bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of tongue–artificial nipple contact pressure during infant sucking
Authors: Niikawa Takuya , Hagino Chika , Nishi Eri , Kawachi Ryosuke , Minato Kotaro , Takada Yoshinobu
Published: January 2012

To clarify the motor function of the infant tongue during sucking, we developed an artificial nipple that contained multiple small built‐in force sensors integrated with a PC‐based system which is capable of measuring tongue–artificial nipple contact pressures in real time. The force sensor is a cantilever structure with a small, thin stainless steel beam where an all‐purpose foil strain gauge is attached to the surface of the beam. An artificial nipple made of an elastomer containing these sensors is connected through an amplifier and an A/D converter to a PC via a USB port. Using this system, measurements were taken in three infants whose oral feeding was well established and in one infant of low birth weight. The results from each force sensor showed a pressure waveform of a nearly simple harmonic motion that indicated a peristalsis‐like movement of the tongue; the sucking frequency was found to be about two times per second. In addition, in the low‐birth‐weight infant, the pressure changed as the infant grew. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Noble metal nanoparticles in DNA detection and delivery
Authors: Chen Xi‐Jun , Sanchez‐Gaytan Brenda L. , Qian Zhaoxia , Park So‐Jung
Published: January 2012

DNA‐conjugated metal nanoparticles have attracted enormous attention for biological and medical applications, owing to their unusual DNA melting characteristics as well as unique optical and catalytic properties. The combination of these unique properties has not only led to the development of DNA‐detection technologies with remarkably high selectivity and sensitivity, but also to the development of gene therapeutic agents with high efficacy and efficiency. In this review, we present a comprehensive coverage on their applications in detecting, manipulating, and delivering genes. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2012, 4:273–290. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1159

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices

Diagnostic Tools > In Vitro Nanoparticle-Based Sensing

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging
Adseverin: A novel cisplatin‐resistant marker in the human bladder cancer cell line HT1376 identified by quantitative proteomic analysis
Authors: Miura Noriyoshi , Takemori Nobuaki , Kikugawa Tadahiko , Tanji Nozomu , Higashiyama Shigeki , Yokoyama Masayoshi
Published: January 2012

Cisplatin is currently the most effective antitumor agent available against bladder cancer. However, a majority of patients eventually relapse with cisplatin‐resistant disease. Chemoresistance thus remains a major obstacle in bladder cancer therapy. To clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying cisplatin resistance in bladder cancer, we established a cisplatin‐resistant subline from the human bladder cancer cell line HT1376 (HT1376‐CisR), and conducted large‐scale analyses of the expressed proteins using two‐dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). Comparative proteomic analysis of HT1376 and HT1376‐CisR cells revealed 36 differentially expressed proteins, wherein 21 proteins were upregulated and 15 were downregulated in HT1376‐CisR cells. Among the differentially regulated proteins, adseverin (SCIN), a calcium‐dependent actin‐binding protein, was overexpressed (4‐fold upregulation) in HT1376‐CisR, with the increase being more prominent in the mitochondrial fraction than in the cytosol fraction. SCIN mRNA knockdown significantly reduced cell proliferation with mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis in HT1376‐CisR cells. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed voltage‐dependent anion channels (VDACs) to be bound to SCIN in the mitochondrial fraction. Our results suggest that the VDAC‐SCIN interaction may inhibit mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis in cisplatin‐resistant cells. Targeting the VDAC‐SCIN interaction may offer a new therapeutic strategy for cisplatin‐resistant bladder cancer.
Map helps unravel complexities of the southwestern Pacific Ocean
Authors: Collot Julien , Vendé‐Leclerc Myriam , Rouillard Pierrick , Lafoy Yves , Géli Louis
Published: January 2012

The southwestern Pacific Ocean region hosts submerged continental margins, ridges, sedimentary basins, and volcanic arcs located around Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. The geological history of this vast region has remained controversial, and to improve understanding of the processes that controlled its geodynamical evolution, it is essential to place each piece of available data in a regional spatiotemporal framework. To this end, a new map, entitled “Structural Provinces of the Southwest Pacific,” was released by the Geological Survey of New Caledonia in May 2011. The publication consists of two parts: (1) a 40‐page booklet of geological notes, which documents the nature and age of each structure and contains an associated list of references; and (2) a 3‐ x 4‐foot poster of a structural map revealing the nature of the basement, location, and type of the main structural features (see simplified version in Figure 1) and the age of formation using the international standards for geological color codes established by the Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CGMW) (see http://ccgm.free.fr/index.html).
Determination of the Strength of Adhesion between Lipid Vesicles
Authors: Mareš Tomáš , Daniel Matej , Iglič Aleš , Kralj-Iglič Veronika , Fošnarič Miha
Published: January 2012

