bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract B93: Clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome of childhood Burkitt's lymphoma in the Uganda Cancer Institute
Authors: Weiderpass Elisabete , Orem Jackson
Published: June 2012

Introduction: Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), the most common type of childhood cancer in Africa, is a major cause of cancer death among Ugandan children. We conducted a study about trends in the clinical characteristics and outcome of childhood BL over time in the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).

Subjects and methods: Medical records of individuals with BL aged less than 18 years admitted to the UCI between 1985 and 2005 were reviewed. The study period was divided into the following periods of diagnosis: 1985–1990, 1991–1995, 1996–2000, and 2001–2005.

Results: Of the 1,237 medical records of children with BL obtained from UCI patient registers, 1,217 had sufficient recorded information and could be included in our study: 766 (62.94%) boys and 451 (37.60%) girls; the mean age at diagnosis was 6.69 years. There were no significant changes in the proportion of boys and girls diagnosed, nor in the mean age at diagnosis throughout the study period. The most common tumor presentations were facial tumor (77.65%), abdominal disease (69.19%), systemic presentation with generalized lymphadenopathy (42.07%), and hepatic mass (37.80%). Presentation with hepatic mass (p=0.001) and malignant pleocytosis (p<0.001) increased during the study period, whereas other tumor presentations remained similar. Most children presented with stage C (32.12%) or D (26.67%) BL, and there was an increase in the proportion of children presenting with advanced-stage BL during the study period (p=0.005). Overall 89.97% of children in the present study received at least one cycle of chemotherapy, and overall remission was observed in 75.71% of them. The most common symptoms at BL diagnosis were fever (51.03%), anemia (48.73%), and weight loss (48.32%). Significant increases in the proportion of children presenting with fever were observed during the study period (p=0.007), as well as significant changes in the proportion of children presenting with anemia, night sweats (p<0.001 each) and severe infection (p=0.002) between periods of diagnosis. HIV positivity was 3.87%, and no substantial differences in the proportion of children who where HIV positive were revealed in different periods of diagnosis (p=0.205). Five-year mortality was not significantly different during the study period.

Conclusions: Mortality was similar in boys and girls, but higher in older children with BL compared to younger ones. Mortality was lower in children who presented with facial tumors compared to other tumor presentations, and higher in those presenting with advanced-stage BL and HIV-positive children. Mortality was substantially lower among those who received chemotherapy.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):B93.
Abstract CN08-03: Oncogenic stress regulates sensitivity of tumor cells to elimination by natural killer cells and T cells
Authors: Raulet David H.
Published: June 2012

Natural killer (NK) cell receptors regulate the capacity of NK cells and in some cases T cells to attack tumor cells and infected cells. Cancer cells become susceptible to NK cells by up-regulating stimulatory ligands, such as the Raet1/Mult1/H60/ULBP/MICA families of proteins recognized by the NKG2D receptor. This presentation will discuss the role of activating receptors such as NKG2D in tumor surveillance in vivo and the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways responsible for induction of NKG2D ligands in cancer cells and their relationship to major pathways regulating tumorigenesis. Evidence will be presented that tumor associated stress pathways induce NKG2D ligands by acting at distinct levels of biogenesis (transcription, mRNA stabilization, protein stabilization). The role of NKG2D recognition in mobilizing lymphocytes against tumors in vivo will be discussed.

Supported by grants from NCI, NIAID and Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):CN08-03.
Abstract ED01-01: Cell imaging at the nanoscale: Detecting nuclear chromatin alterations in field carcinogenesis
Authors: Backman Vadim
Published: June 2012

Although compelling evidence suggests that cellular nanoarchitecture and nanoscale environment where molecular interactions take place would be expected to significantly affect macromolecular processes, biological ramifications of cellular nanoscale organization have been largely unexplored. This understanding has been hampered in part by the diffraction limited resolution of optical microscopy. The talk will discuss a novel optical microscopy technique, partial wave spectroscopic (PWS) microscopy that is capable of quantifying statistical properties of cell structure at the nanoscale. Animal and human studies demonstrated that an alteration in the statistical properties of the nanoscale mass density distribution in the cell nucleus (e.g. nuclear nanoarchitecture) is one of the earliest and ubiquitous events in carcinogenesis and precedes any other known morphological changes at larger length scales (e.g. microarchitecture). This appears to be a general event in carcinogenesis, which is supported by our data in five types of cancer: colon, pancreatic, lung, esophageal and ovarian cancers.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):ED01-01.
Abstract ED02-01: Prevention of cancer in patients and survivors: Epidemiology of survivorship, late effects burden, setting the stage
Authors: Ganz Patricia A.
Published: June 2012

