bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The efficiency of influenza vaccines in patients with inflammatory bowel disease on immunosuppressive therapy
Authors: Farkas Klaudia , Terhes Gabriella , Deák Judit , Bálint Anita , Nagy Ferenc , Szepes Zoltán , Wittmann Tibor , Molnár Tamás
Published: November 2012

Introduction: Inactivated influenza vaccination is recommended yearly for patients with inflammatory bowel disease on immunosuppressive therapy. Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the immune response to seasonal influenza vaccination in patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with immunosuppressants. Patients and methods: Thirty patients were enrolled in this prospective study. Each patient was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and treated with immunosuppressants. Blood samples were obtained from patients before and one month after influenza vaccination (A/California/7/2009(H1N1), A/Perth/16/2009(H3N2) B/Brisbane/60/2008) to assess the pre-and postimmunization antibody titers. Virus-specific antibodies were measured by ELISA. Results: The vaccine acceptance rate was 53.3%. Local adverse effect occurred in 5 patients. Seven patients developed systemic adverse events. Influenza-like symptoms occurred in 2 patients, although their antibody titers failed to increase significantly. Antibodies to influenza viruses were detected in each patient before the vaccination. Conclusion: The results confirmed that each patient had appropriate antibody titer as correlation of protection even before the immunisation. Seroprotection rates were not influenced by the vaccination. The vaccine seemed to be safe. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1870–1874.
Self perceived health, as an indicator of psychological well-being: behavioural epidemiological analysis among the adolescent population
Authors: Kriston Pálma , Pikó Bettina , Kovács Eszter
Published: November 2012

Background: Self rated health is a widely used measure in behavioural epidemiological studies which is a global, informative indicator of health status and quality of life. Aim: The main goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between subjective health status of adolescents with individual, psychological protective and risk factors. Method: The authors performed the study among youth in Szeged, Hungary in the autumn of 2010. Data collection was based on self-administered questionnaires. 656 high school students were included in the sample. Logistic regression analyses were applied to detect associations including the individual, psychological indicators as dependent variables and self perceived health as an independent variable. Results: It was found that adolescents with better self perceived health had higher scale points of optimism and satisfaction with life, whereas lower self rated health correlated with higher values of depression and emotional aggression. There were gender differences in both protective and risk factors. Internal locus of control was a protective factor while depression, emotional aggression, and external locus of control were risk factors of psychological health among girls. Conclusion: Self rated health can be a possible indicator of subjective well-being that may open a way to prevention in behavioural medicine. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1875–1882.
Management of Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) in Wild Blueberry Fields
Authors: Wu Lin , Boyd Nathan S.
Published: November 2012

Spreading dogbane is a troublesome weed of wild blueberry fields. Field studies were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to evaluate efficacy of different herbicides and application techniques on spreading dogbane as well as blueberry tolerance. Results indicated that summer-broadcast nicosulfuron at 25 g ai ha−1with 0.5% v/v blend of surfactant with petroleum hydrocarbons suppressed (> 60%) spreading dogbane at three of four sites. Spot sprays with dicamba at 1 kg ae ha−1effectively controlled (> 80%) spreading dogbane with minimal (19 to 23%) blueberry damage at three of four sites. Glyphosate spot sprays at 5 g ae L−1water provided more effective and longer control than hand pulling. Wiping with glyphosate at 154 g ae L−1water or wiping triclopyr at 29 g ae L−1water onto the shoots is also an effective control method for localized patches of spreading dogbane. Although low to moderate crop damage may accompany these techniques, it may still be tolerable for growers to apply these options to limit long-term yield loss caused by spreading dogbane.
Zoysiagrass Seedhead Suppression with Imidazolinone Herbicides
Authors: Brosnan James T. , Breeden Greg K. , Elmore Matthew T. , Patton Aaron J. , Weisenberger Dan V.
Published: November 2012

Options for suppressing zoysiagrass seedheads in managed turfgrass systems are limited. Experiments were conducted in 2010 and 2011 evaluating the use of imazamox (26, 52, and 70 g ai ha−1) or imazapic (52 g ai ha−1) for ‘Zenith' and ‘Meyer' zoysiagrass seedhead suppression. Imazamox and imazapic at ≥ 52 g ai ha−1suppressed Zenith zoysiagrass seedheads ≥ 95% at 2 to 6 wk after initial treatment (WAIT) each year. Slight injury (< 10%) was observed with these treatments; however, effective seedhead suppression resulted in increased (i.e., darker) green color from 8 to 15 WAIT each year. Relative chlorophyll index values for imazamox- and imazapic-treated plots ranged from 100 to 147% of the nontreated control in 2010 and 89 to 125% of the nontreated in 2011. On Meyer zoysiagrass, imazamox and imazapic at ≥ 52 g ha−1reduced seedhead counts greater than 90% in both Tennessee and Indiana. However, significant (> 25%) injury was reported with these treatments at one experimental location. Although imazamox and imazapic have efficacy for zoysiagrass seedhead suppression, additional studies are needed to determine factors affecting zoysiagrass injury potential from imazamox and imazapic applications.
Cultural Practices to Improve In-Row Weed Control with Cultivation in Organic Peanut Production
Authors: Johnson W. Carroll , Boudreau Mark A. , Davis Jerry W.
Published: November 2012

