bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subepicardial Action Potential Characteristics Are a Function of Depth and Activation Sequence in Isolated Rabbit Hearts
Authors: Kelly Allen , Ghouri Iffath A. , Kemi Ole J. , Bishop Martin J. , Bernus Olivier , Fenton Flavio H. , Myles Rachel C. , Burton Francis L. , Smith Godfrey L.
Published: June 2013

Background—

Electric excitability in the ventricular wall is influenced by cellular electrophysiology and passive electric properties of the myocardium. Action potential (AP) rise time, an indicator of myocardial excitability, is influenced by conduction pattern and distance from the epicardial surface. This study examined AP rise times and conduction velocity as the depolarizing wavefront approaches the epicardial surface.

Methods and Results—

Two-photon excitation of di-4-aminonaphthenyl-pyridinum-propylsulfonate was used to measure electric activity at discrete epicardial layers of isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts to a depth of 500 μm. Endo-to-epicardial wavefronts were studied during right atrial or ventricular endocardial pacing. Similar measurements were made with epi-to-endocardial, transverse, and longitudinal pacing protocols. Results were compared with data from a bidomain model of 3-dimensional (3D) electric propagation within ventricular myocardium. During right atrial and endocardial pacing, AP rise time (10%–90% of upstroke) decreased by ≈50% between 500 and 50 μm from the epicardial surface, whereas conduction velocity increased and AP duration was only slightly shorter (≈4%). These differences were not observed with other conduction patterns. The depth-dependent changes in rise time were larger at higher pacing rates. Modeling data qualitatively reproduced the behavior seen experimentally and demonstrated a parallel reduction in peak
I
Na
and electrotonic load as the wavefront approaches the epicardial surface.

Conclusions—

Decreased electrotonic load at the epicardial surface results in more rapid AP upstrokes and higher conduction velocities compared with the bulk myocardium. Combined effects of tissue depth and pacing rate on AP rise time reduce conduction safety and myocardial excitability within the ventricular wall.
Evaluation of the Role of Endomyocardial Biopsy in 851 Patients With Unexplained Heart Failure From 2000–2009
Authors: Bennett Mosi K. , Gilotra Nisha A. , Harrington Colleen , Rao Shaline , Dunn Justin M. , Freitag Tasha B. , Halushka Marc K. , Russell Stuart D.
Published: June 2013

Background—

Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is often considered when the pathogenesis of heart failure cannot be determined by noninvasive testing. Uncertainty remains about the diagnostic and clinical use of EMB in various clinical scenarios.

Methods and Results—

We examined the characteristics of a cohort of patients with unexplained heart failure who underwent EMB at a tertiary care medical center. We categorized each patient into a clinical scenario as outlined by the 2007 AHA/ACC/ESC guidelines and determined the number of times EMB provided a diagnosis or altered the clinical course. A total of 851 patients underwent EMB from 2000–2009. Overall, 25.5% of EMBs provided a diagnosis and 22.7% of EMBs changed clinical course. Heart failure associated with unexplained restrictive cardiomyopathy was the most common clinical scenario, comprising 33.6% (286/851) of EMBs, and 84 (29.4%) of these EMBs were diagnostic. EMB for unexplained heart failure of <2 weeks duration had a diagnostic yield at 35% (39/109). There were 4 uncommon scenarios where EMB had a high diagnostic and clinical yield. There were 16 complications for an overall rate of 1.9%.

Conclusions—

We confirm that EMB is useful in acute onset unexplained cardiomyopathy. We demonstrate a role for EMB in suspected infiltrative disease and in the management of rare clinical scenarios, such as suspected hypersensitivity myocarditis, anthracycline cardiomyopathy, cardiac tumors, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. Our results suggest low use of EMB in chronic heart failure that responds to usual care.
Mechanistic Features Associated With Improvement in Mitral Regurgitation After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy and Their Relation to Long-Term Patient Outcome
Authors: Onishi Tetsuari , Onishi Toshinari , Marek Josef J. , Ahmed Mohamed , Haberman Stephanie C. , Oyenuga Olusegun , Adelstein Evan , Schwartzman David , Saba Samir , Gorcsan John
Published: June 2013

Background—

Mechanisms of mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are complex, and their association with long-term outcome is unclear. We sought to elucidate mechanistic features of reduction in MR with CRT, which impact long-term patient survival.

Methods and Results—

A prospective longitudinal study of 277 patients with heart failure with QRS width ≥120 ms and ejection fraction ≤35% for CRT was performed. Quantitative echocardiography, including dyssynchrony analysis, was performed at baseline. MR was quantified by color Doppler before and 6 months after CRT. Predefined end points of death, transplant, or left ventricular assist device were tracked during 4 years. There were 114 (48%) patients with CRT with significant MR (≥moderate) at baseline; of whom 48 (42%) patients had MR improvement, and 24 (19%) patients had MR worsening after CRT. The 66 events (47 deaths, 10 transplantations, and 9 left ventricular assist devices) were strongly associated with significant MR after CRT (hazard ratio, 3.58; 95% confidence interval, 2.18–5.87;
P
<0.0001). Three echocardiographic features were independently associated with amelioration of significant MR after CRT by multivariable analysis: anteroseptal to posterior wall radial strain dyssynchrony >200 ms, lack of severe left ventricular dilatation (end-systolic dimension index <29 mm/m
2
), and lack of echocardiographic scar at papillary muscle insertion sites (all
P
<0.05) and, when combined, were additively associated with long-term survival (
P
=0.0001).

