bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The F.R.I.D.A.Y.S. checklist - Preparing our patients for a safe weekend
Authors: Palmer Edward , Richardson Emma , Newcombe Hannah , Borg Cynthia-Michelle
Published: November 2013

There is a higher incidence of mortality and adverse events among inpatients in UK hospitals at the weekend compared to weekdays. The high volume of routine tasks handed over by the weekday doctors on Fridays may be a contributing factor.

An audit was carried out on four acute wards on a Friday evening at University Hospital Lewisham (UHL). It demonstrated that most patients had at least one outstanding task that would need completing by the on-call team over the weekend. To address this problem a concise and memorable checklist was created to ensure that routine jobs are completed by the weekday team prior to the weekend.

The checklist uses the acronym “F.R.I.D.A.Y.S.” to prompt doctors to hand over weekend bloods, ensure drug charts are reviewed, document a plan for IV fluids, complete discharge summaries, monitor antibiotic levels, dose warfarin, and clearly document the ceiling of care. The F.R.I.D.A.Y.S. checklist was printed onto history paper and integrated into the patient notes on a Friday ward round. The efficacy of the checklist was evaluated by reviewing the number of outstanding jobs on the wards after 17:00 on a Friday in the categories listed.

F-Phlebotomy

R-Rewrite drug chart

I-IV fluids

D-Discharge summaries

A-Antibiotic levels

Y-Yellow book (warfarin)

S-Resuscitation Status

The number of outstanding jobs on a ward (A) that used F.R.I.D.A.Y.S. was 3 out of a total 132 jobs (2.3%) compared with 47 out of a total of 103 (45.6%) on a ward that did not use the checklist (B).

When the F.R.I.D.A.Y.S. checklist is implemented there is an increase in the number of routine jobs that are carried out by the weekday team, and therefore a reduction in workload for the weekend on call team. Patient safety is improved as management decisions are made by a team that is familiar with the patient, and on call teams are able to prioritise emergencies. The cost saving of using the F.R.I.D.A.Y.S. checklist if implemented throughout UHL is estimated at £317,136 per annum.
Alteration of energy metabolism in the pathogenesis of bile duct lesions in primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: Harada Kenichi , Kakuda Yuko , Sato Yasunori , Ikeda Hiroko , Shimoda Shinji , Yamamoto Yasuhiko , Inoue Hiroshi , Ohta Hajime , Kasashima Satomi , Kawashima Atsuhiro , Nakanuma Yasuni
Published: November 2013

Aim

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is characterised by antimitochondrial antibody against the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) and chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis (CNSDC). Pyruvate oxidation to acetyl-CoA by PDC is a key step in the glycolytic system. Oestrogen-related receptor-α (ERRα) is functionally activated by inducible coactivators such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and Bcl-3. Moreover, the PGC-1α–ERRα axis interrupts glycolytic metabolism through the upregulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, isozyme 4 (PDK4), which functionally inhibits PDC-E1α and stimulates fatty acid oxidation. In this study, we investigated the PGC-1α–ERRα axis to clarify PDC dysfunction in CNSDC of PBC.

Methods

The expression of PGC-1α, Bcl-3, ERRα, PDK4 and PDC-E1α was examined by immunohistochemistry in liver sections from patients with PBC and controls. The expression of these molecules, the activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenase and PDC, and their alterations by starvation, a treatment used to induce PGC-1α expression, were examined in cultured human biliary epithelial cells (BECs).

Results

The nuclear expression of PGC-1α, Bcl-3 and ERRα was exclusively observed in CNSDC of PBC. Moreover, the expression of PDK4 and PDC-E1α was enhanced in CNSDC of PBC. In cultured BECs, the amplification of Bcl-3 and PDK4 mRNAs by reverse-transcription-PCR and mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity were markedly increased but PDC activity was decreased according to the upregulation of PGC-1α.

Conclusions

In CNSDC of PBC, the activation of the ERRα–PGC-1α axis was exclusively observed, suggesting the interference of PDC-related glycolytic function and the induction of the fatty acid degradation system. The switching of the cellular energy system is possibly associated with the pathogenesis of CNSDC in PBC.
Expression of thymoproteasome subunit β5t in type AB thymoma
Authors: Yamada Yosuke , Tomaru Utano , Ishizu Akihiro , Kiuchi Takayuki , Kasahara Masanori , Matsuno Yoshihiro
Published: November 2013

Type AB thymoma is a thymic epithelial tumour composed of lymphocyte-poor type A and lymphocyte-rich type B components. Although it is categorised as a single entity in the classification of WHO, it shows a broad range of morphology. To investigate whether the functional characteristic of neoplastic cells in type AB thymoma relates to morphological diversity, we performed immunohistochemical analysis using anti-β5t antibody in 20 cases of type AB thymoma. β5t is a recently discovered proteasomal β subunit expressed exclusively in cortical thymic epithelial cells and tumour epithelial cells of thymomas with cortical differentiation. Consistent with our previous observation, β5t was predominantly expressed in the type B component. When the type B component was divided into three groups morphologically, β5t was expressed more frequently in cases with round to polygonal than spindle to oval tumour cells. Furthermore, the ratio of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-positive lymphocytes was increased in components with higher expression of β5t. These results indicate that the histological diversity of type AB thymoma correlates with expression of a functional marker β5t and abundance of TdT-positive lymphocytes.
KERNEL METHODS FOR INDEPENDENCE MEASUREMENT WITH COEFFICIENT CONSTRAINTS
Authors: CHEN HENG , WU JITAO
Published: December 2013

