bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ruptured mucinous cystic neoplasm with an associated invasive carcinoma of pancreatic head in a pregnant woman: Report of a case and review of literature
Authors: Naganuma Seiji , Honda Kei , Noriki Sakon , Kimura Sotai , Murakami Makoto , Koneri Kenji , Katayama Kanji , Yamaguchi Akio , Itoh Hiroshi
Published: November 2010

Mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) of the pancreas is characterized by mucin‐producing columnar epithelium and an ovarian‐type stroma. It occurs almost exclusively in women and is almost always located in the pancreatic body or tail. Here, we report a case of large MCN located in the pancreatic head but not in the body nor tail in a 32‐year‐old pregnant woman, which was thought to have grown rapidly during pregnancy. It was ruptured at 34 weeks of gestation and the patient was admitted to the emergency department of the University of Fukui Hospital with an acute abdomen. Emergency cesarean section followed by pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The tumor consisted of many small cysts lined by a single‐layer of mucinous epithelium with papillary growth and partial solid parts showing invasive growth and sarcomatoid changes, indicating mucinous cystic neoplasm with an associated invasive carcinoma (previously referred as mucinous cystadenocarcinoma). Thickened septa revealed ovarian‐type stroma strongly positive for α‐inhibin and partly positive for progesterone receptor immunohistochemically. We also review and discuss previous reports of MCNs including those with an associated invasive carcinoma in pregnant patients.
Reactions to caregiving of frail, older persons predict depression
Authors: Aggar Christina , Ronaldson Susan , Cameron Ian D.
Published: November 2010

Reactions to caregiving and depression affect a carer's ability to continue in their caring role. This paper examines the relationship between reactions to caregiving and depression in carers of frail, older people and is a cross‐sectional study of carers of community‐living people (≥70 years), identified as frail, who completed a postal questionnaire. Reactions to caregiving were evaluated using the Caregiver Reaction Assessment. Anxiety and depression symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Borderline depressive symptoms were reported in 15% of carers, and 10% had abnormal depressive symptoms. Anxiety symptoms in the carers were slightly higher at 24% and 12%, respectively. Multiple regression indicated that the impact on carers' daily schedules (β = 1.419, P = 0.001; β = 1.162, P = 0.025) and their health (β = 1.509, P = 0.007; β = 1.850, P = 0.006) as a result of caregiving explained 49% of the variance in carers' depressive symptoms (P < 0.001) and 42% of the variance in their anxiety symptoms (P < 0.001). Specific reactions to caregiving are important predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms in carers of frail, older people. Regular carer support services and targeted health‐care initiatives could alleviate or lessen negative reactions associated with caregiving, such as depression.
Are immigrants in the nursing industry at increased risk of bullying at work? A one‐year follow‐up study
Authors: HOGH ANNIE , CARNEIRO ISABELLA GOMES , GIVER HANNE , RUGULIES REINER
Published: November 2010

Hogh, A., Gomes Carneiro, I., Giver, H. & Rugulies, R. (2011). Are immigrant health care workers subject to increased risk of bullying at work? A one‐year prospective study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 49–56.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether (a) immigrant health care workers (HCW) are more at risk of bullying at work than Danish staff members, (b) this association is increased by previous exposure to bullying and (c) immigrants experience more bullying from supervisors, colleagues and clients/residents. We analyzed cross‐sectional baseline data from 5,635 health care students of whom 10.4% were immigrants, and conducted a prospective analysis by following 3,109 of these respondents during their first year of employment. More than a third of the respondents had previous experiences with bullying. The baseline analyses showed that immigrants are more at risk of being bullied during both their theoretical education and trainee periods than their Danish co‐students. At follow‐up we found that 9.1% of the total cohort had been exposed to bullying at work during their first year of employment, hereof 1.8% frequently. “Non‐Western” immigrants had a significantly higher risk of exposure to bullying at work during follow‐up than the Danish respondents independent of previous experience with bullying. Danish and immigrant health care workers were more exposed to bullying from co‐workers than from supervisors with no statistically significant difference between the Danes and the immigrant groups. Both “Western” and “non‐Western” respondents were more at risk of bullying from clients/residents than the Danish respondents.
Are lies more wrong than errors? Accuracy judgments of inaccurate statements
Authors: TEIGEN KARL HALVOR , FILKUKOVÁ PETRA
Published: November 2010

Teigen, K.H. & Filkuková, P. (2011). Are lies more wrong than errors? Accuracy judgments of inaccurate statements. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 8–20.

