bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optical transitions in magnetoelectric Ga0.6Fe1.4O3 from 0.73 to 6.45 eV
Authors: Choi Sukgeun , Lefèvre Christophe , Roulland Francois , Mény Christian , Viart Nathalie , To Bobby , Shafer Devyn E. , Shin Ranhee , Lee Jihye , Jo William
Published: May 2012

The optical properties of polycrystalline Ga0.6Fe1.4O3 bulk are determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry from 0.73 to 6.45 eV. Complex dielectric function ɛ = ɛ1 + iɛ2 spectra are obtained from the multilayer analysis. The ellipsometric data exhibit numerous optical structures, and the transition energies are accurately obtained by analyzing the second-energy derivatives of the data. The origins of the optical structures are explained in terms of Fe3+ ligand field transitions and ligand-to-metal charge transfer transitions.
Piecewise coherent mode processing of acoustic data recorded on two horizontally separated vertical line arrays
Authors: Udovydchenkov Ilya A. , Brown Michael G. , Duda Timothy F.
Published: May 2012

Abstract: Motivated by measurements made in the 2004 Long-Range Ocean Acoustic Propagation Experiment (LOAPEX), the problem of mode processing transient acoustic signals collected on two nearby vertical line arrays is considered. The first three moments (centroid, variance, and skewness) of broadband distributions of acoustic energy with fixed mode number (referred to as modal group arrivals) are estimated. It is shown that despite the absence of signal coherence between the two arrays and poor high mode number energy resolution, the centroid and variance of these distributions can be estimated with tolerable errors using piecewise coherent mode processing as described in this paper.
Recurrent Hemizygous Deletions in Cancers May Optimize Proliferative Potential
Authors: Solimini Nicole L. , Xu Qikai , Mermel Craig H. , Liang Anthony C. , Schlabach Michael R. , Luo Ji , Burrows Anna E. , Anselmo Anthony N. , Bredemeyer Andrea L. , Li Mamie Z. , Beroukhim Rameen , Meyerson Matthew , Elledge Stephen J.
Published: May 2012

Cancer Gene Islands

Human tumors are riddled with genomic alterations that rearrange, remove, amplify, or otherwise disrupt a wide spectrum of genes, and a key challenge is identifying which of these alterations are causally involved in tumorigenesis. The role of recurrent hemizygous focal deletions is especially puzzling because these deletions preferentially affect certain chromosomal regions and result in the loss of one copy of a whole cluster of adjacent genes.

Solimini
et al.

(p.
104
, published online 24 May; see the Perspective by

Greenman

) found that these deletions span genomic regions that are enriched in genes that negatively regulate cell proliferation. The cumulative reduction in dosage and tumor suppressive function of the genes within these “cancer gene islands” may represent a critical factor driving tumor growth.
Genome Sequences of Two Plant Growth-Promoting Fluorescent Pseudomonas Strains, R62 and R81
Authors: Mathimaran N. , Srivastava R. , Wiemken A. , Sharma A. K. , Boller T.
Published: May 2012

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains R62 and R81 have previously been isolated and characterized as part of the Indo-Swiss Collaboration in Biotechnology. Here we present the draft genome sequences of these two PGPR strains, with the aim of unraveling the mechanisms behind their ability to promote wheat growth.
Genome Sequences of Five Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg Isolates Associated with a 2011 Multistate Outbreak in the United States
Authors: Hoffmann Maria , Zhao Shaohua , Luo Yan , Li Cong , Folster Jason P. , Whichard Jean , Allard Marc W. , Brown Eric W. , McDermott Patrick F.
Published: May 2012

Salmonella enterica
serovar Heidelberg has caused numerous outbreaks in humans. Here, we report draft genomes of five isolates of serovar Heidelberg associated with the recent (2011) multistate outbreak linked to ground turkey in the United States. Isolates 2011K-1110 and 2011K-1132 were recovered from humans, while isolates 2011K-1138, 2011K-1224, and 2011K-1225 were recovered from ground turkey. Whole-genome sequence analysis of these isolates provides a tool for studying the short-term evolution of these epidemic clones.
Genome Sequence of Diplorickettsia massiliensis, an Emerging Ixodes ricinus-Associated Human Pathogen
Authors: Mathew Mano J. , Subramanian Geetha , Nguyen Thi-Tien , Robert Catherine , Mediannikov Oleg , Fournier Pierre-Edouard , Raoult Didier
Published: May 2012

Diplorickettsia massiliensis
is a gammaproteobacterium in the order
Legionellales
and an agent of tick-borne infection. We sequenced the genome from strain 20B, isolated from an
Ixodes ricinus
tick. The genome consists of a 1,727,973-bp chromosome but no plasmid and includes 2,269 protein-coding genes and 42 RNA genes, including 3 rRNA genes.
Draft Genome Sequence for Microbacterium laevaniformans Strain OR221, a Bacterium Tolerant to Metals, Nitrate, and Low pH
Authors: Brown Steven D. , Palumbo Anthony V. , Panikov Nicolai , Ariyawansa Thilini , Klingeman Dawn M. , Johnson Courtney M. , Land Miriam L. , Utturkar Sagar M. , Epstein Slava S.
Published: May 2012

Microbacterium laevaniformans
strain OR221 was isolated from subsurface sediments obtained from the Field Research Center (FRC) in Oak Ridge, TN. It was characterized as a bacterium tolerant to heavy metals, such as uranium, nickel, cobalt, and cadmium, as well as nitrate and low pH. We present its draft genome sequence.
Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium phlei Type Strain RIVM601174
Authors: Abdallah Abdallah M. , Rashid Mamoon , Adroub Sabir A. , Arnoux Marc , Ali Shahjahan , van Soolingen Dick , Bitter Wilbert , Pain Arnab
Published: May 2012

