bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survival Analysis of 272 Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Undergoing Combined Treatment
Authors: Cao Nida , Zhao Aiguang , Zhao Gang , Wang Xiaolin , Han Bing , Lin Renji , Zhao Yadong , Yang Jinkun
Published: January 2015

Background: In China, traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM) has been widely used for pancreatic cancer. This retrospective, matched case-control study aimed to assess factors affecting the survival time of patients with pancreatic cancer. Methods: From 2004 to 2012, a total of 411 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic cancer were enrolled, and 272 patients were matched and divided into TCHM and non-TCHM groups (control group) based on received TCHM or not. The match was according to gender, age of onset, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Both groups received comprehensive treatments, the TCHM group simultaneously received the TCHM spleen-invigorating compound for more than 3 months. The Cox model was used for prognostic factor analysis and the Kaplan-Meier method for estimating median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: In 130 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, COX analysis showed the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS; P = .000), radiotherapy ( P = .003), and TCHM ( P = .001) were independent prognostic factors for OS, with median OS of 12.7 and 9.9 months in TCHM and non-TCHM groups, respectively (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.520; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.353-0.766; P = .033). In 142 patients undergoing radical surgery, KPS ( P = .000) and TCHM ( P = .000) were independent prognostic factors for OS and DFS, median OS was 23.8 and 12.4 months in TCHM and non-TCHM groups, respectively (HR = 0.373; 95% CI = 0.251-0.554; P = .000), and the median DFS was 21.5 and 10.2 months in TCHM and non-TCHM groups, respectively (HR = 0.352; 95% CI = 0.237-0.522; P = .000). Conclusions: KPS was an important prognostic factor of pancreatic cancer. Spleen-invigorating compounds could have an effect on improving the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients
Do Yoga and Aerobic Exercise Training Have Impact on Functional Capacity, Fatigue, Peripheral Muscle Strength, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors?
Authors: Vardar Yağlı Naciye , Şener Gül , Arıkan Hülya , Sağlam Melda , İnal İnce Deniz , Savcı Sema , Çalık Kutukcu Ebru , Altundağ Kadri , Kaya Ergun Barış , Kutluk Tezer , Özışık Yavuz
Published: January 2015

Aim. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of aerobic exercise training and yoga on the functional capacity, peripheral muscle strength, quality of life (QOL), and fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Material and methods. A total of 52 patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: aerobic exercise (n = 28) and yoga added to aerobic exercise (n = 24). Both groups participated in submaximal exercise 30 minutes/d, 3 d/wk for 6 weeks. The second group participated in a 1-hour yoga program in addition to aerobic exercise training. Functional capacity was assessed by the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Peripheral muscle strength was evaluated with a hand-held dynamometer. The fatigue severity level was assessed with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The QOL was determined by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results. There were statistically significant increases in peripheral muscle strength, the 6MWT distance, and the perception of QOL in both groups ( P < .05). Additionally, the group with aerobic exercise and yoga showed marked improvement compared with the aerobic exercise group in fatigue perception ( P < .05). Conclusion. According to the data from this study, aerobic exercise training and yoga improved the functional capacity and QOL of breast cancer patients. Aerobic exercise programs can be supported by body mind techniques, such as yoga, in the rehabilitation of cancer patients for improving functional recovery and psychosocial wellness.
Facilitated Communication Denies People With Disabilities Their Voice
Authors: Travers Jason C. , Tincani Matt J. , Lang Russell
Published: January 2015

Facilitated Communication (FC) has been rebranded as “supported typing” and repackaged as rapid prompting method, but remains a disproven intervention for people with disabilities. Despite the absence of supportive evidence and abundant evidence that facilitators always author the messages, FC has experienced resurgence in popularity among families, professionals, and advocacy groups. Strategic marketing, confirmation bias, pseudoscience, anti-science, and fallacy explain this troubling renewal. We briefly discuss each of these and contrast the method with authentic augmentative and alternative communication to illustrate differences in values and practices. Our intention is to persuade readers to resist or abandon FC in favor of validated methods and to encourage advocacy organizations to advance agendas that emphasize genuine self-expression by people with disabilities.
An Activist Approach to Debunking FC
Authors: Mostert Mark P.
Published: January 2015

Facilitated Communication (FC), a controversial educational intervention touted for persons with autism and other non-communicative conditions, has reemerged as a viable educational option despite a number of earlier empirical studies that unequivocally identified the facilitator as the author of any communication and not the client. Several intersecting vectors including a current dearth of new empirical studies debunking the practice, the proliferation of questionable research favorable to FC, and the increased acceptance by academic journals of the legitimacy of FC have fueled this resurgence. I suggest a series of activist approaches to counter the acceptance of FC as legitimate educational practice.
The Interrelatedness of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among High-Risk Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Baglivio Michael T. , Epps Nathan
Published: January 2015

