bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polymorphisms in Genes Coding for Cytokines, Mannose-Binding Lectin, Collagen Metabolism and Thrombophilia in Women with Cervical Insufficiency
Authors: Sundtoft Iben , Uldbjerg Niels , Steffensen Rudi , Sommer Steffen , Christiansen Ole Bjarne
Published: June 2015

Objective: To study the association between cervical insufficiency and single nucleotide polymorphisms in seven genes coding for pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine-related factors, mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2), collagen1α1 (COL1A1), factor II and factor V Leiden genes. Methods: In a case-control study, potential maternal biomarkers for cervical insufficiency were investigated in 30 women with a history of second-trimester miscarriage or preterm birth due to cervical insufficiency and in 70 control women. Results: Homozygous carriers of the interleukin 6 (IL6) -174 genotype GG had an odds ratio (OR) of 3.1 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.3-7.4, p = 0.01] and MBL2 genotypes coding for low or intermediate levels of plasma MBL had an OR of 3.3 (95% CI 1.2-9.0, p = 0.01) for cervical insufficiency compared with controls. Serum MBL levels were lower in women with cervical insufficiency than in controls (median 408 and 1,985 ng/ml, respectively, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL6 gene and the MBL2 gene and low MBL levels related to the latter polymorphism may increase the risk of preterm birth due to cervical insufficiency.
ДИСТАНЦІЙНА ОСВІТА – ПОТУЖНА СКЛАДОВА ЕКОПЕДАГОГІКИ, ВЕБІНАР – ВАЖЛИВИЙ ЕЛЕМЕНТ ОСВІТНЬОЇ НООСФЕРИ
Authors: В. С. Бірюков О. О. Якименко О. Я. Тягай
Published: June 2015

Стаття присвячена вивченню проблем педагогіки та шляхів їх вирішення у зв'язку з впровадженням вебінарів як елементу поліпшення якості медичної освіти.
O Escudo Guianês em uma perspectiva patrimonial
Authors: Ferreira Rubens Da Silva
Published: June 2015

O ensaio reflete sobre o Escudo Guianês como patrimônio natural a ser preservado em um processo orientado pela cooperação internacional entre Brasil, Colômbia, Guiana Francesa, Guiana, Suriname e Venezuela na proteção de um bem transfronteiriço. Consistindo em um exercício de imaginação, em outras palavras, em um trabalho teórico, conduz-se a ideia de preservação desse relevo sob três categorias centrais: patrimonialização, biodiversidade e território. Dentre outras possibilidades, aponta para a criação de Unidades de Conservação (UC) nesse relevo sul-americano para inclusão na Lista de Patrimônio Mundial da United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). Nesse sentido, por meio de ações nacionais e internacionais, entende-se que os países precisam investir esforços na formação de recursos humanos, em pesquisa científica, em leis e em tecnologias de informação e de comunicação para ampliar as áreas de proteção no Escudo Guianês.
Escritório Técnico Ramos de Azevedo, Severo & Villares: longevidade, pluralidade e modernidade (1886-1980)
Authors: Siqueira Bueno Beatriz Piccolotto
Published: June 2015

Este artigo versa sobre a exposição Escritório Ramos de Azevedo: a arquitetura e a cidade e busca revelar o Escritório, Ramos de Azevedo e seus parceiros, por meio de alguns projetos feitos para o Estado e para particulares. De rara beleza, os desenhos encerram diversas narrativas, põem luz em comitentes, sócios e auxiliares, dando pistas sobre a cadeia produtiva que envolvia as obras e garantia a credibilidade do protagonista no imaginário coletivo. A bico de pena, aquarela ou blueprint, seus carimbos estampam abreviaturas, permitindo-nos vislumbrar arquitetos, engenheiros e desenhistas de um escritório que no auge chegou a integrar 500 colaboradores. Os projetos, que em seus pormenores chegam à escala do mobiliário e da descrição dos materiais, dão pistas sobre o cotidiano do Escritório, mas também nos convidam a caminhar pela cidade imaginando-a em construção. Aliás, é disso que também se trata: de uma São Paulo em franco processo de modernização, espalhando-se, verticalizando-se e arranhando os céus. Destacamos as três fases do Escritório: de 1886 à morte de Ramos; de 1928 a 1965, quando segue protagonizado por Ricardo Severo e Arnaldo Villares; e de 1965 a 1980, protagonizado por Roberto Pereira de Almeida e Affonso Iervolino. Especializadas, as obras públicas entremeiam-se às feitas para particulares e ambas merecem preservação tanto quanto os desenhos que as representam.
A história que foi usada nos tombamentos e na conservação da Casa do Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
Authors: Siqueira Lucília Santos
Published: June 2015

Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves (1848-1919) foi Presidente da República do Brasil entre 1902 e 1906. A casa em que morou em Guaratinguetá (SP), construída em taipa nos meados do século XIX, foi tombada nos níveis federal e estadual. Por meio dos processos de tombamento e de alguns eventos relativos à conservação deste bem cultural, examinamos os conteúdos históricos que circularam nos órgãos de patrimônio entre a década de 1960 e o começo do século XXI. 
Autismo e parentalidade
Authors: Delion Pierre
Published: June 2015

