bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uncommonly Common or Truly Exceptional? An Alternative to the Political System–Based Explanation of the Romanian Mass Media
Authors: Coman Ioana , Gross Peter
Published: July 2012

In Romania, the political system, itself an amalgam of systems and still shifting in line with a continually evolving democracy, is only the vessel in which corruption is percolating and not the cause of it; culture is the cause. This is true of the very nature of how instrumentalization, clientelism, and political parallelism have evolved. Romanian clientelism and the political parallelism are often an expression of the powers of the manager-journalist or star journalists and not only of media owners and politicians. This may set the Romania mass media system apart from other systems.
Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition (We Can!)
Authors: James Kathy S. , Connelly Cynthia D. , Gracia Luz , Glaser Dale
Published: July 2012

Obesity in Hispanic children is epidemic. Recent recommendations are to focus on parent as role model as a means of prevention. Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition (We Can!) is a public education outreach program from a collaboration of 4 institutes at National Institutes of Health. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in Hispanic mothers’ behaviors, knowledge, and body mass index after participating in a 6-week We Can! program. Thirty-five Hispanic mothers participated in a 6-week program offered in Spanish at an elementary school setting. Height, weight, body mass index, and the We Can! survey were obtained preprogram and postprogram. Findings included significant changes in behaviors identified as risk behaviors for childhood obesity. Outcomes were similar to non-Spanish-speaking families with whom the program was first piloted. Lessons learned from this experience may benefit others who are trying to provide preventive care of Spanish-speaking families.
Structural basis of LaDR5, a novel agonistic anti-death receptor 5 (DR5) monoclonal antibody, to inhibit DR5/TRAIL complex formation
Authors: Qiao Chunxia , Hu Meiyun , Guo Leiming , Lv Ming , Lin Zhou , Geng Jing , Lang Xiaoling , Li Xinying , Li Yan , Ma Yuanfang , Feng Jiannan , Shen Beifen
Published: July 2012

Background

As a member of the TNF superfamily, TRAIL could induce human tumor cell apoptosis through its cognate death receptors DR4 or DR5, which can induce formation of the death inducing signaling complex (DISC) and activation of the membrane proximal caspases (caspase-8 or caspase-10) and mitochondrial pathway. Some monoclonal antibodies against DR4 or DR5 have been reported to have anti-tumor activity.

Results

In this study, we reported a novel mouse anti-human DR5 monoclonal antibody, named as LaDR5, which could compete with TRAIL to bind DR5 and induce the apoptosis of Jurkat cells in the absence of second cross-linkingin vitro. Using computer-guided molecular modeling method, the 3-D structure of LaDR5 Fv fragment was constructed. According to the crystal structure of DR5, the 3-D complex structure of DR5 and LaDR5 was modeled using molecular docking method. Based on distance geometry method and intermolecular hydrogen bonding analysis, the key functional domain in DR5 was predicted and the DR5 mutants were designed. And then, three mutants of DR5 was expressed in prokaryotic system and purified by affinity chromatograph to determine the epitope of DR5 identified by LaDR5, which was consistent with the theoretical results of computer-aided analysis.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated the specific epitope located in DR5 that plays a crucial role in antibody binding and even antineoplastic bioactivity. Meanwhile, revealed structural features of DR5 may be important to design or screen novel drugs agonist DR5.
Acupuncture for the treatment of tinnitus: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Kim Jong-In , Choi Jun-Yong , Lee Dong-Hyo , Choi Tae-Young , Lee Myeong Soo , Ernst Edzard
Published: July 2012

Background

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has frequently been used to treat tinnitus, and acupuncture is a particularly popular option. The objective of this review was to assess the evidence concerning the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for tinnitus.

Methods

Fourteen databases were searched from the dates of their creation to July 4th, 2012. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included if acupuncture was used as the sole treatment. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias.

Results

A total of 9 RCTs met all the inclusion criteria. Their methodological quality was mostly poor. Five RCTs compared the effectiveness of acupuncture or electroacupuncture with sham acupuncture for treating tinnitus. The results failed to show statistically significant improvements. Two RCTs compared a short one-time scalp acupuncture treatment with the use of penetrating sham acupuncture at non-acupoints in achieving subjective symptom relief on a visual analog scale; these RCTs demonstrated significant positive effects with scalp acupuncture. Two RCTs compared acupuncture with conventional drug treatments. One of these RCTs demonstrated that acupuncture had statistically significant effects on the response rate in patients with nervous tinnitus, but the other RCT did not demonstrate significant effects in patients with senile tinnitus.

