bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pollen food syndrome amongst children with seasonal allergic rhinitis attending allergy clinic
Authors: Ludman Sian , Jafari‐Mamaghani Mehrdad , Ebling Rosemary , Fox Adam T. , Lack Gideon , Du Toit George
Published: November 2015

Background

There is limited information regarding the onset and sensitization patterns of pollen food syndrome (PFS) in children. The aim was to explore this within children referred to a specialist allergy clinic at a London Tertiary Hospital.

Methods

A total of 54 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) were enrolled in equal numbers in three age groups; 0–5, 6–10, 11–15 years. Families completed a questionnaire on rhinitis, food symptoms and quality of life. Children underwent skin prick testing (SPT) to fresh fruits, nuts and a blood test for microarray analysis.

Results

Clinical diagnosis of PFS was made in 26/54 (48%), increasing with age (group 1 = 3 (17%), group 2 = 9 (50%), group 3 = 14 (78%) (p = 0.03)). Microarray demonstrates children aged 2.8 years sensitized to pan‐allergens and 4.5 years symptomatic to pan‐allergens. Peach, cherry, carrot and strawberry SPT had the highest sensitivity and NPV at 100%. The sensitivity of PR10 molecules on microarray was 92%, PPV 62% and NPV 87%. Microarray confirmed 69% of allergens on clinical history compared to 61% by SPT. Microarray and SPT had a 19% false‐negative rate.

The quality‐of‐life data showed moderate impact across all domains, and patients with PFS were significantly more likely to have increased anxiety over time spent preparing food (p = 0.029).

Conclusions

We demonstrate that SAR occurs in children from 1.4 years and PFS from 4.5 years with a changing pattern of pan‐allergen sensitization. Microarray and SPT have moderate concordance in confirming allergens. PFS impacts negatively on quality of life and should be assessed in all paediatric allergy patients.
Exploring narratives of psychological input in the acute inpatient setting
Authors: Donaghay‐Spire Eloise G. , McGowan John , Griffiths Kim , Barazzone Natalie
Published: November 2015

Objectives

This research explored what happens when psychological input is offered in the inpatient setting and examined service users' and staff members' understanding and portrayal of these experiences.

Design

Narrative analysis, an interview design, was used to examine experiences of inpatient psychological interventions in National Health Service inpatient mental health settings.

Methods

Ten participants (four service users and six staff members; five males and five females; seven White British, one White Irish, one Black African, and one Black Caribbean) were recruited via clinical psychologists from an inpatient psychology department and participated in 18‐ to 90‐min interviews.

Results

Evidence suggested that direct, indirect, and strategic psychological interventions were used in the inpatient setting, with formulation and the therapeutic relationship conceptualized as common features. Connections between inpatient psychology and change, evidenced in the stories, suggested that interventions can help people make sense of a crisis, improve relationships, and contribute to meaningful recovery. Evidence of barriers suggests that psychological input in this setting might not always be compatible with everyone's needs.

Conclusions

This paper explored service users' and staff members' experiences of psychological input in the inpatient setting. The analysis revealed that psychological provision in the inpatient mental health setting is varied and encompasses direct and indirect input, valued by service users and clinicians. It also identified that psychological input in the acute inpatient mental health setting is perceived as meaningful and can lead to changes at an interpersonal and intrapersonal level. There is a sense that providing psychological thinking in the inpatient setting can be challenging due to environmental constraints and individual factors. This highlights the need for further research focused on the costs and clinical effectiveness of providing psychological thinking within the acute inpatient mental health setting.

Practitioner points

Staff members and service users made connections between psychological input and change, suggesting that interventions can improve relationships, help people make sense of a crisis, and contribute to meaningful recovery.

There are significant barriers to and challenges of providing psychological input in this setting: Some participants suggested that this approach might not suit everyone.
Experiences of African‐American Women with Smartphone‐Based Ecological Momentary Assessment
Authors: Jones Kelly K. , Zenk Shannon N. , McDonald Ashley , Corte Colleen
Published: November 2015

Objective

Smartphone‐based ecological momentary assessment (EMA), or real‐time, repeated sampling of participants' states, behaviors, or experiences over time, is a promising approach to understanding obesity‐related behaviors in African‐American women—a population with the highest obesity prevalence. In this study, we explored participants' experiences with this methodology.

Design and Sample

In this secondary analysis of data, 100 African‐American women participated in seven consecutive days of EMA data collection.

Measures

Measures related to acceptability (technical challenges, daily burden, emotional responses, willingness to participate in future studies) and data quality (reporting accuracy, behavior reactivity, adherence), as well as demographics, were collected.

Results

While there were few demographic differences, women who were unemployed, had the lowest educational levels, or had the lowest per capita income reported the greatest enjoyment with mobile technology‐based EMA, while at the same time reporting the highest levels of challenge with use of the equipment. Participants consistently indicated willingness to participate in future EMA studies and indicated that the study method was acceptable. EMA methodology produced data of sufficient quality.

Conclusion

Findings suggest future studies using smartphone‐based EMA with African‐American women are feasible.
Design Improvements for Message Propagation in Malleable Social Networks
Authors: Gopal Ram , Hidaji Hooman , Patterson Raymond A. , Rolland Erik , Zhdanov Dmitry
Published: November 2015

This study presents the formal problem definition and computational analysis of the network design improvements for idea and message propagation in both enterprise and consumer social networks (ESN and CSN, respectively). Message propagation in social networks is impacted by how messages are seeded in the network, and by propagation characteristics of the network topology itself. It has been recognized that the propagation properties of these networks can be actively influenced by network design interventions, such as the deliberate creation of new connections. We address the problem of finding cost‐effective message seeding, and identifying potential new network connections that allow improved propagation in social networks with cascade propagation. We use the hop‐constrained minimum spanning tree (HMST) model to find the seeds and possible new connections that result in networks with improved propagation properties. Moreover, we present new heuristic algorithms that substantially improve the solution quality for the HMST problem. Computational results posit that the design improvements proposed by the HMST approach can greatly improve cascade propagation performance of the networks at low cost.
Technology Choice and Capacity Portfolios under Emissions Regulation
Authors: Drake David F. , Kleindorfer Paul R. , Van Wassenhove Luk N.
Published: November 2015

We study the impact of emissions tax and emissions cap‐and‐trade regulation on a firm's technology choice and capacity decisions. We show that emissions price uncertainty under cap‐and‐trade results in greater expected profit than a constant emissions price under an emissions tax, which contradicts popular arguments that the greater uncertainty under cap‐and‐trade will erode value. We further show that two operational drivers underlie this result: (i) the firm's option not to operate, which effectively right‐censors the uncertain emissions price; and (ii) dispatch flexibility, which is the firm's ability to first deploy its most profitable capacity given the realized emissions price. In addition to these managerial insights, we also explore policy implications: the effect of emissions price level, and the effect of investment and production subsidies. Through an illustrative example, we show that production subsidies of higher investment and production cost technologies (such as carbon capture and storage technologies) have no effect on the firm's optimal total capacity when firms own a portfolio of both clean and dirty technologies, but that investment subsidies of these technologies increase the firm's total capacity, conditionally increasing expected emissions. A subsidy of a lower production cost technology, on the other hand, has no effect on the firm's optimal total capacity in multi‐technology portfolios, regardless of whether the subsidy is a production or investment subsidy.
Statistical Modelling of Citation Exchange Between Statistics Journals
Authors: Varin Cristiano , Cattelan Manuela , Firth David
Published: November 2015

Rankings of scholarly journals based on citation data are often met with scepticism by the scientific community. Part of the scepticism is due to disparity between the common perception of journals’ prestige and their ranking based on citation counts. A more serious concern is the inappropriate use of journal rankings to evaluate the scientific influence of researchers. The paper focuses on analysis of the table of cross-citations among a selection of statistics journals. Data are collected from the Web of Science database published by Thomson Reuters. Our results suggest that modelling the exchange of citations between journals is useful to highlight the most prestigious journals, but also that journal citation data are characterized by considerable heterogeneity, which needs to be properly summarized. Inferential conclusions require care to avoid potential overinterpretation of insignificant differences between journal ratings. Comparison with published ratings of institutions from the UK's research assessment exercise shows strong correlation at aggregate level between assessed research quality and journal citation ‘export scores’ within the discipline of statistics.
Unravelling Swedish informal caregivers' Generalised Resistance Resources
Authors: Wennerberg Mia M.T. , Eriksson Monica , Danielson Ella , Lundgren Solveig M.
Published: November 2015

Background

Interlinked aspects, as demographic changes, accentuation on home‐based community care, increase the amount of informal caregivers to older adults. To preserve and enhance their health are subsequently essential and a reoccurring topic on political agendas. How this may be achieved is vividly debated and mainly focused on elimination of risks and stresses associated with caregiving. Within health promotion, the salutogenic approach focusing on resources to health is recognised and this approach was used to acquire necessary knowledge to enhance caregivers' health ‘the salutogenic way’.

Aim

To present Generalised and Specific Resistance Resources (GRRs/SRRs) described by caregivers as stemming from themselves and their carerecipients.

Methodology

To unravel caregivers' GRRs/SRRs, a theory‐driven, explorative design guided by definitions of GRRs/SRRs was utilised. Data were collected through salutogenically guided interviews with 32 Swedish caregivers in one municipality. Inductively, data were analysed using content analysis to identify each caregiver's SRRs and thereafter deduction to identify the population's GRRs.

Findings

The synthesis of findings, caregivinghood, encompasses several domains of GRRs seemingly involved in caregivers' movements towards health. In the caregiver domain, ‘Being someone significant in my own eyes’ unites the essence of having access to GRRs stemming from oneself and ‘Being “blessed” with a co‐operative co‐worker’ that of having access to GRRs stemming from the carerecipient. This may be the core in an orientation to life which creates positive life experiences, since it enables caregivers to find a ‘fit’ between the possible and desired when resolving challenges.

