bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multialternating graded polynomials and growth of polynomial identities
Authors: Aljadeff Eli , Giambruno Antonio
Published: June 2013

Let

G
G

be a finite group and

A
A

a finite dimensional

G
G

-graded algebra over a field of characteristic zero. When

A
A

is simple as a

G
G

-graded algebra, by means of Regev central polynomials we construct multialternating graded polynomials of arbitrarily large degree non-vanishing on

A
A

. As a consequence we compute the exponential rate of growth of the sequence of graded codimensions of an arbitrary

G
G

-graded algebra satisfying an ordinary polynomial identity. If

c
n
G

(
A
)
,
n
=
1
,
2
,
…

c_n^G(A), n=1,2,\ldots

, is the sequence of graded codimensions of

A
A

, we prove that
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="e x p Superscript upper G Baseline left-parenthesis upper A right-parenthesis equals limit Underscript n right-arrow normal infinity Endscripts RootIndex n StartRoot c Subscript n Superscript upper G Baseline left-parenthesis upper A right-parenthesis EndRoot">

e
x

p
G

(
A
)
=

lim

n
→
∞

c
n
G

(
A
)

n

exp^G(A)=\lim _{n\to \infty }\sqrt [n]{c_n^G(A)}

, the

G
G

-exponent of

A
A

, exists and is an integer. This result was proved by the authors and D. La Mattina in 2011 and by the second author and D. La Mattina in 2010 in the case

G
G

is abelian.
EcoGene-RefSeq: EcoGene tools applied to the RefSeq prokaryotic genomes
Authors: Zhou Jindan , Richardson Andrew J. , Rudd Kenneth E.
Published: June 2013

Summary: EcoGene.org is a genome database and website dedicated to Escherichia coli K-12 substrain MG1655 that is revised daily using information derived from the biomedical literature and in-house analysis. EcoGene is a major source of annotation updates for the MG1655 Genbank record, one of only a few Genbank genome records that are updated by a community effort. The Reference Sequence (RefSeq) database, built by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, comprises a set of duplicate Genbank genome records that can be modified by the NCBI staff annotators. EcoGene-RefSeq is being developed as a stand-alone internet resource to facilitate the usage of EcoGene-based tools on any of the >2400 completed prokaryotic genome records that are currently available at the RefSeq database.

Availability: The web interface of EcoGene-RefSeq is available at http://www.ecogene.org/refseq.

Contact:  krudd@med.miami.edu or j.zhou1@miami.edu
Identification of deleterious synonymous variants in human genomes
Authors: Buske Orion J. , Manickaraj AshokKumar , Mital Seema , Ray Peter N. , Brudno Michael
Published: June 2013

Motivation: The prioritization and identification of disease-causing mutations is one of the most significant challenges in medical genomics. Currently available methods address this problem for non-synonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and variation in promoters/enhancers; however, recent research has implicated synonymous (silent) exonic mutations in a number of disorders.

Results: We have curated 33 such variants from literature and developed the Silent Variant Analyzer (SilVA), a machine-learning approach to separate these from among a large set of rare polymorphisms. We evaluate SilVA’s performance on in silico ‘infection’ experiments, in which we implant known disease-causing mutations into a human genome, and show that for 15 of 33 disorders, we rank the implanted mutation among the top five most deleterious ones. Furthermore, we apply the SilVA method to two additional datasets: synonymous variants associated with Meckel syndrome, and a collection of silent variants clinically observed and stratified by a molecular diagnostics laboratory, and show that SilVA is able to accurately predict the harmfulness of silent variants in these datasets.

Availability: SilVA is open source and is freely available from the project website: http://compbio.cs.toronto.edu/silva

Contact:  silva-snv@cs.toronto.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Circulating microRNA changes in heart failure patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy: responders vs. non‐responders
Authors: Marfella Raffaele , Di Filippo Clara , Potenza Nicoletta , Sardu Celestino , Rizzo Maria Rosaria , Siniscalchi Mario , Musacchio Emilio , Barbieri Michelangela , Mauro Ciro , Mosca Nicola , Solimene Francesco , Mottola Maria Teresa , Russo Aniello , Rossi Francesco , Paolisso Giuseppe , D'Amico Michele
Published: June 2013

Aims

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of structural alterations of the failing heart through their ability to regulate negatively the expression levels of genes that govern the process of adaptive and maladaptive cardiac remodelling. We studied whether LV reverse remodelling after CRT was associated with changes of circulating miRNAs in patients with heart failure (HF) and dyssynchrony.

