bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bias in estimating accuracy of a binary screening test with differential disease verification
Authors: Alonzo Todd A. , Brinton John T. , Ringham Brandy M. , Glueck Deborah H.
Published: April 2011

Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value are typically used to quantify the accuracy of a binary screening test. In some studies, it may not be ethical or feasible to obtain definitive disease ascertainment for all subjects using a gold standard test. When a gold standard test cannot be used, an imperfect reference test that is less than 100 per cent sensitive and specific may be used instead. In breast cancer screening, for example, follow‐up for cancer diagnosis is used as an imperfect reference test for women where it is not possible to obtain gold standard results. This incomplete ascertainment of true disease, or differential disease verification, can result in biased estimates of accuracy. In this paper, we derive the apparent accuracy values for studies subject to differential verification. We determine how the bias is affected by the accuracy of the imperfect reference test, the percent who receive the imperfect reference standard test not receiving the gold standard, the prevalence of the disease, and the correlation between the results for the screening test and the imperfect reference test. It is shown that designs with differential disease verification can yield biased estimates of accuracy. Estimates of sensitivity in cancer screening trials may be substantially biased. However, careful design decisions, including selection of the imperfect reference test, can help to minimize bias. A hypothetical breast cancer screening study is used to illustrate the problem. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two‐stage instrumental variable methods for estimating the causal odds ratio: Analysis of bias
Authors: Cai Bing , Small Dylan S. , Have Thomas R. Ten
Published: April 2011

We present closed‐form expressions of asymptotic bias for the causal odds ratio from two estimation approaches of instrumental variable logistic regression: (i) the two‐stage predictor substitution (2SPS) method and (ii) the two‐stage residual inclusion (2SRI) approach. Under the 2SPS approach, the first stage model yields the predicted value of treatment as a function of an instrument and covariates, and in the second stage model for the outcome, this predicted value replaces the observed value of treatment as a covariate. Under the 2SRI approach, the first stage is the same, but the residual term of the first stage regression is included in the second stage regression, retaining the observed treatment as a covariate. Our bias assessment is for a different context from that of Terza (J. Health Econ. 2008; 27(3):531–543), who focused on the causal odds ratio conditional on the unmeasured confounder, whereas we focus on the causal odds ratio among compliers under the principal stratification framework. Our closed‐form bias results show that the 2SPS logistic regression generates asymptotically biased estimates of this causal odds ratio when there is no unmeasured confounding and that this bias increases with increasing unmeasured confounding. The 2SRI logistic regression is asymptotically unbiased when there is no unmeasured confounding, but when there is unmeasured confounding, there is bias and it increases with increasing unmeasured confounding. The closed‐form bias results provide guidance for using these IV logistic regression methods. Our simulation results are consistent with our closed‐form analytic results under different combinations of parameter settings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemical Reaction Between Ag Nanoparticles and TCNQ Microparticles in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Xiao Jinchong , Yin Zongyou , Wu Yuechao , Guo Jun , Cheng Yuhua , Li Hong , Huang Yizhong , Zhang Qing , Ma Jan , Boey Freddy , Zhang Hua , Zhang Qichun
Published: April 2011

The chemical reaction between Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and 7,7′,8,8′‐ tetracycanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) microparticles (MPs) in aqueous solution for the formation of Ag‐NP‐decorated Ag–TCNQ nanowires is reported. Based on the results obtained by UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it is proposed that the reaction between Ag NPs and TCNQ MPs includes three stages, namely, aggregation of NPs and MPs, diffusion and reaction between NPs and MPs, and formation of Ag–TCNQ nanowires. The as‐synthesized semiconducting Ag–TCNQ nanowires show good performance in nonvolatile memory devices with multiple write‐read‐erase‐read (WRER) cycles in air.
The Betz–Joukowsky limit: on the contribution to rotor aerodynamics by the British, German and Russian scientific schools
Authors: Okulov Valery L. , van Kuik Gijs A.M.
Published: April 2011

The derivation of the efficiency of an ideal wind turbine has been attributed to the three famous scientists of the three aerodynamic research schools in Europe during the first decades of the previous century: Lanchester, Betz and Joukowsky. However, detailed reading of their classical papers has shown that Lanchester did not accept Froude's result that the velocity through the disc is the average of the velocities far upstream and far downstream, by which his solution is not determined. Betz and Joukowsky used vortex theory to support Froude's result and derived the ideal efficiency of a wind turbine at the same time. This efficiency has been known as the Joukowsky limit in Russia and as the Betz limit everywhere else. Because of the contribution of both scientists, this result should be called the Betz–Joukowsky limit everywhere. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Burden of illness of Pompe disease in patients only receiving supportive care
Authors: Kanters Tim A. , Hagemans Marloes L. C. , van der Beek Nadine A. M. E. , Rutten Frans F. H. , van der Ploeg Ans T. , Hakkaart Leona
Published: April 2011

Background

Pompe disease is an orphan disease for which enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) recently became available. This study aims to estimate all relevant aspects of burden of illness—societal costs, use of home care and informal care, productivity losses, and losses in health‐related quality of life (HRQoL)—for adult Pompe patients only receiving supportive care.

