Present

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences

Kinds of Present

  • acid present
  • acids present
  • activity present
  • amino acids present
  • antibody present
  • article present
  • at present
  • bacteria present
  • being present
  • bond present
  • child present
  • component present
  • compound present
  • diversity present
  • dna present
  • element present
  • environment present
  • factor present
  • first present
  • form present
  • functional groups present
  • gene present
  • group present
  • groups present
  • i present
  • information present
  • level present
  • material present
  • molecule present
  • only present
  • paper present
  • patient present
  • pattern present
  • phase present
  • plant species present
  • polyphenol present
  • population present
  • products present
  • protein present
  • review present
  • risk factor present
  • sequence present
  • species present
  • strain present
  • structure present
  • study present
  • subunit present
  • transcription factor present
  • type present
  • variability present
  • variation present
  • water present
  • work present

  • Terms modified by Present

  • present a number
  • present advantage
  • present age
  • present algorithm
  • present analysis
  • present antigen
  • present application
  • present approach
  • present article
  • present author
  • present case
  • present case report
  • present century
  • present challenge
  • present circumstance
  • present cohort
  • present communication
  • present condition
  • present context
  • present contribution
  • present crisis
  • present data
  • present day
  • present debate
  • present detail
  • present difficulty
  • present distribution
  • present element
  • present era
  • present essay
  • present estimate
  • present evaluation
  • present evidence
  • present evidence indicating
  • present example
  • present experience
  • present experiment
  • present finding
  • present form
  • present formulation
  • present framework
  • present group
  • present guideline
  • present information
  • present investigation
  • present issue
  • present knowledge
  • present level
  • present limitation
  • present location
  • present method
  • present methodology
  • present methods
  • present model
  • present moment
  • present numerical result
  • present observation
  • present only
  • present opportunity
  • present paper
  • present patient
  • present pilot study
  • present population
  • present practice
  • present problem
  • present range
  • present recommendation
  • present report
  • present research
  • present result
  • present retrospective study
  • present review
  • present sample
  • present scheme
  • present series
  • present significant challenge
  • present simulation
  • present situation
  • present solution
  • present special problem
  • present state
  • present status
  • present structure
  • present studies
  • present study
  • present study only
  • present study reveal
  • present study show
  • present study shows
  • present study support
  • present survey
  • present system
  • present technique
  • present theory
  • present therapy
  • present time
  • present treatment
  • present trend
  • present trial
  • present understanding
  • present unique challenge
  • present use
  • present value
  • present work

  • Selected Abstracts


    TOWARD THE GLOBAL STANDARDIZATION OF ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION PROPOSAL FOR 10 YEARS FROM NOW , PRESENT AND FUTURE VIEW OF KOREA

    DIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2009
    Joo Young Cho
    Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the main treatment of early gastric cancer in Korea. The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE) has organized an ESD research group and made several plans to standardize pathologic and therapeutic points of view. This article is to introduce the present and future view of ESD in Korea. [source]


    ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION IN THE UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT: PRESENT AND FUTURE VIEW OF EUROPE

    DIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2009
    Horst Neuhaus
    In Western countries endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) has been widely accepted for treatment of early Barrett`s neoplasia and flat or depressed colorectal adenomas. In contrast endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is infrequently performed for several reasons. It seems to be difficult to overcome the learning curve of this difficult technique because of the low case volume of early gastric cancer. On the other hand ESD of esophageal or colorectal lesions is even more challenging and is considered to be inappropriate for learning. In addition the indication for esophageal or colorectal ESD is controversial in view of excellent results of the well established EMR technique which is less time-consuming and safer than ESD. A recent survey of leading Western endoscopy centers indicated the limited experience with ESD with a low number of cases for all potential indications. Only a few training courses have been established and the number of ongoing clinical studies is limited. Only 12 out of 340 published articles on "endoscopic mucosal dissection" were reported from Western countries. A better acceptance of ESD requires improvement of the technique to allow an easier, faster and safer approach. There is a strong demand for structured training courses and limitations of human cases to selected centers which participate in prospective trials. A close collaboration between Western and Asian centers is recommended for improvement of the ESD technique and its clinical application. [source]


