bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined bispectrum and trispectrum for faults diagnosis in rotating machines
Authors: Yunusa-Kaltungo Akilu , Sinha Jyoti K
Published: March 2014

Over the years, condition monitoring of rotating machines has been extensively applied for enhancing equipment reliability and maintenance cost-effectiveness, through the early detection and reliable diagnosis of incipient machine faults. Earlier studies suggest that bispectrum analysis is a good tool for detecting and distinguishing rotor-related faults in rotating machines, with a significantly reduced number of vibration sensors. Now, the trispectrum analysis is also applied to the measured vibration data, so as to explore the usefulness of this analysis in the diagnosis. It is observed that the trispectrum further improves the reliability of rotating machines’ faults diagnosis. This article presents the results and observations related to the bispectrum and trispectrum analyses for fault(s) diagnosis, through an experimental rig with different faults simulation.
Eosinophilic inflammation of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is related to OX40 ligand expression
Authors: Boita Monica , Garzaro Massimiliano , Raimondo Luca , Riva Giuseppe , Mazibrada Jasenka , Pecorari Giancarlo , Bucca Caterina , Bellone Graziella , Vizio Barbara , Heffler Enrico , Ricciardolo Fabio Luigi , Rolla Giovanni
Published: March 2014

The aims of this study were to investigate OX40 ligand expression in sinus tissue from patients with nasal polyposis compared with patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (NPs), and to determine if OX40 ligand expression is related to eosinophilic sinus infiltration. Twenty patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (11 with and nine without NPs) and seven controls were enrolled in the study. The mRNA expression of OX40 ligand and thymic stromal lymphopoietin and its receptor were analyzed. The immunoreactivity score for OX40 ligand and the eosinophil count were obtained. The mRNA expression and immunoreactivity score of OX40 ligand were higher in patients with nasal polyposis than in patients without NPs, as well as healthy controls. The mRNA expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin and its receptor was significantly higher in nasal polyposis than in the control, but not significantly higher than in chronic rhinosinusitis without NPs. A correlation between the number of OX40 ligand-positive cells and the number of eosinophils in sinus biopsies was found only in patients with nasal polyposis. In conclusion, the thymic stromal lymphopoietin/OX40 ligand axis is up-regulated in nasal polyposis and is related to the intensity of eosinophilic inflammation.
Spatial and temporal analysis of surface hardness across a third-generation artificial turf pitch over a year
Authors: Forrester Stephanie E , Tsui Felix
Published: March 2014

Despite the potentially negative effects on play performance and safety, little is currently known about the spatial and temporal variability in the properties of artificial turf pitches. The primary purpose of this study was to quantify the spatial and temporal variations in surface hardness across a 5-year-old third-generation artificial turf pitch over full year cycle. The secondary purpose was to investigate the key variables that contributed to these variations in surface hardness using a correlation approach. Surface hardness (2.25 kg Clegg impact hammer, average of drops 2–5), ground temperature and infill depth were measured at 91 locations across the third-generation artificial turf pitch in 13-monthly test sessions from August 2011 to August 2012 inclusive. For each month, rainfall in the 24 h prior to testing and pitch usage statistics were also obtained. Shockpad thickness was obtained from measurements taken when the carpet was replaced in 2007. Spatial and temporal variations were assessed using robust statistical measures while Spearman correlation was used to assess the contributions of the secondary variables to surface hardness variability. The results indicated that spatial variation in surface hardness exceeded temporal variation; the former demonstrated a median absolute deviation of 12 ± 1 G across the pitch in any test session while the median absolute deviation for the latter was only 4 ± 2 G across the 13 test sessions. Spatial variation in surface hardness was moderately correlated with shockpad thickness and weakly correlated with infill depth (both negative). These results reinforce the importance of monitoring spatial and temporal variations in play performance variables for third-generation surfaces as well as providing support for the role of maintenance in minimising the spatial variation.
Hepatitis B virus treatment beyond the guidelines: special populations and consideration of treatment withdrawal
Authors: Vallet-Pichard Anais , Pol Stanislas
Published: March 2014

The goal of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment is to improve survival by preventing disease progression to decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma which is the cause of over 1 million deaths annually. The risk of disease progression is reduced when a sustained reduction of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA to undetectable levels and suppression of HBV replication are obtained which can result in regression of liver fibrosis and may even reverse cirrhosis. However, even if HBsAg loss occurs, HBV is not completely eradicated by treatment, and long-term therapy is required in patients who are HBeAg– and HBeAg+ who do not maintain off-treatment virological suppression and in those with advanced liver disease. The recently updated European Association of the Study of the Liver (EASL) clinical practical guidelines for HBV have clarified, first, how to treat HBV (interferon or the most potent oral drugs with optimal resistance profiles, i.e. entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, should be used as first-line monotherapies); second, who should be treated (CHB in patients with significant liver disease but also patients who are HBsAg+ and are receiving immunosuppressive treatment, patients coinfected with HBV and human immunodeficiency virus, mothers who are HBsAg+ with high viral load in late pregnancy associated with sero vaccination to reduce the risk of vertical transmission of HBV; and third, when to stop antiviral therapies. The aim of this review was to clarify how to treat HBV and who should be treated, as well as when to stop treatment. Although the answer to these questions is clear for pegylated interferon, it is more debatable for nucleos(t)ide analogues (anti-HBe seroconversion, HBsAg loss or anti-HBs seroconversion with undetectable HBV DNA are clear indications to discontinue treatment but sustained undetectable HBV DNA in patients who are anti-HBe+ without significant fibrosis might be another indication).
Is the Internet Homogenizing or Diversifying the News? External Pluralism in the U.S., Danish, and French Press
Authors: Powers Matthew , Benson Rodney
Published: March 2014

