bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of fatigue in cancer patients before and after chemotherapy
Authors: Pertl Maria M , Hevey David , Collier Sonya , Lambe Kathryn , O’Dwyer Anne-Marie
Published: March 2013

Fatigue is a debilitating and common condition in cancer patients. This study examined pretreatment predictors of fatigue before chemotherapy and also assessed whether these could prospectively predict fatigue posttreatment. A total of 100 patients completed questionnaires assessing psychological factors, physical activity and sleep. A subsample of 26 participants wore actigraphs to objectively assess sleep/wake and activity/rest. Fatigue was measured pretreatment and posttreatment and at follow-up several months later. Greater pretreatment pain, depression, stress and sleep disruption significantly predicted greater fatigue before chemotherapy, explaining 55 percent of the variance. Pretreatment fatigue significantly predicted post-treatment fatigue. No other significant prospective predictors of posttreatment fatigue emerged.
Sleeping with the enemy: Audience studies and critical literacy
Authors: Hermes Joke , van den Berg Annika , Mol Marloes
Published: March 2013

Audience studies is not the vibrant field it was in its 1980s and early 1990s heyday. Cultural studies today has a more balanced interest in production, audiences and texts. A renewed focus in audience studies on everyday meaning production, identity and relations of power could benefit from recent developments. Theorization of power especially has benefited from recent work on governmentality. In accord with recent work on ‘affect’, there is an opportunity for renewed vitality and urgency. Was audience studies damaged beyond repair by the charge that it is a populist field that celebrates rather than interrogates everyday media culture? Could a concept such as cultural literacy provide a bridge to help re-establish the critical credibility of audience studies or would it burden this field with its implied notions of standards, distinction and cultural exclusion? The article discusses recent work with youth audiences to inquire into the possibilities of ‘critical literacy’. It proposes taking up questions and insights raised by affect theory, to merge appreciation, criticism and understanding of the forces that drive (the possibility of) change, and to embed critical literacy in cultural studies’ ongoing interest in the construction of (cultural) citizenship.
Critical literacy lessons for the intellectual properties of learning from Bede and Alcuin of York
Authors: Willinsky John , Provençal Johanne
Published: March 2013

The concept of intellectual property has much to contribute to cultural literacy. Intellectual property rights are crucial to issues of access to and economics of research and scholarship, and how such rights are associated with learning and the work of the learned is relevant to critical literacy. To begin to establish how intellectual property has long played a role in the critical shaping of learning, this article considers the 8th-century examples provided by Bede and Alcuin of York in the medieval monastic development of learning in the West. These examples illustrate how a cultural history of the proto-concept of intellectual property can illuminate the special and distinct status of learning in the production and circulation of knowledge. Bede and Alcuin of York are considered as medieval historical precedents for an opening up of literacy and learning that is relevant to digital-era issues over long-established tensions between a cloistered literacy (and learning) that is placed at a remove from the world and an opening up of literacy, learning and access to knowledge.
‘What is the meaning of a safety-pin?’ Critical literacies and the ethnographic turn in contemporary art
Authors: Rutten Kris , van. Dienderen An
Published: March 2013

In this contribution we address the concept of critical literacies by analyzing how symbolic representations within subcultures can be understood as an engagement with specific literacy practices. For some time now, cultural studies researchers with an interest in literacy have depended upon ethnographic methods to document how members of subcultural communities mobilize literacy practices to achieve critical ends. But the extent to which ethnography actually grants researchers access to subcultural perspectives on literacy has come into question. In this article, we aim to problematize and thematize the ethnographic perspective on literacy in general – and subculture as a situated literacy practice in particular – by critically assessing contemporary art practices that focus on the representation of subcultural identities. We therefore specifically look at artwork by Nikki S. Lee, who focuses on subcultures in her work through ‘going native performances’.
Doing cultural studies: What is literacy in the age of the post?
Authors: Tomaselli Keyan G. , Mboti Nyasha
Published: March 2013

Literacy in the context of cultural studies (CS) in Africa concerns less the ability to read and write than the quotidian practice of doing. This intervention argues that CS as taught and as its texts are imagined, in general terms, is the source of a continuing institutionalized limitation. CS for Africans is first and foremost a lived practice, before it is a discipline or ready-for-study academic subject. We discuss the notion of lived CS to confront a pedagogical issue: how much of CS should be text, and how much ‘doing’?
Qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis in social work research: Uncharted territory
Authors: Aguirre Regina TP , Bolton Kristin Whitehill
Published: March 2013

The authors present the field of social work with a methodology specifically aimed at the synthesis of qualitative research informed by existing methods and applications yet tailored to the unique values and goals of the profession of social work.

Findings

Though qualitative research in social work is commonplace, currently, the field lacks a methodology to synthesize these qualitative studies. A synthesis of qualitative studies results in generation of a more in-depth understanding of the phenomena studied that can be used to develop theory and inform practice and policy.

