bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethical issues in consenting vulnerable patients for neuroscience research
Authors: Labuzetta Jamie N , Burnstein Rowan , Pickard John
Published: January 2010

Many subjects cannot give fully informed consent to take part in research by virtue of age or mental capacity. However, it is unacceptable to deny these patients involvement in research by virtue of a lack of capacity to consent to such research. Further, this would hinder the advancement of medical science and technologies that might ultimately benefit these patients. Conversely, it is as unacceptable to discriminate against these patients and their condition as it is to exploit them or expose them to undue risk. Neuroscientific research raises a number of specific ethical issues in this patient population, in particular issues of consent, potential benefits of research, management of incidental findings and the assignment of appropriate controls. This paper examines the dilemmas that surround such ethical issues, and demonstrates that various procedures including informed consent, deferred consent and consent by proxy can be used to consent patients in both the standard medical and research arenas. Researchers, clinicians and regulatory authorities must work together to understand the benefits, limitations, risks and obligations of any research study involving these patients in order to advance medical care.
Multiple ‘hits’ during postnatal and early adulthood periods disrupt the normal development of sensorimotor gating ability in rats
Authors: Chen Jing , Wang Zucheng , Li Ming
Published: January 2010

In the present study, we evaluated a multiple-hit animal model of schizophrenia in an attempt to capture the complex interactions among various adverse developmental factors in schizophrenia. Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned to receive either repeated daily 3-h maternal separation for eight days (first ‘hit’) on postnatal days (PND) 3 to 10, and/or avoidance conditioning for six days (second ‘hit’) on PND 49–56, and/or repeated phencyclidine treatment (third ‘hit’, 3.0 mg/kg, sc) immediately after each daily avoidance conditioning. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle reflex was assessed at late adolescence (PND 41–43) and early adulthood (PND 62–63). The change in %PPI from the adolescence phase to adulthood phase was used to index the maturation-related improvement of sensorimotor gating ability. Maternal separation, avoidance conditioning and PCP treatment had a complex three-way interaction on the functional improvement of sensorimotor gating. Maternal separation impaired PPI improvement preferentially in the saline rats that were not subjected to avoidance conditioning. Avoidance conditioning had no effect on PPI improvement in the non-maternally separated rats, but restored the maternal separation-induced disruption. However, this restoration effect was abolished by PCP treatment. The present study also identified a number of behavioral, emotional and learning abnormalities caused by these three developmental insults which may precede their interactive disruption of normal development of sensorimotor gating ability.
Autonomic dysregulation and the Window of Tolerance model of the effects of complex emotional trauma
Authors: Corrigan FM , Fisher JJ , Nutt DJ
Published: January 2010

This paper reviews the Window of Tolerance model of the long-term effects of the severe emotional trauma associated with childhood abuse, a model which can also be applied to adult trauma of sufficient severity to cause post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic dysthymic disorders and chronic anxiety disorders. Dysfunctional behaviours such as deliberate self-harm and substance abuse are seen as efforts to regulate an autonomic nervous system which is readily triggered into extreme states by reminders of the original traumatic events. While midbrain areas such as the periaqueductal gray mediate instant defence responses to traumatic events and their memory triggers it is proposed that ascending monoaminergic tracts are implicated in longer-term changes in mood and arousal. An imbalance of ascending dopaminergic tracts may drive rapid fluctuations in level of arousal and in the associated mood, drive and motivation. Animal models of depression frequently use traumatic experiences of pain, isolation or social defeat to induce changes in mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine systems which may alter prefrontal cortical control of midbrain defence responses. A focus on the pharmacology of the Window of Tolerance could provide advances in drug treatments for promoting emotional regulation in those who are suffering from the chronic sequelae of traumatic experiences.
Understanding sediment transfer and morphological change for managing upland gravel-bed rivers
Authors: Raven Emma K. , Lane Stuart N. , Bracken Louise J.
Published: January 2010

Upland river systems constantly evolve in response to a wide range of complex and interlinked processes. These include internal factors such as the discharge, sediment supply and transfer, and the role of the channel boundary. All are influenced by external catchment-scale factors including climate and land use. Managing these systems to reduce flood risk, prevent bank erosion and preserve habitats is typically carried out without sufficient consideration of the complex interrelationships governing the fluvial system. This is partly due to a lack of broad-scale thinking and partly due to the intensive field-based data collection required to inform the processes. As such, decisions are often ill-informed, becoming unsuccessful or simply shifting the problems elsewhere in the system. Furthermore, the continually changing nature of rivers makes management more challenging as an implemented scheme is highly unlikely to remain effective in the long term. While upland catchment hydrology and the implications of climate and land-use change have received much attention in recent decades, in-channel interactions between sediment transfer and morphological change have been relatively neglected. These interactions are fundamental to flood risk, lateral channel adjustment, and habitat and ecology; thus, they require a more concentrated research effort. Central to this is a more holistic approach to catchment operations and a greater understanding of the links between the in-channel dynamics and broader catchment changes.
Idealized SST anomaly regional climate model experiments: A note of caution
Authors: Williams C.J.R. , Kniveton D.R. , Layberry R.
Published: January 2010

