bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The integration of locomotion and prey capture in divergent cottid fishes: functional disparity despite morphological similarity
Authors: Kane Emily A. , Higham Timothy E.
Published: March 2011

Many mobile animals rely on the integration of locomotion and feeding to capture prey. Fishes commonly swim up to a prey item and utilize a combination of ram and suction feeding for prey capture. Marine cottids represent a diverse and abundant lineage of fishes that exhibit variation in feeding mode that is related to their mouth morphology. However, little is known regarding the integration of the locomotor and feeding systems during prey capture. We quantified the feeding kinematics, feeding performance and integration of locomotion and feeding in two species of divergent cottids: Blepsias cirrhosus (silver-spotted sculpin) and Oligocottus maculosus (tidepool sculpin). Individuals were caught from sympatric habitats near the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on Vancouver Island and filmed with a high-speed video camera (500 Hz) while feeding on amphipod prey. Two principal component axes summarize differences in integration and feeding mode despite similarity in attack velocity and feeding morphology (peak gape, peak cranial elevation and peak jaw protrusion). A greater number of correlations between locomotor and feeding variables in B. cirrhosus, compared with O. maculosus, indicate greater integration. We conclude that traditional measures of attack kinematics do not capture functionally and ecologically relevant differences between species. The mechanisms underlying differences in locomotor strategy likely result from unexplored morphological or ecological differences between species. In cottids, integration is apparent in more basal, subtidal species such as B. cirrhosus, and the need for integration may be superceded by demands from the habitat in more derived, shallow-water species such as O. maculosus.
Aerial audiograms of several California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) measured using single and multiple simultaneous auditory steady-state response methods
Authors: Mulsow Jason , Reichmuth Colleen , Gulland Frances , Rosen David A. S. , Finneran James J.
Published: March 2011

Measurements of the electrophysiological auditory steady-state response (ASSR) have proven to be efficient for evaluating hearing sensitivity in odontocete cetaceans. In an effort to expand these methods to pinnipeds, ASSRs elicited by single and multiple simultaneous tones were used to measure aerial hearing thresholds in several California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). There were no significant differences between thresholds measured using the single and multiple ASSR methods, despite the more rapid nature of data collection using the multiple ASSR method. There was a high degree of variability in ASSR thresholds among subjects; thresholds covered a range of ∼40 dB at each tested frequency. As expected, ASSR thresholds were elevated relative to previously reported psychophysical thresholds for California and Steller sea lions. The features of high-frequency hearing limit and relative sensitivity of most ASSR audiograms were, however, similar to those of psychophysical audiograms, suggesting that ASSR methods can be used to improve understanding of hearing demographics in sea lions, especially with respect to high-frequency hearing. Thresholds for one Steller sea lion were substantially elevated relative to all other subjects, demonstrating that ASSR methods can be used to detect hearing loss in sea lions.
The sub-lethal effects of repeated freezing in the woolly bear caterpillar Pyrrharctia isabella
Authors: Marshall Katie E. , Sinclair Brent J.
Published: March 2011

Repeated freeze–thaw cycles are common and are increasing in frequency with climate change in many temperate locations, yet understanding of their impact on freeze-tolerant insects is extremely limited. We investigated the effects of repeated freezing and thawing on the freeze-tolerant final instar caterpillars of the moth Pyrrharctia isabella (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) by subjecting individuals to either a single sustained 35 h freeze or five 7 h freezes. Sub-lethal effects were quantified with changes in three broad groups of measures: (1) cold hardiness, (2) metabolic rate and energy reserves and (3) survival after challenge with fungal spores. Repeated freeze–thaw cycles increased mortality to almost 30% and increased tissue damage in Malpighian tubules and hemocytes. Repeated freezing increased caterpillar glycerol concentration by 0.82 mol l–1. There were no changes in metabolic rate or energy reserves with repeated freezing. For the first time, we report increased survival after immune challenge in caterpillars after freezing and suggest that this may be linked to wounding during freezing. We suggest that little repair of freezing damage is possible in P. isabella caterpillars and repeated freeze–thaw cycles may present significant challenges to survival in this species.
Prescribing errors in general practice and how to avoid them
Authors: Spencer Rachel , Avery Anthony , Serumaga Brian , Crowe Sarah
Published: March 2011

This article is a summary and update for prescribing clinicians and primary care managers who are interested in medication error in general practice. It summarizes the state of primary care prescribing in the UK and reviews areas in which there is potential for error. Practical solutions and methods to mitigate the impact of error are presented alongside potential prescribing problems throughout the article.
Caldicott Guardians – the horns of a dilemma
Authors: Fincken Christopher
Published: March 2011

Caldicott Guardians have been in existence for over 10 years, and during that time the conflicts between respecting confidentiality and the need for agencies to share information have continued to be raised in a number of high-profile public cases. Christopher Fincken, Caldicott Guardian of an acute hospital and a member of the UK Council of Caldicott Guardians gives his individual account of the practical and philosophical problems encountered and offers some personal reflections on the evolution of the role.
Medicolegal aspects of the mismanagement of patients with herpesvirus infections
Authors: Wreghitt Tim
Published: March 2011