There are almost 12 million cancer survivors in the US today, and this number will increase dramatically with the aging of the population. The first baby-boomers turned 65 years old in 2011 and their generation will be diagnosed with common age-related malignancies such as breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. The vast majority of these individuals will have disease detected through screening, and thus can expect long-term survival; however, in addition, the presence of comorbid condition such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and cardiopulmonary disease may synergistically affect their function and outcomes after cancer treatment. In addition, pre-existing comorbid conditions may influence the choice of cancer directed therapies. Obesity and physical inactivity increase with aging and may predispose to the initial cancer diagnosis, as well as second cancers. This talk will focus on the clinical epidemiology of cancer survivorship, and the set the stage for the other talks in this session. We will use this opportunity to address cancer prevention strategies in cancer survivors who are a high risk population, vulnerable for second cancers and other late effects of cancer treatment.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):ED02-01.
Abstract PL02-01: Energy balance and cancer prevention: Mechanistic insights from mutant mice
Authors: Hursting Stephen David
Published: June 2012

The prevalence of obesity, an established risk and progression factor for many cancers, has risen steadily during the past several decades in the US and many other countries. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying the obesity and cancer connection are not well understood, and new targets and strategies for offsetting the impact of obesity on cancer risk are urgently needed. Calorie restriction (CR), the most commonly recommended dietary strategy for preventing or reversing obesity, inhibits spontaneous, transplanted and chemically induced tumors in a variety of animal models. In contrast, diet-induced obesity enhances tumorigenesis in many of these same models. We demonstrated in a series of transgenic mouse model systems and microarray studies that the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 pathway appears central to many of the anticancer effects of CR and procancer effects of obesity. Using AZIP/F1 transgenic mice (which lack white adipose tissue but have high levels of insulin, IGF-1 and inflammatory markers), and liver-specific IGF-1-deficient mice, we showed that components of the IGF-1 and inflammatory pathways (independent of the adipose tissue per se) are important targets for disrupting the obesity-cancer link. Also, genetic or pharmacologic (rapamaycin, metformin) inhibition of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in murine models of breast, skin and pancreatic cancer blocks the effects of obesity on tumor development and progression. We are currently conducting parallel studies in high-risk human subjects and relevant animal models to further elucidate underlying mechanisms, biomarkers, and effective interventions for offsetting the effects of obesity on cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):PL02-01.
Abstract PL03-01: Smoking cessation: An imperative for cancer patients and survivors
Authors: Gritz Ellen R.
Published: June 2012

Tobacco use — smoked or smokeless — is now recognized as having serious adverse effects on cancer treatment, outcome and quality of life, in addition to its causal role in cancer etiology. Further, nicotine itself has been shown to interfere with the anti-apoptotic effects of some chemotherapeutic agents. Two major thrusts are imperative for research and clinical efforts:To further document the adverse effects of tobacco use through systematic efforts in all clinical trials, by incorporating assessments at every patient visit; andTo incorporate tobacco cessation treatment as a routine, mandatory aspect of patient care.

Efforts to achieve these goals will be described, as well as an overview of current tobacco cessation programs targeted to oncology patients.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):PL03-01.
Impaired Energy Expenditure Despite Normal Cardiovascular Capacity in Children with Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Fintini D. , Di Giacinto B. , Brufani C. , Cafiero G. , Patera P.I. , Turchetta A. , Giordano U. , Nobili V. , Pelliccia A. , Calzolari A. , Cappa M.
Published: June 2012

Background: Benefit of fitness on children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is still debated. Aim: To evaluate the influence of physical activity on metabolic balance and exercise tolerance in prepubertal children affected by T1DM. Methods: We analyzed 35 pre-/peripubertal T1DM children and 31 matched controls using an activity monitor (SenseWear Armbad) and physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) to assess energy expenditure (EE), total and active, sedentary and physical activities (h/day and Mets = metabolic equivalents). The maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) was also performed. Results: Total physical activities and total and active EE (>3 Mets) resulted higher in controls than in T1DM patients and self-reported perception of physical and sedentary activities was altered in T1DM children as well in controls and were different from the measured data. No differences were found in CPET parameters with the exception of a higher maximal blood pressure in T1DM children. In multivariate analysis HbA1c negatively correlated with VO2. Conclusion: Prepubertal T1DM children seem to have a lower level of physical activity and EE and a probable altered feeling of physical and sedentary activities. On the other hand, T1DM children do not show any alteration of cardiovascular performance, although glycemic control (HbA1c) may play a role in cardiovascular performance.
Sparse Coding on the Spot: Spontaneous Retinal Waves Suffice for Orientation Selectivity
Authors: Hunt Jonathan J. , Ibbotson Michael , Goodhill Geoffrey J.
Published: June 2012

