bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel real‐time feedback and integrated simulation model for teaching and evaluating ultrasound‐guided regional anesthesia skills in pediatric anesthesia trainees
Authors: Moore David L , Ding Lili , Sadhasivam Senthilkumar
Published: May 2012

Objectives:  To assess, teach, and improve core competencies and skills sets associated with ultrasound‐guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) of pediatric anesthesia trainees.

Aim:  To effectively assess and improve UGRA‐associated cognitive and technical skills and proficiency of pediatric anesthesia trainees using simulators and real‐time feedback.

Background:  Ultrasound usage has been increasingly adopted by anesthesiologists to perform regional anesthesia. Pediatric UGRA performance significantly lags behind adult UGRA practice. Lack of effective UGRA training is the major reason for this unfortunate lag. Integration of ultrasound imaging, target location, and needling skills are crucial in safely performing UGRA. However, there are no standards to ensure proficiency in practice, nor in training.

Methods:  We implemented an UGRA instructional program for all trainees, in two parts. First, we used a unique training model for initial assessment and training of technical skills. Second, we used an instructional program that encompasses UGRA and equipment‐associated cognitive skills. After baseline assessment at 0 months, we retested these trainees at 6 and 12 months to identify progression of proficiency over time.

Results:  Cognitive and technical UGRA skills of trainees improved significantly over the course of time. UGRA performance average accuracy improved to 79% at 12 months from the baseline accuracy of 57%. Cognitive UGRA‐related skills of trainees improved from baseline results of 52.5–79.2% at 12 months.

Conclusions:  Implementing a multifaceted assessment and real‐time feedback‐based training has significantly improved UGRA‐related cognitive and technical skills and proficiency of pediatric anesthesia trainees.
Role of ultrasound compared to age‐related formulas for uncuffed endotracheal intubation in a pediatric population
Authors: Schramm Christoph , Knop Jana , Jensen Katrin , Plaschke Konstanze
Published: May 2012

Background:  It is often difficult to determine the correct size of endotracheal tubes (ETT) needed for intubating pediatric patients. Therefore, we evaluated the role of ultrasound in pediatric patients to compare the correct size of an uncuffed (ETT) with the minimal transverse diameter of the subglottic airway (MTDSA) measured by ultrasound and with tube size predicted by different age‐related formulas.

Methods:  A total of 50 pediatric patients ≤5 years were enrolled. As a standard, we defined the adequate ETT size with no audible leakage below a ventilation pressure of 15 mbar and with an audible leakage above 25 mbar. The maximum allowed difference between the prediction method result and the ETT that fit was defined as 0.3 mm. Ultrasound was performed before the intubation procedure; the intubating anesthesiologists were blinded to the results of the ultrasound measurement. Agreement between the two age‐based formulas most commonly used at our department and MTDSA with the correct ETT size (standard) was analyzed using a Bland–Altman plot. Correlation and regression analyses were performed and the numbers of correct intubation trials recorded.

Results:  The frequency of bias ≤0.3 mm between each method and the correct ETT in the first attempt was <50% and the mean number of reintubations 1.6 ± 1.3. In contrast to age‐related formulas, however, the ultrasonographically determined MTDSA was not significantly different from the correct ETT. MTDSA was highly associated with the outer diameter of the ETT (r = 0.869, R2 = 0.754).

Conclusions:  Measuring MTDSA by ultrasound facilitates selection of the appropriate ETT in pediatric patients and may reduce the number of reintubations.
Adhesive intestinal obstruction in laparoscopic vs open colorectal resection
Authors: Saklani A. P. , Naguib N. , Shah P. R. , Mekhail P. , Winstanley S. , Masoud A. G.
Published: May 2012

Aim  While there is evidence that laparoscopy creates fewer adhesions, evidence regarding decreased episodes of adhesive obstruction in laparoscopic colorectal resection (LCR) is still lacking. The aim of our study was to compare the incidence of adhesion‐related admissions/surgery in patients undergoing LCR and open colorectal resection (OCR).

Method  We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database that included all patients undergoing LCR and OCR between 2001 and 2010. Patients with < 6 months of follow‐up were excluded. Patients who were converted to open surgery were included in the laparoscopic group. Details regarding readmission rates and surgery for adhesive obstruction were obtained from clinical portals and the theatre database. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test, the Mann–Whitney U‐test and the Student’s t‐test.

Results  One‐hundred and forty‐four patients had LCR with a median (range) follow‐up of 24.5 (6–108) months. One‐hundred and eighty‐seven patients underwent OCR, with a median (range) follow‐up of 49 (6–104) months. Six (4.2%) of 144 patients in the LCR group had adhesion‐related admission/obstruction compared with 13 (6.95%) of 187 patients in the OCR group (P = 0.34). Three (2.1%) of 144 patients who had LCR required surgery for adhesive obstruction compared with five (2.7%) of 187 who had OCR (P = 0.73).