To date, a number of studies have focused on the influence of sea surface temperature (SST) on global and regional rainfall variability, with the majority of these focusing on certain ocean basins — eg, the Pacific, North Atlantic and Indian Ocean. In contrast, relatively less work has been done on the influence of the central South Atlantic, particularly in relation to rainfall over southern Africa. Previous work by the authors, using reanalysis data and general circulation model (GCM) experiments, has suggested that cold SST anomalies in the central southern Atlantic Ocean are linked to an increase in rainfall extremes across southern Africa. In this paper we present results from idealized regional climate model (RCM) experiments forced with both positive and negative SST anomalies in the southern Atlantic Ocean. These experiments reveal an unexpected response of rainfall over southern Africa. In particular, it was found that SST anomalies of opposite sign can cause similar rainfall responses in the model experiments, with isolated increases in rainfall over central southern Africa as well as a large region of drying over the Mozambique Channel. The purpose of this paper is to highlight this finding and explore explanations for the behaviour of the climate model. It is suggested that the observed changes in rainfall might result from the redistribution of energy (associated with upper-level changes to Rossby waves) or, of more concern, model error, and therefore the paper concludes that the results of idealized regional climate models forced with SST anomalies should be viewed cautiously.
Clinical Outcomes after Microfracture of the Glenohumeral Joint
Authors: Frank Rachel M. , Van Thiel Geoffrey S. , Slabaugh Mark A. , Romeo Anthony A. , Cole Brian J. , Verma Nikhil N.
Published: January 2010

Background

Microfracture is an effective surgical treatment for isolated, full-thickness cartilage defects with current data focused on applications in the knee. No studies describing clinical outcomes of patients who have undergone microfracture in the shoulder joint have been reported.

Hypothesis

Treatment of glenohumeral joint articular defects using microfracture would demonstrate similar short-term clinical outcomes when compared with other joints.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

From March 2001 to August 2007, 16 patients (17 shoulders) who underwent arthroscopic microfracture of the humeral head and/or glenoid surface were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were examined by an independent, blinded examiner and completed surveys containing the Simple Shoulder Test (SST), American Shoulder and Elbow Score (ASES), and visual analog scale (VAS).

Results

Two patients were lost to follow-up, for a follow-up rate of 88%. Three patients went on to subsequent shoulder surgery and were considered to have failed results. The mean age was 37.0 years (range, 18-55 years) with an average follow-up of 27.8 months (range, 12.1-89.2 months). The average size of humeral and glenoid defects was 5.07 cm2 (range, 1.0-7.84 cm2) and 1.66 cm2 (range, 0.4-3.75 cm2), respectively. There was a statistically significant decrease from 5.6 ± 1.7 to 1.9 ± 1.4 (P < .01) in VAS after surgery as well as statistically significant improvements (P < .01) in SST (5.7 ± 2.1 to 10.3 ± 1.3) and ASES (44.3 ± 15.3 to 86.3 ± 10.5). Twelve (92.3%) patients claimed they would have the procedure again.

Conclusion

Microfracture of the glenohumeral joint provides a significant improvement in pain relief and shoulder function in patients with isolated, full-thickness chondral injuries. Longer term studies are required to determine if similar results are maintained over time.
The Polish Home Army and the Politics of Memory
Authors: Waśkiewicz Andrzej
Published: January 2010

Politics of memory makes use as well as abuse of history. As any kind of politics, politics of memory are not guided by truth—they are guided by utility in a broad sense of the term. Truth and utility may coincide, and yet they are not close friends at all. Politics are, as the political scientists say, an open-ended game, and so they are politics of memory. They do not deprive people of the freedom of thinking any more than politics sensu stricto deprive them of freedom of behaviour. Some politics of memory are necessary for uniting people as fellow citizens. The point is that these particular ones the author is referring to in this article were bad politics; they divided, not united. The present article outlines the history of how the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa) and particularly the Warsaw Rising of 1944 have been treated and mistreated in the legitimising myths of the regime imposed on Poland in 1945, in the political system the Poles freely elected in 1989, and in the propaganda of the so-called Fourth Republic of Poland in 2005—7. The author intends to show how this controversial wartime event has been entangled in the politics of memory and why its exploitation for political purposes has turned it into a black-and-white picture that has stifled more balanced and less passionate opinions on its meaning and significance.
Work Hope and Influences of the Career Development Among Ukrainian College Students
Authors: Yakushko Oksana , Sokolova Olga
Published: January 2010