Tests to determine the dependence or independence of random variables X and Y are well established. Recently, criteria based on reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces has received much attentions. They are developed in the setting of norm of Hilbert spaces. In this paper we propose tests in the setting of constraints of coefficients of functions. Some estimates of tests are constructed. In particular the error between the test of constrained covariance and the estimate is bounded.
Average Fracture Energy for Crack Propagation in Postfire Concrete
Authors: Yu Kequan , Yu Jiangtao , Lu Zhoudao
Published: November 2013

Wedge-splitting tests of postfire concrete specimens were carried out in the present research to obtain the load-displacement curves. Ten temperatures varying from room temperature to 600°C were employed. In order to calculate the accurate fracture energy, the tails of load-displacement curves were best fitted using exponential and power functions. Three fracture energy quantities (fracture energyGF, stable fracture energyGFS, and unstable fracture energyGFU) with their variation tendency and their mutual relationship were determined to predict energy consumption for the complete fracture propagation. Additionally, the stable fracture workWFSwas also calculated. All these fracture parameters sustain an increase-decrease tendency which means that the fracture property of postfire concrete shares the same tendency.
The Robustness Analysis of Wireless Sensor Networks under Uncertain Interference
Authors: Deng Changjian
Published: November 2013

Based on the complex network theory, robustness analysis of condition monitoring wireless sensor network under uncertain interference is present. In the evolution of the topology of sensor networks, the density weighted algebraic connectivity is taken into account, and the phenomenon of removing and repairing the link and node in the network is discussed. Numerical simulation is conducted to explore algebraic connectivity characteristics and network robustness performance. It is found that nodes density has the effect on algebraic connectivity distribution in the random graph model; high density nodes carry more connections, use more throughputs, and may be more unreliable. Moreover, the results show that, when network should be more error tolerant or robust by repairing nodes or adding new nodes, the network should be better clustered in median and high scale wireless sensor networks and be meshing topology in small scale networks.
Phenomena of Blowup and Global Existence of the Solution to a Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation
Authors: An Xiaowei , Li Desheng , Song Xianfa
Published: November 2013

We consider the following Cauchy problem:-iut=Δu-V(x)u+f(x,|u|2)u+(W(x)⋆|u|2)u,x∈ℝN,t>0,u(x,0)=u0(x),x∈ℝN,whereV(x)andW(x)are real-valued potentials andV(x)≥0andW(x)is even,f(x,|u|2)is measurable inxand continuous in|u|2, andu0(x)is a complex-valued function ofx. We obtain some sufficient conditions and establish two sharp thresholds for the blowup and global existence of the solution to the problem.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Acute Oral Toxicity Evaluation of pH-Sensitive Hydrogel Based on MPEG, Poly(ε-caprolactone), and Itaconic Acid
Authors: Tan Liwei , Xu Xu , Song Jia , Luo Feng , Qian Zhiyong
Published: November 2013

A kind of chemically cross-linked pH-sensitive hydrogels based on methoxyl poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(caprolactone)-acryloyl chloride (MPEG-PCL-AC, PECA), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MPEGMA, MEG), N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS), and itaconic acid (IA) were prepared without using any organic solvent by heat-initiated free radical method. The obtained macromonomers and hydrogels were characterized by1H NMR and FT-IR, respectively. Morphology study of hydrogels was also investigated in this paper, and it showed that the hydrogels had good pH-sensitivity. The acute toxicity test and histopathological study were conducted in BALB/c mice. The results indicated that the maximum tolerance dose of the hydrogel was higher than 10000 mg/kg body weight. No morality or signs of toxicity were observed during the whole 7-day observation period. Compared to the control groups, there were no important adverse effects in the variables of hematology routine test and serum chemistry analysis both in male or female treatment group. Histopathological study also did not show any significant lesions, including heart, liver, lung, spleen, kidney, stomach, intestine, and testis. All the results demonstrated that this hydrogel was nontoxic after gavage. Thus, the hydrogel might be the biocompatible potential candidate for oral drug delivery system.
Naltrexone Reverses Ethanol-Induced Rat Hippocampal and Serum Oxidative Damage
Authors: Almansa Inmaculada , Barcia Jorge M. , López-Pedrajas Rosa , Muriach María , Miranda María , Romero Francisco Javier
Published: December 2013

