bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular aspects of ischaemic postconditioning
Authors: Kaur Shaminder , Jaggi Amteshwar Singh , Singh Nirmal
Published: August 2009

Preconditioning, a well established phenomenon had been used since 1980s to attenuate ischaemia‐reperfusion induced injury. However, inability to predict the onset of ischaemia in clinical settings led to the discovery of a new concept of postconditioning (PoCo), in 2000s whereby brief repetitive cycles of ischaemia with intermittent reperfusion followed by prolonged ischaemia‐elicited tissue protection. There is an impressive array of molecular mechanisms contributing to PoCo‐mediated tissue‐protection, which include triggers like adenosine (ADO), opioid, erythropoietin (EPO), endogenous nitric‐oxide, reactive oxygen species, acetylcholine, tissue factors, pro‐inflammatory cytokines and bradykinin; mediators like reperfusion injury salvage kinase pathways including phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase, extra‐cellular signal regulated kinase½ pathway, protein kinase G and protein kinase C; end‐effectors like mitohondrial permeability transition pore and mitochondrial potassium ATP channel. The clinical applicability of PoCo has been extended with the use of PoCo mimetic agents like insulin, glucagon like peptide, EPO, statins and ADO before reperfusion in patients with ischaemia reperfusion injury. Remote PoCo has also emerged as a new concept; however, considerable research is required for understanding its molecular mechanisms. In this review, an exhaustive attempt has been made to unearth some molecular aspects of PoCo.
Effects of myostatin deletion in aging mice
Authors: Morissette Michael R. , Stricker Janelle C. , Rosenberg Michael A. , Buranasombati Cattleya , Levitan Emily B. , Mittleman Murray A. , Rosenzweig Anthony
Published: August 2009

Inhibitors of myostatin, a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass, are being developed to mitigate aging‐related muscle loss. Knock‐out (KO) mouse studies suggest myostatin also affects adiposity, glucose handling and cardiac growth. However, the cardiac consequences of inhibiting myostatin remain unclear. Myostatin inhibition can potentiate cardiac growth in specific settings (Morissette et al., 2006), a concern because of cardiac hypertrophy is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Therefore, we examined the systemic and cardiac effects of myostatin deletion in aged mice (27–30 months old). Heart mass increased comparably in both wild‐type (WT) and KO mice. Aged KO mice maintained twice as much quadriceps mass as aged WT; however, both groups lost the same percentage (36%) of adult muscle mass. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry revealed increased bone density, mineral content, and area in aged KO vs. aged WT mice. Serum insulin and glucose levels were lower in KO mice. Echocardiography showed preserved cardiac function with better fractional shortening (58.1% vs. 49.4%, P = 0.002) and smaller left ventricular diastolic diameters (3.41 vs. 2.71, P = 0.012) in KO vs. WT mice. Phospholamban phosphorylation was increased 3.3‐fold in KO hearts (P < 0.05), without changes in total phospholamban, sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2a or calsequestrin. Aged KO hearts showed less fibrosis by Masson’s Trichrome staining. Thus, myostatin deletion does not affect aging‐related increases in cardiac mass and appears beneficial for bone density, insulin sensitivity and heart function in senescent mice. These results suggest that clinical interventions designed to inhibit skeletal muscle mass loss with aging could have beneficial effects on other organ systems as well.
One‐dimensional relaxations and LP bounds for orthogonal packing
Authors: Belov G. , Kartak V. , Rohling H. , Scheithauer G.
Published: August 2009

We consider the feasibility problem in d‐dimensional orthogonal packing (d2), called the Orthogonal Packing Problem (OPP): given a set of d‐dimensional rectangular items, decide whether all of them can be orthogonally packed in the given rectangular container without rotation. We review two kinds of one‐dimensional (1D) relaxations of OPP. The first kind is non‐preemptive cumulative‐resource scheduling, equivalently 1D contiguous stock cutting. The second kind is simple (preemptive) 1D stock cutting. In three and more dimensions we distinguish the so‐called bar and slice preemptive relaxations of OPP. We review some models of these problems and compare the strength of their LP relaxations with regard to a certain OPP instance, theoretically and numerically. Both the theory and computational results in 2D and 3D show the advantage of the bar relaxation. We also compare the LP bounds with the commonly used volume bounds from dual‐feasible functions. Moreover, we test the so‐called probing (temporary fixing) of intersection variables of OPP with the aim to strengthen the relaxations.
Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Society of Australia, 2008: Alan Woodland
Authors: WILSON ED
Published: August 2009

This citation acknowledges Professor Alan Woodland as an eminent Australian economist and surveys his exceptional international record of scholarship and research with a selection of his insightful contributions to the understanding of the complex issues of international trade, taxation and welfare. These issues are at the forefront of our nation’s economic priorities and it is appropriate that we formally recognise his outstanding contributions to the discipline study of economics with the award of Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Society of Australia.
Aggregate Earnings and Asset Prices
Authors: BALL RAY , SADKA GIL , SADKA RONNIE
Published: August 2009