Methods

We collected data on all relevant aspects of burden of illness via a questionnaire. We applied a societal perspective in calculating costs. The EQ‐5D was used to estimate HRQoL.

Results

Eighty adult patients (87% of the total Dutch adult Pompe population) completed a questionnaire. Disease severity ranged from mild to severe. Total annual costs were estimated at €22,475 (range €0–169,539) per adult Pompe patient. Patients on average received 8 h of home care and 19 h of informal care per week. Eighty‐five percent of the patients received informal care from one or more caregivers; 40% had stopped working due to their disease; another 20% had reduced their working hours. HRQoL for Pompe patients who only received supportive care was estimated at 0.72, 17% lower than the Dutch population at large.

Conclusions

Adult Pompe disease is associated with a considerable burden of illness at both the societal and patient levels. The disease leads to substantial costs and dependency on medical devices, home care, and informal care, and has a high impact on the patient's social network. In addition, patients are limited in their ability to work and have significantly reduced HRQoL.
Newborn screening: how are we travelling, and where should we be going?
Authors: Wilcken Bridget
Published: April 2011

In general, newborn screening is now a highly successful enterprise. The introduction of tandem mass spectrometry in the mid‐1990s changed the pace of screening, raising its profile and increasing its relevance to a wider range of health professionals. The clinical effectiveness is not in doubt for some conditions, but is lacking for others. Evaluation has major difficulties for the rarer disorders and has been sadly neglected. Partly because clinical effectiveness has not been enthusiastically addressed, but also because of undue caution on the part of regulators, who often seem to ignore available evidence, there are huge differences in the adoption of screening programmes in different jurisdictions. New treatments, especially mutation‐specific treatments, and technological advances in diagnostic testing are being rapidly developed, and this will further change the face of newborn screening and probably magnify these differences. The challenges will be considerable, especially with the increasing availability of DNA testing at modest cost. It is likely that there will be pressure to change the aims of newborn screening to encompass “personalised medicine”. We must all prepare in a thoughtful way for these future challenges.
Heteronormativity, school climates, and perceived safety for gender nonconforming peers
Authors: Toomey Russell B. , McGuire Jenifer K. , Russell Stephen T.
Published: April 2011

Students’ perceptions of their school climates are associated with psychosocial and academic adjustment. The present study examined the role of school strategies to promote safety in predicting students’ perceptions of safety for gender nonconforming peers among 1415 students in 28 high schools. Using multilevel modeling techniques, we examined student‐ and school‐level effects on students’ perceptions of safety for gender nonconforming peers. We found that older students, bisexual youth, Latino youth, and youth who experienced school violence perceived their gender nonconforming male peers to be less safe. Similarly, we found that older students and students who experienced school violence and harassment due to gender nonconformity perceived their gender nonconforming female peers to be less safe. At the school‐level, we found that when schools included lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues in the curriculum and had a Gay‐Straight Alliance, students perceived their schools as safer for gender nonconforming male peers.
Brief report: Emotional intelligence, victimisation and bullying in adolescents
Authors: Lomas Justine , Stough Con , Hansen Karen , Downey Luke A.
Published: April 2011

In order to better understand bullying behaviours we examined for the first time the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) of adolescents, bullying behaviours and peer victimisation. The sample consisted of 68 adolescents from a secondary college. Participants completed a self‐report questionnaire which assessed their EI, how frequently they engaged in bullying behaviours and how often they were the target of peer victimisation. Results of the study indicated that the EI dimensions of Emotions Direct Cognition and Emotional Management and Control, significantly predicted the propensity of adolescents to be subjected to peer victimisation. The EI dimension of Understanding the Emotions of Others was found to be negatively related with bullying behaviours. It was concluded that anti‐bullying programs in schools could be improved by addressing deficits in EI in adolescents who bully others as well as those who are at a greater risk of being subjected to peer victimisation.
Trading-Up Mass-Market Goods to Luxury Products
Authors: Heine Klaus , Phan Michel
Published: April 2011

This paper addresses the current lack of consensus on what defines a luxury product. It demonstrates the adequacy of a consumer-oriented approach anchored in a list of product attributes. These attributes were identified from the literature and a study of 31 German millionaires with high spending on luxury goods. A combination of five research methodologies was employed including open interview, the repertory grid method (RGM), the preference differences technique, the critical incident technique and the projective technique. The findings suggest that consumers distinguish luxury products using six major characteristics: price, quality, aesthetics, rarity, extraordinariness, and symbolic meaning. The paper concludes with practical implications for luxury brand managers and for those who wish to trade up their mass-market goods. Suggestions for further research directions are also offered.
How Exporters’ and Intermediaries’ Resources Influence Export Performance
Authors: Theingi  , Purchase Sharon
Published: April 2011

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the influence of firm resources and export intermediary resources on export performance using the resource-based view (RBV).

Methodology

Data was collected from 320 small and medium sized exporters from Thailand and the unit of analysis was an export venture. Cluster analysis and discriminant analysis were used to test whether the availability of firm resources and intermediary resources vary between different SME clusters.

Finding

Results show that the high performing cluster used their intermediary resources and their own internal marketing capabilities to a greater extent than lower performing clusters.

Practical implications

The findings are particularly important for resource-constrained SMEs, as they need to focus on developing marketing capabilities and choosing intermediaries with a high level of experience and knowledge for their particular export market.

Originality value

This research confirms the applicability of RBV in export literature extending current RBV theory. The findings in the paper indicate that the availability of firm resources as well as intermediary resources are important in determining export performance in an export-driven Thai economy.

Research highlights

The impact of firm resources and intermediaries resources on export performance was investigated. High performing firms used more intermediaries resources and own marketing capabilities. It is important to choose the intermediary with high level of knowledge and experience. Both firm resources and intermediary resources are important in determining export performance.
Oil, Carrots, and Sticks: Russia's Energy Resources as a Foreign Policy Tool
Authors: Newnham Randall
Published: April 2011

This paper will explore the growth of Russia's energy leverage in recent years, a source of power which Russia has used both to reward its friends and punish its enemies. It will briefly trace the origins of this power in the integrated energy networks of the former USSR and Warsaw Pact. It will then examine recent cases of the use of ‘oil power.’ Both positive and negative linkage will be considered. Some states-such as Armenia, Belarus and the Ukraine under President Kuchma-have been favored with heavily subsidized energy. Others-such as Georgia, Moldova, the Baltic States and the Ukraine under President Yushchenko-have been targeted by supply disruptions and punitive price increases. Russia's new ‘petro-power’ is of great importance today, and not just for its immediate neighbors: like other ‘petro-states,’ Russia is likely to gain ever more power as oil and gas become scarcer in the future.
Post-Russian Eurasia and the Proto-Eurasian Usage of the Runet in Kazakhstan: A Plea for a Cyberlinguistic Turn in Area Studies
Authors: Uffelmann Dirk
Published: April 2011

Drawing on the theoretical discussion of common features of cultures in the post-Soviet space, this paper proposes to refocus on the linguistic dimension and to investigate post-Russian Eurasia. Is not the role of the Russian language coming under serious challenge in the post-Soviet context, where independent states are downgrading the status of Russian in administration and education and where ethnic Russians are ‘remigrating’ from former Soviet republics to the Russian Federation? There is, however, one medium in which Russian is gaining new significance as a language of inter-regional communication: the Internet. Albeit to a lesser degree than English and Chinese, Russian serves as a means of communication between Russian-speaking communities all over the world. What is more, the Russian Internet (Runet) offers access to elaborated resources of contemporary culture (video and music downloads etc.).

The paper discusses the role the Russian-based Runet plays for Eurasian webcommunities outside the Russian Federation, mostly relying on Kazakh material, and asks whether post-colonial anxieties about Russian cultural imperialism through the Runet are justified or not and what the Kazakh, possibly post-colonial strategies of coping with this situation are. Essential to this essay is the notion of cyberimperialism, which combines aspects of media studies with post-colonial studies. The interdisciplinary approach to Internet studies is completed by a linguistic focus on the performativity of language usage online for creating situational language identities. The essay rounds off by offering an analysis of Nursultan Nazarbaev's ambiguous inclusive-exclusive logic of argumentation and confronting it with Russian Eurasianism.
Organization of the synthesis of glycolipid oligosaccharides in the Golgi complex
Authors: Maccioni Hugo J.F. , Quiroga Rodrigo , Spessott Waldo
Published: April 2011

Glycolipids constitute a complex family of amphipathic molecules structurally characterized by a hydrophilic mono‐ or oligo‐saccharide moiety linked to a hydrophobic ceramide moiety. Due to their asymmetric distribution in cell membranes, exposing the saccharide moiety to the extracytoplasmic side of the cell, glycolipids participate in a variety of cell–cell and cell–ligand interactions. Here we summarize aspects of the cell biology of the stepwise synthesis of the saccharide moiety in the Golgi complex of cells from vertebrates. In particular we refer to the participant glycosyltransferases, with emphasis on their trafficking along the secretory pathway, their retention and organization in the Golgi complex membranes and their dependence on the Golgi complex ultra structural organization for proper function.
Retrotransposons: Mobile and mutagenic from conception to death
Authors: Faulkner Geoffrey J.
Published: April 2011

Mobile genetic elements feature prominently in mammalian genome evolution. Several transposition‐competent retrotransposon families (L1, Alu, SVA) remain active in the human germ line, leading to pathogenesis as well as genome structural variation across the global population. High‐throughput screening approaches have recently been developed to detect retrotransposon insertion polymorphisms. Evidence produced by these and other genome‐scale technologies indicates an expanded role for retrotransposition in human biology, including somatic mobilisation in the developing embryo and in neural cells.
Control of nuclear receptor activities in metabolism by post‐translational modifications
Authors: Berrabah Wahiba , Aumercier Pierrette , Lefebvre Philippe , Staels Bart
Published: April 2011

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are molecular transducers of endocrine and dietary signals allowing tissues to adapt their transcriptional responses to endogenous or exogenous cues. These signals act in many cases as specific ligands, converting of NRs into transcriptionally active molecules. This on‐off mechanism needs, however, to be finely tuned with respect to the tissue environment and adjusted to the organism needs. These subtle adjustments of NR transcriptional activity are brought about by post‐translational modifications (PTMs), which can be, in the case of orphan NRs, the sole regulatory mechanism. The role of PTMs, with a more specific focus on phosphorylation, affecting the functions of NR controlling metabolic events is described in this review.
It's time to swim! Zebrafish and the circadian clock
Authors: Vatine Gad , Vallone Daniela , Gothilf Yoav , Foulkes Nicholas S.
Published: April 2011

The zebrafish represents a fascinating model for studying key aspects of the vertebrate circadian timing system. Easy access to early embryonic development has made this species ideal for investigating how the clock is first established during embryogenesis. In particular, the molecular basis for the functional development of the zebrafish pineal gland has received much attention. In addition to this dedicated clock and photoreceptor organ, and unlike the situation in mammals, the clocks in zebrafish peripheral tissues and even cell lines are entrainable by direct exposure to light thus providing unique insight into the function and evolution of the light input pathway. Finally, the small size, low maintenance costs and high fecundity of this fish together with the availability of genetic tools make this an attractive model for forward genetic analysis of the circadian clock. Here, we review the work that has established the zebrafish as a valuable clock model organism and highlight the key questions that will shape the future direction of research.
Early testosterone modulated sex differences in behavioral outcome following neonatal hypoxia ischemia in rats
Authors: Hill C.A. , Threlkeld S.W. , Fitch R.H.
Published: April 2011

Hypoxia ischemia (HI; reduced blood oxygenation and/or flow to the brain) represents one of the most common injuries for both term and preterm/very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. These children experience elevated incidence of cognitive and/or sensory processing disabilities, including language based learning disabilities. Clinical data also indicate more substantial long‐term deficits for HI injured male babies as compared to HI injured females. Previously, we reported significant deficits in rapid auditory processing and spatial learning in male rats with postnatal day 1 (P1), P7, or P10 HI injury. We also showed sex differences in HI injured animals, with more severe deficits in males as compared to females. Given these findings, combined with extant clinical data, the current study sought to assess a putative role for perinatal testosterone in modulating behavioral outcome following early hypoxic‐ischemic injury in rats. Male, female, and testosterone‐propionate (TP) treated females were subjected to P7 HI or sham surgery, and subsequently (P30+) underwent a battery of auditory testing and water maze assessment. Results confirm previous reports of sex differences following HI, and add new findings of significantly worse performance in TP‐treated HI females compared to vehicle treated HI females. Post mortem anatomic analyses showed consistent effects, with significant brain weight decreases seen in HI male and TP‐treated HI females but not female HI or sham groups. Further neuromorphometric analysis of brain structures showed that HI male animals exhibited increased pathology relative to HI females as reflected in ventricular enlargement. Findings suggest that neonatal testosterone may act to enhance the deleterious consequences of early HI brain injury, as measured by both neuropathology and behavior.
Neuroprotective effects of the beta‐catenin stabilization in an oxygen‐ and glucose‐deprived human neural progenitor cell culture system
Authors: Skardelly Marco , Gaber Khaled , Schwarz Johannes , Milosevic Javorina
Published: April 2011

β‐Catenin stabilization achieved either via GSK‐3β specific inhibition or involving canonical Wnt signalling pathway, contributes to neuroprotection in an oxygen–glucose deprivation (4 h OGD) in vitro hypoxia model performed on human cortical neural progenitor cells previously differentiated into neurons and glia. Neuroprotection mechanisms include both acquiring tolerance to injury throughout preconditioning (72 h prior to OGD) or being pro‐survival during 24 h reoxygenation after the insult. Four hours of OGD induced apoptotic cell death elevation to 73 ± 1% vs. 12% measured in control and the LDH level, indicative of necrotic cell injury, elevation by 67 ± 7% (set to 100%). A significant reduction in apoptosis occurred at 24 h reoxygenation with indirubin supplement which was 49 ± 6% at 2.5 μM BIO while LDH level was only 47 ± 5% of OGD. Kenpaullone was efficient in reducing both cell deaths at 5 μM (apoptosis 38 ± 1% and necrosis 33 ± 3% less than in OGD). Wnt agonist reduced apoptosis to 45 ± 3% at 0.01 μM, while LDH value was decreased to a level of 53 ± 5% of control. Our findings suggest that GSK‐3beta inhibitors/β‐catenin stabilizers may ultimately be useful drugs in neuroprotection and neuroregeneration therapies in vivo.
Reproductive outcome after letrozole versus laparoscopic ovarian drilling for clomiphene‐resistant polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Abdellah Mohamad S.
Published: April 2011

Objective

To compare the clinical outcomes of letrozole and laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) in patients with clomiphene‐citrate‐resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods

In the present prospective randomized trial, 140 women with clomiphene‐citrate‐resistant PCOS were randomly allocated to receive 5 mg letrozole from day 3 to day 7 of menses for 6 consecutive cycles, or to undergo LOD. When a leading follicle of at least 18 mm was present, ovulation was triggered with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The 6‐month rates of ovulation, pregnancy, abortion, and live births were evaluated.

