bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Levamisole stimulates proliferation of circulating and intestinal immune cell subsets, gut health and performance in weaned pigs
Authors: Valpotić Hrvoje , Šperanda Marcela , Kovšca-Janjatović Ana , Ðidara Mislav , Lacković Gordana , Božić Frane , Habrun Boris , Srečec Siniša , Mataušić-Pišl Mirjana , Valpotić Ivica
Published: November 2013

Valpotić, H., Šperanda, M., Kovšca-Janjatović, A., Ðidara, M., Lacković, G., Božić, F., Habrun, B., Srečec, S., Mataušić-Pišl, M. and Valpotić, I. 2014. Levamisole stimulates proliferation of circulating and intestinal immune cell subsets, gut health and performance in weaned pigs. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 43–53. With the growing knowledge of the porcine immune system and its endogenous modulation, it has been clearly stated that exogenous modulation through the use of substances able to modulate immune functions represents an important prophylactic/therapeutic approach in prevention/treatment of both stress- and F4+ and F18+ enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)-induced infections accompanied weaning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of levamisole (LEVA; 2.5 mg kg−1 BW in 10 mL) applied per os to weaned pigs in proliferation of circulating and intestinal immune cell subsets throughout a period of 5 wk. Changes in proportion or number of peripheral blood and ileal mucosal leukocytes tested were studied either weekly by flow cytometry or at the end of the experiment (day 35) by immunohistology/histomorphometry, respectively. Pigs treated with LEVA had increased proportions of peripheral blood CD45+ lymphoid cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and CD21+ B cells (P<0.01) between days 14 and 35 following the treatment. Also, LEVA stimulated the proliferation of CD45RA+ naïve lymphoid cells in interfollicular (P<0.001) and follicular areas (P<0.05) of ileal Peyer’s patches at day 35 of the experiment. These pigs had a significantly higher (P<0.05) average body weight (19.7 vs. 17.1 kg) and weight gain at the end of experiment compared with the control pigs (for 15%). We conclude that LEVA stimulated the proliferation of circulating and intestinal lymphoid cell subsets tested and improved performance in weaned pigs, and thus, the drug may nonspecifically enhance their immunity/resistance to F4+ and F18+ ETEC strains.
Organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in a clay loam soil 10 years after a single compost application
Authors: Yang Xueming , Reynolds W. Daniel , Drury Craig F. , Fleming Ron , Tan C. S. , Denholm Ken , Yang Jingyi
Published: November 2013

Yang, X., Reynolds, W. D., Drury, C. F., Fleming, R., Tan, C. S., Denholm, K. and Yang, J. 2014. Organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in a clay loam soil 10 years after a single compost application. Can. J. Soil Sci. 94: 357–363. Household food waste compost (FWC), yard waste compost (YWC) and pig manure plus wheat straw compost (PMC) were applied once in the fall of 1998 to a Brookston clay loam soil in southwestern Ontario to determine immediate and long-term effects of organic amendments on soil quality and productivity. In this report, we describe the residual effects of these single compost applications on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total soil nitrogen (TN) stocks 10 yr after compost addition (2009). FWC was applied at 75 Mg ha−1, 150 Mg ha−1 and 300 Mg ha−1, while YWC and PMC were applied at the single rate of 75 Mg ha−1. The 75 Mg ha−1 additions of YWC, PMC and FWC increased SOC in the top 30 cm relative to a control (no compost additions) by 12.3% (9.0 Mg ha−1), 16.6% (12.2 Mg ha−1) and 0%, respectively; and they increased TN relative to the control by 8.0% (0.53 Mg ha−1), 11.7% (0.77 Mg ha−1), and 0%, respectively. The 150 and 300 Mg ha−1 additions of FWC increased SOC in the top 30 cm by 13.0 and 24.7 Mg ha−1, respectively, and they increased TN by 0.93 and 1.70 Mg ha−1, respectively. These results indicate that increases in SOC and TN stocks accruing from a single compost addition can persist for at least a decade, but the degree of increase depends strongly on compost type and addition rate. It was concluded that high compost addition rates of FWC and/or addition of composts derived from recalcitrant organic materials may be a good strategy for achieving long-term carbon and nitrogen sequestration in the cool, humid fine-textured soils of southwestern Ontario.
A Pilot Trial of a Computerized Renal Template Note to Improve Resident Knowledge and Documentation of Kidney Disease
Authors: Wang R. , Moledina D. , Liberman V. , Zeidan J. , Strand D. , Mattana J. , Shirazian S
Published: November 2013

Background: Kidney disease is under-documented in physician notes. The use of template-guided notes may improve physician recognition of kidney disease early in training.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether a computerized inpatient renal template note with clinical decision support improves resident knowledge and documentation of kidney disease.

Methods: In this prospective study, first year medical residents were encouraged to use the renal template note for documentation over a one-month period. The renal template note included an option for classification of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) categories with a link to standard classifications. Pre- and post-knowledge of AKI and CKD categories was tested with a quiz and surveys of resident experience with the intervention were conducted. Appropriate AKI and/or CKD classification was determined in 100 renal template notes and 112 comparable historical internal medicine resident progress notes from approximately one year prior.

