bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a Lamotrigine‐Resistant Kindled Model of Epilepsy in Mice: Evaluation of Drug Resistance Mechanisms
Authors: Singh Ekta , Pillai Krishna K. , Mehndiratta ManMohan 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe aims of this study were to characterize a lamotrigine‐resistant kindled model of epilepsy in mice, to study the anticonvulsant effect of carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA), and to probe into the mechanism for resistance. Swiss albino mice were kindled by a subconvulsive dose of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 30 mg/kg, i.p., every other day for 6 weeks). The mice were pre‐treated (30 min.) either with a low dose of LTG (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or with vehicle, and the seizures were scored. The acute treatment with LTG (15 mg/kg, i.p.) on the last day blocked seizure in the vehicle‐treated group, but the LTG pre‐treated group showed resistance. This resistance was extended to CBZ, but not to VPA. The resistant model was successfully replicated in mice with less kindling development time (6 weeks versus 9 weeks 5 days in rats). A highly significant decrease in the level of histamine (p < 0.001) was found, and there were also decreases in serotonin, GABA and AChE levels (p < 0.05). A significantly low level of histamine correlates with drug resistance and indicates involvement of the H1/H3 receptors. It is suggested that the selective action on voltage‐gated Na+ and Ca2+ channels could explain the differences in the sensitivity of CBZ and VPA.
Perceptual effects and efficacy of intermittent or continuous blood flow restriction resistance training
Authors: Fitschen P. J. , Kistler B. M. , Jeong J. H. , Chung H. R. , Wu P. T. , Walsh M. J. , Wilund K. R. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryBlood flow restriction (BFR) exercise may be an alternative form of resistance training; however, a side of effect of BFR resistance exercise is acute muscle pain. Typically, BFR exercise studies restrict blood flow with a cuff continuously during the exercise bout, including rest periods. However, others have used intermittent BFR where the cuff is inflated only during sets. We performed two studies to compare intermittent and continuous BFR exercise. In study one, eleven subjects randomly proceeded through three treatments of unilateral leg extensions to failure: (i) continuous BFR, (ii) intermittent BFR and (iii) control (exercise without BFR). Pain measurements were taken immediately after each set. In study two, subjects (n = 32) underwent a 5‐week resistance training programme after random assignment to one of the three conditions. Lean mass and strength were assessed at baseline and after training. Continuous BFR resulted in significantly greater pain than intermittent BFR or control. Both BFR conditions resulted in significantly fewer repetitions to failure than control. This suggests that an acute bout of intermittent BFR exercise may produce as much muscle fatigue as an acute bout of continuous BFR exercise, but with less pain. With training, maximal knee extension (P = 0·033) and maximum knee flexion (P = 0·007) strength increased among all groups. There were no significant differences between groups in strength or lean mass. These results suggest that short‐term low‐load resistance training increases muscle strength to a similar extent as low‐load resistance training without BFR.
Influence of exercise loading on magnetic resonance image texture of thigh soft tissues
Authors: Sikiö Minna , Harrison Lara C. V. , Nikander Riku , Ryymin Pertti , Dastidar Prasun , Eskola Hannu J. , Sievänen Harri 
Published: April 2014

SummaryAdaptation to exercise training can affect bone marrow adiposity; muscle–fat distribution; and muscle volume, strength and architecture. The objective of this study was to identify exercise‐load‐associated differences in magnetic resonance image textures of thigh soft tissues between various athlete groups and non‐athletes. Ninety female athletes representing five differently loading sport types (high impact, odd impact, high magnitude, repetitive low impact and repetitive non‐impact), and 20 non‐athletic clinically healthy female controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Five thigh muscles, subcutaneous fat and femoral bone marrow were analysed with co‐occurrence matrix‐based quantitative texture analysis at two anatomical levels of the dominant leg. Compared with the controls thigh muscle textures differed especially in high‐impact and odd‐impact exercise‐loading groups. However, all sports appeared to modulate muscle textures to some extent. Fat tissue was found different among the low‐impact group, and bone marrow was different in the high‐impact group when compared to the controls. Exercise loading was associated with textural variation in magnetic resonance images of thigh soft tissues. Texture analysis proved a potential method for detecting apparent structural differences in the muscle, fat and bone marrow.
