bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validity of scores from communication skills instruments for patients and their dental student‐clinicians
Authors: Winning T. A. , Kinnell A. , Wener M. E. , Mazurat N. , J Schönwetter D.
Published: December 2012

The development of appropriate communication skills by healthcare providers is central to providing quality patient‐centred care. Patients can provide valuable feedback to practitioners about their clinical communication. However, in oral health care, their involvement is uncommon and instruments specific for communication in oral health care have not been available. Recently, two complementary instruments have been developed by the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba for evaluating student‐clinicians' clinical communication: one for patient evaluation and one for student self‐evaluation. The aim of the current study was to provide validity evidence for the scores related to the internal structure of the revised 2007 versions of these instruments in two dental clinical/education contexts, namely the Universities of Manitoba, Canada (UM) and Adelaide, Australia (UA). The proposed factor structure and loadings, and their stability across contexts were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, and the adequacy of the internal consistency reliability of the scores was analysed using Cronbach's alpha. The factor structure of the current 2007 versions of the patient and student instruments, derived from the previously developed longer versions of these instruments, was confirmed and was consistent across the two clinical/educational contexts. A model of partial invariance provided the best fit for these data due to variations in the magnitude of the factor loadings between sites. The internal consistency reliability of scores was high with a range of 0.88–0.97. In conclusion, the current study provides preliminary evidence regarding the validity of the scores of the current 2007 instruments, in terms of the internal structure, as measuring the five factors well. Replication of the factor structure of these instrument scores with more participants at both UA and other institutions is required.
Type 2 K+–Cl− cotransporter is preferentially recruited to climbing fiber synapses during development and the stellate cell‐targeting dendritic zone at adulthood in cerebellar Purkinje cells
Authors: Kawakita Issei , Uchigashima Motokazu , Konno Kohtarou , Miyazaki Taisuke , Yamasaki Miwako , Watanabe Masahiko
Published: December 2012

Postnatal expression of the type 2 K+–Cl− cotransporter (KCC2) in neurons lowers the Cl− equilibrium potential to values that are more negative than the resting potential, thereby converting the action of Cl−‐permeable GABAA and glycine receptors from excitatory to inhibitory. In the present study, we investigated the spatiotemporal expression of KCC2 in mouse cerebella, particularly focusing on Purkinje cells (PCs). First, we confirmed the fundamental expression profiles of KCC2 in the cerebellum, i.e. neuron‐specific expression, somatodendritic distribution, and postnatal upregulation. We also found preferential recruitment to climbing fiber (CF) synapses during the second and third postnatal weeks, when perisomatic innervation in PCs switches from CFs to basket cell axons (BAs) and also when single winner CFs translocate from somata to dendrites. In parallel with this synaptic recruitment, the intracellular distribution shifted from a diffuse cytoplasmic to a predominantly cell surface pattern. In adult PCs, CF synapse‐associated accumulation was obscured. Instead, significantly high expression was noted on the surface of PC dendrites in the superficial two‐thirds of the molecular layer, in which stellate cells reside and project axons to innervate PC dendrites. Thus, the somatodendritic distribution in PCs is regulated in relation to particular inputs or input zones. During development, timed recruitment of KCC2 to CF synapses will augment inhibitory GABAergic actions by incoming BAs, promoting the CF‐to‐BA switchover in perisomatic PC innervation. In adulthood, enriched KCC2 expression at the stellate cell‐targeting territory of PC dendrites might help in maintaining intracellular Cl− homeostasis and the polarity of GABAA receptor‐mediated responses upon sustained activity of this interneuron.
Premature mortality risk in people with convulsive epilepsy: Long follow‐up of a cohort in rural China
Authors: Ding Ding , Wang Wenzhi , Wu Jianzhong , Yang Hongchao , Li Shichuo , Dai Xiuying , Yang Bin , Wang Taiping , Yuan Chenglin , Ma Guangyu , Bell Gail S. , Kwan Patrick , de Boer Hanneke M. , Hong Zhen , Sander Josemir W.
Published: December 2012

Purpose: Detailed data on the mortality of epilepsy are still lacking from resource‐poor settings. We conducted a long‐term follow‐up survey in a cohort of people with convulsive epilepsy in rural areas of China. In this longitudinal prospective study we investigated the causes of death and premature mortality risk among people with epilepsy.

Methods: We attempted to trace all 2,455 people who had previously participated in a pragmatic assessment of epilepsy management at the primary health level. Putative causes of death were recorded for those who died, according to the International Classification of Diseases. We estimated proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) for each cause, and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for each age‐group and cause. Survival analysis was used to detect risk factors associated with increased mortality.

Key Findings: During 6.1 years of follow‐up there were 206 reported deaths among the 1,986 people with epilepsy who were located. The highest PMRs were for cerebrovascular disease (15%), drowning (14%), self‐inflicted injury (13%), and status epilepticus (6%), with probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in 1%. The risk of premature death was 2.9 times greater in people with epilepsy than in the general population. A much higher risk (SMRs 28–37) was found in young people. Duration of epilepsy and living in a waterside area were independent predictors for drowning.