Results

The groups were similar with regard to baseline clinical characteristics and hormonal profiles. The ovulation rate was significantly higher in the letrozole group than in the LOD group (59.0% versus 47.5%). On the days of the hCG injection, women in the letrozole group had a significantly thicker endometrium than those in the LOD group (P < 0.0001). Women receiving letrozole had a higher pregnancy rate (35.7% versus 28.6%) and a lower rate of spontaneous abortion (8.0% versus 20.0%, respectively), but these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Letrozole seems to be a suitable second‐line ovulation‐inducing alternative to LOD in women with PCOS who do not conceive with clomiphene citrate.
Genital tuberculosis among infertile women and fertility outcome after antitubercular therapy
Authors: Kulshrestha Vidushi , Kriplani Alka , Agarwal Nutan , Singh Urvashi B. , Rana Tanu
Published: April 2011

Objective

To compare modalities for diagnosing genital tuberculosis (GTB) and to assess fertility outcome after antitubercular therapy (ATT).

Methods

Infertile women underwent endometrial aspiration (EA) and peritoneal washing (PW) for histopathologic examination, PCR, and acid‐fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; laparoscopy and hysteroscopy were also performed. Women with a positive laboratory test and/or laparoscopic finding classified as definitive/probable received ATT for 6 months.

Results

Of 196 women recruited, 187 underwent laparoscopy. Genital tuberculosis was diagnosed in 118 (60.2%). In 41.3%, EA PCR was positive; PW PCR was positive in 7.6%. The remaining laboratory tests were positive in a small number. Laparoscopy indicated definitive GTB in 9.1% and probable GTB in 37.4%. Among the 118 women treated for GTB, 22.9% conceived without in vitro fertilization; of these women, 74.1% had a positive EA PCR and 59.3% had a positive laparoscopy finding. A quarter of the women received ATT solely on the basis of the PCR result and 31.0% of these women conceived.

Conclusion

No single test can detect all instances of GTB. A combination of tests is needed to increase the detection rate. Treatment given solely on the basis of a positive PCR result can result in conception.
A comparison of barbed and smooth sutures for ovine cesarean delivery
Authors: Greenberg James A. , Walden Scott , Hammer Carolyn M. , Grazul‐Bilska Anna T. , Vonnahme Kimberly A.
Published: April 2011

Objective

To determine the adequacy of barbed and smooth sutures for closing the uterus and fascia in pregnant ewes.

Methods

Nine ewes that underwent cesarean delivery were randomized to each receive 2 different suture materials for both the uterus and the fascia. The sutures used were: barbed poliglecaprone 25, smooth poliglecaprone 25, braided polyglactin 910, and smooth chromic sutures on the uterus; and barbed polydioxanone (PDO), barbed poliglecaprone 25, braided polyglactin 910, and smooth chromic sutures on the fascia.

Results

In 4 of the ewes, the fascia suture line failed prematurely, leading to dehiscence prior to planned euthanasia and necropsy. The remaining 5 ewes were euthanized on days 2, 7, or 28. All suture materials (smooth and barbed) were adequate for uterine closures. Barbed PDO, smooth poliglecaprone 25, and braided polyglactin 910 were adequate for fascia closures, whereas both barbed poliglecaprone 25 and smooth chromic resulted in premature suture line ruptures and fascia dehiscence.

Conclusion

In a small pilot study, absorbable knotless barbed suture was adequate and equivalent to absorbable knotted smooth suture for closing the uterus following ovine cesarean delivery. On the rectus fascia, however, sutures—whether barbed or smooth—with lower tensile strength resulted in fascial dehiscence.
Maternal and neonatal survival and mortality in the Upper West Region of Ghana
Authors: Issah Kofi , Nang‐Beifubah Alexis , Opoku Chris F.
Published: April 2011

Objective

To describe the health facility‐based factors affecting maternal/neonatal health and the outcomes of maternal death notifications and audits in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

Methods

Maternal death notifications and audits were conducted at 6 hospitals and in communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana in 2009. Furthermore, a kangaroo mother care strategy was implemented at 5 health facilities in the region to improve neonatal survival. The results of these implementations were recorded between July and December 2009.

