bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toxic effects of cypermethrin on the male reproductive system: with emphasis on the androgen receptor
Authors: Hu Jin‐xia , Li Yan‐fang , Li Jing , Pan Chen , He Zhen , Dong Hong‐yan , Xu Li‐chun
Published: December 2011

The 15‐day intact adult male assay was used to investigate the reproductive toxicity of cypermethrin. We also evaluated the contributions of the androgen receptor (AR) to cypermethrin‐induced reproductive impairments. Sixty adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups and treated with different doses of cypermethrin (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg kg−1 per day) by oral gavage for 15 days. After the rats were sacrificed, the testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles and prostates were excised and weighed. One testis was frozen to be used for daily sperm production. Another testis was processed for AR immunohistochemical analysis and electron microscopic observation. We found that the weights of prostates were significantly decreased in cypermethrin treatment at doses of 25 and 50 mg kg−1 per day. Rats treated with cypermethrin at 50 mg kg−1 per day exhibited a significant reduction in testicular daily sperm production. Seminiferous tubule changes were noted, including atrophy and distorted seminiferous tubules, reduction and deformation of spermatogonia, spermatocyte and disordered arrangement of spermatoblasts. Ultrastructural changes were found in cypermethrin‐treated groups with disrupted cellular junctions, abnormal morphology of the nucleus, necrosis of spermatogonia spermatocytes and Sertoli cells. To clarify the possible mechanism, AR expression and the serum levels of testosterone were assayed. AR levels were significantly reduced in the rats treated with cypermethrin and the serum levels of testosterone were reduced in cypermethrin treatment at a dose of 50 mg kg−1 per day. These data suggested that cypermethrin can induce impairments of the structure of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis in the male rats. The impairments can be attributed to the reduced AR expression. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal acyclic edge‐coloring of cubic graphs
Authors: Andersen Lars Døvling , Máčajová Edita , Mazák Ján
Published: December 2011

An acyclic edge‐coloring of a graph is a proper edge‐coloring such that the subgraph induced by the edges of any two colors is acyclic. The acyclic chromatic index of a graph G is the smallest number of colors in an acyclic edge‐coloring of G. We prove that the acyclic chromatic index of a connected cubic graph G is 4, unless G is K4 or K3,3; the acyclic chromatic index of K4 and K3,3 is 5. This result has previously been published by Fiamčík, but his published proof was erroneous.
SOURCES OF REAL EXCHANGE RATE VOLATILITY AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INTEGRATION: A DYNAMIC GENERALISED METHOD OF MOMENTS PANEL APPROACH
Authors: Caporale Guglielmo Maria , Hadj Amor Thouraya , Rault Christophe
Published: December 2011

The aim of this paper is to provide some new empirical evidence on the determinants of volatility of real exchange rates in emerging countries, focusing on the role of international financial integration in particular. A reduced‐form model is estimated using the generalised method of moments for dynamic panels over the period 1979–2004 for a sample of 39 developing countries grouped into three regions (Latin America, Asia and MENA). Our findings suggest that different types of shocks (external, real and monetary) can account for the volatility of real exchange rates in emerging economies, with international financial integration being a major driving force. Therefore, financial liberalisation and integration should be pursued only gradually in emerging countries. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long‐term effects of coping with extreme stress: Longitudinal study of Vietnam‐era repatriated prisoners of war
Authors: Kaiser Anica Pless , Park Crystal L. , King Lynda A. , King Daniel W. , Schuster Jennifer , Spiro Avron , Moore Jeffrey L. , Kaloupek Danny G. , Keane Terence M.
Published: December 2011

Captivity stressors and coping strategies were assessed shortly after the repatriation of Vietnam‐era prisoners of war, and physical and mental health were assessed almost three decades later. Given research on coping goodness‐of‐fit, specifically the extent to which coping effects depend on situational controllability, we proposed that endorsement of the usefulness of avoidance‐based strategies in captivity would be predictive of better later‐life health. Findings indicated that approach‐based and avoidance‐based coping both moderated the link between physical torture and later physical health functional status, whereas approach‐based coping moderated the link between injuries at capture and later mental health. Specifically, greater endorsement of avoidance‐based coping was associated with better long‐term physical health for prisoners who experienced the most physical torture. Lower endorsement of approach‐based coping was associated with better long‐term mental health for prisoners who reported the most injuries at the time of capture.
Comprehensive H2/O2 kinetic model for high‐pressure combustion
Authors: Burke Michael P. , Chaos Marcos , Ju Yiguang , Dryer Frederick L. , Klippenstein Stephen J.
Published: December 2011

An updated H2/O2 kinetic model based on that of Li et al. (Int J Chem Kinet 36, 2004, 566–575) is presented and tested against a wide range of combustion targets. The primary motivations of the model revision are to incorporate recent improvements in rate constant treatment and resolve discrepancies between experimental data and predictions using recently published kinetic models in dilute, high‐pressure flames.

