bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making Sense of Catalysis: The Potential of DNAzymes as Biosensors
Authors: McManus Simon A. , Tram Kha , Li* Yingfu
Published: January 2013

DNA, long known as a carrier of genetic information, has recently revealed itself as a multifunctional entity. Using the powerful technique of in vitro selection, catalytic DNA molecules, known as DNAzymes or deoxyribozymes, have been isolated to catalyse numerous reactions using a range of metal-ion cofactors. Conjugation of these DNAzymes to an array of signalling platforms has led to the development of several DNAzyme-based sensor systems. By labelling DNAzymes and their nucleic acid substrates with fluorescent and quenching dyes, sensors have been designed to report the presence and concentration of specific metal ions with high sensitivity and specificity. By coupling DNAzyme activity to the aggregation state of gold nanoparticles, visual sensors have been designed that report the presence of a metal ion by a change in colour, eliminating the need for expensive detection equipment. Electrode-bound DNAzymes have been developed into electrochemical sensors offering high sensitivity and reduced background. The types of analyte that can be detected by DNAzymes have also been expanded by coupling DNAzymes to DNA aptamers that bind specific target molecules. These conjugates, called DNA aptazymes, have been developed to detect small molecules such as adenosine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Using an in vitro selection protocol with counter-selection steps, aptazymes that can detect molecules in complex mixtures have been isolated. This chapter will highlight innovative research that has been done to engineer DNAzyme-based sensors and discuss the prospects for using DNAzymes in future detection systems.
Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Detection of Specific Nucleic Acid Sequences
Authors: Kashida Hiromu , Asanuma* Hiroyuki
Published: January 2013

In this chapter, we summarise the designs of fluorophore-modified nucleic acids used as probes for the detection of target DNA/RNA. Recently, there has been an increasing demand for the sequence-specific detection of DNA and RNA in biology and biotechnology. Fluorescent probes based on nucleic acids are useful because of their simplicity and ease of handling. Here, we described three types of fluorescent probe: 1) linear probes, 2) binary probes, and 3) molecular beacons. Each can have one or more fluorophores. Mechanisms for the fluorescence responses of these probes are also discussed in detail. These fluorescent probes have been used in real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), genetic analyses, and messenger RNA (mRNA) imaging in living cells. Improvements in sensitivity, selectivity, and nuclease resistance of these probes will lead to more widespread applications in chemical biology, biotechnology, and medicine.
Nucleic Acid–Nanoparticle Conjugate Sensors for Use with Surface Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering (SERRS)
Authors: Clark Natalie , Faulds Karen , Graham Duncan
Published: January 2013

The ability to detect DNA relating to a specific disease is at the forefront of current research in molecular diagnostics. The detection techniques utilised for such work need to afford excellent selectivity as well as sensitivity. Current methods commonly involve the use of fluorescence, however there has been a heightened interest in the use of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering [SE(R)RS] for these purposes in recent years because of the numerous advantages SE(R)RS offer over fluorescence. Nanoparticles are often selected as the SE(R)RS substrate of choice. These nanoparticles can undergo a number of functionalisation steps in order for them either to act as labels for detection, to detect specific target molecules, or to perform both tasks simultaneously. These SE(R)RS detection techniques can be performed in two ways: by the use of small molecules to produce nanoparticle-tags, or by monitoring a nanoparticle assembly process that results in a signal. This chapter focuses on the use of DNA–nanoparticle conjugates and their use for DNA detection by SE(R)RS.
Covalent and Non-covalent Conjugates of Oligonucleotides as Artificial Restriction DNA Cutters
Authors: Komiyama Makoto , Xu Yan , Sumaoka Jun
Published: January 2013

Artificial enzymes for site-selective DNA scission are constructed from oligonucleotide conjugates and a Ce(IV)/EDTA complex which hydrolyses only single-stranded DNA. For site-selective scission of a single-stranded DNA substrate, a gap structure is formed at a target site with the use of two complementary oligonucleotide additives, which is selectively cut by Ce(IV)/EDTA. This site-selective scission is greatly promoted by attaching a multiphosphonate ligand (e.g. N,N,N′,N′-ethylenediaminetetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid)) to the oligonucleotide additives and recruiting Ce(IV)/EDTA to the scission site. The single-stranded overhang of human telomeres is also selectively hydrolysed by using a multiphosphonate–oligonucleotide conjugate which forms a G-quadruplex with the overhang. A similar strategy is applicable to site-selective scission of double-stranded DNA, in which single-stranded portions are formed at target sites in both strands by using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and selectively hydrolysed by Ce(IV)/EDTA. The scission site of these artificial DNA cutters is determined by the Watson–Crick base-pairing rule, and thus both the sequence and the scission specificity can be freely tuned. The recombinant DNA, formed by connecting the scission fragments with appropriate DNA with the use of ligase, successfully expresses the corresponding protein. Recent attempts to prepare site-selective DNA cutters by oxidising a Ce(III) complex to the corresponding Ce(IV) complex are also described.
Pseudopeptides with a centrally positioned alkene-based disulphide bridge mimetic stimulate kallikrein-related peptidase 3 activity
Authors: Meinander Kristian , Weisell Janne , Pakkala Miikka , Tadd Andrew C. , Hekim Can , Kallionpää Roope , Widell Kim , Stenman Ulf-Håkan , Koistinen Hannu , Närvänen Ale , Vepsäläinen Jouko , Luthman Kristina , Wallén Erik A. A.
Published: January 2013

