bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1 and 6 gene variants and ischaemic stroke risk
Authors: Harriott A. M. , Heckman M. G. , Rayaprolu S. , Soto‐Ortolaza A. I. , Diehl N. N. , Kanekiyo T. , Liu C.‐C. , Bu G. , Malik R. ,   the METASTROKE Consortium, Cole J. W. , Meschia J. F. , Ross O. A.
Published: May 2015

Background and purpose

Low density lipoprotein receptor related proteins (LRPs) 1 and 6 have been implicated in cerebral ischaemia. In addition, genetic variation in LRP1 and LRP6 has been linked with various factors that are related to risk of ischaemic stroke. The aim of this study was to examine the association of LRP1 and LRP6 gene variants with risk of ischaemic stroke as part of the Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study (ISGS).

Methods

A Caucasian series (434 stroke patients, 319 controls) and an African American series (161 stroke patients, 116 controls) were included. Fourteen LRP6 variants and three LRP1 variants were genotyped and assessed for association with ischaemic stroke.

Results

In the Caucasian series, significant associations with ischaemic stroke were observed for LRP6 rs2075241 [odds ratio (OR) 0.42, P = 0.023], rs2302685 (OR 0.44, P = 0.049), rs7975614 (OR 0.07, P = 0.017), rs10492120 (OR 0.62, P = 0.036) and rs10743980 (OR 0.66, P = 0.037). Risk of ischaemic stroke was significantly lower for carriers of any of these five protective LRP6 variants (24.0% of subjects) compared to non‐carriers (OR 0.57, P = 0.003). The protective association for LRP6 rs2075241 was observed at a similar magnitude across ischaemic stroke subtypes, whilst the effects of rs23022685, rs10492120 and rs10743980 were most apparent for cardioembolic and large vessel stroke. In the African American series, LRP1 rs11172113 was associated with an increased risk of stroke (OR 1.89, P = 0.006).

Conclusions

The results of our preliminary study provide evidence that LRP6 and LRP1 variants may be associated with risk of ischaemic stroke. Validation in larger studies is warranted.
Risk of Parkinson's disease following anxiety disorders: a nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Lin C.‐H. , Lin J.‐W. , Liu Y.‐C. , Chang C.‐H. , Wu R.‐M.
Published: May 2015

Background and purpose

Anxiety is potentially a pre‐motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). Our aim was to investigate the association between anxiety and subsequent PD risk in a population‐based sample.

Methods

A total of 174 776 participants, who were free of prior PD, dementia and stroke, were enrolled from Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2005. The association between anxiety at the beginning of the study and the incidence of PD was examined using a Cox regression model. Information regarding comorbidities, especially depression, and concomitant medication use was adjusted in the proportional hazards models.

Results

Over an average follow‐up of 5.5 years, 2258 incident PD cases were diagnosed. After adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities and concomitant medication use, patients with anxiety were more likely to develop PD than subjects without anxiety [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26–1.51]. Anxiety severity was dose‐dependently associated with increased likelihood of PD: crude HR 1.27 (95% CI 1.11–1.44) for mild anxiety, 1.35 (95% CI 1.19–1.53) for moderate anxiety and 2.36 (95% CI 2.13–2.62) for severe anxiety (P < 0.0001). Results were similar after adjustment for age, sex, comorbid depression and other PD risk factors, and in the sensitivity analyses excluding participants with comorbid depression or with a PD diagnosis <3 years after anxiety diagnosis, and controlling for Charlson's scores.

Conclusions

The likelihood of developing PD was greater amongst patients with anxiety than patients without anxiety, and the severity of anxiety correlated with risk of PD.
Midazolam as an anticonvulsant antidote for organophosphate intoxication—A pharmacotherapeutic appraisal
Authors: Reddy Sandesh D. , Reddy Doodipala Samba
Published: May 2015

Objective

This review summarizes the therapeutic potential of midazolam as an anticonvulsant antidote for organophosphate (OP) intoxication.

Methods

Benzodiazepines are widely used to treat acute seizures and status epilepticus (SE), a neurologic emergency of persistent seizures that can lead to severe neuronal damage or death. Midazolam is a benzodiazepine hypnotic with a rapid onset and short duration of action.

Results

Midazolam is considered the new drug of choice for persistent acute seizures and SE, including those caused by neurotoxic OPs and nerve agents. Midazolam is a positive allosteric modulator of synaptic γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors in the brain. It potentiates GABAergic inhibition and thereby controls hyperexcitability and seizures. Midazolam is administered intravenously or intramuscularly to control acute seizures and SE. Due to its favorable pharmacokinetic features, midazolam is being considered as a replacement anticonvulsant for diazepam in the antidote kit for nerve agents. Clinical studies such as the recent Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial (RAMPART) trial have confirmed the anticonvulsant efficacy of midazolam in SE in prehospital settings.

