bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Pre-Exhausting the Biceps Brachii Muscle on the Performance of the Front Lat Pull-Down Exercise Using Different Handgrip Positions
Authors: Vilaça-Alves José , Geraldes Lurdes , Fernandes Helder M. , Vaz Luís , Farjalla Renato , Saavedra Francisco , Reis Victor M.
Published: October 2014

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of pre-exhaustion (PE) of the biceps brachii muscle (BB) on the number of repetitions and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in the front lat pull-down (FLPD) using different handgrip positions. Additionally, the effect of sex and its interaction with performance and the RPE were also examined. The participants were 19 healthy subjects: 8 men (age: 27.13±2.85 years; body height: 180.63±6.65 cm; body mass: 82.05±8.92 kg; and body fat: 14.67±6.09%); and 11 women (age: 28.81±3.68 years; body height: 162.91±6.51 cm; body mass 59.63±6.47 kg; and body fat: 24.11±4.33%). The number of repetitions and the RPE in the FLPD exercise with different handgrip positions, with and without PE of the BB, was documented. The following main significant effects were seen: i) PE of the BB decreased the number of repetitions (p<0.001) and increased the RPE (p<0.001); ii) the narrow handgrip width elicited a higher RPE (p<0.001) and iii) women performed fewer repetitions than men in all FLPD exercise variations (p=0.023). Significant interactions were also observed between: i) PE or sex and the RPE (p=0.024); and ii) PE or handgrip width and the number of repetitions (p<0.001). In conclusion, PE of the BB promotes a decreased performance in the FLPD exercise along with a greater RPE, especially when using a narrow handgrip position
Changes in Muscle Strength in U19 Soccer Players During an Annual Training Cycle
Authors: Lehnert Michal , Xaverová Zuzana , Croix Mark De Ste
Published: October 2014

The aim of the study was to investigate the seasonal variation in isokinetic strength of the knee flexors and extensors, and conventional (H/QCONV) and functional (H/QFUNC) hamstring to quadriceps strength ratios in highly trained adolescent soccer players. The players (n=11; age 17.8±0.3) were measured at the end of the competitive season (autumn), at the beginning and the end of pre-season (winter) and during the sixth week of a new competitive season. Isokinetic peak torque (concentric and eccentric) was measured at 60°•s-1 in a sitting position with the hip flexed at 100°. The testing range of motion was set from 10 - 90° of knee flexion. The players performed a set of five maximum repetitions for both the dominant and non-dominant leg. Statistically significant differences (p<0.001) between the four seasonal measurements were noted for peak torque of the dominant leg knee flexors in concentric muscle action only. A post hoc analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in peak torque from the 1st to the 4th measurement (p<0.001; d=0.692) and from the 2nd to the 4th (p<0.01; d=0.564). The differences in the changes of peak torque of the knee flexors and extensors depending on type of muscle action and tendencies found in the H/Q ratios throughout the annual training cycle indicate that strength assessment of the knee flexors and extensors and their balance throughout the annual training cycle could be beneficial for elite male adolescent soccer players both in terms of performance and risk of injury.
Assessment of Secondary School Students’ Game Performance Related to Tactical Contexts
Authors: Gutiérrez David , Fisette Jennifer , García-López Luis Miguel , Contreras Onofre
Published: October 2014

Certain limitations remain unaddressed when utilizing the Teaching Games for Understanding approach, suggesting the need for more research on authentic assessment of skill development and tactical awareness in order to guide the design of developmentally appropriate curriculum materials. This study investigated physical education students’ (n=19; age: 13.71 ± 0.4) game performance during an invasion game, specifically the relationship between their skill execution and decision-making ability. The purpose of the study was twofold: (a) to devise and implement a ‘game context’ approach to assess the game performance components and in doing so, (b) to provide information that could be used to design suitable learning progressions within tactical teaching approaches. Students’ game performance was videotaped, and measures of skill execution and decision-making were developed from observational analyses. Decision-making was measured at two levels: a) decision making restricted to the selection of technical-tactical skills (i.e., passing, moving with the ball, getting free, marking, tackling, double teaming and interception; and b) decisionmaking in the adaptation to the tactical contexts of the game. Participants played a 5 vs. 5 modified eight-minute team handball game. Participants scored significantly higher in penetrating-the-defense context adaptation than in keepingthe- ball context adaptation. Participants showed a higher efficiency in decision-making than in execution in most of the technical-tactical skills; including on-the-ball over off-the-ball decision-making, and in attack compared to defensive execution. The findings also revealed significant relationships between decision-making and skill execution in shooting, tackling and passing
Qualitative Task Analysis to Enhance Sports Characterization: A Surfing Case Study
Authors: Moreira Miguel , Peixoto César
Published: October 2014