Significance: Drowning and status epilepticus were important, possibly preventable, causes of death. Predictors of increasing mortality suggest interventions with efficient treatment and education to prevent premature mortality among people with epilepsy in resource‐poor settings.
Damage evolution with growing cyclic creep and life prediction of MDYB‐3 PMMA
Authors: LIU W. , YANG X. J.
Published: December 2012

The influence of cyclic creep accumulation rate on the damage evolution of MDYB‐3 polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was experimentally investigated. Fatigue tests were carried out at four stress levels by stress control mode. The steady cyclic creep accumulation stage was observed occupying a substantial proportion of all specimens fatigue processes. Cyclic creep strain growth speed and relaxed modulus degradation rate were deduced as two important indicators for describing the damage evolution characteristics. Linear evolution relations of cyclic creep strain and modulus degradation with cycle times were retrieved from different terms of hysteresis loops. A preliminary model was proposed to be able to estimate the damage extent at different cyclic stress levels. The life predictions by the proposed model were compared with the experiment results and the classical power S–N model, which were demonstrated as a good estimation for the fatigue life. It is feasible to make durability evaluations by the characteristics of steady cyclic creep for multiaxis directed PMMA material.
Alluvial Fan Dynamics – Revisiting the Field
Authors: Scheinert Cal , Wasklewicz Thad , Staley Dennis
Published: December 2012

This article contains a new critical review of six predominant themes that have evolved over the last 40 years related to studies of alluvial fan dynamism. The themes include the development of conceptual models, field experiments, physical models, numerical models, high‐resolution morphometric analyses, and climate change scenarios. Each theme is presented independently, but as highlighted in our concluding statements there should be greater efforts placed on integrating scientists from these disparate approaches. A case study is also presented in support of the review and pertains to ongoing work at the Colorado Natural Debris Flow Laboratory near Buena Vista, CO, USA. The case study uses repeat high‐resolution topographic data to assess the 2‐ and 3‐dimensional changes that occurred on a fan surface. The case study presents new field information to expand, support, and refute findings from the six research themes related to alluvial fan dynamics. Also, the case study provides a medium by which we show the need get back to more field‐oriented data acquisition and analyses.
Terrestrial Ecosystem‐Atmosphere Exchange of CO2, Water and Energy from FLUXNET; Review and Meta‐Analysis of a Global in‐situ Observatory
Authors: Oliphant Andrew J.
Published: December 2012

After more than a century of theoretical development and more recent advances in instrumentation, modern observational micrometeorology includes a global network of long‐term continuous measurement sites (FLUXNET). Each site uses eddy covariance methods to monitor terrestrial ecosystem‐atmosphere exchanges of CO2, water vapor, momentum and heat. Currently FLUXNET includes more than 500 sites, covering all major plant functional types and climates. However, there is a strong spatial bias toward northern hemisphere mid‐latitude locations, particularly Europe, North America and East Asia. Tropical ecosystems are particularly poorly represented, despite playing important roles in carbon and water cycles. Synthesis of FLUXNET data shows terrestrial ecosystems in general provide a weak sink of atmospheric CO2 at the annual timescale, but with large spatial and temporal variability, ranging from strong sinks to strong sources. The net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) that is measured at FLUXNET sites is driven by two much larger opposing CO2 exchange processes, ecosystem photosynthesis and respiration, which tend to co‐vary in strength yet are sensitive to separate environmental drivers. Therefore, NEE is not explained well spatially by plant functional type or climate regime and is sensitive to inter‐annual climate variability, especially seasonal rainfall, pests or human management approaches. FLUXNET data has been widely used in development of remote sensing, surface‐vegetation‐atmosphere transfer models and inversion models. These in general capture seasonal cycles and annual budgets quite well, but are weaker at explaining spatial and interannual variability and susceptible to inaccuracies in simulated inputs such as precipitation. Although research has focused primarily on ecosystem functioning and carbon cycling, hydrologic aspects of micrometeorology have received considerable attention and several studies have investigated the surface energy balance and its lack of closure among FLUXNET sites. The contribution of thousands of rigorous experimentalists and the collaborative vision of FLUXNET, despite its relative youth, has already produced significant advances in micrometeorology and ecosystem sciences. Future growth of FLUXNET sites in geographically under‐represented areas will make a more complete understanding of terrestrial ecosystems. Meantime, there are many geographic questions ripe for assessment using existing FLUXNET datasets which will, in time, build a global compendium of terrestrial bio‐micrometeorology.
Spatial Practices and Border SEZs in Mekong Southeast Asia
Authors: Arnold Dennis
Published: December 2012

