bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical resistivity monitoring with buried electrodes and cables: noise estimation with repeatability tests
Authors: Peter‐Borie Mariane , Sirieix Colette , Naudet Veronique , Riss Joelle
Published: November 2012

Electrodes and cables are sometimes embedded or buried permanently into the ground in order to minimize electrode location errors during long electrical resistivity monitoring. This procedure is efficient and useful. In order to evaluate the feasibility and suitability of this technique for a long monitoring of water content in a rock mass, electrical resistivity data have been repeatedly acquired from a buried array. Forty‐eight steel electrodes composed the array, connected to two multicore cables, which have been buried in a trench since January 2006. A fast resistivity‐meter was used to carry out dipole‐dipole electrical measurements, over a period of one year, starting in December 2006. Data acquisitions of repeated resistivity measurements have been realized in order to distinguish between variations in electrical resistivity due to noise and to changes in water content. Around once every month, successive dipole‐dipole array measurements on the same day (between three and eleven arrays with around 10 minutes for one array) have been performed. Using all the pseudosections recorded the same day, the coefficients of variation have been calculated for each data point. Results show that the variability of the data is six times greater when the data from the first array of the day‐series are taken into account. The data collected from this first array are therefore significantly noisier than the following measurements and must be removed for correct interpretation. We propose two main explanations for this effect: 1) polarization of the system array/clay at the time of the first acquisition and 2) damage encountered into the buried cables. Despite this damage, we have shown that the electrical data can be consistent and correctly exploited if the first acquisition of the day is not taken into account. In conclusion, on the basis of the results presented here, we recommend that further studies be made using buried equipment to systematically carry out several acquisitions before starting the long monitoring. We also recommend to remove data from the first acquisition whenever they are found to be significantly noisier than data of the following acquisitions.
Modification of a Tumor Antigen Determinant To Improve Peptide/MHC Stability Is Associated with Increased Immunogenicity and Cross-Priming a Larger Fraction of CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Watson Alan M. , Mylin Lawrence M. , Thompson Megan M. , Schell Todd D.
Published: November 2012

Altered peptide ligands (APLs) with enhanced binding to MHC class I can increase the CD8+ T cell response to native Ags, including tumor Ags. In this study, we investigate the influence of peptide–MHC (pMHC) stability on recruitment of tumor Ag-specific CD8+ T cells through cross-priming. Among the four known H-2b–restricted CD8+ T cell determinants within SV40 large tumor Ag (TAg), the site V determinant (489QGINNLDNL497) forms relatively low-stability pMHC and is characteristically immunorecessive. Absence of detectable site V–specific CD8+ T cells following immunization with wild-type TAg is due in part to inefficient cross-priming. We mutated nonanchor residues within the TAg site V determinant that increased pMHC stability but preserved recognition by both TCR–transgenic and polyclonal endogenous T cells. Using a novel approach to quantify the fraction of naive T cells triggered through cross-priming in vivo, we show that immunization with TAg variants expressing higher-stability determinants increased the fraction of site V–specific T cells cross-primed and effectively overcame the immunorecessive phenotype. In addition, using MHC class I tetramer–based enrichment, we demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that endogenous site V–specific T cells are primed following wild-type TAg immunization despite their low initial frequency, but that the magnitude of T cell accumulation is enhanced following immunization with a site V variant TAg. Our results demonstrate that site V APLs cross-prime a higher fraction of available T cells, providing a potential mechanism for high-stability APLs to enhance immunogenicity and accumulation of T cells specific for the native determinant.
Anti–IFN-α/β Receptor Antibody Treatment Ameliorates Disease in Lupus-Predisposed Mice
Authors: Baccala Roberto , Gonzalez-Quintial Rosana , Schreiber Robert D. , Lawson Brian R. , Kono Dwight H. , Theofilopoulos Argyrios N.
Published: November 2012

The demonstration in humans and mice that nucleic acid-sensing TLRs and type I IFNs are essential disease mediators is a milestone in delineating the mechanisms of lupus pathogenesis. In this study, we show that Ifnb gene deletion does not modify disease progression in NZB mice, thereby strongly implicating IFN-α subtypes as the principal pathogenic effectors. We further document that long-term treatment of male BXSB mice with an anti–IFN-α/β receptor Ab of mouse origin reduced serologic, cellular, and histologic disease manifestations and extended survival, suggesting that disease acceleration by the Tlr7 gene duplication in this model is mediated by type I IFN signaling. The efficacy of this treatment in BXSB mice was clearly evident when applied early in the disease process, but only partial reductions in some disease characteristics were observed when treatment was initiated at later stages. A transient therapeutic effect was also noted in the MRL-Faslpr model, although overall mortality was unaffected. The combined findings suggest that IFN-α/β receptor blockade, particularly when started at early disease stages, may be a useful treatment approach for human systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune syndromes.
The Sabbath as a remedy for human restlessness
Authors: Kessler Volker
Published: November 2012

