bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of Exercise‐Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
Authors: Schwaiblmair Martin , Faul Christian , von Scheidt Wolfgang , Berghaus Thomas M.
Published: May 2012

Background:

The pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) response to exercise may provide a tool for the early detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Therefore, an accurate noninvasive method for evaluating exercise‐induced PAH (EIPAH) is desirable.

Hypothesis:

We sought to examine if cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is able to indicate EIPAH.

Methods:

Fifty‐three patients aged 67.1 ± 1.7 years (37 female, 16 male) with borderline PAH (resting mean PAP 21–24 mm Hg) performed CPET and right heart catheterization at rest and during handgrip testing.

Results:

When comparing patients with an exercise‐induced mean PAP ≥35 mm Hg (group A, n = 24) and subjects with an exercise‐induced mean PAP <35 mm Hg (group B, n = 29), group A had a significantly lower mean aerobic capacity (15.2 ± 1.2 vs 19.7 ± 1.2 mL/min/kg; P = 0.02), higher ventilatory equivalents for oxygen at the anaerobic threshold (34.3 ± 1.5 vs 29.9 ± 1.1; P = 0.02), a widening of the mean alveolar‐arterial oxygen difference (37.8 ± 3.0 vs 26.8 ± 2.4 mm Hg; P = 0.007), an elevated mean functional dead space ventilation (29.5 ± 2.7 vs 21.2 ± 1.7%; P = 0.008), and a higher mean arterial to end‐tidal carbon dioxide gradient at peak exercise (3.7 ± 0.9 vs 0.4 ± 0.8 mm Hg; P = 0.007).

Conclusions:

EIPAH is characterized by a decreased ventilatory efficiency due to ventilation to perfusion inequalities. CPET may be useful for the identification of EIPAH and serve to diagnose PAH at an early stage.

Drs. Schwaiblmair, von Scheidt, and Berghaus conceived and designed the study. Drs. Schwaiblmair, Faul, and Berghaus acquired the study data. Dr. Schwaiblmair performed the statistical analysis and drafted the article. All authors participated in interpreting the data and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Loss of E protein transcription factors E2A and HEB delays memory‐precursor formation during the CD8+T‐cell immune response
Authors: D'Cruz Louise M. , Lind Kristin Camfield , Wu Bei Bei , Fujimoto Jessica K. , Goldrath Ananda W.
Published: May 2012

The transcription factors E2A and HEB (members of the E protein family) have been shown to play essential roles in lymphocyte development, while their negative regulators, the Id proteins, have been implicated in both lymphocyte development and in the CD8+ T‐cell immune response. Here, we show that E proteins also influence CD8+ T cells responding to infection. E protein expression was upregulated by CD8+ T cells during the early stages of infection and increased E protein DNA‐binding activity could be detected upon TCR stimulation. Deficiency in the E proteins, E2A and HEB, led to increased frequency of terminally differentiated effector KLRG1hi CD8+ T cells in mice during infection, and decreased generation of longer‐lived memory‐precursor cells during the immune response. These data suggest a model whereby E protein transcription factor activity favors rapid memory‐precursor T‐cell formation while their negative regulators, Id2 and Id3, are both required for robust effector CD8+ T‐cell response during infection.
In Situ Synthesis of a Novel Quinone Imine Self‐Assembled Monolayer and Consideration of Its Reactivity with L‐Arginine
Authors: Hamzehloei Ali , Mousavi Mir Fazlollah , Bathaie S. Zahra
Published: May 2012

In situ functionalization of a 4‐aminothiophenol (4ATP) self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) on a Au electrode (4ATP/Au SAM) by the Michael addition reaction is considered. Under optimized conditions, the nucleophilic attack of the amino group of 4ATP/Au SAM to give an electrogenerated ortho‐quinone produced a novel electroactive SAM (ESAM). The ESAM could be oxidized to quinone‐imine SAM (QI SAM) for the covalent immobilization of L‐arginine monolayers. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy are employed to characterize these systems.. The apparent heterogeneous rate constant (ksapp) for ESAM/Au and the rate constant (k′) of the pseudo‐first order Michael addition reaction of L‐arginine and ESAM/Au are calculated.
meso‐Tritolylcorrole‐Functionalized Single‐walled Carbon Nanotube DonorAcceptor Nanocomposites for NO2 Detection
Authors: Wang Ying , Akhigbe Joshua , Ding Yu , Brückner Christian , Lei Yu
Published: May 2012

meso‐Tritolylcorrole‐functionalized single‐walled carbon nanotubes (TTC‐SWNT) donor‐acceptor (D–A) heterojunction nanocomposite film was fabricated on a polycarbonate membrane through filtration and non‐covalent functionalization, providing an excellent sensing platform with low‐cost, high flexibility and good gas accessibility. The TTC‐SWNTs nanocomposite displays a fast and sensitive response to nitrogen dioxide with a limit of detection of 10 ppb (S/N=3). The sensing response was significantly amplified compared to the unmodified one, which was ascribed to a D–A heterojunction at the interface between electron donor TTC and electron acceptor SWNTs. This study provides a simple route to fabricate low‐cost and highly sensitive donor‐acceptor nanocomposite‐based gas sensors.
Glassy Carbon Electrodes Film‐Modified with Acidic Functionalities. A Review
Authors: Desimoni Elio , Brunetti Barbara
Published: May 2012

