bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Communication in ADHD Care: Results from In-office Linguistic Research
Authors: Mattingly Greg , Surman Craig B. , Mao Alice R. , Eagan Corey A. , Onofrey Meaghan , Lerner Marc
Published: March 2012

Introduction

An in-office linguistic study was conducted to help improve understanding of how to better evaluate and treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

Naturally occurring interactions were recorded among 7 psychiatrists and 23 patients and 8 pediatricians along with 22 patients and their parents. Participants were interviewed separately post-visit. Transcripts of interactions and interviews were analyzed using sociolinguistic techniques.

Results

Visits were variable in length and lacked concrete treatment plans. In the pediatric setting, children were typically excluded from dialogues, accounting for only 8% of words spoken. School was the primary metric used to evaluate symptoms. Pediatricians allayed parents' concerns about stimulant therapy by promising to prescribe the lowest possible dose, rather than discussing titrating to an optimal dose. Adults were evaluated idiosyncratically without the use of scales or tools. Stimulants were positioned as short-term “trials” without strong physician recommendations.

Discussion

Conversations about stimulant therapy lacked goal- and expectation-setting. Also missing from conversations was a definitive treatment plan based on the core symptoms of ADHD. Incorporating open-ended questions and tools or rating scales may result in a more effective and efficient in-office dialogue.

Conclusion

Further research is warranted to assess the efficacy of communication strategies to enhance in-office discussions of ADHD and stimulant therapy.
CONSERVATIVELY EXTENDING CLASSICAL LOGIC WITH TRANSPARENT TRUTH
Authors: RIPLEY DAVID
Published: March 2012

This paper shows how to conservatively extend a classical logic with a transparent truth predicate, in the face of the paradoxes that arise as a consequence. All classical inferences are preserved, and indeed extended to the full (truth-involving) vocabulary. However, not all classical metainferences are preserved; in particular, the resulting logical system is nontransitive. Some limits on this nontransitivity are adumbrated, and two proof systems are presented and shown to be sound and complete. (One proof system features admissible Cut, but the other does not.)
Antarctic icebergs distributions, 2002–2010
Authors: Tournadre Jean , Girard‐Ardhuin Fanny , Legrésy Benoit
Published: March 2012

Interest for icebergs and their possible impact on southern ocean circulation and biology has increased during the recent years. While large tabular icebergs are routinely tracked and monitored using scatterometer data, the distribution of smaller icebergs (less than some km) is still largely unknown as they are difficult to detect operationally using conventional satellite data. In a recent study, Tournadre et al. (2008) showed that small icebergs can be detected, at least in open water, using high resolution (20 Hz) altimeter waveforms. In the present paper, we present an improvement of their method that allows, assuming a constant iceberg freeboard elevation and constant ice backscatter coefficient, to estimate the top‐down iceberg surface area and therefore the distribution of the volume of ice on a monthly basis. The complete Jason‐1 reprocessed (version C) archive covering the 2002–2010 period has been processed using this method. The small iceberg data base for the southern ocean gives an unprecedented description of the small iceberg (100 m–2800 m) distribution at unprecedented time and space resolutions. The iceberg size, which follows a lognormal distribution with an overall mean length of 630 m, has a strong seasonal cycle reflecting the melting of icebergs during the austral summer estimated at 1.5 m/day. The total volume of ice in the southern ocean has an annual mean value of about 400 Gt, i.e., about 35% of the mean yearly volume of large tabular icebergs estimated from the National Ice Center database of 1979–2003 iceberg tracks and a model of iceberg thermodynamics. They can thus play a significant role in the injection of meltwater in the ocean. The distribution of ice volume which has strong seasonal cycle presents a very high spatial and temporal variability which is much contrasted in the three ocean basins (South Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans). The analysis of the relationship between small and large (>5 km) icebergs shows that a majority of small icebergs are directly associated with the large ones but that there are vast regions, such as the eastern branch of the Wedell Gyre, where the transport of ice is made only through the smaller ones.
Senate examines measures to improve nuclear safety following Japan disaster
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: March 2012

One year after Japan suffered a devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake and the resulting tsunami and nuclear disaster, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has taken a number of measures to try to ensure that nuclear plants in the United States are safe from natural hazards. At a U.S. Senate hearing on 15 March, NRC chair Gregory Jaczko announced that the commission had issued three key orders and several requests for information on 12 March that plant licensees must follow, and that NRC also plans to take additional actions. However, the commission is not moving quickly enough in some areas, such as ensuring that all plants are safe from seismic hazards, including those in areas with low seismic activity, according to Jaczko's testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety. The 12 March orders require licensees to have strategies to maintain or restore core cooling, containment, and spent‐fuel pool cooling capabilities “following a beyond‐design‐basis extreme natural event” and have a reliable indication of the water level in spent‐fuel storage pools.
Tibetan Plateau and beyond
Authors: Joswiak Meri , Yao Tandong , Joswiak Daniel
Published: March 2012