Results: 2,435 inpatient encounters amongst 15 residents who participated were documented using the renal template note. A significantly higher percent of residents correctly staged earlier stage CKD (CKD3) using the renal template note compared to historical notes (9/46 vs. 0/33, p<0.01). Documentation of AKI and more advanced CKD stages (CKD4 and 5) did not improve. Knowledge based on quiz scores increased modestly but was not significant. The renal template note was well received by residents and was perceived as helping improve knowledge and documentation of kidney disease.

Conclusions: The renal template note significantly improved staging of earlier stage CKD (CKD3) with a modest but non-significant improvement in resident knowledge. Given the importance of early recognition and treatment of CKD, future studies should focus on teaching early recognition using template notes with supplemental educational interventions.

Citation: Shirazian S, Wang R, Moledina D, Liberman V, Zeidan J, Strand D, Mattana J. A pilot trial of a computerized renal template note to improve resident knowledge and documentation of kidney disease. Appl Clin Inf 2013; 4: 528–540

http://dx.doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2013-07-RA-0048
Intertidal finger bars at El Puntal, Bay of Santander, Spain: observation and forcing analysis
Authors: Pellón E. , Garnier R. , Medina R.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. A system of 15 small-scale finger bars has been observed, by using video imagery, between 23 June 2008 and 2 June 2010. The bar system is located in the intertidal zone of the swell-protected beaches of El Puntal Spit, in the Bay of Santander (Northern coast of Spain). It appears on a planar beach (slope = 1.5%) with fine uniform sand (D50 = 0 .27 mm) and extends 600 m alongshore. The cross-shore span of the bars is determined by the tidal horizontal excursion (between 70 and 130 m). They have an oblique orientation with respect to the low-tide shoreline being up-current oriented with respect to the ebb-flow (mean angle of 26° from the shore normal). Their mean wavelength is 26 m and their amplitude varies between 10 and 20 cm. The full system slowly migrates to the east (opposite to the ebb-flow) with a mean speed of 0.06 m day−1, a maximum speed in winter (up to 0.15 m day−1) and a minimum speed in summer. An episode of merging has been identified as bars with larger wavelength seem to migrate slower than shorter bars. Several forcings can act on the bar dynamics being the wind, blowing predominantly from the west, the main candidate to explain the eastward migration of the system. In particular, the wind can generate waves of up to 20 cm (root-mean-squared wave height) over a fetch that can reach 4.5 km at high tide. The astronomical tide seems to be important in the bar dynamics, as the tidal range conditions the mean (daily) fetch and also the time of exposure of the bars to the marine dynamics. Furthermore, the river discharges could act as input of suspended sediment in the bar system and play a role in the bar dynamics.
Palaeo-modeling of coastal salt water intrusion during the Holocene: an application to the Netherlands
Authors: Delsman J. R. , Hu-a-ng K. R. M. , Vos P. C. , de Louw P. G. B. , Oude Essink G. H. P. , Stuyfzand P. J. , Bierkens M. F. P.
Published: November 2013

Abstract. Management of coastal fresh groundwater reserves requires a thorough understanding of the present-day groundwater salinity distribution and its possible future development. However, coastal groundwater often still reflects a complex history of marine transgressions and regressions, and is only rarely in equilibrium with current boundary conditions. In addition, the distribution of groundwater salinity is virtually impossible to characterize satisfactorily, complicating efforts to model and predict coastal groundwater flow. A way forward may be to account for the historical development of groundwater salinity when modeling present-day coastal groundwater flow. In this paper, we construct a palaeo-hydrogeological model to simulate the evolution of groundwater salinity in the coastal area of the Netherlands throughout the Holocene. While intended as a perceptual tool, confidence in our model results is warranted by a good correspondence with a hydrochemical characterization of groundwater origin. Model results attest to the impact of groundwater density differences on coastal groundwater flow on millennial timescales and highlight their importance in shaping today's groundwater salinity distribution. Not once reaching steady-state throughout the Holocene, our results demonstrate the long-term dynamics of salinity in coastal aquifers. This stresses the importance of accounting for the historical evolution of coastal groundwater salinity when modeling present-day coastal groundwater flow, or when predicting impacts of e.g. sea level rise on coastal aquifers. Of more local importance, our findings suggest a more significant role of pre-Holocene groundwater in the present-day groundwater salinity distribution in the Netherlands than previously recognized. The implications of our results extend beyond understanding the present-day distribution of salinity, as the proven complex history of coastal groundwater also holds important clues for understanding and predicting the distribution of other societally relevant groundwater constituents.
Improvement of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Production inEchium acanthocarpumTransformed Hairy Root Cultures by Application of Different Abiotic Stress Conditions
Authors: Zárate Rafael , Cequier-Sánchez Elena , Rodríguez Covadonga , Dorta-Guerra Roberto , El Jaber-Vazdekis Nabil , Ravelo Ángel G.
Published: November 2013

