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Kinds of One Type Selected AbstractsDental trauma incidence and mouthguard use in elite athletes in TurkeyDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2005e Diljin Keçeci Abstract,,, Contact sports may lead to dental trauma, which often can be reduced with appropriate preventive measures. While numerous studies exist on this topic for several countries throughout the world, there is a lack of comprehensive descriptive studies in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and type of dental injuries associated with three different sports among Turkish elite athletes, who do not contact (volleyball), contact directly (taekwondo) or indirectly (handball) with competition rivals. Additionally, awareness and use of mouthguards were also compared. Thus, during the 2003 and 2004 Turkish National Championships in three sports, 50 taekwondo, 62 handball and 50 volleyball male athletes were interviewed by questionnaire. Results showed that taekwondo and handball athletes experienced significantly more dental trauma than volleyball athletes (P < 0.05). Twelve of the taekwondo (24%), 16 of the handball (26%) and four of the volleyball athletes (8%) experienced at least one type of dental injury. Awareness of mouthguards as a preventive measure against dental trauma was significantly higher among taekwondo and handball athletes (P < 0.05), although a very small percentage in either of these sports actually wore a mouthguard (10 and 0%, respectively). Trauma incidence between direct contact with rival competitors and indirect contact with rival competitors was not significantly different. The incidence of dental trauma in contact sports shows that the awareness and use of mouthguards must be intensified. Mouthguard use should be made compulsory, especially in those sports with high risk for dental trauma. [source] Interrelationship of childhood trauma, neuroticism, and depressive phenotypeDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 3 2007Valentina Moskvina Ph.D. Abstract Both childhood trauma (CT) and genetic factors contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. We studied the relationship of CT to age of onset (AO) of depression, personality traits, and expression of symptom dimensions in 324 adults with recurrent unipolar depression. Subjects received structured psychiatric interviews and completed CT, depressive symptom, and personality rating questionnaires. Experience of at least one type of trauma was reported by 79.9% of subjects, and the most common forms of trauma were physical neglect, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect. There was an earlier AO of depression in the groups that reported CT compared to those that reported none, with earliest AO occurring in those who had experienced the highest levels of CT. There were no significant correlations between overall CT scores and neuroticism or extraversion. Total CT was a significant (P=.008) predictor of the Mood symptom dimension, mostly accounted for by emotional abuse (P=.019), and physical neglect predicted the Anxiety symptom dimension (P=.002). All types of CT are commonly reported in individuals with depression, and emotional abuse and physical neglect, though previously less well identified, appear to have an important role in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders. The effect of CT on individuals with an underlying genetic vulnerability to depression may result in differences in depressive phenotype characterized by earlier AO of depression and the expression of specific depressive symptom dimensions. Depression and Anxiety 24:163,168, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Ultrastructure and functional features of midgut of an adult water mite Teutonia cometes (Koch, 1837) (Hydrachnidia: Teutoniidae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2 2010Andrew B. Shatrov Abstract Shatrov, A. B. 2010. Ultrastructure and functional features of midgut of an adult water mite Teutonia cometes (Koch 1837) (Hydrachnidia: Teutoniidae). ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 222,232 The midgut of the adult water mite Teutonia cometes (Koch 1837) (Hydrachnidia: Teutoniidae) was investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy and on semi-thin sections. The midgut is represented by a blind sac composed of the narrow ventriculus, two proventricular lateral diverticula and three pairs of postventricular caeca. A single-layered epithelium consists of one type of endodermal digestive cells of quite different shape and size, which may form protrusions into the midgut lumen. The large nuclei are frequently lobed and contain one to three nucleoli. The apical cell membrane forms short scarce microvilli, between their bases the pinocytotic vesicles of unspecific macropinocytosis as well as the narrow pinocytotic canals are formed and immersed into the cell. The intracellular digestion of the food ingested into the midgut after extraintestinal digestion is predominant. The pinocytotic vesicles fuse with small clear vesicles of proposed Golgi origin to form secondary lysosomes. The digestive cells also contain small amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum, variously structured heterolysosomes, residual materials in the form of both the small electron-dense bodies and the large variously granulated substances, reserve nutritive materials such as lipid and glycogen, as well as clear vacuoles. Residual materials are obviously extruded from the cells into the gut lumen. [source] Actinorhodopsins: proteorhodopsin-like gene sequences found predominantly in non-marine environmentsENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Adrian K. Sharma Summary Proteorhodopsins are light-energy-harvesting transmembrane proteins encoded by genes recently discovered in the surface waters of the world's oceans. Metagenomic data from the Global Ocean Sampling expedition (GOS) recovered 2674 proteorhodopsin-related sequences from 51 aquatic samples. Four of these samples were from non-marine environments, specifically, Lake Gatun within the Panama Canal, Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay and the Punta Cormorant Lagoon in Ecuador. Rhodopsins related to but phylogenetically distinct from most sequences designated proteorhodopsins were present at all four of these non-marine sites and comprised three different clades that were almost completely