First successful pseudopeptides of the KLK3-activating bicyclic peptide “C-4” are reported.
Backgrounding lambs on saltbush provides an effective source of Vitamin E that can prevent Vitamin E deficiency and reduce the incidence of subclinical nutritional myopathy during summer and autumn
Authors: Fancote C. R. , Vercoe P. E. , Pearce K. L. , Williams I. H. , Norman H. C.
Published: January 2013

Vitamin E deficiency is common in sheep during summer and autumn in Mediterranean environments because of the lack of green feed. Deficiency of Vitamin E can lead to the development of nutritional myopathy, a condition causing heart and skeletal muscle damage which, in severe cases, can lead to death of the animal. Saltbush (Atriplex spp.) contains high concentrations of Vitamin E, so providing sheep with access to saltbush during summer may improve their Vitamin E status and prevent Vitamin E deficiency. We wished to determine whether backgrounding lambs on saltbush over summer and autumn (i.e. graze saltbush-based pastures for several weeks before finishing them to condition suitable for slaughter) would prevent Vitamin E deficiency and nutritional myopathy and compared the effectiveness of this strategy in preventing Vitamin E deficiency to a commercially available synthetic Vitamin E supplement. Ten-month-old cross-bred lambs (n = 48) were backgrounded on dry, senesced (control) or saltbush-based pastures for 8 weeks during summer. After backgrounding they were fed a grain-based finishing ration containing low levels of Vitamin E for a further 5 weeks. We found that while grazing saltbush the plasma Vitamin E concentrations of lambs increased from 1.1 to 2.6 mg/L within 3 weeks, concentrations that were significantly higher than the concentrations in the lambs that did not have access to saltbush during backgrounding (P < 0.001). The improved Vitamin E concentrations corresponded with a reduction in the incidence of nutritional myopathy, with none of the lambs grazing saltbush showing any biochemical signs of myopathy, whereas 17% of lambs backgrounded on control pastures had elevated plasma concentrations of creatine kinase that were indicative of subclinical nutritional myopathy. During the subsequent finishing phase, lambs that had not had access to saltbush during backgrounding were all Vitamin E deficient and, of these, 8.5% were diagnosed with subclinical nutritional myopathy. By contrast, none of the lambs backgrounded on saltbush was Vitamin E deficient nor did they have any biochemical evidence of Vitamin E-responsive myopathy. The present study demonstrated that saltbush is a valuable source of Vitamin E for livestock that can reduce the incidence of subclinical nutritional myopathy in lambs during summer and prevent plasma Vitamin E concentrations becoming deficient for up to 5 weeks after saltbush is removed from the diet.
Guanidination procedure increases standardised ileal digestibilities of nitrogen and amino acids in rapeseed meal, soybean meal and peas fed to growing pigs
Authors: Eklund M. , Caine W. R. , Sauer W. C. , Huang G. S. , Diebold G. , Schollenberger M. , Mosenthin R.
Published: January 2013

A digestibility study was conducted to assess the effect of using the guanidination procedure to convert lysine to homoarginine in dietary sources of protein on standardised ileal digestibilities of nitrogen and amino acids in rapeseed meal, soybean meal or peas fed to growing pigs. Six barrows (German Landrace × Pietrain) with an initial bodyweight of 19 ± 1.8 kg, fitted with ileal T-cannulas, were fed one of three cornstarch-based diets that contained 180 g crude protein/kg (as-fed basis) from rapeseed meal, soybean meal or peas for an experimental period of 10 days according to a double 3 by 3 Latin square design. On Day 9 of each experimental period, the pigs were fed diets containing the guanidinated protein sources, which corresponded to their respective unguanidinated diets. In the guanidinated assay diets, 50% of the dietary source of protein was replaced, on an equal weight basis, with the guanidinated assay feed ingredient. Using the guanidination procedure increased the content of nitrogen in rapeseed meal, soybean meal, and peas by 17, 34, and 8 g/kg DM, respectively. With the exception of lysine in rapeseed meal, using the guanidination procedure increased the standardised ileal digestibilities of most amino acids in rapeseed meal, soybean meal and peas (P < 0.05). Lower standardised ileal digestibililty of lysine in guanidinated compared with unguanidinated rapeseed meal indicates that guanidination was not as uniform compared with the other sources of dietary protein. In conclusion, increases in standardised ileal digestibilities of amino acids after using the guanidination procedure in the aforementioned feed ingredients may be due to solubilisation of protein and degradation of antinutritional factors such as fibre, trypsin inhibitors and tannins.
Construction of Foot-and-mouth disease virus 2A-based bicistronic expression vector and coexpression of two genes in goat mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Liu X. Q. , Liu H. Y. , Chen Q. J. , Yang M. M. , Xin H. Y. , Bai L. , Peng J. Y. , Zhao H. B. , Cao B. Y.
Published: January 2013