Significance

In experimental models, midazolam is effective when given at the onset of seizures caused by nerve agents. However, benzodiazepines are less effective at terminating seizures when given 30 min or later after OP exposure or seizure onset, likely because of internalization or downregulation of synaptic, but not extrasynaptic, GABAA receptors, which can lead to diminished potency and seizure recurrence.
Antiepileptic drugs alter the expression of placental carriers: An in vitro study in a human placental cell line
Authors: Rubinchik‐Stern Miriam , Shmuel Miri , Eyal Sara
Published: May 2015

Objective

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) affect the expression of carriers for drugs and nutrients at several blood‐tissue barriers, but their impact on placental carriers is largely unknown. Our aim was to study the effects of AEDs in human placental cells on the expression of carriers for hormones, nutrients, and drugs: folate placental uptake carriers (reduced folate carrier, RFC; folate receptor α, FRα) and efflux transporters (breast cancer resistance protein, BCRP and multidrug resistance protein 2) and thyroid hormone uptake transporters (l‐type amino acid transporter‐LAT1 and organic anion transporting polypeptides‐OATPs).

Methods

The human trophoblast BeWo cells were incubated with phenytoin (PHT), valproic acid (VPA), carbamazepine (CBZ), levetiracetam (LEV), lamotrigine (LTG), or their vehicles at concentrations that mostly represent their therapeutic range. RT‐PCR and western blot analysis were utilized to study the effects of AEDs on carriers’ mRNA and protein expression, respectively. The activity of BCRP was evaluated by accumulation studies.

Results

Compared with controls, VPA‐treated cells displayed half the levels of RFC mRNA and protein (p < 0.05) and up to 2.7‐fold increases in BCRP mRNA and protein expression (p < 0.05), together with enhanced BCRP activity. PHT increased the expression of BCRP and LAT1 by 2.9‐fold and 2.5‐fold, respectively (p < 0.01). LTG modulated the levels of FRα transcript and protein, whereas LEV altered those of RFC, LAT1, and OATPs 1A2 and 4A1. CBZ affected carrier expression at the mRNA but not the protein level. All the AEDs altered to a modest extent the transcription of nuclear receptors known to regulate transporter expression.

Significance

These findings suggest a possible effect of AEDs on placental transport mechanisms for folate and thyroid hormones as well as those involved in the elimination of potential toxins from the fetus. Identification of AED effects on the placental barrier could be a first step toward a more rational pharmacotherapy and supplemental therapy in pregnant women with epilepsy.
Evolutionary biology and genetic techniques for insect control
Authors: Leftwich Philip T. , Bolton Michael , Chapman Tracey
Published: May 2015

The requirement to develop new techniques for insect control that minimize negative environmental impacts has never been more pressing. Here we discuss population suppression and population replacement technologies. These include sterile insect technique, genetic elimination methods such as the release of insects carrying a dominant lethal (RIDL), and gene driving mechanisms offered by intracellular bacteria and homing endonucleases. We also review the potential of newer or underutilized methods such as reproductive interference, CRISPR technology, RNA interference (RNAi), and genetic underdominance. We focus on understanding principles and potential effectiveness from the perspective of evolutionary biology. This offers useful insights into mechanisms through which potential problems may be minimized, in much the same way that an understanding of how resistance evolves is key to slowing the spread of antibiotic and insecticide resistance. We conclude that there is much to gain from applying principles from the study of resistance in these other scenarios – specifically, the adoption of combinatorial approaches to minimize the spread of resistance evolution. We conclude by discussing the focused use of GM for insect pest control in the context of modern conservation planning under land‐sparing scenarios.
Skeletal muscle mass assessed by computed tomography correlates to muscle strength and physical performance at a liver‐related hospital experience
Authors: Itoh Shinji , Shirabe Ken , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Takeishi Kazuki , Harimoto Norifumi , Ikegami Toru , Kawanaka Hirofumi , Nishie Akihiro , Kamishima Takahide , Maehara Yoshihiko
Published: May 2015

Aim

We aimed to evaluate whether skeletal muscle mass measured by computed tomography (CT) or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) correlated to muscle strength and physical performance in liver‐related hospital cases.

Methods

We prospectively conducted this study in 120 liver‐related hospital cases. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by CT scan and BIA. Muscle strength was determined by hand grip strength and physical performance by usual gait speed.

Results

Skeletal muscle mass measured using CT significantly correlated to usual gait speed (r2 = 0.17, P < 0.0001) and hand grip strength (r2 = 0.66, P < 0.0001), but the correlations were lower using BIA (r2 = 0.1, P = 0.0005; r2 = 0.54, P < 0.0001). With regard to liver function, the relationship between skeletal muscle mass measured by CT and BIA and two muscle function parameters in the Child–Pugh A group were significant. In contrast, skeletal muscle mass measured by BIA in the Child–Pugh B or C group was not significantly related to usual gait speed.

