bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen bond and the resonance effect on the formamide–water complexes
Authors: Parreira Renato L. T. , Caramori Giovanni F. , Morgon Nelson H. , Galembeck Sérgio E.
Published: May 2011

The interaction of formamide and the two transition states of its amide group rotation with one, two, or three water molecules was studied in vacuum. Great differences between the electronic structure of formamide in its most stable form and the electronic structure of the transition states were noticed. Intermolecular interactions were intense, especially in the cases where the solvent interacted with the amide and the carbonyl groups simultaneously. In the transition states, the interaction between the lone pair of nitrogen and the water molecule becomes important. With the aid of the natural bond orbitals, natural resonance theory, and electron localization function (ELF) analyses an increase in the resonance of planar formamide with the addition of successive water molecules was observed. Such observation suggests that the hydrogen bonds in the formamide–water complexes may have some covalent character. These results are also supported by the quantitative ELF analyses. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012
Analysis of different synthetic homopolymers by the use of a new calculation software for tandem mass spectra
Authors: Baumgaertel Anja , Scheubert Kerstin , Pietsch Bernhard , Kempe Kristian , Crecelius Anna C. , Böcker Sebastian , Schubert Ulrich S.
Published: May 2011

The manual interpretation of tandem mass spectra of synthetic polymers is very time‐consuming. Therefore, a new software tool was developed to accelerate the interpretation of spectra obtained without requiring any further knowledge about the polymer class or the fragmentation behavior under high‐energy collision‐induced dissociation (CID) conditions. The software only requires an alphabetical list of elements and a peak list of the measured substance as an xml file for the evaluation of the chosen mass spectrum. Tandem mass spectra of different homopolymers, like poly(2‐oxazoline)s, poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(styrene), were interpreted by the new software tool. This contribution describes a fast and automated software tool for the rapid analysis of homopolymers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Possible conformational change within the desolvated and cationized sBBI/trypsin non‐covalent complex during the collision‐induced dissociation process
Authors: Darii Ekaterina , Saravanamuthu Gunalini , Afonso Carlos , Alves Sandra , Gut Ivo , Tabet Jean‐Claude
Published: May 2011

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) has become an analytical technique widely used for the investigation of non‐covalent protein‐protein and protein‐ligand complexes due to the soft desolvation conditions that preserve the stoichiometry of the interacting partners. Dissociation studies of solvated or desolvated complexes (in the source and in the collision cell, respectively) allow access to information on protein conformation and localization of the metal ions involved in protein structure stabilization and biological activity. The complex of bovine trypsin and small soybean Bowman‐Birk inhibitor (sBBI) was studied by ESI‐MS to determine changes occurring within the complex during its transfer from droplets to the gas phase independently of the ion polarity. Under collision‐induced dissociation (CID) conditions, unexpected binding of the Ca2+ ion (cofactor of native trypsin) to the inhibitor molecule was observed within the desolvated sBBI/trypsin/Ca2+ complex (with a 1:1:1 stoichiometry). This formal gas‐phase migration of the calcium ion from trypsin to the inhibitor may be related to conformational rearrangements in the solvent‐free and likely collapsed complex. However, under conditions leading to the increase in complex charge state, the appearance of the cationized trypsin molecule was detected during complex dissociation, thus reflecting different pathways of the evolution of complex conformation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An unusual kynurenine‐containing opioid tetrapeptide from the skin gland secretion of the Australian red tree frog Litoria rubella. Sequence determination by electrospray mass spectrometry
Authors: Ellis‐Steinborner Simon T. , Scanlon Denis , Musgrave Ian F. , Tran T. T. Nha , Hack Sandra , Wang Tianfang , Abell Andrew D. , Tyler Michael J. , Bowie John H.
Published: May 2011

The Kyn‐containing peptide FP‐Kyn‐L(NH2) is an unusual minor component of the skin peptide profile of the Australian red tree frog Litoria rubella collected from an area within a 20 kilometre radius of Alice Springs in central Australia. The structure was determined by electrospray mass spectrometry and synthesis. The major component of the skin secretion is the analogous tryptophyllin peptide FPWL(NH2). Both peptides show opioid activity at 10–7 M, and are likely to act via the μ opioid receptor. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determining the relationship between tree‐stem respiration and CO2 efflux by δO2/Ar measurements
Authors: Angert Alon , Sherer Yossi
Published: May 2011

Respiration in forest tree stems is an important component of the global carbon cycle. This respiration is traditionally estimated by measurements of the CO2 efflux from the stem. However, recent studies have suggested that movement of CO2 in the transpiration stream causes large errors in the respiration estimated by the CO2 efflux. Here we demonstrate a new approach for determining the ratio of respiration to CO2 efflux, which is based on specially designed chambers, and combined CO2 and O2 measurements. The high accuracy O2 measurement is performed by mass spectrometric measurement of the O2/Ar ratio. Testing the method gave repeatable results which point that in some conditions up to 40% of the respired CO2 can be carried away from the site of respiration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous egomotion estimation, segmentation, and moving object detection
Authors: Yang Shao‐Wen , Wang Chieh‐Chih
Published: May 2011

