bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of amperometric dot microsensors for the analysis of folic acid in pharmaceutical tablets and urine samples
Authors: Georgescu Ramona , van Staden Jacobus Frederick , Stefan-van Staden Raluca-Ioana , Boscornea Cristian
Published: April 2015

Nineteen amperometric dot microsensors based on graphite and graphene modified with a selection of porphyrins and phthalocyanines were evaluated and tested for their ability of the analysis of folic acid in pharmaceutical tablets (e.g. Acifol) and biological samples (e.g. urine), using differential pulse voltammetry. Cyclic voltammetry was used to optimize the working conditions, e.g. pH and electrolyte for the proposed amperometric dot microsensors. The optimum working pH was 7.0 (phosphate buffer), with a 0.1 M potassium chloride supporting electrolyte. The linear concentration ranges for folic acid were between 10-6and 10-3) M for all dot microsensors except dot microsensors based on graphite modified with tetraamino cobalt(II) phthalocyanine and tetranitro manganese(II) phthalocyanine which had linear concentration ranges between 10-6and 10-4M . The highest sensitivity (0.770 nA. mmolL-1) was recorded for the graphite modified with tetraamino cobalt(II) phthalocyanine based dot sensor and the lowest limit of detection (1.14 10-7M ) for the graphite modified with tetranitro zinc(II) phthalocyanine based dot sensor. The dot sensors were used for the reliable analysis of folic acid in Acifol tablets and urine samples, with recoveries higher than 94.00% and 99.00%, respectively.
Magmatic activity across the East African North Tanzanian Divergence Zone
Authors: Mana Sara , Furman Tanya , Turrin Brent D. , Feigenson Mark D. , Swisher Carl C.
Published: April 2015

Volcanism across the North Tanzanian Divergence Zone (NTD), part of the East African Rift System, occurred episodically from the late Miocene to Recent. Here, we present a summary of previously published K–Ar and
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages, new
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages, and geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic analyses on samples collected from several volcanoes distributed across the NTD: Burko, Monduli, Tarosero, Ketumbeine, Gelai, Kerimasi and Meru. The locus of volcanism over this period progressed from the southwestern portion of the NTD to the north and east, with a main pulse occurring at about 2.3 Ma, possibly marking the inception of a main rifting event. We model the source of the NTD volcanic rocks as a metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle that includes minor and variable amounts of garnet and amphibole. REE data indicate variations in residual garnet content, consistent with varying depth of melt separation. Radiogenic isotopic data show systematic variations requiring the involvement of up to three components. Two alternative but not exclusive tectonic scenarios are proposed: one requiring the involvement of contributions from recent plume-related fluids, and one explaining the observed geochemical variations by melting of a lithosphere layered by multiple metasomatic events.

Supplementary material:

Details of analytical methods, operating system and calibration methods, a summary table of the recalculated
40
Ar/
39
Ar and K–Ar NTD ages, a complete set of detailed release spectra analysis and dating figures,
40
Ar/
39
Ar incremental heating data and analytical conditions, and examples of NTD calculated fractional crystallization modes are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18813
.
Impaired oxidative capacity due to decreased CPT1b levels as a contributing factor to fat accumulation in obesity
Authors: Ratner Cecilia , Madsen Andreas Nygaard , Kristensen Line Vildbrad , Skov Louise Julie , Pedersen Katrine Seide , Mortensen Ole Hartvig , Knudsen Gitte Moos , Raun Kirsten , Holst Birgitte
Published: April 2015

To characterize mechanisms responsible for fat accumulation we used a selectively bred obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) rat model where the rats were fed a Western diet for 76 days. Body composition was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging scans, and as expected, the OP rats developed a higher degree of fat accumulation compared with OR rats. Indirect calorimetry showed that the OP rats had higher respiratory exchange ratio (RER) compared with OR rats, indicating an impaired ability to oxidize fat. The OP rats had lower expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1b in intra-abdominal fat, and higher expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 in subcutaneous fat compared with OR rats, which could explain the higher fat accumulation and RER values. Basal metabolic parameters were also examined in juvenile OP and OR rats before and during the introduction of the Western diet. Juvenile OP rats likewise had higher RER values, indicating that this trait may be a primary and contributing factor to their obese phenotype. When the adult obese rats were exposed to the orexigenic and adipogenic hormone ghrelin, we observed increased RER values in both OP and OR rats, while OR rats were more sensitive to the orexigenic effects of ghrelin as well as ghrelin-induced attenuation of activity and energy expenditure. Thus increased fat accumulation characterizing obesity may be caused by impaired oxidative capacity due to decreased carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1b levels in the white adipose tissue, whereas ghrelin sensitivity did not seem to be a contributing factor.
Modeling oxygen consumption in the proximal tubule: effects of NHE and SGLT2 inhibition
Authors: Layton Anita T. , Vallon Volker , Edwards Aurélie
Published: April 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate how physiological, pharmacological, and pathological conditions that alter sodium reabsorption (TNa) in the proximal tubule affect oxygen consumption (QO2) and Na+transport efficiency (TNa/QO2). To do so, we expanded a mathematical model of solute transport in the proximal tubule of the rat kidney. The model represents compliant S1, S2, and S3 segments and accounts for their specific apical and basolateral transporters. Sodium is reabsorbed transcellularly, via apical Na+/H+exchangers (NHE) and Na+-glucose (SGLT) cotransporters, and paracellularly. Our results suggest that TNa/QO2is 80% higher in S3 than in S1–S2 segments, due to the greater contribution of the passive paracellular pathway to TNain the former segment. Inhibition of NHE or Na-K-ATPase reduced TNaand QO2, as well as Na+transport efficiency. SGLT2 inhibition also reduced proximal tubular TNabut increased QO2; these effects were relatively more pronounced in the S3 vs. the S1–S2 segments. Diabetes increased TNaand QO2and reduced TNa/QO2, owing mostly to hyperfiltration. Since SGLT2 inhibition lowers diabetic hyperfiltration, the net effect on TNa, QO2, and Na+transport efficiency in the proximal tubule will largely depend on the individual extent to which glomerular filtration rate is lowered.
Activity-dependent differences in function between proximal and distal Schaffer collaterals
Authors: Owen Benjamin , Grover Lawrence M.
Published: April 2015

