bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adolescent Obesity Prevention in Botswana
Authors: Shaibu Sheila , Holsten Joanna E. , Stettler Nicolas , Maruapula Segametsi D. , Jackson Jose C. , Malete Leapetswe , Mokone George , Wrotniak Brian H. , Compher Charlene W.
Published: November 2011

The study’s objectives were to gain school personnel’s (1) perceptions on diet, physical activity, body size, and obesity, (2) description of school food and physical activity practices, and (3) recommendations for programs to prevent adolescent obesity. The study took place in six junior secondary schools of varying socioeconomic status in Gaborone, Botswana. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semistructured interviews were conducted with key school personnel. Directed content analysis was used to summarize the findings. School personnel believed that obesity was an important problem. They felt that school food was unhealthy and that physical activity was provided insufficiently. Participants shared enthusiasm for a school-based health-promoting intervention that must be fun and include active engagement and education on healthy lifestyles for all students. Participants supported on-site food shop inventory changes and physical activity programs. Potential barriers listed were schools’ financial resources, interest of students, and time limitations of all involved.
VHA Blueprints
Authors: Kosel Keith C. , Clark Teresa , Haywood Trent T. , Lonappan Margaret
Published: November 2011

Despite a growing interest in health care quality improvement, little has changed regarding how clinicians acquire, assimilate, and transfer knowledge concerning leading practices. Working with hospitals with recognized leading clinical practices, VHA Inc developed an innovative methodology for generating and transferring knowledge using a visual story format that incorporates structural, process, and contextual elements into a comprehensive knowledge transfer vehicle called a VHA Leading Practice Blueprint. The authors describe a validation study comparing the effectiveness of the Blueprint methodology as a knowledge transfer vehicle to 2 commonly used sources of performance improvement knowledge: traditional case study and peer-reviewed journal article. Six dimensions—display, content, transferability, recall, diffusion, and actionable—were evaluated. Analysis of data indicates that the Blueprint methodology was judged superior to case studies and peer-reviewed articles on all 6 dimensions. The Blueprint methodology appears to hold promise as a new medium for conveying leading practices in health care.
Ritualized Christmas headgear or ‘Pass me the tinsel, mother: it’s the office party tonight’
Authors: Rippin Ann
Published: November 2011

The article examines the wearing of festive headgear as a way of understanding contemporary organizational rituals, pointing to analogous historical practice, which reveals the way that power is deployed while seeming to be relaxed. It categorizes the display behaviour associated with this apparent suspense of organizational power through four types of headgear and will trace the historical antecedents of such behaviour. It goes on to say something about the organizing of social interaction and fun and the deployment of the body in contemporary organizations. The headgear I shall consider includes paper crowns, Father Christmas hats, tinsel halos and reindeer antlers.
Regarding gifts—on Christmas gift exchange and asymmetrical business relations
Authors: Lemmergaard Jeanette , Muhr Sara Louise
Published: November 2011

Gift exchange, and the economy associated with it, is not restricted only to those tribal cultures where it has mostly been studied, but can also appear as an element of contemporary market economies. Yet despite this, the practical functioning of gift relationships between business partners is an understudied area. By studying the giving of corporate Christmas gifts, this article contributes to closing this gap. Gifts are seen here as signifiers of hierarchy, position and intent, and although market economy reigns supreme in Western societies, important layers of social economies—such as gift economies—dictate the way in which we behave and read the market economy. Christmas gifts thus represent more than their economic value, and have a social value that is capable of connecting or separating business partners in very specific ways. An understanding of this is crucial for companies trying to manage their image and the signals they send to business partners.
Governmentality, political field or public sphere? Theoretical alternatives in the political sociology of the EU
Authors: Zimmermann Ann , Favell Adrian
Published: November 2011

The call for a more sociological approach to the study of the European Union, reflected in a number of recent survey works by sociologists and political scientists, offers exciting new prospects for rethinking the empirical terrain of ‘Europeanized’ politics beyond the nation state – whether in terms of governance, policy-making, parliamentary and legal politics, mobilization, or political communication. Via a survey of three kinds of leading sociological work on the EU, broadly split between three camps working with the distinctive legacies of ‘Habermasian’, ‘Bourdieusian’ and ‘Foucauldian’ thinking, this article details the strengths and weaknesses of these paradigms. Focusing on a number of exemplary studies on the question of democratic legitimacy in the EU using each of these approaches, it offers a preliminary attempt to map their agendas, contributions, and blind spots, moving towards a synthesis that might identify commonalities and streamline a more coherent agenda for the political sociology of the European Union. The most promising line would appear to be one that moves away from purely theoretical/conceptual debates towards specific operationalizations able to combine elements of the various sociological approaches.
The personalization of mediated political communication: A review of concepts, operationalizations and key findings
Authors: Van Aelst Peter , Sheafer Tamir , Stanyer James
Published: November 2011

