bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perception of Juvenile Delinquents of Group Therapy Approaches
Authors: Řezáč Pavel , Klečková Kateřina , Vaculík Martin
Published: April 2012

The present study focuses on juvenile delinquents’ perception of two procedures used in group therapy. Eleven juvenile delinquents, participants of a probation program, were asked to share their experience with group therapy. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the interviews with the participants, the specifics of verbal and action procedures were examined. Verbal procedures offer clients a greater opportunity for emotional experience and subsequent cognitive processing of the experience leading to personal growth. The action procedures are, in contrast, a way of deepening the client’s contact with other group members. They enable subjects to relax by helping them distance themselves from everyday problems.
Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Bone–Patellar Tendon–Bone Allograft
Authors: Jiang Dong , Ao Ying-Fang , Gong Xi , Wang Yong-Jian , Luo Hao , Chen Lian-Xu , Wang Hai-Jun , Xie Xing , Zhang Ji-Ying , Yu Jia-Kuo
Published: April 2012

Background: Nonanatomic transtibial single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (SB-ACLR) with a bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) allograft has been used for a long time and has shown the same satisfactory clinical results as an autograft; however, it has not been reported if a double-bundle ACLR (DB-ACLR) could be performed with a BPTB allograft and achieve even better results.

Hypothesis: The DB-ACLR with a BPTB allograft is technically feasible and will be superior to the SB technique in restoring better anterior and rotating stability.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: The study was performed with 56 patients, and 52 (25 in the DB group and 27 in the SB group) of them were followed up at 2 to 5 years. With an irradiated deep-frozen BPTB allograft, a standard single-incision arthroscopic technique was used, and the graft was fixed with bioabsorbable interference screws on both the femoral and tibial sides. Outcome assessment at final follow-up included International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Tegner, and Lysholm scores; side-to-side difference by conventional KT-2000 arthrometer; total anteroposterior (AP) laxity by the back-pushing KT-2000 arthrometer; pivot shift (0, +, ++); range of motion (ROM); and isokinetic muscle strength evaluation.

Results: Mean follow-up was 47.3 ± 11.5 and 58.2 ± 6.6 months for the DB group and SB group, respectively. A statistically significant difference in favor of the DB group was found with the total AP laxity at 30° ( P < .05). The overall incidence of pivot shift in the DB group (4% ++) was significantly lower than that in the SB group (26%: 19% + and 7% ++; P = .029). No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of IKDC score, Lysholm score, Tegner score, conventional KT-2000 arthrometer anterior laxity, ROM, and muscle strength.

Conclusion: A DB-ACLR with a BPTB allograft is feasible and achieved more satisfactory results than the transtibial SB technique in terms of total AP stability and rotational stability in spite of no significant differences among other clinical parameters.
China’s Administration and Civil Service Reform
Authors: Liou Kuotsai Tom , Xue Lan , Dong Keyong
Published: April 2012

To promote economic development, Chinese policymakers have implemented many policies to reform their country’s administration and civil service system since the late 1970s. In the area of civil service reform, the Chinese government adopted the Provisional Regulations on State Civil Servants in 1993 and then the Law of Civil Servants in 2005 to emphasize professional personnel management concepts and methods in the Chinese civil service. This symposium introduction provides a brief review of the development of reform policies and a summary of five articles that examine concepts and cases of government reforms, values present in the civil service reform, challenges in appraising employee performance, experiences of civil service training, and lessons of pay reform as it relates to public corruption. The overall re-form lessons and their implications are discussed in the conclusion section.
Religion in Public Action
Authors: Lichterman Paul
Published: April 2012

Contemporary social research often has located religion’s public influence by focusing on individual or collective religious actors. In this unitary actor model, religion is a stable, uniform feature of an individual or collectivity. However, recent research shows that people’s religious expression outside religious congregations varies by context. Building on this new work, along with insights from Erving Goffman and cultural sociology, an alternative, “cultural-interactionist model” of religious expression focuses on how group styles enable and constrain religious expression in public settings. Illustrating the model are two ethnographic cases, a religiously sponsored homeless advocacy organization and a secondary comparison setting from an activist campaign for housing, both from a U.S. metropolitan area. Shifting from actors to settings and group styles clarifies the interplay between religious and nonreligious culture over time. The shift refines our understanding of how religion’s civic or political effects work, as in the case of building social capital for collective action. The cultural-interactionist model enables us to track historical change in everyday group settings. It promotes further research on historically changing ways of managing religious diversity, and diverse ways of constructing a religious self.
Involvement of intracellular glutathione in regulating isoline-induced cytotoxicity in human normal liver L-02 cells
Authors: Chen Ying , Ji Lili , Xiong Aizheng , Yang Li , Wang Zhengtao
Published: April 2012