    GLOBALISATION: PAST AND PRESENT

    ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2010
    Dilip K. Das
    This article compares and contrasts the two modern eras of globalisation, namely the one that started in the mid-nineteenth century and ended on the eve of World War I, and the contemporary era. Although in both periods globalisation brought down national barriers and integrated economies and societies, there were distinct characteristic features of both periods. For example, the scale of global integration through trade and financial channels during the contemporary era was unmatched by the previous phase of globalisation. Furthermore, never in history had global integration involved so many countries and people, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the global population. [source]


    ASSESSMENT OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS PRESENT ON VACUUM LOADERS IN SHELL EGG PROCESSING FACILITIES

    JOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 3 2008
    D.R. JONES
    ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the pathogen prevalence on vacuum loader cup surfaces. An off-line (birds housed off-site) and a mixed (birds housed on-site and eggs brought from outside production) operation shell egg processing facility were sampled three times each. Twenty vacuum loader cups were randomly rinsed with sterile saline per visit. Total aerobic microorganisms and Enterobacteriaceae were enumerated, and the prevalence of Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria was determined. Aerobic microorganisms were ,5 log cfu/mL, with higher levels noted in the mixed operation. Enterobacteriaceae levels averaged 2.5 log cfu/mL but were higher in the off-line facility. Campylobacter was detected in 1.6% of the samples. Salmonella was detected in 3.3% of the samples with isolates serotyped as Salmonella anatum and Salmonella heidelberg. There was a high prevalence of Listeria (72%). Confirmed isolates were identified as Listeria innocua (98.8%) and Listeria monocytogenes (1.2%). Identification of the populations present on the cup surfaces will allow for the development of more effective cleaning and disinfection programs. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Vacuum loaders have previously been determined to be reservoirs for microorganisms in shell egg processing plants. Assessing the prevalence of prominent foodborne pathogens (Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria) on the vacuum loader cup surface would allow for more targeted approaches to cleaning and sanitation. High levels of aerobic organisms and Enterobacteriaceae were detected (,5 and 2.5 log cfu/mL, respectively). Furthermore, Campylobacter and Salmonella were also found, but at low prevalence. Listeria was detected in 72% of the samples. Cleaning and sanitation programs currently utilized in shell egg processing facilities need to be reassessed, and new technologies need to be developed to address the presence of Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria. [source]


    Effect of Sugar and Nitrogen on the Production of Anthocyanin in Cultured Carrot (Daucus carota) cells

    JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 1 2002
    M.S. Narayan
    ABSTRACT: Callus cultures of carrot, Nentes scarlet - 104 variety, were initiated on MS medium for anthocyanin production. Two anthocyanins, cayanidin-3-lathyroside and cyanidin-3-glucoside, PRESENT in the ratio of 3:1, were identified in the callus cultures. Eight sugars were tried as carbon source for the production of total anthocyanin. The sugars xylose and lactose, although they initiated growth of the green callus, did not initiate anthocyanin pigmentation. Fructose, galactose, and maltose produced less than 1.75% (dry weight basis) anthocyanin though there was growth of the pigmented callus. Glucose and sucrose produced 3.5%. It was observed that 7.5% sucrose in the medium produced maximum amount of anthocyanin (6.5%). Total nitrogen at 70 mM concentration and a 1:4 ratio of ammonium to nitrate yielded maximum cell growth and best anthocyanin production. Modifying the medium it was possible to enhance the production to 6-8%. [source]