absent from marine samples. Phylogenomic analyses of genes adjacent to those encoding these novel rhodopsins suggest affiliation to the Actinobacteria, and hence we propose to name these divergent, non-marine rhodopsins ,actinorhodopsins'. Actinorhodopsins conserve the acidic amino acid residues critical for proton pumping and their genes lack genomic association with those encoding photo-sensory transducer proteins, thus supporting a putative ion pumping function. The ratio of recA and radA to rhodopsin genes in the different environment types sampled within the GOS indicates that rhodopsins of one type or another are abundant in microbial communities in freshwater, estuarine and lagoon ecosystems, supporting an important role for these photosystems in all aquatic environments influenced by sunlight. [source] The spectrum of benign myoclonus of early infancy: Clinical and neurophysiologic features in 102 patientsEPILEPSIA, Issue 5 2009Roberto H. Caraballo Summary Purpose:, To redefine benign myoclonus of early infancy (BMEI) through analysis of clinical and neurophysiologic features in 102 patients with the aim to widen the spectrum of the syndrome, including a number of different clinical expressions of transient nonepileptic paroxysmal movements occurring in normal infants. Methods:, We recruited patients from one center in Argentina and two in Italy, including infants with normal neurologic and psychomotor development presenting with brief paroxysmal abnormal movements. Children with motor phenomena occurring only during sleep were excluded. Patients with abnormal interictal or ictal electroencephalography (EEG) findings were also excluded. The follow-up ranged from 2,40 years. Results:, One hundred and two infants (60 male) met the inclusion criteria. Age at onset ranged from 1,12 months, with a median age of 6.2 months. The following nonepileptic paroxysmal motor phenomena were recognized: (1) myoclonus, (2) spasms and brief tonic contractions, (3) shuddering, (4) atonia or negative myoclonus, (5) more than one type of motor phenomenon. In the majority of cases the episodes occurred only while awake and repeated several times a day. In 45 (44.1%) of the 102 cases contractions appeared in clusters. Conclusions:, Based on the analysis of clinical and EMG features in this large series of infants, we postulate that the spectrum of the syndrome is wider than initially suspected, and that the different transient motor manifestations and their correlation with different EMG patterns will allow recognition of this definitely benign condition comprising a variety of episodic motor phenomena in normal babies. [source] Parietal Lobe Epilepsy: The Semiology, Yield of Diagnostic Workup, and Surgical OutcomeEPILEPSIA, Issue 6 2004Dong Wook Kim Summary: Purpose: To characterize the clinical features, the prognostic value, and diagnostic sensitivities of various presurgical evaluations and the surgical outcomes in parietal lobe epilepsy (PLE), we describe 40 patients who were diagnosed as having PLE, including 27 surgically treated patients. Methods: The diagnosis was established by means of a standard presurgical evaluation, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorodeoxyglucose,positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), ictal single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), and scalp video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring, with additional intracranial EEG monitoring in selected cases. Results: Among the 40 patients, 27 experienced at least one type of aura. The most common auras were somatosensory (13 patients), followed by affective, vertiginous, and visual auras. The patients had diverse manifestations. Eighteen patients showed simple motor seizure, followed by automotor seizure, and dialeptic seizure. Two patients manifested generalized tonic,clonic seizures only, and 19 patients experienced more than one type of seizure. The surgical outcome was favorable in 22 of 26 patients including 14 who were seizure free. Patients with localized MRI abnormality had a higher probability to be seizure free, with marginal significance (p = 0.062), whereas other diagnostic modalities failed to predict the surgical outcome. In the seizure-free group, localization sensitivity was 64.3% by MRI, 50% by PET, 45.5% by ictal SPECT, and 35.7% by ictal EEG. The concordance rate of the various diagnostic modalities was higher in the seizure-free group than in the non,seizure-free group, although it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Seizures, in the case of PLE, can manifest themselves in a wider variety of ways than was previously thought. Surgical outcome was favorable in most of the patients. MRI abnormality and concordance of different diagnostic modalities were associated with high seizure-free rate. [source] Study of laryngopharyngeal pathology in Thoroughbred horses in southern CaliforniaEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 9 2009S. DIAB Summary Reasons for performing study: There is increasing anecdotal evidence among horse owners, trainers and equine clinicians of a high prevalence of subepiglottic ulcers, suggested to have a negative effect on racing performance. Objectives: To provide a prevalence study and pathological characterisation of laryngopharyngeal lesions with emphasis in the subepiglottic area and, in particular, subepiglottic ulcers. Methods: The study was carried out on 91 Thoroughbred racehorses received for post mortem examination from 4 major Southern California racetracks. The most common reason for submission was catastrophic musculoskeletal injury, but others include sudden death, laminitis, colic, colitis, neurological disorders, pleuropneumonia and arytenoid chondropathy. Laryngopharyngeal specimens were collected and examined grossly; selected cases were also examined histopathologically. Results: Thirteen horses (14.3%) had at least one type of laryngopharyngeal abnormality, 7 horses (7.7%) had lesions in the subepiglottic soft tissues, including 4 subepiglottic ulcers, 2 soft palate ,kissing lesions' and one 'subepiglottic scar'. Eight horses (8.8%) had lesions elsewhere in the laryngopharynx, including mucosal ulcerations, arytenoid chondropathy, epiglottic entrapment and partial absence of arytenoid cartilage. Conclusions and potential relevance: Lesions in the subepiglottic area were among the most prevalent in this study, suggesting that an important percentage of