Methods and results

A prospective, non‐randomized self‐control trial was performed in 81 patients with HF eligible for CRT. At baseline, to select the HF miRNA profile, we evaluated the expression of 84 miRNAs (implicated in the pathogenesis of structural alterations of the failing heart) in three groups of patients: healthy subjects (healthy group, n = 15); patients with HF (HF group, n = 81); and patients without HF matched for age, sex, and concomitant disease with HF patients (control group, n = 60). At 12 months, the selected miRNA profile was evaluated in plasma from responder (n = 55) and non‐responder HF patients (n = 26) to CRT. In the test cohort, the HF patients were characterized by lower expression of 48 miRNAs (all P < 0.04) as compared with healthy subjects. In the validation cohort, the HF patients were characterized by lower expression of 24 miRNAs (all P < 0.03) as compared with control patients. At 12 months, 55 patients (68%) were considered responders and 26 non‐responders to CRT (32%). Responders showed an increase in expression of 19 miRNAs (all P < 0.03) compared with baseline expression, whereas in the non‐responders we observed an increase of six miRNAs (all P < 0.05) compared with baseline expression. At follow‐up, miRNAs were differentially expressed between responders and non‐responders. The responders were characterized by higher expression of five miRNAs (miRNA‐26b‐5p, miRNA‐145‐5p, miRNA‐92a‐3p, miRNA‐30e‐5p, and miRNA‐29a‐3p; P < 0.01 for all) as compared with non‐responders.

Conclusions

In responders, reverse remodelling is associated with favourable changes in miRNAs that regulate cardiac fibrosis, apoptosis, and hypertrophy.
Lack of fidelity revealed in an insect–fungal mutualism after invasion
Authors: Wooding Amy L. , Wingfield Michael J. , Hurley Brett P. , Garnas Jeffrey R. , de Groot Peter , Slippers Bernard
Published: June 2013

Symbiont fidelity is an important mechanism in the evolution and stability of mutualisms. Strict fidelity has been assumed for the obligate mutualism between
Sirex
woodwasps and their mutualistic
Amylostereum
fungi. This assumption has been challenged in North America where the European woodwasp,
Sirex noctilio
, and its fungal mutualist,
Amylostereum areolatum
, have recently been introduced. We investigate the specificity of the mutualism between
Sirex
and
Amylostereum
species in Canada, where
S. noctilio
co-infests
Pinus
with native
Sirex nigricornis
and its mutualist,
Amylostereum chailletii
. Using phylogenetic and culture methods, we show that extensive, reciprocal exchange of fungal species and strains is occurring, with 75.3 per cent of
S. nigricornis
carrying
A. areolatum
and 3.5 per cent of
S. noctilio
carrying
A. chailletii
. These findings show that the apparent specificity of the mutualism between
Sirex
spp. and their associated
Amylostereum
spp. is not the result of specific biological mechanisms that maintain symbiont fidelity. Rather, partner switching may be common when shifting geographical distributions driven by ecological or anthropogenic forces bring host and mutualist pairs into sympatry. Such novel associations have potentially profound consequences for fitness and virulence. Symbiont sharing, if it occurs commonly, may represent an important but overlooked mechanism of community change linked to biological invasions.
Norman Ernest Borlaug. 25 March 1914 — 12 September 2009
Authors: Phillips Ronald L.
Published: June 2013

Norman Ernest Borlaug has commonly been called the father of the ‘Green Revolution’ because of his tireless efforts, beginning in the early 1940s, to make Mexico self-sufficient in wheat production, and his subsequent saving of millions of people in India, Pakistan and elsewhere from starvation through high-yielding wheat varieties. By 1963, Mexico was an exporter of wheat, and wheat yields in Pakistan and India nearly doubled between 1965 and 1970. Similarly, ‘miracle rices’ developed at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) by Hank Beachell and colleagues significantly raised the yields of rice and benefited poor people across Asia.
Improvement of the aerodynamic performance by wing flexibility and elytra–hind wing interaction of a beetle during forward flight
Authors: Le Tuyen Quang , Truong Tien Van , Park Soo Hyung , Quang Truong Tri , Ko Jin Hwan , Park Hoon Cheol , Byun Doyoung
Published: June 2013

In this work, the aerodynamic performance of beetle wing in free-forward flight was explored by a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) simulation with measured wing kinematics. It is shown from the CFD results that twist and camber variation, which represent the wing flexibility, are most important when determining the aerodynamic performance. Twisting wing significantly increased the mean lift and camber variation enhanced the mean thrust while the required power was lower than the case when neither was considered. Thus, in a comparison of the power economy among rigid, twisting and flexible models, the flexible model showed the best performance. When the positive effect of wing interaction was added to that of wing flexibility, we found that the elytron created enough lift to support its weight, and the total lift (48.4 mN) generated from the simulation exceeded the gravity force of the beetle (47.5 mN) during forward flight.
Thermal analysis of injectable, cellular-scale optoelectronics with pulsed power
Authors: Li Yuhang , Shi Xiaoting , Song Jizhou , Lü Chaofeng , Kim Tae-il , McCall Jordan G. , Bruchas Michael R. , Rogers John A. , Huang Yonggang
Published: June 2013

An ability to insert electronic/optoelectronic systems into precise locations of biological tissues provides powerful capabilities, especially in neuroscience such as optogenetics where light can activate/deactivate critical cellular signalling and neural systems. In such cases, engineered thermal management is essential, to avoid adverse effects of heating on normal biological processes. Here, an analytic model of heat conduction is developed for microscale, inorganic light-emitting diodes (μ-ILEDs) in a pulsed operation in biological tissues. The analytic solutions agree well with both three-dimensional finite-element analysis and experiments. A simple scaling law for the maximum temperature increase is presented in terms of material (e.g. thermal diffusivity), geometric (e.g. μ-ILED size) and loading parameters (e.g. pulsed peak power, duty cycle and frequency). These results provide useful design guidelines not only for injectable μ-ILED systems, but also for other similar classes of electronic and optoelectronic components.
The sense of agency is action–effect causality perception based on cross-modal grouping
Authors: Kawabe Takahiro , Roseboom Warrick , Nishida Shin'ya
Published: June 2013