Conclusion  In our study there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative adhesive intestinal obstruction between LCR and OCR groups.
Editorial
Authors: Krücken Georg , Serrano‐Velarde Kathia
Published: May 2012

A video abstract of this article can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM0GgChR8zI
Public by Day, Private by Night: examining the private lives of Kenya's public universities
Authors: Wangenge‐Ouma Gerald
Published: May 2012

This article examines the emergence of the public university in Kenya as a key provider of private higher education, characterised mainly by the phenomenon of the “private public university student.” It probes the broader socio‐economic reforms circumscribing the privatisation of Kenya's public universities and the local and global forces responsible for these reforms. From the enrolment patterns of Kenya's public universities, where state‐subsidised students are becoming a diminishing minority and where a range of exclusive programmes for private students (mainly taught in the evenings) are a growing trend, it may be argued that a new kind of private university is emerging; namely, private universities owned by public universities.
Does Graduating from a Private University Make a Difference? Evidence from Italy
Authors: Triventi Moris , Trivellato Paolo
Published: May 2012

The main aim of this article is to explore similarities and differences in the institutional features of private and state universities in the Italian higher education system and to assess whether graduating from a private university conveys advantages in the labour market. In the first part we use administrative data to describe the main institutional features of the two types of university, looking at organisational aspects, enrolments and graduates, financial resources, tuition fees, and teachers' characteristics. In the second part we develop a theoretical framework looking at sociological and economic theories of education and labour market, from which we derive some hypotheses on the expected results. In the last part, we apply a propensity score matching analysis on data from the Italian University Graduates Survey conducted in 2007 by the Italian National Institute of Statistics, which provides information on more than 40,000 graduates who obtained their degree in 2004. The main results indicate that graduates from private universities are younger, have a higher socio‐economic background and a slightly better previous school career than those from state universities. Contrary to a widespread belief, once accounted for self‐selection into the type of university using a wide range of variables, graduating from a private university has neither a significant nor a substantial effect on employment probability, hourly wage and occupational level three years after graduation.
Privatisation by the Back Door: the case of the higher education policy in Israel
Authors: Gaziel Haim H.
Published: May 2012

The purpose of this study is to seek to understand the process of privatisation and deregulation of Israel's higher education system which had been until the late 20th century predominantly public.

Since 1994, public and governmental agencies became major clients of private universities. Thus the public sector played a major role in the expansion of international universities and in the operation of their academic programmes and became their major financial source. This partnership between the public and the private sector could be explained by the following: the increased demand for higher education by native born Israelis and the large flux of immigrants from the former USSR and Ethiopia on the one side, and the socialist ideology which deeply rooted in the Israeli society, to enable for everyone who wishes to attain higher education to find a place in the undergraduate system (particularly the population of the developmental towns and minority groups) on the other, pushed the Israeli government to expand its boundaries. Israel's public universities have been subjected to relax admissions requirement, which they refused to do.

Another reason is the increasing demand from the public service in general and particularly from the education service that having a BA degree would increase the teacher salary and it does not matter whether the degree comes from an Israeli university(with its higher standards) or from a branch of an international university(with its lower standards). That explains the expansion and diversification that occurred in the higher education system in Israel. The 1998 Branches Act stipulating that any overseas institution intending to open an off shore branch must obtain a licence from the Council of Higher Education. The new regime demonstrates the paradox in higher education policy, on one side privatisation by the backdoor, on the other, regulation and control by the Israeli government.
Higher Education and Unemployment: a cointegration and causality analysis of the case of Turkey
Authors: Erdem Ekrem , Tugcu Can Tansel
Published: May 2012

This article analyses the short and the long‐term relations between higher education and unemployment in Turkey for the period 1960–2007. It chooses the recently developed ARDL cointegration and Granger causality of Dolado and Lütkepohl (1996) methods. While the proxy of unemployment is total unemployment rate, higher education graduates were chosen to represent higher education. The cointegration and error correction analysis show that higher education is one of the factors which increases the unemployment rate both in the short and the long‐run in Turkey. In addition, findings of causality analysis reveal that there is a bi‐directional causality between higher education and unemployment and support evidence in favour of Plümper and Schneider (2007)'s theory. Overall, the study concludes that, if governments wish to benefit optimally from the higher education graduates in Turkey, they should not invest more in higher education than the economy needs.
Choices and Motivations: the why and how of Portuguese students' enrolment choices
Authors: Tavares Orlanda , Ferreira José Brites
Published: May 2012

The student population is becoming increasingly diversified and heterogeneous. In a climate of decreasing traditional enrolments in the Portuguese higher education system and increasing competition for students, it becomes essential to understand the reasons and motivations that attract students to higher education and which are the more relevant factors they consider when choosing a higher education institution. This article presents the preliminary analysis of the results of a questionnaire filled in by a sample of 11,467 students entering different types of higher education institutions in 2006/07.
A Smart Social Inclusion Policy for the EU: the role of education and training
Authors: Nicaise Ides
Published: May 2012