As patologias autísticas são complexas e requerem uma atenção especifica para cada criança. Na organização que preside os tratamentos, a Psicoterapia Institucional tem uma grande importância devido à sua larga experiência com as psicopatologias graves como o autismo e a psicose. No projeto terapêutico da criança, a implicação e o papel dos pais são determinantes para sua orientação e indispensáveis para dar-lhe sentido. Contudo, por razões distintas, alguns pais podem desenvolver sentimentos negativos frente aos profissionais, que devem ser considerados.
Considerações sobre os sofrimentos da infância e a passagem para a idade adulta a partir da experiência das terapias psicanalíticas familiares
Authors: Drieu Didier , Rebelo Teresa
Published: June 2015

A experiência do trabalho terapêutico familiar enfatiza a influência do sofrimento traumático nas relações pai-filho, especialmente quando estas se constituem sobre os modos de filiação narcisistas em que predomina o que se incorpora por violências transgeracionais e transubjetivas. A abordagem da terapia familiar é hoje bem reconhecida no tratamento de crianças e adolescentes e, apesar de sua difícil aplicação, é muito promissora para famílias que lidam com jovens adultos atraídos pelas lógicas de ruptura (violência, isolamento social, vícios), fornecendo meios para desenvolver dispositivos de trabalho clínico plurifocais apoiados em uma rede interinstitucional.
TMEM16A and Myocardin Form a Positive Feedback Loop That Is Disrupted by KLF5 During Ang II–Induced Vascular Remodeling
Authors: Zhang Xin-hua , Zheng Bin , Yang Zhan , He Ming , Yue Ling-yan , Zhang Ruo-nan , Zhang Ming , Zhang Wei , Zhang Xuan , Wen Jin-kun
Published: June 2015

The TMEM16A protein is an important component of Ca
2+
-dependent Cl
−
channels (CaCCs) in vascular smooth muscle cells. A recent study showed that TMEM16A inhibits angiotensin II–induced proliferation in rat basilar smooth muscle cells. However, whether and how TMEM16A is involved in vascular remodeling characterized by vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation remains largely unclear. In this study, luciferase reporter, Western blotting, and qRT-PCR assays were performed. The results suggested that myocardin promotes TMEM16A expression by forming a complex with serum response factor (SRF) on the TMEM16A promoter in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). In turn, upregulated TMEM16A promotes expression of myocardin and vascular smooth muscle cell marker genes, thus forming a positive feedback loop that induces cell differentiation and inhibits cell proliferation. Angiotensin II inhibits TMEM16A expression via Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) in cultured HASMCs. Moreover, in vivo experiments show that infusion of angiotensin II into mice causes a marked reduction in TMEM16A expression and vascular remodeling, and angiotensin II–induced effects are largely reversed in KLF5 null (KLF5
−/−
) mice. KLF5 competes with SRF to interact with myocardin, thereby limiting myocardin binding to SRF and the synergistic activation of the TMEM16A promoter by myocardin and SRF. Our studies demonstrated that angiotensin II induces KLF5 expression and facilitates KLF5 association with myocardin to disrupt the myocardin–SRF complex, subsequently leading to inhibition of TMEM16A transcription. Blocking the positive feedback loop between myocardin and TMEM16A may be a novel therapeutic approach for vascular remodeling.
Cardiac Metabolic Alterations in Hypertensive Obese Pigs
Authors: Zhang Xin , Li Zi-Lun , Eirin Alfonso , Ebrahimi Behzad , Pawar Aditya S. , Zhu Xiang-Yang , Lerman Amir , Lerman Lilach O.
Published: June 2015

Obesity and hypertension are major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and their growing coexistence accounts for an increase in adverse cardiac events, but the mechanisms are yet to be determined. We hypothesized that obesity exacerbates mitochondrial dysregulation imposed by hypertension and augments left ventricular dysfunction. Obesity-prone Ossabaw pigs were randomized to lean (standard diet) and obese (high-fat diet), without (Lean-sham and Obese-sham) or with renovascular hypertension (Lean-hypertension and Obese-hypertension), induced after 12 weeks of diet (n=7 each). Cardiac function, myocardial perfusion and oxygenation, and microvascular remodeling were assessed 4 weeks later. Mitochondrial biogenesis signals and structural proteins, respiratory chain complex activities, and mitochondrial self-degradation were examined, as was fibrosis. Obesity alone exerted no apparent effect on mitochondrial dynamics, but aggravated in hypertensive hearts the reduction of mitochondrial proteins, deoxyribonucleic acid content, and respiratory chain complex IV subunits activity, and amplified mitochondrial self-degradation. Synergistic interaction of obesity with hypertension also exacerbated myocardial fibrosis and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Mitochondrial content, respiratory chain complex IV subunits activity, and mitophagy were correlated with myocardial fibrosis. These findings suggest that obesity aggravates in renovascular hypertension cardiac mitochondrial aberrations. Mitochondrial function may regulate the progression of cardiac injury and functional deterioration in hypertension concomitant with obesity.
Calcium/Calmodulin‐Dependent Kinase II Inhibition in Smooth Muscle Reduces Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertension by Controlling Aortic Remodeling and Baroreceptor Function
Authors: Prasad Anand M. , Morgan Donald A. , Nuno Daniel W. , Ketsawatsomkron Pimonrat , Bair Thomas B. , Venema Ashlee N. , Dibbern Megan E. , Kutschke William J. , Weiss Robert M. , Lamping Kathryn G. , Chapleau Mark W. , Sigmund Curt D. , Rahmouni Kamal , Grumbach Isabella M.
Published: June 2015

Background

Multifunctional calcium/calmodulin‐dependent kinase
II
(Ca
MKII
) is activated by angiotensin
II
(Ang
II
) in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (
VSMCs
), but its function in experimental hypertension has not been explored. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of Ca
MKII
inhibition selectively in
VSMCs
on Ang II hypertension.