Sense of agency, the experience of controlling external events through one's actions, stems from contiguity between action- and effect-related signals. Here we show that human observers link their action- and effect-related signals using a computational principle common to cross-modal sensory grouping. We first report that the detection of a delay between tactile and visual stimuli is enhanced when both stimuli are synchronized with separate auditory stimuli (experiment 1). This occurs because the synchronized auditory stimuli hinder the potential grouping between tactile and visual stimuli. We subsequently demonstrate an analogous effect on observers' key press as an action and a sensory event. This change is associated with a modulation in sense of agency; namely, sense of agency, as evaluated by apparent compressions of action–effect intervals (intentional binding) or subjective causality ratings, is impaired when both participant's action and its putative visual effect events are synchronized with auditory tones (experiments 2 and 3). Moreover, a similar role of action–effect grouping in determining sense of agency is demonstrated when the additional signal is presented in the modality identical to an effect event (experiment 4). These results are consistent with the view that sense of agency is the result of general processes of causal perception and that cross-modal grouping plays a central role in these processes.
Calves as social hubs: dynamics of the social network within sperm whale units
Authors: Gero Shane , Gordon Jonathan , Whitehead Hal
Published: June 2013

It is hypothesized that the primary function of permanent social relationships among female sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) is to provide allomothers for calves at the surface while mothers make foraging dives. In order to investigate how reciprocity of allocare within units of sperm whales facilitates group living, we constructed weighted social networks based on yearly matrices of associations (2005–2010) and correlated them across years, through changes in age and social role, to study changes in social relationships within seven sperm whale units. Pairs of association matrices from sequential years showed a greater positive correlation than expected by chance, but as the time lag increased, the correlation coefficients decreased. Over all units considered, calves had high values for all measured network statistics, while mothers had intermediate values for most of the measures, but high values for connectedness and affinity. Mothers showed sharp drops in strength and connectedness in the first year of their new calves' lives. These broad patterns appear to be consistent across units. Calves appeared to be significant nodes in the network of the social unit, and thus provide quantitative support for the theory in which communal care acts as the evolutionary force behind group formation in this species.
Comprehensive genome- and transcriptome-wide analyses of mutations associated with microsatellite instability in Korean gastric cancers
Authors: Yoon Kwiyeom , Lee Sunghoon , Han Tae-Su , Moon So Yeon , Yun Sun Mi , Kong Seong-Ho , Jho Sungwoong , Choe Jinny , Yu Jieun , Lee Hyuk-Joon , Park Ji Hyun , Kim Hak-Min , Lee So Yeun , Park Jongsun , Kim Woo-Ho , Bhak Jong , Yang Han-Kwang , Kim Seong-Jin
Published: June 2013

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a critical mechanism that drives genetic aberrations in cancer. To identify the entire MS mutation, we performed the first comprehensive genome- and transcriptome-wide analyses of mutations associated with MSI in Korean gastric cancer cell lines and primary tissues. We identified 18,377 MS mutations of five or more repeat nucleotides in coding sequences and untranslated regions of genes, and discovered 139 individual genes whose expression was down-regulated in association with UTR MS mutation. In addition, we found that 90.5% of MS mutations with deletions in gene regions occurred in UTRs. This analysis emphasizes the genetic diversity of MSI-H gastric tumors and provides clues to the mechanistic basis of instability in microsatellite unstable gastric cancers.
Essay from an early career: to each his/her own “tune”
Authors: Story Joana S.P.
Published: June 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this essay is to highlight the journey of the author in her early career, along with her main challenges and ways she found to overcome them.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an inductive account of the main experiences that the author has encountered or has observed.

Findings

This essay highlights three academic adaptation phases and steps that indicate how these can be worked to your advantage. It also depicts research opportunities and success factors.

Originality/value

This essay informs potential research opportunities for Ibero‐American scholars alongside key success factors for effective research.
Case of phaeohyphomycosis producing sporotrichoid lesions
Authors: Hasei Maki , Takeda Kiminobu , Anzawa Kazushi , Nishibu Akiko , Tanabe Hiroshi , Mochizuki Takashi
Published: June 2013

A 90‐year‐old Japanese woman, taking prednisolone (5–10 mg/day) for polyarthritis, presented to our hospital with multiple subcutaneous lesions on her left arm in 2009. Her history included excision of a phaeomycotic cyst on the left middle finger in 2007. There were three subcutaneous nodules approximately 15 mm in diameter around her left wrist and a large soft cystic lesion measuring 80 mm × 60 mm on her left elbow. A granuloma with neutrophilic infiltration was detected in the deep dermis of a biopsy specimen. Chains composed of round brown cells and short pseudomycelia were found in the granuloma. Fungal cultures from the samples confirmed Exophiala sp. to be the causative agent. Treatment with terbinafine and local hyperthermia seemed effective as all the lesions tended to subside. However, the patient died due to pneumonia approximately 1 month after commencement of therapy.
Seed dispersal by wind: towards a conceptual framework of seed abscission and its contribution to long‐distance dispersal
Authors: Pazos Gustavo E. , Greene David F. , Katul Gabriel , Bertiller Mónica B. , Soons Merel B.
Published: June 2013

Diaspore abscission determines many aspects of seed dispersal by wind. While there is yet no complete mechanistic framework for understanding abscission by wind, empirical studies to date have suggested that abscission generally (i) occurs above some threshold wind speed and (ii) depends on the drag force generated by the wind.

