bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucose Variability and Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Lipska Kasia J. , Venkitachalam Lakshmi , Gosch Kensey , Kovatchev Boris , Van den Berghe Greet , Meyfroidt Geert , Jones Philip G. , Inzucchi Silvio E. , Spertus John A. , DeVries J. Hans , Kosiborod Mikhail
Published: June 2012

Background—

Mean blood glucose (BG) during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important predictor of inpatient mortality but does not capture glucose variability (GV), which has been shown to be independently associated with mortality in critically ill patients. Whether GV is associated with in-hospital mortality during AMI, after accounting for mean BG, is unknown.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed 18 563 consecutive patients with AMI with ≥3 BGs in the first 48 hours admitted to 61 US hospitals from 2000 to 2008. Five different GV metrics were compared for their ability to predict in-hospital mortality (range, standard deviation, mean amplitude of glycemic excursions, mean absolute glucose change, and average daily risk range) using hierarchical logistic regression models that sequentially adjusted for mean BG, hypoglycemia (<70 mg/dL), and multiple patient characteristics. In unadjusted analyses, range and average daily risk range had the highest C-indices (0.620 for range, 0.635 for average daily risk range; both
P
<0.0001). Greater GV was associated with higher mortality for all metrics (eg, mortality was 3.8%, 5.5%, 7.1%, and 11.3% for increasing quartiles of range,
P
<0.0001); however, the association between GV and mortality for each metric was no longer significant after multivariable adjustment. In contrast, mean BG remained an important predictor of survival (
P
<0.001, all models).

Conclusions—

Although greater GV is associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with AMI in unadjusted analyses, GV is no longer independently predictive after controlling for multiple patient factors, including mean BG. These findings suggest that GV does not provide additional prognostic value above and beyond already recognized risk factors for mortality during AMI.
Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography and Risk of All-Cause Mortality and Nonfatal Myocardial Infarction in Subjects Without Chest Pain Syndrome From the CONFIRM Registry (Coronary CT Angiography Evaluation for Clinical Outcomes: An International Multicenter Registry)
Authors: Cho Iksung , Chang Hyuk-Jae , Sung Ji Min , Pencina Michael J. , Lin Fay Y. , Dunning Allison M. , Achenbach Stephan , Al-Mallah Mouaz , Berman Daniel S. , Budoff Matthew J. , Callister Tracy Q. , Chow Benjamin J.W. , Delago Augustin , Hadamitzky Martin , Hausleiter Joerg , Maffei Erica , Cademartiri Filippo , Kaufmann Philipp , Shaw Leslee J. , Raff Gil L. , Chinnaiyan Kavitha M. , Villines Todd C. , Cheng Victor , Nasir Khurram , Gomez Millie , Min James K.
Published: June 2012

Background—

The predictive value of coronary computed tomographic angiography (cCTA) in subjects without chest pain syndrome (CPS) has not been established. We investigated the prognostic value of coronary artery disease detection by cCTA and determined the incremental risk stratification benefit of cCTA findings compared with clinical risk factor scoring and coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) for individuals without CPS.

Methods and Results—

An open-label, 12-center, 6-country observational registry of 27 125 consecutive patients undergoing cCTA and CACS was queried, and 7590 individuals without CPS or history of coronary artery disease met the inclusion criteria. All-cause mortality and the composite of all-cause mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction were measured. During a median follow-up of 24 months (interquartile range, 18–35 months), all-cause mortality occurred in 136 individuals. After risk adjustment, compared with individuals without evidence of coronary artery disease by cCTA, individuals with obstructive 2- and 3-vessel disease or left main coronary artery disease experienced higher rates of death and composite outcome (
P
<0.05 for both). Both CACS and cCTA significantly improved the performance of standard risk factor prediction models for all-cause mortality and the composite outcome (likelihood ratio
P
<0.05 for all), but the incremental discriminatory value associated with their inclusion was more pronounced for the composite outcome and for CACS (C statistic for model with risk factors only was 0.71; for risk factors plus CACS, 0.75; for risk factors plus CACS plus cCTA, 0.77). The net reclassification improvement resulting from the addition of cCTA to a model based on standard risk factors and CACS was negligible.

Conclusions—

Although the prognosis for individuals without CPS is stratified by cCTA, the additional risk-predictive advantage by cCTA is not clinically meaningful compared with a risk model based on CACS. Therefore, at present, the application of cCTA for risk assessment of individuals without CPS should not be justified.
Myocardial CXCR4 Expression Is Required for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Mediated Repair Following Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Dong Feng , Harvey James , Finan Amanda , Weber Kristal , Agarwal Udit , Penn Marc S.
Published: June 2012

Background—

Overexpression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 in injured tissue leads to improved end-organ function. In this study, we quantify the local trophic effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) stromal cell-derived factor-1 release on the effects of MSC engraftment in the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction.

Methods and Results—

Conditional cardiac myocyte CXCR4 (CM-CXCR4) null mice were generated by use of tamoxifen-inducible cardiac-specific cre by crossing CXCR4 floxed with MCM-cre mouse. Studies were performed in littermates with (CM-CXCR4 null) or without (control) tamoxifen injection 3 weeks before acute myocardial infarction. One day after acute myocardial infarction, mice received 100 000 MSC or saline via tail vein. We show α-myosin heavy chain MerCreMer and the MLC-2v promoters are active in cardiac progenitor cells. MSC engraftment in wild-type mice decreased terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase–mediated dUTP nick-end labeling positive CM (−44%,
P
<0.01), increased cardiac progenitor cell recruitment (100.9%,
P
<0.01), and increased cardiac myosin-positive area (39%,
P
<0.05) at 4, 7, and 21 days after acute myocardial infarction, respectively. MSC in wild-type mice resulted in 107.4% (
P
<0.05) increase in ejection fraction in comparison with 25.9% (
P
=NS) increase in CM-CXCR4 null mice. These differences occurred despite equivalent increases (16%) in vascular density in response to MSC infusion in wild-type and CM-CXCR4 null mice.

Conclusions—

These data demonstrate that the local trophic effects of MSC require cardiac progenitor cell and CM-CXCR4 expression and are mediated by MSC stromal cell-derived factor-1 secretion. Our results further demonstrate and quantify for the first time a specific paracrine mechanism of MSC engraftment. In the absence of CM-CXCR4 expression, there is a significant loss of functional benefit in MSC-mediated repair despite equal increases in vascular density.
Nitroglycerin Fails to Lower Blood Pressure in Redox-Dead Cys42Ser PKG1α Knock-In Mouse
Authors: Rudyk Olena , Prysyazhna Oleksandra , Burgoyne Joseph R. , Eaton Philip
Published: June 2012

Background—

Although nitroglycerin has remained in clinical use since 1879, the mechanism by which it relaxes blood vessels to lower blood pressure remains incompletely understood. Nitroglycerin undergoes metabolism that generates several reaction products, including oxidants, and this bioactivation process is essential for vasodilation. Protein kinase G (PKG) mediates classic nitric oxide–dependent vasorelaxation, but the 1α isoform is also independently activated by oxidation that involves interprotein disulfide formation within this homodimeric protein complex. We hypothesized that nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation is mediated by disulfide activation of PKG1α.

Methods and Results—

Treating smooth muscle cells or isolated blood vessels with nitroglycerin caused PKG1α disulfide dimerization. PKG1α disulfide formation was increased in wild-type mouse aortas by in vivo nitroglycerin treatment, but this oxidation was lost as tolerance developed. To establish whether kinase oxidation underlies nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation in vivo, we used a Cys42Ser PKG1α knock-in mouse that cannot transduce oxidant signals because it does not contain the vital redox-sensing thiol. This redox-dead knock-in mouse was substantively deficient in hypotensive response to nitroglycerin compared with wild-type littermates as measured in vivo by radiotelemetry. Resistance blood vessels from knock-ins were markedly less sensitive to nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation (EC
50
=39.2±10.7 μmol/L) than wild-types (EC
50
=12.1±2.9 μmol/L). Furthermore, after ≈24 hours of treatment, wild-type controls stopped vasodilating to nitroglycerin, and the vascular sensitivity to nitroglycerin was decreased, whereas this tolerance phenomenon, which routinely hampers the management of hypertensive patients, was absent in knock-ins.

Conclusions—

PKG1α disulfide formation is a significant mediator of nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation, and tolerance to nitroglycerin is associated with loss of kinase oxidation.
Does Blood Pressure Inevitably Rise With Age?
Authors: Gurven Michael , Blackwell Aaron D. , Rodríguez Daniel Eid , Stieglitz Jonathan , Kaplan Hillard
Published: June 2012

The rise in blood pressure with age is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and renal disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Age-related increases in blood pressure have been observed in almost every population, except among hunter-gatherers, farmers, and pastoralists. Here we tested for age-related increases in blood pressure among Tsimane forager-farmers. We also test whether lifestyle changes associated with modernization lead to higher blood pressure and a greater rate of age-related increase in blood pressure. We measured blood pressure longitudinally on 2248 adults age ≥20 years (n=6468 observations over 8 years). Prevalence of hypertension was 3.9% for women and 5.2% for men, although diagnosis of persistent hypertension based on multiple observations reduced prevalence to 2.9% for both sexes. Mixed-effects models revealed systolic, diastolic, and pulse blood pressure increases of 2.86 (
P
<0.001), 0.95 (
P
<0.001), and 1.95 mmHg (
P
<0.001) per decade for women and 0.91 (
P
<0.001), 0.93 (
P
<0.001), and −0.02 mmHg (
P
=0.93) for men, substantially lower than rates found elsewhere. Lifestyle factors, such as smoking and Spanish fluency, had minimal effect on mean blood pressure and no effect on age-related increases in blood pressure. Greater town proximity was associated with a lower age-related increase in pulse pressure. Effects of modernization were, therefore, deemed minimal among Tsimane, in light of their lean physique, active lifestyle, and protective diet.
Queering cross-sex friendships: An analysis of gay and bisexual men’s workplace friendships with heterosexual women
Authors: Rumens Nick
Published: June 2012

