bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
User-perceived quality assessment of streaming media using reduced feature sets
Authors: Dalal Amy Csizmar
Published: December 2011

While subjective measurements are the most natural for assessing the user-perceived quality of a media stream, there are issues with their scalability and their context accuracy. We explore techniques to select application-layer measurements, collected by an instrumented media player, that most accurately predict the subjective quality rating that a user would assign to a stream. We consider three
feature subset selection
techniques that reduce the number of features (measurements) under consideration to ones most relevant to user-perceived stream quality. Two of the three techniques mathematically consider stream characteristics when selecting measurements, while the third is based on observation. We apply the reduced feature sets to two nearest-neighbor algorithms for predicting user-perceived stream quality. Our results demonstrate that there are clear strategies for estimating the quality rating that work well in specific circumstances such as video-on-demand services. The results also demonstrate that neither of the mathematically-based feature subset selection techniques identify a single set of features that is unambiguously influential on user-perceived stream quality, but that ultimately a combination of retransmitted and/or lost application-layer packets is most accurate for predicting stream quality.
QIP = PSPACE
Authors: Jain Rahul , Ji Zhengfeng , Upadhyay Sarvagya , Watrous John
Published: December 2011

This work considers the quantum interactive proof system model of computation, which is the (classical) interactive proof system model’s natural quantum computational analogue. An exact characterization of the expressive power of quantum interactive proof systems is obtained: the collection of computational problems having quantum interactive proof systems consists precisely of those problems solvable by deterministic Turing machines that use at most a polynomial amount of space (or, more succinctly, QIP = PSPACE). This characterization is proved through the use of a parallelized form of the matrix multiplicative weights update method, applied to a class of semidefinite programs that captures the computational power of quantum interactive proof systems. One striking implication of this characterization is that quantum computing provides no increase in computational power whatsoever over classical computing in the context of interactive proof systems, for it is well known that the collection of computational problems having classical interactive proof systems coincides with those problems solvable by polynomial-space computations.
BufferBloat: What’s Wrong with the Internet?
Authors: Cerf Vint , Jacobson Van , Weaver Nick , Gettys Jim
Published: December 2011

Internet delays are now as common as they are maddening. That means they end up affecting system engineers just like all the rest of us. And when system engineers get irritated, they often go looking for what’s at the root of the problem. Take Jim Gettys, for example. His slow home network had repeatedly proved to be the source of considerable frustration, so he set out to determine what was wrong, and he even coined a term for what he found: bufferbloat.
A Conversation with Karl K. Turekian
Authors: Turekian Karl K. , Cochran J. Kirk
Published: December 2011

Editors' Note Each year, the editorial board invites a distinguished member of the oceanographic community to contribute a prefatory chapter; this year, we were delighted when Karl Turekian, Sterling Professor of Geology and Geophysics at Yale, accepted our invitation. Over the course of a long and productive career, Dr. Turekian has pursued his interests in marine and atmospheric geochemistry by using natural radioactive and radiogenic isotopes to study Earth's evolution and the impacts of global change. He has also directed both the Center for the Study of Global Change at Yale and the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies.

In this interview, conducted by his former student Kirk Cochran, Dr. Turekian tells the story of his early career and discusses some of the major scientific challenges and opportunities faced along the way. His personal account of the rise of geochemistry is a charming story of how chance events and personalities impact scientific careers. His technical insight into the future of this field is illuminating, particularly for scientific outsiders who appreciate the central role of geochemistry in discerning and understanding patterns of global change.

–Craig A. Carlson and Stephen J. Giovannoni, Editors
Fourth Ventricular Schwannoma: Identical Clinicopathologic Features as Schwann Cell-Derived Schwannoma with Unique Etiopathologic Origins
Authors: Hodges Tiffany R. , Karikari Isaac O. , Nimjee Shahid M. , Tibaleka June , Cummings Thomas J. , Radhakrishnan Senthil , Friedman Allan H.
Published: December 2011

Background. To our knowledge, this is the sixth reported case in the literature of fourth ventricular schwannoma. The etiology and natural history of intraventricular schwannomas is not well understood. A thorough review of potential etiopathogenic mechanisms is provided in this case report.Case Description. A 69-year-old man presented with an incidentally found fourth ventricular tumor during an evaluation for generalized weakness, gait instability, and memory disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a heterogeneously enhancing lesion in the fourth ventricle. A suboccipital craniotomy was performed to resect the lesion. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma (WHO grade I).Conclusions. Schwannomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intraventricular tumors. Although the embryologic origins may be different from nerve sheath-derived schwannomas, the histologic, clinical, and natural history appear identical and thus should be managed similarly.
Guidewire-Related Complications during Central Venous Catheter Placement: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Khasawneh Faisal A. , Smalligan Roger D.
Published: December 2011

