bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex differences and within-family associations in the broad autism phenotype
Authors: Klusek Jessica , Losh Molly , Martin Gary E
Published: November 2012

While there is a strong sex bias in the presentation of autism, it is unknown whether this bias is also present in subclinical manifestations of autism among relatives, or the broad autism phenotype. This study examined this question and investigated patterns of co-occurrence of broad autism phenotype traits within families of individuals with autism. Pragmatic language and personality features of the broad autism phenotype were studied in 42 fathers and 50 mothers of individuals with autism using direct assessment tools used in prior family studies of the broad autism phenotype. Higher rates of aloof personality style were detected among fathers, while no sex differences were detected for other broad autism phenotype traits. Within individuals, pragmatic language features were associated with the social personality styles of the broad autism phenotype in mothers but not in fathers. A number of broad autism phenotype features were correlated within spousal pairs. Finally, the associations were detected between paternal broad autism phenotype characteristics and the severity of children’s autism symptoms in all three domains (social, communication, and repetitive behaviors). Mother–child correlations were detected for aspects of communication only. Together, the findings suggest that most features of the broad autism phenotype express comparably in males and females and raise some specific questions about how such features might inform studies of the genetic basis of autism.
Comparing cognitive outcomes among children with autism spectrum disorders receiving community-based early intervention in one of three placements
Authors: Nahmias Allison S , Kase Colleen , Mandell David S
Published: November 2012

Little comparative research examines which community-based preschool intervention placements produce the best outcomes for which children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism-specific placements can provide intensive evidence-based care; however, inclusion settings provide interaction with typically developing peers, the importance of which is increasingly recognized. This study examined the association between early intervention placement in three settings (autism-only, mixed disability, or inclusive) and cognitive outcomes upon entry into elementary school in an urban school district for 98 preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders. Initial child and demographic characteristics were similar among the three placements. Controlling for initial cognitive scores and other covariates, cognitive outcomes for children in inclusive placements were better than those of children in mixed disability settings. A consistent pattern emerged that suggested the particular importance of inclusive placements for children with initially greater social impairments, greater adaptive behavior impairments, and at least a baseline level of language skills. Opportunities to interact with typically developing peers may be particularly beneficial for certain subgroups of young children with autism spectrum disorders. The results provide preliminary insight into important child characteristics to consider when parents and providers make preschool early intervention placement decisions.
‘Sometimes I want to play by myself’: Understanding what friendship means to children with autism in mainstream primary schools
Authors: Calder Lynsey , Hill Vivian , Pellicano Elizabeth
Published: November 2012

Research has shown that friendship impacts the overall experience of mainstream school for autistic children. Using a unique combination of quantitative, qualitative and social network methods, we investigated the extent and nature of autistic children’s friendships from their perspective and from those of their mothers, teachers and classroom peers. Consistent with previous research, children with autism (n = 12), aged between 9 and 11 years, rated their friendships to be of poorer quality than their non-autistic classroom peers (n = 11). There was, however, much variability in autistic children’s ratings, which, unexpectedly, was related to neither children’s cognitive ability nor their theory of mind ability. Encouragingly, the children generally reported satisfaction with their friendships, and although no child was socially isolated, the degree of inclusion in friendship networks varied widely. Furthermore, autistic children’s social motivation emerged as a key factor in parents’ and teachers’ reports in determining both the nature and extent of their friendships. Adults played an active role in supporting children’s friendships, but this sometimes conflicted with what the children wanted. These findings highlight the need to ascertain the perspectives of young people with autism on their friendships and to consider the social and ethical implications of when and how to intervene.
Trade in Environmental Goods by Least Developed Countries: Issues for Negotiations
Authors: Khatun Fahmida
Published: November 2012

Liberalization of environmental goods and services as laid out in the work programme of the Doha Ministerial Declaration of the World Trade Organization has implications for least developed countries as these countries are vulnerable to climate change. They need to follow and participate in the negotiation in order to achieve market access opportunities for environmental goods and services of their interests in the global market and to access cleaner technologies at an affordable price. Such participation will be meaningful if it is backed by informed arguments based on analytical exercise. This article estimates that export of environmental goods by least developed countries stood at 0.08 per cent and import at 0.82 per cent of global exports and imports of environmental goods, respectively, in 2007. The article suggests that even with low trade, least developed countries stand to gain through reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers on environmental goods. This will, however, have to be combined with appropriate technology transfer and adequate financial support.
High Technology Merchandise Exports: Where does India Stand?
Authors: Pohit Sanjib , Basu Sanjukta
Published: November 2012

