bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observed and Projected Changes to the Precipitation Annual Cycle
Authors: Marvel Kate , Biasutti Michela , Bonfils Céline , Taylor Karl E. , Kushnir Yochanan , Cook Benjamin I.
Published: February 2017

Anthropogenic climate change is predicted to cause spatial and temporal shifts in precipitation patterns. These may be apparent in changes to the annual cycle of zonal mean precipitation P. Trends in the amplitude and phase of the P annual cycle in two long-term, global satellite datasets are broadly similar. Model-derived fingerprints of externally forced changes to the amplitude and phase of the P seasonal cycle, combined with these observations, enable a formal detection and attribution analysis. Observed amplitude changes are inconsistent with model estimates of internal variability but not attributable to the model-predicted response to external forcing. This mismatch between observed and predicted amplitude changes is consistent with the sustained La Niña–like conditions that characterize the recent slowdown in the rise of the global mean temperature. However, observed changes to the annual cycle phase do not seem to be driven by this recent hiatus. These changes are consistent with model estimates of forced changes, are inconsistent (in one observational dataset) with estimates of internal variability, and may suggest the emergence of an externally forced signal.
Multiscale Upstream and In Situ Precursors to the Elevated Mixed Layer and High-Impact Weather over the Midwest United States
Authors: Cordeira Jason M. , Metz Nicholas D. , Howarth Macy E. , Galarneau Thomas J.
Published: February 2017

Two severe MCSs over the upper Midwest United States resulted in >100 mm of rain in a ~24-h period and >200 severe weather reports, respectively, during 30 June–2 July 2011. This period also featured 100 (104) daily maximum high (low) temperature records across the same region. These high-impact weather events occurred in the presence of an elevated mixed layer (EML) that influenced the development of the severe MCSs and the numerous record high temperatures. The antecedent large-scale flow evolution was influenced by early season Tropical Cyclone Meari over the western North Pacific. The recurvature and subsequent interaction of Meari with the extratropical large-scale flow occurred in conjunction with Rossby wave train amplification over the North Pacific and dispersion across North America during 22 June–2 July 2011. The Rossby wave train dispersion contributed to trough (ridge) development over western (central) North America and the development of an EML and the two MCSs over the upper Midwest United States. A composite analysis of 99 warm-season days with an EML at Minneapolis, Minnesota, suggests that Rossby wave train amplification and dispersion across the North Pacific may frequently occur in the 7 days leading up to EMLs across the upper Midwest. The composite analysis also demonstrates an increased frequency of severe weather and elevated temperatures relative to climatology on days with an EML. These results suggest that EMLs over the upper Midwest may often be preceded by Rossby wave train amplification over the North Pacific and be followed by a period of severe weather and elevated temperatures.
Seeing Salvation
Authors: Velji Jamel
Published: February 2017

This article develops Marshall Hodgson’s initial observations concerning the affinities between the theologies of Paul of Tarsus and the Nizari Ismaili declaration of the qiyāma, or resurrection, of 1164. In both theologies we find potent expressions of apocalypticism. I examine various features of this apocalypticism, including how divine disclosures reorganized sacred history, temporality and soteriology. I also pay particular attention to the hermeneutical mechanisms involved in the reconstruction of religious authority. In both situations, we see how apocalypticism accorded a new and lasting genealogy to followers of these divine disclosures while locating the salvific figure as the epicenter of an existence that exclusively spans this world and the next.
Outcomes of a structured education intervention for Latinas concerning breast cancer and mammography
Authors: Laughman Anna Bawtinhimer , Boselli Danielle , Love Magbis , Steuerwald Nury , Symanowski James , Blackley Kris , Wheeler Mellisa , Arevalo Gustavo , Carrizosa Daniel , Raghavan Derek
Published: February 2017

Objective:

This study examined the utility of living room and church-based small group educational sessions on breast cancer and mammography, for under-served Latinas in North Carolina, USA.

Design:

Non-randomised, single arm design.

Setting:

A total of 329 self-selected Latinas participated in 31 small group educational classes in church and home locations in rural and urban settings, and underwent pre- and post-intervention testing of knowledge about breast cancer and mammography.

Method:

Participants completed educational surveys at baseline before intervention (329), immediately after intervention (329) and 3 months after intervention (223 participants).

Results:

Misconceptions still exist about breast cancer risk, prevalence and mammography use among Latinas, with the greatest knowledge deficit being in the domain of risk factors. Increases of knowledge were achieved when compared to baseline measures as a result of the interventions described in this paper, which were retained at 3 months re-testing. Many eligible women were not receiving mammograms due to financial barriers.

Conclusions:

Education sessions of the kind described in this paper are useful in enhancing retained knowledge in breast cancer education for US Latinas.
Mental health in a conflict area: Migration, economic stress and religiosity in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand
Authors: Ford Kathleen , Jampaklay Aree , Chamratrithirong Aphichat
Published: February 2017

Aim:

Three southern provinces of Thailand, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, have been involved in a long period of unrest due to differences between the population in the provinces and the Thai government with regard to language, culture and governance. The objectives of this article are to examine the effects of everyday stressors due to the conflict, including economic stress and migration, as well as the effect of religiosity on the reporting of psychiatric symptoms among adults in the three provinces.