Conclusion and implications

Health‐promoting initiatives should be conducted as partnerships between formal and informal sources due to the versatility of GRRs. It also seems essential to empower both parties so that they may make sense of their situation and use their available GRRs/SRRs in this ‘joint venture’ of managing. Thereby, their motivation to continue the journey through Caregivinghood may be enhanced.
When Borch's Theorem Does Not Apply: Some Key Implications of Market Incompleteness, with Policy Relevance Today
Authors: Drèze Jacques
Published: November 2015

Markets are incomplete when the assets available to the agents do not span the space of future contingencies. In that case, competitive equilibria on the markets for assets and commodities fail (generically) to be constrained efficient. Pareto‐superior allocations can be implemented through price/wage rigidities and quantity constraints. However, nominal rigidities are conducive to multiple equilibria, implying endogenous macroeconomic uncertainties that compound the primitive (exogenous) uncertainties. This paper defines a temporary general equilibrium for which there exists a set of equilibria defining an inflation – unemployment locus. Various policy implications are drawn, with relevance to the current crisis.
Molecular phylogeny reveals the repeated evolution of complex male genital traits in the New Zealand moth genus Izatha (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae)
Authors: BENNIK REBECCA M. , BUCKLEY THOMAS R. , HOARE ROBERT J. B. , HOLWELL GREGORY I.
Published: November 2015

Male genitalia are among the most rapidly evolving and divergent morphological structures and sexual selection is known to drive this phenomenon in many taxa. Because of their diversity, even within a single genus, genital characters are frequently used to infer relationships among closely‐related species. Moths within the genus Izatha (Xyloryctidae) are ideal candidates for investigating the phylogenetic patterns of genital evolution as they display great variation in male genital structure and complexity. We determined the evolutionary relationships among 31 species of Izatha by constructing a molecular phylogeny of the genus based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene and the isocitrate dehydrogenase and carbamoylphosphate synthase domain protein nuclear genes. This allowed estimations of ancestral male genital character states and patterns of male genital diversification using maximum‐likelihood models. The genus is divided into two well‐supported clades and two poorly supported clades at the root of the phylogeny with incomplete phylogenetic resolution within two species groups, likely due to rapid speciation. Izatha display a number of apomorphic phallic traits including cornuti (sclerotized spines) which are either discharged into the female during copulation (deciduous cornuti) or fixed to the male phallus (compound and fish‐hook cornuti). Within the genus, there is a reduction of secondary genital characters – the uncus and gnathos – but an elaboration of another grasping structure, the juxta; the potential origin and functionality of these male genital traits are discussed. Overall, some male genital characters provided a good indication of species relationships; however, several parts of the complex male genitalia of Izatha show evidence of homoplasy and convergence highlighting the problems of using these traits in determining species relationships. Additionally, this convergence has highlighted that complex genital structures may evolve repeatedly and independently within a lineage.
Predicting playing frequencies for clarinets: A comparison between numerical simulations and simplified analytical formulas
Authors: Coyle Whitney L. , Guillemain Philippe , Kergomard Jean , Dalmont Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2015

When designing a wind instrument such as a clarinet, it can be useful to be able to predict the playing frequencies. This paper presents an analytical method to deduce these playing frequencies using the input impedance curve. Specifically there are two control parameters that have a significant influence on the playing frequency, the blowing pressure and reed opening. Four effects are known to alter the playing frequency and are examined separately: the flow rate due to the reed motion, the reed dynamics, the inharmonicity of the resonator, and the temperature gradient within the clarinet. The resulting playing frequencies for the first register of a particular professional level clarinet are found using the analytical formulas presented in this paper. The analytical predictions are then compared to numerically simulated results to validate the prediction accuracy. The main conclusion is that in general the playing frequency decreases above the oscillation threshold because of inharmonicity, then increases above the beating reed regime threshold because of the decrease of the flow rate effect.
Therapeutic targeting of the MYC signal by inhibition of histone chaperone FACT in neuroblastoma
Authors: Carter Daniel R. , Murray Jayne , Cheung Belamy B. , Gamble Laura , Koach Jessica , Tsang Joanna , Sutton Selina , Kalla Heyam , Syed Sarah , Gifford Andrew J. , Issaeva Natalia , Biktasova Asel , Atmadibrata Bernard , Sun Yuting , Sokolowski Nicolas , Ling Dora , Kim Patrick Y. , Webber Hannah , Clark Ashleigh , Ruhle Michelle , Liu Bing , Oberthuer André , Fischer Matthias , Byrne Jennifer , Saletta Federica , Thwe Le Myo , Purmal Andrei , Haderski Gary , Burkhart Catherine , Speleman Frank , De Preter Katleen , Beckers Anneleen , Ziegler David S. , Liu Tao , Gurova Katerina V. , Gudkov Andrei V. , Norris Murray D. , Haber Michelle , Marshall Glenn M.
Published: November 2015

Histone chaperone FACT acts in a positive feedback loop with MYCN and is a therapeutic target in neuroblastoma.
RSV vaccine: Beating the virus at its own game
Authors: Moscona Anne
Published: November 2015