Literature on special economic zones (SEZs) has made important contributions to our understanding of globalization and topics including labor rights, export‐led development outcomes, and post‐socialist experiments with market economies. Less understood is the geopolitics of contemporary economic zones. This article focuses on border economies and state activity regarding territorial integrity and regulation of migrant labor. The case studies in Cambodia and Thailand demonstrate that SEZs reflect, reinforce and expand states’ reach, rather than prove exception to broader national orders of power. This understanding of contemporary SEZs enhances research agendas on state practices vis‐à‐vis the ‘imperatives’ of global economic integration and geopolitics. The changing role of SEZs in economic globalization reveals the complexity of state spatial practices.
Survival of microorganisms on complete dentures following ultrasonic cleaning combined with immersion in peroxide‐based cleanser solution
Authors: Nishi Yasuhiro , Seto Katsura , Kamashita Yuji , Kaji Akihito , Kurono Asutsugu , Nagaoka Eiichi
Published: December 2012

Objectives

To compare ultrasonic cleaning combined with immersion in a commercially available peroxide‐based cleanser solution (Polident®) with other denture cleaning methods, we examined the quantity of micro‐organisms that survived on dentures before and after various cleaning methods.

Subjects and methods

One hundred complete dentures belonging to 50 nursing home residents (mean age, 84.6 years) were randomly assigned to five groups according to the cleaning method employed: (A) immersion in Polident® solution alone, (B) brushing with water, (C) ultrasonic cleaning with water, (D) method (A) followed by method (B) and (E) ultrasonic cleaning combined with immersion in Polident® solution. Before and after the dentures had been cleaned, denture biofilm was collected from the mucosal surface of each lateral half of the examined dentures. The collected micro‐organisms were cultured, presumptively identified by standard methods and quantified. Comparisons between the five cleaning methods were carried out using the Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn's multiple comparisons test.

Results

The denture cleaning methods involving the use of Polident® solution (methods A, D and E) were significantly more effective at denture disinfection than the other methods (p < 0.05); in particular, the quantity of Candida spp. was lowest after method E (median, 0.00; significantly lower than those observed after methods A, B and C; p < 0.05).

Conclusion

It was concluded that ultrasonic cleaning combined with immersion in a peroxide‐based cleanser solution effectively reduces the quantity of micro‐organisms surviving on dentures and is a suitable method for elderly individuals who find brushing their dentures difficult.
Damage to round bale silage caused by sika deer (Cervus nippon) in central Japan
Authors: Tsukada Hideharu , Ishikawa Keisuke , Shimizu Norihiro
Published: December 2012

Round bale silage is a widely used forage production system in Japan. In recent years, several suspected instances of damage to bales of round bale silage by sika deer were reported on a dairy farm in central Japan. We sought to confirm whether this damage was indeed caused by sika deer, and if so, when and how they caused the damage. We also analyzed the effects of possible covariates on seasonal and spatial variances in the incidence of the observed damage. Continuous monitoring using camera traps revealed that sika deer were responsible for the damage to the bales of round bale silage. The sika deer were observed to nibble at the surface of the bales of round bale silage after puncturing the plastic film used to promote anaerobic digestion of the silage. Several sika deer were responsible for damaging the bales of round bale silage, and the incidence of damage to the bales increased as snow cover increased in winter. Further, the incidence of damage to the bales of round bale silage was greatest farthest away from the center of the farm facilities, and farthest inside the wildlife protection area, which covered a large proportion of the farm. The findings clarified the extent of damage caused by sika deer to bales of round bale silage, and illustrated the need to prevent such damage throughout the country.
Effect of defoliation interval on biomass yield and chemical composition of stylo ‘CIAT 184’ (Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. var. guianensis)
Authors: Kaensombath Lampheuy , Frankow‐Lindberg Bodil E.
Published: December 2012

Forage legumes are considered to have potential as supplementary feedstuffs for livestock (e.g. pigs) in smallholder systems in Asian countries, but forage management is crucial in order to obtain high feed quality. Stylo ‘CIAT 184’ (Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. var. guianensis) was grown for two seasons in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and subjected to three defoliation frequency treatments: four harvests (S4, 4‐week intervals), three harvests (S3, 6‐week intervals), or one harvest (S1, end of each experimental period). Leaf and stem dry matter (DM) yield, leaf proportion (DM basis) and chemical composition of the leaves, stems and forage (leaf + stem) were determined. Leaf DM yield was unaffected by treatments in 2007 (6–10 t ha−1). In 2008, treatments S4 and S3 had a higher leaf DM yield (mean 4 t ha−1) than treatment S1. Stem DM yield was highest in S1 in 2007, but did not differ between treatments in 2008. Leaf proportion did not differ between treatments S4 and S3 and was on average 55% and 60% in 2007 and 2008, respectively, while S1 had a lower leaf proportion in both years. Depending on defoliation frequency, the leaves contained 170–235 g CP kg−1 DM, which was much higher than the CP content of the stems (73–108 g kg−1 DM) and forage (85–182 g kg−1 DM). Neutral detergent fiber content of the leaves was 510–570 g kg−1 DM, which was lower than that of the stems (698–722 g kg−1 DM) and forage (583–621 g kg−1 DM). The total essential amino acid content of the leaves ranged from 45–50 g 16 g−1 N. It is concluded that the optimal defoliation interval of stylo ‘CIAT 184’ for use as a protein feed resource for growing pigs is 4–6 weeks. However, the lysine content may not be adequate for optimal growth.
The Questions of Identity and Agency in Feminism without Borders: A Mindful Response
Authors: Maitra Keya
Published: December 2012

