bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Multiplication with Regrouping to Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Flores Margaret M. , Hinton Vanessa M. , Schweck Kelly B.
Published: October 2014

The Common Core Standards require demonstration of conceptual knowledge of numbers, operations, and relations between mathematical concepts. Supplemental instruction should explicitly guide students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in these skills. In this article, we illustrate implementation of the concrete–representational–abstract (CRA) sequence and the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) for teaching multiplication with regrouping to students with SLD. CRA combined with SIM has been shown to be effective in teaching computation for students with SLD, specifically for developing conceptual understanding. Four elementary students with SLD participated in this study. The researchers used a multiple–probe design to show a functional relation. Students demonstrated increases in computational fluency; skills were maintained and generalized.
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome in children: a comparative study of non‐cirrhotic vs. cirrhotic portal hypertension
Authors: Borkar Vibhor V , Poddar Ujjal , Kapoor Aditya , NS Srivatsa , Srivastava Anshu , Yachha Surender K
Published: October 2014

Background & Aims

Hepatopulmonary syndrome in children has not been extensively studied particularly in different subsets of portal hypertension. We prospectively studied hepatopulmonary syndrome in children with cirrhosis and extrahepatic portal venous obstruction. Their comparison might shed light on the pathogenesis of hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Methods

Between 1 to 18 years of age, 135 children with portal hypertension (cirrhosis 35, extrahepatic portal venous obstruction 100) were studied. Hepatopulmonary syndrome was diagnosed by the presence intrapulmonary shunt using transthoracic contrast echocardiography and hypoxia/orthodeoxia (in arterial blood gas examination). Comparative analyses were done for both the groups, and also intra‐ and intergroups with and without hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Result

Of 135 children, hepatopulmonary syndrome occurred more frequently in cirrhosis (40%) than extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (13%) (P = 0.01). Cirrhotics with hepatopulmonary syndrome were symptomatic (85% vs. 14%, P < 0.001) and had longer disease duration [16(1–120) months vs. 28 (1–168) months, P = 0.01] as compared to cirrhotics without hepatopulmonary syndrome. Prevalence of hepatopulmonary syndrome among cirrhotics did not correlate with the severity of liver disease as assessed by both paediatric end‐stage liver disease score and Child–Turcotte–Pugh score. Patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction and hepatopulmonary syndrome remain asymptomatic manifesting with clubbing alone (38%).

Conclusions

Hepatopulmonary syndrome occurs more frequently in cirrhosis, a majority being symptomatic with more severity in comparison to extrahepatic portal venous obstruction having no symptoms and less severity. There seems to be a role of liver dysfunction besides portal hypertension as an added factor in the pathogenesis of hepatopulmonary syndrome.
Invasive candidiasis and candidaemia in neonates and children: update on current guidelines
Authors: Tragiannidis Athanasios , Tsoulas Christos , Groll Andreas H.
Published: October 2014

Invasive candidiasis (IC) and candidaemia are leading causes of infectious morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised paediatric patients and those admitted to intensive care units. Despite improvements in diagnosis, prevention and treatment, both mortality rates and the economic burden of disease still remain high. To address this issue, several international societies and organisations have proposed guidelines for the management of IC/candidaemia in both neonates and children. In this article, we review current recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the European Conference on Infection in Leukaemia, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and the German Speaking Mycological Society/Paul‐Ehrlich Society for Chemotherapy for the management and prevention of IC/candidaemia in children and neonates.
Effects of a peer education on cardiac self‐efficacy and readmissions in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a randomized‐controlled trial
Authors: Varaei Shokoh , Shamsizadeh Morteza , Cheraghi Mohammad A , Talebi Mitra , Dehghani Ali , Abbasi Ali
Published: October 2014

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a peer education on cardiac self‐efficacy (CSE) and readmission of the patients undergoing bypass surgery.

Background

Self‐efficacy is an antecedent vital factor in both initiating and maintaining healthy behaviours. It significantly improves after effects of heart attacks, anxiety and diminishes the possibility of readmission.

Design

This study is a randomized‐controlled trial.

Method

Sixty patients undergoing bypass surgery were chosen and assigned equally into the control and intervention groups. While routine education was presented to the patients in the control group, intervention group were taught using the peer education in two sessions. CSE of all the selected patients was assessed orderly in 5 days, 4 weeks and 8 months after surgery. Moreover, their readmission was investigated after 8 months from surgery. Data was collected using demographic and the CSE scale. Data were also analysed by using χ2, Kolmogorov‐Smirnov and repeated measures analysis of variance tests.

Results

The mean score of CSE in the intervention group was significantly different from the corresponding number in the control group in all three stages of data collecting (p < 0·001). Compared to the control group, a smaller number of the patients in the intervention group were readmitted to the hospitals after 8 months (p = 0·011).

Conclusions

Implementation of peer education has positive effects on CSE in patients who have bypass surgery and reduces their hospital readmission. It can be beneficial to apply this method as an educative‐supportive approach in cardiac surgery fields.

Relevance to clinical practice

Implementation of peer education has positive effects on CSE in these patients and reduces their hospital readmission.
Oral care for intubated patients: a survey of intensive care unit nurses
Authors: Saddki Norkhafizah , Mohamad Sani Farah Elani , Tin‐Oo Mon Mon
Published: October 2014

Aims

This study aimed to determine attitudes and practices of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses towards provision of oral care for intubated patients.

