bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The α1A-adrenergic receptor subtype mediates increased contraction of failing right ventricular myocardium
Authors: Cowley Patrick M. , Wang Guanying , Chang Audrey N. , Makwana Om , Swigart Philip M. , Lovett David H. , Stull James T. , Simpson Paul C. , Baker Anthony J.
Published: June 2015

Dysfunction of the right ventricle (RV) is closely related to prognosis for patients with RV failure. Therefore, strategies to improve failing RV function are significant. In a mouse RV failure model, we previously reported that α1-adrenergic receptor (α1-AR) inotropic responses are increased. The present study determined the roles of both predominant cardiac α1-AR subtypes (α1A and α1B) in upregulated inotropy in failing RV. We used the mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and RV failure. We assessed the myocardial contractile response in vitro to stimulation of the α1A-subtype (using α1A-subtype-selective agonist A61603) and α1B-subtype [using α1A-subtype knockout mice and nonsubtype selective α1-AR agonist phenylephrine (PE)]. In wild-type nonfailing RV, a negative inotropic effect of α1-AR stimulation with PE (force decreased ≈50%) was switched to a positive inotropic effect (PIE) with bleomycin-induced RV injury. Upregulated inotropy in failing RV occurred with α1A-subtype stimulation (force increased ≈200%), but not with α1B-subtype stimulation (force decreased ≈50%). Upregulated inotropy mediated by the α1A-subtype involved increased activator Ca2+transients and increased phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain (a mediator of increased myofilament Ca2+sensitivity). In failing RV, the PIE elicited by the α1A-subtype was appreciably less when the α1A-subtype was stimulated in combination with the α1B-subtype, suggesting functional antagonism between α1A- and α1B-subtypes. In conclusion, upregulation of α1-AR inotropy in failing RV myocardium requires the α1A-subtype and is opposed by the α1B-subtype. The α1A subtype might be a therapeutic target to improve the function of the failing RV.
Analysis of erectile responses to H2S donors in the anesthetized rat
Authors: Jupiter Ryan C. , Yoo Daniel , Pankey Edward A. , Reddy Vishwaradh V. G. , Edward Justin A. , Polhemus David J. , Peak Taylor C. , Katakam Prasad , Kadowitz Philip J.
Published: June 2015

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a biologically active endogenous gasotransmitter formed in penile tissue that has been shown to relax isolated cavernosal smooth muscle. In the present study, erectile responses to the H2S donors sodium sulfide (Na2S) and sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) were investigated in the anesthetized rat. Intracavernosal injections of Na2S in doses of 0.03–1 mg/kg increased intracavernosal pressure and transiently decreased mean arterial pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Blood pressure responses to Na2S were rapid in onset and short in duration. Responses to Na2S and NaHS were similar at doses up to 0.3 mg/kg, after which a plateau in the erectile response to NaHS was reached. Increases in intracavernosal pressure in response to Na2S were attenuated by tetraethylammonium (K+ channel inhibitor) and iberiotoxin (large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel inhibitor), whereas glybenclamide [ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel inhibitor] and inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, cyclooxygenase, and cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase had no effect. These data indicate that erectile responses to Na2S are mediated by a tetraethylammonium- and iberiotoxin-sensitive mechanism and that KATP channels, NO, or arachidonic acid metabolites are not involved. Na2S did not alter erectile responses to sodium nitroprusside (NO donor) or cavernosal nerve stimulation, indicating that neither NO nor cGMP metabolism are altered. Thus, Na2S has erectile activity mediated by large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels. It is suggested that strategies that increase H2S formation in penile tissue may be useful in the treatment of erectile dysfunction when NO bioavailability, KATP channel function, or poor responses to PGE1 are present.
Molecular Pathways: Activating T Cells after Cancer Cell Phagocytosis from Blockade of CD47 “Don't Eat Me” Signals
Authors: McCracken Melissa N. , Cha Adriel C. , Weissman Irving L.
Published: June 2015

Recent advances with immunotherapy agents for the treatment of cancer have provided remarkable, and in some cases, curative results. Our laboratory has identified CD47 as an important “don't eat me” signal expressed on malignant cells. Blockade of the CD47:SIRP-α axis between tumor cells and innate immune cells (monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells) increases tumor cell phagocytosis in both solid tumors (including, but not limited to, bladder, breast, colon, lung, and pancreatic) and hematologic malignancies. These phagocytic innate cells are also professional antigen-presenting cells (APC), providing a link from innate to adaptive antitumor immunity. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that APCs present antigens from phagocytosed tumor cells, causing T-cell activation. Therefore, agents that block the CD47:SIRP-α engagement are attractive therapeutic targets as a monotherapy or in combination with additional immune-modulating agents for activating antitumor T cells in vivo. Clin Cancer Res; 21(16); 3597–601. ©2015 AACR.
Dual Targeting of Protein Degradation Pathways with the Selective HDAC6 Inhibitor ACY-1215 and Bortezomib Is Synergistic in Lymphoma
Authors: Amengual Jennifer E. , Johannet Paul , Lombardo Maximilian , Zullo Kelly , Hoehn Daniela , Bhagat Govind , Scotto Luigi , Jirau-Serrano Xavier , Radeski Dejan , Heinen Jennifer , Jiang Hongfeng , Cremers Serge , Zhang Yuan , Jones Simon , O'Connor Owen A.
Published: June 2015

Purpose: Pan-class histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are effective treatments for select lymphomas. Isoform-selective HDAC inhibitors are emerging as potentially more targeted agents. HDAC6 is a class IIb deacetylase that facilitates misfolded protein transport to the aggresome for degradation. We investigated the mechanism and therapeutic impact of the selective HDAC6 inhibitor ACY-1215 alone and in combination with bortezomib in preclinical models of lymphoma.