Using animal mammary glands as bioreactors for producing commercially important proteins is a cutting-edge direction in the field of biotechnology development and application. Dairy goats are an important dairy livestock, with roughage-resistance, fast propagation, long lactation periods and high milk production per bodyweight; these characteristics make dairy goats ideal for use as mammary gland bioreactors. Foot-and-mouth disease virus 2A (FMDV 2A) is an efficient viral cleavage element that mediates proteolytic cleavage independent of the presence of other FMDV sequences. It is often incorporated into recombinant vectors to generate cleavage in the presence of heterologous sequences. To achieve specific co-expression of two heterologous genes in goat mammary gland epithelial (GMGE) cells, a mammary gland-specific bicistronic expression vector, pFIEβ, containing the β-casein 5′ flanking sequence and FMDV 2A, was successfully constructed and the specific expression of human interleukin 2 (hIL-2) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was conducted in primary GMGE cells. Another bicistronic expression vector, pFIEC, driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter, was constructed as a positive control. In cells transfected with pFIEβ and pFIEC, RT-PCR verified the existence of recombinant fusion mRNA of hIL-2 upstream of EGFP within the FMDV 2A cassette fragment and western blot analysis showed the existence of the fusion between hIL-2 and EGFP. It is concluded that FMDV 2A generated specific co-expression of multiple genes for the first time in primary GMGE cells driven by the β-casein promoter.
Translatability vs Untranslatability: A relevance-theoretic view
Authors: Xiumei Xu , Qinyan Gong
Published: January 2013

Having rejected the assumption that there is a necessary link between language and communication, relevance theory holds that languages are indispensable not for communication, but for information processing, and information processing is their essential function. And the distinction between the descriptive and interpretive use of language settles the disputes upon translatability and untranslatability. From the relevance-theoretic point of view, translation falls naturally under the interpretive use of language: translation is intended to restate in one language what someone else said or wrote in another language.

It means that different utterances can be used to express the same meaning, while the same meaning can be expressed in different ways. Interpretive use entails translatability. As to how closely the language of the target text resembles that of the source text, the answer is that it is a matter of degree. However, in any case, the target language used should fulfill the requirements of the principle of relevance: it is relevant enough for it to be worth the reader’s effort to read and it is the highest level of relevance that the translator is capable of achieving given the means and goals.

Résumé

Ayant rejeté l’hypothèse d’un lien nécessaire entre la langue et la communication, la théorie de la pertinence affirme que les langues sont indispensables non pour la communication, mais bien pour le traitement de l’information, et que le traitement de l’information est leur fonction essentielle.
La distinction entre l’utilisation descriptive et interprétative de la langue règle les controverses sur la traduisibilité et l’intraduisibilité. Du point de vue de la théorie de la pertinence, la traduction relève naturellement de l’utilisation interprétative d’une langue : la traduction a pour but de reformuler dans une langue ce que quelqu’un a dit ou écrit dans une autre.

Cela signifie que des énoncés différents peuvent être utilisés pour exprimer une même signification, bien qu’une même signification puisse s’exprimer de différentes manières. Une utilisation interprétative engendre une traduisibilité. La réponse à la question de savoir à quel point la langue du texte cible doit ressembler à celle du texte source, est une question de degré. Cependant, la langue cible utilisée devrait en tout cas répondre aux exigences du principe de pertinence : elle est suffisamment pertinente pour justifier l’effort du lecteur pour la lire et elle est le niveau de pertinence le plus élevé que le traducteur est capable d’atteindre, étant donné les moyens et les objectifs.
La vraisemblance linguistique: réflexions autour de la traduction du lexique balzacien
Authors: Carballo Pablo Zambrano
Published: January 2013

Balzac’s realistic technique relies mainly on the verisimilitude of a huge variety of elements (characters, descriptions, encyclopedic knowledge, etc.), among which language stands out as one of the mainstays of La Comedie humaine in general and Illusions perdues — the key novel — in particular. This paper highlights first the crucial role of Balzac’s singular vocabulary (technical terms, slang words, etc.) for the success of his ambitious realist project, the variety and complexity of his language being a reflection of the variety and complexity of the new society he aims to describe. Then, through a comparative study of a group of English and Spanish translations of Illusions perdues, the paper insists on the importance of consciously maintaining Balzac’s complex lexical singularities in the target languages, this being the only way to offer the reader a text faithful to the realistic intentions of his author instead of a modern “dubbed” easier-tounderstand version.

