bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical study on the correlation between metabolic syndrome and colorectal carcinoma
Authors: Shen Zhanlong , Wang Shan , Ye Yingjiang , Yin Mujun , Yang Xiaodong , Jiang Kewei , Liu Yan
Published: October 2009

Background:  Although metabolic syndrome (MS) has received a lot of attention in recent years, the correlation between MS and colorectal carcinoma is still not very clear. This study aims at exploring the relationship between MS and colorectal carcinoma.

Methods:  Data was collected from 507 cases of colorectal carcinoma and 507 cases of healthy patients between January 2002 and March 2007 to establish the database. The patients with colorectal cancer were divided into two groups based on the presence of MS. Multivariate analysis of these data for the overall survival and recurrence was performed with the Cox proportional hazard model. Variables examined by multivariate analysis were sex , age, location, histotype, differentiation, tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, the number of lymph nodes detected, etc.

Results:  The existence of MS in the colorectal carcinoma group was clearly more than that in the control group. The existence of two to four types of abnormal metabolic diseases was significantly more in the colorectal cancer group than in the control group. MS is one of the important elements that can independently influence the survival (odds ratio (OR) = 1.501, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.057–2.131) and have the highest risk with worse survival compared with other parameters.

Conclusion:  There is a close relationship between MS and colorectal carcinoma, and MS is a significantly independent element that influences the survival of the colorectal carcinoma. Decreasing the incidence of MS maybe play a role in improving therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of the cancer.
Differential bacterial dynamics promote emergent community robustness to lake mixing: an epilimnion to hypolimnion transplant experiment
Authors: Shade A. , Chiu C.‐Y. , McMahon K. D.
Published: October 2009

Lake mixing disrupts chemical and physical gradients that structure bacterial communities. A transplant experiment was designed to investigate the influence of post‐mixing environmental conditions and biotic interactions on bacterial community composition. The experimental design was 3 × 2 factorial, where water was incubated from three different sources (epilimnion, hypolimnion, and mixed epilimnion and hypolimnion) at two different locations in the water column (epilimnion or hypolimnion). Three replicate mesocosms of each treatment were removed every day for 5 days for bacterial community profiling, assessed by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis. There were significant treatment effects observed, and temperature was the strongest measured driver of community change (r = −0.66). Epilimnion‐incubated communities changed more than hypolimnion‐incubated. Across all treatments, we classified generalist, layer‐preferential and layer‐specialist populations based on occurrence patterns. Most classified populations were generalists that occurred in both strata, suggesting that communities were robust to mixing. In a network analysis of the mixed‐inocula treatments, there was correlative evidence of inter‐population biotic interactions, where many of these interactions involved generalists. These results reveal differential responses of bacterial populations to lake mixing and highlight the role of generalist taxa in structuring an emergent community‐level response.
Biomass production and energy source of thermophiles in a Japanese alkaline geothermal pool
Authors: Kimura Hiroyuki , Mori Kousuke , Nashimoto Hiroaki , Hattori Shohei , Yamada Keita , Koba Keisuke , Yoshida Naohiro , Kato Kenji
Published: October 2009

Microbial biomass production has been measured to investigate the contribution of planktonic bacteria to fluxations in dissolved organic matter in marine and freshwater environments, but little is known about biomass production of thermophiles inhabiting geothermal and hydrothermal regions. The biomass production of thermophiles inhabiting an 85°C geothermal pool was measured by in situ cultivation using diffusion chambers. The thermophiles' growth rates ranged from 0.43 to 0.82 day−1, similar to those of planktonic bacteria in marine and freshwater habitats. Biomass production was estimated based on cellular carbon content measured directly from the thermophiles inhabiting the geothermal pool, which ranged from 5.0 to 6.1 μg C l−1 h−1. This production was 2–75 times higher than that of planktonic bacteria in other habitats, because the cellular carbon content of the thermophiles was much higher. Quantitative PCR and phylogenetic analysis targeting 16S rRNA genes revealed that thermophilic H2‐oxidizing bacteria closely related to Calderobacterium and Geothermobacterium were dominant in the geothermal pool. Chemical analysis showed the presence of H2 in gases bubbling from the bottom of the geothermal pool. These results strongly suggested that H2 plays an important role as a primary energy source of thermophiles in the geothermal pool.
Diversity analyses of Aeschynomene symbionts in Tropical Africa and Central America reveal that nod‐independent stem nodulation is not restricted to photosynthetic bradyrhizobia
Authors: Miché Lucie , Moulin Lionel , Chaintreuil Clémence , Contreras‐Jimenez José Luis , Munive‐Hernández José‐Antonio , Del Carmen Villegas‐Hernandez María , Crozier Françoise , Béna Gilles
Published: October 2009