The interrelatedness of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in 64,329 juvenile offenders was examined. ACEs include childhood abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual), neglect (physical and emotional), and household dysfunction (family violence, family substance use, family mental illness, separation/divorce, and family incarceration). Prevalence ranged from 12% to 82% for each ACE. Of youth experiencing one ACE 67.5% reported four or more additional exposures and 24.5% exposure to six or more additional ACEs. Females have higher prevalence and multiple exposures. ACEs are interrelated, necessitating assessment of multiple ACEs rather than one or a few. ACE exposure differs by gender and race/ethnicity.
Changes in Strength, Sensation, and Prehension in Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Velstra Inge-Marie , Curt Armin , Frotzler Angela , Abel Rainer , Kalsi-Ryan Sukhvinder , Rietman Johan S. , Bolliger Marc
Published: January 2015

Objective. To investigate the internal and external responsiveness and recovery profiles of the Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility, and Prehension (GRASSP) instrument in revealing changes in upper limb function within the first year following cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Method. A European prospective, longitudinal, multicenter study assessing the GRASSP at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after cervical SCI. Subtests of GRASSP were compared to the upper extremity motor (UEMS) and light touch scores (LT) according to the International Standards of Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI), the Spinal Cord Independence Measure self-care subscore (SCIM-SS), as well as a clinician-rated outcome measure (CROM) of clinical relevance. Data were analyzed for GRASSP responsiveness and recovery rate over time. Results. Seventy-four participants entered the study. GRASSP subtests proved responsive (standardized response mean [SRM] ranged from 0.79 to 1.48 for strength, 0.50 to 1.03 for prehension, and 0.14 to 0.64 for sensation) between all examination time points. In comparison, UEMS and LT showed lower responsiveness (SRM UEMS ranged from 0.69 to 1.29 and SRM LT ranged from 0.30 to −0.13). All GRASSP subtests revealed significant, moderate-to-excellent correlations with UEMS, LT, and SCIM-SS at each time point, and changes in GRASSP subtests were in accordance with the CROM. GRASSP prehension and motor recovery was largest between 1 and 3 months. Conclusion. The GRASSP showed excellent responsiveness, detecting distinct changes in strength and prehension relating to the severity of cervical SCI. It detected clinically significant changes complimentary to the ISNCSCI and SCIM-SS assessments.
Suspension of accrual in phase II cancer clinical trials
Authors: Li Yimei , Mick Rosemarie , Heitjan Daniel F
Published: January 2015

Purpose:

Phase II cancer clinical trial designs commonly incorporate an interim analysis for lack of efficacy. To strictly and ethically implement such designs, one should suspend accrual in cases where pending patient outcomes can affect early termination decisions. This article aims to evaluate various options for accrual suspension and illustrate how the suspension strategy affects operating characteristics of the trial.

Methods:

We define a strict suspension strategy for determining whether one should continue, suspend, or restart accrual at any point within the trial. The strategy is compared to a naive implementation of suspension and a strategy of no suspension. We evaluate the methods’ operating characteristics by simulation.

Results:

The suspension strategy has little effect on type I error, power, and early termination probability. Methods that involve stricter suspension policies generally lead to smaller but longer trials. Differences across strategies are substantial when the ratio of enrollment rate to outcome availability rate is high.

Conclusion:

The suspension strategy is most relevant in trials that accrue rapidly and require lengthy observation of each subject. The choice of suspension strategy involves a tradeoff between the cost of implementing a potentially complex suspension algorithm in real time versus the cost of enrolling more patients and exposing them to a potentially toxic and ineffective treatment regimen.
Leading school networks
Authors: Townsend Andrew
Published: January 2015

A range of different constructs are used to describe and define the way that leadership operates in education settings. This range can be presented as binary categories of leadership, in which either one, or the other form of leadership is preferred, but not both. An example of this is the contrast made between solo and distributed leadership. A more sophisticated alternative has been proposed, which is to consider leadership as a hybrid activity, one which entails a range of approaches inspired by varying ideals. Taking this ‘hybrid’ notion of leadership this article explores the nature of leadership in networks of schools. Illustrated with data from three case studies of school networks this article highlights some of the issues and tensions in the enactment of the hybrid forms of leadership encountered in these networks. This article concludes with some reflections on the adoption of hybrid notions of leadership in researching and enacting educational leadership and specifically on the place of school networks in that consideration.
Changing school board governance in primary education through school inspections
Authors: Ehren Melanie CM , Honingh ME , Hooge EH , O’Hara J
Published: January 2015

This paper addresses if, and to what extent, the current working methods of the Dutch Inspectorate of Education affect the governance of school boards in schools for primary education. A key facet of the working method is the inspection meeting with the school board. Drawing upon a large quantitative study ( n = 244) we are able to identify some changes in school board governance due to these inspection meetings. School boards that had an inspection meeting indicate changes in their governance of quality assurance and data use, and in the amount of data that they collect on the functioning of their schools. School boards indicate very small amounts of activities with regard to the curriculum and instruction in their schools.
Economic crisis, technology and the management of education
Authors: Hartley David
Published: January 2015