As more antiviral drugs become available for treating virus infections, the correct choice of drug and prompt diagnosis and treatment are becoming increasingly important. The most frequent legal negligence cases arise from delays in clinical or laboratory diagnosis of herpesvirus infections and delays in initiating the correct antiviral drug treatment. Herpes simplex virus encephalitis in all groups of patients and herpes simplex virus and varicellazoster virus (chickenpox and shingles) infections in immunocompropmised patients give rise to most complaints because of their severe consequences for patients.
Terlipressin in Hepatorenal Syndrome
Authors: Mazur Joseph E , Cooper Tanna B , Dasta Joseph F
Published: March 2011

Objective:

To compare the pharmacology, dosing, and adverse reactions of vasopressin and terlipressin for the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) and assess the efficacy of the investigational drug terlipressin for HRS.

Data Sources:

Articles evaluating prospective studies for vasopressin and terlipressin were discussed after being identified through PubMed (1966-November 2010), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-November 2010), and EMBASE (1985-November 2010) with combinations of the following terms: vasopressin, terlipressin, and hepatorenal syndrome. In addition, reference citations from publications identified were reviewed. Thirteen studies were identified for terlipressin, along with 4 meta-analyses and 1 case report. For vasopressin, 2 studies were identified.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Prospective clinical studies directly comparing terlipressin and vasopressin were evaluated, as well as prospective clinical studies and meta-analyses for terlipressin in HRS.

Data Synthesis:

NO randomized, placebo-controlled trials using vasopressin for the treatment of type I HRS have been published, and 4 randomized studies Involving 197 patients provide the most current outcome data for use of terlipressin in HRS. Terlipressin differs significantly from vasopressin with regard to its pharmacology, dosing, and adverse drug reaction profile. There is a paucity of data on vasopressin for HRS.

Conclusions:

NO definitive recommendations can be made for the use of terlipressin for this indication until further, well-conducted studies are performed.
Role of Tissue Plasminogen Activator in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Hatcher Molly A , Starr Jessica A
Published: March 2011

Objective:

To evaluate the literature regarding the use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, focusing on the appropriate usage criteria and administration time window.

Data Sources:

A PubMed and MEDLINE search was performed (1990-November 2010) using the key words alteplase, tissue plasminogen activator, thrombolytic, ischemic stroke, and cerebrovascular accident.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Clinical trials published in English were evaluated and relevant primary literature evaluating the use of tPA in acute ischemic stroke was included.

Data Synthesis:

The NINDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) trial revealed clinical efficacy of tPA in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke when administered within 3 hours of stroke symptom onset and served as the foundation for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) acute ischemic stroke guideline recommendations. The ECASS (European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study) I, ECASS II, and ATLANTIS (Alteplase Thrombolysis for Acute Noninterventional Therapy in Ischemic Stroke), part A and B, trials each assessed the efficacy of tPA when administered beyond 3 hours of ischemic stroke onset, but the results of each trial did not support its use beyond 3 hours. The ECASS III trial showed clinical efficacy of tPA when administered up to 4.5 hours. The SITS-MOST (Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-Monitoring Study) and SITS-ISTR (Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke International Stroke Thrombolysis Register) registries evaluated the safety and efficacy of tPA at both 3 and 4.5 hours and showed promising results. In 2009, the AHA/ASA stroke guidelines were updated to support the use of tPA in select patients up to 4.5 hours after symptom onset.

Conclusions:

tPA is effective when administered up to 4.5 hours after ischemic stroke symptom onset in select patients. However, timely administration remains paramount to achievement of optimal therapeutic outcomes.
Evaluation of Contraindicated Drug-Drug Interaction Alerts in a Hospital Setting
Authors: Hatton Randy C , Rosenberg Amy F , Morris Candice T , McKelvey Russell P , Lewis James R
Published: March 2011

Background:

Risks associated with contraindicated drug-drug interaction alerts (CDDIAs) should always outweigh benefits. Misclassified CDDIAs should be eliminated.

Objective:

To review CDDIAs and determine if they are contraindicated according to Food and Drug Administration-approved product labeling and if there are circumstances in which contraindicated interactions are acceptable.

Methods:

A cross-sectional observational and quality improvement study was conducted over two 1 -year periods. The 20 most common CDDIAs from May 2007 to May 2008 and all CDDIAs from April 2008 to April 2009 were collected at a large teaching hospital. Horizon Meds Manager used First DataBank as the knowledge base for decision support. Interactions were deemed truly contraindicated if listed in the contraindications section of the labeling of at least one of the interacting drugs. Alerts were grouped by drug and pharmacologic class to evaluate the evidence supporting the relevance of these interactions. An expert panel determined when an alert was misclassified. A medical advisory committee determined whether a contraindicated drug-drug combination was acceptable.