Naltrexone, an antagonist ofμ-opioid receptors, is clinically used as adjuvant therapy of alcohol dishabituation. The aim of the present work was to test the effect of 1 mg/kg body weight of naltrexone to revert oxidative stress-related biochemical alterations, in the hippocampus and serum of chronic alcoholic adult rats. Malondialdehyde concentration was increased and glutathione peroxidase activity was decreased in hippocampus and serum of alcohol-treated rats. Naltrexone treatment restored these alterations. The in vitro antioxidant ability of Ntx could not justify these effects considering the doses used. Thus this apparent protective effect of Ntx can only be attributed to its pharmacological effects, as herein discussed.
Superoxide Dismutase1 Levels in North Indian Population with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Anand Akshay , Sharma Neel K. , Gupta Amod , Prabhakar Sudesh , Sharma Suresh K. , Singh Ramandeep
Published: November 2013

Aim.The aim of the study was to estimate the levels of superoxide dismutase1 (SOD1) in patients of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and examine the role of oxidative stress, smoking, hypertension, and other factors involved in the pathogenesis of AMD.Methods.115 AMD patients and 61 healthy controls were recruited for this study. Serum SOD1 levels were determined by ELISA and were correlated to various risk factors. Logistic regression model of authenticity, by considering SOD1 as independent variable, has been developed along with ROC curve.Results.The SOD1 levels were significantly higher in AMD patients as compared to those of the controls. The difference was not significant for wet and dry AMD. However, the difference was significant between wet AMD subtypes. Nonsignificance of the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit statistic (χ2=10.516,df=8,P=0.231) indicates the appropriateness of logistic regression model to predict AMD.Conclusion.Oxidative stress in AMD patients may mount compensatory response resulting in increased levels of SOD1 in AMD patients. To predict the risk of AMD on the basis of SOD1, a logistic regression model shows authenticity of 78%, and area under the ROC curve (0.827,P=.0001) with less standard error of 0.033 coupled with 95% confidence interval of 0.762–0.891 further validates the model.
Utilization of Six Sigma in Quality Improvement of Recycled Aggregates Concrete
Authors: Terro Mohamad , El-Hawary Moetaz , Al-Fares Rana , Goldstein Mark
Published: November 2013

The use of recycled demolished concrete in producing new concrete is an established method to improve sustainability through reducing the environmental impact of using virgin aggregates and through reducing construction waste. Six sigma is a set of tools and strategies for process improvement. In this paper, the six sigma DMAIC methodology is utilized to optimize the design parameters in order to improve and assure the quality of the resulting recycled aggregate concrete. The project aims to produce concrete with compressive strength of 25 MPa without using additives. Five parameters were used in the initial analysis that were reduced to three after refinement. The refined parameters are the ratio of recycled coarse aggregates, the ratio of recycled fine aggregates, and the water/cement ratio. It was concluded that the optimum values for the three parameters are 26%, 30%, and 0.5, in order.
Stability Analysis of a Repairable System with Warning Device and Repairman Vacation
Authors: Ren Yangli , Guo Lina , Zhang Lingling
Published: November 2013

This paper considers a simple repairable system with a warning device and a repairman who can have delayed-multiple vacations. By Markov renewal process theory and the probability analysis method, the system is first transformed into a group of integrodifferential equations. Then, the existence and uniqueness as well as regularity of the system dynamic solution are discussed with the functional analysis method. Further, the asymptotic stability, especially the exponential stability of the system dynamic solution, is studied by using the strongly continuous semigroup theory orC0semigroup theory. The reliability indices and some applications (such as the comparisons of indices and profit of systems with and without warning device), as well as numerical examples, are presented at the end of the paper.
On Exponential Stability for a Class of Uncertain Neutral Markovian Jump Systems with Mode-Dependent Delays
Authors: Liu Xinghua , Xi Hongsheng
Published: December 2013

The exponential stability of neutral Markovian jump systems with interval mode-dependent time-varying delays, nonlinear perturbations, and partially known transition rates is investigated. A novel augmented stochastic Lyapunov functional is constructed, which employs the improved bounding technique and contains triple-integral terms to reduce conservativeness; then the delay-range-dependent and rate-dependent exponential stability criteria are developed by Lyapunov stability theory, reciprocally convex lemma, and free-weighting matrices. The corresponding results are extended to the uncertain case. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
H1-Random Attractors and Asymptotic Smoothing Effect of Solutions for Stochastic Boussinesq Equations with Fluctuating Dynamical Boundary Conditions
Authors: Zhang Yijin
Published: December 2013

This work is concerned with the random dynamics of two-dimensional stochastic Boussinesq system with dynamical boundary condition. The white noises affect the system through a dynamical boundary condition. Using a method based on the theory of omega-limit compactness of a random dynamical system, we prove that theL2-random attractor for the generated random dynamical system is exactly theH1-random attractor. This improves a recent conclusion derived by Brune et al. on the existence of theL2-random attractor for the same system.
A Stable Routing Protocol for Vehicles in Urban Environments
Authors: Yu Hyun , Ahn Sanghyun , Yoo Joon
Published: November 2013

The vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is an essential technology that enables the deployment of the intelligent transportation system (ITS), which improves the traffic safety and efficiency. For the efficient message delivery in VANETs, it is desirable to provide a reliable and stable VANET routing protocol. However, VANET routing is challenging since the VANET is fundamentally different from conventional wireless ad hoc networks; vehicles move fast, and the network topology changes rapidly, causing intermittent and dynamic link connectivity. In this paper, we propose a VANET routing protocol that works based on the real-time road vehicle density information in order to provide fast and reliable message delivery so that it can adapt to the dynamic vehicular urban environment. In the proposed mechanism, each vehicle computes the real-time traffic density of the road to which it belongs from the beacon messages sent by vehicles on the opposite lane and its road information table. Using the road traffic density information as a routing metric, each vehicle establishes a reliable route for packet delivery. We compare our proposed mechanism with the well-known GPSR via NS-2 based simulations and show that our mechanism outperforms GPSR in terms of both delivery success rate and routing overhead.
Without Diagonal Nonlinear Requirements: The More GeneralP-Critical Dynamical Analysis for UPPAM Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Chen Xi , Mao Huizhong , Qiao Chen
Published: November 2013

Continuous-time recurrent neural networks (RNNs) play an important part in practical applications. Recently, due to the ability of assuring the convergence of the equilibriums on the boundary line between stable and unstable, the study on the critical dynamics behaviors of RNNs has drawn especial attentions. In this paper, a new asymptotical stable theorem and two corollaries are presented for the unified RNNs, that is, the UPPAM RNNs. The analysis results given in this paper are under the generallyP-critical conditions, which improve substantially upon the existing relevant critical convergence and stability results, and most important, the compulsory requirement of diagonally nonlinear activation mapping in most recent researches is removed. As a result, the theory in this paper can be applied more generally.
Usefulness of Multidetector Row Computed Tomography for Predicting Cardiac Events in Asymptomatic Chronic Kidney Disease Patients at the Initiation of Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Lee Jung Eun , Lee Yong Kyu , Choi Eun Jeong , Nam Ji Sun , Choi Byoung Wook , Kim Beom Seok
Published: November 2013

Background. The prevalence of coronary artery stenosis (CAS) at the initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients has not been fully elucidated. Although coronary angiography is the gold standard in diagnosing CAS its invasiveness and economic burden lead to searching for a noninvasive alternative method. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of CAS by multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) and related risk factor to articulate the usefulness of MDCT. Method. Seventy‐four asymptomatic CKD patients who began dialysis were evaluated with echocardiography and MDCT. The patients were stratified into two groups according to CAS and coronary artery calcification score (CACS) by MDCT to detect silent CAS and evaluate its predictability for cardiac events. Results. CAS was seen in 24 (32.4%) of 74 asymptomatic CKD patients on MDCT. Both groups showed increasing frequencies of CAS with age (P < 0.01), presence of diabetes (P < 0.05), uric acid level (P < 0.01), and calcium score (P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that age and uric acid level were independent risk factors for CAS and high CACS in asymptomatic CKD patients at the initiation of dialysis. Patients with both CAS and high CACS were presented with higher cardiac events rates compared to those without any of them. In Cox regression model, age and the presence of CAS and high CACS on MDCT were an independent risk factor for cardiac events in these patients. Conclusion. We showed that CAS was highly seen in asymptomatic CKD patients starting dialysis. Moreover, both high CACS and CAS on MDCT might predict cardiac events in these patients and MDCT can be a useful screening tool for evaluating coronary artery disease and predicting cardiovascular mortality noninvasively.
Inactive lifestyles and obesity in Chilean youth: Individual costs in health-related choices
Authors: Correa-Burrows Paulina , Burrows Raquel A
Published: November 2013

Objective:

A recent economic approach suggests that people do not account for the long-term implications of unhealthy behaviours, preventing them from performing a fully rational trade-off between current benefits and future costs, leading to negative health outcomes. We examined whether the current allocation of time to physical activity among young people leads to outcomes that may affect their well being as youth and their longer–term life prospects.

Design:

The study group comprised a random sample of 1692 high-school students (14.8±0.7 years old) from urban Santiago, Chile attending private and non-private schools.

Setting:

We measured physical activity habits accounting for time spent in class, studying and screen-based entertainment, hours of daily recreational activity and hours of weekly scheduled exercise. Obesity and abdominal obesity were diagnosed according to CDC/NCHS 2000, NHANES III and IDF criteria, respectively.

Method:

Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between current physical activity habits, confounders and the likelihood of suffering from obesity and abdominal obesity.

Results:

Young people reporting the lowest allocation of time to physical activity, scheduled exercise and active play showed a higher risk of obesity and abdominal obesity. Those reporting moderate allocation of time to physical activity, scheduled exercise and active play were more likely to suffer from central obesity as defined by IDF criteria. Study participants attending partially subsidized schools showed the highest risk of obesity and central obesity.