Methods:

Data were drawn from a survey conducted in 2014. The survey included a probability sample of 2,053 Muslim adults aged 18–59 years.Mental health was assessed using World Health Organization’s (WHO) Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) of 20 questions. Multilevel models were estimated to examine the influence of economic stress due to the conflict, as well as community and individual aspects of migration and religion on mental health.

Results:

The data showed that migration from the household and the community and the economic effects of the unrest were associated with reporting of more psychiatric symptoms among adults in the southern provinces. Religion was related to reporting of fewer psychiatric symptoms at the individual and the community levels.

Conclusion:

The study documented increased reporting of psychiatric symptoms among persons reporting perceived household economic stress due to the conflict and the migration of family members.
British Attempts to Forge a Political Partnership with the Kremlin, 1942–3
Authors: Folly Martin H.
Published: February 2017

In February 1943, the British Foreign Office launched an initiative to open discussions with the Soviet Union on postwar aims, a subject which had been off-limits since the disputes over Soviet frontiers during the negotiation of the Anglo–Soviet Treaty in early 1942. Joseph Stalin’s response was to treat the approach seriously, and to request concrete proposals that would lead to a firm formal agreement. The British immediately pulled back, and no progress on political issues was attempted until later in the war. This article analyses this rarely-discussed episode, focusing on how British indecisiveness, at a crucial stage of the war, and the lack of political will of Anthony Eden, led to confusion and mixed messages being sent to the Soviet government. Attempts to build a solid political component to the wartime alliance and to reach agreement on the key issues of a postwar European settlement prior to the end of the war were delayed not so much by the ideological gulf between the allies as their different cultures of diplomacy and the customary processes of their bureaucracies. Ultimately progress was made when each began to adopt elements of the approach of the other.
A Study of Relationships among Technical, Tactical, Physical Parameters and Final Outcomes in Elite Soccer Matches as Analyzed by a Semiautomatic Video Tracking System
Authors: Filetti Cristoforo , Ruscello Bruno , D’Ottavio Stefano , Fanelli Vito
Published: February 2017

The performance of a soccer team depends on many factors such as decision-making, cognitive and physical skills, and dynamic ever-changing space–time interactions between teammate and opponents in relation to the ball. Seventy ( n = 70) matches of the Italian SERIE A season 2013–2014 were investigated to analyze the mean performance of 360 players in terms of physical (physical efficiency index; PEI) and technical–tactical (technical efficiency index; TEI) standpoints. Using a semiautomatic video analysis system that has incorporated new parameters able to measure technical–tactical and physical efficiency (Patent IB2010/002593, 2011-ISA), the correlation between these new variables and how much it relates to the likelihood of winning were verified. Correlations between TEI and PEI were significant ( n = 140, r = .60, p < .001), and TEI showed a higher likelihood of winning than PEI factors ( p < .0001 vs. .0001, CI 95% [1.64, 3.00] vs. [1.28, 2.07]). Higher TEI and TEI + PEI differences between the teams were associated with a greater likelihood of winning, but PEI differences were not. Key performance indicators and this performance assessment method might be useful to better understand what determines winning and to assist the overall training process and match management.
A PDEVS simulator supporting multiple synchronization protocols: implementation and performance analysis
Authors: Cardoen Ben , Manhaeve Stijn , Van Tendeloo Yentl , Broeckhove Jan
Published: February 2017

With the ever-increasing complexity of simulation models, parallel simulation becomes necessary to perform simulation within reasonable time bounds. The built-in parallelism of Parallel DEVS is often insufficient to tackle this problem on its own. Several synchronization protocols have been proposed, each with their distinct advantages and disadvantages. Due to the significantly different implementation of these protocols, most Parallel DEVS simulation tools are limited to only one such protocol. In this paper, we present a Parallel DEVS simulator, grafted on C++11 and based on PythonPDEVS, supporting both conservative and optimistic synchronization protocols. The simulator not only supports both protocols but also has the capability to switch between them at runtime. The simulator can combine each synchronization protocols with either a threaded or sequential implementation of the PDEVS protocol. We evaluate the performance gain obtained by choosing the most appropriate synchronization protocol. A comparison is made to adevs in terms of CPU time and memory usage, to show that our modularity does not hinder performance. We compare the speedup obtained by synchronization with that of the inherent parallelism of PDEVS in isolation and combination, and contrast the results with the theoretical limits. We further allow for an external component to gather simulation statistics, on which runtime switching between the different synchronization protocols can be based. The effects of allocation on our synchronization protocols are also studied.
Of Shepherds, Sheep and Sheepdogs? Governing the Adherent Self through Complementary and Competing ‘Pastorates’
Authors: Waring Justin , Latif Asam
Published: February 2017

