bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vectorcardiography analysis of the repolarization response to pharmacologically induced autonomic nervous system modulation in healthy subjects
Authors: Vahedi Farzad , Odenstedt Jacob , Hartford Marianne , Gilljam Thomas , Bergfeldt Lennart
Published: May 2012

Autonomic nervous system activity is essential for regulation of ventricular repolarization (VR) and plays an important role in several arrhythmogenic conditions. This study in 31 healthy adult subjects (16 men, 15 women) evaluated the VR response to pharmacologically modulated autonomic nervous system activity applying vectorcardiography (VCG) analysis. During continuous VCG recording, 0.01–0.1 μg·kg−1·min−1 isoprenaline (Iso) was infused at an increasing flow rate until three targeted heart rates (HR) were reached. After Iso washout, one intravenous bolus of 0.04 mg/kg atropine was given followed by an intravenous bolus of 0.2 mg/kg propranolol. A 5-min steady-state VCG recording was analyzed for each of the seven phases (including baseline 1 and 2). Furthermore, during the first 4 min following atropine, six periods of 10-s VCG were selected for subanalysis to evaluate the time course of change. The analysis included QRS, QT, and T-peak to T-end intervals, measures of the QRS and T vectors and their relation, as well as T-loop morphology parameters. By increasing HR, Iso infusion decreased HR dependent parameters reflecting total heterogeneity of VR (T area) and action potential morphology (ventricular gradient). In contrast, Iso prolonged QT HR corrected according to Bazett and increased the T-peak to T-end-to-QT ratio to levels observed in arrhythmogenic conditions. HR acceleration after atropine was accompanied by a transient paradoxical QT prolongation and delayed HR adaptation of T area and ventricular gradient. In addition to the expected HR adaptation, the VR response to β-adrenoceptor stimulation with Iso and to muscarinic receptor blockade with atropine thus included alterations previously observed in congenital and acquired long QT syndromes, demonstrating substantial overlap between physiological and pathophysiological electrophysiology.
Chemosensitization of Cancer Cells by KU-0060648, a Dual Inhibitor of DNA-PK and PI-3K
Authors: Munck Joanne M. , Batey Michael A. , Zhao Yan , Jenkins Helen , Richardson Caroline J. , Cano Celine , Tavecchio Michele , Barbeau Jody , Bardos Julia , Cornell Liam , Griffin Roger J. , Menear Keith , Slade Andrew , Thommes Pia , Martin Niall M.B. , Newell David R. , Smith Graeme C.M. , Curtin Nicola J.
Published: May 2012

DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) are the most cytotoxic lesions induced by topoisomerase II poisons. Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) is a major pathway for DSB repair and requires DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) activity. DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) is structurally similar to PI-3K, which promotes cell survival and proliferation and is upregulated in many cancers. KU-0060648 is a dual inhibitor of DNA-PK and PI-3K in vitro. KU-0060648 was investigated in a panel of human breast and colon cancer cells. The compound inhibited cellular DNA-PK autophosphorylation with IC50 values of 0.019 μmol/L (MCF7 cells) and 0.17 μmol/L (SW620 cells), and PI-3K–mediated AKT phosphorylation with IC50 values of 0.039 μmol/L (MCF7 cells) and more than 10 μmol/L (SW620 cells). Five-day exposure to 1 μmol/L KU-0060648 inhibited cell proliferation by more than 95% in MCF7 cells but only by 55% in SW620 cells. In clonogenic survival assays, KU-0060648 increased the cytotoxicity of etoposide and doxorubicin across the panel of DNA-PKcs–proficient cells, but not in DNA-PKcs–deficient cells, thus confirming that enhanced cytotoxicity was due to DNA-PK inhibition. In mice bearing SW620 and MCF7 xenografts, concentrations of KU-0060648 that were sufficient for in vitro growth inhibition and chemosensitization were maintained within the tumor for at least 4 hours at nontoxic doses. KU-0060648 alone delayed the growth of MCF7 xenografts and increased etoposide-induced tumor growth delay in both in SW620 and MCF7 xenografts by up to 4.5-fold, without exacerbating etoposide toxicity to unacceptable levels. The proof-of-principle in vitro and in vivo chemosensitization with KU-0060648 justifies further evaluation of dual DNA-PK and PI-3K inhibitors. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(8); 1789–98. ©2012 AACR.
Growth Inhibition of Ovarian Tumor–Initiating Cells by Niclosamide
Authors: Yo Yi-Te , Lin Ya-Wen , Wang Yu-Chi , Balch Curt , Huang Rui-Lan , Chan Michael W.Y. , Sytwu Huey-Kang , Chen Chi-Kuan , Chang Cheng-Chang , Nephew Kenneth P. , Huang Tim , Yu Mu-Hsien , Lai Hung-Cheng
Published: May 2012