Résumé

Le realisme de Balzac etant fonde dans une grande mesure sur la vraisemblance d’un ensemble d’elements divers (personnages, descriptions, encyclopedisme, etc.), la creation d’une ecriture de nature a reveler et dessiner avec exactitude et finesse cette vraisemblance generale, deviennent les objectifs primordiaux du romancier dans La Comedie humaine et plus particulierement dans Illusions perdues, le roman capital. Cet article souligne d’une part, la fonction decisive du lexique singulier (termes techniques, argot propre aux divers tissus sociaux, etc.) necessaire au succes du projet realiste de Balzac, puisque la variete du vocabulaire et la complexite de la plume balzacienne repondent parfaitement a la variete et a la complexite de la nouvelle societe qu’il depeint. D’autre part, l’analyse contrastive de diverses traductions d’Illusions perdues en anglais et en espagnol nous permet de comprendre et de souligner l’importance de transposer consciemment dans les langues d’arrivee les singularites lexicales balzaciennes et leur opacite originale si l’on veut offrir au lecteur etranger non pas un texte ≪ double ≫ dans une langue contemporaine plus comprehensible, mais un texte vraisemblable et donc fidele a l’ambitieuse volonte de Balzac de portraiter avec realisme la societe de son epoque.
NSM analyses of the semantics of physical qualities
Authors: Goddard Cliff , Wierzbicka Anna
Published: January 2013

All languages have words, such as English hot and cold, hard and soft, rough and smooth, and heavy and light, which attribute qualities to things. This paper maps out how such descriptors can be analysed in the natural semantic metalanguage (NSM) framework, in terms of like and other semantic primes configured into a particular semantic schema: essentially, touching something with a part of the body, feeling something in that part, knowing something about that thing because of it, and thinking about that thing in a certain way because of it. Far from representing objective properties of things “as such”, it emerges that physical quality concepts refer to embodied human experiences and embodied human sensations. Comparisons with French, Polish and Korean show that the semantics of such words may differ significantly from language to language.
If you do not count it, it does not count: a pilot study of valuing urban congregations
Authors: Cnaan Ram A. , Forrest Tuomi , Carlsmith Joseph , Karsh Kelsey
Published: January 2013

The value of urban congregations to local economies has been widely recognized but insufficiently measured. This study attempts to formulate and test a methodology for measuring this value. By applying different methods of valuation to a variety of factors, we achieve the first systematic
measurement of the yearly contribution that an urban congregation makes to its city’s economy. The limitations and possibilities of our methodology are discussed, managerial implications are outlined, and further research and testing is suggested.
A Fatal Case of CO2 Intoxication in a Fermentation Tank
Authors: Kettner Mattias , Ramsthaler Frank , Juhnke Christian , Bux Roman , Schmidt Peter
Published: January 2013

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an odorless constituent of air. Higher concentrations can be detected in geothermal and automotive emissions, fermentation, and sublimation of dry ice. An unskilled worker entered a fermentation tank to clean it, which had not been done for about 5 months allowing for high concentrations of CO2 to build up. A second worker entered the tank to rescue the first one. Shortly after both were found the first worker was rescued directly whereas the tank had to be rotated to pull the second worker out. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was successful only for the first worker. Medico‐legal autopsy showed bruises, hematoma, myocardial hemorrhage, and edema of the lungs. The right lung was vacuum degassed in an argon atmosphere and quadrupole‐mass‐spectrometry showed an elevated CO2 content in lung gases. Thus, CO2 intoxication/asphyxia in a vitiated atmosphere due to fermentation of wine mash was established as the cause of death.
Optimization of a One‐Step Method for the Multiresidue Determination of Organophosphorous Pesticides in Camellia Oil
Authors: Liu Yihua , Shen Danyu , Mo Runhong , Tang Fubin
Published: January 2013

Due to the widespread use and potential toxicity of organophosphorous pesticides (OPs), multiresidue monitoring of OPs in camellia oil has become increasingly important. A simple, rapid, and effective matrix solid‐phase dispersion extraction for the determination of 15 organophosphorous pesticides in camellia oil is described. Related important factors influencing the extraction efficiency, such as type of sorbent material, eluting solvent, and ratio of sample/sorbent were studied and optimized. The best results were obtained using 0.5 g of camellia oil, 1.5 g of white carbon black as dispersant sorbent, and 5 mL of acetonitrile: ethyl acetate (2:1, V/V) as eluting solvent. Method validation was performed in order to study sensitivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy. Average recoveries ranged between 76.7% and 102.9% with relative standard deviation values from 2.9% to 13.7% at 2 concentration levels (10 and 100 μg/kg). The method limit of detection at or below the regulatory maximum residue limits for the pesticides was achieved.

