bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation of slitting method for calculation of compliance functions of laminated composites
Authors: Shokrieh Mahmood M , Akbari R Saeed
Published: August 2011

In this research, the process of slitting with an assumed residual stress distribution is simulated to calculate compliance functions of laminated composites. The primary aim of this article is to investigate different parameters influencing the calculation of compliance coefficients for laminated composites using a finite element model. First, using two- and three-dimensional finite element models, the process of slitting in isotropic materials for calculating the compliance coefficients is simulated. The results show a complete agreement between the two models. Also, the results of simulation show that in the modeling of slitting method for laminated composites, real slit width must be considered. That is because composite laminates are generally thin and slitting in these materials results in large slit width to thickness ratio. Finally, the developed simulation method is applied to calculate compliance coefficients for two carbon/epoxy- and glass/epoxy-laminated composites with quasi-isotropic and cross-ply lay-ups using a three-dimensional finite element modeling. For a better precision, a full three-dimensional model without symmetry assumption is considered. The presented method is capable of simulating slitting method in parts and specimens with complicated geometry as well as in orthotropic materials with any degree of orthotropy.
Assessing the effectiveness of a natural cellular material used as safety padding material in motorcycle helmets
Authors: de Sousa Ricardo Alves , Gonçalves Daniel , Coelho Rodrigo , Teixeira-Dias Filipe
Published: August 2011

The efficiency of cork as a material dedicated to energy absorption under impact loading is studied in the present work. The viability of the application of micro-agglomerate cork (MAC) padding on a motorcycle helmet, is studied using finite element simulations of impact tests, considering the specifications of the European Standard ECE-R.22/05.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a widely used material, with excellent results in energy-absorption applications. However, after a first impact, the capability of EPS for energy absorption is significantly decreased, due to the almost total absence of elastic springback. However, cork is a material characterized by having both a good energy-absorption capability and high elastic return, due to its viscoelastic behavior, meaning that its capacity to keep absorbing energy is almost unchanged after the first impact.

In this work, a three-dimensional numerical model of the helmet–head system is developed, including the outer shell, safety padding and the head, together with its interactions and constitutive models suitable for the analyzed materials. Results show that the developed models can adequately reproduce the behavior of EPS and MAC, in the context of a preliminary analysis.

The referred helmet–headform is then submitted to impacts at different points, as specified by the European Standard. The results from helmeted impacts with EPS padding are compared against experimental values. The application of MAC in the protective padding of the helmet is studied and the results, concerning the acceleration of the gravity center of the head, Head Injury Criterion (HIC) values and kinetic energy are presented. Results obtained with EPS and MAC are compared and discussed. Concerning cork, although the maximum acceleration values of the headform and the HIC values were not verified to be within the established limits of the regulatory standard, the results are promising, launching a sound basis for a more thorough work on the application of cork as a new material for advanced applications as an energy-absorption system.
Beyond Care Avoidance and Care Paralysis: Theorizing Public Mental Health Care
Authors: Schout Gert , de Jong Gideon , Zeelen Jacques
Published: August 2011

Care avoidance refers to the condition wherein clients do not seek assistance and do not attend appointments although they are in need of help. Care avoidance is linked to another phenomenon, the inability to help clients with multiple and complex problems by social services and care facilities, in this article identified as care paralysis. The aim of this article is to understand the production and reduction of care avoidance and care paralysis. Care avoidance and care paralysis not only coincide, they reinforce and recall each other. Trust and initiative — the opposite of avoidance and paralysis — are affirmed under conditions as an experienced proximity between the local population and care facilities and the committed involvement of professionals to a bounded territory. Trust and initiative also coincide, reinforce and recall each other. The existence of a safety net like Public Mental Health Care is closely linked to the absence of this vitality.
Sharing Surnames: Children, Family and Kinship
Authors: Davies Hayley
Published: August 2011

This article presents children’s perspectives on contemporary (sur)naming practices. It critically examines naming as a family practice and as a way of ‘displaying’ family and kinship. Drawing on a study of children’s constructions of family and close relationships, it explores whether and how children consider surname as a way of feeling and being visibly connected to others. It suggests that sociological understanding of naming and its significance for kinship would be illuminated by theorizing surnames as an example of fixed and/or negotiated and creative affinities, and as manifestations of experiential and imagined kinship. Showing surname to be personally meaningful to children, I illuminate how children appeal to and reshape assumptions about the family, exposing their engagement with and reinvention of the cultural family imaginary. The article documents shifting forms of contemporary family and kinship relations from the perspectives of children.
Feeling Threatened About the Future
Authors: Outten H. Robert , Schmitt Michael T. , Miller Daniel A. , Garcia Amber L.
Published: August 2011

