bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality: Impact of Impaired Health-Related Functioning and Diabetes
Authors: Williams Emily D. , Rawal Lal , Oldenburg Brian F. , Renwick Carla , Shaw Jonathan E. , Tapp Robyn J. 
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE
There is an established link between health-related functioning (HRF) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and it is known that those with diabetes predominantly die of CVD. However, few studies have determined the combined impact of diabetes and impaired HRF on CVD mortality. We investigated whether this combination carries a higher CVD risk than either component alone.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study included 11,247 adults aged ≥25 years from 42 randomly selected areas of Australia. At baseline (1999–2000), diabetes status was defined using the World Health Organization criteria and HRF was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire.

RESULTS
Overall, after 7.4 years of follow-up, 57 persons with diabetes and 105 without diabetes had died from CVD. In individuals with and without diabetes, HRF measures were significant predictors of increased CVD mortality. The CVD mortality risks among those with diabetes or impaired physical health component summary (PCS) alone were similar (diabetes only: hazard ratio 1.4 [95% CI 0.7–2.7]; impaired PCS alone: 1.5 [1.0–2.4]), while those with both diabetes and impaired PCS had a much higher CVD mortality (2.8 [1.6–4.7]) compared with those without diabetes and normal PCS (after adjustment for multiple covariates). Similar results were found for the mental health component summary.

CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that the combination of diabetes and impaired HRF is associated with substantially higher CVD mortality. This suggests that, among those with diabetes, impaired HRF is likely to be important in the identification of individuals at increased risk of CVD mortality.
Rehearsing for the Plague: Citizens, Security, and Simulation
Authors: Armstrong Melanie 
Published: March 2012

Abstract: Daily practices of bioterrorism preparedness are producing a security community in which citizens are bound together by common biological risk, access to care during times of crisis, and the ability and authority to provide care in an emergency. Through the study of national-level exercise programmes and city-wide preparedness plans in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this ethnographic research asks how communities are materially and ideologically organized around the idea of mitigating biological risk. The dual acts of planning for bioterrorism and simulating a response prescribe a distinct role for government in caring for a population, and not just during times of crisis. This paper explores the outcomes of publicly rehearsing the care practices of government through bioterror simulation by considering how restructuring health systems around the idea of biopreparedness confounds the specter of war with life-giving acts of health care, offering citizens a way of living within the state of emergency.
Synthesis of core‐shell fluoroacrylate copolymer latex via emulsion polymerization and its application in ink‐jet ink
Authors: Li Xuefeng , Zhang Jingfang , Zhou Xingping , Lu Chuan , Tong Xiantao , He Guoxing , Wang Xiaqin 
Published: March 2012

AbstractCore‐shell fluoroacrylate copolymer latex was synthesized via semicontinuous seed emulsion polymerization, in which ethyl acrylate was utilized to prepare core, and methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, methacrylate acid, and hexafluorobutyl methacrylate were employed to constitute the shell. So the yielded latex particles had the soft core and hard shell. Multifunction and low viscosity of the latex had been applied as the binder of latex inks. The ζ potential showed that the latex particles had high thermodynamic stability. The latex and latex inks exhibited viscosity plateau of Newtonian fluid behaviors. Rheological tests revealed that viscous behaviors dominated in the latex and latex inks. However, there was some interaction among the latex and pigment particles. The hydrophobicity of the cast films of the latex increased with the amount of the fluoroacrylate monomer. Fluorine tended to migrate to the interface between the cast film and air. Therefore, the hydrophobicity was derived from the fluorine enrichment phenomena on the top side of the cast films. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Overexpressing Transcriptional Regulator in Aspergillus oryzae Activates a Silent Biosynthetic Pathway to Produce a Novel Polyketide
Authors: Nakazawa Takehito , Ishiuchi Kan'ichiro , Praseuth Alex , Noguchi Hiroshi , Hotta Kinya , Watanabe Kenji 
Published: March 2012