Conclusions

The number, size and quality of the RCTs on the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of tinnitus are not sufficient for drawing definitive conclusions. Further rigorous RCTs that overcome the many limitations of the current evidence are warranted.
Traditional knowledge among Zapotecs of Sierra Madre Del Sur, Oaxaca. Does it represent a base for plant resources management and conservation?
Authors: Luna-José Azucena de Lourdes , Aguilar Beatriz Rendón
Published: July 2012

Traditional classification systems represent cognitive processes of human cultures in the world. It synthesizes specific conceptions of nature, as well as cumulative learning, beliefs and customs that are part of a particular human community or society. Traditional knowledge has been analyzed from different viewpoints, one of which corresponds to the analysis of ethnoclassifications. In this work, a brief analysis of the botanical traditional knowledge among Zapotecs of the municipality of San Agustin Loxicha, Oaxaca was conducted. The purposes of this study were: a) to analyze the traditional ecological knowledge of local plant resources through the folk classification of both landscapes and plants and b) to determine the role that this knowledge has played in plant resource management and conservation. The study was developed in five communities of San Agustín Loxicha. From field trips, plant specimens were collected and showed to local people in order to get the Spanish or Zapotec names; through interviews with local people, we obtained names and identified classification categories of plants, vegetation units, and soil types. We found a logic structure in Zapotec plant names, based on linguistic terms, as well as morphological and ecological caracteristics. We followed the classification principles proposed by Berlin [6] in order to build a hierarchical structure of life forms, names and other characteristics mentioned by people. We recorded 757 plant names. Most of them (67%) have an equivalent Zapotec name and the remaining 33% had mixed names with Zapotec and Spanish terms. Plants were categorized as native plants, plants introduced in pre-Hispanic times, or plants introduced later. All of them are grouped in a hierarchical classification, which include life form, generic, specific, and varietal categories. Monotypic and polytypic names are used to further classify plants. This holistic classification system plays an important role for local people in many aspects: it helps to organize and make sense of the diversity, to understand the interrelation among plants–soil–vegetation and to classify their physical space since they relate plants with a particular vegetation unit and a kind of soil. The locals also make a rational use of these elements, because they know which crops can grow in any vegetation unit, or which places are indicated to recollect plants. These aspects are interconnected and could be fundamental for a rational use and management of plant resources.
The analysis of densitometric and geometric parameters of bilateral proximal phalanges in horses with the use of peripheral quantitative computed tompgraphy
Authors: Dzierzęcka Małgorzata , Charuta Anna
Published: July 2012

Background

Proximal phalanges in horses are among bones that are most prone to injuries. So far, the detailed analysis of densitometric and geometric parameters of both front legs proximal phalanges in horses has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the densitometric and geometric parameters between proximal phalanges in equine both front legs with the use of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT).

Methods

The study material comprised isolated both front legs proximal phalanges derived from 22 horses. The structure analysis of the proximal phalanges was conducted with the pQCT. The following bone parameters were determined: bone mineral content, volumetric bone mineral density, total bone area, trabecular area, cortical area, cortical thickness, periosteal circumference, endocortical circumference, Strength Strain Index. Tomographic analysis of proximal phalanges was conducted at three levels: at 15%, 50% and 85% of the bone length.

Results

The statistical analysis showed that both the densitometric and geometric parameters of the bone at 50% and 85% of its length, did not present any statistically significant differences for the left or right proximal phalanges of the forelimb. At the same time, all examined parameters measured at 15% of the bone length, in the vicinity of the proximal metaphysis revealed significant statistical differences between both front legs proximal phalanges.

Conclusions

The proximal phalanx parameters in the forelimbs are significantly different for the left and right proximal phalanx at 15% of the length and they indicate higher Strength Strain Index of the left bone in this location. The densitometric and geometric parameters of the bone at 50% and 85% of its length, did not present any statistically significant differences for the left or right proximal phalanges of the left and right forelimbs. The most serious changes caused by asymmetrical load of the thoracic limbs in horses occur near the proximal metaphysis, where the spongious substance is most abundant. This may happen because the metabolism of the spongious bone tissue is eight times faster compared to the compact bone tissue. Thus, any changes, including those caused by asymmetrical strain exerted on the right and left thoracic limbs, are the earliest to be observed.
Optical characterization of Cu3N thin film with Swanepoel method
Authors: Dorranian Davoud , Dejam Laya , Mosayebian Gelareh
Published: July 2012

Swanepoel method is employed for spectroscopic determination of optical properties of Cu3N thin film using transmittance data. Investigated films have been deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering system. Deposition time was 9 to 21 min. Refractive index, absorption coefficient, and bandgap energy of the samples are determined. Thickness of the films is calculated by Swanepoel method, and result is compared with the thickness of the films measured by profilmeter. It is shown that Swanepoel method is a reliable way to calculate the optical constants of thin films when the transmittance spectrum of the film is influenced by wavelike patterns due to reflection of the probe beam from different interfaces.
Quality of Life and Anxiety in Adolescents with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Oren Asaf , Benoit Melissa Anne , Murphy Anne , Schulte Fiona , Hamilton Jill
Published: July 2012

Context:

Adolescents with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) require lifelong monitoring with a high possibility of reoperation or radioactive iodine. Although adult DTC survivors have similar or slightly worse quality of life (QOL), this has not been evaluated in the pediatric population.

Objective:

Our objective was to compare QOL and anxiety in adolescents with DTC to patients with acquired autoimmune hypothyroidism.

Design, Setting, and Patients:

In this cross-sectional pilot study, three validated questionnaires were administered to 16 adolescents with DTC and 16 controls for assessment of QOL and anxiety levels. These included teen and parent PedsQL, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and Coddington Life Events Scales for Adolescents. The contribution of age, time since diagnosis, and biochemical variables were compared with the outcome measures.