A principal‐components analysis demonstrates that common earnings factors explain a substantial portion of firm‐level earnings variation, implying earnings shocks have substantial systematic components and are not almost fully diversifiable as prior literature has concluded. Furthermore, the principal components of earnings and returns are highly correlated, implying aggregate earnings risks and return risks are related. In contrast to previous studies, the correlation we report between the systematic components of earnings and returns is stable over time. We also show that the earnings factors are priced, in the sense that the sensitivities of securities' returns to the earnings factors explain a significant portion of the cross‐sectional variation in returns, even controlling for return risk. This suggests earnings performance is an underlying source of priced risk. Our evidence that the information sets of returns and earnings are jointly determined implies cash flow risk and return risk are not fully separable, and raises the possibility that it is the common variation of earnings and returns that is priced.
Why Are Fewer Women than Men Elected? Gender and the Dynamics of Candidate Selection
Authors: Krook Mona Lena
Published: August 2009

Why are fewer women than men elected? Research suggests that this is the combined result of: (1) the supply of female aspirants, or the qualifications of women as a group to run for political office; and (2) the demand for female aspirants, or the preference of political elites for male over female candidates. The aim of this article is to reassess this explanation through the lens of recent case studies of female representation in four regions of the world: Africa, Latin America, North America and Western Europe. On their own, each contribution lends support to arguments about either supply or demand, leading their authors to offer distinct recommendations for change: an increase in the number of women who come forward, which is likely to be a slow and difficult process, or the adoption of gender quotas, which are quick but may produce mixed results. Yet juxtaposing these studies also exposes the limits of the traditional supply and demand model of candidate selection. On the one hand, the ‘political market’ does not operate efficiently towards an equilibrium solution of supply and demand. Rather, ideologies of gender introduce important distortions to the process: the fact that women are under-represented in all countries around the world suggests that both the supply of and demand for female candidates is artificially repressed, leading to low numbers of women in elective office. On the other hand, important variations exist in women's descriptive representation across countries and across political parties. These differences suggest that dynamics of supply and demand are shaped in crucial ways by features of the broader political context, which may include structural conditions but also the emergence of new and sometimes unanticipated opportunities.
Efficacy and Safety of Anticoagulation With Heparin Versus Heparin Plus Epoprostenol in Patients Undergoing Extracorporeal Liver Support With Prometheus
Authors: Krisper Peter , Tiran Beate , Fliser Danilo , Haditsch Bernd , Stadlbauer Vanessa , Otto Ronald , Ernst Thomas , Kretschmer Ulrich , Stauber Rudolf E. , Haller Hermann , Holzer Herwig , Manns Michael P. , Rifai Kinan
Published: August 2009

Anticoagulation for extracorporeal liver support is delicate due to underlying coagulation disorders in patients with liver failure and to the associated elevated bleeding risk. To date, there has been no detailed report on anticoagulation issues in patients treated with Prometheus, a device based on the principle of fractionated plasma separation and adsorption. We studied 17 patients from two centers treated with Prometheus, comparing standard anticoagulation with heparin (15 treatments) and a combination of heparin and the synthetic prostacyclin epoprostenol (22 treatments). Standard coagulation tests, proteins C and S, and thrombin–antithrombin (TAT) complex were determined, and adverse events were recorded. All but two treatments could be completed as scheduled, although filter exchange due to filter clotting was required in 24% of the treatments. Three out of 17 patients developed severe bleeding complications within 24 h of treatment. There were no overt thrombotic events. Addition of epoprostenol neither reduced coagulation‐related adverse events nor improved standard coagulation parameters. Protein C, but not protein S, showed a significant reduction (23 ± 18%) after Prometheus treatments, but levels rebounded to baseline within 18 h. TAT levels—a measure for activation of coagulation—were only altered by Prometheus in patients where TAT was already elevated before treatment. In conclusion, anticoagulation of Prometheus with heparin is feasible but still associated with a relatively high frequency of filter clotting and a considerable risk of severe bleeding in this high‐risk patient population. As addition of epoprostenol did not prove beneficial, other strategies, such as regional anticoagulation with citrate, should be further evaluated.
Peat Disturbance, Mowing, and Ditch Blocking as Tools in Rich Fen Restoration
Authors: Mälson Kalle , Sundberg Sebastian , Rydin Håkan
Published: August 2009

Among wetlands, rich fens are one of the most species‐rich, and also one of the most threatened habitats due to drainage activities. We tested the effects of several restoration measures on vegetation composition and dynamics over 4 years in two rich fens in east central Sweden that had been drained about 50 years ago. The encroaching tree layer was removed, and the restoration measures examined were rewetting by ditch blocking, mowing, and peat disturbance (removing vegetation and mixing the surface peat). At both sites, rewetting alone (without mowing or peat disturbance) led to small changes in species composition. In plots with peat disturbance, several characteristic rich fen species established, probably from a persistent diaspore bank or from refugia nearby. The disturbance treatment also prevented a rapid reestablishment of dominant grasses and mosses that had spread since drainage. Late season mowing alone appeared not to be a very efficient treatment in the initial phase after restoration, but seemed to reinforce the positive effects of peat disturbance. The results indicate the necessity of combining several treatments to recreate an ecologically functional vegetation.
Amendment Placement Directs Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in Severely Disturbed Soils
Authors: Biederman Lori A. , Whisenant Steven G.
Published: August 2009