Mycobacterium phlei
is a rapidly growing nontuberculous
Mycobacterium
species that is typically nonpathogenic, with few reported cases of human disease. Here we report the whole genome sequence of
M. phlei
type strain RIVM601174.
Draft Genome Sequence of Rubrivivax gelatinosus CBS
Authors: Hu Pingsha , Lang Juan , Wawrousek Karen , Yu Jianping , Maness Pin-Ching , Chen Jin
Published: May 2012

Rubrivivax gelatinosus
CBS, a purple nonsulfur photosynthetic bacterium, can grow photosynthetically using CO and N
2
as the sole carbon and nitrogen nutrients, respectively.
R. gelatinosus
CBS is of particular interest due to its ability to metabolize CO and yield H
2
. We present the 5-Mb draft genome sequence of
R. gelatinosus
CBS with the goal of providing genetic insight into the metabolic properties of this bacterium.
Acute alcohol intoxication and suicide: a gender-stratified analysis of the National Violent Death Reporting System
Authors: Kaplan Mark S , McFarland Bentson H , Huguet Nathalie , Conner Kenneth , Caetano Raul , Giesbrecht Norman , Nolte Kurt B
Published: May 2012

Objectives

Although it is well known that people with alcohol dependence are at a markedly elevated risk for suicide, much less is known about the role of acute alcohol use in suicidal behaviours. The primary aims of this epidemiological study were to assess the prevalence and factors associated with acute alcohol intoxication among 57 813 suicide decedents in 16 states.

Methods

Data from the restricted National Violent Death Reporting System 2003–2009 for male and female suicide decedents aged 18 years and older were analysed by multiple logistic regression to compare decedents with and without acute alcohol intoxication (defined as blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥0.08 g/dl).

Results

Among men, those who were younger, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, veterans, of lower educational attainment, deceased from a self-inflicted firearm injury or hanging/suffocation and residing in rural areas were more likely to have been intoxicated at the time of death. Among women, the factors associated with a BAC ≥0.08 g/dl were younger age, being American Indian/Alaska Native, and using a firearm, hanging/suffocation or falling as method of death.

Conclusions

In both men and women, alcohol intoxication was associated with violent methods of suicide and declined markedly with age, suggesting that addressing risks associated with acute alcohol use may be of the greatest aid in the prevention of violent suicides among young and middle age adults.
A lost decade: exploring F Scott Fitzgerald's contribution to the illness canon through the doctor–nurse series and other healthcare stories of the 1930s
Authors: Kerr Lisa
Published: May 2012

F Scott Fitzgerald spent the 1930s writing about illness themes while he struggled with tuberculosis, insomnia, alcoholism, heart disease and the mental illness of his wife Zelda. During this decade, Fitzgerald published six stories that prominently feature hospitals and healthcare professionals. These stories, the ‘doctor–nurse stories’, along with nine additional published stories that touch upon medical themes have not previously been investigated as a thematic grouping. This paper explores the 1930s stories in the context of Fitzgerald's life and career in order to highlight his significant yet previously undervalued contribution to the canon of illness literature and his work's relevance to the field of literature and medicine.
High-Performance Excimer-Laser-Crystallized Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-Film Transistors with the Pre-Patterned Recessed Channel
Authors: Wang Chao-Lung , Cheng Huang-Chung , Lee I-Che , Wu Chun-Yu , Cheng Yu-Ting , Yang Po-Yu
Published: May 2012

High-performance polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) have been achieved using an excimer laser crystallization method on a prepatterned recessed channel (RC). Such a prepatterned RC TFT exhibited an excellent field-effect mobility of 412 cm2 V-1 s-1 and an on/off current ratio higher than 1.1×108 as compared with 125 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 2.2×107 for the conventional ones, respectively. This is attributed to the two-dimensional control of the grain boundary location and the resultant cross-shaped grain boundary structures within the recessed regions. Therefore, the prepatterned RC TFTs with only one grain boundary parallel to the channel direction as the TFTs could be fabricated to avoid the perpendicular grain boundary. This technology is thus promising for the future applications of poly-Si TFTs in the system-on-panel (SOP) and three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D-ICs).
Optical Tweezers-Assisted Cross-Correlation Analysis for a Non-intrusive Fluid Temperature Measurement in Microdomains
Authors: Cheng Chih-Ming , Chang Ming-Chih , Chang Yu-Fen , Wang Wei-Ting , Hsu Chien-Ting , Tsai Jing-Shin , Liu Chia-Yeh , Wu Chien-Ming , Ou Keng-Liang , Yang Tzu-Sen
Published: May 2012

An image-based approach to predict the fluid temperature in microfluidic flow cell is presented. We apply Fourier-based cross-correlation processing to determine the lateral displacement of the optically trapped bead; therefore, both the mean square displacement (MSD) and the diffusion coefficient (D) can be obtained. On the other hand, applying the Stokes–Einstein equation, together with Faxen's law correction, the theoretical relation showed that D is proportional to (T/η), where T and η are temperature and temperature-dependent fluid viscosity, respectively. Hence, the fluid temperature can be determined by MSD-based thermometry.
Effects of Aluminum Incorporation on Diamond Grain Growth in Ultrananocrystalline Diamond/Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Composite Films Prepared by Coaxial Arc Plasma Deposition
Authors: Katamune Yūki , Ohmagari Shinya , Suzuki Itsuroh , Yoshitake Tsuyoshi
Published: May 2012

