bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of international experiences for expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment
Authors: Takeuchi Riki , Chen Jieying
Published: June 2013

While the importance of international experience for advancement to the executive suites and firm performance has been well recognized, meta-analytic findings illustrating the impact of prior international experiences on the cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates have been discouraging. In the current study, we provide a theoretical review and critique of the cross-cultural adjustment literature by highlighting issues associated with conceptualization and operationalization of international experiences. By providing a narrative review of the existing studies on international experiences, we underscore the nature of the existing international experience measures and provide a synthesis for future research. Discussion of the implications of the different measures of international experience is also provided.
Unequal Advances in the Coverage of Psychosocial Care Centers in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, From 2009 to 2010
Authors: Vaz Valdeci Degiampietro , Gonçalves Veralice , Abreu Paulo Belmonte
Published: June 2013

The Centers for Psychosocial Care (CAPS) are mental health services and community open the Unified Health System (SUS). With the advancement of public mental health in the reorientation of a care model that for decades was reduced to the supply of beds in psychiatric hospitals, generating segregation and exclusion of patients with mental disorders. Considering Ordinance of the Ministry of Health GM/MS No. 336 of February 19, 2002, laying down the rules and guidelines for the organization of services that provide mental health care. This objective of this study was to determine whether there was an increase in the coverage of CAPS in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from 2009 to 2010.
Entry Into a Care Trajectory
Authors: Carpentier Normand
Published: June 2013

A broad range of services are developing in response to the needs of an aging population. Although most interventions are carried out in the patient’s living environment—at the heart of society—few studies on service utilization refer to social theory. This paper suggests that studies on older people with chronic health conditions would benefit from a stronger theoretical foundation. Drawing on 15 in-depth interviews, it highlights the relevance of individualization processes and the network society, 2 central theoretical concerns in sociology. The research provides a unique perspective on the entry into the care trajectory and expands our comprehension of the emergence of a social organization that can respond to the needs of elderly patients. Data of this nature may be useful in service planning and the development of a care-centered approach.
Learning about Barriers to Care for People Living with HIV in Egypt
Authors: Abdelrahman Ihab , Lohiniva Anna Leena , Kandeel Amr , Benkirane Manal , Atta Hossam , Saleh Hanan , El Sayed Nasr , Talaat Maha
Published: June 2013

The purpose of this study was to identify obstacles health care workers face in providing care for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). Based on these findings, health authorities can design interventions to support health care workers in providing better medical care for PLWHA. Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with physicians and nurses in one 300-bed tertiary care public hospital in Giza, Egypt. Thematic analysis was conducted by 2 investigators. Five main themes were identified (1) fear of infection; (2) disbelief in effectiveness of infection control measures to protect against HIV; (3) misconceptions regarding medical care for PLWHA; (4) fear of secondary stigma; and (5) moral judgments toward PLWHA and negative connotations related to HIV. Interventions targeting health care workers should be multidimensional, including knowledge and skills building as well as value and attitude change. Reducing stigma among health care workers will improve access to care for PLWHA.
Burden and Determinants of Severe Anemia among HIV-Infected Adults
Authors: Makubi Abel , Okuma James , Spiegelman Donna , Hawkins Claudia , Darling Anne Marie , Jackson Elizabeth , Mugusi Ferdinand , Chalamilla Guerino , Fawzi Wafaie
Published: June 2013

Background and Methods:

This cross-sectional study aimed at determining the prevalence and risk factors for severe anemia, severe microcytic anemia, and severe normocytic anemia among HIV-infected individuals aged >15 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for anemia.

Results:

Data from 40 408 patients were analyzed, showing an overall prevalence of 22% for severe anemia. The risk of developing severe anemia increased by 49% among patients with a body mass index of <18.5 kg/m2, by approximately 2-fold among patients with the World Health Organization (WHO) stage III, and by 3-fold among patients with WHO stage IV illness. Severe normocytic anemia was uniquely increased among patients aged ≥50 years, among those with chronic diarrhea and Kaposi's sarcoma, and those taking cotrimoxazole.

Conclusion:

There was a high prevalence of severe anemia among adults infected with HIV. Focused identification of anemia should be based on the hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume measurements.
An Evaluation of Hepatitis B Virus Diagnostic Methods and Responses to Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV-Infected Women in Thailand
Authors: Peters Philip James , McNicholl Janet M. , Raengsakulrach Boonyos , Wasinrapee Punneeporn , Mueanpai Famui , Ratanasuwan Winai , Intalapaporn Poj , Drobeniuc Jan , Ramachandran Sumathi , Thai Hong , Xia Guo-Liang , Kamili Saleem , Khudyakov Yury , Weidle Paul J. , Teo Chong Gee , McConnell Michelle S.
Published: June 2013

Coinfection with HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common in resource-limited settings but is frequently not diagnosed. The authors retrospectively tested specimens for HBV in HIV-infected Thai women who had participated in an antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinical study. A substantial proportion (27 of 211; 13%) of HIV-infected women were HBV coinfected. Among HIV/HBV-coinfected women, the authors observed similar rates of antiretroviral-associated liver toxicity (despite nevirapine [NVP] use) and CD4 count reconstitution as observed in HIV-monoinfected women. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) screening detected the majority (81%) of HBV coinfections, including all 5 HBV-coinfected women who did not suppress HBV despite 48 weeks of lamivudine (3TC)-containing ART and could be used to tailor ART for patients diagnosed with HBV coinfection in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines. Although HBsAg screening did not diagnose 5 occult HBV coinfections, these women achieved HBV suppression on 3TC-containing ART, suggesting that not detecting occult HBV coinfection would have limited clinical impact.
Effects of Lifetime History of Use of Problematic Alcohol on HIV Medication Adherence
Authors: Sharma Aman , Sachdeva Ravinder Kaur , Kumar Mahendra , Nehra Ritu , Nakra Monika , Jones Deborah
Published: June 2013

Background:

The effects of previous alcohol abuse on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence have been less studied.