Ohshiro, Hussain, and Weliky ( 2011 ) recently showed that ferrets reared with exposure to flickering spot stimuli, in the absence of oriented visual experience, develop oriented receptive fields. They interpreted this as refutation of efficient coding models, which require oriented input in order to develop oriented receptive fields. Here we show that these data are compatible with the efficient coding hypothesis if the influence of spontaneous retinal waves is considered. We demonstrate that independent component analysis learns predominantly oriented receptive fields when trained on a mixture of spot stimuli and spontaneous retinal waves. Further, we show that the efficient coding hypothesis provides a compelling explanation for the contrast between the lack of receptive field changes seen in animals reared with spot stimuli and the significant cortical reorganisation observed in stripe-reared animals.
An Extension of the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve and AUC-Optimal Classification
Authors: Takenouchi Takashi , Komori Osamu , Eguchi Shinto
Published: June 2012

While most proposed methods for solving classification problems focus on minimization of the classification error rate, we are interested in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which provides more information about classification performance than the error rate does. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) is a natural measure for overall assessment of a classifier based on the ROC curve. We discuss a class of concave functions for AUC maximization in which a boosting-type algorithm including RankBoost is considered, and the Bayesian risk consistency and the lower bound of the optimum function are discussed. A procedure derived by maximizing a specific optimum function has high robustness, based on gross error sensitivity. Additionally, we focus on the partial AUC, which is the partial area under the ROC curve. For example, in medical screening, a high true-positive rate to the fixed lower false-positive rate is preferable and thus the partial AUC corresponding to lower false-positive rates is much more important than the remaining AUC. We extend the class of concave optimum functions for partial AUC optimality with the boosting algorithm. We investigated the validity of the proposed method through several experiments with data sets in the UCI repository.
Steady-State Large-Eddy Simulations to Study the Stratocumulus to Shallow Cumulus Cloud Transition
Authors: Chung D. , Matheou G. , Teixeira J.
Published: June 2012

This study presents a series of steady-state large-eddy simulations (LESs) to study the stratocumulus to shallow cumulus cloud transition. To represent the different stages of what can be interpreted as an Eulerian view of the transition, each simulation is assigned a unique sea surface temperature (SST) and run until statistically steady. The LES runs are identical in every other aspect. These idealized boundary-driven steady-state LESs allow for a simple parametric assessment of cloud-controlling factors in isolation from initial conditions and time-lag effects inherent in the Lagrangian view of the transition. The analysis of the thermodynamic energy budget reveals that, as the cloud regime transitions from stratocumulus to shallow cumulus, changes in the cloud radiative cooling term are balanced by changes in the subsidence warming term. This leads to a linear regression between the cloud fraction (CF) and an integral that scales, to a first-order approximation, as the lower-tropospheric stability (LTS). The study also considers the response of the boundary layer to a step change in SST that triggers the transition from stratocumulus to shallow cumulus. An examination of the time-lag conditional average centered on events when cumulus thermals are penetrating the stratocumulus deck suggests that the net effect of cumulus thermals in the transition is not to dry the stratocumulus deck but rather to moisten it. It is shown that the Gaussian probability density function (pdf) model of Sommeria and Deardorff describes the evolution of CF well during this step-change transition, suggesting that the systematic decrease in cloud cover is essentially associated with the mean drying of the air just below the cloud top.
On the Intermittency of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux in the Stratosphere
Authors: Hertzog Albert , Alexander M. Joan , Plougonven Riwal
Published: June 2012

In this article, long-duration balloon and spaceborne observations, and mesoscale numerical simulations are used to study the intermittency of gravity waves in the lower stratosphere above Antarctica and the Southern Ocean; namely, the characteristics of the gravity wave momentum-flux probability density functions (pdfs) obtained with these three datasets are described. The pdfs consistently exhibit long tails associated with the occurrence of rare and large-amplitude events. The pdf tails are even longer above mountains than above oceanic areas, which is in agreement with previous studies of gravity wave intermittency in this region. It is moreover found that these rare, large-amplitude events represent the main contribution to the total momentum flux during the winter regime of the stratospheric circulation. In contrast, the wave intermittency significantly decreases when stratospheric easterlies develop in late spring and summer. It is also shown that, except above mountainous areas in winter, the momentum-flux pdfs tend to behave like lognormal distributions. Monte Carlo simulations are undertaken to examine the role played by critical levels in influencing the shape of momentum-flux pdfs. In particular, the study finds that the lognormal shape may result from the propagation of a wave spectrum into a varying background wind field that generates the occurrence of frequent critical levels.
Comments on “Reconstruction of the Extratropical NH Mean Temperature over the Last Millennium with a Method That Preserves Low-Frequency Variability”
Authors: Moberg Anders
Published: June 2012

Christiansen and Ljungqvist have presented an extratropical NH temperature reconstruction using a method (LOC) that they claim “preserves” low-frequency variability, at the expense of exaggerated high-frequency variability. Using theoretical arguments and a pseudoproxy experiment, it is demonstrated here that the LOC method is not guaranteed to preserve variability at any frequency. Rather, LOC reconstructions will have more variance than true large-scale temperature averages at all frequencies. This variance inflation, however, can be negligible at those frequencies where the noise variance in individual proxies is small enough to be effectively cancelled when computing an average over the available proxies. Because the proxy noise variance at low frequencies cannot be directly estimated, and thus has to be regarded as unknown, it is safer to regard a reconstruction with the LOC method as providing an estimate of the upper bound of the large-scale low-frequency temperature variability rather than one with a correct estimate of this variance.
The Shift of the Northern Node of the NAO and Cyclonic Rossby Wave Breaking
Authors: Wang Yi-Hui , Magnusdottir Gudrun
Published: June 2012

