bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae Contributes to Virulence in the Insect Model Manduca sexta
Authors: Roth Angelika , Reichmann Peter , Hakenbeck Regine
Published: December 2012

The polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most important virulence factors responsible for human infections and in mouse infection models as well. Larvae of Manduca sexta were used as an alternative animal model in order to test the impact of the pneumococcal capsule on virulence in the insect host. The unencapsulated S. pneumoniae strain R6 was able to cause disease and induce killing in the larvae, and similar results were obtained with related commensal species. However, using the same dose of S. pneumoniae, encapsulated strains including the type 2 D39 strain, the progenitor of R6, and genetically unrelated S. pneumoniae strains of serotype 2, 4, 6B, 23F and 19A, all had increased virulence potential compared to the R6 strain. Between 20 and 70% of the larvae were affected after 96 h compared to 12% observed with R6. Two type 6B S. pneumoniae strains were more virulent compared to the other strains. S. pneumoniae R6 transformants producing the type 6B capsule showed a similar elevated disease potential, confirming the contribution of the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule to virulence in M. sexta.
Natural Enamel Caries: A Comparative Histological Study on Biochemical Volumes
Authors: Barbosa de Sousa F. , Dias Soares J. , Sampaio Vianna S.
Published: December 2012

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that organic volume is the main variable for explaining the optical properties and predictive degree of diffusion of enamel histological points at zones of natural enamel caries (NEC; surface layer, SL, n = 30, and body of the lesion, BL, n = 58) and normal enamel (NE, n = 131). Molars with either NEC or NE were quantitatively analyzed regarding the mineral, organic and water volumes (considered as effective pore volume), opacity (predicted in 94% of cases by water volume in NEC), and water volume more easily available for diffusion, αd (squared water volume divided by the nonmineral volume; related to permeability). NEC presented lower mineral volumes and higher organic volumes, effective pore volume and opacity than NE. External origin of organic volume in NEC was evidenced by an organic gradient decreasing from the surface inward (R2 = –0.7), which was not detected in teeth with NE only; αd values of the SL and NE were similar and both were lower (p < 0.0001) than that of the BL. Comparing the SL from both NEC and artificial enamel caries (AEC; published data; n = 71), with similar mineral volumes, against developing enamel (published data), AEC showed more effective pore volume (3 times higher), higher αd and opacity than NEC mainly due to differences in organic volumes. Our results reasonably matched widely known features of NEC histological zones, and confirmed the organic volume as the main variable for explaining optical properties and αd (related to permeability).
Value of Peak Exercise Oxygen Consumption Combined With B-type Natriuretic Peptide Levels for Optimal Timing of Cardiac Transplantation
Authors: Kato Tomoko S. , Collado Elias , Khawaja Tuba , Kawano Yumeko , Kim Margaret , Farr Maryjane , Mancini Donna M. , Schulze P. Christian
Published: December 2012

Background—

Peak exercise oxygen consumption (VO
2
) is widely used to select candidates for heart transplantation (HTx). However, the prognosis of patients with advanced heart failure and peak VO
2
of 10 to 14 mL/min per kg in the era of modern medical therapy for heart failure is not fully elucidated. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a useful prognostic marker in patients with heart failure.

Methods and Results—

A total of 424 patients undergoing HTx evaluation were classified according to peak VO
2
during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (>14, 10–14, and <10 mL/min per kg). Survival after cardiopulmonary exercise testing without HTx or ventricular assist device (VAD) support was compared with survival of 743 de novo HTx recipients. Multivariable analysis revealed that high BNP and low peak VO
2
were independently associated with death, HTx, or VAD requirements (hazard ratio, 3.5 and 0.6; 95% CI, 1.24–9.23 and 0.03–0.71;
P
=0.02 and <0.0001, respectively). VAD-free or HTx-free survival of patients with peak VO
2
10 to 14 mL/min per kg was identical to post-HTx survival. When patients with peak VO
2
10 to 14 mL/min per kg were dichotomized by a cutoff value of BNP of 506 pg/mL, those with BNP<506 pg/mL was equivalent to post-HTx survival (1 year: 90.8% versus 87.2%;
P
=0.61), whereas those with BNP≥506 showed worse VAD-free or HTx-free survival (1 year: 79.7%;
P
<0.001 versus post-HTx). Patients with peak VO
2
<10 mL/min per kg showed worse survival compared with post-HTx survival, and there was a survival difference between those with BNP≥506 and <506 pg/mL (1 year: 77.2% versus 56.1%;
P
=0.01).

Conclusions—

Patients with peak VO
2
10 to 14 mL/min per kg and low BNP levels have a VAD-free or HTx-free survival similar to post-HTx survival in heart recipients, whereas high BNP levels indicate worse outcome in this group of patients.
Results From a Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Trial as a Decision Tool for Launching a Large-Scale Morbidity and Mortality Trial
Authors: Peters Sanne A. E. , den Ruijter Hester M. , Grobbee Diederick E. , Bots Michiel L.
Published: December 2012

Background—

Trials with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) as primary end point may improve the efficiency of the evaluation of new therapies targeting atherosclerosis considerably, and the results of CIMT trials may be used as a decision tool to help in the choice to launch or not to launch a large-scale morbidity and mortality (M&M) trial. We evaluated the literature to provide evidence to support or refute this proposition.