Practical Application:  A simple, rapid, and effective method for multiresidue determination of organophosphorous pesticides in camellia oil was developed. The sample preparation could finish in 5 min.
Kinetics of Peroxidase Inactivation in Carrot Juice Treated with Pulsed Electric Fields
Authors: Quintão‐Teixeira Luciano José , Soliva‐Fortuny Robert , Mota Ramos Afonso , Martín‐Belloso Olga
Published: January 2013

Peroxidase activity accounts for quality losses in many plant‐based foods. The paper provides insight into the inactivation kinetics of peroxidase (POD) in carrot juice treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF). Juice samples were subjected to electric field intensities of 20 to 35 kV/cm for 300 to 2000 μs. Up to 93% of the initial activity was inactivated after treating at 35 kV/cm for 1500 μs. POD activity inactivation correlated well with the increase in energy density input. A first‐order fractional conversion model best fitted the experimental results. Other kinetic approaches such as the Fermi's model can be used to estimate residual POD activity values in treated juices as a function of electric field strength.

Practical Application: Pulsed electric fields (PEF) are a processing technology that can be used for the pasteurization of liquid food products. Peroxidase activity inhibition is required in carrot juices to prevent undesirable quality losses, such as discoloration, flavor changes, and loss of nutrients. The most significant processing parameters ruling POD inactivation in PEF‐treated carrot juice are identified and mathematical modeling of experimental data is conducted.
The Importance of First Pass Success When Performing Orotracheal Intubation in the Emergency Department
Authors: Sakles John C. , Chiu Stephen , Mosier Jarrod , Walker Corrine , Stolz Uwe
Published: January 2013

Objectives

The goal of this study was to determine the association of first pass success with the incidence of adverse events (AEs) during emergency department (ED) intubations.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected continuous quality improvement data based on orotracheal intubations performed in an academic ED over a 4‐year period. Following each intubation, the operator completed a data form regarding multiple aspects of the intubation, including patient and operator characteristics, method of intubation, device used, the number of attempts required, and AEs. Numerous AEs were tracked and included events such as witnessed aspiration, oxygen desaturation, esophageal intubation, hypotension, dysrhythmia, and cardiac arrest. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between the primary predictor variable of interest, first pass success, and the outcome variable, the presence of one or more AEs, after controlling for various other potential risk factors and confounders.

Results

Over the 4‐year study period, there were 1,828 orotracheal intubations. If the intubation was successful on the first attempt, the incidence of one or more AEs was 14.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.4% to 16.2%). In cases requiring two attempts, the incidence of one or more AEs was 47.2% (95% CI = 41.8% to 52.7%); in cases requiring three attempts, the incidence of one or more AEs was 63.6% (95% CI = 53.7% to 72.6%); and in cases requiring four or more attempts, the incidence of one or more AEs was 70.6% (95% CI = 56.2.3% to 82.5%). Multivariable logistic regression showed that more than one attempt at tracheal intubation was a significant predictor of one or more AEs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.52, 95% CI = 5.86 to 9.63).

Conclusions

When performing orotracheal intubation in the ED, first pass success is associated with a relatively small incidence of AEs. As the number of attempts increases, the incidence of AEs increases substantially.
Where the Individual Meets the Ecological: A Study of Parent Drinking Patterns, Alcohol Outlets, and Child Physical Abuse
Authors: Freisthler Bridget , Gruenewald Paul J.
Published: January 2013

Background

Despite well‐known associations between heavy drinking and child physical abuse, little is known about specific risks related to drinking different amounts of alcohol in different drinking venues. This study uses a context‐specific dose–response model to examine how drinking in various venues (e.g., at bars or parties) is related to physically abusive parenting practices while controlling for individual and psychosocial characteristics.

Methods

Data were collected via a telephone survey of parents in 50 cities in California, resulting in 2,163 respondents who reported drinking in the past year. Child physical abuse and corporal punishment were measured using the Conflict Tactics Scale, Parent–Child version. Drinking behaviors were measured using continued drinking measures. Data were analyzed using zero‐inflated Poisson models.

Results

Drinking at homes, parties, or bars more frequently was related to greater frequencies of physically abusive parenting practices. The use of greater amounts of alcohol in association with drinking at bars appeared to increase risks of corporal punishment, a dose–response effect. Dose–response relationships were not found for drinking at homes or parties or drinking at bars for physical abuse nor for drinking at home and parties for corporal punishment.

Conclusions

Frequencies of using drinking venues, particularly bars and home or parties, are associated with greater use of abusive parenting practices. These findings suggest that a parent's routine drinking activities place children at different risks of being physically abused. They also suggest that interventions that take into account parents’ alcohol use at drinking venues are an important avenue for secondary prevention efforts.
Modulation of brain structure by catechol‐O‐methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism in chronic cannabis users
Authors: Batalla Albert , Soriano‐Mas Carles , López‐Solà Marina , Torrens Marta , Crippa José A. , Bhattacharyya Sagnik , Blanco‐Hinojo Laura , Fagundo Ana B. , Harrison Ben J. , Nogué Santiago , de la Torre Rafael , Farré Magí , Pujol Jesús , Martín‐Santos Rocío
Published: January 2013

