bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ambivalence: Employee responses to depersonalized bullying at work
Authors: D’Cruz Premilla , Noronha Ernesto
Published: September 2013

The present article furthers our understanding of the nascent concept of depersonalized bullying by exploring employee responses to the phenomenon. Through a qualitative enquiry of international-facing call centre agents in India, the major theme of ‘bounded benefits’ captured employees’ response of ambivalence. Valuing their professional identity and material returns while ruing the depersonalized bullying of their oppressive work environment, participants recognized that their gains were limited by but inextricably linked to workplace demands. Perceiving no alternative to the continuity of their benefits, participants emphasized positive aspects of their experiences to reduce their misgivings. In contrast to interpersonal bullying where targets are victimized and undergo severe strain such that they usually exit the employer organization, depersonalized bullying entails a dualistic response where well-being and strain coexist and where approach dimensions compensate for avoidance dimensions such that compromise and trade-off facilitate coping.
Optimizing Insulin Pump Therapy
Authors: Meade Lisa T. , Rushton Wanda E.
Published: September 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to assess insulin pump use and provide ongoing education.

Methods

A quality improvement project using a pump assessment questionnaire was implemented at an endocrinology office in the southeastern United States. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate all aspects of insulin pump therapy, including pump operations, infusion set failure, management of acute complications, and usage of advanced device features. Eighty-nine patients (80% with type 1 diabetes and 20% with type 2 diabetes) completed the questionnaire at the endocrinology practice. A certified diabetes educator reviewed the questions with each patient, identifying deficiencies and training opportunities.

Results

The most common areas of deficiency identified after implementation of the assessment form included the following: expired or no basal insulin prescription in the event of pump failure or removal, no mupirocin (Bactroban®, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina) prescription for suspected site infections, lack of insulin syringe if pump stopped working, failure to check urine ketones, no antiemetic prescription for sick day intervention, using manual bolus instead of bolus calculator, and lack of in-date glucagon kit.

Conclusions

Use of a pump assessment questionnaire allows for focused discussion concerning patient behaviors related to pump operations, troubleshooting, and self-management. Incorporating use of a pump assessment questionnaire into routine practice may result in improved patient education and avoidance of adverse events specific to insulin pump therapy.
Analysis of Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System Data to Assess the Health of Hispanics With Diabetes in US-Mexico Border Communities
Authors: McEwen Marylyn Morris , Lin Pei-Chao , Pasvogel Alice
Published: September 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to describe and compare personal characteristics, health care access and utilization, and self-management behaviors of Hispanic American adults diagnosed with diabetes who reside in 3 US-Mexico border counties in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This study also examines the status of this population in attaining Healthy People (HP) 2020 diabetes target goals.

Methods

Data were extracted from the 2005-2009 Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends (SMART): Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to analyze behavioral and health system factors associated with diabetes management among Hispanic American adults who reside in the border counties (N = 600). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and compared using chi-square and one-way analysis of variance.

Results

There were significant differences in health care access and utilization and in 1 self-management behavior (daily feet checks) across the counties. The majority of participants (83.4%) had a care provider, however the HP 2020 diabetes target goals for A1C monitoring or foot exams conducted by a care provider were not met. Participants in all counties met the target goal for dilated eye exams.

Conclusions

Improvement of diabetes management among this population should focus on border health system barriers to attaining HP 2020 diabetes target goals.
Cardiovascular benefits of phlebotomy: relationship to changes in hemorheological variables
Authors: Holsworth RE , Cho YI , Weidman J J , Sloop GD , Cyr JA St.
Published: September 2013

Renewed interest in the age-old concept of “bloodletting”, a therapeutic approach practiced until as recently as the 19th century, has been stimulated by the knowledge that blood loss, such as following regular donation, is associated with significant reductions in key hemorheological variables, including whole blood viscosity (WBV), plasma viscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen. An elevated WBV appears to be both a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease and an important factor in the development of atherosclerosis. Elevated WBV through wall shear stress is the most direct physiological parameter that influences the rupture and erosion of vulnerable plaques. In addition to WBV reduction, phlebotomy may reduce an individual’s cardiovascular risk through reductions in excessive iron, oxidative stress and inflammation. Reflecting these findings, blood donation in males has shown significant drops in the incidence of cardiovascular events, as well as in procedures such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting. Collectively, the available data on the benefits of therapeutic phlebotomy point to the importance of monitoring WBV as part of a cardiovascular risk factor, along with other risk-modifying measures, whenever an increased cardiovascular risk is detected. The development of a scanning capillary tube viscometer allows the measurement of WBV in a clinical setting, which can prove to be valuable in providing an early warning sign of an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Effect of modafinil on cognitive functions in alcohol dependent patients: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Joos Leen , Goudriaan Anna E , Schmaal Lianne , van den Brink Wim , Sabbe Bernard GC , Dom Geert
Published: September 2013