Methods and Results—

PubMed Medline was systematically searched on May 1, 2012, for randomized double-blind controlled CIMT trials. The agreement between the results from CIMT and M&M trials was assessed, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Forty-eight CIMT trials were included. CIMT trials (n=20) on lipid-level modifying therapies are all, except one, in agreement with the M&M trial findings. For blood pressure-lowering trials (n=13), 3 were not congruent with the M&M trial. The positive and negative predictive value (95% confidence interval) of a CIMT trial to predict the outcome of a M&M trial are 96% (80–99%) and 83% (64–93%), respectively. The predictive values are higher for lipid-level modifying therapies than for other therapies.

Conclusions—

A CIMT trial positioned before an M&M trial may considerably improve the efficiency of the evaluation of new drug therapies on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease risk. Hence, the results of a CIMT trial should be seen as a decision tool to support or refute the start of a large-scale M&M trial on drugs targeting atherosclerosis.
Protein Kinase C-β Contributes to Impaired Endothelial Insulin Signaling in Humans With Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Tabit Corey E. , Shenouda Sherene M. , Holbrook Monica , Fetterman Jessica L. , Kiani Soroosh , Frame Alissa A. , Kluge Matthew A. , Held Aaron , Dohadwala Mustali M. , Gokce Noyan , Farb Melissa G. , Rosenzweig James , Ruderman Neil , Vita Joseph A. , Hamburg Naomi M.
Published: December 2012

Background—

Abnormal endothelial function promotes atherosclerotic vascular disease in diabetes. Experimental studies indicate that disruption of endothelial insulin signaling, through the activity of protein kinase C-β (PKCβ) and nuclear factor κB, reduces nitric oxide availability. We sought to establish whether similar mechanisms operate in the endothelium in human diabetes mellitus.

Methods and Results—

We measured protein expression and insulin response in freshly isolated endothelial cells from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=40) and nondiabetic controls (n=36). Unexpectedly, we observed 1.7-fold higher basal endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation at serine 1177 in patients with diabetes mellitus (
P
=0.007) without a difference in total eNOS expression. Insulin stimulation increased eNOS phosphorylation in nondiabetic subjects but not in diabetic patients (
P
=0.003), consistent with endothelial insulin resistance. Nitrotyrosine levels were higher in diabetic patients, indicating endothelial oxidative stress. PKCβ expression was higher in diabetic patients and was associated with lower flow-mediated dilation (r=−0.541,
P
=0.02). Inhibition of PKCβ with LY379196 reduced basal eNOS phosphorylation and improved insulin-mediated eNOS activation in patients with diabetes mellitus. Endothelial nuclear factor κB activation was higher in diabetes mellitus and was reduced with PKCβ inhibition.

Conclusions—

We provide evidence for the presence of altered eNOS activation, reduced insulin action, and inflammatory activation in the endothelium of patients with diabetes mellitus. Our findings implicate PKCβ activity in endothelial insulin resistance.
Enhanced Effect of Combining Human Cardiac Stem Cells and Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Reduce Infarct Size and to Restore Cardiac Function After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Williams Adam R. , Hatzistergos Konstantinos E. , Addicott Benjamin , McCall Fred , Carvalho Decio , Suncion Viky , Morales Azorides R. , Da Silva Jose , Sussman Mark A. , Heldman Alan W. , Hare Joshua M.
Published: December 2012

Background—

Because mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) induce proliferation and differentiation of c-kit
+
cardiac stem cells (CSCs) in vivo and in vitro, we hypothesized that combining human (h) MSCs with c-kit
+
hCSCs produces greater infarct size reduction compared with either cell administered alone after myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods and Results—

Yorkshire swine underwent balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by reperfusion and were immunosuppressed after MI with cyclosporine and methylprednisolone. Intramyocardial combination hCSCs/hMSCs (1 million cells/200 million cells, n=5), hCSCs alone (1 million cells, n=5), hMSCs alone (200 million cells, n=5), or placebo (phosphate-buffered saline; n=5) was injected into the infarct border zones at 14 days after MI. Phenotypic response to cell therapy was assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and micromanometer conductance catheterization hemodynamics. Although each cell therapy group had reduced MI size relative to placebo (
P
<0.05), the MI size reduction was 2-fold greater in combination versus either cell therapy alone (
P
<0.05). Accompanying enhanced MI size reduction were substantial improvement in left ventricular chamber compliance (end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship;
P
<0.01) and contractility (preload recruitable stroke work and dP/dtmax;
P
<0.05) in combination-treated swine. Ejection fraction was restored to baseline in cell-treated pigs, whereas placebo pigs had persistently depressed left ventricular function (
P
<0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed 7-fold enhanced engraftment of stem cells in the combination therapy group versus either cell type alone (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Combining hMSCs and hCSCs as a cell therapeutic enhances scar size reduction and restores diastolic and systolic function toward normal after MI. Taken together, these findings illustrate important biological interactions between c-kit
+
CSCs and MSCs that enhance cell-based therapeutic responses.
fMRI Investigation of Monocular Pattern Rivalry
Authors: Mendola Janine D. , Buckthought Athena
Published: December 2012