The 2008 crash has been likened to that of 1929. Does it have consequences for the management of education, and in particular for distributed leadership? Informed by evolutionary economics, it is argued that 2008 marked the end of the installation period of a major technological innovation, namely ICT. In the aftermath of the crash, a period of wider deployment of digital technologies now beckons. It will require a new institutional infrastructure, of which education is a part and which is compatible with the technology which had been installed since the 1980s. Informed by the history of management theory, it is also noted that towards the end of an economic upswing (as after 2000), the ‘rational’ control managerial rhetorics which had driven the upswing since the late 1970s began to lose their legitimation and effectiveness. After 2000, a softer ‘normative’ rhetoric supplemented and complemented the prevailing rational rhetorics, and this persists in the guise of, for example, distributed leadership and emotional management. In particular, distributed leadership resonates discursively with the deployment of distributed, open, smart software. It is part of a new structural isomorphism in the management of consent in educational organisations as they enter the post-crisis phase of the current economic cycle when digital technologies will undergo wider deployment.
Are nurses more likely to report providing care plans for chronic disease patients than doctors? Findings from a New Zealand study
Authors: Doolan-Noble Fiona , Gauld Robin , Waters Debra L
Published: January 2015

Objectives

The main aim of this study was to compare the perceptions of general practitioners (GPs) and primary care nurses (PCNs) in the Southern Region of New Zealand regarding their provision of chronic illness care. Whether PCNs rated their frequency of providing aspects of chronic illness care higher than GPs was a key question.

Methods

The modified version of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) was used to compare the perceptions of GPs and PCNs.

Results

Surveys were received from 77% of practices in the Southern region. Responding PCNs were more likely than their GP counterparts to document they provided aspects of chronic illness care ‘most of the time’ or ‘always’ in 18 activities from the six M-PACIC domains. Their level of providing patients with formal care plans was surprisingly low.

Conclusion

This level of engagement of PCNs with chronic illness care was no surprise. The low number reporting they provided patients with a care plan, most of the time or always, was unexpected. Aspects of care planning, however, were reported as taking place more frequently. This discrepancy between the process of care planning and the outcome, a care plan, is not unique to this region of New Zealand and warrants further research.
Postsecondary inclusion for individuals with an intellectual disability and its effects on employment
Authors: Moore Eric J , Schelling Amy
Published: January 2015

Postsecondary education (PSE) programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) have emerged exponentially in the United States over the last decade. Research regarding these postsecondary programs has largely been descriptive, and thus, there exists a need for qualitative, outcome-based research. In this comparative case report, graduates from two types of PSE programs for individuals with IDs are surveyed regarding employment outcomes and other personal developments. The results from each postsecondary program are compared with one another and also with a comparison group of individuals with IDs who did not attend a postsecondary program (utilizing the 2009 National Longitudinal Transition Study 2). This case demonstrates significant positive employment outcomes for individuals with IDs who attend postsecondary programs compared to those who do not attend such programs and highlights similarities and differences regarding outcomes of the two program types under consideration.
Man is the new mouse: Elective surgery as a key translational model for multi-organ dysfunction and sepsis
Authors: Cain David J , del Arroyo Ana Gutierrez , Ackland Gareth L
Published: January 2015

Translational research in critically ill human patients presents many methodological challenges. Diagnostic uncertainty, coupled with poorly defined comorbidities, make the identification of a suitable control population for case–control investigations an arguably insurmountable challenge. Healthy volunteer experiments using endotoxin infusion as an inflammatory model are methodologically robust, but fail to replicate the onset of, and diverse therapeutic interventions associated with, sepsis/trauma. Animal models are also limited by many of these issues. Major elective surgery addresses many of these shortfalls and offers a key model for exploring the human biology underlying the sepsis syndrome. Surgery triggers highly conserved features of the human inflammatory response that are common to both tissue damage and infection. Surgical patients sustain a predictable and relatively high incidence of sepsis, particularly within the ‘higher risk’ group. The collection of preoperative samples enables each patient to act as their own control. Thus, the surgical model offers unique and elegant experimental design features that provide an important translational bridge between the basic biological understanding afforded by animal laboratory models and the de novo presentation of human sepsis.
Triple modality testing by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Nanda Arjun , Brown Jason M. , Berger Stephen H. , Lewis Melinda M. , Barr Fritcher Emily G. , Gores Gregory J. , Keilin Steven A. , Woods Kevin E. , Cai Qiang , Willingham Field F.
Published: January 2015

Objectives:

Brush cytology has a low sensitivity for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. This study aimed to compare the standard approach (brush cytology) with a triple modality approach utilizing brush cytology, forceps biopsy and fluorescence in situ hybridization in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods:

In a retrospective study at a single academic center, 50 patients underwent triple modality testing. Additionally, 61 patients underwent brush cytology alone. Intervention was endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brush cytology, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and forceps biopsy. The main outcome measures included sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value.

Results:

Overall, 50 patients underwent triple tissue sampling, and 61 patients underwent brush cytology alone. Twenty-two patients were eventually diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Brush cytology had a sensitivity of 42%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100% and negative predictive value of 88%. Triple tissue sampling had an overall sensitivity of 82%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 87%. Within the triple test group, brush cytology had a sensitivity of 27%, forceps biopsy had a sensitivity of 50%, and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis had a sensitivity of 59%.