Applications

This methodology enables synergistic understanding of phenomena with richness in diversity of settings, participants, and qualitative traditions. This synergistic understanding can be used to develop theory and inform practice and policy.
Spaces of hope, enlivenment and entanglement: Explorations in the spatial logic of celebrity culinary brands
Authors: Hewer Paul , Brownlie Douglas
Published: March 2013

This article explores the production of the ‘Nigella’ celebrity brand through forms of gendered talk performed by means of online community forums. The complexity and appeal of celebrity culinary brands forces us to turn to particular contexts to explore the passions, concerns and enthusiasms that they elicit and excite. As a context for the exploration of such hyper-mediated brands it is useful to explore the social interactions and associations harboured and sheltered within the collective canopy of the forum, in our case the Food Forum of Nigella.com. The emotional fabric of celebrity culinary brands has much to do with the fact that they are created and sustained through a range of multimedia platforms. One such critical stage is that of the online forum, which we explore as a site wherein feminine identities are performed and reimagined; where notions of ‘doing gender’ within culinary landscapes are worked and reworked through networks of affiliation and shared sentiment.
Impact of interaction of cigarette smoking with angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphisms on end-stage renal disease risk in a Han Chinese population
Authors: Yang Hsin-Yi , Lu Kuo-Cheng , Fang Wen-Hui , Lee Herng-Sheng , Wu Chia-Chao , Huang Yi-Hsuan , Lin Yuh-Feng , Kao Sen-Yeong , Lai Ching-Huang , Chu Chi-Ming , Su Sui-Lung
Published: March 2013

Background:

Several polymorphisms in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 genes are associated with the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Certain genetic polymorphisms may modify the deleterious effects of environmental factors such as cigarette smoking and may also modify the inherited risk. We investigated the association of six ACE and ACE2 polymorphisms with ESRD to determine whether a relationship exists between gene–smoking interactions and ESRD.

Materials and methods:

We performed a case-control association study and genotyped 683 ESRD patients and 653 healthy controls. All subjects were genotyped for ACE (I/D, G2350A and A-240T) and ACE2 (G8790A, A1075G and G16854C) gene polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

Results:

Significant associations were observed between ACE I/D and G2350A polymorphisms and ESRD. There was no difference in ACE2 genotype distribution between ESRD patients and healthy controls. Haplotype analysis showed that DAA and DAT haplotypes were risk factors for ESRD. Moreover, a gene–environment interaction was observed between ACE I/D polymorphism and cigarette smoking.

Conclusion:

ACE I/D and ACE G2350A polymorphisms were associated with the development of ESRD. The interaction between ACE I/D polymorphism and smoking is also associated with an enhanced risk of ESRD.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene polymorphisms and risk of intracerebral hemorrhage: A meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies
Authors: Huang Yi , Li Guang , Lan Huan , Zhao GuanYan , Huang ChunZhen
Published: March 2013

Studies investigating the association between the intron 16 insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism (rs4646994) in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) have reported conflicting results. We here performed a meta-analysis based on the evidence currently available from the literature to make a more precise estimation of this relationship. Published literature from the National Library of Medline and Embase databases were retrieved. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence limits (CLs) were calculated in fixed- or random-effects models when appropriate. Subgroup analyses were performed by race. This meta-analysis included six case-control studies, which included 744 ICH cases and 1411 controls. The combined results based on all studies showed that ICH cases had a significantly lower frequency of ID genotype (OR (codominant model) = 0.43, 95% CL = 0.22, 0.84, p = 0.01). In the subgroup analysis by race, we found that ICH cases had a significantly lower frequency of II genotype in Asians (OR (recessive model) = 0.50, 95% CL = 0.38, 0.66, p < 0.001; OR (codominant model) = 0.25, 95% CL = 0.09, 0.71, p = 0.009). In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that ACE I/D polymorphisms are associated with ICH, especially in Asians.
An Analysis and Synthesis of DLOQ-Based Learning Organization Research
Authors: Song Ji Hoon , Chermack Thomas J. , Kim Woocheol
Published: March 2013

The problem

The development of the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) has been contributing to the research on the learning organization both academically and practically. However, scholarly use of the DLOQ has been greater in the human resource development (HRD)-related disciplines. To encourage wider use, HRD researchers should acknowledge and reflect on the limitations of the extant literature and put an effort into providing theoretical foundations for how the DLOQ could be extensively used in several related disciplines.

The Solution

This study reviews comprehensive studies on the DLOQ and provides an underlying theoretical rationale for utilizing the DLOQ in multiple disciplines. In addition, future research recommendations are provided for enriching the learning organization studies using the DLOQ in HRD discipline.