This study examines whether news is more or less homogeneous online than in print across agenda-setting news outlets in the United States, Denmark, and France. Examining similarities and differences in the genres, topics, and authors of news in each country’s leading newspapers, it finds little evidence of greater online homogeneity in any country. U.S. news outlets are more differentiated online than in print, while French news outlets have similar levels of print and online differentiation. Online data for Denmark reveal no consistent pattern in the direction of either homogeneity or differentiation. These findings suggest that the differentiating effects of the online environment are strongest in countries (e.g., the United States) where media markets are being restructured to include more direct competition between agenda-setting news outlets at the national level. By contrast, countries (e.g., France and, to a lesser degree, Denmark) with high levels of print differentiation have similarly high levels online due to the path-dependent effects of their national media systems.
Distinct Effect of TCF4 on the NFκB Pathway in Human Primary Chondrocytes and the C20/A4 Chondrocyte Cell Line
Authors: Landman E.B.M. , Periyasamy P.C. , van Blitterswijk C.A. , Post J.N. , Karperien M.
Published: March 2014

Objective:

Previous studies indicated a difference in crosstalk between canonical WNT pathway and nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) signaling in human and animal chondrocytes. To assess whether the differences found were dependent on cell types used, we tested the effect of WNT modulation on NFκB signaling in human primary articular chondrocytes in comparison with the immortalized human costal chondrocyte cell line C20/A4.

Design:

We used gene expression analysis to study the effect of WNT modulation on IL1β-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression as well as on WNT and NFκB target gene expression. In addition, we tested the involvement of RelA and TCF4 on activation of the WNT and NFκB pathway by TCF/LEF and NFκB reporter experiments, respectively.

Results:

We found an inhibitory effect of both induction and inhibition of WNT signaling on IL1β-induced MMP mRNA expression in primary chondrocytes, whereas WNT modulation did not affect MMP expression in C20/A4 cells. Furthermore, TCF/LEF and NFκB reporter activation and WNT and NFκB target gene expression were regulated differentially by TCF4 and RelA in a cell type–dependent manner. Additionally, we found significantly higher mRNA and protein expression of TCF4 and RelA in C20/A4 cells in comparison with primary chondrocytes.

Conclusions:

We conclude that WNT modulation of NFκB is, at least in part, cell type dependent and that the observed differences are likely because of impaired sensitivity of the NFκB pathway in C20/A4 cells to modulations in WNT signaling. This might be caused by higher basal levels of TCF4 and RelA in C20/A4 cells compared to primary chondrocytes.
Bone regeneration of calvarial defect using marine calcareous-derived beta-tricalcium phosphate macrospheres
Authors: Chou Joshua , Hao Jia , Kuroda Shinji , Ben-Nissan Besim , Milthopre Bruce , Otsuka Makoto
Published: March 2014

The aim of this study was to examine the bone regeneration properties of beta-tricalcium phosphate hydrothermally converted from foraminifera carbonate exoskeleton in the repair of rat calvarial defect. These natural materials possess unique interconnected porous network with uniform pore size distribution, which can be potentially advantageous. In total, 20 adult male Wistar rats received full-thickness calvarial defect with a diameter of 5 mm. The rate of newly formed bone was measured radiologically by X-ray and micro-computed tomography and by histologic examination. After 2 weeks, the beta-tricalcium phosphate group exhibited full closure of the defect site, while control group remained unrestored at the end of the 6-week experimentation. It was observed that the newly regenerated bone thickened over the course of the experiment in the beta-tricalcium phosphate group. No soft tissue reaction was observed around the beta-tricalcium phosphate implant and the rats remained healthy. These results showed that repair of the calvarial defect can be achieved by biomimetic beta-tricalcium phosphate macrospheres, which hold potential for application as bone grafts for bone augmentation surgeries.
Extraneous Effects of Race, Gender, and Race-Gender Homo- and Heterophily Conditions on Data Quality
Authors: Oyinlade A. Olu , Losen Alex
Published: March 2014

