bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and outcomes in community‐acquired versus hospital‐acquired acute kidney injury
Authors: Schissler Michael M , Zaidi Syed , Kumar Haresh , Deo Datinder , Brier Michael E , McLeish Kenneth R.
Published: January 2013

Aim

Relatively little is known about the prevalence of acute kidney injury developing outside a hospital setting (CA‐AKI) or the impact of CA‐AKI on short‐term or long‐term clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence, causes, severity and outcomes of patients with CA‐AKI and hospital‐acquired (HA)‐AKI.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients with AKI identified by ICD‐9 code at a single VA (Veterans Affairs) hospital from September 1999 to May 2007 was performed. AKI was verified by applying the RIFLE criteria, and patients were categorized as CA‐AKI if RIFLE criteria were met at admission. Demographic, clinical, and outcome variables were extracted by chart review.

Results

Four hundred twenty‐two patients met inclusion criteria, of which 335 (79.4%) developed CA‐AKI. Patients with CA‐AKI were more likely to have volume depletion as the aetiology, had fewer chronic illnesses and hospital complications, had a shorter length of stay, and had a reduced mortality, compared with HA‐AKI. Distribution among the three RIFLE classes did not differ between groups, and recovery of renal function was incomplete in both groups.

Conclusion

We conclude that CA‐AKI is a common cause of AKI that is as severe as that seen in HA‐AKI. CA‐AKI has a significant impact on length of hospital stay, mortality, and the development and/or progression of chronic kidney disease. Strategies to limit the risk of CA‐AKI are likely to have a significant impact on healthcare costs and patient care.
Understanding partnership practice in child and family nursing through the concept of practice architectures
Authors: Hopwood Nick , Fowler Cathrine , Lee Alison , Rossiter Chris , Bigsby Marg
Published: January 2013

A significant international development agenda in the practice of nurses supporting families with young children focuses on establishing partnerships between professionals and service users. Qualitative data were generated through interviews and focus groups with 22 nurses from three child and family health service organisations, two in Australia and one in New Zealand. The aim was to explore what is needed in order to sustain partnership in practice, and to investigate how the concept of practice architectures can help understand attempts to enhance partnerships between nurses and families. Implementation of the Family Partnership Model (FPM) is taken as a specific point of reference. Analysis highlights a number of tensions between the goals of FPM and practice architectures relating to opportunities for ongoing learning; the role of individual nurses in shaping the practice; relationships with peers and managers; organisational features; and extra‐organisational factors. The concept of practice architectures shows how changing practice requires more than developing individual knowledge and skills, and avoids treating individuals and context separately. The value of this framework for understanding change with reference to context rather than just individual’s knowledge and skills is demonstrated, particularly with respect to approaches to practice development focused on providing additional training to nurses.
Games, civil war and mutiny: metaphors of conflict for the nurse–doctor relationship in medical television programmes
Authors: Weaver Roslyn
Published: January 2013

Metaphors of medicine are common, such as war, which is evident in much of our language about health‐care where patients and healthcare professionals fight disease, or the game, which is one way to frame the nurse–doctor professional relationship. This study analyses six pilot episodes of American (Grey's Anatomy, Hawthorne, Mercy, Nurse Jackie) and Australian (All Saints, RAN) medical television programmes premiering between 1998 and 2009 to assess one way that our contemporary culture understands and constructs professional relationships between nurses and doctors. Analysis shows that these popular television programmes frequently depict conflict, with games, civil war and mutiny between nurses and doctors over patient safety rather than professionals working collaboratively in teams to deliver health‐care. Although the benefit of this televised conflict is the implication that nurses are knowledgeable, skilled professionals, the negative connotations include a dysfunctional and dangerous healthcare system, and also ongoing power struggles. Given that popular culture can sometimes influence the public's understanding of real‐life nursing practice, it is important to explore what these metaphors of conflict are communicating about the nurse–doctor relationship.
Inflammatory bowel disease: perspectives from cingulate cortex in the first brain
Authors: Vogt B. A.
Published: January 2013

The article by Agostiniet al.(2013) in this issue ofNeurogastroenterology and Motilityevaluated patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) for volumetric changes throughout the brain. They observed decreased gray matter volumes in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) and disease duration was negatively correlated with volumes in subgenual anterior cingulate (sACC), posterior MCC (pMCC), ventral posterior cingulate (vPCC), and parahippocampal cortices. As all patients were in remission and suffered from ongoing abdominal pain, this study provides a critical link between forebrain changes and abdominal pain experience independent of active disease and drug treatment. The aMCC has a role in feedback‐mediated decision making and there are specific cognitive tasks that differentiate aMCC and pMCC that can be used to evaluate defects in CD. The sACC is an important area as it has impaired functions in major depression. As depressive symptoms are a feature in a subset of patients with active inflammatory diseases including IBD, treatment targeting this subregion should prove efficacious. Finally, vPCC has a role in ongoing self‐monitoring of the personal relevance of sensory stimuli including visceral signals via sACC. This pathway may be interrupted by vPCC atrophy in CD. Cingulate atrophy in CD leads to targeting chronic pain and psychiatric symptoms via cingulate‐mediated therapies. These include psychotherapy, guided imagery and relaxation training, analgesic dosages of morphine or antidepressants, and hypnosis. Thus, a new generation of novel treatments may emerge from drug and non‐traditional therapies for CD in this formative area of research.
Evaluation of esophageal motor function in clinical practice
Authors: Gyawali C. P. , Bredenoord A. J. , Conklin J. L. , Fox M. , Pandolfino J. E. , Peters J. H. , Roman S. , Staiano A. , Vaezi M. F.
Published: January 2013