Results:

Twelve (60%) of the most common 20 contraindicated interaction pairs from 2007 to 2008 were inappropriately classified. Half of the alerts were not truly contraindicated. The 8 truly contraindicated drug-drug pairs were ketorolac and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs or oral solid potassium products and anticholinergics. Half of these interactions were subsequently deemed acceptable under specific circumstances. Similar results were found in the second year, with only 55.1% of all CDDIAs being truly contraindicated despite eliminating some of the alerts that were misclassified in the first year. Nearly three fourths of legitimate CDDIAs were deemed acceptable under specific circumstances,

Conclusions:

Most contraindicated drug-drug interaction alerts from a commercial knowledge base were inappropriately categorized and could be downgraded. Some contraindicated drug combinations are permissible under specific circumstances. Alerts suggesting that certain drugs should never be used together, but their use together is sometimes acceptable, contribute to alert fatigue.
Neuromuscular Blockade Resistance During Therapeutic Hypothermia
Authors: Mueller Scott W , Winn Robert , Macht Madison , Fish Douglas N , Kiser Tyree H , MacLaren Robert
Published: March 2011

Objective:

To report a case of neuromuscular blockade resistance to multiple agents during therapeutic hypothermia and discuss possible mechanisms of this resistance.

Case Summary:

A 64-year-old man with stage IV non–small-cell lung cancer and respiratory distress developed cardiac arrest in the emergency department. The man was quickly resuscitated and treated with therapeutic hypothermia. A chest tube was Inserted for pleural drainage of a large right-sided effusion that collapsed the right lung; this was unsuccessful in reinflating the lung. A bronchopleural fistula developed and independent lung ventilation was initiated due to persistent hypoxemia. Neuromuscular blockade was initiated after sedation and analgesia did not control shivering and was continued due to patient-ventilator dyssynchrony and persistent hypoxemia. Despite large doses of 3 different neuromuscular blocking agents and negligible response to train-of-four tests, clinical neuromuscular blockade, represented by ventilator synchrony, was not achieved until the patient was warmed.

Discussion:

Resistance to neuromuscular blocking agents has been reported in critically ill patients. Our case of neuromuscular blockade resistance occurred in a patient treated with therapeutic hypothermia, which generally requires a dose reduction of neuromuscular blocking agents. Resistance to neuromuscular blockade was quickly reversed upon warming of the patient as patient-ventilator synchrony was achieved at lower neuromuscular blocking agent doses.

Conclusions:

Clinicians should be aware of a potential blunted response to neuromuscular blocking agents during therapeutic hypothermia and difficulty with paralysis monitoring since train-of-four response may correlate poorly with clinical neuromuscular blockade during hypothermia. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism of this interaction, identify patients at risk, and evaluate alternative strategies to neuromuscular blockade for controlling shivering in patients undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.
New Measure of Adherence Adjusted for Prescription Patterns: The Case of Adults with Asthma Treated with Inhaled Corticosteroid Monotherapy
Authors: Blais Lucie , Kettani Fatima-Zohra , Beauchesne Marie-France , eGre Catherine Lemi , Perreault Sylvie , Forget Amélie
Published: March 2011

Background:

Common measures of adherence to prescribed medications derived from administrative databases reflect both patients’ and physicians’ behavior, even if the measures are often interpreted as reflecting only the patient's adherence. Adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) has been shown to be low among patients with asthma.

Objective:

To develop a new measure of patients’ adherence adjusted for prescription patterns and to evaluate the extent to which the low use of ICSs in asthma is due to patients’ nonadherent or suboptimal prescribing practices.

Methods:

The new measure of adherence, called the proportion of prescribed days covered (PPDC), is defined as the ratio of the total days’ supply dispensed to the total days’ supply prescribed during the study period. The PPDC is a modification of an existing adherence measure, the proportion of days covered (PDC). The PPDC and PDC for ICSs, therapy that should be prescribed for chronic daily use to patients with persistent asthma, were compared within a cohort of 4190 ICS-naïve patients with asthma aged 18-45 years derived from the administrative health databases of Quebec. Canada. We estimated the mean and the 95% confidence interval of the PPDC and PDC for ICSs over 1 year, and we calculated the part of nonadherence attributed to patients when measured with the PDC that can be attributed to nonoptimal prescribing of ICSs for chronic daily use with the following formula: [(1 – PDC) – (1 – PPDC)] / (1 – PDC).

Results:

The mean PPDC and PDC during the 1 -year study were 52.6% (95% CI 51.6 to 53.6) and 19.1% (95% CI 18.6 to 19.6), respectively. Forty-one percent of nonadherence attributed to patients when measured with the PDC could be, in fact, attributed to non prescribing of ICSs (or chronic daily use.

