bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
HOW WILL THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AFFECT ACADEMIC BIOETHICS?
Authors: EPSTEIN MIRAN 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTAn educated guess about the future of academic bioethics can only be made on the basis of the historical conditions of its success. According to its official history, which attributes its success primarily to the service it has done for the patient, it should be safe at least as long as the patient still needs its service. Like many other academic disciplines, it might suffer under the present economic downturn. However, in the plausible assumption that its social role has not been exhausted yet, it should recover as soon as the economy does.But if, as this paper tries to argue, the success of academic bioethics should be attributed first and foremost to the service it has done for the neoliberal agenda, then its future would have to depend on the fate of the latter. The exact implications of the downturn for the neoliberal agenda are obviously impossible to predict. Among the various options, however, the one of going back to ‘normal’ seems to be the least likely. The other options suggest that the future of academic bioethics, as we have known it, is bleak.
SHOULD WE ALLOW ORGAN DONATION EUTHANASIA? ALTERNATIVES FOR MAXIMIZING THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
Authors: WILKINSON DOMINIC , SAVULESCU JULIAN 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTThere are not enough solid organs available to meet the needs of patients with organ failure. Thousands of patients every year die on the waiting lists for transplantation. Yet there is one currently available, underutilized, potential source of organs. Many patients die in intensive care following withdrawal of life‐sustaining treatment whose organs could be used to save the lives of others. At present the majority of these organs go to waste.In this paper we consider and evaluate a range of ways to improve the number and quality of organs available from this group of patients. Changes to consent arrangements (for example conscription of organs after death) or changes to organ donation practice could dramatically increase the numbers of organs available, though they would conflict with currently accepted norms governing transplantation.We argue that one alternative, Organ Donation Euthanasia, would be a rational improvement over current practice regarding withdrawal of life support. It would give individuals the greatest chance of being able to help others with their organs after death. It would increase patient autonomy. It would reduce the chance of suffering during the dying process. We argue that patients should be given the choice of whether and how they would like to donate their organs in the event of withdrawal of life support in intensive care.Continuing current transplantation practice comes at the cost of death and prolonged organ failure. We should seriously consider all of the alternatives.
The impact of H1N1 influenza A virus pandemic on the blood donations in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Tsubokura Masaharu , Nakada Haruka , Matsumura Tomoko , Kodama Yuko , Narimatsu Hiroto , Yamaguchi Takuhiro , Kami Masahiro 
Published: May 2010

BACKGROUND: The impact of the H1N1 influenza on blood donation is unknown.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined number of blood donors presenting to blood donation centers or bloodmobiles using a blood donation database of Red Cross Hyogo Prefectural Blood Center between 4 weeks before and after May 16, 2009, respectively, when the first case of H1N1 influenza was confirmed in Kobe. The numbers of blood donors per donation site (i.e., blood donation centers and bloodmobiles) and per blood products (i.e., red blood cells [RBCs], platelet [PLT]‐poor plasma, and PLTs) were also examined.RESULTS: The number of blood donors decreased by 21% and whole blood donations declined by 1329 units within 1 week of the first case of H1N1 influenza. While number of blood donors showed a rapid decrease, blood donations returned to the normal level within 1 week. This quick recovery was attributed to the diligent efforts made by Red Cross Centers, including the use of e‐mail to encourage blood donation, on‐the‐street campaigns, and requesting new bloodmobile drives in workplaces and universities. RBCs that were donated in bloodmobiles was predominantly affected; the number of blood donors in bloodmobiles decreased by 39%.CONCLUSION: H1N1 influenza pandemic had a great but transient impact on blood donation.
Accuracy of mechanical torque‐limiting gauges for mini‐screw placement
Authors: Schätzle Marc , Golland Dorota , Roos Malgorzata , Stawarczyk Bogna 
Published: May 2010