Conclusions—

Significant MR after CRT was strongly associated with less favorable long-term survival. Echocardiographic mechanistic features were identified that were associated with improvement in MR after CRT and favorable long-term survival.
Failing Heart of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Can Adapt to Extreme Short-term Increases in Circulating Lipids and Does Not Display Features of Acute Myocardial Lipotoxicity
Authors: Nielsen Roni , Nørrelund Helene , Kampmann Ulla , Kim Won Yong , Ringgaard Steffen , Schär Michael , Møller Niels , Bøtker Hans Erik , Wiggers Henrik
Published: June 2013

Background—

Circulating lipid levels and myocardial lipid content (MyLC) is increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus. This may cause a state of lipotoxicity that compromises left ventricular function and aggravate heart failure. We investigated the relationship among circulating lipid levels, MyLC, and cardiac function together with the acute cardiac effects of high as opposed to low circulating free fatty acid (FFA) and triglyceride levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart failure.

Methods and Results—

Eighteen patients underwent 8-hour intralipid/heparin-infusion (high FFA) and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamping (low FFA) in a randomized crossover–designed study. We applied magnetic resonance proton spectroscopy to measure MyLC. Cardiac function was assessed by advanced echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise, and MRI. MyLC correlated positively with circulating triglyceride (
r
=0.47;
r
2
=0.22;
P
=0.003) and FFA (
r
=0.45;
r
2
=0.20;
P
=0.001) levels and inversely with left ventricular ejection fraction (
r
=−0.54;
r
2
=0.29;
P
=0.004). Circulating FFA concentrations differed between study arms (0.05±0.04 mmol/L [low FFA] versus 1.04±0.27 mmol/L [high FFA];
P
<0.001) and MyLC increased from 0.78±0.59% (low FFA) to 1.16±0.73% (high FFA;
P
<0.01). Resting left ventricular ejection fraction and global strain did not differ between high and low FFA, whereas resting systolic mitral plane velocity (S′max) was highest during high FFA (3.6±0.8 cm/s [low FFA] versus 3.8±0.7 cm/s [high FFA];
P
=0.02). Peak exercise capacity and oxygen consumption did not differ between the study arms, and neither did postexercise measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction, global strain, and S′max.

Conclusions—

Our findings indicate that the failing heart of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus can adapt to short-term extreme changes in circulating substrates and does not display features of acute myocardial lipotoxicity.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01192373.
Timing of Myocardial
Trpm7
Deletion During Cardiogenesis Variably Disrupts Adult Ventricular Function, Conduction, and Repolarization
Authors: Sah Rajan , Mesirca Pietro , Mason Xenos , Gibson William , Bates-Withers Christopher , Van den Boogert Marjolein , Chaudhuri Dipayan , Pu William T. , Mangoni Matteo E. , Clapham David E.
Published: June 2013

Background—

Transient receptor potential (
TRP
) channels are a superfamily of broadly expressed ion channels with diverse physiological roles.
TRPC1, TRPC3
, and
TRPC6
are believed to contribute to cardiac hypertrophy in mouse models. Human mutations in
TRPM4
have been linked to progressive familial heart block.
TRPM7
is a divalent-permeant channel and kinase of unknown function, recently implicated in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation; however, its function in ventricular myocardium remains unexplored.

Methods and Results—

We generated multiple cardiac-targeted knockout mice to test the hypothesis that
TRPM7
is required for normal ventricular function. Early cardiac
Trpm7
deletion (before embryonic day 9;
TnT
/
Isl1-C
re) results in congestive heart failure and death by embryonic day 11.5 as a result of hypoproliferation of the compact myocardium. Remarkably,
Trpm7
deletion late in cardiogenesis (about embryonic day 13;
αMHC-Cre
) produces viable mice with normal adult ventricular size, function, and myocardial transcriptional profile.
Trpm7
deletion at an intermediate time point results in 50% of mice developing cardiomyopathy associated with heart block, impaired repolarization, and ventricular arrhythmias. Microarray analysis reveals elevations in transcripts of hypertrophy/remodeling genes and reductions in genes important for suppressing hypertrophy (
Hdac9)
and for ventricular repolarization (
Kcnd2
) and conduction (
Hcn4
). These transcriptional changes are accompanied by action potential prolongation and reductions in transient outward current (
I
to
;
Kcnd2
). Similarly, the pacemaker current (
I
f
;
Hcn4
) is suppressed in atrioventricular nodal cells, accounting for the observed heart block.