Chandra Mohanty, in introducing the phrase “feminism without borders,” acknowledges that she is influenced by the image of “doctors without borders” and wants to highlight the multiplicity of voices and viewpoints within the feminist coalition. So the question of agency assumes primary significance here. But answering the question of agency becomes harder once we try to accommodate this multiplicity. Take, for example, the practice of veiling among certain Muslim women. As many third‐world feminists have pointed out, although veiling can't simply be perceived as an expression of women's oppression, it can't be perceived as an expression of “free agency” either since what is required for true feminist agency is women's ability to “formulate choices” and not simply to make choices. In this paper I argue that this ability includes two related abilities: first, to develop a perspective of self that acknowledges and accepts its own grounding in its given intersectionalities; second, to realize that its interdependencies and interconnectivities enable a sense of continuity and solidarity that works collaboratively toward consensus without sacrificing or stifling all differences. My main argument is that feminist self‐consciousness informed by Buddhist mindfulness gives us opportunities to articulate clearly and to cultivate both of these abilities.
Large and Small Eddies Matter: Animating Trees in Wind Using Coarse Fluid Simulation and Synthetic Turbulence
Authors: Selino A. , Jones M. D.
Published: December 2012

Animating trees in wind has long been a problem in computer graphics. Progress on this problem is important for both visual effects in films and forestry biomechanics. More generally, progress on tree motion in wind may inform future work on two‐way coupling between turbulent flows and deformable objects. Synthetic turbulence added to a coarse fluid simulation produces convincing animations of turbulent flows but two‐way coupling between the enriched flow and objects embedded in the flow has not been investigated. Prior work on two‐way coupling between fluid and deformable models lacks a subgrid resolution turbulence model. We produce realistic animations of tree motion by including motion due to both large and small eddies using synthetic subgrid turbulence and porous proxy geometry. Synthetic turbulence at the subgrid scale is modulated using turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Adding noise after sampling the mean flow and TKE transfers energy from small eddies directly to the tree geometry. The resulting animations include both global sheltering effects and small scale leaf and branch motion. Viewers, on average, found animations, which included both coarse fluid simulation and TKE‐modulated noise to be more accurate than animations generated using coarse fluid simulation or noise alone.
Deliberating across Deep Divides
Authors: Luskin Robert C. , O'Flynn Ian , Fishkin James S. , Russell David
Published: December 2012

Deeply divided societies would seem to be infertile ground for mass deliberation. ‘Enclave deliberation’, among people on the same side, may well occur. But people on opposing sides may not trust one another, they may not listen with an open mind, or they may regard the other side's arguments as insincere cover for sectional interests. Perhaps, though, we underestimate their deliberative capacities? This article examines a deliberative poll (DP) in the Omagh area of Northern Ireland, a society having only recently emerged from protracted violence, reflecting and reinforcing the deep divide between Catholics and Protestants. The topic – the future of the local schools – was one on which many of the issues were heavily impinged by the Catholic–Protestant divide. We examine the extent to which a representative sample, including both Catholics and Protestants, was able to deliberate constructively and how the experience changed their policy attitudes and their opinions of one another.
Post‐Industrial Imaginaries: Nature, Representation and Ruin in Detroit, Michigan
Authors: Millington Nate
Published: December 2012

With plans underway for large‐scale urban agriculture and a proliferation of representations made of the city's vacant lots, Detroit, Michigan is increasingly understood as a particularly hybrid metropolis that complicates conceptual divisions between city and nature. This article looks at representations of urban nature found in Detroit, focusing primarily on the work by photographers and journalists over the past 5 years as part of a broader discourse on Detroit's decline. By drawing from urban political ecology and critical work on nature, this article argues that representations of the city suggest an ambivalence, both popular and scholarly, about the emergent ecologies found in cities like Detroit. But, ultimately, journalists and commentators see nature in the city as a reflection of the city's absence, rather than its materiality, and so representations of Detroit reflect dominant conceptual divisions between the city and the non‐human world. This article builds on work in urban political ecology and environmental history to argue that representations and discourses about nature are important in the production of just urban environments.
Effectiveness of intravenous fluid resuscitation in the emergency room for treatment of hypotension in dogs: 35 cases (2000–2010)
Authors: Silverstein Deborah C. , Kleiner Jennifer , Drobatz Kenneth J.
Published: December 2012

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of fluid resuscitation for the treatment of hypotensive dogs presented to the emergency room.

Design

Retrospective study (2000–2010).

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Animals

Thirty‐five dogs with confirmed hypotension.

Interventions

None.