Conclusions:

Our new adherence measure, the PPDC, may be considered as another way to assess patient adherence, taking into account differing prescribing patterns.
Contradictions in Contraindications for Drug-Drug Interactions
Authors: Shah Vishal S , Weber Robert J , Nahata Milap C
Published: March 2011

Health-care providers use computerized provider order entry as a component of the electronic medical record system in conjunction with clinical decision support. An important aspect of clinical decision support is screening of drug-drug interactions including contraindications in the labeling approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Currently, there are inconsistencies between the knowledge databases and the official package labeling for contraindications on drug-drug interactions. Unnecessary warnings can cause alert fatigue among clinicians and potentially influence adoption of true contraindications for drug prescribing. Each Institution should evaluate the accuracy and completeness of the knowledge databases used for screening of contraindications on drug-drug interactions.
Character tables of m-flat association schemes
Authors: Kurihara Hirotake
Published: March 2011

An m-flat association scheme, denoted 𝔛(Xn
(m)), is defined on the set of affine m-flats, the cosets of an m-dimensional subspace of an n-dimensional vector space over the finite field 𝔽
q
. This association scheme was introduced by Zhu and Li in “A construction of association schemes with several association classes and of PBIB designs using m-flats in finite affine geometries”, Acta Math. Appl. Sinica
20 (1), 155–158, 1997. This association scheme is known to be imprimitive and gives rise to a quotient scheme that is isomorphic to the q-analogue Johnson scheme Jq
(n, m). In this paper, the character table of 𝔛(Xn
(m)) is obtained from that of Jq
(n, m) by studying the relationship between the parameter sets of two association schemes.
Character tables of the association schemes obtained from the finite affine classical groups acting on the sets of maximal totally isotropic flats
Authors: Guo Jun , Gao Suogang
Published: March 2011

This note determines the character tables of the association schemes based on maximal totally isotropic flats of 2ν-dimensional affine classical spaces.
Infectious disease, child care and school
Authors: Merrick Professor Joav
Published: March 2011

No abstract available
Child health and maternal stress: does neighbourhood status matter?
Authors: Lagerberg Dagmar , Magnusson Margaretha , Sundelin Claes
Published: March 2011

The purpose of this cross-sectional questionnaire study was to explore neighbourhood-level differences in health behaviour, maternal stress and sense of coherence, birth weight, child health and behaviour, and children's television watching habits. In total, 2006 pairs of Swedish mothers and children, aged approximately 20 months, from the general population participated in the study. A total of 1923 lived in neighbourhoods of average socioeconomic status in six counties, and 83 in a high-status neighbourhood in one of the counties. Data were collected in 2002–2003 and 2004–2005 through the Child Health Services. Socio-demographic confounders were adjusted for in multiple logistic regressions (maternal age, country of birth, education, marital status and parity). Compared with their counterparts in average neighbourhoods, mothers in the high-status neighbourhood were less frequently smokers and had been breastfeeding their children more. They felt less stress from social isolation and had a higher sense of coherence. All these differences except lower social isolation were non-significant after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. Privileged mothers felt more restricted by their parenting tasks (unadjusted comparison), and more privileged children were frequent television watchers. Child birth weight, health and behaviour were no better in the privileged than in average neighbourhoods. This paper adds to previous knowledge by showing that status-based geographic differences in important parenting and health parameters can be non-significant in an equitable society such as Sweden, where all families with young children have access to free high-quality health services. Individual characteristics could provide better explanations than neighbourhood status.
Alcohol use, related problems and psychological health in college students
Authors: Perera Bilesha , Torabi Mohammad , Kay Noy S.
Published: March 2011

This study examined the prevalence of alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, psychological distress, anxiety and depression mood and the relationship between these variables in a sample of 534 college students in the USA. In college men, 91% were current alcohol users (those who use alcohol at least once a month) and in college women 80% were current alcohol users (p<0.01). Current users were further divided into two groups, moderate and heavy, considering the amount and frequency of alcohol use. Beer was more popular among moderate users than heavy users in both sexes. Over 90% of both moderate and heavy users in both men and women had used hard liquor in the 30-day period preceding the survey. College men had more alcohol-related problems than did college women. Blackouts, getting into fights and not being able to meet school responsibilities were the common alcohol-related adverse outcomes reported by the participants. No associations were found between alcohol use and distress and between alcohol use and depressive mood. Mean values of the anxiety scores, however, were higher in moderate users in the male sample compared to that of the female sample. The findings have implications for theories of alcohol-related psychological health in college students.
Cross-cultural validity of the scale for interpersonal behavior
Authors: Nota Laura , Arrindell Willem A. , Soresi Salvatore , van der Ende Jan , Sanavio Ezio
Published: March 2011

The Scale for Interpersonal Behavior (SIB) is a 50-item multidimensional measure of difficulty and distress in assertiveness. The SIB assesses negative assertion, expression of and dealing with personal limitations, initiating assertiveness and positive assertion. The SIB was originally developed in the Netherlands. The present study attempted to replicate the original factors with an Italian student sample (n=995). The four distress and four performance factors were replicable across two methods of analysis (the multiple group method of confirmatory analysis and Tucker's coefficient of congruence ϕ). The corresponding scales were internally consistent and showed predicted patterns of correlations with a measure of self-efficacy. Sex and age differences in assertiveness were generally negligible. Italian students had higher positive assertion-performance scores than the Dutch and comparable scores on other performance scales; by contrast, the Italian subjects had significantly higher scores on all SIB distress scales than their Dutch equivalents. This was ascribed to the stronger pressure on people in Italian society to behave assertively (Hofstede's National Masculinity score=70) as opposed to the Dutch society (National Masculinity score=14).
Level of training of nursing staff and the autonomy given to psychiatric inpatients: a multicenter study
Authors: Leibovich Vadim , Keilikhis Yacov , Barzilay Aliza , Cohen Dorit , Shoval Gal , Schapir Lior , Libman Anet , Kigli Ronit Shemesh , Marcus Ilana , Weizman Abraham , Merrick Joav , Zalsman Gil
Published: March 2011

