bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managerial and mobilizing internationalism in the British docks and seafaring sector
Authors: Umney Charles
Published: March 2012

This article considers two types of internationalization process among British docks and seafaring unions, distinguishing between ‘mobilizing’ and ‘managerial’ internationalism with reference to two case studies. The article argues that an internationalism which seeks to mobilize membership in an oppositional way is dependent on the framing, by union leadership, of particular material grievances as necessitating an international, rather than national, response. Managerial internationalism, by contrast, sees a more classically bureaucratic division of labour, in which officials administer more general political and regulatory priorities that are derived from membership concerns. The underlying material determinant of these types is argued to be the degree of labour market security possessed by unions involved. Where workers experience a strong challenge to their employment through international labour competition a mobilizing internationalism is more likely to emerge. But these material conditions also engender spatial and temporal limits within which mobilizing internationalism is constrained.
Mid- to late-Holocene coastal environmental changes in southwest Florida, USA
Authors: van Soelen EE , Brooks GR , Larson RA , Sinninghe Damsté JS , Reichart GJ
Published: March 2012

During the Holocene, Florida experienced major changes in precipitation and runoff. To better understand these processes, shallow marine sediment cores from Charlotte Harbor (southwest Florida) were studied, covering approximately the past 9000 years. Whole core XRF scanning was applied to correlate different sediment cores on a river to sea transect. Biomarkers were used to identify periods with increased runoff and primary productivity. The mid-Holocene sediments are characterized by a relatively large input of terrestrially derived organic matter, with a maximum in precipitation and runoff around 5 kyr BP. This maximum can be linked to large-scale changes in the hydrological cycle involving shifts of the ITCZ, Bermuda-Azores High and Polar Front. Around 3.5 kyr BP, Charlotte Harbor changed from a runoff-dominated environment to a more oligotrophic and marine setting. Although other studies suggest that, around this time, precipitation in Florida increased, this is not reflected by the Charlotte Harbor records. Possibly, wetter conditions in Florida due to gradual, ongoing, sea level rise in combination with increased precipitation, resulted in accumulation of organic matter on land. Increased sedimentation rates, terrestrial input and primary productivity observed in the upper part of the record are likely a consequence of human impact during the past century. Throughout the record, indications for storm activity can be recognized as coarser grained layers consisting of quartz sands or shell debris. These layers are rare during the mid Holocene, but between 3.2 and 2 kyr BP, their numbers increase, suggesting an increase in tropical cyclone activity in the Gulf of Mexico.
Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for Eastern equine encephalitis virus and West Nile virus in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain tissue of horses
Authors: Pennick Kate E. , McKnight Christy A. , Patterson Jon S. , Latimer Kenneth S. , Maes Roger K. , Wise Annabel G. , Kiupel Matti
Published: March 2012

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) can be used either to detect or to differentiate between Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) within formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) brain tissue of horses. To compare the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of ISH and IHC, FFPE brain tissue from 20 EEEV-positive horses and 16 WNV-positive horses were tested with both EEEV and WNV oligoprobes and EEEV- and WNV-specific antibodies. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detection of EEEV and WNV was used as the gold standard to confirm infection. All horses that tested positive for EEEV by RT-PCR also tested positive by IHC and ISH, except for 1 case that was false-negative by ISH. In contrast, all horses that tested positive for WNV by RT-PCR tested negative by IHC and only 2 horses tested positive by ISH. No false-positives were detected with either method for both viruses. Both IHC and ISH are highly specific and sensitive diagnostic methods to detect EEEV in equine FFPE brain tissues, although neither appear effective for the diagnosis of WNV in equine neurologic cases.
Detection of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibodies in oral fluid specimens using a commercial PRRSV serum antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Authors: Kittawornrat Apisit , Prickett John , Wang Chong , Olsen Chris , Irwin Christa , Panyasing Yaowalak , Ballagi Andrea , Rice Anna , Main Rodger , Johnson John , Rademacher Chris , Hoogland Marlin , Rowland Raymond , Zimmerman Jeffrey
Published: March 2012

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a commercial serum antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) modified to detect anti– Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibodies in pen-based oral fluid specimens. Experimental and field oral fluid samples of defined status in reference to exposure of swine with PRRSV were used to derive the kinetics of detectable concentrations of antibody against PRRSV. Immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgA were readily detected in oral fluid specimens from populations in which PRRSV infection was synchronized among all individuals but not in samples collected in commecial herds. In contrast, IgG was readily detected at diagnostically useful levels in both experimental and field samples for up to 126 days. Estimates of the IgG oral fluid ELISA performance were based on results from testing positive oral fluid samples ( n = 492) from experimentally inoculated pigs ( n = 251) and field samples ( n = 241) and negative oral fluid samples ( n = 367) from experimentally inoculated pigs ( n = 84) and field samples ( n = 283). Receiver operating characteristic analysis estimated the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the assay as 94.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 92.4, 96.5) and 100% (95% CI: 99.0, 100.0), respectively, at a sample-to-positive ratio cutoff of ≥0.40. The results of the study suggest that the IgG oral fluid ELISA can provide efficient, cost-effective PRRSV monitoring in commercial herds and PRRSV surveillance in elimination programs.
Multiscale finite element simulations of piezoelectric materials based on two- and three-dimensional electron backscatter diffraction–measured microstructures
Authors: Uetsuji Yasutomo , Kimura Shusuke , Kuramae Hiroyuki , Tsuchiya Kazuyoshi , Kamlah Marc
Published: March 2012

