bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Involvement of general practitioners in managing alcohol problems: a randomized controlled trial of a tailored improvement programme
Authors: van Beurden Ivonne , Anderson Peter , Akkermans Reinier P. , Grol Richard P. T. M. , Wensing Michel , Laurant Miranda G. H. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTAims To assess the effect of a tailored multi‐faceted improvement programme on general practitioners' (GPs') behaviour towards prevention of hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. The improvement programme consisted of activities aimed at the GP, organization and patient. Educational training sessions and visits by a facilitator were tailored to the GPs' needs and attitudes.Design Cluster randomized controlled trial.Setting General practices in the Netherlands.Participants Seventy‐seven general practices; 119 GPs participated. Data from 6318 patients were available, of whom 765 (12.1%) were at risk. A total of 1502 patients' electronic medical records were reviewed.Measurements The primary outcome was the number of eligible patients who received screening and advice.Findings Difficulties in recruiting GPs and in motivating GPs for participation in the tailored parts of the programme impeded optimal implementation of the programme. Although GPs in both groups became more involved after enrolment, this improvement waned during the trial. The quality improvement programme enhanced the initial improvement in behaviour and it tempered waning (intervention group), compared to our control condition, resulting in average improvement rates of 5% (screening) and 2% (advice‐giving) at 12‐month follow‐up (not significant).Conclusions A tailored, multi‐faceted programme aimed at improving general practitioner management of alcohol consumption in their patients failed to show an effect and proved difficult to implement. There remains little evidence to support the use of such an intensive implementation programme to improve the management of harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption in primary care.
Genetic influences on developmental smoking trajectories
Authors: Lessov‐Schlaggar Christina N. , Kristjansson Sean D. , Bucholz Kathleen K. , Heath Andrew C. , Madden Pamela A. F. 
Published: March 2012

ABSTRACTAims  To investigate the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors on smoking trajectory membership and to test whether individual smoking trajectories represent phenotypical thresholds of increasing genetic risk along a common genetic liability dimension.Design  Prospective study of a birth cohort of female like‐sex twin pairs.Setting  Participants completed diagnostic interview surveys four times from adolescence (average age 16) to young adulthood (average age 25).Participants  Female twins who had smoked ≥100 cigarettes life‐time (n = 1466 regular smokers).Measurements  Number of cigarettes smoked per day during the heaviest period of smoking (two waves) or during the past 12 months (two waves).Findings  A four‐trajectory class solution provided the best fit to cigarette consumption data and was characterized by low (n = 564, 38.47%), moderate (n = 366, 24.97%) and high‐level smokers (n = 197, 13.44%), and smokers who increased their smoking from adolescence to young adulthood (n = 339, 23.12%). The best genetic model fit was a three‐category model that comprised the low, a combined increasing + moderate and high trajectories. This trajectory categorization was heritable (72.7%), with no evidence for significant contribution from shared environmental factors.Conclusions  The way in which smoking patterns develop in adolescence has a high level of heritability.
Review article: the iron overload syndromes
Authors: Siddique A. , Kowdley K. V. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryBackgroundIron overload syndromes encompass a wide range of hereditary and acquired conditions. Major developments in the field of genetics and the discovery of hepcidin as a central regulator of iron homeostasis have greatly increased our understanding of the pathophysiology of iron overload syndromes.AimTo review advances in iron regulation and iron overload syndrome with special emphasis on hereditary haemochromatosis, the prototype iron overload syndrome.MethodsA PubMed search using words such as ‘iron overload’, ‘hemochromatosis’, ‘HFE’, ‘Non‐HFE’, ‘secondary iron overload’ was undertaken.ResultsIron overload is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sensitive diagnostic tests and effective therapy are widely available and can prevent complications associated with iron accumulation in end‐ organs. Therapeutic phlebotomy remains the cornerstone of therapy for removal of excess body iron, but novel therapeutic agents including oral iron chelators have been developed for iron overload associated with anaemia.ConclusionsIron overload disorders are common. Inexpensive screening tests as well as confirmatory diagnostic tests are widely available. Increased awareness of the causes and importance of early diagnosis and knowledge of the appropriate use of genetic testing are encouraged. The availability of novel treatments should increase therapeutic options for patients with iron overload disorders.
Carbon cycling in eroding landscapes: geomorphic controls on soil organic C pool composition and C stabilization
Authors: Doetterl Sebastian , Six Johan , Van Wesemael Bas , Van Oost Kristof 
Published: February 2012