Al-incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond/hydrogenated amorphous carbon composite films were prepared by coaxial arc plasma deposition with an Al-blended graphite target. The grain size estimated from X-ray diffraction peaks was 27 nm; this value is an order of magnitude larger than that of unincorporated films. The appearance of diamond-200 and 222 peaks, which generally disappear due to the extinction rule of diffraction, and the dilation of lattice, implied the incorporation of Al atoms into the lattices. The near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure showed a sharp exciton peak due to diamond, which is attributed to the enlarged grains.
Renovascular reactivity measured by near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Rhee Christopher J. , Kibler Kathleen K. , Easley R. Blaine , Andropoulos Dean B. , Czosnyka Marek , Smielewski Peter , Brady Ken M.
Published: May 2012

Hypotension and shock are risk factors for death, renal insufficiency, and stroke in preterm neonates. Goal-directed neonatal hemodynamic management lacks end-organ monitoring strategies to assess the adequacy of perfusion. Our aim is to develop a clinically viable, continuous metric of renovascular reactivity to gauge renal perfusion during shock. We present the renovascular reactivity index (RVx), which quantifies passivity of renal blood volume to spontaneous changes in arterial blood pressure. We tested the ability of the RVx to detect reductions in renal blood flow. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in 10 piglets. The RVx was monitored as a correlation between slow waves of arterial blood pressure and relative total hemoglobin (rTHb) obtained with reflectance near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) over the kidney. The RVx was compared with laser-Doppler measurements of red blood cell flux, and renal laser-Doppler measurements were compared with cerebral laser-Doppler measurements. Renal blood flow decreased to 75%, 50%, and 25% of baseline at perfusion pressures of 60, 45, and 40 mmHg, respectively, whereas in the brain these decrements occurred at pressures of 30, 25, and 15 mmHg, respectively. The RVx compared favorably to the renal laser-Doppler data. Areas under the receiver operator characteristic curves using renal blood flow thresholds of 50% and 25% of baseline were 0.85 (95% CI, 0.83–0.87) and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.88–0.92). Renovascular autoregulation can be monitored and is impaired in advance of cerebrovascular autoregulation during hemorrhagic shock.
Reverse right ventricular structural and extracellular matrix remodeling by estrogen in severe pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Nadadur Rangarajan D. , Umar Soban , Wong Gabriel , Eghbali Mansour , Iorga Andrea , Matori Humann , Partow-Navid Rod , Eghbali Mansoureh
Published: May 2012

Chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH) leads to right-ventricular failure (RVF) characterized by RV remodeling. Ventricular remodeling is emerging as an important process during heart failure and recovery. Remodeling in RVF induced by PH is not fully understood. Recently we discovered that estrogen (E2) therapy can rescue severe preexisting PH. Here, we focused on whether E2 (42.5 μg·kg−1·day−1, 10 days) can reverse adverse RV structural and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling induced by PH using monocrotaline (MCT, 60 mg/kg). RV fibrosis was evident in RVF males. Intact females developed less severe RV remodeling compared with males and ovariectomized (OVX) females. Novel ECM-degrading disintegrin-metalloproteinases ADAM15 and ADAM17 transcripts were elevated ∼2-fold in all RVF animals. E2 therapy reversed RV remodeling in all groups. In vitro, E2 directly inhibited ANG II-induced expression of fibrosis markers as well as the metalloproteinases in cultured cardiac fibroblasts. Estrogen receptor-β agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN) but not estrogen receptor-α agonist 4,4′,4″-(4-propyl-[1 H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol (PPT) was as effective as E2 in inhibiting expression of these genes. Expression of ECM-interacting cardiac fetal-gene osteopontin (OPN) also increased ∼9-fold in RVF males. Intact females were partially protected from OPN upregulation (∼2-fold) but OVX females were not. E2 reversed OPN upregulation in all groups. Upregulation of OPN was also reversed in vitro by E2. Plasma OPN was elevated in RVF (∼1.5-fold) and decreased to control levels in the E2 group. RVF resulted in elevated Akt phosphorylation, but not ERK, in the RV, and E2 therapy restored Akt phosphorylation. In conclusion, E2 therapy reverses adverse RV remodeling associated with PH by reversing fibrosis and upregulation of novel ECM enzymes ADAM15, ADAM17, and OPN. These effects are likely mediated through estrogen receptor-β.
Kidney Tumor Biomarkers Revealed by Simultaneous Multiple Matrix Metabolomics Analysis
Authors: Ganti Sheila , Taylor Sandra L. , Abu Aboud Omran , Yang Joy , Evans Christopher , Osier Michael V. , Alexander Danny C. , Kim Kyoungmi , Weiss Robert H.
Published: May 2012