Evaluation of the Role of Heterogeneities on Transverse Mixing in Bench‐Scale Tank Experiments by Numerical Modeling
Authors: Ballarini E. , Bauer S. , Eberhardt C. , Beyer C. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractIn this work, numerical modeling is used to evaluate and interpret a series of detailed and well‐controlled two‐dimensional bench‐scale conservative tracer tank experiments performed to investigate transverse mixing in porous media. The porous medium used consists of a fine matrix and a more permeable lens vertically aligned with the tracer source and the flow direction. A sensitivity analysis shows that the tracer distribution after passing the lens is only slightly sensitive to variations in transverse dispersivity, but strongly sensitive to the contrast of hydraulic conductivities. A unique parameter set could be calibrated to closely fit the experimental observations. On the basis of calibrated and validated model, synthetic experiments with different contrasts in hydraulic conductivity and more complex setups were performed and the efficiency of mixing evaluated. Flux‐related dilution indices derived from these simulations show that the contrasts in hydraulic conductivity between matrix and high‐permeable lenses as well as the spatial configuration of tracer plumes and lenses dominate mixing, rather than the actual pore scale dispersivities. These results indicate that local material distributions, the magnitude of permeability contrasts, and their spatial and scale relation to solute plumes are more important for macro‐scale transverse dispersion than the micro‐scale dispersivities of individual materials. Local material characterization by thorough site investigation hence is of utmost importance for the evaluation of mixing‐influenced or ‐governed problems in groundwater, such as tracer test evaluation or an assessment of contaminant natural attenuation.
Benzene Dynamics and Biodegradation in Alluvial Aquifers Affected by River Fluctuations
Authors: Batlle‐Aguilar J. , Morasch B. , Hunkeler D. , Brouyère S. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of a benzene plume in an alluvial aquifer strongly affected by river fluctuations was studied. Benzene concentrations, aquifer geochemistry datasets, past river morphology, and benzene degradation rates estimated in situ using stable carbon isotope enrichment were analyzed in concert with aquifer heterogeneity and river fluctuations. Geochemistry data demonstrated that benzene biodegradation was on‐going under sulfate reducing conditions. Long‐term monitoring of hydraulic heads and characterization of the alluvial aquifer formed the basis of a detailed modeled image of aquifer heterogeneity. Hydraulic conductivity was found to strongly correlate with benzene degradation, indicating that low hydraulic conductivity areas are capable of sustaining benzene anaerobic biodegradation provided the electron acceptor (SO42–) does not become rate limiting. Modeling results demonstrated that the groundwater flux direction is reversed on annual basis when the river level rises up to 2 m, thereby forcing the infiltration of oxygenated surface water into the aquifer. The mobilization state of metal trace elements such as Zn, Cd, and As present in the aquifer predominantly depended on the strong potential gradient within the plume. However, infiltration of oxygenated water was found to trigger a change from strongly reducing to oxic conditions near the river, causing mobilization of previously immobile metal species and vice versa. MNA appears to be an appropriate remediation strategy in this type of dynamic environment provided that aquifer characterization and targeted monitoring of redox conditions are adequate and electron acceptors remain available until concentrations of toxic compounds reduce to acceptable levels.
Estimating Preferential Flow in Karstic Aquifers Using Statistical Mixed Models
Authors: Anaya Angel A. , Padilla Ingrid , Macchiavelli Raul , Vesper Dorothy J. , Meeker John D. , Alshawabkeh Akram N. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractKarst aquifers are highly productive groundwater systems often associated with conduit flow. These systems can be highly vulnerable to contamination, resulting in a high potential for contaminant exposure to humans and ecosystems. This work develops statistical models to spatially characterize flow and transport patterns in karstified limestone and determines the effect of aquifer flow rates on these patterns. A laboratory‐scale Geo‐HydroBed model is used to simulate flow and transport processes in a karstic limestone unit. The model consists of stainless steel tanks containing a karstified limestone block collected from a karst aquifer formation in northern Puerto Rico. Experimental work involves making a series of flow and tracer injections, while monitoring hydraulic and tracer response spatially and temporally. Statistical mixed models (SMMs) are applied to hydraulic data to determine likely pathways of preferential flow in the limestone units. The models indicate a highly heterogeneous system with dominant, flow‐dependent preferential flow regions. Results indicate that regions of preferential flow tend to expand at higher groundwater flow rates, suggesting a greater volume of the system being flushed by flowing water at higher rates. Spatial and temporal distribution of tracer concentrations indicates the presence of conduit‐like and diffuse flow transport in the system, supporting the notion of both combined transport mechanisms in the limestone unit. The temporal response of tracer concentrations at different locations in the model coincide with, and confirms the preferential flow distribution generated with the SMMs used in the study.