In monocular pattern rivalry, a composite image is shown to both eyes. The patient experiences perceptual alternations in which the two stimulus components alternate in clarity or salience. We used fMRI at 3T to image brain activity while participants perceived monocular rivalry passively or indicated their percepts with a task. The stimulus patterns were left/right oblique gratings, face/house composites, or a nonrivalrous control stimulus that did not support the perception of transparency or image segmentation. All stimuli were matched for luminance, contrast, and color. Compared with the control stimulus, the cortical activation for passive viewing of grating rivalry included dorsal and ventral extrastriate cortex, superior and inferior parietal regions, and multiple sites in frontal cortex. When the BOLD signal for the object rivalry task was compared with the grating rivalry task, a similar whole-brain network was engaged, but with significantly greater activity in extrastriate regions, including V3, V3A, fusiform face area (FFA), and parahippocampal place area (PPA). In addition, for the object rivalry task, FFA activity was significantly greater during face-dominant periods whereas parahippocampal place area activity was greater during house-dominant periods. Our results demonstrate that slight stimulus changes that trigger monocular rivalry recruit a large whole-brain network, as previously identified for other forms of bistability. Moreover, the results indicate that rivalry for complex object stimuli preferentially engages extrastriate cortex. We also establish that even with natural viewing conditions, endogenous attentional fluctuations in monocular pattern rivalry will differentially drive object-category-specific cortex, similar to binocular rivalry, but without complete suppression of the nondominant image.
Neural Representation of Targets and Distractors during Object Individuation and Identification
Authors: Jeong Su Keun , Xu Yaoda
Published: December 2012

In many everyday activities, we need to attend and encode multiple target objects among distractor objects. For example, when driving a car on a busy street, we need to simultaneously attend objects such as traffic signs, pedestrians, and other cars, while ignoring colorful and flashing objects in display windows. To explain how multiple visual objects are selected and encoded in visual STM and in perception in general, the neural object file theory argues that, whereas object selection and individuation is supported by inferior intraparietal sulcus (IPS), the encoding of detailed object features that enables object identification is mediated by superior IPS and higher visual areas such as the lateral occipital complex (LOC). Nevertheless, because task-irrelevant distractor objects were never present in previous studies, it is unclear how distractor objects would impact neural responses related to target object individuation and identification. To address this question, in two fMRI experiments, we asked participants to encode target object shapes among distractor object shapes, with targets and distractors shown in different spatial locations and in different colors. We found that distractor-related neural processing only occurred at low, but not at high, target encoding load and impacted both target individuation in inferior IPS and target identification in superior IPS and LOC. However, such distractor-related neural processing was short-lived, as it was only present during the visual STM encoding but not the delay period. Moreover, with spatial cuing of target locations in advance, distractor processing was attenuated during target encoding in superior IPS. These results are consistent with the load theory of visual information processing. They also show that, whereas inferior IPS and LOC were automatically engaged in distractor processing under low task load, with the help of precuing, superior IPS was able to only encode the task-relevant visual information.
TMS Interference with Primacy and Recency Mechanisms Reveals Bimodal Episodic Encoding in the Human Brain
Authors: Innocenti Iglis , Cappa Stefano F. , Feurra Matteo , Giovannelli Fabio , Santarnecchi Emiliano , Bianco Giovanni , Cincotta Massimo , Rossi Simone
Published: December 2012

A classic finding of the psychology of memory is the “serial position effect.” Immediate free recall of a word list is more efficient for items presented early (primacy effect) or late (recency effect), with respect to those in the middle. In an event-related, randomized block design, we interfered with the encoding of unrelated words lists with brief trains of repetitive TMS (rTMS), applied coincidently with the acoustic presentation of each word to the left dorsolateral pFC, the left intraparietal lobe, and a control site (vertex). Interference of rTMS with encoding produced a clear-cut double dissociation on accuracy during immediate free recall. The primacy effect was selectively worsened by rTMS of the dorsolateral pFC, whereas recency was selectively worsened by rTMS of the intraparietal lobe. These results are in agreement with the double dissociation between short-term and long-term memory observed in neuropsychological patients and provide direct evidence of distinct cortical mechanisms of encoding in the human brain.
Decoding Attended Information in Short-term Memory: An EEG Study
Authors: LaRocque Joshua J. , Lewis-Peacock Jarrod A. , Drysdale Andrew T. , Oberauer Klaus , Postle Bradley R.
Published: December 2012