Metabolomics is increasingly being used in cancer biology for biomarker discovery and identification of potential novel therapeutic targets. However, a systematic metabolomics study of multiple biofluids to determine their interrelationships and to describe their use as tumor proxies is lacking. Using a mouse xenograft model of kidney cancer, characterized by subcapsular implantation of Caki-1 clear cell human kidney cancer cells, we examined tissue, serum, and urine all obtained simultaneously at baseline (urine) and at, or close to, animal sacrifice (urine, tissue, and plasma). Uniform metabolomics analysis of all three “matrices” was accomplished using gas chromatography– and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Of all the metabolites identified (267 in tissue, 246 in serum, and 267 in urine), 89 were detected in all 3 matrices, and the majority was altered in the same direction. Heat maps of individual metabolites showed that alterations in serum were more closely related to tissue than was urine. Two metabolites, cinnamoylglycine and nicotinamide, were concordantly and significantly (when corrected for multiple testing) altered in tissue and serum, and cysteine–glutathione disulfide showed the highest change (232.4-fold in tissue) of any metabolite. On the basis of these and other considerations, three pathways were chosen for biologic validation of the metabolomic data, resulting in potential therapeutic target identification. These data show that serum metabolomics analysis is a more accurate proxy for tissue changes than urine and that tryptophan degradation (yielding anti-inflammatory metabolites) is highly represented in renal cell carcinoma, and support the concept that PPAR-α antagonism may be a potential therapeutic approach for this disease. Cancer Res; 72(14); 3471–9. ©2012 AACR.
The Global Cancer Genomics Consortium: Interfacing Genomics and Cancer Medicine
Authors:   The Global Cancer Genomics Consortium
Published: May 2012

The Global Cancer Genomics Consortium (GCGC) is an international collaborative platform that amalgamates cancer biologists, cutting-edge genomics, and high-throughput expertise with medical oncologists and surgical oncologists; they address the most important translational questions that are central to cancer research and treatment. The annual GCGC symposium was held at the Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer, Mumbai, India, from November 9 to 11, 2011. The symposium showcased international next-generation sequencing efforts that explore cancer-specific transcriptomic changes, single-nucleotide polymorphism, and copy number variations in various types of cancers, as well as the structural genomics approach to develop new therapeutic targets and chemical probes. From the spectrum of studies presented at the symposium, it is evident that the translation of emerging cancer genomics knowledge into clinical applications can only be achieved through the integration of multidisciplinary expertise. In summary, the GCGC symposium provided practical knowledge on structural and cancer genomics approaches, as well as an exclusive platform for focused cancer genomics endeavors. Cancer Res; 72(15); 3720–4. ©2012 AACR.
Effect of Portal Haemodynamics on Liver Graft and Intestinal Mucosa after Small-for-Size Liver Transplantation in Swine
Authors: Yagi S. , Iida T. , Hori T. , Taniguchi K. , Nagahama M. , Isaji S. , Uemoto S.
Published: May 2012

Background: After small-for-size graft (SFSG) transplantation, elevated portal venous pressure (PVP) may lead to postoperative liver damage. Herein we evaluated the impact of portocaval shunt (PCS) to control PVP on liver grafts and intestine following SFSG transplantation. Methods: Nineteen SFSG transplantations were performed with 30% of native liver in swine. Swine were divided into 3 groups: a high-flow shunt group (HS: n = 7), in which portal venous flow (PVF) was reduced with a 10-mm diameter PCS; a low-flow shunt group (LS: n = 6), in which PVF was reduced with a 5-mm diameter PCS, and a no-shunt group (NS: n = 6), in which no PCS was placed. Results: Seven-day survivals were 83.3% in NS, 100% in LS and 0% in HS (p = 0.0088). PVP was significantly higher in the NS group (p = 0.0001; mean ± SEM NS/LS/HS: 20.5 ± 0.7/14.0 ± 1.2/11.6 ± 0.5 mm Hg). The LS group exhibited the highest compliance (PVF/PVP; NS/LS/HS 42.7 ± 10.9/44.6 ± 4.9/37.7 ± 8.3 ml/min/mm Hg; p = 0.009), the lowest aspartate aminotransferase (NS/LS/HS 562 ± 18/370 ± 55/720 ± 130 IU/l; p = 0.0493), and suppressed deleterious alternations of the hepatic parenchyma and intestinal mucosa. Conclusions: Portal hypertension after SFSG transplantation impaired liver and intestinal mucosa; however, inadequate portal flow impaired not only the liver, but also survival.
The Kunitz 1 and Kunitz 3 domains of tissue factor pathway inhibitor are required for efficient inhibition of factor Xa
Authors: Peraramelli Sameera , Suylen Dennis P. L. , Rosing Jan , Hackeng Tilman M.
Published: May 2012

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is a slow tight-binding inhibitor that inhibits factor (F)Xa in a biphasic fashion: a rapid formation of loose FXa•TFPI encounter complex is followed by slow rearrangement into a tight FXa•TFPI* complex in which the Kunitz-2 (K2) domain of TFPI binds and inhibits FXa. In the current study, full-length TFPI (TFPIfl) and various truncated TFPI constructs were used to assess the importance of TFPI domains other than K2 in the inhibition of FXa. In the absence of Ca2+ ions, FXa was more effectively inhibited by TFPIfl than Gladomain less FXa. In turn, Ca2+ ions impaired FXa inhibition by TFPIfl but not by TFPI constructs that lack the C-terminus. This suggests that, in absence of Ca2+ ions, interactions between the C-terminus of TFPI and the Gla-domain of FXa promote FXa-inhibition. TFPIfl and K2K3 had similar efficiencies for encounter complex formation. However, K2K3 showed monophasic inhibition instead of biphasic inhibition, indicating absence of rearrangement into a tight complex. K1K2 and TFPI1–161 showed biphasic inhibition, but had less efficient encounter complex formation than TFPIfl. Finally, K2K3 was a 10-fold more efficient FXainhibitor than K2. These results indicate that K3-C-terminus enhances the formation of encounter complex and that K1 is required for isomerisation of the encounter- into tight complex. Since TFPIfl has a 10-fold higher Ki than K2K3-C-terminus, we propose that K1 is not only required for the transition of the loose to the tight FXa•TFPI* complex, but also inhibits FXa•TFPI encounter complex formation. This inhibitory activity is counteracted by K3 and C-terminus.
Effect of non-specific reversal agents on anticoagulant activity of dabigatran and rivaroxaban
Authors: Marlu Raphael , Hodaj Enkelejda , Paris Adeline , Albaladejo Pierre , Crackowski Jean , Pernod Gilles
Published: May 2012

