bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overweight and Obesity in Old Age Are Not Associated with Greater Dementia Risk
Authors: Dahl Anna K. , Löppönen Minna , Isoaho Raimo , Berg Stig , Kivelä Sirkka‐Liisa
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To describe the association between body mass index (BMI) and dementia risk in older persons.

DESIGN: Prospective population‐based study, with 8 years of follow‐up.

SETTING: The municipality of Lieto, Finland, 1990/91 and 1998/99.

PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred five men and women without dementia aged 65 to 92 at baseline (mean age 70.8).

MEASUREMENTS: Weight and height were measured at baseline and at the 8‐year follow‐up. Dementia was clinically assessed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria.

RESULTS: Eighty‐six persons were diagnosed with dementia. Cox regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, education, cardiovascular diseases, smoking, and alcohol use, indicated that, for each unit increase in BMI score, the risk of dementia decreased 8% (hazard ratio (HR)=0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.87–0.97). This association remained significant when individuals who developed dementia early during the first 4 years of follow‐up were excluded from the analyses (HR=0.93, 95% CI=0.86–0.99). Women with high BMI scores had a lower dementia risk (HR=0.90, 95% CI=0.84–0.96). Men with high BMI scores also tended to have a lower dementia risk, although the association did not reach significance (HR=0.95, 95% CI=0.84–1.07).

CONCLUSION: Older persons with higher BMI scores have less dementia risk than their counterparts with lower BMI scores. High BMI scores in late life should not necessarily be considered to be a risk factor for dementia.
The Effect of Technology‐Supported, Multidisease Care Management on the Mortality and Hospitalization of Seniors
Authors: Dorr David A. , Wilcox Adam B. , Brunker Cherie P. , Burdon Rachel E. , Donnelly Steven M.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To explore changes in mortality and hospital usage for chronically ill seniors enrolled in a multidisease care management program, Care Management Plus (CMP).

DESIGN: Controlled clinical trial with seven intervention and six control clinics with additional patient‐level matching.

SETTING: Intermountain Health Care, a large health system in Utah; seven intervention and six control clinics.

PARTICIPANTS: Three thousand four hundred thirty‐two senior patients (≥65) enrolled in Medicare.

INTERVENTION: The intervention employed nurse care managers supported by specialized information technology in primary care to manage chronically ill patients (2002–2005).

MEASUREMENTS: Mortality and hospitalization data were collected from clinical records and Medicare billing.

RESULTS: One thousand one hundred forty‐four intervention patients were matched to 2,288 controls. Average age was 76.2; average comorbidity score was 2.3±1.1; 75% of patients had two or more chronic diseases. Survival analyses showed lower mortality and slightly more emergency department visits for care managed patients than for controls. In patients with diabetes mellitus, the intervention resulted in significantly lower mortality at 1 year (6.2%, vs 10.6% for controls) and at 2 years (12.9% vs 18.2%). Hospitalization rate was lower (21.0%, vs. 24.2% for controls) at 1 year and substantially more so at the 2‐year follow‐up.

CONCLUSION: CMP was successful in reducing death for all patients. For complex patients with diabetes mellitus in the intervention group, death and hospital usage were lower. Per clinic, hypothesized savings from decreased hospitalizations was $17,384 to $70,349.
Predictors of In‐Hospital and Long‐Term Clinical Outcome in Elderly Patients with Massive Pulmonary Embolism Receiving Thrombolytic Therapy
Authors: De Bonis Silvana , Rendina Domenico , Vargas Giuseppe , Minno Dario Di , Piedimonte Vincenzo , Gallotta Giovanni , Postiglione Alfredo
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical, historical, and instrumental findings associated with unfavorable short‐term and long‐term prognosis in elderly patients (≥65) receiving thrombolytic therapy for pulmonary embolism (PE).

DESIGN: Case‐control retrospective study.

SETTING: General medicine acute care ward.

PARTICIPANTS: Sixty‐seven elderly patients with PE complicated by hemodynamic instability (massive PE) admitted to the “Antonio Cardarelli” Hospital from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2004, and evaluated during their hospital stay and 174.4±4.6 days after discharge.

MEASUREMENTS: PE diagnosis was confirmed using spiral computed tomography angiography. Hemodynamic instability was defined as cardiogenic shock and systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg or a pressure drop of 40 mmHg or more for longer than 15 minutes not due to new‐onset arrhythmia, hypovolemia, or sepsis.

INTERVENTION: Weight‐adapted unfractionated heparin and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator.

RESULTS: Nine patients (13.4%) died during hospitalization. Higher troponin‐I (cTn‐I) serum levels at admission to the emergency department and the occurrence of thrombocytopenia after thrombolysis were significantly associated with in‐hospital death. Nineteen of the 58 survivors (32.7%) died during follow‐up. The risk factors for long‐term death were historical findings of cancer and cardiovascular disease at hospital admission.

