bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contemporary outcomes with percutaneous vascular interventions for peripheral critical limb ischemia in those with and without poly-vascular disease
Authors: Krishnamurthy Venkat , Munir Kahn , Rectenwald John E , Mansour Ash , Hans Sachinder , Eliason Jonathan L , Escobar Guillermo A , Gallagher Katherine A , Grossman Paul M , Gurm Hitinder S , Share Dave A , Henke Peter K
Published: October 2014

Given the very ill nature of patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), the use of percutaneous vascular interventions (PVIs) for limb salvage may or may not be efficacious; in particular, for those with polyvascular arterial disease. Herein, we reviewed large, multi-institutional outcomes of PVI in polyvascular and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients with CLI. An 18-hospital consortium collected prospective data on patients undergoing endovascular interventions for PAD with 6-month follow-up from January 2008 to December 2011. The patient cohort included 4459 patients with CLI; of those, 3141 patients had polyvascular (coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and PAD) disease, whereas 1318 patients suffered from only PAD. All patients were elderly and with significant comorbidities. The mean ankle–brachial index (ABI) was 0.44 and was not different between those with and without polyvascular disease. Polyvascular patients had more femoropopliteal and infra-inguinal interventions and less aortoiliac interventions than PAD patients. Pre- and post-procedural cardioprotective medication use was less in the PAD patients as compared with polyvascular patients. Vascular complications requiring surgery were higher in PAD patients whereas other access complications were similar between groups. At 6-month follow-up, death was more common in the polyvascular group (6.7% vs 4.1%, p<0.001) as was repeat PVI, but no difference was found in the amputation rate. Considering the group as a whole at the 6-month follow-up, predictors of amputation/death included age (HR=1.01; 95% CI=1.002–1.02), anemia (HR=2.6; 95% CI=2.1–3.2), diabetes mellitus (HR=1.6; 95% CI=1.3–1.9), congestive heart failure (HR=1.6; 95% CI=1.4–1.9), and end-stage renal failure (HR=1.9; 95% CI=1.5–2.3), while female sex was protective (HR=0.7; 95% CI=0.6–0.8). In conclusion, from examination of this large, multicenter, multi-specialist practice registry, patients with polyvascular disease had higher 6-month mortality than PAD patients, but this was not a factor in 6-month limb amputation outcomes. This study also underscores that PAD patients still lag in cardioprotective medication use as compared with polyvascular patients.
Writings on the wall: Chinese material traces in an African landscape
Authors: Ferme Mariane C , Schmitz Cheryl M
Published: October 2014

Much current scholarship on ‘Chinese–African relations’ focuses on the monumental projects, the built walls, which are visibly transforming African landscapes, and on the increasing Chinese physical presence on the continent. Instead, this article argues that a focus on the material traces of consumer goods circulating in colonial and post-colonial markets, and in expert knowledge that shaped bodily practices, domestic habits, and rural landscapes over time, yields a more nuanced picture of Chinese–African entanglements. We examine elements of “Chineseness” that inform Sierra Leonean ways of dwelling – particularly of farming rice, and of intervening therapeutically on bodies – but often through intermediaries whose imprints mask Asian origins. Contemporary China-Africa friendship rhetoric stresses bilateralism and palimpsestic reinscriptions of earlier relations, but belies a history in which multiple Chinas struggled for global recognition through partnerships with African countries that articulated with colonial mediations and Cold War alliances.
Tillage practices and identity formation in High Plains farming
Authors: Strand Katherine , Arnould Eric , Press Melea
Published: October 2014

In this article, the authors examine the ideological tensions of organic and chemical farmers in the High Plains. They show that the identity of these farmers is created and maintained through competing systems of tillage and the ideologies that support them, which also shape the agricultural landscape. Specifically, they compare conservation tillage wedded to ‘modern’ ideologies of scientific farming with conventional tillage newly linked to beliefs about both organic and traditional farming, and examine how farmers use these different forms of tillage to create their identities. Roadside farming, recognition and denunciation of other farmers’ practices, and recognition and justification of their own contribute to identity formation. This research contributes to the ongoing discussion of how identity is formed through day-to-day activities in the material world. The plow creates divisions in the High Plains community between organic farmers who continue to rely on this implement in their material engagement with the land and the chemical farmers who distance their practices from the plow as they distinguish themselves as stewards of the soil.
Complete traumatic dislocation of the cervical spine at C2–C3
Authors: Yon James R , Parker William T , Abuzeid Adil M
Published: October 2014

Traumatic dislocation of the cervical spine is a relatively rare injury, but the ramifications of a missed injury are severe and life-long. The imaging findings related to traumatic dislocation are commonly mentioned in the literature although actual images of this pathophysiology are rare. In this particular case, three-dimensional computed tomography demonstrates the large amount of cervical spine distraction and associated damage. Epidemiology and management of acute cervical spine injuries in regard to this injury are discussed.
Beyond Legal
Authors: Rowland Charity Mary , Quinn Emily Dayle , Steiner Sandra A. M.
Published: October 2014

