bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Energetic Ear
Authors: Hudspeth A. J.
Published: January 2015

As the gateway to human communication, the sense of hearing is of enormous importance in our lives. Research on hearing has recently been revolutionized by the demonstration that the ear is not simply a passive receiver for sound, but also an amplifier that augments, filters, and compresses its inputs. Hair cells, the ear's sensory receptors, use two distinct methods to implement an active process that endows our hearing with these remarkable properties. First, the vibration-sensitive structures of the ear, called hair bundles, display a mechanical instability that allows them to oscillate in response to stimulation. And second, the membranes of hair cells are replete with proteins that contract in response to electrical stimuli, thus enabling the cells to act like tiny muscles. The activity of these two motile processes can be so exuberant as to cause normal ears to emit sounds.
Remembering
Authors: Squire Larry R. , Wixted John T.
Published: January 2015

A major development in understanding the structure and organization of memory was the identification of the medial temporal lobe memory system as one of the brain systems that support memory. Work on this topic began in the 1950s with the study of the noted amnesic patient H.M. and culminated in studies of an animal model of human memory impairment in the nonhuman primate. These discoveries opened new frontiers of research concerned with the functional specialization of structures within the medial temporal lobe, the existence of multiple memory systems, the process of memory consolidation, and the role of neural replay and sleep in the consolidation process. This work also led to new insights about how and where memories are ultimately stored in the brain. All of this research has improved our understanding of how memory is affected by normal aging and why it is so profoundly impaired by the pathological processes associated with dementia.
Lex posterior derogat priori, lex specialis derogat generali Jalons pour une histoire des conflits de normes centrée sur ces deux solutions concurrentes
Authors: Halpérin Jean-Louis
Published: January 2015

Lex posterior derogat priori, lex specialis derogat generali, Guidelines for a history of conflicting norms with a focus on these two competing solutions. – The two Latin maxims, Lex posterior derogat priori and Lex specialis derogat generali, sometimes presented as evidentially logical, have a complex history and a delicate relationship (whereas the latter can contradict the former). They take their origins in the Digest, but in rather paradoxical forms: Lex posterior is coming from a text written in Greek by Modestinus, lex generalis is induced from a general regula exposed by Papinianus. How have these two ways of resolving the problem of conflicting norms emerged in Roman law? How have they been quoted and explained in canon and in civil law during the Middle Ages? How have they been used by sovereigns and in which scope do they serve the foundations of modern States? This paper tries to answer these questions by analyzing texts where the two maxims are mentioned and proposes to treat this subject as a significant chapter of the history of the sources of law.
Inside the Empire: Some Remarks on the Urartian and Achaemenid Presence in the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan
Authors: Dan Roberto
Published: January 2015

The goal of the present paper is to evaluate the plausibility of possible Urartian or Achaemenid presence in the territory of the present-day Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan. The area has been considered in relation to other neighbouring regions located in the Araxes valley, with a particular focus on the site of Oğlan Qala, the most important regional settlement. This has been the subject of recent archaeological investigations that have in fact yielded conclusive evidence of Urartian presence in this region. However, there is currently no reliable evidence of a Persian occupation of the area.
A Note on South Caspian Lās(a) “Stone”
Authors: Ghanbari Mohammad
Published: January 2015

The paper presents an observation on a group of related words, meaning “stone, rock, cliff, cave” in the South Caspian dialects, largely functioning also in the place-names, hydronyms, and oronyms of the area.
New species of Limnephilidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Europe: Alps and Pyrenees as harbours of unknown biodiversity
Authors: GRAF WOLFRAM , VITECEK SIMON , PREVIŠIĆ ANA , MALICKY HANS
Published: January 2015

New species are described from the genera Consorophylax and Anisogamus (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae, Limnephilinae, Stenophylacini). Additionally the larva of the genus Anisogamus, and the larval stages of Anisogamus waringeri sp. nov. and A. difformis (McLachlan 1867) are described. The new species Consorophylax vinconi sp. nov. is a microendemic from the Southern Alps and differs from its congeners in the shape of the parameres, which are distinctly straitened in the distal quarter in the new species. The new species Anisogamus waringeri sp. nov. represents the second species in the hitherto monospecific genus Anisogamus. Compared to Anisogamus difformis, the male of A. waringeri sp. nov. has more-slender superior appendages; a more-rounded basal plate of the intermediate appendages, lacking pointed protuberances; and parameres shorter than the aedaegus, proximally with one dorsal and several ventral tines. Further, the two species are disjunctly distributed in the European mountain ranges (A. difformis: Alps, A. waringeri sp. nov.: Pyrenees). Larvae of species in the genus Anisogamus are characterized by the lack of a dorsal protuberance on abdominal segment I, a unique feature among Eurasian Limnephilidae. Anisogamus difformis and A. waringeri sp. nov. larvae differ in pronotum shape. The discovery of two new species demonstrates the significance of taxonomic studies in Europe, and the importance of adequate training for young scientists in order to assess an incompletely described biodiversity under threat of extinction.
A new species of Centropages (Copepoda: Calanoida: Centropagidae) from the central Red Sea based on morphological and molecular evidence
Authors: EL-SHERBINY MOHSEN M. , AL-AIDAROOS ALI M.
Published: January 2015

