bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fructooligosaccharides as a fat replacer in fermented cooked sausages
Authors: dos Santos Bibiana Alves , Campagnol Paulo Cezar Bastianello , Pacheco Maria Teresa Bertoldo , Pollonio Marise Aparecida Rodrigues
Published: April 2012

Fermented cooked sausages with a 50% reduction in pork back fat and addition of 0%, 3%, 6% or 9% of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) were produced and studied during manufacturing and storage. Their production was monitored by physicochemical (pH, water activity, weight loss, proximate composition, colour and texture profiles) and microbiological analysis (aerobic mesophiles, lactic acid bacteria, and total and faecal coliforms). During storage, it was evaluated the sensory properties, stability to lipid oxidation and microbiological safety. The final fat content of the control was 27.54%. F0, F3, F6 and F9 treatments had final fat contents of 17.63%, 17.55%, 17.91% and 17.59%, respectively, representing an approximately 40% reduction in the fat content. The simple reduction in pork back fat without fat substitute adversely affected the technological and sensory properties of the fermented cooked sausages, but the addition of FOS suppressed the defects caused by the fat reduction. The content of FOS did not changed during storage, indicating that this functional prebiotic compound can be used for developing of reduced fat fermented meat products.
Stroke patients’ functions in personal activities of daily living in relation to sleep and socio‐demographic and clinical variables in the acute phase after first‐time stroke and at six months of follow‐up
Authors: Bakken Linda N , Kim Hesook S , Finset Arnstein , Lerdal Anners
Published: April 2012

Aims and objectives.  To explore first‐time stroke patients’ degree of independence in activities of daily life in relation to sleep and other essential variables that might influence activities of daily life.

Background.  Sleep has received little attention in rehabilitation of activities of daily life in stroke patients.

Design.  This is a longitudinal survey and observational study design from the acute phase to six months poststroke.

Methods.  First‐time stroke patients (n = 90) were recruited from two hospitals in eastern Norway in 2007 and 2008. Data were collected by survey interview, medical records and wrist actigraphy in the first two weeks at the hospital and at six months of follow‐up. Actigraph measures patient activity and estimates sleep during the day and night.

Results.  Linear regression showed that high dependence in personal activities of daily living was directly related to low estimated sleep time at night and higher estimated sleep during the day in the acute phase, controlling for socio‐demographic and clinical variables. Furthermore, high estimated numbers of awakenings in the acute phase were related to lower activities of daily life functioning at six months of follow‐up after controlling for socio‐demographic and clinical variables. Stronger pain and a lower physical functioning showed direct relationships with lower independency level of in activities of daily life both in the acute phase and after six months.

Conclusions.  Sleep patterns in the acute phase may influence the patients’ activities of daily life functioning up to six months poststroke. Furthermore, pain in the acute phase may influence the level of activities of daily life functioning in stroke patients.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses should pay attention to stroke patients’ sleep quality and pain in the rehabilitation period after a stroke. Facilitating good sleep conditions and screening for pain should be an integral part of the rehabilitation programme.
Sex Differences in Social Investigation: Effects of Androgen Receptors, Hormones and Test Partner
Authors: Tejada L. D. , Rissman E. F.
Published: April 2012

We examined the role of the androgen receptor (AR) in the investigatory behaviour of conspecifics using mice carrying the testicular feminisation mutation (XTfmY). Responses to members of the same and opposite sex were evaluated in a habituation/dishabituation task. Adult mice were gonadectomised and treated with oestradiol (E2) or testosterone. After E2 treatment, regardless of the sex of the stimulus mouse, wild‐type (WT) males engaged in significantly more investigation than WT females. XTfmY males treated with E2 showed ‘male‐like’ behaviour in response to a male but behaved ‘female‐like’ when the stimulus was a female. Because WT and XTfmY males behaved the same in response to another male, we used two additional mouse models to ask whether sex chromosomes were responsible for this phenomenon. Regardless of sex chromosome complement, gonadal males displayed high levels of investigation. When mice were treated with testosterone, investigation by WT females was enhanced, which eliminated the sex differences. Most strikingly, XTfmY males receiving testosterone‐treatment increased the investigation of females to levels equal to those shown by WT mice. Given that testosterone, but not its metabolite E2, caused XTfmY males to investigate female conspecifics at high levels, it is plausible that nonclassical actions of AR, and/or activation of a novel AR, may be involved in this behaviour. Taken together, our data show that AR activation during adulthood is not required for males to investigate mice of either sex. However, ‘male‐like’ levels of investigation of a female stimulus may depend on neonatal activation of the classic nuclear AR.
Understanding aggressive behaviour across the lifespan
Authors: LIU J. , LEWIS G. , EVANS L.
Published: April 2012

Accessible summary

Aggressive behavior is the observable manifestation of aggression and is associated with transitions across different developmental periods as well as a variety of medical and psychiatric disorders.

This paper provides a brief review of the different biological, social, and environmental risk factors that may predispose individuals to aggressive behavior.

In addition, this paper discusses the unique risk factors for aggressive behavior across the developmental spectrum, including childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and late life.

