bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Presentation and Results of Thrombolytic Therapy in Older Patients with Massive Pulmonary Embolism: A Comparison with Non‐Elderly Patients
Authors: Gisselbrecht Mathilde , Diehl Jean‐Luc , Meyer Guy , Collignon Marie Anne , Sors Hervé
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical presentation and effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy in older patients suffering from massive pulmonary embolism.

DESIGN: Analysis of a previously reported study of patients with massive pulmonary embolism using a dichotomous classification of age.

SETTING: A medical intensive care unit in one hospital center.

PARTICIPANTS: All subjects had massive pulmonary embolism as evidenced by scintigraphic and/or angiographic assessment. The 54 patients included in this study were divided into two groups according to age: 28 patients were less than 75 years old and 26 patients were 75 years old or older.

INTERVENTION: All patients received a bolus regimen of single‐chain recombinant tissue‐type plasminogen and were subsequently treated by heparin and warfarin.

MEASUREMENTS: Clinical symptoms at admission, resolution of scintigraphic vascular obstruction, death rate, hemorrhagic complications, recurrent pulmonary embolism, and long‐term follow‐up were compared between both groups.

RESULTS: Clinical symptoms at admission were similar in both groups. The mean absolute improvement in the lung scan perfusion defect, the rate of major bleeding, and the long‐term evolution were not statistically different between older and younger patients.

CONCLUSION: Clinical symptoms, including hemodynamic condition, did not differ between elderly and non‐elderly patients suffering from massive pulmonary embolism. Old age should not preclude thrombolytic therapy in massive pulmonary embolism, provided there is no other contraindication for thrombolytic treatment. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:189–193, 1996.
Depression and Medical Illness in Late Life: Report of a Symposium
Authors: Lyness Jeffrey M. , Bruce Martha L. , Koenig Harold G. , Parmelee Patricia A. , Schulz Richard , Lawton M. Powell , Reynolds Charles F.
Published: April 2015

Clinically significant depression in older people is an important public health problem. Medical illness is the most consistently identified factor associated with the presence of late‐life depression and is the most powerful predictor of poor depressive outcome. Closer examination of these associations holds promise for revealing insights into depressive pathogenesis at biological, psychological, and social levels of organization.

This paper considers conceptual and methodological issues critical to the study of the medical illness‐depression interface, including (1) problems with case identification, which is made difficult by both the high prevalence of clinically meaningful “subsyndromal” depressive symptoms and by potential confounds in assessing somatic or neurovegetative symptoms of depression in the medically ill, and (2) the biases produced by different sample sites, each of which offers unique leverages and limitations.

Recommendations for clinical researchers that address these issues are provided. As well, investigators must use multidimensional study methodology, guided by testing specific theories of putative causal pathways, to successfully extend our current knowledge base and conceptual models.

Clinicians working with older persons must recognize the prognostic import of comorbid medical illnesses in late‐life depression and must understand how the subtleties of case identification can affect treatment planning. At a policy level, routine psychiatric assessment of older people in general medical settings is clearly warranted, although further study is needed to identify more specific approaches to therapeutic interventions. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:198–203, 1996.
Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism in Older Persons
Authors: Pahor Marco , Guralnik Jack M. , Havlik Richard J. , Carbonin Pierugo , Salive Marcel E. , Ferrucci Luigi , Corti Maria‐Chiara , Hennekens Charles H.
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether low to moderate alcohol consumption decreases the risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Three communities of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 7959 persons aged 68 years or older.

MEASUREMENTS

The incidence of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism was assessed by surveying hospital discharge diagnoses and deaths from 1985 through 1992. Those participants who estimated they used alcohol less than 1 time, on average, in the past month, less than 1 ounce per day, and 1 ounce or more per day were compared with those who reported no alcohol intake in the past year. Age, gender, race, body mass index, smoking, education, income, disability, cognitive function, arterial pressure, medication use, baseline chronic conditions, number of hospital admissions in past year, and occurrence of disease during follow‐up were examined as possible confounders.

RESULTS

During 48,038 person‐years of follow‐up, 155 events were observed (35 deep venous thromboses and 123 pulmonary emboli). Compared with non‐drinkers, after adjusting for potential confounding variables, the relative risks (95% confidence interval) for deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism associated with increasing alcohol consumption levels were 0.7 (0.4–1.1), 0.6 (0.4–0.9), and 0.5 (0.2–1.1), respectively (Pfor trend = .004). The results were unchanged after stratifying on health status and disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Low to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in older persons.
Charles Bonnet Syndrome: An Early Marker for Dementia?
Authors: Pliskin Neil H. , Kiolbasa Theresa A. , Towle Vernon L. , Pankow Laura , Ernest J. Terry , Noronha Avertano , Luchins Daniel J.
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the neuropsychological function in patients with Charles Bonnet Syndrome.

DESIGN

Control group comparison study.

SETTING

University of Chicago Hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

The neuropsychological function of 15 older adults with presenting complaints of visual hallucinations who met criteria for Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) were compared with 11 demographically matched controls to determine if there was any evidence of functional brain impairment. CBS patients were screened for focal brain lesions and epileptic disturbance via MRI and EEG and also received pattern visual evoked potentials and ophthalmological examinations.