Cultivation is a proven means of weed control in organic peanut. However, weeds present in-row often escape control. Research trials were conducted in Ty Ty, GA to modify cultural practices to help suppress weed emergence in-row. Modified cultural practices were three row pattern/seeding rate combinations; twin rows (four rows on a seedbed) seeded at the recommended (1X) seeding rate that produced 13 seed m−1in each row, twin rows seeded at the 2X seeding rate that produced 23 seed m−1in each row, and wide rows (two rows on seedbed) seeded at the recommended seeding rate that produced 23 seed m−1. Four cultivation regimes were evaluated; cultivation with a tine weeder at weekly intervals for 6 wk, cultivation with a tine weeder at weekly intervals for 8 wk, scouring with a brush hoe at vegetative emergence followed by the tine weeder for 6 wk, and a noncultivated control. There were no interactions between row pattern/seeding rates and cultivation regimes for any parameter measured. There was inconsistent response of weed control and peanut yield to row pattern/seeding rates. Weed control and peanut yields were similar with tine weeding for 6 wk, 8 wk, or with the brush hoe followed by the tine weeder. Weed management in organic peanut was not improved by altering peanut cultural practices that facilitate quicker canopy closure, and the use of narrow row patterns should not be based on attempts to improve weed control in organic peanut. Narrow row patterns provide other benefits to organic peanut production and those attributes should influence decisions on the choice of row pattern, not weed control.
Simulated Spray Drift of Aminocyclopyrachlor on Cantaloupe, Eggplant, and Cotton
Authors: Flessner Michael L. , McElroy J. Scott , Cardoso Leonildo A. , Martins Dagoberto
Published: November 2012

Aminocyclopyrachlor (AMCP) is a herbicide with an auxin-mimic mode of action. AMCP is registered for use in the United States on right-of-way and other noncropland sites, causing concern for potential off-target spray drift. The objectives of this study were to evaluate cantaloupe and eggplant response to simulated AMCP spray drift in the field and cotton response in the greenhouse. Cantaloupe and eggplant responded with little to no injury from drift rates up to 10 g AMCP ha−1, roughly 3.2% of the maximum labeled use rate for right-of-way weed control. Slight yield reductions occurred but were not consistent between 2008 and 2009. Therefore, eggplant and cantaloupe injury and yield-reduction potential from AMCP spray drift is low. Cotton response to AMCP drift was compared to similar spray drift rates of 2,4-D and aminopyralid. Cotton responded with injury and reductions in height and dry mass from all three herbicides. Responses were greatest from AMCP, indicating AMCP is potentially more damaging to cotton than 2,4-D or aminopyralid if spray drift occurs, when comparing percentages of labeled rates.
Weed Control Using an Enclosed Thermal Heating Apparatus
Authors: Hoyle Jared A. , McElroy J. Scott , Rose J. Jack
Published: November 2012

Weed control by heat or flaming typically uses flames to burn small weeds, directed away from desired crops. This research studied an enclosed flaming system for weed control before turfgrass establishment. Field research trials were conducted to explore the efficacy of a PL-8750 flame sanitizer at two application timings. Treatments included various application methods of PL-8750 flame sanitizer and common thermal and chemical weed control methods. Data were weed control relative to the control treatment. Species evaluated included carpetweed, Virginia buttonweed, spotted spurge, large crabgrass, goosegrass, old world diamond-flower, cocks-comb kyllinga, and yellow nutsedge. Turfgrass establishment was not successful in summer but was successful in fall. Fall-application timing trials resulted in > 60% tall fescue establishment at 6 wk after seeding (WAS) for all treatments. Summer-application timing trials resulted in unacceptable turfgrass establishment (≤ 18%) for all evaluated turfgrass species at 6 WAS. Broadleaf and grassy weeds were better controlled compared with sedge weeds. Overall, solarization; covered, emerged-weed flaming; and double applications of covered, emerged-weed flaming were the most successful treatments. Solarization controlled carpetweed, Virginia buttonweed, spotted spurge, large crabgrass, and goosegrass > 80% at 6 WAS. Weed control across thermal treatments were equal to or greater than the comparison chemical treatment (dazomet at 389 kg ha−1). Results indicate thermal weed control has potential for reducing weed populations before turfgrass establishment.
Interaction of Rice Residue and PRE Herbicides on Emergence and Biomass of Four Weed Species
Authors: Chauhan Bhagirath S. , Abugho Seth B.
Published: November 2012