Background

Oral care is as an essential nursing intervention for intubated patients to maintain patient comfort and prevent colonization of dental plaque by respiratory pathogens.

Design

This was a cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Data were collected from 93 ICU nurses of a teaching hospital in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia using a self‐administered questionnaire.

Results

Some nurses agreed that oral cavity of intubated patients was difficult (40·8%) and unpleasant (16·2%) to clean, but all of them realized the importance of oral care and the majority (97·9%) would like to learn more about it. Most nurses reported providing oral care at least two times daily using various methods and products such as suction toothbrush (90·4%), manual toothbrush (49·5%), cotton swab (91·5%) and foam swab (65·7%). Chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse was the preferred mouthwash (97·8%) and swabs (93·5%) solution although few used non‐optimal products such as sodium bicarbonate (14·0%), tap water (4·3%) and hydrogen peroxide (3·2%) to wash their patients' mouths. While the majority of nurses agreed that oral care supplies and equipments were available (93·6%) and suitable (88·2%), most of them also thought they need better hospital support (88·2%).

Conclusions

The nurses' attitudes towards oral care were generally positive and most oral care methods were appropriate. However, some methods and products used were inconsistent with the current recommendations and they have mixed views about the suitability of oral care supplies and equipment provided by the hospital.

Relevance to clinical practice

Recommendations were made for providing standard oral care protocols for intubated patients and oral care training programs for ICU nurses to support delivery of quality patient care.
Application of a glycaemic control optimization programme in patients with stress hyperglycaemia
Authors: Shi Zeya , Tang Siyuan , Chen Yuxiang , Lee Diana T‐F , Chair Sek Y , Jiang Bo , Zhu Xu , Pan Xiaoji , Yang Jinxu , Qin Yuelan
Published: October 2014

Background

Stress‐induced hyperglycaemia (SHG) can be observed in as high as 75% of critically ill patients, which can induce severe complications or adverse events. However, conventional intensive insulin therapy (CIIT) tends to induce hypoglycaemia and glucose variability.

Aims

This study investigated the clinical effects of a blood glycaemic control optimization programme (BGCOP) in patients with stress hyperglycaemia post hepatobiliary or pancreatic surgery.

Design

This study is a randomized, controlled, prospective clinical observation.

Methods

Eighty‐six patients with postoperative SHG were randomly divided into a control and experimental groups. Participants in the control group underwent CIIT, while participants in the experimental group underwent blood glycaemic control optimization programme (BGCOP). A range of 7·8–10·0 mmol/L was designated as the target range for effective control of blood sugar. The validity index, adverse events and complications were compared between two groups.

Results

Compared to participants treated with CIIT, participants treated with BGCOP reached the target range of blood sugar levels more quickly (p = 0·000). The high glycaemic index (p = 0·000), incidence of hypoglycaemia (p = 0·011), and other adverse events as well as the incidence of abdominal infection (p = 0·026), incision infection (p = 0·044), and lung infection (p = 0·047) were significantly lower in participants who underwent the BGCOP than in patients treated with CIIT.

Conclusion

BGCOP can more effectively control blood sugar levels compared with CIIT in patients with SHG after hepatobiliary or pancreatic surgery.

Relevance to clinical practice

This study provides a direction for blood glycaemic control in patients with stress hyperglycaemia post hepatobiliary or pancreatic surgery.
Pilot study trialling a new ambulatory method for the clinical assessment of regional gastrointestinal transit using multiple electromagnetic capsules
Authors: Haase A. M. , Gregersen T. , Schlageter V. , Scott M. S. , Demierre M. , Kucera P. , Dahlerup J. F. , Krogh K.
Published: October 2014

Background

Gastrointestinal (GI) motor disorders often involve several regions of the GI tract. Therefore, easy and safe assessment of whole gut and regional motility is valuable for more precise diagnosis. 3D‐Transit is a novel method for ambulatory evaluation of total and regional gastrointestinal transit times (GITT) based on the anatomical localization of ingestible electromagnetic capsules. The main purpose of this study was to test the performance of the 3D‐Transit system.

Methods

Twenty healthy volunteers each ingested three electromagnetic capsules over a period of two consecutive days. Standard radio‐opaque markers (ROM) were also ingested to assess the agreement between total GITT obtained with both methods.

Key Results

Investigations were well‐tolerated and three capsules could be tracked simultaneously with minimal data loss (Capsule 1: median: 0.2% of time (range 0–25.3%). Region specific contraction patterns were identified and used for computation of total and regional GITT in all subjects. Inter‐observer agreement was 100% for total GITT (median variation 0%) but less for regional GITT. Day‐to‐day and diurnal variations were significant for total and regional GITT. Total GITT assessed by 3D‐Transit capsules were moderately well‐correlated to those assessed with standard ROM (Spearman's rho = 0.7).

