bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Training Needs for Old and New Age Middle Managers
Authors: Rao K.L.N. , Shah Hardik
Published: April 2012

In the fast changing scenario, managers in many State Transport Corporations (STUs) are facing many challenges to meet the pace of change. Middle level managers in STUs play a key role as they represent the most critical management cadre of executors, contributing towards organization’s vision and achieving business objectives. In order to meet diverse stakeholder expectations, they must be equipped with updated knowledge and skills through continuous training inputs. In the last three years, professionally qualified and experienced middle managers were recruited externally in all the functions. This article explored current and future training requirements for the two selected groups of middle managers at Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC): internally promoted (old age) and externally recruited (new age). Primary data has been collected through eight in-depth interviews with top management executives and 14 focused group discussions (FGDs) with middle managers to understand their current and future requirements for training and how their training needs are different. After primary analysis, a ranking instrument was designed and administered. Further recommendations were made for effective training for middle level managers.
Chit Funds as an Innovative Access to Finance for Low-income Households
Authors: Kapoor Mudit , Schoar Antoinette , Rao Preethi , Buteau Sharon
Published: April 2012

Chit Funds are indigenous financial institutions in India that combines credit and savings in a single scheme. In a chit fund scheme, a group of individuals come together for a predetermined time period and contribute to a common pool at regular intervals. In order to understand the intricacies of the chit fund model in India, we studied the size of the registered chit fund industry and how it serves the members. We find that the money circulated in the registered chit fund industry ranges from 10 per cent to 50 per cent of bank finance when compared to the total deposits and credits in the bank. The number of chit schemes registered has been reducing over the years. The average percentage change in the number of schemes registered from 2003 to 2006 is approximately a negative 10 per cent. While the number of schemes has reduced, the total value of registered chit schemes increased by approximately 13 per cent from 2003 to 2006. Our survey of the chit fund members shows that as much as 72 per cent of the members participate in chit funds for saving. Additionally, 96 per cent of the current and non-current chit fund members think that chit funds are safe. Majority of the current and non-current chit fund members belong to low-income households. Our study also suggests that the institutional arrangements which govern the functioning of the chit scheme that have emerged seem to serve the interest of all participants irrespective of their socio-economic status. Perhaps, this could explain why this industry has survived for such a long period of time. Our findings point to the fact that though chit funds are an important source of finance for small businesses and low-income households in India, there has been a general exodus of low value chit schemes from the registered chit fund market. This is mainly because registered chit funds find it less lucrative to serve the poor due to the increased cost of operating such schemes imposed by the regulators. We find that the chit fund industry addresses the savings needs of people, is considered very safe and also offers loans at lower interest rates than moneylenders.
Barriers to and Facilitators of Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among People Living With HIV in Lao PDR
Authors: Portelli Monique S. , Tenni Brigitte , Kounnavong Sengchanh , Chanthivilay Phetsavanh
Published: April 2012

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is essential to its effectiveness and avoidance of the development of drug-resistant HIV strains. Many studies have been undertaken on factors affecting adherence to ART; however, there is little information about Laos. Hence, this qualitative study examines barriers to and facilitators of adherence specific to this context. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were undertaken with 43 people living with HIV (PLHIV) currently on ART across 2 hospitals in Laos: Setthathirath hospital in the capital Vientiane and Savannakhet Province hospital. Interviews were based on semistructured question guides and were undertaken in Lao, translated into English and audio-recorded for later analysis. Major barriers to adherence reported by participants included transport costs, distance to the hospital, and stigma and discrimination. Key facilitators discussed were the perceived benefits of medication, social support, and the acceptance of HIV status
Evaluation of Group Visits for Chinese Hypertensives Based on Primary Health Care Center
Authors: Junling Gao , Yang Li , Junming Dai , Pinpin Zheng , Hua Fu
Published: April 2012

Background. Hypertension is becoming a main health problem worldwide, but there is little evidence as to how care for hypertensive patients should be organized and delivered in the community to help improve blood pressure control. Group visit (GV) as a new care-delivering model has been shown to be less costly and have quality that is equal to or of better quality than usual care. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of GVs for Chinese hypertensive patients compared with usual care. Methods. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted, and a total of 1024 patients participated in the study. The patients in the GV groups received health care services in group format. The outcomes on blood pressure, treatment compliance, and self-efficacy were measured at baseline and at 6 months follow-up. Results. The average diastolic blood pressure decrease in the GV groups (1.5 mm Hg) was more than that in the control groups (0.4 mm Hg) significantly. In the GV groups, compliance with medicine, physical activities, and diet increased to 14.7%, 9.7%, and 10.1%, respectively, which is more significant than that in the control groups (2.0%, 1.6%, and 8.0%); self-reported health and self-efficacy also improved significantly. Conclusion. The results suggest that the GV model is an acceptable and effective model for managing Chinese hypertensive patients in primary health care centers, and it could be a complement to the traditional individual office visit.
Does Functional Disability Mediate the Pain–Depression Relationship in Older Adults With Osteoarthritis? A Longitudinal Study in China
Authors: Wang Qian , Jayasuriya Rohan , Man Wing Young Nicola , Fu Hua
Published: April 2012