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document developed for each student with a disability. The IEP outlines the student’s learning needs and associated educational goals, as well as the program placement and services required to support the attainment of these goals in the least restrictive environment. Most IEPs include all legally required elements; however, there is a gulf between meeting legal requirements and writing a high-quality IEP that results in educational benefit for the individual student. We collected a large number of IEP documents focused on interventions for children with complex communication needs (CCN) who may use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These documents suggested the need for a tool to describe the subtle and specific qualities that characterize high-quality IEPs for children with CCN. We describe a 28-item IEP quality guide created to serve as a clinical resource for educators and therapists who develop educational goals.
Identification of differentially expressed genes related to metabolic syndrome induced with high-fat diet in E3 rats
Authors: Lan Xi , Li Dongmin , Zhong Bo , Ren Juan , Wang Xuan , Sun Qingzhu , Li Yue , Liu Lee , Liu Li , Lu Shemin
Published: October 2014

Understanding the genes differentially expressing in aberrant organs of metabolic syndrome (MetS) facilitates the uncovering of molecular mechanisms and the identification of novel therapeutic targets for the disease. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed genes related to MetS in livers of E3 rats with high-fat-diet-induced metabolic syndrome (HFD-MetS). E3 rats were fed with high-fat diet for 24 weeks to induce MetS. Then, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technology was used to identify the genes differentially expressed between HFD-MetS and control E3 rat livers. Twenty positive recombinant clones were chosen randomly from forward subtractive library and sent to sequence. BLAST analysis in GenBank database was used to determine the property of each cDNA fragment. In total, 11 annotated genes, 3 ESTs, and 2 novel gene fragments were identified by SSH technology. The expression of four genes ( Alb, Pip4k2a, Scd1, and Tf) known to be associated with MetS and other five genes ( Eif1, Rnase4, Rps12, Rup2, and Tmsb4) unknown to be relevant to MetS was significantly up-regulated in the livers of HFD-MetS E3 rats compared with control rats using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). By analyzing the correlations between the expression of these nine genes and serum concentrations of TG, Tch, HDL-C, and LDL-C, we found that there were significant positive correlations between TG and the expression of five genes ( Alb, Eif1, Pip4k2a, Rps12, and Tmsb4x), Tch and three genes ( Rnase4, Scd1, and Tmsb4x), and LDL-C and two genes ( Rnase4 and Scd1), as well there were significant negative correlations between HDL-C and the expression of three genes ( Rup2, Scd1, and Tf). This study provides important clues for unraveling the molecular mechanisms of MetS.
Comparison of Salivary and Serum Glucose Levels in Diabetic Patients
Authors: Gupta Shruti , Sandhu Simarpreet Virk , Bansal Himanta , Sharma Deepti
Published: October 2014

Background:

Diabetes mellitus is a noncommunicable disease with a rising prevalence worldwide and in developing countries. The most commonly used diagnostic biofluid for detection of glucose levels is blood, but sample collection is an invasive and painful procedure. Thus, there arises a need for a noninvasive and painless technique to detect glucose levels.

Aims and Objectives:

The objectives of the present study were to estimate the glucose levels of saliva, to assess if any significant correlation existed between the serum and salivary glucose levels, and to correlate salivary glucose levels with regard to duration of diabetes, age, and gender. In the present study, serum and salivary glucose levels of 200 subjects (100 diabetic subjects and 100 nondiabetic subjects) were estimated by glucose oxidase method. Glycosylated hemoglobin levels were also measured in randomly selected 40 diabetic subjects.

Results:

The findings of present study revealed a significant correlation between salivary and serum glucose levels in both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. No significant relationship was observed between salivary glucose levels and gender or age in both diabetics and nondiabetics and between salivary glucose levels and duration of diabetes in diabetics.

Conclusion:

On the basis of the findings, it was concluded that salivary glucose levels could serve as a potentially noninvasive adjunct to monitor glycemic control in diabetic patients.
Intentional Memory Instructions Direct Attention But Do Not Enhance Visual Memory
Authors: Varakin D. Alexander , Hale Jamie
Published: October 2014

The current experiment investigated the role of intentional-encoding instructions and task relevance at study on visual memory performance. Task relevance was manipulated by having participants keep a running tally of either the to-be-remembered objects or an irrelevant category of objects during study. Half of the participants within each level of task relevance were further instructed to remember one category of objects for a subsequent recognition test, and the other half of the participants were not informed of a memory test. Intentional-encoding instructions improved recognition discrimination only when participants were not already keeping a tally of the to-be-remembered objects. This result suggests that intentional-encoding instructions may improve visual memory via generic attentional modulation, not encoding-specific processes.
Structure and composition of oxide film on 5083 alloy at brazing temperature
Authors: Cheng F. J. , Yao J. F. , Yang Z. W. , Wang Y. , Xiao B.
Published: October 2014

The structure and composition of the surface oxide film on the 5083 aluminium alloy at a brazing temperature of 500°C were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that the original γ-Al2O3 film on the surface of the cold rolled 5083 aluminium alloy was transformed into a complex oxide film consisting of MgO, MgAl2O4, and free Al atoms after heating. The thickness of this oxide film, which could be divided into two distinct layers, was approximately 130 nm. The outer layer was mainly composed of an amorphous MgO phase, while the inner layer was MgO based, with a few free Al atoms and a small number of nanocrystalline MgAl2O4 particles distributed in it.
GPR84 sustains aberrant β-catenin signaling in leukemic stem cells for maintenance of MLL leukemogenesis
Authors: Dietrich Philipp A. , Yang Chen , Leung Halina H. L. , Lynch Jennifer R. , Gonzales Estrella , Liu Bing , Haber Michelle , Norris Murray D. , Wang Jianlong , Wang Jenny Yingzi
Published: October 2014