Several studies have found an eastward shift in the northern node of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during the winters of 1978–97 compared to 1958–77. This study focuses on the connection between this shift of the northern node of the NAO and Rossby wave breaking (RWB) for the period 1958–97. It is found that the region of frequent cyclonic RWB underwent a northeastward shift at high latitudes in the latter 20-yr period. On a year-to-year basis, the cyclonic RWB region moves along a southwest–northeast (SW–NE)-directed axis. Both latitude and longitude of the winter maximum frequency of cyclonic RWB occurrence are positively correlated with the NAO index.

To investigate the role of location of cyclonic RWB in influencing the NAO pattern, the geographical location of frequent cyclonic RWB is divided into two subdomains located along the SW–NE axis, to the south (SW domain) and east (NE domain) of Greenland. Two composites are assembled as one cyclonic RWB occurrence is detected in one of the two subdomains in 6-hourly instantaneous data. The forcing of the mean flow due to cyclonic RWB within individual subdomains is found to be locally restricted to where the breaking occurs, which is usually near the jet exit region and far removed from the jet core. The difference in the jet between the NE and SW composites resembles the difference in the mean jet between the 1978–97 and 1958–77 periods, which suggests that the change in cyclonic RWB occurrence in the two subdomains is associated with the wobbling of the jet on the decadal time scale.
Transient Evolution of Langmuir Turbulence in Ocean Boundary Layers Driven by Hurricane Winds and Waves
Authors: Sullivan Peter P. , Romero Leonel , McWilliams James C. , Melville W. Kendall
Published: June 2012

A large-eddy simulation (LES) model, which adopts wave-averaged equations with vortex force, is used to investigate Langmuir turbulence and ocean boundary layer (OBL) dynamics in high-wind hurricane conditions. The temporally evolving spatially asymmetric wind and wave Stokes drift velocity imposed in the LES are generated by a spectral wave prediction model adapted to Hurricane Frances traveling at a speed of 5.5 m s−1. The potency of Langmuir turbulence depends on the turbulent Langmuir number, the wind–Stokes drift alignment, and the depth scale of the Stokes profile Ds relative to the OBL depth h. At the time of maximum winds, large-scale vigorous coherent cells develop on the right-hand side of the storm under the inertially rotating winds; the Stokes drift velocity is well tuned to the surface winds. Much weaker cells develop on the left-hand side of the storm, partly because of reduced Stokes production. With misaligned winds and waves the vertical momentum fluxes can be counter to the gradient of Stokes drift, and the cell orientation tracks the direction of the mean Lagrangian shear. The entrainment flux is increased by 20% and the sea surface temperature is 0.25 K cooler on the right-hand side of the storm in the presence of Langmuir turbulence. Wave effects impact entrainment when the ratio Ds/|h| > 0.75. Because of wind–wave asymmetry Langmuir cells add quantitatively to the left–right asymmetry already understood for hurricanes due to resonance. And the transient evolution of the OBL cannot be understood simply in terms of equilibrium snapshots.
Vertical Air Motion Retrieved from Dual-Frequency Profiler Observations
Authors: Williams Christopher R.
Published: June 2012

The 50-MHz profiler operating near Darwin, Northwest Territory, Australia, is sensitive to both turbulent clear-air (Bragg) and hydrometeor (Rayleigh) scattering processes. Below the radar bright band, the two scattering peaks are observed as two well-separated peaks in the Doppler velocity spectra. The Bragg scattering peak corresponds to the vertical air motion and the Rayleigh scattering peak corresponds to the hydrometeor motion. Within the radar bright band, the Rayleigh scattering peak intensity increases and the downward velocity decreases causing the hydrometeor peak to overlap or merge with the air motion peak. If the overlap of the two peaks is not taken into account, then the vertical air motion estimate will be biased downward. This study describes a filtering procedure that identifies and removes the downward bias in vertical air motions caused by hydrometeor contamination. This procedure uses a second collocated profiler sensitive to hydrometeor motion to identify contamination in the 50-MHz profiler spectra. When applied to four rain events during the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment (TPW-ICE), this dual-frequency filtering method showed that approximately 50% of the single-frequency method vertical air motion estimates within the radar bright band were biased downward due to hydrometeor contamination.
Oceanographic Field Estimates from Remote Sensing and Glider Fleets
Authors: Alvarez A. , Mourre B.
Published: June 2012