CONCLUSION: Higher cTn‐I serum levels in the acute phase and the occurrence of thrombocytopenia after thrombolysis were significantly associated with in‐hospital mortality in elderly patients with massive PE. In the same setting, historical findings of cancer and cardiovascular disease are strong predictors of death in the long term.
Is Preoperative Anxiety and Depression Associated with Onset of Delirium After Cardiac Surgery in Older Patients? A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Detroyer Elke , Dobbels Fabienne , Verfaillie Els , Meyfroidt Geert , Sergeant Paul , Milisen Koen
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of preoperative anxiety and depressive symptoms and their relationship with the occurrence of postcardiac delirium and to describe the evolution of these symptoms from preoperative admission until discharge.

DESIGN: Descriptive, prospective, longitudinal study.

SETTING: The intensive care unit and two cardiac surgery units in a university hospital setting.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred four patients (median age 71; 78.8% men) admitted for elective cardiac surgery.

MEASUREMENTS: Anxiety measured preoperatively using the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); depression using the HADS; cognitive functioning using the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE); delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), the CAM for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM‐ICU), and the Delirium Index (DI); and activities of daily living using the Katz index of activities of daily living (Katz ADL scale). MMSE, CAM/CAM‐ICU, and DI were obtained on postoperative Days 1, 3, and 7. On Day 7 and at discharge, the STAI, HADS, and Katz ADL scale were repeated.

RESULTS: Postoperative delirium occurred in 26%; 55.8% reported preoperative state anxiety, 25.2% generalized anxiety, and 15.5% depressive symptoms, but no association was found with delirium occurrence. Based on multivariable analysis, prolonged intubation time (odds ratio (OR)=1.10, CI: 1.05–1.15, P=.001) and a low intraoperative lowest body temperature (OR=0.86, CI: 0.74–0.99, P=.03) were independent predictors of delirium onset. At discharge, 35.7% and 12.2% of patients reported state anxiety and generalized, and 15.3% reported depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION: Despite the high prevalence of preoperative anxiety and depressive symptoms in older patients with cardiac surgery, no association was found with postoperative delirium.
Evaluation of Subendocardial and Subepicardial Left Ventricular Functions Using Tissue Doppler Imaging after Complete Revascularization
Authors: Sürücü Hüseyin , Tatlı Ersan , Okudan Selnur , Aktoz Meryem
Published: December 2008

Objective: We aim to evaluate subepicardial and subendocardial left ventricular (LV) functions in patient single coronary artery lesion at early stage after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Additionally, a comparison of LV functions between patients and control cases was aimed. Method: Patients with culprit left anterior descending (LAD) lesion (n = 25) and subjects with normal coronary angiography (n = 25) were evaluated. Patients underwent PCI and at least one coronary stent was placed. After PCI, the pulsed‐wave tissue Doppler imaging (pw‐TDI) parameters taken from subepicardial and subepicardial layers were compared among the patients. Results: Left atrium (P = 0.050), LV end‐diastolic (P = 0.049), and end‐systolic (P = 0.006) diameters were larger compared to the control group. LV inflow velocities were not different between the patient and the control group. But, the myocardial performance index was different (P = 0.049). The systolic and diastolic pw‐TDI parameters were apparently different between the patient and the control group. While the systolic pw‐TDI parameters did not change, the diastolic pw‐TDI parameters taken from both subepicardial (circumferential contraction) and subendocardial layers (longitudinal contraction) improved after PCI. After PCI, it was shown that while Ea velocity (P = 0.012) taken from the subendocardial layer increased, IVRa velocity (P < 0.001) taken from the subepicardial layer decreased. Conclusion: In our study, it could be said that LV, left atrium, and aortic valve diameter increase in patients with coronary artery disease. The systolic and diastolic functions were impaired at subendocardial and subepicardial layers. These dysfunctions can be easily presented with pw‐TDI. Although systolic dysfunction persists, diastolic dysfunction improves at early stage after PCI.
Live/Real Time Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiographic Assessment of Aortic Dissection Rupture into Right Ventricular Outflow Tract: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hansalia Sachin , Nanda Navin C. , Bandarupalli Naveen , Gupta Mohit
Published: December 2008

We present a case of chronic ascending thoracic aortic dissection with rupture into the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) diagnosed by two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram in which live/real time three‐dimensional (3D) transthoracic echocardiogram provided incremental value by demonstrating: (a) a tortuous false lumen that encroached and ruptured into the RVOT, (b) exact location of the rupture site in relation to other surrounding structures in 3 dimensions (c) en face view of the rupture site facilitating assessment of its size and shape, and (d) localized compression of the main pulmonary artery (PA) by the false lumen. In addition, cropping of the 3D data set permitted visualization of the origin of the left main coronary in a rapid manner excluding involvement of this vessel with the dissection process. These findings have potential implications for surgical planning and were corroborated by a computed tomography angiogram. We summarize seven previously reported aortic dissection cases with rupture into the right ventricle.
Whatever Happened to Empathy?: Introduction
Authors: Hollan Douglas , Throop C. Jason
Published: December 2008