Considering that many people today suffer from restlessness, it would be very helpful to remind ourselves of a very old, very simple but very effective  remedy: rest on the Sabbath. In the Christian tradition, Sabbath-keeping often only focused on its  spiritual aspects. This article has focused on the benefit of rediscovering the gift of the Sabbath  as ‘a delight to the soul and a delight for the body’ (Heschel). It has shown how we can explicitly  learn from the Jewish tradition of holistic Sabbath observance. The article consists of four  parts: the phenomenon of human restlessness, ten different facets of the Sabbath in the Old  Testament, a short section on the history of pro-Sabbath and anti-Sabbath attitudes within the  Christian churches and a concluding section about applying the basic principles of the Sabbath  in modern life for the sake of a good work-life balance. Examples from the German context  are included.Die Sabbat as kuur teen menslike rusteloosheid. Wanneer die hedendaagse rusteloosheid van mense in ag geneem word, het dit  waarde om onsself aan ‘n baie ou, eenvoudige dog effektiewe maatreël tot herstel te herinner, naamlik om op die  sabbat te rus. In die Christelike tradisie fokus sabbatsonderhouding dikwels slegs op godsdienstige  aspekte. Hierdie artikel het gefokus op die wins in die herontdekking van die  sabbatsgeskenk as ‘n ‘behae vir die siel en die liggaam’ (Heschel). Dit toon duidelik hoe ons uit die Joodse tradisie van ‘n holistiese sabbatsonderhouding kan leer. Die artikel het bestaan uit vier dele,  naamlik die verskynsel van menslike rusteloosheid, tien verskillende fasette van die sabbat  in die Ou Testament, ‘n kort historiese oorsig oor pro- en teen-standpunte van die  Christelike kerk ten opsigte van die sabbat, en ten slotte die toepassing van basiese  sabbatsbeginsels in die moderne lewe ter handhawing van ‘n goeie balans tussen werk en lewe. Voorbeelde  uit die Duitse konteks is ook ingesluit.
The resurrection of South African literature in Dutch? Some remarks on canonisation of minority literatures
Authors: Praamstra Olf , Francken Eep
Published: November 2012