This review addresses recent advances in the field of glassy carbon electrodes film‐modified by acidic functionalities. Attention was posed at the architecture of the functionalizing surface film and at practical applications of the relevant sensors. To facilitate the reading, some summarizing tables were included, each one regarding a certain type of surface modification. A final section is aimed at detailing some remarks emerging from the analysis of the reviewed matter. This allowed highlighting the potentialities of the examined sensors, and evidencing some criticisms about how some of their performances were presented in the relevant papers.
Basidiospore germination by repetition and saprotrophic mycelia in the gelatinous telial horns of Gymnosporangium sabinae
Authors: Dörfelt Heinrich , Ruske Erika
Published: May 2012

The teliospores of Gymnosporangium sabinae facultatively germinate with basidia or with haploid hyphae. The germination of basidiospores is by means of secondary spores (by repetition) or with haploid hyphae. In the gelatinous telial horns a saprotrophic mycelium is developed, that infected probably the host of the dikaryophase. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
No involvement of the adenosine A2A receptor in tardive dyskinesia in Russian psychiatric inpatients from Siberia
Authors: Ivanova Svetlana A. , Al Hadithy Asmar F. Y. , Brazovskaya Natalia , Semke Arkadiy , Wilffert Bob , Fedorenko Olga , Brouwers Jacobus R. B. J. , Loonen Anton J. M.
Published: May 2012

Background

The adenosine A2A receptor forms a heteromeric complex with the striatal dopamine D2 receptor. We examined whether a specific polymorphism in adenosine A2A receptor (2592 C/Tins) is associated with tardive dyskinesia.

Methods

Tardive dyskinesia was assessed cross‐sectionally in 146 Caucasian psychiatric inpatients from Siberia.

Results

Between‐group comparisons of genotypic or allelic frequencies showed no statistically significant difference. Logistic regression analysis with the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia as dependent variable showed no significant association with age, duration of illness, gender, and genotype.

Conclusion

The interaction between the A2A and D2 receptors seems not involved in the development of tardive dyskinesia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Different safety profiles of risperidone and paliperidone extended‐release: a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial with healthy volunteers
Authors: Yoon Kil‐Sang , Park Tae‐Won , Yang Jong‐Chul , Kim Min‐Gul , Oh Keun‐Young , Park Myung‐Sook , Chung Young‐Chul
Published: May 2012

Objective

The present study investigated subjective experiences related to secondary negative symptoms and cognitive performance in healthy volunteers in response to the repeated administration of paliperidone extended‐release (ER) and risperidone in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial.

Methods

Participants (n = 32) received a fixed dose of one of three study medications for three consecutive days: 6 mg of paliperidone ER, 3 mg of risperidone, or placebo. Subjects were evaluated at baseline and after the first and third administrations of the medications by using the Neuroleptic‐Induced Deficit Syndrome Scale and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. Cognitive function was measured at baseline and after the third administration of the medications by using the computerized neuropsychological test.

Results

Risperidone was associated with more detrimental subjective experiences compared with paliperidone ER and placebo (p < .05), and these differences persisted after controlling for mental and physical sedation. Analysis of computerized neuropsychological test variables revealed significant differences in the changes in Stroop word–color test results from baseline between the paliperidone ER and risperidone groups (p < .005) and between the placebo and risperidone groups (p < .005).

Conclusions

These results suggest that paliperidone ER may have a better safety profile than risperidone in terms of negative subjective experiences and cognitive function among normal volunteers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HOW IMPORTANT ARE ENDOGENOUS PEER EFFECTS IN GROUP LENDING? ESTIMATING A STATIC GAME OF INCOMPLETE INFORMATION
Authors: Li Shanjun , Liu Yanyan , Deininger Klaus
Published: May 2012

We quantify the importance of endogenous peer effects in group lending programs by estimating a static game of incomplete information. Endogenous peer effects describe how one's behavior is affected by the behavior of her peers. Using a rich dataset from a group lending program in India, our empirical analysis presents a robust finding of large peer effects. The preferred model suggests that the probability of a member making a full repayment would be 12 percentage points higher if all the fellow members were to make full repayment compared with a scenario in which none of the other members repay in full. We find that peer effects would be overestimated without controlling for unobserved group heterogeneity and that inconsistencies exist in the estimated effects of other variables without modeling peer effects and unobserved heterogeneity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LRP8 mediates Wnt/β-catenin signaling and controls osteoblast differentiation
Authors: Zhang Juan , Zhang Xiaofei , Zhang Long , Zhou Fangfang , van Dinther Maarten , ten Dijke Peter
Published: May 2012