A recent hypothesis for cancer chemoresistance posits that cytotoxic survival of a subpopulation of tumor progenitors drives the propagation of recurrent disease, underscoring the need for new therapeutics that target such primitive cells. To discover such novel compounds active against drug-resistant ovarian cancer, we identified a subset of chemoresistant ovarian tumor cells fulfilling current definitions of cancer-initiating cells from cell lines and patient tumors using multiple stemness phenotypes, including the expression of stem cell markers, membrane dye efflux, sphere formation, potent tumorigenicity, and serial tumor propagation. We then subjected such stem-like ovarian tumor-initiating cells (OTIC) to high-throughput drug screening using more than 1,200 clinically approved drugs. Of 61 potential compounds preliminarily identified, more stringent assessments showed that the antihelmintic niclosamide selectively targets OTICs in vitro and in vivo. Gene expression arrays following OTIC treatment revealed niclosamide to disrupt multiple metabolic pathways affecting biogenetics, biogenesis, and redox regulation. These studies support niclosamide as a promising therapy for ovarian cancer and warrant further preclinical and clinical evaluation of this safe, clinically proven drug for the management of this devastating gynecologic malignancy. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(8); 1703–12. ©2012 AACR.
A Comparison Between Antihypertensive Medication Adherence and Treatment Intensification as Potential Clinical Performance Measures
Authors: Vigen Rebecca , Shetterly Susan , Magid David J. , O'Connor Patrick J. , Margolis Karen L. , Schmittdiel Julie , Ho P. Michael
Published: May 2012

Background—

Medication adherence and treatment intensification have been advocated as performance measures to assess the quality of care provided. Whereas previous studies have shown that adherence and treatment intensification (TI) of antihypertensive medications is associated with blood pressure (BP) control at the patient level, less is known about whether adherence and TI is associated with BP control at the clinic level.

Methods and Results—

We included 162 879 patients among 89 clinics in the Cardiovascular Research Network Hypertension Registry with incident hypertension who were started on antihypertensive medications. Adherence was measured by the proportion of days covered (PDC). TI was defined by the standard based method with scores ranging between −1 to 1 and categorized as: −1 indicated no TI occurred when BP was elevated; 0 indicated TI occurred when BP was elevated; and 1 indicated that TI was made at all visits, even when BP was not elevated. Logistic regression models assessed the association between adherence and TI with blood pressure control (BP ≤140/90 at the clinic visit closest to 12 months after study entry) at the patient and clinic levels. Mean adherence was 0.77±0.28 (PDC±SD) at the patient level and 0.78±0.05 at the clinic level. Mean TI was 0.026±0.23 at the patient level and 0.01±0.04 at the clinic level. At the patient level, for each 0.25 increase in adherence and TI, the odds (OR) of achieving blood pressure control increased by 28% and 55%, respectively [OR for adherence, 1.28 (1.26–1.29), and for TI, 1.55 (1.53–1.57)]. At the clinic level, each 0.04 increment increase in treatment intensification was associated with a 25% increased odds of achieving blood pressure control (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.21–1.27). In contrast, there was an inverse association between increasing adherence and BP control (OR, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.90–0.95).

Conclusions—

Patient adherence to antihypertensive medications is not associated with BP control at the clinic level and may not be suitable as a performance measure. TI is associated with BP control, but its use as a performance measure may be constrained by challenges in measuring it and by concerns about unintended consequences of aggressive hypertension treatment in some subgroups of patients.
Hospital Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Appropriateness and In-Hospital Procedural Outcomes
Authors: Bradley Steven M. , Chan Paul S. , Spertus John A. , Kennedy Kevin F. , Douglas Pamela S. , Patel Manesh R. , Anderson H. Vernon , Ting Henry H. , Rumsfeld John S. , Nallamothu Brahmajee K.
Published: May 2012

Background—

Measurement of hospital quality has traditionally focused on processes of care and postprocedure outcomes. Appropriateness measures for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) assess quality as it relates to patient selection and the decision to perform PCI. The association between patient selection for PCI and processes of care and postprocedural outcomes is unknown.