Esophageal motor function is highly coordinated between central and enteric nervous systems and the esophageal musculature, which consists of proximal skeletal and distal smooth muscle in three functional regions, the upper and lower esophageal sphincters, and the esophageal body. While upper endoscopy is useful in evaluating for structural disorders of the esophagus, barium esophagography, radionuclide transit studies, and esophageal intraluminal impedance evaluate esophageal transit and partially assess motor function. However, esophageal manometry is the test of choice for the evaluation of esophageal motor function. In recent years, high‐resolution manometry (HRM) has streamlined the process of acquisition and display of esophageal pressure data, while uncovering hitherto unrecognized esophageal physiologic mechanisms and pathophysiologic patterns. New algorithms have been devised for analysis and reporting of esophageal pressure topography from HRM. The clinical value of HRM extends to the pediatric population, and complements preoperative evaluation prior to foregut surgery. Provocative maneuvers during HRM may add to the assessment of esophageal motor function. The addition of impedance to HRM provides bolus transit data, but impact on clinical management remains unclear. Emerging techniques such as 3‐D HRM and impedance planimetry show promise in the assessment of esophageal sphincter function and esophageal biomechanics.
Assessment of a condition‐specific quality‐of‐life measure for patients with developmentally absent teeth: validity and reliability testing
Authors: Akram A. J. , Ireland A. J. , Postlethwaite K. C. , Sandy J. R. , Jerreat A. S.
Published: January 2013

Structured Abstract

Objectives

This article describes the process of validity and reliability testing of a condition‐specific quality‐of‐life measure for patients with hypodontia presenting for orthodontic treatment. The development of the instrument is described in a previous article.

Setting and Sample population

Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust & Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.

Materials and Methods

The child perception questionnaire was used as a standard against which to test criterion validity. The Bland and Altman method was used to check agreement between the two questionnaires. Construct validity was tested using principal component analysis on the four sections of the questionnaire. Test–retest reliability was tested using intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland and Altman method. Cronbach's alpha was used to test internal consistency reliability.

Results

Overall the questionnaire showed good reliability, criterion and construct validity. This together with previous evidence of good face and content validity suggests that the instrument may prove useful in clinical practice and further research.

Conclusions

This study has demonstrated that the newly developed condition‐specific quality‐of‐life questionnaire is both valid and reliable for use in young patients with hypodontia.
Procalcitonin in acute exacerbations of interstitial pneumonia: Another tool in the toolbox?
Authors: Nambiar Anoop M.
Published: January 2013

See article, page 439
Breathing what we eat
Authors: Dixon Anne E.
Published: January 2013

See article, page 447
Nonparametric Bayesian Methods for Benchmark Dose Estimation
Authors: Guha Nilabja , Roy Anindya , Kopylev Leonid , Fox John , Spassova Maria , White Paul
Published: January 2013

The article proposes and investigates the performance of two Bayesian nonparametric estimation procedures in the context of benchmark dose estimation in toxicological animal experiments. The methodology is illustrated using several existing animal dose‐response data sets and is compared with traditional parametric methods available in standard benchmark dose estimation software (BMDS), as well as with a published model‐averaging approach and a frequentist nonparametric approach. These comparisons together with simulation studies suggest that the nonparametric methods provide a lot of flexibility in terms of model fit and can be a very useful tool in benchmark dose estimation studies, especially when standard parametric models fail to fit to the data adequately.
Investigating Heterogeneity in the Characterization of Risks Using Best Worst Scaling
Authors: Erdem Seda , Rigby Dan
Published: January 2013

This research proposes and implements a new approach to the elicitation and analysis of perceptions of risk. We use best worst scaling (BWS) to elicit the levels of control respondents believe they have over risks and the level of concern those risks prompt. The approach seeks perceptions of control and concern over a large risk set and the elicitation method is structured so as to reduce the cognitive burden typically associated with ranking over large sets. The BWS approach is designed to yield strong discrimination over items. Further, the approach permits derivation of individual‐level values, in this case of perceptions of control and worry, and analysis of how these vary over observable characteristics, through estimation of random parameter logit models. The approach is implemented for a set of 20 food and nonfood risks. The results show considerable heterogeneity in perceptions of control and worry, that the degree of heterogeneity varies across the risks, and that women systematically consider themselves to have less control over the risks than men.
A New Multicriteria Risk Mapping Approach Based on a Multiattribute Frontier Concept
Authors: Yemshanov Denys , Koch Frank H. , Ben‐Haim Yakov , Downing Marla , Sapio Frank , Siltanen Marty
Published: January 2013

