bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation study of the “Sniffin’ Sticks” olfactory test in a British population: a preliminary communication
Authors: Neumann C. , Tsioulos K. , Merkonidis C. , Salam M. , Clark A. , Philpott C.
Published: March 2012

Clin. Otolaryngol. 2012, 37, 23–27

Objective:  The ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ olfactory test contains pen‐like odour dispensing devices which are used to assess olfactory threshold, discrimination and identification. Odour identification is strongly dependent on familiarity with the odours and has an important cultural component which has limited the usefulness of other validated tests. The ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ test was developed in Germany and is validated in other countries but not in the UK. This study aims to validate the applicability of ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ in a local population.

Design:  Prospective controlled study.

Setting: Rhinology or olfactory disorder clinic.

Participants:  About 82 subjects, 33 healthy volunteers with a reported normal sense of smell, and 49 patients with an impaired sense of smell presenting either at a rhinology or an olfactory disorder clinic. Each subject’s olfactory function was assessed using the ‘Sniffin’ Sticks’ test with a maximum score of 48.

Main outcome measures:  Threshold, discrimination and identification scores along with the combined olfactory score.

Results:  The mean age of the subjects tested was 46.7 years; 46 female and 36 male. In the patient group 36 were hyposmic and 13 anosmic. In the healthy volunteers group all subjects were normosmic. In the control group the mean combined olfactory score was 34.5 (±2.5). The mean combined score in the patients group was 20.8 (±7.4). Odour threshold scores were 3.7(±2.8) for patients (hyposmics and anomics) and 8.3(±1.8) for controls. In the identification test the controls mean score was 13.6 (±1.2) for while the patients’ mean score was 8.6 (±3.5).

Conclusions:  In our sample of the local population the combined olfactory and odour identification scores for healthy volunteers and patients with olfactory disorders are comparable with the normative data published on large samples of European populations. However, modification of a few of the distracters is recommended for British patients based on our findings.
Bioactivities of Chicken Essence
Authors: Li Y.F. , He R.R. , Tsoi B. , Kurihara H.
Published: March 2012

Abstract:  The special flavor and health effects of chicken essence are being widely accepted by people. Scientific researches are revealing its truth as a tonic food in traditional health preservation. Chicken essence has been found to possess many bioactivities including relief of stress and fatigue, amelioration of anxiety, promotion of metabolisms and post‐partum lactation, improvement on hyperglycemia and hypertension, enhancement of immune, and so on. These activities of chicken essence are suggested to be related with its active components, including proteins, dipeptides (such as carnosine and anserine), polypeptides, minerals, trace elements, and multiple amino acids, and so on. Underlying mechanisms responsible for the bioactivities of chicken essence are mainly related with anti‐stress, anti‐oxidant, and neural regulation effects. However, the mechanisms are complicated and may be mediated via the combined actions of many active components, more than the action of 1 or 2 components alone.
Changing Societies, Changing Childhood: Studying the Impact of Globalization on Child Development
Authors: Thompson Ross A.
Published: March 2012

Although children are significantly affected by globalization in many ways, there has been little study of its impact on their development. Understanding the effects of the political, economic, and cultural changes associated with globalization requires diverse research strategies designed to (a) provide an impact analysis of the effects of changes associated with globalization on local social ecologies (e.g., families, schools, neighborhoods, health‐care system) and on children's everyday experience; (b) examine how globalization influences the knowledge, skills, and forms of learning required of children as cultures are affected by worldwide influences; and (c) explore children's interpretations of these changes for themselves and their future. The specific research strategies suitable to these goals include large‐scale social indicators analysis (which can sometimes be drawn from national or international datasets), behavioral studies, document content analyses, ethnographic methods and other approaches to assess specific social practices affecting children, carefully designed child interviews, and coordinated multimethod programs of research that examine the impact of cultural change on children from institutional, societal, and individual perspectives. This article profiles a number of key research challenges and opportunities entailed in the effort to understand how development is shaped, and reshaped, by broader cultural currents.
State oral health infrastructure and capacity: lessons learned from other states
Authors: Isman Beverly A. , Louie Reginald , Phipps Kathy R. , Tatro Betty J. , Mangskau Kathleen , Marianos Donald W.
Published: March 2012

This paper discusses some preliminary findings from the Infrastructure Enhancement Project conducted by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD), which focuses on state oral health programs and their roles in addressing core public health functions and essential public health services. Findings from analysis of state data since 2000, surveys, reports, and key informant interviews substantiate the value of the following: a) state oral health surveillance; b) oral health improvement plans; c) collaborations and coalitions; d) evidence‐based practices and evaluation; e) diversified funding; f) placement and authority of the programs and directors; and g) competencies versus staffing formulas. No single program model fits all the unique populations and political and economic variations among states. Each state is encouraged to use the many tools, resources, and best practices/lessons learned available through ASTDD, federal agencies, and national organizations to design effective and sustainable programs.
A Comparison of physical and dosimetric properties of lung substitute materials
Authors: Chang Kwo‐Ping , Hung Shang‐Ho , Chie Yu‐Huang , Shiau An‐Cheng , Huang Ruey‐Jing
Published: March 2012

Purpose:

The need for an accurate estimate of absorbed doses within and around irradiated thorax tissues necessitates the use of carefully selected materials from which phantoms are constructed. A lung substitute is more difficult to establish mostly due to its low physical density. Although many researchers have used cork as a lung substitute, very little research data address cork's characteristics to determine which type of cork is optimal as a substitute for lung tissue.

