bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in Neighborhood Characteristics and Depression Among Sexual Minority Young Adults
Authors: Everett Bethany G.
Published: November 2013

Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examined the relationship between changes in neighborhood characteristics during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood and depression among sexual minority young adults. Previous research has found that neighborhood characteristics influence sexual minority mental health and that sexual minorities are more likely to move to more urban and politically liberal locations. No study to date, however, has examined the impact of changes in neighborhood characteristics on sexual minority depression. The results from this study show that decreases in the percent urban was associated with increased risk of depression and decreases in the percent Republican voters in sexual minority’s neighborhood was associated with decreases in risk of depression. The results suggest that clinicians may want to screen sexual minority youth for recent changes in their neighborhoods to assess if these changes may be related to the onset or exacerbation of depressive episodes.
The Association Between Bullying and Physical Health Among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Individuals
Authors: Zou Christopher , Andersen Judith P. , Blosnich John R.
Published: November 2013

Background: Research suggests that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations experience higher prevalence of school bullying than heterosexuals. Objectives: We examined if (a) verbal versus physical bullying were differentially associated with physical health among sexual minorities and (b) if sexual identity (i.e., homosexual [i.e., lesbian/gay] vs. bisexual) moderated the association of bullying on physical health. Design: LGB adults aged 18 to 66 years ( n = 463) were recruited online. Participants reported high school experiences of verbal and physical bullying and physician-diagnosed health conditions. Results: Physical and verbal bullying were related to physical health conditions ( ps < .01). Physical bullying had a significant negative impact on physical health for bisexual persons ( p < .001) but not for gay/lesbian persons. Conclusions: Experiencing bullying in high school was associated with physical health problems in adulthood. Bullying had a different relationship with health problems for bisexually identified individuals compared to lesbian/gay individuals. Future research should strive to disentangle potential differences in the relationship between bullying and health within sexual minority groups.
Demographic, Psychosocial, and Contextual Factors Associated With Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Young Sexual Minority Women
Authors: Herrick Amy , Kuhns Lisa , Kinsky Suzanne , Johnson Amy , Garofalo Rob
Published: November 2013

Young sexual minority women are at risk for negative sexual health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies, yet little is known about these risks. We examined factors that may influence sexual risk from a psychosocial and contextual perspective. Analyses were conducted to examine within group relationships between sexual behaviors, negative outcomes, and related factors in a sample of young sexual minority women. Participants ( N = 131) were young (mean = 19.8) and diverse in terms of race/ethnicity (57% non-White). Sex under the influence, having multiple partners, and having unprotected sex were common behaviors, and pregnancy (20%) and sexually transmitted infection (12%) were common outcomes. Risk behaviors were associated with age, alcohol abuse, and older partners. Results support the need for further research to understand how these factors contribute to risk in order to target risk reduction programs for this population.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Authors: Pearlman Shoshannah A.
Published: November 2013

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) will greatly increase the demand for mental health (MH) services, as 62.5 million Americans from relatively high-need populations will be newly eligible for MH benefits. Consequently, the supply of MH care provider services is expected to proportionately decrease by 18% to 21% in 2014. ACA funding does not demonstrate the ability to increase turnout of psychiatrists sufficiently to meet the need. Available data indicate that the numbers of advanced practice psychiatric nurses (APPNs) continue to increase at a much greater rate, but information from either a clinical perspective or a market perspective is complicated by the weak distinctions that are made between nurse practitioners (NPs) and other nonphysician care professionals. The following recommendations are made: (a) some of the ACA funding for research into efficient and effective care delivery systems should be allocated to acquiring data on APPNs in leadership roles or clinical settings in which they are ultimately responsible for management of MH care, as differentiated from settings in which they provide support for psychiatrists; and (b) since the available data indicate nurse practitioners achieve good outcomes and are more economically viable than psychiatrists, placement of psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners in community settings should be recognized as a realistic solution to the shortfall of MH services.
Sexual Interest in Children Among an Online Sample of Men and Women
Authors: Wurtele Sandy K. , Simons Dominique A. , Moreno Tasha
Published: November 2013

The purpose of the present study was to explore the extent to which men and women in the general population report sexual interest in children and to examine distinct developmental experiences associated with self-reported sexual interest. Participants (262 females and 173 males) were recruited online and completed a questionnaire assessing sexual interest and adverse childhood experiences. Among men, 6% indicated some likelihood of having sex with a child if they were guaranteed they would not be caught or punished, as did 2% of women. Nine percent of males and 3% of females indicated some likelihood of viewing child pornography on the Internet. Overall, nearly 10% of males and 4% of females reported some likelihood of having sex with children or viewing child pornography. Males and females with any sexual interest in children reported higher likelihoods of engaging in other antisocial or criminal behaviors and also reported more dysfunctional childhoods (i.e., histories of sexual abuse, insecure parent–child attachments). Theoretical implications of the findings and suggestions for preventing the sexual victimization of children are provided.
Combined effect of temperature and controlled atmosphere on storage and shelf-life of ‘Rocha’ pear treated with 1-methylcyclopropene
Authors: Gago Custódia ML , Miguel Maria G , Cavaco Ana M , Almeida Domingos PF , Antunes Maria DC
Published: November 2013