Conclusion

Skeletal muscle mass measured by CT was significantly correlated to hand grip strength and usual gait speed, with higher correlations compared with BIA. Moreover, skeletal muscle mass measured by CT significantly correlated with two muscle functions, even in patients with Child–Pugh B or C.
Domestic Violence and the Law: The 1976 Act and its Aftermath
Authors: Maidment Susan
Published: May 2015

This paper examines the parliamentary response to domestic violence as represented in three pieces of legislation: the Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act 1976, the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978 and the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977. There is also briefer consideration of the role of criminal law, divorce and the possibility of using wardship procedures and actions in tort.

The author maintains that the most important need of battered women is the provision of alternative permanent accommodation, and that this must be the criterion by which the efficacy of the present law is judged. With this in mind, the provisions of the three major Acts are described and evaluated, with most attention going to the 1976 Act. Maidment's general conclusion is that the promises held out by the legislative reforms ‘do not appear to have been fulfilled in practice’. The legal remedies are available, but the ways in which they are interpreted and implemented mean that battered women are inadequately protected. Violence against women has to be seen in the context of a patriarchal family system and the subordinate status of women. The law, on its own, cannot change deep-seated public attitudes, although it may have an important symbolic and educative role to play in contributing to such a change.
Refuges and Self-Help
Authors: Clifton Jenny
Published: May 2015

Jenny Clifton's paper begins by pointing out that refuges are not only providing a useful service, a place of sanctuary for battered women, but are also a practical expression of the women's movement. The internal organization of refuges reflects the ideology of Women's Aid, notably the principles of self-help and democratic decision-making, and the paper asks if these principles are compatible with the practical requirements of running a refuge.

Questions are raised about the most appropriate roles for paid refuge workers and support groups given the ideological commitment to self-help and democratic control. Workers in a particular group of refuges performed four main roles: liaison and negotiation with outside funding agencies; helping the women with complex legal, housing and welfare matters; general emotional and practical support of the women; work with children. It is clear that some of the women wanted workers to assume a more directive approach, but this was pressure which workers felt bound to resist in the interests of encouraging self-help.

Self-help was very much more than an empty ideal. Five distinct areas of self-help could be identified and the principle worked in the sense that the women did become more self-reliant and confident. The refuges also managed to interest some women in the broader concerns of the women's movement and to help them towards a broader conception of the roots of marital violence.
The Burden of Dependency
Authors: Homer Marjorie , Leonard Anne , Taylor Pat
Published: May 2015

The control of financial resources is an important indicator of the distribution of power within families. This may be particularly significant when economic power is accompanied by physical violence. This paper considers economic dependency among a group of women using a refuge. It examines family income levels, the control and distribution of this money and of responsibility for paying bills, together with evidence on living standards. Using 140 per cent of the supplementary benefit standard as a poverty line, it was found that 63 per cent of the families lived in poverty.

Much more significant, however, were the patterns of control of resources. Five allocation systems were identified, but the overall picture which emerged was that overwhelmingly it was men who controlled family finances. Women were kept chronically short of money, and some even had to hand over their child benefits. The women therefore suffered severe deprivation and had to go without basic household items and sometimes food. Control of the purse was even more complete when husbands were unemployed. The long-term solution requires a change in public and personal attitudes which must include giving women more equal access to economic and social resources in their own right.
Personal Relationships: Help and Hindrance
Authors: Homer Marjorie , Leonard Anne , Taylor Pat
Published: May 2015

This paper shows the extent to which the lives of battered women are controlled by their violent partners. Women are prevented by physical means or threats from seeking help from, or even having any contact with, family, friends and neighbours. Isolation is a prominent feature of their lives. Many men fail to recognize that there is a problem and they behave aggressively towards health visitors, social workers or anyone else who comes round to the home.

Nevertheless, there is evidence to suggest that when battered women begin to seek help they turn first to family, friends and neighbours, and the main purpose of this paper is to examine these informal sources of assistance. An important consideration was that 25 per cent of the women had no accessible parents, but there were other constraints which reduced the degree to which women turned to relatives and friends for help. These included feelings of shame, ideas about privacy and the need for independence, the need to protect family members, friends and neighbours from the man's violent behaviour and the unwillingness of some of those approached to become involved. Women who overcame these constraints spoke warmly of the support they received.
Structure, Knowledge and Practice: Art Exhibitions and Power during the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Fyfe Gordon J.
Published: May 2015

This paper concerns the relationship between nineteenth century art exhibitions and the social construction of the artist. Attention is focused on the institutional conditions which endorsed the fine artist in the role of an individuated creator within the context of the changing social relations of artistic production. In this way art exhibitions are considered as sites of cultural production and it is argued that matters of their organization relate fundamentally to both questions of power and the production of the artist's pictorial authority. An assessment of the problems that faced the powerful Royal Academy of Arts and its Exhibition points to the way in which such questions took on political and class hues in the context of a developing capitalist society. It is suggested that what is at stake here is the way in which the institution of the art exhibition relates to the emergence of a dominant tradition of creativity – symbolically restating the class situation of the bourgeoisie.
The Social Preconditions of Radical Scepticism
Authors: Douglas Mary
Published: May 2015