Centropages mohamedi sp. nov. (Copepoda: Calanoida) is described from specimens collected in zooplankton samples off Obhur Creek on the Saudi Arabian coast of the central Red Sea. The new species is most closely related to C. orsinii Giesbrecht, 1889, a species described from the Red Sea and widely distributed in the neritic waters of the Indo-West Pacific region. The new species is mainly distinguished by the female genital double somite, male antennules, male leg 4, and leg 5 of both sexes. DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit one (mtCOI) of the two species differ by 20.8%, supporting their morphology-based identification as distinct species.
Daily Precipitation Extreme Events in the Iberian Peninsula and Its Association with Atmospheric Rivers*
Authors: Ramos Alexandre M. , Trigo Ricardo M. , Liberato Margarida L. R. , Tomé Ricardo
Published: January 2015

An automated atmospheric rivers (ARs) detection algorithm is used for the North Atlantic Ocean basin that allows the identification and a comprehensive characterization of the major AR events that affected the Iberian Peninsula over the 1948–2012 period. The extreme precipitation days in the Iberian Peninsula and their association (or not) with the occurrence of ARs is analyzed in detail. The extreme precipitation days are ranked by their magnitude and are obtained after considering 1) the area affected and 2) the precipitation intensity. Different rankings are presented for the entire Iberian Peninsula, for Portugal, and for the six largest Iberian river basins (Minho, Duero, Tagus, Guadiana, Guadalquivir, and Ebro) covering the 1950–2008 period. Results show that the association between ARs and extreme precipitation days in the western domains (Portugal, Minho, Tagus, and Duero) is noteworthy, while for the eastern and southern basins (Ebro, Guadiana, and Guadalquivir) the impact of ARs is reduced. In addition, the contribution from ARs toward the extreme precipitation ranking list is not homogenous, playing an overwhelming role for the most extreme precipitation days but decreasing significantly with the less extreme precipitation days. Moreover, and given the narrow nature of the ARs, the location of the ARs over each subdomain is closely related to the occurrence (or not) of extreme precipitation days.
Modelling the Impact of Squall on Wind Waves with the Generalized Kinetic Equation
Authors: Annenkov Sergei , Shrira Victor
Published: January 2015

This is a first study of short-lived transient sea states, arising from fast variations of wind fields. This study considers the response of a wind-wave field to a sharp increase of wind over a short time interval (a squall). Conventional wind-wave models based on the Hasselmann equation assume quasi stationarity of a random wave field and are a priori inapplicable for such transient states. To describe fast spectral changes, the authors use the generalized kinetic equation (GKE) derived without the quasi-stationarity assumption. A novel efficient highly parallelized algorithm for the numerical simulation of the GKE is presented. Simulations with the GKE and the Hasselmann equation are examined and compared. While under steady wind, the spectral evolution in both cases is shown to be practically identical, but after the squall the qualitative difference emerges: the GKE predicts formation of a transient sea state with a considerably narrower peak.
A 35-GHz Polarimetric Doppler Radar for Long-Term Observations of Cloud Parameters—Description of System and Data Processing
Authors: Görsdorf Ulrich , Lehmann Volker , Bauer-Pfundstein Matthias , Peters Gerhard , Vavriv Dmytro , Vinogradov Vladimir , Volkov Vadim
Published: January 2015

A 35-GHz radar has been operating at the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg (Germany) since 2004, measuring cloud parameters continuously. The radar is equipped with a powerful magnetron transmitter and a high-gain antenna resulting in a high sensitivity of −55 dBZ at 5-km height for a 10-s averaging time. The main purpose of the radar is to provide long-term datasets of cloud parameters for model evaluation, satellite validation, and climatological studies. Therefore, the system operates with largely unchanged parameter settings and a vertically pointing antenna. The accuracy of the internal calibration (budget calibration) has been appraised to be 1.3 dB. Cloud parameters are derived by two different approaches: macrophysical parameters have been deduced for the complete period of operation through combination with ceilometer measurements; a more enhanced target classification and the calculation of liquid and ice water contents are realized by algorithms developed in the framework of the European CloudNet project.
Inclusion ideals and inclusion problems
Authors: Vanderstraeten Raf
Published: January 2015

