bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Getting New Staff to Stay: The Mediating Role of Organizational Identification
Authors: Smith Laura G. E. , Amiot Catherine E. , Callan Victor J. , Terry Deborah J. , Smith Joanne R.
Published: December 2010

Newcomer turnover is a major cost to organizations, and the quality of new employees' experiences in the first few months is critical in determining whether they decide to stay or leave. In a study that focused on the first stage of newcomer socialization, we investigate the impact of perceptions of social validation from the team and the team leader, and perceived fairness of treatment on newcomers' identification with their work team and the organization, specifically measuring the group self‐investment components of identification. The mediating role of these levels of group self‐investment and of the imbalance (i.e. difference) between levels of self‐investment on turnover intentions was also tested. New staff (N=569) joining a large public‐sector organization completed a questionnaire about their socialization experiences in their first 6 months of their employment. Structural equation modelling revealed that social validation by the team and team leaders, and fairness of treatment, predict increased investment with the organization and with the team. Organizational‐level self‐investment and an imbalance in favour of investment with the organization over that of the team mediated decreases in turnover intentions. We conclude that organizations should provide newcomers with validation that promotes identification with their organization during this critical stage of socialization.
The P scales: how well are they working?
Authors: Ndaji Francis , Tymms Peter
Published: December 2010

The National Curriculum of 1988 provided a common curriculum for all primary and secondary schools in the state school sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and ensured that schools in all local authorities had a common curriculum. However, pupils with special educational needs had attainments that fell well below those that the National Curriculum was meant to measure. It was not until the publication of the P scales in 1998 that it became possible for schools in England to measure the attainments and progress of pupils whose attainment levels could not register on the National Curriculum scale. This study by Francis Ndaji and Peter Tymms, from the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Durham University, examines a number of aspects of the validity of the P scales data. In many ways the results are reassuring. The teacher ratings discriminate the levels and show that each level is more difficult to attain than those below it. However, the subjects are not so well discriminated because they measure the same attributes. The P scales do not show any gender bias, indicating that teachers apply the level descriptions to both boys and girls in the same way. However, they seem to be applied in different ways to pupils with different categories of learning difficulties. The study also found that an attainment level in one subject area can be equated to the same level in another subject area. Despite suggestions from teachers, there is no evidence of a bottleneck at P8, or indeed, at any level of the P scales. In general, the P scales are working.
Evidence of a universal scaling relationship for leaf CO2 drawdown along an aridity gradient
Authors: Prentice I. Colin , Meng Tingting , Wang Han , Harrison Sandy P. , Ni Jian , Wang Guohong
Published: December 2010

See also the Commentary by Midgley
Being an outpatient with rheumatoid arthritis – a focus group study on patients’ self‐efficacy and experiences from participation in a short course and one of three different outpatient settings
Authors: Primdahl Jette , Wagner Lis , Hørslev‐Petersen Kim
Published: December 2010

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 394–403
 
Being an outpatient with rheumatoid arthritis – a focus group study on patients’ self‐efficacy and experiences from participation in a short course and one of three different outpatient settings

Background:  A Danish study compared three different outpatient settings for persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All participants completed a short course before random allocation to one of three groups. A third of the patients continued with planned medical consultations. A third was allocated to a shared care setting with no planned consultations. The final third was allocated for planned nursing consultations every 3 months. Little knowledge exists of patients’ experiences at different outpatient settings.

Aims:  (1) To explore the patients’ experiences of participation in the course and one of the three different outpatient settings and (2) to explore whether some of these experiences can explain possible changes in self‐efficacy beliefs.

Method:  In total six focus group interviews were carried out with 33 participants from the three settings. The interviews and the analysis were inspired by phenomenological philosophy.

Results:  On the short course the participants felt understood, gained new insights and some changed behaviours after attendance. Important themes in experiences from the three outpatient settings were: (1) continuity and relationships with health professionals, (2) a need for others to take control, and (3) contact with health professionals.

Specific findings:  The nursing consultations were experienced as less factual and less authoritarian than the medical consultations. The participants in the shared care setting had a lack of confidence in the GP’s competence to manage their RA. However, they felt responsible for taking action in case of a flare up. The study provided opportunities to enhance the participants’ self‐efficacy beliefs.

Conclusion:  When planning follow‐up care, the focus needs to be on continuity, the interpersonal relationship and easy access to health professionals with thorough knowledge of RA. A short course and consultations with nurses and hospital doctors can enhance patients’ self‐efficacy and thereby strengthen their confidence to assess and manage their own disease.
Kalopanaxsaponin A ameliorates experimental colitis in mice by inhibiting IRAK‐1 activation in the NF‐κB and MAPK pathways
Authors: Joh Eun‐Ha , Kim Dong‐Hyun
Published: December 2010

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Kalopanaxsaponin A, a triterpenoid saponin isolated from Kalopanax pictus (family Araliaceae), potently inhibited nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) activation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated peritoneal macrophages during a screening programme for anti‐colitis agents from natural products. Its anti‐inflammatory mechanism remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated its anti‐inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐ or peptidoglycan‐stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages and trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)‐induced colitic mice.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Peritoneal macrophages from male ICR mice were stimulated with LPS or peptidoglycan in vitro and treated with kalopanaxsaponin A. Colitis was induced in vivo by intrarectal administration of TNBS in male ICR mice. Mice were treated daily with kalopanaxsaponin A, sulphasalazine or phosphate‐buffered saline. Inflammatory markers, cytokines, enzymes and transcription factors were measured by ELISA, immunoblot, flow cytometry and immunofluorescent confocal microscopy.

