bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ratios of aldosterone / plasma renin activity (ARR) versus aldosterone / direct renin concentration (ADRR)
Authors: Glinicki Piotr , Jeske Wojciech , Bednarek-Papierska Lucyna , Kruszyńska Aleksandra , Gietka-Czernel Małgorzata , Rosłonowska Elżbieta , Słowińska-Srzednicka Jadwiga , Kasperlik-Załuska Anna , Zgliczyński Wojciech
Published: August 2014

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is estimated to occur in 5–12% of patients with hypertension. Assessment of aldosterone / plasma renin activity (PRA) ratio (ARR) has been used as a screening test in patients suspected of PA. Direct determination of renin (DRC) and calculation of aldosterone / direct renin concentration ratio (ADRR) could be similarly useful for screening patients suspected of PA. The study included 62 patients with indication for evaluation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and 35 healthy volunteers. In all participants we measured concentrations of serum aldosterone, plasma direct renin, and PRA after a night’s rest and again after walking for two hours. The concentrations of aldosterone, direct renin, and PRA were measured by isotopic methods (radioimmunoassay (RIA) / immunoradiometric assay (IRMA)). Correlations of ARR with ADRR in the supine position were r = 0.9162, r2 = 0.8165 ( p < 0.01); and in the up-right position were r = 0.7765, r2 = 0.9153 ( p < 0.01). The cut-off values of ARR and ADRR ≥ 100 presented highest specificity (99%) for the diagnosis of PA; however, quite acceptable specificity and sensitivity (> 80% and 100%, respectively) appeared for the ratios ≥ 30. We suggest that for practical and economic reasons ARR can be replaced by ADRR.
Effects of curcumin on angiotensin-converting enzyme gene expression, oxidative stress and anti-oxidant status in thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity
Authors: Fazal Yumna , Fatima Syeda Nuzhat , Shahid Syed Muhammad , Mahboob Tabassum
Published: August 2014

Introduction:

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of curcumin on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene expression, oxidative stress and anti-oxidant status in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Materials and methods:

Total 32 albino Wistar rats (male, 200–250 g) were divided into six groups ( n=8). Group 1: untreated controls; Group 2: received TAA (200 mg/kg body weight (b.w.); i.p.) for 12 weeks; Group 3: received curcumin (75 mg/kg b.w.) for 24 weeks; Group 4: received TAA (200 mg/kg b.w.; i.p.) for 12 weeks+curcumin (75 mg/kg b.w.) for 12 weeks.

Results:

A significantly higher ACE gene expression was observed in TAA-induced groups as compared with control, indicating more synthesis of ACE proteins. Treatment with curcumin suppressed ACE expression in TAA liver and reversed the toxicity produced. TAA treatment results in higher lipid peroxidation and lower GSH, SOD and CAT than the normal, and this produces oxidative stress in the liver. Cirrhotic conditions were confirmed by serum enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP) as well as histopathological observations.

Conclusion:

Curcumin treatment reduced oxidative stress in animals by scavenging reactive oxygen species, protecting the anti-oxidant enzymes from being denatured and reducing the oxidative stress marker lipid peroxidation. Curcumin treatment restores hepatocytes, damaged by TAA, and protects liver tissue approaching cirrhosis.
Renal artery stenosis on duplex ultrasound due to inferior vena cava filter leg impingement
Authors: Hannon Kathleen
Published: August 2014

We present a case study of renal artery duplex findings for new onset of hypertension in a young woman with a history of inferior vena cava filter placed a year prior and failed percutaneous retrieval. Duplex ultrasound showed significantly elevated velocities in the mid-right renal artery, consistent with renal artery stenosis. Computed tomography angiography images suggested that a leg from the inferior vena cava filter was impinging on her right renal artery, with perforation through the vena cava possibly into the wall of her duodenum. Open surgical intervention was required to disentangle the filter legs from the wall of the duodenum and relieve impingement on the right renal artery with thrombolysis of clot found within the right renal artery.
The Use of Arthroscopy in Acute Foot and Ankle Trauma
Authors: Wood David A. , Christensen Jeffrey C. , Schuberth John M.
Published: August 2014

The use of arthroscopy in the management of acute traumatic conditions of the foot and ankle has increased in recent years, primarily because of an appreciation of fracture morphology and the utility of reducing the surgical footprint. This article presents an overview of the use of this modality in foot and ankle trauma and presents an anatomical survey of the various fractures where arthroscopic assistance can be of benefit. In addition, a discussion of the seminal articles on this subject is included.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV: Review
Treatment of Catastrophic Infection After Surgery for Insertional Achilles Enthesopathy
Authors: Kane Justin M. , Raikin Steven M.
Published: August 2014

Wound complications after surgical treatment of insertional Achilles enthesopathy are well documented. Skin and tendon necroses pose a significant dilemma with the potential for catastrophic outcomes. Numerous treatment algorithms have been described to treat the resultant skin and tendon defects after catastrophic infection; however, to date, there is no consensus as to the optimal treatment modality. We report our experience in the management of deep infection of 2 patients who had previously undergone surgical treatment for insertional Achilles enthesopathy. A comprehensive review of the literature was undertaken with a focus on described treatment options.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Case report
Bullous Pemphigoid After Bilateral Forefoot Surgery
Authors: Singh Dishan , Swann Amanda
Published: August 2014