Tropical aquatic legumes of the genus Aeschynomene are unique in that they can be stem‐nodulated by photosynthetic bradyrhizobia. Moreover, a recent study demonstrated that two Aeschynomene indica symbionts lack canonical nod genes, thereby raising questions about the distribution of such atypical symbioses among rhizobial–legume interactions. Population structure and genomic diversity were compared among stem‐nodulating bradyrhizobia isolated from various Aeschynomene species of Central America and Tropical Africa. Phylogenetic analyses based on the recA gene and whole‐genome amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints on 110 bacterial strains highlighted that all the photosynthetic strains form a separate cluster among bradyrhizobia, with no obvious structuring according to their geographical or plant origins. Nod‐independent symbiosis was present in all sampling areas and seemed to be linked to Aeschynomene host species. However, it was not strictly dependent on photosynthetic ability, as exemplified by a newly identified cluster of strains that lacked canonical nod genes and efficiently stem‐nodulated A. indica, but were not photosynthetic. Interestingly, the phenotypic properties of this new cluster of bacteria were reflected by their phylogenetical position, as being intermediate in distance between classical root‐nodulatingBradyrhizobium spp. and photosynthetic ones. This result opens new prospects about stem‐nodulating bradyrhizobial evolution.
The safety and efficacy of liraglutide with or without oral antidiabetic drug therapy in type 2 diabetes: an overview of the LEAD 1–5 studies
Authors: Blonde L. , Russell‐Jones D.
Published: October 2009

Liraglutide is a new glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonist and a true GLP‐1 analogue. After successful phase 2 studies, liraglutide was assessed in a series of phase 3 trials [(Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes (LEAD)] designed to demonstrate efficacy and safety across the continuum of type 2 diabetes antihyperglycaemic care, both as monotherapy and in combination with commonly used oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). The LEAD programme also compared liraglutide with other OADs. As a monotherapy, liraglutide demonstrated significant improvements in glycaemic control in comparison with glimepiride. When combined with one or two OADs, reductions in haemoglobin A1c, fasting plasma glucose and postprandial glucose were generally greater with liraglutide than with comparators. Throughout the trials, liraglutide was associated with weight reduction; in most instances, the reduction from baseline was significantly greater than that seen with comparators. Improvements in assessments of beta‐cell function were consistently shown with liraglutide treatment across all trials. Furthermore, reductions in systolic blood pressure were reported. Liraglutide was associated with a low risk of hypoglycaemia and was generally well tolerated. The majority of adverse effects were gastrointestinal, the most frequent of which was nausea.
DATA‐DRIVEN SMOOTH TESTS AND A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR LACK‐OF‐FIT FOR CIRCULAR DATA
Authors: Wouters Heidi , Thas Olivier , Ottoy Jean‐Pierre
Published: October 2009

Two contributions to the statistical analysis of circular data are given. First we construct data‐driven smooth goodness‐of‐fit tests for the circular von Mises assumption. As a second method, we propose a new graphical diagnostic tool for the detection of lack‐of‐fit for circular distributions. We illustrate our methods on two real datasets.
Memantine versus donepezil in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized trial with magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Authors: Modrego P. J. , Fayed N. , Errea J. M. , Rios C. , Pina M. A. , Sarasa M.
Published: October 2009

Background and purpose:  To compare memantine with the most prescribed cholinesterase inhibitor (donepezil) from a clinical viewpoint when administered in early phases of Alzheimer disease (AD), and to find out whether memantine may produce changes in brain metabolite concentrations in comparison with donepezil.

Methods:  In this comparative rater‐blinded parallel group randomized trial we recruited a consecutive sample of patients with probable mild to moderate AD. At baseline we carried out neuropsychological assessment with mini‐mental, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale, cognitive part (ADAS‐cog), neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), and disability assessment for dementia (DAD), as well as 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in several areas of the brain. Patients were randomized to receive either donepezil or memantine for 6 months. After this elapse of time we repeated the same procedures and observed the changes in clinical scales (ADAS‐cog, NPI, DAD), as well as the changes in metabolite levels in every area of exploration (temporal, pre‐frontal, posterior cingulated (PCG), and occipital), especially those of N‐acetyl‐aspartate (NAA) which is regarded as a surrogate marker of neuronal density.

Results:  A total of sixty‐three patients completed the trial. We did not see significant differences in clinical scales and metabolite levels between those on donepezil (n = 32) and those on memantine (n = 31). In general, more patients worsened than improved on either of the drugs. The changes in the NAA/creatine ratio in the PCG correlated significantly with the changes in the ADAS‐cog (P = 0.004).

Conclusions:  Donepezil and memantine have similar modest clinical and spectroscopic effect on mild to moderate AD. MRS could be useful to monitor progression of the disease.
Vocabulary knowledge is a critical determinant of the difference in reading comprehension growth between first and second language learners
Authors: Lervåg Arne , Aukrust Vibeke Grøver
Published: October 2009

Background:  This study examines the role of decoding and vocabulary skills as longitudinal predictors of reading comprehension in young first (L1) and second (L2) language learners.

Methods:  Two‐group latent growth models were used to assess differences in growth and predictions of growth between the 198 L1 and 90 L2 language learners.

Results:  L1 learners had better initial reading comprehension skills and faster growth in these skills over time. Individual differences in decoding and vocabulary predicted initial reading comprehension skills, but only vocabulary predicted the subsequent growth of reading comprehension skills. Vocabulary seemed to be a stronger predictor of growth in reading comprehension among the L2 learners than among the L1 learners.

Conclusions:  Vocabulary appears to be a critical predictor of the early development of reading comprehension skills in both L1 and L2 learners. The limitations in vocabulary skills in the L2 learners seemed sufficient to explain their lag in developing reading comprehension skills, and this suggests that oral vocabulary training should be given a high priority in this group.
Genes for control of plant stature and form
Authors: Busov Victor B. , Brunner Amy M. , Strauss Steven H.
Published: October 2009

Contents

Summary
589

I.
Introduction
590

II.
Hormonal control
590

III.
Transcription factors and other regulatory genes
596

IV.
Cell cycle genes: cause or consequence of growth?
598

V.
Conclusions
599

Acknowledgements
602

References
602
The levonorgestrel intrauterine system (Mirena) for the treatment of menstrual problems in adolescents with medical disorders, or physical or learning disabilities
Authors: Pillai M , O’Brien K , Hill E
Published: October 2009

Please cite this paper as: Pillai M, O’Brien K, Hill E. The levonorgestrel IUS (Mirena) for the treatment of menstrual problems in adolescents with medical disorders or physical or learning disabilities. BJOG 2010;117:216–221.

