bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Laminoplasty for the treatment of extramedullary intradural tumors in the thoracic and lumbar spine: greater than two‐year follow‐up
Authors: Liu Xin‐yu , Zheng Yan‐ping , Li Jian‐min 
Published: October 2009

Objective:  To investigate the outcome of a laminoplasty technique without additional instrumentation for fixation of laminae in the treatment of extramedullary intradural tumors in the thoracic and lumbar spine.Methods:  Twenty‐four patients (15 men and 9 women) with extramedullary intradural tumors in the thoracic and lumbar spine were included in our study. The average age was 36.2 years (range 18 to 61 years). The pathological diagnosis was neurofibroma in 13, ependymoma in 6, lipoma in 2 and teratoma in 3 cases. All patients underwent the same laminoplasty surgery as follows: the laminae were reattached to their original sites, the ligaments (including the supraspinal, interspinal and yellow ligaments) were conserved, and primary stability of the re‐attached laminae was achieved with silk or nylon sutures.Results:  Sixty‐six laminae were re‐implanted in 24 patients. The average length of follow‐up was 34.2 months (26.5 to 41 months). Fusion of the laminae was achieved in a mean of 4.5 months (3 to 6 months). Unilateral healing of the incision lines was observed in seven cases, including one with two‐level laminotomy, three with three‐level laminotomy and three with four‐level laminotomy. The other 17 cases underwent bilateral fusion.Conclusion:  Fixing the laminae, spinous processes and ligaments with sutures can achieve satisfactory primary stability and high fusion rates for resected laminae. Additional instrumentation may be necessary in greater than three‐level laminoplasty.
Interbody cage support improves reconstruction of sagittal balance after anterior selective fusion in Lenke type 5 idiopathic scoliosis patients
Authors: Sun Xu , Qiu Yong , Liu Zhen , Ma Wei‐wei , Wang Bin , Zhu Ze‐zhang , Yu Yang , Qian Bang‐ping , Zhu Feng 
Published: October 2009

