bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GFI1 and GFI1B control the loss of endothelial identity of hemogenic endothelium during hematopoietic commitment
Authors: Lancrin Christophe , Mazan Milena , Stefanska Monika , Patel Rahima , Lichtinger Monika , Costa Guilherme , Vargel Özge , Wilson Nicola K. , Möröy Tarik , Bonifer Constanze , Göttgens Berthold , Kouskoff Valerie , Lacaud Georges
Published: June 2012

Recent studies have established that during embryonic development, hematopoietic progenitors and stem cells are generated from hemogenic endothelium precursors through a process termed endothelial to hematopoietic transition (EHT). The transcription factor RUNX1 is essential for this process, but its main downstream effectors remain largely unknown. Here, we report the identification of Gfi1 and Gfi1b as direct targets of RUNX1 and critical regulators of EHT. GFI1 and GFI1B are able to trigger, in the absence of RUNX1, the down-regulation of endothelial markers and the formation of round cells, a morphologic change characteristic of EHT. Conversely, blood progenitors in Gfi1- and Gfi1b-deficient embryos maintain the expression of endothelial genes. Moreover, those cells are not released from the yolk sac and disseminated into embryonic tissues. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a critical and specific role of the GFI1 transcription factors in the first steps of the process leading to the generation of hematopoietic progenitors from hemogenic endothelium.
Insulin Deficiency Alters the Metabolic and Endocrine Responses to Undernutrition in Fetal Sheep Near Term
Authors: Fowden Abigail L. , Forhead Alison J.
Published: June 2012

Insulin deficiency affects the adult metabolic response to undernutrition, but its effects on the fetal response to maternal undernutrition remain unknown. This study examined the effects of maternal fasting for 48 h in late gestation on the metabolism of fetal sheep made insulin deficient by pancreatectomy (PX). The endocrine and metabolic responses to maternal fasting differed between intact, sham-operated and PX fetuses, despite a similar degree of hypoglycemia. Compared with intact fetuses, there was no increase in the plasma concentrations of cortisol or norepinephrine in PX fetuses during maternal fasting. In contrast, there was a significant fasting-induced rise in plasma epinephrine concentrations in PX but not intact fetuses. Umbilical glucose uptake decreased to a similar extent in both groups of fasted animals but was associated with a significant fall in glucose carbon oxidation only in intact fetuses. Pancreatectomized but not intact fetuses lowered their oxygen consumption rate by 15–20% during maternal fasting in association with increased uteroplacental oxygen consumption. Distribution of uterine oxygen uptake between the uteroplacental and fetal tissues therefore differed with fasting only in PX fetuses. Both groups of fetuses produced glucose endogenously after maternal fasting for 48 h, which prevented any significant fall in the rate of fetal glucose utilization. In intact but not PX fetuses, fasting-induced glucogenesis was accompanied by a lower hepatic glycogen content. Chronic insulin deficiency in fetal sheep therefore leads to changes in the counterregulatory endocrine response to hypoglycemia and an altered metabolic strategy in dealing with nutrient restriction in utero.
Flexibility in starting posture drives flexibility in kinematic behavior of the kinethmoid-mediated premaxillary protrusion mechanism in a cyprinid fish,Cyprinus carpio
Authors: Gidmark Nicholas J. , Staab Katie Lynn , Brainerd Elizabeth L. , Hernandez L. Patricia
Published: June 2012

Premaxillary protrusion in cypriniform fishes involves rotation of the kinethmoid, an unpaired skeletal element in the dorsal midline of the rostrum. No muscles insert directly onto the kinethmoid, so its rotation must be caused by the movement of other bones. In turn, the kinethmoid is thought to push on the ascending processes of the premaxillae, effecting protrusion. To determine the causes and effects of kinethmoid motion, we used XROMM (x-ray reconstruction of moving morphology) to measure the kinematics of cranial bones in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Mean kinethmoid rotation was 83 deg during premaxillary protrusion (18 events in 3 individuals). The kinethmoid rotates in a coordinated way with ventral translation of the maxillary bridge, and this ventral translation is likely driven primarily by the A1β muscle. Analyses of flexibility (variability between behaviors) and coordination (correlation between bones within a behavior) indicate that motion of the maxillary bridge, not the lower jaw, drives premaxillary protrusion. Thus, upper jaw protrusion is decoupled from lower jaw depression, allowing for two separate modes of protrusion, open mouth and closed mouth. These behaviors serve different functions: to procure food and to sort food, respectively. Variation in starting posture of the maxilla alone dictates which type of protrusion is performed; downstream motions are invariant. For closed mouth protrusion, a ventrally displaced maxillary starting posture causes kinethmoid rotation to produce more ventrally directed premaxillary protrusion. This flexibility, bestowed by the kinethmoid–maxillary bridge–A1β mechanism, one of several evolutionary novelties in the cypriniform feeding mechanism, may have contributed to the impressive trophic diversity that characterizes this speciose lineage.
Respiratory dynamics of discontinuous gas exchange in the tracheal system of the desert locust,Schistocerca gregaria
Authors: Groenewald Berlizé , Hetz Stefan K. , Chown Steven L. , Terblanche John S.
Published: June 2012