Conclusions—

Trpm7 is dispensable in adult ventricular myocardium under basal conditions but is critical for myocardial proliferation during early cardiogenesis. Loss of
Trpm7
at an intermediate developmental time point alters the myocardial transcriptional profile in adulthood, impairing ventricular function, conduction, and repolarization.
Revision of the Rhyacophila stigmatica Species Group in Turkey with descriptions of three new species (Trichoptera, Rhyacophilidae)
Authors: SİPAHİLER FÜSUN
Published: June 2013

The Rhyacophila stigmatica Species Group in Turkey is revised and three new species (Rhyacophila alaplica sp. n. from northwestern Turkey, and Rhyacophila camiliensis sp. n., and R. torulensis sp. n., both from northeastern Turkey) are de-scribed and illustrated. A redescription of R. zwickorum Malicky 1972 is given. A key to the Turkish males and females of the Group is provided.
Adinopsis nippon, a new species of marsh-dwelling rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Deinopsini) from Japan, with an annotated catalogue of Adinopsis species of the world
Authors: MARUYAMA MUNETOSHI , KAMEZAWA HIROMU
Published: June 2013

Adinopsis nippon sp. n. is described from Japan and represents the first discovery of the genus Adinopsis in the temperate zone of the East Palearctic region. It is closely related to A. myllaenoides (Kraatz) known from North and South America and is placed in the myllaenoides species group. An annotated catalogue of the world species of Adinopsis is presented.
The Compensation Fund for Climate Impacts
Authors: Sprinz Detlef F. , von Bünau Steffen
Published: June 2013

Climate change is very likely to lead to undesirable climate impacts. How to compensate for such negative impacts at the international level has, hitherto, received little attention. This article reviews the most frequently discussed grounds for legal obligations of states vis-à-vis climate impacts (damages) and concludes that no convincing mechanism has yet been found to compensate climate impacts. The authors outline an architecture for a voluntary, international compensation fund with specialized, independent climate courts. Subsequently, this article addresses three strategic considerations related to the fund, namely, the incentives for founding it, the merits of double proportionality with respect to contributions and payments, as well as the benefits of employing prediction markets to enhance trustworthiness.
Sites of Contention
Authors: Baines Charlotte , Quartly Marian
Published: June 2013

Today, issues of establishment or quasi-establishment are topical and contentious in Australian public discourse. In the decades following the invasion and white settlement of Australia debate raged about the proper relationship between church and state in the fledgling Australian colonies. In this paper we review Australia’s past (1788 to 1850) to investigate whether and how interreligious relations demonstrate different forms of competition and conflict. Specifically, we explore how the political and social development of Australian colonies produced a quasi-establishment – neither true establishment nor strict separation of church and state – with rather different outcomes for church authority and practice. We suggest that changes in inter-group relations in an open playing field have led to new exertions of competition and conflict for establishment or quasi-establishment in Australia today.
EU normative power and regionalism: Ideational diffusion and its limits
Authors: Lenz Tobias
Published: June 2013

The ideational impact captured by Manners’s notion of normative power Europe (NPE) appears most distinct and potentially most consequential in the realm of regionalism. However, empirical research on the topic has been hampered by the focus on EU actorness and methodological difficulties. Drawing on diffusion theory, this article develops conceptual, theoretical and methodological foundations for conceiving NPE as ideational diffusion. It argues that Europe’s ideational influence on regionalism can be fruitfully understood as the largely indirect process by which the EU experience travels to other regions through socialization and emulation. Yet, as structural conditions vary across regions, EU ideational diffusion rarely leads to similar or even comparable institutional practices and outcomes. A choice-orientated approach is proposed for examining these claims empirically, which focuses on specifying the underlying counterfactual: political decisions in regionalism would have been different in the absence of the EU. The article concludes by outlining the analytical and normative promise of the proposed recasting of Manners’s original concept.
Patient Disclosure of Medical Misdeeds
Authors: Bergen Clara , Stivers Tanya
Published: June 2013

Modern patients walk a tightrope between respecting medical authority and acting as knowledgeable advocates regarding health issues, with the agency and responsibilities that come with this. This article uses conversation analysis to explore this balance in relation to patient disclosures of medical misdeeds in video-recorded primary care medical visits (e.g., taking another’s prescription medication or failing to adhere to a healthy lifestyle or prescription regimen). We focus on patient-initiated disclosures. We show that disclosures are used (1) where patients are seeking physician assessment of their behavior, (2) where patients are proposing the etiology of a health problem, and (3) where patients are lobbying for a particular treatment outcome. We argue that disclosures of medical misdeeds are an important but understudied domain of conduct in which patients show awareness of their own agency over, and responsibility for, their healthcare and respect for the physician’s medical authority.
Preliminary evidence of oxidation in standard oven drying of cotton: attenuated total reflectance/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, colorimetry, and particulate matter formation
Authors: Fortier Chanel , Montalvo Joseph , Hoven Terri Von , Easson Michael , Rodgers James , Condon Brian
Published: June 2013