AbstractIn this special issue, we examine the problem of empathy in anthropological theorizing and practice. Noting the relative lack of explicit interest in or systematic exploration of empathy in anthropology, we explore some of the issues related to defining, recognizing, and enacting empathic‐like processes in cultural context. We also highlight similarities and differences in the way contributors examine empathy, and based on this comparative perspective, we raise a number of questions for further research and discussion. We conclude by noting some of the issues not addressed by this small collection of articles and by suggesting why anthropologists in particular have so much to contribute to the study of empathy. [empathy, intentionality, theory of mind, intersubjectivity]
Empathy and Alterity in Cultural Psychiatry
Authors: Kirmayer Laurence J.
Published: December 2008

Abstract
In this article, I explore the limits of clinical empathy in situations of radical otherness. Cultural difference, extremity of experience, and psychopathology constitute different sorts of challenges to the affective, communicative, and imaginative processes that underlie clinical empathy. When empathy reaches its limits, the other may be experienced as alien and unknown. Theories of psychopathology offer ways to explain alien or inaccessible experience. Clinicians learn to use these models to guide their response to patients and, in some circumstances, such technical models or explanations may enhance or restore empathy. Patients too continue to struggle to present their experience in language that calls for close listening and imaginative engagement. Ultimately, empathy depends on an interactional process between two people able to allow mutual influence. This interaction, in turn, depends on a larger political context that allows dialogue in situations of unequal power. [empathy, intercultural communication, psychiatric consultation, clinical ethnography]
Being There: On the Imaginative Aspects of Understanding Others and Being Understood
Authors: Hollan Douglas
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe empathic work of understanding is often written about as if it depended solely on the emotional, imaginative, or mind reading capabilities of the empathizer. But if it is embedded in an intersubjective encounter that necessitates ongoing dialog for its accuracy, then it implicates the imaginative and emotional capacities of the person to be understood as well. I argue that we should be investigating more actively the ways in which people in different times and places promote or discourage understanding of themselves. [empathy, anthropology, imagination, Toraja, work of empathy]
Cancer Rehabilitation in Denmark:
Authors: Hansen Helle Ploug , Tjørnhøj‐Thomsen Tine
Published: December 2008

A fundamental assumption behind cancer rehabilitation in many Western societies is that cancer survivors can return to normal life by learning to deal with the consequences of their illness and their treatment. This assumption is supported by increasing political attention to cancer rehabilitation and a growth in residential cancer‐rehabilitation initiatives in Denmark (

Danish Cancer Society 1999

;

Government of Denmark 2003

). On the basis of their ethnographic fieldwork in residential‐cancer rehabilitation courses, the authors examine the new rehabilitation discourse. They argue that this discourse has challenged the dominant illness narrative, “sick–helped–cured,” producing a new narrative, “sick–helped–as if cured,” and that this new narrative is produced and reproduced through technologies of power and of the self.
Stigma Despite Recovery
Authors: Jenkins Janis H. , Carpenter‐Song Elizabeth A.
Published: December 2008

In this article, we identify an array of creative strategies used by persons diagnosed with schizophrenia‐related illness to deflect and resist social stigma, and address the lived experience of deploying these strategies in the intersubjective context of everyday life. The data are derived from anthropological interviews and ethnographic observations of ninety persons who received treatment at community mental health facilities in an urban North American locale. Nearly all were keenly aware of stigma that permeated their lives. Their predicament is contradictory: on the one hand, they have recovered relative to previous states of psychosis; on the other hand, their subjectivity is saturated by intense awareness of social stigma that seems intractable in relation to temporal or functional criteria. Ironically, these lives can be characterized as fraught with stigma despite recovery. The strategies generated to resist the impact of stigma highlight the fact that persons with these illnesses are often not only exceedingly socially aware but also strategically skilled in response to social assaults on their personhood and survival. We examine these strategies in terms of (1) the social characteristics of each afflicted person, (2) the situational characteristics of managing stigma, (3) the cultural context of recovery, and (4) the illness‐specific characteristics of schizophrenia.
Thermodynamic Optimization of Lithia–Alumina
Authors: Kulkarni Nagraj S. , Besmann Theodore M. , Spear Karl E.
Published: December 2008

The optimization of thermodynamic parameters in the Li2O–Al2O3 system using available thermodynamic and assessed phase diagram data is discussed. A procedure for obtaining a suitable associate species solution model for the liquid in this system is presented. It is shown that if the eutectic near the pure alumina composition is ignored during the optimization, the optimized thermodynamic parameters in this system result in a phase diagram that is in reasonable agreement with the experimental one. Optimized thermodynamic parameters for the associate species in the associate species liquid model and the solids in this system are provided. An optimized associate‐regular solution model with a reduced number of associates in the liquid is also provided as a comparison.
Aqueous Colloidal Processing of ZTA Composites
Authors: Olhero Susana M. , Ganesh Ibram , Torres Paula M.C. , Alves Fernando J. , Ferreira José M.F.
Published: December 2008

