bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The diameter of the nasolacrimal canal measured by computed tomography: gender and racial differences
Authors: McCormick Austin , Sloan Brian 
Published: April 2009

AbstractBackground:  The incidence of dacryocystorhinostomy surgery among Pacific People is greater than would be expected given their proportion in the population. Some have suggested that racial and sex differences in facial skull dimensions produce narrower nasolacrimal canals and therefore differences in the incidence of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO). We measured the minimum diameter of the canal in those not known to have PANDO.Method:  A retrospective review of the digital computed tomography (CT) database was performed. Minimum diameter of the nasolacrimal canal on axial cuts of a sinus series CT scan was measured. Sex and racial origin were recorded. All series on the database were included. Absence of axial images and pathology distorting the canal excluded a patient. This was carried out in the Department of Radiology and Ophthalmology, Greenlane Medical Centre, Auckland.Results:  A total of 178 CT scans were included. Men had a mean diameter of 3.9 mm (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 3.8–4.1) versus women 3.6 mm (95%CI: 3.5–3.8) P = 0.01. Both Caucasian and New Zealand Maori had mean diameters of 3.7 mm (95%CI: 3.5–3.9) whereas Pacific People were 4.1 mm (95%CI: 3.9–4.3) P = 0.01.Conclusions:  As in other studies women had narrower canals than men. Surprisingly we found no difference between New Zealand Maori and Caucasian. Unexpected was the larger diameter in Pacific People, as they have a higher incidence of dacryocystorhinostomy surgery. PANDO is likely to be of multifactorial aetiology and nasolacrimal canal diameter may not be a significant factor. Our described method of measuring canal diameter by CT scan is comparable to a cadaver study.
Ascorbic acid concentration is reduced in the secondary aqueous humour of glaucomatous patients
Authors: Leite Mauro T , Prata Tiago S , Kera Clarissa Z , Miranda Denise V , De Moraes Barros Silvia B , Melo Luiz AS 
Published: April 2009

AbstractBackground: We aimed to evaluate the ascorbic acid concentration in secondary aqueous humour (AH) from glaucomatous patients and to compare it with primary AH from primary open‐angle glaucoma patients and non‐glaucomatous patients.Methods: Primary AH samples were prospectively obtained from clinically uncontrolled primary open‐angle glaucoma patients and senile cataract patients (controls) prior to trabeculectomy and cataract surgery. Secondary AH samples were obtained from eyes with previous intraocular surgery, prior to trabeculectomy or cataract surgery. AH (0.1 mL) was aspirated by inserting a 26‐gauge needle into the anterior chamber just before surgery and then immediately stored at −80°C. The ascorbic acid concentration was determined in a masked fashion by high‐pressure liquid chromatography.Results: A total of 18 patients with senile cataract, 16 glaucomatous patients with primary AH (no previous intraocular surgery) and 11 glaucomatous patients with secondary AH (previous intraocular surgery) were included. There was no difference in mean age between groups (P = 0.15). The mean ± standard deviation concentration of ascorbic acid in the secondary AH from glaucomatous patients (504 ± 213 µmol/L [95% confidence interval {CI}, 383–624]) was significantly lower than the concentration of ascorbic acid found in the primary aqueous of primary open‐angle glaucoma (919 ± 427 µmol/L [95% CI, 709–1128]) and control patients (1049 ± 433 µmol/L [95% CI, 848–1249];P < 0.01, Kruskal‐Wallis test).Conclusions: The ascorbic acid concentration in secondary AH of glaucomatous patients was approximately twofold lower in comparison with primary AH of glaucomatous and cataract patients. The implications of a reduced concentration of ascorbic acid in the secondary AH deserve further investigation.
Mitomycin‐C as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of sebaceous gland carcinoma in high‐risk locations
Authors: Rudkin Adam K , Muecke James S 
Published: April 2009

