bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extent of Maternal Morbidity in a Managed Care Population in Georgia
Authors: Bruce F. Carol , Berg Cynthia J. , Joski Peter J. , Roblin Douglas W. , Callaghan William M. , Bulkley Joanna E. , Bachman Donald J. , Hornbrook Mark C.
Published: August 2012

Background:  Although maternal deaths are among the most tragic events related to pregnancy, they are uncommon in the US and, therefore, inadequate indicators of a woman's pregnancy‐related health. Maternal morbidity has become a more useful measure for surveillance and research. Traditional attempts to monitor maternal morbidity have used hospital discharge data, which include data only on complications that resulted in hospitalisation, underestimating the frequency and scope of complications.

Methods:  To obtain a more accurate assessment of morbidity, we applied a validated computerised algorithm to identify pregnancies and pregnancy‐related complications in a defined population enrolled in a health maintenance organisation in the south‐eastern US. We examined the most common morbidities by pregnancy outcome and maternal characteristics.

Results:  We identified 37 741 pregnancies; in half (50.7%), at least one complication occurred. The five most common were urinary tract infections, anaemia, mental health conditions, pelvic and perineal complications, and obstetrical infections. Complications were more likely in women with low socio‐economic status (SES), and among non‐Hispanic Black women compared with non‐Hispanic White women. Multivariable models stratified by race/ethnicity indicated that in pregnancies among non‐Hispanic White women, low SES had a modest effect on the odds of having preexisting medical conditions [adjusted odd ratio (AOR) 1.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2, 1.5]] or having any morbidity (AOR 1.3 [95% CI 1.2, 1.4]). Low SES had little effect on complications among non‐Hispanic Black women.

Conclusion:  Our findings suggest that comprehensive health insurance coverage may lessen the unfavourable impact of socio‐economic disadvantage on the risk of maternal morbidity.
Determinants of Small for Gestational Age Birth at Term
Authors: Campbell Martha Karen , Cartier Shannon , Xie Bin , Kouniakis George , Huang Wenyi , Han Victor
Published: August 2012

Background:  Being born small for gestational age (SGA) is an indicator of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and later health risks. This study investigated determinants of severe and moderate SGA (respectively, birthweight <3rd percentile and 3rd to <10th percentile for gestational age and sex).

Methods:  A total of 2195 term pregnancies from a prospective cohort were studied. Prenatal data arose from maternal interview at 10–22 weeks of gestation and perinatal data were collected from hospital charts. Severe and moderate SGA were classified by Canadian population standards. Risk factors for SGA were identified from fitting multivariable logistic regression models.

Results:  Multivariable associations with severe SGA were: maternal age ≥ 35 [odds ratio (OR) 3.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4, 6.9]], maternal smoking during pregnancy (OR 5.3 [95% CI 2.4, 11.7]), preeclampsia (OR 4.6 [95% CI 1.6, 13.2]) and threatened preterm labour (OR 3.9 [95% CI 1.3, 11.4]). Primiparity was associated with both severe and moderate SGA with OR 2.4 [95% CI 1.1, 5.1] and OR 1.9 [95% CI 1.3, 2.9] respectively. Underweight pre‐pregnancy body mass index was associated with moderate SGA (OR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2, 5.0]). Inclusion of placental weight, in the final model attenuated the associations.

Conclusions:  This study demonstrated different determinants for severe and moderate SGA. We speculate that the majority of severe SGA infants are IUGR while moderate SGA infants may be a mixture of IUGR and constitutionally small newborns. This study has also contributed evidence linking preterm labour and SGA as two, potentially related, outcomes of overlapping causal mechanisms reflective of ischaemic placental disease.
Evidence for presence of the founder Ia mtDNA haplotype of Phytophthora infestans in 19th century potato tubers from the Rothamsted archives
Authors: Ristaino J. B. , Hu C. H. , Fitt B. D. L.
Published: August 2012

Late blight remained a significant disease for potato growers in Europe long after the famine of the 1840s. Of the four mitochondrial haplotypes of Phytophthora infestans, only the Ia mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype has been identified previously in infected potato leaves from famine‐era herbarium specimens collected in England, Ireland and Europe in the 19th century. Long‐term soil fertility experiments were conducted on potato between 1876 and 1901 in Rothamsted to investigate effects of combinations of organic manures and mineral fertilizers on disease and yield. This report identifies for the first time the same Ia mtDNA haplotype of P. infestans in three diseased tubers from 1877 from the long‐term Rothamsted trials, thus providing the earliest evidence of the presence of the founder Ia mtDNA haplotype of P. infestans in potato tubers in England. Soil amendments had a significant impact on disease and yield. A real‐time PCR assay was used to detect and quantify P. infestans in tubers. The level of pathogen DNA was greatest in tubers from highest yielding plots that received combinations of inorganic nitrogenous and mineral fertilizers and least in tubers from plots with organic farmyard manures or non‐nitrogenous mineral fertilizers. The Ia mtDNA haplotype was also confirmed from diseased potato leaves during the same time period. Thus, the founder Ia mtDNA haplotype survived in potato tubers after 1846 and was present over 30 years later in the UK.
Phage typing in dermatitis cruris pustulosa et atrophicans: does staphylococcal carrier status have a role?
Authors: Kaimal Sowmya , D’Souza Mariette , Sistla Sujatha , Parija Subhash C.
Published: August 2012

Background  Dermatitis cruris pustulosa et atrophicans (DCPA) is a form of chronic folliculitis of the legs with a multifactorial etiopathogenesis, seen primarily in tropical countries. Staphylococcus aureus has been isolated from the pustules in earlier studies, although the organisms isolated have not been further characterized.