Methods and Results—

We included 203 531 patients undergoing nonacute (elective) PCI from 779 hospitals participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI Registry between July 2009 and April 2011. We examined the association between a hospital's proportion of nonacute PCIs categorized as inappropriate by the 2009 Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Coronary Revascularization and in-hospital mortality, bleeding complications, and use of optimal guideline-directed medical therapy at discharge (ie, aspirin, thienopyridines, and statins). When categorized as hospital tertiles, the range of inappropriate PCI was 0.0% to 8.1% in the lowest tertile, 8.1% to 15.2% in the middle tertile, and 15.2% to 58.6% in the highest tertile. Compared with lowest-tertile hospitals, mortality was not significantly different at middle-tertile (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73–1.19) or highest-tertile hospitals (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.88–1.43;
P
=0.35 for differences between tertiles). Similarly, risk-adjusted bleeding did not vary significantly (middle-tertile OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02–1.16; highest-tertile OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.91–1.16;
P
=0.07 for differences between tertiles) nor did use of optimal medical therapy at discharge (85.3% versus 85.7% versus 85.2%;
P
=0.58).

Conclusions—

In a national cohort of nonacute PCIs, a hospital's proportion of inappropriate PCIs was not associated with in-hospital mortality, bleeding, or medical therapy at discharge. This suggests PCI appropriateness measures aspects of hospital PCI quality that are independent of how well the procedure is performed. Therefore, PCI appropriateness and postprocedural outcomes are both important metrics to inform PCI quality.
Procedure Intensity and the Cost of Care
Authors: Chen Serene I. , Dharmarajan Kumar , Kim Nancy , Strait Kelly M. , Li Shu-Xia , Safavi Kyan C. , Lindenauer Peter K. , Krumholz Harlan M. , Lagu Tara
Published: May 2012

Background—

The intensive practice style of hospitals with high procedure rates may result in higher costs of care for medically managed patients. We sought to determine how costs for patients with heart failure (HF) not receiving procedures compare between hospital groups defined by their overall use of procedures.

Methods and Results—

We identified all 2009 to 2010 adult HF hospitalizations in hospitals capable of performing invasive procedures that had at least 25 HF hospitalizations in the Perspective database from Premier, Inc. We divided hospitals into 2 groups by the proportion of patients with HF receiving invasive percutaneous or surgical procedures: low (>0%–10%) and high (≥10%). The standard costs of hospitalizations at each hospital were risk adjusted using patient demographics and comorbidities. We used the Wilcoxon rank sum test to assess cost, length of stay, and mortality outcome differences between the 2 groups. Median risk-standardized costs among low-procedural HF hospitalizations were $5259 (interquartile range, $4683–$6814) versus $6965 (interquartile range, $5981–$8235) for hospitals with high procedure use (
P
<0.001). Median length of stay was 4 days for both groups. Risk-standardized mortality rates were 5.4% (low procedure) and 5.0% (high procedure) (
P
=0.009). We did not identify any single service area that explained the difference in costs between hospital groups, but these hospitals had higher costs for most service areas.

Conclusion—

Among patients who do not receive invasive procedures, the cost of HF hospitalization is higher in more procedure-intense hospitals compared with hospitals that perform fewer procedures.
Outcomes for Mitral Valve Surgery Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries, 1999 to 2008
Authors: Dodson John A. , Wang Yun , Desai Mayur M. , Barreto-Filho Jose Augusto , Sugeng Lissa , Hashim Sabet W. , Krumholz Harlan M.
Published: May 2012

Background—

Mitral valve surgery in older adults carries with it substantial morbidity and mortality risks, yet there are a paucity of national surveillance data. Therefore, we sought to determine trends in hospitalization rate, readmission, and mortality among Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) patients undergoing mitral valve surgery.

Methods and Results—

Inpatient Medicare standard analytic files were used to identify 100% of FFS patients aged ≥65 years who underwent mitral valve surgery between 1999 and 2008. We constructed a denominator file from Medicare administrative data to report hospitalization rates for mitral valve surgery (total and isolated) per 100 000 beneficiary-years. For isolated mitral valve surgery, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality outcomes were ascertained through corresponding inpatient and vital status files, and risk-standardized rates were calculated adjusting for age, sex, race, and comorbidities. During 1999 to 2008, the overall rate of mitral valve surgery per 100K beneficiary-years declined (56/100K to 51/100K), and the proportion of patients undergoing mitral valve repair (versus replacement) increased (24.7% to 46.9%,
P
<0.001). For isolated mitral valve surgery, there were significant declines in risk-adjusted 30-day mortality (8.1% to 4.2%,
P
<0.001 for trend) and 1-year mortality (15.3% to 9.2%,
P
=0.003 for trend) and a slight decline in risk-adjusted 30-day readmission (23.0% to 21.0%,
P
=0.035 for trend) over the study period. Mortality rates decreased in all age, sex, and race subgroups, and among patients undergoing mitral valve repair or replacement, but remained higher among patients aged ≥85 years, women, and nonwhites.