Gas exchange dynamics in insects is of fundamental importance to understanding evolved variation in breathing patterns, such as discontinuous gas exchange cycles (DGCs). Most insects do not rely solely on diffusion for the exchange of respiratory gases but may also make use of respiratory movements (active ventilation) to supplement gas exchange at rest. However, their temporal dynamics have not been widely investigated. Here, intratracheal pressure, VCO2 and body movements of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria were measured simultaneously during the DGC and revealed several important aspects of gas exchange dynamics. First, S. gregaria employs two different ventilatory strategies, one involving dorso-ventral contractions and the other longitudinal telescoping movements. Second, although a true spiracular closed (C)-phase of the DGC could be identified by means of subatmospheric intratracheal pressure recordings, some CO2 continued to be released. Third, strong pumping actions do not necessarily lead to CO2 release and could be used to ensure mixing of gases in the closed tracheal system, or enhance water vapour reabsorption into the haemolymph from fluid-filled tracheole tips by increasing the hydrostatic pressure or forcing fluid into the haemocoel. Finally, this work showed that the C-phase of the DGC can occur at any pressure. These results provide further insights into the mechanistic basis of insect gas exchange.
Estimating the length of waits: a description of the period lifetable method and comparison with census and event based methods
Authors: Armstrong Paul W
Published: June 2012

To discover whether the period lifetable provides more valid estimates of length of wait in prospect than are obtained using the lengths either of (current) waits captured at the time of the mid-period census or of the (prior) waits of those extracted over a specified period. We determined whether there was a surplus (or a deficiency) of extractions within the cross-classification of cohort and waiting time category which straddled each census. We used census-, event- and lifetable-based methods to produce three period-specific estimates of the percentage of waits of 0–2 months, and we determined whether length of wait grew shorter (or longer) from one period to the next. We used Lambda B to indicate the extent to which we were able to predict the direction of change in length of wait once we knew the direction of change in size of list. We found a direct correlation between change in length of wait and change in size of list, as expected under the stock-flow model, when length of wait was estimated using the lifetable for the period (LB = 58.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 29–88), but we obtained a null correlation when we used census-based estimates (LB = 6.45) and we obtained an inverse correlation when we used event-based estimates (LB = 57.14, 95% CI = 31–83). The period lifetable appears to provide more valid estimates of length of wait and should therefore be substituted for census- and event-based methods of estimation, wherever possible.
Competency assessment and development among health-care leaders: results of a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Yarbrough Landry Amy , Stowe Michael , Haefner James
Published: June 2012

In light of the challenges involved in leading a health care organization, it is important that the executives and managers charged with doing so are competent in a variety of areas. However, leading at all organizational levels does not necessarily require the same levels and types of competencies. The purpose of this research is to determine how well competency training works in health care organizations, and to obtain a better understanding of the competencies needed for leaders at different points of their careers and at various organizational levels. Ten health care management competency domains thought to positively influence job performance for health care executives are presented. The study seeks to answer four hypotheses related to self-perceptions of competencies and training opportunities at various hierarchical levels. A survey method was used to sample a subset of the healthcare executive population in the USA, based on three variables of interest, competency training opportunities, self-reported level of competency and hierarchical level. A series of Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to identify perceived differences in both competency level and training opportunities among respondents of various hierarchical levels. The most significant result of our research is that competency training is effective in health care organizations. The implications and need for additional research are discussed.
National telemental health responses to a major bushfire disaster
Authors: Reifels Lennart , Bassilios Bridget , Pirkis Jane
Published: June 2012

In response to the Victorian bushfire disaster in 2009, various telemental health services were provided by three national agencies: Kids Helpline (BoysTown), MensLine Australia (Crisis Support Services) and Lifeline Australia. All provider agencies used their existing national service structures and staff resources, which were expanded to respond to bushfire-related service demand. We examined service provider reports and conducted key informant interviews. Despite a lack of quantitative data on consumer outcomes and perspectives, it appears that all three telemental health services experienced significant increases in overall service uptake levels in the wake of the bushfires. Uptake of specialized telephone-, web-, email- and crisis counselling services was substantial, although that of callback services was very limited. Potential clients encountered specific barriers in relation to service access and the callback model. The bushfire experience highlighted the impact of transitory living circumstances and the increased complexity of post-disaster calls on service provision. Telemental health services need to be integrated into mainstream services and disaster response structures.
A survey of telehealth coordinators in Canada
Authors: Lynch Jay , Gay Shirley
Published: June 2012

