bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial synchrony of malaria outbreaks in a highland region of Ethiopia
Authors: Wimberly Michael C. , Midekisa Alemayehu , Semuniguse Paulos , Teka Hiwot , Henebry Geoffrey M. , Chuang Ting‐Wu , Senay Gabriel B.
Published: August 2012

To understand the drivers and consequences of malaria in epidemic‐prone regions, it is important to know whether epidemics emerge independently in different areas as a consequence of local contingencies, or whether they are synchronised across larger regions as a result of climatic fluctuations and other broad‐scale drivers. To address this question, we collected historical malaria surveillance data for the Amhara region of Ethiopia and analysed them to assess the consistency of various indicators of malaria risk and determine the dominant spatial and temporal patterns of malaria within the region. We collected data from a total of 49 districts from 1999–2010. Data availability was better for more recent years and more data were available for clinically diagnosed outpatient malaria cases than confirmed malaria cases. Temporal patterns of outpatient malaria case counts were correlated with the proportion of outpatients diagnosed with malaria and confirmed malaria case counts. The proportion of outpatients diagnosed with malaria was spatially clustered, and these cluster locations were generally consistent from year to year. Outpatient malaria cases exhibited spatial synchrony at distances up to 300 km, supporting the hypothesis that regional climatic variability is an important driver of epidemics. Our results suggest that decomposing malaria risk into separate spatial and temporal components may be an effective strategy for modelling and forecasting malaria risk across large areas. They also emphasise both the value and limitations of working with historical surveillance datasets and highlight the importance of enhancing existing surveillance efforts.
Race Profiling and Molecular Diversity Analysis ofFusarium oxysporumf.sp.cicerisCausing Wilt in Chickpea
Authors: Dubey Sunil C. , Priyanka Kumari , Singh Vivek , Singh Birendra
Published: August 2012

Seventy isolates ofFusarium oxysporumf.sp.ciceris(Foc) causing chickpea wilt representing 13 states and four crop cultivation zones ofIndia were analysed for their virulence and genetic diversity. The isolates of the pathogen showed high variability in causing wilt incidence on a new set of differential cultivars of chickpea, namelyC104,JG74,CPS1,BG212,WR315,KWR108,GPF2,DCP92‐3,Chaffa andJG62. New differential cultivars for each race were identified, and based on differential responses, the isolates were characterized into eight races of the pathogen. The same set of isolates was used for molecular characterization with four different molecular markers, namely random amplified polymorphicDNA, universal rice primers, simple sequence repeats and intersimple sequence repeats. All the four sets of markers gave 100% polymorphism. Unweighted paired group method with arithmetic average analysis grouped the isolates into eight categories at genetic similarities ranging from 37 to 40%. The molecular groups partially corresponded to the states of origin/chickpea‐growing region of the isolates as well as races of the pathogen characterized in this study. The majority of southern, northern and centralIndian populations representing specific races of the pathogen were grouped separately into distinct clusters along with some other isolates, indicating the existence of variability in population predominated by a single race of the pathogen. The present race profiling for theIndian population of the pathogen and its distribution pattern is entirely new. The knowledge generated in this study could be utilized in resistance breeding programme. The existence of more than one race, predominated by a single one, in a chickpea cultivation zone as supported by the present molecular findings is also a new information.
Cognitive dysfunction: An emerging concept of a new diabetic complication in the elderly
Authors: Umegaki Hiroyuki , Hayashi Toshio , Nomura Hideki , Yanagawa Madoka , Nonogaki Zen , Nakshima Hirotaka , Kuzuya Masafumi
Published: August 2012

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has risen, and this trend is likely to continue. Recent advances suggest that T2DM is a risk factor for cognitive decline. We are now encountering novel complications of T2DM, namely cognitive dysfunction and dementia. Although the treatment strategy for diabetic patients with neurocognitive dysfunction has received a great deal of attention, the appropriate level of glycemic control for the prevention of the development and/or progression of cognitive decline in elderly diabetic patients remains to be elucidated. Another issue in diabetic treatment in patients with cognitive dysfunction is the selection of medicines. The best choice and combination of antidiabetic medications for the preservation of cognition should also be studied. Ample studies suggest that exercise helps to preserve cognitive function, although existing evidence does not necessarily indicate its effectiveness exclusively in diabetic patients. Exercise is a helpful non‐pharmacological therapy. Considering the progressive aging of the worldwide population, more research to investigate the best way to manage this population is important. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; ••: ••–••.
Phylogenetic signal and variation of visceral pigmentation in eight anuran families
Authors: Provete Diogo B. , Franco‐Belussi Lilian , De Souza Santos Lia R. , Zieri Rodrigo , Moresco Rafaela M. , Martins Itamar A. , De Almeida Silvio C. , De Oliveira Classius
Published: August 2012

Provete, D. B, Franco‐Belussi, L., de Souza Santos, L. R., Zieri, R., Moresco, R. M., Martins, I. A., de Almeida, S. C., & de Oliveira, C. (2012). Phylogenetic signal and variation of visceral pigmentation in eight anuran families. —Zoologica Scripta,41, 547‐556.

