bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation: a teaching tool for liver transplantation anesthesiology
Authors: Aggarwal Shushma , Bane Brian C. , Boucek Charles D. , Planinsic Raymond M. , Lutz John W. , Metro David G.
Published: December 2011

Aggarwal S, Bane BC, Boucek CD, Planinsic RM, Lutz JW, Metro DG. Simulation: a teaching tool for liver transplantation anesthesiology.

Abstract:  Anesthesia for liver transplantation (ALT) requires extensive preparation and rapid recognition of changing clinical conditions. Owing to the proliferation of transplant centers, greater number of anesthesia providers need training in specific skills required to treat these patients. These cases are no longer limited to few transplant centers; therefore, reduction of cases in individual centers has created a need for simulation training to prepare and supplement clinical experience. We have developed an ALT simulation course for senior anesthesia residents which combines didactic sessions with live‐patient‐based and mannequin‐based simulation. Outcomes have been measured using pre‐ and post‐simulation course quizzes as well as a survey given at the end of the month‐long ALT rotation. Twenty‐four senior anesthesiology residents (n = 24) have completed the ALT simulation course. Residents had an average score of 75% ± 10% on the pre‐simulation quiz, which increased to 92% ± 6.5% on the post‐simulation quiz (p < 0.001). Furthermore, survey scores indicated that residents noted that the course provided an improvement in their preparedness, confidence, anticipation, and understanding of the importance of communication skills in the care of this patient population. The ALT simulation course provided a standardized in‐depth exposure to clinical issues involved in the perioperative care of liver transplant patients.
Smooth emergence in men undergoing nasal surgery: the effect site concentration of remifentanil for preventing cough after sevoflurane‐balanced anaesthesia
Authors: CHOI E. M. , PARK W‐K. , CHOI S‐H. , SOH S. , LEE J‐R.
Published: January 2012

Background

Suppression of cough during emergence after nasal surgery is practical to avoid bleeding from the surgical site. Previously recommended effect‐site concentration of remifentanil for preventing cough during emergence is restricted to female patients undergoing thyroid surgery, so we evaluated effective effect‐site concentration of remifentanil for preventing cough during emergence for men undergoing nasal surgery.

Methods

Twenty‐four American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I or II, between the ages of 18 and 60 years old, non‐smoker male patients undergoing nasal surgery were enrolled in this study. The effective effect‐site concentration for 50% of patients (EC50) and and that for 95% of patients (EC95) of remifentanil for preventing cough were determined by Dixon's up‐and‐down method and by isotonic regression method with a bootstrapping approach. Haemodynamic variables were compared in patients with cough and without cough during emergence.

Results

The EC50 of remifentanil for preventing cough during emergence by Dixon's method was 2.17 ng/ml [standard deviation (SD) 0.38]. The estimated EC50 and EC95 of remifentanil using isotonic regression model with a bootstrapping approach were 2.35 ng/ml [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.89–2.66] and 2.94 ng/ml (95% CI 2.83–2.97), respectively. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly higher in patients with cough during emergence. Three out of 13 patients that received more than 2.5 ng/ml of remifentanil experienced a brief episode of bradypnea.

Conclusions

The EC95 of remifentanil for preventing cough in men after nasal surgery is 2.94 ng/ml. Remifentanil target‐controlled infusion with established effect‐site concentration could suppress cough in men during emergence from sevoflurane anaesthesia after nasal surgery, though reversible respiratory depression might arise at high effect‐site concentration of remifentanil.
Portfolio separation and the dynamics of bank interest rates
Authors: Dia Enzo , Giuliodori Massimo
Published: January 2012

We develop a dynamic model of the interest rates of a monopolistic bank, providing both intermediation and payment services. We obtain testable restrictions on portfolio separation from the dynamic terms of the reduced‐form solutions, and test the model using balance‐sheet data from large banks of 17 OECD countries, over the period 1988–2007. We find strong evidence against the portfolio separation hypothesis. In line with the predictions of the model, interest margins rise with higher market interest rates, lower revenues from fees, and higher industrial costs and loan loss provisions.
The “Local” Migration State: The Site‐Specific Devolution of Immigration Enforcement in the U.S. South
Authors: COLEMAN MATHEW
Published: January 2012

This article examines the implementation of 287(g) authority and Secure Communities by several law enforcement agencies in Wake County and Durham County, North Carolina. I argue that despite being federally supervised programs, 287(g) and Secure Communities take shape within specific political, legal, policing, and biographic contexts, and, as such, take on a site‐specific form. I conclude that although site specificity is a characteristic of devolved immigration enforcement in the U.S. context, devolution also predictably relocates interior immigration enforcement to immigrant populations' spaces of social reproduction. Accordingly, programs like 287(g) and Secure Communities work at a suprasite level to amplify immigrant populations' everyday insecurities.
Understanding biological timing using mechanistic and black‐box models
Authors: Dalchau Neil
Published: December 2011