Telehealth coordinators practising in Canada were invited to respond to an online survey and participate in a telephone interview. For the present study, the definition of 'telehealth' was limited to the use of videoconferencing. The coordinators were recruited with the assistance of the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) and the Canadian Telehealth Forum (CTF). The response rate to the online survey from the OTN cohort was 4% ( n = 13) and from the CTF cohort was 36% ( n = 34). Of the 47 people who completed the survey, 16 also participated in a telephone interview. Most respondents were female; their mean age was 40 years. Most telehealth coordinators had some form of post-secondary education. Most, 66% ( n = 31) coordinated both clinical and educational videoconferences. About half of the telehealth coordinators (55%, n = 26) indicated that their job was dedicated solely to telehealth, although 32% ( n = 15) reported that their jobs involved responsibilities outside telehealth. About half of the respondents worked full-time (51%, n = 24). Most respondents either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement that ‘If a telehealth coordinator's role involves patient care then that individual should be a member of a regulated health profession’. The need for organizations to more clearly define the role, better recognize and support telehealth coordinators and develop mechanisms for continuing professional education and certification were recurrent themes in the interviews.
ECG telemonitoring during home-based cardiac rehabilitation in heart failure patients
Authors: Piotrowicz Ewa , Jasionowska Anna , Banaszak-Bednarczyk Maria , Gwilkowska Joanna , Piotrowicz Ryszard
Published: June 2012

We assessed ECGs recorded during home-based telemonitored cardiac rehabilitation (HTCR) in stable patients with heart-failure. The study included 75 patients with heart failure (NYHA II, III), with a mean age of 56 years. They participated in an eight-week programme of home cardiac rehabilitation which was telemonitored with a device which recorded 16-s fragments of their ECG. These fragments were transmitted via mobile phone to a monitoring centre. The times of the automatic ECG recordings were pre-set and coordinated with the cardiac rehabilitation. Patients were able to make additional recordings when they felt unwell using a tele-event-Holter ECG facility. During the study, 5757 HTCR sessions were recorded and 11,534 transmitted ECG fragments were evaluated. Most ECGs originated from the automatic recordings. Singular supraventricular and ventricular premature beats and ventricular couplets were detected in 16%, 69% and 16% of patients, respectively. Twenty ECGs were recorded when patients felt unwell: non sustained ventricular tachycardia occurred in three patients and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation episode in two patients. Heart failure patients undergoing HTCR did not develop any arrhythmia which required a change of the procedure, confirming it was safe. Cardiac rehabilitation at home was improved by utilizing the tele-event-Holter ECG facility.
Approaches to economic evaluation in telemedicine
Authors: Bergmo Trine S
Published: June 2012

External validity or generalizability is a major challenge in the economic evaluation of telemedicine. There are two possible ways of increasing generalizability: the first is to use a pragmatic trial design so it better reflects normal patient caseload and everyday practice. The second is to use existing data from the literature and decision modelling to estimate the expected costs and outcomes of different alternatives. The first will increase generalizability to other patients than those in the trial and the second will increase generalizability from place to place. The objective and role of the evaluation will decide the most appropriate evaluation approach. Pragmatic trials should be used in studies where the objective is to provide measurements of costs and outcomes for a specific group of patients in a particular setting. This approach is highly relevant in telemedicine evaluations where the objective is to support local investments strategies and reimbursement systems. Decision modelling provides an overall structure for a decision problem and a formal analysis of the implications of different decisions. Modelling can simulate a trial or mimic a current system or a system that decision makers would like to use. Modelling is a useful approach when decisions need to be made about whether to invest in telemedicine within a broader context.
Form Follows Function: Advances in Trilayered Structure Replication for Aortic Heart Valve Tissue Engineering
Authors: Simionescu Dan T. , Chen Joseph , Jaeggli Michael , Wang Bo , Liao Jun
Published: June 2012

Tissue engineering the aortic heart valve is a challenging endeavor because of the particular hemodynamic and biologic conditions present in the native aortic heart valve. The backbone of an ideal valve substitute should be a scaffold that is strong enough to withstand billions of repetitive bending, flexing and stretching cycles, while also being slowly degradable to allow for remodeling. In this review, we highlight three overlooked aspects that might influence the long term durability of tissue engineered valves: (i) replication of the native valve trilayered histoarchitecture, (ii) duplication of the three‐dimensional shape of the valve, (iii) and cell integration efforts focused on getting the right number and type of cells to the right place within the valve structure and driving them towards homeostatic maintenance of the valve matrix. We propose that the trilayered structure in the native aortic valve that includes a middle spongiosa layer cushioning the motions of the two external fibrous layers should be our template for creation of novel scaffolds with improved mechanical durability. Furthermore, since cells adapt to micro‐loads within the valve structure, we believe that interstitial cell remodeling of the valvular matrix will depend on the accurate replication of the structures and loads, resulting in successful regeneration of the valve tissue and extended durability.
Mechanical Enterogenesis ‐ A Review
Authors: Stark Rebecca , Dunn James C. Y.
Published: June 2012