Attempts are made to identify major remaining sources of uncertainties, in both the reaction rate parameters and the assumptions of the kinetic model, affecting predictions of relevant combustion behavior. With regard to model parameters, present uncertainties in the temperature and pressure dependence of rate constants for HO2 formation and consumption reactions are demonstrated to substantially affect predictive capabilities at high‐pressure, low‐temperature conditions. With regard to model assumptions, calculations are performed to investigate several reactions/processes that have not received much attention previously. Results from ab initio calculations and modeling studies imply that inclusion of H + HO2 = H2O + O in the kinetic model might be warranted, though further studies are necessary to ascertain its role in combustion modeling. In addition, it appears that characterization of nonlinear bath‐gas mixture rule behavior for H + O2(+ M) = HO2(+ M) in multicomponent bath gases might be necessary to predict high‐pressure flame speeds within ∼15%.

The updated model is tested against all of the previous validation targets considered by Li et al. as well as new targets from a number of recent studies. Special attention is devoted to establishing a context for evaluating model performance against experimental data by careful consideration of uncertainties in measurements, initial conditions, and physical model assumptions. For example, ignition delay times in shock tubes are shown to be sensitive to potential impurity effects, which have been suggested to accelerate early radical pool growth in shock tube speciation studies. In addition, speciation predictions in burner‐stabilized flames are found to be more sensitive to uncertainties in experimental boundary conditions than to uncertainties in kinetics and transport. Predictions using the present model adequately reproduce previous validation targets and show substantially improved agreement against recent high‐pressure flame speed and shock tube speciation measurements. Comparisons of predictions of several other kinetic models with the experimental data for nearly the entire validation set used here are also provided in the Supporting Information. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 444–474, 2012
A double‐blind study on clonazepam in patients with burning mouth syndrome
Authors: Heckmann Siegfried M. , Kirchner Elena , Grushka Miriam , Wichmann Manfred G. , Hummel Thomas
Published: December 2011

Objectives/Hypothesis:

In the treatment of burning mouth syndrome (BMS), various approaches have been tried with equivocal results. The aim of the present randomized clinical trial was to determine the efficacy of clonazepam, a GABA agonist designed as an antiepileptic drug that exerts the typical effects of benzodiazepines.

Study Design:

Randomized clinical trial.

Methods:

Twenty patients with idiopathic BMS were carefully selected. Clonazepam (0.5 mg/day, n = 10) or placebo (lactose, n = 10) were randomly assigned to the patients.

Results:

Patients on clonazepam significantly improved in pain ratings (P < .001). These changes were less pronounced in the placebo group (P < .11). No significant changes were observed in a mood scale (P = .56) or for depression scores (P = .56). Taste test and salivary flow increased over sessions, but were not different between groups (P = .83 and P = .06, respectively).

Conclusions:

Clonazepam appears to have a positive effect on pain in BMS patients. Laryngoscope, 2012
Histopathological analysis of a 15‐year user of an auditory brainstem implant
Authors: Otto Steven R. , Moore Jean , Linthicum Fred , Hitselberger William , Brackmann Derald , Shannon Robert V.
Published: December 2011

Auditory brainstem implants (ABIs) can provide highly beneficial hearing sensations to individuals deafened by bilateral vestibular schwannomas (neurofibromatosis type 2). Relatively little is known about the status of stimulated neurons after long‐term ABI use. Direct examination of the cochlear nuclear complex (CN) of one 5‐year ABI user indicated no deleterious effect. Recently, we examined the brainstem of a patient who used his ABI daily for 15 years with excellent performance. There was good preservation of CN cell size, morphology, and packing density, a very favorable sign considering that a number of infants are now receiving ABIs.
3 Tesla turbo‐FLASH magnetic resonance imaging of deglutition
Authors: Amin Milan R. , Lazarus Cathy L. , Pai Vinay M. , Mulholland Thomas P. , Shepard Timothy , Branski Ryan C. , Wang Edwin Y.
Published: December 2011

Objectives/Hypothesis:

In this article we describe a methodology for obtaining high‐quality dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences of the swallow sequence in healthy volunteers. The study includes comparison to previous work done in our lab using a 1.5 Tesla (T) magnet.

Study Design:

Case series.

Methods:

Three healthy volunteers underwent turbo‐fast low angle shot MRI at 3T while swallowing liquid boluses delivered via intravenous tubing to the oral cavity. Imaging was performed in the sagittal and axial planes.

Results:

Imaging provided by this sequence provided high temporal resolution, with the ability to depict deglutition in the axial and sagittal planes. Comparison with imaging at 1.5T demonstrated benefits in temporal resolution and signal‐to‐noise. Anatomic information provided differed from comparative videofluoroscopy.

Conclusions:

MRI of swallowing using the described technique is reliable and provides a unique evaluation of the swallowing sequence. Laryngoscope, 2012
Treatment of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia with submucosal and topical bevacizumab therapy
Authors: Karnezis Tom T. , Davidson Terence M.
Published: December 2011

Objective/Hypothesis:

Bevacizumab delivered as a submucosal and topical intranasal therapy effectively controls hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)‐associated epistaxis.

Study Design:

Prospective institutional review board‐approved study.

Methods:

Between December 2009 and December 2010, 19 patients with HHT‐associated epistaxis were treated with 100 mg of intranasal submucosal bevacizumab. Following treatment, patients were contacted monthly to report their epistaxis severity score (ESS) for 9 or more months after their initial treatment. If a patient had a significant increase in their ESS, they were offered treatment with 100 mg of topical bevacizumab, administered via a metered dose atomizer. All treatments were recorded.