Third Annual Third Pole Environment Workshop; Reykjavík, Iceland, 29 August to 1 September 2011 Recognizing the necessity of multinational, interdisciplinary environmental research on the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding mountain ranges—dubbed the “Third Pole” for its considerable ice mass and high elevation— the Third Pole Environment (TPE) program accepted an invitation from the president of Iceland and the University of Iceland to hold its third annual TPE workshop in Iceland. In accordance with TPE's mission to evaluate climate and environmental changes at both local and global scales, participants from 15 countries converged for 3 days of intensive discussions and presentations related to TPE research. The Third Pole glaciers are undergoing considerable retreat, which will likely affect more than 1.5 billion people living in the region
Bering Strait influences climate conditions
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: March 2012

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) acts as a heat conveyer belt, bringing warm tropical water northward in the Atlantic Ocean and carrying cold dense water back southward. Some studies have suggested that changes in AMOC could result in seesaw‐like climate changes between the North Atlantic and North Pacific, in which the North Pacific warms while the North Atlantic cools. In fact, paleoclimate studies have found that such a seesaw effect may have occurred during the Heinrich 1 (H1) event about 15–17.5 thousand years ago. However, global climate conditions are much warmer today than they were during the H1 event. Sea level was much lower during the H1 event, and the Bering Strait, which now connects the North Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean, was closed. Some studies have suggested that AMOC could weaken or even collapse entirely as global climate warms because of anthropogenic influence. Would such AMOC changes lead to the seesaw effect seen during the H1 event?
B-type natriuretic peptide is an independent predictor of endothelial function in man
Authors: Pauriah Maheshwar , Khan Faisel , Lim Tiong K. , Elder Douglas H. , Godfrey Valerie , Kennedy Gwen , Belch Jill J. F. , Booth Nuala A. , Struthers Allan D. , Lang Chim C.
Published: March 2012

BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) has been reported to be elevated in preclinical states of vascular damage. To elucidate the relationship between plasma BNP and endothelial function, we have investigated the relationship between BNP and endothelial function in a cohort of subjects comprising healthy subjects as well as at-risk subjects with cardiovascular risk factors. To also clarify the relative contribution of different biological pathways to the individual variation in endothelial function, we have examined the relationship between a panel of multiple biomarkers and endothelial function. A total of 70 subjects were studied (mean age, 58.1±4.6 years; 27% had a history of hypertension and 18% had a history of hypercholesterolaemia). Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was evaluated by the invasive ACH (acetylcholine)-induced forearm vasodilatation technique. A panel of biomarkers of biological pathways was measured: BNP, haemostatic factors PAI-1 (plasminogen-activator inhibitor 1) and tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), inflammatory markers, including cytokines [hs-CRP (high sensitive C-reactive protein), IL (interleukin)-6, IL-8, IL-18, TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) and MPO (myeloperoxidase] and soluble adhesion molecules [E-selectin and sCD40 (soluble CD40)]. The median BNP level in the study population was 26.9 pg/ml. Multivariate regression analyses show that age, the total cholesterol/HDL (high-density lipoprotein) ratio, glucose and BNP were independent predictors of endothelial function, and BNP remained an independent predictor (P=0.009) in a binary logistic regression analysis using FBF (forearm blood flow) as a dichotomous variable based on the median value. None of the other plasma biomarkers was independently related to ACH-mediated vasodilatation. In a strategy using several biomarkers to relate to endothelial function, plasma BNP was found to be an independent predictor of endothelial function as assessed by endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in response to ACH.
A comparative computational study of FKrCCH…Y, FCCKrH…Y, and FCCH…Y complexes (Y = BF, CO, N2, OH2, OH(CH3), O(CH3)2)
Authors: McDowell Sean A. C. , Volney Giselle S.
Published: March 2012

The structural and spectroscopic changes in complexes of FCCKrH…Y and FKrCCH…Y (Y = BF, CO, N2, OH2, OH(CH3), O(CH3)2) were computed at the MP2/6-31++G(d,p) level of theory and compared with the corresponding properties for FCCH…Y. The computed bond length changes and frequency shifts on complexation were rationalized by comparing with a perturbation model, which gives quantitative agreement with the standard ab initio results. A recently proposed model also gives a reasonable qualitative account of the observed trends in these complexes.
Structural phase transitions in Ti-doped Bi1-xNdxFeO3 ceramics
Authors: Kalantari Kambiz , Sterianou Iasmi , Sinclair Derek C. , Bingham Paul A. , Pokorný Jan , Reaney Ian M.
Published: March 2012

Recently, it was demonstrated that donor doping with Ti on the B-site significantly reduces the conductivity in Bi0.85Nd0.15FeO3 ceramics [Kalantari et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 21, 3737 (2011)]. In this contribution, the phase transitions as a function of Nd concentration are investigated in 3% Ti doped Bi1-xNdxFeO3 ceramics. Paraelectric (PE) to ferroelectric (FE) transitions were observed for compositions with x ≤ 0.125 which manifested themselves as peaks in permittivity. In contrast, PE to antiferroelectric (AFE) transitions for 0.15 ≤ x ≤ 0.20 gave rise to a step-like change in the permittivity with x = 0.25 exhibiting no sharp anomalies and remaining PE until room temperature. The large volume change at the PE to FE/AFE transitions, reported by Levin and co-workers [Phys. Rev. B 81, 020103 (2011)] and observed here by dilatometry, coupled with their first-order character constrain the transitions to occur uniformly throughout the material in an avalanche-like manner. Hence, the anomalies in DSC, permittivity and thermal expansion occur over a commensurately narrow temperature interval. However, despite the large volume change and eye-catching anomalies in DSC, the latent heats for the transitions in Ti-doped Bi1-xNdxFeO3 are similar to Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (1–3 kJ/mol) with each an order of magnitude greater than BaTiO3 (∼0.2 kJ/mol). A broad frequency dependent dielectric anomaly of unknown origin in the temperature range 250–450 °C was also observed in all samples.
Effect of internal optical loss on the modulation bandwidth of a quantum dot laser
Authors: Wu Yuchang , Suris Robert A. , Asryan Levon V.
Published: March 2012

