bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Talent for Living: Exploring Ghana’s ‘New’ Urban Childhood
Authors: Mizen Phil , Ofosu‐Kusi Yaw
Published: July 2011

This paper considers the lives of children living in a large informal settlement in central Accra, Ghana. Its contention is that children remain largely absent from the renewal of interest in slums and that where they do feature it is largely as objects of risk and vulnerability. Such an exclusive focus, it is argued, risks effacing the ways in which children are capable of actively confronting the terrible constraints posed by slum environments and the ‘talent for living’ that this involves. Drawing upon the findings of a small qualitative exploratory research project, the paper examines sources of support and cooperation between children and how their decisions to work are perceived as a strategy to actively support mothers and families struggling for a subsistence.
Seeking to Engage ‘Hard‐to‐Reach’ Families: Towards a Transferable Model of Intervention
Authors: Evangelou Maria , Coxon Kate , Sylva Kathy , Smith Sally , Chan Lydia L.S.
Published: July 2011

This paper describes an exploratory evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership ‘Room to Play’, an innovative and experimental ‘drop‐in’ service seeking to attract and engage ‘hard‐to‐reach’ families in one of the most deprived areas of a Midlands city. Located in a shop unit of a busy community shopping centre, it offers play and learning activities for children, and provides opportunities for parents to talk to practitioners in a neutral and supportive environment. Through a mixed methods design, the authors attempted to document the core components of a potential transferable model of intervention, within challenging research constraints.
Inhibitory effect of soluble platelet‐derived growth factor receptor β on intraosseous growth of breast cancer cells in nude mice
Authors: Shan Hongchao , Takahashi Tetsuyuki , Bando Yoshimi , Izumi Keisuke , Uehara Hisanori
Published: July 2011

Bone metastasis is a frequent complication of advanced breast cancer. On the basis of functional and molecular evidence, signaling mediated by the binding of platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF)‐BB and ‐DD to PDGF receptor β (PDGFRβ) is critical for the survival and growth of metastatic breast cancer cells within the bone microenvironment. In this study, we propose a new approach to blocking PDGFRβ signaling using soluble PDGFRβ (sPDGFRβ) as a decoy receptor for PDGF‐BB and ‐DD secreted from tumor cells and bone marrow stromal cells. A bone‐seeking TNBCT/Bo cell line was established by in vivo selection from TNBCT human breast cancer cells, which are negative for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 protein expression. The TNBCT/Bo cells were transfected with a mammalian expression vector encoding the extracellular domain of PDGFRβ. A stable transfectant (TNBCT/Bo‐sPDGFRβ) grew at a similar rate to that of control cells under normal culture conditions, although growth stimulation of human fibroblasts with PDGF‐BB was neutralized by the culture medium from TNBCT/Bo‐sPDGFRβ cells. Intratibial injection of TNBCT/Bo‐sPDGFRβ cells into athymic nude mice resulted in a significant decrease in tumor incidence compared with control mice (P < 0.01). This attenuated growth correlated with decreased cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and recruitment of stromal cells, and with an increase in the number of apoptotic cells. These findings suggest that sPDGFRβ is useful for the treatment of breast cancer bone metastasis. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 1904–1910)
Negotiation as a style in child protection work
Authors: Magnuson Doug , Patten Nathan , Looysen Kevin
Published: July 2011

How child protection professionals orient to the work can be described as a style, and in the two teams reported on here, a style is emerging that is characterized by reaching for and inviting ongoing negotiation with families, with allied professionals and colleagues, and a reflexivity that is the result of the attention focused on the professional and the need to continually defend the work and explain to others one's point of view. Negotiation is a political concept that blends the reality of State authority with the practice of taking seriously the goals and interests of clients as well as the goals and interests of allied professionals. For these teams, this practice is rooted in an identity of service to the client, the importance of the protection of children and long‐standing motivations common to the helping professions.
Grandparents raising grandchildren: negotiating the complexities of role‐identity conflict
Authors: Backhouse Jan , Graham Anne
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the experience of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren in New South Wales, Australia. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 34 grandparents and their narratives transcribed and studied using paradigmatic analysis to reveal common themes among the stories told. Identity theory further informed the discussion of these findings. Woven throughout the grandparent narratives is a story of paradox – of experience simultaneously made up of pain/pleasure, myth/reality, inclusion/exclusion, being deserving/undeserving, visible/invisible and voiced/silenced. The findings signal a significant role‐identity conflict for grandparents who are parenting grandchildren. This study points to the need for policy and practice that more closely reflects the complexity of experience associated with the grandparent‐as‐parent role.
Effects of furosemide on allergic asthmatic responses in mice
Authors: Wang S. , Xiang Y.‐Y. , Ellis R. , Wattie J. , Feng M. , Inman M. D. , Lu W.‐Y.
Published: July 2011

Background The syndrome of allergic asthma features reversible bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness as well as airway remodelling, including goblet cell hyperplasia. Managing severe asthma is still a clinical challenge. Numerous studies report that furosemide, an inhibitor of Na+–K+–Cl− cotransporter (NKCC) reduces airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthmatic patients. However, the mechanism by which furosemide exerts anti‐asthmatic action remains unclear.