Materials and methods  Patients with DCPA, who attended the Dermatology outpatient clinic at JIPMER, Pondicherry, India, during the study period (December 2006–June 2008) were included. Pus from the lesions as well as swabs from carrier sites (nares, axillae, and gluteal fold) were cultured. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were subjected to phage typing at the National Staphylococcal Phage Typing Center, Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.

Results  Thirty‐seven patients were included in the study. Pus from the folliculitic lesions grew S. aureus in 32 (86.49%) patients. Based on the comparison of antibiotic sensitivity patterns, isolates from pus and carrier sites were found to be similar in 15 patients. Phage typing established the organism to be identical in five of these patients.

Conclusions  Characterization of S. aureus in DCPA shows that there is no specific phage type that is uniformly responsible for the lesions in most patients. However, in view of the unclear etiology of this condition, the pathogenicity of a staphylococcal carrier state in individual patients needs to be addressed.
Successful haploidentical PBSCT with subsequent T‐cell addbacks in a boy with HyperIgM syndrome presenting as severe congenital neutropenia
Authors: Jasinska Aleksandra , Kalwak Krzysztof , Trelinska Joanna , Borowiec Maciej , Piatosa Barbara , Zeman Krzysztof , Mlynarski Wojciech
Published: August 2012

Jasinska A, Kalwak K, Trelinska J, Borowiec M, Piatosa B, Zeman K, Mlynarski W. Successful haploidentical PBSCT with subsequent T‐cell addbacks in a boy with HyperIgM syndrome presenting as severe congenital neutropenia.

Abstract:  HIGM syndrome is a group of primary immunodeficiency disorders characterized by recurrent bacterial and opportunistic infections; it is also associated with normal to elevated serum IgM levels and a concomitant deficiency of IgG, IgA, and IgE. In this report, we give account of a boy with X‐linked HIGM and a novel Y172C mutation within his CD40LG gene. He presented with severe neutropenia as the dominating symptom. His bone marrow showed maturation arrest at the promyelocyte/myelocyte stage, typical of congenital neutropenia. This boy suffered from life‐threatening infections and required high doses of rhG‐CSF, and a haploidentical PBSCT was also successfully performed, thus leading to reconstitution of CD40L expression on activated CD4+ T cells (as assessed with flow cytometry six months after the procedure). Two low‐dose T‐cell addbacks were required to re‐establish full donor chimerism and clear CMV reactivation. The report demonstrates that in select cases, alternative donor allogeneic HSCT supported by DLI may be effective in correcting the defect in X‐linked HIGM, and HSCT in HIGM children is not necessarily limited to matched sibling donor transplantation.
BVOC emission from Populus × canadensis saplings in response to acute UV‐A radiation
Authors: Pallozzi Emanuele , Fortunati Alessio , Marino Giovanni , Loreto Francesco , Agati Giovanni , Centritto Mauro
Published: August 2012

Hybrid poplar (Populus × canadensis) saplings were subjected to acute ultraviolet‐A (UV‐A) irradiation (30 W m–2, ambient treatment, 60, 90 and 120 W m–2 of UV‐A irradiance) to determine the effects on photosynthesis and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions in two different short‐term experiments (i.e. sequential increase in UV‐A irradiance and UV‐A intensity–response relationships). Both intensity–response experiments showed that the UV‐A ambient treatment did not affect photosynthesis and BVOC emissions. Whereas exposition at 60, 90 and 120 W m–2 of UV‐A (first experiment), increasingly inhibited photosynthesis. This increasing inhibition was also detected by decreasing trends of both photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and fluorescence yield. Isoprene emission resulted to be very sensitive to increasing UV‐A irradiances. Methanol was also very sensitive to high UV‐A radiation, suggesting the occurrence of strong damages of cellular structures. The second experiment, which was performed both in the middle of July and repeated towards the end of the summer, showed a temporal variations in the UV‐A intensity–response relationships. In fact, there were no longer significant differences in photosynthesis, PRI and isoprene emission in response to high UV‐A radiation toward the end of the summer season. The adaxial flavonoid level increased significantly over the period monitored, resulting 85% higher toward the end of the summer than during the middle of the summer. This dramatic increase in the adaxial flavonoids may have played a protective role against UV‐A radiation by shielding leaves. Our findings add to the understanding of physiological processes involved in plant response to UV radiation.
Isolation, Identification and Enrichment of Type A Spermatogonia from the Testis of Chinese Cross‐Bred Buffaloes (Swamp × River)
Authors: Ahmad S , Xiao Y , Han L , Hua H , Riaz H , Liang A , Yang L‐G
Published: August 2012

Contents

The proportion of type A spermatogonia in the isolated testis cells is a prerequisite for conducting experiments and the manipulation of these germ cells. Thus, this study was designed to examine the wide range of strategies for the isolation, identification and enrichment of type A spermatogonia in pre‐pubertal buffalo calves (3–6 months). Histological findings revealed the presence of maximum number of type A spermatogonia at 5 months, which was further confirmed by DBA immunohistochemistry. In a newly modified strategy for the isolation of testis tissues, mincing followed by trituration and two rounds of digestion with collagenase, hyaluronidase and DNase yielded more than 95% testis cell population. Differential plating with laminin, poly‐l‐lysine and gelatin significantly (p < 0.05) affected the purity of type A spermatogonia. Among these extracellular matrix (ECMs) molecules, laminin and gelatin performed well and reached at a purity of 39.38 ± 1.21% and 32.15 ± 1.60%, respectively. In addition, combination of laminin and gelatin followed by Percoll centrifugation performed the best and yielded >90% type A spermatogonial purity. Moreover, viability of the cells was not affected (p > 0.05) irrespective of different enrichment methods. In conclusion, type A spermatogonia isolation and enrichment system was developed using different ECM molecules in buffaloes, which will aid in solving wide range of problems especially fertility‐related problems and transgenic animal production in buffaloes.
Stress shifts the response of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to an anxiogenic mode
Authors: Ventura‐Silva Ana P. , Pêgo José M. , Sousa João C. , Marques Ana R. , Rodrigues Ana J. , Marques Fernanda , Cerqueira João J. , Almeida Osborne F. X. , Sousa Nuno
Published: August 2012

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is critically implicated in anxiety behavior and control of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis. Having previously shown that chronic stress triggers dendritic/synaptic remodeling in specific nuclei of the BNST, we characterised the pattern of activation of neurons within different regions of the BNST under basal conditions and after an anxiogenic stimulus in control and stressed rats. Under basal conditions, stressed, but not control, animals displayed increased cFOS expression in the dorsomedial nucleus and decreased activation of the principal nucleus. This pattern resembled that observed in controls that had been exposed to the anxiogenic stimulus. Subsequent analysis of various BNST subnuclei revealed differential patterns of gene expression in controls and stressed animals. We found decreased levels of corticotropin‐releasing hormone 1 receptor mRNA expression in the dorsomedial and fusiform nuclei, and a global increase in the levels of corticotropin‐releasing hormone 2 receptor in the principal nucleus. In addition, we found subnuclei‐specific increases in GABAA and NR2B receptors in stressed animals, which suggest changes in the GABAergic and glutamergic innervation of the BNST. Importantly, these findings were associated with increased anxiety‐like behavior and impaired control of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis in stressed animals. In summary, these data reveal that chronic stress shifts the pattern of response of the BNST to an anxiogenic mode and provide new information on the underlying mechanisms of the stress‐induced hypercorticalism and hyperanxious status.
Opposite effects of ketamine and deep brain stimulation on rat thalamocortical information processing
Authors: Kulikova Sofya P. , Tolmacheva Elena A. , Anderson Paul , Gaudias Julien , Adams Brendan E. , Zheng Thomas , Pinault Didier
Published: August 2012

Sensory and cognitive deficits are common in schizophrenia. They are associated with abnormal brain rhythms, including disturbances in γ frequency (30–80 Hz) oscillations (GFO) in cortex‐related networks. However, the underlying anatomofunctional mechanisms remain elusive. Clinical and experimental evidence suggests that these deficits result from a hyporegulation of glutamate N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors. Here we modeled these deficits in rats with ketamine, a non‐competitive N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor antagonist and a translational psychotomimetic substance at subanesthetic doses. We tested the hypothesis that ketamine‐induced sensory deficits involve an impairment of the ability of the thalamocortical (TC) system to discriminate the relevant information from the baseline activity. Furthermore, we wanted to assess whether ketamine disrupts synaptic plasticity in TC systems. We conducted multisite network recordings in the rat somatosensory TC system, natural stimulation of the vibrissae and high‐frequency electrical stimulation (HFS) of the thalamus. A single systemic injection of ketamine increased the amount of baseline GFO, reduced the amplitude of the sensory‐evoked TC response and decreased the power of the sensory‐evoked GFO. Furthermore, cortical application of ketamine elicited local and distant increases in baseline GFO. The ketamine effects were transient. Unexpectedly, HFS of the TC pathway had opposite actions. In conclusion, ketamine and thalamic HFS have opposite effects on the ability of the somatosensory TC system to discriminate the sensory‐evoked response from the baseline GFO during information processing. Investigating the link between the state and function of the TC system may conceptually be a key strategy to design innovative therapies against neuropsychiatric disorders.
Massive somatic deafferentation and motor deefferentation of the lower part of the body impair its visual recognition: a psychophysical study of patients with spinal cord injury
Authors: Pernigo S. , Moro V. , Avesani R. , Miatello C. , Urgesi C. , Aglioti S. M.
Published: August 2012

Embodied cognition theories postulate that perceiving and understanding the body states of other individuals are underpinned by the neural structures activated during first‐hand experience of the same states. This suggests that one’s own sensorimotor system may be used to identify the actions and sensations of others. Virtual and real brain lesion studies show that visual processing of body action and body form relies upon neural activity in the ventral premotor and the extrastriate body areas, respectively. We explored whether visual body perception may also be altered in the absence of damage to the above cortical regions by testing healthy controls and spinal cord injury (SCI) patients whose brain was unable to receive somatic information from and send motor commands to the lower limbs. Participants performed tasks investigating the ability to visually discriminate changes in the form or action of body parts affected by somatosensory and motor disconnection. SCI patients showed a specific, cross‐modal deficit in the visual recognition of the disconnected lower body parts. This deficit affected both body action and body form perception, hinting at a pervasive influence of ongoing body signals on the brain network dedicated to visual body processing. Testing SCI patients who did or did not practise sports allowed us to test the influence of motor practice on visual body recognition. We found better upper body action recognition in sport‐practising SCI patients, indicating that motor practice is useful for maintaining visual representation of actions after deafferentation and deefferentation. This may be a potential resource to be exploited for rehabilitation.
Distinct neural processes in grapheme–colour synaesthetes and semantic controls
Authors: Niccolai Valentina , Wascher Edmund , Stoerig Petra
Published: August 2012

In synaesthetes, stimulation of one sensory pathway provokes a sensory experience (e.g. a colour concurrent) in a different sensory modality or sub‐modality. Results of synaesthetic Stroop and priming tests indicate that the perception of a colour concurrent interferes with the processing of a veridical colour in synaesthetes. We here examined the congruency between a stimulus’ colour and the colour concurrent both in grapheme–colour synaesthetes and in non‐synaesthetes trained on grapheme–colour associations. Electrophysiological (electroencephalogram) and behavioural measurements were collected during a priming task that included grapheme–grapheme and grapheme–colour patch pairs. To investigate covert bidirectional synaesthesia, an additional inverted colour patch–grapheme condition was included. Both groups of participants showed longer reaction time and more negative‐going N300 and N400 event‐related potential (ERP) components on incongruent trials. Whereas ERP effects in the non‐synaesthetes were largely confined to the late cognitive components N300, P300 and N400, the synaesthetes also showed congruency‐dependent modulation of the early sensory component N170. Our results suggest that early cognitive processes distinguish cross‐modal synaesthetic perceptions from acquired associations. The involvement of both early‐ and late‐stage cognitive components in bidirectional synaesthesia possibly indicates similar feature‐binding mechanisms during processing of opposite flow directions of information, namely grapheme–colour and colour–grapheme.
Anesthesia for surgery related to craniosynostosis: a review. Part 1
Authors: Thomas Kate , Hughes Corinna , Johnson David , Das Sumit
Published: August 2012

The management of children with craniosynostosis is multidisciplinary and has evolved significantly over the past five decades. The treatment is primarily surgical. The anesthetic challenges continue to be the management of massive blood transfusion and prolonged anesthesia in small children, often further complicated by syndrome‐specific issues. This two‐part review aims to provide an overview of the anesthetic considerations for these children. This first part describes the syndromes associated with craniosynostosis, the provision of services in the UK, surgical techniques, preoperative issues, and the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The second part of this review will explore hemorrhage control, the use of blood products, metabolic disturbance, and postoperative issues.
Does the presence of grassy strips and landscape grain affect the spatial distribution of aphids and their carabid predators?
Authors: Al Hassan Diab , Georgelin Ewen , Delattre Thomas , Burel Françoise , Plantegenest Manuel , Kindlmann Pavel , Butet Alain
Published: August 2012

We investigated, over the course of 2 years, the spatial distribution and abundance of two species of aphid,Metopolophium dirhodumandSitobion avenae, and predatory species of carabid. This was undertaken in 24 wheat fields in ‘coarse‐grain’ and ‘fine‐grain’ landscapes in western France. A greater percentage of the latter landscape was covered by hedgerows and grassland and the total area covered by fields and the average size of the fields were smaller.

The effects on aphid abundance of the distance from field margins, the presence of grassy strips and carabid abundance were determined in both landscapes.

Both aphid species were more abundant in the ‘fine‐grain’ landscape, which may have been a result of the higher density of semi‐natural elements. In both types of landscape, the total numbers of aphids were negatively correlated with the distance from the field margin. This may have been because aphids were dispersing from overwintering sites in field margins. The abundance ofM. dirhodumwas strongly negatively correlated with the presence of grassy strips in the ‘coarse‐grain’ landscape, although there were no such significant correlations for either of the aphid species in the ‘fine‐grain’ landscape.

