bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The P/Q channel in human disease: untangling the genetics and physiology
Authors: Schorge Stephanie , Rajakulendran Sanjeev
Published: January 2012

Several neurological disorders are associated with mutations in CACNA1A, the gene which encodes the core subunit of P/Q calcium channels. Although there is overlap between the various phenotypes, particularly with respect to cerebellar involvement, different disorders are increasingly being associated with different aspects of P/Q‐channel function. A preliminary genotype–phenotype relationship indicates that while almost any type of P/Q dysfunction can lead to progressive ataxia, mutations that increase channel function and those that remove arginines from S4 voltage sensors are most associated with migraine. In contrast, episodic ataxia and, to a lesser extent, epilepsy may be caused by mutations that decrease channel function. This dissection of channelopathies associated with P/Q channels is a case study of how rare experiments of nature may inform us about the different functions of widely expressed genes that play multiple roles in neurons. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2012,1:311–320. doi: 10.1002/wmts.22

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
The inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor in C. elegans
Authors: Allman Erik , Thyagarajan Baskaran , Nehrke Keith
Published: January 2012

The soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a genetic model organism whose cellular physiology is closely related to that of mammals, with many signaling cascades and second messengers mirroring those found in higher organisms. Due to the genetic, anatomical, and behavioral simplicity of worms, integrative physiological techniques are relatively straightforward and represent a powerful approach to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying more complex system functions. Studies of the nematode inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) have led to advances in our understanding of its role in development and behavior. Unlike mammals, which express three InsP3R isoforms, nematodes express only a single InsP3R coded for by the itr‐1 gene. Forward genetic screens have resulted in the generation of conditional loss‐ and gain‐of‐function alleles of itr‐1, and genetic epistasis analyses have provided insight into how the InsP3R integrates various signals to regulate morphogenesis, sensation, and rhythmic behaviors. Novel techniques in the worm model have helped to define cell‐specific regulatory pathways that control InsP3 signaling and have shed light on new roles for the InsP3R itself in systems physiology. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2012,1:321–328. doi: 10.1002/wmts.25

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Inter‐elemental correlations in liver and lung tissue of rats with alimentary adiposity (SRXRF)
Authors: Trunova V. A. , Zvereva V. V. , Churin B. V.
Published: January 2012

The distribution of adiposity steadily grows all over the world. The reasons of the adiposity increase, especially in the developed countries, are not well understood. In particular, the role of lungs in the development of adiposity is not clear. There are many enzymes in the lungs (as well as in the liver), providing the metabolic processes on a high level. Additionally, lung is the first organ which lipids are delivered to with blood after the food intake. The data on the inter‐elemental correlations in the lungs (concerning the alimentary adiposity) are not found in the literature. Thus, the investigation of trace element status of lungs and liver after the fatty food intake is expedient. The experiments were carried out on the adult nonlinear Wistar rats. Two series of the experiments were conducted with control (normal weigh) and animals with adiposity. Each of these series was subdivided into two groups: animals not having food (before the sacrifice) and receiving lard. The results obtained show that the metabolic changes under the alimentary adiposity of experimental rats are accompanied by the redistribution of inter‐elemental correlations in the liver and in the lungs either. The greatest number of strong correlations is observed in case of starving animals of control group. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A critical analysis of the experimental L‐shell Coster–Kronig and fluorescence yields data
Authors: Papp T.
Published: January 2012

A critical analysis of the methods used to determine the L‐shell Coster–Kronig and fluorescence yield data are given. The collected data sets have a large scatter, indicating methodological issues. The Kα‐L coincidence technique and the synchrotron ionization methods are analyzed in detail, and it is demonstrated that both methods have unrecognized systematic errors. It is emphasized that the synchrotron measurements clearly show deviations from the exclusively used exponential form of the energy dependence of the photoionization cross‐section. Thus, the far‐range extrapolation introduces an error, which magnitude is difficult to assess. Comment on the use of polarization‐sensitive devices to detect polarized X‐ray is offered. New strategies are recommended for the measurement of these parameters. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Osteotomy, Arthrodesis, and Arthroplasty for Complex Multiapical Deformity of the Leg
Authors: Lesiak Alex C. , Vosseller J. Turner , Rozbruch S. Robert
Published: January 2012

Background

Assessment of diaphyseal deformity in the tibia consists of delineating anatomic axes or cortical lines with resultant apices of deformity. Single-apex deformities have been well described both in terms of assessment and treatment, whereas double-level deformities with metaphyseal and/or juxtacortical involvement are less straightforward. Multiapical deformities of the lower extremity, though uncommon, are the next level of complexity and provide the surgeon with a difficult correctional mission.

Case Description

We report two cases of multiapical deformity of the tibia, both of which were secondary to a distant history of tibial fracture with resultant knee and ankle joint degeneration and deformity. Both cases had three levels of deformity that were addressed with tibial osteotomy, ankle fusion, and total knee replacement. Initial presentation, problem lists, surgical treatment, and subsequent results are reviewed.

Literature Review

Treatment of a post-traumatic three-level deformity has never specifically been addressed in the literature, although the principles of treatment are the same as for less complex deformities.

