bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is radicality granted? Transanal endoscopic microsurgery for the treatment of rectal neoplasia – clinicopathological viewpoint
Authors: Ács Balázs , Szász A. Marcell , Kulka Janina , Harsányi László , Zaránd Attila
Published: December 2014

A rectum középső és alsó harmada válogatott daganatainak ellátására kifejlesztett transanalis endoscopos mikrosebészeti (TEM) eljárás alacsony recidíva- és szövődményrátájú, így a hagyományos műtéti technikák alternatívája lehet, ha az onkológiai radikalitás szempontjából nem jelent kompromisszumot. A TEM-eljárás 2013 őszétől érhető el – Magyarországon második centrumként, de jelenleg a legkorszerűbb felszereltségű − a Semmelweis Egyetem I. Sz. Sebészeti Klinikáján. Jelen vizsgálatunkban célul tűztük ki, hogy az utóbbi egy év klinikopatológiai adatait elemezzük. 2013. szeptember és 2014. szeptember között TEM-technikával operált betegek adatait elemeztük retrospektív módon. 44 beteg került TEM-eljárással ellátásra rectumneoplasia miatt. Szövettani vizsgálattal az elváltozások között 12 low grade adenoma, 14 high grade adenoma, 17 invasiv adenocarcinoma és 1 neuroendokrin tumor volt. A low grade és high grade adenomák, illetve adenocarcinomák mérete között nem tudtunk szignifikáns különbséget kimutatni (p= 0,210). A 30 mm alatti és feletti elváltozások között a szövettani diagnózisok tekintetében szignifikáns különbséget nem tapasztaltunk (p= 0,424). A 44 esetből 13 esetben a praeoperativ szövettani vizsgálat kedvezőbb prognózisú elváltozást jelzett, mint a TEM-excisiós preparátumon végzett végleges szövettani elemzés (p< 0,001). A szövettani vizsgálat 41 esetben (95,3%) igazolta az épben történő kimetszést. Mindazonáltal a több darabban vagy mucosectomiával történő polypectomia – különösen nagyméretű adenomák esetében – nem tekinthető elegendő kezelésnek, ezért – más kutatócsoportokhoz hasonlóan – javasoljuk a TEM-technikával a teljes rectumfalra kiterjedő excisiót. A pT2 stádiumú daganatok esetében a választandó eljárás tekintetében a jelenleg is zajló prospektív klinikai vizsgálatok fognak bizonyosságot adni.
Mini-laparoscopic cholecystectomy as an innovative method in minimally invasive abdominal surgery
Authors: Andrási László , Ábrahám Szabolcs , Lázár György
Published: December 2014

Bevezetés: Vizsgálatunkban a minilaparoscopos módon (portok számának és méretének csökkentése révén) végzett laparoscopos cholecystectomiák (LC) eredményeit mutatjuk be. Elemeztük a mini-LC előnyeit és hátrányait a hagyományos LC-vel összehasonlítva. Betegek és módszerek: Mini-LC során összesen 3 portot (11, 5 és 3,5 mm) alkalmaztunk. Tíz esetben végzett mini-LC eredményeit hasonlítottuk össze 10 konvencionális LC eredményeivel. A betegválogatás alapját a nem, az életkor, a BMI és az ASA-beosztás képezte, amely mindkét vizsgált csoportot homogénné tett. Összehasonlítottuk a két eljárás átlagos műtéti időtartamát, a segédport szükségességét, a konverziós arányt, a postoperativ fájdalomcsillapító-igényt, a korai/késői szövődmények előfordulásának gyakoriságát és a kozmetikai eredményeket. Eredmények: A műtéti időtartam, vérveszteség, kórházi tartózkodás, szövődmények vonatkozásában nem észleltünk szignifikáns különbséget a két csoport között. A sebészi metszések összesített mérete mini-LC során 19,5 mm, míg az LC-csoportban 41 mm, a szöveti károsodás mértéke pedig 124,2 mm2 és 448,2 mm2 volt a két csoportban. Mindezek jelentősen javították a mini-LC kozmetikai eredményét. A hagyományos LC után a betegek szignifikánsan nagyobb arányban igényeltek postoperativ fájdalomcsillapítást. Következtetések: A mini-LC biztonságos, kiváló kozmetikai eredményeket adó eljárás, amely kisebb postoperativ fájdalomcsillapító-igénnyel jár. Válogatott esetekben ez a műtéti típus ajánlott eljárás lehet a konvencionális LC-vel szemben.
Objective surgery – advanced robotic devices and simulators used for surgical skill assessment
Authors: Suhánszki Norbert , Haidegger Tamás
Published: December 2014