KEY RESULTS Kalopanaxsaponin A potently inhibited the expression of the pro‐inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)‐1β, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and IL‐6, induced by LPS, but not that induced by TNF‐α, in peritoneal macrophages. However, it potently increased the expression of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. Kalopanaxsaponin A inhibited activation of the IL‐1 receptor‐associated kinase (IRAK)‐1, inhibitor of κB kinase‐β, NF‐κB and mitogen‐activated protein kinases (extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase, p‐38), but LPS/Toll‐like receptor‐4 interaction and IRAK‐4 activation were not affected. Oral administration of kalopanaxsaponin A (10 and 20 mg·kg−1) improved the clinical parameters and histology in vivo. Kalopanaxsaponin A inhibited NF‐κB and mitogen‐activated protein kinase activation induced by TNBS by suppressing IRAK‐1 activation.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Kalopanaxsaponin A may improve inflammatory diseases, such as colitis, by inhibiting IRAK‐1 activation.
Cytosine arabinoside induces ectoderm and inhibits mesoderm expression in human embryonic stem cells during multilineage differentiation
Authors: Jagtap S , Meganathan K , Gaspar J , Wagh V , Winkler J , Hescheler J , Sachinidis A
Published: December 2010

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Teratogenic substances induce adverse effects during the development of the embryo. Multilineage differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) mimics the development of the embryo in vitro. Here, we propose a transcriptomic approach in hESCs for monitoring specific toxic effects of compounds as an alternative to traditional time‐consuming and cost‐intensive in vivo tests requiring large numbers of animals. This study was undertaken to explore the adverse effects of cytosine arabinoside (Ara‐C) on randomly differentiated hESCs.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Human embryonic stem cells were used to investigate the effects of a developmental toxicant Ara‐C. Sublethal concentrations of Ara‐C were given for two time points, day 7 and day 14 during the differentiation. Gene expression was assessed with microarrays to determine the dysregulated transcripts in presence of Ara‐C.

KEY RESULTS Randomly differentiated hESCs were able to generate the multilineage markers. The low concentration of Ara‐C (1 nM) induced the ectoderm and inhibited the mesoderm at day 14. The induction of ectodermal markers such as MAP2, TUBB III, PAX6, TH and NESTIN was observed with an inhibition of mesodermal markers such as HAND2, PITX2, GATA5, MYL4, TNNT2, COL1A1 and COL1A2. In addition, no induction of apoptosis was observed. Gene ontology revealed unique dysregulated biological process related to neuronal differentiation and mesoderm development. Pathway analysis showed the axon guidance pathway to be dysregulated.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results suggest that hESCs in combination with toxicogenomics offer a sensitive in vitro developmental toxicity model as an alternative to traditional animal experiments.
Phenotypical features of the p.R120W mutation in the GDAP1 gene causing autosomal dominant Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease
Authors: Sivera Rafael , Espinós Carmen , Vílchez Juan J. , Mas Fernando , Martínez‐Rubio Dolores , Chumillas María José , Mayordomo Fernando , Muelas Nuria , Bataller Luis , Palau Francesc , Sevilla Teresa
Published: December 2010

Mutations in the ganglioside‐induced‐differentiation‐associated protein 1 gene (GDAP1) can cause Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT) disease with demyelinating (CMT4A) or axonal forms (CMT2K and ARCMT2K). Most of these mutations present a recessive inheritance, but few autosomal dominant GDAP1 mutations have also been reported. We performed a GDAP1 gene screening in a clinically well‐characterized series of 81 index cases with axonal CMT neuropathy, identifying 17 patients belonging to 4 unrelated families in whom the heterozygous p.R120W was found to be the only disease‐causing mutation. The main objective was to fully characterize the neuropathy caused by this mutation. The clinical picture included a mild–moderate phenotype with onset around adolescence, but great variability. Consistently, ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion were impaired to a similar degree. Nerve conduction studies revealed an axonal neuropathy. Muscle magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated selective involvement of intrinsic foot muscles in all patients and a uniform pattern of fatty infiltration in the calf, with distal and superficial posterior predominance. Pathological abnormalities included depletion of myelinated fibers, regenerative clusters and features of axonal degeneration with mitochondrial aggregates. Our findings highlight the relevance of dominantly transmitted p.R120W GDAP1 gene mutations which can cause an axonal CMT with a wide clinical profile.
European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society Guideline on management of multifocal motor neuropathy. Report of a Joint Task Force of the European Federation of Neurological Societies and the Peripheral Nerve Society – first revision
Authors:   Joint Task Force of the EFNS and the PNS
Published: December 2010

