bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Big Two Personality and Big Three Mate Preferences
Authors: Gebauer Jochen E. , Leary Mark R. , Neberich Wiebke
Published: September 2012

People differ regarding their “Big Three” mate preferences of attractiveness, status, and interpersonal warmth. We explain these differences by linking them to the “Big Two” personality dimensions of agency/competence and communion/warmth. The similarity-attracts hypothesis predicts that people high in agency prefer attractiveness and status in mates, whereas those high in communion prefer warmth. However, these effects may be moderated by agentics’ tendency to contrast from ambient culture, and communals’ tendency to assimilate to ambient culture. Attending to such agentic-cultural-contrast and communal-cultural-assimilation crucially qualifies the similarity-attracts hypothesis. Data from 187,957 online-daters across 11 countries supported this model for each of the Big Three. For example, agentics—more so than communals—preferred attractiveness, but this similarity-attracts effect virtually vanished in attractiveness-valuing countries. This research may reconcile inconsistencies in the literature while utilizing nonhypothetical and consequential mate preference reports that, for the first time, were directly linked to mate choice.
Change Readiness
Authors: Rafferty Alannah E. , Jimmieson Nerina L. , Armenakis Achilles A.
Published: September 2012

The authors conducted a theoretical review of the change readiness literature and identified two major limitations with this work. First, while there is substantial agreement about the key cognitions that underlie change readiness, researchers have not examined the affective element of this attitude. Second, researchers have not adopted a multilevel perspective when considering change readiness. The authors address these limitations and argue that it is important to incorporate affect into definitions of the change readiness construct and also when measuring this construct. They then develop a multilevel framework that identifies the antecedents and consequences of individual, work group, and organizational change readiness. Next, the authors outline the theoretical processes that lead to the development of individual and collective change readiness. They then review theoretical and empirical evidence to identify the antecedents of change readiness at the three levels of analysis. Finally, the authors identify a number of suggestions to guide future research seeking to adopt a multilevel approach to change readiness.
Moral panics and social work: Towards a sceptical view of UK child protection
Authors: Clapton Gary , Cree Viviene E. , Smith Mark
Published: September 2012

In this paper we apply the lens of moral panic to analyse child protection social work in the UK. We suggest that many of the anxieties that beset social work are best understood as moral panics and discuss processes in which ‘claims-makers’ have introduced and amplified concerns into panics. We discuss two examples of anxieties over child endangerment: the first is concerned with the foundation of the NSPCC and its campaign for the Children’s Charter of 1889. The second is the contemporary 21st century anxiety over children and young people’s use of the Internet, exemplified in the activities of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and their ‘Children and Young Persons’ Global Online Charter’.
Examination of Org 26576, an AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulator, in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder: an exploratory, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Nations Kari R , Dogterom Peter , Bursi Roberta , Schipper Jacques , Greenwald Scott , Zraket David , Gertsik Lev , Johnstone Jack , Lee Allen , Pande Yogesh , Ruigt Ge , Ereshefsky Larry
Published: September 2012

Org 26576 acts by modulating ionotropic AMPA-type glutamate receptors to enhance glutamatergic neurotransmission. The aim of this Phase 1b study ( N=54) was to explore safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of Org 26576 in depressed patients. Part I ( N=24) evaluated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and optimal titration schedule in a multiple rising dose paradigm (range 100 mg BID to 600 mg BID); Part II ( N=30) utilized a parallel groups design (100 mg BID, 400 mg BID, placebo) to examine all endpoints over a 28-day dosing period. Based on the number of moderate intensity adverse events reported at the 600 mg BID dose level, the MTD established in Part I was 450 mg BID. Symptomatic improvement as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale was numerically greater in the Org 26576 groups than in the placebo group in both study parts. In Part II, the 400 mg BID dose was associated with improvements in executive functioning and speed of processing cognitive tests. Org 26576 was also associated with growth hormone increases and cortisol decreases at the end of treatment but did not influence prolactin or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The quantitative electroencephalogram index Antidepressant Treatment Response at Week 1 was able to significantly predict symptomatic response at endpoint in the active treatment group, as was early improvement in social acuity. Overall, Org 26576 demonstrated good tolerability and pharmacokinetic properties in depressed patients, and pharmacodynamic endpoints suggested that it may show promise in future well-controlled, adequately powered proof of concept trials.
“Obligatory Technologies”
Authors: Chandler Jennifer A.
Published: September 2012