Conclusions:

In this sample, young people appear not to be employing optimal strategies for making weight-related choices, since reduced physical activity, obesity and central obesity are proximate causes of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
Public Participation in Local Councils in Malawi in the Absence of Local Elected Representatives-Political Eliticism or Pluralism?
Authors: Chasukwa Michael , Chiweza Asiyati L , Chikapa-Jamali Mercy
Published: November 2013

The paper discusses participation of the public in local councils in Malawi in the context that Malawi has had no councillors since 2005. The paper is based on empirical evidence collected through a largely qualitative research design. It adopts a case study approach focusing on Lilongwe District Council and Balaka Town Council. The study has established that the absence of councillors in Malawi has negatively affected the participation of the public in local public machinery. Analysis of the empirical evidence indicates that in the absence of councillors, (i) local people are detached from councils because of a political leadership vacuum that has been created, (ii) withdrawal of formal policy spaces has culminated in the weakening of voices from below, (iii) power struggles among the actors sitting in for councillors impairs them for motivating people to participate in local public life at the council, and (iv) the interim participatory structures have ended up being patronage oriented rather than community-serving oriented as envisaged. The paper holds the view that, in the absence of councillors, participation in local public affairs is largely limited to the people that are connected to the influential political and social figures and networks.
Are Chinese Children More Compliant? Examination of the Cultural Difference in Observed Maternal Control and Child Compliance
Authors: Huang Ching-Yu , Lamb Michael E.
Published: November 2013

Children themselves play active roles in shaping their developmental trajectories. The constant interplay of a wide range of biological, familial, social, and cultural factors shapes development. In this study, we examined the links between maternal control and 5- to 7-year-old children’s compliance in a cross-cultural sample ( N = 89: 30 Chinese in Taiwan, 30 Chinese immigrants in the United Kingdom, and 29 nonimmigrant White English in the United Kingdom) using observational data. The results showed that the English mothers used less negative control and were more responsive than the Chinese immigrant mothers, and that the English mothers also showed more positive affect than both the Chinese immigrant and Taiwanese mothers. The Taiwanese children showed more situational compliance than the Chinese immigrant children, whereas there were no significant cultural differences in committed compliance and oppositional behaviour. Further regression analyses showed that committed compliance, situational compliance, and oppositional behaviour were associated with different predictors. Converging evidence from both observational tasks showed that committed compliance, moderated by surgency, appeared to increase as children grew older and was negatively influenced by maternal negative control. Different trends emerged for child opposition or noncompliance in the two tasks. In the Etch-a-Sketch task, noncompliance was accounted for by child age and temperament, but not by any maternal behaviour, whereas opposition in the clean-up task was not predicted by child age or temperament but was associated with maternal use of force. Finally, situational compliance could not be predicted by child age and temperament alone, but the addition of cultural group and maternal control significantly increased the prediction of situational compliance. These results suggested different pathways for the development of committed compliance, situational compliance, and opposition.
Cultural and Family Influences on Children’s Theory of Mind Development
Authors: Shahaeian Ameneh , Nielsen Mark , Peterson Candida C. , Slaughter Virginia
Published: November 2013

Over the past three decades, considerable research effort has been expended charting how and when children develop an understanding of others’ minds. Multicultural studies allow us to determine what features of this important cognitive developmental achievement might be universal and what aspects are culturally specific. However, the body of literature in this area is slim and unsystematic. The current study therefore aimed to contrast and compare the sequence through which Western and non-Western children develop a theory of mind (ToM). One hundred sixty-four 3- to 9-year-old children from Australia and Iran were assessed using an expanded ToM Scale. Although children from both cultures had equivalent overall ToM scores, more Australian children showed an understanding of diversity of beliefs and desires whereas more Iranian children understood knowledge access and sarcasm. This study is the first to compare Western and non-Western children’s ToM development with a battery of ToM Scale tasks extended to include sarcasm. The cross-cultural similarities and differences revealed allow a deeper understanding of universal and culturally specific aspects of social-cognitive development.
The impact of pay understanding on pay satisfaction and retention: Salary sacrifice understanding in the not-for-profit sector
Authors: Treuren Gerrit JM , Frankish Elizabeth
Published: November 2013

This article examines the impact of employee understanding of components of their pay system on pay satisfaction and leaving intentions for a poorly paid occupational group. Employee understanding of pay arrangements is found to have an indirect impact (through pay satisfaction) on employee intention to leave. Based on this sample, organisations may be able to improve the pay satisfaction of their employees and reduce employee turnover intention simply by improving their pay communication approaches.
Social Support and Chinese Female Offenders’ Prison Adjustment
Authors: Liu Liu , Chui Wing Hong
Published: November 2013

In this article, we investigate the relationship between Chinese female offenders’ prison adjustment and their perception of social support using both quantitative and qualitative methods. We find that social support has positive effects on female offenders’ prison adjustment and that demographic factors are not significantly related to their prison adjustment or perception of social support. Of three types of social support providers (family, friends, and significant others), offenders welcomed support from the family the most, followed by significant others (including prison officers and social volunteers). Support from friends (mainly fellow prisoners) is comparatively less important in the lives of Chinese female offenders.
Writing New Japan in Sugamo, 1948-1952
Authors: Yamaguchi Noriko
Published: November 2013