The aim of this study was to develop a Matrix of Analysis for Sports Tasks (MAST), regardless of the sports activity, based on practice classification and task analysis. Being this a qualitative research our main question was: in assessing sports’ structure is it possible to make the characterization of any discipline through context and individuals’ behaviours? The sample was within a surf discipline in a competition flowing having 5 of the top 16 Portuguese surfers training together. Based on a qualitative method, studying the surf as the main activity was an interpretative study case. The MAST was applied in four phases: taxonomy; tasks and context description; task analysis; teaching and performance strategies. Its application allowed the activities’ characterization through the observation, surfer’s opinions and bibliographical support. The triangulation of the data was used as an information data treatment. The elements were classified by the challenges proposed to the practitioners and the taxonomy was constituted by the sport activities, group, modality and discipline. Surf is a discipline of surfing which is a sliding sport modality, therefore, a nature sport. In the context description, we had the wave’s components and constraints and the surfboards’ qualities. Through task analysis we obtained a taxonomy of surf manoeuvres. The structural and functional analysis allowed finding solutions for learning of surf techniques with trampoline and skateboards because these fit in sliding sports. MAST makes possible the development of strategies that benefit teaching and performance intervention
Similarities in Time-Series of Housing Prices on Local Markets in Poland
Authors: Belej Mirosław , Kulesza Sławomir
Published: October 2014

This study examined similarities between local real estate markets in Poland from 2006 - 2013 by analyzing changes in housing prices. The analyses covered five cities - all of which are major centers of their regions: Warsaw (Mazovia - the center of Poland), Bialystok (Podlasie - the east of Poland), Cracow (Malopolska - the south of Poland), Poznan (Wielkopolska - the west of Poland) and Gdansk (Pomerania - the north of Poland).

The time period was chosen so that it covered an interval of rapid changes in real estate prices (a housing bubble) and their subsequent relaxation to the equilibrium state. Firstly, a multi-dimensional analysis which took into account the Chebyshev distance was employed. This helped to conduct an analysis of the correlation of price changes over time, which revealed their concurrence and, moreover, showed specific propagation delays to external stimuli, and hence could be a measure of the market’s inertia. The degree of integration of the local markets under study changed only slightly over time; therefore, a thesis can be put forth in regard to the interrelation of local real estate markets, imagined as a system of communicating vessels. In the second stage, the damped harmonic oscillator model was employed to describe the observed evolution of real estate prices. This study exhibited high inertia in real estate markets, manifested during rapid structural changes in the system’s state occurring in conditions far from equilibrium. In long-term evolution, the pace of change is slow enough for the systems to remain close to equilibrium
Analysis of the Financial Situation of Medium-Sized and Large Enterprises of the Construction Sector in Selected Central European Coutries
Authors: Wolski Rafał , Załęczna Magdalena
Published: October 2014

The economy is subject to periodic changes in activity, which is apparent in the financial situation of households and enterprises. However, the recent economic crisis has been particularly severe. After the great increase in economic activity, which in many countries was connected with the boom in the real estate market, it experienced a sudden turn for the worse, including the broadly understood construction sector. This contributed to a slowdown of the growth rate, or even a permanent economic downturn. The authors have undertaken an analysis of the situation in the construction sector and the condition of residential real estate markets in selected Central European countries, and next, on the basis of a database on the financial situation of selected construction companies constructing buildings in those countries, searched for an answer to the question of how much the construction sector and the analyzed enterprises changed their activity in the recent years. For the purpose of the analysis, a database of over 340 entities from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary was created. The work is of a comparative nature, which allows the scale of the processes studied in the individual countries to be identified.
Regulation of lncRNA expression
Authors: Wu Zhuomin , Liu Xiaoxia , Liu Li , Deng Houliang , Zhang Jingjing , Xu Qian , Cen Bohong , Ji Aimin
Published: October 2014

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are series of transcripts with important biological functions. Various diseases have been associated with aberrant expression of lncRNAs and the related dysregulation of mRNAs. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms of dynamic lncRNA expression. The chromatin state contributes to the low and specific expression of lncRNAs. The transcription of non-coding RNA genes is regulated by many core transcription factors applied to protein-coding genes. However, specific DNA sequences may allow their unsynchronized transcription with their location-associated mRNAs. Additionally, there are multiple mechanisms involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of lncRNAs. Among these, microRNAs might have indispensible regulatory effects on lncRNAs, based on recent discoveries.
Large outbreak of Salmonella Thompson related to smoked salmon in the Netherlands, August to December 2012
Authors: Friesema I , de Jong A , Hofhuis A , Heck M , van den Kerkhof H , de Jonge R , Hameryck D , Nagel K , van Vilsteren G , van Beek P , Notermans D , van Pelt W
Published: October 2014

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in adults aged 60 years and over in the Region of Madrid, Spain, 2008–2011
Authors: Gutiérrez Rodríguez M  A , Ordobás Gavín M A , García-Comas L , Sanz Moreno J C , Córdoba Deorador E , Lasheras Carbajo M D , Taveira Jiménez J A , Martín Martínez F , Iniesta Fornies D , Arce Arnaez A
Published: October 2014

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Laboratory capability and surveillance testing for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in the WHO European Region, June 2013
Authors: Pereyaslov D , Rosin P , Palm D , Zeller H , Gross D , Brown C S , Struelens M  J , on behalf of the MERS-CoV Working Group Collective
Published: October 2014

Since September 2012, over 90 cases of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus, now named Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), have been reported in the Middle East and Europe. To ascertain the capabilities and testing experience of national reference laboratories across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region to detect this virus, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe conducted a joint survey in November 2012 and a follow-up survey in June 2013. In 2013, 29 of 52 responding WHO European Region countries and 24 of 31 countries of the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) had laboratory capabilities to detect and confirm MERS-CoV cases, compared with 22 of 46 and 18 of 30 countries, respectively, in 2012. By June 2013, more than 2,300 patients had been tested in 23 countries in the WHO European Region with nine laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases. These data indicate that the Region has developed significant capability to detect this emerging virus in accordance with WHO and ECDC guidance. However, not all countries had developed capabilities, and the needs to do so should be addressed. This includes enhancing collaborations between countries to ensure diagnostic capabilities for surveillance of MERS-CoV infections across the European Region.
How to Use Information Technology to Improve Medication Safety
Authors: Hilgers R.-D. , Hofestädt R. , Knaup-Gregori P. , Ose C. , Timmer A. , Winter A.
Published: October 2014

The publication of a memorandum on improving medication safety by information technology in both the German journal GMS Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (MIBE) and the journal Methods of Information in Medicine (MIM) gives reason to strengthen cooperation of MIBE and MIM and to report on more publications of MIBE here. The publications in focus deal with simulation-based optimization of emergency processes, handling of research data in publications, open access to research metadata, reliability of digital patient records in medical research, assessment methods for physical activity, using of insurance databases for epidemiological studies, certificates for epidemiological professionals, regression models, computer based training, and performance management in Swiss hospitals. Finally determining factors for scientific careers are discussed.
Regulatory Framework for Access to Safe, Effective Quality Medicines
Authors: Rägo Lembit , Sillo Hiiti , Hoen Ellen ‘t , Zweygarth Monika
Published: October 2014

Medicines of uncertain quality, safety and efficacy can be worse than no treatment at all. It is the responsibility of national medicines regulatory authorities to protect patients from harm. Yet, there are great disparities in regulatory capacity globally, preventing large populations from accessing the benefits of advances in the pharmaceutical field. This article describes the main regulatory functions and how they are applied to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of different types of medicines in different environments. It gives examples of initiatives that have increased access to good quality medicines worldwide and – more importantly – are laying the groundwork for collaborative approaches aiming to ensure that pharmaceutical products meet the same, stringent quality standards in all parts of the world.
Reducing Seclusion and Restraint Use in Inpatient Settings: A Phenomenological Study of State Psychiatric Hospital Leader and Staff Experiences
Authors: Huckshorn Kevin Ann
Published: October 2014

The current study explored and described the experiences of individuals who either directed or participated in successfully reducing the use of restraint and seclusion (R/S) in two inpatient public mental health hospitals. A phenomenological methodology was used to capture the lived experiences of 21 study participants, including senior leaders, middle managers, and direct care staff, who were interviewed as key informants. Thirty-two themes were extracted and subsequently synthesized into five “meaning themes.” The five meaning themes yielded six significant findings: (a) critical roles of leadership and staff in successful R/S reduction projects; (b) ability of leaders and staff to change their beliefs and behaviors; (c) ability of leaders and staff to build a shared vision that was critical to the reduction of R/S use in in-patient settings; (d) identification and resolution of key challenges staff and leaders experienced in reduction efforts; (e) use of a solid performance improvement lens to direct changes in practices; and (f) important lessons learned. [
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 52
(11), 40–47.]
Application of Carbon Nanotubes in Nanomedicine
Authors: Moradi Omid , Sadegh Hamidreza , Shahryari-Ghoshekandi Ramin , Norouzi Mehdi
Published: October 2014

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have become a technological field with great potential since they can be applied in almost every aspect of modern life. One of the sectors where CNTs are expected to play a vital role is the field of medical science. This chapter focuses on the latest developments in applications of CNTs for nanomedicine. A brief history of CNTs and a general introduction to the field are presented. Then, the preparation of CNTs that makes them ideal for use in medical applications is highlighted. Examples of common applications, including cell penetration, drug delivery, and gene delivery and imaging are given. Finally, the toxicity of carbon nanotubes is discussed.
Toxicological Effects of Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Bonner James C.
Published: October 2014