The ideas of technological determinism and the autonomy of technology are long-standing and widespread. This article explores why the use of certain technologies is perceived to be obligatory, thus fueling the fatalism of technological determinism and undermining our sense of freedom vis-à-vis the use of technologies. Three main mechanisms that might explain “obligatory technologies” (technologies that must be adopted) are explored. First, competition between individuals or groups drives the adoption of technologies that enhance or extend human capacities. Second, individuals and groups may become dependent on technologies. Third, technologies induce changes in social norms and values that may come to be enforced through various social mechanisms, including the law. The widespread ideology of the beneficence and inevitability of technological progress in our culture helps this process along.
When Technique Is the Foundation of Health Care
Authors: Downing Raymond
Published: September 2012

One of the clearest examples of a technological system, in the sense that Ellul discussed it, is contemporary biomedical health care. The foundation of technological systems is technique: efficient methods for achieving isolated goals. However, the goal of health care should be to achieve health in the full sense of wholeness. Traditional healing systems addressed heath in this sense, but biomedicine cannot; attempting to use the techniques of traditional systems without the accompanying culture ruptures those systems. Using the contemporary epidemic of chronic noncommunicable diseases as an example, this article attempts to exposes the limitations of a technical approach, as well as the limitations of the methodology of risk analysis.
Challenging data sets for point cloud registration algorithms
Authors: Pomerleau François , Liu Ming , Colas Francis , Siegwart Roland
Published: September 2012

The number of registration solutions in the literature has bloomed recently. The iterative closest point, for example, could be considered as the backbone of many laser-based localization and mapping systems. Although they are widely used, it is a common challenge to compare registration solutions on a fair base. The main limitation is to overcome the lack of accurate ground truth in current data sets, which usually cover environments only over a small range of organization levels. In computer vision, the Stanford 3D Scanning Repository pushed forward point cloud registration algorithms and object modeling fields by providing high-quality scanned objects with precise localization. We aim to provide similar high-caliber working material to the robotic and computer vision communities but with sceneries instead of objects. We propose eight point cloud sequences acquired in locations covering the environment diversity that modern robots are susceptible to encounter, ranging from inside an apartment to a woodland area. The core of the data sets consists of 3D laser point clouds for which supporting data (Gravity, Magnetic North and GPS) are given for each pose. A special effort has been made to ensure global positioning of the scanner within mm-range precision, independent of environmental conditions. This will allow for the development of improved registration algorithms when mapping challenging environments, such as those found in real-world situations.1
Reshaping the state in its margins: The state, the market and the subaltern on a Central African frontier
Authors: Raeymaekers Timothy
Published: September 2012

In this article I explore the changing interface of states and markets in the borderland of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the current phase of ‘post-conflict’ state reconstruction. The renewed centrality of the state in regional economic development in the aftermath of war raises some mixed reactions at the border, as various efforts to ‘bring the state back in’ invariably meet with entrenched forms of ‘informal’ integration in the realm of cross-border trade. In this article, I explain how these everyday forms of cross-border regulation have gradually come to encapsulate state rules and normativities through their encroachment on state legislation. Whereas the strong connectivities established in cross-border trade have been capable of overcoming the boundaries imposed by the state on a variety of political scales, they increasingly bring in the hegemony of the market through the back door of the border.
Effects of Emotion on Writing Processes in Children
Authors: Fartoukh Michaël , Chanquoy Lucile , Piolat Annie
Published: September 2012

The aim of this study was to analyze the consequences of emotion during narrative writing in accordance with Hayes’s model. In this model, motivation and affect have an important role during the writing process. Moreover, according to the emotion-cognition literature, emotions are thought to create interferences in working memory, resulting in an increase of cognitive load. Following Cuisinier and colleagues, fourth and fifth graders were instructed to write autobiographical narratives with neutral emotional content, positive emotional content, and negative emotional content. The results did not indicate an effect of emotional instructions on the proportion of spelling errors, but they did reveal an effect on the text length. However, a simple regression analysis showed a correlation between working memory capacity and the number of spelling errors in the neutral condition only. The potential influence of cognitive load created by emotion on the writing process is discussed.
Elections and reform: The adoption of civil service systems in the U.S. states
Authors: Ting Michael M , Snyder James M , Hirano Shigeo , Folke Olle
Published: September 2012

Most government bureaucracies in developed countries use civil service systems. What accounts for their adoption? We develop and test a model of bureaucratic reforms under repeated partisan competition. In the model, two political parties composed of overlapping generations of candidates compete for office. Under a spoils system, an incumbent politician can either continue to “politicize” the bureaucracy, which allows her to direct benefits to voters in a way that will increase her electoral prospects, or she can “insulate” the bureaucracy, which prevents all future winners from using the bureaucracy for electoral advantage. Our main result is that politicization persists when incumbents expect to win, and insulation takes place when they expect to lose. We test this hypothesis using data from the adoption of civil service reforms across the U.S. states. The predictions of the model are consistent with the empirical patterns leading up to the implementation of the general civil service reforms. Using both state and city level data, we observe an increase in partisan competition prior to the reforms.
Comparative virulence of clinical Brachyspira spp. isolates in inoculated pigs
Authors: Burrough Eric R. , Strait Erin L. , Kinyon Joann M. , Bower Leslie P. , Madson Darin M. , Wilberts Bailey L. , Schwartz Kent J. , Frana Timothy S. , Songer J. Glenn
Published: September 2012