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid isoline is isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Ligularia duciformis. Our previous reports have already demonstrated isoline-induced liver injury in mice. The present study is designed to observe the involvement of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) in isoline-induced cytotoxicity in human normal liver L-02 cells. The results showed that isoline decreased the cellular GSH and the ratio of GSH and oxidized glutathione in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in L-02 cells. l-Buthionine- S- R-sulfoximine (BSO) is reported to inhibit cellular GSH biosynthesis, and further results showed that isoline decreased the cell viability in L-02 cells after pretreated with 25 μM BSO for 24 h. Furthermore, adducts of isoline and GSH were identified in L-02 cells using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ion trap) for the first time. In conclusion, our study provides the strongest evidence to support the important roles of GSH in regulating isoline-induced cytotoxicity in human normal liver L-02 cells.
Active suspension robust control based on main/torque-tracking loop structure
Authors: Zhang Guoguang , Zhang Yongchao , Yu Fan
Published: April 2012

This paper presents a robust control method for a direct current (DC)-motor-based active suspension based on main/torque-tracking loop structure. The control structure is divided into two loops. The main loop deals with parametric uncertainties for a full-car suspension model and calculates the demand torque of DC-motors for active control. Several uncertain parameters are taken into consideration and a mixed-μ robust controller is proposed for the main loop. The torque-tracking loop employs the control of a three-phase motor by using hysteresis current control to track the demand torque calculated by the main loop. Simulations are carried out with random road input and bump input. The results demonstrate that the DC-motor-based active suspension with the designed controller can greatly improve vehicle ride comfort in comparison with the corresponding passive one.
Autoethnographic Layering
Authors: Rath Jean
Published: April 2012

This article uses a tripartite layered text to explore narrative inheritance, the storied experience of self and family. The author produces an autoethnography that places together partial memories, the stories told by parents, and half-remembered dreams. She queries taken-for-granted meanings by positioning uncertain scripts of and for the self in ways that leave invitational lacunae within and between the textual layers. In honoring the interplay between what is kept secret and what is shared the author seeks to explore the ways in which narrative inheritance fashions how people create stories of self and others by accommodating their forebears’ incomplete tales and living with mystery.
Building an Integrated Model of Trial Court Decision Making: Predicting Plaintiff Success and Awards across Circuits
Authors: Dumas Tao L. , Haynie Stacia L.
Published: April 2012

This study creates and empirically tests an integrated model of trial court decision making to explore the hypothesis that jury verdicts reflect the social, political, and economic attributes of the community in which the court resides. In addition, the analyses examine the influence of attorneys, litigants, case facts, and judges on trial outcomes. Using an original data set comprising all reported civil trial verdicts decided in the state of Alabama from 2002 to 2008, we uncover strong evidence that community composition influences both the dispute resolution and resource allocation functions of trial courts. This research improves our knowledge of trial court decision making and contributes to our theoretical understanding of the effect of extralegal factors on the performance of political institutions.
Fluorescence-Guided Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Mohsen Amr A. , Elbasiouny Mahmoud S. , Fawzy Yasser Sherif
Published: April 2012

Background. Safe cholecystectomy requires confident identification of extrahepatic biliary anatomy. This is the first report of the use of fluorescein and ultraviolet light to improve visualization of biliary topography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods. Five patients who had symptomatic gallstones underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative intravenous fluorescein injection. Ultraviolet A from an LED light source was used to induce fluorescence of bile. It was delivered by a device that was designed and built by the authors. Results. Within 4 to 5 minutes the bile ducts were shining with green fluorescence and were easily differentiated from the surrounding tissues. In all cases, identification of the extrahepatic biliary anatomy by the fluorescence technique preceded its identification with conventional white light. Fluorescence remained for the whole duration of operation that extended for 42 to 77 minutes. Conclusions. At laparoscopic cholecystectomy, intravenous fluorescein injection and ultraviolet A excitation induce bile ducts to fluoresce. The technique allows better and earlier real-time visualization of biliary anatomy than conventional white light. The technique is simple and inexpensive. It serves as an additional tool that would improve safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Talk of frustration in the narratives of people with chronic pain
Authors: Dow Clare M , Roche Patricia A , Ziebland Sue
Published: April 2012

Objectives: To improve understanding of the sources of frustration for people with chronic pain and consider the potential influence of frustration on the chronic pain experience and relationships with health professionals.

Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews with a diverse, maximum variation sample of 46 participants with chronic pain, 30 of whom talked about frustration. Analysis paid close attention to how people talked about their frustration as well as what they said.

Results: Frustration is a multi-faceted emotion and its effects are cumulative. Sources of frustration include interference with everyday activities, the interruption of life goals and roles and the unpredictability of pain; here we focus on the frustrations associated with the invisibility of chronic pain and the perceived limitations of diagnosis and pain management (both related to the perceived legitimacy of the condition). Several of the participants who had lived with chronic pain for many years described overcoming, or managing, their frustrations.