Cognitive deficits are highly prevalent in alcohol-dependent (AD) patients and may have a detrimental impact on treatment response and treatment outcome. Enhancing cognitive functions may improve treatment success. Modafinil is a promising compound in this respect. Therefore, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted with modafinil (300 mg/d) or placebo in 83 AD patients for 10 weeks. Various cognitive functions (digit span task, Tower of London task, Stroop task) were measured at baseline, during and after treatment. Compared to placebo, modafinil improved verbal short-term memory (number of forward digit spans) ( p=0.030), but modafinil exerted a negative effect on the working memory score of the digit span task ( p=0.003). However, subgroup analyses revealed that modafinil did improve both working memory and verbal short-term memory in AD patients with a poor working memory ability at baseline (25% worst performers), whereas no significant treatment effect of modafinil was found on these two dependent variables in patients with good working memory skills at baseline (25% best performers). No effect of modafinil was found on measures of planning (Tower of London task) and selective attention (Stroop task). Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between cognitive remediation and treatment outcome in order to design targeted treatments.
The Half-Cycle Correction Revisited
Authors: Naimark David M. J. , Kabboul Nader N. , Krahn Murray D.
Published: September 2013

Decision-analytic software commonly used to implement discrete Markov models requires transitions to occur between simulated health states either at the beginning or at the end of each cycle. The result is an over- or underestimation, respectively, of quality-adjusted life expectancy and cost, compared with the results that would be obtained if transitions were modeled to occur randomly throughout each cycle. The standard half-cycle correction (HCC) is used to remedy the bias. However, the standard approach to the HCC is problematic: It does not account for discounting or for the shape of intermediate state membership functions. Application of the standard approach to the HCC also has no numerical effect on the resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio or change in net health benefit under certain circumstances. Alternatives to the standard HCC, in order of ease of use, include no correction, the life-table approach, the cycle-tree method, and a correction based on Simpson’s rule. For less complex decision models in which the computational burden is not large, reducing the cycle length to a month or less and using no correction should result in small estimation biases. With more complex models, where cycle lengths larger than 1 month may be necessary to make computation feasible, we recommend the cycle tree approach. The latter is relatively easy to apply and has an intuitive appeal: Hypothetical subjects who transition from one state to another, on average halfway through a cycle, should receive half of the value associated with the state from which they come and half the value of the state to which they are going.
Management of spinal tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Xifeng , Ji Jianfei , Liu Bo
Published: September 2013

Objective

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying the clinical benefit of chemotherapy with surgical intervention over chemotherapy alone for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis.

Methods

Relevant RCTs were identified by computerized database searches. Trial eligibility and methodological quality were assessed and data were extracted and analysed using odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. The primary outcome measure was kyphosis angle.

Results

The literature search identified two RCTs conducted in the 1970s and 1980s and a Cochrane Database Systematic Review published in 2006. There were no significant between-group differences in kyphosis angle, bony fusion, bone loss or development of neurological deficit.

Conclusions

There is no obvious statistically significant clinical precedence to suggest that routine surgery will improve the prognosis of patients with spinal tuberculosis.
Proteomics in Veterinary Medicine
Authors: Ceciliani F. , Eckersall D. , Burchmore R. , Lecchi C.
Published: September 2013

Advancement in electrophoresis and mass spectrometry techniques along with the recent progresses in genomics, culminating in bovine and pig genome sequencing, widened the potential application of proteomics in the field of veterinary medicine. The aim of the present review is to provide an in-depth perspective about the application of proteomics to animal disease pathogenesis, as well as its utilization in veterinary diagnostics. After an overview on the various proteomic techniques that are currently applied to veterinary sciences, the article focuses on proteomic approaches to animal disease pathogenesis. Included as well are recent achievements in immunoproteomics (ie, the identifications through proteomic techniques of antigen involved in immune response) and histoproteomics (ie, the application of proteomics in tissue processed for immunohistochemistry). Finally, the article focuses on clinical proteomics (ie, the application of proteomics to the identification of new biomarkers of animal diseases).
Patient and Provider Perspectives on the Relationship Between Multiple Morbidity Management and Disease Prevention
Authors: Schoenberg Nancy E. , Tarasenko Yelena N. , Bardach Shoshana H. , Fleming Steven T.
Published: September 2013