AbstractRecent studies have highlighted the tight coupling between geomorphic processes and soil carbon (C) turnover and suggested that eroding landscapes can stabilize more C than their non‐eroding counterparts. However, large uncertainties remain and a mechanistic understanding of geomorphic effects on C storage in soils is still lacking. Here, we quantified the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and pool distribution along geomorphic gradients and combined data derived from soil organic matter fractionation and incubation experiments. The size and composition of the SOC pools were strongly related to geomorphic position: 1.6 to 6.2 times more C was stabilized in the subsoils (25–100cm) of depositional profiles than in those of eroding profiles. Subsoil C of depositional profiles is predominantly associated with microaggregates and silt‐sized particles which are associated with pools of intermediate stability. We observed a significantly higher mean residence time for the fast and intermediate turnover pools of buried C at depositional positions, relative to non‐eroding and eroding positions, resulting from the physical protection of C associated with microaggregates and silt particles. Conversely, significant amounts of C were replaced at eroding positions but the lower degree of decomposition and the lack of physically protected C, resulted in higher respiration rates. By considering C cycling at non‐eroding, eroding and depositional positions, we found that the eroding landscapes studied store up to 10% more C due to soil redistribution processes than non‐eroding landscapes. This is the result of the stabilization of C in former subsoil at eroding positions and partial preservation of buried C in pools of intermediate turnover at depositional positions. However, the sink strength was limited by significant losses of buried C as only a small fraction of the C was associated with stable pools.
Inter‐ and intra‐observational variability in immunohistochemistry: a multicentre analysis of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma staining
Authors: Lawrie Charles H , Ballabio Erica , Soilleux Elizabeth , Sington James , Hatton Christian S R , Dirnhofer Stephan , Tzankov Alexandar 
Published: February 2012

Lawrie C H, Ballabio E, Soilleux E, Sington J, Hatton C S R, Dirnhofer S & Tzankov A  (2012) Histopathology 61, 18–25Inter‐ and intra‐observational variability in immunohistochemistry: a multicentre analysis of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma stainingAims:  Although many immunohistochemical (IHC) cancer biomarkers have been identified, very few have translated into routine clinical practice, primarily because of technical and observational inconsistencies between studies. However, despite the obvious need to address such variability, very few studies have done so.Methods and results:  Using bcl‐6, CD10, MUM1, GCET1 and FOXP1 antibody staining on diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma cases (n = 138) as a model, we employed Cronbach α analysis to quantify interobserver and intraobserver variability between four independent observers (two per institution), scoring two tissue microarrays (TMAs) stained at both institutions using differing staining procedures. The overall concordance between all observations irrespective of staining procedure or TMA source was high (average α = 0.951), with the highest level being reached for CD10 staining (average α = 0.967) and the lowest for bcl‐6 (average α = 0.924). Interslide and interinstitutional reproducibility were similarly high (average α = 0.952 and average α = 0.934, respectively). Interobserver/intrainstitutional and interobserver/interinstitutional comparisons showed lower levels of concordance (average α = 0.870 and average α = 0.877, respectively), and intraobserver/interinstitutional comparisons showed the lowest levels of concordance (average α = 0.810), particularly for bcl‐6 staining (α = 0.658).Conclusions:  This study suggests that most variability in IHC studies between centres results from inherent limitations of the biomarkers investigated rather than procedural or observational differences.
Push‐out strength of root fillings with or without thermomechanical compaction
Authors: Carneiro S. M. B. S. , Sousa‐Neto M. D. , Rached‐Júnior F. A. , Miranda C. E. S. , Silva S. R. C. , Silva‐Sousa Y. T. C. 
Published: March 2012