AbstractPurpose:  To report on the use of Mitomycin‐C as adjuvant therapy to excision and cryotherapy in patients with sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC) in high‐risk locations.Design:  Retrospective, consecutive, case series.Participants:  Three patients with SGC of the upper palpebral conjunctiva or caruncle, but without clinical pagetoid spread.Methods:  Following excision and double freeze‐thaw cryotherapy, patients with histology demonstrating SGC of the ocular surface were treated with topical Mitomycin‐C (0.04%). Follow‐up was conducted over an average of 30 months (range: 24–37 months).Main outcome measures:  Postoperative evidence of local recurrence, lymph node or distant organ metastasis.Results:  No patients had evidence of local recurrence or systemic disease.Conclusions:  Wide surgical excision with cryotherapy is the basis of treatment of SGC without pagetoid spread. The use of Mitomycin‐C as adjuvant therapy remains controversial, although there is some rationale for its use in high‐risk situations.
A Boussinesq wedge analysis of the tensile stress region in a rail head beneath compressive and traction point loads
Authors: KFOURI A. P. 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTInvestigations into the causes of damage to rail heads and on rolling contact fatigue, date back a considerable time and are described in a large number of expertise literature on the many different aspects of this complex problem. The present paper is prompted by the naïve observation that fatigue crack propagation is more likely to occur in a tensile stress environment than in a highly compressive one and it therefore seeks to locate a region of radial or longitudinal tensile stresses on a rail head during the rectilinear motion of the train, providing favourable conditions for mode I or mixed‐mode crack propagation.
Some experimental observations on crack closure and crack‐tip plasticity
Authors: LOPEZ‐CRESPO P. , SHTERENLIKHT A. , YATES J. R. , PATTERSON E. A. , WITHERS P. J. 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTThis study presents a methodology for evaluating crack closure and the effect of crack‐tip plasticity on stress intensity. Full‐field displacement maps obtained by digital image correlation are used to obtain the mixed‐mode, crack‐driving force. The methodology allows the quantification of the effect of a range of contact phenomena: effects arising from interlocking, plastic deformation of crack face asperities and wedging generated as a consequence of sliding displacements of fatigue cracks have been identified. By evaluating the effective crack‐tip stress intensity factor, crack opening levels can be quantified for both mode I and mode II. Moreover, the approach can take into account plasticity effects local to the crack in determining the stress intensity factor. All the information can be extracted in a non‐contacting fashion with equipment that can be easily incorporated into industrial environments.
Determination of masonry crack evolution due to differential displacements: a numerical study*
Authors: FATHY A.M. , PLANAS J. , SANCHO J.M. 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTBrick walls of ceramics without any mortar covering or paint are used extensively in building façades in Spain. One of the most used masonry wall systems is based on non‐bearing panels partially supported, about two‐thirds of the brick width, over the edge beams of the structural skeleton. The edge beam is veneered with special thinner bricks to achieve the visual continuity of the façade. A considerable number of these walls show cracking. In a previous work, finite element simulations were performed in order to gain insight into the causes of cracking. A special finite element, based on the strong discontinuity analysis and the cohesive crack theory, is used in the numerical simulations. The results agree with the overall cracking patterns observed but if an imposed displacement is applied in the range allowed by the standards, extensive cracking occurs. This implies that the design displacements are not the actual ones. In this work, an elastic study using the principle of superposition is used to determine the effective deflections under service loading. Then, these deflections are applied to the structure and the evolution of cracking is studied. This study shows that the masonry panels of the first and last store have the major probability of cracking. Another parametric study is carried out changing the elastic and tensile properties of the masonry. This study shows that although the cracking of the masonry panels starts at different loads for different tensile properties, the crack patterns are similar for a given panel geometry and loading. This numerical study provides a method of design to determine the crack width for different geometries, loadings and fracture properties.
α2 Nicotine receptors function as a molecular switch to continuously excite a subset of interneurons in rat hippocampal circuits
Authors: Jia Yousheng , Yamazaki Yoshihiko , Nakauchi Sakura , Sumikawa Katumi 
Published: April 2009