Two different zirconia‐alumina composites, ZTA‐30 (70 wt% Al2O3+30 wt% ZrO2) and ZTA‐60 (40 wt% Al2O3+60 wt% ZrO2), with potential for orthopedic applications, were processed in aqueous media and consolidated by slip casting (SC), hydrolysis‐assisted solidification (HAS), and gelcasting (GC) from suspensions containing 50 vol% solids loading. For comparison purposes, the same ceramic compositions were also consolidated by die pressing of freeze‐dried granules (FG). In the HAS process, 5 wt% of Al2O3 in the precursor mixture was replaced by equivalent amounts of AlN to promote the consolidation of the suspensions. Ceramics consolidated via GC exhibited higher green (three‐point bend) strengths (∼17 MPa) than those consolidated by other techniques. Further, these ceramics also exhibited superior fracture toughness and flexural strength properties after sintering for 1 h at 1600°C in comparison with those consolidated by other techniques, including conventional die pressing (FG).
Ethnicity, social disadvantage and psychotic‐like experiences in a healthy population based sample
Authors: Morgan C. , Fisher H. , Hutchinson G. , Kirkbride J. , Craig T. K. , Morgan K. , Dazzan P. , Boydell J. , Doody G. A. , Jones P. B. , Murray R. M. , Leff J. , Fearon P.
Published: December 2008

Objective:  We sought to investigate the prevalence and social correlates of psychotic‐like experiences in a general population sample of Black and White British subjects.

Method:  Data were collected from randomly selected community control subjects, recruited as part of the ÆSOP study, a three‐centre population based study of first‐episode psychosis.

Results:  The proportion of subjects reporting one or more psychotic‐like experience was 19% (n = 72/372). These were more common in Black Caribbean (OR 2.08) and Black African subjects (OR 4.59), compared with White British. In addition, a number of indicators of childhood and adult disadvantage were associated with psychotic‐like experiences. When these variables were simultaneously entered into a regression model, Black African ethnicity, concentrated adult disadvantage, and separation from parents retained a significant effect.

Conclusion:  The higher prevalence of psychotic‐like experiences in the Black Caribbean, but not Black African, group was explained by high levels of social disadvantage over the life course.
Limonene hydroperoxide analogues differ in allergenic activity
Authors: Christensson Johanna Bråred , Johansson Staffan , Hagvall Lina , Jonsson Charlotte , Börje Anna , Karlberg Ann‐Therese
Published: December 2008

Background:  The fragrance terpene R‐limonene is a very weak sensitizer but forms allergenic oxidation products upon contact with air. Oxidized (ox.) limonene is a frequent cause of contact allergy in clinical testing.

Objectives:  This study investigates the sensitizing potencies of ox. and non‐ox. limonene and of structurally closely related limonene hydroperoxides. The clinical importance of the difference in sensitizing potency of two hydroperoxides in autoxidized limonene was studied.

Patients/Methods:  Ox. and non‐ox. limonene were investigated in the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA). Limonene hydroperoxides were investigated using a modified LLNA involving non‐pooled lymph nodes and statistical calculations; patch testing of patients with known contact allergy to ox. limonene was performed.

Results:  A marked increase in the sensitizing potency of ox. limonene compared with that of pure limonene was observed in the LLNA. One analogue, limonene‐1‐hydroperoxide, was a significantly more potent sensitizer than the other hydroperoxides and gave more positive test reactions in the allergic patients.

Conclusions:  The results support that hydroperoxides have a specific reactivity indicating that oxygen‐centred radicals are important in hapten–protein complex formation of hydroperoxides. The primary oxidation products of ox. limonene, the hydroperoxides, have an important impact on the sensitizing capacity of the oxidation mixture.
Allergic contact dermatitis from transdermal buprenorphine
Authors: Vander Hulst Kim , Parera Amer Elisabeth , Jacobs Claude , Dewulf Virginie , Baeck Marie , Pujol Vallverdú Ramón M. , Giménez‐Arnau Ana , Tennstedt Dominique , Goossens An
Published: December 2008

Background:  Buprenorphine is a low‐molecular‐weight, lipophilic, opioid analgesic. The transdermal delivery system (TDS) containing it has skin irritation potential, but at least two cases of contact allergy to the active principal have been described previously.

Objective:  To confirm allergic contact dermatitis from transdermal buprenorphine (TDB) in five older patients suffering from chronic pain and who developed persistent, pruritic erythematous plaques at the contact sites, with two of them also presenting with a generalized skin eruption.

Methods:  Besides the baseline patch test series, all five patients were tested with the TDB, four of whom were also tested with the placebo transdermal delivery system as provided by the manufacturer; one patient was also tested with other preparations containing buprenorphine.

Results:  All reacted to the TDB containing the active principal, the placebo being negative in the four patients tested. The patient tested with the other buprenorphine preparations did react positively to them as well. Tests with TDB in 28 healthy controls were negative.