Objective This study sought to investigate the cellular profile of NKCC1 expression in the lung and examine the effects of furosemide on several outcome measurements in a mouse model of allergic asthma.

Methods Mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). Before challenge, the OVA‐sensitized mice were treated with furosemide (4.0 mg/kg/day, via daily intraperitoneal injection for 5 days). Outcome measurements in naïve, OVA‐exposure, furosemide‐treated naïve and furosemide‐treated OVA‐exposed mice included the slope of the relationship between inhaled methacholine (MCh) concentration and respiratory system resistance (Slope·RRS), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell counts and immunohistochemical and immunoblotting assays of lung tissues.

Results NKCC1 immunoreactivity was observed in airway epithelial cells (AECs) and alveolar type II (ATII) cells of the control mice. OVA exposure enhanced the expression of NKCC1 in AECs and ATII cells, and increased the infiltration of NKCC1‐expressing T lymphocytes in the lung. NKCC1 immunoreactivity was not detected in the airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. Furosemide treatment reduced the Slope·RRS in both naïve and OVA‐exposed mice by about 50%. Furosemide treatment also increased T lymphocyte infiltration to the lung in OVA‐exposed mice by approximately 53%, but had no effect on pulmonary goblet cell hyperplasia.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Furosemide decreases basal airway responsiveness, thereby reducing the extent of allergen‐induced AHR. However, the same treatment also increases T lymphocytes infiltration in the course of allergic asthma. Further studies are necessary to address the usefulness of furosemide in the clinical treatment of asthma.

Cite this as: S. Wang, Y.‐Y. Xiang, R. Ellis, J. Wattie, M. Feng, M. D. Inman and W.‐Y. Lu, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 1456–1467.
Linking population genetics and tree height growth models to predict impacts of climate change on forest production
Authors: O'Neill Gregory A. , Nigh Gordon
Published: July 2011

Changes to forest growth models used widely in global change research and sustainable forest management are needed to account for expected climate change impacts. We provide a new approach that dynamically merges height–age functions prevalent in forest growth models with transfer functions prevalent in population adaptation research to better represent changes to forest productivity as climates gradually change. Our simulations with data from an extensive provenance test of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) in British Columbia, Canada, suggest that climate change will reduce production in lodgepole pine forests established today by at least 7–13% at the end of this century – considerably less than most predictions based solely on transfer or response functions, which do not integrate impacts as climate gradually changes. This work illustrates the need for forest productivity models to consider the changing climate in which a population is growing relative to the static climate of its origin. It also demonstrates the value of long‐term provenance trials in assessing the dynamic impact of climate change on forest productivity, and serves as an example of how provenance trials may be exploited in other forest productivity models or other research fields to assess plant responses to climate.
Spatial heterogeneity in the effects of climate change on the population dynamics of a Mediterranean tortoise
Authors: Fernández‐Chacón Albert , Bertolero Albert , Amengual Arnau , Tavecchia Giacomo , Homar Víctor , Oro Daniel
Published: July 2011

Climatic shifts may increase the extinction risk of populations, especially when they are already suffering from other anthropogenic impacts. Our ability to predict the consequences of climate change on endangered species is limited by our scarce knowledge of the effects of climate variability on the population dynamics of most organisms and by the uncertainty of climate projections, which depend strongly on the region of the earth being considered. In this study, we analysed a long‐term monitoring programme (1988–2009) of Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) aimed at evaluating the consequences of the drastic changes in temperature and precipitation patterns predicted for the Mediterranean region on the demography of a long‐lived species with low dispersal capability and already suffering a large number of threats. Capture–recapture modelling of a population in the Ebro Delta (NE Spain) allowed us to assess the effect of climate variability on the survival of tortoises. Winter rainfall was found to be the major driver of juvenile and immature survival, whereas that of adults remained high and constant across the study. Furthermore, local climate series obtained ad hoc from regional climate simulations, for this and 10 additional Mediterranean locations where tortoises occurred, provided us with reliable future climate forecasts, which were used to simulate the fate of these populations under three precipitation scenarios (mean, wet and dry) using stochastic population modelling. We show that a shift to a more arid climate would have negative consequences for population persistence, enhancing juvenile mortality and increasing quasiextinction risk because of a decrease in recruitment. These processes varied depending on the population and the climate scenario we considered, but our results suggest that unless other human‐induced causes of mortality are suppressed (e.g. poaching, fire, habitat fragmentation), climate variability will increase extinction risk within most of the species’ current range.
Can differences in microbial abundances help explain enhanced N2O emissions in a permanent grassland under elevated atmospheric CO2?
Authors: Regan Kathleen , Kammann Claudia , Hartung Karin , Lenhart Katharina , Müller Christoph , Philippot Laurent , Kandeler Ellen , Marhan Sven
Published: July 2011