Carneiro SMBS, Sousa‐Neto MD, Rached‐Júnior FA, Miranda CES, Silva SRC, Silva‐Sousa YTC. Push‐out strength of root fillings with or without thermomechanical compaction. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 821–828, 2012.AbstractAim  To evaluate the influence of thermomechanical compaction (Tagger’s hybrid technique – THT) on the push‐out strength of several root filling materials to root dentine.Methodology  Root canals of eighty roots in human canines were prepared with the ProTaper system and filled with one of the following materials, using either lateral compaction (LC) (n = 40) or THT (n = 40): AH Plus/gutta‐percha (GP) (n = 10), Sealer 26/GP (n = 10), Epiphany SE/Resilon (n = 10) and Epiphany SE/GP (n = 10). Three 2‐mm‐thick dentine slices were obtained from each third of each root. The root filling in the first slice was subjected to a push‐out test to evaluate the bond strength of the materials to intraradicular dentine. Data (in MPa) were analysed using anova and post hoc Tukey’s test (P < 0.05). Failure mode was determined at ×25 magnification. The other two slices were prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the surface of the filling materials.Results  Lateral compaction (1.34 ± 1.14 MPa) was associated with a significantly higher bond strength (P < 0.05) than the THT (0.97 ± 0.88 MPa). AH Plus/GP (2.23 ± 0.83 MPa) and Sealer 26/GP (1.86 ± 0.50 MPa) had significantly higher bond strengths than the other materials and differed significantly from each other (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the coronal (1.36 ± 1.15 MPa), middle (1.14 ± 1.05 MPa) and apical thirds (0.95 ± 0.83 MPa). Considering the technique and root filling material interaction, AH Plus/GP‐LC was associated with the highest mean values (2.65 ± 0.66 MPa) (P < 0.05). Sealer 26/GP‐LC (2.10 ± 0.46 MPa), AH Plus/GP‐THT (1.81 ± 0.78 MPa) and Sealer 26/GP‐TH (1.63 ± 0.44 MPa) had intermediate values that were not significantly different from each other (P > 0.05). Epiphany SE was associated with the lowest mean values (3.70 ± 0.86 MPa) (P < 0.05), regardless of the root filling technique and type of solid material (cone). Adhesive failures predominated in the specimens filled with Epiphany SE, whilst mixed and cohesive failures were more frequent in those filled with AH Plus and Sealer 26, regardless of the root filling technique. SEM analysis revealed that LC produced a dense and well‐compacted filling whilst the use of a hybrid thermomechanical technique resulted in the solid material (GP or Resilon) intermingled within sealer to form a nonhomogenous mass.Conclusion  Lateral compaction was associated with higher bond strengths of the materials to intraradicular dentine than a hybrid technique using thermomechanical compaction. The greatest push‐out strengths were obtained when the canals were filled with LC of AH Plus and GP cones.
Effect of gamma irradiation and frozen storage on chemical and sensory characteristics of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillet
Authors: Oraei Marjan , Motallebi Abbasali , Hoseini Ebrahim , Javan Saeed 
Published: March 2012

SummaryThe present study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of low‐dose gamma irradiation (1, 3 and 5 kGy) and frozen storage (5 months at −20 °C) on chemical and sensory characteristics of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillet. Our statistical analysis showed that irradiation process and frozen storage time had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on total volatile nitrogen (TVN), peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and pH. The level of all of these factors increased with increasing frozen storage time. At the end of the fifth month of frozen storage, the lowest and the highest level of TVN, PV and TBA were corresponding to the irradiated samples at 3 and 5 kGy, respectively. In terms of the overall acceptability of their texture, odour, colour and taste, irradiated samples at 3 kGy had the best quality and remained acceptable after 5 months frozen storage. The optimum dose of gamma radiation of rainbow trout fillets according to chemical and sensory analysis was obtained at 3 kGy.
Effect of sucrose‐based polymers on quality of Satsuma mandarin fruit (Citrus unshiu Marc. cv. Miyagawa Wase)
Authors: Tao Neng‐Guo , Ao Ting‐Ting , Liu Yue‐Jin , Huang Shi‐Rong 
Published: March 2012