Despite competing demands of multiple morbidity (MM) management and disease prevention, our recent survey of 1,153 Appalachian residents aged 50 to 76 documented that individuals with MM were more likely to obtain colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) than those without MM. Nearly two thirds of respondents obtained CRCS, and the more MM, the greater the likelihood of screening. To gain insight into this relationship, we conducted nine focus groups, six with providers and three with patients. Three main explanations emerged: (a) patients’ MM increases providers’ vigilance for other health vulnerabilities; (b) having MM increases patients’ own vigilance; and (c) patients’ vigilance may stem from experiencing more symptoms, having a family history of cancer, and having successfully obtained health care. More frequent contact with health care providers appears to encourage preventive referral, especially in low-income populations that otherwise may not receive such counselling. We highlight participant recommendations to improve MM management and prevention.
Screening for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Lundquist Tessa S. , Ready Rebecca E.
Published: September 2013

Screening rates for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and memory impairment are low. There is misinformation, fear, and stigma associated with memory loss and aging. Physicians are slow or reluctant to screen for memory impairment in older adults. The challenges to effective screening for AD are not unique. Thirty years ago, screening for breast cancer also suffered from low participation, fear, stigma, and misinformation. Targeted public health strategies increased disease awareness and early detection for breast cancer, and today, breast cancer screening is generally accepted by health care providers and the public. Strategies used to increase breast cancer screening can serve as examples for the promotion of screening and early detection for AD.
Characterisation of phosphate coacervates for potential biomedical applications
Authors: Pickup David M , Newport Robert J , Barney Emma R , Kim Ji-Yung , Valappil Sabeel P , Knowles Jonathan C
Published: September 2013

In this study, amorphous (Na2O) x(CaO)0.50− x(P2O5)0.50· yH2O (where x = ∼0.15 and y = ∼3) samples were prepared by a coacervate method. Thermal analysis showed that two types of water molecules were present in the coacervate structures: one type loosely bound and the other part of the phosphate structure. Structural studies using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray total diffraction revealed the samples to have very similar structures to melt-quenched glasses of comparable composition. Furthermore, no significant structural differences were observed between samples prepared using calcium nitrate as the calcium source or those prepared from calcium chloride. A sample containing ∼1 mol% Ag2O was prepared to test the hypothesis that calcium phosphate coacervate materials could be used as delivery agents for antibacterial ions. This sample exhibited significant antibacterial activity against the bacterium Psuedomonas aeruginosa. FTIR data revealed the silver-doped sample to be structurally akin to the analogous silver-free sample.
Development of a wood-fired cooking stove to incorporate a thermo-acoustic engine-generator unit
Authors: Dennis Ron , Pullen Keith
Published: September 2013

The provision of affordable electrical power in off-grid rural areas of developing countries is a major challenge but a vital element in the battle to reduce poverty. In response to this need, the SCORE project objective was to integrate a novel technology, thermo-acoustics, into a domestic cooking stove in order to produce an adequate level of electricity supply for families in developing countries whilst also providing efficient cooking. The unit is aimed at the majority of poorer families in developing countries that do not have access to electricity and have little hope of being connected to grid electricity in the near future. The electrical generation function is a vital driver in the adoption of low emission stoves which significantly reduce health problems from smoke inhalation. This paper describes the design of the cooking part of the stove developed within the framework of the project. Within the wood burning stove, heat released by combustion is first transferred to a thermo-acoustic engine to generate electricity, and then to the cooking part. The paper describes the development of the design and construction of the stove to meet the above objectives. This has been progressed through extensive testing of prototype stoves and also through modelling of the heat transfer within the combustion chamber and also for the cooking part of the stove. The paper presents and compares the results from the test programme and heat transfer modelling and shows how the results are being used to achieve a stove design with an acceptable level of performance. It then concludes with a discussion of how this design might be produced in developing countries.
The use of complex variables and frequency characteristics for stability analysis of magnetically suspended flywheels
Authors: Su Dan , Liu Gang
Published: September 2013

Magnetic bearings are capable of providing a long life and contact-free operation of high-speed flywheel rotors, and it is necessary to obtain the system stability information at different rotation speeds. To reduce the system order, this article adopts complex variables to build the system dynamic model, and the frequency characteristics of the controlled plant lead to a simple system stability judging method which can directly derive the stable speed range. After the in-depth analysis of the positive and negative frequency characteristics of the controlled plant influenced by rotation speeds, some stability conclusions based on linear controllers with cross feedback are developed, which also reveal limitations of linear controllers to stabilize the magnetically suspended flywheel systems and lead to some novel definitions of relative stability margin. Simulations and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed stability analysis method.
Projecting the yearly mortality reductions due to a cancer screening programme
Authors: Liu Zhihui (Amy) , Hanley James A , Strumpf Erin C
Published: September 2013