In many Western countries, the proportion of the population that is White will drop below 50% within the next century. Two experiments examined how anticipation of these future ethnic demographics affects current intergroup processes. In Study 1, White Americans who viewed actual demographic projections for a time when Whites are no longer a numerical majority felt more angry toward and fearful of ethnic minorities than Whites who did not view future projections. Whites who viewed the future projections also felt more sympathy for their ingroup than Whites in the control condition. In Study 2, the authors replicated the effects for intergroup emotions with a sample of White Canadians. White Canadians who thought about a future in which Whites were a numerical minority appraised the ingroup as more threatened, which mediated the effect of condition on intergroup emotions. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for race relations in increasingly diverse societies.
A comparative assessment of answer quality on four question answering sites
Authors: Fichman Pnina
Published: August 2011

Question answering (Q&A) sites, where communities of volunteers answer questions, may provide faster, cheaper, and better services than traditional institutions. However, like other Web 2.0 platforms, user-created content raises concerns about information quality. At the same time, Q&A sites may provide answers of different quality because they have different communities and technological platforms. This paper compares answer quality on four Q&A sites: Askville, WikiAnswers, Wikipedia Reference Desk, and Yahoo! Answers. Findings indicate that: (1) similar collaborative processes on these sites result in a wide range of outcomes, and significant differences in answer accuracy, completeness, and verifiability were evident; (2) answer multiplication does not always result in better information; it yields more complete and verifiable answers but does not result in higher accuracy levels; and (3) a Q&A site’s popularity does not correlate with its answer quality, on all three measures.
Designing and conducting randomized controlled trials in palliative care: A summary of discussions from the 2010 clinical research forum of the Australian Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative
Authors: Shelby-James Tania M , Hardy Janet , Agar Meera , Yates Patsy , Mitchell Geoff , Sanderson Christine , Luckett Tim , Abernethy Amy P , Currow David C
Published: August 2011

Rigorous clinical research in palliative care is challenging but achievable. Trial participants are likely to have deteriorating performance status, co-morbidities and progressive disease. It is difficult to recruit patients, and attrition unrelated to the intervention being trialled is high. The aim of this paper is to highlight practical considerations from a forum held to discuss these issues by active palliative care clinical researchers.

To date, the Australian Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative (PaCCSC) has randomized more than 500 participants across 12 sites in 8 Phase III studies. Insights from the 2010 clinical research forum of the PaCCSC are reported. All active Australian researchers in palliative care were invited to present their current research and address three specific questions: (1) What has worked well? (2) What didn’t work well? and (3) How should the research be done differently next time?

Fourteen studies were presented, including six double-blind, randomized, controlled, multi-site trials run by the PaCCSC. Key recommendations are reported, including guidance on design; methodologies; and strategies for maximizing recruitment and retention. These recommendations will help to inform future trial design and conduct in palliative care.
The Architecture of Domination: Reflections on Conducting the Symposium Large Group in Dublin
Authors: von Sommaruga Howard Teresa
Published: August 2011

Reflections on the Large Group at the 14th Group-Analytic Symposium in Dublin: Despair, Dialogue and Desire: The Transformative Power of the Analytic Group in the Movement from Despair to Desire through Dialogue.

567 people from 39 countries came to Dublin. As the largest and probably the most diverse group ever to participate in a group-analytic symposium, the large group inevitably forced a shift in consciousness. Not only was the group challenged to accommodate an expanded picture of the group-analytic society and of the world society we live in, but it was also faced with a new variation in the form of the conducting team. Three people working together replaced the usual single conductor or pair. Göran Ahlin from Stockholm, who was initially invited to take on this role, decided to follow his long-held vision of conducting a large group with a small group by asking David O’Brien from Dublin and me to join him.

Despite the unprecedented number of people, we met on a flat floor sitting in 10 concentric circles, arranged like a gigantic wheel. This configuration, although presenting the whole community with extreme difficulties in hearing and seeing each other, also presented us with a rare opportunity: to make sense of the hidden forces that reinforce the political, social, environmental and economic status quo at a moment when the world is on the edge of a profound shift reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution.

This article is offered as a reflection to inform our experiences in future symposia. It is written from my perspective as one of the three conductors and as a woman. Working as a threesome was intensely rewarding. We spent many hours together before, during and after the symposium preparing for and metabolizing the material. Our explicit group-analytic intention was to refrain from leading but to encourage leadership from within the group. Keeping to this stance was challenging in an environment where it was difficult to discover who was responsible for conducting. This situation, in all its frustration, exposed a logic that demonstrated the importance of encouraging a joint thinking space that is rare in the face of chaos. Working together enabled each of us to overcome feelings of demoralization and powerlessness to survive the experience and to keep thinking creatively.
The dynamic performance analysis of the reciprocating continuous wave generator based on the fluid–structure interaction
Authors: Fang J , Jia P , Liu W
Published: August 2011