Mechanical enterogenesis is a novel method of lengthening pre‐existing intestine with distractive force. The application of mechanical force on small intestine aims to induce cellular proliferation and ultimately increase bowel length. This has been investigated primarily for the treatment of short bowel syndrome (SBS). Research has been ongoing for well over a decade in this arena and a multitude of advances have been made, both in the understanding of the biology behind force induced cellular proliferation and in the basic mechanics of force delivery systems. Important experimental models have been developed for studying this phenomenon and the collaboration of engineers and medical researchers has lead to the design of several devices that successfully lengthen small intestine. This has catapulted the field forward and there may soon be a device suitable for medical use in humans. This review analyses the past, present and future of mechanical enterogenesis.
Addressing the Donor Liver Shortage with EX VIVO Machine Perfusion
Authors: Izamis Maria-Louisa , Berendsen Tim a. , Uygun Korkut , Yarmush Martin L.
Published: June 2012

Despite a critical shortage of viable donor livers for transplantation, only a fraction of the available organs are used. Donor organ defects, which in the majority of cases are caused by extensive exposure to ischemia, cannot be reversed by static cold storage, the current gold standard of organ preservation. In this review, the role of machine perfusion (MP) in the recovery of non‐transplantable ischemic donor organs is discussed. Though still in the experimental phase, various models of MP have consistently demonstrated that ischemic donor organs can be recovered to a transplantable state through continuous perfusion. MP can also provide dynamic quantitative assessments of the extent of ischemia, in addition to predicting the likelihood of organ recovery. Continued endeavors to translate MP into clinical use and eventually incorporate it into routine donor organ care will have a significant impact on the quality and availability of transplantable donor organs.
Spectral and Non‐Linear Analyses of Spontaneous Magnetoencephalographic Activity in Alzheimer′s Disease
Authors: Poza Jesús , Gómez Carlos , Bachiller Alejandro , Hornero Roberto
Published: June 2012

Alzheimer′s Disease (AD) is considered the most prevalent form of dementia. A definite AD diagnosis is established after examination of brain tissue. However, an accurate identification should be attempted to effectively apply therapeutic strategies. The aim of the present study was to perform regional analysis of spontaneous magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activity to describe brain dynamics in AD. Several spectral and non‐linear parameters were calculated to obtain a comprehensive description of the spatial abnormalities in brain dynamics. Our findings showed a significant global slowing of MEG activity in AD, as well as a significant loss of irregularity and complexity in several brain regions. Spectral and non‐linear parameters reached classification accuracies of around 80%. The results suggest the potential usefulness of spectral and non‐linear parameters to characterize the cognitive and functional abnormalities of dementia. These parameters can yield information useful in clinical AD diagnosis and provide further insights on underlying brain dynamics.
The Behaviour of Cast Rope Sockets at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Ridge Isabel , Hobbs Roger
Published: June 2012

Modern building structures are making increasing use of high performance tension members in steel spiral strand. The terminations to the strand typically employ a steel fitting, a "socket", to transfer the load to other structural members, where the interface between strand and a conical recess in the socket is filled either with a cast metal alloy or (more recently) a complex resin compound. The cone grips the wires of the strand and is pulled into the conical recess in the socket by the axial load to generate a wedging action that transfers axial load between strand and socket.

The present paper addresses the performance of these sockets and their filling media at elevated temperatures, so that their performance in fire conditions can be assessed. A substantial programme of tests that has focussed on the creep-temperature-time relationship in metal and resin filled sockets is reported.

It is concluded that resin filled sockets are likely to fail within 60 hours if their core temperature is held at 160°C or above, while the critical temperature for alloy filled sockets is nearer 210°C.
Managing Disruption Risk: The Interplay Between Operations and Insurance
Authors: Dong Lingxiu , Tomlin Brian
Published: June 2012

Disruptive events that halt production can have severe business consequences if not appropriately managed. Business interruption (BI) insurance offers firms a financial mechanism for managing their exposure to disruption risk. Firms can also avail of operational measures to manage the risk. In this paper, we explore the relationship between BI insurance and operational measures. We model a manufacturing firm that can purchase BI insurance, invest in inventory, and avail of emergency sourcing. Allowing the insurance premium to depend on the firm's insurance and operational decisions, we characterize the optimal insurance deductible and coverage limit as well as the optimal inventory level. We prove that insurance and operational measures are not always substitutes, and we establish conditions under which they can be complements; that is, insurance can increase the marginal value of inventory and can increase the overall value of emergency sourcing. We also find that the value of insurance is higher for those firms less able to absorb financially significant disruptions. As disruptions become longer but rarer, the value of emergency sourcing increases, and the value of inventory and the value of insurance increase before eventually decreasing.