Rational design hijacks RSV’s own transcriptional machinery to pave the way for an innovative live attenuated vaccine (Karron
et al
., this issue).
Hormonal response to energy restriction
Authors: Lanza Ian R.
Published: November 2015

Humans and rodents differ in their hormonal responses to chronic caloric restriction.
Personalized drug tablets with 3D printing
Authors: Wang Andrew Z.
Published: November 2015

Drug tablets with release profiles tailored to individual patients can be formulated using 3D printing technique.
Genotypic Differences in Dengue Virus Neutralization Are Explained by a Single Amino Acid Mutation That Modulates Virus Breathing
Authors: Dowd Kimberly A. , DeMaso Christina R. , Pierson Theodore C.
Published: November 2015

Flaviviruses sample an ensemble of virion conformations resulting from the conformational flexibility of their structural proteins. To investigate how sequence variation among strains impacts virus breathing, we performed studies with the monoclonal antibody (MAb) E111, which binds an inaccessible domain III envelope (E) protein epitope of dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV1). Prior studies indicated that an observed ~200-fold difference in neutralization between the DENV1 strains Western Pacific-74 (West Pac-74) and 16007 could not be explained by differences in the affinity of MAb E111 for each strain. Through neutralization studies with wild-type and variant viruses carrying genes encoding reciprocal mutations at all 13 amino acid differences between the E proteins of West Pac-74 and 16007, we found that E111 neutralization susceptibility mapped solely to the presence of a lysine or arginine at E domain II residue 204, located distally from the E111 epitope. This same residue correlated with neutralization differences observed for MAbs specific for epitopes distinct from E111, suggesting that this amino acid dictates changes in the conformational ensembles sampled by the virus. Furthermore, an observed twofold difference in the stability of infectious West Pac-74 versus 16007 in solution also mapped to E residue 204. Our results demonstrate that neutralization susceptibility can be altered in an epitope-independent manner by natural strain variation that influences the structures sampled by DENV. That different conformational ensembles of flaviviruses may affect the landscape available for antibody binding, as well as virus stability, has important implications for functional studies of antibody potency, a critical aspect of vaccine development.

IMPORTANCE
The global burden of dengue virus (DENV) is growing, with recent estimates of ~390 million human infections each year. Antibodies play a crucial role in protection from DENV infection, and vaccines that elicit a robust antibody response are being actively pursued. We report here the identification of a single amino acid residue in the envelope protein of DENV serotype 1 that results in global changes to virus structure and stability when it is changed. Our results indicate that naturally occurring variation at this particular site among virus strains impacts the ensemble of structures sampled by the virus, a process referred to as virus breathing. The finding that such limited and conservative sequence changes can modulate the landscape available for antibody binding has important implications for both vaccine development and the study of DENV-reactive antibodies.
Acinetobacter baumannii Genes Required for Bacterial Survival during Bloodstream Infection
Authors: Subashchandrabose Sargurunathan , Smith Sara , DeOrnellas Valerie , Crepin Sebastien , Kole Monica , Zahdeh Carina , Mobley Harry L. T.
Published: November 2015

A. baumannii
is a significant cause of bacterial bloodstream infection in humans. Since multiple antibiotic resistance is becoming more common among strains of
A. baumannii
, there is an urgent need to develop novel tools to treat infections caused by this dangerous pathogen
.
To develop knowledge-guided treatment approaches for
A. baumannii
, a thorough understanding of the mechanism by which this pathogen causes bloodstream infection is required. Here, using a mouse model of infection, we report the identification of
A. baumannii
genes that are critical for the ability of this pathogen to cause bloodstream infections. This study lays the foundation for future research on
A. baumannii
genes that can be targeted to develop novel therapeutics against this emerging human pathogen.
‘Vulval oedema’: a conundrum!
Authors: Afshan Nida , Gokhale Leena
Published: November 2015

Massive oedema of the vulva appears to be a sequel of an underlying systemic disease in pregnant women. Isolated vulval oedema in pregnancy is rare. Vulval oedema has been treated, depending on pathophysiology, with steroids, furosemide, albumin and continuous epidural analgaesia. We present a case of vulval oedema, where the oedema was confined to the labia minora in a healthy young pregnant woman. The patient was in pain and extreme discomfort due to the labial swelling, and caesarean section was being considered for delivery as the massive oedema would obstruct the birth canal. The swelling, however, resolved successfully by simple drainage. In the literature, there have been cases delivered by caesarean section as vulval swelling was causing an obstruction.
Automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead infection in a patient with previous superior vena cava thrombosis
Authors: Connelly Tara , Siddiqui Sadiq , Kolcow Walenty , Veerasingam Dave
Published: November 2015