Long‐term effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on the ammonia‐oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria in a grassland soil were investigated to test whether a shift in abundance of these N‐cycling microorganisms was responsible for enhanced N2O emissions under elevated atmospheric CO2. Soil samples (7.5 cm increments to 45 cm depth) were collected in 2008 from the University of Giessen Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (GiFACE), a permanent grassland exposed to moderately elevated atmospheric CO2 (+20%) since 1998. GiFACE plots lay on a soil moisture gradient because of gradually changing depth to the underlying water table and labeled as the DRY block (furthest from water table), MED block (intermediate to water table), and WET block (nearest to water table). Mean N2O emissions measured since 1998 have been significantly higher under elevated CO2. This study sought to identify microbial and biochemical parameters that might explain higher N2O emissions under elevated CO2. Soil biochemical parameters [extractable organic carbon (EOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), NH4+, NO3−], and abundances of genes encoding the key enzymes involved in ammonia oxidation (amoA) and denitrification (nirK, nirS, nosZ) depended more on soil depth and block (underlying soil moisture gradient) than on elevated CO2. Ammonia oxidation and denitrification gene abundances, relative abundances (ratios) of nirS to nirK, of nosZ to both nirS and to nirK, and of the measured soil biochemical properties DON and NO3− tended to be lower in elevated CO2 plots as compared with ambient plots in the MED and WET blocks while the DRY block exhibited an opposite trend. High N2O emissions under elevated CO2 in the MED and WET blocks correlated with lower nosZ to nirK ratios, suggesting that increased N2O emissions under elevated CO2 might be caused by a higher proportion of N2O‐producing rather than N2O consuming (N2 producing) denitrifiers.
Quantifying the hydrological responses to climate change in an intact forested small watershed in Southern China
Authors: Zhou Guoyi , Wei Xiaohua , Wu Yiping , Liu Shuguang , Huang Yuhui , Yan Junhua , Zhang Deqiang , Zhang Qianmei , Liu Juxiu , Meng Ze , Wang Chunlin , Chu Guowei , Liu Shizhong , Tang Xuli , Liu Xiaodong
Published: July 2011

Responses of hydrological processes to climate change are key components in the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) assessment. Understanding these responses is critical for developing appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies for sustainable water resources management and protection of public safety. However, these responses are not well understood and little long‐term evidence exists. Herein, we show how climate change, specifically increased air temperature and storm intensity, can affect soil moisture dynamics and hydrological variables based on both long‐term observation and model simulations using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in an intact forested watershed (the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve) in Southern China. Our results show that, although total annual precipitation changed little from 1950 to 2009, soil moisture decreased significantly. A significant decline was also found in the monthly 7‐day low flow from 2000 to 2009. However, the maximum daily streamflow in the wet season and unconfined groundwater tables have significantly increased during the same 10‐year period. The significant decreasing trends on soil moisture and low flow variables suggest that the study watershed is moving towards drought‐like condition. Our analysis indicates that the intensification of rainfall storms and the increasing number of annual no‐rain days were responsible for the increasing chance of both droughts and floods. We conclude that climate change has indeed induced more extreme hydrological events (e.g. droughts and floods) in this watershed and perhaps other areas of Southern China. This study also demonstrated usefulness of our research methodology and its possible applications on quantifying the impacts of climate change on hydrology in any other watersheds where long‐term data are available and human disturbance is negligible.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of meloxicam in piglets subjected to a kaolin inflammation model
Authors: FOSSE T. K. , SPADAVECCHIA C. , HORSBERG T. E. , HAGA H. A. , RANHEIM B.
Published: July 2011

Fosse, T. K., Spadavecchia, C., Horsberg, T. E., Haga, H. A., Ranheim, B. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of meloxicam in piglets subjected to a kaolin inflammation model.J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap.34,367–375.

The pharmacokinetics and the analgesic, anti‐inflammatory and antipyretic effects of meloxicam were investigated in a placebo controlled study in 2‐week‐old piglets. Inflammation was induced by a subcutaneous injection of kaolin in the left metacarpus, and 16 h later, meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg) or saline was administered intramuscularly. The absorption half‐life was relatively short (0.19 h) and the elimination half‐life was 2.6 h. Mechanical nociceptive threshold testing was used to evaluate the analgesic effect, but no significant effect of the meloxicam treatment was found. The skin temperature of the inflamed area increased after the kaolin injection, but no significant decrease in temperature was found after administration of meloxicam. Only limited pyresis was observed after the kaolin injection, and no significant antipyretic effect of meloxicam was found. The results indicated that this dose of meloxicam had very limited anti‐inflammatory and analgesic effects in piglets.
Does supervision improve health worker productivity? Evidence from the Upper East Region of Ghana
Authors: Frimpong Jemima A. , Helleringer Stéphane , Awoonor‐Williams John Koku , Yeji Francis , Phillips James F.
Published: July 2011

Objectives  To assess whether supervision of primary health care workers improves their productivity in four districts of Northern Ghana.

Methods  We conducted a time‐use study during which the activities of health workers were repeatedly observed and classified. Classification included four categories: direct patient care; documentation and reporting; staff development and facility operations; and personal time. These data were supplemented by a survey of health workers during which patterns of supervision were assessed. We used logistic regression models with health facility fixed effects to test the hypothesis that supervision increases the amount of time spent providing direct patient care (productivity). We further investigated whether these effects depend on whether or not supervision is supportive.

