bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain Activity during Lower-Limb Movement with Manual Facilitation: An fMRI Study
Authors: de Almeida Patrícia Maria Duarte , Ferreira Vieira Ana Isabel Correia Matos de , Canário Nádia Isabel Silva , Castelo-Branco Miguel , de Castro Caldas Alexandre Lemos
Published: February 2015

Brain activity knowledge of healthy subjects is an important reference in the context of motor control and reeducation. While the normal brain behavior for upper-limb motor control has been widely explored, the same is not true for lower-limb control. Also the effects that different stimuli can evoke on movement and respective brain activity are important in the context of motor potentialization and reeducation. For a better understanding of these processes, a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to collect data of 10 healthy subjects performing lower-limb multijoint functional movement under three stimuli: verbal stimulus, manual facilitation, and verbal + manual facilitation. Results showed that, with verbal stimulus, both lower limbs elicit bilateral cortical brain activation; with manual facilitation, only the left lower limb (LLL) elicits bilateral activation while the right lower limb (RLL) elicits contralateral activation; verbal + manual facilitation elicits bilateral activation for the LLL and contralateral activation for the RLL. Manual facilitation also elicits subcortical activation in white matter, the thalamus, pons, and cerebellum. Deactivations were also found for lower-limb movement. Manual facilitation is stimulus capable of generating brain activity in healthy subjects. Stimuli need to be specific for bilateral activation and regarding which brain areas we aim to activate.
Nephrogenic Adenoma of the Urinary Bladder: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Venyo Anthony Kodzo-Grey
Published: February 2015

Background. Nephrogenic adenoma of the urinary bladder (NAUB) is a rare lesion associated with nonspecific symptoms and could inadvertently be misdiagnosed.Aim. To review the literature.Methods. Various internet search engines were used.Results. NAUB is a benign tubular and papillary lesion of the bladder, is more common in men and adults, and has been associated with chronic inflammation/irritation, previous bladder surgery, diverticula, renal transplantation, and intravesical BCG; recurrences and malignant transformations have been reported. Differential diagnoses include clear cell adenocarcinoma, endocervicosis, papillary urothelial carcinoma, prostatic adenocarcinoma of bladder, and nested variant of urothelial carcinoma; most NAUBs have both surface papillary and submucosal tubular components; both the papillae and tubules tend to be lined by a single layer of mitotically inactive bland cells which have pale to clear cytoplasm. Diagnosis may be established by using immunohistochemistry (positive staining with racemase; PAX2; keratins stain positive with fibromyxoid variant), electron microscopy, DNA analysis, and cytological studies.Treatment. Endoscopic resection is the treatment but recurrences including sporadic malignant transformation have been reported.Conclusions. There is no consensus on best treatment. A multicentre study is required to identify the treatment that would reduce the recurrence rate, taking into consideration that intravesical BCG is associated with NAUB.
Power Series Extender Method for the Solution of Nonlinear Differential Equations
Authors: Vazquez-Leal Hector , Sarmiento-Reyes Arturo
Published: February 2015

We propose a power series extender method to obtain approximate solutions of nonlinear differential equations. In order to assess the benefits of this proposal, three nonlinear problems of different kind are solved and compared against the power series solution obtained using an approximative method. The problems are homogeneous Lane-Emden equation ofαindex, governing equation of a burning iron particle, and an explicit differential-algebraic equation related to battery model simulations. The results show that PSEM generates highly accurate handy approximations requiring only a few steps. The main advantage of PSEM is to extend the domain of convergence of the power series solutions of approximative methods as Taylor series method, homotopy perturbation method, homotopy analysis method, variational iteration method, differential transform method, and Adomian decomposition method, among many others. From the application of PSEM, it results in handy easy computable expressions that extend the domain of convergence of high order power series solutions.
Anti-CCP Antibody Levels Are Not Associated with MS: Results from a Case-Control Study
Authors: Alpayci Mahmut , Milanlioglu Aysel , Delen Veysel , Aydin Mehmet Nuri , Guducuoglu Huseyin , Bayram Yasemin
Published: February 2015

Citrullinated proteins have been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody is used in the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of anti-CCP antibody in patients with MS compared to RA patients and healthy controls. Fifty patients with MS (38 females, 12 males; mean age 36.72 ± 8.82 years), 52 patients with RA (40 females, 12 males; mean age 40.87 ± 10.17 years), and 50 healthy controls (32 females, 18 males; mean age 38.22 ± 11.59 years) were included in this study. The levels of serum anti-CCP antibody were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results of the study showed that anti-CCP antibody levels were significantly higher in RA patients versus MS or healthy controls(P<0.001). Moreover, anti-CCP antibody was positive in 43 (83%) patients with RA, while it was negative in all MS patients as well as in all healthy controls. Also, no significant correlation was found between the anti-CCP levels and EDSS scores(r=-0.250). In conclusion, the results of this study did not support a positive association between serum anti-CCP antibody and MS.
Using Genetic Algorithms for Hardware Core Placement and Mapping in NoC-Based Reconfigurable Systems
Authors: Gomes Filho Jonas , Strum Marius , Chau Wang Jiang
Published: February 2015