Older adults with osteoarthritis have been found to be impaired in physical functioning and report higher levels of depression. This study examined the relationships between pain, functional disability, and depression to test the activity restriction model in a cohort of 176 older adults in China. This model states that disability is a mediator for the relationship between pain and depression. Other investigators have found that pain and disability were two independent correlates of depression. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, the authors found that disability is a mediator, using commonly accepted methods (indirect effect 44%, Sobel Z = 4.07, P < .001; 41%, Sobel Z = 3.45, P < .001, respectively). However, this mediation effect was not seen when the outcome was residualized with the baseline value. When the baseline level of depression is residualized, the effect size of the relationship is reduced, requiring larger sample size to test its effect.
The Effects of Cultural Values on Mental Health Among the Taiwanese People
Authors: Chu Li-Chuan
Published: April 2012

Empirical evidence has demonstrated that an individual’s cultural values can influence his or her mental health. This study extends previous research by proposing and testing a model that examines mediating processes underlying the relationship between individuals’ cultural values and their mental health. This 2-stage study used data collected from 208 (at time 1) and 159 (at time 2) full-time staff employed by private enterprises in Taiwan. The author tested hypotheses through the use of hierarchical multiple regression. The results showed that under horizontal individualism and vertical collectivism, the predictors of negative mental health (ie, somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and/or severe depression) were partially and almost completely achieved through the mediating effect of the negative attitudes toward emotional expression.
Comparison of Medical Expenditure According to Types of Hospice Care in Patients With Terminal Cancer
Authors: Lim Taekyu , Nam Seung-Hyun , Kim Mi Sun , Yoon Kyung Sook , Kim Bong-Seog
Published: April 2012

Background:

Hospice care is perceived as enhancing life quality for patients with advanced, incurable illness, but cost comparisons to nonhospice patients are difficult to make. Several studies demonstrated that palliative hospice care reduced medical expenditure in terminally ill patients compared with that of nonhospice care.

Methods:

Patients with terminal cancer who were registered in Hospice Care Program (HCP) by the written consent and died during same admission period in Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea, between January 2009 and December 2009 were included. We compared medical expenditure according to the ward type (hospice ward and general ward) in patients who received palliative hospice care in Seoul Veterans Hospital, Korea.

Results:

The daily total average expenditure for each inpatient was ₩193 930 and ₩266 161 in the hospice and general ward, respectively ( P = .001). Daily expenditure of parenteral nutrition and laboratory blood tests/X-ray was also significantly lower in hospice ward compared with general ward ( P = .002 and P = .006), respectively; 12 (17%) of 72 patients had been admitted in the intensive care unit during hospice care period in general ward ( P = .014); 1 (3%) of 32 patients received blood products in hospice ward, but 13 (18%) patients received blood products in general ward during palliative hospice care ( P = .039).

Conclusion:

Hospice ward type in palliative hospice therapy may contribute to reduce economic medical costs as well as to more specific total care for terminally ill patients with cancer.
Toughening behavior of unidirectional fiber reinforced composites containing a crack-like flaw: Matrix crack without fiber break
Authors: Yanase K , Ju JW
Published: April 2012

The Mode-I stress intensity factors of unidirectional fiber reinforced composites are studied based on the framework of linear elastic fracture mechanics. As one of the dominant damage mechanisms, a matrix crack in the absence of fiber break is considered here. The bridging of crack faces is assumed a principal toughening mechanism in the unidirectional fibrous composites. Based on a frictional shear–slip relationship, the effect of fiber-bridging mechanism is reflected as the toughening mechanism of unidirectional fibrous composites. On computational scheme, Newton’s method is adopted to solve the governing simultaneous equations for the fiber-bridging stresses and the crack mouth opening displacements. By making use of the proposed computational framework, a series of parametric studies is carried out to examine the effects of key material parameters upon the toughening of fibrous composites in a systematic manner.
Examining the Link Between Being a Victim of Bullying and Delinquency Trajectories Among an African American Sample
Authors: Higgins George E. , Khey David N. , Dawson-Edwards B. Cherie , Marcum Catherine D.
Published: April 2012

The purpose of the present study is to provide an analysis of the link between being a victim of bullying and delinquency trajectories. Using a sample of African Americans ( n = 725), the results show that three distinct trajectory groups of delinquency are present in the data (low desisting, desisting, and high changing). Further, the results indicate that being a victim of bullying is relevant in distinguishing between these three delinquency groups net other controls (i.e., being male, marijuana use, gang membership, and poor parental support). These results are discussed in theoretical contexts.
‘You Became Someone’ Social Hierarchies in Girls’ Communities at Riding Stables
Authors: Ojanen Karoliina
Published: April 2012