Visceral pigmentation is found in several organs and structures of ectothermic animals, comprising the extracutaneous pigmentary system. Its function is not well defined, although it is known that melanin is produced and stored inside pigmented cells. Previous studies demonstrated that the distribution of visceral pigmentation is neither homogeneous among organs among anuran species. We described the diversity of visceral pigmentation in 12 organs/structures from 32 anuran species belonging to eight families in a phylogenetic context. We also determined in which node(s) of the phylogeny there is more variation in the pigmentation and whether this variation has phylogenetic signal. The visceral pigment cells in organs and structures of the abdominal cavity varied among genera. All species had pigmentation in the urogenital and cardiorespiratory systems, whereas the stomach lacks pigmentation in all species. We also found a phylogenetic signal for pigmentation in all organs and structures taken together, besides heart, testes, lumbar parietal peritoneum and lumbar nerve plexus when considered separately. Overall, considering all organs, the highest diversity of categories of pigmentation was found in the nodes corresponding to Cruciabatrachia and Athesphatanura. This study constitutes the first step towards understanding the evolution of visceral pigmentation in anurans.
Bridging the Gap – Non‐state Actors and the Challenges of Regulating New Technology
Authors: Abbot Carolyn
Published: August 2012

Designing a system of regulation that will deliver defined policy objectives is not easy. This is particularly so when regulating new technologies, where challenges relating to uncertainty and risk, resource asymmetry, and regulatory disconnection are especially significant. By adopting a pluralistic, decentred approach to regulation that utilizes a range of soft‐law regulatory techniques, non‐state actors can contribute in a variety of ways to these special challenges. However, using non‐state resources in this way (either formally or informally) is not a panacea. Public trust and confidence in the regulation of risk is crucial in ensuring the viability of the control framework. Yet, it is difficult to maintain, not least because regulatory pluralism often envisages state and industry cooperation. Nevertheless, the involvement of non‐state actors, including industry, is important if the regulatory framework is not to hamper technological development or expose the public to unacceptable risks.
A Tale of Two Chinese Courts: Economic Development and Contract Enforcement
Authors: He Xin
Published: August 2012

The way in which formal contract enforcement becomes effective is a critically important but understudied question for law and development studies. Primarily drawing on field investigations, this article compares the enforcement performance of two basic‐level courts in China, one in a more‐developed and the other in a less‐developed region. The level of economic development is found to be crucial in contributing to the courts' performance. Unlike the court users in the less developed area, those in the more developed area become more market‐oriented as the local economy diversifies, paving the way for more rigorous judgment enforcement; a developed local economy also allows the court to strengthen institutional building and staff professionalism. The comparison of the two Chinese courts provides empirical evidence with which to evaluate the relationship between formal contract enforcement and economic development.
Amnesties in Transition: Punishment, Restoration, and the Governance of Mercy
Authors: McEvoy Kieran , Mallinder Louise
Published: August 2012

Despite the much vaunted triumph of human rights, amnesties continue to be a frequently used technique of post‐conflict transitional justice. For many critics, they are synonymous with unaccountability and injustice. This article argues that despite the rhetoric, there is no universal duty to prosecute under international law and that issues of selectivity and proportionality present serious challenges to the retributive rationale for punishment in international justice. It contends that many of the assumptions concerning the deterrent effect in the field are also oversold and poorly theorized. It also suggests that appropriately designed restorative amnesties can be both lawful and effective as routes to truth recovery, reconciliation, and a range of other peacemaking goals. Rather than mere instruments of impunity, amnesties should instead be seen as important institutions in the governance of mercy, the reassertion of state sovereignty and, if properly constituted, the return of law to a previously lawless domain.
Characteristics and Patterns of Intergenerational Poverty Traps and Escapes in Rural North India
Authors: Krishna Anirudh
Published: August 2012

The poverty status of all 4,198 households resident in 18 villages of Rajasthan, India, was examined at four points of time between 1977 and 2010 using a retrospective methodology known as Stages of Progress. Households that were consistently poor at all four points over the 33 years were regarded as the intergenerational poverty (IGP) group. Their characteristics and experiences were compared with those of other village households, which – after being consistently poor at the first three points in time – had overcome poverty before the fourth (and final) measurement. The article shows how an impoverished inheritance, made worse by a succession of adverse events (mostly of an everyday kind), has trapped households within IGP.
Effects of psyllium on metabolic syndrome risk factors
Authors: Pal Sebely , Radavelli‐Bagatini Simone
Published: August 2012

High‐fibre intake has been shown to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome (MS), cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Psyllium is one of the most widely used fibre supplements because it is reasonably cheap and is better tolerated than other fibre supplements. The review of the literature supports the notion that the consumption of psyllium provides benefits to many components of the MS. Psyllium supplementation does improve glucose levels and insulin response, blood pressure, as well as lipid profile in both animals and humans, thereby reducing metabolic risk factors. Appetite has also been reported to decrease after the consumption of psyllium in most studies. Collectively, psyllium supplementation could be promoted to patients who present MS risk factors, such as hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and hyperglycaemia. It may also play a role in controlling body weight, body composition, appetite and hypertension, but further investigation is still required.
The Early Mobilization of Women Union Leaders — A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Healy Geraldine , Kirton Gill
Published: August 2012