Currently, oven drying in air is often utilized to generate the percentage of moisture in cotton fibers. Karl Fischer Titration, another method for cotton moisture measurement, has been compared to the oven drying method. The percentage of moisture as generated by the oven method tracks those of Karl Fischer Titration, but there are differences between the two. In fact, a bias exists in the measured moisture loss employing the standard oven drying method. In addition, the moisture data collected via Karl Fischer Titration demonstrates smaller variances than those data collected in the oven. The aim of this study is to determine what is causing those differences. In the current report, particulate matter formation and browning of oven-treated cotton samples have been observed, suggesting visible indirect evidence that cotton oxidation may be occurring. It is noteworthy that three types of oxidation processes may be occurring during the current study: heating in air, scouring and bleaching, and periodate-driven processes. The first two oxidative processes yield non-specific products, whereas the periodate-driven oxidative products are well-defined in the literature. Thus, a method was needed to gain direct evidence for this postulated cotton oxidation that may be contributing to the bias in the standard oven drying method used to calculate moisture loss in cotton. Thus, this preliminary study employed Attenuated Total Reflectance/Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy to determine if direct evidence for oxidation can be observed for oven-treated cotton samples.
Public health policy and the behavioural turn: The case of social marketing
Authors: Crawshaw Paul
Published: June 2013

Recent public health policy has emphasized the promotion of behavioural change and the achievement of healthy lifestyles as central to tackling deeply ingrained health inequalities in the UK and beyond. These approaches contrast with more upstream structural strategies that aim to address material determinants of health. A current exemplar of the behaviourist approach is the use of social marketing as a methodology in public health. Social marketing is posited as a strategy for creating ‘social good’ through importing the methods of commercial marketing into health and social policy in a range of settings, in this instance, public health. In contrast to the traditional public health goals of serving society and improving the wellbeing of populations, those of social marketing, as with other recent strategies in health and social policy, start with the management of behaviours and lifestyles, responsibility for which is placed with the individual. It is argued that this reflects a broader ‘behavioural turn’ in public health methodologies that increasingly obviate the significance of social and relational determinants of health. Qualitative data collected with a sample of public health professionals ( n = 17) are discussed to examine the adoption of these new methodologies in a specific locality in the UK. The wider implications of these practices for public health strategies both nationally and internationally are considered.
Welcoming, flexible, and state-of-the-art: Approaches to continuous facilities improvement
Authors: Forrest Charles , Bostick Sharon L.
Published: June 2013

As digital access to all sources of information continues to expand at an accelerating rate, libraries around the world are working to transform themselves in response to their changing role in the communities they serve and support. Academic libraries face particular challenges as a generation of students enters university having embraced online, mobile, anytime, anywhere access to information. At the center of an academic community that increasingly values intellectual collaboration among faculty and students, and learning in and out of the classroom, the 21st century academic library must continually recreate itself as a place that fosters curiosity, engagement, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Typical 20th-century capital investment cycles in academic libraries in the United States were characterized by large-scale once-a-generation investments in facilities expansion and enhancement. In the first decade of the 21st century the drive to transform is greater than ever before, but there is less capital funding available, increasing the pressure on institutions to reduce the capital investment cycle time in order to remain responsive to rapid changes in technology, pedagogy, scholarship, and user expectations. The end of any project is the start of evaluation and planning for the next cycle of change and investment. This paper will explore and discuss library efforts at two major academic institutions in the United States, one receiving public funds and one private, to develop innovative ways to evaluate library spaces, functions, services, operations and maintenance. The speakers will highlight projects intended to operationalize capital investment, shorten cycle times and provide incremental interventions, within a general framework of planning big and implementing small. Data encompass exit counts, occupancy rates, and peer comparisons; data sources include surveys, focus groups, and simulations. Particular projects and initiatives will address user needs, program innovation, and facilities enhancement, with the aim of continually refreshing and renewing library spaces that enhance learning, inspire scholarship, and foster community.
Measuring the public library’s societal value: A methodological research program
Authors: Huysmans Frank , Oomes Marjolein
Published: June 2013

Public libraries in the Netherlands face growing scepticism about their value to communities and society at large. The digitization of media, information and communication gives rise to questions about the library’s function, as it still is based mainly on physical service provision. Furthermore, the current economic recession causes local, regional and national governments to critically question every euro spent on cultural institutions. In this climate, there is a growing need for public libraries to show their worth – not only in an economical, but also in a more sociological sense. As standardized measurements for these values are still lacking, a research program was started to develop these outcome measurements. In this paper, we sketch the rationale behind this program and the steps the Netherlands Institute of Public Libraries is taking to develop a measurement instrument geared at validly and reliably demonstrating the societal value of public libraries. Results from the first stages of the research program will be presented: a theoretical framework of the (possible) impact of libraries on Dutch society, based on the findings of a literature study and qualitative research. The findings help us identify and conceptually enrich five domains of possible impact: cognitive, social, cultural, affective and economical. This outcome framework will guide the development of a measuring instrument.
Singapore libraries: From bricks and mortar to information anytime anywhere
Authors: Sabaratnam Julie S , Ong Esther
Published: June 2013