Results:

There were 16 DTC patients (seven males); 13 had papillary carcinoma, one had follicular carcinoma, and two had mixed type. At diagnosis, five DTC patients had lymph node involvement and two had lung metastases, although at time of assessment, only one DTC patient had lymph node involvement. DTC patients were older than control subjects (P = 0.004) and had lower TSH levels than control subjects at time of assessment (P = 0.013). QOL and anxiety levels did not differ between DTC patients compared with control subjects and with previously reported scores in a healthy cohort. QOL and anxiety level parameters were not influenced by age, time since diagnosis, or free T4 levels measured at the time of assessment.

Conclusions:

Adolescents with DTC have similar QOL and anxiety levels compared with autoimmune hypothyroidism patients and with a healthy normative population.
Premsagar (1810) and Orientalist Narratives of the “Invention” Of Modern Hindi
Authors: Bhatnagar Rashmi Dube
Published: July 2012

What exactly was invented when the language department of Bhakka was formally instituted at Fort William College in 1801 and Lallu Jee Lal was selected as the first Braj Bhakka scholar? Hindi polemicists celebrate Pundit Lallu Jee Lal’s invention of a Hindi purified of Yavani Bhāsa, or Perso-Arabic words, in Premsagar. Contrarily, Urdu-centric scholars stress Lal’s use of the phrase “ibtada-e dāstān” (the beginning of the Dastan) to open Baital Pachisi. The claim is that preoccupation with Lallu Jee Lal’s place in the Hindi and Urdu literary canon occludes the all-important question: What were pre-Orientalist conceptions of the vernacular that Lallu Jee Lal brought to his translation of the Bhagvata Purana in Premsagar? Pre-Orientalist conceptions of the vernacular often did not denote, in the first and primary sense, a specific language. Poets were concerned with bodying forth a structure of feeling and a spatiotemporal imaginary first, and cathecting language name to the signified of language much afterward. Thus we can more usefully read Premsagar’s Hindi as a site of language invention where radically different concepts of the vernacular remain in uneasy tension. Under the explicit guidance of John Borthwick Gilchrist, the Hindi vernacular was shaped through linguistic pogroms. At the same time, Lallu Jee Lal’s training in Braj Bhāsa, as well as his intimate knowledge of the long history of Braj-Sanskrit and Braj-Urdu interactions, came into play in fashioning Premsagar’s Hindi as a language articulated in its spatiotemporal imaginary.
Orientalism on the Threshold: Reorienting Heroism in Late Imperial Russia
Authors: Feldman Leah
Published: July 2012

This article seeks to dislocate Orientalism from its Anglo-French origin by investigating the problem of its theorization in the context of the Russian Empire. I frame Russian Orientalism through the representation of the Caucasus in the Russian imagination as a border space between Europe and Asia. Reading Russian narratives about the Caucasus alongside narratives by Muslim writers of the Caucasus, I challenge the ideologically constructed binaries of Self and Other, Europe and the Orient, as well as history and personal memory. More specifically, this article discusses the figure of the Circassian hero in Mikhail Lermontov’s poem “Beglets” (“The Deserter”) and the Adygea writer Sultan Kazy-Girei’s short story “Dolina Azhitugai” (The Azhitugai Valley). I illustrate how Kazy-Girei’s story places itself in dialogue with the Russian Orientalist trope of the Circassian hero embodied in Lermontov’s work. Kazy-Girei’s narrator represents his North Caucasian homeland in order to reveal his struggle to reconcile personal memory with his own self-conscious performance of this Orientalist trope. In so doing, I emphasize the geospatial and ideological location of these narratives on the threshold of the Russian Empire and discourses of Orientalism more broadly.
Prox1 postmitotically defines dentate gyrus cells by specifying granule cell identity over CA3 pyramidal cell fate in the hippocampus
Authors: Iwano Tomohiko , Masuda Aki , Kiyonari Hiroshi , Enomoto Hideki , Matsuzaki Fumio
Published: July 2012

The brain is composed of diverse types of neurons that fulfill distinct roles in neuronal circuits, as manifested by the hippocampus, where pyramidal neurons and granule cells constitute functionally distinct domains: cornu ammonis (CA) and dentate gyrus (DG), respectively. Little is known about how these two types of neuron differentiate during hippocampal development, although a set of transcription factors that is expressed in progenitor cells is known to be required for the survival of granule cells. Here, we demonstrate in mice that Prox1, a transcription factor constitutively expressed in the granule cell lineage, postmitotically functions to specify DG granule cell identity. Postmitotic elimination of Prox1 caused immature DG neurons to lose the granule cell identity and in turn terminally differentiate into the pyramidal cell type manifesting CA3 neuronal identity. By contrast, Prox1 overexpression caused opposing effects on presumptive hippocampal pyramidal cells. These results indicate that the immature DG cell has the potential to become a granule cell or a pyramidal cell, and Prox1 defines the granule cell identity. This bi-potency is lost in mature DG cells, although Prox1 is still required for correct gene expression in DG granule cells. Thus, our data indicate that Prox1 acts as a postmitotic cell fate determinant for DG granule cells over the CA3 pyramidal cell fate and is crucial for maintenance of the granule cell identity throughout the life.
Franz von Leydig (1821–1908), pioneer of comparative histology
Authors: Schneider Marlon R
Published: July 2012