Invasive species risk maps provide broad guidance on where to allocate resources for pest monitoring and regulation, but they often present individual risk components (such as climatic suitability, host abundance, or introduction potential) as independent entities. These independent risk components are integrated using various multicriteria analysis techniques that typically require prior knowledge of the risk components’ importance. Such information is often nonexistent for many invasive pests. This study proposes a new approach for building integrated risk maps using the principle of a multiattribute efficient frontier and analyzing the partial order of elements of a risk map as distributed in multidimensional criteria space. The integrated risks are estimated as subsequent multiattribute frontiers in dimensions of individual risk criteria. We demonstrate the approach with the example of Agrilus biguttatus Fabricius, a high‐risk pest that may threaten North American oak forests in the near future. Drawing on U.S. and Canadian data, we compare the performance of the multiattribute ranking against a multicriteria linear weighted averaging technique in the presence of uncertainties, using the concept of robustness from info‐gap decision theory. The results show major geographic hotspots where the consideration of tradeoffs between multiple risk components changes integrated risk rankings. Both methods delineate similar geographical regions of high and low risks. Overall, aggregation based on a delineation of multiattribute efficient frontiers can be a useful tool to prioritize risks for anticipated invasive pests, which usually have an extremely poor prior knowledge base.
Salient Beliefs About Earthquake Hazards and Household Preparedness
Authors: Becker Julia S. , Paton Douglas , Johnston David M. , Ronan Kevin R.
Published: January 2013

Prior research has found little or no direct link between beliefs about earthquake risk and household preparedness. Furthermore, only limited work has been conducted on how people's beliefs influence the nature and number of preparedness measures adopted. To address this gap, 48 qualitative interviews were undertaken with residents in three urban locations in New Zealand subject to seismic risk. The study aimed to identify the diverse hazard and preparedness‐related beliefs people hold and to articulate how these are influenced by public education to encourage preparedness. The study also explored how beliefs and competencies at personal, social, and environmental levels interact to influence people's risk management choices. Three main categories of beliefs were found: hazard beliefs; preparedness beliefs; and personal beliefs. Several salient beliefs found previously to influence the preparedness process were confirmed by this study, including beliefs related to earthquakes being an inevitable and imminent threat, self‐efficacy, outcome expectancy, personal responsibility, responsibility for others, and beliefs related to denial, fatalism, normalization bias, and optimistic bias. New salient beliefs were also identified (e.g., preparedness being a “way of life”), as well as insight into how some of these beliefs interact within the wider informational and societal context.
A Return to an Old Paper: ‘Tests of Separate Families of Hypotheses’
Authors: Cox D. R.
Published: January 2013

Two papers of 50 years ago concerning the comparison of non-nested models are reviewed and some subsequent developments and problems are sketched.
Extended Likelihood Approach to Large-Scale Multiple Testing
Authors: Lee Youngjo , Bjørnstad Jan F.
Published: January 2013

To date, only frequentist, Bayesian and empirical Bayes approaches have been studied for the large-scale inference problem of testing simultaneously hundreds or thousands of hypotheses. Their derivations start with some summarizing statistics without modelling the basic responses. As a consequence testing procedures have been developed without necessarily checking model assumptions, and empirical null distributions are needed to avoid the problem of rejecting all null hypotheses when the sample sizes are large. Nevertheless these procedures may not be statistically efficient. We present the multiple-testing problem as a multiple-prediction problem of whether a null hypothesis is true or not. We introduce hierarchical random-effect models for basic responses and show how the extended likelihood is built. It is shown that the likelihood prediction has a certain oracle property. The extended likelihood leads to new testing procedures, which are optimal for the usual loss function in hypothesis testing. The new tests are based on certain shrinkage t-statistics and control the local probability of false discovery for individual tests to maintain the global frequentist false discovery rate and have no need to consider an empirical null distribution for the shrinkage t-statistics. Conditions are given when these false rates vanish. Three examples illustrate how to use the likelihood method in practice. A numerical study shows that the likelihood approach can greatly improve existing methods and finding the best fitting model is crucial for the behaviour of test procedures.
Professional caregivers' work with the dying in nursing homes – a Foucault‐inspired analysis of discourses in the last decade in a Danish context
Authors: Nielsen Karen T. , Glasdam Stinne
Published: January 2013