MEASUREMENTS

Scores from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale‐Revised, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, Wechsler Memory Scale, and the Auditory Verbal Learning Test were compared.

RESULTS

Significant differences were found between the two groups on the neuropsychological measures. Moreover, 14 of 14 subjects had ocular abnormalities and six of eight had abnormal age‐corrected pattern visual evoked potentials indicative of dysfunction in the visual system.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study indicate that patients diagnosed with Charles Bonnet Syndrome evidence neuropsychological changes commonly associated with the early stages of dementia. Therefore, in patients with impaired vision, the appearance of cognitive deficits, albeit subtle, occur with the onset of visual hallucinations. We propose that isolated visual hallucinations in the older adult may be an indication of the early stages of dementia.
Chair Design Affects How Older Adults Rise from a Chair
Authors: Alexander Neil B. , Koester Daniel J. , Grunawalt Julie A.
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE: To determine how modifications of key chair design aspects, such as seat height, posterior seat tilt, backrest recline, seat compressibility, and armrest placement, affect how older adults rise from a chair and the seating comfort they experience.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional comparison

SETTING: Congregate housing facility and university laboratory

SUBJECTS: Two groups of volunteers, Old (n = 29, mean age 84) and Young (n = 21, mean age 23).

MEASUREMENTS: Analysis of time to rise, body motion (determined by use of digitized videotaping), and self‐reported difficulty when subjects rose from a variety of controlled chair settings thought to represent important chair design specifications encountered by older adults. Subjects also reported their comfort while being seated in these settings.

RESULTS: Lowered seat height, increased posterior seat tilt and backrest recline, and perhaps increased seat compressibility cause increased time to rise, increased body motion, and increased self‐reported ratings of rise difficulty in both Young and Old groups. Under the most challenging conditions, the effect appears to be stronger in the Old than in the Young: a few Old were unable to rise, and the Old took disproportionately longer to rise and used disproportionately greater neck motion (P generally < 0.001) compared with the Young. Arm rest placement did not alter rise performance or ratings significantly. The conditions in which rise difficulty increases or decreases do not correspond exactly to conditions in which comfort increases or decreases. Some aspects that increase rise difficulty, such as tilt/recline and seat compressibility, may also increase comfort.

CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of chair design such as lowered seat height, increased posterior seat tilt, increased back recline, and increased compressibility interfere with chair egress in older adults. While decreasing ease of egress, however, these same factors may increase seating comfort. Furniture designers and manufacturers must find a balance between degree of sitting comfort, ease of egress, and the degree to which the seating device facilitates functional independence, particularly to meet the needs of disabled older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:356–362, 1996.
Apparent Idiopathic Hyponatremia in an Ambulatory Geriatric Population
Authors: Miller Myron , Hecker Melanie S. , Friedlander Deborah A. , Carter John M.
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this descriptive analysis is to demonstrate that among older patients with hyponatremia, there is a subset with apparent hyponatremia of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) type, which appears associated with the aging process. A retrospective chart review was done to identify patients with hyponatremia and to classify them into non‐SIADH, SIADH, and idiopathic categories.

DESIGN: The participants were the ambulatory population of The Mount Sinai Hospital's outpatient geriatric clinic. Pertinent data generated during the antecedent 24 months were collected from outpatient charts and included sets of laboratory values (consisting of one sodium, glucose, BUN and creatinine level), age, sex, race, clinical history, present diagnosis, medications, and prescribed diets for each patient in the total population.

RESULTS: Patients demonstrating hyponatremia with serum sodium levels of less than 135 mEq/L were identified from the total population and were further divided into SIADH and non‐SIADH etiologies. The SIADH patients were then subdivided into known etiology SIADH and apparent idiopathic SIADH. In an ambulatory geriatric population of 405 subjects, 46 had hyponatremia, with SIADH the apparent cause in 27. Of the SIADH population, seven patients were considered to have idiopathic SIADH. An apparent predilection for development of this syndrome was observed among non‐black patients and the old old.

CONCLUSIONS: The results support the hypothesis that aging is a risk factor for the development of SIADH‐like hyponatremia in a subset of older patients who do not have an apparent underlying etiology. Thus, aging may be an independent etiology for the development of hyponatremia. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:404–408, 1996.
Multicenter Semiquantitative Evaluation of 123I‐FP‐CIT Brain SPECT
Authors: Skanjeti Andrea , Castellano Giancarlo , Elia Baldassarre O. , Zotta Michela , Dazzara Francesca , Manfredi Matteo , Galati Antonello , Grimaldi Serena , Balma Michele , Pellerito Riccardo E. , Podio Valerio
Published: April 2015

AIMS

The aims of this study were: (1) to cross‐compare data from semiquantitative, software‐assisted, and phantom‐corrected evaluations of 123I‐ioflupane [123I]N‐ω‐fluoropropyl‐2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐{4‐iodophenyl}nortropane FP‐CIT brain single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) acquired in three centers; (2) to assess the accuracy of semiquantitative evaluation; and (3) to identify the threshold with the best accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in patients with suspected Parkinsonian Syndrome.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two‐hundred‐twenty patients, acquired in three centers, were included. All of them underwent 123I‐FP‐CIT brain SPECT. All examinations were analyzed with the freely available software, BasGan, and semiquantitative data were used to predict disease. Analysis was based on the values from the most deteriorated putamen and caudate, normalized for age, and corrected by anthropomorphic phantom data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed and areas under the curve (AUC) were estimated.