Organizational research on cross-sex friendships frequently normalizes heterosexuality by excluding lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Challenging this heteronormative bias, this article mobilizes queer theories to examine how UK gay and bisexual men reproduce and contest heterosexist norms in the construction of workplace friendships with heterosexual women. For bisexual study participants, interview data reveal how their friendship experiences can be rendered epistemologically invisible, especially within work environments where bi-negativity is anticipated. In contrast, gay study participants appear to adopt discursive strategies in order to create friendships with women that are normatively accepted. This article develops a concept of ‘queer friendship’ as it relates to the opportunities that arise within workplace friendships for transcending heterosexist norms. It is argued that sustaining the queer aspects of workplace relationships can be challenging but worthwhile, with implications for disrupting gender binaries and developing open-ended organizational policy definitions of ‘acceptable’ workplace relationships.
Mode III interlaminar fracture and damage characterization in woven fabric-reinforced glass/epoxy composite laminates
Authors: Mehrabadi Farhad Asgari , Khoshravan Mohammadreza
Published: June 2012

The increasing use of composite materials in industry leads to the need for a detailed investigation on fiber-reinforced composite joints. In the present study, fracture behavior of woven fabric-reinforced glass/epoxy composite laminates under mode III crack growth was experimentally investigated and numerically modeled. Two methods were used for the calculation of the strain energy release rate: the experimental compliance calibration method and the virtual crack closure technique. To achieve this aim, edge crack torsion was used to evaluate fracture toughness in mode III loading (out of plane-shear) at different crack lengths. Load–displacement and associated energy release rates were obtained for various cases of interest. To calculate fracture toughness JIII, two criteria were considered in load–displacement curve which included non-linearity and maximum points; it was observed that JIII increased with the increase of crack length. Based on the finite element analysis, the recommended crack length range was given in order to design a configuration which would give 97% mode III contribution to the total energy release rate. Both the experimental compliance method and the virtual crack closure technique proved applicable for the interpretation of the fracture mechanics data of woven glass/epoxy laminates in mode III.
Fatigue characterization of acid-treated carbon nanotube/epoxy composites
Authors: Jen Yi-Ming , Huang Chien-Yang
Published: June 2012

This study investigates how the acid treatment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes affects the fatigue behavior of carbon nanotube/epoxy composites. Nanocomposites with 0.5 and 1.0 wt% acid-treated carbon nanotubes display slightly and significantly stronger fatigue strength than those with equal-content as-received carbon nanotubes, respectively. However, excessive addition of carbon nanotubes fails to increase the fatigue resistance of epoxy resins, owing to carbon nanotube agglomeration. Furthermore, the fatigue strength of nanocomposites depend on the ultimate strength rather than the carbon nanotube contents or treatments. Furthermore, how carbon nanotube contents and related treatments influence the fatigue strength of the nanocomposites is elucidated by examining the fractographs of the specimens.
Armed Society in the Niger Delta
Authors: Isumonah V. Adefemi
Published: June 2012

The nonproliferation of weapons agenda was entirely about chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons because they were seen as the most threatening to human existence and the security of the most powerful countries. Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), which have been instrumental to massive destruction of life and property, began to receive a serious attention from world leaders in the 1990s. Consequently, this article is concerned with the problems of controlling the proliferation of SALW in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. It argues that supply implicitly obeys the demand for SALW because it lacks a control factor. The presence of such a factor makes the acquisition of nuclear capability very difficult. Therefore, the effective control of SALW’s proliferation would depend not only on controlling local demand factors but also on the presence of a supply control factor.
The Just’s Umbrella: Austerity and the Big Society in Coalition policy and beyond
Authors: Levitas Ruth
Published: June 2012

The formation of the Coalition government in 2010 has resulted in unprecedented spending cuts presented as necessary austerity, together with the promotion of the ‘Big Society’ as the panacea for social ills. This article argues that the cuts continue a thirty-year process of redistribution to the rich. Rather than being a necessary response to the economic crisis, they constitute a neo-liberal shock doctrine, forcing through punitive policies which undermine the collective provision against risk that constitutes the ‘just’s umbrella’. However, arguments for reduced consumption and self-organization in civil society have purchase partly because of real needs for sustainable development and human well-being. Reading austerity and the Big Society through a ‘hermeneutics of faith’ rather than a ‘hermeneutics of suspicion’ opens up the utopian possibility of thinking holistically about an alternative, equitable, sustainable future radically different from that offered by conventional politics.
A Population-Based Nationwide Study of Cruciate Ligament Injury in Sweden, 2001-2009
Authors: Nordenvall Richard , Bahmanyar Shahram , Adami Johanna , Stenros Carin , Wredmark Torsten , Felländer-Tsai Li
Published: June 2012

Background:

A few national cruciate ligament (CL) registers have been initiated with operative surveillance and outcome monitoring. No nationwide study describing CL injury has ever been done.

Purpose:

To study the incidence and characteristics of patients diagnosed with cruciate ligament injury in Sweden.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Data for all patients with a diagnosed CL injury between 2001 and 2009 were identified from the National Swedish Patient Register. Risk analysis and specific incidences were calculated according to age, sex, geographic region, and surgery.

Results:

A total number of 56,659 patients with CL injury were included in the study, and the overall incidence of CL injury in Sweden was 78 per 100,000 persons. Sixty percent of the patients were male. The mean age was 32 years (range, 1-98 years), and 50% of the cohort was younger than 30 years. There was an increased rate of injury among female patients younger than 20 years as compared with male patients in that age group. Among patients with CL injury, 36% underwent reconstructive surgery, with one-third of these performed within 1 year after injury. Among patients who underwent surgery, 59% were male; the mean age was 27 years (range, 5-89 years).

Conclusion:

This study defines the incidence of CL injury and also demonstrates sex differences in which men were more likely to sustain a CL injury, although female patients were injured at an earlier age. The findings in this study corroborate the results from recent surgical registers.

Clinical Relevance:

No data have hitherto been published including all patients with CL injury, treated both surgically and nonsurgically. Such baseline epidemiologic data are crucial to be able to validate and judge the generalizability of results from procedure registers and clinical studies.
Safeguarding children in clinical research
Authors: Edwards Steven D
Published: June 2012

Current UK guidelines regarding clinical research on children permit research that is non-therapeutic from the perspective of that particular child. The guidelines permit research interventions that cause temporary pain, bruises or scars. It is argued here that such research conflicts with the Declaration of Helsinki according to which the interests of the research subject outweigh all other interests. Given this, in the context of clinical research, who is best placed to protect the child from this kind of exploitation? Is it the medical researcher, the child’s parents or the nurse advocate? This article describes the problem, possible responses to it, and closes with a consideration of, and rejection of, a defence of current guidelines that claims moral parity between clinical research and clinical education.
A Taxonomy of Care for Youth
Authors: Evenboer K. Els , Huyghen Anne-Marie N. , Tuinstra Jolanda , Knorth Erik J. , Reijneveld Sijmen A.
Published: June 2012

Purpose: Statements about potentially effective components of interventions in child and youth care are hard to make because of a lack of a standardized instruments for classifying the most salient care characteristics. The aim of this study is to present an empirically developed taxonomy of care for youth (Tocfy) which is feasible for use in daily practice, including an explanation of the developmental process itself. Methods: The development procedure, comprising of different stages, contributed significantly to the foundation of the taxonomy. Results: The operational version consists of six domains: (1) contents of the intervention; (2) judicial context; (3) duration of the intervention; (4) intensity of the intervention; (5) intervention recipients; and (6) expertise of professionals. The terminologies used to describe treatment programs and the levels of classification were standardized for each organization participating in our study. By doing so, the feasibility and manageability of the taxonomic system in daily practice increased. Discussion: Using tocfy in daily practice provides the opportunity to gather information on care and treatment characteristics within care organizations. The strength of tocfy is that its framework can be extended to other care organizations within child and youth care. Replication of the findings of our study in other child and youth care settings is needed, because this study only covered one province in the Netherlands.
Phenolic compounds from Andean mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) tubers display protection against soybean oil oxidation
Authors: Betalleluz-Pallardel I , Chirinos R , Rogez H , Pedreschi R , Campos D
Published: June 2012

Phenolic compounds from mashua tuber were evaluated as potential antioxidants to retard the oxidation of crude soybean oil submitted to accelerated storage and frying. During the accelerated storage, an ethanolic crude extract, a purified extract, an aqueous fraction and an ethyl acetate fraction from mashua containing different gallic acid equivalent concentrations (100, 300 and 600 ppm) in oil were evaluated at 55 °C. After 15 days of storage, better effects were evidenced against soybean oil oxidation at 300 and 600 ppm of ethyl acetate fraction in comparison to 200 ppm butylated hydroxytoluene and the control (no antioxidant added). During the frying process at ∼180 °C, principal component analysis revealed that the content of trienes and dienes were strongly correlated with the frying batch. Ethyl acetate fraction at 200 ppm showed the highest efficacy against oil oxidation in terms of polar compound values, free fatty acids and conjugated dienes and trienes in comparison to the oil containing 200 ppm tert-butylhydroquinone and control. Differential scanning calorimetry corroborated the efficacy of ethyl acetate fraction phenolic and it is strongly recommended as method for validation of results. This study provides strong evidence related to the excellent protective effects against soybean oil oxidation of mashua phenolics. This crop could be utilized as an alternative source of natural antioxidants by the oil industry.
Impact of milling and water-to-rice ratio on cooked rice and wastewater properties
Authors: Altheide MC , Morawicki RO , Hager TJ
Published: June 2012

Due to the environmental concerns and expense associated with the disposal of wastewater after industrial cooking of rice, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent of leaching, water uptake and volumetric expansion of rice during cooking at various milling durations and water-to-rice ratios. Two cultivars of Arkansas rice, a long grain (Francis) and a medium grain (Jupiter), were milled for 10, 20, and 30 s with a laboratory mill. Samples were cooked in aluminum foil covered beakers at water-to-rice ratios of 10:1, 15:1, and 20:1. After 20 min, rice was weighed for water uptake and measured for volumetric expansion using hexane displacement. The excess cooking water was evaluated for total solids, amylose, and protein to determine the extent of leaching. Water uptake and volumetric expansion significantly increased with milling duration in both cultivars. Leached solids increased as the water-to-rice ratio increased in Francis and increased with milling duration in Jupiter; however, the amylose content of leached solids was unaffected by the water-to-rice ratio in both cultivars. Thus, shorter milling durations may limit the extent of leaching during cooking, as observed with Jupiter, while a lower water-to-rice ratio may reduce wastewater contamination for cultivars similar to Francis.
Proteomic Analysis of the Copper Ion-Induced Stress Response in a Human Embryonic Carcinoma Cell Line
Authors: Han Dal Mu Ri , Choi Mi Ran , Jung Kyoung Hwa , Lee Hyung Tae , Park Ji Hyun , Ohn Takbum , Chai Young Gyu
Published: June 2012

Excessive exposure to copper, a redox-active metal, generates free radicals, which can cause cellular damage. In this study, we aim to identify the proteins that are up- or downregulated by copper exposure in human embryonic carcinoma (NCCIT) cells and to understand the mechanisms that play a role in the copper-induced stress response. After exposure to copper ions, the cells showed upregulated levels of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein, fibrillin 1, CWC22 spliceosome-associated protein (KIAA1604), heat shock protein (HSP) 60, and HSP70, while the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6, vimentin, 14-3-3 protein zeta, and RAC-beta (AKT2) serine/threonine protein kinase were downregulated. The GeneGo Process Networks of the proteins upregulated by copper ions were analyzed, and the 3 highest-scoring networks from the proteins upregulated by copper ions are presented here. In particular, the increased level of HSP70 in response to copper ions occurred in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that HSP70 could be a potential biomarker for copper toxicity in mammalian cells.
High Tech and High Touch
Authors: Wünderlich Nancy V. , Wangenheim Florian v. , Bitner Mary Jo
Published: June 2012

Smart interactive services, in contrast with other technology-based services, require significant human-to-human interaction and collaboration in addition to the service provided by the embedded technology itself. The authors’ foundational Delphi study confirms smart interactive services (e.g., remote diagnosis, remote repair of equipment, and telemedicine) are a rapidly growing innovation category across industries. Yet, gaining user acceptance of these types of services presents a significant challenge for managers. To address this challenge, the authors employ a grounded theory approach, drawing on depth interviews, to develop a framework of barriers and facilitators to users’ attitudinal and behavioral responses to smart interactive services. The findings reveal a new set of beliefs that are critical in this context. These beliefs are tied to the human element and specifically pertain to beliefs about the “service counterpart (SC),” who is the provider’s employee controlling the technology. Control, trustworthiness, and collaboration beliefs emerge jointly as important and interrelated influencers tied to the SC. Contrary to conventional wisdom that focuses on features of the technology itself to gain user acceptance, this research encourages providers to emphasize the interpersonal elements of the service by providing control cues, raising social presence, and enhancing human trust mechanisms.
Categorial systematics
Authors: Stokoe Elizabeth
Published: June 2012

In this response article, I focus on two issues. First, I discuss the problem, raised by the commentators, of ‘categorial ambiguity’ in membership categorization analysis, and make suggestions about how to approach it. Second, I argue that, as conversation analysts have demonstrated the ‘systematics’ of interactional practices, membership categorization analysis should also begin to build a robust corpus of studies of ‘categorial systematics’.
Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Lower Limb Following Rat Bites
Authors: Anyanwu Lofty-John Chukwuemeka , Yakubu Ashuku Ahmed
Published: June 2012

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare life-threatening condition characterized by rapidly spreading infection in the subcutaneous tissues. Most of the time, the infection is precipitated by an event that produces a break in the epidermis. The authors report the case of a 55-year-old farmer who developed a necrotizing fasciitis of the left lower limb following a rat bite. The patient had serial debridement of his wound and broad-spectrum antibiotics and subsequent partial thickness skin grafting. His total duration of admission was 93 days. Early diagnosis, an aggressive wound debridement, and broad-spectrum antibiotics form the backbone of the successful management of this case.
Permanent Revolution: Mohamed Bouazizi’s Incendiary Ethics of Revolt
Authors: Pugliese Joseph
Published: June 2012

This essay stages a reflection on the complex relation that Levinas’ philosophy has to violence and revolution. Confining my commentary largely to one pivotal essay, “Ideology and Idealism,” I contend that Levinas must be seen as an advocate of revolution unconditionally oriented by ethics. He must be seen, moreover, as an advocate of nothing less than, in his own words, “permanent revolution.” Rather than offer a purely abstracted commentary on Levinas’ concept of permanent revolution, I stage a posthumous face-to-face of Levinas with Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian street vendor who is seen as the catalyst who proceeded, after his self-immolation, to inspire both the Tunisian revolution and the revolutions of the Arab Spring that swept across North Africa and the Middle East. By interlacing Levinas’ profound meditations on violence, revolution and the ideality of justice with Mohamed Bouazizi’s suicide and the revolutions he catalyzed, I propose to illuminate the ethical dimensions of revolt, rebellion and revolution in the context of state violence.
‘Sham Surgery’ Control Groups: Ethics and Context
Authors: Swift Teresa
Published: June 2012

The use of placebo controls in surgical research, or ‘sham surgery’ as it sometimes described, raises a number of ethical issues. Despite such issues, sham surgery is presently being employed, albeit very rarely, in surgical research. In this paper, the ethical implications of such control groups are discussed in the context of research into various conditions, including Parkinson's Disease and arthritis. Conflicting ethical considerations include: i) patients' best interests in relation to the harms and risks involved; ii) the need for more rigorous methods in surgical research, and iii) the question of patient autonomy. Contextual features which may influence the ethical acceptability of a specific sham-controlled surgical trial are discussed.
A Stand-Alone Accelerometer System for Free-Living Individuals to Measure and Promote Physical Activity
Authors: Manohar Chinmay U. , Koepp Gabriel A. , McCrady-Spitzer Shelly K. , Levine James A.
Published: June 2012

Background.