Menstrual problems are common in adolescence. Management can be very problematic in girls with disability or medical disorders, as their condition and other medications may mean they are less likely to achieve satisfactory control with standard medical treatments. Those with disability tend to tolerate menses poorly. We report experience with the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG IUS) for treatment of menstrual problems in adolescents with a range of medical problems or with severe learning disability. It provided of significant therapeutic benefit for 12 of 14 participants, with the majority opting to continue for the 5‐year duration of the device. The rates of expulsion, bleeding and amenorrhoea appear similar to those reported in older women, where contraception is the primary indication.
The menstrual disorder of teenagers (MDOT) study: determining typical menstrual patterns and menstrual disturbance in a large population‐based study of Australian teenagers
Authors: Parker MA , Sneddon AE , Arbon P
Published: October 2009

Please cite this paper as: Parker M, Sneddon A, Arbon P. The menstrual disorder of teenagers (MDOT) study: determining typical menstrual patterns and menstrual disturbance in a large population‐based study of Australian teenagers. BJOG 2010;117:185–192.

Objective  The aim of this study was to: (1) establish the typical experience of menstruation for senior high school girls and (2) determine how many experience considerable menstrual disturbance that could require further investigation and management of underlying pathology.

Design  Cross‐sectional study.

Setting  Senior High Schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia.

Population  A total of 1051 girls aged between 15 and 19 years.

Methods  Data based on a quantitative survey.

Main outcome measures  Self‐reports of menstrual bleeding patterns, typical and atypical symptoms and morbidities.

Results  Typical menstruation in adolescence includes pain (93%), cramping (71%), premenstrual symptoms (96%) and mood disturbance (73%). Highly significant associations were found between increasing severity of menstrual pain, number of menstrual‐related symptoms, interference with life activities and school absence. These associations indicate that approximately 25% of the sample had marked menstrual disturbance: 21% experienced severe pain; 26% school absence; 26% suffering five or more symptoms; ≥24% reporting moderate to high interference with four out of nine life activities. Approximately 10% reported atypical symptoms associated with menstruation. Diagnosis of menstrual pathology in the sample was low, even though 33% had seen a GP and 9% had been referred to a specialist.

Conclusions  Menstrual pain and symptoms are common in teenagers. Girls indicating moderate to severe pain in association with a high number of menstrual symptoms, school absence and interference with life activities should be effectively managed to minimise menstrual morbidity. Those girls who do not respond to medical management should be considered for further investigation for possible underlying pathology, such as endometriosis.
Risk of ovarian failure and fertility preserving methods in girls and adolescents with a malignant disease
Authors: Schmidt KT , Larsen EC , Andersen CY , Andersen AN
Published: October 2009

Please cite this paper as: Schmidt K, Larsen E, Andersen C, Andersen A. Risk of ovarian failure and fertility preserving methods in girls and adolescents with a malignant disease. BJOG 2010;117:163–174.

Girls and young women suffering from a malignant disease that requires treatment with chemo‐ and/or radiotherapy are at risk of losing fertility. The most significant risk factors are age and type of treatment given. Preserving fertility is of high priority to both the young patient and her parents. This article reviews the effect of chemo‐ and radiotherapy on gonadal function, and thus fertility, and offers different fertility preserving methods based on the literature. Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is a possible way of preserving fertility in this group of patients in the future.
Prognosis of patients with relapsed and chemoresistant gestational trophoblastic neoplasia transferred to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Authors: Feng F , Xiang Y , Wan X , Zhou Y
Published: October 2009

Objective  To analyse and compare the treatment outcome of the patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) who were transferred to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) because of chemoresistant or relapsed GTN.

Design  A retrospective study of the clinical features and treatment outcome of GTN after treatment failure elsewhere at the PUMCH.

Setting  The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PUMCH, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.

Population  A total of 81 women with chemoresistant or relapsed GTN transferred and treated between January 2005 and December 2007.

Methods  A review of medical records of consecutively collected, referral cases of GTN was performed. The patients were classified according to the reasons for referral as having chemoresistant GTN if they had an incomplete response to previous treatment, and as having relapsed GTN if they had elevated serum β‐human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG) levels, in the absence of a pregnancy, after the completion of initial treatment.

Main outcome measures  Serologic complete remission (SCR) and relapse rates.

Results  The patients with chemoresistant and relapsed GTN achieved 52.6 and 76.7% of the long‐term SCR rate, respectively; P = 0.035. Relapse rate and median time to relapse were similar between the chemoresistant GTN cohort and the relapsed GTN cohort after initial SCR (24 versus 35.7%, P = 0.417; 4 versus 3 months, P = 0.969).