Results

Forty‐seven maternal deaths were reported and audited, with 46.5% occurring within 24 hours after admission. Twenty‐three deaths were linked to delays in receiving care and non‐adherence to treatment protocols. Of 155 midwives expected to provide skilled care, 129 (83.2%) were between 46 and 59 years of age. The kangaroo mother care strategy resulted in 622 (89.5%) of 695 targeted infants surviving. At the end of 2009, only 30% of the recommendations of audit committees had been implemented.

Conclusion

Maternal death notifications and audits are useful tools for improving quality of care and outcomes. With almost half of maternal deaths occurring within 24 hours of admission, emergency care in the Upper West Region of Ghana must be improved.
Adding Precise Nanoliter Volume Capabilities to Liquid-Handling Automation for Compound Screening Experimentation
Authors: Murthy Tal V. , Kroncke Doug , Bonin Paul D.
Published: April 2011

Miniaturizing experimental sample volumes to the nanoliter volume range is one of the most economical ways to perform mid- and high-throughput compound screening experiments. Existing automation platforms for nanoliter fluid handling can be bulky, expensive, and require periodic calibration to provide consistent liquid dispensing. In addition, even with frequent calibration, significant instrument-to-instrument variation in low-volume dispensing can occur between different instrument platforms. Many of these issues can be addressed by the use of PocketTips. PocketTips are tips with a defined internal pocket designed to hold specific nanoliter volumes of compound dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide. Although the overall liquid-handling process with PocketTips uses the aspirate/dispense features of the specific liquid-handling device being used, the dispensed nanoliter volume is solely based on the dimensions of the pocket of the PocketTip and thus, the liquid-handling device itself need not have nanoliter dispensing capabilities. In this report, we demonstrate the performance of PocketTips on different automation platforms. In addition, we used a cell-based β-lactamase reporter assay system to demonstrate that compound delivery by PocketTips compares favorably with a standard compound addition technique.
Whole-Cell Scan Using Automatic Variable-Angle and Variable-Illumination-Depth Pseudo—Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy
Authors: Sun Wei , Xu Aoshuang , Marchuk Kyle , Wang Gufeng , Fang Ning
Published: April 2011

An automatic calibration and angle-scanning prism-type total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM) was modified to function in both TIRFM and pseudo-TIRFM modes. When the incident angle of the excitation laser beam was controlled to be larger than the critical angle, the instrument served as a variable-angle TIRFM. A homemade computer program automatically calibrates the laser illumination spot in the sample to overlap with the center of the microscope's field of view. Then, by measuring the fluorescence intensities at different incident angles, the z-positions of fluorescent nanospheres close to the cell basolateral membrane can be extracted. When the incident angle is reduced to be in the subcritical range, the instrument works as a pseudo-TIRFM. The whole cell body from bottom to top can be imaged in a vertical scan process. Furthermore, the illumination field depth in the pseudo-TIRFM can be controlled by changing the incident angle or the horizontal position of the laser spot.
Efficiency under quantile regression: What is the relationship with risk in the EU banking industry?
Authors: Koutsomanoli‐Filippaki Anastasia I. , Mamatzakis Emmanuel C.
Published: April 2011

This study estimates cost efficiency under a quantile regression framework. Our purpose is to investigate whether cost efficiency differs across quantiles of the conditional distribution. Efficiency scores are derived using the distribution‐free approach. Results show that for higher conditional distributions, efficiency scores are lower. In a second stage analysis, we examine the relationship between efficiency and risk, measured as distance to default. Cross section regressions show that the higher the risk, the lower the level of efficiency. The magnitude and the significance of the coefficient of the distance to default increases for conditional distributions associated with lower levels of efficiency.
Effect of sea-level lowering on ELA depression during the LGM
Authors: Hanson Brian , Hooke Roger LeB.
Published: April 2011

Decreases in equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) varied geographically during the last glacial maximum (LGM), with a mid-range value of ~ 900 m commonly deduced from altitude ratio and accumulation–area ratio calculations. Sea level, however, was 120 m lower during the LGM, so the ELA lowering relative to sea level would only be 780 m for a 900-m absolute lowering. With a lapse rate of 0.006°C m−1, this implies a 4.7°C lowering of global temperature. It has been argued that this correction for sea-level change is unnecessary, but the logic on which this is based requires adiabatic compression to apply over much longer time scales than is typically invoked. We find that the correction is necessary. In addition, geometric changes in the atmosphere during the LGM, pointed out by Osmaston (2006), could lead to 0.4°C decrease in the average temperature of the troposphere. Additionally, orographic effects could significantly change the snow distribution on mountain masses near sea level.
Sensitive grain-size records of Holocene East Asian summer monsoon in sediments of northern South China Sea slope
Authors: Huang Jie , Li Anchun , Wan Shiming
Published: April 2011

