bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen regulation involved in the accumulation of urea in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Zhao Xinrui , Zou Huijun , Fu Jianwei , Chen Jian , Zhou Jingwen , Du Guocheng
Published: August 2013

Rice wine is a popular traditional alcoholic drink with a long history in China. However, the presence of the potential carcinogen ethyl carbamate (EC) raises a series of food safety concerns. Although the metabolic pathway of urea (the major precusor of EC) has been characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the regulation of urea accumulation remains unclear, making the efficient elimination of urea difficult. To demonstrate the regulatory mechanisms governing urea accumulation, three key nitrogen sources that can inhibit urea utilization for a commercial S. cerevisiae strain were identified. In addition, regulators of nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) and target of rapamycin (TOR) pathways were identified as being involved in urea accumulation by real‐time quantitative PCR. Based on these results, preferred nitrogen sources were found to repress urea utilization by converting them to glutamine or glutamate. Moreover, the results indicated that the manner of urea metabolism regulation was different for two positive regulators involved in NCR; Gln3p can be retained in the cytoplasm by glutamine, while Gat1p can be retained by glutamine and glutamate. Furthermore, this was confirmed by fluorescence location detection. These new findings provide new targets for eliminating EC and other harmful nitrogen‐containing compounds in fermented foods. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Learning how to count: a high multiplicity search for the LHC
Authors: El Hedri Sonia , Hook Anson , Jankowiak Martin , Wacker Jay G.
Published: August 2013

Abstract

We introduce a search technique that is sensitive to a broad class of signals with large final state multiplicities. Events are clustered into large radius jets and jet substructure techniques are used to count the number of subjets within each jet. The search consists of a cut on the total number of subjets in the event as well as the summed jet mass and missing energy. Two different techniques for counting subjets are described and expected sensitivities are presented for eight benchmark signals. These signals exhibit diverse phenomenology, including 2-step cascade decays, direct three body decays, and multi-top final states. We find improved sensitivity to these signals as compared to previous high multiplicity searches as well as a reduced reliance on missing energy requirements. One benefit of this approach is that it allows for natural data driven estimates of the QCD background.
Carbon Dioxide-Mediated Generation of Hybrid Nanoparticles for Improved Bioavailability of Protein Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Jesson Gérald , Brisander Magnus , Andersson Per , Demirbüker Mustafa , Derand Helene , Lennernäs Hans , Malmsten Martin
Published: August 2013

Purpose

A versatile methodology is demonstrated for improving dissolution kinetics, gastrointestinal (GI) absorption, and bioavailability of protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs).

Methods

The approach is based on nanoparticle precipitation by sub- or supercritical CO2 together with a matrix-forming polymer, incorporating surfactants either during or after nanoparticle formation. Notably, striking synergistic effects between hybrid PKI/polymer nanoparticles and surfactant added after particle formation is investigated.

Results

The hybrid nanoparticles, consisting of amorphous PKI embedded in a polymer matrix (also after 12 months), display dramatically increased release rate of nilotinib in both simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid, particularly when surfactants are present on the hybrid nanoparticle surface. Similar results indicated flexibility of the approach regarding polymer identity, drug load, and choice of surfactant. The translation of the increased dissolution rate found in vitro into improved GI absorption and bioavalilability in vivo was demonstrated for male beagle dogs, where a 730% increase in the AUC0–24h was observed compared to the benchmark formulation. Finally, the generality of the formulation approach taken was demonstrated for a range of PKIs.

Conclusions

Hybrid nanoparticles combined with surfactant represent a promising approach for improving PKI dissolution rate, providing increased GI absorption and bioavailability following oral administration.
Prevalence of developmental dysplasia of the hip in children with clubfoot
Authors: Chou Daud TS , Ramachandran Manoj
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The relationship between congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) and developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) remains uncertain. The role of routine hip screening in children with CTEV is debated. A recent study has found a high incidence of DDH in patients with CTEV. The aim of our study was to determine the true prevalence of radiographic hip dysplasia and identify the need for routine hip screening in patients treated for CTEV.

Methods

From a single centre database of 165 children consisting of 260 CTEV, a prospective radiological prevalence study of 101 children was performed over a period of 3 months. A single anterior-posterior pelvic radiograph was performed at a minimum age of 5 months. The DDH was determined by a single senior investigator based on the age-adjusted acetabular index (AI) as described by Tonnis.

Results

There were no dislocations or subluxations. According to the age-adjusted AI, 16 children had ‘light’ dysplasia and one child had ‘severe’ dysplasia. The child with severe dysplasia was known to have DDH and had already undergone treatment. The 16 children with light dysplasia did not require any form of treatment.

Conclusion

Out of one hundred and one children with CTEV, only one had DDH requiring treatment. This is consistent with the majority of the literature supporting the premise that there is no true association between CTEV and DDH. We, therefore, feel that routine hip screening for children with CTEV is not supported by current evidence and cannot be recommended.
Achieving Near-Zero and Zero: Who Said Interventions and Controls Don't Matter?
Authors: Matocha Donna
Published: August 2013

Background: Implementation of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Central Line Bundle in 2005 did not result in attainment of 0 central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).

Purpose: To establish process improvements to eliminate CLABSIs.

Methods: Infection Prevention and Intravenous Therapy Departments at our institution formed a collaborative partnership in 2008 to eliminate CLABSIs. Staff education, daily surveillance, and implementing evidence-based practice into policies, protocols, and product selection were utilized. A study designed to capture and track multiple interventions from the beginning versus time was implemented.