Mapping of cores has been an important activity in NoC-based system design aimed to find the best topological location onto the NoC, such that the metrics of interest can be greatly optimized. In the last years, partial reconfigurable systems (PRSs) have included Networks-on-Chips (NoCs) as their communication structure, adding complexity to the problem of mapping. Several works have proposed specific and robust NoC architectures for PRSs, forming indirect and irregular networks, in which cases the mapping and placement problems must be treated altogether. The placement deals with the physical positioning of those cores inside the reconfigurable device. Up to now, to the best of our knowledge, the mapping-placement problem for those kinds of architectures has not been addressed yet. In this work, the problem formalization for the design-time hardware core placement and mapping in PRS-NoCs is proposed and methodologies for solving it with genetic algorithms (GAs) are presented. Several GA crossovers and methodologies are compared for obtaining the best solution. Results have shown that best GA solution obtained, in average, communication costs with 4% of penalty when compared with global minimum cost, obtained in a semiexhaustive approach. In addition, the algorithm presents low execution times.
Acute Effects of Alcohol on the Human Brain: A Resting-State fMRI Study
Authors: Zheng Hongyi , Kong Lingmei , Chen Lanmei , Zhang Haidu , Zheng Wenbin
Published: February 2015

The aim of this study is to assess the value of resting-state fMRI in detecting the acute effects of alcohol on healthy human brains. Thirty-two healthy volunteers were studied by conventional MR imaging and resting-state fMRI prior to and 0.5 hours after initiation of acute alcohol administration. The fMRI data, acquired during the resting state, were correlated with different breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC). We use the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus as a seed for the default mode network (DMN) analysis. ALFF and ReHo were also used to investigate spontaneous neural activity in the resting state. Conventional MR imaging showed no abnormalities on all subjects. Compared with the prior alcohol administration, the ALFF and ReHo also indicated some specific brain regions which are affected by alcohol, including the superior frontal gyrus, cerebellum, hippocampal gyrus, left basal ganglia, and right internal capsule. Functional connectivity of the DMN was affected by alcohol. This resting-state fMRI indicates that brain regions implicated are affected by alcohol and might provide a neural basis for alcohol’s effects on behavioral performance.
De NovoAssembly and Characterization ofOryza officinalisLeaf Transcriptome by Using RNA-Seq
Authors: Bao Ying , Xu Si , Jing Xiang , Meng Lu , Qin Zongyan
Published: February 2015

Although endeavors have been made to identify useful wild rice genes that can be used to improve cultivated rice, the virtual reservoir of genetic variation hidden within the wild relatives of cultivated rice is largely untapped. Here, using next-generation sequencing technology, we investigated the leaf transcriptome of a wild riceO. officinaliswith CC genome. Approximately 23 million reads were produced in the species leaf transcriptome analysis andde novoassembly methods constructed 68,132 unigenes. Functional annotations for the unigenes were conducted using sequence similarity comparisons against the following databases: the nonredundant nucleotide database, the nonredundant protein database, the SWISS-PROT database, the Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins database, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, the Gene Ontology Consortium database, and the InterPro domains database. In addition, a total of 476 unigenes related to disease resistance were identified inO. officinalis, and these unigenes can serve as important genetic resources for cultivated rice breeding and quality improvement. The present study broadens our understanding of the genetic background of non-AA genomic wild rice species and it also provides a bridge to extend studies to otherOryzaspecies with CC genomes.
Electrocardiographic Monitoring for Detecting Atrial Fibrillation After Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Dussault Charles , Toeg Hadi , Nathan Meena , Wang Zhi Jian , Roux Jean-Francois , Secemsky Eric
Published: February 2015

Background—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of stroke. Although standard investigations after an event include electrocardiographic monitoring, the optimal duration to detect AF is unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the duration of electrocardiographic monitoring after an ischemic event is related to the detection of AF.

Methods and Results—

Prospective studies that reported the proportion of new AF diagnosed using electrocardiographic monitoring for >12 hours in patients with recent stroke or transient ischemic attack were analyzed. Studies were excluded if the stroke was hemorrhagic or AF was previously diagnosed. A total of 31 articles met inclusion criteria. Longer duration of monitoring was associated with an increased detection of AF when examining monitoring time as a continuous variable (
P
<0.001 for metaregression analysis). When dichotomizing studies based on monitoring duration, studies with monitoring lasting ≤72 hours detected AF in 5.1%, whereas monitoring lasting ≥7 days detected AF in 15%. The proportion of new diagnosis increased to 29.15% with extended monitoring for 3 months. Significant heterogeneity within studies was detected for both groups (≤72 hours,
I
2
=91.3%; ≥7 days,
I
2
=75.8). When assessing the odds of AF detection in the 3 randomized controlled trial, there was a 7.26 increased odds of AF with long-term monitoring (95% confidence intervals [3.99–12.83];
P
value <0.001).