We show that the internal optical loss, which increases with free-carrier density in the waveguide region, considerably reduces the modulation bandwidth ω−3 dB of a quantum dot laser. At a certain optimum value j0opt of the dc component of the injection current density, the maximum bandwidth ω-3dBmax is attained and the modulation response function becomes as flat as possible. With internal loss cross-section σint increasing and approaching its maximum tolerable value, ω-3dBmax decreases and becomes zero. As with j0opt, there also exists the optimum cavity length, at which ω−3 dB is highest; the larger is σint, the longer is the optimum cavity.
Linear oscillations of constrained drops, bubbles, and plane liquid surfaces
Authors: Prosperetti Andrea
Published: March 2012

The small-amplitude oscillations of constrained drops, bubbles, and plane liquid surfaces are studied theoretically. The constraints have the form of closed lines of zero thickness which prevent the motion of the liquid in the direction normal to the undisturbed free surface. It is shown that, by accounting explicitly for the singular nature of the curvature of the interface and the force exerted by the constraint, methods of analysis very close to the standard ones applicable to the unconstrained case can be followed. Weak viscous effects are accounted for by means of the dissipation function. Graphical and numerical results for the oscillations of constrained drops and bubbles are presented. Examples of two- and three-dimensional gravity-capillary waves are treated by the same method. A brief consideration of the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable configuration shows that the nature of the instability is not affected, although its growth rate is decreased.
On the electrical conductivity of Ti-implanted alumina
Authors: Salvadori M. C. , Teixeira F. S. , Cattani M. , Nikolaev A. , Savkin K. P. , Oks E. M. , Park H.-K. , Phillips L. , Yu K. M. , Brown I. G.
Published: March 2012

Ion implantation of metal species into insulators provides a tool for the formation of thin, electrically conducting, surface layers with experimenter-controlled resistivity. High energy implantation of Pt and Ti into alumina accelerator components has been successfully employed to control high voltage surface breakdown in a number of cases. In the work described here we have carried out some basic investigations related to the origin of this phenomenon. By comparison of the results of alumina implanted with Ti at 75 keV with the results of prior investigations of polymers implanted with Pt at 49 eV and Au at 67 eV, we describe a physical model of the effect based on percolation theory and estimate the percolation parameters for the Ti-alumina composite. We estimate that the percolation dose threshold is about 4 × 1016 cm−2 and the maximum dose for which the system remains an insulator-conductor composite is about 10 × 1016 cm−2. The saturation electrical conductivity is estimated to be about 50 S/m. We conclude that the observed electrical conductivity properties of Ti-implanted alumina can be satisfactorily described by percolation theory.
Tailored assembly of colloidal particles: Alternative fabrication of photonic crystal or photonic glass
Authors: Emoto Akira , Fukuda Takashi
Published: March 2012

We demonstrate tailored assembly of colloidal particles in a glass cell. Photonic crystal or photonic glass is alternatively formed by changing the growth rate. The growth rate was controlled via the surrounding humidity. Thus, the two phases (photonic crystal and photonic glass) are formed adjacently and repetitively. Photonic characteristics specific to each phase are also obtained from the cell. The sequential formation process yields a system with unique properties suitable for functionalized optical device applications.
Communication: Revised electron affinity of SF6 from kinetic data
Authors: Troe Jürgen , Miller Thomas M. , Viggiano Albert A.
Published: March 2012

Previously determined experimental data for thermal attachment of electrons to SF6 and thermal detachment from SF6− over the range 590–670 K are reevaluated by a third-law analysis. Recent high precision calculations of SF6− harmonic frequences and anharmonicities (for several of the modes) lead to considerable changes in modeled vibrational partition functions which then have to be accommodated for by a smaller value of the derived adiabatic electron affinity EA of SF6. The previously estimated value of EA = 1.20 (±0.05) eV in this way is reduced to a value of EA = 1.03 (±0.05) eV. In addition, the bond dissociation energy E0,dis for SF6− → SF5− + F is reduced to E0,dis = 1.44 (±0.05) eV. Finally, the consequences for modeled specific rate constants kdet(E,J) of electron detachment from SF6− are discussed.
Photoluminescence fatigue in three-dimensional silicon/silicon-germanium nanostructures
Authors: Modi N. , Tsybeskov L. , Baribeau J.-M. , Wu X. , Lockwood D. J.
Published: March 2012