Seldinger's technique is widely used to place central venous and arterial catheters and is generally considered safe. The technique does have multiple potential risks. Guidewire-related complications are rare but potentially serious. We describe a case of a lost guidewire during central venous catheter insertion followed by a review of the literature of this topic. Measures which can be taken to prevent such complications are explained in detail as well as recommended steps to remedy errors should they occur.
Validation of the Turkish Version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale
Authors: Huis In ‘T Veld Elisabeth M. J. , Makine Ceylan , Nouwen Arie , Karşıdağ Çağatay , Kadıoğlu Pinar , Karşıdağ Kubilay , Pouwer François
Published: December 2011

The Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) scale is a widely used self-report measure that can facilitate detection of diabetes-specific emotional distress in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess the factor structure and validity of the Turkish version of the PAID. A validation study was conducted among 154 patients with insulin-naïve type 2 diabetes. Participants completed the PAID, Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Insulin Treatment Appraisal Scale (ITAS), and World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) questionnaires. Exploratory factor analyses yielded a 2-factor structure, identifying a 15-item “diabetes distress” factor and a 5-item “support-related issues” factor. The total PAID-score and the two dimensions were associated with higher levels of depression and poor emotional well-being. In the present study, the Turkish version of the PAID had satisfactory psychometric properties, however, the factorial structure was found to differ from factor solutions from other countries.
Associations between Parental Anxiety/Depression and Child Behavior Problems Related to Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Roles of Parenting Stress and Parenting Self-Efficacy
Authors: Rezendes Debra L. , Scarpa Angela
Published: December 2011

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been shown to experience increases in stress, depression, and anxiety, which are also associated with child behavior problems related to ASDs. Literature-examining potential mechanisms that underlie the relationship of child behavior problems and parental anxiety/depression in this population are scarce. The current study sought to examine the roles of parenting stress and parenting self-efficacy as mediators between child behavior problems and parental anxiety/depression. Using a sample of 134 mothers, these potential mediators were tested. Hypotheses were supported, indicating that parenting stress mediated the relationship between child behavior problems and decreased parenting self-efficacy, and decreased parenting self-efficacy in turn partially mediated the relationship between parenting stress and increased depression/anxiety.
Liver GlucokinaseA456VInduces Potent Hypoglycemia without Dyslipidemia through a Paradoxical Induction of the Catalytic Subunit of Glucose-6-Phosphatase
Authors: Vidal-Alabró Anna , Gómez-Valadés Alícia G. , Méndez-Lucas Andrés , Llorens Jordi , Bartrons Ramon , Bermúdez Jordi , Perales Jose C.
Published: December 2011

Recent reports point out the importance of the complex GK-GKRP in controlling glucose and lipid homeostasis. Several GK mutations affect GKRP binding, resulting in permanent activation of the enzyme. We hypothesize that hepatic overexpression of a mutated form of GK, GKA456V, described in a patient with persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI) and could provide a model to study the consequences of GK-GKRP deregulationin vivo. GKA456Vwas overexpressed in the liver of streptozotocin diabetic mice. Metabolite profiling in serum and liver extracts, together with changes in key components of glucose and lipid homeostasis, were analyzed and compared to GK wild-type transfected livers. Cell compartmentalization of the mutant but not the wild-type GK was clearly affectedin vivo,demonstrating impaired GKRP regulation. GKA456Voverexpression markedly reduced blood glucose in the absence of dyslipidemia, in contrast to wild-type GK-overexpressing mice. Evidence in glucose utilization did not correlate with increased glycogen nor lactate levels in the liver. PEPCK mRNA was not affected, whereas the mRNA for the catalytic subunit of glucose-6-phosphatase was upregulated ~4 folds in the liver of GKA456V-treated animals, suggesting that glucose cycling was stimulated. Our results provide new insights into the complex GK regulatory network and validate liver-specific GK activation as a strategy for diabetes therapy.
Endometriosis Gene Expression Heterogeneity and Biosignature: A Phylogenetic Analysis
Authors: Abu-Asab Mones , Zhang Ming , Amini Dennis , Abu-Asab Nihad , Amri Hakima
Published: December 2011

Endometriosis is a multifactorial disease with poorly understood etiology, and reflecting an evolutionary nature where genetic alterations accumulate throughout pathogenesis. Our objective was to characterize the heterogeneous pathological process using parsimonyphylogenetics. Gene expression microarray data of ovarian endometriosis obtained from NCBI database were polarized and coded into derived (abnormal) and ancestral (normal) states. Such alterations are referred to assynapomorphiesin a phylogenetic sense (or biomarkers). Subsequent gene linkage was modeled by Genomatix BiblioSphere Pathway software. A list of clonally shared derived (abnormal) expressions revealed the pattern of heterogeneity among specimens. In addition, it has identified disruptions within the major regulatory pathways including those involved in cell proliferation, steroidogenesis, angiogenesis, cytoskeletal organization and integrity, and tumorigenesis, as well as cell adhesion and migration. Furthermore, the analysis supported the potential central involvement of ESR2 in the initiation of endometriosis. The pathogenesis mapping showed that eutopic and ectopic lesions have different molecular biosignatures.
Apoptosis and the Airway Epithelium
Authors: White Steven R.
Published: December 2011