International studies on the death of elderly nursing home residents show the complexity in the understanding of the professionals who care for the dying. The aim of this study is to explore the discourses about professional caregivers caring for those dying in Denmark in the last decade. A discourse analysis inspired by Foucault was constructed. The material consists of different source documents: research articles, newspaper articles, theses, books, websites – 35 sources in total. There are constructed six positions of speech, five discourses and three themes: (1) ‘the work of the professional caregivers – a complex low‐status work’; (2) ‘the education of the professionals – the way to ensure a good death or possessing the right qualifications’ and (3) ‘the vulnerable professionals’. The study concludes that an economical/political discourse is dominating and sets up the frames within which the professionals care for dying residents, although the medical, the social/critical and the religious discourses attempt to speak against it. All positions articulate that the professional caregivers' job has a low status and that it is not possible to provide an optimal care due to lack of time, resources and education. Psychical or mental demands make the professionals vulnerable. The meaning of optimal care varies according to the positions of speech.
Internal architecture and evolution of bioclastic beach ridges in a megatidal chenier plain: Field data and wave flume experiment
Authors: Weill Pierre , Mouazé Dominique , Tessier Bernadette
Published: January 2013

Beach ridges in macrotidal environments experience strong multi‐annual to multi‐decennial fluctuations of tidal inundation. The duration of tide flooding directly controls the duration of sediment reworking by waves, and thus the ridge dynamics. Flume modelling was used to investigate the impact of low‐frequency tidal cycles on beach ridge evolution and internal architecture. The experiment was performed using natural bioclastic sediment, constant wave parameters and low‐frequency variations of the mean water level. The morphological response of the beach ridge to water level fluctuations and the preservation of sedimentary structures were monitored by using side‐view and plan‐view photographs. Results were compared with the internal architecture of modern bioclastic beach ridges in a macrotidal chenier plain (Mont St. Michel Bay, France) surveyed with ground‐penetrating radar. The experimentally obtained morphologies and internal structures matched those observed in the field, and the three ridge development stages identified in ground‐penetrating radar profiles (early transgressive, late transgressive and progradational) were modelled successfully. Flume experiments indicate that flat bioclastic shapes play a key role in sediment sorting in the breaker zone, and in sediment layering in the beach and washover fans. Water level controls washover geometry, beach ridge evolution and internal structure. Low water levels allow beach ridge stabilization and sediment accumulation lower on tidal flats. During subsequent water level rise, accumulated sediment becomes available for deposition of new washover units and for bayward extension of the beach ridges. In the field, low‐frequency water level fluctuations are related to the 4·4 year and 18·6 year tidal cycles. Experimental results suggest that these cycles may represent the underlying factor in the evolution of the macrotidal chenier coast at the multi‐decadal to centennial time scale.
Arsenic in framboidal pyrite from recent sediments of a shallow water lagoon of the Baltic Sea
Authors: Neumann Thomas , Scholz Florian , Kramar Utz , Ostermaier Michael , Rausch Nicole , Berner Zsolt
Published: January 2013

Arsenic is a redox‐sensitive element of environmental relevance and often enriched in iron sulphides. Because sediments from the Achterwasser lagoon, a part of the estuarine system of the river Oder, south‐west Baltic Sea, show unexpectedly high pyrite concentrations of up to 7·5 wt% they were used to investigate the influence of authigenic pyrite on the mobility and burial of As in the coastal environment. Micro‐X‐ray‐fluorescence measurements of 106 micrometre‐sized pyrite framboids from the anoxic sediments show highly variable As concentrations ranging from 6 to 1142 μg g−1. Even within a 1 cm thick layer, the As concentration of different framboids varies greatly and no clear depth trend is visible throughout the 50 cm long sediment core. Pyrite can account for 9 to 55% (average 22%) of the total As budget of the sediments and the degree of trace metalloid pyritization for As ranges from 26 to 61%, indicating that authigenic pyrite formation is an important process in the geochemical cycling of As in coastal sediments. High‐resolution micro‐X‐ray fluorescence mapping of single pyrite grains shows that As is distributed inhomogeneously within larger framboids, suggesting changing pore water composition during pyrite growth. X‐ray absorption near edge structure spectra indicate that As is usually present as As(‐I) substituting S in the pyrite lattice. However, in samples close to the sediment/water interface a considerable part of As is in higher valence states (+III/+V). This can be explained by frequent re‐suspension of the surficial sediments to the oxic water column due to wave action and subsequent re‐deposition, leading to the adsorption of As oxyanions onto pyrite. Although reduced As(‐I) becomes more important in the deeper samples, reflecting decreasing redox potential and a longer time since deposition, the occurrence of oxidized As species (AsIII/AsV) in pyrite in the anoxic part of the sediment suggests formation under dysoxic conditions.
Prevalence and sport‐related predictors of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors: Moderating effects of sex and age
Authors: Lanfranchi M.‐C. , Maïano C. , Morin A. J. S. , Therme P.
Published: January 2013

