bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two new species of Chusquea (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae) from Mexico, one of them morphologically unusual, and a key to the Mexican sections of Chusquea
Authors: RUIZ-SANCHEZ EDUARDO , CLARK LYNN G.
Published: April 2013

Based on recent morphological work that included an extensive taxonomic investigation of herbarium specimens and fieldwork in the Mexican state of Michoacán, two new Chusquea species, C. matlatzinca and C. cortesii, are here described and illustrated. C. matlatzinca is a narrow endemic to Michoacán and has unusual vegetative morphology. Chusquea matlatzinca is compared with the rare, high elevation Mexican endemics C. perotensis and C. bilimekii, from which it can be separated by its thick-walled, hollow culms, extravaginal branching pattern and short inner ligule of the foliage leaves. Chusquea cortesii is compared with C. aperta and C. nelsonii, from which it can be separated by possessing wider and longer culms, fewer subsidiary branches per node, shorter nodal regions with a slightly more prominent supranodal ridge, slightly mottled internodes and longer and wider foliage leaf blades. Morphological keys to the sections of Chusquea present in Mexico and to the Mexican species of each of these two sections, including the new species, are presented.
Bistorta tenuifolia var. gidarensis (Polygonaceae), a new variety from India
Authors: RAI ISHWARI DATT , SINGH GAJENDRA , RAWAT GOPAL SINGH
Published: April 2013

During a botanical excursion of the alpine meadows in the state of Uttarakhand, we came across a viviparous species under the genus Bistorta (Polygonaceae). Subsequently, the taxon was also recorded from the Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh. The gross morphology suggested this plant belong to B. tenuifolia but we found differences in the shape of perianth lobe and the size of stamens from those of the typical B. tenuifolia. On the basis of the acute perianth lobes, the minute stamens that are included in the perianth and the reniform anthers, we describe a new variety, B. tenuifolia var. gidarensis and compared it with the nominal variety and the related species B. vivipara.
C-Band Polarimetric Radar QPE Based on Specific Differential Propagation Phase for Extreme Typhoon Rainfall
Authors: Wang Yadong , Zhang Jian , Ryzhkov Alexander V. , Tang Lin
Published: April 2013

To obtain accurate radar quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) for extreme rainfall events such as land-falling typhoon systems in complex terrain, a new method was developed for C-band polarimetric radars. The new methodology includes a correction method based on vertical profiles of the specific differential propagation phase (VPSDP) for low-level blockage and an optimal relation between rainfall rate () and the specific differential phase (). In the VPSDP-based correction approach, a screening process is applied to fields, where missing or unreliable data from lower tilts caused by severe beam blockage are replaced with data from upper and unblocked tilts. The data from upper tilts are adjusted to account for variations in the vertical profile of . The corrected field is then used for rain-rate estimations. To acquire an accurate QPE result, a new relation for C-band polarimetric radars was derived through simulations using drop size distribution (DSD) and drop shape relation (DSR) observations from typhoon systems in Taiwan. The VPSDP-based correction method with the new relation was evaluated using the typhoon cases of Morakot (2009) and Fanapi (2010).
Can Drug Courts Help to Reduce Prison and Jail Populations?
Authors: Sevigny Eric L. , Pollack Harold A. , Reuter Peter
Published: April 2013

Drug courts have been widely praised as an important tool for reducing prison and jail populations by diverting drug-involved offenders into treatment rather than incarceration. Yet only a small share of offenders presenting with drug abuse or dependence are processed in drug courts. This study uses inmate self-report surveys from 2002 and 2004 to examine characteristics of the prison and jail populations in the United States and assess why so many drug-involved offenders are incarcerated. Our analysis shows that four factors have prevented drug courts from substantially lowering the flow into prisons and jails. In descending order of importance, these are: drug courts’ tight eligibility requirements, specific sentencing requirements, legal consequences of program noncompliance, and constraints in drug court capacity and funding. Drug courts will only be able to help lower prison and jail populations if substantial changes are made in eligibility and sentencing rules.
Towards further reduction and replacement of animal bioassays in prion research by cell and protein misfolding cyclic amplification assays
Authors: Boerner Susann , Wagenführ Katja , Daus Martin L , Thomzig Achim , Beekes Michael
Published: April 2013