Neuroimaging studies have shown that chronic consumption of cannabis may result in alterations in brain morphology. Recent work focusing on the relationship between brain structure and the catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism suggests that functional COMT variants may affect brain volume in healthy individuals and in schizophrenia patients. We measured the influence of COMT genotype on the volume of four key regions: the prefrontal cortex, neostriatum (caudate‐putamen), anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus‐amygdala complex, in chronic early‐onset cannabis users and healthy control subjects. We selected 29 chronic cannabis users who began using cannabis before 16 years of age and matched them to 28 healthy volunteers in terms of age, educational level and IQ. Participants were male, Caucasians aged between 18 and 30 years. All were assessed by a structured psychiatric interview (PRISM) to exclude any lifetime Axis‐I disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders‐Fourth Edition. COMT genotyping was performed and structural magnetic resonance imaging data was analyzed by voxel‐based morphometry. The results showed that the COMT polymorphism influenced the volume of the bilateral ventral caudate nucleus in both groups, but in an opposite direction: more copies of val allele led to lesser volume in chronic cannabis users and more volume in controls. The opposite pattern was found in left amygdala. There were no effects of COMT genotype on volumes of the whole brain or the other selected regions. Our findings support recent reports of neuroanatomical changes associated with cannabis use and, for the first time, reveal that these changes may be influenced by the COMT genotype.
Which elements of improvement collaboratives are most effective? A cluster‐randomized trial
Authors: Gustafson David H. , Quanbeck Andrew R. , Robinson James M. , Ford James H. , Pulvermacher Alice , French Michael T. , McConnell K. John , Batalden Paul B. , Hoffman Kim A. , McCarty Dennis
Published: January 2013

Aims

Improvement collaboratives consisting of various components are used throughout health care to improve quality, but no study has identified which components work best. This study tested the effectiveness of different components in addiction treatment services, hypothesizing that a combination of all components would be most effective.

Design

An unblinded cluster‐randomized trial assigned clinics to one of four groups: interest circle calls (group teleconferences), clinic‐level coaching, learning sessions (large face‐to‐face meetings) and a combination of all three. Interest circle calls functioned as a minimal intervention comparison group.

Setting

Out‐patient addiction treatment clinics in the United States.

Participants

Two hundred and one clinics in five states.

Measurements

Clinic data managers submitted data on three primary outcomes: waiting‐time (mean days between first contact and first treatment), retention (percentage of patients retained from first to fourth treatment session) and annual number of new patients. State and group costs were collected for a cost‐effectiveness analysis.

Findings

Waiting‐time declined significantly for three groups: coaching (an average of 4.6 days/clinic, P = 0.001), learning sessions (3.5 days/clinic, P = 0.012) and the combination (4.7 days/clinic, P = 0.001). The coaching and combination groups increased significantly the number of new patients (19.5%, P = 0.028; 8.9%, P = 0.029; respectively). Interest circle calls showed no significant effect on outcomes. None of the groups improved retention significantly. The estimated cost per clinic was $2878 for coaching versus $7930 for the combination. Coaching and the combination of collaborative components were about equally effective in achieving study aims, but coaching was substantially more cost‐effective.

Conclusions

When trying to improve the effectiveness of addiction treatment services, clinic‐level coaching appears to help improve waiting‐time and number of new patients while other components of improvement collaboratives (interest circles calls and learning sessions) do not seem to add further value.
Quadriplegia in a child following adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Agarwal J. , Tandon M. S. , Singh D. , Ganjoo P.
Published: January 2013

Neurological deterioration in a child following routine surgery, although rare, has potentially life threatening consequences. We report the case of a child who, following adentonsillectomy, developed quadriplegia and acute respiratory distress due to previously undetected atlanto‐axial instability. Patients with atlanto‐axial instability often have mild or non‐specific symptoms, despite severe cervical cord compression. Subtle manifestations may be ignored or attributed to other disease processes, which render patients with undiagnosed atlanto‐axial instability at risk of serious neurological injury during general anaesthesia, particularly at the time of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.
Review article: description and management of fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Czuber‐Dochan W. , Ream E. , Norton C.
Published: January 2013

Background

Fatigue is a common and leading concern for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is managed inadequately in IBD, and there is little evidence to support interventions.

Aim

To examine patients’ experience of and factors contributing to IBD‐fatigue, and to appraise its management by patients and healthcare professionals.

Methods

Seven electronic databases were searched. Subject headings and free‐text searching were used, with no time limit set. Reference lists of retrieved papers were searched manually.

Results

Twenty‐eight papers were reviewed. Researchers used terms including ‘fatigue’, ‘low energy’, ‘tiredness’, ‘decline in vitality and vigour’ and ‘reduced energy and vitality’. Different definitions were used to conceptualise fatigue. None of the reviewed studies asked patients to describe the experience of fatigue in their own words. Numerous physical, psychological and situational factors associated with fatigue were identified. Three small randomised control trials reported a favourable effect of infliximab and adalimumab on fatigue. One intervention study reported benefit from a stress management programme and one from solution‐focused therapy.