Foucault’s concept of ‘pastoral power’ describes an important technique for constituting obedient subjects. Derived from his analysis of the Christian pastorate, he saw pastoral power as a prelude to contemporary technologies of governing ‘beyond the State’, where ‘experts’ shepherd self-governing subjects. However, the specific practices of modern pastorate have been little developed. This article examines the relational practices of pastoral power associated with the government of medicine use within the English healthcare system. The study shows how multiple pastors align their complementary and variegated practices to conduct behaviours, but also how pastors compete for legitimacy, and face resistance through the mobilisation of alternative discourses and the strategic exploitation of pastoral competition. The article offers a dynamic view of the modern pastorate within the contemporary assemblages of power.
Dealing with disturbances: Intervention and adaptation in Finnish neighbourhoods
Authors: Kouvo Antti , Haverinen Risto
Published: February 2017

This article investigates neighbourhood social dynamics with the help of two attitude dimensions discovered in earlier qualitative research: the threshold of intervention and adaptation. The data come from a nationally representative Finnish Neighbourhood Survey ( N = 760) conducted in 2012. Our results show that adaptation and intervention characterise neighbourhood interaction in our survey data set as well. The threshold of intervention is higher among the residents of detached houses and those without strong ties in the neighbourhood. Adaptation is associated with low income and living in a detached house. However, different types of neighbours created on the basis of adaptation and intervention provide a richer picture of the phenomenon and more powerful explanations. The suggestions for future research and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.
Women’s Withdrawal from India’s Rural Workforce: Explaining the Trend
Authors: Mathur Nita
Published: February 2017

The key results of the National Sample Survey (NSS) on employment and unemployment for the period July 2011–June 2012 indicate a sharp fall in the number of women in India’s rural workforce. It is reported that 9.1 million rural women are out of the workforce in a period of two years (against the backdrop of a parallel NSS for the period July 2009–June 2010). The decline has been discussed and debated from various perspectives and vantage positions and essentially boil down to two key concerns: de-feminisation of work leading to the social and economic exclusion of women, and the failure of the state to recognise and account for women’s work leading to their alleged absence from the rural workforce. Rather than reviewing the discussion and debate, the present comment attempts to bring together significant reasons behind this occurrence. The withdrawal is viewed as an outcome of the structural changes in the economy and the social provisioning for women within a comprehensive framework. It critiques the role of the state in the retention of women in the workforce and concludes with a brief discussion on the need for a systematic policy intervention in this regard.
An Intervention Designed to Reduce Plagiarism in a Research Methods Classroom
Authors: Obeid Rita , Hill Darryl B.
Published: February 2017

Research has shown that plagiarism is on the increase in higher education. Some state that this is due to poor knowledge rather than intentional cheating. Other researchers explain that plagiarism is on the rise due to increased competitiveness in college and easy access to work that has already been completed. In this study, we show how a 2-hr intervention in a research methods classes, available free online, successfully reduced plagiarism in a sample of undergraduate students registered in a research methods in psychology class across three semesters. The implications of this study are that students need specific training and knowledge, not simply the threat of being caught, before their plagiarism is reduced.
Fellow Athletes or Fellow Soldiers? συναθλέω in Philippians 1.27 and 4.3
Authors: Kurek-Chomycz Dominika
Published: February 2017

There is no agreement between interpreters as to whether the verb συναθλέω in Phil. 1.27 and 4.3 presupposes an athletic or a military metaphor. Given that first-century athletes were unlikely to compete as a team, the prefix συν- often puzzles those who interpret συναθλέω as an athletic term, and it is also one of the reasons why others opt for a military background. While the use of the verb alone does not provide any certainty as to the presupposed imagery, in this article I argue that the presence of the prefix συν- does not preclude athletics as a plausible option. Even though team sports were not part of official athletic contests, based on epigraphic evidence I suggest that, in spite of fierce competition, there may have existed a sense of fellowship between ancient athletes in the Roman period. In addition, it is likely that it was enhanced by the existence of a ‘worldwide’ athletic association.
Gift Histories
Authors: Mitchell Margaret M.
Published: February 2017

This is a review article on John M.G. Barclay, Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015) that critically examines the methodological choice to study ‘perfections’ (as conceptualized by Kenneth Burke) of the gift, asking both about how this works to provide a taxonomy of ancient Mediterranean views, and how it fits the argument of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Concluding thoughts are offered about the implications of John Barclay’s reading of Paul, both in terms of Paul’s situation within his own time and in terms of contemporary theology.
Amylin Replacement Therapy in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Edelman Steven V. , Caballero Leo
Published: February 2017

Amylin is a pancreatic β-cell hormone that is cosecreted with insulin and plays an important physiologic role in glucose homeostasis. Pramlintide is an analogue of amylin recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration and represents the first new treatment for people with type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin more than 80 years ago. Pramlintide has been shown to reduce the day-to-day fluctuations in glucose values that are commonly seen despite maximized insulin therapy alone. Additional proven clinical benefits include flattening of the postprandial glucose values, reducing the A1C, and concomitant weight loss. This combination of benefits makes pramlintide an important therapeutic tool for improving the metabolic control and quality of life of people with type 1 diabetes.
Use of Pramlintide
Authors: Want Laura
Published: February 2017