Conclusions—

Between 1999 and 2008, outcomes after isolated mitral valve surgery significantly improved among Medicare FFS patients. Disparities among demographic subgroups indicate potential areas for quality improvement.
Sonic Hedgehog–Modified Human CD34+ Cells Preserve Cardiac Function After Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Mackie Alexander R. , Klyachko Ekaterina , Thorne Tina , Schultz Kathryn M. , Millay Meredith , Ito Aiko , Kamide Christine E. , Liu Ting , Gupta Rajesh , Sahoo Susmita , Misener Sol , Kishore Raj , Losordo Douglas W.
Published: May 2012

Rationale:

Ischemic cardiovascular disease represents one of the largest epidemics currently facing the aging population. Current literature has illustrated the efficacy of autologous, stem cell therapies as novel strategies for treating these disorders. The CD34+ hematopoetic stem cell has shown significant promise in addressing myocardial ischemia by promoting angiogenesis that helps preserve the functionality of ischemic myocardium. Unfortunately, both viability and angiogenic quality of autologous CD34+ cells decline with advanced age and diminished cardiovascular health.

Objective:

To offset age- and health-related angiogenic declines in CD34+ cells, we explored whether the therapeutic efficacy of human CD34+ cells could be enhanced by augmenting their secretion of the known angiogenic factor, sonic hedgehog (Shh).

Methods and Results:

When injected into the border zone of mice after acute myocardial infarction, Shh-modified CD34+ cells (CD34
Shh
) protected against ventricular dilation and cardiac functional declines associated with acute myocardial infarction. Treatment with CD34
Shh
also reduced infarct size and increased border zone capillary density compared with unmodified CD34 cells or cells transfected with the empty vector. CD34
Shh
primarily store and secrete Shh protein in exosomes and this storage process appears to be cell-type specific. In vitro analysis of exosomes derived from CD34
Shh
revealed that (1) exosomes transfer Shh protein to other cell types, and (2) exosomal transfer of functional Shh elicits induction of the canonical Shh signaling pathway in recipient cells.

Conclusions:

Exosome-mediated delivery of Shh to ischemic myocardium represents a major mechanism explaining the observed preservation of cardiac function in mice treated with CD34
Shh
cells.
“Finland Is Dead, Dead, Dead”: Ethics and National Identity in Kristian Smeds's The Unknown Soldier
Authors: Worthen Hana
Published: May 2012

Demythologizing Finland's role in World War II, Finnish director Kristian Smeds's Unknown Soldier opens a theatrical inquiry into the ideological structure of national identification, a critique of Finnishness that ironizes ethical humanism and the humanitarianism it proposes. Smeds's production foregrounds the performance of wartime and postwar nationalism as an ethical negotiation, framing the cost of politicized alterity and belonging in contemporary Europe.
“What Was the War Like?”: Experiencing Surrender; Talking with Josh Fox
Authors: Ball James R. , Bell Gelsey
Published: May 2012

International WOW Company's Surrender combines elements of avantgarde performance, dramatic karaoke, and audience participation to create an immersive portrait of urban combat and communicate the challenges soldiers face reintegrating into civilian life. Director Josh Fox reflects on making theatre out of the experience of being a soldier in 21st-century Iraq.
Making Politics Serve Music: Yu Huiyong, Composer and Minister of Culture
Authors: Ludden Yawen
Published: May 2012

Often viewed as a period of cultural famine by Western scholars, China's Cultural Revolution was in fact a heyday for those arts that served its new goals. In particular, yangbanxi, a derivative form of traditional Beijing opera, flourished during this era and continues to influence opera in China today.
An Invitation to Pillage: Witness Relocation's Heaven on Earth
Authors: Kozinn Sarah
Published: May 2012

Playwright Charles Mee invites artists to pillage his texts, and in their production of Heaven on Earth Witness Relocation and Ildi! Eldi do just that. Under Dan Safer's direction, the companies bombard the audience with their exuberant encounter with the existential question, “What happens after the world ends?”
Bazoocam 4′33″
Authors: Greyson John
Published: May 2012

Bazoocam (and other forms of Chat Roulette) are unlikely venues for activism—and even unlikelier forums for collective performances of John Cage's 4′33″, in silent musical protest against Israel's raid on Gaza in November 2011. John Greyson is a Toronto film/video artist whose shorts, features, and installations include Fig Trees, Proteus, The Law of Enclosures, Lilies, Un©ut, Zero Patience, The Making of Monsters, and Urinal. An Associate Professor in Film Production at York University, he was awarded the Toronto Arts Award for Film/Video in 2000 and the Bell Canada Video Art Award in 2007.
Still the Best Medicine, Even in a War Zone
Authors: Raviv Amnon
Published: May 2012

