bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A data variance technique for automated despiking of magnetotelluric data with a remote reference
Authors: Kappler Karl N. 
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACTThe magnetotelluric method employs co‐located surface measurements of electric and magnetic fields to infer the local electrical structure of the earth. The frequency dependent ‘apparent resistivity’ curves can be inaccurate at long periods if input data are contaminated – even when robust remote reference techniques are employed. Data despiking prior to processing can result in significantly more reliable estimates of long period apparent resistivities. This paper outlines a two‐step method of automatic identification and replacement for spike‐like contamination of magnetotelluric data; based on the simultaneity of natural electric and magnetic field variations at distant sites. This simultaneity is exploited both to identify windows in time when the array data are compromised as well as to generate synthetic data that replace observed transient noise spikes. In the first step windows in data time series that contain spikes are identified according to an intersite comparison of channel ‘activity’– such as the variance of differenced data within each window. In the second step, plausible data for replacement of flagged windows are calculated by Wiener filtering coincident data in clean channels. The Wiener filters – which express the time‐domain relationship between various array channels – are computed using an uncontaminated segment of array training data. Examples are shown where the algorithm is applied to artificially contaminated data and to real field data. In both cases all spikes are successfully identified. In the case of implanted artificial noise, the synthetic replacement time series are very similar to the original recording. In all cases, apparent resistivity and phase curves obtained by processing the despiked data are much improved over curves obtained from raw data.
Insect insulin receptors: insights from sequence and caste expression analyses of two cloned hymenopteran insulin receptor cDNAs from the fire ant
Authors: Lu H.‐L. , Pietrantonio P. V. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractThe insulin and insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) signalling (IIS) pathway in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is linked to reproductive division of labour and foraging behaviour. Two insulin receptor genes are present in the released genomes of other social hymenopterans. Limited information is available on the IIS pathway role in ants. The predicted insulin receptor sequences from the recently released draft genome of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are incomplete and biologically significant data are also lacking. To elucidate the role of the IIS pathway in the fire ant, two putative insulin receptors (SiInR‐1 and SiInR‐2) were cloned; the first InR cDNAs cloned from social insects. Analyses of putative post‐translational modification sites in SiInRs revealed the potential for differential regulation. We investigated the transcriptional expression of both receptors at different developmental stages, castes and queen tissues. In last instar larvae and pharate pupae of workers and reproductive, transcriptional abundance of both receptors was negatively correlated with body size and nutritional status. The expression level of both receptors in different queen tissues appears to correlate with requirements for queen reproductive physiology and behaviours. This study contributes new information to the understanding of social insects because in fire ants juvenile hormone acts as a gonadotropin and workers are fully sterile, contrary to honey bees.
Development and feasibility of falls prevention advice
Authors: van Harten‐Krouwel Diny , Schuurmans Marieke , Emmelot‐Vonk Mariëlle , Pel‐Littel Ruth 
Published: August 2011

Aims and objectives.  This study examined the feasibility of nursing falls prevention advice and factors influencing feasibility.Background.  The frequency and seriousness of falls in hospitalised patients are underestimated, and such falls should be preventable because of the presence of professionals. A best practice‐based falls prevention advice was developed to decrease the incidence of secondary falls and the incidence of primary falls in the long term and to increase the knowledge of nurses about falls prevention and the seriousness of falls.Design.  A descriptive, explorative study.Methods.  Feasibility of the advice for 30 patients was assessed 82 times (theoretically, three times per patient) by observation and by interviewing nurses, patients and their families.Results.  The falls prevention advice was used in 48% of the assessments. There was a difference in use between interventions. Interventions that required more knowledge, communication and extra activities were implemented the least. The absence of materials and knowledge about falls prevention were important determinants of the non‐implementation of certain interventions.Conclusion.  Before falls prevention advice is implemented, it is important to educate nurses about falls, communication skills and implementation of the advice.Relevance to clinical practice.  The falls prevention advice might help nurses to prevent falls and increase their knowledge about falls prevention.
Helminth infections: therapeutic potential in autoimmune disorders
Authors: EL‐MALKY M. , NABIH N. , HEDER M. , SAUDY N. , EL‐MAHDY M. 
Published: July 2011