Conclusions  The patients with chemoresistant GTN had a worse outcome compared with patients with relapsed GTN. The importance of obtaining a normal β‐hCG level with treatment for GTN should be emphasised, and novel therapies should be pursued for these patients.
Transcriptional expression of serotonergic regulators in laser‐captured microdissected dorsal raphe neurons of subjects with major depressive disorder: sex‐specific differences
Authors: Goswami Dharmendra B. , May Warren L. , Stockmeier Craig A. , Austin Mark C.
Published: October 2009

The relationship between serotonin (5‐HT) and major depressive disorder (MDD) has been extensively studied but certain aspects are still ambiguous. Given the evidence that 5‐HT neurotransmission is reduced in depressed subjects, it is possible that one or more of the 5‐HT regulators may be altered in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) of depressed subjects. Candidates that regulate 5‐HT synthesis and neuronal activity of 5‐HT neurons include intrinsic regulators such as tryptophan hydroxylase 2, 5‐HT autoreceptors, 5‐HT transporter and transcription factors, as well as afferent regulators such as estrogen and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor. The present study was designed to quantify mRNA concentrations of the above 5‐HT regulators in an isolated population of 5‐HT‐containing DR neurons of MDD subjects and gender‐matched psychiatrically normal control subjects. We found that mRNA concentrations of the 5‐HT1D receptor and the transcription factors, NUDR and REST, were significantly increased in DR‐captured neurons of female MDD subjects compared to female control subjects. No significant differences were found for the transcripts in male MDD subjects compared to male controls. This study reveals sex‐specific alterations in gene expression of the pre‐synaptic 5‐HT1D autoreceptors and 5‐HT‐related transcription factors, NUDR and REST, in DR neurons of women with MDD.
CYPRIOT BYZANTINE GLAZED POTTERY: A STUDY OF THE PAPHOS WORKSHOPS
Authors: CHARALAMBOUS A. C. , SAKALIS A. J. , KANTIRANIS N. A. , PAPADOPOULOU L. C. , TSIRLIGANIS N. C. , STRATIS J. A.
Published: October 2009

Twenty‐five samples of Byzantine glazed pottery from two archaeological sites between Limassol and Paphos region (Cyprus), dated between the 12th and 15th century ad were studied using micro X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. It was found that all the glazes contain lead, following the main manufacturing process of medieval pottery in the Mediterranean territory, while some of them contain tin, possibly for better opacity. Furthermore, it is shown that copper, iron and cobalt with nickel are responsible for the decoration colours. Finally, the application of principal component analysis revealed significant differentiation for some of the samples.
Obstetric Complications in Women with Diagnosed Mental Illness: The Relative Success of California's County Mental Health System
Authors: Thornton Dorothy , Guendelman Sylvia , Hosang Nap
Published: October 2009

Objective. To examine disparities in serious obstetric complications and quality of obstetric care during labor and delivery for women with and without mental illness.

Data Source. Linked California hospital discharge (2000–2001), birth, fetal death, and county mental health system (CMHS) records.

Study Design. This population‐based, cross‐sectional study of 915,568 deliveries in California, calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for obstetric complication rates for women with a mental illness diagnosis (treated and not treated in the CMHS) compared with women with no mental illness diagnosis, controlling for sociodemographic, delivery hospital type, and clinical factors.

Results. Compared with deliveries in the general non–mentally ill population, deliveries to women with mental illness stand a higher adjusted risk of obstetric complication: AOR=1.32 (95 percent confidence interval [CI]=1.25, 1.39) for women treated in the CMHS and AOR=1.72 (95 percent CI=1.66, 1.79) for women not treated in the CMHS. Mentally ill women treated in the CMHS are at lower risk than non‐CMHS mentally ill women of experiencing conditions associated with suboptimal intrapartum care (postpartum hemorrhage, major puerperal infections) and inadequate prenatal care (acute pyelonephritis).

Conclusion. Since mental disorders during pregnancy adversely affect mothers and their infants, care of the mentally ill pregnant woman by mental health and primary care providers warrants special attention.
Predictors of Adequate Depression Treatment among Medicaid‐Enrolled Adults
Authors: Teh Carrie Farmer , Sorbero Mark J. , Mihalyo Mark J. , Kogan Jane N. , Schuster James , Reynolds Charles F. , Stein Bradley D.
Published: October 2009

Objective. To determine whether Medicaid‐enrolled depressed adults receive adequate treatment for depression and to identify the characteristics of those receiving inadequate treatment.

Data Source. Claims data from a Medicaid‐enrolled population in a large mid‐Atlantic state between July 2006 and January 2008.

Study Design. We examined rates and predictors of minimally adequate psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy among adults with a new depression treatment episode during the study period (N=1,098).

Principal Findings. Many depressed adults received either minimally adequate psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy. Black individuals and individuals who began their depression treatment episode with an inpatient psychiatric stay for depression were markedly less likely to receive minimally adequate psychotherapy and more likely to receive inadequate treatment.

Conclusions. Racial minorities and individuals discharged from inpatient treatment for depression are at risk for receiving inadequate depression treatment.
The “Nursing Home Compare” Measure of Urinary/Fecal Incontinence: Cross‐Sectional Variation, Stability over Time, and the Impact of Case Mix
Authors: Li Yue , Schnelle John , Spector William D. , Glance Laurent G. , Mukamel Dana B.
Published: October 2009

Objectives. To assess the impact of facility case mix on cross‐sectional variations and short‐term stability of the “Nursing Home Compare” incontinence quality measure (QM) and to determine whether multivariate risk adjustment can minimize such impacts.

