bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis and Management of Male Breast Cancer
Authors: Lanitis Sophocles , Rice Alexandra J. , Vaughan Alexander , Cathcart Paul , Filippakis George , Mufti Ragheed Al , Hadjiminas Dimitri J.
Published: September 2008

Background

Male breast cancer (MBC) is rare with an incidence of 1% of all breast cancers. The evidence about the treatment is derived from the data on the management of the female breast cancer because conduction of randomized, controlled trials is impossible due to the rarity of the disease. In this study, we review the special features, overall management, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with MBC managed under our care with a brief review of the current literature.

Methods

During the period 1998 to 2006, we managed 1103 new patients with breast cancer in St Mary’s Hospital. Among these, 14 patients were men. We retrospectively reviewed the case notes, histology, and follow‐up notes of all the newly diagnosed patients with MBC.

Results

In this series, 28.6% had only in situ disease. Moreover, in 78.6% there was an in situ component present. One patient was found to have a cancer on the microdochectomy specimen after an operation for single duct nipple discharge, and in a second patient the cancer was found in the gynecomastia operation specimen. All ten invasive tumors were estrogen receptor positive (ER +ve), whereas eight were progesterone receptor positive (PgR +ve). With a median follow‐up of 35 months, there was one locoregional recurrence and one disease‐associated death.

Conclusions

In situ cancer may not be as rare as previously reported among patients with MBC. Increased patient awareness and early assessment by a specialist is a key to early diagnosis and improved outcomes.
The personal service gap: Factors affecting adolescents' willingness to seek help
Authors: Raviv Amiram , Raviv Alona , Vago‐Gefen Idit , Fink Abby Schachter
Published: September 2008

The study explores adolescents' attitudes toward seeking help for emotional problems. The personal service gap is examined by asking adolescents about their willingness to refer themselves and others to formal (psychologists) and informal (friends) help sources, using a within‐subjects design. The study included 662 Israeli adolescents in the 10th and 12th grades. The results indicate that adolescents refer peers more than themselves to a psychologist and to a friend. They are also more willing to refer themselves and peers to a friend rather than to a psychologist. Barriers to seeking psychological help are explored and significant correlations between perceptions of psychological benefit, problem severity and barriers to help seeking are described. Recommendations for increasing adolescents' awareness and use of help sources are suggested.
Expression and function of a groEL paralog in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcuselongatus under heat and cold stress
Authors: Sato Shinichiro , Ikeuchi Masahiko , Nakamoto Hitoshi
Published: September 2008

Cyanobacterial genomes generally contain two groEL genes, referred to as groEL1 and groEL2. The purpose of this study is to elucidate a role of groEL2 in the adaptation of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus to hot environments. Both groEL genes were found to be heat‐induced, while only groEL2 was greatly cold‐induced. Primer extension and gel mobility shift analyses indicated that transcriptional regulation of groEL2 is different from that of groESL1. The groEL2 gene was dispensable under normal growth conditions at 50 °C as a groEL2 disruptant was viable. This groEL2 mutant was highly sensitive to both high and low temperatures.
Prevalence of Rickettsia species antibodies and Rickettsia species DNA in the blood of cats with and without fever
Authors: Bayliss Danielle B. , Morris Arianne K. , Horta Mauricio C. , Labruna Marcelo B. , Radecki Steven V. , Hawley Jennifer R. , Brewer Melissa M. , Lappin Michael R.
Published: September 2008

Rickettsia species antibodies have been detected in some cats but it is unknown whether infected cats develop clinical signs. The prevalence of Rickettsia species deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in blood from clinically ill cats has not been determined. The objective of this study was to determine if cats with fever (body temperature ≥102.5°F [39.2°C]) were more likely to have evidence of rickettsial infection than healthy, age-matched, control cats with a body temperature<102.5°F. Rickettsia species polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were performed to detect rickettsial DNA extracted from blood (71 paired samples), indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) were performed to detect serum antibodies against Rickettsia felis (90 paired samples) and Rickettsia rickettsii (91 paired samples), and the results between pairs were compared. All samples were negative for Rickettsia species DNA. More cats with fever were seropositive for R felis or R rickettsii than control cats, but results were not statistically significant. Results of this pilot study failed to show an association between Rickettsia species DNA or Rickettsia species antibodies and fever.
A comparison of postoperative recovery from laser‐assisted uvulopalatoplasty using different laser systems
Authors: Pavelec Vaclav , Bohmanova Jarmila
Published: September 2008

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 5 power lasers (CO2, diode, KTP, ErCr:YS66, and ND:YVO4) in laser‐assisted uvulopalatoplasty.

Methods

This is a prospective study of 100 patients who were treated for snoring by laser‐assisted uvulopalatoplasty with different lasers.