laryngopharyngeal abnormalities may be missed during routine endoscopy of the standing horse, which often does not include the examination of subepiglottic tissues. Pathologically, subepiglottic ulcers were chronic-active with viable hyperplastic epithelial margins, suggesting that proper healing and re-epithelialisation should occur with appropriate treatment. In most cases, the lesions observed do not necessarily indicate a clinical problem and more extensive prevalence studies and correlation between abnormalities found and performance are needed to assess the clinical relevance of subepiglottic soft tissue lesions accurately. [source] Eating-disordered patients with and without self-injurious behaviours: a comparison of psychopathological featuresEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 5 2003Laurence Claes Objective: A considerable number of eating-disordered patients also display all kinds of self-injurious behaviours (SIB), which might be viewed as an indicator of psychopathological severity. Method: To test this hypothesis in 70 females admitted to a specialized treatment programme for eating disorders, a wide spectrum of psychopathological features was studied by means of self-reporting questionnaires: clinical symptomatology, personality disorders, aggression regulation, trauma history, dissociation and body experience. A comparison was made between patients with (n,=,27) and without SIB (n,=,43), as well as between patients with one (n,=,13) versus more types (n,=,14) of SIB. Results: In general, patients with SIB reported significantly more complaints or signs of anxiety, depression, hostility, cluster B personality disorders, feelings of anger, traumatic experiences, dissociation and negative appreciation of body size. The presence of more than one type of SIB was linked to a more pronounced clinical symptomatology and trauma history. . Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Syntheses, Spectroscopic Studies, and Crystal Structures of Chiral [Rh(aminocarboxylato)(,4 -cod)] and Chiral [Rh(amino alcohol)(,4 -cod)](acetate) Complexes with an Example of a Spontaneous Resolution of a Racemic Mixture into Homochiral Helix-EnantiomersEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2006Mohammed Enamullah Abstract The dimeric complex acetato(,4 -cycloocta-1,5-diene)rhodium(I), [Rh(O2CMe)(,4 -cod)]2 (cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene), reacts with amino acids [HAA = L -alanine, (S)-2-amino-2-phenylacetic acid (L -phenylglycine), N -methylglycine, and N -phenylglycine] and with the amino alcohol (S)-2-amino-2-phenylethanol to afford the aminocarboxylato(,4 -cycloocta-1,5-diene)rhodium(I) complexes [Rh(AA)(,4 -cod)] (AA = deprotonated amino acid = aminocarboxylato ligand) and [(S)-2-amino-2-phenylethanol](,4 -cycloocta-1,5-diene)rhodium(I) acetate, [Rh{(S)-HOCH2,CH(Ph)-NH2}(,4 -cod)](O2CMe) (V). The complexes are characterized by IR, UV/Vis, 1H/13C NMR and mass spectroscopy. The achiral N -phenylglycine ligand gives a chiral N -phenylglycinato complex [Rh(O2C,CH2,NHPh)(,4 -cod)] (IV) with the amine nitrogen atom becoming the stereogenic center upon metal coordination. Complex IV crystallizes in the tetragonal, chiral space group P43 and the crystal structure reveals twofold spontaneous resolution of a racemic mixture into homochiral helix-enantiomers. The investigated crystal contained only one type of helix, namely (left-handed or M- ) 43 -helical chains. This is traced first to an intermolecular N,H···O hydrogen bonding from the stereogenic amino group to a neighboring unligated carboxyl oxygen atom that connects only molecules of the same (R)-configuration into (left-handed or M- ) 43 -helical chains. This intrachain homochirality is supplemented, secondly, by the interlocking of adjacent chains with their corrugated van der Waals surface to allow for an interchain transmission of the sense of helicity, building the single crystal from the same homochiral helix-enantiomer. The enantiomeric amino alcohol complex V crystallizes in the monoclinic, noncentrosymmetric (Sohncke) space group P21. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006) [source] Uniformly Nucleobase-Functionalized ,-Peptide Helices: Watson,Crick Pairing or Nonspecific AggregationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 33 2007Angelina Weiß Abstract The organization and architecture of helices is fundamental in folding of protein tertiary structures. Therefore, stable ,-peptide helices are used as models for the selective organization of secondary structures. Nucleobases are already established as recognition elements to organize two ,-peptide helices in antiparallel orientation. The investigation of ,-peptide helices uniformly functionalized with one type of nucleobases provided further insight in the recognition mode and requirements for specific interaction within the linear and very rigid helical backbone topology. Specific helix interaction based on base pair recognition is predominant as soon as Watson,Crick pairing is allowed. If the hydrogen bonding donor/acceptor pattern prohibits the Watson,Crick geometry, a quite stable nonspecific interaction was found based on aromatic interactions or on a nonspecific hydrogen bonding network. The latter aggregation was also confirmed with tyrosine side chains.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005) [source] POPULATION DIFFERENTIATION IN THE BEETLE TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM.EVOLUTION, Issue 3 2007We used joint-scaling analyses in conjunction with rearing temperature variation to investigate the contributions of additive, non-additive, and environmental effects to genetic divergence and incipient speciation among 12 populations of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, with small levels of pairwise nuclear genetic divergence (0.033 < Nei's D < 0.125). For 15 population pairs we created a full spectrum of line crosses (two parental, two reciprocal F1's, four F2's, and eight backcrosses), reared them at multiple temperatures, and analyzed the numbers and developmental defects of offspring. We assayed a total of 219,388 offspring from 5147 families. Failed crosses occurred predominately in F2's, giving evidence of F2 breakdown within this species. In all cases where a significant model could be fit to the data on offspring number, we observed at least one type of digenic epistasis. We also found maternal and cytoplasmic