Axon conduction fidelity is important for signal transmission and has been studied in various axons, including the Schaffer collateral axons of the hippocampus. Previously, we reported that high-frequency stimulation (HFS) depresses Schaffer collateral excitability when assessed by whole-cell recordings from CA3 pyramidal cells but induces biphasic excitability changes (increase followed by decrease) in extracellular recordings of CA1 fiber volleys. Here, we examined responses from proximal (whole-cell or field-potential recordings from CA3 pyramidal cell somata) and distal (field-potential recordings from CA1 stratum radiatum) portions of the Schaffer collaterals during HFS and burst stimulation in hippocampal slices. Whole-cell and dual-field-potential recordings using 10–100-Hz HFS revealed frequency-dependent changes like those previously described, with higher frequencies producing more drastic changes. Dual-field-potential recordings revealed substantial differences in the response to HFS between proximal and distal regions of the Schaffer collaterals, with proximal axons depressing more strongly and only distal axons showing an initial excitability increase. Because CA3 pyramidal neurons normally fire in short bursts rather than long high-frequency trains, we repeated the dual recordings using 100–1,000-ms interval burst stimulation. Burst stimulation produced changes similar to those during HFS, with shorter intervals causing more drastic changes and substantial differences observed between proximal and distal axons. We suggest that functional differences between proximal and distal Schaffer collaterals may allow selective filtering of nonphysiological activity while maximizing successful conduction of physiological activity throughout an extensive axonal arbor.
Symptomatic Infundibulopelvic Dysgenesis in an Adolescent
Authors: Pitts Daniel , Chalmers David , Jumper Brian
Published: April 2015

Infundibulopelvic dysgenesis is a rare condition characterized by congenital malformation of the pelvicalyceal system. We present the case of an 18-year-old boy with chronic intermittent right flank pain and cystic dilation with parenchymal thinning on ultrasonography. The left kidney was normal. The patient denied dysuria, constipation, and history of UTIs or renal calculi. Cystoscopy with retrograde pyelogram showed marked stenosis of the right pelvicalyceal system and anatomy unfavorable to stenting. The patient’s symptoms were unresponsive to conservative management. Reconstruction of the right collecting system was unsuccessful and a simple nephrectomy was performed, which led to complete resolution of his symptoms.
Heart Failure: Advanced Development in Genetics and Epigenetics
Authors: Yang Jian , Xu Wei-wei , Hu Shen-jiang
Published: April 2015

Heart failure (HF) is a complex pathophysiological syndrome that arises from a primary defect in the ability of the heart to take in and/or eject sufficient blood. Genetic mutations associated with familial dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy can contribute to the various pathologies of HF. Therefore, genetic screening could be an approach for guiding individualized therapies and surveillance. In addition, epigenetic regulation occurs via key mechanisms, including ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA-based mechanisms. MicroRNA is also a hot spot in HF research. This review gives an overview of genetic mutations associated with cardiomyopathy and the roles of some epigenetic mechanisms in HF.
A Broadband Single-Feed Circularly Polarized Patch Antenna with Wide Beamwidth
Authors: Zhang Changhong , Geng Junping , Zhou Bin , Liang Xianling , Jin Ronghong
Published: April 2015

A broadband single-feed circularly polarized patch antenna with wide beamwidth is presented. The patch is coupled to four asymmetric cross slots via a microstrip ring with eight matching segments underneath the ground plane, traversing through the arms of the cross slots in a serial manner. And a coupling slice instead of a resistive load is used as matching load of the microstrip ring for higher gain. Furthermore, a metal side wall surrounding the antenna is used to improve the isolation between adjacent elements in an array. Through optimizing the four asymmetric cross slots and eight matching segments, excellent performances are achieved by the proposed antenna, especially for the broadband and wide beamwidth. Measurement results show that the antenna has −10 dB reflection coefficient bandwidth of 29.7%, 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth of 21.6%, and beamwidth of more than 90°. It can be considered as a good candidate for the element of arrays.
Breakdown in the Organ Donation Process and Its Effect on Organ Availability
Authors: Razdan Manik , Degenholtz Howard B. , Kahn Jeremy M. , Driessen Julia
Published: April 2015