This article examines the Sugamo Shimbun (the Sugamo Weekly News), written by Sugamo prisoners between 1948 and 1952 during the Allied occupation of Japan, in broader domestic and international political contexts. The prisoners questioned the legitimacy of both Allied and Japanese authorities as the United States initiated its Cold War strategies with Japanese government support. The newspaper demonstrates that the concept of “democracy” as promoted by the Allies during their occupation of Japan came into question around the time of the Korean War in 1950. Nonetheless, the prisoners’ sense of responsibility in World War II was not impartial. By examining the prisoners’ voices in the Sugamo Shimbun and the power dynamics inside the prison, this article focuses on where the prisoners’ sense of guilt originated—as a result of the prison’s correctional programs—and how the voices of the prisoners more or less reflected national and international politics of that time.
Community Corrections in China
Authors: Jiang Shanhe , Xiang Deping , Chen Qi , Huang Chengxiang , Yang Shengyong , Zhang Dawei , Zhao Anna
Published: November 2013

China has long utilized community-based corrections for offenders. Before 2003, however, the practice lacked formalization and professionalization. Since 2003, prison overcrowding, a need for cost-effectiveness, and a move toward a more civilized method of reforming offenders have sped up China’s use of community corrections. Based on a literature review of Chinese language publications and face-to-face interviews with local community corrections leaders and officers in Hubei, China, this is an exploratory study of community corrections in mainland China. We briefly examine the practice’s developmental history and five types of sanctions—public surveillance, probation, parole, temporary execution of a sentence outside a confinement facility, and deprivation of political rights. China’s community corrections’ characteristics and implementation are investigated. Finally, the article discusses problems and challenges to China’s community corrections system.
A Sequential Procedure for Detecting Compromised Items in the Item Pool of a CAT System
Authors: Zhang Jinming
Published: November 2013

To maintain the validity of a continuous testing system, such as computerized adaptive testing (CAT), items should be monitored to ensure that the performance of test items has not gone through any significant changes during their lifetime in an item pool. In this article, the author developed a sequentially monitoring procedure based on a series of statistical hypothesis tests to examine whether the statistical characteristics of individual items have changed significantly during test administration. Simulation studies show that under the simulated setting, by choosing an appropriate cutoff point, the procedure can control the rate of Type I errors at any reasonable significance level and meanwhile, has a very low rate of Type II errors.
Normalizing Glutamine Concentration Causes Mitochondrial Uncoupling in an In Vitro Model of Human Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Krajcova Adela , Ziak Jakub , Jiroutkova Katerina , Patkova Jana , Elkalaf Moustafa , Dzupa Valer , Trnka Jan , Duska Frantisek
Published: November 2013

Background: Glutamine has been considered essential for rapidly dividing cells, but its effect on mitochondrial function is unknown. Materials and Methods: Human myoblasts were isolated from skeletal muscle biopsy samples (n = 9) and exposed for 20 days to 6 different glutamine concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 500, and 5000 µM). Cells were trypsinized and manually counted every 5 days. Seven days before the end of exposure, half of these cells were allowed to differentiate to myotubes. Afterward, energy metabolism in both myotubes and myoblasts was assessed by extracellular flux analysis (Seahorse Biosciences, Billerica, MA). The protocol for myoblasts was optimized in preliminary experiments. To account for different mitochondrial density or cell count, data were normalized to citrate synthase activity. Results: Fastest myoblast proliferation was observed at 300 µM glutamine, with a significant reduction at 0 and 100 µM. Glutamine did not influence basal oxygen consumption, anaerobic glycolysis or respiratory chain capacity. Glutamine significantly (P = .015) influenced the leak through the inner mitochondrial membrane. Efficiency of respiratory chain was highest at 200–300 µM glutamine (~90% of oxygen used for adenosine triphosphate synthesis). Increased glutamine concentration to 500 or 5000 µM caused mitochondrial uncoupling in myoblasts and myotubes, decreasing the efficiency of the respiratory chain to ~70%. Conclusion: Glutamine concentrations, consistent with moderate clinical hypoglutaminemia (300 µM), bring about an optimal condition of myoblast proliferation and for efficiency of aerobic phosphorylation in an in vitro model of human skeletal muscle. These data support the hypothesis of hypoglutaminemia as an adaptive phenomenon in conditions leading to bioenergetic failure (eg, critical illness).
Handgrip Strength and Associated Factors in Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Guerra Rita S. , Fonseca Isabel , Pichel Fernando , Restivo Maria T. , Amaral Teresa F.
Published: November 2013