The combination of temperature and atmosphere composition for storage of Pyrus communis L. ‘Rocha’ treated with 1-methylcyclopropene was investigated. Fruits treated with 312 nl l−1 1-methylcyclopropene were stored at 0 ℃ and 2.5 ℃ in air and controlled atmosphere (CA) (3.04 kPa O2+ 0.91 kPa CO2). Fruits were removed from storage after 14, 26 and 35 weeks, transferred to shelf-life at approximately 22 ℃ and assessed for ripening and quality, symptoms of superficial scald and internal browning and the accumulation of biochemical compounds related to scald after 0, 1 and 2 weeks. Superficial scald occurred only in fruits stored for 35 weeks in air at 2.5 ℃. Levels of conjugated trienols and α-farnesene increased during the first 26 weeks in storage, remaining constant thereafter. During shelf-life, conjugated trienols were higher in fruits stored in air at 2.5 ℃. Internal browning developed in shelf-life after 26 weeks at 2.5 ℃. Pears in air at 2.5 ℃ were not able to stand a 2-week shelf-life after 35 weeks of storage, while fruits stored at 0 ℃ under CA ripened slowly after the same storage period. The retention of firmness during shelf-life of 1-methylcyclopropene-treated ‘Rocha’ pear can be overcome by elevating the storage temperature from 0 ℃ to 2.5 ℃, but CA is a required complement to avoid excessive softening after long-term storage. The ratio carotenoid/chlorophyll increased during storage and shelf-life, as plastids senesced. CA reduced the rate of chlorophyll loss during the first 14 weeks in storage, but its effect was reduced afterwards. ‘Rocha’ pear treated with 1-methylcyclopropene had a similar post-harvest behaviour during long-term storage at 0 ℃ in air or at 2.5 ℃ under CA.
Laboratory and Field Study of the Potential Benefits of Pinna Cue-Preserving Hearing Aids
Authors: Jensen Niels Søgaard , Neher Tobias , Laugesen Søren , Johannesson René Burmand , Kragelund Louise
Published: November 2013

The potential benefits of preserving high-frequency spectral cues created by the pinna in hearing-aid fittings were investigated in a combined laboratory and field test. In a single-blind crossover design, two settings of an experimental hearing aid were compared. One setting was characterized by a pinna cue-preserving microphone position, whereas the other was characterized by a microphone position not preserving pinna cues. Participants were allowed 1 month of acclimatization to each setting before measurements of localization and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking were completed in the laboratory. Real-world experience with the two settings was assessed by means of questionnaires. Seventeen participants with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing impairments completed the study. An inconsistent pinna cue benefit pattern was observed across the outcome measures. In the localization test, the pinna cue-preserving setting provided a significant mean reduction of 22° in the root mean square (RMS) error in the front–back dimension, with 13 of the 17 participants showing a reduction of at least 15°. No significant mean difference in RMS error between settings was observed in the left–right dimension. No significant differences between settings were observed in the spatial-unmasking test conditions. The questionnaire data indicated a small, but nonsignificant, benefit of the pinna cue-preserving setting in certain real-life situations, which corresponded with a general preference for that setting. No significant real-life localization benefit was observed. The results suggest that preserving pinna cues can offer benefit in some conditions for individual hearing-aid users with mild to moderate hearing loss and is unlikely to harm performances for the rest.
ADHD Symptoms and Benefit From Extended Time Testing Accommodations
Authors: Lovett Benjamin J. , Leja Ashley M.
Published: November 2013

Objective: To investigate the relationship between ADHD symptoms, executive functioning problems, and benefit from extended time testing accommodations. Method: College students completed a battery of measures assessing processing speed and reading fluency, reading comprehension (under two different time limits), symptoms of ADHD, executive functioning deficits, and perceptions of need for extended time. Results: Students reporting more symptoms of ADHD and executive functioning deficits actually benefited less from extended time, and students’ perceptions of their timing needs did not predict benefit. Conclusion: Students with more ADHD symptoms are less likely to use extended time effectively, possibly because of their associated executive functioning problems. These results suggest there may be little justification for examining a student’s ADHD symptoms when making extended time accommodation decisions.
Biological variation and reference change values of feline plasma biochemistry analytes
Authors: Baral Randolph M , Dhand Navneet K , Freeman Kathleen P , Krockenberger Mark B , Govendir Merran
Published: November 2013