SummaryKnowledge of immunity enables us to predict that the reactions set in response to infection with helminth would prevent concomitant disease driven by an opposing spectrum of immune events. In another way, the immune response generated to combat the helminth infection could counteract the immunopathological reactions that drive autoimmune diseases. Rodent model systems recapitulate many aspects of human autoimmune diseases and have been enormously useful in defining mechanisms of immunopathology after infection. From this theoretical perspective, many researchers have proved that infection with a variety of helminth can ameliorate disease in murine model systems. Thus, helminth‐evoked Th2 events were shown to improve disorders in which Th1 events predominated. This raised the question, ‘Can this information be translated into therapies for autoimmune diseases in humans via actual infection, cell delivery or drug intervention?’ In this review, we will present some experimental trails to treat autoimmune disorders through establishment of some parasitic infections.
Field‐level effects of preventative management tactics on soybean aphids (Aphis glycinesMatsumura) and their predators
Authors: Tinsley N. A. , Steffey K. L. , Estes R. E. , Heeren J. R. , Gray M. E. , Diers B. W. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractA 2‐year field experiment was conducted in northern Illinois to evaluate the effects of host plant resistance and an insecticidal seed treatment (thiamethoxam) on soybean aphids,Aphis glycinesMatsumura and their predators. Densities of soybean aphids varied between the 2 years of the experiment. During both years, resistant plants experienced fewer cumulative aphid days than susceptible plants. Populations of soybean aphids on resistant plants rarely exceeded the economic injury level of 250 soybean aphids per plant. The use of thiamethoxam reduced cumulative aphid days in 2007, but not in 2008. Although soybean aphids reached densities that were sufficient to cause yield‐loss for untreated and susceptible plants, no yield‐benefit was associated with using the two management tactics in either year. This latter finding suggests that densities of soybean aphids need to be greater and sustained for a longer period of time than what we observed if the two management tactics are expected to provide a yield‐benefit. Monitoring natural enemies revealed that densities of key aphidophagous predators were relatively unaffected by host plant resistance or thiamethoxam; the effect of these management tactics on densities of predators, as well as the effectiveness of the method used to sample predators, is discussed.
Common Trends and Linkages in the US Manufacturing Sector, 1969–2000
Authors: LANASPA SANTOLARIA LUIS FERNANDO , OLLOQUI CUARTERO IRENE , SANZ GARCIA FERNANDO 
Published: August 2011

