bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arabidopsis lipocalins AtCHL and AtTIL have distinct but overlapping functions essential for lipid protection and seed longevity
Authors: BOCA SIMONA , KOESTLER FLEUR , KSAS BRIGITTE , CHEVALIER ANNE , LEYMARIE JULIETTE , FEKETE AGNES , MUELLER MARTIN J. , HAVAUX MICHEL
Published: July 2013

Lipocalins are a group of multifunctional proteins, recognized as carriers of small lipophilic molecules, which have been characterized in bacteria and animals. Two true lipocalins have been recently identified in plants, the temperature‐induced lipocalin (TIL) and the chloroplastic lipocalin (CHL), the expression of which is induced by various abiotic stresses. Each lipocalin appeared to be specialized in the responses to specific stress conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana, with AtTIL and AtCHL playing a protective role against heat and high light, respectively. The double mutant AtCHL KO × AtTIL KO deficient in both lipocalins was more sensitive to temperature, drought and light stresses than the single mutants, exhibiting intense lipid peroxidation. AtCHL deficiency dramatically enhanced the photosensitivity of mutants (vte1, npq1) affected in lipid protection mechanisms (tocopherols, zeaxanthin), confirming the role of lipocalins in the prevention of lipid peroxidation. Seeds of the AtCHL KO × AtTIL KO double mutant were very sensitive to natural and artificial ageing, and again this phenomenon was associated with the oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids. The presented results show that the Arabidopsis lipocalins AtTIL and AtCHL have overlapping functions in lipid protection which are essential for stress resistance and survival.
DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint defects as drivers and therapeutic targets in melanoma
Authors: Pavey Sandra , Spoerri Loredana , Haass Nikolas K. , Gabrielli Brian
Published: July 2013

The ultraviolet radiation (UVR) component of sunlight is the major environmental risk factor for melanoma, producing DNA lesions that can be mutagenic if not repaired. The high level of mutations in melanomas that have the signature of UVR‐induced damage indicates that the normal mechanisms that detect and repair this damage must be defective in this system. With the exception of melanoma‐prone heritable syndromes which have mutations of repair genes, there is little evidence for somatic mutation of known repair genes. Cell cycle checkpoint controls are tightly associated with repair mechanisms, arresting cells to allow for repair before continuing through the cell cycle. Checkpoint signaling components also regulate the repair mechanisms. Defects in checkpoint mechanisms have been identified in melanomas and are likely to be responsible for increased mutation load in melanoma. Loss of the checkpoint responses may also provide an opportunity to target melanomas using a synthetic lethal approach to identify and inhibit mechanisms that compensate for the defective checkpoints.
Wittgenstein's Lectures on Religious Belief
Authors: Satris Stephen
Published: July 2013

In this article, I want to do two things. The first is to conduct a sympathetic yet critical review of some of the salient features of the ideas in the notes that have come to us from Wittgenstein's Lectures on Religious Belief. This requires close reading, analysis and critique. The second, which comes out of the first, is to give some indication of Wittgenstein's failure to apply to his thinking about religious and moral matters some of the insights that he had already achieved as his philosophical thinking progressed.
Imaging trematode and nematode parasites
Authors: Pearce E. J. , Lok J. B.
Published: July 2013

Recent advances in molecular genetics and in imaging mean that it is now increasingly feasible to image biological processes within helminth parasites and to visualize interactions between worms and their hosts. Moreover, other innovative imaging approaches that are not dependent on transgenic parasites have been applied to, and or developed for, the study of helminth parasites and have provided novel and important insights into the biology of these important pathogens.
ERP to chess stimuli reveal expert‐novice differences in the amplitudes of N2 and P3 components
Authors: Wright Michael J. , Gobet Fernand , Chassy Philippe , Ramchandani Payal Nanik
Published: July 2013

ERP experiments were conducted to analyze the underlying neural events when chess players make simple judgments of a board position. Fourteen expert players and 14 age‐matched novices viewed, for each of four tasks, 128 unique positions on a mini (4 × 4) chess board each presented for 0.5 s. The tasks were to respond: (a) if white king was in check, (b) if black knight was present, (c) if white king was not in check, and (d) if no black knight was present. Experts showed an enhanced N2 with check targets and a larger P3 with knight targets, relative to novices. Expert‐novice differences in posterior N2 began as early as 240 ms on check‐related searches. Results were consistent with the view that prolonged N2 components reflect matching of current perceptual input to memory, and thus are sensitive to experts' superior pattern recognition and memory retrieval of chunks.
Surgical Reconstructions for Posterolateral Rotatory Instability of Elbow using a Synthetic Ligament
Authors: Tawari Gautam J. K. , Lawrence Tom , Stanley David
Published: July 2013

Background

Chronic posterolateral rotatory instability occurs as a result of disruption of the lateral ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow. It is usually treated by ligament reconstruction using an autogenous graft. We present our experience of reconstruction with the use of a synthetic polyester (LARS®; Ligament Advanced Reinforcement System; Surgical Implants and Devices, Arc-sur-Tille, France) ligament and discuss the advantages of this technique.