AbstractAim: The purpose of this investigation was to determine and compare the accuracy of four available mechanical torque‐limiting gauges (MTLGs) for mini‐screw placement.Materials and methods: The torque outputs of six randomly obtained MTLGs, either of the screwdriver or torque ratchet type of four mini‐screw manufacturers were obtained. Mounted on a joint, a universal testing machine applied perpendicular force to a lever arm with a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. For each device, 10 repetitions of the corresponding target torque level were recorded after initial sterilisation (1) and after 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 times to evaluate its potential influence on MTLGs. The breakpoints (N cm) were calculated for comparison of the groups.Descriptive statistics and mean breakpoints values for each MTLG computed and compared with the reference values indicated on the respective torque gauges provided by the producer.Results: The mean torque values for the AbsoAnchor® MTLG devices were significantly below torque levels, but provide consistent torque values. All but one obtained values for the Spider Screw, MTLG of the screw driver type, were within the indicated moment range during the first 50‐times of sterilization process. But after 100‐times of steam sterilization all mean breakpoint values were relevantly higher than the indicated torque range values.Each individual MTLG produced independently constant breakpoint torque values, but differed significantly from each other. For all but the Spider Screw® MTLG, the sterilisation process had a statistically significant different influence at the various breakpoint torque levels.Conclusion: After application of the manufacturers' preset torque levels, significant variations were observed between individual devices. The torque output of each individual device deviated in varying degrees from target torque values and was influenced by various degrees by the sterilisation process over time. To cite this article:
Schätzle M, Golland D, Roos M, Stawarczyk B. Accuracy of mechanical torque‐limiting gauges for mini‐screw placement. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 781–788. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2010.01927.x
Alternative placements for women wearing pedometers
Authors: Ling Catherine G. , Smith Sheila O. 
Published: May 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if pedometer placement sites in women, other than the waist, provide the same results. Data sources: Three pedometers were given to 12 women to wear on a bra strap, waist, and shoe for a week and then rotated through each site. The participants recorded their daily step counts in a log, turned in weekly, and were instructed not to change their daily routine. Body mass index (BMI), placement preference, and waist and hip measures were collected at enrollment and the concluding sessions. Conclusions: Women's adiposity distribution patterns and clothing provide potential barriers to pedometer use at the waist. Daily walking is an affordable option for physical activity counseling by nurse practitioners (NPs). The bra and shoe placements were not found to be equitable alternative sites compared with waist placement of pedometers. However, 75% of participants had improvement in BMI and waist‐to‐hip measures with no lifestyle intervention. The participants preferred a placement perceived as comfortable and consistent. Implications for practice: The results inform NPs that women need to consistently wear pedometers in a daily walking program, which can lead to beneficial changes in BMI. NPs should encourage walking as a form of daily physical activity, which may be monitored by a pedometer worn consistently.
Une formule intégrale reliée à la conjecture locale de Gross–Prasad
Authors: Waldspurger J.-L. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractLet V be a vector space over a p-adic field F, of finite dimension, let q be a non-degenerate quadratic form over V and let D be a non-isotropic line in V. Denote by W the hyperplane orthogonal to D, and by G and H the special orthogonal groups of V and W. Let π, respectively σ, be an irreducible admissible representation of G(F) , respectively H(F) . The representation σ appears as a quotient of the restriction of π to H(F) with a certain multiplicity m(π,σ) . We know that m(π,σ)≤1 . We assume that π is supercuspidal. Then we prove a formula that computes m(π,σ) as an integral of functions deduced from the characters of π and σ. Let Π, respectively Σ, be an L-packet of tempered irreducible representations of G(F) , respectively H(F) . Here we use the sophisticated notion of L-packet due to Vogan and we assume some usual conjectural properties of those packets. A weak form of the local Gross–Prasad conjecture says that there exists a unique pair (π,σ)∈Π×Σ such that m(π,σ)=1 . Assuming that the elements of Π are supercuspidal, we prove this assertion.
Role of Trehalose Biosynthesis in
Aspergillus fumigatus
Development, Stress Response, and Virulence
Authors: Al-Bader Nadia , Vanier Ghyslaine , Liu Hong , Gravelat Fabrice N. , Urb Mirjam , Hoareau Christopher M.-Q. , Campoli Paolo , Chabot Joseé , Filler Scott G. , Sheppard Donald C. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Aspergillus fumigatus
is a pathogenic mold which causes invasive, often fatal, pulmonary disease in immunocompromised individuals. Recently, proteins involved in the biosynthesis of trehalose have been linked with virulence in other pathogenic fungi. We found that the trehalose content increased during the developmental life cycle of
A. fumigatus
, throughout which putative trehalose synthase genes
tpsA
and
tpsB
were significantly expressed. The trehalose content of
A. fumigatus
hyphae also increased after heat shock but not in response to other stressors. This increase in trehalose directly correlated with an increase in expression of
tpsB
but not
tpsA
. However, deletion of both
tpsA
and
tpsB
was required to block trehalose accumulation during development and heat shock. The Δ
tpsAB
double mutant had delayed germination at 37°C, suggesting a developmental defect. At 50°C, the majority of Δ
tpsAB
spores were found to be nonviable, and those that were viable had severely delayed germination, growth, and subsequent sporulation. Δ
tpsAB
spores were also susceptible to oxidative stress. Surprisingly, the Δ
tpsAB
double mutant was hypervirulent in a murine model of invasive aspergillosis, and this increased virulence was associated with alterations in the cell wall and resistance to macrophage phagocytosis. Thus, while trehalose biosynthesis is required for a number of biological processes that both promote and inhibit virulence, in
A. fumigatus
the predominant effect is a reduction in pathogenicity. This finding contrasts sharply with those for other fungi, in which trehalose biosynthesis acts to enhance virulence.
First Analysis of a Bacterial Collagen-Binding Protein with Collagen Toolkits: Promiscuous Binding of YadA to Collagens May Explain How YadA Interferes with Host Processes
Authors: Leo Jack C. , Elovaara Heli , Bihan Dominique , Pugh Nicholas , Kilpinen Sami K. , Raynal Nicolas , Skurnik Mikael , Farndale Richard W. , Goldman Adrian 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