This paper was accepted by Martin Lariviere, operations management.
Local Religious Beliefs and Mutual Fund Risk-Taking Behaviors
Authors: Shu Tao , Sulaeman Johan , Yeung P. Eric
Published: June 2012

We study the effects of local religious beliefs on mutual fund risk-taking behaviors. Funds located in low-Protestant or high-Catholic areas exhibit significantly higher fund return volatilities. Similar differences persist when we use the religiosity ratios at fund managers' college locations. Risk-taking associated with local religious beliefs manifests in higher portfolio concentrations, higher portfolio turnover, more aggressive interim trading, and more “tournament” risk-shifting behaviors, but not over-weighting risky individual stocks. Overall, our results suggest that local religious beliefs have significant influences on mutual fund behaviors.

This paper was accepted by Brad Barber, finance.
Modeling Bounded Rationality in Capacity Allocation Games with the Quantal Response Equilibrium
Authors: Chen Yefen , Su Xuanming , Zhao Xiaobo
Published: June 2012

We consider a supply chain with a single supplier and two retailers. The retailers choose their orders strategically, and if their orders exceed the supplier's capacity, quantities are allocated proportionally to the orders. We experimentally study the capacity allocation game using subjects motivated by financial incentives. We find that the Nash equilibrium, which assumes that players are perfectly rational, substantially exaggerates retailers' tendency to strategically order more than they need. We propose a model of bounded rationality based on the quantal response equilibrium, in which players are not perfect optimizers and they face uncertainty in their opponents' actions. We structurally estimate model parameters using the maximum-likelihood method. Our results confirm that retailers exhibit bounded rationality, become more rational through repeated game play, but may not converge to perfect rationality as assumed by the Nash equilibrium. Finally, we consider several alternative behavioral theories and show that they do not explain our experimental data as well as our bounded rationality model.

This paper was accepted by loana Popescu, guest editor, operations management.
Optimal Search for Product Information
Authors: Branco Fernando , Sun Monic , Villas-Boas J. Miguel
Published: June 2012

Consumers often need to search for product information before making purchase decisions. We consider a tractable (continuous-time) model of gradual learning, in which consumers incur search costs to learn further product information, and update their expected utility of the product at each search occasion. We characterize the optimal stopping rules for either purchase, or no purchase, as a function of search costs and of the importance/informativeness of each attribute. This paper also characterizes how the likelihood of purchase changes with the ex ante expected utility, search costs, and the importance/informativeness of each attribute. We discuss optimal pricing, the impact of consumer search on profits and social welfare, and how the seller chooses its price to strategically affect the extent of the consumers' search behavior. We show that lower search costs can hurt the consumer because the seller may then choose to charge higher prices. Discounting creates asymmetry in the purchase and no-purchase search thresholds, and may lead to lower prices if search occurs in equilibrium, or higher prices if there is no search in equilibrium. This paper also considers searching for signals of the value of the product, heterogeneous importance of attributes, endogenous intensity of search, and social learning.

This paper was accepted by Pradeep Chintagunta, marketing.
Shortened Interval between Tetanus Vaccines
Authors: Lodolce Amy E
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVE:

To identify the minimum safe interval between tetanus-diphtheria (Td) and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines.

DATA SOURCES:

Literature was retrieved through a review of ImmunoFacts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site, MEDLINE (1966-February 2012) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-February 2012) using the terms Tdap, Td, and interval. In addition, reference citations from publications identified were reviewed.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:

All English-language articles identified from the data sources were evaluated. Studies addressing an interval of 2 years or less between Td and Tdap vaccines were included.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

Two observational noninferiority studies have evaluated the safety of an interval of 2 years or less. The first involved a school-based immunization program to compare the safety of a single dose of Tdap given 18 months to 9 years after a tetanus and diphtheria toxoid–containing vaccine versus an interval of 10 or more years. Injection site erythema and swelling were increased among participants with shortened intervals between vaccines; however, no serious adverse events, entire limb swelling, or Arthus-like reactions were reported. The second study involved health care workers who received Tdap during a pertussis outbreak with the objective to compare safety of intervals less than 2 years between prior tetanus vaccination and Tdap with intervals 2 years or more. Criteria for noninferiority were met overall between the 2 intervals in terms of moderate and severe injection site reactions. Fever was more common with the shortened interval, as was any redness or any swelling. No serious adverse events were reported among the group with an interval of less than 2 years between vaccine administration.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although well-designed randomized controlled trials are lacking, the current observational evidence and CDC provisional recommendations support a shortened interval between Td and Tdap vaccines to protect health care workers from pertussis. Intervals less than 2 years may be associated with an increased incidence of local injection site reactions.
Systematic Review of Consistency between Adherence to Cardiovascular or Diabetes Medication and Health Literacy in Older Adults
Authors: Loke Yoon K , Hinz Ina , Wang Xia , Salter Charlotte
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVE:

To review the relationship between health literacy and adherence to cardiovascular/diabetes medication.