Methods and Results

Transgenic expression of a Ca
MKII
peptide inhibitor in
VSMCs
(
TG SM
‐Ca
MKIIN model
) reduced the blood pressure response to chronic Ang
II
infusion. The aortic depressor nerve activity was reset in hypertensive versus normotensive wild‐type animals but not in
TG SM
‐Ca
MKIIN
mice, suggesting that changes in baroreceptor activity account for the blood pressure difference between genotypes. Accordingly, aortic pulse wave velocity, a measure of arterial wall stiffness and a determinant of baroreceptor activity, increased in hypertensive versus normotensive wild‐type animals but did not change in
TG SM
‐Ca
MKIIN
mice. Moreover, examination of blood pressure and heart rate under ganglionic blockade revealed that
VSMC
Ca
MKII
inhibition abolished the augmented efferent sympathetic outflow and renal and splanchnic nerve activity in Ang II hypertension. Consequently, we hypothesized that
VSMC
Ca
MKII
controls baroreceptor activity by modifying arterial wall remodeling in Ang
II
hypertension. Gene expression analysis in aortas from normotensive and Ang
II
–infused mice revealed that
TG SM
‐Ca
MKIIN
aortas were protected from Ang
II
–induced upregulation of genes that control extracellular matrix production, including collagen.
VSMC
Ca
MKII
inhibition also strongly altered the expression of muscle contractile genes under Ang
II
.

Conclusions

CaMKII in
VSMCs
regulates blood pressure under Ang
II
hypertension by controlling structural gene expression, wall stiffness, and baroreceptor activity.
Hospital Variability in Use of Anticoagulant Strategies During Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated With an Early Invasive Strategy
Authors: Arnold Suzanne V. , Li Shu‐Xia , Alexander Karen P. , Spertus John A. , Nallamothu Brahmajee K. , Curtis Jeptha P. , Kosiborod Mikhail , Gupta Aakriti , Wang Tracy Y. , Lin Haiqun , Dharmarajan Kumar , Strait Kelly M. , Lowe Timothy J. , Krumholz Harlan M.
Published: June 2015

Background

During a myocardial infarction, no single best approach of systemic anticoagulation is recommended, likely due to a lack of comparative effectiveness studies and trade‐offs between treatments.

Methods and Results

We investigated the patterns of use and site‐level variability in anticoagulant strategies (unfractionated heparin [
UFH
] only, low‐molecular‐weight heparin [
LMWH
] only,
UFH
+
LMWH
, any bivalirudin) of 63 796 patients with a principal diagnosis of myocardial infarction treated with an early invasive strategy with percutaneous coronary intervention at 257 hospitals. About half (47%) of patients received
UFH
only, 6%
UFH
+
LMWH
, 7%
LMWH
only, and 40% bivalirudin. Compared with
UFH
, the median odds ratio was 2.90 for
LMWH
+
UFH
, 4.70 for
LMWH
only, and 3.09 for bivalirudin, indicating that 2 “identical” patients would have a 3‐ to 4‐fold greater likelihood of being treated with anticoagulants other than
UFH
at one hospital compared with another. We then categorized hospitals as low‐ or high‐users of
LMWH
and bivalirudin. Using hierarchical, multivariate regression models, we found that low bivalirudin‐using hospitals had higher unadjusted bleeding rates, but the risk‐adjusted and anticoagulant‐adjusted bleeding rates did not differ across the hospital anticoagulation phenotypes. Risk‐standardized mortality and risk‐standardized length of stay also did not differ across hospital phenotypes.

Conclusions

We found substantial site‐level variability in the choice of anticoagulants for invasively managed acute myocardial infarction patients, even after accounting for patient factors. No single hospital‐use pattern was found to be clinically superior. More studies are needed to determine which patients would derive the greatest benefit from various anticoagulants and to support consistent treatment of patients with the optimal anticoagulant strategy.
Inheritance of Hippocampal Place Fields Through Hebbian Learning: Effects of Theta Modulation and Phase Precession on Structure Formation
Authors: D’Albis Tiziano , Jaramillo Jorge , Sprekeler Henning , Kempter Richard
Published: June 2015

A place cell is a neuron that fires whenever the animal traverses a particular location of the environment—the place field of the cell. Place cells are found in two regions of the rodent hippocampus: CA3 and CA1. Motivated by the anatomical connectivity between these two regions and by the evidence for synaptic plasticity at these connections, we study how a place field in CA1 can be inherited from an upstream region such as CA3 through a Hebbian learning rule, in particular, through spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). To this end, we model a population of CA3 place cells projecting to a single CA1 cell, and we assume that the CA1 input synapses are plastic according to STDP. With both numerical and analytical methods, we show that in the case of overlapping CA3 input place fields, the STDP learning rule leads to the formation of a place field in CA1. We then investigate the roles of the hippocampal theta modulation and phase precession on the inheritance process. We find that theta modulation favors the inheritance and leads to faster place field formation whereas phase precession changes the drift of CA1 place fields over time.
A Statistical Framework to Infer Delay and Direction of Information Flow from Measurements of Complex Systems
Authors: Schumacher Johannes , Wunderle Thomas , Fries Pascal , Jäkel Frank , Pipa Gordon
Published: June 2015