The Stakeholders

Stakeholders for this article include HRD scholars, practitioners, and scholar-practitioners interested in the DLOQ-based theory, research, and practice.
Americans’ Attitudes About the Senate Filibuster
Authors: Smith Steven S. , Park Hong Min
Published: March 2013

We examine public attitudes about one of the most visible procedural features of Congress, the Senate’s filibuster and cloture practice. We measure the stability of those attitudes during an important legislative episode, relate them to more abstract attitudes about majority rule and minority rights, and draw inferences about the importance of those attitudes for evaluations of the parties and vote intention for the 2010 elections. We find that filibuster attitudes change in ways predicted by respondents’ partisan and policy preferences. Moreover, controlling for party identification, ideology, policy views, and attitudes about majority rule and minority rights in the abstract, filibuster attitudes have modest, asymmetric effects on party evaluations but no effect on vote intention.
Experience of HeRO Dialysis Graft Placement in a Challenging Population
Authors: Kokkosis Angela A. , Abramowitz Steven D. , Schwitzer Jonathan , Schanzer Harry , Teodorescu Victoria J.
Published: March 2013

Objective:

To assess the outcomes of the hemodialysis reliable outflow (HeRO) device in a subset of hemodialysis access-challenged patients with central venous obstruction.

Methods:

Retrospective analysis of a series of patients in 2 centers who underwent placement of the HeRO device between September 2009 and November 2010. Patients’ demographics, access history, HeRO patency, and number of reinterventions were analyzed.

Results:

Eleven patients underwent 12 HeRO implantations. The average duration of dialysis prior to HeRO placement was 5.55 ± 3.64 years. Primary and secondary patencies at 6 months and 1 year were 36.4% and 54.5% and 9.1% and 45.5%, respectively.

Conclusions:

In the end-stage renal disease population with central venous occlusive disease, the HeRO device offers the best long-term dialysis option when an arteriovenous fistula or graft is not possible. Close follow-up and subsequent aggressive interventions can prolong the use of the HeRO and avoid the last resort of dialysis catheters.
The Transformative Potential of an Internationalised Human Rights Law Curriculum
Authors: Babacan Alperhan , Babacan Hurriyet
Published: March 2013

The increased interconnectedness of the world has resulted in the growing significance of relations between nations. This has caused universities to infuse the curriculum with international content. The absence of appropriate pedagogies is not likely to foster social and personal transformation to equip students with the necessary knowledge and motivation to respond to complex global issues concerning human rights and social justice. A social transformation model of internationalisation suggests that there is a need to reform the legal curriculum to foster individual and social transformation. Highlighting the centrality of critical reflection, dialogue and experiential learning and drawing on the literature of transformative learning and internationalisation, this article discusses how educators of human rights legal education can utilise the process of internationalisation to foster personal and social transformation. The suggestions outlined in this article are equally of significance to all legal educators desiring to implement emancipatory perspectives in legal education.
Home-Based Balance Training Using the Wii Balance Board
Authors: Prosperini Luca , Fortuna Deborah , Giannì Costanza , Leonardi Laura , Marchetti Maria Rita , Pozzilli Carlo
Published: March 2013

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a home-based rehabilitation of balance using the Nintendo Wii Balance Board System (WBBS) in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods. In this 24-week, randomized, 2-period crossover pilot study, 36 patients having an objective balance disorder were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to 2 counterbalanced arms. Group A started a 12-week period of home-based WBBS training followed by a 12-week period without any intervention; group B received the treatment in reverse order. As endpoints, we considered the mean difference (compared with baseline) in force platform measures (ie, the displacement of body center of pressure in 30 seconds), 4-step square test (FSST), 25-foot timed walking test (25-FWT), and 29-item MS Impact Scale (MSIS-29), as evaluated after 12 weeks and at the end of the 24-week study period. Results. The 2 groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. Repeated-measures analyses of variance showed significant time × treatment effects, indicating that WBBS was effective in ameliorating force platform measures ( F = 4.608, P = .016), FSST ( F = 3.745, P = .034), 25-FWT ( F = 3.339, P = .048), and MSIS-29 ( F = 4.282, P = .023). Five adverse events attributable to the WBSS training (knee or low back pain) were recorded, but only 1 patient had to retire from the study. Conclusion. A home-based WBBS training might potentially provide an effective, engaging, balance rehabilitation solution for people with MS. However, the risk of WBBS training-related injuries should be carefully balanced with benefits. Further studies, including cost-effectiveness analyses, are warranted to establish whether WBBS may be useful in the home setting.
Home-Based Nerve Stimulation to Enhance Effects of Motor Training in Patients in the Chronic Phase After Stroke
Authors: dos Santos-Fontes Renata Laurenti , Ferreiro de Andrade Karina Nocelo , Sterr Annette , Conforto Adriana Bastos
Published: March 2013