This exploratory study focused on the career development experiences of college-age students in Ukraine, a country that is experiencing tremendous social, political, demographic, and economic transitions. The tentative hypotheses included examination of relationships among work hope attitudes, self-esteem, and career development influences in a sample of 312 Ukrainian college students. Greater work hope attitudes were found in those students who reported relying on their own selves in their career choice in contrast to those who relied on their parents or other sources. Self-esteem was positively related to work hope attitudes as well as students’ beliefs in the importance of education and skills in obtaining work. Suggestions for future research, theory, and practice with this population are provided.
Asian Indian College Students’ Science and Math Preferences: Influences of Cultural Contexts
Authors: Roysircar Gargi , Carey John , Koroma Sorie
Published: January 2010

Cultural, immigrant, and prejudicial contexts influence minority students’ preferences for college majors and their subsequent career development. Participants were Asian Indian immigrant college students as well as their parents. The early first-generation and late first-generation students were similar to each other in their major preferences; however, both groups had significantly greater preferences for science and math majors than the second-generation students. Parents’ perceived prejudice and preferences for science and math contributed significantly to their second-generation children’s preferences for science and math. Even though second-generation children preferred nonscience majors more than their first-generation parents, the majority reported that their actual majors were in science and math.
Academic Performance in African American Undergraduates: Effects of Cultural Mistrust, Educational Value, and Achievement Motivation
Authors: Caldwell Taisha , Obasi Ezemenari M.
Published: January 2010

The current study examined achievement motivation, the value of education, cultural mistrust, and academic performance in 202 African American college students attending both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Results using hierarchical multiple regression established that the three predictor model accounts for 42.1% of the variance in academic performance. Additionally, the results indicated that a student’s value of education moderates the relationship between achievement motivation and academic performance. Implications for educators, administrators, and career counselors are presented.
Exploring the Educational and Career Plans of Urban Minority Students in a Dual Enrollment Program
Authors: Medvide Mary Beth , Blustein David L.
Published: January 2010

This qualitative study examined the educational and career plans of a sample of urban minority high school students who voluntarily participated in a dual enrollment program at a private, technology-based community college in a metropolitan center in the northeastern United States. This program allows students to take college courses in science, technology, and mathematics while still enrolled in high school. Seven female students and five male students in the program were interviewed using consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology. In response to the interview protocol, the participants tended to discuss the role of career planning, self-knowledge, school engagement, and motivation as key factors in their experience of the dual enrollment program. The success of this program and the personal characteristics of the students interviewed provided valuable insight into avenues for educational and career interventions.
Recovery and Wellness Amidst Schizophrenia: Definitions, Evidence, and the Implications for Clinical Practice
Authors: Lysaker Paul H. , Roe David , Buck Kelly D.
Published: January 2010

Emerging evidence from longitudinal studies has suggested that many with schizophrenia can meaningfully recover over time. Recovery, though, is not a uniform process but varies from person to person and can involve a range of different experiences including the attainment of psychosocial milestones, the remission of symptoms, and changes in self-experience or personal narrative. To address the issue of recovery from schizophrenia, this article reviews currently evolving definitions of recovery and possible ways to understand recovery as involving both an objective and two subjective dimensions. Emerging operational definitions are explored and then empirical research is reviewed regarding actual rates and forms of recovery. It is concluded that although many with schizophrenia experience significant challenges linked with illness over time, more people than not experience meaningful periods of relative wellness. Implications for how daily practice can reinforce and promote recovery are discussed.
Successful Change in Tobacco Use in Schizophrenia
Authors: Goldberg Joel O.
Published: January 2010

The high rates of tobacco use among individuals with schizophrenia are well documented, but there has been less attention paid to identifying what are the special needs for this population. In fact, there have even been suggestions from early work that standard interventions and approaches might be adequate. In contrast, based on more than a decade of experience supporting change smoking behavior among people with schizophrenia, three key factors were identified as unique considerations that are associated with success. The first factor involves readiness to change; smokers with schizophrenia are rarely given opportunities to even try to quit unlike their counterparts in the general population and therefore have not benefited from the self-efficacy aspects of attempt experiences. The second factor is medication and symptom monitoring; there are special needs for nurses and medical staff to monitor symptoms (including schizophrenia symptoms and mood symptoms), medication dosage and side-effects, during the period when individuals with schizophrenia are changing (reducing) their tobacco use, particularly when nicotine replacement therapy is being implemented. Finally, the third factor is peer and caregiver support; the use of peer assistants in group-based programs and the teaching of nurses and other professional casegivers as well as family members about their role as supports can make an important difference in tipping the balance toward successful change and toward maintenance of change over time.
Trauma sepsis
Authors: Thornhill Robert , Strong Dan , Vasanth Suresh , Mackenzie Iain
Published: January 2010

Sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the trauma patient. Sepsis following traumatic injury is related to the type of injury, together with the extent of injury and the anatomical location. Burn injuries are associated with the highest risk of sepsis. The diagnosis of sepsis in the trauma patient remains difficult. Interpretation of abnormal results is key to successful diagnosis, particularly in conjunction with clinical findings. This review will consider the specific features of sepsis in the context of trauma relating to epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and management.
Comparing Lecturer and Student Accounts of Reading in the Humanities
Authors: Weller Saranne
Published: January 2010

This article reports the outcomes of an exploratory small-scale study to compare lecturer and student conceptions of critical reading at a research-intensive UK institution. Analysis of lecturer and student interviews in four humanities subjects suggests differences in the way lecturers and students conceptualize and articulate the practices of critical reading. Lecturers conceptualize reading as creative and intertextual, a defamilarization of personal experiences of the world and the development of relational ways of understanding through close reading. Conversely, students are found to conceptualize reading as evaluating different perspectives, domesticating new experiences into existing personal value schema and apprehending the text as object. The discussion considers the pedagogical implications of these differences for developing reading practices in the humanities classroom. The article also reflects on the relationship between the capacity to participate in the discourses of criticality and the capacity to enact critical encounters with texts as readers.
Disciplinary Knowledge Practices in Distance Education
Authors: Macdonald Janet , Black Aileen
Published: January 2010

There has been much discussion in this journal of the development of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Indeed the effective enhancement of teaching and learning is more likely to take place when generic lessons are contextualized within the language of the discipline, and adapted to the needs of the students. We describe here a study of the teaching practice of distance tutors on a History course, who were given the opportunity for extended reflection on the demands of the course, and to consider their aims and share their strategies, stimulated by ideas from threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge. In line with common practice in a distance environment, the reflection process took place in a workshop followed by participation in an online group, hosted on a wiki. We illustrate the significant or difficult areas of the course that staff reported, and describe their intentions and some of the strategies that they used for helping students with these critical areas. We propose a new approach to professional development which begins with reflection on the demands of the course itself and its students before considering appropriate facilitation strategies to meet those specific demands.
The Universities and the Challenge of Realism
Authors: Evans Mary
Published: January 2010

Universities are often enjoined to ‘get’ with the ‘real world’. In this article, Mary Evans gives an account of interpretations of literary realism in order to consider the ‘coercive realism’ of the contemporary university. The prevailing assumptions that universities must contribute to the ‘real’ world are damaging the complexity of the process of learning and the idea of ‘knowledge’ that underpins it.
Managing Mass Higher Education in a Period of Austerity
Authors: Shattock Michael
Published: January 2010

The higher education systems in Ireland and the UK have seen several decades of remarkable change, particularly with the development of mass higher education. Yet the economic recession is creating a turbulent environment for higher education systems which will pose new challenges for universities. In this article, Michael Shattock argues that Irish universities are potentially vulnerable during this age of austerity, and new policy issues will need to be tackled. He argues for universities to maintain a clarity of vision as to their long term objectives.
Drawing Breath: Creative elements and their exile from higher education
Authors: Phipps Alison
Published: January 2010

We are all creative now. Where once creativity was thought to be the preserve of the arts and humanities, we now find creativity has become a ubiquitous aim of higher education in the twenty-first century. Our ills will be resolved as long as we can release our latent creativity and perform. The discourse of higher education strategic management now sees an apparent paradoxical coupling of notions such as creativity, performance, blue skies with targets, outputs and productivity. In the midst of such active creativity-making it is worth asking ourselves some basic questions regarding the nature, purpose and desirability of such forms of creativity. Who is served by the renewal of a discourse of creativity? Does it exist in practice? How do we know it when we see it? Is it good? Where and how might it happen? In this article Alison Phipps returns to some early stories and myths of creativity from the arts and humanities and considers the elements of fire, water, earth and especially air and their symbolic status in sourcing creativity. In order to offer counter-stories to those which may chock the flourishing of learning she draws on alternative metaphors, parables and imagery and considers the kinds of futures which may be worth creating. These elements provide understandings of creativity as resourcing life, ordering the myths of human endeavour and education. This article draws on work by Heidegger, Irigaray, Carson, Ingold, Brueggemann and Barnett. In particular, it considers work of anthropology, poetry and theology which offers singular, disciplined perspectives on the possibilities for creativity and the heavy, determined work which accompanies its apparent ease and flow.
Beyond Orientalism
Authors: Luyendijk Joris
Published: January 2010

/ Factors beyond the control of journalists and media organizations are essential in the construction of news about the Middle East. Ideology plays a role and so do ignorance and prejudice, but even when as a correspondent one knows the local language and is hypersensitive to the pitfalls of ethnocentrism and orientalism, still the coverage one produces often reinforces stereotypes. The cause seems to lie in the dilemmas inherent in the collection and representation of information, in particular in non-western, non-democratic contexts. A solution may be to embrace rather than obscure these dilemmas but this requires a fundamental rethink of what news is, both on the part of journalists and of audiences.
From Journalism of Activism Towards Journalism of Accountability
Authors: Ruigrok Nel
Published: January 2010