Aphid and carabid abundances were negatively correlated in the ‘fine‐grain’ and positively in ‘coarse‐grain’ landscape.

The results obtained in the present study emphasize the importance of semi‐natural areas in agricultural landscapes in shaping the spatial distribution of aphids and carabid beetles, their natural enemies, at different spatial scales.
Phase II trial of RAD001 and bicalutamide for castration‐resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Nakabayashi Mari , Werner Lilian , Courtney Kevin D. , Buckle Geoffrey , Oh William K. , Bubley Glen J. , Hayes Julia H. , Weckstein Douglas , Elfiky Aymen , Sims Danny M. , Kantoff Philip W. , Taplin Mary‐Ellen
Published: August 2012

Study Type – Therapy (cohort)

Level of Evidence 2a

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Despite expanding treatment options for castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), therapies with long response duration remain intangible due to prostate cancer cells’ natural ability to develop iterative resistance. Androgen receptor (AR) signaling has been shown to play a critical role in CRPC and its expression is regulated by the PI3K‐Akt pathway. Thus inhibition of AR signalling and PI3K‐Akt‐mTOR (a downstream mediator of the PI3K‐Akt pathway) pathway is a logical combination in CRPC and we report a phase II trial of RAD001 and bicalutamide.

Our study is the first clinical trial report of an AR inhibitor of PI3K‐Akt‐mTOR. The AR pathway and the PI3K‐Akt‐mTOR pathway are two of the most relevant growth pathway for CRPC. Despite low efficacy results from our trial there will be significant interest in the field for these data (dose, schedule, response, toxicity, trial design) as newer generations of both AR inhibitors and PI3K‐Akt‐mTOR inhibitors are in development and likely will be tested in combination in CRPC.

OBJECTIVES

To determine best overall response and duration of response of RAD001, a selective inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin, in combination with bicalutamide in castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

To characterize the toxicity profile of RAD001 in combination with bicalutamide in patients with CRPC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A phase II study was conducted to explore the efficacy and tolerability of RAD001 (10 mg daily) in combination with bicalutamide (50 mg daily) in men with progressive CRPC.

The primary endpoint was a composite of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level and measurable disease response by standard criteria.

This single‐stage trial with a sample size of 38 eligible patients provided 90% power to differentiate a response rate of ≥40% from a response rate of ≤20%, as expected for bicalutamide alone (α= 0.10, power = 0.90).

RESULTS

In total, 36 men were enrolled, with a median (range) age of 68 (60–72) years and median (range) baseline PSA level of 22.2 (8.4–121.3) ng/mL, and 89% had metastatic disease.

There were 31 (86%) patients had previously used bicalutamide for a median duration of 7.4 months.

There were two patients with a confirmed PSA level decline ≥50%.

The median (interquartile range) time to progression was 8.7 (7.9–15.9) weeks.

The most common toxicity was grade 1/2 mucositis, which was observed in 20 (56%) patients.

CONCLUSION

The combination of RAD001 and bicalutamide in men with CRPC was well tolerated but had low activity and failed to achieve the primary endpoint of improved response compared to the results previously achieved for bicalutamide alone in this population.
Association of symptoms with urodynamic findings in men with overactive bladder syndrome
Authors: Al‐Zahrani Ali A. , Gajewski Jerzy B.
Published: August 2012

Study Type – Therapy (review)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

It is known that overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms correlate weakly with urodynamic findings, especially in female patients.

The study shows that OAB symptoms also correlate weakly with urodynamic findings in male patients. More than third of male patients with OAB symptoms had evidence of BOO. The study finds that a pressure flow study is of benefit in the evaluation of this group of patients.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the correlation between overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms with urodynamic (UD) findings in men.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of all UD studies involving men with OAB symptoms.

All UD studies were carried out at a single centre from 1994 to 2009 and were reported by one urology specialist.

RESULTS

There were 668 UD reports included in the final analysis. All patients had symptoms of urgency with or without urgency incontinence (UI).

There was a weak correlation between OAB symptoms and UD findings.

All storage symptoms, except frequency, correlated with a finding of detrusor overactivity (DO).

Severity of urgency correlated inversely with a finding of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO).

Both nocturia and frequency correlated inversely with maximum cystometric capacity.

More than 75% of patients had concomitant voiding symptoms. Severity of voiding symptoms (slow stream and incomplete emptying) correlated inversely with documentation of DO. Voiding symptoms were predictors of BOO, while severe urgency was a negative predictor for BOO.

CONCLUSIONS

There were weak correlations between OAB symptoms and UD findings. Most men with OAB symptoms had concomitant voiding symptoms and more than a third (43%) of these had evidence of BOO.

A pressure flow study is of benefit in the evaluation of patients with OAB symptoms.
Undergraduate nursing education reform in France: from vocational to academic programmes
Authors: Debout C. , Chevallier‐Darchen F. , Petit dit Dariel O. , Rothan‐Tondeur M.
Published: August 2012

DEBOUT C., CHEVALLIER‐DARCHEN F., PETIT DIT DARIEL O. & ROTHAN‐TONDEUR M. (2012) Undergraduate nursing education reform in France: from vocational to academic programmes. International Nursing Review

Background:  France is currently implementing a number of reforms to the healthcare and education systems. Within this context, a comprehensive reform of undergraduate nurse education was launched in 2009, bringing nurse education closer to the higher education environment. It is likely in future to move from being vocational towards becoming an academic educational programme.