A European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society consensus guideline on the definition, investigation, and treatment of multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) was published in 2006. The aim is to revise this guideline. Disease experts considered references retrieved from MEDLINE and Cochrane Systematic Reviews published between August 2004 and July 2009 and prepared statements that were agreed to in an iterative fashion. The Task Force agreed on Good Practice Points to define clinical and electrophysiological diagnostic criteria for MMN, investigations to be considered, and principal recommendations for treatment.
Respiratory muscle weakness in peripheral neuropathies
Authors: Burakgazi Ahmet Z. , Höke Ahmet
Published: December 2010

Common peripheral neuropathies do not usually cause diaphragmatic weakness and subsequent respiratory compromise. However, respiratory involvement is relatively common in Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS). Experience in GBS has led to a standardized approach to manage respiratory problems in peripheral neuropathies. Diaphragmatic weakness is not common in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and extremely rare in multifocal motor neuropathy. The linkage has been described between certain subtypes of Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT) disease such as CMT2C and CMT4B1 and diaphragmatic weakness. A correlation usually has not been found between electrophysiologic findings and clinical respiratory signs or spirometric abnormalities in peripheral neuropathies except in amplitudes of evoked phrenic nerve responses. Careful and frequent assessment of respiratory function by a qualified team of healthcare professionals and physicians is essential. Criteria established for mechanical ventilation in GBS cases may be applied to other peripheral neuropathies with respiratory compromise as necessary.
Human Dental Age Estimation by Calculation of Pulp–Tooth Volume Ratios Yielded on Clinically Acquired Cone Beam Computed Tomography Images of Monoradicular Teeth*
Authors: Star Hazha , Thevissen Patrick , Jacobs Reinhilde , Fieuws Steffen , Solheim Tore , Willems Guy
Published: December 2010

Abstract:  Secondary dentine is responsible for a decrease in the volume of the dental pulp cavity with aging. The aim of this study is to evaluate a human dental age estimation method based on the ratio between the volume of the pulp and the volume of its corresponding tooth, calculated on clinically taken cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images from monoradicular teeth. On the 3D images of 111 clinically obtained CBCT images (Scanora®3D dental cone beam unit) of 57 female and 54 male patients ranging in age between 10 and 65 years, the pulp–tooth volume ratio of 64 incisors, 32 canines, and 15 premolars was calculated with Simplant® Pro software. A linear regression model was fit with age as dependent variable and ratio as predictor, allowing for interactions of specific gender or tooth type. The obtained pulp–tooth volume ratios were the strongest related to age on incisors.
The Beta Dilemma in Emerging Markets
Authors: Pereiro Luis E.
Published: December 2010

In principle, emerging markets analysts employ the same analytical framework when estimating the value of businesses as their counterparts in developed economies: they forecast future cash flows and discount those to the present with appropriate costs of capital that are estimated using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) framework.

But in practice, emerging market analysts have a more complicated job because the task of estimating costs of equity in emerging markets is more difficult. Whereas developed economies have an abundance of historical data on overall stock market movements, industry share price behavior, and many individual share price histories, emerging market economies often do not. There may be no comparable local firms that are publicly traded—or if there are, their CAPM betas may be unreliable. And if analysts instead use the beta of a U.S. competitor as a surrogate for the emerging market beta, they face the question of whether domestic betas are equivalent across borders.

As a consequence, appraisers of emerging market companies confront a “beta dilemma.” Part of this is a data problem stemming from shorter share price histories in emerging markets and the absence of publicly traded companies in some industries. In such cases, analysts may be inclined to use industry betas calculated with U.S. share prices as a substitute. But this creates an equivalence problem—the possibility, as confirmed by the author's research, that domestic U.S. and emerging market betas are not statistically equivalent for most industries. The author proposes a solution to this problem that involves grouping emerging markets into a single, distinctive asset class that allows for reliable calculations of industry betas. He also suggests ways of testing emerging market industry betas to determine whether they are statistically comparable.
Alcohol research: past, present, and future
Authors: Gunzerath Lorraine , Hewitt Brenda G. , Li Ting‐Kai , Warren Kenneth R.
Published: December 2010

Created forty years ago, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has played a major role in the great strides made in the understanding, treatment, prevention, and public acceptance of alcohol‐use disorders. Throughout most of U.S. history “habitual drunkenness” was viewed as a problem of moral degeneracy or character flaw inherent in the individual. However, the wealth of scientific evidence amassed throughout NIAAA's history has established alcoholism as a medical condition, that is, as a disease for which affected individuals should feel no shame or be treated with disdain. We look at the developments in alcohol epidemiology, typology, etiology, prevention, and treatment research over the past 40 years. We also discuss how NIAAA addresses alcohol disorders from a life‐course framework, affecting all stages of the lifespan, from fetus through child, adolescent, and young adult, to midlife/senior adult, with each stage involving different risks, consequences, prevention efforts, and treatment strategies.
High Temperature Strain Structures and Quartz C‐Axis Fabrics from Mylonitic Rocks in the Ailaoshan‐Red River Shear Zone, Yunnan, and Their Tectonic Implication
Authors: Junlai LIU , Yuan TANG , Haoran XIA , Qiang GUO , Dung TRAN My , Shuyun CAO , Hujun WU , Wenbin WU , Zhaochong ZHANG , Zhidan ZHAO
Published: December 2010