Discussion: If patients think that their pain is not being believed this is clearly a barrier to an effective consultation. Communication with chronic pain patients may improve if the frustration of living with an invisible, debilitating condition that is hard to diagnose and treat is explicitly (and perhaps repeatedly) acknowledged by the health professional.
Phenotypic plasticity, QTL mapping and genomic characterization of bud set in black poplar
Authors: Fabbrini Francesco , Gaudet Muriel , Bastien Catherine , Zaina Giusi , Harfouche Antoine , Beritognolo Isacco , Marron Nicolas , Morgante Michele , Scarascia-Mugnozza Giuseppe , Sabatti Maurizio
Published: April 2012

Background

The genetic control of important adaptive traits, such as bud set, is still poorly understood in most forest trees species. Poplar is an ideal model tree to study bud set because of its indeterminate shoot growth. Thus, a full-sib family derived from an intraspecific cross ofP. nigrawith 162 clonally replicated progeny was used to assess the phenotypic plasticity and genetic variation of bud set in two sites of contrasting environmental conditions.

Results

Six crucial phenological stages of bud set were scored. Night length appeared to be the most important signal triggering the onset of growth cessation. Nevertheless, the effect of other environmental factors, such as temperature, increased during the process. Moreover, a considerable role of genotype × environment (G × E) interaction was found in all phenological stages with the lowest temperature appearing to influence the sensitivity of the most plastic genotypes.

Descriptors of growth cessation and bud onset explained the largest part of phenotypic variation of the entire process. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for these traits were detected. For the four selected traits (the onset of growth cessation (date2.5), the transition from shoot to bud (date1.5), the duration of bud formation (subproc1) and bud maturation (subproc2)) eight and sixteen QTL were mapped on the maternal and paternal map, respectively. The identified QTL, each one characterized by small or modest effect, highlighted the complex nature of traits involved in bud set process. Comparison between map location of QTL andP. trichocarpagenome sequence allowed the identification of 13 gene models, 67 bud set-related expressional and six functional candidate genes (CGs). These CGs are functionally related to relevant biological processes, environmental sensing, signaling, and cell growth and development. Some strong QTL had no obvious CGs, and hold great promise to identify unknown genes that affect bud set.

Conclusions

This study provides a better understanding of the physiological and genetic dissection of bud set in poplar. The putative QTL identified will be tested for associations inP. nigranatural populations. The identified QTL and CGs will also serve as useful targets for poplar breeding.
Frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis in Ureaplasma-positive healthy women attending their first prenatal visit in a community hospital in Sapporo, Japan
Authors: Yamazaki Tomohiro , Matsumoto Megumi , Matsuo Junji , Abe Kiyotaka , Minami Kunihiro , Yamaguchi Hiroyuki
Published: April 2012

Background

Although Chlamydia trachomatis is the most commonly reported pathogen that causes urogenital infection such as urethritis or cervicitis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum, which are commensals in the genital tract, have also now been recognized as contributors to urogenital infection. However, whether the presence of either U. parvum or U. urealyticum is related to that of C. trachomatis in the urogenital tract remains unknown. We therefore attempted to estimate by PCR the prevalence of C. trachomatis, U. parvum and U. urealyticum in endocervical samples obtained from healthy women attending their first prenatal visit in Sapporo, Japan.

Methods

The samples were taken from 303 apparently healthy women, and the extracted DNAs (n = 280) were used for PCR detection targeting C. trachomatis, U. parvum and U. urealyticum. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by Fisher's exact test.

Results

PCR detection revealed that the prevalence of C. trachomatis, U. parvum and U. urealyticum was 14.3% (40/280), 41.7% (117/280) and 8.9% (25/280), respectively. C. trachomatis ompA genotype D was most frequently identified. Surprisingly, either C. trachomatis or Ureaplasma spp. was detected in almost half of the healthy women. Mixed infection of C. trachomatis with either U. parvum or U. urealyticum was also observed in 9.2% (26/280) of the women. There was a significant association between C. trachomatis and either U. parvum (p = 0.023) or Ureaplasma total (p = 0.013), but not U. urealyticum (p = 0.275).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the presence of Ureaplasma had a significant effect on the presence of C. trachomatis in the genital tract of healthy women, suggesting that mixed infection is an important factor in bacterial pathogenesis in the genital tract.
Androgen receptor expression predicts breast cancer survival: the role of genetic and epigenetic events
Authors: Peters Kate M , Edwards Stacey L , Nair Shalima S , French Juliet D , Bailey Peter J , Salkield Kathryn , Stein Sandra , Wagner Sarah , Francis Glenn D , Clark Susan J , Brown Melissa A
Published: April 2012

Background

Breast cancer outcome, including response to therapy, risk of metastasis and survival, is difficult to predict using currently available methods, highlighting the urgent need for more informative biomarkers. Androgen receptor (AR) has been implicated in breast carcinogenesis however its potential to be an informative biomarker has yet to be fully explored. In this study, AR protein levels were determined in a cohort of 73 Grade III invasive breast ductal adenocarcinomas.

Methods

The levels of Androgen receptor protein in a cohort of breast tumour samples was determined by immunohistochemistry and the results were compared with clinical characteristics, including survival. The role of defects in the regulation of Androgen receptor gene expression were examined by mutation and methylation screening of the 5' end of the gene, reporter assays of the 5' and 3' end of the AR gene, and searching for miRNAs that may regulate AR gene expression.

Results

AR was expressed in 56% of tumours and expression was significantly inversely associated with 10-year survival (P = 0.004). An investigation into the mechanisms responsible for the loss of AR expression revealed that hypermethylation of the AR promoter is associated with loss of AR expression in breast cancer cells but not in primary breast tumours. In AR negative breast tumours, mutation screening identified the same mutation (T105A) in the 5'UTR of two AR negative breast cancer patients but not reported in the normal human population. Reporter assay analysis of this mutation however found no evidence for a negative impact on AR 5'UTR activity. The role of miR-124 in regulating AR expression was also investigated, however no evidence for this was found.

Conclusion

This study highlights the potential for AR expression to be an informative biomarker for breast cancer survival and sets the scene for a more comprehensive investigation of the molecular basis of this phenomenon.
Life-course origins of social inequalities in adult immune cell markers of inflammation in a developing southern Chinese population: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study
Authors: West Douglas A , Leung Gabriel M , Jiang Chao Q , Elwell-Sutton Timothy M , Zhang Wei S , Lam Tai H , Cheng Kar K , Schooling C Mary
Published: April 2012

Background

Socioeconomic position (SEP) throughout life is associated with cardiovascular disease, though the mechanisms linking these two are unclear. It is also unclear whether there are critical periods in the life course when exposure to better socioeconomic conditions confers advantages or whether SEP exposures accumulate across the whole life course. Inflammation may be a mechanism linking socioeconomic position (SEP) with cardiovascular disease. In a large sample of older residents of Guangzhou, in southern China, we examined the association of life course SEP with inflammation.

Methods

In baseline data on 9,981 adults (≥ 50 years old) from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (2006-08), we used multivariable linear regression and model fit to assess the associations of life course SEP at four stages (childhood, early adult, late adult and current) with white blood, granulocyte and lymphocyte cell counts.

Results

A model including SEP at all four life stages best explained the association of life course SEP with white blood and granulocyte cell count for men and women, with early adult SEP (education) making the largest contribution. A critical period model best explained the association of life course SEP with lymphocyte count, with sex-specific associations. Early adult SEP was negatively associated with lymphocytes for women.

Conclusions

Low SEP throughout life may negatively impact late adult immune-inflammatory status. However, some aspects of immune-inflammatory status may be sensitive to earlier exposures, with sex-specific associations. The findings were compatible with the hypothesis that in a developing population, upregulation of the gonadotropic axis with economic development may obscure the normally protective effects of social advantage for men.
Antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and apoptotic activity of stem bark extracts of Cephalotaxus griffithii Hook. f
Authors: Moirangthem Dinesh Singh , Talukdar Narayan Chandra , Kasoju Naresh , Bora Utpal
Published: April 2012

Background

Cephalotaxusspp. are known to possess various therapeutic potentials.Cephalotaxus griffithii, however, has not been evaluated for its biological potential. The reason may be the remoteness and inaccessibility of the habitat where it is distributed. The main aim of this study was to: (1) evaluate multiple biological potentials of stem bark ofC. griffithii, and (2) identify solvent extract of stem bark ofC. griffithiito find the one with the highest specific biological activity.

Methods

Dried powder of stem bark ofC. griffithiiwas exhaustively extracted serially by soaking in petroleum ether, acetone and methanol to fractionate the chemical constituents into individual fractions or extracts. The extracts were tested for total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant (DPPH radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, and reducing power models), antibacterial (disc diffusion assay on six bacterial strains), cytotoxic (MTT assay on HeLa cells), and apoptotic activity (fluorescence microscopy, DNA fragmentation assay, and flow cytometry on HeLa cells).

Results

Among the three extracts of stem bark ofC. griffithii, the acetone extract contained the highest amount of total phenolics and flavonoids and showed maximum antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic (IC50of 35.5 ± 0.6 μg/ml; P < 0.05), and apoptotic (46.3 ± 3.6% sub-G0/G1 population; P < 0.05) activity, followed by the methanol and petroleum ether extracts. However, there was no significant difference observed in IC50values (DPPH scavenging assay) of the acetone and methanol extracts and the positive control (ascorbic acid). In contrast, superoxide radical scavenging assay-based antioxidant activity (IC50) of the acetone and methanol extracts was significantly lower than the positive control (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis suggested that phenolic and flavonoid content present in stem bark ofC. griffithiiextracts was responsible for the high antioxidant, cytotoxic, and apoptotic activity (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Stem bark ofC. griffithiihas multiple biological effects. These results call for further chemical characterization of acetone extract of stem bark ofC. griffithiifor specific bioactivity.
Production of extracellular fatty acid using engineered Escherichia coli
Authors: Liu Hui , Yu Chao , Feng Dexin , Cheng Tao , Meng Xin , Liu Wei , Zou Huibin , Xian Mo
Published: April 2012

Background

As an alternative for economic biodiesel production, the microbial production of extracellular fatty acid from renewable resources is receiving more concerns recently, since the separation of fatty acid from microorganism cells is normally involved in a series of energy-intensive steps. Many attempts have been made to construct fatty acid producing strains by targeting genes in the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, while few studies focused on the cultivation process and the mass transfer kinetics.

Results

In this study, both strain improvements and cultivation process strategies were applied to increase extracellular fatty acid production by engineered Escherichia coli. Our results showed overexpressing ‘TesA and the deletion of fadL in E. coli BL21 (DE3) improved extracellular fatty acid production, while deletion of fadD didn’t strengthen the extracellular fatty acid production for an undetermined mechanism. Moreover, the cultivation process controls contributed greatly to extracellular fatty acid production with respect to titer, cell growth and productivity by adjusting the temperature, adding ampicillin and employing on-line extraction. Under optimal conditions, the E. coli strain (pACY-‘tesA-ΔfadL) produced 4.8 g L−1 extracellular fatty acid, with the specific productivity of 0.02 g h−1 g−1dry cell mass, and the yield of 4.4% on glucose, while the ratios of cell-associated fatty acid versus extracellular fatty acid were kept below 0.5 after 15 h of cultivation. The fatty acids included C12:1, C12:0, C14:1, C14:0, C16:1, C16:0, C18:1, C18:0. The composition was dominated by C14 and C16 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Using the strain pACY-‘tesA, similar results appeared under the same culture conditions and the titer was also much higher than that ever reported previously, which suggested that the supposedly superior strain did not necessarily perform best for the efficient production of desired product. The strain pACY-‘tesA could also be chosen as the original strain for the next genetic manipulations.

Conclusions

The general strategy of metabolic engineering for the extracellular fatty acid production should be the cyclic optimization between cultivation performance and strain improvements. On the basis of our cultivation process optimization, strain improvements should be further carried out for the effective and cost-effective production process.
Acute effects of aerobic exercise on mood and hunger feelings in male obese adolescents: a crossover study
Authors: Lofrano-Prado Mara Cristina , Hill James O , Silva Humberto José Gomes , Freitas Camila Rodrigues Menezes , Lopes-de-Souza Sandra , Lins Tatiana Acioli , do Prado Wagner Luiz
Published: April 2012

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the acute effects of exercise intensity on anxiety, mood states and hunger in obese adolescents.

Methods

Subjects were eight male obese adolescents (age 15.44 ± 2.06y; BMI 33.06 ± 4.78 kg/m2). Each subject underwent three experimental trials: 1) Control, seated for 30 min; 2) Low intensity exercise (LIE) - exercise at 10% below ventilatory threshold (VT); 3) High intensity exercise (HIE) - exercise at 10% above VT. Anxiety (STAI Trait/State), mood (POMS) and hunger (VAS) were assessed before and immediately after the experimental sessions. Comparisons between trials and times were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests, respectively. Associations between variables were described using a Spearman test.

Results

The largest increase in hunger was observed after LEI (914.22%). Both exercise sessions increased anxiety, fatigue and decreased vigor (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Acute exercise bouts are associated with negative changes in anxiety and mood, and with increases in hunger in obese adolescents.
Longitudinal, cross-cohort comparison of physical activity patterns in Chinese mothers and children
Authors: Dearth-Wesley Tracy , Gordon-Larsen Penny , Adair Linda S , Zhang Bing , Popkin Barry M
Published: April 2012

Background

There is limited evidence comparing adult and child physical activity (PA) trends and examining parent–child PA associations within a newly industrialized country setting. PA research within a newly industrialized country setting is particularly important given the negative effects of rapid urbanization, socioeconomic growth, and technological advances on PA behaviors. The purpose of our study was to examine trends and associations in PA behaviors in Chinese mother-child pairs and to investigate relationships between PA behaviors and socioeconomic variables in this dyad.

Methods

We studied PA behaviors in 2 separate cohorts of mother-child pairs (n = 353) followed over a 2–4 year time period using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2000 Cohort: 2000–2004; 2004 Cohort: 2004–2006). Comparable mother-child PA behaviors included total metabolic equivalent hours per week (MET-hrs/wk) from active commuting, leisure-time sports, and sedentary behaviors. Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between mother and child PA and relationships between PA behaviors and socioeconomic variables.