Appreciation of the risk factors of aggressive behavior and how they relate to age‐specific manifestations may aid the development of prevention and treatment programs.

Aggressive behaviour is the observable manifestation of aggression and is often associated with developmental transitions and a range of medical and psychiatric diagnoses across the lifespan. As healthcare professionals involved in the medical and psychosocial care of patients from birth through death, nurses frequently encounter – and may serve as – both victims and perpetrators of aggressive behaviour in the workplace. While the nursing literature has continually reported research on prevention and treatment approaches, less emphasis has been given to understanding the aetiology, including contextual precipitants of aggressive behaviour. This paper provides a brief review of the biological, social and environmental risk factors that purportedly give rise to aggressive behaviour. Further, many researchers have focused specifically on aggressive behaviour in adolescence and adulthood. Less attention has been given to understanding the aetiology of such behaviour in young children and older adults. This paper emphasizes the unique risk factors for aggressive behaviour across the developmental spectrum, including childhood, adolescence, adulthood and late life. Appreciation of the risk factors of aggressive behaviour, and, in particular, how they relate to age‐specific manifestations, can aid nurses in better design and implementation of prevention and treatment programmes.
Salmonella chemoreceptors McpB and McpC mediate a repellent response to L‐cystine: a potential mechanism to avoid oxidative conditions
Authors: Lazova Milena D. , Butler Mitchell T. , Shimizu Thomas S. , Harshey Rasika M.
Published: April 2012

Chemoreceptors McpB and McpC in Salmonella enterica have been reported to promote chemotaxis in LB motility‐plate assays. Of the chemicals tested as potential effectors of these receptors, the only response was towards L‐cysteine and its oxidized form, L‐cystine. Although enhanced radial migration in plates suggested positive chemotaxis to both amino acids, capillary assays failed to show an attractant response to either, in cells expressing only these two chemoreceptors. In vivo fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements of kinase activity revealed that in wild‐type bacteria, cysteine and cystine are chemoeffectors of opposing sign, the reduced form being a chemoattractant and the oxidized form a repellent. The attractant response to cysteine was mediated primarily by Tsr, as reported earlier for Escherichia coli. The repellent response to cystine was mediated by McpB/C. Adaptive recovery upon cystine exposure required the methyl‐transferase/‐esterase pair, CheR/CheB, but restoration of kinase activity was never complete (i.e. imperfect adaptation). We provide a plausible explanation for the attractant‐like responses to both cystine and cysteine in motility plates, and speculate that the opposing signs of response to this redox pair might afford Salmonella a mechanism to gauge and avoid oxidative environments.
Perinatal characteristics and risk of polio among Swedish twins
Authors: Perng Wei , Cnattingius Sven , Iliadou Anastasia , Villamor Eduardo
Published: April 2012

Perng W, Cnattingius S, Iliadou A, Villamor E. Perinatal characteristics and risk of polio among Swedish twins. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2012; 26: 218–225.

Prenatal exposure to adverse environmental conditions is related to increased adult mortality in regions where infections are highly prevalent, yet there is little evidence of the impact of perinatal conditions on the risk of severe infections throughout life. Using prospectively collected data from 21 604 like‐sexed Swedish twins of known zygosity born in 1926–1958, we examined the risk of polio in relation to perinatal characteristics using cohort and nested co‐twin case–control analyses. Polio incidence was determined through an interview in 1998, and linkage with the Swedish national inpatient and death registries. There were 133 cases of polio. In the cohort analysis, birth length, birthweight and head circumference were positively associated with polio risk. After adjustment for sex, birth year, gestational age at birth and within‐twin pair correlations, twins of shortest length (<44 cm) had a 67% ([95% CI: 6%, 88%]; P = 0.04) lower risk of polio compared with the reference group (47–49 cm). After additional adjustment for birth length, every 100‐g increase in birthweight was related to a 34% increased risk of polio ([95% CI: −1%, 82%]; P = 0.06), and every 10‐mm increase in head circumference was related to a 17% greater risk of polio ([95% CI: 5%, 31%]; P = 0.004). In co‐twin control analyses among 226 disease‐discordant twins, birth length, birthweight and head circumference were 0.3 cm (P = 0.19), 84 g (P = 0.07) and 3 mm (P = 0.08) higher in cases than controls, respectively. Similar associations were observed among monozygotic (n = 84) and dizygotic (n = 142) twins. These findings suggest that early intrauterine growth restriction may be inversely related to the incidence of polio.
Contrasting morphodynamics in alluvial fans and fan deltas: effect of the downstream boundary
Authors: VAN DIJK MAURITS , KLEINHANS MAARTEN G. , POSTMA GEORGE , KRAAL ERIN
Published: April 2012