This article presents a computational procedure for evaluating effective homogenized material properties of polycrystalline piezoelectric materials and constructing two- and three-dimensional realistic microstructure models based on electron backscatter diffraction crystal orientation measurement. Microstructural features of a polycrystalline piezoelectric material, barium titanate, were investigated through electron backscatter diffraction measurements using an amorphous osmium coating to prevent charging. Realistic crystal orientations obtained from the electron backscatter diffraction measurements were introduced into multiscale finite element simulations based on homogenization theory to reveal the relationship between the macrostructure and the microstructure. First, a two-dimensional microstructural model was constructed, and the effect of the sampling area of the electron backscatter diffraction–measured crystal orientations was analyzed. We discuss the representative volume element determined from two points of view: the macroscopic homogenized material properties and the microscopic localized material behavior in response to external loads. Second, the surface of specimen was ground and polished at regular intervals and was measured by electron backscatter diffraction iteratively. Then a three-dimensional microstructural model was constructed by stacking in-plane crystal orientations in series along the out-of-plane direction, and the influence of the microstructural thickness, which indicates the stacking dimension in the out-of-plane direction, was investigated. We compare the macrostructural homogenized material properties between the two- and three-dimensional microstructures.
Understanding the Role of Communities of Practice in Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health
Authors: Meagher-Stewart Donna , Solberg Shirley M. , Warner Grace , MacDonald Jo-Ann , McPherson Charmaine , Seaman Patricia
Published: March 2012

In this article we report on qualitative findings that describe public health practitioners’ practice-based definitions of evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) and communities of practice (CoP), and how CoP could be a mechanism to enhance their capacity to practice EIDM. Our findings emerged from a qualitative descriptive analysis of group discussions and participant concept maps from two consensus-building workshops that were conducted with public health practitioners ( N = 90) in two provinces in eastern Canada. Participants recognized the importance of EIDM and the significance of integrating explicit and tacit evidence in the EIDM process, which was enhanced by CoP. Tacit knowledge, particularly from peers and personal experience, was the preferred source of knowledge, with informal peer interactions being the favored form of CoP to support EIDM. CoP helped practitioners build relationships and community capacity, share and create knowledge, and build professional confidence and critical inquiry. Participants described individual and organizational attributes that were needed to enable CoP and EIDM.
My Journey in Grief
Authors: Terry Alice W.
Published: March 2012

My daughter was every parent’s dream. She excelled in everything she did. She was the most caring person I have ever known. She died suddenly in her 29th year from pneumonia, from working too hard, from not taking care of herself. This autoethnography, grounded in reflective inquiry, relates my journey in grief. Excerpts from my 858-page grief journal provided the foundation for this research study. Rather than stages of grief, what emerged were way stations in a desert with sails set to New Normal: Early Desert, Belly of the Whale, The Shadow of Death, Desert’s Edge, and New Normal. Challenging some long-held notions of the grief process and reinforcing others, this study provides insight borne of a mother’s experience, borne of the pain of loss
Articulating Otherness
Authors: Madden Mary
Published: March 2012

This article is inspired both by the radical feminist work of Daly and the post/modern possibilities of deconstruction. The author adopts a monstrous textual form to show and warn fellow voyagers in the academic mode of production that challenging exclusion and assimilation involves thinking beyond existing forms and going beyond “methodolatory”. Shelley’s Frankenstein provides the basis for a feminist gothic approach that emphasizes research as a written, passionate, and embodied process with consequences for the researcher and the researched. The article asserts the narrative inevitability of intertextuality, examines the gendering of knowledge, and presents a discursive challenge to the subject/object binary.
Situated Affect in Traveling Data
Authors: Thomson Rachel , Moe Anita , Thorne Barrie , Nielsen Harriet Bjerrum
Published: March 2012

This article brings psychosocial methods into conversation with methodological and ethical debates arising from the reuse of qualitative research material, and with issues of ethnographic practice. Our empirical grounding came from the psychosocial technique of reading research texts aloud in a group, listening in an affectively attuned way, and sharing our responses. The texts we revisited—infant observation notes of interactions between a young mother and her baby—were originally gathered for the Becoming a Mother project. We identified affectively dense and compelling episodes in the data and, as we detail with examples, examined the textual sources of the experienced meanings and affects that these events evoked in group members. We discuss the epistemological and ethical complexities and challenges of this approach to the archiving and reuse of qualitative empirical material and show how the process of slow, affectively attuned reading of field notes and interviews may enrich qualitative research practices.
Silybum marianum (milk thistle) in the management and prevention of hepatotoxicity in a patient undergoing reinduction therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia
Authors: McBride Ali , Augustin Kristan M , Nobbe Julie , Westervelt Peter
Published: March 2012