Physical activity is important for multiple aspects of health, for example, cancer prevention, metabolic disease treatment, cardiovascular health, and obesity management. Despite the improved capability of measuring physical activity in the research arena, the options are scarce and less reliable for measurements in free-living people. In this article, the authors tested the validity of a robust stand-alone patient-operated Accelerometer System that can measure physical activity and sedentariness in active people.

Methods.

Thirty subjects wore the Accelerometer System along with the validated physical activity monitoring system (PAMS) with different body postures and during graded walking at 7 velocities. Energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry.

Results.

In all the 30 subjects, the Accelerometer System distinguished sedentary and walking activity reliably even with ½ mph increments in walking and was accurate and precise compared with PAMS, with an intraclass correlation coefficient ( r2 > .98). The Accelerometer System showed excellent sequential increases with increase in walking velocity and energy expenditure ( r2 > .9).

Conclusion.

A stand-alone Accelerometer System was accurate and reliable in measuring and quantifying physical activity in the laboratory setting.
Fetal Oral Mass
Authors: Auffant Jessica , Carlan Stephen J.
Published: June 2012

A case report is presented of a sonographic examination at 39 weeks’ gestation that showed a nonvascular fetal oral mass. The patient was transferred to a tertiary referral hospital where an ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure was planned; however, delivery was subsequently completed without the need of this procedure. The neonate underwent marsupialization of the mass with the final diagnosis of a ranula or lymphangioma. This case report emphasizes identification of a fetal oral mass, appropriate diagnostic tools to evaluate oral masses, and treatment options for these patients.
Clay crystal-chemical adaptability and transformation mechanisms
Authors: Cuadros J.
Published: June 2012

Chemical and mineralogical transformations of phyllosilicates are among the most important in diagenetic environments in all types of rocks because they can exert a large control on the processes taking place in such environments and/or provide constraints for the conditions in which phyllosilicate transformation occurred. Dissolution-precipitation and solid-state transformation are usually the two mechanisms proposed for such reactions depending on the crystal-chemical and morphological similarities between parent and neoformed phases together with knowledge of the environmental conditions. These two mechanisms, however, may be at both ends of the spectrum of those operating and many transformations may take place through a mixture of the two mechanisms, generating observable elements that are characteristic of one or the other. In the present literature, the boundaries between the two mechanisms are not clear, mainly because dissolution-precipitation is sometimes defined at nearly atomic scale. It is proposed here that such small-scale processes are considered as a solid-state transformation, and that dissolution-precipitation requires dissolution of entire mineral particles and their dissolved species to pass into the bulk of the solution. Understanding the reaction mechanisms of diagenetic transformations is an important issue because they impinge on geochemical conditions and variables such as cation mobility, rock volume, fabric changes, rock permeability, stable isotope signature and phyllosilicate crystal-chemistry.

I propose that, in the lower range temperatures at which clay mineral transformations take place, energy considerations favour solid-state transformation, or reactions that involve the breaking of a limited number of bonds, over dissolution of entire grains and precipitation of crystals of the new phase. Large morphological changes are frequently invoked as evidence for a dissolution-precipitation mechanism but changes in particle shape and size may be achieved by particle rupture, particle welding or by hybrid processes in which dissolution-precipitation plays a minor role.

Past and recent studies of phyllosilicate transformations show chemical and structural intermediates indicating a large crystal-chemical versatility, greater than is commonly recognized. These intermediates include tetrahedral sheets of different composition within TOT units (termed polar layers), dioctahedral and trioctahedral domains in the same layer, and 2:1 and 1:1 domains also within the same layers. The existence of such intermediate structures suggests that the reaction mechanisms that generated them are within the realm of the solid-state transformation processes.
Microwave-activated p-TSA dealuminated montmorillonite – a new material with improved catalytic activity
Authors: Ramesh S. , Bhat Y. S. , Jai Prakash B. S.
Published: June 2012