In recent years medical clowning has been an effective tool used in the treatment of people suffering from acute and post-traumatic stress disorder in war zones and in the wake of natural disasters. Clown Doctors in the Barzilai Medical Center in southern Israel, near the Gaza border, encounter ASD/PTSD patients from both sides of the conflict.
Strength, elasticity and failure of composites with pyrolyzed matrices based on polymethylsiloxane resins with optimized ratio of D and T components
Authors: Černý Martin , Strachota Adam , Chlup Zdeněk , Sucharda Zbyněk , Žaloudková Margit , Glogar Petr , Kuběna Ivo
Published: May 2012

Two mixtures of T and D siloxane monomeric components labelled as TxDy (molecular ratio x:y equal 3:1 or 4:1) were chosen as matrix precursors for manufacturing Nextel720 reinforced unidirectional composites which, after pyrolysis at 1000 or 1100°C, revealed good endurance in an oxidizing environment up to 1500°C. Vickers hardness of the heat treated (1000–1500°C) samples of pyrolyzed matrices T3D1 and T4D1 are mutually similar (1100–1400 HV0.2) and reach their maximum between 1200–1300°C. Flexural strength of the pyrolyzed composites is 150–170 MPa and 170–250 MPa for T3D1 and T4D1, respectively. After annealing 3 h in air at 1200–1300°C, the strength slightly decreases but similar treatment at 1500°C yields strengths exceeding those of the pyrolyzed material. Shear modulus of the pyrolyzed T4D1 composite is roughly twice that of the T3D1 one (15 GPa vs. 8 GPa) and both increase sharply to 22–25 GPa after annealing at 1500°C, which manifests substantial improvement of the matrix properties. Fracture toughness of the composites, as measured by chevron notch test at RT, 550°C, and 1100°C, yields 4–5 MPa.m−1/2 for T3D1 and 3–4 MPa.m−1/2 for T4D1. For both composite types, the fracture toughness drops by 1 MPa.m−1/2 when measured at 550°C, which can be attributed to suppression of fibre pull-out due to stress state changes caused by the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch. Fracture surfaces generated during flexural tests of the annealed samples reveal decreasing occurrence of pullout towards the highest annealing temperature.
Socio-spatial Mobility and Residential Sorting: Evidence from a Large-scale Survey
Authors: Clark William A. V. , Morrison Philip S.
Published: May 2012

This paper demonstrates that residential locations observed at one point in time influence socio-spatial mobility and hence neighbourhood outcomes arising from residential mobility. Using a unique survey of migration within New Zealand, it illustrates the classic result that repeated observations regress towards the mean. According to this statistical property, those leaving the most and least deprived areas are observed moving up and down towards the mean level of neighbourhood quality. After addressing this statistical effect, it is shown that those leaving very deprived areas are less likely to upgrade their neighbourhood, particularly if they also report relatively low incomes. By contrast, the downward adjustment observed by those leaving areas of low deprivation approximate those expected on the basis of regression towards the mean.
Moving Armies of Stop Signs
Authors: Dellwing Michael
Published: May 2012

Most work on the public-private division concerns itself with identifying the lines between both and the historical developments that shifted this line. These contributions provide an aerial view that pays little attention to the interactional micropolitics of privacy. The present article uses a pragmatist approach to analyze the local negotiation of privacy and publicity. It relies on scholarship on “accounts” and “aligning actions” to view “privacy-work” as an attempt to remove actions from having to account for them in a specific social group and “publicity-work” as a converse attempt to draw them out by demanding that actors account. Thus, I will understand privacy as whatever is hidden, situationally, behind “moving armies of stop signs” for alignment demands.
Assessment and Treatment of Adolescents Who Sexually Offend
Authors: Worling James R. , Langton Calvin M.
Published: May 2012

Some adolescents who have committed a sexual crime are placed by the courts in secure residential settings. Given the heterogeneity of this client group, it is important for clinicians in these settings to complete comprehensive assessments to determine the course and content of specialized treatment, if necessary. With a focus on residential care, suggestions are provided for the assessment of strengths, risks, and needs. Particular attention is paid to issues related to informed consent, interviewing, and risk assessment. Also reviewed are various treatment issues with implications in secure settings, including the delivery of therapeutic services, use of manuals, therapeutic relationships and context, and self-care for providers. The growing evidence base for cognitive-behavioral treatment for adolescents who have sexually offended is outlined, and common treatment goals for youth who have offended sexually are critically examined. With an emphasis on treatment tailored to the unique needs of each adolescent, suggestions are offered regarding goals such as increasing accountability, recovery from posttraumatic distress, developing offense-prevention strategies, and enhancing awareness of victim impact, prosocial sexual attitudes, and healthy sexual interests. Additional issues that are considered with implications for clinicians working in secure settings include sibling sexual abuse and offenses involving child abuse imagery.
Clostridium difficile
Authors: Badger Victor O. , Ledeboer Nate A. , Graham Mary Beth , Edmiston Charles E.
Published: May 2012