Methods:

Natural cork, composition cork, rubber cork, ATOM, RANDO, and a reference lung material (ICRU‐44 lung tissue) were investigated to establish comparisons of physical properties. Following the determination of the respective physical properties, the dose distributions from 6 MV photon beams in water/lung substitute/water phantoms were assessed using the Monte Carlo method. Physical and electron densities affecting the dose distributions through lung tissues in different field size conditions were investigated

Results:

The physical properties (physical density, electronic density, and effective atomic number) of the composition cork are the most similar to those of the ICRU‐44 lung, and the CT number of the composition cork is very similar to that of humans aged 30–60. PDD of the composition cork and the RANDO phantom are the most comparable to that of ICRU‐44 lung in 1 × 1 cm2field size due to the combined properties of physical density (PD) and electron density per gram (EDG) of the studied lung materials. PD and EDG affect the lung dose primarily in small field size. The effects of PD are minimal in large fields, having a more rapid lateral electron equilibrium. EDG dominates PDD pattern in lung material when large fields are applied. Combined effects of PD and EDG are nonlinear for all field sizes.

Conclusions:

The composition cork is the preferred lung substitute based on physical and dosimetric properties.
Regulatory Tasks of the Phosphoenolpyruvate-Phosphotransferase System of Pseudomonas putida in Central Carbon Metabolism
Authors: Chavarría Max , Kleijn Roelco J. , Sauer Uwe , Pflüger-Grau Katharina , de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: March 2012

Two branches of the phosphoenolpyruvate-phosphotransferase system (PTS) operate in the soil bacterium
Pseudomonas putida
KT2440. One branch encompasses a complete set of enzymes for fructose intake (PTS
Fru
), while the other (N-related PTS, or PTS
Ntr
) controls various cellular functions unrelated to the transport of carbohydrates. The potential of these two systems for regulating central carbon catabolism has been investigated by measuring the metabolic fluxes of isogenic strains bearing nonpolar mutations in PTS
Fru
or PTS
Ntr
genes and grown on either fructose (a PTS substrate) or glucose, the transport of which is not governed by the PTS in this bacterium. The flow of carbon from each sugar was distinctly split between the Entner-Doudoroff, pentose phosphate, and Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathways in a ratio that was maintained in each of the PTS mutants examined. However, strains lacking PtsN (EIIA
Ntr
) displayed significantly higher fluxes in the reactions of the pyruvate shunt, which bypasses malate dehydrogenase in the TCA cycle. This was consistent with the increased activity of the malic enzyme and the pyruvate carboxylase found in the corresponding PTS mutants. Genetic evidence suggested that such a metabolic effect of PtsN required the transfer of high-energy phosphate through the system. The EIIA
Ntr
protein of the PTS
Ntr
thus helps adjust central metabolic fluxes to satisfy the anabolic and energetic demands of the overall cell physiology.

IMPORTANCE
This study demonstrates that EIIA
Ntr
influences the biochemical reactions that deliver carbon between the upper and lower central metabolic domains for the consumption of sugars by
P. putida
. These findings indicate that the EIIA
Ntr
protein is a key player for orchestrating the fate of carbon in various physiological destinations in this bacterium. Additionally, these results highlight the importance of the posttranslational regulation of extant enzymatic complexes for increasing the robustness of the corresponding metabolic networks.
Mechanical thrombectomy as the primary treatment for acute basilar artery occlusion: experience from 5 years of practice
Authors: Andersson Tommy , Kuntze Söderqvist Åsa , Söderman Michael , Holmin Staffan , Wahlgren Nils , Kaijser Magnus
Published: March 2012

Background

Most studies of the treatment for acute basilar occlusion focus on intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis whereas data on mechanical thrombectomy as the preferred treatment for acute basilar occlusion are scarce. In this study, data are presented on 28 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy as the preferred treatment for basilar artery occlusion.

Methods

Retrospective study comprising all patients who were treated for acute basilar occlusion at the Karolinska University Hospital from September 2005 to November 2010. Favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin score of ≤2 at 3–8 months after thrombectomy.

Results

Of 28 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy, the proportion reaching a favorable outcome was 57% (95% CI 37% to 75%), and if there were no signs of acute infarction prior to treatment the proportion was 73% (95% CI 50% to 89%). Only 21% died (95% CI 8% to 41%).