DATA SOURCES:

We searched EMBASE (1974-February 2012) and MEDLINE (1948-February 2012). Search terms included health literacy, numeracy, health education and related terms, health literacy measurement tools, and medication adherence.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:

English-language articles of all study designs were considered. Articles were included if they had a measurement of health literacy and medication adherence and if participants were older adults taking drugs for cardiovascular illness or diabetes mellitus.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

A total of 1310 citations were reviewed, including 9 articles that reported on 7 research studies. Most studies were retrospective, and all were based in the US. Because there was considerable diversity in measurements, participant characteristics, and outcome measures, we conducted a narrative synthesis rather than a meta-analysis. In assessing study validity, we looked at participant selection, method of measuring health literacy and medication adherence, missing data or losses, and adjustment for confounders. Of the 7 included studies, only 1 found a demonstrable association between health literacy and refill adherence. One clinical trial failed to show significant improvements in medication adherence after an intervention to improve health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS:

The current evidence does not show a definite association between health literacy and medication adherence in older adults with cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. In the absence of a definite link, efforts to develop interventions to improve health literacy would not necessarily improve adherence to cardiovascular medications. There is an urgent need for robust studies outside of the US, with wider, generalized recruitment of participants.
Use of Cilostazol in Percutaneous Coronary Interventions
Authors: Rogers Kelly C , Faircloth Jenna M , Finks Shannon W
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the addition of cilostazol to standard dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) with aspirin and clopidogrel in patients receiving coronary stenting.

DATA SOURCES:

Relevant information was identified through a search of MEDLINE (1966-November 2011), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1960-2011), and Cochrane Databases (publications archived until November 2011) using the terms cilostazol, percutaneous coronary intervention, triple therapy, and antiplatelet agents.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:

English-language prospective and retrospective studies, including registry data in adults, were eligible for inclusion if triple therapy with cilostazol was compared with DAT with aspirin and clopidogrel in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. Article bibliographies were also reviewed.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

Cilostazol uniquely possesses antiproliferative properties in addition to its antiplatelet effects. Several prospective and retrospective clinical trials evaluated it as a third agent in standard antiplatelet regimens after PCI with both bare metal and drug-eluting stents. Both angiographic and clinical outcomes, including major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), have been improved with the addition of cilostazol to DAT in most trials, without increasing bleeding risk. Higher-risk patients, such as elderly individuals and patients with diabetes, long lesions, or small vessels, seem to benefit the most from triple therapy. Patients who are poor responders to clopidogrel also appear to benefit from the addition of cilostazol by improving platelet reactivity with standard DAT.

CONCLUSIONS:

Triple therapy with cilostazol has been shown to reduce MACEs by providing increased inhibition of platelet aggregation and reducing the rates of in-stent thrombosis compared to DAT without increasing the risk of bleeding complications. Further studies are needed to identify proper patient selection based on risk factors for the addition of cilostazol. Additionally, studies comparing cilostazol with newer antiplatelet therapies, such as prasugrel and ticagrelor, are needed.
Curriculum and Instructional Methods for Drug Information, Literature Evaluation, and Biostatistics: Survey of US Pharmacy Schools
Authors: Phillips Jennifer A , Gabay Michael P , Ficzere Cathy , Ward Kristina E
Published: June 2012

BACKGROUND:

The drug information curriculum in US colleges of pharmacy continues to evolve. The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Drug Information Practice and Research Network (DI PRN) published an opinion paper with specific recommendations regarding drug information education in 2009. Adoption of these recommendations has not been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE:

To assess which recommendations made in the ACCP DI PRN opinion paper are included in US pharmacy school curricula and characterize faculty qualifications, educational methods, and recent changes in drug information education.

METHODS:

An electronic survey was designed using the ACCP DI PRN opinion paper and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education standards and guidelines for accreditation of PharmD programs in the US. Survey questions addressed curricular content within the following categories: drug information, literature evaluation, and biostatistics. A letter including the online survey link was sent via email to the dean of each US college/school of pharmacy (N = 128). Recipients were instructed to forward the email to the individual at their institution who was the most knowledgeable about the content and methodology used for didactic drug information education.