We report a montmorillonite material with enhanced surface area but with very little alteration in cation exchange capacity (CEC) upon dealumination with para toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA). The new material shows higher catalytic activity in comparison with mineral-acid-treated clay. Montmorillonite clay was treated with p-TSA for 10 minutes under microwave irradiation. The resulting clay was characterized by CEC, X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of ammonia and cyclic voltametry (CV) techniques. XRD patterns show an unchanged structure of pristine matrix after the acid action. BET analysis revealed an increase in the surface area and pore volume on p-TSA treatment, indicating formation of voids in the octahedral layer which suggests dealumination. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption curves showed the creation of new micro porous regions, possibly in the octahedral sheets. In contrast to mineral acid treatment, p-TSA treated clay samples showed similar CEC which shows the absence of dissolution of isomorphously substituted Mg and Fe ions present in the octahedral layer. CV studies confirm the formation of an Al-p-TSA complex, suggesting dissolution of aluminium octahedral sheets. The complex subsequently hydrolyses, replacing interlayer cations with Al3+ ions. Similar treatment with mineral acid resulted in clay with enhanced surface area but with reduced CEC, evidently due to the removal of isomorphously substituted Fe and Mg. Further, the p-TSA treated clays showed relatively higher esterification activity under solvent-free microwave irradiation. The p-TSA treated clay retained its activity even after three subsequent runs and thus can be exploited for practical applications.
Adsorption and stacking behaviour of zwitterionic porphyrin on the clay surface
Authors: Eyama T. , Yogo Y. , Fujimura T. , Tsukamoto T. , Masui D. , Shimada T. , Tachibana H. , Inoue H. , Takagi S.
Published: June 2012

Zwitterionic porphyrin (tetrakis {4-(2-carboxyethyl)pyridinio}porphyrin (TPyCP)) with four pyridinium and carboxyl groups in the molecule was synthesized. The adsorption behaviour of TPyCP on the montmorillonite clay surface was examined in an aqueous colloidal solution. While the adsorption maximum λmax of TPyCP was 424 nm in water, it shifted to longer wavelengths on complex formation with clay. The λmax on the exfoliated clay surface was 450 nm, and that in the stacked clay sheets was 471 nm, respectively. Under alkaline conditions ([NaOH] = 2 × 10–4 M), the stacking behaviour of the clay was completely suppressed. It emerged that anionic parts in the porphyrin molecule can suppress the stacking of clay sheets. Judging from the quantitative analysis, the maximum adsorption amount of TPyCP was 100% vs. cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the clay. As the adsorption density of TPyCP increased, λmax shifted slightly to longer wavelengths due to the interactions between adjacent porphyrins. When the loading level of TPyCP was 200% vs. CEC, the stacking of TPyCP was indicated. The average stacking layer number was calculated to be 1.48. On the other hand, it is known that tetra cationic porphyrins without anionic parts do not form such stacking structures. Thus, it seems that zwitterionic porphyrin has the potential to form a three dimensional structure through electrostatic interactions between porphyrins on the clay surface.
Comparison of argon plasma coagulation in management of upper gastrointestinal angiodysplasia and gastric antral vascular ectasia hemorrhage
Authors: Chiu Yi-Chun , Lu Lung-Sheng , Wu Keng-Liang , Tam William , Hu Ming-Luen , Tai Wei-Chen , Chiu King-Wah , Chuah Seng-Kee
Published: June 2012

Background

Vascular ectasias, including gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) and angiodysplasia, are increasingly recognized as important sources of gastrointestinal bleeding. This study investigated and compared the efficacies and outcomes of treatment of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) angiodysplasia and GAVE hemorrhage by endoscopic argon plasma coagulation (APC).

Methods

From January 2006 to December 2009, 46 patients diagnosed with upper GI bleeding caused by angiodysplasia or GAVE at a tertiary hospital were recruited into this study. They included 26 males and 20 females with an average age of 65.6 years (range, 45–90 years). All patients underwent APC for hemostasis during an endoscopic procedure. Parameters such as underlying co-morbidities, number of endoscopic treatment sessions, recurrent bleeding, and clinical outcomes during follow-up were analyzed.

Results

The 46 patients with UGI vascular ectasia hemorrhage included 27 patients with angiodysplasia and 19 with GAVE. The patients with angiodysplasia were older than those with GAVE (71.6 ± 10.2 years versus 61.8 ± 11.9 years, P = 0.005). More GAVE patients than angiodysplasia patients had co-existing liver cirrhosis (63.2% versus 25.9%, P = 0.012). The patients with GAVE had a higher rate of recurrent bleeding (78.9% versus 7.4%, P < 0.001) and required more treatment sessions to achieve complete hemostasis (2.4 ± 1.4 versus 1.1 ± 0.1, P < 0.001) than those with angiodysplasia. Univariate analysis demonstrated that age greater than 60 years (odds ratio (OR) = 8.929, P = 0.003), GAVE (OR = 0.021, P < 0.001), and previous radiation therapy (OR = 11.667, P = 0.032) were associated with higher rates of recurrent bleeding. Further multivariate analysis revealed that GAVE was the only independent risk factor for recurrent bleeding after APC treatment (OR = 0.027, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Endoscopic hemostasis with APC is a safe treatment modality for both angiodysplasia and vascular ectasia bleeding. The efficacy of APC treatment is greater for angiodysplasia than for vascular ectasia bleeding. GAVE patients have a higher recurrent bleeding rate and may require multiple treatment sessions for sustained hemostasis.
PA from an H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus activates viral transcription and replication and induces apoptosis and interferon expression at an early stage of infection
Authors: Wang Qiang , Zhang Shijian , Jiang Hongbing , Wang Jinlan , Weng Leiyun , Mao Yingying , Sekiguchi Satoshi , Yasui Fumihiko , Kohara Michinori , Buchy Philippe , Deubel Vincent , Xu Ke , Sun Bing , Toyoda Tetsuya
Published: June 2012

Background

Although gene exchange is not likely to occur freely, reassortment between the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and currently circulating human viruses is a serious concern. The PA polymerase subunit of H5N1 HPAIV was recently reported to activate the influenza replicon activity.