SummaryIn this study, the effects of an edible coating (sucrose‐based polymers, SBP) on postharvest fruit quality of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc. cv. Miyagawa Wase) were investigated. All the fruit except the control was sprayed with SBP solution at a concentration of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% (v/v), respectively, and then stored at room temperature (25 °C, 85% relative humidity) for 25 days. Results showed that 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5% SBP treatment could significantly increase the soluble solids concentrations (SSC), vitamin C (Vc), total sugars, total carotenoids, the ratio of SSC to titratable acidity (TA) (SSC/TA), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activities, while the decay rate, TA and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity were greatly reduced. In contrast, 1.0% SBP treatment resulted in fruit browning, despite maintaining fruit quality. Our present study provided the theoretical data for the practical application of the SBP on the citrus fruit quality of during postharvest storage.
Is there a positive relationship between molar incisor hypomineralisations and the presence of dental caries?
Authors: HEITMÜLLER DANIELA , THIERING ELISABETH , HOFFMANN UTE , HEINRICH JOACHIM , MANTON DAVID , KÜHNISCH JAN , NEUMANN CLAUDIA , BAUER CARL PETER , HEINRICH‐WELTZIEN ROSWITHA , HICKEL REINHARD ,   the GINIplus Study Group
Published: March 2012

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2013; 23: 116–124
Objective  This epidemiological study aimed to compare the caries experience in 10‐year‐olds with and without molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH).Methods  About 693 children from an ongoing birth cohort study (GINIplus10) were examined for caries lesions to determine the DMF index. Furthermore, enamel hypomineralisation (EH) was scored on all permanent teeth/surfaces, according to the criteria of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry. Children with EH were categorised into those with a minimum of one EH in the permanent dentition (MIH/1), with EH on at least one‐first permanent molar (MIH/1A), on at least one‐first permanent molar and permanent incisor (MIH/1B), and on other permanent teeth (MIH/1C).Results  The mean caries experience was 0.4 (SD 0.9) DMFT. Existence of MIH/1, MIH/1A, MIH/1B, and MIH/1C was determined in 36.5%, 14.7%, 9.4%, and 21.8% of all children. The corresponding DMFT values were the following: no MIH: 0.3 (SD 0.8); MIH/1: 0.5 (SD 0.9); MIH/1A: 0.5 (SD 0.9); MIH/1B: 0.4 (SD 0.9); and MIH/1C: 0.4 (SD 0.9) DMFT. No significant differences were found between all groups.Conclusions  There was no relationship between the presence of EH/MIH and caries in 10‐year‐olds. A ratio of one EH‐associated defect to two caries lesions indicates that both conditions are prevalent and influence the oral health status of 10‐year‐old children from Munich, Germany.
Species distribution models as a tool to estimate reproductive parameters: a case study with a passerine bird species
Authors: Brambilla Mattia , Ficetola Gentile F. 
Published: February 2012

Summary1. Correlative species distribution models (SDMs) assess relationships between species distribution data and environmental features, to evaluate the environmental suitability (ES) of a given area for a species, by providing a measure of the probability of presence. If the output of SDMs represents the relationships between habitat features and species performance well, SDM results can be related also to other key parameters of populations, including reproductive parameters. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated whether SDM results can be used as a proxy of reproductive parameters (breeding output, territory size) in red‐backed shrikes (Lanius collurio).2. The distribution of 726 shrike territories in Northern Italy was obtained through multiple focused surveys; for a subset of pairs, we also measured territory area and number of fledged juveniles. We used Maximum Entropy modelling to build a SDM on the basis of territory distribution. We used generalized least squares and spatial generalized mixed models to relate territory size and number of fledged juveniles to SDM suitability, while controlling for spatial autocorrelation.3. Species distribution models predicted shrike distribution very well. Territory size was negatively related to suitability estimated through SDM, while the number of fledglings significantly increased with the suitability of the territory. This was true also when SDM was built using only spatially and temporally independent data.4. Results show a clear relationship between ES estimated through presence‐only SDMs and two key parameters related to species’ reproduction, suggesting that suitability estimated by SDM, and habitat quality determining reproduction parameters in our model system, are correlated. Our study shows the potential use of SDMs to infer important fitness parameters; this information can have great importance in management and conservation.
Pharmacokinetics and milk secretion of gabapentin and meloxicam co‐administered orally in Holstein‐Friesian cows
Authors: MALREDDY P. R. , COETZEE J. F. , KuKANICH B. , GEHRING R. 
Published: February 2012

