bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vitro oocyte culture‐based manipulation of zebrafish maternal genes
Authors: Nair Sreelaja , Lindeman Robin E. , Pelegri Francisco
Published: October 2012

In animals, females deposit gene products into developing oocytes, which drive early cellular events in embryos immediately after fertilization. As maternal gene products are present before fertilization, the functional manipulation of maternal genes is often challenging to implement, requiring gene expression or targeting during oogenesis. Maternal expression can be achieved through transgenesis, but transgenic approaches are time consuming and subject to undesired epigenetic effects. Here, we have implemented in vitro culturing of experimentally manipulated immature oocytes to study maternal gene contribution to early embryonic development in the zebrafish. We demonstrate phenotypic rescue of a maternal‐effect mutation by expressing wild‐type product in cultured oocytes. We also generate loss‐of‐function phenotypes in embryos through either the expression of a dominant‐negative transcript or injection of translation‐blocking morpholino oligonucleotides. Finally, we demonstrate subcellular localization during the early cell divisions immediately after fertilization of an exogenously provided maternal product fused to a fluorescent protein. These manipulations extend the potential to carry out genetic and imaging studies of zebrafish maternal genes during the egg‐to‐embryo transition. Developmental Dynamics 242:44–52, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Season of birth bias and anorexia nervosa: Results from an international collaboration
Authors: Winje Eirin , Torgalsbøen Anne‐Kari , Brunborg Cathrine , Lask Bryan
Published: October 2012

Objective:

Based on inconsistent findings in the literature, this study tested the hypothesis that “there is a season of birth bias for females with anorexia nervosa (AN).”

Method:

Females with AN, born in 1975 to 1996, were compared to females born in the same years and geographical regions by chi‐square test for contingency tables with known population parameter testing for monthly deviations. Five groups were based on a priori power calculation and geographical location: Iceland, Norway and Sweden (N = 847), United Kingdom (N = 706), Oregon, USA (N = 394), Argentina and Brazil (N = 486), and Australia (N = 381).

Results:

The hypothesis was not supported in any of the groups. The associations (Cramér's V) between month of birth and the differences in distributions of births ranged from 0.05 to 0.08, none of which were statistically significant.

Discussion:

The main implication of these findings is that season of birth may not play a significant part in the aetiology of AN. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2013;)
A Geographic Information Systems (GIS)‐based analysis of modern South African rodent distributions, habitat use, and environmental tolerances
Authors: Campbell Timothy L. , Lewis Patrick J. , Thies Monte L. , Williams Justin K.
Published: October 2012

Goals of this study were to: (1) develop distributional maps of modern rodent genera throughout the countries of South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland by georeferencing museum specimens; (2) assess habitat preferences for genera by cross‐referencing locality position with South African vegetation; and (3) identify mean annual precipitation and temperature range where the genera are located. Conterminous South Africa including the countries of Lesotho and Swaziland Digital databases of rodent museum specimens housed in the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, South Africa (DM), and the Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, United States (NMNH), were acquired and then sorted into a subset of specimens with associated coordinate data. The coordinate data were then used to develop distributional maps for the rodent genera present within the study area. Percent habitat occupation and descriptive statistics for six climatic variables were then determined for each genus by cross‐referencing locality positions with vegetation and climatic maps. This report presents a series of maps illustrating the distribution of 35 rodent genera based on 19,471 geo‐referenced specimens obtained from two major collections. Inferred habitat use by taxon is provided for both locality and specimen percent occurrence at three hierarchical habitat levels: biome, bioregion, and vegetation unit. Descriptive statistics for six climatic variables are also provided for each genus based on locality and specimen percent incidence. As rodent faunas are commonly used in paleoenvironmental reconstructions, an accurate assessment of rodent environmental tolerance ranges is necessary before confidence can be placed in an actualistic model. While the data presented here represent only a subset of the modern geographic distributions for many of the taxa examined, a wide range of environmental regimes are observed, suggesting that more research is necessary in order to accurately reconstruct an environmental signature when these taxa are found in the fossil record.
Economic Localization Revisited
Authors: Frankova Eva , Johanisova Nadia
Published: October 2012

The concept of economic localization, although receiving increasing academic and practical interest, still lacks a solid theoretical background. Our aim here is to suggest a working definition of the term economic localization and to outline its possible interpretations and operationalizations. Based on a detailed analysis of six monographs on the subject, we: (i) summarize the content of localization narratives as presented by the individual authors, capturing the variability of the localization agenda; (ii) present 11 localization dimensions and 17 more concrete aspects of localization arguments as a way to structure and operationalize the concept; and (iii) suggest a condensed working definition of the economic localization concept. We argue that it is crucial to acknowledge the complexity of the economic localization agenda, which should not simply focus only on some of its aspects without keeping a sense of the whole in mind. We thus propose to define economic localization as both the process and the result of moral, political and practical support of as many localized aspects of production and consumption as possible and desirable. Finally, we discuss the construction of “the other” within the localization argument, and the position of the localization concept within the research agenda of ecological economics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Green New Deal: A Green Way out of the Crisis?
Authors: Aşıcı Ahmet Atıl , Bünül Zeynep
Published: October 2012