Results: There were a total of 7 CLABSIs over 5 years, which trended down by year from 3 to 2 to 1 to 1 to 0. The average annual CLABSI rate of infections per 1,000 catheter line days declined from 1.068 to 0.849 to 0.508 to 0.449 to 0.000. The full 3-year simple average from 2009 to 2011, after all of the key interventions were phased-in, was 0.3048.

Conclusions: Collaboration and commitment played a role in implementing changes. Empowering staff through education that increases knowledge, understanding, and skills improves patient safety and patient outcomes. Process changes and practice protocols supported by evidence-based practice along with efficacious products played a crucial part in getting to 0 CLABSIs. Layered kits with products placed in the correct order of use can increase aseptic technique compliance. Prompt identification of individual CLABSI episodes with prompt intervention to the specific individuals involved has been shown to be cost-effective and can be implemented in most hospitals.
Supporting the Sustainability Journey of Tertiary International Students in Australia
Authors: Sidiropoulos Liz , Wex Irene , Sibley Jonathan
Published: August 2013

This article reports the findings of a pilot Education for Sustainability (EfS) program implemented in 2011 for international students in a multi-campus distributed learning environment at an Australian university. It outlines the context of the pilot EfS program and reports survey findings of the environmental attitudes and sustainability worldviews of international students. The pilot EfS program entailed in-class presentations to students in a variety of Business and IT programs at diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students were introduced to sustainability concepts and the role of graduate skills in their future professional practice. Students were also encouraged to adopt personal sustainability behaviours and assisted to connect their individual courses/programs to sustainability outcomes. Surveys consisting of open-ended questions and the Revised NEP (New Environmental Paradigm) questionnaire were conducted in a range of settings in order to develop an understanding of the sustainability attitudes and knowledge of international students. These were conducted in participating and non-participating EfS classes and also in classes with and without sustainability topics in the curriculum. The findings report the impact of these sustainability interventions on students’ environmental views and attitudes. Finally, these findings are contextualised in suggested routes for scaffolding the learning journey of international students towards sustainability.
Special Issue Dedicated to Professor Frank Fisher (1943–2012): A Courageous Life
Authors: Tonson James , Houseman Sarah
Published: August 2013

In 2007 Professor Frank Fisher was named Australia's inaugural Environmental Educator of the Year (by the Australian Association for Environmental Education). Frank lived a life driven by a determination to engage fully with the world around him. As a young electrical engineer, Frank became convinced of the need for education and research about how we shape the world around us, and contributed to the establishment of the first Australian Masters of Sustainability program at Monash University in 1973. Typified by exercises such as taking students to sit in the middle of major roads, Frank's teaching approach aimed to help students understand the social systems that shape our understanding of and impact on the world around us.
Conditional statistics of the turbulent/non-turbulent interface in a jet flow
Authors: Gampert Markus , Narayanaswamy Venkat , Schaefer Philip , Peters Norbert
Published: August 2013

Using two-dimensional high-speed measurements of the mixture fraction $Z$ in a turbulent round jet with nozzle-based Reynolds numbers $R{e}_{0} $ between 3000 and 18 440, we investigate the scalar turbulent/non-turbulent (T/NT) interface of the flow. The mixture fraction steeply changes from $Z= 0$ to a final value which is typically larger than 0.1. Since combustion occurs in the vicinity of the stoichiometric mixture fraction, which is around $Z= 0. 06$ for typical fuel/air mixtures, it is expected to take place largely within the turbulent/non-turbulent interface. Therefore, deep understanding of this part of the flow is essential for an accurate modelling of turbulent non-premixed combustion. To this end, we use a composite model developed by Effelsberg & Peters (Combust. Flame, vol. 50, 1983, pp. 351–360) for the probability density function (p.d.f.) $P(Z)$ which takes into account the different contributions from the fully turbulent as well as the turbulent/non-turbulent interface part of the flow. A very good agreement between the measurements and the model is observed over a wide range of axial and radial locations as well as at varying intermittency factor $\gamma $ and shear. Furthermore, we observe a constant mean mixture fraction value in the fully turbulent region. The p.d.f. of this region is thus of non-marching character, which is attributed physically to the meandering nature of the fully turbulent core of the jet flow. Finally, the location and in particular the scaling of the thickness $\delta $ of the scalar turbulent/non-turbulent interface are investigated. We provide the first experimental results for the thickness of the interface over the above-mentioned Reynolds number range and observe $\delta / L\sim R{ e}_{\lambda }^{- 1} $, where $L$ is an integral length scale and $R{e}_{\lambda } $ the local Reynolds number based on the Taylor scale $\lambda $, meaning that $\delta \sim \lambda $. This result also supports the assumption often made in modelling of the stoichiometric scalar dissipation rate ${\chi }_{st} $ being a Reynolds-number-independent quantity.
Defending the Dissidents in Paris, Munich, and New York: Ceremony in Bohemia and the 1979 Show Trial of Charter 77
Authors: Guthu Sarah
Published: August 2013

In late 1982, a documentary drama entitled Ceremony in Bohemia was produced Off-Off Broadway at the Greenwich House Theatre in New York. The play offered U.S. audiences a glimpse behind the closed doors of a tiny courtroom on Spálená Street in Prague in Czechoslovakia. The production presented an account of the recent trial of six Czechoslovak activists who had been found guilty of “subversion of the Republic” and been sentenced, collectively, to nineteen-and-a-half years in top-level prisons. Their only crime was that they had protested unjust trials like their own. The press and all foreigners were barred from the trial. Only a few witnesses were allowed inside the courtroom to observe the trial, which lasted only two days.
Performance as Exchange: Taxation and Jewish Theatre in Early Modern Italy
Authors: Jaffe-Berg Erith
Published: August 2013