This work investigates the merging of temperature observations from a glider fleet and remote sensing, based on a field experiment conducted in an extended coastal region offshore La Spezia, Italy, in August 2010. Functional optimal interpolation and spline formalisms are used to integrate temperature profiles from a fleet of three gliders with remotely sensed sea surface temperature into a volumetric thermal field estimate. Independent measurements from a towed ScanFish vehicle are used for validation. Results indicate that the optimal interpolation approach performs better than the spline model at and above the thermocline depth as long as anisotropic covariances computed from the remote sensing data are used. Below the thermocline, the two merging techniques give similar performance.
The West Coast Thermal Trough: Climatology and Synoptic Evolution
Authors: Brewer Matthew C. , Mass Clifford F. , Potter Brian E.
Published: June 2012

Although the West Coast thermal trough (WCTT) is the most important mesoscale feature over the U.S. west coast during the warm season, its initiation, evolution, and structure are not well understood. Originating in the southwest United States, this inverted trough can extend northward into Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, with large impacts on temperature, wind, humidity, and air quality.

Using NCEP’s North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR), annual and diurnal climatologies of WCTTs reaching the northwest United States were constructed. For the entire year, WCTTs are most frequent along the coast near the California–Oregon border, with weaker maxima west of the Cascade and coastal mountains. Over the coastal region, they occur most often during autumn, while east of the Cascade Mountains, the highest frequency is during summer. There is strong diurnal variability in WCTT frequency during the summer, with little diurnal variation in winter.

Though compositing revealed important seasonal differences in WCTT evolution, some common features emerged. An upper-level ridge moves over the northwest United States and associated high pressure builds in the lower troposphere over southwest Canada, resulting in the development of near-surface easterlies and downslope flow over the western slopes of major terrain barriers of the region. Simultaneously, the WCTT extends northward from California into the Pacific Northwest. As the synoptic configuration changes, the WCTT either moves eastward and merges with the larger thermal low over the Great Basin region, which is most common in summer, or it recedes back into California and dissipates, as often happens in winter.
Introduction
Authors: Stuart Jennifer
Published: June 2012

Analytic work with a pregnant woman may foster the psychological gestation of the self-as-mother. For the mother—as for the infant—the developmental process continues well beyond delivery. It should not surprise us, then, that many mothers continue to bring their babies to sessions after birth. Analytic work in this context can affect a patient’s sense of herself, and perhaps her competence, as a mother. Yet the presence of babies in the consulting room is an underacknowledged feature of contemporary practice. For this section of JAPA, we have collected three papers that explore some of the unique challenges and opportunities that arise when a patient brings her baby to treatment. Earlier versions of each paper were first presented at a panel, “Babies in the Consulting Room,” at the June 2011 meeting of the American Psychoanalytic Association in San Francisco.
Brief depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder: Analysis of long-term self-reported data
Authors: Bauer Michael , Glenn Tasha , Keil Michael , Bauer Rita , Marsh Wendy , Grof Paul , Alda Martin , Sagduyu Kemal , Murray Greg , Quiroz Danilo , Baethge Christopher , Whybrow Peter C
Published: June 2012

Objective:

Most patients with bipolar disorder experience depressive symptoms outside of an episode of depression as defined by DSM-IV criteria. This study explores the frequency of brief depressive episodes, lasting 1 to 4 days, using daily self-reported mood ratings.

Method:

Mood ratings were obtained from 448 patients (281 bipolar I, 167 bipolar II) using ChronoRecord software (91,786 total days). Episodes of depression and days of depression outside of episodes were determined. The intensity of depressive symptoms (mild versus moderate to severe) was compared.

Results:

Using the DSM-IV length criteria, 61% of all depressive days occurred outside of a depressed episode. Decreasing the minimum length criterion to 2 days, both the number of patients experiencing a depressed episode (128 to 317) and the mean percent of days spent in a depressed episode by each patient (7.9% to 17.8.%) increased by about 2½ times, and 34.3% of depressed days remained outside of an episode. Depending on the episode length, the proportion of days within an episode with severe symptoms varied from ⅓ to ¼ for episodes lasting from 14 to 2 days, and ¼ for single-day episodes. There was no significant difference in the frequency of brief depressive episodes between bipolar I and II disorders. For all episode lengths, patients taking antidepressants spent 4% more days within an episode and 6% more days with depressive symptoms outside of an episode than those not taking antidepressants.

Conclusion:

Brief depressive episodes lasting 1 to 4 days occur frequently in bipolar disorder and do not distinguish between bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms of moderate to severe intensity occur on ¼ to ⅓ of the days in brief depressive episodes. This study did not address brief depression in those without bipolar disorder. Patients taking antidepressants experienced more brief depressive episodes. Controlled trials are needed to assess the impact of antidepressants on subsyndromal depressive symptoms.
Are long-term psychiatric patients causing more crisis consultations outside office hours in mental health care?
Authors: Dekker J , Theunissen J , Van R , Kikkert M , van der Post L , Zoeteman J , Peen J
Published: June 2012

Background:

As well as an improvement in community services, the de-institutionalization of patients receiving long-term psychiatric care can lead to marginally staffed mental health services, more homelessness, rising admission rates and more people in prison cells. It is assumed that an imbalance between community and hospital care for chronic patients puts pressure on crisis services.

