bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological properties and expression strategy of rosellinia necatrix megabirnavirus 1 analysed in an experimental host, Cryphonectria parasitica
Authors: Salaipeth Lakha , Chiba Sotaro , Eusebio-Cope Ana , Kanematsu Satoko , Suzuki Nobuhiro
Published: November 2013

Rosellinia necatrix megabirnavirus 1 (RnMBV1) with a bipartite dsRNA genome (dsRNA1 and dsRNA2) confers hypovirulence to its natural host, the white root rot fungus, and is thus regarded as a potential virocontrol (biocontrol) agent. Each segment has two large ORFs: ORF1 and partially overlapping ORF2 on dsRNA1 encode the major capsid protein (CP) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), whilst ORF3 and ORF4 on dsRNA2 encode polypeptides with unknown functions. Here, we report the biological and molecular characterization of this virus in the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, a filamentous fungus that has been used as a model for mycovirus research. Transfection with purified RnMBV1 particles into an RNA-silencing-defective strain (Δdcl-2) of C. parasitica and subsequent anastomosis with the WT strain (EP155) resulted in stable persistent infection in both host strains. However, accumulation levels in the two strains were different, being ~20-fold higher in Δdcl-2 than in EP155. Intriguingly, whilst RnMBV1 reduced both virulence and growth rate in Δdcl-2, it attenuated virulence without affecting significantly other traits in EP155. Western blot analysis using antiserum against recombinant proteins encoded by either ORF1 or ORF2 demonstrated the presence of a 250 kDa protein in purified virion preparations, suggesting that RdRp is expressed as a CP fusion product via a −1 frameshift. Antiserum against the ORF3-encoded protein allowed the detection of 150, 30 and 23 kDa polypeptides specifically in RnMBV1-infected mycelia. Some properties of an RnMBV1 mutant with genome rearrangements, which occurred after transfection of Δdcl-2 and EP155, were also presented. This study provides an additional example of C. parasitica serving as a versatile, heterologous fungus for exploring virus–host interactions and virus gene expression strategies.
Optimal Dental Age Estimation Practice in United Arab Emirates’ Children
Authors: Altalie Salem , Thevissen Patrick , Fieuws Steffen , Willems Guy
Published: November 2013

The aim of the study was to detect whether the Willems model, developed on a Belgian reference sample, can be used for age estimations in United Arab Emirates (UAE) children. Furthermore, it was verified that if added third molars development information in children provided more accurate age predictions. On 1900 panoramic radiographs, the development of left mandibular permanent teeth (PT) and third molars (TM) was registered according the Demirjian and the Kohler technique, respectively. The PT data were used to verify the Willems model and to develop a UAE model and to verify it. Multiple regression models with PT, TM, and PT + TM scores as independent and age as dependent factor were developed. Comparing the verified Willems‐ and the UAE model revealed differences in mean error of −0.01 year, mean absolute error of 0.01 year and root mean squared error of 0.90 year. Neglectable overall decrease in RMSE was detected combining PM and TM developmental information.
Climate Change and the Victim Slot: From Oil to Innocence
Authors: Hughes David McDermott
Published: November 2013

People change the climate. Ethnography, however, tends to look past these perpetrators and see only victims. In such accounts, parties vulnerable to climate change suffer, adapt, or do both. To varying degrees, their societies are resilient and may soon make themselves more so. These comparatively cheerful keywords overlook an entire moral field of responsibility, complicity, and culpability. High emitters of carbon dioxide bear the bulk of responsibility for the unfolding catastrophe. How do such people interpret and justify their actions? What ethics and mentalities with respect to the environment are high emitters, their firms, and their governments fabricating? In this article, I address these questions in the context of a society both complicit and vulnerable: the petrostate of Trinidad and Tobago. There, an overlapping set of environmental policymakers and environmentally minded industrialists consider Trinidad—including its oil industry—to be only vulnerable. Their “victim slot” relies on cultural constructions of insular geography, performances in diplomatic fora, and planning rubrics for hazards. In each instance, the slot allows Trinidadian institutions and corporations—including oil firms—to skirt accountability for carbon emissions. Nevertheless, some Trinidadian public figures are beginning to reconsider hydrocarbons in ways both painful and humane.
Storytelling, Language Shift, and Revitalization in a Transborder Community: “Tell It in Zapotec!”
Authors: Falconi Elizabeth
Published: November 2013

In this article, I examine storytelling practices in a Zapotec transborder community formed by migration between Oaxaca, Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. Amid dual patterns of language shift away from Zapotec toward Spanish among community youth living on both sides of the U.S.–Mexico border, there is a growing gap between storytelling ideologies that tightly link storytelling to Zapotec language use and the practices of storytellers, who increasingly use Spanish. As a discursive genre that is linked to processes of cultural reproduction, storytelling has particular significance for understanding language shift in this community. In this article, I demonstrate how speakers’ ideologies about how stories should be told are shaped by a widespread preoccupation with cultural continuity amid the transformations brought on by local migration practices. The varied responses to this transformation within the community, which range from acceptance to cultural revitalization activism, reflect distinct but overlapping ideologies of discursive authenticity as well as the role of traditional heritage language practices in contemporary social life.
The Politics of Pits and the Materiality of Mine Labor: Making Natural Resources in the American West
Authors: Rolston Jessica Smith
Published: November 2013