The airway epithelium functions as a barrier and front line of host defense in the lung. Apoptosis or programmed cell death can be elicited in the epithelium as a response to viral infection, exposure to allergen or to environmental toxins, or to drugs. While apoptosis can be induced via activation of death receptors on the cell surface or by disruption of mitochondrial polarity, epithelial cells compared to inflammatory cells are more resistant to apoptotic stimuli. This paper focuses on the response of airway epithelium to apoptosis in the normal state, apoptosis as a potential regulator of the number and types of epithelial cells in the airway, and the contribution of epithelial cell apoptosis in important airways diseases.
Hemodynamic Changes during a Deep Inspiration Maneuver Predict Fluid Responsiveness in Spontaneously Breathing Patients
Authors: Préau Sébastien , Dewavrin Florent , Soland Vincent , Bortolotti Perrine , Colling Delphine , Chagnon Jean-luc , Durocher Alain , Saulnier Fabienne
Published: December 2011

Objective. We hypothesized that the hemodynamic response to a deep inspiration maneuver (DIM) indicates fluid responsiveness in spontaneously breathing (SB) patients.Design. Prospective study.Setting. ICU of a general hospital.Patients. Consecutive nonintubated patients without mechanical ventilation, considered for volume expansion (VE).Intervention. We assessed hemodynamic status at baseline and after VE.Measurements and Main Results. We measured radial pulse pressure (PP) using an arterial catheter and peak velocity of femoral artery flow (VF) using continuous Doppler. Changes in PP and VF induced by a DIM (ΔPPdim andΔVFdim) were calculated in 23 patients.ΔPPdim andΔVFdim ≥12% predicted responders to VE with sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 100%.Conclusions. In a restricted population of SB patients with severe sepsis or acute pancreatitis,ΔPPdim andΔVFdim are accurate indices for predicting fluid responsiveness. These results should be confirmed in a larger population before validating their use in current practice.
Bragg-Scattering Four-Wave Mixing in Nonlinear Fibers with Intracavity Frequency-Shifted Laser Pumps
Authors: Krupa Katarzyna , Bettenzana Michela , Tonello Alessandro , Couderc Vincent , Di Bin Philippe , Wabnitz Stefan , Barthélémy Alain
Published: December 2011

We experimentally study four-wave mixing in highly nonlinear fibers using two independent and partially coherent laser pumps and a third coherent signal. We focus our attention on the Bragg-scattering frequency conversion. The two pumps were obtained by amplifying two Intracavity frequency-shifted feedback lasers working in a continuous wave regime.
Molecular Crosstalk between Integrins and Cadherins: Do Reactive Oxygen Species Set the Talk?
Authors: Goitre Luca , Pergolizzi Barbara , Ferro Elisa , Trabalzini Lorenza , Retta Saverio Francesco
Published: December 2011

The coordinate modulation of the cellular functions of cadherins and integrins plays an essential role in fundamental physiological and pathological processes, including morphogenesis, tissue differentiation and renewal, wound healing, immune surveillance, inflammatory response, tumor progression, and metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the fine-tuned functional communication between cadherins and integrins are still elusive. This paper focuses on recent findings towards the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the regulation of cell adhesion and signal transduction functions of integrins and cadherins, pointing to ROS as emerging strong candidates for modulating the molecular crosstalk between cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion receptors.
S100A7 Enhances Mammary Tumorigenesis through Upregulation of Inflammatory Pathways
Authors: Nasser Mohd W. , Qamri Zahida , Deol Yadwinder S. , Ravi Janani , Powell Catherine A. , Trikha Prashant , Schwendener Reto A. , Bai Xue-Feng , Shilo Konstantin , Zou Xianghong , Leone Gustavo , Wolf Ronald , Yuspa Stuart H. , Ganju Ramesh K.
Published: December 2011