Purposes and Clinical Relevance

These two cases present a treatment approach for complex, multiapical deformity of the tibia. The same principles of deformity correction used to treat less complex deformities are applied to these patients with an overarching synthesis that takes all aspects of the three deformities into account. Although these cases are complex and difficult, good results in terms of deformity correction and pain relief can be obtained.
MRI Diagnosis of Patellar Clunk Syndrome following Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Heyse Thomas J. , Chong Le Roy , Davis Jack , Haas Steven B. , Figgie Mark P. , Potter Hollis G.
Published: January 2012

Background

Patellar Clunk Syndrome is a painful condition associated with a mechanical catching or clunking during active extension following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The syndrome is caused by growth of interposing soft tissue usually at the superior pole of the patella. This interposed soft tissue cannot be visualized on plain radiographs.

Questions

The aim was to ascertain if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would prove helpful in confirming the clinical diagnosis of patellar clunk by visualizing the interposed soft tissues adjacent to the patella and that the recognition of this tissue would be highly reproducible.

Methods

MRI scans of 12 patients with clinical suspicion or related symptoms of a patellar clunk syndrome following primary TKA were retrospectively evaluated. Size of soft tissue masses proximal to the patella were determined in sagittal and axial MRI views. Largest diameters were recorded in two dimensions by two independent observers, and interobserver reliability was determined by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC).

Results

Nine patients (75%) showed obvious MRI findings consistent with a patellar clunk lesion with high interobserver reliability (ICC values >0.75). In eight patients, this lead to operative treatment with arthroscopic debridement.

Discussion

MRI helps confirm the clinical diagnosis of patellar clunk. The data indicate that MRI is effective in defining the soft tissue lesion that is implicated in clinically evident patellar clunk syndrome after TKA.
Phospholipid Peroxidation: Lack of Effect of Fatty Acid Pairing
Authors: Norris Sarah E. , Mitchell Todd W. , Else Paul L.
Published: January 2012

Phospholipids where both fatty acids are polyunsaturated are very rare. Most organisms prefer to couple their polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with either a saturated (SAT) or a monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acid. This study examined if these natural couplings are there to protect PUFA from themselves. Specifically, does the coupling of PUFA to SAT or MUFA reduce the potential for increased rates of peroxidation by shrouding these highly peroxidisable fatty acids with less peroxidisable fatty acids? The influence of head group was examined by using the two most common phospholipids found in vertebrate membranes i.e. phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine species. Fatty acid pairings included 16:0/18:2 versus 18:2/18:2 and 16:0/22:6 versus 22:6/22:6. All phospholipids were incorporated into liposomes that were matched for their total PUFA content i.e. 25% PUFA/PUFA or 50% SAT/PUFA with phosphatidylcholine 16:0/16:0 used as the background phospholipid. An iron initiator (Fe2+/H2O2) was used to induce peroxidation and lipid hydroperoxide production was used to measure peroxidation. The results show that coupling of PUFA together on the same molecule does not increase peroxidation rates and therefore does not support the proposed hypothesis. The lower than expected levels of peroxidation measured for some phospholipid species (e.g. PtdEtn 22:6/22:6) is possibly due to the partitioning of these molecular species into the inner leaflet of the bilayer.
Three New Fatty Acid Esters from the Mushroom Boletus pseudocalopus
Authors: Kim Ki Hyun , Choi Sang Un , Lee Kang Ro
Published: January 2012

A bioassay‐guided fractionation and chemical investigation of a MeOH extract of the Korean wild mushroom Boletus pseudocalopus resulted in the identification of three new fatty acid esters, named calopusins A–C (1–3), along with two known fatty acid methyl esters (4–5). These new compounds are structurally unique fatty acid esters with a 2,3‐butanediol moiety. Their structures were elucidated through 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic data and GC–MS analysis as well as a modified Mosher's method. The new compounds 1–3 showed significant inhibitory activity against the proliferation of the tested cancer cell lines with IC50 values in the range 2.77–12.51 μM.
Potential of Jatropha curcas as a Biofuel, Animal Feed and Health Products
Authors: Nithiyanantham Srinivasan , Siddhuraju Perumal , Francis George
Published: January 2012

Jatropha curcas is a multipurpose plant with numerous attributes. It can potentially become one of the world's key energy crops. Its seed weighs 0.53–0.86 g and the seed kernel contains 22–27% protein and 57–63% lipid indicating good nutritional value. The seeds can produce crude vegetable oil that can be transformed into high quality biodiesel. Several methods for oil extraction have been developed. In all processes, about 75% of the weight of the seed remains as a press cake containing mainly carbohydrates, protein and residual oil and is a potential source of livestock feed. The highly toxic nature of whole as well as dehulled seed meal due to the presence of high levels of shells, toxic phorbol esters and other antinutrients prevents its use in animal diet. The genetic variation among accessions from different regions of the world and rich diversity among Mexican genotypes in terms of phorbol ester content and distinct molecular profiles indicates the potential for improvement of germplasm of Jatropha through breeding programs. The extracts of Jatropha display potent cytotoxic, antitumor, anti‐inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. The possibilities on the exploitation potential of this plant through various applications have been explored.
Effects of food pattern change and physical exercise on cafeteria diet-induced obesity in female rats
Authors: Goularte Jéferson F. , Ferreira Maria B. C. , Sanvitto Gilberto L.
Published: January 2012