People are often mistaken when estimating and predicting quantities, and sometimes they report values that they know are false: they lie. There exists, however, little research devoted to how such deviations are being perceived. In four vignette studies, participants were asked to rate the accuracy of inaccurate statements about quantities (prices, numbers and amounts). The results indicate that overstatements are generally judged to be more inaccurate than understatements of the same magnitude; self‐favorable (optimistic) statements are considered more inaccurate than unfavorable (pessimistic) statements, and false reports (lies) are perceived to be more inaccurate than equally mistaken estimates. Lies about the future did not differ from lies about the past, but own lies were perceived as larger than the same lies attributed to another person. It is suggested that estimates are judged according to how close they come to the true values (close estimates are more correct than estimates that are less close), whereas lies are judged as deviant from truth, with less importance attached to the magnitude of the deviation.
What Makes a Good Decision? Robust Satisficing as a Normative Standard of Rational Decision Making
Authors: SCHWARTZ BARRY , BEN‐HAIM YAKOV , DACSO CLIFF
Published: November 2010

Most decisions in life involve ambiguity, where probabilities can not be meaningfully specified, as much as they involve probabilistic uncertainty. In such conditions, the aspiration to utility maximization may be self‐deceptive. We propose “robust satisficing” as an alternative to utility maximizing as the normative standard for rational decision making in such circumstances. Instead of seeking to maximize the expected value, or utility, of a decision outcome, robust satisficing aims to maximize the robustness to uncertainty of a satisfactory outcome. That is, robust satisficing asks, “what is a ‘good enough’ outcome,” and then seeks the option that will produce such an outcome under the widest set of circumstances. We explore the conditions under which robust satisficing is a more appropriate norm for decision making than utility maximizing.
Testing hypotheses that link wood anatomy to cavitation resistance and hydraulic conductivity in the genus Acer
Authors: Lens Frederic , Sperry John S. , Christman Mairgareth A. , Choat Brendan , Rabaey David , Jansen Steven
Published: November 2010

Tansley medal winner p 509
Endogenous bacterial flora in pregnant women and the influence of maternal genetic variation
Authors: Genc MR , Onderdonk A
Published: November 2010

Please cite this paper as: Genc M, Onderdonk A. Endogenous bacterial flora in pregnant women and the influence of maternal genetic variation. BJOG 2011;118:154–163.

Preterm labour, premature prelabour rupture of membranes and low birth weight have all been associated with either specific maternal genital tract infections or an altered vaginal microflora during pregnancy. Factors that influence the variation in microbial–host interaction play an important role in individual susceptibility to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The innate immune responses at mucosal surfaces play a crucial role against microbial invasion. Multiple genes are responsible for the regulation of the innate immune system. Genetic polymorphisms that disrupt innate immune recognition or the responses to infectious microorganisms could explain the alterations in microflora and individual susceptibility to pregnancy complications.
Accommodative response to peripheral stimuli in myopes and emmetropes
Authors: Hartwig Andreas , Charman W Neil , Radhakrishnan Hema
Published: November 2010

Citation information: Hartwig A, Charman WN & Radhakrishnan H. Accommodative response to peripheral stimuli in myopes and emmetropes. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 91–99. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2010.00796.x

Purpose:  It has been suggested that peripheral refractive error may influence eye growth and the development of axial refractive error, implying that the peripheral retina is sensitive to defocus. This study aimed to evaluate the steady‐state accommodative response to peripheral stimuli in 10 young, adult myopes (mean spherical equivalent error −2.10 ± 1.72 D, median −1.63 D, range −0.83 to −6.00 D) and 10 emmetropes (mean spherical equivalent error −0.02 ± 0.35 D, median +0.08 D, range −0.50 to +0.50 D).

Methods:  The subjects were asked to view monocularly the centre of a screen displaying each of a series of eccentric accommodative targets placed at 5, 10 and 15°. An axial target was viewed for comparison purposes. Accommodation was measured using an open‐field autorefractor, each stimulus being varied between about 0 and 4 D with spherical trial lenses placed in front of the viewing eye.

Results:  The results confirm that the peripheral retina is sensitive to optical focus, up to field angles of at least 15°, with accommodative responses weakening as the peripheral angle increases. There is some evidence that peripheral accommodation may be less effective in myopes than emmetropes.

Conclusions:  Although peripheral accommodation can be demonstrated in the absence of a central stimulus, the accommodation response is normally dominated by the central stimulus and it seems unlikely that peripheral accommodation effects play an important role in refractive development.
Four strategies used during intrasexual competition for mates
Authors: FISHER MARYANNE , COX ANTHONY
Published: November 2010

Research on intrasexual competition for mates focused on the strategies of self‐promotion and competitor derogation. Although these strategies describe many competitive behaviors, it was predicted that they do not describe all possible strategies. In Study 1, a qualitative investigation, participants reported how they compete with same‐sex rivals for mates. This led to the discovery of the strategies of competitor manipulation and mate manipulation. All 4 strategies were compared and no sex difference in their frequency of application was found. In Study 2, a quantitative survey using the 4 strategies was created. There was no sex difference in strategy use, but those involved in a romantic relationship were significantly more likely to use competitor derogation than any other strategy.
Bilateral Widespread Mechanical Pain Hypersensitivity as Sign of Central Sensitization in Patients With Cluster Headache
Authors: Fernández‐de‐las‐Peñas César , Ortega‐Santiago Ricardo , Cuadrado María L. , López‐de‐Silanes Carlos , Pareja Juan A.
Published: November 2010

Objective.— To investigate bilateral widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia in deep tissues over symptomatic (trigemino‐cervical) and nonsymptomatic (distant pain‐free) regions in patients with cluster headache (CH).