Franz von Leydig, a German histologist and zoologist, is known to every student of human or animal anatomy because of the testicular testosterone-producing cells carrying his name. However, he made many contributions to our knowledge of the fine structure of animal tissues, including more than 200 scientific articles and several books. His most important work, the book Lehrbuch der Histologie des Menschen und der Thiere, established him as a pioneer if not the founder of comparative histology. Leydig taught at three different universities (Würzburg, Tübingen and Bonn) and received many honours from scientific organizations worldwide, including the Royal Society. He died in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the town of his birth, aged 86 years.
Nicholas Barbon (1637–98): FRCP, property developer
Authors: Parsons Malcolm
Published: July 2012

Nicholas Barbon, a refugee from the Restoration, studied medicine on the Continet. But he also acquired an interest in building and commerce, and it was in these fields that he was to make his reputation.
WINNER of YOUNG WRITER'S COMPETITION
Authors: Li Shen Ooi Joanne
Published: July 2012

William Walters Sargant (1907–1988) is credited, for better or for worse, with putting physicalist psychiatry on the map – at the expense of the dictum primum non nocere (first do no harm). He was an outspoken supporter and practitioner of what he termed the ‘practical rather than philosophical approaches’ to the treatment of mental illness. This paper examines Sargant's fascinating career, beginning with the reasons behind lifelong passion for radical psychiatry, then discusses the various physical treatments he pioneered and publicized during his three decades at St Thomas’ including prolonged electroconvulsive therapy, insulin coma therapy, dangerous combinations of antidepressants and, most notably, prefrontal leucotomy. His heady mix of dogma and charisma enabled him to get away with flying in the face of evidence-based medicine – but not without courting the considerable controversy and contempt that was to so blacken his reputation posthumously. This paper ends with comments on misguided and misplaced enthusiasm in the history of therapeutics, acknowledgement of Sargant's positive contributions to psychiatry and finally a reminder not to be tempted to pass post hoc judgement on the man or his legacy all too quickly.
State-Dependence Effects in Surveys
Authors: de Jong Martijn G. , Lehmann Donald R. , Netzer Oded
Published: July 2012

In recent years academic research has focused on understanding and modeling the survey response process. This paper examines an understudied systematic response tendency in surveys: the extent to which observed responses are subject to state dependence, i.e., response carryover from one item to another independent of specific item content. We develop a statistical model that simultaneously accounts for state dependence, item content, and scale usage heterogeneity. The paper explores how state dependence varies by response category, item characteristics, item sequence, respondent characteristics, and whether it becomes stronger as the survey progresses. Two empirical applications provide evidence of substantial and significant state dependence. We find that the degree of state dependence depends on item characteristics and item sequence, and it varies across individuals and countries. The article demonstrates that ignoring state dependence may affect reliability and predictive validity, and it provides recommendations for survey researchers.
What Do We Know About Males and Emergency Contraception? A Synthesis of the Literature
Authors: Marcell Arik V. , Waks Ashten B. , Rutkow Lainie , McKenna Rob , Rompalo Anne , Hogan M. Terry
Published: July 2012

CONTEXT

Unintended pregnancy rates are high in the United States. It is important to know whether improving males’ access to emergency contraceptive pills may help prevent unintended pregnancy, especially in cases of ‐condom failure.

METHODS

A search of the PubMed, PsycINFO and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases was conducted to identify studies published from January 1980 to April 2011 concerning males and emergency contraception. Forty‐three studies met the specified criteria and examined relevant knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, intentions or behaviors, from the perspectives of males, clinicians or pharmacists.

RESULTS

The proportion of males who were familiar with emergency contraception ranged from 38% among teenagers to 65–100% among adults. Small proportions reported that they and their partner had used or discussed using emergency contraceptive pills (13–30%) or that they themselves had ever purchased them (11%). Most providers (77–85%) reported general knowledge about emergency contraceptives, but the proportions who knew the time frame within which the pills can be prescribed were smaller (28–63%). Most males approved of emergency contraceptive use following contraceptive failure (74–82%) or unprotected sex (59–65%), or in cases of rape (85–91%), but both pharmacists and college students reported concerns that females might feel pressured to use the method. No study examined clinicians’ attitudes and behaviors (e.g., counseling or advance provision) regarding males and emergency contraception.

CONCLUSIONS

Studies are needed to determine whether male involvement in emergency contraception can reduce rates of unintended pregnancy and to assess health professionals’ ability to counsel males about the method.
Interpreting Cardiac Troponin Results from High-Sensitivity Assays in Chronic Kidney Disease without Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: deFilippi Christopher , Seliger Stephen L , Kelley Walter , Duh Show-Hong , Hise Michael , Christenson Robert H , Wolf Myles , Gaggin Hanna , Januzzi James
Published: July 2012

BACKGROUND

Quantification and comparison of high-sensitivity (hs) cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and cTnT concentrations in chronic kidney disease (CKD) have not been reported. We examined the associations between hs cTnI and cTnT, cardiovascular disease, and renal function in outpatients with stable CKD.