The use of mathematical modelling in understanding and dissecting physiological mechanisms in plants has seen many successes. Notably, studies of the component interactions of the Arabidopsis circadian clock have yielded multiple insights into the roles of specific regulators at the transcriptional and post‐transcriptional level. In this article, I review the use of mathematical techniques in dissecting the Arabidopsis clock mechanism, covering first the well‐established use of mechanistic models implemented as systems of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. In situations where mechanistic models are not appropriate, I describe how linear time‐invariant (LTI) systems, a type of black‐box model, can offer quantitative descriptions of biological systems that provide a systems‐level understanding without detailed descriptions of the underlying mechanism. A comparison of the two approaches is provided to exemplify when LTI systems modelling might offer advantages for interpreting biological measurements. In particular, formal analysis of large datasets with LTI systems can offer genome‐scale inferences, which is of timely relevance as novel experimental techniques are generating increasingly large quantities of data.
Consequences of warming up a hotspot: species range shifts within a centre of bee diversity
Authors: Kuhlmann Michael , Guo Danni , Veldtman Ruan , Donaldson John
Published: January 2012

Aim  Bees are the most important pollinators of flowering plants and essential ecological keystone species contributing to the integrity of most terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we examine the potential impact of climate change on bees’ geographic range in a global biodiversity hotspot.

Location  South Africa with a focus on the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) diversity hotspot.

Methods  Geographic ranges of 12 South African bee species representing dominant distribution types were studied, and the climate change impacts upon bees were examined with A2 and B2 climate scenarios of HadCM3 model, using MaxEnt for species distribution modelling.

Results  The predicted levels of climate change‐induced impacts on species ranges varied from little shifts and range expansion of 5–50% for two species to substantial range contractions between 32% and 99% in another six species. Four species show considerable range shifts. Bees of the winter rainfall area in the west of South Africa generally have smaller range sizes than in the summer rainfall area and generally show eastward range contractions toward the dry interior. Bee species prevalent in summer rainfall regions show a tendency for a south‐easterly shift in geographic range.

Main conclusions  The bee fauna of the CFR is identified as the most vulnerable to climate change due to the high level of endemism, the small range sizes and the island‐like isolation of the Mediterranean‐type climate region at the SW tip of Africa. For monitoring climate change impact on bees, we suggest to establish observatories in the coastal plains of the west coast that are predicted to be worst affected and areas where persistence of populations is most likely. Likely impacts of climate change on life history traits of bees (phenology, sociality, bee‐host plant synchronization) are discussed but require further investigation.
Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Helicobacter pylori: Role of Mutations at Position 87 and 91 of GyrA on the Level of Resistance and Identification of a Resistance Conferring Mutation in GyrB
Authors: Rimbara Emiko , Noguchi Norihisa , Kawai Takashi , Sasatsu Masanori
Published: January 2012

Background and Aims:  Fluoroquinolone‐containing regimens have been suggested as an alternate to standard triple therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections. To determine the relationship between fluoroquinolone resistance and mutations of GyrA and GyrB in H. pylori, we exchanged the mutations at positions 87and 91 of GyrA among fluoroquinolone‐resistant clinical isolates. GyrB of a strain with no mutations in GyrA was also analyzed to identify mechanisms of resistance to norfloxacin.

Materials & Methods:  Natural transformation was performed using the amplified fragment of the gyrA and gyrB gene as donor DNA. The amino acid sequences of GyrA and GyrB were determined by DNA sequencing of the gyrA and gyrB genes.

Results:  Norfloxacin‐resistant strains which had mutations at position 87 and 91 became susceptible when the mutations were converted to the wild type. When the mutation from Asp to Asn at position 91 was exchanged to the mutation from Asn to Lys at position 87, the MIC to levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and sitafloxacin increased. Norfloxacin‐resistant strain TS132 with no mutations in GyrA but had a mutation at position 463 in GyrB. Transformants obtained by natural transformation using gyrB DNA of TS132 had a mutation at position 463 of GyrB and revealed resistant to norfloxacin and levofloxacin.

Conclusion:  Mutation from Asn to Lys at position 87 of GyrA confers higher resistance to levofloxacin and gatifloxacin than does mutation from Asp to Asn at position 91. We propose that mutation at position 463 in GyrB as a novel mechanism of fluoroquinolone resistance in H. pylori.
Periosteal‐derived cells for bone bioengineering: a promising candidate
Authors: Castro‐Silva Igor Iuco , Zambuzzi Willian Fernando , de Oliveira Castro Letícia , Granjeiro José Mauro
Published: January 2012

Purpose

Over the last years so many efforts have been made in order to indentify natural sources of osteogenic cells for the success of bone bioengineering. Among them, periosteum tissue has emerged as an interesting candidate. Thus, we decided to evaluate the osteogenic potential of periosteal‐derived cells by describing a sequence of biological events since initial morphological changes to mineralization of extracellular matrix (ECM).

Methods

Periosteal‐derived cells were obtained from calvarial of adult rats. After the primary culture and expansion, the adherent cells were cultured at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days under a classical osteogenic culture medium in order to evaluate the differentiation of those cells in mature osteoblast. It was monitored by evaluating a time‐line of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity (biomarker of osteoblast differentiation) and afterwards nodules of mineralization (measured by von Kossa staining and calcium content).