The multi‐dimensional nature of the current global crisis requires a holistic approach in addressing economic, social and ecological problems. Following the crisis, several organizations started to publish reports on a concept called Green New Deal (GND) with reference to the New Deal policies of the 1930s in the USA. Since then, the concept has gained increasing popularity among the public. On the other hand, it fuelled a heated discussion between its supporters and ecosocialists. The aim of this paper is to highlight the points at which GND supporters and ecosocialists converge and diverge, and discuss critically the transformative capacity of different GND proposals. We conclude that GND policies can help to set the stage for the transformation long sought by the ecosocialist agenda, and hence from this perspective, these two approaches can be seen as complementary rather than substitutes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Towards an Institutional and Historical Analysis of Environmental Policy in Madagascar
Authors: Froger Géraldine , Méral Philippe
Published: October 2012

This article explores the application of ideas from historical institutionalism about path dependence to the study of environmental policy in Madagascar. It first reviews the central components of the historical institutionalism explanation, including the concepts of critical juncture, institutional change and institutional reproduction. This explanation is then applied to an analysis of the “diverging” trajectories of environmental policy in Madagascar during the 20th and 21th centuries. We argue that several historical and institutional events, at the national and international levels, have been critical junctures after which Malagasy environmental policy has shifted to different paths. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
A Multi‐level Integrated Analysis of Socio‐Economic Systems Metabolism: an Application to the Italian Regional Level
Authors: Siciliano Giuseppina , Crociata Alessandro , Turvani Margherita
Published: October 2012

In the light of Italy's current economic stagnation, characterized by mass unemployment, especially in the south, the development of effective energy policies should be seen as an opportunity of reducing energy dependency, so as to increase competitiveness and sustainability. However, due to imbalances in development in the country, focus at the national level does not reveal particular characteristics of the different regions. In this context, the definition of specific energy actions should be based on information and analyses that refer to integrated and multi‐level perspectives, such as regional and sectoral levels. Here we investigate, by applying a multi‐scale integrated analysis of societal metabolism approach, the imbalanced nature of development, coupled with energy consumption, of two Italian regions, Veneto (northern Italy) and Abruzzo (southern Italy). Changes over time (1995–2007), related to both socio‐economic and biophysical indicators, are analysed at multiple levels: region, economic sectors, and production and consumption. The results show that different structural changes and challenges are needed to meet energy efficiency, depending on the diverse level of regional development. They provide support for the future development of effective Regional Energy Plans, as well as to identify potential local barriers to achieving regional competitiveness and sustainability. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Synergies or Trade‐offs? A New Method to Quantify Synergy Between Different Dimensions of Sustainability
Authors: Luukkanen Jyrki , Vehmas Jarmo , Panula‐Ontto Juha , Allievi Francesca , Kaivo‐oja Jari , Pasanen Tytti , Auffermann Burkhard
Published: October 2012

This paper presents a new assessment tool developed for the analysis of synergies and trade‐offs between selected development trends. We suggest new quantitative measures for the concepts of synergy, trade‐off and delinking. The tool is developed to analyse the synergy between two different trends, but it can be used to analyse simultaneously the synergy between three trends representing the three different dimensions of sustainable development. The use of the tool is demonstrated with several examples from European Union countries. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Hybrid Materials Based on Smectite Clays and Nutraceutical Anthocyanins from the Açaí Fruit
Authors: Teixeira‐Neto Ângela A. , Izumi Celly M. S. , Temperini Marcia L. A. , Ferreira Ana Maria da C. , Constantino Vera R. L.
Published: October 2012

Hybrid materials were prepared by combining clay mineral (montmorillonite SWy‐2 and saponite SapCa‐1) and dyes extracted from the açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) fruit, which contains mainly anthocyanins from the 3‐glucoside class, to increase the stability of the dye and facilitate its handling and storage. Clay minerals are common ingredients in therapeutic and pharmaceutical products and açaí phytochemicals show disease prevention properties. The extract of the açaí fruit was mixed with water suspensions of layered silicates in different proportions. The dye–clay hybrids presented incorporated organic material in amounts up to 24 wt.‐%. X ray diffractometry and vibrational (FTIR and Raman) and electronic spectroscopic data showed that flavylium cations were successfully intercalated between the inorganic layers. Mass‐coupled thermogravimetric analysis (TGA‐MS) data showed a significant gain in the thermostability of the organic species in relation to anthocyanins in the extract. MS curves related to CO2 release (m/z = 44) are ascendant above 200 °C when the dye cations are confined to the inorganic structure. The radical scavenging activity of the hybrid materials was monitored by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) toward the stable radical DPPH (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl) and compared to the activity of the açaí extract. In addition to the fact that interaction with clay minerals improves the stability of the açaí dyes against heat, their properties as radical scavengers are preserved after intercalation. The improvement in the properties of the nutraceutical species by intercalation by using biocompatible inorganic structures can be valuable for human therapy.
Emerging Strategies in Infohybrid Systems
Authors: Park Dae‐Hwan , Choy Jin‐Ho
Published: October 2012