The decision on whether to implement a 20-year screening programme for a cancer requires weighing the harms and costs against the health benefits (such as the number of cancer deaths averted every year). The evidence of the benefits is often based on a single-number summary, such as the mortality reduction over the entire follow-up time in a single trial, or an average of such one-number measures from a meta-analysis of several trials. There are several problems associated with using the traditional one-number summaries from trials to deduce the yearly mortality reductions expected from a sustained screening programme. We here propose using a rate ratio curve, and its complement (a mortality reduction curve), to address the mortality impact (timing, magnitude, and duration) of a screening programme. This curve is easy to interpret, as it shows when mortality reductions begin, how big they are, and how long they last. We illustrate when and how such rate ratio curves from screening trials could be computed, and how they could be used to compare reduction patterns expected with different screening regimens. We encourage trialists to report the necessary data to arrive at such projections.
Suffering related to dignity among patients at a psychiatric hospital
Authors: Skorpen Frode , Thorsen Arlene A , Forsberg Christina , Rehnsfeldt Arne W
Published: September 2013

This article discusses dignity from a Q-methodological study among patients at a psychiatric hospital. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the subjective experiences of patients in a psychiatric hospital with respect to dignity. A Q-sample of 51 statements was developed. A total of 15 participants ranked these statements from those they most agreed with to those they most disagreed with. Post-interviews were also conducted. Principal Component Factor Analysis and varimax rotation followed by hand rotation produced the clearest results. Four different viewpoints emerged: being met as equal human being, experience of dignity despite suffering, suffering due to inferior feelings and suffering and fighting for one’s own dignity. There seem to be variations in those with dignity-promoting experiences in Viewpoint 1 and to some extent in Viewpoint 2, to those with dignity-inhibiting experiences in Viewpoints 3 and 4.
Client Beliefs About a Multicouple Group Service for Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Todahl Jeffrey L. , Linville Deanna , Tuttle Shamblin Abby F. , Skurtu Angela , Ball David
Published: September 2013

Despite the ongoing debate about intervention best practices for intimate partner violence (IPV), few researchers have elicited the perspectives of clients themselves about what interventions most effectively decrease violence and increase safety. Using qualitative narrative analysis methodology, the researchers conducted 48 client participant interviews and 5 staff interviews to better understand couples’ perspectives of a multicouple conjoint treatment program for IPV. Several recurring themes included (a) group purpose and general service characteristics, (b) motivation for participation, (c) comparison with other services, (d) benefits of, (e) disadvantages of, and (f) suggestions for Couples Achieving Relationship Enrichment. Important research implications for community intervention are discussed.
Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Among Undergraduate Women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Authors: Barrick Kelle , Krebs Christopher P. , Lindquist Christine H.
Published: September 2013

Despite the evidence that young and minority women may be particularly vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), there is little research on the IPV experiences of minority undergraduate women. This study addresses this gap by estimating the prevalence of IPV and examining factors associated with experiencing IPV among undergraduate women attending Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs). Findings suggest alarmingly high victimization rates; however, factors associated with IPV among HBCU women are similar to those found in prior research with women in the general population. The results also suggest that some risk factors are differentially associated with experiencing specific types of IPV.
Predicting Date Rape Perceptions
Authors: Black Katherine A. , McCloskey Kathy A.
Published: September 2013

The effects of participant gender and victim resistance on date rape perceptions have been inconsistent. Participant gender role attitudes may contribute to these inconsistencies. We found women with traditional gender role attitudes were least likely to agree that the perpetrator was guilty of rape. Participants were less convinced of the perpetrator’s guilt when the victim resisted verbally than when she resisted verbally and physically, and participants with traditional gender role attitudes were less convinced of the negative impact on the victim when she resisted verbally than when she resisted verbally and physically. Perhaps previous inconsistencies resulted from varying proportions of men and women with traditional versus liberal gender role attitudes in the samples.
Challenges in Internationalizing Radio Journalism Course Content
Authors: Wake Alexandra
Published: September 2013

RMIT postgraduate students studying Broadcast Journalism: Radio were asked to create audio stories for a programme called ‘Global Leadership’ being aired by the Australia Broadcasting Corporation’s international broadcaster Radio Australia. The project was adopted because it fits with a university-wide push to ‘internationalize’ the curriculum in order to give students a ‘global passport to work beyond Australian shores’. The project prompted students to think outside their geographical boundaries and to address an Asia-Pacific-wide audience. This paper outlines the results of that experiment and the constraints, incentives and opportunities educators face in responding to calls to internationalize journalism education. It suggests a model for reporting across international borders which others could build on.
Improving Student Learning in the Communication Classroom
Authors: Hall R. Trevor , McLean Daniel D. , Jensen Ryan R.
Published: September 2013