Conclusions—

Longer duration of electrocardiographic monitoring after cryptogenic stroke is associated with a greater detection of AF. Future investigation is needed to determine the optimal duration of long-term monitoring.
Experimentation and decentralization in China’s labor relations
Authors: Friedman Eli , Kuruvilla Sarosh
Published: February 2015

In this introduction to the special issue ‘Changing work, labour and employment relations in China’, we argue that China is taking an experimental and decentralized approach to the development of new labor relations frameworks. Particular political constraints in China prevent interest aggregation among workers, as the central state sees this as posing a risk to social stability. Firms and local governments have been given a degree of space to experiment with different arrangements, as long as the categorical ban on independent unions is not violated. The consequence has been an increasingly differentiated labor relations landscape, with significant variation by region and sector. We note some countervailing tendencies towards re-centralization, but emphasize that this phenomenon remains largely confined to the municipal level. The five articles in this special issue address different aspects of both experimentation and decentralization in labor relations.
Endoscopic Sinonasal Meningoencephalocele Repair
Authors: Rawal Rounak B. , Sreenath Satyan B. , Ebert Charles S. , Huang Benjamin Y. , Dugar Deepak R. , Ewend Matthew G. , Sasaki‐Adams Deanna , Senior Brent A. , Zanation Adam M.
Published: February 2015

Objective

Sinonasal meningoencephalocele is a rare defect, with varying etiologies and treatment strategies. Here we present the largest published series from a single institution of patients with endoscopic repair. The primary goal is to examine rates of success with consideration to accompanying patient demographic data. The secondary goal is to report the results stratified by defect and reconstruction type.

Design

Retrospective consecutive case series.

Setting

Tertiary care academic center.

Subjects and Methods

Consecutive patients with CPT codes for skull base meningoencephalocele repair between May 2000 and March 2013 were reviewed. Patients who specifically had sinonasal defects were included.

Results

During the study period, 149 cases of sinonasal meningoencephaloceles were managed in 133 patients. Mean follow‐up was 21.3 months (range, 0‐116). There was a success rate of 88% for initial repair, with mean recurrence time of 8.3 months (range, 0‐38), and a success rate of 93.8% for initial recurrence surgery, with 99.3% of ultimate successful repair. All cases were repaired endoscopically. Recurrence rate was not significantly related to location of defect (P =. 682), size of defect (P =. 434), particular reconstruction technique (P =. 163), or etiology (trauma, P =. 070). Overall complication rate was 11.3%.

Conclusion

Endoscopic sinonasal meningoencephalocele repair has excellent long‐term results and may be considered as a primary approach. Surgeon comfort with a particular technique should be the most important factor used to guide choice of reconstruction.
Alterations in Extracellular Matrix Composition in the Aging Larynx
Authors: Branco Anete , Todorovic Fabro Alexandre , Gonçalves Tatiana Maria , Garcia Martins Regina Helena
Published: February 2015

Objective

To study by immunohistochemistry the alterations of collagens I, III, IV, and V and elastin in the aging process of the human larynx.

Study Design

Cadaver study.

Setting

Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil.

Subjects and Methods

Thirty vocal folds were obtained at autopsy from 10 adult men (aged 30 to 50 years) and 20 geriatric men (10 aged 60 to 75 years and 10 aged >75 years). Mid membranous vocal fold slides were subjected to immunohistochemical reactions. Digital imaging software (ImageJ) was used to quantify the increase in brownish staining of the lamina propria structures of vocal folds, from superficial to deep layers.

Results

There was an increase of collagen I and III immunoexpression in the elderly larynges, in both layers. Collagens IV and V were immunoexpressed in the vessels endothelium of the lamina propria and in the basement membrane. The immunoexpression of elastin decreased in the elderly larynges, in both lamina propria layers of the vocal folds.

Conclusion

A clear increase of collagens I and III and a decrease of elastic fibers were observed in the lamina propria of vocal folds. The concentration of collagens IV and V was the same across age groups. These findings suggest that as men age, the density of the extracellular matrix increases, brought about by an increase in collagen, while the loss of elastin results in decreased viscoelasticity.
Knowledge and Deeds in the Two Spirits Treatise
Authors: Dixon Thomas P.
Published: February 2015

This study explores how knowledge in the Two Spirits Treatise (1QS 3.13–4.26) is presented as a practical knowledge primarily valuable insofar as it generates good deeds. The prominence of deeds makes knowledge itself a relatively minor character in the Treatise, as is particularly evident in the role that deeds play in demonstrating a person's spiritual character. This study will engage with sustained treatments of epistemology in the Treatise by Carol Newsom and Shane Berg on the way to assessing the assumptions of the Treatise from a different angle. Such a perspective reveals a curious, dialogical relationship between theology and anthropology that may be underlying this text.
Wisdom and Word among the Hellenistic Saviors: The Function of Literacy
Authors: Wills Lawrence M.
Published: February 2015