Materials and Methodology:

Participants were randomized to a 3-month group intervention or an individual-enhanced standard-of-care condition and assessed over 6 months. Individual assessment at baseline, 3, and 6 months was done; interviews included lifetime history of problematic alcohol use.

Results:

A total of 80 HIV-positive individuals on ART were recruited. In all, 35% of participants reported a history of problematic alcohol use, 37% had a detectable viral load, 55% were nonadherent, and 24% reporting skipping medication in the previous 3 months. There was no association between a history of problematic use and an adherence at any time point, that is, at baseline ( t = −.7, P = .47), midpoint ( t = −.39, P = .69), and 6-month follow-up ( t = −1.2, P = .23).

Conclusion:

Results suggest that a history of problematic alcohol use may not impact ART adherence.
On some recent views concerning the development of the Greek future system
Authors: Joseph Brian D. , Pappas Panayiotis A.
Published: June 2013

Researchers of the historical grammar of Modern Greek agree in general terms that the particle θά derives from an older construction which included the verb θέλω. In the past years, however, there has been some disagreement about the exact point of departure, and, consequently, the exact route (or routes) of the development of θά. In this article we present a straightforward account of θά, explicating several of the disputed aspects of its development, and comparing our account to other, recently published, views. In this way we try to set the record straight with respect to the history of this important element of the Greek verbal system.
‘The Leprous Queen’–A Ballad from Lesbos
Authors: Holton D. W.
Published: June 2013

An apparently unpublished ballad originating from the village of Antissa in Lesbos tells the story of a foreign queen who was afflicted with leprosy and subsequently cured by bathing in a stream which possessed healing properties.
Some Aspects of Byzantine Military Technology from the Sixth to the Tenth Centuries
Authors: Haldon J. F.
Published: June 2013

Byzantine military technology remains to be examined thoroughly, despite its importance in demonstrating the Byzantines’ ability to absorb ideas and practices from areas outside me Empire as well as developing their own traditions. This article examines arms and armour from the mid-sixth century to the end of the tenth century and puts the military panoply into a wider context, that of the development of offensive and defensive military equipment in Europe and the lands to the north and east of the Empire. Finally, it examines die relationship between military affairs and the economic and political situation of the Empire and attempts to account for the use of particular weapons and methods of equipping die soldiers at particular times.
Byzantine ‘Nationalism’ and the Nicaean Empire
Authors: Angold Michael
Published: June 2013

The fall of Constantinople on the night of 13 April 1204 to the Venetians and the soldiers of the fourth crusade is taken as the crucial turning point of the history of the later Byzantine Empire. For many the final period of Byzantine history is nothing but the pathetic survival of a state built on the memories of its former greatness. This is in many ways far too gloomy a picture. Constantinople was to be recovered by the Byzantines in 1261; and we should not forget that the last centuries of Byzantium saw a flowering of Byzantine art and scholarship. This achievement naturally directs our attention to the period of exile, when the foundations of this ‘Last Byzantine Renaissance’, as it has been called, were laid. In exile the Byzantine Empire was re-established and the Byzantine heritage preserved, at a time when both appeared to be in danger of being recreated in a Latin image, for a Latin emperor and a Latin patriarch had been established in Constantinople in place of the Byzantine emperor and the Byzantine patriarch. The fall of Constantinople, indeed, produced a feeling of fatalism and despondency among the Byzantines. There was a tendency to accept the Latin conquest. The peasantry of Thrace even took pleasure in the discomfiture of the Byzantine aristocrats and intellectuals of Constantinople. Some Byzantine magnates attempted to organize resistance to the Latin conquest, but even this, at least in the aftermath of the fall of Constantinople, was probably done in the hope of securing a favourable bargaining position with the Latins. One of the great Byzantine magnates of Thrace, the Caesar Theodore Vranas, entered the ranks of the Latin aristocracy. Even Michael Angelos, the founder of what we have come to know as the Despotate of Epiros, was willing to submit for a short while to the authority of the Latin emperor.
Syriac Sources for Seventh-Century History
Authors: Brock S. P.
Published: June 2013

In view of the paucity of other sources for this century, so momentous in the history of the Near East, the Syriac materials take on a particular importance for both Byzantine and Islamic historians. While some of these sources, such as Michael’s Chronicle, are well known to all, others lie as yet unexploited and ignored. The purpose of the present article is to collect together in convenient form details of all the main Syriac sources available for the seventh century, listing standard editions, translations and the more important discussions. Fuller information on authors and secondary literature can readily be found by reference to the following works: A. Baumstark, Geschichte der syrischen Literatur (Bonn, 1922); I. Ortiz de Urbina, Patrologia Syriaca, 2nd ed. (Rome, 1965); C. Moss, Catalogue of Syriac Printed Books and Related Literature in the British Museum (London, 1962); S. P. Brock, ‘Syriac Studies 1960-1970: a classified bibliography’, Parole de l’Orient, IV (1973), 393-465. For the topographical history ot the area now covered by Iraq, J. M. Fiey’s Assyrie chrétienne, 3 vols. (Beirut, 1965-8), is an invaluable compendium.
Parallel Culture Traits in Ancient and Modern Greece
Authors: Lord Albert B.
Published: June 2013