Aim:  In this paper, the 2009 reform of the French pre‐registration nursing curriculum will be analysed in light of the European framework.

Process:  The pedagogical approach, methods and content of nursing education in France are undergoing an in‐depth reorganization. The main innovation that the reforms introduce is a competency‐based approach. France is joining the group of countries that require first degree‐level entry to the nursing profession.

Conclusion:  There are still many unanswered questions regarding the competencies and qualifications required by both the academic and clinical educators many of whom have not been previously involved in research or publications. The future status of nursing science is unclear, as is the way in which the nursing profession will be able to retain control over its educational mechanisms.
Mice fed on a diet enriched with genetically engineered multivitamin corn show no sub‐acute toxic effects and no sub‐chronic toxicity
Authors: Arjó Gemma , Capell Teresa , Matias‐Guiu Xavier , Zhu Changfu , Christou Paul , Piñol Carme
Published: August 2012

Multivitamin corn is a novel genetically engineered variety that simultaneously produces high levels of β‐carotene, ascorbate and folate, and therefore has the potential to address simultaneously multiple micronutrient deficiencies caused by the lack of vitamins A, B9 and C in developing country populations. As part of the development process for genetically engineered crops and following European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations, multivitamin corn must be tested in whole food/feed sub‐chronic animal feeding studies to ensure there are no adverse effects, and potential allergens must be identified. We carried out a 28‐day toxicity assessment in mice, which showed no short‐term sub‐acute evidence of diet‐related adverse health effects and no difference in clinical markers (food consumption, body weight, organ/tissue weight, haematological and biochemical blood parameters and histopathology) compared to mice fed on a control diet. A subsequent 90‐day sub‐chronic feeding study again showed no indications of toxicity compared to mice fed on control diets. Our data confirm that diets enriched with multivitamin corn have no adverse effects on mice, do not induce any clinical signs of toxicity and do not contain known allergens.
Simultaneous boosting of source and sink capacities doubles tuber starch yield of potato plants
Authors: Jonik Claudia , Sonnewald Uwe , Hajirezaei Mohammad‐Reza , Flügge Ulf‐Ingo , Ludewig Frank
Published: August 2012

An important goal in biotechnological research is to improve the yield of crop plants. Here, we genetically modified simultaneously source and sink capacities in potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Desirée) plants to improve starch yield. Source capacity was increased by mesophyll‐specific overexpression of a pyrophosphatase or, alternatively, by antisense expression of the ADP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase in leaves. Both approaches make use of re‐routing photoassimilates to sink organs at the expense of leaf starch accumulation. Simultaneous increase in sink capacity was accomplished by overexpression of two plastidic metabolite translocators, that is, a glucose 6‐phosphate/phosphate translocator and an adenylate translocator in tubers. Employing such a ‘pull’ approach, we have previously shown that potato starch content and yield can be increased when sink strength is elevated. In the current biotechnological approach, we successfully enhanced source and sink capacities by a combination of ‘pull’ and ‘push’ approaches using two different attempts. A doubling in tuber starch yield was achieved. This successful approach might be transferable to other crop plants in the future.
Temporal discounting of monetary rewards in children and adolescents with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Demurie Ellen , Roeyers Herbert , Baeyens Dieter , Sonuga‐Barke Edmund
Published: August 2012

It has been difficult to differentiate attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in terms of some aspects of their cognitive profile. While both show deficits in executive functions, it has been suggested that they may differ in their response to monetary reward. For instance, children with ADHD prefer small immediate over large delayed rewards more than typically developing controls. One explanation for this is that they discount the value of rewards to a higher degree as they are moved into the future. The current study investigated whether children with ADHD can be differentiated from those with ASD in terms of reward discounting. Thirty‐nine children (8–16 y) with ADHD, 34 children with ASD and 46 typically developing controls performed a hypothetical monetary temporal discounting task. Participants were instructed to make repeated choices between small variable rewards (0, 5, 10, 20, 30€) delivered immediately and large rewards delivered after a variable delay. Children with ADHD but not ASD discounted future rewards at a higher rate than typically developing controls. These data confirm steeper discounting of future rewards in ADHD and add to a small but growing literature showing that the psychological profile of ADHD can be distinguished from that of ASD in terms of disrupted motivational processes.
Dynamic Pricing and the Peak Electricity Load Problem
Authors: Simshauser Paul , Downer David
Published: August 2012