Results

The number of days of pain medication use and the time to return to normal diet were used as indicators of recovery from surgery. Median of pain medication use was 9, 7, 7, 5, and 4 days, and the median of the time to return to normal diet was 8, 7, 7, 6, and 4 days in the CO2, diode, KTP, Nd:YVO4, and Er‐CrYSGG groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Differences in postoperative recovery were observed. Probands treated with ErCrYSGG laser recovered more quickly than the Nd:YVO4, diode, KTP, and CO2groups.
Choanal atresia: Long‐term follow‐up with objective evaluation of nasal airway and olfaction
Authors: Leclerc Jacques E. , Leclerc Jean Thomas
Published: September 2008

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of nasal airway and olfaction of adult subjects born with choanal atresia (CA).

Study Design and Setting

A case‐control study was conducted to compare the quality of nasal airway and olfaction in a group of adults born with CA to a similar group of normal subjects. Objective evaluation of nasal airway and olfaction were done respectively by acoustic rhinometry and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).

Results

Thirty‐six choanal atresia patients aged 16 to 36 were found in the medical records. Five bilateral and two unilateral cases were recruited for the study. An average score of 27/40 (moderate hyposmia) was obtained by the bilateral cases compared with 37/40 (normal) by the controls. These results were statistically significant (Wilcoxon signed rank test and sign test statistic, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Using the UPSIT, the bilateral CA patients have shown, on average, a moderate loss of the sense of smell when compared with normal controls of a similar age group. Acoustic rhinometry is not a useful study for posterior nasal conditions.
Retrocochlear mass lesion in mid‐frequency sudden deafness
Authors: Lin Yi‐Tsen , Young Yi‐Ho
Published: September 2008

Objective

This study retrospectively reviewed all cases of mid‐frequency sudden deafness to understand the clinical significance of this hallmark finding.

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Subjects and Methods

From 1992 to 2006, a total of 556 patients with sudden deafness were experienced. Based on the audiographic configuration, these patients were classified into: flat‐type group, 272 cases; high‐frequency group, 146 cases; low‐frequency group, 70 cases; mid‐frequency group, 30 cases; and unclassified group, 38 cases. All patients underwent a battery of audiovestibular function testing.

Results

Among 556 sudden deafness patients, 17 patients (3%) were proved to have a retrocochlear tumor, including mid‐frequency group (10), high‐frequency group (4), flat‐type group (2), and low‐frequency group (1). Thus, the mid‐frequency group had significantly higher (33%) association with a retrocochlear tumor than other groups.

Conclusion

One‐third of the patients with mid‐frequency sudden deafness harbor a true retrocochlear mass lesion; hence, MR imaging is mandatory in such cases.
Quantitative morphology of facial nerve based on three‐dimensional reconstruction of temporal bone
Authors: Ni Yusu , Sha Yan , Dai PeiDong , Li Huawei
Published: September 2008

Objective

To investigate an effective method of quantitative analysis of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures on the basis of three‐dimensional (3D) CT image reconstruction of the temporal bone.

Methods

The inner structures of the temporal bone from CT images of 34 healthy adults were reconstructed. Precise measurement of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures were accomplished by using Able Software 3D‐DOCTOR.

Results

3D images of temporal bone structures, including facial nerve, tympanic annulus, cochleariform process, cochlea, semicircular canals, jugular fossa, and carotid artery, were reconstructed. Quantitative data of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures were analyzed, especially the detailed spatial relationships between the facial nerve and the surface of the mastoid process or tympanomastoid fissure.

Conclusion

3D reconstruction of CT images clearly displayed the detailed structures of the temporal bone. Quantitative data of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures are very useful for temporal bone surgery.
Spirochetes in otology: Are we testing for the right pathogens?
Authors: Abuzeid Waleed M. , Ruckenstein Michael J.
Published: September 2008

Objective

To determine the prevalence rate of otosyphilis and Lyme‐associated labyrinthine disease among patients presenting with idiopathic, progressive sensorineural hearing loss and, thus, to provide recommendations regarding the diagnostic workup.

Study Design

A prospective cohort study of patients presenting to a university hospital otology clinic with idiopathic, progressive sensorineural hearing loss between 1998 and 2006.

Subjects and Methods

Cases in which hearing loss was clearly attributable to other causes were excluded, leaving 181 patients (mean age 55.6 years). History, physical examination, autoimmune laboratory tests, syphilis and Lyme serology, audio‐metric assessment, and MRI were performed in all cases.

Results

Nine cases (4.9%) of otosyphilis and none of Lyme disease were diagnosed by serological tests.

Conclusion

Routine serological testing for otosyphilis, but not Lyme disease, is recommended for all cases of idiopathic, progressive sensorineural hearing loss.
Experimentally induced phonation increases matrix metalloproteinase‐1 gene expression in normal rabbit vocal fold
Authors: Rousseau Bernard , Ge PingJiang , French Lesley C. , Zealear David L. , Thibeault Susan L. , Ossoff Robert H.
Published: September 2008

Objectives

An in vivo rabbit model was used to study the effect of 3 hours of experimentally induced phonation on messenger RNA expression of the normal vocal fold.

Study Design

Prospective; animal model.

Subjects and Methods

Ten rabbits received experimental phonation for 3 hours, followed by 1 hour of recovery. A separate group of 5 rabbits served as no‐phonation controls. We measured messenger RNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐1, MMP‐9, and interleukin‐1β using real‐time reverse‐transcribed polymerase chain reaction. Gene expression ratios from phonation and control animals were assessed with the Mann‐Whitney U test.