Study Design. Retrospective analyses of the 2005 national minimum data set (MDS) that included approximately 600,000 long‐term care residents in over 10,000 facilities in each quarterly sample. Mixed logistic regression was used to construct the risk‐adjusted QM (nonshrinkage estimator). Facility‐level ordinary least‐squares models and adjusted R2 were used to estimate the impact of case mix on cross‐sectional and short‐term longitudinal variations of currently published and risk‐adjusted QMs.

Principal Findings. At least 50 percent of the cross‐sectional variation and 25 percent of the short‐term longitudinal variation of the published QM are explained by facility case mix. In contrast, the cross‐sectional and short‐term longitudinal variations of the risk‐adjusted QM are much less susceptible to case‐mix variations (adjusted R2<0.10), even for facilities with more extreme or more unstable outcome.

Conclusions. Current “Nursing Home Compare” incontinence QM reflects considerable case‐mix variations across facilities and over time, and therefore it may be biased. This issue can be largely addressed by multivariate risk adjustment using risk factors available in the MDS.
Holocene precipitation and temperature variations in the East Asian monsoonal margin from pollen data from Hulun Lake in northeastern Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: WEN RUILIN , XIAO JULE , CHANG ZHIGANG , ZHAI DAYOU , XU QINGHAI , LI YUECONG , ITOH SHIGERU
Published: October 2009

Wen, R. L., Xiao, J. L., Chang, Z. G., Zhai, D. Y., Xu, Q. H., Li, Y. C. & Itoh, S. 2009: Holocene precipitation and temperature variations in the East Asian monsoonal margin from pollen data from Hulun Lake in northeastern Inner Mongolia, China. Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00125.x. ISSN 0300‐9483.

Quantitative palaeoclimatic reconstruction with the weighted averaging partial least squares method was applied to the pollen profile from Hulun Lake in northeastern Inner Mongolia. The data provide a detailed history of variations in precipitation and temperature over the northeastern margin of the East Asian summer monsoon during the Holocene. A warm and dry climate prevailed over the lake region until c. 8000 cal. BP. During the period c. 8000–4400 cal. BP, precipitation increased markedly and temperature gradually declined. The interval between c. 4400 and 3350 cal. BP was marked by extremely dry and relatively cold conditions. Precipitation recovered from c. 3350 to 1000 cal. BP, with temperatures rising c. 3350–2050 cal. BP and dropping c. 2050–1000 cal. BP. During the last 500 years, the climate of the lake region displayed a general trend of warming and wetting. While Holocene temperature variations in the mid‐high latitude monsoonal margin were controlled by changes in summer solar radiation in the Northern Hemisphere, they could also be related to the strength of the East Asian summer monsoon. The lack of precipitation during the early Holocene could be attributed to the weakened summer monsoon resulting from the existence of remnant ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. Changes in the monsoonal precipitation during the middle to late Holocene would have been associated with the ocean–atmosphere interacting processes occurring in the western tropical Pacific.
Stimulated neovascularization, inflammation resolution and collagen maturation in healing rat cutaneous wounds by a heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan mimetic, OTR4120
Authors: Tong Miao , Tuk Bastiaan , Hekking Ineke M. , Vermeij Marcel , Barritault Denis , Van Neck Johan W.
Published: October 2009

Heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HS‐GAGs) are not only the structural elements of tissue architecture but also regulate the bioavailability and transduction pathways of heparan sulfate‐bound polypeptides released by cells or the extracellular matrix. Heparan sulfate‐bound polypeptides include inflammatory mediators, chemokines, angiogenic factors, morphogens, and growth‐promoting factors that induce cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation in wound healing. OTR4120, a polymer engineered to mimic the properties of HS‐GAGs, is used to replace the natural HS‐GAGs that are degraded during wound repair, and enhance the tissue regeneration by preserving the cellular microenvironment and the endogenous signals needed for tissue regeneration. We previously demonstrated that OTR4120 treatment had a long‐term effect on increasing breaking strength and vasodilation in healing rat full‐thickness excisional wounds. The present study investigates the underlying mechanisms of the effects of OTR4120 treatment in improving the quality of cutaneous wound repair. We found that OTR4120 treatment stimulated inflammation resolution and increased neovascularization. OTR4120 treatment also promoted epidermal migration and proliferation during reepithelialization. Moreover, the granulation tissue formation and collagen maturation were improved in OTR4120‐treated wounds. Three months after wounding, the effects of OTR4120 treatment on vascularization and inflammation resolution were normalized, except for an improved neodermis. We conclude that OTR4120 is a potential matrix therapeutic agent that ensures the quality of normal cutaneous wound repair and may restore impaired wound healing characterized by deficient angiogenesis and prolonged inflammation.
Anti‐clockwise P–T paths in the lower crust: an example from a kyanite‐bearing regional aureole, George Sound, New Zealand
Authors: CLARKE G. L. , FITZHERBERT J. A. , MILAN L. A. , DACZKO N. R. , DEGELING H. S.
Published: October 2009