Parallels for developments in Jewish Wisdom and the Jewish use of Word are often sought in Hellenistic cults such as that of Isis, and increasingly the mechanisms of the spread of such religious movements are being investigated. In the Hellenistic period there appeared a number of social and religious developments that may be correlated with the reverence for textuality among some groups, especially among those who revered those cosmic saviors more associated with creation than with fertility or rescue: Isis and Sarapis outside of Egypt, Hekate of the Chaldaean Oracles, Hermes/Thoth of the Egyptian Hermetic literature, Word, Jewish Wisdom, Jesus Christ, and Sethian redeemers such as Barbelo. The philosophical development that formed the intellectual basis for these divinities was Middle Platonism, with its three-tiered system of transcendent divinity, cosmic savior, and human beings, and the social development that formed the political and economic analogy for this was patronage, with its three-tiered system of patron, broker, and client. The cosmic savior was then an alternative broker for an alternative patron, and there was a strong investment in texts that provided a portable focus for the sanctum and an alternative myth of origins for the adherent.
Optimization of process parameters to obtain NH4-clinoptilolite as a supplement to ecological fertilizer
Authors: Mihajlović M. , Perišić N. , Pezo L. , Stojanović M. , Milojković J . , Petrović M. , Petrović J.
Published: February 2015

The application of natural fertilizer mixtures that improve nutrient retention ability of soils has attracted considerable attention in recent years. In addition to rock phosphate (RP), the basic components of these mixtures are zeolites modified with selected cations, such as the ammonium ion. The NH4-zeolite serves as a carrier of nutrients as well as a soil conditioner, and it promotes the RP dissolution in all soil types. The purpose of the present work was to prepare costeffective NH4-zeolite supplement, using 32 full factorial experimental designs, with concentration of modifier and processing time as variables. Saturation processes were carried out on two types of natural zeolites, K- clinoptilolite (K-Cp) and Ca-clinoptilolite (Ca-Cp). The Response Surface Method (RSM) was applied for evaluation of cation exchange, suggesting an effective NH4+ modification of natural zeolite at lower quantities of modifier than commonly found in other studies on the topic. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), differences between samples relative to the process variables were clearly outlined and correlated with concentrations of the exchanged cations. The best results were obtained for the K-Cp type modified with 1.5 M solution of ammonium sulfate (at a Cp/NH4+ stochiometric ratio 1:7.5) for all three processing intervals. By optimizing the modification process parameters, an experimental design of partially saturated NH4-Cp supplement that has the potential to supply all major plant nutrients was proposed.
Jarid2 regulates hematopoietic stem cell function by acting with polycomb repressive complex 2
Authors: Kinkel Sarah A. , Galeev Roman , Flensburg Christoffer , Keniry Andrew , Breslin Kelsey , Gilan Omer , Lee Stanley , Liu Joy , Chen Kelan , Gearing Linden J. , Moore Darcy L. , Alexander Warren S. , Dawson Mark , Majewski Ian J. , Oshlack Alicia , Larsson Jonas , Blewitt Marnie E.
Published: February 2015

Key Points

Depletion of Jarid2 in mouse and human hematopoietic stem cells enhances their activity. Jarid2 acts as part of PRC2 in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.
Channel-mediated astrocytic glutamate modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity by activating postsynaptic NMDA receptors
Authors: Park Hyungju , Han Kyung-Seok , Seo Jinsoo , Lee Jaekwang , Dravid Shashank M , Woo Junsung , Chun Heejung , Cho Sukhee , Bae Jin Young , An Heeyoung , Koh Woohyun , Yoon Bo-Eun , Berlinguer-Palmini Rolando , Mannaioni Guido , Traynelis Stephen F , Bae Yong Chul , Choi Se-Young , Lee C Justin
Published: February 2015

Background

Activation of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in astrocytes leads to Ca2+-dependent glutamate release via Bestrophin 1 (Best1) channel. Whether receptor-mediated glutamate release from astrocytes can regulate synaptic plasticity remains to be fully understood.

Results

We show here that Best1-mediated astrocytic glutamate activates the synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and modulates NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity. Our data show that activation of the protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) in hippocampal CA1 astrocytes elevates the glutamate concentration at Schaffer collateral-CA1 (SC-CA1) synapses, resulting in activation of GluN2A-containing NMDARs and NMDAR-dependent potentiation of synaptic responses. Furthermore, the threshold for inducing NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) is lowered when astrocytic glutamate release accompanied LTP induction, suggesting that astrocytic glutamate is significant in modulating synaptic plasticity.

Conclusions

Our results provide direct evidence for the physiological importance of channel-mediated astrocytic glutamate in modulating neural circuit functions.
Assessment of patient-ventilator breath contribution during neurally adjusted ventilatory assist in patients with acute respiratory failure
Authors: Liu Ling , Liu Songqiao , Xie Jianfeng , Yang Yi , Slutsky Arthur S , Beck Jennifer , Sinderby Christer , Qiu Haibo
Published: February 2015

Introduction

We previously showed in animals that the ratio of inspired tidal volume (Vtinsp) to inspiratory peak electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdipk) can be used to quantify the respective patient and ventilator breath contributions (PVBCs) during neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA). The PVBC index has not been tested clinically.