The riding stable has become an important social sphere for girls in the Nordic countries. In this article I concentrate on the hierarchy and the use of social power in girls’ communities at Finnish horseback riding stables. I also contemplate how horses and taking care of them are intertwined in girls’ social practices. I illustrate how they affect the construction of girl’s agency and the communal agency as a whole and the positions that girls hold and produce in the hierarchy. This article discusses in which different ways girls construct their intimate hierarchies in these unique communities.
The Experience of Being Stopped: Young Immigrants, Social Exclusion and Strategies
Authors: Herz Marcus , Johansson Thomas
Published: April 2012

The purpose of the present article was to investigate social psychological processes leading to complex patterns of inclusion and exclusion. Following Sarah Ahmed’s theory of the phenomenology of ‘being stopped’, we explored young adults’ experiences of coming to or living in Sweden. The empirical material used consists of four strategically selected case studies. Living in the new Europe can be described as an experience of having to constantly deal with patterns of exclusion/inclusion. These patterns of exclusion/inclusion vary over time. They create new social bonds, strategies used to cope with prejudices and discrimination, and new identities. The four cases illustrated more or less successful attempts to deal with exclusion. Discrimination and the feeling of being different clearly affected young people’s self-esteem and life plans. Lack of integration is not only related to ethnicity and language, but also to connectedness to social and institutional structures.
Down and out at the British Library and other dens of co-production
Authors: Orr Kevin , Bennett Mike
Published: April 2012

As part of a searching for scholarly relevance, there is growing interest in how academics and practitioners might work together to produce knowledge. We offer reflections on our experiences as an academic and a practitioner co-creating a research project about leadership in UK public sector organizations. Using an autoethnographic approach we explore how we have engaged in becoming co-researchers, interactive processes which entail a multiplicity of identities and struggles with organizational and professional pressures. We suggest a way of thinking about academic-practitioner research interactions which emphasizes that, rather than forming a communion accomplished in a space beyond politics, they remain as situated and unsettling interactions. Our contribution is to offer a counterpoint to accounts of co-production which present collaborative research as a process of fusion; instead we portray it as involving relations between protagonists which are mutually constituting and uplifting but also at times disturbing and debilitating.
Credibility and the ‘professionalized’ lay expert: Reflections on the dilemmas and opportunities of public involvement in health research
Authors: Thompson Jill , Bissell Paul , Cooper Cindy , Armitage Chris J , Barber Rosemary
Published: April 2012

Contemporary health policy in England places increasing emphasis on patient and public involvement (PPI) in health and health research. With regard to the latter, it has been suggested that PPI brings ‘different’ perspectives to research decision-making spaces, based on what has been referred to as ‘experiential expertise’. This article presents findings from a qualitative study of PPI in cancer research settings in England. We argue that participants highlighted specific forms of expertise in their accounts about involvement, above and beyond experiential expertise, which they felt legitimated their claims to be credible participants within cancer research settings. We report here on the various strategies by which participants sought to accomplish this and highlight, in particular, a concomitant process of ‘professionalization’ of some within our group of participants. We discuss the significance of these findings in the context of recent debates around the status of experiential expertise.
Weber’s interpretive project and the practical failure of meaningful action
Authors: Klimova Sveta
Published: April 2012

The practical failure to understand in conflicts, where participants routinely challenge each other’s attribution of meaning, undermines the key assumption of the Weberian interpretive project: that the subject acts meaningfully. This article revisits Weber’s concept of meaning as an object of understanding for a social scientist. Ascertaining the empirical fact of subjective attribution, as Weber advised, may not be sufficient when it comes to understanding action whose meaning is disputed. The article uses the example of E.P. Thompson’s interpretation of eighteenth-century English food riots to show that the disputed empirical meaning is a product of rational understanding, which Weber would classify as dogmatic meaning. The social scientist fails to understand what the critic claims to: a failure to act meaningfully in cultural terms. Furthermore, because the subject acts meaningfully without fail, we close off the option of explaining conflict as a rational disagreement.
Predictors of and survival after incident stroke in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Secrest Aaron M , Prince Catherine T , Costacou Tina , Miller Rachel G , Orchard Trevor J
Published: April 2012

Few studies have examined stroke risk in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Stroke incidence, predictors, and survival were thus explored in this study. Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDC) Study participants ( n = 658) with childhood-onset T1DM were followed biennially for 18 years. Baseline (1986–1988) mean age and diabetes duration were 28 and 19 years respectively. Stroke incidence and type was determined via survey or physician interview and, when possible, confirmed with medical or autopsy records. During follow-up, 31 (4.7%) strokes occurred (21 ischaemic, 8 haemorrhagic, 2 unclassified) in participants of mean age = 40.2 years (range 23–60). In exploratory multivariable Cox modelling, diabetes duration, systolic blood pressure (SBP), non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDLc), white blood cells (WBC), and pulse significantly predicted ischaemic stroke. Adding overt nephropathy (ON) (hazard ratio = 4.4, 95% CI, 1.5–12.4) to the model replaced SBP. Participant survival after stroke was 80.6%, 45.2%, and 9.6% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively, and significantly worse after haemorrhagic stroke ( p = 0.03). These risk factors merit careful evaluation and management to prevent stroke in T1DM, which occurs at least 20 years earlier than in the general population.
Pride Badly Shattered
Authors: Snyder Catherine
Published: April 2012