Background. Somatosensory stimulation in the form of repetitive peripheral nerve stimulation (RPSS) is a promising strategy to improve motor function of the upper limb in chronic stroke. Home-based RPSS may be an alternative to hospital-based RPSS. Objectives. To investigate the feasibility and safety of an innovative program of home-based RPSS combined with motor training and to collect preliminary data on the efficacy of this program to enhance hand motor function in patients in the chronic phase after stroke. Methods. Twenty patients were randomized to either active or sham RPSS associated with daily motor training performed at home over 4 consecutive weeks. All the patients were able to perform tasks of the Jebsen–Taylor Test (JTT). The primary outcome measures were feasibility, evaluated by self-reported compliance with the intervention, and safety (adverse events). Secondary outcomes comprised improvements in hand function in the JTT after end of treatment and after a 4-month follow-up period. Results. There were no relevant adverse events. Compliance with RPSS and motor training was significantly greater in the active group than in the sham group. Upper extremity performance improved significantly more in the active group compared with the sham group at the end of treatment. This difference remained significant 4 months later, even when differences in compliance with motor training were considered. Conclusions. Home-based active RPSS associated with motor training was feasible, was safe, and led to long-lasting enhancement of paretic arm performance in the chronic phase after stroke for those who can perform the JTT. These results point to the need for an efficacy trial.
Between Rigidity and Chaos
Authors: Enosh Guy , Eisikovits Zvi , Gross Chen
Published: March 2013

The goal of this article was to examine the worldviews of cohabiting or married men and women who experienced domestic violence in their relationships. The study was based on content analysis of in-depth interviews with 48 men and women (24 couples), who were living together after experiencing at least one violent event in their relationships over the previous 12 months. Using constructivist grounded theory, the authors examined the deep structure of the ways by which partners living with intimate partner violence constructed their world. The men and women under study constructed heuristic models in two major life domains—psychological processes and how the world works overall. The analysis has revealed two axes resulting in four worldviews. The two axes were the construction of the world and the construction of the mind. Constructions of the mind ranged from chaotic to deterministic. Constructions of external reality ranged from static to fluid and uncontrollable. The theoretical model developed suggested four different types of basic worldviews. The suggested typology was examined in relation to existing typologies in the field of intimate partner violence and in relation to future research and interventions.
Neuropsychological and behavioural phenotype of Dandy–Walker variant presenting in chromosome 22 trisomy
Authors: Searson Ruth , Hare Dougal Julian , Sridharan Sridhar
Published: March 2013

In this study, a case of Dandy–Walker variant syndrome associated with trisomy 22 in a 17-year-old man is described. This is the first account of this combination in a person surviving into adulthood, and the neuropsychological and behavioural presentation is described in detail and a clinical formulation is presented for the benefit of researchers and clinicians.
Sexual self-perception and adjustment of cardiac patients: a psychometric analysis
Authors: Steinke Elaine E. , Mosack Victoria , Hill Twyla J.
Published: March 2013

The psychological impact of a cardiac event includes anxiety and depression, poor sexual quality, and diminished sexual satisfaction. Few measures capture psychosexual recovery following a cardiac event. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Sexual Self-Perception and Adjustment Questionnaire (SSPAQ) among cardiac patients ( N = 128), measuring sexual anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, and satisfaction. Scale-level content validity was 0.97. After item analysis, 28 items were retained; Cronbach’s alpha is >0.90, indicating item appropriateness for the combined scale (0.97). A four-factor model was supported with each of the subscale items accounting for at least 64% of the variance. Construct validity comparing sexually active to inactive showed those inactive had significantly lower sexual self-perception. The SSPAQ is a cohesive measure of sexual self-perception, and findings suggest each subscale can be used independently for measures of sexual anxiety, sexual depression, sexual self-efficacy, and sexual satisfaction, and may be useful in research and clinical settings.
An efficient method for the estimation of parameters of stochastic gamma process from noisy degradation measurements
Authors: Lu Dongliang , Pandey Mahesh D , Xie Wei-Chau
Published: March 2013

The stochastic gamma process model is widely used in modeling a variety of degradation phenomena in engineering structures and components. If degradation in a component population can be accurately measured over time, the statistical estimation of gamma process parameters is a relatively straight-forward task. However, in most practical situations, degradation data are collected through in-service and non-destructive inspection methods, which invariably contaminate the data by adding random noises (or sizing errors) to the data. Therefore, a proper estimation method is needed to filter out the effect of sizing errors from the measured degradation data.

This article presents an efficient method for estimating the parameters of the gamma process model based on a novel use of the Genz transform and quasi-Monte Carlo method in the maximum likelihood estimation. Examples presented show that the proposed method is very efficient compared with the Monte Carlo method currently used for this purpose in the literature.
Responses of Youth With Diabetes and Their Parents to the Youth Eating Perceptions Survey
Authors: Parker Emily Christine , Lee Jacqueline , Reiboldt Wendy
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of youth with diabetes mellitus (DM) and their parents/guardians about issues related to eating habits and to identify the relationships between treatment and lifestyle/daily care factors, youth characteristics, and eating habits of youth with DM. Methods included medical chart review and a written survey for youth with DM (n = 125) aged 10 to 20 years and their parents/guardians (n = 125) at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach, California. Healthier eating was associated with stronger parent-youth relationships (P = .000), eating meals at home (P = .047), parent/guardian involvement in DM management (P = .039), younger age of youth (P = .008), and youth being male (P = .017) but not with treatment duration, special meetings with a registered dietitian, parent/guardian age, BMI z score, race/ethnicity, or language of youth. This study suggests that family-centered interventions for youth with DM should promote strong parent-youth relationships, eating at home, parent involvement in DM management for younger patients with special attention to transition to self-care among older patients, and healthy food choices for older youth with DM, especially girls.
The “3 Ds” of School Nursing
Authors: Maughan Erin D. , Barrows Beth M.
Published: March 2013