Conclusions & Inferences

3D‐transit is a well‐tolerated and minimal invasive ambulatory method for assessment of GI motility. By providing both total and regional transit times, the 3D‐Transit system holds great promise for future clinical studies of GI function in health and disease.
The effect of endoscopic fundoplication and proton pump inhibitors on baseline impedance and heartburn severity in GERD patients
Authors: Rinsma N. F. , Farré R. , Bouvy N. D. , Masclee A. A. M. , Conchillo J. M.
Published: October 2014

Background

Antireflux therapy may lead to recovery of impaired mucosal integrity in gastro‐esophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients as reflected by an increase in baseline impedance. The study objective was to evaluate the effect of endoscopic fundoplication and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) PPI therapy on baseline impedance and heartburn severity in GERD patients.

Methods

Forty‐seven GERD patients randomized to endoscopic fundoplication (n = 32) or PPI therapy (n = 15), and 29 healthy controls were included. Before randomization and 6 months after treatment, baseline impedance was obtained during 24‐h pH‐impedance monitoring. Heartburn severity was evaluated using the GERD‐HRQL questionnaire.

Key Results

Before treatment, baseline impedance in GERD patients was lower than in healthy controls (p < 0.001). Antireflux therapy increased baseline impedance (from 1498 [IQR 951–2472] to 2393 [IQR 1353–3027] Ω, p = 0.001), however it only led to a partial recovery when compared to healthy controls (2393 [IQR 1353–3027] vs 2983 [2335–3810] Ω, p < 0.01). The effect of both treatment options was not significantly different (p = 0.13) despite the increased number of non‐acid reflux events in the PPI group. No correlation was found between baseline impedance and GERD symptoms before or after treatment.

Conclusions & Inferences

Reduction in acid reflux by endoscopic fundoplication or PPI therapy leads to an increase in baseline impedance in GERD patients, likely to reflect recovery of mucosal integrity. The impact of non‐acid reflux events on esophageal mucosal integrity may be limited as no difference in the increase in baseline impedance was observed after both treatment options. The lack of association between impedance baseline and heartburn severity indicates that other factors may contribute to heartburn perception in GERD.
Changes in root architecture under elevated concentrations of CO2 and nitrogen reflect alternate soil exploration strategies
Authors: Beidler Katilyn V. , Taylor Benton N. , Strand Allan E. , Cooper Emily R. , Schönholz Marcos , Pritchard Seth G.
Published: October 2014

Predicting the response of fine roots to increased atmospheric CO2 concentration has important implications for carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Root architecture is known to play an important role in how trees acquire soil resources in changing environments. However, the effects of elevated CO2 on the fine‐root architecture of trees remain unclear.

We investigated the architectural response of fine roots exposed to 14 yr of CO2 enrichment and 6 yr of nitrogen (N) fertilization in a Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) forest. Root traits reflecting geometry, topology and uptake function were measured on intact fine‐root branches removed from soil monoliths and the litter layer.

CO2 enrichment resulted in the development of a fine‐root pool that was less dichotomous and more exploratory under N‐limited conditions. The per cent mycorrhizal colonization did not differ among treatments, suggesting that root growth and acclimation to elevated CO2 were quantitatively more important than increased mycorrhizal associations.

Our findings emphasize the importance of architectural plasticity in response to environmental change and suggest that changes in root architecture may allow trees to effectively exploit larger volumes of soil, thereby pre‐empting progressive nutrient limitations.
Toward an integrated approach to nutritional quality, environmental sustainability, and economic viability: research and measurement gaps
Authors: Herforth Anna , Frongillo Edward A. , Sassi Franco , Mclean Mireille Seneclauze , Arabi Mandana , Tirado Cristina , Remans Roseline , Mantilla Gilma , Thomson Madeleine , Pingali Prabhu
Published: October 2014

Nutrition is affected by numerous environmental and societal causes. This paper starts with a simple framework based on three domains: nutritional quality, economic viability, and environmental sustainability, and calls for an integrated approach in research to simultaneously account for all three. It highlights limitations in the current understanding of each domain, and how they influence one another. Five research topics are identified: measuring the three domains (nutritional quality, economic viability, environmental sustainability); modeling across disciplines; furthering the analysis of food systems in relation to the three domains; connecting climate change and variability to nutritional quality; and increasing attention to inequities among population groups in relation to the three domains. For an integrated approach to be developed, there is a need to identify and disseminate available metrics, modeling techniques, and tools to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. This is a first step so that a systems approach that takes into account potential environmental and economic trade‐offs becomes the norm in analyzing nutrition and food‐security patterns. Such an approach will help fill critical knowledge gaps and will guide researchers seeking to define and address specific research questions in nutrition in their wider socioeconomic and environmental contexts.
Life, death, and the bridges in‐between
Authors: Shemie Sam D.
Published: October 2014

Remarkable advances in the technological capacity of modern medicine now permit the use of mechanical organ failure support deployed primarily to save life. Such technology serves as a bridge to either recovery or, when feasible, organ transplantation. However, when effective treatment options are exhausted, technological advances can be burdensome bridges to death. This paper briefly reviews the principles of management of life‐threatening critical illness and the corresponding biological aspects of life, death, and organ donation, which are both informed and complicated by these technological and scientific achievements.
Asthma and insulin resistance in obese children and adolescents
Authors: Sánchez Jiménez José , Herrero Espinet F. Javier , Mengibar Garrido José M. , Roca Antonio Josep , Peños Mayor Sara , Peñas Boira María del Mar , Roca Comas Amadeu , Ballester Martínez Anna
Published: October 2014

Background

Obese children and adolescents have an increased risk for asthma. A few studies have evaluated the association of insulin resistance and asthma in obese pediatric populations. We examined whether there was a relationship between high degrees of insulin resistance and the presence of asthma in obese children and adolescents.

