bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low dose tissue plasminogen activator treatment for vascular thrombosis following cardiac catheterization in children: A single center experience
Authors: Bratincsák András , Moore John W. , El‐Said Howaida G.
Published: June 2012

Objectives

To assess the efficacy and safety of low dose tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy in children with vascular thrombosis following cardiac catheterization.

Background

Currently, heparin is the standard of care for vascular thrombosis, however, it may not be efficacious in dissolving existing thrombi. Although tPA is an accepted thrombolytic therapy for life‐threatening thrombosis in children, it is not a well‐established treatment for the thrombosis of femoral vessels following cardiac catheterization.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed from 1/1/2009 until 6/30/2011 at Rady Children's Hospital—San Diego (RCHSD) reviewing all cases with venous or arterial thrombosis at the vascular access site following cardiac catheterization, and a survey was conducted among the Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium members regarding their experience in tPA therapy.

Results

At RCHSD, out of 1,155 catheterizations, 12 children developed femoral thrombosis. In three children, where 12‐h heparin therapy was unsuccessful in resolving thrombosis, we used low‐dose tPA according to the following regime: 0.05 mg/kg/h for 30 min, followed by 0.1 mg/kg/h for 4 h. We achieved thrombolysis in all cases evidenced by repeat ultrasound and return of palpable pulse with normal limb circulation. No complications were encountered. The survey confirmed that adult tPA dose (0.1–0.5 mg/kg/h) has 100% efficacy in resolving thrombi in children with vascular thrombosis, however, the rate of serious complications was not negligible (15%).

Conclusion

tPA is an efficacious therapy to dissolve thrombi that developed as a complication of cardiac catheterization in children. The rate of complications due to tPA may be reduced using a lower dose: 0.05–0.1 mg/kg/h. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Potential mechanism of annulus rupture during transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Authors: Hayashida Kentaro , Bouvier Erik , Lefèvre Thierry , Hovasse Thomas , Morice Marie‐Claude , Chevalier Bernard , Romano Mauro , Garot Philippe , Farge Arnaud , Donzeau‐Gouge Patrick , Cormier Bertrand
Published: June 2012

Although annulus rupture is one of the most severe complications of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the incidence and mechanism of this complication remain unclear. Out of 387 consecutive TAVI cases in our institution, the incidence of annulus rupture was 1.0% (4/387). The first two patients died because of hemodynamic collapse due to tamponade on day 0. Both surviving patients had undergone preprocedural multidetector computed tomography which revealed large calcifications in the epicardial fat part of the aortic annulus. In both cases, annulus rupture occurred after deployment of a balloon expandable valve suggesting that mechanical compression of this “vulnerable area” by calcification may cause annulus rupture. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reduction of the rotational ambiguity of curve resolution techniques under partial knowledge of the factors. Complementarity and coupling theorems
Authors: Sawall Mathias , Fischer Christian , Heller Detlef , Neymeyr Klaus
Published: June 2012

Multivariate curve resolution techniques allow to uncover from a series of spectra (of a chemical reaction system) the underlying spectra of the pure components and the associated concentration profiles along the time axis. Usually, a range of feasible solutions exists because of the so‐called rotational ambiguity. Any additional information on the system should be utilized to reduce this ambiguity.

Sometimes the pure component spectra of certain reactants or products are known, or the concentration profiles of the same or other species are available. This valuable information should be used in the computational procedure of a multivariate curve resolution technique.

The aim of this paper is to show how such supplemental information on the components can be exploited. The knowledge of spectra leads to linear restrictions on the concentration profiles of the complementary species and vice versa. Further, affine–linear restrictions can be applied to pairs of a concentration profile and the associated spectrum of a species. These (affine) linear constraints can also be combined with the usual non‐negativity restrictions. These arguments can reduce the rotational ambiguity considerably. In special cases, it is possible to determine the unknown concentration profile or the spectrum of a species only from these constraints. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Measurement of Lipids Currently and 9 Years Ago—Which Is More Associated With Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness?
Authors: Huang Yubei , Yu Xuequn , Millican Danielle , Wu Liuxin , Shi Ping , Lu Min , Wu Yangfeng
Published: June 2012

Background:

Massive evidence supports that increase of lipids bring more risk of atherosclerosis. However, it is not clear if lipids measured a long time ago bear more risk than the current measurement.

Hypothesis:

Lipids measured currently is more associated with carotid atherosclerosis than lipids measured long time ago.

Methods:

A cohort of 1195 participants age 35 to 64 years was examined in both 1993–1994 and 2002 for serum lipids, and in 2002 for carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT) with B mode ultrasound. The associations of lipids at baseline and at reexamination with CIMT were analyzed and compared using multiple linear regressions.