The Ailaoshan‐Red River (ASRR) shear zone is one of the major Southeast Asian tectonic discontinuities that have figured the present tectonic framework of the eastern Tibet. Several metamorphic massifs are distributed linearly along the shear zone, e.g. Xuelongshan, Diancangshan, Ailaoshan and Day Nui Con Voi from north to south. They bear a lot of lines of evidence for the tectonic evolution of the eastern Tibetan at different crustal levels in different tectonic stages. Controversy still exists on the deformation structures, microstructures and their relationship with metamorphisms along the ASRR. In this paper detailed microstructural and EBSD (Electron Backscattered Diffraction) fabric analysis of some highly sheared granitic rocks from different massifs along the ASRR are conducted. High temperature structures and microstructures are preserved in unsheared gneisses, in weakly sheared xenoliths or in some parts of the highly sheared rocks (mylonites). Several types of high temperature quartz c‐axis fabrics show symmetrical patterns or transitions from symmetrical to asymmetrical patterns. The former are attributed to coaxial deformation during regional shortening in an early stage of the Indian‐Eurasian tectonic interaction and the latter are related to the transitions from coaxial compression to noncoaxial shearing during the post‐collisional ASRR left lateral shearing.
Influence of the Chuxiong Yao'an Earthquake on the Mineralization of Hot Springs in the Tengchong Geothermal Area, Southwestern China
Authors: Jun DENG , Changhao XIAO , Qingfei WANG , Xingzhi ZHOU , Liqiang YANG , Jing ZHANG , Yan ZHAO
Published: December 2010

The Tengchong geothermal area, an active tectonic region with frequent earthquakes, is located in Yunnan Province of southwestern China. This area contains abundant active hot springs, which often display high metal concentrations and obvious mineralization phenomena. At 19:19 on 9 July 2009, an earthquake occurred in Yao'an, Chuxiong, Yunnan Province, which is 300 km to the northeast of the Tengchong geothermal area. We sampled water in the hot springs in the Tengchong area from 4 July to 9 July 2009 and from 10 July to 15 July 2009 to study the changes of elemental concentrations before and after the earthquake and discuss the influence of the earthquake on the mineralization of the hot springs. The concentrations of most trace elements increased slightly, but the concentration of REE (rare earth elements) decreased by 50% after the earthquake in the hot springs around a NS‐trending fault. The elemental concentrations remained unchanged in Longtan and Suanshuigou, which are related to an inactive crater. The elemental concentrations in other springs controlled by superficial and small‐scale faults decreased after the earthquake. The earthquake can stimulate the activity of deep faults and magma chambers, as is responsible for the increase of metal concentrations in the hot springs along the NS‐trending deep fault; whereas it can decrease the porosity of permeable rocks, resulting in the decline of the flux of ore‐bearing fluids and the corresponding mineralization in the hot springs related to superficial faults.
Comparison of Ki67 and modified AgNOR in dysplastic epithelial lesion, primary squamous cell carcinoma and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck
Authors: Ashraf Mohamad Javad , Azarpira Negar , Safarzadegan Zahra , Tadbir Azadeh Andisheh , Khademi Bighan
Published: December 2010

The variations in nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) and the increase in Ki67 expression and correlation with histological findings in 64 specimen squamous epithelium from normal epithelium to overt carcinoma were evaluated. Mean AgNOR counts (mAgNOR), proliferative index (pAgNOR), variation in size and dispersion of AgNOR dots in cells were graded and compared in normal, dysplastic, primary and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The Ki67 percentage is significantly increased from normal squamous to SCC group, and the reactivity of staining were related to histological differentiation. The mAgNOR counts were high in all 44 cases of primary and metastatic SCC and low in normal squamous tissue and increased in dysplastic lesions. The mAgNOR count in SCC increased from well differentiated to poorly differentiated. PAgNOR counts were gradually increased in different grade of SCC, 1.4% in well differentiated, 6% in moderately differentiated, 19% in poorly differentiated. There was only significant difference between well differentiated versus poorly differentiated cases. Only significant correlation between Ki67 percentage and mAgNOR and between Ki67 percentage and pAgNOR in primary SCC group was noticed. Therefore, Ki67 is gold standard method for evaluation of proliferation activity. AgNOR quantity is proportional to the proliferative activity of the cell but does not necessarily indicate malignancy.
Improving Urban Stormwater Quality: Applying Fundamental Principles
Authors: Davis Allen P. , Traver Robert G. , Hunt William F.
Published: December 2010