To gain entry into literary history and into the canon of literature may be quite difficult for a writer in general; for an author from a cultural periphery it is nearly impossible. For him there is only one road to canonisation: by way of a separate literary history of his peripheral area. Dutch (post)colonial literature is a case in point. Writers from the former Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), the Dutch Antilles and Surinam have been saved from oblivion because histories of their regional literatures have been published. In contrast, South African literature in Dutch (not to be confused with Afrikaans literature) in the course of the twentieth century dropped out of the picture. Although, strictly speaking, there is a need for more preliminary studies, a concise history of this specific body of literature is highly desirable as well.
Accelerated dissolution of iron oxides in ice
Authors: Jeong D. , Kim K. , Choi W.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Iron dissolution from mineral dusts and soil particles is vital as a source of bioavailable iron in various environmental media. In this work, the dissolution of iron oxide particles trapped in ice was investigated as a new pathway of iron supply. The dissolution experiments were carried out in the absence and presence of various organic complexing ligands under dark condition. In acidic pH conditions (pH 2, 3, and 4), the dissolution of iron oxides was greatly enhanced in the ice phase compared to that in water. The dissolved iron was mainly in the ferric form, which indicates that the dissolution is not a reductive process. The extent of dissolved iron was greatly affected by the kind of organic complexing ligands and the surface area of iron oxides. The iron dissolution was most pronounced with high surface area iron oxides and in the presence of strong iron binding ligands. The enhanced dissolution of iron oxides in ice is mainly ascribed to the "freeze concentration effect", which concentrates iron oxide particles, organic ligands, and protons in the liquid like ice grain boundary region and accelerates the dissolution of iron oxides. The ice-enhanced dissolution effect gradually decreased when decreasing the freezing temperature from −10 to −196 °C, which implies that the presence and formation of the liquid-like ice grain boundary region play a critical role. The proposed phenomenon of enhanced dissolution of iron oxides in ice may provide a new pathway of bioavailable iron production. The frozen atmospheric ice with iron-containing dust particles in the upper atmosphere thaws upon descending and may provide bioavailable iron upon deposition onto the ocean surface.
Historical gaseous and primary aerosol emissions in the United States from 1990–2010
Authors: Xing J. , Pleim J. , Mathur R. , Pouliot G. , Hogrefe C. , Gan C.-M. , Wei C.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. An accurate description of emissions is crucial for model simulations to reproduce and interpret observed phenomena over extended time periods. In this study, we used an approach based on activity data to develop a consistent series of spatially resolved emissions in the United States from 1990 to 2010. The state-level anthropogenic emissions of SO2, NOx, CO, NMVOC, NH3, PM10 and PM2.5 for a total of 49 sectors were estimated based on several long-term databases containing information about activities and emission controls. Activity data for energy-related stationary sources were derived from the State Energy Data System. Corresponding emission factors reflecting implemented emission controls were calculated back from the National Emission Inventory (NEI) for seven years (i.e. 1990, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2005), and constrained by the AP-42 (US EPA's Compilation of Air Pollutant Emissions Factors) dataset. Activity data for mobile sources including different types of highway vehicles and non-highway equipments were obtained from highway statistics reported by the Federal Highway Administration. The trends in emission factors for highway mobile source were informed by the 2011 National Transportation Statistics. Emissions for all non-energy related sources were either scaled by the growth ratio of activity indicators or adjusted based on the NEI trends report. Because of the strengthened control efforts, particularly for the power sector and mobile sources, emissions of all pollutants except NH3 were reduced by half over the last two decades. The emission trends developed in this study are comparable with the NEI trend report and EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) data, but better constrained by trends in activity data. Reductions in SO2 and NOx emissions agree well with the observed changes in ambient SO2 and NO2 concentrations, suggesting that the various controls on SO2 and NOx emissions implemented over the last two decades are well represented in the emission inventories developed in this study. These inventories were processed by SMOKE and are now ready to be used for regional chemistry transport model simulations over the 1990–2010 period.
Influence of the sunspot cycle on the Northern Hemisphere wintertime circulation from long upper-air data sets
Authors: Brugnara Y. , Brönnimann S. , Luterbacher J. , Rozanov E.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Here we present a study of the 11-yr sunspot cycle's imprint in the Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, using three recently developed gridded upper-air data sets which extend back to the early twentieth century. We find a robust response of the tropospheric late-wintertime circulation to the sunspot cycle, independent from the data set. This response is particularly significant over Europe, but results show that it is not directly related to a North Atlantic Oscillation modulation; instead, it reveals a significant connection to the more meridional Eurasian pattern. The magnitude of mean seasonal temperature changes over the European land areas locally exceeds 1 K in the lower troposphere over a sunspot cycle. We also analyse surface data to address the question whether the solar signal over Europe is temporally stable for a longer 250 yr period. The results increase our confidence on the existence of an influence of the 11-yr cycle on the European climate, although the signal is much weaker in the first half of the period compared to the second half. The last solar minimum (2005 to 2010), which was not included in our analysis, shows anomalies that are consistent with our statistical results for earlier solar minima.
Comparative analysis of the influence of climate change and nitrogen deposition on carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems in European Russia: simulation modelling approach
Authors: Komarov A. S. , Shanin V. N.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. An individual-based simulation model, EFIMOD, was used to simulate the response of forest ecosystems to climate change and additional nitrogen deposition. The general scheme of the model includes forest growth depending on nitrogen uptake by plants and mineralization of soil organic matter. The mineralization rate is dependent on nitrogen content in litter and forest floor horizons. Three large forest areas in European Central Russia with a total area of about 17 000 km2 in distinct environmental conditions were chosen. Simulations were carried out with two climatic scenarios (ambient climate and climate change) and different levels of nitrogen deposition (ambient value and increase by 6 and 12 kg N ha−1 yr−1). The simulations showed that increased nitrogen deposition leads to increased productivity of trees, increased organic matter content in organic soil horizons, and an increased portion of deciduous tree species. For the climate change scenario, the same effects on forest productivity and similar shifts in species composition were predicted but the accumulation of organic matter in soil was decreased.
Intense photooxidative degradation of planktonic and bacterial lipids in sinking particles collected with sediment traps across the Canadian Beaufort Shelf (Arctic Ocean)