We briefly address the recent challenges and strategies to “infohybrids” that combines hybrid science and information technology. The aspects of the infohybrid system will be discussed in terms of materials and devices used in the design and application of infohybrid systems. Furthermore, we will describe how we have innovatively approached the design and development of a systematic diagram of the infohybrid for its potential use in barcoded molecular sensing, steganographic nanoforensics, item‐level tagging identification, data storage, and even communication.
Facile Synthesis and Active Photocatalysis of Mesoporous and Microporous TiO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Miao Gai , Chen Lifang , Qi Zhiwen
Published: October 2012

Morphology and crystalline‐phase control of titanium dioxide is a crucial issue in the study of photocatalytic activity. Here, we present a facile synthetic path combing the sol–gel method with solvothermal treatment to form hybrid mesoporous and microporous TiO2. The TiO2 precursor was obtained by the sol–gel method, and this was self‐assembled into mesopores and micropores by NH4F corrosiveness on the surface of TiO2 under hydrothermal conditions. Powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterise the titania powders. The results reveal that NH4F not only improved the formation of the crystallised anatase phase but also served as a corrosive agent modified on the surface of TiO2 precursors. Defective voids among these nanoparticles formed micropores by hydrothermal reaction of NH4F and TiO2 over a long time. When the NH4F concentration was 1.0 mol L−1, micropores became dominant,and few mesopores were obtained, and this results in a smaller average pore size. Thus, mesoporous and microporous structures were formed. Furthermore, these crystallised mesoporous and microporous anatase titania nanoparticles with uniform structure and high surface area have a higher photocatalytic activity for azo dye degradation under near UV irradiation.
Design of an Amperometric Biosensor for the Determination of Biogenic Amines Using Screen Printed Carbon Working Electrodes
Authors: Telsnig Dietlind , Kalcher Kurt , Leitner Andreas , Ortner Astrid
Published: October 2012

An amperometric biosensor with pea seedling amine oxidase and screen printed carbon electrode modified with MnO2 for determining biogenic amines (BAs) was designed. The bio‐component was immobilized with Nafion solution. The enzymatically produced hydrogen peroxide was determined to quantify BAs. All measurements were performed in flow injection analysis system with phosphate buffer (66 mM, pH 7.5) as mobile phase at +400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. A linear correlation was found for cadaverine and putrescine from 1–50 µM, for tyramine and histamine from 10–300 µM respectively. The limits of detection were determined to be 0.3 µM for cadaverine and putrescine and 3.0 µM for tyramine and histamine. The sensor was used to quantify BAs in chicken meat samples.
High‐capacity peptide‐centric platform to decode the proteomic response to brain injury
Authors: Cortes Diego F. , Landis Miranda K. , Ottens Andrew K.
Published: October 2012

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a progressive disease process underlain by dynamic and interactive biochemical mechanisms; thus, large‐scale and unbiased assessments are needed to fully understand its highly complex pathobiology. Here, we report on a new high‐capacity label‐free proteomic platform to evaluate the post‐TBI neuroproteome. Six orthogonal separation stages and data‐independent MS were employed, affording reproducible quantitative assessment on 18 651 peptides across biological replicates. From these data 3587 peptides were statistically responsive to TBI of which 18% were post‐translationally modified. Results revealed as many as 484 proteins in the post‐TBI neuroproteome, which was fully nine times the number determined from our prior study of focal cortical injury. Yet, these data were generated using 25 times less brain tissue per animal relative to former methodology, permitting greater anatomical specificity and proper biological replication for increased statistical power. Exemplified by these data, we discuss benefits of peptide‐centric differential analysis to more accurately infer novel biological findings testable in future hypothesis‐driven research. The high‐capacity label‐free proteomic platform is designed for multi‐factor studies aimed at expanding our knowledge on the molecular underpinnings of TBI and to develop better diagnostics and therapeutics.
Bioprocessing of differentiated plant in vitro systems
Authors: Steingroewer Juliane , Bley Thomas , Georgiev Vasil , Ivanov Ivan , Lenk Felix , Marchev Andrey , Pavlov Atanas
Published: October 2012

Plant cells contain a wide range of interesting secondary metabolites, which are used as natural pigments and flavoring agents in foods and cosmetics as well as phyto‐pharmaceutical products. However, conventional industrial extraction from whole plants or parts of them is limited due to environmental and geographical issues. The production of secondary metabolites from in vitro cultures can be considered as alternative to classical technologies and allows a year‐round cultivation in the bioreactor under optimal conditions with constant high‐level quality and quantity. Compared to plant cell suspensions, differentiated plant in vitro systems offer the advantage that they are genetically stable. Moreover, the separation of the biomass from culture medium after fermentation is much easier. Nevertheless, several investigations in the literature described that differentiated plant in vitro systems are instable concerning the yield of the target metabolites, especially in submerged cultivations. Other major problems are associated with the challenges of cultivation conditions and bioreactor design as well as upscaling of the process. This article reviews bioreactor designs for cultivation of differentiated plant in vitro systems, secondary metabolite production in different bioreactor systems as well as aspects of process control, management, and modeling and gives perspectives for future cultivation methods.
Formation of ethyl acetate by Kluyveromyces marxianus on whey: Influence of aeration and inhibition of yeast growth by ethyl acetate
Authors: Urit Thanet , Manthey Rene , Bley Thomas , Löser Christian
Published: October 2012