RESULTS

Analysis showed high AUCs (.880, .866, .920, and .882 for each center and multicenter setting). Best thresholds were 1.53 and 1.56 for putamen and caudate, respectively. Thresholds of putamen data showed sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 89%, respectively, in the multicenter setting. Neither sensibility nor specificity showed significant differences among centers.

CONCLUSION

A unique, accurate threshold for all centers, with high sensitivity and specificity was identified. Semiquantitative assessment of 123I‐FP‐CIT brain SPECT among different centers resulted reliable, accurate, and potentially useful in clinical trials.
Dynamic Contrast‐Enhanced Perfusion MRI of High Grade Brain Gliomas Obtained with Arterial or Venous Waveform Input Function
Authors: Filice Silvano , Crisi Girolamo
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion estimates of high‐grade brain gliomas (HGG) due to the use of an input function (IF) obtained respectively from arterial (AIF) and venous (VIF) approaches by two different commercially available software applications.

METHODS

This prospective study includes 20 patients with pathologically confirmed diagnosis of high‐grade gliomas. The data source was processed by using two DCE dedicated commercial packages, both based on the extended Toft model, but the first customized to obtain input function from arterial measurement and the second from sagittal sinus sampling. The quantitative parametric perfusion maps estimated from the two software packages were compared by means of a region of interest (ROI) analysis. The resulting input functions from venous and arterial data were also compared.

RESULTS

No significant difference has been found between the perfusion parameters obtained with the two different software packages (P‐value < .05). The comparison of the VIFs and AIFs obtained by the two packages showed no statistical differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Direct comparison of DCE‐MRI measurements with IF generated by means of arterial or venous waveform led to no statistical difference in quantitative metrics for evaluating HGG. However, additional research involving DCE‐MRI acquisition protocols and post‐processing would be beneficial to further substantiate the effectiveness of venous approach as the IF method compared with arterial‐based IF measurement.
Modulatory effects of propolis samples from Latin America (Brazil, Cuba and Mexico) on cytokine production by human monocytes
Authors: Conti Bruno J , Santiago Karina B , Búfalo Michelle C , Herrera Yahima F , Alday Efrain , Velazquez Carlos , Hernandez Javier , Sforcin José M
Published: April 2015

Objectives

Propolis has been used in folk medicine in different regions of the world including Latin America. Propolis is a resinous mixture of substances collected by honey bees from several botanical sources, and its composition contains a rich chemical variety, depending on the geographical area and plant sources. Our aim was to compare the modulatory effect of propolis samples from three different countries of Latin America (Brazil, Cuba and Mexico) on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-10, respectively) by human monocytes.

Methods

Cells were incubated with propolis for 18 h at 37°C. Cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method, and cytokine production was determined by ELISA.

Key findings

All samples did not affect monocyte viability. Brazilian propolis stimulated both TNF-α and IL-10 production by monocytes. Cuban propolis stimulated TNF-α and inhibited IL-10 production, while Mexican sample exerted the opposite effect, inhibiting TNF-α and stimulating IL-10 production. The major compounds found in Brazilian, Cuban and Mexican propolis samples were artepillin C, isoflavonoids and pinocembrin, respectively.

Conclusion

Brazilian, Cuban and Mexican propolis contained different components that may exert pro- and anti-inflammatory activity depending on concentration, what may provide a novel approach to the development of immunomodulatory drugs containing propolis.
Characterization of lung-delivered in-situ forming controlled release formulations
Authors: Dalla-Bona Alexandra C , Stoisiek Katharina , Oesterheld Nina , Schmehl Thomas , Gessler Tobias , Seeger Werner , Beck-Broichsitter Moritz
Published: April 2015

Objectives

This study investigated the controlled drug release potential of formulations revealing temperature-induced sol–gel transition following administration to the respiratory tract.

Methods

Diverse sildenafil-containing aqueous poloxamer 407 preparations were evaluated for critical gelation temperature and rheological properties. The in-vitro drug release profiles of the in-situ forming formulations were studied in a Franz type cell, while the drug absorption characteristics were determined in an isolated lung model. Furthermore, the weight gain of isolated lungs was monitored and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was analysed for the total protein content.