Laboratory animals have long since been used extensively in bioassays for prions in order to quantify, usually in terms of median infective doses [ID50], how infectious these pathogens are in vivo. The identification of aberrant prion protein as the main component and self-replicating principle of prions has given rise to alternative approaches for prion titration. Such approaches often use protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) for the cell-free biochemical measurement of prion-associated seeding activity, or cell assays for the titration of in vitro infectivity. However, median seeding and cell culture infective doses (SD50 and CCID50, respectively) of prions are neither formally congruent nor definitely representative for ID50 titres in animals and can be therefore only tentatively translated into the latter. This may potentially impede the acceptance and use of alternative methods to animal bioassays in prion research. Thus, we suggest performing PMCA and cell assays jointly, and to check whether these profoundly different test principles deliver consistent results in order to strengthen the reliability and credibility of prion ID50 assessments by in vitro methods. With regard to this rationale, we describe three pairs of PMCA and glial cell assays for different hamster-adapted prion agents (the frequently used 263K scrapie strain, and 22A-H scrapie and BSE-H). In addition, we report on the adaptation of quantitative PMCA to human variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD) prions on steel wires for prion disinfection studies. Our rationale and methodology can be systematically extended to other types of prions and used to further reduce or replace prion bioassays in rodents.
Optimized administration regimen of lopinavir for a myocardial ischaemia reperfusion study in Sprague–Dawley rats
Authors: Katayama M , Jiamsripong P , Bukatina A E , Lombari T R , Mcmahon E M , Gades N M , Belohlavek M
Published: April 2013

Pharmacokinetics of drugs may differ between small and large mammals (including humans); therefore, drug testing in animal models must be carefully designed. Sprague–Dawley rats were used in cardiac experiments, during which the lopinavir concentration in serum had to match human therapeutic levels (4–10 μg/mL). Lopinavir was administered as a co-formulated drug of lopinavir and ritonavir. It was found that after a single administration of a standard human peroral dose (lopinavir 13.3 mg/kg of body weight), the serum concentration of lopinavir was only one-tenth of the target level. It remained below the minimum target level even after 10-fold the standard dose was administered. After initial pilot tests, a dose escalation study was conducted with oral doses 10- and 15-fold the standard clinical dose of lopinavir (i.e. 133 and 200 mg/kg, respectively). A second administration 2 h later effectively increased and maintained higher concentrations during the experimental ischaemia and reperfusion periods. A dose-dependent increase in serum concentration of the drug was observed. Thus, the target therapeutic serum level of lopinavir in the rats was achieved by administrating 10- to 15-fold the standard human dose twice, separated by a 2 h interval.
Book Review: Socio-Economic Development of Tribal Women: Changes and Challenges
Authors: Patel Vibhuti
Published: April 2013

Rekha Talmaki, Socio-Economic Development of Tribal Women: Changes and Challenges. Delhi: The Women Press, pp. xxiii + 222, ₹ 895
Lymphatic Malformations of the Airway
Authors: O Teresa M. , Rickert Scott M. , Diallo Aicha Maguy , Scheuermann‐Poley Catharina , Otokiti Ahmed , Hong Michael , Chung Ho Yun , Waner Milton
Published: April 2013

Objectives/Hypothesis

To characterize the anatomic distribution of lymphatic malformations of the upper airway.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary care referral center specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular anomalies.

Methods

A 7‐year (2004‐2011) retrospective chart review of patients with lymphatic malformations was performed at a tertiary care referral center. Patients with airway lymphatic malformations were identified. The anatomic distribution of lymphatic malformations within the airway was reviewed.

Results

A total of 141 patients with lymphatic malformations of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) were studied. Of these, 15 (11%) had laryngeal (supraglottic) involvement. In all of these patients, the disease was above the true vocal folds. Seventy‐four (52%) patients had involvement of 1 anatomic zone (most common was the oral cavity), and 67 (48%) had involvement of multiple zones. With regard to each zone, 105 (75%) patients had involvement of the oral cavity, 50 (36%) the oropharynx, 8 (6%) the hypopharynx, 42 (30%) the parapharynx, and 12 (9%) had retropharygeal disease (some patients had multiple zones involved). No patients were identified with glottic, subglottic, or tracheal involvement.

Conclusions

Based on our large series, airway involvement in head and neck lymphatic malformations may occur at multiple sites above the glottis. A high percentage of these patients have involvement of the oral cavity (75%) and oropharynx (35%). None involve the glottis, subglottis, or trachea.
Realising potential: The impact of business incubation on the absorptive capacity of new technology-based firms
Authors: Patton Dean
Published: April 2013

This article explores the potential of university technology business incubators to enhance the absorptive capacity of new technology-based firms. The research pursues three critical themes: it employs the absorptive capacity construct to analyse and evaluate the potential of incubation to strengthen the business model of new technology firms. It then explores the interaction between founders and incubator directors, mentors and business advisers to assess how this might enhance absorptive capacity. Finally, it indicates how such interactions can facilitate the transition from potential to realised absorptive capacity. The article interrogates the incubation process by using the absorptive capacity framework to evaluate how it might strengthen the business model of new technology firms. The qualitative findings suggest that where founders, advisers, mentors and incubator directors engage collaboratively to create an iterative dialogue which informs the development of a viable business model, the process by which potential absorptive capacity can be fully realised is substantially strengthened.
Adenosine-stress low-dose single-scan CT myocardial perfusion imaging using a 128-slice dual-source CT: a comparison with fractional flow reserve
Authors: Choo Ki Seok , Hwangbo Lee , Kim June Hong , Park Yong Hyun , Kim Jeong Su , Kim Jun , Chun Kook Jin , Jeong Dong Wook , Lim Soo Jin
Published: April 2013

Background

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) allows accurate evaluation of coronary artery stenosis but has limitations in information on hemodynamic significance of stenotic lesions.