Hepatotoxicity has been observed with several chemotherapy agents and combination regimens. Conventional treatment methods often include supportive care or observation. We report a case of a patient with noted transaminitis presumed secondary to chemotherapy, which did not resolve with supportive care but was shown to respond to milk thistle. The patient had an immediate decrease in liver function tests and showed decreased elevation in levels upon treatment with subsequent chemotherapy regimens. This case demonstrates the potential efficacy of milk thistle as a unique hepatoprotective agent.
A clarification of the role of crack-tip conditions in linear elasticity with surface effects
Authors: Kim CI , Ru C-Q , Schiavone P
Published: March 2012

We examine the role of crack-tip conditions in the reduction of stress at a crack tip in a theory of linear elasticity with surface effects. The maximum number of allowable end conditions for complete removal of a stress singularity is demonstrated for both plane and anti-plane problems. In particular, we show that the necessary and sufficient conditions for bounded stresses at a crack tip cannot be satisfied with a first-order (curvature-independent) theory of surface effects, which leads, at most, to the reduction of the classical strong square-root singularity to a weaker logarithmic singularity.
Amino acids and volatile compounds in wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo varieties subjected to malolactic fermentation in barrels
Authors: Hernández-Orte P , Peña A , Pardo I , Cacho J , Ferreira V
Published: March 2012

The aim of the present paper is to compare the behaviour of industrial lactic bacteria and indigenous bacteria of the cellar when malolactic fermentation was carried out in barrels. The effects of these bacteria on the concentration of metabolised amino acids during malolactic fermentation and on the composition of volatile compounds both before and after malolactic fermentation are studied. The experiment was performed with wines of the Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. An analysis has been made of the easily extractable volatile compounds of the wood and the compounds from the grapes, and the action of the yeasts during the alcoholic fermentation. Acetoin and diacetyl decreased during the malolactic fermentation in barrels and the concentrations of furfural and its derivatives were up to 100 times higher in wines not subjected to malolactic fermentation. Most of the volatile phenols increased during the malolactic fermentation in wines of the Tempranillo variety, while only guaiacol ( p < 0.05) and t-isoeugenol increased in the Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The decrease in amino acids during the malolactic fermentation depends much more on the variety than on the bacterial strain which carries out the malolactic fermentation.
Simple hydroelastic impact models for water-borne debris
Authors: Kobayashi Marcelo H , Genest R , Riggs H Ronald , Paczkowski K
Published: March 2012

Debris driven by tsunamis pose a significant threat to structures, and yet most building codes that include debris impact are based on rigid-body dynamics. However, the debris will most likely not be rigid compared to the structural components, such as walls and columns, that they impact. Impact by flexible, water-borne wood poles and shipping containers is considered in this paper. A relatively simple one-dimensional model for acoustic wave propagation, for which an analytical solution is obtained, is shown to provide a good estimate for the initial impact force and duration. This model is validated with small-scale, in-air tests. The simple model is also validated with two-dimensional fluid–structure interaction using a finite element code. The acoustic model works well for initial impact as long as the debris rebounds from the impact target. When the water prevents separation, then the acoustic model significantly overestimates the asymptotic force. The effect of the gravitational waves resulting from impact is to retard re-impacts, as compared to the acoustic model.
Extracellular ATP induces P2X7-dependent nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase release in LPS-activated human monocytes
Authors: Schilling Erik , Hauschildt Sunna
Published: March 2012

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), an enzyme involved in NAD biosynthesis, has recently been identified as a novel mediator of innate immunity.

In the present study, we report that treatment of LPS-primed monocytes with ATP greatly enhanced the secretion of NAMPT in a time- and concentration-dependent manner without displaying any cytotoxic effect. NAMPT release was suppressed by pretreatment with the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) inhibitors oxidized ATP (oxATP) and KN-62, indicating the engagement of P2X7Rs. Furthermore, P2X7R was found to be involved in mediating cell permeability caused by the addition of ATP. To define a role of endogenous ATP in NAMPT secretion, LPS-primed monocytes were incubated in the presence of oxATP and KN-62, as well as the ATP-hydrolyzing enzymes apyrase and hexokinase. With the exception of oxATP, neither substance led to a decrease in NAMPT release, suggesting that autocrine/paracrine ATP is unlikely to be responsible for the LPS-induced release of NAMPT. In conclusion, the enhanced release of NAMPT by extracellular ATP described here indicates the requirement of a second stimulus for the efficient secretion of NAMPT. This mode of secretion, which also applies to IL-1β, might represent a general mechanism for the release of leaderless secretory proteins at locally restricted sites.
Risks associated with tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: overview of the evidence to date
Authors: Loke Yoon K. , Singh Sonal
Published: March 2012