AbstractManufacturing employment series may reflect economically significant trends over time. This proposition is tested using annual employment data for 20 US industrial sectors in the 50 states covering the period 1969–2000. First, we test whether the individual state employment series follow Gibrat's Law. Our results suggest that this is mainly the case. Secondly, we establish whether the series taken two‐by‐two share common stochastic trends and linkages over time. Our main conclusion is that significant relationships, of intra‐ and inter‐industrial nature, are observable in US manufacturing. Finally, we also find a substitution relationship between both types of linkages.RésuméAu fil des années, les séries de données sur l'emploi manufacturier peuvent refléter des tendances importantes sur le plan économique. Cette proposition est évaluée à partir des données annuelles sur l'emploi dans vingt secteurs industriels des cinquante États américains de 1969 à 2000. D'abord, ce travail vérifie si les séries sur l'emploi de chaque État suivent la loi de Gibrat; ce qui, d'après les résultats, est majoritairement le cas. Ensuite, il détermine si les séries, prises deux par deux, présentent des tendances stochastiques communes et des liens dans le temps; la conclusion principale est qu'on peut observer des relations importantes, de nature intra et inter sectorielle, au sein de l'industrie manufacturière aux États‐Unis. Pour finir, l'étude établit aussi une relation de substitution entre les deux types de liens.
Modulating human proteinase activated receptor 2 with a novel antagonist (GB88) and agonist (GB110)
Authors: Suen JY , Barry GD , Lohman RJ , Halili MA , Cotterell AJ , Le GT , Fairlie DP 
Published: August 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Many cells express proteinase activated receptor 2 (PAR2) on their plasma membrane. PAR2 is activated by proteolytic enzymes, such as trypsin and tryptase that cleave the receptor N‐terminus, inititating signalling to intracellular G proteins. Studies on PAR2 have relied heavily upon activating effects of proteases and peptide agonists that lack stability and bioavailability in vivo.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH A novel small molecule agonist GB110 and an antagonist GB88 were characterized in vitro against trypsin, peptide agonists, PAR2 antibody, PAR1 agonists and flow cytometry,in seven cell lines using intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and examined in vivo against PAR2‐ and PAR1‐induced rat paw oedema.KEY RESULTS GB110 is a potent non‐peptidic agonist activating PAR2‐mediated Ca2+ release in HT29 cells (EC50∼200 nM) and six other human cell lines, inducing PAR2 internalization. GB88 is a unique PAR2 antagonist, inhibiting PAR2 activated Ca2+ release (IC50∼2 µM) induced by native (trypsin) or synthetic peptide and non‐peptide agonists. GB88 was a competitive and surmountable antagonist of agonist 2f‐LIGRLO‐NH2, a competitive but insurmountable antagonist of agonist GB110, and a non‐competitive insurmountable antagonist of trypsin. GB88 was orally active and anti‐inflammatory in vivo, inhibiting acute rat paw oedema elicited by agonist GB110 and proteolytic or peptide agonists of PAR2 but not by corresponding agonists of PAR1 or PAR4.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The novel PAR2 agonist and antagonist modulate intracellular Ca2+ and rat paw oedema, providing novel molecular tools for examining PAR2‐mediated diseases.
Increased endothelin‐1 vasoconstriction in mesenteric resistance arteries after superior mesenteric ischaemia‐reperfusion
Authors: Martínez‐Revelles S , Caracuel L , Márquez‐Martín A , Dantas AP , Oliver E , D'Ocon P , Vila E 
Published: August 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) plays an important role in the maintenance of vascular tone. We aimed to evaluate the influence of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ischaemia‐reperfusion (I/R) on mesenteric resistance artery vasomotor function and the mechanism involved in the changes in vascular responses to ET‐1.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH SMA from male Sprague‐Dawley rats was occluded (90 min) and following reperfusion (24 h), mesenteric resistance arteries were dissected. Vascular reactivity was studied using wire myography. Protein and mRNA expression, superoxide anion (O2•−) production and ET‐1 plasma concentration were evaluated by immunofluorescence, real‐time quantitative PCR, ethidium fluorescence and elisa, respectively.KEY RESULTS I/R increased ET‐1 plasma concentration, ET‐1‐mediated vasoconstriction and ETB mRNA expression, and down‐regulated ETA mRNA expression. Immunofluorescence confirmed mRNA results and revealed an increase in ETB receptors in the mesenteric resistance artery media layer after I/R. Therefore, the ETB receptor agonist sarafotoxin‐6 induced a contraction that was inhibited by the ETB receptor antagonist BQ788 only in vessels, with and without endothelium, from I/R rats. Furthermore, BQ788 potentiated ET‐1 vasoconstriction only in sham rats. Endothelium removal in rings from I/R rats unmasked the inhibition of ET‐1 vasoconstriction by BQ788. Endothelium removal, Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester and superoxide dismutase abolished the differences in ET‐1 vasoconstriction between sham and I/R rats. We also found that I/R down‐regulates endothelial NOS mRNA expression and concomitantly enhanced O2•− production by increasing NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX‐1) and p47phox mRNA.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Mesenteric I/R potentiated the ET‐1‐mediated vasoconstriction by a mechanism that involves up‐regulation of muscular ETB receptors and decrease in NO bioavailability.
Medicare Part D's Effect on the Under‐ and Overuse of Medications: A Systematic Review
Authors: Polinski Jennifer M. , Donohue Julie M. , Kilabuk Elaine , Shrank William H. 
Published: August 2011