The George Sound Paragneiss (GSP) represents a rare Permo‐Triassic unit in Fiordland that occurs as a km‐scale pillar to gabbroic and dioritic gneiss of c. 120 Ma Western Fiordland Orthogneiss (WFO). It is distinguished from Palaeozoic paragneiss common in western Fiordland (Deep Cove Gneiss) by SHRIMP and laser‐ablation U–Pb ages as young as c. 190 Ma and 176Hf/177Lu >0.2828 for detrital zircon grains. The Mesozoic age of the GSP circumvents common ambiguity in the interpretation of Cretaceous v. Palaeozoic metamorphic assemblages in the Deep Cove Gneiss. A shallowly dipping S1 foliation is preserved in the GSP distal to the WFO, cut by 100 m scale migmatite contact zones. All units preserve a steeply dipping S2 foliation. S1 staurolite and sillimanite inclusions in the cores of metapelitic garnet grains distal to the WFO preserve evidence for prograde conditions of T < 650 °C and P < 8 kbar. Contact aureole and S2 assemblages include Mg‐rich, Ca‐poor cores to garnet grains in metapelitic schist that reflect WFO emplacement at ≈760 °C and ≈6.5 kbar. S2 kyanite‐bearing matrix assemblages and Ca‐enriched garnet rims reflect ≈650 °C and ≈11 kbar. Poorly oriented muscovite–biotite intergrowths and rare paragonite reflect post‐S2 high‐P retrogression and cooling. Pseudosection modelling in NCKFMASH defines a high‐P anti‐clockwise P–T history for the GSP involving: (i) mid‐P amphibolite facies conditions; preceding (ii) thermal metamorphism adjacent to the WFO; followed by (iii) burial to high‐P and (iv) high‐P cooling induced by tectonic juxtaposition of cooler country rock.
Evaluation of Membrane Oxygenators and Reservoirs in Terms of Capturing Gaseous Microemboli and Pressure Drops
Authors: Guan Yulong , Palanzo David , Kunselman Allen , Ündar Akif
Published: October 2009

An increasing amount of evidence points to cerebral embolization during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) as the principal etiologic factor of neurologic complications. In this study, the capability of capturing and classification of gaseous emboli and pressure drop of three different membrane oxygenators (Sorin Apex, Terumo Capiox SX25, Maquet QUADROX) were measured in a simulated adult model of CPB using a novel ultrasound detection and classification quantifier system. The circuit was primed with 1000 mL heparinized human packed red blood cells and 1000 mL lactated Ringer's solution (total volume 2000 mL, corrected hematocrit 26–28%). After the injection of 5 mL air into the venous line, an Emboli Detection and Classification Quantifier was used to simultaneously record microemboli counts at post‐pump, post‐oxygenator, and post‐arterial filter sites. Trials were conducted at normothermic (35°C) and hypothermic (25°C) conditions. Pre‐oxygenator and post‐oxygenator pressure were recorded in real time and pressure drop was calculated. Maquet QUADROX membrane oxygenator has the lowest pressure drops compared to the other two oxygenators (P < 0.001). The comparison among the three oxygenators indicated better capability of capturing gaseous emboli with the Maquet QUADROX and Terumo Capiox SX25 membrane oxygenator and more emboli may pass through the Sorin Apex membrane oxygenator. Microemboli counts uniformly increased with hypothermic perfusion (25°C). Different types of oxygenators and reservoirs have different capability of capturing gaseous emboli and transmembrane pressure drop. Based on this investigation, Maquet QUADROX membrane oxygenator has the lowest pressure drop and better capability for capturing gaseous microemboli.
An examination of the supply and demand for clinical laboratory professionals in the United States
Authors: Carden Robert , Allsbrook Kathy , Thomas Richard
Published: October 2009

Medical technologists (MTs) and technicians fill key roles in blood centers and hospital transfusion services. There is a concern that the number of new technologists and technicians entering the field is insufficient to keep up with demand created by the retirement of current personnel and continuing technological innovation. The American Society for Clinical Pathology reported in March 2009 that laboratories across the United States were struggling to fill MT and medical laboratory technician (MLT) positions. A survey of “positions available” advertisements from several months of the ABC Newsletter revealed that 35% were for MTs compared with 22% for physicians and 43% for all other positions. While not a scientific study, on the surface, this would indicate that blood centers are not immune from the struggle to fill positions within their laboratories. This paper will examine current trends in the United States as it relates to staffing for these positions and conclude by proposing actions that blood centers can take to help ensure an adequate supply of qualified MTs and MLTs in the future.
Threshold Conditions for the Persistence of Plague Transmission in Urban Rats
Authors: Durham David P. , Casman Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2009

In this article we derive a mathematical expression characterizing the tendency for Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, to become established in an urban rat population upon introduction, and evaluate this risk for several cities. The expression gives a threshold condition for the persistence of Y. pestis transmission in terms of measurable attributes of a local urban rat population: the average flea density and the rat colony size. If the local rat and flea populations exceed this threshold, plague circulation is predicted to continue; if not, it will burn out of its own accord. This expression may be used to evaluate both the vulnerability of a specific neighborhood and the effect of pest control strategies upon that vulnerability.
Influence of Rare‐Earth Dopants on Barium Titanate Ceramics Microstructure and Corresponding Electrical Properties
Authors: Mitic Vojislav V. , Nikolic Zoran S. , Pavlovic Vladimir B. , Paunovic Vesna , Miljkovic Miroslav , Jordovic Branka , Zivkovic Ljiljana
Published: October 2009