Methods

A total of 153 patients aged 4–15 years with at or above the 95th percentile BMI for age were prospectively recruited. Assessments included diagnosis of asthma, skin prick test reactivity to common environmental aeroallergens, and HOMA estimated insulin resistance, with the median (2.22) used as a cutoff value to categorize insulin resistance.

Results

There were 56 (36.6%) asthmatic and 97 (63.4%) non‐asthmatic patients. HOMA values were significantly associated with positive skin tests (p = 0.008) and allergic asthma diagnosis (p = 0.016). Baseline insulin value was significantly associated with the risk of presenting asthma with positive skin testing (odds ratio 1.084, p = 0.037). Differences in age, BMI, and waist circumference were found between the groups of HOMA‐IR <2.22 and ≥2.22. Waist circumference (WC) was significantly associated with FVC (p = 0.0001) and FEV1 (p < 0.0003); the greater the WC, the lower FVC and FEV1 values.

Conclusions

Insulin resistance is a risk for allergic asthma in obese children and adolescents. Waist circumference was related to CVF and FEV1 impairment.
Predicted vitamin D status in mid‐pregnancy and child allergic disease
Authors: Maslova Ekaterina , Hansen Susanne , Thorne‐Lyman Andrew L. , Jensen Camilla B. , Strøm Marin , Cohen Arieh , Nielsen Nina O. , Olsen Sjurdur F.
Published: October 2014

Background

Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may be a risk factor for child allergic disease. However, less is known about disease risk across different levels of vitamin D.

Objective

We aimed to examine the relation between a maternal vitamin D prediction score and child allergic disease.

Methods

A total of 32,456 pregnant women were enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996–2003) and had data on a validated vitamin D prediction score based on 1497 mid‐pregnancy plasma 25(OH)D samples. Child allergic disease was assessed at 18 months and at 7 years using questionnaire data and national registry extracts. We used multivariable log‐binomial models to quantify risk ratios (RR) and 95% CI. Plasma 25(OH)D was examined in a stability analysis.

Results

Median (IQR) vitamin D prediction score was 58.7 (49.2–69.0) nmol/l. In main analysis, there was no association between vitamin D prediction score examined in quintiles or by restricted categories (≥75 nmol/l and <25 nmol/l vs. 25–74.9 nmol/l) and child allergic disease. However, maternal vitamin D prediction score ≥100 nmol/l(vs. 50–79.9 nmol/l) was associated with increased risks of child asthma at 18 months (RR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.80) and asthma by hospital admission (RR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.62). For vitamin D prediction score <25–30 nmol/l, there were increased risks of child asthma at 18 months and by hospital admission and medication prescription at age 7, although these findings were not robust to covariate adjustment. Similar results were found for plasma 25(OH)D.

Conclusions

Our study provided little evidence for an association between maternal vitamin D prediction score and child allergic disease for scores ≥75 nmol/l. However, increased risks were observed for vitamin D prediction score ≥100 nmol/l. These associations are hypothesis generating and would need to be replicated in other cohorts.
The role of self‐image as a predictor of psychotherapy outcome
Authors: Ryum Truls , Vogel Patrick A. , Walderhaug Eirik P. , Stiles Tore C.
Published: October 2014

The present study examined the relationship between self‐image and outcome in psychotherapy. Patients (n = 170) received treatment‐as‐usual at a university clinic, and met diagnostic criteria for mostly anxiety and depression related disorders. Self‐image was measured with the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB‐I) introject pre and post‐treatment. Using multiple regression analyses, higher levels of Self‐ignore and Self‐blame pre‐treatment predicted a poorer treatment outcome in terms of symptoms (SCL‐90‐R) and interpersonal problems (IIP‐64), respectively. Increase in Self‐love and decrease in Self‐blame (pre to post) predicted reduced symptoms at post‐treatment, whereas decrease in Self‐attack and Self‐control, as well as increase in Self‐affirm, predicted reduced interpersonal problems. The results suggest that self‐image improvement may be important in order to achieve a good outcome in psychotherapy.
Updating working memory in aircraft noise and speech noise causes different fMRI activations
Authors: Sætrevik Bjørn , Sörqvist Patrik
Published: October 2014

The present study used fMRI/BOLD neuroimaging to investigate how visual‐verbal working memory is updated when exposed to three different background‐noise conditions: speech noise, aircraft noise and silence. The number‐updating task that was used can distinguish between “substitution processes,” which involve adding new items to the working memory representation and suppressing old items, and “exclusion processes,” which involve rejecting new items and maintaining an intact memory set. The current findings supported the findings of a previous study by showing that substitution activated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the posterior medial frontal cortex and the parietal lobes, whereas exclusion activated the anterior medial frontal cortex. Moreover, the prefrontal cortex was activated more by substitution processes when exposed to background speech than when exposed to aircraft noise. These results indicate that (a) the prefrontal cortex plays a special role when task‐irrelevant materials should be denied access to working memory and (b) that, when compensating for different types of noise, either different cognitive mechanisms are involved or those cognitive mechanisms that are involved are involved to different degrees.
From Taboo to Tourist Industry: The Construction of Interracial Intimacies between Black Men and White Women in Colonial and Contemporary Times
Authors: Meszaros Julia , Bazzaroni Christina
Published: October 2014