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the literature regarding the effect of Medicare Part D on the under‐ and overuse of specific medications and corresponding health outcomes.
DESIGN: Systematic review.
SETTING: Medline search of the peer‐reviewed literature from January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2010.
PARTICIPANTS: Medicare beneficiaries who obtained drug insurance from the Part D program.
MEASUREMENTS: The review evaluated changes in the use of specific drugs or drug classes after implementation of Part D, as described in original, peer‐reviewed articles.
RESULTS: Nineteen articles met inclusion criteria. Part D's implementation was associated with greater use of essential medications such as clopidogrel and statins, especially in beneficiaries who had been previously uninsured, but increases in inappropriate antibiotic use for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections and increases in claims for the often overused proton pump inhibitor drug class were also observed. In the Part D transition period, dually eligible beneficiaries' drug use remained largely unchanged. When beneficiary cost sharing increased in the coverage gap, use of essential and overused medications declined.
CONCLUSION: Increasing drug coverage led to greater use of underused essential medications and inappropriate, or overused, medications under Medicare Part D. Despite efforts to have it do so, the Part D benefit did not sufficiently discriminate between essential and nonessential medication use.
Right‐Side RF Ablation Using Remote Catheter Navigation: Experimental Results In Vivo
Authors: THAKUR YOGESH , JONES DOUGLAS L. , SKANES ALLAN , YEE RAYMOND , DRANGOVA MARIA 
Published: August 2011

Tele‐Operated Catheter Ablation, In Vivo. Introduction: The close proximity between the interventionalist and patient during catheter‐based interventions for cardiac arrhythmia exposes the interventionalist to harmful radiation. A prototype remote catheter navigation system (RCNS) has been developed to reduce occupational dose. The safety, feasibility of this RCNS and a comparison of remote and conventional navigation techniques is investigated in vivo.
Methods:
Seven anatomical locations in the right side of the heart in porcine models were chosen as navigation targets. Using fluoroscopy and electrogram analysis, an experienced electrophysiology interventionalist manipulated a radiofrequency (RF) ablation catheter to each target using the RCNS and conventional navigation. Success rate, navigation time, exposure, exposure time and procedure time was recorded for all anatomical targets. Time to integrate the RCNS with the procedure suite was also measured.
Results:
All targets were successfully reached with the RCNS and conventional navigation. No erratic catheter motion was observed with the RCNS whereas 1 operation failure occurred. The anatomical targets were found to have the largest effect on navigation time (P < 0.05), exposure (P < 0.05), and exposure time (P < 0.01), although the navigation method had little to no effect on the metrics. These results suggest that remote navigation procedures can be performed with navigation times comparable to conventional bedside navigation.
Conclusion:
Remote navigation with the RCNS may present a safe method of reducing occupational dose, while providing comparable navigation time with conventional bedside navigation. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 81‐87, January 2012)
Evaluation of the Dental Hygienist Beliefs Survey; test–retest assessment in a group of general dental patients
Authors: Abrahamsson KH , Andersson P , Krok L , Hakeberg M 
Published: July 2011

To cite this article:
Int J Dent Hygiene
10, 2012; 30–35  DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2011.00521.x  Abrahamsson KH, Andersson P, Krok L, Hakeberg M. Evaluation of the Dental Hygienist Beliefs Survey; test–retest assessment in a group of general dental patients.Abstract:  Objective:  To evaluate the Dental Hygienist Beliefs Survey (DHBS) and the test–retest reliability of DHBS in a group of general dental patients.Material and methods:  The DHBS, which is a questionnaire constructed to assess patients’ specific attitudes towards dental hygienists (DHs), was distributed together with the Dental Anxiety Scale adapted to specifically assess fear of DH treatment (DHAS). It was hypothesized that DHBS would correlate with DHAS and gender. The questionnaires were consecutively distributed to 80 patients at their first visit and after a clinical examination performed by a DH student. Retest assessments of DHBS were conducted approximately two weeks later in conjunction with the next visit at the DH student and before treatment (scaling session). The final study sample included 77 adult general dental patients in treatment at an education clinic for DH students.Results:  The results verified a statistically significant correlation between DHBS and DHAS. The DHBS sum of scores showed high internal consistency with Cronbach’s a coefficient of 0.88 and 0.91 at the first and second assessments, respectively, and the test–retest reliability of the DHBS was acceptable with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76. No statistically significant association was found between DHBS and gender.Conclusion:  The results suggest that the DHBS is a reliable and stable scale to use to assess patients’ specific attitudes towards DHs. Moreover, DH beliefs are associated with fear of DH treatment.
Sex differences in the use of complementary and alternative medicine in older men and women
Authors: McLaughlin Deirdre , Adams Jon , Sibbritt David , Lui Chi‐Wai 
Published: July 2011