We find fatigue of low temperature photoluminescence (PL) in Si/SiGe three-dimensional island morphology nanostructures under continuous excitation. Initially, the PL intensity slowly decreases by less than 15%, and after ~10 min it decreases rapidly by more than 80%. After the PL intensity stabilizes, a complete recovery requires heating the sample to nearly room temperature. We propose that accumulation of charge within SiGe islands is responsible for the enhancement of Auger recombination and hence the observed PL fatigue.
“My imperfect attempt towards an English Grammar”
Authors: Tieken-Boon van Ostade Ingrid
Published: March 2012

This article provides an analysis of the only evidence that has — to the author’s knowledge — come down to us of the correspondence between the most authoritative 18th-century English grammarian Robert Lowth (1710–1787) and James Harris (1709–1780), author of the philosophical grammar Hermes (1751). The two extant letters uniquely provide insight into Lowth’s views on the pedagogical function of his grammar, on the innovatory aspect of his critical footnotes, and on some of the doubts and uncertainties he experienced while writing his grammar. All this adds to the radically different view of Lowth as a grammarian presented in The Bishop’s Grammar (Tieken-Boon van Ostade 2011), while the article also throws light on Lowth’s attempts at establishing a more private relationship with the author of one of the most important works within the wider 18th-century English grammatical tradition.
An overview of South African psychology
Authors: Cooper Saths , Nicholas Lionel
Published: March 2012

This overview of psychology in South Africa presents a concise and historical account of its science and practice, from its early origins in the late nineteenth century to the present, and traces seminal influences on the discipline. It is a review of how psychology in South Africa developed over more than a century to become one of the most popular subjects in universities and an established and recognized profession, whose members play a variety of roles in the South African polity and larger society. The impact that apartheid racism had on key aspects of psychology's development is traversed, and the influences that previous ruling party politics had on professional psychological organizations are delineated. The unification of psychology under the Psychological Society of South Africa, a few months before the advent of democracy in South Africa, is explicated. The protection of the title of psychologist in law and certain other changes in the legislative environment, enabling a greater role for psychologists, are reported. The primary research sites for psychology and its funding and the main university psychology programs are described, as are the requirements for registration and licensure. The genesis and the importance of the work of internationally acclaimed South African psychologists, such as J. Wolpe and A. A. Lazarus, are contextualized. With the increased participation of progressive black psychologists in leadership and research in the past two decades, a transformed psychology has the potential to play a significant role in addressing human issues confronting South Africa.
Global oceanic production of nitrous oxide
Authors: Freing Alina , Wallace Douglas W. R. , Bange Hermann W.
Published: March 2012

We use transient time distributions calculated from tracer data together with
in situ
measurements of nitrous oxide (N
2
O) to estimate the concentration of biologically produced N
2
O and N
2
O production rates in the ocean on a global scale. Our approach to estimate the N
2
O production rates integrates the effects of potentially varying production and decomposition mechanisms along the transport path of a water mass. We estimate that the oceanic N
2
O production is dominated by nitrification with a contribution of only approximately 7 per cent by denitrification. This indicates that previously used approaches have overestimated the contribution by denitrification. Shelf areas may account for only a negligible fraction of the global production; however, estuarine sources and coastal upwelling of N
2
O are not taken into account in our study. The largest amount of subsurface N
2
O is produced in the upper 500 m of the water column. The estimated global annual subsurface N
2
O production ranges from 3.1 ± 0.9 to 3.4 ± 0.9 Tg N yr
−1
. This is in agreement with estimates of the global N
2
O emissions to the atmosphere and indicates that a N
2
O source in the mixed layer is unlikely. The potential future development of the oceanic N
2
O source in view of the ongoing changes of the ocean environment (deoxygenation, warming, eutrophication and acidification) is discussed.
Modelling natamycin release from alginate/chitosan active films
Authors: da Silva Mariana Altenhofen , Bierhalz Andréa Cristiane Krause , Kieckbusch Theo Guenter
Published: March 2012

In antimicrobial active films, the active agent is incorporated in the polymeric matrix and is released from the film to the product surface where most deterioration processes take place. In this study, films structured solely by alginate and by blends of alginate:chitosan (82.5:17.5 and 65:35) were obtained by casting. The film formulations received natamycin (4 and 8 g/100 g biopolymer) as antimicrobial agent. Films were characterised according to their thickness and morphology. Diffusion experiments in water indicated very slow release kinetics of the antimicrobial, being markedly hindered in the alginate and chitosan composite films, probably due to electrostatic interactions between chitosan and natamycin. Fickian diffusion prevailed and the diffusion coefficients found for the films varied from 2.6 × 10−11 to 2.5 × 10−12 cm2 s−1.
Antioxidative activities and the chemical constituents of two Chinese teas, Camellia kucha and C. ptilophylla
Authors: Li Kaikai , Shi Xianggang , Yang Xiaorong , Wang Yuanyuan , Ye Chuangxing , Yang Zhongyi
Published: March 2012