Background: Handgrip strength (HGS) is a marker of nutrition status. Many factors are associated with HGS. Age, height, body mass index, number of diagnoses, and number and type of drugs have been shown to modify the association between undernutrition and HGS. Nevertheless, other patient characteristics that could modify this association and its joint modifier effect have not been studied yet. Objective: To evaluate the association of inpatients' HGS and undernutrition considering the potential modifier effect of cognitive status, functional activity, disease severity, anthropometrics, and other patient characteristics on HGS. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted in a university hospital. Sex, age, abbreviated mental test score, functional activity score, Charlson index, number of drugs, Patient‐Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG‐SGA) score, body weight, mid‐arm muscle circumference, adductor pollicis muscle thickness, body height, wrist circumference, hand length, and palm width were included in a linear regression model to identify independent factors associated with HGS (dependent variable). Results: The study sample was composed of 688 inpatients (18–91 years old). All variables included in the model were associated with HGS (β, –0.16 to 0.38; P ≤ .049) and explained 68.5% of HGS. Age, functional activity decline, Charlson index, number of drugs, PG‐SGA score, body weight, and wrist circumference had a negative association with HGS. All other studied variables were positively associated with HGS. Conclusion: Nutrition status evaluated by PG‐SGA was still associated with HGS after considering the joint effect of other patient characteristics, which reinforces the value of HGS as an indicator of undernutrition.
Genetic Testing, Birth, and the Quest for Health
Authors: Vailly Joëlle
Published: November 2013

Newborn screening for genetic diseases has developed rapidly in Western countries. These biopolitics raise the question of birth as a sociological “knot” insofar as it is the threshold between the (possibly ill or disabled) child and the fetus. The question therefore addressed in this text, based on a field study of newborn screening for cystic fibrosis in France, is that of the link between the quest for good health (through treatment) and the elimination of poor health (by prenatal diagnosis). Do they reinforce each other or, on the contrary, are they contradictory? I analyze the positions of both mothers of screened children and clinicians regarding the following three points: prenatal diagnosis to preclude sets of sick siblings, identification of heterozygous individuals, and generalized prenatal screening. This study shows how increasingly attentive patient care and an increasingly demanding approach to prenatal diagnosis reinforce one another. It also analyzes the role of taking action early on and evaluating the lives of sick or disabled people in this process. In conclusion, I engage a more general discussion about what I suggest calling a “quality life.”
Biological Citizenship Reconsidered
Authors: Heinemann Torsten , Lemke Thomas
Published: November 2013

In recent years, there has been an intense debate about the concept of “biological” or “genetic citizenship.” The growing literature on this topic mostly refers to the importance of patients’ associations, disease advocacy organizations, and self-help groups that are giving rise to new forms of subjectivation and collective action. The focus is on the extension of rights, the emergence of new possibilities of participation, and the choice-enhancing options of the new genetics. However, this perspective tends to neglect the potential for exclusion and restriction of citizenship rights based on biological traits. We aim to broaden and complement the existing theoretical discussion on biological citizenship, which so far has concentrated on the medical sphere, by investigating a new empirical field. The article analyzes the use of DNA analysis for family reunification and shows that biological criteria still play an important role in decision making on citizenship rights in nation-states. Presenting Germany as an exemplary case, we argue that the use of parental testing endorses a biological concept of the family that is mobilized to diminish citizenship rights. The argument is based on documentary analysis and on interviews with representatives of nongovernmental organizations and immigration authorities, lawyers, geneticists, and applicants for family reunification.
Species-specific Inflammatory Responses as a Primary Component for the Development of Glomerular Lesions in Mice and Monkeys Following Chronic Administration of a Second-generation Antisense Oligonucleotide
Authors: Frazier Kendall S. , Sobry Cécile , Derr Victoria , Adams Mike J. , Besten Cathaline Den , Kimpe Sjef De , Francis Ian , Gales Tracy L. , Haworth Richard , Maguire Shaun R. , Mirabile Rosanna C. , Mullins David , Palate Bernard , Doorten Yolanda Ponstein-Simarro , Ridings James E. , Scicchitano Marshall S. , Silvano Jérémy , Woodfine Jennie
Published: November 2013

Chronic administration of drisapersen, a 2′-OMe phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (AON) to mice and monkeys resulted in renal tubular accumulation, with secondary tubular degeneration. Glomerulopathy occurred in both species with species-specific characteristics. Glomerular lesions in mice were characterized by progressive hyaline matrix accumulation, accompanied by the presence of renal amyloid and with subsequent papillary necrosis. Early changes involved glomerular endothelial hypertrophy and degeneration, but the chronic glomerular amyloid and hyaline alterations in mice appeared to be species specific. An immune-mediated mechanism for the glomerular lesions in mice was supported by early inflammatory changes including increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and other immunomodulatory genes within the renal cortex, increased stimulation of CD68 protein, and systemic elevation of monocyte chemotactic protein 1. In contrast, kidneys from monkeys given drisapersen chronically showed less severe glomerular changes characterized by increased mesangial and inflammatory cells, endothelial cell hypertrophy, and subepithelial and membranous electron-dense deposits, with ultrastructural and immunohistochemical characteristics of complement and complement-related fragments. Lesions in monkeys resembled typical features of C3 glomerulopathy, a condition described in man and experimental animals to be linked to dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway. Thus, inflammatory/immune mechanisms appear critical to glomerular injury with species-specific sensitivities for mouse and monkey. The lower observed proinflammatory activity in humans as compared to mice and monkeys may reflect a lower risk of glomerular injury in patients receiving AON therapy.
Adaptive Parotid Gland Hypertrophy Induced by Dietary Treatment of GSE in Rats
Authors: Inoue Kaoru , Morikawa Tomomi , Matsuo Saori , Tamura Kei , Takahashi Miwa , Yoshida Midori
Published: November 2013