The new anticoagulants dabigatran and rivaroxaban can be responsible for haemorrhagic complications. As for any anticoagulant, bleeding management is challenging. We aimed to test the effect of all putative haemostatic agents on the anticoagulant activity of these new drugs using thrombin generation tests. In an ex vivo study, 10 healthy white male subjects were randomised to receive rivaroxaban (20 mg) or dabigatran (150 mg) in one oral administration. After a two weeks washout period, they received the other anticoagulant. Venous blood samples were collected just before drug administration (H0) and 2 hours thereafter. Reversal of anticoagulation was tested in vitro using prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC), rFVIIa or FEIBA® at various concentrations. Rivaroxaban affects quantitative and kinetic parameters, including the endogenous thrombin potential (ETP-AUC and more pronouncedly the thrombin peak), the lag-time and time to peak. PCC strongly corrected ETP-AUC, whereas rFVIIa only modified the kinetic parameters. FEIBA corrected all parameters. Dabigatran specially affects the kinetics of thrombin generation with prolonged lag-time and time to peak. Although PCC increased ETP-AUC, only rFVIIa and FEIBA corrected the altered lag-time. For both anticoagulants, lower doses of FEIBA, corresponding to a quarter to half the dose usually used, have potential reversal profile of interest. In conclusion, some non-specific reversal agents appear to be able to reverse the anticoagulant activity of rivaroxaban or dabigatran. However, clinical evaluation is needed regarding haemorrhagic situations, and a meticulous risk-benefit evaluation regarding their use in this context is required.
Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on Outcome in Thrombolyzed Patients With Stroke
Authors: Frank Benedikt , Fulton Rachael , Weimar Christian , Shuaib Ashfaq , Lees Kennedy R.
Published: May 2012

Background and Purpose—

Atrial fibrillation has been considered a risk factor for poor outcome from acute stroke and may influence response to thrombolysis, although supporting data are limited due to potential confounding with age and stroke severity.

Method—

We assessed the association of atrial fibrillation and thrombolysis exposure with the modified Rankin Scale score distribution at 90 days among patients registered in a trials archive. We used an age and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale-adjusted Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test to test significance (
P
) followed by proportional odds logistic regression analysis to estimate the ORs for improved modified Rankin Scale score.

Results—

Data were available for 7091 patients, of whom 3027 were thrombolyzed. A total of 1631 patients had a history of atrial fibrillation, of whom 639 were thrombolyzed. Among patients with atrial fibrillation, baseline severity was greater (median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 14 versus 12;
P
<0.001) and age was higher (mean age, 74.0 versus 66.5;
P
<0.001). An association of treatment with outcome was seen independently and was of similar magnitude within patients with atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12–1.73;
P
<0.001) and without atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.39–1.69;
P
<0.001). No association of atrial fibrillation and overall stroke outcome could be found (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.84–1.03;
P
=0.409).

Conclusion—

In this nonrandomized comparison, presence of atrial fibrillation had no independent impact on stroke outcome and compared with untreated comparators, the patients who received thrombolysis experienced an advantage in outcomes that was of equal magnitude whether in the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation.
Development and Analysis of a Probabilistic Forecasting Game for Meteorology Students
Authors: Decker Steven G.
Published: May 2012

Calls for moving from a deterministic to a probabilistic view of weather forecasting have become increasingly urgent over recent decades, yet the primary national forecasting competition and many in-class forecasting games are wholly deterministic in nature. To counter these conflicting trends, a long-running forecasting game at Rutgers University has recently been modified to become probabilistic in nature. Students forecast high- and low-temperature intervals and probabilities of precipitation for two locations: one fixed at the Rutgers cooperative observing station, the other chosen for each forecast window to maximize difficulty. Precipitation errors are tabulated with a Brier score, while temperature errors contain a sharpness component dependent on the width of the forecast interval and an interval miss component dependent on the degree to which the verification falls within the interval.

The inclusion of a probabilistic forecasting game allows for the creation of a substantial database of forecasts that can be analyzed using standard probabilistic approaches, such as reliability diagrams, relative operating characteristic curves, and histograms. Discussions of probabilistic forecast quality can be quite abstract for undergraduate students, but the use of a forecast database that students themselves help construct motivates these discussions and helps students make connections between their forecast process, their standing in class rankings, and the verification diagrams they use. Student feedback on the probabilistic game is also discussed.
Efficacy of Fibrin Sealant for Drainage Reduction in Total Thyroidectomy with Bilateral Central Neck Dissection
Authors: Kim Tae Wook , Choi Sung Yong , Jang Min‐Seok , Lee Gang‐Gyu , Nam Myung‐Eun , Son Young‐Ik , Chung Man Ki
Published: May 2012

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of fibrin sealant (FS) for reducing postoperative drainage in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) with bilateral central neck dissection (CND) for papillary thyroid cancer.

Study Design

Prospective randomized trial.

Setting

Tertiary care institution.

Subjects and Methods

Seventy‐eight patients with papillary thyroid cancer were enrolled and randomized to either the FS application group (FS+, 38 patients) or no FS application group (FS–, 40 patients). In both groups, postoperative drainage amounts were measured by a negative suction system until the criterion of drain removal was met. Drainage amounts as well as the time to drain removal, postoperative complications, and chemical profile assay of drain fluids between the 2 groups were performed.