Though workers play a crucial role in the process of procuring natural resources, their role in the anthropology of mining and extraction has continually declined over the past two decades. This gap obscures major industry transformations and their implications for theorizing labor and corporate practice. Ethnographic research in active surface coal mines in the American West suggests that relationships between workers and companies are mediated not just through social institutions and corporate policies but also through the material qualities and histories of the resource itself.
Anxious Belongings: Anxiety and the Politics of Belonging in Subnationalist Darjeeling
Authors: Middleton Townsend
Published: November 2013

Across South Asia and beyond, the politics of belonging continue to breed alarming volatility and violence. The embodied, affective dimensions of these politics remain an imminent concern. In this article, I question how anxiety informs these reckonings of who belongs and who does not. Capable of galvanizing bodies and the greater body politic, anxieties over national belonging remain a powerful, but less understood, political force. In Darjeeling, India, anxieties over belonging—what I term “anxious belongings”—have fueled a particularly mercurial subnationalist politics, involving recurrent agitations for a separate state of Gorkhaland. Situated amid these interplays of anxiety, politics, and belonging, I identify anxious belonging as a collectively embodied phenomenon—at once historical, social, and pregnant with political possibility. As I show, these anxieties are deeply rooted in body and time. Today, they remain as unsettling as they are formative of a people and their politics. Thinking anthropologically about the origins and sociopolitical life of anxiety in Darjeeling, with this article I signal new ways of understanding—and perhaps anticipating—the volatilities that attend the politics of belonging worldwide. Anxious belonging accordingly comes into view as a dimension of and potential for markedly agitated forms of life and politics.
Incidence and Outcome of Pediatric Patients With Intracranial Hemorrhage While Supported on Ventricular Assist Devices
Authors: Niebler Robert A. , Lew Sean M. , Zangwill Steven D. , Woods Ronald K. , Mitchell Michael E. , Tweddell James S. , Ghanayem Nancy S.
Published: November 2013

Pediatric patients supported on ventricular assist devices (VADs) require systemic anticoagulation and are at risk for intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Little is known about the incidence or outcomes of pediatric patients with ICH while supported on a VAD. A retrospective chart review of all patients receiving VAD support was completed. Patients diagnosed with ICH while supported on a VAD were identified. Significant factors prior to diagnosis of ICH, medical/surgical treatment of ICH, and patient outcomes were assessed. Five of 30 (17%) patients supported on a VAD from January 2000 to November 2012 were diagnosed with an ICH. Four patients had an identified cerebral thromboembolic injury prior to the ICH. Four patients required interruption in their anticoagulation regimen due to other bleeding concerns prior to ICH. Neurosurgical intervention consisted of evacuation of hemorrhage in one, whereas two others required management of hydrocephalus with external ventricular drainage. Three of the five patients died on VAD support. Two deaths were directly related to ICH, whereas the third was unrelated. Two patients were successfully transplanted; one remains with a significant neurological impairment, and the other has recovered with minimal residual impairment following neurosurgical evacuation of a large subdural hematoma. ICH is a devastating complication of VAD support. Prior ischemic infarcts and interruptions to anticoagulation may put a patient at risk for ICH. Prompt neurosurgical evaluation/intervention can result in positive outcomes.
Major depressive disorder in hemodialysis patients in China
Authors: Hu Aimin , Xue Zhimin , Mwansisya Tumbwene E , Zhou An , Pu Weidan , Chen Xudong , Sun Meng , Wang Peng , Fan Hua , Wang Zheng , Ouyang Xuan , Liu Zhening , Rosenheck Robert
Published: November 2013

Introduction

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been regarded as the most common psychiatric disorder among hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, few studies have investigated MDD in HD patients in Mainland China. This study sought to investigate the prevalence and treatment of MDD, as well as the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in this population.

Methods

Two hundred sixty HD patients were screened with the nine‐item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the formal diagnosis of MDD was further assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Finally, patients meeting diagnostic criteria were compared with those who did not on demographic and clinical characteristics.

Results

Among the 260 subjects, 26.2% screened positively and 10% were confirmed to have a diagnosis of MDD. Among HD patients with MDD, 69.2% had severe or very severe depressive symptoms. There was no evidence of a clinical diagnosis or of treatment for MDD in any of the patients' medical records. Those with shorter duration of HD, lower monthly income, and lower levels of blood urea nitrogen were significantly more likely to have a diagnosis of MDD.