Key Points

GPR84 simultaneously augments β-catenin signaling and an oncogenic transcription program essential for establishment of MLL. Our study demonstrates a strong dependence of hematopoietic stem cell–derived MLL leukemic cells on GPR84 for disease maintenance in vivo.
OSU-T315: a novel targeted therapeutic that antagonizes AKT membrane localization and activation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells
Authors: Liu Ta-Ming , Ling Yonghua , Woyach Jennifer A. , Beckwith Kyle , Yeh Yuh-Ying , Hertlein Erin , Zhang Xiaoli , Lehman Amy , Awan Farrukh , Jones Jeffrey A. , Andritsos Leslie A. , Maddocks Kami , MacMurray Jessica , Salunke Santosh B. , Chen Ching-Shih , Phelps Mitch A. , Byrd John C. , Johnson Amy J.
Published: October 2014

Key Points

OSU-T315 impedes AKT localization in lipid rafts. OSU-T315 shows in vitro and in vivo therapeutic effects.
Cell-type–specific transcriptional regulation of PIGM underpins the divergent hematologic phenotype in inherited GPl deficiency
Authors: Costa Joana R. , Caputo Valentina S. , Makarona Kalliopi , Layton D. Mark , Roberts Irene A. G. , Almeida Antonio M. , Karadimitris Anastasios
Published: October 2014

Key Points

B cells but not red cells are GPI deficient in PIGM-associated IGD, caused by a core promoter mutation that abrogates Sp1 binding. In red but not B cells, PIGM transcription is independent of Sp1 binding to the core promoter, hence GPI expression in red cells is near normal.
Single-step assembly of polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles for mitomycin C delivery
Authors: Yi Yunfeng , Li Yang , Wu Hongjie , Jia Mengmeng , Yang Xiangrui , Wei Heng , Lin Jinyan , Wu Shichao , Huang Yu , Hou Zhenqing , Xie Liya
Published: October 2014

Mitomycin C is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents for a wide spectrum of cancers, but its clinical use is still hindered by the mitomycin C (MMC) delivery systems. In this study, the MMC-loaded polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a single-step assembly (ACS Nano 2012, 6:4955 to 4965) of MMC-soybean phosphatidyhlcholine (SPC) complex (Mol. Pharmaceutics 2013, 10:90 to 101) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) polymers for intravenous MMC delivery. The advantage of the MMC-SPC complex on the polymer-lipid hybrid NPs was that MMC-SPC was used as a structural element to offer the integrity of the hybrid NPs, served as a drug preparation to increase the effectiveness and safety and control the release of MMC, and acted as an emulsifier to facilitate and stabilize the formation. Compared to the PLA NPs/MMC, the PLA NPs/MMC-SPC showed a significant accumulation of MMC in the nuclei as the action site of MMC. The PLA NPs/MMC-SPC also exhibited a significantly higher anticancer effect compared to the PLA NPs/MMC or free MMC injection in vitro and in vivo. These results suggested that the MMC-loaded polymer-lipid hybrid NPs might be useful and efficient drug delivery systems for widening the therapeutic window of MMC and bringing the clinical use of MMC one step closer to reality.
Lysine suppresses myofibrillar protein degradation by regulating the autophagic-lysosomal system through phosphorylation of Akt in C2C12 cells
Authors: Sato Tomonori , Ito Yoshiaki , Nagasawa Takashi
Published: October 2014

The prevention of muscle wasting is important for maintaining quality of life, since loss of muscle mass can lead to a bedridden state and decreased resistance to diseases. The prevention of muscle wasting requires an increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in protein degradation in skeletal muscle. We previously showed that lysine (Lys) markedly suppressed myofibrillar protein degradation by inhibiting the autophagic-lysosomal system via the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and other signal molecules in C2C12 cells. In this study, we investigated the involvement of Akt and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), two regulators of autophagy, on the suppressive effects of Lys on myofibrillar protein degradation in C2C12 cells. Lys induced the phosphorylation of Akt, but the suppressive effects of Lys on myofibrillar protein degradation and autophagy were completely abolished in the presence of Akt1/2 kinase inhibitor (Akti). Lys suppressed the phosphorylation of AMPK, but this effect was also abolished by Akti. On the other hand, AMPK activation by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribonucleoside (AICAR) did not affect either Akt activity or the autophagic-lysosomal system in C2C12 cells treated with Lys. These results indicate that regulation of AMPK activity is not essential for the regulation of autophagy by Lys. Taken together, our results show that Lys suppresses myofibrillar protein degradation by the autophagic-lysosomal system through the phosphorylation of Akt in C2C12 cells.
OncoCis: annotation of cis-regulatory mutations in cancer
Authors: Perera Dilmi , Chacon Diego , Thoms Julie AI , Poulos Rebecca C , Shlien Adam , Beck Dominik , Campbell Peter J , Pimanda John E , Wong Jason WH
Published: October 2014