Results

Analysis from phase‐contrast microscopy revealed mainly morphological changes ranging since fibroblast‐shaped (7 days, semi‐confluent culture at exponential growth) to polyhedral‐shaped cells (14–28 days, confluent culture during differentiation process). ALP activity was linearly increased since 14–28 days while amount of protein remained unchanged. Interesting, our data from von Kossa staining reveled a highest incidence of mineralization nodules at 28 days.

Conclusion

Taken our results together, we can suggest that periosteal‐derived cells present an interesting potential to differentiate in mature osteoblast able to promote mineralization in vitro by incorporating to ECM circulating calcium from extracellular compartment. From our point of view, this source of osteogenic cells can be explored by bioengineers in order to advance therapeutic protocols able to solve bone degenerative lesions.
Analysis of proteins in human gingival crevicular fluid by mass spectrometry
Authors: Kido J. , Bando M. , Hiroshima Y. , Iwasaka H. , Yamada K. , Ohgami N. , Nambu T. , Kataoka M. , Yamamoto T. , Shinohara Y. , Sagawa I. , Nagata T.
Published: January 2012

Kido J, Bando M, Hiroshima Y, Iwasaka H, Yamada K, Ohgami N, Nambu T, Kataoka M, Yamamoto T, Shinohara Y, Sagawa I, Nagata T. Analysis of proteins in human gingival crevicular fluid by mass spectrometry. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 488–499. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Background and Objective:  Gingival crevicular fluid is a bodily fluid transuded from periodontal tissues into the gingival crevice and periodontal pocket, and contains many species of components. Proteins in gingival crevicular fluid have been studied as markers for periodontal diseases. Mass spectrometric analysis is used for the analyses of proteins, lipids, saccharides and metals, and expected as an approach for disease diagnosis. For better analysis of the protein components in gingival crevicular fluid, we investigated proteins in gingival crevicular fluid samples from the healthy gingival crevice and periodontal pocket using mass spectrometry.

Material and Methods:  Gingival crevicular fluid samples were collected from subjects who gave their informed consent and were periodontally healthy or had diseased pockets. These samples were electrophoretically separated, and each fraction on the gels was analysed by nano liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial peptides detected in gingival crevicular fluid were confirmed by western blotting.

Results:  One hundred and four proteins were detected in gingival crevicular fluid samples from both healthy sites and sites of periodontitis; 64 proteins were contained only in gingival crevicular fluid from healthy sites and 63 proteins were observed only in gingival crevicular fluid from periodontitis sites. These proteins were blood‐, cytoskeleton‐, immunity‐, inflammation‐ and lipid‐related proteins and enzymes. Some proteins, including ceruloplasmin, glycogen phosphorylase, glutathione S‐transferase, phosphoglycerate mutase, psoriasin, S100A11 and resistin, were identified for the first time in gingival crevicular fluid. Antimicrobial peptides, such as lactoferrin, α1‐antitrypsin, lipocalin, S100A7, S100A8, S100A9 and cathelicidin, were observed by mass spectrometry and western blotting.

Conclusion:  Multiple protein components in gingival crevicular fluid were analysed at the same time using mass spectrometry, and this approach may be useful for the diagnosis of periodontal diseases.
EFFECT OF SUGAR LEVEL ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL, BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PROTEOLYSIS PROPERTIES OF CANTONESE SAUSAGE DURING PROCESSING
Authors: QIU CHAOYING , SUN WEIZHENG , CUI CHUN , ZHAO MOUMING
Published: December 2011

The effects of sugar levels (3, 6, 9, 12%, w/w) on gross composition, the main physicochemical parameters, microbiology, protein composition and proteolytic change of water soluble protein (water soluble nitrogen [WSN]) of Cantonese sausage were evaluated. The sample with 12% sugar addition had low aw as well as pH values. During processing, sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein content decreased, while alkaline‐soluble fraction and nonprotein constituent (nonprotein nitrogen) content increased. Sugar exhibited stabilizing effect against denaturation of both sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein fractions. The water soluble protein with molecular weight of >10 and 3–5 kDa was the main fraction, and progressive decrease of peptide fractions of >10 kDa was observed during ripening process. Higher sugar levels showed protective effects against proteolysis of WSN and advantages on improving the textural characteristics. Samples with higher sugar levels had lower microbial counts in Cantonese sausage.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Cantonese sausage is a traditional Chinese meat product that is well accepted by consumers over the world. The aim of this article was to evaluate the effect of sugar level on changes in physicochemical and biochemical characteristics, including chemical composition, proteolysis, textural profile and microorganism of Cantonese sausage during processing. The results will be favor of process control of reduced sugar Cantonese sausage production that consumers can enjoy as part of an ongoing healthier diet and lifestyle.
Prioritization of care in adults with diabetes and comorbidity
Authors: Laiteerapong Neda , Huang Elbert S. , Chin Marshall H.
Published: December 2011