effects to be common components of divergence among T. castaneum populations. In some cases, the most complex model tested (additive, dominance, epistatic, maternal, and cytoplasmic effects) did not provide a significant fit to the data, suggesting that linkage or higher order epistasis is involved in differentiation between some populations. For the limb deformity data, we observed significant genotype-by-environment interaction in most crosses and pure parent crosses tended to have fewer deformities than hybrid crosses. Complexity of genetic architecture was not correlated with either geographic distance or genetic distance. Our results support the view that genetic incompatibilities responsible for postzygotic isolation, an important component of speciation, may be a natural but serendipitous consequence of nonadditive genetic effects and structured populations. [source] DIVERSITY IN THE WEAPONS OF SEXUAL SELECTION: HORN EVOLUTION IN THE BEETLE GENUS ONTHOPHAGUS (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE)EVOLUTION, Issue 5 2005Douglas J. Emlen Abstract Both ornaments and weapons of sexual selection frequently exhibit prolific interspecific diversity of form. Yet, most studies of this diversity have focused on ornaments involved with female mate choice, rather than on the weapons of male competition. With few exceptions, the mechanisms of divergence in weapon morphology remain largely unexplored. Here, we characterize the evolutionary radiation of one type of weapon: beetle horns. We use partial sequences from four nuclear and three mitochondrial genes to develop a phylogenetic hypothesis for a worldwide sample of 48 species from the dung beetle genus Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). We then use these data to test for multiple evolutionary origins of horns and to characterize the evolutionary radiation of horns. Although our limited sampling of one of the world's most species-rich genera almost certainly underestimates the number of evolutionary events, our phylogeny reveals prolific evolutionary lability of these exaggerated sexually selected weapons (more than 25 separate gains and losses of five different horn types). We discuss these results in the context of the natural history of these beetles and explore ways that sexual selection and ecology may have interacted to generate this extraordinary diversity of weapon morphology. [source] Description of fatigue damage in carbon black filled natural rubberFATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 12 2008J.-B. LE CAM ABSTRACT The present paper describes macroscopic fatigue damage in carbon black-filled natural rubber (CB-NR) under uniaxial loading conditions. Uniaxial tension-compression, fully relaxing uniaxial tension and non-relaxing uniaxial tension loading conditions were applied until sample failure. Results, summarized in a Haigh-like diagram, show that only one type of fatigue damage is observed for uniaxial tension-compression and fully relaxing uniaxial tension loading conditions, and that several different types of fatigue damage take place in non-relaxing uniaxial tension loading conditions. The different damage types observed under non-relaxing uniaxial tension, loading conditions are closely related to the improvement of rubber fatigue life. Therefore, as fatigue life improvement is classically supposed to be due to strain-induced crystallization (SIC), a similar conclusion can be drawn for the occurrence of different types of fatigue damage. [source] Structural organization of a complex family of palindromic repeats in EnterococciFEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2009Eliana De Gregorio Abstract Enterococcus faecalis/faecium repeats (EFARs) are miniature insertion sequences spread in the genome of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Unit-length repeats measure 165,170 bp and contain two modules (B and T) capable of folding independently into stem-loop sequences, connected by a short, unstructured module J. The E. faecalis elements feature only one type of B, J and T modules. In contrast, the E. faecium elements result from the assembly of different types of B, J and T modules, and may vary in length because they carry multiple B modules. Most EFARs are located close (0,20 bp) to ORF stop codons, and are thus cotranscribed with upstream flanking genes. In both E. faecalis and E. faecium cells, EFAR transcripts accumulate in a strand-dependent fashion. Data suggest that T modules function as bidirectional transcriptional terminators, which provide a 3,-end to gene transcripts spanning B modules, while blocking antisense transcripts coming in from the opposite direction. [source] Carotenoid accumulation strategies for becoming a colourful House Finch: analyses of plasma and liver pigments in wild moulting birdsFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2006K. J. MCGRAW Summary 1Male House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) colour their sexually selected plumage with carotenoid pigments, and there has been much interest in the factors that affect their ability to become bright red rather than drab yellow. 2There is good support for the notions that health, nutritional condition and total carotenoid intake influence colour expression, but there are also suggestions that acquiring particular types of carotenoids from the diet may be important for developing red plumage. 3We used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to analyse the types and amounts of endogenous (in plasma and liver) and integumentary (in newly grown feathers) carotenoids in a wild, native population of moulting male and female House Finches from the south-western United States to determine the carotenoid-accumulation strategies for becoming optimally colourful. 4Four plant carotenoids , lutein, zeaxanthin, ,-cryptoxanthin and ,-carotene , were detected in plasma and liver. However, as was found previously, 11 carotenoids were observed in colourful plumage, with xanthophylls (e.g. lutein, dehydrolutein) predominant in yellow feathers and ketocarotenoids (e.g. adonirubin, 3-hydroxy-echinenone) in red feathers. This indicates endogenous modification of ingested carotenoids. 