Results:

All lipid variables, except for high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) both at baseline and reexamination, were significantly associated with age‐adjusted CIMT in both males and females (all Ptrend <0.01). The age‐adjusted mean of CIMT in all of the population was 0.696 mm in those having low low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) at both examinations, 0.719 mm in those having high LDL‐C only at baseline, 0.706 mm in those having high LDL‐C only at reexamination, and 0.727 mm in those having high LDL‐C at both examinations. Further analysis showed that lipids measured at baseline remained significant, whereas lipids at reexamination became not significant in all models, except those for HDL‐C and total cholesterol (TC)/HDL‐C, which allow the lipids at different times to compete in association with CIMT.

Conclusions:

Both the current measurement of lipids (TC, LDL‐C, non‐HDL‐C, TC/HDL‐C, and LDL‐C/HDL‐C) and the measurement from 9 years ago are significantly associated with CIMT, but the measurement from 9 years ago had an even stronger association. Clin. Cardiol. 2012 doi: 10.1002/clc.22015

Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Reuse of Distillery Wastewater with Designed Dose and Pattern for Sugarcane Irrigation
Authors: Chauhan Jaspal S. , Rai Jai Prakash Narayan
Published: June 2012

The present investigation aims to optimize dose and pattern of distillery effluent for sugarcane irrigation. The postmethanated distillery effluent (PMDE) was recorded to have significant amount of micro‐ (Na, Zn, Fe) and macro‐ (Ca, Mg, N‐NO3, P, K, S–SO) nutrients and so was utilized for sugarcane irrigation. Lysimetric studies were conducted to assess the impact of PMDE on sugarcane productivity with different concentrations (50 and 75%) and irrigation patterns (intermittent and pre‐sowing). The intermittent pattern of ferti‐irrigation with 50 and 75% effluent dose for sugarcane crop was found to enhance the growth and quality parameters of crop without impairing the groundwater quality. Results were more pronounced with 75% intermittent irrigation as the percent increase with respect to control for plant length, cane girth, cane weight, number of internodes per cane, dry matter accumulation, juice extraction, sucrose content, and available sugar were 28.0, 42.5, 14.6, 40.2, 54.4, 18.9, 44.9, 57.9, and 50.0%, respectively. It is suggested that PMDE can be used as an alternative of fresh water irrigation and also as a fertilizer for sugarcane, provided that the effluent quality and sugarcane quality is continuously monitored to avoid any contamination.
Recovery of Polyvinyl Alcohol from Desizing Wastewater Using a Novel High‐Shear Ultrafiltration Module
Authors: Sarkar Ankur , Sarkar Debasish , Gupta Madhurima , Bhattacharjee Chiranjib
Published: June 2012

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), the major constituent of desizing water constituting 45% of the total BOD load has a significant environmental impact owing to its poor biodegradability. In order to prevent PVA from being discharged by the effluent stream, modern textile industries opt for membrane based separation techniques using ultrafiltration so that the recovery and recycle of PVA in tandem could be achieved. However, the process of ultrafiltration is still not widely accepted as expected due to the well‐known non‐idealities of concentration polarization and pore blockage. In this article, design and performance characterization of a lab‐scale novel shear enhanced ultrafiltration unit, named as spinning basket membrane (SBM) module are discussed. The proposed module is unique in terms of its inbuilt cleaning facility eliminating the effects of polarization and subsequent periodic fouling leading to its uninterrupted production operation. The test fluid, necessarily a solution of PVA was treated in the proposed module under different parametric conditions with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes of two different molecular weight cut‐off (50 and 100 kDa). After 2 h of continuous operation the permeate flux was observed to be within 95–97% of the respective initial fluxes. Such performance is rarely been attained in practice. Hence, the novelty of the present research is achieved. Considering the performance of the present module in terms of flux regeneration and product recovery, it may be regarded as an efficient device and can be potentially deployed for cleaning of other industrial wastewater.
Effects of Cationic Structure on Cellulose Dissolution in Ionic Liquids: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Zhao Yuling , Liu Xiaomin , Wang Jianji , Zhang Suojiang
Published: June 2012

In recent years, great progress has been made in the dissolution of cellulose with ionic liquids (ILs). However, the mechanism of cellulose dissolution, especially the role the IL cation played in the dissolution process, has not been clearly understood. Herein, the mixtures of cellulose with a series of imidazolium‐based chloride ionic liquids and 1‐butyl‐3‐methyl pyridinium chloride ([C4mpy]Cl) were simulated to study the effect that varying the heterocyclic structure and alkyl chain length of the IL cation has on the dissolution of cellulose. It was shown that the dissolution of cellulose in [C4mpy]Cl is better than that in [C4mim]Cl. For imidazolium‐based ILs, the shorter the alkyl chain is, the higher the solubility will be. In addition, an all‐atom force field for 1‐allyl‐3‐methyl imidazolium cation ([Amim]+) was developed, for the first time, to investigate the effect the electron‐withdrawing group within the alkyl chain of the IL cation has on the dissolution of cellulose. It was found that the interaction energy between [Amim]+ and cellulose was greater than that between [C3mim]+ and cellulose, indicating that the presence of electron‐withdrawing group in alkyl chain of the cation enhanced the interaction between the cation and cellulose due to the increase of electronegativity of the cations. These findings are used to assess the cationic effect on the dissolution of cellulose in ILs. They are also expected to be important for rational design of novel ILs for efficient dissolution of cellulose.
Adaptive scheduling mechanism for IPTV over WiMAX IEEE 802.16j networks
Authors: Brahmia Mohamed‐el‐Amine , Abouaissa Abdelhafid , Lorenz Pascal
Published: June 2012