This article explores the initial reasons for union joining of women who became union leaders in the UK and the USA by drawing on concepts from mobilization theory and the literature on women and unions. The comparative study demonstrates similarities and differences in early mobilization influences on UK and US women with respect to family, ideology, instrumentality and injustice. Informed by the women and unions literature, the article critiques mobilization theorists for failing to problematize the term ‘injustice’ and underplaying the importance of ideology which are shown to be gendered and racialized and located in time and place.
External Financing, Growth and Stock Returns
Authors: Hardouvelis Gikas , Papanastasopoulos Georgios , Thomakos Dimitrios , Wang Tao
Published: August 2012

In this paper we investigate the relation of the value/growth anomaly with the anomaly on corporate financing activities. We confirm and expand earlier results that value/growth and external financing indicators are, to some degree, related predictors of stock returns in the cross section. We show that external financing indicators are incrementally informative since they pick up stock returns associated with earnings quality. Portfolios that combine information from both these indicators generate significantly higher returns than portfolios containing each individual indicator. More importantly, our analysis strongly suggests that the external financing anomaly is, to some extent, distinct from the value/growth anomaly, in that it may also reflect investors’ misunderstanding of the effects of opportunistic earnings management.
Ruminations on Investment Performance Measurement
Authors: Ferson Wayne E.
Published: August 2012

This is a summary of a keynote address to the European Financial Management Symposium on Asset Management in April 2012. It makes five observations about the state of the art in investment performance measurement. First, the traditional alphas used in performance measurement are not to be trusted as normative indicators for when to buy or sell funds, but Stochastic Discount Factor (SDF) alphas are better. Traditional alphas can be equivalent to the correct SDF alphas, but this requires that an Appropriate Benchmark be used. Third, mean variance efficient portfolios are almost never Appropriate Benchmarks. Fourth, Sharpe ratios can be justified as performance measures, if they are properly used. Finally, current holdings‐based approaches to performance measurement are also flawed, but I offer some suggestions for improving them.
Only Incumbent Raters in O*NET? Oh Yes! Oh No!
Authors: Walmsley Philip T. , Natali Michael W. , Campbell John P.
Published: August 2012

Recent evaluation of the US Department of Labor's Occupational Information Network (O*NET) suggested that ratings from occupational analysts could be replaced by data imputed from incumbents' ratings. This study evaluates the viability of imputing job descriptor data, usually provided by analysts (ability ratings), using regression‐weighted incumbent task ratings. This study also uses (O*NET) databases to compare a series of possible strategies for imputing task, ability, and skill data on the basis of either incumbent or analyst ratings. Findings do not provide clear support for the superiority of using one data source over another when imputing ratings. Imputed and existing ratings are shown not to be equivalent based on variance explained statistics and comparisons of factor structures, indicating that both sources provide unique information.
Fairness Reactions to Personnel Selection Methods: A look at professionals in Mumbai, India
Authors: Snyder Jasmine , Shahani‐Denning Comila
Published: August 2012

This study expands upon Steiner and Gilliland's selection fairness research. Professionals (N = 114) from Mumbai, India rated 12 employee selection methods on favorability and provided the bases for those ratings. In line with previous research, interviews and resumes were rated most favorably, while graphology and honesty tests were rated least favorably. Perceived face validity, opportunity to perform, and widespread use of selection methods were highly correlated with favorability ratings, while interpersonal warmth, scientific evidence, and respectful of privacy exhibited weak correlations with favorability ratings. Work sample tests, which have previously been rated favorably, were rated unfavorably. Exploratory analysis showed that participants viewed assessment centers favorably and online information unfavorably. Outcome favorability was highly correlated with favorability ratings.
Assessing the Reliability of Situational Judgment Tests Used in High‐Stakes Situations
Authors: Catano Victor M. , Brochu Anne , Lamerson Cheryl D.
Published: August 2012

Assessing reliability of situational judgment tests (SJTs) in high‐stakes situations is problematic with reliability inappropriately measured by Cronbach's alpha when test items are heterogeneous. We computed the corrected, weighted mean alpha from 56 alpha coefficients, which produced a value of α = .46 and reviewed appropriate types of reliability to use with SJTs. In the current longitudinal study, SJT test–retest reliability was r = .82, compared with internal consistency, α = .46, and stratified alpha, α = .45 at Time 1 and α = .52 and stratified α = .51 at Time 2. We used a student sample (Time 1: n = 185; Time 2: n = 132) with items from a credentialing exam with ‘should do’ instructions. The SJT correlated significantly with cognitive ability, r = .30, and agreeableness, r = .24. In Study 2, we assessed test–retest reliability with Human Resource professionals (Time 1: n = 94; Time 2: n = 32) who had been recently credentialed and who participated in a pilot test of new SJT items with ‘most likely/least likely do’ response options. The SJT test–retest reliability was r = .66 compared with internal consistency, α = .43 and stratified α = .47 at Time 1 and α = .61 and stratified α = .67 at Time 2. We discuss the theoretical implications of the Study 1 results as well as the practical implications for use of SJTs in credentialing examinations.
Emotional Intelligence in Personnel Selection: Applicant reactions, criterion, and incremental validity
Authors: Iliescu Dragos , Ilie Alexandra , Ispas Dan , Ion Andrei
Published: August 2012