Measurements and Main Results

Medical records from 2000 to 2010 were searched for dogs that had documented arterial hypotension (Doppler blood pressure <90 mm Hg) upon presentation to the emergency room. The following data were collected for retrospective analysis: signalment, body weight, systolic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) before and after fluid resuscitation, type and volume of fluid administered within the first hour of hospitalization, presence or absence of confirmed sepsis, and outcome. There was a significant increase in BP following fluid resuscitation and 23 dogs showed normalization of blood pressure (Doppler blood pressure >90 mm Hg) following bolus IV fluid therapy within 1 hour of presentation. Fluid responsive animals were significantly less likely to be euthanized compared to those animals that did not respond to a fluid bolus (P= 0.013). The HR did not change significantly in either group postbolus therapy. Twenty‐three dogs (65.7%) in the study received only isotonic crystalloid therapy, 11 dogs were administered both isotonic crystalloids and synthetic colloids, and 1 dog received only synthetic colloid resuscitation. A significant difference was not detected between groups with respect to type or volume of fluid administered.

Conclusions

Bolus fluid therapy for the treatment of hypotensive dogs resulted in increased in systolic arterial BP in all dogs, although the HR did not reliably decrease as might be expected. Dogs that showed normalization of BP within the first hour of fluid resuscitation were more likely to be discharged alive than those who remained hypotensive. A majority of dogs received and responded to isotonic crystalloids fluid resuscitation.
Assessment of Local Public Finance Performance in China When Undesirable Fiscal Phenomena are Taken into Account
Authors: Zhang Shujian , Zhang Jun , Chen Shiyi
Published: December 2012

Making use of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique and taking undesirable fiscal phenomena into account, this paper comprehensively quantifies the public finance performance of local governments in China during the course of fiscal decentralization reform. The introduction of undesirable fiscal outcomes into this assessment makes it possible to identify meaningful and informative characteristics of local public finance performance in China. When reforms are first implemented, local public financial performance improves because undesirable fiscal phenomena have not yet become too serious. The tax sharing system reform did not work well in its early stages, and negatively impacted public expenditure efficiency. The reform started to play a substantial role between 2001 and 2005, when local governments experienced better public finance performance. Corresponding to the deterioration of the financial sector in recent years, local public financial performance worsened after 2007. Further reform of the current fiscal and taxation system is necessary in China, to ensure a brighter future for the nation.
Oral health status and needs of homebound elderly in an urban home‐based primary care service
Authors: Gluzman R. , Meeker H. , Agarwal P. , Patel S. , Gluck G. , Espinoza L. , Ornstein K. , Soriano T. , Katz R.V.
Published: December 2012

Objectives

This study assessed the oral health status, dental utilization and dental needs of the homebound elderly (HBE) care patients within the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctor program.

Methods

Of the 334 eligible patients, 57% agreed to participate and 95.4% completed the clinical examinations, the Dental Utilization and Needs survey and Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index conducted in each subject's home by a trained research team.

Results

Among 75% who were dentate subjects, 40% needed restorative dental care, 45.6% needed dental extractions, and 33% complained of current oral pain. Overall, 92.0% needed some type of dental care and 96% stated that they had not seen a dentist since they became homebound (mean number of years in program = 3.2 ± 2.58).

Conclusion

Findings show the oral health status of these homebound elderly was poor and their quality of life was significantly affected by the lack of basic dental care.
Mapping a way forward: Interest group selection and roles performed in engagement processes
Authors: Levesque Mario
Published: December 2012

Interest groups have much to offer citizen engagement activities, yet their contributions have been marginalized in recent years with the focus on more deliberative approaches for “ordinary citizens.” It seems that an either/or situation exists between citizen and interest group engagement. This article transcends this debate by delineating a methodology to inform the design of engagement processes that would include both citizens and groups in productive dialogue. Based on past interest group collaboration patterns, a collaborative method is outlined, which offers a way to identify and select interest groups for inclusion in engagement processes with citizens. The method is then applied to a case study of two water issues confronting the City of Hamilton in Ontario.
The Effect of Particle Size Distributions on the Microstructural Evolution During Sintering
Authors: Bjørk Rasmus , Tikare Veena , Frandsen Henrik Lund , Pryds Nini
Published: December 2012

Microstructural evolution and sintering behavior of powder compacts composed of spherical particles with different particle size distributions (PSDs) were simulated using a kinetic Monte Carlo model of solid‐state sintering. Compacts of monosized particles, normal PSDs with fixed mean particle radii and a range of standard deviations, and log‐normal PSDs with fixed mode and a range of skewness values were studied. Densification rate and final relative density were found to be inversely proportional to initial PSD width. Grain growth was faster during the early stages of sintering for broad PSDs, but the final grain sizes were smaller. These behaviors are explained by the smallest grains in the broader PSDs being consumed very quickly by larger neighboring grains. The elimination of the small grains reduces both the total number of necks and the neck area between particles, which in turn reduces the regions where vacancies can be annihilated, leading to slower densification rates. The loss of neck area causes grain growth by surface diffusion to become the dominant microstructural evolution mechanism, leading to poor densification. Finally, pore size was shown to increase with the width of PSDs, which also contributes to the lower densification rates.
Determination of Chemical Tracer Diffusion Coefficients for the La‐ and Ni‐site in La2NiO4+δ Studied by SIMS
Authors: Čebašek Nebojša , Haugsrud Reidar , Li Zuoan , Norby Truls
Published: December 2012