Results  Direct patient care accounted for <25% of observations. In bivariate analyses, productivity was higher among midwives and in facilities with a high volume of care. Supervisory visits were frequent in those four districts, but only a minority of health workers felt supported by their supervisors. Having been supervised within the last month was associated with a significantly higher proportion of time spent on direct patient care (OR = 1.57). The effects of supervision on productivity further depended on whether the health workers felt supported by their supervisors.

Conclusion  Supportive supervision was associated with increased productivity. Investments in supervision could help maximize the output of scarce human resources in primary health care facilities. Time‐use studies represent an objective approach in monitoring the productivity of health workers and evaluating the impact of health‐system interventions on human resources.
Novel HLA class I and II alleles identified during routine registry typing in 2010
Authors: Lazaro A. M. , Xiao Y. , Masaberg C. , Hwang W. Y. K. , Yeoh A. E. J. , Weiyan Y. , Ng J. , Hurley C. K. , Posch P. E.
Published: July 2011

Twenty‐one novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and class II alleles are described: seven HLA‐A alleles, five HLA‐C alleles, five HLA‐B alleles and four HLA‐DRB1 alleles. Seventeen (∼81%) of the 21 novel alleles are single nucleotide substitution variants when compared with their most homologous allele. Nine of these single nucleotide variants cause an amino acid substitution, while eight are silent substitutions. The remaining novel alleles differ from their most similar allele by two to three nucleotide substitutions. One novel HLA‐C locus allele encodes an amino acid change at codon 10 that previously has not been reported to be polymorphic for this locus. Some of the new alleles encode novel codons and unique amino acid changes at polymorphic positions in the HLA‐A (codons 24 and 156) and HLA‐B (codons 40 and 115) loci.
Molecular basis of the rare gene complex, DIVa(C)‐, which encodes four low‐prevalence antigens in the Rh blood group system
Authors: Hipsky C. H. , Hue‐Roye K. , Lomas‐Francis C. , Huang C.‐H. , Reid M. E.
Published: July 2011

Background  Over 40 years ago, an unusual Rh phenotype denoted DIVa(C)‐ was identified in a case of fatal haemolytic disease of the newborn in the third child of Madame Nou. Her RBCs expressed a partial D, weak C and four low‐prevalence Rh antigens: Goa (RH30), Rh33 (RH33), Riv (RH45) and FPTT (RH50). The purpose of this study was to determine the molecular basis associated with this rare DIVa(C)‐ complex.

Material and Methods  Blood samples were from three donors previously identified as carrying the DIVa(C)‐ haplotype. Molecular analyses were performed by standard methods.

Results  The three donors were heterozygous for RHD and RHD*DIVa.2, and all carried a compound hybrid allele at the RHCE locus. This hybrid RHCE allele contained exons 2 and 3 from RHD*DIVa.2 and exon 5 from RHD [RHCE*CE‐DIVa.2(2‐3)‐CE‐D(5)‐CE] and is in cis to RHD*DIVa.2. The RHCE allele on the in trans chromosome differs between the donors and is RHCE*cE in donor 1, RHCE*ce (254C, 733G) in donor 2 and RHCE*ce in donor 3.

Conclusions  The RHD*DIVa.2 encodes the Goa antigen, whereas the compound hybrid allele most likely encodes Rh33, Riv and FPTT. The weakly expressed C antigen on RBCs with the DIVa(C)‐ phenotype could be encoded by exons 2 and 3 from RHD*DIVa.2 in the compound hybrid. This is the first report of RHD*DIVa.2 being involved in a hybrid gene at the RHCE locus. As only one example of anti‐Riv has been described, our molecular analysis and findings provide a tool by which to predict Riv expression.
Condensing results of wet sieving analyses into a single data: a comparison of methods for particle size description
Authors: Fritz Julia , Streich W. Jürgen , Schwarm Angela , Clauss Marcus
Published: July 2011

Sieve analysis is used in feed analysis, and studies of digestive physiology with various approaches to describe an average value of particle size which can serve to compare different samples. To demonstrate the effects of such different approaches, we compared five particle size indicators to demonstrate advantages and disadvantages of each method, the modulus of fineness (MOF), the discrete mean (dMEAN) and median (dMED), and the continuous mean (cMEAN) and median (cMED), well aware of the fact that a gold standard for this procedure is lacking. Data were obtained from 580 individual faecal samples of different herbivore species by wet sieving over a cascade of nine sieves with mesh sizes ranging from 0.063 to 16 mm. MOF, dMEAN and dMED can be calculated directly from the results of sieve analysis, but cMEAN and cMED require a curve‐fitting procedure. Across the whole sample size, dMEAN and cMEAN showed the highest correlation. The correlation between the respective MEAN and MED was higher for d than for c. As expected, MOF deviated most from the other measurements. Simulating different sieve sets resulted in a poor correlation between the results from the different sets in MOF and cMED, but a good correlation in dMEAN and cMEAN, suggesting that these latter measures can also be compared between studies that do not use identical sieve sets. As the calculation of dMEAN is comparatively simpler and less time‐consuming than that of cMEAN, we propose the dMEAN as a standard for the description of a mean particle size value obtained from sieve analysis. For practical application, the good correlation of different simulated sieve sets indicates that sets with fewer sieves could be used in large‐scale studies to reduce analytical workload.
Withdrawn: Effects of OmniGen‐AF on blood neutrophil gene expression, milk leucocyte populations and production performance of early lactating dairy cows
Authors: Schramm R. D. , Shields S. L. , Rezamand P. , Seo K. S. , McGuire M. A.
Published: July 2011