In this article, ytterbium and erbium oxides are used as doping materials for barium titanate (BaTiO3) materials. The amphoteric behavior of these rare‐earth ions leads to the increase of dielectric permittivity and decrease of dielectric losses. BaTiO3 ceramics doped with 0.01–0.5 wt% of Yb2O3 and Er2O3 were prepared by conventional solid‐state procedure and sintered at 1320°C for 4 h. In BaTiO3 doped with a low content of rare‐earth ions (0.01 wt%) the grain size ranged between 10 and 25 μm. With the higher dopant concentration of 0.5 wt%, the abnormal grain growth is inhibited and the grain size ranged between 2 and 10 μm. The measurements of capacitance and dielectric losses as a function of frequency and temperature have been carried out in order to correlate the microstructure and dielectric properties of doped BaTiO3 ceramics. The temperature dependence of the dielectric constant as a function of dopant amount has been investigated.
Synthesis and Characterization of Cerium Molybdate Nanocontainers and Their Inhibitor Complexes
Authors: Kartsonakis Ioannis A. , Kordas George
Published: October 2009

Cerium molybdate nanocontainers were synthesized using a two‐step process and then loaded with 8‐hydroxyquinoline (8‐HQ) or with 1‐H‐benzotriazole‐4‐sulfonic acid (1‐BSA). First, polystyrene (PS) nanospheres were produced using emulsion polymerization. Second, the PS spheres were coated via the sol–gel method to form a cerium molybdate layer. Finally, the nanocontainers were made by calcination of cerium molybdate coated PS nanospheres. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDX), transmission electron microscopy, FT‐infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential thermal analysis. Moreover, nanocontainers were loaded with 8‐HQ or with 1‐BSA and their presence was confirmed with FT‐IR. The loading of the inhibitors in the nanocontainers was estimated with TGA. The loading amount of 8‐HQ was 5.22% w/w and that of 1‐BSA was 16.43%. Based on the size of the nanocontainers and the assumption that they are not broken, we deduced to the amount of approximately with 1.07 × 106 molecules of 8‐HQ and 2.35 × 106 molecules of 1‐BSA per nanocontainer. Furthermore, release of 8‐HQ or 1‐BSA in corrosive environment was studied by potentiodynamic measurements for aluminum alloys 2024‐T3 (AA2024‐T3) and DC01 carbon steel (DC01‐CS) samples, showing that the inhibitors are released from the nanocontainers, suppressing the corrosion activities. SEM photographs confirmed that the nanocontainers maintained their shape after suspension in 0.5M NaCl solution for more than 72 h. Moreover, release of 8‐HQ or 1‐BSA in water was studied using spectrophotometer.
Influence of Sintering Temperature on Pore Structure and Apatite Formation of a Sol–Gel‐Derived Bioactive Glass
Authors: Lei Bo , Chen Xiaofeng , Wang Yingjun , Zhao Naru , Du Chang , Fang Liming
Published: October 2009

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of sintering temperature on the porous morphology, pore‐size distribution, and apatite formation of sol–gel‐derived porous bioactive glasses. For this purpose, three porous bioactive glasses were prepared by thermal phase separation cotemplate method in sol–gel process followed by sintering at 600°, 800°, and 1000°C. Pore structure of samples was characterized by various methods. The in vitro apatite formation test was carried out in simulated body fluid. The results showed that sintered bioactive glasses at 600°C exhibited a bimodal pore size distribution, mesopores, and nanopores (8–100 nm), macropores (100 nm–1 μm), and nanoscale pore walls (about 100 nm in width). The increase of sintering temperature induced the presence of a submicrometer pore‐size distribution (300 nm–3 μm) with nanoscale pore walls (about 200 nm in width) and a morphological transformation from particle‐like pore walls to dense pore walls. Depending on this porous structure, as‐synthesized samples exhibited faster apatite formation capability.
Enhanced Visible Light‐Driven Photocatalytic Performance of La‐Doped TiO2−xFx
Authors: Cao Guangxiu , Li Yaogang , Zhang Qinghong , Wang Hongzhi
Published: October 2009

La‐doped TiO2−xFx (La–TiO2−xFx) powders were prepared by the sol–gel method. X‐ray diffraction results showed that La efficiently inhibited grain growth. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra revealed that La2O3 and O–Ti–F bonds have formed, the La2O3 maintained the high surface area of TiO2−xFx after calcination at a temperature above 500°C, while the O–Ti–F bonds increased the oxidation potential of the photogenerated hole in the valence band. The UV‐vis spectroscopy of the La–TiO2−xFx showed that the presence of intraband gap states was likely responsible for its absorption of visible light. When the molar ratios of La and F to Ti were 1.5:100 and 5:100, respectively, and calcined at 500°C, the photocatalytic degradation rate of methylene blue over La–TiO2−xFx was about 1.5 times higher than that of F‐doping TiO2.
Microwave Dielectric Properties of (Sr1−xAx)2(Zn1−xBx)Si2O7 Ceramics (A=Ca, Ba and B=Co, Mg, Mn, Ni)
Authors: Joseph Tony , Sebastian Mailadil T.
Published: October 2009