Obesity affects a large number of people around the world and appears to be the result of changes in food intake, eating habits and physical activity levels. Changes in dietary patterns and physical exercise are therefore strongly recommended to treat obesity and its complications. The present study tested the hypothesis that obesity and metabolic changes produced by a cafeteria diet can be prevented with dietary changes and/or physical exercise. A total of fifty-six female Wistar rats underwent one of five treatments: chow diet; cafeteria diet; cafeteria diet followed by a chow diet; cafeteria diet plus exercise; cafeteria diet followed by a chow diet plus exercise. The duration of the experiment was 34 weeks. The cafeteria diet resulted in higher energy intake, weight gain, increased visceral adipose tissue and liver weight, and insulin resistance. The cafeteria diet followed by the chow diet resulted in energy intake, body weight, visceral adipose tissue and liver weight and insulin sensitivity equal to that of the controls. Exercise increased total energy intake at week 34, but produced no changes in the animals' body weight or adipose tissue mass. However, insulin sensitivity in animals subjected to exercise and the diet was similar to that of the controls. The present study found that exposure to palatable food caused obesity and insulin resistance and a diet change was sufficient to prevent cafeteria diet-induced obesity and to maintain insulin sensitivity at normal levels. In addition, exercise resulted in normal insulin sensitivity in obese rats. These results may help to develop new approaches for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Traditionally living populations in East Africa have a mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 115 nmol/l
Authors: Luxwolda Martine F. , Kuipers Remko S. , Kema Ido P. , Janneke Dijck-Brouwer D. A. , Muskiet Frits A. J.
Published: January 2012

Cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D by exposure to UVB is the principal source of vitamin D in the human body. Our current clothing habits and reduced time spent outdoors put us at risk of many insufficiency-related diseases that are associated with calcaemic and non-calcaemic functions of vitamin D. Populations with traditional lifestyles having lifelong, year-round exposure to tropical sunlight might provide us with information on optimal vitamin D status from an evolutionary perspective. We measured the sum of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D2and D3(25(OH)D) concentrations of thirty-five pastoral Maasai (34 (sd10) years, 43 % male) and twenty-five Hadzabe hunter–gatherers (35 (sd12) years, 84 % male) living in Tanzania. They have skin type VI, have a moderate degree of clothing, spend the major part of the day outdoors, but avoid direct exposure to sunlight when possible. Their 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography–MS/MS. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations of Maasai and Hadzabe were 119 (range 58–167) and 109 (range 71–171) nmol/l, respectively. These concentrations were not related to age, sex or BMI. People with traditional lifestyles, living in the cradle of mankind, have a mean circulating 25(OH)D concentration of 115 nmol/l. Whether this concentration is optimal under the conditions of the current Western lifestyle is uncertain, and should as a possible target be investigated with concomitant appreciation of other important factors in Ca homeostasis that we have changed since the agricultural revolution.
Xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) in combination with inulin modulates both the intestinal environment and immune status in healthy subjects, while XOS alone only shows prebiotic properties
Authors: Lecerf Jean-Michel , Dépeint Flore , Clerc Elise , Dugenet Yann , Niamba Claude N. , Rhazi Larbi , Cayzeele Amélie , Abdelnour Ghenwa , Jaruga Arnaud , Younes Hassan , Jacobs Heidi , Lambrey Guy , Abdelnour Afif M. , Pouillart Philippe R.
Published: January 2012

The purpose of the present study was to establish the prebiotic effect of a new xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) and of an inulin-and-XOS mixture (INU–XOS) and to determine their effect on endotoxaemia (lipopolysaccharides (LPS)) and immune parameters. In this randomised, parallel, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, sixty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to three groups, receiving either 5 g XOS, INU–XOS (3 g inulin +1 g XOS) or an equivalent weight of wheat maltodextrin (placebo) during 4 weeks. Faecal samples were collected to assess the effects of these products on microbiota, as well as SCFA composition, enzymatic activities and secretory IgA production. Circulating LPS was measured in plasma samples, and whole blood was incubated with LPS to measure cytokine expression. Consumption of XOS alone increased the faecal concentrations ofBifidobacteriumand butyrate and activities of α-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase, while decreasing the concentrations of acetate andp-cresol. Consumption of XOS in combination with inulin did not decrease the concentrations of acetate andp-cresol, but increased in addition the faecal concentrations of total SCFA and propionate. Furthermore, consumption of XOS in combination with inulin decreased LPS concentrations in blood and attenuated LPS-induced increases in gene expression in IL-1β and LPS-induced decreases in gene expression in IL-13 in blood. In conclusion, consumption of XOS alone or in combination with inulin results in beneficial albeit different changes in the intestinal microbiome on a high-fat diet. In addition, consumption of XOS in combination with inulin attenuates the proinflammatory effects of a high-fat diet in the blood of healthy subjects.
Adequacy of usual dietary intake and nutritional status among pregnant women in the context of nutrition transition: the DEPOSIT Study
Authors: Abu-Saad Kathleen , Shahar Danit R. , Fraser Drora , Vardi Hillel , Friger Michael , Bolotin Arkardy , Freedman Laurence S.
Published: January 2012