Chemical (impurity) tracer diffusion of Pr, Nd, and Co into polycrystalline La2NiO4+δ was done at 950°C–1350°C in air, argon, and intermediate pO2 (5.5 × 10−3 atm O2), and diffusion coefficients were extracted from depth profiles determined by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). The Pr and Nd profiles have only one broad region, corresponding to bulk diffusion, whereas the Co tracer depth profile has two distinct regions with different slopes, where the outer shallow region represents bulk diffusion and the inner region with deep penetration depths represents grain‐boundary diffusion. It is thus concluded that the diffusivity on the Ni‐site is enhanced by grain‐boundary diffusion. The bulk diffusion was evaluated using the solution of Fick's second law for thin‐film source, and the grain‐boundary diffusion was evaluated according to Whipple‐Le Claire's equation. The average apparent activation energies for Pr and Nd bulk diffusion are 165 ± 15 kJ/mol, for Co bulk diffusion 295 ± 15 kJ/mol, and for Co grain‐boundary diffusion 380 ± 20 kJ/mol. Qualitatively, the diffusivities and activation energies follow levels and trends in agreement with those from other experimental techniques. The apparent lack of—in fact reverse—correlation between activation energy and level of diffusivity is discussed in terms of a possibility that the faster species (Ni) reach equilibrium defect concentrations while the slower (La) is in effect frozen in.
Camber Evolution and Stress Development of Porous Ceramic Bilayers During Co‐Firing
Authors: Ni De‐Wei , Esposito Vincenzo , Schmidt Cristine Grings , Molla Tesfaye Tadesse , Andersen Kjeld Bøhm , Kaiser Andreas , Ramousse Severine , Pryds Nini
Published: December 2012

Camber evolution and stress development during co‐firing of asymmetric bilayer laminates, consisting of porous Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 gadolinium‐doped cerium oxide (CGO) and La0.85Sr0.15MnO3 lanthanum strontium manganate (LSM)‐CGO were investigated. Individual layer shrinkage was measured by optical dilatometer, and the uniaxial viscosities were determined as a function of layer density using a vertical sintering approach. The camber evolution in the bilayer laminates was recorded in situ during co‐firing and it was found to correspond well with the one predicted by the theoretical model. The estimated sintering mismatch stress in co‐fired CGO‐LSM/CGO bilayer laminates was significantly lower than general sintering stresses expected for free sintering conditions. As a result, no co‐firing defects were observed in the bilayer laminates, illustrating an acceptable sintering compatibility of the ceramic layers.
Making Work Fit Care: Reconciliation Strategies Used by Working Mothers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Chou Yueh‐Ching , Fu Li‐yeh , Chang Heng‐Hao
Published: December 2012

Background

This study explored the experiences of working mothers with an adult child with intellectual disabilities to understand how they reconcile paid work and care responsibilities.

Methods

Fifteen working mothers in Taiwan with an adult child with intellectual disabilities were interviewed, and an interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted for data collection and analysis.

Results

All included mothers prioritized their caregiving role over paid work. The strategies used by these mothers to make paid work fit with caregiving included having strong social networks and informal support for their care work, use of formal services, personal religious beliefs and positive attitudes towards care, as well as having flexible working hours due to self‐employment, good relations with employers, working positions and work locations.

Conclusions

Formal systems, which include both welfare and labour policies, need to be responsive to and involved in supporting these working mothers, especially those who lack good personal networks.
Diabetes care: After the Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Kishimoto Miyako , Noda Mitsuhiko
Published: December 2012

Preface

The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami destroyed large parts of Japan's Tohoku district. Special efforts were made regarding the prompt distribution of medical supplies, including insulin, for diabetic patients. However, many diabetic patients in the shelters lost their blood glucose control as a result of the unfavorable living environment. The high‐calorie food provided led to severe postprandial hyperglycemia. Furthermore, mental stress can aggravate diabetic control and these patients require special mental care. We have a few suggestions to propose in preparation for future disasters based on the experience gained from our shelter visits during this disaster. First, people in the affected areas had no way of accessing such information in the early days after the disaster. Therefore, we should consider the practical means of distributing important information in various situations. Second, guidelines and manuals for both diabetic patients and healthcare providers need to be created for the various situations that occur in the event of a natural disaster. We already have a few, but situations vary and several guidelines are required to cover different conditions. Manuals for the prescription of antidiabetic agents will be useful, especially for doctors who are not specialized in diabetes. Third, patients should be educated beforehand as to what to do and what to be prepared for in the case of a disaster; each of the various situations that might be encountered should be covered. Lectures about these issues might be included in educational classes for diabetic patients organized by each medical institution.
Comparison of the skin biophysical parameters of Southeast Asia females: forehead–cheek and ethnic groups
Authors: Lee M.R. , Nam G.W. , Jung Y.C. , Park S.Y. , Han J.Y. , Cho J.C. , Suh K.D. , Hwang J.K.
Published: December 2012

Background  Regional and ethnic (racial) differences in skin properties are well known. However, regional and racial studies are limited and have studied skin properties using an insufficient number of subjects and limited ethnic groups, except in the case of some recent studies.