In early modern Italy, an unusual form of exchange between Jewish and Christian communities materialized in Mantua: Jews in Mantua were required to perform an annual play as a tribute to their Gonzaga rulers. Elsewhere in the Italian peninsula, far more onerous “performances” were extorted from the Jews during carnival, but in the Mantuan performances, several communities—the ruling Gonzaga family, the Jewish community, and Christian audience members—interacted. I consider these performances a form of taxation because the full cost, which was extensive, was borne by the Jewish community. However, the performances were more than mere payment; they also gave the Jewish community a degree of autonomy and expression and enabled performers to develop their artistic skills, albeit always as the members of the company of “the Jews,” a group that was set apart from the rest of society in early modern Mantua. These theatrical performances can be seen as a public reification of the Jewish community as a distinctively marked but legitimate component of Mantua's economy and social landscape. This dynamic continued in Mantua even as Jews in other parts of Italy were subjected to extremely harsh conditions during the Counter-Reformation and the Catholic Inquisition.
Interpersonal exchange and freedom for resource acquisition
Authors: Adamopoulos John
Published: August 2013

The relationship of climate and monetary resources to various freedoms can be enriched if the conceptual links – “psychobehavioral adaptations” – are conceptualized more broadly as reflections of a richer cultural context that involves multiple physical and psychological resources, as proposed by social resource theory and a number of models of the emergence of social meaning.
Press freedom, oil exports, and risk for natural disasters: A challenge for climato-economic theory?
Authors: Arantes Joana , Grace Randolph C. , Kemp Simon
Published: August 2013

Does the interaction between climactic demands, monetary resources, and freedom suggest a more general relationship between the environmental challenges that human societies face and their resources to meet those challenges? Using data on press freedom (Van de Vliert 2011a), we found no evidence of a similar interaction with natural resources (as measured by oil exports) or risk for natural disasters.
Individual identity and freedom of choice in the context of environmental and economic conditions
Authors: Baumeister Roy F. , Park Jina , Ainsworth Sarah E.
Published: August 2013

Van de Vliert's findings fit nicely with our recent arguments implying that (1) differentiated selfhood is partly motivated by requirements of cultural groups, and (2) free will mainly exists within culture. Some cultural groups promote individual freedom, whereas others constrict it so as to maintain elites' power and privilege. Thus, freedom is, to a great extent, a creation of culture.
Cultural adaptation to environmental change versus stability
Authors: Chang Lei , Chen Bin-Bin , Lu Hui Jing
Published: August 2013

The target article provides an intermediate account of culture and freedom that is conceived to be curvilinear by treating economic development not as an adaptive outcome in response to climate but as a cause of culture parallel to climate. We argue that the extent of environmental variability, including climatic variability, affects cultural adaptation.
Improving climato-economic theorizing at the individual level
Authors: Fischer Ronald
Published: August 2013

Using representative data from 55 nations, I show that individual level wealth interacts with climate in predicting individual happiness but not postmaterialism values. I propose that more research is needed to identify (a) the specific mechanisms of how wealth buffers climatic demands at the individual level and (b) the neurocognitive and physiological reactions of individuals situated in different ecological niches.
Shared adaptiveness is not group adaptation
Authors: Paternotte Cédric
Published: August 2013

Climate stresses and monetary resources seem to lead to different collective adaptations. However, the reference to adaptation and to ambiguous collective dimensions appears premature; populations may entertain nothing more than shared adaptiveness. At this point, the intricacy of the underlying evolutionary processes (cultural selection, fitness-utility decoupling) very much obscures any diagnosis based on correlations.
Editorial: Performance and the Everyday
Authors: CANNING CHARLOTTE
Published: August 2013

Where do the limits of performance and everyday life intersect? How do performance and life make sense of one another? The articles in this issue focus on the most basic and definitive categories of live performance: music, dance, theatre, performer, director, choreographer and, of course, audience. Taken as a whole, the seemingly disparate articles of this issue offer provocative approaches to understanding how practitioners create performance out of their experiences, and where audiences can connect their own experiences to what they see onstage. In doing so the authors collectively redefine the active relationship of a performance with its audience, and the powerful potential of that relationship.
Mis/Representation of Culture in two Hampshire Churches
Authors: ELUYEFA DENNIS OLADEHINDE
Published: August 2013

This paper is about my experience in the ‘Church of Hampshire’ and the ‘Cosmopolitan Church of Hampshire’ (anonymous names) in Hampshire, England, where I wanted to play thedùndúnandgángan(see Fig. 1), the two Yorùbá talking drums. For this I shall be adopting the stance of a reflective practitioner. I have played thedùndúnin churches in Nigeria and Hungary. It was this experience that encouraged me to attempt to introduce it to the two churches, hoping that they would welcome new possibilities. This paper will analyse how such expectations were unfulfilled. The extracts in italics are taken from my personal journal. The names of the people in this paper are anonymized. I will start by thoroughly describing the position of music within the Yorùbá culture, and the nature of indigenous Yorùbá spiritual practice.
Introduction: ‘New’ Welfare in Practice: Trends, Challenges and Dilemmas
Authors: Ellison Marion , Fenger Menno
Published: August 2013