Background.— Central sensitization is claimed to play a relevant role in CH. No study has previously searched for widespread pressure hyperalgesia in deep tissues over both symptomatic (trigemino‐cervical) and nonsymptomatic (distant pain‐free) regions in patients with CH.

Methods.— Sixteen men (mean age: 43 ± 11 years) with CH in a remission phase and 16 matched controls were recruited. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were bilaterally measured over the supra‐orbital (V1), infra‐orbital (V2), mental (V3), median (C5), radial (C6), and ulnar (C7) nerves, C5‐C6 zygapophyseal joint, mastoid process, and tibialis anterior muscle by an assessor blinded to the subjects' condition.

Results.— The results showed that PPT levels were significantly decreased bilaterally in patients with CH as compared with healthy controls (all sites, P < .001). A greater degree of sensitization over the mastoid process (P < .001) and a lower degree of sensitization over the tibialis anterior muscle (P < .01) was found.

Conclusions.— Our findings revealed bilateral widespread pressure pain hypersensitivity in patients with CH confirming the presence of central sensitization mechanisms in this headache condition.
The Script Concordance Test as a Measure of Clinical Reasoning Skills in Geriatric Urinary Incontinence
Authors: Ruiz Jorge G. , Tunuguntla Renuka , Charlin Bernard , Ouslander Joseph G. , Symes Stephen N. , Gagnon Robert , Phancao Francois , Roos Bernard A.
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVES: To validate the use of a script concordance test (SCT), a tool to assess clinical reasoning in contexts of uncertainty, which are common in clinical geriatrics practice, on geriatric urinary incontinence (UI) to discriminate levels of expertise in this content area.

DESIGN: A reference panel (15 geriatricians) and 12 respondents (10 senior geriatrics fellows and 2 interns) completed an online 100‐item SCT test covering major topics in UI. The test was then optimized by discarding items with negative item–total correlation; the remaining 70 questions covered all major topics in UI. The test was then administered to a second group of participants with different levels of experience, mostly from the University of Miami: eight geriatricians, nine junior geriatrics fellows, 53 internal medicine residents, and 26 medical students. Investigators assessed test reliability and construct validity (to discriminate between levels of expertise).

SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center and affiliated medical school.

PARTICIPANTS: Medical students, internal medicine residents, geriatric medicine fellows, and practicing geriatricians.

MEASUREMENTS: Seventy‐item SCT.

RESULTS: The Cronbach alpha for the 70‐item test was 0.72. Mean scores were 75.3 ± 7.9 for geriatricians (n=23), 69.0 ± 9.3 for senior geriatrics fellows (n=10), 66.4 ± 6.8 for junior geriatrics fellows n=(9), 66.1 ± 5.7 for residents (n=53), and 65.6 ± 8.5 for students (n=26). Using analysis of variance, significant differences were found between the mean scores of the geriatricians and all other participants except senior fellows.

CONCLUSION: The geriatric UI SCT demonstrated moderate reliability and evidence of construct validity, discriminating between experienced and nonexperienced physicians.
A Novel Emergency Medical Services–Based Program to Identify and Assist Older Adults in a Rural Community
Authors: Shah Manish N. , Caprio Thomas V. , Swanson Peter , Rajasekaran Karthik , Ellison Joan H. , Smith Kaaren , Frame Paul , Cypher Paul , Karuza Jurgis , Katz Paul
Published: November 2010

Rural‐dwelling older adults experience unique challenges related to accessing medical and social services. This article describes the development, implementation, and experience of a novel, community‐based program to identify rural‐dwelling older adults with unmet medical and social needs that leveraged the existing emergency medical services (EMS) system. The program specifically included geriatrics training for EMS providers; screening of older adult EMS patients for falls, depression, and medication management strategies by EMS providers; communication of EMS findings to community‐based case managers; in‐home evaluation by case managers; and referral to community resources for medical and social interventions. Measures used to evaluate the program included patient needs identified by EMS or the in‐home assessment, referrals provided to patients, and patient satisfaction. EMS screened 1,231 of 1,444 visits to older patients (85%). Of those receiving specific screens, 45% had fall‐related, 69% medication management–related, and 20% depression‐related needs identified. One hundred and seventy‐one eligible EMS patients who could be contacted accepted the in‐home assessment. Of the 153 individuals completing the assessment, 91% had identified needs and received referrals or interventions. This project demonstrated that screening by EMS during emergency care for common geriatric syndromes and linkage to case managers is feasible in this rural community, although many will refuse the services. Further patient evaluations by case managers, with subsequent interventions by existing service providers as required, can facilitate the needed linkages between vulnerable rural‐dwelling older adults and needed community‐based social and medical services.
Hospitalization and Change in Body Composition and Strength in a Population‐Based Cohort of Older Persons
Authors: Alley Dawn E. , Koster Annemarie , Mackey Dawn , Cawthon Peggy , Ferrucci Luigi , Simonsick Eleanor M. , Yu Binbing , Hardy Susan , Goodpaster Bret , Sarkisian Catherine , Houston Denise K. , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Cummings Steven , Lee Jung‐Sun , Tylavsky Frances A. , Newman Anne , Harris Tamara ,   for the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study
Published: November 2010

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between hospitalization and annual changes in body composition and strength in older adults.