Objective:  To investigate the effect of interbody cage support on reconstruction of the sagittal profile after anterior selective correction in Lenke type 5 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients.Methods:  In this retrospective study, a total of 40 AIS patients with a Lenke type 5 curve who underwent anterior selective fusion (ASF) using a single rod were studied. They were divided into two groups: Group A, bone grafting with an interbody titanium mesh cage (TMC); and Group B, bone grafting without a TMC. There were 19 female and 1 male patient aged 12–18 years in Group A, and 17 female and 3 male patients aged 13–20 years in Group B. All patients were followed up for more than 18 months. The coronal correction of the scoliosis and reconstruction of the sagittal profile were evaluated retrospectively.Results:  By final follow‐up, more than 70% correction had been achieved for the primary curve and a spontaneous correction for the secondary curve in both groups. Satisfactory reconstructions on the sagittal plane were also observed. Similar changes were found in Group A and Group B, including increases in thoracic kyphosis, slight changes in thoracolumbar junctional kyphosis, no significant losses of lumbar lordosis, mild increases in proximal junctional measurement, and remarkable lordosis losses in the instrumented segments. With lessening of the sagittal balance and L1 offset, a significant anterior shift of the C7 plumb line was noted during follow‐up in Group A, indicating a more balanced spine in this group.Conclusion:  Anterior selective single rod instrumentation and fusion is a recommended method for Lenke type 5C AIS. A structural interbody cage does not appear to improve the regional profile, nor the profiles in the instrumented area and the adjacent proximal and distal segments; yet could result in a better total balance in the long‐term.
Quantifying the Impact of Social Mobilisation in Rural Bangladesh: Donors, Civil Society and ‘The Road not Taken’
Authors: Kabeer Naila , Kabir Ariful Haq , Huq Tahera Yasmin 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAs part of a general trend toward a reduced role for the state, international donors have increasingly encouraged development NGOs to take up a service delivery function. In Bangladesh, this has induced NGOs to shift their core activities away from social mobilisation to a focus on providing microfinance services, although many organisations also promote education, health and other social services. NGOs are credited with some of Bangladesh's remarkable progress on poverty reduction, human development indicators and the Millennium Development Goals. However, social inequalities persist, and the quality of governance is extremely low. This paper reports on the impact of an NGO, Nijera Kori (NK), in rural Bangladesh on its members' democratic knowledge, practice and engagement. Unique among its peers, NK's work with the landless poor prioritises rights, social mobilisation and solidarity over more individualistic forms of democratic participation. The study carried out a survey of randomly selected members of NK, along with a randomly selected ‘control group’ from the same socioeconomic background of the NK membership. Statistical analysis of the data confirms much higher levels of political awareness and participation among NK members. More surprisingly, given that NK does not distribute microfinance, NK membership was also associated with a number of material impacts, including more diverse household diets, a higher likelihood of asset ownership and higher levels of economic activity relative to non‐members. Levels of ‘trust’ in local power structures and public institutions were significantly lower amongst NK members compared to non‐members, challenging some of the dominant assumptions about the positive correlation between social trust and political participation. We propose that NK's intensive focus on education, information‐sharing and social mobilisation instils a level of political consciousness in members that qualifies trust in public institutions, with implications for enhanced democratic accountability and an alternative civil society approach to improving democratic citizenship.
Who Are ‘Informal Health Providers’ and What Do They Do? Perspectives from Medical Anthropology
Authors: Cross Jamie , MacGregor Hayley 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThis paper explores gaps and limitations in the conceptualisation, methodology and policy implications of debates about informal health care providers by examining a cross section of empirical studies. Drawing on a tradition of critical medical anthropology, we argue that existing debates hinge on a particular understanding of what constitutes appropriate knowledge and on particular expectations of how economic actors in the medical marketplace will behave.
A Breath of Fresh Air for Lung Transplant Recipients
Authors: Wilkes David S. 
Published: October 2009

Abstract

Lung transplantation is a definitive therapy for the treatment of many
end-stage lung diseases. However, because of donor-related morbidities,
only 15% of donor lungs are suitable for transplantation, which leads to
an increased risk of death for prospective patients waiting for this
lifesaving procedure. A technique reported by Keshavjee’s group
in this issue of
Science Translational Medicine
may
help address this problem, not only by repairing donor lungs before
transplant, but also by possibly preventing lung injury after
transplantation.
High frequency of fumigants and other toxic gases in imported freight containers—an underestimated occupational and community health risk
Authors: Baur Xaver , Poschadel Bernd , Budnik Lygia Therese 
Published: October 2009

Residues of pesticide fumigants and toxic industrial chemicals in freight containers represent a health hazard to employees and consumers, especially since freight containers are sealed for transport and distributed widely throughout the importing countries before being opened for unloading.We investigated 2113 freight containers arriving at the second largest container terminal in Europe, Hamburg, Germany, over a 10-week period in 2006. The countries of origin, type of contents and the pesticide fumigation history declared on labels attached to the container were recorded.We determined that 1478 (70%) containers were contaminated with toxic chemicals above chronic reference exposure levels; 761 (36%) even exceeded the higher acute reference exposure level thresholds. Benzene and/or formaldehyde contamination was 4-times greater than for fumigants.Our findings indicate a health risk for dockworkers, container unloaders and even end-consumers, especially as many of the cancerogenic or toxic gases elude subjective detection.
Increased risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma among upstream petroleum workers
Authors: Kirkeleit Jorunn , Riise Trond , Bjørge Tone , Moen Bente E , Bråtveit Magne , Christiani David C 
Published: October 2009

