bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESIDUES MANAGEMENT: BRAZILIAN EXPERIENCES
Authors: DORION ERIC , SEVERO ELIANA , OLEA PELAYO , NODARI CRISTINE , DE GUIMARAES JULIO FERRO
Published: October 2012

Since Brazilian healthcare institutions have the duty to care about public health service, they also have the social and financial responsibilities to bring environmentally friendly practices and strategies, including principally a responsible attitude towards hospital waste management. Negligent waste management contributes significantly to polluting the environment. Today, a specific regional context in the southern State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, shows an ambivalent situation in terms of hospital waste management. This study aims to analyze the environmental management practices and innovation strategies of the hospitals of the Serra Gaúcha region, as well as conducting a comparison between the environmental management practices versus the current Brazilian laws. Based on data analysis, it was found that all hospitals employ the practice of waste segregation, preserving public health and environmental quality. However, in respect to hospital waste effluents, 75% of the hospitals of the Serra Gaúcha region do not treat their hospital effluents, not complying with the current Brazilian legislation.
TEACHINGS ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS IN GEOGRAPHY REFLECTING DEMANDS OF THE WORKING PRACTICE: A GERMAN CASE STUDY
Authors: WEILAND ULRIKE
Published: October 2012

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are applied in many project approval procedures, and many experts from various disciplines are engaged in this, among them environmental consultants and geography graduates. In this paper, teaching on EIA in German geography programmes is analysed and evaluated with respect to the demands of the working practice. The results are used to advice on further environmental assessment related teaching programmes. The analysis reveals the small number of geography programmes teaching EIA at universities, a large breadth of teaching, and discrepancies between teaching and actual demands from the profession. Agreement between teaching and working practice exists only in some areas, e.g. with respect to knowledge on EIA processes, knowledge on environmental factors considered, and the minor importance of the history of EIA. Finally, conclusions are drawn for teaching EIA, based on the demands from practitioners as well as results from the literature. The teaching-practice-gap is discussed.
HOW CLEARLY IS CAUSALITY COMMUNICATED IN EIA?
Authors: PERDICOÚLIS ANASTASSIOS , GLASSON JOHN
Published: October 2012

Causality, or the relation of cause and effect, is a fundamental notion in impact assessment, indicating how impacts arise from development actions. In the context of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), recent research in the UK has indicated that impact statements typically do not contain graphic expressions of causality. This article explores the extent to which causality about environmental impacts is described in the text of the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). The analysis methodology employs two techniques, semantics analysis and transcription of the text into causal digraphs, while the case study material is sampled from ten recent UK and US impact statements. The research indicates in many cases that the communication of causality has faults such as uncertainty or absence of important information, and we highlight the implications for the practice of EIA.
CONTRACTIBLE HAMILTONIAN CYCLES IN POLYHEDRAL MAPS
Authors: MAITY DIPENDU , UPADHYAY ASHISH KUMAR
Published: October 2012

We present a necessary and sufficient condition for existence of a contractible Hamiltonian cycle in the edge graph of equivelar maps on surfaces. We also present an algorithm to find such cycles (if they exist). This is further generalized and shown to hold for more general maps.
Travelling Wave Solutions of the Schrödinger‐Boussinesq System
Authors: Kılıcman Adem , Abazari Reza
Published: October 2012

We establish exact solutions for the Schrödinger‐Boussinesq System iut + uxx − auv = 0, , where a and b are real constants. The (G′/G)‐expansion method is used to construct exact periodic and soliton solutions of this equation. Our work is motivated by
the fact that the (G′/G)‐expansion method provides not only more general forms of solutions but also periodic and solitary waves. As a result, hyperbolic function
solutions and trigonometric function solutions with parameters are obtained. These solutions may be important and of significance for the explanation of some practical physical problems.
Tuberculosis Is Not a Risk Factor for Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Smyk Daniel S. , Bogdanos Dimitrios P. , Pares Albert , Liaskos Christos , Billinis Charalambos , Burroughs Andrew K. , Rigopoulou Eirini I.
Published: October 2012

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a progressive cholestatic liver disease characterised serologically by cholestasis and the presence of high-titre antimitochondrial antibodies, and histologically by chronic nonsuppurative cholangitis and granulomata. As PBC is a granulomatous disease andMycobacterium tuberculosisis the most frequent cause of granulomata, a causal relation between tuberculosis and PBC has been suggested. Attempts to find serological evidence of PBC-specific autoantibodies such as AMA have been made and, conversely, granulomatous livers from patients with PBC have been investigated for molecular evidence ofMycobacterium tuberculosis. This paper discusses in detail the reported data in support or against an association betweenMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection and PBC. We discuss the immunological and microbiological data exploring the association of PBC with exposure toMycobacterium tuberculosis. We also discuss the findings of large epidemiologic studies investigating the association of PBC with preexistent or concomitant disorders and the relevance of these findings with tuberculosis. Genome-wide association studies in patients with tuberculosis as well as in patients with PBC provide conclusive hints regarding the assumed association between exposure to this mycobacterium and the induction of PBC. Analysis of these data suggest thatMycobacterium tuberculosisis an unlikely infectious trigger of PBC.
Diet, Physical Activity, Weight Status, and Culture in a Sample of Children from the Developing World
Authors: Gaskin Pamela S. , Lai Pamela , Guy Devon , Knight JaDon , Jackson Maria , Nielsen Anders L.
Published: October 2012