Instructors, challenged by traditional student learning, desire to gain a deeper understanding of how students learn. Utilization of Q-method provides an effective methodology to improve instructor understanding of human subjectivity. This research depicts how Q-methodology can provide the educator a rich tool to identify and assess student learning styles. This paper reports the adaptation of an existing learning styles instrument to a Q-method analysis in three upper-division communication classes. Four learning groups emerged from the analysis: Global Conceptualizer, Verbal Learner, Realistic Visualizer, and Ambiguous Conceptualizer. These four learning groups are discussed with implications for teaching and learning. The paper concludes that the use of Q-method can deepen understanding of students’ learning preferences by strengthening existing approaches of learning styles and improve instructor understanding of students.
Coups, Conflicts and Human Rights: Pacific Media Paradigms and Challenges
Authors: Robie David
Published: September 2013

The role of news media in the global South nations and declining credibility in some sectors of the developed world’s Fourth Estate pose challenges for the future of democracy in the Pacific region. Truth, censorship, ethics and corporate integrity are critical media issues in a region faced with coups, such as in Fiji (four in the past two decades) and attempted in Papua New Guinea (Sandline mercenary crisis in 1997), conflicts and rampant human rights violations, such as in West Papua. This commentary reflects on the challenges in the context of the political economy of the media and journalism education in the Asia-Pacific in 2012. The relevance to the region of emerging disciplines such as deliberative journalism, peace journalism, human rights journalism, and notions of critical development journalism are also discussed.
On the analysis of aerostatic thrust bearings with the differential quadrature method
Authors: Dong ZeGuang , Ding Ye , Liu PinKuan , Ding Han
Published: September 2013

This paper presents a numerical approach to analyze the performance of aerostatic thrust bearings based on the differential quadrature method. The Reynolds equation of aerostatic thrust bearings is firstly discretized as a series of algebraic equations by the differential quadrature method and the pressure distribution is calculated with the discretized equations invoking the boundary conditions. Analytical approximation of Heaviside step function and a multi-domain technique are then introduced to resolve the discontinuous problem of grooved aerostatic bearings. Numerical solutions are obtained for two types of aerostatic thrust bearings. The mass flow rate, load capacity, and stiffness predicted by these solutions are further compared with corresponding analytical, finite difference method and computational fluid dynamics solutions. It is demonstrated that the differential quadrature method has high efficiency and accuracy for the solution of aerostatic thrust bearings.
Biomarkers of periodontitis and inflammation in ischemic stroke: A case-control study
Authors: Palm Frederick , Lahdentausta Laura , Sorsa Timo , Tervahartiala Taina , Gokel Pia , Buggle Florian , Safer Anton , Becher Heiko , Grau Armin J , Pussinen Pirkko
Published: September 2013

Periodontitis is a common infectious disease associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke though presently unclear mechanisms. In a case-control study, we investigated salivary levels of four periodontal pathogens, as well as systemic and local inflammatory markers. The population comprised 98 patients with acute ischemic stroke (mean ± SD, 68.2 ± 9.7 yrs; 45.9% women) and 100 healthy controls (69.1 ± 5.2 yrs; 47.0% women). Patients were more often edentulous and had fewer teeth than controls (13.8 ± 10.8 versus 16.6 ± 10.1). After adjusting for stroke risk factors and number of teeth, controls had higher saliva matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), myeloperoxidase (MPO), IL-1β, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and serum LPS activity levels. Patients had higher serum MMP-8 and MPO, and they were more often qPCR-positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans (37.9% versus 19.0%) and for ≥3 periodontopathic species combined (50.0% versus 33.0%). We conclude that controls more often had evidence of current periodontal infection with higher periodontal pathogen amount, endotoxemia, local inflammation and tissue destruction. Stroke patients more often had evidence of end-stage periodontitis with edentulism and missing teeth. They were more often carriers of several periodontopathic pathogens in saliva, especially A. actinomycetemcomitans. Additionally, inflammatory burden may contribute to high systemic inflammation associated with elevated stroke susceptibility.
Signaling mechanism for Aspergillus fumigatus tolerance in corneal fibroblasts induced by LPS pretreatment
Authors: Wang Leyi , Yang Hongling , Sun Yuan , Yu Fu-Shin X , Wu Xinyi
Published: September 2013