The epic is a cultural phenomenon (if not a trait) represented in ancient, medieval, and modern Greek literature, both oral and written. The question naturally arises whether there is any continuity in this genre in Greece from one age to the next, from ancient to modern times. We can seek an answer on a number of levels, but for this brief paper I have limited myself to two: narrative pattern (or, the type of the hero), and the formula, the phraseology of the poetry.
The Silence of Hermippos: Greece in the Poetry of Cavafy
Authors: Clay Diskin
Published: June 2013

Hellene: a. An ancient Greek, of genuine Grecian race.

b. A subject of the modern kingdom of Greece or Hellas. OED.

1. On 29 April 1933 Cavafy died in Alexandria, the city in which he was born. There is some reason for satisfaction in this. Visitors to his apartment on the second floor of 10 Rue Lepsius knew how self-contained Cavafy’s small and familiar world in Alexandria was. Rue Lepsius was home for the last twenty-six years of Cavafy’s life: ‘Below, the brothel caters for the flesh. And there is the church [St. Savvas’s] which forgives sin. And there is the hospital where we die.’ The first floor of 10 Rue Lepsius never catered to Cavafy’s flesh, but the church forgave his sins, and he died in the hospital. He could have died in an hospital in Athens where he had gone the year before for treatment of cancer of the throat. He stayed there for a time at the Hôtel Cosmopolite, and from Kifissiá he found the sight of Hymettos and the mountains to the north ‘boring’. He returned home to die, ‘an Alexandrian of the Alexandrians’, an epitaph he very nearly composed for himself.
Literacy in the Byzantine World
Authors: Browning Robert
Published: June 2013

The historian Nicephorus Gregoras, writing of the Patriarch Athanasios I, dismisses him scathingly as . Yet we know that Athanasius, who came from the countryside near Adrianople, was reading the Lives of Saints before the age of twelve. And his surviving writings—homilies, encyclicals, canonical decisions, letters, etc.—fill the 204 folios of codex Vaticanus graecus 2219. Most of these writings still await publication. But the recent edition by Mrs. Alice-Mary Talbot of 115 of Athanasios’ letters shows that he wrote fluent literary Koine Greek, without the archaizing affectations of Byzantine Atticism and with occasional voluntary or involuntary lapses into the spoken language of his time. He was no stylist: for him it was the matter, not the manner, that counted. He had little acquaintance with classical Greek literature. But in addition to the Scriptures, which he constantly quotes, he was familiar with the more widely read works of the fourth-century fathers, knew the basic texts of civil and canon law, and could quote the Epanagoge. Clearly he was no illiterate, but a professional user of the written word.
Symbolism and Irony in Three Novels by Kosmas Politis
Authors: Mackridge Peter
Published: June 2013

In a recent book, Mario Vitti has described Kosmas Politis as ‘emotionally the most highly charged novelist’ of the Generation of 1930. Vitti also points out that Eroica is ‘compositely organized down to the minutest detail’, despite the author’s assertion that he wrote each instalment ‘on the presses’. In an attempt to account for the ‘magical’, ‘poetic’ quality of Politis’ writing as pointed out by Greek critics, Vitti investigates Politis’ use of irony and of the interior monologue.
The Rôle of Dance in the Ritual Therapy of the Anastenaria
Authors: Danforth Loring M.
Published: June 2013

The Anastenaria is a ritual involving trance and possession which is performed in several villages and towns in northern Greece. It is a ritual system of psychotherapy which is often effective in treating illnesses that in Western psychiatric terms would be considered psychogenic in nature. This paper focuses on the rôle of the dance of the possessed Anastenarides in the therapeutic system of the Anastenaria. I hope to show that this dance contributes to the therapeutic effectiveness of the Anastenaria because it provides the Anastenarides with an opportunity to experience a cathartic release of anxiety, to structure this cathartic experience, and to transform a state of anxiety, suffering, and illness into a state of joy, power, and health.
The Language of Irony (Towards a Definition of the Poetry of Cavafy)
Authors: Vayenas Nasos
Published: June 2013

The first time André Gide heard the name of Cavafy was during his visit to Greece, in April 1939. He was talking to Dimaras, Theotokas and Seferis when the conversation turned to the poet of Alexandria. Gide asked what kind of poetry Cavafy wrote. ‘Lyrique’, Dimaras replied. ‘Didactique’, corrected Seferis. Later on Dimaras read ‘The City’ to the group. After the end of the reading Gide turned to Seferis and said: ‘Je comprends maintenant ce que vous vouliez dire par le mot didactique…’.
The Julian Poems of C. P. Cavafy
Authors: Bowersock G.W.
Published: June 2013