Urban stormwater runoff is a growing contributor to the impairment of surface waters. Nature‐based technologies, including green roofs, vegetated swales, grassed filter strips, bioretention, and pervious pavements have been demonstrated to be effective in mitigating detrimental runoff characteristics. Lacking, however, has been a fundamental engineering analysis approach to these technologies. Current design guidance is based on empirical recommendations and most performance data are based on limited, localized observations. Flow balances, including infiltration, evapotranspiration and surface discharge, based on fundamental fluid dynamics principles can be employed through analysis to understand flow management. Water quality improvements will occur through a specific unit processes or mechanisms, including sedimentation, filtration, adsorption, biotransformation, bio‐uptake, and heat transfer. The performance of a specific technology will depend on the facility configuration and makeup, climate, surrounding soil characteristics, topography, and the site hydrology. Applying fundamental flow and water quality processes to storm water management technologies will allow quantitative design and predictable performance characterization.
Best Management Practices for Stormwater Management in the Desert Southwest
Authors: Gautam Mahesh R. , Acharya Kumud , Stone Mark
Published: December 2010

Despite several decades of experience with stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the United States, the application of such approaches in the Desert Southwest region has not received adequate attention. One reason for this shortcoming could be the general perception of the insignificance of BMPs in a region with little annual precipitation. However, the Desert Southwest still experiences relatively high rainfall intensity and runoff from rainfall. Sparse vegetation, steep topography, complex soils, unique geology, and rapid land development all contribute increase runoff response. Since the Desert Southwest hosts a large and rapidly growing population, stormwater BMPs are important for protecting the quality and quantity of scarce receiving surface and ground waters. The hydrometereological characteristics of intense short‐term precipitation, large inter‐storm duration, and smaller annual volumes of rainfall and the region's watershed characteristics are unique; the design of regional stormwater BMPs should consider these characteristics. Also, there is a need for more specific design guidance for implementing general approaches for adapting stormwater BMPs from humid regions to arid settings.
Survey Says: Implications of a Public Perception Survey on Stormwater Education Programming
Authors: Giacalone Katie , Mobley Catherine , Sawyer Calvin , Witte Jim , Eidson Gene
Published: December 2010

Effective watershed and stormwater education and public involvement programs strive to increase awareness of watersheds and landscape connectivity and also encourage behavior changes that may be contributing to water quality and quantity problems within a targeted basin. According to new guidance from the US Environmental Protection Agency on stormwater permit improvement, regulators are looking for programs to utilize targeted issues relevant to a community to guide the development of a comprehensive outreach program. In an effort to collect information on public perception, knowledge, behaviors and willingness to get involved in improved stormwater management, a telephone survey was implemented. This manuscript presents the results of this survey and offers insight on stakeholders’ attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors related to watershed and stormwater, critical factors in the initial development of effective stormwater education and public involvement programs.
Robust Adaptive Attitude Tracking Control With L2-Gain Performance and Vibration Reduction of an Orbiting Flexible Spacecraft
Authors: Hu Qinglei
Published: December 2010

This paper presents a dual-stage control system design method for flexible spacecraft attitude tracking control and active vibration suppression by an embedded smart material as sensors/actuators. More specifically, a conventional sliding mode controller with the assumption of knowing system parameters is first designed that ensures asymptotical convergence of attitude tracking error described by error quaternion and its derivative in the presence of bounded parameter variation/disturbance. Then it is redesigned, such that the need for knowing the system parameters in advance is eliminated by using an adaptive updating law. For the synthesis of the controller, to achieve the prescribed L2-gain performance criterion, the control gains are designed by solving a linear matrix inequality problem. Indeed, external torque disturbances/parametric error attenuations with respect to the performance measurement along with the control input penalty are ensured in the L2-gain sense. Even if this controller has the ability to reject the disturbance and deal with actuator constraint, it excites the elastic modes of flexible appendages, which will deteriorate the pointing performance. Then the undesirable vibration is actively suppressed by applying feedback control voltages to the piezoceramic actuator, in which the modal velocity feedback control method is employed for determining the control voltages. Numerical simulations are performed to show that attitude tracking and vibration suppression are accomplished, in spite of the presence of disturbances/parameter uncertainties and even control input constraint.
Simplified Federated Filtering Algorithm With Different States in Local Filters
Authors: Liu Guoliang , Xie Jian , Yan Shizuo , Qiang Wenyi
Published: December 2010

In this paper, to reduce the computation load of federated Kalman filters, a simplified federated filtering algorithm for integrated navigation systems is presented. It has been known that the per-cycle computation load grows roughly in proportion to the number of states and measurements for a single centralized Kalman filter. Hence, the states that have poor estimation accuracies are removed from local filters, so that the per-cycle computation load is reduced accordingly. Local filters and master filter of the federated Kalman filter may have different states, so the transition matrices are required to combine the outputs from the local filters and the master filter properly and to reset the global solution into the local filters and the master filter correctly. An experiment demonstrates that the proposed algorithm effectively reduces the computation load, compared with the standard federated Kalman filtering algorithm.
The Tolerance of the Frontal Bone to Blunt Impact
Authors: Cormier Joseph , Manoogian Sarah , Bisplinghoff Jill , Rowson Steve , Santago Anthony , McNally Craig , Duma Stefan , Bolte John
Published: December 2010