This is the first report concerning biological variation and reference change values of feline plasma biochemistry components in the peer-reviewed literature. Biological variation refers to inherent physiological variation of analytes. The ratio of individual biological variation to group biological variation is referred to as an analyte’s index of individuality. This index determines the suitability of an analyte to be assessed in relation to population- or subject-based reference intervals. A subject-based reference interval is referred to as a reference change value or critical difference, and is calculated from individual biological variation. Fourteen cats were sampled for plasma biochemistry analysis once weekly for 6 weeks. Samples were stored and then tested at the same time. Results were assessed in duplicate and coefficients of variation for each analyte were isolated to distinguish variation within each subject, between all subjects and by the analyser. From these results, an index of individuality and reference change values were determined for each analyte. Five plasma biochemistry analytes (alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, cholesterol, creatinine and globulin) had high individuality and, therefore, subject-based reference intervals are more appropriate; only one analyte (sodium) had low individuality, indicating that population-based reference intervals are appropriate. Most analytes had intermediate individuality so population-based reference intervals should be assessed in relation to subject-based reference intervals. The results of this study demonstrate high individuality for most analytes and, therefore, that population-based reference intervals are of limited utility for most biochemical analytes in cats.
Prevalence and classification of chronic kidney disease in cats randomly selected from four age groups and in cats recruited for degenerative joint disease studies
Authors: Marino Christina L , Lascelles B Duncan X , Vaden Shelly L , Gruen Margaret E , Marks Steven L
Published: November 2013

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and degenerative joint disease are both considered common in older cats. Information on the co-prevalence of these two diseases is lacking. This retrospective study was designed to determine the prevalence of CKD in two cohorts of cats: cats randomly selected from four evenly distributed age groups (RS group) and cats recruited for degenerative joint disease studies (DJD group), and to evaluate the concurrence of CKD and DJD in these cohorts. The RS group was randomly selected from four age groups from 6 months to 20 years, and the DJD group comprised cats recruited to four previous DJD studies, with the DJD group excluding cats with a blood urea nitrogen and/or serum creatinine concentration >20% (the upper end of normal) for two studies and cats with CKD stages 3 and 4 for the other two studies. The prevalence of CKD in the RS and DJD groups was higher than expected at 50% and 68.8%, respectively. CKD was common in cats between 1 and 15 years of age, with a similar prevalence of CKD stages 1 and 2 across age groups in both the RS and DJD cats, respectively. We found significant concurrence between CKD and DJD in cats of all ages, indicating the need for increased screening for CKD when selecting DJD treatments. Additionally, this study offers the idea of a relationship and causal commonality between CKD and DJD owing to the striking concurrence across age groups and life stages.
Novel avulsion pattern of the left principal bronchus with involvement of the carina and caudal thoracic trachea in a cat
Authors: Schmierer Philipp A , Schwarz Andrea , Bass Danielle A , Knell Sebastian Christoph
Published: November 2013

A 2-year-old, 4.5 kg, neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented to the emergency service with dyspnoea, anorexia and apathetic behaviour. Thoracic radiographs showed typical signs for a thoracic trauma and a tracheal lesion in the region of the carina, consistent with pseudoairway formation. Computed tomography (CT) was performed in the conscious cat to avoid aggravation of air leakage associated with ventilation. The additional CT findings were consistent with a novel pattern of a traumatic avulsion of the left principal bronchus expanding into the carina and caudal thoracic trachea. Despite the complex avulsion pattern, successful treatment was achieved surgically by performing an end-to-end anastomosis via a fifth right intercostal lateral thoracotomy. The cat was ventilated with a feeding tube and jet ventilation throughout. The cat showed excellent recovery 6 months after surgery.
Brief report: Maternal posttraumatic stress symptoms are related to adherence to their child’s diabetes treatment regimen
Authors: Horsch Antje , McManus Freda
Published: November 2013

Although research suggests that posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in relation to physical health diagnoses may be related to poor adherence to treatment regimens, so far, whether parental posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms have an impact on their child’s adherence to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus treatment has not been investigated. Using self-report questionnaires, the present study found that children of mothers who have posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in relation to their child’s diagnosis of type I diabetes showed poorer adherence to treatment than the children of mothers without posttraumatic stress disorder. However, this was only the case for younger children (aged 0–8 years) where mothers played a more active role in their child’s treatment.
Post-traumatic growth in mothers of children with autism: A phenomenological study
Authors: Zhang Wei , Yan Ting Ting , Barriball K Louise , While Alison E , Liu Xiao Hong
Published: November 2013