AbstractRapid activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) at various anatomical and cellular locations in the hippocampus differentially modulates the operation of hippocampal circuits. However, it is largely unknown how the continued presence of nicotine affects the normal operation of hippocampal circuits. Here, we used single and dual whole‐cell recordings to address this question. We found that horizontally oriented interneurons in the stratum oriens/alveus continuously discharged action potentials in the presence of nicotine. In these interneurons, bath application of nicotine produced slow inward currents that were well maintained and inhibited by the non‐α7 antagonist dihydro‐β‐erythroidine. Single‐cell reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that nicotine‐responding interneurons were consistently positive for the α2 subunit mRNA. These observations suggest that in the presence of nicotine, a subset of interneurons in the stratum oriens/alveus are continuously excited due to the sustained activation of α2* nAChRs. These interneurons were synaptically connected to pyramidal cells, and nicotine increased inhibitory baseline currents at the synapses and suppressed phasic inhibition at the same synapses. Nicotine‐induced inhibitory activity increased background noise and masked small phasic inhibition in pyramidal cells, originating from other interneurons in the stratum radiatum. Thus, the continued presence of nicotine alters the normal operation of hippocampal circuits by gating inhibitory circuits through activating a non‐desensitizing α2 nAChR subtype on a distinct population of interneurons.
Neuronal substrates of gaze following in monkeys
Authors: Kamphuis Simone , Dicke Peter W. , Thier Peter 
Published: April 2009

AbstractHuman and non‐human primates follow the gaze of their respective conspecific to identify objects of common interest. Whereas humans rely on eye‐gaze for such purposes, monkeys preferentially use head‐gaze information. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have delineated an area in the human superior temporal sulcus (STS), which is specifically activated when subjects actively follow the eye‐gaze of others. Similarly, using fMRI, we have identified an analogous region in the monkey’s middle STS responding to gaze following. Hence, although humans and monkeys might rely on different directional cues guiding their attention, they seem to deploy a similar and possibly homologous cortical area to follow the gaze of a conspecific. Our results support the idea that the eyes developed a new social function in human evolution, most likely to support cooperative mutual social interactions building on a phylogenetically old STS module for the processing of head cues.
Visceral fat loss induced by a low‐calorie diet: a direct comparison between women and men
Authors: Gasteyger C. , Larsen T. M. , Vercruysse F. , Pedersen D. , Toubro S. , Astrup A. 
Published: April 2009

Aim:  No studies have assessed if changes in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) during weight loss differ between women and men with comparable amounts of VAT at baseline. The aim of this study was to assess if changes in VAT induced by a low‐calorie diet (LCD) differ between women and men.Methods:  In this post hoc analysis of an existing database, abdominal adipose tissue was evaluated before and after an 8‐week LCD (800–1000 kcal/day) by a single‐slice magnetic resonance scan performed at the abdominal level. Body composition was measured by dual X‐ray energy absorptiometry.Results:  Data from 111 obese subjects (85 women and 26 men) were available. Relative changes in VAT were found to be more pronounced in men [mean (95% CI): −32.6% (−38.7 to −26.6)] than in women [−21.9% (−25.0 to −18.8)] (p = 0.003) after correction for relative changes in fat mass (FM). When analysing only the data from a subgroup of 23 women and 23 men who were matched for similar visceral to abdominal subcutaneous fat ratio at baseline, these differences could not be observed anymore: the change in VAT was −33.7% (−38.7 to −28.7) in men and −26.8% (−31.8 to −21.8) in women (p = 0.07).Conclusions:  This study suggests that relative changes in VAT during a LCD may be greater in men than in women even after taking relative changes in FM into account. However, these differences disappear when properly matching the subjects for baseline amounts of VAT.
A prime inference on genetic diversity (RAPDs) in the marine fish Atherinella brasiliensis (Teleostei, Atherinopsidae) from Southern Brazil
Authors: Da Silva Cortinhas Maria Cristina , Glienke Chirlei , Prioli Alberto José , Noleto Rafael Bueno , Matoso Daniele Aparecida , Cestari Marta Margarete 
Published: April 2009