Methods

Ten consecutive cases of lateral ligament reconstruction using a LARS® ligament were reviewed. The mean age at the time of surgery was 30.2 years. The mean duration of instability symptoms preoperatively was 32.4 months. Three patients had generalized hyperlaxity. Three patients had previously undergone an unsuccessful autogenous graft reconstruction.

Results

The mean postoperative follow-up was 27 months. At review, seven of the 10 patients had stable elbows with no feelings of recurrent instability. This included two of the patients with generalized hyperlaxity. The mean postoperative arc of flexion/extension was 13° to 137°. The mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score was 87.5.

Conclusions

The use of a synthetic ligament for reconstruction of posterolateral rotatory instability of the elbow provides satisfactory stability. It avoids the associated morbidity of using an autograft, appears to be well tolerated and is particularly valuable in the treatment of complex generalized hyperlaxity problems.
A Clinical Study of HBsAg‐Activated Dendritic Cells and Cytokine‐Induced Killer Cells During the Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Ma Y.‐J. , He M. , Han J.‐A. , Yang L. , Ji X.‐Y.
Published: July 2013

We aim to study the therapeutic effects of HBsAg‐activated DCs and cytokine‐induced killer (CIK) cells as adoptive immunotherapy in patients with Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB). Autologous HBsAg‐activated DC–CIK cells were infused into patients with CHB to evaluate their effect on HBV‐DNA, HBsAg, ALT, etc. The viral load in the treatment group decreased significantly (P < 0.001), while that in the control group did not decrease (P > 0.05). Twenty‐one patients (63.6% efficiency) in the treatment group had a viral response (≥2 log decrease in viral load), while four patients (14.8% efficiency) from the control group had a viral response. There were significant differences in the viral responses of the two groups (the control group 63.6% versus the control group 14.8%, P < 0.001). We concluded that the immunity was enhanced after HBsAg activation in DCs and CIK cells. Reinfusion of autologous HBsAg‐activated DC–CIK cells inhibited HBV proliferation in 21 of 33 (63.6%) patients.
Cognitive deficits of executive functions and decision‐making in obsessive‐compulsive disorder
Authors: Dittrich Winand H. , Johansen Thomas
Published: July 2013

The nature of cognitive deficits in obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by contradictory findings in terms of specific neuropsychological deficits. Selective impairments have been suggested to involve visuospatial memory, set shifting, decision‐making and response inhibition. The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive deficits in decision‐making and executive functioning in OCD. It was hypothesized that the OCD patients would be less accurate in their responses compared to the healthy controls in rational decision‐making on a version of the Cambridge gambling task (CGT) and on the color‐word interference test and on a version of the Tower of Hanoi test (tower test) of executive functioning. Thirteen participants with OCD were compared to a group of healthy controls (n = 13) matched for age, gender, education and verbal IQ. Results revealed significant differences between the OCD group and the healthy control group on quality of decision‐making on the CGT and for achievement score on the tower test. On these two tasks the OCD group performed worse than the healthy control group. The symptom‐dimension analysis revealed performance differences where safety checking patients were impaired on the tower test compared to contamination patients. Results are discussed in the framework of cognition and emotion processing and findings implicate that OCD models should address, specifically, the interaction between cognition and emotion. Here the emotional disruption hypothesis is forwarded to account for the dysfunctional behaviors in OCD. Further implications regarding methodological and inhibitory factors affecting cognitive information processing are highlighted.
Healthy, Happy and Humane: Evidence in Farm Animal Welfare Policy
Authors: Bock Bettina , Buller Henry
Published: July 2013

There has been a dramatic expansion and diversification of knowledge, expertise and expectation associated with farm animal welfare and we witness its increasing adoption within legislative and policy strategies. This article examines how the understanding of what constitutes farm animal welfare and how it should be enhanced, has shifted since it first entered the modern political arena in the sixties. It explores farm animal welfare as a critical and shifting area of imbrication of ‘science’ and ‘society’ and charts this process in particularly theUKand TheNetherlands. We demonstrate how public and scientific debates about what constitutes animal welfare, what counts as evidence of animal suffering and how welfare enhancement should be encouraged, has unveiled the tensions underlying its construction as a policy problem between social and animal science, productivity and integrity, as well as production and consumption and has turned animal welfare into a matter of societal choice. The article unravels the social construction of animal welfare science and reveals its limited capability of delivering ‘facts’ or ‘evidence’ in any truly objective manner.
Agriculture ‘East of the Elbe’ and the Common Agricultural Policy
Authors: Swain Nigel
Published: July 2013

This article explores some of the ambiguities inherent in applying a model of Western European agriculture (the model implicit within the tried and tested modalities of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)) to the very different agrarian structures of Central and Eastern Europe. It identifies first the dramatic and long‐standing differences in agrarian structures between these two European regions before considering some of the policy consequences of applying an agricultural support model based on the former to the latter as the CAP (albeit in a slightly modified form initially) was extended to the Accession States. The effect was to exacerbate what many see as perverse features of the CAP. A greater degree of reflexivity on the part of policymakers might have avoided some of these anomalies, but the research agenda of the last half century has left much relating to the CAP unexplored, including agriculture ‘east of the Elbe’.
Human platelet antigens frequencies in Maori and Polynesian populations
Authors: Edinur H. A. , Dunn P. P. J. , Lea R. A. , Chambers G. K.
Published: July 2013

Background

Allele frequencies of human platelet antigens (HPA) reflect population history and possibility of platelet‐specific alloimmunization. Here, we report on screening of variants at HPA loci for Polynesian and Maori subjects.

Objectives

Our aims are to evaluate new HPA genotyping methods, compile and analyse new HPA datasets for these subjects, use HPA data for tracing ancestry, migration patterns, genetic admixture and its potential influence on health.

Materials and Methods

A total of 75 Maori and 25 Polynesian DNA samples were genotyped using commercial BAGene HPA‐TYPE DNA‐SSP kits, BLOODchip hybridization SNP assays and DNA sequence based typing.

Results

Genotyping was successful and cross validation of PCR‐SSP and BLOODchip gave 100% agreement. Among the HPA loci tested, only six are dimorphic (HPA‐1 to ‐3, ‐5, ‐6 and ‐15) and all others are monomorphic. The Polynesians and Maori have the ‘a’ allele form as the most common for all loci except HPA‐15.

Conclusions

The newly observed HPA data as well as principal coordinate analysis clearly indicate genetic contributions from both, Asia and Australasia in Maori and Polynesian populations together with recent admixture with Europeans. In addition, different prevalences of HPA alleles among Polynesian, Maori and European populations contribute towards different risk profiles for platelet‐specific alloimmunization. This is the first report for these populations and our findings are of direct practical relevance for blood transfusion centres, the management of pregnancies, assessment of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and management of multi‐transfused patients.
Cluster‐randomised trial of the impact of school‐based deworming and iron supplementation on the cognitive abilities of schoolchildren in Sri Lanka's plantation sector
Authors: Ebenezer Roshini , Gunawardena Kithsiri , Kumarendran Balachandran , Pathmeswaran Arunasalam , Jukes Matthew C. H. , Drake Lesley J. , de Silva Nilanthi
Published: July 2013

Objective

To assess the impact of deworming and iron supplementation on the cognitive abilities and educational achievement of school‐age children in Sri Lanka.

Methods

Prospective, placebo‐controlled randomised study. The treatment group received deworming and weekly iron supplementation for 6 months; the control group received placebo for both the anthelmintic and iron. A mixed effects regression model was used to answer the main research question. To increase the precision of this study's estimates, various background variables were controlled for that were not related to treatment but could have some impact on the outcome.

Results

The prevalence of soil‐transmitted helminth (STH) infection was reduced in the treatment group (n = 615), with significant differences between treatment and control groups (n = 575) in the levels of Ascaris and Trichuris. No impact was found on haemoglobin (Hb) levels, nor any significant impact on concentration levels or on educational test scores.

Conclusion

Decline in STH prevalence alone, in the absence of improved Hb status, produced no evidence of impact on concentration levels or educational test scores.
Performance of different Trypanosoma cruzi antigens in the diagnosis of Chagas disease in patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis from a co‐endemic region in Argentina
Authors: Vega Benedetti A.F. , Cimino Rubén O. , Cajal Pamela S. , Juarez Marisa Del Valle , Villalpando Carlos A. , Gil José F. , Marcipar Iván S. , Krolewiecki Alejandro J. , Nasser Julio R.
Published: July 2013

Objective

To determine the ability of recombinant antigens to detect cases of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi among cases of infection with Leishmania spp. by serological methods.

Methods

Sera from 41 patients infected with Leishmania spp. were evaluated with ELISA using single (FRA, CP1 and TSSAVI) or pooled (commercial Rec‐ELISA) recombinant proteins or homogenate antigens (commercial H‐ELISA). As there is no gold standard antigen to discriminate Chagas disease from leishmaniasis, the correlation of results between defined antigens and the homogenate was made with Kappa Index (KI), the level of correlation considered being used as a criterion of specificity.

Results

Single recombinant antigens and Rec‐ELISA showed good correlation (KI > 0.8). A low correlation (KI < 0.66) was observed between the results from single recombinant antigens or the commercial recombinant kit and H‐ELISA.

Conclusions

The highly correlated results between T. cruzi single or pooled recombinant proteins are indicative of the usefulness of recombinant antigens for Chagas diagnosis. Our results also indicate that in the city of Oran in Argentina, between 12% and 17% of patients with leishmaniasis are also infected with Chagas disease. The high KI values between TSSAVI and the other recombinant proteins suggest that in these patients, the infection may be caused by T. cruzi II and/or V and/or VI lineages.
Predicting the Nusselt Number of Heterogeneous (Porous) Enclosures Using a Generic Form of the Berkovsky–Polevikov Correlations
Authors: Qiu Hongtao , Lage José L. , Junqueira Silvio L. M. , Franco Admilson T.
Published: July 2013

A well-known set of Berkovsky–Polevikov (BP) correlations have been extremely useful in predicting the wall-averaged Nusselt number of “wide” enclosures heated from the side and filled with a fluid undergoing natural convection. A generic form of these correlations, dependent on only two coefficients, is now proposed for predicting the Nusselt number of a heterogeneous (fluid–solid), porous enclosure, i.e., an enclosure filled not only with a fluid but also with uniformly distributed, disconnected and conducting, homogeneous solid particles. The final correlations, and their overall accuracies, are determined by curve fitting the numerical simulation results of the natural convection process inside the heterogeneous enclosure. Results for several Ra and Pr, and for 1, 4, 9, 16, and 36 solid particles, with the fluid volume-fraction (porosity) maintained constant, indicate the accuracy of these correlations to be detrimentally affected by the interference phenomenon caused by the solid particles onto the vertical boundary layers that develop along the hot and cold walls of the enclosure; the resulting correlations, in this case, present standard deviation varying between 6.5% and 19.7%. An analytical tool is then developed for predicting the interference phenomenon, using geometric parameters and scale analysis results. When used to identify and isolate the interference phenomenon, this tool is shown to yield correlations with much improved accuracies between 2.8% and 9.2%.
Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells, Interferon Signaling, and FcγR Contribute to Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Response in Childhood Immune Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Sehgal Kartik , Guo Xiuyang , Koduru Srinivas , Shah Anumeha , Lin Aiping , Yan Xiting , Dhodapkar Kavita M.
Published: July 2013

Targeting plasmacytoid dendritic cells or blockade of interferon response may benefit patients with an autoimmune disease against platelets.
Fish Oil Cools the Inflammasome
Authors: Polage Christopher R.
Published: July 2013

Omega-3 fatty acids directly inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro and decrease tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in mice.
Evolution of Divergent Life History Strategies in Marine Alphaproteobacteria
Authors: Luo Haiwei , Csűros Miklós , Hughes Austin L. , Moran Mary Ann
Published: July 2013

Marine bacteria in the
Roseobacter
and SAR11 lineages successfully exploit the ocean habitat, together accounting for ~40% of bacteria in surface waters, yet have divergent life histories that exemplify patch-adapted versus free-living ecological roles. Here, we use a phylogenetic birth-and-death model to understand how genome content supporting different life history strategies evolved in these related alphaproteobacterial taxa, showing that the streamlined genomes of free-living SAR11 were gradually downsized from a common ancestral genome only slightly larger than the extant members (~2,000 genes), while the larger and variably sized genomes of roseobacters evolved along dynamic pathways from a sizeable common ancestor (~8,000 genes). Genome changes in the SAR11 lineage occurred gradually over ~800 million years, whereas
Roseobacter
genomes underwent more substantial modifications, including major periods of expansion, over ~260 million years. The timing of the first
Roseobacter
genome expansion was coincident with the predicted radiation of modern marine eukaryotic phytoplankton of sufficient size to create nutrient-enriched microzones and is consistent with present-day ecological associations between these microbial groups. We suggest that diversification of red-lineage phytoplankton is an important driver of divergent life history strategies among the heterotrophic bacterioplankton taxa that dominate the present-day ocean.

IMPORTANCE
One-half of global primary production occurs in the oceans, and more than half of this is processed by heterotrophic bacterioplankton through the marine microbial food web. The diversity of life history strategies that characterize different bacterioplankton taxa is an important subject, since the locations and mechanisms whereby bacteria interact with seawater organic matter has effects on microbial growth rates, metabolic pathways, and growth efficiencies, and these in turn affect rates of carbon mineralization to the atmosphere and sequestration into the deep sea. Understanding the evolutionary origins of the ecological strategies that underlie biochemical interactions of bacteria with the ocean system, and which scale up to affect globally important biogeochemical processes, will improve understanding of how microbial diversity is maintained and enable useful predictions about microbial response in the future ocean.
Analysis of Activator and Repressor Functions Reveals the Requirements for Transcriptional Control by LuxR, the Master Regulator of Quorum Sensing in Vibrio harveyi
Authors: van Kessel Julia C. , Ulrich Luke E. , Zhulin Igor B. , Bassler Bonnie L.
Published: July 2013

LuxR-type transcription factors are the master regulators of quorum sensing in vibrios. LuxR proteins are unique members of the TetR superfamily of transcription factors because they activate and repress large regulons of genes. Here, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation and nucleotide sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify LuxR binding sites in the
Vibrio harveyi
genome. Bioinformatics analyses showed that the LuxR consensus binding site at repressed promoters is a symmetric palindrome, whereas at activated promoters it is asymmetric and contains only half of the palindrome. Using a genetic screen, we isolated LuxR mutants that separated activation and repression functions at representative promoters. These LuxR mutants exhibit sequence-specific DNA binding defects that restrict activation or repression activity to subsets of target promoters. Altering the LuxR DNA binding site sequence to one more closely resembling the ideal LuxR consensus motif can restore
in vivo
function to a LuxR mutant. This study provides a mechanistic understanding of how a single protein can recognize a variety of binding sites to differentially regulate gene expression.