Authors: Rontani J.-F. , Charriere B. , Forest A. , Heussner S. , Vaultier F. , Petit M. , Delsaut N. , Fortier L. , Sempéré R.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. The lipid content of seven samples of sinking particles collected with sediment traps moored at ~ 100 m depth in summer and fall across the Canadian Beaufort Shelf (Arctic Ocean) was investigated. Our main goal was to quantify and characterize the biotic and abiotic degradation processes that acted on sinking material during these periods. Diatoms, which dominated the phytoplanktonic assemblage in every trap sample, appeared to be remarkably sensitive to Type II (i.e. involving singlet oxygen) photodegradation processes in summer, but seemed to be relatively unaffected by biotic degradation at the same time. Hence, the relative recalcitrance of phytodetritus towards biodegradation processes during the Arctic midnight sun period was attributed to the strong photodegradation state of heterotrophic bacteria, which likely resulted from the efficient transfer of singlet oxygen from photodegraded phytoplanktonic cells to attached bacteria. In addition, the detection in trap samples of photoproducts specific to wax ester components found in herbivorous copepods demonstrated that zooplanktonic faecal material exported out of the euphotic zone in summer were affected by Type II photodegradation processes as well. By contrast, sinking particles collected during the autumn were not influenced by any light-driven stress. Further chemical analyses showed that photodegraded sinking particles contained an important amount of intact hydroperoxides, which could then induce a strong oxidative stress in underlying sediments.
Quantifying drivers of chemical disequilibrium in the Earth's atmosphere
Authors: Simoncini E. , Virgo N. , Kleidon A.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. It has long been observed that Earth's atmosphere is uniquely far from its thermochemical equilibrium state in terms of its chemical composition. Studying this state of disequilibrium is important both for understanding the role that life plays in the Earth system, and for its potential role in the detection of life on exoplanets. Here we present a methodology for assessing the strength of the biogeochemical cycling processes that drive disequilibrium in planetary systems. We apply it to the simultaneous presence of CH4 and O2 in Earth's atmosphere, which has long been suggested as a sign of life that could be detected from far away. Using a simplified model, we identify that the most important property to quantify is not the distance from equilibrium, but the power required to drive it. A weak driving force can maintain a high degree of disequilibrium if the residence times of the compounds involved are long; but if the disequilibrium is high and the kinetics fast, we can conclude that the disequilibrium must be driven by a substantial source of energy. Applying this to Earth's atmosphere, we show that the biotically-generated portion of the power required to maintain the methane-oxygen disequilibrium is around 0.67 TW, although the uncertainty in this figure is about 50% due to uncertainty in the global CH4 production. Compared to the chemical energy generated by the biota by photosynthesis, 0.67 TW represents only a very small fraction and, perhaps surprisingly, is of a comparable magnitude to abiotically-driven geochemical processes at the Earth's surface. We discuss the implications of this new approach, both in terms of enhancing our understanding of the Earth system, and in terms of its impact on the possible detection of distant photosynthetic biospheres.
Evaluation of the US DOE's conceptual model of hydrothermal activity at Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Authors: Dublyansky Y. V.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. A unique conceptual model envisaging conductive heating of rocks in the thick unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada by a silicic pluton emplaced several kilometers away is accepted by the US Department of Energy (DOE) as an explanation of the elevated depositional temperatures measured in fluid inclusions in secondary fluorite and calcite. Acceptance of this model allowed the DOE not to consider hydrothermal activity in the performance assessment of the proposed high-level nuclear waste disposal facility. Evaluation shows that validation of the model by computational modeling and by observations at a natural analog site was unsuccessful. Due to the lack of validation, the reliance on this model must be discontinued and the scientific defensibility of decisions which rely on this model must be re-evaluated.
Estimating field-scale soil water dynamics at a heterogeneous site using multi-channel GPR
Authors: Pan X. , Zhang J. , Huang P. , Roth K.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. We explore the feasibility to quantify the field-scale soil water dynamics through time series of GPR (ground-penetrating radar) measurements, which bridge the gap between point measurements and field measurements. Working on a 40 m × 50 m area in a heterogeneous agricultural field, we obtain a time series of radargrams after a heavy rainfall event. The data are analysed to simultaneously yield (i) a three-dimensional representation of the subsurface architecture and (ii) the total soil water volume between the surface and a reflection boundary associated with the presence of paleo sand dunes or clay inclusions in a rather uniform sand matrix. We assess the precision and the accuracy of these quantities and conclude that the method is sensitive enough to capture the spatial structure of the changing soil water content in a three-dimensional heterogeneous soil during a short-duration infiltration event. While the sensitivity of the method needs to be improved, it already produced useful information to understand the observed patterns in crop height and it yielded insight into the dynamics of soil water content at this site including the effect of evaporation.
Multifractal model of magnetic susceptibility distributions in some igneous rocks
Authors: Gettings M. E.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Measurements of in-situ magnetic susceptibility were compiled from mainly Precambrian crystalline basement rocks beneath the Colorado Plateau and ranges in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The susceptibility meter used measures about 30 cm3 of rock and measures variations in the modal distribution of magnetic minerals that form a minor component volumetrically in these coarsely crystalline granitic to granodioritic rocks. Recent measurements include 50–150 measurements on each outcrop, and show that the distribution of magnetic susceptibilities is highly variable, multimodal and strongly non-Gaussian. Although the distribution of magnetic susceptibility is well known to be multifractal, the small number of data points at an outcrop precludes calculation of the multifractal spectrum by conventional methods. Instead, a brute force approach was adopted using multiplicative cascade models to fit the outcrop scale variability of magnetic minerals. Model segment proportion and length parameters resulted in 26 676 models to span parameter space. Distributions at each outcrop were normalized to unity magnetic susceptibility and added to compare all data for a rock body accounting for variations in petrology and alteration. Once the best-fitting model was found, the equation relating the segment proportion and length parameters was solved numerically to yield the multifractal spectrum estimate. For the best fits, the relative density (the proportion divided by the segment length) of one segment tends to be dominant and the other two densities are smaller and nearly equal. No other consistent relationships between the best fit parameters were identified. The multifractal spectrum estimates appear to distinguish between metamorphic gneiss sites and sites on plutons, even if the plutons have been metamorphosed. In particular, rocks that have undergone multiple tectonic events tend to have a larger range of scaling exponents.
Marine atmospheric boundary layer over some Southern Ocean fronts during the IPY BGH 2008 cruise
Authors: Messager C. , Speich S. , Key E.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. A set of meteorological instruments was added to an oceanographic cruise crossing the Southern Ocean from Cape Town to 57°33' S during the summer of 2008. The Cape Cauldron, the Subtropical, Subantarctic, Polar and southern Antarctic Circumpolar current fronts were successively crossed. The recorded data permitted to derive the exchange of momentum, heat and water vapour at the ocean-atmosphere interface. A set of 38 radiosonde releases complemented the dataset. The marine atmospheric boundary layer characteristics and air-sea interaction when the ship crossed the fronts and eddies are discussed. The specific role of the atmospheric synoptic systems advection on the air-sea interaction over these regions is highlighted. Additionally, the Subantarctic front mesoscale variability induced an anticyclonic eddy considered as part of the Subantarctic front. The specific influence of this Agulhas ring on the aloft atmosphere is also presented.
Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measurement by 2 Different Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Machines
Authors: Pakravan Mohammad , Pakbin Mojgan , Aghazadehamiri Mohammad , Yazdani Shahin , Yaseri Mehdi
Published: November 2012