This qualitative case study focuses on the transition made by three career-changing women moving from science and engineering fields into secondary teaching. The findings indicate that all three women exhibited unexpected levels of fear, anxiety, and shame in response to new learning. Supported by the literature on adult learning and transformative learning, the findings reveal that the participants underwent perspective transformations in their thinking about themselves as professionals and their philosophy of teaching. The study concludes with recommendations for support in order to increase the likelihood that this valuable professional cohort reaches their goal of becoming teachers.
A Case Study of a New High School Principal
Authors: Cortez Maria Teresa , Sorenson Richard D. , Coronado Dino
Published: April 2012

This case study provides a contemporary look at a first year rural high school principal who is on the frontlines of the U.S./Mexico border struggles. Having taken over an underperforming school, this principal – in one year – moved the school accountability rating to Recognized status and is now focusing on the highest or Exemplary status for the forthcoming school year.
Leadership, the Logic of Sufficiency and the Sustainability of Education
Authors: Bottery Mike
Published: April 2012

The notion of sufficiency has not yet entered mainstream educational thinking, and it still has to make its mark upon educational leadership. However, a number of related concepts – particularly those of sustainability and complexity theory – are beginning to be noticed. This article examines these two concepts and uses them to critique the quasi-economic notion of efficiency, before arguing that the concept of sufficiency arises naturally from this discussion. This concept, originally derived from environmental thinking, has both metaphorical and practical impact for educational organizations and their leadership. An examination of three possible meanings suggests that while an embrace of an imperative concept of sufficiency seems increasingly necessary, its adoption would probably lead to a number of other problems, as it challenges some fundamental societal values and assumptions. Nevertheless, the article argues that these need to be addressed for the sake of both sustainable leadership and a sustainable planet.
The Necessity for Collegiality: Power, Authority and Influence in the Middle
Authors: Jarvis Adrian
Published: April 2012

Collegiality is often advocated as the best way in which to run a successful school subject department. This article explores this proposition in the light of power relationships within hierarchical organizations. Rather than viewing collegiality merely as a management model, it looks at the power relationships which condition the working lives of subject leaders to pose the question, is collegiality a deliberate strategy by, or an unavoidable necessity for, subject leaders? Fieldwork is considered in reaching the conclusion that collegiality can be seen not as a philosophical choice but as a straitjacket imposed by the severely circumscribed power resources of the subject leader.
Role of human TLR4 in respiratory syncytial virus-induced NF-κB activation, viral entry and replication
Authors: Marr Nico , Turvey Stuart E
Published: April 2012

TLRs play a key role in innate immune defenses. It was previously reported that purified respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion protein elicits an inflammatory response in hematopoietic cells, which required expression of TLR4 and its co-receptor CD14. However, a biological role of TLR4 in immunity to RSV, as initially proposed, has remained inconclusive and controversial. Here, we directly assess the role of human TLR4 and its co-receptors in NF-κB activation, viral entry and replication using intact virions rather than purified RSV components. We used HEK 293 reporter cells that are highly permissive for RSV and that either express or a lack a functional human TLR4/MD-2/CD14 complex. We demonstrate that RSV-mediated NF-κB activation, viral entry and replication are independent of the expression of a functional human TLR4/MD-2/CD14 complex and that, in turn, human TLR4 activation by LPS remains unaffected in RSV-infected cells. Thus, although isolated viral compounds such as purified RSV F protein may bind TLR4 and/or CD14, a direct interaction between intact RSV particles and the human TLR4 receptor complex does not seem to play a biological role in RSV pathogenesis.
Lipopolysaccharide binding protein inhibitory peptide alters hepatic inflammatory response post-hemorrhagic shock
Authors: Cotroneo Tara M , Nemzek-Hamlin Jean A , Bayliss Jill , Su Grace L
Published: April 2012

Translocation of microorganisms and endotoxin (LPS) across the gastrointestinal mucosa may exacerbate the inflammatory response and potentiate hepatic injury associated with hemorrhagic shock. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) augments LPS signaling through TLR4. In addition, evidence suggests that TLR4-mediated injury in liver ischemia/reperfusion occurs through the IRF-3/MyD88 independent pathway. We hypothesized that administration of LBP inhibiting peptide, LBPK95A, given at the time of resuscitation would reduce liver inflammation and injury in a murine model of hemorrhagic shock by limiting LPS-induced activation of the MyD88 independent pathway. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in male, C57BL/6 mice; a mean arterial blood pressure of 35 mmHg was maintained for 2.5 h. LBPK95A peptide or equal volume Lactated Ringer’s solution was administered followed by fluid resuscitation. Mice were sacrificed at 2 and 6 h post-resuscitation. At 2 h, liver mRNA levels revealed a significant reduction in IFN-β, a cytokine produced via the MyD88 independent pathway, with LBPK95A treatment. However, mRNA levels of TNF-α, a cytokine associated with the MyD88 dependent pathway, were unaffected by treatment. The LBP inhibitory peptide did selectively reduce activation of TLR4 signaling via the IRF-3/MyD88 independent pathway. These results suggest that LBP promotes cytokine production through the MyD88 independent pathway during hemorrhagic shock.
The Effects of Exercise on Decreasing Pain and Increasing Function in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Authors: Frye Jamie L. , Ramey Lindsay N. , Hart Joseph M.
Published: April 2012