In neuroscience, data are typically generated from neural network activity. The resulting time series represent measurements from spatially distributed subsystems with complex interactions, weakly coupled to a high-dimensional global system. We present a statistical framework to estimate the direction of information flow and its delay in measurements from systems of this type. Informed by differential topology, gaussian process regression is employed to reconstruct measurements of putative driving systems from measurements of the driven systems. These reconstructions serve to estimate the delay of the interaction by means of an analytical criterion developed for this purpose. The model accounts for a range of possible sources of uncertainty, including temporally evolving intrinsic noise, while assuming complex nonlinear dependencies. Furthermore, we show that if information flow is delayed, this approach also allows for inference in strong coupling scenarios of systems exhibiting synchronization phenomena. The validity of the method is demonstrated with a variety of delay-coupled chaotic oscillators. In addition, we show that these results seamlessly transfer to local field potentials in cat visual cortex.
The Egyptian Background of Gnostic Mythology
Authors: Gaston Thomas
Published: June 2015

The mythologies recorded by Irenaeus that he ascribes to the Gnostics contain many features that are difficult to explain by reference solely to Jewish sources, whether orthodox or heterodox. Previously, Douglas Parrott proposed an Egyptian background for the pattern of divinities found in the Gnostic textEugnostos. In this article, it is argued that the so-called Ophite mythology recorded by Irenaeus is earlier thanEugnostosand has more compelling parallels with Egyptian theogony. An Egyptian background for the Barbeloite mythology is also speculated. These parallels demonstrate that there is scope for further research into the Egyptian origins of Gnosticism.
Behavioural and genetic approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of deterrent marking by a parasitoid wasp
Authors: Couchoux Christelle , Seppä Perttu , van Nouhuys Saskya
Published: June 2015

Some parasitoids deposit chemical signals after oviposition as an indication that the host has already been parasitized. This marking can deter subsequent conspecifics or one’s self from laying eggs in previously exploited hosts, thus reducing the risk of superparasitism. We investigated the egg laying behaviour of the parasitoid waspHyposoter horticola. In a laboratory experiment, we tested whether oviposition, post-oviposition marking, or both together deter subsequent oviposition by conspecifics. We then tested the effectiveness of the deterring mark under natural conditions using maternity assignment based on 14 polymorphic DNA microsatellite markers. The behavioural experiment showed that patch marking deters conspecifics from probing the host eggs, and oviposition deters those that probe from laying eggs in previously parasitized host clusters. These results were confirmed by the maternity assignment showing that under natural conditions, host egg clusters are primarily parasitized by a singleH. horticolafemale.
Faces of Intersubjectivity
Authors: Sass Louis , Pienkos Elizabeth
Published: June 2015

Here we consider interpersonal experience in schizophrenia, melancholia, and mania. Our goal is to improve understanding of similarities and differences in how other people can be experienced in these disorders, through a review of first-person accounts and case examples and of contemporary and classic literature on the phenomenology of these disorders. We adopt a tripartite/dialectical structure: first we explore main differences as traditionally described; next we consider how the disorders may resemble each other; finally we discuss more subtle but perhaps foundational ways in which the phenomenology of these disorders may nonetheless be differentiated. These involve disruptions of common sense and conventionality, abnormalities of empathy, distinct forms of paranoia and the sense of personal centrality, and altered perceptions of intentionality, deadness, and artificiality. We end by considering some neurocognitive research relevant to these abnormal forms of subjectivity, including work on theory of mind, experience of human movement, and perception of faces.
True identity of Avrainvillea and Rhipilia (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) from the Coast of Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Do Nascimento Santos Gabriel , De Castro Nunes José Marcos
Published: June 2015

The coast of Bahia is the most extensive coastline in Brazil. There is great diversity in its coastal environments and these are considered to be a priority area for floristic surveys. Although representative species of the Avrainvillea and Rhipilia (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) genera are common in tropical and temperate marine habitats where they form an important component of the flora, most studies of their diversity in Bahia are of a floristic nature. The biology and ecology of these genera are still poorly understood and, for this reason, many taxa may have been incorrectly identified. This study aimed to perform a taxonomic analysis of Avrainvillea and Rhipilia genera from the coast of Bahia State, Brazil. Specimens used for the study were from samples collected between 1964 and 2013, deposited in the main Brazilian herbaria, to which visits and/or loan requests were made. Five infrageneric taxa, distributed in both genera, were identified as Avrainvillea (3) and Rhipilia (2). Identification keys, descriptions, and comparisons to related taxa are showed.
A new species of the genus Corneriella from India supported by morphological and molecular data
Authors: Raj K. N. Anil , Latha K. P. Deepna , SÁNCHEZ-GARCÍA Marisol , Manimohan Patinjareveettil
Published: June 2015

Corneriella indica sp. nov. is described from Kerala State, India. Comprehensive description, photographs, and comparisons with phenetically similar species are provided. Maximum likelihood analysis conducted on a concatenated dataset comprising ITS, nLSU, nSSU and rpb2 of the Tricholomataceae supported the generic placement and species validity of C. indica. Conspicuous cheilocystidia, one of the defining features of the genus, are missing in C. indica but the lamella edges are still sterile and composed of projecting tramal hyphae with cystidioid terminal elements.
The Role of Coping Strategies in Psychological Outcomes for Frontotemporal Dementia Caregivers
Authors: Roche, DClinPsy Lauren , Croot Karen , MacCann Carolyn , Cramer Barbara , Diehl-Schmid Janine
Published: June 2015

Background:

Caregiving for a person with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is related to poor caregiver outcomes. Coping strategies adopted by caregivers are known to influence psychological outcomes in other dementia caregiver populations, however, their influence on psychological outcomes in FTD caregivers is poorly understood at present.