Using computational fluid dynamics method, dynamic mesh technology, and the dynamic equation of the moving elements, the performance of the reciprocating continuous wave generator is simulated. The influence of the non-Newtonian property of the drilling fluid on the pressure signal is analysed, and the results show that the influence of the non-Newtonian property on the pressure loss at the orifice is small due to the high Reynolds number. The influence of the motion pattern and the exciting frequency of the pilot valve on the dynamic performance of the generator is also analysed, and the results show that: the signal generated from the sinusoidal motion pattern of the pilot valve changes mildly, which is beneficial to the continuous wave generation; during the main poppet opening, the relief valve is at the position of minimum lift, which results in the slowly decreasing pressure, and the rate of signal generation is decreased.
Multi-objective design of complex aircraft structures using evolutionary algorithms
Authors: Seeger J , Wolf K
Published: August 2011

In this article, a design methodology for complex composite aircraft structures is presented. The developed approach combines a multi-objective optimization method and a parameterized simulation model using a design concept database. Due to the combination of discrete and continuous design variables describing the structures, evolutionary algorithms are used within the presented optimization approach. The approach requires an evaluation of the design alternatives that is performed by parameterized simulation models. The variability of these models is achieved using a design concept database that contains different layouts for each implemented structural part. Due to the complexity of the generated aircraft structures, the finite element method is applied for the calculation of the structural behaviour. The applicability of the developed design approach will be demonstrated by optimizing two composite aircraft fuselage examples. The obtained results show that the developed methodology is useful and reliable for designing complex aircraft structures.
Superior vena cava syndrome – changing etiology in the third millennium
Authors: Herscovici R , Szyper-Kravitz M , Altman A , Eshet Y , Nevo M , Agmon-Levin N , Shoenfeld Y
Published: August 2011

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS), is diagnosed following different degrees of central venous system obstruction, which traditionally was caused by infections, tumors or fibrosing mediastinitis. Recently the role of SVC thrombosis secondary to indwelling central venous devices or pacemaker leads as well as different hypercoagulable states have drawn much attention. In the current review we present a 58-year-old female patient who underwent recurrent pacemaker replacements due to recurrent infections. The patient was hospitalized with superior vena cava syndrome and multiple thrombi in the upper body circulation. Additionally the evaluation was conducted for thrombophilia, which revealed the presence of high titers of antiphospholipid antibodies, suggesting the concurrent diagnosis of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). This case reflects the changes in the etiology of SVCS, and the need for a comprehensive evaluation of patients, in the search for additional factors that may complicate a pacemaker insertion, such as the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. We review the relevant literature and highlight the importance for an interdisciplinary approach in the treatment of SVCS nowadays.
Transformational Leadership
Authors: Mulla Zubin R. , Krishnan Venkat R.
Published: August 2011

In a study of 205 leader–follower pairs, we investigated the impact of the leader’s values and empathy on followers’ perception of transformational leadership and the effect of transformational leadership on followers’ values and empathy. The moderating effect of leader–follower relationship duration on the effect of transformational leadership on followers’ values and empathy was also investigated. We found that the leader’s values were related to transformational leadership and transformational leadership was related to followers’ values. Over time, the relationship between transformational leadership and followers’ empathy and values became stronger.
Cultural Safety as an Ethic of Care
Authors: McEldowney Rose , Connor Margaret J.
Published: August 2011

New writings broadening the construct of cultural safety, a construct initiated in Aotearoa New Zealand, are beginning to appear in the literature. Therefore, it is considered timely to integrate these writings and advance the construct into a new theoretical model. The new model reconfigures the constructs of cultural safety and cultural competence as an ethic of care informed by a postmodern perspective. Central to the new model are three interwoven, co-occurring components: an ethic of care, which unfolds within a praxiological process shaped by the context. Context is expanded through identifying the three concepts of relationality, generic competence, and collectivity, which are integral to each client–nurse encounter. The competence associated with cultural safety as an ethic of care is always in the process of development. Clients and nurses engage in a dialogue to establish the level of cultural safety achieved at given points in a care trajectory.
Social Justice
Authors: Clingerman Evelyn
Published: August 2011

Nurse scholars with expertise in global health and culturally competent care recently proposed standards of practice for culturally competent nursing care that are founded on social justice as a broad framework. The purpose of this article is to respond to invited dialogue about the standards and to offer commentary on social justice and its relationship with context, advocacy, leadership, and culturally competent care. A model of culturally competent care for vulnerable groups informs this discussion. The context and culture that surround migrant and seasonal farmworkers illustrate how social justice illuminates their health inequities and necessitates their need for culturally competent care. The article concludes with recommendations for culturally competent education, practice, and research and offers suggestions for developing culturally competent interventions for migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
Asian Student Depression in American High Schools
Authors: Song Suzan J. , Ziegler Robert , Arsenault Lisa , Fried Lise E. , Hacker Karen
Published: August 2011

There are inconsistent findings about depression in Asians. This study examined risk factors for depression in Asian and Caucasian adolescents. Stratified bivariate secondary analyses of risk indicators and depressed mood were performed in this cross-sectional study of high school survey data (9th to 12th grades) from 2,542 students (198 Asian). Asians had a higher prevalence of depressed symptoms, but similar risk factors as Caucasians. Smoking and injury at work were major risk factors for depressed mood among Asians. Asian-specific risk factors for depression were being foreign-born and having a work-related injury. Asian and Caucasian teens have similar risk factors for depressed mood, though being foreign born and having a work-related injury are risk factors specific to Asian youth, possibly related to social–economic status. Providers of care in school, such as school nurses, can be important primary screeners of depression for Asian students in particular.
Delineating a Spectrum of Research-Based Theatre
Authors: Beck Jaime L. , Belliveau George , Lea Graham W. , Wager Amanda
Published: August 2011

This article builds on existing definitions and classification systems of research-based theatre to offer a way to define subgenres within the field. In order to identify similarities and particularities of theatrical performances based on research, the authors first consider definitions from practitioners working within the academy and those creating theatre for the general public. After reviewing these existing traditions and definitions, the authors delineate a spectrum of research-based theatre. This spectrum is based on two defining continua: the research continuum, which distinguishes among many types of research used to inform research-based theatre, and the performance continuum, which distinguishes among different kinds of performances, audiences, and purposes of a given research-based theatre piece. The spectrum of research-based theatre formed by combining these continua may assist practitioners in determining and honoring the goals and outcomes of their own work, while not making unnecessary comparisons with those working toward different goals and outcomes.
Qualitative comparison of blackcurrant and blackcurrant—whey beverages
Authors: Jaworska G. , Sady M. , Grega T. , Bernaś E. , Pogoń K.
Published: August 2011

This study provides a qualitative comparison of blackcurrant and blackcurrant—whey beverages over a 12-month storage period. The amount of extract in the beverages was established as 12%, of which 25% was blackcurrant concentrate. Acid whey was used for the production of blackcurrant—whey beverages. In comparison to blackcurrant—whey beverages, blackcurrant beverages contained significantly more glucose, fructose, sucrose, polyphenols and vitamins C and B1. They also had a higher level of antioxidant activity against ABTS•+ and DPPH, with the difference ranging from 2% to 46%. On the other hand, blackcurrant—whey beverages contained more ash, proteins and vitamin B2 and the presence of lactose was detected. They were also characterized by higher color parameter values evaluated according to the CIE system. A general sensory evaluation awarded blackcurrant beverages with 0.5—1.3 more points than blackcurrant—whey beverages. A descriptive flavor analysis found that blackcurrant taste dominated in both types of beverages; however, in blackcurrant—whey beverages, the taste and smell of whey were also discernible. Changes in the quality of the beverages were observed during the storage period, notably a decrease in their antioxidant properties.
Substantial adverse association of visual and vascular comorbidities on visual disability in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Marrie Ruth Ann , Cutter Gary , Tyry Tuula
Published: August 2011

Background: Visual comorbidities are common in multiple sclerosis (MS) but the impact of visual comorbidities on visual disability is unknown.

Objective: We assessed the impact of visual and vascular comorbidities on severity of visual disability in MS.

Methods: In 2006, we queried participants of the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) about cataracts, glaucoma, uveitis, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease, diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. We assessed visual disability using the Vision subscale of Performance Scales. Using Cox regression, we investigated whether visual or vascular comorbidities affected the time between MS symptom onset and the development of mild, moderate and severe visual disability.

Results: Of 8983 respondents, 1415 (15.9%) reported a visual comorbidity while 4745 (52.8%) reported a vascular comorbidity. The median (interquartile range) visual score was 1 (0–2). In a multivariable Cox model the risk of mild visual disability was higher among participants with vascular (hazard ratio [HR] 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–1.51) and visual comorbidities (HR 1.47; 95% CI: 1.37–1.59). Vascular and visual comorbidities were similarly associated with increased risks of moderate and severe visual disability.

Conclusions: Visual and vascular comorbidities are associated with progression of visual disability in MS. Clinicians hearing reports of worsening visual symptoms in MS patients should consider visual comorbidities as contributing factors. Further study of these issues using objective, systematic neuro-ophthalmologic evaluations is warranted.
Residential segregation, health behavior and overweight/obesity among a national sample of African American adults
Authors: Corral Irma , Landrine Hope , Hao Yongping , Zhao Luhua , Mellerson Jenelle L. , Cooper Dexter L.
Published: August 2011

We examined the role of residential segregation in 5+ daily fruit/vegetable consumption, exercise, and overweight/obesity among African Americans by linking data on the 11,142 African American adults in the 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to 2000 census data on the segregation of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Multi-level modeling revealed that after controlling for individual-level variables, MSA Segregation and Poverty contributed to fruit/vegetable consumption, MSA Poverty alone contributed to exercise, and MSA Segregation alone contributed to overweight/obesity. These findings highlight the need for research on the built-environments of the segregated neighborhoods in which most African Americans reside, and suggest that neighborhood disparities may contribute to health disparities.
Interventional radiology in renal trauma
Authors: Willis Andrew P
Published: August 2011