Robust egomotion estimation is a key prerequisite for making a robot truly autonomous. In previous work, a multimodel extension of random sample consensus (RANSAC) was introduced to deal with environments with rapid changes by incorporating moving object information. A multiscale matching algorithm was also proposed to resolve the issue of imperfect segmentation. In this paper, we present a novel specialization of RANSAC that extends the previous work. A unified framework is introduced to achieve simultaneously egomotion estimation, multiscale segmentation, and moving object detection in the RANSAC paradigm. The motivation of this work is to provide a robust real‐time solution to the problem of egomotion estimation, segmentation, and moving object detection in highly dynamic environments. The idea is to augment the discriminative power of spatial and temporal appearances of objects by the spatiotemporal consistency. The objective is twofold. First, split mismerged segments and distinguish nonstationary objects from stationary objects by the spatial consistency. Second, merge oversegmented segments and differentiate moving objects from outlying objects by the temporal consistency. Moving objects of considerably different sizes, from pedestrians to trucks, can be properly segmented and correctly detected. We also show that the performance of egomotion estimation can be further improved by taking into account both stationary and moving object information. Our approach is extensively evaluated on challenging data sets and compared to the state of the art. The experiments also show that our approach serves as a general framework that works well with various planar range data. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Implicit Floquet analysis of wind turbines using tangent matrices of a non‐linear aeroelastic code
Authors: Skjoldan P. F. , Hansen M. H.
Published: May 2011

The aeroelastic code BHawC for calculation of the dynamic response of a wind turbine uses a non‐linear finite element formulation. Most wind turbine stability tools for calculation of the aeroelastic modes are, however, based on separate linearized models. This paper presents an approach to modal analysis where the linear structural model is extracted directly from BHawC using the tangent system matrices when the turbine is in a steady state. A purely structural modal analysis of the periodic system for an isotropic rotor operating at a stationary steady state was performed by eigenvalue analysis after describing the rotor degrees of freedom in the inertial frame with the Coleman transformation. For general anisotropic systems, implicit Floquet analysis, which is less computationally intensive than classical Floquet analysis, was used to extract the least damped modes. Both methods were applied to a model of a three‐bladed 2.3 MW Siemens wind turbine model. Frequencies matched individually and with a modal identification on time simulations with the non‐linear model. The implicit Floquet analysis performed for an anisotropic system in a periodic steady state showed that the response of a single mode contains multiple harmonic components differing in frequency by the rotor speed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clustering mixed data
Authors: Hunt Lynette , Jorgensen Murray
Published: May 2011

Mixture model clustering proceeds by fitting a finite mixture of multivariate distributions to data, the fitted mixture density then being used to allocate the data to one of the components. Common model formulations assume that either all the attributes are continuous or all the attributes are categorical. In this paper, we consider options for model formulation in the more practical case of mixed data: multivariate data sets that contain both continuous and categorical attributes. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2011 1 352–361 DOI: 10.1002/widm.33

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Structure Discovery

Technologies > Structure Discovery and Clustering
Similarity measures for sequential data
Authors: Rieck Konrad
Published: May 2011

Expressive comparison of strings is a prerequisite for analysis of sequential data in many areas of computer science. However, comparing strings and assessing their similarity is not a trivial task and there exists several contrasting approaches for defining similarity measures over sequential data. In this paper, we review three major classes of such similarity measures: edit distances, bag‐of‐word models, and string kernels. Each of these classes originates from a particular application domain and models similarity of strings differently. We present these classes and underlying comparisons in detail, highlight advantages, and differences as well as provide basic algorithms supporting practical applications. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov2011 1 296–304 DOI: 10.1002/widm.36

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Biological Data Mining

Algorithmic Development > Text Mining

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Data Concepts

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Key Design Issues in Data Mining
Density of fishers and the efficacy of relative abundance indices and small‐scale occupancy estimation to detect a population decline on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, California
Authors: Matthews Sean M. , Mark Higley J. , Scott Yaeger J. , Fuller Todd K.
Published: May 2011

We used a mark–resight design to calculate density estimates of fisher (Martes pennanti), a candidate for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act, on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in northwestern California, USA in order to determine population status in 1998 and 2005. Our density estimation results and simultaneous population‐monitoring data provided a post hoc opportunity to evaluate the relative efficacy of 3 classical indexing techniques (catch‐per‐unit‐effort, frequency of detection at camera stations, and frequency of detection at track‐plate stations) and small‐scale occupancy estimation to accurately detect population change. We calculated densities (and 95% CI) of 52 (43–64) and 14 (13–16) fishers/100 km2 in 1998 and 2005, respectively. We detected a decline in the relative abundance of fishers between 1998 and 2005 using catch‐per‐unit‐effort indices (χ2 ≥ 10.18, P ≤ 0.007), but not in magnitude similar to our density estimates. We detected an increase (χ2 = 4.23, P = 0.040) and no difference (χ2 = 1.38, P = 0.240) in the relative abundance of fishers between surveys using frequency of detection indices at camera stations and at track‐plate stations, respectively. Occupancy estimates did not differ between 1998 and 2005. We speculate changes in prey habitat, increases in predation, disease, or some combination of these potential causes, were responsible for the population decline. Our results reinforce the importance of careful thought given to the study goals and potential limitations of any technique. For populations deemed valuable (e.g., at risk or sensitive), we suggest managers consider adopting more defensible, large‐scale occupancy estimation or mark–recapture methods to monitor changes in population sizes. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Teamwork and Team Decision‐making at Multidisciplinary Cancer Conferences: Barriers, Facilitators, and Opportunities for Improvement
Authors: Lamb Benjamin W. , Sevdalis Nick , Arora Sonal , Pinto Anna , Vincent Charles , Green James S. A.
Published: May 2011

Background

Anecdotally, multidisciplinary cancer conferences (MCCs) do not always function optimally. MCC members’ experiences with and attitudes toward MCCs are explored, and barriers to and facilitators of effective team‐working are identified.