The case of a 76-year-old woman who developed blisters on both forefeet within 2 weeks of bilateral forefoot surgery is reported; the diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid was made by histological and immunofluorescence studies. The pathogenesis and management of this autoimmune condition, which occurs mainly in patients older than 70 years and may occasionally be associated with surgical wounds, are reviewed. It is important for foot and ankle specialists to be aware of and consider the diagnosis when a bullous contact dermatitis-like eruption persists at a surgical site.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV: Case report
Who Am I? The Self/Subject According to Psychoanalytic Theory
Authors: Watson Alex
Published: August 2014

The article argues that the importation into psychoanalytic theory of the terms “self” and “subject” is neither true to Freud’s intentions, nor necessary, nor helpful. Having observed how Freud undermined these concepts in both his Topographical Model and Structural Model, the article turns to the position of Ogden. Two of his contributions masterfully deconstruct the concept of “the subject” through a selection of positions advocated by Freud, Klein, and Winnicott. But he then revitalizes the concept in his own way, claiming it to be “central” and “irreducible.” This article argues for a more radical stance than Ogden’s; whereas Ogden is reductionist with regard to the subject, this article argues for eliminativism.
Influencing Help-Seeking Among People With Elevated Depressive Symptomatology
Authors: Siegel Jason T. , Lienemann Brianna A. , Tan Cara N.
Published: August 2014

We conducted two experimental studies influenced by the overheard communication technique in which we assessed whether a depression public service announcement (D-PSA) that appeared to be intended for someone else (e.g., “Do you have a friend who is depressed?”) could influence help-seeking inclinations among people with elevated depressive symptomatology. In Study 1, participants ( N = 335) viewed a print D-PSA that was either direct or mistargeted. In Study 2, participants ( N = 1,195) viewed a direct or mistargeted video D-PSA or no video. In support of the utility of the mistargeted-communication technique, the mistargeted D-PSA resulted in significantly more help-seeking intentions from a romantic partner and close friends than did a direct D-PSA among people with heightened levels of depressive symptomatology (Study 1). In Study 2, among people with heightened levels of depressive symptomatology, assignment to the mistargeted D-PSA condition, compared with the direct D-PSA and the no D-PSA control conditions, resulted in more favorable attitudes and increased intentions to seek help from a website.
Australian and Southeast Asian Perspectives on China’s Military Modernization
Authors: Taneja Pradeep
Published: August 2014

China’s rapid military modernization has elicited a variety of responses from governments in the region. This article looks at the responses from Australia and two ASEAN states: Indonesia and Singapore. These states have been chosen because they have little or no territorial disputes with China that might influence their attitude towards China’s military modernization. This article argues that China’s military modernization is not driven solely by the pursuit of national reunification but has more to do with the nature of Sino-US competition and China’s ambition to eventually replace the United States as the dominant power in the region. It is this competition that provides the rationale for Chinese military planners to seek to expand and modernize their military capabilities. And it is China’s spectacular economic rise that provides the financial means toward that end. The United States, in turn, has responded with its ‘pivot’ to Asia to reassure its allies and partners in the region of its determination to maintain its hegemonic position in the region. But not all states in the Asia Pacific region have been equally worried about China’s military modernization. In examining the responses of three different states with varying degrees of security links with the United States, this article will attempt to identify the similarities and differences in the way regional powers have responded to China’s rise. In doing so, it will shed light on the future shape of the security order in East Asia.
Tipping the Scale
Authors: Tan Alexander C.
Published: August 2014

As long as China considers Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory, China will always be the primary security threat to Taiwan. The modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) over the last two decades is certainly a threat to Taiwan’s security. Yet, cross-Straits relation since 2008 has been relatively peaceful and less confrontational. In this article, I suggest that while Taiwan’s military establishment has warned of the dangers and threats of China’s increasingly modernized military capabilities, the dynamics of the Taiwanese domestic politics as well as the burgeoning economic and trade ties between China and Taiwan have jointly served to shift Taiwan’s focus from the military to the political and economic aspect of its security. Resulting from this shift away from the military dimension of cross-Straits relation, then, China–Taiwan relationship while contentious has been decidedly less confrontational and more predictable.
Effects of annealing on microstructure and properties of linear friction welded dissimilar titanium joints
Authors: Ma T. J. , Li X. , Zhong B. , Li W. Y.
Published: August 2014