Bedouin Arabs in southern Israel are a traditionally semi-nomadic population undergoing the nutrition transition in a context of urbanisation. The effect of these changes on the nutritional status of pregnant women is unknown. The Dietary Exposures and Pregnancy Outcomes in a Society In Transition (DEPOSIT) study evaluated the adequacy of pregnant Bedouin women's usual dietary intake and their nutritional status. Dietary intake was assessed in a cross-sectional study design using repeat 24 h recall (24HR) questionnaires. The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate the usual intake of selected nutrients. The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) was used to evaluate nutrient intake adequacy. Measured weight and height data were used to calculate the participants' BMI. A total of 1109 24HR were obtained from 683 participants, of which 8 % contained no animal-source protein and an additional 43 % contained no haeme-Fe. Animal-source protein intake reached less than half of the EAR for most participants (71 %). Over 90 % had inadequate intakes of Ca, Fe, animal-source Zn, vitamin A and folate. The probability of consuming haeme-source Fe was higher among urban than rural participants (OR 1·68, 95 % CI 1·17, 2·41), and among those with employed v. unemployed husbands (OR 1·81, 95 % CI 1·27, 2·58). Only 14 % reported consuming home-produced animal products. According to pre-pregnancy BMI, 42 % were overweight or obese. The DEPOSIT study findings suggest that Bedouin Arab women are in need of interventions that address the co-existing problems of inadequate nutrient intakes and increased risk of obesity.
Human milk oligosaccharides reduceEntamoeba histolyticaattachment and cytotoxicityin vitro
Authors: Jantscher-Krenn Evelyn , Lauwaet Tineke , Bliss Laura A. , Reed Sharon L. , Gillin Frances D. , Bode Lars
Published: January 2012

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), complex sugars that are highly abundant in breast milk, block viral and bacterial attachment to the infant's intestinal epithelium and lower the risk of infections. We hypothesised that HMO also prevent infections with the protozoan parasiteEntamoeba histolytica,as its major virulence factor is a lectin that facilitates parasite attachment and cytotoxicity and binds galactose (Gal) andN-acetyl-galactosamine. HMO contain Gal, are only minimally digested in the small intestine and reach the colon, the site ofE. histolyticainfection. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether HMO reduceE. histolyticaattachment and cytotoxicity. Ourin vitroresults show that physiological concentrations of isolated, pooled HMO detachE. histolyticaby more than 80 %. In addition, HMO rescueE. histolytica-induced destruction of human intestinal epithelial HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The cytoprotective effects were structure-specific. Lacto-N-tetraose with its terminal Gal rescued up to 80 % of the HT-29 cells, while HMO with fucose α1–2-linked to the terminal Gal had no effect. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), which also contain terminal Gal and are currently added to infant formula to mimic some of the beneficial effects of HMO, completely abolishedE. histolyticaattachment and cytotoxicity at 8 mg/ml. Although our results need to be confirmedin vivo, they may provide one explanation for why breast-fed infants are at lower risk ofE. histolyticainfections. HMO and GOS are heat tolerant, stable, safe and in the case of GOS, inexpensive, which could make them valuable candidates as alternative preventive and therapeutic anti-amoebic agents.
Association of the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene variant (rs9939609) with dietary intake in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study
Authors: Lappalainen Tiina , Lindström Jaana , Paananen Jussi , Eriksson Johan G. , Karhunen Leila , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Uusitupa Matti
Published: January 2012

A cluster of variants in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene are associated with the common form of obesity. Well-documented dietary data are required for identifying how the genetic risk can be modified by dietary factors. The objective of the present study was to investigate the associations between the FTO risk allele (rs9939609) and dietary intake, and to evaluate how dietary intake affects the association between FTO and BMI in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study during a mean follow-up of 3·2 years. A total of 479 (BMI >25 kg/m2) men and women were genotyped for rs9939609. The participants completed a 3 d food record at baseline and before every annual study visit. The average intakes at baseline and during the years 1, 2 and 3 were calculated. At baseline, the FTO variant rs9939609 was not associated with the mean values of total energy intake, macronutrients or fibre. At baseline, a higher BMI by the FTO risk genotype was detected especially in those who reported a diet high in fat with mean BMI of 30·6 (sd 4·1), 31·3 (sd 4·6) and 34·5 (sd 6·2) kg/m2 for TT, TA and AA carriers, respectively (P =0·005). Higher BMI was also observed in those who had a diet low in carbohydrates (P =0·028) and fibre (P =0·015). However, in the analyses adjusted for total energy intake, age and sex, significant interactions between FTO and dietary intakes were not found. These findings suggest that the association between the FTO genotype and obesity is influenced by the components of dietary intake, and the current dietary recommendations are particularly beneficial for those who are genetically susceptible for obesity.
Anna Tsing. Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connections. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2005.
Authors: West Paige
Published: January 2012

In Friction, Anna Tsing uses logging practices and timber consumption, environmental activisms and ideas about nature, local loss of livelihood and local despair over the loss of forest-as-life (as opposed to forest-as-resources), and Indonesian nation-making through business practices and international investment as her entry points for a richly argued and ethnographically nuanced analysis of the social processes by which the spatial, discursive, and metaphoric sites that have come to be known as the ‘local’ and the ‘global’ are made by each other. Her ethnographic contribution is her ability to demonstrate multiple experiences of events—from Meratus Dayak elders to Indonesian environmentalists, from Indonesian businessmen to consumers in an IKEA, from the Korean Development Company to Freeport McMoRan—which each person and institution understands and narrates differently. Indeed, Tsing shows that these people and institutions understand events and misunderstand each other in profound ways, but that the misunderstandings are productive, creating the social fact that is the Indonesian forest.
Vodec: A fast Voronoi algorithm for car-like robot path planning in dynamic scenarios
Authors: López García Diego A. , Gomez-Bravo Fernando
Published: January 2012