    ARE CYTOPLASMIC POCKETS (MTR/POCKET) PRESENT IN ALL PHOTOSYNTHETIC EUGLENOID GENERA?1

    JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 4 2002
    Woongghi Shin
    In 1985, the existence of a cytoplasmic pocket formed from the reservoir membrane in the photosynthetic euglenoid Colacium was described. A band of reinforcing microtubules (MTR) derived from the ventral flagellar root lined the pocket, and a dense fibrillar mesh was associated with the membrane. A comparison of bodonid cytostomes, colorless euglenoid cytostomes, and the reservoir pocket found in Colacium suggested that the three structures were homologous and that photosynthetic euglenoids arose from phagotrophic ancestors. MTR/pockets have since been reported in other photosynthetic euglenoids, including Euglena, Eutreptia, Eutreptiella, Cryptoglena, Tetreutreptia, and Phacus. We found MTR/pockets in three additional taxa, Lepocinclis, Trachelomonas, and Strombomonas, thereby demonstrating the presence of this complex in representatives of all the major photosynthetic genera. A comparison of the MTR/pocket complex across genera indicated a reduction in structural complexity that was consistent with recent phylogenetic schemes based on molecular characters. Three alternative hypotheses of the origin of MTR/pockets in phototrophic euglenoids are presented and discussed. [source]


    LANDSCAPE-SCALE ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF CUMULATIVE IMPACTS TO RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE,

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 6 2001
    Eric D. Stein
    ABSTRACT: Analyses of cumulative impacts to riparian systems is an important yet elusive goal. Previous analyses have focused on comparing the number of hectares impacted to the number of hectares restored, without addressing the loss of riparian function or the effect of the spatial distribution of impacts. This paper presents an analysis of the spatial distribution of development-related impacts to riparian ecosystems, that were authorized under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Impacts on habitat structure, contiguity, and landscape context were evaluated using functional indices scaled to regional reference sites. Impact sites were mapped using GIS and analyzed for spatial associations. Positive spatial autocorrelation (i.e. clustering of impact sites) resulted from the piecemeal approach to impact assessment, which failed to prevent cumulative impacts. Numerous small projects in close proximity have resulted in adverse impacts to entire stream reaches or have fragmented the aquatic resources to a point where overall functional capacity is impaired. Additionally, the ecological functions of unaffected areas have been diminished due to their proximity to degraded areas. A proactive approach to managing cumulative impacts is currently being used in Orange County, California as part of a Corps of Engineers sponsored Special Area Management Plan (SAMP). The SAMP process is evaluating the ecological conditions and physical processes of the study watersheds and attempting to plan future development in a manner that will guard against cumulative impacts. [source]


    TASTE DISORDERS PRESENT IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE DO NOT HAVE AN EFFECT ON OVERHYDRATION AND EXCESSIVE WEIGHT GAIN BETWEEN DIALYSES (Letter to the Editor)

    NEPHROLOGY, Issue 3 2005
    Maciej Bohatyrewicz
    [source]


    ANAESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA: CONTRIBUTION TO SURGERY, PRESENT AND FUTURE

    ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 7 2008
    Edward Shipton
    Anaesthetists provide comprehensive perioperative medical care to patients undergoing surgical and diagnostic procedures, including postoperative intensive care when needed. They are involved in the management of perioperative acute pain as well as chronic pain. This manuscript considers some of the recent advances in modern anaesthesia and their contribution to surgery, from the basic mechanisms of action, to the delivery systems for general and regional anaesthesia, to the use of new drugs and new methods of monitoring. It assesses the resulting progress in acute and chronic pain services and looks at patient safety and risk management. It speculates on directions that may shape its future contributions to the management of the patient undergoing surgery. [source]


    AL01 PACIFIC ISLANDS PROJECT , PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE

    ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 2007
    D. A. K. Watters
    The Pacific Islands Project began in 1995 and in its early years had a focus on providing specialist services that were not available in the 10 island nations visited. In 2002 Nauru was added and PIP Phase III will end its 9 month bridging/extension phase in September 2007. During the last 12 years Fiji School of Medicine has commenced a postgraduate medical training program in surgery similar to that has been in existence in PNG since 1975. There are now a growing number of Pacific-trained surgeons who can select suitable cases, do some of the surgery, and supervise the postoperative care. Increasingly visiting teams have focused on transferring skills and building local capabilities (capacity building). The RACS, the Project Director and the speciality coordinators have managed the first three phases of the project in Australia. Phase III had on-going evaluation by an internal RACS committee under the chairmanship of Professor Hamish Ewing. AusAid also externally reviewed the project late in 2006. That review was generally complimentary as to what has been achieved but also points to some new goals for the future. At the time of writing this abstract the future direction of PIP is yet to be decided and designed. This will be done mid 2007. However, it is to be hoped there will be a new program, focused on capacity building, that is managed in the Pacific and employs the skills of Pacific Island Specialists wherever possible. RACS is likely to continue to play an important role in sourcing visiting specialists, organising training positions, arranging courses. We have much expertise to offer but there is no longer any need for us to set the agendas. [source]


    Journeys of Expansion and Synopsis: Tensions in Books That Shaped Curriculum Inquiry, 1968,Present

    CURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 1 2010
    WILLIAM H. SCHUBERT
    In honor of the 40th volume of Curriculum Inquiry, I begin by claiming that pursuit of questions about what is worthwhile, why, and for whose benefit is a (perhaps the) central consideration of curriculum inquiry. Drawing autobiographically from my experience as an educator during the past 40 years, I sketch reflections on curriculum books published during that time span. I situate my comments within both the historical backdrop that preceded the beginning of Curriculum Inquiry and the emergence of new curricular languages or paradigms during the late 1960s and early 1970s. I suggest that two orientations of curriculum books have provided a lively tension in curriculum literature,one expansive and the other synoptic,while cautiously wondering if both may have evolved from different dimensions of John Dewey's work. I speculate about the place of expansion and synopsis in several categories of curriculum literature: historical and philosophical; policy, professional, and popular; aesthetic and artistic; practical and narrative; critical; inner and contextual; and indigenous and global. Finally, I reconsider expansive and synoptic tendencies in light of compendia, heuristics, and venues that portray evolving curriculum understandings without losing the purport of myriad expansions of the literature. [source]


    Nuclear Weapons: The Global and Popular Context of Policy

    DIPLOMATIC HISTORY, Issue 2 2005
    Charles Chatfield
    Book reviewed: Lawrence S. Wittner. Toward Nuclear Abolition: A History of the World Nuclear Disarmament Movement, 1971to the Present. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2003. 491 pp. Notes, bibliography, index. $75.00 (cloth), $32.95 (paper). [source]


    Present and potential distribution of invasive garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in North America

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 4 2002
    Erik Welk
    Abstract. This paper demonstrates the use of a bioclimatic model mapped over geographical regions as a tool for spatially refined risk assessment for the establishment of non-indigenous plants with invasive behaviour. Drawing on the relationship between plant distribution and climate, the approach uses gridded spatial interpolated monthly means of temperature and precipitation linked with accurate maps of general native distribution ranges to predict the long-term potential of a plant species to invade a certain region. The ascertained potential for establishment is illustrated by the example of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata[M. Bieb.] Cavara & Grande) in North America. The first step is to calculate and visualize the number of populated grid cells along climatic gradients in frequency diagrams for the general native distribution range. Interpretations of the response curves recorded are used for assessing apparent climatic range boundaries. Modelling was gradually optimized based on the results of experience-based interpretations and by examining omission and over-representation errors. The obtained climatic model of the range of A. petiolata shows considerable congruencies with its mapped, native Eurasian range. Degrees of climatic similarity between North America and the native range of A. petiolata were calculated with the help of GIS methodology and were used to assess the regionally different likelihood of establishment in North America of the invasive species under consideration. [source]


    Education in the Continuous Present

    EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY, Issue 3-4 2001
    Stephen Crump
    First page of article [source]


    Increased Plasma Levels of Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Febrile Seizures