/ In conflict situations it is difficult for journalists to get the full picture of the situation. Moreover, oftentimes journalists get involved themselves and become active participants in the debate about the conflict. The war in Bosnia was such an occasion where journalists embarked on a crusade to military intervene in the conflict and save the Muslim from the Serbs. This article describes the journalistic practices leading to this journalistic activism and examines the possible effects that such an attitude can have on public opinion. The article finishes with a plea for a journalistic practice that starts from accountability rather than activism.
Bias in the News? The Representation of Palestinians and Israelis in the Coverage of the First and Second Intifada
Authors: Deprez Annelore , Raeymaeckers Karin
Published: January 2010

/ Various authors on the media coverage of the Israeli—Palestinian conflict assert that it is biased and unbalanced. This study focuses on the representation of the First and Second Intifada in Flemish daily newspapers. It combines a content analysis with in-depth interviews with journalists to investigate any imbalance and bias in favour of the Israeli point of view. The results reveal a certain evolution and some divergence in the coverage of the two Intifadas. The study shows that while some variables are in favour of the Israeli point of view, others clearly reflect the Palestinian perspective. The study therefore does not support the hypothesis of a pro-Israeli bias in Flemish daily newspapers. They are found to cover the First and Second Intifada in a rather balanced way, in contrast to the conclusions reached by other international studies on the coverage of the Israeli— Palestinian conflict.
Appetite Stimulation After Surgery in a High Nutrition Risk Adolescent With Myotonic Dystrophy and Depression Case Report
Authors: Meresh Edwin , Sprang Michael , Popenhagen Mark , Didenko Taras , Lowden Christopher , Shah Karan
Published: January 2010

In hospitalized patients with chronic medical and surgical conditions, many factors can negatively affect food intake, including psychological factors and anorexia. Appetite disturbance is a common occurrence in patients presenting with complicated medical illnesses. Poor appetite may be a primary symptom directly related to the illness, or it could be attributed to a number of causes comprising fatigue, poor motivation, depression, or all of the above. There is limited research reporting on the association between depression, poor motivation, and lack of appetite contributing to malnutrition. Following is a case report on the management of a severely mal-nourished 17-year-old man admitted to the hospital with myotonic dystrophy, depression, and inflammatory bowel disease. The psychiatry consultation service was consulted to address psychological factors contributing to malnutrition. The patient’s history, laboratory data, the management and hospitalization course of the patient are addressed in this study.
Risk Factors That May Predispose Premature Infants to Increased Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Authors: Drenckpohl Douglas , Knaub Lisa , Schneider Catherine , McConnell Connie , Huaping Wang  , Macwan Kamlesh
Published: January 2010

The objective of this study was to determine if there are any common “risk factors” that could assist clinicians in identifying premature infants who are at greater risk for developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This was a retrospective study of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital of Illinois, Peoria. In total, 384 charts were reviewed. Seventy-eight infants diagnosed with NEC were compared to 246 infants who did not have NEC. Maternal risk factors, infant demo-graphics, incidence of sepsis, H2 blockers prescribed, temperature, anemia, and day-of-life gut priming and enteral feedings were compared between the two groups for significant differences. Univariate tests and logistic regression demonstrated that mothers of infants who developed NEC had a higher incidence of premature rupture of membranes. Significantly more males developed NEC than females. African American infants had a higher incidence of developing NEC than white infants. Infants who developed NEC often had a prior diagnosis of sepsis and were prescribed H2 blockers more frequently. Infants who had early initiation of gut priming and earlier initiation of enteral feedings had significantly less incidence of NEC than infants whose gut priming and enteral feedings were delayed. This study supports that risk factors for NEC are multifactorial and could assist clinicians in identifying subgroups, within the neonatal population, that are at greater risk for this disease, leading to the implementation of strategies to reduce the onset of NEC. Unfortunately, the true etiology of NEC remains unclear.
Health Statements Made in Infant Formula Advertisements in Pregnancy and Early Parenting Magazines
Authors: Stang Jamie , Hoss Kathleen , Story Mary
Published: January 2010

Pregnant women and mothers of infants are the target audience for advertisements of infant formula. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the prevalence and content of health statements made in infant formula advertisements found in pregnancy and early parenting magazines from August 2006 to August 2007. A total of 173 infant formula advertisements were found in 77 individual issues of 16 different magazines. Forty-two unduplicated advertisements were used for the content analysis. Statistical analysis included kappa scores, frequencies, and percentages. Results showed that 9 of the 16 magazines analyzed contained ads for infant formulas. Of these, more than half of all infant formula advertisements made some type of health statement. Health statements varied greatly but generally advertised improvements in gastrointestinal, brain, or eye health; language development; or reduced incidence of allergies, food intolerances, and gastrointestinal disorders. Such health statements may influence a mother’s decision on which method of infant feeding to provide. A greater understanding of how these statements are perceived by new mothers as well as how they affect infant feeding decisions is needed.
Typology of Feeding Disorders Based on a Single Assessment System
Authors: Dovey Terence M. , Isherwood Elaine , Aldridge Victoria K. , Martin Clarissa I.
Published: January 2010