European welfare states have a tradition of compensating for social risks. But across Europe, remarkable transformations may be observed that shift the focus from a needs/rights based compensatory approach towards a more individualistic ‘social risk management’ approach to welfare (see Schmid, 2006; Abrahamson, 2010). The basic idea of social risk management is that citizens have their own responsibility for preventing social risks. The ‘new’ welfare state mirrors this approach by adopting the role of equipping individual citizens for this task. The concept of the ‘new welfare state’ has been discussed under different labels, including ‘positive welfare’ (Giddens, 1998), ‘enabling welfare’ (Gilbert, 2002), ‘new welfare’ (Taylor-Gooby, 2008) and ‘social investment state’ (Engelen et al., 2007).
Rückenschmerzen im Alter
Authors: Gross Patric
Published: August 2013

In der älteren Bevölkerung sind Rückenschmerzen häufig und führen oft zu funktionellen Einschränkungen und verminderter Selbständigkeit. Die degenerativen Veränderungen mit ihren Folgeerscheinungen stehen im Vordergrund, zusätzlich sind Begleiterkrankungen, welche zu einer Dekonditionierung führen zu berücksichtigen. Die lumbale Spinalkanalstenose führt zu einer zunehmenden Einschränkung der Gehstrecke und wird oft chirurgisch therapiert. Die degenerative Skoliose ist im Alter progredient und sollte primär konservativ behandelt werden, chirurgische Optionen sind aber zunehmend möglich. Im Alter ist die Spondylodiscitis häufiger und sollte in der Beurteilung miteinbezogen werden. Anhand von Fallvignetten werden typische Ursachen von Rückenproblemen im Alter dargelegt.
Bildgebung bei Rückenschmerzen
Authors: Winklhofer Sebastian , Andreisek Gustav
Published: August 2013

Neben der konventionellen Röntgenaufnahme spielt die moderne Schnittbildgebung mit der Computertomographie (CT) und der Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) eine wichtige Rolle bei der radiologischen Abklärung von Rückenschmerzen. Bezüglich der nicht immer einfachen Indikation eine Bildgebung bei Rückenschmerzen zu veranlassen, sollen Richtlinien und Empfehlungen weiterhelfen. Diese sind jedoch individuell auf das klinische Erscheinungsbild eines jeden Patienten anzupassen. Die Wahl der geeigneten Bildgebungsmodalität richtet sich nach vielen Kriterien wie Verdachts- und Differentialdiagnosen, Akuität, Alter des Patienten und zeitlicher Verfügbarkeit der Untersuchung.
Rückenschmerzen und somatoforme Störungen
Authors: Jenewein Josef
Published: August 2013

Rückenschmerzen können als Symptom bei verschiedenen somatoformen Störungen vorkommen, besonders typisch aber bei der spezifischen somatoformen Schmerzstörung. Eine somatoforme Schmerzstörung lässt sich bei ca. 10 % bis 20 % der Patienten mit Rückenschmerzen diagnostizieren, zusätzlich finden sich mit einer Häufigkeit von bis 50 % noch andere psychiatrische Störungen wie Depression und Angststörungen. Differentialdiagnostisch müssen noch andere Syndrome mit Ganzkörperschmerzen abgegrenzt werden. Psychotherapie (psychologische Schmerztherapie) in Kombination mit Entspannungsverfahren sowie allenfalls eine Kombination mit Psychopharmakotherapie sind die Behandlungsmethode der Wahl.
Physiotherapie und Rehabilitation bei unspezifischen Kreuzschmerzen
Authors: Bachmann Stefan , Oesch Peter
Published: August 2013

Kreuzschmerzen sind weiterhin ein sehr häufiges Gesundheitsproblem, das nicht nur persönliches Leiden, sondern auch enorme sozioökonomische Kosten verursacht. Prävalenzstudien zeigen, dass mehr als 85 % der Patienten mit Kreuzschmerzen unter unspezifischen Kreuzschmerzen leiden. Physiotherapie bei unspezifischen Kreuzschmerzen umfasst edukative, physikalische, manual- und bewegungstherapeutische Maßnahmen. In der Akutphase ist es sehr wichtig, eine Chronifizierung durch das Erkennen von Barrieren für eine vollständige Genesung und durch eine rasche Rückkehr zu den Alltagsaktivitäten zu vermeiden. Kommt es zu einer Chronifizierung der Beschwerden, so geht es vor allem darum, die allgemeine körperliche Aktivität trotz Schmerzen zu verbessern und dem Patienten das Wiedererreichen der Partizipation im Sozial- und Berufsleben zu ermöglichen. Diese Ziele stehen klar über der Schmerzfreiheit. In der Akutphase stehen somit vor allem edukative und aktivitätsfördernde Maßnahmen im Vordergrund. In der subakuten und chronischen Phase ist die aktive Bewegungstherapie mit dem Ziel der Funktionsverbesserung inklusive der Rückkehr zur Arbeit im Sinne einer multimodalen Rehabilitation zu forcieren. Die wissenschaftliche Evidenz ist mittlerweile gut, dass mittels einer Physiotherapie die Schmerzen und Behinderungen durch unspezifische Rückenschmerzen reduziert und die Rückkehr zur üblichen Aktivität erreicht werden kann.
Medikamente und Infiltrationen bei Rückenschmerzen
Authors: Sprott Haiko , Klauke Wolfgang
Published: August 2013