TLRs, particularly TLR2 and TLR4, play primary roles in inflammatory responses triggered by Aspergillus fumigatus and lead to the activation of signaling pathways that initiate host defense responses. We previously demonstrated that LPS, a ligand of TLR4, can induce tolerance of A. fumigatus hyphae in telomerase-immortalized human stroma fibroblasts (THSFs). In the present study we investigated the role of TLR4, TLR2 and their downstream signaling pathways in this activity. The THSFs were pretreated with low-dose LPS and then exposed to A. fumigatus hyphae. It was demonstrated that enhanced expression of TLR4, but not of TLR2, was associated with LPS pretreatment. Inhibition of TLR4 with monoclonal Ab prevented reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in LPS-pretreated THSFs. Pretreatment of THSFs with low-dose LPS caused an impaired response of the MyD88-dependent classical and MAPK signaling pathway upon subsequent A. fumigatus challenge, while expression of signaling molecules in the MyD88-independent Toll-IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-β pathway was increased in THSFs pretreated with LPS. These results indicated that TLR4 mediates attenuated cytokine production induced by LPS pretreatment, and regulation of MyD88-dependent and MyD88-independent pathways may contribute to the development of A. fumigatus hyphae tolerance in LPS-pretreated THSFs.
Upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Linton Kate D , Catto James Wf
Published: September 2013

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) accounts for approximately 5% of all urothelial carcinoma. There are many risk factors for UTUC, including environmental and genetic risk factors, some of which are in common with bladder cancer. The gold standard surgical management of UTUC is radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with excision of bladder cuff, which is increasingly being performed laparoscopically or robotically with various methods used for the distal ureter. There are increasing numbers of patients being treated endoscopically, with excellent oncological outcomes in low-grade disease. The use of topical BCG and chemotherapy agents has been extrapolated from bladder cancer and may be an adjunct to endoscopic management in those patients in whom it is imperative to avoid RNU.
The Lost Carpetbagger
Authors: Humpal David L.
Published: September 2013

The following discussion highlights the impact depression and anxiety can have on perceptions of psychological and geographical “place” for a Southern, White male teacher studying racism and prejudice in the predominantly White rural high school community he lives and works. The teacher-researcher utilizes autoethnographical and psychoanalytical techniques of critical reflection and self-applied transportation theory, and arts-based research to unravel these perceptions and to enhance his autobiographical findings of both geographical and psychological place. One intent of the nonnative teacher-researcher was to uncover one predominantly White Texas high school community’s actions and thoughts of racism and prejudice through his own eyes while at times suffering from a relapse of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and anxiety. Another intent was to give the teacher-researcher further perspectives into his biography, his own attitudes of racism, prejudice, and inequality, and further understandings into the underlying causes of depression that bound his experiences in geographical and psychological place. Findings suggest that this teacher-researcher’s use of psychological techniques while suffering from a relapse of MDD and anxiety can negatively impact his ability to locate physical and psychological aspects of place.
Association Between Old Firm Football Matches and Reported Domestic (Violence) Incidents in Strathclyde, Scotland
Authors: Williams Damien J. , Neville Fergus G. , House Kirsty , Donnelly Peter D.
Published: September 2013

Media reports have suggested that the number of reports of domestic violence may increase when Scotland’s two largest, Glasgow-based football (soccer) clubs, Rangers and Celtic (traditionally referred to as the “Old Firm”) play one another. This study considers the number of domestic (violence) incidents reported to Strathclyde Police between 2008 and 2011 in the 24 hours following these matches, and compares it with the number reported during two appropriate comparator periods. There is a statistically significant increase in the number of reports following Old Firm matches compared with the comparator periods. This preliminary analysis confirms previous speculation concerning the association between Old Firm matches and reports of domestic violence, and highlights the need to better understand the factors leading to such violence to inform preventive interventions.
Going for the gold: Status-seeking behavior and Olympic performance
Authors: Rhamey J. Patrick , Early Bryan R.
Published: September 2013

State competition for international status takes a variety of forms, but most are linked to states’ related pursuits of economic and/or military power. The Olympics offer a unique venue for states to compete with one another in a forum whose consequences do not directly spill over into either realm. Instead, states compete against one another for Olympic medals—a currency with no other international political value beyond the prestige that can be obtained with them. Leveraging a theoretical framework nested in Social Identity Theory, we develop a set of hypotheses to explain how states can be attributed international status as a result of their performance in the Olympic Games and via playing host to them. Using a linear hierarchical method of analysis, we evaluate the impact of participation in the Summer Olympics on the status attributed to members of the international system from 1960 to 2012. Our findings indicate that states whose performance exceeds expectations and smaller-sized countries that play host to the Olympic Games disproportionately gain status from their participation in the sporting regime.
FANCA and FANCC modulate TLR and p38 MAPK–dependent expression of IL-1β in macrophages
Authors: Garbati Michael R. , Hays Laura E. , Keeble Winifred , Yates Jane E. , Rathbun R. Keaney , Bagby Grover C.
Published: September 2013