Conclusions

The results for mechanical thrombectomy for basilar artery occlusion were superior to those presented previously for intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis. The study suggests that mechanical thrombectomy is a method distinct from therapies based on thrombolysis and that any randomized clinical trial on treatment for acute basilar occlusion must consider mechanical thrombectomy as a separate entity.
Pre-intervention cerebral blood volume predicts outcomes in patients undergoing endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Rai Ansaar T , Raghuram Karthikram , Carpenter Jeffrey S , Domico Jennifer , Hobbs Gerald
Published: March 2012

Background

Pre-intervention perfusion imaging is increasingly becoming part of stroke triage. Small studies supporting imaging based patient selection have been published. The goal of this larger study was to determine if perfusion imaging could impact on functional outcomes in patients undergoing stroke interventions.

Methods

All patients who had undergone endovascular therapy for anterior circulation strokes over a 7 year period were retrospectively analyzed. The pre-intervention perfusion imaging was assessed for size of cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow and mean transit time (MTT) abnormalities. A perfusion mismatch for irreversible versus reversible ischemia was based on CBV and MTT. Clinical outcome and mortality were based on the 90 day modified Rankin Scale. An analysis of the pre-intervention perfusion parameters was then performed to determine any impact on functional outcomes.

Results

110 patients underwent endovascular therapy for anterior circulation strokes. A younger age and lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score were important clinical predictors of favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤2). The extent of the CBV abnormality and percentage of CBV/MTT mismatch were the strongest imaging predictors of outcome and mortality. A CBV area of 229.5 mm2(±290) was seen for favorable outcomes versus 968 mm2(±1173) for poor outcomes (p<0.0001). A CBV/MTT mismatch of 91% (±10.7) was seen for favorable outcomes versus 72.5% (±31.6) for poor outcomes (p=0.0001). The CBV area was 273 mm2(±392) in patients without mortality versus 1401.1 mm2(±1310) in patients with mortality (p<0.0001). Patients who survived had a mean CBV/MTT mismatch of 90.2% (±12.5) versus 61.1% (±35.2) for those who did not (p<0.0001). A CBV lesion approximately greater than one-third of the middle cerebral artery distribution predicted a poor outcome and mortality.

Conclusion

The extent of pre-intervention CBV abnormality is a strong predictor of functional outcomes following endovascular stroke therapy. This information can aid in patient selection and improve procedure efficacy.
Very long-chain-fatty acids enhance adipogenesis through coregulation of Elovl3 and PPARγ in 3T3-L1 cells
Authors: Kobayashi Takeshi , Fujimori Ko
Published: March 2012

Here, we show that Elovl3 (elongation of very long-chain fatty acids 3) was involved in the regulation of the progression of adipogenesis through activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ in mouse adipocytic 3T3-L1 cells. The expression of the Elovl3 gene increased during adipogenesis, the expression pattern of which was similar to that of the PPARγ gene. Troglitazone, a PPARγ agonist, enhanced Elovl3 expression in adipocytes, as it did that of other PPARγ target genes. Promoter-reporter analysis demonstrated that three PPAR-responsive elements in the Elovl3 gene promoter had the potential to activate its expression in 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that PPARγ bound these PPAR-responsive elements of the Elovl3 promoter. When the Elovl3 mRNA level was suppressed by its siRNAs, the level of intracellular triglycerides was significantly decreased, and the expression levels of adipogenic, lipolytic, and lipogenic genes were also repressed. In a mammalian two-hybrid assay, C18:1 and C20:1 very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), which are the products of Elovl3 and activated PPARγ function. In addition, these same VLCFAs could prevent the Elovl3 siRNA-mediated suppression of adipogenesis by enhancing the expression of adipogenic, lipolytic, and lipogenic genes in adipocytes. Moreover, this VLCFAs-mediated activation was repressed by a PPARγ antagonist. These results indicate that the expression of the Elovl3 gene was activated by PPARγ during adipogenesis. Elovl3-produced C18:1 and C20:1 VLCFAs acted as agonists of PPARγ in 3T3-L1 cells. Thus, the Elovl3-PPARγ cascade is a novel regulatory circuit for the regulation of adipogenesis through improvement of PPARγ function in adipocytes.
Coupled Coincidence Points of Mappings in Ordered Partial Metric Spaces
Authors: Golubović Zorana , Kadelburg Zoran , Radenović Stojan
Published: March 2012

New coupled coincidence point and coupled fixed point results in
ordered partial metric spaces under the contractive conditions of Geraghty,
Rakotch, and Branciari types are obtained. Examples show that these results
are distinct from the known ones.
A Fuzzy Logic Controller to Increase Fault Ride-Through Capability of Variable Speed Wind Turbines
Authors: Mokryani Geev , Siano Pierluigi , Piccolo Antonio , Calderaro Vito
Published: March 2012

A fuzzy controller for improving Fault Ride-Through (FRT) capability of Variable Speed Wind Turbines (WTs) equipped with Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) is presented. The controller is designed in order to compensate the voltage at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) by regulating the reactive and active power generated by WTs. The performances of the controller are evaluated in some case studies considering a different number of wind farms in different locations. Simulations, carried out on a real 37-bus Italian weak distribution system, confirmed that the proposed controller can enhance the FRT capability in many cases.
An Adaptive Remeshing Procedure for Proximity Maneuvering Spacecraft Formations
Authors: Garcia-Taberner Laura , Masdemont Josep J.
Published: March 2012