This research examines the influence of the level of profes­sional training of the caretaking staff in psychiatric wards, the type of wards in which a patient is treated and the patient's age compared with the level of limitation put on patient autonomy. Detailed questionnaires were administered to 296 nurses from five mental health centers who met inclusion criteria for the study. The level of autonomy restriction was measured using six representative cases from fieldwork of the interviewees. These cases were analyzed by the authors based on Collopy's theory, by categorizing the data according to the six polarities of autonomy presented in his work. Our findings suggest a positive correlation between the level of professional training of the nursing staff, patient's age and the level of autonomy given. Our findings did not show a significant relationship between the type of ward and level of autonomy, although there could be a tendency for higher autonomy within closed wards.
A pilot study: pain, fatigue and stress in maternal relatives of adolescent female psychiatric inpatients assessed for juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome
Authors: Lommel Karen , Bamford Jaime , Jhavari Malhar , Martin Catherine , Crofford Leslie
Published: March 2011

Background: This study was designed to assess the presence of pain and impaired functioning in the maternal relatives of adolescent females in an inpatient adolescent psychiatric population. We compared the relatives of adolescents who met the criteria for juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS) to relatives of adolescents who did not meet the criteria for JPFS.

Methods: A total of 55 biological maternal relatives of adolescent females admitted to a psychiatric unit were recruited to participate in the study. Participants completed four self-administered questionnaires: Multidimensional Fatigue Inve­ntory, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Medical Outcomes Survey (SF36v2), and the EPIFUND Health Survey.

Results: The maternal relatives of adolescents who met the criteria for JPFS did not score higher than the maternal relatives of adolescents who did not meet the criteria for JPFS. However, all maternal relatives consistently scored higher on self-reported measures of pain, impaired functioning, fatigue, and fibromyalgia symptoms than the average patient diagnosed with fibromyalgia or a chronic pain syndrome.

Conclusion: Mood disorders and pain disorders share genetic risk factors and vulnerability. Future research is needed to further delineate other factors impacting the maternal caregivers' functioning. These could include stress associated with an adolescent child with psychiatric issues severe enough to warrant hospitalization.
Iron deficiency anemia presenting as pancytopenia in an adolescent girl
Authors: Jhamb Rajat , Kumar Ashok
Published: March 2011

Iron deficiency anemia is commonly associated with thrombocytosis and normal leukocyte count. Thrombocytopenia has occasionally been reported in iron deficiency anemia, but pancytopenia is very rare. We present a case of a young female who presented with iron deficiency anemia associated with pancytopenia that improved with iron replenishment after initial deterioration, the mechanism of which is also discussed in this case report. This case illustrates two uncommon associations of a very common disease: severe iron deficiency can be associated with pancytopenia and can be initially worsened by iron replacement despite normal serum B12and folic acid levels.
Residential care centers for persons with intellectual disability in Israel. Trends in the number of children 1999–2008
Authors: Merrick Joav , Kandel Isack , Lotan Meir , Aspler Shoshana , Fuchs Brian Seth , Morad Mohammed
Published: March 2011

In 1998, a questionnaire was developed by the Health Services, Office of the Medical Director at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services. This questionnaire was aimed to assess, on a yearly basis, the health of the residents with intellectual disability and the services provided to them by specific residential care centers within Israel. The present study was conducted to examine trends in the number of children with intellectual disability in residential care centers in Israel during 1999–2008. We demonstrated a clear downward trend with regard to the percent of children living in residential care facilities, from 18.1% of the total population in 1999 to 12.8% in 2008.
The Evaluation of Affecting Factors of the Chinese Language Learner Market
Authors: Wang Su-Man
Published: March 2011

The global scale and speed of the Chinese boom has caused concern in the worldwide community. One concern is the increase in popularity of the Chinese language, possibly paving its way to develop into a dominant language of the world. The widespread use of computers has made learning Chinese more readily available to a diverse amount of people, thus affecting how the Chinese language is learned and making it important to research its impact in the decision-making market. Based on the Fuzzy Delphi method, Chinese language learners first choose the affecting factors influencing their decision to learn the Chinese language. Then, the Analytic Hierarchy Process builds on the Chinese language learning marketing decision-making model, exploring the Chinese language learners’ alternatives and the importance of the affecting factors. Finally, sensitivity analysis examines the weight of various criteria for selecting learning methods and their marketing implications. The results of this study provide a view of how promoting Chinese language teaching is relevant to the development of marketing plans in Taiwan.
Incorporating Naturalistic Correlation Structure Improves Spectrogram Reconstruction from Neuronal Activity in the Songbird Auditory Midbrain
Authors: Ramirez Alexandro D. , Ahmadian Yashar , Schumacher Joseph , Schneider David , Woolley Sarah M. N. , Paninski Liam
Published: March 2011