This paper builds upon the theoretical work of Talcott Parsons and Niklas Luhmann and offers a critical reconstruction of their views on religion (Christianity) and secularization in the western world. It discusses the relation between the functional differentiation of modern society, the individualization of inclusion imperatives and the changing expectations regarding inclusion/exclusion in religious communication. From this perspective, it analyzes secularization in terms of perceived problems of inclusion in religious communication, and in terms of the reactions of Christian religions to these perceived problems. It thereby shows how the theories of Parsons and Luhmann are useful for empirical and historical research, and how they open up new perspectives for empirical and historical research.
The Editor’s Note
Authors: Richardson Joan
Published: January 2015

The education enterprise must tread carefully with student data and strike a balance with the aim of using technology to enhance learning and more efficiently run school operations with the need for children’s data to be kept private so that it can’t hurt them.
Research and teacher self-inquiry reawaken learning
Authors: Blumenreich Megan , Falk Beverly
Published: January 2015

This article reports on a study of teachers who have engaged in systematic research about their practice. It describes the inquiries of two urban teachers into challenges and dilemmas common to many who work with diverse groups of students. The accounts presented reveal how teachers are able to construct new knowledge about teaching when they engage as inquirers about their work; they invent new solutions to nagging problems, identify new challenges that need to be addressed, and respond to the unique contexts and needs of the children and families of the communities in which they teach.
Improve reading with complex texts
Authors: Fisher Douglas , Frey Nancy
Published: January 2015

The Common Core State Standards have cast a renewed light on reading instruction, presenting teachers with the new requirements to teach close reading of complex texts. Teachers and administrators should consider a number of essential features of close reading: They are short, complex texts; rich discussions based on worthy questions; revisiting and annotating the text; and being inspired by the text. Educators should consider these the look-fors that deepen students’ interactions with text.
Writing assessment in six lessons – from “American Idol”
Authors: Slomp David
Published: January 2015

Each fall the author assigns undergraduate teacher education students to design rubrics that they can use to evaluate auditions for reality television shows like "American Idol." The point is to draw students into a critical reflection on assessment literature and practices they have been studying. Through these reflections, the author has identified six lessons 'American Idol' teaches us about writing assessment: (1) The importance of multiple performances; (2) There is no proxy for expert knowledge; (3) Clearly define the construct being measured; (4) Consistency is best achieved through dialogue; (5) Real audiences matter; and (6) Attend to consequences.
Effective leadership makes schools truly inclusive
Authors: McLeskey James , Waldron Nancy L.
Published: January 2015

There’s been much commitment and extensive legislation intended to make schools inclusive for all students but not much real progress in improving student outcomes. The authors review and assess several schools that have succeeded at making schools inclusive and effective for all students, including those with disabilities and draw some inferences about how school leadership can help make it happen.
Washington View
Authors: Ferguson Maria
Published: January 2015

A Q&A with Christopher Cross, a leading thinker in education policy for three decades. Cross’s newest book, Political Education: Setting the Course for State and Federal Policy (Teachers College Press, 2014), reflects on the nation’s triumphs and shortcomings in public education and looks ahead to a new and better course for state and federal education policy. Cross highlights the federal/state relationship in American education, how it is affected by policy and politics, and how it needs to change to facilitate progress.
Measuring Political Will in Organizations: Theoretical Construct Development and Empirical Validation
Authors: Kapoutsis Ilias , Papalexandris Alexandros , Treadway Darren C. , Bentley Jeffrey
Published: January 2015

Political will is widely recognized as an important, yet profoundly underinvestigated, construct that lacks conceptual clarity and valid measurement. To address this lack, we conducted four studies encompassing six samples (N = 925) from three countries (United States, Greece, and United Kingdom) that establish the psychometric properties and nomological network of the Political Will Scale. We demonstrate that the scale exhibits both convergent and discriminant validity with several conceptually related constructs while also determining that political will positively relates to influence and work-related behaviors. As an extension of our findings, political will seems to explain variance over and above political skill in relation to influence tactics, status, and career growth potential. The theoretical implications of this new scale are discussed in relation to organizational politics, leadership, and social change.
What do we know about entrepreneurial finance and its relationship with growth?
Authors: Fraser Stuart , Bhaumik Sumon Kumar , Wright Mike
Published: January 2015

This article explores what we do (and do not) know about entrepreneurial finance and its relationship with growth. Broadly, there is a need for research to go beyond traditional supply side/market failure issues to better understand the role of entrepreneurial cognition, objectives, ownership types and firm life-cycle stages in financing/investment decisions. We show that little is known about the pivotal relationship between access to external finance and growth due to limitations in current approaches to testing financial constraints. Instead, we propose that the relationship between funding gaps and business performance as a direct and nuanced approach to identifying financial constraints in different entrepreneurial finance markets requires scrutiny. There is also a necessity for research to disentangle cognitive from financial constraints and to better understand the role of financiers in enabling growth. In particular, there is a need to explore the relationship between non-bank sources of finance and growth, shorn of inherent survival and selection bias. We outline an agenda for future research to address gaps in our understanding.
Joining the dots: Building the evidence base for SME growth policy
Authors: Wright Mike , Roper Stephen , Hart Mark , Carter Sara
Published: January 2015