DESIGN: Cohort study.

SETTING: Clinic examinations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, or Memphis, Tennessee.

PARTICIPANTS: Well‐functioning adults aged 70 to 79 who participated in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

MEASUREMENTS: Hospitalizations were reported at annual clinic visits and in semiannual phone interviews. In the event of death or reported hospitalization, hospitalizations were adjudicated according to medical record review. Dual X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) assessments of total, lean, and fat mass were conducted in six annual examinations, and measures of knee extensor strength were conducted in two annual examinations.

RESULTS: DXA assessments followed 2,309 hospitalizations. In men and women, hospitalization in the previous year was associated with greater declines in total mass (−0.76 and −0.81 kg, respectively), fat mass (−0.41 and −0.54 kg), and lean mass (−0.33 and −0.25 kg) (P<.001 for all) than in nonhospitalized participants, after adjustment for demographics and baseline values. Hospitalization was associated with strength declines in men (−4.02 Nm, P=.046) but not in women. Relationships were similar after adjusting for health behaviors and chronic conditions, although the association between hospitalization and strength was attenuated. Associations increased with number of days hospitalized; hospitalizations totaling 8 days or more in the previous year were associated with significantly greater loss of total, lean, and fat mass and loss of strength in both sexes than in nonhospitalized participants.

CONCLUSION: Hospitalization is associated with significant changes in body composition and strength in older persons. These effects appear particularly important in persons hospitalized for 8 or more days per year.
Effects of Nursing Practice Environments on Quality Outcomes in Nursing Homes
Authors: Flynn Linda , Liang Yulan , Dickson Geri L. , Aiken Linda H.
Published: November 2010

The objective of this study was to determine whether nurse staffing levels and modifiable characteristics of the nursing practice environment are associated with important quality indicators represented by the percentage of residents with pressure ulcers and numbers of deficiency citations in nursing homes. A cross‐sectional design linked nurse survey data, aggregated to the facility level, with Nursing Home Compare, a publicly available federal database containing nursing home–level measures of quality. The facility sample consisted of 63 Medicare‐ and Medicaid‐certified nursing homes in New Jersey, and the nurse survey sample comprised 340 registered nurses providing direct resident care. Characteristics of the practice environment were measured using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, included in the nurse survey. The total number of deficiency citations, the percentage of residents with pressure ulcers, nurse staffing levels, and facility characteristics were extracted from the Nursing Home Compare database. Results indicated that a supportive practice environment was inversely associated with the percentage of residents with pressure ulcers and fully mediated the effect of profit status on this important outcome. The nursing practice environment and facility size explained 25% of the variance in quality deficiencies. There were no associations between staffing levels and quality indicators. Findings indicate that administrative initiatives to create environments that support nursing practice may hold promise for improving quality indicators in nursing homes.
The distinction between star clusters and associations
Authors: Gieles Mark , Portegies Zwart Simon F.
Published: November 2010

In Galactic studies a distinction is made between (open) star clusters and associations. For barely resolved objects at a distance of several Mpc, this distinction is not trivial to make. Here we provide an objective definition by comparing the age of the stars to the crossing time of nearby stellar agglomerates. We find that a satisfactory separation can be made where this ratio equals unity. Stellar agglomerates for which the age of the stars exceeds the crossing time are bound, and are referred to as star clusters. Alternatively, those for which the crossing time exceeds the stellar age are unbound and are referred to as associations. This definition is useful whenever reliable measurements for the mass, radius and age are available.
APPLICATION OF GASEOUS OZONE TO INACTIVATE BACILLUS CEREUS IN PROCESSED RICE
Authors: SHAH NOR NADIAH ABDUL KARIM , RAHMAN RUSSLY ABDUL , CHUAN LING TAU , HASHIM DZULKIFLY MAT
Published: November 2010

The effect of ozonation as a method to reduce Bacillus cereus count in processed rice was investigated. Hundred grams of processed rice was exposed to gaseous ozone in an inert glass condenser at 20 ± 3C and 50% relative humidity. Ozone concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 ppm up to 7 h were used. Enumerations of B. cereus were done before ozonation treatment to establish the initial counts of B. cereus in processed rice. The experiments were done in an air‐conditioned room and samples were then kept at ambient temperature pre‐ and post‐ozonation to emulate normal conditions in rice storage facilities. Within 24 h, the ozonated samples were then enumerated by surface spread plating technique. Significant trends were observed in comparison with the non‐ozonated rice samples. Non‐ozonated rice samples were found with an average of 5.50 ± 0.28 log count (cfu/g). Up to 1.63 log reductions of B. cereus counts were observed above 0.3 ppm ozone concentration at the end of 420 min of treatment. B. cereus counts were shown to decrease to 3.62 ± 0.38 log count (cfu/g) at 0.4 ppm ozone concentration for 420 min of ozone treatment.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Uncooked rice grains are frequently contaminated with Bacillus cereus spores, which are resistant to heat and can survive boiling. If cooked rice is subsequently stored at room temperatures for an amount of time, the heat‐resistant spores will germinate, proliferate and may produce emetic toxin. No official information is available on the incidence of B. cereus poisoning in Malaysia but rice poisoning was often headlined as the main cause of foodborne illness. The aim of this study is to inactivate B. cereus count in raw rice, subsequently in cooked rice, and to prolong the shelf life of cooked rice. Ozone, with its antimicrobial properties and the ability to effectively kill 90% of microbial counts, was used at its highest advantage to minimize the B. cereus counts in processed rice.
EVALUATION OF SUGAR INVERSION IN CHEWING GUM ADDED OF SODIUM LACTATE
Authors: VALDUGA EUNICE , LAZZARI MARCELO ROBERTO , VARDANEGA RENATA , DI LUCCIO MARCO
Published: November 2010