Results:

All 19 patients had a postinjection ESS documented through 9 months, whereas 17 patients had completed ESS data between months 10 and 12. Six of the 19 patients received eight additional 100 mg of topical bevacizumab treatments because they had an increase in their ESS. Results demonstrated a mean preinjection ESS of 8.12, with an ESS nadir of 2.00 reached at 2 months following submucosal injection (P < 0.0001). Over the following 12 months, the mean ESS steadily increased back to a maximum of 3.6 reached at 11 months following injection (P < .0001).

Conclusions:

Intranasal submucosal bevacizumab effectively treats HHT‐associated epistaxis for up to 12 months following treatment.
Split liver transplantation using extended right grafts: The natural history of segment 4 and its impact on early postoperative outcomes#
Authors: Sepulveda Ailton , Scatton Olivier , Tranchart Hadrien , Gouya Hervé , Perdigao Fabiano , Stenard Fabien , Bernard Denis , Conti Filomena , Calmus Yvon , Soubrane Olivier
Published: December 2011

Split liver transplantation (SLT) using extended right grafts is associated with complications related to ischemia of hepatic segment 4 (S4), and these complications are associated with poor outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed 36 SLT recipients so that we could assess the association of radiological, biological, and clinical features with S4 ischemia. The overall survival rates were 84.2%, 84.2%, and 77.7% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The recipients were mostly male (24/36 or 67%) and had a median age of 52 years (range = 13-63 years), a median body mass index of 22.9 kg/m2 (range = 17.3-29.8 kg/m2), and a median graft-to-recipient weight ratio of 1.3% (range = 0.9%-1.9%). S4-related complications were diagnosed in 22% of the patients (8/36) with a median delay of 22 days (range = 10-30 days). Secondary arterial complications were seen in 3 of these patients and led to significantly decreased graft survival in comparison with the graft survival of patients without complications (50.0% versus 85.6%, P = 0.017). Patients developing S4-related complications had significantly elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (>1000 IU/L) on postoperative day (POD) 1 and elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels (>300 IU/L) on PODs 7 and 10 (P < 0.05). These AST and GGT elevations conferred a significantly high risk of developing these complications (odds ratio = 42, 95% confidence interval = 4-475, P < 0.05). The ischemic volume of S4 was extremely variable (0%-95%) and did not correlate with S4-related complications. In conclusion, our results suggest that S4-related complications are risk factors for worse graft survival, and the development of these complications can be anticipated by the early identification of a specific biological profile and a routine radiological examination. Liver Transpl 18:413–422, 2012. © 2011 AASLD.
Metallization of a Genetically Engineered Polypeptide
Authors: Carlsen Autumn , Higashiya Seiichiro , Topilina Natasha I. , Dunn Kathleen A. , Geer Robert E. , Eisenbraun Eric T. , Kaloyeros Alain E. , Welch John T.
Published: December 2011

Recently, well‐ordered biological materials have been exploited to pattern inorganic nanoparticles into linear arrays that are of particular interest for nanoelectronic applications. In this work, a de novo designed E. coli‐expressed polypeptide (previously shown to form highly rectilinear, β‐sheet‐containing structures) operates as a template for divalent metal cations. EDX and TEM analysis verify the attachment of platinum ions to the histidine‐rich fibril surface, which was designed specifically to facilitate attachment of chemical moieties. Following chemical reduction, TEM further confirms the formation of localized zero‐valent metal aggregates with sub‐nanometer interparticle spacing.

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Characterization of a Hierarchical Network of Hyaluronic Acid/Gelatin Composite for use as a Smart Injectable Biomaterial
Authors: Heris Hossein K. , Rahmat Meysam , Mongeau Luc
Published: December 2011

Hybrid HA/Ge hydrogel particles are embedded in a secondary HA network to improve their structural integrity. The internal microstructure of the particles is imaged through TEM. CSLM is used to identify the location of the Ge molecules in the microgels. Through indentation tests, the Young's modulus of the individual particles is found to be 22 ± 2.5 kPa. The overall shear modulus of the composite is 75 ± 15 Pa at 1 Hz. The mechanical properties of the substrate are found to be viable for cell adhesion. The particles' diameter at pH = 8 is twice that at pH = 5. The pH sensitivity is found to be appropriate for smart drug delivery. Based on their mechanical and structural properties, HA–Ge hierarchical materials may be well suited for use as injectable biomaterials for tissue reconstruction.