Discussion

MDD is frequent in HD patients. Regular screening and professional diagnosis should be undertaken to increase the detection and treatment of MDD in HD patients. The effectiveness of interventions for MDD in HD patients deserves further research.
Effects of vitamin D in skeletal muscle: falls, strength, athletic performance and insulin sensitivity
Authors: Girgis Christian M. , Clifton‐Bligh Roderick J. , Turner Nigel , Lau Sue Lynn , Gunton Jenny E.
Published: November 2013

Accompanying the high rates of vitamin D deficiency observed in many countries, there is increasing interest in the physiological functions of vitamin D. Vitamin D is recognized to exert extra‐skeletal actions in addition to its classic roles in bone and mineral homeostasis. Here, we review the evidence for vitamin D's actions in muscle on the basis of observational studies, clinical trials and basic research. Numerous observational studies link vitamin D deficiency with muscle weakness and sarcopaenia. Randomized trials predominantly support an effect of vitamin D supplementation and the prevention of falls in older or institutionalized patients. Studies have also examined the effect of vitamin D in athletic performance, both inferentially by UV radiation and directly by vitamin D supplementation. Effects of vitamin D in muscle metabolic function, specifically insulin sensitivity, are also addressed in this review. At a mechanistic level, animal studies have evaluated the roles of vitamin D and associated minerals, calcium and phosphate, in muscle function. In vitro studies have identified molecular pathways by which vitamin D regulates muscle cell signalling and gene expression. This review evaluates evidence for the various roles of vitamin D in skeletal muscle and discusses controversies that have made this a dynamic field of research.
Pellagra‐like condition is xeroderma pigmentosum/Cockayne syndrome complex and niacin confers clinical benefit
Authors: Hijazi H. , Salih M.A. , Hamad M.H.A. , Hassan H.H. , Salih S.B.M. , Mohamed K.A. , Mukhtar M.M. , Karrar Z.A. , Ansari S. , Ibrahim N. , Alkuraya F.S.
Published: November 2013

An extremely rare pellagra‐like condition has been described, which was partially responsive to niacin and associated with a multisystem involvement. The condition was proposed to represent a novel autosomal recessive entity but the underlying mutation remained unknown for almost three decades. The objective of this study was to identify the causal mutation in the pellagra‐like condition and investigate the mechanism by which niacin confers clinical benefit. Autozygosity mapping and exome sequencing were used to identify the causal mutation, and comet assay on patient fibroblasts before and after niacin treatment to assess its effect on DNA damage. We identified a single disease locus that harbors a novel mutation in ERCC5, thus confirming that the condition is in fact xeroderma pigmentosum/Cockayne syndrome (XP/CS) complex. Importantly, we also show that the previously described dermatological response to niacin is consistent with a dramatic protective effect against ultraviolet‐induced DNA damage in patient fibroblasts conferred by niacin treatment. Our findings show the power of exome sequencing in reassigning previously described novel clinical entities, and suggest a mechanism for the dermatological response to niacin in patients with XP/CS complex. This raises interesting possibilities about the potential therapeutic use of niacin in XP.
The portal vein‐variceal anastomosis: an important technique for establishing portal vein inflow
Authors: Alexopoulos Sophoclis P. , Thomas Elizabeth , Berry Emily , Whang Gilbert , Matsuoka Lea
Published: November 2013

Background

Adequate portal vein inflow is critical to successful orthotopic liver transplantation. While an end‐to‐end donor to recipient portal vein anastomosis is fashioned in the majority of liver transplant recipients, approximately 2% of recipients will require a complex vascular reconstruction due to inadequate recipient portal vein inflow. In this series, we describe our experience with five patients in which porto‐variceal anastomosis was used to treat extensive porto‐mesenteric thrombosis.

Methods

Charts for patients who underwent liver transplantation from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2011, were reviewed for patients requiring porto‐variceal anastomosis.

Results

Five patients had extensive porto‐splenomesenteric thrombosis requiring utilization of a varix as portal inflow. An iliac vein graft was utilized in four patients, and a direct anastomosis was performed in one patient. The patient with the direct anastomosis required revision with the use of an iliac vein graft the following day. Follow‐up imaging documented portal vein patency at a minimum of three months post‐transplant. No patients suffered post‐operative variceal hemorrhage and all five patients are alive with a functional primary graft at a median follow‐up of 2.3 yr.

Conclusions

A porto‐variceal anastomosis should be feasible in the majority of patients with extensive porto‐mesenteric thrombosis with excellent durability.
Assessing the impacts of the establishment of Miscanthus on soil organic carbon on two contrasting land‐use types in Ireland
Authors: Zimmermann J. , Dondini M. , Jones M. B.
Published: November 2013