Tiotropium is a long-acting inhaled anticholinergic agent that is widely used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It was initially launched as the tiotropium HandiHaler formulation, but this was followed by a newer version based on a potentially more efficient drug delivery device, known as Respimat. This Respimat formulation is available worldwide but has not yet succeeded in gaining regulatory approval in the USA. In the past few years, the adverse effects profile of tiotropium has come under close scrutiny owing to concerns about the possibility of urinary and cardiovascular adverse effects. These concerns appeared to have been alleviated following the publication of data from the Understanding Potential Long-Term Impacts on Function with Tiotropium (UPLIFT) trial, which was a large trial of 4 years’ duration. This trial did not show any excess myocardial infarction, renal or urinary adverse events with tiotropium compared with placebo. However, the risk of urinary retention has been in the spotlight again following publication of two observational studies reporting a significantly increased risk of urinary retention in men recently started on inhaled anticholinergics, especially when prostatic hyperplasia coexists. More recently, a meta-analysis of mortality data for the tiotropium Respimat formulation raised the possibility of an increased risk of death, including death from cardiovascular causes. It is unclear if the more efficient drug delivery offered by the Respimat device is hitting a different part of the dose-toxicity curve. In the absence of any evidence of superior clinical efficacy with tiotropium Respimat compared with tiotropium HandiHaler, some experts have argued that there is no compelling reason to choose the Respimat formulation given the new uncertainties about its safety profile.
miR-155 regulates IFN-γ production in natural killer cells
Authors: Trotta Rossana , Chen Li , Ciarlariello David , Josyula Srirama , Mao Charlene , Costinean Stefan , Yu Lianbo , Butchar Jonathan P. , Tridandapani Susheela , Croce Carlo M. , Caligiuri Michael A.
Published: March 2012

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules with important regulatory functions whose role in regulating natural killer (NK) cell biology is not well defined. Here, we show that miR-155 is synergistically induced in primary human NK cells after costimulation with IL-12 and IL-18, or with IL-12 and CD16 clustering. Over-expression of miR-155 enhanced induction of IFN-γ by IL-12 and IL-18 or CD16 stimulation, whereas knockdown of miR-155 or its disruption suppressed IFN-γ induction in monokine and/or CD16-stimulated NK cells. These effects on the regulation of NK cell IFN-γ expression were found to be mediated at least in part via miR-155's direct effects on the inositol phosphatase SHIP1. Consistent with this, we observed that modulation of miR-155 overrides IL-12 and IL-18–mediated regulation of SHIP1 expression in NK cells. Collectively, our data indicate that miR-155 expression is regulated by stimuli that strongly induce IFN-γ in NK cells such as IL-12, IL-18, and CD16 activation, and that miR-155 functions as a positive regulator of IFN-γ production in human NK cells, at least in part via down-regulating SHIP1. These findings may have clinical relevance for targeting miR-155 in neoplastic disease.
Coffee cysteine proteinases and related inhibitors with high expression during grain maturation and germination
Authors: Lepelley Maud , Amor Mohamed Ben , Martineau Nelly , Cheminade Gerald , Caillet Victoria , McCarthy James
Published: March 2012

Background

Cysteine proteinases perform multiple functions in seeds, including participation in remodelling polypeptides and recycling amino acids during maturation and germination. Currently, few details exist concerning these genes and proteins in coffee. Furthermore, there is limited information on the cysteine proteinase inhibitors which influence the activities of these proteinases.

Results

Two cysteine proteinase (CP) and four cysteine proteinase inhibitor (CPI) gene sequences have been identified in coffee with significant expression during the maturation and germination of coffee grain. Detailed expression analysis of the cysteine proteinase genes CcCP1 and CcCP4 in Robusta using quantitative RT-PCR showed that these transcripts accumulate primarily during grain maturation and germination/post germination. The corresponding proteins were expressed in E. coli and purified, but only one, CcCP4, which has a KDDL/KDEL C-terminal sequence, was found to be active after a short acid treatment. QRT-PCR expression analysis of the four cysteine proteinase inhibitor genes in Robusta showed that CcCPI-1 is primarily expressed in developing and germinating grain and CcCPI-4 is very highly expressed during the late post germination period, as well as in mature, but not immature leaves. Transcripts corresponding to CcCPI-2 and CcCPI-3 were detected in most tissues examined at relatively similar, but generally low levels.

Conclusions

Several cysteine proteinase and cysteine proteinase inhibitor genes with strong, relatively specific expression during coffee grain maturation and germination are presented. The temporal expression of the CcCP1 gene suggests it is involved in modifying proteins during late grain maturation and germination. The expression pattern of CcCP4, and its close identity with KDEL containing CP proteins, implies this proteinase may play a role in protein and/or cell remodelling during late grain germination, and that it is likely to play a strong role in the programmed cell death associated with post-germination of the coffee grain. Expression analysis of the cysteine proteinase inhibitor genes suggests that CcCPI-1 could primarily be involved in modulating the activity of grain CP activity; while CcCPI-4 may play roles modulating grain CP activity and in the protection of the young coffee seedlings from insects and pathogens. CcCPI-2 and CcCPI-3, having lower and more widespread expression, could be more general "house-keeping" CPI genes.
Potential application of serological tests on fluids from carcasses: detection of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcoptes scabiei in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
Authors: Jakubek Eva-Britt , Mattsson Roland , Mörner Torsten , Mattsson Jens G , Gavier-Widén Dolores
Published: March 2012

Background

Serological surveys for disease investigation of wild animal populations require obtaining blood samples for analysis, which has logistic, ethic and economic difficulties. Applying serological test to fluids collected from dead animals is an alternative. The aim of this study was to assess if antibodies could be detected in two types of fluids collected from 56 carcasses of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes): pleural fluid and lung extract.