Purpose

TO determine agreement between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements by 2 spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) instruments.

Methods

This was an observational, cross-sectional study. Both eyes of 89 subjects, 44 healthy subjects (mean age, 47±15 years) and 45 patients with glaucoma (mean age, 55±14 years), were imaged using Cirrus OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc. Dublin, CA, USA) and Topcon OCT (3D-OCT1000, Topcon Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). One eye was randomly selected in each subject and peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements were compared. Bland-Altman plots were used to assess the level of agreement.

Results

Average peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements were significantly larger with Topcon OCT compared to Cirrus OCT in normal (101±12 vs 91±8 μm, p<0.001) and glaucomatous eyes (89±18 vs 76±16 μm, p<0.001). The limits of agreement for average peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements were poor, (-11 to 32 μm) in normal and (-4 to 30 μm) in glaucomatous eyes.

Conclusions

Peripapillary RNFL thickness values obtained by Topcon OCT are significantly higher than those measured by Cirrus OCT in both normal and glaucomatous eyes. Clinicians should be aware of this discrepancy especially when monitoring patients imaged by different OCT instruments; measured values cannot be used interchangeably.
Increased expression of CD24 in nonmelanoma skin cancer
Authors: Miller Ehud , Shapira Shiran , Gur Eyal , Naumov Inna , Kazanov Dina , Leshem David , Barnea Yoav , Meshiach Yaakov , Gat Andrea , Sion Daniel , Arber Nadir , Kraus Sarah
Published: November 2012

Background

Skin cancer detection is based on the macroscopic and microscopic appearance of the lesions and the experience of the surgeon. The final diagnosis is done by pathological analysis, based on established criteria. Currently, there is no serum marker that can be used for the diagnosis of skin cancer. CD24, a mucin-like glycoprotein, is overexpressed in a variety of cancers including skin malignancies.

Objective

Evaluate the potential utility of CD24 expression in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) for the detection of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC).

Methods

Twenty-nine consented individuals attending Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center for excision of suspected skin lesions, and 21 age- and gender-matched subjects were prospectively recruited. The resected lesions were examined by an expert dermatopathologist. PBLs were isolated from blood samples and protein extracts were subjected to sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. The study was double blinded.

Results

CD24 expression in PBLs distinguishes between NMSC and healthy subjects, with high sensitivity (81%) and specificity (67%) for basal cell carcinoma, and 100% and 71%, respectively, for squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusion

The CD24 test can successfully distinguish NMSC from healthy subjects. CD24 may serve as a new potential and promising diagnostic biomarker for the detection and surveillance of NMSC.
Evaluation of the psychological and biological changes of patients diagnosed with benign and malignant breast tumors
Authors: Bai Lan-Jun , Liu Qing , Wang Min , Loo Wings TY , Cheng Rebecca Wy , Chow Louis Wc , Cheung Mary Nb , Wei Kelly Yr , Yip Adrian Ys , Ng Elizabeth Ly
Published: November 2012

Purpose

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe anxiety disorder developed by exposure to any incident or circumstance that results in psychological trauma. In this study we compared the psychological and physiological changes between patients with malignant and benign breast tumors.

Methods

We selected 150 Chinese women with a breast mass, aged 20 to 45 years, from the Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital between 2009 and 2011 for this study; 30 healthy participants were enrolled into the control group. All subjects were examined and had their tumor mass aspirated for diagnosis. Equal numbers of patients with benign and malignant tumors were recruited. Patients with malignant tumors presented with low grade, minimal tumor invasion and non-involved lymph nodes. Questionnaires regarding anxiety, depression and PTSD were conducted 2 hours before getting the diagnostic result and 1 month after the diagnosis. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-, cortisol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein before and after diagnosis were investigated and compared. The number of occurrences of oral ulcerative mucositis was also recorded.

Results

All patients experienced a certain degree of anxiety and their biomarkers were elevated compared with the normal reference range before the pathological report was disclosed. However, 1 month after the operation, the benign tumor group showed significantly lower levels of biomarkers and anxiety scores than patients with a malignant breast tumor. The results were consistent throughout 12 months of study.