METHODS

Outpatients (n = 148; 16.9% with prior myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization) with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 mL · min−1 · (1.73 m2)−1 had serum cTnI (99th percentile of a healthy population = 9.0 ng/L), and cTnT (99th percentile = 14 ng/L) measured with hs assays. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and mass were assessed by echocardiography, and coronary artery calcification (CAC) was determined by computed tomography. Renal function was estimated by eGFR and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR).

RESULTS

The median (interquartile range) concentrations of cTnI and cTnT were 6.3 (3.4–14.4) ng/L and 17.0 (11.2–31.4) ng/L, respectively; 38% and 68% of patients had a cTnI and cTnT above the 99th percentile, respectively. The median CAC score was 80.8 (0.7–308.6), LV mass index was 85 (73–99) g/m2, and LVEF was 58% (57%–61%). The prevalences of prior coronary disease events, CAC score, and LV mass index were higher with increasing concentrations from both hs cardiac troponin assays (P < 0.05 for all). After adjustment for demographics and risk factors, neither cardiac troponin assay was associated with CAC, but both remained associated with LV mass index as well as eGFR and UACR.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased hs cTnI and cTnT concentrations are common in outpatients with stable CKD and are influenced by both underlying cardiac and renal disease.
Double Standard: The Role of Environmental Consciousness in Green Product Usage
Authors: Lin Ying-Ching , Chang Chiu-chi Angela
Published: July 2012

The results from three studies suggest that consumers’ perceptions of product effectiveness are critical in determining the amount of a product they choose to use in a given instance. In general, consumers consider green, or environmentally friendly, products to be less effective than regular products; therefore, consumers increase the amount of the green product they use to make up for the perceived inferiority. Notably, this pattern of green versus regular product usage is more pronounced among consumers who are environmentally conscious. When the perceived effectiveness of a green product is boosted by a credible endorsement, the discrepancy between green and regular product usage disappears.
Genetic, anthropometric and metabolic features of adult Norwegian patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency
Authors: Nermoen Ingrid , Brønstad Ingeborg , Fougner Kristian J , Svartberg Johan , Øksnes Marianne , Husebye Eystein S , Løvås Kristian
Published: July 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the genetic, anthropometric and metabolic features in an unselected population of adult Norwegian patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD).

Patients, methods and design

Sixty-four 21OHD patients participated (23 men and 41 women; median age 38.5 years; range 19–72 years) in a cross-sectional study including DNA sequencing ofCYP21A2, anthropometric measurements including dual X-ray absorptiometry scanning and biochemical analyses. The results were compared with reference cohorts from the general population.

Results

We identified four novel and plausibly disease-causingCYP21A2mutations. Gene deletions/conversions (42.1% of alleles), the splice mutation I2 splice (23.0%) and point mutation I172 N (22.2%) were common. The genotype corresponded to clinical phenotype in 92% of the patients. The prevalence of osteopenia was 48% in males and 34% in females. Both men and women had normal BMI but markedly increased fat mass compared with the normal population. Diastolic blood pressure was higher than normal. Thirty-nine per cent of the women had testosterone levels above the normal range; 13% of the men had testosterone levels below normal. Reduced final height was more pronounced in men (median −11.2 cm, −1.77 SDS) than in women (−6.3 cm, −1.07 SDS).

Conclusions

In this population-based survey of 21OHD, we identified four novel mutations and high concordance between genotype and phenotype. The patients had increased fat mass, increased diastolic blood pressure, reduced final height and high frequency of osteopenia among males. These results show unfavourable metabolic features in 21OHD patients indicating a need for improvement of treatment and follow-up.
Dose-Response Relationship of Phototherapy for Hyperbilirubinemia
Authors: Vandborg Pernille Kure , Hansen Bo Moelholm , Greisen Gorm , Ebbesen Finn
Published: July 2012

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Using light-emitting diodes during conventional phototherapy, it is possible to reduce the distance from light source to infant, thus increasing light irradiance. The objective of this study was to search for a “saturation point” (ie, an irradiation level above which there is no further decrease in total serum bilirubin [TsB]). This was a prospective randomized study performed in the NICU of Aalborg Hospital, Denmark.

METHODS:

One hundred fifty-one infants (gestational age ≥33 weeks) with uncomplicated hyperbilirubinemia were randomized to 1 of 4 distances from the phototherapy device to the mattress (20, 29, 38, and 47 cm). TsB was measured before and after 24 hours of phototherapy and irradiance every eighth hour. Main outcome was 24-hour decrease of TsB expressed in percent, (∆ TsB0–24, difference between TsB0 and TsB24 [%]).

RESULTS:

A highly significant linear relation was seen between light irradiance and ∆ TsB0–24 (%) (P < .001): when the irradiance increased from 20 to 55 μW/cm2/nm, ∆ TsB0–24 (%) increased from approximately 30% to 50%. In addition, smooth regression showed no tendency for ∆ TsB0–24 (%) to level off as irradiance increased. ∆ TsB0–24 (%) was negatively correlated to birth weight and positively to formula volume. Average weight gain during phototherapy was 1%, independent of light irradiance.