Background. This study examines the effect of breakdown in the organ donation process on the availability of transplantable organs. A process breakdown is defined as a deviation from the organ donation protocol that may jeopardize organ recovery.Methods. A retrospective analysis of donation-eligible decedents was conducted using data from an independent organ procurement organization. Adjusted effect of process breakdown on organs transplanted from an eligible decedent was examined using multivariable zero-inflated Poisson regression.Results. An eligible decedent is four times more likely to become an organ donor when there is no process breakdown (adjusted OR: 4.01; 95% CI: 1.6838, 9.6414;P<0.01) even after controlling for the decedent’s age, gender, race, and whether or not a decedent had joined the state donor registry. However once the eligible decedent becomes a donor, whether or not there was a process breakdown does not affect the number of transplantable organs yielded. Overall, for every process breakdown occurring in the care of an eligible decedent, one less organ is available for transplant. Decedent’s age is a strong predictor of likelihood of donation and the number of organs transplanted from a donor.Conclusion. Eliminating breakdowns in the donation process can potentially increase the number of organs available for transplant but some organs will still be lost.
Comparison of Two Anesthetic Methods for Intravitreal Ozurdex Injection
Authors: Karabaş V. Levent , Özkan Berna , Koçer Çiğdem Akdağ , Altıntaş Özgül , Pirhan Dilara , Yüksel Nurşen
Published: April 2015

Purpose. To determine whether subconjunctival lidocaine injection maintains additional anesthetic effect during intravitreal Ozurdex injection.Methods. 63 patients who were diagnosed as central or branch retinal vein occlusion and planned to receive Ozurdex injection for macular edema were prospectively included in the study. The patients were randomized into one of the two anesthetic groups. The first group received topical proparacaine drop and lidocaine applied pledget. The second group received subconjunctival lidocaine injection in addition to the anesthetics in group 1.Results. Mean pain score was1.90±2.39in group 1 and 1.71 ± 2.09 in group 2 (p=0.746). Mean subconjunctival hemorrhage grade was1.67±0.17in group 1 and0.90±0.14in group 2 (p=0.001). There was no relationship between the amount of subconjunctival hemorrhage and pain score of the patients.Conclusions. There was no difference in pain scores between the two anesthetic methods. The addition of subconjunctival lidocaine injection offered no advantage in pain relief compared to lidocaine-applied pledgets.
Discussion on Reciprocity, Unitary Matrix, and Lossless Multiple Beam Forming Networks
Authors: Fonseca Nelson Jorge G.
Published: April 2015

The Lorentz reciprocity theorem enables us to establish that the transmitting and receiving patterns of any antenna are identical, provided some hypotheses on this antenna and the surrounding medium are satisfied. But reciprocity does not mean that the antenna behaves the same in the transmitting and the receiving modes. In this paper, array antennas fed by multiple beam forming networks are discussed, highlighting the possibility to have different values of internal losses in the beam forming network depending on the operation mode. In particular, a mathematical condition is derived for the specific case of a multiple beam forming network with lossless transmitting mode and lossy receiving mode, such a behavior being fully consistent with the reciprocity theorem. A theoretical discussion is provided, starting from a simple 2-element array to a generalM×Nmultiple beam forming network. A more practical example is then given, discussing a specific4×8Nolen matrix design and comparing theoretical aspects with simulation results.
Effects of Posttensioning Slippage on 2-Way Spanning Concrete Slabs
Authors: Holmes Niall , Byrne Eoin
Published: April 2015

This paper investigates the effect of improper posttensioning of a 2-way spanning concrete slab subject to a central point load. Due to plate slippage alone, the support conditions only offered a 1-way spanning action which could have led to premature failure with dangerous consequences. Posttensioning can strengthen a flat slab against punching shear by controlling deflections and cracking under service loads compared with traditional punching shear reinforcing methods leading to more slender structures and economic solutions for longer spans. However, if the method is not properly applied, these thinner floor plates can fail in a brittle and sudden manner by punching at ultimate limit state and excessive deflection in serviceability. Concrete slabs containing traditional shear reinforcement performed adequately and demonstrated that the critical punching shear perimeter, defined as twice the depth of the slab, was confirmed from measured deflections and crack pattern analysis.
Vimentin–ERK Signaling Uncouples Slug Gene Regulatory Function
Authors: Virtakoivu Reetta , Mai Anja , Mattila Elina , De Franceschi Nicola , Imanishi Susumu Y. , Corthals Garry , Kaukonen Riina , Saari Markku , Cheng Fang , Torvaldson Elin , Kosma Veli-Matti , Mannermaa Arto , Muharram Ghaffar , Gilles Christine , Eriksson John , Soini Ylermi , Lorens James B. , Ivaska Johanna
Published: April 2015