By and large, India’s performance on the high-technology manufacturing trade front is not too impressive. India is a small player in most of the product categories barring pharmacy sector. In the last 10 years’ period of observation, India has not been able to increase her presence significantly in most of the segment. By contrast, China, starting from a similar base like India in some of the segments, has exhibited marked improvement. It should also be mentioned that unlike China, India has not been able to enter high-end segment of product in most of the categories. Of course, India’s performance would have been better if India would have concentrated on products which have low NTBs. China has done the same in some cases.
Nurse mothers valuing care at home and at work: Beyond notions of care scarcity?
Authors: Maher JaneMaree
Published: November 2012

Contemporary discussions about family care in western societies are generally framed in discourses of scarcity, as changing social structures put pressure on how parental care is delivered while paid care workers face time pressures and deficits in workplaces. From a recent study of nursing families in Australia, I focus on the care practices of mothers who are also nurses. I examine how these female nurses understood and managed competing care pressures across work and family boundaries. Rather than experiencing only care scarcity and pressure, these women maintained a consistent sense of the importance of care in both domains, which informed and supported both their family and work practices. The demand to give care in both domains did not necessarily deplete their capacity for care. Rather, they created a set of congruent care ideals and practices at work and home, and maintained the importance and value of caring labour in their daily lives.
Responses to peace journalism
Authors: Lynch Jake , McGoldrick Annabel
Published: November 2012

This article presents and discusses the results of an experiment, which gathered audience responses to television news coded as war journalism and peace journalism respectively, in two countries, Australia and the Philippines. From the peace journalism model, evaluative criteria were first derived as a set of headings for content analysis of existing television news as broadcast in each country. The test material was then coded to fall within the upper and lower peace journalism quintiles of the ‘idiom and range’ of local television journalism in each case. Distinctions under the headings were particularized for individual stories by critical discourse analysis, to disclose potential sources of influence transmitted into audience frames. Data about emotional responses, gathered from self-reporting questionnaires, were combined with a textual artefact, with participants completing a ‘thought-listing protocol’ as they watched. Focus groups also viewed the material and provided more in-depth narrative responses. Watching peace journalism left people less angry and fearful, and more hopeful and empathic. Peace journalism viewers were also less inclined to apportion ‘blame’ to one ‘side’, and more likely to think about cooperative solutions to the problems presented.
Interviewees with an agenda: learning from a ‘failed’ interview
Authors: Jacobsson Katarina , Åkerström Malin
Published: November 2012

Social constructionists consider interviews as mutually co-constructing meaning. But what if the interlocutors do not seem to agree on what they construct? What if the interviewee has a particularly strong agenda, far from the intended research topic? Are these ‘failed’ interviews? We address this issue using a ‘deviant’ interview in a study of ‘being a neighbour’. First, we add to the discussion of interviewees’ category representativeness by acknowledging a situation when the interviewee insists on representing a category not intended by the researcher. Second, we address the notion of asymmetries of power, where it is often assumed that the interviewer has the upper hand. Through this case, we argue that the opposite may well be true. Finally, we argue that cases where the interviewee pursues a strong agenda may suggest new research areas. After all, strong efforts of resistance may indicate deeper cultural concerns.
Satisfaction with glucose-lowering treatment and well-being in patients with type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction: A DIGAMI2 QoL sub-study
Authors: Venskutonyte Laura , Brismar Kerstin , Rydén-Bergsten Tina , Rydén Lars , Kjellström Barbro
Published: November 2012

The second Diabetes Glucose and Myocardial Infarction (DIGAMI 2) study randomised patients with diabetes and myocardial infarction to insulin or oral-based treatment. To determine the effects of insulin-based treatment, the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) and the Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) Index were administered at baseline and 12 months. Insulin-treated patients ( n = 197) had a worse risk profile and more co-morbidity at baseline than patients on oral glucose-lowering agents ( n = 127). The treatment satisfaction and psychological well-being was similar between insulin and oral groups at baseline [DTSQ: median (first–third quartile) 30 (24–34) vs 31 (27–34), NS; PGWB: 77 (73–82) vs 79 (76–82), NS] and at 12 months [DTSQ: 32 (28–35) vs 34 (30–36), NS; PGWB: 81 (78–84) vs 82 (78–84), NS]. Improvement was significant in both groups. Insulin-based therapy was well accepted and did not decrease treatment satisfaction or psychological well-being compared to oral glucose-lowering treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction.
The Leadership Development Interface
Authors: Hanson Byron
Published: November 2012

The Problem

Leadership Development research and practice has consistently focused on specific methods and interventions to the degree that our understanding of what good leadership development looks like is much clearer. The problem however, with current thinking on leadership development and the evaluation of leadership development is that we are not exploring the extent to which the individual leader and the organization they work for are connected and aligned. For evaluators of leadership development this exploration is a key aspect in measuring the systemic nature of leadership development and not merely the intervention. How do individual leaders navigate their personal leadership development journey and how do the organizations for which they work interface with them to provide effective development opportunities and practice?