This study comprehensively investigated the differences in response patterns of interview respondents by race, gender, and race-gender of both respondents and interviewers, to assess the impacts of response inconsistencies on data quality during survey interviews. The study focused only on Blacks and Whites in various interview phily matches. Interviewees ( N = 491) responded to fully structured, closed-ended questions through direct interviews on support for affirmative action, and support for the 2009 America’s Affordable Health Choices Act as dependent variables. Findings showed various amounts of response differences to both dependent variables by differences in race, gender, and race-gender of respondents, vis-à-vis those of the interviewers’, thereby constituting various amounts of data inconsistencies. The effects of race, gender, and race-gender of both interviewers and respondents constitute potential nonrandom errors that must be controlled in interview survey research, otherwise, research findings and conclusions may diverge from true relationships between variables.
From National Policies and Sentiments to Local Practices and Subjectivities
Authors: Bracken Seán Anthony
Published: March 2014

Given increased trends in globalization, there is a significant lacuna in identity research pertaining to rural or town settings and the impact that such locales have on pupils’ educational identities. The question remains as to whether notions of “othering,” or constraining subjectivities, are adopted and ascribed within schools among more recently arrived immigrant groups. Drawing on critical post-structuralist research, the following article illuminates how an assemblage of policies, power flows, performatives, personalities, bodily interactions, and spaces, operating within and outside of schools at particular times, combined to shape minority ethnic pupils’ social and educational identities in two English primary schools located in a West-Midlands town.
The Effects of Color on the Moods of College Students
Authors: Kurt Sevinc , Osueke Kelechi Kingsley
Published: March 2014

This research aims to discover the psychological effects of colors on individuals, using the students’ union complex in a university campus. This building was chosen due to its richness in color variances. The research method is survey, and questionnaires were drawn up and distributed to an even range of students, comprising both international and local students; undergraduate and graduate. Questionnaires have been collected and analyzed to find out the effects different colors had on students’ moods in different spaces of the students’ union complex. This research would contribute to understand more about colors and how they affect our feelings and therefore to make better decisions and increase the use of spaces when choosing colors for different spaces to suit the purpose for which they are designed.
Emerging roles for platelets as immune and inflammatory cells
Authors: Morrell Craig N. , Aggrey Angela A. , Chapman Lesley M. , Modjeski Kristina L.
Published: March 2014

Despite their small size and anucleate status, platelets have diverse roles in vascular biology. Not only are platelets the cellular mediator of thrombosis, but platelets are also immune cells that initiate and accelerate many vascular inflammatory conditions. Platelets are linked to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, malaria infection, transplant rejection, and rheumatoid arthritis. In some contexts, platelet immune functions are protective, whereas in others platelets contribute to adverse inflammatory outcomes. In this review, we will discuss platelet and platelet-derived mediator interactions with the innate and acquired arms of the immune system and platelet-vessel wall interactions that drive inflammatory disease. There have been many recent publications indicating both important protective and adverse roles for platelets in infectious disease. Because of this new accumulating data, and the fact that infectious disease continues to be a leading cause of death globally, we will also focus on new and emerging concepts related to platelet immune and inflammatory functions in the context of infectious disease.
GPs Meet Rare Lung Disorders Task Force factsheet: a-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Authors: Balbi Bruno
Published: March 2014

Definition

a-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a genetic disorder that manifests as pulmonary emphysema, liver cirrhosis and, rarely, as the skin disease panniculitis, or as vasculitis and is characterised by low serum levels of AAT, the main protease inhibitor in human serum.

Key messages

Think about AATD if your patient had emphysema at younger age.

Assess the levels of blood AAT to ascertain the diagnosis by the finding of reduced levels.

Refer the patient to a Department with experience in lung/liver manifestations of AATD.

Follow the patient longitudinally in collaboration with the reference center. Issues to consider are replacement therapy (if needed or available) and clinical evolution toward respiratory or liver failure.
Epigenetics and prenatal influences on asthma and allergic airways disease
Authors: Yang Ivana V.
Published: March 2014

Educational aims

Describe how genetic studies have explained a small portion of asthma heritability

Discuss how epigenetic marks are influenced by the environment and are important in T-cell lineage differentiation

Describe animal studies of the role of DNA methylation in the development of allergic airway disease

Summarise human studies on the role of DNA methylation in asthma and allergy
How to: Bronchial thermoplasty in asthma
Authors: Bicknell Stephen , Chaudhuri Rekha , Thomson Neil C.
Published: March 2014

Educational aims

To provide an overview on how to perform bronchial thermoplasty for the treatment of asthma

To summarise the development, mode of action and evidence for the effectiveness of bronchial thermoplasty as well as its place in the management of asthma

Bronchial thermoplasty, which involves the delivery of radio frequency energy to the airways, is a nonpharmacological intervention developed for the treatment of moderate-to-severe asthma. The mode of action of bronchial thermoplasty is not established, but could be due to reduction in airway smooth muscle mass induced by thermal energy. Bronchial thermoplasty results in modest improvements in asthma quality of life questionnaire scores and clinically worthwhile reductions in severe exacerbations and emergency department visits in the year post-treatment, which may persist for up to 5 years.