Experimental Design: Concentration–effect relationships were defined for ACY-1215 across 16 lymphoma cell lines and for synergy with bortezomib. Mechanism was interrogated by immunoblot and flow cytometry. An in vivo xenograft model of DLBCL was used to confirm in vitro findings. A collection of primary lymphoma samples were surveyed for markers of the unfolded protein response (UPR).

Results: Concentration–effect relationships defined maximal cytotoxicity at 48 hours with IC50 values ranging from 0.9 to 4.7 μmol/L. Strong synergy was observed in combination with bortezomib. Treatment with ACY-1215 led to inhibition of the aggresome evidenced by acetylated α-tubulin and accumulated polyubiquitinated proteins and upregulation of the UPR. All pharmacodynamic effects were enhanced with the addition of bortezomib. Findings were validated in vivo where mice treated with the combination demonstrated significant tumor growth delay and prolonged overall survival. Evaluation of a collection of primary lymphoma samples for markers of the UPR revealed increased HDAC6, GRP78, and XBP-1 expression as compared with reactive lymphoid tissue.

Conclusions: These data are the first results to demonstrate that dual targeting of protein degradation pathways represents an innovative and rational approach for the treatment of lymphoma. Clin Cancer Res; 21(20); 4663–75. ©2015 AACR.
Ingenol Mebutate Signals via PKC/MEK/ERK in Keratinocytes and Induces Interleukin Decoy Receptors IL1R2 and IL13RA2
Authors: Freiberger Sandra N. , Cheng Phil F. , Iotzova-Weiss Guergana , Neu Johannes , Liu Qinxiu , Dziunycz Piotr , Zibert John R. , Dummer Reinhard , Skak Kresten , Levesque Mitchell P. , Hofbauer Günther F.L.
Published: June 2015

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common human skin cancer and the second leading cause of skin cancer–related death. Recently, a new compound, ingenol mebutate, was approved for treatment of actinic keratosis, a precursor of SCC. As the mechanism of action is poorly understood, we have further investigated the mechanism of ingenol mebutate–induced cell death. We elucidate direct effects of ingenol mebutate on primary keratinocytes, patient-derived SCC cells, and a SCC cell line. Transcriptional profiling followed by pathway analysis was performed on ingenol mebutate–treated primary keratinocytes and patient-derived SCC cells to find key mediators and identify the mechanism of action. Activation of the resulting pathways was confirmed in cells and human skin explants and supported by a phosphorylation screen of treated primary cells. The necessity of these pathways was demonstrated by inhibition of certain pathway components. Ingenol mebutate inhibited viability and proliferation of all keratinocyte-derived cells in a biphasic manner. Transcriptional profiling identified the involvement of PKC/MEK/ERK signaling in the mechanism of action and inhibition of this signaling pathway rescued ingenol mebutate–induced cell death after treatment with 100 nmol/L ingenol mebutate, the optimal concentration for the first peak of response. We found the interleukin decoy receptors IL1R2 and IL13RA2 induced by ingenol mebutate in a PKC/MEK/ERK–dependent manner. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of IL1R2 and IL13RA2 partially rescued ingenol mebutate–treated cells. In conclusion, we have shown that ingenol mebutate–induced cell death is mediated through the PKCδ/MEK/ERK pathway, and we have functionally linked the downstream induction of IL1R2 and IL13RA2 expression to the reduced viability of ingenol mebutate–treated cells. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(9); 2132–42. ©2015 AACR.
YU238259 Is a Novel Inhibitor of Homology-Dependent DNA Repair That Exhibits Synthetic Lethality and Radiosensitization in Repair-Deficient Tumors
Authors: Stachelek Gregory C. , Peterson-Roth Elizabeth , Liu Yanfeng , Fernandez Rafael J. , Pike Luke R.G. , Qian Jack M. , Abriola Laura , Hoyer Denton , Hungerford William , Merkel Janie , Glazer Peter M.
Published: June 2015