Whole genome sequencing has enabled the identification of thousands of somatic mutations within non-coding genomic regions of individual cancer samples. However, identification of mutations that potentially alter gene regulation remains a major challenge. Here we present OncoCis, a new method that enables identification of potential cis-regulatory mutations using cell type-specific genome and epigenome-wide datasets along with matching gene expression data. We demonstrate that the use of cell type-specific information and gene expression can significantly reduce the number of candidate cis-regulatory mutations compared with existing tools designed for the annotation of cis-regulatory SNPs. The OncoCis webserver is freely accessible at https://powcs.med.unsw.edu.au/OncoCis/.
Nailfold videocapillaroscopy micro-haemorrhage and giant capillary counting as an accurate approach for a steady state definition of disease activity in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Sambataro Domenico , Sambataro Gianluca , Zaccara Eleonora , Maglione Wanda , Polosa Riccardo , Afeltra Antonella MV , Vitali Claudio , Del Papa Nicoletta
Published: October 2014

Introduction

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a procedure commonly used for patient classification and subsetting, but not to define disease activity (DA). This study aimed to evaluate whether the number of micro-haemorrhages (MHE), micro-thrombosis (MT), giant capillaries (GC), and normal/dilated capillaries (Cs) in NVC could predict DA in SSc.

Methods

Eight-finger NVC was performed in 107 patients with SSc, and the total number of MHE/MT, GC, and the mean number of Cs were counted and defined as number of micro-haemorrhages (NEMO), GC and Cs scores, respectively. The European Scleroderma Study Group (ESSG) index constituted the gold standard for DA assessment, and scores ≥3.5 and =3 were considered indicative of high and moderate activity, respectively.

Results

NEMO and GC scores were positively correlated with ESSG index (R = 0.65, P <0.0001, and R = 0.47, P <0.0001, respectively), whilst Cs score showed a negative correlation with that DA index (R = -0.30, P <0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic plots, obtained by NEMO score sensitivity and specificity values in classifying patients with ESSG index ≥3.5, was significantly higher than the corresponding AUC derived from either GC or Cs scores (P <0.03 and P <0.0006, respectively). A modified score, defined by the presence of a given number of MHE/MT and GC, had a good performance in classifying active patients (ESSG index ≥3, sensitivity 95.1%, specificity 84.8%, accuracy 88.7%).

Conclusions

MHE/MT and GC appear to be good indicators of DA in SSc, and enhances the role of NVC as an easy technique to identify active patients.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increase salt tolerance of apple seedlings
Authors: Yang Shou-Jun , Zhang Zhong-Lan , Xue Yuan-Xia , Zhang Zhi-Fen , Shi Shu-Yi
Published: October 2014

Background

Apple trees are often subject to severe salt stress in China as well as in the world that results in significant loss of apple production. Therefore this study was carried out to evaluate the response of apple seedlings inoculated with abuscular mycorrhizal fungi under 0, 2‰, 4‰ and 6‰ salinity stress levels and further to conclude the upper threshold of mycorrhizal salinity tolerance.

Results

The results shows that abuscular mycorrhizal fungi significantly increased the root length colonization of mycorrhizal apple plants with exposure time period to 0, 2‰ and 4‰ salinity levels as compared to non-mycorrhizal plants, however, percent root colonization reduced as saline stress increased. Salinity levels were found to negatively correlate with leaf relative turgidity, osmotic potential irrespective of non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal apple plants, but the decreased mycorrhizal leaf turgidity maintained relative normal values at 2‰ and 4‰ salt concentrations. Under salt stress condition, Cl− and Na+ concentrations clearly increased and K+ contents obviously decreased in non-mycorrhizal roots in comparison to mycorrhizal plants, this caused mycorrhizal plants had a relatively higher K+/Na+ ratio in root. In contrast to zero salinity level, although ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activities in non-inoculated and inoculated leaf improved under all saline levels, the extent of which these enzymes increased was greater in mycorrhizal than in non-mycorrhizal plants. The numbers of survived tree with non-mycorrhization were 40, 20 and 0 (i.e., 66.7%, 33.3% and 0) on the days of 30, 60 and 90 under 4‰ salinity, similarly in mycorrhization under 6‰ salinity 40, 30 and 0 (i.e., 66.7%, 50% and 0) respectively.

Conclusion

These results suggest that 2‰ and 4‰ salt concentrations may be the upper thresholds of salinity tolerance in non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal apple plants, respectively.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress as a Novel Mechanism in Amiodarone-Induced Destructive Thyroiditis
Authors: Lombardi Angela , Inabnet William Barlow , Owen Randall , Farenholtz Kaitlyn Ellen , Tomer Yaron
Published: October 2014

Context:

Amiodarone (AMIO) is one of the most effective antiarrhythmic drugs available; however, its use is limited by a serious side effect profile, including thyroiditis. The mechanisms underlying AMIO thyroid toxicity have been elusive; thus, identification of novel approaches in order to prevent thyroiditis is essential in patients treated with AMIO.

Objective:

Our aim was to evaluate whether AMIO treatment could induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in human thyroid cells and the possible implications of this effect in AMIO-induced destructive thyroiditis.