Purpose

To determine the feasibility of adenosine-stress low-dose single-scan CT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using a 128-slice dual-source CT scanner for the diagnosis of hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis as defined by fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Material and Methods

This study was proved by the Institutional Review Board and informed consent was obtained from the patients before enrollment in the study. Ninety-seven patients with chest pain and low-to-intermediate pretest probability of coronary artery disease were prospectively enrolled. Adenosine-stress CCTA using ECG-correlated maximum tube current modulation (Mindose®) with 128-slice dual-source CT was performed in all 97 patients. In 37 patients (38.1%; 28 men, nine women; mean age, 61.7 ± 20.5 years; mean heart rate, 74.6 ± 2.8 bpm) with significant stenosis at CCTA (lumen diameter reduction >50%), FFR was performed after CCTA, as a reference standard for the evaluation of myocardial perfusion. FFR value ≤0.75 was considered as positive. CTMPI and CCTA were read by two experienced radiologists with consensus, respectively.

Results

The effective radiation dose of adenosine-stress single-scan CTMPI was 4.63 ± 2.57 mSv. Compared with FFR, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for identifying significant coronary stenoses were 93.1%, 82.7%, 75.0%, and 95.6%, respectively, on CCTA and 93.1%, 90.3%, 84.4%, and 95.9%, respectively, on CTMPI. On combined CCTA and CTMPI, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 93.1%, 94.2%, 90.0%, and 96.0%, respectively.

Conclusion

Adenosine-stress low-dose single scan CTMPI using a 128-slice dual-source CT can provide complementary information on the hemodynamical significance of coronary artery stenosis as well as anatomical information of coronary arteries.
Potentials of high resolution magnetic resonance imaging versus computed tomography for preoperative local staging of colon cancer
Authors: Rollvén Erik , Holm Torbjorn , Glimelius Bengt , Lörinc Esther , Blomqvist Lennart
Published: April 2013

Background

Preoperative identification of locally advanced colon cancer is of importance in order to properly plan treatment.

Purpose

To study high resolution T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) versus computed tomography (CT) for preoperative staging of colon cancer with surgery and histopathology as reference standard.

Material and Methods

Twenty-eight patients with a total of 29 tumors were included. Patients were examined on a 1.5 T MR unit using a phased array body coil. T2 turbo spin-echo high resolution sequences were obtained in a coronal, transverse, and perpendicular plane to the long axis of the colon at the site of the tumor. Contrast-enhanced CT was performed using a protocol for metastasis staging. The examinations were independently evaluated by two gastrointestinal radiologists using criteria adapted to imaging for prediction of T-stage, N-stage, and extramural venous invasion. Based on the T-stage, tumors were divided in to locally advanced (T3cd-T4) and not locally advanced (T1-T3ab). Surgical and histopathological findings served as reference standard.

Results

Using MRI, T-stage, N-stage, and extramural venous invasion were correctly predicted for each observer in 90% and 93%, 72% and 69%, and 82% and 78% of cases, respectively. With CT the corresponding results were 79% and 76%, 72% and 72%, 78% and 67%. For MRI inter-observer agreements (Kappa statistics) were 0.79, 0.10, and 0.76. For CT the corresponding results were 0.64, 0.66, and 0.22.

Conclusion

Patients with locally advanced colon cancer, defined as tumor stage T3cd-T4, can be identified by both high resolution MRI and CT, even when CT is performed with a metastasis staging protocol. MRI may have an advantage, due to its high soft tissue discrimination, to identify certain prognostic factors such as T-stage and extramural venous invasion.
Role of mitochondrial function in the protective effects of ischaemic postconditioning on ischaemia/reperfusion cerebral damage
Authors: Liang Jian-min , Xu Hai-yang , Zhang Xiao-jie , Li Xungeng , Zhang Hong-bo , Ge Peng-fei
Published: April 2013

Objective

To investigate the effects of ischaemic postconditioning on brain injury and mitochondria in focal ischaemia and reperfusion, in rats.

Methods

Adult male Wistar rats ( n = 15 per group) underwent sham surgery, ischaemia (2-h middle cerebral artery occlusion), or ischaemia followed by ischaemic postconditioning (three cycles of 30 s reperfusion/30 s reocclusion). Brain infarction size, neurological function, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial swelling were evaluated 24 h postsurgery.