Whereas in 2000 the EU had heralded the knowledge‐based society with as its motto ‘with more and better jobs and stronger social cohesion’, the past decade has led to greater inequality and (at best) a status‐quo in poverty. EU2020 seems to acknowledge this failure and aims to reconnect social inclusion with the knowledge‐based strategy. This article discusses the education‐inequality nexus and shows what strategic and institutional measures need to be implemented for a ‘smarter’ social inclusion policy: a better balance between knowledge‐intensive and knowledge‐extensive policies, an extension of EU anti‐discrimination law in the field of education, integration of the OMC in education and training with the social OMC (including the social re‐orientation of the structural funds), and peer learning focused on structural reform of E&T systems.
DOES ADVERTISING MATTER? ESTIMATING THE IMPACT OF CIGARETTE ADVERTISING ON SMOKING AMONG YOUTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Authors: KOSTOVA DELIANA , BLECHER EVAN
Published: May 2012

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the impact of cigarette advertising on smoking among youth in developing countries. Using micro‐level data from 19 developing countries, we examine the structural relationship between smoking behavior and advertising exposure and the reduced‐form relationship between smoking and advertising bans. Instrumental variables are used to address the endogeneity of advertising exposure. Country‐specific unobserved heterogeneity is further reduced by controlling for measures of antismoking sentiment and cigarette prices. After accounting for the endogeneity of advertising, we find that the positive correlation between smoking and advertising exposure in our sample can be largely explained by the disproportionately higher propensity of smokers to observe advertising rather than a direct causal effect of advertising on smoking. (JELI12, I18)
Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Essentials of Magnetism Scale (EOM II)
Authors: Yıldırım D. , Kısa S. , Hisar F.
Published: May 2012

Yıldırım D., Kısa S. & Hisar F. (2012) Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Essentials of Magnetism Scale (EOM II). International Nursing Review

Aim:  To test the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Essentials of Magnetism II Scale (EOMII) for use by staff nurses as being essential to quality patient care.

Methods:  This study consisted of 385 nurses from four joint commission internationally accredited hospitals. The EOMII scale was translated using a back‐translation technique. The statistical analysis was carried out using Cronbach's alpha to test the internal consistency of the scale, while the factor analysis was carried out using the principal component analysis together with the varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization to test its construct validity.

Results:  The total mean scores of all the items of the scale were found to be 155.33 (minimum 77 – maximum 219) and the standard deviation was 29.45. All the items showed a statistically significant correlation (P < 0.01). The Cronbach's α of the scale was 0.92, indicating a high level of reliability. Cronbach's alpha consistencies in subgroups were between 0.87 and 0.70. In this study, job satisfaction and quality results show the sign of convergence as in the original scale, which shows that the scale has a high construct validity (P < 0.01).

Discussions:  Transcultural differences in the quality of nursing services can only be compared with reliable and valid instruments. This study shows that the Turkish version of the EOMII scale is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the nurses' working environment and to provide quality patient care in Turkey.
The Mutability of Public Reason
Authors: FLANDERS CHAD
Published: May 2012

Rawls's “public reason” has not been without its critics. One criticism is that public reason is “conservative.” Public reason must rely on those beliefs that are “widely shared” among citizens. But if public reason relies on widely shared beliefs, how can it change without departing from those beliefs, thus violating public reason? In part one of my essay, I introduce the conservatism objection and describe two unsatisfactory responses to it. Part two argues that there are aspects of public reason which diminish the force of the conservatism objection: first, that public reason is historical, and second, that it is mutable.
Psycho‐logic: Some thoughts and after‐thoughts
Authors: SMEDSLUND J.
Published: May 2012

Smedslund, J. (2012). Psycho‐logic: Some thoughts and after‐thoughts. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 295–302.

The main features of the system of psycho‐logic and its historical origins, especially in the writings of Heider and Piaget, are briefly reviewed. An updated version of the axioms of psycho‐logic, and a list of the semantic primitives of Wierzbicka are presented. Some foundational questions are discussed, including the genetically determined limitations of human knowledge, the constructive, moral, and political nature of the approach, the role of fortuitous events, the ultimate limitations of psychological knowledge (the “balloon” to be inflated from the inside), the role of the subjective unconscious, and the implications of the approach for practice.
Mental health problems and post‐migration stress among multi‐traumatized refugees attending outpatient clinics upon resettlement to Norway
Authors: TEODORESCU DINU‐STEFAN , HEIR TROND , HAUFF EDVARD , WENTZEL‐LARSEN TORE , LIEN LARS
Published: May 2012

Teodorescu, D.‐S., Heir, T., Hauff, E., Wentzel‐Larsen, T. & Lien, L. (2012). Mental health problems and post‐migration stress among multi‐traumatized refugees attending outpatient clinics upon resettlement to Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 316–332.