RESULTS:

Sixty-four responses were included in the final analysis. Of the 19 ACCP DI PRN minimum core concepts, 9 (47%) were included in curricula of all responding institutions; 14 of 19 (74%) were included in curricula for all but 1 institution. In contrast, 5 of 16 concepts (31%) were not formally taught by a number of institutions. Many respondents noted an increased focus on evidence-based medicine, medication safety, and informatics.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although a survey of drug information curricula documented substantial inclusion of the essential concepts presented in the ACCP DI PRN opinion paper, room for improvement remains in drug information curricula in US colleges of pharmacy.
Tabloid crime journalism: Writing on the edge of existence
Authors: Lehrmann Ulrik
Published: June 2012

What is the meaning of tabloid crime journalism? This article is based on research into the crime journalism of the Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet between 1966 and 2006. At the root of the research lies an understanding of tabloid crime journalism as being most appropriately conceptualized
within a framework of ritual storytelling and existence. The narrative structure of Ekstra Bladet’s crime journalism is characterized, and the changes in its way of narrating crime stories during the period are uncovered: a change from describing crime as seen from the point of view
of the police to a more melodramatic narration, which implies a stronger dramatic reader appeal, as well as a blurring of the line between fact and fiction.
Eiminating Racial Preferences in College Admissions
Authors: Weisman Dennis L. , Robinson Glen O.
Published: June 2012

Critics of affirmative action policies contend that the elimination of racial preferences in college admissions would lead to a “more-able” student body. In a system in which other non-meritocratic elements other than race play an important role there is no reason to think that the slot filled by the race-preferred candidate will be filled by another candidate of higher “quality.”
A? Fuzzy Controller Based High Efficient Pulse Amplitude Modulation Control for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Authors: Howlader Abdul Motin , Urasaki Naomitsu , Yona Atsushi , Senjyu Tomonobu , Yousuf Saber Ahmed
Published: June 2012

A pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) control can adjust the DC-link voltage of a motor drive. A bi-directional buck-boost DC-DC converter is required at the primary side of PWM-VSI to implement PAM control. This paper is proposed PAM control technique for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) based on fuzzy control system. The PAM coefficient (K_PAM) is a constant value for a conventional PAM control system. It requires online adjustment to improve overall performance of a PAM control system. The proposed fuzzy controller based PAM control regulates the K_PAM according to online commanded load voltage. This paper deals with different operation modes of a bi-directional buck-boost DC-DC cascade converter, motoring (accelerate and steady state) and braking operations of a PMSM at different load conditions and speeds. The total harmonic distortion (THD) and system efficiency are also shown in this paper. Effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by simulation results.
Catalytic Effect of Heat-treated Iron and Copper Phthalocyanines in Non-aqueous Electrolyte Li/air Batteries – A Review
Authors: Zhang Sheng S. , Ren Xiaoming , Tran Dat T. , Read Jeffrey
Published: June 2012

In this review, we summarize our research on the characterization of FeCu/C catalyst and its effect in non-aqueous electrolyte Li/air cells. The catalyst is synthesized by impregnating metal phthalocyanine complex into a high surface area carbon, followed by pyrolyzing the complex-loaded carbon under argon atmosphere. High resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) results indicate that the metals in the catalyst are present in the form of a mixture of metal-nitrogen complexes (MN) and metal oxides (MO). Using coin-type Li/air cells as the testing vehicle, the FeCu/C is determined to affect the Li/air cells in three manners: (1) It catalyzes two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to form Li
A Man Walks into a Pub
Authors: klaus ian
Published: June 2012

For much of the nineteenth century in Britain, bona fide was a status applied to travelers more than three miles from home. Unlike locals, such travelers were allowed to drink at any hour and on any day, giving rise to a predictable but nonetheless striking phenomenon: the mid-Victorian booze cruise. The essay tracks the rise of traveling drinkers, while also charting the difficulty publicans had in verifying bona fide status. In the end, it uses the controversies and crimes around bona fides and the challenges faced by publicans to explore the uncertainty and, frequently, criminality surrounding nineteenth century commerce.
Women, Sabotaj, and Underground Food Economies in Haiti
Authors: beasley myron m.
Published: June 2012

The movement of people and capital around the world necessitates that we explore the ways in which women interact with food through varying enterprises. Many of these activities are considered “off the books” or part of a shadow or underground economy. This alternative economic space usually involves otherwise law-abiding citizens who seek to provide for their families in ways that fall outside the formal economy. This ethnographic project examines four female street-food vendors of Jacmel, Haiti. This project considers what happens when the underground becomes the primary means of survival. Some could argue that the “informal system” reinforces a traditional patriarchy gender performance, yet the women reveal a system that sustains community and provides food for the masses in a more efficient and effective way than the government-sponsored programs while simultaneously encouraging a sense of agency, support, and a highly developed community networking system.
Vendimia Celebrations
Authors: cruz paula de la
Published: June 2012

On a crisp fall day in April 1936, Delia Larrive Escudero was picking grapes for the family's table at the small vineyard her father kept at the back of their house when she received a visit from her brother, who bore good news. Her father had given his consent—she was only sixteen-years-old—for Delia to enter the first official Queen of the Grape Harvest (reina de la vendimia) competition, in the province of Mendoza, in western Argentina. She would represent Godoy Cruz, one of Mendoza's seventeen departments, each with its own particular terrain, from the lush creeks shaded by pine forests of Tunuyan to the vast barren valleys of clay soil of Tupungato. Like many others in the province, Delia was from an immigrant family. Over hundreds of years, immigrants—principally from Italy and Spain—had transformed the desert at the feet of the Andes into vineyards that bear a bounty of fruit to this day.