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of healthcare‐associated infectious diarrhea. Although C difficile is part of normal flora in some healthy individuals, patients with selective risk factors are often vulnerable to the toxigenic potential of this virulent healthcare pathogen. The spectrum of C difficile infection (CDI) is highly variable, ranging from mild to severe illness, presenting with single to multiple disease recurrences. Current approaches to treatment are based on severity of illness, number of recurrences, and clinical presentation. Oral vancomycin and metronidazole have formed the foundation for treatment of CDI, but therapeutic failures are commonly reported, especially involving hypervirulent clones. Alternative therapies, including newer antimicrobials, probiotics, immunotherapy, and fecal transplantation, have all met with varying degrees of efficacy. Although toxigenic culture (TC) testing from anaerobic culture remains the gold standard, newer technologies, including enzyme immunoassay, common antigen (glutamate dehydrogenase) testing, and real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are less time‐consuming and rapid. However, TC and PCR have reported high specificity and sensitivity when compared with other laboratory tests. Because of the significant morbidity and mortality associated with CDI, a high index of suspicion is warranted. Prevention and eradication of CDI require a multidisciplinary approach, including early disease recognition through appropriate surveillance, implementation of effective contact isolation strategies, adherence to environmental controls, judicious hand hygiene, evidence‐based treatment, and management that includes antibiotic stewardship, continuous education of healthcare workers, and administrative support.
Organizations as Networks of Communication Episodes: Turning the Network Perspective Inside Out
Authors: Blaschke Steffen , Schoeneborn Dennis , Seidl David
Published: May 2012

Over the last decades, the idea that communication constitutes organizations (CCO) has been gaining considerable momentum in organization studies. The CCO perspective provides new insights into key organizational issues, such as the relation between stability and change, between micro-level and macro-level phenomena, or between emergence and control. However, despite various theoretical advancements, the CCO perspective’s range of methodologies is still limited to analyzing local communication episodes, rather than studying organizations as broader networks of communication episodes. In this paper, we present a new methodological approach to the study of the relation between organization and communication, based on network analysis. Following a discussion of existing network approaches, we incorporate the fundamental assumptions of the CCO perspective into a methodology that places communication at the center of network analysis by turning the prevalent network perspective inside out, so that the vertices of the network represent communication episodes and the edges represent individuals. We illustrate our methodology with an empirical case study, in which we examine the structures and dynamics of an actual organization as a network of communication episodes.
Language and Prejudice
Authors: Collins Katherine A. , Clément Richard
Published: May 2012

In the ever-increasing globalization of the world, there has been a parallel increase in the amount of contact between members of different social groups, and thus, more opportunities than ever before for discrimination based on prejudice. This article is premised on the belief that language plays a central role in prejudice. Taking as a base the 2007 Journal of Language and Social Psychology special issue on language and discrimination, this review examines empirical evidence linking language and prejudice. It offers a taxonomic classification using a modified version of an earlier model crossed with three causal hypotheses. From this review, it can be concluded that prejudice can have both an implicit and explicit effect on language and that language plays a critical role in every form of prejudice. This strongly suggests that not only are language and prejudice inextricably linked but also that the study of prejudice without a consideration of language is incomplete.
Play It (Again) Sam
Authors: Consedine Nathan S. , Krivoshekova Yulia S. , Magai Carol
Published: May 2012

Studies suggest that disclosure alters representations of emotional or traumatic events and that linguistic parameters may index such change. Most work has been conducted among younger adults; hence, this report examined whether changes in the proportions of pronoun, emotion, and cognitive characteristics across two narrations predicted changes in mental and physical health outcomes in a later life sample. Black and White men and women ( N = 160) aged 50 to 70 years completed two 10-minute oral disclosures at baseline and 1-month follow-up, describing a sad event in conjunction with either a happy or a neutral event, and completed measures of depressive symptomatology, stress, and health. Despite some variation across outcomes, reductions in symptoms were generally predicted by lowered proportions of first personal singular pronouns and sadness words and increased proportions of insight and causal words; directional change scores were more useful than absolute change in predicting outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for tailoring disclosure-based interventions among older groups for which traditional written paradigms may be poorly suited, and directions for future research are given.
Transnationality, Hope and ‘Recombinant Locality’: Knowledge as Capital and Resource
Authors: Sekine Yasumasa
Published: May 2012

