bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bioenergy from Mountain Pine Beetle Timber and Forest Residuals: A Cost Analysis
Authors: Niquidet Kurt , Stennes Brad , van Kooten G. C. 
Published: March 2012

In light of the large volumes of pine killed in the interior forests of British Columbia (BC) by the mountain pine beetle, many forest sector participants are keen to employ forest biomass as an energy source. To assess the feasibility of a wood biomass‐fired power plant in the BC interior, it is necessary to know both how much physical biomass might be available over the life of a plant and its location as transportation cost is likely to be a major operating cost for any facility. To address these issues, we construct a mathematical programming model of fiber flows in the Quesnel Timber Supply Area of BC over a 25‐year time horizon. The focus of the model is on minimizing the cost of supplying feedstock through space and time. Results indicate that over the life of the project, feedstock costs will more than double, increasing from $54.60/bone‐dry tonnes (BDt) ($0.039/kWh) to $116.14/BDt ($0.083/kWh).En raison de l’important volume de pins dévastés par le dendroctone du pin ponderosa dans les forêts de l’intérieur de la Colombie‐Britannique (BC), de nombreux participants du secteur forestier sont désireux d’utiliser la biomasse forestière comme source d’énergie. Pour évaluer la faisabilité d’une centrale alimentée à la biomasse ligneuse à l’intérieur de la Colombie‐Britannique, il faut connaître la quantité de biomasse disponible pendant la durée de vie de la centrale ainsi que l’emplacement de cette biomasse étant donné que les coûts de transport risquent de représenter des coûts d’exploitation importants pour n’importe quelle installation. Afin d’examiner ces aspects, nous avons élaboré un modèle de programmation mathématique de l’approvisionnement en matière ligneuse dans la zone d’approvisionnement forestier de Quesnel en Colombie‐Britannique, sur un horizon de 25 ans. Le modèle visait principalement à réduire le coût liéà l’approvisionnement en matière première à travers l’espace et le temps. D’après nos résultats, les coûts de la matière première feront plus que doubler au cours de la durée du projet, passant de 54,60 $/tonne anhydre (t.a.) (0,039 $/kWh) à 116,14 $/t.a. (0,083 $/kWh).
Validation study of the “Sniffin’ Sticks” olfactory test in a British population: a preliminary communication
Authors: Neumann C. , Tsioulos K. , Merkonidis C. , Salam M. , Clark A. , Philpott C. 
Published: March 2012