Approximately half of adults with diabetes have at least one comorbid condition. However, diabetes care guidelines focus on diabetes‐specific care, and their recommendations may not be appropriate for many patients with diabetes and comorbidity. We describe Piette and Kerr's typology of comorbid conditions, which categorizes conditions based on if they are clinically dominant (eclipse diabetes management), symptomatic versus asymptomatic, and concordant (similar pathophysiologic processes as diabetes) versus discordant. We integrate this typology with clinical evidence and shared decision‐making methods to create an algorithmic approach to prioritizing care in patients with diabetes and comorbidity. Initial steps are determining the patient's goals of care and preferences for treatment, whether there is a clinically dominant condition or inadequately treated symptomatic condition, and the risk of cardiovascular disease. With these data in hand, the clinician and patient prioritize diabetes treatments during a shared decision‐making process. These steps should be repeated, especially when the patient's clinical status changes. This patient‐centered process emphasizes overall quality of life and functioning rather than a narrow focus on diabetes.
Receptor for AGE (RAGE): signaling mechanisms in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications
Authors: Ramasamy Ravichandran , Yan Shi Fang , Schmidt Ann Marie
Published: December 2011

The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) was first described as a signal transduction receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), the products of nonenzymatic glycation and oxidation of proteins and lipids that accumulate in diabetes and in inflammatory foci. The discovery that RAGE was a receptor for inflammatory S100/calgranulins and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) set the stage for linking RAGE to both the consequences and causes of types 1 and 2 diabetes. Recent discoveries regarding the structure of RAGE as well as novel intracellular binding partner interactions advance our understanding of the mechanisms by which RAGE evokes pathological consequences and underscore strategies by which antagonism of RAGE in the clinic may be realized. Finally, recent data tracking RAGE in the clinic suggest that levels of soluble RAGEs and polymorphisms in the gene encoding RAGE may hold promise for the identification of patients who are vulnerable to the complications of diabetes and/or are receptive to therapeutic interventions designed to prevent and reverse the damage inflicted by chronic hyperglycemia, irrespective of its etiology.
The mutacins of Streptococcus mutans: regulation and ecology
Authors: Merritt J. , Qi F.
Published: December 2011

Streptococcus mutans is generally recognized as a causative agent of human dental caries. The production of mutacins (bacteriocins) by S. mutans is considered to be an important factor in the colonization and establishment of S. mutans in the dental biofilm. Two types of mutacins have been characterized: the lantibiotics and the non‐lantibiotics. The lantibiotics generally have a wider spectrum of activity than the non‐lantibiotics, which make them attractive targets for development into new antimicrobial modalities. The non‐lantibiotics are much more prevalent among strains of S. mutans and play a significant role in both community‐level and population‐level interactions in the dental biofilm. These interactions are directly mediated through the ComCDE two‐component system and the newly characterized LytTR Regulation Systems HdrRM and BrsRM. These systems coordinate natural competence development and mutacin production as a means to acquire transforming DNA either by killing closely related streptococcal species in the vicinity of S. mutans, or through an altruistic suicide mechanism among a subpopulation of competent cells within the S. mutans community. As more S. mutans strains are sequenced, it is anticipated that additional mutacins with novel functions will be discovered, which may yield further insights into the ecological role of mutacins within the oral biofilm.
Women, Work, and Disability
Authors: HOLLINGSWORTH DAVID K. , MASTROBERTI CAROL J.
Published: December 2011

This article describes career development, labor market utilization, occupational and career mobility, achievement, and attainment paths of both women and disabled women as workers.
Counselor Role and Function: An Appraisal by Consumers and Counselors
Authors: IBRAHIM FARAH A. , HELMS BARBARA J. , THOMPSON DONALD L.
Published: December 2011

This article reports the perceptions of parents, members of the business community, school administrators, and counselors regarding the role and function of secondary school counselors, The research reported here was presented as part of a symposium entitled, “The Development of a Model School Counselor Education Curriculum” at the Annual Conference of the American Personnel and Guidance Association, St. Louis, Missouri, 1981.
The Victims of Corporate Failure: Some Preliminary Observations
Authors: LOPEZ FREDERICK G.
Published: December 2011

This article discusses some of the situational and emotional factors that are unique to the job‐loss experience that follows corporate failure.
The Counselor's Role in the Development of Staff Competence
Authors: HERR EDWIN L. , SCOFIELD MICHAEL E.
Published: December 2011

This article describes competence assessment as a method by which counselors can relate staff development directly to success on the job.
A Paradoxical Approach to Vocational Indecision
Authors: LOPEZ FREDERICK G.
Published: December 2011

This article describes a case study in which a paradoxical intervention was employed in treating a vocationally indecisive college student and his overly involved parent.
Psychological and Social Ramifications of Battering: Observations Leading to a Counseling Methodology for Victims of Domestic Violence
Authors: WETZEL LAURA , ROSS MARY ANNE
Published: December 2011

This article offers a profile of men who batter, a set of the common characteristics observed among victims and an analysis of the destructive forces that keep the victims captive.
How to Speak “Counselnese”
Authors: GLADDING SAMUEL T.
Published: December 2011

The origin of “Counselnese,” the limited professionl language spoken by counselors, is examined. All fourteen words in the language are defined and misconceptions cleared up.
Careers Guidance and Counselling in England
Authors: AVENT CATHERINE , SISTERSON DOROTHY , FAWCETT BERYL , WATTS ANTHONY , NEWSOME AUDREY
Published: December 2011