Context: Exercise or rest is commonly prescribed as treatment for patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Study Selection: This study is based on Level I or II research studies examining the effects of exercise and rest on decreasing pain (visual analog scale) and increasing function (Kujala Scoring Questionnaire) using human participants. Articles were limited to those printed in English from PubMed (1966–September 2010), CINAHL (1982–September 2010), and SPORTDiscus (1972–September 2010).

Data Extraction: Weighted aggregate effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were calculated from means and standard deviations extracted from 10 studies, resulting in an analysis of 433 patients.

Results: A very large effect for exercise was found for patient-reported functional outcomes ( d = 2.19) and perceived pain ( d = −1.24) in treated patients, which were larger than functional outcomes ( d = 0.77) and pain ( d = −0.14) in controls. Short-term follow-up of 191 patients from 4 data sets in 2 studies revealed a large effect for functional outcomes ( d = 1.04) and pain ( d = −0.82) in patients who performed an exercise intervention. One study reported moderate effect sizes for functional outcomes ( d = 0.59) and pain ( d = −0.35) at 3 months postintervention.

Conclusions: Exercise is the more effective treatment for immediate decrease in pain and increase in function although these differences appear to be less distinguishable over time.
Olanzapine long-acting injection: insights from an early case series in the UK
Authors: McGlennon Deirdre , Bushe Chris J
Published: April 2012

Objective:

Olanzapine long-acting injection depot (OLAI) has been licensed in the UK since 2008. As a result of the recognition during clinical trials that in 0.07% of injections there may be inadvertent intravenous administration leading to post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome (PDSS), the licence mandates a 3 h observation after each injection and accompaniment of the patient to their final destination. The administration of OLAI may thus necessitate organization of local service provisions. We report on how a single healthcare facility in Northern Ireland has treated three initial patients and present a brief case series on these patients and their clinical outcomes.

Methods:

In the first three patients with schizophrenia to receive OLAI, the clinical notes were retrospectively examined to provide clinical data.

Results:

All three patients had acceptable clinical outcomes showing sustained clinical improvement and have continued on OLAI for over 1 year. Observation has been undertaken within an existing daycare unit staffed by nursing staff and occupational therapists for 3 h after each injection. No issues have emerged from the use of this service that has also provided educational and psycho-educational programmes for the patients. No cases of post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome were reported. There have been no additional cost implications.

Conclusions:

In patients for whom OLAI may be clinically indicated, the utilization of an existing service to provide the 3 h of observation after each injection may represent a solution with a cost-neutral outcome.
Managing Workplace Diversity
Authors: Patrick Harold Andrew , Kumar Vincent Raj
Published: April 2012

Diversity management is a process intended to create and maintain a positive work environment where the similarities and differences of individuals are valued. The literature on diversity management has mostly emphasized on organization culture; its impact on diversity openness; human resource management practices; institutional environments and organizational contexts to diversity-related pressures, expectations, requirements, and incentives; perceived practices and organizational outcomes related to managing employee diversity; and several other issues. The current study examines the potential barriers to workplace diversity and suggests strategies to enhance workplace diversity and inclusiveness. It is based on a survey of 300 IT employees. The study concludes that successfully managing diversity can lead to more committed, better satisfied, better performing employees and potentially better financial performance for an organization.
Absolutist Democracy, Homo Sacer and the Resistance of Bare Life
Authors: Purakayastha Anindya Sekhar , Das Saswat Samay
Published: April 2012

The pathologies or aberrations of democracy demand critical analysis and the growing incidents of human rights violation and the repressive mechanisms of statecraft/marketocracy in the name of democracy call for a radical reformulation of existing democratic paradigms. Democracy in its existing avatar is flawed and it needs some restructuring or philosophic radicalisation. Continental thinkers such as Jurgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida have betrayed similar concerns about the current oppressive trends in democracy. In the post-9/11 world, Derrida had talked about the Democratie a venir or the coordinates of future democracy-to-come and the Habermasian praxis of deliberative democracy also envisions an ideal emancipatory discourse of enlightened public sphere and participatory democracy which is empowering and averse to the mechanisms of neo-capital. This article argues that Arundhati Roy’s angst against the comprador nature of Indian democracy has theoretical and philosophic support from the contemporary continental ethico-political philosophy of later Derrida and Giorgio Agamben. Agamben’s notion of Homo Sacer and Bare Life and Derrida’s outcry against autoimmunity and absolutist totalitarian democracy are similar to Roy’s concern about the ‘demon-crazy’.
The differential production of cytokines by human Langerhans cells and dermal CD14+ DCs controls CTL priming
Authors: Banchereau Jacques , Thompson-Snipes LuAnn , Zurawski Sandra , Blanck Jean-Philippe , Cao Yanying , Clayton Sandra , Gorvel Jean-Pierre , Zurawski Gerard , Klechevsky Eynav
Published: April 2012