Refugees have often been exposed to multiple traumas making them prone to mental health problems later. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and symptom load of psychiatric disorders in refugees admitted to psychiatric outpatient clinics and to investigate the relationship between multiple exposure to traumatic events, the severity of traumatic symptoms and post‐migration stressors. A clinical sample of 61 refugee outpatients from psychiatric clinics in Southern Norway was cross‐sectionally examined using three structured clinical interviews (SCID‐PTSD, SIDES and MINI) and self‐report psychometric instruments (HSCL‐25, IES‐R). Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was diagnosed in 82% of the patients, while Disorders of Extreme Stress Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS) was present in 16% of them. Comorbidity was considerable; 64% of the patients had both PTSD and major depression disorder (MDD) and 80% of those who had PTSD had three or more additional diagnoses. Multi‐traumatized refugees in outpatient clinics have high prevalence of PTSD, DESNOS, comorbid depression and anxiety disorders. A more severe symptomatology was found in patients diagnosed with both PTSD and DESNOS, than in those diagnosed with only PTSD. Higher rates of unemployment, weak social network and weak social integration were also prevalent in these outpatients, and related to increased psychiatric comorbidity and severity of symptoms. Further research may clarify the existence of a cumulative relationship between pre‐resettlement traumas and post‐resettlement stressors in the mental health of refugees, which in turn may help to improve therapeutic interventions.
Using individual differences to predict job performance: Correcting for direct and indirect restriction of range
Authors: SJÖBERG SOFIA , SJÖBERG ANDERS , NÄSWALL KATHARINA , SVERKE MAGNUS
Published: May 2012

Sjöberg, S., Sjöberg, A., Näswall, K. & Sverke, M. (2012). Using individual differences to predict job performance: Correcting for direct and indirect restriction of range. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 368–373.

The present study investigates the relationship between individual differences, indicated by personality (FFM) and general mental ability (GMA), and job performance applying two different methods of correction for range restriction. The results, derived by analyzing meta‐analytic correlations, show that the more accurate method of correcting for indirect range restriction increased the operational validity of individual differences in predicting job performance and that this increase primarily was due to general mental ability being a stronger predictor than any of the personality traits. The estimates for single traits can be applied in practice to maximize prediction of job performance. Further, differences in the relative importance of general mental ability in relation to overall personality assessment methods was substantive and the estimates provided enables practitioners to perform a correct utility analysis of their overall selection procedure.
Crime and the Decline of Unions
Authors: Baumann Robert , Engelhardt Bryan
Published: May 2012

In this paper we investigate the relationship between union membership and crime. Using state level data between 1993 and 2006, we find the elasticity of crime with respect to union membership is roughly −0.5. From our results, we predict the decline in union membership has increased crime by 15 per cent since 1993. Furthermore, we find the elasticity between union jobs and crime is larger in absolute value when using an instrumental variable approach to control for the impact unions have on labor market efficiency.
The Symbolic Dimension of Mobility: Architecture and Social Status in Ecuadorian Informal Settlements
Authors: KLAUFUS CHRISTIEN
Published: May 2012

This article explores how the urban poor use global flows of people, goods and ideas as resources to counter the stigma of poverty, focusing on home improvement activities in Ecuadorian informal settlements. Whereas urban poverty is usually associated with deficient housing and slums, the article describes how residents of informal settlements use imported architectural designs and cosmopolitan facilities to improve their homes. It is argued that the mobility of cultural products offers the urban poor potential resources to achieve higher levels of social prestige and wellbeing, thereby analytically connecting the notion of symbolic mobility to current poverty debates.

Afin d'examiner comment les habitants pauvres des villes exploitent les flux mondiaux de populations, de biens et d'idées pour échapper à la marque de la pauvreté, cet article s'intéresse aux améliorations réalisées dans les habitats informels en Équateur. On associe souvent la pauvreté urbaine à des taudis ou logements insalubres, mais les occupants des habitats informels utilisent des concepts architecturaux importés et des installations cosmopolites pour améliorer leur maison. L'analyse montre que la mobilité des produits culturels procure à la population urbaine pauvre des ressources qui lui permettent d'élever ses niveaux de prestige social et de bien‐être, établissant ainsi un lien entre la notion de mobilité symbolique et les débats actuels sur la pauvreté.
Jarisch‐Herxheimer reaction among syphilis patients in China
Authors: Li J. , Wang L.‐N. , Zheng H.‐Y.
Published: May 2012

Background/aim  The Jarisch‐Herxheimer reaction (JHR) is an acute systemic event that can occur during the treatment of spirochetal infections, especially Treponema pallidum in patients with syphilis. JHR has clinical characteristics of an inflammatory reaction to antibiotic treatment and can occur with many medications as long as the antitreponemal concentrations are sufficiently high.

Methods  The incidence of and risk factors for JHR were investigated retrospectively among 1125 patients with syphilis. A total of 357 patients (32%) had secondary syphilis, 129 (12%) primary, 178 (16%) early latent, 174 (15%) late latent and 285 (25%) latent unknown duration; two patients had tertiary syphilis.

Results  Sixteen patients (1.4%) developed JHR. All JHRs occurred in patients with secondary and latent syphilis treated with penicillin.

Conclusions  JHR occurred much less frequently than in previously reported studies. It is important that dermatologists recognize the clinical characteristics of JHR so that it is not misinterpreted as an allergic reaction to treatment.
A Unified Framework for Haplotype Inference in Nuclear Families
Authors: Iliadis Alexandros , Anastassiou Dimitris , Wang Xiaodong
Published: May 2012

Many large genome‐wide association studies include nuclear families with more than one child (trio families), allowing for analysis of differences between siblings (sib pair analysis). Statistical power can be increased when haplotypes are used instead of genotypes. Currently, haplotype inference in families with more than one child can be performed either using the familial information or statistical information derived from the population samples but not both. Building on our recently proposed tree‐based deterministic framework (TDS) for trio families, we augment its applicability to general nuclear families. We impose a minimum recombinant approach locally and independently on each multiple children family, while resorting to the population‐derived information to solve the remaining ambiguities. Thus our framework incorporates all available information (familial and population) in a given study. We demonstrate that using all the constraints in our approach we can have gains in the accuracy as opposed to breaking the multiple children families to separate trios and resorting to a trio inference algorithm or phasing each family in isolation. We believe that our proposed framework could be the method of choice for haplotype inference in studies that include nuclear families with multiple children. Our software (tds2.0) is downloadable from www.ee.columbia.edu/∼anastas/tds.
Molecular and Population Analysis of Natural Selection on the Human Haptoglobin Duplication
Authors: Rodriguez Santiago , Williams Dylan M. , Guthrie Philip A.I. , McArdle Wendy L. , Smith George Davey , Evans David M. , Gaunt Tom R. , Day Ian N.M
Published: May 2012

Haptoglobin binds free haemoglobin that prevents oxidative damage produced by haemolysis. There is a copy number variant (CNV) in the haptoglobin gene (HP) consisting of two alleles, Hp1 (no duplication), and Hp2 (1.7kb duplication involving two exons). The spread of the Hp2 allele is believed to have taken place under selective pressures conferred by malaria resistance. However, molecular evidence is lacking and Hp did not emerge in genomewide SNPs surveys for evidence of selection. In Europe, there is geographical constancy of Hp2 frequency, indicative of absence of clinal pressures and that modern day European alleles represent a “snapshot” of their out‐of‐Africa migrations. In this work we test for signatures of natural selection acting on the Hp CNV in a sample from the UK population (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, ALSPAC). We present here heterozygosity decay, pairwise FST values observed between ALSPAC and 301 populations from all five populated continents, extended haplotype homozygosity analyses involving the CNV and 80 SNPs surrounding the CNV ∼500kb in each direction, and linkage disequilibrium and pairwise haplotypic analyses involving 160 SNPs on chromosome 16q22.1. Taken together, our results represent the first molecular analysis of natural selection in the Hp CNV genetic region.
Whole‐bone scaling of the avian pelvic limb
Authors: Doube Michael , Yen Stephanie C. W. , Kłosowski Michał M. , Farke Andrew A. , Hutchinson John R. , Shefelbine Sandra J.
Published: May 2012

Birds form the largest extant group of bipedal animals and occupy a broad range of body masses, from grams to hundreds of kilograms. Additionally, birds occupy distinct niches of locomotor behaviour, from totally flightless strong runners such as the ratites (moa, kiwi, ostrich) to birds that may walk, dabble on water or fly. We apply a whole‐bone approach to investigate allometric scaling trends in the pelvic limb bones (femur, tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus) from extant and recently extinct birds of greatly different size, and compare scaling between birds in four locomotor groups; flightless, burst‐flying, dabbling and flying. We also compare scaling of birds’ femoral cross‐sectional properties to data previously collected from cats. Scaling exponents were not significantly different between the different locomotor style groups, but elevations of the scaling relationships revealed that dabblers (ducks, geese, swans) have particularly short and slender femora compared with other birds of similar body mass. In common with cats, but less pronounced in birds, the proximal and distal extrema of the bones scaled more strongly than the diaphysis, and in larger birds the diaphysis occupied a smaller proportion of bone length than in smaller birds. Cats and birds have similar femoral cross‐sectional area (CSA) for the same body mass, yet birds’ bone material is located further from the bone’s long axis, leading to higher second and polar moments of area and a greater inferred resistance to bending and twisting. The discrepancy in the relationship between outer diameter to CSA may underlie birds’ reputation for having ‘light’ bones.
Evidence for a systemic regulation of neurotrophin synthesis in response to peripheral nerve injury
Authors: Shakhbazau Antos , Martinez Jose A. , Xu Qing‐Gui , Kawasoe Jean , van Minnen Jan , Midha Rajiv
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 501–511.

Up‐regulation of neurotrophin synthesis is an important mechanism of peripheral nerve regeneration after injury. Neurotrophin expression is regulated by a complex series of events including cell interactions and multiple molecular stimuli. We have studied neurotrophin synthesis at 2 weeks time‐point in a transvertebral model of unilateral or bilateral transection of sciatic nerve in rats. We have found that unilateral sciatic nerve transection results in the elevation of nerve growth factor (NGF) and NT‐3, but not glial cell‐line derived neurotrophic factor or brain‐derived neural factor, in the uninjured nerve on the contralateral side, commonly considered as a control. Bilateral transection further increased NGF but not other neurotrophins in the nerve segment distal to the transection site, as compared to the unilateral injury. To further investigate the distinct role of NGF in regeneration and its potential for peripheral nerve repair, we transduced isogeneic Schwann cells with NGF‐encoding lentivirus and transplanted the over‐expressing cells into the distal segment of a transected nerve. Axonal regeneration was studied at 2 weeks time‐point using pan‐neuronal marker NF‐200 and found to directly correlate with NGF levels in the regenerating nerve.
Bone morphogenetic protein 2 inhibits neurite outgrowth of motor neuron‐like NSC‐34 cells and up‐regulates its type II receptor
Authors: Benavente Francisca , Pinto Cristina , Parada Margarita , Henríquez Juan Pablo , Osses Nelson
Published: May 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 594–604.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) regulate several aspects of neuronal behavior. For instance, BMP‐2 has the ability to modulate, either positively or negatively, the outgrowth of neuronal processes in diverse cell types. In Drosophila motor neurons, the BMP type II receptor (BMPRII) homolog wishful thinking plays crucial roles on neuromuscular synaptogenesis signaling through Smad‐dependent and Smad‐independent pathways. However, a role for BMP signaling at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction has not been addressed. Herein, we have analyzed the expression of BMPRII and the effect of BMP‐2 during the morphological differentiation of motor neuron‐like NSC‐34 cells. Our data indicate that BMPRII is up‐regulated and becomes accumulated in somas and growth cones upon motor neuronal differentiation. BMP‐2 inhibits the differentiation of NSC‐34 cells, an effect that correlates with activation of a Smad‐dependent pathway, induction of the inhibitory Id1 transcription factor, and down‐regulation of the neurogenic factor Mash1. BMP‐2 also activates effectors of Smad‐independent pathways. Remarkably, BMP‐2 treatment significantly increases the expression of BMPRII. Our findings provide the first evidence to suggest a role for BMP pathways on the differentiation of motor neurons leading to successful assembly and/or regeneration of the vertebrate neuromuscular synapse.
Subcellular localization and transcription regulatory potency of KCNIP/Calsenilin/DREAM/KChIP proteins in cultured primary cortical neurons do not provide support for their role in CRE‐dependent gene expression
Authors: Pruunsild Priit , Timmusk Tõnis
Published: May 2012

KCNIP3/KChIP3 (voltage‐dependent K+ channel interacting protein 3), alias Calsenilin and downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM), is a multifunctional protein that modulates A‐type potassium channels, affects processing of amyloid precursor protein and regulates transcription. KCNIP3 has been described to negatively influence the activity of CREB (cAMP/Ca2+‐response element binding protein), an essential factor in neuronal activity‐dependent gene expression regulation. However, reports on intracellular localization of KCNIP3 in neurons are diverse and necessitate additional analyses of distribution of KCNIPs in cells to clarify the potential of KCNIP3 to fulfill its functions in different cell compartments. Here, we examined localization of the entire family of highly similar KCNIP proteins in neuronal cells and show that over‐expressed isoforms of KCNIP1/KChIP1, KCNIP2/KChIP2, KCNIP3/KChIP3, and KCNIP4/KChIP4 had varied, yet partially overlapping subcellular localization. In addition, although some of the over‐expressed KCNIP isoforms localized to the nucleus, endogenous KCNIPs were not detected in nuclei of rat primary cortical neurons. Moreover, we analyzed the role of KCNIP proteins in cAMP/Ca2+‐response element (CRE)‐dependent transcription by luciferase reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay and report that our results do not support the role for KCNIPs, including DREAM/Calsenilin/KChIP3, in modulation of CREB‐mediated transcription in neurons.
A SCULPTURAL MARBLE OF PRIME QUALITY IN ANTIQUITY—THE DOLOMITIC MARBLE OF THE SIVEC MOUNTAINS IN MACEDONIA
Authors: PROCHASKA W.
Published: May 2012

This paper presents analytical data on a major occurrence of fine‐grained dolomitic marble in the Sivec Mountains, close to the city of Prilep in today's former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia. This is the first presentation of an analytical database of a large‐scale source of fine‐grained dolomitic marble, whose ancient use can be demonstrated by tool marks and archaeological evidence. Many traces of ancient mining have fallen victim to a big modern quarrying operation in this area, which for decades has produced high‐quality blocks of marble (‘Macedonian Carrara’) and exported them all over the world. A combination of different analytical methods is used to characterize the marbles and to present a database for investigating ancient artefacts made of fine‐grained dolomites. Petrographic investigations revealed the very homogeneous micro‐fabric of this marble, which is of high purity with very low silicate contamination and has a maximum grain‐size of 1 mm. In addition to analysis of the stable isotopes, trace element analyses of carbonate lattice elements (Mg, Fe, Mn and Sr) were performed. An alternative method, the analysis of the chemical composition of the inclusion fluids, was also employed. On the basis of these techniques, a multivariate discrimination analysis was performed, and a clear separation of the different dolomitic marbles (Thasos, Ephesos, Proconnesos and Karacasu) was obtained. Finds of artefacts of high artistic quality made from this dolomite prove the existence of a significant workshop in the neighbourhood of the Sivec quarries. Because of its vulnerability to weathering, this fine‐grained dolomitic marble was used preferentially for indoor applications. Sculptures of prime artistic quality made of Sivec marble have so far been found in several locations of the Republic of Macedonia.
WHITE, VEINED MARBLE FROM ROMAN AMMAIA (PORTUGAL): PROVENANCE AND USE
Authors: TAELMAN D. , ELBURG M. , SMET I. , DE PAEPE P. , VANHAECKE F. , VERMEULEN F.
Published: May 2012