A laparoscopos sebészet sikerességére alapozva a robotsebészet az egyik legmeghatározóbb irányzattá vált a nyugati ellátásban, elsősorban a hasi beavatkozások tekintetében. Míg a kézi laparoscopos eljárások elsajátítása hosszú és fáradságos feladat, a da Vinci típusú robotizált alkalmazások számos intuitív vezérlési és ergonómiai funkciót kínálnak. Mindkét esetben alapvető fontosságú, hogy a sebészek valós technikai képességeivel, készségeivel tisztában legyünk. A robotizált sebészeti eszközök használata radikálisan új mérési módszereket tesz lehetővé a műtéti folyamatok számos paraméterét tekintve, amely alapján új tananyagok és vizsgáztatási módszerek kerültek kidolgozásra. Ezek forradalmasíthatják a laparoscopos sebészet oktatását, hiszen objektív kritériumrendszer bevezetését teszik lehetővé. A robotos környezetben és szimulátorokon alkalmazott alapvető metrikákat és módszereket viszi végig ez a cikk, részletesen kitérve az egyes módszerek validáltságára és hasznosságára. Az elkövetkező pár évben várhatóan ezek fogják meghatározni a modern laparoscopos sebészeti képzések összetételét.
“Debranching” – a new surgical option for the aortic arch and thoracoabdominal aorta hybrid interventions
Authors: Dzsinich Csaba , Vaszily Miklós , Vallus Gábor , Dzsinich Máté , Berek Péter , Barta László , Darabos Gábor , Nyiri Gabriella , Teknős Dániel
Published: December 2014

Bevezetés: Az érsebészeti megoldásokat forradalmasító új eljárások egyre több érterületen kerülnek alkalmazásra. Minimálisan invasiv jellegük miatt az aorta sebészete jelentősen átalakult, fokozott kockázat miatt megoldhatatlannak ítélt esetek váltak hozzáférhetővé. Az új eljárások számára új fogalmakkal és módszerekkel kell megismerkednünk. Módszerek: Régen ismert sebészi módszerek új jelentőséget kaptak az endograftok beültetésének előkészítésében. Az aorta nagy mellékágainak átépítése – a „debranching” – számos változata kerül alkalmazásra azért, hogy az endograft számára megfelelő „landing”-et, azaz rögzítési zónát alakítsunk ki. Következtetés: A hibrid megoldások sebészi lehetőségeinek ismerete a technika rohamos terjedése miatt alapvető követelménnyé vált éppúgy, mint az aorta elváltozásainak komputerizált mérése – az aortaméretek systolodiastolés változásainak figyelembevételével. Szükséges a graftok biomechanikai tulajdonságainak – stabilitás, flexibilitás, a koronakialakítás, beépülés stb. – ismerete. Alkalmazásuk, a szövődmények és kezelésük lehetőségeinek ismerete nélkülözhetetlen szakmai feladat. Ismernünk kell a hagyományos, nyitott sebészi beavatkozások szerepét a változó körülmények között. Közleményünkben a „debranching” technikai lehetőségeit ismertetjük.
Making Evidence Available for Hospital-Based Midwives: A Systematic Examination of the Content and Methodological Quality of Three Protocols Used in Maternity Hospitals in the Netherlands
Authors: Cronie Doug J. , Rijnders Marlies , de Vries Raymond , Buitendijk Simone
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the Dutch have begun to question the safety and efficacy of their maternity care system. Particular concerns have been raised about the quality of care in hospital settings. One way to address concerns regarding quality and efficacy of care is by the introduction and use of evidence-based protocols for practice. The primary aims of this study are to (a) describe the availability and diffusion of protocols in Dutch maternity hospitals, (b) systematically assess the methodological quality of these protocols, and (c) consider the content of the protocols in relation to the best evidence for practice.

METHODS: A mailed and Internet questionnaire to all hospitals with maternity facilities in the Netherlands inquiring about the availability, content, and methodological quality of protocols for three situations: hypertensive conditions of pregnancy, fetal surveillance, and postpartum hemorrhage. All protocols were systematically assessed twice. We first assessed the methodological quality of the protocol using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) framework, and we then evaluated protocol content using a framework we developed for this purpose. Protocols were scored using a Likert-type scale.

RESULTS: There were 53% (N = 48) of all maternity hospitals in the Netherlands that responded. The methodological quality of protocols we evaluated was poor. Using the AGREE framework, 70% of fetal surveillance protocols could not be recommended. Only 1 protocol from 1 hospital scored strongly recommend. Confusion regarding the definition of a protocol and what it should contain were common problems. There was a general paucity of evidence in the protocols assessed.

DISCUSSION: Protocols may not be widely available in Dutch maternity hospitals. Where they are available, the quality is poor. There is no national strategy for coordination, implementation, and dissemination of evidence-based protocols. Because centralization, uniformity, and interprofessional collaboration are known to improve adherence, it would be prudent for maternity care professions to develop and disseminate protocols based on best evidence.
Midwives’ Time and Presence: A Key Factor in Facilitating Breastfeeding Support for New Mothers
Authors: Gleeson Danielle , Flowers Karen , Fenwick Jennifer
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND: There is now a plethora of work that has examined new mothers’ experiences of receiving breastfeeding support. However, there remains limited literature describing women’s experiences of receiving this support from midwives in the early postnatal period.

AIM: The study aimed to explore and describe women’s experiences of receiving breastfeeding support from midwives in the early postnatal period.

METHOD: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Six first-time mothers who initiated breastfeeding after birth consented to be involved and participated in an in-depth interview. The techniques associated with dimensional analysis and constant comparison were used to analyze the data set.