AbstractDa Silva Cortinhas, M. C., Glienke, C., Prioli, A. J., Noleto, R. B., Matoso, D. A. and Cestari, M. M. 2010. A prime inference on genetic diversity (RAPDs) in the marine fish Atherinella brasiliensis (Teleostei, Atherinopsidae) from Southern Brazil. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 242–248As a result of the importance of Atherinella brasiliensis in estuarine environments, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to verify the genetic diversity in A. brasiliensis from two different places in Paranaguá Bay (Paraná State) and one from the Conceição Lagoon (Santa Catarina State). Cytogenetic data have shown a high karyotypic diversity in some populations, although in others this peculiarity demonstrates rearrangements such as heterochromatinization. In the present study, a low level of genetic structuring between the samples from Conceição Lagoon compared with the others was observed through principal coordinate analysis (PCO), analysis of molecular variance and Mantel test according to 79 RAPD markers. As this specie does not perform horizontal migration and the individuals of Conceição Lagoon are isolated, three hypotheses are proposed to explain the results: (i) similar environments may show homogeneous populations not depending on the geographical distance, (ii) because vicariant events that formed the bays occurred in a recent period, the fragmentation effects over the structuring of the genetic diversity may still be low and not totally detectable by the RAPD technique and (iii) the isolation time or the number of generations may not be enough to promote a possible differentiation and genetic structuring between the specimens of these three places. The specimens of these places present a low level of differentiation and genetic structuring so we can consider them as a unique homogeneous population.
Developmental shift in the discrimination of vowel contrasts in bilingual infants: is the distributional account all there is to it?
Authors: Sebastián‐Gallés Núria , Bosch Laura 
Published: April 2009

AbstractA shift from language‐general to language‐specific sound discrimination abilities has been largely attested in different populations of infants during the second half of the first year of life; however, data are still scarce regarding bilingual populations. Previous research with 4‐, 8‐ and 12‐month‐old Catalan‐Spanish bilingual infants had offered evidence of a U‐shaped pattern in their ability to discriminate a language‐specific vowel contrast. This research explores monolingual and bilingual 4‐ and 8‐month‐olds’ capacities to discriminate two common vowel contrasts: /o–u/ and /e–u/. All groups succeeded except 8‐month‐old bilinguals tested on the phonetically close /o–u/ contrast. Discrimination was not facilitated when talker and token variability were reduced. A U‐shaped pattern was again found when data from an additional group of 12‐month‐olds were included. These results confirm bilinguals’ specific developmental pattern of perceptual reorganization for acoustically close vowels and challenge an interpretation merely based on a distributional account.
Gaze behavior and affect at 6 months: predicting clinical outcomes and language development in typically developing infants and infants at risk for autism
Authors: Young Gregory S. , Merin Noah , Rogers Sally J. , Ozonoff Sally 
Published: April 2009

Abstract This paper presents follow‐up longitudinal data to research that previously suggested the possibility of abnormal gaze behavior marked by decreased eye contact in a subgroup of 6‐month‐old infants at risk for autism (Merin, Young, Ozonoff & Rogers, 2007). Using eye‐tracking data and behavioral data recorded during a live mother–infant interaction involving the still‐face procedure, the predictive utility of gaze behavior and affective behaviors at 6 months was examined using diagnostic outcome data obtained longitudinally over the following 18 months. Results revealed that none of the infants previously identified as showing lower rates of eye contact had any signs of autism at outcome. In contrast, three infants who were diagnosed with autism demonstrated consistent gaze to the eye region and typical affective responses at 6 months. Individual differences in face scanning and affective responsivity during the live interaction were not related to any continuous measures of symptom frequency or symptom severity. In contrast, results of growth curve models for language development revealed significant relationships between face scanning and expressive language. Greater amounts of fixation to the mother's mouth during live interaction predicted higher levels of expressive language at outcome and greater rates of growth. These findings suggest that although gaze behavior at 6 months may not provide early markers for autism as initially conceived, gaze to the mouth in particular may be useful in predicting individual differences in language development.
Biased decision‐making: developing an understanding of how positive and negative relationships may skew judgments
Authors: Mills Candice M. , Grant Meridith G. 
Published: April 2009

