bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infection and rejection risk after cardiac transplantation with induction vs. no induction: a multi‐institutional study
Authors: Mazimba Sula , Tallaj Jose A. , George James F. , Kirklin James K. , Brown Robert N. , Pamboukian Salpy V.
Published: June 2014

Data from Cardiac Transplant Research Database (CTRD) were analyzed from 1999 to 2006 to examine the effects of different induction strategies at the time of cardiac transplantation. A total of 2090 primary heart transplants were categorized by induction with interleukin‐2 receptor blocker (IL‐2RB), antithymocyte globulin (ATG), or no induction (NI). Probabilities for rejection and infection were estimated with parametric time‐related models. Using these models, hazard was calculated for two theoretical patient profiles, one at lower risk for rejection and higher risk of infection (Profile 1) and higher risk for rejection and lower risk of infection (Profile 2). Of the 2090 transplants, 49.8% (1095) did not receive induction, 27.3% (599) received IL‐2RB, and 18.0% (396) received ATG. Profile 1 patients had lower hazard for rejection with IL‐2RB compared to ATG and NI (p < 0.01), but at the cost of increased risk of infection (5.0 vs. 1.8 vs. 1.6, respectively, at four wk, p < 0.01). Profile 2 patients experienced a fivefold decreased hazard for rejection when treated with IL‐2RB compared with ATG and NI (p < 0.01). In patients at high risk of infection, IL‐2RB reduced risk of rejection but at the expense of increased hazard for infection.
Assessment of endothelial dysfunction in Asian Indian patients with chronic kidney disease and changes following renal transplantation
Authors: Sharma Jugal , Kapoor Aditya , Muthu Ranjanee , Prasad Narayan , Sinha Archana , Khanna Roopali , Kumar Sudeep , Garg Naveen , Tewari Satyendra , Sharma Raj K. , Goel Pravin
Published: June 2014

Background

Endothelial dysfunction may explain increased cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

Brachial artery was imaged during reactive hyperemia (endothelium‐dependent, flow‐mediated dilatation, FMD) and during glyceryl trinitrate‐mediated dilatation (nitroglycerine‐mediated dilatation, NMD, endothelium‐independent) in 108 patients with CKD and three months following renal transplantation (RT) in 60 of them.

Results

Patients with CKD had significantly lower FMD vs. controls (9.1% vs. 18.3%, p < 0.001) while NMD was comparable (19.8% vs. 21.8%, p = ns). Impaired FMD (<4.5%) was observed in 26.8% patients with CKD and was more common in those on hemodialysis (HD; 28.4% vs. 15.4%) vs. those not on dialysis. FMD for patients with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 15–60 vs. <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 was 12.9% and 8.8% (p = 0.05; respectively −29% and −52% lower vs. controls), indicating reduced FMD with increasing CKD severity. There was +72% increase in FMD following RT (9.1 to 15.7%, p < 0.001) while mean NMD was unchanged. Following RT, only 3.3% had impaired FMD.

Conclusions

Patients with CKD have endothelial dysfunction as evidenced by reduced FMD. Decreased FMD indicating worsening endothelial function was noted with increasing severity of CKD. Within three months of RT, there was significant improvement in FMD, while NMD values did not change.
Azithromycin improves lung function in patients with post‐lung transplant bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Kingah Pascal L. , Muma Gilbert , Soubani Ayman
Published: June 2014

Introduction

Azithromycin has been shown to reverse or halt the decline of forced expiratory volume in one s (FEV1) in patients with bronchiolitis obliterans (BOS) syndrome following lung transplant. The overall effect of azithromycin on the absolute values of FEV1 has not been compared between reported studies. We studied the effects of azithromycin on lung function in patients with post‐lung transplant BOS syndrome.

Methods

A meta‐analysis was performed using studies identified following an extensive database search. To be included, studies were published in English or French and explicitly reported percentage change in FEV1 or hazard ratios.

Results

A total of 10 studies were included in this review. One hundred and forty patients were evaluated after treatment with azithromycin for an average follow‐up period of seven months. The mean percentage increase in FEV1 was 8.8 (CI 5.1–12.47) p < 0.001. The pooled hazard ratio was 0.25 (CI 0.06–0.56) p = 0.041 for a mean follow‐up period of 2.9 yr.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated a significant improvement in lung function in patients with BOS syndrome following lung transplant after seven months of treatment. It remains uncertain whether this improvement stays after seven months. We also found that patients on azithromycin were less likely to die from BOS syndrome compared with patients who were not on azithromycin.
Long in the Horn: An Agricultural Anthropology of Livestock Improvement
Authors: Brown Tad
Published: June 2014

This article explores the evolutionary history of Pineywoods cattle, an endangered breed of landrace cattle in the southeastern United States, including recent efforts by the Pineywoods Cattle Registry & Breeders Association to conserve the remaining diversity within the population. The human dimension of the breed's development is important to both the history of selection within herds and the ongoing process of conservation. There exists a need for applied anthropology to engage with in situ animal genetic resource conservation because the sociality of livestock breeding necessarily involves both humans and livestock.
Large Pseudoaneurysm of the Mitral Annulus as an Infective Endocarditis Complication: A 3D Echocardiography Role in Diagnosis and Surgical Procedure
Authors: Moreno Nuno , Sánchez‐Enrique Cristina , Marcos‐Alberca Pedro , de Agustín José Alberto , Luengo Pablo , Maroto Luis , Pérez de Isla Leopoldo , Macaya Carlos
Published: June 2014