Methods

A total of 19 semistructured interviews were conducted with surgeons, oncologists, nurses, and administrators. Interviews explored participants’ opinions on MCC attendance, information presentation, case discussion, leadership, team decision‐making, and possible improvements to MCC meetings.

Results

Nonattendance was associated with not having protected time to attend the MCC. Contributions to MCC discussions were unequal among the participants, and patient‐centered information was ignored. Good leadership was necessary to foster inclusive case discussion. Members were positive about MCCs, but protected time, improved case selection, and working in a more structured way were possible improvements.

Conclusions

Results are consistent with previous research: Members of the MCC are positive about the benefits of MCCs, although improving the way MCCs work is a goal.
Genetische Risiken der assistierten Reproduktion
Authors: Ludwig M. , Ludwig A.K.
Published: May 2011

Kinderwunschpatienten müssen vor einer Behandlung über die genetischen Risiken individuell beraten werden. Chromosomenanomalien sind für etwa 5% der männlichen Subfertilität verantwortlich. Im Fall einer Azoospermie liegt die Rate bei 15%. Daher sollte bei einer männlichen Subfertilität bei einer Spermienzahl <20 Mio./ml eine Chromosomenanalyse bei beiden Partnern durchgeführt werden, da ein erhöhtes Risiko für genetische Veränderungen besteht. Ein Klinefelter-Syndrom oder eine Robertson-Translokation können für eine männliche Subfertilität verantwortlich sein. Mutationen des CFTR-Gens sowie Veränderungen des Y-Chromosoms findet man gehäuft bei männlicher Subertiltät. Mikrodeletionen treten am häufigsten am langen Arm des Y-Chromosoms auf (Yq) und betreffen Gene, die direkt in die Spermatogenese involviert sind, insbesondere das AZF-Gen.

Bezüglich Schwangerschaftsverlauf und neonatalem Outcome der Kinder müssen Kinderwunschpatienten darüber aufgeklärt werden, dass während der Schwangerschaft und der Geburt häufiger Komplikationen auftreten als nach Spontankonzeption. Das Fehlgeburtsrisiko ist um das 1,3-Fache erhöht, dies ist jedoch vermutlich Folge der Subfertilität sowie weiterer Risikofaktoren, die die Paare mitbringen, und nicht Folge der Therapie. Das Risiko für Schwangerschaftskomplikationen wie Präeklampsie, Wachstumsretardierung und Totgeburt ist ebenfalls erhöht. Zudem ist das Fehlbildungsrisiko sowohl bei der IVF-Therapie als auch bei der ICSI-Therapie um das 1,3-Fache erhöht.
Genetische Aspekte bei Spermatogenesestörungen
Authors: Tüttelmann F.
Published: May 2011

Bei unerfülltem Kinderwunsch, der etwa 10–15% aller Paare betrifft, zeigt sich in etwa der Hälfte der Fälle eine (Mit-)Ursache aufseiten des ansonsten gesunden Mannes, bei dem sich i. d. R. eine eingeschränkte Spermienzahl im Ejakulat (Oligo- oder Azoospermie) findet. Zu den klinisch relevanten genetischen Ursachen für Spermatogenesestörungen gehören insbesondere Chromosomenaberrationen (inkl. Klinefelter-Syndrom) und Y-chromosomale Mikrodeletionen der AZF-Loci. Mutationen im CFTR-Gen können neben einer Mukoviszidose zu einer isolierten obstruktiven Azoospermie ohne Spermatogenesestörung führen. Nach der andrologischen Basisdiagnostik sollten entsprechend den Befunden die genetischen Untersuchungen veranlasst werden. Chromosomenstörungen finden sich mit abnehmender Spermienzahl häufiger. Bei einer Oligozoospermie stehen Veränderungen (z. B. Translokationen) der Autosomen im Vordergrund, während für eine Azoospermie in 10–15% ein Klinefelter-Syndrom ursächlich ist. Die klassischen AZF-Deletionen finden sich ausschließlich bei Männern mit hochgradiger Oligo- oder Azoospermie und haben prognostische Bedeutung: Bei Trägern einer kompletten AZFa- oder AZFb-Deletion ist im Gegensatz zu Männern mit AZFc-Deletion eine Hodenbiopsie mit dem Ziel der Spermiengewinnung nicht erfolgversprechend. Daneben kommen in seltenen Fällen syndromale Formen und spezifische Spermiendefekte (Globozoospermie, Zilienstrukturdefekte) als genetische Ursachen einer Infertilität in Frage.
Habituelle Aborte
Authors: Preisler-Adams S. , Bogdanova N.
Published: May 2011

