bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deeper understanding of mechanisms contributing to sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction
Authors: Walley Keith R
Published: May 2014

The inflammatory response of sepsis results in organ dysfunction, including myocardial dysfunction. Myocardial dysfunction is particularly important in patients with severe septic shock who progress to a hypodynamic pre-terminal phase. Multiple aspects of this septic inflammatory response contribute to the pathogenesis of decreased ventricular contractility. Inflammatory cytokines released by inflammatory cells contribute as does nitric oxide released by vascular endothelium and by cardiomyocytes. Endotoxins and other pathogen molecules induce an intramyocardial inflammatory response by binding Toll-like receptors on cardiomyocytes that then signal via NF-κB. These processes alter cardiomyocyte depolarization and, therefore, contractility. The particular role of the cardiomyocyte sodium current has not been characterized. Now new information suggests that the septic inflammatory response impairs normal depolarization by altering the cardiomyocyte sodium current. This results in decreased ventricular contractility. This is important because new targets for therapeutic intervention can be considered and new approaches to evaluation of this problem can be contemplated.
Goals without Demands: The New Movements for Real Democracy
Authors: Sitrin Marina
Published: May 2014

Since the end of 2010, millions of people around the globe have been taking to the streets in cities, towns, and villages—assembling in plazas and occupying parks, buildings, homes, and schools. This new wave of movement is both revolutionary in the day-to-day sense of the word and without precedent with regard to consistency of form, politics, scope, and scale. It is a growing global movement of refusal—and simultaneously, in that refusal, it is a movement of creation. The current frameworks provided by the social sciences and traditional left intellectuals to understand these movements generally have yet to catch up with what is new and different about them. This article suggests new ways of interpretation.
Clash of Temporalities: Capital, Democracy, and Squares
Authors: Tomba Massimiliano
Published: May 2014

This article analyzes the current crisis in terms of a conflict of temporalities, arguing that the pace of the economic temporality and its speed in decision making clashes with the temporality of the state and the slowness of the democratic process of decision making. The synchronization of these different tempos configures the present crisis of democracy and its different reactions, such as the recent Occupy and anti-austerity movements, which have expressed their disenchantment with formal democracy. The article examines these disjointed temporalities of capital, state, and popular insurgencies, to explore the possibilities of radical change.
On Military Coups and Mad Utopias
Authors: Holmes Amy Austin
Published: May 2014

It is never just rage against injustice that leads to mass uprisings, but also the millenarian belief in something better. The better life that the Egyptian and Turkish people fought for has not yet and may never materialize. A fleeting glimpse of an alternative future was, however, actualized in the encampments on Tahrir and Taksim, where utopian communities flourished. In Tahrir, the police state was driven out. In Taksim, money was abolished, and everything was for free. Beyond comparing these utopian dreamscapes, Holmes’s essay also addresses the movements’ relationships with their really-existing military establishments. More than the ideological differences between Nasserism and Kemalism, it was the very different tradition of military coups that shaped the public’s reaction to the armed forces. In Egypt, the Free Officers liberated the country from the British and built their anticolonial legacy around protecting the nation from external threats, leading to a situation in which some parts of the protest movement supported the military intervention that removed President Mohamed Morsi. In Turkey, the series of coups, in 1960, 1971, and 1980, were directed against internal threats: revolutionaries who challenged the state. Hence the vast majority of Gezi Park protesters maintain a critical distance from the military. By comparing the protests in Egypt and Turkey, this essay represents an attempt to step outside the “Arab Spring” paradigm while also thinking together the dystopic and utopic—the military coups and mad utopias that took root, and later perished, in Taksim and Tahrir.
The End of Reciprocity: The Muslim Brotherhood and the Security Sector
Authors: Ennarah Karim Medhat
Published: May 2014

The 2011 Egyptian revolution created an unlikely intersection in interests between a stumbling state apparatus and a socially powerful and politically conservative movement: the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood, constituting the critical mass of the Islamist bloc in Egypt, was poised to play the role of the guarantor of democratic legitimacy and assimilation of newly politicized social groups at the same time: the necessary ingredients for stability in postrevolution Egypt. Some questioned the sustainability of this alliance; but interestingly most of those doubts about its practicality took form only retroactively, after the alliance finally fell apart when mass protests and increasing civil strife from the end of 2012 prompted a military coup on July 3, 2013. This article examines some aspects of how this alliance was forged and how it came undone.
On the Mechanics of Profanation
Authors: Svirsky Marcelo
Published: May 2014