For decades it has been assumed that sustained, elevated neural activity—the so-called active trace—is the neural correlate of the short-term retention of information. However, a recent fMRI study has suggested that this activity may be more related to attention than to retention. Specifically, a multivariate pattern analysis failed to find evidence that information that was outside the focus of attention, but nonetheless in STM, was retained in an active state. Here, we replicate and extend this finding by querying the neural signatures of attended versus unattended information within STM with electroencephalograpy (EEG), a method sensitive to oscillatory neural activity to which the previous fMRI study was insensitive. We demonstrate that in the delay-period EEG activity, there is information only about memory items that are also in the focus of attention. Information about items outside the focus of attention is not detectable. This result converges with the fMRI findings to suggest that, contrary to conventional wisdom, an active memory trace may be unnecessary for the short-term retention of information.
Neurophysiological Correlates of Motor and Working Memory Performance following Subthalamic Nucleus Stimulation
Authors: Selzler Katherine , Burack Michelle , Bender Ryan , Mapstone Mark
Published: December 2012

Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become an accepted treatment for the motor manifestations of Parkinson disease (PD). The beneficial motor effects of STN DBS are likely due to modulation of BG output to frontal cortical regions associated with motor control, but the underlying neurophysiology of STN DBS effects, especially at the level of the cortex, is not well understood. In this study, we examined the effects of STN DBS on motor disability and visual working memory, a cognitive process supported by pFC. We tested 10 PD participants off medications, ON and OFF stimulation, along with 20 normal controls on a visual working memory task while simultaneously recording cortical EEG. In the OFF state, PD patients had poor motor function, were slower and less accurate in performing the working memory task, and had greater amplitudes and shorter latencies of the N200 ERP response. DBS improved clinical motor function, reduced N200 amplitudes, and increased N200 latencies but had little effect on working memory performance. We conclude that STN DBS normalizes neurophysiological activity in fronto striatal circuits and this may independently affect motor and cognitive function.
Some Revolutions in Neuroscience
Authors: Gross Charles
Published: December 2012

In the long history of the study of the nervous system, there have been a number of major developments that involved radical and permanent changes in fundamental beliefs and assumptions about the nervous system and in tactics and strategies for studying it. These may be termed Revolutions in Neuroscience. This essay considers eight of these, ranging from the 6th century BCE to the end of the 20th century.
Daytime Local Circulations and Their Interactions in the Seoul Metropolitan Area
Authors: Ryu Young-Hee , Baik Jong-Jin
Published: December 2012

Daytime local circulations and their interactions in the Seoul, South Korea, metropolitan area are investigated using a high-resolution mesoscale model. It is found that the urban-breeze circulation interacts strongly with other local circulations, such as sea-breeze, cross-valley, and river-breeze circulations. Inland penetration of the sea breeze is retarded in the morning when moving over the coastal urban area because of the increased surface roughness but is accelerated in the afternoon after passing through the urban area as a result of the landward-convergent flow induced by urban heat islands in the inland urban areas. In the valley region, the cross-valley circulation prevails in the morning and the urban-breeze circulation prevails in the afternoon. The mountainside urban-breeze circulation weakens because of the cross-valley circulation in the opposite direction. On the other hand, the plainside urban-breeze circulation away from the mountain increases in strength as a result of the combined effect of heating from the urban surface and subsidence heating associated with the cross-valley circulation. This strengthened urban breeze acts to inhibit penetration of the sea breeze farther inland, causing the sea breeze to stagnate in Seoul. In the vicinity of the Han River, convergence zones with strong updrafts are formed as a result of the interaction between the urban breeze and the river breeze. When the sea-breeze front encounters the strong updrafts, the vertical velocity of the front at the intersection points increases.
Precarious Work in Sri Lanka
Authors: Arunatilake Nisha
Published: December 2012

This study describes different uncertain, insecure, and unstable working arrangements experienced by workers in Sri Lanka. Findings show that most informal sector workers experience precarious employment. The main types of precarious workers are temporary or contractual workers who work in the formal sector. Faced with competition, and in their attempts to cut costs and increase productivity, employers pressure workers to produce better goods, faster. Also, to adjust the workforce to meet the fluctuating demand in the market at lower cost, workers are given temporary or contractual contracts, so that their work is easily discontinued. The insecurities and instabilities of these workers come from several sources. First, they are deprived of some of the protection afforded by labor legislation because they do not have a permanent contract, and they have to constantly look for alternative work. Second, the intense nature of the work they are exposed to can increase their risks to different adverse health conditions. Poor health and lack of a permanent job can adversely affect their income-earning potential. Third, being temporary workers, they have fewer interactions with labor unions. Better information on the size and trends in precarious employment needs to be systematically collected so that policy makers will be better informed of the issues relating to precarious work in Sri Lanka and can initiate informed initiatives to improve the situation.
Residual bending strength after impact of CFRP laminates in hygrothermal condition
Authors: Zhang Aying , Zhang Dongxing , Lu Haibao
Published: December 2012