FINDINGS: Two categories were identified that described women’s experiences of midwifery breastfeeding support. These were related to the midwives’ ability to spend and give the gift of time to women. Alternatively, the midwife’s busyness and inability to be present for the woman was considered a barrier to receiving positive breastfeeding support and the woman’s ability to problem solve any breastfeeding issues.

CONCLUSION: The findings of this study confirm both the importance of midwives spending time providing breastfeeding support and the negative consequences of a lack of time given for the provision of this support. Mothers have asked for midwives to be present; investing time in them, listening to them, and helping them solve problems. Current care models present barriers contributing to both the perceptions and realities of midwives’ lack of time, presenting a need to reconsider the design of maternity care environments and to adopt a caseload approach where women receive relationship-based care.
Taking It Into Account: Caring for Disabled Mothers During Pregnancy and Birth
Authors: Payne Deborah Ann , Guerin Bernadette , Roy Dianne , Giddings Lynne , Farquhar Cindy , McPherson Kathryn
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND:Although more disabled women are pursuing motherhood over time, little is known about their needs and experiences in achieving this goal.

METHODS:A 3-phase study was designed with the aim of identifying ways for services to be more responsive for women living with physical or sensory impairment during and after pregnancy. This article draws on the qualitative phases of a 3-part mixed method study, which involved individual and focus group interviews with the women and maternity and child health practitioners.

RESULTS:Sixty-two mothers with either a physical or a sensory impairment and 28 health practitioners participated in the study. Three themes were identified in relation to the current approaches to service provision: that the women were often responsible for educating the practitioners about their impairment, that they often encountered disabling environments, and that it was not uncommon for them to also encounter disabling attitudes from others. Strategies suggested by our participants to improve the provision of maternity services were for women’s impairments to be taken into account in the structure and process of service provision and for practitioners to problem solve and think ahead of how to meet the needs of disabled mothers.

CONCLUSION:The need to take the woman’s impairment into account was an overarching issue and strategy identified by both women and practitioners. This consideration has relevance not only at the practitioner–women interaction level but also for educational, structural service provision and policy levels.
Swedish Midwives’ Perspectives of Antenatal Care Focusing on Group-Based Antenatal Care
Authors: Andersson Ewa , Christensson Kyllike , Hildingsson Ingegerd
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND:Antenatal care in Sweden is routinely delivered on an individual level with optional parental education classes. Group-based antenatal care (GBAC) is a model of antenatal care that has been implemented in Sweden since the year 2000.

AIM:Previous research has focused mainly on parents’ experiences and perceptions of GBAC. Midwives have an important role in developing Swedish antenatal care, but studies focusing on midwives’ perspectives are rare. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate and describe antenatal midwives’ perceptions and experiences of their current work, with a special focus on their opinions about GBAC.

METHOD:An interview study was conducted and analyzed by descriptive statistics and quantitative content analysis.

PARTICIPANTS:56 midwives from 52 antenatal clinics in Sweden.

RESULTS:The major findings of this study were that midwives were satisfied with their work in antenatal care but have reservations concerning time constraints and parental classes. More than half of the midwives reported an interest in trying the group model but expressed personal and organizational obstacles based on identifiable difficulties in implementing the model. Midwives had strong opinions about the suitability of the model for women.

CONCLUSION:This is the first study in Sweden to investigate midwives’ perspectives on GBAC. Midwives showed an interest in the group model but have concerns about implementing the process. The midwives considered GBAC as inappropriate for immigrants and well-educated parents.
Understanding the Relationships among Phytoplankton, Benthic Macroinvertebrates, and Water Quality Variables in Peri‐Urban River Systems
Authors: Pinto Uthpala , Maheshwari Basant L. , Morris E. Charles
Published: December 2014

In this article, using the Hawkesbury‐Nepean River as a case study, the spatial and temporal trends of water quality variables over three sampling surveys in a peri‐urban situation are examined for their effect on benthic macroinvertebrate communities and phytoplankton communities and whether phytoplankton and benthic macroinvertebrate species can be used as indicators for river health assessment. For this, the authors monitored the spatial and temporal difference of 10 water quality parameters: temperature, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, oxidation reduction potential, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, manganese, and suspended solids. The variability in water quality parameters clearly indicated a complex pattern, depending on the season (interaction p = 0.001), which highlighted how the river condition is stressed at multiple points as a result of anthropogenic effects. In particular, the downstream locations indicated an accumulation of nutrients, the presence of increased sediments, and phytoplankton related variables such as total counts, bio‐volumes, chlorophyll‐a, and total phosphorus. The patterns of phytoplankton communities varied in a complex way depending on the season (interaction p = 0.001). Abundances of phytoplankton were also found in low concentrations where the water column is not severely disturbed by flow and tide. However, when the water clarity drops resulting from tidal cycles, inflows from tributaries, and intense boating activities, the phytoplankton abundances also increased considerably. On the other hand, benthic macroinvertebrates compositions were significantly different between locations (p = 0.001) with increased abundances associated with upstream sites. Aphanocapsa holsatica and chironomid larvae appeared as the important indicators for upstream and downstream site differences in water quality. Water temperature influenced the phytoplankton community pattern (ρw = 0.408), whereas pH influenced the benthic macroinvertebrate community pattern (ρw = 0.437). The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the interactions of water quality parameters on biotic assemblages and to the extent that benthic macroinvertebrates and phytoplankton assemblages are suitable as indicators for monitoring and assessing peri‐urban river health.
Algae Consumption and Nitrate Removal in a Raw Water Transport System by Limnoperna fortunei and its Associated Microorganisms
Authors: Zhang Ruijian , Cui Bin , Huang Shaobin
Published: December 2014