Results

Infarct size was significantly smaller, and neurological function was significantly better, in the ischaemic postconditioning group than in the ischaemia group. Ischaemia resulted in significant increases in mitochondrial ROS production and swelling, and a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential, all of which were significantly reversed by postconditioning.

Conclusions

The protective role of ischaemic postconditioning in focal ischaemia/reperfusion may be due to decreased mitochondrial ROS production, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and suppressed mitochondria swelling. Mitochondria are potential targets for new therapies to prevent brain damage caused by ischaemia and reperfusion.
Effects of altitude and inclination on flame spread over poly(methyl methacrylate) slabs
Authors: Liang Canjun , Cheng Xudong , Yang Hui , Zhang Heping , Yuen Kwok K
Published: April 2013

Flame spread experiments over poly(methyl methacrylate) slabs with different inclinations were conducted in Hefei (with an altitude of 29.8 m) and Lhasa (with an altitude of 3658.0 m). It is shown that the flame spreads significantly slower in Lhasa than in Hefei. For steep slabs with inclination angles of 75° and 90°, the preheat length in Lhasa is longer than in Hefei, whereas for mild inclinations (30° and 45°), it is slightly shorter in Lhasa than in Hefei. The peak total heat flux received by the fuel surface is lower in Lhasa than in Hefei. The measured flame temperatures did not present significant difference. This is actually caused by the combined effects of combustion inhibition due to the low oxygen concentration and less soot formation caused by lower ambient pressure and oxygen concentration in the plateau region, which result in less heat loss by radiation. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that the slower spread behavior in Lhasa is mainly a result of the lower heat feedback level to the solid surface.
Characterization of composites based on chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber/chlorinated natural rubber/waste rubber powder rubber blends
Authors: Marković Gordana , Marinović-Cincović Milena , Jovanović Vojislav , Samaržija-Jovanović Suzana , Budinski-Simendić Jaroslava
Published: April 2013

Chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber (CSM) was blended with chlorinated natural rubber (CNR) with various formulations and blend ratios (CSM/CNR: 100/0; 75/25; 50/50; 25/75; 0/100) keeping the total waste rubber powder (WRP) content constant at 50 phr (parts per 100 rubber). Rheological, mechanical, dynamic mechanical and thermal aging properties as well as irradiation resistance were used as characterization of the blends. The amount of CNR in blends significantly affected the properties of the blends. The CSM/CNR/WRP rubber blend (50/50/50) possessed higher tensile strength compared with pure CSM and CNR rubber even after irradiation or thermal aging. Modulus, tensile strength and hardness of the blends appeared to increase, but elongation at break decreased progressively with increasing CNR content. These properties decreased in rubber blends after thermal aging. After irradiation, hardness, modulus and tensile strength increased up to 200 kGy and then decreased significantly for the blends with high CNR content, whereas no change in modulus was observed. CNR and CSM showed damping peaks at about 65 and −45°C, respectively, and these values correlate with the glass transition temperatures ( Tgs) of CNR and CSM, respectively. The shift in the Tg values was observed after blending, suggesting an interfacial interaction between the two phases probably caused by the covulcanization in CSM/CNR blends.
Creative Drama in the General Music Classroom
Authors: Stephens April
Published: April 2013

The following article provides strategies and suggestions for integrating creative drama into the general music classroom. Various learning theories and basic theatre concepts will be discussed. Integrating music and drama can be an engaging tool for various types of learners. The author provides a sample process drama lesson on Civil Rights through the book When Marian Sang by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
Presynaptic Gating of Postsynaptic Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Blundon Jay A. , Zakharenko Stanislav S.
Published: April 2013

Sensory cortices can not only detect and analyze incoming sensory information but can also undergo plastic changes while learning behaviorally important sensory cues. This experience-dependent cortical plasticity is essential for shaping and modifying neuronal circuits to perform computations of multiple, previously unknown sensations, the adaptive process that is believed to underlie perceptual learning. Intensive efforts to identify the mechanisms of cortical plasticity have provided several important clues; however, the exact cellular sites and mechanisms within the intricate neuronal networks that underlie cortical plasticity have yet to be elucidated. In this review, we present several parallels between cortical plasticity in the auditory cortex and recently discovered mechanisms of synaptic plasticity gating at thalamocortical projections that provide the main input to sensory cortices. Striking similarities between the features and mechanisms of thalamocortical synaptic plasticity and those of experience-dependent cortical plasticity in the auditory cortex, especially in terms of regulation of an early critical period, point to thalamocortical projections as an important locus of plasticity in sensory cortices.
Online Support for Children With Asthma and Allergies
Authors: Stewart Miriam , Letourneau Nicole , Masuda Jeffrey R. , Anderson Sharon , McGhan Shawna
Published: April 2013