Pramlintide is the first new antihyperglycemic agent approved for both type 2 and type 1 diabetes since insulin was developed in the 1920s. It is a synthetic analogue of human amylin, a naturally occurring neuroendocrine hormone synthesized by pancreatic β cells. Pramlintide helps regulate the rate of glucose appearance and improves glucose control postprandially. This action is accomplished through suppressing inappropriate postprandial glucagon secretion and regulating gastric emptying, and is associated with a feeling of satiety. It is given at mealtimes and is indicated for use in type 2 and type 1 diabetes as an adjunct treatment in patients who use mealtime insulin therapy and who have failed to achieve desired glucose control despite optimal insulin therapy. Pramlintide therapy should only be considered for patients who are receiving ongoing care under the guidance of a health care professional skilled in the use of insulin and supported by services of diabetes educators. Pramlintide is used with insulin and has been associated with an increased risk of insulin-induced severe hypoglycemia, particularly in type 1 diabetes. Appropriate patient selection, careful patient instruction, and insulin dose adjustments help reduce this risk. In type 2 diabetes, pramlintide is initiated at 60 μg and may be increased to 120 μg two to three times daily with meals. In type 1 diabetes, pramlintide is initiated at 15 μg and may be increased to 30 or 60 μg with meals. Mealtime insulin should be reduced by 50% at pramlintide initiation and adjusted as the pramlintide dose is increased. It should be given subcutaneously with an insulin syringe and should not be mixed with insulin. The most commonly reported side effect is mild to moderate nausea with initiation, which is usually transient and short term in nature. Frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose is important during initiation to assist in insulin adjustments. Insulin type, dose, and timing as well as basal/bolus balance may require adjustment during pramlintide initiation. Despite requiring additional injections, patients report satisfaction with pramlintide therapy
Familial Transmission of Educational Plans and the Academic Self-Concept
Authors: Mortimer Jeylan T. , Zhang Lei , Wu Chen-Yu , Hussemann Jeanette , Johnson Monica Kirkpatrick
Published: February 2017

This research investigates the social reproduction of inequality by drawing on prospective longitudinal data from three generations of Youth Development Study respondents. It examines intergenerational influence on the relatively unexplored academic self-concept as well as educational plans, a critical component of the status attainment model. A structural equation model, based on 422 three-generation triads, finds evidence that the sources giving rise to the development of children’s (Generation 3) achievement orientations do not only result from parental (Generation 2 [G2]) contemporaneous influence. Prior influences implicate grandparent (Generation 1) educational attainment and income, grandparental expectations for the G2 adolescent, the G2 academic self-concept and educational plans measured more than 20 years earlier (in G2’s adolescence), and G2 educational attainment. A familial culture emphasizing academic self-confidence and high educational expectations may be an important component of “family capital” that supports educational attainment and contributes to the maintenance of social class position in each successive generation.
Auditing the subjects of fair trade: Coffee, development, and surveillance in highland Chiapas
Authors: Naylor Lindsay
Published: February 2017

Fair trade certification is a mechanism used by coffee cooperatives to assist farmers with accessing cash income and securing a better price for their product. Third-party certifiers regulate the fair trade label, which is tied not only to price, but also to standards for production and development. In this paper, I examine these standards as they are deployed in self-declared autonomous communities in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. I argue that third-party certifiers through enforcement of standards, and surveillance attempt to create a producer subject who becomes “fixed” through certification. Drawing from fieldwork with the coffee cooperative Maya Vinic, I provide an example of how farmers negotiate larger political commitments and livelihood strategies while engaging in coffee production. Members of Maya Vinic reside in communities that have declared autonomy from the Mexican state and neoliberal market. These political commitments draw a tension into the landscape as farmers commit land and time to coffee while maintaining subsistence production. Through an examination of the annual fair trade audit, I detail this contradiction as it plays out in the highlands. I conclude that new lines of inquiry must be established that take into account place-based politics as they intersect with fair trade certification.
Blood salvage for cardiovascular surgery
Authors: Yawn David H
Published: February 2017

Intraoperative blood salvage produces safe and clinically effective red cells. Intraoperative salvage for cardiovascular surgery procedures can be expected to cause a substantial reduction in the use of homologous red cells in patients requiring redo operations, and repair of complex aortic aneurysms. The procedure per se will have very little impact on the use of other blood components such as platelets or plasma. For carefully selected patients, autologous perioperative or intraoperative collection of these components should also be considered. The primary risks of intraoperative blood transfusion include washout of clotting proteins and platelets, infusion of undesirable constituents (such as antibiotics and haemostatic agents added during the surgical procedure) and air embolism. Intraoperative autologous transfusion is only one part of an effective programme to minimize homologous transfusion. Equally important is the use of preoperatively donated blood, the use of effective and safe pharmacological agents to enhance haemostasis and haematopoiesis, a conservative approach that allows only the transfusion of blood components absolutely necessary, and, when possible, the elimination of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy several days prior to the cardiovascular surgical procedure.
Co-constructing engagement in stroke rehabilitation: a qualitative study exploring how practitioner engagement can influence patient engagement
Authors: Bright Felicity AS , Kayes Nicola M , Cummins Christine , Worrall Linda M , McPherson Kathryn M
Published: February 2017

Objective:

To explore how practitioner engagement and disengagement occurred, and how these may influence patient care and engagement.