Withdrawn

The following article from Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, ‘Effects of OmniGen‐AF on blood neutrophil gene expression, milk leucocyte populations and production performance of early lactating dairy cows’ by R. D. Schramm, S. L. Shields, P. Rezamand, K. S. Seo, M. A. McGuire, published online on 6th July 2011 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been withdrawn by agreement between the journal Editors and Blackwell Verlag GmbH. The article has been withdrawn for legal reasons.
Preferences of owners of overweight dogs when buying commercial pet food
Authors: Suarez L. , Peña C. , Carretón E. , Juste M. C. , Bautista‐Castaño I. , Montoya‐Alonso J. A.
Published: July 2011

Most pet dogs in developed countries are fed commercial diets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preferences of owners of overweight dogs when buying commercial pet food. The study was a descriptive observational multi‐centre study on a group of 198 owners of urban household dogs. Personal interviews were conducted to examine the owners’ opinions with questions rating the importance of certain qualities of prepared dog food. Bivariate analyses for comparisons of absolute means between groups of owners of dogs with excess weight (n = 137) and owners of normal weight dogs (n = 61) were made using the Mann–Whitney U‐test. A low price (p < 0.001) and special offers (p = 0.008) of commercial dog food were more important for owners of dogs with excess weight than for owners of normal weight dogs. The quality of ingredients (p = 0.007) and the nutritional composition (p < 0.001) were more important for owners of normal weight dogs than for owners of dogs with excess weight. The veterinarian was the most important source of information on dog nutrition for both groups (83.6% for owners of normal weight dogs and 83.2% for owners of dogs with excess weight) (p = 0.88). The owners of dogs with excess weight had less interest in corrected dog nutrition than owners of normal weight dogs (p < 0.001).
Marine ecology as a framework for preparing the next generation of scientific leaders
Authors: Talley Drew , Goodwin Lindsay , Ruzic Roxanne , Fisler Shara
Published: July 2011

Across the United States there is increasing concern about the dwindling scientific workforce and the lack of students prepared for careers in the sciences. To build future leadership in this arena, we must employ innovative approaches that generate young peoples’ interest and develop their capabilities so that an increased number will pursue and be prepared for careers in scientific fields. Marine ecology is an ideal platform to engage young people in the sciences, develop their skills across multiple disciplines, and prepare them to face the complex challenges that lie ahead. In response, Ocean Discovery Institute, a non‐profit organization, has developed Ocean Leaders, a model program to empower young people to become tomorrow’s scientific leaders. Using evaluation data that span the 5 years of the program, we asked how this model can affect participants’ interest and performance in science and how it can contribute directly to the field of marine ecology. Content assessments, surveys, interviews, and tracking data reveal that 73% of Ocean Leader students during this period have declared majors in science and conservation fields, scored higher on standardized science tests relative to their peers, and contributed to ecological research through 10 publications and more than 30 scientific presentations. Using a framework analogous to adaptive management strategies, key components of the program (including in‐depth interactions with scientists and rigorous college readiness coursework) have been identified, resulting in an increased number of students who are interested in and ready to pursue science careers. Critical to this model is the partnership between scientists and a non‐profit organization. Although this model may not easily be replicated in its entirety, aspects of this collaboration and the strategies employed can help to simultaneously advance the field of marine ecology and scientific leadership and understanding.
Meningitis caused by Filobasidium uniguttulatum: case report and overview of the literature
Authors: Pan Weihua , Liao Wanqing , Hagen Ferry , Theelen Bart , Shi Weimin , Meis Jacques F. , Boekhout Teun
Published: July 2011

Cryptococcal meningitis is mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, but occasionally other Cryptococcus species and phylogenetically related species are involved. Herein, we present a case of cryptococcal meningitis from China, which was caused by an azole and flucytosine resistant Filobasidium uniguttulatum. In addition, we present an overview of the literature of meningitis caused by Cryptococcus species other than C. neoformans and C. gattii. Eight cases were related to infections of the central nervous system. Leukaemia and cancer were important risk factors in HIV‐negative patients. Molecular identification and susceptibility testing are important for proper management of patients because the species involved may differ in susceptibility to antifungal drugs.
Older people's mortality index: Development of a practical model for prediction of mortality in nursing homes (Kahrizak Elderly Study)
Authors: Sharifi Farshad , Ghaderpanahi Maryam , Fakhrzadeh Hossein , Mirarefin Mojde , Badamchizadeh Zohre , Tajalizadekhoob Yaser , Fadayivatan Reza , Philp Ian , Larijani Bagher
Published: July 2011

Aims:  In the elderly, mortality prediction models are important for clinical decision‐making and planning of services required.