The recovery of ecosystem processes in severely disturbed systems is often limited by biological resources in the soil. The objective of this study was to direct soil microbial biomass (SMB) size and activity with organic amendments. These amendments were applied to the soil at different amendment locations (incorporated versus surface‐applied) and amounts (none, light, and heavy) in a 2 × 3 factorial design. The size and activity of SMB, soil nutrients, and aboveground biomass were monitored over 3 years to determine the rate and direction of change. Contrary to expectations that SMB and carbon mineralization potential (C‐MIN) would be larger with amendment incorporation, SMB‐carbon was greatest in the surface‐heavy treatment and lowest in the incorporated‐control treatment. SMB‐nitrogen, C‐MIN, and organic carbon were greater in the surface than in the incorporated treatments and in amended plots compared to controls. This departure from expectations suggests that other factors, such as microclimate or vegetation, are interacting with the amendment to affect SMB. The degree of contribution, however, is unclear. The treatments only affected planted aboveground biomass early in the experiment, with greater total biomass in the surface‐light treatment in fall 2003. There was also a significant positive relationship between aboveground biomass and SMB in fall 2004. Inorganic nitrogen, total nitrogen, and the soil quality indicators qCO2 and Cmic/Corg did not vary systematically with amendment treatment. In general, amendment addition did enhance soil biotic properties and supported increased vegetation, but the complication of incorporating the amendment was not necessary for promoting biological development in disturbed soils.
Uprooting and Burial of Invasive Alien Plants: A New Tool in Coastal Restoration?
Authors: Kollmann Johannes , Brink‐Jensen Kasper , Frandsen Sally I. , Hansen Mille K.
Published: August 2009

Invasive alien plants are a problem for conservation management, and control of these species can be combined with habitat restoration. Subsoil burial of uprooted plants is a new method of mechanical control, which might be suitable in disturbed habitats. The method was tested in Rosa rugosa (Japanese Rose), an invasive shrub in north‐western Europe with negative effects on coastal biodiversity. Two months after uprooting and burial in dunes of north‐eastern Denmark, 89% of the 58 shrubs resprouted from roots and rhizomes; on average 41 resprouts per shrub. Resprout density was twice as high at former shrub margins compared with the center; resprouts were taller and originated from more superficial soil layers at the margin than in the center. Resprouting was negatively correlated with fragment depth, and no resprouts were observed from greater than 15 cm depth. The number of resprouts increased with fragment dry mass (0.5–168.5 g). After 18 months with harrowing the species was still resprouting, flowering, and fruiting, albeit with no difference between shrub margin and center. Resprouts were taller (26 cm) and coverage was higher (0–4%) after two compared with three times harrowing, whereas no difference was found in cover of native dune species (1–5%). The results show that even small fragments of R. rugosa resprout, and that resprouting persists despite repeated harrowing. Thus, careful subsoil burial of all fragments is necessary, special attention should be paid to the shrub margin, and follow‐up treatments are needed. The effectiveness of the burial method is discussed for restoration of coastal dunes.
Occipital Nerve Blocks: When and What to Inject?
Authors: Tobin Joshua , Flitman Stephen
Published: August 2009

Introduction.— Occipital nerve block (ONB) is a promising treatment for headaches. Its indications, selection criteria, and best techniques are not clear, however.

Objective.— To summarize in narrative format what is known about ONBs and what needs to be learned.

Methods.— MD Consult and Google Scholar were searched using the terms occipital, suboccipital, block, and injection to identify relevant articles that were reviewed. This process was repeated for all additional pertinent articles identified from these articles, and so on, until no additional articles were identified.

Results.— A total of 21 articles were identified.

Conclusions.— Occipital nerve block is an effective treatment for cervicogenic headache, cluster headache, and occipital neuralgia. While a double blinded randomized placebo controlled clinical trial is lacking, multiple open label studies reported favorable results for migraine. Two other possible uses of ONB worthy of further study are use as a rescue treatment and as an adjunctive treatment for medication overuse headache. ONB may be effective for tension headache, but only under very specific circumstances. ONB is either ineffective or only effective under as yet unstudied circumstances for hemicrania continua and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania. Some practitioners use occipital nerve (ON) tenderness to palpation (TTP) or reproduction of headache pain with ON pressure (RHPONP) as selection criteria for identifying appropriate patients. While only a clinical trial can produce a definitive answer, current evidence suggests that these selection criteria are not necessary for cervicogenic headache or cluster headache. Occipital neuralgia by definition involves TTP of the ONs. Whether RHPONP or ON TTP predicts success in migraine is unclear, and may relate to whether steroids are used. A single blinded randomized controlled trial evaluating local anesthetic with steroids vs local anesthetic alone for transformed migraine reported slightly worse results with steroids, but there are several alternate explanations for this finding other than steroids being counterproductive. The technique of repetitive ONBs deserves further study.
Pseudo‐Stab Wounds: Putrefactive Dehiscence of Remote Surgical Incisions Masquerading as Stab Wounds
Authors: Gill James R. , Cavalli Dennis P. , Ely Susan F.
Published: August 2009