This laboratory‐scale study investigated the effect of Limnoperna fortunei on chlorophyll a, phosphates, ammonia, and nitrates in a simulated raw water transport system, with a special focus on the isolation and identification of microbes in the biofilm attached to the shell surface. These microbes appear to be involved in the decreased concentration of nitrates observed in the water. The microbial communities in the raw water and on the surface of the mussel's shell were investigated through various methods, including a 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis, which revealed significant diversity in terms of the structure and abundance of microbial species present. Two aerobic denitrifying bacteria (I‐N38 and I‐N45) were identified in shell biofilm that were capable of removing 95.5 and 100% of nitrates, respectively, within 24 hours.
A Comparative Study on the Pulsed UV and the Low‐Pressure UV Inactivation of a Range of Microbial Species in Water
Authors: Garvey Mary , Thokala Nikhil , Rowan Neil
Published: December 2014

Research into alternative methods of disinfecting water and wastewater has proven necessary due to the emergence of chlorine‐resistant organisms and the disinfection byproducts associated with chlorine use. The use of UV light to inactivate microbial species has proven effective, however; standard UV lamps have proven to be less effective in their ability to inactivate parasites and bacterial endospores in water treatment settings. Pulsed UV (PUV) light may potentially provide a novel alternative to water and wastewater disinfection. Research outlined in this study assesses the potential of a novel PUV system for the rapid and reproducible inactivation of a range of test species including Bacillus endospores. In comparison to standard low‐pressure (LP) UV lamps, this PUV system provided significantly higher levels of inactivation for all test species. Furthermore, there was a remarkable decrease in time needed to obtain significant inactivation rates following treatment with PUV compared to LP‐UV. With the PUV system, a 70‐second treatment time (7.65 μJ/cm2) resulted in similar inactivation rates of Bacillus endospores to that of the LP‐UV inactivation of their vegetative counterpart. Also, at PUV doses exceeding 4.32 J/cm2, there was not a significant difference in the PUV inactivation of Bacillus endospores in the absence or presence of 10 ppm organic matter. However, the presence of organic matter resulted in a significant reduction in microbial inactivation for all treatment doses using the LP‐UV system. The findings of this study suggest that PUV technology may provide a rapid effective method for the disinfection of water and wastewater.
Evaluation of Performance of Full‐Scale Duckweed and Algal Ponds Receiving Septage
Authors: Papadopoulos Frantzis H. , Metaxa Eirini G. , Iatrou Miltos N. , Papadopoulos Aristotelis H.
Published: December 2014

The performance of duckweed and algal systems in removing fecal bacteria, organic matter, and nutrients was evaluated in three full‐scale ponds operating in series. Trucks collected septage from holding tanks and discharged it into the system, daily. The inflow rates varied between the warm and the cold season. Duckweed and algae naturally colonized the ponds in two successive periods of 10 and 13 months, respectively. Environmental conditions were determined at various pond depths. Without harvesting, the duckweed system was neutral and anoxic. Alkaline and oversaturation conditions were observed in the algal system. The overall removals of 5‐day biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total nitrogen removal, and orthophosphate (ortho‐PO43–) ranged from 94 to 97, 62 to 84, 68 to 74, and 0 to 26%, respectively. The E. coli and enterococci reductions varied between 2.2 to 3.0 and 1.1 to 1.4 log units, respectively. The upper values were always associated with the algal system.
Surface Modified Mesostructured Iron Oxyhydroxide: Synthesis, Ecotoxicity, and Application
Authors: Choi Jae‐Woo , Mahendran Basuvaraj , Chung Seung‐Gun , Kim Song‐Bae , Lee Sang‐Hyup
Published: December 2014

Mesoporous iron oxide, particularly amine‐functionalized FeOx and FeOx, was investigated for the removal of toxic heavy metal anions of arsenic and chromium from an aqueous solution. As a control experiment for these toxic compounds, adsorption tests were also performed on Fe3O4 as their counterpart bulk chemical. The mesostructures were confirmed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, we prepared stock suspensions of meso‐FeOx, amine‐functionalized meso‐FeOx and Fe3O4 particles, and compared their acute toxicity against Daphnia magna. The 24 h‐EC50 values of the amine‐functionalized meso‐FeOx, meso‐FeOx and Fe particle suspensions used in this study were 1682, 2549 and 95 mg/L, respectively. Organism toxicity caused by spills of adsorbents can be negated when the amine‐functionalized meso‐FeOx, up to 1500 mg/L, is used as the adsorbent for heavy metal treatment. The adsorption of arsenic and chromium by the three adsorbents were examined, and different adsorption models were used to describe the equilibrium and kinetic data. The amine‐functionalized meso‐FeOx adsorbent was found to give the maximum adsorption capacities for arsenic and chromium (33.51 and 25.05 mg/g, respectively). This research gives promising results for the application of modified meso‐FeOx as an adsorbent of toxic heavy metal anions from aqueous solutions.
Effect of Centrifugation on Water Recycling and Algal Growth to Enable Algae Biodiesel Production
Authors: Igou Thomas , Van Ginkel Steven W. , Penalver‐Argueso Patricia , Fu Hao , Doi Shusuke , Narode Asmita , Cheruvu Sarasija , Zhang Qian , Hassan Fariha , Woodruff Frazier , Chen Yongsheng
Published: December 2014