Clin. Otolaryngol. 2012, 37, 23–27Objective:  The ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ olfactory test contains pen‐like odour dispensing devices which are used to assess olfactory threshold, discrimination and identification. Odour identification is strongly dependent on familiarity with the odours and has an important cultural component which has limited the usefulness of other validated tests. The ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ test was developed in Germany and is validated in other countries but not in the UK. This study aims to validate the applicability of ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ in a local population.Design:  Prospective controlled study.Setting: Rhinology or olfactory disorder clinic.Participants:  About 82 subjects, 33 healthy volunteers with a reported normal sense of smell, and 49 patients with an impaired sense of smell presenting either at a rhinology or an olfactory disorder clinic. Each subject’s olfactory function was assessed using the ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ test with a maximum score of 48.Main outcome measures:  Threshold, discrimination and identification scores along with the combined olfactory score.Results:  The mean age of the subjects tested was 46.7 years; 46 female and 36 male. In the patient group 36 were hyposmic and 13 anosmic. In the healthy volunteers group all subjects were normosmic. In the control group the mean combined olfactory score was 34.5 (±2.5). The mean combined score in the patients group was 20.8 (±7.4). Odour threshold scores were 3.7(±2.8) for patients (hyposmics and anomics) and 8.3(±1.8) for controls. In the identification test the controls mean score was 13.6 (±1.2) for while the patients’ mean score was 8.6 (±3.5).Conclusions:  In our sample of the local population the combined olfactory and odour identification scores for healthy volunteers and patients with olfactory disorders are comparable with the normative data published on large samples of European populations. However, modification of a few of the distracters is recommended for British patients based on our findings.
Changing Societies, Changing Childhood: Studying the Impact of Globalization on Child Development
Authors: Thompson Ross A. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractAlthough children are significantly affected by globalization in many ways, there has been little study of its impact on their development. Understanding the effects of the political, economic, and cultural changes associated with globalization requires diverse research strategies designed to (a) provide an impact analysis of the effects of changes associated with globalization on local social ecologies (e.g., families, schools, neighborhoods, health‐care system) and on children's everyday experience; (b) examine how globalization influences the knowledge, skills, and forms of learning required of children as cultures are affected by worldwide influences; and (c) explore children's interpretations of these changes for themselves and their future. The specific research strategies suitable to these goals include large‐scale social indicators analysis (which can sometimes be drawn from national or international datasets), behavioral studies, document content analyses, ethnographic methods and other approaches to assess specific social practices affecting children, carefully designed child interviews, and coordinated multimethod programs of research that examine the impact of cultural change on children from institutional, societal, and individual perspectives. This article profiles a number of key research challenges and opportunities entailed in the effort to understand how development is shaped, and reshaped, by broader cultural currents.
State oral health infrastructure and capacity: lessons learned from other states
Authors: Isman Beverly A. , Louie Reginald , Phipps Kathy R. , Tatro Betty J. , Mangskau Kathleen , Marianos Donald W. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThis paper discusses some preliminary findings from the Infrastructure Enhancement Project conducted by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD), which focuses on state oral health programs and their roles in addressing core public health functions and essential public health services. Findings from analysis of state data since 2000, surveys, reports, and key informant interviews substantiate the value of the following: a) state oral health surveillance; b) oral health improvement plans; c) collaborations and coalitions; d) evidence‐based practices and evaluation; e) diversified funding; f) placement and authority of the programs and directors; and g) competencies versus staffing formulas. No single program model fits all the unique populations and political and economic variations among states. Each state is encouraged to use the many tools, resources, and best practices/lessons learned available through ASTDD, federal agencies, and national organizations to design effective and sustainable programs.
A Comparison of physical and dosimetric properties of lung substitute materials
Authors: Chang Kwo‐Ping , Hung Shang‐Ho , Chie Yu‐Huang , Shiau An‐Cheng , Huang Ruey‐Jing 
Published: March 2012

Purpose:The need for an accurate estimate of absorbed doses within and around irradiated thorax tissues necessitates the use of carefully selected materials from which phantoms are constructed. A lung substitute is more difficult to establish mostly due to its low physical density. Although many researchers have used cork as a lung substitute, very little research data address cork's characteristics to determine which type of cork is optimal as a substitute for lung tissue.Methods:Natural cork, composition cork, rubber cork, ATOM, RANDO, and a reference lung material (ICRU‐44 lung tissue) were investigated to establish comparisons of physical properties. Following the determination of the respective physical properties, the dose distributions from 6 MV photon beams in water/lung substitute/water phantoms were assessed using the Monte Carlo method. Physical and electron densities affecting the dose distributions through lung tissues in different field size conditions were investigatedResults:The physical properties (physical density, electronic density, and effective atomic number) of the composition cork are the most similar to those of the ICRU‐44 lung, and the CT number of the composition cork is very similar to that of humans aged 30–60. PDD of the composition cork and the RANDO phantom are the most comparable to that of ICRU‐44 lung in 1 × 1 cm2field size due to the combined properties of physical density (PD) and electron density per gram (EDG) of the studied lung materials. PD and EDG affect the lung dose primarily in small field size. The effects of PD are minimal in large fields, having a more rapid lateral electron equilibrium. EDG dominates PDD pattern in lung material when large fields are applied. Combined effects of PD and EDG are nonlinear for all field sizes.Conclusions:The composition cork is the preferred lung substitute based on physical and dosimetric properties.
Regulatory Tasks of the Phosphoenolpyruvate-Phosphotransferase System of Pseudomonas putida in Central Carbon Metabolism
Authors: Chavarría Max , Kleijn Roelco J. , Sauer Uwe , Pflüger-Grau Katharina , de Lorenzo Víctor 
Published: March 2012