This article searches for sustainable methods of handling the stresses of globalising existence and contrasts two strategies of using knowledge as a form of capital or resource in different forms of ‘packaging from above’ and ‘packaging from below’. Taking the examples of appropriation of Vastuvidya in Europe and of Hindu worship of the Hawaiian Healing Stones, it is argued that such methods of re-packaging and the concept of ‘recombinant locality’ are strategically useful tools and devices to understand better how people may preserve glocalised spaces while opposing uniformising globalisation and capitalist domination. The article suggests that, in this way, structurally disadvantaged but hopeful and enterprising transnational individuals and groups may empower themselves to improve their ‘lifeworld’ in diaspora.
Patients’ and nurses’ perceptions of respect and human presence through caring behaviours: A comparative study
Authors: Papastavrou Evridiki , Efstathiou Georgios , Tsangari Haritini , Suhonen Riitta , Leino-Kilpi Helena , Patiraki Elisabeth , Karlou Chryssoula , Balogh Zoltan , Palese Alvisa , Tomietto Marco , Jarosova Darja , Merkouris Anastasios
Published: May 2012

Although respect and human presence are frequently reported in nursing literature, these are poorly defined within a nursing context. The aim of this study was to examine the differences, if any, in the perceived frequency of respect and human presence in the clinical care, between nurses and patients. A convenience sample of 1537 patients and 1148 nurses from six European countries (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Italy) participated in this study during autumn 2009. The six-point Likert-type Caring Behaviours Inventory-24 questionnaire was used for gathering appropriate data. The findings showed statistically significant differences of nurses’ and patients’ perception of frequency on respect and human presence. These findings provide a better understanding of caring behaviours that convey respect and assurance of human presence to persons behind the patients and may contribute to close gaps in knowledge regarding patients’ expectations.
An Analysis of Data Breach Notifications as Negative News
Authors: Veltsos Jennifer R.
Published: May 2012

Forty-six states require organizations to notify users when personally identifiable information has been exposed or when the organization’s data security measures have been breached. This article describes a qualitative document analysis of 13 data breach notification templates from state and federal agencies. The results confirm much of the typical advice for negative messages, but they suggest that the direct pattern may be an effective way to inform users as required by law, to overcome optimism bias, and to overcome rational ignorance. When a buffer is used, writers should not be afraid to refer to the bad news.
Evaluation of canned therapeutic diets for the management of cats with naturally occurring chronic diarrhea
Authors: Laflamme Dorothy P , Xu Hui , Cupp Carolyn J , Kerr Wendell W , Ramadan Ziad , Long Grace M
Published: May 2012

Dietary therapy plays an important role in the management of most gastrointestinal disorders. This study was designed to test the efficacy of a new therapeutic diet for cats with diarrhea, compared to the top selling brand. Sixteen adult cats with chronic diarrhea were grouped and assigned to diet X (Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d Feline) or diet Y (Purina Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Feline Formula). Following baseline evaluations, cats were fed their assigned test diet for 4 weeks. Fecal scores (FS; 7 = very watery; 1 = extremely dry and firm) were recorded daily during the last week on each diet. Each cat was then switched to the alternate test diet and the procedure was repeated. Fifteen cats completed the study. Both therapeutic diets resulted in a significant improvement in average FS and diet Y also resulted in significantly better results compared with diet X. Average FS improved at least one unit in 40% of the cats while fed diet X and in 67% of the cats while fed diet Y, resulting in normal stools (average FS ≤ 3) in 13.3% of cats fed diet X and 46.7% of cats fed diet Y. This study confirms the value of dietary change in the management of chronic diarrhea in cats.
Serum cobalamin concentrations in cats with gastrointestinal signs: correlation with histopathological findings and duration of clinical signs
Authors: Maunder Christina L , Day Michael J , Hibbert Angie , Steiner Jörg M , Suchodolski Jan S , Hall Edward J
Published: May 2012

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of hypocobalaminaemia in UK cats presented for referral investigation of gastrointestinal signs and to ascertain whether the duration of clinical signs or severity of disease (based on WSAVA Gastrointestinal Standardization histopathological grading) related to cobalamin concentration. The study population comprised 39 cats, of which 11 (28.2%) had hypocobalaminaemia. Eight of these cats were diagnosed with a single cause of gastrointestinal signs: intestinal inflammation (five); alimentary lymphoma (two); and cholangitis (one). Two or more concurrent diseases were diagnosed in the three remaining cases. Alimentary lymphoma and the most severe grade of histological intestinal inflammation were associated most commonly with concurrent hypocobalaminaemia, but there was no statistically significant correlation between serum cobalamin concentrations and histopathological score or duration of clinical signs.
Evaluation of lomustine as a rescue agent for cats with resistant lymphoma
Authors: Dutelle Autumn L , Bulman-Fleming Julie C , Lewis Craig A , Rosenberg Mona P
Published: May 2012