Conclusions:

A triple modality approach results in a marked increase in sensitivity for the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma compared with single modality testing such as brush cytology and should be considered in the evaluation of indeterminate or suspicious biliary strictures.
Physical Activity and Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Colberg Sheri R. , Laan Remmert , Dassau Eyal , Kerr David
Published: January 2015

While being physically active bestows many health benefits on individuals with type 1 diabetes, their overall blood glucose control is not enhanced without an effective balance of insulin dosing and food intake to maintain euglycemia before, during, and after exercise of all types. At present, a number of technological advances are already available to insulin users who desire to be physically active with optimal blood glucose control, although a number of limitations to those devices remain. In addition to continued improvements to existing technologies and introduction of new ones, finding ways to integrate all of the available data to optimize blood glucose control and performance during and following exercise will likely involve development of “smart” calculators, enhanced closed-loop systems that are able to use additional inputs and learn, and social aspects that allow devices to meet the needs of the users.
The Impact of Measurement Frequency on the Domains of Glycemic Control in the Critically Ill-A Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Krinsley James S. , Bruns David E. , Boyd James C.
Published: January 2015

Background:

The role of blood glucose (BG) measurement frequency on the domains of glycemic control is not well defined.

Methods:

This Monte Carlo mathematical simulation of glycemic control in a cohort of critically ill patients modeled sets of 100 patients with simulated BG-measuring devices having 5 levels of measurement imprecision, using 2 published insulin infusion protocols, for 200 hours, with 3 different BG-measurement intervals—15 minutes (Q15’), 1 hour (Q1h), and 2 hours (Q2h)—resulting in 1 100 000 BG measurements for 3000 simulated patients. The model varied insulin sensitivity, initial BG value and rate of gluconeogenesis. The primary outcomes included rates of hyperglycemia (BG > 180 mg/dL), hypoglycemia (BG < 70 and 40 mg/dL), proportion of patients with elevated glucose variability (within-patient coefficient of variation [CV] > 20%), and time in range (BG ranges 80-150 mg/dL and 80-180 mg/dL).

Results:

Percentages of hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia at both thresholds, and patients with elevated glucose variability as well as time outside glycemic targets were substantially higher in simulations with measurement interval Q2h compared to those with measurement interval Q1h and moderately higher in simulations with Q1h than in those with Q15’. Higher measurement frequency mitigated the deleterious effect of high measurement imprecision, defined as CV ≥ 15%.

Conclusions:

This Monte Carlo simulation suggests that glycemic control in critically ill patients is more optimal with a BG measurement interval no longer than 1h, with further benefit obtained with use of measurement interval of 15’. These findings have important implications for the development of glycemic control standards.
The Attentional Bias Modification Approach to Anxiety Intervention
Authors: MacLeod Colin , Clarke Patrick J. F.
Published: January 2015

Anxiety vulnerability and dysfunction are characterized by an attentional bias to threat. Cognitive training procedures designed to modify selective attentional responding to threat originally were developed to test the hypothesis that this attentional bias causally contributes to anxious disposition. The capacity of attentional bias modification (ABM) training to alleviate dysfunctional anxiety has since attracted growing interest, and the present article reviews studies that have evaluated this therapeutic potential. When intended ABM training has successfully reduced attention to threat, it also has reduced anxiety vulnerability and symptomatology with a high degree of reliability. When the delivery of intended ABM training has not resulted in such anxiety reduction, this typically has reflected the failure to successfully modify attentional selectivity as required. We discuss ways in which ABM training procedures may be refined to optimize their capacity to reduce attentional bias to threat, to improve delivery of the resulting anxiolytic benefits.
Patterns and Predictors of First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy Modification in HIV-1-Infected Adults in a Large Urban Outpatient Cohort in Nigeria
Authors: Abah Isaac Okoh , Darin Kristin M. , Ebonyi Augustine Odo , Ugoagwu Placcid , Ojeh Victor Bazim , Nasir Naima , Falang Kakjing D. , Olaitan Oluremi , Agbaji Oche , Idoko John , Kanki Phyllis
Published: January 2015

Objective:

We described the magnitude, type, and factors associated with first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) modification in HIV-1-infected adults on ART in Jos, Nigeria.

Method:

Data on 6309 patients initiated on first-line ART between January 2004 and December 2006 were analyzed retrospectively. Factors predictive of modification to initial ART were assessed by chi-square and multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results:

Overall, 5212 (83%) included patients incurred a modification (73.3% drug substitution and 9.7% drug switch) to their initial first-line ARV regimen during a median (interquartile range) follow-up period of 7 (3-8) years. Drug substitutions of zidovudine (ZDV) were less likely than of tenofovir (TDF; adjusted odd ratio [AOR] 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-0.71), and Drug substitutions of efavirenz (EFV) were more likely than of nevirapine (NVP)-containing (AOR 1.82; 95% CI: 1.42-2.33) regimens. Predictors of switch to second-line regimen include older age (AOR 2.05; 95% CI: 1.68-2.51), CD4 count ≤100 cells/mm3 (AOR 1.89; 95% CI: 1.49-2.37), EFV compared to NVP (AOR 1.38; 95% CI: 1.02-1.88), and drug toxicity (AOR 1.90; 95% CI: 1.48-2.43).