This article gives a brief background on the history and recent developments in career counselling for young children, high school students, unemployed teenagers, and university undergraduates.
Characteristics of Guidance and Counseling Services in Canada
Authors: ROBERTSON SHARON E. , PATERSON JOHN G.
Published: December 2011

Canadian guidance and counseling services are considered in terms of societal influences, philosophical and theoretical biases, counselor role, functions, training, and current trends.
Patron Contact Training: A Workshop for Personnel Who Meet the Public
Authors: ANDERSON WAYNE , ROGERS MARK , BAUER BARBARA
Published: December 2011

This article is intended to provide counselors with a format for designing and running workshops to train personnel employed in positions of high customer contact.
The Ten Commandments for Community Mental Health Education
Authors: LANGE SUZANNE
Published: December 2011

Ten guidelines for effective community mental health education were presented at a mental health center as a part of the staff training and development program.
Interdependence as a Goal for Survival and Growth
Authors: CHICKERING JOANNE N.
Published: December 2011

Our separate journeys have been competitive, lonely, and long. With increased awareness, support groups, and alternatives, we can move toward interdependence, survival, and growth.
Counseling, Consultation, and Supervision: A Visual Clarification of their Relationship
Authors: DRAPELA VICTOR J.
Published: December 2011

A graphic matrix, the Three‐Dimensional Intervention Model, serves as a framework to help counselors visualize the mutual relationships of counseling, consultation, and supervision.
Trust as an Underlying Dynamic in the Counseling Process: How Clients Test Trust
Authors: FONG MARGARET L. , COX BARBARA GRESBACH
Published: December 2011

Trust is a basic issue for clients entering into the counseling process. Counselors need to recognize and respond to clients' ways of testing trust.
Structured Group Programming on Men's Roles: A Creative Approach to Change
Authors: CROTEAU JAMES M. , BURDA PHILIP C.
Published: December 2011

Structured group programming is suggested as a means for helping men deal with difficulties that result from sex‐role socialization. Several such programs are illustrated.
Implications of a Person's Level of Cognitive Development for Cognitive Approaches to Counseling
Authors: GERMAIN ROBERT B.
Published: December 2011

Using a cognitive‐developmental model of processing self‐evaluations, this article presents specific counseling strategies at different levels of abstract thinking.
Punishment and Alternative Strategies for Decreasing a Behavior
Authors: VOUGHT JAMES J.
Published: December 2011

Punishment is a commonly used technique. Information is provided on punishment and alternative procedures that can be used to decrease a behavior.
Counselor Effectiveness: An Instructional Approach
Authors: HIEBERT BRYAN
Published: December 2011

Some problems associated with evaluating counseling are presented, and an instructional approach is offered as an alternative. Some data collection procedures are outlined.
Where Have All the Women Writers Gone?
Authors: WHITE ARDEN
Published: December 2011

Women are underrepresented as writers, especially as senior authors, and on editorial boards of professional journals, including those of the AACD.
Enriching Mentoring Relationships
Authors: ALLEMAN ELIZABETH , COCHRAN JOHN , DOVERSPIKE JAMES , NEWMAN ISADORE
Published: December 2011

This article focuses on counselors' use of new research on mentoring relationships. The research indicated mentoring is a behavioral phenomenon not dependent on personal traits. Some other common assumptions were unsupported.
Child Abuse: Group Treatment for Parents
Authors: OTTO MARY L.
Published: December 2011

Group counseling, structured to maximize peer support and to reduce social isolation, provides a context in which parents can make changes in cognition and behavior.
UMaps: A Person—Environment Approach to Helping Students Make Critical Choices
Authors: JACOBY BARBARA , RUE PENNY , ALLEN KATHE TAYLOR
Published: December 2011

UMaps organize campus opportunities into meaningful subenvironments, making options more attractive and accessible to students in order to increase their participation.
Preventive Programs in Action
Authors: LEWIS JUDITH A. , LEWIS MICHAEL D.
Published: December 2011

This article provides an overview of primary prevention in the community by offering illustrations of model programs from across the county
Reconstruction Synthesis of the Lost Subsystem for the Planetary Motions of Antikythera Mechanism
Authors: Yan Hong-Sen , Lin Jian-Liang
Published: January 2012

The mechanism for the planetary motions contained in the lost subsystem of Antikythera mechanism is a strict challenge of the reconstruction design. This work presents a systematic procedure of the reconstruction design to synthesize all feasible designs which agree with the science and technology standards of the subject’s time period. Based on the kinematic analysis of ancient planetary theories, the anomaly planetary motions could be formulated. By the mechanism analysis, two types of feasible topological structures with the minimum numbers of members are obtained, and the relationships of teeth for the inferior and superior planets are derived. Through the study of the historical literature, the astronomical theories and the existing designs, the required design constraints are concluded. For the two reconstruction designs, one, the design by Edmunds and Morgan, and three feasible design concepts are, respectively, synthesized in accordance with the concepts of generalization and specialization. Focusing on each feasible design concepts, this work derives the relationships of teeth. Furthermore, one feasible combination of these feasible designs for different planets is adopted for detail design. And, it could be the original structure for the planetary motions of the lost subsystem of Antikythera mechanism.
Paracrine Signaling Through MYCN Enhances Tumor-Vascular Interactions in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Chanthery Yvan H. , Gustafson W. Clay , Itsara Melissa , Persson Anders , Hackett Christopher S. , Grimmer Matt , Charron Elise , Yakovenko Slava , Kim Grace , Matthay Katherine K. , Weiss William A.
Published: January 2012