AbstractFungal genomes carry many gene clusters seemingly capable of natural product biosynthesis, yet most clusters remain silent. This places a major constraint on the conventional approach of cloning these genes in more amenable heterologous host for the natural product biosynthesis. One way to overcome this difficulty is to activate the silent gene clusters within the context of the target fungus. Here, we successfully activated a silent polyketide biosynthetic gene cluster in Aspergillus oryzae by overexpressing a transcriptional regulator found within the cluster from a plasmid. This strategy allowed us to isolate a new polyketide product and to efficiently decipher its biosynthetic pathway. Through this exercise, we also discovered unexpected activities of the biosynthetic enzymes found in the cluster. These results indicate that our approach would be valuable for isolating novel natural products and engineering analogues of comparable, if not more potent, bioactivity.
Structurally Diverse Polyamides Obtained from Monomers Derived via the Ugi Multicomponent Reaction
Authors: Kreye Oliver , Türünç Oğuz , Sehlinger Ansgar , Rackwitz Jenny , Meier Michael A. R. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe combination of the Ugi four‐component reaction (Ugi‐4CR) with acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) or thiol–ene polymerization led to the formation of poly‐1‐(alkylcarbamoyl) carboxamides, a new class of substituted polyamides with amide moieties in the polymer backbone, as well as its side chains. 10‐Undecenoic acid, obtained by pyrolysis of ricinoleic acid, the main fatty acid of castor oil, was used as the key renewable building block. The use of different primary amines, as well as isonitriles (isocyanides) for the described Ugi reactions provided monomers with high structural diversity. Furthermore, the possibility of versatile post‐modification of functional groups in the side chains of the corresponding polymers should be of considerable interest in materials science. The obtained monomers were polymerized by ADMET, as well as thiol–ene, chemistry and all polymers were fully characterized. Finally, ortho‐nitrobenzylamide‐containing polyamides obtained by this route were shown to be photoresponsive and exhibited a dramatic change of their properties upon irradiation with light.
The impact of soil moisture availability on forest growth indices for variably layered coarse‐textured soils
Authors: Huang Mingbin , Zettl Julie D. , Barbour S. Lee , Elshorbagy Amin , Si Bing Cheng 
Published: March 2012

ABSTRACTThe reestablishment of productive forests over mining waste and overburden is a primary reclamation goal in oil sands mining in Northern Alberta, Canada. Soil water conditions in coarse‐textured soils can be limiting to forest growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect that textural variability may have on plant‐available water and concomitant forest productivity on coarse‐textured reclamation soils. The ecophysiological and biogeochemical processes model, Biome‐BGC (Thornton et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 113: 185–222, 2002), was employed to simulate forest dynamics. The water flow sub‐model in Biome‐BGC was replaced by a field‐validated physically based formulation for transient unsaturated water flow. The modified model was assessed using validated physiological parameters, and model predictions were compared with measurements of aboveground biomass dynamics for jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb), white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss], and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). The modified Biome‐BGC model was then used to evaluate the response of leaf area index and net primary production to available water holding capacity on texturally variable, coarse‐textured soils. The results indicate that textural variability could increase the available water holding capacity within a 1‐m profile of coarse‐textured soil by 8 to 16 mm. This enhanced available water holding capacity could increase forest leaf area index by 0·3 to 0·8 and net primary production by 14–30% depending on the specific soil texture and tree species. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous Determination of Nitrophenol Isomers Based on β‐Cyclodextrin Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide
Authors: Liu Zhaona , Ma Xuemei , Zhang Huacheng , Lu Weijie , Ma Houyi , Hou Shifeng 
Published: March 2012