Findings

In 22 (39%) foxes antibodies against Sarcoptes scabiei were detected in both fluid types by ELISA and Western blot. In 46 (82%) foxes, antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii were detected in pleural fluid and in 41 (73%) in lung extract applying a Toxo-screen test (DAT). Antibodies were still detectable in the same fluids kept at room temperature for 28 days, although in fewer foxes (16 and 14 foxes tested for T. gondii in lung extract and pleural fluid respectively; and 1 and 4 tested for S. scabiei in lung extract and pleural fluid respectively.

Conclusions

These results indicate the potential utility of using fluids from carcasses for antibody screening of wild animals at the population level.
A prospective randomized open-label crossover trial of regional citrate anticoagulation vs. anticoagulation free liver dialysis by the Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System
Authors: Meijers Björn , Laleman Wim , Vermeersch Pieter , Nevens Frederik , Wilmer Alexander , Evenepoel Pieter
Published: March 2012

Introduction

The Molecular Adsorbent Recycling System (MARS) is used to treat patients with liver failure. Observational data suggest that citrate anticoagulation during MARS is feasible. Comparative studies on the optimal anticoagulation regimen during MARS are lacking. The aim of the current study was to evaluate two heparin-free anticoagulation regimens.

Methods

We performed a prospective randomized open-label crossover study of regional citrate anticoagulation against no anticoagulation. Ten patients (age 55 ± 11 years) with liver failure undergoing MARS treatment were included. The primary endpoint was completion of MARS sessions. Secondary endpoints included treatment efficacy and safety. Longevity of MARS treatment was plotted as a Kaplan-Meier estimate. Fisher's exact test was used for contingency table analysis.

Results

Of a total of 27 6-hour sessions, four sessions had to be terminated prematurely, three due to occlusive clotting of the extracorporeal circuit and one due to uncontrollable bleeding from the vascular access site. All four events occurred in the group without anticoagulation. Between group comparison demonstrated citrate anticoagulation to significantly increase the likelihood of completed MARS treatment (Fisher's exact test, P 0.04). This translates into higher bilirubin reduction ratios when citrate was applied (reduction ratio 0.25 vs. 0.15, P 0.02). Systemic ionized calcium concentrations were significantly reduced during citrate anticoagulation (P < 0.001) but remained within a safe range. We observed no major adverse events.

Conclusions

Regional citrate anticoagulation in patients with liver failure is feasible. Citrate anticoagulation provides superior patency of the extracorporeal circuit. Avoidance of anticoagulation during MARS results in significant loss of treatment efficacy, due to treatment downtime. Additional studies are required to identify the optimal anticoagulation regimen for extracorporeal circulation in patients with liver failure.
Domestic violence: its relevance to psychiatry
Authors: Howard Louise M.
Published: March 2012

Domestic violence is a major public health problem because it is common and associated with physical and mental health morbidity. It is more common in psychiatric patients but is underdetected by mental health professionals. Routine enquiry increases detection but needs to be introduced in the context of comprehensive training, and only where referral and care pathways have been developed. High-risk patients should be referred to multi-agency risk assessment conferences for multidisciplinary assessment and safe management.
Comorbid anxiety and depression: bête noire or quick fix?
Authors: Andreescu Carmen , Lenze Eric J.
Published: March 2012

The common territory shared by anxiety and depression has always been a contentious subject. Research in favour of anxious depression as a potentially treatment-relevant subtype has been limited by diagnostic dilemmas and crude measurement. The most recent evidence from genetics, neuropeptide systems and functional neuroimaging suggests a valid diagnostic construct.
Doctors' health: stigma and the professional discomfort in seeking help
Authors: Garelick Antony I.
Published: March 2012

I describe the needs for and impediments in provision of psychological support services for doctors. Morbidity and the resistance in the profession to addressing their own health needs are discussed. I also explore the principles of bespoke services for doctors, with particular emphasis on overcoming stigma and facilitating therapeutic engagement. I argue that triage is an inappropriate service model of care for doctors.
The Pursuit of Happiness: 2011
Authors: Fraad Harriet
Published: March 2012

Under assault from U.S. corporate elites and the rich, many Americans are responding in a dysfunctional personal way rather than through collective action. Here’s a strategy to change that.
Luther’s Call to Resistance: “Not with Violence, but the Word”
Authors: Strieter Thomas W.
Published: March 2012

Despite the anti-Semitic rantings he published in his declining years, Martin Luther had earlier insights that may resonate for progressive people of faith.
Fresh Tactics and New Voices in the Movement for Justice and Freedom in the Middle East
Authors: Abileah Rae
Published: March 2012