Objective. Barbados, a small developing state at the end of the nutrition transition, faces an obesity epidemic. Although there is hope of stemming the epidemic in childhood, no descriptions of children's dietary and physical activity (PA) patterns are available for planning purposes. We describe the food and activity preferences and adult encouragement of active and sedentary behaviors for children 9–11 years in relation to weight status and the cultural context.Design. We used data from a pilot study preceding a large-scale ongoing study on the local drivers of the obesity epidemic among preadolescent children. PA, sedentary activity, and dietary intakes were assessed from recalls. Weight and height were measured.Setting. Barbados.Subjects. Sixty-two (62), 9–11-year-old school children.Results. Sugar-sweetened beverages provided 21% of energy consumed. Energy intake significantly explained BMI. Parents selected significantly more of children’s sedentary activities and encouraged mostly homework and chores (59%). Children’s self-selected school-based activity was significantly related to BMI.Conclusions. Childhood obesity prevention recommendations and research should focus on culture-specific practices that promote acquired taste for excess sugar and parent-child interactions regarding PA. Child influenced by school-based activity intervention may an important area for preventive intervention research.
Improving Results on Convergence of AOR Method
Authors: Wang Guangbin , Wang Ting , Du Yanli
Published: October 2012

We present some sufficient conditions on convergence of AOR method for solving Ax = b with A being a strictly doubly α diagonally dominant matrix. Moreover, we give two numerical examples to show the advantage of the new results.
Enhancing Scheduling Performance for a Wafer Fabrication Factory: The Biobjective Slack-Diversifying Nonlinear Fluctuation-Smoothing Rule
Authors: Chen Toly , Wang Yu Cheng
Published: October 2012

A biobjective slack-diversifying nonlinear fluctuation-smoothing rule (biSDNFS) is proposed in the present work to improve the scheduling performance of a wafer fabrication factory. This rule was derived from a one-factor bi-objective nonlinear fluctuation-smoothing rule (1f-biNFS) by dynamically maximizing the standard deviation of the slack, which has been shown to benefit scheduling performance by several previous studies. The efficacy of the biSDNFS was validated with a simulated case; evidence was found to support its effectiveness. We also suggested several directions in which it can be exploited in the future.
No‐Reference Stereoscopic IQA Approach: From Nonlinear Effect to Parallax Compensation
Authors: Gu Ke , Zhai Guangtao , Yang Xiaokang , Zhang Wenjun
Published: October 2012

The last decade has seen a booming of the applications of stereoscopic images/videos and the corresponding technologies, such as 3D modeling, reconstruction, and disparity estimation. However, only a very limited number of stereoscopic image quality assessment metrics was proposed through the years. In this paper, we propose a new no‐reference stereoscopic image quality assessment algorithm based on the nonlinear additive model, ocular dominance model, and saliency based parallax compensation. Our studies using the Toyama database result in three valuable findings. First, quality of the stereoscopic image has a nonlinear relationship with a direct summation of two monoscopic image qualities. Second, it is a rational assumption that the right‐eye response has the higher impact on the stereoscopic image quality, which is based on a sampling survey in the ocular dominance research. Third, the saliency based parallax compensation, resulted from different stereoscopic image contents, is considerably valid to improve the prediction performance of image quality metrics. Experimental results confirm that our proposed stereoscopic image quality assessment paradigm has superior prediction accuracy as compared to state‐of‐the‐art competitors.
Towards Washable Wearable Antennas: A Comparison of Coating Materials for Screen-Printed Textile-Based UHF RFID Tags
Authors: Kellomäki Tiiti , Virkki Johanna , Merilampi Sari , Ukkonen Leena
Published: October 2012

(Radio frequency identification) RFID tags integrated into clothing enable monitoring of people without their conscious effort. This requires tags to be an unnoticeable part of clothing and comfortable to wear. In this study, RFID antennas were screen printed on two different fabrics, six different coating materials for the (integrated circuits) ICs were applied, and the reliability of these RFID tags was tested with moisture and laundry tests. Generally, glue-type coating materials were easier to handle and could be spread precisely. All the tags were operational immediately after the coatings were applied, and five of the coating materials were seen to protect the IC from detaching in the laundry. It was found that the uneven fabric surface caused discontinuities and breaks in narrow conductors, and thus hard coatings may also be needed to keep the tag from breaking in laundry.
High-Order Dimension Synthesis of Planar/Spatial Mechanisms with One-DoF by CAD Variational Geometry
Authors: Lu Yi , Lu Yang , Ye Nijia , Yuan Lin
Published: October 2012