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The magnetic field dependence of water T1 in tissues
Authors: Diakova Galina , Korb Jean‐Pierre , Bryant Robert G.
Published: December 2011

The magnetic field dependence of the composite 1H2O nuclear magnetic resonance signal T1 was measured for excised samples of rat liver, muscle, and kidney over the field range from 0.7 to 7 T (35–300 MHz) with a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer using sample‐shuttle methods. Based on extensive measurements on simpler component systems, the magnetic field dependence of T1 of all tissues studied are readily fitted at Larmor frequencies above 1 MHz with a simple relaxation equation consisting of three contributions: a power law, A*ω−0.60 related to the interaction of water with long‐lived‐protein binding sites, a logarithmic term B*τd*log(1+1/(ωτd)2) related to water diffusion at macromolecular interfacial regions, and a constant term associated with the high frequency limit of water‐spin‐lattice relaxation. The parameters A and B include the concentration and surface area dependences respectively. The logarithmic diffusion term becomes significant at high magnetic fields and is consistent with rapid translational dynamics at macromolecular surfaces. The data are fitted well with translational correlation times of approximately 15 ps for human brain white matter, but with a B value three times larger than gray matter tissues. This analysis suggests that the water‐surface translational correlation time is approximately three times longer than in gray matter. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Italian corporate foundations and the challenge of multiple stakeholder interests
Authors: Pedrini Matteo , Minciullo Marco
Published: December 2011

This article investigates corporate foundations, a specific expression of corporate philanthropy that is narrowly considered in the literature. We aim to verify whether the interests of the founder firm are significant antecedents of the model, activities, and issues addressed by the related foundation. Data were collected through a survey of seventy Italian corporate foundations, representing 59.8 percent of the total number of such foundations based in Italy. The analysis identified three clusters of corporate foundations—granter, expert, and edifier. Research demonstrates that through these clusters, the interests pursued by founder firms have a significant influence on integration between firms and corporate foundations and on the foundations' activities.
DBX‐1 – A Lead Free Replacement for Lead Azide
Authors: Fronabarger John W. , Williams Michael D. , Sanborn William B. , Bragg Jon G. , Parrish Damon A. , Bichay Magdy
Published: December 2011

Efforts directed towards creating new environmentally friendly replacements for existing primary explosives have resulted in development of copper(I) 5‐nitrotetrazolate (DBX‐1). The chemical and physical properties of this material have been extensively investigated and it appears that DBX‐1 is a suitable drop‐in replacement for lead azide in a variety of ordnance applications. DBX‐1 is easily prepared, has excellent thermal stability and has safety and performance properties which are equivalent to or exceed those for lead azide. A program to qualify DBX‐1 for military use per NAVSEAINST 8020.5C has recently been completed and data has been forwarded to NSWC‐IH for submission to Naval Sea Systems Command.
Selective Apoptosis in Hepatic Stellate Cells Mediates the Antifibrotic Effect of Phenanthrenes from Dendrobium nobile
Authors: Yang Hyekyung , Lee Phil‐Jun , Jeong Eun Ju , Kim Hong Pyo , Kim Young Choong
Published: December 2011

Regardless of the etiology, cellular death of the liver parenchymal hepatocyte seems to be a primary event of hepatic fibrogenesis, which ultimately results in hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and the synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins. Recently it has been demonstrated that hepatic fibrosis can be a reversible process when the stimulus is properly eliminated. Apoptotic removal of active HSC is considered an essential part of the resolution. By employing the HSC cell line, HSC‐T6, it was found that the methanol extract of Dendrobium nobile stem significantly inhibited the proliferation of HSC‐T6 cells. Three phenanthrenes, denbinobin, fimbriol B and 2,3,5‐trihydroxy‐4,9‐dimethoxyphenanthrene isolated from D. nobile were proven to inhibit HSC proliferation. Growth arrest of HSCs by these compounds was accompanied by cellular loss via autophagy‐linked apoptosis. The maximal dose of these compounds, however, had little effect on primary cultured hepatocytes in rats. Collagen deposition in HSC‐T6 cells was attenuated by these phenanthrenes. Collectively, the above results demonstrated that denbinobin, fimbriol B and 2,3,5‐trihydroxy‐4,9‐dimethoxyphenanthrene exhibited antifibrotic activities possibly by the induction of selective cell death in HSCs but not in hepatocytes, implying that these compounds may be useful candidates for developing therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A diagnostic study of freezing rain over Guizhou, China, in January 2011
Authors: Deng Difei , Gao Shouting , Du Xiaoling , Wu Wenhui
Published: December 2011

In early January 2011, southern China experienced another severe wintertime storm as in the winter of 2008. The storm consisted of a narrow east‐west‐oriented freezing rain band over central Guizhou with an extensive area of snow to the north and a rain swath to the south. This study investigates this event using conventional surface and radiosonde data as well as final (FNL) analyses data from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research/National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCAR/NCEP). The results show that forcing by geostrophic and diabatic heating built up a positive direct secondary circulation perpendicular to the quasi‐stationary front beneath 700 hPa to maintain the surface cold layer and warm layer aloft through surface cold advection and warm advection aloft. In addition, turbulence induced by strong wind shear in the middle and lower stratiform clouds with a low concentration of ice nuclei plays an important role in the growth of cloud drops and the enhancement of supercool raindrop precipitation over Guizhou. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Portfolio entrepreneurship in family firms: a resource‐based perspective
Authors: Sieger Philipp , Zellweger Thomas , Nason Robert S. , Clinton Eric
Published: December 2011