Studies were conducted in a screenhouse to determine the interaction of rice residue as mulch (0, 3, and 6 t ha−1) and herbicides (nontreated, oxadiazon at 0.5 and 1.0 kg ai ha−1, and pendimethalin at 1.0 and 2.0 kg ai ha−1) on seedling emergence and biomass of barnyardgrass, crowfootgrass, junglerice, and rice flatsedge. Regardless of the residue amount, crowfootgrass and junglerice were effectively controlled by all herbicide treatments. No seedlings of these weed species escaped the herbicides when applied in the presence of residue cover. There was no survival of barnyardgrass seedlings when both herbicides were applied on bare soil (without residue cover); however, some seedlings survived oxadiazon and pendimethalin when applied in the presence of residue cover. For rice flatsedge, the herbicide applications in the presence of residue cover resulted in lower weed control than in the absence of residue. These results suggest that some weed species can escape the application of PRE herbicides in conservation agriculture systems in which residue can bind soil-applied herbicides and result in lower efficacy.
Herbicidal Performance of Phenyl Isothiocyanate in Polyethylene-Mulched Bell Pepper
Authors: Bangarwa Sanjeev K. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Gbur Edward E.
Published: November 2012

Methyl bromide is a common fumigant for effective weed control in polyethylene-mulched vegetable crops. However, the ban on methyl bromide in the United States has created a need to find a suitable alternative. This study investigated the herbicidal efficacy of phenyl isothiocyanate (ITC) as a methyl bromide alternative for weed control in polyethylene-mulched bell pepper during 2006 and 2007. Six rates of phenyl ITC (0, 15, 75, 150, 750, 1,500 kg ha−1) under low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or virtually impermeable film (VIF) mulch were tested against yellow nutsedge, Palmer amaranth, and large crabgrass. Additionally, a standard treatment of methyl bromide/chloropicrin (67 : 33%) at 390 kg ha−1under LDPE mulch was included for comparison. VIF mulch provided no advantage over LDPE mulch in either improving weed control or marketable yield in bell pepper. Unacceptable pepper injury (≥ 60%) occurred at the highest phenyl ITC rate of 1,500 kg ha−1at 2 WATP in both years, regardless of mulch type. Higher bell pepper injury was observed in 2006 (≥ 36%) than in 2007 (≤ 11%) at 750 kg ha−1of phenyl ITC. The lower injury in 2007 could be attributed to aeration of beds 48 h prior to transplanting. Regardless of mulch type, phenyl ITC at 2,071 (± 197) and 1,655 (± 309) kg ha−1was required to control yellow nutsedge, Palmer amaranth, and large crabgrass equivalent to methyl bromide in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Bell pepper marketable yield at all rates of phenyl ITC was lower than methyl bromide in 2006. In contrast, marketable yield in phenyl ITC at 750–kg ha−1was equivalent to methyl bromide in 2007. It is concluded that phenyl ITC should be applied at least 4.2 times higher rate than methyl bromide for effective weed control, and bed aeration is required to minimize crop injury and yield loss. Additional research is needed to test phenyl ITC in combination with other weed control strategies to obtain effective weed control with acceptable crop safety.
Cool-Season Turfgrass Reseeding Intervals for Methiozolin
Authors: McCullough Patrick E. , De Barreda Diego Gómez
Published: November 2012

Methiozolin selectively controls annual bluegrass in cool-season turfgrasses, and practitioners may wish to reseed desirable species in treated areas. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate reseeding intervals for creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue following methiozolin applications. Turfgrass establishment varied for species, application timing (0, 2, 4, or 6 wk before seeding, WBS), and rates tested (0.56, 1.12, or 2.24 kg ai ha−1). Reductions in turf cover suggest that seeding of creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue should be delayed 2 wk after methiozolin treatments at 0.56 kg ha−1. However, reseeding should be delayed after methiozolin treatments at 1.12 kg ha−1for approximately 4, 4, and 2 wk for creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue, respectively. Similarly, establishment was reduced on all dates from the nontreated after 2.24 kg ha−1was applied at 4 WBS, suggesting that reseeding should be delayed for at least 6 wk on all three species at the high rate.
Determining Spatial Variation in Soil Properties in Teak and Native Tropical Forest Plots Using Electromagnetic Induction
Authors: Bréchet L. , Oatham M. , Wuddivira M. , Robinson D.A.
Published: November 2012

Soil spatial patterns in tropical forest may impact, or to some extent control, important characteristics of tropical forests such as forest biodiversity and carbon emissions. However, tropical forests are highly heterogeneous and therefore determining soil spatial patterns using traditional methods is highly labor intensive and destructive. As a result, rapid soil pattern‐property assessment methods for use under tropical conditions are of great interest for evaluating soil patterns and properties at the plot scale. We evaluated the potential of electromagnetic‐induction imaging (EMI) for determining spatial variation of soil properties in native tropical forest and teak plots during the dry and wet season. Geostatistical analysis of apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) measured by the EMI sensor revealed consistent semi‐variogram ranges of ?30 m over both time (dry season, wet season) and sites (native forest, teak). Analyses of measured soil properties with principal component analyses were similar for both plots: clay‐silt content, sand content and soil hygroscopic water coefficient (SHC) were the leading components of the main axes. However, multiple linear regression models revealed a more complex picture. In the teak monoculture, ECa was correlated with soil texture (i.e., clay‐silt content) and electrical conductivity of the soil saturation extract (ECe) (R2= 0.93), while in the native forest ECa was correlated with texture and residual soil water repellency (SWR) (R2= 0.85). This finding indicates that SWR may play an important role in determining wetting patterns in tropical forests, with implications for resource distribution and gas emissions and may provide a basis for future investigations of soil‐tree relationships.
Characterizing Vadose Zone Hydrocarbon Biodegradation Using Carbon Dioxide Effluxes, Isotopes, and Reactive Transport Modeling
Authors: Sihota Natasha J. , Mayer K. Ulrich
Published: November 2012