Conclusion:

Modification to initial ART was common in this study. Further evaluation of the contribution of guideline changes on regimen modification and treatment outcomes is recommended.
Analysis of Pharmacy Student Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Web 2.0 Tools for Educational Purposes
Authors: Zhang Yingzhi , Kim Jessica , Awad Nadia I. , Cocchio Craig
Published: January 2015

Background: The use of Wikis, blogs, and podcasts can engage students in collaborative learning, allow peer feedback, and enhance reflective learning. However, no survey to date has been performed across all professional years of pharmacy students in order to obtain a comprehensive overview of student perceptions. Objectives: To identify the familiarity of pharmacy students with Web 2.0 resources available for medical education, and what barriers exist. Methods: This study surveyed students enrolled in the professional program of a US-accredited pharmacy school to assess their knowledge and current use of available online resources and attitudes toward the use of Web 2.0 technologies for educational purposes. Results: Of the 836 surveys distributed, 293 were collected and analyzed (35.0% response rate). Students reported using the following Web 2.0 technologies in the didactic and experiential settings, respectively: Wikipedia (88%, 70%), YouTube (87%, 41%), Khan Academy (40%, 5%), and medical or scientific blogs (25%, 38%). Although these technologies were more commonly used in the classroom, students agreed or strongly agreed such resources should be used more often in both the didactic (n = 187, 64%) and experiential settings (n = 172, 59%). The barriers associated with the use of Web 2.0 in both the didactic and experiential settings that were ranked highest among students included accuracy and quality of information and lack of familiarity among faculty members and preceptors. Conclusion: Pharmacy students across all professional years actively use Web 2.0 tools for educational purposes and believe that opportunities exist to expand use of such technologies within the didactic and experiential settings.
Improving synthetic and natural dyeability of polyester fabrics by dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Shahidi Sheila , Ghoranneviss Mahmood , Wiener Jakub
Published: January 2015

Polyester fabrics were modified by dielectric barrier discharge and then dyed with different classes of natural (henna, madder, lotus, and matricaria) and synthetic (acidic, basic, and disperse) dyes. The approach introduced in this work comprises the formation of functional groups on the surfaces of the polyester fabrics by using atmospheric pressure plasma. After plasma treatment, the properties of the fabric, including surface morphology and dyeing properties with different classes of synthetic and natural dyes, were investigated. The modified polyester fabrics treated with different dyes exhibited different dyeing properties. The results show that dielectric barrier discharge modification on the surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics improved dyeability of fabrics. The extent of improvement for natural dyes is higher than that for synthetic dyes.
Acetylation of C/EBPε is a prerequisite for terminal neutrophil differentiation
Authors: Bartels Marije , Govers Anita M. , Fleskens Veerle , Lourenço Ana Rita , Pals Cornelieke E. , Vervoort Stephin J. , van Gent Rogier , Brenkman Arjan B. , Bierings Marc B. , Ackerman Steven J. , van Loosdregt Jorg , Coffer Paul J.
Published: January 2015

Key Points

C/EBPε acetylation regulates C/EBPε transcriptional activity. C/EBPε acetylation is required for neutrophil differentiation and the formation of neutrophil-specific granules.
LMP1 mediates multinuclearity through downregulation of shelterin proteins and formation of telomeric aggregates
Authors: Lajoie Valérie , Lemieux Bruno , Sawan Bassem , Lichtensztejn Daniel , Lichtensztejn Zelda , Wellinger Raymund , Mai Sabine , Knecht Hans
Published: January 2015

Key Points

LMP1 expression in post germinal center B cells results in downregulation of shelterin proteins, telomeric aggregates, and multinuclearity. LMP1 targets TRF1, TRF2, and POT1 reversibly at the transcriptional/translational level, and TRF2 is essential to block multinuclearity.
Circulating and disseminated tumor cells from breast cancer patient-derived xenograft-bearing mice as a novel model to study metastasis
Authors: Giuliano Mario , Herrera Sabrina , Christiny Pavel , Shaw Chad , Creighton Chad J , Mitchell Tamika , Bhat Raksha , Zhang Xiaomei , Mao Sufeng , Dobrolecki Lacey E , Al-rawi Ahmed , Chen Fengju , Veneziani Bianca M , Zhang Xiang H-F , Hilsenbeck Susan G , Contreras Alejandro , Gutierrez Carolina , Jeselsohn Rinath M , Rimawi Mothaffar F , Osborne C Kent , Lewis Michael T , Schiff Rachel , Trivedi Meghana V
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Real-time monitoring of biologic changes in tumors may be possible by investigating the transitional cells such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow (BM-DTCs). However, the small numbers of CTCs and the limited access to bone marrow aspirates in cancer patients pose major hurdles. The goal of this study was to determine whether breast cancer (BC) patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice could provide a constant and renewable source of CTCs and BM-DTCs, thereby representing a unique system for the study of metastatic processes.

Methods

CTCs and BM-DTCs, isolated from BC PDX-bearing mice, were identified by immunostaining for human pan-cytokeratin and nuclear counterstaining of red blood cell-lysed blood and bone marrow fractions, respectively. The rate of lung metastases (LM) was previously reported in these lines. Associations between the presence of CTCs, BM-DTCs, and LM were assessed by the Fisher’s Exact and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests. Two separate genetic signatures associated with the presence of CTC clusters and with lung metastatic potential were computed by using the expression arrays of primary tumors from different PDX lines and subsequently overlapped to identify common genes.