While the adverse effects of raising a child with autism are well demonstrated, there have been few reports of the post-traumatic growth of mothers of children with autism. The purpose of this research was to explore dimensions of post-traumatic growth in this population in Mainland China and identify the factors facilitating post-traumatic growth. A total of 11 mothers of pre-school children were recruited from five rehabilitation centres of children with disabilities in Shanghai. The semi-structured interviews were conducted between August 2012 and October 2012 and analysed using thematic analysis. The data partially confirmed Tedeschi and Calhoun’s model of post-traumatic growth. A new philosophy of life, appreciation of life, relating to others, personal strength and spiritual change were five domains of post-traumatic growth in mothers of children with autism. Perceived social support, peer example, effective coping style and self-efficacy enhancement were facilitating factors of post-traumatic growth. Further studies are needed to understand how to promote the post-traumatic growth of mothers of children with autism.
Understanding the children’s perception and preferences on nature-based outdoor landscape
Authors: Müderrisoğlu Haldun , Gültekin Pınar Girti
Published: November 2013

This study evaluates the landscape perception and preferences of students from different education levels in Düzce province, Turkey. Several research have demonstrated that environmental attitudes and behaviours of adults are formed according to their environmental experiences. Outdoor recreational activity preferences of a family could also have a substantial influence on landscape preferences of children. There has been little research that evaluate children’s perception and about their playgrounds. Consideration of children’s needs and their landscape preferences would be important for designing better play spaces. Photographs were used to determine naturalness degrees by specialists. These photographs were shown to 280 students attending elementary school, middle school and high school of different levels. Students were asked if the landscapes from the photographs were aesthetic pleasing and safe; and if they would accept them as playgrounds. The results indicated that the students would prefer the areas as playgrounds even though they may not find them safe. However, the majority of students regarded some of the landscapes were aesthetic and safe. The findings show that the students’ ages, education levels and physical appearances could yield substantial differences on their landscape perception and preferences. The students would highly prefer the landscapes if they have been involved in rural recreational experiences which could have a substantial effect on their landscape perception and preferences.
Reflections on teaching gender to Australian sociology undergraduates in the neoliberal postfeminist classroom
Authors: Nash Meredith
Published: November 2013

This article doubles as a reflection piece and a primer in thinking about how to negotiate teaching gender in an evolving institutional climate. I argue that teaching gender in sociology sits at odds with the increasing neoliberal and postfeminist discourses, attitudes, and economics that currently structure Australian universities. First, I locate the context in which teachers of gender in sociology find themselves in Australia with an emphasis on how neoliberal and postfeminist discourses challenge students in developing a sociological imagination. Next, I examine the utility of feminist pedagogies based on my own experiences as a teacher. Specifically, I explore two strategies that I have employed in one gender-focused unit that I teach to address the challenges posed by neoliberal and postfeminist orthodoxy.
Flipping the sociology classroom: Towards a practice of online pedagogy
Authors: Forsey Martin , Low Mitchell , Glance David
Published: November 2013

Profound changes are under way in university learning and teaching. Online education is taking hold as never before, catalysed in no small part by the advent of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), free university units offered online to anyone with an internet connection. MOOCs appear to be intensifying the trend towards ‘flipping’ the classroom, which involves students engaging with course materials online – usually short videos and readings – then coming to classes constructed as workshops or symposia in which they are invited to practically apply their new knowledge in a variety of ways. This article reports on the ways in which MOOCs have allowed us to critically re-examine pedagogy and practice in the sociology classroom and to test our own assumptions regarding effective pedagogy via an action research project interrogating student reception of a flipped sociology class. Based on preliminary surveys, participant observation and formal interviews gauging student perceptions and initial reception to this particular class, the research reported here offers important correctives to debates that are usually based more on supposition than empirical evidence.
Sociology teaching as a vocation
Authors: Metcalfe Andrew W.
Published: November 2013

Important issues are obscured if people assume that describing sociology as a vocation is talking of it as a career. Drawing on Max Weber and Martin Buber, I argue that a vocation only exists when there is a shift in the space, time and ontology of ordinary purposive life. When manifesting a vocation, the sociologist is not an acting subject but part of an unfolding presence. Understood vocationally, then, sociology should not be taught as an object with which students are to identify; it must be taught through ascetic practices that suspend the student sociologist’s subjectivity and allow them to find their potential through their relation with an other that is different but not outside. The emphasis should be not on the student’s comprehension of sociological content but on the ethics of their encounter; the discipline of vocational sociology is not based on the desire of subjectification but on love.
Significant breast injury after road traffic collision
Authors: Pressney I , Stedman B , King LJ
Published: November 2013