Fatty acids are of great nutritional, therapeutic, and physiological importance, especially the polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids, possessing larger carbon chains and abundant double bonds or their immediate precursors. A few higher plant species are able to accumulate these compounds, like those belonging to theEchiumgenus. Here, the novelE. acanthocarpumhairy root system, which is able to accumulate many fatty acids, including stearidonic andα-linolenic acids, was optimized for a better production. The application of abiotic stress resulted in larger yields of stearidonic andα-linolenic acids, 60 and 35%, respectively, with a decrease in linoleic acid, when grown in a nutrient medium consisting of B5 basal salts, sucrose or glucose, and, more importantly, at a temperature of 15∘C. The application of osmotic stress employing sorbitol showed no positive influence on the fatty acid yields; furthermore, the combination of a lower culture temperature and glucose did not show a cumulative boosting effect on the yield, although this carbon source was similarly attractive. The abiotic stress also influenced the lipid profile of the cultures, significantly increasing the phosphatidylglycerol fraction but not the total lipid neither their biomass, proving the appropriateness of applying various abiotic stress in this culture to achieve larger yields.
Effects of dietary addition of zinc and(or) monensin on performance, rumen fermentation and digesta kinetics in beef cattle
Authors: Arelovich H.M. , Laborde H.E. , Amela M.I. , Torrea M.B. , Martínez M.F.
Published: November 2013

Two experiments (Exp1 and Exp2) were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary inclusion of Zn and(or) monensin on performance and rumen fermentation in beef cattle fed a barley grain, alfalfa hay and sunflower meal. In Exp1, 20 calves were assigned to one of the following treatments: CON = control; Z = 430 mg Zn/kg of DM; M = 35 mg monensin/kg of DM; and ZM = both Zn and monensin. Dry matter intake (DMI), DM digestibility (DMD), average daily gain (ADG), and feed to gain (F/G) ratio were determined. Blood analyses included hematocrit, glucose, urea, total protein, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine. In Exp2, the rumen fluid of four cannulated steers, in identical treatments, was studied for Zn concentration, pH, NH3-N, VFA. Rumen dilution rate, turnover time, and volume; in situ DM disappearance of barley and alfalfa were also determined. In Exp1, no treatment response was observed for DMI, ADG or DMD (P > 0.10). Differences in F/G were not significant, despite a numeric F/G decrease in M (6.6 kg/kg). No differences were detected in blood variables. In Exp2, an interaction of treatment x time (P = 0.0174) for Zn concentration was detected, where ZM, followed by Z, had highest mean values at all time intervals. Ruminal parameters, kinetics or DM degradability were not modified by treatments; pH reached the lowest value (6.1; P < 0.05) 12 h after supplement feeding. Overall, supplying more than 20 times the Zn requirement has not substantially affected performance or digestion.
The agronomic variability of a collection of sainfoin accessions
Authors: Delgado I. , Salvia J. , Buil I. , Andrés C.
Published: November 2013

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) is a perennial forage legume appreciated for its feed value and rusticity. Two types are characterized via their growth habit and persistence: the common form which does not flower in the sowing year, and the giant form that does. In order to evaluate the degree of belonging to either of these types, thirty-eight Spanish sainfoin accessions and six foreign cultivars (44 accessions) were studied. The study involved three trials of 36 plants per accession in three locations in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula during 2002-2004. Two locations received no irrigation while one was irrigated. The variables analysed were: percentage flowering in the sowing year, autumn regrowth, stem length at the end of winter, and the capacity for summer regrowth after the first cut. A cluster dendrogram showed two large groups encompassing common or giant sainfoins. These could be divided into three subgroups each according to the degree of contamination or crossing between the two major groups. Two easily identified characteristics percentage flowering in the sowing season, and the speed of regrowth after the spring cut help in the classification of these plants into one or the other form, and could facilitate cultivar selection.
The P16 rootstock inhibits the growth but enhances the fruit quality of "Jonagored" apples when grown under warm summer conditions
Authors: Blanco A. , Mata A.P. , Lasaosa A. , Val J.
Published: November 2013

The production of high quality fruit is the main aim of fruit growers. In areas where summers are warm, high apple quality is often difficult to attain, particularly with respect to red cultivars; colour is one of the main features affecting fruit quality. In vigorous red apple cultivars, the use of very dwarfing rootstocks might help overcome the lack of colouring in the fruit. In experiments performed in 2003 and 2004, specimens of apple cv. Jonagored grafted onto P16 rootstocks were compared to others grafted onto M9 rootstocks; fruit thinning was performed to various extents so that trees carried different crop loads. Under the warm summer conditions of the Ebro Valley, Spain, the P16 rootstock showed very strong dwarfing properties. "Jonagored" trees grafted onto these rootstocks had shorter shoot lengths and a smaller leaf area than those grafted onto M9 rootstocks. The fruits of "Jonagored" apple trees are usually large, but in 2004, when the crop loads of the P16-grafted trees were far greater than those of the M9-grafted trees, the fruits of the former were smaller than those produced by the latter, although still commercially suitable. The rootstocks were found to affect several fruit quality variables. The soluble solids content of the fruits of the P16-grafted trees was greater than that of the M9-grafted trees, and negatively correlated with the crop load. In 2003, when summer temperatures were higher, fruits developed a less intense red colour than in 2004, although those from the P16-grafted trees were redder in both years. This difference in fruit colour was caused by the higher anthocyanin and lower chlorophyll concentrations of the skins.
Controlled in vivo infestation of mandarin fruit with Ceratitis capitata for development of quarantine treatments
Authors: Jacas Miret J.A. , Palou L. , Beitia F. , Del Río M.A.
Published: November 2013