Design:

A qualitative study using the Voice Centred Relational Methodology. Data included interviews, focus groups and observations.

Setting:

Inpatient and community stroke rehabilitation services.

Subjects:

Eleven people experiencing communication disability after stroke and 42 rehabilitation practitioners.

Interventions:

Not applicable.

Results:

The practitioner’s engagement was important in patient engagement and service delivery. When patients considered practitioners were engaged, this helped engagement. When they considered practitioners were not engaged, their engagement was negatively affected. Practitioners considered their engagement was important but complex. It influenced how they worked and how they perceived the patient. Disengagement was taboo. It arose when not feeling confident, when not positively impacting outcomes, or when having an emotional response to a patient or interaction. Each party’s engagement influenced the other, suggesting it was co-constructed.

Conclusions:

Practitioner engagement influenced patient engagement in stroke rehabilitation. Practitioner disengagement was reported by most practitioners but was often a source of shame.
Rheological effects of drag-reducing polymers improve cerebral blood flow and oxygenation after traumatic brain injury in rats
Authors: Bragin Denis E , Kameneva Marina V , Bragina Olga A , Thomson Susan , Statom Gloria L , Lara Devon A , Yang Yirong , Nemoto Edwin M
Published: February 2017

Cerebral ischemia has been clearly demonstrated after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, neuroprotective therapies have not focused on improvement of the cerebral microcirculation. Blood soluble drag-reducing polymers (DRP), prepared from high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, target impaired microvascular perfusion by altering the rheological properties of blood and, until our recent reports, has not been applied to the brain. We hypothesized that DRP improve cerebral microcirculation and oxygenation after TBI. DRP were studied in healthy and traumatized rat brains and compared to saline controls. Using in-vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy over the parietal cortex, we showed that after TBI, nanomolar concentrations of intravascular DRP significantly enhanced microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in peri-contusional areas, preserved blood–brain barrier integrity and protected neurons. The mechanisms of DRP effects were attributable to reduction of the near-vessel wall cell-free layer which increased near-wall blood flow velocity, microcirculatory volume flow, and number of erythrocytes entering capillaries, thereby reducing capillary stasis and tissue hypoxia as reflected by a reduction in NADH. Our results indicate that early reduction in CBF after TBI is mainly due to ischemia; however, metabolic depression of contused tissue could be also involved.
Depletion of microglia exacerbates postischemic inflammation and brain injury
Authors: Jin Wei-Na , Shi Samuel Xiang-Yu , Li Zhiguo , Li Minshu , Wood Kristofer , Gonzales Rayna J , Liu Qiang
Published: February 2017

Brain ischemia elicits microglial activation and microglia survival depend on signaling through colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). Although depletion of microglia has been linked to worse stroke outcomes, it remains unclear to what extent and by what mechanisms activated microglia influence ischemia-induced inflammation and injury in the brain. Using a mouse model of transient focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion, we demonstrated that depletion of microglia via administration of the dual CSF1R/c-Kit inhibitor PLX3397 exacerbates neurodeficits and brain infarction. Depletion of microglia augmented the production of inflammatory mediators, leukocyte infiltration, and cell death during brain ischemia. Of note, microglial depletion-induced exacerbation of stroke severity did not solely depend on lymphocytes and monocytes. Importantly, depletion of microglia dramatically augmented the production of inflammatory mediators by astrocytes after brain ischemia . In vitro studies reveal that microglia restricted ischemia-induced astrocyte response and provided neuroprotective effects. Our findings suggest that neuroprotective effects of microglia may result, in part, from its inhibitory action on astrocyte response after ischemia.
Early abnormal liver enzyme levels may increase the prevalence of human cytomegalovirus antigenaemia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Ye Baning , Zhao Hong
Published: February 2017

Objective

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is common after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), and it increases morbidity and mortality for transplant recipients. HCMV infection may cause hepatitis and elevate the liver enzymes aspartate transferase (AST) and alanine transferase (ALT). This study aimed to analyse the associations between liver enzyme levels and infection with HCMV antigenaemia after BMT.

Methods

Data from 30 patients after BMT were collected at different time points (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 months post-transplantation). The patients were divided into the HCMV antigenaemia-positive and HCMV antigenaemia-negative groups according to a peripheral blood pp65 antigen assay. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify HCMV pp65 antigen and conventional methods were used to detect liver enzyme levels.

