bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transition temperature and fracture mode of as‐castand austempered ductile iron
Authors: RAJNOVIC D. , ERIC O. , SIDJANIN L. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThe ductile to brittle transition temperature is a very important criterion that is used for selection of materials in some applications, especially in low‐temperature conditions. For that reason, in this paper transition temperature of as‐cast and austempered copper and copper–nickel alloyed ductile iron (DI) in the temperature interval from −196 to +150°C have been investigated. The microstructures of DIs and ADIs were examined by light microscope, whereas the fractured surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscope. The ADI materials have higher impact energies compared with DIs in an as−cast condition. In addition, the transition curves for ADIs are shifted towards lower temperatures. The fracture mode of Dls is influenced by a dominantly pearlitic matrix, exhibiting mostly brittle fracture through all temperatures of testing. By contrast, with decrease of temperature, the fracture mode for ADI materials changes gradually from fully ductile to fully brittle.
Ex vivo characterization of human atherosclerotic iliac plaque components using cryo‐imaging
Authors: NGUYEN M.S. , SALVADO O. , ROY D. , STEYER G. , STONE M.E. , HOFFMAN R.D. , WILSON D.L. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe characterized atherosclerotic plaque components with a novel cryo‐imaging system in lieu of standard histological methods commonly used for imaging validation and research endpoints. We aim to accurately identify plaque tissue types from fresh cadaver specimens rapidly (less than 5 h) in three dimensions for large specimens (up to 4 cm vessel segments). A single‐blind validation study was designed to determine sensitivity, specificity and inter‐rater agreement (Fleiss' Kappa) of cryo‐imaging tissue types with histology as the gold standard. Six naïve human raters identified 344 tissue type samples in 36 cryo‐image sets after being trained. Tissue type sensitivities are as follows: greater than 90% for adventitia, media‐related, smooth muscle cell ingrowth, external elastic lamina, internal elastic lamina, fibrosis, dense calcification and haemorrhage; greater than 80% for lipid and light calcification; and greater than 50% for cholesterol clefts. Specificities were greater than 95% for all tissue types. The results demonstrate convincingly that cryo‐imaging can be used to accurately identify most tissue types. If the cryo‐imaging data are entered into visualization software, three‐dimensional renderings of the plaque can be generated to visualize and quantify plaque components.
Morphology of the fertilizable mature egg in the Acanthopagrus latus, A. schlegeli and Sparus sarba (Teleostei: perciformes: sparidae)
Authors: GWO H.‐H. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThrough appropriate scanning electron microscope (SEM) processing, the shape and the surface structures of just‐mature eggs are preserved integrally for observation and measuring to guarantee accurate comparison and prediction on the phylogenetic relationships among three species of teleost, i.e. Acanthopagrus latus, Acanthopagrus schlegeli and Sparus sarba of Sparidae. Eggs in all three species can be categorized as type III eggs. Specifically, a regular pattern is found in the arrangement of micropyle and its surrounding pore canals from the inspected surface structures of the mature eggs in three species. Other than these similarities in egg surface structures, several differences in micropyle structures, micropyle region and size of pore canals are also observed in eggs of respective species. Comprehension and accurate data are statistically computed and analyzed through hierarchical cluster analysis to provide solid species‐specific evidences and standardized empirical reference for accurate species identification and phylogeny determination.
Morphological characteristics and mycelial compatibilityof different Mycogone perniciosa isolates
Authors: GLAMOČLIJA J. , SOKOVIĆ M. , LJALJEVIĆ‐GRBIĆ M. , VUKOJEVIĆ J. , MILENKOVIĆ I. , VAN GRIENSVEN L. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThe major disease of the cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus Lange (Imb) in Serbian mushroom farms is wet bubble caused by the fungus Mycogone perniciosa (Magnus) Delacr. In this study we report the morpho‐physiological characteristics and inter‐relationships between colonies of five isolates of M. perniciosa. The results suggest that mycelial compatibility could serve as an additional parameter for a more reliable determination of different pathotypes of M. perniciosa.