Movement of citrus fruit from Ceratitis capitata-infested areas requires mandatory quarantine treatments. Development of such treatments requires the use of infested fruit. The in vivo approach is the most realistic way to obtain these fruit. However, it requires previous studies to determine the optimal fruit:fly ratio to minimize the number of decayed fruit and to maximize the number of flies per fruit obtained. In this study, the optimal fruit:fly ratio for the in vivo infestation of mandarin fruit was investigated. The effect of different fruit:fly ratios from 1:5 to 1:50 for an exposure time of up to 3 days on the number of both decayed fruit and puparia per fruit was determined. Provided that an adequate fungicide treatment is applied before the infestation to avoid fruit decay, the use of a 1:10 fruit:fly ratio for 48 h is enough to obtain almost 20 healthy puparia per fruit. These results allow the use of the in vivo approach to develop quarantine treatments against C. capitata in mandarins.
Short communication. Survey for incidence of Okra Mosaic Virus in Northern Nigeria and evidence for its transmission by beetles
Authors: Alegbejo M. , Ogunlana M. , Banwo O.O.
Published: November 2013

A two year survey was conducted in 2003 and 2004 in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) plants for Okra mosaic virus (OkMV; genus Tymovirus) symptoms at three locations in northern Nigeria. It showed that the highest incidence of OkMV occurred at Samaru (16.50 and 17.10% in 2003 and 2004, respectively), followed by Shika (13.02 and 14.82%) and Bomo (12.31 and 8.10%). Disease severity followed the same trend. Beetles of Podagrica spp. naturally infected were efficient vectors in the transmission of OkMV.
Recent Evidence for Large Rebound: Elucidating the Drivers and their Implications for Climate Change Models
Authors: Saunders Harry D.
Published: November 2013

New research using data spanning centuries reveals the presence of very large energy efficiency rebound magnitudes, calling into question the energy use forecasts relied on by international bodies investigating climate change mitigation policy. This article uses those recent results to highlight and explain the key drivers that future energy modelers need to incorporate.
Acritarcos e tasmanites do Permo-Carbonífero da bacia do Paraná
Authors: Quadros Luiz Padilha de
Published: November 2013

Palinomorfos devonianos retrabalhados são comumente encontrados em sedimentos permo-carboníferos da Bacia do Paraná. Este trabalho documenta acritarcos e Tasmanites do Permo-Carbonífero in situ. A presença escassa e pouca diversidade taxonômica desses palinomorfos relacionam-se provavelmente com condições marinhas rasas. Três espécies novas são aqui descritas: Comasphaeridium daemoni, Dictyotidium souzae e Micrhystridium toigae. Associados a esses acritarcos, ocorrem esporos e pólen do Carbonífero e Permiano da Bacia do Paraná.
The impacts of International Financial Crisis on Saudi Arabia Economy: Evidence from Asymmetric SVAR modelling
Authors: Ghassan Hassan B. , Alhajhoj Hassan R. , Alaoui Mohammed Kbiri
Published: November 2013

This paper aims to measure the impacts of International Financial Crisis on the performance of the Saudi Arabian economy from 1968 to 2010. Linear and non-linear SVAR methodologies are used to exhibit the interdependence between the process of international liquidity, net-exports and economic growth. The empirical models show that the impacts of international financial crisis lead to an immediate drop in the net-exports and conduct to reduce gradually real economic growth during roughly three years. In the horizon, the variation in economic growth is largely attributed to domestic supply shocks, but negative shocks of international financial markets drove to reduce the economic growth in the long-run by 1.04%
Catherine the Great: Coleridge, Byron, and Erotic Politics on the Eastern Front
Authors: Taylor Anya
Published: November 2013

Catherine II of Russia, a glamorous, enlightened Romanticist figure in her own right, enraged both Coleridge and Byron. Coleridge, who reported her bloody campaigns in The Watchman, cursed her cruelty at the battle of Ismail in “Ode on the Departing Year” just as she was dying. Twenty-seven years after her death, Byron, in Don Juan cantos 6 to 10, which cover the Russian wars and the St. Petersburg court, attacked her even more vituperatively. Thus, Coleridge’s decision not to be a “Historiographer of Hell” is taken up by Byron in his decision to be that historiographer. The two poets’ responses to Catherine’s brutality and sexuality are intertwined. At the basis of their anger is Catherine’s use of human persons as things. Both show their disgust by reducing the Tzarina to her sexual body, vindictively turning her into a “thing” through rhetorical plays on her body parts.
“You have not advertised out of it”: Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Francis Jeffrey on Authorship, Networks and Personalities
Authors: Sangster Matthew
Published: November 2013