In recent years the use of biomass for energy production has become an increasingly important measure for mitigating global change. However, the scientific debate has been inconclusive with regard to the risks and benefits of bioenergy use. There is particular concern that land‐use change to bioenergy production can lead to increased CO2 emissions. These emissions result from the loss of vegetation and the soil disturbance. The use of Miscanthus x giganteus as a bioenergy feedstock offers a possible solution, as it shows a large soil carbon (C) sequestration potential. The aim of the present study was to analyse the impacts of land‐use change to Miscanthus on soil fractions and associated soil organic carbon (SOC). Four young commercial Miscanthus sites, as well as adjacent sites representing the former land‐use, in SE Ireland were analysed for changes in SOC stocks and newly sequestered Miscanthus‐derived C. The fraction with which the SOC is associated significantly influenced its decomposability and turnover time. Using the 13C natural abundance method, we found that newly sequestered C was found mainly as particulate organic matter (79.7% of Miscanthus‐derived C) and therefore in a labile state with short turnover times. No significant differences were found in the distribution of the different soil fractions and SOC between the Miscanthus and the control sites, and it was shown that the share of fractions on the bulk soil as well as the proportion of the SOC associated with these fractions in young Miscanthus sites depends mainly on the previous land‐use.
Lengthening of the duration of xylogenesis engenders disproportionate increases in xylem production
Authors: Rossi Sergio , Girard Marie‐Josée , Morin Hubert
Published: November 2013

In cold climates, the expected global warming will lead to earlier cambial resumptions in spring, with a resultant lengthening of the growing season but unknown consequences on forest productivity. The phenological traits of cambium activity and xylem formation were analyzed at a short time scale along a thermal gradient represented by an alti‐latitudinal range from the 48th to 53rd parallels and covering the whole closed black‐spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] forest in Quebec, Canada. A hypothesis was tested that warmer temperatures influence cambium phenology, allowing longer duration and higher intensity of growth, and resulting in proportionally increased xylem production. From April to October 2012, cell division in cambium and post‐cambial differentiation of xylem were observed on anatomical sections obtained from microcores collected weekly from the stem of fifty trees. The southern and warmer site was characterized by the highest radial growth, which corresponded to both the highest rates and longest durations of cell production. The differences in terms of xylem phenology and growth were marginal between the other sites. Xylem growth was positively correlated with rate and duration of cell production, with the latter explaining most variability in growth. Within the range analyzed, the relationship between temperature and most phenological phases of xylogenesis was linear. On the contrary, temperature was related with cell production according to an exponential pattern. Periods of xylogenesis of 14 days longer (+13.1%) corresponded to a massive increase in cell production (33 cells, +109%). This disproportionate change occurred at a May–September average temperature of ca. 14 °C and a snow‐free period of 210–235 days. At the lower boundary of the distribution of black spruce, small environmental changes allowing marginal lengthening of the period of cell division could potentially lead to disproportionate increases in xylem cell production, with substantial consequences for the productivity of this boreal species.
Carry‐over effects of multiple stressors on benthic embryos are mediated by larval exposure to elevated UVB and temperature
Authors: Fischer Jeannine , Phillips Nicole E.
Published: November 2013

Damaging effects of UVB in conjunction with other stressors associated with global change are well‐established, with many studies focused on vulnerable early life stages and immediate effects (e.g., mortality, developmental abnormalities). However, for organisms with complex life cycles, experiences at one life stage can have carry‐over effects on later life stages, such that sublethal effects may mediate later vulnerability to further stress. Here, we exposed embryos in benthic egg masses of the New Zealand intertidal gastropod Siphonaria australis to treatments of either periodic stress (e.g., elevated UVB, salinity, and water temperature mimicking tidepool conditions in which egg masses are commonly found during summer) or control conditions (low UVB, ambient salinity, and water temperatures). Although there was high mortality from stressed egg masses, 24% of larvae hatched successfully. We then exposed the hatching larvae from both egg mass treatments to different combinations of water temperature (15 or 20 °C) and light (high UVB or shade) 12 h per day for 10 days. The most stressful larval conditions of 20 °C/high UVB resulted in low survival and stunted growth. Carry‐over effects on survival were apparent for shaded larvae exposed to elevated temperature, where those from stressed egg masses had 1.8× higher mortality than those from control egg masses. Shaded larvae were also larger and had longer velar cilia if they were from control egg masses, independent of larval temperature. These results demonstrate that previous experience of environmental stress can influence vulnerability of later life stages to further stress, and that focus on a single life stage will underestimate cumulative effects of agents of global change.
Important aspects concerning alendronate‐related osteonecrosis of the jaws: a literature review
Authors: Iglesias Julia E. , Salum Fernanda G. , Figueiredo Maria A. , Cherubini Karen
Published: November 2013

Objective

To conduct a literature review on sodium alendronate, focusing on osteonecrosis of the jaws, a serious potential side effect.

Background

Sodium alendronate is a bisphosphonate that is widely used for the treatment of osteopenia, osteoporosis and Paget's disease. Like other bisphosphonates, it inhibits bone resorption by inactivating osteoclasts. Alendronate has evident benefits in the treatment of these diseases, but it is associated with jaw osteonecrosis, although less frequently compared with intravenous bisphosphonates. Therefore, some preventive measures should be taken to avoid this side effect.

Material and methods

We reviewed the literature regarding the pharmacological aspects, mechanism of action, indications of use and side effects of sodium alendronate, as well as the management of patients under this therapy.