CONCLUSIONS:

By using light-emitting diodes, we found a linear relation between light irradiance in the range of 20 to 55 μW/cm2/nm and a decrease in TsB after 24 hours of therapy, with no evidence of a saturation point.
Works of Doubt and Leaps of Faith
Authors: Von Heland Jacob , Sörlin Sverker
Published: July 2012

This article discusses recent developments among strands of earth systems science as providers of knowledge and advice in emerging global environmental politics from the vantage point of the screenplay Avatar. The field ‘resilience thinking’, emerging as part of systems ecology in the 1970s, pioneered propositions about the critical role of local, traditional, and indigenous knowledge to understand and manage human–nature relations. In more recent years there have been attempts to address sustainability beyond the local in ‘extended resilience enterprise’ including ideas of ‘social ecological systems’ and ‘planetary boundaries’. However, the leap to argue the case of resilience at larger, even planetary scales ran the risk of rendering the diversity of local cultures and knowledge traditions invisible by devising an epistemic space that privileged conventional Western knowledge. Using insights from the scientist Dr. Augustine in the screenplay Avatar, it is possible to discuss historical and current authority claims in local and planetary science policy. While there are good reasons to apply resilience beyond the ‘local’, this could be done in many ways. We contend that the potential virtues of involving resilience thinking with global environmental policies would be better realized if this also meant developing a careful understanding of its moral and epistemological aspects. This understanding need not only cohere with current ecological understandings of the world as living and complex, but also with humanistic recognition of the human stature as many-fold and situated.
Liofilização de fatias de abacaxi: avaliação da cinética de secagem e da qualidade do produto
Authors: Vieira Ana Paula , Nicoleti Joel Fernando , Telis Vânia Regina Nicoletti
Published: July 2012

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a cinética de secagem e os parâmetros de qualidade - conteúdo de vitamina C, reidratação e textura - de fatias de abacaxi liofilizadas em função da espessura e da temperatura de congelamento. Abacaxis do tipo Havaí, variedade Smooth Cayenne, foram fatiados transversalmente em espessuras de 0,5, 1,0 e 1,5 cm. As fatias foram congeladas nas temperaturas de -14, -24 e -34 °C, sendo, em seguida, conduzidas ao liofilizador. Uma parcela das amostras era destinada ao estudo da cinética de secagem pela pesagem periódica das mesmas, enquanto outra foi reservada para os testes de qualidade. O teor de vitamina C foi quantificado por adição de ácido oxálico na amostra e titulado com 2,6-diclorofenolindofenol. O parâmetro de textura avaliado foi a dureza, por testes de compressão em texturômetro, enquanto a reidratação foi obtida pela pesagem das amostras antes e após a imersão em água destilada por 5 min. Os resultados do presente trabalho mostraram que existe uma forte dependência da cinética de secagem e dos atributos de qualidade de fatias de abacaxi liofilizadas em função das condições utilizadas durante a etapa de congelamento, mesmo sendo este classificado como congelamento lento. Por outro lado, a taxa de congelamento não é a única variável que tem influência sobre a cinética de secagem e os atributos de qualidade. A combinação de temperatura e umidade, tanto durante a liofilização propriamente dita, quanto durante a etapa de reidratação, tem influência sobre a transição vítrea do material que, por sua vez, afeta a extensão do colapso estrutural sofrido pelo produto.
Effects of Aminopyralid on Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Authors: Wallace John M. , Prather Timothy S. , Peterson Vanelle
Published: July 2012

Invasive weed control within cleared, forested sites in the inland Northwest is complicated by the susceptibility of ponderosa pine to synthetic auxin herbicide injury, used to control broadleaf weeds. Herbicide injury may lead to decreased canopy volume and variable growth patterns of ponderosa pine, which is a commercially important tree species. Herbicide injury to ponderosa pine can be decreased with dormant-season applications, a timing suited to control many weeds that may occur within ponderosa pine sites. However, spring-timed herbicide applications are needed to control other weeds, such as meadow hawkweed, and that application timing coincides with active ponderosa pine growth. In this study, we determined the level of injury to ponderosa pine resulting from spring-timed aminopyralid, clopyralid, and picloram applications beneath ponderosa pine canopies. Herbicide injury to leader and lateral candles and needle elongation was evaluated 1 and 12 mo after treatment (MAT). Low rates of aminopyralid alone (0.05 kg ae ha−1 [3 fl oz ac−1]) and aminopyralid + clopyralid (0.05 + 0.10 kg ae ha−1) resulted in herbicide injury ratings that did not differ from untreated trees. The high rate of aminopyralid (0.12 kg ae ha−1) resulted in leader candle injury on 75% of treated trees, 5% of which were necrotic at 12 MAT. Herbicide injury was observed on 30% of lateral candles. In comparison, picloram (0.28 kg ae ha−1) treatments resulted in necrosis or mortality of leader and lateral candles on 65% and 40% of trees, respectively, at 12 MAT. Results suggest that use of low rates of aminopyralid alone or in combination with low rates of clopyralid minimizes the risk of nontarget injury to ponderosa pine (> 5 yr old) while controlling hawkweed with a spring application.
Phenology, Growth, and Fecundity as Determinants of Distribution in Closely Related Nonnative Taxa
Authors: Marushia Robin G. , Brooks Matthew L. , Holt Jodie S.
Published: July 2012

Invasive species researchers often ask: Why do some species invade certain habitats while others do not? Ecological theories predict that taxonomically related species may invade similar habitats, but some related species exhibit contrasting invasion patterns.Brassica nigra, Brassica tournefortii, andHirschfeldia incanaare dominant, closely related nonnative species that have overlapping, but dissimilar, distributions.Brassica tournefortiiis rapidly spreading in warm deserts of the southwestern United States, whereasB. nigraandH. incanaare primarily limited to semiarid and mesic regions. We compared traits ofB. tournefortiithat might confer invasiveness in deserts with those of related species that have not invaded desert ecosystems.Brassica tournefortii, B. nigraandH. incanawere compared in controlled experiments conducted outdoors in a mesic site (Riverside, CA) and a desert site (Blue Diamond, NV), and in greenhouses, over 3 yr. Desert and mesicB. tournefortiipopulations were also compared to determine whether locally adapted ecotypes contribute to desert invasion. Experimental variables included common garden sites and soil water availability. Response variables included emergence, growth, phenology, and reproduction. There was no evidence forB. tournefortiiecotypes, butB. tournefortiihad a more rapid phenology thanB. nigraorH. incana. Brassica tournefortiiwas less affected by site and water availability thanB. nigraandH. incana, but was smaller and less fecund regardless of experimental conditions. Rapid phenology allowsB. tournefortiito reproduce consistently under variable, stressful conditions such as those found in Southwestern deserts. Although more successful in milder, mesic ecosystems,B. nigraandH. incanamay be limited by their ability to reproduce under desert conditions. Rapid phenology and drought response partition invasion patterns of nonnative mustards along a gradient of aridity in the southwestern United States, and may serve as a predictive trait for other potential invaders of arid and highly variable ecosystems.
The Insults of Illicit Drug Use on Male Fertility
Authors: Fronczak Carolyn M. , Kim Edward D. , Barqawi Al B.
Published: July 2012

Abstract: One‐third of infertile couples may have a male factor present. Illicit drug use can be an important cause of male factor infertility and includes use of anabolic‐androgenic steroids, marijuana, opioid narcotics, cocaine, and methamphetamines. The use of these illicit drugs is common in the United States, with a yearly prevalence rate for any drug consistently higher in males compared with females. We aim to provide a review of recent literature on the prevalence and effects of illicit drug use on male fertility and to aid health professionals when counseling infertile men whose social history suggests illicit drug use. Anabolic‐androgenic steroids, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and opioid narcotics all negatively impact male fertility, and adverse effects have been reported on the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐testicular axis, sperm function, and testicular structure. The use of illicit drugs is prevalent in our society and likely adversely impacting the fertility of men who abuse drugs.
Effects of Chronic Stress on Penile Corpus Cavernosum of Rats
Authors: De Souza Diogo B. , Silva Dilson , Cortez Celia M. , Costa Waldemar S. , Sampaio Francisco J. B.
Published: July 2012

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate structural changes in the penile corpus cavernosum of prepubertal chronically stressed rats. Eight Wistar rats were assigned into the stress group (SG) and were submitted to 2 hours of tube restraint daily, from the fourth to the ninth week of life. Another 7 rats were used as the control group (CG). All animals were weighed weekly. At day 64, animals were sacrificed by anesthetic overdose, blood was collected for testosterone concentration by radioimmunoassay, and penis and adrenal were collected. Adrenal mass index and testosterone serum levels were used to assess the efficacy of the stress stimulus. The surface density of connective tissue and smooth muscle fibers of corpus cavernosum were measured on Masson trichromic—stained slices. Picrosirius red—stained slices were assessed under polarized light for different types of collagen. The Student's t test was applied for mean comparisons, with P < .05 considered significant. Testosterone serum concentrations decreased and adrenal mass index increased, confirming the effectiveness of the stress protocol. Smooth muscle fibers of corpus cavernosum decreased from 14.07% (CG) to 8.98% (SG) (P = .02), and connective tissue increased from 53.66% (CG) to 64.47% (SG) (P = .01). Also, there was a higher level of type I collagen in the SG animals compared with the CG. Stress stimuli induced structural changes in the corpus cavernosum of rats suggestive of penile fibrosis, which may play a role in erection dysfunction.
Ectopic Opening of Cystic Dilatation of the Ejaculatory Duct Into Enlarged Prostatic Utricle
Authors: Lin Jian‐Zhong , Wu Hong‐Fei , Wang Ji‐Chen , Le Mei‐Zhao , Yu Hong‐Bo , Zhou He‐Tong
Published: July 2012

Abstract: A 28‐year‐old man was referred to our department for the management of recurrent hemospermia during the past 5 years. Genital examination and hormonal levels were normal. Semen analysis showed no change in volume and pH; however, hemospermia and asthenozoospermia were observed. Ultrasonography and computed tomography scan revealed the presence of a cystic lesion with calcification in the terminal part of seminal vesicles adjoining the prostate gland. The following vasography and endoscopic retrograde urethrography demonstrated 2 communicating cystic dilatations arising from the verumontanum. The diagnosis of cystic dilatation of the ejaculatory duct opening into an enlarged prostatic utricle was reached. Transurethral unroofing of the cyst was separately performed with a successful outcome. The characteristic of the 2 cystic dilatations was confirmed by pathologic examination. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of ectopic cystic dilatation of the ejaculatory duct opening into an enlarged prostatic utricle.
Sperm Chromatin Structure Components Are Differentially Repaired in Cancer Survivors
Authors: O'flaherty Cristian M. , Chan Peter T. , Hales Barbara F. , Robaire Bernard
Published: July 2012