We present a case of a 44-year-old woman who presented with cough, pleuritic chest pain and fever leading to a diagnosis of pneumonia±pulmonary embolism. She had a history of familial hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), for which an automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) had been implanted, and a subsequent superior vena cava (SVC) thrombus, for which she was anticoagulated with warfarin. On admission, blood cultures grew a coagulase-negativeStaphylococcus. CT pulmonary angiogram and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) were performed and revealed large vegetations adherent to the AICD leads with complete occlusion of the SVC. The infected leads were the source of sepsis. Open surgery was planned. For cardiopulmonary bypass, the venous cannula was inserted in the inferior vena cava (IVC) and a completely bloodless field was obtained in the right atrium allowing for the extraction of the AICD leads completely, along with the adherent vegetations from within.
Fibrosing mediastinitis: a rare complication of histoplasmosis
Authors: Patel Milesh , Lu Frederic , Hannaway Maria , Hochman Katherine
Published: November 2015

We report a case of a 29-year-old man who presented with intermittent haemoptysis for about 18 months. Previously, his symptoms had been diagnosed as musculoskeletal pain and later as pneumonia. CT found a venous infarct in the right lung in addition to extensive lymphadenopathy in the mediastinum and pulmonary hila, with associated calcifications almost completely occluding the superior vena cava and azygos vein. Further questioning revealed that the patient had once worked on an organic farm in Colorado. Subsequent work up was positive for histoplasmosis yeast antibodies. The patient was diagnosed with fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) and started on itraconazole for 3 months. We note that FM is a rare complication of histoplasmosis and can present as chronic haemoptysis. Travel history is an important aspect of the clinical evaluation. Antifungal agents have shown some efficacy in treating histoplasmosis-related FM.
What role do pharmacists play in mediating antibiotic use in hospitals? A qualitative study
Authors: Broom Alex , Broom Jennifer , Kirby Emma , Plage Stefanie , Adams Jon
Published: November 2015

Objective

To understand Australian hospital pharmacists’ accounts of antibiotic use, and the potential role of pharmacy in antibiotic optimisation within a tertiary hospital setting.

Design, setting and participants

Qualitative study, utilising semistructured interviews with 19 pharmacists in two hospitals in Queensland, Australia in 2014. Data was analysed using the framework approach and supported by NVivo10 qualitative data analysis software.

Results

The results demonstrate that (1) pharmacists’ attitudes are ambivalent towards the significance of antibiotic resistance with optimising antibiotic use perceived as low priority; (2) pharmacists’ current capacity to influence antibiotic decision-making is limited by the prescribing power of doctors and the perception of antibiotic use as a medical responsibility; and, (3) interprofessional and organisational barriers exist that prevent change in the hospital setting including medical hierarchies, limited contact with senior doctors and resource constraints resulting in insufficient pharmacy staffing to foster collaborative relationships and facilitate the uptake of their advice.

Discussion

While pharmacy is playing an increasingly important role in enhanced antibiotic governance and is a vital component of antimicrobial stewardship in Australia, role-based limitations, interprofessional dynamics and organisational/resource constraints in hospitals, if not urgently addressed, will continue to significantly limit the ability of pharmacy to influence antibiotic prescribing.
Current and emerging practice of end-of-life care in British prisons: findings from an online survey of prison nurses
Authors: Papadopoulos Irena , Lay Margaret
Published: November 2015

Background

There are concerns about prisoners and detainees not having equal access to end-of-life care while in prison. There is a lack of existing literature about the standards of end-of-life care in UK prisons.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the views of current and former prison nurses with regard to the end-of-life care being provided in UK prisons.

Methods

Prison nurses were invited to participate in an online survey and asked about their role in the prison, prisoners’ access to healthcare facilities, and any barriers and good practices to end-of-life care. The survey included open-ended and closed questions. The closed questions were analysed using descriptive statistics. The open-ended responses were coded and grouped into themes.

Results

31 (N=31) prison nurses responded to the survey. The reported barriers to end-of-life care included some prison regimes, lack of appropriate care and visiting facilities, lack of privacy and inadequate visiting hours. Respondents also reported examples of good practice, including having access to specialist palliative care and specialist equipment, and being able to receive visits from family and friends.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that there is considerable variability in the end-of-life care provided to prisoners in the UK. Further research is needed in order to reduce the health inequalities and improve the quality of end-of-life care experienced by prisoners in the UK.
The use of in situ simulation to detect latent safety threats in paediatrics: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Auerbach Marc , Kessler David O , Patterson Mary
Published: November 2015

Background

In situ simulation (ISS) has been reported as an innovative method to identify and mitigate latent safety threats (LSTs) in healthcare. Little is known about the current utilisation of ISS across academic simulation programmes.

Objective

This study aims to describe the use of ISS to identify LST across paediatric academic simulation programmes.

Methods

A 25-question cross-sectional survey was conducted at two simulation meetings in January 2014 to recruit leaders from paediatric simulation programmes. The total eligible sample was 82 individuals representing 48 distinct academic medical centres. The 25 survey questions were created to describe the constructs of: (1) utilisation of ISS (location, participants, cancellations and coordination) and (2) the outcomes of ISS (detection of and response to safety threats). Descriptive statistics were carried out using SPSS V.21.0 (IBM Corp released 2012).