Results

Children experienced increases in active commuting and leisure-time sports activities with increasing child age, whereas mothers experienced temporal declines in active commuting and minimal change in leisure-time sports activity. Sedentary behavior was high for children and mothers over time. Mother-child associations were positive for active commuting and leisure-time sports activities and negative for sedentary behavior (P < 0.05). Maternal education was associated with a greater likelihood of high leisure-time sports activity and high sedentary behavior in mothers but not in children (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Efforts to reduce sedentary behavior in Chinese mothers and children are imperative. While increased leisure-time and active commuting activities in children is encouraging, continued PA promotion in children and more intensive efforts to promote leisure-time sports and active commuting in mothers is needed.
Surface-wave analysis for identifying unfrozen zones in subglacial sediments
Authors: Tsuji Takeshi , Johansen Tor Arne , Ruud Bent Ole , Ikeda Tatsunori , Matsuoka Toshifumi
Published: April 2012

To reveal the extent of freezing in subglacial sediments, we estimated S-wave velocity along a glacier using surface-wave analysis. Because the S-wave velocity varies significantly with the degree of freezing of the pore fluid in the sediments, this information is useful for identifying unfrozen zones within subglacial sediments, which again is important for glacier dynamics. We used active-source multichannel seismic data originally acquired for reflection analysis along a glacier at Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Arctic and proposed an effective approach of multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) in a glacier environment. Common-midpoint crosscorrelation gathers were used for the MASW to improve lateral resolution because the glacier bed has a rough topology. We used multimode analysis with a genetic algorithm inversion to estimate the S-wave velocity due to the potential existence of a low-velocity layer beneath the glacier ice and the observation of higher modes in the dispersion curves. In the inversion, we included information of ice thickness derived from high-resolution ground-penetrating radar data because a simulation study demonstrated that the ice thickness was necessary to estimate accurate S-wave velocity distribution of deep subglacial sediment. The estimated S-wave velocity distribution along the seismic line indicated that low velocities occurred below the glacier, especially beneath thick ice ([Formula: see text] for ice thicknesses larger than 50 m). Because this velocity was much lower than the velocity in pure ice ([Formula: see text]), the pore fluid was partially melted at the ice–sediment interface. At the shallower subglacial sediments (ice thickness less than 50 m), the S-wave velocity was similar to that of the pure ice, suggesting that shallow subglacial sediments are more frozen than sediments beneath thick ice.
Outcome of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) in Children and Adolescents: An Analysis in Two Consecutive Trials of the European APL Group
Authors: Bally Cecile , Fadlallah Jehane , Leverger Guy , Bertrand Yves , Robert Alain , Baruchel Andre , Guerci Agnes , Recher Christian , Raffoux Emmanuel , Thomas Xavier , Leblanc Thierry , Idres Nadia , Cassinat Bruno , Vey Norbert , Chomienne Christine , Dombret Herve , Sanz Miguel , Fenaux Pierre , Adès Lionel
Published: April 2012

Purpose

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is rare in children. All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) combined with chemotherapy, the reference treatment of APL, is generally considered to produce similar results in children and adults. However, previously published childhood APL studies have generally analyzed all patients age < 18 years as a group, without further dividing according to age.

Patients and Methods

We compared disease characteristics and outcomes of children (age ≤ 12 years), adolescents (13 to 18 years), and adults (> 18 years) included in two multicenter APL clinical trials (APL 93 and 2000 trials).

Results

Of the 833 patients age ≤ 60 years included in the two trials, 26 (3%), 58 (7%), and 749 (90%) were children, adolescents, and adults, respectively. Children had significantly higher baseline WBC counts (P < .001). The complete remission (CR) rate (92%, 100%, and 94.5%, respectively) and 5-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR; 28%, 20%, and 23%, respectively) did not differ between children, adolescents, and adults, whereas adolescents had significantly better overall survival (OS; 5-year OS, 93.6% v 80.4% in adults and 80.4% in children; P = .03). However, in children age ≤ 4 years, the 5-year CIR was 52%, compared with 17.6% in children age 5 to 12 years (P = .006), although most of the younger children who relapsed experienced durable salvage with autologous or allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.

Conclusion

Adolescents and children age > 4 years with APL treated with ATRA and chemotherapy have outcomes at least as favorable as those of adults. Younger children seem to experience more relapses and may require reinforcement of first-line treatment.
Influence of Major Postoperative Complications on Health-Related Quality of Life Among Long-Term Survivors of Esophageal Cancer Surgery
Authors: Derogar Maryam , Orsini Nicola , Sadr-Azodi Omid , Lagergren Pernilla
Published: April 2012

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of major postoperative complications on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in 5-year survivors of esophageal cancer surgery.

Patients and Methods

This study was based on the Swedish Esophageal and Cardia Cancer register with almost complete nationwide coverage and data on esophageal cancer surgery collected prospectively between 2001 and 2005. Patients who were alive 5 years after surgery were eligible. HRQL was assessed longitudinally until 5 years after surgery by using the validated European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 and OES18. Linear mixed models were used to assess the mean score difference (MD) with 95% CIs of each aspect of HRQL in patients with or without major postoperative complications. Adjustment was made for several potential confounders.

Results

Of 153 patients who survived 5 years, 141 patients (92%) answered the 5-year HRQL questionnaires. Of these individuals, 46 patients (33%) sustained a major postoperative complication. Dyspnea (MD, 15; 95% CI, 6 to 23), fatigue (MD, 13; 95% CI, 5 to 20), and eating restrictions (MD, 10; 95% CI, 2 to 17) were clinically and statistically significantly deteriorated throughout the follow-up in patients with major postoperative complications compared with patients without major complications. Although problems with choking declined to levels comparable with patients without major postoperative complications, sleep difficulties and gastroesophageal reflux progressively worsened during follow-up.