Conclusion

The benefits of sodium alendronate are scientifically proven, but a serious adverse effect is osteonecrosis. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare the oral cavity before bisphosphonate therapy, providing a careful dental evaluation and all needed dental treatment.
Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber Syndrome (KTWS) and Spontaneous Spinal CSF Leak: Coincidence or Link
Authors: Mokri Bahram
Published: November 2013

Objective

To highlight the occurrence of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak in the setting of Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome (KTWS).

Background

KTWS is a congenital multicomponent disorder of angiogenesis plus limb asymmetry. The cause of spontaneous CSF leaks often remains unknown, but the notion of a pre‐existing dural weakness related to a disorder of connective tissue matrix is gaining momentum.

Report of Cases and Methods

Two women with KTWS developed spontaneous CSF leaks. Each underwent extensive head and spine imaging studies. One patient underwent surgery to treat the CSF leak and later an epidural blood patch upon partial recurrence of her symptoms. The other patient, who had intermittent CSF leak, developed cerebral venous thrombosis requiring several months of anticoagulation therapy. Both patients have histories of visceral bleeding: gastrointestinal in 1 patient and genitourinary in the other.

Results

The predominant site of vascular anomaly was the left lower limb in 1 patient and the right upper limb in the other, while the involved limb was larger in 1 patient and smaller in the other. Each patient presented with orthostatic headaches. One had additional choreiform movements and cognitive difficulties that responded to the treatment of the leak. Head magnetic resonance imaging in both patients showed diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement and evidence of sinking of the brain. Computed tomography myelography in 1 patient disclosed the site of the leak; and she underwent surgery to treat the leak, and later an epidural blood patch upon partial recurrence of her symptoms to which she responded well. The other patient had intermittent leak with history of long remission and was reluctant to go through invasive diagnostic or therapeutic measures.

Conclusion

The occurrence of an uncommon disorder (spontaneous CSF leak) in the setting of a rare congenital disorder in 2 unrelated patients is intriguing. Whether this represents coincidence or a link is not clear but deserves further observations and investigation.
Evaluation of the Frequency and the Association of Sexual Pain and Chronic Headaches
Authors: Gordon Allan , Paneduro Denise , Pink Leah , Lawler Valerie , Lay Christine
Published: November 2013

Background

Sexual pain and chronic headaches are both complex conditions with associated high disability. Little research has examined whether there is a relationship between the 2. The aim of this survey‐based study was to explore the frequency of sexual pain in a population of women being treated for chronic headache. Peripheral aims included exploring the number of patients receiving treatment for sexual pain and the association between sexual pain and libido, and history of abuse.

Methods

Patients presenting to an ambulatory chronic headache clinic were administered a short 10‐item survey.

Results

Forty‐four percent of patients reported that they had pelvic region or genital pain brought on by sexual activity. Only half of these patients had ever discussed their pelvic pain with a health care provider, and 31% of these patients had not received treatment. Almost all patients would be interested in treatment if available. Seventy‐five percent of patients indicated a change in libido.

Conclusion

Chronic headaches and sexual pain are both conditions that have a significant impact on patients and the health care system, and they do coexist. More research is needed to look at the relationship between these conditions in addition to epidemiology, symptomatology, evaluation, and treatments.
HLA‐B50 polymorphism in the Saudi population
Authors: Jawdat D. , Al‐Hamad B. , Al‐Jumah M. , Hajeer A.
Published: November 2013

The HLA‐B50 serologic family is very frequent in people of Arabic origin. In Saudi Arabia, HLA‐B50 is the most frequent HLA‐B allele. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of HLA‐B50 alleles in healthy Saudi individuals. A total of 162 healthy Saudi individuals were selected based on low‐resolution HLA typing. DNA samples were typed by sequence‐based typing method for exons 2, 3 and 4 of the HLA‐B locus (Genome Diagnostics B.V.). The HLA‐B*50 alleles were analysed using SBT engine software. HLA‐B*50:01:01 was found in 161 of 162 individuals (99.4%), while HLA‐B*50:09 was found in one individual (0.6%). HLA‐B*50:01:01 is the most common HLA‐B50 allele in Saudi Arabia.
Nurses’ autonomy level in teaching hospitals and its relationship with the underlying factors
Authors: Amini Kourosh , Negarandeh Reza , Ramezani‐Badr Farhad , Moosaeifard Mahdi , Fallah Ramezan
Published: November 2013

This study aimed to determine the autonomy level of nurses in hospitals affiliated to Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. In this descriptive cross‐sectional study, 252 subjects were recruited using systematic random sampling method. The data were collected using questionnaire including Dempster Practice Behavior Scale. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and to compare the overall score and its subscales according to the demographic variables, t‐test and analysis of variance test were used. The nurses in this study had medium professional autonomy. Statistical tests showed significant differences in the research sample according to age, gender, work experience, working position and place of work. The results of this study revealed that most of the nurses who participated in the study compared with western societies have lower professional autonomy. More studies are needed to determine the factors related to this difference and how we can promote Iranian nurses’ autonomy.
Bridges Self-Management Program for People with Stroke in the Community: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: McKenna Suzanne , Jones Fiona , Glenfield Pauline , Lennon Sheila
Published: November 2013

Background

Enabling self-management behaviors is considered important in order to develop coping strategies and confidence for managing life with a long-term condition. However, there is limited research into stroke-specific self-management interventions.