There are many causes for uncontrolled haemorrhage in a restrained person involved in a road traffic collision requiring resuscitation and further intervention. A rare cause of significant bleeding can result from breast trauma. Breast injury as part of the spectrum of the ‘seat belt syndrome’ has been classified based on review of previously reported cases ranging from mild class I crush injuries through to severe avulsion class IV injuries. In the documented literature there are few reports of the more severe class IV injuries for which we present a case of significant bleeding into the breast with prompt endovascular intervention to arrest the haemorrhage.
‘Is this for real?’ Participatory research, intersectionality, and the development of leader and collective efficacy with young mothers
Authors: Levac Leah
Published: November 2013

Young mothers are often socially and economically marginalized, and tend to be discussed as one homogenous, high-risk, deficit-based group. They are frequently excluded from youth participatory action research and youth leadership research, which leaves little space for considering them as engaged citizens or leaders. To contribute to filling this gap, I created and implemented, in collaboration with a group of 11 young mothers, a policy-focused participatory research project called Engage for Change. My objectives included generating youth-based research evidence for informing public policy; exploring intersectionality as a theoretical foundation for participatory research with young mothers; and better understanding the impacts of participatory research on young mothers’ leader and collective efficacy. In this article, I describe the implementation of Engage for Change, highlighting the work of participating young mothers. I explore intersectionality as a theoretical foundation, and consider the leader and collective efficacy development of participants, with the goal of: 1) contributing to the sparse literature on participatory research with young mothers; 2) suggesting that intersectionality is a useful theoretical foundation for participatory research with young mothers; and 3) highlighting participants’ leader and collective efficacy, while acknowledging persistent systemic exclusions they face in exercising leadership and engagement.
Multi-Perpetrator Domestic Violence
Authors: Salter Michael
Published: November 2013

A significant proportion of reports of domestic violence against women involve multiple perpetrators. Although the number of perpetrators has been consistently identified as a measure of abuse severity, only a minority of studies of domestic violence examine the role of multiple offenders. Data on multi-perpetrator domestic violence (MDV) is frequently removed from analysis in domestic violence studies, or multi-perpetrator incidents are treated as single-perpetrator incidents. However, the available research links MDV to negative mental and physical health outcomes, intimate partner homicide, homelessness among women, and severe mental illness and suicidality. This article reviews the available prevalence data on MDV and draws together research on the contexts in which MDV takes place. It highlights two groups that are particularly vulnerable to MDV: (1) girls and women partnered to members of gangs and organized crime groups and (2) girls and women in some ethnic minority communities. While discussions of honor in relation to domestic violence are often racialized in Western media, this article highlights the cross-cultural role of masculine honor in collective violence against women in the working class and impoverished communities of majority cultures as well as in migrant and ethnic minority communities. It is clear that such complex forms of violence present a range of challenges for intervention and treatment and the article emphasizes the need for specialized and coordinated modes of investigation, support, and care.
Searching for the Future in the Streets of Caracas
Authors: McLaren Peter , Cole Mike
Published: November 2013

This essay describes the perilous situation of contemporary neoliberal capitalism which we refer to as immiseration capitalism. We argue that a possible alternative to immiseration capitalism lies in the current movement in Venezuela known as the Bolivarian revolution. The authors recount some of their experiences working as part of the Bolivarian initiative, specifically in the field of education.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress is sufficient for the induction of IL-1β production via activation of the NF-κB and inflammasome pathways
Authors: Kim Sena , Joe Yeonsoo , Jeong Sun Oh , Zheng Min , Back Sung Hoon , Park Sang Won , Ryter Stefan W , Chung Hun Taeg
Published: November 2013

The mechanisms underlying pathophysiological states such as metabolic syndrome and obesity include endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and aberrant inflammatory responses. ER stress results from the accumulation of misfolded proteins during stress conditions. However, the precise mechanisms by which ER stress modulates inflammation remain incompletely understood. In this study, we hypothesized that ER stress alone could represent a sufficient signal for the modulation of inflammasome-dependent cytokine responses. We found that several ER stress-inducing chemicals and the free fatty acid palmitate can trigger IL-1β secretion in various cell types, including monocytic leukemia cells, primary macrophages and differentiated adipocytes. We show that ER stress primes cells for the expression of pro-IL-1β via NF-κB activation and promotes IL-1β secretion. Enhanced IL-1β secretion depended on the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome through a mechanism involving reactive oxygen species formation and activation of thioredoxin-interacting protein. Chemical chaperone treatment and the pharmacological application of carbon monoxide inhibited IL-1β secretion in response to ER stress. Our results provide a mechanistic link between ER stress and the regulation of inflammation, and suggest that modulation of ER stress may provide a therapeutic opportunity to block progression of low grade chronic inflammation to metabolic syndrome.
Natural variations in the stress and acute phase responses of cattle
Authors: Hughes Heather D , Carroll Jeffery A , Sanchez Nicole C Burdick , Richeson John T
Published: November 2013