IMPORTANCE
Bacteria use the cell-cell communication process called quorum sensing to regulate collective behaviors. In vibrios, LuxR-type transcription factors control the quorum-sensing gene expression cascade. LuxR-type proteins are structural homologs of TetR-type transcription factors. LuxR proteins were assumed to function analogously to TetR proteins, which typically bind to a single conserved binding site to repress transcription of one or two genes. We find here that unlike TetR proteins, LuxR acts a global regulator, directly binding upstream of and controlling more than 100 genes. Again unlike TetR, LuxR functions as both an activator and a repressor, and these two activities can be separated by mutagenesis. Finally, the consensus binding motifs driving LuxR-activated and -repressed genes are distinct. This work shows that LuxR, although structurally similar to TetR, has evolved unique features enabling it to differentially control a large regulon of genes in response to quorum-sensing cues.
H7N9 Avian Influenza A Virus and the Perpetual Challenge of Potential Human Pandemicity
Authors: Morens David M. , Taubenberger Jeffery K. , Fauci Anthony S.
Published: July 2013

The ongoing H7N9 influenza epizootic in China once again presents us questions about the origin of pandemics and how to recognize them in early stages of development. Over the past ~135 years, H7 influenza viruses have neither caused pandemics nor been recognized as having undergone human adaptation. Yet several unusual properties of these viruses, including their poultry epizootic potential, mammalian adaptation, and atypical clinical syndromes in rarely infected humans, suggest that they may be different from other avian influenza viruses, thus questioning any assurance that the likelihood of human adaptation is low. At the same time, the H7N9 epizootic provides an opportunity to learn more about the mammalian/human adaptational capabilities of avian influenza viruses and challenges us to integrate virologic and public health research and surveillance at the animal-human interface.
Tenofovir-related Fanconi’s syndrome and osteomalacia in a teenager with HIV
Authors: Lucey Julie M , Hsu Peter , Ziegler John B
Published: July 2013

A teenage boy with vertically acquired-HIV presented with bone pain of 6 months duration. His antiretroviral therapy (ART) consisted of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), emtricitabine and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir. Plain X-rays showed stress fractures of metatarsals bilaterally. A dual emission X-ray absorptiometry scan revealed osteomalacia. Raised serum creatine, hypophosphataemia, glycosuria and metabolic acidosis supported a diagnosis of Fanconi's syndrome. Serum vitamin D levels were low. Discontinuation of TDF led to improvement in renal function, increase in serum phosphate and resolution of bone pain. This case uniquely features renal and skeletal toxicities with resultant metatarsal stress fractures. Children and adolescents on combined ART which include tenofovir should be screened for the early detection of proximal tubulopathy, with the measurement of renal function, phosphate, vitamin D and urinary phosphate excretion. Although uncommon and mostly reversible, recognition of tenofovir-related effects is paramount as prolonged exposure may lead to persistent renal tubular damage and osteomalacia.
Ellis-van Creveld syndrome
Authors: Sasalawad Shilpa S , Hugar Shivayogi M , Poonacha K S , Mallikarjuna Rachappa
Published: July 2013

Ellis-van Creveld (EvC) syndrome or chondroectodermal dysplasia is an autosomal recessive disorder with characteristic clinical manifestations. The four principal characteristics are chondrodysplasia, polydactyly, ectodermal dysplasia and congenital heart defects. Its incidence in the general population is low. The oral manifestations of EvC syndrome include both soft tissues and teeth, but the dental literature on the subject is scarce. The present case describes the constant and variable oral findings in these patients, which can be diagnosed at any age, even during pregnancy. The presence of a variety of oral manifestations, such as fusion of upper lip to the gingival margin, presence of multiple frenula, abnormally shaped and microdontic teeth and congenitally missing teeth requires multidisciplinary dental treatment, with consideration for the high incidence of cardiac defects in these patients.
Adrenal crisis in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Li Wang , Okwuwa Ikemefuna , Toledo-Frazzini Karla , Alhomosh Alaaedin
Published: July 2013

Adrenal crisis is a group of clinical manifestation predominantly with hypotensive shock, electrolyte imbalance in a patient with adrenal insufficiency or in a patient who was abruptly withdrawn from glucocorticoid treatment acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is one of the most common acute leukaemia in adults. Though the above diseases are commonly seen in individual patients, the coexistence of both conditions in the same patient is rare. We reported a 64-year-old African-American man with a history of bilateral deep vein thrombosis, who presented initially with fatigue, neutropenia and macrocytic anaemia. The patient developed a small bowel obstruction during his first hospital course, which resolved spontaneously with conservative management after an exploratory laparotomy. While waiting for his bone marrow biopsy, the patient developed hypotension, hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia for which adrenal crisis was suspected. Later on, laboratory studies confirmed the diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency and the bone marrow was conclusive for AML.
Confusion after starting citalopram in a renal transplant patient
Authors: Sran Hersharan , Phanish Mysore K
Published: July 2013