Reforms to Australia's 45,000 MW electricity market were met with remarkable success, but wholesale market gains have been largely exhausted. Above‐trend growth in investment in energy infrastructure is driving retail prices to levels that triggered the sectoral assault in the first place. This pressure should initiate the last piece of the reform puzzle—removing price regulation, installing smart meters and implementing dynamic pricing to halt the primary cause of the problem, rapidly rising peak demand. We find that such a change can lead to non‐trivial reductions in household peak demand, with our sample load factor improving by 9 percentage points.
Using Psychology to Improve Economic Policy
Authors: Gittins Ross
Published: August 2012

In this Australian Treasury seminar, I discuss the contributions that psychology could make to public policy formation via a new field: public policy psychology. Behavioural economics provides a precedent for my new field of public policy psychology. Unlike economics, psychology provides a solid scientific model of how individuals make decisions. I discuss shortcomings of economics in policy formation: model blindness, the focus on evidence supporting theories, the focus on markets, plus the importance of elements left out of conventional economic models (for example, irrational decision‐makers). I end by discussing two Treasury case studies: the mining tax and government responses to the Global Financial Crisis.
More than Additions to Population: The Economic and Fiscal Impact of Immigration
Authors: Cully Mark
Published: August 2012

In the conceptual framework of the Intergenerational Reports, immigration features as an exogenous input into the size of the population and its composition by age and sex. There are good reasons for believing that immigration has sizeable endogenous components, that attributes other than age and sex distinguish immigrants from the native‐born, as well as from each other, and that these features are of significant economic and fiscal import. Last, it is suggested that, in the context of an ageing population, we may learn much about the effectiveness of different policy responses in achieving fiscal sustainability—as well as immigration policy—through a dynamic life cycle accounting approach.
Funding and Providing Aged Care: Lessons from the Last Decade
Authors: Ergas Henry
Published: August 2012

This article examines the future funding of aged care in the context of the Intergenerational Report. Noting the predicted substantial increases in aged‐care costs, it argues that the current funding of aged care, which imposes high and likely rising co‐contributions on care recipients, should be replaced with comprehensive aged‐care insurance. It also recommends improving the transparency of the Intergenerational Report and the sophistication of its sensitivity testing.
The Population Dimension in the Intergenerational Reports
Authors: McDonald Peter
Published: August 2012

The demographic assumptions and outcomes in the three successive Intergenerational Reports have differed enormously. This has brought a degree of derision upon the production of these reports in the serious press. Furthermore, the Intergenerational Reports’ projections of labour force participation rates have proven to be very wrong in the short term. The fourth Intergenerational Report will need to address this credibility gap. This article analyses the reasons that the Intergenerational Reports’ projections have been wide of the mark and makes suggestions about future approaches.
Pensions, Ageing and Retirement in Australia: Long‐Term Projections and Policies
Authors: Chomik Rafal , Piggott John
Published: August 2012

Australia's retirement income provision system, comprising the ‘three pillars’ of a means‐tested aged pension, mandatory occupational superannuation and other, voluntary long‐term savings, is at the heart of understanding the fiscal implications of ageing. While the Intergenerational Report, an account of long‐term fiscal sustainability, is celebrating its tenth birthday since the first edition was published, the Superannuation Guarantee, first implemented in 1992, turns a sprightly 20 years old. This article considers the Intergenerational Report as a prism for studying fiscal, demographic and policy developments in the Australian retirement income system over the last decade and into the future.
Does Maternal Employment Following Childbirth Support or Inhibit Low‐Income Children’s Long‐Term Development?
Authors: Coley Rebekah Levine , Lombardi Caitlin McPherran
Published: August 2012

This study assessed whether previous findings linking early maternal employment to lower cognitive and behavioral skills among middle‐class and White children generalized to other groups. Using a representative sample of urban, low‐income, predominantly African American and Hispanic families (n = 444), ordinary least squares regression and propensity score matching models assessed links between maternal employment in the 2 years after childbearing and children’s functioning at age 7. Children whose mothers were employed early, particularly in their first 8 months, showed enhanced socioemotional functioning compared to peers whose mothers remained nonemployed. Protective associations emerged for both part‐time and full‐time employment, and were driven by African American children, with neutral effects for Hispanics. Informal home‐based child care also heightened positive links.
Estimation in Discretely Observed Diffusions Killed at a Threshold
Authors: BIBBONA ENRICO , DITLEVSEN SUSANNE
Published: August 2012

Abstract.  Parameter estimation in diffusion processes from discrete observations up to a first‐passage time is clearly of practical relevance, but does not seem to have been studied so far. In neuroscience, many models for the membrane potential evolution involve the presence of an upper threshold. Data are modelled as discretely observed diffusions which are killed when the threshold is reached. Statistical inference is often based on a misspecified likelihood ignoring the presence of the threshold causing severe bias, e.g. the bias incurred in the drift parameters of the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck model for biological relevant parameters can be up to 25–100 per cent. We compute or approximate the likelihood function of the killed process. When estimating from a single trajectory, considerable bias may still be present, and the distribution of the estimates can be heavily skewed and with a huge variance. Parametric bootstrap is effective in correcting the bias. Standard asymptotic results do not apply, but consistency and asymptotic normality may be recovered when multiple trajectories are observed, if the mean first‐passage time through the threshold is finite. Numerical examples illustrate the results and an experimental data set of intracellular recordings of the membrane potential of a motoneuron is analysed.
ROBUST ESTIMATION FOR THE ORTHOGONAL GARCH MODEL *
Authors: IQBAL FARHAT
Published: August 2012