Combined FTIR and SEM‐EDS study of Bi2O3 doped ZnO–SnO2 ceramics
Authors: IVETIĆ T. , NIKOLIĆ M.V. , PARASKEVOPOULOS K.M. , PAVLIDOU E. , ZORBA T.T. , NIKOLIĆ P.M. , RISTIĆ M.M. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThe effects of Bi2O3 addition on the phase composition, microstructure and optical properties of ZnO–SnO2 ceramics were investigated. Starting powders of ZnO and SnO2 were mixed in the molar ratio 2:1. After adding Bi2O3 (1.0 mol.%) this mixture was mechanically activated for 10 min in a planetary ball mill, uniaxially pressed and sintered at 1300°C for 2 h. Far‐infrared reflection spectra were measured (100–1000 cm–1). To investigate the occurred differences in FTIR spectra, the Bi2O3‐doped sample was examined more carefully with a Perkin–Elmer FTIR spectrometer (Perkin Elmer, Waltham, MA, USA) connected with a Perkin–Elmer FTIR microscope and itemized points of interest were also studied with SEM‐EDS.
Antibiotics potentially used in response to bioterrorism and the risk of major congenital malformations
Authors: Cooper William O. , Hernandez‐Diaz Sonia , Arbogast Patrick G. , Dudley Judith A. , Dyer Shannon M. , Gideon Patricia S. , Hall Kathleen S. , Kaltenbach Lisa A. , Ray Wayne A. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThis study was designed to assess the association between pregnancy‐related exposures to antibiotics recommended for use in the event of a bioterrorism attack and major congenital malformations. A retrospective cohort study included 30 049 infants from Tennessee Medicaid born between 1985 and 2000 identified from computerised state databases. Infants with fetal exposures to ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, doxycycline and amoxicillin (antibiotics recommended for potential bioterrorism attacks) (n = 24 521) and erythromycin (included as a positive control) (n = 2128) were compared with infants with no fetal exposure to any antibiotics (n = 3400). Major congenital malformations identified from computerised records were confirmed through medical record review.Overall, 869 (2.9%) of infants in the cohort had a confirmed major congenital malformation, with major malformations ranging from 2.5% to 3.0% among the antibiotic‐specific exposure groups. No increased risk was present in multivariable analyses for any malformations and for malformations of specific organ systems. In conclusion, these data suggest that ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, doxycycline or amoxicillin use by pregnant women should not result in a greater incidence of overall major congenital malformations in infants whose mothers take these medications, though a large increase in risk cannot be ruled out.
Genetic variation among lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) landraces from Southeast Turkey
Authors: Toklu F. , Karaköy T. , Haklı E. , Bicer T. , Brandolini A. , Kilian B. , ÖZkan H. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe molecular characterization of cultivated plant genepools is of foremost importance for germplasm utilization in plant breeding. However, no comprehensive genetic fingerprinting of Turkish lentil landraces existed so far. To overcome this gap, 38 lentil landraces from southeast Turkey, together with six commercial varieties, were molecularly characterized using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) molecular markers. The ISSR analysis, performed with 14 primers, yielded 105 polymorphic bands and the AFLP analysis, carried out with six primer combinations, amplified 119 polymorphic fragments. Even though the AFLP produced more bands per primer combinations, the ISSR detected more polymorphisms. Unweighted pair‐group method with arithmetic means dendrograms based on Jaccard similarities obtained from three data sets: (i) ISSR, (ii) AFLP and (iii) combined ISSR and AFLP data, were similar and separated the landraces into two main groups. Turkish lentil landraces exhibited considerable genetic diversity. One landrace from Karacadag/Diyarbakir region was significantly different from the rest of the germplasm analysed. Jaccard distances highlighted sharp differences among landraces over short geographic distances. The knowledge of regional differentiation has practical utility in the management of germplasm and in breeding programmes.