This article presents a comprehensive look into the evolving landscape of libraries in Singapore. Some 190 years ago, two institutions – the National Library of Singapore and the National University of Singapore Library – were instrumental in laying the foundation for libraries in this Southeast Asian island state. Since then, Singapore has seen a proliferation of libraries that include public, academic and special libraries. Supported by government policies and strategies, libraries have remained important in the lives of Singaporeans. In order to adapt to technological developments as well as changes in user demands and behaviours, the nation’s libraries have had to come up with new ways to manage their collections as well as serve the needs of their users. This paper examines the history of libraries in Singapore before throwing the spotlight on library innovations, paying particular attention to digital products and services that include library management systems, e-resources, digital devices as well as the utilization of social media to engage users.
Exogenous T3 Elicits Long Day–Like Alterations in Testis Size and the RFamides Kisspeptin and Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone in Short-Day Siberian Hamsters
Authors: Henson Jerad R. , Carter Sara N. , Freeman David A.
Published: June 2013

Siberian hamsters ( Phodopus sungorus) exhibit robust seasonal rhythms of reproduction driven by changes in day length. Day length is encoded endogenously by the duration of nocturnal melatonin (Mel) secretion from the pineal gland. Short duration Mel signals stimulate whereas long duration Mel signals inhibit reproduction. The mechanism by which Mel regulates the reproductive axis has not been fully characterized. In Siberian hamsters, the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3) is thought to be part of the photoperiodic mechanism. The availability of T3 is decreased in hamsters housed in short day lengths, and injections of exogenous T3 stimulate testicular growth in short-day (SD) Siberian hamsters. Thus, T3 acts as a neuroendocrine intermediate between the Mel rhythm and the reproductive axis. The RFamides kisspeptin (Kiss1) and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) also act as a link between the Mel rhythm and the reproductive axis. Expression of both of these neuropeptides is regulated by photoperiod and Mel. Kiss1 stimulates, and GnIH inhibits, the reproductive axis in long-day housed hamsters. It remains unknown whether T3 acts through changes in RFamide expression in the regulation of reproduction or whether these molecules act independently of one another. We tested the hypothesis that exogenous T3 administered to SD hamsters, a treatment that stimulates testicular growth, would also result in alterations in the patterns of Kiss1- and GnIH-immunoreactivity. Administration of T3 to SD hamsters resulted in significant testicular growth as well as a long day–like pattern of RFamide peptide expression. Thus, exogenous T3 elicited increased numbers of Kiss1-positive cells in the hypothalamic anteroventral periventricular nucleus, decreased numbers of Kiss1-positive cells in the arcuate nucleus, and a greater number of GnIH-positive cells in the dorsomedial hypothalamus compared with SD controls. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that T3 elicits alterations in the reproductive axis through alterations in RFamide peptide expression.
Commonly Used “Nutrition” Indicators Do Not Predict Outcome in the Critically Ill
Authors: Ferrie Suzie , Allman‐Farinelli Margaret
Published: June 2013

Background: In everyday practice, clinicians use a variety of anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical indicators to monitor nutrition therapy, but these have limitations in the critically ill. This systematic review of randomized controlled trials aimed to assess whether commonly used anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical nutrition indicators are predictive of patient outcomes in the critically ill. Materials and Methods: A computerized bibliographic search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL from 1950 to December 2012, as well as a citation review of relevant articles. Randomized clinical trials of any nutrition interventions in critically ill patients were included if they reported any nutrition indicator after baseline and any clinically meaningful outcome variables. Information about study quality, setting, and findings was extracted using standardized protocols. Because of the heterogeneity of study characteristics, only a narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results: Of 223 studies obtained with the search strategy, 2 independent reviewers identified selected 51 studies meeting the eligibility criteria. These reported indicators such as serum albumin, serum prealbumin (transthyretin), retinol‐binding protein, transferrin, and lymphocytes. Thirty studies did not report a significant difference in clinical outcomes. Of the remainder, the number of studies supporting a statistical relationship between outcome and particular nutrition indicators was equal to, or outnumbered by, the studies not supporting such a relationship. Conclusion: None of the commonly used nutrition monitoring parameters demonstrated consistent associations with outcome in randomized controlled trials. Development of nutrition indicators other than laboratory tests that are more closely linked to the patient's clinical progress should be a priority.
The Relationship Between Schizophrenia and Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Cooper Joseph J. , Ovsiew Fred
Published: June 2013

Schizophrenia is a relatively common disorder diagnosed by the presentation of psychotic symptoms in the absence of identifiable neurologic or other organic cause. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a relatively rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder that can present with a multitude of cognitive and behavioral symptoms including psychosis. At times, this phenotypic overlap can mean that schizophrenia and FTD are 2 possibilities in the differential diagnosis of a psychotic presentation. In this article, we systematically review the literature on the relationship between schizophrenia and FTD including case reports that highlight the potential for diagnostic confusion, clinical studies examining the relationship between the disorders, and the molecular evidence of shared pathophysiologic mechanisms. Although a relationship between the disorders is not definitively supported by the current literature, we identify the characteristics of a psychotic presentation that should alert the clinician to the possibility of FTD and describe the areas where further research is needed to clarify the pathophysiologic relationship.
The effect of surface modification of (micro/nano)-calcium carbonate particles at various ratios on mechanical properties of poly(vinyl chloride) composites
Authors: Jazi Seyyd Hamid Sajjadi , Bagheri Ruhollah , Esfahany Mohsen Nasr
Published: June 2013