Two kinds of green tea were prepared with the young shoots of Camellia kucha and C. ptilophylla, and antioxidative activities of the chemical constituents were determined. Levels of alkaloids, catechins, total polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography and UV‐Vis spectrophotometer. Antioxidative activity was evaluated by applying 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. Our results showed that theobromine was the only alkaloid in C. ptilophylla, while there was theacrine in C. kucha, which was coexisting with the caffeine. We confirmed the high content of (−)‐gallocatechin gallate in C. ptilophylla was not the epimerisation of (−)‐epigallocatechin gallate during the heating procedure. These wild teas had higher content of tea polyphenols, water extracts, amion acids and stronger antioxidative activity compared with the longjing tea. They could be used for the development of noncaffeine beverages and new types of tea.
Identification of two new HLA‐G alleles, G*01:01:03:03 and G*01:01:21, in Brazilian individuals
Authors: Castelli E. C. , de Albuquerque R. S. , Veiga‐Castelli L. C. , Felício L. P. , Beachemin K. , Faucher M. C. , Moreau P. , Donadi E. A. , Roger M.
Published: March 2012

Here we report two new non‐classical class I HLA‐G alleles found in the Brazilian population.
Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in scleroderma‐related conditions
Authors: Balbir‐Gurman A. , Brook O. R. , Chermesh I. , Braun‐Moscovici Y.
Published: March 2012

Aims:  Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare life‐threatening gastrointestinal complication in the course of connective tissue disease (CTD). PCI is characterised by the appearance of intramural clusters of gas in the small and large bowel wall on X‐ray or computed tomography and often is accompanied by free air in the peritoneal cavity.

Methods:  We present three cases of PCI in patients with scleroderma‐related conditions. A review of the English language literature published on MEDLINE from 1973 to 2008 was conducted using the terms: ‘systemic sclerosis’, ‘connective tissue disease’ and ‘pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis’. This review focused on clinical features, diagnostic and treatment strategies of PCI in the context of CTD.

Results:  Symptoms of PCI are non‐specific: abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, bloating and weight loss. Coexistence of PCI with other manifestations of CTD, such as intestinal pseudo‐obstruction and/or bacterial overgrowth, complicates the clinical diagnosis. Treatment approach to PCI is mostly conservative: intestinal ‘rest’, parenteral nutrition, antibiotics, fluids and electrolyte supplementation, and inhaled oxygen. Surgical intervention should be performed only in cases of bowel perforation, ischaemia or necrosis. Patients with PCI have high mortality rates due to PCI itself but also to the severity and variety of basic CTD complications.

Conclusion:  Recognition of PCI, particularly in the context of underlying CTD, is necessary for proper therapeutic application. In patients with underlying CTD and symptoms of abdominal emergency, recruitment of multidisciplinary teams, including rheumatologist, gastroenterologist, imaging specialist and surgeons familiar with intestinal complications of CTD‐related conditions, is warranted.
Prevalence of error‐prone abbreviations used in medication prescribing for hospitalised patients: multi‐hospital evaluation
Authors: Dooley M. J. , Wiseman M. , Gu G.
Published: March 2012

The use of error‐prone abbreviations in prescribing is a potential cause of misinterpretation that may lead to medication error. This study determined frequency and type of error‐prone abbreviations in inpatient medication prescribing across three Australian hospitals. Three hundred and sixty‐nine (76.9%) patients had one or more error‐prone abbreviations used in prescribing, with 8.4% of orders containing at least one error‐prone abbreviation and 29.6% of these considered to be high risk for causing significant harm.
Role for the left atrial appendage occlusion device in managing thromboembolic risk in atrial fibrillation
Authors: Obeyesekere M. N. , Lockwood S. , Mottram P. , Alison J. F.
Published: March 2012

Only 50% of patients who would benefit from warfarin therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF) receive treatment because of clinical concerns regarding chronic anti‐coagulation. Percutaneous strategies to treat AF, including pulmonary vein isolation with a curative intent or atrioventricular nodal ablation and implantation of a permanent pacemaker for palliative rate control, have not eliminated the need to manage thromboembolic risk. With the development of a percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion device (the WATCHMAN percutaneous left atrial appendage occluder – Atritech Inc., Plymouth, MN, USA) for thromboembolic protection in non‐valvular AF a significant therapeutic option for select patients may be available. We present the first case performed in Australia (24 November 2009) and explore this new methodology.
Efficacy of rituximab in refractory antisynthetase syndrome
Authors: Limaye V. , Hissaria P. , Liew C.‐L. , Koszyka B.
Published: March 2012

We report the successful use of repeated administration of rituximab in a patient with antisynthetase syndrome refractory to conventional immunosuppressive medications. A literature review revealed that previous experience with rituximab in this condition has been sparse. The rationale for the use of B‐cell depleting therapies in antisynthetase syndrome has been explored in light of the current understanding of the pathogenesis of this condition.
No evidence or no alternative? Taking responsibility for off‐label prescribing
Authors: Ghinea N. , Lipworth W. , Kerridge I. , Day R.
Published: March 2012