Long‐term follow up of gallbladder polyps
Authors: Park Jeong Youp , Hong Sung Pil , Kim Yoon Jae , Kim Hong Jeoung , Kim Hee Man , Cho Jae Hee , Park Seung Woo , Song Si Young , Chung Jae Bock , Bang Seungmin 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBackground and Aim:  The management of gallbladder polyps (GBP) is directly linked to the early diagnosis of gallbladder cancer (GBC). This study aimed to evaluate the malignant risk of GBP.Methods:  In total, 1558 patients diagnosed with GBP were followed. Neoplastic polyps were defined as GBC and its premalignant lesions. The risk for malignancy was estimated with the cumulative detection rate of neoplastic polyps.Results:  Thirty‐three cases (2.1%) were diagnosed with neoplastic polyps. The cumulative detection rates of neoplastic polyps were 1.7% at 1 year, 2.8% at 5 years, and 4% at 8 years after diagnosis. The size of GBP and the presence of gallstones were risk factors for neoplastic polyps. Polyps ≥ 10 mm had a 24.2 times greater risk of malignancy than polyps < 10 mm. However, 15 of 33 neoplastic polyps (45.5%) were < 10 mm at the time of diagnosis of GBP. During follow up in 36 (3.5%) of 1027 cases, an increase in size was detected; of these, nine (25%) had neoplastic polyps.Conclusion:  Even small polyps have a risk of malignancy, and careful long‐term follow up of GBP will help detect and treat early GBC.
Gastroduodenal opportunistic infections and dyspepsia in HIV‐infected patients in the era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Werneck‐Silva Ana Luiza , Prado Ivete Bedin 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBackground and Aim: Dyspeptic symptoms are frequently reported by human immunodefficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients under highly active antiretroviral therapy. Whether opportunistic infections are a cause of dyspepsia is still unknown. In this study we prospectively compare the prevalence of gastrointestinal opportunistic infections in dyspeptic versus non‐dyspeptic HIV‐infected patients with advanced immunodeficiency.Patients and Methods: Six hundred and ninety HIV‐infected patients under highly active antiretroviral therapy underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with mucosal biopsies from the stomach and duodenum. Group 1: 500 patients (161 women, 339 men; mean age 38.8 years; mean CD4 count 154.3 cells/mm3with dyspeptic symptoms such as epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting and fullness. Group 2: 190 patients (169 men, 21 women; mean age 40.7 years; mean CD4 count 171.6 cell/mm3) with no dyspeptic symptoms.Results: Group 1: Gastrointestinal opportunistic infections were observed in eight (1.6%), and non‐opportunistic parasites in two (0.4%), patients. They were: Cytomegalovirus (four patients),Cryptosporidium sp.(two patients),Schistosoma mansoni sp.(one patient),Strongyloides stercoralis(one patient) andGiardia sp.(two patients). In five patients esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed no mucosal lesions. Group 2:Giardia sp.was detected in two patients (1.1%:P = 0.07947).Conclusion: Gastrointestinal opportunistic infections were shown in a small number of HIV‐infected patients under highly active antiretroviral therapy with advanced immunodeficiency. Although gastrointestinal opportunistic infections were detected exclusively in the dyspeptic patient group, they could not be related to these symptoms, since the number of infected patients was not statistically significant. To correctly diagnose opportunistic infections, multiple biopsy specimens may be necessary even from normal‐appearing mucosa.