Habituelle Aborte (HA) betreffen etwa 1–3% aller Paare mit Kinderwunsch. Sowohl parentale Chromosomenberrationen, erworbene und vererbte Thrombophilie, Autoimmundefekte, Hormonstörungen als auch Fehlbildungen der weiblichen Genitalien sind bekannte Risikofaktoren für HA. Um Einblicke in die Pathophysiologie von Schwangerschaften zu erbringen, die durch wiederholte Fehlgeburten unterbrochen werden, fassen wir in dieser Übersichtsarbeit – gestützt auf Forschungsberichte und internationale Leitlinien – die aktuellen Erkenntnisse hinsichtlich Diagnose und Behandlung der HA zusammen.
Hypogonadotroper Hypogonadismus aufgrund eines IHH oder Kallmann-Syndroms beim Mann
Authors: Behre H.M. , Tüttelmann F. , Ledig S. , Wieacker P.
Published: May 2011

Beim männlichen Geschlecht wird die Prävalenz des isolierten hypogonadatropen Hypogonadismus (IHH)/Kallmann-Syndroms auf etwa 1:10.000 geschätzt. Leitsymptom für den IHH ist die ausbleibende Pubertätsentwicklung in Kombination mit erniedrigten Gonadotropinen und einer verminderten Testosteronkonzentration. Wenn zusätzlich eine Anosmie/Hyposmie (in etwa 60% der Fälle) vorliegt, spricht man von einem Kallmann-Syndrom. IHH/Kallmann-Syndrom sind klinisch und genetisch sehr heterogene Krankheitsbilder. Die genetische Diagnostik und therapeutischen Möglichkeiten werden diskutiert.
Can Redesigning a Laboratory Request form Reduce the Number of Inappropriate PSA Requests without Compromising Clinical Outcome
Authors: Powles L.A.R. , Rolls A.E. , Lamb B.W. , Taylor E. , Green J.S.A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction:

Unnecessary laboratory utilization due to inappropriate test-ordering behaviour among hospital clinicians and community general practitioners is an ongoing problem in many hospitals and primary care trusts throughout the UK and abroad. In January 2007, our hospital removed the ‘tick box’ for PSA from its laboratory tests request form, in a managed way, with the intention of reducing unnecessary requests for this test. Here we address the impact this action had on the number of PSA tests being requested and its downstream effects on prostate cancer diagnosis.

Methods:

Using our laboratory database we compared the number of hospital and local GP requests for PSA, before and after modification of our laboratory form (requests from 2004 to 2006 were compared to 2007). We then correlated this data with the number of fast-track target referrals (2 week wait) from primary care for suspected prostate cancer, the results of prostate biopsies, and the number of prostate cancers being diagnosed, over the same time period.

Results:

Mann—Whitney non-parametric testing demonstrated a 17% reduction in the median number of PSA requests since the change was introduced ( p = 0.001). Subset analysis revealed an 18% reduction in GP requests ( p = 0.002). However no change was found in the number of prostate cancer diagnoses being made ( p = 0.86) and the number of target referrals for suspected prostate cancer ( p = 0.59) in the months of April, May, June, July, August and September of 2004–2006 as compared to the same months in 2007. The rate of patients undergoing biopsy increased in the post intervention period from 15.5 to 18.5 patients per month. The rate of negative biopsies remained stable, changing from 7.2 to 7.3 per month, and the rate of positive biopsies increased from 8.3 to 11.2 per month. This change reduced the false negative rate (suspected cancer, negative biopsy) from 46% to 40% in the period following the intervention. The rate of target referrals leading on to cancer showed a small increase after the intervention from 2.9 to 3.3 per month.

Conclusions:

Our study shows that with this simple modification to the design of our laboratory request form, whereby the doctor must make an active written decision to order a PSA test, there was a significant reduction in the number of PSA requests, both in the hospital and in the community, without patient safety being compromised as measured by maintaining the number of fast-track target referrals for suspected prostate cancer and the number of prostate cancers diagnosed.
Short‐ and long‐term behavioral effects of exposure to 21%, 40% and 100% oxygen after perinatal hypoxia–ischemia in the rat
Authors: Woodworth K. Nina , Palmateer Julie , Swide Joseph , Grafe Marjorie R.
Published: May 2011

Until recently, supplementation with 100% oxygen was standard therapy for newborns who required resuscitation at birth or suffered later hypoxic–ischemic events. Exposure to high concentrations of oxygen, however, may worsen oxidative stress induced by ischemic injury. In this study we investigated the short‐ and long‐term behavioral outcomes in rats that had undergone hypoxic–ischemic brain injury on postnatal day 7, followed by 2 h exposure to 21%, 40%, or 100% oxygen, compared to normal controls. There were no differences in the development of walking, head lifting and righting reflexes from postnatal days 9 to 15. Cliff avoidance showed some abnormal responses in the H21 animals. From postnatal days 28 to 56, three tests of sensorimotor coordination were performed weekly: ledged tapered beam, cylinder, and bilateral tactile stimulation. The ledged tapered beam test without prior training of animals was sensitive to injury, but did not distinguish between treatment groups. The cylinder test showed a greater use of the unimpaired limb in female 21% and 40% oxygen groups compared to controls. Performance in both cylinder and the beam tests showed a correlation with the degree of brain injury. The bilateral tactile stimulation test showed that the male 21% oxygen groups had worse sensory asymmetry than male 40% or 100% oxygen groups, but was not statistically significantly different from controls.