Linear friction welds of Ti–6Al–4V (TC4, according to Chinese classification) to Ti–6·5Al–3·5Mo–1·5Zr–0·3Si (TC11, according to Chinese classification) were subject to post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 650°C×4 h (PWHT1) and at 950°C×1 h+530°C×4 h (PWHT2) under air cooling. In the as welded joint, TC4 had recrystallised sufficiently compared to TC11. After PWHT1, the α grains in the TC4 weld centre zone grew to some extent and many superfine equiaxed recrystallised α grains precipitated along β boundaries on the TC11 side. The grain growth along the weld line in the weld centre zone under PWHT2 was evident. PWHT2 reduced the joint tensile strength due to the coarsening of the microstructure. The joint microhardness decreased after PWHT.
JAK2 and MPL protein levels determine TPO-induced megakaryocyte proliferation vs differentiation
Authors: Besancenot Rodolphe , Roos-Weil Damien , Tonetti Carole , Abdelouahab Hadjer , Lacout Catherine , Pasquier Florence , Willekens Christophe , Rameau Philippe , Lecluse Yann , Micol Jean-Baptiste , Constantinescu Stefan N. , Vainchenker William , Solary Eric , Giraudier Stéphane
Published: August 2014

Key Points

We propose that megakaryopoiesis is regulated by the expression levels of the TPO receptor MPL and the associated tyrosine kinase JAK2. This model could explain why suboptimal doses of JAK2 inhibitors can induce a paradoxical increase in platelet production.
Longitudinal analysis of sarcoidosis blood transcriptomic signatures and disease outcomes
Authors: Su Robert , Li Michael M. , Bhakta Nirav R. , Solberg Owen D. , Darnell Eli P.B. , Ramstein Joris , Garudadri Suresh , Ho Melissa , Woodruff Prescott G. , Koth Laura L.
Published: August 2014

Previously, we demonstrated concordance in differentially expressed genes in sarcoidosis blood and lung, implicating shared dysfunction of specific immune pathways. In the present study, we hypothesised that expression levels of candidate genes in sarcoidosis blood could predict and track with disease outcomes longitudinally.

We applied Ingenuity Pathway Analysis to a cross-sectional derivation microarray dataset (n=38) to identify canonical pathways and candidate genes associated with sarcoidosis. In a separate longitudinal sarcoidosis cohort (n=103), we serially measured 48 candidate gene transcripts, and assessed their relation to disease chronicity and severity.

In the cross-sectional derivation study, pathway analysis showed upregulation of genes related to interferon signalling and the role of pattern recognition receptors, and downregulation of T-cell receptor (TCR) signalling pathways in sarcoidosis. In the longitudinal cohort, factor analysis confirmed coregulation of genes marking these pathways and identified CXCL9 as an additional candidate pathway. CXCL9 and TCR factors discriminated between chronicversusnonprogressive disease, and CXCL9 predicted disease outcomes longitudinally. Interferon factor was similarly increased in both disease phenotypes. Factors associated with lung function decline included decreased TCR factor and increased CXCL9.

These findings demonstrate blood transcriptomic signatures reflecting TCR signalling and CXCL9 predict sarcoidosis chronicity and correlate with disease severity longitudinally.
Effects of nanosized constriction on thermal transport properties of graphene
Authors: Yao Wen-Jun , Cao Bing-Yang , Yun He-Ming , Chen Bao-Ming
Published: August 2014

Thermal transport properties of graphene with nanosized constrictions are investigated using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that the nanosized constrictions have a significant influence on the thermal transport properties of graphene. The thermal resistance of the nanosized constrictions is on the order of 107to 109 K/W at 150 K, which reduces the thermal conductivity by 7.7% to 90.4%. It is also found that the constriction resistance is inversely proportional to the width of the constriction and independent of the heat current. Moreover, we developed an analytical model for the ballistic thermal resistance of the nanosized constrictions in two-dimensional nanosystems. The theoretical prediction agrees well with the simulation results in this paper, which suggests that the thermal transport across the nanosized constrictions in two-dimensional nanosystems is ballistic in nature.

PACS

65.80.CK; 61.48.Gh; 63.20.kp; 31.15.xv
Monitoring of degradation of porous silicon photonic crystals using digital photography
Authors: Ariza-Avidad Maria , Nieto Alejandra , Salinas-Castillo Alfonso , Capitan-Vallvey Luis F , Miskelly Gordon M , Sailor Michael J
Published: August 2014

We report the monitoring of porous silicon (pSi) degradation in aqueous solutions using a consumer-grade digital camera. To facilitate optical monitoring, the pSi samples were prepared as one-dimensional photonic crystals (rugate filters) by electrochemical etching of highly doped p-type Si wafers using a periodic etch waveform. Two pSi formulations, representing chemistries relevant for self-reporting drug delivery applications, were tested: freshly etched pSi (fpSi) and fpSi coated with the biodegradable polymer chitosan (pSi-ch). Accelerated degradation of the samples in an ethanol-containing pH 10 aqueous basic buffer was monitoredin situby digital imaging with a consumer-grade digital camera with simultaneous optical reflectance spectrophotometric point measurements. As the nanostructured porous silicon matrix dissolved, a hypsochromic shift in the wavelength of the rugate reflectance peak resulted in visible color changes from red to green. While theHcoordinate in the hue, saturation, and value (HSV) color space calculated using the as-acquired photographs was a good monitor of degradation at short times (t < 100 min), it was not a useful monitor of sample degradation at longer times since it was influenced by reflections of the broad spectral output of the lamp as well as from the narrow rugate reflectance band. A monotonic relationship was observed between the wavelength of the rugate reflectance peak and anHparameter value calculated from the average red-green-blue (RGB) values of each image by first independently normalizing each channel (R,G, andB) using their maximum and minimum value over the time course of the degradation process. Spectrophotometric measurements and digital image analysis using thisHparameter gave consistent relative stabilities of the samples as fpSi > pSi-ch.
Urbanization affects plant flowering phenology and pollinator community: effects of water availability and land cover
Authors: Neil Kaesha , Wu Jianguo , Bang Christofer , Faeth Stanley
Published: August 2014