The (Sr1−xAx)2(Zn1−xBx)Si2O7 ceramics (A=Ca, Ba and B=Co, Mg, Mn, Ni) were prepared by the conventional solid‐state ceramic route and their structure and microwave dielectric properties were investigated. The majority of the compositions have an akermanite‐type structure except for A/B=Ba/Zn and Sr/Ni. A structural change is observed from tetragonal to monoclinic with the increase in Ba2+ content at the Ca‐site. When Zn2+ was completely replaced by Ni2+, a mixture of SrSiO3 and NiO phases resulted instead of the solid solution Sr2NiSi2O7. The variation of cell parameters and cell volumes of (Sr1−xAx)2(Zn1−xBx)Si2O7 was studied for various compositions (x) in the range 0–1. Excellent dielectric properties (ɛr=8.4, Qu×f=105 000 GHz (at 12.628 GHz) and τf=−51.5 ppm/°C) were obtained for the composition Sr2ZnSi2O7 when sintered at 1475°C/2 h. Addition of 2 wt% of SrTiO3 to Sr2ZnSi2O7 decreased the τf value to −13 ppm/°C with ɛr=8.8, Qu×f=60 000 GHz (at 12.585 GHz). Thus, a composite of Sr2ZnSi2O7 and SrTiO3 is a possible material for millimeter‐wave communication systems and as microwave substrates.
Elastic Indentation Response of Float Glass Surfaces
Authors: Muller Andrea M. , Green David J.
Published: October 2009

Instrumented Hertzian indentation was used to evaluate the reduced elastic modulus and cone‐crack initiation forces for the as‐received surfaces of commercial float glasses. Custom‐built indentation equipment with the capability of acoustic emission detection was used to monitor continuously the load and depth of penetration at the microscopic scale for forces up to 1 kN. Equipment verification was performed using a reference material, GE 124. The air and tin surfaces of commercial soda–lime–silica and borosilicate float glasses were tested to determine any difference in indentation response for the elastic and fracture behavior of as‐received surfaces. Information obtained from the analysis of the load–displacement curves and from the visual inspection of the indentation sites was used to determine the elastic modulus, and the conditions for the onset of cone cracking as a function of surface roughness. The reduced modulus results were verified using additional equipment that allowed the in situ observation of the contact area during loading and unloading. The results showed that there was no difference in the reduced modulus data for the air and tin surfaces for the range of surface displacements studied. The same conclusions were found for cone‐cracking loads on as‐received surfaces but tests on abraded surfaces showed that the tin surfaces had slightly more resistance to cone cracking than the air surfaces.
Effects of Saccharide Set Retarders on the Hydration of Ordinary Portland Cement and Pure Tricalcium Silicate
Authors: Zhang Linghong , Catalan Lionel J. J. , Balec Raymond J. , Larsen Andrew C. , Esmaeili Hassan Haji , Kinrade Stephen D.
Published: October 2009

The effects of aliphatic sugar alcohols (e.g., threitol, xylitol, sorbitol) on the hydration of tricalcium silicate (C3S) and ordinary portland cement (OPC) were investigated and compared with those of sucrose, a well‐established cement set retarder. Only sugar alcohols which contain threo diol functionality retarded the setting of C3S and OPC, their efficacy increasing with the number of threo hydroxy pairs and, to a smaller extent, with the overall population of hydroxy groups. None, however, were as effective as sucrose. The initial and final setting times increased exponentially with the concentration of saccharide, although the hydration of OPC was less inhibited than that of C3S. Saccharides function as “delayed accelerators,” that is, cement hydration is first inhibited and then proceeds faster than in saccharide‐free cement. This behavior is consistent with the theory that the induction period is controlled by slow formation and/or poisoning of the stable calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) nuclei. The early inhibiting influence of saccharides on CSH precipitation is apparently stronger than on the growth of crystalline calcium hydroxide. Saccharides did not negatively affect the degree of hydration and compressive strength of fully set OPC paste; on the contrary, sorbitol yielded modest increases.
CaO Powders from Oyster Shells for Efficient CO2 Capture in Multiple Carbonation Cycles
Authors: Ma Kai‐Wen , Teng Hsisheng
Published: October 2009

The carbonation/calcination loop of CaO/CaCO3 is an efficient process for CO2 capture. This study investigated the CO2 capture capability of CaO powders derived from oyster shells and reagent‐grade CaCO3. The oyster shell‐derived CaO powder had an oxide impurity content as high as 9 wt%, and a larger CaO crystal grain size and smaller specific surface area than the CaO derived from the reagent‐grade CaCO3. In cyclic CO2 capture tests, the cyclability and CO2 capacity of the oyster shell‐derived CaO was significantly improved by inserting an intermediate cooling step between carbonation and calcination. At a carbonation temperature of 740°C, the overall performance of the oyster shell‐derived CaO in cyclic carbonation was superior to that of the CaO from the reagent‐grade CaCO3. On the basis of X‐ray diffraction analysis, it was suggested that the impurities contained in the oyster shell‐derived CaO may have constituted transition zone on the CaO crystal grain‐boundary to suppress crystal growth in calcination as well as to ease up lattice expansion in CO2 fixation. The intermediate cooling enlarged the transition zone to mitigate lattice dislocations resulting from CO2 fixation and thus, the decay in CO2 capacity.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Disinfection of Escherichia coli Bacteria by Silver and Nickel Comodification of a Nitrogen‐Doped Titanium Oxide Nanoparticle Photocatalyst Under Visible‐Light Illumination
Authors: Sun Caixia , Li Qi , Gao Shian , Cao Lihua , Shang Jian Ku
Published: October 2009

Enhanced photocatalytic disinfection ofEscherichia colibacteria under visible light illumination was achieved by introducing silver and nickel comodification onto a nitrogen‐doped titanium oxide nanoparticle photocatalyst synthesized by the sol–gel process. The introduction of a small amount of the second‐type transitional metal ion addition is demonstrated as an effective approach to further enhance the optical and photocatalytic properties of single‐type transitional metal ion modified anion‐doped titanium oxide photocatalysts.