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Here, we identify low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-related protein 8 (LRP8) as a positive regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In a small interfering RNA (siRNA) screen, LRP8 was shown to be required for Wnt/β-catenin–induced transcriptional reporter activity. We found that ectopic expression of LRP8 increased Wnt-induced transcriptional responses, and promoted Wnt-induced β-catenin accumulation. Moreover, knockdown of LRP8 resulted in a decrease in β-catenin levels and suppression of Wnt/β-catenin–induced Axin2 transcription. Functional studies in KS483 osteoprogenitor cells showed that LRP8 depletion resulted in impaired activation of endogenous Wnt-induced genes and decreased osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, whereas LRP8 ectopic expression had the opposite effect. These results identify LRP8 as a novel positive factor of canonical Wnt signaling pathway and show its involvement in Wnt-induced osteoblast differentiation. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Repetitive Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury as Experiential Avoidance Among a Community Sample of Adolescents
Authors: Howe‐Martin Laura S. , Murrell Amy R. , Guarnaccia Charles A.
Published: May 2012

Objective

This study examined the relationship between experiential avoidance, functionally equivalent behaviors, and repetitive nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI/RNSSI) among adolescents.

Method

Self‐report questionnaires from adolescents (N = 211) from 3 school‐based samples were employed to assess three forms of experiential avoidance (thought suppression, alexithymia, and avoidance/cognitive fusion), various aspects of self‐mutilating behaviors, and the existence of functionally equivalent behaviors (disordered eating, substance abuse, suicidal ideation/behaviors).

Results

Results indicated one third of participants reported a history of NSSI and 16% reported engaging in RNSSI in the past 6 months. Female adolescents were twice as likely as males to report a history of RNSSI. Unwanted inner experiences, thought suppression, and alexithymia differentiated adolescents with a history of NSSI from their counterparts. Functionally equivalent behaviors occurred more frequently among those with a history of NSSI and increased in severity as NSSI increased, particularly suicidal ideation and behaviors. However, results for patterns of avoidance were not as consistent for males as females, which questions the broad application of this model.

Conclusions

NSSI continues to be surprisingly common among adolescents in the community. NSSI, particularly repetitive forms, appears to be strongly related to common forms of experiential avoidance, moreso for female adolescents. Results also illustrate the importance of conceptualizing and treating self‐injury as a form of experiential avoidance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Clin. Psychol. 68:809‐828, 2012
Sonographic diagnosis of fetal intestinal volvulus with ileal atresia: A case report
Authors: Yu Wang , Ailu Cai , Bing Wang
Published: May 2012

Fetal intestinal volvulus is a rare life‐threatening condition usually manifesting after birth with most cases being associated with intestinal malrotation. It appears on prenatal sonography (US) as a twisting of the bowel loops around the mesenteric artery, leading to mechanical obstruction and ischemic necrosis of the bowel. We report a case of intrauterine intestinal volvulus with ileal atresia, suspected when US revealed a typical “whirlpool” sign at 37 weeks' gestation, with a segment of markedly distended bowel loops and small amount of fetal ascites. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 2013
Synthesis of 13C labeled sulfur and nitrogen mustard metabolites as mass spectrometry standards for monitoring and detecting chemical warfare agents
Authors: Wu Ruilian , Lodwig Siegfried N. , Schmidt Jurgen G. , Williams Robert F. , Silks Louis A. " Pete"
Published: May 2012

13C labeled (>M + 4) metabolites of nitrogen and sulfur‐based chemical warfare agent metabolites were prepared from readily available and 13C labeled commercial starting materials. The new chemical routes are efficient in the number of chemical steps, can be scaled to afford gram quantities, and occur in good yields on the basis of the 13C label. These labeled compounds are useful as internal standards in mass spectrometry for monitoring chemical warfare agents and their metabolites. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Skeletal muscle BOLD MRI: From underlying physiological concepts to its usefulness in clinical conditions
Authors: Jacobi Bjoern , Bongartz Georg , Partovi Sasan , Schulte Anja‐Carina , Aschwanden Markus , Lumsden Alan B. , Davies Mark G. , Loebe Matthias , Noon Georg P. , Karimi Sasan , Lyo John K. , Staub Daniel , Huegli Rolf W. , Bilecen Deniz
Published: May 2012

Blood oxygenation‐level dependent (BOLD) MRI has gained particular attention in functional brain imaging studies, where it can be used to localize areas of brain activation with high temporal resolution. To a higher degree than in the brain, skeletal muscles show extensive but transient alterations of blood flow between resting and activation state. Thus, there has been interest in the application of the BOLD effect in studying the physiology of skeletal muscles (healthy and diseased) and its possible application to clinical practice. This review outlines the potential of skeletal muscle BOLD MRI as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of physiological and pathological alterations in the peripheral limb perfusion, such as in peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Moreover, current knowledge is summarized regarding the complex mechanisms eliciting BOLD effect in skeletal muscle. We describe technical fundaments of the procedure that should be taken into account when performing skeletal muscle BOLD MRI, including the most often applied paradigms to provoke BOLD signal changes and key parameters of the resulting time courses. Possible confounding effects in muscle BOLD imaging studies, like age, muscle fiber type, training state, and drug effects are also reviewed in detail. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1253–1265. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Solid phase extraction of petroleum carboxylic acids using a functionalized alumina as stationary phase
Authors: de Conto Juliana Faccin , Nascimento Juciara dos Santos , de Souza Driele Maiara Borges , da Costa Luiz Pereira , Egues Silvia Maria da Silva , Freitas Lisiane dos Santos , Benvenutti Edilson Valmir
Published: May 2012