The ability of the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus to convert lactose into ethyl acetate offers good opportunities for the economical reuse of whey. The formation of ethyl acetate as a bulk product depends on aerobic conditions. Aeration of the bioreactor results in discharge of the volatile ester with the exhaust gas that allows its process‐integrated recovery. The influence of aeration (varied from 10 to 50 L/h) was investigated during batch cultivation of K. marxianus DSM 5422 in 0.6 L whey‐borne medium using a stirred reactor. With lower aeration rates, the ester accumulated in the bioreactor and reached higher concentrations in the culture medium and the off gas. A high ester concentration in the gas phase is considered beneficial for ester recovery from the gas, while a high ester concentration in the medium inhibited yeast growth and slowed down the process. To further investigate this effect, the inhibition of growth by ethyl acetate was studied in a sealed cultivation system. Here, increasing ester concentrations caused a nearly linear decrease of the growth rate with complete inhibition at concentrations greater than 17 g/L ethyl acetate. Both the cultivation process and the growth rate depending on ethyl acetate were described by mathematical models. The simulated processes agreed well with the measured data.
Cyclic testing of a single bay reinforced concrete frames with various types of masonry infill
Authors: Zovkic Jurko , Sigmund Vladimir , Guljas Ivica
Published: October 2012

In this paper, a contribution of various types of masonry infill to the behaviour of reinforced concrete frames under lateral loads is presented. As a part of the bigger project, ten one‐bay, one‐storey reinforced concrete frames were designed according to the EC8, built in a scale 1:2.5, infilled with masonry and tested under constant vertical and cyclic lateral load. The masonry wall had various strength properties, namely, high strength hollow clay brick blocks, medium strength hollow clay brick blocks and low strength lightweight autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. There were no additional shear connectors between the masonry and frame. The results showed that the composite ‘framed wall’ structure had much higher stiffness, damping and initial strength than the bare frame structure. Masonry infill filled in the load capacity gap from very low (0.05%) to drifts when the frame took over (0.75%). The structures behaved as linear monolithic elements to drifts of 0.1%, reached the maximum lateral capacities at drift of 0.3%, maintained it to drifts of 0.75% and after that their behaviour depended on the frame. Masonry infill had severe damage at drift levels of about 0.75% but contributed to the overall system resistance to drifts of about 1%. At that drift level, the frame had only minor damage and was tested to drifts of about 2% without any loss of capacity. Improvement of the ‘infill provisions’ in the codes could be sought by taking into account the contribution of a common masonry that reduces expected damages by lowering the drift levels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Derivation of new SAC/FEMA performance evaluation solutions with second‐order hazard approximation
Authors: Vamvatsikos Dimitrios
Published: October 2012

A novel set of SAC/FEMA‐style closed‐form expressions is presented to accurately assess structural safety under seismic action. Such solutions allow the practical evaluation of the risk integral convolving seismic hazard and structural response by using a number of idealizations to achieve a simple analytical form. The most heavily criticized approximation of the SAC/FEMA formats is the first‐order power‐law fit of the hazard curve. It results to unacceptable errors whenever the curvature of the hazard function becomes significant. Adopting a second‐order fit, instead, allows capturing the hazard curvature at the cost of necessitating new analytic forms. The new set of equations is a complete replacement of the original, enabling (a) accurate estimation of the mean annual frequency of limit‐state exceedance and (b) safety checking for specified performance objectives in a code‐compatible format. More importantly, the flexibility of higher‐order fitting guarantees a wider‐range validity of the local hazard approximation. Thus, it enables the inversion of the formulas for practically estimating the allowable demand or the required capacity to fulfill any design objective. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MaCH‐Admix: Genotype Imputation for Admixed Populations
Authors: Liu Eric Yi , Li Mingyao , Wang Wei , Li Yun
Published: October 2012