Personalization has become a central concept in discussions on how political news, and election coverage in particular, has changed over time. The general belief is that the focus of news coverage has shifted from parties and organizations to candidates and leaders. However, the evidence is far from conclusive. This is due in no small part to a lack of conceptual clarity and an absence of common operationalizations which are a major cause of the unclear or conflicting conclusions about the personalization of political news. This article seeks to remedy this shortcoming. It presents a model for comprehending the personalization of political news based on a review of relevant studies. The article makes a series of recommendations for how the concept might be operationalized for an analysis of media content in order to enable cross-nationally comparative research.
Europa ante portas: Border residence, transnational interaction and Euroscepticism in Germany and France
Authors: Kuhn Theresa
Published: November 2011

This article builds on previous findings that border residents are less prone to be Eurosceptic. First, it enhances measurement by using a more exact distinction between border and core districts. Second, it extends theory by arguing that the lower propensity towards Euroscepticism among border residents is the result of their greater involvement in transnational networks and interactions. Third, the article adds to the interest-or-identity discussion in Euroscepticism research by distinguishing between goal-oriented and sociable forms of transnational interactions and testing their impact on Euroscepticism. Multilevel analyses of Eurobarometer data for France and Germany show that (1) the border effect holds only in Germany, (2) it is mediated by individual transnationalism, and (3) sociable forms of interaction are key to structuring attitudes towards European integration.
Nonparametric predictive inference for failure times of systems with exchangeable components
Authors: Coolen F P A , Al-nefaiee A H
Published: November 2011

The theory of system signatures (Samaniego, 2007) provides a powerful framework for reliability assessment for systems consisting of exchangeable components. For a system with m components, the signature is a vector containing the probabilities for the events that the system fails at the moment of the jth ordered component failure time, for all j = 1,…, m. As such, the signature represents the structure of the system. This paper presents how signatures can be used within nonparametric predictive inference, a statistical framework which uses few modelling assumptions enabled by the use of lower and upper probabilities to quantify uncertainty. The main result is the use of signatures to derive lower and upper survival functions for the failure time of systems with exchangeable components, given failure times of tested components that are exchangeable with those in the system. In addition, it is shown how the failure times of two such systems can be compared. This paper is the first in which signatures are combined with theory of lower and upper probabilities; related research challenges are briefly discussed.
Psychological perspectives on collective memory and national identity: The Belgian case
Authors: Hirst William , Fineberg Ioana Apetroaia
Published: November 2011

The formation and maintenance of a collective memory depends the psychological efficacy of societal practices. This efficacy builds on the strengths and weakness of human memory. We view the articles in this special issue through a psychological lens in order to explore how the efficacy of the actions of the distinctive linguistic communities in Belgium have preserved some aspects of their past and left other aspects forgotten. We highlight four ways the psychology of individual memory can bear on the formation and maintenance of collective memories: the efficiency of actions, the presence of inaction, the relevancy of the personal past, and ‘presentism’.
IFNγ induces monopoiesis and inhibits neutrophil development during inflammation
Authors: de Bruin Alexander M. , Libregts Sten F. , Valkhof Marijke , Boon Louis , Touw Ivo P. , Nolte Martijn A.
Published: November 2011

Steady-state hematopoiesis is altered on infection, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving these changes are largely unknown. Modulation of hematopoiesis is essential to increase the output of the appropriate type of effector cell required to combat the invading pathogen. In the present study, we demonstrate that the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFNγ is involved in orchestrating inflammation-induced myelopoiesis. Using both mouse models and in vitro assays, we show that IFNγ induces the differentiation of monocytes over neutrophils at the level of myeloid progenitors. Infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus induces monopoiesis in wild-type mice, but causes increased neutrophil production in IFNγ−/− mice. We demonstrate that IFNγ enhances the expression of the monopoiesis-inducing transcription factors IRF8 and PU.1 in myeloid progenitor cells, whereas it reduces G-CSF–driven neutrophil differentiation via a SOCS3-dependent inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation. These results establish a critical role for IFNγ in directing monocyte versus neutrophil development during immune activation.
Inhibition of the MUC1-C oncoprotein induces multiple myeloma cell death by down-regulating TIGAR expression and depleting NADPH
Authors: Yin Li , Kosugi Michio , Kufe Donald
Published: November 2011