Abstract The current experiment examines if and when children consider the possibility of relationships skewing judgments when evaluating judgments in different contexts. Eighty‐seven 6‐year‐olds, 8‐year‐olds, 10‐year‐olds, and adults heard stories about judges who made decisions matching or mismatching possible relationship biases (e.g. a judge choosing a friend or an enemy as the winner) in contests with objective or subjective criteria. While even 6‐year‐olds distinguished between subjective and objective contests, neither children nor adults focused on the objectivity of the contest criteria when evaluating a judge's claims. Instead, by age 8, if not earlier, children focused on relationships, trusting judgments that mismatched someone's relationship biases and discounting judgments that matched someone's relationship biases. The findings also suggested that children are better at recognizing that a judgment may have been biased than predicting that one will be, and that they may understand that negative relationships may skew judgments before positive ones.
Nap‐dependent learning in infants
Authors: Hupbach Almut , Gomez Rebecca L. , Bootzin Richard R. , Nadel Lynn 
Published: April 2009

AbstractSleep has been shown to aid a variety of learning and memory processes in adults (

Stickgold, 2005

). Recently, we showed that infants’ learning also benefits from subsequent sleep such that infants who nap are able to abstract the general grammatical pattern of a briefly presented artificial language (

Gomez, Bootzin & Nadel, 2006

). In the present study, we demonstrate, for the first time, long‐term effects of sleep on memory for an artificial language. Fifteen‐month‐old infants who had napped within 4 hours of language exposure remembered the general grammatical pattern of the language 24 hours later. In contrast, infants who had not napped shortly after being familiarized with the language showed no evidence of remembering anything about the language. Our findings support the view that infants’ frequent napping plays an essential role in establishing long‐term memory.
Efficient Estimation of Auto-Regression Parameters and Innovation Distributions for Semiparametric Integer-Valued AR(p) Models
Authors: Drost Feike C. , Van Den Akker Ramon , Werker Bas J. M. 
Published: April 2009

SummaryInteger-valued auto-regressive (INAR) processes have been introduced to model non-negative integer-valued phenomena that evolve over time. The distribution of an INAR(p) process is essentially described by two parameters: a vector of auto-regression coefficients and a probability distribution on the non-negative integers, called an immigration or innovation distribution. Traditionally, parametric models are considered where the innovation distribution is assumed to belong to a parametric family. The paper instead considers a more realistic semiparametric INAR(p) model where there are essentially no restrictions on the innovation distribution. We provide an (semiparametrically) efficient estimator of both the auto-regression parameters and the innovation distribution.
Unmasking emotion: Exposure duration and emotional engagement
Authors: Codispoti Maurizio , Mazzetti Michela , Bradley Margaret M. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractEffects of exposure duration on emotional reactivity were investigated in two experiments that parametrically varied the duration of exposure to affective pictures from 25–6000 ms in the presence or absence of a visual mask. Evaluative, facial, autonomic, and cortical responses were measured. Results demonstrated that, in the absence of a visual mask (Experiment 1), emotional content modulated evaluative ratings, cortical, autonomic, and facial changes even with very brief exposures, and there was little evidence that emotional engagement increased with longer exposure. When information persistence was reduced by a visual mask (Experiment 2), differences as a function of hedonic content were absent for all measures when exposure duration was 25 ms but statistically reliable when exposure duration was 80 ms. Between 25–80 ms, individual differences in discriminability were critical in observing affective reactions to masked pictures.
Protective effect of interval exercise on psychophysiological stress reactivity in children
Authors: Roemmich James N. , Lambiase Maya , Salvy Sarah J. , Horvath Peter J. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractTwo studies determined whether interval exercise reduces children's stress reactivity. For Experiment 1 children completed interval exercise (n=14) or watched TV (n=14) for 25 min. After 20 min rest children completed a speech task. Speech‐induced diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity was dampened in the exercise group (p<.05). For Experiment 2 children (n=22) completed interval exercise‐speech and TV‐speech conditions on separate days. Physical activity was assessed by accelerometry and aerobic fitness estimated by submaximal exercise. DBP, systolic BP, and heart rate (HR) reactivity to the speech stressor were dampened (p<.05) after exercise compared to TV watching. Fitness was positively associated with HR reactivity. Interval exercise that mimics usual patterns of physically active play dampens cardiovascular reactivity to interpersonal stress.