The
Yersinia
adhesin YadA mediates the adhesion of the human enteropathogen
Yersinia enterocolitica
to collagens and other components of the extracellular matrix. Though YadA has been proposed to bind to a specific site in collagens, the exact binding determinants for YadA in native collagen have not previously been elucidated. We investigated the binding of YadA to collagen Toolkits, which are libraries of triple-helical peptides spanning the sequences of type II and III human collagens. YadA bound to many of them, in particular to peptides rich in hydroxyproline but with few charged residues. We were able to block the binding of YadA to collagen type IV with the triple-helical peptide (Pro-Hyp-Gly)
10
, suggesting that the same site in YadA binds to triple-helical regions in network-forming collagens as well. We showed that a single Gly-Pro-Hyp triplet in a triple-helical peptide was sufficient to support YadA binding, but more than six triplets were required to form a tight YadA binding site. This is significantly longer than the case for eukaryotic collagen-binding proteins. YadA-expressing bacteria bound promiscuously to Toolkit peptides. Promiscuous binding could be advantageous for pathogenicity in
Y. enterocolitica
and, indeed, for other pathogenic bacteria. Many of the tightly binding peptides are also targets for eukaryotic collagen-binding proteins, and YadA was able to inhibit the interaction between selected Toolkit peptides and platelets. This leads to the intriguing possibility that YadA may interfere
in vivo
with host processes mediated by endogenous collagen-binding proteins.
When enough is enough; terminating life-sustaining treatment at the patient's request: a survey of attitudes among Swedish physicians and the general public
Authors: Lindblad Anna , Juth Niklas , Fürst Carl Johan , Lynöe Niels 
Published: May 2010