Six children diagnosed with different forms of food refusal participated as case study descriptions. Along with their treatment outcomes, these descriptions show enough significant differences between them to allow for accurate yet potentially disparate assessments. Outcomes of these assessments then led to the separate application of effective treatment strategies. The 6 children accounted for 6 types of food refusal related to medical problems, learning dependent (natural but extreme levels of food neophobia), selective (developmental delay), selective (autism-related), selective (sensory defensive-related), and fear based (food phobia). Each of these children attended a combined pediatric psychology and dietetic feeding consultation within a Child Development Centre situated in the English National Health Service. During the consultation process, it was possible to accurately delineate between these 6 different forms of food refusal using a single multidisciplinary assessment strategy (see the authors’ other article in this issue). Furthermore, all but 1 of the treatment strategies (selective autism-related) was successful at increasing dietary variety in terms of both volume and range, through specific and appropriate holistic interventions. It was also uncovered through the comparison of the different cases that 4 of the 6 food refusal subtypes exhibited varying degrees of sensory defensiveness that benefited from play therapy.
NK cells expressing inhibitory KIR for non–self-ligands remain tolerant in HLA-matched sibling stem cell transplantation
Authors: Björklund Andreas T. , Schaffer Marie , Fauriat Cyril , Ringdén Olle , Remberger Mats , Hammarstedt Christina , Barrett A. John , Ljungman Per , Ljunggren Hans-Gustaf , Malmberg Karl-Johan
Published: January 2010

Natural killer (NK)–cell alloreactivity in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell grafts from HLA-identical siblings is intriguing and has suggested breaking of NK-cell tolerance during the posttransplantation period. To examine this possibility, we analyzed clinical outcomes in a cohort of 105 patients with myeloid malignancies who received T cell–replete grafts from HLA-matched sibling donors. Presence of inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) for nonself HLA class I ligands had no effect on disease-free survival, incidence of relapse, or graft-versus-host disease. A longitudinal analysis of the NK-cell repertoire and function revealed a global hyporesponsiveness of NK cells early after transplantation. Functional responses recovered at approximately 6 months after transplantation. Importantly, NKG2A− NK cells expressing KIRs for nonself HLA class I ligands remained tolerant at all time points. Furthermore, a direct comparison of NK-cell reconstitution in T cell–replete and T cell–depleted HLA-matched sibling stem cell transplantation (SCT) revealed that NKG2A+ NK cells dominated the functional repertoire early after transplantation, with intact tolerance of NKG2A− NK cells expressing KIRs for nonself ligands in both settings. Our results provide evidence against the emergence of alloreactive NK cells in HLA-identical allogeneic SCT.
Does replication groups scoring reduce false positive rate in SNP interaction discovery?
Authors: Toplak Marko , Curk Tomaz , Demsar Janez , Zupan Blaz
Published: January 2010

Background

Computational methods that infer single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) interactions from phenotype data may uncover new biological mechanisms in non-Mendelian diseases. However, practical aspects of such analysis face many problems. Present experimental studies typically use SNP arrays with hundreds of thousands of SNPs but record only hundreds of samples. Candidate SNP pairs inferred by interaction analysis may include a high proportion of false positives. Recently, Gayan et al. (2008) proposed to reduce the number of false positives by combining results of interaction analysis performed on subsets of data (replication groups), rather than analyzing the entire data set directly. If performing as hypothesized, replication groups scoring could improve interaction analysis and also any type of feature ranking and selection procedure in systems biology. Because Gayan et al. do not compare their approach to the standard interaction analysis techniques, we here investigate if replication groups indeed reduce the number of reported false positive interactions.

Results

A set of simulated and false interaction-imputed experimental SNP data sets were used to compare the inference of SNP-SNP interactions by means of replication groups to the standard approach where the entire data set was directly used to score all candidate SNP pairs. In all our experiments, the inference of interactions from the entire data set (e.g. without using the replication groups) reported fewer false positives.

Conclusions

With respect to the direct scoring approach the utility of replication groups does not reduce false positive rates, and may, depending on the data set, often perform worse.
Regulation of UGT1A1 and HNF1 transcription factor gene expression by DNA methylation in colon cancer cells
Authors: Bélanger Anne-Sophie , Tojcic Jelena , Harvey Mario , Guillemette Chantal
Published: January 2010

Background

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) is a pivotal enzyme involved in metabolism of SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan commonly used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer. We previously demonstrated aberrant methylation of specific CpG dinucleotides in UGT1A1-negative cells, and revealed that methylation state of theUGT1A15'-flanking sequence is negatively correlated with gene transcription. Interestingly, one of these CpG dinucleotides (CpG -4) is found close to a HNF1 response element (HRE), known to be involved in activation ofUGT1A1gene expression, and within an upstream stimulating factor (USF) binding site.