Aim:  The aim of this study was to examine sex differences in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among older adults.Methods:  Cross‐sectional analysis of data from two cohort studies of community‐dwelling women (n = 5399) and men (n = 3188) aged 82–87 and 77–91 years, respectively. The main outcome measure was self‐report of consultations with an alternative health practitioner.Results:  Men were 1.79 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46, 2.20) times more likely to use CAM than women. People born in a non‐English speaking country were 1.49 times (95% CI: 0.94, 2.35) more likely to use CAM. Self‐reported general health (P = 0.01) and bodily pain (P < 0.01) were significantly associated with CAM use.Conclusion:  In contrast to previous research, CAM use is more prevalent among older men than older women in our sample. Both men and women are using CAM to maintain good health and for the treatment of ongoing conditions.
The Effect of Pharmacotherapy on Suicide Rates in Bipolar Patients
Authors: Rihmer Zoltan , Gonda Xenia 
Published: August 2011

SUMMARYSuicide is a complex and multicausal human behavior and also a great challenge for psychiatry. We review the evidence available concerning pharmacological prevention of suicide in bipolar disorder patients. Several clinical trials provide evidence that effective acute and long‐term treatment of bipolar depression provides a strong protection against suicide, suicide attempts, and probably against other complications of this disorder. Current major mood disorder is the most important risk factor of suicide, and bipolar II patients carry the highest risk. In bipolar patients suicidal behavior is most likely to occur during pure or mixed depressive episodes. Since bipolar disorder is a highly recurrent illness, adequate long‐term pharmacotherapy is needed to prevent suicidal behavior.
Changes in dose with segmentation of breast tissues in Monte Carlo calculations for low‐energy brachytherapy
Authors: Sutherland J. G. H. , Thomson R. M. , Rogers D. W. O. 
Published: August 2011

Purpose:To investigate the use of various breast tissue segmentation models in Monte Carlo dose calculations for low‐energy brachytherapy.Methods:The EGSnrc user‐code BrachyDose is used to perform Monte Carlo simulations of a breast brachytherapy treatment using TheraSeed Pd‐103 seeds with various breast tissue segmentation models. Models used include a phantom where voxels are randomly assigned to be gland or adipose (randomly segmented), a phantom where a single tissue of averaged gland and adipose is present (averaged tissue), and a realistically segmented phantom created from previously published numerical phantoms. Radiation transport in averaged tissue while scoring in gland along with other combinations is investigated. The inclusion of calcifications in the breast is also studied in averaged tissue and randomly segmented phantoms.Results:In randomly segmented and averaged tissue phantoms, the photon energy fluence is approximately the same; however, differences occur in the dose volume histograms (DVHs) as a result of scoring in the different tissues (gland and adipose versus averaged tissue), whose mass energy absorption coefficients differ by 30%. A realistically segmented phantom is shown to significantly change the photon energy fluence compared to that in averaged tissue or randomly segmented phantoms. Despite this, resulting DVHs for the entire treatment volume agree reasonably because fluence differences are compensated by dose scoring differences. DVHs for the dose to only the gland voxels in a realistically segmented phantom do not agree with those for dose to gland in an averaged tissue phantom. Calcifications affect photon energy fluence to such a degree that the differences in fluence are not compensated for (as they are in the no calcification case) by dose scoring in averaged tissue phantoms.Conclusions:For low‐energy brachytherapy, if photon transport and dose scoring both occur in an averaged tissue, the resulting DVH for the entire treatment volume is reasonably accurate because inaccuracies in photon energy fluence are compensated for by inaccuracies in localized dose scoring. If dose to fibroglandular tissue in the breast is of interest, then the inaccurate photon energy fluence calculated in an averaged tissue phantom will result in inaccurate DVHs and average doses for those tissues. Including calcifications necessitates the use of proper tissue segmentation.