Malreddy, P. R., Coetzee, J. F., KuKanich, B., Gehring, R. Pharmacokinetics and milk secretion of gabapentin and meloxicam co‐administered orally in Holstein‐Friesian cows. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 36, 14–20.Management of neuropathic pain in dairy cattle could be achieved by combination therapy of gabapentin, a GABA analog and meloxicam, an nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug. This study was designed to determine specifically the depletion of these drugs into milk. Six animals received meloxicam at 1 mg/kg and gabapentin at 10 mg/kg, while another group (n = 6) received meloxicam at 1 mg/kg and gabapentin at 20 mg/kg. Plasma and milk drug concentrations were determined over 7 days postadministration by HPLC/MS followed by noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analyses. The mean (±SD) plasma Cmax and Tmax for meloxicam (2.89 ± 0.48 μg/mL and 11.33 ± 4.12 h) were not much different from gabapentin at 10 mg/kg (2.87 ± 0.2 μg/mL and 8 ± 0 h). The mean (±SD) milk Cmax for meloxicam (0.41 ± 80.16 μg/mL) was comparable to gabapentin at 10 mg/kg (0.63 ± 0.13 μg/mL and 12 ± 6.69 h). The mean plasma and milk Cmax for gabapentin at 20 mg/kg P.O. were almost double the values at 10 mg/kg. The mean (±SD) milk to plasma ratio for meloxicam (0.14 ± 0.04) was lower than for gabapentin (0.23 ± 0.06). The results of this study suggest that milk from treated cows will have low drug residue concentration soon after plasma drug concentrations have fallen below effective levels.
Genome divergence during evolutionary diversification as revealed in replicate lake–stream stickleback population pairs
Authors: ROESTI MARIUS , HENDRY ANDREW P. , SALZBURGER WALTER , BERNER DANIEL 
Published: March 2012

AbstractEvolutionary diversification is often initiated by adaptive divergence between populations occupying ecologically distinct environments while still exchanging genes. The genetic foundations of this divergence process are largely unknown and are here explored through genome scans in multiple independent lake–stream population pairs of threespine stickleback. We find that across the pairs, overall genomic divergence is associated with the magnitude of divergence in phenotypes known to be under divergent selection. Along this same axis of increasing diversification, genomic divergence becomes increasingly biased towards the centre of chromosomes as opposed to the peripheries. We explain this pattern by within‐chromosome variation in the physical extent of hitchhiking, as recombination is greatly reduced in chromosome centres. Correcting for this effect suggests that a great number of genes distributed widely across the genome are involved in the divergence into lake vs. stream habitats. Analyzing additional allopatric population pairs, however, reveals that strong divergence in some genomic regions has been driven by selection unrelated to lake–stream ecology. Our study highlights a major contribution of large‐scale variation in recombination rate to generating heterogeneous genomic divergence and indicates that elucidating the genetic basis of adaptive divergence might be more challenging than currently recognized.
TcdB from hypervirulent Clostridium difficile exhibits increased efficiency of autoprocessing
Authors: Lanis Jordi M. , Hightower Logan D. , Shen Aimee , Ballard Jimmy D. 
Published: February 2012

SummaryTcdB, an intracellular bacterial toxin that inactivates small GTPases, is a major Clostridium difficile virulence factor. Recent studies have found that TcdB produced by emerging/hypervirulent strains of C. difficile is more potent than TcdB from historical strains, and in the current work, studies were performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms for this change in TcdB toxicity. Using a series of biochemical analyses we found that TcdB from a hypervirulent strain (TcdBHV) was more efficient at autoprocessing than TcdB from a historical strain (TcdBHIST). TcdBHV and TcdBHIST were activated by similar concentrations of IP6; however, the overall efficiency of processing was 20% higher for TcdBHV. Using an activity‐based fluorescent probe (AWP19) an intermediate, activated but uncleaved, form of TcdBHIST was identified, while only a processed form of TcdBHV could be detected under the same conditions. Using a much higher concentration (200 µM) of the probe revealed an activated uncleaved form of TcdBHV, indicating a preferential and more efficient engagement of intramolecular substrate than TcdBHIST. Furthermore, a peptide‐based inhibitor (Ac‐GSL‐AOMK) was found to block the cytotoxicity of TcdBHIST at a lower concentration than required to inhibit TcdBHV. These findings suggest that TcdBHV may cause increased cytotoxicity due to more efficient autoprocessing.