Abstractβ‐CD modified reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets have been prepared and characterized by TEM, AFM, IR, EIS and CVs. In comparison with bare glass carbon electrode (GCE) and RGO modified GCE, CD‐RGO/GCE showed much higher peak currents to the reduction of nitrophenol isomers (NPs), attributed to the larger specific surface area of RGO and high quantities of host–guest recognition sites. Three pairs of redox peaks are observed on the CVs of CD‐RGO for p‐NP (0.3 V), o‐NP (−0.2 V) and m‐NP (0.05 V), separating well with each other. Under the optimized condition, the anodic peak currents were linear over ranges around 1–10 mg dm−3 for p‐NP, 1–9 mg dm−3 for o‐NP and 1–6 mg dm−3 for m‐NP, with the detection limits of 0.05 mg dm−3, 0.02 mg dm−3 and 0.1 mg dm−3, respectively. Thus, the CD‐RGO is expected to be a promising sensor material for detecting trace NPs in waste water.
Impedimetric Aptasensor for Thrombin Recognition Based on CD Support
Authors: Castillo Gabriela , Trnkova Libuse , Hrdy Radim , Hianik Tibor 
Published: March 2012

AbstractWe report an aptamer biosensing array for thrombin detection by measuring the electrochemical impedance upon aptamer‐protein formation at the surface of CD‐trodes (GCDTs) in the presence of the redox couple [Fe(CN)6]3−/4−. GCDTs are fabricated from recordable compact discs that contain a fine gold layer. The biosensor is constructed by self‐assembling of a thiol‐modified thrombin binding aptamer (TBA) onto a GCDT surface. The sensor reveals good ligand specificity, recognition in a wide range of thrombin concentrations from 20 nM to 1 µM with a limit of detection of 5 nM.
A conceptual model of water yield effects from beetle‐induced tree death in snow‐dominated lodgepole pine forests
Authors: Pugh Evan , Gordon Eric 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn regions of western North America with snow‐dominated hydrology, the presence of forested watersheds can significantly influence streamflow compared to areas with other vegetation cover types. Widespread tree death in these watersheds can thus dramatically alter many ecohydrologic processes including transpiration, canopy solar transmission and snow interception, subcanopy wind regimes, soil infiltration, forest energy storage and snow surface albedo. One of the more important causes of conifer tree death is bark beetle infestation, which in some instances will kill nearly all of the canopy trees within forest stands. Since 1996, an ongoing outbreak of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) has caused widespread mortality across more than 600,000 km2of coniferous forests in western North America, including numerous Rocky Mountain headwaters catchments with high rates of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) mortality from mountain pin beetle (Dendroctonous ponderosae) infestations. Few empirical studies have documented the effects of MPB infestations on hydrologic processes, and little is known about the direction and magnitude of changes in water yield and timing of runoff due to insect‐induced tree death. Here, we review and synthesize existing research and provide new results quantifying the effects of beetle infestations on canopy structure, snow interception and transmission to create a conceptual model of the hydrologic effects of MPB‐induced lodgepole pine death during different stages of mortality. We identify the primary hydrologic processes operating in living forest stands, stands in multiple stages of death and long‐dead stands undergoing regeneration and estimate the direction of change in new water yield. This conceptual model is intended to identify avenues for future research efforts. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The impact of induced drought on transpiration and growth in a temperate pine plantation forest
Authors: MacKay Samantha L. , Arain M. Altaf , Khomik Myroslava , Brodeur Jason J. , Schumacher Jens , Hartmann Henrik , Peichl Matthias 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe effects of early growing season droughts on water and carbon balances in conifer forests are poorly understood. In this study, the response of canopy transpiration (Ec) and growth rates to reduced precipitation input during the early growing season was evaluated in a 70‐year old temperate white pine (Pinus strobus L.) plantation forest, in Southern Ontario, Canada. In order to induce the drought, a 20 × 20 m throughfall exclusion setup was established. Throughfall was excluded from 1 April to 3 July 2009. During this period, 270 mm of rainfall occurred (27% of annual precipitation), of which more than 90% was excluded. Sapflow, stem growth, soil moisture and soil temperature were measured in both drought and reference plots. Prior to the induced drought, both plots showed similar soil water content, transpiration rates and tree diameters. The primary control on forest water loss was vapour pressure deficit, whereas soil moisture had an effect when it reached