This paper investigated the effect of porosities, environmental factors and impact energies on the impact resistance properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer/Plastic (CFRP) laminates. Impact tests on the CFRP laminates with three porosity levels were subjected to five energy levels from 3 J to 15 J at the room temperature. The damage area was assessed with combined effects of different impact energies and porosity levels. The damage area was evaluated by visual inspection and ultrasonic C-scan measurement. The thermal deply technique was used to evaluate the damage evolution behavior. Three-point bending tests were conducted on the non-impacted and impacted specimens that were exposed to the room temperature, the hygrothermal and the drying environments. The curves of the impact resistance of the tested laminates mutate at the impact energy of 9 J. The thermal deply technique reveals the failure mechanism of the impact damage mutation of the tested laminates when the impact energy exceeds the threshold 9 J.
Biodegradability of wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) composites
Authors: Guo Wenjing , Bao Fucheng , Wang Zheng
Published: December 2012

Wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) composites with 70 wt% wood fiber were prepared using a super mixing-hot press method. The biodegradability of composite panels made with one unmodified and three types of modified poly(lactic acid) was evaluated by comparing the mechanical strength, molecular weight, thermal properties and microstructures of composite wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) and 100% poly(lactic acid) panels before and after burial in soil. We found that wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) composites degraded more readily than 100% poly(lactic acid) panels during burial. The type of poly(lactic acid) used in wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) composites affected biodegradability. The flexural strength and modulus of wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) panels decreased sharply after burial in soil for 6 months. The molecular weight of poly(lactic acid) in wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) composites decreased more rapidly than 100% poly(lactic acid) panels that had been buried in soil for 6 months. Changes were observed in both the amorphous and crystalline structure of specimens buried in soil. The wood fiber/poly(lactic acid) composites prepared with unmodified poly(lactic acid) have better mechanical properties and degraded more easily during burial than did composites made with modified poly(lactic acid).
Self‐Crimping Superelastic Nitinol Prosthesis and Malleostapedotomy
Authors: Magliulo Giuseppe
Published: December 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the results of application of 2 types of superelastic nitinol prostheses.

Study Design

Temporal bones study with planned data collection.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

Malleostapedotomy was performed in 15 human temporal bones implanting 3 different prostheses: manually crimping polytetrafluoroethylene (MC‐PTFE) piston, nitinol self‐crimping polytetrafluoroethylene (SC‐PTFE) piston, and a modified nitinol self‐crimping polytetrafluoroethylene (mSC‐PTFE) piston. The first 2 have a diameter of 0.4 mm and length of 7 mm, whereas the mSC‐PTFE piston has a diameter of 0.4 mm but a length of 7.75 mm. We evaluated various parameters of prosthesis attachment—that is, the time for implantation of SC and mSC nitinol loop pistons and the MC platinum loop piston, the quality of attachment of the prostheses to the malleus, their positions with respect to the center of the stapes footplate, and the protrusion of the piston into the vestibule.

Results

The mSC‐PTFE superelastic nitinol prosthesis showed a statistically significant difference in mean operation time (mSC vs SC, P <. 0001; SC vs MC, P <. 0001; mSC vs MC, P <. 0001). The protrusion of the piston into the vestibule was highly reproducible in all 3 prostheses.

Conclusion

Because of its greater length, the mSC‐PTFE allows for management of the most varied anatomical conditions. At the same time, its self‐crimping nature prevents the risk of distortion of the prosthesis by the crimping process and reduces the operation time in combination with standardized bending of the prosthesis shaft.
A prototype analysis of relational boredom
Authors: Harasymchuk Cheryl , Fehr Beverley
Published: December 2012

Boredom has been described as a major obstacle to maintaining lasting love (Aron & Aron (1986). However, empirical research on this important challenge to relationship maintenance has been hampered by the lack of an agreed-upon definition of the construct. We tested the hypothesis that relational boredom is amenable to a prototype conceptualization. In study 1, participants provided prototypicality ratings for the features of relational boredom. Features such as “lack of interest in partner” and “no longer exciting” were considered prototypical of the construct, whereas features such as “nothing in common” and “too similar” were considered nonprototypical. We confirmed this prototype structure in the remaining studies. In study 2, when information that a couple was experiencing boredom was given, participants were more likely to infer that prototypical, than nonprototypical, features characterized the relationship. In study 3, the prototypical features were verified more quickly than the nonprototypical features in a reaction time task. In study 4, when a relationship was described in terms of prototypical, rather than nonprototypical, features of boredom, participants inferred greater boredom in the relationship. Moreover, these inferences were drawn more strongly for boredom than another negative relational state, namely conflict. Implications of these findings for theorizing and research on relational boredom are discussed.
Controlling intrathoracic hemorrhage on ECMO: help from Factor VIIa and Virchow
Authors: Rigby MR , Kamat P , Vats A , Heard M
Published: December 2012