Methods

The replicon activities of PR8 and WSN strains (H1N1) of influenza containing PA from HPAIV A/Cambodia/P0322095/2005 (H5N1) and the activity of the chimeric RNA polymerase were analyzed. A reassortant WSN virus containing the H5N1 Cambodia PA (C-PA) was then reconstituted and its growth in cells and pathogenicity in mice examined. The interferon promoter, TUNEL, and caspase 3, 8, and 9 activities of C-PA-infected cells were compared with those of WSN-infected cells.

Results

The activity of the chimeric RNA polymerase was slightly higher than that of WSN, and C-PA replicated better than WSN in cells. However, the multi-step growth of C-PA and its pathogenicity in mice were lower than those of WSN. The interferon promoter, TUNEL, and caspase 3, 8, and 9 activities were strongly induced in early infection in C-PA-infected cells but not in WSN-infected cells.

Conclusions

Apoptosis and interferon were strongly induced early in C-PA infection, which protected the uninfected cells from expansion of viral infection. In this case, these classical host-virus interactions contributed to the attenuation of this strongly replicating virus.
A combination extract of ginseng, epimedium, polygala, and tuber curcumae increases synaptophysin expression in APPV717I transgenic mice
Authors: Shi Jing , Tian Jinzhou , Zhang Xuekai , Wei Mingqing , Yin Long , Wang Pengwen , Wang Yongyan
Published: June 2012

Background

The density of presynaptic markers of synaptic communication and plasticity, especially synaptophysin (SYP), is significantly correlated with cognitive decline and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), indicating that synaptic protection is an important therapeutic strategy for AD. This study aims to investigate the synaptic protective effects of a combination of several active components extracted from the Chinese herbs ginseng, epimedium, polygala and tuber curcumae (GEPT), in the brains of APPV717I transgenic mice.

Methods

Three-month-old APPV717I mice were arbitrarily divided into 10 groups (n = 12 per group): APP groups receiving vehicle treatment for four or eight months (model groups), three dose groups of GEPT-treated mice for each treatment period, and donepezil-treated mice for each treatment period. Three-month-old C57BL/6 J mice (n = 12) were also given vehicle for four or eight months (control groups). Vehicle, donepezil or GEPT were intragastrically administered. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot analysis were used to assess protein expression in the hippocampal CA1 region and ratios of SYP to β-actin levels in hippocampal tissue homogenate, respectively.

Results

Both IHC and Western blot revealed a decrease in SYP levels in the CA1 region of 7- and 11-month-old APPV717I transgenic mice compared with the control groups, whereas SYP levels were increased in donepezil- and GEPT-treated transgenic mice compared with the APP group. There was a significant difference in the levels of SYP detected by IHC between the GEPT high-dose group and the APP group after 4 months of treatment, and there were significant differences between all three GEPT groups and the APP group after 8 months of treatment. Western blotting showed that the SYP protein–β-actin ratio was decreased in APP mice, while donepezil- and GEPT-treated transgenic mice showed increased trends in the SYP protein–β-actin ratios.

Conclusion

GEPT increases SYP expression and protects synapses before and after the formation of amyloid plaques in the brains of APPV717I transgenic mice.
Pharmacokinetics of an injectable long-acting formulation of doxycycline hyclate in dogs
Authors: Gutiérrez Lilia , Velasco Zazil-Ha , Vázquez Carlos , Vargas Dinorah , Sumano Héctor
Published: June 2012

Based on its PK/PD ratios, doxycycline hyclate (DOX-h), a time-dependant antibacterial, is ideally expected to achieve both sustained plasma drug concentrations at or slightly above the MIC level for as long as possible between dosing intervals. Pursuing this end, a poloxamer-based matrix was used to produce a long-acting injectable preparation (DOX-h-LA) and its serum concentrations vs. time profile investigated after its SC injection to dogs (≤ 0.3 mL per injection site), and results compared with the oral (PO) and IV pharmacokinetics of DOX-h, prepared as tablet or as freshly made solution. A crossover (4 x 4 x 4) study design was employed with 12 Mongrel dogs, with washout periods of 21 days, and at dose of 10 mg/kg in all cases. DOX-h-LA showed the greatest values for bioavailability (199.48%); maximum serum concentration (Cmax) value was 2.8 ± 0.3 with a time to reach Cmax (Tmax) of 2.11 ± 0.12 h and an elimination half-life of 133.61 ± 6.32 h. Considering minimum effective serum concentration of 0.5 μg/mL, a dose-interval of at least 1 week h can be achieved for DOX-h-LA, and only 48 h and 24 h after the IV or PO administration of DOX-h as a solution or as tablets, respectively. A non-painful small bulge, apparently non-inflammatory could be distinguished at injection sites. These lumps dissipated completely in 30 days in all cases.