Results

In total, 18 BC PDX lines were evaluated. CTCs and BM-DTCs, present as either single cells or clusters, were detected in 83% (15 of 18) and 62.5% (10 to16) of the lines, respectively. A positive association was noted between the presence of CTCs and BM-DTCs within the same mice. LM was previously found in 9 of 18 (50%) lines, of which all nine had detectable CTCs. The presence of LM was strongly associated with the detection of CTC clusters but not with individual cells or detection of BM-DTCs. Overlapping of the two genetic signatures of the primary PDX tumors associated with the presence of CTC clusters and with lung metastatic potential identified four genes (HLA-DP1A, GJA1, PEG3, and XIST). This four-gene profile predicted distant metastases-free survival in publicly available datasets of early BC patients.

Conclusion

This study suggests that CTCs and BM-DTCs detected in BC PDX-bearing mice may represent a valuable and unique preclinical model for investigating the role of these rare cells in tumor metastases.
Genome-Wide Identification of CBX2 Targets: Insights in the Human Sex Development Network
Authors: Eid Wassim , Opitz Lennart , Biason-Lauber Anna
Published: January 2015

Chromobox homolog 2 (CBX2) is a chromatin modifier that plays an important role in sexual development and its disorders (disorders of sex development [DSD]), yet the exact rank and function of human CBX2 in this pathway remains unclear. Here, we performed large-scale mapping and analysis of in vivo target loci of the protein CBX2 in Sertoli-like NT-2D1 cells, using the DNA adenine methyltransferase identification technique. We identified close to 1600 direct targets for CBX2. Intriguingly, validation of selected candidate genes using qRT-PCR in cells overexpressing CBX2 or in which CBX2 has been knocked down indicated that several CBX2-responsive genes encode proteins that are involved in DSD. We further validated these effects on the candidate genes using a mutated CBX2 causing DSD in human patient. Overall, our findings suggest that CBX2 role in the sex development cascade is to stimulate the male pathway and concurrently inhibit the female pathway. These data provide fundamental insights into potential etiology of DSD.
ERES: sites for autophagosome biogenesis and maturation?
Authors: Sanchez-Wandelmer Jana , Ktistakis Nicholas T. , Reggiori Fulvio
Published: January 2015

Autophagosomes are the hallmark of autophagy, but despite their central role in this degradative pathway that involves vesicle transport to lysosomes or vacuoles, the mechanism underlying their biogenesis still remains largely unknown. Our current concepts about autophagosome biogenesis are based on models suggesting that a small autonomous cisterna grows into an autophagosome through expansion at its extremities. Recent findings have revealed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites (ERES), specialized ER regions where proteins are sorted into the secretory system, are key players in the formation of autophagosomes. Owing to the morphological connection of nascent autophagosomes with the ER, this has raised several questions that challenge our current perception of autophagosome biogenesis, such as are ERES the compartments where autophagosome formation takes place? What is the functional relevance of this connection? Are these compartments providing essential molecules for the generation of autophagosomes and/or are they structural platforms where these vesicles emerge? In this Hypothesis, we discuss recent data that have implicated the ERES in autophagosome biogenesis and we propose two models to describe the possible role of this compartment at different steps in the process of autophagosome biogenesis.

This article is part of a Focus on Autophagosome biogenesis. For further reading, please see related articles: ‘Membrane dynamics in autophagosome biogenesis’ by Sven R. Carlsson and Anne Simonsen (J. Cell Sci. 128, 193-205) and ‘WIPI proteins: essential PtdIns3P effectors at the nascent autophagosome’ by Tassula Proikas-Cezanne et al. (J. Cell Sci. 128, 207-217).
True Molecular-resolution Imaging on Alkanethiol Self-assembled Monolayers in Ionic Liquids by Frequency Modulation Atomic Force Microscopy Utilizing a Quartz Tuning Fork Sensor
Authors: Ichii Takashi , Furutani Yoshihisa , Negami Masahiro , Utsunomiya Toru , Murase Kuniaki , Sugimura Hiroyuki
Published: January 2015

Molecular-resolution imaging on an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) in an ionic liquid (IL) was demonstrated using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM). A quartz tuning fork sensor with a sharpened tungsten tip, the so-called qPlus sensor, was used as a force sensor. Etch pits, which are a typical structure of alkanethiol SAMs, individual alkanethiol molecules, and single molecular defects were clearly imaged; that is, true molecular-resolution imaging was successfully achieved. We also carried out force curve measurement using the FM-AFM and the presence of a solvation layer on the IL/SAM interface was recognized.
Gelation via One-step Self-assembly of Poly(γ-glutamic acid) and Folic Acid
Authors: Sun Jiadi , Meng Long , Zhu Ye , Cui Yan , Liu Xiaoya
Published: January 2015