Results

Phonation (77 ± 3 dB; 429 ± 141 Hz) resulted in increased matrix metalloproteinase‐1 gene expression from rabbits receiving experimental phonation compared with controls, and a nonsignificant increase in matrix metalloproteinase‐9 and interleukin‐1β gene expression.

Conclusion

Matrix metalloproteinases play a role in maintaining tissue homeostasis. Investigation of cellular responses to experimental phonation may provide insight into how matrix metalloproteinases and other extracellular matrices contribute to maintenance of the vocal fold and development of pathology.
Record citations in 2007, but impact factor slips
Authors: Calder Philip C.
Published: September 2008

Through publishing, authors disseminate their work in order that others may see it and act upon it in some way.
Resveratrol, a new biomarker of moderate wine intake?
Authors: Zamora-Ros Raul , Lamuela-Raventós Rosa M. , Estruch Ramón , Andres-Lacueva Cristina
Published: September 2008

In a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, Spencer et al.(1) reviewed the strengths and the limitations of the biomarkers of dietary polyphenol intake, since nutritional biomarkers may be a better measure of dietary exposure than self-reported dietary data.
Imperial historicism and American military rule in the Philippines' Muslim south
Authors: Hawkins Michael
Published: September 2008

When American imperialists seized the Philippines at the dawning of the twentieth century, their guiding philosophy was predicated upon broadly conceived notions of cultural and political historicism. The unwavering self-assurance required to rule over millions of unfamiliar imperial subjects derived its potency from an unquestioned panoptic view of history. This epistemological tool of imperialism found an especially unique and fascinating expression in the United States' politico-military rule over Filipino Muslims. This article explores the creation and processes of imperial taxonomy among Moro populations while accounting for a number of disturbing disruptions and anomalies in the Americans' historical narrative (such as slavery and Islamic civilisation) that threatened to unravel the tightly circumscribed concept of a uniform and interpretable progressive transitional past. It also examines the ways in which American imperialists accounted for these anomalies, and manipulated their own interpretations of the past and the present to maintain the integrity of their philosophical imperial foundations.
Rhetorical Criticism and the Unity of 2 Corinthians: One ‘Epilogue’, or More?
Authors: JONES IVOR H.
Published: September 2008

The endings of Pauline letters have been studied as providing clues to the letters' contents. The text of 2 Corinthians is no exception. But what constitutes the ending of that text, and is there more than one letter-ending in it? Rhetorical criticism provides some criteria for attempts to answer those questions, and has sometimes been claimed as providing evidence for the unity of 2 Corinthians. This article reviews that evidence and questions its reliability. The possibility that there may be more than one letter-ending points to a different solution and exposes important features of the text's composition.
Beyond fun and friendship: the Red Hat Society as a coping resource for older women
Authors: HUTCHINSON SUSAN L. , YARNAL CAREEN M. , STAFFORDSON JULIE , KERSTETTER DEBORAH L.
Published: September 2008

How older women cope with challenges and losses in later life influences not only their physical health but also their psychological wellbeing and quality of life. The purpose of the analysis reported in this paper was to understand how participation in a women's leisure-based social group – the Red Hat Society® – serves as a coping resource for older women. The Society is an international organisation of women aged 50 or more years and has the mission to ‘celebrate the silliness of life’. The Society currently has an estimated one million members in 30 countries. To understand the ways that social group participation may contribute to older women's health and wellbeing, this paper examines the dynamics of leisure-based coping with positive emotions as the focus. Based on an analysis of responses to an open-ended question about meaningful experiences associated with being involved in the Red Hat Society, the sample of 272 members identified the main reasons for their involvement as chronic and acute stressors, challenging life transitions and daily hassles. In addition, they described four ways that participation helped them to manage these stressors: as a context for social support, emotional regulation, sustaining coping efforts, and meaning-focused coping. The results are discussed in relation to theory and previous evidence on the role of positive emotions and leisure in coping.
On periodic Stokesian Hele-Shaw flows with surface tension
Authors: ESCHER J. , MATIOC B.-V.
Published: September 2008

In this paper we consider a 2π-periodic and two-dimensional Hele-Shaw flow describing the motion of a viscous, incompressible fluid. The free surface is moving under the influence of surface tension and gravity. The motion of the fluid is modelled using a modified version of Darcy's law for Stokesian fluids. The bottom of the cell is assumed to be impermeable. We prove the existence of a unique classical solution for a domain which is a small perturbation of a cylinder. Moreover, we identify the equilibria of the flow and study their stability.
Verbesserte Sensitivität bei Nieren- und Harnwegserkrankungen durch Kombination von Teststreifen, automatisiertem bzw. standardisiertem Urinsediment und differenzierter Proteinbestimmung im Urin
Authors: Ottiger Cornelia , Huber Andreas R.
Published: September 2008