The MUC1-C oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed in most multiple myeloma cells. However, the functional significance of MUC1-C expression in multiple myeloma is not known. The present studies demonstrate that treatment of multiple myeloma cells with a MUC1-C inhibitor is associated with increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidation of mitochondrial cardiolipin, and loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. The MUC1-C inhibitor-induced increases in ROS were also associated with down-regulation of the p53-inducible regulator of glycolysis and apoptosis (TIGAR). In concert with the decrease in TIGAR expression, which regulates the pentose phosphate pathway, treatment with the MUC1-C inhibitor reduced production of NADPH, and in turn glutathione (GSH) levels. TIGAR protects against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. The suppression of TIGAR and NADPH levels thus contributed to ROS-mediated late apoptosis/necrosis of multiple myeloma cells. These findings indicate that multiple myeloma cells are dependent on MUC1-C and TIGAR for maintenance of redox balance and that targeting MUC1-C activates a cascade involving TIGAR suppression that contributes to multiple myeloma cell death.
FEPI-MB: identifying SNPs-disease association using a Markov Blanket-based approach
Authors: Han Bing , Chen Xue-wen , Talebizadeh Zohreh
Published: November 2011

Background

The interactions among genetic factors related to diseases are called epistasis. With the availability of genotyped data from genome-wide association studies, it is now possible to computationally unravel epistasis related to the susceptibility to common complex human diseases such as asthma, diabetes, and hypertension. However, the difficulties of detecting epistatic interaction arose from the large number of genetic factors and the enormous size of possible combinations of genetic factors. Most computational methods to detect epistatic interactions are predictor-based methods and can not find true causal factor elements. Moreover, they are both time-consuming and sample-consuming.

Results

We propose a new and fast Markov Blanket-based method, FEPI-MB (Fast EPistatic Interactions detection using Markov Blanket), for epistatic interactions detection. The Markov Blanket is a minimal set of variables that can completely shield the target variable from all other variables. Learning of Markov blankets can be used to detect epistatic interactions by a heuristic search for a minimal set of SNPs, which may cause the disease. Experimental results on both simulated data sets and a real data set demonstrate that FEPI-MB significantly outperforms other existing methods and is capable of finding SNPs that have a strong association with common diseases.

Conclusions

FEPI-MB algorithm outperforms other computational methods for detection of epistatic interactions in terms of both the power and sample-efficiency. Moreover, compared to other Markov Blanket learning methods, FEPI-MB is more time-efficient and achieves a better performance.
Do resting brain dynamics predict oddball evoked-potential?
Authors: Lee Tien-Wen , Yu Younger W-Y , Wu Hung-Chi , Chen Tai-Jui
Published: November 2011

Background

The oddball paradigm is widely applied to the investigation of cognitive function in neuroscience and in neuropsychiatry. Whether cortical oscillation in the resting state can predict the elicited oddball event-related potential (ERP) is still not clear. This study explored the relationship between resting electroencephalography (EEG) and oddball ERPs. The regional powers of 18 electrodes across delta, theta, alpha and beta frequencies were correlated with the amplitude and latency of N1, P2, N2 and P3 components of oddball ERPs. A multivariate analysis based on partial least squares (PLS) was applied to further examine the spatial pattern revealed by multiple correlations.

Results

Higher synchronization in the resting state, especially at the alpha spectrum, is associated with higher neural responsiveness and faster neural propagation, as indicated by the higher amplitude change of N1/N2 and shorter latency of P2. None of the resting quantitative EEG indices predict P3 latency and amplitude. The PLS analysis confirms that the resting cortical dynamics which explains N1/N2 amplitude and P2 latency does not show regional specificity, indicating a global property of the brain.

Conclusions

This study differs from previous approaches by relating dynamics in the resting state to neural responsiveness in the activation state. Our analyses suggest that the neural characteristics carried by resting brain dynamics modulate the earlier/automatic stage of target detection.
A double blind randomized trial of wound infiltration with ropivacaine after breast cancer surgery with axillary nodes dissection
Authors: Vigneau Axelle , Salengro Anne , Berger Joelle , Rouzier Roman , Barranger Emmanuel , Marret Emmanuel , Bonnet Francis
Published: November 2011

Background

The effect of local infiltration after breast surgery is controversial. This prospective double blind randomized study sought to document the analgesic effect of local anaesthetic infiltration after breast cancer surgery.

Methods

Patients scheduled for mastectomy or tumorectomy and axillary nodes dissection had immediate postoperative infiltration of the surgical wound with 20 ml of ropivacaine 7.5 mg.ml-1 or isotonic saline. Pain was assessed on a visual analogue scale at H2, H4, H6, H12, H24, H72, and at 2 month, at rest and on mobilization of the arm. Patient'comfort was evaluated with numerical 0-3 scales for fatigue, quality of sleep, state of mood, social function and activity.

Results

Twenty-two and 24 patients were included in the ropivacaine and saline groups respectively. Postoperative pain was lower at rest and on mobilization at 2, 4 and 6 hour after surgery in the ropivacaine group. No other difference in pain intensity and patient 'comfort scoring was documented during the first 3 postoperative days. Patients did not differ at 2 month for pain and comfort scores.

Conclusion

Single shot infiltration with ropivacaine transiently improves postoperative pain control after breast cancer surgery.