The rapidly evolving field of nanotechnology offers many potential societal and economic benefits. Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the most widely produced engineered nanomaterials and have diverse applications in engineering, electronics, and medicine. They have also been extensively investigated for their toxicological properties. Studies with rodents indicate that CNTs can cause lung fibrosis or granuloma formation, exacerbate pre-existing respiratory disease, cause injury to the sensitive pleural lining of the lungs, and have systemic immunosuppressive effects. CNTs have also been reported to cause genotoxic effects on cultured cells. The fiber-like structure of CNTs has led to comparisons with asbestos fibers; yet the debate over whether CNTs cause mesothelioma remains highly controversial, and evidence thus far is lacking. The aim of this chapter is to overview the evidence in rodent models that CNTs cause lung disease and to discuss the potential of CNTs to cause adverse immune, fibrogenic, or carcinogenic effects in humans as a result of occupational, consumer, or environmental exposure.
Layer-by-Layer Technology and Its Implications in the Field of Glucose Nanobiosensors
Authors: Sasi Sharath P.
Published: October 2014

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of deaths in the US with almost 439 million people worldwide expected to be diabetic by 2030. The need for continuous, non-invasive monitoring is a top priority. Earlier devices that utilized electroenzymatic sensing technique were minimally invasive and had major pitfalls. Advancements in various non-invasive, especially fluorescence-based, sensing along with developments in LBL assembly have resulted in a new breed of micro/nanosensors that are implantable, reliable, reproducible, mechanically and functionally stable, responsive, and miniaturized. In this chapter, the authors discuss the history of glucose sensors, evolution over the past four decades, methods employed to detect glucose levels in fluorescent biosensors, and assays that can be fabricated on to the sensor membrane, immobilized into the membrane as multilayers, or encapsulated within micro/nanocapsules using LBL assembly technology. The authors briefly review the various materials available and currently implemented for fabrication of glucose biosensors using LBL assembly.
Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles for Environmental Remediation
Authors: Gautam Ravindra Kumar , Soni Shivani , Chattopadhyaya Mahesh Chandra
Published: October 2014

Water pollution by anthropogenic activities is proving to be of critical concern as the heavy metals affect aquatic organisms and can quickly disperse to large distances. This poses a risk to both human health and the aquatic biota. Hence, there is a need to treat the wastewater containing toxic metals before they are discharged into the water bodies. During recent years, magnetic nanoparticles came to the foreground of scientific interest as a potential adsorbent of novel wastewater treatment processes. Magnetic nanoparticles have received much attention due to their unique properties, such as extremely small size, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, surface modifiability, multi functionality, excellent magnetic properties, low-cost synthesis, and great biocompatibility. The multi-functional magnetic nanoparticles have been successfully applied for the reduction of toxic metal ions up to ppb level in waste-treated water. This chapter highlights the potential application of magnetic nanoparticles for the removal of heavy metals.
Nanotechnology and Its Applications in Forensic and Criminal Cases
Authors: Javan Gulnaz T.
Published: October 2014

When Dr. Richard Feynman first gave the good news in 1959 that nanotechnology was on its way to change or perhaps transform the world of technology, many people might have considered his concepts too futuristic to be realized. Criminals, on the other hand, would not have known how effective nanotechnological tools would become in solving crimes in a few decades. Among some of the medical applications of the technology are drug production, diagnostics, and production of medical as well as forensic tools and devices. Forensic science can be described as the sum of scientific tests or techniques used in the investigation of crimes. This chapter is, therefore, aimed at introducing and discussing nanotechnology as applied in forensic science along with instrumentation used in performing nano-analysis. The future prospects of the technology as employed in forensic science and toxicity of nanomaterials are also dealt with in this chapter.
Nanocomposite for Surface Coating
Authors: Ingale Arun G.
Published: October 2014

This chapter is a brief overview of the basic concepts involved in a nanocomposites used for surface coating. Nanotechnology is modernizing the world of materials. It shows elevated impact in developing an innovative generation of composites with superior functionality and a broad choice of applications. The information on privilege, depiction, and applications helps researchers in consideration and utilizing the particular chemical and material principles underlying these cutting-edge nanocomposites. Through the natural materials and polymers such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, nature makes strong nanocomposites such as bones, shells, and wood. The study of carbon nanotubes has opened absolutely new windows for the development of polymer matrix composites with novel properties and applications. To date, numerous hard coatings based on nanocomposites have been effectively developed and commercialized for business applications. This chapter aims to provide an introduction to the applications of nanocomposite thin films and coatings will push the technology towards new perspectives.
The Role of Data Mining for Business Intelligence in Knowledge Management
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: October 2014