We revisit these findings and formulate two alternative hypotheses for abscission mechanisms based on a simple model of a forced harmonic oscillator: large diaspore displacement [through a maximum deflection threshold, (MDT)] and material fatigue [through a maximum cumulative stress threshold (MCST)]. We use simulations of abscission events based on these hypotheses and experiments on diaspore abscission of three Patagonian grasses and a cosmopolitan herb to test the performance of two abscission functions differing in whether they have a threshold wind speed for abscission. We also quantify the effects of non‐random diaspore abscission on dispersal distances using a well‐tested model for seed dispersal by wind.

Both the MDT and MCST hypotheses appear realistic and indicate that while the instantaneous wind speed determines abscission, the history of wind speeds experienced prior to the detachment from the plant also plays a role.

An evaluation of abscission functions against simulated and experimental abscission data shows that while the presence of a threshold wind speed in theory appears unrealistic, in practice a threshold may appear to exist in high‐wind‐speed environments where all diaspores are blown off the plant before the abscission layer can develop sufficiently to break during lower wind speeds.

Under non‐random diaspore abscission, high‐wind‐speed events during otherwise calm periods increase long‐distance dispersal (LDD), thereby decreasing differences in dispersal distances between low‐ and high‐wind‐speed environments.

Synthesis. We formulated two realistic mechanisms of diaspore abscission by applying concepts from materials science: large diaspore displacement and material fatigue. These reveal that the ambient wind speed ‘history’ experienced by a diaspore plays an important role in the timing of abscission and in the distance travelled, without any thresholds, and that the effect of the diaspore–wind interaction on LDD varies between environments with different wind speed regimes.
Complementary contribution of parents and therapists in the assessment process of children
Authors: Rosenberg Limor , Bart Orit , Ratzon Navah Z. , Jarus Tal
Published: June 2013

Background/aim

Traditional developmental models assume that the underlying capacities of children contribute to their participation. In this framework, preschoolers who are referred for occupational therapy services usually undergo an assessment intended to identify capacities in certain domains. Contrary to this, newer ecological models assume that child participation is a consequence of a multidimensional interaction between personal and environmental factors. As a result clinicians are increasingly focusing their assessment on performance and participation. This study aimed to assess the correlation between children's performance skills, their capacities and participation; and to explore whether parents' observations, alongside therapist observations and standardised assessments, contribute to an enhanced understanding of child participation.

Method

Participants included 188 parents and their children, aged 4–6 years, with and without mild developmental difficulties. Data were collected using standardised assessments for child capacities, and questionnaires completed by parents and occupational therapists regarding child participation and performance skills.

Results

Significant correlations were found between parent assessments of child performance skills and child participation, but not with child capacities. The opposite was found to be true for occupational therapist assessments of child performance skills which were found to correlate with child capacities, but not with participation. Additionally, an interaction effect was found for both groups. Occupational therapists reported higher performance skills as compared to parents, but the difference was only significant for children without mild difficulties.

Conclusion

As suggested by ecological models of child participation, the findings highlight the importance of parent‐therapist collaboration in the assessment process of children.
Delivery of enteral nutrition for critically ill children
Authors: Abdul Manaf Zahara , Kassim Norasimah , Hamzaid Nur Hana , Razali Nurul Huda
Published: June 2013

Aim

Optimal nutrition support is important in the care of critically ill children as they are at higher risk of malnutrition and have a higher incidence of complications and mortality. The aim of this study was to review the delivery of enteral feeding to critically ill paediatric patients in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted in 53 subjects (30 males and 23 females) who were recruited on the day of admission and remained in the study until they were discharged, deceased or for a maximum of 14 days of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit stay. The median age of subjects was 10.2 (interquartile range 5.1–50.5) months old.

Results

Enteral nutrition was initiated within 21.0 (interquartile range 5.3–33.8) hours after admission and was interrupted in 66% of patients during the study, with a median duration of 11.5 (interquartile range 6.1–28.3) hours for each patient. The overall duration of enteral feeding interruptions was 20% of the total feeding time. The main reasons for interruptions were medical procedures (55%) and non‐gastrointestinal complications (27%). Twenty‐two (43.2%) of the patients were malnourished when admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. The feeding initiation time, referral to the dietitian, and the frequency and duration of feeding interruptions were all positively associated with cumulative energy and protein deficits.