Starting with Pascal's arguments against scepticism, this essay seeks to locate within the social structure the niche in which radical scepticism tends to flourish. The Brahminical sceptical tradition is compared with western idealist movements in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and with sceptical trends of today. A social position that combines considerable privilege with lack of influence in an arbitrarily powerful political system gives rise to moral contradictions and insoluble problems. In such a position a denial of the reality of the world indicates a level of thought in which intellectual coherence may be possible. The converse situation, where claiming authority and holding power seem feasible, is more compatible with affirmation of reality than with its negation.
The Values of Quantification
Authors: Lave Jean
Published: May 2015

Standardized forms of knowledge, such as systems of measurement and money, and the formal arithmetic taught in school, may be thought of as attempts to dominate the definitions of the situations of their use and forms of knowledge in practice. Ethnographic research on middle class American adults shopping in supermarkets, managing family finances, and trying to lose weight in a dieting organisation suggest, rather, that calculation and measurement procedures are generated in situationally-specific terms which both reflect and help to produce the specific character of activities in daily life. At the same time, the values embodied in the standarised forms of quantitative knowledge discussed here, especially values of rational objective utility, appear to be resources employed expressively in everyday practice. A politics of knowledge is thus embodied in mundane transformations of knowledge and value through activity constituted in relation with its daily settings.
Interactive-Orientation and Argumentation in Scientific Texts
Authors: Yearley Steven
Published: May 2015

Sociologists have frequently sought to explain people's beliefs and claims to knowledge in terms of those people's interests. Yet in every case the knowledge/interest connection is an interpretative and revisable one and, moreover, people may have many possibly-ascribable interests. Accordingly the ascription of interests in any particular case is fraught with difficulty. However, actors themselves appear regularly to engage in this kind of interpretative work. Using concepts from sociolinguistics and conversation analysis, this study illustrates through the example of one famous scientific paper how written scientific arguments can be seen to depend on this kind of work also. The study proposes that scientific arguments have a specific interactive orientation, and that technical texts can be seen to operate as a nexus of persuasion, action and belief.
Systematic review of physical activity and exercise interventions on body mass indices, subsequent physical activity and psychological symptoms in overweight and obese adolescents
Authors: Ruotsalainen Heidi , Kyngäs Helvi , Tammelin Tuija , Kääriäinen Maria
Published: May 2015

Aims

To examine the effects of physical activity and exercise interventions on body mass index, subsequent physical activity and psychological symptoms for overweight and obese adolescents (12‐18 years).

Background

Overweight and obesity have increased among adolescents globally and physical activity has decreased. Healthcare systems face challenges promoting physical activity and in treating obesity. Promotion of physical activity must be effective and school nurses should be equipped with the information and resources required to implement counselling for overweight and obese adolescents.

Design

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was conducted according to procedures by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and the Joanna Briggs Institute.

Data sources

Research studies published between 1950–2013 were identified from the following databases. CINAHL, MEDLINE (Ovid) and PsycINFO.

Review methods

Selected studies were reviewed for quality and a risk‐of‐bias assessment was conducted for the included studies. A narrative synthesis was used to report results, while a fixed‐effect meta‐analysis was used to analyse the interventions effects on physical activity and body mass index.

Results

Fourteen published studies were included to this review. Supervised exercise interventions most affected adolescents' body mass index. The interventions effect on adolescents' physical activity was small and heterogeneous. Two interventions positively affected psychological symptoms.

Conclusion

Interventions were complex, with more than one component and the aspect that effectively promotes physical activity in obese adolescents was not clear. However, it seems that exercise interventions affect the body mass index of overweight or obese adolescents. Interventions that include a component for promoting physical activity with or without supervised exercise can affect subsequent physical activity and body mass index.
Cavotricuspid‐Dependent Atrial Flutter in Patients With Prior Atriotomy: 12‐Lead ECG Interpretation and Electroanatomical Characteristics
Authors: MA WEI , LU FENGMIN , WU DONGYAN , CHEN BINGWEI , CONG HONGLIANG , LIEW REGINALD , XU JING
Published: May 2015

Cavotricuspid‐Dependent Atrial Flutter in Patients With Prior Atriotomy

Background

The aim of this study was to describe the electrocardiogram (ECG) morphology and electroanatomical characteristics of counterclockwise tricuspid annular atrial flutter (CCWTA‐AFL) in the patients with prior atriotomy.