This chapter introduces the role of Data Mining (DM) for Business Intelligence (BI) in Knowledge Management (KM), thus explaining the concept of KM, BI, and DM; the relationships among KM, BI, and DM; the practical applications of KM, BI, and DM; and the emerging trends toward practical results in KM, BI, and DM. In order to solve existing BI problems, this chapter also describes practical applications of KM, BI, and DM (in the fields of marketing, business, manufacturing, and human resources) and the emerging trends in KM, BI, and DM (in terms of larger databases, high dimensionality, over-fitting, evaluation of statistical significance, change of data and knowledge, missing data, relationships among DM fields, understandability of patterns, integration of other DM systems, and users' knowledge and interaction). Applying DM for BI in the KM environments will enhance organizational performance and achieve business goals in the digital age.
Text-Driven Reasoning and Multi-Structured Data Analytics for Business Intelligence
Authors: Dey Lipika , Verma Ishan
Published: October 2014

Business Intelligence (BI) refers to an organization's capability to gather and analyze data about business operations and transactions in order to evaluate its performance. The abundance of information both within the enterprise and outside of it has necessitated a change in traditional Business Intelligence practices. There is a need to exploit heterogeneous resources. Text data like news, analyst reports, etc. helps in better interpretation of business data. In this chapter, the authors present a futuristic BI framework that facilitates acquisition, indexing, and analysis of heterogeneous data for extracting business intelligence. It enables integration of unstructured text data and structured business data seamlessly to generate insights. The authors propose methods that can help in extraction of events or significant happenings from both unstructured and structured data, correlate the events, and thereafter reason to generate insights. The insights extracted could be validated as cause-effect pairs based on the statistical significance of co-occurrence of events.
Ahnea, a new genus from New Zealand (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), with description of a new species
Authors: Park Jong-Seok , Carlton Christopher E.
Published: October 2014

Ahnea keejeongi Park and Carlton (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), a new genus and new species of New Zealand endemic beetle belonging to the supertribe Faronitae is described. Six previously described species are included to this genus and four species are synonymised as follow: Sagola dissonans Broun, 1921 and S. planicula Broun, 1921 under Ahnea ventralis (Broun, 1912); S. carinata Broun, 1912 and S. lineiceps Broun, 1921 under Ahnea lineata (Broun, 1893). A key to species, habitus photographs, line drawings of diagnostic characters, and distribution maps are provided.
Evidence of Validity for the Japanese Version of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure
Authors: Uematsu Daisuke , Suzuki Hidetomo , Sasaki Shogo , Nagano Yasuharu , Shinozuka Nobuyuki , Sunagawa Norihiko , Fukubayashi Toru
Published: October 2014

Context:

The Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) is a valid, reliable, and self-reported outcome instrument for the foot and ankle region.

Objective:

To provide evidence for translation, cross-cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Japanese version of the FAAM (FAAM-J).

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Collegiate athletic training/sports medicine clinical setting.

Patients or Other Participants:

Eighty-three collegiate athletes.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

All participants completed the Activities of Daily Living and Sports subscales of the FAAM-J and the Physical Functioning and Mental Health subscales of the Japanese version of the Short Form-36v2 (SF-36). Also, 19 participants (23%) whose conditions were expected to be stable completed another FAAM-J 2 to 6 days later for test-retest reliability. We analyzed the scores of those subscales for convergent and divergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability.

Results:

The Activities of Daily Living and Sports subscales of the FAAM-J had correlation coefficients of 0.86 and 0.75, respectively, with the Physical Functioning section of the SF-36 for convergent validity. For divergent validity, the correlation coefficients with Mental Health of the SF-36 were 0.29 and 0.27 for each subscale, respectively. Cronbach α for internal consistency was 0.99 for the Activities of Daily Living and 0.98 for the Sports subscale. A 95% confidence interval with a single measure was ±8.1 and ±14.0 points for each subscale. The test-retest reliability measures revealed intraclass correlation coefficient values of 0.87 for the Activities of Daily Living and 0.91 for the Sports subscales with minimal detectable changes of ±6.8 and ±13.7 for the respective subscales.

Conclusions:

The FAAM was successfully translated for a Japanese version, and the FAAM-J was adapted cross-culturally. Thus, the FAAM-J can be used as a self-reported outcome measure for Japanese-speaking individuals; however, the scores must be interpreted with caution, especially when applied to different populations and other types of injury than those included in this study.
Management of cryptococcal meningitis in a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal: A clinical audit
Authors: Adeyemi Benjamin O. , Ross Andrew
Published: October 2014