Birdsong is comprised of rich spectral and temporal organization, which might be used for vocal perception. To quantify how this structure could be used, we have reconstructed birdsong spectrograms by combining the spike trains of zebra finch auditory midbrain neurons with information about the correlations present in song. We calculated maximum a posteriori estimates of song spectrograms using a generalized linear model of neuronal responses and a series of prior distributions, each carrying different amounts of statistical information about zebra finch song. We found that spike trains from a population of mesencephalicus lateral dorsalis (MLd) neurons combined with an uncorrelated Gaussian prior can estimate the amplitude envelope of song spectrograms. The same set of responses can be combined with Gaussian priors that have correlations matched to those found across multiple zebra finch songs to yield song spectrograms similar to those presented to the animal. The fidelity of spectrogram reconstructions from MLd responses relies more heavily on prior knowledge of spectral correlations than temporal correlations. However, the best reconstructions combine MLd responses with both spectral and temporal correlations.
Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Is an Essential and Direct Driver of Myelin Gene Expression and Myelinogenesis
Authors: Tawk Marcel , Makoukji Joelle , Belle Martin , Fonte Cosima , Trousson Amalia , Hawkins Thomas , Li Huiliang , Ghandour Said , Schumacher Michael , Massaad Charbel
Published: March 2011

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a major role in the development of the nervous system and contributes to neuronal plasticity. However, its role in myelination remains unclear. Here, we identify the Wnt/β-catenin pathway as an essential driver of myelin gene expression. The selective inhibition of Wnt components by small interfering RNA or dominant-negative forms blocks the expression of myelin protein zero (MPZ) and peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) in mouse Schwann cells and proteolipid protein in mouse oligodendrocytes. Moreover, the activation of Wnt signaling by recombinant Wnt1 ligand increases by threefold the transcription of myelin genes and enhances the binding of β-catenin to T-cell factor/lymphoid-enhancer factor transcription factors present in the vicinity of the MPZ and PMP22 promoters. Most important, loss-of-function analyses in zebrafish embryos show,in vivo, a key role for Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the expression of myelin genes and in myelin sheath compaction, both in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling resulted in hypomyelination, without affecting Schwann cell and oligodendrocyte generation or axonal integrity. The present findings attribute to Wnt/β-catenin pathway components an essential role in myelin gene expression and myelinogenesis.
Spatiotemporal Properties of Neuron Response Suppression in Owl Monkey Primary Somatosensory Cortex When Stimuli Are Presented to Both Hands
Authors: Reed Jamie L. , Qi Hui-Xin , Kaas Jon H.
Published: March 2011

Despite the lack of ipsilateral receptive fields (RFs) for neurons in the hand representation of area 3b of primary somatosensory cortex, interhemispheric interactions have been reported to varying degrees. We investigated spatiotemporal properties of these interactions to determine the following: response types, timing between stimuli to evoke the strongest bimanual interactions, topographical distribution of effects, and their dependence on similarity of stimulus locations on the two hands. We analyzed response magnitudes and latencies of single neurons and multineuron clusters recorded from 100-electrode arrays implanted in one hemisphere of each of two anesthetized owl monkeys. Skin indentations were delivered to the two hands simultaneously and asynchronously at mirror locations (matched sites on each hand) and nonmirror locations. Since multiple neurons were recorded simultaneously, stimuli on the contralateral hand could be within or outside of the classical RFs of any given neuron. For most neurons, stimulation on the ipsilateral hand suppressed responses to stimuli on the contralateral hand. Maximum suppression occurred when the ipsilateral stimulus was presented 100 ms before the contralateral stimulus onset (p< 0.0005). The longest stimulus onset delay tested (500 ms) allowed contralateral responses to recover to control levels (p= 0.428). Stimulation on mirror digits did not differ from stimulation on nonmirror locations (p= 1.000). These results indicate that interhemispheric interactions are common in area 3b, somewhat topographically diffuse, and maximal when the suppressing ipsilateral stimulus precedes the contralateral stimulus. Our findings point to a neurophysiological basis for “interference” effects found in human psychophysical studies of bimanual stimulation.
Uncovering Intrinsic Connectional Architecture of Functional Networks in Awake Rat Brain
Authors: Liang Zhifeng , King Jean , Zhang Nanyin
Published: March 2011