This paper proposes a (computer aided design) CAD variational geometry approach for the high-order dimension synthesis of one-DoF mechanisms based on the given velocity/acceleration of a moving platform along a prescribed trajectory. The objective of this approach is to determine the reasonable dimensions of the mechanisms when given the velocity or/and the acceleration of the moving platform along a prescribed trajectory. First, some concepts and mathematical foundations are explained for constructing the velocity/acceleration simulation mechanism of a general mechanism. Second, the inverse velocity/acceleration simulation mechanisms of the planar/spatial four-bar mechanisms with one-DoF are constructed by the CAD variational geometry. Third, when given the position and the velocity/acceleration of the coupler along a prescribed trajectory, all the reasonable dimensions of the planar/spatial four-bar mechanisms are solved from their simulation mechanisms.
Novel Implant Coating Agent Promotes Gene Expression of Osteogenic Markers in Rats during Early Osseointegration
Authors: Bougas Kostas , Jimbo Ryo , Xue Ying , Mustafa Kamal , Wennerberg Ann
Published: October 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early bone response around laminin-1-coated titanium implants. Forty-five rats distributed in three equally sized groups were provided with one control (turned) and one test (laminin-1-coated) implant and were sacrificed after 3, 7, and 21 days. Real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed for osteoblast markers (alkaline phosphatase, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin, type I collagen, and bone morphogenic protein 2), osteoclast markers (cathepsin K and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase), inflammation markers (tumor necrosis factorα, interleukin 1βand interleukin 10), and integrinβ1. Bone implant contact (BIC) and bone area (BA) were assessed and compared to the gene expression. After 3 days, the expression of bone markers was higher for the control group. After 7 days, the expression of integrinβ1 and osteogenic markers was enhanced for the test group, while cathepsin K and inflammation markers were down-regulated. No significant differences in BIC or BA were detected between test and control at any time point. As a conclusion, implant coating with laminin-1 altered gene expression in the bone-implant interface. However, traditional evaluation methods, as histomorphometry, were not adequately sensitive to detect such changes due to the short follow-up time.
Approximations of Numerical Method for Neutral Stochastic Functional Differential Equations with Markovian Switching
Authors: Yang Hua , Jiang Feng
Published: October 2012

Stochastic systems with Markovian switching have been used in a variety of application areas, including biology, epidemiology, mechanics, economics, and finance. In this paper, we study the Euler‐Maruyama (EM) method for neutral stochastic functional differential equations with Markovian switching. The main aim is to show that the numerical solutions will converge to the true solutions. Moreover, we obtain the convergence order of the approximate solutions.
Hybrid Gradient-Projection Algorithm for Solving Constrained Convex Minimization Problems with Generalized Mixed Equilibrium Problems
Authors: Ceng Lu-Chuan , Wen Ching-Feng
Published: October 2012

It is well known that the gradient-projection algorithm (GPA) for solving constrained convex minimization problems has been proven to have only weak convergence unless the underlying Hilbert space is finite dimensional. In this paper, we introduce a new hybrid gradient-projection algorithm for solving constrained convex minimization problems with generalized mixed equilibrium problems in a real Hilbert space. It is proven that three sequences generated by this algorithm converge strongly to the unique solution of some variational inequality, which is also a common element of the set of solutions of a constrained convex minimization problem, the set of solutions of a generalized mixed equilibrium problem, and the set of fixed points of a strict pseudocontraction in a real Hilbert space.
Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition Synthesis of Carbon Aerogels of High-Surface Area and Porosity
Authors: Peña Armando , Puerta Julio , Guerrero Aimé , Cañizales Edgar , Brito Joaquín L.
Published: October 2012

In this work carbon aerogels were synthesized by catalytic chemical vapor deposition method (CCVD). Ferrocene were employed as a source both of catalytic material (Fe) and of carbon. Gaseous hydrogen and argon were used as reductant and carrier gas, respectively. The products of reaction were collected over alumina. The morphology and textural properties of the soot produced in the reaction chamber were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and N2physisorption (BET and BHJ methods). After the evaluation of the porous structure of the synthesized products, 780 ± 20 m2/g ofSBETand 0.55 ± 0.02 cm3/g ofVBJHwere found. The presence of iron carbide and the partial oxidation of carbon nanostructures were revealed by XPS.
Alternative Forms of Compound Fractional Poisson Processes
Authors: Beghin Luisa , Macci Claudio
Published: October 2012

We study here different fractional versions of the compound Poisson process. The fractionality is introduced in the counting process representing the number of jumps as well as in the density of the jumps themselves. The corresponding distributions are obtained explicitly and proved to be solution of fractional equations of order less than one. Only in the final case treated in this paper, where the number of jumps is given by the fractional‐difference Poisson process defined in Orsingher and Polito (2012), we have a fractional driving equation, with respect to the time argument, with order greater than one. Moreover, in this case, the compound Poisson process is Markovian and this is also true for the corresponding limiting process. All the processes considered here are proved to be compositions of continuous time random walks with stable processes (or inverse stable subordinators). These subordinating relationships hold, not only in the limit, but also in the finite domain. In some cases the densities satisfy master equations which are the fractional analogues of the well‐known Kolmogorov one.
An Expedient Protocol to the Synthesis of Benzo(b)furans by Palladium Induced Heterocyclization of Corresponding 2‐Allylphenols Containing Electron Rich and Electron Capturing Substituents in the Arene Ring
Authors: Rao Kiran , Tyagi Ruchi , Kaur Navjeet , Kishore D.
Published: October 2012