The phenomenon of portfolio entrepreneurship has attracted considerable scholarly attention and is particularly relevant in the family firm context. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the process through which portfolio entrepreneurship develops in family firms. We address this gap by analyzing four in‐depth, longitudinal family firm case studies from Europe and Latin America. Using a resource‐based perspective, we identify six distinct resource categories that are relevant to the portfolio entrepreneurship process. Furthermore, we reveal that their importance varies across time. Our resulting resource‐based process model of portfolio entrepreneurship in family firms makes valuable contributions to both theory and practice. Copyright © 2011 Strategic Management Society.
Palladium(II) and Platinum(II) Complexes with Bisphosphanes, [S2C=C(CN)2]2– and [Se2C=C(CN)2]2– as Chelating Ligands
Authors: Scheller Lothar , Werner Helmut
Published: December 2011

The palladium(II) and platin(II) 1, 1‐dicyanoethylene‐2, 2‐dithiolates [(L–L)M{S2C=C(CN)2}] (M = Pd: L–L = dppm, dppe, dcpe, dpmb; M = Pt: dppe, dcpe, dpmb) were prepared either from[(L–L)MCl2] and K2[S2C=C(CN)2] or from [(PPh3)2M{S2C=C(CN)2}] and the bisphosphane. Moreover, [(dppe)Pt{S2C=C(CN)2}]was obtained from [(1, 5‐C8H12)Pt{S2C=C(CN)2}] and dppeby ligand exchange. The 1, 1‐dicyanoethylene‐2, 2‐diselenolates[(dppe)M{Se2C=C(CN)2}] (M = Pd, Pt) were prepared from[(dppe)MCl2] and K2[Se2C=C(CN)2]. The oxidation potentials of the square‐planar palladium and platinum complexes were determined by cyclic voltammetry. The reaction of [(dcpe)Pd(S2C=O)] with TCNE led to a ligand fragment exchange and gave the 1, 1‐dicyanoethylene‐2, 2‐dithiolate [(dcpe)Pd{S2C=C(CN)2}] in good yield.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Computational Study of WSF4·NC5H5
Authors: Nieboer Jared , Yu Xin , Chaudhary Praveen , Mercier Hélène P. A. , Gerken Michael
Published: December 2011

The new Lewis‐acid‐base adduct of WSF4 and pyridine, WSF4·NC5H5, was prepared by combination of WSF4 and excess pyridine. The WSF4·NC5H5 adduct was characterized by 1H, 13C, 19F NMR, and Raman spectroscopy, and by X‐ray crystallography. Calculations of the vibrational frequencies at the DFT level of theory aided in the assignment of the Raman spectrum. In contrast to WOF4, no experimental and theoretical evidence was found for the existence of a WSF4·2NC5H5 adduct.
Parathyroid Four‐Dimensional Computed Tomography: Evaluation of Radiation Dose Exposure During Preoperative Localization of Parathyroid Tumors in Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Mahajan Amit , Starker Lee F. , Ghita Monica , Udelsman Robert , Brink James A. , Carling Tobias
Published: December 2011

Background

Parathyroid four‐dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) provides greater sensitivity than sestamibi with single photon emission CT (SPECT, or SeS) for preoperative localization of parathyroid tumors in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). The radiation dose imparted to the patient during preoperative parathyroid imaging, however, has not been analyzed.

Methods

Patients with biochemically unequivocal PHPT referred for minimally invasive parathyroidectomy underwent 4DCT or SeS. 4DCT was performed using a 64 detector row CT scanner, and SeS used a standardized protocol of 20 mCi of technetium‐99m followed by planar and SPECT imaging. The CT radiation dose was estimated using the Imaging Performance Assessment of CT Scanners (ImPACT) calculator, and the SeS dose was estimated using the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulation (NUREG) method.

Results

The calculated effective doses of 4DCT and SeS were 10.4 and 7.8 mSv, respectively, in contrast to an estimated annual background radiation exposure of approximately 3 mSv. The dose to the thyroid with 4DCT, however, was about 57 times higher (92.0 vs. 1.6 mGy) than that with SeS. Based on age‐ and sex‐dependent risk factors, the calculated risk of 4DCT‐related thyroid cancer developing in a 20 year old woman was 1,040/million (i.e., about 0.1%).

Conclusions

4DCT, a superior preoperative imaging modality for locating parathyroid tumors, imparts a significantly higher thyroid radiation dose than SeS. Given the enhanced risk of thyroid cancer in individuals with radiation exposure at a young age, 4DCT should be used judiciously in young PHPT patients.
Breaking Difficult News in a Cross‐cultural Setting: a Qualitative Study about Latina Mothers of Children with Down Syndrome
Authors: Sheets Kayla M. , Baty Bonnie J. , Vázquez Juan Carlos , Carey John C. , Hobson Wendy L.
Published: December 2011