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cells is a developmental process adopted during tumorigenesis that promotes metastatic capacity. In this study, we advance understanding of EMT control in cancer cells with the description of a novel vimentin–ERK axis that regulates the transcriptional activity of Slug (SNAI2). Vimentin, ERK, and Slug exhibited overlapping subcellular localization in clinical specimens of triple-negative breast carcinoma. RNAi-mediated ablation of these gene products inhibited cancer cell migration and cell invasion through a laminin-rich matrix. Biochemical analyses demonstrated direct interaction of vimentin and ERK, which promoted ERK activation and enhanced vimentin transcription. Consistent with its role as an intermediate filament, vimentin acted as a scaffold to recruit Slug to ERK and promote Slug phosphorylation at serine-87. Site-directed mutagenesis established a requirement for ERK-mediated Slug phosphorylation in EMT initiation. Together, these findings identified a pivotal step in controlling the ability of Slug to organize hallmarks of EMT. Cancer Res; 75(11); 2349–62. ©2015 AACR.
Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Enhances Extracellular Trap Formation by Human Neutrophils through the NADPH Pathway
Authors: Golbach Lieke A. , Scheer Marleen H. , Cuppen Jan J.M. , Savelkoul Huub , Verburg-van Kemenade B.M. Lidy
Published: April 2015

Low-frequency (LF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are abundantly present in modern society, and the potential biological consequences of exposure to these fields are under intense debate. Immune cells are suggested as possible target cells, though a clear mechanism is lacking. Considering their crucial role in innate immune activation, we selected an ex vivo exposure set-up with human neutrophils to investigate a possible correlation between neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation and LF EMF exposure. Our study shows that formation of NETs is enhanced by LF EMF exposure. Enhanced NET formation leads to increased antimicrobial properties as well as damage to surrounding cells. We found that LF-EMF-induced NET formation is dependent on the NADPH oxidase pathway and production of reactive oxygen species. Additionally, LF EMF exposure does not influence autophagy and PAD4 activity. Our study provides a mechanism by which exposure to LF EMFs could influence the innate immune system.
Paediatric Intracranial Anaplastic Ependymoma: The Role of Multiple Surgical Resections for Disease Relapse in Maintaining Quality of Life and Prolonged Survival
Authors: Kitchen William John , Pizer Barry , Pettorini Benedetta , Husband David , Mallucci Conor , Jenkinson Michael D.
Published: April 2015

Introduction: Ependymoma is the third most common intracranial glioma in children. The treatment of choice for these tumours remains gross total resection followed by radiotherapy. There are two principal histological subtypes, namely classic (∼70%) and anaplastic (∼30%) ependymoma. Case: We present the case of a 12-year-old girl with an anaplastic ependymoma of the left temporal lobe. She underwent initial image-guided resection following biopsy. A postoperative MRI showed a macroscopic resection. She subsequently relapsed and indeed had 11 local and distant relapses managed by 12 separate craniotomies and tumour resection, 4 courses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Conclusion: For patients with multiple relapses, surgery should be considered primarily to re-resect any symptomatic lesion. This case demonstrates that multiple tumour resections can be undertaken with limited morbidity for the patient and with maintenance of quality of life. Repeated focal irradiation can also be used to control the disease with limited morbidity.
Benefits of prophylaxis versus on-demand treatment in adolescents and adults with severe haemophilia A: the POTTER study
Authors: Feola Giulio , Molinari Angelo Claudio , Santoro Cristina , Rivolta Gianna Franca , Cultrera Dorina Bianca , Gagliano Fabio , Zanon Ezio , Mancuso Maria Elisa , Valdrè Lelia , Mameli Luciana , Amoresano Susanna , Mathew Prasad , Coppola Antonio , Tagliaferri Annarita ,   for the POTTER Study Group
Published: April 2015

Rigorous evidence is lacking on long-term outcomes of factor VIII (FVIII) prophylaxis initiated in adolescent or adult patients with severe haemophilia A. The prospective, open-label Prophylaxis versus On-demand Therapy Through Economic Report (POTTER) study (Clinical-Trials.gov NCT01159587) compared long-term late secondary prophylaxis (recombinant FVIII-FS 20–30 IU/kg thrice weekly) with on-demand treatment in patients aged 12 to 55 years with severe haemophilia A. The annual number of joint bleeding episodes (primary endpoint), total bleeding episodes, orthopaedic and radiologic (Pettersson) scores, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), pharmacoeconomic impact, and safety were evaluated over a > 5-year period (2004–2010). Fifty-eight patients were enrolled at 11 centres in Italy; 53 (27 prophylaxis, 26 on demand) were evaluated and stratified into 2 age subgroups (12–25 and 26–55 years). Patients receiving prophylaxis experienced a significantly lower number of joint bleeding episodes vs the on–demand group (annualised bleeding rate, 1.97 vs 16.80 and 2.46 vs 16.71 in younger and older patients, respectively; p=0.0043). Results were similar for total bleeding episodes. Prophylaxis was associated with significantly fewer target joints (p< 0.001), better orthopaedic (p=0.0019) and Pettersson (p=0.0177) scores, better HRQoL, and fewer days of everyday activities lost (p< 0.0001) but required significantly higher FVIII product consumption. The POTTER study is the first prospective, controlled trial documenting long-term benefits of late secondary prophylaxis in adolescents and adults with severe haemophilia A. The benefits of reduced bleeding frequency, improved joint status, and HRQoL may offset the higher FVIII consumption and costs.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Assessment of Impaired Adipose Tissue and Muscle Perfusion in Insulin-Resistant Mice
Authors: Belcik J. Todd , Davidson Brian P. , Foster Ted , Qi Yue , Zhao Yan , Peters Dawn , Lindner Jonathan R.
Published: April 2015

Background—

In diabetes mellitus, reduced perfusion and capillary surface area in skeletal muscle, which is a major glucose storage site, contribute to abnormal glucose homeostasis. Using contrast-enhanced ultrasound, we investigated whether abdominal adipose tissue perfusion is abnormal in insulin resistance and correlates with glycemic control.