Methods:

Questionnaire data for 94 German primary caregivers (mean [ M] 59.11 years, 68 females) of FTD care-recipients living in the community ( M 63.94, 30 females) were investigated. Standardized measures completed by the caregiver included the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD), and the Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (COPE). Care-recipients’ nursing care level was collected as a measure of the intensity of their care needs.

Results:

Mediation analyses showed that the effect of the intensity of care-recipients’ care needs on caregiver well-being depended on caregivers’ experience of strain. High levels of caregiver strain did not predict depression (−0.22, 95% confidence interval CI: [0.16 to 2.04]) but predicted reduced QoL (−0.44, CI: [−1.15 to −.16]). Moreover, caregivers’ experience of strain was exacerbated by their use of dysfunctional coping (β = .21; p = .04), care-recipients’ intensity of care needs (β = .25; p = .01), and fewer financial resources (β = .23; p = .02). In turn, caregivers’ use of dysfunctional coping as a response to their strain increased the levels of depression (0.46, CI: [0.19-0.82]). By contrast, use of problem-focused coping strategies increased caregivers’ QoL (0.10, CI: [0.00 to 0.31]).

Significance:

This study identifies variables amenable to clinical interventions that can improve caregivers’ well-being: specifically, caregiver strain and coping strategies. For a disease without cure yet increasing prevalence and cost, ameliorating the caregiver experience through targeted interventions is essential.
Artificial Lithium Toxicity
Authors: Richman Lisa S. , Dzierba Amy L. , Connolly Kathleen A. , Bryan Paula M. , Chandra Subani
Published: June 2015

Lithium toxicity results in a range of gastrointestinal and neurologic signs and symptoms and can ultimately be fatal. Serum lithium levels may be unreliable when evaluating patients for toxicity, since levels may not be elevated in patients on chronic lithium therapy. Serum lithium levels may also be artificially elevated if blood is collected in a tube containing lithium heparin. We present a case of a woman on chronic lithium therapy whose lithium level was artificially elevated due to blood collection in an incorrect tube.
Why Can I See My Avatar? Embodied Visual Engagement in the Third-Person Video Game
Authors: Black Daniel
Published: June 2015

This essay seeks to answer two questions raised by the success of video games where the player looks at the character she is playing rather than seeming to inhabit the same coordinates as the character within the game space. First, why is the experience of playing these games not innately inferior to that of playing games with a first-person point of view, given that the sense of being a character sensing and acting inside the game space could be expected to be much stronger when the character’s body seems to be one’s own rather than a separate entity in the game space? And second, if the first-person point of view is so “immersive” and provides such a sense of being “inside” the representational space as is sometimes claimed, why has it never been so prominent in other audiovisual entertainment media such as film and television?
Vascular Glucose Sensor Symposium
Authors: Joseph Jeffrey I , Torjman Marc C. , Strasma Paul J.
Published: June 2015

Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and glycemic variability have been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and cost in a variety of critical care and non–critical care patient populations in the hospital. The results from prospective randomized clinical trials designed to determine the risks and benefits of intensive insulin therapy and tight glycemic control have been confusing; and at times conflicting. The limitations of point-of-care blood glucose (BG) monitoring in the hospital highlight the great clinical need for an automated real-time continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) that can accurately measure the concentration of glucose every few minutes. Automation and standardization of the glucose measurement process have the potential to significantly improve BG control, clinical outcome, safety and cost.
Family Perceptions of a Family-Based Pediatric Obesity Treatment Program
Authors: Bishop Julie A. , Irby Megan B. , Skelton Joseph A.
Published: June 2015

Objective. To better understand families’ perceptions of a family-inclusive pediatric obesity treatment program. Methods. We sought the perspectives of families actively and inactively enrolled in a family-based pediatric obesity treatment program via semistructured interviews. Responses were analyzed by an inductive thematic approach. Results. Twenty-three families participated. Families reported appreciation for program resources and recognized positive changes in family functioning. Logistical issues were reported as major barriers to participation and the primary reason for dropout. Work was perceived as the main barrier to participation for fathers. Families preferred addressing health behaviors in a structured environment. Siblings recognized changes within the family. Conclusions. Families consistently recognized barriers to participation and observed positive influences on family function. Insights were gained from the perspectives of various family members, suggesting that obesity treatment programs could affect the health of multiple family members.
Improved understanding of rice amylose biosynthesis from advanced starch structural characterization
Authors: Li Enpeng , Wu Alex Chi , Li Juan , Liu Qiaoquan , Gilbert Robert G
Published: June 2015

Background

It has been shown from the chain length distributions (CLDs) that amylose chains can be divided into at least two groups: long and short amylose chains. These molecular structures influence some functional properties of starch, such as digestibility and mouth-feel. GBSSI is the key enzyme for the elongation of amylose chains; however, the effect of other starch biosynthesis enzymes in amylose synthesis is still not fully understood. Two advanced starch characterization techniques, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and fluorophore-assissted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE), together with a newly developed starch biosynthesis model, are used to improve understanding of amylose biosynthesis.