Very few studies examined the prevalence and sport‐related predictors of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors (DEABs) among adolescents involved in sport practice, and their results are mixed and inconclusive. These inconsistencies are most likely due to their methodological heterogeneity and to the fact that none of these studies took into consideration the potentially relevant characteristics of the sport practice context. This study attempts to answer this limitation among French adolescents not involved or involved in various sports contexts defined based on their organization, leanness‐centration, and competitive level. Participants were 335 adolescents involved in sport practice, and 435 adolescents not involved in any form of regular sport practice. The DEABs were measured using the Eating Attitudes Test‐26. Global results do not showed any significant association between the status of the participants and DEAB. However, these results drastically changed when we considered the potential moderating role of sex and age on these relations. Indeed, sports involvement in general, and involvement in leanness and competitive sports were found to exert sex‐ and age‐differentiated effects on the risks of presenting clinically significant levels of DEAB. This study suggests the importance of monitoring, preventive, and early intervention mechanisms within the context of practice, particularly for adolescent girls.
Trade Liberalisation, Product Complexity and Productivity Improvement: Evidence from Chinese Firms
Authors: Yu Miaojie , Ye Guangliang , Qu Baozhi
Published: January 2013

This paper investigates the impact of trade liberalisation on firm productivity by using both Chinese manufacturing firm‐level data and highly disaggregated Chinese import data from 1998 to 2002. We construct a measure of firms’ total factor productivity by adopting an augmented Olley–Pakes semi‐parametric methodology to correct the simultaneity bias from reverse causality and selection bias from firms’ exits. Even when controlling for the endogeneity, trade liberalisation increases productivity for firms that produce complex goods (highly differentiated products). In contrast, we found that trade liberalisation has an opposite effect on the productivity of the producers of simple goods. Moreover, the effect of trade liberalisation on exporting firms is found to be smaller than that on non‐exporting firms. Our main results are robust to the use of different econometric methods.
Pan‐junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum in vascular smooth muscle: nanospace Ca2+ transport for site‐ and function‐specific Ca2+ signalling
Authors: van Breemen Cornelis , Fameli Nicola , Evans A. Mark
Published: January 2013

Abstract  This review focuses on how smooth muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), the major releasable Ca2+ store in these cells, performs its many functions by communicating with the plasma membrane (PM) and other organelles across cytoplasmic nanospaces, defined by membrane–membrane junctions less than 50 nm across. In spite of accumulating evidence in favour of the view that cytoplasmic nanospaces are a prerequisite for effective control of diverse cellular functions, our current understanding of how smooth muscle cells accomplish site‐ and function‐specific Ca2+ signalling remains in its infancy. We first present evidence in support of the view that effective Ca2+ signalling depends on the restricted diffusion of Ca2+ within cytoplasmic nanospaces. We then develop an evidence‐based model of the smooth muscle SR – the ‘pan‐junctional SR’ model – that incorporates a network of tubules and quilts that are capable of auto‐regulating their Ca2+ content and determining junctional [Ca2+]i through loading and unloading at membrane–membrane nanojunctions. Thereby, we provide a novel working hypothesis in order to inform future investigation into the control of a variety of cellular functions by local Ca2+ signals at junctional nanospaces, from contraction and energy metabolism to nuclear transcription. Based on the current literature, we discuss the molecular mechanisms whereby the SR mediates these multiple functions through the interaction of ion channels and pumps embedded in apposing membranes within inter‐organellar junctions. We finally highlight the fact that although most current hypotheses are qualitatively supported by experimental data, solid quantitative simulations are seriously lacking. Considering that at physiological concentrations the number of calcium ions in a typical junctional nanospace between the PM and SR is of the order of 1, ion concentration variability plays a major role as the currency of information transfer and stochastic quantitative modelling will be required to both test and develop working hypotheses.
Functional role of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in inhibitory motor innervation in the mouse internal anal sphincter
Authors: Keef K. D. , Saxton S. N. , McDowall R. A. , Kaminski R. E. , Duffy A. M. , Cobine C. A.
Published: January 2013

Key points

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)‐ergic neuromuscular transmission (NMT) was examined in the internal anal sphincter of wild‐type mice and compared with that of VIP−/− mice.

Relaxation and hyperpolarization during brief trains of electrical field stimulation (EFS; 4 s) were mediated by purinergic and nitrergic NMT.

During longer stimulus trains, a non‐purinergic, non‐nitrergic (NNNP) relaxation and hyperpolarization slowly developed and persisted for several minutes beyond the end of the stimulus train.

The NNNP NMT was abolished by VIP receptor antagonists, absent in the VIP−/− mouse internal anal sphincter and mimicked by exogenous VIP.

These data suggest that NNNP NMT gives rise to ultraslow relaxation and hyperpolarization that is mediated by VIP. In vivo, this pathway may be activated with larger rectal distensions, leading to a more prolonged anal relaxation.