The publication of five poems, hitherto unknown, by the poet Cavafy - all on the theme of Julian the Apostate - and the projected edition of his reading notes on Gibbon’s Decline and Fall illuminate not only the poet’s obsession with Julian but also the principles of his craft. It is perhaps not too presumptuous for an historian to attempt an assessment of Cavafy’s work on Julian in the light of the rich new material, for he is said himself to have declared that he was an historical poet: This remark finds confirmation in a critique from May 1927, written earlier by the poet or by a sympathetic associate, with a threefold categorization of Cavafy’s oeuvre into Of the sensual and historical categories it is said that there is sometimes so great a degree of overlapping that classification becomes difficult but not impossible. Several of the Julian poems prove this point.
Literary Cryptograms and the Cretan Academies
Authors: Bancroft-Marcus Rosemary E.
Published: June 2013

Recent researches into the history of the Cretan Academies have added a new dimension to our understanding of the extraordinary flowering of scholarship and literature termed the Cretan Renaissance. We now know that the small island of Crete, dominated for so many centuries by Venetian overlords, had developed by 1560–1632 a resident intelligenzia capable of furnishing three Academies: the Vivi of Rethymno, founded in January 1562 by Francesco Barozzi; the Stravaganti of Irakleio, founded in 1591 by Andrea Cornaro; and the Sterili of Chania, granted a meeting-hall in August 1632 and additional protection by a decree of December 1637.
Everyday Life in Byzantium: Some Problems of Aproach
Authors: Haldon John
Published: June 2013

General interest in the ‘everyday’ life of past societies and cultures, particularly when they are felt to be relevant to our own civilisation and its history, is a widespread and usually taken-for-granted phenomenon of our times. Books on subjects such as ‘Everyday life in Greece and Rome’ or ‘Daily life in Carthage’, consisting of popularised (and often, perhaps inevitably,’ rather oversimplified, and even muddled) renderings of more esoteric scholarly research,-are regular additions to the vast amount of ‘serious’ and ‘non-fictional’ literature printed each year and produced by the world’s (and more particularly European and North American) publishing houses.
Some Social-Anthropological Aspects of Boeotian Rural Society: A Field-Report
Authors: Slaughter Cliff , Kasimis Charalambos
Published: June 2013

The Cambridge and Bradford Boeotia expedition, which began systematic work in 1979 following a reconnaissance in the previous summer, constitutes an attempt to provide a framework for understanding the development of the society and the culture of the area from prehistoric to modern times. It is anticipated that the survey will take some ten years, with work by specialists in history, palynology, the history of vegetation, statistics, artifact analysis, and so on, all of which will supplement an archaeological surface survey. What follows is an initial report on the findings of the social-anthropological work carried out during short summer field-trips in the first five years.
The historiography of the thirteenth-century wall painting at Boiana: another case of parallel universes?
Authors: Brisby Claire
Published: June 2013

The historiography of the wall painting in the medieval church at Boiana is a representative case in the current critical discussion of basically empiricist approaches and more overtly theoretical methods of modern scholarship described as coexisting as parallel universes in art history today. The parameters of this critical discourse offer an appropriate perspective in which to consider the historiography of these thirteenth-century schemes of wall painting in the Balkans. In turn, this exercise is useful in pointing out new directions in which reappraisals of the wall paintings at Boiana can contribute to the field of Byzantine studies.
The Fine Incense of Virginity: a late twelfth century wallpainting of the Annunciation at the Monastery of the Syrians, Egypt
Authors: Hunt Lucy-Anne
Published: June 2013

A richly symbolical wallpainting of the Annunciation was brought to light in 1991 in the western conch of the church of the Virgin at the desert Monastery of the Syrians at Scetis (Wadi al-Natrun) in Egypt (figs. 1-5). The interpretation put forward here is that the scene celebrates the Mother of God as the epitome of perfect womanhood at the moment of Christ’s conception with her key role reinforced by explicit symbolism of her virginity. This is stated visually, through the liturgical symbolism of the burning censer at her feet, and verbally through the ‘container’ imagery proclaimed on the scrolls of the accompanying prophets: Isaiah, Moses, Ezekiel and Daniel. A detailed townscape represents the town of Nazareth, both the Virgin’s own birthplace and the site of the Annunciation.
Evaluation of options for weld repair of Grade 91 piping and components: metallographic characterisation
Authors: Parker J D , Siefert J A
Published: June 2013

Creep strength enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steels such as Grade 91 are the preferred materials for many of the high temperature boiler tubing and piping components used in modern power generating plants. Validation of temperbead welding techniques is particularly important for Grade 91 steel as accurate post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) has proven to be difficult in field applications. Even a well-controlled PWHT can degrade the base material strength, and a poorly performed heat treatment can lead to subsequent creep properties being below the minimum expected by codes. Successful demonstration of temperbead techniques for Grade 91 steel would alleviate these concerns and create additional options in designing a ‘well-engineered’ repair. This article presents the results from a project evaluating options for field repair of Grade 91 components. Metallographic characterisation of the welds produced is described with future publications providing results from cross-weld creep testing and post-test examination.
C1galt1-deficient mice exhibit thrombocytopenia due to abnormal terminal differentiation of megakaryocytes
Authors: Kudo Takashi , Sato Takashi , Hagiwara Kozue , Kozuma Yukinori , Yamaguchi Takashi , Ikehara Yuzuru , Hamada Michito , Matsumoto Ken , Ema Masatsugu , Murata Soichiro , Ohkohchi Nobuhiro , Narimatsu Hisashi , Takahashi Satoru
Published: June 2013