Abstract:  Artifacts due to decomposition can be mistaken for antemortem injury leading to an incorrect suspicion of foul play. We describe an instance of postmortem wound dehiscence that mimicked antemortem stab wounds. A man with a history of colon cancer and substance abuse was found dead. There were advanced putrefactive changes and multiple defects of the anterior torso that resembled stab wounds. Subsequent investigation revealed that 11 months earlier, he had a laparoscopic‐assisted colon resection that involved surgical incisions corresponding in location and size to the above defects. Putrefactive gases may cause bloating of the body. This distension may cause recent and remote healed incisions to dehisce. Correlation of these “defects” at autopsy with the antemortem clinical history is crucial in determining their etiology.
Heroin Overdose Deaths and Heroin Purity Between 1990 and 2000 in Istanbul, Turkey*
Authors: Toprak Sadik , Cetin Ilhan
Published: August 2009

Abstract:  Turkey has continuously experienced problems with abuse of, and addiction to, opium derivatives. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between heroin overdose deaths and the characteristics of seized opium derivatives. Data were gathered from the Council of Forensic Medicine of the Ministry of Justice in Istanbul from 1990 to 2000. There were 636 heroin‐related deaths during this period, 595 of which were classified as heroin overdose deaths. Mean crude and weighted heroin purities remained relatively constant and were calculated to be 46% (57–34%) and 51% (39–59%), respectively. The weight of heroin and the number of heroin seizures, but not the heroin purity, were significantly associated with the number of heroin‐related deaths. Prevention strategies are needed to reduce the number of deaths caused by overdoses in countries situated on drug trafficking routes. These strategies should focus on drug trafficking, by providing increased levels of, and support for, law enforcement, stopping the supply of precursor chemicals, and combating corruption among border officials.
Sequences of the Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit I (COI) Gene are Suitable for Species Identification of Korean Calliphorinae Flies of Forensic Importance (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
Authors: Park Seong Hwan , Zhang Yong , Piao Huguo , Yu Dong Ha , Jeong Hyun Ju , Yoo Ga Young , Jo Tae‐Ho , Hwang Juck‐Joon
Published: August 2009

Abstract:  Calliphorinae fly species are important indicators of the postmortem interval especially during early spring and late fall in Korea. Although nucleotide sequences of various Calliphorinae fly species are available, there has been no research on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) nucleotide sequences of Korean Calliphorinae flies. Here, we report the full‐length sequences of the COI gene of four Calliphorinae fly species collected in Korea (five individuals of Calliphora vicina, five Calliphora lata, four Triceratopyga calliphoroides and three Aldrichina grahami). Each COI gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and directly sequenced and the resulting nucleotide sequences were aligned and analyzed by MEGA4 software. The results indicate that COI nucleotide sequences can be used to distinguish between these four species. Our phylogenetic result coincides with recent taxonomic views on the subfamily Calliphorinae in that the genera Aldrichina and Triceratopyga are nested within the genus Calliphora.
Combined Dextromethorphan and Chlorpheniramine Intoxication in Impaired Drivers
Authors: Logan Barry K.
Published: August 2009

Abstract: Dextromethorphan is a nonprescription antitussive which has been gaining in popularity as an abused drug, because of the hallucinogenic, dissociative, and intoxicating effects it produces at high doses. This report describes a series of eight drivers arrested for driving under the influence of the combined effects of dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine, and a further four drivers under the influence of dextromethorphan alone. In the combined dextromethorphan/chlorpheniramine cases, blood dextromethorphan concentrations ranged from 150 to 1220 ng/mL (n = 8; mean 676 ng/mL, median 670 ng/mL), and chlorpheniramine concentrations ranged from 70 to 270 ng/mL (n = 8; mean 200 ng/mL, median 180 ng/mL). The four cases without chlorpheniramine present had blood dextromethorphan concentrations between 190 and 1000 ng/mL (mean 570 ng/mL, median 545 ng/mL). Some drivers had therapeutic concentrations of other drugs present. Drivers generally displayed symptoms of central nervous system (CNS) depressant intoxication, and there was gross evidence of impairment in their driving, including weaving, leaving the lane of travel, failing to obey traffic signals, and involvement in collisions. Drug Recognition Expert opinions confirmed that the subjects were under the influence of a drug in the CNS‐depressant category.
Paucity of intraepidermal FoxP3‐positive T cells in cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma in contrast with spongiotic and lichenoid dermatitis
Authors: Wada David A. , Wilcox Ryan A. , Weenig Roger H. , Gibson Lawrence E.
Published: August 2009

Background: FoxP3 is the most specific available marker for regulatory T cells (Tregs). Tumor‐associated FoxP3‐positive Tregs have been identified in various neoplasms, including cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma (CTCL). FoxP3 expression in CTCL varies across groups; few studies have compared CTCL with inflammatory conditions.

Methods: Lesional skin biopsies from 20 patients with CTCL [13 mycosis fungoides (MF); 7 Sézary syndrome (SS)] and 22 with inflammatory dermatoses (11 spongiotic; 11 lichenoid or interface) were examined for FoxP3 expression by immunohistochemistry. Epidermal FoxP3‐positive lymphocytes were counted as a percentage of the total epidermal CD3‐positive T‐cell population.

Results: FoxP3‐positive T cells composed the minority of infiltrate in all major categories. Lower numbers of epidermal FoxP3‐positive T cells were observed in CTCL, particularly MF, than in inflammatory dermatoses (P < .001). CTCL neoplastic T cells did not express FoxP3.