Herein, gels composed of nanoscaled particles were obtained via one-step self-assembly of poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) and folic acid (FA). The outcomes show that the amount of added FA plays a crucial role in the liquid–gel transition. The resulting gels revealed an increase in both storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G′′) with increasing amount of FA. This paper describes an effective and promising strategy to prepare gels based on self-assembly of copolymers or particles in an organic medium.
Pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease
Authors: Bird Louise , Walker David
Published: January 2015

This series of four articles explores the pathophysiology and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI). We review the causes of CKD and AKI, treatment options and secondary complications. CKD and AKI are both relatively common in general practice and early identification and appropriate management may improve the outcome of patients with these conditions. This first article focuses on the pathophysiology of CKD and possible complications.
Nutrition (part 2): lifestyle diets
Authors: Sheridan Libby
Published: January 2015

Pet nutrition has undergone many improvements over recent decades and the benefits of this are plain to see. Today's pets live longer and enjoy better health. However, at the same time, some conditions such as obesity and associated diseases have increased in prevalence, with energy-dense, good-tasting foods and a more sedentary lifestyle implicated as risk factors. There are now diets emerging to take account of these and other lifestyle factors, and decisions on what and how to feed a pet should take into account both the animal's lifestage and lifestyle.
Reincarnating Mae Nak: The contemporary cinematic history of a Thai icon
Authors: Knee Adam
Published: January 2015

Working from the premise that Nonzee Nimibutr’s Nang Nak (1999) marked a major turning point in the discourse surrounding Thailand’s well-known ghost Nak, this article offers a case study of more recent remakes of the narrative both as potentially revelatory of certain key meanings that now reside in the figure and as illustrative of a number of tendencies of the contemporary Thai film industry – indeed, offering a kind of longitudinal view of industrial shifts over the past fifteen years. Recent images of Nak have ranged from dangerous (and eroticized) to heroic, and the films themselves have run the gamut from low-budget exploitation, to animation, to a blockbuster comedy.
Spirits in suburbia: Ghosts, global desires and the rise of Thai middle-class horror
Authors: Ancuta Katarzyna
Published: January 2015

Horror films have played a significant role in introducing Thai cinema to international audiences and therefore inspiring Thai film-makers to produce films that could be globally marketable. Though successful with broader Thai population, Thai horror films have been repeatedly rejected by Bangkok urbanites as formulaic ‘low-class’ entertainment. The unprecedented success of Sopon Sukdapisit’s Ladda Land (2011) with Bangkok audiences reflects the recent change of direction in Thai horror to cater to the tastes of the middle classes, and invites a more thorough investigation. The article uses the example of Sukdapisit’s Ladda Land to discuss the effects of modernization and globalization processes on the development of the Thai horror genre, in particular with relation to the concept of the ghost as the figure of fear. With its reconfiguration of the typical Thai ghost story formula, Ladda Land brings horror closer to home for its middle-class audience but does so at the cost of replacing its earth-bound past-oriented revenants with the living ghosts, trapped within the temporality of a dream of social mobility and economic success.
The politics of Maori history in an age of protest
Authors: Belgrave Michael
Published: January 2015

Urbanization, Maori political radicalism and the re-emergence of the Treaty of Waitangi have all been part of the resurgence of Maori pan tribal and tribal identity since the beginning of the 1960s. This article traces the impact of this political resurgence on the writing of Maori history. It argues that in the 1960s Maori politics had little use for history as Maori communities responded to the contemporary experience of urbanization. As critical Maori voices emerged from the late 1960s, they drew on contemporary sociological and anthropological theory to explain Maori disadvantage, only gradually finding historical explanations for political marginalization and economic disadvantage. These explanations had by the early 1980s emphasized the universal experience of colonization and national Maori sovereignty. It is argued that only gradually did these narratives become located in specific tribal experiences, reinforcing claims of tribal sovereignty. The work of the Waitangi Tribunal accompanied by the devolution of the state sector encouraged the development of these tribal histories, which were often contested. However, early enthusiasm by historians for Tribunal history was from the late 1990s accompanied by a more critical response, concerned about the extent that history was serving and being distorted by political purposes. The article concludes by exploring Maori history in the post-Tribunal era, not only freed from the limitations of supporting Maori claims under the Treaty of Waitangi, but also from the political polarization of the 1970s and 1980s.
Relações entre desempenho escolar e interesses profissionais de estudantes do ensino médio Desempenho escolar e interesses profissionais
Authors: Noronha Ana Paula Porto , Ambiel Rodolfo Augusto Matteo
Published: January 2015

Esse artigo buscou estudar as relações entre interesses profissionais e notas de estudantes do ensino médio de uma escola particular do estado de Minas Gerais e as diferenças de médias entre gêneros. Para tanto, 245 estudantes (24,1% da primeira série, 40,8% da segunda, e 35,1% da terceira) participaram da pesquisa, com idade média de 16,3 anos (DP=0,9), sendo que 60,8% eram mulheres. Foram utilizadas a Escala de Aconselhamento Profissional (EAP) e as notas das avaliações dos dois primeiros bimestres letivos de 2005. Os resultados indicaram correlações significativas coerentes, com relações positivas entre disciplinas e áreas de interesse afins, e correlações negativas entre áreas com poucas relações de conteúdo. Observou-se um melhor desempenho escolar das mulheres e uma tendência de preferência por atividades típicas de cada gênero. Implicações práticas dos achados e propostas de novos estudos no sentido de clarificar tais relações são indicadas.
Inteligências múltiplas de Gardner: É possível pensar a inteligência sem um factor g?
Authors: Almeida Leandro S. , Ferrando Mercedes , Ferreira Aristides I. , Prieto Maria Dolores , Fernández Mari Carmen , Sainz Marta
Published: January 2015