below 0.068 m3 m−3 during the growing season. The rainfall exclusion did not negatively affect Ec until early June, approximately 54 days after drought initiation. Ec was 27% less in the drought plot compared to the reference plot when evaluated at the end of the growing season in November. Tree growth estimates at the end of the growing season indicated a 17% decrease in growth in the drought plot as compared to the reference plot. Because climate predictions foresee changes in precipitation pattern, drought spells – similar to this artificial short‐term rainfall manipulation – may be more frequent in the future. Hence, although overall precipitation may remain the same, the short‐term deficit in water supply may have important implications for forest ecosystems. The findings of this rainfall manipulation will help quantify the impacts of spring and early summer water deficit on forest ecosystems and evaluate their potential responses to future climate regimes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lectin‐binding pattern of the senegalese sole Solea senegalensis oogenesis
Authors: Accogli Gianluca , Zizza Sara , García‐lópez Angel , Sarasquete Carmen , Desantis Salvatore 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe glycoconjugate pattern of developing ovarian follicles in wild and cultured Senegalese sole Solea senegalensis was investigated by means of lectin histochemistry. Ovaries from cultured fish contained oocytes up to the late vitellogenic stage, whereas they reached the hydration stage in wild specimens. The follicular cells bound MAL II, SBA, HPA, DBA, Con A, KOH‐sialidase (K‐s)‐WGA, GSA I‐B4 in the late vitellogenic stage, and in wild fish also SNA and K‐s‐PNA, whereas in the hydration stage SBA, HPA, DBA, and GSA I‐B4 only. The zona radiata reacted with SBA, HPA, DBA, Con A, and GSA I B4 in the late vitellogenic stage and in cultured fish also with UEA I, whereas in the hydration stage it stained with SBA only. The cortical alveoli bound SBA, HPA, RCA120 during the late vitellogenic stage, also SNA, PNA, K‐s‐PNA, GSA I‐B4 in cultured fish, DBA, and K‐s‐WGA in wild ones which stained with SBA, HPA, and GSA I‐B4 in the hydrated stage. The yolk reacted with Con A in the late vitellogenic oocytes, and also with MAL II, SNA, K‐s‐PNA, SBA, HPA, K‐s‐WGA, GSA I‐B4, UEA I in the hydrated ones. From perinucleolus to late vitellogenic stages, the oocyte nucleoplasm bound Con A, GSA I‐B4, GSA II, UEA I, and in wild fish also MAL II, SNA, LTA but only GSA I‐B4 reactivity in the early maturation stage. These findings demonstrate that the glycan pattern of fish ovarian follicles changes during the maturative stages and that it is affected by culture‐rearing conditions. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:1124–1135, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
“Can we just stop and talk?” patients value verbal communication about discharge care plans
Authors: Shoeb Marwa , Merel Susan Eva , Jackson Molly Blackley , Anawalt Bradley D. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:Studies show that hospitalized patients often do not understand their postdischarge care plan. There are few studies about patients' preferences regarding the content of discharge care plans.OBJECTIVE:To identify what patients view as essential elements of a post‐hospitalization plan.DESIGN:Anonymous written survey distributed on the second day of admission to internal medicine wards.SETTING:An academic tertiary care hospital and an academic county hospital in Seattle, Washington.PATIENTS:Two hundred English‐speaking adult inpatients ≥18 years or their proxies.RESULTS:The majority of patients (64.5%) surveyed wanted verbal discharge instructions, with only 10.5% requesting written instructions (P < 0.0001). One hundred percent of patients valued the following discharge instructions as essential: “when you need to follow‐up with [primary care provider] PCP,” “warning signs to call PCP,” and “medicines to continue post‐hospitalization.” One hundred percent of patients wanted “a lot of information about my condition” and “test results,” but only 39% wanted “a lot of information about my medications” (P < 0.0001). When asked to choose the most important piece of discharge instruction related to their disease, 67.5% of patients chose “lifestyle changes.” One hundred percent of patients thought that personal communication between the inpatient provider and the outpatient primary care provider was “extremely important” or “essential.”CONCLUSION:Patients uniformly placed high value on: 1) verbal communication about discharge care plans; 2) information about lifestyle changes for improved health; and 3) personal communication between inpatient and outpatient providers. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
A transoral highly flexible robot
Authors: Rivera‐Serrano Carlos M. , Johnson Paul , Zubiate Brett , Kuenzler Richard , Choset Howie , Zenati Marco , Tully Stephen , Duvvuri Umamaheswar 
Published: March 2012