Thanks to energetic activism and new social media tools, the movement against the Occupation is coming alive.
Is Addiction Really a Disease? A Challenge to Twelve-Step Programs
Authors: Boeving Nicholas Grant
Published: March 2012

The disease model has great therapeutic impact. But is it really telling the truth about addiction?
The Legacy of Abraham Joshua Heschel
Authors: Erlewine Robert
Published: March 2012

Susannah Heschel’s new collection of her father’s writings gives us an opportunity to re-immerse ourselves in the wisdom of the twentieth century’s greatest Jewish religious thinker.
Twelve-Step Healing
Authors: Kaufman Sherine
Published: March 2012

There are deeper reasons why twelve-step programs have been so successful in healing people.
Synthesis and secretory expression of hybrid antimicrobial peptide CecA–mag and its mutants in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Wang Xiuqing , Zhu Mingxing , Zhang Aijun , Yang Fengqin , Chen Puyan
Published: March 2012

The hybrid peptide CA(1–7)–M(2–12) gene was designed according to the N-terminal 1–7 amino acid sequence of the antimicrobial peptide cecropin A (CA) and the N-terminal 2–12 amino acid sequence of maganin (M) and synthesized using Pichia pastoris preferred codons. The gene was cloned into pPICZ αA and transformed into the P. pastoris recipient bacterium SMD1168, regulated by the alcohol oxidase (AOX). Expression of the cecA-mag hybrid antimicrobial peptide (MW, 1.9 kDa) revealed broad-spectrum antibiotic activity and to the ability to inhibit growth of most G− and G+ bacteria. Three mutants of cecA-mag were designed and synthesized by recombination polymerase chain reaction site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the relationship between the structure and function of this antimicrobial peptide. The inhibition titers of these mutants against Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated using the agar diffusion method. Under the conditions of the same concentration and volume, the bacteriostatic diameters of three cecA-mag mutants were 1.2, 1.2 and 1.5 times, respectively, compared with the diameters of wild-type cecA-mag.
Telecytology for rapid assessment of cytological specimens
Authors: Kern Izidor , Gabric Simona , Triller Nadja , Pozek Igor
Published: March 2012

We investigated the feasibility of telecytology for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of cytological specimens. During a six-month study, 385 consecutive adult patients underwent image-guided fine needle aspiration biopsies of the lung or transbronchial needle aspirations of mediastinal lymph nodes. Direct smears were immediately wet-fixed and a cytopathologist or a trained cytotechnologist evaluated specimen adequacy using a telecytology system. Specimens were reported as adequate or inadequate. A total of 238 specimens (62%) were diagnosed without rapid assessment. The percentage of non-representative samples in the group without rapid evaluation was 42%. In the group of 147 specimens (38%) which underwent rapid evaluation, 48 (33%) were reported as inadequate and 99 (67%) as adequate. Only 22% of final diagnoses were non-representative, including samples which were assessed as inadequate by rapid evaluation. In three patients of 32, where the obtained material was recognized as adequate, final diagnoses were non-representative. Rapid evaluation with the use of telecytology improves the diagnostic yield of guided fine-needle aspiration biopsies by decreasing the percentage of non-representative specimens.
A pilot test of a tailored mobile and web-based diabetes messaging system for adolescents
Authors: Mulvaney Shelagh A , Anders Shilo , Smith Annie K , Pittel Eric J , Johnson Kevin B
Published: March 2012

We conducted a pilot trial of a new mobile and web-based intervention to improve diabetes adherence. The text messaging system was designed to motivate and remind adolescents about diabetes self-care tasks. Text messages were tailored according to individually-reported barriers to diabetes self-care. A total of 23 adolescents with type 1 diabetes used the system for a period of three months. On average, they received 10 text messages per week (range 8–12). A matched historical control group from the same clinic was used for comparison. After three months, system users rated the content, usability and experiences with the system, which were very favourable. Comparison of the intervention and control groups indicated a significant interaction between group and time. Both groups had similar HbA1c levels at baseline. After three months, the mean HbA1c level in the intervention group was unchanged (8.8%), but the mean level in the control group was significantly higher (9.9%), P = 0.006. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the messaging system, user acceptance and a promising effect on glycaemic control. Integrating this type of messaging system with online educational programming could prove to be beneficial.
Dabigatran: Will it Replace Warfarin for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation?
Authors: Howard Patricia A.
Published: March 2012

Dabigatran, a direct thrombin inhibitor, is the first oral alternative to warfarin for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Dabigatran offers several potential advantages over warfarin including ease of dosing, fewer drug interactions, and the lack of required coagulation monitoring. However, its overall effectiveness and safety will depend upon appropriate patient selection. This article discusses factors that should be taken into account when considering dabigatran for patients with atrial fibrillation.
Economic and Clinical Impact of a Pharmacy Resident at a Large Academic Medical Center
Authors: Daghstani Alia A. , Patel Nilam P.
Published: March 2012

Purpose

To define the financial impact of a pharmacy residency program at a large academic medical center, to assess physician evaluation of pharmacy residents on patient rounds, and to describe the role of the pharmacy resident.