Conclusions

Malnutrition among critically ill children in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit was prevalent; energy and protein deficits were substantial. Strategies to improve the delivery of nutritional support to this group of patients should be planned and implemented by multidisciplinary clinical teams.
Mammographic and ultrasound features of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast
Authors: Porter Alan J , Evans Elizabeth B , Foxcroft Loani M , Simpson Peter T , Lakhani Sunil R
Published: June 2013

Introduction

Invasive lobular cancer (ILC) is an important contributor to false negative mammography. This study aims to assess the value of digital mammography and to identify imaging features that could assist the radiologist to suggest the diagnosis of ILC prior to biopsy.

Methods

Three hundred sixty‐one cases of pure ILC diagnosed at the Wesley Breast Clinic during the period 1995–2010 were reviewed by one of the authors (AP). Radiological features were categorized, and clinical features and needle sampling results were recorded.

Results

Mammography was negative in 29.9% of ILCs. The commonest positive finding was a localized spiculated mass (41.8%). Thirty‐four point nine per cent of lesions were visible in only one view, usually cranio‐caudal. Calcification was not a feature of ILC. The use of digital mammography in 30% of cases did not decrease the false negative rate for ILC. Breast ultrasound (BUS) showed an abnormality in 97.8%, most commonly a localized irregular hypoechoic mass with shadowing.

Conclusions

Digital mammography does not reduce false negative mammography in ILC. The poor visibility of ILCs may be partly related to their low density (mass/unit volume). ILCs may sometimes be poor attenuators of X‐rays but excellent attenuators of ultrasound, causing marked acoustic shadowing. Bilateral whole BUS has a very low false negative rate in experienced hands and is mandatory in symptomatic women. The combination of poor visibility on mammography with high visibility on ultrasound, as well as certain characteristic ultrasound appearances of ILC, may enable the radiologist to suggest ILC as a diagnostic possibility, prior to biopsy.
Comparison of behavioral treatment conditions in buprenorphine maintenance
Authors: Ling Walter , Hillhouse Maureen , Ang Alfonso , Jenkins Jessica , Fahey Jacqueline
Published: June 2013

Background and aims

The Controlled Substances Act requires physicians in the United States to provide or refer to behavioral treatment when treating opioid‐dependent individuals with buprenorphine; however, no research has examined the combination of buprenorphine with different types of behavioral treatments. This randomized controlled trial compared the effectiveness of four behavioral treatment conditions provided with buprenorphine and medical management (MM) for the treatment of opioid dependence.

Design

After a 2‐week buprenorphine induction/stabilization phase, participants were randomized to one of four behavioral treatment conditions provided for 16 weeks: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT = 53); contingency management (CM = 49); both CBT and CM (CBT + CM = 49); and no additional behavioral treatment (NT = 51).

Setting

Study activities occurred at an out‐patient clinical research center in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Participants

Included were 202 male and female opioid‐dependent participants.

Measurements

Primary outcome was opioid use, measured as a proportion of opioid‐negative urine results over the number of tests possible. Secondary outcomes include retention, withdrawal symptoms, craving, other drug use and adverse events.

Findings

No group differences in opioid use were found for the behavioral treatment phase (χ2 = 1.25, P = 0.75), for a second medication‐only treatment phase, or at weeks 40 and 52 follow‐ups. Analyses revealed no differences across groups for any secondary outcome.

Conclusion

There remains no clear evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy and contingency management reduce opiate use when added to buprenorphine and medical management in opiate users seeking treatment.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Analyzing Voice in Educational Discourses
Authors: Juffermans Kasper , Van der Aa Jef
Published: June 2013

This introduction to the special issue Voice in Educational Discourses introduces the concept of voice (1) as the actual discourse to work with in ethnographies of education; (2) as a heuristic to investigate the ways in which different educational actors make sense of school life; (3) as a problem to make oneself heard; (4) as a methodological tool for empowerment; and (5) as a vision of education and society.
Voicing as an Essential Problem of Communication: Language and Education of Chinese Immigrant Children in Globalization
Authors: Dong Jie , Dong Yan
Published: June 2013

This article explores voicing processes of identity construction among labor immigrants both inside China and in the Dutch Chinese Diaspora. We provide ethnographically grounded data oriented toward a theoretical point: voicing is an essential problem in communication. Whether one is able to achieve his voice—an outcome of a communicative process—is often conditioned by pretextual factors that exist before and beyond communication, and has to be negotiated in the communicative process.
Efficacy and safety of lidocaine for treatment of neonatal seizures
Authors: Lundqvist M , Ågren J , Hellström‐Westas L , Flink R , Wickström R
Published: June 2013

Aim

Treatment of neonatal seizures still relies primarily on phenobarbital, despite an estimated efficacy of less than 50% and concern over neurodegenerative side effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lidocaine as second‐line treatment of neonatal seizures in infants following benzodiazepine treatment but without previous treatment with phenobarbital.

Methods

In a 10‐year cohort, a retrospective chart review was conducted for all infants (gestational age  ≥ 37 w, age ≤ 28 days) who had received lidocaine as second‐line treatment of neonatal seizures prior to treatment with phenobarbital between January 2000 and June 2010. Infants were included if they had electroencephalographic seizures.

Results

Cessation of seizure activity was seen in 16 of 30 infants based on clinical and electroencephalographic features, and a probable response was seen in an additional 3 of 30 patients. Suspected adverse effects were seen in only one patient, who developed a transient bradycardia.