Objective:

Thoracentesis with chest tube placement is often needed to decompress a clinically significant pneumothorax or pleural effusion. The risks of such a procedure may be considered too great to perform on a systemically anticoagulated patient supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Results:

An 8-year-old child with respiratory failure due to necrotizing pneumonia and autoimmune vasculitis, on veno-venous ECMO, developed a severe tension pneumothorax that required emergent decompression with a chest tube. Post-procedure, the patient developed a hemothorax that was approaching non-sustainability. We developed a strategy based on Virchow’s triad to favor homeostasis in the patient while avoiding thrombosis in the ECMO circuit. We employed selective lung ventilation, passive pleural drainage, high flow ECMO, and aggressive coagulation cascade control, including the use of aminocaproic acid and activated factor VIIa. Following this strategy, the hemorrhage was controlled and, later, the patient was able to successfully come off ECMO.

Conclusions:

With careful coagulation cascade manipulation, complete lung rest for the affected lung, control of ECMO blood flow, and prudent hemothorax drainage, we were able to facilitate hemostasis that was required for the successful recovery of our patient while avoiding critical ECMO circuit thrombosis. Even with today’s highly advanced medical technologies, centuries-old basic medical principles can still assist in the care of our sickest and most complex patients. Chest tube placement while on ECMO is rare and, although necessary, may be a risky procedure. With precise coagulation control, it can be a successful procedure on ECMO.
Application of sensor tilting for enhanced measurement of microstructures
Authors: Schuler Alexander , Weckenmann Albert
Published: December 2012

In the field of tactile surface probing, the contact point between the probing tip and the surface varies depending on the local surface slope. The measurement of high slopes as found in microstructures leads to deviations as the probing point no longer lies on the tip’s apex. A probing principle is investigated that applies a surface slope–dependent sensor rotation to reduce measurement deviation by shape superposition. For planning purposes and the determination of the benefit, a simulation of the probing process was performed. Different kinematic chains to rotate the sensor were investigated, and a stacking of two rotary axes was selected. To compensate systematic positioning deviation, a compensation field is applied, acquired by an in situ calibration method. As a basis for the test stand, a nanometer resolution coordinate measuring machine is used and is combined with a near-tactile micro- and nanosensor based on electrical interactions. The test stand has been completed in a preliminary configuration, and the first results are presented.
Dynamic analysis on fabricated mineral cast lathe bed
Authors: Selvakumar A , Ganesan K , Mohanram PV
Published: December 2012

Vibrations transmitted into the machine tool structure made of cast iron cause chattering and develop positional errors between the components during machining operations, causing dimensional inaccuracy and poor surface finish for the products manufactured from them. As an alternate material for cast iron, mineral cast epoxy granite structures are found to exhibit good mechanical properties such as high stiffness and damping ratio at a lesser weight. This study attempts to fabricate an epoxy granite lathe bed having same stiffness as that of a cast iron microlathe bed, and the dynamic characteristics of both the beds are compared. The dimension for the epoxy granite bed is obtained through analytical and finite-element method analysis such that it has same stiffness as that of a cast iron microlathe bed. Modal analysis is conducted to determine the dynamic characteristics of the lathe fabricated. It is found that the damping ratio is improved by 2.2 times for the fabricated epoxy granite bed. In addition, a weight reduction of about 38.64% is observed for the epoxy granite lathe bed in comparison with same-stiffness cast iron bed. To verify the dimensional stability of the fabricated epoxy granite bed, oil and water immersion tests are conducted on test specimens and no change in the dimensions is observed. It is observed that epoxy granite is a promising alternative material for fabrication of advanced machine tool structures.
An investigative study on the performance of twist roll machine in a continuous cold strip rolling mill
Authors: Mostashfi Amir , Kadkhodaei Mahmoud , Poursina Mehrdad , Bakhshi Saeid R
Published: December 2012

In many modern continuous production lines of steel sheets, a twist roll machine is used to change the strip direction for shortening the production line. A twist roll machine typically consists of a cylindrical body on which some guide rollers are mounted in rows to gradually change the traveling direction of the strip when passes over the guide rollers. In this article, quality of the sheets after exiting an industrial twist roll machine is first investigated. The amount and distribution of wear on the guide rollers are also assessed by measuring and comparing diameter at different sections of selected worn and new guide rollers. The specific wear rate as well as friction coefficient for guide rollers made of two different popular polymers is measured by pin-on-disk wear tests. Details of the strip path on the twist roll machine as well as contact between the strip and all the guide rollers are specified, and stress distribution in strip and the guide rollers is studied by finite element analysis. Effects of the guide rollers material and arrangement, the bridle rolls tension, and width and thickness of the strip on the amount and distribution of wear on the guide rollers as well as the elasto-plastic response of the strip are studied. The results are utilized to propose techniques for reducing defects on the sheet and the guide rollers, and finite element simulations show the effectiveness of these techniques.
A cutting forces model for milling Inconel 718 alloy based on a material constitutive law
Authors: Li HZ , Wang J
Published: December 2012