Methods

One pharmacy resident recorded all interventions during a 4-month period. Interventions were classified as cost-saving or cost-avoiding and were evaluated as such. The cost-savings and cost-avoidance of interventions, along with the costs of alternative weekend coverage and Medicare reimbursement, were summed to determine the financial impact of residency positions. To calculate costs associated with pharmacy residency programs, resident stipend and benefits as well as cost of preceptor teaching and preparation time were added together. Various daily activities were logged to describe the role of the pharmacy resident. To assess physician evaluation of including pharmacy resident on rounds, a short, optional survey was administered to members of the medical team.

Results

Over the 4-month study period, a total of 347 interventions were made by the pharmacy resident. The total cost-savings and cost-avoidance for interventions during the study period was $110,601. When comparing the costs and benefits of the residency program, there was a net benefit of $55,821 during the study period. Based on survey results, physician evaluation of the inclusion of pharmacy residents on rounds was positive. The resident provided pharmaceutical care to a mean of 15 patients daily, required about 1 hour of preceptor teaching time daily, and provided 7 inservices during the 4-month period.

Conclusion

Pharmacy residency programs have a positive financial impact. Pharmacy residents are thought by physicians to be helpful, and they enhance patient care when included on rounds.
Health Information Technology Happenings in 2011: Part 1
Authors: Fox Brent I. , Felkey Bill G.
Published: March 2012

Efforts to drive electronic health record (EHR) adoption continue. It only takes a few minutes browsing health-related Web sites to get overwhelmed with all the activity. Our professional pursuits place us in the position of tracking EHR efforts. We devote this installment to some of the most significant health information technology-related events of 2011.
Recent Publications on Medications and Pharmacy
Authors: Russett Flint
Published: March 2012

Hospital Pharmacy presents this feature to keep pharmacists abreast of new publications in the medical/pharmacy literature. Articles of interest regarding a broad scope of topics are abstracted monthly. Suggestions or comments may be addressed to Flint Russett, St. Claire Regional Medical Center, 222 Medical Circle, Morehead, KY 40351, or e-mail: FSRussett@st-claire.org .
Activity Related to Perceptual Judgment and Action in Primary Auditory Cortex
Authors: Niwa Mamiko , Johnson Jeffrey S. , O'Connor Kevin N. , Sutter Mitchell L.
Published: March 2012

Recent evidence is reshaping the view of primary auditory cortex (A1) from a unisensory area to one more involved in dynamically integrating multisensory- and task-related information. We found A1 single- (SU) and multiple-unit (MU) activity correlated with macaques' choices in an amplitude modulation (AM) discrimination task. Animals were trained to discriminate AM noise from unmodulated noise by releasing a lever for AM noise and holding down the lever for unmodulated noise. Activity for identical stimuli was compared between trials where the animals reported AM and trials where they did not. We found 47.4% of MUs and 22.8% of SUs significantly increased firing shortly before the animal's behavioral response to report AM when compared to the equivalent time period on trials where AM was not reported. Activity was also linked to lever release in a different task context, suggesting A1 modulation by somatosensory, or efference copy, input. When spikes were counted only during the stimulus, 19.6% of MUs and 13.8% of SUs increased firing rate when animals reported AM compared to when they did not, suggesting an attentional effect, or that A1 activity can be used by higher decision areas, or that such areas provide feedback to A1. Activity associated with AM reporting was correlated with a unit's AM sensitivity, suggesting AM sensitive neurons' involvement in task performance. A1 neurons' phase locking to AM correlated more weakly (compared to firing rate) with the animals' report of AM, suggesting a preferential role for rate-codes in A1 for this AM discrimination task.
The Importance of the NRG-1/ErbB4 Pathway for Synaptic Plasticity and Behaviors Associated with Psychiatric Disorders
Authors: Shamir Alon , Kwon Oh-Bin , Karavanova Irina , Vullhorst Detlef , Leiva-Salcedo Elias , Janssen Megan J. , Buonanno Andres
Published: March 2012