The latest research shows that algal biofuels, at the production levels mandated in theEnergy Independence and Security Act of 2007, will place significant demands on water and compete with agriculture meant for food production. Thus, there is a great need to recycle water while producing algal biofuels. This study shows that when using a synthetic medium, soluble algal products, bacteria, and other inhibitors can be removed by centrifugation and enable water recycling. Average water recovery reached 84% and water could be recycled at least 10 times without reducing algal growth.
Effect of Sex and Impaired Glucose Tolerance on Organ-Specific Dietary Fatty Acid Metabolism in Humans
Authors: Kunach Margaret , Noll Christophe , Phoenix Serge , Guérin Brigitte , Baillargeon Jean-Patrice , Turcotte Eric E. , Carpentier André C.
Published: December 2014

Oral 14(R,S)-[18F]-fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid was used to determine whether an increase in cardiac dietary fatty acid (DFA) metabolism in impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is different in men and women. Myocardial DFA partitioning after 6 h was higher in IGT versus control subjects (P = 0.006) in both men (2.14 [95% CI 1.70–2.18] vs. 1.28 standard uptake value [SUV] units [0.80–1.76]) and women (1.95 [1.57–2.33] vs. 1.64 SUV units [1.32–1.96]) without difference between sexes. Myocardial DFA fractional uptake (Ki) between time 90 and 120 min postprandially was also higher in IGT versus control subjects (P < 0.001) in men (0.063 [0.032–0.095] vs. 0.016 min−1 [0.007–0.025]) and women (0.050 [0.024–0.077] vs. 0.030 min−1 [0.013–0.047]) without significant sex difference. Men had higher net myocardial DFA uptake between time 90 and 120 min driven by higher chylomicron-triglyceride (TG) levels. IGT-associated increased cardiac DFA partitioning was directly related to obesity in women, whereas it was associated with IGT per se in men. We conclude that early cardiac DFA uptake is higher in men driven by change in postprandial chylomicron-TG level but that increase in 6-h postprandial cardiac DFA partitioning nevertheless occurs with IGT both in men and women.
Hepatic Phosphoserine Aminotransferase 1 Regulates Insulin Sensitivity in Mice via Tribbles Homolog 3
Authors: Yu Junjie , Xiao Fei , Guo Yajie , Deng Jiali , Liu Bin , Zhang Qian , Li Kai , Wang Chunxia , Chen Shanghai , Guo Feifan
Published: December 2014

Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) is an enzyme participating in serine synthesis. A role of PSAT1 in the regulation of insulin sensitivity, however, is unknown. In this study, we showed that hepatic PSAT1 expression and liver serine levels are reduced in genetically engineered leptin receptor–deficient (db/db) mice and high-fat diet (HFD)–induced diabetic mice. Additionally, overexpression of PSAT1 by adenovirus expressing PSAT1 improved insulin signaling and insulin sensitivity in vitro and in vivo under normal conditions. Opposite effects were observed when PSAT1 was knocked down by adenovirus expressing small hairpin RNA specific for PSAT1 (Ad-shPSAT1). Importantly, overexpression of PSAT1 also significantly ameliorated insulin resistance in diabetic mice. In addition, PSAT1 inhibited the expression of hepatic tribbles homolog 3 (TRB3) in vitro and in vivo, and adenoviruses expressing small hairpin RNA against TRB3-mediated inhibition of TRB3 reversed the attenuated insulin sensitivity in Ad-shPSAT1 mice. Interestingly, we found that serine mediates PSAT1 regulation of TRB3 expression and insulin signaling in vitro. These results identify a novel function for hepatic PSAT1 in regulating insulin sensitivity and provide important insights in targeting PSAT1 for treating insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Our results also suggest that nonessential amino acid serine may play an important role in regulating insulin sensitivity.
Association of Glutathione-S-Transferase (GSTM1 and GSTT1) and FTO Gene Polymorphisms with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Cases in Northern India
Authors: S.T. Raza , S. Abbas , A. Ahmad , F. Ahmed , Z.H. Zaidi , F. Mahdi
Published: December 2014

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is growing in an epidemic manner across the world and India has the world’s largest number of diabetic subjects. The present study was carried out to investigate the association of glutathione-S-transferase (GSTM1, GSTT1) and fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene polymorphisms with T2DM patients and controls, and its role in increasing the susceptibility to T2DM. A total of 198 subjects (101 T2DM patients and 97 controls) participated in this study. GSTM1, GSTT1 and FTO gene polymorphisms in the patients and controls were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We observed significant association of GSTM1 positive (p = 0.046) and GSTM1 null (p = 0.046) genotypes with T2DM, while no significant association was found with the FTO gene polymorphism in our study. It seems that the GSTM1 gene polymorphism can be a predictive marker for early identification of a population at risk of T2DM. The potential role of GST and FTO gene polymorphisms as a marker of susceptibility to T2DM needs further studies in a larger number of patients.
Botanical Origin of the Brazilian Red Propolis: a New Approach Using DNA analysis
Authors: Jain Sona , Marchioro Giulia , Mendonça Lucyana , Batista Marcus , Araujo Edilson
Published: December 2014