The Solution

This article makes the case that we need to evaluate and articulate the leadership development process differently; to move away from isolated methods and toward an interconnected process of personal and organizational discovery and learning. When leaders and organizations activate the interconnectedness of leadership development, learning may become more reciprocal and aligned which could drive better development outcomes and value. The Leadership Development Interface Model, developed through research and literature data, provides an interconnected perspective of leadership development and explores a “whole system” view so both leaders and organizations can engage, plan, and evaluate their development effort in an aligned and supported way.

The Stakeholders

Leaders and their direct managers in organizations, HR and development specialists
Expatriate Development for Cross-Cultural Adjustment
Authors: Zhang Ying
Published: November 2012

Important cultural differences create the need for expatriates who are culturally intelligent. This article presents and explores a framework of expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment to advance conceptual understanding and practical applications for cross-cultural approaches to the development of expatriates in multinational corporations and cross-border organizations. Drawing on a diversified literature pertinent to expatriation, cultural intelligence (CQ), and the effects of cultural distance (CD), it is argued that there will be a significant difference in business expatriates on reciprocal transfers in terms of the extent of their socio- and psycho-cultural adjustment, and that CD will moderate the relationship between CQ and expatriate adjustment, such that the relationship between CQ and adjustment is stronger when the direction of cultural flow is from a less authoritarian cultural context to a more authoritarian cultural environment. The proposed framework extends previous CQ and adjustment models and provides guidance for international HRD research on expatriate development, through integrating multiple processes to aid expatriates and HRD practitioners in training for better adjustment on overseas assignments.
Leader Narcissism and Ethical Context
Authors: Hoffman Brian J. , Strang Sarah E. , Kuhnert Karl W. , Campbell W. Keith , Kennedy Colby L. , LoPilato Alexander C.
Published: November 2012

The link between leader narcissism and follower perceptions of ethical leadership and leader effectiveness, including the potential moderating role of ethical context was investigated. Associations between narcissism and follower perceptions of both ethical and effective leadership were not significant. In highly ethical contexts, however, narcissistic leaders were perceived as ineffective and unethical. These results are interpreted in the context of the fit between leader personality and organizational ethical climate. Implications for research investigating the role that narcissism plays in leadership, as well as organizational responses to narcissistic leaders, are highlighted.
Heuristic Transfer in the Relationship Between Leadership and Employee Creativity
Authors: McMahon Sean R. , Ford Cameron M.
Published: November 2012

Prior research has revealed as many as 12 leadership constructs that influence employee creativity by affecting intrinsic motivation. However, little research has explored how leaders might improve employee creativity by directly enhancing creative ability. In this article, we explore the confluence of three streams of research to establish theory supporting leader heuristic transfer (LHT) as a potential influence on employee creativity. LHT is defined as the conveyance of a leader’s experience-based processes for pattern recognition, discovery, and problem solving—rules of thumb employees’ may adapt for their own creative application. Using a sample of 289 employee–supervisor–coworker survey triads, results indicate that LHT has a positive relationship with employee creativity, even when controlling for established creativity-enhancing factors. Furthermore, structural equation modeling shows that LHT’s influence on creativity exceeds the intrinsic motivation hypothesis central to existing constructs. Where the existing constructs focus on increasing employee intrinsic motivation in the hope that creativity occurs as a by-product, it appears that LHT boosts creativity directly, with intrinsic motivation as a positive by-product of a more capable employee.
A Chinese–Canadian Cross-Cultural Investigation of Transformational Leadership, Autonomous Motivation, and Collectivistic Value
Authors: Wang Zheni , Gagné Marylène
Published: November 2012

Synthesizing theories of transformational leadership and self-determination, this research investigated whether transformational leaders (a) promote the autonomous motivation of their subordinates and whether (b) it results in higher autonomous motivation when subordinates hold high collectivistic values. Multilevel data were obtained from work samples in China and Canada. The results showed a positive relation between managers’ transformational leadership and subordinates’ autonomous motivation cross-culturally. Although higher collectivistic values were related to higher autonomous motivation, collectivist values did not significantly moderate the motivational effect of transformational leadership.
Motivation to Lead in Multicultural Organizations
Authors: Amit Karin , Bar-Lev Shirly
Published: November 2012

Conceptions of leadership are conspicuous in their absence from the field of organizational politics. We respond to this timely challenge by considering how cultural values and perceptions of organizational politics influence motivations to lead in a multicultural setting. By combining qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis, we expand the Motivation to Lead (MTL) construct proposed by Chan and Drasgow. In addition, we apply the concept of the work script to the Israeli high-tech industry to predict how cultural values and perceptions of organizational politics combine to shape motivations to lead.
Two Siblings With Similar Phenotypes
Authors: Tezer F. Irsel , Aktas Dilek , Alikasifoglu Mehmet , Saygi Serap
Published: November 2012