Methods:  A total of 247 Kahrizak Charity Foundation (KCF) residents aged ≥65 years were followed up for approximately 39 months. At the baseline, the questionnaires of Barthel Index (BI), Mini‐Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini Nutritional Assessment and Norton Index was given. Medical history was recorded and anthropometric values were also measured at the baseline. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline. Mortality and its causes were recorded during the study.

Results:  A total of 30% (74) of participants died during the study. The variables that had a significant association with mortality in the Cox regression hazard model were entered into the principal components analysis (PCA). The older people's mortality index (OPMI) was developed by four variables extracted from PCA, including BI, age, hemoglobin and mid‐arm circumference. Cut‐points of these components were calculated using ROC curve analysis. Based on neural network analysis, there was no significant difference in relative importance of OPMI components. OPMI was correlated to mortality (r = −0.351, P = 0.000) and survival (r = −0.355, P = 0.000). OPMI score was defined as the number of adverse predictors present. An increasing hazard ratio for mortality was observed from scores 1 to 4 (2.10, 4.56, 7.12 and 13.85, respectively).

Conclusion:  Our suggested model could predict mortality in KCF residents well. The new developed model could be a practical, easy and non‐expensive index for mortality prediction in elderly care facilities. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 36–45.
Exploring effective items of physical function in slow walking speed and self‐reported mobility limitation in community‐dwelling older adults
Authors: Kim Mi‐Ji , Yabushita Noriko , Tanaka Kiyoji
Published: July 2011

Aim:  To examine gender differences in regards to the disagreement between walking speed and self‐reported mobility limitations, and, furthermore, to explore the items that affect each physical function task by comparing slow walking speed and self‐reported mobility limitation in community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods:  The subjects consisted of 1381 community‐dwelling men and women aged 65–84 years who were classified into four categories according to a combination of mobility status measured by a slow walking speed (usual gait speed < 1.0 m/s) and self‐reported mobility limitation (difficulty walking 1 km). The physical function tests comprised one‐legged stance, tandem stance, functional reach, tandem walk, alternate step and five chair sit‐to‐stand.

Results:  The prevalence of limitations increased more rapidly with age in women than in men for five mobility tasks (P < 0.001). The percent difference between slow walking speed and self‐reported mobility limitation was higher in women (24%) than men (19%). The multivariate logistic regression model showed that after adjusting for all covariates, the tandem walk, alternate step and five chair sit‐to‐stand were identified as effective physical function tests in regards to mobility status as measured by the difference between slow walking speed and self‐reported mobility limitation (P < 0.01).

Conclusion:  Tandem walk, alternate step and five chair sit‐to‐stand are important effective items of physical function and permit good comparisons between slow walking speed and self‐reported mobility limitation in community‐dwelling older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 50–58.
Remogliflozin etabonate, a selective inhibitor of the sodium‐dependent transporter 2 reduces serum glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Dobbins R. L. , O’Connor‐Semmes R. , Kapur A. , Kapitza C. , Golor G. , Mikoshiba I. , Tao W. , Hussey E. K.
Published: July 2011

Aims: Remogliflozin etabonate (RE) is the pro‐drug of remogliflozin (R), a selective inhibitor of renal sodium‐dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) that improves glucose control via enhanced urinary glucose excretion (UGE). This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of repeated doses of RE in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: In a double‐blinded, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial, subjects who were drug‐naïve or had metformin discontinued received RE [100 mg BID (n = 9), 1000 mg QD (n = 9), 1000 mg BID (n = 9)], or placebo (n = 8) for 12 days. Safety parameters were assessed, including urine studies to evaluate renal function. Plasma concentrations of RE and metabolites were measured with the first dose and at steady state. RE effects on glucose levels were assessed with fasting glucose concentrations, frequently sampled 24‐h glucose profiles and oral glucose tolerance tests.

Results: No significant laboratory abnormalities or safety events were reported; the most frequent adverse events were headache and flatulence. Plasma exposure to RE and R were proportional to administered dose with negligible accumulation. Mean 24‐h UGE increased in RE treatment groups. Compared with the placebo group, 24‐h mean (95% CI) changes in plasma glucose were −1.2 (−2.2 to −0.3) (100 mg BID), −0.8 (−1.7 to 0.2) (1000 mg QD) and −1.7 (−2.7 to −0.8) mmol/l (1000 mg BID).

Conclusions: Administration of RE for 12 days is well‐tolerated and results in clinically meaningful improvements in plasma glucose, accompanied by changes in body weight and blood pressure in subjects with T2DM.
Effects of intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA on bladder dysfunction and autonomic dysreflexia after spinal cord injury: role of nerve growth factor
Authors: Elkelini Mohamed S. , Bagli Darius J. , Fehlings Michael , Hassouna Magdy
Published: July 2011

Study Type – Aetiology (case control)

Level of Evidence 3c

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and autonomic dysreflexia (AD) are common outcomes following spinal cord injury (SCI).