Children with asthma and allergies experience social isolation and gaps in social support particularly from peers. The objective of this pilot study was to design and test an accessible online support intervention for these children. Children ( n = 27) aged 7 to 11 from across Canada participated. GoToMeeting was employed for the support group sessions and Club Penguin for social connections during and between support group meetings. Content included: strategies for coping with asthma and allergies, role playing and games to help children deal with difficult situations, fun and enjoyment, and presentations by positive role models. Participation in the online peer support intervention was high, 86.3% on average over the 8-week intervention. By sharing their experiences, listening to peers’ experiences, and role playing, children were introduced to practical skills: problem solving, communicating, seeking support, and self-advocacy.
Mapping Migrant Territories as Topological Deformations of Space
Authors: Awan Nishat , Langley Phil
Published: April 2013

Our research uses the concept of “territories” to describe the production of migrant space. The article describes a project based in London where the everyday practice of walking is used to map migrant territories, which are conceptualized as dispersed and overlapping, causing topological deformations to the actual lived space. We interrogate these deformations through focusing on the micro-scale and the everyday, mapping them as “scapes” and “spheres.” Using specific computational techniques, we transform the original walks into an architectural tool for investigating the fluctuations and flows of the contemporary city. In doing so, we approach territories from two distinct angles: from the geopolitical perspective of territories seen as the product of the interplay of politics, power, and space and from the biological perspective of territories seen as the primal need of all animals, including humans, for space and a certain distinction from their environment and from others.
Use of content analysis to conduct knowledge-building and theory-generating qualitative systematic reviews
Authors: Finfgeld-Connett Deborah
Published: April 2013

Findings from knowledge-building and theory-generating qualitative systematic reviews have the potential to help guide policy formation and practice in many disciplines. Unfortunately, this potential is currently hindered by the fact that rigorous data analysis methods have not been consistently used and/or articulated for purposes of conducting these types of reviews. Content analysis is a flexible data analysis method that can be used to conduct qualitative systematic reviews; however, its application in this context has not been fully explicated. Qualitative systematic reviewers who aim to build knowledge and generate theory are urged to adapt content analysis methods to accommodate data that are, by nature, highly organized and contextualized. In addition, they are encouraged to use reflective memoing and diagramming to ensure valid integration, interpretation, and synthesis of findings across studies. Finally, reviewers are advised to clearly and fully explain their data analysis methods in research reports.
Seemingly Empty: Freud at Berggasse 19, A Conceptual Museum in Vienna
Authors: Morra Joanne
Published: April 2013

In this article, the author posits and argues for a new category of museums: the conceptual museum. By taking the Sigmund Freud Museum Vienna and its Contemporary Art Collection as a case study, she suggests that museums that are seemingly empty, for instance, without objects, are, in fact, filled with their own histories, contingencies and epistemological confluences, which, when they come into contact with the personal histories, fantasies, knowledge, expectations and longings of their visitors produce a rather full encounter.
(Un)walking at the Fair: About Mobile Visualities at the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900
Authors: Huhtamo Erkki
Published: April 2013

This article is a contribution to urban media archaeology. It sheds light on ‘mobile visualities’ by concentrating on the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900. After discussing theories and practices of walking, it focuses on a specific technological prosthesis for the pedestrian: the Trottoir roulant, or the moving walkway that circled the exposition grounds. Even though it was not the first of its kind, the extent, location, and function of the one in Paris made it special. The Trottoir roulant not only connected two major parts of the exposition, but traveled along normal boulevards on an elevated platform. This turned it into a panoramic viewing machine of sorts for observing the city as a spectacle. The article analyzes the materiality and history of the system, but it also discusses its discursive dimensions, such as the ‘accidentalist imagination’ it inspired and the topos traditions it activated. The Trottoir roulant’s relationship to photographic and cinematographic activities at the 1900 fair are also highlighted.
Bhopal to Bridgehampton: Schema for a Disaster Tourism Event
Authors: Antick Paul
Published: April 2013

This experimental essay is a documentary–fiction account of two research trips undertaken in 2010 to Bhopal, India, and Bridgehampton, USA, by a photographer called Smith and an anthropologist called Willing. Their purpose was to investigate the social, cultural and environmental aftermath of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, with a view to proposing ways in which the disaster might be exploited for commemorative, educational and entertainment purposes. Smith and Willing enumerate here on the ways in which photography and ethnography, as well as the disaster’s ‘materiality’ – its routes and objects – could be used to generate a disaster tourism event in both Bhopal and Bridgehampton, the home of Union Carbide’s former CEO, Warren Anderson. Part fantasy, part political and cultural critique, Bhopal to Bridgehampton also represents a meditation on authorship and the limits of the autobiographical gesture in ethnography. While their experiences are loosely based on some of the author’s own, Smith and Willing are emphatically fictional characters.
Promoting gender equity through health research: impacts and insights from a Canadian initiative
Authors: Stewart Miriam , Kushner Kaysi Eastlick , Gray Jean , Hart David A
Published: April 2013