We present the electroclinical features and cytogenetic findings of 2 siblings with the ring 20 chromosome (r(20)) phenotype, one of which had r(20) mosaicism. A history of epilepsy or learning problems should be determined in family members, although these relatives had no ring formation in chromosome 20. Whether the clinical features result from possible deletions or ring formation is discussed.
Radiological criteria for acceptable reduction of extra-articular distal radial fractures are not predictive for patient-reported functional outcome
Authors: Bentohami A. , Bijlsma T. S. , Goslings J. C. , de Reuver P. , Kaufmann L. , Schep N. W. L.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between arm-specific disability measured with the QuickDASH questionaire and radiological criteria in patients with extra-articular distal radial fractures. A consecutive series of 385 patients were initially treated non-operatively for an extra-articular distal radial fracture and 257 (69 %) patients were included in the study. In 203 of these patients (78%) the quality of radiographic reduction was judged to be adequate by radiological parameters, which included dorsal tilt, radial inclination, and radial shortening. In 54 patients (22%) the quality of radiographic alignment was judged to be inadequate. We observed no effect of radiographic parameters on the functional outcome. Female sex and longer duration of follow-up (>35 months) were the only independent prognostic factors significantly associated with a worse QuickDASH score.
Accuracy of fluoroscopy in the treatment of intra-articular thumb metacarpal fractures
Authors: Greeven A. P. A. , Hammer S. , DeRuiter M. C. , Schipper I. B.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of fluoroscopic imaging during closed reduction and percutaneous fixation of intra-articular thumb metacarpal fractures. Closed reduction and percutaneous fixation was assessed in eight simulated intra-articular thumb metacarpal fractures, using fluoroscopy and digital radiographs. Displacement and fracture step-off were measured during fluoroscopy, on plain radiographs, and by direct visualization after careful dissection. Displacement on fluoroscopy was 0.8 (SD 1.0) mm and 1.2 (SD 1.4) with radiographic imaging. Direct visualization showed displacement of 0.9 (SD 1.2) mm. Intra-articular step-off on fluoroscopy was 0.8 (SD 1.0) mm and 0.8 (SD 0.8) with radiographic imaging. Direct visualization showed an intra-articular step-off of 0.8 (SD 1.2) mm. Statistical analysis showed excellent compatibility between fluoroscopy and direct visualization. Fluoroscopic visualization during surgery provides an adequate assessment of articular step-off and displacement in comparison with radiographs and direct visualization.
The physiology, microcirculation and clinical application of the shunt-restricted arterialized venous flaps for the reconstruction of digital defects
Authors: Lam W.L. , Lin W.N. , Bell D. , Higgins J. P. , Lin Y. T. , Wei F. C.
Published: November 2012

Reconstruction of digital defects using the venous flap offer several advantages but remained unpopular owing to levels of venous congestion rates. We performed animal studies to test the hypothesis that an arterio-venous shunt increases pressure for peripheral flap perfusion and decreases venous congestion. Using an abdominal adipofascial flap model in six male Sprague–Dawley rats, microcirculation was modified as follows: type I – arterial flap; type II – flow-through arterio-venous flap (AVF); and type III – shunt-restricted AVF. In type I flaps, blood flow was observed to be unidirectional in both arterioles and venules. In type I flaps, blood flow was observed to be unidirectional in both arterioles and venules. In type II flaps, blood flow oscillated without a dominant direction and came to a standstill. In type III flaps, blood flowed proximally in a reverse direction whereas distally, flow was similar to type I flaps. In a clinical series, 21 patients received a total of 22 shunt-restricted AVFs. All 22 clinical flaps survived; four flaps suffered epidermolysis but recovered without full thickness loss.
Risk factors for return with a second trigger digit
Authors: Ferree S. , Neuhaus V. , Becker S. J. E. , Jupiter J. B. , Mudgal C. S. , Ring D. C.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of return to the same practice with a second idiopathic trigger digit. A total of 2234 patients with Quinnell grade 2 or greater (objective triggering) of one or more digits were retrospectively analysed. A total of 490 of 2234 (22%) patients returned to the same practice with a second trigger digit, with an average follow-up time of 2.1 years (range, 7 days to 10 years). Predictors of return with a second trigger digit included carpal tunnel syndrome, Type 1 diabetes mellitus and duration of follow-up in years. Patients diagnosed with idiopathic trigger digit can be advised that about one in five will return to the same practice with another trigger digit, with approximately double the risk in patients that have carpal tunnel syndrome or Type 1 diabetes.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Authors: LaLone Mary B.
Published: November 2012