Key Points

Mucin-type O-glycans are required for terminal differentiation of megakaryocytes and platelet production. The expression of GPIbα protein is strongly reduced in O-glycans–defective megakaryocytes and platelets.
Unraveling the complexity of tyrosine kinase inhibitor–resistant populations by ultra-deep sequencing of the BCR-ABL kinase domain
Authors: Soverini Simona , De Benedittis Caterina , Machova Polakova K. , Brouckova Adela , Horner David , Iacono Michele , Castagnetti Fausto , Gugliotta Gabriele , Palandri Francesca , Papayannidis Cristina , Iacobucci Ilaria , Venturi Claudia , Bochicchio Maria Teresa , Klamova Hana , Cattina Federica , Russo Domenico , Bresciani Paola , Binotto Gianni , Giannini Barbara , Kohlmann Alexander , Haferlach Torsten , Roller Andreas , Rosti Gianantonio , Cavo Michele , Baccarani Michele , Martinelli Giovanni
Published: June 2013

Key Points

UDS demonstrated that BCR-ABL KD mutations detectable with conventional methods may just be the tip of the iceberg. The information provided by conventional Sanger sequencing may not always be sufficient to predict responsiveness to a given TKI.
Hepatitis E virus: an underestimated opportunistic pathogen in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Versluis Jurjen , Pas Suzan D. , Agteresch Hendrik J. , de Man Robert A. , Maaskant Jolanda , Schipper Marguerite E. I. , Osterhaus Albert D. M. E. , Cornelissen Jan J. , van der Eijk Annemiek A.
Published: June 2013

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is increasingly acknowledged as a cause of hepatitis in healthy individuals as well as immunocompromised patients. Little is known of HEV infection in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). Therefore, we set out to study the incidence and sequelae of HEV as a cause of hepatitis in a recent cohort of 328 alloHSCT recipients. HEV RNA was tested in episodes of liver enzyme abnormalities. In addition, HEV RNA and HEV serology were assessed pre- and post-alloHSCT. We found 8 cases (2.4%) of HEV infection, of which 5 had developed chronic HEV infection. Seroprevalence pre-alloHSCT was 13%. Four patients died with HEV viremia, with signs of ongoing hepatitis, having a median time of infection of 4.1 months. The 4 surviving patients cleared HEV after a median period of 6.3 months. One patient was diagnosed with HEV reactivation after a preceding infection prior to alloHSCT. Although the incidence of developing acute HEV post-alloHSCT is relatively low, the probability of developing chronic hepatitis in severely immunocompromised patients is high. Therefore, alloHSCT recipients should be screened pretransplantation by HEV serology and RNA. Furthermore, a differential diagnosis including hepatitis E is mandatory in all alloHSCT patients with severe liver enzyme abnormalities.
Prednisone in COPD exacerbation requiring ventilatory support: an open-label randomised evaluation
Authors: Abroug Fekri , Ouanes-Besbes Lamia , Fkih-Hassen Mohamed , Ouanes Islem , Ayed Samia , Dachraoui Fahmi , Brochard Laurent , ElAtrous Souheil
Published: June 2013

Recommendation of the use of systemic steroids in chronic obstructive disease (COPD) exacerbation rely on trials that excluded patients requiring ventilatory support.

In an open-label, randomised evaluation of oral prednisone administration, 217 patients with acute COPD exacerbation requiring ventilatory support were randomised (with stratification on the type of ventilation) to usual care (n=106) or to receive a daily dose of prednisone (1 mg·kg−1) for up to 10 days (n=111).

There was no difference regarding the primary end-point, intensive care unit mortality, which was 17 (15.3%) deathsversus15 (14%) deaths in the steroid-treated and control groups, respectively (relative risk 1.08, 95% CI 0.6–2.05). Analysis according to ventilation modalities showed similar mortality rates. Noninvasive ventilation failed in 15.7% and 12.7% (relative risk 1.25, 95% CI 0.56–2.8; p=0.59), respectively. Both study groups had similar median mechanical ventilation duration and intensive care unit length of stay, which were 6 (interquartile range 6–12) daysversus6 (3.8–12) days and 9 (6–14) daysversus8 (6–14) days, respectively. Hyperglycaemic episodes requiring initiation or alteration of current insulin doses occurred in 55 (49.5%) patientsversus35 (33%) patients in the prednisone and control groups, respectively (relative risk 1.5, 95% CI 1.08–2.08; p=0.015).

Prednisone did not improve intensive care unit mortality or patient-centred outcomes in the selected subgroup of COPD patients with severe exacerbation but significantly increased the risk of hyperglycaemia.
PredictingMycobacterium tuberculosisin patients with community-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Cavallazzi Rodrigo , Wiemken Timothy , Christensen Diana , Peyrani Paula , Blasi Francesco , Levy Gur , Aliberti Stefano , Kelley Robert , Ramirez Julio ,   the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) Investigators
Published: June 2013

The 22 risk factors suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to predict patients at risk forMycobacterium tuberculosishave not been evaluated in hospitalised patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We evaluated which of the CDC risk factors best predictM. tuberculosisin these patients. To our knowledge, this is the first time a score has been developed assessing these risk factors.