Methods and Results

This retrospective study included 34 patients with CCWTA‐AFL after cardiac surgery and 20 patients with typical CCWTA‐AFL without prior surgery. For patients in the postsurgical group, 19 had single‐loop CCWTA‐AFL and 15 had a double loop CCWTA‐AFL. For single loop CCWTA‐AFL the F‐wave in lead I was very flat in l7 of 19 patients. The F‐wave morphology in the inferior leads and V1 were found to be similar to typical AFL in 14 of 19 patients. For double loop CCWTA‐AFL, F‐waves were positive in lead I in 13 out of 15 patients. A long isoelectric activation was measured between F‐waves in most of the patients. The presence of isoelectric segments between F‐waves suggested a double loop AFL, which had a sensitivity of 86.7% and a specificity of 100%. Moreover, flat F‐waves in lead I suggested a single loop AFL, which had a sensitivity of 89.5% and specificity of 86.7%. All patients in the group without prior cardiac surgery had typical ECGs features of CCWTA‐AFL. None of the patients showed isoelectric segments between F‐waves in the inferior leads. The amplitudes of most of the leads were higher than those for single loop CCWTA‐AFL in patients with prior surgery.
What are the primary influences on treatment decisions? How does this reflect on evidence‐based practice? Indications from the discipline of speech and language therapy
Authors: McCurtin Arlene , Clifford Amanda M.
Published: May 2015

Rationale, aims and objectives

Four pillars of evidence underpin evidence‐based behavioural practice: research evidence, practice evidence, patient evidence and contextual evidence. However, it is unknown which of these pillars or other factors are used by clinicians such as speech and language therapists (SLTS) when making treatment choices. The aim of this study was to identify the factors underpinning SLTs' treatment decisions and contextualize findings in terms of evidence‐based practice (EBP).

Methods

Ethical approval was obtained for the electronic questionnaire‐based study. A questionnaire was designed, piloted and then sent via gatekeepers to SLTs to ascertain agreement with a range of statements potentially underpinning treatment choices.

Results

A total of 249 respondents completed the survey. The respondents defined themselves as dynamic and pragmatic practitioners with an appreciation for the four pillars of EBP. Using factor analysis, treatment decisions were found to rely primarily on practice evidence and pragmatic considerations. Qualifications, clinical experience and the patient group an SLT works with further influenced attitudes and treatment decisions. Those with additional qualifications and experience were identified as more autonomous, more scientific in their treatment choices and less influenced by patient preferences.

Conclusion

Factors influencing decision making did not clearly align with the four pillars of EBP, the principal influences being practice evidence and pragmatic constraints. The findings of this study have implications for understanding why specific treatment choices are made. Attempts to improve practice should focus on a range of evidence sources and take into account clinician's specific needs depending on career stage, post‐qualification status and patient group factors of their practice.
Case study results from southeast Houston, Texas: identifying the impacts of residential location on flood risk and loss
Authors: Brody S.D. , Sebastian A. , Blessing R. , Bedient P.B.
Published: May 2015

Despite the increasing economic losses from floods in coastal communities, little observational research has been done at a fine spatial scale to identify the relative influence of residential location in predicting adverse economic impacts. In response, this study conducts a parcel‐level analysis of flood losses to identify the influence of specific location‐based variables on property damage from multiple flood events. We statistically isolate the effect of multiple location‐based characteristics on insured flood claims associated with two major coastal storms for over 7813 properties within the Clear Creek watershed southeast of Houston, Texas. Results indicate that location‐based variables are among the strongest predictors for both, where seemingly subtle shifts in location add up to large dollar losses from flooding. These findings provide an increased understanding of the role of physical location within a flood‐vulnerable region and how residential choice can be a major factor in exacerbating actual property loss.
Allosteric modulation of sigma‐1 receptors by SKF83959 inhibits microglia‐mediated inflammation
Authors: Wu Zhuang , Li Linlang , Zheng Long‐Tai , Xu Zhihong , Guo Lin , Zhen Xuechu
Published: May 2015

Recent studies have shown that sigma‐1 receptor orthodox agonists can inhibit neuroinflammation. SKF83959 (3‐methyl‐6‐chloro‐7,8‐hydroxy‐1‐[3‐methylphenyl]‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐3‐benzazepine), an atypical dopamine receptor‐1 agonist, has been recently identified as a potent allosteric modulator of sigma‐1 receptor. Here, we investigated the anti‐inflammatory effects of SKF83959 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated BV2 microglia. Our results indicated that SKF83959 significantly suppressed the expression/release of the pro‐inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and inhibited the generation of reactive oxygen species. All of these responses were blocked by selective sigma‐1 receptor antagonists (BD1047 or BD1063) and by ketoconazole (an inhibitor of enzyme cytochrome c17 to inhibit the synthesis of endogenous dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA). Additionally, we found that SKF83959 promoted the binding activity of DHEA with sigma‐1 receptors, and enhanced the inhibitory effects of DHEA on LPS‐induced microglia activation in a synergic manner. Furthermore, in a microglia‐conditioned media system, SKF83959 inhibited the cytotoxicity of conditioned medium generated by LPS‐activated microglia toward HT‐22 neuroblastoma cells. Taken together, our study provides the first evidence that allosteric modulation of sigma‐1 receptors by SKF83959 inhibits microglia‐mediated inflammation.

image

SKF83959 is a potent allosteric modulator of sigma‐1 receptor. Our results indicated that SKF83959 enhanced the activity of endogenous dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in a synergic manner, and inhibited the activation of BV2 microglia and the expression/release of the pro‐inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).
Neural Correlates of Biased Responses: The Negative Method Effect in the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale Is Associated with Right Amygdala Volume
Authors: Wang Yinan , Kong Feng , Huang Lijie , Liu Jia
Published: May 2015