We consider a methodology to optimally obtain reconfigurations of spacecraft formations. It is based on the discretization of the time interval in subintervals (called the mesh) and the obtainment of local solutions on them as a result of a variational method. Applied to a libration point orbit scenario, in this work we focus on how to find optimal meshes using an adaptive remeshing procedure and on the determination of the parameter that governs it.
Web-Based Assessment of Visual and Visuospatial Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Amick Melissa M. , Miller Ivy N. , Neargarder Sandy , Cronin-Golomb Alice
Published: March 2012

Visual and visuospatial dysfunction is prevalent in Parkinson’s disease (PD). To promote assessment of these often overlooked symptoms, we adapted the PD Vision Questionnaire for Internet administration. The questionnaire evaluates visual and visuospatial symptoms, impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs), and motor symptoms. PD participants of mild to moderate motor severity (n=24) and healthy control participants (HC,n=23) completed the questionnaire in paper and web-based formats. Reliability was assessed by comparing responses across formats. Construct validity was evaluated by reference to performance on measures of vision, visuospatial cognition, ADLs, and motor symptoms. The web-based format showed excellent reliability with respect to the paper format for both groups (allP′s<0.001; HC completing the visual and visuospatial section only). Demonstrating the construct validity of the web-based questionnaire, self-rated ADL and visual and visuospatial functioning were significantly associated with performance on objective measures of these abilities (allP′s<0.01). The findings indicate that web-based administration may be a reliable and valid method of assessing visual and visuospatial and ADL functioning in PD.
A Review of Transbuccal Fentanyl Use in the Emergency Department
Authors: Arthur Annette O. , Holder Peyton
Published: March 2012

Patients with severe, painful injuries and illnesses treated in the emergency department are commonly administered opioid medications. Intravenous administration provides the most rapid onset of pain relief and is readily titrated. Fentanyl, administered intravenously, is well documented as an effective medication for pain management in the emergency department. It is preferred in many settings due to its minimal hemodynamic effects, as compared to other commonly used opioids. However, not all patients require intravenous access. These patients are given orally administered pain medications. The oral route is effective at minimizing pain but has a much slower onset of action when compared to the intravenous route. As an alternative to the slower onset of action seen with oral opioids, this paper discusses the use of fentanyl buccal tablet for pain management in the emergency department. Fentanyl buccal tablets are readily absorbed, with a bioavailability of approximately 65%, and have a more rapid onset of action than achieved with traditional oral opioids used in the emergency department.
Effect of High-Temperature Annealing on Ion-Implanted Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Boo Hyunpil , Lee Jong-Han , Kang Min Gu , Lee KyungDong , Kim Seongtak , Hwang Hae Chul , Hwang Wook Jung , Kang Hee Oh , Park Sungeun , Tark Sung Ju , Kim Donghwan
Published: March 2012

P-type and n-type wafers were implanted with phosphorus and boron, respectively, for emitter formation and were annealed subsequently at 950∼1050∘Cfor 30∼90 min for activation. Boron emitters were activated at1000∘Cor higher, while phosphorus emitters were activated at950∘C. QSSPC measurements show that the impliedVocof boron emitters increases about 15 mV and theJ01decreases by deep junction annealing even after the activation due to the reduced recombination in the emitter. However, for phosphorus emitters the impliedVocdecreases from 622 mV to 560 mV and theJ01increases with deep junction annealing. This is due to the abrupt decrease in the bulk lifetime of the p-type wafer itself from 178 μs to 14 μs. PC1D simulation based on these results shows that, for p-type implanted solar cells, increasing the annealing temperature and time abruptly decreases the efficiency (Δηabs=−1.3%), while, for n-type implanted solar cells, deep junction annealing increases the efficiency andVoc, especially (Δηabs=+0.4%) for backside emitter solar cells.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) Decreases Inflammation and Airway Reactivity in a Murine Model of Asthma
Authors: Stankevicius Daniel , Ferraz-de-Paula Viviane , Ribeiro Alison , Pinheiro Milena Lobão , Ligeiro de Oliveira Ana P. , Damazo Amílcar S. , Lapachinske Sílvio F. , Moreau Regina L.M. , Tavares de Lima Wothan , Palermo-Neto João
Published: March 2012