In this study, we showed that onabotulinumtoxinA controlled NDO and AD in rats with T4‐SCI, and also provided a mechanism for the control of AS.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the significance of onabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA) intravesical administration in blocking autonomic dysreflexia (AD) response induced by cystometrogram (CMG) after T4 spinal cord transection (SCT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Female rats were stratified into three groups: a sham group; a SCT‐only group; and a SCT with onabotA treatment group. Each group was further subdivided into two subgroups: AD assessment, or nerve growth factor (NGF) assessment via enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Three weeks after T4‐SCT, all groups were assessed. Arterial pressure and heart rate were measured during and after CMG.

NGF was also extracted from the bladder and the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of the T4 root and quantified by ELISA. In the onabotA‐treated group, 48 h before assessment, onabotA (1 mL, 20 U/mL in saline) was given using a urethral tube and was left indwelling for 30 min.

Univariate anova was used to analyse the data and statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

The maximum voiding pressure and the number of uninhibited contractions were significantly lower in the group treated with intravesical onabotA than in the SCT‐only group.

Intravesical onabotA significantly blocked the dysreflexia response (high arterial pressure with bradycardia) induced by CMG after SCT.

Intravesical onabotA also significantly lowered NGF concentrations in the bladder and the T4 DRG segment.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study showed that intravesical onabotA controls neurogenic detrusor overactivity and AD after SCT.

The findings shed light on the potential benefits of intravesical onabotA treatment in patients with spinal cord injury, and also provide a novel mechanism for the control of AD via a minimally invasive treatment modality.
Erectile dysfunction is predictive of all‐cause mortality in patients with prostate cancer treated with permanent interstitial brachytherapy
Authors: Bittner Nathan , Merrick Gregory S. , Galbreath Robert W. , Butler Wayne M. , Lief Jonathan H. , Allen Zachariah A. , Wallner Kent E.
Published: July 2011

Study Type – Prognosis (individual cohort)

Level of Evidence 2b

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in prostate cancer patients. Pretreatment ED is a surrogate for vascular pathology. Aggressive treatment of medical co‐morbidity in prostate cancer patients may positively impact overall survival.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between pre‐treatment erectile function and all‐cause mortality in patients with prostate cancer treated with brachytherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 1279 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer and pre‐implant erectile function assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function‐6 (IIEF‐6) underwent brachytherapy.

Potency was defined as an IIEF‐6 score of ≥13 without pharmacological or mechanical support.

Patients were stratified into IIEF‐6‐score cohorts (≤12, 13–23 and 24–30).

The median follow‐up was 5.0 years.

RESULTS

The 8‐year overall survival (OS) of the study population was 85.1%.

The 8‐year OS for IIEF‐6scores ≤12, 13–23 and 24–30 were 78.0%, 92.8% and 91.4%, respectively (P < 0.001).

Cardiovascular events accounted for a significant portion of deaths in each IIEF‐6 group.

When combined with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, an IIEF‐6 score of ≤12 had an additive effect on all‐cause mortality (IIEF‐6 score of ≤12 and less than two comorbidities vs two or more comorbidities were 18.2% and 32.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

A pre‐implant IIEF‐6score of ≤12 was associated with a higher incidence of all‐cause mortality.

Pre‐treatment erectile dysfunction is a surrogate for underlying vascular pathology, probably explaining the lower OS in this subset of patients.

Aggressive treatment of medical co‐morbidity is warranted to impactOS.
Delayed proximal ureteric stricture formation after complex partial nephrectomy
Authors: Reyes Jose M. , Canter Daniel J. , Sirohi Mohit , Simhan Jay , Smaldone Marc C. , Teper Ervin , Kutikov Alexander , Chen David Y.T. , Uzzo Robert G.
Published: July 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

As the indications for nephron sparing surgery continue to evolve, so do the potential complications.

This study examines a rare but likely underreported complication of nephron sparing surgery in order to better counsel and treat patients with complex renal tumours.

OBJECTIVE

To report and review our incidence of delayed ureteric stricture (US) after complex nephron‐sparing surgery (NSS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using our institutional kidney cancer database, we identified 720 patients who underwent NSS from 1 January 2000 until 31 December 2010 and identified eleven (1.5%) patients with a delayed US.

Patient and tumour characteristics were reviewed.

RESULTS

Median (range) tumour size and RENAL nephrometry score was 4.1 (2–7.2) cm and 10p (4–11p), respectively.

There were eight of 10 solitary tumours (80%) located in the lower or mid‐pole of the kidney.

There were eight of 11 patients with delayed US (72.7%) who experienced a postoperative urinary leak.

There were two of 11 (18.2%) patients who experienced a postoperative retroperitoneal haemorrhage, with one of these patients requiring selective embolization.

All US were in the upper third of the ureter and were diagnosed at a minimum of 10 weeks postoperatively (median 154 days, range 70–400 days).

CONCLUSIONS

US formation is an uncommon and under‐reported event after complex NSS.

Risk factors appear to include tumour complexity, imperative indications, mid‐ or lower pole location, postoperative urinary leak and haemorrhage.