ObjectivesTo investigate cancer risk, particularly oesophageal cancer, among male upstream petroleum workers offshore potentially exposed to various carcinogenic agents.MethodsUsing the Norwegian Registry of Employers and Employees, 24 765 male offshore workers registered from 1981 to 2003 was compared with 283 002 male referents from the general working population matched by age and community of residence. The historical cohort was linked to the Cancer Registry of Norway and the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry.ResultsMale offshore workers had excess risk of oesophageal cancer (RR 2.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.8) compared with the reference population. Only the adenocarcinoma type had a significantly increased risk (RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 7.0), mainly because of an increased risk among upstream operators (RR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 14.5). Upstream operators did not have significant excess of respiratory system or colon cancer or mortality from any other lifestyle-related diseases investigated.ConclusionWe found a fourfold excess risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma among male workers assumed to have had the most extensive contact with crude oil. Due to the small number of cases, and a lack of detailed data on occupational exposure and lifestyle factors associated with oesophageal adenocarcinoma, the results must be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, given the low risk of lifestyle-related cancers and causes of death in this working group, the results add to the observations in other low-powered studies on oesophageal cancer, further suggesting that factors related to the petroleum stream or carcinogenic agents used in the production process might be associated with risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
Experimental reintroduction of the crayfish species Orconectes virilis into formerly acidified Lake 302S (Experimental Lakes Area, Canada)This paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Phillips Iain D. , Vinebrooke Rolf D. , Turner Michael A. 
Published: October 2009

Reintroduction of functionally important species is considered a key strategy for restoring damaged ecosystems. However, the sudden reappearance of an extirpated species may have adverse ecological impacts, degrading ecosystem services. Therefore, we experimentally reintroduced the crayfish Orconectes virilis into a biologically recovering, formerly acidified Boreal Shield lake (Lake 302S, Experimental Lakes Area, Canada) to determine its effect on the littoral food web following a 17-year absence. In June 2004, a single-factor experimental design consisting of two treatment levels (crayfish-less control versus 1.8 introduced crayfish·m–2) was replicated five times for a total of 10 littoral cages (4 m2). Orconectes virilis significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed the total biomass of other benthic invertebrates by 70% primarily because of declines in larval damselflies and midges. In addition, crayfish reduced periphytic biomass by 90% (P < 0.001). Stable isotopic analyses of the mesocosm food webs further indicated that O. virilis likely functioned as an omnivore, exerting direct and possibly indirect effects on other invertebrates and periphyton. Our findings highlight how the reintroduction of O. virilis must be balanced with adequate fish predation to prevent this species from becoming an invader and negatively affecting the productive capacity of boreal lakes.
Ecosystem-level regulation of boreal lake phytoplankton by ultraviolet radiationThis paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Xenopoulos Marguerite A. , Leavitt Peter R. , Schindler David W. 
Published: October 2009

Unique and interactive effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR), temperature, and water column mixing on phytoplankton abundance and community composition were quantified using regression and multivariate analysis for lakes of differing transparencies and UVR exposure regimes located at the Experimental Lakes Area in Canada. Abundance of planktonic diatoms and chrysophytes (as fucoxanthin) and total algae (as chlorophylls) were negatively correlated with UVB exposure (R2= 0.57 and R2= 0.64, respectively) in slightly stained lakes. In contrast, concentrations of both filamentous Cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates were positively correlated with UVB levels in eutrophic and humic lakes (dissolved organic carbon >9 mg·L–1) (R2= 0.23 and R2= 0.27), whereas all algal groups were uncorrelated with UVB in oligotrophic ecosystems. Although univariate analyses suggested that surface water temperature explained more variation in algal abundance than UVB, principal components analyses revealed that the two factors often covaried and could not be statistically disentangled. Instead, it appears that strong UVB effects on lake algal communities occur commonly when optical and thermal properties interact to maximize exposure to high irradiances. Unexpectedly, UVR could either suppress or stimulate surface algal growth depending on the precise combination of lake parameters and algal community composition.
Benthic algal biomass — measurement and errorsThis paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Baulch Helen M. , Turner Michael A. , Findlay David L. , Vinebrooke Rolf D. , Donahue William F. 
Published: October 2009