Objective: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy, is a synthetic drug used recreationally, mainly by young people. It has been suggested that MDMA has a Th cell skewing effect, in which Th1 cell activity is suppressed and Th2 cell activity is increased. Experimental allergic airway inflammation in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized rodents is a useful model to study Th2 response; therefore, based on the Th2 skewing effect of MDMA, we studied MDMA in a model of allergic lung inflammation in OVA-sensitized mice. Methods: We evaluated cell trafficking in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, blood and bone marrow; cytokine production; L-selectin expression and lung histology. We also investigated the effects of MDMA on tracheal reactivity in vitro and mast cell degranulation. Results: We found that MDMA given prior to OVA challenge in OVA-sensitized mice decreased leukocyte migration into the lung, as revealed by a lower cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung histologic analysis. We also showed that MDMA decreased expression of both Th2-like cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) and adhesion molecules (L-selectin). Moreover, we showed that the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis is partially involved in the MDMA-induced reduction in leukocyte migration into the lung. Finally, we showed that MDMA decreased tracheal reactivity to methacholine as well as mast cell degranulation in situ. Conclusions: Thus, we report here that MDMA given prior to OVA challenge in OVA-sensitized allergic mice is able to decrease lung inflammation and airway reactivity and that hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activation is partially involved. Together, the data strongly suggest an involvement of a neuroimmune mechanism in the effects of MDMA on lung inflammatory response and cell recruitment to the lungs of allergic animals.
Variability in Laboratory Immune Parameters Is Associated with Stress Hormone Receptor Polymorphisms
Authors: Rehm Kristina E. , Xiang Lianbin , Elci Okan U. , Griswold Michael , Marshall, Jr. Gailen D.
Published: March 2012

Objectives: Interpretation of laboratory immune data in healthy human subjects is often challenging due to wide inter-subject variability. Since endocrine and immune mediators have been mutually interlinked, a potential explanation for the significant variability seen in immune data even when controlled for technical variability and demographics is differences in the binding affinity of ligand with hormone receptors on the surface of immune cells, which can be associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Methods: We categorized immunoregulatory cellular profiles from PBMC of 207 healthy volunteers according to glucocorticoid receptor (GR: Bcl1, TthIIII, and A3669G) and β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR: Gly16Arg and Gln27Glu) polymorphisms. Subjects were genotyped for each SNP, and Th1, Th2, Th1/Th2 ratio, regulatory T cell (Treg), Tr1, and Th3 cell numbers were assessed. Immune parameters in the SNP groups were compared to the wild type (WT). Results: Significant differences were observed in Th2 and the Th1/Th2 ratio for the β2AR SNP Gly16Arg. Th1, the Th1/Th2 ratio, and Tr1 differed significantly by SNP of Gln27Glu. In addition, the effect of age on Th2 and the effect of the body mass index on the Th1/Th2 ratio significantly differed across subtypes of the Gly16Arg SNP. Significant differences based on allergic status and gender were also seen for Treg, Th1, and Th2 across Gly16Arg, Gln27Glu, and TthIIII SNP. Conclusions: These data suggest that SNP from various components of the stress-immune network may be useful for subgrouping of immune responses to more accurately categorize psychoneuroimmunological components of stress risk in individual subjects. This approach may have significant research and clinical potential.
Multiphasic Perfusion Computed Tomography as a Predictor of Collateral Flow in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Comparison with Digital Subtraction Angiography
Authors: Kim Suk Jae , Noh Hyun Jin , Yoon Cindy W. , Kim Keon Ha , Jeon Pyoung , Bang Oh Young , Kim Gyeong-Moon , Chung Chin-Sang , Lee Kwang Ho
Published: March 2012

Background: Assessing collateral status is important in acute ischemic stroke. The purpose of this study was to compare multiphasic perfusion computed tomography (MPCT) with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in predicting leptomeningeal collateral flow in acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. Methods: Consecutive patients underwent MPCT and DSA for acute MCA infarction that presented within 6 h of symptom onset. We included patients who showed MCA occlusion in the same location on both modalities and assessed the agreement rate and correlation between the MPCT and DSA collateral grades. Results: Of 54 patients, 44 (81.5%) had proximal MCA (M1) occlusions and 10 (18.5%) had distal MCA (M2) occlusions based on MPCT and DSA. The ĸ-coefficients were 0.87 and 0.81 in the MPCT and DSA collateral grade systems, respectively. Forty-four patients (81.5%) belonged to the same category in both collateral-grading systems. MPCT collateral grades correlated positively with those of DSA (Spearman’s correlation coefficient 0.827, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our data show that MPCT can predict leptomeningeal collateral flow in acute ischemic stroke. Based on collateral status assessed by MPCT, different therapeutic approaches might be warranted.
Interferon-Alpha Enhances Excitatory Transmission in Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons of Rat Spinal Cord
Authors: Qin Zhi-Feng , Hou Deng-Yong , Fang Yi-Qun , Xiao Hua-Jun , Wang Jie , Li Kai-Cheng
Published: March 2012

Objective: It has been shown that interferon-α (IFN-α) is synthesized and secreted by macrophages, monocytes, T lymphocytes, glial cells and neurons. IFN-α has been shown to have an antinociceptive effect at the supraspinal level in the nerve system. However, it is unclear how IFN-α is involved in the modulation of nociceptive transmission in the spinal cord. Methods: In the present study, IFN-α was used to test the potential functional roles in the nociceptive transmission. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, we examined the effects of IFN-α on substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons in the dorsal root-attached spinal cord slice prepared from adult rats. Results: We found that IFN-α increased glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents evoked by the stimulation of either Aδ or C afferent fibers. Further studies showed that IFN-α treatment dose-dependently increased spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current frequency in SG neurons, while not affecting the amplitude. Moreover, intrathecal antibody of IFN-α could reduce nociceptive responses in formalin test. Conclusions: These results suggest that IFN-α presynaptically facilitates the excitatory synaptic transmission to SG neurons. The nociceptive responses could be inhibited by IFN-α antibody in the formalin test. Thus, IFN-α enhances the nociceptive transmission, which contributes to the behavioral nociceptive responses.
Lipopolysaccharide Neutralization by Antimicrobial Peptides: A Gambit in the Innate Host Defense Strategy
Authors: Pulido David , Nogués M. Victòria , Boix Ester , Torrent Marc
Published: March 2012