The current understanding of the tolerance of the frontal bone to blunt impact is limited. Previous studies have utilized vastly different methods, which limits the use of statistical analyses to determine the tolerance of the frontal bone. The purpose of this study is to determine the tolerance of the frontal bone to blunt impact. Acoustic emission sensors were used to provide a noncensored measure of the frontal bone tolerance and were essential due to the increase in impactor force after fracture onset. In this study, risk functions for fracture were developed using parametric and nonparametric techniques. The results of the statistical analyses suggest that a 50% risk of frontal bone fracture occurs at a force between 1885 N and 2405 N. Subjects that were found to have a frontal sinus present within the impacted region had a significantly higher risk of sustaining a fracture. There was no association between subject age and fracture force. The results of the current study suggest that utilizing peak force as an estimate of fracture tolerance will overestimate the force necessary to create a frontal bone fracture.
Effects of Intramuscular Fat Infiltration, Scarring, and Spasticity on the Risk for Sitting-Acquired Deep Tissue Injury in Spinal Cord Injury Patients
Authors: Sopher Ran , Nixon Jane , Gorecki Claudia , Gefen Amit
Published: December 2010

Sitting-acquired deep tissue injury (DTI) is a severe form of pressure ulcer (PU) often affecting patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who also tend to suffer from intramuscular fat infiltration, soft tissue scarring (due to previous PU), and/or muscle spasticity in their buttocks. We previously used finite element (FE) modeling to evaluate whether abnormal bodyweight is a risk factor for sitting-acquired DTI. Here we hypothesize that fat infiltration, scarring, or spasms increase internal loads in the gluteus muscles in the vicinity of the ischial tuberosities during sitting, which consequently put SCI patients with these conditions at a higher risk for DTI. Our objective was to determine changes in gluteal strains and stresses and tissue volumes exposed to elevated strains/stresses associated with these factors. Thirty-five FE models of coronal slices through the seated buttocks, simulating these conditions at different severities, were developed. We calculated peak strains and stresses in glutei and percentage volumes of muscle tissue exposed to above-critical strains/stresses (compression strain≥50%, compression/von Mises stress≥2 kPa, and strain energy density≥0.5 kPa). Progressive intramuscular fat infiltration increased all the aforementioned outcome measures. Increase in size of scar patterns that were contained in both muscle and fat tissues similarly elevated the outcome measures. Spasms increased muscle stresses and volumetric exposures to stress, but tissue volumes at risk were ∼1–2% and increases due to spasticity were slight. We conclude that the above potential risk factors can be listed according to the following order of importance: (i) fat infiltration, (ii) scars contained in both muscle and fat tissues, and (iii) spasms. This information should be considered when prioritizing prevention means and resources for patients with SCI.
Remembering Cliff Swartz
Authors: Graf Erlend H.
Published: December 2010

In recalling my 40-year friendship with Cliff Swartz, there are naturally a great many interesting anecdotes I could relate. But as amusing or poignant as they might be, they would tend to be rather disjointed—you could never tell what Cliff might do or think of next—without some overarching theme. Accordingly, since this is a magazine about teaching physics, I will concentrate on Cliff's teaching style and some of the many devices he used to enhance it.
Spin Hall Effect Transistor
Authors: Wunderlich Jörg , Park Byong-Guk , Irvine Andrew C. , Zârbo Liviu P. , Rozkotová Eva , Nemec Petr , Novák Vít , Sinova Jairo , Jungwirth Tomás
Published: December 2010

In a Spin Hall

The spin Hall effect, in which an electrical current causes accumulation of electron spins of opposite signs in the direction transverse to the current flow, provides a promising avenue of research in exploiting the spin degree of freedom in electronic devices. However, implementing the effect in a device is challenging.

Wunderlich
et al.

(p.
1801
) combine the concept of the spin Hall effect with that of a spin transistor, and build a nonmagnetic device in a which a spin current, injected by optical means, is “stripped” of its charge component, goes through a spin-modulation layer, and is detected using the inverse spin Hall effect. Such manipulation of the spin current may help in future spintronic applications.
Germ Cell Genes and Cancer
Authors: Wu Xiaoyun , Ruvkun Gary
Published: December 2010

In fruit flies, genes that help to program germ cells also play a role in a brain cancer.
Allan Sandage (1926–2010)
Authors: Lynden-Bell Donald
Published: December 2010

An astronomer launched the field of observational cosmology and influenced our view of the universe over the past half-century.
Scientists' New Eradication Target: A Word in Their Lexicon
Authors: Enserink Martin
Published: December 2010

A 1997 forum established that a disease had been "eliminated" if it was gone from an area, while "eradication" was reserved for pathogens completely gone from the planet. Now a group of scientists has proposed eliminating the word elimination.
Altering the Past: China's Faked Fossils Problem
Authors: Stone Richard
Published: December 2010

A booming fossil market has resulted in a flood of “improved,” reconfigured, and composite specimens; many are finding their way into China's museums.
Collaborations Among Academia, Government, and Industry in the Diagnostics Space: Barriers and Some Ideas for Solutions
Authors: Evans Greg , Austin Finley
Published: December 2010

A session about the challenges that occur during diagnostics development was held at a 2010 NIH forum on promoting collaborations among academia, government, and industry.
Development of the First Inhaled Antibiotic for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Rose Lynn M. , Neale Richard
Published: December 2010