PI3K/mTOR inhibitors inhibit angiogenesis by blocking MYCN-dependent paracrine signaling between tumor and endothelial cells.
Lifetime injury prevention: the sport profile model: Figure 1
Authors: Webborn Nick
Published: January 2012

Participation in sporting activities carries an injury risk. Conversely, the increased awareness that physical inactivity is a major risk factor for disease has led government agencies and the medical community to encourage increased levels of physical activity. Many people will achieve this through participation in sport. Injury inevitably leads to a reduction in participation on a temporary or permanent basis, but the injury experience may also influence the lifelong physical activity behaviour. Few studies adequately examine the possible long-term consequences of sport participation after the competitive period has been completed, but by understanding the patterns of injuries in different sports one test can develop strategies to prevent and better manage the conditions that occur and promote lifelong physical activity. There is a need to develop models of understanding of injury risk at different life phases and levels of participation in a specific sport. The risk assessment of sport participation has to be relevant to a particular sport, the level of participation, skill, age and potential future health consequences. This article describes a sport-specific model which will improve guidance for coaches and healthcare professionals. It poses questions for sports physicians, healthcare providers, educators and for governing bodies of sports to address in a systematic fashion. Additionally the governing body, as an employer, will need to meet the requirements for risk assessment for professional sport and its ethical responsibility to the athlete.
Soft Expert Sets
Authors: Alkhazaleh Shawkat , Salleh Abdul Razak
Published: January 2012

In 1999, Molodtsov introduced the concept of soft set theory as a general mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. Many researchers have studied this theory, and they created some models to solve problems in decision making and medical diagnosis, but most of these models deal only with one expert. This causes a problem with the user, especially with those who use questionnaires in their work and studies. In our model, the user can know the opinion of all experts in one model. So, in this paper, we introduce the concept of a soft expert set, which will more effective and useful. We also define its basic operations, namely, complement, union intersection AND, and OR. Finally, we show an application of this concept in decision-making problem.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Minnerup Jens , Ritter Martin Andreas , Wersching Heike , Kemmling André , Okegwo Angelika , Schmidt Antje , Schilling Matthias , Ringelstein E. Bernd , Schäbitz Wolf Rüdiger , Young Peter , Dziewas Rainer
Published: December 2011

Background and Purpose—

Sleep-related breathing disorders occur frequently after stroke. We assessed the feasibility of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment initiated in the first night after stroke.

Methods—

In this open-label, parallel-group trial, 50 patients were randomly assigned to the CPAP therapy or to the control group. All patients underwent polysomnography in the fourth night. Intervention patients received CPAP therapy for 3 nights starting the first night after stroke onset and for an additional 4 nights when polysomnography revealed an apnea–hypopnea index >10/hour. The primary end point was feasibility defined as apnea–hypopnea index reduction under CPAP treatment, nursing workload, and CPAP adherence.

Results—

The apnea–hypopnea index under CPAP treatment was significantly reduced (32.2±25.3–9.8±6.6,
P
=0.0001). Nursing workload did not significantly differ between the CPAP (n=25) and the control group (n=25;
P
=0.741). Ten patients (40.0%) had excellent CPAP use, 14 patients (56.0%) had some use, and 1 patient (4.0%) had no use. There was a trend toward greater National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score improvement until Day 8 in patients on CPAP (2.00 versus 1.40,
P
=0.092) and a significantly greater National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score improvement in patients with excellent CPAP use when compared with control patients (2.30 versus 1.40,
P
=0.022).

Conclusions—

CPAP therapy initiated in the first night after stroke seems to be feasible and was not associated with neurological deterioration.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00151177.
Adiponectin and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in the Northern Manhattan Study
Authors: Gardener Hannah , Sjoberg Charlotte , Crisby Milita , Goldberg Ronald , Mendez Armando , Wright Clinton B. , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Sacco Ralph L. , Rundek Tatjana
Published: December 2011

Background and Purpose—

Adiponectin is an insulin-sensitizing plasma protein expressed in adipose tissue and suggested to play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Data are lacking on the relationship between adiponectin and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in ethnically heterogeneous populations. We examined the relationship between adiponectin and IMT, a marker of atherosclerosis, in a multiethnic cohort study of stroke risk factors.

Methods—

Participants were from the Northern Manhattan Study (N=1522, mean age 66±9 years, 60% female, 20% black, 18% white, 60% Hispanic). Adiponectin was measured from baseline plasma samples and IMT was assessed by high-resolution B-mode carotid ultrasound. Regression models were used to examine the association between adiponectin, assessed continuously and in quartiles, and IMT controlling for demographics and vascular risk factors.