Evaluation of Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD)‐based systems as prognostic index for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Limquiaco Jenny L , Wong Grace LH , Wong Vincent WS , Lai Paul BS , Chan Henry LY 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBackground:  The Cancer of Liver Italian Program (CLIP) and Japan Integrated Scoring System (JIS) used the Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh (CTP) score to evaluate the liver function.Aim:  We aimed to evaluate the performance of Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) based CLIP and JIS to predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:  Consecutive patients with HCC who presented to our Hepatoma Clinic from January 2003 to April 2005 were studied. MELD‐based CLIP and JIS were generated by replacing the original CTP score with MELD score at three categories (<10, 10–14 and >14).Results:  Among 471 HCC patients (85.1% males; aged 58.8 ± 12.2 years), 73% had chronic hepatitis B, 37.4% had >1 nodule, 84.1% had tumor size >2 cm, 55.0% had Child's B cirrhosis, 12.7% underwent tumor resection and 20.6% received locoregional therapy. The cumulative survival at 3 and 6 months were 67% and 55%, respectively. For 3‐month survival, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of MELD‐CLIP (0.69) and MELD‐JIS (0.69) were superior to the original systems (0.64, P = 0.004 and 0.64, P = 0.0018, respectively). For 6‐month survival, AUC of MELD‐CLIP (0.64) and MELD‐JIS (0.62) were also superior to the original systems (0.54, P = 0.003 and 0.59, P = 0.002, respectively). The MELD‐based systems performed best among patients who received locoregional therapy to HCC. Advanced cirrhosis (hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, ascites, coagulopathy and elevated creatinine), and cancer (portal vein thrombosis, elevated alpha‐fetoprotein, large and multiple tumors) were associated with higher mortality.Conclusions:  MELD‐based systems performed better than Child‐Pugh based systems as prognostic indexes for HCC.
Effect of body mass index on prostate‐specific antigen and percentage free prostate‐specific antigen: Results from a prostate cancer screening cohort of 1490 men
Authors: Capitanio Umberto , Perrotte Paul , Hutterer Georg C , Suardi Nazareno , Jeldres Claudio , Shariat Shahrokh F , Duclos Alain , Arjane Philippe , Montorsi Francesco , Karakiewicz Pierre I 
Published: November 2008

Objectives:  Several studies have reported an effect of obesity, defined as elevated body mass index (BMI), on prostate cancer biology. We examined the relationship between BMI and total prostate‐specific antigen (tPSA) as well as percent free tPSA (%f/tPSA) in a large prostate cancer screening cohort.Methods:  Height, weight, tPSA and %f/tPSA were assessed in 1490 consecutively screened Canadian men without known prostate cancer. Continuously coded and categorized BMI were studied. Statistical analyses consisted of anova, linear regression and bivariate correlations, which adjusted for the effect of age.Results:  Median tPSA was 1.06 ng/mL and median %f/tPSA was 27. Median BMI was 26.17 kg/m2. Increasing BMI was weakly, albeit statistically significantly, associated with decreasing %f/tPSA values (correlation coefficient = −0.06, P = 0.01). However, when the World Health Organization BMI categories were considered, there were no statistically significant differences between %f/tPSA values according to categories (anovaP = 0.2). tPSA failed to demonstrate any statistically significant association with either continuously coded (correlation coefficient = −0.03, P = 0.2) or categorized BMI (anovaP = 0.5).Conclusions:  Body mass index is not a confounder of either tPSA or %f/tPSA in Canadian men without known prostate cancer.
Quality of life after radical prostatectomy in Japanese men: A 5‐Year follow up study
Authors: Namiki Shunichi , Ishidoya Shigeto , Ito Akihiro , Kawamura Sadafumu , Tochigi Tatsuo , Saito Seiichi , Arai Yoichi 
Published: November 2008

Objectives:  To measure health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) after radical prostatectomy (RP) in Japanese men with localized prostate cancer.Methods:  A total of 154 patients who underwent RP were included in this 5‐year longitudinal survey. The Short Form 36‐Item Health Survey, the University of California, Los Angeles, Prostate Cancer Index and the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaires were administered at diagnosis and nine times afterwards.Results:  Patients undergoing RP showed problems in some physical domains of general HRQOL, but these problems diminished over time. Mental health and social functions significantly improved during the follow‐up period. The urinary function substantially declined at 3 months and continued to recover gradually but never returned to baseline. Most patients (95%) recovered to their baseline urinary bother score within 60 months. The overall mean total International Prostate Symptom Score progressively improved with time. On the other hand, at 60 months after RP, only 34% of subjects had fully returned to baseline sexual function. By 5 years postoperatively, 78% of the men had reached baseline sexual bother and the mean recovery time was 8.6 months. Adverse effects of RP on sexual function and bother were mitigated by bilateral nerve‐sparing procedures up to 5 years after the operation.Conclusions:  Despite reported problems with sexuality and urinary continence, general HRQOL was mostly unaffected by RP after 6 months in our survey with functional outcomes remaining relatively stable in the majority of patients.