The surface of micro and nanoparticles of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was modified by 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane and polymethylhydrogensiloxane. Fourier transform infrared spectra of extracted CaCO3 particles revealed interfacial bonding between coupling agents and CaCO3 particles. Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/surface-modified CaCO3 with different mass ratios of (micro/nano)-CaCO3 particles were melt blended using a Brabender torque rheometer and kept with a constant content of CaCO3. The impact strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus of the composites were considerably enhanced at 9/6 mass ratio of (micro/nano)-CaCO3. The mechanical properties were improved relative to the pure PVC due to the interfacial bonding between the filler and the matrix. Scanning electron microscopic images of fractured surfaces of the test specimens showed larger voids with nonsmooth edge around the cavities, as compared with the nano-CaCO3/PVC composite, which is more pronounced by the increase in the micro particles contents.
Influence of a novel β-nucleating agent on the structure, mechanical properties, and crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene
Authors: Jiang Changquan , Zhao Shicheng , Xin Zhong
Published: June 2013

A novel β-nucleating agent of isotactic polypropylene (iPP), the potassium salt of 1,4,5,6,7,7-hexachlorobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (CA-19), was found and its effects on the mechanical properties, content of β-crystal, and crystallization behavior of iPP were investigated. The results showed the content of β-crystals of nucleated iPP ( kβ value) can reach 46.3% with 0.25 wt% CA-19. The impact strength and crystallization peak temperature of nucleated iPP greatly increased. Compared with pure iPP, the impact strength of nucleated iPP shows two times increase, and the crystallization peak temperature ( Tp) of nucleated iPP increased by 7°C. The spherulite size of the nucleated iPP dramatically decreased compared with that of pure iPP. The Caze et al. method was used to investigate the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of nucleated iPP and the crystallization activation energy was obtained by the Kissinger method.
Effects of compatilizers on mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of polypropylene–long glass fiber composites
Authors: Zhang Daohai , Guo Jianbing , Zhang Kaizhou
Published: June 2013

The polypropylene–long glass fiber (PP/LGF) composites were prepared using self-designed impregnation device. The mechanical properties and dynamic mechanical properties of PP/LGF composites with two different compatibilizers including PP grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (PP-g-GMA) and maleic anhydride-grafted PP copolymer (PP-g-MA) were investigated on injection molding standard bars. The experimental results demonstrated that the addition of PP-g-GMA led to decrease in mechanical properties and storage modulus. However, it is found that the maximum mechanical properties and storage modulus are reached for the PP/LGF composites when PP-g-MA are 7 wt%. Moreover, PP-g-MA is better than PP-g-GMA in the PP/LGF composites.
Analysis of a novel high-precision 5-degrees of freedom magnetic resonance imaging-compatible surgery robot for needle-insertion prostate brachytherapy
Authors: Jiang Shan , Sun Fude , Feng Wenhao , Hofman Larissa Fedunik , Yu Yan
Published: June 2013

In this paper, we focus on the design requirement of a high-precision magnetic resonance imaging-compatible robot for prostate needle-insertion surgery, which is actuated by five ultrasonic motors to achieve the goal of needle posture adjustment and prostate puncture. After a brief introduction to the robot, the direct and inverse kinematic equations are deduced. In order to show the relationship of the velocity between the actuators and the end effector, the Jacobian matrix is derived by formulating a velocity closed-loop equation for each limb. The kinematics is carried out by minimizing a global and comprehensive dimensional synthesis conditioning index subject to transmission angle and range of motion of the mechanism constraints. The dimensional parameters are obtained for achieving a good kinematic performance throughout the entire task workspace by an example, and finally the reachable workspace of the robot is calculated.
‘Now everybody can wear a skirt’: Linguistic constructions of non-heteronormativity at Eurovision Song Contest press conferences
Authors: Motschenbacher Heiko
Published: June 2013

This article provides an ethnographically-based, in-depth discourse analysis of linguistic constructions of non-heteronormativity at Eurovision Song Contest press conferences. Contexts of high national salience have been found to largely support or even promote heteronormative discourses. The present study, by contrast, sets out to look at the construction of sexuality in a transnational community of practice of high European salience, in which macro-level heteronormativity has to face greater competition from the non-heteronormativity of the local context. The analysis identifies the following patterns of non-heteronormative construction: non-heteronormative talk about love song lyrics and performances, the construction of male same-sex desire, and the challenging of dominant gender discourses. Finally, it is argued that the European transnationalism of the context causes a normative shift from (nationally associated) heteronormativity to an expectation that non-heterosexual identities and desires be met with greater tolerance.
Climatic and human impacts on mountain vegetation at Lauenensee (Bernese Alps, Switzerland) during the last 14,000 years
Authors: Rey Fabian , Schwörer Christoph , Gobet Erika , Colombaroli Daniele , van Leeuwen Jacqueline FN , Schleiss Silke , Tinner Willy
Published: June 2013