S100A7/psoriasin, a member of the epidermal differentiation complex, is widely overexpressed in invasive estrogen receptor (ER)α-negative breast cancers. However, it has not been established whether S100A7 contributes to breast cancer growth or metastasis. Here, we report the consequences of its expression on inflammatory pathways that impact breast cancer growth. Overexpression of human S100A7 or its murine homologue mS100a7a15 enhanced cell proliferation and upregulated various proinflammatory molecules in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. To examine in vivo effects, we generated mice with an inducible form of mS100a7a15 (MMTV-mS100a7a15 mice). Orthotopic implantation of MVT-1 breast tumor cells into the mammary glands of these mice enhanced tumor growth and metastasis. Compared with uninduced transgenic control mice, the mammary glands of mice where mS100a7a15 was induced exhibited increased ductal hyperplasia and expression of molecules involved in proliferation, signaling, tissue remodeling, and macrophage recruitment. Furthermore, tumors and lung tissues obtained from these mice showed further increases in prometastatic gene expression and recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). Notably, in vivo depletion of TAM inhibited the effects of mS100a7a15 induction on tumor growth and angiogenesis. Furthermore, introduction of soluble hS100A7 or mS100a7a15 enhanced chemotaxis of macrophages via activation of RAGE receptors. In summary, our work used a powerful new model system to show that S100A7 enhances breast tumor growth and metastasis by activating proinflammatory and metastatic pathways. Cancer Res; 72(3); 604–15. ©2011 AACR.
Targeting Quiescent Tumor Cells via Oxygen and IGF-I Supplementation
Authors: Kyle Alastair H. , Baker Jennifer H.E. , Minchinton Andrew I.
Published: December 2011

Conventional chemotherapy targets proliferating cancer cells, but most cells in solid tumors are not in a proliferative state. Thus, strategies to enable conventional chemotherapy to target noncycling cells may greatly increase tumor responsiveness. In this study, we used a 3-dimensional tissue culture system to assay diffusible factors that can limit proliferation in the context of the tumor microenvironment, with the goal of identifying targets to heighten proliferative capacity in this setting. We found that supraphysiologic levels of insulin or insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in combination with oxygen supplementation were sufficient to initiate proliferation of quiescence cells in this system. At maximal induction with IGF-I, net tissue proliferation increased 3- to 4-fold in the system such that chemotherapy could trigger a 3- to 6-fold increase in cytotoxicity, compared with control conditions. These effects were confirmed in vivo in colon cancer xenograft models with demonstrations that IGF-I receptor stimulation was sufficient to generate a 45% increase in tumor cell proliferation, along with a 25% to 50% increase in chemotherapy-induced tumor growth delay. Although oxygen was a dominant factor limiting in vitro tumor cell proliferation, we found that oxygen supplementation via pure oxygen breathing at 1 or 2 atmospheres pressure (mimicking hyperbaric therapy) did not decrease hypoxia in the tumor xenograft mouse model and was insufficient to increase tumor proliferation. Thus, our findings pointed to IGF-I receptor stimulation as a rational strategy to successfully increase tumor responsiveness to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Cancer Res; 72(3); 801–9. ©2011 AACR.
Macrophages Inhibit Migration, Metabolic Activity and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in vitro
Authors: Chen Chao , Uludağ Hasan , Wang Zhixiang , Rezansoff Alex , Jiang Hongxing
Published: December 2011

To better elucidate the role of macrophages in bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-induced bone repair, this study evaluated the effects of macrophages on the migration, metabolic activity and BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Human monocytes were induced into a macrophage phenotype, and the conditioned media (CM) from undifferentiated monocytes and differentiated macrophages were collected for treatment of hMSCs. Expression levels of osteoblastic marker genes, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineral deposition were assessed. The migration of hMSCs was significantly decreased after treatment with the macrophage CM (but not monocyte CM), in a dose-dependent manner. Significant inhibition of hMSC metabolism was observed on days 3 and 7 after treatment with the macrophage CM. The osteoblastic marker genes analyzed (ALP, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin and runt-related transcription factor-2) after exposure of hMSCs to BMP-2 were all significantly downregulated in cells treated with the macrophage CM. The hMSCs treated with macrophage CM showed significantly decreased enzymatic activity of ALP and calcium content compared with those treated with monocyte CM or basal medium. High levels of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α found in macrophage CM may mediate these observed effects on hMSCs. We conclude that macrophage CM suppressed the BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs, suggesting that macrophages might contribute to decreased osteogenic effects of BMPs in a clinical setting.
Role of Gut Microbiota in Food Tolerance and Allergies
Authors: Gigante Giovanni , Tortora Annalisa , Ianiro Gianluca , Ojetti Veronica , Purchiaroni Flaminia , Campanale Mariachiara , Cesario Valentina , Scarpellini Emidio , Gasbarrini Antonio
Published: December 2011

Alterations of commensal flora may cause various gastrointestinal and extraintestinal diseases, including food intolerances and food allergies. According to the ‘microflora hypothesis’, alterations in the composition of gut microbiota in industrialized countries have disturbed the mechanisms of mucosal immune tolerance. Over the past few years several studies have looked for a role for probiotics in the treatment of food allergies with promising results.
Indications for the Use of Probiotics in Gastrointestinal Diseases
Authors: Girardin Marc , Seidman Ernest G.
Published: December 2011