Alluvial fans and fan deltas can, in principle, have exactly the same upstream conditions, but fan deltas by definition have ponding water at their downstream boundary. This ponding creates effects on the autogenic behaviour of fan deltas, such as backwater adaptation, mouth bars and backward sedimentation, whereas alluvial fans may lack these effects. Hence the present authors hypothesize that morphodynamics on alluvial fans are determined primarily by upstream boundary conditions, whereas morphodynamics on fan deltas are determined by both the upstream and the downstream boundary condition and changes therein. To isolate the effects of the upstream and downstream boundaries, five new alluvial fan experiments are compared with the details of three fan deltas published earlier that were formed under very similar and simple conditions. Similar to the fan deltas, the alluvial fans build up by sheet flow, whilst quasi‐regular periods of incision cause temporary channelized flow. Incision is followed by channel backfilling, after which the fan returns to sheet flow. The channelization and backfilling in alluvial fans is markedly less pronounced and more prone to autogenic disturbance than in fan deltas. The difference is caused by morphodynamics at the downstream boundary. In a fan delta, the flow expansion of the channel causes deposition of all the sediment, which forms a mouth bar and causes strong backfilling. In an alluvial fan, on the other hand, the slope break at the fan perimeter causes some deposition, but transport is not reduced to zero. Consequently, the backfilling in alluvial fans is less pronounced than in fan deltas. Other published experiments support this trend: removal of the mouth bar by a river leads to permanent channelization, whilst pronounced mouth‐bar formation in highly channelized deltas promotes backward sedimentation. The experimental results for this study predict that, when alluvial fans prograde into lakes or deep rivers, they transition to fan deltas with increasingly deeper channels and thicker backfill deposits.
Staphylococcal control in the veterinary hospital
Authors: Weese J. Scott
Published: April 2012

Staphylococcal infections are common in veterinary dermatology patients, as are patients whose health status places them at increased risk of staphylococcal infection. The rapid emergence and dissemination of meticillin‐resistant staphylococci has had significant impacts on management of infections and also increased concerns about transmission of staphylococci between animals, from animals to humans and from humans to animals.

The increasing incidence and implications of staphylococcal infections, particularly meticillin‐resistant staphylococcal infections, is leading to more interest in infection control in veterinary hospitals as a means to help reduce the impact of these significant pathogens.

Infection control is a series of principles and practices that can and should be implemented by every veterinary hospital to improve patient care, protect personnel and meet the increasing expectations. Fortunately, general concepts of infection control are both simple and practical, and application of a basic infection control programme requires limited time, effort or training. With an understanding of some basic concepts and use of available resources, development of an effective infection control programme is within the reach of any facility.
Impact of pulmonary hypertension on transplant outcomes in pediatric cardiomyopathy patients
Authors: Buddhe Sujatha , Du Wei , L’Ecuyer Thomas
Published: April 2012

Buddhe S, Du W, L’Ecuyer T. Impact of pulmonary hypertension on transplant outcomes in pediatric cardiomyopathy patients.

Abstract:  Controversy exists over whether PHTN in heart transplant candidates increases post‐transplant mortality. We performed analysis of data reported to UNOS for children who underwent primary heart transplantation for cardiomyopathy from January 1994 to June 2010. Patients were divided into two groups depending on their pre‐transplant TPG: no‐PHTN (TPG ≤12 mmHg) and PHTN (TPG >12 mm Hg). A total of 6139 children underwent transplantation of whom 2456 (40%) were for cardiomyopathies; 1322 (54%) of these had catheterization data available. The PHTN group (mean TPG 19.5 ± 8.6) had 312 patients and no‐PHTN (TPG 6.7 ± 4.0) had 1010. Mortality at one month (4.5% vs. 2.3%) and three months (6.1% vs. 3.1%) post‐transplant was significantly higher in the PHTN than the no‐PHTN group with an odds ratio of 2 (p < 0.05). There was no significant effect of PHTN on early mortality in children <1 yr age. There was no significant improvement in early survival for transplants performed after compared to before 2003 in patients with PHTN despite availability of pulmonary dilators. Pre‐transplant PHTN increases early post‐transplant mortality in pediatric cardiomyopathy patients above one yr of age. There has been no significant improvement in the outcome of this group over the last seven yr.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are increased in young adults treated with stem cell transplantation during childhood
Authors: Frisk Per , Arvidson Johan , Larsson Marita , Naessén Tord
Published: April 2012

Frisk P, Arvidson J, Larsson M, Naessén T. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are increased in young adults treated with stem cell transplantation during childhood.

Abstract:  We measured risk factors for CVD in 18 patients at a median of 18.2 yr after SCT and in sex and age‐matched controls. Three patients (17%), but none of the controls, met the criteria for the MetS (p = 0.25). In the patients, we found higher levels of triglycerides (0.94 vs. 0.62 mm, p = 0.019), total cholesterol (5.1 vs. 4.0 mm, p = 0.017), LDL (3.4 vs. 2.6 mm, p = 0.019), apolipoprotein B (1.04 vs. 0.74 g/L, p = 0.004), apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio (0.7 vs. 0.5, p = 0.026), and lower levels of adiponectin (4.9 vs. 7.5 mg/L, p = 0.008) than in the controls. The patients had a lower GHmax (9 vs. 20.7 mU/L, p = 0.002). GHmax was significantly correlated inversely with triglycerides (r = −0.64, p = 0.008), total cholesterol (r = −0.61, p = 0.011), apolipoprotein B (r = −0.60, p = 0.014), and apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio (r = −0.66, p = 0.005). We recorded a significantly thicker carotid intima layer among the patients than among matched controls (0.15 vs. 0.13 mm, p = 0.034). The level of adiponectin correlated inversely with carotid intima thickness (r = −0.55, p = 0.023). After SCT in childhood, long‐term survivors may be at risk of developing premature CVD.
Age‐Dependent Morphology of NADPH Diaphorase‐Positive Amacrine Cells in the Mouse Retina
Authors: May C.‐A.
Published: April 2012