Introduction

Climate change and urbanization have been shown to alter plant phenology. However, a mechanistic understanding of these changes in flowering phenology and associated pollinator communities is lacking. Thus, this study was designed to examine finer scale flowering phenological patterns and driving processes in an arid urban ecosystem. Specifically, we tested the effect of water availability and land cover type on the flowering phenology of brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) and investigated the arthropod pollinator community associated with brittlebush.

Methods

The fieldwork was carried out as part of a larger community ecology experiment following a factorial nested design. We chose three land cover types, each of which had three replicates, resulting in a total of nine sites. For water availability manipulations, 60 genetically different 5-gallon potted plants were placed on the ground within each site. Pan-trapping was used to collect potential pollinators.

Results

Our results showed that water availability did not produce significant differences in flowering phenology. However, brittlebush planted in mesiscaped urban sites bloomed later, longer, and at a higher percentage than those planted in desert remnant sites and desert fringe sites. Furthermore, desert remnant sites were significantly lower in pollinator abundance than desert fringe sites. Pollinator richness varied over time in all land cover types.

Conclusions

This study provides empirical evidence that land cover type, which is strongly correlated to temperature, is the primary cause for altered flowering phenology of brittlebush in the Phoenix area, although water availability may also be important. Moreover, land cover affects total abundance of bee pollinators.
Tidal variation in fish assemblages and trophic structures in tropical Indo-Pacific seagrass beds
Authors: Lee Chen-Lu , Huang Yen-Hsun , Chung Chia-Yun , Lin Hsing-Juh
Published: August 2014

Background

Tidal cycle is an important factor which regularly changes coastal fish assemblages in shallow waters. However, the variations in fish assemblage and trophic structure across tidal cycles in tropical seagrass beds are rarely discussed. We used underwater visual censuses to quantify fish abundance and diversity from the shallow intertidal to the subtidal zone during both flood and ebb tides in seagrass beds surrounding the Dongsha Island, South China Sea. We also recorded fish feeding habits by analyzing stomach contents.

Results

At least 70 fish species were observed in the seagrass beds during the study periods. Fish density and diversity increased with increasing depths, as well as during flood tides. The intertidal areas were characterized by more variation in both fish assemblage and trophic structure than the subtidal areas. A cluster analysis identified six principal feeding groups and invertebrate-feeding carnivores contributed about 70% of the total fish abundance. The density of herbivores, large-sized carnivores, and piscivores, but not small-sized carnivores, increased during flood tides. In contrast, detritivores decreased in density during flood tides. A heatmap of habitat usage pattern revealed that most fish showed a preference for deeper stations and flood tides. Only a minority of fish showed a preference for shallower stations and ebb tides.

Conclusions

We documented differences in fish assemblage and trophic structure between tides in tropical seagrass beds. Our results suggest that water depth may account for a significant proportion of the variation. The deeper water during flood tides support more space for herbivores and high trophic level carnivores to forage in intertidal meadows. The remaining, non-ebbed seawater columns in the intertidal meadows formed important temporary refuges for fishes during ebb tides. This study offers new information for fish movements over tidal cycles in tropical seagrass beds.
Improving Prevention, Early Recognition and Management of Acute Kidney Injury after Major Surgery: Results of a Planning Meeting with Multidisciplinary Stakeholders
Authors: James Matthew T , Dixon Elijah , Roberts Derek J , Barry Rebecca , Balint Carlee , Bharwani Aleem , Buie William Don , Godinez Tomas , Hemmelgarn Brenda R , Kortbeek John B , Manns Braden J , Marin Andria , Scott-Douglas Nairne , Stelfox Henry Tom , Pannu Neesh
Published: August 2014

Purpose of review:

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common after major surgery, and is associated with morbidity, mortality, increased length of hospital stay, and high health care costs. Although recent guidelines for AKI provide recommendations for identification of patients at risk, monitoring, diagnosis, and management of AKI, there is lack of understanding to guide successful implementation of these recommendations into clinical practice.

Sources of information:

We held a planning meeting with multidisciplinary stakeholders to identify barriers, facilitators, and strategies to implement recommendations for prevention, early identification, and management of AKI after major surgery. Barriers and facilitators to knowledge use for peri-operative AKI prevention and care were discussed.

Findings:

Stakeholders identified barriers in knowledge (how to identify high-risk patients, what criteria to use for diagnosis of AKI), attitudes (self-efficacy in preventive care and management of AKI), and behaviors (common use of diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, withholding of intravenous fluids, and competing time demands in peri-operative care). Educational, informatics, and organizational interventions were identified by stakeholders as potentially useful elements for future interventions for peri-operative AKI.

Limitation:

Meeting participants were from a single centre.

Implications:

The information and recommendations obtained from this stakeholder's meeting will be useful to design interventions to improve prevention and early care for AKI after major surgery.
The System Cannot Withstand Close Scrutiny: 1966, the Hopkins Conference, and the Anomalous Rise of Theory
Authors: Birns Nicholas
Published: August 2014

It is often said that the 1960s was an era of phenomenology in literary criticism. Interrogating this only partly justified statement leads us to a revised genealogy of theory in US academe. The famed 1966 conference at Johns Hopkins University saw the nearly simultaneous emergence of structuralism and poststructuralism on American shores. In charting the happenstance of critical fortune at this pivotal and liminal moment, this essay suggests a new understanding of the institutional and intellectual bases of theory. It also addresses the anomalous status of the 1960s as a decade tumultuous in the outer world but fairly placid in academe, and it mediates the role that discussions of theory play in the attempt to categorize the 1960s as a “very short twentieth century” that can be outflanked by past and future.
Ngũgĩ’s Use of Conrad: A Case for Literary Transhistory
Authors: Bronstein Michaela
Published: August 2014

Criticism has long sought the political significance of literature in its engagement with an immediate historical context. Yet this approach fails to account for one of literature’s most important effects: its interaction with readers distant from its moment of creation. The transhistorical travels of literature are usually seen as antihistorical aesthetic transcendence, as a flight from political relevance. This essay argues, using Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s repurposing of Joseph Conrad as a case study, that the literary aspiration to write for the future is instead an invitation to multiple historical uses. Ngũgĩ makes use of Conrad not by engaging with his historical context but by dehistoricizing his literary forms and themes for anti- and postcolonial purposes. Conrad’s novels are usually assimilated to a narrative of modernist experimentation in which innovative literary form becomes politically progressive through its representation of the uncertain and unknowable; for Ngũgĩ, however, the literary techniques are tools for generating political judgments and commitments. Later authors’ uses of their predecessors illuminate not just the possible political uses of earlier works but also the effects of literary form on a wide array of readers.
Exclusive multipotency and preferential asymmetric divisions in post-embryonic neural stem cells of the fish retina
Authors: Centanin Lázaro , Ander Janina-J. , Hoeckendorf Burkhard , Lust Katharina , Kellner Tanja , Kraemer Isabel , Urbany Cedric , Hasel Eva , Harris William A. , Simons Benjamin D. , Wittbrodt Joachim
Published: August 2014

The potency of post-embryonic stem cells can only be addressed in the living organism, by labeling single cells after embryonic development and following their descendants. Recently, transplantation experiments involving permanently labeled cells revealed multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) of embryonic origin in the medaka retina. To analyze whether NSC potency is affected by developmental progression, as reported for the mammalian brain, we developed an inducible toolkit for clonal labeling and non-invasive fate tracking. We used this toolkit to address post-embryonic stem cells in different tissues and to functionally differentiate transient progenitor cells from permanent, bona fide stem cells in the retina. Using temporally controlled clonal induction, we showed that post-embryonic retinal NSCs are exclusively multipotent and give rise to the complete spectrum of cell types in the neural retina. Intriguingly, and in contrast to any other vertebrate stem cell system described so far, long-term analysis of clones indicates a preferential mode of asymmetric cell division. Moreover, following the behavior of clones before and after external stimuli, such as injuries, shows that NSCs in the retina maintained the preference for asymmetric cell division during regenerative responses. We present a comprehensive analysis of individual post-embryonic NSCs in their physiological environment and establish the teleost retina as an ideal model for studying adult stem cell biology at single cell resolution.
A BDNF loop-domain mimetic acutely reverses spontaneous apneas and respiratory abnormalities during behavioral arousal in a mouse model of Rett syndrome
Authors: Kron Miriam , Lang Min , Adams Ian T. , Sceniak Michael , Longo Frank , Katz David M.
Published: August 2014

Reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). In Mecp2 mutant mice, BDNF deficits have been associated with breathing abnormalities, a core feature of RTT, as well as with synaptic hyperexcitability within the brainstem respiratory network. Application of BDNF can reverse hyperexcitability in acute brainstem slices from Mecp2-null mice, suggesting that therapies targeting BDNF or its receptor, TrkB, could be effective at acute reversal of respiratory abnormalities in RTT. Therefore, we examined the ability of LM22A-4, a small-molecule BDNF loop-domain mimetic and TrkB partial agonist, to modulate synaptic excitability within respiratory cell groups in the brainstem nucleus tractus solitarius (nTS) and to acutely reverse abnormalities in breathing at rest and during behavioral arousal in Mecp2 mutants. Patch-clamp recordings in Mecp2-null brainstem slices demonstrated that LM22A-4 decreases excitability at primary afferent synapses in the nTS by reducing the amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents and the frequency of spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents. In vivo, acute treatment of Mecp2-null and -heterozygous mutants with LM22A-4 completely eliminated spontaneous apneas in resting animals, without sedation. Moreover, we demonstrate that respiratory dysregulation during behavioral arousal, a feature of human RTT, is also reversed in Mecp2 mutants by acute treatment with LM22A-4. Together, these data support the hypothesis that reduced BDNF signaling and respiratory dysfunction in RTT are linked, and establish the proof-of-concept that treatment with a small-molecule structural mimetic of a BDNF loop domain and a TrkB partial agonist can acutely reverse abnormal breathing at rest and in response to behavioral arousal in symptomatic RTT mice.
Nota sobre metodologia de coleta de insetos aquáticos em paredões de cachoeiras
Authors: Cabette Helena Soares Ramos , Castro Lourivaldo Amancio de
Published: August 2014

Apresentamos uma nova metodologia de coleta de insetos aquáticos para ambientes de cachoeira, juntamente com a elaboração de um equipamento de amostragem. Propomos uma modificação do formato do rapiché ou coador tradicional, que com auxílio de uma trincha e espátula, possibilita a raspagem dos paredões, conseguindo retirar inclusive espécies de hábito agarrador. Propõe, ainda, adequação na metodologia de transecções de áreas fixas para a obtenção vertical de amostras comparável a transecções horizontais em riachos.

Methods for Sampling Aquatic Insects on Walls of Waterfalls

Abstract. We present a new method for sampling aquatic insects in waterfall environments, and the development of a sampling equipment. We propose a change in the shape of the dipnet or traditional hand sieve. This change in shape, with the addition of a brush and spatula, enables the scraping of walls, so that even species of grabber habits are sampled. We propose, also, an adaptation of the method of fixed area transects to obtain vertical samples similar to the obtained through horizontal transects in streams.
Checklist de Caelifera (Acridoidea e Eumastacoidea) do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Orthoptera)
Authors: Assis-Pujol Cristiane Vieira , Pujol-Luz José Roberto
Published: August 2014

Este trabalho apresenta um checklist da fauna de Orthoptera, Caelifera (Acridoidea e Eumastacoidea), do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Este artigo foi baseado no material depositado na Coleção de Orthoptera, Caelifera do Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro e em citações da literatura pertinente. Os resultados da pesquisa demonstram que os Caelifera do estado do Rio de Janeiro estão representados por duas superfamílias, Acridoidea e Eumastacoidea, quatro famílias (Proscopiidae, Ommexechidae, Acrididae e Romaleidae), subdivididos em 10 subfamílias, 16 tribos, 46 gêneros, 48 espécies e oito subspécies. Neste trabalho estão incluídas as listas de sinonímias para cada espécie, distribuição geográfica, localização dos tipos e principais referências bibliográficas.

Checklist of Caelifera (Acridoidea and Eumastacoidea) of Rio de Janeiro State (Orthoptera)

Abstract. This work presents a checklist of the fauna of Orthoptera, Caelifera (Acridoidea and Eumastacoidea), the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This article is based on material deposited in the Collection of Orthoptera, Caelifera the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, and citations of relevant literature. The survey results show that Caelifera the state of Rio de Janeiro are represented by two superfamilies, and Acridoidea and Eumastacoidea, four families (Proscopiidae, Ommexechidae, and Romaleidae Acrididae), subdivided into 10 subfamilies, 16 tribes, 46 genera, 48 species and eight subspecies. This work includes the lists of synonyms for each species, geographical distribution, types and location of primary references.
Horário Ideal para Coleta de Gafanhotos na Depressão Central no Rio Grande do Sul
Authors: Carvalho Nathália Leal , Costa Ervandil Correa , Garlet Juliana , Souza Danilo Boanerges , Boscardin Jardel
Published: August 2014

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência dos principais fatores ambientais no comportamento de acridóideos, bem como o horário ideal para coleta de espécimes deste grupo. As coletas foram realizadas em uma área de campo nativo, e para a captura dos insetos utilizou-se uma rede de coleta adaptada, com a qual se percorreu a distância de 20m, nos horários: 7:30, 9:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30 e 17:30, sendo que em cada um dos horários coletaram-se 10 amostras. Durante a coleta, foram medidas também, as variáveis meteorológicas: pressão atmosférica, velocidade do vento, temperatura média do ar, umidade relativa do ar e luminosidade, em cada horário de coleta. Os exemplares coletados foram acondicionados em sacos plásticos e levados ao Laboratório de Entomologia da UFSM. Após a separação e montagem os espécimes, foram encaminhados ao Laboratório de Entomologia da Faculdade de Biociências da PUCRS, onde foram identificados em nível de espécie. Foram coletados 568 exemplares adultos, distribuídos em vinte e duas espécies, pertencentes a dezoito gêneros e três famílias Acrididae, Proscopiidae e Romaleidae. Neste estudo observou-se que o melhor horário de coleta para áreas de campo foi as 13:30, onde observou-se maior temperatura, fator principal que possibilitou a coleta de número superior de exemplares e maior diversidade das espécies.