This was a secondary analysis of 6976 patients hospitalised with CAP enrolled in the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization International Cohort Study. Using Poisson regression, we selected the subset of risk factors that best predicted the presence of CAP due toM. tuberculosis. This subset was compared to the CDC risk factors using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Five risk factors were found to best predict CAP due toM. tuberculosis: night sweats, haemoptysis, weight loss,M. tuberculosisexposure and upper lobe infiltrate. The area under the ROC curve for all CDC risk factors was 71% and 89% for the subset of five risk factors.

The CDC-suggested risk factors are poor at predicting the presence ofM. tuberculosisin hospitalised patients with CAP. With a subset of five risk factors identified in this study, we developed a new score, which will improve our capacity to isolate patients at risk of CAP due toM. tuberculosisat the time of hospitalisation.
Differences in plasma and sputum biomarkers between COPD and COPD–asthma overlap
Authors: Iwamoto Hiroshi , Gao Jing , Koskela Jukka , Kinnula Vuokko , Kobayashi Hideo , Laitinen Tarja , Mazur Witold
Published: June 2013

The pathophysiological features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)–asthma overlap are poorly understood and there has been no study of plasma or sputum biomarkers in overlap patients. In order to clarify the similarity and differences between overlap and COPD or asthma, we have investigated four potential biomarkers of COPD: surfactant protein A (SP-A), soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). SP-A and sRAGE are pneumocyte-derived markers. MPO and NGAL are neutrophil-derived molecules, but NGAL can also be expressed by respiratory epithelial cells.

Plasma levels of SP-A and sRAGE and induced sputum levels of MPO and NGAL were measured by enzyme immunoassay/ELISA in 134 subjects: nonsmokers (n=26), smokers (n=23), asthma (n=32), COPD (n=39) and COPD–asthma overlap patients (n=14).

In patients with COPD–asthma overlap, sputum MPO and plasma SP-A were significantly elevated whereas plasma sRAGE levels were reduced compared with asthma patients. Only sputum NGAL was significantly elevated in COPD–asthma overlap compared with COPD (p=0.00016) and could be used to differentiate patients with overlap from those with COPD.

Increased induced sputum levels of NGAL might be a characteristic feature of overlap, suggesting enhanced neutrophilic airway inflammation and/or airway epithelial injury in COPD–asthma overlap.
Zero reference level for right heart catheterisation
Authors: Kovacs Gabor , Avian Alexander , Olschewski Andrea , Olschewski Horst
Published: June 2013

Although in the pulmonary circulation small pressure differences may alter the categorisation of patients, there is no consensus on a standard zero reference level (ZRL). In the supine position, ZRL is mostly set at “5 cm below anterior thorax surface”, “1/3 thoracic diameter below anterior thorax surface”, “mid-thoracic level” or “10 cm above table level”.

We retrospectively assessed the distance of these four ZRLs from computed tomography-derived right and left atrial centre levels and from one another in patients undergoing right heart catheterisation and calculated the respective differences in pressure readings.

We included 196 consecutive patients. The ZRL at “1/3 thoracic diameter” was most often (98.5%) level with the right atrium, and the ZRL at “mid-thoracic level” was level with the left atrium (97.4%), revealing a median (range) pressure difference of -0.3 (-3.0–1.3) and 0.2 (-2.0–1.3) mmHg from the right and left atrial centre level, respectively. The largest differences (8.0 (2.0–15.4) mmHg) were found between the ZRLs “5 cm below anterior thorax surface” and “10 cm above table level”. Accordingly, 59%versus80% of patients would be classified with pulmonary hypertension and 7%versus38% with elevated left heart pressures.

The choice of ZRL strongly influences pulmonary pressure readings and pulmonary hypertension classification. 1/3 thoracic diameter mostly represents the right atrium while the left atrium is best represented by the mid-thoracic level.
Adrenomedullin refines mortality prediction by the BODE index in COPD: the “BODE-A” index
Authors: Stolz Daiana , Kostikas Kostantinos , Blasi Francesco , Boersma Wim , Milenkovic Branislava , Lacoma Alicia , Louis Renaud , Aerts Joachim G. , Welte Tobias , Torres Antoni , Rohde Gernot G.U. , Boeck Lucas , Rakic Janko , Scherr Andreas , Hertel Sabine , Giersdorf Sven , Tamm Michael
Published: June 2013

The BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea, exercise capacity) index is well-validated for mortality prediction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Concentrations of plasma pro-adrenomedullin, a surrogate for mature adrenomedullin, independently predicted 2-year mortality among inpatients with COPD exacerbation.

We compared accuracy of initial pro-adrenomedullin level, BODE and BODE components, alone or combined, in predicting 1-year or 2-year all-cause mortality in a multicentre, multinational observational cohort with stable, moderate to very severe COPD.

Pro-adrenomedullin was significantly associated (p<0.001) with 1-year mortality (4.7%) and 2-year mortality (7.8%) and comparably predictive to BODE regarding both (C statistics 0.691versus0.745 and 0.635versus0.679, respectively). Relative to using BODE alone, adding pro-adrenomedullin significantly improved 1-year and 2-year mortality prognostication (C statistics 0.750 and 0.818, respectively; both p<0.001). Pro-adrenomedullin plus BOD was more predictive than the original BODE including 6-min walk distance. In multivariable analysis, pro-adrenomedullin (likelihood ratio Chi-squared 13.0, p<0.001), body mass index (8.5, p=0.004) and 6-min walk distance (7.5, p=0.006) independently foretold 2-year survival, but modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea score (2.2, p=0.14) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s % predicted (0.3, p=0.60) did not.