A commonly used method to determine the strength of adhesion between adhering lipid vesicles is measuring their effective contact angle from experimental images. The aim of this paper is to estimate the interobserver variations in vesicles effective contact angle measurements and to propose a new method for estimating the strength of membrane vesicle adhesion. Theoretical model shows for the old and for the new measure a monotonic dependence on the strength of adhesion. Results obtained by both measuring techniques show statistically significant correlation and high interobserver reliability for both methods. Therefore the conventional method of measuring the effective contact angle gives qualitatively relevant results as the measure of the lipid vesicle adhesion. However, the new measuring technique provides a lower variation of the measured values than the conventional measures using the effective contact angle. Moreover, obtaining the adhesion angle can be automatized more easily than obtaining the effective contact angle.
Morbidity of Inguinofemoral Lymphadenectomy in Vulval Cancer
Authors: Soliman A. A. , Heubner M. , Kimmig R. , Wimberger P.
Published: January 2012

Background. The aim of this study is to detect possible risk factors for development of short- and long-term local complications after inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy for vulval cancer.Methods. This retrospective cohort study included 34 vulval cancer patients that received inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy. The detected complications were wound cellulitis, wound seroma formation, wound breakdown, wound infection, and limb lymphoedema. Followup of the patient ran up to 84 months after surgery.Results. Within a total of 64 inguinofemoral lymphadenectomies, 24% of the inguinal wounds were affected with cellulitis, 13% developed a seroma, 10% suffered wound breakdown, 5% showed lower limb edema within a month of the operation, and 21.4% showed lower limb edema during the long-term followup. No significant correlation could be found between saphenous vein ligation and the development of any of the local complications. The 3-year survival rate in our cohort was 89.3%.Conclusions. Local complications after inguino-femoral lymphadenectomy are still very high, with no single pre-, intra-, or postoperative factor that could be incriminated. Saphenous vein sparing provided no significant difference in decreasing the rate of local complications. More trials should be done to study the sentinel lymph node detection technique.
Free-Form-Fabricated Commercially Pure Ti and Ti6Al4V Porous Scaffolds Support the Growth of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Mesodermal Progenitors
Authors: de Peppo G. M. , Palmquist A. , Borchardt P. , Lennerås M. , Hyllner J. , Snis A. , Lausmaa J. , Thomsen P. , Karlsson C.
Published: January 2012

Commercially-pure titanium (cp-Ti) and the titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy (Ti6Al4V) are widely used as reconstructive implants for skeletal engineering applications, due to their good mechanical properties, biocompatibility and ability to integrate with the surrounding bone. Electron beam melting technology (EBM) allows the fabrication of customized implants with tailored mechanical properties and high potential in the clinical practice. In order to augment the interaction with the biological tissue, stem cells have recently been combined with metallic scaffolds for skeletal engineering applications. We previously demonstrated that human embryonic stem cell-derived mesodermal progenitors (hES-MPs) hold a great potential to provide a homogeneous and unlimited supply of cells for bone engineering applications. This study demonstrates the effect of EBM-fabricated cp-Ti and Ti6Al4V porous scaffolds on hES-MPs behavior, in terms of cell attachment, growth and osteogenic differentiation. Displaying different chemical composition but similar surface properties, EBM-fabricated cp-Ti and Ti6Al4V scaffolds supported cell attachment and growth, and did not seem to alter the expression of genes involved in osteogenic differentiation and affect the alkaline phosphatase activity. In conclusion, interfacing hES-MPs to EBM-fabricated scaffolds may represent an interesting strategy for design of third-generation biomaterials, with the potential to promote implant integration in clinical conditions characterized by poor bone quality.
Molecular Basis of Inhibitory Activities of Berberine against Pathogenic Enzymes in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Ji Hong-Fang , Shen Liang
Published: January 2012

The natural isoquinoline alkaloid berberine possesses potential to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD) by targeting multiple pathogenic factors. In the present study, docking simulations were performed to gain deeper insights into the molecular basis of berberine's inhibitory effects against the important pathogenic enzymes of AD, that is, acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and two isoforms of monoamine oxidase. It was found that the theoretical binding affinities of berberine to the four enzymes are very close to the experimental values, which verify the methodology. Further inspection to the binding modes found that hydrophobic interactions between the hydrophobic surface of berberine and neighboring hydrophobic residues are the principal forces contributing to the ligand-receptor interactions. Although berberine cation also has potential to form electrostatic interaction with neighboring residues, it is interesting to find that electrostatic force is excluded in the four cases unexpectedly. These results have important implications for the berberine-based anti-AD drug design.
Moderately increased risk of urinary stone disease in patients with biopsy‐verified coeliac disease
Authors: Ludvigsson J. F. , Zingone F. , Fored M. , Ciacci C. , Cirillo M.
Published: January 2012

Background

Urinary stone disease is a mal‐absorptive disorder that is a significant health problem because of its high prevalence and incidence. However, there are few population‐based studies on the risk of urinary stone disease in patients with coeliac disease (CD).

Aim

To examine the risk of urinary stone disease in CD.