Classical swine dysentery is associated with the presence of the strongly beta-hemolytic Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. However, multiple Brachyspira spp. can colonize the porcine colon. Since 2008, several Brachyspira spp. not identified as B. hyodysenteriae by genotypic and/or phenotypic methods have been isolated from the feces of pigs with clinical disease typical of swine dysentery. In the current study, 8 clinical isolates, including 5 strongly beta-hemolytic and 3 weakly beta-hemolytic Brachyspira strains, and a reference strain of B. hyodysenteriae (B204) were inoculated into pigs ( n = 6 per isolate) to compare pathogenic potential following oral inoculation. Results revealed that strongly beta-hemolytic isolates induced significantly greater typhlocolitis than those that are weakly beta-hemolytic, regardless of the genetic identification of the isolate, and that strongly beta-hemolytic isolates identified as “ Brachyspira sp. SASK30446” and Brachyspira intermedia by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) produced lesions similar to those caused by B. hyodysenteriae. The results suggest that phenotypic culture characteristics of Brachyspira spp. may be a more sensitive indicator of potential to induce dysentery-like disease in pigs than molecular identification alone based on currently available PCR assays. Additionally, culture of mucosal scrapings obtained at necropsy was more sensitive than direct PCR on the same samples for detection of Brachyspira spp.
Comparative analysis of serotonin in equine plasma with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Authors: Torfs Sara C. , Maes An A. , Delesalle Catherine J. , Deprez Piet , Croubels Siska M.
Published: September 2012

Serotonin is regularly measured in equine platelet-poor plasma in research settings. However, reported reference values vary between studies, partially because plasma serotonin concentrations are very low and a reliable and affordable detection method is lacking. A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for serotonin determination in equine platelet-poor plasma using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. Results of a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were compared to the LC-MS/MS results, in order to validate a test more suitable for use in a clinical situation. For LC-MS/MS, 500 µl of plasma was required, and deuterated serotonin was used as an internal standard. The sample preparation was based upon a simple liquid extraction into ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed with an acetic acid–acetonitrile mobile phase gradient elution. Linearity was demonstrated between 3 ng/ml and 100 ng/ml. A limit of quantification of 3 ng/ml was achieved, corresponding to a limit of detection of 0.10 ng/ml. Comparison of LC-MS/MS and ELISA with Passing–Bablok regression and Bland–Altman plotting showed a poor agreement between the 2 methods, with an increasing difference within the higher range of measurements. Caution is needed when extrapolating results from sources using different analytical techniques.
The Experiences of Suffering of Palliative Care Patients in Malaysia
Authors: Beng Tan Seng , Guan Ng Chong , Seang Lim Kheng , Pathmawathi Subramaniam , Ming Moy Foong , Jane Lim Ee , Chin Loh Ee , Loong Lam Chee
Published: September 2012

A qualitative study was conducted with semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of suffering in 20 adult palliative care inpatients of University Malaya Medical Centre. The results were thematically analyzed. Ten basic themes were generated (1) loss and change → differential suffering, (2) care dependence → dependent suffering, (3) family stress → empathic suffering, (4) disease and dying → terminal suffering, (5) health care staff encounters → interactional suffering, (6) hospital environment → environmental suffering, (7) physical symptoms → sensory suffering, (8) emotional reactions → emotional suffering, (9) cognitive reactions → cognitive suffering, and (10) spiritual reactions → spiritual suffering. An existential–experiential model of suffering was conceptualized from the analysis. This model may inform the development of interventions in the prevention and management of suffering.
Is an International Treaty Needed to Fight Corruption and the Narco-Insurgency in Mexico?
Authors: Yeh Stuart S.
Published: September 2012

Mexican government corruption prevents effective law enforcement against drug traffickers and the violence associated with drug trafficking. This article reviews the nature and scope of government corruption, including a first-hand account by a Mexican state police commander, then suggests how and why an international treaty establishing United Nation (UN) inspectors who are empowered to investigate corruption at all levels of government could be effective in deterring corruption and restoring the rule of law in the U.S.–Mexico border region. The article suggests that the Rome Statute provides a model for establishing this type of treaty and a precedent for all of the powers envisioned for UN inspectors, and suggests that government leaders may be compelled by their own citizens to sign and ratify such a treaty if it is posed as a public litmus test of their leaders’ willingness to fight corruption.
Explaining Legislative Leadership Influence
Authors: Mooney Christopher Z.
Published: September 2012