Activation of the innate immune system and acute phase response (APR) results in several responses that include fever, metabolic adaptations and changes in behavior. The APR can be modulated by many factors, with stress being the most common. An elevation of stress hormones for a short duration of time can be beneficial. However, elevation of stress hormones repeatedly or for an extended duration of time can be detrimental to the overall health and well-being of animals. The stress and APR responses can also be modulated by naturally-occurring variations, such as breed, gender, and temperament. These three natural variations modulate both of these responses, and can therefore modulate the ability of an animal to recover from a stressor or infection. Understanding that cattle have different immunological responses, based on naturally occurring variations such as these, may be the foundation of new studies on how to effectively manage cattle so that health is optimized and production is benefited.
A Case Report of Probable Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
Authors: McCullough Alison , Stroup Jeffrey S. , Brahm Nancy
Published: November 2013

Objective: To report a case of probable neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) of unknown origin. Case Summary: A 32-year-old Caucasian man was found unconscious by emergency services. On presentation to the emergency department, he had a temperature of 107.5°F (41.9°C) and a Glasgow Coma Scale rating of 3 (range = 3-15). Fluids were administered and cooling blankets applied. He was admitted to the intensive care unit. Supportive measures decreased his temperature to 101.7°F (38.7°C). Arterial blood gas, comprehensive metabolic panel, complete blood count, and cardiac risk panel results were within normal limits; urinalysis and urine and serum drug screens were negative. He had been discharged on the following medications: benztropine, citalopram, chlorpromazine, divalproex, haloperidol, and hydroxyzine. Based on the medication discharge list and clinical presentation, the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale was applied. The criteria scoring indicated a probable relationship (8 of 12) between the medications prescribed and symptoms consistent with NMS. Discussion: NMS has been reported with antipsychotics (APs) and other medications with dopaminergic activity. The etiology is poorly understood. Risk factors (ie, recent initiation or dose increase of an AP, dehydration, or genetic susceptibility) may increase the potential. The differentiation between the diagnosis of NMS and other factors, such as serotonin syndrome or hyperthermia, includes laboratory and clinical presentation characteristics. The potential contributions of anticholinergic agents, psychiatric comorbidities, and other risk factors were identified for this patient. Conclusions: We report the case of a patient found unresponsive and comatose. A variety of assessment measures were used to identify potential causes. Based on evaluations, clinical presentation, the medication list, and criteria for an adverse drug event, a diagnosis of NMS was given. Health care providers may not be fully aware of the potential severity for this medication-related effect in patients with multiple risk factors.
Refractory Proliferative Lupus Nephritis
Authors: Austin Jennifer H. , Bentley Leah E. , Kolanczyk Denise M. , Patel Nishil P.
Published: November 2013

Objective: To review the literature available regarding treatment of lupus nephritis (LN) refractory to cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, and glucocorticoids. Data Sources: PubMed-MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases were searched through June 2013 using the terms lupus nephritis, refractory, induction, systemic lupus erythematosus, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis, rituximab, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, leflunomide, mizoribine, intravenous immunoglobulin, and belimumab. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Included studies were limited to human studies that evaluated clinical efficacy and English language articles. Articles assessing treatment with first-line agents such as glucocorticoids, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, and azathioprine were excluded from this review. Data Synthesis: There are an increasing number of medications being used in refractory LN, making the selection of an appropriate agent more difficult. Thirty studies evaluating the treatment of LN with alternative agents were identified. Although rituximab and calcineurin inhibitors have demonstrated the ability to induce remission in approximately 60% of patients with LN, large randomized trials have not confirmed these results. Leflunomide, mizoribine, and intravenous immunoglobulin have revealed potential benefits in some patient populations; however, there is not enough data to support the regular use of these agents for refractory LN. Conclusions: Rituximab and calcineurin inhibitors have the most evidence to support their use and should be the preferred agents in the treatment of refractory LN at this time. Further studies may elucidate the efficacy of other agents for refractory LN.
Impact of a Health Literacy Training Course on Community Pharmacists’ Health Literacy Knowledge and Attitudes
Authors: Mihalopoulos Cleopatra C. , Powers Mary F. , Lengel Aaron J. , Mangan Michelle N.
Published: November 2013