Results

The response rate was 68% (56/82), representing 79% (38/48) of the eligible academic medical centres. The majority of respondents (52/56) reported that their programmes utilised ISS. ISS was most commonly conducted in acute care settings. Almost all respondents (48/52) detected an LST during ISS. More than half of the respondents (28/52) utilised a formal reporting process after ISS sessions to feedback the LST to other individuals within their institution. 23% (12/52) of respondents reported the detection of a serious LST in ISS that was not resolved and subsequently led to a safety event during real patient care.

Conclusions

The use of ISS to identify and mitigate LST is common in this cross-sectional survey of paediatric simulation programmes. Diverse processes and organisational structures exist for reporting and mitigating LSTs identified in ISS. A more integrated and systematic approach to ISS and LST could help ensure the mitigation of LSTs before they impact on patients.
Sleep duration and health among older adults: associations vary by how sleep is measured
Authors: Lauderdale Diane S , Chen Jen-Hao , Kurina Lianne M , Waite Linda J , Thisted Ronald A
Published: November 2015

Background

Cohort studies have found that short and long sleep are both associated with worse outcomes, compared with intermediate sleep times. While demonstrated biological mechanisms could explain health effects for short sleep, long-sleep risk is puzzling. Most studies reporting the U shape use a single question about sleep duration, a measurement method that does not correlate highly with objectively measured sleep. We hypothesised that the U shape, especially the poor outcomes for long sleepers, may be an artefact of how sleep is measured.

Methods

We examined the cross-sectional prevalence of fair/poor health by sleep hour categories (≤6, ≤7, ≤8, ≤9, >9 h) in a national US sample of adults aged 62–90 that included several types of sleep measures (n=727). Survey measures were: a single question; usual bedtimes and waking times; and a 3-day sleep log. Actigraphy measures were the sleep interval and total sleep time. Fair/poor health was regressed on sleep hour categories adjusted for demographics, with tests for both linear trend and U shape.

Results

Adjusted OR of fair/poor health across sleep hour categories from the single question were 4.6, 2.2, referent (8 h), 1.8 and 6.9. There was high prevalence of fair/poor health for ≤6 h for all sleep measures, but the long-sleep effect was absent for sleep logs and actigraphy measures.

Conclusions

Associations between long sleep and poor health may be specific to studies measuring sleep with survey questions. As cohorts with actigraphy mature, our understanding of how sleep affects health may change.
What is so special about smell? Olfaction as a model system in neurobiology
Authors: Barwich Ann-Sophie
Published: November 2015

Neurobiology studies mechanisms of cell signalling. A key question is how cells recognise specific signals. In this context, olfaction has become an important experimental system over the past 25 years. The olfactory system responds to an array of structurally diverse stimuli. The discovery of the olfactory receptors (ORs), recognising these stimuli, established the olfactory pathway as part of a greater group of signalling mechanisms mediated by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are the largest protein family in the mammalian genome and involved in numerous fundamental physiological processes. The OR family exhibits two characteristics that make them an excellent model system to understand GPCRs: its size and the structural diversity of its members. Research on the OR binding site investigates what amino acid sequences determine the receptor-binding capacity. This promises a better understanding of how the basic genetic makeup of GPCRs relates to their diversification in ligand-binding capacities.
Influence of freeze–thaw cycles on the performance of covers with capillary barrier effects made of crushed rock–bentonite mixtures to control oxygen migration
Authors: Boulanger-Martel Vincent , Bussière Bruno , Côté Jean , Mbonimpa Mamert
Published: November 2015

In temperate climates, covers with capillary barrier effects (CCBEs) are being used successfully to prevent oxygen fluxes from reaching covered potentially acid mine drainage (AMD) generating mine tailings. In northern climates, the more attractive option for mine site reclamation is insulation covers, which are designed to keep reactive materials frozen. This article suggests that CCBEs can simultaneously control oxygen migration and mine waste temperature to inhibit AMD generation. However, in northern conditions, where natural fine-grained materials needed for the CCBE moisture-retaining layer are not always available, soil–bentonite mixtures could be used instead. This laboratory study assessed — using instrumented columns — the effects of freeze–thaw cycles on the performance of three CCBEs made with crushed rock–bentonite mixtures. An oxygen diffusion test was developed to determine the effective diffusion coefficient of oxygen (De) and its sensitivity to freeze–thaw cycles. The results show good initial performance for the saturated CCBEs. However, the tested CCBEs are significantly affected by freeze–thaw cycles and have limited oxygen-limiting ability.
Understanding low success trapping invasive sea lampreys: an entry-level analysis
Authors: McLean Adrienne R. , Barber Jessica , Bravener Gale , Rous Andrew M. , McLaughlin Robert L.
Published: November 2015