Die medikamentöse Therapie bei chronischen, nicht-malignen Rückenschmerzen richtet sich nach Anamnese und klinischem Befund. Es ist davon auszugehen, dass in der Hälfte der Fälle eine neuropathische Schmerzkomponente vorliegt, die nicht auf „reine“ Analgetika anspricht. Hier kommen zusätzlich Antidepressiva und Antiepileptika zur Anwendung. Opioide sind mit großer Vorsicht zu applizieren. Neuere Untersuchungen zeigen eine erhöhte Toxizität. Chronische, nicht-maligne Rückenschmerzen sind der Prototyp für interdisziplinäre Therapieansätze bis hin zu multimodalen interdisziplinären Schmerzprogrammen. Ein personalisiertes Herangehen ist in jedem Fall zu bevorzugen. Wichtig ist eine schnelle Schmerzreduktion zur Verbesserung der Funktion und Reintegration in das Berufsleben. Infiltrationen an der Wirbelsäule können sowohl von diagnostischem wie auch therapeutischem Nutzen sein. Ihre Indikation soll dabei eng gestellt werden, insbesondere dann, wenn die invasiv diagnostische Intervention keine therapeutische Konsequenz hat. Die interventionelle Therapie soll immer nur als Teil eines multimodalen Behandlungskonzepts bei Patienten ohne psychische Probleme eingesetzt werden. Der alleinige Einsatz von Interventionen unterstützt die rein somatische Ausrichtung vieler Patienten und führt somit in die falsche Richtung.
Metakognitive Therapien
Authors: Moritz Steffen
Published: August 2013

Metakognition ist ein dehnbarer Begriff, der von verschiedenen klinischen Störungsmodellen verwendet wird. Ein gemeinsamer Nenner dieser Theorien ist, dass es um das wie des Denkens von Menschen mit psychischen Störungen geht (Denken über das Denken), im Unterschied zu kognitiven Therapien, die v. a. auf was, also den Inhalt von Überzeugungen und anderen Kognitionen, abheben. Das vorliegende Heft bringt die unterschiedlichen theoretischen Vorstellungen zusammen und stellt ihre Behandlungsimplikationen vor. Das Themenheft startet mit dem generischen Modell von Adrian Wells. Die weiteren Beiträge fokussieren auf störungsspezifische Ansätze bei Schizophrenie, Depression und Borderline, welche auf die Bewusstwerdung kognitiver Verzerrungen bei Menschen mit psychischen Erkrankungen zielen. Für einige der berichteten Ansätze wurde ein Mehrwert über die Standardbehandlung hinaus gefunden. Für eine abschliessende Bewertung ist jedoch weitere Forschung nötig, insbesondere auch hinsichtlich der wirksamen Bestandteile der einzelnen Therapien.
Metakognitive und sozial-kognitive Defizite bei Schizophrenien. Funktionelle Bedeutung und Behandlungsstrategien
Authors: Brüne Martin , Tas Cumhur , Brown Elliot C. , Armgart Carina , Dimaggio Giancarlo , Lysaker Paul
Published: August 2013

Die Gruppe der Schizophrenien umfasst heterogene psychopathologische Syndrome, die oft mit neurokognitiven Störungen und niedrigem psychosozialen Funktionsniveau assoziiert sind. Empirische Studien legen nahe, dass viele mit Schizophrenie assoziierte Symptome auf Störungen der sozialen Kognition bzw. metakognitive Störungen zurückgeführt werden können. Diese Konzepte beziehen sich auf die Fähigkeit, soziale Signale wahrnehmen und interpretieren, eigene und psychische Zustände Anderer reflektieren und dieses Wissen flexibel in sozialen Interaktionen und zur Problemlösung einsetzen zu können. Der vorliegende Artikel gibt eine Übersicht über sozial-kognitive und metakognitive Defizite bei Schizophrenien und wie über das Training dieser Kernkompetenzen das psychosoziale Funktionsniveau von Patienten mit Schizophrenie verbessert werden kann. Bei Schizophrenien sind soziale Kognition und Metakognition eng mit dem psychosozialen Funktionsniveau verbunden, zum Teil jedoch auch abhängig von neurokognitiven Fähigkeiten. Sozial-kognitives bzw. metakognitives Training kann zur Verbesserung des psychosozialen Funktionsniveaus beitragen, möglicherweise aber in Abhängigkeit vom Lernpotential und der Motivation der Patienten. Zukünftige Studien sollten untersuchen, welche Subtypen innerhalb des Schizophrenie-Spektrums am ehesten von sozial-kognitivem und metakognitivem Training profitieren können und welche Gruppen ggf. zusätzlich neurokognitives Training benötigen, um das psychosoziale Funktionsniveau zu verbessern.
Denkverzerrungen erkennen und korrigieren: Eine Machbarkeitsstudie zum Metakognitiven Training bei Depression (D-MKT)
Authors: Jelinek Lena , Otte Christian , Arlt Sönke , Hauschildt Marit
Published: August 2013