We thus found a minor benefit to post‐hypoxia–ischemic treatment with 100% and 40% oxygen compared to 21% in one test of early motor skills. Our results for long‐term sensorimotor behavior, however, showed conflicting results, however, as males treated with 40% or 100% oxygen had less sensory asymmetry (better performance) in the bilateral tactile stimulation test than males treated with 21% oxygen, while females had impaired motor performance in the cylinder test with both 21% and 40% oxygen.
Intermittent Catheterization With a Hydrophilic‐Coated Catheter Delays Urinary Tract Infections in Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter Trial
Authors: Cardenas Diana D. , Moore Katherine N. , Dannels‐McClure Amy , Scelza William M. , Graves Daniel E. , Brooks Monifa , Busch Anna Karina
Published: May 2011

Objective

To investigate whether intermittent catheterization (IC) with a hydrophilic‐coated catheter delays the onset of the first symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) and reduces the number of symptomatic UTIs in patients with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) compared with IC with standard, uncoated catheters.

Design

A prospective, randomized, parallel‐group trial.

Setting

Fifteen North American SCI centers. Participants were followed up while in the hospital or rehabilitation unit (institutional period) and up to 3 months after institutional discharge (community period). The maximal study period was 6 months.

Participants

A total of 224 subjects with traumatic SCI of less than 3 months' duration who use IC.

Methods

The participants were randomized within 10 days of starting IC to either single‐use hydrophilic‐coated (SpeediCath) or polyvinyl chloride uncoated (Conveen) catheters.

Main Outcome Measurements

The time from the first catheterization to the first antibiotic‐treated symptomatic UTI was measured as well as the total number of symptomatic UTIs during the study period.

Results

The time to the first antibiotic‐treated symptomatic UTI was significantly delayed in the hydrophilic‐coated catheter group compared with the uncoated catheter group. The delay corresponded to a 33% decrease in the daily risk of developing the first symptomatic UTI among participants who used the hydrophilic‐coated catheter. In the institutional period, the incidence of antibiotic‐treated symptomatic UTIs was reduced by 21% (P < .05) in the hydrophilic‐coated catheter group.

Conclusions

The use of a hydrophilic‐coated catheter for IC is associated with a delay in the onset of the first antibiotic‐treated symptomatic UTI and with a reduction in the incidence of symptomatic UTI in patients with acute SCI during the acute inpatient rehabilitation. Using a hydrophilic‐coated catheter could minimize UTI‐related complications, treatment costs, and rehabilitation delays in this group of patients, and reduce the emergence of antibiotic‐resistant organisms.
A Preliminary Report on the Effects of the Level of Spinal Cord Injury on the Association Between Central Adiposity and Metabolic Profile
Authors: Gorgey Ashraf S. , Gater David R.
Published: May 2011

Objectives

To determine the effects of the level of injury on visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and the VAT:SAT ratio in individuals with tetraplegia (T‐spinal cord injury [SCI]) and paraplegia (P‐SCI) and the relationships among central adiposity and glucose and lipid profile.

Design

Cross‐sectional and correlation.

Settings

Clinical hospital and academic settings.

Methods

Thirteen individuals with motor complete SCI were divided into T‐SCI (n = 6, C5‐C7, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale [AIS] A and B) and P‐SCI (n = 7, T4‐T11, AIS A and B) groups. Both groups underwent overnight fasting to measure serum lipid profile, plasma glucose, and insulin responses to an oral glucose tolerance test, which was followed by magnetic resonance imaging to quantify VAT and SAT cross‐sectional areas (CSA) and volume across multi‐axial slices.

Results

The CSA and volumes of VAT and SAT were not different between T‐SCI and P‐SCI. VAT CSA was related to the fasting glucose in both groups, with nonsignificant association with glucose area under the curve. The CSA and volume of SAT were strongly associated with lipid profile outcomes in the T‐SCI (r = 0.86‐0.99, P < .02) but not in the P‐SCI.

Conclusion

The preliminary work suggests that the level of injury does not appear to influence the distribution of VAT and SAT. VAT and SAT distribution could not explain the difference noted in glucose and insulin profiles between the T‐SCI and P‐SCI groups. Finally, SAT is a strong predictor of lipid profile in individuals with T‐SCI.
Systemic Inflammation and Reduced Pulmonary Function in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Garshick Eric , Stolzmann Kelly L. , Gagnon David R. , Morse Leslie R. , Brown Robert
Published: May 2011

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between systemic inflammation and pulmonary function in persons with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Participants

Fifty‐nine men with chronic SCI participating in a prior epidemiologic study.

Methods

Standardized assessment of pulmonary function and measurement of plasma C‐reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6).

Main Outcome Measurements

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC).

Results

Persons with the highest values of IL‐6 had the lowest %‐predicted FEV1 and FVC. There was a significant inverse linear trend between quartile of IL‐6 and %‐predicted FEV1 (P < .001) and FVC (P < .006), unadjusted and adjusted for SCI level and completeness of injury, obstructive lung disease history, smoking, and body mass index (P = .010‐.039). Although not as strong as for IL‐6, there also were similar trends for %‐predicted FEV1 and FVC with CRP.