NADPH diaphorase‐positive amacrine cells (NAC) were studied in retinal whole mount preparation of mice, ranging from 1 day to 30 months of age. Following a peak in number and size during early development at postnatal day 14, their number and distribution remained well preserved up to senescence. Functional considerations include immunological, vascular and neuro‐modulating aspects.
Therapeutic options for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Fass Ronnie
Published: April 2012

Refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease may affect up to one‐third of the patients that consume proton pump inhibitor (PPI) once daily. Treatment in clinical practice has been primarily focused on doubling the PPI dose, despite lack of evidence of its value. In patients who failed PPI twice daily, medical treatment has been primarily focused on reducing transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation rate or attenuating esophageal pain perception using visceral analgesics. In patients with evidence of reflux as the direct trigger of their symptoms, endoscopic treatment or antireflux surgery may be helpful in remitting symptoms. The role of psychological interventions, as well as non‐traditional therapeutic strategies remains to be further elucidated.
Determination of normal value of glomerular size in Chinese adults by different measurement methods
Authors: CHENG HONG , DONG HONG‐RUI , LIN RUI‐QI , SUN LI‐JUN , CHEN YI‐PU
Published: April 2012

Aim:  Identification of glomerulomegaly is a prerequisite for diagnosis of obesity‐related glomerulopathy, so measurement of glomerular size is of critical importance.

Methods:  A total 100 cases pathologically diagnosed as minor glomerular abnormalities or thin basement membrane nephropathy with normal body mass index and blood glucose level were selected as the normal value measurement group of glomerular size. The mean value of diameters of capillary tuft on the glomerular maximum profile was determined using the direct method and indirect method with the Motic Med 6.0 digital medical image analysis system. Meanwhile, 80 cases of different glomerular disease with normal body mass index and blood glucose level were also collected. Their glomerular diameters were measured and compared with those in the normal value measurement group.

Results:  The measurement results showed that gender and age had no effects on glomerular diameter. The normal value ranges of the diameter on glomerular maximum profile were as follows. (i) Pole‐containing glomerulus (the glomerulus with vascular pole or/and urinary pole): direct method, 101.3–184.9 µm; indirect method, 100.3–183.5 µm. (ii) Pole‐containing glomerulus plus non‐pole glomerulus (the glomerulus without poles, the maximum profile of which was larger than that in the smallest pole‐containing glomerulus): direct method, 108.3–185.9 µm; indirect method, 107.4–185.4 µm. The glomerular diameters of the 80 cases with different glomerular disease were all within the aforementioned normal value ranges.

Conclusions:  Both methods used in the present study are feasible to measure the glomerular diameter and the normal value range of glomerular diameter in Chinese adults is established.
Sleepiness that cannot be overcome: Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Authors: HAN FANG
Published: April 2012

Narcolepsy–cataplexy syndrome is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations and disturbed nocturnal sleep. It is strongly associated with the genetic marker, human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*06:02. A deficit in the endogenous hypocretin/orexin system due to neuronal degeneration in the lateral hypothalamus, induced by an autoimmune‐mediated process, is the primary pathophysiology associated with the human disease. The important finding of an association with hypocretin genes in animal models of narcolepsy has led to the establishment of cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin measurements as a new diagnostic test for human narcolepsy. This is a fascinating story of translation of basic science research into clinical practice in sleep medicine during the past decade. Recent advances have shed light on the associations between respiratory medicine and narcolepsy–cataplexy research. The first is that upper airway infections, including H1N1 and/or streptococcal infections, may initiate or reactivate an immune response that leads to loss of hypocretin‐secreting cells and narcolepsy in genetically susceptible individuals. The second is that an increased incidence of sleep disordered breathing among narcoleptic subjects may relate to the impairment of central control of breathing, linked to hypocretin deficiency or carriage of HLADQB1*06:02, in animals and human subjects with narcolepsy, respectively, indicating neural dysfunction in an area where respiratory and sleep–wake systems are closely interrelated.
Can the Kattan nomogram still accurately predict prognosis in renal cell carcinoma using the revised 2010 tumor–nodes–metastasis reclassification?
Authors: Veeratterapillay Rajan , Rakhra Simren , El‐Sherif Amira , Johnson Mark , Soomro Naeem , Heer Rakesh
Published: April 2012