In two studies, based on four samples and more than 600 participants, the authors examined applicant reactions, criterion and incremental validity, and differential prediction of emotional intelligence (EI) in personnel selection using the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test. The first study examined applicant reactions in terms of face validity and fairness evaluation of the EI test. The second study examined across three samples (salespeople, front‐desk public employees, and hospital chief executive officers) the criterion validity, incremental validity, and differential prediction of EI. Results suggest that the EI test is perceived as a fair selection tool, and is predictive of performance. The EI test has incremental validity over cognitive abilities and personality (big five) when predicting subjective and objective performance criteria. Based on these results, the authors encourage further research on the use of EI in selection settings.
Effect of Rater Nationality on the Relationships among Ratee Task, Contextual, and Counterproductive Behaviors and Salary Estimates
Authors: Diab Dalia L. , Hazer John T.
Published: August 2012

This study examined the moderating effect of rater nationality on the relationships among ratee task, contextual, and counterproductive behaviors, and rater salary estimates gauging the dollar value of overall job performance. As hypothesized, rater nationality had a significant moderating effect, such that the Lebanese sample showed stronger relationships between each of the three types of job performance and their dollar value estimates than did the American sample. In other words, results indicated that Lebanese participants made stronger salary differentiations among the different levels of task, contextual, and counterproductive performance. These results seem to suggest that Lebanese participants provided salary estimates using more of an equity approach, whereas American participants provided salary estimates using more of an equality approach. Results contribute to the growing evidence that national culture is important in evaluating job performance.
An experimental test of differential susceptibility to parenting among emotionally‐dysregulated children in a randomized controlled trial for oppositional behavior
Authors: Scott Stephen , O’Connor Thomas G.
Published: August 2012

Background:  The concept of differential susceptibility has challenged the potential meaning of personal traits such as poor ability to regulate emotions. Under the traditional model of diathesis/stress, personal characteristics such as liability to angry outbursts are seen as essentially disadvantageous, emerging under duress in a way that is maladaptive. In contrast, with differential susceptibility, there is the same poorer functioning under adverse conditions but, under favorable conditions, individuals with the trait function better than those without it. To date, there have been limited studies on response under positive environments. We used the experimental power of an intervention trial to test the differential susceptibility hypothesis that children with emotional dysregulation would show greater response to an experimentally induced improvement in their parenting environment.

Methods:  Data were from the SPOKES trial (ISRCTN 77566446), a randomized controlled trial of 112 school children who were 5–6‐years old, screened for elevated levels of oppositionality, randomized to parenting groups or control; 109 (97%) were followed‐up a year later. Using DSM‐IV oppositional‐defiant symptoms, children were divided into an Emotionally‐Dysregulated type (ED, n = 68) and a Headstrong type (n = 44). The parenting intervention was the Incredible Years program supplemented by positive strategies to use when reading with children. Assessment of conduct problems and parenting was by semistructured interviews.

Results:  At follow‐up, parents of Emotionally‐Dysregulated and Headstrong children allocated to the intervention showed significant improvements in their parenting strategies to an equal extent compared to parents in the control group. However, the Emotionally‐Dysregulated children showed a significantly greater decrease in conduct problems between intervention and control groups (treatment effect‐size 0.84 standard deviations) than the Headstrong (es 0.20 SD), p = 0.04.

Conclusions:  Using the power of a controlled experiment, this study showed that children who exhibited Emotionally‐Dysregulated behavior pretreatment were more responsive to improvements in parental care that were experimentally induced. The findings extend prior work on differential sensitivity in suggesting that children exhibiting irascibility and emotionality may show greater susceptibility to the caregiving environment, and may identify a subset of children who respond better to existing treatments.
Memory traces for tonal language words revealed by auditory event‐related potentials
Authors: Gu Feng , Li Jing , Wang Xiaodong , Hou Qiongqiong , Huang Yina , Chen Lin
Published: August 2012

In tonal languages such as Mandarin Chinese, suprasegmental tones are used to signal word meaning besides consonants and vowels. To reveal memory traces for tonal language words, we presented native Mandarin Chinese speakers with a sequence of spoken syllables as standards and disyllables as deviants in a passive oddball paradigm. The second syllable of each disyllable carried critical tonal information that would define the disyllable either as a meaningful word or as a meaningless pseudoword. The words and pseudowords were acoustically and phonologically matched as well as counterbalanced. The auditory event‐related potential in response to words was more negatively deflected than that in response to pseudowords. This effect was most prominent 164 ms after the word recognition point. Our study indicates an activation of memory traces for tonal language words.
The novel NOX inhibitor 2‐acetylphenothiazine impairs collagen‐dependent thrombus formation in a GPVI‐dependent manner
Authors: Vara D , Campanella M , Pula G
Published: August 2012

Background and Purpose

NADPH oxidases (NOXs) contribute to platelet activation by a largely unknown mechanism. Here, we studied the effect of the novel NOX inhibitor 2‐acetylphenothiazine (2‐APT) on human platelet functional responses and intracellular signaling pathways.