Results

Twelve patients were pp65 antigenaemia-positive and 10 patients were positive in the first 3 months post-transplant. Liver enzyme levels were increased after positivity for HCMV antigenaemia (p = 0.034 and p = 0.018 for ALT and AST, respectively). One month before antigenaemia, AST levels were higher in the HCMV antigenaemia-positive group compared with the negative group (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

HCMV antigenaemia mostly occurs in the early stage of post-BMT and early abnormal liver enzyme levels may increase the chance of HCMV antigenaemia after BMT.
Pathology of Naturally Occurring Bacillary Hemoglobinuria in Cattle
Authors: Navarro M. A. , Dutra F. , Briano C. , Romero A. , Persiani M. , Freedman J. C. , Morrell E. , Beingesser J. , Uzal F. A.
Published: February 2017

Clostridium haemolyticum causes bacillary hemoglobinuria (BH), an infectious and usually fatal disease that occurs mostly in cattle, which is clinically characterized by jaundice, hemoglobinuria, and anemia. The trematode Fasciola hepatica has been commonly reported as the main predisposing factor that triggers this condition. The authors evaluated 20 naturally occurring cases of bovine BH to characterize the pathology and pathogenesis of the disease. Grossly, the most consistent finding was a large, frequently single focus of necrosis surrounded by a red to purple halo, observed most frequently on the parietal surface of the right and left hepatic lobes. Other findings were jaundice, dark-brown discoloration of kidneys, and red urine in the urinary bladder. Microscopically, characteristic lesions were locally extensive, necrotizing hepatitis with thrombosis and numerous intralesional Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria, and acute renal tubular necrosis. By immunohistochemistry, many hepatocytes outside the necrotic focus in the liver were positive for activated caspase 3, suggesting that those cells were undergoing apoptosis. Ultrastructural evaluation revealed hepatocyte necrosis, hemolysis, and clumps of vegetative and sporulating bacilli within the liver. Polymerase chain reaction for the C. haemolyticum beta toxin gene was positive in randomly selected liver samples. No gross or microscopic lesions indicative of fascioliasis were detected in the liver of any animal, suggesting that other yet undetermined predisposing factors were associated with these cases of BH.
IgA Antibodies Against Gliadin and Tissue Transglutaminase in Dogs With Chronic Enteritis and Intestinal T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Matsumoto I. , Uchida K. , Nakashima K. , Hiyoshi S. , Chambers J. K. , Tsujimoto H. , Nakayama H.
Published: February 2017

Molecular clonality analysis of T-cell receptor (TCR) genes for diagnosing T-cell lymphoma is widely used in veterinary medicine. However, differentiating chronic enteritis (CE) from intestinal lymphoma is challenging because of the incompatibility between histopathologic and clonality analysis results. On the basis of findings that canine intestinal T-cell lymphoma and celiac disease share some common features, we conducted serologic examinations in combination with histopathologic and T-cell receptor clonality analyses in 48 dogs diagnosed with either CE or intestinal lymphoma. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against gliadin and tissue transglutaminase (tTG) were quantitatively measured using ELISA. The conditions were classified according to the histopathologic diagnosis, clonality analysis, and combined histopathologic/clonality analysis. Histopathologic analysis showed that dogs with intestinal lymphoma were likely to have high levels of serum IgA antibodies against gliadin and tTG, and serum IgG antibodies against tTG. No correlation between the diagnosed groups and control group was observed in the results of the clonality analysis and histopathologic/clonality analysis. It is interesting that dogs with intestinal lymphoma had a higher serum IgA titer against gliadin and tTG than did dogs with CE. These results suggest an association between repetitive inflammatory stimulation by gliadin peptides and subsequent intestinal lymphoma in dogs.
Central tearing characteristics of laminated fabrics: Effect of slit parameter, off-axis angle, and loading speed
Authors: Chen Jianwen , Chen Wujun , Zhou Han , Zhao Bing , Ding Yong , Zhang Ning
Published: February 2017

Based on our prior study on uniaxial tearing tests, the influences of slit parameters, off-axis angles, and loading speeds on the tearing behaviors and strengths were discussed further. Results show that the tearing behaviors and strengths of the studied material are affected by above factors significantly, and typical tearing stress-displacement curves could be defined as four characteristic regions: a co-deformation region, a yarn extension region (or shear deformation region), a plateau region, and a post peak region. There is a W-shaped relationship between tearing strength and off-axis angle, with a small peak at 45°, and a new tearing strength criterion consisting of two parts, i.e., an inverted V-shaped part and a U-shaped part, was proposed for this laminated fabric. Comparisons between the experimental and the calculated results for the laminated fabric were performed, and the strong agreements demonstrate that the proposed criterion is feasible and accurate.
Form-Based Codes for Downtown Redevelopment: Insights from Southern California
Authors: Garde Ajay
Published: February 2017