Radiotherapy and DNA-damaging chemotherapy are frequently utilized in the treatment of solid tumors. Innate or acquired resistance to these therapies remains a major clinical challenge in oncology. The development of small molecules that sensitize cancers to established therapies represents an attractive approach to extending survival and quality of life in patients. Here, we demonstrate that YU238259, a member of a novel class of DNA double-strand break repair inhibitors, exhibits potent synthetic lethality in the setting of DNA damage response and DNA repair defects. YU238259 specifically inhibits homology-dependent DNA repair, but not non-homologous end-joining, in cell-based GFP reporter assays. Treatment with YU238259 is not only synergistic with ionizing radiation, etoposide, and PARP inhibition, but this synergism is heightened by BRCA2 deficiency. Further, growth of BRCA2-deficient human tumor xenografts in nude mice is significantly delayed by YU238259 treatment even in the absence of concomitant DNA-damaging therapy. The cytotoxicity of these small molecules in repair-deficient cells results from an accumulation of unresolved DNA double-strand breaks. These findings suggest that YU238259 or related small molecules may have clinical benefit to patients with advanced BRCA2-negative tumors, either as a monotherapy or as an adjuvant to radiotherapy and certain chemotherapies.

Implications: We have identified a novel series of compounds that demonstrate synthetic lethality in DNA repair–deficient cell and animal models and have strong potential for clinical translation. Mol Cancer Res; 13(10); 1389–97. ©2015 AACR.
Cerebral Accidents in Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis: Different Complications and Different Evolutions
Authors: Mozzillo Enza , D'Amico Alessandra , Fattorusso Valentina , Carotenuto Barbara , Buono Pietro , De Nitto Elena , Falco Mariateresa , Franzese Adriana
Published: June 2015

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) may be associated with neurologic complications: the most common is cerebral edema while the risk of venous and arterial stroke is rare. There is a pathogenetic link between DKA, hypercoagulability and stroke, whose risk is underestimated by clinicians. Our cases present a wide spectrum of cerebral accidents during DKA, the first one being diffuse cerebral edema, the second one venous stroke after 5 days of DKA resolution, while the third one multifocal edema suspected to be extrapontine myelinolysis although without electrolyte imbalance. Our cases suggest that DKA requires very accurate treatment, particularly at an early age, and it can be complicated by cerebral accidents even with appropriate medical care.
Hair and Scalp Manifestations in Secondary Syphilis: Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Trichoscopy
Authors: Piraccini Bianca Maria , Broccoli Alessandro , Starace Michela , Gaspari Valeria , D'Antuono Antonietta , Dika Emi , Patrizi Annalisa
Published: June 2015

Background: Syphilitic alopecia (SA) is mainly described in single case reports, and there are only a few epidemiological studies. Objective: To investigate the clinical and dermoscopic features of SA in patients with secondary syphilis and to record its actual prevalence. Methods: All patients with a diagnosis of secondary syphilis were clinically and trichoscopically evaluated in search of hair and scalp alterations. Results: Five of 12 patients (41.6%) diagnosed with secondary syphilis had SA. The ‘moth-eaten' pattern was detected in 4 patients (80% of cases): 1 had ‘essential' SA, whereas 3 patients had ‘symptomatic' SA. The ‘diffuse' SA pattern was found in 1 patient. Trichoscopy of the ‘moth-eaten' areas showed that alopecia is mainly due to a reduction in the number of terminal hairs. One patient with secondary syphilis showed trichodynia that regressed completely after antibiotic therapy. Limitations: The small number of patients included and the fact that none of our patients accepted to be biopsied in an affected area. Conclusion: Since SA appears to be present much more frequently than reported in the literature, when secondary syphilis is suspected, the patient should be examined for the presence of signs compatible with SA and the scalp should be examined by dermoscopy.
Evolution of Courtship Songs in Xenopus: Vocal Pattern Generation and Sound Production
Authors: Leininger Elizabeth C. , Kelley Darcy B.
Published: June 2015

The extant species of African clawed frogs (Xenopus and Silurana) provide an opportunity to link the evolution of vocal characters to changes in the responsible cellular and molecular mechanisms. In this review, we integrate several robust lines of research: evolutionary trajectories of Xenopus vocalizations, cellular and circuit-level mechanisms of vocalization in selected Xenopus model species, and Xenopus evolutionary history and speciation mechanisms. Integrating recent findings allows us to generate and test specific hypotheses about the evolution of Xenopus vocal circuits. We propose that reduced vocal sex differences in some Xenopus species result from species-specific losses of sexually differentiated neural and neuromuscular features. Modification of sex-hormone-regulated developmental mechanisms is a strong candidate mechanism for reduced vocal sex differences.
Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate and Simultaneous Suprapubic Cystostomy for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Patients with Mild to Severe Detrusor Underactivity
Authors: Yu Zhenggang , Li Jian , Li Zhaoyi , Hou Ruipeng
Published: June 2015