Experimental Approach

The generation of superoxide ions was assessed by single cell imaging on adhering platelets using dihydroethidium (DHE), while other reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected with 5‐(and‐6)‐carboxy‐2′,7′‐dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM‐H2‐DCFDA). Whole blood thrombus formation, washed platelet aggregation, integrin αIIbβ3 inside‐out signalling, Syk phosphorylation and PKC activation were analysed to understand the functional consequences of NOX inhibition by 2‐APT in platelets.

Key Results

Superoxide ion generation stimulated by platelet adhesion on collagen and fibrinogen was significantly inhibited by 2‐APT in concentration‐dependent manner (IC50 = 306 nM and 227 nM, respectively), whereas cumulative ROS accumulation was not affected by this pharmacological agent. 2‐APT also abolished collagen‐dependent whole blood thrombus formation and washed platelet aggregation in response to collagen but not thrombin. The activation of integrin αIIbβ3 and PKC in response to the GPVI‐specific agonist collagen‐related peptide (CRP) was significantly reduced, whereas the same responses to thrombin were not significantly affected by 2‐APT. Finally, Syk activation in response to collagen but not thrombin was inhibited by 2‐APT.

Conclusions and Implications

Taken together, our results suggest that 2‐APT attenuates GPVI‐specific signalling and is a novel inhibitor of collagen‐induced platelet responses. Therefore, NOXs could represent a novel target for the discovery of anti‐thrombotic drugs.
Selective inhibition by simvastatin of IRF3 phosphorylation and TSLP production in dsRNA‐challenged bronchial epithelial cells from COPD donors
Authors: Brandelius Angelica , Mahmutovic Persson Irma , Calvén Jenny , Bjermer Leif , Persson Carl GA , Andersson Morgan , Uller Lena
Published: August 2012

Background and Purpose

Statin treatment may ameliorate viral infection‐induced exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which exhibit Th2‐type bronchial inflammation. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a hub cytokine switching on Th2 inflammation, is overproduced in viral and dsRNA‐stimulated bronchial epithelial cells from COPD donors. Hence, TSLP may be causally involved in exacerbations. This study tests the hypothesis that simvastatin inhibits dsRNA‐induced TSLP.

Experimental Approach

Epithelial cells, obtained by bronchoscopy from COPD (n = 7) and smoker control (n = 8) donors, were grown and stimulated with a viral infection and danger signal surrogate, dsRNA (10 μg·mL−1). Cells were treated with simvastatin (0.2–5 μg·mL−1), with or without mevalonate (13–26 μg·mL−1), or dexamethasone (1 μg·mL−1) before dsRNA. Cytokine expression and production, and transcription factor (IRF3 and NF‐κB) activation were determined.

Key Results

dsRNA induced TSLP, TNF‐α, CXCL8 and IFN‐β. TSLP was overproduced in dsRNA‐exposed COPD cells compared with control. Simvastatin, but not dexamethasone, concentration‐dependently inhibited dsRNA‐induced TSLP. Unexpectedly, simvastatin acted independently of mevalonate and did not affect dsRNA‐induced NF‐κB activation nor did it reduce production of TNF‐α and CXCL8. Instead, simvastatin inhibited dsRNA‐induced IRF3 phosphorylation and generation of IFN‐β.

Conclusions and Implications

Independent of mevalonate and NF‐κB, previously acknowledged anti‐inflammatory mechanisms of pleiotropic statins, simvastatin selectively inhibited dsRNA‐induced IRF3 activation and production of TSLP and IFN‐β in COPD epithelium. These data provide novel insight into epithelial generation of TSLP and suggest paths to be exploited in drug discovery aimed at inhibiting TSLP‐induced pulmonary immunopathology.
Edmund Spenser and Elizabethan portraiture
Authors: COOPER TARNYA , HADFIELD ANDREW
Published: August 2012

There are a number of images that are associated with the English poet, Edmund Spenser (1552/4–99), most notably the so‐called ‘Kinnoull’ and ‘Chesterfield’ portraits. This essay explores the question of identification of the surviving pictures linked to Spenser and asks whether he might have sat for a portrait or even commissioned one himself. The essay draws on new research of portraits of late sixteenth‐century English writers of the ‘middling sort’. It examines the cultural and iconographic contexts of portraiture in the late sixteenth century in order to establish how the supposed portraits of Spenser can be compared to those of other Elizabethan citizens and writers. In tracing the desire to identity portraits of Spenser the authors explore the provenance and history of the surviving portraits. The supposed portraits were ‘discovered’ and identified as Spenser in the eighteenth century when there was a interest to present the writer within new editions of his printed works, which raises a number of awkward questions. The lack of correlation between of the supposed portraits of Spenser and authentic surviving portraits of other writers indicates that these portraits do not depict Spenser. The essay concludes by arguing that Spenser may never have commissioned a portrait, but that in any case the limited evidence about his appearance makes identification particularly difficult, creating opportunities – as with other writers of this period – for imaginative depictions.
Analysis of Flow Within a Left Ventricle Model Fully Assisted With Continuous Flow Through the Aortic Valve
Authors: Yano Tetsuya , Funayama Masanori , Sudo Seiichi , Mitamura Yoshinori
Published: August 2012