Objective  The aim of this study was (1) to compare the skin biophysical parameter among the large scale of Southeast Asia females group and (2) to compare skin properties of the forehead and cheek.

Methods  We measured and compared seven skin biophysical parameters, such as skin hydration, sebum, skin pH, melanin index, erythema index, skin elasticity and transepidermal water loss (TEWL), of the forehead and cheek of a large population of Indonesian (n = 200), Vietnamese (n = 100) and Singaporean females (n = 97).

Results  At the point of site difference, there were significant differences in five biophysical parameters (skin hydration, skin pH, melanin index, erythema index and skin elasticity) in Indonesian females. In Vietnamese and Singaporean women, they were significant differences in five biophysical parameters (skin hydration, skin pH, melanin index, erythema index and TEWL). At the point of ethnic difference, the Indonesian women had the highest skin pH and melanin index between the different ethnic groups. Vietnamese women had the highest skin hydration and TEWL in the forehead, whereas Singaporean women had the highest skin elasticity.

Conclusion  The skin biophysical parameters are different between the forehead and cheek among Southeast Asian females. It also reveals that the biophysical parameters are different in same racial group.
Immunopathogenic characterization of cutaneous inflammation in Behçet’s disease
Authors: Cho S. , Kim J. , Cho S. B. , Zheng Z. , Choi M.J. , Kim D.Y. , Bang D.
Published: December 2012

Background  Behçet’s disease (BD) is a recurrent multisystemic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral aphthous and genital ulcers, ocular lesions and cutaneous lesions. Although many studies of cytokine levels in sera of BD patients have been conducted, there are only limited number of studies about the cytokine expression and cellular infiltration in the BD‐related skin lesions.

Objectives  To investigate the immunophenotypes and cytokine profiles of BD‐related skin lesions.

Methods  Twenty patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for BD with BD‐related skin lesions were enrolled in this study. We assessed the histopathological features of BD‐related skin lesions by immunohistochemical studies with anti‐human CD4, CD8, CD68, FoxP3, CD‐11b, IFN‐γ and IL‐4 antibodies.

Results  Immunophenotyping of inflammatory infiltrating cells showed that CD68+ macrophages were the most common type of infiltrated cells in erythema nodosum‐like lesions, erythema multiforme‐like lesions and Sweet’s syndrome‐like lesions, whereas neutrophils were the main population of inflammatory infiltrating cells in papulopustular lesions. In all of the four types of BD‐related skin lesions, the percentage of CD8+ T cells was higher than that of CD4+ T cells (P < 0.05), and IL‐4 expression was stronger than IFN‐γ expression (P < 0.05).

Conclusion  In this study, we assessed the infiltrating inflammatory cells and cytokine expression of acute cutaneous lesions in BD through immunohistochemical staining of BD‐related skin lesions. Further studies about the disease activity and the molecular biology underlying the cutaneous inflammation are needed to understand the detailed pathogenesis of BD.
Sterile inflammation in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury: Present concepts and potential therapeutics
Authors: van Golen Rowan F , Reiniers Megan J , Olthof Pim B , van Gulik Thomas M , Heger Michal
Published: December 2012

Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury is an often unavoidable consequence of major liver surgery and is characterized by a sterile inflammatory response that jeopardizes the viability of the organ. The inflammatory response results from acute oxidative and nitrosative stress and consequent hepatocellular death during the early reperfusion phase, which causes the release of endogenous self‐antigens known as damage‐associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). DAMPs, in turn, are indirectly responsible for a second wave of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) production by driving the chemoattraction of various leukocyte subsets that exacerbate oxidative liver damage during the later stages of reperfusion. In this review, the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic I/R injury are outlined, with emphasis on the interplay between ROS/RNS, DAMPs, and the cell types that either produce ROS/RNS and DAMPs or respond to them. This theoretical background is subsequently used to explain why current interventions for hepatic I/R injury have not been very successful. Moreover, novel therapeutic modalities are addressed, including MitoSNO and nilotinib, and metalloporphyrins on the basis of the updated paradigm of hepatic I/R injury.
Mitochondrial peroxiredoxin‐5 as potential modulator of mitochondria‐ER crosstalk in MPP+‐induced cell death
Authors: De Simoni Stéphanie , Linard Dominique , Hermans Emmanuel , Knoops Bernard , Goemaere Julie
Published: December 2012