Trial registration number

NCT01404377
Pro-inflammatory gene expression and neurotoxic effects of activated microglia are attenuated by absence of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β
Authors: Straccia Marco , Gresa-Arribas Núria , Dentesano Guido , Ejarque-Ortiz Aroa , Tusell Josep M , Serratosa Joan , Solà Carme , Saura Josep
Published: November 2011

Background

Microglia and astrocytes respond to homeostatic disturbances with profound changes of gene expression. This response, known as glial activation or neuroinflammation, can be detrimental to the surrounding tissue. The transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ) is an important regulator of gene expression in inflammation but little is known about its involvement in glial activation. To explore the functional role of C/EBPβ in glial activation we have analyzed pro-inflammatory gene expression and neurotoxicity in murine wild type and C/EBPβ-null glial cultures.

Methods

Due to fertility and mortality problems associated with the C/EBPβ-null genotype we developed a protocol to prepare mixed glial cultures from cerebral cortex of a single mouse embryo with high yield. Wild-type and C/EBPβ-null glial cultures were compared in terms of total cell density by Hoechst-33258 staining; microglial content by CD11b immunocytochemistry; astroglial content by GFAP western blot; gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot, immunocytochemistry and Griess reaction; and microglial neurotoxicity by estimating MAP2 content in neuronal/microglial cocultures. C/EBPβ DNA binding activity was evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation.

Results

C/EBPβ mRNA and protein levels, as well as DNA binding, were increased in glial cultures by treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS + interferon γ (IFNγ). Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation showed binding of C/EBPβ to pro-inflammatory gene promoters in glial activation in a stimulus- and gene-dependent manner. In agreement with these results, LPS and LPS+IFNγ induced different transcriptional patterns between pro-inflammatory cytokines and NO synthase-2 genes. Furthermore, the expressions of IL-1β and NO synthase-2, and consequent NO production, were reduced in the absence of C/EBPβ. In addition, neurotoxicity elicited by LPS+IFNγ-treated microglia co-cultured with neurons was completely abolished by the absence of C/EBPβ in microglia.

Conclusions

These findings show involvement of C/EBPβ in the regulation of pro-inflammatory gene expression in glial activation, and demonstrate for the first time a key role for C/EBPβ in the induction of neurotoxic effects by activated microglia.
The Global Fund's resource allocation decisions for HIV programmes: addressing those in need
Authors: Avdeeva Olga , Lazarus Jeffrey V , Aziz Mohamed Abdel , Atun Rifat
Published: November 2011

Background

Between 2002 and 2010, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria's investment in HIV increased substantially to reach US$12 billion. We assessed how the Global Fund's investments in HIV programmes were targeted to key populations in relation to disease burden and national income.

Methods

We conducted an assessment of the funding approved by the Global Fund Board for HIV programmes in Rounds 1‐10 (2002‐2010) in 145 countries. We used the UNAIDS National AIDS Spending Assessment framework to analyze the Global Fund investments in HIV programmes by HIV spending category and type of epidemic. We examined funding per capita and its likely predictors (HIV adult prevalence, HIV prevalence in most‐at‐risk populations and gross national income per capita) using stepwise backward regression analysis.

Results

About 52% ($6.1 billion) of the cumulative Global Fund HIV funding was targeted to low‐ and low‐middle‐income countries. Around 56% of the total ($6.6 billion) was channelled to countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. The majority of funds were for HIV treatment (36%; $4.3 billion) and prevention (29%; $3.5 billion), followed by health systems and community systems strengthening and programme management (22%; $2.6 billion), enabling environment (7%; $0.9 billion) and other activities. The Global Fund investment by country was positively correlated with national adult HIV prevalence. About 10% ($0.4 billion) of the cumulative HIV resources for prevention targeted most‐at‐risk populations.

Conclusions

There has been a sustained scale up of the Global Fund's HIV support. Funding has targeted the countries and populations with higher HIV burden and lower income. Prevention in most‐at‐risk populations is not adequately prioritized in most of the recipient countries. The Global Fund Board has recently modified eligibility and prioritization criteria to better target most‐at‐risk populations in Round 10 and beyond. More guidance is being provided for Round 11 to strategically focus demand for Global Fund financing in the present resource‐constrained environment.
CHEK2 contribution to hereditary breast cancer in non-BRCAfamilies
Authors: Desrichard Alexis , Bidet Yannick , Uhrhammer Nancy , Bignon Yves-Jean
Published: November 2011

Background

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are responsible for only a part of hereditary breast cancer (HBC). The origins of "non-BRCA" HBC in families may be attributed in part to rare mutations in genes conferring moderate risk, such as CHEK2, which encodes for an upstream regulator of BRCA1. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between CHEK2 founder mutations and non-BRCA HBC. However, very few data on the entire coding sequence of this gene are available.

Methods

We investigated the contribution of CHEK2 mutations to non-BRCA HBC by direct sequencing of its whole coding sequence in 507 non-BRCA HBC cases and 513 controls.