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are nowadays understood as broad multifunctional tools of the innate immune system to fight microbial infections. In addition to its direct antimicrobial action, AMPs can modulate the host immune response by promoting or restraining the recruitment of cells and chemicals to the infection focus. Binding of AMPs to lipopolysaccharide is a critical step for both their antimicrobial action and their immunomodulatory properties. On the one hand, removal of Gram-negative bacteria by AMPs can be an effective strategy to prevent a worsened inflammatory response that may lead to septic shock. On the other hand, by neutralizing circulating endotoxins, AMPs can successfully reduce nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-α production, hence preventing severe tissue damage. Furthermore, AMPs can also interfere with the Toll-like receptor 4 recognition system, suppressing cytokine production and contributing to modulate the inflammatory response. Here, we review the immune system strategies devised by AMPs to avoid an exacerbated inflammatory response and thus prevent a fatal end to the host.
Orographic Precipitation in the Tropics: The Dominica Experiment
Authors: Smith Ronald B. , Minder Justin R. , Nugent Alison D. , Storelvmo Trude , Kirshbaum Daniel J. , Warren Robert , Lareau Neil , Palany Philippe , James Arlington , French Jeffrey
Published: March 2012

The Dominica Experiment (DOMEX) took place in the eastern Caribbean from 4 April to 10 May 2011 with 21 research flights of the Wyoming King Air and several other observing systems. The goal was an improved understanding of the physics of convective orographic precipitation in the tropics. Two types of convection were found. During a period of weak trade winds, diurnal thermal convection was seen over Dominica. This convection caused little precipitation but carried aloft air with island-derived aerosol and depleted CO2. During periods of strong trades, mechanically forced convection over the windward slopes brought heavy rain to the high terrain. This convection was “seeded” by trade-wind cumuli or neutrally buoyant cool wet patches of air. In this mechanically forced convection, air parcels did not touch the island surface to gain buoyancy so no island-derived tracers were lofted. With fewer aerosols, the mean cloud droplet diameter increased from 15 to 25 μm. Plunging airflow and a wake were found in the lee of Dominica. The DOMEX dataset will advance our understanding and test our theories of cumulus triggering and aerosol influence on precipitation.
Tropical Cold-Point Tropopause: Climatology, Seasonal Cycle, and Intraseasonal Variability Derived from COSMIC GPS Radio Occultation Measurements
Authors: Kim Joowan , Son Seok-Woo
Published: March 2012

The finescale structure of the tropical cold-point tropopause (CPT) is examined using high-resolution temperature profiles derived from Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) global positioning system (GPS) radio occultation measurements for 4 yr from September 2006 to August 2010. The climatology, seasonal cycle, and intraseasonal variability are analyzed for three CPT properties: temperature (T-CPT), pressure (P-CPT), and sharpness (S-CPT). Their relationships with tropospheric and stratospheric processes are also discussed.

The climatological P-CPT is largely homogeneous in the deep tropics, whereas T-CPT and S-CPT exhibit local minima and maxima, respectively, at the equator in the vicinity of deep convection regions. All three CPT properties, however, show coherent seasonal cycle in the tropics; the CPT is colder, higher (lower in pressure), and sharper during boreal winter than during boreal summer. This seasonality is consistent with the seasonal cycle of tropical upwelling, which is largely driven by stratospheric and near-tropopause processes, although the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of T-CPT and S-CPT is modulated by tropospheric circulations. On intraseasonal time scales, P-CPT and T-CPT exhibit homogeneous variability in the deep tropics, whereas S-CPT shows pronounced local variability and seasonality. The wavenumber–frequency spectra reveal that intraseasonal variability of CPT properties is primarily controlled by Kelvin waves, with a nonnegligible contribution by Madden–Julian oscillation convection. The Kelvin waves, which are excited by deep convection but often propagate along the equator freely, explain the homogeneous P-CPT and T-CPT variabilities. On the other hand, the vertically tilted dipole of temperature anomalies, which is associated with convectively coupled equatorial waves, determines the local structure and seasonality of S-CPT variability.
Path following control of a two-wheeled surveillance vehicle based on sliding mode technology
Authors: Yue Ming , Zhang Yongshun , Tang Feiyun
Published: March 2012

A two-wheeled surveillance vehicle with the mass centre of the vehicle body below its configuration centre, which is different from the traditional structure design, is investigated in this paper. In order to avoid the vehicle body turning over, the output torque of each motor is set to a pre-calculated upper bound value. Because these bound constraints should be introduced on a dynamics level, sliding mode control is developed based on a power exponent approaching law to control the dynamic system with some robust properties. With this method, the control effects can be adjusted by regulating the corresponding parameters. To track a desired trajectory, another controller based on a kinematics level has also been designed on a special error space of the system. The simulation verifies the effectiveness of the proposed two-degree controller.
When creativity met transfer
Authors: Kaniel Shlomo
Published: March 2012