The Kattan nomogram has been used in renal cell cancer to predict progression‐free survival after nephrectomy. Tumor–nodes–metastasis staging is essential for the calculation of this score. The effect of the recent 2010 revision to the tumor–nodes–metastasis classification on the predictive ability of the Kattan nomogram was studied. All patients having radical nephrectomy for renal cell cancer in the 5‐year period of 2004–2008 at a tertiary referral center were included. Pathological and radiological records were reviewed to identify tumor–nodes–metastasis stage (2002 and 2010 classifications). Kattan scores were calculated for the 2002 and 2010 tumor–nodes–metastasis stages, and the effect on survival predictions were compared with actual outcomes. A total of 291 patients with non‐metastatic renal cell cancer were identified. Revision of the tumor–nodes–metastasis staging from the 2002 to 2010 classification resulted in an increase in the number of patients with stage pT3a (from 30 to 75), a reduction in the patients with stage pT3b (from 57 to 10) and a small increase in stage pT4 cases (1 to 3). This altered the proportion of patients in the Kattan prognostic of “good” (from 61% to 69%), “intermediate” (from 29% to 22%) and “poor” (from 10% to 8%). The overall median predicted 5‐year progression‐free survival was 79.8% with 2002 tumor–nodes–metastasis, and 81.8% with 2010 tumor–nodes–metastasis. Actual 5‐year progression‐free survival was 83.0%, which was not significantly different from that predicted using either tumor–nodes–metastasis classification (P = 0.66). On comparing the new 2010 and old 2002 tumor–nodes–metastasis classification in our cohort, we showed the predictive ability of the Kattan nomogram remained unaltered.
Antibiotic use and misuse in residential aged care facilities
Authors: Stuart R. L. , Wilson J. , Bellaard‐Smith E. , Brown R. , Wright L. , Vandergraaf S. , Gillespie E. E.
Published: April 2012

Background

The prevention and control of transmission of antimicrobial‐resistant pathogens in residential aged care facilities (RACF) is an area that has been neglected yet has significant implications for health services.

Aims

The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence and appropriateness of antibiotic use within five RACF associated with our health service.

Methods

Demographic data on each RACF and all residents were obtained, and antibiotics prescribed (the type, indication and duration) at the time of the survey were recorded. The appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing was assessed using well‐established criteria.

Results

Of the 257 residents, 28% were greater than 85 years of age, almost 50% were male and 71% had been in their RACF for more than a year. Sixty‐seven per cent were incontinent of urine or faeces, and 80% had some degree of cognitive impairment. Among the residents, 23 (9%) were receiving antibiotics at the time of the survey. Seventeen (74%) were for treatment, while six (26%) were given for prophylactic reasons. Data on the appropriateness of antibiotic use were available for the preceding 26‐month period. During this time, there were 988 antibiotic courses administered; of these, 392 (39.7%) did not fulfil the criteria for bacterial infection.

Conclusion

This Australian study is one of the first to report on the use of antibiotics within RACF, shows a high rate of antimicrobial prescribing and inappropriate antibiotic use. Antibiotic stewardship is of paramount importance in RACF. Programmes to promote the rational use of antibiotics and minimise the emergence of resistant pathogens are urgently required in Australian RACF.
Surprise! Neural correlates of Pearce–Hall and Rescorla–Wagner coexist within the brain
Authors: Roesch Matthew R. , Esber Guillem R. , Li Jian , Daw Nathaniel D. , Schoenbaum Geoffrey
Published: April 2012

Learning theory and computational accounts suggest that learning depends on errors in outcome prediction as well as changes in processing of or attention to events. These divergent ideas are captured by models, such as Rescorla–Wagner (RW) and temporal difference (TD) learning on the one hand, which emphasize errors as directly driving changes in associative strength, vs. models such as Pearce–Hall (PH) and more recent variants on the other hand, which propose that errors promote changes in associative strength by modulating attention and processing of events. Numerous studies have shown that phasic firing of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons carries a signed error signal consistent with RW or TD learning theories, and recently we have shown that this signal can be dissociated from attentional correlates in the basolateral amygdala and anterior cingulate. Here we will review these data along with new evidence: (i) implicating habenula and striatal regions in supporting error signaling in midbrain DA neurons; and (ii) suggesting that the central nucleus of the amygdala and prefrontal regions process the amygdalar attentional signal. However, while the neural instantiations of the RW and PH signals are dissociable and complementary, they may be linked. Any linkage would have implications for understanding why one signal dominates learning in some situations and not others, and also for appreciating the potential impact on learning of neuropathological conditions involving altered DA or amygdalar function, such as schizophrenia, addiction or anxiety disorders.
Noradrenaline‐induced enhancement of oscillatory local field potentials in the mouse accessory olfactory bulb does not depend on disinhibition of mitral cells
Authors: Leszkowicz Emilia , Khan Selina , Ng Stephanie , Ved Nikita , Swallow Daniel L. , Brennan Peter A.
Published: April 2012