A facile and rapid accessibility to the libraries containing several mono, and disubstituted benzo(b)furan derivatives substituted with a variety of electron rich and electron capturing groups on 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 positions of its nucleus has been explored using the PdCl2(CH3CN)2 catalyzed heterocyclization of the corresponding 2‐allylphenols to afford 2(a–m) in good yield and high purity.
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Novel Genetic Determinants of DNA Repair Capacity in Lung Cancer
Authors: Wang Li-E , Gorlova Olga Y. , Ying Jun , Qiao Yawei , Weng Shih-Feng , Lee Annette T. , Gregersen Peter K. , Spitz Margaret R. , Amos Christopher I. , Wei Qingyi
Published: October 2012

Suboptimal cellular DNA repair capacity (DRC) has been shown to be associated with enhanced cancer risk, but genetic variants affecting the DRC phenotype have not been comprehensively investigated. In this study, with the available DRC phenotype data, we analyzed correlations between the DRC phenotype and genotypes detected by the Illumina 317K platform in 1,774 individuals of European ancestry from a Texas lung cancer genome-wide association study. The discovery phase was followed by a replication in an independent set of 1,374 cases and controls of European ancestry. We applied a generalized linear model with single nucleotide polymorphisms as predictors and DRC (a continuous variable) as the outcome. Covariates of age, sex, pack-years of smoking, DRC assay-related variables, and case–control status of the study participants were adjusted in the model. We validated that reduced DRC was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in both independent datasets. Several suggestive loci that contributed to the DRC phenotype were defined in ERCC2/XPD, PHACTR2, and DUSP1. In summary, we determined that DRC is an independent risk factor for lung cancer, and we defined several genetic loci contributing to DRC phenotype. Cancer Res; 73(1); 256–64. ©2012 AACR.
Spatiotemporal Assessments of Dermal Hyperemia Enable Accurate Prediction of Experimental Cutaneous Carcinogenesis as well as Chemopreventive Activity
Authors: Konger Raymond L. , Xu Zhengbin , Sahu Ravi P. , Rashid Badri M. , Mehta Shama R. , Mohamed Deena R. , DaSilva-Arnold Sonia C. , Bradish Joshua R. , Warren Simon J. , Kim Young L.
Published: October 2012

Field cancerization refers to areas of grossly normal epithelium that exhibit increased risk for tumor occurrence. Unfortunately, elucidation of the locoregional changes that contribute to increased tumor risk is difficult due to the inability to visualize the field. In this study, we use a noninvasive optical-based imaging approach to detail spatiotemporal changes in subclinical hyperemia that occur during experimental cutaneous carcinogenesis. After acute inflammation from 10 weeks of UVB irradiation subsides, small areas of focal hyperemia form and were seen to persist and expand long after cessation of UVB irradiation. We show that these persistent early hyperemic foci reliably predict sites of angiogenesis and overlying tumor formation. More than 96% of the tumors (57 of 59) that developed following UVB or 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene/phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (DMBA/PMA) treatment developed in sites of preexisting hyperemic foci. Hyperemic foci were multifocal and heterogeneously distributed and represented a minor fraction of the carcinogen-treated skin surface (10.3% of the imaging area in vehicle-treated animals). Finally, we also assessed the ability of the anti-inflammatory agent, celecoxib, to suppress hyperemia formation during photocarcinogenesis. The chemopreventive activity of celecoxib was shown to correlate with its ability to reduce the area of skin that exhibit these hyperemic foci, reducing the area of imaged skin containing hyperemic foci by 49.1%. Thus, we propose that a hyperemic switch can be exploited to visualize the cancerization field very early in the course of cutaneous carcinogenesis and provides insight into the chemopreventive activity of the anti-inflammatory agent celecoxib. Cancer Res; 73(1); 150–9. ©2012 AACR.
Tissue Damage–Associated “Danger Signals” Influence T-cell Responses That Promote the Progression of Preneoplasia to Cancer
Authors: He Ying , Zha Jikun , Wang Yamin , Liu Wenhua , Yang Xuanming , Yu Ping
Published: October 2012

T-cell responses may be shaped by sterile “danger signals” that are constituted by damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP). However, whether and what type of adaptive immune responses are triggered in vivo by DAMPs induced by tumor progression are not well characterized. In this study, we report that the production of HMGB1, an established DAMP released by dying cells, was critical for tumor progression in an established mouse model of prostate cancer. HMGB1 was required for the activation and intratumoral accumulation of T cells that expressed cytokine lymphotoxinα1β2 (LT) on their surface. Intriguingly, these tumor-activated T cells recruited macrophages to the lesion and were essential to promote the preneoplasia to invasive carcinoma in an LTβ receptor (LTβR)-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings suggest that the release of HMGB1 as an endogenous danger signal is important for priming an adaptive immune response that promotes malignant progression, with implications for cancer prevention and therapy. Cancer Res; 73(2); 629–39. ©2012 AACR.
Nitric Oxide–Dependent Downregulation of BRCA1 Expression Promotes Genetic Instability
Authors: Yakovlev Vasily A.
Published: October 2012