Conclusions

Inconsistent use of terminology, lack of data from patients’ perspective on inflammatory bowel disease‐fatigue and lack of evidence to support its management contribute to fatigue being largely ignored or overlooked by healthcare professionals. Future research should explore the experience of IBD‐fatigue from the individual patient perspective. Further studies are required to fully explore the factors associated with fatigue and to develop patient‐centred interventions to reduce fatigue.
Major depressive disorder and impulsive reactivity to emotion: Toward a dual‐process view of depression
Authors: Carver Charles S. , Johnson Sheri L. , Joormann Jutta
Published: January 2013

Objective

Dual‐process theories of behaviour have been used to suggest that vulnerability to depression involves elevated reactivity to emotions. This study tests that idea, examining self‐reported reactivity.

Design

Comparison between persons with at least one lifetime episode of major depressive disorder (lifetime MDD) and those without this diagnosis, controlling for symptoms of alcohol use (a potential externalizing confound) and current symptoms of depression (a potential state‐dependent confound).

Methods

Undergraduates (N = 120) completed a clinical interview to diagnose lifetime MDD and a series of self‐reports bearing on diverse aspects of self‐control, including reactivity to emotion. Thirty‐four people were diagnosed with lifetime MDD; 86 did not meet criteria for MDD. The groups were then compared on three factors underlying the scales assessing self‐control.

Results

The MDD group had higher scores than controls on the two factors that reflect impulsive reactivity to diverse emotions, including emotions that are positive in valence. These effects were not explained by associations with either externalizing symptoms or current depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Reflexive reactivity to emotions characterizes depression, in addition to some externalizing problems, and it may deserve study as a potential trans‐diagnostic feature.

Practitioner points

Reflexive reactivity to emotions characterizes persons diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Findings suggest desirability of focusing treatment partly on management of reflexive reactions to emotions.

Limitation: Measures were self‐reports, rather than behavioural responses to emotions.
The Internet in face‐to‐face higher education: Can interactive learning improve academic achievement?
Authors: Castaño‐Muñoz Jonatan , Duart Josep M. , Sancho‐Vinuesa Teresa
Published: January 2013

Recent research on e‐learning shows that blended learning is more effective than face‐to‐face learning. However, a clear empirical response has not been given to the cause of such improvement. Using a data set of 9044 students at two Catalan universities and a quasi‐experimental approach, two possible hypotheses identified in previous research are studied. The results show that the principal cause of the improvement is not, in itself, the increase in time spent online for educational purposes. Rather, increasing the time devoted to studying online is only useful when it takes place as some form of interactive learning. The educational implications of these results are discussed.
Scholarship in the digital age: Open educational resources, publication and public engagement
Authors: Scanlon Eileen
Published: January 2013

This paper explores the impact of the digital age on the work life of academics and reports research on how and whether technologies are facilitating and adapting the teaching and research practices of academics, offering a description of scholarship for the digital age. A changed landscape is emerging, which offers academics new ways of working in research and new kinds of academic output for them to use in their teaching. Two areas are considered: the conduct of research (in particular the range of activities associated with publication and dissemination of research findings) and the conduct of teaching. The links between these practices are explored in terms of a revised view of scholarship, the perspective of digital scholarship. The paper begins with a review of literature and draws on an interview study to illustrate changes in academic practice, both for teaching and research. The study of 22 academics with expertise in educational technology provides a commentary on the changes, identifying open access as important in both teaching and publication. The paper concludes with some suggestions for future work in this area.
The relationship between university student learning outcomes and participation in social network services, social acceptance and attitude towards school life
Authors: Park Sung Youl , Cha Seung‐Bong , Lim Keol , Jung Seung‐Hwa
Published: January 2013

Educators try to use social network services (SNSs) in their teaching because they are regarded as beneficial to student learning. However, little research to date has empirically investigated whether the use of an SNS increases university student learning outcomes. A total of 730 university students in the capital area of South Korea participated in the present study. Based on social learning theory, we developed a general structural model that included SNS participation (SP) as an exogenous variable and a range of endogenous variables: cognitive domain learning outcomes, affective domain learning outcomes, social domain learning outcomes, social acceptance (SA) and attitude towards university life (AT). The study results confirmed that the model adequately explained causal relationships between student learning outcomes and SA, AT and SP. SA was identified as a key variable because of its direct effect on learning outcomes. However, SP was considered more important because of its large indirect effects on all learning outcomes through both SA and AT.
Sodium valproate withdrawal correlates with reduced aggression
Authors: Pritchard Duncan , Hoerger Marguerite , Dyer Tim , Graham Nicola , Penney Heather , Charles Mace F.
Published: January 2013

Accessible Summary

A 16‐year‐old boy diagnosed with a mild learning disability, atypical autism, attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder and epilepsy was admitted to a residential special school for treatment of severe aggression.