The olfactory bulb differs from other brain regions by its use of bidirectional synaptic transmission at dendrodendritic reciprocal synapses. These reciprocal synapses provide tight coupling of inhibitory feedback from granule cell interneurons to mitral cell projection neurons in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), at the first stage of vomeronasal processing. It has been proposed that both the mGluR2 agonist DCG‐IV and noradrenaline promote mate recognition memory formation by reducing GABAergic feedback on mitral cells. The resultant mitral cell disinhibition is thought to induce a long‐lasting enhancement in the gain of inhibitory feedback from granule to mitral cells, which selectively gates the transmission of the learned chemosensory information. However, we found that local infusions of both noradrenaline and DCG‐IV failed to disinhibit AOB neural activity in urethane‐anaesthetised mice. DCG‐IV infusion had similar effects to the GABAA agonist isoguvacine, suggesting that it increased GABAergic inhibition in the AOB rather than reducing it. Noradrenaline infusion into the AOB also failed to disinhibit mitral cells in awake mice despite inducing long‐term increases in power of AOB local field potentials, similar to those observed following memory formation. These results suggest that mitral cell disinhibition is not essential for the neural changes in the AOB that underlie mate recognition memory formation in mice.
Reported use of intravesical therapy for non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC): results from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) survey
Authors: Nielsen Matthew E. , Smith Angela B. , Pruthi Raj S. , Guzzo Thomas J. , Amiel Gilad , Shore Neal , Lotan Yair
Published: April 2012

Study Type – Therapy (patterns of practice)

Level of Evidence 2b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Claims‐based analyses suggest unexplained and potentially problematic variation in treatment intensity adherence to guidelines‐recommended care in NMIBC. Previous physician surveys prior to the contemporary Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) reported associations between variation in NMIBC care and practice type, years in practice, and other physician‐related factors.

In the largest physician survey addressing the management of NMIBC, and the first to examine these questions after the promulgation of contemporary CPGs, US urologists report grade‐specific utilization consistent with CPG recommendations, at rates higher than suggested by recent claims‐based analyses. As with prior studies, practice type and years in practice were significantly associated with variation in practices. Further research is needed to reconcile these findings with administrative claims data.

OBJECTIVES

To determine self‐reported practices of use of intravesical chemo‐ and immunotherapy for patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC)

To evaluate the extent to which respondent characteristics were associated with any observed variation. Guidelines recommend intravesical therapy (IVT) in the management of NMIBC, but recent claims‐based analyses suggest exceedingly low rates of use of some of these therapies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An electronic survey was developed by members of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) to elicit self‐reported use of management strategies for NMIBC.

The survey was circulated to urologists via the American Urological Association, Society for Urologic Oncology and Large Urology Group Practice Association distribution lists.

In all, 512 respondents completed the survey.

RESULTS

In all, 63% reported routine perioperative mitomycin‐c (MMC) after transurethral resection of bladder tumour (80% academic vs 54% private practice, P < 0.001).

Whereas 5% of respondents reported routine induction therapy with all new low‐grade (LG) diagnoses, 99% reported routinely doing so in new high‐grade (HG) cases; most commonly with single‐agent bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) (94% vs 9% BCG/interferon and 5% MMC).

Reported induction therapy was higher in the setting of high‐volume (77%) or frequently recurrent (44%) LG disease.

In all, 89% reported routinely using maintenance therapy for HG vs 29% for LG disease.

Routine biopsy after BCG, even with normal cystoscopy, was endorsed by 28% (39% academic vs 22% private practice, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Urologists report grade‐specific use of IVT for NMIBC, at rates higher than suggested in some claims‐based analyses.

Further study is needed to corroborate these self‐reported patterns of care with lower rates of use suggested by claims‐based analyses.
Insulin initiation and management in people with Type 2 diabetes in an ethnically diverse population: the healthcare provider perspective
Authors: Patel N. , Stone M. A. , Chauhan A. , Davies M. J. , Khunti K.
Published: April 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, 1311–1316 (2012)

Aim  To explore barriers to prescribing of insulin, particularly delays in initiation, from the perspective of healthcare professionals involved in managing Type 2 diabetes in a multi‐ethnic setting.

Methods  The study was carried out in a UK population with high numbers of people of South Asian (mainly Indian) origin. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 14 healthcare professionals from primary and secondary care. Analysis involved exploring interview transcripts in terms of themes and sub‐themes identified through a process of progressive focusing.

Results  Initiation of insulin therapy was described as challenging in all patients irrespective of ethnicity, but some barriers were perceived to be accentuated because of language needs and lower levels of understanding about diabetes and insulin. Additionally, some South Asians were viewed as more likely than their white European counterparts to be influenced by negative observations and experiences about insulin therapy within community networks. Time restrictions were seen as a barrier that was accentuated in the management of South Asian patients. Participants suggested strategies for overcoming patient barriers; with South Asians these included involvement of families and patient peers and availability of South Asian healthcare providers.

Conclusion  The challenge for healthcare providers is to how to address the tension between the optimal clinical time for commencing insulin therapy and the time when the patient feels psychologically ready. To help make these two time points coincide, our findings suggest the need to adopt a holistic approach involving consideration of the cultural context of patients, including their ethnic background.
Addressing smoking and other health risk behaviours using a novel telephone‐delivered intervention for homeless people: A proof‐of‐concept study
Authors: BONEVSKI BILLIE , BAKER AMANDA , TWYMAN LAURA , PAUL CHRISTINE , BRYANT JAMIE
Published: April 2012

Introduction and Aims. Despite substantial health disadvantage, few intervention studies have examined ways to deliver smoking cessation support to homeless people. This proof‐of‐concept study explored the feasibility and acceptability of a novel, low‐cost, telephone‐delivered program.