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis:Organ preservation surgery is a major focus in head and neck oncology. Current approaches are aimed toward improving quality of life and decreasing treatment‐related morbidity. Transoral robotic surgery was developed to overcome the limitations of traditional surgical approaches. The most widely used robotic system is the da Vinci Surgical System. Although the da Vinci offers clear surgical advantages over traditional approaches, its rigid operative arms prevent complex maneuverability in three‐dimensional space. The ideal surgical robot would configure to the anatomy of the patient and maneuver in narrow spaces. We present the first cadaveric trials of the use of a highly flexible robot able to traverse the nonlinear upper aerodigestive tract and gain physical and visual access to important anatomical landmarks without laryngeal suspension.Study Design:Feasibility.Methods:Using human cadavers, we investigated the feasibility of visualizing the endolarynx transorally with a highly flexible robot without performing suspension of the larynx. Two fresh and four preserved human specimens were used.Results:Unhampered visualization of the endolarynx was achieved in all specimens without performing laryngeal suspension. Standard mouth retractors facilitated the delivery of the robot into the endolarynx.Conclusions:The flexible robot technology mitigates laryngeal suspension and the limitations of current robotic surgery with rigid line‐of‐sight–directed instruments. Having demonstrated the feasibility of physical and visual access to the endolarynx, future work will study the feasibility of using the highly flexible robot in transoral robotic procedures with flexible instrumentation placed in the robot's available working ports. Laryngoscope, 2012
Effect of passive smoking on the ultrastructure of the nasal mucosa in children
Authors: Elwany Samy , Ibrahim Ahmed Aly , Mandour Zeyad , Talaat Iman 
Published: March 2012

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis:Passive exposure to cigarette smoke has been implicated in a number of respiratory childhood disorders. Most studies concerning smoking were directed to its carcinogenic effect on the lungs. However, the effects of smoking on nasal respiratory mucosa have not been widely studied. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to study the ultrastructural changes in the nasal mucosa of a pediatric population exposed to passive smoking.Study Design:The study included 20 children between the ages of 5 and 11 years, who were scheduled for tonsillectomy and at the same time had a positive history of prolonged exposure to household passive smoke. Another 10 children with a negative household smoking history were included as a control group. All children were nonatopic and with a negative family history of allergy. None of them had adenoids or infective rhinosinusitis.Methods:At the time of surgery, a 1‐mm3 biopsy was taken was taken from the lower border of the inferior turbinate. The specimens were processed and examined with electron microscopyResults:Examination of the nasal mucosa showed several ultrastructural changes. These included patchy loss of cilia, generalized loss of cilia, squamous metaplasia, hyperplasia of goblet cells and seromucinous acini, and vascular congestion. More severe changes were observed with longer passive exposures to cigarette smoke. The study did not disclose any evidence of ongoing allergic reaction or neoplastic transformations.Conclusions:Children exposed to passive cigarette smoke may develop several structural changes in the respiratory nasal mucosa with subsequent negative effects on its ciliary activity and mucociliary function. As a result of these effects, defense mechanisms of the nose may be ruined or lost, and those children may develop persistent sinonasal infections. Exposure of these children to passive smoking for longer periods of time may also induce other significant changes that were not detected in the present study.