Neue Technologien und Methoden haben ermöglicht, dass die Diagnostik bei Nieren- und Harnwegserkrankungen verbessert wurde. Einerseits der sichere Umgang bei Nierenbiopsien und andererseits die präziseren Messwerte von Teststreifen und Urinsediment, die mittels automatisierten Lesegeräten, bzw. Durchfluss-Zytometrie (UF-100) oder Video-Imaging (Iris), und/oder günstigen Zählkammer-Systemen (KOVA) erhoben werden, und die Bestimmung von Cystatin C im Serum und die differenzierte Proteinanalytik im Urin, erlauben frühere und bessere Diagnosen. Die alleinige Analyse des traditionellen Urinsedimentes oder des Creatinin-Wertes genügen nicht, um eine Nierenerkrankung auszuschließen. Die exakteren Messwerte erlauben außerdem bessere Verlaufskontrollen, um frühzeitig therapeutische Maßnahmen einleiten zu können (z.B. Harnwegsinfekte, Nierenerkrankung bei einer vorbestehenden Grundkrankheit).
Variation of Fasting Plasma Glucose, Insulin, and Insulin Resistance in Thai Adults According to the New BMI Criteria for Asians
Authors: Komindr  , Viroonudomphol  , Cherdchu
Published: September 2008

For a group of 73 males and 247 females, being health-conscious and from the lower middle class of Bangkok, with various degrees of the nutritional status defined by the new criteria for Asians, the relationship of anthropometric indicators and the plasma lipid status to fasting glucose, fasting plasma insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin-resistance (HOMA-IR) has been studied. For assessing differences among groups either the Mann-Whitney U-test or the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance for multiple comparisons were applied. Multivariate regression models were computed to assess variation of glucose, insulin, and the HOMA-IR due to the nutritional status and serum lipids. A significant increase in fasting plasma glucose for both sexes and for females for the HOMA-IR models could be observed for the group with a body-mass index (BMI) range of 23 to less than 25. Insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR correlated for both sexes, especially with BMI and hip circumference, while the variation of fasting plasma glucose is less dependent on anthropometric nutritional indicators in comparison to insulin and HOMA-IR. Only the lipid status of females weakly correlated with insulin and HOMA-IR.
Dietary Whey Supplementation in Experimental Models of Wound Healing
Authors: Velioglu Ögünç  , Manukyan  , Cingi  , Eksioglu-Demiralp  , Özdemir Aktan  , Süha Yalçın
Published: September 2008

Whey is a dairy product containing milk serum proteins with diverse biological effects. In this study, the effect of dietary whey supplementation on wound healing was investigated. Rats were fed a standard or whey-supplemented diet for three weeks. Wound healing parameters, glutathione, and lipid peroxide levels were determined three days after the application of two different models of wound healing, i.e. laparotomy and colonic anastomosis. Dietary whey supplementation significantly increased glutathione levels and suppressed lipid peroxidation after experimental laparotomy and colonic anastomosis. Bursting pressures, hydroxyproline, and cytokine levels were not changed. Our results show that dietary whey supplementation increases glutathione synthesis and cellular antioxidant defense. Long-term effects of whey feeding on wound healing remains to be investigated.
Efficacy of Iron-Fortified Rice in Reducing Anemia Among Schoolchildren in the Philippines
Authors: Angeles-Agdeppa  , Capanzana  , Barba  , Florentino  , Takanashi
Published: September 2008

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the Philippines is a serious public health problem. Fortifying rice offers a great opportunity to control IDA. However, information on other types of fortificants that can be used is scarce. Objective: To compare the effects of two types of iron fortificants in rice in improving the hematological status of schoolchildren. Design: 180 randomly selected 6-to 9-year-old anemic children were randomly allocated to three groups in a double-blinded manner: One group received iron-enriched rice (IER) with extruded iron premix rice (IPR) using ferrous sulfate as fortificant (ExFeSO4); the second group received IER with extruded IPR using micronized dispersible ferric pyrophosphate (ExFeP80); and the third group received non-fortified rice (Control). These were administered daily for 5 days a week for 6 months. Blood samples were collected at baseline after 3 and 6 months. Results: At baseline, one child in the ExFeP80 group was suffering from IDA; at 3 months, no IDA was found in any groups; while at 6 months, one child in the ExFeP80 developed IDA. The baseline prevalence of anemia in all groups, which was 100%, was significantly reduced to 51%, 54%, and 63% in the ExFeSO4, ExFeP80 and Control groups respectively. After 6 months, further significant reductions were observed in the ExFeSO4 (38%) and ExFeP80 (33%) but remained at 63% in the Control group. Greater, significant increases were also observed in plasma ferritin in the fortified groups than in the Control group from baseline to 6 months. The predictors of change in hemoglobin (Hb) and plasma ferritin were group allocation and basal values. Conclusion: The consumption of rice fortified with FeP80 using extrusion technology has similar effects as that of FeSO4 in reducing the prevalence of IDA among schoolchildren.
Vitamin C Supplementation Influences Body Fat Mass and Steroidogenesis-Related Genes when Fed a High-Fat Diet
Authors: Campión  , Milagro  , Fernández  , Martínez
Published: September 2008