Why are the leaders in some U.S.-style legislatures more influential than others? This study uses individual-level data on lawmakers’ perceptions of their leaders’ influence to test three general theories of legislative power delegation: legislative leaders have no real power, simple collective action theory, and Conditional Party Government theory. These perceptions of speakers’ legislative influence are modeled with varying intercept, multilevel, ordered probit models. The analyses strongly support the simple collective action problem explanation of legislative leadership influence, in particular suggesting that collective problems caused by the internal dynamics of the legislative process drive the delegation of influence to leaders.
Suppressing Allied Atrocity Stories
Authors: Slattery Karen , Doremus Mark
Published: September 2012

Wartime journalists can be torn between loyalty to the ideal of truth and loyalty to their nation. During World War II, American journalists working in the Office of Censorship reached beyond the domestic self-censorship code to stop the publication of news of Allied atrocities. The press had agreed to suppress stories related to military security, but not to cover up military misconduct. The resulting conflict proved difficult for journalists and journalists working for the government to resolve.
Working on Understanding During Collaborative Online Reading
Authors: Kiili Carita , Laurinen Leena , Marttunen Miika , Leu Donald J.
Published: September 2012

This study examines how students in Finland (16-18 years of age) constructed meaning and knowledge in a collaborative online reading situation. Student pairs ( n = 19) were asked to write a joint essay on a controversial issue. First, the pairs discussed the topic freely to activate their prior knowledge. Next, they gathered source material on the Internet. Finally, they composed a joint essay. The data were collected using an interaction approach to verbal protocol data, along with video screen captures. In the analysis, three units were employed: episodes ( n = 562) for describing online reading practices; utterances ( n = 944) for identifying collaborative reading strategies; and collaborative reading patterns ( n = 435) for clarifying how the student pairs constructed meaning and knowledge. Collaborative reading patterns were categorized according to a four-part model. A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to identify students’ collaborative reading profiles. Five collaborative reading profiles emerged: co-constructers (two pairs), collaborators (two pairs), blenders (six pairs), individually oriented readers (four pairs), and silent readers (five pairs). Overall, it appeared that some students were capable of working in pairs, whereas others had a stronger preference for working alone. Collaborative profiles might offer teachers both an evaluative and an instructional tool to support collaborative interaction in their classrooms.
The problem of interpretation in vignette methodology in research with young people
Authors: O’Dell Lindsay , Crafter Sarah , de Abreu Guida , Cline Tony
Published: September 2012

In this article, we explore how interpretation is dealt with by researchers using a vignette methodology. Researchers using vignette methodology often struggle with interpretation: how to interpret the responses when participants shift between discussing the vignettes as themselves, taking the perspective of the character in the vignette and commenting on what ‘ought’ to happen. We argue that by foregrounding a consideration of the method with an explicitly articulated theoretical position of dialogicality, issues inherent in interpretation become a valuable addition to the research rather than an obstacle to be overcome. In this article, we discuss ‘Louise’ a young carer, detailing the various positions she takes in her talk about the vignette of Mary, a fictitious young carer, to illustrate how a perspective based in dialogical theory contributed to the analysis of her various moves through different identity positions.
The islanding effect: post-disaster mobility systems and humanitarian logistics in Haiti
Authors: Sheller Mimi
Published: September 2012

Natural disasters bring to the fore the astounding interdependence and fragility of the complex mobility systems and infrastructural moorings that make up contemporary transnational geographies. Cities – and especially entire islands – suffering catastrophic events are illustrative of how the dynamic intertwining of transportation, communication, provisioning, and scheduling systems can rapidly unravel. Through an analysis of the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, this article examines how natural disasters demobilize and remobilize; how they strike at mobility systems and trouble mobility justice; and also engender their own unique mobilities (and immobilities). Through an analysis of the uneven network capital expended as humanitarian mobility into post-earthquake Port-au-Prince (with comparison to post-hurricane New Orleans) it is shown how post-disaster logistics simultaneously produce disconnections, limit capabilities for mobility, and introduce what is theorized as an ‘islanding effect’ on the victims of the disaster. This is further delineated through close analysis of two crucial post-earthquake reconfigurations: the militarization of air mobilities and the humanitarian use of aerial visioning technologies and GIS in the emergency response. US military control of the international airport and use of aerial surveillance and geo-mapping for disaster response reinforced existing uneven mobility regimes, which subject marginalized and racialized populations of the Caribbean to enhanced border control, migrant interdiction and criminalization. Through the disaster response itself, rapid deployment of these new (im)mobility infrastructures deepened spatial inequalities, diminished mobility justice, and reproduced subjects with differential mobility capability. The article also considers counter-geographies and resistance to the injustices of post-disaster mobility regimes.
Unseating the Myth of a Girl and Her Horse, Now That’s True Grit
Authors: Spry Tami
Published: September 2012