Conclusion

The occurrence of postoperative complications exerts a long-lasting negative effect on HRQL in patients who survive 5 years after esophagectomy for cancer.
Africanized Patterns of Expression
Authors: Perryman-Clark Staci M.
Published: April 2012

In response to the need for additional teacher-research on African American students, this article offers a case study of how one African American student-writer successfully produces expository writing in an Afrocentric first-year writing course at Michigan State University, a large land-grant midwestern research institution.
Reading Value
Authors: Manarin Karen
Published: April 2012

This scholarship of teaching and learning project explores how students read in a first-year general education class on critical writing and reading. In this article, I offer observations about which reading strategies seem most popular regardless of efficacy, which elements seem to foster student learning, and which obstacles remain.
Knocking Sparks
Authors: Adnot-Haynes Becky , Mellas Tessa
Published: April 2012

This article interrogates the commonly used creative writing workshop model, calling for a higher degree of process-oriented work in the classroom and bringing to light process-oriented models already in place in universities across the country. This discussion can serve as a springboard for classroom development of alternative teaching models.
Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Infant Nighttime Waking: Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Santos Iná S. , Matijasevich Alicia , Domingues Marlos R.
Published: April 2012

OBJECTIVE:

Coffee and other caffeinated beverages are commonly consumed in pregnancy. In adults, caffeine may interfere with sleep onset and have a dose-response effect similar to those seen during insomnia. In infancy, nighttime waking is a common event. With this study, we aimed to investigate if maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and lactation leads to frequent nocturnal awakening among infants at 3 months of age.

METHODS:

All children born in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, during 2004 were enrolled on a cohort study. Mothers were interviewed at delivery and after 3 months to obtain information on caffeine drinking consumption, sociodemographic, reproductive, and behavioral characteristics. Infant sleeping pattern in the previous 15 days was obtained from a subsample. Night waking was defined as an episode of infant arousal that woke the parents during nighttime. Multivariable analysis was performed by using Poisson regression.

RESULTS:

The subsample included 885 of the 4231 infants born in 2004. All but 1 mother consumed caffeine in pregnancy. Nearly 20% were heavy consumers (≥300 mg/day) during pregnancy and 14.3% at 3 months postpartum. Prevalence of frequent nighttime awakeners (>3 episodes per night) was 13.8% (95% confidence interval: 11.5%–16.0%). The highest prevalence ratio was observed among breastfed infants from mothers consuming ≥300 mg/day during the whole pregnancy and in the postpartum period (1.65; 95% confidence interval: 0.86–3.17) but at a nonsignificant level.

CONCLUSIONS:

Caffeine consumption during pregnancy and by nursing mothers seems not to have consequences on sleep of infants at the age of 3 months.
Postnatal Virilization Mimicking 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency in 3 Very Premature Infants
Authors: Couch Robert , Girgis Rose
Published: April 2012

Premature infants are known to have elevated 17-hydroxyprogesterone and adrenal androgen concentrations immediately after birth, but the levels decrease rapidly. Virilization of normal premature female infants as a result of these high androgens has not been described. Three premature female infants born at 24 to 25 weeks’ gestation, with birth weights 550 to 880 g and significant neonatal complications were noted to develop clitoromegaly 2 weeks to 3 months after birth. All 3 had elevated 17-hydroxyprogesterone >100 nmol/L and testosterone >3 nmol/L concentrations. All were treated as simple virilizing 21-hydroxylase deficiency, but subsequent genetic analysis revealed no CYP21 mutations. Follow-up after discontinuation of treatment revealed no recurrent virilization and normal adrenal steroid levels. Postnatal virilization in sick premature girls may occur, and investigations may suggest 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Genetic analysis of CYP21 should be performed before the diagnosis is confirmed. Further studies are needed to better document the natural history and possible causes of postnatal adrenal androgen secretion in sick premature infants.
Relationship Between Maternal and Neonatal Staphylococcus aureus Colonization
Authors: Jimenez-Truque Natalia , Tedeschi Sara , Saye Elizabeth J. , McKenna Brian D. , Langdon Weston , Wright Jesse P. , Alsentzer Andrew , Arnold Sandra , Saville Benjamin R. , Wang Wenli , Thomsen Isaac , Creech C. Buddy
Published: April 2012

OBJECTIVE:

The study aimed to assess whether maternal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus during pregnancy or at delivery was associated with infant staphylococcal colonization.

METHODS:

For this prospective cohort study, women were enrolled at 34 to 37 weeks of gestation between 2007 and 2009. Nasal and vaginal swabs for culture were obtained at enrollment; nasal swabs were obtained from women and their infants at delivery and 2- and 4-month postbirth visits. Logistic regression was used to determine whether maternal colonization affected infant colonization.