An enhanced oxidative stress status has been documented in obese patients and animal models, and a depletion of the antioxidant mechanisms in these conditions is a common feature. Therefore, we have tested the hypothesis that food supplementation with an antioxidant molecule such as vitamin C could prevent fat deposition induced by a high-fat diet in rodents. Ascorbic acid dietary supplementation reduced body weight and the retroperitoneal and subcutaneous fat depots in cafeteria diet-induced obese rats, without affecting food intake. Microarray technology has been applied in rat subcutaneous fat to assess the molecular mechanisms underlying the depletion of fat stores induced by ascorbic acid. Thus, expression of genes involved in cell proliferation, regulation of transcription, and host response are upregulated while a number of genes participating in lipid metabolism, cell adhesion, differentiation, and steroidogenesis (such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and hydroxysteroid 11-β dehydrogenase 2) are downregulated. These data provide new insights to understand that not only calories count in weight gain, but also that the antioxidant status and other mechanisms affecting energy conversion efficiency could participate in energy homeostasis, in which glucocorticoids could be involved.
Studies on the Nature of Anti-Platelet Aggregatory Factors in the Seeds of the Amazonian Herb Guarana (Paullinia cupana)
Authors: Ravi Subbiah  , Yunker
Published: September 2008

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a popular herb native to the Amazon Basin and used extensively in soft drinks in Brazil, other Latin American countries, and more recently in the United States. Extracts derived from the dried seeds of guarana possess strong anti-platelet aggregatory properties. In this study, an active fraction containing this activity was purified and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) techniques. It was noted that this fraction contains catechins, epicatechins, and their dimers, with a small amount of caffeine. It is suggested that complexes containing caffeine and catechins (and their dimers) might be responsible for anti-platelet aggregatory activity in guarana seeds and might offer health benefits towards decreasing risk of thrombosis and cardiovascular disease.
Assessing Intellectual Giftedness with the WISC-IV and the IDS
Authors: Hagmann-von Arx Priska , Meyer Christine Sandra , Grob Alexander
Published: September 2008

The Hamburg Wechsler Intelligenztest für Kinder (HAWIK-IV; the German version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition) and the newly designed Intelligence and Development Scales (IDS) were administered in counterbalanced order to 77 gifted children and 77 nongifted children, aged 6 to 10 years. Samples were matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Results reveal that both the HAWIK-IV and the IDS are able to distinguish between gifted and nongifted children. Moderate correlations between the tests indicate that the measures assess similar, but not identical constructs. Results are discussed as they pertain to the assessment and special needs of gifted children.
Investigating the rank‐size relationship of urban areas using land cover maps
Authors: Kinoshita Tsuguki , Kato Etsushi , Iwao Koki , Yamagata Yoshiki
Published: September 2008

We investigated the possibility that the rank‐size rule can be applied to the relationship between urban size and rank order. Accordingly, using a global land cover data set, we clustered contiguous urban grid cells, calculated the area in each cluster, and ranked urban areas in each of the countries studied. This research revealed that Zipf's law can be applied to the relationship between urban area and rank order as well as to city populations. Comparisons were made in some countries, and it was shown that the urban area rank‐size rule was free from administrative boundaries. Finally, in Japan, using land‐use maps for several times in recent history, changes in rank‐size were investigated. As a result, it was found that the slopes for urban areas did not change vis‐à‐vis their rank in a double logarithmic graph and that only the x and y interception changed.
Phenology of high-elevation pelagic bacteria: the roles of meteorologic variability, catchment inputs and thermal stratification in structuring communities
Authors: Nelson Craig E
Published: September 2008

Many eukaryotic communities exhibit predictable seasonality in species composition, but such phenological patterns are not well-documented in bacterial communities. This study quantified seasonal variation in the community composition of bacterioplankton in a high-elevation lake in the Sierra Nevada of California over a 3-year period of 2004–2006. Bacterioplankton exhibited consistent phenological patterns, with distinct, interannually recurring community types characteristic of the spring snowmelt, ice-off and fall-overturn periods in the lake. Thermal stratification was associated with the emergence of specific communities each summer and increased community heterogeneity throughout the water column. Two key environmental variables modulated by regional meteorologic variation, lake residence time and thermal stability, predicted the timing of occurrence of community types each year with 75% accuracy, and each corresponded with different aspects of variation in community composition (orthogonal ordination axes). Seasonal variation in dissolved organic matter source was characterized fluorometrically in 2005 and was highly correlated with overall variation in bacterial community structure (rMantel=0.75, P<0.001) and with the relative contributions of specific phylotypes within the Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria and β-Proteobacteria. The seasonal dynamics of bacterial clades (tracked through coupling of randomized clone sequence libraries to restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprints) matched previous results from alpine lakes and were variously related to solute inputs, thermal stability and temperature. Taken together, these results describe a phenology of high-elevation bacterioplankton communities linked to climate-driven physical and chemical lake characteristics already known to regulate eukaryotic plankton community structure.
Millisecond-scale differences in neural activity in auditory cortex can drive decisions
Authors: Yang Yang , DeWeese Michael , Otazu Gonzalo , Zador Anthony
Published: September 2008

