bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local manifold learning for multiatlas segmentation: application to hippocampal segmentation in healthy population and Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Li Xin‐Wei , Li Qiong‐Ling , Li Shu‐Yu , Li De‐Yu ,   the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: June 2015

Aims

Automated hippocampal segmentation is an important issue in many neuroscience studies.

Methods

We presented and evaluated a novel segmentation method that utilized a manifold learning technique under the multiatlas‐based segmentation scenario. A manifold representation of local patches for each voxel was achieved by applying an Isomap algorithm, which can then be used to obtain spatially local weights of atlases for label fusion. The obtained atlas weights potentially depended on all pairwise similarities of the population, which is in contrast to most existing label fusion methods that only rely on similarities between the target image and the atlases. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated for hippocampal segmentation and compared with two representative local weighted label fusion methods, that is, local majority voting and local weighted inverse distance voting, on an in‐house dataset of 28 healthy adolescents (age range: 10–17 years) and two ADNI datasets of 100 participants (age range: 60–89 years). We also implemented hippocampal volumetric analysis and evaluated segmentation performance using atlases from a different dataset.

Results

The median Dice similarities obtained by our proposed method were approximately 0.90 for healthy subjects and above 0.88 for two mixed diagnostic groups of ADNI subjects.

Conclusion

The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method could obtain consistent and significant improvements over label fusion strategies that are implemented in the original space.
The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and related complications in a nationally representative sample of adults aged 50 and over in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Tracey M. L. , McHugh S. M. , Buckley C. M. , Canavan R. J. , Fitzgerald A. P. , Kearney P. M.
Published: June 2015

Aim

To investigate the prevalence of diagnosed Type 2 diabetes and its related complications in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the Republic of Ireland.

Methods

Cross‐sectional analysis of a population‐based sample of adults aged ≥ 50 years from the first wave of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), (2009–2011). Diagnosed Type 2 diabetes prevalence was estimated by self‐report or the use of oral hypoglycaemic agents. The prevalence of microvascular and macrovascular complications was determined by self‐report.

Results

Diagnosed Type 2 diabetes prevalence was 8.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.8–9.0%] and was higher among men [10.3% (95% CI: 9.4–11.2%)] than women [6.6% (95% CI: 5.9–7.5%)]; P ≤ 0.001. Among participants with diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, the overall prevalence of microvascular complications was 26.0% (95% CI: 22.4–30.0%) with no evidence of gender‐specific differences (P = 0.7). The overall prevalence of macrovascular complications was 15.1% (95% CI: 12.2–18.4%) and was higher among men [17.8% (95% CI: 14.3–23.1%)] than women [11.4% (95% CI: 7.7–16.4%)]; P ≤ 0.001.

Conclusions

In the absence of a national diabetes register, these findings provide a robust estimate of the national prevalence of diagnosed Type 2 diabetes and level of complications among adults aged 50 years and over in Ireland.
Is onset of lactation delayed in women with diabetes in pregnancy? A systematic review
Authors: De Bortoli J. , Amir L. H.
Published: June 2015

Aim

To determine if women with diabetes in pregnancy have a delayed onset of lactation through a systematic review of the literature.

Methods

We searched databases including MEDLINE, Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL Plus and PsychINFO for articles assessing diabetes in pregnancy and lactogenesis. Thirty‐one articles were screened and 10 articles were included in the systematic review. We extracted data on diabetes in pregnancy and onset of lactation (secretory activation or lactogenesis II).

Results

The 10 studies examining the association between women with diabetes in pregnancy and delayed onset of lactation reported a significant delay in women with diabetes compared with women without diabetes. Two studies assessed the impact of metabolic control on lactogenesis, and found an association between poorer metabolic control and delayed onset of lactation.

Conclusions

Although this review has found evidence of an association between women experiencing diabetes during pregnancy and delayed onset of lactation, the presence of many potential confounding factors need to be acknowledged.
Reductions in connectivity and habitat quality drive local extinctions in a plant diversity hotspot
Authors: Hooftman Danny A. P. , Edwards Bryan , Bullock James M.
Published: June 2015