RESULTS:

Overall, 476 and 471 mother-infant dyads had complete data for analysis at enrollment and delivery, respectively. Maternal methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) colonization occurred in 10% to 17% of mothers, with the highest prevalence at enrollment. Infant MRSA colonization peaked at 2 months of age, with 20.9% of infants colonized. Maternal staphylococcal colonization at enrollment increased the odds of infant staphylococcal colonization at birth (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval: 4.8; 2.4–9.5), hospital discharge (2.6; 1.3–5.0), at 2 months of life (2.7; 1.6–4.3), and at 4 months of life (2.0; 1.1–3.5). Similar results were observed for maternal staphylococcal colonization at delivery. Fifty maternal-infant dyads had concurrent MRSA colonization: 76% shared isolates of the same pulsed-field type, and 30% shared USA300 isolates. Only 2 infants developed staphylococcal disease.

CONCLUSIONS:

S aureus colonization (including MRSA) was extremely common in this cohort of maternal-infant pairs. Infants born to mothers with staphylococcal colonization were more likely to be colonized, and early postnatal acquisition appeared to be the primary mechanism.
The Human Microbiome and Its Potential Importance to Pediatrics
Authors: Johnson Coreen L. , Versalovic James
Published: April 2012

The human body is home to more than 1 trillion microbes, with the gastrointestinal tract alone harboring a diverse array of commensal microbes that are believed to contribute to host nutrition, developmental regulation of intestinal angiogenesis, protection from pathogens, and development of the immune response. Recent advances in genome sequencing technologies and metagenomic analysis are providing a broader understanding of these resident microbes and highlighting differences between healthy and disease states. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed summary of current pediatric microbiome studies in the literature, in addition to highlighting recent findings and advancements in studies of the adult microbiome. This review also seeks to elucidate the development of, and factors that could lead to changes in, the composition and function of the human microbiome.
Implications of climate change for expanding cities worldwide
Authors: Hunt Julian C. , Timoshkina Yulia V. , Bohnenstengel Sylvia I. , Belcher Stephen
Published: April 2012

This paper analyses the trends of the changing environmental effects within growing megacities as their diameters exceed 50–100 km and their populations rise beyond 30 million people. The authors consider how these effects are influenced by climate change, to which urban areas themselves contribute, caused by their increasing greenhouse gas emissions associated with rapidly expanding energy use. Other environmental and social factors are assessed, quantitatively and qualitatively, using detailed modelling of urban mesoscale meteorology, which shows how these factors can lead to large conurbations becoming more vulnerable to climatic and environmental hazards. The paper discusses the likely changes in meteorological and hydrological hazards in urban areas, both as the climate changes and the sizes of urban areas grow. Examples are given of how these risks are being reduced through innovations in warning and response systems, planning and infrastructure design, which should include refuges against extreme natural disasters. Policies are shown to be more effective when they are integrated and based on substantial community involvement. Some conclusions are drawn regarding how policies for the natural and artificial environment and for reducing many kinds of climate and hazard risk are related to future designs and planning of infrastructure and open spaces.
Innate Immune Receptor Expression in Peri‐Implant Tissues of Patients With Different Susceptibility to Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Koutouzis Theofilos , Catania Dominick , Neiva Kathleen , Wallet Shannon M.
Published: April 2012

Background: Although inflammation mediates the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases, the effects of innate immune responses on implant therapies have not been evaluated. Innate immune receptors, including toll‐like‐receptors (TLRs) and the receptor for advanced glycated end‐products (RAGE), are upregulated within inflamed gingiva and are responsible for initiation of detrimental host responses. The aim of this study is to compare the expression of TLR2, TLR4, and RAGE in gingival tissues from participants susceptible to periodontitis and participants not susceptible to periodontitis before and after implant therapy.

Methods: Periodontally healthy participants received implant therapy for non‐periodontal edentulism. Participants susceptible to periodontitis were diagnosed with chronic periodontitis prior to implant therapy. Gingival biopsies were collected from edentulous ridges before implant installation and from peri‐implant mucosa 2 months after treatment. Histology, real‐time PCR, and Western blot were used to evaluate levels of inflammatory infiltrate, TLR2, TLR4, and RAGE expression.

Results: Before implant therapy, elevated levels of RAGE were detected in gingival tissues from participants susceptible to periodontitis when compared to those from participants with healthy periodontiums, whereas no differences in the expression of TLR2 or TLR4 were detected. After implant therapy, there was an upregulation of RAGE and TLR4 levels that coincided with a downregulation of TLR2 levels in biopsies from participants susceptible to periodontitis. Levels of RAGE and TLR4 remained unchanged in biopsies from participants with healthy periodontiums, whereas TLR2 levels were significantly upregulated. Histologically, post‐implant biopsies from participants susceptible to periodontitis displayed higher levels of inflammatory infiltrate.

Conclusion: Elevated levels of inflammatory potential were found after implant therapy in participants susceptible to periodontitis.