Methods

Population‐based cohort study. Using small intestinal biopsy report data from 1969 to 2008 obtained from all Swedish pathology departments (n = 28), we identified 28 735 patients with CD (equal to Marsh 3: villous atrophy). Patients were then matched for gender, age, county and calendar year to 142 177 reference individuals from the Swedish general population. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for future urinary stone disease and conditional logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for urinary stone disease before diagnosis of CD. Individuals with urinary stone disease were identified through the Swedish National Patient Register that contains data on inpatient care, outpatient care and day surgery.

Results

During follow‐up, 314 individuals with CD and 1142 reference individuals developed urinary stone disease. This corresponded to a 27% increased risk of urinary stone disease in CD [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.12–1.44]. CD patients had an absolute risk of urinary stone disease of 107/100 000 person‐years (excess risk of 23/100 000). Risk estimates were similar in men and women, and did not differ according to age at CD diagnosis. Conditional logistic regression found that patients with CD were at a slightly increased risk also of prior urinary stone disease (OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.06–1.33).

Conclusion

In this study, coeliac disease was associated with a moderately increased risk of urinary stone disease both before and after coeliac disease diagnosis.
A genome‐wide survey of copy number variation regions in various chicken breeds by array comparative genomic hybridization method
Authors: Wang Y. , Gu X. , Feng C. , Song C. , Hu X. , Li N.
Published: January 2012

The discovery of copy number variation (CNV) in the genome has provided new insight into genomic polymorphism. Studies with chickens have identified a number of large CNV segments using a 385k comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) chip (mean length >140 kb). We present a detailed CNV map for local Chinese chicken breeds and commercial chicken lines using an Agilent 400k array CGH platform with custom‐designed probes. We identified a total of 130 copy number variation regions (CNVRs; mean length = 25.70 kb). Of these, 104 (80.0%) were novel segments reported for the first time in chickens. Among the 104 novel CNVRs, 56 (53.8%) of the segments were non‐coding sequences, 65 (62.5%) showed the gain of DNA and 40 (38.5%) showed the loss of DNA (one locus showed both loss and gain). Overlapping with the formal selective sweep data and the quantitative trait loci data, we identified four loci that might be considered to be high‐confidence selective segments that arose during the domestication of chickens. Compared with the CNVRs reported previously, genes for the positive regulation of phospholipase A2 activity were discovered to be significantly over‐represented in the novel CNVRs reported here by gene ontology analysis. Availability of our results should facilitate further research in the study of the genetic variability in chicken breeds.
A new development of triterpene acid‐containing extracts from Viscum album L. displays synergistic induction of apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Delebinski C. I. , Jaeger S. , Kemnitz‐Hassanin K. , Henze G. , Lode H. N. , Seifert G. J.
Published: January 2012

Objectives:  Aqueous Viscum album L. extracts are widely used for anti‐cancer therapies. Due to their low solubility, triterpenes (which are known to act on cancers), do not occur in aqueous extracts in significant amounts. Using cyclodextrins, we have found it possible to solubilize mistletoe triterpene acids and to determine their effects on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in vitro and in vivo.

Materials and methods:  A C.B‐17/SCID model of pre‐B ALL (NALM‐6) was used to test efficacy and mechanisms of treatment with lectin‐ and triterpene acid containing preparations in vivo. Cytotoxicity of increasing concentrations of V. album L. preparations was assessed in vitro. Apoptosis was determined using mitochondrial membrane potential measurements, annexin V/PI, western blot analyses and caspase inhibitor assays.

Results:  Solubilized triterpene acid‐ or lectin‐containing V. album L. extracts inhibited cell proliferation and demonstrated cytotoxic properties in vitro. Annexin V/PI and mitochondrial membrane potential assays indicated that dose‐dependent induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism. Combination (viscumTT) of lectin‐ (viscum) and triterpene‐containing (TT) extracts resulted in greatest induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, caspase activity demonstrated that these extracts were able to induce apoptosis through both caspase‐8 and ‐9 dependent pathways. In vivo experimentation showed that treatment of mice with viscumTT combination prolonged mean survival to 50.5 days compared to 39.3 days in the phosphate‐buffered saline group.

Conclusion:  Here for the first time, we have demonstrated that either solubilized triterpene acids or lectins and combinations thereof, induce dose‐dependent apoptosis in the ALL cell line NALM‐6 via caspase‐8 and ‐9 dependent pathways.
Tissue‐dependent changes in oxidative damage with male reproductive effort in house mice
Authors: Garratt Michael , McArdle Francis , Stockley Paula , Vasilaki Aphrodite , Beynon Robert J. , Jackson Malcolm J. , Hurst Jane L.
Published: January 2012

1.  Investment in reproduction is anticipated to be costly and can decrease survival or future reproductive success. For males, substantial reproductive costs may be accrued when competing for mates, particularly when individuals need to invest heavily in the production of sexual signals to attract females. On a proximate level, increased male signalling effort can cause somatic damage because of oxidative stress, although this has been demonstrated only in species with visual sexual signals.