This article argues that planning for community resilience to environmental disasters needs to give greater consideration to the potentials for response and recovery contributions available through local-level, informal social capital networks, as well as from the more formal policy and planning channels. To demonstrate the potential for mobilizing social capital resources to aid disaster response and recovery, the article provides a microlevel examination of the social capital mobilization process that occurred after tornadoes unexpectedly struck a rural Appalachian region in April 2011. It examines the mobilization process and types of labor and supply resources rapidly generated through community-level social networks in the first weeks of disaster response and recovery. The article situates this study in the context of social capital disaster literature, and considers its lessons and applications for disaster planning.
Design of a tobacco exon array with application to investigate the differential cadmium accumulation property in two tobacco varieties
Authors: Martin Florian , Bovet Lucien , Cordier Audrey , Stanke Mario , Gunduz Irfan , Peitsch Manuel C , Ivanov Nikolai V
Published: November 2012

Background

For decades the tobacco plant has served as a model organism in plant biology to answer fundamental biological questions in the areas of plant development, physiology, and genetics. Due to the lack of sufficient coverage of genomic sequences, however, none of the expressed sequence tag (EST)-based chips developed to date cover gene expression from the whole genome. The availability of Tobacco Genome Initiative (TGI) sequences provides a useful resource to build a whole genome exon array, even if the assembled sequences are highly fragmented. Here, the design of a Tobacco Exon Array is reported and an application to improve the understanding of genes regulated by cadmium (Cd) in tobacco is described.

Results

From the analysis and annotation of the 1,271,256 Nicotiana tabacum fasta and quality files from methyl filtered genomic survey sequences (GSS) obtained from the TGI and ~56,000 ESTs available in public databases, an exon array with 272,342 probesets was designed (four probes per exon) and tested on two selected tobacco varieties.

Two tobacco varieties out of 45 accumulating low and high cadmium in leaf were identified based on the GGE biplot analysis, which is analysis of the genotype main effect (G) plus analysis of the genotype by environment interaction (GE) of eight field trials (four fields over two years) showing reproducibility across the trials. The selected varieties were grown under greenhouse conditions in two different soils and subjected to exon array analyses using root and leaf tissues to understand the genetic make-up of the Cd accumulation.

Conclusions

An Affymetrix Exon Array was developed to cover a large (~90%) proportion of the tobacco gene space. The Tobacco Exon Array will be available for research use through Affymetrix array catalogue. As a proof of the exon array usability, we have demonstrated that the Tobacco Exon Array is a valuable tool for studying Cd accumulation in tobacco leaves. Data from field and greenhouse experiments supported by gene expression studies strongly suggested that the difference in leaf Cd accumulation between the two specific tobacco cultivars is dependent solely on genetic factors and genetic variability rather than on the environment.
Pairwise shared genomic segment analysis in three Utah high-risk breast cancer pedigrees
Authors: Cai Zheng , Thomas Alun , Teerlink Craig , Farnham James M , Cannon-Albright Lisa A , Camp Nicola J
Published: November 2012

Background

We applied a new weighted pairwise shared genomic segment (pSGS) analysis for susceptibility gene localization to high-density genomewide SNP data in three extended high-risk breast cancer pedigrees.

Results

Using this method, four genomewide suggestive regions were identified on chromosomes 2, 4, 7 and 8, and a borderline suggestive region on chromosome 14. Seven additional regions with at least nominal evidence were observed. Of particular note among these total twelve regions were three regions that were identified in two pedigrees each; chromosomes 4, 7 and 14. Follow-up two-pedigree pSGS analyses further indicated excessive genomic sharing across the pedigrees in all three regions, suggesting that the underlying susceptibility alleles in those regions may be shared in common. In general, the pSGS regions identified were quite large (average 32.2 Mb), however, the range was wide (0.3 – 88.2 Mb). Several of the regions identified overlapped with loci and genes that have been previously implicated in breast cancer risk, including NBS1, BRCA1 and RAD51L1.

Conclusions

Our analyses have provided several loci of interest to pursue in these high-risk pedigrees and illustrate the utility of the weighted pSGS method and extended pedigrees for gene mapping in complex diseases. A focused sequencing effort across these loci in the sharing individuals is the natural next step to further map the critical underlying susceptibility variants in these regions.
Association between tumor necrosis factor alpha-238G/a polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility: a meta-analysis study
Authors: Zhang Zhijiao , Zhu Hang , Pu Xudi , Meng Siying , Zhang Fan , Xun Lei , Liu Qin , Wang Yang
Published: November 2012

Background

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) plays a key role in the containment of tuberculosis. The relationship between the TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility remains inconclusive. A comprehensive meta-analysis was made to provide a more precise estimate of the relationship between them.

Methods

Multiple search strategies were used. A fixed effect model was takentook to estimate pooled OR with 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between the TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility. The Chi-squared-based Q-test and I-squaredI

2
statistic were calculated to examine heterogeneity. Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s test were used to assess publication bias.