Peroxiredoxin‐5 (PRDX5) is an antioxidant enzyme which differs from the other peroxiredoxins with regards to its enzymatic mechanism, its high affinity for organic peroxides and peroxynitrite and its wide subcellular distribution. In particular, the mitochondrial isoform of PRDX5 confers a remarkable cytoprotection toward oxidative stress to mammalian cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction and disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis are implicated in neurodegeneration. Growing evidence supports that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) could operate in tandem with mitochondria to regulate intracellular Ca2+ fluxes in neurodegenerative processes. Here, we overexpressed mitochondrial PRDX5 in SH‐SY5Y cells to dissect the role of this enzyme in 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP)+‐induced cell death. Our data show that mitochondria‐dependent apoptosis triggered by MPP+, assessed by the measurement of caspase‐9 activation and mitochondrial DNA damage, is prevented by mitochondrial PRDX5 overexpression. Moreover, PRDX5 overexpression blocks the increase in intracellular Ca2+, Ca2+‐dependent activation of calpains and Bax cleavage. Finally, using Ca2+ channel inhibitors (Nimodipine, Dantrolene and 2‐APB), we show that Ca2+ release arises essentially from ER stores through 1,4,5‐inositol‐trisphosphate receptors (IP3R). Altogether, our results suggest that the MPP+ mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis is regulated by mitochondrial PRDX5 in a process that could involve redox modulation of Ca2+ transporters via a crosstalk between mitochondria and ER.
Protective effect of melatonin on TNF‐α‐induced muscle atrophy in L6 myotubes
Authors: Park Jae‐Hyung , Chung Eun Ji , Kwon Hae‐Jung , Im Seung‐Soon , Lim Jung‐Geun , Song Dae‐Kyu
Published: December 2012

Muscle atrophy, characterized by decreased cell number and size, is a serious concern for patients afflicted with inflammatory diseases. Mounting evidence indicates that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) plays a critical role in muscle atrophy in a number of clinical settings. We hypothesize that reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate TNF‐α‐induced muscle cell death and hypotrophy. Recently, melatonin has attracted attention because of its free‐radical scavenging and antioxidant properties. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the possible protective role of melatonin in TNF‐α‐induced muscle cell death and hypotrophy in rat L6 myotubes. To examine this possible role, L6 myotubes were exposed to various concentrations of recombinant TNF‐α for 24 hr. We found that TNF‐α at a concentration of 100 ng/mL induced ROS generation and decreased cell viability. Further analysis revealed that apoptosis, but not autophagy, may be important for TNF‐α‐induced cell death. Melatonin significantly attenuated TNF‐α‐induced ROS generation and apoptosis. In addition, decreased muscle fiber diameter and increased muscle cell proteolysis by TNF‐α was highly attenuated by treatment with melatonin. The effects of melatonin were mediated neither through its plasmalemmal receptors nor by modulating the nuclear factor kappa B pathway activated by TNF‐α. Taken together, these results suggest that TNF‐α may mediate ROS‐induced muscle cell death and hypotrophy and that melatonin may be a useful tool for protecting against muscle atrophy stemming from inflammatory diseases.
The Effect of Vilazodone on Sexual Function During the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Clayton Anita H. , Kennedy Sidney H. , Edwards John B. , Gallipoli Susan , Reed Carol R.
Published: December 2012

Introduction

Sexual dysfunction is common in major depressive disorder (MDD), and many serotonergic antidepressants adversely affect sexual function. Vilazodone, a novel serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor and 5-HT1A partial agonist approved for MDD, exerts its effects at the 5-HT transporter and at both presynaptic and postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors. This mechanism may limit sexual dysfunction.

Aim

To summarize effects of vilazodone (40 mg/day, with food) on sexual function in adults with MDD.

Methods

Data sources were three Phase III studies: two 8-week, placebo-controlled studies (NCT00285376 and NCT00683592) and a 52-week open-label study (NCT00644358). Sexual function was assessed by analyzing changes from baseline to end of treatment (EOT) using validated measures.

Main Outcome Measure

Arizona Sexual Experience Scale or Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire.

Results

Population included 869 patients (vilazodone, 436; placebo, 433) from placebo-controlled studies and 599 patients from the open-label study. Sexual dysfunction prevalence was high (50%, men; 68%, women) before treatment and declined during treatment in vilazodone and placebo groups, indicating improvement on average. At EOT, stable/improved sexual function was observed in ≥91% of patients in placebo-controlled studies; treatment group differences in sexual dysfunction at EOT were not statistically significant for either sex. Differences vs. placebo in changes from baseline of sexual function scores were small and were generally not statistically significant; effect sizes (Cohen's D) were generally of low magnitude. In the placebo-controlled studies, 8.0% of vilazodone-treated patients and 0.9% of placebo-treated patients reported ≥1 sexual-function-related treatment-emergent adverse event (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Half of men and two thirds of women with MDD had sexual dysfunction at baseline; sexual function improved on average in both vilazodone and placebo groups. Results suggest that vilazodone may have a small adverse impact on sexual function in adults with MDD relative to the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction at baseline.