Aim

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the feasibility of delivering the Bridges stroke self-management program in addition to usual stroke rehabilitation compared with usual rehabilitation only.

Methods

Participants recruited from the referrals to a community stroke team were randomly allocated to the Bridges stroke self-management program, receiving either one session of up to one-hour per week over a six-week period in addition to usual stroke rehabilitation, or usual rehabilitation only. Feasibility was measured using a range of methods to determine recruitment and retention; adherence to the program; suitability and variability of outcome measures used; application and fidelity of the program; and acceptability of the program to patients, carers and professionals.

Results

Twenty-five people were recruited to the study over a 13-month period. Eight out of the 12 participants in the Bridges stroke self-management program received all six sessions; there was one withdrawal from the study. There were changes in outcomes between the two groups. Participants who received the Bridges stroke self-management program appeared to have a greater change in self-efficacy, functional activity, social integration and quality of life over the six-week intervention period and showed less decline in mood and quality of life at the three-month follow-up. Professionals found the program acceptable to use in practice, and feedback from participants was broadly positive.

Conclusions

The findings from this study appear promising, but questions remain regarding the feasibility of delivering the Bridges stroke self-management program in addition to usual rehabilitation. The dose response of receiving the program cannot be ruled out, and the next stage of research should explore the feasibility of an integrated program. Exploration of the reasons behind relatively low recruitment and of the sensitivity of outcome measures to detect a change are also required. Additional investigation of intervention fidelity is required to monitor if the program is being delivered as intended.
Are Patients with Intracerebral Haemorrhage Disadvantaged in Hospitals?
Authors: Sheedy Renee , Bernhardt Julie , Levi Christopher R. , Longworth Mark , Churilov Leonid , Kilkenny Monique F. , Cadilhac Dominique A.
Published: November 2013

Background and Aims

Providing evidence-based clinical care reduces disability and mortality rates following stroke. We examined if compliance with evidence-based processes of care were different for patients with intracerebral haemorrhage when compared with ischemic stroke and sought to describe differences in health outcomes during hospitalization and at time of discharge for these stroke subtypes.

Methods

The New South Wales acute stroke dataset was used. This included data from 50–100 consecutively admitted patients' medical records collected from 32 New South Wales hospitals between 2003 and 2010. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted taking into account patient factors and clustering of patients by hospital.

Results

Ischemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage cases had similar demographic features (ischemic stroke n = 3467, mean age 74 years [standard deviation 13], 50% female; intracerebral haemorrhage n = 275, mean age 74 years [standard deviation 13], 48% female). Following multivariable analyses patients with intracerebral haemorrhage were less likely to be admitted to a stroke unit (adjusted odds ratio 0·65; 95% confidence interval 0·45–0·94) or receive an assessment from allied health (adjusted odds ratio 0·54; 95% confidence interval 0·33–0·89) than patients with ischemic stroke. Patients with intracerebral haemorrhage are also less likely to be independent (adjusted odds ratio 0·36; 95% confidence interval 0·3–0·5) at time of hospital discharge and had a greater odds of dying in hospital (adjusted odds ratio 2·1; 95% confidence interval 1·3–3·5). Patients that were admitted to a stroke unit had a greater odds of being independent (modified Rankin Score 0–2) at day 7–10 irrespective of stroke type or severity on admission (adjusted odds ratio 1·3; 95% confidence interval 1·01–1·66).

Conclusions

Following intracerebral haemorrhage, patients were less likely to be admitted to an acute stroke unit and receive allied health interventions. Admission to stroke units improved the likelihood of being independent at days 7–10 and, therefore, more should be done to encourage evidence-based care for intracerebral haemorrhage.
New Modes of Governance in the External Dimension of EU Migration Policy
Authors: Cardwell Paul James
Published: November 2013

Against the background of the limited “hard” law measures in place on external migration, the EU institutions are attempting to use a more differentiated approach to migration. This is evidenced by both the Stockholm Programme and the Global Approach to Migration (2005) which rely less on binding instruments and more on flexible, coordinated measures to meet their goals. This article discusses whether these measures can be understood as “new modes of governance” (NMG), which have only rarely been discussed insofar as the external sphere of EU governance is concerned. The article will also investigate the extent to which the initiatives are already in place, contextualising them in the broader debates on new governance and the conduct of the internal and external dimensions of the EU's system of governance. The article concludes that new modes of governance are indeed present in the external dimension of EU migration policy and that understanding them as such helps towards a better understanding of the contemporary state of policymaking at EU level.
Rehearsal and aptitude in foreign vocabulary learning
Authors: Dahlen Kristina , Caldwell–Harris Catherine
Published: November 2013