The procedure involves systematic, controlled heating of the airways using dedicated radiofrequency equipment during a series of three bronchoscopy sessions. Bronchial thermoplasty causes short-term increases in asthma-related morbidity, including hospital admissions. Follow-up data, to date, supports the long-term safety of the procedure. Bronchial thermoplasty is a novel treatment option for selected patients with moderate-to-severe asthma that is poorly controlled despite maximal therapy.

Key points

Bronchial thermoplasty, which involves the delivery of radio frequency energy to the airways, is a nonpharmacological intervention developed for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe asthma that is poorly controlled despite maximal therapy

Randomised controlled clinical trials of bronchial thermoplasty in patients with moderate and severe asthma have shown modest improvements in asthma quality of life and clinically worthwhile reductions in severe exacerbations and emergency department visits

The treatment involves three bronchoscopy sessions with repeated, precise and carefully recorded activations of a radiofrequency catheter within the medium and large airways

Bronchial thermoplasty causes short-term increases in asthma-related morbidity including increased admissions to hospital for asthma; follow-up data, to date, supports the longterm safety of the procedure
A common cause of sudden and thunderclap headaches: reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
Authors: Cheng Yu-Chen , Kuo Kuei-Hong , Lai Tzu-Hsien
Published: March 2014

Background

Thunderclap headache (TCH) is a sudden headache (SH) with accepted criteria of severe intensity and onset to peak within one minute. It is a well-known presentation for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) but most patients with TCH or SH run a benign course without identifiable causes. Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), a recently recognized syndrome characterized by recurrent TCH attacks, has been proposed to account for most of these patients.

Methods

We recruited consecutive patients presenting with SH at our headache clinic. Computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging with angiography were performed to exclude structural causes and to identify vasoconstriction. Catheter angiography and lumbar puncture were performed with patients consent. Reversibility of vasoconstriction was confirmed by follow-up study.

Results

From July 2010 to June 2013, 31 patients with SH were recruited. Twenty-four (72.7%) of these SH patients exhibited headache fulfilling the TCH criteria. The diagnosis of RCVS was confirmed in 14 (45.2%) of patients with SH and 11 (45.8%) of patients with TCH. Other diagnoses were as follows: primary headaches (SH: 41.9%, TCH: 45.8%) and other secondary causes (SH: 12.9%, TCH: 8.3%). Compared with non-RCVS patients, patients with RCVS were older (50.8 ± 9.3 years vs. 40.8 ± 10.0 years,P = 0.006) and less likely to experience short headache duration of < 1 hour (23.1% vs. 78.6%,P = 0.007). Patients with RCVS were more likely to cite bathing (42.9% vs. 0%,P = 0.004) and less likely to cite exertion (0% vs. 29.4%,P = 0.048) as headache triggers.

Conclusions

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome is a common cause of SH and TCH. Considering the potential mortality and morbidity of RCVS, systemic examination of cerebral vessels should be performed in these patients.
Stability SCAD: a powerful approach to detect interactions in large-scale genomic study
Authors: Gou Jianwei , Zhao Yang , Wei Yongyue , Wu Chen , Zhang Ruyang , Qiu Yongyong , Zeng Ping , Tan Wen , Yu Dianke , Wu Tangchun , Hu Zhibin , Lin Dongxin , Shen Hongbing , Chen Feng
Published: March 2014

Background

Evidence suggests that common complex diseases may be partially due to SNP-SNP interactions, but such detection is yet to be fully established in a high-dimensional small-sample (small-n-large-p) study. A number of penalized regression techniques are gaining popularity within the statistical community, and are now being applied to detect interactions. These techniques tend to be over-fitting, and are prone to false positives. The recently developed stability least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (SLASSO) has been used to control family-wise error rate, but often at the expense of power (and thus false negative results).

Results

Here, we propose an alternative stability selection procedure known as stability smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SSCAD). Briefly, this method applies a smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) algorithm to multiple sub-samples, and then identifies cluster ensemble of interactions across the sub-samples. The proposed method was compared withSLASSO and two kinds of traditional penalized methods by intensive simulation. The simulation revealed higher power and lower false discovery rate (FDR) withSSCAD. An analysis using the new method on the previously published GWAS of lung cancer confirmed all significant interactions identified withSLASSO, and identified two additional interactions not reported withSLASSO analysis.

Conclusions

Based on the results obtained in this study,SSCAD presents to be a powerful procedure for the detection of SNP-SNP interactions in large-scale genomic data.
Therapy duration and long-term outcomes in extra-pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Pusch Tobias , Pasipanodya Jotam G , Hall Ronald G , Gumbo Tawanda
Published: March 2014

Background

Tuberculosis is classified as either pulmonary or extra-pulmonary (EPTB). While much focus has been paid to pulmonary tuberculosis, EPTB has received scant attention. Moreover, EPTB is viewed as one wastebasket diagnosis, as “the other” which is not pulmonary.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients treated for EPTB in the state of Texas between January 2000 and December 2005, who had no pulmonary disease. Clinical and epidemiological factors were abstracted from electronic records of the Report of Verified Case of Tuberculosis. The long-term outcome, which is death by December 2011, was established using the Social Security Administration Death Master File database. Survival in EPTB patients was compared to those with latent tuberculosis, as well as between different types of EPTB, using Cox proportional hazard models. A hybrid of the machine learning method of classification and regression tree analyses and standard regression models was used to identify high-order interactions and clinical factors predictive of long-term all-cause mortality.