This article presents a cutting force model for the milling of Inconel 718 whose machinability is considered to be very poor. The Johnson–Cook constitutive material model is used to determine the flow stress of Inconel 718 while the shear angle is determined based on a shear plane model assuming that the total energy on the shear plane plus the energy on the rake face is minimum. The temperature in the machining region is determined by using an iterative process. Finally, the cutting forces on each tooth of the milling cutter are calculated from its chip load considering the oblique cutting effects. The model is then verified by comparing the model predictions with the experimental data under the corresponding conditions, which shows a relatively good agreement with an average percentage error of 10.5% along the feed and normal directions.
Repairing system of large-scale spindle based on planetary grinding equipment
Authors: Mao Cong , Huang Yong , Zou Hongfu , Zhou ZhiXiong
Published: December 2012

The journal and the shaft shoulder of large-scale spindle are usually worn for insufficient lubrication or the entering of dust. Then, the large-scale spindle is necessary to be immediately repaired. Based on the repairing feature of the large-scale spindle and the main problem of the traditional repairing method, a planetary grinding equipment was developed. The working principle and the structure characteristic of the planetary grinding equipment were analysed. Furthermore, the spindle of the large-scale fan rotor was repaired in situ using the planetary grinding equipment. It was found that the repaired spindle has good dimension precision and surface roughness. A feasible technology was provided for the repairing of the large-scale spindle in situ using this machining method.
Not Just for Stereotyping Anymore
Authors: Tadmor Carmit T. , Chao Melody M. , Hong Ying-yi , Polzer Jeffrey T.
Published: December 2012

Individuals who believe that racial groups have fixed underlying essences use stereotypes more than do individuals who believe that racial categories are arbitrary and malleable social-political constructions. Would this essentialist mind-set also lead to less creativity? We suggest that the functional utility derived from essentialism induces a habitual closed-mindedness that transcends the social domain and hampers creativity. Across studies, using both individual difference measures (in a pilot test) and experimental manipulations (Experiments 1, 2a, and 2b), we found that an essentialist mind-set is indeed hazardous for creativity, with the relationship mediated by motivated closed-mindedness (Experiments 2a and 2b). These results held across samples of majority cultural-group members (Caucasian Americans, Israelis) and minority-group members (Asian Americans), as well as across different measures of creativity (flexibility, association, insight). Our findings have important implications for understanding the connection between racial intolerance and creativity.
Social Ties in the Context of the Continuing Care Retirement Community
Authors: Ayalon Liat , Green Varda
Published: December 2012

In this article, we evaluate social ties in the context of the continuing care retirement community (CCRC). We interviewed 29 CCRC residents and 19 adult children about the transition to the CCRC. We analyzed the interviews thematically, while searching for consistencies and differences regarding social ties within and across interviews. Three major themes were identified: a time dimension, representing the perceived qualities of relationships based on the time during which the relationships were first formed; and two spatial dimensions, representing the CCRC vs. the community at large and private vs. public space and identity. The findings demonstrate that social ties can be classified according to dimensions of time, space, and quality—classifications that are not currently incorporated in the gerontological literature. Although CCRCs help to alleviate the social loneliness (i.e., lack of social ties) experienced by older adults, they are less successful in alleviating emotional loneliness (i.e., lack of intimate relations).
Consumerism in Action
Authors: Oh Hyeyoung
Published: December 2012

Drawing from the medical sociology literature on the patient–doctor relationship and microeconomic sociological scholarship about the role of money in personal relationships, I examined patient–physician interactions within a clinic that offered eye health and cosmetic facial services in the United States. Relying on ethnographic observations conducted in 2008, I evaluated how financial pressures shape the patient–physician relationship during the clinical encounter. To gain a financial advantage, patients attempted to reshape the relationship toward a socially intimate one, where favor and gift exchanges are more common. To ensure the rendering of services, the physician in turn allied herself with the patient, demonstrating how external parties are the barriers to affordable care. This allied relationship was tested when conflicts emerged, primarily because of the role of financial intermediaries in the clinical encounter. These conflicts resulted in the disintegration of the personal relationship, with patient and physician pitted against one another.
Perceptions of Supportive Behavior by Young Adults With Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Doherty Eileen F. , MacGeorge Erina L.
Published: December 2012

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness with a significant negative impact on quality of life. People with bipolar disorder benefit when family and friends provide social support, but quantity and quality of support are often lacking. We present an exploration of the types of behaviors from support network members that young adults (ages 18 to 30) with bipolar disorder perceived as helpful in coping with the illness. We conducted semistructured ethnographic interviews with young adults ( N = 30) with bipolar disorder and analyzed them using qualitative coding methods. We found that young adults with bipolar disorder considered a wide variety of emotion-focused and instrumental behaviors helpful, with some behaviors tailored to the unique characteristics of the illness. These findings also indicate the types of behavior support providers might use to help network members cope with bipolar disorder, and the research needed to better understand social support in the context of chronic mental illness.
Weight-ing
Authors: Glenn Nicole M.
Published: December 2012