In Giorgio Agamben’s call to profane the sacred in the most desacralized forms, the specific mechanics through which the sacred and the profane connect and become indistinctive remains undertheorized. This article, then, aims at adding a further layer of practical articulation to Agamben’s notion of profanation as it was elaborated in his book Profanations. The article does so by discussing the ways Zionist subjectivities and divides are interconnected and expressed in Israeli society. To be practiced as a process of becoming, profanation, I argue, needs to be understood as a process of cultural transformation by which new forms of subjectivity are offered.
Baudrillard, Postfeminism, and the Image Makeover
Authors: Toffoletti Kim
Published: May 2014

Jean Baudrillard’s claim that we inhabit a transaesthetic and integral reality raises significant questions for feminists seeking to analyze how women are represented in Western media through the neoliberal guises of empowerment and choice. These questions relate to the impossibility of differentiating between feminist and antifeminist themes amid the implosive forces of a virtualized significatory and political economy. To map what a feminist-Baudrillardian approach to postfeminist media images might look like, this essay engages with current feminist theorizing about the postfeminist condition via the example of the UK reality makeover program How to Look Good Naked. In my analysis of this series, Baudrillard’s radical approach to the world “as is” illuminates some of the challenges an economy of exclusive positivity raises for the task of critical feminist inquiry.
Structure and Reactivity of Radicals Produced by Photocleavage of Oxime Ester Compounds Studied by Time-resolved Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Miyake Yusuke , Takahashi Hirona , Akai Nobuyuki , Shibuya Kazuhiko , Kawai Akio
Published: May 2014

Photodissociation of three oxime ester compounds was investigated using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Direct evidences for the appearance of methyl and iminyl radicals were obtained, and their reactivity toward the acrylate monomer was studied.
The Market for Blood
Authors: Slonim Robert , Wang Carmen , Garbarino Ellen
Published: May 2014

Donating blood, “the gift of life,” is among the noblest activities and it is performed worldwide nearly 100 million times annually. The economic perspective presented here shows how the gift of life, albeit noble and often motivated by altruism, is heavily influenced by standard economic forces including supply and demand, economies of scale, and moral hazard. These forces, shaped by technological advances, have driven the evolution of blood donation markets from thin one-to-one “marriage markets,” in which each recipient needed a personal blood donor, to thick, impersonalized, diffuse markets. Today, imbalances between aggregate supply and demand are a major challenge in blood markets, including excess supply after disasters and insufficient supply at other times. These imbalances are not unexpected given that the blood market operates without market prices and with limited storage length (about six weeks) for whole blood. Yet shifting to a system of paying blood donors seems a practical impossibility given attitudes toward paying blood donors and concerns that a paid system could compromise blood safety. Nonetheless, we believe that an economic perspective offers promising directions to increase supply and improve the supply and demand balance even in the presence of volunteer supply and with the absence of market prices.
Strong Enhancement of Bending-Mode Magnetoelectric Effect by Layer Sequence Choice in Thin Film Bilayer Composites on a Substrate
Authors: Krantz Matthias , Gugat Jascha Lukas , Gerken Martina
Published: May 2014

Magnetoelectric (ME) effects in bilayer composite cantilevers of magnetostrictive (MS) and piezoelectric (PE) materials on a substrate (Sub) are investigated theoretically for the FeCoBSi-AlN-Si system in open circuit mode and compared for different MS-PE-Sub layer thickness ratios and layer sequence choices. Static and resonant magnetic field excitations, the latter with resonance-enhanced cantilever oscillation, are investigated. Greatly differing behavior of the ME response with layer thicknesses is found for alternate layer sequences and excitation modes with the greatest resonant ME effect for the MS and PE layers on opposite sides of the substrate and the highest static effect for non-central substrates. The unexpected layer sequence systematics of the ME response are explained by the behaviour of the neutral (zero strain) plane in the strain coupled elastic layer stack.
Soil Organic Matter: A Sustainability Indicator for Wildfire Control and Bioenergy Production in the Urban/Forest Interface
Authors: Blanco Juan A. , Dubois David , Littlejohn Dale , Flanders David N. , Robinson Peter , Moshofsky Molly , Welham Clive
Published: May 2014

Many rural communities in British Columbia (western Canada) are increasingly at risk from wildfire as temperatures rise and droughts become more frequent. In addition, these communities are also faced with rising fuel costs and a growing demand for heat as their populations increase. The fact that these communities are surrounded by forests presents an opportunity to combine community wildfire risk abatement with bioenergy development. We show how the ecological model FORECAST was linked with GIS and economic models to create a freely available online tool (FIRST Heat) to help other communities make their own screening‐level ecological assessments of combining wildfire risk control with district heating systems. The tool incorporates an ecological sustainability index based on the relative change in soil organic matter (SOM) after 50 yr of management compared with initial levels. Two thresholds were defined: 10% SOM lost (warning level) and 20% SOM lost (critical level). The tool was able to adequately capture the influences of ecological zone, stand age, site quality, and intensity of forest management on SOM losses. Stands in the sub‐boreal and arid interior were significantly more exposed to SOM losses than in other ecological zones, as well as soils in old‐growth forests. Stands in poor sites were significantly more sensitive to forest management than young and fertile sites. All things considered, our results show the suitability of incorporating ecological models and SOM thresholds in user‐friendly decision‐support tools to successfully transfer scientific knowledge on forest soils to local stakeholders and decision makers.
Effects of Biomass Removals on Site Carbon and Nutrients and Jack Pine Growth in Boreal Forests
Authors: Hazlett P.W. , Morris D.M. , Fleming R.L.
Published: May 2014