Elevated levels of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) may link inflammation to the initiation, promotion, and progression of cancer. Traditionally, this link has been thought to be mediated by the effects of NO/RNS in generating DNA damage. However, this damage also stimulates DNA repair responses with subsequent blocks to cell proliferation and apoptosis, thereby preventing accumulation of NO/RNS-generated mutations. In addressing this conundrum, I describe here an alternative mechanism for understanding mutagenesis by NO/RNS. Moderate NO/RNS concentrations stimulated mutagenesis not directly by generating DNA damage but indirectly by modifying the activities of DNA repair and genome stability factors without affecting cell proliferation. NO/RNS at concentrations physiologically relevant to inflammation stimulated PP2A activity, leading to dephosphorylation of RBL2, its accumulation in the nucleus, and formation of RBL2/E2F4 complexes. RBL2/E2F4 formation in turn led to a shift in BRCA1 promoter occupancy from complexes containing activator E2F1 to complexes containing repressor E2F4, downregulating BRCA1 expression. By inhibiting BRCA1 expression, NO/RNS thereby reduces the ability of cells to repair DNA double-strand breaks through homologous recombination repair, increasing the involvement of error-prone nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). In summary, NO/RNS stimulates genetic instability by inhibiting BRCA1 expression and shifting DNA repair from high fidelity to error-prone mechanisms. Cancer Res; 73(2); 706–15. ©2012 AACR.
Assessment and Treatment of Aphasia in Czech
Authors: Lehečková Helena
Published: October 2012

Intervention approaches to aphasia differ in different countries. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the situation in the Czech Republic. The following topics are summarized: (1) Czech logopedics in aphasiology; (2) the assessment of aphasia; (3) the treatment of aphasia; (4) Czech aphasiologic material; (5) the qualification of clinical logopedists, and (6) regulations of aphasiologic care. Czech is a very intricate language, both phonetically and grammatically. The prevalence of consonants appearing in long sequences (a whole sentence can be constructed purely of consonants) makes it difficult to pronounce. The strong inflecting character with hundreds of grammatical forms for each inflected word makes it difficult to use correct morphology and syntax. These facts make Czech a real challenge both for aphasics and logopedists. An overview of aphasia tests and treatment methods used in the Czech Republic, as well as conditions of logopedic care are given. The paper will allow comparison with the situation in other countries.
Quality of Life after Stroke: Evaluation of the Greek SAQOL-39g
Authors: Efstratiadou Evangelia Antonia , Chelas Evripidis Nicolaos , Ignatiou Maria , Christaki Vasiliki , Papathanasiou Ilias , Hilari Katerina
Published: October 2012

Background/Aims: Stroke and aphasia rehabilitation aims to improve people’s quality of life. Yet, scales for measuring health-related quality of life in stroke typically exclude people with aphasia. They are also primarily available in English. An exception is the 39-item generic version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale (SAQOL-39g). This scale has been tested with people with aphasia; it has been adapted for use in many countries including Greece. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek SAQOL-39g. Methods: An interview-based psychometric study was carried out. Participants completed: receptive subtests of the Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, the Greek SAQOL-39g, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, the Frenchay Activities Index, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Barthel Index. Results: 86 people took part; 26 provided test-retest reliability data. The Greek SAQOL-39g demonstrated excellent acceptability (minimal missing data; no floor/ceiling effects), test-retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96 (overall scale), 0.83–0.99 (domains)] and internal consistency [Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96 (overall scale), 0.92–0.96 (domains)]. There was strong evidence for convergent [r = 0.53–0.80 (overall scale), 0.54–0.89 (domains)] and discriminant validity [r = 0.52 (overall scale), 0.04–0.48 (domains)]. Conclusion: The Greek SAQOL-39g is a valid and reliable scale. It is a promising measure for use in stroke and aphasia treatment prioritization, outcome measurement and service evaluation.
The Effects of Age and Education on Executive Functioning and Oral Naming Performance in Greek Cypriot Adults: The Neurocognitive Study for the Aging
Authors: Constantinidou Fofi , Christodoulou Marianna , Prokopiou Juliana
Published: October 2012

Background/Aims: Age, educational experiences, language and culture can affect linguistic-cognitive performance. This is the first systematic study investigating linguistic-cognitive aging in Greek Cypriot adults focusing on executive functioning (EF) and oral naming performance. Method: Three hundred and fifty-nine participants were included, a group of young-old, aged 60–75 years (n = 231), and a group of old-old participants, aged 76 years and older (n = 128). Participants in each age group were divided into three education groups: 0–4 years (n = 50), 5–9 years (n = 198), and 10 years of education and higher (n = 111). Participants were administered 5 measures of EF along with measures of receptive vocabulary and confrontational naming. Results: There was a significant relationship between the EF composite score and all language measures. MANOVA (α = 0.05) indicated significant age and education effects on most measures of EF and language. Performance on receptive vocabulary and cognitive shift remained stable across age groups, but was mediated by education. Conclusion: Education plays a significant role on all measures requiring semantic organization, speed of information processing, cognitive shift, mental flexibility, receptive vocabulary and confrontational naming. Furthermore, strategic thinking has a role in semantic knowledge, word retrieval and semantic access in healthy aging. We conclude with clinical implications and assessment considerations in aphasia.
Communicative Clusters after a Right-Hemisphere Stroke: Are There Universal Clinical Profiles?
Authors: Ferré Perrine , Fonseca Rochele Paz , Ska Bernadette , Joanette Yves
Published: October 2012