In August 2012, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Division of Nursing hosted a 2-day conference to discuss the three Ds: workforce diversity, social determinants, and health disparities that nurses face every day. In particular they wanted to begin a discussion on how nursing, which is still a field of little diversity, must address the needs of a nation that is quite diverse. The framework of the discussion focused around the need to address health in its complexity of the social determinants and health disparities that exist. The purpose of this article is to personalize these concepts to school nurses.
The role of hyaluronic acid in the management of uncomplicated recurrent female urinary tract infections: literature review and practical experience
Authors: Vedanayagam Maria , Brewin James , Briggs Karen , Salahia M Ghali , Hammadeh Mohamed Y
Published: March 2013

Aim:

To assess the efficacy and safety of intravesical hyaluronic acid (HA) in the management of female patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in our hospital. Also to perform a literature review about the use of Glycosaminoglycan (GAGs) such as hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin sulphate (CS) in the management of female recurrent UTI and compare our findings to the published evidence available.

Method:

We performed a literature review of studies using HA or CS for the management of recurrent UTIs. We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of 22 female patients who were treated at our district general hospital for recurrent UTIs refractory to first line management and compared our experience of using this treatment to the recently published literature.

Results:

Literature review showed growing evidence for the use of intravesical HA and HA-CS for the prevention of female recurrent UTIs including three recently published prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs). These studies show a reduction in UTIs by over 70% in comparison to placebo and that intravesical treatment is more effective than low dose antibiotic prophylaxis. In our experience, intravesical HA was an effective second line treatment for females with recurrent UTIs. Of 22 patients with recurrent UTIs (aged 17 - 72 years), 64% (14 patients) remained recurrence free one year after treatment. In our experience, this treatment was tolerated well by the patients with minimal side effects.

Conclusion:

HA offers an effective management option for female patients with recurrent UTIs. It is a safe and effective second line treatment for female patients with recurrent urinary tract infections that may be refractory to first line management strategies.
Use of a Fibular Strut Allograft in an Osteoporotic Distal Humerus Fracture
Authors: Hildebrand Gregory R. , Wright David M. , Marston Scott B. , Switzer Julie A.
Published: March 2013

In 2004, nearly 120 000 fragility fractures of the humerus were reported. As the US population ages, this number is expected to increase. Fractures of the distal humerus can be treated in a closed or open fashion. Open treatment includes open reduction and internal fixation or total elbow arthroplasty. Open reduction and internal fixation typically involves dual plating for increased stability and early mobility. We present a case in which dual plating failed due to lack of screw purchase in osteoporotic bone. This patient’s fracture was then revised with the use of a fibular strut allograft for improved stability and screw purchase. This method of fixation has not previously been described in the distal humerus and may prove useful in open fixation of osteoporotic distal humerus fractures.
An analysis of the function and expression of D6 on lymphatic endothelial cells
Authors: McKimmie Clive S. , Singh Mark D. , Hewit Kay , Lopez-Franco Oscar , Le Brocq Michelle , Rose-John Stefan , Lee Kit Ming , Baker Andrew H. , Wheat Rachel , Blackbourn David J. , Nibbs Robert J. B. , Graham Gerard J.
Published: March 2013

Key Points

D6 regulates the ability of lymphatic endothelial cells to discriminate between mature and immature dendritic cells. D6 expression is regulated by inflammatory cytokines indicative of a preferential role in inflamed conditions.
Correlation between phenotype and genotype in a large unselected cohort of children with severe hemophilia A
Authors: Carcao Manuel D. , van den Berg H. Marijke , Ljung Rolf , Mancuso Maria Elisa , Altisent C , Auerswald G , Chalmers E , Chambost H , Cid A , Claeyssens S , Clausen N , Fischer K , Kliniek Van Creveld , van Geet Ch , Peerlinck K , Kobelt R , Kreuz W , Escuriola C , Kurnik K , Liesner R , Ljung R , Mäkipernaa A , Molinari A , Muntean W , Oldenburg J , Garrido R Pérez , Petrini P , Platokouki H , Rafowicz A , Santagostino E , Mancuso ME , Thomas A , Williams M , Gouw SC , van den Berg HM , Kenet G , Carcao M , Rivard G
Published: March 2013

Key Points

Previously untreated patients with severe hemophilia A caused by F8 null mutations show a more severe phenotype than previously untreated patients with non-null mutations. The phenotypic differences are modest, and as such not likely to affect decisions regarding when and how to start prophylaxis.
FLT3 activation cooperates with MLL-AF4 fusion protein to abrogate the hematopoietic specification of human ESCs
Authors: Bueno Clara , Ayllón Verónica , Montes Rosa , Navarro-Montero Oscar , Ramos-Mejia Verónica , Real Pedro J. , Romero-Moya Damià , Araúzo-Bravo Marcos J. , Menendez Pablo
Published: March 2013