This introductory article to the special issue on building the evidence base for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) growth policy reviews the themes covered by the contributions to the special issue and identifies a number of directions for future research and policy.
Critical International Political Economy and the Importance of Dissensus
Authors: Shields Stuart , Bruff Ian , Macartney Huw
Published: January 2015

This short piece responds to Matthias Kranke’s extended review of our 2011 book Critical International Political Economy: Dialogue, Debate, Dissensus. We reiterate the book’s commitment to challenging disciplinary orthodoxies and immanent critique. The response also observes how the review elides a number of crucial definitions to abrogate our commitment to an expansive disciplinary engagement.
Theorising Global Environmental Governance: Key Findings and Future Questions
Authors: Pattberg Philipp , Widerberg Oscar
Published: January 2015

Global environmental governance in the Anthropocene is fundamentally different from older conceptions of environmental policy-making and sustainable development. Environmental problem-solving is no longer concerned with isolated problems, but rather with reorganising the overall relation between humans and natural systems. Empirically, this is reflected in the ever greater attention to questions of institutional interactions (e.g. between the issue areas of economics and environment) and functional overlaps between parallel governance approaches. Normatively, environmental governance in the Anthropocene is concerned with questions of equity and fairness on a finite planet. This article scrutinises the theoretical interregnum in global environmental governance by first sketching the key empirical trends in global environmental governance; secondly, discussing theory-building with regards to four broad areas of inquiry: the questions of agency and authority; the structural dimension of global environmental governance; the related normative questions about legitimacy, accountability, equity and fairness in the Anthropocene; and finally the integration of governance research into formal approaches and the related incorporation of non-social science concepts into environmental governance research. In our conclusions, we propose some initial ideas on how to move forward in the study of global (environmental) governance.
Power Plays in Global Internet Governance
Authors: Carr Madeline
Published: January 2015

The multi-stakeholder model of global Internet governance has emerged as the dominant approach to navigating the complex set of interests, agendas and implications of our increasing dependence on this technology. Protecting this model of global governance in this context has been referred to by the US and EU as ‘essential’ to the future of the Internet. Bringing together actors from the private sector, the public sector and also civil society, multi-stakeholder Internet governance is not only regarded by many as the best way to organise around this particular issue, it is also held up as a potential template for the management of other ‘post-state’ issues. However, as a consequence of its normative aspirations to representation and power sharing, the multi-stakeholder approach to global Internet governance has received little critical attention. This paper examines the issues of legitimacy and accountability with regard to the ‘rule-makers’ and ‘rule-takers’ in this model and finds that it can also function as a mechanism for the reinforcement of existing power dynamics.
Brief Note
Authors: Kelland Lindsay-Ann
Published: January 2015

In his response to my article entitled ‘The Harm of Male-on-Female Rape: A Response to David Benatar’, Benatar argues that I take his claims out of context, misrepresent them, and set up a straw man, which means, he claims, that I fail to respond to anything he has actually said. In this brief note, I respond to these allegations.
Teaching Students With ASD Using Evidence-Based Practices
Authors: Marder Tamara , deBettencourt Laurie U.
Published: January 2015

Given the growing numbers of students identified with autism, educators need an understanding of evidence-based practices (EBPs) to meet these student’s individual educational goals. EBPs are defined often as instructional strategies, interventions, or teaching programs that result in consistent positive student outcomes. Educator’s use of EBPs has been shown to improve the learning outcomes of students with disabilities. It is imperative that educators understand how to select and implement such practices with students in their classrooms and continuously monitor the progress of their students. Recently, two major resources that classify EBPs for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are available for review. This introduction to the special issue provides a review of EBPs specific to the education of students identified with autism as well as discusses the current resources available to educators who are in classrooms supporting students with autism. Recommendations for how best to prepare educators to use EBPs are provided.
Pre-Professional Training for Serving Children With ASD
Authors: Donaldson Amy L.
Published: January 2015

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often present with varied skill profiles and levels of severity making development and implementation of specialized school services challenging. Research indicates that school professionals require and desire additional ASD-specific professional development, both at the pre- and in-service levels. Speech–language pathologists (SLPs) are one member of a school-based team who frequently serve children with ASD. Due to broad graduate training requirements (across the life span), SLPs receive limited ASD-specific clinical education, which may affect their contributions on school-based intervention teams. Given these issues, this article aims to briefly describe an apprenticeship model of clinical supervision, which may be well suited to preparing SLPs to significantly contribute to school teams serving children with ASD; present a case illustration of the use of this model within university graduate program; and briefly discuss implications for pre- and post-professional education and development.
The traveling of ‘gender’ and its accompanying baggage: Thoughts on the translation of feminism(s), the globalization of discourses, and representational divides
Authors: Millán Márgara
Published: January 2015