Invasive sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes are the target of binational control. Trapping of adults could be used for control if trap success was higher. At a hydro-generating station on the St. Marys River, we tested whether the probability of trap entry is low (0.2–0.3) because (i) lampreys spend insufficient time near traps to find and enter the trap, (ii) high discharge at trap sites makes attractant flow from traps difficult to detect or trap openings difficult to reach, and (iii) conspecifics impede trap entry. Discharge at the site was manipulated nightly, and the behaviour of lampreys at trap openings was video-recorded. Odds of a lamprey reaching a trap opening and entering the trap were 3.4 and 1.6 times higher, respectively, with every second spent at a trap. The probability of reaching a trap was not lower on nights when discharge was high or when conspecifics were present at the trap opening. Improved trap entry will require manipulation of stimuli other than discharge that affect the time spent at traps.
A CONTEMPORARY RE-EXAMINATION OF MALAYSIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH: THE ISSUES OF EQUITY, EFFICIENCY AND LIBERALIZATION
Authors: BAHARUDIN AZFAR HILMI , FEI YAP SU
Published: November 2015

This paper is an empirical investigation on economic growth for Malaysia, with focus on income inequality, foreign direct investment (FDI), financial development and trade. Co-integrating regression procedures namely, fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), canonical co-integrating regression (CCR) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) were employed. Positive relationship between growth with financial development and trade are found to be consistent across all estimations. Income inequality on the other hand though negative, does not seem to exhibit robust significant statistical relationship with growth. The orders of integration for variables used have been demonstrated to be governed such that a long-run relationship prevails.
THE APPLICATION OF THE MINIMUM FOOD SECURITY QUOTA IN RESPONSE TO A POTENTIAL NATURAL DISASTER: THE CASE OF MALAYSIA
Authors: ESTRADA MARIO ARTURO RUIZ , NDOMA IBRAHIM , PARK DONGHYUN
Published: November 2015

Following the Minimum Food Security Quota (MFS-Quota) proposed by Ruiz Estrada (2010) to evaluate and determine the food sustainability of any given country in the event of any natural disaster, this paper sets out to apply the MFS-Quota to test Malaysia’s food storage and supply readiness for any potential natural disaster that may critically affect the socio-economic and political well-being of the country. The primary objective of the MFS-Quota is to calculate the approximate amount of annual food storage that any country needs in order to subsist through any potential natural disaster. As such, any country could build its own MFS-Quota based on its agriculture production system(s) and national food policy focus.
Enhanced insulin sensitivity mediated by adipose tissue browning perturbs islet morphology and hormone secretion in response to autonomic nervous activation in female mice
Authors: Omar Bilal A. , Kvist-Reimer Martina , Enerbäck Sven , Ahrén Bo
Published: November 2015

Insulin resistance results in a compensatory increase in insulin secretion to maintain normoglycemia. Conversely, high insulin sensitivity results in reduced insulin secretion to prevent hypoglycemia. The mechanisms for this inverse adaptation are not well understood. We utilized highly insulin-sensitive mice, due to adipocyte-specific overexpression of the FOXC2 transcription factor, to study mechanisms of the reversed islet adaptation to increased insulin sensitivity. We found that Foxc2TG mice responded to mild hyperglycemia with insulin secretion significantly lower than that of wild-type mice; however, when severe hyperglycemia was induced, Foxc2TG mice demonstrated insulin secretion equal to or greater than that of wild-type mice. In response to autonomic nervous activation by 2-deoxyglucose, the acute suppression of insulin seen in wild-type mice was absent in Foxc2TG mice, suggesting impaired sympathetic signaling to the islet. Basal glucagon was increased in Foxc2TG mice, but they displayed severely impaired glucagon responses to cholinergic and autonomic nervous stimuli. These data suggest that the autonomic nerves contribute to the islet adaptation to high insulin sensitivity, which is compatible with a neuro-adipo regulation of islet function being instrumental for maintaining glucose regulation.
The anabolic response to a meal containing different amounts of protein is not limited by the maximal stimulation of protein synthesis in healthy young adults
Authors: Kim Il-Young , Schutzler Scott , Schrader Amy , Spencer Horace J. , Azhar Gohar , Ferrando Arny A. , Wolfe Robert R.
Published: November 2015

We have determined whole body protein kinetics, i.e., protein synthesis (PS), breakdown (PB), and net balance (NB) in human subjects in the fasted state and following ingestion of ∼40 g [moderate protein (MP)], which has been reported to maximize the protein synthetic response or ∼70 g [higher protein (HP)] protein, more representative of the amount of protein in the dinner of an average American diet. Twenty-three healthy young adults who had performed prior resistance exercise (X-MP or X-HP) or time-matched resting (R-MP or R-HP) were studied during a primed continuous infusion of l-[2H5]phenylalanine and l-[2H2]tyrosine. Subjects were randomly assigned into an exercise (X, n = 12) or resting (R, n = 11) group, and each group was studied at the two levels of dietary protein intake in random order. PS, PB, and NB were expressed as increases above the basal, fasting values (mg·kg lean body mass−1·min−1). Exercise did not significantly affect protein kinetics and blood chemistry. Feeding resulted in positive NB at both levels of protein intake: NB was greater in response to the meal containing HP vs. MP ( P < 0.00001). The greater NB with HP was achieved primarily through a greater reduction in PB and to a lesser extent stimulation of protein synthesis (for all, P < 0.0001). HP resulted in greater plasma essential amino acid responses ( P < 0.01) vs. MP, with no differences in insulin and glucose responses. In conclusion, whole body net protein balance improves with greater protein intake above that previously suggested to maximally stimulating muscle protein synthesis because of a simultaneous reduction in protein breakdown.
Real-time monitoring of NKCC2 endocytosis by total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy
Authors: Jaykumar Ankita Bachhawat , Caceres Paulo S. , Sablaban Ibrahim , Tannous Bakhos A. , Ortiz Pablo A.
Published: November 2015