As international demand for renewable energy and forest biomass increases, there is considerable debate about the effect of increased removals on long‐term soil productivity. Carbon and nutrient contents of the aboveground biomass, forest floor, and mineral soil were determined at 14 boreal forest sites in northern Ontario. At each site, three treatments were performed: tree‐length harvesting (OM0), full‐tree harvesting (OM1) and full‐tree harvesting plus forest floor removal (OM2). Theoretical and actual estimates of biomass removal for OM0 and OM1 were determined. Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) dominant height increments from Years 10 to 15 (HD10‐15) were determined as a measure of site productivity. A nutrient budget approach was used to estimate C and nutrient removal and retention and to calculate stability ratios (i.e., ratio of nutrient removed during harvest to post‐harvest nutrient reserve) and nutrient replacement times. The OM1 treatment removed 65% of the potentially available biomass; on average 27 Mg ha−1 of unutilized biomass was burned in slash piles. The OM1 harvesting residue retention values coincided with guidelines of jurisdictions that recommend retaining one‐third of residues on site after bioenergy harvesting. The OM0 and OM1 C and nutrient removals were more similar than estimated in previous studies. Base cation stability ratios and nutrient replacement times gave opposite interpretations in terms of which sites were more sensitive to biomass removal treatments. For sandy sites with thin forest floor horizons HD10–15 responded positively to increased post‐harvest soil C reserves, but for sites with thick forest floors, organic matter accumulation became a detriment to increased growth.
Lysosomal Stress in Obese Adipose Tissue Macrophages Contributes to MITF-Dependent Gpnmb Induction
Authors: Gabriel Tanit L. , Tol Marc J. , Ottenhof Roelof , van Roomen Cindy , Aten Jan , Claessen Nike , Hooibrink Berend , de Weijer Barbara , Serlie Mireille J. , Argmann Carmen , van Elsenburg Leonie , Aerts Johannes M.F.G. , van Eijk Marco
Published: May 2014

In obesity, adipose tissue (AT) contains crown-like structures where macrophages surround nonviable adipocytes. To understand how AT macrophages (ATMs) contribute to development of insulin resistance, we examined their character in more detail. In silico analysis of F2 mouse populations revealed significant correlation between adipose glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (Gpnmb) expression and body weight. In obese mice and obese individuals, Gpnmb expression was induced in ATMs. Cultured RAW264.7 cells were used to obtain insight into the mechanism of Gpnmb regulation. Gpnmb was potently induced by lysosomal stress inducers, including palmitate and chloroquine, or Torin1, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). These stimuli also provoked microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF) translocation to the nucleus, and knockdown of MITF by short hairpin RNA indicated its absolute requirement for Gpnmb induction. In agreement with our in vitro data, reduced mTORC1 activity was observed in isolated ATMs from obese mice, which coincided with increased nuclear MITF localization and Gpnmb transcription. Aberrant nutrient sensing provokes lysosomal stress, resulting in attenuated mTORC1 activity and enhanced MITF-dependent Gpnmb induction. Our data identify Gpnmb as a novel marker for obesity-induced ATM infiltration and potentiator of interleukin-4 responses and point toward a crucial role for MITF in driving part of the ATM phenotype.
Browning of White Adipose Cells by Intermediate Metabolites: An Adaptive Mechanism to Alleviate Redox Pressure
Authors: Carrière Audrey , Jeanson Yannick , Berger-Müller Sandra , André Mireille , Chenouard Vanessa , Arnaud Emmanuelle , Barreau Corinne , Walther Romy , Galinier Anne , Wdziekonski Brigitte , Villageois Phi , Louche Katie , Collas Philippe , Moro Cédric , Dani Christian , Villarroya Francesc , Casteilla Louis
Published: May 2014

The presence of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in human adults opens attractive perspectives to treat metabolic disorders. Indeed, BAT dissipates energy as heat via uncoupling protein (UCP)1. Brown adipocytes are located in specific deposits or can emerge among white fat through the so-called browning process. Although numerous inducers have been shown to drive this process, no study has investigated whether it could be controlled by specific metabolites. Here, we show that lactate, an important metabolic intermediate, induces browning of murine white adipose cells with expression of functional UCP1. Lactate-induced browning also occurs in human cells and in vivo. Lactate controls Ucp1 expression independently of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and PPARα pathways but requires active PPARγ signaling. We demonstrate that the lactate effect on Ucp1 is mediated by intracellular redox modifications as a result of lactate transport through monocarboxylate transporters. Further, the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate, another metabolite that impacts redox state, is also a strong browning inducer. Because this redox-dependent increase in Ucp1 expression promotes an oxidative phenotype with mitochondria, browning appears as an adaptive mechanism to alleviate redox pressure. Our findings open new perspectives for the control of adipose tissue browning and its physiological relevance.
Cdkn2a/p16Ink4a Regulates Fasting-Induced Hepatic Gluconeogenesis Through the PKA-CREB-PGC1α Pathway
Authors: Bantubungi Kadiombo , Hannou Sarah-Anissa , Caron-Houde Sandrine , Vallez Emmanuelle , Baron Morgane , Lucas Anthony , Bouchaert Emmanuel , Paumelle Réjane , Tailleux Anne , Staels Bart
Published: May 2014

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is hallmarked by insulin resistance, impaired insulin secretion, and increased hepatic glucose production. The worldwide increasing prevalence of T2D calls for efforts to understand its pathogenesis in order to improve disease prevention and management. Recent genome-wide association studies have revealed strong associations between the CDKN2A/B locus and T2D risk. The CDKN2A/B locus contains genes encoding cell cycle inhibitors, including p16Ink4a, which have not yet been implicated in the control of hepatic glucose homeostasis. Here, we show that p16Ink4a deficiency enhances fasting-induced hepatic glucose production in vivo by increasing the expression of key gluconeogenic genes. p16Ink4a downregulation leads to an activation of PKA-CREB-PGC1α signaling through increased phosphorylation of PKA regulatory subunits. Taken together, these results provide evidence that p16Ink4a controls fasting glucose homeostasis and could as such be involved in T2D development.
Adipose and Muscle Tissue Profile of CD36 Transcripts in Obese Subjects Highlights the Role of CD36 in Fatty Acid Homeostasis and Insulin Resistance
Authors: Pietka Terri A. , Schappe Timothy , Conte Caterina , Fabbrini Elisa , Patterson Bruce W. , Klein Samuel , Abumrad Nada A. , Love-Gregory Latisha
Published: May 2014

OBJECTIVE

Fatty acid (FA) metabolism is tightly regulated across several tissues and impacts insulin sensitivity. CD36 facilitates cellular FA uptake, and CD36 genetic variants associate with lipid abnormalities and susceptibility to metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study was to gain insight regarding the in vivo metabolic influence of muscle and adipose tissue CD36. For this, we determined the relationships between CD36 alternative transcripts, which can reflect tissue-specific CD36 regulation, and measures of FA metabolism and insulin resistance.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The relative abundance of alternative CD36 transcripts in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle from 53 nondiabetic obese subjects was measured and related to insulin sensitivity and FA metabolism assessed by hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamps and isotopic tracers for glucose and FA.

RESULTS

Transcript 1C, one of two major transcripts in adipose tissue, that is restricted to adipocytes predicted systemic and tissue (adipose, liver, and muscle) insulin sensitivity, suggesting adipocyte CD36 protects against insulin resistance. Transcripts 1B and 1A, the major transcripts in skeletal muscle, correlated with FA disposal rate and triglyceride clearance, supporting importance of muscle CD36 in clearance of circulating FA. Additionally, the common CD36 single nucleotide polymorphism rs1761667 selectively influenced CD36 transcripts and exacerbated insulin resistance of glucose disposal by muscle.

CONCLUSIONS

Alternative CD36 transcripts differentially influence tissue CD36 and consequently FA homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. Adipocyte CD36 appears to be metabolically protective, and its selective upregulation might have therapeutic potential in insulin resistance.
Early Hyperglycemia Detected by Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Children at Risk for Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Steck Andrea K. , Dong Fran , Taki Iman , Hoffman Michelle , Klingensmith Georgeanna J. , Rewers Marian J.
Published: May 2014

OBJECTIVE

We explore continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) as a new approach to defining early hyperglycemia and diagnosing type 1 diabetes in children with positive islet autoantibodies (Ab+).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Fourteen Ab+ children, free of signs or symptoms of diabetes, and nine antibody-negative (Ab−) subjects, followed by the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young, were asked to wear a Dexcom SEVEN CGM.

RESULTS

The Ab+ subjects showed more hyperglycemia, with 18% time spent above 140 mg/dL, compared with 9% in Ab− subjects (P = 0.04). Their average maximum daytime glucose value was higher, and they had increased glycemic variability. The mean HbA1c in the Ab+ subjects was 5.5% (37 mmol/mol). Among Ab+ subjects, ≥18–20% CGM time spent above 140 mg/dL seems to predict progression to diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

CGM can detect early hyperglycemia in Ab+ children who are at high risk for progression to diabetes. Proposed CGM predictors of progression to diabetes require further validation.
A Low–Glycemic Index Meal and Bedtime Snack Prevents Postprandial Hyperglycemia and Associated Rises in Inflammatory Markers, Providing Protection From Early but Not Late Nocturnal Hypoglycemia Following Evening Exercise in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Campbell Matthew D. , Walker Mark , Trenell Michael I. , Stevenson Emma J. , Turner Daniel , Bracken Richard M. , Shaw James A. , West Daniel J.
Published: May 2014

OBJECTIVE

To examine the influence of the glycemic index (GI) of foods consumed after evening exercise on postprandial glycemia, metabolic and inflammatory markers, and nocturnal glycemic control in type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

On two evenings (∼1700 h), 10 male patients (27 ± 5 years of age, HbA1c 6.7 ± 0.7% [49.9 ± 8.1 mmol/mol]) were administered a 25% rapid-acting insulin dose with a carbohydrate bolus 60 min before 45 min of treadmill running. At 60 min postexercise, patients were administered a 50% rapid-acting insulin dose with one of two isoenergetic meals (1.0 g carbohdyrate/kg body mass [BM]) matched for macronutrient content but of either low GI (LGI) or high GI (HGI). At 180 min postmeal, the LGI group ingested an LGI snack and the HGI group an HGI snack (0.4 g carbohdyrate/kg BM) before returning home (∼2300 h). Interval samples were analyzed for blood glucose and lactate; plasma glucagon, epinephrine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α); and serum insulin, cortisol, nonesterified fatty acid, and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. Interstitial glucose was recorded for 20 h postlaboratory attendance through continuous glucose monitoring.

RESULTS

Following the postexercise meal, an HGI snack induced hyperglycemia in all patients (mean ± SD glucose 13.5 ± 3.3 mmol/L) and marked increases in TNF-α and IL-6, whereas relative euglycemia was maintained with an LGI snack (7.7 ± 2.5 mmol/L, P < 0.001) without inflammatory cytokine elevation. Both meal types protected all patients from early hypoglycemia. Overnight glycemia was comparable, with a similar incidence of nocturnal hypoglycemia (n = 5 for both HGI and LGI).

CONCLUSIONS

Consuming LGI food with a reduced rapid-acting insulin dose following evening exercise prevents postprandial hyperglycemia and inflammation and provides hypoglycemia protection for ∼8 h postexercise; however, the risk of late nocturnal hypoglycemia remains.
Experiences of Exercise During Pregnancy Among Women Who Perform Regular Resistance Training: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Petrov Fieril Karolina , Fagevik Olsén Monika , Glantz Anna , Larsson Maria
Published: May 2014

Background

Women who are pregnant and healthy are recommended to do 30 minutes or more of light to moderate exercise a day on most, if not all, days of the week. However, only 1 of 6 pregnant women in the United States and northern Europe follows these recommendations. Little attention has been given to the experience of exercise in pregnancy.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe experiences of exercise during pregnancy among women who performed regular resistance training.

Design

This was a qualitative, inductive content analysis study.

Methods

Seventeen pregnant women who exercised on a regular basis participated in individual semistructured, face-to-face interviews that were recorded, transcribed, coded, and condensed into subcategories and categories.

Results

Four categories emerged (subcategories within parentheses): (1) positive impact on body and mind (reduced pregnancy-related problems, increased self-confidence and sense of control, immediate positive feedback, and effects on lifestyle and quality of life); (2) expected benefits and facilitators (knowledge of health benefits, part of one's lifestyle, preventing pregnancy-related problems, social support, staying in good shape, and healthy living with regard to the fetus); (3) new exercise barriers (physical limitations, taking care not to harm oneself or the fetus, uncertainty or lack of knowledge, sense of exclusion at the fitness center, lack of understanding on the part of others, and the pregnancy itself provided an easy excuse); and (4) overcoming exercise barriers (lowering the intensity of exercise, modifying the type of exercise, changing exercise goals, and being extra attentive during exercise).

Conclusion

Pregnant women strived to exercise if the exercise facilitators outweighed the barriers. As the study described facilitators, barriers, and strategies for how to overcome exercise barriers, the results can be useful in exercise promotion in healthy pregnancy.
Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis
Authors: Armijo-Olivo Susan , Cummings Greta G. , Fuentes Jorge , Saltaji Humam , Ha Christine , Chisholm Annabritt , Pasichnyk Dion , Rogers Todd
Published: May 2014

Background

Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias.

Objective

The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

Design

A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation.

Results

Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy.

Limitation

Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model.

Conclusions

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items.
Build Better Bones With Exercise: Protocol for a Feasibility Study of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of 12 Months of Home Exercise in Women With a Vertebral Fracture
Authors: Giangregorio Lora M. , Thabane Lehana , Adachi Jonathan D. , Ashe Maureen C. , Bleakney Robert R. , Braun E. Anne , Cheung Angela M. , Fraser Lisa-Ann , Gibbs Jenna C. , Hill Keith D. , Hodsman Anthony B. , Kendler David L. , Mittmann Nicole , Prasad Sadhana , Scherer Samuel C. , Wark John D. , Papaioannou Alexandra
Published: May 2014

Background

Our goal is to conduct a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate whether exercise can reduce incident fractures compared with no intervention among women aged ≥65 years with a vertebral fracture.

Objectives

This pilot study will determine the feasibility of recruitment, retention, and adherence for the proposed trial.

Design

The proposed RCT will be a pilot feasibility study with 1:1 randomization to exercise or attentional control groups.

Setting

Five Canadian sites (1 community hospital partnered with an academic center and 4 academic hospitals or centers affiliated with an academic center) and 2 Australian centers (1 academic hospital and 1 center for community primary care, geriatric, and rehabilitation services).

Participants

One hundred sixty women aged ≥65 years with vertebral fracture at 5 Canadian and 2 Australian centers will be recruited.

Intervention

The Build Better Bones With Exercise (B3E) intervention includes exercise and behavioral counseling, delivered by a physical therapist in 6 home visits over 8 months, and monthly calls; participants are to exercise ≥3 times weekly. Controls will receive equal attention.

Measurements

Primary outcomes will include recruitment, retention, and adherence. Adherence to exercise will be assessed via calendar diary. Secondary outcomes will include physical function (lower extremity strength, mobility, and balance), posture, and falls. Additional secondary outcomes will include quality of life, pain, fall self-efficacy, behavior change variables, intervention cost, fractures, and adverse events. Analyses of feasibility objectives will be descriptive or based on estimates with 95% confidence intervals, where feasibility will be assessed relative to a priori criteria. Differences in secondary outcomes will be evaluated in intention-to-treat analyses via independent Student t tests, chi-square tests, or logistic regression. The Bonferroni method will be used to adjust the level of significance for secondary outcomes so the overall alpha level is .05.

Limitations

No assessment of bone mineral density will be conducted. The proposed definitive trial will require a large sample size.

Conclusions

The viability of a large-scale exercise trial in women with vertebral fractures will be evaluated, as well as the effects of a home exercise program on important secondary outcomes.
Quantification and Analysis of Intramolecular Interactions
Authors: Gonthier Jérôme F. , Corminboeuf Clémence
Published: May 2014

Non-covalent interactions play a prominent role in chemistry and biology. While a myriad of theoretical methods have been devised to quantify and analyze intermolecular interactions, the theoretical toolbox for the intramolecular analogues is much scarcer. Yet interactions within molecules
govern fundamental phenomena as illustrated by the energetic differences between structural isomers. Their accurate quantification is of utmost importance. This paper gives an overview of the most common approaches able to probe intramolecular interactions and stresses both their characteristics
and limitations. We finally introduce our recent theoretical approach, which represents the first step towards the development of an intramolecular version of Symmetry-Adapted Perturbation Theory (SAPT).
Invasive infections due to Streptococcus pyogenes: seasonal variation of severity and clinical characteristics, Iceland, 1975 to 2012
Authors: Olafsdottir L B , Erlendsdóttir H , Melo-Cristino J , Weinberger D M , Ramirez M , Kristinsson K G , Gottfredsson M
Published: May 2014

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of invasive Group A streptococcal infections (IGASI) are highly variable. Long-term studies are needed to understand the interplay between epidemiology and virulence. In a population-based study of IGASI in Iceland from 1975 to 2012, 288 cases were identified by positive cultures from normally sterile body sites. Charts were reviewed retrospectively and emm-types of viable Streptococcus pyogenes isolates (n=226) determined. Comparing the first and last decade of the study period, IGASI incidence increased from 1.09 to 3.96 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year. The most common were emm types 1 (25%), 28 (11%) and 89 (11%); emm1 strains were most likely to cause severe infections. Infections in adults were significantly more likely to be severe during the seasonal peak from January to April (risk ratio: 2.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.34–4.15). Significant seasonal variability in severity was noted among patients with diagnosis of sepsis, respiratory infection and cellulitis, with 38% of severe infections in January to April compared with 16% in other months (p<0.01). A seasonal increase in severity of IGASI suggested that generalised seasonal increase in host susceptibility, rather than introduction of more virulent strains may play a role in the pathogenesis of these potentially fatal infections.
Introducing Literature Critically and Creatively to Bangladeshi University Students
Authors: Farida Nevin , Sinha Begum Shahnaz
Published: May 2014

In the National Curriculum for the Secondary and Higher Secondary levels in Bangladesh, there is hardly any focus on English literature in the English syllabus. Students who enter the English Department of Dhaka University face great difficulties in tackling literature. This paper aims to show how we meet the needs of our learners. We draw upon the techniques of close reading and stylistics to develop students’ critical and creative abilities in order to respond to literature. This paper will also share some of the materials and activities used in the classroom by the teachers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10329   Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 41-52
The Effects of Vocabulary Learning on Taiwanese College Students’ Writing
Authors: Tai Feng-Chen
Published: May 2014

This study investigates two approaches of vocabulary learning: productive and receptive and their effectiveness in facilitating Taiwanese college students’ writing. Participants were 99 first-year college students. One half was assigned to learn a set of 20 target words productively through word pairs and the other receptively. A post picture-based writing task was used to measure writing quality and the number of target words, and a vocabulary test, productive vocabulary knowledge. The results showed that the productive group outperformed the receptive group in writing quality, the number of target words and productive vocabulary knowledge. The findings suggest that productive vocabulary learning through word pairs may be more effective than the receptive method. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10330   Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 53-64
Combining Learner Autonomy and Authentic Written Texts for the Acquisition of Business English Terminology
Authors: Gajšt Nataša
Published: May 2014

Learning of Business English at tertiary level comprises the acquisition of specific linguistic and general competences together with the ability to learn the language autonomously. This paper presents the results of a study conducted with 123 first-year university-level students of Business English engaged in autonomous learning of business-related terminology by reading authentic business news over a period of five months. The data were collected over three academic years. The students were asked to rate the improvement of their linguistic competence, their attitudes towards autonomous learning and the use of authentic resources, and their improvement of the knowledge of business topics. The results showed that the students approved of reading authentic texts of their own choice as a way to develop their competences. The implication of this study is that autonomous learning should be encouraged and that authentic news articles are a good way to motivate students to learn Business English. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10331 Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 65-76
Planning and Performance: The Effect of Form Focused Guided Planning on Learner Performance
Authors: Laudari Suman
Published: May 2014

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been a dominant approach in the field of ELT for some time now. However, it has complexities regarding its use in a foreign language context. It is said that focusing only on interaction may not be enough in guiding learners to use language correctly, so learners need exposure to grammar rules, and teachers presume that TBLT does not allow it. But, learners’ attention could be directed to the grammar forms during task planning to facilitate noticing of linguistic code. To this end, this small-scale study collects discourse data from an adult EFL learner to evaluate whether guiding learners’ attention to grammar during pre-task planning is of any help. The study concludes that guiding learners’ attention facilitates in producing more accurate and complex discourse than leaving learners on their own during the task planning. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10333 Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 92-104
Alternative Assessment Approaches in Primary English Language Classrooms
Authors: Shrestha Pratistha
Published: May 2014

In recent years, the philosophy and implementation of alternative assessment in primary classrooms have become the center of discussion and debate in the educational sector among scholars, educators, and stakeholders in many countries including Nepal. This paper presents a study on the alternative assessment practices in primary English language classrooms based on a qualitative approach. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of alternative assessment, the paradigm shift from traditional assessment to alternative assessment, and some insights on the practices of alternative assessment prevalent in the selected private schools in Kathmandu valley along with teachers’ perceptions and challenges. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v18i1-2.10337 Journal of NELTA, Vol 18 No. 1-2, December 2013; 148-163
Etiology of lumbar lordosis and its pathophysiology: a review of the evolution of lumbar lordosis, and the mechanics and biology of lumbar degeneration
Authors: Sparrey Carolyn J. , Bailey Jeannie F. , Safaee Michael , Clark Aaron J. , Lafage Virginie , Schwab Frank , Smith Justin S. , Ames Christopher P.
Published: May 2014

The goal of this review is to discuss the mechanisms of postural degeneration, particularly the loss of lumbar lordosis commonly observed in the elderly in the context of evolution, mechanical, and biological studies of the human spine and to synthesize recent research findings to clinical management of postural malalignment. Lumbar lordosis is unique to the human spine and is necessary to facilitate our upright posture. However, decreased lumbar lordosis and increased thoracic kyphosis are hallmarks of an aging human spinal column. The unique upright posture and lordotic lumbar curvature of the human spine suggest that an understanding of the evolution of the human spinal column, and the unique anatomical features that support lumbar lordosis may provide insight into spine health and degeneration. Considering evolution of the skeleton in isolation from other scientific studies provides a limited picture for clinicians. The evolution and development of human lumbar lordosis highlight the interdependence of pelvic structure and lumbar lordosis. Studies of fossils of human lineage demonstrate a convergence on the degree of lumbar lordosis and the number of lumbar vertebrae in modern Homo sapiens. Evolution and spine mechanics research show that lumbar lordosis is dictated by pelvic incidence, spinal musculature, vertebral wedging, and disc health. The evolution, mechanics, and biology research all point to the importance of spinal posture and flexibility in supporting optimal health. However, surgical management of postural deformity has focused on restoring posture at the expense of flexibility. It is possible that the need for complex and costly spinal fixation can be eliminated by developing tools for early identification of patients at risk for postural deformities through patient history (genetics, mechanics, and environmental exposure) and tracking postural changes over time.
Limitations and ceiling effects with circumferential minimally invasive correction techniques for adult scoliosis: analysis of radiological outcomes over a 7-year experience
Authors: Anand Neel , Baron Eli M. , Khandehroo Babak
Published: May 2014

Object

Minimally invasive correction of adult scoliosis is a surgical method increasing in popularity. Limited data exist, however, as to how effective these methodologies are in achieving coronal plane and sagittal plane correction in addition to improving spinopelvic parameters. This study serves to quantify how much correction is possible with present circumferential minimally invasive surgical (cMIS) methods.

Methods

Ninety patients were selected from a database of 187 patients who underwent cMIS scoliosis correction. All patients had a Cobb angle greater than 15°, 3 or more levels fused, and availability of preoperative and postoperative 36-inch standing radiographs. The mean duration of follow-up was 37 months. Preoperative and postoperative Cobb angle, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), coronal balance, lumbar lordosis (LL), and pelvic incidence (PI) were measured. Scatter plots were performed comparing the pre- and postoperative radiological parameters to calculate ceiling effects for SVA correction, Cobb angle correction, and PI-LL mismatch correction.

Results

The mean preoperative SVA value was 60 mm (range 11.5–151 mm); the mean postoperative value was 31 mm (range 0–84 mm). The maximum SVA correction achieved with cMIS techniques in any of the cases was 89 mm. In terms of coronal Cobb angle, a mean correction of 61% was noted, with a mean preoperative value of 35.8° (range 15°–74.7°) and a mean postoperative value of 13.9° (range 0°–32.5°). A ceiling effect for Cobb angle correction was noted at 42°. The ability to correct the PI-LL mismatch to 10° was limited to cases in which the preoperative PI-LL mismatch was 38° or less.

Conclusions

Circumferential MIS techniques as currently used for the treatment of adult scoliosis have limitations in terms of their ability to achieve SVA correction and lumbar lordosis. When the preoperative SVA is greater than 100 mm and a substantial amount of lumbar lordosis is needed, as determined by spinopelvic parameter calculations, surgeons should consider osteotomies or other techniques that may achieve more lordosis.
Clinical improvement through nonoperative treatment of adult spinal deformity: who is likely to benefit?
Authors: Slobodyanyuk Kseniya , Poorman Caroline E. , Smith Justin S. , Protopsaltis Themistocles S. , Hostin Richard , Bess Shay , Mundis Gregory M. , Schwab Frank J. , Lafage Virginie
Published: May 2014

Object

The goal of this study was to determine the outcome and risk factors in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) who elected to receive nonoperative care.

Methods

In this retrospective study the authors reviewed a nonoperative branch of the International Spine Study Group database, derived from 10 sites across the US. Specific inclusion criteria included nonoperative treatment for ASD and the availability of Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 scores and radiographic data at baseline (BL) and at 1-year (1Y) follow-up. Health-related quality of life measures were assessed using the SRS-22 and radiographic data. Changes in SRS-22 scores were evaluated by domain and expressed in number of minimum clinically important differences (MCIDs) gained or lost; BL and 1Y scores were also compared with age- and sex-matched normative references.

Results

One hundred eighty-nine patients (mean age 53 years, 86% female) met inclusion criteria. Pain was the domain with the largest offset for 43% of patients, followed by the Appearance (23%), Activity (18%), and Mental (15%) domains. On average, patients improved 0.3 MCID in Pain over 1Y, without changes in Activity or Appearance. Baseline scores significantly impacted 1Y outcomes, with up to 85% of patients in the mildest category of deformity being classified as < 1 MCID of normative reference at 1Y, versus 0% of patients with the most severe initial deformity. Baseline radiographic parameters did not correlate with outcome.

Conclusions

Patients who received nonoperative care are significantly more disabled than age- and sex-matched normative references. The likelihood for a patient to reach SRS scores similar to the normative reference at 1Y decreases with increased BL disability. Nonoperative treatment is a viable option for certain patients with ASD, and up to 24% of patients demonstrated significant improvement over 1Y with nonoperative care.