2.  We tested whether reproductive effort (comprising reproduction, aggression and scent signalling) is associated with increased oxidative stress in male house mice (Mus musculus domesticus). Sexual signalling in this species involves the production and deposition of scent signals containing a high concentration of protein around a defended territory. Male reproductive investment was manipulated by housing males alone, with a female or with a female and in the vicinity of competitors.

3.  Males breeding in the vicinity of competitors invested the most in olfactory signalling as well as having regular aggressive interactions with other males. These males tended to show greater oxidative damage to lipids in the gastrocnemius muscle but no other indication of increased oxidative stress. Instead, lipid oxidation was lower in the serum and liver of reproductive males compared with those housed alone.

4.  Our results highlight that oxidative stress does not always occur simply as a function of increasing reproductive effort. The lack of a consistent increase in oxidative damage could be due to adaptive regulation of antioxidants and/or a consequence of the scent signalling system of house mice, which differs considerably from the visual signalling of birds previously examined in this context.
Understanding children’s dental anxiety and psychological approaches to its reduction
Authors: PORRITT JENNY , MARSHMAN ZOE , RODD HELEN D.
Published: January 2012

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2012; 22: 397–405

Background.  Dental anxiety is a common problem, which can affect people of all ages, but appears to develop mostly in childhood and adolescence. Childhood dental anxiety is not only distressing for the child and their family but is also associated with poor oral health outcomes and an increased reliance on costly specialist dental services.

Aim.  This article will consider the prevalence, development, and implications of children’s dental anxiety. It will also discuss the opportunities for and challenges of psychological approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy aimed at the reduction of dental anxiety in children.
Towards an analysis framework for investigating students' engagement and learning in educational blogs
Authors: Jimoyiannis A. , Angelaina S.
Published: January 2012

Educational blogs are currently gaining in popularity in schools and higher education institutions, and they are widely promoted as collaborative tools supporting students' active learning. However, literature review on educational blogging revealed a lack of a complete and consistent framework for studying and assessing students' engagement and the impact of blogging on students' learning. This study reports on the application of an analysis framework for evaluating blogging learning activities, based on two well‐documented models, those of Community of Inquiry (CoI) and Social Network Analysis. The framework proposed is examined through an empirical study involving 21 K‐9 students, coming from two classes, in Greece. This investigation shed light into the different ways of students' engagement in a blog‐based project, namely their social and cognitive presence that supported the development of a CoI and learning. The results suggest that the students, through their different roles in the blog, achieved higher thinking and cognitive levels.
Strong intraspecific variation in genetic diversity and genetic differentiation inDaphnia magna: the effects of population turnover and population size
Authors: WALSER B. , HAAG C. R.
Published: January 2012

Theory predicts that genetic diversity and genetic differentiation may strongly vary among populations of the same species depending on population turnover and local population sizes. Yet, despite the importance of these predictions for evolutionary and conservation issues, empirical studies comparing high‐turnover and low‐turnover populations of the same species are scarce. In this study, we usedDaphnia magna, a freshwater crustacean, as a model organism for such a comparison. In the southern/central part of its range,D. magnainhabits medium‐sized, stable ponds, whereas in the north, it occurs in small rock pools with strong population turnover. We found that these northern populations have a significantly lower genetic diversity and higher genetic differentiation compared to the southern/central populations. Total genetic diversity across populations was only about half and average within‐population diversity only about a third of that in southern/central populations. Moreover, an average southern population contains more genetic diversity than the whole metapopulation system in the north. We based our analyses both on silent sites and microsatellites. The similarity of our results despite the contrasting mutation rates of these markers suggests that the differences are caused by contemporary rather than by historical processes. Our findings show that variation in population turnover and population size may have a major impact on the genetic diversity and differentiation of populations, and hence may lead to differences in evolutionary processes like local adaptation, hybrid vigour and breeding system evolution in different parts of a species range.
Numts help to reconstruct the demographic history of the ocellated lizard (Lacerta lepida) in a secondary contact zone
Authors: MIRALDO ANDREIA , HEWITT GODFREY M. , DEAR PAUL H. , PAULO OCTAVIO S. , EMERSON BRENT C.
Published: January 2012