Conclusion: FoxP3‐positive T cells are less frequently encountered in MF than in inflammatory dermatoses. FoxP3‐positive T cells occur in higher proportions in the dermis than in the epidermis and probably correlate with coexisting inflammatory components. CTCL neoplastic cells do not typically express a Treg phenotype and are associated with low numbers of FoxP3‐positive Tregs in the infiltrate. FoxP3 expression by immunohistochemistry may aid histologic evaluation of these conditions.

Wada DA, Wilcox RA, Weenig RH, Gibson LE. Paucity of intraepidermal FoxP3‐positive T cells in cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma in contrast with spongiotic and lichenoid dermatitis.
Morphometric analysis of CD34‐positive vessels in salivary gland adenoid cystic and mucoepidermoid carcinomas
Authors: Luukkaa H. , Laitakari J. , Vahlberg T. , Klemi P. , Stenbäck F. , Grénman R.
Published: August 2009

Background: Carcinomas of the salivary glands are uncommon and morphologically a diverse group of malignancies. To evaluate the prognostic value of CD34 immunostaining of the vessels in adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), an automated image analysis method was used.

Method: In a nationwide study, covering salivary gland cancer (SGC) patients in Finland 1991–1996, 37 AdCC and 18 MEC patients (M 25, F 30, age 25–90, mean 63) were included. In addition to clinical characteristics the size, shape, staining intensity and vessel density in CD34 immunostained histologic samples were measured.

Results: Altogether 4433 vessels were measured from AdCC and 2615 from MEC tumor. Of the total tumor vessels measured, 2651 were from patients who deceased with disease (Group I) and 4397 were from specimens derived from those who did not die of disease (Group II) during the 10‐year follow‐up. The staining intensity was significantly higher in MEC than in AdCC tumor (P = 0.0005). In MEC, the Group I patients had a higher staining intensity among high‐grade patients compared with patients with low grade disease, whereas the tumors in Group II had a lower staining intensity among the high‐grade compared with the low grade tumors (P = 0.018). A higher vessel density was found in patients with MEC in group II compared with group I (P = 0.017).

Conclusions: The staining intensity of CD34 positive vessels in MEC was higher than in AdCC. In MEC, higher staining intensity of vessels in high‐grade tumors and lower vessel density in all MEC patients, predicted poor survival.
Cholestasis in neonatal intensive care unit: incidence, aetiology and management
Authors: Tufano Maria , Nicastro Emanuele , Giliberti Paolo , Vegnente Angela , Raimondi Francesco , Iorio Raffaele
Published: August 2009

Aim:  Prevalence, aetiology, management and outcome of cholestasis were evaluated in infants admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methods:  Medical records of all infants admitted to two Italian level III NICUs from January 2005 to August 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. The role of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy was also investigated.

Results:  Twenty‐seven of 1289 enrolled infants developed cholestasis. In 25 infants, cholestasis had a multifactorial basis, while in two, no aetiology was found. UDCA did not significantly affect clinical and biochemical course of cholestasis. During a period of 12 months, eight cholestatic infants died, one underwent liver transplantation and 18 fully recovered.

Conclusion:  Infants admitted in NICU have a rate of cholestasis higher than that reported in the general population of live births; in most cases, cholestasis is associated to multiple risk factors and shows a favourable outcome. UDCA does not seem to affect clinical course of cholestasis in this setting.
Evaluation of Dimensional Accuracy of Panoramic Cross‐Sectional Tomography, Its Ability to Identify the Inferior Alveolar Canal, and Its Impact on Estimation of Appropriate Implant Dimensions in the Mandibular Posterior Region
Authors: Mehra Anshul , Pai Keerthilatha M.
Published: August 2009

Objectives:  To evaluate the dimensional accuracy of panoramic cross‐sectional tomography, its impact on implant size estimation and its ability in identifying the inferior alveolar canal in the mandibular posterior region.

Material and Methods:  Eight partially edentulous mandibles with 18 edentulous sites were obtained. Orthopantomograms and tomograms were made and the mandible's outline and the position of mandibular canals on tomograms were traced on a clear acetate paper. Horizontal and vertical magnification factors were calculated. The mandibular height, distance between mandibular canal and alveolar crest, maximum bucco‐lingual width, distance between buccal cortex and mandibular canal, and cortical thickness at the inferior border of the mandible were measured. Potential implant sites were identified and implant sizes were estimated. Location and visibility of mandibular canals were also evaluated. The mandibles were sectioned at each site and all the above mentioned parameters were assessed which served as gold standard.

Results:  Mean horizontal and vertical magnification factors were 1.47 ± 0.048 and 1.53 ± 0.038. Total height and maximum bucco‐lingual width were underestimated by 1.88% and 1.59%. Crest to canal distance, cortical thickness at the inferior border of the mandible and buccal cortex to mandibular canal were overestimated by 0.59%, 5.16%, and 3.64%. Implant sizes were estimated for 11 sites and changes were recorded at 2 sites between record 1 and record 2. However, there was no disagreement between record 2 and record 3. Of the canals, 61.11% were located lingually and the visibility of mandibular canals was poor in 44.44% of cases.