Lake sediments from Lauenensee (1381 m a.s.l.), a small lake in the Bernese Alps, were analysed to reconstruct the vegetation and fire history. The chronology is based on 11 calibrated radiocarbon dates on terrestrial plant macrofossils suggesting a basal age of 14,200 cal. BP. Pollen and macrofossil data imply that treeline never reached the lake catchment during the Bølling–Allerød interstadial. Treeline north of the Alps was depressed by c. 300 altitudinal meters, if compared with southern locations. We attribute this difference to colder temperatures and to unbuffered cold air excursions from the ice masses in northern Europe. Afforestation started after the Younger Dryas at 11,600 cal. BP. Early-Holocene tree- Betula and Pinus sylvestris forests were replaced by Abies alba forests around 7500 cal. BP. Continuous high-resolution pollen and macrofossil series allow quantitative assessments of vegetation dynamics at 5900–5200 cal. BP (first expansion of Picea abies, decline of Abies alba) and 4100–2900 cal. BP (first collapse of Abies alba). The first signs of human activity became noticeable during the late Neolithic c. 5700–5200 cal. BP. Cross-correlation analysis shows that the expansion of Alnus viridis and the replacement of Abies alba by Picea abies after c. 5500 cal. BP was most likely a consequence of human disturbance. Abies alba responded very sensitively to a combination of fire and grazing disturbance. Our results imply that the current dominance of Picea abies in the upper montane and subalpine belts is a consequence of anthropogenic activities through the millennia.
Thinking and Writing With Ontological Time in Qualitative Inquiry
Authors: Hein Serge F.
Published: June 2013

A chronological conception of time appears to implicitly guide most, if not all, of qualitative research. Chronological time is so pervasive and powerful that it operates essentially unnoticed, functioning as a kind of grand narrative in qualitative inquiry. Ontological time is introduced as a counterpart to chronological time and is shown to function as the “outside” of chronological time. Ontological time, however, cannot be experienced or thought: It consists of a past that never took place and a future that can never arrive. Deleuze’s formulation of ontological time as Aion is discussed, and Joyce’s final novel, Finnegans Wake, is examined as an example of writing that strives to incorporate ontological time. Portmanteau words and writing that takes into account the role and movement of Aion are then examined as two specific ways in which qualitative writing can be informed by an ontological conception of time.
Sensory characteristics of antioxidant extracts from Uruguayan native plants: Influence of deodorization by steam distillation
Authors: Miraballes Marcelo , Gámbaro Adriana , Ares Gastón
Published: June 2013

Polyphenolic-rich antioxidant extracts from native plants have potential applications as ingredients in functional foods; however, their intense characteristic flavour is a major limitation to their application. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of steam distillation on the sensory and physicochemical characteristics of extracts of five native Uruguayan plants ( Acca sellowiana, Achyrocline satureioides, Aloysia gratisima, Baccharis trimera and Mikania guaco). Aqueous extracts from the five native plants were obtained. Steam distillation was used to produce two types of deodorized extracts: extracts from deodorized leaves and extracts deodorized after the extraction. The extracts were characterized in terms of their total polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity (using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid methods). A trained assessor panel evaluated characteristic odour, characteristic flavour, bitterness and astringency of the extracts. The total polyphenolic content of the extracts ranged from 112.4 to 974.4 mg/100 mL, whereas their antioxidant capacity ranged from 9.6 to 1008.7 mg vitamin C equivalents/100 mL, depending on the type of extract and the method being considered. Steam distillation was effective in reducing the characteristic odour and flavour of the extracts, without causing large changes in their polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity. In general, in terms of sensory characteristics, steam distillation performed on the extracts gave better results than when performed on the leaves; whereas the opposite trend was found for polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity. Results suggested that steam distillation could be a promising low-cost procedure for the production of antioxidant extracts for food products.
Influence of hot water dip on fruit quality, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of Satsuma mandarin during storage
Authors: Shen Yan , Zhong Liezhou , Sun Yujing , Chen Jianchu , Liu Donghong , Ye Xingqian
Published: June 2013

The influence of hot water dips (50, 52 and 54 ℃ for 3 min) on fruit quality, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of Satsuma mandarin during 60 days’ storage at 10 ℃ was investigated. Hot water dips did not affect fruit quality attributes as well as ascorbic acid content, and 50 ℃ treatment significantly reduced fruit weight loss. Significant increases of flavonoids were found in all hot water treated fruit from after treatments till 15 days of storage, whereas phenolic acids were not greatly affected. Hot water dipping at 50 ℃ significantly increased total phenolics and antioxidant capacity of Satsuma mandarin immediately after treatment and maintained similar levels with control during storage, while 52 and 54 ℃ treatments showed relatively lower levels. The results suggested that hot water dipping at 50 ℃ for 3 min can be a promising way to retain functional quality of storing Satsuma mandarin.
Effect of ultrafine grinding on physicochemical and antioxidant properties of dietary fiber from wine grape pomace
Authors: Zhu Feng-Mei , Du Bin , Li Jun
Published: June 2013