We recently reported that human epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) are more efficient than dermal CD14+ DCs at priming naive CD8+ T cells into potent CTLs. We hypothesized that distinctive dendritic cell (DC) cytokine expression profiles (ie, IL-15 produced by LCs and IL-10 expressed by dermal CD14+ DCs) might explain the observed functional difference. Blocking IL-15 during CD8+ T-cell priming reduced T-cell proliferation by ∼ 50%. These IL-15–deprived CD8+ T cells did not acquire the phenotype of effector memory cells. They secreted less IL-2 and IFN-γ and expressed only low amounts of CD107a, granzymes and perforin, and reduced levels of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. Confocal microscopy analysis showed that IL-15 is localized at the immunologic synapse of LCs and naive CD8+ T cells. Conversely, blocking IL-10 during cocultures of dermal CD14+ DCs and naive CD8+ T cells enhanced the generation of effector CTLs, whereas addition of IL-10 to cultures of LCs and naive CD8+ T cells inhibited their induction. TGF-β1 that is transcribed by dermal CD14+ DCs further enhanced the inhibitory effect of IL-10. Thus, the respective production of IL-15 and IL-10 explains the contrasting effects of LCs and dermal CD14+ DCs on CD8+ T-cell priming.
The superiority of haploidentical related stem cell transplantation over chemotherapy alone as postremission treatment for patients with intermediate- or high-risk acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission
Authors: Huang Xiao-Jun , Zhu Hong-Hu , Chang Ying-Jun , Xu Lan-Ping , Liu Dai-Hong , Zhang Xiao-Hui , Jiang Bin , Jiang Qian , Jiang Hao , Chen Yu-Hong , Chen Huan , Han Wei , Liu Kai-Yan , Wang Yu
Published: April 2012

We report the results of a prospective, patient self-selected study evaluating whether haploidentical related donor stem cell transplantation (HRD-HSCT) is superior to chemotherapy alone as postremission treatment for patients with intermediate- or high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1). Among totally 419 newly diagnosed AML patients, 132 patients with intermediate- and high-risk cytogenetics achieved CR1 and received chemotherapy alone (n = 74) or HSCT (n = 58) as postremission treatment. The cumulative incidence of relapse at 4 years was 37.5% ± 4.5%. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) at 4 years were 64.5% ± 5.1% and 55.6% ± 5.0%, respectively. The cumulative incident of relapse for the HRD-HSCT group was significantly lower than that for the chemotherapy-alone group (12.0% ± 4.6% vs 57.8% ± 6.2%, respectively; P < .0001). HRD-HSCT resulted in superior survival compared with chemotherapy alone (4-year DFS, 73.1% ± 7.1% vs 44.2% ± 6.2%, respectively; P < .0001; 4-year OS, 77.5% ± 7.1% vs 54.7% ± 6.3%, respectively; P = .001). Multivariate analysis revealed postremission treatment (HRD-HSCT vs chemotherapy) and high WBC counts at diagnosis as independent risk factors affecting relapse, DFS, and OS. Our results suggest that HRD-HSCT is superior to chemotherapy alone as postremission treatment for AML.
Properties of mouse and human IgG receptors and their contribution to disease models
Authors: Bruhns Pierre
Published: April 2012

Impressive advances in defining the properties of receptors for the Fc portion of immunoglobulins (FcR) have been made over the past several years. Ligand specificities were systematically analyzed for both human and mouse FcRs that revealed novel receptors for specific IgG subclasses. Expression patterns were redefined using novel specific anti-FcR mAbs that revealed major differences between human and mouse systems. The in vivo roles of IgG receptors have been addressed using specific FcR knockout mice or in mice expressing a single FcR, and have demonstrated a predominant contribution of mouse activating IgG receptors FcγRIII and FcγRIV to models of autoimmunity (eg, arthritis) and allergy (eg, anaphylaxis). Novel blocking mAbs specific for these activating IgG receptors have enabled, for the first time, the investigation of their roles in vivo in wild-type mice. In parallel, the in vivo properties of human FcRs have been reported using transgenic mice and models of inflammatory and allergic reactions, in particular those of human activating IgG receptor FcγRIIA (CD32A). Importantly, these studies led to the identification of specific cell populations responsible for the induction of various inflammatory diseases and have revealed, in particular, the unexpected contribution of neutrophils and monocytes to the induction of anaphylactic shock.
CD1d expression on and regulation of murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Broxmeyer Hal E. , Christopherson Kent , Hangoc Giao , Cooper Scott , Mantel Charlie , Renukaradhya Gourapura J. , Brutkiewicz Randy R.
Published: April 2012