This essay begins by establishing the vexed status of authorship in the early nineteenth century, a period during which the professional author and the writer-as-artist remained conflicted and nascent ideas but in which the authority mustered by judicious quarterly critics was both potent and profitable. It considers the challenges and possibilities of this situation by closely examining an 1808 correspondence between Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Francis Jeffrey, editor of the Edinburgh Review. These letters, addressing Coleridge’s reputation and the propriety of reviewing the anti-slavery campaigner Thomas Clarkson, are deeply revealing both as to Coleridge’s ambivalent feelings about the effectiveness of his own self-presentations and regarding the strongly socialised positions that successful authors tended to occupy. I pay particular attention to the distinctions Coleridge draws between Wordsworth, inured to passing periodical criticism and destined for an eventual triumph, and Clarkson, who Coleridge “cannot regard as a mere author” and whose work he “cannot read or criticise [...] as a mere literary production” (CL 3: 119). While Coleridge privileges Clarkson’s socially-created self, he also claims a space for a more devoted kind of authorship, attempting to persuade a sceptical Jeffrey that he can redefine himself and potentially effect great changes through writing. Coleridge’s obvious concern with the ways that Jeffrey sees him and the pragmatic requests he makes reveal him to be cannily engaged in the business of manipulating social reputations; while the letters are early symptoms of an eventual shift in how authorship was conceived, they also reveal Coleridge’s investment in older, less textually-focused forms of influence.
Southey’s “New System”: the monitorial controversy and the making of the “entire man of letters”
Authors: Duggett Tom
Published: November 2013

This essay reads Southey’s repeated writings between 1806 and 1812 on the "monitorial method" of education, and the religious-political controversy over its invention and application. I suggest that this repetitive writing provides insights into Southey's career, as well as wider issues of Romantic historicism, originality, authorial integrity, and system. The first section considers Southey’s associative style, and his connection between the use of humiliating punishments in Joseph Lancaster’s monitorial schools and the threat of domestic revolution. The second section reads Southey’s support for Lancaster's rival Andrew Bell as part of his search for a systematic basis for the pro-war and anti-Catholic terms of his conservatism, in the context of the periodical culture-wars between the Quarterly and the Edinburgh Review. Section three then explores Southey’s changing position in the Bell-Lancaster controversy in the light of his “art of historical book-keeping,” and suggests a contorted literary consistency behind the alleged political “apostasy.” The coda reflects on the contrast of system and style between Southey and Coleridge, and their diverging visions of education and the "national church.”
Individual‐level socioeconomic status and community‐level inequality as determinants of stigma towards persons living with HIV who inject drugs in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
Authors: Lim Travis , Zelaya Carla , Latkin Carl , Quan Vu Minh , Frangakis Constantine , Ha Tran Viet , Minh Nguyen Le , Go Vivian
Published: November 2013

Introduction

HIV infection may be affected by multiple complex socioeconomic status (SES) factors, especially individual socioeconomic disadvantage and community‐level inequality. At the same time, stigma towards HIV and marginalized groups has exacerbated persistent concentrated epidemics among key populations, such as persons who inject drugs (PWID) in Vietnam. Stigma researchers argue that stigma fundamentally depends on the existence of economic power differences in a community. In rapidly growing economies like Vietnam, the increasing gap in income and education levels, as well as an individual's absolute income and education, may create social conditions that facilitate stigma related to injecting drug use and HIV.

Methods

A cross‐sectional baseline survey assessing different types of stigma and key socioeconomic characteristics was administered to 1674 PWID and 1349 community members living in physical proximity throughout the 32 communes in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. We created four stigma scales, including HIV‐related and drug‐related stigma reported by both PWID and community members. We then used ecologic Spearman's correlation, ordinary least‐squares regression and multi‐level generalized estimating equations to examine community‐level inequality associations, individual‐level SES associations and multi‐level SES associations with different types of stigma, respectively.

Results

There was little urban–rural difference in stigma among communes. Higher income inequality was marginally associated with drug‐related stigma reported by community members (p=0.087), and higher education inequality was significantly associated with higher HIV‐related stigma reported by both PWID and community members (p<0.05). For individuals, higher education was significantly associated with lower stigma (HIV and drug related) reported by both PWID and community members. Part‐time employed PWID reported more experiences and perceptions of drug‐related stigma, while conversely unemployed community members reported enacting lower drug‐related stigma. Multi‐level analysis revealed that the relationship between education inequality and HIV‐related stigma is superseded by the effect of individual‐level education.