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently identified major knowledge gaps regarding gender and sex as determinants of health. Canada recognized the importance of mobilizing research, and informing programs and policies focused on promoting the health of males and females across their lifespans by creating a national research institute that is focused on the study of gender, sex and health. No other country has created a national research institute dedicated to gender and health. Other countries may benefit from the strategies used by this Canadian research institute to create and sustain success, including: (i) mechanisms for defining national research priorities; (ii) tools to optimize research excellence; (iii) vehicles to build research capacity and develop a research community; (iv) processes to convert new knowledge into practice, programs and policies; (v) creation of partnerships at both the national and international levels and (vi) solutions to challenges and obstacles. The development of a vibrant research community and powerful national and international collaborations promotes gender and health equity.
The applicability and transferability of public health research from one setting to another: a survey of maternal health researchers
Authors: Burchett Helen E. D. , Dobrow Mark J. , Lavis John N. , Mayhew Susannah H.
Published: April 2013

Background:

Little is known about the process of assessing whether research conducted in one setting is applicable (i.e. implementable) and transferable (i.e. as effective) to another, despite its importance for health policy and practice. Applicability/transferability differs from external validity; the former focuses on potential utility in another specific setting, whilst the latter is more general. This study explored perceptions of applicability/transferability among maternal health researchers.

Methods:

Published maternal public health researchers in low- or middle-income countries were invited to complete an online questionnaire. They were shown four summaries of maternal public health intervention evaluations and asked which they felt were the most and least applicable/transferable to their own setting and why.

Results:

283 valid questionnaires were received (41% response rate). Applicability/transferability decisions frequently depended on the pertinence of the problem addressed by the intervention or the intervention’s characteristics. Less common were comparison of the respondents’ setting with the study setting, or consideration of the study’s effectiveness.

Conclusions:

The factors affecting perceptions of applicability/transferability are broader than those associated with external validity. Improving the reporting of intervention characteristics and implementation is particularly important for applicability/transferability assessments and could increase the appropriate use of public health research in policy and practice.
Experiencing occupations with chronic hand disability: narratives of hand-injured adults
Authors: Ammann Bernadette , Satink Ton , Andresen Mette
Published: April 2013

Introduction

Hand injuries commonly account for a fifth of all emergencies presenting to emergencydepartments of most hospitals in Europe. One-third of these injuries lead to chronic hand disability thatentails economical, psychological, physical and social implications on the wellbeing of hand-injured adultswith longterm consequences. However, knowledge about the impact of chronic hand disability onoccupations in the long term is limited.

Methods

The purpose of this narrative study was to understand how adults after a hand injury experience theimpact of chronic hand disability on their occupations over time. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Two narrative interviews were conducted with each participant and analysed usingnarrative and structural analysis.

Results

All participants experienced the challenge of occupational disruption. They faced occupationallimitations with the consequence of changed occupational patterns, and later strived for normality. In the end, all participants still needed to get accustomed to occupational changes.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that this process of occupational adaptation continues on for at least one year after the hand injury. They further highlight the importance to support the clients through engagement in occupation during the therapy process.
Repeated Respiratory Failure and Failed Extubation Following Intraoperative Advanced Airway Device Endotracheal Intubation
Authors: Hatton Kevin W. , Rebel Annette , Layon A. Joseph
Published: April 2013

Intraoperative airway management by anesthesiology providers has evolved over the years to include many specialized devices and techniques that can have tremendous impact on the care of the perioperative critically ill patient. When perioperative patient care issues arise, anesthesiologists and perioperative critical care specialists should both be actively involved in a dialogue regarding many the relevant patient care issues, including any airway and respiratory function problems. Additionally, critical care specialists should be familiar with the use and potential complications of the increasingly diverse airway (and non-airway) tools and devices used by anesthesiologists in the operating room. The authors present a case report of a 66-year-old man who suffered repeated postoperative respiratory failure following an uncomplicated upper extremity orthopedic procedure. The patient developed unexplained, repeated postoperative respiratory failure that necessitated reintubation related to the accidental and unrecognized retention of a plastic tip extender from a Bullard fiber-optic laryngoscope. After transfer to the ICU, the patient continued to have significant respiratory distress requiring aggressive post-extubation noninvasive mechanical ventilation. The cause of this complication was not diagnosed by the anesthesiologist or the intensive care team throughout the course of this patient’s respiratory failure. Ultimately, the patient spontaneously expectorated the tip extender with rapid improvement in his respiratory function. This case highlights the importance of the dialogue that should occur between anesthesiologists and critical care specialists when unexpected and/or unexplained perioperative complications occur.
Multi-target action of the novel anti-Alzheimer compound CHF5074: in vivo study of long term treatment in Tg2576 mice
Authors: Sivilia Sandra , Lorenzini Luca , Giuliani Alessandro , Gusciglio Marco , Fernandez Mercedes , Baldassarro Vito Antonio , Mangano Chiara , Ferraro Luca , Pietrini Vladimiro , Baroc Maria Francesca , Viscomi Arturo R , Ottonello Simone , Villetti Gino , Imbimbo Bruno P , Calzà Laura , Giardino Luciana
Published: April 2013