Intrinsic connectional architecture of the brain is a crucial element in understanding the governing principle of brain organization. To date, enormous effort has been focused on addressing this issue in humans by combining resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) with other techniques. However, this research area is significantly underexplored in animals, perhaps because of confounding effects of anesthetic agents used in most animal experiments on functional connectivity. To bridge this gap, we have systematically investigated the intrinsic connectional architecture in the rodent brain by using a previously established awake-animal imaging model. First, group independent component analysis was applied to the rsfMRI data to extract elementary functional clusters of the brain. The connectional relationships between these clusters, as evaluated by partial correlation analysis, were then used to construct a graph of whole-brain neural network. This network exhibited the typical features of small-worldness and strong community structures seen in the human brain. Finally, the whole-brain network was segregated into community structures using a graph-based analysis. The results of this work provided a functional atlas of intrinsic connectional architecture of the rat brain at both intraregion and interregion levels. More importantly, the current work revealed that functional networks in rats are organized in a nontrivial manner and conserve fundamental topological properties that are also seen in the human brain. Given the high psychopathological relevance of network organization of the brain, this study demonstrated the feasibility of studying mechanisms and therapies of multiple neurological and psychiatric diseases through translational research.
Oblique Radial Glial Divisions in the Developing Mouse Neocortex Induce Self-Renewing Progenitors outside the Germinal Zone That Resemble Primate Outer Subventricular Zone Progenitors
Authors: Shitamukai Atsunori , Konno Daijiro , Matsuzaki Fumio
Published: March 2011

Radial glia cells function as neural stem cells in the developing brain and generate self-renewing and differentiating daughter cells by asymmetric cell divisions. During these divisions, the apical process or basal process of the elongated epithelial structure is asymmetrically partitioned into daughter cells, depending on developmental contexts. However, in mammalian neurogenesis, the relationship between these subcellular structures and self-renewability is largely unknown. We induced oblique cleavages of radial glia cells to split the apical and basal processes into two daughters, and investigated the fate and morphology of the daughters in slice cultures. We observed that the more basal daughter cell that inherits the basal process self-renews outside of the ventricular zone (VZ), while the more apical daughter cell differentiates. These self-renewing progenitors, termed “outer VZ progenitors,” retain the basal but not the apical process, as recently reported for the outer subventricular zone (OSVZ) progenitors in primates (Fietz et al., 2010; Hansen et al., 2010); to self-renew, they require clonal Notch signaling between sibling cells. We also found a small endogenous population of outer VZ progenitors in the mouse embryonic neocortex, consistent with a low frequency of oblique radial glia divisions. Our results describe the general role of the basal process in the self-renewal of neural progenitors and implicate the loss of the apical junctions during oblique divisions as a possible mechanism for generating OSVZ progenitors. We propose that mouse outer VZ progenitors, induced by oblique cleavages, provide a model to study both progenitor self-renewal and OSVZ progenitors.
The Effects of Interaural Time Difference and Intensity on the Coding of Low-Frequency Sounds in the Mammalian Midbrain
Authors: Horvath Domonkos , Lesica Nicholas A.
Published: March 2011

We examined how changes in intensity and interaural time difference (ITD) influenced the coding of low-frequency sounds in the inferior colliculus of male gerbils at both the single neuron and population levels. We found that changes in intensity along the positive slope of the rate-level function (RLF) evoked changes in spectrotemporal filtering that influenced the overall timing of spike events but preserved their precision across trials such that the decoding of single neuron responses was not affected. In contrast, changes in ITD did not trigger changes in spectrotemporal filtering, but did have strong effects on the precision of spike events and, consequently, on decoder performance. However, changes in ITD had opposing effects in the two brain hemispheres and, thus, canceled out at the population level. These results were similar with and without the addition of background noise. We also found that the effects of changes in intensity along the negative slope of the RLF were different from the effects of changes in intensity along the positive slope in that they evoked changes in both spectrotemporal filtering and in the precision of spike events across trials, as well as in decoder performance. These results demonstrate that, at least at moderate intensities, the auditory system employs different strategies at the single neuron and population levels simultaneously to ensure that the coding of sounds is robust to changes in other stimulus features.
Store-Operated Ca2+Entry in Sensory Neurons: Functional Role and the Effect of Painful Nerve Injury
Authors: Gemes Geza , Bangaru Madhavi Latha Yadav , Wu Hsiang-En , Tang Qingbo , Weihrauch Dorothee , Koopmeiners Andrew S. , Cruikshank James M. , Kwok Wai-Meng , Hogan Quinn H.
Published: March 2011