Conclusions:  The tomograms were found to be accurate for the measurements in both horizontal and vertical planes and reliable for implant size estimation, taking into consideration proper magnification factors. They were also found to be useful in assessing the location of mandibular canal but were not very effective in discerning it.
Combining Scaffolds and Osteogenic Cells in Regenerative Bone Surgery: A Preliminary Histological Report in Human Maxillary Sinus Augmentation
Authors: Mangano Carlo , Piattelli Adriano , Mangano Alberto , Mangano Francesco , Mangano Alessandro , Iezzi Giovanna , Borges Fábio L. , D'Avila Susana , Shibli Jamil Awad
Published: August 2009

Purpose: The following case series evaluated the maxillary sinus augmentation responses to tissue‐engineered bone graft obtained by a culture of autogenous osteoblasts seeded on polyglycolic–polylactic scaffolds and calcium phosphate.

Materials and Methods: Sinus floor augmentation was performed bilaterally in five patients (mean age 58.4 years) with tissue‐engineered bone (test site – Oral Bone®, BioTissue, Freiburg, Germany) or calcium phosphate (control site – Biocoral, Novaxa Spa, Milan, Italy). Biopsies were harvested 6 months after sinus augmentation for histometric evaluation. Volumetric measurements were taken at baseline and 6 months after the surgical procedure.

Results: The mean of vertical bone gain was 6.47 ± 1.39 mm and 9.14 ± 1.19 mm to test and control sites, respectively. The histological sections depicted mature bone with compact and cancellous areas. All biopsies contained varying percentages of newly formed bone and marrow spaces. The mean of bone tissue in the grafted area was 37.32 ± 19.59% and 54.65 ± 21.17% for tissue‐engineered bone and calcium phosphate, respectively.

Conclusion: Within the limits of the present report, the histological data in humans confirmed that tissue‐engineered bone and calcium phosphate allowed newly formed bone after maxillary sinus augmentation.
Thiel Embalming Technique: A Valuable Method for Teaching Oral Surgery and Implantology
Authors: Hölzle Frank , Franz Eric‐Peter , Lehmbrock Jutta , Weihe Stephan , Teistra Christian , Deppe Herbert , Wolff Klaus‐Dietrich
Published: August 2009

Background: Because of its high requirements on surgical experience and the need of complete understanding of the anatomy, oral surgery and especially implantology belong to the most demanding procedures in dentistry. Therefore, hands‐on courses for oral surgery and implantology are considered a prerequisite to prepare for clinical practice. To achieve teaching conditions as realistic as possible, we used a novel human cadaver embalming method enabling tissue dissection comparable with the living body.

Methods: Thirty cadavers which were offered by the Institute of Anatomy for the purpose of running oral surgery and implantology courses were embalmed in the technique described by Thiel. On each cadaver, dissection of soft and hard tissue and implantological procedures were performed according to a structured protocol by each course participant. The conservation of fine anatomical structures and the suitability of the embalmed tissue for dissecting, drilling, and suturing were observed and photographically documented.

Results: By means of the Thiel embalming technique, oral surgery and implantological procedures could be performed under realistic conditions similar to the living body. Due to the conservation procedure, preparations could be carried out without any time limit, always maintaining the same high quality of the tissue. The maxillary sinus membrane, mucosa, bone, and nerves could be exposed and allowed dissecting, drilling, and suturing even after weeks like fresh specimens.

Conclusion: The Thiel embalming method is a unique technique which is ideally suited to practice and teach oral surgery and implantology on human material.
Usefulness of the Aesthetic Result as a Success Criterion for Implant Therapy: A Review
Authors: Annibali Susanna , Bignozzi Isabella , La Monaca Gerardo , Cristalli Maria Paola
Published: August 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the reported evaluation criteria of the aesthetic result in oral implant rehabilitation.

Materials and Methods: A literature search of MEDLINE, the Cochrane Collaboration, and EMBASE was performed to retrieve studies published between January 1990 and December 2008 using the following key words: “dental implants,”“clinical trial,” and “aesthetic index” (and their synonyms). A manual search of the literature published in the same period was also carried out using the following publications: Clinical Oral Implant Research, The International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants, and The International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. The inclusion criteria of the published studies were the following: human clinical trial, oral implant rehabilitation, at least 10 implants, at least 6 months of follow‐up from insertion of the prosthesis, and evaluation of the aesthetic result by means of an index.

Results: The literature search revealed 650 relevant bibliographic references, of which 89 were selected for further analysis. A final total of 29 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria; these included 10 retrospective case series, 11 prospective case series, 1 retrospective controlled clinical trial, 1 prospective controlled clinical trial, and 6 randomized controlled clinical trials. In general, evaluations of aesthetic results appear only in the more recent studies and refer mostly to implant rehabilitation in the maxillary anterior zone; the index used, in most cases, was the Papilla Index of Jemt.