This article reflects on the meaning and effects of three ongoing and simultaneous processes: the ‘globalization’ of feminism and gender discourses; the articulation of knowledge production in global structures and central locations; and the feminist dialogues between geopolitical divides such as ‘East/West’, ‘North/South’, ‘center/periphery’, and ‘indigenous/non-indigenous’. While the postwar East/West European divide is the specific focus, the article interweaves comparative elements from Latin America’s decolonial debate throughout in order to analyze the ways in which feminism as a disputed discourse can be deployed to advance both neoliberalization as well as decolonization – and decolonization not only of feminism’s discourses, but of capitalist modernity’s discourses themselves.
Morphological Pattern Classification System for Plantar Thermography of Patients with Diabetes
Authors: Mori Taketoshi , Nagase Takashi , Takehara Kimie , Oe Makoto , Ohashi Yumiko , Amemiya Ayumi , Noguchi Hiroshi , Ueki Kohjiro , Kadowaki Takashi , Sanada Hiromi
Published: January 2015

Background:

A plantar temperature distribution can be obtained by thermography; however, the advantage has not been effectively utilized in the past. We previously proposed a classification method based on the angiosome concept, but the method was insufficient because it was too subjective and complicated for clinicians. In this study, we propose a new classification system of plantar forepart thermographic patterns using an image segmentation technique.

Methods:

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted including 32 healthy volunteers and 129 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Individual thermographic variations and trends were evaluated. A comparison was conducted between the patterns obtained by our previous angiosome-based research and the patterns found by the new classification system.

Results:

The system objectively found wider variations of the plantar forepart thermographic patterns in the patients with DM compared with those in the control subjects. In patients with DM, the system showed that the whole-high pattern was most frequent (46%), followed by the butterfly pattern (12%). In the control group, the butterfly pattern was most frequent (44%), followed by the whole-high pattern (19%). Both ankle and toe brachial indices were higher in feet with high temperature area in the inner side of the plantar.

Conclusions:

Thermographic patterns found by the new computer-based system were similar to those obtained in our previous subjective work. The classification system found forefoot-low pattern and tiptoe-low pattern objectively. The system based on infrared thermography will be a screening tool to assess circulatory status in daily foot care of patients with DM.
Plantar Pressure Distribution Patterns of Individuals with Prediabetes in Comparison with Healthy Individuals and Individuals with Diabetes
Authors: Robinson Caroline Cabral , Balbinot Luciane Fachin , Silva Marcelo Faria , Achaval Matilde , Zaro Milton Antônio
Published: January 2015

Background:

Since elevated mechanical stress along with loss of plantar protective sensation are considered relevant factors in skin breakdown resulting in diabetic foot ulcerations, the assessment of plantar pressure is important for the prevention of diabetic foot complications. Prediabetes subjects are at risk of chronic hyperglycemia complications, among them neuropathy, but information about plantar loading in this population is not available. We aimed to compare baropodometric parameters of individuals with prediabetes versus healthy persons and persons with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods:

Baropodometric data from 73 subjects (15 with prediabetes (pre-DM), 28 with type 2 DM, 30 healthy) aged between 29 and 69 years of both genders were registered through a pressure platform with self-selected gait speed and first-step protocol. Peak plantar pressure, stance time, percentage of contact time, percentage of contact area and pressure-time integral were assessed in five plantar foot regions: Heel, midfoot, metatarsals, hallux, and toes 2 to 5. Groups were compared by one-way analysis of variance with Scheffé post hoc (α = 0.05).

Results:

Age, body mass index, gender, and arch height index did not differ between groups. Pre-DM and DM subjects presented increased peak pressure and pressure-time integral in metatarsals ( p = .010; p > .001), as well as increased percentage of contact time in midfoot ( p = .006) and metatarsals ( p = .004) regions when compared with healthy subjects. Stance time was significantly higher ( p = .017) in DM subjects.

Conclusions:

Pre-DM subjects seem to exhibit an altered plantar pressure distribution pattern similar to that often found in DM subjects.
Novel Wearable Technology for Assessing Spontaneous Daily Physical Activity and Risk of Falling in Older Adults with Diabetes
Authors: Najafi Bijan , Armstrong David G. , Mohler Jane
Published: January 2015

Background:

As baby boomers age and their expected life span increases, there is an unprecedented need to better manage the health care of elders with diabetes who are at increased risk of falling due to diabetes complications, frailty, or other conditions. New clinical and research tools are needed to measure functioning accurately and to identify early indicators of risk of falling, thus translating into more effective and earlier intervention.

Methods:

The objective of this pilot study was to validate a significant change in hardware and algorithm to track activity patterns using a single triaxial accelerometer through validation of timed up and go and standard measures of balance and gait. We recruited a convenience sample of eight older adults with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy (age, 77 ±7 years old) who were asked to wear the sensor for imposed daytime activity performed in our gait laboratory. Subjects were stratified into risk of falling categories based on Tinetti scores. We examined the accuracy of the suggested technology for discrimination of high- versus low-risk groups.