Conclusion

Lidocaine has a moderate efficacy as second‐line therapy following benzodiazepines for treating neonatal seizures and is not frequently associated with cardiovascular adverse effects. Lidocaine should therefore be considered in the treatment of seizures in the neonatal period to a higher extent than is the case today.
Health‐related quality of life among Norwegian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes on intensive insulin treatment: a population‐based study
Authors: Frøisland Dag Helge , Graue Marit , Markestad Trond , Skrivarhaug Torild , Wentzel‐Larsen Tore , Dahl‐Jørgensen Knut
Published: June 2013

Aim

To examine health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes on intensive insulin treatment.

Methods

All children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes above 8 years of age scheduled for follow‐up at 21 paediatric departments in Norway, and one of their parents was invited to describe HRQOL by completing DISABKIDS questionnaires. HRQOL was related to sociodemographic factors (i.e. parental economy, education, marital status and to level of physical activity and disease characteristics, obtained from the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry).

Results

Nine hundred and thirty seven (48%) and one of their parents responded. Mean duration of diabetes was 4.9 years (SD 3.3), 51% were girls, 56% used insulin pumps, and 44% used multiple insulin injections, predominantly of long‐acting and rapid insulin analogues. Mean HbA1c was 8.5% (SD 1.3). Lower HRQOL scores were significantly associated with higher HbA1c, being a girl and experience of diabetes ketoacidosis. Mothers scored lower than fathers on total score and most subscales. No significant differences in scores were found between users of an insulin pump and multi‐injection treatment.

Conclusions

Health‐related quality of life was related to metabolic control and gender, but not to mode of intensified insulin treatment.
Increased facial width‐to‐height ratio and perceived dominance in the faces of the UK's leading business leaders
Authors: Alrajih Shuaa , Ward Jamie
Published: June 2013

The relative proportion of the internal features of a face (the facial width‐to‐height ratio, FWH) has been shown to be related to individual differences in behaviour in males, specifically competitiveness and aggressiveness. In this study, we show that the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the leading UK businesses have greater FWHs than age‐ and sex‐matched controls. We demonstrate that perceivers, naive as to the nature of the stimuli, rate the faces of CEOs as higher in dominance or success, and that ratings of dominance or success are themselves correlated with the FWH ratio. We find no association with other inferred traits such as trustworthiness, attraction or aggression. The latter is surprising given previous research demonstrating a link between FWH and ratings of aggression. We speculate that the core association may be between FWH and drive for dominance or power, but this can be interpreted as aggression only in particular circumstances (e.g., when the stimuli are comprised of faces of young, as opposed to middle‐aged, men).
OnabotulinumtoxinA significantly attenuates bladder afferent nerve firing and inhibits ATP release from the urothelium
Authors: Collins Valerie M. , Daly Donna M. , Liaskos Marina , McKay Neil G. , Sellers Donna , Chapple Christopher , Grundy David
Published: June 2013

Objective

To investigate the direct effect of onabotulinumtoxinA (OnaBotA) on bladder afferent nerve activity and release of ATP and acetylcholine (ACh) from the urothelium.

Materials and Methods

Bladder afferent nerve activity was recorded using an in vitro mouse preparation enabling simultaneous recordings of afferent nerve firing and intravesical pressure during bladder distension.

Intraluminal and extraluminal ATP, ACh, and nitric oxide (NO) release were measured using the luciferin–luciferase and Amplex® Red assays (Molecular Probes, Carlsbad, CA, USA), and fluorometric assay kit, respectively.

OnaBotA (2U), was applied intraluminally, during bladder distension, and its effect was monitored for 2 h after application.

Whole‐nerve activity was analysed to classify the single afferent units responding to physiological (low‐threshold [LT] afferent <15 mmHg) and supra‐physiological (high‐threshold [HT] afferent >15 mmHg) distension pressures.

Results

Bladder distension evoked reproducible pressure‐dependent increases in afferent nerve firing.

After exposure to OnaBotA, both LT and HT afferent units were significantly attenuated.

OnaBotA also significantly inhibited ATP release from the urothelium and increased NO release.

Conclusion

These data indicate that OnaBotA attenuates the bladder afferent nerves involved in micturition and bladder sensation, suggesting that OnaBotA may exert its clinical effects on urinary urgency and the other symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome through its marked effect on afferent nerves.
Social support provided to caregivers of children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Pfeifer L. I. , Silva D. B. R. , Lopes P. B. , Matsukura T. S. , Santos J. L. F. , Pinto M. P. P.
Published: June 2013

Objective

To describe the perception of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) concerning social support received and to verify how the characteristics of the children (i.e. type of CP and severity of motor impairment) and those of their caregivers (i.e. age, level of education, occupation, income and number of children) are significantly related to this perception.

Method

A total of 50 children with CP aged between 3 and 12 years and their respective caregivers participated in this study. Children were grouped in terms of type of CP and according to the severity of motor impairment through the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). The Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) was used to evaluate the perception of caregivers concerning the social support they receive (number of people offering support – SSQ‐N index, and level of satisfaction concerning such support – SSQ‐S index).