Imputation in admixed populations is an important problem but challenging due to the complex linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern. The emergence of large reference panels such as that from the 1,000 Genomes Project enables more accurate imputation in general, and in particular for admixed populations and for uncommon variants. To efficiently benefit from these large reference panels, one key issue to consider in modern genotype imputation framework is the selection of effective reference panels. In this work, we consider a number of methods for effective reference panel construction inside a hidden Markov model and specific to each target individual. These methods fall into two categories: identity‐by‐state (IBS) based and ancestry‐weighted approach. We evaluated the performance on individuals from recently admixed populations. Our target samples include 8,421 African Americans and 3,587 Hispanic Americans from the Women' Health Initiative, which allow assessment of imputation quality for uncommon variants. Our experiments include both large and small reference panels; large, medium, and small target samples; and in genome regions of varying levels of LD. We also include BEAGLE and IMPUTE2 for comparison. Experiment results with large reference panel suggest that our novel piecewise IBS method yields consistently higher imputation quality than other methods/software. The advantage is particularly noteworthy among uncommon variants where we observe up to 5.1% information gain with the difference being highly significant (Wilcoxon signed rank test P‐value < 0.0001). Our work is the first that considers various sensible approaches for imputation in admixed populations and presents a comprehensive comparison.
Obesity increases nociceptive activation of the trigeminal system
Authors: Rossi H.L. , Luu A.K.S. , DeVilbiss J.L. , Recober A.
Published: October 2012

Background

Obesity is a risk factor associated with several pain syndromes. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between obesity and pain are not known. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that obesity enhances neuronal responses to nociceptive stimulation within the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC).

Methods

Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed a high‐fat or regular diet from the time of weaning until 20 weeks of age. We then quantified neuronal activation by measuring Fos immunoreactivity within the TNC in response to a facial injection of a low dose of capsaicin (1 μg/10 μL).

Results

We found that 0.01% capsaicin did not significantly increase Fos immunoreactivity in control mice fed a regular diet. In contrast, this low dose of capsaicin caused a 3.3‐fold increase in Fos in the TNC in obese mice (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

These results support the hypothesis that diet‐induced obesity in mice enhances nociceptive processing within the TNC. Diet‐induced obesity may be a useful model for mechanistic studies. Future studies will improve our understanding of how obesity may contribute to trigeminal pain by sensitizing the trigeminal nociceptive system.
Spinal microglial activation in rat models of neuropathic and osteoarthritic pain: An autoradiographic study using [3H]PK11195
Authors: Miller T.R. , Wetter J.B. , Jarvis M.F. , Bitner R.S.
Published: October 2012

Background

Microglia serve as macrophage‐like cells in the central nervous system, and activation of microglial cells in the spinal cord may contribute to ongoing pain following peripheral trauma or nerve injury. Following pronociceptive stimulation, activated microglia exhibit increased expression of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR)/translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO).

Methods

Using radioligand binding autoradiography and filtration assays, we examined the specific binding of the PBR/TSPO ligand [3H]PK11195 in spinal cords from the following rat experimental pain models: neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve ligation (SNL), osteoarthritic pain induced by intraarticular injection of monosodium iodoacetate in the knee joint (MIA‐OA), and subchronic inflammatory pain induced by intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA).

Results

Specific [3H]PK11195 binding in dorsal and ventral regions of lumbar spinal cord was increased by ≥70% ipsilateral to SNL. Also, specific [3H]PK11195 binding in the ipsilateral (injured) lumbar spinal cord was increased by approximately 25% in MIA‐OA. In contrast to the data obtained in these chronic neuropathic and nociceptive pain models, specific [3H]PK11195 binding in the ipsilateral (injured) dorsal horn was elevated in only one of six CFA rats. Consistent with increased PBR/TSPO binding measured for SNL and MIA‐OA rats, increased anti‐OX‐42 immunostaining of the cell surface microglial marker CD11b was observed in the ipsilateral spinal cord from these models.

Conclusions

These studies demonstrate that [3H]PK11195 binding assays may serve as a marker of spinal microglial activation in experimental models of chronic neuropathic or osteoarthritic pain, which may be translatable to clinical research through novel applications of PBR/TSPO imaging agents.
Counselors' Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence in Same‐Sex Versus Opposite‐Sex Relationships
Authors: Banks Jamye R. , Fedewa Alicia L.
Published: October 2012

Domestic violence is often perceived to occur only in heterosexual relationships. However, domestic violence is also prevalent in same‐sex relationships. The majority of the research indicates that counselors perceive same‐sex domestic violence differently than heterosexual domestic violence. This literature review synthesizes the research investigating attitudes toward same‐sex domestic violence.

La violencia doméstica se suele percibir como un evento que ocurre solamente en las relaciones heterosexuales. Sin embargo, la violencia doméstica también es prevalente en relaciones del mismo sexo. La mayor parte de las investigaciones indican que los consejeros perciben la violencia doméstica entre personas del mismo sexo de forma diferente a como perciben la violencia doméstica heterosexual. Esta reseña de la literatura sintetiza las investigaciones que tratan sobre las actitudes hacia la violencia doméstica entre personas del mismo sexo.
Somali Women's Reflections on the Adjustment of Their Children in the United States
Authors: Nilsson Johanna E. , Barazanji Danah M. , Heintzelman Ashley , Siddiqi Mubeena , Shilla Yasmine
Published: October 2012

Somali women were interviewed regarding their children's adjustment. Qualitative analysis revealed 5 themes: cultural comparisons, concerns about children, parents' loss of disciplinary authority, available support, and the future. The women discussed changes in their children, such as loss of respect and threats to use law enforcement against parents. They also discussed their loss of parental authority and the lack of support from U.S. institutions. Implications for schools and mental health professionals are presented.