The UK NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines on management of depression in adults recommends use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) as a first choice agent. Citalopram, an SSRI antidepressant, is a preferred antidepressant in those patients with concomitant chronic physical health problems. Hyponatraemia because of syndrome of inappropriate antiduretic hormone secrection has been reported with SSRI antidepressants but is usually mild and responds to fluid restriction and cessation of the drug. We report a case of severe hyponatraemia because of citalopram in a renal transplant patient who required treatment with hypertonic (3%) saline, with a good outcome avoiding any neurological complications.
A non-progressive signet patient with ring cell gastric adenocarcinoma who survived for 6 years without treatment
Authors: Prueksapanich Piyapan , Pittayanon Rapat , Wisedopas Naruemon , Rerknimitr Rungsun
Published: July 2013

An elderly Thai woman had presented with dyspepsia and reflux symptoms since 6 years. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a large gastric ulcer with a histopathological diagnosis of signet ring cell carcinoma. The test forHelicobacter pyloriwas positive and it was successfully eradicated. An abdominal CT scan showed the irregularly thick antral wall along with non-specific subcentimeter lymph nodes which was compatible with at least stage IA. Her serum carcinoembryonic antigen level was within normal range. She refused any surgical treatment and preferred to take her own medications. To date, 6 years after her first diagnosis, the second oesophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed and showed a large gastric ulcer at the incisura extending to the gastric antrum. The histopathological result of the ulcer confirmed the presence of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell. She remains healthy and refused to have a follow-up disease staging or additional treatment.
Developing future clinical leaders for quality improvement: experience from a London children's hospital
Authors: Runnacles Jane , Moult Beki , Lachman Peter
Published: July 2013

Introduction

Medical training does not necessarily prepare graduates for the real world of healthcare in which continual improvement is required. Doctors in postgraduate training (DrPGT) rarely have the opportunity to develop skills to implement changes where they work. Paradoxically they are often best placed to identify safety and quality concerns and can innovate across organisational boundaries. In order to address this, educational programmes require a supportive educational environment and should include experiential learning on a safety and quality project, alongside teaching of quality improvement (QI) knowledge and systems theory.

Method

Enabling Doctors in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (EQuIP) has been designed for DrPGT at a London children's hospital. The aim is to prepare trainees for the future of continual improvement to ensure safe and effective services are developed through effective clinical microsystems. This paper describes the rationale and design of EQuIP with evaluation built in the evolving programme. EQuIP supports DrPGTs through a QI project within their department, aligned to the Great Ormond Street NHS Foundation Trust's objectives. This changes the way DrPGTs view healthcare as they become quality champions for their department. A three-level approach to the programme is described. The innovation involves a peer-designed programme while being work-based, delivering organisational strategies.

Results

Results of the preprogramme and postprogramme evaluations demonstrate an improvement in knowledge, skills and attitudes. Benefits to both the DrPGTs and the organisation are emphasised and key factors to achieve success and barriers identified by the participants.

Discussion

The design and evaluation of EQuIP may inform similar educational programmes in other organisations. This capacity building is crucial to ensure that future clinical leaders have the skills and motivation to improve the effectiveness of clinical microsystems.
A prospective, observational study of the effects of implementation strategy on compliance with a surgical safety checklist
Authors: Hannam J A , Glass L , Kwon J , Windsor J , Stapelberg F , Callaghan K , Merry A F , Mitchell S J
Published: July 2013

Background

The reported benefits of using the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) are likely to depend on compliance with its correct use. Compliance with SSC administration in centres that have introduced the checklist under a research protocol may differ from centres where the SSC is introduced independently.

Objective

To compare compliance with SSC administration at an original WHO pilot study centre (Hospital 1) with that at a similar neighbouring hospital (Hospital 2) that independently integrated the SSC with pre-existing practice.

Methods

This was a prospective, observational study. One hundred operations were observed at each hospital. We recorded: compliance with administration of SSC domains (Sign In, Time Out and Sign Out) and individual domain items; timing of domain administration; and operating room team engagement during administration.

Results

Domain compliance at Hospital 1 and Hospital 2, respectively, was: 96% and 31% (p<0.0005) for Sign In; 99% and 48% (p<0.0005) for Time Out and 22% and 9% (p=0.008) for Sign Out. Engagement of two or more teams during Sign In and Time Out occurred more frequently at Hospital 2 than at Hospital 1.

Discussion

Compliance with administration of SSC domains was lower at Hospital 2 which introduced the SSC outside the context of a strict study protocol. This finding mandates caution in extrapolation of benefits identified in SSC studies to non-study hospitals. Staff engagement was better at Hospital 2 where checklist administration leadership is strategically shared among anaesthetic, surgical and nursing team members as compared with exclusive nursing leadership at Hospital 1.

Study registry number

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: Ref: ACTRN12612000135819,http://www.anzctr.org.au/trial_view.aspx?ID=362007
An image-based method to measure all-terrain vehicle dimensions for engineering safety purposes
Authors: Jennissen Charles A , Miller Nathan S , Tang Kaiyang , Denning Gerene M
Published: July 2013

Background

All-terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes are a serious public health and safety concern. Engineering approaches that address ATV injury prevention are critically needed. Avenues to pursue include evidence-based seat design that decreases risky behaviours, such as carrying passengers and operation of adult-size vehicles by children.

Objectives

The goal of this study was to create and validate an image-based method to measure ATV seat length and placement.