Like many other experiences that have the potentiality of empowerment for girls, the physical, intellectual, and emotional strength required in working with horses gets reduced to a facile anthropomorphized Disneyesque romance. In reality, it is a nuanced negotiation of muscle and sway. As a girl, Westerns offered me an empowering image of women and horses. This article seeks to track the complexity of some of those connections.
A Case Study of Radical Adult Education and Transformative Learning through a Diverse Adult Learning Workshop
Authors: Glowacki-Dudka Michelle , Jones Darolyn “Lyn” , Brooks Diane , Flynn Tory , Frankenberger William , Kissick-Kelly De'Von , Rediger James , Smith K.
Published: September 2012

This study reports on the transformative learning experience that occurred through a workshop course about adult learning. The course took on a new and exciting angle, with the book, Radicalizing Learning: Adult Education for a Just World. This text set up learning through the lens of democratic socialism, radicalized learning, and critical thinking/teaching. The course structure modeled these characteristics through the activities, assignments, and the instructor’s approach to learning. The diverse backgrounds of the students, including race, sexual orientation, politics, and professions, created a unique opportunity to generate new knowledge together. Building on transformative learning and inclusive pedagogy, the instructor brought the learners into the development of the course from the beginning. The study follows the transformation of each individual and then suggests ways to transfer this to other settings.
Talking About Sexuality
Authors: Klaeson Kicki , Sandell Kerstin , Berterö Carina M.
Published: September 2012

Prostate cancer and its outcomes are a real threat for health and well-being for men living in the Western world. The number of men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, before the age of 65 years, has increased in recent decades. The aim of this study was to explore how some of these Swedish men experienced and talked about their sexuality. Four focus group discussions were performed in the context of associations for prostate cancer. Using qualitative content analysis, it was identified how the diagnosis was a threat to their male identity; the men’s vulnerability as a group in society was made explicit. Their sexuality was diminished by their illness experiences. These experiences were difficult to share and talk about with others and therefore connected with silence and sorrow. As a result of this, the informants often played a passive role when or if they discussed issues related to sexuality with someone in the health care organizations. The possibility of voluntarily joining a cancer association was probably highly beneficial for these men. During the sessions, several men expressed the opinion that “it is always great to talk.”
Diagnosis and management of central hypersomnias
Authors: Sonka Karel , Susta Marek
Published: September 2012

Central hypersomnias are diseases manifested in excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) not caused by disturbed nocturnal sleep or misaligned circadian rhythms. Central hypersomnias includes narcolepsy with and without cataplexy, recurrent hypersomnia, idiopathic hypersomnia, with and without long sleep time, behaviorally induced insufficient sleep syndrome, hypersomnia and narcolepsy due to medical conditions, and finally hypersomnia induced by substance intake. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a subjective tool mostly used for EDS assessment, while the Multiple Sleep Latency Test serves as an objective diagnostic method for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnias. As for symptomatic therapy of EDS, the central nervous system stimulants modafinil and methylphenidate seem to work well in most cases and in narcolepsy and Parkinson’s disease; sodium oxybate also has notable therapeutic value.
The Impact of Foot Insole on the Energy Consumption of Flat-Footed Individuals During Walking
Authors: Karimi Mohammad Taghi , Fereshtehnejad Niloofar , Pool Fatemeh
Published: September 2012

Background. The human foot contains one of the most variable structures of the body, which is the medial longitudinal arch. Decrease in the height of this arch results in a flat foot. Although there is some evidence regarding the influence of flat foot on gait performance of flat-footed individuals, there is no strong evidence to support the theory that being flat-footed has an effect on energy consumption. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find the relationship between flat foot and energy consumption. Method. Two groups of normal and flat-footed participants were recruited in this research project. They were selected from the staff and students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The foot indexes of both groups were obtained using the footprint method with help of Solid worker software. The physiological cost index (PCI) of the participants was measured by the use of a heart rate monitoring system (Polar Electro, Finland). The differences between the PCIs of both groups of participants was determined using a t test. In addition, the influence of using an insole was evaluated using a paired t test. Result. The energy consumption of flat-footed individuals differed significantly from that of normal individuals (the PCIs of normal and flat-footed individuals were 0.357 and 0.368 beats/m, respectively). Using a foot insole improved the performance of the flat-footed individuals during walking. Conclusion. The PCI of flat-footed individuals is more than that of normal participants as a result of misalignment of foot structure. Moreover, using a foot insole improved foot alignment and decreased energy consumption.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level III: comparative case series
Neutralizing antibodies inhibit HIV-1 transfer from primary dendritic cells to autologous CD4 T lymphocytes
Authors: Su Bin , Xu Ke , Lederle Alexandre , Peressin Maryse , Biedma Marina Elizabeth , Laumond Géraldine , Schmidt Sylvie , Decoville Thomas , Proust Alizé , Lambotin Mélanie , Holl Vincent , Moog Christiane
Published: September 2012