Results:

Here we report that AMIO, but not iodine, significantly induced the expression of ER stress markers including Ig heavy chain-binding protein (BiP), phosphoeukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and spliced X-box binding protein-1 (XBP-1) in human thyroid ML-1 cells and human primary thyrocytes. In both experimental systems AMIO down-regulated thyroglobulin (Tg) protein but had little effect on Tg mRNA levels, suggesting a mechanism involving Tg protein degradation. Indeed, pretreatment with the specific proteasome inhibitor MG132 reversed AMIO-induced down-regulation of Tg protein levels, confirming a proteasome-dependent degradation of Tg protein. Corroborating our findings, pretreatment of ML-1 cells and human primary thyrocytes with the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyric acid completely prevented the effect of AMIO on both ER stress induction and Tg down-regulation.

Conclusions:

We identified ER stress as a novel mechanism contributing to AMIO-induced destructive thyroiditis. Our data establish that AMIO-induced ER stress impairs Tg expression via proteasome activation, providing a valuable therapeutic avenue for the treatment of AMIO-induced destructive thyroiditis.
Government Spending Multipliers in Developing Countries: Evidence from Lending by Official Creditors
Authors: Kraay Aart
Published: October 2014

I use a novel loan-level dataset covering lending by official creditors to developing country governments to construct an instrument for government spending. Loans from official creditors typically finance multiyear public spending projects, with disbursements linked to the stages of project implementation. The identification strategy exploits the long lags between approval and eventual disbursement of these loans to isolate a predetermined component of public spending associated with past loan approval decisions taken before the realization of contemporaneous shocks. In a large sample of 102 developing countries over the period 1970–2010, the one-year spending multiplier is reasonably-precisely estimated to be around 0.4. (JEL E62, F34, F35, H50, O23)
Medium Term Business Cycles in Developing Countries
Authors: Comin Diego , Loayza Norman , Pasha Farooq , Serven Luis
Published: October 2014

We study the transmission of business cycle fluctuations for developed (N) to developing economies (S) with a two-country, asymmetric, DSGE model with endogenous development of new technologies in N, and sunk costs of exporting and transferring the production of the intermediate goods to S. Consistent with the data, the flow of technologies from N to S co-moves positively with output in N and S; shocks to N have a large effect on S; business cycles in N lead over medium term fluctuations in S; the cross-correlation of outputs is larger than consumption; and interest rates in S are countercyclical. (JEL E13, E32, F14, F21, F32, O19, O33)
Trade in Intermediate Inputs and Business Cycle Comovement
Authors: Johnson Robert C.
Published: October 2014

Does input trade synchronize business cycles across countries? I incorporate input trade into a dynamic multisector model with many countries, calibrate the model to match bilateral input-output data, and estimate trade-comovement regressions in simulated data. With correlated productivity shocks, the model yields high trade-comovement correlations for goods, but near-zero correlations for services and thus low aggregate correlations. With uncorrelated shocks, input trade generates more comovement in gross output than real value added. Goods comovement is higher when (i) the aggregate trade elasticity is low, (ii) inputs are more substitutable than final goods, and (iii) inputs are substitutable for primary factors. (JEL E23, E32, F11, F14, F43, F44)
Responses of Masonry Infill Walls Retrofitted with CFRP, Steel Wire Mesh and Laminated Bars to Blast Loadings
Authors: Chen Li , Fang Qin , Fan Junyu , Zhang Yadong , Hao Hong , Liu Jingchun
Published: October 2014

Many materials are available for retrofitting masonry infill walls to resist explosion loads. Selection of the most suitable material is essential for optimal performance and cost. In this study, a series of trials were conducted in a specially designed test setup to determine and compare the performances of 1/2-scale masonry infill walls retrofitted with carbon fibre-reinforced polymer strips, steel wire mesh and laminated steel bars, respectively, as well as an unreinforced masonry wall, subjected to blast loads. High fidelity FE models with detail modelling of brick, mortar and retrofitting materials are also developed in LS-DYNA to simulate the blast tests. The accuracy of the FE models in predicting the field blast tests is verified with the test data. The calibrated FE models are used to perform intensive numerical simulations to investigate the effectiveness of various retrofitting measures. The displacement response, failure mode, level of damage and fragmentation from both the field blasting tests and numerical simulations are compared and used to assess the effectiveness of the retrofitting measures. The results demonstrate that the URM retrofitted with steel mesh performed the best among the three retrofitting measures in blast loading resistance, the wall retrofitted with closely spaced CFRP strips performed slightly better than that with steel bars.
Experimental and Theoretical Studies on Plastic Torsional Buckling of Steel Buckling-Restrained Braces
Authors: Wang Chunlin , Li Tao , Chen Quan , Wu Jing , Ge Hanbin
Published: October 2014

A type of partly-welded BRB was proposed in this paper to mitigate the unfavourable effect of the welds on the low-cycle fatigue property of BRBs. Three partly-welded BRB specimens under different strain amplitudes were tested and the plastic torsional buckling of the end portion was observed in two specimens. According to the experimental results, the strain amplitude is an important factor for the torsional buckling of the end portion. The critical stress declines with the increase of the strain amplitude, while the maximum compressive stress increases with the growth of the strain amplitude. Even though the hysteretic behaviour of specimens under large strain amplitudes met the requirement by seismic provisions (AISC 2010), torsional buckling is an undesired failure mode for BRBs, which leads to great torsional deformation of BRBs. Based on the principle of minimum potential energy, a theoretical formula of the critical stress was provided in this paper, which gave a good prediction to the failure mode. Moreover, a recommendation value of the calculated length based on the theoretical equation was given for the design to avoid torsional buckling in the unrestrained part of the BRB's yielding segment.
Comparison of cryopreserved amniotic membrane and umbilical cord tissue with dehydrated amniotic membrane/chorion tissue
Authors: Cooke M. , Tan E.K. , Mandrycky C. , He H. , O'Connell J. , Tseng S.C.G.
Published: October 2014

Objective:

To evaluate how the different processing methods cryopreservation and dehydration affect the structural integrity and biological composition of key signalling molecules within amniotic membrane and umbilical cord tissues.