The present work studied the effect of the addition of sodium lactate and of storage conditions on the stability of chewing gums. A full factorial experimental design 24 was used to investigate the effect of the concentration of citric and lactic acid in the formulation and the use of sodium lactate as buffering agent, as well as the change in relative humidity (RH) of storage. The chewing gum was stored for 180 days only with the individual packing. The samples were periodically assayed for pH, moisture, mass gain, water activity, concentration of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose), total reducing sugar and visual aspect of the product. The most expressive change was observed in the condition of highest RH (80%), where the samples became sticky after the 90th day of storage. During storage at 30% RH, the product became gradually harder, making chewing more difficult. An expressive acceleration of cold melt and glucose and fructose concentration was verified in the samples elaborated with 1% of citric acid, without addition of sodium lactate and in the samples elaborated with 0.8% of lactic acid, 0.2% of citric acid and without addition of sodium lactate. This latter was already sticky after 60 days of storage. The addition of sodium lactate (1.08% dry basis) to the formulation favored stability of the product, as well as the use of lactic acid, instead of citric acid.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The challenges of the confectionery industry are quite expressive, since the consumers' demand for quality and novelty is constantly increasing, rising the need to guarantee the quality and the stability of the products. The most frequent problems are related to very soft gums that stick to the packing film or very hard gums that are difficult to chew. One of the factors that contribute to these problems is the different climatic situations to which the products may be submitted and sugar inversion during storage of the product. The frequent need for improvement of the candy industry, allied with the lack of researches that involve the evaluation of chewing gum stability, motivates this study, which aimed at investigating the factors that interfere in the stability of chewing gums.
DETERMINING CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENT (h) FOR HEATING AND COOLING OF BOTTLES IN WATER IMMERSION
Authors: AUGUSTO PEDRO E.D. , PINHEIRO TALITA FERRAMOLA , CRISTIANINI MARCELO
Published: November 2010

Thermal process, specially the in‐package process, is one of the safest and most frequently used methods for food preservation. Mathematical models for heat transfer have been widely used as a powerful tool in safety and high‐quality food process design. The convective heat transfer coefficient (h) is essential for heat flux calculation in model boundary conditions, and its determination must be done by the actual heat transfer system. The present study has determined the h‐values for two commercial bottles (G1 and G2) in two water immersion systems, one for heating and one for cooling. It was calculated by an inverse heat transfer problem, using computational fluid dynamics. Two methodologies for h determination were compared, using either a conductive material or a convective material inside the packages. The methodology that uses a conductive material showed simpler and faster computational simulation, but presented a limitation related with the Biot number of the process. Results indicated a limitation in the most used methodology for h determination, and suggest that the convective material methodology can be an alternative for this analysis. For the same systems, the hheating value for G1 was almost 50% higher than for G2, and hcooling values for G1 were almost 70% higher than for G2. Differences obtained between bottles highlight the need to determine h for the exact heat transfer system. Moreover, these results indicate that there is a potential for process optimization only by varying its package format, as it can influence the heat flux for the packaging.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The results obtained from this study highlight the influence of geometry on the convective heat transfer coefficient among bottles and immersion water systems. It also confirms the possibility of optimizing the thermal process through package format changes, allowing the obtainment of safer products with better sensorial and nutritional characteristics at a lower cost and energy expenditure. However, further studies are needed to better understand the package geometry in thermal processes. On the other hand, it contributes for thermal processes studies as it stands out the importance of determining this property for the actual system studied, besides showing its limitations for determination based on a conductive product widely utilized in the literature.
Micropulse diode laser trabeculoplasty – 180‐degree treatment
Authors: Rantala Elina , Välimäki Juha
Published: November 2010

Purpose:  To evaluate the outcome of 180° micropulse diode laser trabeculoplasty (MDLT) in patients with open‐angle glaucoma.

Methods:  A retrospective review of 40 eyes of 29 MDLT‐treated patients with a minimum follow‐up time of 6 months. Successful outcome was defined as follows: (i) a ≥20% or (ii) a ≥3‐mmHg decrease of intraocular pressure (IOP), no further need for laser‐ or incisional surgery and the number of glaucoma medication was the same or less than preoperative. These definitions will from now on be referred to as definition one and definition two.