5Birds that accumulated more of one type of carotenoid in plasma and liver did not necessarily accumulate more of all other types, suggesting that individuals are not employing a simple ,more is better' strategy for coloration. Instead, when forward stepwise regression was used to examine the ability of individual types of carotenoids in plasma and liver to explain variation in red plumage pigments and plumage redness, we found that the lone variable remaining in all models was ,-cryptoxanthin concentration. 6This supports the idea that, unlike some other songbirds (e.g. yellow Carduelis finches), there is a specialized biochemical strategy that male House Finches follow to become red and most sexually attractive , to accumulate as much ,-cryptoxanthin in the body as possible. ,-Cryptoxanthin is a less common dietary carotenoid than the typical xanthophylls and carotenes in grains and fruits and may be limited enough in the diet that, to become colourful, House Finches might adopt selective foraging strategies for the most ,-cryptoxanthin-rich foods. [source] Controlling Electron and Hole Charge Injection in Ambipolar Organic Field-Effect Transistors by Self-Assembled MonolayersADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 15 2009Xiaoyang Cheng Abstract Controlling contact resistance in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is one of the major hurdles to achieve transistor scaling and dimensional reduction. In particular in the context of ambipolar and/or light-emitting OFETs it is a difficult challenge to obtain efficient injection of both electrons and holes from one injecting electrode such as gold since organic semiconductors have intrinsically large band gaps resulting in significant injection barrier heights for at least one type of carrier. Here, systematic control of electron and hole contact resistance in poly(9,9-di- n -octylfluorene- alt -benzothiadiazole) ambipolar OFETs using thiol-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) is demonstrated. In contrast to common believe, it is found that for a certain SAM the injection of both electrons and holes can be improved. This simultaneous enhancement of electron and hole injection cannot be explained by SAM-induced work-function modifications because the surface dipole induced by the SAM on the metal surface lowers the injection barrier only for one type of carrier, but increases it for the other. These investigations reveal that other key factors also affect contact resistance, including i) interfacial tunneling through the SAM, ii) SAM-induced modifications of interface morphology, and iii) the interface electronic structure. Of particular importance for top-gate OFET geometry is iv) the active polymer layer thickness that dominates the electrode/polymer contact resistance. Therefore, a consistent explanation of how SAM electrode modification is able to improve both electron and hole injection in ambipolar OFETs requires considering all mentioned factors. [source] A Family of Location Models for Multiple-Type Discrete DispersionGEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 3 2006Kevin M. Curtin One of the defining objectives in location science is to maximize dispersion. Facilities can be dispersed for a wide variety of purposes, including attempts to optimize competitive market advantage, disperse negative impacts, and optimize security. With one exception, all of the extant dispersion models consider only one type of facility, and ignore problems where multiple types of facilities must be located. We provide examples where multiple-type dispersion is appropriate and based on this develop a general class of facility location problems that optimize multiple-type dispersion. This family of models expands on the previously formulated definitions of dispersion for single types of facilities, by allowing the interactions among different types of facilities to determine the extent to which they will be spatially dispersed. We provide a set of integer-linear programming formulations for the principal models of this class and suggest a methodology for intelligent constraint elimination. We also present results of solving a range of multiple-type dispersion problems optimally and demonstrate that only the smallest versions of such problems can be solved in a reasonable amount of computer time using general-purpose optimization software. We conclude that the family of multiple-type dispersion models provides a more comprehensive, flexible, and realistic framework for locating facilities where weighted distances should be maximized, when compared with the special case of locating only a single type of facility. [source] (ANTI)SOCIAL CAPITAL IN THE PRODUCTION OF AN (UN)CIVIL SOCIETY IN PAKISTAN,GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 3 2005DAANISH MUSTAFA ABSTRACT. Pakistan is home to some of the most widely admired examples of civil-society-based service-delivery and advocacy groups. Pakistan has also spawned some much-maligned nongovernmental actors with violent agendas. This article uses the social capital / civil society conceptual lens to view the modes of (anti)social capital mobilization that contribute to the civil and uncivil spaces of Pakistani society. The case examples of Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamic revivalist organization, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan are used to understand the geography of social and antisocial forces in Pakistan. It is argued that the processes that mobilize social capital-whether positive or perverse-are multiscalar and that, in the Pakistani context, no compelling cultural or religious reason exists for the ascendance of one type of social capital over the other. Positive social capital can be mobilized to contribute to a more civil social discourse in Pakistan, given the right policy choices. [source] Local Diversity, Human Creativity, and Technological InnovationGROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 3 2001Pierre Desrochers The purpose of this paper is to point out some shortcomings of traditional approaches to the study of "knowledge spillovers" and to suggest an alternative based on how knowledge is actually created and exchanged by individuals. Which regional setting is the best incubator of technological change and economic growth? Is this promoted by regional diversity or specialization of economi activity? This study will include economic analyses of geographically localized "dynamic knowledge externalities, Jacob's externalities, or adding new work to old, industrial classification and technology combination, human creativity, and technology combination through human action and imaginative use of