Probiotics are live microbial organisms that are present in foods or dietary supplements and that confer health benefits to the host when ingested in sufficient quantities. Probiotics can be bacterial (e.g. Bifidobacteria spp. and Lactobacillus spp.) or yeasts (e.g. Saccharomyces boulardii). The administration of probiotics is often believed to be by and large beneficial for individuals with inflammatory or infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. These positive effects are generally attributed to the ability of probiotics to regulate intestinal permeability, normalize host intestinal flora, improve gut immune barrier function, and equilibrate the balance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Of note, however, these claims are not always substantiated by findings from properly conducted clinical trials. Of particular importance, even when results from randomized controlled trials support the beneficial effects of a particular probiotic for a specific indication, the benefits achieved by the probiotic are generally not translatable to other probiotic formulations. This review discusses the gastrointestinal indications for probiotic use and describes the level of evidence that supports the use of specific probiotics for these indications. Several indications are addressed, including enteric infections, gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Gut Microbiota and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Hammer Heinz F.
Published: December 2011

Bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), its complications and its symptoms. Antibiotics can decrease tissue invasion and eliminate aggressive bacterial species. They are used in IBD to treat infective complications and for altering bacterial flora, which may result in specific anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, suppression of bacterial metabolic activities or direct effects of antibiotics on intestinal structures and functions may result in symptoms which cannot be differentiated from symptoms caused by inflammation. Although current clinical trials do not fulfill criteria of evidence-based treatment, a few placebo- or standard treatment-controlled studies suggest that metronidazole and ciprofloxacin are effective in Crohn’s colitis and ileocolitis, perianal fistulae and pouchitis. Administration of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics can restore a predominance of beneficial species. However, beneficial effects of probiotics in IBD are modest, strain-specific and limited to certain manifestations of disease and duration of use of the probiotic. For probiotics there is reasonable evidence of efficacy in relapse prevention in chronic pouchitis and ulcerative colitis, and suggestive evidence for postoperative prevention in pouchitis. Therapeutic manipulation of the intestinal flora offers considerable promise for treating IBD, but must be supported by large controlled therapeutic trials before widespread clinical acceptance. These agents may become a component of treating IBD in combination with traditional anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents. Probiotic strategies, based on metagenomic or metabonomic analyses, and new classes of probiotics might play an important role in the future management of IBD.
Chronic Small Vessel Disease Affects Clinical Outcome in Patients with Acute Striatocapsular Stroke
Authors: Held V. , Szabo K. , Bäzner H. , Hennerici M.G.
Published: December 2011

Background: Recovery from stroke is presumed to be a function of a cerebral network. Chronic small vessel disease (SVD) has been shown to disrupt this network’s integrity and has been proposed as a predictor of poor outcome after stroke. We studied this hypothesis in patients with acute ischemic stroke of the striatocapsular region, an area of pronounced cortical and subcortical connectivity. Methods: We identified 62 patients with isolated striatocapsular stroke from our stroke registry. The standardized workup included clinical rating according to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and MRI, rated according to the Fazekas scale for the extent of SVD, ranging from grade 0 to III. MRS at admission, at discharge, and a short-term recovery parameter (the difference between mRS at admission and discharge) were correlated with the extent of SVD. Comorbidity was assessed with the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). Results: SVD was graded 0 in 7%, I in 60%, II in 18%, and III in 16% of patients. The median mRS at discharge for the groups was 2, 1, 2 and 4, and the median recovery parameter was 2, 1, 1 and 0.5, respectively. The extent of SVD significantly correlated with both the mRS at discharge and the recovery parameter. While age was also a significant predictor of these outcome parameters, SVD severity was a significant predictor even after correction for age or CCI. Conclusions: SVD is a predictor of poor outcome and recovery in striatocapsular stroke, independent of age or comorbidity. Severe SVD disturbs the integrity of the cerebral network leading to aggravation of and poor recovery from neurological deficits.
QT Prolongation and Torsade de Pointes Induced by Fluoroquinolones: Infrequent Side Effects from Commonly Used Medications
Authors: Briasoulis Alexandros , Agarwal Vikram , Pierce Walter J.
Published: December 2011

Although very useful agents, fluoroquinolones are associated with a number of adverse events, some with considerable clinical significance. Prolongation of the QT interval, for example, is an adverse effect associated with the use of fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolones prolong the QT interval by blocking voltage-gated potassium channels, especially the rapid component of the delayed rectifier potassium current IKr, expressed by HERG (the human ether-a-go-go-related gene). According to the available case reports and clinical studies, moxifloxacin carries the greatest risk of QT prolongation from all available quinolones in clinical practice and it should be used with caution in patients with predisposing factors for Torsades de pointes (TdP). Although gemifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ofloxacin are associated with a lower risk of QT prolongation compared with moxifloxacin, they should also be used with caution in patients at risk for QT prolongation. Ciprofloxacin appears to be associated with the lowest risk for QT prolongation and the lowest TdP rate. The overall risk of TdP is small with the use of fluoroquinolones. Clinicians can minimize that risk by avoiding prescriptions of multiple medications associated with QT-interval prolongation, especially in high-risk patients.
Disease Characteristics in Non-Erosive Reflux Disease with and without Endoscopically Minimal Change Esophagitis: Are They Different?
Authors: Lei Wei-Yi , Liu Tso-Tsai , Yi Chih-Hsun , Chen Chien-Lin
Published: December 2011