Dendritic cells (DCs) support only low levels of HIV-1 replication, but have been shown to transfer infectious viral particles highly efficiently to neighboring permissive CD4 T lymphocytes. This mode of cell-to-cell HIV-1 spread may be a predominant mode of infection and dissemination. In the present study, we analyzed the kinetics of fusion, replication, and the ability of HIV-1–specific Abs to inhibit HIV-1 transfer from immature DCs to autologous CD4 T lymphocytes. We found that neutralizing mAbs prevented HIV-1 transfer to CD4 T lymphocytes in trans and in cis, whereas nonneutralizing Abs did not. Neutralizing Abs also significantly decreased HIV-1 replication in DCs, even when added 2 hours after HIV-1 infection. Interestingly, a similar inhibition of HIV-1 replication in DCs was detected with some nonneutralizing Abs and was correlated with DC maturation. We suggest that the binding of HIV-1-specific Abs to FcγRs leads to HIV-1 inhibition in DCs by triggering DC maturation. This efficient inhibition of HIV-1 transfer by Abs highlights the importance of inducing HIV-specific Abs by vaccination directly at the mucosal portal of HIV-1 entry to prevent early dissemination after sexual transmission.
The existence and stability for weakly Ky Fan’s points of set-valued mappings
Authors: Jia Wensheng , Xiang Shuwen , He Jihao , Yang Yanlong
Published: September 2012

In this paper, the notion of weakly Ky Fan’s points of set-valued mappings is established, and we prove some existence theorems of weakly Ky Fan’s points for functions with no continuity or space with no compactness. Then, from the viewpoint of the essential stability, we prove that most of problems in weakly Ky Fan’s points (in the sense of Baire category) are essential.

MSC:26D20, 26E25.
High-Throughput parallel blind Virtual Screening using BINDSURF
Authors: Sánchez-Linares Irene , Pérez-Sánchez Horacio , Cecilia José M , García José M
Published: September 2012

Background

Virtual Screening (VS) methods can considerably aid clinical research, predicting how ligands interact with drug targets. Most VS methods suppose a unique binding site for the target, usually derived from the interpretation of the protein crystal structure. However, it has been demonstrated that in many cases, diverse ligands interact with unrelated parts of the target and many VS methods do not take into account this relevant fact.

Results

We present BINDSURF, a novel VS methodology that scans the whole protein surface in order to find new hotspots, where ligands might potentially interact with, and which is implemented in last generation massively parallel GPU hardware, allowing fast processing of large ligand databases.

Conclusions

BINDSURF is an efficient and fast blind methodology for the determination of protein binding sites depending on the ligand, that uses the massively parallel architecture of GPUs for fast pre-screening of large ligand databases. Its results can also guide posterior application of more detailed VS methods in concrete binding sites of proteins, and its utilization can aid in drug discovery, design, repurposing and therefore help considerably in clinical research.
Characterization and ligand identification of a membrane progesterone receptor in fungi: existence of a novel PAQR in Sporothrix schenckii
Authors: Gonzalez-Velazquez Waleska , Gonzalez-Mendez Ricardo , Rodriguez-del Valle Nuri
Published: September 2012

Background

Adaptive responses in fungi result from the interaction of membrane receptors and extracellular ligands. Many different classes of receptors have been described in eukaryotic cells. Recently a new family of receptors classified as belonging to the progesterone-adiponectin receptor (PAQR) family has been identified. These receptors have the seven transmembrane domains characteristic of G-protein coupled receptors, but their activity has not been associated directly to G proteins. They share sequence similarity to the eubacterial hemolysin III proteins.