Results:  Life‐table analysis showed an overall success rate of 2.5% (1/40) and 7.5% (3/40) (according to definitions one and two, respectively) after up to 19 months of follow‐up. The average time for failure was by definition one 2.9 months (standard deviation, SD ± 3.5, range 1–12 months) and by definition two 3.3 months (SD ± 3.9, range 1–16 months). There were no intra‐ or postoperative complications caused by MDLT. Postoperative inflammatory reaction, cells and flare, was scanty.

Conclusion:  Our results suggest that 180° MDLT is a safe but ineffective treatment in patients with open‐angle glaucoma.
Numerical Studies of Thermal Transport and Mechanical Effects Due to Thermal-Inertia Loading in PEMFC Stack in Subfreezing Environment
Authors: Sun Pengtao , Zhou Su
Published: November 2010

The thermal transport phenomena and mechanical effects due to thermal-inertia loading during start-up/shut-down operations in a 3D proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack in a subfreezing environment are studied in this paper. Under the protection of a specific heat insulator, we investigate the time consumption problem due to thermal transport during the heating-startup/cooling-shutdown processes in order to find a way to normally restart PEMFC stack without regard to the electrochemical reaction. On the other hand, the mechanical effects due to thermal-inertia loading are illustrated as well for PEMFC stack in subfreezing environment. In the numerical simulations, we design a combined finite element/upwind finite-volume discretization to approximate the thermal transport equation for different cases of thermal transport process and a finite element approximation to solve the displacement fields of thermal/inertia-induced mechanical problem for a 3D PEMFC stack. The numerical results provide the rational guidance to preserve heat in PEMFC stack in order to start fast before electrochemical reactions occur and prevent the stack from interior and exterior mechanical damages. The optimization design for the material of PEMFC stack to reduce the remarkable mechanical effects due to inertia loading is presented as well.
Cost and Entropy Generation Minimization of a Cross-Flow Plate Fin Heat Exchanger Using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Ahmadi Pouria , Hajabdollahi Hassan , Dincer Ibrahim
Published: November 2010

In the present work, a thermal modeling is conducted for optimal design of compact heat exchangers in order to minimize cost and entropy generation. In this regard, an ε−NTU method is applied for estimation of the heat exchanger pressure drop, as well as effectiveness. Fin pitch, fin height, fin offset length, cold stream flow length, no-flow length, and hot stream flow length are considered as six decision variables. Fast and elitist nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (i.e., nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II) is applied to minimize the entropy generation units and the total annual cost (sum of initial investment and operating and maintenance costs) simultaneously. The results for Pareto-optimal front clearly reveal the conflict between two objective functions, the number of entropy generation units and the total annual cost. It reveals that any geometrical changes, which decrease the number of entropy generation units, lead to an increase in the total annual cost and vice versa. Moreover, for prediction of the optimal design of the plate fin heat exchanger, an equation for the number of entropy generation units versus the total annual cost is derived for the Pareto curve. In addition, optimization of heat exchangers based on considering exergy destruction revealed that irreversibilities, such as pressure drop and high temperature difference between cold and hot streams, play a key issue in exergy destruction. Thus, more efficient heat exchanger leads to have a heat exchanger with higher total cost rate. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of change in the optimum number of entropy generation units and the total annual cost with change in the decision variables of the plate fin heat exchanger is also performed, and the results are reported.
Characterization of Novel Bovine Gastrointestinal Tract
Treponema
Isolates and Comparison with Bovine Digital Dermatitis Treponemes
Authors: Evans Nicholas J. , Brown Jennifer M. , Murray Richard D. , Getty Brian , Birtles Richard J. , Hart C. Anthony , Carter Stuart D.
Published: November 2010

This study aimed to isolate and characterize treponemes present in the bovine gastrointestinal (GI) tract and compare them with bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) treponemes. Seven spirochete isolates were obtained from the bovine GI tract, which, on the basis of 16S rRNA gene comparisons, clustered within the genus
Treponema
as four novel phylotypes. One phylotype was isolated from several different GI tract regions, including the omasum, colon, rumen, and rectum. These four phylotypes could be divided into two phylotype pairs that clustered closest with each other and then with different, previously reported rumen treponemes. The treponemes displayed great genotypic and phenotypic diversity between phylotypes and differed considerably from named treponeme species and those recently reported by metagenomic studies of the bovine GI tract. Phylogenetic inference, based on comparisons of 16S rRNA sequences from only bovine treponemes, suggested a marked divergence between two important groups. The dendrogram formed two major clusters, with one cluster containing GI tract treponemes and the other containing BDD treponemes. This division among the bovine treponemes is likely the result of adaptation to different niches. To further differentiate the bovine GI and BDD strains, we designed a degenerate PCR for a gene encoding a putative virulence factor,
tlyC
, which gave a positive reaction only for treponemes from the BDD cluster.
Tetracycline Resistance-Encoding Plasmid from
Bacillus
sp. Strain #24, Isolated from the Marine Sponge
Haliclona simulans
Authors: Phelan Robert W. , Clarke Charles , Morrissey John P. , Dobson Alan D. W. , O'Gara Fergal , Barbosa Teresa M.
Published: November 2010