Introduction: This study investigated the clinical efficacy and safety of photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) and simultaneous suprapubic cystostomy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in patients with mild to severe detrusor underactivity (DU). Subjects and Methods: Seventy-eight patients with BPH were divided into 3 groups according to the severity of DU: mild DU group, moderate DU group and severe DU group. The preoperative and postoperative data, including the detrusor pressure at maximum flow (Pdetmax), bladder compliance, maximum urinary flow (Qmax), postvoid residual urine (PVR) values, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated. Results: The therapeutic effectiveness including cure and improvement in mild and moderate DU group was significantly higher than that of the severe group. Compared to the preoperative values, Pdetmax, bladder compliance, Qmax, PVR, IPSS and QoL scores at 12 months postoperatively had significantly improved. In addition, the above parameters at 12 months postoperatively in the mild or moderate DU group had significant difference compared to the severe DU group. Conclusion: PVP and simultaneous suprapubic cystostomy seem to be an appropriate treatment modality in BPH patients with mild and/or moderate DU as well as in patients with severe DU and slightly reduced bladder compliance.
Cuidando das r Cuidando das relações no elações no ensino médico ensino médico
Authors: Azevedo Luciana Fernandes de Medeiros , Pessoa Neto Agábio Diogenes , De Oliveira Caroline Manoela de Oliveira , Sousa Luisa Silva de , Eberlin Maria Beatriz Nóbrega , Almeida Yngra Bastos Mesquita Minora de
Published: June 2015

O artigo é um relato de experiência de um trabalho que teve como objetivo proporcionar momentos de escuta e reflexão sobre si mesmo como primeiro passo para o cuidado de si e para o desenvolvimento de uma postura dialógica. A ideia foi desenvolver espaços de reflexão sobre a humanização e o cuidado consigo mesmo e com o outro. O trabalho foi desenvolvido através de 05 rodas de conversa com 05 estudantes de medicina interessados em participar do projeto. No decorrer dos encontros, temas como relação aluno-professor, estudos de anatomia, sobrecarga de conteúdos e provas foram elencados como mobilizadores de angústia entre os estudantes. Faz-se necessário incluir esses temas no cotidiano de aulas e aprimorar a relação aluno-professor para efetivamente incutir o processo de humanização no ensino médico.
Rapid Surface Cooling by ThermoSuit System Dramatically Reduces Scar Size, Prevents Post‐Infarction Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling, and Improves Cardiac Function in Rats
Authors: Dai Wangde , Herring Michael J. , Hale Sharon L. , Kloner Robert A.
Published: June 2015

Background

The long‐term effects of transient hypothermia by the non‐invasive ThermoSuit apparatus on myocardial infarct (
MI
) scar size, left ventricular (
LV
) remodeling, and
LV
function were assessed in rat
MI
model.

Methods and Results

Rats were randomized to normothermic or hypothermic groups (n=14 in each group) and subjected to 30 minutes coronary artery occlusion and 6 weeks of reperfusion. For hypothermia therapy, rats were placed into the ThermoSuit apparatus at 2 minutes after the onset of coronary artery occlusion, were taken out of the apparatus when the core body temperature reached 32°C (in ≈8 minutes), and were then allowed to rewarm. After 6 weeks of recovery, rats treated with hypothermia demonstrated markedly reduced scar size (expressed as % of left ventricular area: hypothermia, 6.5±1.1%; normothermia, 19.4±1.7%;
P
=1.3×10
−6
); and thicker anterior
LV
wall (hypothermia, 1.57±0.09 mm; normothermia, 1.07±0.05 mm;
P
=3.4×10
−5
); decreased postmortem left ventricular volume (hypothermia, 0.45±0.04 mL; normothermia, 0.6±0.03 mL;
P
=0.028); and better
LV
fractional shortening by echocardiography (hypothermia, 37.2±2.8%; normothermia, 18.9±2.3%;
P
=0.0002) and
LV
ejection fraction by
LV
contrast ventriculography (hypothermia, 66.8±2.3%; normothermia, 56.0±2.0%;
P
=0.0014).

Conclusions

Rapid, transient non‐invasive surface cooling with the ThermoSuit apparatus in the acute phase of
MI
decreased scar size by 66.5%, attenuated adverse post‐infarct left ventricular dilation and remodeling, and improved cardiac function in the chronic phase of experimental
MI
.
Developmental Screening With Spanish-Speaking Families in a Primary Care Setting
Authors: Huntington Noelle , Horan Kelly , Epee-Bounya Alexandra , Schonwald Alison
Published: June 2015

Cultural beliefs may influence parents’ willingness to raise concerns on a developmental screener. Our study evaluated the performance of the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) in an urban community health center where 75% of families are Spanish speaking. Our primary outcome was the presence of parent-reported concerns either in the medical record or on the PEDS before the PEDS was introduced compared with after it became routine care (post-PEDS). Covariates included family language and child age, gender, and risk status. The adjusted odds of a concern being identified was 1.5 times greater in the post-PEDS period for Developmental concerns and 2.1 times greater for Behavioral concerns. There was no association with family language indicating that the PEDS performs equally well for English- and Spanish-speaking families. The systematic inclusion of developmental screening as part of culturally competent primary care may aid in reducing current disparities in the identification of developmental concerns.
Pediatric Obesity in Early Childhood
Authors: Santos Melissa , Cadieux Adelle , Gray Jane , Ward Wendy
Published: June 2015