Results

Drainage amounts at the initial 24 hours as well as total amounts of the FS+ group tended to be lower than those of the FS– group; however, they were not statistically different (at initial 24 hours, 64.3 ± 17.5 mL vs 73.0 ± 18.0 mL, P =. 06; total amounts, 93.5 ± 30.7 mL vs 105.7 ± 31.2 mL, P =. 05). The FS application did not shorten the time to drain removal even when different criteria for drain removal were applied (criteria of <20 mL/d or <30 mL/d). When chemistry profiles of collected drain fluids were analyzed in patient subgroups, the level of triglycerides in the FS+ group was significantly lower than in the FS– group.

Conclusion

Fibrin sealant has no additional advantage in terms of drainage reduction and early discharge despite the additional medical cost.
Hypnic headache: Response to lamotrigine in two cases
Authors: Ouahmane Younes , Mounach Jamal , Satte Amal , Zerhouni Abderrahim , Ouhabi Hamid
Published: May 2012

Background: Hypnic headache (HH) is a rare primary headache that occurs exclusively during sleep. Drug therapy of HH is often associated with side effects. In a few cases, antiepileptic drugs have been useful in preventing HH attacks.

Cases: We describe two patients, a man aged 57 and a woman aged 63, both with a history of duodenal ulcer and both suffering from several months of frequent and moderate headaches (at least 15 days/month), which occurred only at night and resisted treatment. Physical examination and imaging were unremarkable. Sleep polysomnography was normal in the man. In both patients, the diagnosis of HH was made on the basis of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edition criteria. Given the prior history of duodenal ulcer and the unavailability of some drugs in Morocco, we opted for the administration of moderate doses of lamotrigine. The outcome was favourable at one year follow-up and beyond.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, the response to lamotrigine in HH cases has never been reported. Because of its safety profile and availability, lamotrigine can be an effective alternative treatment in HH.
Concurrent functional and structural cortical alterations in migraine
Authors: Maleki Nasim , Becerra Lino , Brawn Jennifer , Bigal Marcelo , Burstein Rami , Borsook David
Published: May 2012

Aim: Various animal and human studies have contributed to the idea of cortical structural–functional alterations in migraine. Defining concurrent cortical alterations may provide specific insights into the unfolding adaptive or maladaptive changes taking place in cortex in migraine.

Methods: From a group of 60 episodic migraineurs, 20 were recruited to the study. Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, structural and functional cortical measures were compared in migraineurs who experienced increased frequency of attacks (HF; 8–14 days/month; n = 10), to those who experienced less frequent migraine attacks (LF; < 2 days/month; n = 10), and to healthy controls (HC; n = 20).

Results: Parallel structural and functional differences were found as follows: (i) HF patients showed higher thickness in the area representing the face in the post-central gyrus, which correlated with the observed stronger functional activation, suggesting adaptation to repeated sensory drive; (ii) smaller cortical volume was observed in the cingulate cortex that correlated with lower activation in the HF group; and (iii) similarly significant structural and functional differences (HF > LF) were observed in the insula that may reflect potential alteration in affective processing.

Conclusion: These results suggest differential response patterns in the sensory vs. affective processing regions in the brain that may be an adaptive response to repeated migraine attacks.
A performance-based method for calculating the design thickness of compacted clay liners exposed to high strength leachate under simulated landfill conditions
Authors: Safari Edwin , Ghazizade Mahdi Jalili , Abdoli Mohammad Ali
Published: May 2012

Compacted clay liners (CCLs) when feasible, are preferred to composite geosynthetic liners. The thickness of CCLs is typically prescribed by each country’s environmental protection regulations. However, considering the fact that construction of CCLs represents a significant portion of overall landfill construction costs; a performance based design of liner thickness would be preferable to ‘one size fits all’ prescriptive standards. In this study researchers analyzed the hydraulic behaviour of a compacted clayey soil in three laboratory pilot scale columns exposed to high strength leachate under simulated landfill conditions. The temperature of the simulated CCL at the surface was maintained at 40 ± 2 °C and a vertical pressure of 250 kPa was applied to the soil through a gravel layer on top of the 50 cm thick CCL where high strength fresh leachate was circulated at heads of 15 and 30 cm simulating the flow over the CCL. Inverse modelling using HYDRUS-1D indicated that the hydraulic conductivity after 180 days was decreased about three orders of magnitude in comparison with the values measured prior to the experiment. A number of scenarios of different leachate heads and persistence time were considered and saturation depth of the CCL was predicted through modelling. Under a typical leachate head of 30 cm, the saturation depth was predicted to be less than 60 cm for a persistence time of 3 years. This approach can be generalized to estimate an effective thickness of a CCL instead of using prescribed values, which may be conservatively overdesigned and thus unduly costly.
Increased Adolescent HIV Infection during Pregnancy Leads to Increase in Perinatal Transmission at Urban Referral Center
Authors: Faghih Sahar , Secord Elizabeth
Published: May 2012

Background:

Undiagnosed HIV during pregnancy leads to increased perinatal infection. Four cases of adolescents/young adults with HIV contracted during pregnancy, after initial negative HIV testing, led to 4 cases of perinatal HIV, which were diagnosed only after AIDS-defining illness occurred in infants. These cases were missed despite HIV testing during pregnancy. This identifies a change in pattern for perinatal infection: increased adolescent/young adult HIV leading to increased perinatal risk.

Methods:

A 10-year retrospective chart review on HIV-positive infants in an urban referral center. Charts were reviewed for timing of maternal HIV testing and reason for infant HIV diagnosis.