A multimethod approach using petrography and strontium (Sr) isotopic analysis was applied to determine the geological source of 17 marble artefacts from the Roman town of Ammaia (Portugal). All samples are calcitic, with dolomite, quartz and muscovite as accessory minerals. The marbles are characteristically medium‐grained with a maximum grain size (MGS) between 0.98 mm and 1.82 mm, have a heteroblastic texture, and have curved to embayed calcite grain boundaries. 87Sr/86Sr values of marble leachates range from 0.708488 to 0.708639. Comparison with Hispanic and Mediterranean marbles suggests the Estremoz Anticline as the most likely source for the Ammaia marble, especially for architectural marble. This hypothesis is supported by the geographical proximity of the Estremoz marble district and the long and expensive overland transport required for other marbles to reach Ammaia.
Retrospective evaluation of the effectiveness of epsilon aminocaproic acid for the prevention of postamputation bleeding in retired racingGreyhounds with appendicular bone tumors: 46 cases (2003–2008)
Authors: Marín Liliana M. , Iazbik M. Cristina , Zaldivar‐Lopez Sara , Lord Linda K. , Stingle Nicole , Vilar Paulo , Lara‐Garcia Ana , Alvarez Francisco , Hosoya Kenji , Nelson Laura , Pozzi Antonio , Cooper Edward , McLoughlin Mary A. , Ball Rebecca , Kisseberth William C. , London Cheryl A. , Dudley Robert , Dyce Jonathan , McMahon Melanie , Lerche Phillip , Bednarski Richard , Couto C. Guillermo
Published: May 2012

Objectives

To determine the frequency of delayed postoperative bleeding in retired racingGreyhounds with appendicular bone tumors undergoing limb amputations. To identify if administration of epsilon‐aminocaproic acid (EACA) was effective on the prevention of postoperative bleeding.

Design

Retrospective study fromDecember 2003 toDecember 2008.

Setting

Veterinary university teaching hospital.

Animals

Forty‐six retired racingGreyhounds (RRGs) diagnosed with primary appendicular bone tumors that underwent limb amputation were included in the study.

Interventions

None.

Measurements and Main Results

Thirteen of 46RRGs (28%) included in the study had delayed postoperative bleeding starting 48–72 h after surgery. Bleeding episodes included cutaneous, subcutaneous, and external bleeding that extended from the area of the surgical site that became widespread within hours, and that required administration of blood components. A pairedt‐test suggests that there was a significant decrease inPCVpostoperatively for both dogs that bled and dogs that did not bleed (P< 0.0001). Forty of 46RRGs (86%) received either fresh frozen plasma (FFP) orEACAor both, for the prevention of postoperative bleeding. A logistic regression model determined that dogs that did not receiveEACAwere 5.7 times more likely to bleed than dogs that did receiveEACA, when controlling for whether or not they receivedFFP(95%CI: 1.02–32.15,P= 0.047).

Conclusion

This retrospective study suggests that preemptive postoperative administration ofEACAappears to be efficacious in decreasing the frequency of bleeding inRRGs undergoing limb amputation; however, a prospective study is warranted to corroborate its effectiveness.
The association of physical examination abnormalities and carboxyhemoglobin concentrations in 21 dogs trapped in a kennel fire
Authors: Ashbaugh Elizabeth A. , Mazzaferro Elisa M. , McKiernan Brendan C. , Drobatz Kenneth J.
Published: May 2012

Objective

To evaluate physical examination findings and their association with carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentrations in 21 dogs that were exposed to smoke during a kennel fire.

Series Summary

Twenty‐one dogs were exposed to a kennel fire. Physical exam findings, presenting, and posttherapyCOHb concentrations as well as therapeutic interventions were evaluated.COHb concentrations upon presentation were increased in all smoke inhalation exposed dogs. These dogs were compared to a small set of clinically normal staff‐owned dogs who were not exposed to fire. Physical parameters significantly associated with higherCOHb concentrations included lower body temperature, increased respiratory effort, abnormal respiratory auscultation, altered neurologic status, and length of hospital stay. Oxygen therapy resulted in a more rapid decline inCOHb concentrations although 5 dogs still had mildly increasedCOHb concentrations 24‐hour postadmission.