Traditionally, robot motion planners use Voronoi Diagrams for generating admissible paths that connect an initial with a final configuration. When dynamic scenarios are involved, these techniques imply a heavy computational cost. The novelty of the technique presented here is that it can provide fast and particularly suitable routes without considering the full scenario if environmental changes appear. The new method is designed to work with a post-process technique in order to provide admissible paths for car-like robots coping with kinematic constraints. This new approach is capable of supplying continuous paths and also elaborate maneuvers if cluttered environments are involved.
Exploring the plutonic-volcanic link: a zircon U-Pb, Lu-Hf and O isotope study of paired volcanic and granitic units from southeastern Australia
Authors: Kemp A.I.S. , Hawkesworth C.J. , Paterson B.A. , Foster G.L. , Kinny P.D. , Whitehouse M.J. , Maas R. , EIMF
Published: January 2012

The relationship between plutonic and volcanic rocks is central to understanding the geochemical evolution of silicic magma systems, but it is clouded by ambiguities associated with unravelling the plutonie record. Here we report an integrated U-Pb, O and Lu-Hf isotope study of zircons from three putative granitic-volcanic rock pairs from the Lachlan Fold Belt, southeastern Australia, to explore the connection between the intrusive and extrusive realms. The data reveal contrasting petrogenetic scenarios for the S- and I-type pairs. The zircon Hf-O isotope systematics in an 1-type dacite are very similar to those of their plutonie counterpart, supporting an essentially co-magmatic relationship between these units. The elevated δ18O of zircons in these I-type rocks confirm a significant supracrustal source component. The S-type volcanic rocks are not the simple erupted equivalents of the granites, although the extrusive and plutonie units can be related by open-system magmatic evolution. Zircons in the S-type rocks define covariant εΗf—βO arrays that attest to mixing or assimilation processes between two components, one being the Ordovician metasedimentary country rocks, the other either an I-type magma or a mantle-derived magma. The data are consistent with models involving incremental melt extraction from relatively juvenile magmas undergoing open-system differentiation at depth, followed by crystal-liquid mixing upon emplacement in shallow magma reservoirs, or upon eruption. The latter juxtaposes crystals with markedly different petrogenetic histories and determines whole-rock geochemical and textural properties. This scenario can explain the puzzling decoupling between the bulk rock isotope and geochemical compositions commonly observed for granite suites.
INCIDENCE-BASED COST-OF-ILLNESS MODEL FOR METASTATIC BREAST CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Sorensen Sonja V. , Goh Jo Wern , Pan Feng , Chen Connie , Yardley Denise , Martín Miguel , Knopf Kevin , Benedict Ágnes , Giorgetti Carla , Iyer Shrividya
Published: January 2012

Objectives:This study aims to estimate the annual U.S. societal costs associated with treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients using an incidence-based cost-of-illness (COI) framework.

Methods:An incidence-based COI model was constructed in which MBC patients were simulated from diagnosis through active treatment, palliative care, and death over 5 years. Key model parameters included: annual incidence of breast cancer in the metastatic stage, utilization of cancer therapies and other medical care resources, treatment-related adverse events, unit costs, work days missed by patient and caregiver, and wage rates. Overall survival was based on SEER data and costs were assigned to living patients monthly, according to their disease management phase. The outcomes measures were total discounted societal costs, cost/year, and cost/patient-year.

Results:The annual incidence of MBC in the United States in 2007 was estimated to be 49,674 patients (de novoand progressed from earlier stages). The total discounted cost to society attributable to MBC was $12.2 billion for the incident cohort, or $98,571 per patient-year. The 5-year direct medical cost of this incident cohort was $9.3 billion, or $75,415 per patient-year. Treatment-related costs (active treatment, toxicity management, and medical follow-up) contributed 44 percent of MBC expenditure, followed by palliative/best supportive care costs (31 percent). Lost productivity accounted for approximately 21 percent of the total cost ($2.6 billion over 5 years or $21,153 per patient-year).

Conclusions:The societal burden of MBC in the United States is substantial. Earlier detection and effective treatment could lead to a significant decrease in costs while improving overall disease prognosis.
COST EFFECTIVENESS OF PEER SUPPORT FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES
Authors: Gillespie Paddy , O'Shea Eamon , Paul Gillian , O'Dowd Tom , Smith Susan M.
Published: January 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the cost-effectiveness of a group-based peer support intervention in general practice for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:Incremental cost utility analysis combining within trial and beyond trial components to compare the lifetime costs and benefits of alternative strategies:Control:standardized diabetes care;Intervention:group-based peer support in addition to standardized diabetes care. Within trial analysis was based on a cluster randomized controlled trial of 395 patients with type 2 diabetes in the east of Ireland. Beyond trial analysis was conducted using the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) Outcomes Model. Uncertainty was explored using a range of sensitivity analyses and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were generated.