Petroleum essentially consists of a mixture of organic compounds, mainly containing carbon and hydrogen, and, in minor quantities, compounds with nitrogen, sulphur, and oxygen. Some of these compounds, such as naphthenic acids, can cause corrosion in pipes and equipment used in processing plants. Considering that the methods of separation or clean up the target compounds in low concentrations and in complex matrix use large amounts of solvents or stationary phases, is necessary to study new methodologies that consume smaller amounts of solvent and stationary phases to identify the acid components present in complex matrix, such as crude oil samples. The proposed study aimed to recover acid compounds using the solid phase extraction method, employing different types of commercial stationary ion exchange phases (SAX and NH2) and new phase alumina functionalized with 1,4‐bis(n‐propyl)diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane chloride silsesquioxane (Dab‐Al2O3), synthesized in this work. Carboxylic acids were used as standard mixture in the solid phase extraction for further calculation of recovery yield. Then, the real sample (petroleum) was fractionated into saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes, and the resin fraction of petroleum (B1) was eluted through stationary ion exchange phases. The stationary phase synthesized in this work showed an efficiency of ion exchange comparable to that of the commercial stationary phases.
Child maltreatment—Clinical PTSD diagnosis not enough?!: Comment on Resick et al. (2012)
Authors: Lindauer Ramón J. L.
Published: May 2012

Child maltreatment has a high prevalence. It can lead to severe psychological and physical problems from childhood to late adulthood. At present, the recognition and treatment of child abuse and its consequences is inadequate. Diagnostic criteria, such as those defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, are vital for that purpose. Resick and colleagues (2012) conclude that insufficient scientific basis now exists for incorporating complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) into DSM‐5. Although they are right from a research point of view, what would be the clinical, political, and social consequences of not including it? This comment discusses those consequences from the standpoint that treating children with developmental trauma disorder at an early age will serve to prevent later sequelae.
Translocation of overabundant species: Implications for translocated individuals
Authors: Whisson Desley A. , Holland Greg J. , Carlyon Kris
Published: May 2012

Effective management of overabundant animal populations is a difficult challenge for wildlife managers around the globe. Translocation is often considered a viable management tool, whereby individual animals are removed from areas of high population density and released in areas where densities are lower. Typically, the success of a translocation program is measured at the population source, with little attention given to the fate of translocated individuals. Here we use a koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) translocation program from southeastern Australia as a case study to investigate the effects of translocation on individual animals. The koala is an iconic species that occurs at high densities in some parts of its southern range, leading to numerous conservation and animal welfare issues. Between 1997 and 2007 over 3,000 koalas from a high‐density island population were captured, surgically sterilized, and translocated to the mainland. Annual post‐translocation surveys at release sites revealed densities of ≤0.4 koalas/ha, despite release densities of 1.0 koala/ha. Radiotracking studies indicate that low densities were because of both mortality and high dispersal of translocated individuals. We observed a mortality rate of 37.5% for translocated koalas in the first 12 months post‐release. No deaths occurred among animals that were not sterilized and translocated. Translocated koalas moved greater distances than non‐translocated animals. Monitoring of translocated individuals should be performed routinely during translocation programs for overabundant species. Due consideration must be given to what is an acceptable level of mortality for translocated individuals. Although often considered an ethically acceptable management technique (especially for iconic and charismatic species), translocation may not always be the best option from an animal welfare perspective. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Scavenging activity of C4‐hydroxyphenyl‐ and polyhydroxyphenyl‐1,4‐dihydropyridines toward free radicals
Authors: Salazar Ricardo , Pardo‐Jimenez V. , Navarrete‐Encina P. A. , Squella J. A. , Camargo C. , Núñez‐Vergara Luis J.
Published: May 2012

The radical‐scavenging ability of synthesized C4‐phenolic‐substituted 1,4‐dihydropyridines (1,4‐DHPs) toward 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and alkyl/alkylperoxyl ABAP‐derived radicals at pH 7.4 was assessed by UV–visible spectroscopy. Reactivity of 1,4‐DHPs toward DPPH• was measured by following the decay of the absorption corresponding to the radical λmax at 525 nm, permitting the calculation of EC50, tEC50, and antiradical efficiency values. Pseudo–first‐order kinetic rate constants for the reactivity between the C4‐phenolic‐substituted 1,4‐DHP compounds and alkyl/alkylperoxyl ABAP‐derived radicals were followed by the decrease in λmax at 356 nm corresponding to 1,4‐DHP moiety. C4‐phenolic‐substituted 1,4‐DHPs were more reactive toward alkyl free radicals than the other tested radicals. The 3,4,5‐trihydroxyphenyl‐1,4‐DHP was the most reactive derivative toward this radical with a kinetic rate constant value of 513.2 s−1. Also, this derivative was the most effective toward the DPPH• radical with the lowest EC50 value (5.08 µM). Comparative studies revealed that synthesized 1,4‐DHPs were more reactive than commercial 1,4‐DHPs. The scavenging mechanism involves the contribution of both pharmacophores, that is, hydroxyphenyl and 1,4‐DHP rings, which was supported by the identification of the reaction products. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 810–820, 2012
Organic solid‐state integrated amplifiers and lasers
Authors: Grivas C. , Pollnau M.
Published: May 2012