Methods

Publicly available ATV images were downloaded. Adobe Photoshop was then used to generate a vertical grid through the centre of the vehicle, to define the grid scale using the manufacturer's reported wheelbase, and to determine seat length and placement relative to the front and rear axles using this scale. Images that yielded a difference greater than 5% between the calculated and the manufacturer's reported ATV lengths were excluded from further analysis.

Results

For the 77 images that met inclusion criteria, the mean±SD for the difference in calculated versus reported vehicle length was 1.8%±1.2%. The Pearson correlation coefficient for comparing image-based seat lengths determined by two independent measurers (20 models) and image-based lengths versus lengths measured at dealerships (12 models) were 0.95 and 0.96, respectively.

Conclusions

The image-based method provides accurate and reproducible results for determining ATV measurements, including seat length and placement. This method greatly expands the number of ATV models that can be studied, and may be generalisable to other motor vehicle types. These measurements can be used to guide engineering approaches that improve ATV safety design.
Inclusion of detergent in a cleaning regime and effect on microbial load in livestock housing
Authors: Hancox L. R. , Le Bon M. , Dodd C. E. R. , Mellits K. H.
Published: July 2013

Determining effective cleaning and disinfection regimes of livestock housing is vital to improving the health of resident animals and reducing zoonotic disease. A cleaning regime consisting of scraping, soaking with or without detergent (treatment and control), pressure washing, disinfection and natural drying was applied to multiple pig pens. After each cleaning stage, samples were taken from different materials and enumerated for total aerobic count (TAC) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT). Soaking with detergent (Blast‐Off, Biolink) caused significantly greater reductions of TAC and ENT on metal, and TAC on concrete, compared with control. Disinfection effect (Virkon S, DuPont) was not significantly associated with prior detergent treatment. Disinfection significantly reduced TAC and ENT on concrete and stock board but not on metal. Twenty‐four hours after disinfection TAC and ENT on metal and stock board were significantly reduced, but no significant reductions occurred in the subsequent 96 hours. Counts on concrete did not significantly reduce during the entire drying period (120 hours). Detergent and disinfectant have varying bactericidal effects according to the surface and bacterial target; however, both can significantly reduce microbial numbers so should be used during cleaning, with a minimum drying period of 24 hours, to lower bacterial counts effectively.
Effects of overtopping on growth of white spruce in Alaska
Authors: Cole E.C. , Newton M. , Youngblood A.
Published: July 2013

Early establishment of competing vegetation often presents an obstacle to the success of planted white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings. We followed growth and development of white spruce and associated vegetation for up to 17 years in Alaska’s boreal forests to quantify roles of overtopping plant cover in suppressing conifers. The three study areas represented a range of site conditions of varying productivity and species of competing cover, different site preparation and release treatments, and different bare-root and container white spruce stock types. Herbaceous overtopping peaked early after planting and decreased as white spruce were able to outgrow competitors. Overtopping by shrubs and hardwoods, especially aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and resin birch (Betula neoalaskana Sarg.) peaked somewhat later than herbaceous overtopping and decreased over time for most sites and treatments. In a model that combined all sites, vegetation management treatments, and years, overtopping and previous year’s volume explained approximately 85% of the variation in volume growth. Increasing the size of planting stock helped reduce overtopping, hence suppression, even in treatments dominated by hardwood species. Results suggested that control of overtopping was essential for maximum growth and long-term or increasing levels of overtopping severely suppressed white spruce seedling growth.
Escape of photodetached electrons from a nanocircular microcavity
Authors: Liu Sheng , Wang De-hua , Fu Kang
Published: July 2013

This paper investigates the escape of photodetached electron from a nanocircular microcavity on the basis of the semiclassical theory. The escaped orbit of the photodetached electron is investigated and the escaped probability density of this system is derived and calculated. The calculation results suggest that oscillating structures appear in the escaped probability density, which are caused by the interference effects of the electron waves traveling along different escaped trajectories. Our study also suggests that the escaped probability density of the photodetached electron depends on the laser polarization sensitively. To show the correspondence between the escaped probability density and the detached electron’s escaped orbits clearly, we calculate the Fourier transform of the semiclassical wave function and find each peak corresponds to the length of one detached electron’s orbit. We hope that our results will be useful in understanding the escape and transport process of particles through semiconductor microjunctions.
FIRST-PRINCIPLES CALCULATIONS FOR THE STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OFScxAl1-xNALLOYS
Authors: MOHAMMAD REZEK , KATIRCIOĞLU ŞENAY
Published: July 2013