The primary purpose of this article is to combine both transfer of learning (hereafter, transfer) and creativity into similar processes that can increase the products of transfer and creativity. Both transfer and creativity operate within reciprocal relationships between memory storage and working memory. Moreover, they are also based on moving from System 1 processing (rapid, associative, automatic) to System 2 processing (slow and controlled) by several sequential series of circular stages: (1) acquisition and storage of the learning to be transferred and created; (2) identifying a problem/goal after a time interval; (3) active and controlled search in the memory storage for a solution, weighing alternative solutions, deciding what is the correct and most efficient solution and executing that chosen alternative; and (4) evaluating the process while deriving feedback and drawing conclusions for the next round of the above stages.
Genotoxic effects of catmint (Nepeta meyeri Benth.) essential oils on some weed and crop plants
Authors: Kekeç Güzin , Mutlu Salih , Alpsoy Lokman , Sakçali M Serdal , Atici Ökkeş
Published: March 2012

This study investigates the genotoxicity of the essential oils extracted from the aerial parts of catmint ( Nepeta meyeri Benth.) against two weeds ( Bromus danthoniae and Lactuca serriola) and two crop plants ( Brassica napus and Zea mays). The essential oils of N. meyeri analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry contained 14 compounds, with 4aα, 7α, 7aβ-nepetalactone (83.4%), 4aα, 7α, and 7aα-nepetalactone (8.83%) as the major components. The oils were diluted (25, 50, 100, and 150 ppm) and the solutions were applied to seeds or leaves of these plants. The study compared the germination percentage and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) results with the control group. The results showed that the oils had a strong inhibitory activity and caused a change in RAPD profiles in terms of variation in band intensity, loss of bands, and appearance of new bands compared with the control group. The results suggested that RAPD analysis could be applied as a suitable biomarker assay for the detection of genotoxic effects of plant allelochemicals. This study indicates the genotoxical potential of N. meyeri essential oils on weed and crop plants.
A Severe Valproate Overdose With Complete Recovery in a Newborn
Authors: Grynnerup Anna , Fernández Iván Sánchez , Hernández Joan Calzada , Martínez Angela Deyà , López Jordi Muchart , García-Alix Alfredo
Published: March 2012

Valproate overdose, extensively described in adults and older children, has been reported in only 1 newborn: a 26-day-old female who developed a severe cerebral edema leading to a fatal outcome. Therefore, the consequences of valproate overdose are largely unknown in the neonatal period. Here, we present the clinical evolution of a 6-day-old newborn who developed hyperammonemic encephalopathy after the accidental administration of 310 mg/kg of oral valproate in a single dose. Despite the very high valproate and blood ammonia levels, he did not develop life-threatening complications and he completely recovered without sequels. His brain magnetic resonance imaging showed symmetric focal T1 prolonged signals in both globi pallidi that completely resolved over time, a neuroimaging pattern that was not previously described in valproate overdose. Our case report suggests that valproate overdose in newborns can be completely reversible even when the valproate and ammonium blood levels are very high.
Objectifying social structures: Network visualization as means of social optimization
Authors: Mayer Katja
Published: March 2012

Social network analysis offers a broad range of formal and interpretative methodologies to deal with social structures, not only by discursive, but also by visual means. Sociograms, depicting social relations as nodes and lines, have played an important part in the reification of social structures since the beginnings of sociometry. This paper brings together two strands of analysis: first, a historical perspective on the development of social network visualization; and, second, exemplary stories of black-boxed technologies that inform not only the depiction, but also the interpretation of social networks. The article aims to reflect upon scientific construction of social structures as knowledge that is appropriated by society not least owing to its easy handling as tool and interface. Drawing social networks is regarded as social technology and therefore as an application within the realms of social engineering.
Two minutes of silence: Social technologies of public commemoration
Authors: Brown Steven D.
Published: March 2012

A diverse range of commemorative practices developed in the wake of the First World War as collective means for performing private trauma and loss. Public commemorative silence became adopted as a key feature of Armistice Day from 1919 onwards. This practice can be treated as a “social technology,” which is here defined as the mediational means for the reflexive self-modification of the subjective state of affairs of human subjects. Social technologies produce novel experiences, new modalities for performing the psychological. When a social remembering approach to memory is adopted, the Armistice silence can be compared to more recent uses of public silence with respect to how the past is mobilized in the present. In current, highly technologically mediated versions, public silence effectively disposes of those it is supposed to commemorate and makes of silence a spectacle where participants are absorbed in their own enactment of empathy and sorrow. When disconnected from other forms of remembrance, public silence tends not to open the past up for interpretation and debate and should therefore be reconsidered as a means of “one-off” commemoration.
The promises of talent: Performing potentiality
Authors: Sommerlund Julie , Strandvad Sara Malou
Published: March 2012