It is well documented that habitat loss is a major cause of biodiversity decline. However, the roles of the different aspects of habitat loss in local extinctions are less understood. Anthropogenic destruction of an area of habitat causes immediate local extinction but subsequently three additional gradual drivers influence the likelihood of delayed extinction: decreased habitat patch size, lower connectivity and habitat deterioration. We investigated the role of these drivers in local extinctions of 82 declining species in a UK biodiversity hotspot. We combined a unique set of ≈ 7000 vegetation surveys and habitat maps from the 1930s with contemporary species’ occurrences. We extrapolated from these surveys to the whole 2500‐km2study area using habitat suitability surfaces. The strengths of drivers in explaining local extinctions over this 70 yr period were determined by contrasting connectivity, patch size and habitat quality loss for locations at which a species went extinct and those with persisting occurrences. Species’ occurrences declined on average by 60%, with half of local extinctions attributable to immediate habitat loss and half to the gradual processes causing delayed extinctions. On average, locations where a species persisted had a 73% higher contemporary connectivity than those suffering extinctions, but showed no differences in historical connectivity. Furthermore, locations with extinctions experienced a 37% greater decline in suitability associated with changes in habitat type. The strength of the drivers and the proportion of extinctions depended on the species’ habitat specialism, but were affected only minimally by life‐history characteristics. In conclusion, we identified a hierarchy of drivers influencing local extinction: with connectivity loss being the strongest, suitability change being moderately important, but changes in habitat patch size having only weak effects. We suggest conservation efforts could be most effective by strengthening connectivity along with reducing habitat deterioration, which would benefit a wide range of species.
A national follow‐up survey of UK graduates opinion of undergraduate oral surgery teaching
Authors: Macluskey M. , Shepherd S. , Carter E. , Bulsara Y. , Durham J. A. , Bell A. , Dargue A. , Emanuel C. , Freeman C. , Jones J. , Khawaja N. , Leeson R. , Marley J. , Andiappan M. , Millsopp L. , Nayyer N. , Renton T. , Taylor K. , Thomson P. , Toedtling V.
Published: June 2015

Introduction

A national follow‐up survey was undertaken to determine whether dental graduates from 2009 perceived that their undergraduate oral surgery education had equipped them for general dental practice 4 years after graduating.

Materials and Methods

Graduates from the same 13 United Kingdom dental schools who had taken part in the original survey were invited to take part in this follow‐up online survey. Their contact details were identified via the general dental council register, social media and alumni groups.

Results

In total, 161 responded (2009b) which represents 16% of the graduates of the original survey in 2009a. A similar percentage of these respondents perceived that the teaching in oral surgery had given them sufficient knowledge to undertake independent practice (83% and 79% in 2009a and 2009b, respectively). Most respondents (99% in both years) reported confidence in undertaking simple forceps exodontia. Confidence in surgical exodontia was poor in both surveys, but one area that appeared improved in the follow‐up related to the sectioning of teeth (84% in 2009b compared with 49% in 2009a). Areas of weakness identified in 2009 were reported to be improved in the follow‐up.

Conclusion

This follow‐up survey supports the findings of the original survey. Future longitudinal studies would allow institutions to identify possible weaknesses in their curriculum and to track the career development of their graduates and facilitate robust data collection.
Cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma: Therapeutic implications based on stem cell biology
Authors: Chiba Tetsuhiro , Iwama Atsushi , Yokosuka Osamu
Published: June 2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third most frequent cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Despite advances in its diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC remains unfavorable. Recent advances in stem cell biology and associated technologies have enabled the identification of minor components of tumorigenic cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSC) or tumor‐initiating cells, in cancers such as HCC. Furthermore, because CSC play a central role in tumor development, metastasis and recurrence, they are considered to be a therapeutic target in cancer treatment. Hepatic CSC have been successfully identified using functional and cell surface markers. The analysis of purified hepatic CSC has revealed the molecular machinery and signaling pathways involved in their maintenance. In addition, epigenetic transcriptional regulation has been shown to be important in the development and maintenance of CSC. Although inhibitors of CSC show promise as CSC‐targeting drugs, novel therapeutic approaches for the eradication of CSC are yet to be established. In this review, we describe recent progress in hepatic CSC research and provide a perspective on the available therapeutic approaches based on stem cell biology.
The Mystery Revealed—Intersectionality in the Black Box: An Analysis of Female Migrants' Employment Opportunities in Urban China
Authors: Wang Yixuan
Published: June 2015

Female migrant workers are doubly disadvantaged in China's urban labor market because of their doubly marginalized identities as both women and rural residents. This article takes a process‐centered approach to explore how female migrants' two identity categories generate intersectional effects on their job‐search experiences in cities. Data from in‐depth interviews conducted in Xi'an city, China, in 2010 and 2011 reveal that three patterns of relationship explain the processes where the gender–hukou (residence status) intersection affects female migrants. In the first pattern, a splintering relationship, hukou and gender work singly to form employment discrimination against female migrants. The second, a contesting relationship, indicates that hukou and gender alternate as the primary identities that affect their employment opportunities. In the third, a collaborating relationship, hukou and gender work together to either positively or negatively shape female migrants' employment prospects. No matter which of the relationships plays out, female migrants' disadvantages as cheap urban laborers have become deeply entrenched in the urban labor market. This can be explained by two powerful social institutions in contemporary China, the hukou system and patriarchy.
Marx, Rawls, Cohen, and Feminism
Authors: Casal Paula
Published: June 2015

Although G. A. Cohen's work on Marx was flawed by a lack of gender‐awareness, his work on Rawls owes much of its success to feminist inspiration. Cohen appeals effectively to feminism to rebut the basic structure objection to his egalitarian ethos, and could now appeal to feminism in response to Andrew Williams's publicity objection to this ethos. The article argues that Williams's objection is insufficient to rebut Cohen's ethos, inapplicable to variants of this ethos, and in conflict with plausible gender‐egalitarian ethoses. The article also advocates an understanding of basic structuralism and publicity consistent with feminism, and argues that Rawlsians need not reject plausible domestic egalitarian ethoses on either publicity or liberty grounds.