Key Points

TLR-activated FANCA- and FANCC-deficient macrophages overproduce IL-1β. IL-1β suppresses in vitro expansion of Fancc-deficient multipotent hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Crenolanib is active against models of drug-resistant FLT3-ITD−positive acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Zimmerman Eric I. , Turner David C. , Buaboonnam Jassada , Hu Shuiying , Orwick Shelley , Roberts Michael S. , Janke Laura J. , Ramachandran Abhijit , Stewart Clinton F. , Inaba Hiroto , Baker Sharyn D.
Published: September 2013

Key Points

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor crenolanib has type 1 inhibitor properties and has potent activity against FLT3-activating mutations. Crenolanib is active in vitro and in vivo against FLT3 inhibitor-resistant FLT3-ITD/D835 mutations.
Elevated depressive symptoms in metabolic syndrome in a general population of Japanese men: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Sekita Atsuko , Arima Hisatomi , Ninomiya Toshiharu , Ohara Tomoyuki , Doi Yasufumi , Hirakawa Yoichiro , Fukuhara Masayo , Hata Jun , Yonemoto Koji , Ga Yukiko , Kitazono Takanari , Kanba Shigenobu , Kiyohara Yutaka
Published: September 2013

Background

Uncertainty still surrounds the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and depression. We aimed to evaluate the association between MetS and elevated depressive symptoms in a general Japanese population.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional survey of 3,113 community-dwelling individuals aged 40 years or over. MetS was defined according to the joint interim statement. MetS was diagnosed when a subject had three or more of the following components: 1) central obesity (waist circumference ≥90 cm for men, ≥80 cm in for women); 2) elevated blood pressure (≥130/85 mmHg or current use of antihypertensive medication); 3) hypertriglyceridemia (≥1.7 mmol/L); 4) low HDL cholesterol (< 1.0 mmol/L for men, < 1.3 mmol/L for women); and 5) elevated fasting plasma glucose (≥5.55 mmol/L or current use of antidiabetic medication). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The age- and multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using a logistic regression model.

Results

Elevated depressive symptoms were observed in 4.3% of male and 6.3% of female participants. In men, the age-adjusted prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms was significantly higher in subjects with MetS than in those without (7.1% versus 3.6%, p = 0.04). The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms rose progressively as the number of MetS components increased (3.5%, 3.6%, 5.8%, and 9.2% in male subjects with 0–1, 2, 3, and ≥4 components, respectively; p = 0.02 for trend). This association remained significant even after adjustment for age, marital status, history of cardiovascular disease, smoking habit, alcohol intake, and regular exercise. In women, on the other hand, there was no clear association between MetS and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

MetS was associated with elevated depressive symptoms in a general population of Japanese men.
Rapid targeted gene disruption in Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Saldanha Roland J , Pemberton Adin , Shiflett Patrick , Perutka Jiri , Whitt Jacob T , Ellington Andrew , Lambowitz Alan M , Kramer Ryan , Taylor Deborah , Lamkin Thomas J
Published: September 2013

Background

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease recognized to affect herbivores since Biblical times and has the widest range of susceptible host species of any known pathogen. The ease with which the bacterium can be weaponized and its recent deliberate use as an agent of terror, have highlighted the importance of gaining a deeper understanding and effective countermeasures for this important pathogen. High quality sequence data has opened the possibility of systematic dissection of how genes distributed on both the bacterial chromosome and associated plasmids have made it such a successful pathogen. However, low transformation efficiency and relatively few genetic tools for chromosomal manipulation have hampered full interrogation of its genome.

Results

Group II introns have been developed into an efficient tool for site-specific gene inactivation in several organisms. We have adapted group II intron targeting technology for application in Bacillus anthracis and generated vectors that permit gene inactivation through group II intron insertion. The vectors developed permit screening for the desired insertion through PCR or direct selection of intron insertions using a selection scheme that activates a kanamycin resistance marker upon successful intron insertion.

Conclusions

The design and vector construction described here provides a useful tool for high throughput experimental interrogation of the Bacillus anthracis genome and will benefit efforts to develop improved vaccines and therapeutics.
Leukocyte infiltration in experimental stroke
Authors: Grønberg Nina Vindegaard , Johansen Flemming Fryd , Kristiansen Uffe , Hasseldam Henrik
Published: September 2013

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. At present, the only available treatment is thrombolysis, which should be initiated no later than 4.5 hours after onset of symptoms. Several studies have shown that an attenuation of the inflammatory response in relation to stroke could widen the therapeutic window. However, the immune system has important functions following infarction, such as removal of dead cells and the subsequent astrocytosis as well as prevention of post-ischemic infection. Hence, detailed knowledge concerning the temporal profile of leukocyte infiltration is necessary in order to develop new and effective treatments.