Key findings

Poloxamer 407 solutions with concentrations of >12 wt.% revealed gelation upon temperature increase (>20°C). Compared with free sildenafil solution, sildenafil-containing polymer formulations showed a prolonged in-vitro drug release profile. Likewise, 17 and 21 wt.% of poloxamer 407 were characterized by a sustained sildenafil transfer from the lung into the perfusate. However, a 10 wt.% polymer solution displayed an immediate sildenafil absorption. Interestingly, increasing the poloxamer 407 concentration (21 and 17 vs. 10 wt.%) led to decreased organ weight gain kinetics and a lower total protein content found in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Conclusions

In-situ forming controlled release hydrogels represent a viable approach for inhalative therapy.
Sensor Attitude Correction of Wireless Sensor Network for Acceleration‐Based Monitoring of Civil Structures
Authors: Cho Soojin , Spencer Billie F.
Published: April 2015

Wireless sensors are now becoming practical alternatives to traditional wired sensors in monitoring civil structures. Though many have been reported on acceleration‐based monitoring of civil structures using wireless sensor networks, sensor attitude that may be different from instrumentation plan has been a seemingly overlooked issue behind performance validation of the network. In this article, a technique to correct the sensor attitude is proposed for the wireless sensor network that measures 3D acceleration of civil structures. Six simple formulas to assess the well‐known 3D Euler angles (i.e., roll, pitch, and yaw) are derived using the gravity extracted from measured 3D acceleration and nonchanging direction of sensors on a stationary structure. The proposed technique is validated at a large‐scale wireless sensor network with 22 sensors in the respective attitudes on a truss bridge. First, attitudes assessed by the proposed method are compared with instrumentation plan. Then, mode shapes obtained before and after the correction are compared with those from finite element model. Comparison shows that quality of the mode shapes improves significantly by small amount of attitude correction less than 7°.
Intraspecific trait variation and colonization sequence alter community assembly and disease epidemics
Authors: Dibble Christopher J. , Rudolf Volker H. W.
Published: April 2015

When individuals from multiple populations colonize a new habitat patch, intraspecific trait variation can make the arrival order of colonists an important factor for subsequent population and community dynamics. In particular, intraspecific priority effects (IPEs) allow early arrivers to limit the growth or establishment of later arrivers, even when competitively inferior on a per‐capita basis. Through their effects on genes and traits, IPEs can alter short‐term growth and long‐term evolutionary change in single species metapopulations. Given their importance for intraspecific interactions, IPEs in a dominant species have the potential to affect the composition of entire communities. We conducted an experiment to determine whether and how arrival order and IPEs in the zooplankter Daphnia pulex affected its interactions with both competitors (the cladoceran Simocephalus vetulus) and parasites (the virulent fungus Metschnikowia bicuspidata). We found strong evidence for IPEs in Daphnia, as early arrivers inhibited late arrivers even when competitively inferior. These IPEs in Daphnia altered both the establishment success of interspecific competitors and the size of disease epidemics: early colonization by fast‐growing D. pulex led to large Daphnia populations and low competitor establishment, but large disease epidemics. Early colonization by slow‐growing D. pulex, on the other hand, resulted in small Daphnia populations with high competitor establishment, but smaller disease epidemics. Overall, our results demonstrate the importance of intraspecific variation and arrival order for community dynamics, and highlight IPEs as a general mechanism driving variation in natural communities.
CLUSTERED PRIMARY BRANCH 1, a new allele of DWARF11, controls panicle architecture and seed size in rice
Authors: Wu Yongzhen , Fu Yongcai , Zhao Shuangshuang , Gu Ping , Zhu Zuofeng , Sun Chuanqing , Tan Lubin
Published: April 2015

Panicle architecture and seed size are important agronomic traits that directly determine grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Although a number of key genes controlling panicle architecture and seed size have been cloned and characterized in recent years, their genetic and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified a mutant that produced panicles with fascicled primary branching and reduced seeds in size. We isolated the underlying CLUSTERED PRIMARY BRANCH 1 (CPB1) gene, a new allele of DWARF11 (D11) encoding a cytochrome P450 protein involved in brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis pathway. Genetic transformation experiments confirmed that a His360Leu amino acid substitution residing in the highly conserved region of CPB1/D11 was responsible for the panicle architecture and seed size changes in the cpb1 mutants. Overexpression of CPB1/D11 under the background of cpb1 mutant not only rescued normal panicle architecture and plant height, but also had a larger leaf angle and seed size than the controls. Furthermore, the CPB1/D11 transgenic plants driven by panicle‐specific promoters can enlarge seed size and enhance grain yield without affecting other favourable agronomic traits. These results demonstrated that the specific mutation in CPB1/D11 influenced development of panicle architecture and seed size, and manipulation of CPB1/D11 expression using the panicle‐specific promoter could be used to increase seed size, leading to grain yield improvement in rice.
Inspecting a Vital Component Needed upon Emergency
Authors: Sabouri Alireza , Shechter Steven M. , Huh Woonghee Tim
Published: April 2015

We consider a stochastically failing component that will be needed at a random future time when an emergency occurs. If the component is not operational at that time, the system incurs a large penalty, which we want to avoid through inspections and replacements. We propose a model and solution algorithm for finding an inspection policy that minimizes the infinite horizon discounted expected penalty, replacement, and inspection costs. We also discuss structural properties of the solution, as well as insights based on numerical results.
Small but not ephemeral: newly discovered species of Aphelinidae and Trichogrammatidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) from Eocene amber
Authors: BURKS ROGER A. , HERATY JOHN M. , PINTO JOHN D. , GRIMALDI DAVID
Published: April 2015