Methods and Results—

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound perfusion imaging of abdominal adipose tissue and skeletal muscle was performed in obese insulin resistance (db/db) mice at 11 to 12 or 14 to 16 weeks of age and in control lean mice. Time–intensity data were analyzed to quantify microvascular blood flow (MBF) and capillary blood volume (CBV). Blood glucose response for 1 hour was measured after insulin challenge (1 U/kg, IP). Compared with control mice, db/db mice at 11 to 12 and 14 to 16 weeks had a higher glucose concentration area under the curve after insulin (11.8±2.8, 20.6±4.3, and 28.4±5.9 mg·min/dL [×1000], respectively;
P
=0.0002) and also had lower adipose MBF (0.094±0.038, 0.035±0.010, and 0.023±0.01 mL/min per gram;
P
=0.0002) and CBV (1.6±0.6, 1.0±0.3, and 0.5±0.1 mL/100 g;
P
=0.0017). The glucose area under the curve correlated in a nonlinear fashion with both adipose and skeletal muscle MBF and CBV. There were significant linear correlations between adipose and muscle MBF (
r
=0.81) and CBV (
r
=0.66). Adipocyte cell volume on histology was 25-fold higher in 14- to 16-week db/db versus control mice.

Conclusions—

Abnormal adipose MBF and CBV in insulin resistance can be detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and correlates with the degree of impairment in glucose storage. Abnormalities in adipose tissue and muscle seem to be coupled. Impaired adipose tissue perfusion is in part explained by an increase in adipocyte size without proportional vascular response.
Camellia fruit borer, Neoblastobasis camelliae, a new species of Blastobasinae in China (Lepidoptera, Blastobasidae)
Authors: CHEN FUQIANG , HUANG DUNYUAN , WU CHUNSHENG
Published: April 2015

A new Neoblastobasis Kuznetzov & Sinev, 1985, Neoblastobasis camelliae Chen & Wu, sp. nov., is described from Ji-angxi, China, and reported feeding on the fruits of Camellia oleifera Abel (Theaceae). Illustrations of the adult antennal base, tergal spines on the posterior part of tergites, male genital structures, and notes on its biology are provided. A list of the Blastobasidae known from China is also included. Two species, Blastobasis murcyae Adamski & Brown, 2002 and B. ianella Adamski, 2003 are transferred from Blastobasis to Neoblastobasis.
A new tribe and species of Clastopterinae (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Clastopteridae) from Africa, Asia and North America
Authors: HAMILTON K.G. ANDREW
Published: April 2015

Additional evidence supports the inclusion by Hamilton (2001) of Machaerotinae in Clastopteridae. The former Clastopteridae (Clastopterinae sensu Hamilton, 2001) is revised to include Sepulliini (tr. nov.) Clastopterini includes a fossil genus Prisciba Poinar & Brown and the extant Clastoptera with 2 new species both from North America, and Iba Schmidt from the old-world. The last of these has 3 species (1 new), 2 from the Philippines and 1 in subgenus Parahindoloides Lallemand, stat. nov., from Borneo. Sepulliini includes 5 genera and 52 species from Africa, India and southeast Asia that were formerly included in “Aphrophoridae” but are now transferred to the redefined subfamily Clastopterinae, linking Clastopterini to Zygonini of the subfamily Machaerotinae. Sepulliini includes 24 newly described species: 2 species of Beesoniella Lallemand from India, and 1 of Grellaphia Schmidt from the Philippine Islands; and from continental Africa 2 species of Sepullia Stål from Ethiopia and Angola, Taphrotylus insignificans gen. & sp. nov. from Madagascar and 18 new species of Tremapterus Spinola, making Tremapterus (including Abbalomba Distant, Nyanja Distant and Patriziana Lallemand as subgenera) the largest and most widespread genus in Sepulliini. Its 38 species in sub-Saharan Africa include 2 new subgenera: Selenion (1 species) and Tremiziana (4 species). In this study, 25 new combinations are created: 20 in Tremapterus with T. major Jacobi (1910), described from Mt. Kilimandjaro, and T. occidentalis Schumacher (1912), described from above 1800 m on Mt. Cameroon transferred to Witteella Lallemand (Cercopidae, Aphrophorinae); Penthimia maculipennis Spinola and Philaenus maculosa Walker are transferred to Clastoptera Germar, and Parahindoloides lumuana Lallemand to Iba. The many new species and new combinations in the old-world fauna of Clastopterinae are included in keys and a checklist.
The tadpole of Dendropsophus branneri (Cochran, 1948) (Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae)
Authors: DE ABREU RAFAEL OLIVEIRA , JUNCÁ FLORA ACUÑA , SOUZA ISANA CARLA AMORIM , NAPOLI MARCELO FELGUEIRAS
Published: April 2015