Results

We observed 16 mutations in cases and 4 in controls, including 9 missense variants of uncertain consequence. Using both in silico tools and an in vitro kinase activity test, the majority of the variants were found likely to be deleterious for protein function. One variant present in both cases and controls was proposed to be neutral. Removing this variant from the pool of potentially deleterious variants gave a mutation frequency of 1.48% for cases and 0.29% for controls (P = 0.0040). The odds ratio of breast cancer in the presence of a deleterious CHEK2 mutation was 5.18.

Conclusions

Our work indicates that a variety of deleterious CHEK2 alleles make an appreciable contribution to breast cancer susceptibility, and their identification could help in the clinical management of patients carrying a CHEK2 mutation.
Targeting cholesterol-rich microdomains to circumvent tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer
Authors: Tiwary Richa , Yu Weiping , deGraffenried Linda A , Sanders Bob G , Kline Kimberly
Published: November 2011

Introduction

Adjuvant treatment with tamoxifen substantially improves survival of women with estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) tumors. Tamoxifen resistance (TAMR) limits clinical benefit. RRR-α-tocopherol ether-linked acetic acid analogue (α-TEA) is a small bioactive lipid with potent anticancer activity. We evaluated the ability of α-TEA in the presence of tamoxifen to circumvent TAMR in human breast cancer cell lines.

Methods

Two genotypically matched sets of TAM-sensitive (TAMS) and TAM-resistant (TAMR) human breast cancer cell lines were assessed for signal-transduction events with Western blotting, apoptosis induction with Annexin V-FITC/PI assays, and characterization of cholesterol-rich microdomains with fluorescence staining. Critical involvement of selected mediators was determined by using RNA interference and chemical inhibitors.

Results

Growth-factor receptors (total and phosphorylated forms of HER-1 and HER-2), their downstream prosurvival mediators pAkt, pmTOR, and pERK1/2, phosphorylated form of estrogen receptor-α (pER-α at Ser-167 and Ser-118, and cholesterol-rich lipid microdomains were highly amplified in TAMR cell lines and enhanced by treatment with TAM. α-TEA disrupted cholesterol-rich microdomains, acted cooperatively with TAM to reduce prosurvival mediators, and induced DR5-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis via an endoplasmic reticulum stress-triggered pro-death pJNK/CHOP/DR5 amplification loop. Furthermore, methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a chemical disruptor of cholesterol rich microdomains, acted cooperatively with TAM to reduce prosurvival mediators and to induce apoptosis.

Conclusions

Data for the first time document that targeting cholesterol-rich lipid microdomains is a potential strategy to circumvent TAMR, and the combination of α-TEA + TAM can circumvent TAMR by suppression of prosurvival signaling via disruption of cholesterol-rich lipid microdomains and activation of apoptotic pathways via induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Optimization of ventilator setting by flow and pressure waveforms analysis during noninvasive ventilation for acute exacerbations of COPD: a multicentric randomized controlled trial
Authors: Di Marco Fabiano , Centanni Stefano , Bellone Andrea , Messinesi Grazia , Pesci Alberto , Scala Raffaele , Perren Andreas , Nava Stefano
Published: November 2011

Introduction

The analysis of flow and pressure waveforms generated by ventilators can be useful in the optimization of patient-ventilator interactions, notably in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. To date, however, a real clinical benefit of this approach has not been proven.

Methods

The aim of the present randomized, multi-centric, controlled study was to compare optimized ventilation, driven by the analysis of flow and pressure waveforms, to standard ventilation (same physician, same initial ventilator setting, same time spent at the bedside while the ventilator screen was obscured with numerical data always available). The primary aim was the rate of pH normalization at two hours, while secondary aims were changes in PaCO2, respiratory rate and the patient's tolerance to ventilation (all parameters evaluated at baseline, 30, 120, 360 minutes and 24 hours after the beginning of ventilation). Seventy patients (35 for each group) with acute exacerbation of COPD were enrolled.

Results

Optimized ventilation led to a more rapid normalization of pH at two hours (51 vs. 26% of patients), to a significant improvement of the patient's tolerance to ventilation at two hours, and to a higher decrease of PaCO2 at two and six hours. Optimized ventilation induced physicians to use higher levels of external positive end-expiratory pressure, more sensitive inspiratory triggers and a faster speed of pressurization.