Objective: The current research aimed at classifying communication profiles among right-brain-damaged adults with an intercultural perspective, and so begins to fill in a long-standing gap in the literature. Method: The sample was made up of 112 right-brain-damaged individuals from three nationalities (Canadians, Brazilians and Argentineans). They were assessed using 13 language tasks from the Protocol MEC in Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and French. Results: A hierarchical cluster analysis led to four distinct clinical profiles of communication. Since only a few distinctions between nationalities were observed, the results suggest that there probably is a partial universality of clinical profiles of communication impairments after a right brain damage. Conclusions: This study proposes a preliminary taxonomy of communication disorders among right-brain-damaged individuals with cross-cultural implications. The exploration of associated stroke sites and neuropsychological concomitant deficits would contribute to the eventual development of a more accurate clinical intervention.
Current Clinical Practices in Aphasia Therapy in Finland: Challenges in Moving towards National Best Practice
Authors: Klippi A. , Sellman J. , Heikkinen P. , Laine M.
Published: October 2012

Aims: The objective of this article is to discover and document the state of clinical practices for aphasia therapy in Finland and to gather information for developing national best practice. Methods: Two surveys were administered in Finland that explored current clinical practices in aphasia rehabilitation and the resources available to speech and language therapists (SLTs). We integrated and compared the results of these surveys. The results are based on the responses of the 88 (45 + 43) returned questionnaires from SLTs. Results: Four principle themes were identified: planning the aphasia therapy, measures and assessment methods, current therapy service provision, and development suggestions and barriers to change. The results of this study showed considerable consistency in clinical practices among the respondents to the surveys. However, we noticed that there are some discrepancies between the recent research findings and present clinical practices. Conclusions: The findings from this study indicate that there are many challenges in clinical decision-making at the moment in Finland. The article helps clinicians to evaluate the practices they use and to execute justified modifications in order to implement more effective models of practice. It is evident that national best practice guidelines for aphasia therapy would support SLTs in clinical decision-making.
Does Treatment with Corticosteroids and Cyclosporine Reduce Transglutaminase Type 2 Expression in the Renal Tissue of Patients with Membranous Nephropathy?
Authors: Papasotiriou Marios , Kalliakmani Pantelitsa , Huang Linghong , Gerolymos Miltiadis , Goumenos Dimitrios S. , Johnson Timothy S.
Published: October 2012

Background/Aims: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. Transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) contributes to renal scarring through altering extracellular matrix homeostasis. In this study we hypothesized that immunosuppressive treatment would downregulate TG2 expression leading to reduced fibrosis, and subsequently TG2 would have value as a biomarker of progression of MN. Methods: TG2 expression was studied by immunofluorescence in kidney biopsy sections from 32 patients with MN and was compared to control biopsies. All patients were subsequently treated by a combination of cyclosporine and prednisolone for at least 24 months with a repeat biopsy taken in 14 patients. Results: Twenty-two out of 32 patients showed stable renal function, whereas 10 showed doubling of baseline serum creatinine and 5 of them reached end-stage renal disease during the 5-year follow-up. At the end of the follow-up, 22 out of 32 patients were in remission of nephrotic syndrome. TG2 immunostaining was increased in sections from patients with MN compared to healthy controls (p = 0.0002). TG2 at diagnosis was more intense in patients with severer interstitial fibrosis and advanced glomerular sclerosis. TG2 significantly increased in most patients in the repeat biopsies after treatment (p < 0.0001), whereas patients who showed a marked increase in interstitial fibrosis in the repeat biopsy had significantly more TG2 expression in the first biopsy (p = 0.02). Conclusion: TG2 expression is increased in MN patients and continues to increase despite immunosuppressive treatment. However, early detection of TG2 might be of value in MN since increased TG2 production seems to precede extensive interstitial fibrosis.
Treatment of Ipsilateral Renal Ureteral Calculi by Combining Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Surgery with Tubeless Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Authors: Sun Lu , Peng Fang-Li
Published: October 2012

Objectives: To report and discuss the role of the treatment of ipsilateral renal and upper middle ureteral stones in patients by combing retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery with tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Patients and Methods: Eleven patients associated with ipsilateral renal and upper middle ureteral stones underwent combing retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery with tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy after failure of shockwave or ureteroscopy lithotripsy. Their data were analyzed retrospectively including stone burden, perioperative complications and outcomes. Results: All the patients underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy and tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy successfully. Surgical time ranged from 80 to 160 min with a mean of 118 min. The mean hospital stay was 4 days (3-7 days). The mean length of retroperitoneal urinary drainage was 3 days (2-6 days). There were minor complications in 3 (27.2%) patients. The stone-free rate was 82% (9 patients). Two patients had a residual calyceal fragment that was treated with shockwave lithotripsy. All of them were followed up for 3-24 months. Renal function was improved in different degree. Conclusion: In carefully selected patients, combining retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery with tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy can treat ipsilateral renal and upper middle ureteral calculi by a single procedure with advantages of high stone-free rate, safety, reliability, rapid recovery and less complications.
Factor X Inhibitor: A Fulminant Presentation and Fatal Course of a Rare Syndrome in a 59-Year-Old Male
Authors: Gollard Russell , Rahman Syed , Ratnasabapathy Ramalingam
Published: October 2012