Giving difficult news to patients represents a common dilemma for health care professionals. Based on three decades of research, various authors have proposed guidelines outlining the ideal setting, delivery, and timing. Existing publications focus on patients of European descent and may not be applicable in cross‐cultural settings. We explored perceptions of Spanish‐speaking mothers who have a child with Down syndrome and how they preferred to receive the news of their child's diagnosis. We conducted semi‐structured qualitative interviews (n = 14), which were coded and analyzed by thematic networks to identify common themes. Six significant themes emerged: Cultural Belief System, Communication, Support/Lack of Support, Feelings Engendered, Medical Issues, and Medical System. One overarching theme of mother‐child bonding encompassed all sub‐themes. The mothers desired the news in a more positive, balanced light and with more complete explanations about the condition. Mothers felt excluded from the diagnostic process and wanted to be better informed about the need for diagnostic studies. Participants used religious beliefs to explain the reason for their child's condition. Many factors influenced Latina mothers’ ability to bond initially with their children with Down syndrome. Ideally, these factors should be acknowledged during informing interviews to assist Latino families in adjustment.
Behavioral Pragmatism: President Obama's Approach to Unemployment
Authors: Morris Lorenzo
Published: December 2011

However wide the ideological distance between positive and negative prognosticators of employment growth, the pragmatic center is where the White House preferences are likely to fall. Obama's pragmatic center may be far from the ideological center between public-private program alternatives. Instead, it is closer to the pressure center of partisan and interest-group forces that normally participate in fiscal policy-making. As a behavioral pragmatist the moderate position for Obama is found at the center of ideologically separated political competitors whatever the content of their beliefs, since content is relatively uncritical in this perspective. Pressure groups’ numbers and organizational strength define the value of their diversity more than the substance of their beliefs. For the strong believers on both political left and right the outcomes will rarely look pragmatic because they will rarely fit the traditional standards for moderation
Moderate alcohol consumption alters both leucocyte gene expression profiles and circulating proteins related to immune response and lipid metabolism in men
Authors: Joosten Michel M. , van Erk Marjan J. , Pellis Linette , Witkamp Renger F. , Hendriks Henk F. J.
Published: December 2011

Moderate alcohol consumption has various effects on immune and inflammatory processes, which could accumulatively modulate chronic disease risk. So far, no comprehensive, integrative profiling has been performed to investigate the effects of longer-term alcohol consumption. Therefore, we studied the effects of alcohol consumption on gene expression patterns using large-scale profiling of whole-genome transcriptomics in blood cells and on a number of proteins in blood. In a randomised, open-label, cross-over trial, twenty-four young, normal-weight men consumed 100 ml vodka (30 g alcohol) with 200 ml orange juice or only orange juice daily during dinner for 4 weeks. After each period, blood was sampled for measuring gene expression and selected proteins. Pathway analysis of 345 down-regulated and 455 up-regulated genes revealed effects of alcohol consumption on various signalling responses, immune processes and lipid metabolism. Among the signalling processes, the most prominently changed was glucocorticoid receptor signalling. A network on immune response showed a down-regulated NF-κB gene expression together with increased plasma adiponectin and decreased pro-inflammatory IL-1 receptor antagonist and IL-18, and acute-phase proteins ferritin and α1-antitrypsin concentrations (all P < 0·05) after alcohol consumption. Furthermore, a network of gene expression changes related to lipid metabolism was observed, with a central role for PPARα which was supported by increased HDL-cholesterol and several apo concentrations (all P < 0·05) after alcohol consumption. In conclusion, an integrated approach of profiling both genes and proteins in blood showed that 4 weeks of moderate alcohol consumption altered immune responses and lipid metabolism.
Dietary and physical activity behaviours related to obesity-specific quality of life and work productivity: baseline results from a worksite trial
Authors: Cash Stephanie Whisnant , Beresford Shirley A. A. , Henderson Jo Ann , McTiernan Anne , Xiao Liren , Wang C. Y. , Patrick Donald L.
Published: December 2011

Obesity is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (QOL) and reduced productivity; less is known about the effect of dietary factors. The present study investigated how dietary behaviours, physical activity and BMI relate to weight-specific QOL and work productivity. The study was conducted in thirty-one small blue-collar and service industry worksites in Seattle. Participants were 747 employees (33·5 % non-White). Measures included self-reported servings of fruits and vegetables, dietary behaviours such as fast food consumption, Godin free-time physical activity scores, measured height and weight, Obesity and Weight-Loss QOL (OWLQOL) scores, and Work Limitations Questionnaire scores. Baseline data were analysed using linear mixed models separately for men (n 348) and women (n 399), since sex modified the effects. BMI was negatively associated with OWLQOL in both women (P < 0·001) and men (P < 0·001). The linear effect estimate for OWLQOL scores associated with a one-category increase in BMI was 30 (95 % CI 25, 44) % for women and 14 (95 % CI 10, 17) % for men. BMI was positively associated with productivity loss only in women (exp(slope) = 1·46, 95 % CI 1·02, 2·11, P = 0·04). Eating while doing another activity was negatively associated with OWLQOL scores in men (P = 0·0006, independent of BMI) and with productivity in women (P = 0·04, although the effect diminished when adjusting for BMI). Fast-food meals were associated with decreased productivity in men (P = 0·038, independent of BMI). The results suggest that obesogenic dietary behaviours and higher BMI are associated with decreased QOL and productivity to different degrees in women and men.
The Cross Section of Expected Returns with MIDAS Betas
Authors: González Mariano , Nave Juan , Rubio Gonzalo
Published: December 2011