Background

Alzheimer disease is a multifactorial disorder characterized by the progressive deterioration of neuronal networks. The pathological hallmarks includes extracellular amyloid plaques and intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles, but the primary cause is only partially understood. Thus, there is growing interest in developing agents that might target multiple mechanisms leading to neuronal degeneration. CHF5074 is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory derivative that has been shown to behave as a γ-secretase modulator in vitro and to inhibit plaque deposition and to reverse memory deficit in vivo in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In the present study, the effects of a long-term (13-month) treatment with CHF5074 on indicators of brain functionality and neurodegeneration in transgenic AD mice (Tg2576) have been assessed and compared with those induced by a prototypical γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT).

Results

To this end, plaque-free, 6-month-old Tg2576 mice and wild-type littermates were fed with a diet containing CHF5074 (125 and 375 ppm/day), DAPT (375 ppm/day) or vehicle for 13 months. The measured indicators included object recognition memory, amyloid burden, brain oligomeric and plasma Aβ levels, intraneuronal Aβ, dendritic spine density/morphology, neuronal cyclin A positivity and activated microglia. Tg2576 mice fed with standard diet displayed an impairment of recognition memory. This deficit was completely reverted by the higher dose of CHF5074, while no effects were observed in DAPT-treated mice. Similarly, amyloid plaque burden, microglia activation and aberrant cell cycle events were significantly affected by CHF5074, but not DAPT, treatment. Both CHF5074 and DAPT reduced intraneuronal Aβ content, also increasing Aβ40 and Aβ42 plasma levels.

Conclusions

This comparative analysis revealed a profoundly diverse range of clinically relevant effects differentiating the multifunctional anti-inflammatory derivative CHF5074 from the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT and highlighted unique mechanisms and potential targets that may be crucial for neuroprotection in mouse models of AD.
Detecting chronic kidney disease in population-based administrative databases using an algorithm of hospital encounter and physician claim codes
Authors: Fleet Jamie L , Dixon Stephanie N , Shariff Salimah Z , Quinn Robert R , Nash Danielle M , Harel Ziv , Garg Amit X
Published: April 2013

Background

Large, population-based administrative healthcare databases can be used to identify patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) when serum creatinine laboratory results are unavailable. We examined the validity of algorithms that used combined hospital encounter and physician claims database codes for the detection of CKD in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

We accrued 123,499 patients over the age of 65 from 2007 to 2010. All patients had a baseline serum creatinine value to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We developed an algorithm of physician claims and hospital encounter codes to search administrative databases for the presence of CKD. We determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of this algorithm to detect our primary threshold of CKD, an eGFR <45 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (15.4% of patients). We also assessed serum creatinine and eGFR values in patients with and without CKD codes (algorithm positive and negative, respectively).

Results

Our algorithm required evidence of at least one of eleven CKD codes and 7.7% of patients were algorithm positive. The sensitivity was 32.7% [95% confidence interval: (95% CI): 32.0 to 33.3%]. Sensitivity was lower in women compared to men (25.7 vs. 43.7%; p <0.001) and in the oldest age category (over 80 vs. 66 to 80; 28.4 vs. 37.6 %; p < 0.001). All specificities were over 94%. The positive and negative predictive values were 65.4% (95% CI: 64.4 to 66.3%) and 88.8% (95% CI: 88.6 to 89.0%), respectively. In algorithm positive patients, the median [interquartile range (IQR)] baseline serum creatinine value was 135 μmol/L (106 to 179 μmol/L) compared to 82 μmol/L (69 to 98 μmol/L) for algorithm negative patients. Corresponding eGFR values were 38 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (26 to 51 mL/min per 1.73 m2) vs. 69 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (56 to 82 mL/min per 1.73 m2), respectively.

Conclusions

Patients with CKD as identified by our database algorithm had distinctly higher baseline serum creatinine values and lower eGFR values than those without such codes. However, because of limited sensitivity, the prevalence of CKD was underestimated.
Generation and application of drug indication inference models using typed network motif comparison analysis
Authors: Choi Jaejoon , Kim Kwangmin , Song Min , Lee Doheon
Published: April 2013

Background

As the amount of publicly available biomedical data increases, discovering hidden knowledge from biomedical data (i.e., Undiscovered Public Knowledge (UPK) proposed by Swanson) became an important research topic in the biological literature mining field. Drug indication inference, or drug repositioning, is one of famous UPK tasks, which infers alternative indications for approved drugs. Many previous studies tried to find novel candidate indications of existing drugs, but these works have following limitations: 1) models are not fully automated which required manual modulations to desired tasks, 2) are not able to cover various biomedical entities, and 3) have inference limitations that those works could infer only pre-defined cases using limited patterns. To overcome these problems, we suggest a new drug indication inference model.