Method:

We directly compared cryopreserved amniotic membrane (AM) and umbilical cord (UC) tissues with dehydrated amniotic membrane/chorion (dHACM) tissue using biochemical and functional assays including histological and histochemical staining, BCA, agarose gel electrophoresis, western blot, ELISA, and proliferation and cell death assays.

Results:

Cryopreservation retains the native architecture of the AM/UC extracellular matrix and maintains the quantity and activity of key biological signals present in fresh AM/UC, including high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, heavy chain-HA complex, and pentraxin 3. In contrast, dehydrated tissues were structurally compromised and almost completely lacked these crucial components.

Conclusion:

The results presented here indicate that cryopreservation better preserves the structural and biological signaling molecules of foetal tissues.

Declaration of interest:

S.C.G. Tseng and his family are more than 5% shareholders of TissueTech, Inc. TissueTech, Inc. and its Subsidiaries (Bio-Tissue and Amniox Medical) own US Patents Nos. 6,152,142; 6,326,019; and PCT/US2010/046675 on the method of preparation and clinical uses of human amniotic membrane with the CryoTek method distributed by Bio-Tissue, Inc. and Amniox Medical. S.C.G. Tseng, E.K. Tan, and H. He are employees of TissueTech, Inc. J. O'Connell and M. Cooke are employees and shareholders of Amniox Medical. C. Mandrycky has no financial conflict. This research was supported by a Venture Lab Grant #398 from the Georgia Research Alliance, Atlanta, GA, and a research grant from TissueTech, Inc., Miami, FL.
Adhesion of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to DACC-coated dressings
Authors: Ronner A.C. , Curtin J. , Karami N. , Ronner U.
Published: October 2014

Objective:

The aim of this in vitro study was to demonstrate the binding capacity of multiple meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and compare the binding capacity to meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.

Method:

The binding of Staphylococcus aureus to a surface was assessed by bioluminescent monitoring of the bacterial ATP levels. This assay can be used as an in vitro diagnostic model for bacteria binding in a critically colonised wound.

Results:

Eleven strains of Staphylococcus aureus were examined including MRSA, all of which efficiently and equally adhered to the dialkyl carbamoyl chloride (DACC)-coated dressing (Sorbact; Abigo Medical AB). The binding capacity was all in the same range 0.7–2.9×106CFU/cm2. regardless of the antibiotic resistance properties of the specific strain.

Conclusion:

The decrease of wound bioburden of Staphylococcus aureus including MRSA is the result of the high binding capacity shown in this study and by earlier data. The findings in this study strengthen the held view that development of antibiotic resistance has minimal impact on the surface structures of the microorganisms in wounds.

Declaration of interest:

This work was supported by Abigo Medical AB, Sweden. The laboratory facilities for the MRSA work were provided by Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the Department for Clinical Bacteriology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. No animals or humans were used in this study..
The perspectives of adults with venous leg ulcers on exercise: an exploratory study
Authors: O'Brien J. , Finlayson K. , Kerr G , Edwards H.
Published: October 2014

Objective:

Exercise has the potential to offer a range of health benefits in addition to improving healing outcomes for people with venous leg ulcers (VLUs). However, despite evidence-based recommendations, most of these individuals do not engage in regular exercise. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the perspectives of adults with VLUs, in relation to exercise.

Method:

This was a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews and discussions. Ten participants with venous leg ulceration volunteered to participate. Recruitment was through a specialist wound clinic. Verbatim data were collected by an experienced moderator using a semi-structured guide. Data saturation was reached after three group discussions and two interviews. A random selection of transcripts was sent back to the participants for verification. Thematic content analysis was used to determine major themes and categories. Two transcripts were independently analysed, categories and themes independently developed, cross checked and found comparable. Remaining transcripts were analysed using the developed categories and codes.

Results:

Regardless of their current exercise routine, participants reported exercising before venous leg ulceration and expressed an interest in either becoming active or maintaining an active lifestyle. Overall, four themes emerged from the findings: i) participant understanding of the relationship between chronic venous insufficiency and exercise patterns; ii) fear of harm impacts upon positive beliefs and attitudes to exercise; iii) perceived factors limit exercise; and iv) structured management facilitates exercise.

Conclusion:

The value of exercise in improving outcomes in VLUs lies in its capacity to promote venous return and reduce the risk of secondary conditions in this population. Despite motivation and interest in being exercise active, people with VLUs report many obstacles. Further exploration of mechanisms that assist this patient population and promote understanding about management of barriers, coupled with promotion of enabling factors, is vital for improving their exercise participation.