A WiMAX technology is a very promising Broadband Wireless Access technology that is able to transmit different service types. This latter can have different constraints such as traffic rate, maximum latency, and tolerated jitter. The IEEE 802.16 Medium Access Control specifies five types of QoS classes: UGS, rtPS, ertPS, nrtPS, and BE. However, the IEEE 802.16 standard does not specify the scheduling algorithm to be used. Operators have the choice among many existing scheduling techniques. Also, they can propose their own scheduling algorithms. In this paper, we propose a scheduling strategy (Adaptive Weighted Round Robin, AWRR) for various Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services traffic over 802.16j networks. Our scheme adapts dynamically the scheduler operation to according queue load and quality of service constraints. In particular, the proposed mechanism gives more priority to high definition television and standard definition television traffic by using two schedulers. The proposed scheduling algorithm has been simulated using the QualNet network simulator. The experimental results show that our scheduler schemes AWRR have a better performance than the traditional scheduling techniques for rtPS traffic, which allows ensuring QoS requirements for IPTV application. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Eating disorder symptoms and weight and shape concerns in a large web‐based convenience sample of women ages 50 and above: Results of the gender and body image (GABI) study
Authors: Gagne Danielle A. , Von Holle Ann , Brownley Kimberly A. , Runfola Cristin D. , Hofmeier Sara , Branch Kateland E. , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: June 2012

Objective:

Limited research exists on eating disorder symptoms and attitudes and weight and shape concerns in women in midlife to older adulthood. We conducted an online survey to characterize these behaviors and concerns in women ages 50 and above.

Method:

Participants (n = 1,849) were recruited via the Internet and convenience sampling.

Results:

Eating disorder symptoms, dieting and body checking behaviors, and weight and shape concerns were widely endorsed. Younger age and higher body mass index (BMI) were associated with greater endorsement of eating disorder symptoms, behaviors, and concerns.

Discussion:

Weight and shape concerns and disordered eating behaviors occur in women over 50 and vary by age and BMI. Focused research on disordered eating patterns in this age group is necessary to develop age‐appropriate interventions and to meet the developmental needs of an important, growing, and underserved population. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012;45:832–844)
In vitro antioxidant and in vivo antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic activity of linseed oil against streptozotocin‐induced toxicity in albino rats
Authors: Kaithwas Gaurav , Majumdar Dipak K.
Published: June 2012

The intake of omega‐3 unsaturated fatty acids has a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity in rats and in subjects with type 2 diabetes. It has been reported that these omega‐3 fatty acids are useful in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and in the enhancement of high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol levels in diabetic patients. The present study was therefore aimed to evaluate the antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effect of L. usitatissimum fixed oil. The antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro using 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) assay. The oil exhibited significant in vitro antioxidant activity in the DPPH and H2O2 assay. The oil (1, 2, 3 mL/kg) was further investigated against streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in albino rats, subjected to 3 weeks of treatment. The oil manifested decrease in blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels at higher dose and significant dose dependent negating action on antioxidant enzymes in the heart, liver and kidney tissues. The oil also normalized the various hematological parameters and electrolyte levels in the STZ treated rats. Treatment with oil significantly increased the level of serum HDL and decreased the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol in STZ‐diabetic rats in comparison to normal control. The antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity of the oil could be attributed to the presence of linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n‐3) and its metabolic products, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n‐3) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n‐3).
One‐Pot Sequential Synthesis of Ethers from an Aliphatic Carboxylic Acid and an Alcohol by Indium‐Catalyzed Deoxygenation of an Ester
Authors: Sakai Norio , Usui Yuta , Moriya Toshimitsu , Ikeda Reiko , Konakahara Takeo
Published: June 2012

We have developed a widely applicable and direct method of etherification from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol by indium‐catalyzed deoxygenation of the transient ester formed in a one‐pot reaction. This simple catalytic reducing system appears to be remarkably tolerant of several functional groups including alkenes, halogens, nitro and heterocyclic groups.
Cross‐Coupling ofN‐Allylic Sulfonimides with Organozinc Reagents at Room Temperature
Authors: Tang Xiang‐Ling , Wu Zhao , Li Man‐Bo , Gu Yonghong , Tian Shi‐Kai
Published: June 2012

An efficient cross‐coupling reaction ofN‐allylic sulfonimides with organozinc reagents has been developed. In the presence of 1 mol‐% of Pd2(dba)3, a range ofN‐allylic sulfonimides smoothly couple with various organozinc reagents at room temperature to give the corresponding (E)‐alkene products in moderate to excellent yields and with good to exclusive α‐selectivity. It is noteworthy that allyl ether, benzyl ether, and ester are tolerated under the reaction conditions.
I, me, mine: Automatic attentional capture by self‐related stimuli
Authors: Alexopoulos Theodore , Muller Dominique , Ric François , Marendaz Christian
Published: June 2012

Drawing on decades of research suggesting an attentional advantage for self‐related information, researchers generally assume that self‐related stimuli automatically capture attention. However, a literature review reveals that this claim has not been systematically examined. We aimed to fill in this dearth of evidence. Following a feature‐based account of automaticity, we set up four experiments in which participants were asked to respond to a target preceded by a cue, which was self‐related or not. In Experiment 1, larger cuing effects (faster reaction times to valid versus invalid trials) were found with a participant's own name compared with someone else's name. In Experiment 2, we replicated these results with unconscious cues. Experiment 3 suggested that these effects are not likely driven by familiarity. In Experiment 4, participants experienced greater difficulties from having their attention being captured by their own compared with someone else's name. We conclude that attentional capture by self‐related stimuli is automatic in the sense that it is unintentional, unconscious, and uncontrolled. Implications for self‐regulation and intergroup relations are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polyester‐toner electrophoresis microchips with improved analytical performance and extended lifetime
Authors: Gabriel Ellen Flávia Moreira , Duarte Junior Gerson F. , Garcia Paulo de Tarso , de Jesus Dosil P. , Coltro Wendell K.T.
Published: June 2012

This paper reports the fabrication of polyester‐toner (PT) electrophoresis microchips with improved analytical performance and extended lifetime. This has been achieved with a better understanding about the EOF generation and the influence of some parameters including the channel dimensions (width and depth), the injection mode, and the addition of organic solvent to the running buffer. The analytical performance of the PT devices was investigated using a capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector and inorganic cations as model analytes. The proposed devices have exhibited EOF values of (3.4 ± 0.2) × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1 with good stability over 25 consecutive runs. It has been found that the EOF magnitude depends on the channel dimension, i.e. the wider the channel, the higher the EOF value. The separation efficiency for inorganic cations ranged from 13 000 to 50 000 plates/m. The LOD found for K+, Na+, and Li+ were 4.2, 7.3, and 23 μM, respectively. In addition, the same PT device has been used by three consecutive days. Lately, due to improved analytical performance, it was carried out by the first time the detection of inorganic cations in real samples such as energetic drinks and pharmaceutical formulations.
Selection of bovine catalase aptamers using non‐SELEX
Authors: Ashley Jon , Ji Kaili , Li Sam F. Y.
Published: June 2012

In this research, we used the non‐SELEX method to successfully select an aptamer that binds to the protein target (bovine catalase) with a KD value in the low micro molar range. The time window was determined for the target and aptamer library by optimizing the buffer conditions using 3 × Tris‐glycine‐potassium phosphate (TGK) buffer as the run buffer and 1× TGK as the selection buffer to give the biggest complex peak. Fractions were collected by multistep nonequilibrium capillary electrophoresis of equilibrium mixtures (NECEEM)‐based partitioning for three rounds of selection. The fractions from each round were enriched using PCR and the progress of selection was monitored using bulk affinity analysis. Fraction 2 was determined to have the optimal bulk affinity (0.75 μM) and this enriched library was cloned and sequenced giving four aptamer sequences. These sequences were verified using affinity capillary electrophoresis (CAT 1 0.237 μM) and fluorescence intensity measurements (CAT 1 0.430 μM). The specificity of the aptamer was also determined by fluorescence intensity measurements. The results showed that the aptamer with the highest binding affinity showed at least a 100‐fold decrease in affinity toward four other proteins (i.e. lysozyme, trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen A, and myoglobin) tested and this confirmed that the aptamer exhibited a distinct specificity toward bovine catalase. This aptamer will be useful in biosensing, Western blot, and biomarker identification.
Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of Simon™, a new CE‐based automated Western blot system as applied to vaccine development
Authors: Rustandi Richard R. , Loughney John W. , Hamm Melissa , Hamm Christopher , Lancaster Catherine , Mach Anna , Ha Sha
Published: June 2012

