of chromosome 5 or 7. Notably, one patient showed an additional chromosomal abnormality with t(9;22)(q34;q11). Other patients developed acute myeloid leukemia with t(9;22)(q34;q11) and Burkitt leukemia with t(8;14)(q24;q32). All patients eventually succumbed to leukemia. Platinum and fluorouracil have shown relatively lower risks for secondary malignancies in comparison with alkylating agents and topoisomerase II inhibitors. Especially, nedaplatin has never been described to introduce secondary neoplasms. Our report supports the idea that the concurrent administration of radiotherapy with these agents affects the risk of leukemia. Interestingly, rare balanced chromosomal abnormalities were observed in the present cases, thus providing new insights into the leukemogenesis of therapy‐related leukemia.
Adipocytokines and bone mineral density in adolescent female athletes
Authors: Gruodytė R , Jürimäe J , Cicchella A , Stefanelli C , Passariello C , Jürimäe T
Published: June 2010

Aim:  To evaluate the relationships of visfatin, adiponectin and leptin with bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in adolescent female athletes with different training patterns.

Methods:  This study involved 170 healthy 13–15‐year‐old girls divided into six groups based on activity: sport games (i.e. basketball, volleyball, badminton) (n = 49), track sprint (n = 24), rhythmic gymnastics (n = 23), swimming (n = 24), cross‐country skiing (n = 17) and sedentary controls (n = 33). BMD and BMC at femoral neck and lumbar spine (L2–L4) were measured using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Visfatin, adiponectin, leptin, insulin and glucose were measured, and the insulin resistance index was calculated using homeostasis model assessment.

Results:  There were no relationships found between visfatin concentrations and bone mineral parameters in adolescent female athletes or controls. Adiponectin was inversely correlated to BMD and BMC of femoral neck and lumbar spine (r=−0.47–0.62) in the swimmer group only, but after adjustments for age, height and body mass these associations disappeared. Leptin concentrations correlated with bone mineral parameters even after adjusting for age, height and body mass (r = 0.42–0.63) in the gymnast group only.

Conclusion:  We may conclude that after adjustment, leptin is the only adipokine of those measured that correlates to femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD and femoral neck BMC in the rhythmic gymnast group.
Mysterious oligomerization of the amyloidogenic proteins
Authors: Uversky Vladimir N.
Published: June 2010

Misfolding and subsequent self‐assembly of protein molecules into various aggregates is a common molecular mechanism for a number of important human diseases. Curing protein misfolding pathologies and designing successful drugs for the inhibition or reversal of protein aggregation depends on understanding the peculiarities of the misfolding process. Protein aggregation is a very complex process characterized by a remarkable polymorphism, where soluble amyloid oligomers, amyloid fibrils and amorphous aggregates are found as final products. This polymorphism is associated with the existence of multiple independent and competing assembly pathways leading to aggregation. Regardless of the aggregation mechanism, soluble oligomers are inevitably formed during the self‐association process. Some of these oligomers are now considered to be major initiators of the neurodegenerative cascades of corresponding diseases. However, not all oligomers are equally harmful, and several amyloidogenic proteins have been shown to form nontoxic oligomers, some of which were efficient fibrillation inhibitors. Unfortunately, the information on the structural properties of soluble oligomers and the mechanisms of their formation, interconversion and toxicity is sparse. This review provides an overview of some topics related to soluble oligomers and represents several illustrative examples of toxic, nontoxic, productive and off‐pathway amyloid oligomers.
The Responsibility to Protect—Five Years On
Authors: Bellamy Alex J.
Published: June 2010

The Responsibility to Protect (RtoP) has become a prominent feature in international debates about preventing and responding to genocide and mass atrocities. Since its adoption in 2005, it has been discussed in relation to a dozen major crises and been the subject of discussion at the UN Security Council and General Assembly. This article takes stock of the past five years and examines three questions about RtoP: What is its function? Is it a norm, and, if so, what sort? And what contribution has it made to the prevention of atrocities and protection of vulnerable populations? In relation to the first, it argues that RtoP is commonly conceptualized as fulfilling one of two functions (a framework for a policy agenda and a speech-act meant to generate the will to intervene), but that these two functions are incompatible. In relation to the second question, it argues that RtoP is best thought of as two sets of norms relating to the responsibilities of states to their own populations and international responsibilities. The first set are well defined and established, the second though are indeterminate and lack compliance-pull, limiting the extent to which RtoP can serve as a catalyst for action. This, the article argues, is reflected in RtoP's track record thus far. RtoP has failed to generate additional political will in response to atrocity crimes but it has proven useful as both a diplomatic tool and as a policy lens.
Preliminary results of five feline total hip replacements
Authors: Witte P. G. , Scott H. W. , Tonzing M. A.
Published: June 2010

Five feline total hip replacements (including one case of staged bilateral total hip replacement) for management of proximal femoral physeal fractures are reported. The surgical procedure was a modified version of that widely used in dogs. Craniodorsal luxation was the only major complication encountered. Subjectively outcomes appeared to be good in all cases.
Lack of correlation between canine heart rate and body size in veterinary clinical practice
Authors: Ferasin L. , Ferasin H. , Little C. J. L.
Published: June 2010

Objectives: An association between heart rate (HR) and bodyweight has been reported in dogs and it is common belief that small breeds of dog exhibit higher HR than large breeds. The first aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that, in veterinary clinical practice, bodyweight does not affect HR measured in healthy dogs. A second objective of this investigation was to assess whether other variables, such as gender, breed morphology, age and demeanour, may have a significant effect on dog’s HR measured in a clinical setting.

Methods: The investigation was performed via two different studies: a retrospective analysis performed on 243 electrocardiogram recordings and a prospective study based on 153 standardised clinical examinations.

Results: The two separate studies did not show any significant correlation between HR and bodyweight (P=0·5705 and P=0·4682, respectively). Subject’s breed morphology and gender did not appear to affect HR measured under these circumstances. However, dogs under the age of one year seem to have significantly higher HRs than older dogs (P < 0·05). Finally, subject’s demeanour was also found to have a significant influence on HR; lower values were recorded in relaxed dogs, and higher rates were documented in excited, nervous dogs (P < 0·05).

Clinical Significance: Normal HR could be erroneously interpreted as bradycardia or tachycardia if bodyweight was to be considered a determinant factor. Instead, HR in healthy dogs undergoing routine clinical examination is related to their demeanour or age, if younger than 12 months, but does not appear to be related to bodyweight.