ABSTRACT

Two branches of the phosphoenolpyruvate-phosphotransferase system (PTS) operate in the soil bacterium
Pseudomonas putida
KT2440. One branch encompasses a complete set of enzymes for fructose intake (PTS
Fru
), while the other (N-related PTS, or PTS
Ntr
) controls various cellular functions unrelated to the transport of carbohydrates. The potential of these two systems for regulating central carbon catabolism has been investigated by measuring the metabolic fluxes of isogenic strains bearing nonpolar mutations in PTS
Fru
or PTS
Ntr
genes and grown on either fructose (a PTS substrate) or glucose, the transport of which is not governed by the PTS in this bacterium. The flow of carbon from each sugar was distinctly split between the Entner-Doudoroff, pentose phosphate, and Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathways in a ratio that was maintained in each of the PTS mutants examined. However, strains lacking PtsN (EIIA
Ntr
) displayed significantly higher fluxes in the reactions of the pyruvate shunt, which bypasses malate dehydrogenase in the TCA cycle. This was consistent with the increased activity of the malic enzyme and the pyruvate carboxylase found in the corresponding PTS mutants. Genetic evidence suggested that such a metabolic effect of PtsN required the transfer of high-energy phosphate through the system. The EIIA
Ntr
protein of the PTS
Ntr
thus helps adjust central metabolic fluxes to satisfy the anabolic and energetic demands of the overall cell physiology.

IMPORTANCE
This study demonstrates that EIIA
Ntr
influences the biochemical reactions that deliver carbon between the upper and lower central metabolic domains for the consumption of sugars by
P. putida
. These findings indicate that the EIIA
Ntr
protein is a key player for orchestrating the fate of carbon in various physiological destinations in this bacterium. Additionally, these results highlight the importance of the posttranslational regulation of extant enzymatic complexes for increasing the robustness of the corresponding metabolic networks.
Mechanical thrombectomy as the primary treatment for acute basilar artery occlusion: experience from 5 years of practice
Authors: Andersson Tommy , Kuntze Söderqvist Åsa , Söderman Michael , Holmin Staffan , Wahlgren Nils , Kaijser Magnus 
Published: March 2012

BackgroundMost studies of the treatment for acute basilar occlusion focus on intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis whereas data on mechanical thrombectomy as the preferred treatment for acute basilar occlusion are scarce. In this study, data are presented on 28 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy as the preferred treatment for basilar artery occlusion.MethodsRetrospective study comprising all patients who were treated for acute basilar occlusion at the Karolinska University Hospital from September 2005 to November 2010. Favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin score of ≤2 at 3–8 months after thrombectomy.ResultsOf 28 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy, the proportion reaching a favorable outcome was 57% (95% CI 37% to 75%), and if there were no signs of acute infarction prior to treatment the proportion was 73% (95% CI 50% to 89%). Only 21% died (95% CI 8% to 41%).ConclusionsThe results for mechanical thrombectomy for basilar artery occlusion were superior to those presented previously for intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis. The study suggests that mechanical thrombectomy is a method distinct from therapies based on thrombolysis and that any randomized clinical trial on treatment for acute basilar occlusion must consider mechanical thrombectomy as a separate entity.
Pre-intervention cerebral blood volume predicts outcomes in patients undergoing endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Rai Ansaar T , Raghuram Karthikram , Carpenter Jeffrey S , Domico Jennifer , Hobbs Gerald 
Published: March 2012