Key Points

FLT3 activation cooperates with the MLL-AF4 fusion gene to fully abolish blood formation from hESCs. FLT3 activation does not cooperate with the MLL-AF4 fusion oncogene to transform hESCs or hESC-derived hematopoietic progeny.
Clonal selection in xenografted TAM recapitulates the evolutionary process of myeloid leukemia in Down syndrome
Authors: Saida Satoshi , Watanabe Ken-ichiro , Sato-Otsubo Aiko , Terui Kiminori , Yoshida Kenichi , Okuno Yusuke , Toki Tsutomu , Wang RuNan , Shiraishi Yuichi , Miyano Satoru , Kato Itaru , Morishima Tatsuya , Fujino Hisanori , Umeda Katsutsugu , Hiramatsu Hidefumi , Adachi Souichi , Ito Etsuro , Ogawa Seishi , Ito Mamoru , Nakahata Tatsutoshi , Heike Toshio
Published: March 2013

Key Points

Genetically heterogeneous subclones with varying leukemia-initiating potential exist in neonatal transient abnormal myelopoiesis. This novel xenograft model of transient abnormal myelopoiesis may provide unique insight into the evolutionary process of leukemia.
A distance-field based automatic neuron tracing method
Authors: Yang Jinzhu , Gonzalez-Bellido Paloma T , Peng Hanchuan
Published: March 2013

Background

Automatic 3D digital reconstruction (tracing) of neurons embedded in noisy microscopic images is challenging, especially when the cell morphology is complex.

Results

We have developed a novel approach, named DF-Tracing, to tackle this challenge. This method first extracts the neurite signal (foreground) from a noisy image by using anisotropic filtering and automated thresholding. Then, DF-Tracing executes a coupled distance-field (DF) algorithm on the extracted foreground neurite signal and reconstructs the neuron morphology automatically. Two distance-transform based “force” fields are used: one for “pressure”, which is the distance transform field of foreground pixels (voxels) to the background, and another for “thrust”, which is the distance transform field of the foreground pixels to an automatically determined seed point. The coupling of these two force fields can “push” a “rolling ball” quickly along the skeleton of a neuron, reconstructing the 3D cell morphology.

Conclusion

We have used DF-Tracing to reconstruct the intricate neuron structures found in noisy image stacks, obtained with 3D laser microscopy, of dragonfly thoracic ganglia. Compared to several previous methods, DF-Tracing produces better reconstructions.
The genetic structure of a Venturia inaequalis population in a heterogeneous host population composed of different Malusspecies
Authors: Leroy Thibault , Lemaire Christophe , Dunemann Frank , Le Cam Bruno
Published: March 2013

Background

Adaptation, which induces differentiation between populations in relation to environmental conditions, can initiate divergence. The balance between gene flow and selection determines the maintenance of such a structure in sympatry. Studying these two antagonistic forces in plant pathogens is made possible because of the high ability of pathogens to disperse and of the strong selective pressures exerted by their hosts. In this article, we analysed the genetic structure of the population of the apple scab fungus, Venturia inaequalis, in a heterogeneous environment composed of various Malus species. Inferences were drawn from microsatellite and AFLP data obtained from 114 strains sampled in a single orchard on nine different Malus species to determine the forces that shape the genetic structure of the pathogen.

Results

Using clustering methods, we first identified two specialist subpopulations: (i) a virulent subpopulation sampled on Malus trees carrying the Rvi6 resistance gene; and (ii) a subpopulation infecting only Malus trees that did not carry this resistance gene. A genome scan of loci on these two subpopulations did not detect any locus under selection. Additionally, we did not detect any other particular substructure linked to different hosts. However, an isolation-by-distance (IBD) pattern at the orchard scale revealed free gene flow within each subpopulation.

Conclusions

Our work shows a rare example of a very strong effect of a resistance gene on pathogen populations. Despite the high diversity of Malus hosts, the presence of Rvi6 seems sufficient to explain the observed genetic structure. Moreover, detection of an IBD pattern at the orchard scale revealed a very low average dispersal distance that is particularly significant for epidemiologists and landscape managers for the design of scab control strategies
Sequencing and annotation of the Ophiostoma ulmigenome
Authors: Khoshraftar Shima , Hung Stacy , Khan Sadia , Gong Yunchen , Tyagi Vibha , Parkinson John , Sain Mohini , Moses Alan M , Christendat Dinesh
Published: March 2013

Background

The ascomycete fungus Ophiostoma ulmi was responsible for the initial pandemic of the massively destructive Dutch elm disease in Europe and North America in early 1910. Dutch elm disease has ravaged the elm tree population globally and is a major threat to the remaining elm population. O. ulmi is also associated with valuable biomaterials applications. It was recently discovered that proteins from O. ulmi can be used for efficient transformation of amylose in the production of bioplastics.