Neurons in the auditory cortex can lock with millisecond precision to the fine timingof acoustic stimuli, but it is not known whether this precise spike timing can be usedto guide decisions. We used chronically implanted microelectrode pairs to stimulateneurons in the rat auditory cortex directly. Here we demonstrate that rats canexploit differences in the timing of cortical activity as short as three milliseconds toguide decisions.
Populational analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from different appellations of origin and grape varieties by microsatellite analysis.
Authors: Pereira Leonor , Duarte Filomena , Ramos Paulo , Alemão Maria , Gomes Paula , Gomes Ana , Sousa Susana , Machado Sofia , Santos Manuel , Casal Margarida , Schuller Dorit
Published: September 2008

The objective of the present study was to evaluate populational relationships among Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from some of the Portuguese most important grapevine varieties in different appellations of origin, using polymorphic microsatellites. One hundred ninety two grape samples were collected during the 2006 and 2007 harvest season in the Vinho Verde (grape varieties: Arinto, Alvarinho, Avesso, Loureiro, Touriga Nacional) Bairrada (grape varieties: Arinto, Baga, Castelão Francês, Maria Gomes, Touriga Nacional) Alentejo (grape varieties, Aragonês, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional), Terras do Sado (grape variety Castelão) Bucelas (grape variety Arinto) and Estremadura (grape varieties: Arinto, Aragonês, Castelão, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional) appellations of origin. From the final stage of spontaneous fermentations, 2820 yeast isolates were obtained, mainly belonging to the species S. cerevisiae. An initial genetic screen, based on mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (mtDNA RFLP) and/or interdelta sequence analysis was followed by microsatellite analysis of strains with unique genetic profiles, using 10 highly polymorphic microsatellites. Our results showed that microsatellite analysis revealed a high resolution populational screen, showing that genetic differences and populational structures among S. cerevisiae populations derived from both “diagnostic” vineyard-, specific alleles and the accumulation of small allele-frequency differences across ten microsatellite loci. Heterozygosity was three to four times lower than the expected value, confirming the strong populational substructuring. The presented large-scale approach shows that each vineyard contains differentiated S. cerevisiae populations, showing the occurrence of specific native strains that can be associated with a terroir. Financially supported by the programs POCI 2010 (FEDER/FCT, POCTI/AGR/56102/2004) and AGRO (ENOSAFE, Nº 762).
Weight Loss Maintenance Following a Primary Care Intervention for Low‐income Minority Women
Authors: Martin Pamela D. , Dutton Gareth R. , Rhode Paula C. , Horswell Ronald L. , Ryan Donna H. , Brantley Phillip J.
Published: September 2008

Although the primary care setting offers an innovative option for weight loss interventions, there is minimal research examining this type of intervention with low‐income minority women. Further, there is a lack of research on the long‐term effects of these programs. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the weight loss maintenance of low‐income African‐American women participating in a primary care weight management intervention. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with overweight and obese women (N = 144) enrolled at two primary care clinics. Women received a 6‐month tailored weight loss intervention delivered by their primary care physician and completed follow‐up assessments 9, 12, and 18 months following randomization. The weight loss maintenance of the tailored intervention was compared to a standard care comparison group. The weight loss of intervention participants (−1.52 ± 3.72 kg) was significantly greater than that of standard care participants (0.61 ± 3.37 kg) at month 9 (P = 0.01). However, there was no difference between the groups at the 12‐month or 18‐month follow‐ups. Participants receiving a tailored weight loss intervention from their physician were able to maintain their modest weight loss up to 3–6 months following treatment. Women demonstrated weight regain at the 18‐month follow‐up assessment, suggesting that more intensive follow‐up in the primary care setting may be needed to obtain successful long‐term weight loss maintenance.
Birth Weight and Body Composition in Overweight Latino Youth: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Kelly Louise A. , Lane Christianne J. , Ball Geoff D.C. , Weigensberg Marc J. , Vargas Lisa G. , Byrd‐Williams Courtney E. , Ventura Emily E. , Goran Michael I.
Published: September 2008

To examine the associations between birth weight and BMI, and total body composition, in overweight Latino adolescents. Two hundred and forty‐two overweight Latino children (baseline age = 11.1 ± 1.7 years; BMI ≥ 85th percentile) were measured annually for up to 6 years (2.6 ± 1.4 observations/child, total 848 visits). Birth weight and history of gestational diabetes were obtained by parental interview. Visceral fat and subcutaneous abdominal fat were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, while total body fat, total lean tissue mass (LTM), trunk fat, and lean tissue trunk mass were measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. BMI and BMI percentile were calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age appropriate cutoffs. Longitudinal linear mixed effects (LME) modeling was used to evaluate the influence of birth weight on subsequent changes in body composition and distribution of fat across puberty. Birth weight significantly predicted BMI (P < 0.001), total trunk fat (P < 0.001), total trunk LTM (P < 0.001), total fat mass (FM) (P < 0.001), and total LTM (P < 0.001), but not subcutaneous (P = 0.534) or visceral fat (P = 0.593) at age 11 years. Longitudinally, as participants transitioned into puberty, birth weight did not significantly predict any of the body composition or fat distribution measures (P > 0.05). Birth weight is significantly associated with increased adiposity and LTM and negatively associated with trunk fat mass and trunk lean mass at baseline; however these relationships did not predict rate of change of any of the variables as the children progress through adolescence.
FTO Polymorphisms Are Associated With Obesity but Not Diabetes Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Song Yiqing , You Nai‐chieh , Hsu Yi‐Hsiang , Howard Barbara V. , Langer Robert D. , Manson JoAnn E. , Nathan Lauren , Niu Tianhua , Tinker Lesley F. , Liu Simin
Published: September 2008