Knowledge of the nature of resistance determinants in natural habitats is fundamental to increasing our understanding of the development of antibiotic resistance in clinical settings. Here we provide the first report of a tetracycline resistance-encoding plasmid, pBHS24, from a marine sponge-associated bacterium,
Bacillus
sp. strain #24, isolated from
Haliclona simulans
.
Characterization of Cyanate Metabolism in Marine
Synechococcus
and
Prochlorococcus
spp
Authors: Kamennaya Nina A. , Post Anton F.
Published: November 2010

Cyanobacteria of the genera
Synechococcus
and
Prochlorococcus
are the most abundant photosynthetic organisms on earth, occupying a key position at the base of marine food webs. The
cynS
gene that encodes cyanase was identified among bacterial, fungal, and plant sequences in public databases, and the gene was particularly prevalent among cyanobacteria, including numerous
Prochlorococcus
and
Synechococcus
strains. Phylogenetic analysis of
cynS
sequences retrieved from the Global Ocean Survey database identified >60% as belonging to unicellular marine cyanobacteria, suggesting an important role for cyanase in their nitrogen metabolism. We demonstrate here that marine cyanobacteria have a functionally active cyanase, the transcriptional regulation of which varies among strains and reflects the genomic context of
cynS
. In
Prochlorococcus
sp. strain MED4,
cynS
was presumably transcribed as part of the
cynABDS
operon, implying cyanase involvement in cyanate utilization. In
Synechococcus
sp. strain WH8102, expression was not related to nitrogen stress responses and here cyanase presumably serves in the detoxification of cyanate resulting from intracellular urea and/or carbamoyl phosphate decomposition. Lastly, we report on a cyanase activity encoded by
cynH
, a novel gene found in marine cyanobacteria only. The presence of dual cyanase genes in the genomes of seven marine
Synechococcus
strains and their respective roles in nitrogen metabolism remain to be clarified.
Virulence Characterization of Shiga-Toxigenic
Escherichia coli
Isolates from Wholesale Produce
Authors: Feng Peter C. H. , Councell Terry , Keys Christine , Monday Steven R.
Published: November 2010

The 13 Shiga-toxigenic
Escherichia coli
(STEC) strains isolated from wholesale spinach and lettuce consisted mostly of serotypes that have not been implicated in illness. Among these strains, however, were two O113:H21 that carried virulence genes common to this pathogenic serotype (
stx
2
,
ehxA
,
saa
, and
subAB
), suggesting that their presence in ready-to-eat produce may be of health concern.
Stability and Tick Transmission Phenotype ofgfp-TransformedAnaplasma marginalethrough a CompleteIn VivoInfection Cycle
Authors: Noh Susan M. , Ueti Massaro W. , Palmer Guy H. , Munderloh Ulrike G. , Felsheim Roderick F. , Brayton Kelly A.
Published: November 2010

We tested the stability and tick transmission phenotype of transformedAnaplasma marginalethrough a completein vivoinfection cycle. Similar to the wild type, thegfp-transformedA. marginalestrain established infection in cattle, a natural reservoir host, and persisted in immune competent animals. The tick infection rates for the transformedA. marginaleand the wild type were the same. However, there were significantly lower levels of the transformedA. marginalethan of the wild type in the tick. Despite the lower levels of replication, ticks transmitted the transformant. Transformants can serve as valuable tools to dissect the molecular requirements of tick colonization and pathogen transmission.
Suppression of PKG by PDGF or nitric oxide in differentiated aortic smooth muscle cells: obligatory role of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B
Authors: Zhuang Daming , Balani Poonam , Pu Qinghua , Thakran Shalini , Hassid Aviv
Published: November 2010

Treatment of aortic smooth muscle cells with PDGF induces the upregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). PTP1B, in turn, decreases the function of several growth factor receptors, thus completing a negative feedback loop. Studies have reported that PDGF induces the downregulation of PKG as part of a repertoire of dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Other studies have reported that chronic nitric oxide (NO) treatment also induces the downregulation of PKG. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the downregulation of PKG by PDGF or NO in differentiated rat aortic smooth muscle cells can be attributed to the upregulation of PTP1B. We found that treatment with PDGF or NO induced an upregulation of PTP1B levels. Overexpression of PTP1B induced a marked downregulation of PKG mRNA and protein levels, whereas the expression of dominant negative PTP1B or short interfering RNA directed against PTP1B blocked the capacity of PDGF or NO to decrease PKG levels. We conclude that the upregulation of PTP1B by PDGF or NO is both necessary and sufficient to induce the downregulation of PKG via an effect on PKG mRNA levels.
Mage-A Cancer/Testis Antigens Inhibit p53 Function by Blocking Its Interaction with Chromatin
Authors: Marcar Lynnette , MacLaine Nicola J. , Hupp Ted R. , Meek David W.
Published: November 2010