Results

We have sequenced the 31.5 Mb genome of O.ulmi using Illumina next generation sequencing. Applying both de novo and comparative genome annotation methods, we predict a total of 8639 gene models. The quality of the predicted genes was validated using a variety of data sources consisting of EST data, mRNA-seq data and orthologs from related fungal species. Sequence-based computational methods were used to identify candidate virulence-related genes. Metabolic pathways were reconstructed and highlight specific enzymes that may play a role in virulence.

Conclusions

This genome sequence will be a useful resource for further research aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity by O. ulmi. It will also facilitate the identification of enzymes necessary for industrial biotransformation applications.
Comparative analysis of protein-protein interactions in the defense response of rice and wheat
Authors: Cantu Dario , Yang Baoju , Ruan Randy , Li Kun , Menzo Virginia , Fu Daolin , Chern Mawsheng , Ronald Pamela C , Dubcovsky Jorge
Published: March 2013

Background

Despite the importance of wheat as a major staple crop and the negative impact of diseases on its production worldwide, the genetic mechanisms and gene interactions involved in the resistance response in wheat are still poorly understood. The complete sequence of the rice genome has provided an extremely useful parallel road map for genetic and genomics studies in wheat. The recent construction of a defense response interactome in rice has the potential to further enhance the translation of advances in rice to wheat and other grasses. The objective of this study was to determine the degree of conservation in the protein-protein interactions in the rice and wheat defense response interactomes. As entry points we selected proteins that serve as key regulators of the rice defense response: the RAR1/SGT1/HSP90 protein complex, NPR1, XA21, and XB12 (XA21 interacting protein 12).

Results

Using available wheat sequence databases and phylogenetic analyses we identified and cloned the wheat orthologs of these four rice proteins, including recently duplicated paralogs, and their known direct interactors and tested 86 binary protein interactions using yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) assays. All interactions between wheat proteins were further tested using in planta bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC). Eighty three percent of the known rice interactions were confirmed when wheat proteins were tested with rice interactors and 76% were confirmed using wheat protein pairs. All interactions in the RAR1/SGT1/ HSP90, NPR1 and XB12 nodes were confirmed for the identified orthologous wheat proteins, whereas only forty four percent of the interactions were confirmed in the interactome node centered on XA21. We hypothesize that this reduction may be associated with a different sub-functionalization history of the multiple duplications that occurred in this gene family after the divergence of the wheat and rice lineages.

Conclusions

The observed high conservation of interactions between proteins that serve as key regulators of the rice defense response suggests that the existing rice interactome can be used to predict interactions in wheat. Such predictions are less reliable for nodes that have undergone a different history of duplications and sub-functionalization in the two lineages.
De-novo assembly and characterization of the transcriptome of Metschnikowia fructicola reveals differences in gene expression following interaction with Penicillium digitatumand grapefruit peel
Authors: Hershkovitz Vera , Sela Noa , Taha-Salaime Leena , Liu Jia , Rafael Ginat , Kessler Clarita , Aly Radi , Levy Maggie , Wisniewski Michael , Droby Samir
Published: March 2013

Background

The yeast Metschnikowia fructicola is an antagonist with biological control activity against postharvest diseases of several fruits. We performed a transcriptome analysis, using RNA-Seq technology, to examine the response of M. fructicola with citrus fruit and with the postharvest pathogen, Penicillium digitatum.

Results

More than 26 million sequencing reads were assembled into 9,674 unigenes. Approximately 50% of the unigenes could be annotated based on homology matches in the NCBI database. Based on homology, sequences were annotated with a gene description, gene ontology (GO term), and clustered into functional groups. An analysis of differential expression when the yeast was interacting with the fruit vs. the pathogen revealed more than 250 genes with specific expression responses. In the antagonist-pathogen interaction, genes related to transmembrane, multidrug transport and to amino acid metabolism were induced. In the antagonist-fruit interaction, expression of genes involved in oxidative stress, iron homeostasis, zinc homeostasis, and lipid metabolism were induced. Patterns of gene expression in the two interactions were examined at the individual transcript level by quantitative real-time PCR analysis (RT-qPCR).

Conclusion

This study provides new insight into the biology of the tritrophic interactions that occur in a biocontrol system such as the use of the yeast, M. fructicola for the control of green mold on citrus caused by P. digitatum.
Post-ischemic continuous infusion of erythropoeitin enhances recovery of lost memory function after global cerebral ischemia in the rat
Authors: Undén Johan , Sjölund Carin , Länsberg John-Kalle , Wieloch Tadeusz , Ruscher Karsten , Romner Bertil
Published: March 2013

Background

Erythropoietin (EPO) and its covalently modified analogs are neuroprotective in various models of brain damage and disease. We investigated the effect on brain damage and memory performance, of a continuous 3-day intravenous infusion of EPO, starting 20 min after a transient 10 minute period of global cerebral ischemia in the rat.