Blood compatibility of a ventricular assist device (VAD) depends on the dynamics of blood flow. The focus in most previous studies was on blood flow in the VAD. However, the tip shape and position of the VAD inflow cannula influence the dynamics of intraventricular blood flow and thus thrombus formation in the ventricle. In this study, blood flow in the left ventricle (LV) under support with a catheter‐type continuous flow blood pump was investigated. The flow field was analyzed both numerically and experimentally to investigate the effects of catheter tip shape and its insertion depth on intraventricular flow patterns. A computational model of the LV cavity with a simplified shape was constructed using computer‐aided design software. Models of catheters with three different tip shapes were constructed and each was integrated to the LV model. In addition, three variations of insertion depth were prepared for all models. The fully supported intraventricular flow field was calculated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A transparent LV model made of silicone was also fabricated to analyze the intraventricular flow field by the particle image velocimetry technique. A mock circulation loop was constructed and water containing tracer particles was circulated in the loop. The motion of particles in the LV model was recorded with a digital high‐speed video camera and analyzed to reveal the flow field. The results of numerical and experimental analyses indicated the formation of two large vortices in the bisector plane of the mitral and aortic valve planes. The shape and positioning of the catheter tip affected the flow distribution in the LV, and some of these combinations elongated the upper vortex toward the ventricular apex. Assessment based on average wall shear stress on the LV wall indicated that the flow distribution improved the washout effect. The flow patterns obtained from flow visualization coincided with those calculated by CFD analysis. Through these comparisons, the numerical analysis was validated. In conclusion, results of these numerical and experimental analyses of flow field in the LV cavity provide useful information when designing catheter‐type VADs.
Blood Trauma Testing of CentriMag and RotaFlow Centrifugal Flow Devices: A Pilot Study
Authors: Sobieski Michael A. , Giridharan Guruprasad A. , Ising Mickey , Koenig Steven C. , Slaughter Mark S.
Published: August 2012

Mechanical circulatory assist devices that provide temporary support in heart failure patients are needed to enable recovery or provide a bridge to decision. Minimizing risk of blood damage (i.e., hemolysis) with these devices is critical, especially if the length of support needs to be extended. Hematologic responses of the RotaFlow (Maquet) and CentriMag (Thoratec) temporary support devices were characterized in an in vitro feasibility study. Paired static mock flow loops primed with fresh bovine blood (700 mL, hematocrit [Hct] = 25 ± 3%, heparin titrated for activated clotting time >300 s) pooled from a single‐source donor were used to test hematologic responses to RotaFlow (n = 2) and CentriMag (n = 2) simultaneously. Pump differential pressures, temperature, and flow were maintained at 250 ± 10 mm Hg, 25 ± 2°C, and 4.2 ± 0.25 L/min, respectively. Blood samples (3 mL) were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, and 360 min after starting pumps in accordance with recommended Food and Drug Administration and American Society for Testing and Materials guidelines. The CentriMag operated at a higher average pump speed (3425 rpm) than the RotaFlow (3000 rpm) while maintaining similar constant flow rates (4.2 L/min). Hematologic indicators of blood trauma (hemoglobin, Hct, platelet count, plasma free hemoglobin, and white blood cell) for all measured time points as well as normalized and modified indices of hemolysis were similar (RotaFlow: normalized index of hemolysis [NIH] =  0.021 ± 0.003 g/100 L, modified index of hemolysis [MIH] = 3.28 ± 0.52 mg/mg compared to CentriMag: NIH =  0.041 ± 0.010 g/100 L, MIH = 6.08 ± 1.45 mg/mg). In this feasibility study, the blood trauma performance of the RotaFlow was similar or better than the CentriMag device under clinically equivalent, worst‐case test conditions. The RotaFlow device may be a more cost‐effective alternative to the CentriMag.
Implementation of Cerebral Autoregulation Into Computational Fluid Dynamics Studies of Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: Kaufmann Tim A.S. , Schmitz‐Rode Thomas , Steinseifer Ulrich
Published: August 2012