Em resposta às críticas de falta de inovação no método dos testes e de pouca atenção às variáveis sócio-culturais na avaliação da inteligência, Gardner (1983, 1999) avança com a teoria das Inteligências Múltiplas (MI) e com tarefas mais ecológicas e próximas do quotidiano dos sujeitos para a sua avaliação. No quadro do Projecto Spectrum, várias tarefas são propostas para a avaliação das MI, considerando-se neste estudo 6 tarefas cobrindo outras tantas inteligências: naturalística, linguístico-verbal, corporal-cinestésica, visuo-espacial, musical e lógico-matemática. Um total de 294 crianças entre os 5 e os 7 anos foram avaliadas com essas tarefas. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que, se ao nível da precisão, os índices de consistência interna podem ser considerados apropriados, já em relação à validade de constructo subsistem as reservas colocadas ao modelo teórico de Gardner. Com efeito, e ao contrário das posições de Gardner é defensável um factor geral, mesmo não explicando mais que 40% da variância dos resultados, e por outro lado não emergem neste estudo factores que pudessem agrupar algumas destas inteligências, como é proposto mais recentemente por Gardner.
Memórias afectivas do corpo: um estudo qualitativo acerca do papel dos pais na experiência corporal
Authors: Barbosa Raquel , Matos Paula Mena , Costa Maria Emília
Published: January 2015

Neste estudo estamos interessados em compreender melhor os pensamentos e sentimentos subjacentes à experiência do corpo no contexto familiar. Pretende-se escutar as vozes dos adolescentes no que diz respeito à representação da relação que estabelecem com o seu corpo e com o mundo, escutar e compreender, através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, as narrativas pessoais dos participantes relativamente à construção da sua experiência corporal. A entrevista focaliza-se, essencialmente, na construção de significados acerca do corpo ao longo do desenvolvimento (a vivência do corpo relacional e emocional desde a infância até ao momento da entrevista), tendo em conta a qualidade das relações estabelecidas com os pais. Devido à ausência de estudos neste domínio, este trabalho pretende ser um eventual contributo para a compreensão do corpo enquanto experiência relacional e ajudar a compreender como é que os adolescentes e jovens falam do seu corpo.
Processos narrativos de mudança em psicoterapia: Estudo de um caso de sucesso de terapia construtivista
Authors: Ribeiro António , Gonçalves Miguel M. , Ribeiro Eugénia
Published: January 2015

Segundo a terapia narrativa de White, a mudança ocorre a partir da identificação e expansão dos resultados únicos, entendidos como excepções à narrativa problemática. O Sistema de Codificação de Momentos de Inovação (SCMI) foi desenvolvido para identificar estas novidades narrativas – que denominamos momentos de inovação (MIs) – nas sessões de psicoterapia. Este sistema permite identificar 5 tipos de MIs: acção, reflexão, protesto, reconceptualização e desempenho da mudança. Pretendemos compreender como é que os diferentes tipos de MIs emergem ao longo do processo terapêutico. Deste modo, apresentamos a análise do processo de mudança de um caso de sucesso de terapia construtivista, a partir do SCMI. A reconceptualização emerge na fase intermédia do processo e evolui progressivamente até ao final. A reflexão está presente ao longo do processo, sendo bastante elevada nas sessões iniciais e intermédias e decrescendo nas sessões finais. Os MIs de desempenho da mudança, acção e protesto estão quase ausentes.
Transição para a Idade Adulta e Adultez Emergente: Adaptação do Questionário de Marcadores da Adultez junto de Jovens Portugueses
Authors: Mendonça Marina , Andrade Cláudia , Fontaine Anne Marie
Published: January 2015

O presente artigo tem como principal objectivo adaptar o instrumento Questionnaire of Markers of Adulthood -QMA (Arnett, 2001), junto de jovens portugueses. Inspirado no conceito de Adultez Emergente, um conjunto de marcadores psicológicos, biológicos, sociais e contextuais de transição para a idade adulta foram avaliados a partir de 37 itens, junto de uma amostra de 224 estudantes universitários. Análises factoriais exploratórias e confirmatórias evidenciaram uma estrutura com cinco factores. Os resultados deste estudo confirmam a importância dos marcadores psicológicos como elementos nucleares na definição da idade adulta. Adicionalmente, para os jovens que ainda não se percepcionam completamente adultos, a independência financeira surge como um elemento crucial na sua definição da idade adulta. Este estudo reforça a importância atribuída, por outros autores contemporâneos, a esta fase emergente da vida e oferece um instrumento capaz de avaliar, de forma fiável e válida, a importância relativa dos marcadores de transição na conceptualização da idade adulta em Portugal.