Neuregulin 1 (NRG-1) and its receptor ErbB4 have emerged as biologically plausible schizophrenia risk factors, modulators of GABAergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission, and as potent regulators of glutamatergic synaptic plasticity. NRG-1 acutely depotentiates LTP in hippocampal slices, and blocking ErbB kinase activity inhibits LTP reversal by theta-pulse stimuli (TPS), an activity-dependent reversal paradigm. NRG-1/ErbB4 signaling in parvalbumin (PV) interneurons has been implicated in inhibitory transmission onto pyramidal neurons. However, the role of ErbB4, in particular in PV interneurons, for LTP reversal has not been investigated. Here we show that ErbB4-null (ErbB4−/−) and PV interneuron-restricted mutant (PV-Cre;ErbB4) mice, as well as NRG-1 hypomorphic mice, exhibit increased hippocampal LTP. Moreover, bothErbB4−/−andPV-Cre;ErbB4mice lack TPS-mediated LTP reversal. A comparative behavioral analysis of full and conditional ErbB4 mutant mice revealed that both exhibit hyperactivity in a novel environment and deficits in prepulse inhibition of the startle response. Strikingly, however, onlyErbB4−/−mice exhibit reduced anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze task and deficits in cued and contextual fear conditioning. These results suggest that aberrant NRG-1/ErbB4 signaling in PV interneurons accounts for some but not all behavioral abnormalities observed inErbB4−/−mice. Consistent with the observation thatPV-Cre;ErbB4mice exhibit normal fear conditioning, we find that ErbB4 is broadly expressed in the amygdala, largely by cells negative for PV. These findings are important to better understand ErbB4's role in complex behaviors and warrant further analysis ofErbB4mutant mice lacking the receptor in distinct neuron types.
CXCL16 Orchestrates Adenosine A3Receptor and MCP-1/CCL2 Activity to Protect Neurons from Excitotoxic Cell Death in the CNS
Authors: Rosito Maria , Deflorio Cristina , Limatola Cristina , Trettel Flavia
Published: March 2012

A role for chemokines as molecules mediating neuron-glia cross talk has emerged in recent years, both in physiological and pathological conditions. We demonstrate here for the first time that the chemokine CXCL16 and its unique receptor CXCR6 are functionally expressed in the CNS, and induce neuroprotection against excitotoxic damage due to excessive glutamate (Glu) exposure and oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD). In mice and rats we found that, to exert neuroprotection, CXCL16 requires the presence of extracellular adenosine (ADO), and that pharmacological or genetic inactivation of the ADO A3receptor, A3R, prevents CXCL16 effect. In experiments with astrocytes cocultured with cxcr6gfp/gfphippocampal cells, we demonstrate that CXCL16 acts directly on astrocytes to release soluble factors that are essential to mediate neuroprotection. In particular, we report that (1) upon stimulation with CXCL16 astrocytes release monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/CCL2 and (2) the neuroprotective effect of CXCL16 is reduced in the presence of neutralizing CCL2 antibody. In conclusion, we found that chemokine CXCL16 is able to mediate cross talk between astrocytes and neighboring neurons and, in pathological conditions such as excessive Glu or OGD exposure, is able to counteract neuronal cell death through an ADO-dependent chemokine-induced chemokine-release mechanism.
Neuronal Birth Order Identifies a Dimorphic Sensorineural Map
Authors: Pujol-Martí Jesús , Zecca Andrea , Baudoin Jean-Pierre , Faucherre Adèle , Asakawa Kazuhide , Kawakami Koichi , López-Schier Hernán
Published: March 2012

Spatially distributed sensory information is topographically mapped in the brain by point-to-point correspondence of connections between peripheral receptors and central target neurons. In fishes, for example, the axonal projections from the mechanosensory lateral line organize a somatotopic neural map. The lateral line provides hydrodynamic information for intricate behaviors such as navigation and prey detection. It also mediates fast startle reactions triggered by the Mauthner cell. However, it is not known how the lateralis neural map is built to subserve these contrasting behaviors. Here we reveal that birth order diversifies lateralis afferent neurons in the zebrafish. We demonstrate that early- and late-born lateralis afferents diverge along the main axes of the hindbrain to synapse with hundreds of second-order targets. However, early-born afferents projecting from primary neuromasts also assemble a separate map by converging on the lateral dendrite of the Mauthner cell, whereas projections from secondary neuromasts never make physical contact with the Mauthner cell. We also show that neuronal diversity and map topology occur normally in animals permanently deprived of mechanosensory activity. We conclude that neuronal birth order correlates with the assembly of neural submaps, whose combination is likely to govern appropriate behavioral reactions to the sensory context.
Measuring the Firing Rate of High-Resistance Neurons with Cell-Attached Recording
Authors: Alcami Pepe , Franconville Romain , Llano Isabel , Marty Alain
Published: March 2012

Cell-attached recording is extensively used to study the firing rate of mammalian neurons, but potential limitations of the method have not been investigated in detail. Here we perform cell-attached recording of molecular layer interneurons in cerebellar slices from rats and mice, and we study how experimental conditions influence the measured firing rate. We find that this rate depends on time in cell-attached mode, on pipette potential, and on pipette ionic composition. In the first minute after sealing, action currents are variable in shape and size, presumably reflecting membrane instability. The firing rate remains approximately constant during the first 4 min after sealing and gradually increases afterward. Making the pipette potential more positive leads to an increase in the firing rate, with a steeper dependence on voltage if the pipette solution contains K+as the main cation than if it contains Na+. Ca2+imaging experiments show that establishing a cell-attached recording can result in an increased somatic Ca2+concentration, reflecting an increased firing rate linked to an increase in the pipette–cell conductance. Pipette effects on cell firing are traced to a combination of passive electrical coupling, opening of voltage- and Ca2+-sensitive K+channels (BK channels) after action potentials, and random activation of voltage-insensitive, presumably mechanosensitive, cationic channels. We conclude that, unless experimental conditions are optimized, cell-attached recordings in small neurons may report erroneous firing rates.