Many CE‐based technologies such as imaged capillary IEF, CE‐SDS, CZE, and MEKC are well established for analyzing proteins, viruses, or other biomolecules such as polysaccharides. For example, imaged capillary isoelectric focusing (charge‐based protein separation) and CE‐SDS (size‐based protein separation) are standard replacement methods in biopharmaceutical industries for tedious and labor intensive IEF and SDS‐PAGE methods, respectively. Another important analytical tool for protein characterization is a Western blot, where after size‐based separation in SDS‐PAGE the proteins are transferred to a membrane and blotted with specific monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Western blotting analysis is applied in many areas such as biomarker research, therapeutic target identification, and vaccine development. Currently, the procedure is very manual, laborious, and time consuming. Here, we evaluate a new technology called Simple Western™ (or Simon™) for performing automated Western analysis. This new technology is based on CE‐SDS where the separated proteins are attached to the wall of capillary by a proprietary photo activated chemical crosslink. Subsequent blotting is done automatically by incubating and washing the capillary with primary and secondary antibodies conjugated with horseradish peroxidase and detected with chemiluminescence. Typically, Western blots are not quantitative, hence we also evaluated the quantitative aspect of this new technology. We demonstrate that Simon™ can quantitate specific components in one of our vaccine candidates and it provides good reproducibility and intermediate precision with CV <10%.
Electrokinetic injection across supported liquid membranes: New sample pretreatment technique for online coupling to capillary electrophoresis. Direct analysis of perchlorate in biological samples
Authors: Kubáň Pavel , Kiplagat Isaac K. , Boček Petr
Published: June 2012

A simple and sensitive method for quantifying perchlorate in biological samples using CE and capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection was developed. An online combination of a supported liquid membrane, an inert polypropylene membrane impregnated with 1‐hexanol, and electrokinetic injection of perchlorate across the supported liquid membrane directly into the separation capillary reduced the need for laborious sample pretreatment procedures, resulting in a cheap and rapid method with low LODs capability. Baseline separation of perchlorate and other anions in biological samples was achieved in background electrolyte solution consisting of 15 mM nicotinic acid and 1 mM 3‐(N,N‐dimethylmyristylammonio)propanesulfonate at pH 3.3. The analytical method showed excellent parameters in terms of reproducibility; RSD values for peak areas and corrected migration times at a spiked concentration of 100 μg/L of perchlorate were below 10 and 0.4%, respectively. Linear calibration curves were obtained for perchlorate in the concentration range 10–1000 μg/L (r2 >0.999) with LODs between 2 and 5 μg/L for human urine, breast milk, serum, cow's milk, and red wine. Recoveries at 25 μg/L of perchlorate were between 97 and 106% for all biological samples. The low LODs rivaling those of presently used analytical methods support the use of this method for quantification of perchlorate in biological samples in the future.
Light‐emitting diode induced fluorescence (LED‐IF) detection design for a pen‐shaped cartridge based single capillary electrophoresis system
Authors: Kerékgyártó Márta , Kerekes Tamás , Tsai Eric , Amirkhanian Varoujan D. , Guttman András
Published: June 2012

CGE is a well‐established separation technique for the analysis of biologically important molecules such as nucleic acids. The inherent high resolving power, rapid analysis times, excellent detection sensitivity, and quantification capabilities makes this method favorable compared to conventional manual polyacrylamide and agarose slab gel electrophoresis techniques. In this paper we introduce a novel single‐channel capillary gel electrophoresis system with LED‐induced fluorescence detection also utilizing a compact pen‐shaped capillary cartridge design for automatic analysis of samples from a 96‐well plate. To evaluate the suitability of the system, 1000 genomic DNA(gDNA) samples were analyzed in gel filled capillaries and detected by the microball ended excitation and emission optical fiber based LED‐induced fluorescence detection system. Excellent migration time reproducibility of RSD <0.75% was obtained over the course of 1000 runs. The system rapidly distinguished between intact and degraded gDNA samples, therefore provided important information if they could be used for downstream quantitative PCR processing where high‐quality intact gDNA was key. We envision that this novel system design will rapidly find new applications in both research and clinical diagnostic laboratories as a highly sensitive and easy to use bio‐analytical approach.
Risk management: Cost‐effective transaction monitoring
Authors: Henderson Phil
Published: June 2012

Over the last few years, the world of trading, and in particular, energy and commodities trading, has undergone a dramatic transformation. Most notable is the shift to over‐the‐counter trading, introducing quick, efficient, and low‐cost trading. However, as a by‐product of this “brave new world,” individuals and organizations have taken advantage of these new arbitrage opportunities to profit through market manipulation. Current events are rife with examples of individuals and organizations who took advantage of these opportunities. A couple of examples include the following:
First Palaeozoic arachnid from Portugal and implications for Carboniferous palaeobiogeography
Authors: Correia Pedro , Murphy J. Brendan , Sá Artur A. , Domingos Rúben , Flores Deolinda
Published: June 2012

The first occurrence of arachnids (Aphantomartus pustulatus) in the Carboniferous strata of Portugal is documented and its palaeobiogeographic significance is assessed. The Aphantomartidae species are thought to be native to Central Europe where its oldest example is recorded in Middle–Upper Mississippian strata. Known occurrences are preserved along the flanks of mountains such as the Appalachian Mountains, the Cantabrian Mountains and the Valongo Anticline (Portugal, Iberian Massif) and provide clear evidence that the Aphantomartidae species probably lived in upland or mountainous environments. The Iberian Massif may have served as a ‘link’ between the migration routes of several terrestrial animals from North America and Eurasia, and this linkage constrains the palaeogeographic and palaeoenvironmental conditions in equatorial Pangaea during the Carboniferous and Early Permian. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFERS TO IMPROVE EDUCATION AND HEALTH: AN EX ANTE EVALUATION OF RED DE PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL, NICARAGUA
Authors: Thomas Ranjeeta
Published: June 2012