Background: Despite the development of context-specific guidelines, cryptococcal meningitis (CCM) remains a leading cause of death amongst HIV-infected patients. Results from clinical audits in routine practice have shown critical gaps in clinicians’ adherence to recommendations regarding the management of CCM.Aim: The aim of this study was to review the acute management of CCM at an urban district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa with a view to making recommendations for improving care.Setting: An urban district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods: A retrospective audit was performed on clinical records of all patients (age > 13 years) admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of CCM between June 2011 and December 2012.Results: Measurement of cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure at initial lumbar puncture (LP) was done rarely and only 23.4% of patients had therapeutic LPs. The majority of patients (117/127; 92.1%) received amphotericin B, however, only 19 of the 117 patients (16.2%) completed the 14-day treatment target. Amphotericin B-toxicity monitoring and prevention was suboptimal; however, in-patient referral for HIV counselling and testing was excellent.Conclusions: The quality of care of CCM based on selected process criteria showed gaps in routine care at the hospital despite the availability of context-specific guidelines. An action plan for improving care was developed based on stakeholders’ feedback. A repeat audit should be conducted in the future in order to evaluate the impact of this plan and to ensure that improvements are sustained.
Characterization of Human Anulus Fibrosus– and Nucleus Pulposus–Derived Cells During Monolayer Expansion and in Hydrogel Cultures
Authors: Schulze-Tanzil Gundula , Lemke Marion , Meier Carola , Ertel Wolfgang , Kohl Benjamin , Huang Zhao , Muschik Michael , Markart Markus , Hoyer Mariann , Arens Stephan
Published: October 2014

In vitro-expanded intervertebral disc (IVD) cells could be a source for disc repair. However, IVD cell characterization still remains challenging and is demanded to detect phenotypical shifts. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine IVD cell expression profile during two- and three-dimensional culturing in direct comparison to in situ conditions.

Human IVD tissue was analyzed immunohistologically and anulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were isolated and characterized for cytoskeletal architecture and expression of typical markers (type I, II, and III collagens, aggrecan, decorin, cartilage oligomeric protein, the chondrogenic transcription factor sox9, the tendon markers scleraxis and tenascin C) during 6 monolayer passages using real-time detection polymerase chain reaction and/or immunolabellings. Cells were introduced in alginate and collagen hydrogels and cell morphology and viablility was determined after 7 days. In addition to typical extracellular matrix components, IVD tissue and isolated cells revealed scleraxis expression. In early passages of cell expansion, genes of sox9, scleraxis, and the small proteoglycan decorin were expressed higher, but type I and III collagen genes were expressed lower in NP cells compared with AF cells. However, in passage 6, actin stress fibers increased and the expression levels of sox9 were nearly similar in NP and AF cells. The immunolabeling indicated that the fibroblast marker tenascin C could only be detected in vitro in both cell types but not in situ. Decorin protein expression decreased in both cell types in vitro in passage 6. IVD cells survived in both hydrogel cultures, and some cells elongated in collagen gels.
Text Mining in Cancer Gene and Pathway Prioritization
Authors: Luo Yuan , Riedlinger Gregory , Szolovits Peter
Published: October 2014

Prioritization of cancer implicated genes has received growing attention as an effective way to reduce wet lab cost by computational analysis that ranks candidate genes according to the likelihood that experimental verifications will succeed. A multitude of gene prioritization tools have been developed, each integrating different data sources covering gene sequences, differential expressions, function annotations, gene regulations, protein domains, protein interactions, and pathways. This review places existing gene prioritization tools against the backdrop of an integrative Omic hierarchy view toward cancer and focuses on the analysis of their text mining components. We explain the relatively slow progress of text mining in gene prioritization, identify several challenges to current text mining methods, and highlight a few directions where more effective text mining algorithms may improve the overall prioritization task and where prioritizing the pathways may be more desirable than prioritizing only genes.
Feasibility and Implementation of a Literature Information Management System for Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Cancers with Imaging
Authors: Wu Dee H. , Matthiesen Chance L. , Alleman Anthony M. , Fournier Aaron L. , Gunter Tyler C.
Published: October 2014

This work examines the feasibility and implementation of information service-orientated architecture (ISOA) on an emergent literature domain of human papillomavirus, head and neck cancer, and imaging. From this work, we examine the impact of cancer informatics and generate a full set of summarizing clinical pearls. Additionally, we describe how such an ISOA creates potential benefits in informatics education, enhancing utility for creating enduring digital content in this clinical domain.
CSNK1A1 and Gli2 as Novel Targets Identified through an Integrative Analysis of Gene Expression Data, Protein–Protein Interaction and Pathways Networks in Glioblastoma Tumors: Can these Two be Antagonistic Proteins?
Authors: Mishra Seema
Published: October 2014