While benthic algal biomass is one of the most commonly measured variables within littoral communities, it is also one of the most poorly characterized. The use of chlorophyll a as an estimate of biomass, while easy and inexpensive, can be affected by changes in environmental conditions and algal community composition. Biovolume-based measurements often have high variability and are affected by changes in cell volume due to preservation. Using 12 years of data from the Experimental Lakes Area (northwestern Ontario, Canada) as well as short-term surveys and experimental studies from the Experimental Lakes Area and the Canadian Rocky Mountains, we demonstrate that biovolume and chlorophyll a are often decoupled in the littoral zone of temperate oligotrophic lakes. We recommend that researchers revisit the limitations of both metrics and specifically caution against the use of chlorophyll a as a biomass indicator when light, temperature, or species composition vary significantly.
Separating the effects on water chemistry of climate variation and experimental manipulation in the long-term acidification and recovery of lakesThis paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Hesslein Raymond H. , Turner Michael A. , Guss Douglas , Lyng Mark 
Published: October 2009

Changes in climate, in particular significant changes in precipitation and evaporation and thus runoff, as well as changes in regional atmospheric deposition can affect the changes in chemical masses or concentrations in lakes. We have examined the changes in alkalinity, sulfate, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during a 20-year period when Lake 302S and Lake 302N at the Experimental Lakes Area (Ontario, Canada) were acidified with sulfuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids and returned to natural pH. We used the corresponding 20-year history in Lake 239 to build chemical mass balance models for the experimental lakes. With these models, we assessed the production of alkalinity and the loss of sulfate and DOC in the context of atmospheric and watershed inputs and our experimental acid additions. Alkalinity production was greatest during the period of highest acid inputs and not detectable during pH recovery even in the early stages when pH was still low. Sulfate loss was also greatest while sulfate concentrations were increasing but counter to expectations not directly related to sulfate concentrations. Losses of the mass of DOC showed little change in response to acid additions over the 20 years, but first-order losses increased at low pH.
Survival and behaviour of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) released from an experimental aquaculture operationThis paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Blanchfield Paul J. , Tate Lori S. , Podemski Cheryl L. 
Published: October 2009

The potential for farmed fish that have escaped from open-cage aquaculture operations to affect native populations will depend on their survival and behaviour in the wild. We used standard commercial practices to rear 10 tonnes of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) in a 23 ha lake at the Experimental Lakes Area (Ontario, Canada). Each fall (2003–2005), we released farmed rainbow trout (escapees) into the study lake and monitored their movements using automated positioning telemetry. Rainbow trout experienced high annual mortality (~50%), with none surviving beyond 3 years. Farmed fish had narrowly defined pelagic distributions that comprised the upper few metres of the water column, even when at the cage site. Although released rainbow trout dispersed throughout the study lake, most spent significant portions of time at the cage site, especially during normal operation when commercial feed was available. Core use areas (50% Kernel) included the farm for half of the released fish. Surviving rainbow trout showed continued reliance upon the cage site in their second year. However, wide dispersal, high growth rate, and lack of reliance on the cage site by some escaped fish warrant further research to assess potential effects of open-cage aquaculture in the water bodies where the industry occurs.
Effects of an experimental rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farm on invertebrate community compositionThis paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Rooney Rebecca C. , Podemski Cheryl L. 
Published: October 2009