Abstract  There is evidence that vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) participates in inhibitory neuromuscular transmission (NMT) in the internal anal sphincter (IAS). However, specific details concerning VIP‐ergic NMT are limited, largely because of difficulties in selectively blocking other inhibitory neural pathways. The present study used the selective P2Y1 receptor antagonist MRS2500 (1 μm) and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine (l‐NNA; 100 μm) to block purinergic and nitrergic NMT to characterize non‐purinergic, non‐nitrergic (NNNP) inhibitory NMT and the role of VIP in this response. Nerves were stimulated with electrical field stimulation (0.1–20 Hz, 4–60 s) and the associated changes in contractile and electrical activity measured in non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic conditions in the IAS of wild‐type and VIP−/− mice. Electrical field stimulation gave rise to frequency‐dependent relaxation and hyperpolarization that was blocked by tetrodotoxin. Responses during brief trains of stimuli (4 s) were mediated by purinergic and nitrergic NMT. During longer stimulus trains, an NNNP relaxation and hyperpolarization developed slowly and persisted for several minutes beyond the end of the stimulus train. The NNNP NMT was abolished by VIP6–28 (30 μm), absent in the VIP−/− mouse and mimicked by exogenous VIP (1–100 nm). Immunoreactivity for VIP was co‐localized with neuronal nitric oxide synthase in varicose intramuscular fibres but was not detected in the VIP−/− mouse IAS. In conclusion, this study identified an ultraslow component of inhibitory NMT in the IAS mediated by VIP. In vivo, this pathway may be activated with larger rectal distensions, leading to a more prolonged period of anal relaxation.
Construction of a polarized neuron
Authors: Holcomb Paul S. , Deerinck Thomas J. , Ellisman Mark H. , Spirou George A.
Published: January 2013

Abstract  Aside from rare counterexamples (e.g. the starburst amacrine cell in retina), neurons are polarized into two compartments, dendrites and axon, which are linked at the cell body. This structural polarization carries an underlying molecular definition and maps into a general functional polarization whereby inputs are collected by the dendrites and cell body, and output is distributed via the axon. Explanations of how the polarized structure arises invariably coalesce around somatic polarity, defined by the roving location of the microtubule organizing centre, or centrosome, the Golgi apparatus, associated endosomes and the nucleus during early development. In some neurons, proper positioning of these structures can determine the sites for axon and dendrite elongation, and support processes that underlie cell migration. We briefly review these events as a basis to propose a new role for polarized arrangement of somatic organelles as a potential determinant for patterned innervation of the cell body membrane. We cite an example from preliminary studies of synaptogenesis at the calyx of Held, a large nerve terminal that selectively innervates the cell body of its postsynaptic partner, and suggest other neural systems in which polarity mechanisms may guide initial synapse formation onto the somatic surface.
Systems Biology Approach Identifies the Kinase Csnk1a1 as a Regulator of the DNA Damage Response in Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Carreras Puigvert Jordi , von Stechow Louise , Siddappa Ramakrishnaiah , Pines Alex , Bahjat Mahnoush , Haazen Lizette C. J. M. , Olsen Jesper V. , Vrieling Harry , Meerman John H. N. , Mullenders Leon H. F. , van de Water Bob , Danen Erik H. J.
Published: January 2013

Genotoxic stress induces Wnt signaling that attenuates apoptosis in embryonic stem cells.
The Hippo Size Control Pathway—Ever Expanding
Authors: Lin Jane I. , Poon Carole L. C. , Harvey Kieran F.
Published: January 2013

More signals controlling the nuclear localization of YAP are identified.
Signaling Differentiation
Authors: Ray L. Bryan
Published: January 2013

A molecular mechanism to inhibit Delta-Notch signaling and initiate neurogenesis is elucidated.
Defeat, Distress, and Glucocorticoids
Authors: Stern Peter R.
Published: January 2013

Social stress can act through glucocorticoids on discrete dopamine-controlled neuronal pathways in the rodent brain to influence behavior.
Rituximab seems to be a safer alternative in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis with tuberculosis
Authors: Pehlivan Yavuz , Kisacik Bunyamin , Bosnak Vuslat Kecik , Onat Ahmet Mesut
Published: January 2013

Demonstrating the efficiency and safety of rituximab (Rtx) in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and tuberculosis (TB). Two cases of RA with active TB were followed up to 3 years following the initiation of Rtx. The former case presented with a history of concomitant diagnosis of both RA and TB and the latest one, also diagnosed with RA and reactivation of TB developed during the anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment. After a sufficient time of follow-up, we have observed that Rtx seems to be safer and efficient in the treatment of active RA and TB.
Multiple pulmonary artery aneurysms in tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Dunet Vincent , Qanadli Salah Dine , Lazor Romain , Beigelman-Aubry Catherine
Published: January 2013

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by multiple hamartomas, caused by inactivating mutations of theTSC1/TSC2tumour suppressor genes. Classical pulmonary involvement in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) consists of lymphangioleiomyomatosis and/or multiple micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia (MMPH). Association of TSC with pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) has been only exceptionally described. We report here the first case of TSC with multiple PAA in combination with MMPH, cardiac rhabdomyomas and bone, skin and brain involvement.
Republished: Failure of reflux inhibitors in clinical trials: bad drugs or wrong patients?
Authors: Kahrilas Peter J , Boeckxstaens Guy
Published: January 2013