In this paper we address the question of talent from a performative perspective. Instead of entering the discussion about whether talent should be considered an individual or a social construction, we suggest looking into how talents are performed. Inspired by the sociology of expectations, we explore when talents are made and what effects they have. Based on studies of Danish film directors and designers, our research suggests that talent is constituted during three processes: identification, self-technology, and materialization. Identification is when others locate potentiality in the individual. Self-technology describes the work which the individual carries out to cultivate his or her talent. Materialization refers to the objects that manifest the talent and the necessity of enrolling other participants to create these objects.
Social technology transfer? Movement of social science knowledge beyond the academy
Authors: Stöckelová Tereza
Published: March 2012

Technology has become a key vehicle and index of the societal impact of science. Technology’s dominant image, both in science and technology studies (STS) and in science policies, is one of a material device or a complex procedure using machines with origins in natural science disciplines. This article inquires into the vehicles and forms of societal impact in the case of the social sciences. It empirically looks into the generation and circulation of knowledge and expertise on Roma and, drawing upon Strathern, follows three types of vehicles: projects, products, and persons. In the conclusion it argues against the asymmetrical treatment of the social and natural sciences or social and material technologies, and suggests that the troubles the social sciences have with accounting for their societal impact are comparable to effects of critical evaluation of the natural sciences and should be seriously considered as exposing more general challenges for science in a knowledge society.
Crew Schedules, Sleep Deprivation, and Aviation Performance
Authors: Caldwell John A.
Published: March 2012

Recent events have highlighted the importance of pilot fatigue in aviation operations. Because of demanding flight schedules, crew members often suffer disrupted sleep and desynchronized circadian rhythms, the combination of which threatens alertness and performance. Unfortunately, market requirements for transcontinental and transoceanic routes, as well as for nighttime departures and early-morning arrivals, continue to pose challenges to human vigilance in flight. However, regulatory attention to the physiological causes of fatigue, new techniques for schedule optimization, advanced sleep-monitoring technology, and behavioral strategies to counter fatigue will go a long way toward managing fatigue-related risks in operational contexts.
What We’ve Learned From Mistakes
Authors: Hajcak Greg
Published: March 2012

The error-related negativity (ERN) is a neural measure of error processing that peaks just 50 milliseconds after subjects make mistakes. Although previously conceptualized in purely cognitive terms, data increasingly suggest that the ERN is related to motivation and affect. The ERN has consistently been linked to individual differences in trait anxiety. Indeed, the ERN is itself trait-like, demonstrating high heritability and stability over time. The evidence suggests that an increased ERN is a viable biomarker of risk for anxiety disorders. The ERN is also sensitive to variation in the perceived consequences of making an error (i.e., error value): Punishing errors has a lasting effect on the ERN—an effect that is larger among more anxious individuals. Collectively, these data indicate that individual differences in anxiety and learning history could interact to influence the ERN—and that the ERN could be used to better understand trajectories of risk for anxiety disorders across development.
The European Patients’ Rights Directive: A clarification and codification of individual rights relating to cross border healthcare and novel initiatives aimed at improving pan-European healthcare co-operation
Authors: Quinn Paul , Hert Paul De
Published: March 2012

This paper undertakes a contextual analysis of the main aims of Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, commonly known as the Patients’ Rights Directive (the PRD). The PRD itself does not aim to provide a new system for coordinating social security entitlements, leaving the regime laid down in (EEC) 1408/71 and later (EC) 883/2004 unaffected. Rather, it is intended that the PRD will supplement the rights that these instruments were intended to provide. The main aims of the PRD instead concern matters related to the prior authorisation of healthcare, the reimbursement of healthcare and the removal of unjustified obstacles from doing so. This paper explores how the Directive sets out to achieve these aims and analyses it within the context of other related European Union legislation and jurisprudence in the area. Alongside this primary aim of codifying European Court of Justice case law, the PRD also introduces novel initiatives aimed at fostering cross-border cooperation between various elements of national healthcare systems. These issues will be dealt with in detail in a subsequent paper.
New Zealand Youth That Sexually Offend
Authors: Lim Stacey , Lambie Ian , Cooper Erana
Published: March 2012

Māori youth are overrepresented in criminal justice statistics and youth forensic services. Māori youth that engage in sexual offending behaviors have a higher risk of dropping out of treatment than Pākehā 1 youth. Research into Māori mental health is important to inform ongoing service development and is essential to strive for equity in mental health outcomes and offending rates among Māori. In this study, the researchers investigated the coexisting emotional and behavioral problems and victimization histories of an age-matched sample of Māori ( n = 75) and Pākehā ( n = 75) youth who were referred to a community treatment program for sexual offending in Auckland between 1996 and 2008. The Child Behavior Checklist was used to investigate ethnic differences. After controlling for socioeconomic deprivation, Māori youth scored significantly higher than Pākehā youth on the Delinquent Behaviors syndrome scale. Māori youth were also more likely than Pākehā youth to have a background of physical abuse. Implications of these findings are discussed, with regard to the unique needs of Māori youth and appropriate interventions.