Conclusions: Although there appears to be a growing interest in aesthetics in dental implantology, there are as yet no universally accepted evaluation criteria of the aesthetic result. Therefore, further research is necessary to establish a common, complete, and reproducible index for the evaluation of aesthetic outcome that can add in the success criteria for implant therapy in the maxillary and mandibular anterior areas.
Structure and potential function of γ‐aminobutyrate type A receptor‐associated protein
Authors: Mohrlüder Jeannine , Schwarten Melanie , Willbold Dieter
Published: August 2009

The γ‐aminobutyrate type A receptor‐associated protein (GABARAP) is a ubiquitin‐like modifier, and is implicated in a variety of membrane trafficking and fusion events that are crucial to synaptic plasticity, autophagy and apoptosis. However, important aspects of GABARAP function and regulation remain poorly understood. We review the current state of knowledge about GABARAP, highlighting newly‐identified GABARAP ligands, and discuss the possible physiological relevance of each ligand interaction.
Nutrition profiling and labelling of healthy or functional meals
Authors: Williams Peter , Colyer Coral
Published: August 2009

Nutrient profiling is a method of ranking the healthiness of foods based on their nutrient composition. Many existing systems have been developed for regulatory purposes, such as the assessment of the suitability of foods to bear health claims or to be advertised to children, but increasingly profiling is being used to educate consumers via front‐of‐pack labelling. Most of the existing models have been developed for individual foods in retail settings, not for whole meals available in foodservices. To be effective and justifiable, nutrient profiling models must be science‐based, transparent and demonstrate that they are comprehensible and useful to consumers. A case study of a new Heart Foundation Tick programme in Australian foodservices is presented. This paper also reviews existing international profiling systems and discusses some of the issues and challenges for application in meal services, such as compliance with standards, ensuring food safety and credible and effective means of communication.
Examination of the reliability and validity of an instrument for measuring service quality of restaurants
Authors: Kim Hak‐Seon , Joung Hyun‐Woo , Yuan Yi‐Hua Erin , Wu Chihkang , Chen Jau‐Jiin
Published: August 2009

This study was an examination of the reliability and validity of a modified DINESERV instrument to fit the needs of specific establishments. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 504 customers in an American‐style restaurant (n = 226) in Taiwan and a casual Italian restaurant (n = 278) in the US. Four dimensions, titled ‘Product/Service’, ‘Reliability’, ‘Greeter’ and ‘Physical Environment’, were identified by exploratory factor analysis. Empirically, these four dimensions of service quality in foodservice operations also were supported by the structural equation model developed in this study.
Loss of Inhibitor of Growth (ING‐4) is Implicated in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Human Astrocytomas
Authors: Klironomos George , Bravou Vasiliki , Papachristou Dionysios J , Gatzounis George , Varakis John , Parassi Ekaterini , Repanti Maria , Papadaki Helen
Published: August 2009

Inhibitor of growth 4 (ING‐4) is a tumor suppressor gene that interacts with nuclear factor‐kappaB (NF‐κB) and represses its transcriptional activity. Several lines of evidence suggest that the tumor suppressor gene ING‐4, the transcription factor NF‐κB and its target genes matrix metalloproteases MMP‐2, MMP‐9 and urokinase plasminogen activator (u‐PA) are critically involved in tumor invasion. The aim of the present study was to investigate immunohistochemically the expression pattern of ING‐4, NF‐κB and the NF‐κB downstream targets MMP‐2, MMP‐9 and u‐PA in human astrocytomas from 101 patients. We found that ING‐4 expression was significantly decreased in astrocytomas, and ING‐4 loss was associated with tumor grade progression. Expression of p65, a NF‐κB subunit, was significantly higher in grade IV than in grade III and grade I/II tumors, and a statistical significant negative correlation between expression of ING‐4 and expression of nuclear p65 was noticed. MMP‐9, MMP‐2 and u‐PA were overexpressed in human astrocytomas. Of note, astrocytomas of advanced histologic grades (grade III, IV) displayed significantly higher expression levels of these proteins compared to tumors of lower grades (grade I, II). Collectively, our data suggest an essential role for ING‐4 in human astrocytoma development and progression possibly through regulation of the NF‐κB‐dependent expression of genes involved in tumor invasion.
Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils and Various Extracts of Juniperus phoenicea L. (Cupressacees)
Authors: Ennajar Monia , Bouajila Jalloul , Lebrihi Ahmed , Mathieu Florence , Abderraba Manef , Raies Aly , Romdhane Mehrez
Published: August 2009

ABSTRACT:  GC‐FID and GC‐MS analysis of essential oils of Juniperus phoenicea resulted in the identification of 30 compounds, representing more than 98% of the total composition. α‐pinene (55.7% and 80.7%), δ‐3‐carene (10.7% and 4.5%), and γ‐cadinene (2.9% and 5.1%) were the main components, respectively, in leaves and berries essential oil. Extracts of J. phoenicea were obtained by different extraction solvents: methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane and evaluated composition for polyphenols (gallic acid equivalent 52 to 217 g/kg), tannins (catechin equivalent 6.5 to 60.2 g/kg), antocyanins (cyanidin equivalent 84 to 373 mg/kg), and flavonoids (quercetin equivalent 6.4 to 29.3 g/kg). The samples (essential oils and extracts) were subjected to a screening for their antioxidant activity by using DPPH and ABTS assays; antimicrobial activity was tested with 6 bacteria (3 Gram‐positive and 3 Gram‐negative), 1 yeast, and 2 fungi. The strongest antioxidant activity was obtained by the methanolic extract (IC50= 6.5 ± 0.3 mg/L). Flavonoids are likely to contribute to the antifungal activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Correlations were studied between chemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.
Introduction: Transforming ‘the Age of Reason’ into ‘an Age of Faiths’: or, Putting Religions and Beliefs (Back) into the Eighteenth Century
Authors: GREGORY JEREMY
Published: August 2009