Results:

Twenty infected infants were referred over a 10-year period. Four HIV-infected infants were identified within a 2-year time frame at the end of the 10-year period. The 4 mothers were HIV negative, based on early peripartum testing (3 in first trimester and 1 in second trimester) and became infected or seroconverted during pregnancy after initial HIV test. The mothers diagnosed were all under the age of 25.

Conclusions:

Rapid HIV testing at the time of delivery, despite a negative HIV result in early pregnancy, will prevent the delay in HIV diagnosis in both the mother and the infant and thus decrease HIV transmission from mother to child.
Kinematic Analysis of Motor Recovery With Human Adult Bone Marrow–Derived Somatic Cell Therapy in a Rat Model of Stroke
Authors: Braun Robynne G. , Andrews Ellen M. , Kartje Gwendolyn L.
Published: May 2012

Background. The extent to which pharmaceutical and behavioral therapies following central nervous system injury may either deter or encourage the development of compensatory movement patterns is a topic of considerable interest in neurorehabilitation. However, functional outcome measures alone are relatively insensitive to compensatory changes in movement patterns per se. Objective. This study used both functional outcome measures and kinematic analysis of forelimb movements to examine the effects of human adult bone marrow–derived somatic cells (hABM-SCs) on motor recovery in a rat model of stroke. Methods. Adult male Long–Evans black-hooded rats (n = 12) were trained in a forelimb reaching task and then underwent surgical middle cerebral artery occlusion, producing a stroke that impaired the trained paw. One week poststroke, animals were randomly assigned to either a hABM-SC injection or control injection group. Reaching behaviors were then compared at baseline and at 10 weeks poststroke. Results. Both groups improved their outcome scores during the 10-week recovery period. However, the hABM-SC group recovered significantly more function than controls in terms of the number of pellets retrieved. Furthermore, the control group appeared to improve their functional performance by using compensatory strategies that involved an increased number of trajectory adjustments, whereas the hABM-SC group’s kinematics more closely resembled prestroke movement patterns. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that kinematic measures established in stroke research on humans are also sensitive to performance differences prestroke versus poststroke in the rat model, reinforcing the utility of this method to evaluate treatments that may ultimately translate to patient populations.
Antisense-targeted immuno-EM localization of the pre-mRNA path in the spliceosomal C complex
Authors: Wolf Elmar , Kastner Berthold , Lührmann Reinhard
Published: May 2012

A first step in understanding the architecture of the spliceosome is elucidating the positions of individual spliceosomal components and functional centers. Catalysis of the first step of pre-mRNA splicing leads to the formation of the spliceosomal C complex, which contains the pre-mRNA intermediates—the cleaved 5′ exon and the intron-3′ exon lariat. To topographically locate the catalytic center of the human C complex, we first determined, by DNA oligonucleotide-directed RNAse H digestions, accessible pre-mRNA regions closest to nucleotides of the cleaved 5′ splice site (i.e., the 3′ end of exon 1 and the 5′ end of the intron) and the intron lariat branch point, which are expected to be at/near the catalytic center in complex C. For electron microscopy (EM) localization studies, C complexes were allowed to form, and biotinylated 2′-OMe RNA oligonucleotides were annealed to these accessible regions. To allow localization by EM of the bound oligonucleotide, first antibiotin antibodies and then protein A-coated colloidal gold were additionally bound. EM analyses allowed us to map the position of exon and intron nucleotides near the cleaved 5′ splice site, as well as close to the anchoring site just upstream of the branch adenosine. The identified positions in the C complex EM map give first hints as to the path of the pre-mRNA splicing intermediates in an active spliceosomal C complex and further define a possible location for its catalytic center.
Topical Insulin Accelerates Wound Healing in Diabetes by Enhancing the AKT and ERK Pathways: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Lima Maria H. M. , Caricilli Andréa M. , de Abreu Lélia L. , Araújo Eliana P. , Pelegrinelli Fabiana F. , Thirone Ana C. P. , Tsukumo Daniela M. , Pessoa Ana Flávia M. , dos Santos Marinilce F. , de Moraes Maria A. , Carvalheira José B. C. , Velloso Lício A. , Saad Mario J. A.
Published: May 2012

Background

Wound healing is impaired in diabetes mellitus, but the mechanisms involved in this process are virtually unknown. Proteins belonging to the insulin signaling pathway respond to insulin in the skin of rats.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulation of the insulin signaling pathway in wound healing and skin repair of normal and diabetic rats, and, in parallel, the effect of a topical insulin cream on wound healing and on the activation of this pathway.

Research Design and Methods

We investigated insulin signaling by immunoblotting during wound healing of control and diabetic animals with or without topical insulin. Diabetic patients with ulcers were randomized to receive topical insulin or placebo in a prospective, double-blind and placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial (NCT 01295177) of wound healing.