Propolis is produced by the honeybees by using resin and other plant secretions. Propolis from different geographical regions have different chemical compositions. This is because the chemical constituents of propolis depend on the vegetation surrounding the apiary. In this report we present a new approach using DNA barcoding for the identification of the botanical origin of propolis. Red propolis samples were collected at different times of the year from the state of Sergipe situated in Northeast Brazil. Extraction of the DNA from propolis was made using a CTA B method. Amplification was done using ITS 2 universal primers, followed by DNA sequencing. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of Dalbergia ecastaphyllum in the Brazilian red propolis. Formononetin is a chemical marker for the Brazillian red propolis and D. ecastaphyllum. Propolis samples analysed by DNA sequencing, were also checked by Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography for the presence of formononetin. Peaks corresponding to formononetin were observed in all the analysed propolis samples. This is the first report of the botanical origin of propolis using DNA technology.
Educational Interventions to Improve Cytology Visual Diagnostic Reasoning Measured by Eye Tracking
Authors: Warren Amy L. , Donnon Tyrone L. , Wagg Catherine R. , Priest Heather
Published: December 2014

The teaching of visual diagnostic reasoning skills, to date, has been conducted in a largely unstructured apprenticeship manner. The purpose of this study was to assess if the introduction of two educational interventions improved the visual diagnostic reasoning skills of novices. These were (1) the active use of key diagnostic features and (2) image repetition. A pre-test and post-test research design was used to compare the two teaching interventions to a traditional teaching group and an expert group using eye tracking as an assessment method. The time to diagnosis and the percentage of time spent viewing an area of diagnostic interest (AOI) were compared using independent t-tests, paired t-tests, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Diagnostic accuracy as a dichotomous variable was compared using Chi-square tables. Students taught in an active-learning manner with image repetition behaved most like experts, with no significant difference from experts for percentage of time spent in the AOIs and a significantly faster time to diagnosis than experts (p<.017). Our results from the educational interventions suggest a greater level of improvement in the eye tracking of students that were taught key diagnostic features in an active-learning forum and were shown multiple case examples.
Development of Rail Service Sensitivity Meter
Authors: Jong Jyh-Chemg , Lai Yung-Cheng (Rex) , Wang Shao-Wei , Huang Sheng-Hsuan
Published: December 2014

Understanding passenger expectations is a major task for rail transit operators so that they can determine necessary service improvements and the need to undertake new resource planning projects. Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), the commuter rail operator in Taiwan, is seeking an approach to identify customer expectations by types of services and by region. Level of service (LOS) as defined by the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM) is a widely used approach to evaluate the performance of transit services. However, predefined thresholds from the TCQSM used to evaluate service quality without knowing customer expectations may not reflect actual passenger satisfaction. In this study, a rail service sensitivity meter (RSSM) was developed to measure passenger expectations accurately and quantitatively and to determine acceptable levels of rail service. The RSSM was implemented in the empirical study to determine passenger expectations in regard to an acceptable LOS obtained through the process. Results of the empirical study set the benchmarks of service quality attributes and indicate that TRA service performance is generally acceptable, but TRA should focus on improvements to passenger load during peak hours by lengthening current trains with additional seats or by providing additional train services. Through the RSSM process, operators can evaluate the gap between expected services and actual services as well as improve the system to ensure customer satisfaction.
Service Reliability in a Network Context
Authors: Lee Aaron , van Oort Neils , van Nes Rob
Published: December 2014

This paper presents research on synchronization of transfers and its impact on service reliability from a passenger perspective. Passenger reliability was analyzed for the case of a multioperator transfer node. A method was developed to calculate the passenger-centered reliability indicators, additional travel time, and reliability buffer time, by using scheduled and actual vehicle arrival and departure times as inputs. Five major factors were identified as affecting reliability at a particular transfer: scheduled transfer time, distributions of actual arrivals of the first and second line, headways, transfer walking time, and transfer demand. The method was demonstrated in a real network case, in which changing a specific transfer had effects on other transfers from the transfer point. This method can be applied in a cost-benefit analysis to identify the benefits and costs of reliability for different groups of passengers, thereby supporting proper decision making.
Using Simulation to Analyze Crowd Congestion and Mitigation at Canadian Subway Interchanges
Authors: King David , Srikukenthiran Siva , Shalaby Amer
Published: December 2014