Changes in paleoenvironments over the last 17,500 yr have been documented by a high-resolution clay mineralogy and grain–size records of Core KNG5 from the northern slope of the South China Sea. Our results indicate that clay minerals are mainly from the Pearl River from 17,500 to 12,500 cal yr BP, and the South China Sea modern current system began to form since 12,500 cal yr BP, as a result, Taiwan turns to be the major contributor of clay minerals after 12,500 cal yr BP. Two grain-size populations with high variability through time were identified in the 13–28 μm and 1–2.2 μm grain-size intervals. The 1–2.2 μm grain-size population are mainly controlled by provenance supply and current transport. The 13–28 μm grain-size fraction could be controlled mainly by the sea-level change. The 1–2.2 μm grain-size population record demonstrates that East Asian Summer Monsoon intensity generally follows changes in insolation and that the response is similar for a large area of China and other northern low-latitude records, implying the globality of the monsoon evolution since Holocene. The anomalous environmental conditions in the northern South China Sea may imply intensified ENSO activity during the late Holocene.
Customer Perceptions of Service Quality in Retail Financial Institutions
Authors: Best Diana F. , Wong Su Mon
Published: April 2011

The SERVQUAL instrument, which measures customer perceptions of service quality, is applied to retail financial institutions in Brisbane. As in the original SERVQUAL study, five factors emerged: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Consumers’ experiences failed to match their expectations on virtually all dimensions. The study also found some differences in consumer perceptions of service quality based on age, gender and type of financial institution, suggesting that more could be done by financial institutions to segment their markets.
Nutritional and socio-economic determinants of cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren in rural Malaysia
Authors: Al-Mekhlafi Hesham M. , Mahdy Mohammed A. , Sallam Atiya A. , Ariffin W. A. , Al-Mekhlafi Abdulsalam M. , Amran Adel A. , Surin Johari
Published: April 2011

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7–12 years living in remote areas in Pos Betau, Pahang, Malaysia to investigate the potential determinants influencing the cognitive function and educational achievement of these children. Cognitive function was measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), while examination scores of selected school subjects were used in assessing educational achievement. Blood samples were collected to assess serum Fe status. All children were screened for soil-transmitted helminthes. Demographic and socio-economic data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Almost two-thirds (67·6 %) of the subjects had poor IQ and most of them (72·6 %) had insufficient educational achievement. Output of the stepwise multiple regression model showed that poor IQ was significantly associated with low household income which contributed the most to the regression variance (r2 0·059; P = 0·020). Low maternal education was also identified as a significant predictor of low IQ scores (r2 0·042; P = 0·043). With educational achievement, Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA) was the only variable to show significant association (r2 0·025; P = 0·015). In conclusion, the cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren are poor and influenced by household income, maternal education and IDA. Thus, effective and integrated measures to improve the nutritional and socio-economic status of rural children would have a pronounced positive effect on their education.
The Political Significance of the Imperial Watchword in the early Empire
Authors: EATON JONATHAN
Published: April 2011

The emperor displayed his role as commander-in-chief through his actions as the soldiers' supreme benefactor, martial portraits on the coinage and imperial art, and speeches to particular army units. The fortunate survival of the text of Hadrian's speech at Lambaesis provides us with an exceptional record of how the emperor showed both an awareness of military techniques and empathy for the rigours of army life. In times of crisis, the emperor could address the soldiers directly, in order to ensure their continuing support for his rule. As a study on imperial witticisms has shown, what the emperor said was as important as what he did for the purpose of defining his role within the Principate.
Rosemary Sutcliff's The Eagle of the Ninth: A Festival of Britain?
Authors: BURTON PHILIP
Published: April 2011

Some time about the year A. D. 117, the Ninth Legion…marched north to deal with a rising among the Caledonian tribes, and was never heard of again.

During the excavations at Silchester nearly eighteen hundred years later, there was dug up…a wingless Roman Eagle, a cast of which can be seen to this day in Reading Museum. Different people have had different ideas as to how it came to be there, but no one knows, just as no one knows what happened to the Ninth Legion after it marched into the northern mists.

It is from these two mysteries, brought together, that I have made the story of ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’.
Rheme and reason: Why is English always the Theme rather than the Rheme in our acronyms?
Authors: Runcieman Alan James
Published: April 2011

The position of ‘E’, for English, has always been at the forefront of all the acronyms of language learning and descriptions of world trends in English language teaching and acquisition, EFL, ESL, ELT, ESP, EIL, ELF, or second only to ‘T’ for teaching, TEFL and TESOL. We have become so used to seeing the letter ‘E’ out there in front, the Theme rather than the Rheme, that we do not even seem to question that position anymore. Despite developments in the study of World Englishes (Kachru, 1985, 1990, 1991, 2005; Jenkins, 2003; Bolton, 2005, 2006; Canagarajah, 2006, 2007, 2009) and a supposedly secondary role for so-called Native English and the Native English speaker, we continue to place the ‘E’ at the front, as though we have no option but to accept its primacy in every concept. If we always place ‘E’ at the beginning though, as the defining Theme, surely we are giving both it and its origin England a leading role in all conceptual beginnings. The Theme after all is always the principal actor, the familiar, whilst the Rheme is the unfamiliar and undefined object (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004), but what English is now, in its global context, is exactly that, the unfamiliar and undefined object. In the following article I will argue for a rethinking of our terminology, particularly regarding the use of the acronym ELF (English as a Lingua Franca), and how perhaps we should be thinking more carefully about our choice of acronyms in order to be more precise about our approach to the study of English in the changing world.
A comparison of the global status of English and Chinese: towards a new global language?
Authors: Gil Jeffrey
Published: April 2011