New species of fossil Aphelinidae and Trichogrammatidae are described from middle Eocene (Lutetian) Baltic amber (41.3–47.8 Ma). A new subfamily, two new genera and three new species of Aphelinidae are described, with comments on their placement:Phtuaria fimbriaegen.n.,sp.n.in Phtuariinaesubf.n.,Glaesaphytis interregnigen.n.,sp.n.andCentrodora brevispinaesp.n.These represent the first described true fossil Aphelinidae. Four new species of Trichogrammatidae are described:Mirufens illusionissp.n.,Palaeogramma eosgen.n.,sp.n.,Pterandrophysalis plasmanssp.n.andSzelenyia terebraesp.n., thus expanding our knowledge of fossil Trichogrammatidae beyond the single previously described species. The presence of recognizable extant genera of Aphelinidae and Trichogrammatidae in the Eocene suggests that the morphology of these genera has been relatively invariant despite highly variable conditions during and since the Eocene.

This published work has been registered in ZooBank,http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E9AD60B6‐3D56‐4E74‐AA54‐F7B91F4FDC79.
Prevalence of HLA‐B*57:01 allele in Argentinean HIV‐1 infected patients
Authors: Moragas M. , Belloso W. H. , Baquedano M. S. , Gutierrez M. I. , Bissio E. , Larriba J. M. , Fay F. , Aulicino P. , Gurevich J. M. , Yaunguzian M. F. , Maldonado A. C. , Falistocco C. , Sen L. , Mangano A.
Published: April 2015

Hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir (ABC hypersensitivity syndrome, AHS) is strongly associated with the presence of the HLA‐B*57:01 allele. This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of HLA‐B*57:01 allele in Argentinean HIV‐1 infected patients. We analyzed the presence of HLA‐B*57:01 allele in 1646 HIV‐1 infected patients from different regions of Argentina. This allele was detected in 81 patients; most of them corresponded to patients living in the central region of the country. The prevalence of HLA‐B*57:01 was 4.9%, similar to other Caucasian populations and higher than other data reported for South American populations. This strongly supports screening for the presence of HLA‐B*57:01 in abacavir treatment of HIV‐1 in our country.
Regulation of flowering time by the histone deacetylase HDA5 in Arabidopsis
Authors: Luo Ming , Tai Ready , Yu Chun‐Wei , Yang Songguang , Chen Chia‐Yang , Lin Wen‐Dar , Schmidt Wolfgang , Wu Keqiang
Published: April 2015

The acetylation level of histones on lysine residues regulated by histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases plays an important but under‐studied role in the control of gene expression in plants. With the aim of characterizing the Arabidopsis RPD3/HDA1 family histone deacetylase HDA5, we present evidence showing that HDA5 displays deacetylase activity. Mutants defective in the expression of HDA5 displayed a late‐flowering phenotype. Expression of the flowering repressor genes FLC and MAF1 was up‐regulated in hda5 mutants. Furthermore, the gene activation markers, histone H3 acetylation and H3K4 trimethylation on FLC and MAF1 chromatin were increased in hda5‐1 mutants. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that HDA5 binds to the chromatin of FLC and MAF1. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays and co‐immunoprecipitation assays showed that HDA5 interacts with FVE, FLD and HDA6, indicating that these proteins are present in a protein complex involved in the regulation of flowering time. Comparing gene expression profiles of hda5 and hda6 mutants by RNA‐seq revealed that HDA5 and HDA6 co‐regulate gene expression in multiple development processes and pathways.
Manipulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release in heart failure through mechanical intervention
Authors: Ibrahim Michael , Nader Anas , Yacoub Magdi H , Terracciano Cesare
Published: April 2015

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) were developed as a means of temporary circulatory support, but the mechanical unloading they offer also results in significant reverse remodelling. In selected patients, these improvements are sufficient to allow ultimate device explantation without requiring transplantation; this represents a fundamental shift in our understanding of heart failure. Like heart failure itself, LVADs influence multiple biological systems. The transverse tubules are a system of membrane invaginations in ventricular cardiomyocytes which allow rapid propagation of the action potential throughout the cell. Through their dense concentration of L‐type Ca2+ channels in close proximity to intracellular ryanodine receptors, the t‐tubules enable synchronous Ca2+ release throughout the cell. The t‐tubules’ structure appears to be specifically regulated by mechanical load, such that either the overload of heart failure (or the spontaneously hypertensive rat model) or the profound unloading in a chronically unloaded heart result in impaired t‐tubule structure, with ineffective Ca2+ release. While there are multiple molecular pathways which underpin t‐tubule regulation, Telethonin (Tcap) appears to be important in regulating the effect of altered loading on the t‐tubule system.
Dysregulated flow‐mediated vasodilatation in the human placenta in fetal growth restriction
Authors: Jones Sarah , Bischof Helen , Lang Ingrid , Desoye Gernot , Greenwood Sue L. , Johnstone Edward D. , Wareing Mark , Sibley Colin P. , Brownbill Paul
Published: April 2015

Key points

A correlation was found between in vivo umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry and resistance to fetal‐side flow in the human ex vivo dually perfused placenta, highlighting that the fetoplacental vascular bed is a key site of resistance to umbilico‐placental flow in pregnancy.