    EPILEPSIA, Issue 8 2002
    Miia Virta
    Summary: ,Purpose: Pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines regulate the febrile response during infection. Febrile seizures (FSs) conversely are associated with rapid onset of high fever. Activation of the cytokine network has been shown in previous studies of FSs and cytokines. In this study, the association between cytokines and FSs was further investigated. Methods: Interleukin-1, (IL-1,), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor-, plasma levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 55 children with FSs and in 20 age-matched febrile controls immediately on arrival at the hospital. Cerebrospinal fluid cytokine levels also were measured in 16 FS children. Results: The plasma IL-1RA/IL-1, ratio (mean, 2,133 vs. 119; median, 790 vs. 105; p < 0.0001) and plasma IL-6 (mean, 41.7 pg/ml vs. 16.1 pg/ml; median, 19.6 pg/ml vs. 10.5 pg/ml; p = 0.005) were significantly higher in FS patients compared with control children. Logistic regression analysis was used to find the most significant predisposing factors for FSs. In this analysis, the high plasma IL-1RA/IL-1, ratio was the most significant factor connected to FSs (OR, 41.5; 95% CI, 4.9,352.8), but high plasma IL-6 also was significantly associated with FSs (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.4,20.3). Conclusions: Present results support the hypothesis that the cytokine network is activated and could have a role in the pathogenesis of FS. [source]


    Adrenomedullin and Proadrenomudullin N-Terminal 20 Peptide (PAMP) are Present in Human Colonic Epithelia and Exert an Antimicrobial Effect

    EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
    K. Marutsuka
    The hypotensive and vasorelaxing peptides adrenomedullin (AM) and its gene-related peptide, proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP), were found to be distributed on the surface of the colonic mucosa. AM and PAMP showed dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The results suggest that the novel vasoactive peptides AM and PAMP play an important role in mucosal defence. [source]


    Tracking ,Same,Sex Love' from Antiquity to the Present in South Asia

    GENDER & HISTORY, Issue 1 2002
    Rosemary Marangoly George
    This essay focuses on the anthology Same,Sex Love in India: Readings from Literature and History (2000), edited by Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai. Unlike many other recently published, celebratory ,gay anthologies', this book contributes to ongoing scholarly work on specific same,sex erotic practices and relations in historical and cultural context. We examine issues relevant to this anthology and other such projects: the use of ,love' and ,same,sex' as (stable) signifiers over centuries; the validity of interpreting social reality through literary texts from the period; the difficulties of locating ,love' in severely hierarchical, even slave,owning, societies; and the implications of using such anthologies in the classroom. [source]


    Noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Present and future,

    HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
    Anna Wieckowska
    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the United States, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. It currently affects approximately 30% of adults and 10% of children in the United States. NAFLD represents a wide spectrum of conditions ranging from simple fatty liver which in general follows a benign nonprogressive clinical course, to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is a more serious form of NAFLD that may progress to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. At present, a liver biopsy remains the only reliable way to diagnose NASH and establish the presence of fibrosis. Current noninvasive clinically available tests lack accuracy and reliability. In light of the dramatic increase in the prevalence of NAFLD in conjunction with the significant research effort in developing novel therapies for patients with NASH, noninvasive, simple, reproducible, and reliable biomarkers are greatly needed. They will not only help in the diagnosis of NASH, but also be useful for assessment of treatment response and prognosis and remain a research priority in the NAFLD field. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;46:582,589.) [source]


    History and Historiography of the English East India Company: Past, Present, and Future!

    HISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2009
    Philip J. Stern
    This article explores recent developments in the historiography of the English East India Company. It proposes that there has been an efflorescence of late in scholarship on the Company that is directly tied both to the resurgence of imperial studies in British history as well as to contemporary concerns such as globalization, border-crossings, and transnationalism. These transformations have in turn begun to change some of the most basic narratives and assumptions about the Company's history. At the same time, they have also significantly widened the number and types of scholars interested in the Company, broadening its appeal beyond ,Company studies' to have relevance for a range of historical concerns, in British domestic history, Atlantic history, global history, as well as amongst literary scholars, geographers, sociologists, economists, and others. [source]