With year after year of record ridership and demand only expected to grow, transit infrastructure is under increasing pressure. Examining the impact of the scheduling and coordination of subway lines at interchange stations is critical to reduce crowd congestion at station facilities. There is, however, a gap in knowledge concerning how crowd congestion is affected by the arrival patterns of trains. The effects of arrival patterns are especially critical at interchange stations where several train lines converge. A simulation-based analysis was performed to fill this knowledge gap. Field data were collected at the Bloor-Yonge Toronto Transit Commission subway station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a station known to be operating at capacity during peak periods. For performance of the analysis, a model of the station was developed, calibrated, and validated in the pedestrian simulator MassMotion. The congestion duration that passengers experienced was examined by varying the passenger volume and the arrival pattern of the two independent train lines. Adjusting the train arrival pattern was found to cause as much as a 63% reduction in the congestion passengers experienced. Additional scenarios were proposed as improvements over the status quo and tested for their significance in regard to improvement in congestion time experienced.
Value of Crowding on Public Transport in île-de-France, France
Authors: Kroes Eric , Kouwenhoven Marco , Debrincat Laurence , Pauget Nicolas
Published: December 2014

This paper describes the results of a research project that aimed to establish passenger values of crowding on public transport services in the Paris region. Qualitative research, stated preference (SP) experiments, and passenger counts and surveys were conducted to obtain such values. A simple method was developed to quantify the passenger benefits of specific public transport projects aiming to reduce crowding on existing lines. This method was applied in a case study to the regional rail (RER) RER Line E extension project. With regard to the value of crowding, the research indicated that the perceived disutility of crowding could be more accurately described as a constant disutility per trip than as a travel time multiplier. However, for ease of application often the multiplier formulation was preferred. When the value of crowding was expressed as a travel time multiplier, values were obtained ranging from 1.0 when all passengers could be seated to 1.7 for standing bus passengers when the vehicles reached their maximum capacity. Also for seated passengers, multipliers well above 1.0 were observed for (highly) congested vehicles (maximum value = 1.5 for bus passengers). These values were applied in a case study that estimated the effects of an extension of the regional rail line RER E in the western direction, partially running parallel to the existing RER Line A. This extension would reduce the current (very) high crowding levels on the RER A and B lines to more moderate levels and generate benefits of about €23 million per year.
Methodology for Evaluating Quality of Travel Plans for New Developments
Authors: De Gruyter Chris , Rose Geoffrey , Currie Graham
Published: December 2014

A travel plan contains a package of site-specific measures that aim to manage car use and to encourage the use of more sustainable transport modes. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using the land use planning and approvals process to secure travel plans for new developments. Although evaluations of travel plans tend to focus on outcomes such as reductions in car use, scant attention has been paid to evaluating the process through which they are developed. For this study, an assessment framework was developed to evaluate the quality of travel plans for new developments. With a case study from Victoria, Australia, the framework was applied to 31 travel plans. Results showed that most travel plans were prepared for residential and mixed use developments and contained measures that were focused primarily on information and infrastructure provision. Relevant background information and the selection of measures generally were covered by travel plans. However, the process for managing their implementation scored relatively low in the assessment in comparison with other elements. Overall, the framework developed provides a useful tool for assessing the relative merits and deficiencies of travel plans prepared for new developments and can be used to improve the quality of travel plans that are submitted through the planning process. Further work is required to refine the framework according to the collective views of travel planning practitioners.
Sequential Framework for Short-Term Passenger Flow Prediction at Bus Stop
Authors: Gong Min , Fei Xiang , Wang Zhi Hu , Qiu Yun Jie
Published: December 2014

Short-term prediction of passenger flow plays an important role in real-time bus dispatching. Such prediction is also useful in diagnosing bus operation problems, such as forecasting bus bunching. A novel framework is proposed in this paper to predict the passenger flow at bus stops. The framework consists of three sequential stages. In the first stage, a seasonal ARIMA-based method is used to predict the arrival passenger count and empty space on a bus when the bus reaches a bus stop. The historical passenger arrivals at the bus stop can be obtained from the corresponding boarding count data by an allocation approach. In the second stage, an event-based method is developed to predict the departure passenger counts from the stop. The proposed method iteratively forecasts the bus arrival events and consequently updates the passenger flow. In the third stage, a Kaiman filter-based method is proposed to predict the waiting passenger counts at the stop according to results from the first and second stages. The real-time observed waiting passenger count is used as the feedback of the filter to minimize the prediction error. Computational results based on the real bus line data for passenger flow prediction and its application in forecasting bunching confirm that the proposed framework and solution algorithm are effective in providing accurate and reliable passenger flow prediction.
Determinants of Mode Share over Time
Authors: Foth Nicole , Manaugh Kevin , El-Geneidy Ahmed M.
Published: December 2014

Increasing public transit ridership is a goal for most transit agencies and plays a central role in many recent regional transportation plans. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of mode choice and their effects over time is important. This study sought to understand how accessibility to employment by public transit changes over time, and how this accessibility explains changes in transit use. With the use of linear regression analysis, the authors explored the influence of job accessibility, transport infrastructure, and social disadvantage on transit mode share for three job categories in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 2 years, 1996 and 2006. New transit infrastructure did not necessarily attract more transit commuters but was found to affect commuting to different job categories differently. Also, new highway infrastructure hampered transit mode share, regardless of job type. The aggregate all-jobs model was found to dilute some differences between the transit mode choices of people commuting to different job categories. Finally, increases in accessibility by transit were found to augment transit mode share, while people in more socially disadvantaged areas were more likely to commute by transit in any job category. This study reveals findings that may be of interest to land use and transportation planners working toward boosting regional transit ridership, while also attaining social equity goals.
Synchronizing Public Transport Transfers by Using Intervehicle Communication Scheme
Authors: Liu Tao , Ceder Avishai (Avi) , Ma Jihui , Guan Wei
Published: December 2014