Results

Four hundred and thirty eight patients met study criteria; the median study follow-up period for the cohort was 7.8 (inter-quartile range 6.0-10.1) years. The overall all-cause mortality rate was 0.025 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.021-0.030) per 100 person-year of follow-up. The significant predictors of poor long-term outcome were age (hazard ratio [HR] for each year of age-at-diagnosis was 1.05 [CI: 1.04-1.06], treatment duration, type of EPTB and HIV-infection (HR = 2.16; CI: 1.22, 3.83). Mortality in genitourinary tuberculosis was no different from latent tuberculosis, while meningitis had the poorest long-term outcome of 46.2%. Compared to meningitis the HR for death was 0.50 (CI: 0.27-0.91) for lymphatic disease, 0.42 (CI: 0.21-0.81) for bone/joint disease, and 0.59 (CI: 0.27-1.31) for peritonitis. The relationship between mortality and therapy duration for each type of EPTB was a unique “V” shaped curve, with the lowest mortality observed at different therapy durations for each, beyond which mortality increased.

Conclusions

EPTB is comprised of several different diseases with different outcomes and durations of therapy. The “V” shaped relationship between therapy duration and outcome leads to the hypothesis that longer duration of therapy may lead to higher patient mortality.
Ethnic disparities in acquiring 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza: a case–control study
Authors: Navaranjan Debeka , Rosella Laura C , Kwong Jeffrey C , Campitelli Michael , Crowcroft Natasha
Published: March 2014

Background

Novel risk factors were associated with the 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 virus (pH1N1). Ethnicity was among these risk factors. Ethnic disparities in hospitalization and death due to pH1N1 were noted. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are ethnic disparities in acquiring the 2009 pandemic H1N1.

Methods

We conducted a test-negative case–control study of the risk of pH1N1 infection using data from Ontario, Canada. Cases were laboratory confirmed to have influenza using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and controls were obtained from the same population and were RT-PCR negative. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between ethnicity and pH1N1 infection, while adjusting for demographic, clinical and ecological covariates.

Results

Adult cases were more likely than controls to be self-classified as East/Southeast Asian (OR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.02-6.57), South Asian (OR = 6.22, 95% CI 2.01-19.24) and Black (OR = 9.72, 95% CI 2.29-41.27). Pediatric cases were more likely to be self-identified as Black (OR = 6.43, 95% CI 1.83-22.59). However, pediatric cases without risk factors for severe influenza infection were more likely to be South Asian (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.11-7.68), Black (OR 16.02, 95% CI 2.85-89.92), and West Asian/Arab, Latin American or Multi-racial groups (OR 3.09 95% CI 1.06-9.00).

Conclusions

pH1N1 cases were more likely to come from certain ethnic groups compared to test-negative controls. Insights into whether these disparities arise due to social or biological factors are needed in order to understand what approaches can be taken to reduce the burden of a future influenza pandemic.
Nutrition and physical activity randomized control trial in child care centers improves knowledge, policies, and children’s body mass index
Authors: Alkon Abbey , Crowley Angela A , Neelon Sara E Benjamin , Hill Sherika , Pan Yi , Nguyen Viet , Rose Roberta , Savage Eric , Forestieri Nina , Shipman Linda , Kotch Jonathan B
Published: March 2014

Background

To address the public health crisis of overweight and obese preschool-age children, the Nutrition And Physical Activity Self Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) intervention was delivered by nurse child care health consultants with the objective of improving child care provider and parent nutrition and physical activity knowledge, center-level nutrition and physical activity policies and practices, and children’s body mass index (BMI).

Methods

A seven-month randomized control trial was conducted in 17 licensed child care centers serving predominantly low income families in California, Connecticut, and North Carolina, including 137 child care providers and 552 families with racially and ethnically diverse children three to five years old. The NAP SACC intervention included educational workshops for child care providers and parents on nutrition and physical activity and consultation visits provided by trained nurse child care health consultants. Demographic characteristics and pre - and post-workshop knowledge surveys were completed by providers and parents. Blinded research assistants reviewed each center’s written health and safety policies, observed nutrition and physical activity practices, and measured randomly selected children’s nutritional intake, physical activity, and height and weight pre- and post-intervention.

Results

Hierarchical linear models and multiple regression models assessed individual- and center-level changes in knowledge, policies, practices and age- and sex-specific standardized body mass index (zBMI), controlling for state, parent education, and poverty level. Results showed significant increases in providers’ and parents’ knowledge of nutrition and physical activity, center-level improvements in policies, and child-level changes in children’s zBMI based on 209 children in the intervention and control centers at both pre- and post-intervention time points.