In northwestern Iberia, two largely allopatric Lacerta lepida mitochondrial lineages occur, L5 occurring to the south of Douro River and L3 to the north, with a zone of putative secondary contact in the region of the Douro River valley. Cytochrome b sequence chromatograms with polymorphisms at nucleotide sites diagnostic for the two lineages were detected in individuals in the region of the Douro River and further north within the range of L3. We show that these polymorphisms are caused by the presence of four different numts (I–IV) co‐occurring with the L3 genome, together with low levels of heteroplasmy. Two of the numts (I and II) are similar to the mitochondrial genome of L5 but are quite divergent from the mitochondrial genome of L3 where they occur. We show that these numts are derived from the mitochondrial genome of L5 and were incorporated in L3 through hybridization at the time of secondary contact between the lineages. The additional incidence of these numts to the north of the putative contact zone is consistent with an earlier postglacial northward range expansion of L5, preceding that of L3. We show that genetic exchange between the lineages responsible for the origin of these numts in L3 after secondary contact occurred prior to, or coincident with, the northward expansion of L3. This study shows that, in the context of phylogeographic analysis, numts can provide evidence for past demographic events and can be useful tools for the reconstruction of complex evolutionary histories.
A Juvenile Hormone analogue enhances homosexual behaviour in female‐deprived males of the migratory locust
Authors: GUERSHON MOSHE , AYALI AMIR , GOLENSER ESTHER , PENER MEIR PAUL
Published: January 2012

In laboratory colonies of crowded migratory locusts Locusta migratoria (L.), homosexual behaviour (i.e. males mounting other males) is commonly observed. Female‐deprived males of Locusta migratoria migratorioides R. & F. mount each other in a characteristic mating position, often forming a group of several insects. When allatectomized males are placed together with intact, female‐deprived males, the former are usually mounted by the latter, demonstrating some degree of control involving the corpora allata over homosexual behaviour. This may be related to the positive effects of Juvenile Hormone (JH) or Juvenile Hormone analogues (JHAs) in enhancing male sexual behaviour, as is shown in some other insects. In the present study, a potent JHA (i.e. pyriproxyfen) is injected into a group of young, crowded L. m. migratorioides males, and an equivalent group of control males is maintained in a separate cage. Both groups are deprived of females. Three times a week, during 2‐h observation periods, JHA‐injected and control males are placed together in the absence of females, and homosexual mountings, per group and per individual, are recorded every 10 min. Observations are performed for 10 weeks. Analysis of these data, including the time spent in mounting behaviour, the percentage of individuals within a group involved in the behaviour during the observation periods and the identity of both partners, reveals that the JHA‐treated males show a more intense homosexual mating behaviour than control males in all quantified parameters. This is the first report of the enhancement of homosexual behaviour by an endocrine factor in insects.
Physiological and biochemical parameters controlling waterlogging stress tolerance in Prunus before and after drainage
Authors: Amador María L. , Sancho Sara , Bielsa Beatriz , Gomez‐Aparisi Joaquín , Rubio‐Cabetas María J.
Published: January 2012

Waterlogging is associated with poor soil drainage. As a consequence oxygen levels decrease in the root environment inducing root asphyxia and affecting plant growth. Some plants can survive under these conditions triggering complex anatomical and biochemical adaptations, mostly in the roots. Long‐ and short‐term responses to waterlogging stress were compared in two trials using a set of two myrobalans (Prunus cerasifera Erhr), ‘P.2175’ and ‘P.2980’, as tolerant rootstocks and two almond × peach [Prunus amygdalus Batsch ×Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] interspecific hybrids, ‘Garnem’ and ‘Felinem’, as sensitive ones in two consecutive years. Stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content were measured in the long‐term trials to assess survival performance, while the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), guaiacol peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7), and catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) were measured in the short‐term trials to study early antioxidant response. The incidence of the stress in the root environment was different as a result of the different plant development at the moment of the treatment, as a consequence of different environmental conditions both before and during the treatment between the 2 years. The activity of the different enzymes was higher in the sensitive genotype ‘Felinem’ than in the tolerant ‘P.2175’. This result shows an activation of the antioxidant system and has been observed to depend of the different nature of the roots between the 2 years. As the antioxidant enzymes seem to work more efficiently when roots are more aerated, we cannot conclude that they are responsible for the higher tolerance observed in the myrobalan plums.
Effects of Adductor‐Canal‐Blockade on pain and ambulation after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized study
Authors: JENSTRUP M. T. , JÆGER P. , LUND J. , FOMSGAARD J. S. , BACHE S. , MATHIESEN O. , LARSEN T. K. , DAHL J. B.
Published: January 2012

Background

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with intense post‐operative pain. Besides providing optimal analgesia, reduction in side effects and enhanced mobilization are important in this elderly population. The adductor‐canal‐blockade is theoretically an almost pure sensory blockade. We hypothesized that the adductor‐canal‐blockade may reduce morphine consumption (primary endpoint), improve pain relief, enhance early ambulation ability, and reduce side effects (secondary endpoints) after TKA compared with placebo.

Methods

Patients aged 50–85 years scheduled for TKA were included in this parallel double‐blind, placebo‐controlled randomized trial. The patients were allocated to receive a continuous adductor‐canal‐blockade with intermittent boluses via a catheter with either ropivacaine 0.75% (n = 34) or placebo (n = 37) (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01104883).