Results

Gel retardation assays revealed that methylation of CpG-4 directly affect the interaction of USF1/2 with its cognate sequence without altering the binding for HNF1-alpha. Luciferase assays sustained a role for USF1/2 and HNF1-alpha inUGT1A1regulation in colon cancer cells. Based on the differential expression profiles ofHNF1Agene in colon cell lines, we also assessed whether methylation affects its expression. In agreement with the presence of CpG islands in theHNF1Apromoter, treatments of UGT1A1-negative HCT116 colon cancer cells with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor restoreHNF1Agene expression, as observed forUGT1A1.

Conclusions

This study reveals that basalUGT1A1expression in colon cells is positively regulated by HNF1-alpha and USF, and negatively regulated by DNA methylation. Besides, DNA methylation ofHNF1Acould also play an important role in regulating additional cellular drug metabolism and transporter pathways. This process may contribute to determine local inactivation of drugs such as the anticancer agent SN-38 by glucuronidation and define tumoral response.
A set of novel multiplex Taqman real-time PCRs for the detection of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli and its use in determining the prevalence of EPEC and EAEC in a university hospital
Authors: Hardegen Christoph , Messler Sabine , Henrich Birgit , Pfeffer Klaus , Würthner Jens , MacKenzie Colin R
Published: January 2010

Background

Accurate measurement of the incidence of diarrhoeagenic E. coli in patients with diarrhoea is hindered by the current methods of detection and varies from country to country. In order to improve the diagnosis of diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC), we developed a set of multiplex TaqMan real-time PCRs designed to detect the respective pathogens from an overnight stool culture.

Methods

Over the period Jan. 2006 to Dec. 2006 all stool specimens (n = 1981) received were investigated for EPEC and EAEC.

Results

Of these, 371 specimens had no growth of Enterobacteriaceae. Of the remaining 1610 specimens 144 (8,9%) were positive for EPEC and 78 (4,8%) positive for EAEC. Among the EPEC positive stool specimens 28 (19,4%) were received from the tropical diseases unit, 49 (34%) from the paediatric dept. and 67 (46,5%) from the remainder of the wards. The EAEC were distributed as follows: 39 (50%) - tropical diseases, 19 (24,4%) -paediatrics and 20 (25,6%) other wards. Proportionately more EAEC and EPEC were found in children less than 3 years of age than other age groups. In only 22,2% of the detected EPEC and 23% of EAEC was the investigation requested by hospital staff.

Conclusions

This is, to our knowledge, the first study using a multiplex TaqMan PCR for the successful detection of diarrhoeagenic E. coli. In conclusion, due to the high prevalence of DEC detected, investigation of EPEC and EAEC should be recommended as a routine diagnostic test for patients with infectious diarrhoea.
Intracellular and extracellular rhomboid shaped crystalline inclusions in a case of IgG lambda restricted plasma cell myeloma: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Matoso Andres , Rizack Tina , Treaba Diana O
Published: January 2010

The presence of crystalline inclusions in plasma cell myeloma is a rare phenomenon and cases have been reported with rod, needle, and rectangular shaped crystals. Here, we present a case of IgG lambda restricted plasma cell myeloma with rhomboid shaped intracellular crystalline inclusions and extracellular crystal depositions in the bone marrow. Since rhomboid crystal depositions can be seen in other clinical conditions such as pseudogout, this case invites consideration of plasma cell myeloma in the differential diagnosis of patients with rhomboid crystalline deposition in the bone marrow and in sites/organs other than the bone marrow.
Perforating eyelid injury extending to the brain stem in a 17-year-old woman: a case report
Authors: Noda Eiichiro , Inoue Makoto , Yoshikawa-Kobayashi Izumi , Nagamoto Toshiyuki
Published: January 2010

Introduction

This case report describes a patient who had a perforating eyelid injury that extended to the brain stem.

Case presentation

A 17-year-old Japanese woman complained of decreased vision in her right eye, with severe ocular pain and headaches, after the metal tip of an umbrella struck her upper right eyelid accidentally. Her vision in the right eye decreased to light perception with commotio retinae, intraretinal hemorrhage, and severe lid swelling. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated edema of the head of the caudate nucleus and putamen, and the edema extended to the hypothalamus. The MRI findings indicated that the umbrella tip had penetrated through the eyelid and the posterior orbital wall. Vision improved to 20/50 in the right eye, with subretinal fibrosis caused by the choroidal rupture.