Results

9 case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. No significant heterogeneity was demonstrated, and no obvious publication bias was detected among the included studies. The meta-analysis indicated that there was no significant association between the TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility (GA+AA versus GG model: OR=1.005, 95% CI: 0.765-1.319; A versus G model: OR=1.000, 95% CI: 0.769-1.300). In the subgroup analyses by ethnicity, types of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, no significant association were identified.

Conclusions

The meta-analysis involving 2723 subjects did not detect any association between the TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility.
Development and psychometric properties of a new social support scale for self-care in middle-aged patients with type II diabetes (S4-MAD)
Authors: Naderimagham Shohreh , Niknami Shamsaddin , Abolhassani Farid , Hajizadeh Ebrahim , Montazeri Ali
Published: November 2012

Background

Social support has proved to be one of the most effective factors on the success of diabetic self-care. This study aimed to develop a scale for evaluating social support for self-care in middle-aged patients (30–60 years old) with type II diabetes.

Methods

This was a two-phase qualitative and quantitative study. The study was conducted during 2009 to 2011 in Tehran, Iran. In the qualitative part, a sample of diabetic patients participated in four focus group discussions in order to develop a preliminary item pool. Consequently, content and face validity were performed to provide a pre-final version of the questionnaire. Then, in a quantitative study, reliability (internal consistency and test-retest analysis), validity and factor analysis (both exploratory and confirmatory) were performed to assess psychometric properties of the scale.

Results

A 38-item questionnaire was developed through the qualitative phase. It was reduced to a 33-item after content validity. Exploratory factor analysis loaded a 30-item with a five-factor solution (nutrition, physical activity, self monitoring of blood glucose, foot care and smoking) that jointly accounted for 72.3% of observed variance. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit to the data. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient showed excellent internal consistency (alpha=0.94), and test-retest of the scale with 2-weeks intervals indicated an appropriate stability for the scale (ICC=0.87).

Conclusion

The findings showed that the designed questionnaire was a valid and reliable instrument for measuring social support for self-care in middle-aged patients with type II diabetes. It is an easy to use questionnaire and contains the most significant diabetes related behaviors that need continuous support for self-care.
Generation and functional characterization of the anti-transferrin receptor single-chain antibody-GAL4 (TfRscFv-GAL4) fusion protein
Authors: Ye Qing , Hu Heyu , Wang Zhihua , Lu Tong , Hu Zhiquan , Zeng Xing , Zhang Shu , Liu Jing , Lei Ping , Wang Cong-Yi , Ye Zhangqun , Shen Guanxin
Published: November 2012

Background

The development of vectors for cell-specific gene delivery is a major goal of gene therapeutic strategies. Transferrin receptor (TfR) is an endocytic receptor and identified as tumor relative specific due to its overexpression on most tumor cells or tissues, and TfR binds and intakes of transferrin-iron complex. We have previously generated an anti-TfR single-chain variable fragments of immunoglobulin (scFv) which were cloned from hybridoma cell line producing antibody against TfR linked with a 20 aa-long linker sequence (G4S)4. In the present study, the anti-TfR single-chain antibody (TfRscFv) was fused to DNA-binding domain of the yeast transcription factor GAL4. The recombinant fusion protein, designated as TfRscFv-GAL4, is expected to mediate the entry of DNA-protein complex into targeted tumor cells.

Results

Fusion protein TfRscFv-GAL4 was expressed in an E. coli bacterial expression system and was recovered from inclusion bodies with subsequent purification by metal-chelate chromatography. The resulting proteins were predominantly monomeric and, upon refolding, became a soluble biologically active bifunctional protein. In biological assays, the antigen-binding activity of the re-natured protein, TfRscFv-GAL4, was confirmed by specific binding to different cancer cells and tumor tissues. The cell binding rates, as indicated by flow cytometry (FCM) analysis, ranged from 54.11% to 8.23% in seven different human carcinoma cell lines. It showed similar affinity and binding potency as those of parent full-length mouse anti-TfR antibody. The positive binding rates to tumor tissues by tissue microarrays (TMA) assays were 75.32% and 63.25%, but it showed weakly binding with hepatic tissue in 5 cases, and normal tissues such as heart, spleen, adrenal cortex blood vessel and stomach. In addition, the re-natured fusion protein TfRscFv-GAL4 was used in an ELISA with rabbit anti-GAL4 antibody. The GAL4-DNA functional assay through the GAL4 complementary conjugation with the GAL4rec-GFP-pGes plasmid to verify the GLA4 activity and GAL4rec-recognized specificity functions. It also shows the complex, TfRscFv-GAL4-GAL4rec-GFP-pGes, could be taken into endochylema to express the green fluorescent protein (GFP) with 8 to 10-fold transfection efficiency.