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the malignant form of glioma, and the interplay of different pathways working in concert in GBM development and progression needs to be fully understood. Wnt signaling and sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathways, having basic similarities, are among the major pathways aberrantly activated in GBM, and hence, need to be targeted. It becomes imperative, therefore, to explore the functioning of these pathways in context of each other in GBM. An integrative approach may help provide new biological insights, as well as solve the problem of identifying common drug targets for simultaneous targeting of these pathways. The beauty of this approach is that it can recapitulate several known facts, as well as decipher new emerging patterns, identifying those targets that could be missed when relying on one type of data at a time. This approach can be easily extended to other systems to discover key patterns in the functioning of signaling molecules. Studies were designed to assess the relationship between significant differential expression of genes of the Wnt (Wnt/β-catenin canonical and Wnt non-canonical) and SHH signaling pathways and their connectivity patterns in interaction and signaling networks. Further, the aim was to decipher underlying mechanistic patterns that may be involved in a more specific way and to generate a ranked list of genes that can be used as markers or drug targets. These studies predict that Wnt pathway plays a relatively more pro-active role than the SHH pathway in GBM. Further, CTNNB1, CSNK1A1, and Gli2 proteins may act as key drug targets common to these pathways. While CTNNB1 is a widely studied molecule in the context of GBM, the likely roles of CSNK1A1 and Gli2 are found to be relatively novel. It is surmised that Gli2 may be antagonistic to CSNK1A1, preventing the phosphorylation of CTNNB1 and SMO proteins in Wnt and SHH signaling pathway, respectively, by CSNK1A1, and thereby, aberrant activation. New insights into the possible behavior of these pathway molecules relative to each other in GBM reveal some key interesting patterns.
Identification of Larvicide-Resistant Catch Basins from Three Years of Larvicide Trials in a Suburb of Chicago, IL
Authors: Harbison Justin E. , Sinacore James M. , Henry Marlon , Xamplas Christopher , Dugas Lara R. , Ruiz Marilyn O'Hara
Published: October 2014

The tens of thousands of catch basins found in many urban areas are a primary target of local vector control agencies for seasonal application of extended-release larvicides. A concern with using larvicides in these structures is that active ingredients can be hampered by high flows, debris, and sediment, all of which are common to these structures. As such a certain proportion of basins may be “resistant” to larvicide treatments due to site specific characteristics that may promote these and other factors that hinder larvicide action and/or promote mosquito infestation. Analyses from three years of larvicide efficacy trials suggest that over a quarter of basins in the study area may not be receiving adequate protection from a single dose of larvicide that is routinely applied. Implications of increasing the dose and/or toxicity of larvicide treatments are discussed further.
Hormonal Regulation of Calcium Signaling in Endocrine Cancers
Authors: George Nelson , Changtoo Megha , Singh Aru , Muthuswamy Srinivasan , Chakraborthy Bandana
Published: October 2014

The calcium ion (Ca2+) plays a fundamental role in a number of physiological functions including bone formation, muscle contraction, secretion, enzyme cofactor, stabilization of membrane potentials, blood coagulation, etc. Calcium is homeostatically regulated by hormones that determines calcium balance within the body. The hormones PTH, 1,25-(OH)2D3 and calcitonin are altered in endocrine cancers which are in turn regulated by calcium. The main focus of this review is how hormones can regulate calcium homeostasis in endocrine cancers.