Injury to the kidney is relatively common in significant abdominal trauma with the majority of injuries being secondary to a blunt rather than penetrating mechanism. Iatrogenic injury is an important additional cause of renal vascular damage. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) is the reference imaging modality in patients with suspected blunt, penetrating or iatrogenic injury. It allows rapid acquisition of images that accurately identify and stage injury to the kidneys and other major organs. This review addresses clinical indications for imaging, injury classification and the subsequent management of renal trauma, focusing on the important role of the interventional radiology team, particularly in stopping life-threatening haemorrhage by transcatheter embolisation techniques.
Absence, Excess and Epistemological Expansion: Towards a Framework for the Study of Animated Documentary
Authors: Roe Annabelle Honess
Published: August 2011

This article gives an overview of the history of animated documentary, both in regard to the form itself and how it has been studied. It then goes on to present a new way of thinking about animated documentary, in terms of the way the animation functions in the texts by asking what the animation does that the live-action alternative could not. Three functions are suggested: mimetic substitution, non-mimetic substitution and evocation. The author suggests that, by thinking about animated documentary in this way, we can see how animation has broadened and deepened documentary’s epistemological project by opening it up to subject matters that previously eluded live-action film.
Comparative effectiveness of asthma interventions within a practice based research network
Authors: Tapp Hazel , Hebert Lisa , Dulin Michael
Published: August 2011

Background

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects more than 23 million people in the United States, including 7 million children. Asthma is a difficult to manage chronic condition associated with disparities in health outcomes, poor medical compliance, and high healthcare costs. The research network coordinating this project includes hospitals, urgent care centers, and outpatient clinics within Carolinas Healthcare System that share a common electronic medical record and billing system allowing for rapid collection of clinical and demographic data. This study investigates the impact of three interventions on clinical outcomes for patients with asthma. Interventions are: an integrated approach to care that incorporates asthma management based on the chronic care model; a shared decision making intervention for asthma patients in underserved or disadvantaged populations; and a school based care approach that examines the efficacy of school-based programs to impact asthma outcomes including effectiveness of linkages between schools and the healthcare providers.

Methods/Design

This study will include 95 Practices, 171 schools, and over 30,000 asthmatic patients. Five groups (A-E) will be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of three interventions. Group A is the usual care control group without electronic medical record (EMR). Group B practices are a second control group that has an EMR with decision support, asthma action plans, and population reports at baseline. A time delay design during year one converts practices in Group B to group C after receiving the integrated approach to care intervention. Four practices within Group C will receive the shared decision making intervention (and become group D). Group E will receive a school based care intervention through case management within the schools. A centralized database will be created with the goal of facilitating comparative effectiveness research on asthma outcomes specifically for this study. Patient and community level analysis will include results from patient surveys, focus groups, and asthma patient density mapping. Community variables such as income and housing density will be mapped for comparison. Outcomes to be measured are reduced hospitalizations and emergency department visits; improved adherence to medication; improved quality of life; reduced school absenteeism; improved self-efficacy and improved school performance.

Discussion

Identifying new mechanisms that improve the delivery of asthma care is an important step towards advancing patient outcomes, avoiding preventable Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations, while simultaneously reducing overall healthcare costs.
Peripheral anti-inflammatory effects explain the ginsenosides paradox between poor brain distribution and anti-depression efficacy
Authors: Kang An , Hao Haiping , Zheng Xiao , Liang Yan , Xie Yuan , Xie Tong , Dai Chen , Zhao Qijin , Wu Xiaolan , Xie Lin , Wang Guangji
Published: August 2011

Background

The effectiveness of ginseng in preventing and treating various central nervous system (CNS) diseases has been widely confirmed. However, ginsenosides, the principal components of ginseng, are characterized by poor accessibility to the brain, and this pharmacokinetic-pharmacological paradox remains poorly explained. Anti-inflammatory approaches are becoming promising therapeutic strategies for depression and other CNS diseases; however, previous studies have focused largely on anti-inflammatory therapies directed at the central nervous system. It is thus of interest to determine whether ginsenosides, characterized by poor brain distribution, are also effective in treating lipopolysaccharide- (LPS) induced depression-like behavior and neuroinflammation.

Methods

In an LPS-induced depression-like behavior model, the antidepressant effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) were assessed using a forced swimming test, a tail suspension test, and a sucrose preference test. The anti-inflammatory efficacies of GTS in brain, plasma, and LPS-challenged RAW264.7 cells were validated using ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR. Moreover, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity in the periphery and brain were also determined by measuring levels of kynurenine/tryptophan.