Several cities have adopted form-based codes (FBCs) for downtown redevelopment. Using a multiple–case study method, this article examines the extent to which FBCs adopted by Southern California cities for downtown redevelopment differ from conventional zoning regulations (CZRs) in integrating LEED-ND criteria, which include sustainable design principles. Results show that FBCs generally integrate LEED-ND criteria to a greater extent than do the CZRs that they replaced; however, there is variation in the extent to which FBCs integrate these criteria. The article points to criteria that deserve more attention in these FBCs and presents recommendations for planners considering FBCs for downtown redevelopment.
Early signs of toxicity in testes and sperm of rats exposed to low cadmium doses
Authors: Medina Marcela Fátima , Arrieta María Celeste , Villafañe Marcela Noemí , Klyver Sandra María Roxana , Odstrcil Iris María Aybar , González María Elina
Published: February 2017

The cadmium (Cd) concentration in the environment has increased as a consequence of anthropogenic activity. The objective of this study was to determine early signs of Cd toxicity in testes and sperm as possible biomarkers. The dose orally administered to Wistar rats was within the range where chronic toxicity can appear. At the light microscopic level, gonads presented preserved cytoarchitecture throughout treatment; however, after the second month, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed disruption of the blood–testis barrier. The study of sperm with light microscopy showed defects in gamete morphology after 2 months of treatment. Another parameter that revealed alteration was sperm motility after 3 months of treatment. TEM was used to analyze the flagellum, which in the midpiece showed aberrant mitochondria and displacement of outer dense fibers in relation to the central axoneme after 2 months. The data obtained were associated with Cd concentration in the testes, an increase in its levels being observed in a time-dependent manner. The results provided in this study demonstrated that early signs of Cd toxicity were observed in gonads and gametes during the second month of the treatment, generating morphological and functional alterations in the sperm that could lead to infertility.
Circadian Rhythms in Plasma Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Differ in Men and Women
Authors: Cain Sean W. , Chang Anne-Marie , Vlasac Irma , Tare Archana , Anderson Clare , Czeisler Charles A. , Saxena Richa
Published: February 2017

The measurement of circulating levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been proposed to be a marker of disease and an indicator of recovery. Thus, knowing the temporal pattern and influence of potential circadian rhythms is important. Although several studies have measured BDNF at different times of day, no studies have done so while controlling for potential masking influences such as sleep and activity. Further, no previous study has examined circadian rhythms within individuals. We examined circadian rhythms in plasma BDNF while minimizing masking from behavioral and environmental factors using a 30-h constant routine (CR) protocol. In a sample of 39 healthy adults, we found significant circadian rhythms in 75% of women and 52% of men. The timing of the acrophase of the BDNF rhythm, however, was unrelated to clock time in women, while it was related to clock time in men. These results indicate that the use of single-sample measures of plasma BDNF as a marker of disease will be unreliable, especially in women. Repeated plasma BDNF samples over a 24-h period within individuals would be needed to reveal abnormalities related to disease states.
Peripheral Nerve Findings in Rett Syndrome
Authors: Haas Richard H. , Love Seth
Published: February 2017

Sural nerve and peroneus brevis muscle biopsies were studied in 12 patients with Rett syndrome, ten with the typical form of the disorder according to 1985 criteria, and two with atypical features. Ages ranged from 23 months to 25 years. All stages of the disease were represented. There was evidence of a mild axonal neuropathy in seven of 12 patients. Degenerative and occasional regenerative changes were seen in five sural nerve biopsies, including one from the youngest patient in the series, who was normally nourished and fully ambulatory. Occasional nonspecific ultrastructural abnormalities were present, including accumulation of pi granules in Schwann cells and Hirano bodies within axons. However, morphometric analysis of the four nerves in which these alterations were most prominent showed a normal density and size distribution of myelinated fibers. Enzyme histochemistry of the peroneus brevis biopsies demonstrated abnormal predominance of type II muscle fibers in three of the 12 biopsies and atrophy of type I fibers in one patient. (J Child Neurol 1988;3(Suppl):S25-S30).
Role of the International Rett Syndrome Association
Authors: Hunter Kathy
Published: February 2017

Since 1984, the International Rett Syndrome Association has brought together families of girls with Rett syndrome, disseminated information about the syndrome, and supported research efforts. Through its computerized records, the Association can match parents most able to provide support for one another, refer parents to physicians familiar with Rett syndrome, keep accurate statistical records of the disease, and connect researchers with subjects willing to participate in investigations. The Association helps families adjust emotionally and practically to living with a Rett syndrome patient and works toward long-term answers by promoting understanding and improved treatment for the condition. (J Child Neurol 1988;3(Suppl):S87-S88).
Recruiting Parents of Children with a Fatal Disease as Co-Investigators
Authors: Rapin Isabelle
Published: February 2017