Peri‐ or postoperative neurological complications are among the main risks for patients undergoing extracorporeal circulatory support (ECC). Two of the main reasons are an increased risk for strokes and altered flow conditions leading to cerebral hypoperfusion. This is strongly affected by cerebral autoregulation, which is the body's intrinsic ability to provide sufficient cerebral blood flow (CBF) despite changes in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). This complex mechanism has been mainly neglected in numerical studies, which have often been applied for analysis of ECC. In this study, a mathematical model is presented to implement cerebral autoregulation into computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies. CFD simulations of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were performed in a 3D model of the cardiovascular system, with flow variations between 4.5–6 L/min. Cerebral outlets were modeled using an equation to calculate CBF based on CPP. Assuming full regulation, CBF was kept constant for CPP between 80 and 120 mm Hg. A deviation in CBF of 20% occurred for CPP between 55–80 mm Hg and 120–145 mm Hg, respectively. The level of regulation was varied to take possible impairment of cerebral autoregulation into account. Furthermore, chronic hypertension was modeled by increasing the baseline CPP. Results indicate that even for full autoregulation, CBF is decreased during CPB. It is even lower for impaired autoregulation and hypertensive patients, demonstrating the strong impact of autoregulation on CBF. It is therefore imperative to include this mechanism into CFD studies. The presented model can help to improve CPB support conditions based on patient‐specific autoregulation parameters.
Temporary Right Heart Assist: A Minimally Invasive Approach
Authors: Schopka Simon , Haneya Assad , Rupprecht Leopold , Camboni Daniele , Schmid Christof , Hilker Michael
Published: August 2012

A surgical method for the implantation of a mechanical right ventricular assist device which avoids resternotomy/thoracotomy and related complications at the time of explantation is presented. In order to support the failing right heart, a Dacron vascular graft was sewn to the pulmonary artery. For venous drainage, a cannula was inserted into the right atrium via the femoral vein. Explantation of the system, after the right heart resumed its function, was accomplished by retracting and compressing the venous cannula in the groin as well as by retracting the arterial cannula from the Dacron vascular graft followed by suturing without opening the chest. Between 2006 and 2011, this system was used in 12 patients. The median duration of right heart support was 10.5 days. Seven patients were successfully weaned from the system, six patients survived. In all cases, explantation was free of complications. The technique described is a safe method to support the right heart and allows explantation without the risks and complications of reopening the thorax.
Predictors of psychiatric and seizure outcome following temporal lobe epilepsy surgery
Authors: Cleary Rebecca A. , Thompson Pamela J. , Fox Zoe , Foong Jacqueline
Published: August 2012

Purpose:  Neurosurgery is an effective therapy for selected individuals with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). De novo psychopathology may complicate the postsurgical outcome. Our aims were to identify predictors of de novo psychiatric and seizure outcome following TLE surgery.

Methods:  Medical records of 280 patients who underwent TLE surgery were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative psychiatric diagnoses were identified, in addition to information on seizure recurrence and neuropsychological status. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of having a de novo psychiatric diagnosis and remaining seizure‐free within 4 years following surgery.

Key Findings:  One hundred five patients (38%) had significant psychiatric problems within 4 years following TLE surgery. Fifty‐one patients (18%) developed de novo psychopathology; half of cases presented within 6 months and 90% of psychopathologies persisted 6 months or longer. A preoperative history of secondary generalized tonic–clonic seizure(s) (SGTCS) was an independent predictor of de novo psychopathology (odds ratio [OR] 2.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–6.59, p = 0.02). From patients with available seizure data, 49% (127 of 258) remained seizure‐free for 4 years after surgery. Patients with a history of SGTCS (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.25–0.90, p = 0.02) and those with a preoperative psychiatric diagnosis (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.28–0.98, p = 0.04) were significantly less likely to remain seizure‐free.

Significance:  De novo psychopathology is a significant complication of TLE surgery. Inclusion of neuropsychiatric assessments in the presurgical evaluation may lead to increase in the power of prognostic models used to predict the neurologic outcome of TLE surgery.
Efficacy and safety of eslicarbazepine acetate as add‐on treatment in patients with focal‐onset seizures: Integrated analysis of pooled data from double‐blind phase III clinical studies
Authors: Gil‐Nagel António , Elger Christian , Ben‐Menachem Elinor , Halász Peter , Lopes‐Lima José , Gabbai Alberto A. , Nunes Teresa , Falcão Amílcar , Almeida Luis , Soares‐da‐Silva Patrício
Published: August 2012

Purpose:  To evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) added to stable antiepileptic therapy in adults with partial‐onset seizures.

Methods:  Data from 1,049 patients enrolled from 125 centers, in 23 countries, in three phase III double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled studies were pooled and analyzed. Following a 2‐week titration period, ESL was administered at 400 mg, 800 mg, and 1,200 mg once‐daily doses for 12 weeks.

Key Findings:  Seizure frequency was significantly reduced with ESL 800 mg (p < 0.0001) and 1,200 mg (p < 0.0001) compared to placebo. Median relative reduction in seizure frequency was, respectively, 35% and 39% (placebo 15%) and responder rate was 36% and 44% (placebo 22%). ESL was more efficacious than placebo regardless of gender, geographic region, epilepsy duration, age at time of diagnosis, seizure type, and number and type of concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Incidence of adverse events (AEs) and AEs leading to discontinuation were dose dependent. AEs occurred mainly during the first weeks of treatment, with no difference between groups after 6 weeks. Most common AEs (>10% patients) were dizziness, somnolence, and headache. The incidence of AEs in ESL groups compared to placebo was generally consistent among different subpopulations.