ObjectivesTo explore attitudes and reasoning among Swedish physicians and the general public regarding the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment at a competent patient's request.DesignA vignette-based postal questionnaire including 1202 randomly selected individuals in the county of Stockholm and 1200 randomly selected Swedish physicians with various specialities. The vignettes described patients requesting withdrawal of their life-sustaining treatment: (1) a 77-year-old woman on dialysis; (2) a 36-year-old man on dialysis; (3) a 34-year-old ventilator-dependent tetraplegic man. Responders were asked to classify the act of terminating treatment and to prioritise arguments for/against.ResultsA majority in both groups prioritised arguments in favour of terminating treatment and classified the act as defensible in all vignettes. However, among the general public, 16% classified the act as euthanasia in all vignettes; among physicians this view was most expressed regarding ventilator treatment (26%). Some who classified the act as euthanasia prioritised arguments in favour of terminating treatment: among physicians 18% in vignette 1, 19% in vignette 2 and 34% in vignette 3; among the general public 35% in vignette 1, 20% in vignette 2 and 48% in vignette 3.ConclusionThere is a widespread consensus regarding competent patients' right to abstain from life-sustaining treatment. An association between the hastening of death, caused by the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and the concept of euthanasia is proposed. The results also suggest that classifying the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment as ‘euthanasia’ does not necessarily mean that the act is interpreted as ethically unacceptable.
Mechanical response of highly gap-graded mixtures of waste rock and tailings. Part II: Undrained cyclic and post-cyclic shear response
Authors: Wijewickreme Dharma , Khalili Ali , Wilson G. Ward 
Published: May 2010

Mixing of waste rock and tailings as a homogeneous mixture (referred to as “paste rock”) has been suggested as a favourable approach to overcome deficiencies associated with traditional methods of mine waste disposal. In consideration of the current limited understanding of the fundamental mechanical response of paste rock, a laboratory research program was undertaken to investigate the monotonic and cyclic shear response of paste rock. This paper presents the findings from undrained cyclic triaxial shear testing conducted on saturated paste rock specimens reconstituted such that the tailings would “just fill” the void spaces between the coarse particles of the skeleton. During undrained cyclic loading, paste rock typically exhibited a cumulative decrease in effective stress along with a progressive degradation of shear stiffness. The material generally displayed a higher tendency for strain development under cyclic loading when compared with rock-only and tailings-only specimens subjected to similar consolidation and cyclic loading conditions. However, no strain-softening or loss of shear strength was observed, suggesting that the material is unlikely to experience flow failure under undrained cyclic loading. The cyclic shear resistance was relatively insensitive to the initial effective confining pressure ([Formula: see text]) for the tested stress levels of [Formula: see text] < 400 kPa.
An analysis of sensitivities contributing measurement error to Resistograph values
Authors: Ukrainetz Nicholas K. , O’Neill Gregory A. 
Published: May 2010

As a hand-held, portable tool capable of assessing wood density of standing trees quickly and inexpensively, the Resistograph holds considerable potential application for evaluating forest genetics field tests. However, phenotypic correlations between Resistograph density index values and values from conventional wood density assessment techniques are weak. In an effort to investigate the extent to which environmental, operator, or instrument factors may affect density index values, we evaluated the sensitivity of Resistograph measurements to seven experimental factors. Drill bit flexion (a measure of operator steadiness), moisture content of wood, and air temperature significantly affected Resistograph density index values, while the influence of knots is minimized at a vertical distance of 3 cm. Battery type, sharpness of the drill bit (at least up to 350 uses), and battery charge (at least up to 310 uses with a 12 V motorcycle battery) had no significant effect on density index. By ensuring that the operator remains steady while drilling, sampling only live trees, only when air temperatures are above freezing, and by drilling at least 3 cm vertical distance from knots, measurement error should be minimized. Three measurements per tree are required to estimate density index to within 3 units 19 times out of 20.
Routing betweenness centrality
Authors: Dolev Shlomi , Elovici Yuval , Puzis Rami 
Published: May 2010