Background/Aims: The majority of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) appear to have non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). NERD may include minimal change esophagitis (MCE) and no endoscopic abnormalities (MCE–). We aimed to determine whether intraesophageal acid reflux as well as esophageal motility differed between patients with and without MCE. Methods: Consecutive patients with classic reflux symptoms were enrolled in the study. Patients without any mucosal injury were considered to be MCE–. Esophageal acid exposure as well as intragastric pH (<4) was determined by dual-channel ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring. Results: A total of 100 patients (MCE–, 52 patients; MCE, 48 patients) were studied. The percentage of effective peristalsis was found similar between patients with and without MCE (p = NS). Esophageal acid contact as well as the DeMeester score did not differ between the groups (p = NS). The prevalence of positive symptom index was greater in MCE– patients than in MCE patients (p = 0.001). Intragastric acidity (pH <4) was similar between MCE– and MCE groups (p = NS). Conclusions: NERD, regardless of the presence of MCE, might exhibit similar disease characteristics in terms of esophageal acid exposure and motor dysfunction.
Tracking Prosumption Work on eBay
Authors: Denegri-Knott Janice , Zwick Detlev
Published: December 2011

Ritzer suggests that we are witnessing the emergence of a prosumer society where early forms of prosumption (the gas station, the automatic teller machine, McDonalds, etc.) are now being universalized across industries, product and service categories, and geographies. This essay presents the results of a qualitative study of the lived experience of “doing prosumption,” in particular, how prosumption work in user-generated media environments is experienced by prosumers over time. For the purpose of this investigation, the authors conceptualize eBay as a space for the social production and consumption of desire, where, akin to the concept of prosumption, the consumer of these experiences is also, at least in part, a producer of the same experiences. The authors argue that the experience of prosumption changes over time even as the frequency of using eBay as a marketplace may not. The data suggest a trajectory from “enchanted prosumption” to “disenchanted prosumption” as, over time, the collective social production and consumption of desires, daydreams, and fantasies give way to a sense of eBay as a place for routine, efficient, and habitual buying and selling activities. In the final analysis, the authors argue that the disenchantment of and through eBay is a function of the routinization of the self and the rationalization of eBay as technological structure. Hence, the authors extend recent theorizations of the de-McDonaldizating effects of user-generated Web 2.0 spaces by suggesting that the dimensions of McDonaldization built into the technological structure of such spaces can encourage a slow re-McDonaldization of the user experience, albeit not universally. In sum, a longitudinal view of prosumption in user-generated online spaces cautions those studying new media spaces, not to underestimate the power of the McDonaldization processes.
Pharmacokinetics of the Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Activator Cinaciguat in Individuals With Hepatic Impairment
Authors: Frey Reiner , Scheerans Christian , Blunck Martin , Mück Wolfgang , Gnoth Mark Jean , Unger Sigrun , Schmidt Anja , Wensing Georg
Published: December 2011

Cinaciguat is intended for use in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. The drug is eliminated predominantly via the liver and, therefore, the potential impact of hepatic impairment on cinaciguat pharmacokinetics needs to be determined. This nonrandomized, open‐label, observational study investigated the pharmacokinetics of cinaciguat in individuals with mild (Child‐Pugh A; n = 8) or moderate (Child‐Pugh B; n = 8) hepatic impairment and matched healthy volunteers (n = 16). An exploratory analysis of pharmacodynamic parameters was also conducted. Individuals with mild hepatic impairment and their controls received a single (4‐hour) intravenous infusion of 100 μg/h cinaciguat, whereas individuals with moderate hepatic impairment and their controls received 50 μg/h. Cinaciguat was well tolerated and had a favorable safety profile. The most frequent treatment‐emergent adverse events were headache (4 participants) and spontaneous penile erection (2 participants). In individuals with mild hepatic impairment, only minor increases in plasma cinaciguat concentrations and no significant differences in pharmacodynamic parameters were observed, compared with controls. Individuals with moderate hepatic impairment had a substantially higher cinaciguat exposure than controls. This higher exposure was associated with more pronounced vasodilatation. This study demonstrates that in individuals with mild hepatic impairment, individual dose adaptation may not be required.
Improved synchronization criteria for a class dynamical complex network with internal delay
Authors: Li Peiran , Bao Zhejing , Yan Wenjun
Published: December 2011