Using baseline data from a randomized experiment, this article extends and tests in the context of health, the feasibility of a recently proposed reduced form approach to ex ante evaluations of social programs with an application to a conditional cash transfer program in Nicaragua. It uses a behavioural model to estimate the impact on preventive care utilization outcomes for children younger than 3 years. It validates the model with the results of the experiment and then simulates two alternate policy scenarios. The model performs well in predicting the health related outcomes and shows different results for the two sets of policy scenarios. In addition, simulations are also carried out for the school component of the cash transfer program. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
INCREMENTAL EXPENDITURE OF BIOLOGIC DISEASE MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC TREATMENT USING INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLES IN PANEL DATA
Authors: Kawatkar Aniket A. , Hay Joel W. , Stohl William , Nichol Michael B.
Published: June 2012

In health care, decision makers are generally interested in simultaneous comparisons among multiple treatments or interventions available as treatment choices in real‐world clinical setting. The lack of random assignment to treatment in real‐world clinical settings leads to selection‐bias issues when evaluating the marginal benefits of treatment. The application of instrumental variables (IV) estimation to mitigate selection bias has traditionally been limited to comparing only two treatments/interventions concurrently. Using the case of biologic treatment in rheumatoid arthritis, we describe a generalized method of moments (GMM)–based panel data IV (IV‐GMM) framework, to simultaneously estimate multiple treatment effects in the presence of time‐varying selection bias and time‐invariant heterogeneity. To satisfy the order and rank conditions for identification with multiple endogeneity, we propose lagged values of each treatment as excluded instruments. We evaluate the validity of the IV estimation assumptions on instrument relevance and exogeneity. Results indicate that the IV‐GMM model offers enhanced control over selection bias and heterogeneity, and more importantly the panel data framework can provide valid excluded instruments that satisfy the order and rank conditions for identification when dealing with multiple endogenous variables. The approach outlined in this article has broad application for comparative effectiveness and health technology assessment involving multiple treatments/interventions using real‐world nonexperimental data. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does constructive performance feedback improve citizenship intentions and job satisfaction? The roles of perceived opportunities for advancement, respect, and mood
Authors: Sommer Kristin L. , Kulkarni Mukta
Published: June 2012

Organizational experts have long touted the importance of delivering negative performance feedback in a manner that enhances employee receptivity to feedback, yet the broader impacts of constructive feedback have received relatively little attention. The present investigation explored the impact of constructive, critical feedback on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) intentions and job satisfaction. A demographically diverse sample of 128 employees drawn from a variety of organizations completed a survey online. Employees whose supervisors used constructive feedback felt more respected by their supervisors and perceived greater opportunities for advancement within the organization. These variables, in turn, predicted better mood at work, greater job satisfaction, and stronger OCB intentions. The present findings highlight the importance of delivering performance feedback in a manner that emphasizes problematic behaviors over personal weaknesses and makes clear reference to standards and strategies for improvement. Implications for managerial training and human resource development are discussed.
A preliminary exploration on the measurement of expertise: An initial development of a psychometric scale
Authors: Germain Marie‐Line , Tejeda Manuel J.
Published: June 2012

The development of employee expertise is described as a strategic imperative for ever‐changing organizations in a hyper‐competitive economic environment. However, the lack of an adequate assessment tool for expertise has hindered empirical research. This paper conceptually and empirically develops the generalized expertise measure (GEM) and examines its psychometric properties in two managerial samples. Schwab's (1980) three stages of measure development process are followed. The factor structure of the measure is then examined employing exploratory factor analysis (EFA) procedures and confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on independent samples. The results are presented and a preliminary measure of expertise is provided.
Investigating the role of pain‐modulating pathway genes in musculoskeletal pain
Authors: Holliday K.L. , McBeth J. , Macfarlane G. , Huhtaniemi I.T. , Bartfai G. , Casanueva F.F. , Forti G. , Kula K. , Punab M. , Vanderschueren D. , Wu F.C. , Thomson W.
Published: June 2012

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine if genetic variation in the pain‐modulating gene DREAM and its pathway genes influence susceptibility to reporting musculoskeletal pain in the population.

Methods

Pairwise tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DREAM, PDYN and OPRK1 were genotyped in a UK population‐based discovery cohort in whom pain was assessed using blank body manikins at three time points. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed at the first time point. Zero‐inflated negative binomial regression was used to test for association between SNPs and the maximum number of pain sites reported (0–29) across the three time points. Significantly associated SNPs (p < 0.05) were subsequently genotyped for validation in a cohort of European men with pain assessed at two time points.