Se entrevistó a mujeres Somalíes con respecto a la adaptación de sus hijos. Los análisis cualitativos revelaron 5 temas: comparaciones culturales, preocupaciones sobre los niños, la pérdida de autoridad disciplinaria de los padres, apoyo disponible y el futuro. Las mujeres hablaron sobre los cambios en sus hijos, como la pérdida de respeto y las amenazas de usar las fuerzas del orden contra sus padres. También hablaron de la pérdida de su autoridad paterna y la falta de apoyo por parte de las instituciones de los Estados Unidos. Se presentan las implicaciones para escuelas y profesionales de la salud mental.
A close examination of healthcare expenditures related to fractures
Authors: Kilgore Meredith L , Curtis Jeffrey R , Delzell Elizabeth , Becker David J , Arora Tarun , Saag Kenneth G , Morrisey Michael A
Published: October 2012

This study evaluated reasons for healthcare expenditures both before and after the occurrence of fractures among Medicare beneficiaries. In a previous study we examined healthcare expenditures in the 6 months before and after fractures. The difference—“incremental” expenditures—provides one estimate of the potentially avoidable costs associated with fractures. We constructed a second estimate of the cost burden—“attributable” expenditures—using only those costs recorded in claims with fracture diagnosis codes. Attributable expenditures accounted for only 24% to 60% of incremental expenditures, depending on the fracture site. We examined health care expenditures between 1999 and 2005 among Medicare beneficiaries who experienced fractures (cases) and among beneficiaries who did not experience fractures (controls), matched to cases on age, race, and sex. We also examined healthcare expenditures for cases and controls for 24 months prior to the fracture index date. When expenditures associated with diagnoses for aftercare, joint pain, and osteoporosis, other musculoskeletal diagnoses, pneumonia, and pressure ulcers were included, the proportion of incremental costs directly attributable to fracture care rose to 72% to 88%. Expenditures prior to fracture were higher for cases than controls, and the rate of increase accelerated over the 12 months prior to the hip fracture. Our findings confirm that the original incremental cost analysis constituted a satisfactory method for estimating avoidable costs associated with fractures. We also conclude that those with fractures had much higher and growing healthcare expenditures in the 12 months prior to the event, compared with age-, race-, and sex-matched controls. This suggests that patterns of healthcare services utilization may provide a means to improve fracture prediction rules. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Van Buchem disease: Clinical, biochemical, and densitometric features of patients and disease carriers
Authors: van Lierop Antoon H , Hamdy Neveen AT , van Egmond Martje E , Bakker Egbert , Dikkers Freek G , Papapoulos Socrates E
Published: October 2012

Van Buchem disease (VBD) is a rare bone sclerosing dysplasia caused by the lack of a regulatory element of the SOST gene, which encodes for sclerostin, an osteocyte-derived negative regulator of bone formation. We studied the demographic, clinical, biochemical, and densitometric features of 15 patients with VBD (12 adults and 3 children) and 28 related carriers of the gene mutation. The most common clinical findings in patients were facial palsy (100%) and various degrees of hearing impairment (93%); raised intracranial pressure had been documented in 20%. The clinical course of the disease appeared to stabilize in adulthood, with the majority of patients reporting no progression of symptoms or development of complications with time. Carriers of the disease had none of the clinical features or complications of the disease. Sclerostin could be detected in the serum in all but 1 VBD patients (mean 8.0 pg/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.9–11.0 pg/mL), and were lower than those of carriers (mean 28.7 pg/mL; 95% CI, 24.5–32.9 pg/mL; p < 0.001) and healthy controls (mean 40.0 pg/mL; 95% CI, 34.5–41.0 pg/mL; p < 0.). Serum procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide (P1NP) levels were also significantly higher in adult patients (mean 96.0; 95% CI, 54.6–137.4 ng/mL versus mean 47.8; 95% CI, 39.4–56.2 ng/mL, p = 0.003 in carriers and mean 37.8; 95% CI, 34.5–41.0 ng/mL, p = 0.028 in healthy controls) and declined with age. Bone mineral density (BMD) was markedly increased in all patients (mean Z-score 8.7 ± 2.1 and 9.5 ± 1.9 at the femoral neck and spine, respectively); BMD of carriers was significantly lower than that of patients but varied widely (mean Z-scores 0.9 ± 1.0 and 1.3 ± 1.5 at the femoral neck and spine, respectively). Serum sclerostin levels were inversely correlated with serum P1NP levels (r = –0.39, p = 0.018) and BMD values (femoral neck r = –0.69, p < 0.001; lumbar spine r = –0.78, p < 0.001). Our results show that there is a gene-dose effect of the VBD deletion on circulating sclerostin and provide further in vivo evidence of the role of sclerostin in bone formation in humans. The small amounts of sclerostin produced by patients with VBD may explain their milder phenotype compared to that of patients with sclerosteosis, in whom serum sclerostin is undetectable. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Multicenter precision of cortical and trabecular bone quality measures assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography
Authors: Burghardt Andrew J , Pialat Jean-Baptiste , Kazakia Galateia J , Boutroy Stephanie , Engelke Klaus , Patsch Janina M , Valentinitsch Alexander , Liu Danmei , Szabo Eva , Bogado Cesar E , Zanchetta Maria Belen , McKay Heather A , Shane Elizabeth , Boyd Steven K , Bouxsein Mary L , Chapurlat Roland , Khosla Sundeep , Majumdar Sharmila
Published: October 2012