Pro-adrenomedullin plus BODE better predicts mortality in COPD patients than does BODE alone; pro-adrenomedullin may substitute for 6-min walk distance in BODE when 6-min walk testing is unavailable.
The effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ ligands onin vitroandin vivomodels of COPD
Authors: Lea Simon , Plumb Jonathan , Metcalfe Hannah , Spicer Dianne , Woodman Paul , Fox J. Craig , Singh Dave
Published: June 2013

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is expressed in alveolar macrophages. The anti-inflammatory potential of the PPAR-γ ligands rosiglitazone and pioglitazone were investigated usingin vitroalveolar macrophage models andin vivoanimal models relevant to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PPAR-γ protein and gene expression in COPD alveolar macrophages was compared with control smokers and never-smokers. COPD macrophages were used to investigate the effects of PPAR-γ ligands and corticosteroids on lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production, alternative macrophage activation (M2) gene expression and efferocytosis. The effects of PPAR-γ ligands in a subchronic tobacco smoke model in mice were investigated.

PPAR-γ protein expression was similar in COPD patients compared to controls, although increased gene expression levels were observed in COPD patients and control smokers compared to never-smokers. PPAR-γ ligands reduced tumour necrosis factor-α and CC chemokine ligand-5, but not CXC chemokine ligand-8, in COPD alveolar macrophages; these effects were generally less than those of the corticosteroid dexamethasone. Rosiglitazone increased M2 gene expression and enhanced efferocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils. Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone attenuated airway neutrophilia in a corticosteroid-resistant mouse model of pulmonary inflammation.

We show biological actions of PPAR-γ agonists on corticosteroid-resistant disease, tobacco smoke-induced pulmonary inflammation, skewing of macrophage phenotype and clearance of apoptotic neutrophils.
Prediction of gene-phenotype associations in humans, mice, and plants using phenologs
Authors: Woods John O , Singh-Blom Ulf Martin , Laurent Jon M , McGary Kriston L , Marcotte Edward M
Published: June 2013

Background

Phenotypes and diseases may be related to seemingly dissimilar phenotypes in other species by means of the orthology of underlying genes. Such “orthologous phenotypes,” or “phenologs,” are examples of deep homology, and may be used to predict additional candidate disease genes.

Results

In this work, we develop an unsupervised algorithm for ranking phenolog-based candidate disease genes through the integration of predictions from the k nearest neighbor phenologs, comparing classifiers and weighting functions by cross-validation. We also improve upon the original method by extending the theory to paralogous phenotypes. Our algorithm makes use of additional phenotype data — from chicken, zebrafish, and E. coli, as well as new datasets for C. elegans — establishing that several types of annotations may be treated as phenotypes. We demonstrate the use of our algorithm to predict novel candidate genes for human atrial fibrillation (such as HRH2, ATP4A, ATP4B, and HOPX) and epilepsy (e.g., PAX6 and NKX2-1). We suggest gene candidates for pharmacologically-induced seizures in mouse, solely based on orthologous phenotypes from E. coli. We also explore the prediction of plant gene-phenotype associations, as for the Arabidopsis response to vernalization phenotype.

Conclusions

We are able to rank gene predictions for a significant portion of the diseases in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database. Additionally, our method suggests candidate genes for mammalian seizures based only on bacterial phenotypes and gene orthology. We demonstrate that phenotype information may come from diverse sources, including drug sensitivities, gene ontology biological processes, and in situ hybridization annotations. Finally, we offer testable candidates for a variety of human diseases, plant traits, and other classes of phenotypes across a wide array of species.
The complete mitochondrial genomes of three parasitic nematodes of birds: a unique gene order and insights into nematode phylogeny
Authors: Liu Guo-Hua , Shao Renfu , Li Jia-Yuan , Zhou Dong-Hui , Li Hu , Zhu Xing-Quan
Published: June 2013

Background

Analyses of mitochondrial (mt) genome sequences in recent years challenge the current working hypothesis of Nematoda phylogeny proposed from morphology, ecology and nuclear small subunit rRNA gene sequences, and raise the need to sequence additional mt genomes for a broad range of nematode lineages.

Results

We sequenced the complete mt genomes of three Ascaridia species (family Ascaridiidae) that infest chickens, pigeons and parrots, respectively. These three Ascaridia species have an identical arrangement of mt genes to each other but differ substantially from other nematodes. Phylogenetic analyses of the mt genome sequences of the Ascaridia species, together with 62 other nematode species, support the monophylies of seven high-level taxa of the phylum Nematoda: 1) the subclass Dorylaimia; 2) the orders Rhabditida, Trichinellida and Mermithida; 3) the suborder Rhabditina; and 4) the infraorders Spiruromorpha and Oxyuridomorpha. Analyses of mt genome sequences, however, reject the monophylies of the suborders Spirurina and Tylenchina, and the infraorders Rhabditomorpha, Panagrolaimomorpha and Tylenchomorpha. Monophyly of the infraorder Ascaridomorpha varies depending on the methods of phylogenetic analysis. The Ascaridomorpha was more closely related to the infraorders Rhabditomorpha and Diplogasteromorpha (suborder Rhabditina) than they were to the other two infraorders of the Spirurina: Oxyuridorpha and Spiruromorpha. The closer relationship among Ascaridomorpha, Rhabditomorpha and Diplogasteromorpha was also supported by a shared common pattern of mitochondrial gene arrangement.