Wine grape pomace dietary fiber powders were prepared by superfine grinding, whose effects were investigated on the composition, functional and antioxidant properties of the wine grape pomace dietary fiber products. The results showed that superfine grinding could effectively pulverize the fiber particles to submicron scale. As particle size decrease, the functional properties (water-holding capacity, water-retention capacity, swelling capacity, oil-binding capacity, and nitrite ion absorption capacity) of wine grape pomace dietary fiber were significantly ( p < 0.05) decreased and a redistribution of fiber components from insoluble to soluble fractions was observed. The antioxidant activities of wine grape pomace and dietary fiber before and after grinding were in terms of DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS diammonium salt radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and total phenolic content. Compared with dietary fiber before and after grinding, micronized insoluble dietary fiber showed increased ABTS radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and total phenolic content yet decreased DPPH radical scavenging activity. Positive correlations were detected between ABTS radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and total phenolic content.
Is celebrity news, news?
Authors: Turner Graeme
Published: June 2013

In asking if celebrity news really is news as we know it, this article turns to an examination of the modes of production characteristic of celebrity news. Celebrity news is highly dependent upon the services of the publicity and promotions industries, and upon the provision of visual material from an increasingly well-organized set of paparazzi agencies. With the importance of the visual in today’s competitive media market, and the fact that most news organizations are now choosing to compete on the basis of entertainment rather than information, celebrity news has developed new modes of production that differentiate its practices and assumptions from many of the practices and assumptions underlying traditional versions of news and of newsgathering. Among the results, the article argues, is the redefinition of gossip as news, as it moves out of the social pages and onto the front pages.
Preparing Headteachers in England
Authors: Bush Tony
Published: June 2013

The Education Reform Act 1988 increased the scope of headteachers' work and led to an emphasis on ‘management', often interpreted as the implementation of government policies, checked through the Ofsted inspection regime. Following the election of a Labour government in 1997, the discourse changed to ‘leadership'. Leadership development in England is dominated by the National College for School Leadership, which was opened in 2000, a product of New Labour's stress on ‘education, education, education'. The College offers a raft of provision for leaders at all levels, including the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), which was introduced in 1997. As the title implies, the NPQH is seen as a professional qualification and focuses more on what heads can ‘do' than what they know. The NPQH become mandatory for new heads in 2009 but reverted to optional status in 2012. This paper reviews the evidence on the impact of the NPQH and considers how it could be developed to blend leadership learning with leadership practice.
Correlates of Use of Condoms Among Sexually Active Youth in Southern Highlands, Tanzania
Authors: Njau Bernard , Mwakalo Victoria , Mushi Declare
Published: June 2013

Sexual behavior change is a complex issue influenced by complex variables, intrinsic and extrinsic. This study aimed to assess factors influencing actual use of a male condom among secondary school students in southern Tanzania. In all, 227 sexually experienced participants aged 14 to 18 completed a pretested questionnaire. Out of 227 sexually active participants, 120 (53%) reported consistent condom use and (62.5%) had multiple sexual partnerships. Of 120 who reported condom use, 42 (35%) had tested for HIV. Among males, age was positively correlated with actual condom use, while being a Catholic and having multiple concurrent sexual partners were negatively correlated with actual condom use. Among females, being a Protestant was positively related with actual condom use, while being a Catholic, reporting multiple sexual partnerships, and perceived barriers to condom were negatively correlated with actual condom use. In conclusion, sexually active youth in this population practice risky sexual behaviors, with a low proportion of condom use. Efforts are warranted to motivate sexually active youth to engage in HIV prevention, including condom use and HIV testing.
Quiescent complement in nonhuman primates during E coli Shiga toxin-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome and thrombotic microangiopathy
Authors: Lee Benjamin C. , Mayer Chad L. , Leibowitz Caitlin S. , Stearns-Kurosawa D. J. , Kurosawa Shinichiro
Published: June 2013

Key Points

Complement activation is not required for development of thrombotic microangiopathy and HUS induced by EHEC Shiga toxins in nonhuman primates. Complement is an important defense mechanism, and benefits or risks of therapeutic inhibition should be studied further for this infection.
Exome sequencing identifies putative drivers of progression of transient myeloproliferative disorder to AMKL in infants with Down syndrome
Authors: Nikolaev Sergey I. , Santoni Federico , Vannier Anne , Falconnet Emilie , Giarin Emanuela , Basso Giuseppe , Hoischen Alexander , Veltman Joris A. , Groet Jurgen , Nizetic Dean , Antonarakis Stylianos E.
Published: June 2013

Key Points

DS TMD shows no DNA rearrangements and a low rate of mutations other than GATA1. DS AMKL always has rearrangements and mutations in genes known for leukemic progression; affected pathways share upregulation of MYC.