High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) has recently been introduced as a clinical research tool for in vivo assessment of bone quality. The utility of this technology to address important skeletal health questions requires translation to standardized multicenter data pools. Our goal was to evaluate the feasibility of pooling data in multicenter HR-pQCT imaging trials. Reproducibility imaging experiments were performed using structure and composition-realistic phantoms constructed from cadaveric radii. Single-center precision was determined by repeat scanning over short-term (<72 hours), intermediate-term (3–5 months), and long-term intervals (28 months). Multicenter precision was determined by imaging the phantoms at nine different HR-pQCT centers. Least significant change (LSC) and root mean squared coefficient of variation (RMSCV) for each interval and across centers was calculated for bone density, geometry, microstructure, and biomechanical parameters. Single-center short-term RMSCVs were <1% for all parameters except cortical thickness (Ct.Th) (1.1%), spatial variability in cortical thickness (Ct.Th.SD) (2.6%), standard deviation of trabecular separation (Tb.Sp.SD) (1.8%), and porosity measures (6% to 8%). Intermediate-term RMSCVs were generally not statistically different from short-term values. Long-term variability was significantly greater for all density measures (0.7% to 2.0%; p < 0.05 versus short-term) and several structure measures: cortical thickness (Ct.Th) (3.4%; p < 0.01 versus short-term), cortical porosity (Ct.Po) (15.4%; p < 0.01 versus short-term), and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) (2.2%; p < 0.01 versus short-term). Multicenter RMSCVs were also significantly higher than short-term values: 2% to 4% for density and micro–finite element analysis (µFE) measures (p < 0.0001), 2.6% to 5.3% for morphometric measures (p < 0.001), whereas Ct.Po was 16.2% (p < 0.001). In the absence of subject motion, multicenter precision errors for HR-pQCT parameters were generally less than 5%. Phantom-based multicenter precision was comparable to previously reported in in vivo single-center precision errors, although this was approximately two to five times worse than ex vivo short-term precision. The data generated from this study will contribute to the future design and validation of standardized procedures that are broadly translatable to multicenter study designs. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Meta-analysis of genome-wide studies identifies WNT16 and ESR1 SNPs associated with bone mineral density in premenopausal women
Authors: Koller Daniel L , Zheng Hou-Feng , Karasik David , Yerges-Armstrong Laura , Liu Ching-Ti , McGuigan Fiona , Kemp John P , Giroux Sylvie , Lai Dongbing , Edenberg Howard J , Peacock Munro , Czerwinski Stefan A , Choh Audrey C , McMahon George , St Pourcain Beate , Timpson Nicholas J , Lawlor Debbie A , Evans David M , Towne Bradford , Blangero John , Carless Melanie A , Kammerer Candace , Goltzman David , Kovacs Christopher S , Prior Jerilynn C , Spector Tim D , Rousseau Francois , Tobias Jon H , Akesson Kristina , Econs Michael J , Mitchell Braxton D , Richards J Brent , Kiel Douglas P , Foroud Tatiana
Published: October 2012

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified common variants in genes associated with variation in bone mineral density (BMD), although most have been carried out in combined samples of older women and men. Meta-analyses of these results have identified numerous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of modest effect at genome-wide significance levels in genes involved in both bone formation and resorption, as well as other pathways. We performed a meta-analysis restricted to premenopausal white women from four cohorts (n = 4061 women, aged 20 to 45 years) to identify genes influencing peak bone mass at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. After imputation, age- and weight-adjusted bone-mineral density (BMD) values were tested for association with each SNP. Association of an SNP in the WNT16 gene (rs3801387; p = 1.7 × 10−9) and multiple SNPs in the ESR1/C6orf97 region (rs4870044; p = 1.3 × 10−8) achieved genome-wide significance levels for lumbar spine BMD. These SNPs, along with others demonstrating suggestive evidence of association, were then tested for association in seven replication cohorts that included premenopausal women of European, Hispanic-American, and African-American descent (combined n = 5597 for femoral neck; n = 4744 for lumbar spine). When the data from the discovery and replication cohorts were analyzed jointly, the evidence was more significant (WNT16 joint p = 1.3 × 10−11; ESR1/C6orf97 joint p = 1.4 × 10−10). Multiple independent association signals were observed with spine BMD at the ESR1 region after conditioning on the primary signal. Analyses of femoral neck BMD also supported association with SNPs in WNT16 and ESR1/C6orf97 (p < 1 × 10−5). Our results confirm that several of the genes contributing to BMD variation across a broad age range in both sexes have effects of similar magnitude on BMD of the spine in premenopausal women. These data support the hypothesis that variants in these genes of known skeletal function also affect BMD during the premenopausal period. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Microwave photocatalysis IV: Effects of additional operational parameters on the microwave photocatalytic degradation of mono‐chloroacetic acid using titania‐coated mercury electrodeless discharge lamps
Authors: Kmentová Hana , Církva Vladimír
Published: October 2012