Self‐esteem is a widely studied construct in psychology that is typically measured by the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale (RSES). However, a series of cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies have suggested that a simple and widely used unidimensional factor model does not provide an adequate explanation of RSES responses due to method effects. To identify the neural correlates of the method effect, we sought to determine whether and how method effects were associated with the RSES and investigate the neural basis of these effects. Two hundred and eighty Chinese college students (130 males; mean age = 22.64 years) completed the RSES and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Behaviorally, method effects were linked to both positively and negatively worded items in the RSES. Neurally, the right amygdala volume negatively correlated with the negative method factor, while the hippocampal volume positively correlated with the general self‐esteem factor in the RSES. The neural dissociation between the general self‐esteem factor and negative method factor suggests that there are different neural mechanisms underlying them. The amygdala is involved in modulating negative affectivity; therefore, the current study sheds light on the nature of method effects that are related to self‐report with a mix of positively and negatively worded items.
Distribution‐Utilization Interactions: A Race‐to‐the‐Bottom Among Oecd Countries
Authors: Rada Codrina , Kiefer David
Published: May 2015

We explore four decades of short‐ and long‐run interactions between income distribution and real economic activity for a panel of OECD countries. Our regressions suggest that the dynamic interaction of these two variables is rather complicated. Estimating the long‐run point, we argue that this equilibrium has been shifting as a matter of public policy. We hypothesize that a race‐to‐the‐bottom arises from a need to be competitive in globalized markets. We report evidence that globalization does have a negative long‐run effect on the wage share. We also find that other factors may have been important: unionization appears to be pro‐wage share, while contractionary monetary policy, financialization, and a lower relative price of investment goods tend to be anti‐wage share.
A Natural‐Language‐Based Approach to Intelligent Data Retrieval and Representation for Cloud BIM
Authors: Lin Jia‐Rui , Hu Zhen‐Zhong , Zhang Jian‐Ping , Yu Fang‐Qiang
Published: May 2015

As the information from diverse disciplines continues to integrate during the whole life cycle of an Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) project, the BIM (Building Information Model/Modeling) becomes increasingly large. This condition will cause users difficulty in acquiring the information they truly desire on a mobile device with limited space for interaction. The situation will be even worse for personnel without extensive knowledge of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) or for nonexperts of the BIM software. To improve the value of the big data of BIM, an approach to intelligent data retrieval and representation for cloud BIM applications based on natural language processing was proposed. First, strategies for data storage and query acceleration based on the popular cloud‐based database were explored to handle the large amount of BIM data. Then, the concepts “keyword” and “constraint” were proposed to capture the key objects and their specifications in a natural‐language‐based sentence that expresses the requirements of the user. Keywords and constraints can be mapped to IFC entities or properties through the International Framework for Dictionaries (IFD). The relationship between the user's requirement and the IFC‐based data model was established by path finding in a graph generated from the IFC schema, enabling data retrieval and analysis. Finally, the analyzed and summarized results of BIM data were represented based on the structure of the retrieved data. A prototype application was developed to validate the proposed approach on the data collected during the construction of the terminal of Kunming Airport, the largest single building in China. The case study illustrated the following: (1) relationships between the user requirements and the data users concerned are established, (2) user‐concerned data can be automatically retrieved and aggregated based on the cloud for BIM, and (3) the data are represented in a proper form for a visual view and a comprehensive report. With this approach, users can significantly benefit from requesting for information and the value of BIM will be enhanced.
Banana fruit NAC transcription factor MaNAC5 cooperates with MaWRKYs to enhance the expression of pathogenesis‐related genes against Colletotrichum musae
Authors: Shan Wei , Chen Jian‐ye , Kuang Jian‐fei , Lu Wang‐jin
Published: May 2015

Plants respond to pathogen attack by the modulation of a large set of genes, which are regulated by different types of transcription factor (TF). NAC (NAM/ATAF/CUC) and WRKY are plant‐specific families of TFs, and have received much attention as transcriptional regulators in plant pathogen defence. However, the cooperation between NAC and WRKY TFs in the disease response remains largely unknown. Our previous study has revealed that two banana fruit WRKY TFs, MaWRKY1 and MaWRKY2, are involved in salicylic acid (SA)‐ and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)‐induced resistance against Colletotrichum musae via binding to promoters of pathogenesis‐related (PR) genes. Here, we found that MaNAC1, MaNAC2 and MaNAC5 were up‐regulated after C. musae infection, and were also significantly enhanced by SA and MeJA treatment. Protein–protein interaction analysis showed that MaNAC5 physically interacted with MaWRKY1 and MaWRKY2. More importantly, dual‐luciferase reporter (DLR) assay revealed that MaNAC5, MaWRKY1 and MaWRKY2 were transcriptional activators, and individually or cooperatively activated the transcriptional activities of MaPR1‐1, MaPR2, MaPR10c and MaCHIL1 genes. Collectively, our results indicate that MaNAC5 cooperates with MaWRKY1 and MaWRKY2 to regulate the expression of a specific set of PR genes in the disease response, and to contribute at least partially to SA‐ and MeJA‐induced pathogen resistance.
Antifungal drug resistance among Candida species: mechanisms and clinical impact
Authors: Sanguinetti Maurizio , Posteraro Brunella , Lass‐Flörl Cornelia
Published: May 2015