Results

SEC and FACE were used to determine the CLD of amylose and amylopectin in various native and mutant rice starches. The types of starch branching enzymes (SBEs) involved in the synthesis of the distinct features seen for shorter degrees of polymerization, DP, < 2000, and longer (DP > 2000) amylose chains are identified by combining these data with a mathematical model of amylopectin biosynthesis. The model enables each feature in the amylopectin CLD to be parameterized in terms of relative SBE activities, which are used to explain differences in the genotypes.

Conclusions

The results suggest that while GBSSI is the predominant enzyme controlling the synthesis of longer amylose chains, some branching enzymes (such as BEI and BEIIb) also play important roles in the synthesis of shorter amylose chains.
Perioperative goal-directed therapy and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing high-risk abdominal surgery: a historical-prospective, comparative effectiveness study
Authors: Cannesson Maxime , Ramsingh Davinder , Rinehart Joseph , Demirjian Aram , Vu Trung , Vakharia Shermeen , Imagawa David , Yu Zhaoxia , Greenfield Sheldon , Kain Zeev
Published: June 2015

Introduction

Perioperative goal-directed therapy (PGDT) may improve postoperative outcome in high-risk surgery patients but its adoption has been slow. In 2012, we initiated a performance improvement (PI) project focusing on the implementation of PGDT during high-risk abdominal surgeries. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention.

Methods

This is a historical prospective quality improvement study. The goal of this initiative was to standardize the way fluid management and hemodynamic optimization are conducted during high-risk abdominal surgery in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Surgery at the University of California Irvine. For fluid management, the protocol consisted in standardized baseline crystalloid administration of 3 ml/kg/hour and any additional boluses based on PGDT. The impact of the intervention was assessed on the length of stay in the hospital (LOS) and post-operative complications (NSQIP database).

Results

In the 1 year pre- and post-implementation periods, 128 and 202 patients were included. The average volume of fluid administered during the case was 9.9 (7.1–13.0) ml/kg/hour in the pre-implementation period and 6.6 (4.7–9.5) ml/kg/hour in the post-implementation period (p < 0.01). LOS decreased from 10 (6–16) days to 7 (5–11) days (p = 0.0001). Based on the multiple linear regression analysis, the estimated coefficient for intervention was 0.203 (SE = 0.054, p = 0.0002) indicating that, with the other conditions being held the same, introducing intervention reduced LOS by 18 % (95 % confidence interval 9–27 %). The incidence of NSQIP complications decreased from 39 % to 25 % (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

These results suggest that the implementation of a PI program focusing on the implementation of PGDT can transform fluid administration patterns and improve postoperative outcome in patients undergoing high-risk abdominal surgeries.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02057653. Registered 17 December 2013.
TLR2, but not TLR4, plays a predominant role in the immune responses to cholera vaccines
Authors: Yang Jae Seung , Kim Hye Jin , Kang Seok-Seong , Kim Kyoung Whun , Kim Dong Wook , Yun Cheol-Heui , Park Soon-Jung , Seo Ho Seong , Finlay B Brett , Han Seung Hyun
Published: June 2015

Vibrio cholerae can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration leading to high mortality and morbidity. Current cholera vaccines are formulated with KVC. Although the innate immune responses following vaccination deeply influence the induction of adaptive immunity, the initial recognition of cholera vaccines by the host innate immune system is not well characterized. In this study, the ability of KVC to induce innate immune responses was investigated. Unlike typical Gram-negative bacteria stimulating TLR2 and TLR4, KVC activated TLR2 but hardly TLR4. However, purified V. cholerae LPS preferentially stimulated TLR4, although not as potently as LPS of other Gram-negative bacteria, implying that LPS is not a major immunostimulatory component of KVC. Instead, MPFs were similar to KVC in the capacity to activate TLR2, transcription factors, and cytokine expression. Furthermore, OmpU is an abundant membrane protein of V. cholerae and could interact with TLR2 for inducing cytokine expression. Notably, cholera vaccine-induced immune responses are impaired in TLR2−/− mice. Conclusively, TLR2 is essential for the immune responses to cholera vaccination, and OmpU is the major immunostimulatory component of cholera vaccines.
Adding a spatial dimension to postnatal ventricular-subventricular zone neurogenesis
Authors: Fiorelli Roberto , Azim Kasum , Fischer Bruno , Raineteau Olivier
Published: June 2015

Neurogenesis does not stop abruptly at birth, but persists in specific brain regions throughout life. The neural stem cells (NSCs) located in the largest germinal region of the forebrain, the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ), replenish olfactory neurons throughout life. However, V-SVZ NSCs are heterogeneous: they have different embryonic origins and give rise to distinct neuronal subtypes depending on their location. In this Review, we discuss how this spatial heterogeneity arises, how it affects NSC biology, and why its consideration in future studies is crucial for understanding general principles guiding NSC self-renewal, differentiation and specification.
Strong Interaction of Bovine Brain Calmodulin with Bisphenol A: Effects on Secondary Structure, Conformation, Ca2+-Binding Affinity, Gibbs Energy, and Domain Cooperativity
Authors: Murayama Koichi , Sonoyama Masashi , Matsuda Sadayuki
Published: June 2015