Conclusions

The results of the study confirm that socioeconomic factors at both the individual level and community level affect different types of stigma in different ways. Attention should be paid to these differences when planning structural or educational interventions to reduce stigma, and additional research should investigate the mechanisms with which SES and inequality affect social relationships and, in turn, stigma.
Implementing a stigma reduction intervention in healthcare settings
Authors: Li Li , Lin Chunqing , Guan Jihui , Wu Zunyou
Published: November 2013

Introduction

Globally, HIV‐related stigma is prevalent in healthcare settings and is a major barrier to HIV prevention and treatment adherence. Some intervention studies have showed encouraging outcomes, but a gap continues to exist between what is known and what is actually delivered in medical settings to reduce HIV‐related stigma.

Methods

This article describes the process of implementing a stigma reduction intervention trial that involved 1760 service providers in 40 hospitals in China. Guided by Diffusion of Innovation theory, the intervention identified and trained about 15–20% providers as popular opinion leaders (POLs) to disseminate stigma reduction messages in each intervention hospital. The intervention also engaged governmental support in the provision of universal precaution supplies to all participating hospitals in the trial. The frequency of message diffusion and reception, perceived improvement in universal precaution practices and reduction in the level of stigma in hospitals were measured at 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐up assessments.

Results

Within the intervention hospitals, POL providers reported more frequent discussions with their co‐workers regarding universal precaution principles, equal treatment of patients, provider‐patient relationships and reducing HIV‐related stigma. Service providers in the intervention hospitals reported more desirable intervention outcomes than providers in the control hospitals. Our evaluation revealed that the POL model is compatible with the target population, and that the unique intervention entry point of enhancing universal precaution and occupational safety was the key to improved acceptance by service providers. The involvement of health authorities in supporting occupational safety was an important element for sustainability.

Conclusions

This report focuses on explaining the elements of our intervention rather than its outcomes. Lessons learned from the intervention implementation will enrich the development of future programs that integrate this or other intervention models into routine medical practice, with the aim of reducing HIV‐related stigma and improving HIV testing, treatment and care in medical settings.
A systematic review of interventions to reduce HIV‐related stigma and discrimination from 2002 to 2013: how far have we come?
Authors: Stangl Anne L , Lloyd Jennifer K , Brady Laura M , Holland Claire E , Baral Stefan
Published: November 2013

Introduction

HIV‐related stigma and discrimination continue to hamper efforts to prevent new infections and engage people in HIV treatment, care and support programmes. The identification of effective interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination that can be integrated into national responses is crucial to the success of the global AIDS response.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of studies and reports that assessed the effectiveness of interventions to reduce HIV stigma and discrimination between 1 January 2002 and 1 March 2013. Databases searched for peer‐reviewed articles included PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO Host –CINAHL Plus, Psycinfo, Ovid, Sociofile and Popline. Reports were obtained from the www.HIVAIDSClearinghouse.eu, USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse, UNESCO HIV and AIDS Education Clearinghouse, Google, WHO and UNAIDS. Ancestry searches for articles included in the systematic review were also conducted. Studies of any design that sought to reduce stigma as a primary or secondary objective and included pre‐ and post‐intervention measures of stigma were included.

Results

Of 2368 peer‐reviewed articles and reports identified, 48 were included in our review representing 14 different target populations in 28 countries. The majority of interventions utilized two or more strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination, and ten included structural or biomedical components. However, most interventions targeted a single socio‐ecological level and a single domain of stigma. Outcome measures lacked uniformity and validity, making both interpretation and comparison of study results difficult. While the majority of studies were effective at reducing the aspects of stigma they measured, none assessed the influence of stigma or discrimination reduction on HIV‐related health outcomes.

Conclusions

Our review revealed considerable progress in the stigma‐reduction field. However, critical challenges and gaps remain which are impeding the identification of effective stigma‐reduction strategies that can be implemented by national governments on a larger scale. The development, validation, and consistent use of globally relevant scales of stigma and discrimination are a critical next step for advancing the field of research in this area. Studies comparing the effectiveness of different stigma‐reduction strategies and studies assessing the influence of stigma reduction on key behavioural and biomedical outcomes are also needed to maximize biomedical prevention efforts.
Langmuir wave harmonics due to driven nonlinear currents
Authors: Malaspina David M. , Graham Daniel B. , Ergun Robert E. , Cairns Iver H.
Published: November 2013

The conversion of Langmuir waves into electromagnetic radiation near the local plasma frequency (fpe) and twice the local plasma frequency (2fpe) occurs in diverse heliospheric environments including along the path of type III radio bursts, at interplanetary shocks, and in planetary foreshocks. This radiation has the potential to act as a probe of remote plasma conditions, provided that the conversion mechanism is well understood. One candidate conversion mechanism is the antenna radiation of localized Langmuir waves. Antenna radiation near 2fpe requires the presence of nonlinear currents at 2fpe. In this work, properties of these currents are predicted from theory and compared with observations of Langmuir wave electric fields made using the WAVES instrument on the STEREO spacecraft. It is found that the observed frequency structure, polarization, and wave number ratio are consistent with nonlinear current predictions, once electric fields near 2fpeconsistent with sheath effects are taken into account.
Feeder‐Free Reprogramming of Human Fibroblasts with Messenger RNA
Authors: Warren Luigi , Wang Jiwu
Published: November 2013