Naturally occurring biodegradation of hydrocarbon compounds may offer a sustainable management option at contaminated sites. However, a sound understanding of contaminant mass loss rates is required to enable estimation of source zone longevity, serving to alleviate public concerns and inform decision makers. Under some conditions, surficial CO2 efflux measurements can be useful to delineate petroleum hydrocarbon containing source zones, and to provide estimates of depth‐integrated vadose zone hydrocarbon degradation rates. However, the accuracy of degradation rate estimates is limited by our ability to separate CO2 effluxes associated with contaminant decomposition from those attributable to naturally occurring soil respiration. To understand CO2 sources and transport processes within the vadose zone, this work combines measurement of surficial CO2 effluxes with detailed analysis of soil gas composition– including the radiocarbon and stable isotopic composition of CO2. Quantitative reactive transport modeling allows further evaluation of controls on CO2 generation and fate, and CH4 generation and oxidation. Results confirm that, in the source zone at the Bemidji site, the majority of CO2 originates from degradation of the oil body. In addition, radiocarbon in CO2 proves particularly useful in determining the contribution of contaminant degradation to the measured CO2 efflux.
Research considerations for more effective groundwater monitoring
Authors: Stelma Gerard N. , Wymer Larry J.
Published: November 2012

Since numerous pathogens occur in feces, water is monitored for fecal contamination using indicator organisms rather than individual pathogens. Although this approach is supported by health effects data in recreational waters, it is questionable when used for drinking water. Most outbreaks in groundwater occur in systems that have not violated the US EPA's maximum contaminant limit (MCL) for total coliforms within 12 months before the outbreak. Additionally, environmentally stable viruses and parasites are often detected in drinking water samples with no detectable indicators. Recent detections of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni in groundwaters in the apparent absence of indicators also cast some doubt on the worth of indicators for fecal bacterial pathogens. Individual pathogen monitoring is now technically achievable but currently unreasonable due to the number of possible pathogens and the costs involved. Several alternatives to pathogen monitoring could significantly reduce the frequency at which pathogens occur in waters testing negative for indicators: (i) increasing sample volumes for indicators, (ii) increasing monitoring frequency, (iii) using a suite of indicators, (iv) using a more conservative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, (v) sampling when fecal contamination is most likely present or (vi) any combination of these options.
Proapoptotic effect of a micropollutant (tris-(2-chloroethyl)-phosphate) at environmental level in primary cultured renal proximal tubule cells
Authors: Ren Xianghao , Han Ho Jae , Lee Yu Jin , Lee Sang Hun , Ng How Yong , Chae Kyu-Jung , Kim In S.
Published: November 2012

Being a typical micropollutant, tris-(2-chloroethyl)-phosphate (TCEP) is often found in aquatic environments. However, the potential effects of TCEP at environmental concentrations on apoptotic mechanisms are mostly unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the apoptotic regulatory protein expression of TCEP at environmental concentration in primary cultured renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs). The results show that TCEP at 0.01 and 1 mg L−1 significantly increased the phosphorylation of c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) (135.5 and 138.0% of the control, respectively), and significantly decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and cIAP-2 at all tested concentrations, except for a slight decrease of Bcl-2 at 0.01 mg L−1. In addition, TCEP significantly increased the expression of caspase-3 at all three concentrations (132.6, 172.6 and 167.9% of the control, respectively) and caspase-9 at 1 and 10 mg L−1 (128.3 and 144.5% of the control, respectively). Furthermore, TCEP increased the apoptotic cell population in a flow cytometry analysis. In conclusion, environmental TCEP might have a dose-dependent proapoptotic effect with a decrease of DNA synthesis and cell number in primary cultured renal PTCs.
Seismic Behavior of the San Pietro di Coppito Church Bell Tower in L'Aquila, Italy
Authors: Milani Gabriele , Russo Salvatore , Pizzolato Marco , Tralli Antonio
Published: November 2012

In the present paper, a non-linear numerical study on the 13th century masonry bell tower of the church of San Pietro di Coppito is described. The aim is to have an insight into the causes at the base of the partial collapse suffered by the structure during the L’Aquila earthquake in 2009. To this aim, two different numerical analyses have been performed namely non-linear static (pushover) and limit analysis. In both cases, the same full 3D detailed FE model of the structure is adopted, changing the seismic load direction and assuming different distributions of the equivalent static horizontal load. When dealing with the FEM incremental analysis, a commercial code is utilized assuming for masonry a smeared crack isotropic model. For limit analysis, a non-commercial full 3D code developed by the authors is utilized. It provides limit good estimates of limit loads and failure mechanisms, to compare with standard FEM results. From numerical re-sults, the role played by the actual geometry and by the masonry mechanical characteristics of the tower is envisaged, as well as a detailed comparison of failure mechanisms provided by the incremental FEM and limit analysis is provided. In all cases, the numerical analysis has given a valuable picture of damage mechanisms which can be compared with actual damage patterns so providing useful hints for the introduction of structural monitoring.
Homogenization Approach for the Evaluation of Crack Patterns Induced by Foundation Settlement on an Old Masonry Building
Authors: Acito Maurizio , Milani Gabriele
Published: November 2012

A numerical FE homogenization approach for the interpretation of existing crack patterns induced by founda-tion settlement on old masonry buildings is discussed. The approach is quite general and may be applied to any case study. It relies on a 3D FE discretization of the entire structure by means of rigid infinitely resistant six-noded wedge ele-ments and non-linear interfaces, exhibiting deterioration of the mechanical properties. Soil is modeled by means of elastic translational springs, with values derived from at hand simplified approaches.