    Environmental isotopic and hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater systems in Daying and Qicun geothermal fields, Xinzhou Basin, Shanxi, China

    HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 22 2010
    Dongmei Han
    Abstract The conceptual hydrogeological model of the low to medium temperature Daying and Qicun geothermal fields has been proposed, based on hydrochemical characteristics and isotopic compositions. The two geothermal fields are located in the Xinzhou basin of Shanxi, China and exhibit similarities in their broad-scale flow patterns. Geothermal water is derived from the regional groundwater flow system of the basin and is characterized by Cl·SO4 -Na type. Thermal water is hydrochemically distinct from cold groundwater having higher total dissolved solids (TDS) (>0·8 g/l) and Sr contents, but relatively low Ca, Mg and HCO3 contents. Most shallow groundwater belongs to local flow systems which are subject to evaporation and mixing with irrigation returns. The groundwater residence times estimated by tritium and 14C activities indicate that deep non-thermal groundwater (130,160 m) in the Daying region range from modern (post-1950s) in the piedmont area to more than 9·4 ka BP (Before Present) in the downriver area and imply that this water belong to an intermediate flow system. Thermal water in the two geothermal fields contains no detectable active 14C, indicating long residence times (>50 ka), consistent with this water being part of a large regional flow system. The mean recharge elevation estimated by using the obtained relationship Altitude (m) = , 23·8 × ,2H (, ) , 121·3, is 1980 and 1880 m for the Daying and Qicun geothermal fields, respectively. The annual infiltration rates in the Daying and Qicun geothermal fields can be estimated to be 9029 × 103 and 4107 × 103 m3/a, respectively. The variable 86Sr/87Sr values in the thermal and non-thermal groundwater in the two fields reflect different lithologies encountered along the flow path(s) and possibly different extents of water-rock interaction. Based on the analysis of groundwater flow systems in the two geothermal fields, hydrogeochemical inverse modelling was performed to indicate the possible water-rock interaction processes that occur under different scenarios. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Employment and Wages of Female Japanese Workers: Past, Present, and Future

    INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 4 2002
    Fumi Nakata, Yoshi
    [source]


    Monetary Policy Implementation: Past, Present and Future , Will Electronic Money Lead to the Eventual Demise of Central Banking?

    INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, Issue 2 2000
    FreedmanArticle first published online: 16 DEC 200
    This paper examines the ways in which central banks influence the very short-term interest rate in regimes with and without reserve requirements. It then examines the implications for monetary policy implementation of the spread of electronic money and the potential for other mechanisms to compete with settlement arrangements at central banks. It concludes that it is extremely unlikely that electronic money will displace bank notes or the settlement services that are offered by central banks in the foreseeable future. Moreover, even in the extremely unlikely case that the spread of stored-value cards leads to the elimination of bank notes and that the development of network money permits alternative settlement services to be offered that effectively competes with central bank services, central banks would very likely be able to continue to influence the very short-term rate of interest. They would therefore be able to maintain their influence over aggregate demand and inflation even in such circumstances. [source]


    Present and future therapeutic strategies for idiopathic oligozoospermia

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 6 2000
    Dimitrios A. Adamopoulos
    The effectiveness of medical treatment for idiopathic oligozoospermia (IO) has been at best doubtful until now and a logical consequence of this unsatisfactory situation has been the partial displacement of this approach by assisted reproduction techniques. This state of affairs has resulted from insufficient investigation, inappropriately designed clinical trials and consistent disregard for the principles of evidence-based medicine. Protocol-related shortcomings and wrong interpretation of the data available have also been some of the all too frequent problems encountered in this therapeutic approach. In this rather misty situation, it appears that, of the therapeutic agents used so far, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (mainly FSH-secretagogues) may exert some beneficial effects on a number of biological endpoints related to spermatogenesis and sperm maturation. The short and medium term prospects of medical treatment for IO rest mainly with improvement of investigative procedures to a higher degree of sophistication, with emphasis placed on identifying the causes rather than the results of dysfunction so that a better selection of candidates can be made. Moreover, the introduction of prognostic indices for evaluation of the beneficial effects of a therapeutic agent may be of paramount importance. Finally, a better assessment of the preparations available and, possibly, the introduction of new more specific agents may also be an important step forward in this field. This type of large-scale effort should not be left to individual investigators or special centres working independently, but it may come under the auspices of a central regulating agency so that undisputed results from large, multicentre and uniform studies might be obtained, if medical treatment is to remain a good option. In this context, it may also be emphasized that andrology's main task should always be to treat the male with the problem rather than his healthy female partner, whenever this is possible. [source]