In a 13-week feeding toxicity study of grape skin extract (GSE) performed previously, 5.0% GSE showed diffuse hypertrophy and basophilia in rat parotid glands. To clarify whether the change in the parotid glands was an adverse effect of GSE, 6-week-old male F344 rats were fed a diet containing 5.0% GSE or were administered a dose corresponding to the dietary concentration via gavage for 4 weeks, and the treatment was stopped for 2 weeks. To ascertain the effect of astringency, other animals were fed a diet containing 5.0% tannic acid (TA) using the same protocol as the GSE feed group. Control groups were fed a basal diet or were administered sterilized distilled water by gavage. In the GSE and TA feed groups, diffuse severe hypertrophy and basophilia in the parotid glandular epithelial cells were observed. Macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural characteristics consistent with cellular hypertrophy was less apparent after the recovery period in both feed groups. In contrast, no changes were observed in the parotid glands of the gavage GSE and control groups at week 4. Based on these findings of parotid hypertrophy without cytotoxicity, the data from this and previous studies suggest that hypertrophy of the parotid glands induced by feeding treatment with GSE is an adaptive non-adverse effect that is reversible upon removal of the sialotrophic agent.
Spontaneous Testicular Tubular Hypoplasia/Atrophy in the Göttingen Minipig
Authors: Thuilliez Céline , Tortereau Antonin , Perron-Lepage Marie-France , Howroyd Paul , Gauthier Béatrice
Published: November 2013

The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the incidence and severity of tubular atrophy/hypoplasia in the testes of 104 control Göttingen minipigs aged 4.5 to 15 months. The finding was termed “tubular hypoplasia/atrophy” according to published descriptions for the dog. It included different microscopic changes that were considered part of a continuum, namely seminiferous epithelium vacuolation, presence of multinucleated germ cells in the tubular lumen, and decreased numbers (hypospermatogenesis) or absence of germ cells. This retrospective study demonstrates that tubular hypoplasia/atrophy is present in more than 70% of Göttingen minipigs and can occur at a marked severity in control animals. It correlated with a higher level of cell debris and a decrease in sperm content in the epididymides and with lower absolute and relative testes weights. There was no correlation with the weight of other sexual organs, total bodyweight, or age, which demonstrates that this change was not related to sexual immaturity. The distinction between this background finding and a compound-related effect could be challenging for the pathologist.
Metabolic Syndrome and Associated Factors in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Park Soo Kyung , Larson Janet L.
Published: November 2013

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) varies in European and Asian countries and does not always mirror the prevalence of the general population in a given country. We compared the prevalence of MetS in people with COPD with a comparison group in the United States. The National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey data set (2007-2010) was used to identify 94 people with COPD (mean age = 62). Data for demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained by interview and physical examination. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The prevalence of MetS was 57.5% in the COPD group and 53.6% in the comparison group. In people with COPD, the factors most significantly associated with MetS were age, income level, marital status, and respiratory symptoms. People with COPD should be screened for MetS.
Changes of cardiac troponin I and operative mortality of coronary artery bypass
Authors: Moon Mi Hyoung , Song Hyun , Wang Young Pil , Jo Keon Hyun , Kim Chi Kyung , Cho Kyu Do
Published: November 2013

Background

Recently, cardiac troponin I has been used to detect myocardial injury because of its superior cardiac specificity. However, there has been debate about the appropriate timing and cutoff level of cardiac troponin I to detect perioperative myocardial injury after coronary artery bypass grafting. The objective of this study was to define the relationship between operative mortality and changes in cardiac troponin I after isolated coronary artery bypass.

Patients and methods

A retrospective analysis was carried out on data of 218 isolated coronary artery bypass patients who were operated on between June 2009 and February 2012. All patients followed an institutional perioperative management protocol that included 6 cardiac troponin I measurements (preoperatively and 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h after coronary artery bypass). According to the patterns of cardiac troponin I, the patient cohort was divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was patients in whom cardiac troponin I levels decreased 24 h after the operation, and group 2 comprised the patients with cardiac troponin I levels that did not decrease or even increased after 24 h.

Results

The operative mortality was 4.1% (9/218). Group 2 showed significantly higher mortality (5/25, 20%) than group 1 (4/193, 2.1%).

Conclusion

An elevated cardiac troponin I level is common after coronary artery bypass. A persistently high level of cardiac troponin I after 24 h is an important predictor of operative mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery.