bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Top‐level managers’ and politicians’ worries about future care for older people with complex and acute illnesses – a Nordic study
Authors: Finnbakk Elisabeth , Skovdahl Kirsti , Blix Ellen Störe , Fagerström Lisbeth
Published: February 2012

finnbakk e., skovdahl k., störe blix e. & fagerström l. (2012) Top‐level managers’ and politicians’ worries about future care for older people with complex and acute illnesses – a Nordic study. International Journal of Older People Nursing7, 163–172  doi: 10.1111/j.1748‐3743.2012.00312.x

Background.  The growing aging population, with its associated complex needs and illnesses, will in the future become an even more important challenge for the Nordic countries.

Aim.  The aim of the study was to describe and explore the perceptions and views of top‐level managers and politicians in regard to an optimal future care for older people during the next decade.

Design.  The study has a qualitative, descriptive design.

Methods.  Top‐level managers (n = 11) and politicians (n = 8) were interviewed in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway in 2009. The data material was analysed through manifest and latent content analyses.

Results.  Future care should substantially focus on the individual needs and dignity of older people. The respondents also recommended a preventive perspective on future care. They anticipate that older people’s needs will be complex, requiring nursing competence on an advanced level within home care and nursing homes, and point to the importance of leadership abilities and workplace image. Limited resources and the use of health technology will be dominant issues, entailing the need for open‐mindedness to reorganise future care. The latent theme expressed was ‘A creative willingness to act – but with an underlying worry about the future’.

Conclusions.  The findings reveal a multifaceted scenario of optimal future care; older people will have significant, acute and complex needs but resources will be limited. In the near future, medical treatment and nursing care for older people at advanced and specialised levels within primary health care will be needed.

Implications for practice.  To meet demands, a clear need exists for the advanced clinical competence of nurses. There is also a clear need to reorganise health care services for older people, develop the leadership abilities of nurse managers and make workplaces more attractive.
‘With a bit of tweaking…we could be great’. An exploratory study of the perceptions of students on working with older people in a preregistration BSc (Hons) Nursing course
Authors: Duggan Seana , Mitchell Elizabeth A. , Moore Kevin D.
Published: February 2012

Background.  With ageing demographics, it is important that nurse education curriculum can prepare students to work with older people.

Aims and objectives.  To explore students’ perceptions of working with older people and the extent to which their preregistration curriculum is preparing them for this role.

Design.  A qualitative research design, incorporating focus groups in data collection.

Methods.  Four focus groups were held in January 2011, involving a total of 32 students undertaking a preregistration BSc (Hons) nursing degree course.

Results.  An overt focus in the preregistration curriculum on acute and critical care and perceived deficits in care of older people content left some students feeling underprepared to work with older people and to challenge ritualistic practice. Clinical placement experience and mentor support appeared to be influencing students’ decisions about whether they would consider working with older people in the future.

Conclusion.  Education providers should ensure that students are adequately prepared to work with older people and that students are supported when they observe poor practice. A finding that observation of ritualistic practice could prompt some students to consider working with older people, warrants further research.

Implications for practice.  Nurse educators should evaluate the content and delivery of their preregistration courses to ensure that the prerequisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work with older people are accorded appropriate value and attention.
The interleaving of actions in everyday life multitasking demands
Authors: Frisch Stefan , Förstl Sabine , Legler Angela , Schöpe Sabine , Goebel Hans
Published: February 2012

It has been argued that executive tests should capture central aspects of executive functions in everyday life such as initiating and monitoring parallel actions in low‐structured environments (so‐called multitasking; see Burgess, 2000). We present a cooking task in order to assess executive function impairments in brain‐damaged patients, which focuses on a central feature of multitasking, the interleaving of tasks (Burgess, 2000). Behavioural performance of 21 brain‐damaged patients (stroke, traumatic brain injury) and of a group of matched controls was analysed on the basis of a standardized protocol. In comparison to controls, the patients explored less, were less successful in monitoring their actions and corrected errors less efficiently. Interleaving of actions was observed less frequently in patients, with respect to both cooking itself as well as to subordinate goals (e.g., cleaning up). Interleaving proved efficient, as it was associated with less time to complete the task. Patients’ scores in the cooking task correlated with performance in both the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) Zoo Map Test and the BADS Six Elements Test, but not with tests of attention, verbal memory, or figural fluency, thus demonstrating convergent and discriminant validity. In summary, our task demonstrates that cooking can provide a valid testing ground for assessing a central aspect of everyday multitasking demands, namely, the interleaving of actions.
Galectins in acute and chronic inflammation
Authors: Liu Fu‐Tong , Yang Ri‐Yao , Hsu Daniel K.
Published: February 2012

Galectins are animal lectins that bind to β‐galactosides, such as lactose and N‐acetyllactosamine, in free form or contained in glycoproteins or glycolipids. They are located intracellularly or extracellularly. In the latter they exhibit bivalent or multivalent interactions with glycans on cell surfaces and induce various cellular responses, including production of cytokines and other inflammatory mediators, cell adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. Furthermore, they can form lattices with membrane glycoprotein receptors and modulate receptor properties. Intracellular galectins can participate in signaling pathways and alter biological responses, including apoptosis, cell differentiation, and cell motility. Current evidence indicates that galectins play important roles in acute and chronic inflammatory responses, as well as other diverse pathological processes. Galectin involvement in some processes in vivo has been discovered, or confirmed, through studies of genetically engineered mouse strains, each deficient in a given galectin. Current evidence also suggests that galectins may be therapeutic targets or employed as therapeutic agents for these inflammatory responses.
Impact of viral infections in children with community‐acquired pneumonia: results of a study of 17 respiratory viruses
Authors: Esposito Susanna , Daleno Cristina , Prunotto Giulia , Scala Alessia , Tagliabue Claudia , Borzani Irene , Fossali Emilio , Pelucchi Claudio , Principi Nicola
Published: February 2012

Please cite this paper as: Esposito et al. (2012) Impact of viral infections in children with community‐acquired pneumonia: results of a study of 17 respiratory viruses. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/j.1750‐2659.2012.00340.x.

Background  Little is known about the prevalence of viral infections in children with community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Objectives  To describe the clinical and virological data collected from children with radiographically confirmed CAP in whom 17 respiratory viruses were sought in respiratory secretion samples during the acute phase of the disease.

Patients and methods  The study involved 592 children with radiographically confirmed CAP whose respiratory secretion samples were tested using the Luminex xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel Fast assay, which simultaneously detects influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)‐A and ‐B, parainfluenzavirus‐1, ‐2, ‐3, and ‐4, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1, enterovirus/rhinovirus, and bocavirus. A real‐time PCR assay was used to identify the rhinovirus in the enterovirus/rhinovirus‐positive samples.

Results  A total of 435 children (73·5%) were positive for at least one virus: the most frequently detected was RSV, which was found in 188 (31·7%), followed by rhinovirus (n = 144, 24·3%), bocavirus (n = 60, 10·1%), influenza viruses (n = 57, 9·6), and hMPV (n = 49, 8·2%). Viral co‐infections were found in 117 children (19·7% of the enrolled children; 26·9% of those with viral infections). Marginal differences were found between the infections owing to a single virus. Co‐infections showed radiographic evidence of alveolar pneumonia significantly more frequently than single infections (OR 1·72, 95% CI 1·05–2·81).

Conclusions  The findings of this study highlight the importance of respiratory viruses (mainly RSV and rhinovirus) in children with CAP and show the characteristics of both the single infections and co‐infections associated with the disease.
Irreversible Sediment Formation in Green Tea Infusions
Authors: Xu Yong‐Quan , Chen Gen‐Sheng , Wang Qiu‐Shuang , Yuan Hai‐Bo , Feng Chun‐Hong , Yin Jun‐Feng
Published: February 2012

Abstract:  The formation of irreversible tea sediment (IRS) and its chemical components in green tea infusions were investigated. The results showed that the amounts of IRS in the green tea infusions from various tea cultivars ranged from 0.10 to 1.47 mg/mL. The amount of IRS was influenced remarkably by the chemical components in the green tea infusion. Principal component analysis and regression analysis indicated that gallated catechins, Mn, Ca, caffeine, Na, and (−)‐gallocatechin gallate (GCG) were the principal components. IRS (mg/mL) =−4.226 + 0.275 gallated catechins + 79.551 Na + 7.321 Mn + 21.055 Ca + 0.513 caffeine − 0.129 GCG (R2= 0.697). The contents of the main chemical components in the reversible tea sediment (RTS) and IRS were markedly different, especially the minerals. Large amount of minerals participated in the formation of irreversible green tea sediment. The amount of IRS increased with the extraction temperature.

Practical Application:  The results of this paper will help select the right tea cultivars, which have less RTS and IRS. This paper also helps understand the chemical components of IRS in green tea infusions and to find the right method to prevent its formation.
Hairless and NFκB Form a Positive Feedback Loop After UVB and TNFα Stimulation†
Authors: Casta Alexandre , Kim Hyunmi , Luke Courtney T. , Bachelor Michael A. , Engelhard Andrew , Owens David M. , Christiano Angela M.
Published: February 2012

Hairless (HR) is a nuclear protein with corepressor activity whose exact function in the skin remains to be determined. Mutations in both human and mouse Hairless lead to hair loss accompanied by the appearance of papules, a disorder called atrichia with papular lesions. Furthermore, mice with mutations in HR are known to have a higher susceptibility to ultraviolet radiation‐induced tumorigenesis, suggesting that HR plays a crucial role in the epidermal UVB response. Using normal human keratinocytes (NHKs) and keratinocytes containing a mutation in HR, we found that HR is an early UVB response gene that negatively regulates NFκB mRNA expression. HR mutant keratinocytes have a dysregulated UVB response that includes increased proliferation and the aberrant activation of NFκB effector genes. Additionally, we show that another UVB response gene, TNFα, negatively regulates HR mRNA expression. TNFα‐induced negative regulation of HR occurs through a direct interaction of the p65 subunit with a single NFκB‐binding domain located in the HR promoter region. Therefore, we show for the first time that HR and NFκB participate in a positive feedback loop that can be initiated either by UVB or TNFα.
Patient Factors, But Not Provider and Health Care System Factors, Predict Medication Adherence in Hypertensive Black Men
Authors: Lewis Lisa M. , Schoenthaler Antoinette M. , Ogedegbe Gbenga
Published: February 2012

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;14:250–255. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The problem of medication adherence is pronounced in hypertensive black men. However, factors influencing their adherence are not well understood. This secondary analysis of the ongoing Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) randomized clinical trial investigated the patient, provider, and health care system factors associated with medication adherence among hypertensive black men. Participants (N=253) were aged 56.6±11.6 years, earned <$20,000 yearly (72.7%), and almost one half were on Medicaid (44%). Mean systolic blood pressure was 148.7±15.8 mm Hg and mean diastolic blood pressure was 92.7±9.8 mm Hg. Over one half of participants (54.9%) were nonadherent. In a hierarchical regression analysis, the patient factors that predicted medication adherence were age, self‐efficacy, and depression. The final model accounted for 32.1% of the variance (F=7.80, df 10, 165, P<.001). In conclusion, age, self‐efficacy, and depression were associated with antihypertensive medication adherence in black men followed in Community/Migrant Health Centers. Age is a characteristic that may allow clinicians to predict who may be at risk for poor medication adherence. Depression can be screened for and treated. Self‐efficacy is modifiable and its implications for practice would be the development of interventions to increase self‐efficacy in black men with hypertension.
Individual Risk
Authors: Stern Ralph H.
Published: February 2012

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;14:261–264. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patients don’t have an “individual risk” or unique probability of an outcome. Outside Mendelian inheritance, risks are conditional probabilities and differ as the risk factors included differ, at times substantially. This lack of reliability is an inherent limitation and is not resolved by including additional risk factors. Groups of like individuals need to be assembled to measure the probability of an outcome. Many groups, like any individual, can be identified, eg, groups of the same age, sex, race, or any combination of these attributes (or any others). That each of these groups may have different risk means there is no such thing as individual risk. This issue was identified by John Venn in 1866 and is known as the reference class problem. Models relate risk factors to outcomes in populations. The number calculated for an individual should not be reported as their individual or true risk, nor should it be used as the sole criterion for clinical decisions. Instead, Feinstein proposed relying on clinically important subgroups. An example would be utilizing an individual’s blood pressure as the primary determinant of hypertension treatment decisions, not an unreliable individual risk estimate.
Attachment style predicts 6‐month improvement in psychoticism in persons with at‐risk mental states for psychosis
Authors: Quijada Yanet , Tizón Jorge L. , Artigue Jordi , Kwapil Thomas R. , Barrantes‐Vidal Neus
Published: February 2012

Aim: Insecure attachment may influence vulnerability to and outcome of psychotic symptomatology. The present study examined whether attachment style predicted symptoms and functioning of at‐risk mental state (ARMS) patients after 6 months of psychosocial intervention, over and above the effects of initial clinical severity and premorbid social adjustment (PSA).

Methods: Symptoms and functioning were assessed at baseline and 6 months later in 31 ARMS patients (mean age = 15.7). No patient received antipsychotic medication, but all engaged in intense psychosocial needs‐adapted treatment. Clinicians (unaware of the aims of the study) rated attachment, PSA, symptoms, and functioning.

Results: Attachment was not related to baseline clinical severity. However, improvement in psychoticism was predicted by attachment (in particular by secure, preoccupied and dismissing) beyond the effects of baseline clinical severity and PSA. Secure attachment also predicted improvements in disorganization and functioning. Poor PSA predicted less improvement in disorganization and negative symptoms but did not impact psychoticism.

Conclusions: The three attachment prototypes that predicted improvement in psychoticism (secure, preoccupied and dismissing) share the existence of at least one positive psychological model (either about self or about others). It may be that the psychosocial intervention helped ARMS patients to disconfirm negative models and/or reinforce positive ones. Patients' attachment styles were not related to baseline clinical severity but impacted improvement of positive symptoms. These findings appear consistent with evidence that impaired self‐esteem and dysfunctional self and others schemas constitute risk factors for reality distortion.
Is Urban Stream Restoration Worth It?1
Authors: Kenney Melissa A. , Wilcock Peter R. , Hobbs Benjamin F. , Flores Nicholas E. , Martínez Daniela C.
Published: February 2012

Kenney, Melissa A., Peter R. Wilcock, Benjamin F. Hobbs, Nicholas E. Flores, and Daniela C. Martínez, 2012. Is Urban Stream Restoration Worth It? Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 603‐615. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00635.x

Abstract:  Public investment in urban stream restoration is growing, yet little has been done to quantify whether its benefits outweigh its cost. The most common drivers of urban stream projects are water quality improvement and infrastructure protection, although recreational and aesthetic benefits are often important community goals. We use standard economic methods to show that these contributions of restoration can be quantified and compared to costs. The approach is demonstrated with a case study in Baltimore, Maryland, a city with a legal mandate to reduce its pollutant load. Typical urban stream restoration costs of US$500‐1,200 per foot are larger than the cost of the least expensive alternatives for management of nitrogen loads from stormwater (here, detention ponds, equivalent to $30‐120 per foot of restored stream) and for protecting infrastructure (rip‐rap armoring of streambanks, at $0‐120 per foot). However, the higher costs of stream restoration can in some cases be justified by its aesthetic and recreational benefits, valued using a contingent valuation survey at $560‐1,100 per foot. We do not intend to provide a definitive answer regarding the worth of stream restoration, but demonstrate that questions of worth can be asked and answered. Broader application of economic analysis would provide a defensible basis for understanding restoration benefits and for making restoration decisions.
Potential Impacts of Stormwater Runoff on Water Quality in Urban Sand Pits and Adjacent Groundwater1
Authors: Whittemore Donald O.
Published: February 2012

Whittemore, Donald O., 2012. Potential Impacts of Stormwater Runoff on Water Quality in Urban Sand Pits and Adjacent Groundwater. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 584‐602. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00637.x

Abstract:  Entrance of stormwater runoff into water‐filled pits and adjacent aquifers is a contamination concern. The water and sediment quality in several sand pits and surrounding groundwater in Wichita, Kansas, were studied to comprehensively address stormwater runoff impact. The pits are used for residential development after sand and gravel mining. Water samples were analyzed for inorganic constituents, bacteria, and 252 organic compounds, and pit sediments for inorganic components and 32 organic chemicals. Although many pesticide and degradate compounds were found in the pit and well waters, none of these chemicals exceeded existing health levels. Other organic contaminants were detected in the waters, with those exceeding health levels at one site attributed to an undiscovered groundwater contamination plume and not to stormwater runoff. Persistent insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls detected in sediment of two pits are related to the age of residential development. The concentration distributions of pesticides and other organics at most of the sites, as well as iron, manganese, and ammonia patterns in downgradient well waters relative to upgradient well and pit waters, indicate that groundwater quality at the sites is affected by contaminants entering the pit surface waters. Thus, although current stormwater runoff does not appear to have contaminated sand‐pit water and adjacent groundwater above health levels, the data show that the potential exists if stormwater became polluted.
Time spent in vigorous physical activity is associated with increased exhaled nitric oxide in non‐asthmatic adolescents
Authors: Sachs‐Olsen Christine , Berntsen Sveinung , Lødrup Carlsen Karin Cecilie , Anderssen Sigmund Alfred , Mowinckel Petter , Carlsen Kai‐Håkon
Published: February 2012

Introduction:  Physical activity (PA) is important in preventing disease, but endurance elite athletes have increased prevalence of asthma and airway inflammation.

Objectives:  We aimed to determine if PA was associated with increased fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) in asthmatic and non‐asthmatic adolescents.

Methods:  FENO was recorded (Niox Mino®, Aerocrine AB, Stockholm, Sweden) in 169 adolescents (13–14 years) in a nested case–control analysis from the Environment and Childhood Asthma study, Oslo, 92 adolescents with and 77 without asthma. They underwent clinical examination, lung function measurements and treadmill run measuring peak oxygen uptake, and objectively recorded PA for four consecutive days. PA was classified as moderate, vigorous and very vigorous, and total number of hours of each category was recorded for each subject. Associations between FENO and PA were tested using linear robust multiple regression analyses.

Results:  In non‐asthmatic adolescents, FENO was associated with daily hours of vigorous to very vigorous (r = 0.27, P = 0.02) and very vigorous PAs (r = 0.25, P = 0.036) in bivariate analyses. In multivariate analyses, FENO was associated with vigorous to very vigorous PA [regression coefficients (95% confidence interval) 1.9 (0.6, 3.1); P = 0.004] and more strongly with very vigorous PA [3.9 (1.5, 6.4); P = 0.002] in non‐asthmatic but not in asthmatic adolescents. Total daily PA was not associated with FENO in either group. Thus, 1 h of very vigorous PA per day increased FENO by 3.9 ppb.

Conclusion:  Vigorous to very vigorous PA, contrasting total daily PA, was significantly associated with increased FENO in non‐asthmatic adolescents, suggesting that intensive PA may induce airway inflammation independent of asthma.

Please cite this paper as: Sachs‐Olsen C, Berntsen S, Lødrup Carlsen K, Anderssen SA, Mowinckel P and Carlsen K‐H. Time spent in vigorous physical activity is associated with increased exhaled nitric oxide in non‐asthmatic adolescents. Clin Respir J 2013; 7: 64–73.
Proteomic analysis of bone marrow‐adherent cells in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
Authors: Kamada Toshikazu , Kurokawa Manae S. , Kato Tomohiro , Takenouchi Kenji , Takahashi Kenji , Yoshioka Takuya , Uchida Teisuke , Mitsui Hiroyuki , Suematsu Naoya , Okamoto Kazuki , Yudo Kazuo , Katayama Yasuo , Nakamura Hiroshi
Published: February 2012

Aim

To elucidate the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well as osteoarthritis (OA), we analyzed protein profiles of bone marrow‐derived adherent cells (BMACs) from patients with these diseases.

Methods

Proteins, extracted from BMACs from three RA and three OA patients, were comprehensively analyzed by 2‐dimensional differential image gel electrophoresis (2D‐DIGE). Then a part of the detected proteins, differently expressed between the two diseases, were identified by mass spectrometric analysis.

Results

2D‐DIGE analysis detected more than 1600 protein spots in both RA and OA BMACs. Out of these, expression of 340 spots was significantly altered between the diseases (more than 1.5‐fold: RA > OA, 26 spots; OA > RA, 314 spots; P < 0.05). Eleven protein spots the intensity of which were significantly altered by more than 2.0‐fold were identified, which included vimentin and annexin A5 as increased proteins in RA rather than in OA. As increased proteins in OA compared to RA, alpha chain of collagen VI, a membrane anchor for acetylcholine esterase, heat shock protein 27, caldesmon and cytoskeletal proteins, such as beta actin and alpha tubulin, were identified.

Conclusions

We here report different protein profiles of BMACs between RA and OA for the first time. BMACs possessing differently expressed proteins may be involved in the pathophysiology of the two diseases.
Adverse drug events in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis ambulatory patients
Authors: Tragulpiankit Pramote , Chulavatnatol Suvatna , Rerkpattanapipat Ticha , Janwityanujit Suchela , Somjarit Suthatip , Sirikhedgon Uamporn
Published: February 2012

Aim

We aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of adverse drug events (ADE) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and (osteoarthritis) OA patients.

Method

A cross‐sectional study at rheumatology clinics, was performed by random selection of RA and OA out‐patients by a research pharmacist. All suspected ADEs occurring during the last hospital visit and the subjects were identified by retrospective chart review and direct patient interview. ADE characteristics, including causative drug groups, affected organ severity and patient outcomes, were recorded.

Results

One hundred and forty‐three patients consisting of 129 RA and 14 OA were recruited. The patients’ mean ages were 54.3 ± 14.3 years and 121 (84.6%) patients were female. A total of 68 ADEs were detected in 51 patients. The prevalence and rate of ADE were 35.7% and 47.6 events per 100 patients, respectively. Thirty out of 68 ADEs (44.1%) were preventable. Disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs resulted in ADEs by 41 (59.4%) and 10 (14.5%) events, respectively. Common affected organs were skin, gastrointestinal tract and eyes which accounted for 20 (29.4%), 18 (26.5%) and eight events (11.6%), respectively. Continuation of the suspected drug was noted in 42 ADEs (61.8%), classified as severity level 1 and 2a‐b, and 43 ADEs (63.2%) were completely or partially resolved during the study period.

Conclusion

ADEs are common in RA and OA patients with prevalence of 35.7%. High exposure to potentially harmful drugs might explain the higher rate of ADE in these patients.
A study of the prevalence of sicca symptoms and secondary Sjögren's syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and its association to disease activity and treatment profile
Authors: Haga Hans‐Jacob , Naderi Yusuf , Moreno Alicia Martin , Peen Elisabeth
Published: February 2012

Aim

To examine the prevalence of sicca symptoms and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (sSS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and the impact of sSS on disease activity and treatment profile in RA patients.

Methods

Three hundred and seven RA patients responding positive to at least one of the questions in a questionnaire about sicca symptoms, were examined by Schirmer I test for tear production, and unstimulated whole saliva collection (USWC). Secondary Sjögren's syndrome was defined by at least one subjective sicca symptom, in addition to a positive Schirmer I test and positive USWC.

Results

Among the 307 RA patients, 86 (28%) responded positive to at least one question about sicca symptoms, and 11 patients were positive for both Schirmer I and USWC tests, giving a minimum prevalence of sSS at 3.6%. There were no differences in RA patients with and without sSS regarding age, sex, disease duration, disease activity score (DAS‐28) and seropositivity for anti‐cyclic citrullinated protein. RA patients with sSS had a tendency for higher numbers of tender and swollen joints and pain. None of the RA patients treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors had sSS, compared to 22% of the rest of the RA population studied. The treatment of the RA patients with and without sSS was not different.

Conclusion

Among the 307 RA patients, 28% had at least one sicca symptom. The estimated minimum of prevalence of sSS in 307 RA patients was 3.6%. Secondary Sjögren's syndrome was not found in RA patients treated with biologics such as TNF blockers.
Adherence to anti‐osteoporotic regimens in a Southern Taiwanese population treated according to guidelines: a hospital‐based study
Authors: Yu Shan‐Fu , Chou Ching‐Lan , Lai Han‐Ming , Chen Ying‐Chou , Chiu Chun‐Kai , Kuo Ming‐Chun , Su Yu‐Jih , Chen Chung‐Jen , Cheng Tien‐Tsai
Published: February 2012

Aim

This study was designed to investigate adherence to anti‐osteoporotic regimens in a population following therapeutic guidelines; and to assess whether this experience differs from that in other administrative surveys.

Methods

We reviewed an outpatient database to retrieve information on prescription of anti‐osteoporotic medications at a medical centre in Taiwan from 2001 to 2007. Adherence was determined by compliance and persistence. Compliance was calculated by the medication possession ratio (MPR), and persistence by the time from treatment initiation to discontinuation. All anti‐osteoporotic regimens were considered equivalent in this study.

Results

A total of 3589 patients (3256 women and 333 men), with a mean age of 68.6 years, were included. The median MPR at 1 year and at 2 years were 99.7% (interquartile range [IQR] 26.8–100) and 61.4% (IQR 15.3–100), respectively. Good compliance (MPR ≥ 80%) was 56% at 1 year and 43% at 2 years. Regarding the 30‐day refill gap, mean duration of persistence at 1 year and at 2 years was 243 and 400 days, respectively. About 50.8% of patients continued to receive therapy at 1 year, while 36.1% at 2 years. Our findings are not different from those of other claims‐based studies. The subgroup with MPR ≥ 80% had a higher persistence rate than that with MPR < 80%.

Conclusion

Overall adherence to anti‐osteoporotic regimens based on guidelines was sub‐optimal in the current study. Our results are in line with previous studies using a claims database. Non‐adherence commonly occurs early after drug initiation, which indicates that efforts should be made to improve adherence as soon as possible.
Labial Adhesion with Acute Urinary Retention Secondary to Bartholin's Abscess
Authors: ÜSTÜNER Işık , AVŞAR Ayşe F.
Published: February 2012

Labial adhesions are usually seen in early childhood or in the postmenopausal years, but this clinical entity is rarely seen in the reproductive years. We report a case of labial adhesion with acute urinary retention secondary to Bartholin's abscess in a reproductive‐aged woman with normal menstrual periods. We emphasize the possible occurrence of labial adhesion following Bartholin's abscess in the reproductive years with normal estrogen levels.
Stony meteorite thermal properties and their relationship with meteorite chemical and physical states
Authors: OPEIL SJ C. P. , CONSOLMAGNO SJ G. J. , SAFARIK D. J. , BRITT D. T.
Published: February 2012

Abstract– In our ongoing survey of meteorite physical properties, we have to date measured the thermal conductivity for seventeen stony meteorites at temperatures ranging from 5 K to 300 K. Here, we report new results for nine ordinary chondrites, one enstatite chondrite, and the basaltic achondrites Frankfort (howardite) and Los Angeles (shergottite). We find that thermal conductivity is significantly lower than would be expected from averaging the laboratory conductivities of their constituent minerals, with a dependence on temperature different from the expected conductivity of pure minerals. In addition, we find a linear relationship between the inverse of the porosity of the samples measured and their thermal conductivity, regardless of meteorite composition or type. We conclude that thermal conductivity is controlled by the presence of shock‐induced microcracks within the meteorites, which provide a barrier to the transmission of thermal energy via phonons. In contrast to conductivity, our first measurement of heat capacity as a function of temperature (on Los Angeles) suggests that heat capacity is primarily a function of oxide composition and is not strongly affected by the physical state of the sample.
Gaseous Conductivity Study on Silica Aerogel and Its Composite Insulation Materials
Authors: Wei Gaosheng , Liu Yusong , Du Xiaoze , Zhang Xinxin
Published: February 2012

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental study on gaseous conductivity of silica aerogel and composite insulation materials. First, the insulation material samples (including silica aerogel, xonotlite-type calcium silicate, xonotlite-aerogel composite, and ceramic fiber-aerogel composite) were prepared. Next, the gaseous conductivities of the prepared samples were measured from 0.045 Pa to atmospheric pressure using the transient hot-strip (THS) method. The gaseous conductivity expressions obtained based on the kinetic theory were then compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the gaseous conductivity of both xonotlite-type calcium silicate and silica aerogel decreases significantly with decreasing pressure. The gaseous conductivities of xonotlite-type calcium silicate and silica aerogel reach zero at about 100 Pa and 104 Pa, respectively. The theoretical gaseous conductivity expressions match well with the experimental results of xonotlite-type calcium silicate and silica aerogel but not with the experimental results for the composite insulation materials. This mismatch indicates that the aerogel does not totally fill the original interspace of the xonotlite-type calcium silicate and ceramic fiber in the two kinds of composite insulation materials.
Heterogeneity and Onset of Instability in Darcy’s Flow With a Prescribed Horizontal Temperature Gradient
Authors: Barletta A. , Celli M. , Kuznetsov A. V.
Published: February 2012

The aim of this study is the analysis of the onset conditions for the thermal instability in a fluid saturated porous medium. The investigation refers to an infinitely wide horizontal porous layer with vertical heterogeneity, such that the lower plane boundary is impermeable and thermally insulated (adiabatic). The temperature distribution on the upper plane boundary is assumed to be prescribed and linearly varying in the horizontal direction. It is shown that these boundary conditions are compatible with a buoyancy-induced parallel-flow solution such that the temperature gradient is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The basic parallel flow is perturbed by small–amplitude roll disturbances, so that a linear analysis of the neutral stability is carried out. The local balance equations for the disturbances are solved numerically. The critical conditions for the onset of convection are determined.
Influence of Nanomaterials in Polymer Composites on Thermal Conductivity
Authors: Park Wonchang , Choi Kyungwho , Lafdi Khalid , Yu Choongho
Published: February 2012

Carbon nanotube- or/and graphite-filled polymer composites were synthesized by using simple mixing and drying methods, and their thermal conductivities and structures were characterized by using a steady-state method (ASTM D5470) and scanning and transmission electron microscopies. In order to investigate the influence of synthesis conditions on the thermal conductivity of composites, various concentrations of multiwall carbon nanotubes, graphites, surfactants, and polymer matrix materials as well as two different nanoparticles and solvents were tested. Our composites containing both nanotubes (25 wt. %) and graphites (25 wt. %) with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as a dispersant showed the highest thermal conductivity, ∼1.8 W/m-K at room temperature. The highest conductivity from nanotube/graphite mixtures would be from good adhesion and less voids between nanotubes and polymers as well as excellent thermal conduction from graphite sheets. The thermal conductivities of the composites have been calculated as a function of carbon nanotube concentrations by using a model based on the Maxwell’s effective medium theory, and the most effective method of improving thermal conductivity was suggested.
Heat Transfer Characteristics of Liquid Flow With Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Material: Experimental Study
Authors: Sabbah R. , Seyed-Yagoobi J. , Al-Hallaj S.
Published: February 2012

This experimental study investigates the heat transfer characteristics of a liquid flow with micro-encapsulated phase change material (MEPCM). The MEPCM mass concentration is varied between 0 and 20 percent with average particle diameter of 10 μm. Tube wall temperature profile, fluid inlet and outlet temperatures are measured and the corresponding heat transfer coefficient is determined for various operating conditions. A wide range of the controlling parameters, MEPCM concentration, heat flux, inlet temperature, and flow rate are covered. The results showed significant enhancements in heat transfer coefficient (higher than 50%) and reduction in tube wall temperature (higher than 40%). The results also showed that the heat transfer enhancement curve showed resemblance to the MEPCM specific heat curve.
A Surface Roughness Comparison of Cartilage in Different Types of Synovial Joints
Authors: Smyth Patrick A. , Rifkin Rebecca E. , Jackson Robert L. , Hanson R. Reid
Published: February 2012

The naturally occurring structure of articular cartilage has proven to be an effective means for the facilitation of motion and load support in equine and other animal joints. For this reason, cartilage has been extensively studied for many years. Although the roughness of cartilage has been determined from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and other methods in multiple studies, a comparison of roughness to joint function has not be completed. It is hypothesized that various joint types with different motions and regimes of lubrication have altered demands on the articular surface that may affect cartilage surface properties. Micro- and nanoscale stylus profilometry was performed on the carpal cartilage harvested from 16 equine forelimbs. Eighty cartilage surface samples taken from three different functioning joint types (radiocarpal, midcarpal, and carpometacarpal) were measured by a Veeco Dektak 150 Stylus Surface Profilometer. The average surface roughness measurements were statistically different for each joint. This indicates that the structure of cartilage is adapted to, or worn by, its operating environment. Knowledge of cartilage micro- and nanoscale roughness will assist the future development and design of treatments for intra- articular substances or surfaces to preserve joint integrity and reduce limitations or loss of joint performance.
A Mechanical Characterization of the Porcine Atria at the Healthy Stage and After Ventricular Tachypacing
Authors: Bellini Chiara , Di Martino Elena S.
Published: February 2012

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia that highly increases the risk of stroke and is associated with significant but still unexplored changes in the mechanical behavior of the tissue. Planar biaxial tests were performed on tissue specimens from pigs at the healthy stage and after ventricular tachypacing (VTP), a procedure applied to reproduce the relevant features of AF. The local arrangement of the fiber bundles in the tissue was investigated on specimens from rabbit atria by means of circularly polarized light. Based on this, mechanical data were fitted to two anisotropic constitutive relationships, including a four-parameter Fung-type model and a microstructurally-motivated model. Accounting for the fiber-induced anisotropy brought average R2 = 0.807 for the microstructurally-motivated model and average R2 = 0.949 for the Fung model. Validation of the fitted constitutive relationships was performed by means of FEM simulations coupled to FORTRAN routines. The performances of the two material models in predicting the second Piola-Kirchhoff stress were comparable, with average errors <3.1%. However, the Fung model outperformed the other in the prediction of the Green-Lagrange strain, with 9.2% maximum average error. To increase model generality, a proper averaging procedure accounting for nonlinearities was used to obtain average material parameters. In general, a stiffer behavior after VTP was noted.
Proteopolymersomes: In vitro production of a membrane protein in polymersome membranes
Authors: Nallani Madhavan , Andreasson-Ochsner Mirjam , Tan Cherng-Wen Darren , Sinner Eva-Kathrin , Wisantoso Yudi , Geifman-Shochat Susana , Hunziker Walter
Published: February 2012

Polymersomes are stable self-assembled architectures which mimic cell membranes. For characterization, membrane proteins can be incorporated into such bio-mimetic membranes by reconstitution methods, leading to so-called proteopolymersomes. In this work, we demonstrate the direct incorporation of a membrane protein into polymersome membranes by a cell-free expression system. Firstly, we demonstrate pore formation in the preformed polymersome membrane using α-hemolysin. Secondly, we use claudin-2, a protein involved in cell-cell interactions, to demonstrate the in vitro expression of a membrane protein into these polymersomes. Surface plasmon resonance (Biacore) binding studies with the claudin-2 proteopolymersomes and claudin-2 specific antibodies are performed to show the presence of the in vitro expressed protein in polymersome membranes.
A review of immobilized antimicrobial agents and methods for testing
Authors: Green John-Bruce D. , Fulghum Timothy , Nordhaus Mark A.
Published: February 2012