Mini‐Abstract

In this report, we present the case of an 85‐year‐old patient with a recent history of an infective endocarditis (IE) referred to our hospital for severe mitral regurgitation. After closer observation, echocardiography showed a large pseudoaneurysm in the posterior mitral annulus opening into the left ventricle. Anatomical assessment by 2D and 3D transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) was essential for a detailed morphologic characterization and surgical procedure delineation. This type of IE mitral periannular extension is uncommon and early surgical intervention is critical, however the outcome is still often adverse.
Incremental Value of Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography over the Two‐Dimensional Technique in the Assessment of Combined Sinus of Valsalva Rupture into the Right Ventricle and Adjacent Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect
Authors: Ahmed Mustafa I. , Gok Gulay , Yuzbas Burcu , Burkhart Joshua , Amado Escañuela Maximiliano German , Alli Oluseun O. , Nanda Navin C.
Published: June 2014

We describe the incremental value of live/real time three‐dimensional (3D) echocardiography over the 2D technique in the assessment of ruptured right sinus of Valsalva into the right ventricle associated with an adjacent perimembranous ventricular septal defect in an elderly patient.
Teachers' Prestige in Spain: probing the public's and the teachers' contrary views
Authors: Pérez‐Díaz Víctor , Rodríguez Juan Carlos
Published: June 2014

We use the results of a public opinion survey we carried out in 2012 on a sample of the Spanish adult population to offer a plausible explanation of one of the main conundrums of primary and secondary school teachers' prestige, not only in Spain, i.e. that, contrary to public discourse and to teachers' perceptions, this prestige has not fallen in the last decades, but has remained middle to high. The estimates of teachers' prestige made by the public are the same (roughly, around 70 in a 0 to 100 scale) as those that were measured in the early 1990s. However, a clear majority of the public believes that teachers' prestige has fallen in the last decades, reiterating a cliché that is widespread in the Spanish public sphere, especially among teachers. We hypothesise that the perception of the falling prestige is much more a matter of a public space dominated by the media than of a public space that is more confined to everyday experiences and to the citizens' basic values. We support our hypothesis with pieces of empirical evidence related, on the one hand, to the association of that perception with media consumption variables in our survey, and, on the other, to media (negative) treatment of teachers' prestige. In our argument, we are also helped by a literature that is not usually dealt with in studies of teachers' prestige: that of media influence in the formation of public opinions regarding other people's opinions.
Crystallographic orientation and temperature effects on the fatigue crack growth rate and resulting fracture surface morphology in PWA1484 single crystal superalloy
Authors: Adair B. S. , Johnson W. S. , Antolovich S. D. , Staroselsky A.
Published: June 2014

This research looked at the effect of crystallographic orientation and temperature on the fatigue crack growth rate and the resulting fracture surface morphology in PWA1484 single crystal superalloy. Two groups of single edge notch tension specimens, one group with controlled secondary orientations and one group with uncontrolled secondary orientation, were tested at temperatures from 649°C to 982°C at R‐ratios of 0.1 and 0.7. It was found that the effect of temperature on the crack growth rate becomes more pronounced as the crack driving force increases while the secondary orientation and R‐ratio effects on the crack growth rate increase with increasing temperature. Two types of crack surface morphology were seen during fractography. The first was a precipitate avoidance (γ′ avoidance) morphology that was rolling but still predominantly flat when observed on a larger scale. In <001> primary oriented specimens, this fracture mode tended to follow the precipitate/matrix faces (microscopically cubic) while macroscopically staying essentially normal to the applied loads. The second mode was a form of cleavage (γ′ shearing) and occurred predominantly on octahedral crystallographic planes.
Fracture of pearlitic ductile cast iron under different loading conditions
Authors: Fernandino D. O. , Boeri R.
Published: June 2014

In this study, fracture surfaces of pearlitic ductile iron generated under impact, bending and fatigue tests were characterised and compared. The fracture mechanisms in each case were identified from the observation of scanning electron microscopy images, and the characteristic topographic features were quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated. Cleavage was the predominant fracture mechanism for impact loading at all test temperatures and for slow bending testing. On the other hand, under fatigue loading, the fracture surfaces showed a mix of cleavage and ductile striation areas. A complex but reliable methodology for the determination of the direction of propagation of the main crack was also proposed, based on a careful analysis of the river patterns along the cleavage planes.
An invasive species may be better than none: invasive signal and native noble crayfish have similar community effects
Authors: Lagrue Clement , Podgorniak Thomas , Lecerf Antoine , Bollache Loïc
Published: June 2014

Human activities have resulted in the decline of native crayfish and promoted the spread of invasive crayfish species inEuropean fresh waters, threatening ecosystem structure and functioning.

We compared effects of native noble crayfish (Astacus astacus), invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) and of the absence of crayfish on leaf litter breakdown and invertebrate prey density and biomass in stream ecosystems.

In microcosm experiments, invertebrate shredder density was significantly reduced by crayfish presence but similarly affected by the two crayfish species. While crayfish did not directly influence leaf litter breakdown, their presence reduced litter decay rates through predation on invertebrate shredders (i.e. trophic cascade). These effects were again similar between native and invasive crayfish but differed among shredder prey species.

Field experiments confirmed that leaf litter breakdown was significantly reduced by crayfish. Although total invertebrate density was not affected by crayfish predation, species‐specific effects were observed (e.g. Limnephilidae [Trichoptera] densities were reduced in the presence of crayfish) but did not differ between native and invasive species.

Our results show that crayfish can have strong, but species‐specific, effects on invertebrate prey and indirect effects on leaf litter breakdown. Contrary to previous findings and popular belief, results also indicate that native noble crayfish and invasive signal crayfish have similar effects on stream communities. Hence, from a management perspective, it may be preferable to have invasive crayfish than no crayfish when impairment results in unsuitable habitats for native species.
Deep‐water anoxygenic photosythesis in a ferruginous chemocline
Authors: Crowe S. A. , Maresca J. A. , Jones C. , Sturm A. , Henny C. , Fowle D. A. , Cox R. P. , Delong E. F. , Canfield D. E.
Published: June 2014

Ferruginous Lake Matano, Indonesia hosts one of the deepest anoxygenic photosynthetic communities on Earth. This community is dominated by low‐light adapted, BChl e‐synthesizing green sulfur bacteria (GSB), which comprise ~25% of the microbial community immediately below the oxic‐anoxic boundary (OAB; 115‐120 m in 2010). The size of this community is dependent on the mixing regime within the lake and the depth of the OAB—at ~117 m, the GSB live near their low‐light limit. Slow growth and C‐fixation rates suggest that the Lake Matano GSB can be supported by sulfide even though it only accumulates to scarcely detectable (low μm to nm) concentrations. A model laboratory strain (Chlorobaculum tepidum) is indeed able to access HS− for oxidation at nm concentrations. Furthermore, the GSB in Lake Matano possess a full complement of S‐oxidizing genes. Together, this physiological and genetic information suggests that deep‐water GSB can be supported by a S‐cycle, even under ferruginous conditions. The constraints we place on the metabolic capacity and physiology of GSB have important geobiological implications. Biomarkers diagnostic of GSB would be a good proxy for anoxic conditions but could not discriminate between euxinic and ferruginous states, and though GSB biomarkers could indicate a substantial GSB community, such a community may exist with very little metabolic activity. The light requirements of GSB indicate that at light levels comparable to those in the OAB of Lake Matano or the Black Sea, GSB would have contributed little to global ocean primary production, nutrient cycling, and banded iron formation (BIF) deposition in the Precambrian. Before the proliferation of oxygenic photosynthesis, shallower OABs and lower light absorption in the ocean's surface waters would have permitted greater light availability to GSB, potentially leading to a greater role for GSB in global biogeochemical cycles.
Serum antibody to Porphyromonas gingivalis in metabolic syndrome among an older Japanese population
Authors: Iwasaki Masanori , Minagawa Kumiko , Sato Misuzu , Kaneko Noboru , Imai Susumu , Yoshihara Akihiro , Miyazaki Hideo
Published: June 2014

Background and Objective

Potentially significant associations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and periodontal disease have been reported in recent studies; however, there is a dearth of literature regarding the relationship of MetS with serum antibody levels to periodontal pathogens. The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate the association between MetS and serum antibody to the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) in 216 Japanese individuals aged 79 years.

Materials and Methods

Serum antibody levels to P. gingivalis were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. An elevated serum antibody response was defined as the upper quartile and was considered as the outcome variable. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association of MetS defined by the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria with an elevated antibody status. Adjustments for gender, income, education, smoking status, dental‐care utilisation patterns and brushing frequency were considered.

Results

The prevalence of MetS was 22.2% (n = 48). Study participants with MetS were 2.9 times more likely to have an elevated serum antibody to P. gingivalis (adjusted odds ratio = 2.91, 95% confidence interval = 1.24–6.85) after simultaneous adjustment for other covariates.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest an independent relationship between MetS and serum antibody levels to P. gingivalis in the Japanese elderly. Additional longitudinal epidemiologic studies with larger, more diversified samples and more complete information are needed to substantiate our findings.
Effect of pyrimethamine treatment on male rat testicular cell population development
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Pérez O. , Durand‐Montaño C. , Rojas‐Castañeda J. C. , Chavez‐Saldaña M. , Vigueras‐Villaseñor R. M.
Published: June 2014

Pyrimethamine (PYR) is a drug used in the treatment of newborn with congenital Toxoplasmosis. Even when PYR is highly specific against parasites, it may provoke neutropenia in the patients apart from other affectations, conditions that usually justify its suspension. Moreover, medication against congenital toxoplasmosis coincides with the proliferation stage of Sertoli and germ cells. Although, there are several reports on the effect of this drug on mature testes, records of its effects on the testes of young individuals yet in the process of growth are still lacking. This work was aimed to study the effects of in vivo administration of PYR in the first 21 days of life of male rat pups by evaluating their testicular alterations and its long‐term sequels on fertility. Through the determination of the levels of seminiferous epithelium maturity, apoptotic index and cell proliferation index at 7, 14, 35 and 90 days post‐natal using immunocytochemical studies. The fertility of the treated rats was evaluated at 90 days. PYR‐treated animals were found to undergo some kind of delays in seminiferous epithelium maturity, decreased cell proliferation index and an increase in apoptosis when compared with the control (p < 0.05). Epididymal sperm counts were also affected (p < 0.05). The application of folic acid (FA) in newborns treated with PYR decreased the severity of the problem (p < 0.05). This study provides strong evidence that the effect of PYR on testicular development is specific. It reinforces the importance of FA application in neonates treated with PYR to prevent the effect of the later on spermatogenesis.
Volatile sulphur compound levels and related factors in patients with chronic renal failure
Authors: Gulsahi Ayse , Evirgen Şehrazat , Öztaş Bengi , Genç Yasemin , Çetinel Yasemin
Published: June 2014

Aims

To analyse specific volatile sulphur compound(VSC) levels in a group of chronic renal failure (CRF) patients and determine the relationship between these VSC levels and organoleptic measurements, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, dental and periodontal conditions, salivary flow rate, and tongue coating scores.

Materials and Methods

One examiner performed organoleptic and VSC measurements on fifty patients with CRF before and after haemodialysis (HD) and controls. DMFT and CPITN indexes, tongue coating scores, salivary flow rates were measured. Comparisons were performed using the Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed‐ranks, and chi‐square tests. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyse correlations.

Results

Before HD, the mean dimethyl sulphide level was 1.04 ± 1.20 in the CRF patients and 0.51 ± 0.65 in controls, with a significant difference. The mean hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphide levels in CRF patients were 1.47 ± 3.04, 1.03 ± 1.85, and 1.04 ± 1.20, respectively, before HD; and 0.53 ± 1.65, 0.48 ± 1.27, and 0.56 ± 0.85, respectively, after HD; with the differences being significant. Methyl mercaptan levels increased with an increase in HD duration. Tongue coating and organoleptic measurements were significantly correlated with methyl mercaptan.

Conclusions

Dimethyl sulphide is the main VSC in extraoral blood‐borne halitosis; but methyl mercaptan may also contribute to this type of halitosis. A decreased salivary flow rate and an increased pH of the biofilm matrix may be a significant parameter for VSC levels in CRF patients.
The function of multiple ejaculations in bitterling
Authors: Smith C. , Warren M. , Rouchet R. , Reichard M.
Published: June 2014

In some taxa, males perform multiple ejaculations, which may function in sperm competition or in maintaining a baseline density of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract to ensure fertilization, a process that has been termed ‘topping up’. We investigated the function of multiple ejaculations in two species of bitterling, the European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) and Chinese rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus). Bitterling oviposit in living freshwater mussels, with fertilization taking place within the mussel gill cavity. Thus, although fertilization is external, the mussel is analogous to the female reproductive tract in an internally fertilizing species. We measured the frequency of ejaculations and mussel inspections by individual males of two bitterling species in 28 replicated mesocosms and examined focal male responses to rival ejaculations and the presence of females in spawning condition. We used a model of ejaculatory behaviour to simulate the temporal abundance of spermatozoa in mussels. Male R. amarus exhibited high rates of ejaculation and inspection of the siphons of mussels and increased their ejaculation rate in response to the presence of females in spawning condition. Rhodeus ocellatus showed lower overall rates of ejaculation, but significantly elevated ejaculation rate in response to rival ejaculations. The ejaculatory strategy of R. amarus is one that maintains a minimum level of spermatozoa in mussels, which is elevated when the probability of oviposition increases. In contrast, R. ocellatus engages more directly in sperm competition with rivals. We discuss these results in the context of the function of multiple ejaculations and male mating tactics.
IRT‐Estimated Reliability for Tests Containing Mixed Item Formats
Authors: Shu Lianghua , Schwarz Richard D.
Published: June 2014

As a global measure of precision, item response theory (IRT) estimated reliability is derived for four coefficients (Cronbach's α, Feldt‐Raju, stratified α, and marginal reliability). Models with different underlying assumptions concerning test‐part similarity are discussed. A detailed computational example is presented for the targeted coefficients. A comparison of the IRT model‐derived coefficients is made and the impact of varying ability distributions is evaluated. The advantages of IRT‐derived reliability coefficients for problems such as automated test form assembly and vertical scaling are discussed.
Analysis of Added Value of Subscores With Respect to Classification
Authors: Sinharay Sandip
Published: June 2014

Brennan noted that users of test scores often want (indeed, demand) that subscores be reported, along with total test scores, for diagnostic purposes. Haberman suggested a method based on classical test theory (CTT) to determine if subscores have added value over the total score. One way to interpret the method is that a subscore has added value only if it has a better agreement than the total score with the corresponding subscore on a parallel form. The focus of this article is on classification of the examinees into “pass” and “fail” (or master and nonmaster) categories based on subscores. A new CTT‐based method is suggested to assess whether classification based on a subscore is in better agreement, than classification based on the total score, with classification based on the corresponding subscore on a parallel form. The method can be considered as an assessment of the added value of subscores with respect to classification. The suggested method is applied to data from several operational tests. The added value of subscores with respect to classification is found to be very similar, except at extreme cutscores, to their added value from a value‐added analysis of Haberman.
Quiet Please! Drug Round Tabards: Are They Effective and Accepted? A Mixed Method Study
Authors: Verweij Lotte , Smeulers Marian , Maaskant Jolanda M. , Vermeulen Hester
Published: June 2014

Background

The use of drug round tabards is a widespread intervention that is implemented to reduce the number of interruptions and medication administration errors (MAEs) by nurses; however, evidence for their effectiveness is scarce.

Purpose

Evaluation of the effect of drug round tabards on the frequency and type of interruptions, MAEs, the linearity between interruptions and MAEs, as well as to explore nurses’ experiences with the tabards.

Study Design

A mixed methods before‐after study, with three observation periods on three wards of a Dutch university hospital, combined with personal inquiry and a focus group with nurses.

Methods

In one pre‐implementation period and two post‐implementation periods at 2 weeks and 4 months, interruptions and MAEs were observed during drug rounds. Descriptive statistics and univariable linear regression were used to determine the effects of the tabard, combined with personal inquiry and a focus group to find out experiences with the tabard.

Findings

A total of 313 medication administrations were observed. Significant reductions in both interruptions and MAEs were found after implementation of the tabards. In the third period, a decrease of 75% in interruptions and 66% in MAEs was found. Linear regression analysis revealed a model R2 of 10.4%. The implementation topics that emerged can be classified into three themes: personal considerations, patient perceptions, and considerations regarding tabard effectiveness.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that this intervention contributes to a reduction in interruptions and MAEs. However, the reduction in MAEs cannot be fully explained by the decrease in interruptions alone; other factors may have also influenced the effect on MAEs. We advocate for further research on complementary interventions that contribute to a further reduction of MAEs.

Clinical Relevance

We can conclude that drug round tabards are effective to improve medication safety and are therefore important for the quality of nursing care and the reduction of MAEs.
Honorary and Ghost Authorship in Nursing Publications
Authors: Kennedy Maureen Shawn , Barnsteiner Jane , Daly John
Published: June 2014

Purpose

The purposes of this study were to (a) assess the prevalence of articles with honorary authors and ghost authors in 10 leading peer‐reviewed nursing journals between 2010 to 2012; (b) compare the results to prevalence reported by authors of articles published in high‐impact medical journals; and (c) assess the experiences of editors in the International Academy of Nursing Editors with honorary and guest authorship.

Methods

Corresponding authors of articles published in 10 nursing journals between 2010 and 2012 were invited to complete an online survey about the contributions of coauthors to see if the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors () criteria for authorship were met. Additionally, members of the International Academy of Nursing Editors were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences in identifying honorary or ghost authors in articles submitted for publication.

Findings

The prevalence of articles published in 10 nursing journals with honorary authors was 42%, and the prevalence of ghost authorship was 27.6%. This is a greater prevalence than what has been reported among medical journals. Qualitative data yielded five themes: lack of awareness around the rules for authorship; acknowledged need for debate, discussion, and promotion of ethical practice; knowingly tolerating, and sometimes deliberately promoting, transgressions in practice; power relations and expectations; and avoiding scrutiny. Among the 60 respondents to the editor survey, 22 (36.7%) reported identifying honorary authors and 13 (21.7%) reported ghost authors among papers submitted to their publications.

Conclusions

Inappropriate authorship is a significant problem among scholarly nursing publications.

Relevance

If nursing scholarship is to maintain integrity and be considered trustworthy, and if publications are to be a factor in professional advancement, editors, nursing leaders, and faculty need to disseminate and adhere to ethical authorship practices.
Ashkenazi Jewish population screening for Tay–Sachs disease: The International and Australian experience
Authors: Lew Raelia M , Burnett Leslie , Proos Anné L , Barlow‐Stewart Kristine , Delatycki Martin B , Bankier Agnes , Aizenberg Harry , Field Michael J , Berman Yemima , Fleischer Ronald , Fietz Michael
Published: June 2014

Internationally, Tay‐Sachs disease (TSD) preconception screening of Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) individuals and couples has led to effective primary prevention of TSD. In Australia, adolescent preconception genetic screening programs operate mainly in Jewish community high schools. These existing programs offer an effective means of primary prevention of TSD, are cost effective and safe. However, in the broader Australian community TSD screening is not systematically performed and cases still occur in unscreened AJ individuals. In order to improve the effectiveness of Australian screening, there is a need for definitive guidelines for healthcare professionals to facilitate extension of the proven benefits of preconception TSD screening to all AJ individuals at risk. We performed a systematic review of the relevant literature relating to AJ pre‐conception and antenatal screening for TSD. The evidence was assessed using an established National Health and Medical Research Council evidence grading system. Evaluations of efficacy of TSD screening programs design and execution, cost‐benefit and cost‐utility health economic evaluation, and population outcomes were undertaken. The results have been used to propose a model for universal AJ TSD preconception and antenatal screening for the primary care setting.
Keratins 8 and 18 are type II acute‐phase responsive genes overexpressed in human liver disease
Authors: Guldiken Nurdan , Usachov Valentyn , Levada Kateryna , Trautwein Christian , Ziol Marianne , Nahon Pierre , Strnad Pavel
Published: June 2014

Background & Aims

Keratins (Ks) 7, 8, 18 and 19 constitute important markers and modifiers of liver disease. In mice, K8 and K18 are stress inducible and a dysregulated K8 > K18 stoichiometry predisposes to formation of Mallory–Denk bodies (MDBs), i.e. aggregates characteristic of chronic liver disorders such as alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In our study, we analyse the expression and the regulation of keratins in context of human liver disease.

Methods

K7, K8, K18 and K19 mRNA levels were determined in liver biopsies from patients with ALD, non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and from control subjects. HepG2 and Hep3B cells were treated with IL‐1β, IL‐6 and TNF‐α. Mice were injected with turpentine, an established IL‐6 inducer.

Results

K7, K8 and K18 were 1.5‐ to 3‐fold upregulated in livers of ALD and HCV patients with a more active disease, but not in HBV/NASH subjects, while K19 was significantly elevated in all analysed disorders. K8 and K18 expression displayed a strong correlation (r = 0.89), but dysregulated levels with the K8 > K18 state were seen in ALD. All keratins were overexpressed in subjects with moderate vs. minimal inflammation, while K7, K8 and K18 were upregulated in patients with advanced liver fibrosis. In HepG2/Hep3B cells, IL‐6 treatment but not IL‐1β or TNF‐α significantly increased K8 and K18 expression and elevated K18 levels were seen after turpentine injection.

Conclusions

Keratins represent type II acute‐phase responsive genes overexpressed in specific human liver disorders. A K8 > K18 state occurs in ALD and predisposes to MDB formation.
The Intergenerational Propagation of Wealth Inequality
Authors: Isaac Alan G.
Published: June 2014

This paper highlights the crucial role of demographic assumptions in models of the intergenerational transmission of wealth inequality. Specifically, we show that Alan Blinder's surprising predictions that bequest and mating practices can sustain but cannot cause wealth inequality are extremely fragile. We show that these predictions depend on a common and apparently minor demographic assumption: fixed sex ratios in family composition. We implement the Blinder model as an agent‐based simulation and show that without this demographic assumption such familial institutions are causative for wealth inequality, even in the long run.
Evaluation of BSP expression and apoptosis in the periodontal ligament during orthodontic relapse: a preliminary study
Authors: McManus A. , Utreja A. , Chen J. , Kalajzic Z. , Yang W. , Nanda R. , Wadhwa S. , Uribe F.
Published: June 2014

Structured Abstract

Objective

To examine the expression of bone sialoprotein (BSP) and apoptosis in an in vivo orthodontic relapse model.

Materials and Methods

Male mice (10–12 weeks old), either transgenic [green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the BSP promoter] or wild type, were used in this study. To achieve orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), maxillary right first molars were moved mesially using closed‐coil springs. Animals were divided into an OTM group (14 days continuous orthodontic force – 11 animals) or Relapse group (10 days of force application followed by 4 days of relapse – 8 animals). The control group was comprised of the contralateral maxillary molars. The periodontal ligament (PDL) was analyzed in areas of compression and tension for transgenic expression, osteoclast localization, and the presence of apoptotic cells.

Results

There was a significant decrease in GFP‐labeled cells on the compression and tension sides of the PDL in the OTM group compared with control. In the relapse group, GFP‐labeled cells were significantly decreased only on the old compression side. Osteoclasts were localized on the compression side of the OTM group, whereas in the Relapse group, they were present on both sides. PDL apoptosis significantly increased on the compression side in OTM and Relapse groups.

Conclusion

Both OTM and Relapse groups exhibited a decreased number of GFP‐labeled cells in areas of compression and tension. There was significant PDL apoptosis in regions under compressive forces following OTM and to a lesser extent following relapse.
Control of NF‐kB activity in human melanoma by bromodomain and extra‐terminal protein inhibitor I‐BET151
Authors: Gallagher Stuart J. , Mijatov Branka , Gunatilake Dilini , Gowrishankar Kavitha , Tiffen Jessamy , James Wilmott , Jin Lei , Pupo Gulietta , Cullinane Carleen , McArthur Grant A. , Tummino Peter J. , Rizos Helen , Hersey Peter
Published: June 2014

The transcription factor NF‐kappaB (NF‐kB) is a key regulator of cytokine and chemokine production in melanoma and is responsible for symptoms such as anorexia, fatigue, and weight loss. In addition, NF‐kB is believed to contribute to progression of the disease by upregulation of cell cycle and anti‐apoptotic genes and to contribute to resistance against targeted therapies and immunotherapy. In this study, we have examined the ability of the bromodomain and extra‐terminal (BET) protein inhibitor I‐BET151 to inhibit NF‐kB in melanoma cells. We show that I‐BET151 is a potent, selective inhibitor of a number of NF‐kB target genes involved in induction of inflammation and cell cycle regulation and downregulates production of cytokines such as IL‐6 and IL‐8. SiRNA studies indicate that BRD2 is the main BET protein involved in regulation of NF‐kB and that I‐BET151 caused transcriptional downregulation of the NF‐kB subunit p105/p50. These results suggest that BET inhibitors may have an important role in treatment of melanoma where activation of NF‐kB may have a key pathogenic role.
Women's Pentagon Action: The Persistence of Radicalism and Direct‐Action Civil Disobedience in the Age of Reagan
Authors: Phelps Wesley G.
Published: June 2014

This article investigates the Women's Pentagon Action (WPA), a feminist antinuclear organization that was part of the National Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign of the 1980s. The women involved in the WPA identified themselves as “ecofeminists.” They combined certain tenets of feminism and ecology to create a philosophy that identified women closely with nature and linked patriarchal oppression of women with destruction of the earth and degradation of the environment. Ecofeminists believed that because women had a unique connection to the natural world, they had an important responsibility to speak out against patriarchal domination and ecological destruction. Because they shared a closeness with nature and the environment, WPA activists believed they must work to protect the earth and prevent ecological destruction. WPA activists expressed a distinctly feminist critique of the cold war nuclear arms race and sought to preserve their vision of ecological activism. Their story, therefore, offers a bridge between Reagan‐era American feminism, environmental activism, and the major anti‐nuclear movement of the late twentieth century.
Bloody Memories: Affect and Effect of World War II Museums in China and Japan
Authors: Hatch Walter
Published: June 2014

For political elites in any nation, war museums serve as powerful storytellers. They may reflect and even help shape collective identity. But the effect is especially strong in the case of authoritarian regimes that are able to tell a consistent, coherent narrative about a past conflict. In this analysis, drawing on insights from commemoration studies, comparative politics, and international relations, I look at three museums in Japan, which is politically divided over how to remember World War II, and three museums in China, which has achieved a revised, but still top‐down consensus over that war. The comparison suggests that all of these museums use “affect,” more or less successfully, to tell their stories. But it also reveals that the shared history recalled in Chinese war museums is more effective and thus “useful” for Chinese elites than competing histories recalled in Japanese museums are for Japanese elites.
geneGIS: Geoanalytical Tools and Arc Marine Customization for Individual‐Based Genetic Records
Authors: Dick Dorothy M. , Walbridge Shaun , Wright Dawn J. , Calambokidis John , Falcone Erin A. , Steel Debbie , Follett Tomas , Holmberg Jason , Baker C. Scott
Published: June 2014

To improve understanding of population structure, ecosystem relationships and predictive models of human impact in cetaceans and other marine megafauna, we developed geneGIS, a suite of GIS tools and a customized Arc Marine data model to facilitate visual exploration and spatial analyses of individual‐based records from DNA profiles and photo‐identification records. We used the open source programming language Python 2.7 and ArcGIS 10.1 software to create a user‐friendly, menu‐driven toolbar linked to a Python Toolbox containing customized geoprocessing scripts. For ease of sharing and installation, we compiled the geneGIS program into an ArcGIS Python Add‐In, freely available for download from the website http://genegis.org. We used the Lord‐Castillo et al. (2009) Arc Marine data model customization as the starting point for our work and retained nine key base Arc Marine classes. We demonstrate the utility of geneGIS using an integrated database of more than 18,000 records of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Pacific collected during the Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpback Whales in the North Pacific (SPLASH) program. These records represent more than 8,000 naturally marked individuals and 2,700 associated DNA profiles, including 10 biparentally inherited microsatellite loci, maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA, and genetic sex.
A Combined Biophysical and EconomicGISFramework to Assess Sugarcane Cropping Potential inBrazil
Authors: Hissa Letícia de Barros Viana , Filho Britaldo Silveira Soares
Published: June 2014

Recently, the increasing demand for biofuels triggered a new phase for the sugar‐alcohol sector. InBrazil, as well as in other tropical countries, this process raised worries regarding the possible direct and indirect effects of the crop's expansion on the conversion of native vegetation coverings. Therefore, the modeling of spatial‐economic surfaces, representing the potential rent variation in its spatial component, for economic activities, may be a useful tool in the decision‐making process. Hence, here we propose and present the results of a combined framework composed of two modules using the modeling platformDinamicaEGO. The first module simulates sugarcane's growth, calculating the daily response of the crop to environmental conditions during the stages of the plant's development. The second module estimates rents for sugarcane cultivation inBrazil, identifying areas where this activity would bring higher economic return, looking at simulated productivity, production costs and selling prices in a way that is spatially explicit forBrazil. Two different scenarios for production costs were tested, and results ranged from negative values to maxima of R$/ha 929 and R$/ha 1176 for standard and efficient costs of production, respectively. The model successfully indicated non‐profitable and profitable areas, and regions where high expected economic return overlaps endangered ecosystems.
Understanding User Interaction Patterns within Online Systems for Public‐Participation Transportation Planning
Authors: Swobodzinski Martin , Jankowski Piotr
Published: June 2014