The case study analyzed is the so called “Siloteca” [1] building in Milan, Italy, which belongs to a more complex built ag-gregate, originally conceived by the French Napoleonic army as riding stable during the Cisalpina Republic. At present, the building is utilized as an archive within the Science and Technology Museum. The aggregate may be regarded as be-ing subdivided into two separate blocks, with each one further sub-divided into eight isolated buildings. Nowadays, only six stables of one of the blocks are still present. Two of the six structures now serve as a Museum deposit and are the ob-jects of the present study, whereas the other four are in worst condition, partially roofed and collapsed and in a general de-cayed state. Siloteca exhibits meaningful crack patterns and an active overturning mechanism of the main facade.

The masonry face texture is relatively regular and well organized; its section is constituted of three leaves of header bricks, one leaf being alternatively constituted by one-half brick. A quite large sub-vertical crack is present in the central long wall, at a distance of about 10 meters from the main facade, which is progressively rocking. The reason of the façade movements at the base is probably due to differential settlements of the foundation, as a consequence of a large excavation realized some decades ago to install large gas oil tanks for the museum.

In this paper, for a direct mechanical interpretation of the reasons at the base of the formation of the crack pattern, a sim-ple but effective fully equilibrated model is discussed, facilitating in the accurate prediction of the position of the cracks. The model is also utilized to estimate soil elastic vertical stiffness –within a Winker approximation- to be used in a second phase with the fully non-linear FE code. Once the soil constants are at disposal from such a procedure, a homogenized non-linear FE code recently proposed by the second author [2, 3] is utilized to have an insight into the state of mechanical degradation of the structure. A hypothesis on foundation settlement is provided to justify the crack maps exhibited by the structure.
On a relation between sums of arithmetical functions and Dirichlet series
Authors: Ishikawa Hideaki , Kamiya Yuichi
Published: November 2012

We introduce a concept called good oscillation. A function is called good
oscillation, if its m-tuple integrals are bounded by functions having mild
orders. We prove that if the error terms coming from summatory functions of
arithmetical functions are good oscillation, then the Dirichlet series
associated with those arithmetical functions can be continued analytically
over the whole plane. We also study a sort of converse assertion that if the
Dirichlet series are continued analytically over the whole plane and satisfy
a certain additional assumption, then the error terms coming from the
summatory functions of Dirichlet coefficients are good oscillation.
Ordering cacti with n vertices and k cycles by their Laplacian spectral radii
Authors: Guo Shu-Guang , Wang Yan-Feng
Published: November 2012

A graph is a cactus if any two of its cycles have at most one common vertex.
In this paper, we determine the first sixteen largest Laplacian spectral
radii together with the corresponding graphs among all connected cacti with n
vertices and k cycles, where n > 2k + 8.
Generalized Stummel class and Morrey spaces
Authors: Gunawan Hendra , Nakai Eiichi , Sawano Yoshihiro , Tanaka Hitoshi
Published: November 2012

We revisit the Stummel class and its relation with Morrey spaces. We
reformulate a result of Ragusa and Zamboni [11] and then discuss its
generalization, as proposed by Eridani and Gunawan [4]. An improvement of the
results previously obtained by Eridani and Gunawan is obtained and some
extensions are presented.
Oral health assessment among dental students
Authors: Davidovic Bojana , Jankovic Svjetlana , Ivanovic Dragan , Grujicic Ivana
Published: November 2012

Introduction. Oral health is an important part of general health. Knowledge,
beliefs and attitudes that students acquire during dental school can
influence their behavior towards not just their own health, but also towards
health in their immediate environment. The aim of the study was to assess the
level of oral health among dental students of the second and fifth year at
the University of East Sarajevo. Material and Methods. Sixty-six students
from the Dental Department of the Faculty of Medicine, the University of East
Sarajevo were assessed. The study was conducted in 2012. The parameters used
to assess oral health were: DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) index and
its components, index for the assessment of periodontal tissues (CPITN), and
Green?s Vermillion oral hygiene debris index (DI). According to the
methodology and criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) all patients
were examined using standard dental diagnostic tools under artificial light
on dental chair. Results. Average number of decayed teeth of the second year
students was 9.93 while it was 11.44 in the fifth year students. The mean
dental caries index was 38.23% and person caries index was 100%. The average
value of the debris index was 0.42. Healthy periodontium had 18.2% of
students, while in 34.8% of students shallow periodontal pockets were
observed. Conclusion. Oral hygiene and periodontal health was satisfactory in
dental students. However, high average values of decayed teeth indicated that
for better results caries preventive services should be activated earlier,
even in school or preschool period.
Dental calculus: Nano-characterization
Authors: Grga Djurica , Marjanovic Marina , Hut Igor , Dzeletovic Bojan , Koruga Djuro
Published: November 2012