This literature review examines the role emotions play in the construction and regulation of commercialized heterosexual interracial intimacies between White women and Black men, beginning with the strict regulations of the colonial era, and moving to the development of “romance tourism” in the contemporary era between Northern White women and Black men in the Caribbean. During colonialism, White men constructed a taboo against sexual relationships between White women and Black men in order to ensure their dominance over women in their own racial group and all “Other” men. In contemporary times, relationships between White women and Black men have moved from taboo and marginalized to touristic attraction, as more middle class White women from the United States head to the Caribbean (and at times Africa) in search of romance with local men, demonstrating the importance that emotions like desire have in (re)producing globalization.
More than the Sum of Its Parts: Cooperation and Mutual Commitment in Multi‐Issue Congregation‐Based Community Organizing
Authors: Tesdahl Eric A.
Published: October 2014

Congregation‐based community organizing (CBCO) federations play an important role in uniting a diverse array of religious congregations and community‐based organizations in movements for social justice at the neighborhood, regional, state, and national levels. Metropolitan‐levelCBCOfederations provide a novel and noteworthy example of meso‐mobilization contexts as described in the social movement literature in that many such federations engage in multiple concurrent issue campaigns. This study examines collaboration among organizational members of Communities Creating Opportunity, aCBCOfederation based in Kansas City, Missouri. Qualitative interviews with organizers, clergy, and lay‐leaders, together with an analysis of organizational records, reveal a cooperative structure of interorganizational relations built upon specific organizing activities, roles, and relations. These activities, roles, and relations are in turn conditioned on each member organization's own level of connection to a particular organizing issue. Findings suggest that this innovative form of cooperative relational structure affords multi‐issue federations an enhanced capacity to mobilize voluntary labor resources and turn‐out at public events relative to single issue organizing.
One and the same: integrative taxonomic evidence that Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the same species as the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis
Authors: SCHUTZE MARK K. , MAHMOOD KHALID , PAVASOVIC ANA , BO WANG , NEWMAN JAYE , CLARKE ANTHONY R. , KROSCH MATTHEW N. , CAMERON STEPHEN L.
Published: October 2014

The invasive fruit fly Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White, and the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) are highly destructive horticultural pests of global significance. Bactrocera invadens originates from the Indian subcontinent and has recently invaded all of sub‐Saharan Africa, while B. dorsalis principally occurs from the Indian subcontinent towards southern China and South‐east Asia. High morphological and genetic similarity has cast doubt over whether B. invadens is a distinct species from B. dorsalis. Addressing this issue within an integrative taxonomic framework, we sampled from across the geographic distribution of both taxa and: (i) analysed morphological variation, including those characters considered diagnostic (scutum colour, length of aedeagus, width of postsutural lateral vittae, wing size, and wing shape); (ii) sequenced four loci (ITS1, ITS2, cox1 and nad4) for phylogenetic inference; and (iii) generated a cox1 haplotype network to examine population structure. Molecular analyses included the closely related species, Bactrocera kandiensis Drew & Hancock. Scutum colour varies from red‐brown to fully black for individuals from Africa and the Indian subcontinent. All individuals east of the Indian subcontinent are black except for a few red‐brown individuals from China. The postsutural lateral vittae width of B. invadens is narrower than B. dorsalis from eastern Asia, but the variation is clinal, with subcontinent B. dorsalis populations intermediate in size. Aedeagus length, wing shape and wing size cannot discriminate between the two taxa. Phylogenetic analyses failed to resolve B. invadens from B. dorsalis, but did resolve B. kandiensis. Bactrocera dorsalis and B. invadens shared cox1 haplotypes, yet the haplotype network pattern does not reflect current taxonomy or patterns in thoracic colour. Some individuals of B. dorsalis/B. invadens possessed haplotypes more closely related to B. kandiensis than to conspecifics, suggestive of mitochondrial introgression between these species. The combined evidence fails to support the delimitation of B. dorsalis and B. invadens as separate biological species. Consequently, existing biological data for B. dorsalis may be applied to the invasive population in Africa. Our recommendation, in line with other recent publications, is that B. invadens be synonymized with B. dorsalis.
Copper isotope fractionation in the Meiduk porphyry copper deposit, Northwest of Kerman Cenozoic magmatic arc, Iran
Authors: Asadi Sina , Mathur Ryan , Moore Farid , Zarasvandi Alireza
Published: October 2014