Results

A new receptor, SsPAQR1 (
S

porothrix

s

chenckii
p rogesterone-a diponectinQ r eceptor1), was identified as interacting with Sporothrix schenckii G protein alpha subunit SSG-2 in a yeast two-hybrid assay. The receptor was identified as a member of the PAQR family. The cDNA sequence revealed a predicted ORF of 1542 bp encoding a 514 amino acids protein with a calculated molecular weight of 57.8 kDa. Protein domain analysis of SsPAQR1 showed the 7 transmembrane domains (TM) characteristic of G protein coupled receptors and the presence of the distinctive motifs that characterize PAQRs. A yeast-based assay specific for PAQRs identified progesterone as the agonist. S. schenckii yeast cells exposed to progesterone (0.50 mM) showed an increase in intracellular levels of 3′, 5′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) within the first min of incubation with the hormone. Different progesterone concentrations were tested for their effect on the growth of the fungus. Cultures incubated at 35°C did not grow at concentrations of progesterone of 0.05 mM or higher. Cultures incubated at 25°C grew at all concentrations tested (0.01 mM-0.50 mM) with growth decreasing gradually with the increase in progesterone concentration.

Conclusion

This work describes a receptor associated with a G protein alpha subunit in S. schenckii belonging to the PAQR family. Progesterone was identified as the ligand. Exposure to progesterone increased the levels of cAMP in fungal yeast cells within the first min of incubation suggesting the connection of this receptor to the cAMP signalling pathway. Progesterone inhibited the growth of both the yeast and mycelium forms of the fungus, with the yeast form being the most affected by the hormone.
Decision making around living and deceased donor kidney transplantation: a qualitative study exploring the importance of expected relationship changes
Authors: de Groot Ingrid B , Schipper Karen , van Dijk Sandra , van der Boog Paul J M , Stiggelbout Anne M , Baranski Andrzej G , Marang-van de Mheen Perla J ,   the PARTNER-study group
Published: September 2012

Background

Limited data exist on the impact of living kidney donation on the donor-recipient relationship. Purpose of this study was to explore motivations to donate or accept a (living donor) kidney, whether expected relationship changes influence decision making and whether relationship changes are actually experienced.

Methods

We conducted 6 focus groups in 47 of 114 invited individuals (41%), asking retrospectively about motivations and decision making around transplantation. We used qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the focus group transcripts.

Results

Most deceased donor kidney recipients had a potential living donor available which they refused or did not want. They mostly waited for a deceased donor because of concern for the donor’s health (75%). They more often expected negative relationship changes than living donor kidney recipients (75% vs. 27%, p = 0.01) who also expected positive changes. Living donor kidney recipients mostly accepted the kidney to improve their own quality of life (47%). Donors mostly donated a kidney because transplantation would make the recipient less dependent (25%). After transplantation both positive and negative relationship changes are experienced.

Conclusion

Expected relationship changes and concerns about the donor’s health lead some kidney patients to wait for a deceased donor, despite having a potential living donor available. Further research is needed to assess whether this concerns a selected group.
Additional diagnostic value of tumor markers in cytological fluid for diagnosis of non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Hur Jin , Lee Hye-Jeong , Nam Ji Eun , Kim Young Jin , Hong Yoo Jin , Kim Hee Yeong , Kim Se Kyu , Chang Joon , Kim Joo-Hang , Chung Kyung Young , Lee Hye Sun , Choi Byoung Wook
Published: September 2012

Background

Cytological fluid from a needle aspiration biopsy (NAB) is obtained directly from tumor tissue, therefore many biomarker candidates will be present in high concentrations. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess and validate the tumor markers CYFRA 21–1, CEA, and SCC in cytological fluid obtained from NAB samples to determine if they improved the performance of NAB for diagnosing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

A total of 194 patients (M:F = 128:66, mean age 63.7 years) with suspected malignant pulmonary lesions were prospectively enrolled and underwent percutaneous NAB. Levels of CYFRA 21–1, CEA, and SCC were measured by immunoassay in serum and cytological fluid obtained during aspiration biopsy. Cut-off values to determined malignancy were 3.3 ng/mL in serum and 15.7 ng/mL in cytological fluid for CYFRA 21–1, 5 ng/mL and 0.6 ng/mL for CEA, and 2 ng/mL and 0.86 ng/mL for SCC.

Results

Of 194 patients, 139 patients (71.6%) had NSCLC and 55 (28.4%) had benign lesions. Sensitivity increased significantly for NAB combined with cytological tumor markers compared with NAB alone (CYFRA 21–1: 95% versus 83.5%, p < 0.001, CEA: 92.1% versus 83.5%, p = 0.002, SCC: 91.4% versus 83.5%, p = 0.003). Accuracy improved significantly for NAB combined with cytological CYFRA 21–1 compared with NAB alone (95.9% versus 88.1%, p < 0.001). The area under curve (AUC) of NAB with cytological CYFRA 21–1 was significantly larger than for NAB alone (0.966 versus 0.917, p = 0.009).