Results: Compared with the control strategy, the intervention was associated with an increase of 0.09 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], −0.05 to 0.25) in mean quality-adjusted life-years per patient and savings of €637.43 (95 percent CI, −2455.19 to 1125.45) in mean healthcare cost per patient and €623.39 (95 percent CI, −2507.98 to 1298.49) in mean total cost per patient respectively. The likelihood of the intervention being cost-effective was appreciably higher than 80 percent for a range of potential willingness-to-pay cost-effectiveness thresholds.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that while a group-based peer support intervention shows a trend toward improved risk factor management, we found no significant differences in final cost or effectiveness endpoints between intervention and control. The probabilistic results suggest that the intervention was more cost-effective, with probability values of higher than 80 percent across a range of potential cost-effectiveness threshold values.
Level of Recall, Retrieval Speed, and Variability on the Cued-Recall Retrieval Speed Task (CRRST) in Individuals with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Ramratan Wendy S. , Rabin Laura A. , Wang Cuiling , Zimmerman Molly E. , Katz Mindy J. , Lipton Richard B. , Buschke Herman
Published: January 2012

Individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) show deficits on traditional episodic memory tasks and reductions in speed of performance on reaction time tasks. We present results on a novel task, the Cued-Recall Retrieval Speed Task (CRRST), designed to simultaneously measure level and speed of retrieval. A total of 390 older adults (mean age, 80.2 years), learned 16 words based on corresponding categorical cues. In the retrieval phase, we measured accuracy (% correct) and retrieval speed/reaction time (RT; time from cue presentation to voice onset of a correct response) across 6 trials. Compared to healthy elderly adults (HEA, n = 303), those with aMCI (n = 87) exhibited poorer performance in retrieval speed (difference = −0.13; p < .0001) and accuracy on the first trial (difference = −0.19; p < .0001), and their rate of improvement in retrieval speed was slower over subsequent trials. Those with aMCI also had greater within-person variability in processing speed (variance ratio = 1.22; p = .0098) and greater between-person variability in accuracy (variance ratio = 2.08; p = .0001) relative to HEA. Results are discussed in relation to the possibility that computer-based measures of cued-learning and processing speed variability may facilitate early detection of dementia in at-risk older adults. (JINS, 2012, 18, 260–268)
Preclinical Cognitive Trajectories Differ for Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia
Authors: Laukka Erika J. , MacDonald Stuart W.S. , Fratiglioni Laura , Bäckman Lars
Published: January 2012

We investigated differences between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) from the appearance of the first cognitive symptoms, focusing on both time of onset and rate of accelerated decline for different cognitive functions before dementia diagnosis. Data from a longitudinal population-based study were used, including 914 participants (mean age = 82.0 years,SD= 5.0) tested with a cognitive battery (word recall and recognition, Block Design, category fluency, clock reading) on up to four occasions spanning 10 years. We fit a series of linear mixed effects models with a change point to the cognitive data, contrasting each dementia group to a control group. Significant age-related decline was observed for all five cognitive tasks. Relative to time of diagnosis, the preclinical AD persons deviated from the normal aging curve earlier (up to 9 years) compared to the preclinical VaD persons (up to 6 years). However, once the preclinical VaD persons started to decline, they deteriorated at a faster rate than the preclinical AD persons. The results have important implications for identifying the two dementia disorders at an early stage and for selecting cognitive tasks to evaluate treatment effects for persons at risk of developing AD and VaD. (JINS, 2012,18, 191–199)
Clinical Measures of Prospective Memory in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Delprado Jacinta , Kinsella Glynda , Ong Ben , Pike Kerryn , Ames David , Storey Elsdon , Saling Michael , Clare Linda , Mullaly Elizabeth , Rand Elizabeth
Published: January 2012

Recent research has established that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have impaired prospective memory (PM); however, findings regarding differential deficits on time-based versus event-based PM have been less clear. Furthermore, the diagnostic utility of PM measures has received scant attention. Healthy older adults (n = 84) and individuals with aMCI (n = 84) were compared on the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT) and two single-trial event-based PM tasks. The aMCI participants showed global impairment on all PM measures. Measures of retrospective memory and complex attention predicted both time and event PM performance for the aMCI group. Each of the PM measures was useful for discriminating aMCI from healthy older adults and the time- and event-based scales of the CAMPROMPT were equivalent in their discriminative ability. Surprisingly, the brief PM tasks were as good as more comprehensive measures of PM (CAMPROMPT) at predicting aMCI. Results indicate that single-trial PM measures, easily integrated into clinical practice, may be useful screening tools for identifying aMCI. As PM requires retrospective memory skills along with complex attention and executive skills, the interaction between these skills may explain the global PM deficits in aMCI and the good discriminative ability of PM for diagnosing aMCI. (JINS, 2012, 18, 295–304)
Discerning Temporal Expectancy Effects in Script Processing: Evidence from Pupillary and Eye Movement Recordings
Authors: Landgraf Steffen , Raisig Susanne , van der Meer Elke
Published: January 2012