Membrane Interface Probe Protocol for Contaminants in Low‐Permeability Zones
Authors: Adamson David T. , Chapman Steven , Mahler Nicholas , Newell Charles , Parker Beth , Pitkin Seth , Rossi Michael , Singletary Mike 
Published: April 2014

AbstractAccurate characterization of contaminant mass in zones of low hydraulic conductivity (low k) is essential for site management because this difficult‐to‐treat mass can be a long‐term secondary source. This study developed a protocol for the membrane interface probe (MIP) as a low‐cost, rapid data‐acquisition tool for qualitatively evaluating the location and relative distribution of mass in low‐k zones. MIP operating parameters were varied systematically at high and low concentration locations at a contaminated site to evaluate the impact of the parameters on data quality relative to a detailed adjacent profile of soil concentrations. Evaluation of the relative location of maximum concentrations and the shape of the MIP vs. soil profiles led to a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the MIP to delineate contamination in low‐k zones. This includes recommendations for: (1) preferred detector (ECD for low concentration zones, PID or ECD for higher concentration zones); (2) combining downlogged and uplogged data to reduce carryover; and (3) higher carrier gas flow rate in high concentration zones. Linear regression indicated scatter in all MIP‐to‐soil comparisons, including R2 values using the SOP of 0.32 in the low concentration boring and 0.49 in the high concentration boring. In contrast, a control dataset with soil‐to‐soil correlations from borings 1‐m apart exhibited an R2 of ≥0.88, highlighting the uncertainty in predicting soil concentrations using MIP data. This study demonstrates that the MIP provides lower‐precision contaminant distribution and heterogeneity data compared to more intensive high‐resolution characterization methods. This is consistent with its use as a complementary screening tool.
Analytical Solution for Modeling Discharge into a Tunnel Drilled in a Heterogeneous Unconfined Aquifer
Authors: Maréchal Jean‐Christophe , Lanini Sandra , Aunay Bertrand , Perrochet Pierre 
Published: April 2014

AbstractPredicting transient inflow rates into a tunnel is an important issue faced by hydrogeologists. Most existing analytical solutions overestimate the initial discharge due to the assumption that drilling was instantaneous over the entire tunnel length. In addition, they assume a homogeneous system. An alternative model was recently developed for tunnels intersecting heterogeneous formations, but its application was reduced to the case of confined flow to deep tunnels in weakly diffusive aquifers. In this paper, we adapt existing analytical solutions for drainage systems to the specific case of a tunnel progressively drilled in a highly diffusive heterogeneous unconfined aquifer. The case of a tunnel overlying an impervious layer is analytically solved by applying the superposition principle, while the case of a tunnel constructed some distance above an impervious layer is solved by discretizing the tunnel length into subsectors. Both models can simulate transient discharge into a tunnel drilled at various speeds through a heterogeneous unconfined aquifer, and allow the prediction of discharge rates in shallow tunnels located in highly diffusive aquifers. We successfully applied this approach to a tunnel in heterogeneous volcanic rock.
Post Processing of Zone Budgets to Generate Improved Groundwater Influx Estimates Associated with Longwall Mining
Authors: Mackie C.D. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractImpacts of underground longwall mining on groundwater systems are commonly assessed using numerical groundwater flow models that are capable of forecasting changes to strata pore pressures and rates of groundwater seepage over the mine life. Groundwater ingress to a mining operation is typically estimated using zone budgets to isolate relevant parts of a model that represent specific mining areas, and to aggregate flows at nominated times within specific model stress periods. These rates can be easily misinterpreted if simplistic averaging of daily flow budgets is adopted. Such misinterpretation has significant implications for design of underground dewatering systems for a new mine site or it may lead to model calibration errors where measured mine water seepage rates are used as a primary calibration constraint. Improved estimates of groundwater ingress can be made by generating a cumulative flow history from zone budget data, then differentiating the cumulative flow history using a low order polynomial convolved through the data set.
Infection mechanism of biofilm‐forming Staphylococcus aureus on indwelling foreign materials in mice
Authors: Makino Taro , Jimi Shiro , Oyama Takuto , Nakano Yuki , Hamamoto Kouichi , Mamishin Kanako , Yahiro Tomoko , Hara Shuuji , Takata Tohru , Ohjimi Hiroyuki 
Published: April 2014

AbstractIndwelling foreign‐body infections are a critical medical problem, especially in immunocompromised patients. To examine the pathogenicity of biofilm‐forming bacteria settling on foreign materials, mice implanted with plastic discs were infected with Staphylococcus aureus. After opening a wide subcutaneous pocket on the dorsal side of mice with or without temporal leukocytopenia, a plastic sheet was placed in the left subcutaneous space; subsequently, bacteria in a planktonic state were dispersed over the subcutaneous space. Bacterial numbers were examined 7 days after inoculation. In subcutaneous tissue on the right, S. aureus was found only in leukocytopenic mice. Meanwhile, bacteria were detected on the plastic and neighbouring tissue in both leukocytopenic and normal mice; however, colony‐forming analysis indicated that leukocytopenic mice possessed significantly more bacteria. Tissue reaction against bacteria was pathologically examined. Invading S. aureus induced severe inflammation. In transient leukocytopenic mice, bacterial microcolonies formed on the plastic as well as in the developed necrotic tissue – both of which were shielded from inflammatory cell infiltration – result in bacteraemia. These results indicate that biofilm‐forming S. aureus settling on indwelling foreign material are tolerant against host immunity and assault neighbouring tissue, which may lead to chronic wound infection.