Foreign language learners rehearse the language they are learning, both vocally and subvocally, as part of inner speech development (Guerrero, 2005). To add to the research on which method of rehearsal is more effective for initial foreign vocabulary learning, this study examined two hypotheses: first, that the manner of rehearsal of foreign vocabulary words influences subsequent recall and recognition of those words and second, that foreign language aptitude, as measured by the Modern Language Aptitude Test, can predict the level of success in initial learning of foreign vocabulary. English speakers (n = 88) heard a Turkish noun said three times while looking at a picture of that noun. They then rehearsed the 20 Turkish nouns in 1 of 4 conditions: vocal rehearsal with their own auditory feedback, vocal rehearsal with their auditory feedback suppressed by white noise, subvocal rehearsal as part of inner speech, and no rehearsal. Participants were then asked to recall the Turkish word for each picture and recognize the words when said in a sentence. We found that participants with high foreign language (FL) aptitude recalled and recognized more target words than participants with low FL aptitude. Also, the ability to rehearse undisturbed, either vocally or subvocally, yielded the best results in recall and recognition of the foreign vocabulary across all levels of foreign language aptitude. The results suggest that students with L1 cognitive factors correlated with low FL aptitude should receive early training in phonological sensitivity and learning strategies to help them be successful language learners (de Jong, Seveke, & van Veen, 2000).
Water Management Applications for Satellite Precipitation Products: Synthesis and Recommendations
Authors: Serrat‐Capdevila Aleix , Valdes Juan B. , Stakhiv Eugene Z.
Published: November 2013

This article is an assessment of the current state of the art and relative utility of satellite precipitation products (SPPs) for hydrologic applications to support water management decisions. We present a review of SPPs, their accuracy in diverse settings including the influence of geography, topography, and weather systems, as well as the pros and cons of their use for different water management applications. At the end of this broad synthesizing effort, recommendations are proposed for: (1) SPP developers to improve the quality, usability, and relevance of precipitation products; and (2) SPP users to improve the reliability of their predictions and hydrologic applications to better support water management.
A randomized controlled trial on immediate surgery versus root planing in patients with advanced periodontal disease: a cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Miremadi Seyed Reza , De Bruyn Hugo , Steyaert Harold , Princen Katrijn , Sabzevar Mehran M. , Cosyn Jan
Published: November 2013

Aim

To compare immediate surgery to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of advanced periodontal disease focusing on the prevalence of residual sites and cost‐effectiveness (1); to evaluate the adjunctive effects of azithromycin in a second treatment phase (2).

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐nine patients (18 males, 21 females; mean age: 54.6) received oral hygiene instructions and were randomly allocated to surgery (n = 19) or SRP (n = 20). Patients with residual pockets (≥6 mm) at 6 months received re‐debridement of these sites and systemic azithromycin. Treatment groups were followed up to 12 months and evaluated in terms of clinical response parameters and cost‐effectiveness. Chair‐time was used to assess the financial impact of treatment.

Results

Both treatment arms were equally effective in terms of clinical outcome demonstrating less than 1% residual pockets at 12 months. Surgery imposed an extra 746 Euro on the patient up to 6 months when compared to SRP. At 12 months, 46 Euro of this amount could be offset as a result of a reduced need for supportive care. Only 6 patients in the surgery group needed systemic antibiotics, whereas 14 patients in the SRP needed such additional treatment.

Conclusions

Although 700 Euro could be saved on average by performing SRP instead of surgery, the latter significantly reduced the need for supportive care and systemic antibiotics.
Re‐evaluating the role of vitamin D in the periodontium
Authors: Stein S. H. , Livada R. , Tipton D. A.
Published: November 2013

The importance of vitamin D in maintaining skeletal health via the regulation of calcium has long been recognized as a critical function of this secosteroid. An abundance of literature shows an association between oral bone mineral density and some measure of systemic osteoporosis and suggests that osteoporosis/low bone mass may be a risk factor for periodontal disease. Recently, nonskeletal functions of vitamin D have gained notoriety for several reasons. Many cells that are not associated with calcium homeostasis have been demonstrated to possess membrane receptors for vitamin D. These include activated T and B lymphocytes, and skin, placenta, pancreas, prostate and colon cancer cells. In addition, vitamin D “insufficiency” is a worldwide epidemic and epidemiologic evidence has linked this condition to multiple chronic health problems, including cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, hypertension and a variety of cancers. Interestingly, there is mounting evidence connecting diminished serum levels of vitamin D with increased gingival inflammation and supporting the concept of “continual vitamin D sufficiency” in maintaining periodontal health. The ability of vitamin D to regulate both the innate and the adaptive components of the host response may play an important role in this process. This review will examine the skeletal and nonskeletal functions of vitamin D, and explore its potential role in protecting the periodontium as well as in regulating periodontal wound healing.
Knowledge tests in patient education: A systematic review
Authors: Kesänen Jukka , Leino‐Kilpi Helena , Arifulla Dinah , Siekkinen Mervi , Valkeapää Kirsi
Published: November 2013