In the present study, surface CD1d, which is involved in immune cell interactions, was assessed for effects on hematopoiesis. Mouse BM hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) express CD1d. The numbers and cycling status of HPCs in the BM and spleen of different strains of cd1d−/− mice were enhanced significantly, suggesting that CD1d is a negative regulator of HPCs. In support of this, CD1d was required for the SCF and Flt3 ligand synergistic enhancement of CSF induction of HPC colony formation and for HPC response to myelosuppressive chemokines. Colony formation by immature subsets of HPCs was greatly enhanced when normal, but not cd1d−/−, BM cells were pretreated with CD1d Abs in vitro. These effects required the full CD1d cytoplasmic tail. In contrast, long-term, but not short-term, repopulating HSC engraftment was impaired significantly, an effect that was minimally influenced by the presence of a truncated CD1d cytoplasmic tail. Pretreatment of normal BM cells with CD1d Abs greatly enhanced their engraftment of HSCs. The results of the present study implicate CD1d in a previously unrecognized regulatory role of normal and stressed hematopoiesis.
Hepatitis B and C prevalence among the high risk groups of Pakistani population. A cross sectional study
Authors: Memon Abdul Rauf , Shafique Kashif , Memon Ashraf , Draz Agha Umer , Rauf Mohammad Uzair Abdul , Afsar Salahuddin
Published: April 2012

Background

Hepatitis B and C cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Little is known about the existence of hepatitis B and C among high risk groups of the Pakistani population. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in high risk groups, their comparison and the possible mode of acquisition by obtaining the history of exposure to known risk factors.

Methods

This cross sectional study was carried out in Karachi, from January 2007 to June 2008.

HBsAg and Anti HCV screening was carried out in blood samples collected from four vulnerable or at risk groups which included injecting drug users (IDUs), prisoners, security personnel and health care workers (HCWs). Demographic information was recorded and the possible mode of acquisition was assessed by detailed interview. Logistic regression analysis was conducted using the STATA software.

Results

We screened 4202 subjects, of these, 681 individuals were reactive either with hepatitis B or C. One hundred and thirty three (3.17%) were hepatitis B reactive and 548 (13.0%) were diagnosed with hepatitis C. After adjusting for age, security personnel, prisoners and IV drug users were 5, 3 and 6 times more likely to be hepatitis B reactive respectively as compared to the health care workers. IDUs were 46 times more likely to be hepatitis C positive compared with health care workers.

Conclusion

The prevalence of hepatitis B and C was considerably higher in IDUs, prisoners and security personnel compared to HCWs group. Hepatitis C is more prevalent than hepatitis B in all these risk groups. Prevalence of hepatitis C increased with the increase in age. Use of unsterilized syringes, used syringes, body piercing and illicit sexual relations were found to be important associated risk factors for higher prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in these groups.
MicroRNA modulate alveolar epithelial response to cyclic stretch
Authors: Yehya Nadir , Yerrapureddy Adi , Tobias John , Margulies Susan S
Published: April 2012

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression implicated in multiple cellular processes. Cyclic stretch of alveoli is characteristic of mechanical ventilation, and is postulated to be partly responsible for the lung injury and inflammation in ventilator-induced lung injury. We propose that miRNAs may regulate some of the stretch response, and therefore hypothesized that miRNAs would be differentially expressed between cyclically stretched and unstretched rat alveolar epithelial cells (RAECs).

Results

RAECs were isolated and cultured to express type I epithelial characteristics. They were then equibiaxially stretched to 25% change in surface area at 15 cycles/minute for 1 hour or 6 hours, or served as unstretched controls, and miRNAs were extracted. Expression profiling of the miRNAs with at least 1.5-fold change over controls revealed 42 miRNAs were regulated (34 up and 8 down) with stretch. We validated 6 of the miRNAs using real-time PCR. Using a parallel mRNA array under identical conditions and publicly available databases, target genes for these 42 differentially regulated miRNAs were identified. Many of these genes had significant up- or down-regulation under the same stretch conditions. There were 362 down-regulated genes associated with up-regulated miRNAs, and 101 up-regulated genes associated with down-regulated miRNAs. Specific inhibition of two selected miRNAs demonstrated a reduction of the increased epithelial permeability seen with cyclic stretch.