Results

GTS significantly attenuated LPS-induced depression-like behavior. Moreover, LPS-induced increases in 5-HT and tryptophane turnover in the brain were significantly reduced by GTS. IDO activities in brain and periphery were also suppressed after pretreatment with GTS. Furthermore, GTS-associated recovery from LPS-induced depression-like behavior was paralleled with reduced mRNA levels for IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IDO in hippocampus. Poor brain distribution of ginsenosides was confirmed in LPS-challenged mice. GTS treatment significantly decreased production of various proinflammatory cytokines in both LPS-challenged mice and RAW264.7 cells.

Conclusion

This study suggests that the anti-depression efficacy of GTS may be largely attributable to its peripheral anti-inflammatory activity. Our study also strengthens an important notion that peripheral anti-inflammation strategies may be useful in the therapy of inflammation-related depression and possibly other CNS diseases.
Decidual soluble factors participate in the control of HIV-1 infection at the maternofetal interface
Authors: Marlin Romain , Nugeyre Marie-Thérèse , Duriez Marion , Cannou Claude , Le Breton Anne , Berkane Nadia , Barré-Sinoussi Françoise , Menu Elisabeth
Published: August 2011

Background

Maternofetal transmission (MFT) of HIV-1 is relatively rare during the first trimester of pregnancy despite the permissivity of placental cells for cell-to-cell HIV-1 infection. Invasive placental cells interact directly with decidual cells of the uterine mucosa during the first months of pregnancy, but the role of the decidua in the control of HIV-1 transmission is unknown.

Results

We found that decidual mononuclear cells naturally produce low levels of IL-10, IL-12, IL-15, TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-γ and CXCL-12 (SDF-1), and large amounts of CCL-2 (MCP1), CCL-3 (MIP-1α), CCL-4 (MIP-1β), CCL-5 (Rantes), CXCL-10 (IP-10), IL-6 and IL-8. CCL-3 and CCL-4 levels were significantly upregulated by in vitro infection with R5 HIV-1 but not X4. Decidual CD14+ antigen presenting cells were the main CCL-3 and CCL-4 producers among decidual leukocytes. R5 and X4 HIV-1 infection was inhibited by decidual cell culture supernatants in vitro. Using HIV-1 pseudotypes, we found that inhibition of the HIV-1 entry step was inhibited by decidual soluble factors.

Conclusion

Our findings show that decidual innate immunity (soluble factors) is involved in the control of HIV-1 infection at the maternofetal interface. The decidua could thus serve as a mucosal model for identifying correlates of protection against HIV-1 infection.
Government use licenses in Thailand: an assessment of the health and economic impacts
Authors: Yamabhai Inthira , Mohara Adun , Tantivess Sripen , Chaisiri Kakanang , Teerawattananon Yot
Published: August 2011

Background

Between 2006 and 2008, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) granted government use licenses for seven patented drugs in order to improve access to these essential treatments. The decision to grant the government use licenses was contentious both within and beyond the country. In particular, concerns were highlighted that the negative consequences might outweigh the expected benefits of the policy. This study conducted assessments of the health and economic implications of these government use licenses.

Methods

The health and health-related economic impacts were quantified in terms of i) Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) gained and ii) increased productivity in US dollars (USD) as a result of the increased access to drugs. The study adopted a five-year timeframe for the assessment, commencing from the time of the grant of the government use licenses. Empirical evidence gathered from national databases was used to assess the changes in volume of exports after US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) withdrawal and level of foreign direct investment (FDI).

Results

As a result of the granting of the government use licenses, an additional 84,158 patients were estimated to have received access to the seven drugs over five years. Health gains from the use of the seven drugs compared to their best alternative accounted for 12,493 QALYs gained, which translates into quantifiable incremental benefits to society of USD132.4 million. The government use license on efavirenze was found to have the greatest benefit. In respect of the country's economy, the study found that Thailand's overall exports increased overtime, although exports of the three US GSP withdrawal products to the US did decline. There was also found to be no relationship between the government use licenses and the level of foreign investment over the period 2002 to 2008.

Conclusions

The public health benefits of the government use licenses were generally positive. Specifically, the policy helped to increase access to patented drugs, while the impact of the US GSP withdrawal did not adversely affect the overall export status. Because the levels of benefit gained from the government use licenses varied widely between the seven drugs, depending on several factors, this study makes recommendations for the future implementation of the policy in order to maximise benefits.
Comparison of genomic and proteomic data in recurrent airway obstruction affected horses using ingenuity pathway analysis®
Authors: Racine Julien , Gerber Vinzenz , Miskovic Feutz Marybeth , Riley C Paige , Adamec Jiri , Swinburne June E , Couetil Laurent L
Published: August 2011

Background

Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a severe chronic respiratory disease affecting horses worldwide, though mostly in the Northern hemisphere. Environmental as well as genetic factors strongly influence the course and prognosis of the disease. Research has been focused on characterization of immunologic factors contributing to inflammatory responses, on genetic linkage analysis, and, more recently, on proteomic analysis of airway secretions from affected horses. The goal of this study was to investigate the interactions between eight candidate genes previously identified in a genetic linkage study and proteins expressed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from healthy and RAO-affected horses. The analysis was carried out with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis® bioinformatics software.