Solid‐state organic amplifiers and lasers are attractive for hybrid integration due to their compatibility with different material platforms, straightforward processing, and possibility to optimize easily their optical and electronic properties by molecular engineering. Advances in the gain medium design and synthesis in combination with new resonator architectures led to tremendous improvements in temporal and spectral properties, lifetime stability, gains produced and operating threshold powers, which triggered interest in their use for a broad range of integrated photonic applications. In this contribution, the current state‐of‐the‐art in the field of organic solid‐state amplifiers and lasers is reviewed from the aspects of fabrication technology, gain materials, and device performance. Furthermore, examples of the progress of this technology from a laboratory curiosity to one that demonstrates practical integrated photonic applications are highlighted. An outlook is also provided on research areas and applications that are likely to shape further developments of this technology. (Figure reprinted from [296], ©2000, with permission from Elsevier.)
Effects of conductive graphite filler loading on physical properties of high‐density polyethylene composite
Authors: Tavman I. , Krupa I. , Omastova M. , Sarikanat M. , Novak I. , Sever K. , Ozdemir I. , Seki Y. , Podhradská S. , Moskova D. , Erbay E. , Guner F.
Published: May 2012

High‐density polyethylene (HDPE)/graphite nanocomposites containing up to 30 vol% of graphite powder filler were prepared by melt mixing in a Brabender Plasticorder at 180°C for 15 min. The nanocomposites were characterized for their rheological, dynamic mechanical, crystallographic, and electrical properties as a function of graphite loading. The results indicated that graphite loading affects storage modulus, loss modulus, complex viscosity, and conductivity of HDPE matrix. The storage modulus increases while the graphite loading increases in the studied concentration range (up to 30%). When the graphite loading was increased to 30%, storage modulus at room temperature was about 300% higher than that of pure HDPE. Also, the composites containing 20 and 30% graphite shows more conductivity than the others. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Facile preparation of ruthenium nanoparticles with activity in hydrogenation of aliphatic and aromatic nitriles to amines
Authors: Ortiz‐Cervantes Carmen , Iyañez Iliana , García Juventino J.
Published: May 2012

The thermal decomposition of [Ru3(CO)12] allowed the production of ruthenium nanoparticles (NPs) with a unique activity for this metal in the hydrogenation of aliphatic nitriles, yielding the corresponding tertiary amines (selectivity 80%) and aromatic nitriles to secondary amines and imines at 140 °C, employing a moderate hydrogen pressure. The use of several stabilizing agents such as sodium dodecylsulfate and sodium 2‐ethylhexanoate allowed the stabilization of ruthenium NPs (Ru‐NPs), and further reactivity in the hydrogenation process was assessed. The Ru‐NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and exhibited an average size of 2–3 nm. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Telephone peer support for women with gynaecological cancer: benefits and challenges for supporters
Authors: Pistrang Nancy , Jay Zara , Gessler Sue , Barker Chris
Published: May 2012

Objective

Despite the prevalence of one‐to‐one peer support programmes for people with cancer, little research has examined its impact on the supporters themselves. This qualitative study examined a telephone‐delivered one‐to‐one peer support intervention for women with gynaecological cancer, focussing on supporters' subjective experiences of benefits or costs to themselves and challenges arising in the support process.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews (N = 24) were conducted with 16 women who provided peer support for 24 patients. Transcripts were analysed thematically using the Framework approach.

Results

Participants described significant personal benefits of providing support, including enhanced self‐esteem and well‐being, and gaining a new perspective and closure on their cancer experience. They experienced no adverse consequences, but several challenges arose, for example, finding a balance between emotional involvement and detachment, and supporting someone with a poor prognosis or high levels of negative emotion. Their accounts indicated resourcefulness in managing the challenges.

Conclusions

Providing peer support has a valuable role to play in cancer survivorship; it can facilitate the final stages of moving away from the role of patient and help to promote a more confident post‐cancer sense of self. However, readiness to provide support and the availability of backup from health‐care professionals appear essential. The findings have implications for the selection, training and supervision of peer supporters. Future studies should routinely measure outcomes for peer supporters. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Childhood respiratory symptoms and mental health problems: The role of intergenerational smoking
Authors: Goodwin Renee D. , Seeley John R. , Lewinsohn Peter M.
Published: May 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of youth smoking, parental cigarette smoking and parental anxiety/depressive disorders in the relationship between respiratory symptoms and mental health problems among youth.

Working Hypothesis

Adjusting for both parental smoking and parental anxiety/depressive disorders in the association between respiratory symptoms and mental health problems among young persons will significantly reduce the strength of the observed relationship.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Patient‐Subject Selection

Data were drawn from a school‐based sample of 1709 young persons in Oregon.