Conclusion

Study subjects with a benign tumor returned to their normal condition after being diagnosed, while patients with a malignant tumor suffered from a certain degree of PTSD or depression.
Correlation of epigenetic change and identification of risk factors for oral submucous fibrosis
Authors: Xu Chunjiao , Zhao Jing , Loo Wings T.Y. , Hao Liang , Wang Min , Cheung Mary N.B. , Dou Yiding , Yip Adrian Y.S. , Ng Elizabeth L.Y. , Chow Louis W.C. , Liu Qing
Published: November 2012

Background

DNA methylation of certain genes is an epigenetic change that is essential for tumorigenesis. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a precancerous condition of oral mucosa with inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the lamina propria and deeper connective tissue. The hypermethylation of E-cadherin and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in chronic inflammation may demonstrate a mild lesion/mutation at epigenetic levels. This study compares the hypermethylation status of E-cadherin and COX-2 genes in patients with oral cancer and patients with OSF and also aims to identify risk factors for the development of OSF.

Methods

DNA was extracted from blood samples of 50 healthy subjects, 50 patients with OSF and 60 patients with oral cancer. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction for E-cadherin and COX-2 was performed on these samples and the products were analyzed on 2% agarose gel. Surveys about oral health habits and clinical periodontal examinations in patients with OSF and healthy subjects were also conducted by well-trained dentists, and logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for OSF.

Results

Hypermethylation of E-cadherin and COX-2 was observed in 36% and 22% of oral cancer samples, respectively. In patients with OSF, the rates were 52% and 30%, and in healthy controls the rates were 4% and 6%. Hypermethylation was shown to be correlated between the 3 groups with statistical significance (p<0.01). Methylation of CpG islands in E-cadherin and COX-2 occurred more frequently in patients with OSF than in the control group, but less frequently than in patients with oral cancer. In the logistic regression analysis, smoking, brushing more than twice daily, periodontal probing depth and plaque index were identified as 4 major risk factors for OSF.

Conclusions

These data confirm that E-cadherin and COX-2 expressions are related to OSF. The epigenetic changes presented in patients with chronic inflammation might demonstrate an irreversible destruction in the tissues or organs similar to the effects of cancer. Chronic OSF was significantly associated with hypermethylation, a cancer risk factor.
Primary Penile Leiomyosarcoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Brisciani Antonio , Brassetti Aldo , Lauretti Stefano , Mosca Augusto , D'Alfonso Valeria
Published: November 2012

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the penis is very rare. Since 1930, only 53 cases have been re-ported in the international literature.

We describe a case of primary leiomyosarcoma of the penis diagnosed in 2008 in a 63-year-oldman, presented to our department with a firm-fibrous mass involving the ventrolateral side of the shaft, treated with local excision and 3 times locally recurred.

We also attempt a review of the literature regarding evolution, progression, differential diagnosis and possible treatment of this disease.
Exploring Indonesia’s “low hospital bed utilization-low bed occupancy-high disease burden” paradox
Authors: Awofeso Niyi , Rammohan Anu , Asmaripa Ainy
Published: November 2012

Indonesia’s current hospital bed to population ratio of 6.3/10 000 population compares unfavourably with a global average of 30/10 000. Despite low hospital bed-to-population ratios and a significant “double burden” of disease, bed occupancy rates range between 55% - 60% in both government and private hospitals in Indonesia, compared with over 80% hospital bed occupancy rates for the South-East Asian region. Annual inpatient admission in Indonesia is, at 140/1 0 000 population, the lowest in the South East Asian region. Despite currently low utilisation rates, Indonesia’s Human Resources for Health Development Plan 2011-2025 has among its objectives the raising of hospital bed numbers to 10/10 000 population by 2014. The authors examined the reasons for the paradox and analysed the following contributory factors; health system’s shortcomings; epidemiological transition; medical tourism; high out-of-pocket payments; patronage of traditional medical practitioners, and increasing use of outpatient care. Suggestions for addressing the paradox are proposed.
Cocoa Beans and Cocoa Derivatives from Cote-D’Ivoire: Investigating Ochratoxin A Level and Assessing Dietary Intake Adults
Authors: Coulibaly Adama , Marius Biego Godi Henri , Dembele Ardjouma , Bohoussou Kouassi Maxime , Toure Abba
Published: November 2012

The aim of this study was the determination of the level of ochratoxin A (OTA) in cocoa beans and derived products along with the estimation of the dietary intake in adults. Throughout harvesting seasons from 2005 to 2009, as many as 1895 samples of cocoa beans were collected at ports and areas of cocoa production and thereafter analyzed. OTA concentrations were determined by HPLC according to the standards of the European Communities (CE 401/2006). OTA intakes were assessed using data obtained from the analysis and the estimated Ivorian adult daily consumptions of cocoa beans and chocolate. Average OTA levels depending on cocoa grades were as follows: 0.64±0.53 µg/kg for marketable beans, 1.90±1.87 µg/kg for non-marketable beans and 1.40±1.32 µg/kg for total beans). As regards the types of beans, OTA concentrations ranged from 0.19±0.16 µg/kg (shelled beans) to 1.90±1.87 µg/kg (unshelled beans). OTA levels in beans were below the maximum concentration of OTA allowed (2 µg/kg of beans).