Significance:  Once‐daily ESL 800 mg and 1,200 mg showed consistent results across all efficacy and safety end points. Results were independent of study population characteristics and type and number of concomitant AEDs.
Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A current overview
Authors: Dickinson Philip , Looper Karl J.
Published: August 2012

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epilepsy, but no pathophysiological explanation has been established. Although there have been recent advances in PNES research and various hypotheses as to the psychopathology, no theory has achieved general acceptance. In this overview of selected literature on PNES, we highlight the often contradictory findings that underline the challenges that confront both practitioner and researcher. We first provide a synopsis of the history, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes, as well as patient characteristics of PNES and the relevance of communication in the clinical context. In the subsequent sections we discuss recent research that may advance the understanding and diagnosis of this disorder. These themes include the use of qualitative methods as a viable research option, the application of nonlinear methods to analyze heterogeneous observations during diagnosis, recent advances in neuroimaging of PNES, and the development of international databases.
Attitudes Toward Same‐Sex Marriage: An Essentialist Approach
Authors: Duncan Melanie L. , Kemmelmeier Markus
Published: August 2012

The present research examines the implications of psychological essentialism for attitudes toward same‐sex marriage (SSM), a hotly contested policy issue. Based on the literature on psychological essentialism, we tested the novel proposition that negative SSM attitudes are the result of essentialist thinking about the institution of marriage itself, the idea that marriage is universal, unique as a human union, invariant, and not the result of human agency. Two studies (n = 351 and n = 117) confirm these predictions, but also demonstrate the essentialist conceptions of marriage are more potent predictors of SSM attitudes than essentialist conceptions of homosexuality. Additional analyses indicated that essentialist conceptions of homosexuality and marriage did mediate the effects of religiosity and political orientation on SSM attitudes. The discussion focuses on the implications for the ongoing policy debate.
Relationship Between Oral Health–Related Quality of Life, Oral Health, Socioeconomic, and General Health Factors in Elderly Brazilians
Authors: de Andrade Fabíola Bof , Lebrão Maria Lúcia , Santos Jair Lício Ferreira , Teixeira Doralice Severo da Cruz , de Oliveira Duarte Yeda Aparecida
Published: August 2012

Objectives

To assess the impact of oral health on quality of life in elderly Brazilians and to evaluate its association with clinical oral health measures and socioeconomic and general health factors.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Population‐based cohort study on health, well‐being, and aging.

Participants

Eight hundred fifty‐seven participants representing 588,384 community‐dwelling elderly adults from the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

MeasurementS

Self‐perceived impact of oral health on quality of life was measured using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), with scores categorized as good, moderate, or poor, indicating low, moderate, and high degrees of negative impact on quality of life, respectively.

Results

Nearly half of the individuals had good GOHAI scores (44.7% of overall sample, 45.9% of dentate participants, and 43.4% of edentulous participants). In the overall sample, those with poor self‐rated general health and a need for dental prostheses were more likely to have poor and moderate GOHAI scores. Individuals with depression were significantly more likely to have poor GOHAI scores. No socioeconomic variables were related to the outcome, except self‐perception of sufficient income, which was a protective factor against a poor GOHAI score in dentate participants.

Conclusion

Moderate and high degrees of negative impact of oral health on quality of life were associated with general health and clinical oral health measures, independent of socioeconomic factors.
Reasons for moving toward a patient‐centric paradigm of clinical transfusion medicine practice
Authors: Vamvakas Eleftherios C.
Published: August 2012

The combination of patient blood management (PBM) modalities and multicomponent apheresis permits us to administer even safer transfusions than those using the “safer‐than‐ever” blood components distributed in the beginning of the 21st century. PBM identifies a patient at risk of transfusion and formulates a multidisciplinary and multimodal—yet individualized—plan for reducing the need for allogeneic transfusion. Multicomponent apheresis can collect any combination of red blood cells, platelets, and plasma from the same donor during the same donation, and it should eventually reserve all components harvested from the same donation for transfusion to the same recipient. Together, PBM and multicomponent apheresis represent a new paradigm—the patient‐centric paradigm—of transfusion medicine whose purpose is to reduce the transfusion risk for each individual patient to the level of the ALARA (as‐low‐as‐reasonably‐achievable) risk. PBM and multicomponent apheresis can meet a patient's transfusion needs with at least twofold fewer allogeneic donor exposures, thereby reducing the risk of infectious and immunologic complications of transfusion by at least twofold. The reduction in risk includes the leading cause of transfusion‐related mortality (transfusion‐related acute lung injury) and the cardinal threat to transfusion safety (the next “HIV‐like” pathogen to emerge in the future). Once it is determined that PBM and multicomponent apheresis can replace the current blood‐procurement system at a “reasonable” cost and without jeopardizing the supply of blood and components, the patient‐centric paradigm should replace the current, component‐centric paradigm of transfusion medicine to reduce the transfusion risk to the level of the ALARA risk.