Conclusion

Of the tested tumor markers, cytological fluid measurements of CYFRA 21–1 improved the diagnostic performance of NAB for NSCLC.
RON is not a prognostic marker for resectable pancreatic cancer
Authors: Tactacan Carole M , Chang David K , Cowley Mark J , Humphrey Emily S , Wu Jianmin , Gill Anthony J , Chou Angela , Nones Katia , Grimmond Sean M , Sutherland Robert L , Biankin Andrew V , Daly Roger J ,   and Australian Pancreratic Genome Initiative
Published: September 2012

Background

The receptor tyrosine kinase RON exhibits increased expression during pancreatic cancer progression and promotes migration, invasion and gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic cancer cells in experimental models. However, the prognostic significance of RON expression in pancreatic cancer is unknown.

Methods

RON expression was characterized in several large cohorts, including a prospective study, totaling 492 pancreatic cancer patients and relationships with patient outcome and clinico-pathologic variables were assessed.

Results

RON expression was associated with outcome in a training set, but this was not recapitulated in the validation set, nor was there any association with therapeutic responsiveness in the validation set or the prospective study.

Conclusions

Although RON is implicated in pancreatic cancer progression in experimental models, and may constitute a therapeutic target, RON expression is not associated with prognosis or therapeutic responsiveness in resected pancreatic cancer.
The effectiveness of knowledge translation strategies used in public health: a systematic review
Authors: LaRocca Rebecca , Yost Jennifer , Dobbins Maureen , Ciliska Donna , Butt Michelle
Published: September 2012

Background

Literature related to the effectiveness of knowledge translation (KT) strategies used in public health is lacking. The capacity to seek, analyze, and synthesize evidence-based information in public health is linked to greater success in making policy choices that have the best potential to yield positive outcomes for populations. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the effectiveness of KT strategies used to promote evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) among public health decision makers.

Methods

A search strategy was developed to identify primary studies published between 2000–2010. Studies were obtained from multiple electronic databases (CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews). Searches were supplemented by hand searching and checking the reference lists of included articles. Two independent review authors screened studies for relevance, assessed methodological quality of relevant studies, and extracted data from studies using standardized tools.

Results

After removal of duplicates, the search identified 64, 391 titles related to KT strategies. Following title and abstract review, 346 publications were deemed potentially relevant, of which 5 met all relevance criteria on full text screen. The included publications were of moderate quality and consisted of five primary studies (four randomized controlled trials and one interrupted time series analysis). Results were synthesized narratively. Simple or single KT strategies were shown in some circumstances to be as effective as complex, multifaceted ones when changing practice including tailored and targeted messaging. Multifaceted KT strategies led to changes in knowledge but not practice. Knowledge translation strategies shown to be less effective were passive and included access to registries of pre-processed research evidence or print materials. While knowledge brokering did not have a significant effect generally, results suggested that it did have a positive effect on those organizations that at baseline perceived their organization to place little value on evidence-informed decision making.

Conclusions

No singular KT strategy was shown to be effective in all contexts. Conclusions about interventions cannot be taken on their own without considering the characteristics of the knowledge that was being transferred, providers, participants and organizations.
Adjusting team involvement: a grounded theory study of challenges in utilizing a surgical safety checklist as experienced by nurses in the operating room
Authors: Wæhle Hilde Valen , Haugen Arvid Steinar , Søfteland Eirik , Hjälmhult Esther
Published: September 2012

Background

Even though the use of perioperative checklists have resulted in significant reduction in postoperative mortality and morbidity, as well as improvements of important information communication, the utilization of checklists seems to vary, and perceived barriers are likely to influence compliance. In this grounded theory study we aimed to explore the challenges and strategies of performing the WHO’s Safe Surgical Checklist as experienced by the nurses appointed as checklist coordinators.

Methods

Grounded theory was used in gathering and analyzing data from observations of the checklist used in the operating room, in conjunction with single and focus group interviews. A purposeful sample of 14 nurse-anesthetists and operating room nurses as surgical team members in a tertiary teaching hospital participated in the study.

Results

The nurses’ main concern regarding checklist utilization was identified as “how to obtain professional and social acceptance within the team”. The emergent grounded theory of “adjusting team involvement” consisted of three strategies; distancing, moderating and engaging team involvement. The use of these strategies explains how they resolved their challenges. Each strategy had corresponding conditions and consequences, determining checklist compliance, and how the checklist was used.

Conclusion

Even though nurses seem to have a loyal attitude towards the WHO’s checklist regarding their task work, they adjusted their surgical team involvement according to practical, social and professional conditions in their work environment. This might have resulted in the incomplete use of the checklist and therefore a low compliance rate. Findings also emphasized the importance of: a) management support when implementing WHO’s Safe Surgical Checklist, and b) interprofessional education approach to local adaptation of the checklists use.