Factor X inhibitors are rare. The few cases documented in the literature have occurred after viral prodromes, in association with cancer, or after exposure to antibiotics. Acquired factor X deficiencies are also rare and their etiology is largely unknown. We report a new case of a factor X inhibitor and review prior cases of both factor X inhibitors and non-amyloidosis-related acquired factor X deficiencies.
Correlation between Age, Emergency Department Length of Stay and Hospital Admission Rate in Emergency Department Patients Aged ≥70 Years
Authors: Biber Roland , Bail Hermann Josef , Sieber Cornel , Weis Peter , Christ Michael , Singler Katrin
Published: October 2012

Background: Interdisciplinary emergency departments (EDs) are confronted with trauma and nontrauma patients of any age group. Length of stay (LOS) and admission rates reflect both disease complexity and severity. Objective: To evaluate LOS and admission rates in different age groups according to traumatic and nontraumatic etiologies. Patients and Methods: During May 2011 a total of 4,653 adult patients (defined as ≥18 years old) seen in the ED of our municipal hospital were evaluated for their primary problem, Emergency Severity Index, LOS and admission rate. 1,841 trauma patients (mean age: 51.9 years; SD 22.5 years) and 2,812 nontrauma patients (mean age: 60.0 years; SD 20.4 years) were included. Results: Median LOS in the ED was 1:41 h (trauma) and 1:52 h (nontrauma). Trauma patients aged ≥70 years spent more time in the ED than nontrauma patients of this age group (patients aged ≥70 years median: 2:08 vs. 1:56 h; p < 0.0001). However, no significant difference was found in patients aged <70 years (1:33 vs. 1:48 h; p = 0.64). Comparing older with younger patients, median LOS within the ED was about 8 min longer in nontrauma patients aged ≥70 years (p = 0.22) and about 35 min longer in trauma patients aged ≥70 years (p < 0.00001). Conclusions: The correlation between age and LOS is stronger for trauma patients, which might indicate a special need for geriatric expertise in elderly trauma ED patients. Thus an interdisciplinary approach including surgical and geriatric expertise may be advantageous.
Proteinuria as a Risk Marker for the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients on Predialysis Care and the Role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor/Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Treatment
Authors: de Goeij Moniek C.M. , Liem Madieke , de Jager Dinanda J. , Voormolen Nora , Sijpkens Yvo W.J. , Rotmans Joris I. , Boeschoten Elisabeth W. , Dekker Friedo W. , Grootendorst Diana C. , Halbesma Nynke ,   and the PREPARE-1 Study Group
Published: October 2012

Background/Aims: Proteinuria is a risk marker for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker (ACEi/ARB) is beneficial in these patients. However, little is known about proteinuria and ACEi/ARB treatment in patients on specialized predialysis care. Therefore, we investigated the association of urinary protein excretion (UPE) and ACEi/ARB treatment with renal function decline (RFD) and/or the start of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients on predialysis care. Methods: In the PREPARE-1 cohort, 547 incident predialysis patients (CKD stages IV–V), referred as part of the usual care to outpatient clinics of eight Dutch hospitals, were included (1999–2001) and followed until the start of RRT, mortality, or January 1, 2008. The main outcomes were rate of RFD, estimated as the slope of available eGFR measurements, and the start of RRT. Results: Patients with mild proteinuria (>0.3 to ≤1.0 g/24 h) had an adjusted additional RFD of 0.35 ml/min/1.73 m2/month (95% CI: 0.01; 0.68) and a higher rate of starting RRT [adjusted HR: 1.70 (1.05; 2.77)] compared with patients without proteinuria (≤0.3 g/24 h). With every consecutive UPE category (>1.0 to ≤3.0, >3.0 to ≤6.0, and >6.0 g/24 h), RFD accelerated and the start of RRT was earlier. Furthermore, patients starting (n = 16) or continuing (n = 133) treatment with ACEi/ARBs during predialysis care had a lower rate of starting RRT compared with patients not using treatment [n = 152, adjusted HR: 0.56 (0.29; 1.08) and 0.90 (0.68; 1.20), respectively]. Conclusion: In patients on predialysis care, we confirmed that proteinuria is a risk marker for the progression of CKD. Furthermore, no evidence was present that the use of ACEi/ARBs is deleterious.
Afferent Pathways Arising from the Lower Urinary Tract after Complete Spinal Cord Injury or Cauda Equina Lesion: Clinical Observations with Neurophysiological Implications
Authors: Reitz André
Published: October 2012

Background: Afferents from the urinary tract transmit bladder sensations to the central nervous system. Spinal cord injury (SCI) may affect both efferent motor and afferent sensory pathways. Presence/absence of bladder sensations in patients with complete spinal cord, conus or cauda equina lesions was compared with neurologically unimpaired patients. Methods: During urodynamics, bladder sensations were studied and compared in 59 patients: 21 patients with complete SCI below T6 and above Th12, 7 patients with a complete lesion of the conus medullaris, 11 patients with a complete lesion of the cauda equina, and 20 patients without neurological deficit. Results: Two of 7 patients with complete conus lesion had a preserved filling sensation. Ten of 11 patients with complete lesion of the cauda equina reported a bladder filling sensation. Sensations are perceived at a similar pressure threshold but at a higher volume threshold. Conclusions: In patients with a complete cauda or a lower conus lesion, a sensory input from the bladder is preserved. These findings imply that the preserved bladder filling sensation in complete cauda or lower conus lesions is possibly transferred through the intact hypogastric plexus to the thoracolumbar segments of the spinal cord.
Molecular Relationships and Classification of Several Tufted Capuchin Lineages (Cebus apella, Cebus xanthosternos and Cebus nigritus, Cebidae), by Means of Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase II Gene Sequences
Authors: Ruiz-García Manuel , Castillo Maria Ignacia , Lichilín-Ortiz Nicolás , Pinedo-Castro Myreya
Published: October 2012