Synchronized transfers in public transport (PT) networks play an important role in reducing transfer walking time, increasing PT network connectivity, and improving PT reliability and the attractiveness of the PT service. However, because of the dynamic, stochastic, and uncertain nature of traffic, planned synchronized PT transfers do not always materialize. Missed connections frustrate the PT passengers and reduce potential new users. This research proposed an intervehicle communication (IVC)-based scheme to optimize the synchronization of planned transfers in PT networks. A semidecentralized control strategy was developed for the IVC systems to make the optimization a parallel process. Two operational tactics, changing vehicle speed and holding vehicles at transfer points, were used in the optimization with real-time vehicle speed and location information. A distance-based dynamic speed-adjustment model was developed for updating vehicle running speed under the fixed single-point encounter scenario and flexible road-segment encounter scenario. The impact of the proposed IVC scheme on the total number of direct transfers and the total passenger travel time (TPTT) was investigated with a case study of a PT network from Beijing. Results showed that by applying the proposed methodology, the number of direct transfers was considerably increased by 1,100%, and the TPTT was significantly reduced by 13.2%.
Exploring Synergy in Bicycle and Transit Use
Authors: Singleton Patrick A. , Clifton Kelly J.
Published: December 2014

With cycling on the rise in many U.S. cities, it is important to consider how other travel modes—especially transit—interact with bicycling. Some transportation experts worry that new bicycle trips substitute more for travel by transit than for travel by automobile; however, bicycling and transit may be more complementary than supplementary. Most research on these connections focuses on multimodal integration: cycling to, on, or from transit. This body of knowledge misses another key component of bicycle—transit synergy: potential long-term complementarity made possible by short-term substitution. A solid transit system provides options and security for bicycle riders to optimize daily mode choices; shifting some peak passenger loads to cycling may make transit service more reliable and entice new users. This study investigated those unexplored synergistic relationships between bicycling and transit use. Exploratory analyses were performed at two scales. First, changes in bicycle commuting in large U.S. urbanized areas between 2000 and 2010 were related to transit levels. Second, logistic regression models used data from a household travel survey in Portland, Oregon, to estimate how transit use affected the odds of cycling by households and individuals and on trips. Results generally supported the research hypotheses: transit and cycling were short-term mode substitutes, but might be long-term complements. Increases in urban area bicycle commuting were positively associated with transit ridership. Although cycling individuals were more likely to live in transit-using households, residing in such a household decreased one's odds of cycling. More research is needed to examine causality and the policy implications of bicycle-transit synergy.
Quantifying Transportation Benefits of Transit-Oriented Development in New Jersey
Authors: Mudigonda Sandeep , Ozbay Kaan , Ozturk Ozgur , Iyer Shrisan , Noland Robert B.
Published: December 2014

The cost of transportation plays an important role in residential location choice. Reducing transportation costs not only benefits the user but also improves the performance of the system as a whole. A direct impact of transit-oriented development (TOD) is the change in out-of-pocket costs for users, as well as the changes in costs of externalities and agency benefits. The prime mover for these changes is the shift in population when a TOD is built near train stations and the induced mode shifts from driving to transit. In this study several sites throughout New Jersey were evaluated to determine the cost of driving versus the cost of using rail transit to major employment destinations in New Jersey and New York City. Driving costs were composed of vehicle operating costs (including fuel, wear and tear, and depreciation), value of time based on the highway travel time from origin to destination, parking cost, and cost of externalities such as air and noise pollution, road maintenance, and accidents. Transit costs were composed of fares, parking costs, and values of travel time, waiting time, and transfer time. The likely changes in population resulting from the TOD were used to estimate changes in highway and transit trips. The costs were compared to derive the net benefit for transportation system users as a result of the TOD. Generally, TOD results in financial benefits to the user and the transportation system.
Use of Spatiotemporal Constraints to Quantify Transit Accessibility
Authors: Tasic Ivana , Zhou Xuesong , Zlatkovic Milan
Published: December 2014

Accessibility emerges as the transportation performance measure that emphasizes the benefits to transportation system users and captures more than the speed of travel. Transit accessibility shows how easy it is for an individual to travel to a desired destination by using public transit. However, for transit to be considered as an option in mode choice at all, there has to be a feasible transit route leading from a given origin to a desirable destination within the available time frame. This study used spatial and temporal constraints and a set of transit features that affected access to transit to develop a conceptual framework for transit accessibility measurements in a potential transit-oriented development (TOD) location in West Valley City, Utah. As this network develops more transit-friendly features, temporal and spatial accessibility indicators will provide useful information on the opportunities that users can reach by using transit. The proposed methodology was based on traffic and transit data from the case study network and used an open source tool to perform transit accessibility measurements by calculating the number of accessible transit stops from each origin. The methodology considered network features, acceptable walking time, available time budget, transit schedule variability, and spatial constraints as impact factors in accessibility measurements. The goal of the study was to establish a feasible set of transit accessibility indicators that would be used for both the case study street network and transit service modifications to transform the network into a transit-friendly and eventually a TOD environment.