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is registered for patients with rare haematological disorders, but is used ‘off‐label’ in many other situations, including intracranial haemorrhage, cardiac surgery, trauma, transplantation and prostatectomy. Lack of systematic evidence to support these off‐label uses has not slowed the growth of off‐label prescribing of rFVIIa. We use the case of rFVIIa to illustrate the issues raised by off‐label prescribing, and the kind of impasse that can arise when views about evidence, expertise and clinical necessity are in conflict. We argue that clinicians, hospital drug committees and regulators all need to acknowledge the complexity of prescribing decisions, and ensure that decisions to prescribe off‐label are sufficiently justified.
Management of opioid substitution therapy during medical intervention
Authors: Murnion B.
Published: March 2012

Opioid substitution therapy (OST) for opioid dependence is common, and injection drug users have significant medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Many physicians will encounter OST patients in their usual practice. This article provides guidance on management of common clinical problems in this population, including OST management in hepatic failure, respiratory disease, pain management and potential drug interactions.
Fluorescein angiography of the canine posterior segment using a dSLR camera adaptor
Authors: Pirie Chris G , Cooper Johanna , Pizzirani Stefano
Published: March 2012

Purpose  To describe the use of a digital single lens reflex (dSLR) camera adaptor for conducting posterior segment fluorescein angiography in canines.

Methods  Ten beagle dogs free of ocular and systemic disease were used. All dogs received maropitant citrate (1.0 mg/kg SQ), diphenhydramine (2.0 mg/kg SQ), and topical 1% tropicamide 20 min prior to sedation using butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg IV). Standard color and red‐free fundus images were obtained prior to the administration of 10% sodium fluorescein (20 mg/kg IV). Image acquisition was performed using a dSLR camera (Canon 7D), dSLR camera adaptor, camera lens (Canon 60 mm macro), and a 60D indirect ophthalmic lens, in addition to an accessory flash (Canon 580EXII). Two combinations of excitation and barrier filters were assessed (absorptive vs. interference). Imaging occurred at a rate of 1/s immediately following the fluorescein bolus for a total of 30 s and then at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min.

Results  Quality high resolution fluorescein angiographic images of the canine posterior segment were obtainable. All angiographic phases were identified and time sequences were recorded. Use of interference filters improved image contrast and transmission properties as compared to absorptive filters. No adverse events were noted.

Conclusions  The described dSLR camera adaptor provides an alternative to existing posterior segment imaging systems capable of performing fluorescein angiography. High resolution image acquisition occurred at a fraction of the cost of established imaging systems.
Miscellaneous vitreous‐derived IgM antibodies target numerous retinal proteins in equine recurrent uveitis
Authors: Zipplies Johanna K. , Hauck Stefanie M. , Eberhardt Christina , Hirmer Sieglinde , Amann Barbara , Stangassinger Manfred , Ueffing Marius , Deeg Cornelia A.
Published: March 2012

Objective  In equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), immune reactions are directed toward known antigens like S‐antigen, interphotoreceptor retinoid‐binding protein, and cellular retinalaldehyde‐binding protein, and anti‐retinal antibodies were detected in vitreous samples. The aim of this study was the investigation of intraocular immunoglobulin M (IgM) reactivities to retinal proteome.

Procedures  Retina was separated by one‐ and two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and blotted semidry on PVDF membranes. To identify intraocular IgM antibody responses to retinal tissue, blots were incubated with vitreous samples of ERU‐diseased horses (n = 50) and healthy controls (n = 30), followed by an HRP‐labeled secondary antibody specific for equine IgM. Noticeable 2D western blot signals were aligned on a 2D gel of retinal proteome, excised, and subsequently identified by tandem mass spectrometry.

Results  Interestingly, frequent and very miscellaneous IgM response patterns to the retinal proteome in 68% of ERU vitreous samples were detected. Binding of IgM antibodies was localized at 17 different molecular weights. The most frequently detected signal, in 21 of the 50 samples, was located at 49 kDa. Comparing the samples interindividually between one and up to nine different signals in one sample could be observed. All healthy vitreous samples were devoid of IgM antibodies. Analysis of targeted spots with mass spectrometry led to the clear identification of 11 different proteins (corresponding to 16 different spots). One candidate could not be discovered so far.

Conclusion  The considerable IgM response to retinal proteins demonstrates an ongoing immune response, which might contribute to the remitting relapsing character of ERU. Novel identified target proteins point to a diverse response pattern of individual ERU cases.
Presumptive electric cataracts in a Great Horned owl (Bubo virginianus)
Authors: Dees D. Dustin , MacLaren Nicole E.
Published: March 2012

This case report describes suspected electrocution in a juvenile female Great Horned owl (Bubo virginianus) with subsequent bilateral cataract formation. The bird flew into a high‐voltage power line and was immediately rescued. Burn wounds of the head and ataxia with apparent blindness were noted. Initial ophthalmic examination 5 days after the incident revealed bilaterally symmetrical anterior subcapsular vacuolar cataracts with absence of intraocular inflammation and a predominantly clear view to the normal appearing fundus. The bird appeared to be nonvisual. No ophthalmic medications were prescribed at initial examination. Subsequent recheck examination at 8 weeks revealed moderate resolution of the cataracts and improved vision. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published report of suspected electric cataracts in an avian species.
Federalism, Party Organization and the Australian Greens
Authors: Miragliotta Narelle
Published: March 2012