The morphological systematics of the tufted capuchins is confusing. In an attempt to clarify the complex systematics and phylogeography of this taxon, we provide a first molecular analysis. We obtained mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II(mtCOII)gene sequences from 49 tufted capuchins that had exact geographic origins from diverse lineages in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, French Guyana, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay and that belonged to clearly recognized morphological taxa. This project had 4 main findings: (1) we determined 2 established and related taxa in the northern Amazon River area, which we namedC. a. apellaandC. a. fatuellus.C. a. apellais distributed from French Guyana until, at least, the Negro River in the northern Brazilian Amazon, whereasC. a. fatuellusis distributed throughout the Colombian Eastern Llanos and the northern Colombian Amazon. We also determined 2 other southernC. apellataxa, which we namedC. a. macrodonandC. a. cay.C. a. macrodonhas a western and southern Amazon distribution, whileC. a. cayhas a more southern distribution outside the Amazon basin. (2) In the upper Amazon basin, there is a unique lineage(C. a. macrocephalus)with 1 widely distributed haplotype. The 4 morphological subspecies (C. a. maranonis, C. a. macrocephalus,C. a. peruanus, C. a. pallidus), and maybe a fifth unknown subspecies, described in this area were molecularly undifferentiated at least for the mitochondrial gene analyzed. (3) Our molecular analysis determined that 1 individual ofC. robustusfell into the lineage ofC. a. macrocephalus. Therefore, this form does not receive any specific name. (4) The animals classified a priori asC. nigritusandC. xanthosternos(because of their morphological phenotypes and by their geographical origins) were clearly differentiated from the other specimens analyzed with the molecular marker employed. Therefore, we consider that these 2 lineages could be assigned the status of full species following the biological species definition. (5) In 2001, Groves described 4 tufted capuchin species(C. apella, C. libidinosus, C. nigritusandC. xanthosternos), while Silva Jr. determined 7 species(C. apella, C. macrocephalus, C. libidinosus, C. cay, C. nigritus,C. robustusandC. xanthosternos). The tests of Swofford-Olsen-Waddell-Hillis, of Shimodaira and Hasegawa and of Templeton did not fit with either of these two classificatory schemes, although Groves’ scheme was better with regard to our data than that of Silva Jr. (6) All the temporal splits among the tufted capuchin taxa studied were estimated to have occurred during the last phase of the Pleistocene by using the ρ statistic applied to the median joining haplotype network.
Sleep Disturbances in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2
Authors: Shepard Paul , Lam Erek M. , St. Louis Erik K. , Dominik Jacob
Published: October 2012

Sleep disorders in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) are common and include sleep-disordered breathing, hypersomnia, and fatigue. Little is known regarding the occurrence of sleep disturbance in myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2). We hypothesized that DM2 patients may frequently harbor sleep disorders. We reviewed medical records of all genetically confirmed cases of DM2 seen at our sleep center between 1997 and 2010 for demographic, laboratory, overnight oximetry, and polysomnography (PSG) data. Eight patients (5 women, 3 men) with DM2 were identified. Excessive daytime sleepiness was seen in 6 patients (75%), insomnia in 5 (62.5%), and excessive fatigue in 4 (50%). Obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed in 3 of 5 patients (60%) studied with PSG. Respiratory muscle weakness was present in all 6 patients (100%) who received pulmonary function testing. Four of 8 (50%) met criteria for diagnosis of restless legs syndrome. The clinical spectrum of DM2 may include a wide range of sleep disturbances. Although respiratory muscle weakness was frequent, sustained sleep-related hypoxia suggestive of hypoventilation was not seen in our patients. Further prospective studies are needed to examine the frequency and scope of sleep disturbances in DM2.
Comparative Analysis of Hyaluronan’s Affinity for Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents
Authors: Sugita Iichiro , Yoneda Masahiko , Iwaki Masayoshi , Zako Masahiro
Published: October 2012

Background: Differences in the efficacy of bevacizumab, an antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent, against retinopathy with neovascularization when injected into the vitreous cavity of vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized eyes suggests the involvement of hyaluronan, a major component of the vitreous body. This study aimed to compare the affinities of hyaluronan for anti-VEGF agents in vitro. Methods: We examined the affinities of hyaluronan for 3 anti-VEGF agents (bevacizumab, pegaptanib and ranibizumab). Tritium [3H]-labeled hyaluronan was incubated separately with each anti-VEGF agent. The ratio of bound and unbound hyaluronan measured using solid and liquid phase methods was calculated. Results: Hyaluronan demonstrated a significantly greater affinity for bevacizumab than for pegaptanib or ranibizumab. Conclusions: The absence or presence of hyaluronan may be associated with the clinical efficacy of bevacizumab injected into the vitreous cavity due to the affinity of hyaluronan for bevacizumab.