Background: According to the 2003 US Department of Education National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 36% of Americans have basic or below basic health literacy. Low health literacy has been shown to lead to worse health outcomes, higher overall medical costs, and patient and provider frustration. Objective: The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of a health literacy training course on community pharmacists’ health literacy knowledge and attitudes toward working with patients with low health literacy and to identify community pharmacists’ perspectives on the usefulness of the training course. Methods: An approximately 2-hour health literacy training course was developed, aimed at increasing pharmacists’ health literacy knowledge and providing methods to identify and communicate with patients with low health literacy. Pharmacists employed by a supermarket chain community pharmacy were asked to participate and complete an anonymous pre-survey and post-survey, consisting of knowledge-based questions (multiple choice and true/false format) and an attitude assessment (5-point Likert-type scale format). Demographic information was collected, and a course evaluation was included. Results: Forty-four of the 45 pharmacists who were asked to participate in the research study participated (98%). After participating in the health literacy training course, pharmacists’ average test scores on knowledge-based questions increased (69.89% vs 83.75%; P < .001), and their confidence and comfort levels toward working with patients with low health literacy in 5 specified areas improved. The majority of participating pharmacists felt that the training course provided them with helpful resources and communication methods and that it was useful to their practice setting. Conclusion: Educating community pharmacists about health literacy and about methods to improve their communication skills with patients with low health literacy could improve pharmacists’ ability to provide clinical services to such patients.
Amygdala opioid receptors mediate the electroacupuncture-induced deterioration of sleep disruptions in epilepsy rats
Authors: Yi Pei-Lu , Lu Chin-Yu , Cheng Chiung-Hsiang , Tsai Yi-Fong , Lin Chung-Tien , Chang Fang-Chia
Published: November 2013

Background

Clinical and experimental evidence demonstrates that sleep and epilepsy reciprocally affect each other. Previous studies indicated that epilepsy alters sleep homeostasis; in contrast, sleep disturbance deteriorates epilepsy. If a therapy possesses both epilepsy suppression and sleep improvement, it would be the priority choice for seizure control. Effects of acupuncture of Feng-Chi (GB20) acupoints on epilepsy suppression and insomnia treatment have been documented in the ancient Chinese literature, Lingshu Jing (Classic of the Miraculous Pivot). Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of bilateral Feng-Chi acupoints on sleep disruptions in rats with focal epilepsy.

Results

Our result indicates that administration of pilocarpine into the left central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) induced focal epilepsy and decreased both rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. High-frequency (100 Hz) EA stimulation of bilateral Feng-Chi acupoints, in which a 30-min EA stimulation was performed before the dark period of the light:dark cycle in three consecutive days, further deteriorated pilocarpine-induced sleep disruptions. The EA-induced exacerbation of sleep disruption was blocked by microinjection of naloxone, μ- (naloxonazine), κ- (nor-binaltorphimine) or δ-receptor antagonists (natrindole) into the CeA, suggesting the involvement of amygdaloid opioid receptors.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that high-frequency (100 Hz) EA stimulation of bilateral Feng-Chi acupoints exhibits no benefit in improving pilocarpine-induced sleep disruptions; in contrast, EA further deteriorated sleep disturbances. Opioid receptors in the CeA mediated EA-induced exacerbation of sleep disruptions in epileptic rats.
Comparative genomics reveals candidate carotenoid pathway regulators of ripening watermelon fruit
Authors: Grassi Stefania , Piro Gabriella , Lee Je Min , Zheng Yi , Fei Zhangjun , Dalessandro Giuseppe , Giovannoni James J , Lenucci Marcello S
Published: November 2013

Background

Many fruits, including watermelon, are proficient in carotenoid accumulation during ripening. While most genes encoding steps in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway have been cloned, few transcriptional regulators of these genes have been defined to date. Here we describe the identification of a set of putative carotenoid-related transcription factors resulting from fresh watermelon carotenoid and transcriptome analysis during fruit development and ripening. Our goal is to both clarify the expression profiles of carotenoid pathway genes and to identify candidate regulators and molecular targets for crop improvement.

Results

Total carotenoids progressively increased during fruit ripening up to ~55 μg g-1fw in red-ripe fruits.Trans-lycopene was the carotenoid that contributed most to this increase. Many of the genes related to carotenoid metabolism displayed changing expression levels during fruit ripening generating a metabolic flux toward carotenoid synthesis. Constitutive low expression of lycopene cyclase genes resulted in lycopene accumulation. RNA-seq expression profiling of watermelon fruit development yielded a set of transcription factors whose expression was correlated with ripening and carotenoid accumulation. Nineteen putative transcription factor genes from watermelon and homologous to tomato carotenoid-associated genes were identified. Among these, six were differentially expressed in the flesh of both species during fruit development and ripening.