This unit describes a feeder‐free protocol for deriving induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human fibroblasts by transfection of synthetic mRNA. The reprogramming of somatic cells requires transient expression of a set of transcription factors that collectively activate an endogenous gene regulatory network specifying the pluripotent phenotype. The necessary ectopic factor expression was first effected using retroviruses; however, as viral integration into the genome is problematic for cell therapy applications, the use of footprint‐free vectors such as mRNA is increasingly preferred. Strong points of the mRNA approach include high efficiency, rapid kinetics, and obviation of a clean‐up phase to purge the vector. Still, the method is relatively laborious and has, up to now, involved the use of feeder cells, which brings drawbacks including poor applicability to clinically oriented iPSC derivation. Using the methods described here, mRNA reprogramming can be performed without feeders at much‐reduced labor and material costs relative to established protocols. Curr. Protoc. Stem Cell Biol. 27:4A.6.1‐4A.6.27. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Catalytic Enantioselective Hydrophosphonylation of Aldehydes Using the Iron Complex of a Camphor‐Based Tridentate Schiff Base [FeCl(SBAIB‐d)]2
Authors: Boobalan Ramalingam , Chen Chinpiao
Published: November 2013

An iron(III)‐Schiff base‐catalyzed, highly enantioselective hydrophosphonylation of various aldehydes is described. Under the optimized reaction conditions, 5 mol% of the iron/camphor‐based tridentate Schiff base complex [FeCl(SBAIB‐d)]2 produces high yields (up to 99%) of α‐hydroxy phosphonates in excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99%). The merits of this catalytic system are an easily synthesizable catalyst, inexpensive starting materials, practically simple aerobic reaction conditions, and low catalyst loading (5 mol%).

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Highly Regioselective α‐Arylation of Coumarins via Palladium‐Catalyzed CH Activation/Desulfitative Coupling
Authors: Jafarpour Farnaz , Olia Mina Barzegar Amiri , Hazrati Hamideh
Published: November 2013

A novel regioselective α‐arylation of coumarins with readily available arenesulfonyl chlorides and sodium arenesulfinates via palladium‐catalyzed direct CH functionalizations under mild reaction conditions is described. This protocol presents an unexpected and highly regio‐controlled arylation of coumarins at C‐3 to construct interesting 3‐arylcoumarins with fascinating biological and fluorescent properties. The regioselectivity observed is in sharp contrast with that expected for the Heck reactions.

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UNIFAC model for ionic liquid‐CO2 systems
Authors: Lei Zhigang , Dai Chengna , Wang Wei , Chen Biaohua
Published: November 2013

The new group binary interaction parameters of UNIFAC model (anm and amn) between CO2 and 22 ionic liquid (IL) groups were obtained by means of correlating the solubility data of CO2 in pure ILs at different temperatures (>273.2 K). We measured the CO2 solubility at low temperatures down to 243.2 K in pure ILs, i.e., [OMIM]+[BF4]− and [OMIM]+[Tf2N]−, and their equimolar amount of mixture, in order to fill the blank of solubility data at low temperatures and also to justify the applicability of UNIFAC model over a wider temperature range. It was verified that UNIFAC model can be used for predicting the CO2 solubility in pure ILs and in the binary mixture of ILs both at high (>273.2 K) and low temperatures (<273.2 K) effectively, as well as identifying the new structure–property relation. This is the first work to extend the UNIFAC model to IL‐CO2 systems. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J 60: 716–729, 2014
ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES AS DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST OXIDATIVE STRESS IN MIDGUT TISSUE AND HEMOCYTES OF Bombyx mori LARVAE SUBJECTED TO VARIOUS STRESSORS
Authors: Micheal Ann Sandhya , Subramanyam Muthangi Veera Venkata
Published: November 2013

In this study, larvae of silkworm Bombyx mori were subjected to low temperature, hypoxia, and viral infection to evaluate stressor‐mediated oxidative stress (OS) and the induction of antioxidant enzymes (AOEs). Exposure to cold, hypoxia, and nuclear polyhedral virus for 24 h resulted in a significant increase in hydrogen peroxide generation with concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyl levels in midgut and hemocytes. AOEs such as superoxide dismutase and catalase also increased significantly in both the tissues and the increased AOEs reverted to control values during recovery. Ontogenic stages of the larvae showed a diminishing ability of the tissues to overcome OS induced by the stressors. A significant increase in AOE activity during short stress period indicated a possible transitory defense mechanism to avoid OS‐induced cell damage.
Impaired Comprehension of Alternating Syntactic Constructions in Autism
Authors: Stockbridge Melissa D. , Happé Francesca G. E. , White Sarah J.
Published: November 2013