Methodology

Physical and mental health data were collected on youth.

Results

Respiratory symptoms were associated with significantly increased odds of mental health problems among youth. After adjusting for youth smoking, the relationship between respiratory symptoms and depressive disorders was no longer statistically significant. The relationships between respiratory symptoms and anxiety and depressive disorders were no longer significant after adjusting for parental smoking. Parental anxiety/depressive disorders did not appear to influence these relationships.

Conclusions

These results provide initial evidence that exposure to parental smoking may play a role in the observed co‐occurrence of respiratory and mental health problems in youth, and youths' own smoking appears to influence the link with depressive disorders, but not anxiety disorders. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:195–201. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tropospheric degradation of ethylene glycol monovinyl and divinyl ethers: A mechanistic and kinetic study
Authors: de la Luz Alexander Pérez , Iuga Cristina , Alvarez‐Idaboy Juan Raúl , Ortíz Elba , Vivier‐Bunge Annik
Published: May 2012

In this work, we have performed a theoretical study on the mechanisms and kinetics of the •OH initiated oxidation of selected ethylene glycol vinyl ethers, using quantum chemistry and computational kinetics methods. We have found that the main reaction path is the •OH‐addition to vinyl double bonds, and especially to the vinyl terminal carbon atom. Branching ratios for addition at C1 are larger than 94%. Although divinyl ethers could be expected to react approximately twice as fast as monovinyl ethers, it was found that, in fact, •OH rate constants of monovinyl and divinyl ethers are very similar, in agreement with experimental results. This effect is attributed to the sharing of the oxygen lone pairs effect, when the molecule contains two vinyl groups. Thus, in EGMVE, the vinyl group is more reactive than the one in divinyl ethers. The energy of its highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) is closer to that of the OH radical, thus favoring the interaction with the single occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) of the radical. Negative activation enthalpies are obtained for the three molecules studied, implying that the rate constant decreases as temperature increases. This anti‐Arrhenius behavior is commonly observed in •OH addition to alkenes. An excellent correlation is observed between experimental and calculated rate constants. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Miniature release events of glutamate from hippocampal neurons are influenced by the dystonia‐associated protein torsinA
Authors: Kakazu Yasuhiro , Koh Jin‐Young , Iwabuchi Sadahiro , Gonzalez‐Alegre Pedro , Harata N. Charles
Published: May 2012

TorsinA is an evolutionarily conserved AAA+ ATPase, and human patients with an in‐frame deletion of a single glutamate (ΔE) codon from the encoding gene suffer from autosomal‐dominant, early‐onset generalized DYT1 dystonia. Although only 30–40% of carriers of the mutation show overt motor symptoms, most experience enhanced excitability of the central nervous system. The cellular mechanism responsible for this change in excitability is not well understood. Here we show the effects of the ΔE‐torsinA mutation on miniature neurotransmitter release from neurons. Neurotransmitter release was characterized in cultured hippocampal neurons obtained from wild‐type, heterozygous, and homozygous ΔE‐torsinA knock‐in mice using two approaches. In the first approach, patch‐clamp electrophysiology was used to record glutamate‐mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in the presence of the Na+ channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX) and absence of GABAA receptor antagonists. The intervals between mEPSC events were significantly shorter in neurons obtained from the mutant mice than in those obtained from wild‐type mice. In the second approach, the miniature exocytosis of synaptic vesicles was detected by imaging the unstimulated release of FM dye from the nerve terminals in the presence of TTX. Cumulative FM dye release was higher in neurons obtained from the mutant mice than in those obtained from wild‐type mice. The number of glutamatergic nerve terminals was also assessed, and we found that this number was unchanged in heterozygous relative to wild‐type neurons, but slightly increased in homozygous neurons. Notably, in both heterozygous and homozygous neurons, the unitary synaptic charge during each mEPSC event was unchanged. Overall, our results suggest more frequent miniature glutamate release in neurons with ΔE‐torsinA mutations. This change may be one of the underlying mechanisms by which the excitability of the central nervous system is enhanced in the context of DYT1 dystonia. Moreover, qualitative differences between heterozygous and homozygous neurons with respect to certain synaptic properties indicate that the abnormalities observed in homozygotes may reflect more than a simple gene dosage effect. Synapse 66:807–822, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Variation in the Composition of Milk of Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) Throughout Lactation
Authors: Abbondanza Frances N. , Power Michael L. , Dickson Melissa A. , Brown Janine , Oftedal Olav T.
Published: May 2012