Methods

We studied 12 intubated and mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory failure and measured EAdipk, airway (Paw) and inspiratory esophageal pressure (Pes) and Vtinsp. We applied 11 different NAVA levels, increasing them every 3 minutes in steps of 0.3 cm H2O/μV from 0 to 3.0 cmH2O/μV. At each NAVA level, one breath was non-assisted (NAVA level 0). PVBC indices were calculated by relating Vtinsp/EAdipk of the non-assisted breath to Vtinsp/EAdipk of the assisted breath(s) using one (N1PVBC) or the mean value of five preceding assisted breaths (X5PVBC). During assisted breaths, inspiratory changes in Pes (∆Pes) and transpulmonary (ΔPtp) pressures were used to calculate the relative contribution of patient to total inspiratory lung-distending pressures (ΔPes/ΔPtp). Matching of respiratory drive indices and squaring of the PVBC was evaluated for their effect on the correlation between PVBC and ΔPes/ΔPtp. Linear regression analysis and Bland-Altman analysis were applied to compare indices.

Results

Using an average of five assisted breaths prior to the non-assisted breath and squaring the PVBC (X5PVBC2) improved determination coefficients (P <0.05), adjusted the regression slope and intercept between PVBC and ΔPes/ΔPtp toward identity (P <0.05) and reduced bias (P <0.05). Matching EAdipk between non-assisted and assisted breaths within the range of 0.77 to 1.30 improved the relationship between X5PVBC2 and ΔPes/ΔPtp (P <0.05) and abolished the need for EAdi normalization in the PVBC calculation (R2 = 0.96; bias = 0.16 ± 0.06; precision = 0.33 ± 0.08 (mean and 95% confidence interval)).

Conclusions

This clinical study confirms previous experimental results showing that the PVBC2 predicts the contribution of the inspiratory muscles versus that of the ventilator during NAVA, when differences in effort (EAdi) between non-assisted and assisted breaths are limited. PVBC could help to quantify and standardize the adjustment of the level of assist, and hence reduce the risks of excessive ventilatory assist in patients.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01663480. Registered 9 August 2012.
Neural stem/progenitor cells react to non-glial cns neoplasms
Authors: Campbell Jack Griffin , Miller Douglas C , Cundiff Diane D , Feng Qi , Litofsky N Scott
Published: February 2015

It is well established that the normal human brain contains populations of neural stem/progenitor cells. Recent studies suggest that they migrate toward a variety of CNS tissue injuries. In an investigation of the potential role of neural stem cells in the pathogenesis of primary CNS lymphomas (NHL-CNS), we observed that neural stem/progenitor cells appeared to accumulate at the border of the tumors with the brain and in the advancing edge of the tumors, in a pattern similar to that seen with reactive gliosis. We identified neural stem/progenitor cells using standard immunohistochemical markers thereof, including CD133, nestin, Group II Beta-tubulin, Musashi1, and the transcription factor Sox2, in neurosurgically obtained specimens of NHL-CNS metastatic carcinoma , and metastatic melanoma . We had similar results with each of these markers but found that Sox2 antibodies provided the clearest and most robust labeling of the cells at the borders of these non-glial tumors. To exclude that the immunoreactive cells were actually neoplastic, double-label immunohistochemistry for Sox2 and CD20 (for NHL-CNS), Sox2 and cytokeratin (CAM5.2, for carcinomas), or Sox2 and HMB45 (for melanomas) showed that in each tumor type, Sox2-immunoreactive cells adjacent to and among the tumor cells were separate from neoplastic cells. Sox2/GFAP double-labeling revealed a consistent pattern of Sox2 immunopositivity both in reactive GFAP-immunopositive astrocytes and in GFAP-negative cells, at the interface of tumor and non-neoplastic brain. These results suggest that neural stem/progenitor cells migrate to non-glial neoplasms in the CNS, are a source of reactive astrocytes, and that Sox2 is a reliable immunohistochemical marker for these cells.
Humic matter elicits proton and calcium fluxes and signaling dependent on Ca2+-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) at early stages of lateral plant root development
Authors: Ramos Alessandro C , Dobbss Leonardo B , Santos Leandro A , Fernandes Mânlio S , Olivares Fábio L , Aguiar Natália O , Canellas Luciano P
Published: February 2015

Background

The humic acid (HA) fraction of soil organic matter (SOM) exerts an effective plant growth promotion through a complex mechanism involving a coordinated activation of several key ion transport and signaling systems. We investigated the effects of HA on H+and Ca2+cellular dynamics at the early stages of lateral plant root development.

Results

Emergence of lateral root in rice seedlings were related to specific H+and Ca2+fluxes in the root elongation zone underlying an activation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase and of the Ca2+-dependent protein kinase (CDPK). The latter was coupled with an increased expression of the voltage-dependentOsTPC1Ca2+channels and two stress responsive CDPK isoforms, such asOsCPK7andOsCPK17.