This paper is concerned with the synchronization problem for Lur’e-type dynamical complex networks with time-varying delay. The problem of non-linear time-varying delayed Lur’e-type dynamical networks are changed into the corresponding stabilization situation of dynamical error systems. Based on the improved Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, which utilizes the information of time-varying delay adequately, some new synchronization criteria are derived via a linear matrix inequality with different sector conditions. Furthermore, by using an eigenvalue-decoupling method, high-dimension criteria are decoupled into low-dimension ones and the complexity of the criterion computation is reduced. Then the numerical examples are carried out to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed work through simulations.
A Randomized Control Study of Responsive Teaching With Young Turkish Children and Their Mothers
Authors: Karaaslan Ozcan , Diken Ibrahim H. , Mahoney Gerald
Published: December 2011

A randomized control study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of responsive teaching (RT) with a sample of 19 Turkish preschool-age children with disabilities and their mothers over a 6-months period. RT is an early intervention curriculum that attempts to promote children’s development by encouraging parents to engage in highly responsive interactions with them. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment conditions: The control group consisted of standard preschool classroom services and the RT group received biweekly RT parent–child sessions in addition to standard services. Compared with the control group, RT mothers made significantly greater increases in Responsiveness and Affect, whereas their children made greater changes in their engagement or pivotal behavior. There were also significant group differences in children’s developmental outcomes. Children in the RT group improved their developmental quotient scores by an average of 42% compared with 7% for children in the control group.
Optimization of S-naproxen imprinted polymers: the combination of theoretical and experimental study
Authors: Rong Fei , Li Ping
Published: December 2011

The interactions between template and functional monomers of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were studied by ultraviolet and infrared spectral analysis and computer simulation, with S-naproxen as template molecule and methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylamide (AM) and 4-vinyl pyridine (4-VP) as functional monomers, respectively. Then, the S-naproxen imprinted polymers made from three functional monomers were prepared, respectively, and the binding parameters and chiral separation performance of the synthesized MIPs were investigated by Scatchard analysis and thin layer chromatography using MIPs as chiral stationary phase. The results showed that the MIP based on 4-VP possessed the highest imprinting effect while the MIP based on MAA was the lowest, which correlated positively with the interaction strength between template molecule and three monomers. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of S-naproxen imprinted polymers suggested that using spectral analysis and computer aided prediction could promote the synthetic strategy for researching more efficient MIPs.
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate in College Students With ADHD
Authors: DuPaul George J. , Weyandt Lisa L. , Rossi Joseph S. , Vilardo Brigid A. , O’Dell Sean M. , Carson Kristen M. , Verdi Genevieve , Swentosky Anthony
Published: December 2011

Objective: To evaluate stimulant medication on symptoms and functioning for college students with ADHD using double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Method: Participants included 24 college students with ADHD and 26 college students without psychopathology. Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) was examined for ADHD participants over five weekly phases (no-drug baseline, placebo, 30-, 50-, and 70-mg LDX per day). Self-report rating scales of functioning and direct assessment of ADHD symptoms, verbal learning/memory, and adverse side effects were collected (baseline only for control students). Results: LDX was associated with large reductions in ADHD symptoms and improvement in executive functioning along with smaller effects for psychosocial functioning. Reduction in ADHD symptoms was found for 86.4% of participants; however, large differences in symptoms and executive functioning remained relative to controls. Conclusion: LDX is a safe, efficacious treatment for symptom relief in college students with ADHD. Research documenting medication effects on academic functioning and evaluating psychosocial/educational interventions is needed.
Folding, stitching, turning: putting conservation into perspective
Authors: Malkogeorgou Titika
Published: December 2011

The Victoria & Albert Museum marked a turning point in museum policy in Britain in conceiving the modern museum as an instrument of modern education. Through its cultural programme based on education and the relationship between objects and people, the V&A was established as an applied and decorative arts museum. As a source of object-specific knowledge, it has constructed a comprehensive canon around applied arts and their makers, shaped almost exclusively in its own context. In museum practice, conservation is part of the construction and transmission of knowledge through a distinctive relationship to objects and choices made in the studio, guided by a set of ethical values and a hands-on approach. This article follows the conservation of an 18th-century mantua (a 17th–18th-century court dress) for display in the V&A galleries and offers an insight into a process of continuous conflict between the uncovering and reconstruction of truth that takes place in the conservation studio, and the relationship to the object’s biography in tracing its original form. The author also examines the preservation of cultural material as a way of materializing the self and contextualizing social activity.
Sea-lion whiskers and spray-crete: the affect of Indigenous status in contemporary British Columbia
Authors: Townsend-Gault Charlotte
Published: December 2011

Two materials, disparate by some reckonings, are considered for the ways in which both are imbricated in contemporary status display. It is suggested that the role of status hierarchies in the public address of the Indigenous societies in British Columbia has been overlooked and that, due to the affective response they invoke, materials that represent these hierarchies are implicated in the contradictory tensions between display and disguise that characterize current status relations.
Promoting sociolinguistic competence in the classroom zone of proximal development
Authors: van Compernolle Remi A. , Williams Lawrence
Published: December 2011