Prior to admission, he had been prescribed various psychotropic medications, including sodium valproate, to treat his aggressive behaviour, bipolar disorder and epilepsy.

His behaviour improved when his medication was stopped.

People with learning disabilities are sometimes prescribed psychotropic medication to help manage their challenging behaviour. This case study describes how a multicomponent behavioural intervention in conjunction with the systematic withdrawal of sodium valproate was strongly correlated with reduced aggression. No symptoms of bipolar disorder or epilepsy were observed over the course of this 135‐week case study. No aggression was observed during the last 20 weeks of the study. Aggressive behaviour as a possible side effect of sodium valproate should be considered in people with learning disabilities.
A Halifax case study that offers an alternative history of care provided by local authorities under the 1913 Mental Deficiency Act
Authors: Dale Pamela
Published: January 2013

Accessible summary

The history of care is still largely the history of institutions.

We also need to understand the mix of services that were available.

It is important to explore how different services shaped the experiences of people living with learning disabilities and their families.

Institutions, and their problems, have traditionally dominated learning disability histories. We know far more about what happened in areas where councils established and/or enthusiastically used local institutions than other places. Local authorities less committed to institutional care must have relied more on family and other carers. This may have signalled a more positive, even inclusive, approach to caring for people with learning disabilities. The Halifax case study provides some evidence to support this conclusion, but limited provision and reliance on distant facilities also permitted the neglect, and even abuse, of individuals in ways that resonate with recent scandals in the care sector. Note: for accuracy, this study uses the historically correct terminology with sincere apologies for any distress this may inadvertently cause.
FRET and FRAP imaging: Approaches to characterise tau and stathmin interactions with microtubules in cells
Authors: Nouar Roqiya , Devred François , Breuzard Gilles , Peyrot Vincent
Published: January 2013

Microtubules (MTs) are involved in many crucial processes such as cell morphogenesis, mitosis and motility. These dynamic structures resulting from the complex assembly of tubulin are tightly regulated by stabilising MT‐associated proteins (MAPs) such as tau and destabilising proteins, notably stathmin. Because of their key role, these MAPs and their interactions have been extensively studied using biochemical and biophysical approaches, particularly in vitro. Nevertheless, numerous questions remain unanswered and the mechanisms of interaction between MT and these proteins are still unclear in cells. Techniques coupling cell imaging and fluorescence methods, such as Förster resonance energy transfer and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, are excellent tools to study these interactions in situ. After describing these methods, we will present emblematic data from the literature and unpublished experimental results from our laboratory concerning the interactions between MTs, tau and stathmin in cells.
Tubulin‐targeting agent combination therapies: dosing schedule could matter
Authors: Solary Eric
Published: January 2013

Tubulin‐binding agents are potent cytotoxic drugs that are largely used to treat haematological malignancies and solid tumours. In this issue of British Journal of Pharmacology, doxorubicin was shown to decrease the activity of vincristine when administered simultaneously, unless cell cycle arrest mechanisms were disrupted. This observation emphasizes the need to better explore schedule‐dependent antagonist effects in anticancer drug combination therapies.

Linked Article

This article is a commentary on the research paper by Ehrhardt et al., pp. 1558–1569 of this issue. To view this paper visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.12068
Bacterial adhesion on the titanium and zirconia abutment surfaces
Authors: Nascimento Cássio do , Pita Murillo Sucena , Fernandes Flávio Henrique Nogueira Carriço , Pedrazzi Vinícius , de Albuquerque Junior Rubens Ferreira , Ribeiro Ricardo Faria
Published: January 2013

Objective

Microorganisms harboring the oral cavity, mainly those related to periodontal diseases, are the most potential etiologic factor of failure in long‐term implant treatment. The material used for abutment components may influence the adhesion and colonization of microbial species. The aim of this in vivo investigation was to evaluate the biofilm formation on machined (MPT) or cast titanium (CPT) and zirconia abutments (Zc).

Methods

Six healthy subjects were enrolled in this randomized crossover clinical investigation. The study was conducted in three phases according to abutment surface evaluated. Each subject used an individual oral splint containing four disks of the same tested substrate, two located in the anterior and two in the posterior region, totalizing 12 specimens for subject. Participants were asked to use the removable intraoral splint during 24 h. DNA checkerboard hybridization method was used to identify and quantify 38 bacterial species colonizing formed biofilm on the abutment substrates.

Results

Pathogens and non‐pathogens species were found colonizing the three substrates surfaces. Fusobacterium nucleatum, Neisseria mucosa, Porphyromonas aeruginosa, Peptostreptococcus anaerobios, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus parasanguinis, and Tanerella forsythia were the only species with no significant differences over the tested materials (P > 0.05). All the other target species presented significant differences sought by Friedman test (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

There was a significant difference in the total bacterial count between the three groups. CPT presented the higher mean counts, followed by MPT and Zc. CPT group also showed a higher mean incidence of species than MPT and Zc. The anterior or posterior region of disks placement did not show significant differences in relation to bacterial adhesion.