To Michèle, G. A. Cohen's Harriet Taylor
Rapid response teams in adult hospitals: time for another look?
Authors: White K. , Scott I. A. , Vaux A. , Sullivan C. M.
Published: June 2015

Rapid response teams (RRT), alternatively termed medical emergency teams, have become part of the clinical landscape in the majority of adult hospitals throughout Australia and New Zealand. These teams aim to bring critical care expertise to the bedside of clinically deteriorating patients residing in general hospital wards with the aim of preventing adverse outcomes, in particular death or cardiorespiratory arrests. While the concept of RRT has considerable face validity, there is little high quality evidence of their effectiveness and much uncertainty as to the optimal methods for identifying patients in need of RRT and calling the RRT (afferent limb) and how, and with whom, the RRT should then respond (efferent limb). Adverse unintended consequences of RRT systems and the opportunity costs involved in maintaining such systems have not been subject to study, amid concerns RRT may be compensating for other potentially remediable system of care failures. This article presents an overview of the current state of play of RRT in hospital practice as they pertain to the care of adult patients and identifies several issues around their implementation and evaluation that should be subject to further research.
Infants' Acquisition of Grammatical Gender Dependencies
Authors: van Heugten Marieke , Christophe Anne
Published: June 2015

To successfully understand spoken language, listeners need to determine how words within sentences relate to one another. Although the ability to compute relationships between word categories is known to develop early in life, little research has been conducted on infants' early sensitivity to subcategorical dependencies, such as those evoked by grammatical gender (where the article form is dictated by the noun's gender). This study therefore examines whether French‐learning 18‐month‐olds track such relationships. Using the Visual Fixation Procedure, infants were presented with article–noun sequences in which the gender‐marked article either matched (e.g., laFEM poussetteFEM “the stroller”) or mismatched (e.g., leMASC poussetteFEM) the gender of the noun. A clear preference for correct over incorrect co‐occurrences was observed, suggesting that by 18 months of age, children's storage and access of words is sufficiently sophisticated to include the means to track subcategorical dependencies. This early sensitivity to gender information may be greatly beneficial for constraining lexical access during online language processing.
Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties of Praseodymium‐Modified Lead‐Free (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 Ceramics
Authors: Coondoo Indrani , Panwar Neeraj , Amorín Harvey , Ramana Venkata Eskilla , Algueró Miguel , Kholkin Andrei
Published: June 2015

The role of Pr6O11 addition on the structure, microstructure, electrical, and electromechanical properties of lead‐free (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 piezoelectric ceramics has been systemically investigated. Addition of praseodymium (Pr) results in improved ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. XRD analysis revealed the co‐existence of rhombohedral (R) and tetragonal (T) phases at room temperature. High remanent polarization values (2Pr ~17 μC/cm2) and loop squareness of nearly 0.87 were obtained for the BCZT‐0.04 wt%Pr ceramic, along with high piezoelectric coefficient (d33 = 435 pC/N) and transduction coefficient [(d33·g33) = 11589 × 10−15 m2/N]. Results are correlated with the crystal structure and microstructure that significantly influence the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties near the R–T phase transition point. This material seems to be especially suitable for energy harvesting applications, exhibiting outstanding figure of merit.
Thermal Properties of Hf‐Doped ZrB2 Ceramics
Authors: Lonergan Jason M. , McClane Devon L. , Fahrenholtz William G. , Hilmas Gregory E.
Published: June 2015

The effect of Hf additions on the thermal properties of ZrB2 ceramics was studied. Reactive hot pressing of ZrH2, B, and HfB2 powders was used to synthesize (Zr1−x,Hfx)B2 ceramics with Hf contents ranging from x = 0.0001 (0.01 at.%) to 0.0033 (0.33 at.%). Room‐temperature heat capacity values decreased from 495 J·(kg·K)−1 for a Hf content of 0.01 at.% to 423 J·(kg·K)−1 for a Hf content of 0.28 at.%. Thermal conductivity values decreased from 141 to 100 W·(m·K)−1 as Hf content increased from 0.01 to 0.33 at.%. This study revealed, for the first time, that small Hf contents decreased the thermal conductivity of ZrB2 ceramics. Furthermore, the results indicated that reported thermal properties of ZrB2 ceramics are affected by the presence of impurities and do not represent intrinsic behavior.
Seed‐Free Solid‐State Growth of Large Lead‐Free Piezoelectric Single Crystals: (Na1/2K1/2)NbO3
Authors: Jiang Minhong , Randall Clive A. , Guo Hanzheng , Rao Guanghui , Tu Rong , Gu Zhengfei , Cheng Gang , Liu Xinyu , Zhang Jinwei , Li Yongxiang
Published: June 2015

Large Na0.5K0.5NbO3 (NKN) piezoelectric single crystals were obtained by seed‐free solid‐state crystal growth method, which is a traditional sintering grain growth process, with LiBiO3 used as a sintering aid. The largest dimension of the single crystals obtained was 11 mm × 9 mm × 3 mm. In addition to the LiBiO3 doping content, temperature, and time effect of the crystal growth process was systematically investigated and considered from the kinetics point of view. With the assistance of Avrami analysis, parameters relevant to the crystal growth process were determined. Laue diffraction and transmission electron microscopy suggested an orthorhombic symmetry for the single crystalline structure. Dielectric‐frequency‐temperature measurements revealed an orthorhombic‐tetragonal and tetragonal‐cubic phase transition at 155°C and 405°C, respectively, both of which are typical of first‐order transitions, and have a well‐defined thermal hysteresis. Rayleigh analysis was performed regarding to the extrinsic reversible and nonreversible piezoelectric properties, and the result suggested a dominant intrinsic reversible piezoelectric contribution of 91.5% under E0 = 1 kV/cm AC amplitude. Such a single crystal growth process route is low cost and a relative simple preparation process.
‘I don't feel trapped anymore…I feel like a bird’: People with Learning Disabilities' Experience of Psychological Therapy
Authors: Lewis Nicola , Lewis Karin , Davies Bronwen
Published: June 2015

Background

There are very few studies that investigate the qualitative experiences of people with a learning disability who have engaged in psychological therapy. Indeed, having a learning disability has traditionally been an exclusion criterion for good quality research about psychological treatments (Psychotherapy and Learning Disability. Council Report CR116. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2004; Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 19, 2005 and 5). The current research was developed in response to a clinical psychology service recognizing the need to evaluate their psychological service and, as part of this evaluation, the importance of consulting with service users about their experience of psychological therapies. The overall aim of gaining this feedback would be to improve the service offered and to ensure that people receive the best psychological care.

Methods

Six service users with a learning disability were interviewed about their experience of individual psychological therapy. The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results

Themes were generated from the interviews which highlighted both positive and negative feedback on the psychological therapy process. The feedback covered areas such as access to therapy, feelings about therapy, preparing for therapy, skill development and collaborative working, accessibility and making therapy fun, challenges to confidentiality, positive feelings towards the therapist, aspects of the therapeutic relationship, therapy being challenging but helpful, and positive outcomes.

Conclusions

These results have contributed to the evidence base that people with a learning disability are able to meaningfully engage in research and provide essential feedback on the services that they receive. No longer can people be excluded from individual psychological therapy or research just because of their label.
The Effectiveness Dimension of the EU's Performance in International Institutions: Toward a More Comprehensive Assessment Framework
Authors: Oberthür Sebastian , Groen Lisanne
Published: June 2015

In this article, we develop a comprehensive framework for assessing the effectiveness dimension of the EU's performance in international institutions, consisting of three elements: (1) the quality of the EU's policy objectives; (2) EU engagement in the negotiations, including its fit with the international constellation of power and interests; and (3) goal achievement. We apply this assessment framework to two cases with two phases each: (1) the negotiations on the 2010 Nagoya Protocol on genetic resources to the Convention on Biological Diversity and (2) the negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change toward the 2009 Copenhagen and 2011 Durban climate summits. The analysis demonstrates that the assessment framework (1) facilitates a more complete and richer appreciation of EU effectiveness in international institutions than the established understanding of effectiveness as goal achievement and (2) allows us to start to systematically explore the interaction between the framework's three components.
Spontaneous seizures in Kcna1‐null mice lacking voltage‐gated Kv1.1 channels activate Fos expression in select limbic circuits
Authors: Gautier Nicole M. , Glasscock Edward
Published: June 2015

Mice lacking voltage‐gated Kv1.1 channels as a result of deletion of the Kcna1 gene are an extensively utilized genetic model of human epilepsy and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy because of their frequent seizures and genotypic–phenotypic similarity to the human condition. Ictal behaviors, electrophysiological recordings, and gene expression studies suggest limbic circuits are critical for epilepsy in Kcna1‐null mice, but the exact brain networks recruited by seizures remain unknown. In this study, Fos protein expression patterns were used to map limbic brain regions with increased neuronal activity at baseline and during spontaneous seizures in Kcna1‐null mice by comparing seizing and non‐seizing knockouts and wild‐type controls. Basal Fos levels were unchanged in non‐seizing knockout mice compared to wild types for all brain regions examined except the dentate gyrus granule cell layer which exhibited a significant decrease in Fos‐positive cells. Following seizures, Kcna1‐null brains exhibited significantly increased Fos labeling in the basolateral amygdala and the dentate hilus region, but not in other principal cell layers of the hippocampal formation. The selective Fos activation in the amygdala following seizures suggests that extra hippocampal limbic circuits may be critically involved with seizure generation or spread in Kcna1‐null mice.

image

Fos protein expression patterns were analyzed using immunohistochemistry to provide the first map of brain regions recruited by spontaneous seizures in mice lacking Kv1.1 channels, an extensively used genetic model of epilepsy. Seizures significantly increased Fos expression in the amygdala and hilus by about fourfold, suggesting an important contribution by extrahippocampal networks to epilepsy in this model.
Severe childhood Guillain‐Barré syndrome associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection: a case series
Authors: Meyer Sauteur Patrick M. , Roodbol Joyce , Hackenberg Annette , de Wit Marie‐Claire Y. , Vink Cornelis , Berger Christoph , Jacobs Enno , van Rossum Annemarie M. C. , Jacobs Bart C.
Published: June 2015