Results

Seventy‐five patients were randomized in a 1 : 1 ratio and 71 patients were analyzed. Morphine consumption from 0 to 24 h was significantly reduced in the ropivacaine group compared with the placebo group (40 ± 21 vs. 56 ± 26 mg, P = 0.006). Pain was significantly reduced in the ropivacaine group during 45 degrees flexion of the knee (P = 0.01), but not at rest (P = 0.06). Patients in the ropivacaine group performed the ambulation test, the Timed‐Up‐and‐Go (TUG) test, at 24 h significantly faster than patients in the placebo group (36 ± 17 vs. 50 ± 29 s, P = 0.03).

Conclusion

The adductor‐canal‐blockade significantly reduced morphine consumption and pain during 45 degrees flexion of the knee compared with placebo. In addition, the adductor‐canal‐blockade significantly enhanced ambulation ability assessed by the TUG test.
The impact of uniform and mixed species blood meals on the fitness of the mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae s.s: does a specialist pay for diversifying its host species diet?
Authors: LYIMO I. N. , KEEGAN S. P. , RANFORD‐CARTWRIGHT L. C. , FERGUSON H. M.
Published: January 2012

We investigated the fitness consequences of specialization in an organism whose host choice has an immense impact on human health: the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae s.s. We tested whether this mosquito’s specialism on humans can be attributed to the relative fitness benefits of specialist vs. generalist feeding strategies by contrasting their fecundity and survival on human‐only and mixed host diets consisting of blood meals from humans and animals. When given only one blood meal, An. gambiae s.s. survived significantly longer on human and bovine blood, than on canine or avian blood. However, when blood fed repeatedly, there was no evidence that the fitness of An. gambiae s.s. fed a human‐only diet was greater than those fed generalist diets. This suggests that the adoption of generalist host feeding strategies in An. gambiae s.s. is not constrained by intraspecific variation in the resource quality of blood from other available host species.
Understanding Oral Learners
Authors: Moon W. Jay
Published: January 2012

A five‐year research project of seminary students from various cultural backgrounds revealed that the slight majority of contemporary seminary students studied are oral learners. Oral learners learn best and have their lives most transformed when professors utilize oral teaching and assessment methods. After explaining several preferences of oral learners, suggestions for effective teaching are provided in this article in order to improve both teaching and assessment of oral learners. Applications are provided for face‐to‐face and online learning contexts.
Risk of extrathymic cancer in patients with myasthenia gravis in Taiwan: a nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Liu C.‐J. , Chang Y.‐S. , Teng C.‐J. , Chen T.‐J. , Ou S.‐M. , Tzeng C.‐H. , Wang S.‐J.
Published: January 2012

Background and purpose:  The relationship between myasthenia gravis (MG) and extrathymic malignancies has not been determined. This study aimed to explore the risk of extrathymic malignancy in patients with MG based on a nationwide population‐based dataset.

Methods:  We identified 2614 patients with MG from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database between 1997 and 2005 and compared the incidence rates of extrathymic malignancies with 15 684 randomly selected age‐, sex‐, and comorbidity‐matched subjects without MG. Both cohorts were followed until the end of 2009. Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the predictors of extrathymic malignancy in the MG cohort, including age, sex, comorbidities, and prescription drugs.

Results:  After an average follow‐up of 8 years, the MG cohort had a higher risk of extrathymic cancers with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.38 (95% CI 1.12–1.68, P = 0.002) than the control cohort. Although breast cancer was the most common cancer found, no statistically significant relationship between MG and any specific malignancy was observed. Cox multivariate proportional hazards analysis showed that only age (HR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.04–1.06, P < 0.001) and liver cirrhosis (IRR = 3.85, 95% CI 1.22–12.14, P = 0.021) were predictors of extrathymic cancers in the MG cohort.

Conclusions:  Our study showed that patients with MG had an increased risk of extrathymic malignancy in a follow‐up of 8 years, but no specific susceptibility to certain malignancies was found.
Sex differences in perihemorrhagic edema evolution after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Wagner I. , Volbers B. , Kloska S. , Doerfler A. , Schwab S. , Staykov D.
Published: January 2012

Background and purpose:  Clinical data on sex differences in perihemorrhagic edema (PHE) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are lacking.

Methods:  Patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH who had received standard conservative treatment were identified retrospectively. PHE development was assessed over a 14‐day period on follow‐up CT scans (days 1, 2–4, 5–7, 8–11, and 12–14). ICH and PHE volumes were assessed semiautomatically and compared between men and women.

Results:  A total of 387 patients (233 men) were included. Starting at days 2–4, women showed lower PHE values (P < 0.05; days 2–4, 8–11) or a trend toward significance (P ≤ 0.1; days 5–7, 12–14).