Many research projects in public‐participation geographic information systems focused on the development of software prototypes that were conceptualized to complement traditional forms of public participation. Given the challenges introduced by the heterogeneity of their user base, system design, and decision making process, empirical evaluations of such systems based on actual use have been scarce. This article reports on a rigorous empirical assessment of human‐computer interaction of users of a web‐based system for participatory transportation planning. We devised three groups of participants with below‐average, average, and above‐average interaction duration through hierarchical cluster analysis. Subsequently, the characteristics of the clusters were subjected to logistic regression analysis to determine the significance and strength of statistical associations between duration of interaction and a host of individual‐level variables. Our results indicate a statistically significant reduction of the odds‐ratio for participants with above‐average duration of interaction in the case of no prior experience with online transportation discussions. No significant associations were found between overall duration of interaction and sociodemographic background, cognitive decision‐making style, and travel behavior. We advocate for the development of adaptable participatory systems which accommodate flexibility in terms of both the user interface and pathways of the decision making process.
Detecting Non‐personal and Spam Users on Geo‐tagged Twitter Network
Authors: Guo Diansheng , Chen Chao
Published: June 2014

With the rapid growth and popularity of mobile devices and location‐aware technologies, online social networks such as Twitter have become an important data source for scientists to conduct geo‐social network research. Non‐personal accounts, spam users and junk tweets, however, pose severe problems to the extraction of meaningful information and the validation of any research findings on tweets or twitter users. Therefore, the detection of such users is a critical and fundamental step for twitter‐related geographic research. In this study, we develop a methodological framework to: (1) extract user characteristics based on geographic, graph‐based and content‐based features of tweets; (2) construct a training dataset by manually inspecting and labeling a large sample of twitter users; and (3) derive reliable rules and knowledge for detecting non‐personal users with supervised classification methods. The extracted geographic characteristics of a user include maximum speed, mean speed, the number of different counties that the user has been to, and others. Content‐based characteristics for a user include the number of tweets per month, the percentage of tweets with URLs or Hashtags, and the percentage of tweets with emotions, detected with sentiment analysis. The extracted rules are theoretically interesting and practically useful. Specifically, the results show that geographic features, such as the average speed and frequency of county changes, can serve as important indicators of non‐personal users. For non‐spatial characteristics, the percentage of tweets with a high human factor index, the percentage of tweets with URLs, and the percentage of tweets with mentioned/replied users are the top three features in detecting non‐personal users.
Exploring Mobility Indoors: an Application of Sensor‐based and GIS Systems
Authors: Petrenko Anastasia , Sizo Anton , Qian Winchel , Knowles A. Dylan , Tavassolian Amin , Stanley Kevin , Bell Scott
Published: June 2014

The popularization of tracking devices, such as GPS, accelerometers and smartphones, have made it possible to detect, record, and analyze new patterns of human movement and behavior. However, employing GPS alone for indoor localization is not always possible due to the system's inability to determine location inside buildings or in places of signal occlusion. In this context, the application of local wireless networks for determining position is a promising alternative solution, although they still suffer from a number of limitations due to energy and IT‐resources. Our research outlines the potential for employing indoor wireless network positioning and sensor‐based systems to improve the collection of tracking data indoors. By applying various methods of GIScience we developed a methodology that can be applicable for diverse human indoor mobility analysis. To show the advantage of the proposed method, we present the result of an experiment that included mobility analysis of 37 participants. We tracked their movements on a university campus over the course of 41 days and demonstrated that their movement behavior can be successfully studied with our proposed method.
Mpl Traffics to the Cell Surface Through Conventional and Unconventional Routes
Authors: Cleyrat Cédric , Darehshouri Anza , Steinkamp Mara P. , Vilaine Mathias , Boassa Daniela , Ellisman Mark H. , Hermouet Sylvie , Wilson Bridget S.
Published: June 2014

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are often characterized by JAK2 or calreticulin (CALR) mutations, indicating aberrant trafficking in pathogenesis. This study focuses on Mpl trafficking and Jak2 association using two model systems: human erythroleukemia cells (HEL; JAK2V617F) and K562 myeloid leukemia cells (JAK2WT). Consistent with a putative chaperone role for Jak2, Mpl and Jak2 associate on both intracellular and plasma membranes (shown by proximity ligation assay) and siRNA‐mediated knockdown of Jak2 led to Mpl trapping in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Even in Jak2 sufficient cells, Mpl accumulates in punctate structures that partially colocalize with ER‐tracker, the ER exit site marker (ERES) Sec31a, the autophagy marker LC3 and LAMP1. Mpl was fused to miniSOG, a genetically encoded tag for correlated light and electron microscopy. Results suggest that a fraction of Mpl is taken up into autophagic structures from the ER and routed to autolyososomes. Surface biotinylation shows that both immature and mature Mpl reach the cell surface; in K562 cells Mpl is also released in exosomes. Both forms rapidly internalize upon ligand addition, while recovery is primarily attributed to immature Mpl. Mpl appears to reach the plasma membrane via both conventional ER‐Golgi and autolysosome secretory pathways, as well as recycling.