Conclusions

In chronic SCI, higher levels of IL‐6 and CRP were associated with a lower FEV1 and FVC, independent of level and completeness of injury. These results suggest that the reduction of pulmonary function after SCI is related not only to neuromuscular impairment but also to factors that promote systemic inflammation.
Adverse Effects of Corticosteroids on Bone Metabolism: A Review
Authors: Mitra Raj
Published: May 2011

Glucocorticoid (GC) exposure is the most common etiology of drug‐induced (secondary) osteoporosis. Twenty percent of all cases of osteoporosis have been attributed to GC exposure. Significant risk factors for the development of fractures after GC exposure include age older than 65 years, prolonged GC exposure (>3 months), positive family history of osteoporosis, and low calcium intake. GCs are known to inhibit bone remodeling and to increase fracture risk. GC exposure alters the fragile balance between osteoclast and osteoblast activity in bone metabolism. GC stimulates osteoclast‐mediated bone resorption and reduces osteoblast‐mediated bone formation, which results in increased overall net bone resorption. Specifically, the 2 main effects of GCs on bone metabolism are (1) inducing apoptosis in osteoblasts and osteocytes, thereby decreasing bone formation, and (2) prolonging the lifespan of osteoclasts and increasing bone resorption. The risk of fracture decreases 3 months after cessation of GC therapy; thus, a 3‐month period may be ideal between GC exposures in patients at high risk for the development of osteoporosis. Patients managed with GCs who are at high risk for the development of secondary osteoporosis should have appropriate diagnostic testing; pre‐GC exposure medication management (ie, use of bisphosphonates, human parathyroid hormone); and a limitation of GC therapy, with a wait period of 3 months between GC exposures if possible.
MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) LEAF ANGLE AND EMERGENCE AS AFFECTED BY SEED ORIENTATION AT PLANTING
Authors: TORRES GUILHERME , VOSSENKEMPER JACOB , RAUN WILLIAM , TAYLOR RANDY
Published: May 2011

Maize (Zea mays) seed orientation at planting can influence emerging leaf angle. If leaf angle were consistent among plants without leaf overlap, large numbers of these bilaterally symmetrical plants could be arranged to optimize light interception and possibly increase grain yields or maintain grain yield with a lower population. The objectives were to evaluate the effect of seed orientation in soil on the angle of maize leaves relative to the planted row and on emergence rate. Seeds were planted 2.5 cm deep in diverse combinations of flat, cotyledon down, cotyledon up, on their side, radicle up and radicle down. Each seed orientation was repeated 10 times. Data on days to emergence and leaf angle were collected. In three experiments, maize seeds planted flat with the cotyledon up resulted in homogenous and faster emergence, and maize leaves aligned perpendicular to the direction of the maize row. Similar results were achieved with maize seeds planted parallel to the row with the radicle down. Random placement of maize seeds resulted in random orientation of maize leaves and lower emergence rates. The effects of controlled leaf geometry could facilitate planting higher populations with the potential for increasing grain yield and/or allow the maintenance of grain yields while reducing seed rates.
A randomized controlled trial of an Internet-based cognitive-behavioural skills package for carers of people with anorexia nervosa
Authors: Grover M. , Naumann U. , Mohammad-Dar L. , Glennon D. , Ringwood S. , Eisler I. , Williams C. , Treasure J. , Schmidt U.
Published: May 2011

Background

Anorexia nervosa (AN) poses a major burden on families. Carers (e.g. parents or partners) of people with AN are often highly distressed and may inadvertently respond in ways that can contribute to the maintenance of the disorder, e.g. through high levels of over-involvement and criticism [also known as expressed emotion (EE)]. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a novel web-based systemic cognitive-behavioural (CBT) intervention for carers of people with AN, designed to reduce carer distress and teach skills in how to offer effective support.

Method

Carers of people with AN (n=64) were randomly allocated to either the web-intervention, overcoming anorexia online, with limited clinician supportive guidance (by email or phone), or toad-hocusual support from the UK patient and carer organization Beat. Carer outcomes were assessed at post-treatment (4 months) and follow-up (6 months).

Results

Compared with the control intervention, web-based treatment significantly reduced carers' anxiety and depression (primary outcome) at post-treatment, with a similar trend in carers' EE. Other secondary outcomes did not favour the online intervention. Gains were maintained at follow-up.

Conclusions

This is the first ever study to use an online CBT program to successfully reduce carer distress and improve carers' ability to support the person with AN.
Prospective relationships of ADHD symptoms with developing substance use in a population-derived sample
Authors: Sihvola E. , Rose R. J. , Dick D. M. , Korhonen T. , Pulkkinen L. , Raevuori A. , Marttunen M. , Kaprio J.
Published: May 2011

Background

Clinically ascertained reports suggest that boys and girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may differ from each other in their vulnerability to substance use problems.

Method

A total of 1545 Finnish adolescents were assessed for DSM-IV-based ADHD symptoms by their parents and classroom teachers using standardized rating scales at age 11–12 years. At age 14, substance use disorders and psychiatric co-morbidity were assessed with the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism, providing DSM-III-R/DSM-IV diagnoses for Axis I disorders. At age 17.5, substance use was assessed by multi-item questionnaire.