Besides, OTA concentrations obtained from chocolate were comprised between 0.048±0.040 µg/kg for sweet chocolate made from marketable shelled beans and 0.66±0.65 µg/kg for dark chocolate made from non-marketable unshelled beans.

Dietary intakes were respectively equal to 3.70±3.00 pg/kg body weight/day for the marketable shelled beans and 36.5±34.0 pg/kg body weight/day for the unshelled non-marketable beans. Those dietary intakes appeared to be by far lower than the Tolerable Daily Intake set by the Scientific Committee o Food (5000 pg/kg body weight/day). However, in view of the toxicity of OTA, it is imperative to foster best practices of harvesting, pod breaking, drying and storage of the beans for the total elimination of OTA from Ivorian cocoa beans.
ATV/r‐based regimens: durable virological suppression and good tolerability as switch strategy from NNRTI‐containing regimens in a real‐life cohort
Authors: Michalik C , Sönnerborg A , Jansen K , Svedhem‐Johansson V , Harrer T , Thalme A , Eychenne J , Jimenez‐Exposito M ,   Competence Network for HIV/AIDS, Bochum, Germany
Published: November 2012

Current therapeutic options for the treatment of HIV provide high rates of virological suppression and good tolerability. However, as long‐term treatment success has become a realistic goal, data evaluating the long‐term efficacy and safety of switching strategies become more needed. The purpose of this sub‐analysis is to describe the long‐term outcomes of ATV/r regimens after switching from combinations containing non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) in a clinical setting. Non‐comparative, retrospective study including data from 3 European databases (France – DatAids, Germany‐KompNet, Sweden‐InfCare). Data from antiretroviral (ARV)‐experienced adults starting an ATV/r‐regimen between October 2004‐March 2007 were extracted every 6‐months (maximum follow‐up 5 years). Time to virological failure (VF) was analysed by the Kaplan‐Meier method. Reasons for discontinuation and safety data were also collected. Of 1294 patients analysed, 250 switched from a NNRTI‐based regimen. Patients were predominantly male (74%); median age 42 years (min, max: 23, 85); prior ARV exposure: median 5.0 years. At baseline (BL), 56% of patients had HIV‐1 RNA<500 c/mL and 31% had<50 c/mL; median (min, max) CD4 cell count: 388 (6, 1299) cells/mm3. After 3‐year follow‐up, the probability of not having VF was 79% (95% CI 65–88%) and 62% (95% CI 52%–70%) for patients with BL HIV‐1 RNA<or≥50 c/mL, respectively. The most frequent reasons for discontinuation were “unknown” (18%) and adverse events (8%). Hyperbilirubinemia was reported as reason for discontinuation in only 2 patients. In a clinical setting, switching from NNRTI to ATV/r‐based regimen is associated with sustained virological suppression and good tolerability.

Time to virological failure (2 consecutive HIV‐1 RNA≥50 c/mL or 1 HIIV‐1 RNA≥50 c/mL followed by discontinuation).

image
A Teaching Aid for Improving Jurors' Assessments of Eyewitness Accuracy
Authors: Pawlenko Nell B. , Safer Martin A. , Wise Richard A. , Holfeld Brett
Published: November 2012

We investigated whether education can improve mock jurors' assessments of eyewitness accuracy in a criminal case. The interview‐identification‐eyewitness (I‐I‐Eye) teaching aid directed participants to attend carefully to how law enforcement interviewed the eyewitness and conducted the identification procedure, before considering what eyewitness factors during the crime might affect accurate identification. After viewing the I‐I‐Eye or one of two control aids, 293 undergraduate participants read a trial transcript about a criminal case that contained either strong or weak eyewitness evidence. The police consistently followed proper procedures for eyewitness evidence in the strong case, but not in the weak case. Only the I‐I‐Eye participants demonstrated sensitivity to the strong and weak eyewitness evidence by rendering more guilty verdicts in the strong compared with the weak case. The I‐I‐Eye teaching aid provides a framework for analyzing eyewitness testimony that may improve jurors' and legal professionals' assessments of eyewitness accuracy in criminal cases. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanically Robust, Negative‐Swelling, Mussel‐Inspired Tissue Adhesives
Authors: Barrett Devin G. , Bushnell Grace G. , Messersmith Phillip B.
Published: November 2012

Most synthetic polymer hydrogel tissue adhesives and sealants swell considerably in physiologic conditions, which can result in mechanical weakening and adverse medical complications. This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of mechanically tough zero‐ or negative‐swelling mussel‐inspired surgical adhesives based on catechol‐modified amphiphilic poly(propylene oxide)‐poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers. The formation, swelling, bulk mechanical, and tissue adhesive properties of the resulting thermosensitive gels were characterized. Catechol oxidation at or below room temperature rapidly resulted in a chemically cross‐linked network, with subsequent warming to physiological temperature inducing a thermal hydrophobic transition in the PPO domains and providing a mechanism for volumetric reduction and mechanical toughening. The described approach can be easily adapted for other thermally sensitive block copolymers and cross‐linking strategies, representing a general approach that can be employed to control swelling and enhance mechanical properties of polymer hydrogels used in a medical context.
Life course effects on age at menopause among Bangladeshi sedentees and migrants to the UK
Authors: Murphy Lorna , Sievert Lynnette , Begum Khurshida , Sharmeen Taniya , Puleo Elaine , Chowdhury Osul , Muttukrishna Shanthi , Bentley Gillian
Published: November 2012

Objectives:

To assess how different variables experienced across the life course, but particularly during early life, might affect age at menopause among 174 Bangladeshi migrants to London by comparing them to 157 nonmigrant sedentees and 154 women of European descent in London.