We discovered high resistance and poor flow‐mediated vasodilatory responses in placentas from pregnancies associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR).

Endothelial cells isolated from the FGR placentas and grown in static and flow culture showed a dysregulated phenotype, with biochemical signalling demonstrating a failed compensatory response to high blood‐flow resistance.

Increased vascular resistance and reduced fetoplacental blood flow are putative aetiologies in the pathogenesis of fetal growth restriction (FGR); however, the regulating sites and mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesised that placental vessels dictate fetoplacental resistance and in FGR exhibit endothelial dysfunction and reduced flow‐mediated vasodilatation (FMVD). Resistance was measured in normal pregnancies (n = 10) and FGR (n = 10) both in vivo by umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry and ex vivo by dual placental perfusion. Ex vivo FMVD is the reduction in fetal‐side inflow hydrostatic pressure (FIHP) following increased flow rate. Results demonstrated a significant correlation between vascular resistance measured in vivo and ex vivo in normal pregnancy, but not in FGR. In perfused FGR placentas, vascular resistance was significantly elevated compared to normal placentas (58 ± 7.7 mmHg and 36.8 ± 4.5 mmHg, respectively; 8 ml min−1; means ± SEM; P < 0.0001) and FMVD was severely reduced (3.9 ± 1.3% and 9.1 ± 1.2%, respectively). In normal pregnancies only, the highest level of ex vivo FMVD was associated with the lowest in vivo resistance. Inhibition of NO synthesis during perfusion (100 μm l‐NNA) moderately elevated FIHP in the normal group, but substantially in the FGR group. Human placenta artery endothelial cells from FGR groups exhibited increased shear stress‐induced NO generation, iNOS expression and eNOS expression compared with normal groups. In conclusion, fetoplacental resistance is determined by placental vessels, and is increased in FGR. The latter also exhibit reduced FMVD, but with a partial compensatory increased NO generation capacity. The data support our hypothesis, which highlights the importance of FMVD regulation in normal and dysfunctional placentation.
A rebounding droplet impacting on a static droplet
Authors: Moon Joo Hyun , Allen Jeffrey S. , Lee Seong Hyuk
Published: April 2015

This study aims to experimentally examine rebounding characteristics of a free-fall droplet which impacts on a static droplet with a spherical-cap shape in a low Weber number range. Two well-aligned high-speed cameras were used for visualization of droplet behaviors after impact. From the image analysis, the influence of impact velocity, offset distance and static droplet volume on the rebound characteristics was examined. The results show that the dynamic contact angle and the contact diameter of a static droplet change significantly with time after impact. In particular, a substantial change in dynamic contact angles for different offset distances is also observed. Contact diameters are also varied larger with the increase in the impact velocity. It is thought that occurrence of droplet rebound may be because of air-gap formation at the interface inhibiting viscous film drainage, coming from droplet oscillation before impact.
Visual Observation of Circular Water Jet Impingement Boiling on Stationary Hot Steel Plate
Authors: Sohn Sangho , Park Jaebum
Published: April 2015

The time-and space-resolved water jet impingement heat transfer on stationary hot steel plate was measured by a novel experimental technique that has a function of high-temperature heat flux gauge. The simultaneous visual observation was helpful to understand the complex heat transfer regimes occurring on a stationary hot steel plate cooled from 900°C by a circular water jet. The heat transfer regimes adjacent to a circular water jet impinging on a hot steel plate were known as to be classified into 5 distinct regimes; (I) single phase forced convection, (II) nucleate and transition boiling, (III) forced convection film boiling, (IV) agglomerated pools, (V) radiation and natural convection to surroundings. The observed images of water jet impingement boiling were well agreed with the measured cooling curve and boiling curve, so this study can provide the benchmark data for validating the 5 distinct regimes.
Visual Criteria for Measuring Two-phase Flow Rate in Venturi with Flow Homogenizer
Authors: Sohn Sangho , Park Jaebum , Oh Dong-Wook
Published: April 2015

A simple use of Venturi might be used to measure two-phase flow rate within relatively low GVF(gas volume fraction). Upstream flow entering Venturi can be improved with installed flow homogenizer which is easily fabricated by 3-dimensional printer with multiple holes. Simultaneous measurement between high-speed flow visualization and dynamic differential pressure measurement was made to find visual criteria for two-phase flow rate measurement with different GVF ranged from 0% to 30%. It was observed that the two-phase flow rate can be reliably measured up to 15% of GVF using flow homogenizer. FFT(Fast-Fourier Transform) results proved that the long flow homogenizers (type 2 and 4) showed a lower amplitude of differential pressure (Δp) than the short flow homogenizers (type 1 and 3) respectively. So the optimized flow homogenizer can be useful to measure two-phase flow rate at low GVF.
Where Does It Begin? Exploring Gender Differences in Student-Athletes’ Perceptions of Entering the Coaching Profession
Authors: Clopton Aaron
Published: April 2015