Dendropsophus branneri is a small treefrog largely distributed throughout the Tropical Atlantic and Caatinga morphoclimatic domains (see Ab’Sáber 1977 for morphoclimatic domains), from northeastern to southeastern Brazil [Lutz 1973, Frost 2014; see Zina et al. 2014 for taxonomic comments on D. minusculus (Rivero, 1971) and D. branneri]. This species is currently placed in the D. microcephalus species group according to Bastos & Pombal (1996) and Faivovich et al. (2005). The D. microcephalus group comprises 36 species (Frost 2014), 14 of which have known tadpoles. Here, we describe the external morphology and color patterns of the previously unknown tadpole of D. branneri.
Temperature Biases in Public Opinion Surveys
Authors: Potoski Matthew , Urbatsch R. , Yu Cindy
Published: April 2015

The quasi experiment of deviations from normal temperatures shows how local temperature conditions bias selected survey results. Responses in eight CBS News surveys from 2001 to 2007 change with the weather, with unseasonable temperatures reducing concern about climate change and unusually warm temperatures increasing presidential approval. Unusual temperatures also influence who answers surveys; wealthier respondents are overrepresented in warmer conditions. These results jointly suggest that surveys are at risk for temperature-induced response bias. Weighting-based methods can account for survey results’ temperature-induced differences in samples.
Characterization of mesoporous silica nanoparticle composites at low filler content
Authors: Yang Qing , Lin Yuan-Hua , Li Ming , Shen Yang , Nan Ce-Wen
Published: April 2015

Porous fillers are considered as an effective way to improve the mechanical properties of dental composites through the interlocking with organic matrix. In this paper, mesoporous silica (mobil crystalline materials-41) of different particle sizes was synthesized, modified, and added in bisphenol-A glycidyl dimethacrylate/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate resins to obtain composites at different loading levels. The influence of mesoporous filler concentration, particle size, and surface modification on the mechanical properties (flexural strength, flexural modulus, and Vickers microhardness) of composites has been investigated in detail. Compared to nonporous silica, mesoporous silica significantly improved composites’ mechanical properties. Flexural strength and flexural modulus are increased by 44.5% and 33.4%, respectively, when filler mass fraction reaches 15 wt%. Samples filled with silane-modified mesoporous silica show a higher flexural strength with the particle size decreasing from around 470 to 35 nm. The results implied potential applications for dental composites filled with porous fillers.
To Do It or Not to Do It? How Communally Motivated People Navigate Sexual Interdependence Dilemmas
Authors: Day Lisa C. , Muise Amy , Joel Samantha , Impett Emily A.
Published: April 2015

The current research investigates how people make sexual decisions when romantic partners’ sexual desires conflict, situations we refer to as sexual interdependence dilemmas. Across an experimental study, a retrospective recall study, and a 21-day daily experience study, we found that people who were motivated to meet their partner’s sexual needs—those high in sexual communal strength—were more willing to engage in sex with their romantic partner, even when their own desire was low, and as a result, both partners reported enhanced relationship and sexual satisfaction. The benefits of sexual communal strength were due to communally oriented people’s increased desire to promote their partner’s interests and decreased desire to pursue their own interests. This is the first set of studies to investigate how people make decisions in sexual interdependence dilemmas and show that communally motivated individuals navigate these situations in a way that is beneficial for relationships.
Acoustic Structure Quantification Analysis of the Thyroid in Patients with Diffuse Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
Authors: Zandieh Shahin , Bernt Reinhard , Zwerina Jochen , Haller Joerg , Knoll Peter , Seyeddain Orang , Mirzaei Siroos
Published: April 2015

The aim of this study was to assess whether acoustic structure quantification (ASQ) can differentiate normal from pathological thyroid parenchyma in patients with diffuse autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). We evaluated 83 subjects (72 [87%] women and 11 [13%] men) aged 19 to 94 years with a mean age of 53 years. We performed a prospective study (from March 2011 to November 2014) that included 43 (52%) patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAT), 22 (26%) patients with Graves’ disease (GD), and 18 (22%) healthy volunteers. The ASQ values were significantly lower in normal subjects than in subjects with CAT and GD ( p < 0.001). In contrast, the differences between the GD and the CAT patients ( p = 0.23) were not statistically significant. The optimal cutoff ASQ value for which the sum of sensitivity and specificity was the highest for the prediction of diffuse thyroid pathology was 103 (95% confidence interval = [0.79, 0.95]). At this cutoff value, the sensitivity was 83% and the specificity was 89%. Our findings suggest that ASQ is a useful method for the assessment of the thyroid in patients with AITD.
Hackathons and the Making of Entrepreneurial Citizenship
Authors: Irani Lilly
Published: April 2015

Today the halls of Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) and Davos reverberate with optimism that hacking, brainstorming, and crowdsourcing can transform citizenship, development, and education alike. This article examines these claims ethnographically and historically with an eye toward the kinds of social orders such practices produce. This article focuses on a hackathon, one emblematic site of social practice where techniques from information technology (IT) production become ways of remaking culture. Hackathons sometimes produce technologies, and they always, however, produce subjects. This article argues that the hackathon rehearses an entrepreneurial citizenship celebrated in transnational cultures that orient toward Silicon Valley for models of social change. Such optimistic, high-velocity practice aligns, in India, with middle-class politics that favor quick and forceful action with socially similar collaborators over the contestations of mass democracy or the slow construction of coalition across difference.
Prosthetics for Nasoseptal Perforations
Authors: Taylor Robert J. , Sherris David A.
Published: April 2015