Painful nerve injury disrupts levels of cytoplasmic and stored Ca2+in sensory neurons. Since influx of Ca2+may occur through store-operated Ca2+entry (SOCE) as well as voltage- and ligand-activated pathways, we sought confirmation of SOCE in sensory neurons from adult rats and examined whether dysfunction of SOCE is a possible pathogenic mechanism. Dorsal root ganglion neurons displayed a fall in resting cytoplasmic Ca2+concentration when bath Ca2+was withdrawn, and a subsequent elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+concentration (40 ± 5 nm) when Ca2+was reintroduced, which was amplified by store depletion with thapsigargin (1 μm), and was significantly reduced by blockers of SOCE, but was unaffected by antagonists of voltage-gated membrane Ca2+channels. We identified the underlying inwardly rectifying Ca2+-dependentICRAC(Ca2+release activated current), as well as a large thapsigargin-sensitive inward current activated by withdrawal of bath divalent cations, representing SOCE. Molecular components of SOCE, specifically STIM1 and Orai1, were confirmed in sensory neurons at both the transcript and protein levels. Axonal injury by spinal nerve ligation (SNL) elevated SOCE andICRAC. However, SOCE was comparable in injured and control neurons when stores were maximally depleted by thapsigargin, and STIM1 and Orai1 levels were not altered by SNL, showing that upregulation of SOCE after SNL is driven by store depletion. Blockade of SOCE increased neuronal excitability in control and injured neurons, whereas injured neurons showed particular dependence on SOCE for maintaining levels of cytoplasmic and stored Ca2+, which indicates a compensatory role for SOCE after injury.
Coordination of Hand Shape
Authors: Pesyna Colin , Pundi Krishna , Flanders Martha
Published: March 2011

The neural control of hand movement involves coordination of the sensory, motor, and memory systems. Recent studies have documented the motor coordinates for hand shape, but less is known about the corresponding patterns of somatosensory activity. To initiate this line of investigation, the present study characterized the sense of hand shape by evaluating the influence of differences in the amount of grasping or twisting force, and differences in forearm orientation. Human subjects were asked to use the left hand to report the perceived shape of the right hand. In the first experiment, six commonly grasped items were arranged on the table in front of the subject: bottle, doorknob, egg, notebook, carton, and pan. With eyes closed, subjects used the right hand to lightly touch, forcefully support, or imagine holding each object, while 15 joint angles were measured in each hand with a pair of wired gloves. The forces introduced by supporting or twisting did not influence the perceptual report of hand shape, but for most objects, the report was distorted in a consistent manner by differences in forearm orientation. Subjects appeared to adjust the intrinsic joint angles of the left hand, as well as the left wrist posture, so as to maintain the imagined object in its proper spatial orientation. In a second experiment, this result was largely replicated with unfamiliar objects. Thus, somatosensory and motor information appear to be coordinated in an object-based, spatial-coordinate system, sensitive to orientation relative to gravitational forces, but invariant to grasp forcefulness.
Reorganization of the Primary Motor Cortex of Adult Macaque Monkeys after Sensory Loss Resulting from Partial Spinal Cord Injuries
Authors: Kambi Niranjan , Tandon Shashank , Mohammed Hisham , Lazar Leslee , Jain Neeraj
Published: March 2011

Long-term injuries to the dorsal columns of the spinal cord at cervical levels result in large-scale somatotopic reorganization of the somatosensory areas of the cortex and the ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus. As a result of this reorganization, intact inputs from the face expand into the deafferented hand representations. Dorsal column injuries also result in permanent deficits in the use of digits for precision grip and a loss of fractionated movements of the digits. We determined whether the chronic loss of sensory inputs and the behavioral deficits caused by lesions of the dorsal columns in adult macaque monkeys affect organization of the motor cortex. The results show that, in the primary motor cortex, intracortical microstimulation evokes extension–flexion movements of the thumb at significantly fewer sites compared with the normal monkeys. There is a corresponding increase in the adduction–abduction movements. Furthermore, there is a significant increase in the thresholds of the currents required to evoke movements of the digits. Thus, long-term sensory loss in adult monkeys does not change the overall topography of the movement representation in the motor cortex but results in changes in the details of movement representations.
Impaired Activity-Dependent Plasticity of Quantal Amplitude at the Neuromuscular Junction of Rab3A Deletion and Rab3A Earlybird Mutant Mice
Authors: Wang Xueyong , Wang Qingbo , Yang Shuzhang , Bucan Maja , Rich Mark M. , Engisch Kathrin L.
Published: March 2011

Rab3A is a small GTPase associated with synaptic vesicles that is required for some forms of activity-dependent plasticity. It is thought to regulate the number of vesicles that fuse through an effect on docking, vesicle maturation, or mobilization. We recently showed that at the neuromuscular junction, loss of Rab3A led to an increase in the occurrence of miniature endplate currents (mepcs) with abnormally long half-widths (Wang et al., 2008). Here we show that such events are also increased after short-term activity blockade, and this process is not Rab3A-dependent. However, in the course of these experiments we discovered that the homeostatic increase in mepc amplitude after activity blockade is diminished in the Rab3A deletion mouse and abolished in the Rab3A Earlybird mouse which expresses a point mutant of Rab3A. We show that homeostatic plasticity at the neuromuscular junction does not depend on tumor necrosis factor α, is not accompanied by an increase in the levels of VAChT, the vesicular transporter for ACh, and confirm that there is no increase in ACh receptors at the junction, three characteristics distinct from that of CNS homeostatic plasticity. Activity blockade does not produce time course changes in mepcs that would be consistent with a fusion pore mechanism. We conclude that Rab3A is involved in a novel presynaptic mechanism to homeostatically regulate the amount of transmitter in a quantum.