Conclusions

The analysis of the waveforms generated by ventilators has a significant positive effect on physiological and patient-centered outcomes during acute exacerbation of COPD. The acquisition of specific skills in this field should be encouraged.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01291303.
Ethyl glucuronide
Authors: Walsham Natalie E , Sherwood Roy A
Published: November 2011

Alcohol is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Subjects abusing alcohol can be identified through clinical history, examination or self-report questionnaires. A range of biomarkers is available for detecting alcohol misuse, but there is still a need for a marker that can detect alcohol consumption in the time window between one day (ethanol) and one week (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin). Ethyl glucuronide is a direct metabolite that can be detected in urine for up to 90 h and has the potential to become a useful marker of ‘binge’ drinking. As a non-invasive marker, it could have a role in a variety of clinical and forensic settings.
Immunological markers in neurological disorders
Authors: Karim A R , Jacob S
Published: November 2011

Neurological dysfunction results from vascular, inflammatory, degenerative, neoplastic, metabolic or genetic causes. Of particular interest is a group of neurological symptoms thought to be linked to an underlying tumour, the so-called paraneoplastic syndromes. It is considered to be due to an attempt by the immune system to subjugate the growth of the tumour by triggering an antibody response against the neuronal antigens expressed by the neoplasm. The unfortunate consequence of this is an assault by the immune components on the nervous tissue, thereby rapidly precipitating a variety of neurological deficits. Every level of the nervous system is potentially vulnerable, with the disability being considered as irreversible due to the lack of regenerative capacity of the neurons. This phenomenon is rare, occurring at an approximate frequency of less than 1% of all tumours and often accompanied by the presence of specific high-titre autoantibodies in both the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. This group of antibodies are non-pathogenic markers for paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, which have expanded to almost 20 since the discovery, in 1986, of the first clinically relevant syndrome. More recently, a new generation of antineuronal antibodies against cell surface antigens, having a direct pathogenic role in causing the disease, has emerged to complement the existing repertoire. Neuronal antibodies are useful diagnostic markers of the brain disease and also, in some cases, may reveal an underlying malignancy, thus facilitating faster diagnosis and earlier treatment with consequently better prognosis.
New faecal tests in gastroenterology
Authors: Ayling Ruth M
Published: November 2011

Most abdominal disorders present with a limited number of overlapping symptoms. Blood tests are not routinely available for use in diagnosis and so investigation tends to require complex imaging procedures or endoscopy and biopsy. These are invasive for the patient, may be associated with morbidity and mortality and have considerable resource implications. Biochemical tests on a single sample of faeces are therefore a valuable alternative. Measurement of faecal calprotectin has been shown to have a role in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and in its monitoring. Lactoferrin is also of benefit used in this way. Faecal elastase has been demonstrated to be of use in the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency. A number of faecal markers have been explored in colorectal cancer. Faecal occult blood testing is used for population screening, but the metabolomic marker tumour, M2-pyruvate kinase, has potential for use in both diagnosis and screening. DNA testing has advantages in colorectal cancer but the exact applications of such tests require further evaluation.
Evolution of CT pulmonary angiography: referral patterns and diagnostic yield in 2009 compared with 2006
Authors: David Sarojini , Beddy Peter , Babar Judith , Devaraj Anand
Published: November 2011

Background

CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is an increasingly popular imaging test for assessing patients with acute chest pain.

Purpose

To evaluate the number of CTPA performed in 2009 compared with 2006 and assess the frequency of pulmonary embolus (PE) versus alternative diagnoses.

Material and Methods

Numbers of CTPA and V/Q scans performed in a six-month period of 2006 and 2009 were established by review of the hospital radiology information system. CTPAs were evaluated by two radiologists in consensus and the incidence of pulmonary embolism and alternative diagnoses in 2006 and 2009 were recorded.

Results

The final study groups were 99 patients who underwent CTPA in 2006 and 149 patients in 2009. There was a significant fall in the incidence of PE identified on CTPA in 2009 compared to 2006 (11% versus 21%, P = 0.04). There was a non-significant rise in the incidence of alternative diagnoses in 2009 compared to 2006 (45% versus 40%, P = 0.48). Nine types of alternative radiological diagnoses were made on CTPA, the most common of which was pneumonia in both time periods (17% and 12%). Eighty-seven V/Q scans were performed in the study period in 2006, compared to 109 in 2009. The incidence of PE identified on V/Q scanning remained stable (8% in 2009 versus 12% in 2006, P = 0.44).

Conclusion

The numbers of CTPAs being performed has increased in three years. The incidence of PE identified has fallen and there has been a modest increase in the number of alternative diagnoses.
Iberian intertidal turf assemblages dominated byErythroglossum lusitanicum(Ceramiales, Rhodophyta): structure, temporal dynamics, and phenology
Authors: Tapia Pilar Díaz , Bárbara Ignacio , Barreiro Rodolfo
Published: November 2011