Results:

The system was accurate in identifying the number of steps taken and walking duration (random error <5%). The proposed algorithm allowed accurate identification and stratification of those at highest risk of falling, suggesting that subjects with high risk of falling required a substantially longer duration for rising from a chair when compared with those with low risk of falling ( p < .05).

Conclusions:

Our new single triaxial accelerometer algorithm successfully tracked postural transition, allowing accurate identification of those at high risk of falling, and could be useful for intermittent or even continuous monitoring of older adults with diabetes. Other potential applications could include activity monitoring of the diabetes population with lower extremity disease and of patients undergoing surgical procedures or as an objective measure during rehabilitation.
Electrical Stimulation as an Adjunctive Treatment of Painful and Sensory Diabetic Neuropathy
Authors: Thakral Gaurav , Kim Paul J. , LaFontaine Javier , Menzies Robert , Najafi Bijan , Lavery Lawrence A.
Published: January 2015

Background:

The objective of this review is to evaluate the use of electrical stimulation to treat diabetic neuropathy. Application of electrical stimulation may provide a novel treatment option for large and small fiber neuropathy in persons with diabetes. Large and small nerve neuropathy alters pain, proprioception, touch perception, and motor function, which cause burning foot pain and serve as protective mechanisms from ulcerations.

Methods:

A content search for clinical trials involving electrical stimulation, neuropathy, and diabetes was conducted through PubMed. Randomized clinical trials and prospective studies with outcome measures affecting the lower extremity function were selected for review.

Results:

We identified eight studies in which electrical stimulation was used to treat diabetic neuropathy. Six studies evaluated small fiber neuropathy. Two studies evaluated patients with both small and large fiber neuropathy and reported significant improvement in vibration and monofilament testing and reduction in symptoms in the electrical stimulation treatment group. Six of the eight painful neuropathy studies identified significant improvement in symptoms. There were no studies that evaluated electrical stimulation to treated diabetic motor neuropathy, fall prevention or postural instability.

Conclusions:

Electrical stimulation may be an effective alternative and adjunctive therapy to current interventions for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
The Artificial Pancreas: Is it Important to Understand How the β Cell Controls Blood Glucose?
Authors: Steil Garry M. , Grodsky Gerold M.
Published: January 2015

It has been more than 7 years since the first fully automated closed-loop insulin delivery system that linked subcutaneous insulin delivery and glucose sensing was published. Since the initial report, the physiologic insulin delivery (PID) algorithm used to emulate the β cell has been modified from the original proportional-integral-derivative terms needed to fit the β cell's biphasic response to a hyperglycemic clamp to include terms emulating cephalic phase insulin release and the effect of insulin per se to inhibit insulin secretion. In this article, we compare the closed-loop glucose profiles obtained as each new term has been added, reassess the ability of the revised PID model to describe the β cells' insulin response to a hyperglycemic clamp, and look for the first time at its ability to describe the response to a hypoglycemic clamp. We also consider changes that might be added to the model based on perfused pancreas data. We conclude that the changes introduced in the PID model have systematically improved the closed-loop meal response. We note that the changes made do not adversely affect the ability of the model to fit hyperglycemic clamp data but are necessary to fit the response to a hypoglycemic clamp. Finally, we note a number of β cell characteristics observed in the perfused pancreas have not been included in the model. We suggest that continuing the effort to understand and incorporate aspects of how the β cell achieves glucose control can provide valuable insights into how improvements in future artificial pancreas algorithms might be achieved.
Role of Health Information Technologies in the Patient-Centered Medical Home
Authors: Kraschnewski Jennifer L. , Gabbay Robert A.
Published: January 2015

A national effort to reform primary care, known as the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), requires fulfillment of six standards determined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance to (1) enhance access and continuity, (2) identify and manage patient populations, (3) plan and manage care, (4) provide self-care and community support, (5) track and coordinate care, and (6) measure and improve performance. Information technologies play a vital role in the support of most, if not all, of these standards. However, given the newness of the PCMH, little is known on how health information technologies (HITs) have been employed to accomplish these objectives. This article will review the role of HITs, including electronic health records, web-based patient portals, telemedicine, and patient registries, with a focus on diabetes care, and how these technologies have been engaged in the establishment of the PCMH. In addition, we will discuss the benefits and potential risks and barriers to employing these technologies, including privacy and security concerns, as well as describe next steps for future work in this important area.
Applying 21st Century Imaging Technology to Wound Healing: An Avant-Gardist Approach
Authors: Bowling Frank Lee , Paterson James , Ndip Agbor
Published: January 2015