The epidemiology of Candida infections has changed in recent years. Although Candida albicans is still the main cause of invasive candidiasis in most clinical settings, a substantial proportion of patients is now infected with non‐albicans Candida species. The various Candida species vary in their susceptibility to the most commonly used antifungal agents, and the intrinsic resistance to antifungal therapy seen in some species, along with the development of acquired resistance during treatment in others, is becoming a major problem in the management of Candida infection. A better understanding of the mechanisms and clinical impact of antifungal drug resistance is essential for the efficient treatment of patients with Candida infection and for improving treatment outcomes. Herein, we report resistance to the azoles and echinocandins among Candida species.
Natural disasters and dialysis care in the Asia‐Pacific
Authors: Gray Nicholas A , Wolley Martin , Liew Adrian , Nakayama Masaaki
Published: May 2015

The impact of natural disasters on the provision of dialysis services has received increased attention in the last decade following Hurricane Katrina devastating New Orleans in 2005. The Asia‐Pacific is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunami, typhoons (also known as cyclones and hurricanes) or storms and flooding. These events can seriously interrupt provision of haemodialysis with adverse effects for patients including missed dialysis, increased hospitalization and post‐traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, haemodialysis patients may need to relocate and experience prolonged periods of displacement from family and social supports. In contrast to haemodialysis, most literature suggests peritoneal dialysis in a disaster situation is more easily managed and supported. It has become apparent that dialysis units and patients should be prepared for a disaster event and that appropriate planning will result in reduced confusion and adverse outcomes should a disaster occur. Numerous resources are now available to guide dialysis units, patients and staff in preparation for a possible disaster. This article will examine the disaster experiences of dialysis units in the Asia‐Pacific, the impact on patients and staff, methods employed to manage during the disaster and suggested plans for reducing the impact of future disasters.
Nurses' perceptions of working with families in the paediatric intensive care unit
Authors: Butler Ashleigh , Willetts Georgina , Copnell Beverley
Published: May 2015

Background

Research exploring nurses' experiences working with families in paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is limited. No studies have been undertaken in a mixed adult‐paediatric ICU.

Objectives

To explore nurses' perceptions of working with families of critically ill children in a mixed adult‐paediatric intensive care unit (ICU).

Design

Descriptive qualitative design.

Methodology

Five PICU nurses participated in semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was enhanced using an audit trail, member checks and peer review of all data.

Results

Three main themes and one overarching theme emerged. Role confusion and delineation examined the roles which nurses ascribed to themselves and the families; and demonstrated the conflict which could arise if roles were challenged. Information sharing demonstrated the positive and negative ways in which nurses utilized information with families in their daily practice. The contextual environment of the PICU scrutinized the physical, cultural and institutional factors which impacted on the nurses' ability to work with families in the PICU. Finally, the overarching theme Competing values explores the interplay between the nurses' personal values and those of the PICU and the institution.

Conclusions

Working with families in a mixed adult‐paediatric ICU is influenced by multiple personal and institutional factors. The value placed on families and on the time nurses spent with them often competed for priority with nurses' other values and the wider culture of the PICU. The potential for role confusion, the management of information and the physical environment of the PICU further contributed to variability in nurses' working with families.

Relevance to clinical practice

The results highlighted a need for education for both nurses and medical staff who work with families of critically ill children. Additionally, the need for each PICU to have a written policy on family presence and participation is crucial to guide practice and maintain continuity of care.
Burkitt lymphoma with unusual presentation: Acute pancreatitis
Authors: Koca Tugba , Aslan Nagehan , Dereci Selim , Akcam Mustafa
Published: May 2015

Pancreatitis due to malignant infiltration is an uncommon condition in childhood. Pancreatic lymphomas constitute <2% of all non‐Hodgkin lymphomas. Only six reported cases with various clinical presentation have been documented in the literature. Described herein is the case of a nine‐year‐old boy with abdominal pain, jaundice, emesis, weight loss, diarrhea, who developed hyperlipidemia and cholestasis. Pancreatitis was suspected due to high amylase and lipase. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed diffuse enlargement of the pancreas. This sausage pancreas imaging was suggestive of autoimmune pancreatitis, but the patient was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma on bone marrow aspiration, and rapidly improved with chemotherapy. Burkitt lymphoma should be kept in mind when patients present with pancreatitis, especially with diffuse enlarged pancreas.
New‐onset diabetes mellitus after pediatric liver transplantation
Authors: Regelmann Molly O. , Goldis Marina , Arnon Ronen
Published: May 2015