Conclusions:  Female sex may predict lower PHE volumes.
Inverse Association Between Helicobacter pylori and Pediatric Asthma in a High‐Prevalence Population
Authors: Zevit Noam , Balicer Ran D. , Cohen Herman Avner , Karsh Dorit , Niv Yaron , Shamir Raanan
Published: January 2012

Background:  Helicobacter pylori‐associated disease has led to aggressive diagnostic and eradication protocols that are partially responsible for the decrease in prevalence of H. pylori carriage. Recent evidence indicates that in low‐prevalence populations, H. pylori may have protective effects on allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between pediatric asthma and H. pylori infection in a population with high prevalence of H. pylori infection.

Materials and Methods:  A national referral laboratory was screened for all 13C urea breath tests performed in children aged 5–18 years between 2007 and 2008, for patient demographics and physician‐diagnosed asthma. Data concerning asthma‐associated medication usage were extracted from electronic medical records and databases. Data were analyzed using a stepwise logistic regression model.

Results:  During the study period, 6959 patients underwent urea breath testing (average age 12.4 ± 3.5 years). Of these, 3175/6959 (45.6%) were positive for H. pylori, and 578/6959 (8.3%) had asthma. Rates of asthma in H. pylori‐positive and H. pylori‐negative children were 7.3 and 9.1%, respectively (odds ratio 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69–0.98; p = .032). We also confirmed that male gender, urban residence, and age are associated with childhood asthma.

Conclusions:  We demonstrate an inverse association between H. pylori and pediatric asthma in a population with a high prevalence of H. pylori.
Microstructural Evolution from Praseodymium‐Containing Zircon Gels to Prx‐ZrSiO4 Solid Solutions
Authors: Montoya Noemi , Alarcón Javier
Published: January 2012

Structural evolution and coupled microstructural transformations occurred on annealing mineralizer‐free Pr‐containing ZrSiO4 gels up to final praseodymium‐doped zircon yellow pigments are reported. Gels with nominal compositions Prx‐ZrSiO4, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.125, were prepared from mixtures of zirconium and silicon alkoxides and praseodymium acetylacetonate. Crystallization pathway and microstructural changes of thermally treated dried gels were followed by infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopies, respectively.

Results indicated that the crystallization pathway through the whole process of final Prx‐ZrSiO4 solid solutions formation displayed three well‐defined steps. The crystallization of tetragonal Pr‐containing ZrO2 nanocrystals occurred first, followed by their phase transformation to the monoclinic form. The last step was the reaction between the monoclinic Pr‐zirconia and the amorphous silica and its kinetics was dependent on the amount of the nominal praseodymium content.

The microstructure before the Pr‐zircon formation consisted of an arrangement of tetragonal‐ or monoclinic Pr‐containing ZrO2 particles coated by an amorphous silica layer, with sizes lower than 100 nm and between 200 and 400 nm, respectively. The final Prx‐ZrSiO4 solid solution products were particles sized in the range between 200 nm and 1 μm. Microstructural changes revealed that the whole formation process to final Prx‐ZrSiO4 non‐aggregated particles was led by the synthetic procedure used for the preparation of gel precursors.
To grow fast or to grow big? Time‐limited larvae of Eilema depressum speed up their growth and reduce number of instars
Authors: Pöykkö Heikki , Hyvärinen Marko
Published: January 2012

According to life‐history theory, longer development time may result in bigger adults. However, reaction norms describing age and size at maturity often follow an L‐shaped form. This relationship is attributable to the simple notion that slowly growing individuals may not lengthen their development excessively after the maturation decision has been made, for example, when development is time limited in seasonal environments. In arthropods, growth occurs within instars, and thus the optimal growth strategy might be mediated by the phenotypic adjustment of instar numbers. We studied the relationship between age and size at maturity of a lichen‐feeding moth, Eilema depressum (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Lithosiinae), and the variability of instar numbers in relation to achieved adult body mass and time used for maturation. A positive relationship between age and size at maturity was found across developmental pathways and a negative one within the developmental pathways. Directly developing larvae had higher growth rates, attained smaller pupal mass, and passed fewer instars than larvae maturing after overwintering. Host quality did not affect whether larvae matured during the remaining or the next season. High variation in the number of instars together with variable growth rates indicates high plasticity in adaptation to varying environmental conditions. Our results also confirm previous results that instar number variability may be a key characteristic mediating age and size at maturity in insects.
Brown trout redd superimposition in relation to spawning habitat availability
Authors: Gortázar Javier , Alonso Carlos , García de Jalón Diego
Published: January 2012