We investigated milk nutrient composition from three Asian elephant cows over the first 3 years of lactation, including two consecutive lactations in one cow. Body mass gain is presented for three calves during the first year. Milk samples (n = 74) were analyzed for dry matter (DM), fat, crude protein (CP), sugar, ash, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K); gross energy (GE) was calculated. Concentrations of most nutrients changed over lactation: DM, fat, CP, Ca, P, and GE were positively correlated to calf age; sugar was negatively correlated to calf age. GE doubled between birth (1 kcal/g) and 2 years of age (2 kcal/g). After accounting for calf age, GE, fat, Ca, and P concentrations differed among the cows. Milk composition also differed between two lactations from the same cow. When milk nutrients were expressed on a mg per kcal basis, the pattern changes: CP, Ca, and P remained relatively constant over lactation on a per energy basis. Calf mass quadrupled over the first year of life; mass gain was linear at 0.9 kg/day. Asian elephant milk composition is variable, both across lactations and between cows, complicating efforts to determine representative values for comparative studies and for the formulation of elephant milk formulas. The fact that CP, Ca, and P were all relatively constant when expressed on a per energy basis may be of biological significance. The increase in nutrient density over lactation undoubtedly limits maternal water loss, reducing the volume of milk necessary to support the calf. Zoo Biol 32:291–298, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atomic Structures of $$ [0\bar{1}10] $$ Symmetric Tilt Grain Boundaries in Hexagonal Close-Packed (hcp) Crystals
Authors: Wang Jian , Beyerlein Irene J.
Published: May 2012

Molecular dynamics simulation and interface defect theory are used to determine the relaxed equilibrium atomic structures of symmetric tilt grain boundaries (STGBs) in hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystals with a
$$ [0\bar{1}10] $$
tilt axis. STGBs of all possible rotation angles θ from 0 deg to 90 deg are found to have an ordered atomic structure. They correspond either to a coherent, defect-free boundary or to a tilt wall containing an array of distinct and discrete intrinsic grain boundary dislocations (GBDs). The STGBs adopt one of six base structures,
$$ P_{B}^{(i)} $$
, i = 1, …, 6, and the Burgers vector of the GBDs is related to the interplanar spacing of the base structure on which it lies. The base structures correspond to the basal plane (θ = 0 deg,
$$ P_{B}^{(1)} $$
); one of four minimum-energy, coherent boundaries,
$$ (\bar{2}111),\;(\bar{2}112),\;(\bar{2}114) $$
, and
$$ (\bar{2}116)\;\left( {P_{B}^{(2)} - P_{B}^{(5)} } \right) $$
; and the
$$ \left( {11\bar{2}0} \right) $$
plane (θ = 90 deg,
$$ P_{B}^{(6)} $$
). Based on these features, STGBs can be classified into one of six possible structural sets, wherein STGBs belonging to the same set i contain the same base boundary structure
$$ P_{B}^{(i)} $$
and an array of GBDs with the same Burgers vector
$$ b_{\text{GB}}^{(i)} $$
, which vary only in spacing and sign with θ. This classification is shown to apply to both Mg and Ti, two metals with different c/a ratios and employing different interatomic potentials in simulation. We use a simple model to forecast the misorientation range of each set for hcp crystals of general c/a ratio, the predictions of which are shown to agree well with the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for Mg and Ti.
Wars that Make States and Wars that Make Nations: Organised Violence, Nationalism and State Formation in the Balkans
Authors: Malešević Siniša
Published: May 2012

Since the beginning of the 19th century the Balkans has been a synonym for aggressive nationalism and unbridled violence; the two phenomena traditionally understood to be the key obstacles for its social development. This paper contests such views by arguing that it was the absence of protracted warfare and coherent nationalist doctrines that distinguishes the history of South Eastern Europe from the rest of the continent. Drawing critically on bellicose historical sociology and modernist theories of nationalism - with a spotlight on the work of Charles Tilly and Ernest Gellner. Drawing critically on bellicose historical sociology and modernists theories of nationalism the paper makes a case that it was not the abundance of nationalism and organised violence but rather their historical scarcity that proved decisive for the slow pace of social development in the Balkans.
Beyond Methodological Individualism: Social Scientific Studies of Rational Practice
Authors: Wettersten John
Published: May 2012

Standard versions of the sociology of rational practice assume justificationist theories of rationality: all rational beliefs are justified and rational individuals do not believe any non-justified statements. This theory appears to some to offer the possiblity of finding “deeper” insights into social behavior: some actions presented by actors as “rational” can, in fact, be explained as non-justified and, therefore, as mere consequences of prestige and/or power conflicts. When, however, it turns out that no theories can be justified, then all theories are irrational. This leads to relativism. The possibility, that we may profitably construct alternative theories of rationality is, in contrast, raised nearly uniquely by fallibilist theories of rationality. In order to take advantage of this, an alternative to the dominant methodological individualist theory of rational action is needed and possible. According to this alternative, rational action consists of problem-solving within institutional contexts without justification. Such a non-relativist sociology of rational practice can be enlightening and useful. Differing institutional contexts offer differing standards of rationality.
National Indifference in the Heyday of Nationalist Mobilization? Ljubljana Military Veterans and the Language of Command
Authors: Stergar Rok
Published: May 2012