In the first five yr after liver transplant, approximately one in 10 pediatric recipients will develop NODAT. Factors associated with higher risk for NODAT have been difficult to identify due to lack of uniformity in reporting and data collection. Limited studies have reported higher risk in those who are at an older age at transplant, those with high‐risk ethnic backgrounds, and in those with particular underlying conditions, such as CF and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Immunosuppressive medications, including tacrolimus, cyclosporine A, GC, and sirolimus, have been implicated as contributing to NODAT, to varying degrees. Identifying those at highest risk, appropriately screening, and diagnosing NODAT is critical to initiating timely treatment and avoiding potential complications. In the pediatric population, treatment is limited primarily to insulin, with some consideration for metformin. Children with NODAT should be monitored carefully for complications of DM, including microalbuminuria, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and retinopathy.
Characterization of Heterogeneity in Childhood Immunization Coverage in Central Florida Using Immunization Registry Data
Authors: Thompson Kimberly M. , Logan Grace E. ,   Florida SHOTS™ Research Team
Published: May 2015

Despite high vaccine coverage in the United States in general, and in the State of Florida specifically, some children miss scheduled vaccines due to health system failures or vaccine refusal by their parents. Recent experiences with outbreaks in the United States suggest that geographic clustering of un(der)vaccinated populations represent a threat to the elimination status of some vaccine‐preventable diseases. Immunization registries continue to expand and play an important role in efforts to track vaccine coverage and use. Using nearly 700,000 de‐identified immunization records from the Florida Department of Health immunization information system (Florida SHOTS™) for children born during 2003–2014, we explored heterogeneity and potential clustering of un(der)vaccinated children in six counties in central Florida—Brevard, Lake, Orange, Oseola, Polk, and Seminole—that represent a high‐risk area for importation due to family tourist attractions in the area. By zip code, we mapped the population density, the percent of children with religious exemptions, the percent of children on track or overdue for each vaccine series without and with exemptions, and the numbers of children with no recorded dose of each vaccine. Overall, we found some heterogeneity in coverage among the counties and zip codes, but relatively consistent and high coverage. We found that some children with an exemption in the system received the vaccines we analyzed, but exemption represents a clear risk factor for un(der)immunization. We identified many challenges associated with using immunization registry data for spatial analysis and potential opportunities to improve registries to better support future analyses.
Group belongingness and collective action: Effects of need to belong and rejection sensitivity on willingness to participate in protest activities
Authors: Bäck Emma A. , Bäck Hanna , Knapton Holly M.
Published: May 2015

Engaging in political protests are becoming increasingly common, and considering the potential, individual, costs and the low probability of affecting the political outcome, it is necessary to understand the motivations behind such actions. The desire to be part of a social group is deeply rooted in human nature, and previous research proposes that the groups one belongs to may influence the decision to engage in protests. We build on this research and suggest that social exclusion, individual fear of exclusion and need to belong interact in explaining who is likely to become engaged. In two studies, one natural experiment and one lab‐experiment, we show that social exclusion increase willingness to participate in protests for individuals high in both rejection sensitivity and need to belong. We conclude that contextual factors, such as exclusion or marginalization should be considered in relation to individual level personality factors when explaining who is likely to become engaged in political protests. These results are important since they suggest that some people engage in politics simply due to social reasons and are less ideologically motivated.
A nuclear‐encoded chloroplast‐targeted S1 RNA‐binding domain protein affects chloroplast rRNA processing and is crucial for the normal growth of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Han Ji Hoon , Lee Kwanuk , Lee Kwang Ho , Jung Sunyo , Jeon Young , Pai Hyun‐Sook , Kang Hunseung
Published: May 2015

Despite the fact that a variety of nuclear‐encoded RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) are targeted to the chloroplast and play essential roles during post‐transcriptional RNA metabolism in the chloroplast, the physiological roles of the majority of chloroplast‐targeted RBPs remain elusive. Here, we investigated the functional role of a nuclear‐encoded S1 domain‐containing RBP, designated SDP, in the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana. Confocal analysis of the SDP‐green fluorescent protein revealed that SDP was localized to the chloroplast. The loss‐of‐function sdp mutant displayed retarded seed germination and pale‐green phenotypes, and grew smaller than the wild‐type plants. Chlorophyll a content and photosynthetic activity of the sdp mutant were much lower than those of wild‐type plants, and the structures of the chloroplast and the prolamellar body were abnormal in the sdp mutant. The processing of rRNAs in the chloroplast was defective in the sdp mutant, and SDP was able to bind chloroplast 23S, 16S, 5S and 4.5S rRNAs. Notably, SDP possesses RNA chaperone activity. Transcript levels of the nuclear genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis were altered in the sdp mutant. Collectively, these results suggest that chloroplast‐targeted SDP harboring RNA chaperone activity affects rRNA processing, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthetic activity, which is crucial for normal growth of Arabidopsis.