The current study sought to trace the origin of gender disparity in the coaching landscape from student-athletes’ perceptions, framed through Social Cognitive Career Theory. To examine the cognitive-person variables in line with previous coaching and SCCT research, scales were derived for perceived social supports and barriers, perceptions of positive and negative outcome expectations, and perceived self-efficacy in coaching. Student-athletes were randomly selected online from 23 institutions across three Bowl Championship Series conferences, while data were coded into a MANCOVA. Results indicated male student-athletes reported greater levels for perceived barriers to enter the coaching profession, perceptions of positive outcome expectations, and for coaching self-efficacy than did their female counterparts. These findings suggest that gender differences within the college coaching profession may be, in part, due to perceptions formed before entry.
Naturally Fit: An Investigation of Experiences in a Women Only Outdoor Recreation Program
Authors: Bosteder Sandra M. , Appleby Karen M.
Published: April 2015

Researchers have noted several barriers that may exist in relation to women’s pursuit toward and participation in consistent physical activity. These barriers include, but are not limited to, unrealistic social expectations, body image, physique anxiety, evaluation concerns, and lack of a positive support network (Focht & Hausenblas, 2003; Lloyd & Little, 2005; Salvatore & Marecek, 2010; Vrazel, Saunders & Wilcox, 2008). Other researchers have indicated that physical activity pursued in outdoor environments may alleviate some of these barriers (McDermott, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use a feminist framework to qualitatively describe the experiences of participants in an all-female outdoor recreation program in relation to confidence building, motivation to pursue physical activity, and social support. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had been active in the group for two or more years. The results of this study suggest that through participation in this women’s only group, they gained confidence in their physical and leadership abilities, were motivated through both environmental and social means, and experienced social bonding and networking among others. The authors provide applications and recommendations for future research.
Title IX and Intercollegiate Athletics: An Analysis of EADA Data on Student Enrollment, Sport Participation and Scholarship Allocation
Authors: Yiamouyiannis Athena , Hawes Kay
Published: April 2015

The 2009–10 Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) data were used to analyze and compare student enrollment, sport participation rates/participants, and scholarship allocation at NCAA Division I, II, and III colleges and their subdivisions from a critical perspective through the lens of feminism. The EADA data included 1,062 NCAA collegiate institutions, with 350 Division I colleges, 209 in Division II, and 420 in Division III. Within Division I, the three subdivisions included I-A (FBS), I-AA (FCS), and I-AAA (without football). For Divisions II and III, findings were reported for colleges with and without football. Of the 6 million students attending NCAA colleges, 54% are female students, while only 43% of sport participants are women, which reflects an 11% gap between female enrollment and sport participation. Scholarship allocation appears to favor women when using the OCR comparison of scholarships to participants; however, the opposite conclusion is drawn based upon additional information.
CMV-specific T cells generated from naïve T cells recognize atypical epitopes and may be protective in vivo
Authors: Hanley Patrick J. , Melenhorst Jan J. , Nikiforow Sarah , Scheinberg Phillip , Blaney James W. , Demmler-Harrison Gail , Cruz C. Russell , Lam Sharon , Krance Robert A. , Leung Kathryn S. , Martinez Caridad A. , Liu Hao , Douek Daniel C. , Heslop Helen E. , Rooney Cliona M. , Shpall Elizabeth J. , Barrett A. John , Rodgers John R. , Bollard Catherine M.
Published: April 2015

CMV-specific T cells, derived from the naïve population, recognize different epitopes of CMV than do memory-derived T cells and may be functional and protective in vivo.
Cyclic AMP Regulates Social Behavior in African Trypanosomes
Authors: Oberholzer Michael , Saada Edwin A. , Hill Kent L.
Published: April 2015

The protozoan parasite
Trypanosoma brucei
engages in surface-induced social behavior, termed social motility, characterized by single cells assembling into multicellular groups that coordinate their movements in response to extracellular signals. Social motility requires sensing and responding to extracellular signals, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here we report that
T. brucei
social motility depends on cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling systems in the parasite's flagellum (synonymous with cilium). Pharmacological inhibition of cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) completely blocks social motility without impacting the viability or motility of individual cells. Using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based sensor to monitor cAMP dynamics in live cells, we demonstrate that this block in social motility correlates with an increase in intracellular cAMP levels. RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown of the flagellar PDEB1 phenocopies pharmacological PDE inhibition, demonstrating that PDEB1 is required for social motility. Using parasites expressing distinct fluorescent proteins to monitor individuals in a genetically heterogeneous community, we found that the social motility defect of PDEB1 knockdowns is complemented by wild-type parasites in
trans
. Therefore, PDEB1 knockdown cells are competent for social motility but appear to lack a necessary factor that can be provided by wild-type cells. The combined data demonstrate that the role of cyclic nucleotides in regulating microbial social behavior extends to African trypanosomes and provide an example of transcomplementation in parasitic protozoa.