Abstract: Chemotherapy is often associated with male infertility. Our aim was to determine the effect of chemotherapy on sperm chromatin quality in cancer survivors. Sixteen men with advanced testicular cancer and 15 with Hodgkin lymphoma requiring chemotherapy were compared with 11 community volunteers. Eleven idiopathic infertile men with abnormal sperm chromatin were included as a positive control group. Semen analysis and sperm chromatin quality were determined prechemotherapy and at 6, 18, and 24 months posttreatment. DNA damage was determined by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). The level of DNA compaction was assayed by determining high DNA stainability (HDS, SCSA), the percentage of free thiols (monobromobimane‐labeling assay), and the level of protamination (chromomycin A3—labeling assay). Sperm concentration and motility were dramatically decreased in cancer patients 6–18 months after chemotherapy compared with community volunteers but were not statistically different from community volunteers at 24 months posttreatment. High levels of DNA damage were observed prechemotherapy, with a tendency to remain high during the 24‐month posttreatment period in testicular cancer patients; low DNA compaction (HDS, SCSA) persisted in testicular cancer patients 24 months postchemotherapy. Low levels of sperm DNA compaction were observed in cancer patients compared with community volunteers and infertile men. Sperm monobromobimane and chromomycin A3 labeling in cancer patients were similar to those from community volunteers by 18 months after treatment. Chemotherapy‐induced damage to components of the sperm chromatin structure was repaired differentially over time. However, significant sperm DNA damage and low DNA compaction remained up to 24 months posttreatment. The assessment of complementary aspects of sperm chromatin quality is necessary to evaluate sperm samples in cancer survivors.
Class II Composite Restorations and Proximal Concavities: Clinical Implications and Management
Authors: Patras M , Doukoudakis S
Published: July 2012

Clinical experience supports the notion that the restoration of MOD cavities may pose a challenge to the practitioner. Proper placement of precontoured matrices and commercial wedges help the clinician to establish an optimal emergence profile and sufficient contours. However, the presence of proximal concavities in premolars or molars can turn the reproduction of previous cervical architecture into an even more demanding task. Wedges with customized form or adequate design can precisely conform the matrix to the cavosurface area and prevent any gap formation. This article presents two different options that allow for successful and predictable reestablishing of anatomically correct contours and optimal proximal contacts in posterior teeth with proximal concavities.
Resin-based Composite Light-cured Properties Assessed by Laboratory Standards and Simulated Clinical Conditions
Authors: Ilie N , Bauer H , Draenert M , Hickel R
Published: July 2012

The following parameters were varied: 1) irradiation technique: top and bottom polymerization according to the ISO standard, and polymerization from only the top, simulating clinical situations; 2) polymerization time: 5, 10, 20, and 40 seconds; 3) storage conditions: 24 hours in distilled water, thermocycling followed by storage for four weeks in artificial saliva or alcohol. Flexural strength (FS), flexural modulus (Eflexural), indentation modulus (E), Vickers hardness (HV), and degree of conversion (DC) were measured.

The laboratory results were similar to those measured by mimicking clinical conditions only at high polymerization times and mild storage conditions (20 seconds and 40 seconds and storage for 24 hours in water, and 40 seconds with aging and storing in saliva). Significantly higher DC values were measured on the top than on the bottom of a 2-mm layer for all polymerization times. Overall, 5-second and 10-second irradiation times induced significantly lower DC values compared to the currently recommended polymerization times of 20 and 40 seconds at both the top and bottom of the samples.

The initial DC differences as a function of irradiation time are leveled at 24 hours of storage but seem to do well in predicting long-term material behavior. A minimum irradiation time of 20 seconds is necessary clinically to achieve the best mechanical properties with modern high-intensity light emitting diode (LED) units.
Recycling of Calcium-Silicate Material After Wastewater Filtration to Agriculture - Soil Condition Impact
Authors: Cucarella Victor , Renman Gunno , Zaleski Tomasz , Mazurek Ryszard
Published: July 2012

Recycling of Calcium-Silicate Material After Wastewater Filtration to Agriculture - Soil Condition Impact

Reactive filter materials aimed at phosphorus (P) recovery is a novel method for on-site wastewater treatment. Once the bed filter is no longer effective, the sorbent must be replaced and can then be recycled as a soil amendment to agriculture. This study investigated the short-term effects of such amendments in a field with a wheat crop in order to evaluate the risks and/or potential benefits of this disposal option. The developed product Polonite (manufactured from Opoka) was used as a model filter sorbent in the field trial. Rates corresponding to approximately 6 and 8 tons per hectare were applied. In the short-term, this amending did not affect soil physical and sorption properties. The rate of Polonite used here, as P source for wheat was irrelevant in this kind of soil. The usefulness of this disposal option of exhausted filter material is discussed.