Objective

Prosthetics serve as an option for nasoseptal perforation treatment in patients who have active systemic disease, are poor surgical candidates, or wish to avoid surgery. Through systematic review of the literature on prosthetics for nasoseptal perforation treatment, the objective of the present study is to critically appraise previous studies, evaluate the success rate for nasoseptal prosthetics, provide evidence‐based guidelines for nasoseptal prosthetic use, and identify areas for further investigation.

Data Sources

Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science.

Review Methods

Data sources were queried for relevant articles published from 1965 to 2013. Articles were selected for inclusion if they presented primary data for human nasoseptal perforation treatment utilizing prosthetic materials. Each included article’s level of evidence and risk of bias were identified and grades of recommendation were assigned. A quantitative meta‐analysis was performed on articles with low risk of bias.

Results

The search yielded 4756 abstracts for review, with 23 included case series and 5 case reports; 706 total cases of prosthetic nasoseptal perforation treatment were identified. All articles provided level 4 evidence, with an overall conclusion grade of C for improvement in nasoseptal perforation symptoms, prosthetic in situ rate, and complication rate. Meta‐analysis of 6 low‐risk‐of‐bias studies with 297 patients demonstrated an overall success rate of 65%.

Conclusions

The literature provides level 4 evidence for the efficacy and safety of prosthetics for nasoseptal perforation treatment with favorable success rates and few reports of complications—only 1 fungal infection and 9 unspecified infections—in 706 cases.
Krawall in der Zionskirche: Skinhead Violence and Political Legitimacy in the GDR
Authors: Hayton Jeff
Published: April 2015

In 1987, an East Berlin punk concert was attacked by Skinheads. This event and others like it provoked sustained outcry in the German Democratic Republic in the last years of the 1980s. The political opposition transformed public outrage over Skinhead violence into broader critiques about ‘real-existing socialism’, especially by using the Western media to circumvent the state's information monopoly. Thus dialogue opened up by violence going public helped to undermine the political legitimacy of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) by giving ordinary Easterners channels to express their disappointments over state policy. In the end, the SED felt compelled to make decisions concerning state youth policy which opened up new avenues for oppositional activity, pointing to the ways in which the SED responded to momentum from below in ways which only weakened its political hegemony further. By exploring how manifestations of public violence were used to chip away at the political authority of the SED, I suggest that the ‘Krawall in der Zionskirche’ and events like it help to explain why a small dissident movement was able to spread its message of discontent much more broadly.
The adolescent’s experience when a parent has advanced cancer: A qualitative inquiry
Authors: Phillips Farya , Lewis Frances M
Published: April 2015

Background:

Parental cancer is a stressful experience for young people, constituting a potential threat to physical and mental health and normative development. Currently, there is insufficient information describing the sources and nature of this distress during advanced parental cancer, especially concerning families with adolescent children.

Aim:

To address the significant gap in the literature by providing the adolescent’s perspective on the impact of their parent’s advanced cancer on their lives.

Design:

This qualitative study involved single-occasion, semi-structured elicitation interviews with adolescents whose parents were diagnosed with advanced stage cancer.

Setting/participants:

The study sample consisted of seven adolescents from six families, five females and two males ranging in age from 11 to 15 years (mean = 13.6 years, standard deviation = 1.4 years). The ill parents consisted of four females and two males diagnosed with Stage IV cancer.

Results:

The core construct that organized study results was Weaving a Normal Life with Cancer which involved five major domains: feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders; cancer changes everything; confronting or getting away from the cancer; talking about it; and cancer was a positive for me … it taught me.

Conclusion:

Study findings shed light on how adolescents self-manage their parent’s advanced cancer and work to delimit the illness even as they are aware of its constant presence. Future research and intervention studies are needed to support and add to the adolescents’ self-management strategies to weave a normal life for themselves while in the throes of the cancer’s uncertainty and challenges with family communication.
Therapeutic Horse Riding: What Has This to Do with Occupational Therapists?
Authors: Bracher Maggie
Published: April 2015

The horse has been used as a therapeutic medium since the time of the ancient Greeks and Xenophon is quoted as saying that ‘the best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of the horse’ (Longden 1998, p44). Man has been using horses for more than 3,500 years as draught horses or for riding; therefore, the man-horse relationship may be perceived ‘as a close psychophysical attachment’ (Schulz 1997, p65). The horse and its environment has been and continues to be used as a therapeutic tool for people with a wide range of needs and abilities, as is evidenced in the literature.

This paper identifies some of the benefits and limitations of therapeutic horse riding and its relationship with occupational therapy, through a review of the literature and the use of case summaries from the author's personal experience.
Occupational Therapy, Gender and Mental Health: An Inclusive Perspective?
Authors: Pollard Nick , Walsh Sue
Published: April 2015

This article offers an understanding of how the gendered nature of occupational therapy has an impact on relationships between therapist and client, qualified staff and support workers, and occupational therapy managers and workers. It analyses the development of occupational therapy from its early, mainly female and middle-class, origins and explores how the profession has struggled to define its status and role to fit structures determined by the medical profession.