Ideal Time to Collect Grasshoppers in the Central Depression in Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the environmental factors on the behavior of acridóideos as well as ideal time for collecting specimens of this group. The collections were made in an area of native grassland, and to capture the insects used an adapted collection network, with which it covered the distance of 20m, in times: 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 , 13:30, 15:30 and 17:30, and in each of the schedules were collected 10 samples.  In the collects, measures were also meteorological variables: air pressure, wind speed, mean air temperature, relative humidity and luminosity in each hour of collection. The collected samples were placed in plastic bags and taken to the Laboratory of Entomology UFSM. After separation and assembly were sent to the Laboratory of Entomology, Faculty of Biosciences, PUCRS, where Acridoidea were identified by Prof. Maria Katia Matiotti Coast to the taxonomic category of species. We collected 568 adult specimens, distributed in twenty two species, belonging to eighteen genera and three families Acrididae, Proscopiidae and Romaleidae. During the study it was observed that the best time for collecting field areas was 13:30, where we observed a higher temperature, the main factor that enabled the collection of higher number of copies and greater diversity of species.
Anti-Semitism and Catholic Aesthetics: Jacques Maritain’s Role in the Religious Conversion of Emmanuel H. Chapman
Authors: Gallagher Charles R.
Published: August 2014

Emmanuel Harrison Chapman, an Orthodox Jew from Chicago, was immersed in Chicago’s “Yiddish left” during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1927, he left his studies in philosophy at the University of Chicago and traveled to Paris, where he intended to become a novelist. Instead, Chapman took up a post as an art critic for The Chicago Evening Post . It was through art criticism that he engaged his own sense of “Jewishness” and entertained the question about the existence of “Jewish art.” During this same period, he met the renowned French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain and took up with his circle in Meudon. Between 1928 and 1930, Chapman became a private student of Maritain. Maritain’s project of integrating aesthetics with the neo-Thomist position began to fascinate Chapman. At the same time, Chapman was becoming equally captivated by Maritain’s efforts to radically re-work the Catholic position on antiSemitism. For both men, anti-Semitism would become a defining force in their intellectual and activist lives. Soon Chapman began to search for ways to resolve his interior attraction to Catholic aesthetics and his growing appreciation for Maritain’s work to reverse Catholic anti-Semitism. In late 1930, Chapman converted to Catholicism. This article argues that interwar France provided a unique context for the unlikely forces of aesthetics and anti-Semitism to combine and prompt a religious conversion to Catholicism. Chapman’s conversion of an American Jew contributed to his later work in North America fighting Catholic anti-Semitism, one of the first Atlantic links to Maritain’s philosophy of social activism.
Intellectum Quaerens Fides : Mortimer J. Adler’s Journey of Mind and Heart
Authors: Lacy Tim
Published: August 2014

Philosopher and educator Mortimer J. Adler’s affinity for Catholicism began in the 1920s, yet he did not become a Catholic until 1999. Reason and faith battled throughout his life; his long conversion process made Adler—a liberal modern individualist—a better philosopher and provided him an intellectual community, but his conversions to Christianity and Catholicism were, ironically, personal and emotionally therapeutic. He fell in love with Aquinas’s Summa Theologica in the mid-1920s, which transformed his subsequent work. That love grew even as Adler’s ethnic, familial Judaism, evolved into agnosticism. Due to chance encounters and historical circumstance his first important book, Art and Prudence , applied neo-Thomism to the topics of censorship and morality in the cinema. Book-related correspondence reveals Adler’s deepest attractions to, and hesitations about, the Catholic faith. Shortly thereafter his national profile rose in relation to promotion of the “great books” movement, making questions about Adler’s faith a public issue. His two spouses encouraged a long-term membership in the Episcopal Church beginning in the late 1920s, but Adler saw that as a mere affiliation until a 1984 illness prompted a full conversion to Christianity. Twenty-five years later, he converted again, this time to Catholicism.
The East African Community Integration Process and Economic Growth of Member Countries
Authors: Muluvi Augustus S
Published: August 2014

This study investigated the effects of East African Community integration process on economic growth of member countries. A panel data was used and generalized least square technique employed. The results show that trade within the East African Community has no significant impact on the economic growth of the member countries. However, the Community trade with the rest of the World and foreign direct investment has a significant effect on growth. The finding, therefore, suggests that for the East African Community member countries to benefit fully from the integration process, they need to streamline their custom clearance procedures and standards and establish a single custom territory.
Traditional Medical Practices and the Underlying Beliefs Therein in Women’s Reproductive Healthcare in Damot Woyde District of Wolaytta Zone in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Murugan Padmanabhan , Paulos Yared
Published: August 2014

Indigenous medicine, its importance and expenditure are fast increasing in many parts of the world, predominantly in developing countries. Though traditional medicine encompasses a number of healthcare problems, this study was conducted with the major aim of investigating the beliefs and practices of traditional medicine in reproductive health care (pre and postnatal care, and child delivery services), with an accent on rural women in Damot Woyde Wereda (District) of Wolayitta Zone in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region. Employing a cross-sectional qualitative approach, primary data were collected on the respondents’ beliefs and practices of reproductive health care. Results showed that prenatal and child delivery care are the major services rural women get from traditional medicine practitioners in relation to reproductive health; whereas, postnatal care services are not as such significant. None of the reproductive health problems is believed to be caused by supernatural forces. And the practice of traditional medicine is not accompanied by the belief that the issues should be addressed by the practitioners because they are caused by supernatural forces. Besides, it is widely believed that the knowledge on traditional medicine has been passed orally from generation to generation. The study concludes that traditional medicine and its practitioners have decisive place in the provision of reproductive health services in rural areas.
Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms among Juvenile Offenders in Nigeria: Implications for Holistic Service Provisioning in Juvenile Justice Administration
Authors: Atilola Olayinka , Omigbodun Olayinka , Bella-Awusah Tolulope
Published: August 2014