Results—

The mean adiponectin level was 10.3±5.2 μg/mL (median, 9.2 μg/mL; range, 2.3–53.3 μg/mL), and the mean IMT was 0.91±0.08 mm. Adiponectin was inversely associated with IMT, even after controlling for demographics and vascular risk factors. Individuals in the first quartile of adiponectin had mean IMT that was on average 0.02 mm greater than those in the top quartile. The relationship between adiponectin and IMT appeared to be stronger among those with diabetes.

Conclusions—

Our findings suggest that low adiponectin is associated with increased IMT in a multiethnic cohort and support a protective role for adiponectin in atherosclerosis.
Globalization and Commitment in Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Lim Alwyn , Tsutsui Kiyoteru
Published: December 2011

This article examines why global corporate social responsibility (CSR) frameworks have gained popularity in the past decade, despite their uncertain costs and benefits, and how they affect adherents’ behavior. We focus on the two largest global frameworks—the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative—to examine patterns of CSR adoption by governments and corporations. Drawing on institutional and political-economy theories, we develop a new analytic framework that focuses on four key environmental factors—global institutional pressure, local receptivity, foreign economic penetration, and national economic system. We propose two arguments about the relationship between stated commitment and subsequent action: decoupling due to lack of capacity and organized hypocrisy due to lack of will. Our cross-national time-series analyses show that global institutional pressure through nongovernmental linkages encourages CSR adoption, but this pressure leads to ceremonial commitment in developed countries and to substantive commitment in developing countries. Moreover, in developed countries, liberal economic policies increase ceremonial commitment, suggesting a pattern of organized hypocrisy whereby corporations in developed countries make discursive commitments without subsequent action. We also find that in developing countries, short-term trade relations exert greater influence on corporate CSR behavior than do long-term investment transactions.
Pediatric Eye Injuries Treated in US Emergency Departments, 1990-2009
Authors: Pollard Katherine A. , Xiang Huiyun , Smith Gary A.
Published: December 2011

This study investigates activity– and consumer product–related eye injuries treated in US hospital emergency departments among children <18 years old using National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data from 1990 through 2009. An estimated 1 406 200 (95% confidence interval = 1 223 409-1 588 992) activity– and consumer product–related pediatric eye injuries occurred during the study period, averaging 70 310 annually. The annual number of injuries declined significantly by 17%. Patients ≤4 years of age accounted for 32% of all injuries and had the highest mean annual eye injury rate (11.31 per 10 000 population). Eye injuries associated with sports and recreation (24%) and chemicals (17%) occurred most frequently. The majority (69%) of eye injuries occurred at home. Opportunities exist to further decrease these injuries. Pediatricians should educate child caregivers and children about risks for eye injuries in the home and about use of appropriate protective eyewear during sports.
Two Mechanisms of Human Contingency Learning
Authors: Sternberg Daniel A. , McClelland James L.
Published: December 2011

How do humans learn contingencies between events? Both pathway-strengthening and inference-based process models have been proposed to explain contingency learning. We propose that each of these processes is used in different conditions. Participants viewed displays that contained single or paired objects and learned which displays were usually followed by the appearance of a dot. Some participants predicted whether the dot would appear before seeing the outcome, whereas other participants were required to respond quickly if the dot appeared shortly after the display. In the prediction task, instructions guiding participants to infer which objects caused the dot to appear were necessary in order for contingencies associated with one object to influence participants’ predictions about the object with which it had been paired. In the response task, contingencies associated with one object affected responses to its pair mate irrespective of whether or not participants were given causal instructions. Our results challenge single-mechanism accounts of contingency learning and suggest that the mechanisms underlying performance in the two tasks are distinct.
Measuring Subnational Under-5 Mortality
Authors: Pardosi Jerico F. , Adair Timothy , Rao Chalapati , Kosen Soewarta , Tarigan Ingan U.
Published: December 2011

There is an urgent need for measurements of the magnitude and determinants of under-5 mortality at the district level in Indonesia. This article describes a sample household survey conducted in Ende District, East Nusa Tenggara province. Complete birth histories were recorded from all women residing in a sample of 32 villages (7454 households) of Ende. The survey was conducted in early 2010, deriving measures for the period 2000-2009. The survey instrument also included key variables required to measure determinants of under-5 mortality. The results showed that there are significant differentials in under-5 mortality risk within Ende, ranging from 27 to 85 per 1000. This information will assist the district health office to implement maternal and child health programs to meet national targets for United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4. The findings provide robust mortality measures at the district level and demonstrate the feasibility of conducting such a study using local resources, in a short time, and with low costs.
Analysis of expression sequence tags from a full-length-enriched cDNA library of developing sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum)
Authors: Ke Tao , Dong Caihua , Mao Han , Zhao Yingzhong , Chen Hong , Liu Hongyan , Dong Xuyan , Tong Chaobo , Liu Shengyi
Published: December 2011

Background

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is one of the most important oilseed crops with high oil contents and rich nutrient value. However, genetic improvement efforts in sesame could not get benefit from molecular biology technology due to poor DNA and RNA sequence resources. In this study, we carried out a large scale of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) sequencing from developing sesame seeds and further conducted analysis on seed storage products-related genes.