Conclusions

We conclude that miRNA expression is differentially expressed between cyclically stretched and unstretched alveolar epithelial cells, and may offer opportunities for therapeutic intervention to ameliorate stretch-associated alveolar epithelial cell dysfunction.
Setting up a platform for plant-based influenza virus vaccine production in South Africa
Authors: Mortimer Elizabeth , Maclean James M , Mbewana Sandiswa , Buys Amelia , Williamson Anna-Lise , Hitzeroth Inga I , Rybicki Edward P
Published: April 2012

Background

During a global influenza pandemic, the vaccine requirements of developing countries can surpass their supply capabilities, if these exist at all, compelling them to rely on developed countries for stocks that may not be available in time. There is thus a need for developing countries in general to produce their own pandemic and possibly seasonal influenza vaccines. Here we describe the development of a plant-based platform for producing influenza vaccines locally, in South Africa. Plant-produced influenza vaccine candidates are quicker to develop and potentially cheaper than egg-produced influenza vaccines, and their production can be rapidly upscaled. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of producing a vaccine to the highly pathogenic avian influenza A subtype H5N1 virus, the most generally virulent influenza virus identified to date. Two variants of the haemagglutinin (HA) surface glycoprotein gene were synthesised for optimum expression in plants: these were the full-length HA gene (H5) and a truncated form lacking the transmembrane domain (H5tr). The genes were cloned into a panel of Agrobacterium tumefaciens binary plant expression vectors in order to test HA accumulation in different cell compartments. The constructs were transiently expressed in tobacco by means of agroinfiltration. Stable transgenic tobacco plants were also generated to provide seed for stable storage of the material as a pre-pandemic strategy.

Results

For both transient and transgenic expression systems the highest accumulation of full-length H5 protein occurred in the apoplastic spaces, while the highest accumulation of H5tr was in the endoplasmic reticulum. The H5 proteins were produced at relatively high concentrations in both systems. Following partial purification, haemagglutination and haemagglutination inhibition tests indicated that the conformation of the plant-produced HA variants was correct and the proteins were functional. The immunisation of chickens and mice with the candidate vaccines elicited HA-specific antibody responses.

Conclusions

We managed, after synthesis of two versions of a single gene, to produce by transient and transgenic expression in plants, two variants of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus HA protein which could have vaccine potential. This is a proof of principle of the potential of plant-produced influenza vaccines as a feasible pandemic response strategy for South Africa and other developing countries.
Anti-atherosclerotic function of Astragali Radix extract: downregulation of adhesion molecules in vitro and in vivo
Authors: You Yang , Duan Yan , Liu Shao-wei , Zhang Xiao-lin , Zhang Xiu-li , Feng Jia-tao , Yan Cheng-hui , Han Ya-ling
Published: April 2012

Background

Atherosclerosis is considered to be a chronic inflammatory disease. Astragali Radix extract (ARE) is one of the major active ingredients extracted from the root ofAstragalus membranaceusBge. Although ARE has an anti-inflammatory function, its anti-atherosclerotic effects and mechanisms have not yet been elucidated.

Methods

Murine endothelial SVEC4-10 cells were pretreated with different doses of ARE at different times prior to induction with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Cell adhesion assays were performed using THP-1 cells and assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses to detect the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), phosphorylated inhibitor of κB (p-iκB) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB. We also examined the effect of ARE on atherosclerosis in the aortic endothelium of apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE−/−) mice.

Results

TNF-α strongly increased the expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 accompanied by increased expression of p-iκB and NF-κB proteins. However, the expression levels of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were reduced by ARE in dose- and time-dependent manners, with the strongest effect at a dose of 120 μg/ml incubated for 4 h. This was accompanied by significantly decreased expression of p-iκB and inhibited activation of NF-κB. Immunofluorescence analysis also revealed that oral administration of ARE resulted in downregulation of adhesion molecules and decreased expression of macrophages in the aortic endothelium of apoE−/−mice. ARE could suppress the inflammatory reaction and inhibit the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in apoE−/−mice.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that ARE might be an effective anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of atherosclerosis, possibly acting via the decreased expression of adhesion molecules.
Thai ethnomedicinal plants as resistant modifying agents for combating Acinetobacter baumannii infections
Authors: Phatthalung Pinanong Na , Chusri Sasitorn , Voravuthikunchai Supayang P
Published: April 2012

Abstracts

Background

Acinetobacter baumannii is well-recognized as an important nosocomial pathogen, however, due to their intrinsic resistance to several antibiotics, treatment options are limited. Synergistic effects between antibiotics and medicinal plants, particularly their active components, have intensively been studied as alternative approaches.

Methods

Fifty-one ethanol extracts obtained from 44 different selected medicinal plant species were tested for resistance modifying agents (RMAs) of novobiocin against A. baumannii using growth inhibition assay.

Results

At 250 μg/ml, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Punica granatum, Quisqualis indica, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, and Terminalia sp. that possessed low intrinsic antibacterial activity significantly enhanced the activity of novobiocin at 1 μg/ml (1/8xminimum inhibitory concentration) against this pathogen. Holarrhena antidysenterica at 7.8 μg/ml demonstrated remarkable resistant modifying ability against A. baumannii in combination with novobiocin. The phytochemical study revealed that constituents of this medicinal plant contain alkaloids, condensed tannins, and triterpenoids.

Conclusion

The use of Holarrhena antidysenterica in combination with novobiocin provides an effective alternative treatment for multidrug resistant A. baumannii infections.