The p53 tumor suppressor plays a major protective role in tumor prevention by coordinating changes in gene expression that lead to the elimination of cancer cells. Mage-A proteins comprise a family of metastasis-associated transcriptional regulators that potently inhibit p53 function. Here, we show that Mage-A interacts with 3 distinct peptides each of which is located within the DNA binding surface of the core domain of p53 and encompasses amino acids that are critical for site-specific DNA binding. These data suggest that Mage-A may block the association of p53 with its cognate sites in chromatin. Consistent with this idea, silencing of Mage-A expression leads to upregulation of several p53-responsive genes in a p53-dependent manner and stimulates by several fold the interaction of p53 with the p21, MDM2, and PUMA promoters. Notably, these effects can occur in the absence of genotoxic stress, leading in a p53-dependent manner, to cell-cycle delay and increased cell death. These data reveal a novel mechanism by which Mage-A proteins may suppress the p53 transcriptional program during tumor development and highlight the p53/Mage-A interaction as a prospective therapeutic target. Cancer Res; 70(24); 10362–70. ©2010 AACR.
The Authenticity of Two 2nd /8th Century Hanafi Legal Texts: the Kitāb al-āthār and al-Muwatta' of Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Shaybāni
Authors: Sadeghi Behnam
Published: November 2010

The Kitāb al-āthar represents the lecture notes of two students of a single teacher who is alleged by the two students to be al-Shaybāni. These two attempted to write down in a verbatim fashion the traditions quoted by the teacher; however, when the teacher compared his views with those of other jurists, the students (or, at least, one of them) felt free to write down the comparisons in their own, personal styles. This discrepancy, I argue, confirms that the teacher was not a scholar who projected his own views back onto al-Shaybāni. The teacher was indeed al-Shaybāni himself. Stylistic analysis indicates that the book did not grow organically. It also shows that the Muwatta' of al-Shaybāni shared its origin with the Athār ; thus, the former, too, is authentic. The essay concludes with a comment on the authenticity of the materials attributed by al-Shaybāni to certain earlier authorities.
How Long After? A Natural Experiment Assessing the Impact of the Length of Aftercare Service Delivery on Recidivism
Authors: Kurlychek Megan C. , Wheeler Andrew P. , Tinik Leigh A. , Kempinen Cynthia A.
Published: November 2010

Although aftercare programs have been gaining popularity as a mechanism for helping offenders readjust to society, evaluations of their success remain varied. This is most likely due to the diversity of programs labeled as aftercare and the inability of research to isolate specific program components. The current study capitalizes on a natural experiment to examine the impact of one particular component, length of service delivery, on recidivism. The study employs survival analysis techniques on a population of inmates graduating from a motivational boot camp who either received no aftercare, 30 days of aftercare, or 90 days of aftercare (depending on the existing policy on their graduation date). Findings show that those receiving 30 days of aftercare services are indistinguishable from those receiving no aftercare services in terms of recidivism. Also, we find that although those receiving 90 days of aftercare did recidivate substantially less than those receiving 0 or 30 days of aftercare, after accounting for sample attrition, however, these findings also lacked statistical significance.
Modified Y-TZP Core Design Improves All-ceramic Crown Reliability
Authors: Silva N.R.F.A. , Bonfante E.A. , Rafferty B.T. , Zavanelli R.A. , Rekow E.D. , Thompson V.P. , Coelho P.G.
Published: November 2010

This study tested the hypothesis that all-ceramic core-veneer system crown reliability is improved by modification of the core design. We modeled a tooth preparation by reducing the height of proximal walls by 1.5 mm and the occlusal surface by 2.0 mm. The CAD-based tooth preparation was replicated and positioned in a dental articulator for core and veneer fabrication. Standard (0.5 mm uniform thickness) and modified (2.5 mm height lingual and proximal cervical areas) core designs were produced, followed by the application of veneer porcelain for a total thickness of 1.5 mm. The crowns were cemented to 30-day-aged composite dies and were either single-load-to-failure or step-stress-accelerated fatigue-tested. Use of level probability plots showed significantly higher reliability for the modified core design group. The fatigue fracture modes were veneer chipping not exposing the core for the standard group, and exposing the veneer core interface for the modified group.
A citation-based approach to automatic topical indexing of scientific literature
Authors: Mahdi Abdulhussain E. , Joorabchi Arash
Published: November 2010

Topical indexing of documents with keyphrases is a common method used for revealing the subject of scientific and research documents to both human readers and information retrieval tools, such as search engines. However, scientific documents that are manually indexed with keyphrases are still in the minority. This article describes a new unsupervised method for automatic keyphrase extraction from scientific documents which yields a performance on a par with human indexers. The method is based on identifying references cited in the document to be indexed and, using the keyphrases assigned to those references, for generating a set of high-likelihood keyphrases for the document. We have evaluated the performance of the proposed method by using it to automatically index a third-party testset of research documents. Reported experimental results show that the performance of our method, measured in terms of consistency with human indexers, is competitive with that achieved by state-of-the-art supervised methods.
Mobilities I: Catching up
Authors: Cresswell Tim
Published: November 2010

This first report on mobilities outlines some aspects of research on mobilities that differentiates it from and connects it to earlier, ongoing geographies of movement such as transport geography. In the context of a world on the move it seeks to bring us up to date with the mobilities turn and make a case for mobility research as a project which focuses on the universal but always particularly constructed fact of moving. Mobilities research is compared to and differentiated from work in transport geography, arguing that mobilities research takes a more holistic view that allows it to make some previously unlikely connections.