Although uncommon, postoperative US can occur after NSS for complex renal masses, necessitating patient counselling and diligent postoperative surveillance.
Experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake March 2011
Authors: Yamamoto A.
Published: July 2011

YAMAMOTO A. (2011) Experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake March 2011. International Nursing Review58, 332–334

Written just 5 weeks after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 11 March 2011, this personal account provides new lessons for disaster nursing. Expecting aid to reach a major widespread disaster area within 3 days is optimistic, and survivors may have to exist on extremely limited resources for very much longer. Even in a country as well prepared as Japan, material and human resources after March 11 were stretched to their limits. The nuclear accident dimension created great anxiety especially among pregnant women and mothers of young children.
The effects of weight loss strategies on gastric emptying and appetite control
Authors: Horner K. M. , Byrne N. M. , Cleghorn G. J. , Näslund E. , King N. A.
Published: July 2011

The gastrointestinal tract plays an important role in the improved appetite control and weight loss in response to bariatric surgery. Other strategies which similarly alter gastrointestinal responses to food intake could contribute to successful weight management. The aim of this review is to discuss the effects of surgical, pharmacological and behavioural weight loss interventions on gastrointestinal targets of appetite control, including gastric emptying. Gastrointestinal peptides are also discussed because of their integrative relationship in appetite control. This review shows that different strategies exert diverse effects and there is no consensus on the optimal strategy for manipulating gastric emptying to improve appetite control. Emerging evidence from surgical procedures (e.g. sleeve gastrectomy and Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass) suggests a faster emptying rate and earlier delivery of nutrients to the distal small intestine may improve appetite control. Energy restriction slows gastric emptying, while the effect of exercise‐induced weight loss on gastric emptying remains to be established. The limited evidence suggests that chronic exercise is associated with faster gastric emptying, which we hypothesize will impact on appetite control and energy balance. Understanding how behavioural weight loss interventions (e.g. diet and exercise) alter gastrointestinal targets of appetite control may be important to improve their success in weight management.
Could the mechanisms of bariatric surgery hold the key for novel therapies?: report from a Pennington Scientific Symposium
Authors: Tam C. S. , Berthoud H.‐R. , Bueter M. , Chakravarthy M. V. , Geliebter A. , Hajnal A. , Holst J. , Kaplan L. , Pories W. , Raybould H. , Seeley R. , Strader A. , Ravussin E.
Published: July 2011

Bariatric surgery is the most effective method for promoting dramatic and durable weight loss in morbidly obese subjects. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes is resolved in over 80% of patients. The mechanisms behind the amelioration in metabolic abnormalities are largely unknown but may be due to changes in energy metabolism, gut peptides and food preference. The goal of this meeting was to review the latest research to better understand the mechanisms behind the ‘magic’ of bariatric surgery. Replication of these effects in a non‐surgical manner remains one of the ultimate challenges for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. Promising data on energy metabolism, gastrointestinal physiology, hedonic response and food intake were reviewed and discussed.
COOPERATIVE GAMES WITH GENERAL DEVIATION MEASURES
Authors: Grechuk Bogdan , Molyboha Anton , Zabarankin Michael
Published: July 2011

Cooperative games with players using different law‐invariant deviation measures as numerical representations for their attitudes towards risk in investing to a financial market are formulated and studied. As a central result, it is shown that players (investors) form a coalition (cooperative portfolio) that behaves similar to a single player (investor) with a certain deviation measure. An explicit formula for that deviation measure is obtained. An approach to optimal risk sharing among investors is developed, and a “fair” division of the cooperative portfolio expected gain, belonging to the core of a corresponding cooperative game, is suggested.
Christology and duplex hominis beatitudo: Re‐sketching the Supernatural Again
Authors: RICHES AARON
Published: July 2011

Thomas Aquinas's doctrine of duplex beatitudo is problematic for theologians who want to read his conception of human nature as integrally ordered to the visio divina. The doctrine seems rather to support a duplex ordo– a tidy parallelism of existent human ‘ends’, one discretely ‘natural’ and the other discretely ‘supernatural’. Is this in fact the case? Does the doctrine of duplex beatitudo commit the theologian to a bifurcated anthropology? Or is it possible to reconcile the doctrine with a more paradoxical anthropology which understands the human being as naturally ordered to a supernatural end that nevertheless exceeds the attainable power of human nature? This article offers a christological reading of the doctrine of duplex beatitudo. The article proposes a tensive distinction in unity of the twofold beatitude according to the Chalcedon paradox: inconfuse, immutabiliter, indivise, inseparabiliter.
Accruals, Disclosure and the Pricing of Future Earnings in the European Market
Authors: Dargenidou Christina , McLeay Stuart , Raonic Ivana
Published: July 2011

Abstract:  This paper examines the role of disclosure in assisting market participants to form expectations of future earnings from the accrual content of reported earnings. Using the Transparency and Disclosure ratings prepared by Standard and Poor’s, we show how disclosure and accruals jointly affect the earnings expectations that are incorporated in current stock returns, depending on the magnitude and sign of the changes in net current and net non‐current operating assets.
Establishing a time‐scale for plant evolution
Authors: Clarke John T. , Warnock Rachel C. M. , Donoghue Philip C. J.
Published: July 2011

See also the Commentary by Kenrick