Conclusions

The NAP SACC intervention, as delivered by trained child health professionals such as child care health consultants, increases provider knowledge, improves center policies, and lowers BMI for children in child care centers. More health professionals specifically trained in a nutrition and physical activity intervention in child care are needed to help reverse the obesity epidemic.

Trial registration

National Clinical Trials Number NCT01921842
Inflammatory and cytotoxic effects of acrolein, nicotine, acetylaldehyde and cigarette smoke extract on human nasal epithelial cells
Authors: Comer David M , Elborn Joseph Stuart , Ennis Madeleine
Published: March 2014

Background

Cigarette smoke induces a pro-inflammatory response in airway epithelial cells but it is not clear which of the various chemicals contained within cigarette smoke (CS) should be regarded as predominantly responsible for these effects. We hypothesised that acrolein, nicotine and acetylaldehyde, important chemicals contained within volatile cigarette smoke in terms of inducing inflammation and causing addiction, have immunomodulatory effects in primary nasal epithelial cell cultures (PNECs).

Methods

PNECs from 19 healthy subjects were grown in submerged cultures and were incubated with acrolein, nicotine or acetylaldehyde prior to stimulation withPseudomonas aeruginosalipopolysaccharide (PA LPS). Experiments were repeated using cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for comparison. IL-8 was measured by ELISA, activation of NF-κB by ELISA and Western blotting, and caspase-3 activity by Western blotting. Apoptosis was evaluated using Annexin-V staining and the terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method.

Results

CSE was pro-inflammatory after a 24 h exposure and 42% of cells were apoptotic or necrotic after this exposure time. Acrolein was pro-inflammatory for the PNEC cultures (30 μM exposure for 4 h inducing a 2.0 fold increase in IL-8 release) and also increased IL-8 release after stimulation with PA LPS. In contrast, nicotine had anti-inflammatory properties (0.6 fold IL-8 release after 50 μM exposure to nicotine for 24 h), and acetylaldehyde was without effect. Acrolein and nicotine had cellular stimulatory and anti-inflammatory effects respectively, as determined by NF-κB activation. Both chemicals increased levels of cleaved caspase 3 and induced cell death.

Conclusions

Acrolein is pro-inflammatory and nicotine anti-inflammatory in PNEC cultures. CSE induces cell death predominantly by apoptotic mechanisms.
Cardiac responses to elevated seawater temperature in Atlantic salmon
Authors: Jørgensen Sven Martin , Castro Vicente , Krasnov Aleksei , Torgersen Jacob , Timmerhaus Gerrit , Hevrøy Ernst Morten , Hansen Tom Johnny , Susort Sissel , Breck Olav , Takle Harald
Published: March 2014

Background

Atlantic salmon aquaculture operations in the Northern hemisphere experience large seasonal fluctuations in seawater temperature. With summer temperatures often peaking around 18-20°C there is growing concern about the effects on fish health and performance. Since the heart has a major role in the physiological plasticity and acclimation to different thermal conditions in fish, we wanted to investigate how three and eight weeks exposure of adult Atlantic salmon to 19°C, previously shown to significantly reduce growth performance, affected expression of relevant genes and proteins in cardiac tissues under experimental conditions.

Results

Transcriptional responses in cardiac tissues after three and eight weeks exposure to 19°C (compared to thermal preference, 14°C) were analyzed with cDNA microarrays and validated by expression analysis of selected genes and proteins using real-time qPCR and immunofluorescence microscopy. Up-regulation of heat shock proteins and cell signaling genes may indicate involvement of the unfolded protein response in long-term acclimation to elevated temperature. Increased immunofluorescence staining of inducible nitric oxide synthase in spongy and compact myocardium as well as increased staining of vascular endothelial growth factor in epicardium could reflect induced vascularization and vasodilation, possibly related to increased oxygen demand. Increased staining of collagen I in the compact myocardium of 19°C fish may be indicative of a remodeling of connective tissue with long-term warm acclimation. Finally, higher abundance of transcripts for genes involved in innate cellular immunity and lower abundance of transcripts for humoral immune components implied altered immune competence in response to elevated temperature.

Conclusions

Long-term exposure of Atlantic salmon to 19°C resulted in cardiac gene and protein expression changes indicating that the unfolded protein response, vascularization, remodeling of connective tissue and altered innate immune responses were part of the cardiac acclimation or response to elevated temperature.
Research across the disciplines: a road map for quality criteria in empirical ethics research
Authors: Mertz Marcel , Inthorn Julia , Renz Günter , Rothenberger Lillian Geza , Salloch Sabine , Schildmann Jan , Wöhlke Sabine , Schicktanz Silke
Published: March 2014

Background

Research in the field ofEmpirical Ethics(EE) uses a broad variety of empirical methodologies, such as surveys, interviews and observation, developed in disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Whereas these empirical disciplines see themselves as purely descriptive, EE also aims at normative reflection. Currently there is literature about the quality of empirical research in ethics, but little or no reflection onspecificmethodological aspects that must be considered when conductinginterdisciplinaryempirical ethics. Furthermore, poor methodology in an EE study results in misleading ethical analyses, evaluations or recommendations. This not only deprives the study of scientific and social value, but also risks ethical misjudgement.