Abstract –The relationship between redd superimposition and spawning habitat availability was investigated in the brown trout (Salmo truttaL.) population inhabiting the river Castril (Granada, Spain). Redd surveys were conducted in 24 river sections to estimate the rate of redd superimposition. Used and available microhabitat was evaluated to compute the suitable spawning habitat (SSH) for brown trout. After analysing the microhabitat characteristics positively selected by females, SSH was defined as an area that met all the following five requirements: water depth between 10 and 50 cm, mean water velocity between 30 and 60 cm s−1, bottom water velocity between 15 and 60 cm s−1, substrate size between 4 and 30 mm and no embeddedness. Simple regression analyses showed that redd superimposition was not correlated with redd numbers, SSH or redd density. A simulation‐based analysis was performed to estimate the superimposition rate if redds were randomly placed inside the SSH. This analysis revealed that the observed superimposition rate was higher than expected in 23 of 24 instances, this difference being significant (P < 0.05) in eight instances and right at the limit of statistical significance (P = 0.05) in another eight instances. Redd superimposition was high in sections with high redd density. High superimposition however was not exclusive to sections with high redd density and was found in moderate‐ and low‐redd‐density sections. This suggests that factors other than habitat availability are also responsible for redd superimposition. We argue that female preference for spawning over previously excavated redds may be the most likely explanation for high superimposition at lower densities.
Effects of daily management changes on behavioral patterns of a solitary female African elephant (Loxodonta africana) in a zoo
Authors: KOYAMA Nao , UENO Yoshikazu , EGUCHI Yusuke , UETAKE Katsuji , TANAKA Toshio
Published: January 2012

This study investigated the effects of changes in daily management on behavior of a solitary female elephant in a zoo. The activity budget and space utilization of the subject and the management changes were recorded for 1 year after the conspecific male died. The observation days could be categorized into five clusters (C1–C5) by the characteristic behavioral pattern of each day. C1 had the highest percentage of resting of all clusters, and was observed after the loss of the conspecific and the beginning of use of the indoor exhibition room at night. C2, which had the highest percentage of stereotypy of any cluster, was observed after the beginning of habituation to the indoor exhibition room. Also, when the time schedule of management was changed irregularly, the subject frequently exhibited stereotypic pacing (C2, C4). The subject tended to rest when exhibiting lameness in the left hind limb (C3). In C5, activity reached a high level when she could utilize a familiar place under a stable management schedule. These results indicate that management changes affected the mental stability of an elephant in the early stage of social isolation.
Checkpoints of B cell differentiation: visualizing Ig‐centric processes
Authors: Berkowska Magdalena A. , van der Burg Mirjam , van Dongen Jacques J.M. , van Zelm Menno C.
Published: January 2012

The generation of antibody responses and B cell memory can only take place following multiple steps of differentiation. Key molecular processes during precursor B cell differentiation in bone marrow generate unique antibodies. These antibodies are further optimized via molecular modifications during immune responses in peripheral lymphoid organs. Multiple checkpoints ensure proper differentiation of precursor and mature B lymphocytes. Many of these checkpoints have been found disrupted in patients with a primary immunodeficiency. Based on studies in these patients and in mouse models, new insights have been generated in B cell differentiation and antibody responses. Still, in many patients with impaired antibody formation, it remains unclear how B cells are affected. In this perspective, we present 11 critical processes in B cell differentiation. We discuss how defects in these processes can result in impaired checkpoint selection and how they can be visualized in healthy subjects and patients with immunodeficiency or other immunological disease.
The case for newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency and related disorders
Authors: Puck Jennifer M.
Published: January 2012

Early detection of primary immunodeficiency is recognized as important for avoiding infectious complications that compromise outcomes. In particular, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is fatal in infancy unless affected infants can be diagnosed before the onset of devastating infections and provided with an immune system through allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation, enzyme replacement, or gene therapy. A biomarker of normal T cell development, T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs), can be measured in DNA isolated from the dried blood spots routinely obtained for newborn screening; infants identified as lacking TRECs can thus receive confirmatory testing and prompt intervention. Early results of TREC testing of newborns in five states indicate that this addition to the newborn screening panel can be successfully integrated into state public health programs. A variety of cases with typical SCID genotypes and other T lymphocytopenic conditions have been detected in a timely manner and referred for appropriate early treatment.
Role of illness and medication perceptions on adherence to medication in a group of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: AFLAKSEIR Abdulaziz
Published: January 2012

Background:  The aim of this study was to examine the role of illness and medication perceptions on medication adherence in a group of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:  A total of 102 patients with type 2 diabetes was recruited from an outpatient clinic in Shiraz, Iran, using the convenience sampling method. The participants completed the Illness Perception Questionnaire‐Revised (IPQ‐R), Belief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ), and Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS).

Results:  The findings of the study revealed that illness perception, including timeline (chronic –the belief that diabetes would last a long time), predicted a higher level of medication adherence, while medication belief (concern – holding concerns about the potential negative effects of medicines) predicted a lower level of adherence to medicines. This prediction was above and beyond the relevant and demographic variables such as age and the duration of illness.

Conclusions:  The findings of this study suggest that medication beliefs, such as concern about the negative effects of medicines, have an important role in the low level of adherence to medication for diabetic patients in Iran.
Lectotypification of two Linnaean names in Compositae
Authors: Calvo Joel , Álvarez Inés , Aedo Carlos
Published: January 2012

The Linnaean names Doronicum incanum and Senecio byzantinus are typified in this paper.