Accessing the temporal position of events (early or late in the event sequence) can influence the generation of predictions about upcoming events. However, it is unclear how the temporal position is processed strategically. To investigate this, we presented event pairs to 23 healthy volunteers manipulating temporal order (chronological, inverse) and temporal position (early, late). Pupil dilation, eye movements, and behavioral data, showed that chronological and early event pairs are processed with more ease than inverse and late event pairs. Indexed by the pupillary response late events and inversely presented event pairs elicited greater cognitive processing demands than early events and chronologically presented event pairs. Regarding eye movements, fixation duration was less sensitive to temporal position than to temporal order. Looking at each item of the event sequence only once was behaviorally more effective than looking multiple times at each event regardless of whether temporal position or temporal order was processed. These results emphasize that accessing temporal position and temporal order information results in dissociable behavioral patterns. While more cognitive resources are necessary for processing late and inverse items, change of information acquisition strategies turns out to be most effective when temporal order processing is required. (JINS, 2012,18, 351–360)
SHOULD THE CENTRAL BANK BE CONCERNED ABOUT HOUSING PRICES?
Authors: Jeske Karsten , Liu Zheng
Published: January 2012

Housing is an important component of the consumption basket. Because both rental prices and goods prices are sticky, the literature suggests that optimal monetary policy should stabilize both types of prices, with the optimal weight on rental inflation proportional to the housing expenditure share. In a two-sector DSGE model with sticky rental prices and goods prices, however, we find that the optimal weight on rental inflation in the Taylor rule is small—much smaller than that implied by the housing expenditure share. We show that the asymmetry in policy responses to rent inflation versus goods inflation stems from the asymmetry in factor intensity between the two sectors.
Microstructural Characterization of Next Generation Nuclear Graphites
Authors: Karthik Chinnathambi , Kane Joshua , Butt Darryl P. , Windes William E. , Ubic Rick
Published: January 2012

This article reports the microstructural characteristics of various petroleum and pitch based nuclear graphites (IG-110, NBG-18, and PCEA) that are of interest to the next generation nuclear plant program. Bright-field transmission electron microscopy imaging was used to identify and understand the different features constituting the microstructure of nuclear graphite such as the filler particles, microcracks, binder phase, rosette-shaped quinoline insoluble (QI) particles, chaotic structures, and turbostratic graphite phase. The dimensions of microcracks were found to vary from a few nanometers to tens of microns. Furthermore, the microcracks were found to be filled with amorphous carbon of unknown origin. The pitch coke based graphite (NBG-18) was found to contain higher concentration of binder phase constituting QI particles as well as chaotic structures. The turbostratic graphite, present in all of the grades, was identified through their elliptical diffraction patterns. The difference in the microstructure has been analyzed in view of their processing conditions.
Practitioners' Constructions of Parent Abuse
Authors: Nixon Judy
Published: January 2012

Drawing on data collected as part of a qualitative study on parent abuse, this article explores how child to parent violence is constructed by professionals working within the three related domains of youth justice, domestic violence and child protection. The article, a discussion piece, charts the continuities and contradictions contained within practitioners’ understandings of this form of family violence, focusing on how the problem emerges, the causal explanations employed and their impact on practice responses.
Hängen Diagnostische Kompetenz und Beratungskompetenz von Lehrkräften zusammen?
Authors: Klug Julia , Bruder Simone , Keller Sylvana , Schmitz Bernhard
Published: January 2012

Zusammenfassung. Diagnostizieren des Lernverhaltens von Schülern und Beraten von Schülern und Eltern sind zentrale Aufgaben des Lehrerberufes. Im Modell der Beratungskompetenz von Lehrkräften von Bruder (2011) bildet Diagnostizieren eine zentrale Kompetenzdimension. Genauso spielt Beraten im Prozessmodell der Diagnostischen Kompetenz ( Klug, Bruder & Schmitz, 2010 ) eine zentrale Rolle. Die Diagnose kann in Form eines Beratungsgespräches rückgemeldet werden. Allerdings wurde die Beziehung zwischen beiden Kompetenzen bisher noch nicht empirisch untersucht. An einer Stichprobe von N = 293 Versuchspersonen (n = 93 Lehramtsstudierende, n = 107 Lehrkräfte im Vorbereitungsdienst, n = 93 Lehrkräfte der gymnasialen Mittelstufe), deren Diagnostische Kompetenz und Beratungskompetenz mittels Fallszenarien erhoben wurde, war es nun möglich, diesen Zusammenhang korrelativ zu prüfen. Es konnte ein statistisch signifikanter Zusammenhang der Kompetenzen sowohl auf Ebene der Gesamtscores (r = .21, p < .01) als auch für wichtige Indikatoren (z.B. Wissen über Diagnostik mit Wissen über Beratung r = .23, p < .01) nachgewiesen werden. In einer latenten Regression ließ sich die Beratungskompetenz durch die Diagnostische Kompetenz signifikant vorhersagen (β = .38, p < .01). Regressionsanalysen getrennt für die 3 untersuchten Teilgruppen zeigen, dass ein Zusammenhang nur für die Gruppe der Lehrkräfte besteht. Wenngleich durch die korrelativen Analysen kein Kausalzusammenhang nachgewiesen werden kann, ist doch anzunehmen, dass eine gründliche Diagnostik einem guten Beratungsgespräch zeitlich vorausgeht, so dass der postulierte Zusammenhang zwischen Diagnostischer Kompetenz und Beratungskompetenz nun auch empirisch gezeigt werden konnte.
Lernstrategische Teilkompetenzen für das selbstregulierte Lernen aus Sachtexten
Authors: Schütte Melanie , Wirth Joachim , Leutner Detlev
Published: January 2012