Discussion

While empirical and normative-ethical research projects have quality criteria in their own right, we focus on the specific quality criteria for EE research. We develop a tentative list of quality criteria – a “road map” – tailored to interdisciplinary research in EE, to guide assessments of research quality. These quality criteria fall into the categories ofprimary research question, theoretical framework and methods,relevance,interdisciplinary research practiceandresearch ethics and scientific ethos.

EE research is an important and innovative development in bioethics. However, a lack of standards has led to concerns about and even rejection of EE by various scholars. Our suggested orientation list of criteria, presented in the form of reflective questions, cannot be considered definitive, but serves as a tool to provoke systematic reflection during the planning and composition of an EE research study. These criteria need to be tested in different EE research settings and further refined.
Measuring satisfaction with health care in young persons with inflammatory bowel disease -an instrument development and validation study
Authors: Sadlo Andrea , Altevers Julia , Peplies Jenny , Kaltz Birgit , Claßen Martin , Bauer Alexandra , Koletzko Sibylle , Timmer Antje
Published: March 2014

Background

Patient satisfaction is a relevant prognostic factor in young persons with chronic disease and may be both age and disease specific. To assess health care quality from the patient’s view in young persons with inflammatory bowel disease, an easy to use, valid, reliable and informative specific instrument was needed.

Methods

All parts of the study were directed at persons with inflammatory bowel disease aged 15 to 24 (“youth”). A qualitative internet patient survey was used to generate items, complemented by a physician survey and literature search. A 2nd internet survey served to reduce items based on perceived importance and representativeness. Following pilot testing to assess ease of use and face validity, 150 respondents to a postal survey in patients from a paediatric clinical registry were included for validation analyses. Construct validity was assessed by relating summary scores to results from global questions on satisfaction with care using ANOVA. To assess test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), a subset of patients were assessed twice within 3 months.

Results

302 persons with IBD and 55 physicians participated in the item generating internet survey, resulting in 3,954 statements. After discarding redundancies 256 statements were presented in the 2nd internet survey. Of these, 32 items were retained. The resulting instrument assesses both the perceived relevance (importance) of an item as well as the performance of the care giver for each item for calculation of a summary satisfaction score (range 0 to 1). Sensibility testing showed good acceptance for most items. Construct validity was good, with mean scores of 0.63 (0.50 to 0.76), 0.71 (0.69 to 0.74) and 0.81 (0.79 to 0.83) for no, some and good global satisfaction (ANOVA, p < 0.001). Test-retest reliability was satisfactory (ICC 0.6 to 0.7).

Conclusions

We developed an easy to use, patient oriented, valid instrument to assess satisfaction with care in young persons with IBD for use in survey research.
Par6 is an essential mediator of apoptotic response to transforming growth factor beta in NMuMG immortalized mammary cells
Authors: Avery-Cooper Geordon , Doerr Meghan , Gilbert Richard WD , Youssef Mahmoud , Richard Amy , Huether Patricia , Viloria-Petit Alicia M
Published: March 2014

Background

We previously observed that the TGFbeta-Par6 pathway mediates loss of polarity and apoptosis in NMuMG cells. Here we investigate the contribution of Par6 versus TGFbeta receptor I activation to TGFbeta-induced apoptosis in association with changes in apico-basal polarity. We focus on the effect of Par6 activation on alpha6beta4 integrin expression and localization, and Nuclear Factor-kappaB (p65/RelA) activation, previously shown to mediate polarity-dependent cell survival.

Methods

Using immunoblotting and/or immunofluorescence we investigated the effect of TGFbeta1 on apoptosis, alpha6, beta4 and beta1 integrin expression/localization, and p65/RelA phosphorylation/localization in monolayer and three-dimensional (3D) cultures of NMuMG cells with an overactive or inactive Par6 pathway. Results were quantified by band densitometry or as percent of 3D structures displaying a phenotype. Differences among means were compared by two-way ANOVA.

Results

Blocking Par6 activation inhibits TGFbeta-induced apoptosis. Par6 overactivation enhances TGFbeta-induced apoptosis, notably after 6-day exposure to TGFbeta (p < 0.001), a time when parental NMuMG cells no longer respond to TGFbeta apoptotic stimuli. 48-hour TGFbeta treatment reduced beta4 integrin levels in NMuMG monolayers and significantly reduced the basal localization of alpha6 (p < 0.001) and beta4 (p < 0.001) integrin in NMuMG 3D structures, which was dependent on both Par6 and TGFbeta receptor I activation and paralleled apoptotic response. After 6-day exposure to TGFbeta, Par6-dependent changes to beta4 integrin were no longer apparent, but there was reduced phosphorylation of p65/RelA (p < 0.001) only in Par6 overexpressing cells. Differences in p65/RelA localization were not observed among the different cell lines after 48-hour TGFbeta exposure.