resources. Employees add to, or switch their product line; individuals move from one type of production to another; individuals observe a product/process in another setting and incorporate it; individuals possessing different skills and working for different firms collaborate; and urban diversity and resource collaboration are utilized. It is concluded that problems are solved through the combination of previously unrelated things and that promoting regional specialization at the expense of spontaneously evolved local diversity might be a counter-productive policy. [source] Aragonite Formation in the Chiton (Mollusca) GirdleHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 4 2003Keren Treves In the chitons (Polyplacophora, Mollusca), the body is not entirely protected by the shell. Mineralized spicules or scales often, but not always, decorate the exposed part of the girdle. Here, we report a study on the composition and ultrastructural organization of these mineralized skeletal parts in four different chiton species. In all specimens, the mineral component (97,98,wt-%) is aragonite, and the organic matrix (2,3,wt-%) consists of highly glycosylated proteins. X-Ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy show that the organic matrix fibers are aligned, morphologically and crystallographically, with the prismatic aragonite crystals. Matrix and mineral are thus clearly related. The matrix,mineral composite bundles are, however, assembled in the various skeletal parts examined with widely different degrees of alignment and order. In the same organism, the crystals are aligned within a range of ±15° in one type of spicule, while they are randomly oriented in another type. The wide heterogeneity in shape, density, and ultrastructure suggests that the girdle mineralized tissues do not fulfill a fundamental role necessary for the survival of the organism. This, together with the lack of chitin in the organic matrix, supports the hypothesis that they evolved separately from the other chiton mineralized tissues, namely the shell plates and teeth. [source] Advance directives and emergency department patients: ownership rates and perceptions of useINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 12 2003D. McD. Abstract Background: Advance directives (ADs) are rarely available in Australia to guide management but may become more important as our population ages. Aims: The present study aimed to determine patient knowledge, perception and ownership rates of ADs and the factors that impact upon these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of emergency department patients was undertaken. The main outcome measures were: (i) prior discussion about the extent of medical treatment and ADs, (ii) knowledge and perceptions of ADs, (iii) present AD ownership rates and (iv) likelihood of future AD ownership. Generalized linear models were used for analysis. Results: Four hundred and three patients were enrolled. The mean age of patients was 73 years and 239 (59.3%) were male. Two hundred and forty patients (59.6%) had discussed the extent of treatment. Only 81 patients (20.1%) had discussed the use of an AD. One hundred and thirty-seven patients (34.0%) knew of one type of AD and 333 patients (82.6%) thought some ADs were a good idea. Only 32 patients (7.9%) owned an AD, although 276 (68.5%) would consider owning one. The main reason for never obtaining an AD was ,always wanting full treatment' (93 patients, 23.1%). Level of education was the only characteristic that impacted significantly upon an outcome measure. Patients with a higher level of education were more likely to have known and spoken about ADs, to own an AD and to consider owning one. Conclusions: AD knowledge and ownership rates were low. However, most patients perceive them favourably and many would consider owning one. Intervention strategies to improve AD awareness are indicated. This may empower patients to more effectively participate in their own advance care planning. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 586,592) [source] Analysis of soil,pile,structure interaction in a two-layer ground during earthquakes considering liquefactionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 8 2008C. W. Lu Abstract This study is conducted with a numerical method to investigate the seismic behaviour among certain soils, single piles, and a structure. A series of numerical simulations of the seismic behaviour of a single-pile foundation constructed in a two-layer ground is carried out. Various sandy soils, namely, dense sand, medium dense sand, reclaimed soil, and loose sand, are employed for the upper layer, while one type of clayey soil is used for the lower layer. The results reveal that when a structure is built in a non-liquefiable ground, an amplification of the seismic waves is seen on the ground surface and in the upper structure, and large bending moments are generated at the pile heads. When a structure is built in a liquefiable ground, a de-amplification of the seismic waves is seen on the ground surface and in the upper structure, and large bending moments are generated firstly at the pile heads and then in the lower segment at the boundary between the soil layers when liquefaction takes place. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Small-Molecule-Directed Assembly: A Gold Nanoparticle-Based Strategy for Screening of Homo-Adenine DNA Duplex Binders,ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 4 2008G. Song By using AuNP-modified homo-adenine DNA conjugate as a model system, simple colorimetric and resonance Rayleigh scattering assays have been developed for screening small molecules that trigger the formation of the non-Watson,Crick homo-adenine duplexes. The assay presented here is more simplified in format as it involves only one type of ssDNA modified Au-NP, and can be easily adapted to high-throughput screening. [source] Expression of multiple human endogenous retrovirus surface envelope proteins in ovarian cancerINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 1 2007Feng Wang-Johanning Abstract Individual classes of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) genes and proteins are expressed in cancer, but expression of more than one type of HERV is rare. We report here the expression of multiple HERV genes and proteins in ovarian cell lines and tissues. Expression of HERV-K env mRNA was greater in ovarian epithelial tumors than in