This paper explores the cross-sectional variation of expected returns for a large cross section of industry and size/book-to-market portfolios. We employ mixed data sampling (MIDAS) to estimate a portfolio’s conditional beta with the market and with alternative risk factors and innovations to well-known macroeconomic variables. The market risk premium is positive and significant, and the result is robust to alternative asset pricing specifications and model misspecification. However, the traditional 2-pass ordinary least squares (OLS) cross-sectional regressions produce an estimate of the market risk premium that is negative, and significantly different from 0. Using alternative procedures, we compare both beta estimators. We conclude that beta estimates under MIDAS present lower mean absolute forecasting errors and generate better out-of-sample performance of the optimized portfolios relative to OLS betas.
Bottlenose dolphins at the southern extreme of the south-western Atlantic: local population decline?
Authors: Coscarella Mariano A. , Dans Silvana L. , Degrati Mariana , Garaffo Griselda V. , Crespo Enrique A.
Published: December 2011

The management scheme of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) includes monitoring protocols but such activities are not always carried out. This is the case for Golfo San José, a MPA in northern Patagonia, Argentina. It was created in 1975 for the protection of the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) breeding grounds. Other components of the system, such as dolphin populations have received little attention. This study is the first attempt to estimate sighting rates, group size and overall abundance of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population in Golfo San José and adjacent areas after 30 years. An analysis of the seasonal sighting rates indicates that bottlenose dolphins were present in the study area throughout the year but a decline in group size and abundance and major shift in distribution was detected when compared with previous published reports. The settlement of the MPA failed to secure the persistence of the bottlenose dolphin population within its boundaries. Possible explanations for the detected decline are addressed including increased natural mortality, human induced mortality and disturbance, resources depletion and environmental shift.
Social Policy Digest Online
Authors: Bennett Fran , Jones Ken
Published: December 2011

The Social Policy Digest is a major online resource providing up-to-date listings of developments across the whole range of social policy issues - including links to source materials and related commentaries. The Digest is published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Social Policy Association.
Inequality and Crime across England: A Multilevel Modelling Approach
Authors: Whitworth Adam
Published: December 2011

The link between inequality and negative social outcomes has been the subject of much debate recently, brought into focus by the publication of The Spirit Level. This article uses multilevel modelling to explore the relationship between inequality and five crime types at sub-national level across England. Controlling for other factors, inequality is positively associated with higher levels of all five crime types and findings are robust to alternative inequality specifications. Findings support the sociological – but not economic – theories and highlight the importance of policies to tackle broader social and economic inequalities.
Introduction: Household Finances under Pressure: What is the Role of Social Policy?
Authors: Joseph Ricky , Rowlingson Karen
Published: December 2011

This themed issue examines household finances within the context of the 2007 banking crisis, which triggered the biggest downturn in many global economies since the Great Depression in the 1930s. The effects of this crisis and subsequent global recession were still unfolding at the time the articles of this issue were submitted to the journal. The election of the coalition government in May 2010, and its emergency budget aimed at reducing the nation's budget deficit, precipitated the biggest reduction in public sector funding in living memory. Rising unemployment and the increasing cost of living means that for many households even greater strain has been placed on their finances. Other developments, such as the winding-up of the Treasury Financial Inclusion Taskforce and the axing of asset building policies, for example the Child Trust Fund and Saving Gateway, had, to some, signalled an end to the consensus in government that had been built up around the financial inclusion agenda, and had left a big gap in social policy.
An analysis of stock market volatility
Authors: Adams Andrew , Armitage Seth , FitzGerald Adrian
Published: December 2011

This paper provides a user-friendly approach to explain how variation in fundamental price-determining variables ‘translates into’ variation in the fundamental value of equities, based on the standard dividend-growth model. The analysis is illustrated with UK data using estimates of real interest rate forecasts and real dividend growth rate forecasts in the past. An important application of this approach is that stock market volatility can be analysed in terms of its component parts. Actual market volatility does not appear to be excessive when compared with the notional volatility implied by changes over time in our estimates of forecast real interest rates and forecast real dividend growth rates.
A library of georeferenced photos from the field
Authors: Xiao Xiangming , Dorovskoy Pavel , Biradar Chandrashekhar , Bridge Eli
Published: December 2011

A picture is worth a thousand of words, and every day hundreds of scientists, students, and environmentally aware citizens are taking field photos to document their observations of rocks, glaciers, soils, forests, wetlands, croplands, rangelands, livestock, and birds and mammals, as well as important events such as droughts, floods, wildfires, insect emergences, and infectious disease outbreaks. Where are those field photos stored? Can they be shared in a timely fashion to support education, research, and the leisure activities of citizens across the world? What are the financial and intellectual costs if those field photos are lost or not shared? Recently, researchers at the University of Oklahoma developed and released the Global Geo‐Referenced Field Photo Library (hereinafter referred to as the Field Photo Library; http://www.eomf.ou.edu/photos/), a Web‐based data portal designed for researchers and educators who wish to archive and share field photos from across the world, each tagged with exact positioning data (Figure 1). The data portal has a simple user interface that allows people to upload, query, and download georeferenced field photos in the library.
Curiosity on the way to Mars
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: December 2011