Obesity is a public health crisis and continues to affect youth of increasingly younger ages. With significant medical and psychosocial comorbidities, it is critical that front-line providers feel confident in their abilities to assess, and appropriately refer, children and families to subspecialties to aid in weight management treatment. This article describes the development and utility of a 1-page screening tool for pediatricians and other providers. Utilizing research, clinical experience, and consensus opinion, a brief tool was developed that could be incorporated into medical visits to facilitate medical care decisions and management of pediatric obesity.
The Effectiveness of Reading Interventions for English Learners
Authors: Richards-Tutor Catherine , Baker Doris L. , Gersten Russell , Baker Scott K. , Smith Jeanie Mercier
Published: June 2015

This article reviews published experimental studies from 2000 to 2012 that evaluated the effects of providing reading interventions to English learners who were at risk for experiencing academic difficulties, including students with learning disabilities. Criteria included: (a) the study was published in a peer-referred journal, (b) the study was an intervention for English learners at risk or with a learning disability in Grades K–12, (c) data were disaggregated by English learner status if all participants were not English learners, and (d) information about fidelity of implementation was reported. Twelve studies met these criteria. Results of seven studies conducted in kindergarten and first grade indicated significant moderate-to-large effect sizes (ES range, 0.58–0.91) for interventions targeting beginning reading skills. Findings in five of the 12 studies suggested significant moderate-to-large effects in reading or listening comprehension (ES range, 0.47–2.34). The interventions in these studies included explicit instruction, and 10 used published intervention programs. Moderator variables, such as group size, minutes of intervention, and type of personnel delivering the intervention, were not significant predictors of outcomes.
Foreign policy think tanks in China and Japan: Characteristics, current profile, and the case of collective self-defence
Authors: Abb Pascal , Koellner Patrick
Published: June 2015

The role of foreign policy think tanks (FPTTs) in policy-making has received substantial scholarly attention, with most studies focusing on US-based organizations. In this article, we seek to address this spatial bias by discussing the development and roles of FPTTs in two East Asian countries, China and Japan. China today hosts the second-largest think tank scene in the world, and many FPTTs have received influxes of funding and increased the academic qualifications of their staffers in recent years. Japan also hosts a sizable array of think tanks, but many of them operate on a for-profit basis and do not focus on public policy issues; Japan has very few genuine FPTTs. In both countries, FPTTs are in many ways linked to the government. While they seek to inform and influence foreign and security policy as well as public discourse on international affairs, they usually do not act as agenda setters. By examining the recent case of constitutional reinterpretation in Japan, which aimed to enable collective self-defence, we show how Japanese public intellectuals, including think tankers, helped to legitimize this controversial move and how Chinese FPTTs reacted publicly by providing media commentary in support of the official government line.
Hydroxyapatite Growth Inhibition Effect of Pellicle Statherin Peptides
Authors: Xiao Y. , Karttunen M. , Jalkanen J. , Mussi M.C.M. , Liao Y. , Grohe B. , Lagugné-Labarthet F. , Siqueira W.L.
Published: June 2015

In our recent studies, we have shown that in vivo–acquired enamel pellicle is a sophisticated biological structure containing a significant portion of naturally occurring salivary peptides. From a functional aspect, the identification of peptides in the acquired enamel pellicle is of interest because many salivary proteins exhibit functional domains that maintain the activities of the native protein. Among the in vivo–acquired enamel pellicle peptides that have been newly identified, 5 peptides are derived from statherin. Here, we assessed the ability of these statherin pellicle peptides to inhibit hydroxyapatite crystal growth. In addition, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to better understand the underlying physical mechanisms of hydroxyapatite growth inhibition. A microplate colorimetric assay was used to quantify hydroxyapatite growth. Statherin protein, 5 statherin-derived peptides, and a peptide lacking phosphate at residues 2 and 3 were analyzed. Statherin peptide phosphorylated on residues 2 and 3 indicated a significant inhibitory effect when compared with the 5 other peptides ( P < 0.05). MD simulations showed a strong affinity and fast adsorption to hydroxyapatite for phosphopeptides, whereas unphosphorylated peptides interacted weakly with the hydroxyapatite. Our data suggest that the presence of a covalently linked phosphate group (at residues 2 and 3) in statherin peptides modulates the effect of hydroxyapatite growth inhibition. This study provides a mechanism to account for the composition and function of acquired enamel pellicle statherin peptides that will contribute as a base for the development of biologically stable and functional synthetic peptides for therapeutic use against dental caries and/or periodontal disease.
Teaching child psychiatric assessment skills
Authors: Hargrave TM , Arthur ME
Published: June 2015

This article describes the workshop “Teaching Child Psychiatric Assessment Skills: Using Mental Health Screening Instruments,” presented at the 35th Forum for Behavioral Sciences in Family Medicine on 20 September 2014. The goals of the presentation were (1) to teach family medicine behavioral health educators to use both general and problem-specific mental health screening tools (MHSTs) in their work with trainees to help satisfy the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandate for behavioral and mental health experience during family medicine residency, (2) to reflect on how MHSTs might be integrated into the flow of family medicine teaching practices, and (3) to exemplify how evidence-based methods of adult education might be used in teaching such content. One general MHST, the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 and one problem-specific MHST for each of the four commonest pediatric mental health issues: for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, the Vanderbilt; for Anxiety, the Screen for Childhood Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders; for Depression, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for teens; and for Aggression, the Retrospective-Modified Overt Aggression Scale, were practiced at least twice in the context of a clinical vignette. All of the selected MHSTs are free in the public domain and available for download from the website: www.CAPPCNY.org . Participants were asked to reflect on their own office practice characteristics and consider how MHSTs might be integrated into their systems of care. This workshop could be replicated by others wishing to teach the use of MHSTs in primary care settings or teaching programs.
Welfare Crises, Penal Solutions, and the Origins of the “Welfare Queen”
Authors: Kohler-Hausmann Julilly
Published: June 2015

This article contributes to the scholarship on mass incarceration by highlighting the ways penal expansion intervened in the history of other state institutions. It argues that the increasing criminalization of welfare fraud was instrumental in undermining political support for key social welfare programs, particularly Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). In the 1970s, lawmakers and welfare administrators enlisted law enforcement’s expanding authority to contain growing welfare costs and counter demands from the welfare rights movement. It was from these anti-welfare fraud campaigns that the racialized caricature of the “welfare queen” entered the political lexicon. Recruiting the criminal justice system further stigmatized AFDC recipients by positioning them as criminally suspect, financially secure, and morally unworthy. I argue that while increased penalties for welfare fraud did not swell the penal system to the same extent as initiatives like the War on Drugs, they shaped popular knowledge about poor families and undermined faith in the state’s capacity to mitigate inequality.
System, society and dominance effects in the adoption of tele-health: A tri-country comparison
Authors: Russell Bob , Smith Chris , Valsecchi Raffaella , Andersson Bäck Monica
Published: June 2015

Although there have been many studies of low skilled call centre operators, research on professional workers in call centres is less common and cross-national research on such operations even rarer. This article compares the labour process experiences of tele-nurses – registered nurses in call centre settings – across three countries: the UK, Australia and Sweden. Using cross-national, comparative ethnographies, through a system, society and dominance (SSD) approach, the article explores the common problems tele-nurses face as well as distinctive societal differences in the ways in which this branch of e-health care is being established. The outcomes reveal both societal diversity and mounting pressures towards a globalizing conformity between the three countries with regard to the working practices of tele-nursing. The findings have important implications for whether or not a professional project can be developed around tele-health care.
From the classics to the cuts
Authors: Shand Rory , Howell Kerry E
Published: June 2015

This article intends to raise a number of issues regarding teaching public administration in the higher education sector and the value it has for individuals and society. The article explores the issue of value with reference to the teaching and learning of Public Administration as a discipline in the wider societal context. The article argues that the provision of public administration is a vital contributor to societal good, in terms of public service professions and the moral values that underpin the notion of public service. To this end, the article focuses on how we can apply classical theory to the concept of value in the teaching of public administration, linked to recent discussions of the discipline and its role in both theory and practice.
The Australian retirement lottery: A system failure
Authors: Ganegoda Amandha , Evans John
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this paper is to assess the adequacy of the Australian retirement system to fund the needs of retirees by taking into account both the Knightian risk arising from market volatility under normal market conditions as well as the Knightian uncertainty arising from rare but severe market shocks. We have also taken into account changes in employment during the pre-retirement phase. Given the low frequency, high impact of market shocks, the result is that cohorts of Australian retirees will enjoy very different levels of retirement income and there will be consequent shocks to the demand for the Age Pension supplement and potentially, significant variations in the standard of living in retirement for Australian employees. Whilst the Australian retirement system has been put forward as a model for other economies to follow, we find there is a fundamental flaw in the system.
The Tragedy of the Anticommons in Knowledge
Authors: Zhou Yi
Published: June 2015

The anticommons in knowledge is distinct from the anticommons in physical objects. The former is always tragic, the latter not necessarily so. For society at large, the tragedy of the anticommons is more serious when it involves knowledge than when it involves physical resources. Buchanan and Yoon’s (2000) formal model of the anticommons is incorrect even within the neoclassical context, and their neoliberal suggestion that single ownership is the socially optimal solution to the tragedy of the knowledge anticommons is misleading. This article argues that the only, epistemically and socially beneficial solution to the tragedy of the knowledge anticommons is to create, expand, and protect the knowledge commons. The article also constructs a simple formal model based on Bessen and Maskin’s (2006) sequential model, as a metaphor for how the comedy of the knowledge commons works. The analysis supports the worldwide movement for free knowledge, and dissents from the evolving political and academic consensus in China in favor of more restrictive intellectual property regimes.
DNA Repair Dysfunction and Neurodegeneration: Lessons From Rare Pediatric Disorders
Authors: Shabbir Syed H.
Published: June 2015

Nucleotide excision repair disorders display a wide range of clinical syndromes and presentations, all associated at the molecular level by dysfunction of genes participating in the nucleotide excision repair pathway. Genotype-phenotype relationships are remarkably complex and not well understood. This article outlines neurodegenerative symptoms seen in nucleotide excision repair disorders and explores the role that nucleotide excision repair dysfunction can play in the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases.
Survey of the Child Neurology Program Coordinator Association: Workforce Issues and Readiness for the Next Accreditation System
Authors: Feist Terri B. , Campbell Julia L. , LaBare Julie A. , Gilbert Donald L.
Published: June 2015

In preparation for the implementation of the Next Accreditation System in Child Neurology, the authors organized the first meeting of child neurology program coordinators in October 2014. A workforce and program-readiness survey was conducted initially. Coordinator job titles varied widely. Most respondents (65%) managed 1 or more fellowships plus child neurology residency. Most had worked in graduate medical education less than 5 years (53%), with no career path (88%), supervised by someone without graduate medical education experience (85%), in divisions where faculty knowledge was judged inadequate (72%). A small proportion of programs had established clinical competency committee policies (28%) and was ready to implement milestone-based evaluations (56%). A post-conference survey demonstrated substantial improvements in relevant skills. The complexity of residency program management in the Next Accreditation System era supports substantive modifications to the program coordinator role. Such changes should include defined career pathway, managerial classification, administrative support, and continuing education.
Investigating the addition of SiO2–CaO–ZnO–Na2O–TiO2 bioactive glass to hydroxyapatite: Characterization, mechanical properties and bioactivity
Authors: Yatongchai Chokchai , Placek Lana M , Curran Declan J , Towler Mark R , Wren Anthony W
Published: June 2015

Hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is widely investigated as an implantable material for hard tissue restoration due to its osteoconductive properties. However, hydroxyapatite in bulk form is limited as its mechanical properties are insufficient for load-bearing orthopedic applications. Attempts have been made to improve the mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite, by incorporating ceramic fillers, but the resultant composite materials require high sintering temperatures to facilitate densification, leading to the decomposition of hydroxyapatite into tricalcium phosphate, tetra-calcium phosphate and CaO phases. One method of improving the properties of hydroxyapatite is to incorporate bioactive glass particles as a second phase. These typically have lower softening points which could possibly facilitate sintering at lower temperatures. In this work, a bioactive glass (SiO2–CaO–ZnO–Na2O–TiO2) is incorporated (10, 20 and 30 wt%) into hydroxyapatite as a reinforcing phase. X-ray diffraction confirmed that no additional phases (other than hydroxyapatite) were formed at a sintering temperature of 560 ℃ with up to 30 wt% glass addition. The addition of the glass phase increased the % crystallinity and the relative density of the composites. The biaxial flexural strength increased to 36 MPa with glass addition, and there was no significant change in hardness as a function of maturation. The pH of the incubation media increased to pH 10 or 11 through glass addition, and ion release profiles determined that Si, Na and P were released from the composites. Calcium phosphate precipitation was encouraged in simulated body fluid with the incorporation of the bioactive glass phase, and cell culture testing in MC-3T3 osteoblasts determined that the composite materials did not significantly reduce cell viability.
Host Defense Proteins in Breast Milk and Neonatal Yeast Colonization
Authors: Chow Brian D.W. , Reardon Juliann L. , Perry Emily O. , Laforce-Nesbitt Sonia S. , Tucker Richard , Bliss Joseph M.
Published: June 2015

Background:

Colonization increases risk for invasive candidiasis in neonates. Breast milk host defense proteins may affect yeast colonization of infants.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate breast milk host defense proteins relative to yeast colonization in infants.

Methods:

Infants admitted for longer than 72 hours to the neonatal intensive care unit at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, were eligible. After consent, expressed breast milk and swabs from oral, rectal, and inguinal sites from infants were cultured weekly for 12 weeks, or until discharge, transfer, or death. Breast milk was tested for levels of human lactoferrin, lysozyme, apolipoprotein J, mucin-1, dermcidin, and soluble CD14 using commercial ELISA. Concentrations of these components were compared in breast milk received by infants who were colonized or not colonized with yeast.

Results:

From an original cohort of 130, 61 infants had samples available for this subanalysis. A convenience sample of stored breast milk was analyzed. Median lactoferrin, apolipoprotein J, and mucin-1 did not differ between colonized and uncolonized groups. Soluble CD14 was higher in the surface-colonized group (1.8 μg/mL, n = 12) compared with the surface-uncolonized group (1.6 μg/mL, n = 12, P = .02). Median lysozyme levels were higher in the surface-uncolonized group (483.0 ng/mL, n = 12) versus the surface-colonized group (298.3 ng/mL, n = 12, P = .04). Median dermcidin levels were higher in the surface-uncolonized group (19.4 ng/mL, n = 12) versus the surface-colonized group (8.7 ng/mL, n = 12, P = .04).