Results

The gene with the greatest number of indirect interactions with the set of proteins identified is Interleukin 4 Receptor (IL-4R), whose protein has also been detected in BALF. Interleukin 21 receptor and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 24 also showed a large number of interactions with the group of detected proteins. Protein products of other genes like that of SOCS5, revealed direct interactions with the IL-4R protein. The interacting proteins NOD2, RPS6KA5 and FOXP3 found in several pathways are reported regulators of the NFκB pathway.

Conclusions

The pathways generated with IL-4R highlight possible important intracellular signaling cascades implicating, for instance, NFκB. Furthermore, the proposed interaction between SOCS5 and IL-4R could explain how different genes can lead to identical clinical RAO phenotypes, as observed in two Swiss Warmblood half sibling families because these proteins interact upstream of an important cascade where they may act as a functional unit.
Global organization of protein complexome in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Lee Sang Hoon , Kim Pan-Jun , Jeong Hawoong
Published: August 2011

Background

Proteins in organisms, rather than act alone, usually form protein complexes to perform cellular functions. We analyze the topological network structure of protein complexes and their component proteins in the budding yeast in terms of the bipartite network and its projections, where the complexes and proteins are its two distinct components. Compared to conventional protein-protein interaction networks, the networks from the protein complexes show more homogeneous structures than those of the binary protein interactions, implying the formation of complexes that cause a relatively more uniform number of interaction partners. In addition, we suggest a new optimization method to determine the abundance and function of protein complexes, based on the information of their global organization. Estimating abundance and biological functions is of great importance for many researches, by providing a quantitative description of cell behaviors, instead of just a "catalogues" of the lists of protein interactions.

Results

With our new optimization method, we present genome-wide assignments of abundance and biological functions for complexes, as well as previously unknown abundance and functions of proteins, which can provide significant information for further investigations in proteomics. It is strongly supported by a number of biologically relevant examples, such as the relationship between the cytoskeleton proteins and signal transduction and the metabolic enzyme Eno2's involvement in the cell division process.

Conclusions

We believe that our methods and findings are applicable not only to the specific area of proteomics, but also to much broader areas of systems biology with the concept of optimization principle.
Lobar pneumonia caused by Ralstonia pickettii in a sixty-five-year-old Han Chinese man: a case report
Authors: Pan Wensen , Zhao Zhiming , Dong Mei
Published: August 2011

Introduction

Ralstonia pickettii is a gram-negative, oxidase-positive bacillus and is an emerging pathogen found in infections described in hospital settings. The cases reported in the literature mostly are nosocomial infections due to contaminated blood products, sterile water, saline, treatment fluids and venous catheters. Human infection unrelated to contaminated solutions is rare. We report a case of lobar pneumonia and pulmonary abscess caused by Ralstonia pickettii in an older patient.

Case presentation

A sixty-five-year old Han Chinese man presented having had cough, expectoration, chest pain and fever lasting for twenty days. His medical history was notable for hypertension over the previous ten years, and the habit of smoking for forty years. A thoracic computed tomography scan supported the diagnosis of right-sided lobar pneumonia. A lung biopsy was done and pathological analysis confirmed lobar pneumonia. Two lung biopsy specimens from separate sites grew Ralstonia pickettii. After six days, a repeat thoracic scan revealed a right-sided abscess. A thoracentesis was performed and the purulent fluid grew Ralstonia pickettii. The chest tube remained inserted to rinse the cavity with sterile sodium chloride. He received an antibiotic course of intravenous cefoperazone sodium-sulbactam sodium for eighteen days and imipenem-cilastatin for twelve days. A repeat chest X-ray revealed resolution of the pulmonary abscess and improvement of pneumonia. He remained afebrile and free of respiratory symptoms after treatments.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates a Ralstonia pickettii infection in the absence of an obvious nosocomial source. It is possible that such cases will become common in the future. Therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate its sensitivity to common antibiotics.
HIF-1α effects on angiogenic potential in human small cell lung carcinoma
Authors: Wan Jun , Chai Huiping , Yu Zaicheng , Ge Wei , Kang Ningning , Xia Wanli , Che Yun
Published: August 2011

Background

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) maybe an important regulatory factor for angiogenesis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Our study aimed to investigate the effect of HIF-1α on angiogenic potential of SCLC including two points: One is the effect of HIF-1α on the angiogenesis of SCLC in vivo. The other is the regulation of angiogenic genes by HIF-1α in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

In vivo we used an alternative method to study the effect of HIF-1a on angiogenic potential of SCLC by buliding NCI-H446 cell transplantation tumor on the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) surface. In vitro we used microarray to screen out the angiogenic genes regulated by HIF-1a and tested their expression level in CAM transplantation tumor by RT-PCR and Western-blot analysis.