Conclusions

HA act as molecular elicitors of H+and Ca2+fluxes, which seem to be upstream of a complex CDPK cell-signaling cascade. These findings shed light on the first ion signaling events involved in the mechanism of action of HA on plant growth and development.
Frequencies of the Ricker wavelet
Authors: Wang Yanghua
Published: February 2015

The Ricker wavelet is theoretically a solution of the Stokes differential equation, which takes into account the effect of Newtonian viscosity, and is applicable to seismic waves propagated through viscoelastic homogeneous media. In this paper, we defined the time-domain breadth and the frequency-domain bandwidth of the Ricker wavelet and developed quantities analytically in terms of the Lambert [Formula: see text] function. We determined that the central frequency, the geometric center of the frequency band, is close to the mean frequency statistically evaluated using the power spectrum, rather than the amplitude spectrum used in some of the published literature. We also proved that the standard deviation from the mean frequency is not, as suggested by the literature, the half-bandwidth of the frequency spectrum of the Ricker wavelet. Moreover, we established mathematically the relationships between the theoretical frequencies (the central frequency and the half-bandwidth) and the numerical measurements (the mean frequency and its standard deviation) and produced each of these frequency quantities analytically in terms of the peak frequency of the Ricker wavelet.
Pharmacotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: Systematic
review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hoskins Mathew , Pearce Jennifer , Bethell Andrew , Dankova Liliya , Barbui Corrado , Tol Wietse A. , van Ommeren Mark , de Jong Joop , Seedat Soraya , Chen Hanhui , Bisson Jonathan I.
Published: February 2015

Background

Pharmacological treatment is widely used for post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) despite questions over its efficacy.

Aims

To determine the efficacy of all types of pharmacotherapy, as
monotherapy, in reducing symptoms of PTSD, and to assess
acceptability.

Method

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was
undertaken; 51 studies were included.

Results

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were found to be statistically
superior to placebo in reduction of PTSD symptoms but the effect size was
small (standardised mean difference −0.23, 95% CI −0.33 to −0.12). For
individual pharmacological agents compared with placebo in two or more
trials, we found small statistically significant evidence of efficacy for
fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine.

Conclusions

Some drugs have a small positive impact on PTSD symptoms and are
acceptable. Fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine may be considered as
potential treatments for the disorder. For most drugs there is inadequate
evidence regarding efficacy for PTSD, pointing to the need for more
research in this area.
The cardiovascular safety of the empirical measurement of the seizure threshold in electroconvulsive therapy
Authors: Mizen Lindsay , Morton Charles , Scott Allan
Published: February 2015

Aims and method

The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Committee on Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Related Treatments advises the measurement of initial seizure threshold in all patients undergoing ECT if possible. The subconvulsive electrical stimulation inherent in this process is thought to increase the risk of bradycardia and therefore asystole. Our aim was to establish the prevalence of asystole (no heart beat for 5 or more seconds) during empirical measurement of seizure threshold in patients who had not received anticholinergic drugs, as we were unable to find any published reports of bradycardia or asystole prevalence under these conditions. The electrocardiogram traces of 50 such consecutive patients were analysed later.

Results

Asystole occurred in 5% of stimulations. Each episode of asystole resolved spontaneously with no adverse outcomes. Contrary to expectations, asystole was no more prevalent in subconvulsive stimulations than in convulsive stimulations.

Clinical implications

There was no evidence that the empirical measurement of the seizure threshold added to the cardiovascular risk of ECT.
A memory clinic v. traditional community mental health team service: comparison of costs and quality
Authors: Rubinsztein Judy Sasha , van Rensburg Marelna Janse , Al-Salihy Zerak , Girling Deborah , Lafortune Louise , Radhakrishnan Muralikrishnan , Brayne Carol
Published: February 2015

Aims and method

To compare the cost and quality of a memory-clinic-based service (MCS) with a traditional community mental health team (CMHT) service. Using a retrospective case-note review, we studied two groups, each with 33 participants. Consecutive referrals for diagnostic ‘memory’ assessments over 4 months were evaluated. Participants were evaluated for up to 6 months.

Results

The MCS was less costly than the CMHT service but the difference was not statistically significant (mean cost for MCS was £742, mean cost for CMHT service was £807). The MCS offered more multidisciplinary and comprehensive care, including: pre- and post-diagnostic counselling, more systematic screening of blood for reversible causes of dementia, more use of structured assessment instruments in patients/carers, signposting to the third sector as well as more consistent copying of letters to patients/carers.

Clinical implications

An MCS service offered more comprehensive and multidisciplinary service at no extra cost to secondary care.
Alcohol dependence and driving: knowledge of DVLA regulations
Authors: Collier Andrew , Watts Maggie , Ghosh Sujoy , Rice Peter , Dewhurst Neil
Published: February 2015

Aims and Methods

The UK's Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) requires individuals to report if they have a medical condition such as alcohol dependence. General Medical Council guidance indicates that medical practitioners should ensure patients are aware of their impairment and requirement to notify the DVLA.

Results

In a survey of 246 people with known alcohol dependence, none were aware of advice on driving given by medical practitioners and none had self-reported. In addition, 362 doctors, either attending a college symposium or visiting a college website, were asked about their knowledge of DVLA regulations regarding alcohol dependence: 73% of those attending the symposium and 63% of those visiting the website answered incorrectly. In Scotland, over 20000 people have alcohol dependence (over 1 million people with alcohol abuse), yet only 2548 people with alcohol problems self-reported to the DVLA in 2011.