BackgroundPre-intervention perfusion imaging is increasingly becoming part of stroke triage. Small studies supporting imaging based patient selection have been published. The goal of this larger study was to determine if perfusion imaging could impact on functional outcomes in patients undergoing stroke interventions.MethodsAll patients who had undergone endovascular therapy for anterior circulation strokes over a 7 year period were retrospectively analyzed. The pre-intervention perfusion imaging was assessed for size of cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow and mean transit time (MTT) abnormalities. A perfusion mismatch for irreversible versus reversible ischemia was based on CBV and MTT. Clinical outcome and mortality were based on the 90 day modified Rankin Scale. An analysis of the pre-intervention perfusion parameters was then performed to determine any impact on functional outcomes.Results110 patients underwent endovascular therapy for anterior circulation strokes. A younger age and lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score were important clinical predictors of favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤2). The extent of the CBV abnormality and percentage of CBV/MTT mismatch were the strongest imaging predictors of outcome and mortality. A CBV area of 229.5 mm2(±290) was seen for favorable outcomes versus 968 mm2(±1173) for poor outcomes (p<0.0001). A CBV/MTT mismatch of 91% (±10.7) was seen for favorable outcomes versus 72.5% (±31.6) for poor outcomes (p=0.0001). The CBV area was 273 mm2(±392) in patients without mortality versus 1401.1 mm2(±1310) in patients with mortality (p<0.0001). Patients who survived had a mean CBV/MTT mismatch of 90.2% (±12.5) versus 61.1% (±35.2) for those who did not (p<0.0001). A CBV lesion approximately greater than one-third of the middle cerebral artery distribution predicted a poor outcome and mortality.ConclusionThe extent of pre-intervention CBV abnormality is a strong predictor of functional outcomes following endovascular stroke therapy. This information can aid in patient selection and improve procedure efficacy.
Tropical Cold-Point Tropopause: Climatology, Seasonal Cycle, and Intraseasonal Variability Derived from COSMIC GPS Radio Occultation Measurements
Authors: Kim Joowan , Son Seok-Woo 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
The finescale structure of the tropical cold-point tropopause (CPT) is examined using high-resolution temperature profiles derived from Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) global positioning system (GPS) radio occultation measurements for 4 yr from September 2006 to August 2010. The climatology, seasonal cycle, and intraseasonal variability are analyzed for three CPT properties: temperature (T-CPT), pressure (P-CPT), and sharpness (S-CPT). Their relationships with tropospheric and stratospheric processes are also discussed.
The climatological P-CPT is largely homogeneous in the deep tropics, whereas T-CPT and S-CPT exhibit local minima and maxima, respectively, at the equator in the vicinity of deep convection regions. All three CPT properties, however, show coherent seasonal cycle in the tropics; the CPT is colder, higher (lower in pressure), and sharper during boreal winter than during boreal summer. This seasonality is consistent with the seasonal cycle of tropical upwelling, which is largely driven by stratospheric and near-tropopause processes, although the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of T-CPT and S-CPT is modulated by tropospheric circulations. On intraseasonal time scales, P-CPT and T-CPT exhibit homogeneous variability in the deep tropics, whereas S-CPT shows pronounced local variability and seasonality. The wavenumber–frequency spectra reveal that intraseasonal variability of CPT properties is primarily controlled by Kelvin waves, with a nonnegligible contribution by Madden–Julian oscillation convection. The Kelvin waves, which are excited by deep convection but often propagate along the equator freely, explain the homogeneous P-CPT and T-CPT variabilities. On the other hand, the vertically tilted dipole of temperature anomalies, which is associated with convectively coupled equatorial waves, determines the local structure and seasonality of S-CPT variability.
Genotoxic effects of catmint (Nepeta meyeri Benth.) essential oils on some weed and crop plants
Authors: Kekeç Güzin , Mutlu Salih , Alpsoy Lokman , Sakçali M Serdal , Atici Ökkeş 
Published: March 2012