Aims:

In this study, the central question is whether patients receiving long-term psychiatric care in Amsterdam do indeed put pressure on the city’s emergency mental health services. We compare the pressure exerted by this group with the pressure resulting from the use of these services by all registered patients.

Methods:

Data were taken from the client registration systems of three mental health organizations in Amsterdam in the period from 2000 to 2004. Inclusion criteria for long-term psychiatric patients were age above 19 years and uninterrupted receipt of mental health care for a minimum of two successive years.

Results:

Annually, 6%–8% of all non-long-term patients experienced a crisis outside office hours in the period under investigation; this was 4%–6% for long-term patients. The non-long-term patients accounted for 83% of crisis contacts outside office hours over the entire study period, with long-term patients accounting for 17%.

Conclusions:

The assumption that crises are more prevalent in long-term patients in the community seems to be an example of stigmatization rather than an observation based on fact.
Victimization of the severely mentally ill in Greece: The extent of the problem
Authors: Katsikidou Magdalini , Samakouri Maria , Fotiadou Maria , Arvaniti Aikaterini , Vorvolakos Theofanis , Xenitidis Kiriakos , Livaditis Miltos
Published: June 2012

Background:

In contrast to extensive research on psychiatric patients’ dangerousness, very few studies have examined their victimization.

Aim:

The aim of our study is to record reported victimization of seriously mentally ill outpatients in Greece and compare them with healthy controls.

Method:

We interviewed 150 severely mentally ill outpatients and a matched group of healthy controls using a semi-structured interview. This recorded incidents of victimization and perceived discrimination during the previous year. Logistic regression models were used to examine the influence of demographic parameters on both victimization and discrimination.

Results:

In this study 59.3% of patients and 46.0 % of controls ( p = .02) reported being victims of a criminal act at least once and 52.0% of patients and 24.0 % of controls ( p < .001) reported experiencing discrimination during the previous year. Patients, in comparison to controls, were more likely to report being victims of any kind of victimization (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.07–3.21), of assault/threat (OR = 4.62, 95% CI = (2.32–9.19) and of discrimination (OR = 3.34, 95% CI = (2.1–5.62). In addition, patients reported experiencing higher distress in assault/threat crime compared to controls ( p = .03).

Conclusions:

Patients with serious mental illness are more likely than the general population to report being victims of criminal acts and experiencing discrimination.
Bone Repair Using Periodontal Ligament Progenitor Cell-seeded Constructs
Authors: Tour G. , Wendel M. , Moll G. , Tcacencu I.
Published: June 2012

The success of tissue-engineering therapies is dependent on the ability of scaffolds to guide differentiation of progenitor cells. Here we present a new approach using a biomimetic construct composed of hydroxyapatite modified with an in vitro-derived extracellular matrix (HA-ECM) and seeded with periodontal ligament progenitor cells (PDLCs). The study aimed to investigate the effect of HA-ECM on osteogenic differentiation of PDLCs and in vivo evaluation of the PDLC-seeded HA-ECM constructs using a rat calvarial critical-sized defect model. After flow-cytometric phenotyping of PDLCs for typical mesenchymal stem cell markers, the PDLCs were cultured on HA-ECM or HA alone in osteogenic media and assessed by MTT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assays, and real-time qPCR at different time intervals after seeding. New bone formation induced by PDLC-seeded constructs was assessed by histomorphometric analysis at 12 weeks post-operatively. The PDLCs seeded on HA-ECM showed significantly higher ALP activity and up-regulation of bone-related genes. The treatment with PDLC-seeded HA-ECM significantly improved calvarial bone repair, with the highest amount of newly formed bone elicited by cell-seeded constructs cultured for 14 days. Our results highlight the PDLC-seeded HA-ECM constructs as a promising tool for craniofacial bone regeneration.
Relying on Injection Drug Users to Access and Adhere to HIV Therapeutics
Authors: Broadhead Robert S. , Borch Casey , van Hulst Yael , Gauchat Gordon , Tehrani Shabahang , Stringer Kristi L. , Heckathorn Douglas D. , Altice Frederick L.
Published: June 2012

Results are presented of enrolling HIV+ active-injection drug users (IDUs) into a peer-driven intervention (PDI) to improve their adherence to medical care. Using respondent-driven sampling (RDS), which evolved out of the PDI model, the authors recruited and tested 1,097 IDUs, of whom 145 were confirmed to be HIV+. Despite promises of confidentiality, increased social supports, and direct cash rewards for participating, only 78 (54%) of the HIV+ IDUs enrolled in the subsequent adherence study. Correlates of participation as well as interviews with respondents who declined participating are presented. The seemingly negative findings have important implications for future adherence studies. RDS provided a powerful mechanism for recruiting HIV+ IDUs. But selection biases were revealed to favor sicker yet more socially connected respondents, which resulted in more conservative outcomes with regard to social supports and positive health-seeking behaviors. The analysis may help streamline future efforts using the PDI, which harnesses IDUs’ abilities to help one another, by underscoring some of the mechanism’s limitations.
Educational Paths and Substance Use From Adolescence Into Early Adulthood
Authors: Fleming Charles B. , White Helene R. , Haggerty Kevin P. , Abbott Robert D. , Catalano Richard F.
Published: June 2012