Developmental Social Policy, Social Welfare Services and the Non‐profit Sector in South Africa
Authors: Patel Leila 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe potential and challenge of constructing a democratic developmental welfare state through synergistic state‐civil society relations is the focus of this article. The author argues that while South Africa's pluralist approach, involving a leading role for the state in partnership with voluntary organizations, is a viable policy option to address the country's developmental challenges, anomalies between policy proclamations and actual practice raises questions about the efficacy of the partnership model and the gendered nature of welfare provision. Key governance issues and challenges, namely financial policies and institutional capability, underlie current failures in the delivery of welfare and care services, resulting in the non‐realization of these constitutionally guaranteed social rights. Further public action is needed to remedy the situation. Non‐profit organizations can advocate for policy reforms and challenge the instrumental nature of state‐civil relations and the abrogation of state responsibility for welfare services in contemporary South Africa.
Transferring HIV/AIDS Related Healthcare from Non‐governmental Organizations to the Public Healthcare System in South Africa: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Knijn Trudie , Slabbert Mariette 
Published: April 2014

AbstractAlmost two decades after the transition to a post‐apartheid regime, South Africa is still high‐ranking in the incidence of chronic diseases like tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension. This article explores the transition from HIV/AIDS related healthcare offered by internationally supported non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) in rural areas to the inclusion of this healthcare into the public healthcare system. This transition is part of a wider process that represents the exact reverse of healthcare reforms in Western industrialized countries. Instead of a transition from public healthcare to privatized or marketized healthcare, the transition in South Africa is from partly private healthcare to a public healthcare system in which the private commercial health sector as well as all services provided by NGOs will be integrated. In that process, many obstacles obscure intended outcomes, such as equal access to healthcare. Some obstacles are evident in the case studies of two internationally supported NGOs in the field of HIV/AIDS healthcare. We will conclude that governance structures of public and private NGO‐based healthcare are often difficult to integrate; implementation timelines and priorities do not always coincide; and the public healthcare system is still too weak to deliver good quality healthcare in rural areas without continued NGO support.
(Mis)framing Higher Education in South Africa
Authors: Bozalek Vivienne , Boughey Chrissie 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe question of how to make higher education more inclusive has been a central concern in South Africa and elsewhere over the past two decades. However, in South Africa there remains a disjuncture between policy aimed at promoting inclusivity and the experiences of students and staff in the higher education sector. In this article, the relationship between equity of access and equity of outcomes and the expectations that follow from these policy imperatives are examined from the perspective of Nancy Fraser's normative framework of social justice. In particular, her notion of misframing is used to analyze the current situation in the higher education sector in South Africa. The article concludes that a focus on individual higher education institutions is not sufficient to gain a perspective on the social arrangements required for participatory parity in higher education; and, in fact, such a focus is an instance of misframing and thus a form of injustice.
Mental health: outcomes of 10 babies of mothers with a history of serious mental illness
Authors: McCauley K. M. , Cross W. , Kulkarni J. 
Published: April 2014

Accessible summary
Women with serious mental illness are frequently on antipsychotic medications to maintain their mental health (MI).
Antipsychotic medications are currently not approved for use in pregnancy because of the lack of evidence about their risk of harming the baby. These include kidney malformations, limb malformation and congenital heart disease.
This case study series identifies the outcomes for 10 babies of women with serious MI.
Gestation of the 10 babies at birth ranged between 29 and 40 weeks, average weight 2.9 kg. Two babies were born preterm.
This study identifies the neonatal complications for these vulnerable babies as not outside the norm for births in Australia.
There was however a high rate of mother–baby separation (4/10) which is of great concern.
AbstractWomen with serious mental illness are frequently on antipsychotic medications to maintain their mental health. During pregnancy there is much debate as to whether to continue or cease these medications. The possibility of adverse effects is of concern to clinicians and the women. This study used a case study methodology to identify the outcomes for 10 babies of women with a history of serious mental illness. The results provide further evidence in regard to women and the use of antipsychotic medications throughout pregnancy and during the first year after birth. Separation of mother and baby occurred in five of the 10 babies. This study identifies the neonatal complications for these vulnerable babies as not outside the norm for births in Australia. The high rate of mother–baby separation is of great concern and needs further longitudinal studies.