Conclusions

Analyses of mitochondrial genome sequences and gene arrangement has provided novel insights into the phylogenetic relationships among several major lineages of nematodes. Many lineages of nematodes, however, are underrepresented or not represented in these analyses. Expanding taxon sampling is necessary for future phylogenetic studies of nematodes with mt genome sequences.
Global transcriptome profiles of Camellia sinensis during cold acclimation
Authors: Wang Xin-Chao , Zhao Qiong-Yi , Ma Chun-Lei , Zhang Zong-Hong , Cao Hong-Li , Kong Yi-Meng , Yue Chuan , Hao Xin-Yuan , Chen Liang , Ma Jian-Qiang , Jin Ji-Qiang , Li Xuan , Yang Ya-Jun
Published: June 2013

Background

Tea is the most popular non-alcoholic health beverage in the world. The tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) needs to undergo a cold acclimation process to enhance its freezing tolerance in winter. Changes that occur at the molecular level in response to low temperatures are poorly understood in tea plants. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of cold acclimation, we employed RNA-Seq and digital gene expression (DGE) technologies to the study of genome-wide expression profiles during cold acclimation in tea plants.

Results

Using the Illumina sequencing platform, we obtained approximately 57.35 million RNA-Seq reads. These reads were assembled into 216,831 transcripts, with an average length of 356 bp and an N50 of 529 bp. In total, 1,770 differentially expressed transcripts were identified, of which 1,168 were up-regulated and 602 down-regulated. These include a group of cold sensor or signal transduction genes, cold-responsive transcription factor genes, plasma membrane stabilization related genes, osmosensing-responsive genes, and detoxification enzyme genes. DGE and quantitative RT-PCR analysis further confirmed the results from RNA-Seq analysis. Pathway analysis indicated that the “carbohydrate metabolism pathway” and the “calcium signaling pathway” might play a vital role in tea plants’ responses to cold stress.

Conclusions

Our study presents a global survey of transcriptome profiles of tea plants in response to low, non-freezing temperatures and yields insights into the molecular mechanisms of tea plants during the cold acclimation process. It could also serve as a valuable resource for relevant research on cold-tolerance and help to explore the cold-related genes in improving the understanding of low-temperature tolerance and plant-environment interactions.
Ambushing the ambush hypothesis: predicting and evaluating off-frame codon frequencies in Prokaryotic Genomes
Authors: Morgens David W , Chang Charlotte H , Cavalcanti Andre RO
Published: June 2013

Background

In this paper, we address the evidence for the Ambush Hypothesis. Proposed by Seligmann and Pollock, this hypothesis posits that there exists a selection for off-frame stop codons (OSCs) to counteract the possible deleterious effects of translational frameshifts, including the waste of resources and potential cytotoxicity. Two main types of study have been used to support the hypothesis. Some studies analyzed codon usage and showed that codons with more potential to create OSCs seem to be favored over codons with lower potential; they used this finding to support the Ambush Hypothesis. Another study used 342 bacterial genomes to evaluate the hypothesis directly, finding significant excesses of OSCs in these genomes.

Results

We repeated both analyses with newer datasets and searched for other factors that could explain the observed trends. In the first case, the relative frequency of codons with the potential to create OSCs is directly correlated with the GC content of organisms, as stop codons are GC-poor. When evaluating the frequency of OSCs directly in 1,976 bacterial genomes we also detected a significant excess. However, when comparing the excess of OSCs with similarly obtained results for the frequency of out-of-frame sense codons, some sense codons have a more significant excess than stop codons.

Conclusions

Two avenues of study have been used to support the Ambush Hypothesis. Using the same methods as these previous studies, we demonstrate that the evidence in support of the Ambush Hypothesis does not hold up against more rigorous testing.
All-trans retinoic acid attenuates airway inflammation by inhibiting Th2 and Th17 response in experimental allergic asthma
Authors: Wu Jinhong , Zhang Yanjie , Liu Qi , Zhong Wenwei , Xia Zhenwei
Published: June 2013

Background

Airway inflammation is mainly mediated by T helper 2 cells (Th2) that characteristically produce interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Epidemiological studies have revealed an inverse association between the dietary intake of vitamin A and the occurrence of asthma. Serum vitamin A concentrations are significantly lower in asthmatic subjects than in healthy control subjects. It has been reported that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a potent derivative of vitamin A, regulates immune responses. However, its role in Th2-mediated airway inflammation remains unclear. We investigated the effects of ATRA in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation.

Results

We found that ATRA treatment attenuated airway inflammation and decreased mRNA levels of Th2- and Th17-related transcription factors. The data showed that airway inflammation coincided with levels of Th2- and Th17-related cytokines. We also showed that ATRA inhibited Th17 and promoted inducible regulatory T-cell differentiation, whereas it did not induce an obvious effect on Th2 differentiation in vitro. Our data suggest that ATRA may interfere with the in vivo Th2 responses via T-cell extrinsic mechanisms.

Conclusions

Administration of ATRA dramatically attenuated airway inflammation by inhibiting Th2 and Th17 differentiation and/or functions. ATRA may have potential therapeutic effects for airway inflammation in asthmatic patients.