Conclusions

Par6 and TGFbeta receptor I activation are both necessary for TGFbeta-induced apoptosis in NMuMG cells. Importantly, Par6 overexpression enhances the sensitivity of NMuMG to TGFbeta-induced apoptosis, notably upon prolonged exposure to this growth factor, when NMuMG parental cells are usually apoptosis-resistant. Thus, endogenous Par6 level might be important in determining whether TGFbeta will function as either a pro-apoptotic or pro-survival factor in breast cancer, and potentially aid in predicting patient’s prognosis and therapy response.
What predicts negative effects of rheumatoid arthritis? A follow-up two years after diagnosis
Authors: Gåfvels Catharina , Hägerström Margareta , Nordmark Birgitta , Wändell Per
Published: March 2014

We aimed at analyzing important predictive factors for experienced negative emotional and social effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) two years after diagnosis in patients aged 18–65 years. The first group included 41 participants, who had psychosocial problems (PSP) already at diagnosis, and who received an intervention by a medical social worker to improve coping capacity and social situation. The second group included 54 patients (NPSP) without such problems at diagnosis. All completed a questionnaire mapping their social situation, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the General Coping Questionnaire (GCQ) at diagnosis and after 24 months. The most pronounced predictive factor for a strong impact of the disease was high scores on HADS depression scale. After 24 months, PSP participants had a more strained life situation, with higher scores on anxiety and depression and lower on SOC, in comparison with NPSP. NPSP participants improved their coping strategies regarding self-trust, cognitive revaluation, protest and intrusion, but deteriorated regarding problem focusing and social trust. PSP patients kept their initial coping strategies, except for intrusion decreasing over time, and seemed to have a more rigid coping pattern. However, the experienced negative impact of the disease increased over time in both groups despite improvement in sickness related data. Mostly influenced areas were economy, leisure time activities and social life. We conclude that psychosocial consequences of RA are more connected to emotional and social vulnerability than are RA-related clinical factors.
Necrosis and apoptotic index as prognostic factors in non-small cell lung carcinoma: a review
Authors: Gkogkou Charalampos , Frangia Konstantina , Saif Muhammad W , Trigidou Rodoula , Syrigos Konstantinos
Published: March 2014

Necrosis and apoptosis represent two pathogenetically distinct types of cell death. Necrosis is associated with pathologic conditions while apoptosis is a physiological process of programmed cell death, which is associated with normal tissue growth and is frequently impaired in various forms of cancer. Tumor necrosis and apoptotic index (AI) have been previously evaluated as prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer, but their exact clinical value remains unclear. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the MEDLINE literature on the prognostic significance of these histopathological markers in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Although a substantial body of evidence suggests that tumor necrosis may be a strong predictor of aggressive tumor behavior and reduced survival in patients with NSCLC, the independent prognostic value of this biomarker remains to be firmly established. Furthermore, previous data on the prognostic significance of apoptotic index in NSCLC are relatively limited and largely controversial. More prospective studies are necessary in order to further validate tumor necrosis and AI as prognostic markers in NSCLC.
Distinct adaptor proteins assist exit of Kre2-family proteins from the yeast ER
Authors: Noda Yoichi , Hara Takehiro , Ishii Minako , Yoda Koji
Published: March 2014

The Svp26 protein of S. cerevisiae is an ER- and Golgi-localized integral membrane protein with 4 potential membrane-spanning domains. It functions as an adaptor protein that facilitates the ER exit of Ktr3, a mannosyltransferase required for biosynthesis of O-linked oligosaccharides, and the ER exit of Mnn2 and Mnn5, mannosyltransferases, which participate in the biosynthesis of N-linked oligosaccharides. Ktr3 belongs to the Kre2 family, which consists of 9 members of type-II membrane proteins sharing sequence similarities. In this report, we examined all Kre2 family members and found that the Golgi localizations of two others, Kre2 and Ktr1, were dependent on Svp26 by immunofluorescence microscopy and cell fractionations in sucrose density gradients. We show that Svp26 functions in facilitating the ER exit of Kre2 and Ktr1 by an in vitro COPII budding assay. Golgi localization of Ktr4 was not dependent on Svp26. Screening null mutants of the genes encoding abundant COPII membrane proteins for those showing mislocalization of Ktr4 in the ER revealed that Erv41 and Erv46 are required for the correct Golgi localization of Ktr4. We provide biochemical evidence that the Erv41-Erv46 complex functions as an adaptor protein for ER exit of Ktr4. This is the first demonstration of the molecular function of this evolutionally conserved protein complex. The domain switching experiments show that the lumenal domain of Ktr4 is responsible for recognition by the Erv41-Erv46 complex. Thus, ER exit of Kre2-family proteins is dependent on distinct adaptor proteins and our results provide new insights into the traffic of Kre2-family mannosyltransferases.