We examined the development of changes in the zoobenthos along a transect from an experimental rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) farm in Lake 375, Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada. After 2 months, invertebrate abundance was reduced under the fish cage (2542 ± 569 individuals·m–2) compared with samples collected 45 m away (16 137 ± 2624 individuals·m–2). Taxa richness was also depressed, but changes in biomass were variable. Reductions in abundance and richness at high organic loading levels are consistent with earlier models developed for the marine environment of responses to organic loading in marine systems. After two production cycles, the significant principal components axis explaining 76% of total variance in abundance was correlated with distance from the cage (Spearman rank correlation, r = –0.775, p = 0.014) and with chemical variables recommended for freshwater aquaculture monitoring (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, r = 0.78, 0.76, and 0.75 with p = 0.013, 0.018, and 0.020 for pore-water ammonia and sediment Cu and Zn, respectively). The effects of farming were localized, dissipating within 15 m of the cage edge. Invertebrate abundance demonstrated the most potential for incorporation into monitoring schemes at new farms. At established farms, richness may be a valuable monitoring metric.
Long-term changes in climate, streamflow, and nutrient budgets for first-order catchments at the Experimental Lakes Area (Ontario, Canada)This paper is part of the series “Forty Years of Aquatic Research at the Experimental Lakes Area”.
Authors: Parker Brian R. , Schindler David W. , Beaty Ken G. , Stainton Michael P. , Kasian Susan E.M. 
Published: October 2009

We analyzed 36 years of records for climate, hydrology, and the chemistry of precipitation and runoff from the Lake 239 (Rawson Lake) catchment at the Experimental Lakes Area (Ontario, Canada). No evidence of significant periodicity was found for any variable in the Experimental Lakes Area records. The longer (67-year) record from nearby Kenora, Ontario, revealed a 31-year cycle in precipitation but not temperature. Significant increasing long-term trends at the Experimental Lakes Area were found for annual and winter temperature and summer precipitation and deposition of ammonium, total nitrogen (TN), and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). Large (80%) increases in ammonium deposition appear to be related to higher emissions in the central United States. A significant negative trend for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in precipitation cannot be explained. In runoff, significant positive trends were found for TDN and DOC in the northeast catchment and TN, TDN, ammonium, and DOC in the northwest. Significant negative trends were found for TDP and nitrate in the northeast. Significant increases were found for retention of ammonium in all catchments and DOC in the northeast and northwest. There was no apparent relationship between forest succession and retention of nutrients. Results are compared with those from three other long-term monitoring sites in eastern North America.
A theoretical model study on the cyclic reaction of 4-hydroxybutanal catalyzed by Brønsted acid
Authors: Meng Qingyong , Zhang Chenggen , Huang Ming-Bao 
Published: October 2009

For a theoretical model study on the cyclic reaction of 4-hydroxybutanal (4-OH-BL), we have examined five assumed reaction pathways (I–V) by performing the B3LYP calculations in the gas phase and self-consistent isodensity polarized continuum model (SCIPCM)-B3LYP calculations in aqueous solution. Pathways II (4-OH-BL + H+), III (4-OH-BL + H3O+), and IV (4-OH-BL + H3O+ + H2O) represent three models for the cyclic reaction catalyzed by Brønsted acids. The present study leads to the following conclusions concerning the five pathways (mainly on the basis of the calculation results in the solution). The high barrier along pathway I (with no catalyst) implies that the reaction does not occur without a catalyst, and the extremely large stabilization energy of the intermediate implies that pathway II is not a realistic model for the reaction catalyzed by Brønsted acid. Along pathway III, there are two intermediates and a transition state in between, and they are 10–16 kcal/mol lower in energy than the reactants (4-OH-BL + H3O+). Along pathway IV, there is only one intermediate, and it is 20.6 kcal/mol lower in energy than the reactants (4-OH-BL + H3O+ + H2O). Pathways III and IV are predicted to be feasible. Energetically, pathway IV is more favourable than pathway III and it is considered as a rational model for the cyclic reaction of 4-OH-BL catalyzed by Brønsted acid. Our calculations for pathway V (catalyzed by H2O) indicate that the water molecule may also serve as a catalyst for the cyclic reaction. The transition state along pathway V is 20.0 kcal/mol higher in energy than the reactants (4-OH-BL + H2O), and one can clearly see the “proton wire” in its structure. Our calculations show strong solvent effects on energetics of the charged intermediates along pathways II, III, and IV.