We report seven children with recent Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and severe Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) that presented to two European medical centres from 1992 to 2012. Severe GBS was defined as the occurrence of respiratory failure, central nervous system (CNS) involvement, or death. Five children had GBS, one Bickerstaff brain stem encephalitis (BBE), and one acute‐onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (A‐CIDP). The five patients with severe GBS were derived from an original cohort of 66 children with GBS. In this cohort, 17 children (26%) had a severe form of GBS and 47% of patients with M. pneumoniae infection presented with severe GBS. Of the seven patients in this case series, five were mechanically ventilated and four had CNS involvement (two were comatose). Most patients presented with non‐specific clinical symptoms (nuchal rigidity and ataxia) and showed a rapidly progressive disease course (71%). Antibodies against M. pneumoniae were detected in all patients and were found to be intrathecally synthesised in two cases (GBS and BBE), which proves intrathecal infection. One patient died and only two patients recovered completely. These cases illustrate that M. pneumoniae infection in children can be followed by severe and complicated forms of GBS. Non‐specific clinical features of GBS in such patients may predispose a potentially life‐threatening delay in diagnosis.
Rasch‐ionale for neurologists
Authors: Vanhoutte Els K. , Hermans Mieke C. E. , Faber Catharina G. , Gorson Kenneth C. , Merkies Ingemar S. J. , Thonnard Jean‐L. ,   on behalf of the PeriNomS Study Group
Published: June 2015

Outcome measures are considered the most important tools to monitor patients' outcome in both clinical and research settings. Measuring the clinical state of patients is a fundamental part of our daily clinical practice and research that sometimes is taken for granted. In peripheral neuropathies, there are many scales available, but most of these are at the ordinal level. This paper will systematically address the types of scales available (being nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio data‐based) in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. The differences between classical test theory‐based and modern test method‐based outcome measures will be addressed with emphasis on Rasch methodology. Various steps will be highlighted as part of the evaluation and construction of outcome measures using the Rasch method, with the aim to increase the knowledge and utility of this technique. We argue that Rasch‐built outcome measures should be used for future studies in neuromuscular disorders and their method of construction could be easily extrapolated to other neurological illnesses.
Grip strength comparison in immune‐mediated neuropathies: Vigorimeter vs. Jamar
Authors: Draak Thomas H. P. , Pruppers Mariëlle H. J. , van Nes Sonja I. , Vanhoutte Els K. , Bakkers Mayienne , Gorson Kenneth C. , Van der Pol W.‐Ludo , Lewis Richard. A. , Notermans Nicolette C. , Nobile‐Orazio Eduardo , Léger Jean‐Marc , Van den Bergh Peter Y. K. , Lauria Giuseppe , Bril Vera , Katzberg Hans , Lunn Michael P. T. , Pouget Jean , van der Kooi Anneke J. , van den Berg Leonard H. , van Doorn Pieter A. , Cornblath David R. , Hahn Angelika F. , Faber Catharina G. , Merkies Ingemar S. J. ,   on behalf of the PeriNomS study group
Published: June 2015

The Jamar dynamometer and Vigorimeter have been used to assess grip strength in immune‐mediated neuropathies, but have never been compared to each other. Therefore, we performed a comparison study between these two devices in patients with immune‐mediated neuropathies. Grip strength data were collected in 102 cross‐sectional stable and 163 longitudinal (new diagnoses or changing condition) patients with Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), gammopathy‐related polyneuropathy (MGUSP), and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). Stable patients were assessed twice (validity/reliability studies). Longitudinal patients were assessed 3‐5 times during 1 year. Responsiveness comparison between the two tools was examined using combined anchor‐/distribution‐based minimum clinically important difference (MCID) techniques. Patients were asked to indicate their preference for the Jamar or Vigorimeter. Both tools correlated highly with each other (ρ = 0.86, p < 0.0001) and showed good intra‐class correlation coefficients (Jamar [Right/Left hands]: ICC 0.997/0.96; Vigori: ICC 0.95/0.98). Meaningful changes were comparable between the two instruments, being higher in GBS compared to CIDP patients. In MGUSP/MMN poor responsiveness was seen. Significant more patients preferred the Vigorimeter. In conclusion, validity, reliability, and responsiveness aspects were comparable between the Jamar dynamometer and Vigorimeter. However, based on patients' preference, the Vigorimeter is recommended in future studies in immune‐mediated neuropathies.
Pregnancy outcome in women with gestational diabetes mellitus according to the Carpenter–Coustan criteria in Thailand
Authors: Luengmettakul Jiraporn , Sunsaneevithayakul Prasert , Talungchit Pattarawalai
Published: June 2015

Aim

To compare the pregnancy outcome of patients diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using the Carpenter–Coustan (CC) criteria with that of non‐GDM pregnant women at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok.