The Meiduk deposit possesses three different Cu reservoirs each with a unique Cu isotope signature. δ65Cu for the leached cap minerals ranges from −2.5 to +0.49‰ to −0.45 to +0.3‰ for hypogene minerals and from +1.3 to +4.4‰ for supergene enrichment minerals. Oxidation of hypogene sulphides and effective trapping of copper (from solutions derived from the leached cap) in the supergene enrichment zone caused this relationship. A systematic pattern of low Cu isotope values close to the surface and higher isotope values with depth reveals a palaeo‐fluid pathway in the northwest–southeast direction over the deposit. Thus, the copper isotope data from leached cap and enrichment minerals can be used to monitor copper migration during supergene weathering at the Meiduk deposit.
Signers and Co‐speech Gesturers Adopt Similar Strategies for Portraying Viewpoint in Narratives
Authors: Quinto‐Pozos David , Parrill Fey
Published: October 2014

Gestural viewpoint research suggests that several dimensions determine which perspective a narrator takes, including properties of the event described. Events can evoke gestures from the point of view of a character (CVPT), an observer (OVPT), or both perspectives. CVPT and OVPT gestures have been compared to constructed action (CA) and classifiers (CL) in signed languages. We ask how CA and CL, as represented in ASL productions, compare to previous results for CVPT and OVPT from English‐speaking co‐speech gesturers. Ten ASL signers described cartoon stimuli from Parrill (2010). Events shown by Parrill to elicit a particular gestural strategy (CVPT, OVPT, both) were coded for signers' instances of CA and CL. CA was divided into three categories: CA‐torso, CA‐affect, and CA‐handling. Signers used CA‐handling the most when gesturers used CVPT exclusively. Additionally, signers used CL the most when gesturers used OVPT exclusively and CL the least when gesturers used CVPT exclusively.
Direct and indirect impacts of different water regimes on the invasive plant, alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), and its biological control agent, Agasicles hygrophila
Authors: Wei Hui , Lu Xinmin , Ding Jianqing
Published: October 2014

Invasive weeds are broadly affected by natural disturbances, such as flooding and drought. While these disturbances can directly affect the outcome of a plant invasion, they can also indirectly affect the population dynamics of the invasive plant's natural enemies. However, how flooding and drought alter the interactions of invasive plants with their natural enemies and what impact these events have on the invasive plants have been little studied. This study reports on the effects of flooding and drought on the invasive plant, Alternanthera philoxeroides, its biological control agent, Agasicles hygrophila, as well as their interactions in field and laboratory experiments. It was found that drought decreased the stem length and number of internodes of A. philoxeroides, while flooding reduced the number of branches, relative to those in the control treatments. Both drought and flooding significantly decreased the total number of ramets, as well as the root and shoot mass of this weed, compared to a less drastic water regime. Drought indirectly suppressed the population growth of Ag. hygrophila by decreasing plant palatability. Indeed, herbivory by Ag. hygrophila had little impact on A. philoxeroides under drought conditions. The results of this study suggest that drought can reduce the biological control of A. philoxeroides indirectly by interrupting plant–insect interaction. Therefore, understanding how invasive plants and enemies interactively respond to seasonal climatic disturbances will provide important information for improving and predicting the management efficiency of invasive weeds.
Partitioning Tasks to Product Development Teams
Authors: Braha Dan
Published: October 2014

The principle of partitioning tasks among product development teams so as to minimize the cost of interactions across design teams is an important characteristic of complex engineered systems. Although there is growing literature that deals with the proper organization of product development tasks, little attention is given to rigorous modeling of the phenomena. To fill the void, we present a mathematical formulation for the problem. Two main issues are addressed by the model: 1) how to specify task dependencies, and 2) how to optimally partition the tasks among a number of teams. Characteristics of the problem are analyzed, and an efficient solution procedure is proposed. The developed model and solution technique can be applied to various scales of the product design and development process, and may open a variety of interesting questions.
Nanoscaffold's stiffness affects primary cortical cell network formation
Authors: Xie Sijia , Schurink Bart , Wolbers Floor , Luttge Regina , Hassink Gerco
Published: October 2014

Networks of neurons cultured on-chip can provide insights into both normal and disease-state brain function. The ability to guide neuronal growth in specific, artificially designed patterns allows us to study how brain function follows form. Primary cortical cells cultured on nanograting scaffolds, in particular astrocytes, showed highly ordered regions of dendritic outgrowth. Usually, materials suitable for nanopatterning have a stiffness far above that of the extracellular matrix. In this paper, the authors studied two materials with large differences in stiffness, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silicon. Our results show that both nanopatterned silicon and PDMS guide the outgrowth of astrocytes in cortical cell culture, but the growth of the astrocyte is affected by the stiffness of the substrate, as revealed by differences in the cell soma size and the organization of the outgrowth.
CT reconstruction techniques for improved accuracy of lung CT airway measurement
Authors: Rodriguez A. , Ranallo F. N. , Judy P. F. , Gierada D. S. , Fain S. B.
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

To determine the impact of constrained reconstruction techniques on quantitative CT (qCT) of the lung parenchyma and airways for low x‐ray radiation dose.