Results

Although baseline ADHD symptoms were less common among females, they were more predictive of adverse substance use outcomes once conduct disorder and previous substance use were controlled for. Only in females were baseline ADHD symptoms significant predictors of alcohol abuse and dependence and illicit drug use at age 14. At the age of 17.5, parents' reports of inattentiveness and hyperactivity were significant predictors for frequent alcohol use in both sexes, but they were more predictive of frequent alcohol and illicit drug use in girls. Impulsivity in teachers' ratings predicted frequent alcohol use and illicit drug use in boys. Parental reports of inattentiveness in their 11-/12-year-old daughters were a consistent predictor for illicit drug use across adolescence.

Conclusions

Inattentiveness and hyperactivity may be more predictive of alcohol use disorders and maladaptive patterns of alcohol and illicit drug use among girls than boys. The importance of these behavioural symptoms should be assessed further in the community, as they could jeopardize adolescents' successful transitioning into adult roles.
Confirmation bias: why psychiatrists stick to wrong preliminary diagnoses
Authors: Mendel R. , Traut-Mattausch E. , Jonas E. , Leucht S. , Kane J. M. , Maino K. , Kissling W. , Hamann J.
Published: May 2011

Background

Diagnostic errors can have tremendous consequences because they can result in a fatal chain of wrong decisions. Experts assume that physicians' desire to confirm a preliminary diagnosis while failing to seek contradictory evidence is an important reason for wrong diagnoses. This tendency is called ‘confirmation bias’.

Method

To study whether psychiatrists and medical students are prone to confirmation bias and whether confirmation bias leads to poor diagnostic accuracy in psychiatry, we presented an experimental decision task to 75 psychiatrists and 75 medical students.

Results

A total of 13% of psychiatrists and 25% of students showed confirmation bias when searching for new information after having made a preliminary diagnosis. Participants conducting a confirmatory information search were significantly less likely to make the correct diagnosis compared to participants searching in a disconfirmatory or balanced way [multiple logistic regression: odds ratio (OR) 7.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.53–21.22, p<0.001; OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.23–8.56, p=0.02]. Psychiatrists conducting a confirmatory search made a wrong diagnosis in 70% of the cases compared to 27% or 47% for a disconfirmatory or balanced information search (students: 63, 26 and 27%). Participants choosing the wrong diagnosis also prescribed different treatment options compared with participants choosing the correct diagnosis.

Conclusions

Confirmatory information search harbors the risk of wrong diagnostic decisions. Psychiatrists should be aware of confirmation bias and instructed in techniques to reduce bias.
Prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses in preterm and full-term children, adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis
Authors: Burnett A. C. , Anderson P. J. , Cheong J. , Doyle L. W. , Davey C. G. , Wood S. J.
Published: May 2011

Background

Preterm (PT) birth and low birth weight (LBW) are high-prevalence events that are associated with adverse outcomes in the longer term, with vulnerability increasing as maturity at birth decreases. Psychiatric symptomatology appears heightened in PT/LBW survivors, though there are some discordant findings from studies using questionnaire measures, particularly with respect to anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Method

This article synthesises findings from research using clinical psychiatric diagnostic criteria in PT/LBW individuals aged 10–25 years compared with term-born peers. Key outcomes of interest were the rates of individuals receiving any psychiatric diagnosis and the number of diagnoses of anxiety or depressive disorders.

Results

A literature search for studies reporting prevalence of ‘any diagnosis’ yielded five studies that met inclusion criteria, with a total of 565 PT/LBW and 533 control individuals. Also, five studies were found that reported rates of anxiety/depression (692 PT/LBW and 605 control individuals). The risk of these outcomes was increased for PT/LBW individuals compared with controls [any diagnosis: odds ratio (OR) 3.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.57–5.21; anxiety or depressive disorder: OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.73–4.73].

Conclusions

The studies reviewed here indicate that, in addition to monitoring and management of medical and cognitive sequelae, the psychological well-being of PT/LBW individuals should be a key part of ongoing care.
New concepts of molecular communication among neurons
Authors: Dismukes R. Key
Published: May 2011

Recently a number of complex electrophysiological responses to neurotransmitters have been observed that cannot be described as simple excitation or inhibition. These responses are often characterized as modulatory, although there is no consensus on what defines modulation. Morphological studies reveal certain neurotransmitters stored in what might be release sites without synaptic contact. There is no direct evidence for nonsynaptic release from CNS sites, although such release does occur in the periphery and in invertebrates. Nonsynaptic release might provide a basis for diffuse one-cell-to-many communication, but it might also simply be a means of sending the transmitter to a broader area of a single neuron than occurs in typical synapses. Several kinds of macromolecules have been found to be transported in a retrograde direction – and in some cases transsynaptically. There have been suggestions that some neurons may release more than one type of transmitter. Particularly intriguing is the possibility of release of substances that modulate actions of a primary transmitter. Taken together this range of evidence suggests that neurons may use a variety of forms of molecular communication in addition to traditionally described synaptic transmission.