Conclusions

We recommend that MRI be performed on the orbit and brain in patients who appear to have symptoms that are inconsistent with the observed injury and when a severe orbitocranial injury is suspected.
Assembly of 500,000 inter-specific catfish expressed sequence tags and large scale gene-associated marker development for whole genome association studies
Authors: Wang Shaolin , Peatman Eric , Abernathy Jason , Waldbieser Geoff , Lindquist Erika , Richardson Paul , Lucas Susan , Wang Mei , Li Ping , Thimmapuram Jyothi , Liu Lei , Vullaganti Deepika , Kucuktas Huseyin , Murdock Christopher , Small Brian C , Wilson Melanie , Liu Hong , Jiang Yanliang , Lee Yoona , Chen Fei , Lu Jianguo , Wang Wenqi , Xu Peng , Somridhivej Benjaporn , Baoprasertkul Puttharat , Quilang Jonas , Sha Zhenxia , Bao Baolong , Wang Yaping , Wang Qun , Takano Tomokazu , Nandi Samiran , Liu Shikai , Wong Lilian , Kaltenboeck Ludmilla , Quiniou Sylvie , Bengten Eva , Miller Norman , Trant John , Rokhsar Daniel , Liu Zhanjiang ,   the Catfish Genome Consortium
Published: January 2010

Background

Through the Community Sequencing Program, a catfish EST sequencing project was carried out through a collaboration between the catfish research community and the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute. Prior to this project, only a limited EST resource from catfish was available for the purpose of SNP identification.

Results

A total of 438,321 quality ESTs were generated from 8 channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and 4 blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) libraries, bringing the number of catfish ESTs to nearly 500,000. Assembly of all catfish ESTs resulted in 45,306 contigs and 66,272 singletons. Over 35% of the unique sequences had significant similarities to known genes, allowing the identification of 14,776 unique genes in catfish. Over 300,000 putative SNPs have been identified, of which approximately 48,000 are high-quality SNPs identified from contigs with at least four sequences and the minor allele presence of at least two sequences in the contig. The EST resource should be valuable for identification of microsatellites, genome annotation, large-scale expression analysis, and comparative genome analysis.

Conclusions

This project generated a large EST resource for catfish that captured the majority of the catfish transcriptome. The parallel analysis of ESTs from two closely related Ictalurid catfishes should also provide powerful means for the evaluation of ancient and recent gene duplications, and for the development of high-density microarrays in catfish. The inter- and intra-specific SNPs identified from all catfish EST dataset assembly will greatly benefit the catfish introgression breeding program and whole genome association studies.
Authors' response to commentaries
Authors: Watt Roger J. , Dakin Steven C.
Published: January 2010

This article is a response to commentaries on our original article ‘The utility of image descriptions in the initial stages of vision: A case study of printed text’ (Watt & Dakin, 2010).
An ignored risk factor in toxicology: The total imprecision of exposure assessment
Authors: Grandjean Philippe , Budtz-Jørgensen Esben
Published: January 2010

Quality assurance of exposure biomarkers usually focuses on laboratory performance only. Using data from a prospective birth cohort study in the Faroe Islands, we have assessed the total imprecision of exposure biomarkers. As biomarkers of prenatal methylmercury exposure, mercury concentrations were determined in cord blood, cord tissue, and maternal hair. We determined their mutual correlations and their associations with the child’s neurobehavioral effect variables at age 7 years. The exposure biomarkers correlated well with one another, but the cord-blood mercury concentration showed the best associations with neurobehavioral deficits. Because at least three exposure parameters were available, factor analysis and structural equation modeling could be applied to determine the total imprecision of each biomarker. For the cord-blood parameter, the total imprecision was 25–30 %, and almost twice as much for maternal hair. The total imprecision of these biomarkers much exceeded the normal laboratory variability of less than 5 %. Such imprecision can cause underestimation of dose-related toxicity, and data analysis should therefore include sensitivity analyses that take this factor into account. Ignoring preanalytical imprecision may cause serious bias.
Determining the Air-Entraining Admixture Dosage Response for Concrete with a Single Concrete Mixture
Authors: Ley M. Tyler
Published: January 2010

Currently there is no standardized test method to determine the interaction of the ingredients of a concrete mixture with a dosage of air-entraining admixtures (AEAs). Typically, to investigate the AEA demand, multiple concrete mixtures are made with varying dosages of AEA, and the resulting air contents are measured. This method is not ideal as it is time consuming, uses large amounts of material, and allows several variables to change that could cause changes in the dosage response of the mixture. A method is presented that is able to measure the AEA dosage response of a mixture through a correlation between the gravimetric (ASTM C138-01a) and pressure method (ASTM C231-03) with only minimal changes to the volume of the mixture. This allows the AEA demand to be determined from a single concrete mixture rather than sequential mixtures. Testing results are also provided for concrete mixtures containing fly ashes with various AEA demands. These mixtures are evaluated for changes in AEA demand with water reducer, mixing temperature, fly ash replacement level, and type of AEA.