Conclusions

Taken together the data suggest that, while the regulation of a common set of metabolic genes likely influences carotenoid synthesis and accumulation in watermelon and tomato fruits during development and ripening, specific and limiting regulators may differ between climacteric and non-climacteric fruits, possibly related to their differential susceptibility to and use of ethylene during ripening.
CRISPR-MVLST subtyping of Salmonella enterica subsp. entericaserovars Typhimurium and Heidelberg and application in identifying outbreak isolates
Authors: Shariat Nikki , Sandt Carol H , DiMarzio Michael J , Barrangou Rodolphe , Dudley Edward G
Published: November 2013

Background

Salmonella entericasubsp.entericaserovars Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) and Heidelberg (S.Heidelberg) are major causes of foodborne salmonellosis, accounting for a fifth of all annual salmonellosis cases in the United States. Rapid, efficient and accurate methods for identification are required for routine surveillance and to track specific strains during outbreaks. We used Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and a recently developed molecular subtyping approach termed CRISPR-MVLST that exploits the hypervariable nature of virulence genes and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPRs) to subtype clinicalS. Typhimurium andS. Heidelberg isolates.

Results

We analyzed a broad set of 175S.Heidelberg andS.Typhimurium isolates collected over a five-year period. We identified 21 Heidelberg Sequence Types (HSTs) and 37 Typhimurium STs (TSTs) that were represented by 27 and 45 PFGE pulsotypes, respectively, and determined the discriminatory power of each method.

Conclusions

ForS.Heidelberg, our data shows that combined typing by both CRISPR-MVLST and PFGE provided a discriminatory power of 0.9213. Importantly, CRISPR-MVLST was able to separate common PFGE patterns such as JF6X01.0022 into distinct STs, thus providing significantly greater discriminatory power. Conversely, we show that subtyping by either CRISPR-MVLST or PFGE independently provides a sufficient discriminatory power (0.9345 and 0.9456, respectively) forS.Typhimurium. Additionally, using isolates from twoS.Typhimurium outbreaks, we demonstrate that CRISPR-MVLST provides excellent epidemiologic concordance.
Type A personality, hostility, time urgency and unintentional injuries among Chinese undergraduates: a matched case–control study
Authors: Shi Hongying , Yang Xinjun , Wang Jingjing , Xi Haiyang , Huang Chenping , He Jincai , Chu Maoping , Zhuang Guihua
Published: November 2013

Background

Associations between type A behaviour pattern (TABP) and injuries are inconsistent. These inconsistencies may be due to different effects of various components of TABP, namely time urgency/impatience, hostility and competitive drive. It is important to examine the relationship between the global TABP, its two components, and unintentional injuries, among undergraduates in China.

Methods

On the basis of a previous cross-sectional study, we conducted a matched case–control study. 253 cases and an equal number of age-, gender-, and major-matched controls were included. The questionnaire solicited socio-demographic information, the experience of injuries, the scale of TABP, and other potential confounding factors. Besides the correlation between the global TABP and injuries, the influences of the two components of TABP on injuries were also evaluated. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine the crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs of injury events.

Results

A dose–response relationship was apparent among students who rated themselves higher on the TABP scale (P-value for trend, 0.002), with a crude OR of 2.93 (95% CI: 0.93–9.19) for injuries comparing those with TABP to those with type B behaviour pattern (TBBP). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, TABP remained statistically significant, and the adjusted OR was 5.52 (95% CI: 1.43–21.27); from a comparison of students with TABP to those with TBBP. A dose–response relationship was also apparent between the hostility component and nonfatal injuries, both in crude analysis and after adjusting for other confounders. The relationship between time-hurry and injuries was not statistically significant, based on univariate and multivariate analyses.

Conclusions

Both the global TABP and the hostility component were associated with a dose response increase in the risk of non-fatal unintentional injuries among Chinese undergraduates. Further studies need to be conducted to confirm or reject this correlation.
The interaction of marine fouling organisms with topography of varied scale and geometry: a review
Authors: Myan Felicia Wong Yen , Walker James , Paramor Odette
Published: November 2013

Many studies have examined the effects of surface topography on the settlement behaviour of marine organisms and this article reviews these investigations with more emphasis on the effects of topography scale. It has been observed that macro topographies (1-100 mm) are generally favoured by marine fouling taxa and are unsuitable for antifouling applications. This is because macro topographies are usually large enough to fit fouling organisms and provide refuge from dangers in the marine environment. Micro topographies had only limited success at reducing fouling from a wide range of marine taxa. The antifouling performance of micro topographies (1 to ≤1000 μm) is dependent on the properties of topography features in terms of symmetry, isotropy, width, length, height/depth, separation distance and average roughness. In terms of the antifouling performance of micro topography, topography geometry may only be of secondary importance in comparison to the size of features itself. It is also noted that hydrodynamic stresses also contribute to the settlement trends of foulers on textured surfaces. Future studies on antifouling topographies should be directed to hierarchical topographies because the mixed topography scales might potentially reduce fouling by both micro and macro organisms. Patterned nano-topographies (1- ≤1000 nm) should also be explored because the antifouling mechanisms of these topographies are not yet clear.