How to cite this article

George N, Changtoo M, Singh A, Kumar P, Muthuswamy S, Chakraborthy B. Hormonal Regulation of Calcium Signaling in Endocrine Cancers. World J Endoc Surg 2014;6(2):77-80.
Total sulphate vs. sulphuric acid monomer in nucleation studies
Authors: Neitola K. , Brus D. , Makkonen U. , Sipilä M. , Mauldin III R. L. , Sarnela N. , Jokinen T. , Lihavainen H. , Kulmala M.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Sulphuric acid is known to be a key component for atmospheric nucleation. Precise determination of sulphuric acid concentration is crucial factor for prediction of nucleation rates and subsequent growth. In our study, we have noticed a substantial discrepancy between sulphuric acid monomer and total sulphate concentrations measured from the same source of sulphuric acid vapour. The discrepancy of about one to two orders of magnitude was found with similar formation rates. To investigate this discrepancy and its effect on nucleation, a method of thermally controlled saturator filled with pure sulphuric acid (97% wt.) for production of sulphuric acid vapour is introduced and tested. Sulphuric acid-water nucleation experiment was done using a laminar flow tube. Two independent methods of mass spectrometry and online ion chromatography were used for detecting sulphuric acid concentrations. The results are compared to our previous results, where a method of furnace was used to produce sulphuric acid vapour (Brus et al., 2010, 2011). Measured sulphuric acid concentrations are compared to theoretical prediction calculated using vapour pressure and a mixing law. The calculated prediction of sulphuric acid concentrations agrees very well with the measured values when total sulphate is considered. Sulphuric acid monomer concentration was found to be about two orders of magnitude lower than the prediction, but with similar temperature dependency as the prediction and the results obtained with ion chromatograph method. Formation rates agree well when compared to our previous results with both sulphuric acid detection and sulphuric acid production methods separately.
A simple and versatile cloud-screening method for MAX-DOAS retrievals
Authors: Gielen C. , Van Roozendael M. , Hendrick F. , Pinardi G. , Vlemmix T. , De Bock V. , De Backer H. , Fayt C. , Hermans C. , Gillotay D. , Wang P.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. We present a cloud-screening method based on differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements, more specifically using intensity measurements and O4 differential slant-column densities (DSCDs). Using the colour index (CI), i.e. the ratio of the radiance at two wavelengths, we define different sky conditions including clear, thin clouds/polluted, fully-cloudy, and heavily polluted. We also flag the presence of broken and scattered clouds. The O4 absorption is a good tracer for cloud-induced light-path changes and is used to detect clouds and discriminate between instances of high aerosol optical depth (AOD) and high cloud optical depth (COD). We apply our cloud screening to MAX-DOAS (multi-axis DOAS) retrievals at three different sites with different typical meteorological conditions, more specifically suburban Beijing (39.75° N, 116.96° E), Brussels (50.78° N, 4.35° E) and Jungfraujoch (46.55° N, 7.98° E). We find that our cloud screening performs well characterizing the different sky conditions. The flags based on the colour index are able to detect changes in visibility due to aerosols and/or (scattered) clouds. The O4-based multiple-scattering flag is able to detect optically thick clouds, and is needed to correctly identify clouds for sites with extreme aerosol pollution. Removing data taken under cloudy conditions results in a better agreement, in both correlation and slope, between the MAX-DOAS AOD retrievals and measurements from other co-located instruments.
Chemical fate and settling of mineral dust in surface seawater after atmospheric deposition observed from dust seeding experiments in large mesocosms
Authors: Desboeufs K. , Leblond N. , Wagener T. , Bon Nguyen E. , Guieu C.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. We report here the elemental composition of sinking particles in sediment traps and in the water column following four artificial dust seeding experiments (each representing a flux of 10 g m−2). Dry or wet dust deposition were simulated during two large mesocosms field campaigns that took place in the coastal water of Corsica (NW Mediterranean Sea) representative of oligotrophic conditions. The dust additions were carried out with fresh or artificially aged dust (i.e., enriched in nitrate and sulfate by mimicking cloud processing) for various biogeochemical conditions, enabling us to test the effect of these parameters on the chemical composition and settling of dust after deposition. The rates and mechanisms of total mass, particulate organic carbon (POC) and chemical elements (Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, N, Nd, P, S, Sr and Ti) transfer from the mesocosm surface to the sediment traps installed at the base of the mesocosms after dust deposition show that (1) 15% of the initial dust mass was dissolved in the water column in the first 24 h after seeding. Except for Ca, S and N, the elemental composition of dust particles was constant during their settling, showing the relevance of using interelemental ratios, such as Ti/Al as proxy of lithogenic fluxes. (2) Whatever the type of seeding (using fresh dust to simulate dry deposition or artificially aged dust to simulate wet deposition), the particulate phase both in the water column and in the sediment traps was dominated by dust particles. (3) Due to the high Ba content in dust, Ba/Al cannot be used as productivity proxy in the case of high dust input in the sediment traps. Instead, our data suggests that the ratio Co/Al could be a good productivity proxy in this case. (4) After 7 days, between 30 and 68% of added dust was still in suspension in the mesocosms. This difference in the dust settling was directly associated with a difference in POC export, since POC fluxes were highly correlated to dust lithogenic fluxes signifying a ballast effect of dust. The highest fraction of remaining dust in suspension in the mesocosm at the end of the experiment was found inversely correlated to Chl a increase. This suggests that the fertilizing effect of dust on autotrophs organisms, the ballast effect, and POC fluxes are strongly correlated. (5) Our data emphasize a typical mass ratio Lithogenic/POC fluxes around 30 which could be used as reference to estimate the POC export triggered by wet dust deposition event.
Influence of aeolian activities on the distribution of microbial abundance in glacier ice
Authors: Chen Y. , Li X.-K. , Si J. , Wu G.-J. , Tian L.-D. , Xiang S.-R.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Microorganisms are continuously blown onto the glacier snow, and thus the glacial depth profiles provide excellent archives of microbial communities and climatic and environmental changes. However, it is uncertain about how aeolian processes that cause climatic changes control the distribution of microorganisms in the glacier ice. In the present study, microbial density, stable isotopic ratios, 18O / 16O in the precipitation, and mineral particle concentrations along the glacial depth profiles were collected from ice cores from the Muztag Ata glacier and the Dunde ice cap. The ice core data showed that microbial abundance was often, but not always associated with high concentrations of particles. Results also revealed clear seasonal patterning with high microbial abundance occurring in both the cooling autumn and warming spring-summer seasons. Microbial comparisons among the neighbouring glaciers display a heterogeneous spatial pattern, with the highest microbial cell density in the glaciers lying adjacent to the central Asian deserts and lowest microbial density in the southwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. In conclusion, microbial data of the glaciers indicates the aeolian deposits of microorganisms in the glacier ice and that the spatial patterns of microorgansisms are related to differences in sources of microbial flux and intensity of aeolian activities in the current regions. The results strongly support our hypothesis of aeolian activities being the main agents controlling microbial load in the glacier ice.