This article explores the microgenetic development of learners’ understanding of sociolinguistic variation in French during an instructional conversation (IC) that followed a language analysis task in which learners attempted to formulate hypotheses about the nature of language variation. During the IC, the instructor led students toward a conceptual understanding of variation in French by providing appropriate graduated (i.e. from implicit or strategic to explicit) mediation that was sensitive to the class’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). Teacher–student collaborative interaction within a group’s ZPD has the potential to develop learners’ conceptual understanding of variation, which can provide an important orienting basis for the development of their performance abilities. The transcript of the IC is analysed and discussed with regard to the amount and type(s) of mediation the instructor provides and opportunities for development created in this type of collaborative interaction.
Text simplification and comprehensible input: A case for an intuitive approach
Authors: Crossley Scott A. , Allen David , McNamara Danielle S.
Published: December 2011

Texts are routinely simplified to make them more comprehensible for second language learners. However, the effects of simplification upon the linguistic features of texts remain largely unexplored. Here we examine the effects of one type of text simplification: intuitive text simplification. We use the computational tool, Coh-Metrix, to examine linguistic differences between proficiency levels of a corpus of 300 news texts that had been simplified to three levels of simplification (beginner, intermediate, advanced). The main analysis reveals significant differences between levels for a wide range of linguistic features, particularly between beginner and advanced levels. The results show that lower level texts are generally less lexically and syntactically sophisticated than higher-level texts. The analysis also reveals that lower level texts contain more cohesive features than higher-level texts. The analysis also provides strong evidence that these linguistic features can be used to classify levels of simplified reading texts. Overall, the findings support the notion that intuitively simplified texts at the beginning level contain more linguistic features related to comprehensible input than intuitively simplified texts at the advanced level.
Association of polymorphisms in the AGT gene with essential hypertension in the Chinese population
Authors: Xi Bo , Shen Yue , Yan Yinkun , Mi Jie
Published: December 2011

Objective: Although the angiotensinogen ( AGT) gene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension, the results have been inconsistent. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the association of A-6G, A-20C and G-217A polymorphisms in the AGT gene with essential hypertension in the Chinese population.

Methods: Published literature from PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biological Medicine and Wanfang Data was retrieved. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using fixed- or random-effects models.

Results: Sixteen studies (4223 cases and 3743 controls) for A-6G polymorphism, ten studies (3116 cases and 2678 controls) for A-20C polymorphism and five studies (1268 cases and 1081 controls) for G-217A polymorphism were identified. The results from the meta-analyses indicated significant association of all three polymorphism with the risk of essential hypertension in the Chinese population (A-6G polymorphism: GG vs AA: OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.17–1.81; A-20C polymorphism: CC vs AA: OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.10–2.08; G-217A polymorphism: AA vs GG: OR = 2.36, 95% CI 1.44–3.89).

Conclusions: Our study indicated that three polymorphisms (A-6G, A-20C and G-217A) in the AGT gene are associated with essential hypertension in the Chinese population.
An Improved Measure of Ethical Leadership
Authors: Yukl Gary , Mahsud Rubina , Hassan Shahidul , Prussia Gregory E.
Published: December 2011

The appropriate way to define and measure ethical leadership has been a source of conceptual confusion in the leadership literature. Different measures have been developed, but they all have limitations. Some questionnaires are missing key indicators of ethical leadership, or they include behaviors that do not seem directly relevant. In this study, the authors assess the validity of a new questionnaire for measuring essential aspects of ethical leadership independently of other types of leader behavior. The research also examines how ethical leadership is related to leader–member exchange and work unit performance. Although the primary purpose of these analyses is to assess criterion-related validity for the new questionnaire, the results help answer important questions about the benefits of ethical leadership. The authors found that ethical leadership makes a small but significant contribution to the explanation of leader–member exchange and managerial effectiveness.
Reverse Correlating Social Face Perception
Authors: Dotsch Ron , Todorov Alexander
Published: December 2011

Reverse correlation (RC) techniques provide a data-driven approach to model internal representations in an unconstrained way. Here, we used this approach to model social perception of faces. In the RC task, participants repeatedly selected from two face images—created by superimposing randomly generated noise masks on the same face—the face that looked most trustworthy (or, in other conditions: untrustworthy, dominant, or submissive). We calculated classification images (CIs) by averaging all selected images. Trait judgments of independent participants, as well as objective metrics, showed that the CIs visualized the intended traits well. Furthermore, tests of pixel clusters showed that diagnostic information resided mostly in mouth, eye, eyebrow, and hair regions. The current work shows that RC provides an excellent tool to extract psychologically meaningful images that map onto social perception.