Methods:

Measurement of small airways with qCT remains a challenge, especially for low x‐ray dose protocols. Images of the COPDGene quality assurance phantom (CTP698, The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY) were obtained using a GE discovery CT750 HD scanner for helical scans at x‐ray radiation dose‐equivalents ranging from 1 to 4.12 mSv (12–100 mA s current–time product). Other parameters were 40 mm collimation, 0.984 pitch, 0.5 s rotation, and 0.625 mm thickness. The phantom was sandwiched between 7.5 cm thick water attenuating phantoms for a total length of 20 cm to better simulate the scatter conditions of patient scans. Image data sets were reconstructed using STANDARD (STD), DETAIL, BONE, and EDGE algorithms for filtered back projection (FBP), 100% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR), and Veo reconstructions. Reduced (half) display field of view (DFOV) was used to increase sampling across airway phantom structures. Inner diameter (ID), wall area percent (WA%), and wall thickness (WT) measurements of eight airway mimicking tubes in the phantom, including a 2.5 mm ID (42.6 WA%, 0.4 mm WT), 3 mm ID (49.0 WA%, 0.6 mm WT), and 6 mm ID (49.0 WA%, 1.2 mm WT) were performed with Airway Inspector (Surgical Planning Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA) using the phase congruency edge detection method. The average of individual measures at five central slices of the phantom was taken to reduce measurement error.

Results:

WA% measures were greatly overestimated while IDs were underestimated for the smaller airways, especially for reconstructions at full DFOV (36 cm) using the STD kernel, due to poor sampling and spatial resolution (0.7 mm pixel size). Despite low radiation dose, the ID of the 6 mm ID airway was consistently measured accurately for all methods other than STD FBP. Veo reconstructions showed slight improvement over STD FBP reconstructions (4%–9% increase in accuracy). The most improved ID and WA% measures were for the smaller airways, especially for low dose scans reconstructed at half DFOV (18 cm) with the EDGE algorithm in combination with 100% ASIR to mitigate noise. Using the BONE + ASIR at half BONE technique, measures improved by a factor of 2 over STD FBP even at a quarter of the x‐ray dose.

Conclusions:

The flexibility of ASIR in combination with higher frequency algorithms, such as BONE, provided the greatest accuracy for conventional and low x‐ray dose relative to FBP. Veo provided more modest improvement in qCT measures, likely due to its compatibility only with the smoother STD kernel.
Towards the clinical implementation of iterative low‐dose cone‐beam CT reconstruction in image‐guided radiation therapy: Cone/ring artifact correction and multiple GPU implementation
Authors: Yan Hao , Wang Xiaoyu , Shi Feng , Bai Ti , Folkerts Michael , Cervino Laura , Jiang Steve B. , Jia Xun
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

Compressed sensing (CS)‐based iterative reconstruction (IR) techniques are able to reconstruct cone‐beam CT (CBCT) images from undersampled noisy data, allowing for imaging dose reduction. However, there are a few practical concerns preventing the clinical implementation of these techniques. On the image quality side, data truncation along the superior–inferior direction under the cone‐beam geometry produces severe cone artifacts in the reconstructed images. Ring artifacts are also seen in the half‐fan scan mode. On the reconstruction efficiency side, the long computation time hinders clinical use in image‐guided radiation therapy (IGRT).

Methods:

Image quality improvement methods are proposed to mitigate the cone and ring image artifacts in IR. The basic idea is to use weighting factors in the IR data fidelity term to improve projection data consistency with the reconstructed volume. In order to improve the computational efficiency, a multiple graphics processing units (GPUs)‐based CS‐IR system was developed. The parallelization scheme, detailed analyses of computation time at each step, their relationship with image resolution, and the acceleration factors were studied. The whole system was evaluated in various phantom and patient cases.

Results:

Ring artifacts can be mitigated by properly designing a weighting factor as a function of the spatial location on the detector. As for the cone artifact, without applying a correction method, it contaminated 13 out of 80 slices in a head‐neck case (full‐fan). Contamination was even more severe in a pelvis case under half‐fan mode, where 36 out of 80 slices were affected, leading to poorer soft tissue delineation and reduced superior–inferior coverage. The proposed method effectively corrects those contaminated slices with mean intensity differences compared to FDK results decreasing from ∼497 and ∼293 HU to ∼39 and ∼27 HU for the full‐fan and half‐fan cases, respectively. In terms of efficiency boost, an overall 3.1 × speedup factor has been achieved with four GPU cards compared to a single GPU‐based reconstruction. The total computation time is ∼30 s for typical clinical cases.

Conclusions:

The authors have developed a low‐dose CBCT IR system for IGRT. By incorporating data consistency‐based weighting factors in the IR model, cone/ring artifacts can be mitigated. A boost in computational efficiency is achieved by multi‐GPU implementation.
The kinase ALK stimulates the kinase ERK5 to promote the expression of the oncogene MYCN in neuroblastoma
Authors: Umapathy Ganesh , El Wakil Abeer , Witek Barbara , Chesler Louis , Danielson Laura , Deng Xianming , Gray Nathanael S. , Johansson Mikael , Kvarnbrink Samuel , Ruuth Kristina , Schönherr Christina , Palmer Ruth H. , Hallberg Bengt
Published: October 2014

Targeting the kinase ERK5 may disrupt the activation of an oncogenic transcription factor in a subset of neuroblastoma patients.
Huntingtin promotes mTORC1 signaling in the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease
Authors: Pryor William M. , Biagioli Marta , Shahani Neelam , Swarnkar Supriya , Huang Wen-Chin , Page Damon T. , MacDonald Marcy E. , Subramaniam Srinivasa
Published: October 2014