Results and Conclusions

Expression of IR, IRS-1, IRS-2, SHC, ERK, and AKT are increased in the tissue of healing wounds compared to intact skin, suggesting that the insulin signaling pathway may have an important role in this process. These pathways were attenuated in the wounded skin of diabetic rats, in parallel with an increase in the time of complete wound healing. Upon topical application of insulin cream, the wound healing time of diabetic animals was normalized, followed by a reversal of defective insulin signal transduction. In addition, the treatment also increased expression of other proteins, such as eNOS (also in bone marrow), VEGF, and SDF-1α in wounded skin. In diabetic patients, topical insulin cream markedly improved wound healing, representing an attractive and cost-free method for treating this devastating complication of diabetes.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01295177
The Economic Returns to Good Looks and Risky Sex in the Bangladesh Commercial Sex Market
Authors: Islam Asadul , Smyth Russell
Published: May 2012

This study examines the economic returns to beauty and unprotected sex in the commercial sex market in Bangladesh. The results show that there is a beauty premium for commercial sex work, but it is within the bounds of the economic returns to beauty for women in occupations that do not involve sex work. We find that there is an earnings premium for sex workers who sell unprotected sex and that more attractive sex workers charge a higher premium for unprotected sex. This result is consistent with more attractive people being better placed to bargain with others and with male clients being more likely to overvalue the returns to immediate sexual gratification and to engage in risk taking activities in the presence of attractive sex workers. The results are robust to alternative empirical specifications.
Neue Zusatzstücke zur ersten Tafel der Rituale der Frau Allaituraḫi aus Mukiš
Authors: Lorenz Jürgen , Taş Ilknur
Published: May 2012

Mit der Identifikation neuer Duplikate und dem Auffinden eines Joins lässt sich der Text der ersten Tafel der Rituale der Allaituraäi aus Mukiš (CTH 780) weiter vervollständigen und die Ritualhandlungen an entscheidenden Stellen besser verstehen. Das bisher unveröffentlichte Fragment Bo 8366 wird im Rahmen der Bearbeitung der neu gewonnenen Textabschnitte mit Foto, Autographie, Umschrift und Übersetzung vorgestellt und eingeordnet.
Entre bois e cabras: uma visão histórica sobre mentalidades e valores nos sertões
Authors: Gonçalves Júnior Oswaldo
Published: May 2012

Uma cultura de resistência no semi-árido, expressa por mentalidades e valores, incide contra o potencial econômico da caprinovinocultura, vista de maneira inferiorizada em relação à pecuária bovina, atrelada historicamente a prestígio e status social. O artigo procura lançar luz sobre aspectos que possibilitem tornar mais claras as raízes do aparato cognitivo que sustenta essa visão, recorrendo-se para isso à produção de autores relevantes que tratam do tema do deslocamento colonizador e da pecuária nos sertões. Em última análise, busca elementos da influência do processo histórico de organização econômica e social desse espaço sobre o presente.
Espaço urbano brasileiro: entre a ditadura e a democracia - o caso de Florianópolis, SC (1964-1990)
Authors: Lohn Reinaldo Lindolfo
Published: May 2012

Este artigo aborda as intervenções no espaço urbano durante a ditadura militar e os primeiros anos da recente democratização política do Brasil, com foco no caso de Florianópolis, capital de Santa Catarina, entre 1964 e 1990. Nesse período, diversos segmentos sociais mobilizaram-se contra o Estado autoritário, mas as relações de mercado assumiram um papel proeminente na moldagem de cidades como Florianópolis, o que conflitou com as iniciativas de democratização do espaço urbano. A questão que motiva o trabalho é o estudo das interações entre as formas urbanas delineadas durante a ditadura e os usos sociais configurados pela convivência democrática.
Trocador de calor e umidade: proteção contra infecções pulmonares? Estudo piloto
Authors: Alcoforado Luciana , Paiva Daniela , Silva Filipe Souza da , Galvão André Martins , Galindo Filho Valdecir , Brandão Daniella Cunha , Lacerda Heloísa Ramos , Andrade Armele Dornelas de
Published: May 2012

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um estudo bacteriológico comparativo entre os sistemas de umidificação aquoso aquecido (UAA) e filtro trocador de calor e umidade (FTCU) quanto à colonização bacteriana e a incidência de infecção respiratória em pacientes submetidos à ventilação mecânica (VM). Trata-se de uma pesquisa prospectiva, controlada e randomizada, na qual 15 pacientes internados na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) foram distribuídos em dois grupos. O primeiro fez uso de UAA (n=7) e o outro de FTCU (n=8). Foram coletadas amostras da secreção traqueal, condensado do circuito e FTCU na admissão do paciente, no quarto e oitavo dias, e realizada análise bacteriológica dos mesmos. Quanto às características antropométricas, não observou-se diferenças entre os grupos estudados. A prevalência de pneumonia associada à ventilação (PAV) foi de 57,1% no UAA e 62,5% no FTCU. Ao realizar a análise bacteriológica quantitativa entre eles, não foram observadas variações, sugerindo não haver diferença na prevenção de PAV entre os sistemas de umidificação; porém a presença das mesmas bactérias na secreção traqueal e no condensado e ausência destas na membrana do FTCU podem indicar que a principal fonte de contaminação é o próprio paciente.
Stabilised rammed earth: a case study in Western Australia
Authors: Ciancio Daniela , Boulter Michael
Published: May 2012

The following research has been undertaken in collaboration with ‘Engineers Without Borders’, with the aim of investigating procedures and materials to reduce the cost of housing construction for local indigenous communities on the Dampier Peninsula, a remote area in the north of Western Australia. This paper shows the criteria and the logic that lead to identifying cement-stabilised rammed earth as a viable alternative to the standard typologies (mainly steel-framed houses) in remote areas of Australia. To overcome the limits generated by the lack of proper Australian standards recommendations in rammed-earth construction, the suitability of the soil available in situ has been experimentally investigated. The unconfined compressive strength for different soils and different cement contents has been studied. In addition, the accelerated erosion test has been carried out. Even though the soil collected in situ has been shown to be a suitable construction material, the competitiveness and wide-ranging benefits of rammed earth are undermined by the lack of more comprehensive studies on this alternative building technique.