A session about the challenges that occur during drug development was held at a 2010 NIH forum on promoting collaborations among academia, government, and industry.
Tumor Endothelial Cells: Mixed Parentage
Authors: Morozov Alexei
Published: December 2010

Cancer stem cells in glioblastoma multiforme give rise to a subset of tumor blood vessels.
Identification, Diagnostic Potential, and Natural Expression of Immunodominant Seroreactive Peptides Encoded by Five
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
-Specific Genomic Regions
Authors: Al-Khodari Noora Y. , Al-Attiyah Rajaa , Mustafa Abu S.
Published: December 2010

Comparative genomic studies have identified several
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
-specific genomic regions of difference (RDs) which are absent in the vaccine strains of
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG and which may be useful in the specific diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). In this study, a total of 775 synthetic peptides covering the sequences of 39 open reading frame (ORF) proteins encoded by genes predicted in five RDs of
M. tuberculosis
, i.e., RD1, RD4, RD5, RD6, and RD7, were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for antibody reactivity with sera from HIV-negative pulmonary TB patients (
n
= 100) and
M. bovis
BCG-vaccinated healthy subjects (
n
= 100). The results identified three immunodominant peptides reactive with TB sera, i.e., amino acids (aa) 346 to 370 of RD1ORF Rv3876, aa 241 to 265 of RD6ORF Rv1508c, and aa 325 to 336 of RD6ORF Rv1516c. These peptides had significantly stronger antibody reactivity with sera from TB patients than with sera from healthy subjects (
P
< 0.05) and significantly higher rates of positivity with TB sera (positives = 66 to 93%) than sera from healthy subjects (positives = 10 to 28%). Antipeptide antibodies were raised in rabbits after immunization with pools of 11 peptides corresponding to each protein. Probing of culture filtrates and whole-cell lysates of
M. tuberculosis
with antipeptide antibodies suggested the natural expression of Rv1516c in whole-cell lysates of
M. tuberculosis
. The results suggest the potential of the identified immunodominant RD peptides in the serodiagnosis of TB.
Decreased Serum Antibody Responses to Recombinant
Pneumocystis
Antigens in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Current Smokers
Authors: Crothers Kristina , Daly Kieran R. , Rimland David , Goetz Matthew Bidwell , Gibert Cynthia L. , Butt Adeel A. , Justice Amy C. , Djawe Kpandja , Levin Linda , Walzer Peter D.
Published: December 2010

Serologic studies can provide important insights into the epidemiology and transmission of
Pneumocystis jirovecii
. Exposure to
P. jirovecii
can be assessed by serum antibody responses to recombinant antigens from the major surface glycoprotein (MsgC), although factors that influence the magnitude of the antibody response are incompletely understood. We determined the magnitudes of antibody responses to
P. jirovecii
in comparison to adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in HIV-infected and uninfected patients and identified predictors associated with the magnitude of the response. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using serum samples and data from 153 HIV-positive and 92 HIV-negative subjects enrolled in a feasibility study of the Veterans Aging Cohort 5 Site Study (VACS 5). Antibodies were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Independent predictors of antibody responses were determined using multivariate Tobit regression models. The results showed that serum antibody responses to
P. jirovecii
MsgC fragments were significantly and independently decreased in current smokers. Antibodies to
P. jirovecii
also tended to be lower with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hazardous alcohol use, injection drug use, and HIV infection, although these results were not statistically significant. These results were specific to
P. jirovecii
and did not correlate with adenovirus. Antibody responses to RSV were in the inverse direction. Thus, current smoking was independently associated with decreased
P. jirovecii
antibody responses. Whether smoking exerts an immunosuppressive effect that affects the
P. jirovecii
antibody response, colonization, or subsequent risk for disease is unclear; prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate these findings further.
Clonal Diversity of Nosocomial Epidemic Acinetobacter baumannii Strains Isolated in Spain
Authors: Villalón Pilar , Valdezate Sylvia , Medina-Pascual Maria J. , Rubio Virginia , Vindel Ana , Saez-Nieto Juan A.
Published: December 2010

Acinetobacter baumannii
is one of the major pathogens involved in nosocomial outbreaks. The clonal diversity of 729 epidemic strains isolated from 19 Spanish hospitals (mainly from intensive care units) was analyzed over an 11-year period. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) identified 58 PFGE types that were subjected to susceptibility testing,
rpoB
gene sequencing, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). All PFGE types were multidrug resistant; colistin was the only agent to which all pathogens were susceptible. The 58 PFGE types were grouped into 16 clones based on their genetic similarity (cutoff of 80%). These clones were distributed into one major cluster (cluster D), three medium clusters (clusters A, B, and C), and three minor clusters (clusters E, F, and G). The
rpoB
gene sequencing and MLST results reflected a clonal distribution, in agreement with the PFGE results. The MLST sequence types (STs) (and their percent distributions) were as follows: ST-2 (47.5%), ST-3 (5.1%), ST-15 (1.7%), ST-32 (1.7%), ST-79 (13.6%), ST-80 (20.3%), and ST-81 (10.2%). ST-79, ST-80, and ST-81 and the alleles
cpn60-26
and
recA29
are described for the first time. International clones I, II, and III were represented by ST-81, ST-2, and ST-3, respectively. ST-79 and ST-80 could be novel emerging clones. This work confirms PFGE and MLST to be complementary tools in clonality studies. Here PFGE was able to demonstrate the monoclonal pattern of most outbreaks, the inter- and intrahospital transmission of bacteria, and their endemic persistence in some wards. MLST allowed the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of Spanish clones to be monitored and permitted international comparisons to be made.
Clostridium difficile Colonization in Early Infancy Is Accompanied by Changes in Intestinal Microbiota Composition
Authors: Rousseau Clotilde , Levenez Florence , Fouqueray Charlène , Doré Joël , Collignon Anne , Lepage Patricia
Published: December 2010