Treatment modalities for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) mirror the pathophysiology of the disease. Since acid plays a key role in GORD-associated mucosal lesions, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the dominant GORD treatment, being the most potent inhibitors of acid secretion available. However, the clinical effectiveness of PPIs varies with the specific symptoms being treated; they are more effective for heartburn than for regurgitation than for extra-oesophageal symptoms. An alternative therapeutic approach to GORD is to prevent the most fundamental cause of reflux symptoms, reflux itself, which most commonly occurs by transient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation (TLOSR). Among potential pharmaceutical agents developed to target TLOSRs, the most advanced are GABAB (γ-aminobutyric acid) agonists, which experimentally reduce the occurrence of TLOSRs by about 40% in both animal and human studies. However, the effectiveness of GABAB agonists in clinical trials of patients with GORD with an incomplete response to PPI treatment has been modest. In part, this is probably attributable to the difficult problem of patient selection in these trials. Identifying patients by partial response to PPI treatment results in a heterogeneous population, including those with persistent weakly acidic reflux, patients with visceral hypersensitivity and those with functional heartburn, dyspepsia, or chest pain. From the clinical data available, the best treatment results and, hence, the patients most likely to benefit from reflux inhibitors, are those with persistent reflux, most commonly manifest as persistent regurgitation despite PPI treatment.
Endophytic microbial diversity in coffee cherries ofCoffea arabicafrom southeastern Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Marcelo N.V. , Santos Thiago M.A. , Vale Helson M.M. , Delvaux Júlio C. , Cordero Alexander P. , Ferreira Alessandra B. , Miguel Paulo S.B. , Tótola Marcos R. , Costa Maurício D. , Moraes Célia A. , Borges Arnaldo C.
Published: January 2013

The microbiota associated with coffee plants may play a critical role in the final expression of coffee quality. However, the microbial diversity in coffee cherries is still poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the endophytic diversity in cherries of Coffea arabica by using culture-independent approaches to identify the associated microbes, ultimately to better understand their ecology and potential role in determining coffee quality. Group-specific 16S rRNA and 26S rRNA genes polymerase chain reaction – denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and clone library sequencing showed that the endophytic community is composed of members of the 3 domains of life. Bacterial sequences showing high similarity with cultured and uncultured bacteria belonged to the Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Firmicutes phyla. Phylogenetic analyses of cloned sequences from Firmicutes revealed that most sequences fell into 3 major genera: Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Paenibacillus. Archaeal sequences revealed the presence of operational taxonomic units belonging to Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota phyla. Sequences from endophytic yeast were not recovered, but various distinct sequences showing high identity with filamentous fungi were found. There was no obvious correlation between the microbial composition and cultivar or geographic location of the coffee plant. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating internal tissue colonization of plant fruits by members of the Archaea domain. The finding of archaeal small-subunit rRNA in coffee cherries, although not sufficient to indicate their role as active endophytes, certainly expands our perspectives toward considering members of this domain as potential endophytic microbes.
Constraints on the reciprocal propagation of a quantum particle through a one-dimensional localized complex potential
Authors: Knox Ethan , Leung P.T.
Published: January 2013

In the propagation of an electron through a one-dimensional asymmetric complex potential, it is known that while the conventional Green function reciprocity symmetry will ensure transmission to be symmetric between a “left-incident” and a “right-incident” beam, no such symmetry exists for the case of reflection. Here we derive generalized reciprocity relations for both the amplitude and phase of the reflected waves as constraints on the left- and right-incident beams, in complete analogy to what was established in optics. We further provide illustrations of these relations via direct analytical calculations in the case of a real potential, and via numerical studies in the case of a complex potential.
APPROXIMATE STABILIZATION OF AN INFINITE DIMENSIONAL QUANTUM STOCHASTIC SYSTEM
Authors: SOMARAJU RAM , MIRRAHIMI MAZYAR , ROUCHON PIERRE
Published: January 2013

We study the state feedback stabilization of a quantum harmonic oscillator near a pre-specified Fock state (photon number state). Such a state feedback controller has been recently implemented on a quantized electromagnetic field in an almost lossless cavity. Such open quantum systems are governed by a controlled discrete-time Markov chain in the unit ball of an infinite dimensional Hilbert space. The control design is based on an unbounded Lyapunov function that is minimized at each time-step by feedback. This ensures (weak-*) convergence of probability measures to a final measure concentrated on the target Fock state with a pre-specified probability. This probability may be made arbitrarily close to 1 by choosing the feedback parameters and the Lyapunov function. They are chosen so that the stochastic flow that describes the Markov process may be shown to be tight (concentrated on a compact set with probability arbitrarily close to 1). Convergence proof uses Prohorov's theorem and specific properties of this Lyapunov function.
Curcumin as a Potential Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease: A Study of the Effects of Curcumin on Hippocampal Expression of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Authors: Wang Yunliang , Yin Honglei , Wang Lin , Shuboy Adam , Lou Jiyu , Han Bing , Zhang Xiaoxi , Li Jinfeng
Published: January 2013