Conclusions

Results of our study demonstrated that the biofunctianality of genetically engineered fusion protein, TfRscFv-GAL4, was retained, as the fusion protein could both carry the plasmid of GAL4rec-pGes and bind TfR on tumour cells. This product was able to transfect target cells effectively in an immuno-specific manner, resulting in transient gene expression. This protein that can be applied as an effective therapeutic and diagnostic delivery to the tumor using endogenous membrane transport system with potential widespread utility.
Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum infections in the Republic of Djibouti: evaluation of their prevalence and potential determinants
Authors: Khaireh Bouh Abdi , Briolant Sébastien , Pascual Aurélie , Mokrane Madjid , Machault Vanessa , Travaillé Christelle , Khaireh Mohamed Abdi , Farah Ismail Hassan , Ali Habib Moussa , Abdi Abdul-Ilah Ahmed , Ayeh Souleiman Nour , Darar Houssein Youssouf , Ollivier Lénaïck , Waiss Mohamed Killeh , Bogreau Hervé , Rogier Christophe , Pradines Bruno
Published: November 2012

Background

Formerly known as a hypoendemic malaria country, the Republic of Djibouti declared the goal of pre-eliminating malaria in 2006. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax and mixed infections in the Djiboutian population by using serological tools and to identify potential determinants of the disease and hotspots of malaria transmission within the country.

Methods

The prevalence of P. falciparum and P. vivax within the districts of the capital city and the rest of the Republic of Djibouti were assessed using 13 and 2 serological markers, respectively. The relationship between the immune humeral response to P. falciparum and P. vivax and variables such as age, gender, wealth status, urbanism, educational level, distance to rivers/lakes, living area, having fever in the last month, and staying in a malaria-endemic country more than one year was estimated and analysed by questionnaires administered to 1910 Djiboutians. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression models of the immune humeral response were obtained for P. falciparum and P. vivax.

Results

The P. falciparum and P. vivax seroprevalence rates were 31.5%, CI95% [29.4-33.7] and 17.5%, CI95% [15.8-19.3], respectively. Protective effects against P. falciparum and P. vivax were female gender, educational level, and never having visited a malaria-endemic area for more than one year. For P. falciparum only, a protective effect was observed for not having a fever in the last month, living more than 1.5 km away from lakes and rivers, and younger ages.

Conclusions

This is the first study that assessed the seroprevalence of P. vivax in the Republic of Djibouti. It is necessary to improve knowledge of this pathogen in order to create an effective elimination programme. As supported by recent observations on the subject, the Republic of Djibouti has probably demonstrated a real decrease in the transmission of P. falciparum in the past seven years, which should encourage authorities to improve efforts toward elimination.
Expression analysis of inflammasomes in experimental models of inflammatory and fibrotic liver disease
Authors: Boaru Sorina Georgiana , Borkham-Kamphorst Erawan , Tihaa Lidia , Haas Ute , Weiskirchen Ralf
Published: November 2012

During inflammation, the inflammasomes representing a group of multi-protein complexes trigger the biological maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 by proteolytic activation of caspase-1 from its inactive proforms. The individual genes encoding components of the inflammasome machinery are regulated at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Once activated, they drive a wide variety of cellular responses that are necessary to mediate host defense against microbial pathogens and to guarantee tissue homeostasis. In the present work, we have studied the expression of the different inflammasomes in various primary hepatic cell subpopulations, in models of acute inflammation and during experimental liver fibrogenesis. We demonstrate that NLRP-1, NLRP-3 and AIM2 are prominently expressed in Kupffer cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, moderately expressed in periportal myofibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells, and virtually absent in primary cultured hepatocytes. We found that the challenge with the lipopolysaccharides results in a time- and concentration-dependent expression of the NOD-like receptor family members NLRP-1, NLRP-3 and NLRC4/NALP4 in cultured hepatic stellate cells and a strong transcriptional activation of NLRP-3 in hepatocytes. Moreover, we detect a diverse regulatory network of the different inflammasomes in the chosen experimental models of acute and chronic liver insult suggesting that the various inflammasomes might contribute simultaneously to the outcome of inflammatory and fibrotic liver insult, irrespectively of the underlying inflammatory stimulus.
Tumor-exosomes and leukocyte activation: an ambivalent crosstalk
Authors: Zech Daniela , Rana Sanyukta , Büchler Markus W , Zöller Margot
Published: November 2012

Background

Tumor-exosomes being reported to suppress or promote a cancer-directed immune response, we used exosomes of the rat pancreatic adenocarcinoma BSp73ASML (ASML) to evaluate, whether and which steps in immune response induction can be affected by tumor-exosomes and how the impaired responsiveness can be circumvented.