The first-principles calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) of Engel–Vosko–Perdew–Wang and modified exact exchange potential of Becke–Johnson have been introduced for the structural and electronic properties of the ScxAl1-xN alloys, respectively. The present lattice constants calculated for the ScAlN alloys and the end compounds ( AlN and ScN ) are found to be in very good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical ones. The stable ground state structures of the ScxAl1-xN alloys are determined to be wurtzite for the Sc concentration less than ~0.403 and rock-salt for the higher Sc concentrations. The present electronic band structure calculations within Becke–Johnson scheme are found to be capable of providing energy band gaps of the AlN and ScN compounds very close to the ones of the available experiments and expensive calculations. According to the calculations of Becke–Johnson potential, the ScxAl1-xN alloys in the wurtzite and zinc-blende structures are direct band gap materials for the Sc concentrations in the ranges of (0.056 ≤ x ≤ 0.833) and (0.03125 ≤ x ≤ 0.0625, 0.375 ≤ x ≤ 0.96875), respectively. However, the ScAlN alloys in the rock-salt phase are determined to be direct band gap materials for total range of the Sc concentration considered in this work. While the energy gaps of the RS- AlScN alloys are found to be extending from near ultraviolet to near infrared with a large (negative) bowing, the ones of the WZ- AlScN and ZB- AlScN alloys are determined to be varying in a small energy range around near ultraviolet with a small (negative) bowing.
OSCILLATING INSTANTONS AS HOMOGENEOUS TUNNELING CHANNELS
Authors: LEE BUM-HOON , LEE WONWOO , YEOM DONG-HAN
Published: July 2013

In this paper, we study Einstein gravity with a minimally coupled scalar field accompanied with a potential, assuming an O(4) symmetric metric ansatz. We call an Euclidean instanton is to be an oscillating instanton, if there exists a point where the derivative of the scale factor and the scalar field vanish at the same time. Then, we can prove that the oscillating instanton can be analytically continued, both as inhomogeneous and homogeneous tunneling channels. Here, we especially focus on the possibility of a homogeneous tunneling channel. For the existence of such an instanton, we have to assume three things: (1) there should be a local maximum and the curvature of the maximum should be sufficiently large, (2) there should be a local minimum and (3) the other side of the potential should have a sufficiently deeper vacuum. Then, we can show that there exists a number of oscillating instanton solutions and their probabilities are higher compared to the Hawking–Moss instantons. We also check the possibility when the oscillating instantons are comparable with the Coleman–de Luccia channels. Thus, for a general vacuum decay problem, we should not ignore the oscillating instanton channels.
GRAVIWEAK UNIFICATION, INVISIBLE UNIVERSE AND DARK ENERGY
Authors: DAS C. R. , LAPERASHVILI L. V. , TUREANU A.
Published: July 2013

We consider a graviweak unification model with the assumption of the existence of a hidden (invisible) sector of our Universe, parallel to the visible world. This Hidden World (HW) is assumed to be a Mirror World (MW) with broken mirror parity. We start with a diffeomorphism invariant theory of a gauge field valued in a Lie algebra [Formula: see text], which is broken spontaneously to the direct sum of the space–time Lorentz algebra and the Yang–Mills algebra: [Formula: see text] — in the ordinary world, and [Formula: see text] — in the hidden world. Using an extension of the Plebanski action for general relativity, we recover the actions for gravity, SU(2) Yang–Mills and Higgs fields in both (visible and invisible) sectors of the Universe, and also the total action. After symmetry breaking, all physical constants, including the Newton's constants, cosmological constants, Yang–Mills couplings, and other parameters, are determined by a single parameter g present in the initial action, and by the Higgs VEVs. The dark energy problem of this model predicts a too large supersymmetric breaking scale (M SUSY ~1010 GeV ), which is not within the reach of the LHC experiments.
ON THE DYNAMICS OF A SIMPLE RATIONAL PLANAR MAP
Authors: SOMARAKIS CHRISTOFOROS , BARAS JOHN S.
Published: July 2013

The dynamics of the map [Formula: see text] are discussed for various values of its parameters. Despite the simple algebraic structure, this map, recently introduced in the literature, is very rich in nonlinear phenomena. Multiple strange attractors, transitions to chaos via period-doubling bifurcations, quasiperiodicity as well as intermittency, interior crisis, hyperchaos are only a few. In this work, strange attractors, bifurcation diagrams, periodic windows, invariant characteristics are investigated both analytically and numerically.
A SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR CHAOS IN THE GRADIENT MODEL WITH PERTURBATION METHOD FOR GLOBAL OPTIMIZATION
Authors: TATSUMI KEIJI , TANINO TETSUZO
Published: July 2013

The chaotic system has been exploited in metaheuristic methods of solving global optimization problems having a large number of local minima. In those methods, the selection of chaotic system is significantly important to search for solutions extensively. Recently, a novel chaotic system, the gradient model with perturbation methods (GP), was proposed, which can be regarded as the steepest descent method for minimizing an objective function with additional perturbation terms, and it is reported that chaotic metaheuristic method with the GP model has a good performance of solving some benchmark problems through numerical experiments. Moreover, a sufficient condition of parameter was theoretically shown for chaoticity in a simplified GP model where the descent term for the objective function is removed from the original model. However, the shown conditions does not provide enough information to select parameter values in the GP model for metaheuristic methods. Therefore, in this paper, we theoretically derive a sufficient condition under which the original GP model is chaotic, which can be usefully exploited for an appropriate selection of parameter values. In addition, we examine the derived sufficient condition by calculating the Lyapunov exponents of the GP model, and analyze its bifurcation structure through numerical experiments.