Mendoza has been celebrating the harvest in one way or another since Spanish colonists, and Jesuits introduced grapes to Argentina (via Chile) in the late 1500s as a source for sweet Mass wine.
Perception and Emotional Judgments of Music in Dementia of the Alzheimer Type: A Short Case Study
Authors: Gagnon Lise , Gosselin Nathalie , Provencher Véronique , Bier Nathalie
Published: June 2012

dementia of the alzheimer type (ad) can affect emotional judgments of facial expression and prosody. Spared emotional judgments of music have been observed in early AD (Gagnon, Peretz, & Fülöp, 2009). The AD case study of Cuddy and Duffin (2005) showed relatively spared perception and memory for music. Through the single case study of MD, we again address the question of whether early AD might leave these abilities intact. The first experiment examined her musical emotional judgments in relation to mode and tempo. Overall results replicated the finding of a preserved response to changes in these structural properties. In a second experiment, we examined MD's recognition of musical and facial emotional expressions. She demonstrated a deficit only for the recognition of the facial expression of anger. Her performance adds to other empirical demonstrations that in early AD music perception and memory, as well as musical emotional judgments, may be relatively preserved.
Market Transition: An Assessment of the State of the Field
Authors: Keister Lisa A. , Borelli E. Paige
Published: June 2012

Dramatic changes in global politics and economics have led a large number of economies to undergo transition from socialism to some form of market system. Sociologists have taken advantage of economic transition to develop and test ideas about basic social processes; this article assesses the state of the rich but contentious new literature that has resulted. The article provides a review and evaluation of sociological research that explores the two aspects of transition that have attracted the greatest attention: the nature of the transition process and the consequences of transition for stratification and mobility. The authors address the two theoretical approaches—institutional and corporatist—that have been the center of intense debate regarding transition and evaluate the empirical evidence for each. The authors argue that empirical evidence provides support for elements of each but that detailed scope conditions and more nuanced arguments are critical.
Narrative Construction of a Ruptured Self: Stories of Transability on Transabled.org
Authors: Davis Jenny L.
Published: June 2012

Transabled.org is an online community for people with body integrity identity disorder (BIID). People with BIID believe that they were born in incorrectly abled bodies. By analyzing the Introduction statements of twenty-two bloggers, the author shows how BIID is collectively constructed and individually articulated. Specifically, the author shows how bloggers essentialize their impairment-needs, painting a picture of a ruptured self. Through self-narratives, bloggers describe their impairment-needs as existential and deeply intrinsic. They support this description in several ways: (1) focusing on childhood, (2) grappling with “why?”, (3) painting a detailed picture of the “correct” body, and (4) denial/surrender stories. The author argues that the essentialist narrative locates impairment-needs within a “natural” frame and in doing so acts as a form of moral stigma resistance. The author then connects this stigma management strategy with the political and material goals of medical recognition and a path to legal ability re-assignment surgery.
Re-Reading Sociology via the Emotions: Karl Marx's Theory of Human Nature and Estrangement
Authors: Weyher L. Frank
Published: June 2012

Marx's conception of human nature includes human “passions” and “emotions” as fundamental, integrative aspects of our social nature and our human capacity for “free conscious activity.” However, “emotion” has been largely excluded from the sociological lexicon and the capacity for conscious action has often been viewed at the level of the individual actor and, moreover, in overly “cognitive” and “rational” terms. As a result, the very reading of classic texts has been historically biased against the seeing of emotion, even when it is addressed. What difference does the inclusion of emotion in Marx's conception of human nature make for our understanding of both his theory of estrangement and related work today?
Preparedness Clusters: A Research Note on the Disaster Readiness of Community-Based Organizations
Authors: Austin Duke W.
Published: June 2012

Previous research has found that disaster preparedness practices can be theoretically grouped into eight dimensions of preparedness. In this research note, the author utilizes factor analysis to expand Sutton and Tierney's literature review with empirical data gathered from ninety-three community-based organizations (CBOs). The author concludes that the dimensions of preparedness do not form unique clusters. Instead, the author has identified seven new preparedness clusters, which can serve important purposes in advancing the disaster preparedness of community-based organizations.