Methods:

Participants were aged 35–59 years, with no exogenous hormone use in the past three months, not pregnant or lactating, with no history of hysterectomy or oophorectomy. Face‐to‐face interviews and anthropometric measures were carried out. In addition to mean recalled age at natural menopause, median age was computed by probit analysis. Ages at menopause were examined by bivariate and Cox regression analyses in relation to demographic, reproductive, and lifestyle variables, and in relation to potential exposure to cyclones in early childhood.

Results:

Ages at menopause were significantly earlier among Bangladeshi sedentees and immigrants compared to Londoners of European origin. Ages at menopause were earlier among sedentees compared to immigrants. Urban birthplace, more infectious diseases during childhood, and lower levels of education increased the risk of an earlier menopause.

Conclusions:

Changes in environmental conditions during adulthood appeared to modify age at menopause among Bangladeshi immigrants in London compared to women living in Bangladesh; however, Bangladeshi immigrants still experienced an earlier age at menopause compared with their London neighbors of European descent. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Brain injury biomarkers are not dependent on β‐amyloid in normal elderly
Authors: Knopman David S. , Jack Clifford R. , Wiste Heather J. , Weigand Stephen D. , Vemuri Prashanthi , Lowe Val J. , Kantarci Kejal , Gunter Jeffrey L. , Senjem Matthew L. , Mielke Michelle M. , Roberts Rosebud O. , Boeve Bradley F. , Petersen Ronald C.
Published: November 2012

Objective

The new criteria for preclinical Alzheimer disease (AD) proposed 3 stages: abnormal levels of β‐amyloid (stage 1), stage 1 plus evidence of brain injury (stage 2), and stage 2 plus subtle cognitive changes (stage 3). However, a large group of subjects with normal β‐amyloid biomarkers have evidence of brain injury; we labeled them as the “suspected non‐Alzheimer pathophysiology” (sNAP) group. The characteristics of the sNAP group are poorly understood.

Methods

Using the preclinical AD classification, 430 cognitively normal subjects from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging who underwent brain magnetic resonance (MR), 18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), and Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography (PET) were evaluated for FDG PET regional volumetrics, MR regional brain volumetrics, white matter hyperintensity volume, and number of infarcts. We examined cross‐sectional associations across AD preclinical stages, those with all biomarkers normal, and the sNAP group.

Results

The sNAP group had a lower proportion (14%) with apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype than the preclinical AD stages 2 + 3. The sNAP group did not show any group differences compared to stages 2 + 3 of the preclinical AD group on measures of FDG PET regional hypometabolism, MR regional brain volume loss, cerebrovascular imaging lesions, vascular risk factors, imaging changes associated with α‐synucleinopathy, or physical findings of parkinsonism.

Interpretation

Cognitively normal persons with brain injury biomarker abnormalities, with or without abnormal levels of β‐amyloid, were indistinguishable on a variety of imaging markers, clinical features, and risk factors. The initial appearance of brain injury biomarkers that occurs in cognitively normal persons with preclinical AD may not depend on β‐amyloidosis. ANN NEUROL 2013;73:472–480
The Gallbladder of the Electric Ray Torpedo Marmorata Risso Displays Excrescent Cholecystocytes with Merocrine and Apocrine‐Like Secretions
Authors: Gilloteaux J. , Ott Donald W. , Oldham‐Ott Carla K.
Published: November 2012

The gallbladder of Torpedo marmorata exhibits a mucosal surface layer of simple columnar epithelium with very tall cholecystocytes. The apical domain of each cell has few microvilli, but many mucous vesicles that are secreted by exocytosis at the cell apices. The apical regions may also elongate and undergo self‐excision while shedding mucus and cell debris into the gallbladder lumen in a manner similar to that described in mammals as a result of sex steroid treatment to induce gallstones and to that found in the cholecystitis associated with cholelithiasis. Numerous small mitochondria, spherical to elongated, are distributed throughout the cells, while the nuclei are often located in the lower third of each cell. In the lower part of the cholecystocytes, large and very densely contrasted lysosomes can be found. All cells are tightly joined by junctional complexes, including long, highly contrasted desmosomes. The fibromuscular layer is made of a loose stroma with a limited muscular component and a poor blood supply. Large diameter blood vessels can only be found in the subserosal layer. It is hypothesized that the obligatorily carnivorous diet of this ureotelic fish has resulted in the evolution of a gallbladder ultrastructure resembling that found in cholecystitis but without the associated cholelithiasis. Anat Rec, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.