IMPORTANCE
In bacteria, studies of cell-cell communication and social behavior have profoundly influenced our understanding of microbial physiology, signaling, and pathogenesis. In contrast, mechanisms underlying social behavior in protozoan parasites are mostly unknown. Here we show that social behavior in the protozoan parasite
Trypanosoma brucei
is governed by cyclic-AMP signaling systems in the flagellum, with intriguing parallels to signaling systems that control bacterial social behavior. We also generated a
T. brucei
social behavior mutant and found that the mutant phenotype is complemented by wild-type cells grown in the same culture. Our findings open new avenues for dissecting social behavior and signaling in protozoan parasites and illustrate the capacity of these organisms to influence each other's behavior in mixed communities.
Sino-nasal mucosal malignant melanoma
Authors: Karim Muneeb Uddin , Khan Khursheed , Ali Nasir , Ikram Mubasher
Published: April 2015

A 49-year-old man with a history of left nasal discharge and nasal cavity blockage for 5 months was diagnosed with sino-nasal mucosal malignant melanoma on nasal biopsy. On CT scan, the tumour involved the nasal cavity, left maxillary sinus, ethmoid sinus and medial left orbit. The tumour was grossly excised and adjuvant radiation therapy was offered. The patient was planned for an Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy technique to keep tolerance doses of organs at risk within normal limits and at same time deliver the intended dose of radiation to the tumour site, using 66 Gy in 33 fractions. Owing to the anatomical complexity of the sino-nasal region, precision radiotherapy (RT) is mandatory to optimally irradiate the tumour area while sparing critical surrounding normal structures from late toxicity of RT. Established dose constraints for at-risk organs can only be accomplished through this novel technique of RT. However, despite advances in techniques, current treatment modalities have not significantly made an impact on survival of these patients.
Steroid unresponsive anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis during pregnancy successfully treated with plasmapheresis
Authors: Shahani Lokesh
Published: April 2015

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder resulting in neurological and psychiatric symptoms. It is rare during pregnancy and treatment is extremely challenging as little data exist to guide management. A 26-year-old woman presented at 22 weeks of gestation with intermittent headache and an acute episode of bizarre behaviour and grandiose delusions resulting in hospitalisation. The patient was worked up for encephalitis and was found to have anti-NMDA receptor antibody in cerebrospinal fluid as well as in serum. She was initially treated with high-dose steroids but failed to improve clinically and serologically. She was then treated with plasmapheresis and showed clinical and serological response. She had a successful delivery at 37 weeks and the baby did not show serological evidence of disease. This case adds to the sparse literature of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis during pregnancy and adds to the differential diagnosis of new onset psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy.
Emergency reversal of dabigatran for emergency surgery
Authors: Puttick Thomas , Bahl Rahul , Mohamedbhai Hussein
Published: April 2015

An 80-year-old woman had the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran etexilate reversed using factor eight inhibitor bypassing activity (FEIBA) in order to facilitate emergency surgery for an incarcerated femoral hernia. She had atrial fibrillation was taking the anticoagulant for stroke prevention. That afternoon her international normalised ratio (INR) was 1.3 and activated partial thromboplastin time ratio (APPTr) was 2.17, having taken dabigatran that morning. 3000 units of FEIBA and 10 mg of vitamin K were administered and she was taken to theatre for emergency surgery. Surgery was successful, total blood loss was less than 100 mL and there were no complications. The following morning she had an INR of 1.1 and APPTr of 1.49. She made an uneventful postoperative recovery and was discharged home. There is a limited evidence base guiding practice in the clinical scenario described. The only controlled studies available are animal experiments.
Short-term outcomes and mortality after interhospital intensive care transportation: an observational prospective cohort study of 368 consecutive transports with a mobile intensive care unit
Authors: Strauch Ulrich , Bergmans Dennis C J J , Winkens Bjorn , Roekaerts Paul M H J
Published: April 2015

Objectives

To evaluate short-term outcomes and mortality after interhospital transportation of intensive care patients performed by a mobile intensive care unit (MICU).

Setting

This study was performed in the tertiary care process of interhospital transportation using the local MICU system in the South East of the Netherlands.

Participants

Between March 2009 and December 2011, all transports of adult patients being performed by the local MICU centre have been documented; data on 42 variables, including a 24 h follow-up Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score of 368 consecutive interhospital transports of intensive care patients, were recorded. In 24 cases, the follow-up SOFA score was missing, so 344 data sets were included.

Interventions

No interventions have been done.

Primary/secondary outcome measures

Primary outcome measures were the mean SOFA score before and 24 h after transport, and the 24 h post-transport mortality. Moreover, the differences between the groups of 24 h post-transport survivors and non-survivors have been analysed.

Results

The mean SOFA score before transport was 8.8 for the whole population and 8.6 for those patients who were alive 24 h after transport, with a mean SOFA score of 8.4 after transport. The adverse events rate was 6.4%. Fourteen patients (4.1%) died within 24 h after transport. Patients in this group had a higher SOFA score, lower pH, higher age and more additional medical support devices than those patients in the survivor group.

Conclusions

The non-significant decrease in the post-transport SOFA score and the lack of an association between transport and 24 h post-transport mortality indicates that in the study setting, interhospital transportation of intensive care patients performed by a MICU system was not associated with a clinically relevant deterioration of the patient.