Results

We found no effect on selective neuronal damage in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, neocortical damage and damage to the striatum assessed at 7 days after ischemia. Also, no differences were observed in sensori-motor scores between EPO treated and saline treated ischemic animals. In contrast, memory performance was significantly improved in the EPO treated group. Saline treated injured animals (n = 7) failed in a test assessing recovery of spatial memory (6/6 and 5/6), while EPO treated animals had few and none failures (0/7 and 1/7).

Conclusion

We conclude that although post-ischemic treatment with EPO is not neuroprotective in a model of cardiac arrest brain ischemia, its markedly positive effect on brain plasticity and recovery of memory function warrants consideration as treatment of cardiac arrest patients.
Waiting management at the emergency department – a grounded theory study
Authors: Burström Lena , Starrin Bengt , Engström Marie-Louise , Thulesius Hans
Published: March 2013

Background

An emergency department (ED) should offer timely care for acutely ill or injured persons that require the attention of specialized nurses and physicians. This study was aimed at exploring what is actually going on at an ED.

Methods

Qualitative data was collected 2009 to 2011 at one Swedish ED (ED1) with 53.000 yearly visits serving a population of 251.000. Constant comparative analysis according to classic grounded theory was applied to both focus group interviews with ED1 staff, participant observation data, and literature data. Quantitative data from ED1 and two other Swedish EDs were later analyzed and compared with the qualitative data.

Results

The main driver of the ED staff in this study was to reduce non-acceptable waiting. Signs of non-acceptable waiting are physical densification, contact seeking, and the emergence of critical situations. The staff reacts with frustration, shame, and eventually resignation when they cannot reduce non-acceptable waiting. Waiting management resolves the problems and is done either by reducing actual waiting time by increasing throughput of patient flow through structure pushing and shuffling around patients, or by changing the experience of waiting by calming patients and feinting maneuvers to cover up.

Conclusion

To manage non-acceptable waiting is a driving force behind much of the staff behavior at an ED. Waiting management is done either by increasing throughput of patient flow or by changing the waiting experience.
Responsiveness of the MOS-HIV and EQ-5D in HIV-infected adults receiving antiretroviral therapies
Authors: Wu Albert W , Hanson Kristin A , Harding Gale , Haider Seema , Tawadrous Margaret , Khachatryan Alexandra , Pashos Chris L , Simpson Kit N
Published: March 2013

Background

Selection of an appropriate patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument for a clinical trial requires knowledge of the instrument’s responsiveness to detecting treatment effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the responsiveness of two health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments used in clinical trials involving HIV-infected adults: the HIV-targeted Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV), and a generic measure, the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D).

Methods

A systematic review identified clinical trials using the MOS-HIV or EQ-5D to assess outcomes for HIV-infected adults. Data abstracted from each study included study type, treatment regimen(s), PRO results, and effect size (either reported or calculated). Effect size was calculated as the difference between baseline and follow-up mean scores divided by the baseline standard deviation. Magnitude was categorized as small (d=0.20), medium (d=0.50), and large (d=0.80).

Results

Between 2005 and 2010, the MOS-HIV was administered in 12 trials. Significant differences were observed between groups and over time in physical health summary (PHS) and mental health summary (MHS) scores (P<0.05) in subjects switching therapy after experiencing Grade-2 adverse events. Effect sizes were medium (0.55 and 0.49 for PHS and MHS, respectively) among treatment-naïve adults beginning therapy (two studies), but negligible among treatment-experienced adults (0.04 and 0.13 for PHS and MHS, respectively; three studies). The EQ-5D was used in five trials between 2001 and 2010. It was responsive to occurrences of adverse events and opportunistic infections, with small-to-medium effect sizes (range 0.30–0.50) in each of its five dimensions.

Conclusions

A systematic review of PRO study results showed both the MOS-HIV and EQ-5D were responsive to changes between groups and/or over time in treatment-naïve HIV-infected patients. These instruments may be used either individually or together in clinical trials to measure changes in HRQL.
Reduced orbitofrontal cortical thickness in male adolescents with internet addiction
Authors: Hong Soon-Beom , Kim Jae-Won , Choi Eun-Jung , Kim Ho-Hyun , Suh Jeong-Eun , Kim Chang-Dai , Klauser Paul , Whittle Sarah , Yűcel Murat , Pantelis Christos , Yi Soon-Hyung
Published: March 2013

Background

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has consistently been implicated in the pathology of both drug and behavioral addictions. However, no study to date has examined OFC thickness in internet addiction. In the current study, we investigated the existence of differences in cortical thickness of the OFC in adolescents with internet addiction. On the basis of recently proposed theoretical models of addiction, we predicted a reduction of thickness in the OFC of internet addicted individuals.

Findings

Participants were 15 male adolescents diagnosed as having internet addiction and 15 male healthy comparison subjects. Brain magnetic resonance images were acquired on a 3T MRI and group differences in cortical thickness were analyzed using FreeSurfer. Our results confirmed that male adolescents with internet addiction have significantly decreased cortical thickness in the right lateral OFC (p<0.05).

Conclusion

This finding supports the view that the OFC alterations in adolescents with internet addiction reflect a shared neurobiological marker of addiction-related disorders in general.