Background

Mercury electrodeless discharge lamps (Hg‐EDLs) coated with titania in the form of thin films were used to generate UV/Vis radiation when placed in a microwave field. Effects of additional operational parameters (i.e. initial MCAA concentration, reaction temperature, and the presence of inorganic anions) on the photocatalytic degradation of aqueous mono‐chloroacetic acid (MCAA) in a microwave field are discussed.

Results

Studies were carried out in atmospheric or low‐pressure batch type microwave photocatalytic reactors. The photocatalytic process was monitored by the change in concentration of Cl− in the solution. Coupled UV/MW irradiation led to effective photodegradation at higher MCAA concentration at an optimum value of 0.15 mol L−1. Photocatalytic reaction of MCAA was favoured at higher temperature mainly owing to thermal dependence of the Hg‐EDL light intensity on the 366 nm line. Inhibition of MCAA photodegradation was observed in the presence of CO32− and SO42− anions, whereas the effect of NO3− was negligible.

Conclusions

It was found that additional operational parameters had important effects on photocatalytic efficiency in a microwave field. The MCAA photodegradation process with titania‐coated Hg‐EDLs can be enhanced in the TiO2/UV/MW system. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Aberrantly inserted chordae tendineae without significant mitral regurgitation
Authors: Floria Mariana , Gerard Marina , Marchandise Baudouin , Schroeder Erwin
Published: October 2012

Aberrantly inserted chordae tendineae in the left atrial side are a rare find. We report here the case of a young patient with aberrantly inserted chordae tendineae not causing significant mitral regurgitation. Because the patient remained asymptomatic and the anomalous chord of the left atrium could be considered within normal human anatomic variation, the authors decided to only monitor the patient's condition for the time being. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 42:57–58, 2014
Evaluation of a nonlinear Hertzian‐based model reveals prostate cancer cells respond differently to force than normal prostate cells
Authors: Murphy M.F. , Lilley F. , Lalor M.J. , Crosby S.R. , Madden G. , Johnston G. , Burton D.R.
Published: October 2012

Understanding how the mechanical properties of cells alter with disease may help with the development of novel diagnostics and treatment regimes. The emergence of tools such as the atomic force microscope (AFM) has enabled us to physically measure the mechanical properties of cells. However, suitable models for the analysis of real experimental data are either absent, or fail to provide a simple analysis tool in which experimental data can be analyzed quickly and reliably. The Hertz model has been widely used to study AFM data on living cells, however it makes assumptions that are untrue for cells, namely that cells behave as linear elastic bodies. This article presents and evaluates an alternative nonlinear Hertz model, which allows the Young's modulus to vary according to a second order polynomial function of indentation depth. Evaluation of the model revealed that prostate cancer cells (PC3) responded more uniformly to force compared to the normal PNT2 cells. Also, more energy (J) was needed to deform the normal prostate cells compared to the prostate cancer cells. Finally, the model described here suggests that overall the normal prostate cells behave in a more linear fashion to applied force compared to the prostate cancer cells. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Light regulates the expression of the BDNF/TrkB system in the adult Zebrafish retina
Authors: Sánchez‐Ramos C. , Bonnin‐Arias C. , Guerrera M.C. , Calavia M.G. , Chamorro E. , Montalbano G. , López‐Velasco S. , López‐Muñiz A. , Germanà A. , Vega J.A.
Published: October 2012

The retina of the adult zebrafish express brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its signaling receptor TrkB. This functional system is involved in the biology of the vertebrate retina and its expression is regulated by light. This study was designed to investigate the effects of cyclic (12 h light/12 h darkness) or continuous (24 h) exposure during 10 days to white light, white‐blue light, and blue light, as well as of darkness, on the expression of BDNF and TrkB in the retina. BDNF and TrkB were assessed in the retina of adult zebrafish using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Exposure to white, white‐blue, and blue light causes a decrease of BDNF mRNA and of BDNF immunostaining, independently of the pattern of light exposition. Conversely, in the same experimental conditions, the expression of TrkB mRNA was upregulated and TrkB immunostaining increased. Exposition to darkness diminished BDNF and TrkB mRNAs, and abolished the immunostaining for BDNF but not modified that for TrkB. These results demonstrate the regulation of BDNF and TrkB by light in the retina of adult zebrafish and might contribute to explain some aspects of the complex pathophysiology of light‐induced retinopathies. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.