Information about Rett syndrome should be imparted to parents of newly diagnosed children by a physician who is familiar with the disease and the care of affected children. Symptomatic treatment should be discussed and a follow-up schedule planned. Parents should be referred to a support group for parents of similarly afflicted children and should be informed about current research efforts. The contribution to knowledge about Rett syndrome that can be made by allowing postmortem examination of the child should be emphasized; parents can thereby be enlisted as co-investigators into this poorly understood disease (J Child Neurol 1988;3(Suppl):S89-S90).
Recommendations Regarding Handlin of the Necropsy in Rett Syndrome
Authors: Percy Alan K. , Haas Richard H. , Kolodny Edwin , Moser Hugo , Naidu Sakkubai
Published: February 2017

In order to maximize biochemical, neurochemical, molecular, and pathologic information from patients with Rett syndrome, a uniform procedure has been developed for the conduct of the postmortem examination. Tissue should be prepared for freezing, for electron microscopy studies, and for standard histologic examination. For the purposes of uniformity, three central repositories for necropsy materials have been established and are available at all times. In the event of the death of a patient with Rett syndrome, parents who consent to necropsy should request that materials be handled according to the protocol and transported under appropriate conditions to the central repository. The National Neurological Research Bank (Los Angeles), the Brain Tissue Bank (Belmont, Mass), and the Department of Neuropathology at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Batimore) have agreed to serve as repositories for tissues. A committee of the International Rett Syndrome Association medical advisory panel will monitor this process in cooperation with the directors of the respective tissue banks. (J Child Neurol 1988;3(Suppl):S91-S93).
Practical Aspects of Establishing a Neurosonology Laboratory
Authors: Jones Anne M.
Published: February 2017

The utilization of noninvasive ultrasound techniques to evaluate adult and pediatric patients has become widely accepted in the neurology practice. As utilization increases, however, the need for standardization and technical competence becomes increasingly important. Although efforts to standardize interpretation criteria and technique are currently being addressed on a national basis, day to day operation of the neurosonology laboratory has received little notice. Although specific operational principles will vary according to the scope of the laboratory (neurovascular, pediatric or neuromuscular), several factors are fundamental to the operation of a neurosonology service. After the scope is outlined, personnel requirements, appropriate instrumentation and laboratory space can be appropriately chosen. Once operational, efforts to institute quality control and continuing education requirements must be addressed. Finally, current standards for voluntary certification of technologists and physicians will be reviewed. (J Child Neurol 1989;4:S8-S11
Intraventricular Hemorrhage
Authors: Allan Walter C.
Published: February 2017

A review of the role of ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis and study of intraventricular hemorrhage is presented. The characteristics of both early and late scans of germinal matrix, intraventricular, and intraparenchymal hemorrhage, as well as periventricular leukomalacia, have been worked out over the past decade. There is good agreement between the images and pathologic findings. A system of classification that recognizes the importance of parenchymal lesions and their evolution is suggested. The ability to perform repeated ultrasound examinations of sick premature infants has allowed the gathering of important information about pathophysiology, natural history, and outcome. In turn, these studies allow better interpretation of ultrasound scans in the individual infant. Using sequential scans when parenchymal lesions are found improves prognostic information. Prevention of intraventricular hemorrhage is still a goal. However, judging from the experience at our institution it may be that the subtle application of principles demonstrated by the study of this problem with ultrasound imaging has already begun to prevent intraventricular hemorrhage in some patients. (J Child Neurol 1989;4:S12- S22).
Intracranial Duplex Doppler: Practical Uses in Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery
Authors: Chadduck William M. , Seibert Joanna J.
Published: February 2017

The value of pulsed Doppler studies of the cerebral vessels of neonates, infants, and children having neurologic and neurosurgical problems is presented. In this study, Resistive Index—[(peak systolic velocity - end-diastolic velocity)/peak systolic velocity] x 100—was used in correlative studies of pediatric patients having hydrocephalus, extra-axial collections, shunt malfunctions, vascular malformations, and craniocerebral injuries. Age-related normal values for Resistive Index are defined, with special attention to the expected values in patients having normally functioning ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Correlations of Resistive Index with intracranial pressure in animal models, as well as a variety of pathologic pediatric neurosurgical conditions, emphasize the usefulness of pulsed Doppler studies in some conditions as well as limitations in others. (J Child Neurol 1989;4:577-S86).
Extensive Maxillary Odontomas in 2 Dogs
Authors: Hoyer Naomi K. , Bannon Kristin M. , Bell Cynthia M. , Soukup Jason W.
Published: February 2017

Two immature male dogs were presented for the treatment of extensive maxillary compound odontomas. In both cases, clinical evaluation and diagnostic imaging revealed extensive lesions invading and displacing anatomical structures of the maxilla. Histopathology confirmed the diagnoses in both cases. One dog was treated with partial rostral maxillectomy, and the other dog was treated with enucleation of the cystic lining and removal of tooth-like structures through a lateral rhinotomy utilizing an intraoral approach. This report illustrates the growth potential of maxillary compound odontomas in 2 dogs and highlights their subclinical appearance and excellent prognosis despite their extensive nature.