The FTO gene was recently identified as a susceptibility locus for both obesity and type 2 diabetes by whole‐genome association analyses of several European populations. We tested for an association between FTO risk alleles and obesity and diabetes in a well‐characterized multiethnic cohort of postmenopausal women in the United States. We genotyped two most significantly associated single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs9939609 and rs8050136) in intron 1 of FTO gene in a nested case‐control study of 1,517 diabetes cases and 2,123 controls from the Women's Health Initiative‐Observational Study (WHI‐OS). The allelic frequencies of either rs9939609 or rs8050136 differed widely across four ethnic groups. The frequency of the rare allele A of rs9939609 among controls was much lower in Asians/Pacific Islanders (17%) than in blacks (45%), whites (40%), and Hispanics (31%). We found significant associations of rs9939609 with BMI and waist circumference in white and Hispanic women, but not among black and Asian/Pacific Islander women. On average, each copy of the risk‐allele A at rs9939609 was significantly associated with 0.45 kg/m2 increase in BMI (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.16–0.74; P = 0.004) and 0.97 cm increase in waist circumference (95% CI: 0.21–0.65; P = 0.0002). Similar results were observed for rs8050136. However, we found no significant genetic associations with diabetes risk, either within the full study sample or in any ethnic group. In conclusion, common genetic variants in the intron 1 of FTO gene may confer a modest susceptibility to obesity in an ethnicity‐specific manner, but may be unlikely to contribute to a clinically significant diabetes risk.
Bidirectional jet formation during driven magnetic reconnection in two-beam laser–plasma interactions
Authors: Nilson P. M. , Willingale L. , Kaluza M. C. , Kamperidis C. , Minardi S. , Wei M. S. , Fernandes P. , Notley M. , Bandyopadhyay S. , Sherlock M. , Kingham R. J. , Tatarakis M. , Najmudin Z. , Rozmus W. , Evans R. G. , Haines M. G. , Dangor A. E. , Krushelnick K.
Published: September 2008

Measurements of the bidirectional plasma jets that form at the surface of a solid target during a laser-generated driven magnetic reconnection are presented. Resistivity enhancement of at least 25× the classical Spitzer value is required when applying the Sweet–Parker model of reconnection to reconcile the experimentally observed reconnection time scale. Analytic calculations show that a fast reconnection model, which includes a priori the effects of microturbulent resistivity enhancement, better reproduces the experimental observations.
Second-harmonic generation in sodium and niobium borophosphate glasses after poling under field-assisted silver ions anodic injection
Authors: Malakho Artem , Fargin Evelyne , Delestre Aurélien , André Clément , Cardinal Thierry , Lahaye Michel , Rodriguez Vincent , Couzi Michel , Adamietz Frédéric , Canioni Lionel , Royon Arnaud
Published: September 2008

Monovalent silver ions, resulting from a thin silver layer initially deposited at the anode surface, have been introduced using the field-assisted ion-exchange technique in sodium niobium borophosphate glasses. A reproducible susceptibility χ(2) could be gained after this poling treatment, although a drop in the nonlinearity is observed due to the introduction of silver ions. From energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, it has been found that the nonlinear layer is characterized by a strong migration of sodium ions 4 μm deep inside the anode side, which have been partially replaced by silver ions. These results indicate a complex space-charge-migration process during the poling treatment, which is involved in the decrease in the mean second-harmonic generation signal.
Effect of Pt addition on growth stress and thermal stress of NiSi films
Authors: Van Bockstael C. , De Keyser K. , Deduytsche D. , Van Meirhaeghe R. L. , Detavernier C. , Jordan-Sweet J. L. , Lavoie C.
Published: September 2008

We have studied the effect of the addition of Pt on the growth stress and thermal stress of NiSi films. Platinum was added in the form of an interlayer (Ni/Pt/Si), capping layer (Pt/Ni/Si), and as an alloying element within the as-deposited Ni film (Ni–Pt/Si). The evolution of film stress during the solid-state reaction was monitored using in situ curvature measurements. The large transient compressive growth stress observed during the reaction of pure Ni with Si was significantly reduced for samples with a Pt interlayer or alloy. Based on in situ XRD measurements, this reduction in the compressive growth stress could be related to the disappearance of Ni rich phases from the phase sequence and an overall increase in the silicidation temperature during ramp anneals. Pt was also found to affect the buildup of thermal stress while cooling down the sample after Ni1−xPtxSi formation. The presence of Pt as a solute in the monosilicide causes a significant increase in the stress relaxation temperature, and therefore, in the total thermal stress as observed at room temperature. For a Pt interlayer, we observed a faster buildup of thermal stress, which could be related to a preferred epitaxial orientation of the monosilicide grains in this film as revealed by pole figure measurements.
Rotational relaxation of HF by collision with ortho- and para-H2 molecules
Authors: Guillon G. , Stoecklin T. , Voronin A. , Halvick Ph.
Published: September 2008