Design and Methods. Clients aged over 18 years, English‐speaking and currently receiving accommodation support from a homelessness outreach centre were invited to participate in a ‘Phone for Health’ program. Six sessions conducted once per week provided participants with personalised counselling about smoking cessation or reduction, as well as fruit and vegetable consumption, alcohol use, physical activity and sun protection. Both clients and staff completed follow‐up quantitative surveys, and clients completed qualitative interviews.

Results. Of 14 eligible participants, 12 consented to taking part and completed baseline measures, 10 commenced the telephone intervention and six completed the intervention program. Average length of telephone sessions was 17.8 min and participants completed an average of 3.8 sessions. Findings suggested high acceptability with most participants reporting that the Phone for Health program helped them meet their smoking reduction goals, and was convenient, useful and practical. Most participants reported making changes to their health risk behaviours as a result of taking part in the program.

Discussion and Conclusions. Telephone delivery of the smoking cessation and other health behaviours intervention was acceptable and feasible. The results provide pragmatic lessons for the development of future health research and practice with an underserved population markedly difficult to reach and engage.[Bonevski B, Baker A, Twyman L, Paul C, Bryant J. Addressing smoking and other health risk behaviours using a novel telephone‐delivered intervention for homeless people: A proof‐of‐concept study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:709–713]
Local Support Organisations: An Exit Strategy for Rural Development NGOs
Authors: Khan Shaheen Rafi , Khan Shahrukh Rafi
Published: April 2012

Rural development NGOs are often trapped into indefinite support for the grassroots organisations they help to create. This article explores an exit strategy whereby such NGOs help to establish multi‐tier apex organisations of, rather than for, the people, that are able to replace them. This enables them to move on to other communities or to address their resource constraints as donor funding becomes tighter. Drawing on fieldwork, it argues that a gradual withdrawal and building on community social capital are more likely to lead to the success of such a strategy.
The roots of the global economic crisis (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Hart Keith
Published: April 2012

The world economic crisis should be seen as an episode in the history of money. “National capitalism” was the main way of organizing money in the twentieth century and its symbol was national monopoly currency. This system has been unravelling since the US dollar de‐pegged from gold in 1971. The result is a disconnect between politics which are still largely national and the money circuit which is decentralized and global. The work of Georg Simmel and Karl Polanyi is enrolled to explain this development which entails the loss of money's physical substance, a shift in the social institutions supporting it and a break‐up of the forms and functions of “all‐purpose money”. The euro crisis reveals the historical mistake of treating market economy as a driver of society and politics. Good intentions at this stage will not reverse what has become a Greek tragedy in more senses than one.
Anthropology in the world: Limits and unity (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Shankland David
Published: April 2012

This editorial anticipates the conference Anthropology in the World by reflecting upon the influence of anthropology, and its limits, arguing that it is only by knowing where these limits are that we can be sure where and how it can best be judged. It is too, a call for unity, suggesting that in seeking to influence the external world, anthropology should unite across its sub‐disciplines, and in doing so a mutually‐beneficial exchange of practice, ideas and methodology will emerge.
The euro crisis and European citizenship: The euro 2001–2012 – celebration or commemoration? (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Shore Cris
Published: April 2012

The Eurozone crisis has highlighted the problems of European economic integration, but what effects is it having on social cohesion in the European Union? Using symbolic, historical and anthropological perspectives this article examines the relationship between the single currency and European citizenship. I argue that the roots of the crisis lie in the euro's origins. Economic and monetary union (EMU) was an assemblage of two very different rationales: one economic and based on neoliberal assumptions, the other political and geared towards forging social cohesion among Europeans. Binding Europe through a common currency was always a risky endeavour, placing heavy expectations on the identity‐effects of money. EU leaders also seemed curiously oblivious to the possible negative effects that weaknesses in the euro might have for European solidarity. Drawing on theories of money and its role as a technology of citizenship and symbolic boundary marker, I argue that the euro continues to symbolize European integration, only now it has come to symbolize the cleavages and tensions that divide Europe. Paradoxically, one effect of the Eurozone crisis is not fragmentation but an acceleration of the deepening of European economic governance. However, the centralization this entails imposes heavy costs on the EU's peripheral members and raises concerns about the future of democracy in Europe.
Are legendary hominoids worth looking for? Views from ethnobiology and palaeoanthropology (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Forth Gregory
Published: April 2012

It has been suggested that the newly discovered hominin species Homo floresiensis may have survived on the Indonesian island of Flores so recently as to inform local images of small‐bodied hominoids. Taking an ethnobiological approach, the article discusses how this matter could be resolved empirically, and concludes that this will ultimately require physical evidence chronologically overlapping substantially with modern human populations. Further discussed are recent investigations affirming the resemblance of putative hominoids and what is known of Homo floresiensis, and a new initiative to excavate a Florenese site identified ethnographically as a mass hominoid burial. Whatever the outcome of these investigations, the case presents a challenge to sociocultural anthropologists inclined to interpret images of creatures undocumented by scientific zoology as purely social or cultural constructs.
‘On Diego Garcia no one never got ill’ (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: Carey Sean
Published: April 2012