Results

The caregivers reported receiving support from a mean of 1.67 people. Core and extended family members (i.e. husband, mother, siblings) and friends are the most common providers of support. In regard to level of satisfaction, caregivers considered the support they received to be positive, obtaining a mean of 5.52 out of a total of six points. Children's and caregivers' characteristics were not significantly related to the SSQ‐N and SSQ‐S indexes.

Conclusion

Family members are the caregivers' primary source of social support and caregivers reported being satisfied with the support they received.
Conception via in vitro fertilization and delivery by Caesarean section are associated with paediatric asthma incidence
Authors: Guibas G. V. , Moschonis G. , Xepapadaki P. , Roumpedaki E. , Androutsos O. , Manios Y. , Papadopoulos N. G.
Published: June 2013

Background

The association between perinatal factors and asthma inception is under rigorous investigation. Nevertheless, evidence of a correlation between asthma, conception via in vitro fertilization (IVF) and delivery through Caesarean section (C‐section) is inconclusive.

Objective

We aimed to assess the relation of asthma incidence with IVF and C‐section, after controlling for several potential confounding factors.

Methods

Parent‐reported wheeze in the last 12 months (current), wheeze ever, physician‐diagnosed asthma, method of conception, and type of delivery were recorded from questionnaires filled in by the parents of 2016 Greek children aged 9–13, (the Healthy Growth Study population). Some perinatal data were recorded from children's medical records and others were reported by parents; anthropometric measurements were also conducted in children.

Results

IVF was correlated with physician‐diagnosed asthma (OR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.11–4.56), but not with current/ever wheeze after adjustment for potential confounding factors. After adjustment, C‐section was also associated with asthma (OR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.04–1.87), but not with current/ever wheeze. When the association of both IVF and C‐section with asthma was examined in the same multivariate logistic regression model, it was weakened to borderline significance (OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1–4.15 and OR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1–1.81 respectively).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Conception via IVF and delivery by C‐section may predispose children to future asthma development. Either variable could also exert a confounding effect on the link of the other to asthma; this may partially be accountable for inconsistencies in the findings of pertinent studies.
Early supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 reduces eczema prevalence to 6 years: does it also reduce atopic sensitization?
Authors: Wickens K. , Stanley T. V. , Mitchell E. A. , Barthow C. , Fitzharris P. , Purdie G. , Siebers R. , Black P. N. , Crane J.
Published: June 2013

Background

The role of probiotics in prevention of allergic disease is still not clear; efficacy may depend on the timing, dose, duration, and specific probiotic used. Using a double‐blind randomized placebo‐controlled trial (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12607000518460), we have shown that in a high‐risk birth cohort, maternal supplementation from 35 weeks gestation until 6 months if breastfeeding and infant supplementation from birth until 2 years with Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 (HN001) (6 × 109 cfu/day) halved the cumulative prevalence of eczema at 2 and 4 years. Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis HN019 (HN019) (9 × 109 cfu/day) had no significant effect.

Objective

To determine whether differences in effects of HN001 and HN019 on eczema persist to age 6 years, and to investigate effects on sensitization.

Methods

Standard procedures were used to assess eczema (The UK Working Party's Criteria), eczema severity (SCORAD), atopic sensitization [skin prick tests (SPT), total and specific IgE] and standard questions used for asthma, wheeze, and rhinoconjunctivitis.

Results

HN001 was associated with significantly lower cumulative prevalence of eczema (HR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.39–0.80), SCORAD ≥ 10 (HR = 0.69, 0.49–0.98) and SPT sensitization (HR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.48–0.99). The point prevalence of eczema (RR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.44–1.00), SCORAD ≥ 10 (RR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.38–1.01) and SPT sensitization (RR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.53–1.00) were also reduced among children taking HN001. HN019 had no significant effect on any outcome.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance

This study provides evidence for the efficacy of the probiotic L. rhamnosus HN001 in preventing the development of eczema and possibly also atopic sensitization in high risk infants to age 6 years. The absence of a similar effect for HN019 indicates that benefits may be species specific.
Portal vein omentin is increased in patients with liver cirrhosis but is not associated with complications of portal hypertension
Authors: Eisinger Kristina , Krautbauer Sabrina , Wiest Reiner , Karrasch Thomas , Hader Yvonne , Scherer Marcus N. , Farkas Stefan , Aslanidis Charalampos , Buechler Christa
Published: June 2013

Background

Omentin is a visceral fat–derived adipokine associated with endothelium‐dependent vasodilation. Impaired endothelial function is a major cause of portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis. The aim was to assess associations of omentin with systemic markers of endothelial function, namely arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and complications of portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis.

Materials and methods

Systemic omentin was measured by ELISA in portal venous serum (PVS), systemic venous serum (SVS) and hepatic venous serum (HVS) of 40 patients with liver cirrhosis and 10 liver‐healthy controls. ADMA and arginine were determined in SVS of the patients by ELISA.