The first quantum mechanical investigation of the rotational deactivation of HF induced by collisions with ortho- and para-H2 molecules is reported. Ab initio potential energy calculations are carried out at the coupled cluster level with single and double excitations, using a quadruple-zeta basis set. The global rigid rotor four-dimensional potential energy surface is obtained by fitting ab initio points with a least squares procedure for the angular terms and interpolating the radial coefficients with cubic splines. It is shown that the equilibrium structure of the H2–HF complex is T-shaped and the well depth is found to be 359cm−1. Close coupling scattering calculations are performed at collision energy ranging from 10−2to1600cm−1. A comparison of the rotational quenching of HF with para-H2 and He4 is used to validate our potential energy surface. The rotational quenching cross sections of HF by ortho- and para-H2 are also compared and found to be very different. An explanation of these differences based on a resonance mechanism is proposed.
Spectral mixing formulations for van der Waals–London dispersion interactions between multicomponent carbon nanotubes
Authors: Rajter Rick , French Roger H. , Podgornik Rudi , Ching W. Y. , Parsegian V. Adrian
Published: September 2008

Recognition of spatially varying optical properties is a necessity when studying the van der Waals–London dispersion (vdW-Ld) interactions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that have surfactant coatings, tubes within tubes, and/or substantial core sizes. The ideal way to address these radially dependent optical properties would be to have an analytical add-a-layer solution in cylindrical coordinates similar to the one readily available for the plane-plane geometry. However, such a formulation does not exist nor does it appear trivial to be obtained exactly. The best and most pragmatic alternative for end-users is to take the optical spectra of the many components and to use a spectral mixing formulation so as to create effective solid-cylinder spectra for use in the far-limit regime. The near-limit regime at “contact” is dominated by the optical properties of the outermost layer, and thus no spectral mixing is required. Specifically we use a combination of a parallel capacitor in the axial direction and the Bruggeman effective medium in the radial direction. We then analyze the impact of using this mixing formulation upon the effective vdW-Ld spectra and the resulting Hamaker coefficients for small and large diameter single walled CNTs (SWCNTs) in both the near- and far-limit regions. We also test the spectra of a [16,0,s+7,0,s] multiwalled CNT (MWCNT) with an effective MWCNT spectrum created by mixing its [16,0,s] and [7,0,s] SWCNT components to demonstrate nonlinear coupling effects that exist between neighboring layers. Although this paper is primarily on nanotubes, the strategies, implementation, and analysis presented are applicable and likely necessary to any system where one needs to resolve spatially varying optical properties in a particular Lifshitz formulation.
Dynamics of prolate ellipsoidal particles in a turbulent channel flow
Authors: Mortensen P. H. , Andersson H. I. , Gillissen J. J. J. , Boersma B. J.
Published: September 2008

The dynamical behavior of tiny elongated particles in a directly simulated turbulent flow field is investigated. The ellipsoidal particles are affected both by inertia and hydrodynamic forces and torques. The time evolution of the particle orientation and translational and rotational motions in a statistically steady channel flow is obtained for six different particle classes. The focus is on the influence of particle aspect ratio λ and the particle response time on the particle dynamics, i.e., distribution, orientation, translation, and rotation. Both ellipsoidal and spherical particles tend to accumulate in the viscous sublayer and preferentially concentrate in regions of low-speed fluid velocity. The translational motion is practically unaffected by the aspect ratio, whereas both mean and fluctuating spin components depend crucially on λ. The ellipsoids tend to align themselves with the mean flow direction and this tendency becomes more pronounced in the wall proximity when the lateral tilting of the elongated particles is suppressed.
Self-consistent field/density functional study of conformational properties of polymers at interfaces: Role of intramolecular interactions
Authors: Bryk Paweł , MacDowell Luis G.
Published: September 2008

We study the properties of athermal polymers at hard walls using two different versions of self-consistent field theory (SCFT). We calculate the segment density profiles, center of mass profiles, bond orientation vector profiles, and end-to-end vector distributions and compare with grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. Using the same excess free energy prescription for both theories, we investigate the role of the excluded volume intramolecular interactions on these properties, show the relation between SCFT and density functional theory, and discuss several numerical implementations of the SCFT method. The phantom chain model gives Gaussian chain statistics independent of the conditions. Including the full intramolecular potential leads to an improved description of the low density regime but it does not produce any significant improvement in the semidiluted and concentrated regimes. We show that a viable compromise is achieved by using the effective field resulting from the phantom chain model and by calculating single chain properties using the full intramolecular potential.