In the accounts of life in Austria-Hungary at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, one reads about a world dominated by nations and nationalism. Both contemporaries and historians describe a nationality conflict in which politics, economy, literature, music, journalism, sports, and science were all placed in the “service of the nation.” According to Helmut Rumpler, it was a time when even the once-powerful state and its bureaucracy were forced to withdraw in the face of different nationalisms. Primary sources often paint a similar picture: A German from Celje/Cilli, Fritz Zangger, claims that in his home town even “the God of Germans and of Slovenes had nothing in common.” Contemporary newspapers described incessant nationalist conflicts between Czechs and Germans, Germans and Slovenes, Slovenes and Italians, or Croats and Hungarians. Minutes of parliamentary sessions tell us about obstructionism carried out by nationalist parties, and in the War Ministry the “Disciplinary Measures to Prevent National Endeavours from Invading” [the Military] (Massregeln zur Verhütung des Eindringens nationaler Bestrebungen) grew longer every year. Therefore, it is no surprise that descriptions of a different reality in which nationalism had hardly played a role, like those of the novelist Joseph Roth, were often dismissed as figments of a nostalgic imagination or depictions of a vanishing world.
Hidden Hands and Cross-Purposes: Austria and the Irreconcilable Conflict between Neutrality and Market Laws
Authors: Harrod Andrew E.
Published: May 2012

Austria emerged in 1955 from a ten-year occupation administered by the four major powers of the successful anti-Third Reich coalition of World War II—France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States—as a united, independent state. The 15 May 1955 State Treaty signed by these countries and Austria spared Austria the fate of Cold War division suffered by Austria's neighbor to the north (in the ultimate East-West breakdown of Germany's parallel postwar quadripartite occupation). Paving the way for Austria's good fortune was a political quid pro quo agreed between Austrian leaders and their Soviet counterparts in Moscow the previous April. In the 15 April 1955 Moscow Memorandum, Austria consented to becoming a permanently neutral state modeled on Switzerland. This neutrality precluded a possible Austrian membership in NATO in exchange for a long-delayed Soviet assent to an end of Austria's occupation regime with a concomitant abandonment of the Soviet occupation zone and the withdrawal of all occupation troops. After the completion of this withdrawal, a fully sovereign Austria made good on its pledge with the passage on 26 October 1955 of a constitutional law declaring Austria to be “permanently neutral” and foreswearing all military alliances.
Quasi‐two‐day wave‐tide interactions as revealed in satellite observations
Authors: Forbes J. M. , Moudden Y.
Published: May 2012

In this paper we demonstrate how observations from Sun‐synchronous and quasi‐Sun‐synchronous satellites can be analyzed to reveal the signatures of nonlinear interactions between tides and planetary waves in Earth's mesosphere and lower thermosphere. This is done by ordering data in longitude space, and demonstrating how peaks in the spectra of such data series can be identified with specific waves or combinations of waves. We use as an example the quasi‐two‐day wave (QTDW) oscillations in temperature observed by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument on the Aura satellite and the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) on the TIMED satellite. We show that the QTDW not only produces secondary waves due to nonlinear interactions with the migrating (Sun‐synchronous) diurnal and semidiurnal tides, but that secondary waves are also produced by nonmigrating tide‐QTDW interactions. Moreover, these latter secondary waves are of similar amplitude to the resident tides and the QTDW, and serve an important role in defining longitude structures due to the presence of these waves.
Simulations of the equatorial thermosphere anomaly: Physical mechanisms for crest formation
Authors: Lei Jiuhou , Thayer Jeffrey P. , Wang Wenbin , Luan Xiaoli , Dou Xiankang , Roble Raymond
Published: May 2012

Several mechanisms including heat transport due to zonal winds, chemical heating and field‐aligned ion drag have been proposed to explain the formation of the Equatorial Thermosphere Anomaly (ETA), but the cause of the ETA crests in thermosphere temperature is still a mystery. Our companion study (Lei et al., 2012) has revealed that the field‐aligned ion drag mainly contributes to the ETA trough, but has little effect on the ETA crests. In this study, the mechanisms of heat transport associated with zonal winds and chemical heating due to recombination are examined to assess their contributions to the production of the ETA crests on the basis of National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR‐TIEGCM) simulations. Our sensitivity simulations demonstrate that neither heat transport due to zonal winds nor chemical heating is able to explain the formation of the ETA crests. Instead, we found that the formation of the ETA crests is attributed to plasma‐neutral heating which has two peaks in the topside ionosphere aside the magnetic equator. These two peaks, which are largely controlled by the magnetic field, are the results of energy transfer from thermal electrons and ions to the neutrals through collisions due to their temperature differences, albeit the ultimate source of this heating is solar radiation which produces photoelectrons that mainly depend on solar zenith angle. The TIEGCM simulations show that the crests of the ETA always locate poleward by 10°–15° with respect to those of the Equatorial Ionosphere Anomaly (EIA), although the trough location of the ETA resembles that of the EIA. The location of the ETA crests is associated with the two‐hump structure in plasma‐neutral collision heating which is small inside the EIA region and larger at the poleward edge of this region.
The changing hypothesis of the gut
Authors: Hunter Philip
Published: May 2012

A rise in immune‐related diseases has coincided with increasing levels of hygiene and antibiotic use. In our war against bacteria, are our gut microbiota collateral damage, and can we afford to lose their proven health effects?