This study describes knowledge tests in patient education through a systematic review of the Medline, Cinahl, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases with the guidance of the PRISMA Statement. Forty‐nine knowledge tests were identified. The contents were health‐problem related, focusing on biophysiological and functional knowledge. The mean number of items was 20, with true–false or multiple‐choice scales. Most of the tests were purposely designed for the studies included in the review. The most frequently reported quality assessments of knowledge tests were content validity and internal consistency. The outcome measurements for patient‐education needs were comprehensive, validating knowledge tests that cover multidimensional aspects of knowledge. Besides the measurement of the outcomes of patient education, knowledge tests could be used for several purposes in patient education: to guide the content of education as checklists, to monitor the learning process, and as educational tools. There is a need for more efficient content and health problem‐specific knowledge‐test assessments.
bHLH122 is important for drought and osmotic stress resistance in Arabidopsis and in the repression of ABA catabolism
Authors: Liu Wenwen , Tai Huanhuan , Li Songsong , Gao Wei , Zhao Meng , Xie Chuanxiao , Li Wen‐Xue
Published: November 2013

Although proteins in the basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) family are universal transcription factors in eukaryotes, the biological roles of most bHLH family members are not well understood in plants.

The Arabidopsis thaliana bHLH122 transcripts were strongly induced by drought, NaCl and osmotic stresses, but not by ABA treatment. Promoter::GUS analysis showed that bHLH122 was highly expressed in vascular tissues and guard cells. Compared with wild‐type (WT) plants, transgenic plants overexpressing bHLH122 displayed greater resistance to drought, NaCl and osmotic stresses. In contrast, the bhlh122 loss‐of‐function mutant was more sensitive to NaCl and osmotic stresses than were WT plants.

Microarray analysis indicated that bHLH122 was important for the expression of a number of abiotic stress‐responsive genes. In electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, bHLH122 could bind directly to the G‐box/E‐box cis‐elements in the CYP707A3 promoter, and repress its expression. Further, up‐regulation of bHLH122 substantially increased cellular ABA levels.

These results suggest that bHLH122 functions as a positive regulator of drought, NaCl and osmotic signaling.
Microstructure and growth of the lenses of schizochroal trilobite eyes
Authors: Torney Clare , Lee Martin R. , Owen Alan W.
Published: November 2013

Lenses within the schizochroal eyes of phacopine trilobites are made principally of calcite, and characterization of them using light microscopy and high‐resolution electron imaging and diffraction has revealed an array of microstructural arrangements that suggest a common original pattern across the suborder. The low convexity lenses of Odontochile hausmanni and Dalmanites sp. contain calcite fibres termed trabeculae. The c axis of trabecular calcite lies parallel to the lens axis, and adjacent trabeculae are distinguished by small differences in their a axis orientations. Despite the common alignment, the boundaries between trabeculae cross‐cut the c axis as they fan out towards the lens base. Trabeculae are absent from the lens immediately beneath the visual surface, and instead, a radial fringe is present and is composed of micrometre‐thick sheets of calcite whose c axes are oriented at a low angle to the visual surface. High convexity lenses are more common than those of lower convexity among the species studied, and they have a much thicker radial fringe. Beneath this fringe, all of the lens calcite is oriented with its c axis parallel to the lens axis and it lacks trabeculae. We propose that both the high and low convexity lenses formed by rapid growth of calcite from a surface that migrated inwards from the cornea, and they may have had an amorphous calcium carbonate precursor. The trabeculae and radial fringes are unlikely to have had any beneficial effect on the transmission or focusing of light, but rather are the outcomes of an elegant solution to the problem of how to construct a biconvex lens from a crystalline solid.
Entrance and propagation pattern of high‐frequency electrical currents in biological tissues as applied to fractional skin rejuvenation using penetrating electrodes
Authors: Taheri A. , Mansoori P. , Sandoval L. F. , Feldman S. R. , Williford P. M. , Pearce D.
Published: November 2013

Background

Fractional resurfacing of the skin using radiofrequency devices has been used for collagen remodeling and rejuvenation.

Objectives

To determine how radiofrequency current enters and propagates through tissue, and the pattern of the resulting effect.

Materials and Methods

An electrosurgical device with a 0.4 MHz frequency output was used as the source of radiofrequency current. Current was applied via a metallic needle introduced into a large piece of cow liver, with different amounts of energy delivered at multiple points. Cross‐sections of the liver were then studied for tissue effect.

Results

Thermal coagulation of tissue started from the tip of the electrode. With higher energy, a rim of coagulated tissue formed around the entire length of the needle. This rim of coagulated tissue was thicker around the tip of the electrode.

Conclusion

Radiofrequency currents have a tendency to move toward the center of the bulk of tissue. When an electrode of a fractional radiofrequency device enters the skin, maximum heating effect will be around the tip of the electrode in the dermis. This phenomenon can preserve epidermis from injury during dermal heating, reducing post‐procedural skin surface side effects seen with many skin rejuvenation procedures.