Effects of annealing and quenching on fatigue behaviour in type 444 ferritic stainless steel
Authors: AKITA M. , NAKAJIMA M. , UEMATSU Y. , TOKAJI K. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTIn order to understand the effects of annealing and quenching on fatigue behaviour in type 444 stainless steel, fully reversed axial fatigue tests have been performed using smooth specimens of heat‐treated materials in laboratory air and 3%NaCl aqueous solution. Three materials subjected to different heat treatments, annealing at 960 and 1000 °C, and water‐cooling at 960 °C, were prepared. In laboratory air, the fatigue limit of the annealed specimens was lower than that of the as‐received specimen and decreased with increasing annealing temperature. The subsequent grain coarsening from the heat treatments was primarily responsible for the lower fatigue strength in the annealed specimens. The fatigue strength of the water‐cooled specimen was lower than that of the corresponding annealed specimen. In the annealed specimens, cracks were generated within ferritic grains, while in the water‐cooled specimen, at or near grain boundaries. In 3%NaCl solution, the fatigue strengths of all specimens decreased compared with those in laboratory air. Only in the water‐cooled specimens, crack initiation at grain boundary and intergranular crack growth were observed, indicating the most sensitive to corrosion environment.
Pro: pediatric anesthesia training in developing countries is best achieved by selective out of country scholarships
Authors: GATHUYA ZIPPORAH N. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryPediatric anesthesia training in developing countries is best achieved by out of country scholarships rather than structured outreach visits by teams of specialists from the developed world. Although this may seem an expensive option with slow return, it is the only sustainable way to train future generations of specialized pediatric anesthetists in developing countries.
Effect of Investor Category Trading Imbalances on Stock Returns*
Authors: COLWELL DAVID , HENKER JULIA , WALTER TERRY 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTTrading is the mechanism of the economist's ‘invisible hand,’ the means by which price discovery occurs. We use daily shareholdings data from the Australian equities clearinghouse to investigate the impact of the trading imbalances of investor categories on stock returns. Our evidence does not contradict the behavioral finance assumption that the trading of individual investors contributes to price discovery. Furthermore, we find that, while the trading of all investor categories Granger‐causes returns, returns Granger‐cause trading only for the individual investor category. That is, in the short term of up to 1 month, only individual investors engage in feedback trading.
The extra‐limital spread of an invasive species via ‘stowaway’ dispersal: toad to nowhere?
Authors: White A. W. , Shine R. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe mechanisms by which invasive species spread through new areas can influence the spatial scale of their impact. Although previous research has focused on ‘natural’ dispersal rates following initial introductions, human‐aided inadvertent dispersal by ‘stowaways’ on commercial and domestic transport is thought to be a major contributor to long‐distance dispersal. Few data exist to support this assumption. Cane toads Bufo marinus were introduced to north‐eastern Australia in 1935, and have since dispersed rapidly through the tropics. Based on information accumulated by community groups in Sydney, 400 km south of the cane toads' current Australian distribution, we document high rates of translocation (at least 50 toads arriving in Sydney per year). Most toads were translocated on commercial truck transport carrying landscaping and building materials from the current range of the cane toads in New South Wales and Queensland, and resulted in highly clumped locations of toad arrival reflecting primary truck transport destinations. Most introductions involved single toads (68 of 102 translocation events), but some introductions involved two to 19 animals. Adults of both sexes were represented equally but juveniles were rarely detected. High rates of translocation of adult toads of both sexes suggest that the eventual distribution of cane toads in Australia may be limited by the animals' bioclimatic tolerances rather than by an inability to reach suitable habitats, even in areas far distant from the toads' current range.