Erythroglossum lusitanicumis a foliose, turf-forming member of the Delesseriaceae that colonizes sand-covered intertidal rocks on the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula. We examined (i) the phenology of this alga and (ii) the structure and temporal dynamics of its associated flora at two sites over one year. Species diversity was low in the assemblage, which was dominated byE. lusitanicum.Assemblage structure was essentially constant through the year. There were, however, significant differences inE. lusitanicumcharacteristics between the two sites. At one,E. lusitanicumwas more abundant, thalli were longer and wider, and the proportion of plants with tetrasporangia was higher than at the second location. At the first site, the phenological traits tracked a temporal cycle. Thallus length and blade width were highest in April; after gradual deterioration of the apical portions of the plants, individual sizes reached minimum values in July. Subsequently, individual growth rate was low and plant length was nearly constant from September to February. Tetrasporangia were common throughout most of the year; only in July they were totally absent. Temperature and daylength were inversely related to reproduction. Sexual reproductive structures were not observed. The abundant growth of basal proliferations suggests that vegetative propagation very probably plays an important role in the maintenance ofE. lusitanicumpopulations.
Terrorism as war by other means: national security and state support for terrorism
Authors: Ekmekci Faruk
Published: November 2011

The conventional approach in the discipline of International Relations is to treat terrorist organizations as "non-state" actors of international relations. However, this approach is problematic due to the fact that most terrorist organizations are backed or exploited by some states. In this article, I take issue with the non-stateness of terrorist organizations and seek to answer the question of why so many states, at times, support terrorist organizations. I argue that in the face of rising threats to national security in an age of devastating wars, modern nation states tend to provide support to foreign terrorist organizations that work against their present and imminent enemies. I elaborate on my argument studying three cases of state support for terrorism: Iranian support for Hamas, Syrian support for the PKK, and American support for the MEK. The analyses suggest that, for many states, terror is nothing but war by other means.
(RETRACTED ARTICLE) Human Rights promotion in Serbia: a difficult task for the European Union
Authors: Cierco Teresa Maria
Published: November 2011

This article explores the role of the European Union in the human rights protection, implementation and promotion in Serbia. It is clear that the EU demands on democratisation in the region of Western Balkans are crucial to achieve the respect for human rights. The human rights standards as part of the conditionality criteria of the EU is a clear message towards the countries aspiring membership. However, Serbia progress in the field has been difficult due to several internal constraints. This paper aims to uncover the democratisation process of Serbia on its path towards the EU, and its progress (or not) regarding human rights protection and implementation.
Inactivation of rotavirus in water by copper pot
Authors: Preethi Sudha V. B. , Ojit Singh K. , Ramani Sasirekha , Paul Anu , Venkatasubramanian Padma
Published: November 2011

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of copper pots for inactivation of rotavirus present in water. Distilled water was inoculated with rotavirus (2.2 × 107 plaque-forming units (PFU)/mL) and stored overnight (16 hours) at room temperature in copper pots (test) and in glass bottles (controls). The viable count of infectious virus was tested using a plaque assay on MA 104 monkey kidney cell lines. No plaques were recovered from the water stored in copper pots. On the other hand, over 106PFU/mL of virus was recovered from water stored in controls. The copper leached into the water was at a concentration of 447.25 ± 4.78 ppb, which is well within the safety limits prescribed by the World Health Organization (2,000 ppb). The copper pot has the potential to be used as a point-of-use household water purification system, especially against waterborne pathogens such as rotavirus, which is the cause of 22% of diarrhoea hospitalizations in children less than 5 years of age in developing countries.
The Progressivity of Social Security
Authors: Coronado Julia Lynn , Fullerton Don , Glass Thomas
Published: November 2011

How much does the current social security system redistribute from rich to poor? We propose alternative concepts of well-being that can be used to classify individuals from rich to poor, and we show how social security redistributes differently under each concept. We use the PSID to estimate lifetime wage profiles and actual earnings each year for a sample of 1778 individuals, and we use mortality probabilities to calculate expected payroll taxes and social security benefits. For a given set of “facts” about the net flows experienced each year by each individual, measured progressivity depends on many assumptions. This paper attempts to capture and to quantify all of the data and characteristics relevant to determine each individual’s “income” under several definitions. We then use each definition of income to classify individuals from rich to poor and to calculate the progressivity of social security.

We proceed in seven steps. First, we classify individuals by annual income and use Gini coefficients to find that social security is highly progressive. Second, we reclassify individuals on the basis of lifetime income and find that social security is less progressive. Third, we remove the cap on measured earnings and find that social security is even less progressive. Fourth, we switch from actual to potential lifetime earnings (the present value of the wage rate times 4000 hours each year). This measure captures the value of leisure and home production, so those out of the labor force are less poor, and net payments to them are less progressive. Fifth, we assign to each married individual half of the couple’s income. The low-wage spouse is then not so poor, and social security becomes even less progressive. Sixth, we incorporate mortality probabilities that differ by potential lifetime income. Since the rich live longer and collect benefits longer, social security is no longer progressive. Finally, we increase the discount rate from 2% to 4%, which puts relatively more weight on the earlier-but-regressive payroll tax and less weight on the later-but-progressive benefit schedule.