Results

Thirty‐five SNPs were genotyped in 1055 subjects, of whom 83% reported pain, in the discovery cohort. SNPs in each gene were associated with the maximum number of pain sites reported, were independent of symptoms of anxiety and depression and had a significant cumulative effect (p = 7.0 × 10−5). Significantly associated SNPs were successfully genotyped in 1733 men, 76% of whom reported pain, in the validation cohort, but did not show significant association with the number of pain sites.

Conclusions

Genetic variation in the DREAM pathway genes was associated with the extent of pain reporting in a population‐based cohort. These findings were not replicated in a single independent cohort; however, given the potential of this pathway as a therapeutic target, further investigation in additional cohorts is warranted.
Factors associated with primary care prescription of opioids for joint pain
Authors: Green D.J. , Bedson J. , Blagojevic‐Burwell M. , Jordan K.P. , van der Windt D.
Published: June 2012

Background

Opioids are commonly prescribed in primary care and can offer pain relief but may also have adverse effects. Little is known about the characteristics of people likely to receive an opioid prescription in primary care. The aim is to identify what factors are associated with primary care prescribing of high‐strength analgesics in a community sample of older people with joint pain.

Methods

A prospective two‐stage postal survey completed at baseline and 3‐year follow‐up in a population aged 50 and over registered with eight general practitioner (GP) practices in North Staffordshire (North Staffordshire Osteoarthritis Project cohorts) linked with data from medical records. Participants were selected who reported joint pain in one or more joints at baseline. Outcome measures were the number of prescriptions for high‐strength pain medication (opioids) in the following 3 years. Socio‐demographic and health status factors associated with prescription were assessed using a zero‐inflated Poisson model.

Results

873 (19%) people were prescribed opioids (out of 4652 providing complete data) ranging from 1 to 76 prescriptions over 3 years. Baseline factors significantly associated with increased rates of prescription were younger age group [65–74 group: incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.26 (1.18–1.35)], male gender [IRR = 1.17 (1.12–1.23)], severe joint pain [IRR = 1.19 (1.12–1.26)] poor physical function [IRR = 0.99 (0.99–0.99)] and lower frequency of alcohol consumption [once/twice a year: IRR = 1.13 (1.06–1.21), never: IRR = 1.14 (1.06–1.22)]. Restricting the analysis to those without prior prescriptions for strong opioids showed similar results.

Conclusion

Poor physical function and participation restrictions were strongly associated with prescriptions of stronger opioids in addition to several socio‐demographic and lifestyle factors. Given the uncertainties over the effectiveness and risks of opioid use, future research could investigate decision making of GPs, exploring reasons for prescribing them.
Motor consequences of experimentally induced limb pain: A systematic review
Authors: Bank P.J.M. , Peper C.E. , Marinus J. , Beek P.J. , van Hilten J.J.
Published: June 2012

Compelling evidence exists that pain may affect the motor system, but it is unclear if different sources of peripheral limb pain exert selective effects on motor control. This systematic review evaluates the effects of experimental (sub)cutaneous pain, joint pain, muscle pain and tendon pain on the motor system in healthy humans. The results show that pain affects many components of motor processing at various levels of the nervous system, but that the effects of pain are largely irrespective of its source. Pain is associated with inhibition of muscle activity in the (painful) agonist and its non‐painful antagonists and synergists, especially at higher intensities of muscle contraction. Despite the influence of pain on muscle activation, only subtle alterations were found in movement kinetics and kinematics. The performance of various motor tasks mostly remained unimpaired, presumably as a result of a redistribution of muscle activity, both within the (painful) agonist and among muscles involved in the task. At the most basic level of motor control, cutaneous pain caused amplification of the nociceptive withdrawal reflex, whereas insufficient evidence was found for systematic modulation of other spinal reflexes. At higher levels of motor control, pain was associated with decreased corticospinal excitability. Collectively, the findings show that short‐lasting experimentally induced limb pain may induce immediate changes at all levels of motor control, irrespective of the source of pain. These changes facilitate protective and compensatory motor behaviour, and are discussed with regard to pertinent models on the effects of pain on motor control.
Low back pain patients’ responses to videos of avoided movements
Authors: Pincus T. , Henderson J.
Published: June 2012

Background

Fear avoidance (FA) has been identified as a risk factor for poor prognosis and a target for intervention in patients with low back pain (LBP), but the mechanisms involved need clarification. Experimental studies would benefit from the use of carefully developed and controlled stimuli representing avoided movements in back pain, and matched stimuli of movements to provide a credible control stimuli. Existing stimuli depicting avoided movements in LBP are static, do not include a set of control stimuli and do not control for possible systematic observer biases.

Methods

Two studies were carried out aiming to develop and test LBP patients’ responses to videos of models depicting commonly avoided movements associated with back pain, and those associated with a control condition, wrist pain. Two samples of LBP patients rated how much pain and harm each movement would cause them. They also reported how often they avoided the movement.