Perhaps we want to be perfect, strive for health, beauty, and the admiring gaze of others. Maybe we desire the body of our youth, the “healthy” body, the body that has just the right fit. Regardless of the motivation, we might find ourselves striving, wanting, and waiting on weight loss. What is it to wait on weight loss? I explore the meaning of this experience-as-lived using van Manen’s guide to phenomenological reflection and writing. Weight has become an increasing focus of contemporary culture, demonstrated, for example, by a growing weight-loss industry and global obesity “epidemic.” Weight has become synonymous with health status, and weight loss with “healthier.” I examine the weight wait through experiences of the common and uncommon, considering relations to time, body, space, and the other with the aim of evoking a felt, embodied, emotive understanding of the meaning of waiting on weight loss. I also discuss the implications of the findings.
Dedifferentiated Epithelial–Myoepithelial Carcinoma
Authors: Baker Aaron R. , Ohanessian Sara E. , Adil Eelam , Crist Henry S. , Goldenberg David , Mani Haresh
Published: December 2012

Dedifferentiated epithelial–myoepithelial carcinoma (DEMC) is very rare salivary gland neoplasm with only anecdotal reports. We present an analysis of DEMC, based on a case and review of literature. Our patient, an 85-year-old woman, presented with a submandibular mass of 5 years duration that was increasing in size over a 5-week period. Histologically, there were areas of typical epithelial–myoepithelial carcinoma, with dedifferentiation of both components, manifesting morphologically as salivary duct carcinoma and areas of myoepithelial carcinoma. A review of literature revealed 21 previously reported cases of DEMC. DEMC occurs at an average age of 72 years, most often in the parotid gland (72%) followed by submandibular gland (17%). Dedifferentiation more often involves the epithelial component (13/15 cases) than the myoepithelial component (5/15 cases). Although typical epithelial–myoepithelial carcinomas are fairly indolent (average disease-free survival of 11.34 years), dedifferentiation confers a poor prognosis (survival reported from 1 to 72 months).
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Authors: Kalsi-Ryan Sukhvinder , Karadimas Spyridon K. , Fehlings Michael G.
Published: December 2012

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common disorder involving chronic progressive compression of the cervical spinal cord due to degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, or other degenerative pathology. CSM is the most common form of spinal cord impairment and causes functional decline leading to reduced independence and quality of life. Despite a sound understanding of the disease process, clinical presentation and management, a universal definition of CSM and a standardized index of severity are not currently used universally. Work is required to develop a definition and establish clinical predictors of progression to improve management of CSM. Despite advances in decompressive and reconstructive surgery, patients are often left with residual disability. Gaps in knowledge of the pathobiology of CSM have limited therapeutic advances to complement surgery. Although the histopathologic and pathophysiologic similarities between CSM and traumatic spinal cord injury have long been acknowledged, the unique pathomechanisms of CSM remain unexplored. Increased efforts to elucidate CSM pathobiology could lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for human CSM and other spinal cord diseases. Here, the natural history of CSM, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and current methods of clinical management are reported, along with the current state of basic scientific research in the field.
Does quality of life of prostate cancer patients differ by stage and treatment?
Authors: Vanagas Giedrius , Mickevičienė Aušra , Ulys Albertas
Published: December 2012

Background: The lack of consensus amongst experts delineate how important it is for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) to make an informed decision on available treatment options through an objective discussion of the risks and benefits. One of important benefits could be seen as patient’s quality of life (QoL) after treatment. We aimed to assess QoL differences in prostate cancer patients by stage and treatment for a population-based sample. Methods: The cross-sectional PCa patient population-based national level study for a prostate cancer patient population was performed. QoL was investigated with EORTC QLQ-C30. The analysis includes descriptive statistics and evaluation of differences in functional and symptom scales by stage and treatment group by predictors in the model. Results: Response rate was 79.1% ( N=514). The highest QoL scores were observed in localised PCa, active surveillance treatment group. The lowest scores were observed in advanced stages, chemotherapy treatment group. Between cancer stages, statistically significant differences were observed only in scales of emotional functioning ( p<0.001) and social functioning ( p<0.001). Between treatment groups, statistically significant differences were observed in scales of physical functioning ( p<0.001), role functioning ( p<0.001), emotional functioning ( p<0.001), and social functioning ( p<0.001). Conclusions: Our study highlighted statistically significant differences in QoL between cancer stages and treatment. Understanding how the QoL changes in relation with the selected treatment option can be important to the urologist and individual patient to have realistic expectations as well as to optimise treatment decisions for the prostate cancer patient when exist several alternatives.