Methods

A retrospective study was carried out by reviewing medical records of pregnant women who underwent 100‐g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for diagnosing GDM between January 2009 and December 2012 at Siriraj Hospital. Pregnant women were divided into three groups according to the 100‐g OGTT result: group 1, pregnant women with normal OGTT on both CC and National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) criteria; group 2, pregnant women with normal OGTT on NDDG criteria but GDM on CC criteria; and group 3, pregnant women with GDM on CC criteria after December 2012 and enrolled in glycemic control program. Maternal and perinatal outcomes were compared between the groups.

Results

During the study period, the incidence of GDM increased 32.76% using the CC criteria. These women (group 2) had a higher risk of neonatal hypoglycemia (6.7% vs 0.6%; OR, 12.3; P < 0.0001), neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (13.7% vs 7.8%; OR, 1.9; P = 0.013) compared with group 1. Pregnant women in group 3 had a lower incidence of immediate post‐partum hemorrhage from vaginal delivery than group 2 (0 vs 2.9%; P = 0.04) as well as lower rates of neonatal hypoglycemia and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Conclusion

Use of CC criteria increases the prevalence of GDM, but managing these women according to the program for GDM can improve the adverse neonatal outcome.
Randomized controlled trial of enoxaparin versus intermittent pneumatic compression for venous thromboembolism prevention in Japanese surgical patients with gynecologic malignancy
Authors: Nagata Chie , Tanabe Hiroshi , Takakura Satoshi , Narui Chikage , Saito Motoaki , Yanaihara Nozomu , Okamoto Aikou
Published: June 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of enoxaparin and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention in Japanese surgical patients with gynecologic malignancy.

Material and Methods

Patients ≥40 years old undergoing major surgery for gynecologic malignancy without preoperative VTE were included. Written informed consent was obtained. Enrolled patients received IPC immediately before surgery. After surgery, they were randomly assigned to either an enoxaparin group or an IPC‐alone group. The enoxaparin group received enoxaparin injection (20 mg, subcutaneous, every 12 h) from postoperative day 2 to 8. IPC was discontinued after the first injection. In the IPC‐alone group, IPC was continued until full ambulation. The primary end‐point was incidence of VTE, including pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, regardless of symptoms. An interim analysis was to be conducted when the first 30 patients had completed the study protocol. A Data and Safety Monitoring Board was established for making recommendation on the continuation or termination of the study based on the interim results.

Results

At the time of the interim analysis, six cases of VTE were found: five in the IPC‐alone group and one in the enoxaparin group (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.08). Three patients in the IPC‐alone group developed pulmonary embolism, but none in the enoxaparin group did so (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.10). The study was terminated following the Data and Safety Monitoring Board's recommendation.

Conclusion

Enoxaparin might have lowered the risk of VTE among surgical patients with gynecologic malignancy. Further studies are necessary to confirm this.
Inhibition of inflammation may enhance nitric oxide availability in patients undergoing bariatric surgery for weight loss
Authors: Blum A. , Ginat‐Maimon L. , Yehuda H. , Geron N. , Ben Ami M. , Tamir S.
Published: June 2015

Background

Weight loss surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. The mechanisms underlying the beneficial cardiovascular effects are poorly understood, although inhibition of inflammatory markers has been demonstrated. We hypothesized that anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative stress reactions are responsible for the beneficial effects of bariatric surgery that have been shown in clinical trials.

Methods

The inflammatory system was studied by measuring mRNA levels of E‐selectin, tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and in a cell line (HUVEC‐CS) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells that were incubated for 4 h with pools of serum, collected before and 3 months after surgery, from 20 women who underwent bariatric surgery for weight loss. The oxidative stress pathway was examined by mRNA expression of NADPH oxidase (P22phox), paraoxonase (PON2), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase following incubation of the cells for 4 h with serum pools. The nitric oxide (NO) pathway was studied by measuring mRNA levels of inducible NOS and endothelial NOS and by determining nitrite and nitrate levels. To study the functional behaviour of endothelial cells under stress, primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (PECs) were incubated with the serum pools for 48 h, with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for the last 4 h.

Results

The inflammatory system: incubation of HUVEC‐CS cells with serum from women who underwent bariatric surgery led to a significant decrease in mRNA expression of E‐selectin and IL‐6 postsurgery. Stimulation of PECs with LPS in the presence of serum from women who underwent bariatric surgery caused a more significant difference in E‐selectin and TNF‐α mRNA expression before and after surgery. The antioxidant system: incubation of HUVEC‐CS cells with serum from women who underwent bariatric surgery did not lead to any difference in mRNA expression of P22phox, PON2, SOD2, GPx or catalase. Stimulation of PECs with LPS showed that obese women had higher levels of P22phox, PON2 and the antioxidant enzymes SOD2, GPx and catalase before and after surgery, compared to the control group. The NO pathway: HUVEC‐CS cells incubated with serum from women who underwent bariatric surgery secreted higher nitrite/nitrate levels compared to presurgery serum (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Inhibition of inflammation and enhanced availability of NO 3 months after bariatric surgery could partly explain the beneficial effects of surgery for weight loss.
Unveiling the mechanism of melatonin impacts on maize seedling growth: sugar metabolism as a case
Authors: Zhao Hongbo , Su Tao , Huo Liuqing , Wei Hongbin , Jiang Yang , Xu Lingfei , Ma Fengwang
Published: June 2015