Results

Omentin is elevated in PVS and tends to be increased in SVS and HVS of patients with liver cirrhosis compared with controls. Omentin is principally expressed in visceral fat, and PVS omentin tends to be higher than SVS levels. Lower HVS than PVS omentin suggests that omentin may be partly removed from the circulation by the liver. Omentin in serum is not associated with stages of liver cirrhosis defined by CHILD‐POUGH or MELD score and is not affected in patients with ascites. HVS omentin tends to be reduced in patients with large varices compared with patients without/with small varices. Arginine/ADMA ratio is reduced in patients with massive ascites but is not associated with variceal size. Further, Arginine/ADMA ratio does not correlate with omentin.

Conclusion

Current data show that PVS omentin is increased in liver cirrhosis but is not associated with complications of portal hypertension.
Expressive Individualism, the Cult of the Artist as Genius, and Milton's Lucifer
Authors: Madigan Patrick
Published: June 2013

I propose an ‘intellectual genealogy’ of the widespread contemporary lifestyle called ‘expressive individualism’, tracing it back first to the cult of the artist as genius, which flourished during the 19th century, but which has been democratized and universalized in our time. I then trace it back one step further, somewhat surprisingly, to the altered depiction of Lucifer John Milton gives in his poem Paradise Lost. Milton's Lucifer rejects not only Jesus as the highest creature, he rejects the Father as father; he announces ‘I know none before me; I am self‐begot.’ To the extent that we embrace the ethic of ‘expressive individualism’, therefore, we are implicitly committed to Milton's Lucifer as an archetype for human fulfilment, which I suggest, however, is a toxic model.
‘Wounded by the Arrow of Beauty’: The Silent Call of Art
Authors: Torevell David
Published: June 2013

One of the urgent tasks facing Christian educators at the present time is how they might encourage the spiritual growth of their students. This paper invites reflection on this central question by discussing the role aesthetics might play with particular focus on its relationship to the ‘spiritual senses’, a theme which has been strikingly absent from recent publications on religion and Christian education. Paying particular attention to the work of the contemporary French phenomenologist, Jean‐Louis Chrétien, I shall argue that art invites us to listen to as well as to see the power of beauty. Educators should not ignore this capacity of art to engage the spiritual senses within a contemplative ethos of silence. But I go further than simply pointing to these seminal ideas about Christian formation, by discussing the ‘wound’ that beauty inevitably inflicts. I illustrate this suggestion by referring to Pope Benedict XVI's essay ‘Wounded by the Arrow of the Beautiful’ and to two visualizations of religion: Delacroix's painting Fight between Jacob and the Angel and Beauvois' film Of Gods and Men.
The Wonder and Spirit of Phenomenology and Theology: Rubenstein and Derrida on Heidegger's Formal Distinction of Philosophy from Theology
Authors: Capretto Peter
Published: June 2013

While Heidegger's earlier phenomenological writings inform much contemporary discourse in the continental philosophy of religion, his 1927 essay on ‘Phenomenology and Theology’ offers a largely uncontested distinction between philosophy and theology on the basis of their possibilities as sciences following ontological difference. This paper reconsiders Heidegger's distinction by invoking spirit and wonder, concepts Jacques Derrida and Mary‐Jane Rubenstein have more recently emphasized as central to thought that is open to that which ruptures metaphysical schemas. I contend Heidegger's use of ontological difference as a formal distinction between philosophy and theology distances us from the wonder, spirit, and truth (alētheia) that undoes the binaries behind which we take shelter. However, I temper this critique with the recognition that Heidegger, Derrida, and Rubenstein equally recognize an inescapable repetition of metaphysical thinking in the philosophy of religion.
Impact of opening a new emergency department on healthcare service and patient outcomes: analyses based on linking ambulance, emergency and hospital databases
Authors: Crilly J. , O'Dwyer J. , Lind J. , Tippett V. , Thalib L. , O'Dwyer M. , Keijzers G. , Wallis M. , Bost N. , Shiels S.
Published: June 2013

Background: 

Emergency department (ED) crowding caused by access block is an increasing public health issue and has been associated with impaired healthcare delivery, negative patient outcomes and increased staff workload.

Aim

To investigate the impact of opening a new ED on patient and healthcare service outcomes.

Methods

A 24‐month time series analysis was employed using deterministically linked data from the ambulance service and three ED and hospital admission databases in Queensland, Australia.

Results

Total volume of ED presentations increased 18%, while local population growth increased by 3%. Healthcare service and patient outcomes at the two pre‐existing hospitals did not improve. These outcomes included ambulance offload time: (Hospital A PRE: 10 min, POST: 10 min, P < 0.001; Hospital B PRE: 10 min, POST: 15 min, P < 0.001); ED length of stay: (Hospital A PRE: 242 min, POST: 246 min, P < 0.001; Hospital B PRE: 182 min, POST: 210 min, P < 0.001); and access block: (Hospital A PRE: 41%, POST: 46%, P < 0.001; Hospital B PRE: 23%, POST: 40%, P < 0.001). Time series modelling indicated that the effect was worst at the hospital furthest away from the new ED.

Conclusions

An additional ED within the region saw an increase in the total volume of presentations at a rate far greater than local population growth, suggesting it either provided an unmet need or a shifting of activity from one sector to another. Future studies should examine patient decision making regarding reasons for presenting to a new or pre‐existing ED. There is an inherent need to take a ‘whole of health service area’ approach to solve crowding issues.