A significant arising complication in the care of patients with diabetes is increased susceptibility to chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers and pressure sores. This is driven by, e.g., neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease. It is well recognized that best practice in wound care requires wound assessment, including measurement, on presentation and regularly throughout the treatment program. Proper assessment is necessary to ensure that the most appropriate and cost-effective therapy is used at all times, with quantitative measurement necessary to track the efficacy of the chosen approach. A documented assessment can also assist patient–clinician dialog and discussion within the multidisciplinary team. Remote evaluation and assessment of the wound is also of increasing importance and practicality through the use of a telemedicine approach. There has been considerable progress in the space of imaging for wounds, including systems that include three-dimensional measurement and telemedicine features. This literature review examines the available options and reviews the clinical evidence for measurement accuracy, scope for remote assessment, and published user feedback on the systems.
Genetic analysis of flag leaf size and candidate genes determination of a major QTL for flag leaf width in rice
Authors: Zhang Bin , Ye Weijun , Ren Deyong , Tian Peng , Peng Youlin , Gao Yang , Ruan Banpu , Wang Li , Zhang Guangheng , Guo Longbiao , Qian Qian , Gao Zhenyu
Published: January 2015

Background

Flag leaf is the most essential organ for photosynthesis in rice and its size plays an important role in rice breeding for ideal plant-type. Flag leaf size affect photosynthesis to a certain extent, thereby influencing rice production. Several genes controlling leaf size and shape have been identified with mutants. Although a number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf size and shape have been detected on 12 chromosomes with different populations of rice, few of them were cloned.

Results

The pair-wise correlation analysis was conducted on length, width and length-width ratio of the flag leaf, and yield per plant in the core recombinant inbred lines of Liang-You-Pei-Jiu (LYP9) developed in Hainan and Hangzhou. There were significant correlations among the three flag leaf size and shape traits. Interestingly, a positive correlation was found between flag leaf width and yield per plant. Based on the high-resolution linkage map we constructed before, 43 QTLs were detected for three flag leaf size and shape traits and yield per plant, among which 31 QTLs were unreported so far. Seven QTLs were identified common in two environments. And qFLW7.2, a new major QTL for flag leaf width, was fine mapped within 27.1 kb region on chromosome 7. Both qFLW7.2 and qPY7 were located in the interval of 45.30 ~ 53.34 cM on chromosome 7, which coincided with the relationship between yield per plant (PY) and flag leaf width (FLW).

Conclusion

qFLW7.2, which explained 14% of the phenotypic variation, increased flag leaf width with 93–11 allele. Two candidate genes were selected based on sequence variation and expression difference between two parents, which facilitated further QTL cloning and molecular breeding in super rice.
Churchill: an ultra-fast, deterministic, highly scalable and balanced parallelization strategy for the discovery of human genetic variation in clinical and population-scale genomics
Authors: Kelly Benjamin J , Fitch James R , Hu Yangqiu , Corsmeier Donald J , Zhong Huachun , Wetzel Amy N , Nordquist Russell D , Newsom David L , White Peter
Published: January 2015

While advances in genome sequencing technology make population-scale genomics a possibility, current approaches for analysis of these data rely upon parallelization strategies that have limited scalability, complex implementation and lack reproducibility. Churchill, a balanced regional parallelization strategy, overcomes these challenges, fully automating the multiple steps required to go from raw sequencing reads to variant discovery. Through implementation of novel deterministic parallelization techniques, Churchill allows computationally efficient analysis of a high-depth whole genome sample in less than two hours. The method is highly scalable, enabling full analysis of the 1000 Genomes raw sequence dataset in a week using cloud resources. http://churchill.nchri.org/.
VERSE: a novel approach to detect virus integration in host genomes through reference genome customization
Authors: Wang Qingguo , Jia Peilin , Zhao Zhongming
Published: January 2015

Fueled by widespread applications of high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and urgent need to counter threats of pathogenic viruses, large-scale studies were conducted recently to investigate virus integration in host genomes (for example, human tumor genomes) that may cause carcinogenesis or other diseases. A limiting factor in these studies, however, is rapid virus evolution and resulting polymorphisms, which prevent reads from aligning readily to commonly used virus reference genomes, and, accordingly, make virus integration sites difficult to detect. Another confounding factor is host genomic instability as a result of virus insertions. To tackle these challenges and improve our capability to identify cryptic virus-host fusions, we present a new approach that detects Virus intEgration sites through iterative Reference SEquence customization (VERSE). To the best of our knowledge, VERSE is the first approach to improve detection through customizing reference genomes. Using 19 human tumors and cancer cell lines as test data, we demonstrated that VERSE substantially enhanced the sensitivity of virus integration site detection. VERSE is implemented in the open source package VirusFinder 2 that is available at http://bioinfo.mc.vanderbilt.edu/VirusFinder/.
Expression of citrulline and homocitrulline residues in the lungs of non-smokers and smokers: implications for autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Lugli Elena B , Correia Raquel ESM , Fischer Roman , Lundberg Karin , Bracke Ken R , Montgomery Anna B , Kessler Benedikt M , Brusselle Guy G , Venables Patrick J
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Smoking is a well-established risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and it has been proposed that smoking-induced citrullination renders autoantigens immunogenic. To investigate this mechanism, we examined human lung tissue from 40 subjects with defined smoking status, with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and control tissues from other organs for citrullinated proteins and the deiminating enzymes peptidylarginine deiminase type-2 (PAD2) and -4 (PAD4).