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), which includes the Curiosity rover, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 26 November. Soon after its planned 6 August 2012 landing at the foot of a mountain inside the 96‐kilometer‐diameter Gale crater, the rover will study whether that region of Mars offers any evidence of past and present environmental conditions favorable for microbial life, including chemical ingredients for life. “We are very excited about sending the world's most advanced scientific laboratory to Mars,” NASA administrator Charles Bolden said. “MSL will tell us critical things we need to know about Mars, and while it advances science, we'll be working on the capabilities for a human mission to the Red Planet and to other destinations where we've never been.”
Honors
Authors: Anonymous
Published: December 2011

Jacobo Bielak, university professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, Pa., has been recognized as a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the highest recognition the organization confers. Bielak was noted as “an internationally‐known researcher in the area of structural responses to earthquakes, developing sophisticated numerical simulations to pinpoint earthquake effects.” Alan Strahler, professor of geography and environment at Boston University, Boston, Mass., received a 2011 William T. Pecora Award for his achievements in Earth remote sensing. The award, presented by NASA and the U.S. Department of the Interior on 15 November, recognized Strahler for “his contributions to remote‐sensing science, leadership and education, which have improved the fundamental understanding of the remote‐sensing process and its applications for observing land surface properties.” The Pecora award is named for the former director of the U.S. Geological Survey and undersecretary of the Interior department, who was influential in the establishment of the Landsat satellite program.
Was pre–twentieth century sea level stable?
Authors: Cronin Thomas M.
Published: December 2011

Sea level rise (SLR) ranks high on the list of climate change issues because the expected acceleration from the current rate (about 3.1 millimeters per year) poses threats to coastal regions. Tide gauge, salt marsh, and archaeological records, and modeling of glacioisostatic adjustment (GIA) have led to the widely accepted idea that late Holocene (the past ∼2000 years) sea level was stable prior to acceleration beginning around 1850–1900 C.E. For instance, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report, before the last century, sea level had “stabilized” over the past 2000 years, rising at a mean rate of 0–0.2 millimeter per year [Bindoff et al., 2007]. Others maintain that sea level was “nearly stable” over the past few thousand years [Nicholls and Cazenave, 2010], pre–twentieth century rates were “close to zero” [Church et al., 2008], or “stable from at least BC 100 until AD 950” and “stable, or slightly falling” from 1350 until the nineteenth century [Kemp et al., 2011].
Mountain Rivers Revisited
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: December 2011

Published in 2000, the original Mountain Rivers was written to provide a concise summary of the scientific understanding of the distinct subset of rivers that gave the book its name. Spurred by developments in the field in the past decade, the book's author, Ellen Wohl, produced Mountain Rivers Revisited, an updated edition aimed at graduate students and professional researchers. In this interview, Eos talks to Wohl about steep channels, climate change, and opportunities for future research.
Earthquake data visualization shows ground motion in real time
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: December 2011

On 11 March 2011 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake shattered the seabed off the eastern coast of Japan's Honshu Island. Visualizations of scientific data showing the peaks of a seismograph or maps overlain with the locations and magnitudes of the earthquake and its numerous aftershocks were brought out to help explain the devastation to the public. While dramatic, such displays can be difficult for the public to interpret clearly because people have trouble trying to picture what the recordings of a seismograph might look like on the ground or because they have trouble understanding the logarithmic relationship between earthquake magnitude and energy. Drawing on the three‐dimensional position records of a dense web of high‐frequency GPS ground receiver stations, Grapenthin and Freymueller developed an animation of the abrupt horizontal and vertical motions that pulled parts of the country more than 4 meters to the east and sank large portions of its eastern shore more than half a meter into the sea.
Siberian shelf methane emissions not tied to modern warming
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: December 2011

Eight thousand years ago, a rising sea inundated the vast permafrost regions off the northern coast of Siberia. Comprising the modern east Siberian shelf, the region holds enormous quantities of methane hydrates bottled up in remnant subterranean permafrost zones that are, in turn, trapped beneath the ocean waters. Records of seafloor water temperature showing a 2.1°C rise since 1985, coupled with recent observations of methane emissions from the seabed, have led some scientists to speculate that the rising temperatures have thawed some of the subsurface permafrost, liberating the trapped methane. The connection is compelling, but an investigation by Dmitrenko et al. into the sensitivity of permafrost to rising temperatures suggests the two observations are not connected. Using a permafrost model forced with paleoclimate data to analyze changes in the depth of frozen bottom sediments, the authors found that roughly 1 meter of the subsurface permafrost thawed in the past 25 years, adding to the 25 meters of already thawed soil. Forecasting the expected future permafrost thaw, the authors found that even under the most extreme climatic scenario tested this thawed soil growth will not exceed 10 meters by 2100 or 50 meters by the turn of the next millennium. The authors note that the bulk of the methane stores in the east Siberian shelf are trapped roughly 200 meters below the seafloor, indicating that the recent methane emissions observations were likely not connected to the modest modern permafrost thaw. Instead, they suggest that the current methane emissions are the result of the permafrost's still adjusting to its new aquatic conditions, even after 8000 years. (Journal of Geophysical Research‐Oceans, doi:10.1029/2011JC007218, 2011)