Dysfunktionalen kognitiven Strategien und Verzerrungen wird eine wichtige Rolle bei der Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung von Depression zugeschrieben. Diese beziehen sich einerseits auf die in der kognitiven Verhaltenstherapie aufgegriffenen «Denkfehler» (z. B. übertriebene Verallgemeinerung), aber auch auf depressionstypische Verzerrungen, die im Rahmen der neuropsychologischen Grundlagenforschung objektiviert wurden (z. B. Gedächtnispräferenz für negatives Material). Letztere werden in bestehenden psychotherapeutischen Behandlungsangeboten jedoch bislang kaum berücksichtigt. Das Metakognitive Training bei Depression (D-MKT) beabsichtigt diese Lücke zu schließen. Ziel der vorliegenden Pilotstudie war es, die Machbarkeit und Akzeptanz sowie die Effektivität dieses Behandlungsansatzes als Gruppentraining zu evaluieren. Insgesamt 104 Patienten mit Depression nahmen an einer offenen Studie teil, von denen 72 in einer per protocol Analyse berücksichtigt werden konnten. Neben soziodemographischen Daten wurden die depressive Symptomatik, der Selbstwert, das Grübeln sowie allgemeine und depressionstypische Denkverzerrungen über Selbstbeurteilungsinstrumente erfasst. Subjektive Bewertungen durch die Patienten sowie etwaige inhaltliche Redundanzen mit anderen therapeutischen Angeboten wurden zusätzlich erfragt. In der Auswertung zeigte sich eine signifikante Abnahme der depressiven Symptomatik mit mittlerer Effektstärke (Cohen's d = 0.73). Außerdem ergaben sich eine signifikante Abnahme der Denkverzerrungen und des Grübelns sowie eine signifikante Zunahme des Selbstwertes (Effektstärken zwischen d = 0.32 und 0.64). Die Machbarkeit, Akzeptanz und Effektivität des D-MKT ist nach den Ergebnissen der Pilotstudie als positiv zu bewerten.
Angst und Depression – von der Diagnose zur Psychotherapie bei chronischen Erkrankungen
Authors: Kumnig Martin , Schüßler Gerhard , Petermann Franz
Published: August 2013

Bei Patienten mit chronischen Erkrankungen handelt es sich um ein Patientenkollektiv mit unterschiedlichsten Problembereichen. Es finden sich sowohl Patienten mit körperlichen als auch psychischen chronischen Erkrankungen. Hinter einer chronischen Erkrankung verbirgt sich zumeist eine sehr komplexe biopsychosoziale Problematik. Ängste, Depressionen und somatoforme Störungen sind die häufigsten psychischen Begleiterscheinungen chronisch-körperlicher Krankheitsverläufe. Die Komorbidität zwischen körperlichen und psychosozialen Erkrankungen ist allgemein anerkannt. Folglich wurden spezifische Implikationen für die Therapie und Prognose chronischer Erkrankungen entwickelt. Insbesondere in der engen Verzahnung der biopsychosozialen Behandlungsansätze liegt das größtmögliche Potenzial für eine verbesserte Behandlungseffizienz. Zusehends wird in diesem Kontext ein evidenzbasierter interdisziplinärer Ansatz angestrebt und Leitlinien für die unterschiedlichsten prozessdiagnostischen Fragestellungen erarbeitet.
ADHS im Vorschulalter
Authors: Gawrilow Caterina , Petermann Franz , Schuchardt Kirsten
Published: August 2013

ADHS ist eine der häufigsten Störungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter und führt zu Schwierigkeiten im schulischen Kontext. Kinder mit ADHS zeigen beeinträchtige exekutive Funktionen und Selbstregulationsfähigkeiten–dazu gehören vor allem Inhibitionsdefizite und Defizite im Belohnungsaufschub bzw. eine ausgeprägte Warteaversion. Bereits im Vorschulalter sind die meisten der Kinder mit ADHS auffällig dahingehend, dass sie Hyperaktivität, Impulsivität und eine verringerte Aufmerksamkeitsspanne aufweisen. Abgesehen davon, dass im Vorschulalter diese Symptome altersangemessen sein können, ist es relevant bereits frühzeitig Kinder mit ADHS zu identifizieren, um durch gezielte Präventions- und Therapiemaßnahmen diese Kindern dahingehend zu unterstützen, dass schulische Schwierigkeiten gar nicht erst entstehen.
Risikofaktoren und frühe Vorläufersymptome der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS)
Authors: Millenet Sabina , Hohmann Sarah , Poustka Luise , Petermann Franz , Banaschewski Tobias
Published: August 2013

Einer ADHS liegen in der Regel multiple miteinander interagierende Faktoren zugrunde. Zu den Risikofaktoren zählen neben genetischen Faktoren auch verschiedene Umwelteinflüsse wie sozioökonomische Risiken oder mütterlicher Substanzkonsum. Diese Umwelteinflüsse können jedoch teilweise auch Ausdruck einer entsprechenden genetischen Prädisposition der Eltern für eine ADHS darstellen, sodass eine klare Trennung zwischen genetischen und umweltbedingten Einflüssen auf die Entstehung der ADHS nur begrenzt möglich und sinnvoll ist. Da der Störung ein komplexes Zusammenspiel multipler voneinander unabhängiger Risikofaktoren zugrunde liegt, wird ADHS inzwischen eher im Sinne einer Dimension denn im Sinne einer Kategorie verstanden. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit soll ein Überblick über die neuesten Erkenntnisse bezüglich Risikofaktoren und Vorläufersymptomen von ADHS gegeben werden.
Linkage between bacterial and fungal rhizosphere communities in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils is related to plant phylogeny
Authors: Bell Terrence H , El-Din Hassan Saad , Lauron-Moreau Aurélien , Al-Otaibi Fahad , Hijri Mohamed , Yergeau Etienne , St-Arnaud Marc
Published: August 2013