Calmodulin (CaM) is a major member of the family of Ca2+-binding proteins. In this study, effects on Ca2+-binding affinity and conformation of CaM by bisphenol A (BPA) were investigated by using circular dichroism and UV absorbance spectroscopy, domain-specific fluorescence spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry. It was revealed that the existence of a strongly perturbed chirality arose from four BPA molecules binding to CaM by hydrogen bonding, and that the conformation of CaM was modified for binding with BPA. Consequently, the interaction CaM with BPA elicits reduction of Ca2+-binding affinity and the deterioration of domain cooperativity.
Global miRNA expression and correlation with mRNA levels in primary human bone cells
Authors: Laxman Navya , Rubin Carl-Johan , Mallmin Hans , Nilsson Olle , Pastinen Tomi , Grundberg Elin , Kindmark Andreas
Published: June 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important post-transcriptional regulators that have recently introduced an additional level of intricacy to our understanding of gene regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate miRNA–mRNA interactions that may be relevant for bone metabolism by assessing correlations and interindividual variability in miRNA levels as well as global correlations between miRNA and mRNA levels in a large cohort of primary human osteoblasts (HOBs) obtained during orthopedic surgery in otherwise healthy individuals. We identified differential expression (DE) of 24 miRNAs, and found 9 miRNAs exhibiting DE between males and females. We identified hsa-miR-29b, hsa-miR-30c2, and hsa-miR-125b and their target genes as important modulators of bone metabolism. Further, we used an integrated analysis of global miRNA–mRNA correlations, mRNA-expression profiling, DE, bioinformatics analysis, and functional studies to identify novel target genes for miRNAs with the potential to regulate osteoblast differentiation and extracellular matrix production. Functional studies by overexpression and knockdown of miRNAs showed that, the differentially expressed miRNAs hsa-miR-29b, hsa-miR-30c2, and hsa-miR-125b target genes highly relevant to bone metabolism, e.g., collagen, type I, α1 (COL1A1), osteonectin (SPARC), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteocalcin (BGLAP), and frizzled-related protein (FRZB). These miRNAs orchestrate the activities of key regulators of osteoblast differentiation and extracellular matrix proteins by their convergent action on target genes and pathways to control the skeletal gene expression.
The Ancient Hippocrates: Galen and the Apology of Medicin in the Proprepticus
Authors: Komorowska Joanna
Published: June 2015

Ancient Hippocrates: Galen and the Apology of Medicin in the Proprepticus

Easy as it is to consider Galen’s Protrepticus a straightforward exercise in the art of hortative rhetorics, it seems advisable to consider the ramifications and the role played by the philosophical hypotext: given the details of the argument, one may easily be reminded of certain passages of the Platonic Gorgias, as well as the importance of the actual imagery exploited in the course of exposition. In doing so, the essay seeks to reevaluate the Galenic work and put it in the wider context of philosophizing discourses of the era.
Elocutio in Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria, Book Eight
Authors: Śnieżewski Stanisław
Published: June 2015

Elocutio in Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria, Book Eight

The rhetorical art is the skill of speaking well, it is useful, it is an art, and it has virtus. The Greek concept of fra;sivj is rendered by Roman authors as elocutio, i.e. style. Quintilian believes clarity of speech is the basic element of good style. Words should be apt, order – direct, conclusion – not too distant, and everything should have adequate proportions. Words should be selected depending on the context. The words used in a metaphorical sense gain appreciation only in a specific context. Ability to present facts clearly and vividly is a great asset. Even the natural and unsophisticated simplicity, which the Greeks call afeleia, contains some decorativeness, while punctilious scrupulosity in adhering to grammatical correctness gives the impression of sophistication and subtlety. The real power of the speaker lies in his ability to strengthen or weaken the power of words. The last, sixth chapter of book eight contains Quintilian’s thoughts on the rhetorical tropes. A trope (tro;povj) is an artistic (cum virtute) change of a word or an expression from the original and proper one to another.
Simple measures prevent healthcare associated infections
Authors: Winter George
Published: June 2015

George Winter discusses the importance of maintaining basic hygiene to protect ourselves and others
Common skin problems in primary and community care
Authors: Armstrong Kirsty
Published: June 2015

Nurses will often see these conditions and need to know what to do. Kirsty Armstrong explains
Open the door to nature play
Authors: Feuchtwang Anna , McMath Iain
Published: June 2015

Children love making things with natural materials and here Kathy Brodie suggests some bought and free resources to enhance their play and set their imaginations on fire! Fairy doors are always a favourite.
Learning to be crafty
Authors: Cruikshank Sarah
Published: June 2015

Junk modelling is about much more than presenting children with an assortment of unwanted items and leaving them to get on with it. Your skills and confidence are required to provide the support they need.
How eggs-citing!
Authors: Hampshire Viv
Published: June 2015