Declaration of interest:

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Der Buchhandels- und Verlagsmarkt für polnische Displaced Persons nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg in Westdeutschland und die Verbreitung polnischer Literatur durch Bibliotheken
Authors: Łakomy Agnieszka
Published: October 2014

Der Buchhandels- und Verlagsmarkt für polnischsprachige Literatur in Westdeutschland kurz nach dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs stellt ein interessantes Phänomen dar. Es gelang in der Nachkriegszeit, ein stabiles, effektiv funktionierendes Produktions- und Vertriebsnetz für diese Druckwerke aufzubauen. Ergänzt wurde dies durch eine Vielzahl von Bibliotheken, die sich die Sammlung und Verbreitung polnischsprachiger Literatur zur Aufgabe machten.
The Clash: Humor and critical attitude in verbal irony
Authors: Garmendia Joana
Published: October 2014

Many pragmatic accounts of irony were proposed over the last decades. The best known may be the Gricean approach (Grice 1989a, 1989b), the echoic account (Sperber and Wilson 1981, 1995 [1986]; Wilson 2006, 2009) and the pretense theory (Clark and Gerrig 1984). These approaches state that irony consists in communicating the opposite, echoing or pretending, respectively. My aim here is to show that what defines verbal irony is something subtler: an overt clash between contents is the only thing that we shall find in every ironic utterance. On a different level, the relationships between irony and criticism on the one hand, and irony and humor on the other, have also been of great interest to authors working in the field. Different positions are defended regarding these two issues: here I will claim that criticism is an essential condition for ironic utterances, whereas humor is a consequence of some basic characteristics of irony.
Isn't it ironic? Defining the scope of humorous irony
Authors: Dynel Marta
Published: October 2014

This paper takes as its bedrock a neo-Gricean definition of the trope of irony, championing two essential conditions for diagnosing its presence: overt untruthfulness (or pretence) arising from flouting the first maxim of Quality, together with evaluative implicature, i.e., implied (negative) evaluation. The paramount aim here is to delineate the boundaries of humorous irony, a term frequently overused both in everyday discourse and in academic research, vis-à-vis a range of distinct humor forms. Arguing in favour of a need for terminological and conceptual rigidity, the author indicates a few types of humor (teasing, absurdity, parody, and sarcasm) and potentially humorous phenomena (bald-faced lying, as well as metaphor, hyperbole and metonymy) which appear to meet at least one of the two conditions and, as a result, tend to be mistakenly labeled as (humorous) irony. The theoretical discussion is illustrated with humorous examples taken from the television series
Products of Świątkowski and quasi-continuous functions
Authors: Maliszewski Aleksander , Wódka Julia
Published: October 2014

The aim of this paper is to characterize the products of Świątkowski and quasi-continuous functions.
Tai Chi and meditation-plus-exercise benefit neural substrates of executive function: a cross-sectional, controlled study
Authors: Hawkes Teresa D. , Manselle Wayne , Woollacott Marjorie H.
Published: October 2014

Background: We report the first controlled study of Tai Chi effects on the P300 event-related potential, a neuroelectric index of human executive function. Tai Chi is a form of exercise and moving meditation. Exercise and meditation have been associated with enhanced executive function. This cross-sectional, controlled study utilized the P300 event-related potential (ERP) to compare executive network neural function between self-selected long-term Tai Chi, meditation, aerobic fitness, and sedentary groups. We hypothesized that because Tai Chi requires moderate aerobic and mental exertion, this group would show similar or better executive neural function compared to meditation and aerobic exercise groups. We predicted all health training groups would outperform sedentary controls.

Methods: Fifty-four volunteers (Tai Chi, n=10; meditation, n=16; aerobic exercise, n=16; sedentary, n=12) were tested with the Rockport 1-mile walk (estimated VO2Max), a well-validated measure of aerobic capacity, and an ecologically valid visuo-spatial, randomized, alternating runs Task Switch test during dense-array electroencephalographic (EEG) recording.

Results: Only Tai Chi and meditation plus exercise groups demonstrated larger P3b ERP switch trial amplitudes compared to sedentary controls.

Conclusions: Our results suggest long-term Tai Chi practice, and meditation plus exercise may benefit the neural substrates of executive function.
Differential utilization of expanded genetic screening tests in patients of reproductive ages from private and academic practices
Authors: Schoen Corina , Santolaya-Forgas Joaquin , Genc Mehmet , Ashkinadze Elena
Published: October 2014

Objective: We sought to evaluate the types of genetic screening tests that are performed in women of childbearing ages in New Jersey.

Method: Data from patients who had a reproductive genetics consultation between January 1, 2012, and July 31, 2012, were stratified according to the referring providers, i.e., those from academic or private practices, and descriptive analyses performed. Unconventional genetic screening was defined as any test ordered by the referring health care provider outside the recommendations from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

Results: Overall, 30% of 371 patients referred for a genetic consultation underwent unconventional screening. As compared to patients from academic practices, the relative rate of unconventional screening was 10-fold higher among patients from private practices, resulting in a relative 34-fold increase in the estimated cost in genetic screening (P<0.01).