Phytoremediation is an attractive alternative to excavating and chemically treating contaminated soils. Certain plants can directly bioremediate by sequestering and/or transforming pollutants, but plants may also enhance bioremediation by promoting contaminant-degrading microorganisms in soils. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region to compare the community composition of 66 soil samples from the rhizosphere of planted willows (Salix spp.) and six unplanted control samples at the site of a former petrochemical plant. The Bray–Curtis distance between bacterial communities across willow cultivars was significantly correlated with the distance between fungal communities in uncontaminated and moderately contaminated soils but not in highly contaminated (HC) soils (>2000 mg kg−1 hydrocarbons). The mean dissimilarity between fungal, but not bacterial, communities from the rhizosphere of different cultivars increased substantially in the HC blocks. This divergence was partly related to high fungal sensitivity to hydrocarbon contaminants, as demonstrated by reduced Shannon diversity, but also to a stronger influence of willows on fungal communities. Abundance of the fungal class Pezizomycetes in HC soils was directly related to willow phylogeny, with Pezizomycetes dominating the rhizosphere of a monophyletic cluster of cultivars, while remaining in low relative abundance in other soils. This has implications for plant selection in phytoremediation, as fungal associations may affect the health of introduced plants and the success of co-inoculated microbial strains. An integrated understanding of the relationships between fungi, bacteria and plants will enable the design of treatments that specifically promote effective bioremediating communities.
Community history affects the predictability of microbial ecosystem development
Authors: Pagaling Eulyn , Strathdee Fiona , Spears Bryan M , Cates Michael E , Allen Rosalind J , Free Andrew
Published: August 2013

Microbial communities mediate crucial biogeochemical, biomedical and biotechnological processes, yet our understanding of their assembly, and our ability to control its outcome, remain poor. Existing evidence presents conflicting views on whether microbial ecosystem assembly is predictable, or inherently unpredictable. We address this issue using a well-controlled laboratory model system, in which source microbial communities colonize a pristine environment to form complex, nutrient-cycling ecosystems. When the source communities colonize a novel environment, final community composition and function (as measured by redox potential) are unpredictable, although a signature of the community’s previous history is maintained. However, when the source communities are pre-conditioned to their new habitat, community development is more reproducible. This situation contrasts with some studies of communities of macro-organisms, where strong selection under novel environmental conditions leads to reproducible community structure, whereas communities under weaker selection show more variability. Our results suggest that the microbial rare biosphere may have an important role in the predictability of microbial community development, and that pre-conditioning may help to reduce unpredictability in the design of microbial communities for biotechnological applications.
Manipulating Acoustic Wavefront by Inhomogeneous Impedance and Steerable Extraordinary Reflection
Authors: Zhao Jiajun , Li Baowen , Chen Zhining , Qiu Cheng-Wei
Published: August 2013

We unveil the connection between the acoustic impedance along a flat surface and the reflected acoustic wavefront, in order to empower a wide wariety of novel applications in acoustic community. Our designed flat surface can generate double reflections: the ordinary reflection and the extraordinary one whose wavefront is manipulated by the proposed impedance-governed generalized Snell's law of reflection (IGSL). IGSL is based on Green's function and integral equation, instead of Fermat's principle for optical wavefront manipulation. Remarkably, via the adjustment of the designed specific acoustic impedance, extraordinary reflection can be steered for unprecedented acoustic wavefront while that ordinary reflection can be surprisingly switched on or off. The realization of the complex discontinuity of the impedance surface has been proposed using Helmholtz resonators.
A longitudinal study on α-synuclein in blood plasma as a biomarker for Parkinson's disease
Authors: Foulds Penelope G. , Diggle Peter , Mitchell J. Douglas , Parker Angela , Hasegawa Masato , Masuda-Suzukake Masami , Mann David M. A. , Allsop David
Published: August 2013

There have been no longitudinal studies on α-synuclein as a potential biomarker for the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, blood plasma ‘total α-synuclein’ and ‘Ser-129 phosphorylated α-synuclein’ were assayed at 4–6 monthly intervals from a cohort of 189 newly-diagnosed patients with PD. For log-transformed data, plasma total α-synuclein levels increased with time for up to 20 yrs after the appearance of initial symptoms (p = 0.012), whereas phosphorylated α-synuclein remained constant over this same period. The mean level of phosphorylated α-synuclein, but not of total α-synuclein, was higher in the PD plasma samples taken at first visit than in single samples taken from a group of 91 healthy controls (p = 0.012). Overall, we conclude that the plasma level of phosphorylated α-synuclein has potential value as a diagnostic tool, whereas the level of total α-synuclein could act as a surrogate marker for the progression of PD.
Fossilization causes organisms to appear erroneously primitive by distorting evolutionary trees
Authors: Sansom Robert S. , Wills Matthew A.
Published: August 2013

Fossils are vital for calibrating rates of molecular and morphological change through geological time and are the only direct source of data documenting macroevolutionary transitions. Many evolutionary studies therefore require the robust phylogenetic placement of extinct organisms. Here, we demonstrate that the inevitable bias of the fossil record to preserve just hard, skeletal morphology systemically distorts phylogeny. Removal of soft part characters from 78 modern vertebrate and invertebrate morphological datasets resulted in significant changes to phylogenetic signal; it caused individual taxa to drift from their original position, predominately downward toward the root of their respective trees. This last bias could systematically inflate evolutionary rates inferred from molecular data because first fossil occurrences will not be recognised as such. Stem-ward slippage, whereby fundamental taphonomic biases cause fossils to be interpreted as erroneously primitive, is therefore a ubiquitous problem for all biologists attempting to infer macroevolutionary rates or sequences.
C-24-methylation of 26-fluorocycloartenols by recombinant sterol C-24-methyltransferase from soybean: evidence for channel switching and its phylogenetic implications
Authors: Patkar Presheet , Haubrich Brad A. , Qi Ming , Nguyen T. Thuy Minh , Thomas Crista D. , Nes W. David
Published: August 2013