normal ovarian tissues (N = 254). The expression of this protein on the surface and in the cytoplasm of ovarian cancer cells was confirmed using anti-HERV-K specific antibody by flow cytometric analysis. The frequency of expression of HERV-K env protein in multitissue microarrays (N = 641) was determined by immunohistochemistry and a significant correlation with tumor histotype was found. A significantly increased expression of HERV-K was observed in tumors with low malignant potential and low grade, relative to expression in normal ovarian tissues. The increase in expression of HERV-K env protein took place in a stepwise fashion in serous papillary adenocarcinoma. Interestingly, we found that other classes of HERV env mRNAs, including ERV3 and HERV-E, are expressed in the same ovarian cancer tissues that expressed HERV-K. Furthermore, anti-HERV antibodies including anti-ERV3 (30%), anti-HERV-E (40%) and anti-HERV-K (55%) were detected in patients with ovarian cancer, but not in normal female controls. HERV env proteins are frequently transcribed and translated in ovarian epithelial tumors, and multiple HERV families are detectable in ovarian cancer. HERV env proteins, and especially those expressed on the cell surface, may serve as novel tumor targets for detection, diagnosis and immunotherapy of ovarian cancer. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Patterns of skin manifestations and their relationships with CD4 counts among HIV/AIDS patients in CameroonINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Mbuagbaw Josephine Background, Skin manifestations are common clinical features among HIV/AIDS-positive patients. Their frequencies, patterns and associated factors have been shown to vary from region to region. The present study is aimed at documenting skin manifestations and their relationships with CD4 cell counts among HIV/AIDS patients in Cameroon. Methods, This study lasted for 16 months (from September 2001 to December 2002). After informed consent, data on skin disorders, HIV status, CD4 and viral load were obtained by physical examination and laboratory methods. Results, Of the 384 subjects studied, 236 (61.5%) were females and 148 (38.5%) were males. Up to 264 (68.8%) patients presented with at least one type of skin problem. Generalized prurigo, oral candidiasis, herpes zoster, and vaginal candidiasis were the most common skin problems. Mean CD4 cell count (128 ± 85 cells/mm3) and mean viral load (79,433 copies/mL) in patients with herpes zoster were higher (P < 0.001). Patients with oral candidiasis and vaginal candidiasis had significantly lower (109 ± 127 cells/mm3, P < 0.02) and higher (131 ± 85 cells/mm3, P < 0.05) mean CD4 cell counts, respectively. Prurigo was associated with higher mean viral load (31,623 ± 20 copies/mL, P < 0.04). Viral lesions were associated with high mean CD4 cell count (123 ± 83 cells/mm3, P < 0.001). Kaposi's sarcoma and parasitic lesions (crusted scabies) were both, respectively, associated with lower mean CD4 cell counts [(78 ± 66 cells/mm3, P < 0.001) (6 ± 0 cells/mm3, P < 0.04)]. Conclusion, We conclude, first that skin problems are common in HIV-infected individuals in Cameroon and that patients with advanced stages of these problems have relatively very low mean CD4 cell counts. Second, that mucocutaneous disorders like vaginal candidiasis and herpes zoster occur early in HIV infection while Kaposi's sarcoma is common in advanced HIV infection. [source] A sustainability assessment of a health equity fund initiative in CambodiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Bart Jacobs Abstract All but one of the health equity funds (HEFs) currently operating in Cambodia, introduced to address the adverse effects of low user fee exemption rates, rely heavily on external funding and have high administrative overheads. This article reports on a study of one type of HEF, based in Kirivong Operational Health District (KOD) and operated through local pagoda structures, which demonstrates minimal reliance on external funding and low administrative overheads. We utilize an adapted sustainability assessment framework to assess the ability of pagoda structures to enable financial access for the poorest to public sector health services. We further analyse the strengths and limitations of the pagoda-managed equity fund initiative, with a view to assessing not only its sustainability but its potential for replication in other settings. Our study shows that, against key sustainability indicators (health service utilization and health outcomes; management capacity and financial viability; community mobilization and government support), the pagoda-managed equity fund initiative scores well. However, it is evident that some external financial support is needed to allow the HEFs to function effectively. We conclude with recommendations for replicating the initiative, which include working innovatively with indigenous grassroots organizations to enhance community HEF ownership and to keep administrative overheads low. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Unified algorithm for undirected discovery of exception rulesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, Issue 7 2005Einoshin Suzuki This article presents an algorithm that seeks every possible exception rule that violates a commonsense rule and satisfies several assumptions of simplicity. Exception rules, which represent systematic deviation from commonsense rules, are often found interesting. Discovery of pairs that consist of a commonsense rule and an exception rule, resulting from undirected search for unexpected exception rules, was successful in various domains. In the past, however, an exception rule represented a change of conclusion caused by adding an extra condition to the premise of a commonsense rule. That approach formalized only one type of exception and failed to represent other types. To provide a systematic treatment of exceptions, we categorize exception rules into 11 categories, and we propose a unified algorithm for discovering all of them. Preliminary results on 15 real-world datasets provide an empirical proof of effectiveness of our algorithm in discovering interesting knowledge. The empirical results also match our theoretical analysis of exceptions, showing that the 11 types can be partitioned in three classes according to the frequency with which they occur in data. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Int Syst 20: 673,691, 2005. [source] Comparability of the results of PT,INR with local MNPT and APTTR with MNAPTT on different coagulation analyzers in ChinaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009L. PENG Summary The prothrombin time (PT), International normalized ratio (INR) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) are the most used coagulation tests in China, where more than one type of automated coagulation analyzer is often used in the clinical laboratory. The PT,INR results of 109 samples were compared with local mean normal PT (MNPT) and APTT ratio (APTTR) with mean normal APTT (MNAPTT) on two different coagulation analyzers in the same laboratory. The two different coagulation analyzers showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in PT and INR determination, but there was a significant difference (P < 0.01) for APTT. The INR with local MNPT and APTTR with MNAPTT, obtained with the ACL Futura and CA 510, showed much better agreement; 98.8% (82/83) of bias for INR with local MNPT was less than 15% compared with 90.4% (75/83) of bias for INR; and 100% of bias for APTTR (62/62) was less than 15% compared with only 6.5% (4/62) of bias for APTT. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference (P = 0.865) for APTTR with MNAPTT compared with APTT (P = 0.002) between the ACL Futura and CA 510. In conclusion, these analyzers showed very poor agreement for both the PT and APTT, but the calculation of ratios significantly improved agreement. [source] Comparison of microvessel densities in rat prostate tissues treated with finasteride, bicalutamide and surgical castration: A preliminary studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 2 2005CEVDET KAYA Abstract Background: A group of anti-androgens with different mechanisms of action and adverse effects have been investigated in patients with gross hematuria related to benign prostate hyperplasia; however, there is not yet any consensus about the standard management of these patients. The present study aims to identify if any one type of the hormonal intervention is superior in terms of the suppression of microvessel formation in the prostate. Materials and methods: A total of 28 mature, healthy male Sprague,Dawley rats (300 ± 50 g) were used in this study. The rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 7 per group). The effects of three different hormonal therapies on angiogenesis and microvascularity in rat ventral prostate were compared. Groups 1 and 2 were treated for 28 days with finasteride and bicalutamide, respectively, and rats from Group 3 underwent surgical castration. Following treatment, all rats included in the study underwent dissection of the ventral prostate and immunohistochemical analysis of microvessel density by factor VIII-related antigen. Results: The mean number of microvessels in the finasteride and bicalutamide groups was 24.5 (±8.44 SE) and 27 (±9.89 SE) respectively. In contrast, the castration and control groups had microvessel numbers of 12.9 (±5.35 SE) and 40.3 (±5.03 SE) respectively. Differences were statistically significant between all three treatment groups and the controls (P < 0.005); the number of microvessels in rat prostate tissues of the control group was significantly higher than the treatment groups. Mean microvessel densities in the bicalutamide and finasteride groups were significantly higher than microvessel densities in the castration group (P < 0.005). There was no statistically significant difference between mean microvessel number in rat prostate tissue treated with finasteride or bicalutamide (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Even though finasteride was not as effective as castration in reducing microvessel number, its effect was equal to that of bicalutamide in terms of suppressing the angiogenesis in prostatic tissue. Based on the findings of the present study, finasteride might offer a viable option in the management of macroscopic hematuria by inhibition of microvessel formation within the prostatic tissue. Further clinical studies are warranted. [source] The Complementary Membranes Forming the Blood-Brain BarrierIUBMB LIFE, Issue 3 2002Richard A. Hawkins Abstract Brain capillary endothelial cells form the blood-brain barrier. They are connected by extensive tight junctions, and are polarized into luminal (blood-facing) and abluminal (brain-facing) plasma membrane domains. The polar distribution of transport proteins allows for active regulation of brain extracellular fluid. Experiments on isolated membrane vesicles from capillary endothelial cells of bovine brain demonstrated the polar arrangement of amino acid and glucose transporters, and the utility of such arrangements have been proposed. For instance, passive carriers for glutamine and glutamate have been found only in the luminal membrane of blood-brain barrier cells, while Na-dependent secondary active transporters are at the abluminal membrane. This organization could promote the net removal of nitrogen-rich amino acids from brain, and account for the low level of glutamate penetration into the central nervous system. Furthermore, the presence of a ,-glutamyl cycle at the luminal membrane and Na-dependent amino acid transporters at the abluminal membrane may serve to modulate movement of amino acids from blood-to-brain. Passive carriers facilitate amino acid transport into brain. However, activation of the ,-glutamyl cycle by increased plasma amino acids is expected to generate oxoproline within the blood-brain barrier. Oxoproline stimulates secondary active amino acid transporters (Systems A and B o,+ ) at the abluminal membrane, thereby reducing net influx of amino acids to brain. Finally, passive glucose transporters are present in both the luminal and abluminal membranes of the blood-brain barrier. Interestingly, a high affinity Na-dependent glucose carrier has been described only in the abluminal membrane. This raises the question whether glucose entry may be regulated to some extent. Immunoblotting studies suggest more than one type of passive glucose transporter exist in the blood-brain barrier, each with an asymmetrical distribution. In conclusion, it is now clear that the blood-brain barrier participates in the active regulation of brain extracellular fluid, and that the diverse functions of each plasma membrane domain contributes to these regulatory functions. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||