Clinical implications

If the DVLA regulations were implemented, it could make an enormous difference to the behaviours of the driving public.
Cognitive–behavioural therapy by psychiatric trainees: can a little knowledge be a good thing?
Authors: Kelleher Eric , Hayde Melissa , Tone Yvonne , Dud Iulia , Kearns Colette , McGoldrick Mary , McDonough Michael
Published: February 2015

Aims and method

To establish the competency of psychiatric trainees in delivering cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) to selected cases, following introductory lectures and supervision. Supervisor reports of trainees rotating through a national psychiatric hospital over 8.5 years were reviewed along with revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) ratings where available. Independent t-test was used to compare variables.

Results

Structured supervision reports were available for 52 of 55 (95%) trainees. The mean result (4.6, s.d. = 0.9) was at or above the accepted level for competency (≥3) for participating trainees. Available CTS-R ratings (n = 22) supported the supervisor report findings for those particular trainees.

Clinical implications

This study indicates that trainees under supervision can provide meaningful clinical interventions when delivering CBT to selected cases. The costs of supervision need to be judged against these clinical gains.
Personal experience: Suicide and psychiatric care – a lament
Authors: Holmes Jeremy
Published: February 2015

A personal bereavement from suicide prompts a critique of current mental healthcare. Fragmentation, lack of long-term attachment to a tenured professional, the dearth of family therapy, and professional ambivalence are identified as weaknesses in current provision. Implicit is the case for change in UK psychiatric services, both structural (need for long-term therapies) and cultural (need for a mentalising rather than protocol-driven, ‘choice’-led ethos).
Development of a Risk Framework for Forecasting Earthquake Losses in Port Systems
Authors: Burden Lindsay Ivey , Rix Glenn , Werner Stuart
Published: February 2015

Ports play a critical role in transportation infrastructure but are vulnerable to seismic hazards. Downtime and reduced throughput from seismic damage in ports results in significant business interruption losses for port stakeholders. Managing risks from systemwide disruptions resulting from earthquake damage has been studied as a central element of a project sponsored by the National Science Foundation Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) program. Presented are the concepts and methods developed for the seismic risk management of a portwide system of berths. The framework used to calculate port losses is discussed, particularly the use of spatially correlated ground motion intensity measures that estimate damage to pile-supported wharves and container cranes, the repair costs and downtimes subsequently determined via repair models for both types of structures, and the impact on cargo handling operations calculated via logistical models of the port system. Results, expressed in the form of loss exceedance curves, are calculated.
BC Hydro Ground Motion Prediction Equations for Subduction Earthquakes
Authors: Abrahamson Norman , Gregor Nicholas , Addo Kofi
Published: February 2015

An updated ground motion prediction equation (GMPE) for the horizontal component response spectral values from subduction zone earthquakes is developed using a global data set that includes 2,590 recordings from 63 slab earthquakes (5.0 ≤ M ≤7.9) and 953 recordings from 43 interface earthquakes (6.0 ≤ M ≤8.4) at distances up to 300 km. The empirical data constrain the moment magnitude scaling up to M8.0. For M > 8.0, a break in magnitude scaling is included in the model based on the magnitude scaling found in numerical simulations for interface earthquakes in Cascadia. The focal depth scaling of the short-period spectral values are strong for slab earthquakes, but it is not seen for interface events. The distance scaling is different for sites located in the forearc and backarc regions, with much steeper attenuation for backarc sites. The site is classified by V S30 with constrained nonlinear site amplification effects.
Arterialized Venous Bicarbonate Is Associated With Lower Bone Mineral Density and an Increased Rate of Bone Loss in Older Men and Women
Authors: Tabatabai L. S. , Cummings S. R. , Tylavsky F. A. , Bauer D. C. , Cauley J. A. , Kritchevsky S. B. , Newman A. , Simonsick E. M. , Harris T. B. , Sebastian A. , Sellmeyer D. E. ,   for the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study
Published: February 2015

Context:

Higher dietary net acid loads have been associated with increased bone resorption, reduced bone mineral density (BMD), and increased fracture risk.

Objective:

The objective was to compare bicarbonate (HCO3) measured in arterialized venous blood samples to skeletal outcomes.

Design:

Arterialized venous samples collected from participants in the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study were compared to BMD and rate of bone loss.

Setting:

The setting was a community-based observational cohort.

Participants:

A total of 2287 men and women age 74 ± 3 years participated.

Intervention:

Arterialized venous blood was obtained at the year 3 study visit and analyzed for pH and pCO2. HCO3 was determined using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.

Main Outcome Measure:

BMD was measured at the hip by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the year 1 (baseline) and year 3 study visits.

Results:

Plasma HCO3 was positively associated with BMD at both year 1 (P = .001) and year 3 (P = .001) in models adjusted for age, race, sex, clinic site, smoking, weight, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Plasma HCO3 was inversely associated with rate of bone loss at the total hip over the 2.1 ± 0.3 (mean ± SD) years between the two bone density measurements (P < .001). Across quartiles of plasma HCO3, the rate of change in BMD over the 2.1 years ranged from a loss of 0.72%/y in the lowest quartile to a gain of 0.15%/y in the highest quartile of HCO3.