In this paper, we propose a class of robust M‐estimators for the orthogonal generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) model. The method involves the estimation of only univariate GARCH models and hence easy to estimate and does not put additional constraints on the model. The forecasting performance of the class of robust estimators in predicting correlation and value‐at‐risk using various evaluation measures are investigated. We found empirical evidences of the better predictive potential of estimators such as least absolute deviation and B‐estimator over the widely used quasi‐maximum likelihood estimator when the error distribution is heavy‐tailed and asymmetric. Applications to real data sets are also presented.
UK FISCAL POLICY SUSTAINABILITY, 1955–2006*
Authors: FAN JINGWEN , ARGHYROU MICHAEL G.
Published: August 2012

We test for fiscal policy sustainability in the UK over the period 1955–2006. We find evidence of sustainability with three structural breaks, respectively occurring in the early 1970s, early 1980s and late 1990s. UK fiscal policy was not sustainable between 1973 and 1981. Within the fiscal regimes correction of fiscal disequilibrium occurs through adjustments in public revenue. Changes in fiscal regimes, however, occur through shifts in public expenditure. UK authorities do not react to relatively small deficits but correct exceedingly large deficits relatively fast. Finally, the recent financial crisis may have caused a substantial deterioration of UK fiscal dynamics.
Optimizing blood pigment analysis in cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage – a practical approach
Authors: Alons I. M. E. , Verheul R. J. , Ponjee G. A. E. , Jellema K.
Published: August 2012

Background

Patients presenting with sudden severe headache may have a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). After a normal head computer tomography (CT), a lumbar puncture is routinely performed to rule out SAH. Photospectrometry is then used to detect bilirubin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Photospectrometric analysis of CSF reaches a high sensitivity, but a low specificity for SAH. This low specificity necessitates extensive additional research to rule out cerebral aneurysm accompanied by high costs and risk of complications.

Objective

The objective of this study was to retrospectively evaluate two different CSF interpretation methods using photospectrometry in patients presenting with acute headache. The first of these is the Leiden method, an iterative model using a standard calculation. The second is the UK NEQAS guideline, which uses the original spectrum in combination with a decision tree. Our goal was to obtain retrospective data on patients screened with both methods to improve specificity of CSF research.

Results

We included 361 patients in this study; 47 of these had a raised bilirubin concentration in the CSF according to the Leiden method. In only nine of these 47 patients was an aneurysm found; in the other patients the Leiden test was positive for other reasons (viral meningitis, hyperbilirubinaemia, etc.). Of the 47 patients with raised bilirubin, 24 could be re‐evaluated using the UK NEQAS. Of these 24 patients, five had an aneurysm. No aneurysms were found in patients with a negative result according to the UK NEQAS guideline.

Conclusion

Our data show that a raised bilirubin calculated using the Leiden method seems to have a lower specificity than the UK NEQAS guideline. For practical reasons, it seems advantageous to use the Leiden method as a screening method and use the UK NEQAS guideline if a positive result is found.
The role of vehicle interactions on permeation of an active through model membranes and human skin
Authors: Oliveira G. , Hadgraft J. , Lane M. E.
Published: August 2012

Synopsis

Previous work from this group has focused on the molecular mechanism of alcohol interaction with model membranes, by conducting thermodynamic and kinetic analyses of alcohol uptake, membrane partitioning and transport studies of a model compound (i.e. methyl paraben) in silicone membranes. In this article, similar membrane transport and partitioning studies were conducted in silicone membranes to further extend the proposed model of alcohol interactions with silicone membranes to include other vehicles more commonly used in dermal formulations, that is, isopropyl myristate (IPM), dimethyl isosorbide (DMI), polyethylene glycol (PEG) 200, PEG 400 and Transcutol P® (TC). More importantly, membrane partitioning studies were conducted using human SC to evaluate the application of the proposed model of solvent‐enhanced permeation in simple model membranes for the more complex biological tissue. The findings support a model of vehicle interactions with model membranes and skin where high solvent uptake promotes drug partitioning (i.e. K) by enabling the solute to exist within the solvent fraction/solvent‐rich areas inside the membrane or skin in a concentration equivalent to that in the bulk solvent/vehicle. High solvent sorption may also ultimately impact on the membrane diffusional characteristics, and thus the diffusion coefficient of the solute across the membrane. The implications for skin transport are that increased partitioning of a drug into the SC may be achieved by (i) selecting vehicles that are highly taken up by the skin and also (ii) by having a relatively high concentration (i.e. molar fraction) of the drug in the vehicle. It follows that, in cases where significant co‐transport of the solvent into and across the skin may occur, its depletion from the formulation and ultimately from the skin may lead to drug crystallization, thus affecting dermal absorption.