The tensions that these pressures have exerted on occupational therapy's original concerns with domestic and creative activities are considered, drawing on feminist theories and sociological interpretations of gender and professional development in the context of mental health.

It is argued that in trying to meet medicine's demand for a more scientific occupational therapy as well as orientate rehabilitation to returning clients to work, occupational therapists risk, first, losing sight of their core domestic activities and traditional caring roles and, secondly, devaluing the skills and abilities of their support worker colleagues.

The article suggests that occupational therapists should claim domestic activities as central to practice and reconsider the feminine principles of caring, connectedness and the importance of relationships to produce a wholly inclusive and reflective practice.
Variations in the Provision of Occupational Therapy for Patients Undergoing Primary Elective Total Hip Replacement in the United Kingdom
Authors: McMurray Robert , Heaton Janet , Sloper Patricia , Nettleton Sarah
Published: April 2015

Despite growing interest in the potential of rehabilitation therapies to reduce patient dependency and maximise the benefits of surgical intervention, there is only limited information available on the nature of, and variation in, rehabilitation for common procedures such as total hip replacement. This paper describes the nature and variability of occupational therapy provision for patients undergoing primary elective total hip replacement in the United Kingdom, based on the results of a postal survey of National Health Service trusts providing orthopaedic surgery.

A response rate of 69% (n=183) was obtained, yielding a final sample of 166 trusts. The widest variations in rehabilitation practice related to the provision of, and charges for, adaptive equipment; the presence of the therapist during preadmission clinics; the number of hours patients spent in contact with therapists during hospitalisation; and the provision of written information on the benefits of total hip replacement and the care of the hip beyond 3 months after surgery. These results suggest that considerable variation exists in the provision of occupational therapy for total hip replacement across the United Kingdom. Future research identifying the most effective configuration of therapeutic interventions is needed to inform the production of guidelines in this area.
Clinical Governance at Gloucestershire Royal NHS Trust Occupational Therapy Service
Authors: Waygood Siân , Beavis Frances , Mathewson Sara
Published: April 2015

This paper provides a brief overview of the national agenda and a trust's framework for introducing clinical governance. The Gloucestershire Royal occupational therapy clinical governance programme, which encompasses personnel, clinical and environmental factors, is outlined. The topics of supervision, workload management and disability access are discussed in more detail, considering the impact on patient care, staff support and service provision. The efficacy of the agenda and the need for further work are also considered.
Quality of Life: Priorities for People with Enduring Mental Health Problems
Authors: Mayers Christine A
Published: April 2015

Eleven people with enduring mental health problems were interviewed about their quality of life. The analysis of the data collected indicated that the key areas that were problems affecting their quality of life were lack of personal achievement, lack of job, difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships, loneliness, health problems (both mental and physical), lack of leisure activities, personal safety and looking after self. The literature review also clearly indicated that finance and access to benefits were priorities for people with enduring mental health problems. The data collected will be used in the development of the Mayers' Lifestyle Questionnaire (2), a tool for use in identifying priority quality of life issues for people with enduring mental health problems. The interviewees said that they would be highly motivated to complete such a questionnaire.
Safe Use of Disability Equipment and Manual Handling: Legal Aspects — Part 1, Disability Equipment
Authors: Mandelstam Michael
Published: April 2015

This is a two-part article about legal aspects of safety in two overlapping areas of work relevant to occupational therapists: disability equipment and manual handling.

This first part, on safe use of equipment, considers negligence, consumer protection and health and safety at work law, including codes of practice, guidance and notices from bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive and the Medical Devices Agency. A number of common and relatively straightforward themes are picked out through what otherwise might appear to be a forbidding body of law; these are illustrated with practical examples.

It is argued that in judging whether a particular action or omission was unlawful and breached safety obligations, the courts do not generally resort to incomprehensible principles. Instead, they often, in effect, simply hold up a mirror to the professional(s) involved and ask whether reasonably competent or practicable steps were taken. To the extent that this is so, it is clear that avoidance of legal liability is very much more within the power of occupational therapists and their employer organisations than is often supposed and that such avoidance is consonant both with patient and client welfare and with good professional practice.
Living with under-Fives: A Programme for Parents with a Mental Illness
Authors: Bassett Hazel , Lampe Jill , Lloyd Chris
Published: April 2015

Parenthood is considered a major life role. Yet for people with a major mental illness, it is one that is fraught with difficulties and for which they receive the least support. Research on parenting and parenting programmes for people with a major mental illness is sparse and most of the papers presented do not provide a working model that can be easily replicated. This lack of support for parents or knowledge of working parenting programmes has often resulted in children being placed in care.

Occupational therapists working in an Australian mental health service developed a two-stream programme which aimed to consolidate the parent/child relationship and enable the parents to develop effective parenting skills. This programme has a parents' educational stream and a stream with developmentally appropriate activities for the children. Observed outcomes have included the parents becoming more responsive to their children, increased treatment compliance, improved community access, and a decrease in the number of children in temporary foster care.