Curcumin, an agent traditionally utilized for its preventative action against tumorigenesis, oxidation, inflammation, apoptosis and hyperlipemia, has also been used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent advances in the study of AD have revealed astrocytes (AS) as being key factors in the early pathophysiological changes in AD. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker specific to AS, is markedly more manifest during morphological modifications and neural degeneration signature during the onset of AD. Several studies investigating the functionality of curcumin have shown that it not only inhibits amyloid sedimentation but also accelerates the disaggregation of amyloid plaque. Thus, we are interested in the relationship between curcumin and spatial memory in AD. In this study, we intend to investigate the effects of curcumin in amyloid-β (Aβ1-40) induced AD rat models on both the behavioral and molecular levels, that is to say, on their spatial memory and on the expression of GFAP in their hippocampi. Our results were statistically significant, showing that the spatial memory of AD rats improved following curcumin treatment (p < 0.05), and that the expression of GFAP mRNA and the number of GFAP positive cells in the curcumin treated rats was decreased relative to the AD group rats (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression level of GFAP mRNA in hippocampal AS in the AD rats significantly increased when compared with that in the sham control (p < 0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that curcumin improves the spatial memory disorders (such disorders being symptomatic of AD) in Aβ1-40-induced rats by down regulating GFAP expression and suppressing AS activity.
Effect of the Semen Extract of Thuja orientalis on Inflammatory Responses in Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia Rat Model and LPS-Stimulated BV-2 Microglia
Authors: Jung Hyo Won , Kang Seok Yong , Park Ki Ho , Oh Tae Woo , Jung Jin Ki , Kim Song Hee , Choi Dong-Jun , Park Yong-Ki
Published: January 2013

In the central nervous system inflammation is dependent upon the synthesis of various inflammatory mediators by local neurons, astrocytes and especially microglia. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of the semen extract of Thuja orientalis (Thujae Orientalis Semen; TOS) on transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO)-induced ischemia in rats and the production of inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1β in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 mouse microglia. TOS extract significantly decreased the infarction volumes of ischemic brains and also inhibited microglia activation and neuronal death. In addition, TOS extract significantly decreased the production of NO, PGE2 and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia. TOS extract also attenuated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and IL-1β mRNAs and proteins in activated microglia. Furthermore, TOS extract significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in activated microglia. Our results indicate that TOS extract is capable of inhibiting microglia activation in an ischemic brain through the down-regulation of inflammatory responses, suggesting that the TOS extract may have therapeutic potential as an anti-inflammatory drug for ischemic stroke.
Immunomodulatory Activities of Medicinal MushroomGrifola frondosaExtract and Its Bioactive Constituent
Authors: Wu Shu-Jing , Lu Tzy-Ming , Lai Min-Nan , Ng Lean-Teik
Published: January 2013

Grifola frondosa (GF), a high value medicinal mushroom in China and Japan, is popularly consumed as traditional medicines and health foods, especially for enhancing immune functions. In this study, our aim was to examine the immunomodulatory activities of GF and its bioactive compound ergosterol peroxide (EPO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human monocytic (THP-1) cells. At low concentrations, EPO but not other extracts showed a full protection against LPS-induced cell toxicity. EPO significantly blocked MyD88 and VCAM-1 expression, and cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) production in LPS-stimulated cells. It also effectively inhibited NF-κB activation, which was further confirmed with siRNA treatment. These results conclude that EPO may play an important role in the immunomodulatory activity of GF through inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and activation of NF-κB signaling pathway.
Preliminary Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxicity and In Vivo Antitumor Activity of Xanthium strumarium in Transplantable Tumors in Mice
Authors: Aranjani Jesil Mathew , Manuel Atulya , Mallikarjuna Rao Chamallamudi , Udupa Nayanabhirama , Rao Josyula Venkata , Joy Ann Mary , Gandhi Prajay , Radhakrishnan Ethiraj Kannat
Published: January 2013

In the present study, active fractions of the methanolic extract of Xanthium strumarium (XS) showing potent cytotoxicity were determined using microculture tetrazolium (MTT) and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assays in selected cancer cell lines. The active fractions viz., chloroform soluble fraction of root (CEXSR), hexane soluble fraction of leaf (HEXSL), hexane soluble fraction of fruits (HEXSF) and chloroform soluble fraction of fruits (CEXSF) of XS were tested in transplantable animal tumor models for their antitumor potential. Dalton's ascitic lymphoma (DLA) cells were used to induce solid and liquid (ascites) tumor in mice. The tumor bearing animals were treated with active fractions at two dose levels (100 and 200 mg/kg). The antitumor activities of the active fractions in tumor bearing animals were monitored with parameters such as body weight and increase in life-span as well as biochemical and hematological modalities (in the case of liquid tumor). Tumor incidence and tumor volume were the parameters monitored in the case of the solid tumor model. The results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. The extracts were found to increase the life-span of tumor bearing animals and restore the altered hematological and biochemical parameters significantly.