Several authors have suggested modes of communication distinct from classical synaptic transmission and have classified released substances using terms such as neurohumor, neurohormone, neuroregulator, and modulator. These suggestions have the heuristic value of drawing together diverse kinds of data, but it remains to be established that the pieces fit together in that fashion – for example, that complex electrophysiological effects are associated with substances released nonsynaptically. In order to reduce confusion, a flexible, generic approach to nomenclature for substances released from neurons and for hypothetical modes of communication is recommended. Some behavioral implications of nonconventional transmission are considered.
Analyzing vision at the complexity level
Authors: Tsotsos John K.
Published: May 2011

The general problem of visual search can be shown to be computationally intractable in a formal, complexity-theoretic sense, yet visual search is extensively involved in everyday perception, and biological systems manage to perform it remarkably well. Complexity level analysis may resolve this contradiction. Visual search can be reshaped into tractability through approximations and by optimizing the resources devoted to visual processing. Architectural constraints can be derived using the minimum cost principle to rule out a large class of potential solutions. The evidence speaks strongly against bottom-up approaches to vision. In particular, the constraints suggest an attentional mechanism that exploits knowledge of the specific problem being solved. This analysis of visual search performance in terms of attentional influences on visual information processing and complexity satisfaction allows a large body of neurophysiological and psychological evidence to be tied together.
Our statistical intuitions may be misleading us: Why we need robust statistics
Authors: Larson-Hall Jenifer
Published: May 2011

Most academics' intuitions about statistics follow those of naive laypeople – that is, we often think that a sample should reflect the population characteristics more closely than it does, and expect less variability in samples than is truly found in them. These intuitions may prevent us from understanding why modern developments in statistics are needed. Another intuition most researchers hold is that it is better to be conservative when performing statistics, and this may involve adjusting p-values for multiple tests, using more conservative post hoc tests, or setting an alpha value lower than .05 when possible. However, the more we try to control against making an error in being overeager to find differences, the stronger the probability that we will make an error in not finding differences that actually exist. These two forces need to be counterbalanced, and this involves increasing the power of our tests. Robust statistics can increase the power of statistical tests to find real differences. I discuss the need for robust techniques to avoid reliance on classical assumptions about the data. Examples of robust analyses with t-tests, correlation, and one-way ANOVA are shown.
Ethics, Kawa, and the Constitution: Transformation of the System of Ethical Review in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: TUPARA HOPE
Published: May 2011

New Zealand is a South Pacific nation with a history of British colonization since the 19th century. It has a population of over four million people and, like other indigenous societies such as in Australia and Canada, Māori are now a minority in their land, and their experience of colonization is that of being dominated by settlers to the detriment of their own systems of society.
Public Understanding of Neural Prosthetics in Germany: Ethical, Social, and Cultural Challenges
Authors: LARYIONAVA KATSIARYNA , GROSS DOMINIK
Published: May 2011

Since the development of the first neural prosthesis, that is, the cochlear implant in 1957, neural prosthetics have been one of the highly promising, yet most challenging areas of medicine, while having become a clinically accepted form of invasiveness into the human body. Neural prosthetic devices, of which at least one part is inserted into the body, interact directly with the nervous system to restore or replace lost or damaged sensory, motor, or cognitive functions. This field is not homogenous and encompasses a variety of technologies, which are in various stages of development. Some devices are well established in clinical practice and have become routine, such as cochlear implants. By comparison, other technologies are in experimental phases and still need to be further developed to achieve the desired results.
Bioethics in Serbia: Institutions in Need of Philosophical Debate
Authors: RAKIĆ VOJIN , BOJANIĆ PETAR
Published: May 2011

This paper is structured in three sections. The first discusses the institutional framework pertaining to bioethics in Serbia. The functioning of this framework is critically assessed and a number of recommendations for its improvement presented. It is also emphasized that philosophers are underrepresented in public debate on bioethics in Serbia. Second, this underrepresentation will be related to two issues that figure prominently in Serbian society but are not accompanied by corresponding bioethical discourses: the first is abortion and the second is the largely unrestricted use of neuropharmacology since the 1990s, both for therapeutic and for cosmetic/recreational purposes. Finally, the perspective of bioethics in Serbia is addressed. It is asserted that this perspective can be based on the enhancement of public philosophical debate on bioethical issues, especially those with notable features in Serbian society (such as abortion and neuropharmacology). Such enhancement would also strengthen the corresponding institutional and legal frameworks.
Egg Cell Preservation and the Right to Die in The Netherlands: Citizens’ Choices and the Limits of Medicine
Authors: TOUWEN DOROTHEA P.
Published: May 2011

It is a funny thing with the Dutch. On one hand, they seem preoccupied with death and adamant that patients be allowed to decide for themselves in what way they want to die. On the other, contrary to popular belief, the Dutch physician is allotted a very influential role in treatment decisions, far more prominent than in many other Western countries. From an American perspective Dutch professional ethics may seem quite paternalistic: a patient’s freedom to decide to have a particular medical treatment is limited by the physician’s professional assessment of the medical need of this treatment. The question arises: What is the relationship between the professional responsibility of Dutch physicians and the right of Dutch patients to decide for themselves? This question is illustrated by the ongoing national debate in The Netherlands on euthanasia and the growing demand for a further reaching right to self-determination concerning ending one’s life. However, contrary to popular belief, not all Dutch ethical debate concerns end-of-life questions.