Melatonin regulates growth in many plants; however, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, exogenous melatonin feeding resulted in both promotional (≤10 μm) and inhibitory (≥100 μm) effects on maize seedling growth. Initial analyses suggested positive correlations between the amount of melatonin and sucrose synthesis and hydrolysis‐related gene expression, enzyme activities, and sucrose metabolites. However, assays of photosynthetic rate, hexokinase (HxK) activity, expression of photosynthetic marker genes, and HxK‐related genes showed opposite effects under 10 μm (positive) and 100 μm (negative) melatonin treatments. Similarly, 10 μm melatonin accelerated starch catabolism at night, whereas 100 μm melatonin significantly decreased this process and led to starch accumulation in photosynthetic tissues. Furthermore, expression analysis of genes related to sucrose phloem loading resulted in a slight upregulation of sucrose transporters (SUT1 and SUT2) when seedlings were induced with 10 μm melatonin, while treatment with 100 μm melatonin resulted in significant downregulation of these sucrose transporter genes (SUT1 and SUT2), as well as tie‐dyed2 (Tdy2) and sucrose export defective 1. Taken together, these results suggest that low doses of melatonin benefit maize seedling growth by promoting sugar metabolism, photosynthesis, and sucrose phloem loading. Conversely, high doses of melatonin inhibit seedling growth by inducing the excessive accumulation of sucrose, hexose and starch, suppressing photosynthesis and sucrose phloem loading.
Mothers' appreciation of chromosomal microarray analysis for autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Giarelli Ellen , Reiff Marian
Published: June 2015

Purpose

The aim of this study was to examine mothers' experiences with chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Design and Methods

This is a descriptive qualitative study using thematic content analysis of in‐depth interview with 48 mothers of children who had genetic testing for ASD.

Results

The principal theme, “something is missing,” included missing knowledge about genetics, information on use of the results, explanations of the relevance to the diagnosis, and relevance to life‐long care. Two subordinate themes were (a) disappreciation of the helpfulness of scientific information to explain the diagnosis, and (b) returning to personal experience for interpretation.

Practice Implications

The test “appreciated” in value when results could be linked to the phenotype.
Physiological time structure of the tibialis anterior motor activity during sleep in mice, rats and humans
Authors: Silvani Alessandro , Martire Viviana LO , Salvadè Agnese , Bastianini Stefano , Ferri Raffaele , Berteotti Chiara , Baracchi Francesca , Pace Marta , Bassetti Claudio L. , Zoccoli Giovanna , Manconi Mauro
Published: June 2015

The validation of rodent models for restless legs syndrome (Willis–Ekbom disease) and periodic limb movements during sleep requires knowledge of physiological limb motor activity during sleep in rodents. This study aimed to determine the physiological time structure of tibialis anterior activity during sleep in mice and rats, and compare it with that of healthy humans. Wild‐type mice (n = 9) and rats (n = 8) were instrumented with electrodes for recording the electroencephalogram and electromyogram of neck muscles and both tibialis anterior muscles. Healthy human subjects (31 ± 1 years, n = 21) underwent overnight polysomnography. An algorithm for automatic scoring of tibialis anterior electromyogram events of mice and rats during non‐rapid eye movement sleep was developed and validated. Visual scoring assisted by this algorithm had inter‐rater sensitivity of 92–95% and false‐positive rates of 13–19% in mice and rats. The distribution of the time intervals between consecutive tibialis anterior electromyogram events during non‐rapid eye movement sleep had a single peak extending up to 10 s in mice, rats and human subjects. The tibialis anterior electromyogram events separated by intervals <10 s mainly occurred in series of two‐three events, their occurrence rate in humans being lower than in mice and similar to that in rats. In conclusion, this study proposes reliable rules for scoring tibialis anterior electromyogram events during non‐rapid eye movement sleep in mice and rats, demonstrating that their physiological time structure is similar to that of healthy young human subjects. These results strengthen the basis for translational rodent models of periodic limb movements during sleep and restless legs syndrome/Willis–Ekbom disease.
Serial Evaluation of Abdominal Fluid and Serum Amino‐terminal pro‐C‐type Natriuretic Peptide in Dogs with Septic Peritonitis
Authors: Guieu L.V.S. , Bersenas A.M.E. , Holowaychuk M.K. , Brisson B.A. , Weese J.S.
Published: June 2015

Background

Serum N‐terminal pro‐C‐natriuretic peptide (NT‐proCNP) has shown promise as a diagnostic biomarker for sepsis. Its sensitivity to detect dogs with septic peritonitis (SP) is reportedly low, perhaps attributable to the compartmentalization of NT‐proCNP in the abdominal cavity.

Objectives

To evaluate the use of an ELISA for the measurement of NT‐proCNP in canine abdominal fluid and to describe the peri‐operative pattern of abdominal fluid and serum NT‐proCNP concentrations in dogs with SP.