Antimicrobial surfaces for food and medical applications have historically involved antimicrobial coatings that elute biocides for effective kill in solution or at surfaces. However, recent efforts have focused on immobilized antimicrobial agents (iAMA) to avoid toxicity, compatibility and reservoir limitations common to elutable agents. This review critically examines the assorted AMAs reported to have been immobilized with an emphasis around interpretation of antimicrobial testing as it pertains to discriminating between eluting and immobilized agents. Immobilization techniques and modes of antimicrobial action are also discussed.
Mixed poly (ethylene glycol) and oligo (ethylene glycol) layers on gold as nonfouling surfaces created by backfilling
Authors: Lokanathan Arcot R. , Zhang Shuai , Regina Viduthalai R. , Cole Martin A. , Ogaki Ryosuke , Dong Mingdong , Besenbacher Flemming , Meyer Rikke L. , Kingshott Peter
Published: February 2012

Backfilling a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of long poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) with short PEG is a well-known strategy to improve its potential to resist fouling. Here it is shown, using xray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle, and atomic force microscopy, that backfilling PEG thiol with oligo (ethylene glycol) (OEG) terminated alkane thiol molecules results in underbrush formation. The authors also confirm the absence of phase separated arrangement, which is commonly observed with backfilling experiments involving SAMs of short chain alkane thiol with long chain alkane thiol. Furthermore, it was found that OEG addition caused less PEG desorption when compared to alkane thiol. The ability of surface to resist fouling was tested through serum adsorption and bacterial adhesion studies. The authors demonstrate that the mixed monolayer with PEG and OEG is better than PEG at resisting protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion, and conclude that backfilling PEG with OEG resulting in the underbrush formation enhances the ability of PEG to resist fouling.
In vitro observation of dynamic ordering processes in the extracellular matrix of living, adherent cells
Authors: Diesner Mark-Oliver , Welle Alexander , Kazanci Murat , Kaiser Peter , Spatz Joachim , Koelsch Patrick
Published: February 2012

Collecting information at the interface between living cells and artificial substrates is exceedingly difficult. The extracellular matrix (ECM) mediates all cell-substrate interactions, and its ordered, fibrillar constituents are organized with nanometer precision. The proceedings at this interface are highly dynamic and delicate. In order to understand factors governing biocompatibility or its counterpart antifouling, it is necessary to probe this interface without disrupting labels or fixation and with sufficient temporal resolution. Here the authors combine nonlinear optical spectroscopy (sumfrequency-generation) and microscopy (second-harmonic-generation), fluorescence microscopy, and quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation monitoring in a strategy to elucidate molecular ordering processes in the ECM of living cells. Artificially (fibronectin and collagen I) and naturally ordered ECM fibrils (zebrafish, Danio rerio) were subjected to nonlinear optical analysis and were found to be clearly distinguishable from the background signals of diffusive proteins in the ECM. The initial steps of fibril deposition and ordering were observed in vitro as early as 1 h after cell seeding. The ability to follow the first steps of cell-substrate interactions in spite of the low amount of material present at this interface is expected to prove useful for the assessment of biomedical and environmental interfaces.
Co-culture of osteocytes and neurons on a unique patterned surface
Authors: Boggs Mary E. , Thompson William R. , Farach-Carson Mary C. , Duncan Randall L. , Beebe Thomas P.
Published: February 2012

Neural and skeletal communication is essential for the maintenance of bone mass and transmission of pain, yet the mechanism(s) of signal transduction between these tissues is unknown. The authors established a novel system to co-culture murine long bone osteocyte-like cells (MLO-Y4) and primary murine dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Assessment of morphology and maturation marker expression on perlecan domain IV peptide (PlnDIV) and collagen type-1 (Col1) demonstrated that PlnDIV was an optimal matrix for MLO-Y4 culture. A novel matrix-specificity competition assay was developed to expose these cells to several extracellular matrix proteins such as PlnDIV, Col1, and laminin (Ln). The competition assay showed that approximately 70% of MLOY4 cells preferred either PlnDIV or Col1 to Ln. To co-culture MLO-Y4 and DRG, we developed patterned surfaces using micro-contact printing to create 40 μm × 1 cm alternating stripes of PlnDIV and Ln or PlnDIV and Col1. Co-culture on PlnDIV/Ln surfaces demonstrated that these matrix molecules provided unique cues for each cell type, with MLO-Y4 preferentially attaching to the PlnDIV lanes and DRG neurons to the Ln lanes. Approximately 80% of DRG were localized to Ln. Cellular processes from MLO-Y4 were closely associated with axonal extensions of DRG neurons. Approximately 57% of neuronal processes were in close proximity to nearby MLO-Y4 cells at the PlnDIV-Ln interface. The surfaces in this new assay provided a unique model system with which to study the communication between osteocyte-like cells and neurons in an in vitro environment.