Conclusion:  We report five cases of delayed hypersensitivity reactions to a TDS containing buprenorphine. Such adverse reactions might be under‐reported. A fentanyl‐containing TDS is a good alternative in these cases.
In vitro selection of adenine‐dependent ribozyme against Tpl2/Cot oncogene
Authors: Li Yan‐Li , Vergne Jacques , Torchet Claire , Maurel Marie‐Christine
Published: December 2008

Hairpin ribozymes possess the properties of RNA sequence‐specific recognition and site‐specific cleavage. These properties make them a powerful extension of the antisense approach for the inhibition of gene expression. From a randomized RNA pool of hairpin ribozymes, using the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, we have obtained an adenine‐dependent hairpin ribozyme, Tpl2/Cot (tumour progression locus 2) ribozyme, which cleaves the Tpl2/Cot kinase mRNA sequence at nucleotides A225↓G226 relative to the start codon of translation. This serine/threonine kinase activates the mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway implicated in cell proliferation in cancer. The selected ‘Tpl2/Cot‐YL ribozyme’ efficiently cleaves its target sequence in cis and in trans; furthermore, the ribozyme efficiently cleaves a longer target sequence of 54 nucleotides in trans, as well as the full‐length mRNA.
The peopling of Madeira archipelago (Portugal) according to HLA genes
Authors: Arnaiz‐Villena A. , Reguera R. , Ferri A. , Barbolla L. , Abd‐El‐Fatah‐Khalil S. , Bakhtiyarova N. , Millan P. , Moscoso J. , Mafalda A. , Serrano‐Vela J. I.
Published: December 2008

The Madeira‐Porto Santo Archipelago was officially colonized in 1420 by Portuguese settlers. Its importance in Columbus’ information for the American discovery and for slave traffic across the Atlantic is unquestionable. Thus, a complex peopling may have given rise to a present‐day high admixture of ethnicities according to HLA genes. A sample of 173 healthy unrelated Madeirans was analysed and compared with 6986 HLA chromosomes from other worldwide populations. Genetic distances, neighbour‐joining dendrograms and correspondence analyses were used for comparisons. Southern European, North African (including Canary Islands), Jewish and Mediterranean typical HLA alleles were found and genetic distances from Madeirans to these populations were the closest ones. In addition A*24‐B*65‐DRB1*0102‐DQB1*0501 and A*68‐B*08‐DRB1*0301‐DQB1*0201 haplotypes were newly found in Madeira and not found in any other population. Jewish‐Armenian‐Middle East haplotype (A*33‐B*65‐DRB1*0102‐DQB1*0501) is one of the most common haplotypes; this haplotype is also present in Spaniards and North Africans. Quantitatively, Portuguese, North Africans (Algerians), Spaniards and Canary Islanders (in this order) are the most important parental populations to Madeirans. Results are discussed on the basis of the recorded historical peopling which does not show a noticeable African gene input in present‐day Madeiran population according to our data; one of the closest related populations found is the Canary Islanders, suggesting that Guanche (Canary Islands first inhabitants) slaves gene flow is still noticed at present, both in Madeira and in Canary Islands populations.
Family Needs Assessment in Cerebral Palsy Clinic
Authors: Buran Constance F. , Sawin Kathleen , Grayson Patricia , Criss Sherrie
Published: December 2008

PURPOSE.  The dual purpose of this study was to identify areas of need as perceived by parents of children with cerebral palsy in three domains and to evaluate internal reliability of the Family Needs Assessment Tool (FNAT).

DESIGN AND METHODS.  The FNAT was distributed to parents and includes a demographic survey and three subscales: service, information, and obstacles to care.

RESULTS.  Parents identified services as their greatest need, followed by information and then obstacles to care.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  The FNAT may be utilized to evaluate parental perceptions of needs, and provide clinicians with information for program planning and assessing needs central to providing quality care.
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION CONFIRMATORY METHOD FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL DETECTION OF BRETTANOMYCES BRUXELLENSIS IN WINES
Authors: CONTRERAS ANGELA , SALINAS FRANCISCO , GANGA ANGÉLICA , MARTÍNEZ CLAUDIO
Published: December 2008

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is one of the major causes of contamination in wine and is an important source of economic losses in this industry. In this work we developed a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of B. bruxellensis to be used in the confirmation stage of the microbiological analysis. From a random amplification analysis using 40 primers in various B. bruxellensis strains and other yeasts that are generally present in must and wine, we designed the primers E09F and E09R that amplified a 450 bp product only in B. bruxellensis strains. We determined that the concentration of the PCR components and the annealing temperature are relevant factors in the PCR reaction, which was optimized using the response surface methodology. The protocol developed confirmed the contamination by B. bruxellensis in wines obtained from cellars, showing the capacity and speed of the technique to specifically confirm the results of the microbiological analysis.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is responsible for the “Brett” character in wine that results in phenolic or medicinal aromas, leading to a decrease in its quality. The most utilized microbiological analysis for the detection of this yeast is based on the sequential use of selective media and confirmatory physiological tests that are unspecific and take up to 3 weeks to complete. However, its low cost means that this type of analysis is still widely used in the industry. On the other hand, molecular techniques are fast and specific in the amplification of DNA sequences. The polymerase chain reaction assay development in this work is specific for B. bruxellensis and allowed the confirmation of the microbiological analysis in only 2 days, compared with how long it currently takes (5–10 days), and at a lower cost than other molecular techniques.
RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF PSEUDOMONAS SPP. FROM AQUATIC SAMPLES USING TERMINAL RESTRICTION FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM ANALYSIS
Authors: LUNA GIAN MARCO , DANOVARO ROBERTO
Published: December 2008