Animals

Five client‐owned dogs with nonseptic abdominal effusion of varying etiologies and 12 client‐owned dogs with SP undergoing abdominal surgery and placement of a closed‐suction abdominal drain (CSAD). Six dogs were included upon hospital admission; 6 were included the day after surgery.

Methods

Prospective pilot study. A commercially available ELISA kit was analytically validated for use on canine abdominal fluid. The NT‐proCNP concentrations were measured in the abdominal fluid of control dogs, and in serum and abdominal fluid of dogs with SP from admission for CSAD removal.

Results

In dogs with SP, admission abdominal fluid NT‐proCNP concentrations were lower than the concurrent serum concentrations (P = 0.031), and lower than control canine abdominal fluid concentrations (P = 0.015). Postoperatively, abdominal fluid NT‐proCNP concentrations remained lower than serum concentrations (P < 0.050), except on day 4.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The ELISA kit was able to measure NT‐proCNP in canine abdominal fluid. In dogs with SP, low serum NT‐proCNP concentrations cannot be explained by abdominal compartmentalization.
Politico‐Historical Contingencies, Intellectual Property Rights, and Economic Performance Across Countries: A Simultaneous Equation System Perspective
Authors: Bhaduri Saradindu , Francis Deep Jyoti , Dutt Dwarkeshwar , Kumar Vineet , Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad
Published: June 2015

Despite attempts to harmonize intellectual property rights (IPR) across countries, significant inter‐country diversity exists in their “strength.” Our paper situates the literature on IPR in the broader literature on institutions to gain insights into the way economic performance, and historical political contingencies shape IPR, and put these hypotheses to empirical scrutiny using cross‐country regression analysis. Such analyses are often criticized for treating institutions as exogenous variables. We develop a simultaneous equation model to address these concerns. We find that political treatise, institutional complementarities, and historical processes all shape strength of IPR in a country. However, strengthening IPR, while augmenting income, does not seem to favour the cause of human development.
The allometry of echolocation call frequencies in horseshoe bats: nasal capsule and pinna size are the better predictors than forearm length
Authors: Wu H. , Jiang T.‐L. , Müller R. , Feng J.
Published: June 2015

The evolution of acoustic signals and the morphological traits mediating its production and reception are often coupled. The echolocation call frequencies of horseshoe bats normally decline as body size increases, but remarkable exceptions to the rule have been observed, such as Rhinolophus macrotis, R. marshalli and R. rex, having lower echolocation call frequencies than expected for their body size. Forearm length is commonly used to scale allometric relationships across horseshoe bats. However, little is known about the allometric relationships between echolocation call frequencies and morphological traits mediating directly echolocation calls' production or reception, such as the nasal capsule, the cochlea or the pinna. Here we have tested the allometry hypothesis regarding the evolution of echolocation in 12 horseshoe bats distributed in China by integrating echolocation call frequencies, phylogeny, forearm length, cochlea size, pinna size and nasal capsule size. Our results showed no significant correlation between echolocation call frequency and forearm length across these species without considering the phylogeny of the group. However, ear length, ear width and nasal capsule size were significantly and negatively correlated with echolocation call frequencies among the studied species. The fit between the linear regression model and the data was much better for the relationships between echolocation call frequencies and pinna or nasal capsule size than for the relationship between echolocation call frequencies and forearm length. These findings illustrated that both pinna and nasal capsule size were better predictors of echolocation call frequencies than forearm length. Given that the echolocation call frequencies of horseshoe bats can play key roles in sexual selection and speciation, the divergence we observed among species may influence the evolution of echolocation calls across horseshoe bats in China.
The TatC component of the twin‐arginine protein translocase functions as an obligate oligomer
Authors: Cléon François , Habersetzer Johann , Alcock Felicity , Kneuper Holger , Stansfeld Phillip J. , Basit Hajra , Wallace Mark I. , Berks Ben C. , Palmer Tracy
Published: June 2015

The Tat protein export system translocates folded proteins across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane and the plant thylakoid membrane. The Tat system in Escherichia coli is composed of TatA, TatB and TatC proteins. TatB and TatC form an oligomeric, multivalent receptor complex that binds Tat substrates, while multiple protomers of TatA assemble at substrate‐bound TatBC receptors to facilitate substrate transport. We have addressed whether oligomerisation of TatC is an absolute requirement for operation of the Tat pathway by screening for dominant negative alleles of tatC that inactivate Tat function in the presence of wild‐type tatC. Single substitutions that confer dominant negative TatC activity were localised to the periplasmic cap region. The variant TatC proteins retained the ability to interact with TatB and with a Tat substrate but were unable to support the in vivo assembly of TatA complexes. Blue‐native PAGE analysis showed that the variant TatC proteins produced smaller TatBC complexes than the wild‐type TatC protein. The substitutions did not alter disulphide crosslinking to neighbouring TatC molecules from positions in the periplasmic cap but abolished a substrate‐induced disulphide crosslink in transmembrane helix 5 of TatC. Our findings show that TatC functions as an obligate oligomer.