Individuals on the higher‐functioning end of the autism spectrum have significant impairments in communication. Language delay can occur, particularly in syntactic or structural linguistic knowledge. However, classically observed semantic deficits generally overshadow these structural deficits. This research examined the potential effects on comprehension of dative expressions that exhibited syntactic alternation versus those that were restricted, whether in syntactic construction or through marked semantic differences in construction. Children with autism and matched neurotypical control participants were presented with a sentence battery of dative statements representing these variations in construction and were asked to display basic comprehension of the sentence meaning by identifying the recipient, or indirect object, of the dative verb. Construction, restriction, and semantic differentiation variables were analyzed for potential effects on the rate of accurate comprehension. Both groups performed with greater accuracy when dative expressions used a prepositional phrase than when the dative action was expressed in the syntax. The autism group performed more poorly when the dative expression could syntactically alternate than when it was restricted. These effects improve our knowledge of how children with autism understand alternating grammatical constructions. Autism Res 2014, 7: 314–321. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of rare earth ions (Tb, Ce, Eu, Dy) on the thermoluminescence characteristics of sol–gel derived and γ‐irradiated SiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Bajpai Namrata , Tiwari Ashish , Khan S. A. , Kher R. S. , Bramhe Namita , Dhoble S. J.
Published: November 2013

Highly pure SiO2 and SiO2:RE nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method. The morphological, structural and optical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD results indicate that all the samples studied were free from impurities. SEM/TEM results indicate that the samples were well dispersed. Surface characterization of the nanocrystals by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been carried out and the structure of surface‐bound SiO2 based on spectral analysis is proposed. Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics were investigated to study the influence of rare earth dopants (Tb, Ce, Eu, Dy) on SiO2 matrix subjected to 0.5 kG (1 h) γ‐irradiation. Among these rare earth elements, Eu3+ was found to be the most efficient dopant for SiO2 showing maximum thermoluminescence intensity. SiO2:Eu0.5 seems to be a promising candidate for use as a TL dosimeter. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure–activity relationships of peptidomimetics that inhibit PPI of HER2‐HER3
Authors: Kanthala Shanthi , Gauthier Ted , Satyanarayanajois Seetharama
Published: November 2013

Human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2 (HER2) is a tyrosine kinase family protein receptor that is known to undergo heterodimerization with other members of the family of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) for cell signaling. Overexpression of HER2 and deregulation of signaling has implications in breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. We have designed several peptidomimetics to block the HER2‐mediated dimerization, resulting in antiproliferative activity for cancer cells. In this work, we have investigated the structure–activity relationships of peptidomimetic analogs of Compound 5. Compound 5 was conformationally constrained by N‐ and C‐terminal modification and cyclization as well as by substitution with d‐amino acids at the N‐and C‐termini. Among the compounds studied in this work, a peptidomimetic Compound 21 with d‐amino acid substitution and its N‐ and C‐termini capped with acetyl and amide functional groups and a reversed sequence compared to that of Compound 5 exhibited better antiproliferative activity in HER2‐overexpressed breast, ovarian, and lung cancer cell lines. Compound 21 was further evaluated for its protein–protein interaction (PPI) inhibition ability using enzyme fragment complementation assay, proximity ligation assay, and Western blot analysis. Results suggested that Compound 21 is able to block HER2:HER3 interaction and inhibit phosphorylation of the kinase domain of HER2. The mode of binding of Compound 21 to HER2 protein was modeled using a docking method. Compound 21 seems to bind to domain IV of HER2 near the PPI site of EGFR:HER2, and HER:HER3 and inhibit PPI. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 693–702, 2014.
Organization of emergency surgery
Authors: Leppäniemi A
Published: November 2013

Acceptance as a specialty seems warranted to achieve service reorganizations
Ethnic disparities in adherence to breast cancer survivorship surveillance care
Authors: Advani Pragati S. , Ying Jun , Theriault Richard , Melhem‐Bertrand Amal , Moulder Stacy , Bedrosian Isabelle , Tereffe Welela , Black Shon , Pini Tunghi May , Brewster Abenaa M.
Published: November 2013

BACKGROUND

Adherence to guidelines for surveillance mammography and clinic visits is an important component of breast cancer survivorship care. Identifying ethnic disparities in adherence may lead to improved care delivery and outcomes.

METHODS

Records were evaluated for 4535 patients who were treated for stage I, II, or III breast cancer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, cancer center between January 1997 and December 2006. Generalized estimating equations and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to evaluate ethnic differences in missed mammograms and clinic visits up to 4 years of follow‐up and the impact of those differences on overall survival.

RESULTS

Nonadherence to guidelines for mammography (P = .0002) and clinic visits (P < .0001) increased over time. Hispanic and black patients were more likely to be nonadherent to guidelines for mammography (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10‐1.65; OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.11‐1.66, respectively) and clinic visits (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.27‐2.06; OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.13‐1.86, respectively) than white patients. There was an interaction between Hispanic ethnicity and endocrine therapy on nonadherence to mammography guidelines (P = .001). Nonadherence to mammography and clinic visit guidelines was not associated with overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Withdrawal from breast cancer survivorship care increases over time, and black and Hispanic patients are more likely to be nonadherent. An understanding of the reasons for ethnic disparities in adherence to guidelines for mammography and clinic visits is needed to improve retention in survivorship care. Cancer 2014;120:894–900. © 2013 American Cancer Society.