    Probiotic fermented milks: Present and future

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
    BORJA SÁNCHEZ
    Milk and dairy products have been part of human nutrition since ancient times, constituting an important part of a balanced diet. Fermented dairy products containing living micro-organisms have traditionally been used to restore gut health, being among the pioneers in functional foods. Such utilisation of live micro-organisms forms the basis of the probiotic concept, which constitutes a fast growing market for the development of new products. In this article, we review the current status of fermented milk as a vehicle for delivery of beneficial bacteria and look into future new directions and challenges. [source]


    Past, Present and Future Insights into the Understanding and Treatment of Osteoarthritis: Molecular and Mechanical Approaches

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
    Article first published online: 19 JAN 200
    First page of article [source]


    Variations of magnetic susceptibility and fine quartz accumulation rate in Daisen loam over the past 200 000 years: Interaction between winter and summer monsoons in south-west Japan

    ISLAND ARC, Issue 2 2001
    Jun-Ichi Kimura
    Abstract A loam section near Daisen volcano, South-west Japan, has been examined for low-field magnetic susceptibility (MS) and fine quartz accumulation rate. Fission track dating of tephra layers interbedded in the deposit shows that the loam age ranges from about 200 ka to the Present. The MS was measured for both bulk sample and the < 63 ,m fine fraction. Fine quartz contents in the < 63 ,m fraction were also determined using acid-alkali digestions and recalculated to derive fine quartz accumulation rate (Rqz). Grain size analysis was then carried out on the separated fine quartz. Low-field MS varies from low frequency magnetic suspectibility (,(LF)) 5 to 100 (× 10,6 m3/kg) for bulk samples and from 1 to 30 for fine fractions. The fine fraction ,(LF) variation correlated with Chinese loess MS stratigraphy, which indicated changes in pedogenic enhancement of the MS and is reflected by summer monsoon intensity. The Rqz are high in cool climate stages, with volumes between 0.2 and 0.4 (× 10,2 kg/m2 per yr), whereas in warm stages the rate falls to about 0.1. These values compare well with those reported from the Hokkaido and Kanto areas, suggesting the fine quartz originates from tropospheric dust. The strong winter monsoons during glacial stages alternated with weak summer monsoons as a result of a southward shift of the jet stream. In interglacials, summer monsoons were stronger. Seasonal alternating monsoons appear to have operated in South-west Japan through the past 200 000 years. [source]


    Global carbonate accumulation rates from Cretaceous to Present and their implications for the carbon cycle model

    ISLAND ARC, Issue 1 2001
    T. Nakamori
    Abstract Global carbonate accumulation rates on the surface of the earth, including not only platforms but also continental margin slopes and deep-sea from the Cretaceous to Present, are estimated by compiling previous geologic studies. These rates are revised, taking account of the erosional effect of the sediments on the platform and deep-sea. Long-term model carbonate fluxes from the ocean to the crust are calculated on the basis of the carbon cycle model (GEOCARB of Berner 1991). The rates based on the actual geologic data indicate much lower values than model fluxes, excluding the Pliocene and Quaternary. The discrepancy could be attributed to the two misunderstandings, namely an overestimate of carbonate accumulation rate for the Quaternary and an incorrect use of the higher Quaternary rate for a boundary condition of the model. The carbonate accumulation rate for the Pliocene to Quaternary is lowered from 29.8 × 1018 mol/Ma (modified from Opdyke & Wilkinson 1988) to 14.8 × 1018 mol/Ma in the present study, assuming that the rate from Quaternary to Pliocene is almost the same as the Miocene value. New model fluxes are recalculated with the new boundary condition in the Quaternary (14.8 × 1018 mol/Ma). Revised model fluxes show general trends of high rates in 120 Ma or 130 Ma, and a low rate in 0 Ma, and are in agreement with the accumulation rate pattern. [source]