Emerging technologies and new nanoscale information have potential to
transform dental practice by improving all aspects of diagnostics and
therapy. Nanocharacterization allows understanding of oral diseases at
molecular and cellular levels which eventually can increase the success of
prevention and treatment. Opto-magnetic spectroscopy (OMS) is a promising new
technique based on light-matter interaction which allows insight into the
quantum state of matter. Since biomolecules and tissues are usually
paramagnetic or diamagnetic materials it is possible to determine the
dynamics of para-and diamagnetism at different teeth structures using that
method. The topography of the surface of a sample can be obtained with a very
high resolution using atomic force microscopy (AFM), which allows observation
of minimal changes up to 10 nm, while magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is used
to record the magnetic field gradient and its distribution over the surface
of a sample. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of AFM
and MFM for the characterization of dental calculus, and a potential
application of OMS for the detection of subgingival dental calculus.
Mucous patch on the tongue as isolated manifestation of the secondary stage of syphilis: Case report
Authors: Bjekic Milan , Sipetic Sandra
Published: November 2012

Introduction. Syphilis is sexually transmitted infection caused by the
anaerobic spirochete Treponema pallidum. Oral lesions are present and
described in all stages of the disease. These lesions as well as blood and
saliva of infected persons are highly contagious in early syphilis. The aim
of this case report was to point out to the possibility of the secondary
syphilis in differential diagnosis of oral diseases. Case Report. A
38-year-old asymptomatic man showed up at the clinic with suspicious of
syphilis infection. Clinical presentation of the disease was a mucous patch
on the tongue, however no other mucous membrane or cutaneous lesions were
detected. No lymph nodes were enlarged. The serologic tests on syphilis were
positive. After conducting systemic antibiotic therapy with benzathine
penicillin the tongue lesion disappeared. Conclusion. Depending on the
clinical picture, the possibility of syphilis should not be overlooked in the
differential diagnosis of oral lesions.
Strategies to Block HIV Transcription: Focus on Small Molecule Tat Inhibitors
Authors: Mousseau Guillaume , Valente Susana
Published: November 2012

After entry into the target cell, the human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV) integrates into the host genome and becomes a proviral eukaryotic transcriptional unit. Transcriptional regulation of provirus gene expression is critical for HIV replication. Basal transcription from the integrated HIV promoter is very low in the absence of the HIV transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein and is solely dependent on cellular transcription factors. The 5' terminal region (+1 to +59) of all HIV mRNAs forms an identical stem-bulge-loop structure called the Transactivation Responsive (TAR) element. Once Tat is made, it binds to TAR and drastically activates transcription from the HIV LTR promoter. Mutations in either the Tat protein or TAR sequence usually affect HIV replication, indicating a strong requirement for their conservation. The necessity of the Tat-mediated transactivation cascade for robust HIV replication renders Tat one of the most desirable targets for transcriptional therapy against HIV replication. Screening based on inhibition of the Tat-TAR interaction has identified a number of potential compounds, but none of them are currently used as therapeutics, partly because these agents are not easily delivered for an efficient therapy, emphasizing the need for small molecule compounds. Here we will give an overview of the different strategies used to inhibit HIV transcription and review the current repertoire of small molecular weight compounds that target HIV transcription.
On Using Entropy for Enhancing Handwriting Preprocessing
Authors: Holzinger Andreas , Stocker Christof , Peischl Bernhard , Simonic Klaus-Martin
Published: November 2012

Handwriting is an important modality for Human-Computer Interaction. For medical professionals, handwriting is (still) the preferred natural method of documentation. Handwriting recognition has long been a primary research area in Computer Science. With the tremendous ubiquity of smartphones, along with the renaissance of the stylus, handwriting recognition has become a new impetus. However, recognition rates are still not 100% perfect, and researchers still are constantly improving handwriting algorithms. In this paper we evaluate the performance of entropy based slant- and skew-correction, and compare the results to other methods. We selected 3700 words of 23 writers out of the Unipen-ICROW-03 benchmark set, which we annotated with their associated error angles by hand. Our results show that the entropy-based slant correction method outperforms a window based approach with an average precision of ±6.02° for the entropy-based method, compared with the ±7.85° for the alternative. On the other hand, the entropy-based skew correction yields a lower average precision of ±2:86°, compared with the average precision of ±2.13° for the alternative LSM based approach.
Fire Effects on Soils in Lake States Forests: A Compilation of Published Research to Facilitate Long-Term Investigations
Authors: Miesel Jessica R. , Goebel P. Charles , Corace R. Gregory , Hix David M. , Kolka Randall , Palik Brian , Mladenoff David
Published: November 2012