China's rapid development and growing engagement with the rest of the world have prompted much discussion and debate about the Chinese language, especially its prospects for becoming a global language. A report inChina Daily(2004), for example, suggests that:

there may even come a day when learning Chinese, like present day English, becomes compulsory for business, politics and cultural exchanges – a trend that has become increasingly plausible as more foreign students enrol in Chinese courses and China as a nation takes a more prominent role on the international stage.
Limits on global rules in Optimality Theory with Candidate Chains
Authors: Wolf Matthew
Published: April 2011

In Optimality Theory with Candidate Chains (OT-CC; McCarthy 2007), candidates are multi-step derivations, and precedence constraints, which regulate the order of derivational steps, can inspect entire candidate derivations. This means that OT-CC opens the door to certain kinds of ‘global rules’ – that is, effects in which the application or non-application of a process is decided with crucial reference to derivational history. This paper investigates what limits may exist on OT-CC's global rule powers, focusing on two forms of opacity which are possible under a theory where all rules apply simultaneously, but not under sequential rule application: mutual counterfeeding and mutual counterbleeding. It is shown that the original version of OT-CC allows none, but that each of them could be made possible with relatively simple revisions to the original theory. Possible examples of these forms of opacity are discussed.
Immunolocalization of BRG1–SWI/SNF protein during folliculogenesis in the porcine ovary
Authors: Lisboa Livia Aires , Bordignon Vilceu , Seneda Marcelo Marcondes
Published: April 2011

Dynamic changes in chromatin structure and gene expression occur during follicular and oocyte growth. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate these changes through biochemical reactions that modify the nucleosome structure, and consequently affect transcription. Chromatin remodellers that alter DNA–histone interactions can influence transcriptional activity by facilitating or repressing DNA access. The SWItch/Sucrose NonFermentable (SWI/SNF) complex represents an important chromatin remodelling family, which comprises many protein subunits including the BRG1 (brahma-related gene 1). Our aim in this study was to analyse BRG1 expression patterns in different stages of follicular development. Ovaries (n = 10) were collected from prepubertal gilts and then rinsed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Ovarian fragments of 8 × 8 × 8 mm were cut and placed into a 4% paraformaldehyde solution. For immunofluorescence analysis, samples were incubated with primary antibodies: polyclonal rabbit anti-BRG1 (1/200) or control rabbit IgG at the same concentration, overnight at 4°C. Primary antibodies were detected using Alexa Fluor 594-anti-rabbit 1/1000 diluted secondary antibody. Cells were counterstained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Positive fluorescence signal for BRG1 was detected in all analysed samples. In primary follicles, the protein was detected only in the oocyte nucleus. However, in growing follicles, BRG1 was identified in granulosa and theca cells in a well defined pattern, according to the proximity of the cells from the oocyte. These results suggest an important role for BRG1 in the regulation of follicular growth, probably modulating granulosa and theca cell proliferation, as well as oocyte growth and maturation.
Differential gene expression and developmental competence inin vitroproduced bovine embryos
Authors: Ripamonte Paula , Mesquita Lígia Garcia , Cortezzi Sylvia Sanches , de Carvalho Balieiro Júlio César , Fonseca Merighe Giovana Krempel , Watanabe Yeda Fumie , Caetano Alexandre Rodrigues , Meirelles Flávio Vieira
Published: April 2011

The embryonic developmental block occurs at the 8-cell stage in cattle and is characterized by a lengthening of the cell cycle and an increased number of embryos that stop development. The maternal-embryonic transition arises at the same stage resulting in the transcription of many genes. Gene expression studies during this stage may contribute to the understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in the maternal-embryonic transition. Herein we identified genes differentially expressed between embryos with high or low developmental competence to reach the blastocyst stage using differential display PCR. Embryos were analysed according to developmental kinetics: fast cleavage embryos showing 8 cells at 48 h post insemination (hpi) with high potential of development (F8), and embryos with slow cleavage presenting 4 cells at 48 hpi (S4) and 8 cells at 90 hpi (S8), both with reduced rates of development to blastocyst. The fluorescence DDPCR method was applied and allowed the recovery of 176 differentially expressed bands with similar proportion between high and low development potential groups (52% to F8 and 48% in S4 and S8 groups). A total of 27 isolated fragments were cloned and sequenced, confirming the expected primer sequences and allowing the identification of 27 gene transcripts. PI3KCA and ITM2B were chosen for relative quantification of mRNA using real-time PCR and showed a kinetic and a time-related pattern of expression respectively. The observed results suggest the existence of two different embryonic genome activation mechanisms: fast-developing embryos activate genes related to embryonic development, and slow-developing embryos activate genes related to cellular survival and/or death.