    When Pictures Are Present: Arthur Danto and the Historicity of the Eye

    JOURNAL OF AESTHETICS AND ART CRITICISM, Issue 1 2001
    Whitney Davis
    First page of article [source]


    An ultrastructural study of cell death in the CA1 pyramidal field of the hippocapmus in rats submitted to transient global ischemia followed by reperfusion

    JOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 5 2007
    Aline De Souza Pagnussat
    Abstract In the course of ischemia and reperfusion a disruption of release and uptake of excitatory neurotransmitters occurs. This excitotoxicity triggers delayed cell death, a process closely related to mitochondrial physiology and one that shows both apoptotic and necrotic features. The aim of the present study was to use electron microscopy to characterize the cell death of pyramidal cells from the CA1 field of the hippocampus after 10 min of transient global ischemia followed by short reperfusion periods. For this study 25 adult male Wistar rats were used, divided into six groups: 10 min of ischemia, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h of reperfusion and an untouched group. Transient forebrain ischemia was produced using the 4-vessel occlusion method. The pyramidal cells of the CA1 field from rat hippocampus submitted to ischemia exhibited intracellular alterations consistent with a process of degeneration, with varied intensities according to the reperfusion period and bearing both apoptotic and necrotic features. Gradual neuronal and glial modifications allowed for the classification of the degenerative process into three stages: initial, intermediate and final were found. With 3 and 6 h of reperfusion, slight and moderate morphological alterations were seen, such as organelle and cytoplasm edema. Within 12 h of reperfusion, there was an apparent recovery and more ,intact' cells could be identified, while 24 h after the event neuronal damage was more severe and cells with disrupted membranes and cell debris were identified. Necrotic-like neurons were found together with some apoptotic bodies with 24 h of reperfusion. Present results support the view that cell death in the CA1 field of rat hippocampus submitted to 10 min of global transient ischemia and early reperfusion times includes both apoptotic and necrotic features, a process referred to as parapoptosis. [source]


    It Ain't Broke: The Past, Present, and Future of Venture Capital

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 2 2010
    Steven N. Kaplan
    This article presents a selective history of the U.S. venture capital (VC) industry, a discussion of the current state of the market, and some predictions about where the market is going. There is no doubt that the U.S. venture capital industry has been very successful. The VC model has provided an efficient solution to a difficult problem,that of enabling people with promising ideas but often limited track records to raise capital from outside investors. A large fraction of IPOs, including many of the most successful, have been funded by venture capitalists, and the U.S. VC model has been copied around the world. Armed with this historical perspective, the authors view with skepticism the recent claims that the VC model is broken. In the past, VC investments in companies have represented a remarkably constant 0.15% of the total value of the stock market; and commitments to VC funds, while more variable, have been consistently in the 0.10% to 0.20% range. Both of these percentages have continued to hold in recent years. And despite the relatively low number of IPOs, the returns to VC funds this decade have largely maintained their historical relationship to the overall stock market. To be sure, VC investment and returns continue to be subject to boom-and-bust cycles. But if the recent period has most of the features of a bust, the authors view today's historically low level of commitments to U.S. VC funds as a fairly reliable indicator of relatively high expected returns for the 2009 and (probably) 2010 vintage years. Perhaps the most promising future role for venture capital, as the authors suggest in closing, is to increase the productivity of the corporate research and development function through various kinds of partnerships and outsourcing arrangements. [source]