Methods

Lung tissue samples, dissected from lobectomy specimens from 10 never smokers, 10 smokers without airflow limitation, 13 COPD smokers and eight COPD ex-smokers, and control tissue samples (spleen, skeletal muscle, liver, ovary, lymph node, kidney and heart), were analysed for citrullinated proteins, PAD2 and PAD4 by immunoblotting. Citrulline and homocitrulline residues in enolase and vimentin were analysed by partial purification by gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry in 12 of the lung samples and one from each control tissues. Band intensities were scored semi-quantitatively and analysed by two-tailed Mann-Whitney T-test.

Results

Within the lung tissue samples, citrullinated proteins, PAD2 and PAD4 were found in all samples, with an increase in citrullination in COPD (P = 0.039), but minimal difference between smokers and non-smokers (P = 0.77). Citrullination was also detected at lower levels in the tissues from other organs, principally in lymph node, kidney and skeletal muscle. Mass spectrometry of the lung samples showed that vimentin was citrullinated at positions 71, 304, 346, 410 and 450 in non-smokers and smokers both with and without COPD. A homocitrulline at position 104 was found in four out of six COPD samples and one out of six non-COPD. Citrulline-450 was also found in three of the control tissues. There were no citrulline or homocitrulline residues demonstrated in α-enolase.

Conclusions

We have shown evidence of citrullination of vimentin, a major autoantigen in RA, in both non-smokers and smokers. The increase in citrullinated proteins in COPD suggests that citrullination in the lungs of smokers is mainly due to inflammation. The ubiquity of citrullination of vimentin in the lungs and other tissues suggests that the relationship between smoking and autoimmunity in RA may be more complex than previously thought.
Cell therapy attempted as a novel approach for chronic traumatic brain injury – a pilot study
Authors: Sharma Alok , Sane Hemangi , Kulkarni Pooja , Yadav Jayanti , Gokulchandran Nandini , Biju Hema , Badhe Prerna
Published: January 2015

Traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain parenchyma resulting from external factors such as vehicular accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Its outcome involves primary insult followed by a cascade of secondary insult, resulting in diffuse axonal injury further causing white matter damage. Surgical intervention targets the primary damage, whereas only few treatment alternatives are available to treat the secondary damage. Cellular therapy could be one of the prospective therapeutic options, as it has the potential to arrest the degeneration and promote regeneration of new cells in the brain. We conducted a pilot study on 14 cases who were administered with autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells, intrathecally. The follow up was done at 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after the intervention. The Functional Independence Measure scale, the SF-8 Health Survey Scoring and the disability rating scale were used as outcome measures. These scales showed a positive shift in scores at the end of 6 months. Improvements were observed in various symptoms, along with activities of daily living. Improvement in PET CT scan performed before and 6 months after the intervention in 3 patients corresponded to the clinical and functional improvements observed in these patients. The results of this study suggest that cell therapy may promote functional recovery leading to an improved quality of life in chronic TBI. Although the results are positive, the improvements after cell therapy are not optimal. Hence, additional multicenter, controlled studies are required to establish cell therapy as a standard therapeutic approach.
OpenCalphad - a free thermodynamic software
Authors: Sundman Bo , Kattner Ursula R , Palumbo Mauro , Fries Suzana G
Published: January 2015

Thermodynamic data are essential for the understanding, developing, and processing of materials. The CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) technique has made it possible to calculate properties of multicomponent systems using databases of thermodynamic descriptions with models that were assessed from experimental data. A large variety of data, such as phase diagram and solubility data, including consistent thermodynamic values of chemical potentials, enthalpies, entropies, thermal expansions, heats of transformations, and heat capacities, can be obtained from these databases. CALPHAD calculations can be carried out as stand-alone calculations or can be carried out coupled with simulation codes using the result from these calculations as input. A number of CALPHAD software are available for the calculation of properties of multicomponent systems, and the majority are commercial products. The OpenCalphad (OC) software, discussed here, has a simple programming interface to facilitate such integration in application software. This is important for coupling validated thermodynamic as well as kinetic data in such simulations for obtaining realistic results. At present, no other high quality open source software is available for calculations of multicomponent systems using CALPHAD-type models, and it is the goal of the OC source code to fill this gap. The OC software is distributed under a GNU license. The availability of the source code can greatly benefit scientists in academia as well as in industry in the development of new models and assessment of model parameters from both experimental data and data from first principles calculations.