Results

A normalized and full-length enriched cDNA library from 5 ~ 30 days old immature seeds was constructed and randomly sequenced, leading to generation of 41,248 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) which then formed 4,713 contigs and 27,708 singletons with 44.9% uniESTs being putative full-length open reading frames. Approximately 26,091 of all these uniESTs have significant matches to the counterparts in Nr database of GenBank, and 21,628 of them were assigned to one or more Gene ontology (GO) terms. Homologous genes involved in oil biosynthesis were identified including some conservative transcription factors regulating oil biosynthesis such as LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1), PICKLE (PKL), WRINKLED1 (WRI1) and majority of them were found for the first time in sesame seeds. One hundred and 17 ESTs were identified possibly involved in biosynthesis of sesame lignans, sesamin and sesamolin. In total, 9,347 putative functional genes from developing seeds were identified, which accounts for one third of total genes in the sesame genome. Further analysis of the uniESTs identified 1,949 non-redundant simple sequence repeats (SSRs).

Conclusions

This study has provided an overview of genes expressed during sesame seed development. This collection of sesame full-length cDNAs covered a wide variety of genes in seeds, in particular, candidate genes involved in biosynthesis of sesame oils and lignans. These EST sequences enriched with full length will contribute to comparative genomic studies on sesame and other oilseed plants and serve as an abundant information platform for functional marker development and functional gene study.
Gemcitabine and Erlotinib (GE) Regimen for Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Lee Jessica N. , Waddell J. Aubrey , Dominic A. Solimando
Published: January 2012

The complexity of cancer chemotherapy requires pharmacists be familiar with the complicated regimens and highly toxic agents used. This column reviews various issues related to preparation, dispensing, and administration of antineoplastic therapy, and the agents, both commercially available and investigational, used to treat malignant diseases.
Mitochondrial Dynamics and Bioenergetic Dysfunction Is Associated with Synaptic Alterations in Mutant SOD1 Motor Neurons
Authors: Magrané Jordi , Sahawneh Mary Anne , Przedborski Serge , Estévez Álvaro G. , Manfredi Giovanni
Published: January 2012

Mutations in Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS), a rapidly fatal motor neuron disease. Mutant SOD1 has pleiotropic toxic effects on motor neurons, among which mitochondrial dysfunction has been proposed as one of the contributing factors in motor neuron demise. Mitochondria are highly dynamic in neurons; they are constantly reshaped by fusion and move along neurites to localize at sites of high-energy utilization, such as synapses. The finding of abnormal mitochondria accumulation in neuromuscular junctions, where the SOD1-FALS degenerative process is though to initiate, suggests that impaired mitochondrial dynamics in motor neurons may be involved in pathogenesis. We addressed this hypothesis by live imaging microscopy of photo-switchable fluorescent mitoDendra in transgenic rat motor neurons expressing mutant or wild-type human SOD1. We demonstrate that mutant SOD1 motor neurons have impaired mitochondrial fusion in axons and cell bodies. Mitochondria also display selective impairment of retrograde axonal transport, with reduced frequency and velocity of movements. Fusion and transport defects are associated with smaller mitochondrial size, decreased mitochondrial density, and defective mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, mislocalization of mitochondria at synapses among motor neurons,in vitro, correlates with abnormal synaptic number, structure, and function. Dynamics abnormalities are specific to mutant SOD1 motor neuron mitochondria, since they are absent in wild-type SOD1 motor neurons, they do not involve other organelles, and they are not found in cortical neurons. Together, these results suggest that impaired mitochondrial dynamics may contribute to the selective degeneration of motor neurons in SOD1-FALS.
Strong Recurrent Networks Compute the Orientation Tuning of Surround Modulation in the Primate Primary Visual Cortex
Authors: Shushruth S. , Mangapathy Pradeep , Ichida Jennifer M. , Bressloff Paul C. , Schwabe Lars , Angelucci Alessandra
Published: January 2012

In macaque primary visual cortex (V1), neuronal responses to stimuli inside the receptive field (RF) are modulated by stimuli in the RF surround. This modulation is orientation specific. Previous studies suggested that, for some cells, this specificity may not be fixed but changes with the stimulus orientation presented to the RF. We demonstrate, in recording studies, that this tuning behavior is instead highly prevalent in V1 and, in theoretical work, that it arises only if V1 operates in a regime of strong local recurrence. Strongest surround suppression occurs when the stimuli in the RF and the surround are iso-oriented, and strongest facilitation when the stimuli are cross-oriented. This is the case even when the RF is suboptimally activated by a stimulus of nonpreferred orientation but only if this stimulus can activate the cell when presented alone. This tuning behavior emerges from the interaction of lateral inhibition (via the surround pathways), which is tuned to the preferred orientation of the RF, with weakly tuned, but strong, local recurrent connections, causing maximal withdrawal of recurrent excitation at the feedforward input orientation. Thus, horizontal and feedback modulation of strong recurrent circuits allows the tuning of contextual effects to change with changing feedforward inputs.