The influence of federalism on the organizational arrangements adopted by Australia's parties endures. This study examines the organizational structure of the State and Territory divisions of the Australian Greens through an analysis of their local party constitutions. It shows that there are important areas of difference in the organizations of state and territory Greens, despite their shared ideological commitment to inclusive internal party structures. These variations are a function of institutional and political factors, especially those induced by the Australian federal system. It is argued that differences in the organizational formats of state and territory party divisions reflect the historical circumstances in which they emerged and variations in the institutional (regional) setting in which they are located.
Francis Fukuyama and the Origins of Political Order and the State: A Historical Critique
Authors: Melleuish Gregory
Published: March 2012

This essay examines the model of state development put forward by Francis Fukuyama in his book, The Origins of Political Order. It argues that the evolutionary model used by Fukuyama experiences problems when it comes to dealing with specific historical examples. Its emphasis on the Qin state as the “first modern state” places an excessive emphasis on coercion and violence as the basis of the state. It attempts to relegate Rome to being equivalent to a chiefdom to fit it into his model whereas in reality Rome evolved differently to China and relied much more on cooperation and networks. England after 1688 provides another example of how Fukuyama's model is deficient. On this basis the paper argues that a universal evolutionary model is insufficient to explain political development and it is more appropriate to begin analysis with real political societies.
Reinvestigating the Noticing Function of Output
Authors: Uggen Maren S.
Published: March 2012

A conceptual replication of Izumi and Bigelow's research, this study used multiple measures to investigate second language (L2) learners’ processes in output‐input‐output sequences. Specifically, it examined whether producing the target language impacts learners’ attention to L2 structures in subsequent input. Thirty learners of English as a second language were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (EGs) and a control group (CG). The EGs were given opportunities for written output that elicited either the past or the present hypothetical‐conditional (more complex vs. less complex structures) while the CG was not prompted to produce output requiring the use of the target structures. All groups engaged in follow‐up reading and underlining activities. The input text modeled targetlike use of the relevant structure for the EGs. Subsequently, all participants produced a second essay and participated in a stimulated recall interview. While the quantitative underlining and test data did not support an effect of output (EGs vs. CG) on specific attention to grammar in subsequent text, the qualitative stimulated‐recall data revealed how output influences learners’ subsequent noticing of vocabulary and/or awareness of their linguistic limitations concerning grammar structures. Learning was greater with the more complex structure, which is discussed in light of the noticing hypothesis and information processing theory.
Describing the Female Sculptor in Early Modern Italy: An Analysis of the vita of Properzia de' Rossi in Giorgio Vasari's Lives
Authors: Quin Sally
Published: March 2012

Bolognese sculptor Properzia de’ Rossi (c. 1490–1530) is distinguished as the only female artist to be afforded extended analysis in Giorgio Vasari's first edition of the Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects (1550). Scholars have focused largely on the way in which Properzia's description aligns with derogatory assumptions about female nature in early modern Italy. While this is a defining characteristic of Properzia's vita, my paper explores alternative and potentially positive aspects of the text, by considering Vasari's attempts to integrate Properzia into the broader enterprise of the Lives and, more generally, art historical discourse of the time. I will argue that Vasari's approach invites a polemical response connected to these wider issues by setting up a paradoxical relationship between Properzia's archetypal female body and the manual movement required of it to sculpt. In contrasting notions of the feminine and the masculine, the noble body and the ignoble body, the intellectual and the manual, Properzia's vita can be connected specifically to the paragone (comparison) between painting and sculpture and also to questions relating to the status of the artist. In such a way the female artist is seen to take on an emblematic and instructive role within the text.
The Courtesan Tale: Female Musicians and Dancers in Mughal Historical Chronicles, c.1556–1748
Authors: Schofield Katherine Butler
Published: March 2012

There are many problems in trying to construct a history of female musicians and dancers in Mughal North India. Such women appear frequently in Mughal writings and apparently played an important role in elite society; there is clearly much we can learn from such sources about gender and class in the empire generally, as well as female performers more specifically. However, what evidence we have is written from the perspective of their male patrons and cast according to long‐standing rhetorical and cultural conventions concerning the fateful roles of music and love in historical events. In this article I examine how Mughal historical chronicles transform named female performers into stereotyped agents of the downfall of noblemen. Using the stories of several historical courtesans, I demonstrate how stock topoi of desire, enslavement, longing, rebellion, danger, fate and above all musical and erotic power, were used to shape all stories of courtesans into tragic cautionary tales. I aim to show that the ‘fictive’ elements of Mughal courtesan tales furthermore reveal important cultural truths about the role and meanings of music in Mughal male society.
False‐Positive Meconium Test Results for Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters Secondary to Delayed Sample Collection
Authors: Zelner Irene , Hutson Janine R. , Kapur Bhushan M. , Feig Denice S. , Koren Gideon
Published: March 2012

Background

Meconium analysis for fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) is a validated method for identifying heavy prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure. This study investigated whether delayed sample collection can result in false‐positive test results for FAEEs because of collection of samples potentially contaminated with postnatally produced stool.