Conclusions:

Arterialized plasma HCO3 was associated positively with cross-sectional BMD and inversely with the rate of bone loss, implying that systemic acid-base status is an important determinant of skeletal health during aging. Ongoing bone loss was linearly related to arterialized HCO3, even after adjustment for age and renal function. Further research in this area may have major public health implications because reducing dietary net acid load is possible through dietary intervention or through supplementation with alkaline potassium compounds.
Toward a New Drug History of Latin America: A Research Frontier at the Center of Debates
Authors: Gootenberg Paul , Campos Isaac
Published: February 2015

This introduction brings the issue of Latin American drug trades and cultures into conversation with the region's historiography. Illicit drugs are now notoriously associated with Latin America and represent untold billions in exports, generating over the last three decades tremendous violence, instability, and public controversy. Yet historians are just starting to seriously research the topic. Psychoactive drugs, broadly conceived, have been central in Latin American history from pre-Columbian times to the present; this piece offers a long-term periodization of drugs to uncover and analyze their complex and often-surprising roles. Rather than fetishize drugs, the essay maintains that they can be productively woven into the largest contexts and problems of Latin American history. After analyzing three methodological concerns of drug history — issues of transnationality and scale, the place of drugs in commodity studies, and the social constructivist approach to drug meanings and effects — the special issue editors introduce three exemplary new essays on the history of drugs in Latin America.
Synthesis of Carboxylated Graphene Oxide–CdS Nanocomposite and Its Application on Photovoltaic Devices
Authors: Bidgoli Maryam Massah , Mohsennia Mohsen , Boroumand Farhad Akbari
Published: February 2015

Carboxylated graphene oxide–CdS nanocomposite (GO-COOH-CdS) was successfully prepared by a facile mixing method in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and used to fabricate photovoltaic devices. The as-prepared nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD analysis further confirmed that CdS nanoparticles have been effectively intercalated into the GO-COOH stacks. The prepared GO-COOH-CdS nanocomposite has been applied for fabrication of hybrid bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices by using the poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) as an electron donor in two different weight ratios with GO-COOH-CdS nanocomposite, as an electron acceptor. The effective electron transfer from MEH-PPV to GO-COOH-CdS was confirmed by the significant photoluminescence (PL) quenching of MEH-PPV. According to the obtained results, the photovoltaic devices based on conjugated polymer-GO-COOH-CdS have the potential to open up new production technologies for hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on GO–semiconductor composites.
Semiotics, culture and space
Authors: Lagopoulos Alexandros Ph. , Boklund-Lagopoulou Karin
Published: February 2015

Space, in the environmental sense, holds a rather marginal position in semiotics. We shall try, however, to show in this paper that its importance is greater than thought previously, not only because it may establish one of the main sub-fields of semiotic research, but also because it has repercussions on other semiotic systems and even semiotic theory as such. We start by reviewing the main positions of the Theses of the Tartu-Moscow School and compare them to Lotman’s concept of the semiosphere. We conclude that a sociologically sound framework for culture is missing and try to demonstrate that culture is not the only factor composing a society, but there also exists a concept of a material, extra-semiotic society. This framework is systematically developed in relation to geographical space in our second section. We examine the place of space in semiotics according to two different axes of analysis. Th e first axis, discussed in our third section, corresponds to the semiotics of (geographical) space. We approach this field from two different perspectives. The first perspective is the direct study of urban space as a text, that is, it is focused on space-as-text. Three case studies are discussed, all drawn from pre-capitalist societies: the semiotic urban model in ancient Greece, the Ethiopian military camp and the spatial organization of the traditional Libyan oases. To the second perspective corresponds the semiotic study of the geographical spaces constructed by literary texts, that is, space-in-text. Here, we discuss two case studies: the ideal Platonic city and the medieval Arthurian courtly romances. These analyses are followed by an overview of the semiotics of space in pre-capitalist societies, to which we compare Lotman’s views.The second axis, discussed in our fourth section, concerns the importance of space for semiotic theory. We show that space can serve as a tool for the analysis of texts from other semiotic systems and focus on the use of space by different spatial metalanguages.
Juri Lotman’s autocommunication model and Roland Barthes’s representations of Self and Other
Authors: Han Lei
Published: February 2015

This paper discusses Juri Lotman’s concept of autocommunication and explores its applicability by referring to Roland Barthes’s representations of Self and Other. The texts to be discussed include Barthes’s writings on Japan and China, an excerpt from his rewriting of Balzac’s “Sarrasine” in S/Z, and his autobiography and Rousseau’s Confessions. The paper contrasts two cultural communication cases in terms of analysing two kinds of a-semantic codes: (1) the positive a-semantic code of Japan, and (2) the negative a-semantic code of China. With reference to “Sarrasine” and S/Z, the paper discusses two specific codes, cultural memory and imagination, which lead to the addressee’s reformulations. Finally, the paper examines how different modes of autocommunication are put into practice in Barthes’s autobiographical and Rousseau’s confessional writings.