Fire-adapted forests of the Lake States region are poorly studied relative to those of the western and southeastern United States and our knowledge base of regional short- and long-term fire effects on soils is limited. We compiled and assessed the body of literature addressing fire effects on soils in Lake States forests to facilitate the re-measurement of previous studies for the development of new long-term datasets, and to identify existing gaps in the regional knowledge of fire effects on forest soils. Most studies reviewed addressed fire effects on chemical properties in pine-dominated forests, and long-term (>10 years) studies were limited. The major gaps in knowledge we identified include: (1) information on fire temperature and behavior information that would enhance interpretation of fire effects; (2) underrepresentation of the variety of forest types in the Lake States region; (3) information on nutrient fluxes and ecosystem processes; and (4) fire effects on soil organisms. Resolving these knowledge gaps via future research will provide for a more comprehensive understanding of fire effects in Lake States forest soils. Advancing the understanding of fire effects on soil processes and patterns in Lake States forests is critical for designing regionally appropriate long-term forest planning and management activities.
Insight into Alternative Approaches for Control of Avian Influenza in Poultry, with Emphasis on Highly Pathogenic H5N1
Authors: Abdelwhab E. , Hafez Hafez
Published: November 2012

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) of subtype H5N1 causes a devastating disease in poultry but when it accidentally infects humans it can cause death. Therefore, decrease the incidence of H5N1 in humans needs to focus on prevention and control of poultry infections. Conventional control strategies in poultry based on surveillance, stamping out, movement restriction and enforcement of biosecurity measures did not prevent the virus spreading, particularly in developing countries. Several challenges limit efficiency of the vaccines to prevent outbreaks of HPAIV H5N1 in endemic countries. Alternative and complementary approaches to reduce the current burden of H5N1 epidemics in poultry should be encouraged. The use of antiviral chemotherapy and natural compounds, avian-cytokines, RNA interference, genetic breeding and/or development of transgenic poultry warrant further evaluation as integrated intervention strategies for control of HPAIV H5N1 in poultry.
Palladium-catalyzed C–N and C–O bond formation of N-substituted 4-bromo-7-azaindoles with amides, amines, amino acid esters and phenols
Authors: Surasani Rajendra , Kalita Dipak , Rao A V Dhanunjaya , Chandrasekhar K B
Published: November 2012

Simple and efficient procedures for palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of N-substituted 4-bromo-7-azaindole (1H-pyrrole[2,3-b]pyridine), with amides, amines, amino acid esters and phenols through C–N and C–O bond formation have been developed. The C–N cross-coupling reaction of amides, amines and amino acid esters takes place rapidly by using the combination of Xantphos, Cs2CO3, dioxane and palladium catalyst precursors Pd(OAc)2/Pd2(dba)3. The combination of Pd(OAc)2, Xantphos, K2CO3 and dioxane was found to be crucial for the C–O cross-coupling reaction. This is the first report on coupling of amides, amino acid esters and phenols with N-protected 4-bromo-7-azaindole derivatives.
La longue marche vers une appropriation cognitive du web : le cas de la bande dessinée
Authors: Benhamou Françoise , Moureau Nathalie , Peltier Stéphanie
Published: November 2012

Résumé Si une abondante littérature a été développée sur les spécificités de l’information sur le Web, peu de travaux ont traité de l’importance relative de l’acquisition d’information Web et hors Web et du rôle que joue l’expérience des individus tant vis-à-vis du bien convoité que des nouvelles technologies. L’objet de cet article est d’étudier dans quelle mesure le numérique constitue une source d’informations utilisée par les lecteurs de bande dessinée. Nous montrons, à partir d’une enquête réalisée auprès d’un public d’étudiants, que dans l’ensemble les comportements sur le Web se développent au plus près de la quête d’information dans le monde physique, avec des différences selon l’expérience des lecteurs. Si les individus utilisent largement Internet dans leurs pratiques quotidiennes, les usages qu’ils en font varient selon leurs habitudes de consommation passées en vertu d’un effet d’apprentissage, et dans l’ensemble la révolution cognitive ne semble pas s’être opérée. Nous notons le cas spécifique du Web 2.0 qui n’est pas parvenu à supplanter son homologue, le traditionnel bouche à oreille. S’il offre de nouvelles opportunités de traitement de l’information (communication stockable et classable), il ne réussit pas à supplanter la perte de confiance induite du fait de la disparition de la rencontre physique des acteurs.
« Comme un chien à carreau »
Authors: Molinier Pascale , Cepeda Maria Fernanda
Published: November 2012

Résumé En Colombie, le recours à une employée domestique est banal dans toutes les classes sociales. Une loi de professionnalisation des employées fixant leurs droits existe depuis 1992. L’article présente les résultats d’une investigation réalisée en 2009 à Bogotá auprès d’un groupe de femmes chefs de famille qui ont exercé cette activité. Il s’agissait de savoir où passe, pour ces dernières, la ligne de partage entre service et servitude. Les principaux résultats concernent l’intrication psychologique des sphères familiale et professionnelle, en particulier l’articulation entre la persistance de la violence intradomestique et le désir d’être bien traité par les employeurs. Dans l’ordre des priorités psychologiques, être bien traité ( care ) est plus important que faire respecter ses droits (justice).
Strabismus in Craniosynostosis
Authors: Rosenberg Jamie B. , Tepper Oren M. , Medow Norman B.
Published: November 2012