This study investigates the genotoxicity of the essential oils extracted from the aerial parts of catmint ( Nepeta meyeri Benth.) against two weeds ( Bromus danthoniae and Lactuca serriola) and two crop plants ( Brassica napus and Zea mays). The essential oils of N. meyeri analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry contained 14 compounds, with 4aα, 7α, 7aβ-nepetalactone (83.4%), 4aα, 7α, and 7aα-nepetalactone (8.83%) as the major components. The oils were diluted (25, 50, 100, and 150 ppm) and the solutions were applied to seeds or leaves of these plants. The study compared the germination percentage and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) results with the control group. The results showed that the oils had a strong inhibitory activity and caused a change in RAPD profiles in terms of variation in band intensity, loss of bands, and appearance of new bands compared with the control group. The results suggested that RAPD analysis could be applied as a suitable biomarker assay for the detection of genotoxic effects of plant allelochemicals. This study indicates the genotoxical potential of N. meyeri essential oils on weed and crop plants.
Cell transformation by FLT3 ITD in acute myeloid leukemia involves oxidative inactivation of the tumor suppressor protein-tyrosine phosphatase DEP-1/ PTPRJ
Authors: Godfrey Rinesh , Arora Deepika , Bauer Reinhard , Stopp Sabine , Müller Jörg P. , Heinrich Theresa , Böhmer Sylvia-Annette , Dagnell Markus , Schnetzke Ulf , Scholl Sebastian , Östman Arne , Böhmer Frank-D. 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
Signal transduction of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is regulated by protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). We recently identified the PTP DEP-1/CD148/PTPRJ as a novel negative regulator of FLT3. This study addressed the role of DEP-1 for regulation of the acute myeloid leukemia (AML)–related mutant FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) protein. Our experiments revealed that DEP-1 was expressed but dysfunctional in cells transformed by FLT3 ITD. This was caused by enzymatic inactivation of DEP-1 through oxidation of the DEP-1 catalytic cysteine. In intact cells, including primary AML cells, FLT3 ITD kinase inhibition reactivated DEP-1. DEP-1 reactivation was also achieved by counteracting the high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production detected in FLT3 ITD–expressing cell lines by inhibition of reduced NAD phosphate (NADPH)–oxidases, or by overexpression of catalase or peroxiredoxin-1 (Prx-1). Interference with ROS production in 32D cells inhibited cell transformation by FLT3 ITD in a DEP-1–dependent manner, because RNAi-mediated depletion of DEP-1 partially abrogated the inhibitory effect of ROS quenching. Reactivation of DEP-1 by stable overexpression of Prx-1 extended survival of mice in the 32D cell/C3H/HeJ mouse model of FLT3 ITD–driven myeloproliferative disease. The study thus uncovered DEP-1 oxidation as a novel event contributing to cell transformation by FLT3 ITD.
Stress significantly increases mortality following a secondary bacterial respiratory infection
Authors: Hodgson Paul D , Aich Palok , Stookey Joseph , Popowych Yurij , Potter Andrew , Babiuk Lorne , Griebel Philip J 
Published: March 2012

AbstractA variety of mechanisms contribute to the viral-bacterial synergy which results in fatal secondary bacterial respiratory infections. Epidemiological investigations have implicated physical and psychological stressors as factors contributing to the incidence and severity of respiratory infections and psychological stress alters host responses to experimental viral respiratory infections. The effect of stress on secondary bacterial respiratory infections has not, however, been investigated. A natural model of secondary bacterial respiratory infection in naive calves was used to determine if weaning and maternal separation (WMS) significantly altered mortality when compared to calves pre-adapted (PA) to this psychological stressor. Following weaning, calves were challenged withMannheimiahaemolyticafour days after a primary bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) respiratory infection. Mortality doubled in WMS calves when compared to calves pre-adapted to weaning for two weeks prior to the viral respiratory infection. Similar results were observed in two independent experiments and fatal viral-bacterial synergy did not extend beyond the time of viral shedding. Virus shedding did not differ significantly between treatment groups but innate immune responses during viral infection, including IFN-γ secretion, the acute-phase inflammatory response, CD14 expression, and LPS-induced TNFα production, were significantly greater in WMS versus PA calves. These observations demonstrate that weaning and maternal separation at the time of a primary BHV-1 respiratory infection increased innate immune responses that correlated significantly with mortality following a secondary bacterial respiratory infection.