The genus Pseudomonas includes several species with an important biotechnological potential. Here we present a molecular approach for the analysis of the diversity of Pseudomonas spp. in aquatic samples based on the amplification of 16S rDNAs using taxon‐specific primers, followed by multienzymatic restrictions and subsequent screening of terminal restriction fragments using capillary electrophoresis. This method, tested on seawater, groundwater and aquatic sediments, allows the identification of Pseudomonas spp. in samples, in which culture‐based approaches failed in identifying their presence. The diversity of Pseudomonas spp. was very high in all samples investigated, with values higher than those reported in previous studies. The method was intercalibrated with Pseudomonas sp. isolates and allowed the distinction of different isolates. The possibility of identifying the taxonomic affiliation of the different isolates was tested with an “in silico” computer‐assisted analysis (TAP terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms).

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The method presented here allows the rapid and low‐cost identification of Pseudomonas spp., and an accurate determination of the diversity of this genus that can be carried out routinely in a large number of samples. This method has the potential to screen Pseudomonas libraries and can be applied in theframework of bioremediation and biomonitoring studies, thus potentially contributing to studies in the fields of environmental monitoring, microbial ecology and bioremediation.
The Spatial Organisation of Women's Soccer in Adelaide: Another Tale of Spatial Inequality?
Authors: ROSSO EDOARDO
Published: December 2008

Although sport is considered an important component of Australian society and a precious vehicle of social interaction, sports geography remains in many ways a neglected field of investigation. Nevertheless, geographical studies of sports can add valuable insights to more acknowledged geographical discourses. They can also contribute to regional sporting success. This paper analyses the current spatial organisation of women's soccer in Adelaide and outlines the unequal spatial expression of its recent professionally‐oriented approach, the achievement phase. A significant proportion of Adelaide's female population experiences limited opportunity to participate fully in the sport. The sport therefore fails to maximise its human resources and its spatial organisation constitutes a limit to the competitiveness of South Australian women's soccer as a system. The paper uses the concept of social capital to explore the unequal engagement of four sub‐regions in women's soccer. Many of the areas experiencing relative exclusion from women's soccer are the same ones that suffer the most from disengagement from the global economy. In those areas, socio‐economic disadvantage is matched by limited opportunities for self‐fulfilment through sport, and the effectiveness of social networks is weaker. This work aims to provide information for South Australian women's soccer institutions to foster enhanced equity in terms of access to the sport in metropolitan Adelaide. It also provides a base from which to investigate the reasons behind sub‐regional differences in the ability to produce quality players, knowledge that, if applied to these less productive areas, may contribute to the general enhancement of overall sporting outcomes.
Aiming High for the U.S. Health System: A Context for Health Reform
Authors: Davis Karen , Schoen Cathy , Shea Katherine , Haran Christine
Published: December 2008

On the eve of the presidential inauguration, the U.S. health system faces rising costs of care, growing numbers of uninsured, wide variations in quality of care, and mounting public dissatisfaction. Despite spending more on health care than any other country, a recent Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health Care System National Scorecard reports that the United States is lagging far behind other major industrialized countries — all of which provide universal health insurance — in five key domains: healthy lives, access, quality, equity, and efficiency. U.S. national performance is well below benchmarks of top performance set by other countries or high performing states, hospitals, or health plans within the United States, with broad disparities in experience depending on geographic location, income, race/ethnicity, and insurance coverage. National leadership is required to manage the growing health care crisis in the United States and improve care for all Americans.
Why Public Programs Matter — And Will Continue to Matter — Even after Health Reform
Authors: Fowler Elizabeth J. , Jost Timothy Stoltzfus
Published: December 2008

As we write this paper in spring 2008, many are hopeful that November’s election will open the door to some form of comprehensive health care reform. In all likelihood, we will elect a president who has campaigned to a greater or lesser extent on promises of improving access to health care, improving quality, and reducing costs. Equally important, it seems likely that the 111th Congress is preparing to undertake meaningful health care reform. And perhaps most important, despite recent attention to energy issues and the economy, opinion polls consistently show that the American public continues to rank health care as one of the two or three most important domestic issues in the fall elections and supports comprehensive health care reform.
War, Its Aftermath, and U.S. Health Policy: Toward a Comprehensive Health Program for America's Military Personnel, Veterans, and Their Families
Authors: Jackonis Michael J. , Deyton Lawrence , Hess William J.
Published: December 2008

Extensive media coverage of the nation’s response to its obligation to furnish health care for service members wounded in current overseas conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan has elevated public consciousness of the importance of the U.S. military and veteran’s health care systems to a level not seen since the end of the Vietnam War. The number of casualties of U.S. military engagements has varied in each specific conflict and is a direct result of both the type of battle and the military’s ability to handle battlefield injuries (see Table 1).
Building an Information Technology Infrastructure
Authors: Goldstein Melissa M. , Blumenthal David
Published: December 2008