This study examined how substance use trajectories from ages 15 to 23 in a community sample ( N = 921) were related to educational pathways. Rates of heavy drinking converged across different paths, but starting college at a 2-year college before transferring to a 4-year college was related to later increase in drinking after high school. Higher future educational attainment was negatively associated with high school marijuana use, but marijuana use increased after high school for individuals who went to 4-year colleges compared with those who did not. Noncollege youth had the highest rates of daily cigarette smoking throughout adolescence and early adulthood, whereas college dropouts had higher rates of smoking than college students who did not drop out. The findings support the need for universal prevention for early adult heavy drinking, addressing increases in drinking and marijuana use in 4-year colleges and targeting marijuana use and cigarette smoking interventions at noncollege youth and college dropouts.
Automatic detection of seed coat fragments in cotton fabrics
Authors: Bel Patricia Damian , Xu Bugao , Boykin Debbie
Published: June 2012

Seed coat fragments (SCFs) reduce the marketability of cotton fiber, yarns and fabrics. It is particularly important to measure SCF content in the fabric because they cause severe dyeing and appearance defects. SCF content is greatly affected by cotton varieties, environmental conditions during crop development, and mechanical processing, but studying their effects in fabrics can be very tedious and time consuming. In this paper, we present an image analysis system for accurate and fast measurement of SCFs in greige fabrics, and the conditions of using the system for reliable and repeatable data. In the study, four different US cotton varieties were selected, and processed with regular manufacturing facilities. The relationship between sample size and precision of the image analysis system was determined through statistical analysis. It was found that the minimum sample size for each variety should consist of five camera images with a minimum of four fabric samples per variety with three replications, which gives a least significant difference (LSD) of 64.54 for dark speck count. Dark speck counts for the four fabrics tested ranged from 267.7 to 659.9. Increasing sample size will lower the LSD.
Characterisation of surface properties of chemical and plasma treated regenerated cellulose fabric
Authors: Peršin Zdenka , Vesel Alenka , Kleinschek Karin Stana , Mozetič Miran
Published: June 2012

The aim of this research work was to study the surface properties and sorption characteristics of differently treated regenerated cellulose fabrics. Surface modifications of viscose, modal and lyocell samples caused by using standard chemical pre-treatment procedures were compared to an alternative activation procedure by applying low pressure oxygen plasma treatment. The elemental chemical composition of the modified fabric surfaces was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties were evaluated by determining the water contact angles, as well as thoroughly analysed using Owens–Wendt surface energy (SFE) and surface polarity investigations.

Standard chemical and also plasma treatments changed the surface chemistry of cellulose. Bleaching and alkaline treatments increased the surface carboxylic acid content by approximately 4.8% while plasma treatment increased it by approximately 9.7%. As a consequence, higher hydrophilicity arises as proved by water contact angle decrease; i.e. 24% (61°) after standard chemical treatments and 70% (20°) after plasma treatment. Both chemical treatments increase the SFE and polar components, while the reduction of dispersive components was less pronounced. The oxygen activation treatment has the greatest influence on the SFEs of the samples as well as on polarity of the samples.
Objective evaluation of fabric pilling based on wavelet transform and the local binary pattern
Authors: Jing Junfeng , Zhang Zanzan , Kang Xuejuan , Jia Jianyuan
Published: June 2012

A new objective fabric pilling evaluation method based on wavelet transform and the local binary pattern (LBP) is developed. The surface pills are identified from the high-frequency noise, fabric texture, and illuminative variation of a pilled fabric image by the two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform. The energies of each detailed sub-image at scales 4–6 in three orientations (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal) and the LBP features of the reconstructed detail image from scales 3 to 6 are calculated as elements of the pilling feature vector to characterize the pilling intensity. These feature values are normalized and the vector dimensions are reduced by principal component analysis. Then the support vector machine, a kind of data mining tool, is used as a classifier to classify the pilling grades. The result suggests that the proposed method can successfully evaluate the pilling intensity of knitted fabrics and could be applicable to practical objective pilling evaluation.
Dry cleaning of electroconductive layers screen printed on flexible substrates
Authors: Kazani Ilda , Hertleer Carla , De Mey Gilbert , Guxho Genti , Van Langenhove Lieva
Published: June 2012

Smart textiles and wearable textile systems are up to now a growing research field, with a view to applications such as monitoring vital signs or environmental parameters through garments. These developments require new materials such as electroconductive textiles. As a result, research into screen printing of conductive silver inks onto textiles has emerged.