Results

ASML-exosomes bind to and are taken up by all leukocyte subpopulations in vivo and in vitro, uptake by CD11b+ leukocytes exceeding that by T and B cells. ASML-exosomes affect leukocyte proliferation via reduced CD44v6 up-regulation and lck, ZAP70 and ERK1,2 phosphorylation, which can be compensated by dendritic cells (DC). ASML-exosomes do not support Treg. Yet, impaired activation of anti-apoptotic signals is accompanied by slightly increased apoptosis susceptibility. IgM secretion is unaffected; NK and CTL activity are strengthened, ASML-exosomes co-operating with DC in CTL activation. ASML-exosomes transiently interfere with leukocyte migration by occupying migration-promoting receptors CD44, CD49d, CD62L and CD54 during binding/internalization.

Conclusion

ASML-exosomes might well serve as adjuvant in immunotherapy as they support leukocyte effector functions and have only a minor impact on leukocyte activation, which can be overridden by DC. However, exosome-induced modulation of immune cells relies, at least in part, on exosome uptake and message transfer. This implies that depending on the individual tumor's exosome composition, exosomes may distinctly affect the immune system. Nonetheless, whether immunotherapy can profit from using tumor-exosomes as adjuvant can easily be settled beforehand in vitro.
Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors differentially regulate NF-kappaB activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in murine BV-2 microglial cells
Authors: Chantong Boonrat , Kratschmar Denise V , Nashev Lyubomir G , Balazs Zoltan , Odermatt Alex
Published: November 2012

Background

Microglia, the resident macrophage-like cells in the brain, regulate innate immune responses in the CNS to protect neurons. However, excessive activation of microglia contributes to neurodegenerative diseases. Corticosteroids are potent modulators of inflammation and mediate their effects by binding to mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR). Here, the coordinated activities of GR and MR on the modulation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway in murine BV-2 microglial cells were studied.

Methods

BV-2 cells were treated with different corticosteroids in the presence or absence of MR and GR antagonists. The impact of the glucocorticoid-activating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) was determined by incubating cells with 11-dehydrocorticosterone, with or without selective inhibitors. Expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2), and 11β-HSD1 mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR and IL-6 protein expression by ELISA. NF-κB activation and translocation upon treatment with various corticosteroids were visualized by western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, and translocation assays.

Results

GR and MR differentially regulate NF-κB activation and neuroinflammatory parameters in BV-2 cells. By converting inactive 11-dehydrocorticosterone to active corticosterone, 11β-HSD1 essentially modulates the coordinated action of GR and MR. Biphasic effects were observed for 11-dehydrocorticosterone and corticosterone, with an MR-dependent potentiation of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression and NF-κB activation at low/moderate concentrations and a GR-dependent suppression at high concentrations. The respective effects were confirmed using the MR ligand aldosterone and the antagonist spironolactone as well as the GR ligand dexamethasone and the antagonist RU-486. NF-κB activation could be blocked by spironolactone and the inhibitor of NF-κB translocation Cay-10512. Moreover, an increased expression of TNFR2 was observed upon treatment with 11-dehydrocorticosterone and aldosterone, which was reversed by 11β-HSD1 inhibitors and/or spironolactone and Cay-10512.

Conclusions

A tightly coordinated GR and MR activity regulates the NF-κB pathway and the control of inflammatory mediators in microglia cells. The balance of GR and MR activity is locally modulated by the action of 11β-HSD1, which is upregulated by pro-inflammatory mediators and may represent an important feedback mechanism involved in resolution of inflammation.
Insulin resistance and adiponectin levels are associated with height catch-up growth in pre-pubertal Chinese individuals born small for gestational age
Authors: Deng Hong-Zhu , Deng Hong , Su Zhe , Li Yan-Hong , Ma Hua-Mei , Chen Hong-Shan , Du Min-Lian
Published: November 2012

Abstracts

Background and objective

The study was performed to determine whether catch-up growth is associated with the development of insulin resistance and to explore serum endocrine markers associated with the metabolism of adipose tissue in a Chinese population born small for gestational age(SGA)

Subjects and methods

We recruited 56 children born SGA with catch-up growth and 55 born without catch-up growth, who were further grouped into groups I (with BMI catch-up) and II (without BMI catch-up) respectively, as well as 52 children born appropriate for gestational age (AGA) with normal height. Their serum fasting insulin, fasting glucose, insulin-like growth factor-1, adiponectin, IGFBP-1, triglyceride concentrations, and the homeostasis assessment model for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were evaluated.

Results

(1) The HOMA-IR values in SGA-I with catch-up growth group were significantly higher than those in SGA-II with catch-up growth, SGA-I without catch-up growth and AGA children respectively. (2) The serum adiponectin levels of individuals in the SGA-I without catch-up growth and SGA-II with catch-up growth groups were significantly lower than those from the SGA-II without catch-up growth group. There was no difference in triglyceride or IGFBP-1 levels among the groups. (3) The degree of HOMA-IR was positively correlated with age, current BMI and △height SDS in SGA children.

Conclusion

The development of insulin resistance and lower levels of adiponectin were closely correlated with higher BMI and the postnatal height catch-up growth in SGA children.