The history of the Chagos Islanders was recently highlighted in a semi‐fictionalised production A few man Fridays performed by the Cardboard Citizens Theatre company at the Riverside Studios in London. The month‐long run finished on March 10. I went to the penultimate performance. Also in attendance were a small number of native‐born Chagossians and their children. During the interval, I fell into conversation with Anthony, a 50‐year‐old Chagossian, who was born on the island of Diego Garcia. Along with other members of his family, Anthony was deported from his homeland by the British authorities to make way for a strategically important US base. With 500 or so compatriots he was taken by boat and dumped in the Seychelles. Around 1500 other Islanders were taken to Mauritius. In 2002, however, Chagossians were granted British citizenship. Some 1500 islanders, mainly those from Mauritius but a few from the Seychelles, have now settled in Crawley in West Sussex. But Anthony, along with his sister and her children, is living in rented accommodation in Pimlico in south London. According to Anthony, a primary motivation for his coming to the UK was to seek better healthcare to deal with his type II diabetes. “On Diego Garcia no one ever got ill,” he said. Perhaps this claim should be taken more seriously than conventional functionalist explanations allow.
Advanced producer services industries in Hong Kong and Shenzhen: Struggles towards integration 走向艰难整合的香港－深圳现代服务业
Authors: Chan 陈子华 Tsze‐wah Gabriel , Zhao 赵晓斌 Simon X.B.
Published: April 2012

The path towards a closer integration in Advanced Producer Services (APS) industries between Hong Kong and Shenzhen has been difficult despite favorable locational factors. Based on the authors' long‐term and extensive working experience in the APS sectors in the Pearl River Delta, combined with in‐depth interviews with senior officers of companies who are APS providers in Hong Kong in 2009, this paper will examine the factors, both tangible and intangible as in institutional and non‐institutional, regulatory and non‐regulatory, as well as legal, governmental, social and cultural, which affect and resist APS integration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The findings suggest that the integration of APS between Hong Kong and Shenzhen has been greatly impeded by unfavourable institutional factors that have overwhelmed locational advantages. There are substantial inhibitions against free competition in the China marketplace including non‐regulatory and intangible inhibitions, embodied by local protectionism, heavy reliance on guanxi, rampant insider games and nepotism, excessive bureaucracy, an inadequate legal system, pervasive rent seeking and so forth that block integration between the two cities. The paper will also examine the Qianhai Free Trade Service Zone, the ambitious initiative made by the Shenzhen government to promote APS cooperation between the two areas.

提升香港、深圳两地现代服务业（高端生产性服务业）的融合，受两地政府、学者、及商业团体热烈支持。两地地域的接近，经济互补性，及人民的紧密联系，都鼓励经济融合。然而地域优势不能令所有经济活动相同受益，而两地边界对不同人及行业的阻碍，分别很大。根据作者在珠三角的工作经验及在二零零九年在香港对业内资深行政人员所作的访问，此论文探讨影响两地高端服务业融合的各方面因素，包括制度、惯例、法规、法制、政府管治、社会及文化等。调查指出内地不利的制度及惯例因素全面压倒地域的优势，严重阻碍市场竞争及两地高端服务业的融合，特别是非监管和无形的限制，地方保护主义，严重依赖关系，猖獗的内幕交易和裙带关系，过度的官僚主义，缺乏适当的法律制度及明晰的监管规章，选择性执法的法律，缺乏非市场机制，普遍的利润垄断等，完全阻隔两地经济结合，其不利影响，极之深邃。本文还对深圳政府在前海设立自由贸易服务区以推动两地高端服务业的合作，作出探讨。
Interethnic relations in Malaysia: Group identifications, indispensability and inclusive nationhood
Authors: Verkuyten Maykel , Khan Aqeel
Published: April 2012

This paper focuses on interethnic relations in Malaysia and examines survey data collected among Malay (n = 405), Chinese (n = 90), and Indian (n = 53) participants. In agreement with the Common In‐group Identity Model, inclusive nationhood was related to more positive out‐group attitudes. Relative in‐group indispensability was related to higher bias as predicted by the In‐group Projection Model. Furthermore, the dominant group of Malay had higher in‐group indispensability, more strongly endorsed an inclusive national representation, had stronger ethnic and national identification, and a stronger association between both identifications.
Perceptually Optimized Coded Apertures for Defocus Deblurring
Authors: Masia Belen , Presa Lara , Corrales Adrian , Gutierrez Diego
Published: April 2012

The field of computational photography, and in particular the design and implementation of coded apertures, has yielded impressive results in the last years. In this paper we introduce perceptually optimized coded apertures for defocused deblurring. We obtain near‐optimal apertures by means of optimization, with a novel evaluation function that includes two existing image quality perceptual metrics. These metrics favour results where errors in the final deblurred images will not be perceived by a human observer. Our work improves the results obtained with a similar approach that only takes into account the L2 metric in the evaluation function.