Strabismus is common in craniosynostosis, with rates from 39% to 90.9% in Crouzon, Apert, Pfeiffer, and Saethre-Chotzen syndromes. This article reviews the epidemiology of strabismus in these disorders and discusses competing theories of the mechanism, including absent muscles, excyclorotation of muscles, and instability of muscle pulleys. The authors then review options for surgical treatment of the often complex ocular misalignment in these disorders.
[J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2013;50(3):140–148.]
A Human Resource Development Program for Information Technology Engineers using Project-Based Learning
Authors: Nakayama Minoru , Fueki Manabu , Seki Shinji , Uehara Toshikazu , Matsumoto Kenji
Published: November 2012

This paper reports the case of an educational practice and evaluation of team learning using project-based learning to develop Information Technology engineers. This program aims to develop the competencies of engineers, such as their communication skills, problem solving within teams, and other abilities. Its subject is the â??Upper Processâ? of Information Technology systems development. To determine the feasibility of the course, it was conducted at a computer college. The teamâ??s products and team learning activities were evaluated using rubrics and self evaluation inventories, and learning performance was discussed. Also, the evaluation of the learning management system affected the learning activity.
Domain Ontology, an Instrument of Semantic Web Knowledge Management in e-Learning
Authors: Gladun Anatoly Jasonovich , Rogushina Julia Vitalijevna , Schreurs Jeanne
Published: November 2012

Domain ontology is proposed as an instrument for controlling of e-learning course results. This approach instead of traditional testing more objectively reflects the structure of studentsâ?? knowledge. Use of ontologies for knowledge representation provides interoperability of the used testing systems. The domain knowledge has been found and reuse in the semantic web world. Domain ontology developing is based on the principles of ontological analysis. The method of itâ??s use for evaluation of the learnersâ?? knowledge results is based on matching of the learnersâ?? ontology with the reference ontology proposed by the trainer/tutor. A multi-agent system for e-learning (M(e)L ) has been defined and a prototype system has been developed. In a case, the domain ontology and the semantic web representation has been applied in two e-learning university courses.
A Self-Supervised Approach to Comment Spam Detection Based on Content Analysis
Authors: Bhattarai A. , Dasgupta D.
Published: November 2012

This paper studies the problems and threats posed by a type of spam in the blogosphere, called blog comment spam. It explores the challenges introduced by comment spam, generalizing the analysis substantially to any other short text type spam. The authors analyze different high-level features of spam and legitimate comments based on the content of blog postings. The authors use these features to cluster data separately for each feature using K-Means clustering algorithm. The authors also use self-supervised learning, which could classify spam and legitimate comments automatically. Compared with existing solutions, this approach demonstrates more flexibility and adaptability to the environment, as it requires minimal human intervention. The preliminary evaluation of the proposed spam detection system shows promising results.
Wild-Inspired Intrusion Detection System Framework for High Speed Networks (f|p) IDS Framework
Authors: Sallay Hassen , Rouached Mohsen , Ammar Adel , Ben Fredj Ouissem , Al-Shalfan Khalid , Ben Saad Majdi
Published: November 2012

While the rise of the Internet and the high speed networks made information easier to acquire, faster to exchange and more flexible to share, it also made the cybernetic attacks and crimes easier to perform, more accurate to hit the target victim and more flexible to conceal the crime evidences. Although people are in an unsafe digital environment, they often feel safe. Being aware of this fact and this fiction, the authors draw in this paper a security framework aiming to build real-time security solutions in the very narrow context of high speed networks. This framework is called (f|p) since it is inspired by the elefant self-defense behavior which yields p (22 security tasks for 7 security targets).
Medical Image Classification Using an Optimal Feature Extraction Algorithm and a Supervised Classifier Technique
Authors: Kharrat Ahmed , Gasmi Karim , Ben Messaoud Mohamed , Benamrane Nacéra , Abid Mohamed
Published: November 2012

A new approach for automated diagnosis and classification of Magnetic Resonance (MR) human brain images is proposed. The proposed method uses Wavelets Transform (WT) as input module to Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). It segregates MR brain images into normal and abnormal. This contribution employs genetic algorithm for feature selection which requires much lighter computational burden in comparison with Sequential Floating Backward Selection (SFBS) and Sequential Floating Forward Selection (SFFS) methods. A percentage reduction rate of 88.63% is achieved. An excellent classification rate of 100% could be achieved using the support vector machine. The observed results are significantly better than the results reported in a previous research work employing Wavelet Transform and Support Vector Machine.
On Localities of Knowledge Inconsistency
Authors: Zhang Du
Published: November 2012

Inconsistency is commonplace in the real world in long-term memory and knowledge based systems. Managing inconsistency is considered a hallmark of the plasticity of human intelligence. Belief revision is an important mental process that underpins human intelligence. To facilitate belief revision, it is necessary to know the localities and contexts of inconsistency and how different types of inconsistency are clustered. In this paper, the author provides a formal definition of locality of inconsistency and describes how to identify clusters of inconsistent circumstances in a knowledge base. The results pave the way for a disciplined approach to manage knowledge inconsistency.