Methods

In this paper, we adopted the Typed Network Motif Comparison Algorithm (TNMCA) to infer novel drug indications using topology of given network. Typed Network Motifs (TNM) are network motifs, which store types of data, instead of values of data. TNMCA is a powerful inference algorithm for multi-level biomedical interaction data as TNMs depend on the different types of entities and relations. We utilized a new normalized scoring function as well as network exclusion to improve the inference results. To validate our method, we applied TNMCA to a public database, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD).

Results

The results show that enhanced TNMCA was able to infer meaningful indications with high performance (AUC = 0.801, 0.829) compared to the ABC model (AUC = 0.7050) and previous TNMCA model (AUC = 0.5679, 0.7469). The literature analysis also shows that TNMCA inferred meaningful results.

Conclusions

We proposed and enhanced a novel drug indication inference model by incorporating topological patterns of given network. By utilizing inference models from the topological patterns, we were able to improve inference power in drug indication inferences.
The anti-idiotypic antibody 1F7 stimulates monocyte interleukin-10 production and induces endotoxin tolerance
Authors: Davtyan Tigran K , Poghosyan David A , Sukiasyan Anna G , Grant Michael D
Published: April 2013

Background

Pathogens that establish chronic infection elicit immune responses with suppressive cytokines dominating over pro-inflammatory cytokines. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection are associated with high levels of antiviral antibodies expressing a common idiotype specifically recognized by the 1F7 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The 1F7 mAb is a murine IgMκ antibody raised against immunoglobulin pooled from the plasma of multiple HIV-infected individuals. In this study, we investigated direct effects of the 1F7 mAb itself on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Methods

Isolated monocytes or PBMC from healthy controls were incubated with the 1F7 mAb or IgMκ mAb control. Cytokine production was measured in cell culture supernatants by ELISA and cells producing interleukin-10 (IL-10) were identified by subset depletion and intracellular flow cytometry. Endotoxin tolerance was assessed by exposing monocytes to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) following 1F7 mAb or IgMκ mAb control pre-treatment and comparing tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in cell culture supernatants.

Results

The 1F7 mAb stimulated monocytes and CD36+lymphocytes to produce IL-10 in a time and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of monocytes with 1F7 mAb also reduced their subsequent responsiveness to LPS stimulation.

Conclusions

Induction of antibodies expressing the 1F7 idiotype by chronic pathogens may facilitate IL-10 production and progression to chronic infection. Direct effects of IL-10 from human monocytes stimulated by 1F7-like antibodies, followed by monocyte transition to an alternatively activated phenotype illustrated by endotoxin tolerance, are two complementary features favouring a tolerogenic or non-responsive immunological environment.
Mutational spectrum of the APC and MUTYH genes and genotype–phenotype correlations in Brazilian FAP, AFAP, and MAP patients
Authors: Torrezan Giovana Tardin , da Silva Felipe Cavalcanti Carneiro , Santos Érika Maria Monteiro , Krepischi Ana Cristina Victorino , Achatz Maria Isabel Waddington , Junior Samuel Aguiar , Rossi Benedito Mauro , Carraro Dirce Maria
Published: April 2013

Background

Patients with multiple colorectal adenomas are currently screened for germline mutations in two genes, APC and MUTYH. APC-mutated patients present classic or attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP/AFAP), while patients carrying biallelic MUTYH mutations exhibit MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP). The spectrum of mutations as well as the genotype-phenotype correlations in polyposis syndromes present clinical impact and can be population specific, making important to obtain genetic and clinical data from different populations.

Methods

DNA sequencing of the complete coding region of the APC and MUTYH genes was performed in 23 unrelated Brazilian polyposis patients. In addition, mutation-negative patients were screened for large genomic rearrangements by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, array-comparative genomic hybridization, and duplex quantitative PCR. Biallelic MUTYH mutations were confirmed by allele-specific PCR. Clinical data of the index cases and their affected relatives were used to assess genotype–phenotype correlations.

Results

Pathogenic mutations were identified in 20 of the 23 probands (87%): 14 in the APC gene and six in the MUTYH gene; six of them (30%) were described for the first time in this series. Genotype-phenotype correlations revealed divergent results compared with those described in other studies, particularly regarding the extent of polyposis and the occurrence of desmoid tumors in families with mutations before codon 1444 (6/8 families with desmoid).

Conclusions

This first comprehensive investigation of the APC and MUTYH mutation spectrum in Brazilian polyposis patients showed a high detection rate and identified novel pathogenic mutations. Notably, a significant number of APC-positive families were not consistent with the predicted genotype-phenotype correlations from other populations.