Information technology is considered a potentially transformative element in the field of health care by payers, providers, vendors, and consumers alike. Because of this transformative potential, health information technology (HIT) adoption is viewed by many as a key component of health system reform. HIT is in its earliest stages, with diffusion of the technology still relatively limited; at the same time, there is growing awareness of its potential to affect the operation of the entire health care system as a result of the vast amount of information that will become available to both health professionals and patients.
The Effects of Temperature on Feeding and Expression of Two Appetite‐related Factors, Neuropeptide Y and Cocaine‐ and Amphetamine‐regulated Transcript, in Atlantic Cod, Gadus morhua
Authors: Kehoe A. S. , Volkoff H.
Published: December 2008

In vertebrates, including fish, environmental temperature influences feeding through mechanisms that are unclear. We investigated the effects of three different temperatures on food consumption and brain messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of two hypothalamic appetite‐regulating factors, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and cocaine‐ and amphetamine‐regulated transcript (CART), which stimulates and inhibits feeding, respectively. Atlantic cod acclimated to 2 C for 4 wk had a decreased food intake and higher CART brain mRNA levels compared to fish acclimated to 11 and 15 C. No differences were seen in NPY mRNA expression between the three groups. Our results suggest that in cod, low temperatures inhibit food intake, and this inhibition is in part mediated by an increase in CART expression but does not involve changes in NPY expression.
The hypocretins as sensors for metabolism and arousal
Authors: Adamantidis Antoine , De Lecea Luis
Published: December 2008

Sleep disturbances are associated with hormonal imbalances and may result in metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes. Therefore, circuits controlling both sleep and metabolism are likely to play a role in these physiopathological conditions. The hypocretin (Hcrt) system is a strong candidate for mediating both sleep and metabolic imbalances because Hcrt neurons are sensitive to metabolic hormones, including leptin and ghrelin, and modulate arousal and goal‐orientated behaviours. This review discusses the role of Hcrt neurons as a sensors of energy balance and arousal and proposes new ways of probing local hypothalamic circuits regulating sleep and metabolism with unprecedented cellular specificity and temporal resolution.
Numerical Simulation of Subcooled Flow Boiling Heat Transfer in Helical Tubes
Authors: Jo Jong Chull , Kim Woong Sik , Choi Chang-Yong , Lee Yong Kab
Published: December 2008

This paper addresses the numerical simulation of two-phase flow heat transfer in the helically coiled tubes of an integral type pressurized water reactor steam generator under normal operation using a computational fluid dynamics code. The shell-side flow field where a single-phase fluid flows in the downward direction is also calculated in conjunction with the tube-side two-phase flow characteristics. For the calculation of tube-side two-phase flow, the inhomogeneous two-fluid model is used. Both the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute wall boiling model and the bulk boiling model are implemented for the numerical simulations of boiling-induced two-phase flow in a vertical straight pipe and channel, and the computed results are compared with the available measured data. The conjugate heat transfer analysis method is employed to calculate the conduction in the tube wall with finite thickness and the convections in the internal and external fluids simultaneously so as to match the fluid-wall-fluid interface conditions properly. Both the internal and external turbulent flows are simulated using the standard k-ε model. From the results of the present numerical simulation, it is shown that the bulk boiling model can be applied to the simulation of two-phase flow in the helically coiled steam generator tubes. In addition, the present simulation method is considered to be physically plausible in the light of discussions on the computed results.
Specific Interactions between the Viral Coreceptor CXCR4 and the Biguanide-Based Compound NB325 Mediate Inhibition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection
Authors: Thakkar Nina , Pirrone Vanessa , Passic Shendra , Zhu Wei , Kholodovych Vladyslav , Welsh William , Rando Robert F. , Labib Mohamed E. , Wigdahl Brian , Krebs Fred C.
Published: December 2008

The present studies were conducted to better define the mechanism of action of polyethylene hexamethylene biguanide (PEHMB) (designated herein as NB325), which was shown in previous studies to inhibit infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Fluorescence-activated flow cytometric analyses of activated human CD4+T lymphocytes exposed to NB325 demonstrated concentration-dependent reductions in CXCR4 epitope recognition in the absence of altered recognition of selected CD4 or CD3 epitopes. NB325 also inhibited chemotaxis of CD4+T lymphocytes induced by the CXCR4 ligand CXCL12. However, NB325 did not cause CXCR4 internalization (unlike CXCL12) and did not interfere with CXCL12 binding. Additional flow cytometric analyses using antibodies with distinct specificities for extracellular domains of CXCR4 demonstrated that NB325 specifically interfered with antibody binding to extracellular loop 2 (ECL2). This interaction was confirmed using competitive binding analyses, in which a peptide derived from CXCR4 ECL2 competitively inhibited NB325-mediated reductions in CXCR4 epitope recognition. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the biguanide-based compound NB325 inhibits HIV-1 infection by specifically interacting with the HIV-1 coreceptor CXCR4.
Reassessment of Recommended Imipenem Doses in Febrile Neutropenic Patients with Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Lamoth F. , Buclin T. , Csajka C. , Pascual A. , Calandra T. , Marchetti O.
Published: December 2008