Depending on the definition of income used to classify people, the overall social security system could be deemed progressive, only mildly progressive, or neutral. With an even-higher discount rate, it could even be deemed regressive.
What Are the Police Doing on Twitter? Social Media, the Police and the Public
Authors: Crump Jeremy
Published: November 2011

This article examines the growing interest since 2008 of UK police forces in the use of social media as a basis for engagement with the public. This interest is set in the context of a political agenda for increasing public trust and confidence in the police and enlistment of the public as jointly responsible for crime reduction. An ambitious national police agenda led by the Association of Chief Police Officers has promoted the use of social media to engage groups previously uninvolved in discussion of local policing, and has envisaged its use as a basis for deliberation about priorities. This article investigates how successful this endeavour has been, and how far a hierarchical organisation ‐ the police service ‐ has been able to exploit the networked characteristics of social media and the potential of user created content. The paper analyses the police use of one particular platform, Twitter, including the structure of networks and the content of the messages. The article concludes that the constraints of police culture have meant that Twitter has been used cautiously and as a reinforcement for existing means of communication. It puts forward key issues which need to be addressed if the more ambitious aims for social media are to be achieved.
Excess molar volumes of 1,3 propanediol + (C1-C5) alkan-1-ols: Application of cubic EOS
Authors: Almasi Mohammad , Khosravi Ladan
Published: November 2011

Densities of the binary mixtures consist of methanol, ethanol, 1- propanol,
1-butanol and 1-pentanol with 1,3 Propanediol were measured at temperatures
(293.15, 298.15, 303.15 and 313.15) K and atmospheric pressure. Measurements
have been made over the full range of compositions and for the pure compounds
by using a vibrating tube densimeter. Excess molar volumes have been obtained
from these experimental results and were fitted to a Redlich-Kister type
expansion. The results were interpreted in terms of molecular interactions
and structural factors of the alcohols. It was observed that an increase of
the alcohol carbon chain length led to lower interactions on mixing. The
Peng-Robinson-Stryjek-Vera (PRSV) equation of state has been used to
correlate the binary excess molar volumes.
Sensitivity to Change and Responsiveness of Four Balance Measures for Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Pardasaney Poonam K. , Latham Nancy K. , Jette Alan M. , Wagenaar Robert C. , Ni Pengsheng , Slavin Mary D. , Bean Jonathan F.
Published: November 2011

Background

Impaired balance has a significant negative impact on mobility, functional independence, and fall risk in older adults. Although several, well-respected balance measures are currently in use, there is limited evidence regarding the most appropriate measure to assess change in community-dwelling older adults.

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare floor and ceiling effects, sensitivity to change, and responsiveness across the following balance measures in community-dwelling elderly people with functional limitations: Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment total scale (POMA-T), POMA balance subscale (POMA-B), and Dynamic Gait Index (DGI).

Design

Retrospective data from a 16-week exercise trial were used. Secondary analyses were conducted on the total sample and by subgroups of baseline functional limitation or baseline balance scores.

Methods

Participants were 111 community-dwelling older adults 65 years of age or older, with functional limitations. Sensitivity to change was assessed using effect size, standardized response mean, and paired t tests. Responsiveness was assessed using minimally important difference (MID) estimates.

Results

No floor effects were noted. Ceiling effects were observed on all measures, including in people with moderate to severe functional limitations. The POMA-T, POMA-B, and DGI showed significantly larger ceiling effects compared with the BBS. All measures had low sensitivity to change in total sample analyses. Subgroup analyses revealed significantly better sensitivity to change in people with lower compared with higher baseline balance scores. Although both the total sample and lower baseline balance subgroups showed statistically significant improvement from baseline to 16 weeks on all measures, only the lower balance subgroup showed change scores that consistently exceeded corresponding MID estimates.

Limitations

This study was limited to comparing 4 measures of balance, and anchor-based methods for assessing MID could not be reported.

Conclusions

Important limitations, including ceiling effects and relatively low sensitivity to change and responsiveness, were noted across all balance measures, highlighting their limited utility across the full spectrum of the community-dwelling elderly population. New, more challenging measures are needed for better discrimination of balance ability in community-dwelling elderly people at higher functional levels.
What Is Academic Momentum? And Does It Matter?
Authors: Attewell Paul , Heil Scott , Reisel Liza
Published: November 2011

The academic momentum perspective suggests that the speed with which undergraduates initially progress in college significantly affects their likelihood of completing a degree, an effect separate from those of high school academic preparation and family socioeconomic status. Growth curve modeling of undergraduate transcript data reveals that the number of credits attempted in the first semester of college sets a trajectory that influences later chances of degree completion. Several techniques addressing selection bias indicate that delay between high school and starting college, and also attempting a low course load in the first semester (part-time attendance), are associated with lower degree completion, while attending summer school after freshman year is associated with significantly better graduation chances. In sum, the central claims of momentum theory are supported.