Zusammenfassung. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit den lernstrategischen Teilkompetenzen Auswahl geeigneter Lernstrategien und Anwendung von Lernstrategien beim selbstregulierten Lernen aus Sachtexten, ihrer spontanen Nutzung sowie ihrem Zusammenhang mit Lernerfolg. In diesem Rahmen sollen neue Verfahren zur separaten Erfassung der Teilkompetenzen evaluiert werden und es soll überprüft werden, inwiefern die separate Erfassung der verschiedenen Teilkompetenzen zur Identifikation lernstrategischer Defizite (z.B. Produktionsdefizit) genutzt werden kann. An der Untersuchung nahmen 559 Gymnasiasten der 9. Jahrgangsstufe teil mit einem Anteil von 52.1% Schülerinnen. Das durchschnittliche Alter betrug 14.92 Jahre (SD = 0.52). Die Schüler/innen erhielten einen anspruchsvollen naturwissenschaftlichen Sachtext mit der Aufgabe, seine Inhalte in Einzelarbeit zu lernen. Für eine Zufallsstichprobe von 103 Schüler/innen wurde erfasst, inwieweit bei der Bearbeitung des Sachtextes spontan Lernstrategien genutzt wurden. Zusätzlich wurden die beiden lernstrategischen Teilkompetenzen Auswahl von Lernstrategien und Anwendung von Lernstrategien (erfasst über die Teilkompetenzen Anwendung der Textmarkierungsstrategie und Anwendung der Concept-Mapping-Strategie) erhoben. Neben dem Vorwissen erwiesen sich die Teilkompetenzen Anwendung der Textmarkierungsstrategie und Aktivieren des Lernstrategiewissens im Rahmen einer multiplen Regressionsanalyse als prädiktiv für Lernerfolg. Darüber hinaus konnte beispielhaft für die Textmarkierungsstrategie gezeigt werden, dass sich die separate Erfassung der verschiedenen Teilkompetenzen, unter Einbezug der spontanen Strategienutzung, zur Identifikation gängiger lernstrategischer Defizite eignet.
Analytische und dynamische Problemlösekompetenz im Lichte internationaler Schulleistungsvergleichsstudien
Authors: Leutner Detlev , Fleischer Jens , Wirth Joachim , Greiff Samuel , Funke Joachim
Published: January 2012

Zusammenfassung. Der Aufbau von Problemlösekompetenz ist einerseits Ziel schulischen Lernens, andererseits Voraussetzung für erfolgreiches weiteres Lernen. Die PISA-Studie 2003 erbrachte überraschende Befunde: Schülerinnen und Schüler in Deutschland scheinen über kognitives Potenzial zu verfügen, das beim Lösen fächerübergreifender Problemstellungen sichtbar wird, in den Schulen aber nicht hinreichend genutzt wird, um fachliche Kompetenzen aufzubauen. Zur Prüfung dieser Potenzialausschöpfungshypothese bedarf es einer Analyse der kognitiven Anforderungen der PISA-Aufgaben und Studien zur Modellierung der zu ihrer Lösung erforderlichen Kompetenzen bzw. Kompetenzstrukturen. Es werden zwei Studien zum Lösen analytischer und dynamischer Probleme berichtet, deren Ergebnisse für beide Kompetenzbereiche eine dreidimensionale Kompetenzstruktur nahe legen. Substanzielle Korrelationen der einzelnen Dimensionen, insbesondere mit mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Kompetenzen, lassen darüber hinaus erwarten, dass gezielte Maßnahmen zur Förderung einzelner Kompetenzdimensionen auf die Entwicklung dieser fachlichen Kompetenzen transferieren.
Konstruktvalidierung und Skalenbeschreibung in der Kompetenzdiagnostik durch die Vorhersage von Aufgabenschwierigkeiten
Authors: Hartig Johannes , Frey Andreas
Published: January 2012

Zusammenfassung. Kompetenzkonstrukte in der empirischen Bildungsforschung werden in der Regel auf kontinuierlichen Skalen abgebildet. Bei der Verwendung von Messmodellen der Item-Response-Theorie (IRT) kann auf Basis der gemeinsamen Metrik für individuelle Kompetenzausprägungen und Itemschwierigkeiten eine kriteriumsorientierte Testwertbeschreibung vorgenommen werden. Da die gemessene Kompetenz hierbei bezogen auf Itemschwierigkeiten beschrieben wird, ist es von großem Interesse, warum bestimmte Items empirisch schwieriger sind als andere. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt zunächst den generellen Nutzen der Vorhersage von Itemschwierigkeiten dar. Dieser besteht (1) in der Prüfung von Hypothesen über die gemessene Kompetenz im Sinne einer Konstruktvalidierung, (2) in der Fundierung einer kriteriumsorientierten Skaleninterpretation und (3) in der Steuerung und Optimierung der Itemkonstruktion. Die IRT-basierte Vorhersage von Itemschwierigkeiten wird auf Basis von Daten aus dem DFG-Schwerpunktprogramm-Projekt zur Kompetenzmodellierung in Englisch als Fremdsprache illustriert (N = 9409). Für den Bereich Leseverstehen in Englisch als Fremdsprache kann gezeigt werden, dass sowohl die sprachlichen Anforderungen des Textes als auch die Anforderungen hinsichtlich der Informationsverarbeitung für das Konstrukt bedeutsam sind.