Results

In vivo angiogenic response surrounding the SCLC transplantation tumors in chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was promoted after exogenous HIF-1α transduction (p < 0.05). In vitro the changes of angiogenic genes expression induced by HIF-1α in NCI-H446 cells were analyzed by cDNA microarray experiments. HIF-1α upregulated the expression of angiogenic genes VEGF-A, TNFAIP6, PDGFC, FN1, MMP28, MMP14 to 6.76-, 6.69-, 2.26-, 2.31-, 4.39-, 2.97- fold respectively and glycolytic genes GLUT1, GLUT2 to2.98-, 3.74- fold respectively. In addition, the expression of these angiogenic factors were also upregulated by HIF-1α in the transplantion tumors in CAM as RT-PCR and Western-blot analysis indicated.

Conclusions

These results indicated that HIF-1α may enhance the angiogenic potential of SCLC by regulating some angiogenic genes such as VEGF-A, MMP28 etc. Therefore, HIF-1α may be a potential target for the gene targeted therapy of SCLC.
Bendamustine Combined With Rituximab in Patients With Relapsed and/or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Multicenter Phase II Trial of the German Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Study Group
Authors: Fischer Kirsten , Cramer Paula , Busch Raymonde , Stilgenbauer Stephan , Bahlo Jasmin , Schweighofer Carmen D. , Böttcher Sebastian , Staib Peter , Kiehl Michael , Eckart Michael J. , Kranz Gabriele , Goede Valentin , Elter Thomas , Bühler Andreas , Winkler Dirk , Kneba Michael , Döhner Hartmut , Eichhorst Barbara F. , Hallek Michael , Wendtner Clemens-Martin
Published: August 2011

Purpose

The objective of this trial was to evaluate safety and efficacy of bendamustine combined with rituximab (BR) in patients with relapsed and/or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Patients and Methods

Seventy-eight patients, including 22 patients with fludarabine-refractory disease (28.2%) and 14 patients (17.9%) with deletion of 17p, received BR chemoimmunotherapy. Bendamustine was administered at a dose of 70 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2 combined with rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 0 of the first course and 500 mg/m2 on day 1 during subsequent courses for up to six courses.

Results

On the basis of intent-to-treat analysis, the overall response rate was 59.0% (95% CI, 47.3% to 70.0%). Complete response, partial response, and nodular partial response were achieved in 9.0%, 47.4%, and 2.6% of patients, respectively. Overall response rate was 45.5% in fludarabine-refractory patients and 60.5% in fludarabine-sensitive patients. Among genetic subgroups, 92.3% of patients with del(11q), 100% with trisomy 12, 7.1% with del(17p), and 58.7% with unmutated IGHV status responded to treatment. After a median follow-up time of 24 months, the median event-free survival was 14.7 months. Severe infections occurred in 12.8% of patients. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia were documented in 23.1%, 28.2%, and 16.6% of patients, respectively.

Conclusion

Chemoimmunotherapy with BR is effective and safe in patients with relapsed CLL and has notable activity in fludarabine-refractory disease. Major but tolerable toxicities were myelosuppression and infections. These promising results encouraged us to initiate a further phase II trial evaluating the BR regimen in patients with previously untreated CLL.
House Prices, Home Equity–Based Borrowing, and the US Household Leverage Crisis
Authors: Mian Atif , Sufi Amir
Published: August 2011

Borrowing against the increase in home equity by existing homeowners was responsible for a significant fraction of the rise in US household leverage from 2002 to 2006 and the increase in defaults from 2006 to 2008. Instrumental variables estimation shows that homeowners extracted 25 cents for every dollar increase in home equity. Home equity–based borrowing was stronger for younger households and households with low credit scores. The evidence suggests that borrowed funds were used for real outlays. Home equity–based borrowing added $1.25 trillion in household debt from 2002 to 2008, and accounts for at least 39 percent of new defaults from 2006 to 2008. JEL: D14, R31
The Area and Population of Cities: New Insights from a Different Perspective on Cities
Authors: Rozenfeld Hernán D , Rybski Diego , Gabaix Xavier , Makse Hernán A
Published: August 2011

The distribution of city populations has attracted much attention, in part because it constrains models of local growth. However, there is no consensus on the distribution below the very upper tail, because available data need to rely on “legal” rather than “economic” definitions for medium and small cities. To remedy this difficulty, we construct cities “from the bottom up” by clustering populated areas obtained from high-resolution data. We find that Zipf 's law for population holds for cities as small as 5,000 inhabitants in Great Britain and 12,000 inhabitants in the US. We also find a Zipf 's law for areas. JEL: R11, R12, R23