Clostridium difficile
is a major enteric pathogen responsible for antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Host susceptibility to
C. difficile
infections results partly from inability of the intestinal microbiota to resist
C. difficile
colonization. During early infancy, asymptomatic colonization by
C. difficile
is common and the intestinal microbiota shows low complexity. Thus, we investigated the potential relationship between the microbiota composition and the implantation of
C. difficile
in infant gut. Fecal samples from 53 infants, ages 0 to 13 months, 27 negative and 26 positive for
C. difficile
, were studied. Dominant microbiota profiles were assessed by PCR-temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE). Bacterial signatures of the intestinal microbiota associated with colonization by
C. difficile
were deciphered using principal component analysis (PCA). Resulting bands of interest in TTGE profiles were excised, sequenced, and analyzed by nucleotide BLAST (NCBI). While global biodiversity was not affected, interclass PCA on instrumental variables highlighted significant differences in dominant bacterial species between
C. difficile
-colonized and noncolonized infants (
P
= 0.017). Four bands were specifically associated with the presence or absence of
C. difficile
: 16S rRNA gene sequences related to
Ruminococcus gnavus
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
for colonized infants and to
Bifidobacterium longum
for noncolonized infants. We demonstrated that the presence of
C. difficile
in the intestinal microbiota of infants was associated with changes in this ecosystem's composition. These results suggest that the composition of the gut microbiota might be crucial in the colonization process, although the chronology of events remains to be determined.
Novel Pan-Genomic Analysis Approach in Target Selection for Multiplex PCR Identification and Detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, and Burkholderia cepacia Complex Species: a Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Ho Chi-Chun , Lau Candy C. Y. , Martelli Paolo , Chan San-Yuen , Tse Cindy W. S. , Wu Alan K. L. , Yuen Kwok-Yung , Lau Susanna K. P. , Woo Patrick C. Y.
Published: December 2010

Burkholderia pseudomallei
,
Burkholderia thailandensis
, and the
Burkholderia cepacia
complex differ greatly in pathogenicity and epidemiology. Yet, they are occasionally misidentified by biochemical profiling, and even 16S rRNA gene sequencing may not offer adequate discrimination between certain species groups. Using the 23
B. pseudomallei
, four
B. thailandensis
, and 16
B. cepacia
complex genome sequences available, we identified gene targets specific to each of them (a Tat domain protein, a 70-kDa protein, and a 12-kDa protein for
B. pseudomallei
,
B. thailandensis
, and the
B. cepacia
complex, respectively), with an in-house developed algorithm. Using these targets, we designed a robust multiplex PCR assay useful for their identification and detection from soil and simulated sputum samples. For all 43
B. pseudomallei
, seven
B. thailandensis
, and 20
B. cepacia
complex (
B. multivorans
,
n
= 6;
B. cenocepacia
,
n
= 3;
B. cepacia
,
n
= 4;
B. arboris
,
n
= 2;
B. contaminans
,
B. anthina
, and
B. pyrrocinia
,
n
= 1 each; other unnamed members,
n
= 2) isolates, the assay produced specific products of predicted size without false positives or negatives. Of the 60 soil samples screened, 19 (31.6%) and 29 (48.3%) were positive for
B. pseudomallei
and the
B. cepacia
complex, respectively, and in four (6.7%) soil samples, the organisms were codetected. DNA sequencing confirmed that all PCR products originated from their targeted loci. This novel pan-genomic analysis approach in target selection is simple, computationally efficient, and potentially applicable to any species that harbors species-specific genes. A multiplex PCR assay for rapid and accurate identification and detection of
B. pseudomallei
,
B. thailandensis
, and the
B. cepacia
complex was developed and verified.
Comparison of Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg Isolates from Human Patients with Those from Animal and Food Sources
Authors: Han Jing , David Donna E. , Deck Joanna , Lynne Aaron M. , Kaldhone Pravin , Nayak Rajesh , Stefanova Rossina , Foley Steven L.
Published: December 2010

Seventy-eight
Salmonella enterica
serovar Heidelberg isolates from humans were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, resistance genes, and plasmids and genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Most (88%) contained plasmids, and 47% were resistant to antimicrobials. The overall results were compared to those of previous
S
. Heidelberg studies of food- and animal-related sources, and multiple similarities were observed.