Methods

Serial excretions were prospectively collected from neonates born to nondrinking mothers to capture the transition from meconium to postnatal stool. These were analyzed for FAEEs using headspace‐solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Experiments involving incubation of samples with glucose or EtOH were performed to explore a potential mechanism of FAEE elevation.

Results

A total of 136 samples were collected from 30 neonates during their first few days of life (median of 4 samples/baby over a mean period of 68.5 hours postpartum). Although the first‐collected meconium sample tested negative for FAEEs in all babies, later samples tested above the 2 nmol/g positive cutoff in 19 of 30 babies. Median time to appearance of FAEE‐positive samples was 59.2 hours postpartum. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FAEE levels can be further increased in late samples (likely containing postnatal stool) after incubation with glucose, and that FAEEs are readily formed in meconium in the presence of EtOH.

Conclusions

Collection of samples excreted later in the postpartum period can lead to false‐positive test results for FAEEs, which could be because of contamination with dietary components of postnatally produced stool and EtOH‐producing microorganisms. Clinically, it is critical to collect the earliest possible excretion for determination of FAEEs to ensure that the FAEE content is representative of in utero EtOH exposure.
Forecasting the Effect of the Amethyst Initiative on College Drinking
Authors: Fitzpatrick Ben G. , Scribner Richard , Ackleh Azmy S. , Rasul Jawaid , Jacquez Geoffrey , Simonsen Neal , Rommel Robert
Published: March 2012

Background

A number of college presidents have endorsed the Amethyst Initiative, a call to consider lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). Our objective is to forecast the effect of the Amethyst Initiative on college drinking.

Methods

A system model of college drinking simulates MLDA changes through (i) a decrease in heavy episodic drinking (HED) because of the lower likelihood of students drinking in unsupervised settings where they model irresponsible drinking (misperception), and (ii) an increase in overall drinking among currently underage students because of increased social availability of alcohol (wetness).

Results

For the proportion of HEDs on campus, effects of large decreases in misperception of responsible drinking behavior were more than offset by modest increases in wetness.

Conclusions

For the effect of lowering the MLDA, it appears that increases in social availability of alcohol have a stronger impact on drinking behavior than decreases in misperceptions.
Nucleus Accumbens mGluR5‐Associated Signaling Regulates Binge Alcohol Drinking Under Drinking‐in‐the‐Dark Procedures
Authors: Cozzoli Debra K. , Courson Justin , Caruana Amanda L. , Miller Bailey W. , Greentree Daniel I. , Thompson Andrew B. , Wroten Melissa G. , Zhang Ping‐Wu , Xiao Bo , Hu Jia‐Hua , Klugmann Matthias , Metten Pamela , Worley Paul F. , Crabbe John C. , Szumlinski Karen K.
Published: March 2012

Background

Alcohol increases the expression of Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and their associated scaffolding protein Homer2 and stimulates phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) within the nucleus accumbens (NAC). Moreover, functional studies suggest that NAC Group 1 mGluR/Homer2/PI3K signaling may be a potential target for pharmacotherapeutic intervention in alcoholism.

Methods

Immunoblotting was conducted to examine the effects of alcohol consumption under drinking‐in‐the‐dark (DID) procedures on Group 1 mGluR‐associated proteins in C57BL/6J (B6) mice. Follow‐up behavioral studies examined the importance of Group 1 mGluR/Homer2/PI3K signaling within the NAC shell for limited‐access alcohol drinking. Finally, immunoblotting examined whether the NAC expression of Group 1 mGluR‐associated proteins is a genetic correlate of high alcohol drinking using a selectively bred high DID (HDID‐1) mouse line.

Results

Limited‐access alcohol drinking under DID procedures up‐regulated NAC shell Homer2 levels, concomitant with increases in mGluR5 and NR2B. Intra‐NAC shell blockade of mGluR5, Homer2, or PI3K signaling, as well as transgenic disruption of the Homer binding site on mGluR5, decreased alcohol consumption in B6 mice. Moreover, transgenic disruption of the Homer binding site on mGluR5 and Homer2 deletion both prevented the attenuating effect of mGluR5 and PI3K blockade upon intake. Finally, the basal NAC shell protein expression of mGluR1 and Homer2 was increased in offspring of HDID‐1 animals.

Conclusions

Taken together, these data further implicate Group 1 mGluR signaling through Homer2 within the NAC in excessive alcohol consumption.
The Insurance Industry's Talent Gap and Where We Go From Here
Authors: Cole Cassandra R. , McCullough Kathleen A.
Published: March 2012

Abstract

There is concern among insurers and related firms in the United States and abroad that there will be a shortage of skilled insurance professionals in the next few years as current workers retire. Though there have been discussions among insurers, organizations, and academics as to how to address this issue, until recently, each group has been primarily working in isolation. The Insurance Education & Career Summit, which took place in September 2011, brought together 110 individuals across these groups for the purpose of creating a unified strategy to both attract and retain skilled workers to the insurance industry and work to create the next generation of insurance executives. This article provides a brief background on the talent gap issue. We also discuss its potential impact on the insurance industry. Finally, we summarize the main obstacles identified by Summit participants to both attracting and retaining skilled workers as well as the strategies developed to overcome these obstacles.