Mouse models indicate that mutant huntingtin promotes anabolic signaling to contribute to Huntington’s disease.
ALK pERKs Up MYCN in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Lindner Sven , Henssen Anton , Astrahantseff Kathy , Schulte Johannes H.
Published: October 2014

Identification of a crucial mediator between abnormally active ALK and MYCN reveals a potential combination therapy for several tumor types.
Flu Mimics Damaged Proteins During Entry
Authors: Hurtley Stella M.
Published: October 2014

A flu virus mimics misfolded protein aggregates and hijacks associated cellular machinery early during infection.
From Single Molecules to Embryos in Living Color
Authors: Hurtley Stella M.
Published: October 2014

A new microscope allows three-dimensional imaging of living systems at very high resolution in real time.
TRPV1 Activates T Cells
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: October 2014

A calcium-permeable channel that acts as a pain receptor in neurons contributes to T cell activation and inflammatory immune responses in mice.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility among Clinical Nocardia Species Identified by Multilocus Sequence Analysis
Authors: McTaggart Lisa R. , Doucet Jennifer , Witkowska Maria , Richardson Susan E.
Published: October 2014

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 112 clinical isolates, 28 type strains, and 9 reference strains of
Nocardia
were determined using the Sensititre Rapmyco microdilution panel (Thermo Fisher, Inc.). Isolates were identified by highly discriminatory multilocus sequence analysis and were chosen to represent the diversity of species recovered from clinical specimens in Ontario, Canada. Susceptibility to the most commonly used drug, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, was observed in 97% of isolates. Linezolid and amikacin were also highly effective; 100% and 99% of all isolates demonstrated a susceptible phenotype. For the remaining antimicrobials, resistance was species specific with isolates of
Nocardia otitidiscaviarum
,
N. brasiliensis
,
N. abscessus
complex,
N. nova
complex,
N. transvalensis
complex,
N. farcinica
, and
N. cyriacigeorgica
displaying the traditional characteristic drug pattern types. In addition, the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of a variety of rarely encountered species isolated from clinical specimens are reported for the first time and were categorized into four additional drug pattern types. Finally, MICs for the control strains
N. nova
ATCC BAA-2227,
N. asteroides
ATCC 19247
T
, and
N. farcinica
ATCC 23826 were robustly determined to demonstrate method reproducibility and suitability of the commercial Sensititre Rapmyco panel for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of
Nocardia
spp. isolated from clinical specimens. The reported values will facilitate quality control and standardization among laboratories.
Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Faldaprevir in Patients with Renal Impairment
Authors: Huang Fenglei , Moschetti Viktoria , Lang Benjamin , Halabi Atef , Petersen-Sylla Marc , Yong Chan-Loi , Elgadi Mabrouk
Published: October 2014

Faldaprevir is a potent hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor with negligible urinary excretion. We assessed the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single oral dose of faldaprevir (480 mg) in 32 HCV-negative subjects with renal impairment or normal renal function. Compared with subjects with normal renal function, the adjusted geometric mean ratios (90% confidence intervals in parentheses) for overall exposure area under the concentration-time curve from zero to infinity (AUC
0–∞
) were 113.6% (41.6 to 310.2%), 178.3% (85.2 to 373.0%), and 169.2% (73.2 to 391.2%) for subjects with mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment, respectively. Overall, 5/8 (63%) subjects with normal renal function and 20/24 (83%) subjects with renal impairment reported adverse events, with gastrointestinal events being the most common. No severe or serious adverse events or deaths were reported. These results suggest that moderate or severe renal impairment can result in a modest increase in faldaprevir exposure. The increase in exposure may be related to decrease in the activity of the liver uptake transporter OATP1B1 as a result of renal impairment. Given this relatively slight increase in exposure, a dose adjustment in HCV patients with renal impairment is not warranted. (This study has been registered at
ClinicalTrials.gov
under registration number NCT01957657.)
Synergistic Interactions of Vancomycin with Different Antibiotics against Escherichia coli: Trimethoprim and Nitrofurantoin Display Strong Synergies with Vancomycin against Wild-Type E. coli
Authors: Zhou Alice , Kang Tina Manzhu , Yuan Jessica , Beppler Casey , Nguyen Caroline , Mao Zhiyuan , Nguyen Minh Quan , Yeh Pamela , Miller Jeffrey H.
Published: October 2014

Gram-negative bacteria are normally resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin (VAN), which cannot significantly penetrate the outer membrane. We used
Escherichia coli
mutants that are partially sensitive to VAN to study synergies between VAN and 10 other antibiotics representing six different functional categories. We detected strong synergies with VAN and nitrofurantoin (NTR) and with VAN and trimethoprim (TMP) and moderate synergies with other drugs, such as aminoglycosides. These synergies are powerful enough to show the activity of VAN against wild-type
E. coli
at concentrations of VAN as low as 6.25 μg/ml. This suggests that a very small percentage of exogenous VAN does enter
E. coli
but normally has insignificant effects on growth inhibition or cell killing. We used the results of pairwise interactions with VAN and the other 10 antibiotics tested to place VAN into a functional category of its own, as previously defined by Yeh et al. (P. Yeh, A. I. Tschumi, and R. Kishony, Nat Genet 28:489–494, 2006,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng1755
).