Betweenness-Centrality measure is often used in social and computer communication networks to estimate the potential monitoring and control capabilities a vertex may have on data flowing in the network. In this article, we define the Routing Betweenness Centrality (RBC) measure that generalizes previously well known Betweenness measures such as the Shortest Path Betweenness, Flow Betweenness, and Traffic Load Centrality by considering network flows created by arbitrary loop-free routing strategies.
We present algorithms for computing RBC of all the individual vertices in the network and algorithms for computing the RBC of a given group of vertices, where the RBC of a group of vertices represents their potential to collaboratively monitor and control data flows in the network. Two types of collaborations are considered: (i) conjunctive—the group is a sequences of vertices controlling traffic where all members of the sequence process the traffic in the order defined by the sequence and (ii) disjunctive—the group is a set of vertices controlling traffic where at least one member of the set processes the traffic. The algorithms presented in this paper also take into consideration different sampling rates of network monitors, accommodate arbitrary communication patterns between the vertices (traffic matrices), and can be applied to groups consisting of vertices and/or edges.

For the cases of routing strategies that depend on both the source and the target of the message, we present algorithms with time complexity of
O
(
n
2
m
) where
n
is the number of vertices in the network and
m
is the number of edges in the routing tree (or the routing directed acyclic graph (DAG) for the cases of multi-path routing strategies). The time complexity can be reduced by an order of
n
if we assume that the routing decisions depend solely on the target of the messages.

Finally, we show that a preprocessing of
O
(
n
2
m
) time, supports computations of RBC of sequences in
O
(
kn
) time and computations of RBC of sets in
O
(
n
3
n
) time, where
k
in the number of vertices in the sequence or the set.
Imatinib Mesylate as a Preoperative Therapy in Dermatofibrosarcoma: Results of a Multicenter Phase II Study on 25 Patients
Authors: Kérob Delphine , Porcher Raphael , Vérola Olivier , Dalle Stephane , Maubec Eve , Aubin François , D'Incan Michel , Bodokh Isaak , Boulinguez Serge , Madelaine-Chambrin Isabelle , Mathieu-Boue Anne , Servant Jean-Marie , de Kerviler Eric , Janin Anne , Calvo Fabien , Pedeutour Florence , Lebbe Celeste 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
Aims: The treatment of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) involves wide local excision with frequent need for reconstructive surgery. A t(17;22) translocation resulting in COL1A1-PDGFB fusion is present in &gt;95% of cases. Certain patient observations and a report on nine patients suggest that imatinib mesylate, targeting platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, has clinical potential in DFSP. The primary aim of this phase II multicenter study was to define the percentage of clinical responders (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) to a 2-month preoperative daily administration of 600 mg of imatinib mesylate before wide local excision. The secondary aims were to determine tolerance, objective response from imaging results (ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging), and pathologic responses observed in sequential tissue specimens.
Patients and Methods: A two-stage flexible design was used with interim analysis after the recruitment of six patients. Twenty-five adults suffering from primary or recurrent DFSP were included from July 2004 to May 2006.
Results: The COL1A1-PDGFB fusion gene was detected in 21 out of 25 patients following fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis (two cases were noninformative). A clinical response was achieved in nine (36%) patients (95% confidence interval, 18.9-57.5). The median relative tumoral decrease was 20.0% (range, −12.5 to 100). Apart from expected grade 1 or 2 side effects, we observed one grade 3 neutropenia, one grade 3 maculopapular rash, and one grade 4 transient transaminitis.
Conclusion: Our results support the use of imatinib in a neoadjuvant setting in nonresectable DFSP, or when surgery is difficult or mutilating. These results will be useful for setting hypotheses in the evaluation of new drugs to treat primary or secondary resistance to imatinib. Clin Cancer Res; 16(12); 3288–95. ©2010 AACR.