The purpose of this review is to determine the temporal profile of leukocyte (neutrophil granulocytes, macrophages and T-cells) infiltration following experimental stroke. We found that the number of neutrophil granulocytes peaks between day 1 and 3 after experimental stroke, with short occlusion times (30 and 60 minutes of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)) leading to a later peak in response (P <0.001). Macrophages/microglia were found to peak later than day 3 and stay in the infarcted area for longer time periods, whereas duration of occlusion had no influence on the temporal infiltration (P = 0.475). Studies on T-cell infiltration are few; however, a tendency towards infiltration peak at later time points (from day 4 onwards) was seen.

This review provides a framework for the instigation of post-stroke anti-inflammatory treatment, which could prove beneficial and widen the therapeutic window compared to current treatment options.
Niemann-Pick type C1 patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells display disease specific hallmarks
Authors: Trilck Michaela , Hübner Rayk , Seibler Philip , Klein Christine , Rolfs Arndt , Frech Moritz J
Published: September 2013

Background

Niemann-Pick type C1 disease (NPC1) is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene. In this lysosomal storage disorder the intracellular transport and sequestration of several lipids like cholesterol is severely impaired, resulting in an accumulation of lipids in late endosomes and lysosomes. The neurological manifestation of the disease is caused by dysfunction and cell death in the central nervous system. Several animal models were used to analyze the impaired pathways. However, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are still not completely understood and the genetic variability in humans cannot be reflected in these models. Therefore, a human model using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells provides a promising approach.

Methods

We reprogrammed human fibroblasts from a NPC1 patient and a healthy control by retroviral transduction with Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-Myc. The obtained human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were characterized by immunocytochemical analyses. Neural progenitor cells were generated and patch clamp recordings were performed for a functional analysis of derived neuronal cells. Filipin stainings and the Amplex Red assay were used to demonstrate and quantify cholesterol accumulation.

Results

The hiPSCs expressed different stem cell markers, e.g. Nanog, Tra-1-81 and SSEA4. Using the embryoid body assay, the cells were differentiated in cells of all three germ layers and induced teratoma in immunodeficient mice, demonstrating their pluripotency. In addition, neural progenitor cells were derived and differentiated into functional neuronal cells. Patch clamp recordings revealed voltage dependent channels, spontaneous action potentials and postsynaptic currents. The accumulation of cholesterol in different tissues is the main hallmark of NPC1. In this study we found an accumulation of cholesterol in fibroblasts of a NPC1 patient, derived hiPSCs, and neural progenitor cells, but not in cells derived from fibroblasts of a healthy individual. These findings were quantified by the Amplex Red assay, demonstrating a significantly elevated cholesterol level in cells derived from fibroblasts of a NPC1 patient.

Conclusions

We generated a neuronal model based on induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patient fibroblasts, providing a human in vitro model to study the pathogenic mechanisms of NPC1 disease.
Molecular evidence for historical presence of knock-down resistance in Anopheles albimanus, a key malaria vector in Latin America
Authors: Lol Juan C , Castellanos María E , Liebman Kelly A , Lenhart Audrey , Pennington Pamela M , Padilla Norma R
Published: September 2013

Background

Anopheles albimanus is a key malaria vector in the northern neotropics. Current vector control measures in the region are based on mass distributions of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and focal indoor residual spraying (IRS) with pyrethroids. Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides can be mediated by increased esterase and/or multi-function oxidase activity and/or mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene. The aim of this work was to characterize the homologous kdr region of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene in An. albimanus and to conduct a preliminary retrospective analysis of field samples collected in the 1990’s, coinciding with a time of intense pyrethroid application related to agricultural and public health insect control in the region.

Methods

Degenerate primers were designed to amplify the homologous kdr region in a pyrethroid-susceptible laboratory strain (Sanarate) of An. albimanus. Subsequently, a more specific primer pair was used to amplify and sequence the region that contains the 1014 codon associated with pyrethroid resistance in other Anopheles spp. (L1014F, L1014S or L1014C).

Results

Direct sequencing of the PCR products confirmed the presence of the susceptible kdr allele in the Sanarate strain (L1014) and the presence of homozygous-resistant kdr alleles in field-collected individuals from Mexico (L1014F), Nicaragua (L1014C) and Costa Rica (L1014C).

Conclusions

For the first time, the kdr region in An. albimanus is described. Furthermore, molecular evidence suggests the presence of kdr-type resistance in field-collected An. albimanus in Mesoamerica in the 1990s. Further research is needed to conclusively determine an association between the genotypes and resistant phenotypes, and to what extent they may compromise current vector control efforts.