Imipenem plasma concentrations were analyzed in 57 febrile neutropenic patients using the NONMEM program. The recommended 2-g/day regimen achieved coverage of the most common bacteria (MIC
90
= 1 mg/liter) during the whole dosing interval in only 53% of patients. This goal was achieved in 90% of patients with 3 g/day.
Employment of a Promoter-Swapping Technique Shows that PhoU Modulates the Activity of the PstSCAB
2
ABC Transporter in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Rice Christopher D. , Pollard Jacob E. , Lewis Zachery T. , McCleary William R.
Published: December 2008

Expression of the Pho regulon in
Escherichia coli
is induced in response to low levels of environmental phosphate (P
i
). Under these conditions, the high-affinity PstSCAB
2
protein (i.e., with two PstB proteins) is the primary P
i
transporter. Expression from the
pstSCAB-phoU
operon is regulated by the PhoB/PhoR two-component regulatory system. PhoU is a negative regulator of the Pho regulon; however, the mechanism by which PhoU accomplishes this is currently unknown. Genetic studies of
phoU
have proven to be difficult because deletion of the
phoU
gene leads to a severe growth defect and creates strong selection for compensatory mutations resulting in confounding data. To overcome the instability of
phoU
deletions, we employed a promoter-swapping technique that places expression of the
phoBR
two-component system under control of the

P
tac

promoter and the
lacO
ID
regulatory module. This technique may be generally applicable for controlling expression of other chromosomal genes in
E. coli
. Here we utilized

P
phoB

::

P
tac

and

P
pstS

::

P
tac

strains to characterize phenotypes resulting from various Δ
phoU
mutations. Our results indicate that PhoU controls the activity of the PstSCAB
2
transporter, as well as its abundance within the cell. In addition, we used the

P
phoB

::

P
tac

Δ
phoU
strain as a platform to begin characterizing new
phoU
mutations in plasmids.
Effects of Compost on Colonization of Roots of Plants Grown in Metalliferous Mine Tailings, as Examined by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization
Authors: Iverson Sadie L. , Maier Raina M.
Published: December 2008

The relationship between compost amendment, plant biomass produced, and bacterial root colonization as measured by fluorescence in situ hybridization was examined following plant growth in mine tailings. Mine tailings can remain devoid of vegetation for decades after deposition due to a combination of factors that include heavy metal toxicity, low pH, poor substrate structure and water-holding capacity, and a severely impacted heterotrophic microbial community. Research has shown that plant establishment, a desired remedial objective to reduce eolian and water erosion of such tailings, is enhanced by organic matter amendment and is correlated with significant increases in rhizosphere populations of neutrophilic heterotrophic bacteria. Results show that for the acidic metalliferous tailings tested in this study, compost amendment was associated with significantly increased bacterial colonization of roots and increased production of plant biomass. In contrast, for a Vinton control soil, increased compost had no effect on root colonization and resulted only in increased plant biomass at high levels of compost amendment. These data suggest that the positive association between compost amendment and root colonization is important in the stressed mine tailings environment where root colonization may enhance both microbial and plant survival and growth.
Microbial Iron Redox Cycling in a Circumneutral-pH Groundwater Seep
Authors: Blöthe Marco , Roden Eric E.
Published: December 2008

The potential for microbially mediated redox cycling of iron (Fe) in a circumneutral-pH groundwater seep in north central Alabama was studied. Incubation of freshly collected seep material under anoxic conditions with acetate-lactate or H
2
as an electron donor revealed the potential for rapid Fe(III) oxide reduction (ca. 700 to 2,000 μmol liter
−1
day
−1
). Fe(III) reduction at lower but significant rates took place in unamended controls (ca. 300 μmol liter
−1
day
−1
). Culture-based enumerations (most probable numbers [MPNs]) revealed significant numbers (10
2
to 10
6
cells ml
−1
) of organic carbon- and H
2
-oxidizing dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms. Three isolates with the ability to reduce Fe(III) oxides by dissimilatory or fermentative metabolism were obtained (
Geobacter
sp. strain IST-3,
Shewanella
sp. strain IST-21, and
Bacillus
sp. strain IST-38). MPN analysis also revealed the presence of microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing microorganisms (10
3
to 10
5
cells ml
−1
). A 16S rRNA gene library from the iron seep was dominated by representatives of the
Betaproteobacteria
including
Gallionella, Leptothrix
, and
Comamonas
species. Aerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing
Comamonas
sp. strain IST-3 was isolated. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of this organism is 100% similar to the type strain of the betaproteobacterium
Comamonas testosteroni
(M11224). Testing of the type strain showed no Fe(II) oxidation. Collectively our results suggest that active microbial Fe redox cycling occurred within this habitat and support previous conceptual models for how microbial Fe oxidation and reduction can be coupled in surface and subsurface sedimentary environments.