This article makes a plea for putting religions and beliefs back into our studies of the eighteenth century, which has too frequently been viewed as a period of secularisation. It highlights the varieties of religion on offer in the century and argues that historians of religion have created a ghetto for religious history by focusing too much on the clergy and the Church as an institution, and that instead much more research needs to be done on lay religion. The article also contests that religion should not be aligned solely with the forces of tradition but was itself an agent of change.
Pious Frauds: ‘Honest Tricks’ and the Patterns of Anglican Devotional Thought in Richardson
Authors: LATIMER BONNIE
Published: August 2009

This essay identifies a series of apparent deceptions by two of Richardson's iconic moral paragons, Clarissa Harlowe and Sir Charles Grandison. It uses early modern Anglican thought to argue that such deceptions are best seen as ‘lies’– but also that the same body of theology allows for ‘lying’ in certain cases. Drawing on a range of Anglican thought from this period, it identifies in this literature a fascination with using ‘indirect means’ to bring about the ends of virtue, and concludes that Richardson picks up on this intellectual thread in his staging of morally complex fictional scenarios.
Educating Christian Men in the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries: Public‐School and Oxbridge Ideals
Authors: REYK WILLIAM VAN
Published: August 2009

This article argues that writers from across the religious spectrum emphasised the need for men's education to be informed by Christianity in publications that discussed the public schools and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. This literature was particularly concentrated in the late eighteenth century, when wider anxieties about the rise of ‘moralism’ were at their height. The article seeks to challenge the commonly accepted notion that the educational ideals were effectively secular until they were re‐Christianised in the early nineteenth century under the influence of the Evangelical Revival.
Endothelin‐1 effects on spontaneous oscillations in choroidal arterioles
Authors: Delgado Esmeralda , Marques‐Neves Carlos , Rocha Isabel , Sales‐Luís José , Silva‐Carvalho Luis
Published: August 2009

Acta Ophthalmol. 2010: 88: 742–747

Purpose:  This study characterizes the effects of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) on the perfusion pressure of the choroidal vasculature using in situ perfused isolated rabbit eyes.

Methods:  Rabbit external ophthalmic arteries (n = 12) in a head‐mounted preparation were cannulated and perfused with warmed tyrode. The three‐way polypropylene catheter was further connected to a pressure transducer and the effect of intraluminal pressure as a measure of total vascular resistance was assessed. Response curves to intra‐arterial injections of ET‐1 (group A; n = 6) and to an intravitreal injection followed by an intra‐arterial injection of ET‐1 (group B; n = 6) were obtained. Data were studied using paired t‐test and fast Fourier transform.

Results:  Before any drugs were administered, spontaneous oscillations were observed in the 12 rabbit models. In group A, ET‐1 induced a short and weak vasodilating effect followed by a strong and long‐lasting vasoconstrictor tone. Vasomotion became more evident, showing a higher frequency and shorter amplitude of oscillations. In group, B the intravitreal injection produced no significant changes in registered pressure or vasomotion characteristics. The intra‐arterial injection produced effects similar to those observed in group A.

Conclusion:  Our study has three main findings: (i) the choroidal vasculature demonstrated spontaneous oscillations in perfusion pressure in basal conditions in all rabbit eye models; (ii) ET‐1 applied intra‐arterially induced a short drop in perfusion pressure followed by a long withstanding contraction; and (iii) intra‐arterial ET‐1 modulated the frequency and amplitude of the spontaneous oscillations, causing a faster rate of pulsatility.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Anxiety Disorders in Cross‐Cultural Perspective
Authors: Hinton Devon E. , Pollack Mark H.
Published: August 2009

This special issue explores the cross‐cultural variation in the presentation and generation of anxiety disorders. As a background review, in this Introduction, we illustrate how the cognitive theory of the generation of anxiety disorders explains how such cross‐cultural variation occurs. We first show how the “catastrophic cognitions” theory applies to panic disorder and then suggest how the “catastrophic cognitions” theory applies to all anxiety disorders—and so explains the existence of profound cultural influence on the presentation and generation of the anxiety disorders.
Symptom Dimensions in Chinese Patients with Obsessive‐Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Li Ying , Marques Luana , Hinton Devon E. , Wang Yuan , Xiao Ze‐Ping
Published: August 2009

To study the symptom dimensions of Chinese patients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD), the symptom checklist of the Dimensional Yale–Brown Obsessive‐Compulsive Scale (DY‐BOCS) was used to assess the symptom dimensions of 139 OCD patients at a mental health center in Shanghai. The most common symptom dimensions were symmetry (67.6%), contamination (43.2%), and aggression (31.7%). The frequency of patients with the miscellaneous, sexual/religious, and hoarding symptom dimensions was 25.9%, 10.8%, and 8.6%, respectively. The frequency of male patients with symmetry concerns was higher than that of the female patients, and the frequency of female patients with contamination concerns was higher than that of male patients. OCD symptom dimensions can be identified in the Chinese context but there is a low frequency of endorsement of certain dimensions: sexual/religious, aggression, and hoarding concerns. Future studies need to further investigate the sociocultural and gender factors that may result in these findings: low numbers of people in China with a religious affiliation and the Chinese emphasis on Confucian harmony philosophy, thrift, and saving.