Background . There is hardly any study examining exposure to traumatic events and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among juvenile justice populations in Nigeria or any part of sub-Saharan Africa. Method . We examined the prevalence and trauma determinants of PTSD among a cohort of juvenile justice inmates in Nigeria, compared with a cohort of school-going adolescents. Results . Ninety percent (90%) of the juvenile justice inmates reported exposure to at least one lifetime traumatic event with higher mean incident events, compared with 60% among the comparison group (p=.001). Juvenile justice inmates had significantly higher prevalence rate of current and lifetime PTSD than the comparison group (current: 5.8% vs . 1.4%; lifetime: 9.7% vs . 2.8%, p<.05). Mean incident traumatic event was statistically significantly higher among juvenile justice inmates who had PTSD. Conclusion. Posttraumatic stress symptoms are common among adolescents coming in contact with the juvenile justice system. Implications for holistic service provisioning in juvenile justice administration are discussed.
Psychiatric Disorders, High-Risk Behaviors, and Chronicity of Episodes Among Predominantly African American Homeless Chicago Youth
Authors: Castro Anne L. , Gustafson Erika L. , Ford Ashley E. , Edidin Jennifer P. , Smith Dale L. , Hunter Scott J. , Karnik Niranjan S.
Published: August 2014

Objective . This cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between psychiatric and substance-related disorders, high-risk behaviors, and the onset, duration, and frequency of homelessness among homeless youth in Chicago. Methods . Sixty-six homeless youth were recruited from two shelters in Chicago. Demographic characteristics, psycho-pathology, substance use, and risk behaviors were assessed for each participant. Results . Increased frequency and duration of homeless episodes were positively correlated with higher rates of psychiatric diagnoses. Increased number of psychiatric diagnoses was positively correlated with increased high-risk behaviors. Participants with diagnoses of Current Suicidality, Manic Episodes, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Substance Abuse, and Psychotic Disorder had a higher chronicity of homelessness than those without diagnoses. Conclusions . Significant differences were evident between the three time parameters, suggesting that stratification of data by different time variables may benefit homelessness research by identifying meaningful subgroups who may benefit from individualized interventions.
Hospital Practices in the Collection of Patient Race, Ethnicity, and Language Data: A Statewide Survey, California, 2011
Authors: Gomez Scarlett Lin , Lichtensztajn Daphne Y , Parikh Punam , Hasnain-Wynia Romana , Ponce Ninez , Zingmond David
Published: August 2014

California mandates hospitals to collect and report patient race, ethnicity, and primary spoken language (REL). A lack of specific guidelines and standardized practices on how data should be collected has contributed to inconsistent and incomplete data. General acute care hospitals in California completed a survey to elucidate practices regarding collection and auditing of patient REL. Nearly all hospitals reported collecting race and/or ethnicity (97%). The majority of hospitals used standardized forms for collection, and 75% audited patient information for completeness. Popular accepted strategies to improve the quality and completeness of REL included collecting data at the first encounter, routine staff training, incorporating REL questions into existing admissions forms, and developing and enforcing hospital policies regarding data collection. California hospitals are collecting information on patient REL as mandated, but variation in data collection exists. Hospitals endorse many reasonable approaches for standardization, and may benefit from standardized data collection and auditing practices.
Patching the Safety Net: Establishing a Free Specialty Care Clinic in an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Shuman Andrew G. , Aliu Oluseyi , Simpson Katherine , Salow Paul , Morgenstern Kara , Jennings Edward J. , Cederna Jean , McKean Erin L. , Bradford Carol R. , Cederna Paul S.
Published: August 2014

We describe the collaboration between an academic medical center and a free primary care clinic that provides multi-specialty services to indigent community members. Complementary components of both institutions have engendered a system in which they broaden the array of available services, providing a prototype for other institutions to consider.
Substance Use, Risk of Dependence, Counseling and Treatment among Adult Health Center Patients
Authors: Lebrun-Harris Lydie A. , Tomoyasu Naomi , Ngo-Metzger Quyen
Published: August 2014

Health centers provide primary care to 20 million underserved patients. We examined the prevalence of substance use and risk of dependence among health center patients, and identified factors associated with desire for counseling/treatment and discussions about substance use with a doctor. National data on 3,949 adults came from the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey. Forty percent of patients reported past-year binge drinking, 14% of patients had used any drug in the past three months, and 13% of these recent users were at high risk of dependence. Eighty-four percent of patients who desired substance use counseling or treatment reported receiving it. Several factors were associated with patients discussing substance use with their doctors (e.g., younger age, being male, severe mental illness, current smoking). Patients most likely to desire substance use counseling or treatment were male, unmarried, insured, current smokers, and indicated mental health problems.