Unique Information Provided

This study describes the relationship of admitting clinical findings of dogs exposed to a kennel fire with their initial bloodCOHb concentrations. It also describes the resolution of increasedCOHb concentrations with use of oxygen therapy and hospitalization. Additionally,COHb concentrations for a control group of dogs was evaluated and compared to the dogs exposed to smoke inhalation.
Expression of Concern: Toll‐like receptor 4 knockout protects against anthrax lethal toxin‐induced cardiac contractile dysfunction: role of autophagy
Authors: Kandadi Machender R , Frankel Arthur E , Ren Jun
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) is known to induce circulatory shock and death, although the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the role of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) in anthrax lethal toxin‐induced cardiac contractile dysfunction.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Wild‐type (WT) and TLR4 knockout (TLR−/−) mice were challenged with lethal toxin (2 µg·g−1, i.p.), and cardiac function was assessed 18 h later using echocardiography and edge detection. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was employed to knockdown TLR4 receptor or class III PI3K in H9C2 myoblasts. GFP–LC3 puncta was used to assess autophagosome formation. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate autophagy (LC3, Becline‐1, Agt5 and Agt7) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (BiP, eIF2α and calreticulin).

KEY RESULTS In WT mice, lethal toxin exposure induced cardiac contractile dysfunction, as evidenced by reduced fractional shortening, peak shortening, maximal velocity of shortening/re‐lengthening, prolonged re‐lengthening duration and intracellular Ca2+ derangement. These effects were significantly attenuated or absent in the TLR4 knockout mice. In addition, lethal toxin elicited autophagy in the absence of change in ER stress. Knockdown of TLR4 or class III PI3 kinase using siRNA but not the autophagy inhibitor 3‐methyladenine significantly attenuated or inhibited lethal toxin‐induced autophagy in H9C2 cells.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our results suggest that TLR4 may be pivotal in mediating the lethal cardiac toxicity induced by anthrax possibly through induction of autophagy. These findings suggest that compounds that negatively modulate TLR4 signalling and autophagy could be used to treat anthrax infection‐induced cardiovascular complications.
Clinical Utility of Natriuretic Peptides in Dialysis Patients
Authors: Wang Angela Yee‐Moon
Published: May 2012

Dialysis patients suffer a greatly heightened risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. These patients also experience an extremely high prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Thus, there is a clinical need to identify circulating biomarkers that have diagnostic value for cardiovascular disease and have prognostic importance so to facilitate earlier and more aggressive intervention. The natriuretic peptides, namely brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐pro‐BNP), belong to a family of vasopeptide hormones that are released from the heart and play a major role in blood pressure regulation and volume homeostasis through their direct effects on the kidney and systemic vasculature and represent a favorable aspect of neurohumoral activation. Testing for BNP or NT‐pro‐BNP has recently emerged as important diagnostic tool for heart failure and a useful biomarker for risk stratification in the general population. In dialysis patients, there has been interest in evaluating the potential of BNP and NT‐pro‐BNP as markers of volume status as they are frequently elevated in dialysis patients. However, the interpretation of their levels is confounded by impaired renal clearance and preexisting LV abnormalities which have limited their applicability as a surrogate marker of volume status. In this article, we discuss the pathophysiology accounting for the elevation of natriuretic peptides in dialysis patients and review current evidence that supports their clinical utility as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in this population.
Pediatric Segmental Eccrine Spiradenomas: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Gordon Shayna , Styron Brandie Tackett , Haggstrom Anita
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  Eccrine spiradenoma is a rare benign adnexal tumor that usually occurs as a solitary nodule, although there are reports of multiple eccrine spiradenomas occurring in a segmental, linear, blaschkoid, or zosteriform pattern. Segmental eccrine spiradenomas have rarely been reported with onset occurring in childhood or adolescence. We describe a case of segmental eccrine spiradenomas occurring on the neck and mandible of a child.
Construction of Bilayered Tissue‐Engineered Skin With Human Amniotic Mesenchymal Cells and Human Amniotic Epithelial Cells
Authors: Li Haijian , Chu Yan , Zhang Zheng , Zhang Guangjing , Jiang Lan , Wu Huanjie , Liu Shiyu , Yu Chunyan , Jin Yan
Published: May 2012

Human amniotic mesenchymal cells (hAMCs) and human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) have attracted increasing attention in recent years as a possible reserve of stem cells that may be useful for clinical application in regenerative medicine. The object of this study was to establish a new model for reconstruction of bilayered tissue‐engineered (TE) skin with hAMCs and hAECs (amniotic cells TE skin, AC‐TE skin). We studied these two types of cells and confirmed that they possessed the properties of stem cells. Mesenchymal–epidermal interactions are responsible for organogenesis. On the basis of this mechanism, we modified the constructing methods of traditional TE skin (TE skin with human fibroblasts and keratinocytes) and then established a new bilayered TE skin—AC‐TE skin. Histological and immunochemical methods were carried out to assess AC‐TE skin. The results showed that AC‐TE skin was similar in morphology to human skin which had stratified epidermis and underlying dermis. AC‐TE skin expressed proliferative cells marker Ki67 and epithelial stem cells marker K19; moreover, the constructed AC‐TE skin could successfully repair full thickness skin defects on athymic mice. Our findings suggest that AC‐TE skin is a useful skin equivalent which has good application prospects in regenerative medicine.