The tightly coupled nature of the electrophilic alkylation reaction sequence catalysed by 24-SMT (sterol C-24-methyltransferase) of land plants and algae can be distinguished by the formation of cationic intermediates that yield phyla-specific product profiles. C-24-methylation of the cycloartenol substrate by the recombinant Glycine max (soybean) 24-SMT proceeds to a single product 24(28)-methylenecycloartanol, whereas the 24-SMT from green algae converts cycloartenol into two products cyclolaudenol [∆25(27)-olefin] and 24(28)-methylenecycloartanol [∆24(28)-olefin]. Substrate analogues that differed in the steric-electronic features at either end of the molecule, 26-homocycloartenol or 3β-fluorolanostadiene, were converted by G. max SMT into a single 24(28)-methylene product. Alternatively, incubation of the allylic 26-fluoro cyclosteroid with G. max SMT afforded a bound intermediate that converted in favour of the ∆25(27)-olefin product via the cyclolaudenol cation formed initially during the C-24-methylation reaction. A portion of the 26-fluorocycloartenol substrate was also intercepted by the enzyme and the corresponding hydrolysis product identified by GC-MS as 26-fluoro-25-hydroxy-24-methylcycloartanol. Finally, the 26-fluorocycloartenols are competitive inhibitors for the methylation of cycloartenol and 26-monofluorocycloartenol generated timedependent inactivation kinetics exhibiting a kinact value of 0.12 min−1. The ability of soybean 24-SMT to generate a 25-hydroxy alkylated sterol and fluorinated ∆25(27)-olefins is consistent with our hypothesis that (i) achieving the cyclolaudenyl cation intermediate by electrophilic alkylation of cycloartenol is significant to the overall reaction rate, and (ii) the evolution of variant sterol C-24-methylation patterns is driven by competing reaction channels that have switched in algae from formation of primarily ∆25(27) products that convert into ergosterol to, in land plants, formation of ∆24(28) products that convert into sitosterol.
Glycosylation and functionality of recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase from various production systems
Authors: Tekoah Yoram , Tzaban Salit , Kizhner Tali , Hainrichson Mariana , Gantman Anna , Golembo Myriam , Aviezer David , Shaaltiel Yoseph
Published: August 2013

The glycosylation of recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase, and in particular the exposure of mannose residues, has been shown to be a key factor in the success of ERT (enzyme replacement therapy) for the treatment of GD (Gaucher disease). Macrophages, the target cells in GD, internalize β-glucocerebrosidase through MRs (mannose receptors). Three enzymes are commercially available for the treatment of GD by ERT. Taliglucerase alfa, imiglucerase and velaglucerase alfa are each produced in different cell systems and undergo various post-translational or post-production glycosylation modifications to expose their mannose residues. This is the first study in which the glycosylation profiles of the three enzymes are compared, using the same methodology and the effect on functionality and cellular uptake is evaluated. While the major differences in glycosylation profiles reside in the variation of terminal residues and mannose chain length, the enzymatic activity and stability are not affected by these differences. Furthermore, the cellular uptake and in-cell stability in rat and human macrophages are similar. Finally, in vivo studies to evaluate the uptake into target organs also show similar results for all three enzymes. These results indicate that the variations of glycosylation between the three regulatory-approved β-glucocerebrosidase enzymes have no effect on their function or distribution.
Soft shape registration under Lie group frame
Authors: Peng Yaxin , Lin Wei , Ying Shihui , Peng Jigen
Published: August 2013

In this study, the authors address a two‐dimensional (2D) shape registration problem on data with anisotropic‐scale deformation and noise. First, the model is formulated under the iterative closest point (ICP) framework, which is one of the most popular methods for shape registration. To overcome the effect of noise, the expectation maximisation algorithm is used to improve the model. Then, the structure of Lie groups is adopted to parameterise the proposed model, which provides a unified framework to deal with the shape registration problems. Such representation makes it possible to introduce some suitable constraints to the model, which improves the robustness of the algorithm. Thereby, the 2D shape registration problem is turned to an optimisation problem on the matrix Lie group. Furthermore, a sequence of quadratic programming is designed to approximate the solution for the model. Finally, several comparative experiments are carried out to validate that the authors’ algorithm performs well in terms of robustness, especially in the presence of outliers.
Visual illumination compensation for face images using light mapping matrix
Authors: Naderi Shaghayegh , Nasiri Jalal A. , Charkari Nasrollah Moghaddam , Kabir Ehsanollah
Published: August 2013

Illumination variation is a challenging issue in face recognition. In many conventional approaches the low‐frequency coefficients are usually discarded in order to compensate the illumination variations, and hence degrade the visual quality. To deal with these problems, an adaptive normalisation‐based method is proposed in this study. Each image is normalised according to its lighting attribute by mapping the low‐frequency components to the normal condition instead of discarding them by applying a novel statistical concept called light mapping matrix. The method preserves the low‐frequency facial features, maximising the intra‐individual correlation and improves the visual quality of face images in different lighting conditions.