The apical Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC2) mediates NaCl reabsorption by the thick ascending limb (TAL). The amount of NKCC2 at the apical membrane of TAL cells is determined by exocytic delivery, recycling, and endocytosis. Surface biotinylation allows measurement of NKCC2 endocytosis, but it has low time resolution and does not allow imaging of the dynamic process of endocytosis. We hypothesized that total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy imaging of labeled NKCC2 would allow monitoring of NKCC2 endocytosis in polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and TAL cells. Thus we generated a NKCC2 construct containing a biotin acceptor domain (BAD) sequence between the transmembrane domains 5 and 6. Once expressed in polarized MDCK or TAL cells, surface NKCC2 was specifically biotinylated by exogenous biotin ligase (BirA). We also demonstrate that expression of a secretory form of BirA in TAL cells induces metabolic biotinylation of NKCC2. Labeling biotinylated surface NKCC2 with fluorescent streptavidin showed that most apical NKCC2 was located within small discrete domains or clusters referred to as “puncta” on the TIRF field. NKCC2 puncta were observed to disappear from the TIRF field, indicating an endocytic event which led to a decrease in the number of surface puncta at a rate of 1.18 ± 0.16%/min in MDCK cells, and a rate 1.09 ± 0.08%/min in TAL cells ( n = 5). Treating cells with a cholesterol-chelating agent (methyl-β-cyclodextrin) completely blocked NKCC2 endocytosis. We conclude that TIRF microscopy of labeled NKCC2 allows the dynamic imaging of individual endocytic events at the apical membrane of TAL cells.
Interhemispheric connectivity during bimanual isometric force generation
Authors: Long Jinyi , Tazoe Toshiki , Soteropoulos Demetris S. , Perez Monica A.
Published: November 2015

Interhemispheric interactions through the corpus callosum play an important role in the control of bimanual forces. However, the extent to which physiological connections between primary motor cortices are modulated during increasing levels of bimanual force generation in intact humans remains poorly understood. Here we studied coherence between electroencephalographic (EEG) signals and the ipsilateral cortical silent period (iSP), two well-known measures of interhemispheric connectivity between motor cortices, during unilateral and bilateral 10%, 40%, and 70% of maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MVC) into index finger abduction. We found that EEG-EEG coherence in the alpha frequency band decreased while the iSP area increased during bilateral compared with unilateral 40% and 70% but not 10% of MVC. Decreases in coherence in the alpha frequency band correlated with increases in the iSP area, and subjects who showed this inverse relation were able to maintain more steady bilateral muscle contractions. To further examine the relationship between the iSP and coherence we electrically stimulated the ulnar nerve at the wrist at the alpha frequency. Electrical stimulation increased coherence in the alpha frequency band and decreased the iSP area during bilateral 70% of MVC. Altogether, our findings demonstrate an inverse relation between alpha oscillations and the iSP during strong levels of bimanual force generation. We suggest that interactions between neural pathways mediating alpha oscillatory activity and transcallosal inhibition between motor cortices might contribute to the steadiness of strong bilateral isometric muscle contractions in intact humans.
Two distinct representations of social vocalizations in the basolateral amygdala
Authors: Gadziola Marie A. , Shanbhag Sharad J. , Wenstrup Jeffrey J.
Published: November 2015

Acoustic communication signals carry information related to the types of social interactions by means of their “acoustic context,” the sequencing and temporal emission pattern of vocalizations. Here we describe responses to natural vocal sequences in adult big brown bats ( Eptesicus fuscus). We first assessed how vocal sequences modify the internal affective state of a listener (via heart rate). The heart rate of listening bats was differentially modulated by vocal sequences, showing significantly greater elevation in response to moderately aggressive sequences than appeasement or neutral sequences. Next, we characterized single-neuron responses in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of awake, restrained bats to isolated syllables and vocal sequences. Two populations of neurons distinguished by background firing rates also differed in acoustic stimulus selectivity. Low-background neurons (<1 spike/s) were highly selective, responding on average to one tested stimulus. These may participate in a sparse code of vocal stimuli, in which each neuron responds to one or a few stimuli and the population responds to the range of vocalizations across behavioral contexts. Neurons with higher background rates (≥1 spike/s) responded broadly to tested stimuli and better represented the timing of syllables within sequences. We found that spike timing information improved the ability of these neurons to discriminate among vocal sequences and among the behavioral contexts associated with sequences compared with a rate code alone. These findings demonstrate that the BLA contains multiple robust representations of vocal stimuli that can provide the basis for emotional/physiological responses to these stimuli.