Results

The findings from the first study (n = 99) indicate that using videos of commonly avoided movements in low back pain is viable, and that movements associated with wrist pain provide an acceptable control stimuli. Participants in the second study (n = 85) consistently rated movements depicted by females as causing more harm, and more frequently avoided than the same movements depicted by males.

Conclusions

The use of video stimuli could advance research into the processes associated with FA through experimental paradigms. However, although small, the model gender effects should be carefully considered.
Effects of individual and a mixture of pharmaceuticals and personal‐care products on cytotoxicity, EROD activity and ROS production in a rainbow trout gonadal cell line (RTG‐2)
Authors: Fernández Carlos , Carbonell Gregoria , Babín Mar
Published: June 2012

The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal‐care products (PPCPs) in aquatic environments is of concern. Although measured concentrations of individual substances are low, little consideration has been given to the likely chronic nature of the exposures or to the potential for mixture effects. The purpose of the present study was to use the RTG‐2 rainbow trout cell line to analyse sub‐lethal and cytotoxic effects of PPCPs present in a wastewater‐treatment‐plant (WWTP) effluents and their mixtures. Interactions with cytochrome P450 1A enzyme, oxidative stress, cellular senescence and cell viability were assessed using 7‐ethoxyresorufin‐o‐deethylase (EROD), reactive oxygen species (ROS), ß‐galactosidase (ß‐gal) and neutral red (NR) uptake assays, respectively. Not all of the compounds that were tested exhibited significant effects. The lowest‐observed‐effect concentrations and half maximal effective concentrations (EC50) were within the range 0.15 to 784.47 µg l–1. Clear dose–response curves were found for cells exposed to different mixtures of PPCPs. The lowest‐observed‐effect concentrations and concentrations causing EC50 were within the range 0.05 to 54.61 µg l–1. Four out the seven tested mixtures induced EROD activity. ROS production was detected in two mixtures. The ß‐gal inhibition response was observed in six out the seven tested mixtures and occurred at a higher concentration than was observed for EROD induction activity or ROS generation. The present study clearly shows that the stress response through which cells mount a homeostatic response to toxicants can be potentially used for an initial, rapid and cost‐effective assessment of the complex mixtures of PPCP that present in WWTP effluents are difficult and expensive to analyse chemically. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of DDT and triclosan on tumor‐cell binding capacity and cell‐surface protein expression of human natural killer cells
Authors: Hurd‐Brown Tasia , Udoji Felicia , Martin Tamara , Whalen Margaret M.
Published: June 2012

1,1,1‐trichloro‐2,2‐bis(4‐chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) and triclosan (TCS) are organochlorine (OC) compounds that contaminate the environment, are found in human blood and have been shown to decrease the tumor‐cell killing (lytic) function of human natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells defend against tumor cells and virally infected cells. They bind to these targets, utilizing a variety of cell surface proteins. The present study examined concentrations of DDT and TCS that decrease lytic function for alteration of NK binding to tumor targets. Levels of either compound that caused loss of binding function were then examined for effects on expression of cell‐surface proteins needed for binding. NK cells exposed to 2.5 μM DDT for 24 h (which caused a greater than 55% loss of lytic function) showed a decrease in NK binding function of about 22%, and a decrease in CD16 cell‐surface protein of 20%. NK cells exposed to 5 μM TCS for 24 h showed a decrease in ability to bind tumor cells of 37% and a decrease in expression of CD56 of about 34%. This same treatment caused a decrease in lytic function of greater than 87%. These results indicated that only a portion of the loss of NK lytic function seen with exposures to these compounds could be accounted for by loss of binding function. They also showed that loss of binding function is accompanied by a loss of cell‐surface proteins important in binding function. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Arsenic trioxide induces G2/M arrest in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by increasing the tumor suppressor PTEN expression
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Jia Shuzhao , Yang Shumeng , Yang Yue , Yang Tuoyun , Yang Yanmei
Published: June 2012

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3), an effective agent against acute promyelocytic leukemia, has been reported to inhibit the viability of solid tumors cell lines recently. The detailed molecular mechanism underlying the As2O3‐induced inactivation of the cdc2 and possible functional role of PTEN in the observed G2/M arrest has yet to be elucidated. Here, we assessed the role of PTEN in regulation of As2O3‐mediated G2/M cell cycle arrest in Hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2 and SMMC7721). After 24 h following treatment, As2O3 induced a concentration‐dependent accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. The sustained G2/M arrest by As2O3 is associated with decreased cdc2 protein and increased phospho‐cdc2(Tyr15). As2O3 treatment increased Wee1 levels and decreased phospho‐Wee1(642). Moreover, As2O3 substantially decreased the Ser473 and Thr308 phosphorylation of Akt and upregulated PTEN expression. Downregulation of PTEN by siRNA in As2O3‐treated cells increased phospho‐Wee1(Ser642) while decreased phospho‐cdc2(Tyr15), resulting in decreased the G2/M cell cycle arrest. Therefore, induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest by As2O3 involved upregulation of PTEN. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 3528–3535, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.