Conclusion: This set of preliminary observations highlight the need for further state, nationwide, and international studies to understand the financial, personal, and societal impact that this discrepancy health care system in the use of genetic carrier screening portends.
Discrete Versus Continuous Time in an Endogenous Growth Model with Durable Consumption
Authors: Gómez Manuel A.
Published: October 2014

The choice of time as a discrete or continuous variable may radically
affect the stability of equilibrium in an endogenous growth model with
durable consumption. In the continuous-time model the steady state is
locally saddle-path stable with monotonic convergence. However, in the
discrete-time model the steady state may be unstable or saddle-path
stable with monotonic or oscillatory convergence.
Is There an International Convergence in Defence Burdens? Some Initial Findings
Authors: Arvanitidis Paschalis , Kollias Christos , Anastasopoulos Konstantinos
Published: October 2014

This paper examines whether or not there is convergence in defence burdens across the world. To this effect, σ-convergence and β-convergence methodologies are employed. The sample consists of 128 countries and covers the period 1988–2008. Initial findings reported herein point to a process of convergence in defence burdens possibly reflecting the emergence of defence policies that share similar characteristics at least in terms of the allocation of resources.
The crystal structure of ferdowsiite Ag8Sb4(As,Sb)4S16 and its relations to other ABX2 (A=Ag; B=As,Sb,Bi; X=S,Se) structures
Authors: Makovicky Emil , Topa Dan
Published: October 2014

Ferdowsiite is monoclinic, a=8.677(2) Å, b=5.799(1) Å, c=13.839(3) Å, β=96.175(4)°, unit cell volume 692.3 Å3. Space group P21/n. Refinement from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data reached R
1=0.028 for 626 F
o>4σ(F
o) and 0.032 for all 716 F
o used. Value of wR
2 is 0.065. The crystal structure of ferdowsiite, approximately Ag8Sb4(As,Sb)4S16, contains four distinct cation and four different anion sites in the asymmetric unit, all in general positions. Besides two Ag sites and one Sb site, the crystal structure contains one mixed As-Sb coordination polyhedron (0.63 As and 0.37 Sb in the site). The Sb1 site has three short Sb-S bonds 2.503–2.645 Å. As and Sb in the mixed site were refined separately, with isotropic displacement coefficients. As has typical bond length values of 2.248–2.354 Å whereas Sb has 2.443–2.392 Å, i.e., the observed ligand positions are visibly influenced by the predominant arsenic. The crystal structure of ferdowsiite is a superstructure of a PbS like motif. The {100} planes of the PbS-like substructure are the (105̅), (301) and (010) planes in terms of the ferdowsiite lattice. The structure contains zig-zag chains of Sb1 connected via short Sb-S bonds and flanked by (Sb,As)S3 groups and Ag polyhedra. Groups of four SbS5-and (Sb,As)S5 coordination pyramids form an interconnected network with interspaces which accommodate both the lone electron pairs and the tetrahedrally coordinated Ag situated in coordination octahedra. Partial lead substitution takes place in the coordination polyhedra of Sb1 and Ag2. In the paper, the structure is compared with the other Ag(As,Sb,Bi)(S,Se)2 structures. The configurationally closest PbS-based homeotypic structure, however, is diaphorite, which is an ordered superstructure of the ferdowsiite arrangement, with a substantial presence of Pb, and without As.
Presynaptic Modulation of Spinal Nociceptive Transmission by Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF)
Authors: Salio Chiara , Ferrini Francesco , Muthuraju Sangu , Merighi Adalberto
Published: October 2014

The role of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in nociceptive pathways is still controversial, as both pronociceptive and antinociceptive actions have been reported. To elucidate this role in the mouse, we performed combined structural and functional studiesin vivoand in acute spinal cord slices where C-fiber activation was mimicked by capsaicin challenge.

Nociceptors and their terminals in superficial dorsal horn (SDH; laminae I–II) constitute two separate subpopulations: the peptidergic CGRP/somatostatin+ cells expressing GDNF and the nonpeptidergic IB4+ neurons expressing the GFRα1-RET GDNF receptor complex. Ultrastructurally the dorsal part of inner lamina II (LIIid) harbors a mix of glomeruli that either display GDNF/somatostatin (GIb)-IR or GFRα1/IB4 labeling (GIa). LIIid thus represents the preferential site for ligand-receptor interactions.

Functionally, endogenous GDNF released from peptidergic CGRP/somatostatin+ nociceptors upon capsaicin stimulation exert a tonic inhibitory control on the glutamate excitatory drive of SDH neurons as measured after ERK1/2 phosphorylation assay. Real-time Ca2+imaging and patch-clamp experiments with bath-applied GDNF (100 nm) confirm the presynaptic inhibition of SDH neurons after stimulation of capsaicin-sensitive, nociceptive primary afferent fibers. Accordingly, the reduction of the capsaicin-evoked [Ca2+]irise and of the frequency of mEPSCs in SDH neurons is specifically abolished after enzymatic ablation of GFRα1. Therefore, GDNF released from peptidergic CGRP/somatostatin+ nociceptors acutely depresses neuronal transmission in SDH signaling to nonpeptidergic IB4+ nociceptors at glomeruli in LIIid. These observations are of potential pharmacological interest as they highlight a novel modality of cross talk between nociceptors that may be relevant for discrimination of pain modalities.