Conclusion:

This study shows an association between colonization with Candida in neonates and lower levels of lysozyme and dermcidin in received breast milk. Further study is needed to confirm these findings.
Pain in Community-Dwelling Elderly African Americans
Authors: Bazargan Mohsen , Yazdanshenas Hamed , Gordon David , Orum Gail
Published: June 2015

Objective: This study examines the type, severity, and correlates of pain among underserved elderly African Americans. Method: This cross-sectional study includes 400 non-institutionalized underserved aged African Americans, recruited from 16 African American churches located in South Los Angeles. Results: Two thirds of our participants reported a level of pain of 5 or higher (on a scale of 0-10) for at least one of the pain items. Participants with severe level of pain showed a higher level of insomnia, depression, and deficiency in activity of daily living as well as a lower level of memory function and quality of physical and mental health. Also, level of pain is a statistically significant correlate of office-based physician visits and emergency department admission. Conclusion: Our findings encourage multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary interventions to include pharmacotherapy, psychological support, and physical rehabilitation, specifically on neuropathic pain among aged African Americans with multiple chronic conditions.
Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Gao Y , Lo Y , Mok M Y
Published: June 2015

Objectives

Cognitive function and mood disturbance are common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study aims to examine whether SLE patients have more features of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their relation to anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Methods

Symptoms and clinically significant items of the inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity domains of ADHD were examined in Part A and Part B by the screening instrument of the ADHD Self-Reported Scale (ASRS), respectively. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured by HADS-A and HADS-D, respectively.

Results

There were no differences in symptom scores of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity between inactive SLE patients ( n = 117) and age- and sex-matched controls ( n = 64). However, SLE patients had more clinically significant items in the inattention domain compared with controls ( p = 0.006), particularly among those who had previous cerebral involvement ( p = 0.004). Patients who had psychiatric diseases had more clinically significant items in the hyperactivity/impulsivity domain ( p = 0.006). Possible ADHD was found in 7.7% of SLE and 6.3% of healthy individuals ( p = 1.00) by the screening tool. Patients with higher inattention symptom scores were more likely to be unemployed but not for duration of education and smoking habit. Anxiety and depressive symptoms correlated with ADHD symptoms. HADS-A was an independent predictive factor for clinically significant symptoms of inattention ( p < 0.001) and hyperactivity/impulsivity ( p = 0.04) by logistic regression.

Conclusion

Inactive SLE patients, particularly those who had previous cerebral lupus, had more clinically significant symptoms of inattention but not hyperactivity/impulsivity reflecting underlying cognitive impairment. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were common confounders for ADHD-like symptoms.
The transition model test for serial dependence in mixed-effects models for binary data
Authors: Breinegaard Nina , Rabe-Hesketh Sophia , Skrondal Anders
Published: June 2015

Generalized linear mixed models for longitudinal data assume that responses at different occasions are conditionally independent, given the random effects and covariates. Although this assumption is pivotal for consistent estimation, violation due to serial dependence is hard to assess by model elaboration. We therefore propose a targeted diagnostic test for serial dependence, called the transition model test (TMT), that is straightforward and computationally efficient to implement in standard software. The TMT is shown to have larger power than general misspecification tests. We also propose the targeted root mean squared error of approximation (TRSMEA) as a measure of the population misfit due to serial dependence.
Games in the Brain
Authors: Murch W. Spencer , Clark Luke
Published: June 2015

As a popular form of recreational risk taking, gambling games offer a paradigm for decision neuroscience research. As an individual behavior, gambling becomes dysfunctional in a subset of the population, with debilitating consequences. Gambling disorder has been recently reconceptualized as a “behavioral addiction” in the DSM-5, based on emerging parallels with substance use disorders. Why do some individuals undergo this transition from recreational to disordered gambling? The biomedical model of problem gambling is a “brain disorder” account that posits an underlying neurobiological abnormality. This article first delineates the neural circuitry that underpins gambling-related decision making, comprising ventral striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, dopaminergic midbrain, and insula, and presents evidence for pathophysiology in this circuitry in gambling disorder. These biological dispositions become translated into clinical disorder through the effects of gambling games. This influence is better articulated in a public health approach that describes the interplay between the player and the (gambling) product. Certain forms of gambling, including electronic gambling machines, appear to be overrepresented in problem gamblers. These games harness psychological features, including variable ratio schedules, near-misses, “losses disguised as wins,” and the illusion of control, which modulate the core decision-making circuitry that is perturbed in gambling disorder.
Sensitivity analysis of modal assurance criteria of damped systems
Authors: Lei Sheng , Mao Kuanmin , Li Li , Xiao Weiwei , Li Bin
Published: June 2015

This paper considers the calculation of the sensitivity of modal assurance criteria (MAC) values of viscously damped systems. A direct method is proposed by constructing a Lagrange function whose Lagrange multiplier only needs to be calculated once for different design parameters. It is efficient in computational time and storage capacity. An extensive numerical analysis is used to show the effectiveness of the derived results. Several applications concerning the sensitivity of MAC values are discussed on the basis of the experimental data and the numerical analysis of a long beam structure with bolted joints.
On comparison between iterative methods for solving nonlinear optimal control problems
Authors: Jafari Hossein , Ghasempour Saber , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: June 2015

Recently some semi-analytical methods have been introduced for solving a class of nonlinear optimal control problems such as the Adomian decomposition method, homotopy perturbation method and modified variational iteration method. In this manuscript we compare these methods for solving a type of nonlinear optimal control problem. We prove that these methods are equivalent, which means that they use the same iterative formula to obtain the approximate/analytical solution.