In this study, screen printing is used to print four kinds of silver-based conductive inks on a flexible foam and a nonwoven substrate. The screen printing method is chosen because it is a low cost and user friendly technique to obtain flexible and lightweight conductive fabrics. For the evaluation of the electrical properties the square resistance of the printed fabrics is measured after repeated dry cleaning cycles. The printed textiles studied here show good electrical properties after printing (< 0.05 Ω/□). However, after 60 dry cleaning cycles, the conductivity decreased considerably. Consequently, in order to improve washability, a protective polyurethane layer was put on top of the printed samples. In this case, the resistivity remained below 2.3 Ω/□ after 60 dry cleaning cycles.
Electrical and mechanical properties of phenoxy/multiwalled carbon nanotubes multifilament yarn processed by melt spinning
Authors: Bouchard Jonas , Cayla Aurélie , Lutz Vincent , Campagne Christine , Devaux Eric
Published: June 2012

Nanocomposites based on Poly ((hydroxy ether) of bisphenol A) (Phenoxy) filled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes has been prepared by extrusion. Rheological behaviour and thermal degradation of these nanocomposites have been studied by melt flow index and thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that the addition of carbon nanotubes up to 2wt% increases the viscosity but does not modify significantly the spinnability of the compounds. Moreover, incorporation of these nanofillers allows an improvement of the thermal decomposition. In a second step, these nanocomposites have been processed by melt spinning to produce multifilament yarn. Transmission electron microscopy observations have been done to study carbon nanotubes dispersion and orientation. Nanocomposite morphology correlated with electrical measurements reveal an electrical percolation around 1.5 wt.% without decreasing significantly mechanical properties.
The Impact of Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose on a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: McAndrew Lisa M. , Napolitano Melissa A. , Pogach Leonard M. , Quigley Karen S. , Shantz Kerri Leh , Vander Veur Stephanie S. , Foster Gary D.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to examine the association of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) to weight loss and A1C among participants in a behavioral weight loss intervention.

Methods

Multivariate analyses were employed to evaluate the relationship between SMBG and changes in patient weight and A1C levels. Bootstrapping was used to determine whether there was an indirect effect of SMBG on weight loss through diet adherence and an indirect effect of SMBG on A1C through weight loss.

Results

The relationship between increased SMBG and greater weight loss was mediated by better adherence to diet. The relationship of increased SMBG and greater reductions in A1C were mediated by greater weight loss.

Conclusions

Results of the study were consistent with the hypothesis that SMBG leads to an increased adherence to dietary recommendations. For patients who are taught to use their diet to lose weight, increased adherence to dietary recommendations is associated with increased weight loss and subsequently better glucose control. SMBG may be of value as an adjunctive intervention in behavioral programs for type 2 diabetes.
The influence of stimulus material on attention and performance in the visual expectation paradigm
Authors: Teubert Manuel , Lohaus Arnold , Fassbender Ina , Vierhaus Marc , Spangler Sibylle , Borchert Sonja , Freitag Claudia , Goertz Claudia , Graf Frauke , Gudi Helene , Kolling Thorsten , Lamm Bettina , Keller Heidi , Knopf Monika , Schwarzer Gudrun
Published: June 2012

This longitudinal study examined the influence of stimulus material on attention and expectation learning in the visual expectation paradigm. Female faces were used as attention-attracting stimuli, and non-meaningful visual stimuli of comparable complexity (Greebles) were used as low attention-attracting stimuli. Expectation learning performance was operationalized using the average reaction time and number of anticipations. For the measurement of attention, the percentage of trials with on-task attention behavior was calculated. To analyze attention and differences in performance, a total of 108 German infants (3–6 months of age) were assessed. Significant differences were found between the two types of stimuli concerning the infants’ rate of attention and anticipations. The results indicate learning material to influence attentional processes and expectation learning.
Engage Them to Public Service
Authors: Vigoda-Gadot Eran , Eldor Liat , Schohat Lior M.
Published: June 2012

This article deals with the emerging concept of Employee Engagement (EE) and its meaning for public administration research and theory. Generically, EE reflects a positive, fulfilling, affective-motivational, work-related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption. In an attempt to understand whether the concept of EE is meaningful for public administration research and theory, we examine its essence and foundation using a comparative method. First, we compare EE with two well-established employee–organization relationship (EOR) concepts: Affective Commitment (AC) and Job Involvement (JI). Second, we compare EE in public versus private sector employees, and finally, we compare the concept in employees and managers in the public sector. Our study is based on an interactive sample of 593 employees and managers from both the private and public sectors in Israel. The results support several hypotheses. First, EE is an empirically distinct construct compared with other EOR concepts. Second, EE is higher among public sector employees than private sector employees. Third, EE is higher among public managers than public employees. Implications of our findings and recommendations for future theoretical and empirical studies of EE are discussed.