Viv Hampshire suggests some exciting activities and picture books to help children explore eggs, their shape and where they come from, and the potential for life inside them.
Rapprochement Cuba/USA: Opportunities and Obstacles
Authors: Salim Lamrani  , Translated by Larry R. Oberg
Published: June 2015

Since its historic announcement on 17 December 2014, Washington has taken several steps designed to ease the effects of the economic siege that still weighs heavily on Cuba. But the road remains long. Many obstacles are still to be overcome in the negotiation process between Cuba and the US.
The Called, the Chosen, and the Tempted: Psychologists, the Church, and the Scandal
Authors: McCarthy Tom
Published: June 2015

In 2002, the U.S. Catholic bishops finally accepted that the sexual abuse of minors by priests was a widespread problem within the church that required action. The bishops asked researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice to study the problem. The John Jay reports (2004 2011) found a thirty-year trend of rising incidents between 1950 and 1980, followed by a sharp decline during the 1980s. These incidents involved nearly 4,500 accused priests and nearly 11,000 different alleged victims. More than eighty percent of the victims were male. Failing to find a psychological profile that differentiated perpetrators from non-perpetrators, the researchers argued that many priests succumbed to situational temptations involving male minors, due to changing socio-cultural values about sexual activity associated with “the Sixties.” The John Jay studies showed little awareness that an increasingly close relationship existed between the church and Catholic psychologists during the very decades that the incidents were rising. This relationship involved professional psychologists assessing candidates for the priesthood in order to screen out those with serious psychopathologies, including various forms of sexual deviancy, as well as psychologists and psychiatrists who treated priests for aberrant sexual behavior. Assessment psychologists detected no systemic proclivity for future child sexual abuse (although patterns of psychosexual immaturity, sociopathy, and homosexuality seem suspiciously relevant in hindsight). At the time, child sexual abuse had not been identified by the public as a serious social problem, no method existed for detecting this potential, and psychologists as a broader discipline struggled to understand the complexity of human sexual identity and behavior. Even so, there were two and possibly three points before 2002 when clergy sexual abuse might have been detected and acted on as a systemic problem within the church: the late 1930s, 1965–1971, and 1985–1986. When considered together, the work of psychologists in screening candidates, therapists in treating priests, and the John Jay data suggest that perhaps two-thirds of priests in the 1950s and 1960s were psychosexually immature and that a subset of these priests who also were sociopathic, attracted to minors, or open to same-sex activity for various reasons, including a fear of women, accounted for a sizeable share of the problem. Why these apparently relevant factors may have characterized candidates and priests to a greater degree between 1950 and 1980 is not clear.
“He Does Not Profess, Until Today, any Religion”: Catholic Clergy and Intermarriage in Paso del Norte during the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Starling Jamie M.
Published: June 2015

During the nineteenth century, the Mexican clergy of Paso del Norte (now Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico and El Paso, Texas) witnessed the imposition of new borders, the redrawing of diocesan boundaries, and an influx of newcomers with Protestant or European Catholic backgrounds. Despite these changes, Mexican priests continued to exercise leadership over parishes in western Texas and southern New Mexico after these areas became part of the United States. They granted dispensations to Catholic foreigners, confirmed former Protestants, and performed interethnic marriages. This study examines how the clergy enabled the emergence of a “structure of peace” in the borderlands that drew from familial as well as economic ties between Euro-American settlers and Mexican landholders. The clergy’s oversight of family life also allowed for the continued governance of church affairs across international borders during an age largely marked by U.S. expansionism. At times, the clergy subverted conquest by exercising power over the personal and religious lives of settlers. This period of accord was short-lived, however, and the rapid growth of the Euro-American population near Paso del Norte after 1870 brought an end to most formal Mexican authority over Catholics in this section of the Southwestern United States.
Proletarian Literature from the Bottom Up: Workers and Poetry during the Rise of the CIO
Authors: Greenberg Ivan
Published: June 2015

The largely forgotten poetry created by industrial workers during the rise of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) is read against the poetry created by more professional poets associated with the movement for proletarian literature during the 1930s. Different sensibilities and sociopolitical content characterize the two literatures. Notably, the proletarian poets often depicted workers as downtrodden and alienated, crushed by capitalism, while the CIO poets privileged dignity, perseverance, and successful struggles against adversity. Both groups of poets also discuss work and labor differently. For example, the proletarians infrequently refer to the labor process, while the CIO writers highlight such work-related grievances as the fast pace of machinery and the Taylorized personnel practices of the large corporate firm.
Turkey and the United States after World War I: National Memory, Local Categories, and Provincializing the Transnational
Authors: Gurel Perin
Published: June 2015

This essay focuses on the tumultuous period between 1918 and 1923, from the end of World War I to the declaration of the Turkish republic, when the United States became seriously engaged with the fate of the Near East because of calls for a US mandate over Ottoman Turkey. At its center is the history and historiography of a short-lived Turkish Wilsonian Principles League (WPL), founded by the feminist intellectual Halide Edib, which called for the United States to assume a mandate over Turkey. The way that the WPL is overremembered in modern Turkey and forgotten in the United States shows how ideas about gender and sexuality continue to infuse national memory in both countries. Examining Woodrow Wilson’s reluctance to think of Turks as wards and the vilification of Edib by the first Turkish republican regime, the essay complicates the causal links we might be tempted to draw between racism and empire and asks us to consider the complex role that the local deployments of westernization play in the absence of actual US intervention.