This retrospective study evaluated the use of lomustine as a rescue agent for 39 cases of resistant feline lymphoma. Parameters assessed included lymphocyte cell size, number of previous chemotherapy drugs and number of previous chemotherapy protocols received, time from lymphoma diagnosis to initiation of lomustine therapy, body weight and anatomic location of lymphoma. Cell size, number of previous chemotherapy drugs, number of previous chemotherapy protocols and anatomic location were all significant prognostic factors for the progression-free interval. Twenty-one cats (54%) received more than one dose of lomustine. The overall median progression-free interval (MPFI) was 39 days (range 7—708 days). The MPFI for large versus small and intermediate cell lymphomas was 21 versus 169 days, respectively. The MPFI for gastrointestinal versus non-gastrointestinal lymphomas was 180 versus 25.5 days, respectively. Lomustine has an acceptable efficacy and safety for use as a rescue agent in feline lymphoma.
A genetic variant of the anti-apoptotic protein Akt predicts natalizumab-induced lymphocytosis and post-natalizumab multiple sclerosis reactivation
Authors: Rossi Silvia , Motta Caterina , Studer Valeria , Monteleone Fabrizia , De Chiara Valentina , Buttari Fabio , Barbieri Francesca , Bernardi Giorgio , Battistini Luca , Cutter Gary , Stüve Olaf , Salvetti Marco , Centonze Diego
Published: May 2012

Background:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients discontinuing natalizumab treatment are at risk of disease reactivation. No clinical or surrogate parameters exist to identify patients at risk of post-natalizumab MS reactivation.

Objective:

To determine the role of natalizumab-induced lymphocytosis and of Akt polymorphisms in disease reactivation after natalizumab discontinuation.

Methods:

Peripheral leukocyte count and composition were monitored in 93 MS patients during natalizumab treatment, and in 56 of these subjects who discontinued the treatment. Genetic variants of the anti-apoptotic protein Akt were determined in all subjects because natalizumab modulates the apoptotic pathway and lymphocyte survival is regulated by the apoptotic cascade.

Results:

Natalizumab-induced peripheral lymphocytosis protected from post-natalizumab MS reactivation. Subjects who relapsed or had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) worsening after treatment cessation, in fact, had milder peripheral lymphocyte increases during the treatment, largely caused by less marked T cell increase. Furthermore, subjects carrying a variant of the gene coding for Akt associated with reduced anti-apoptotic efficiency (rs2498804T) had lower lymphocytosis and higher risk of disease reactivation.

Conclusion:

This study identified one functionally meaningful genetic variant within the Akt signaling pathway that is associated with both lymphocyte count and composition alterations during natalizumab treatment, and with the risk of disease reactivation after natalizumab discontinuation.
Wavelet Coherence Model for Diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Sankari Ziad , Adeli Hojjat , Adeli Anahita
Published: May 2012

This article presents a wavelet coherence investigation of electroencephalograph (EEG) readings acquired from patients with Alzheimer disease (AD)  and healthy controls. Pairwise electrode wavelet coherence is calculated over each frequency band (delta, theta, alpha, and beta). For comparing the synchronization fraction of 2 EEG signals, a wavelet coherence fraction is proposed which is defined as the fraction of the signal time during which the wavelet coherence value is above a certain threshold. A one-way analysis of variance test shows a set of statistically significant differences in wavelet coherence between AD and controls. The wavelet coherence method is effective for studying cortical connectivity at a high temporal resolution. Compared with other conventional AD coherence studies, this study takes into account the time–frequency changes in coherence of EEG signals and thus provides more correlational details. A set of statistically significant differences was found in the wavelet coherence among AD and controls. In particular, temporocentral regions show a significant decrease in wavelet coherence in AD in the delta band, and the parietal and central regions show significant declines in cortical connectivity with most of their neighbors in the theta and alpha bands. This research shows that wavelet coherence can be used as a powerful tool to differentiate between healthy elderly individuals and probable AD patients.
Simulation of a convective loop for the Nested Thermal Envelope Design™ low-energy house
Authors: Stahlbrand Ian , Richman Russell
Published: May 2012

The Nested Thermal Envelope Design™ is an innovative low-energy house design that incorporates two thermal envelopes to create a core and perimeter zone. The perimeter acts as a thermal buffer zone, where heat loss from the core and solar gain in the perimeter are recovered to the core via an inter-zone heat pump. To optimize heat recovery from the perimeter and minimize temperature stratification, a complete loop is formed around the core living space, through which air may flow in a convective loop. A simplified convective loop was modelled with a commercial computational fluid dynamics software package. The results show that the convective loop distributes solar gains and reduces temperature stratification in the perimeter. The location of the heat pump in the convective loop was found to affect the heat pump’s coefficient of performance by up to 21%.
Effect of titanium–boron additions on grain refinement of AA 2219 gas tungsten arc welds
Authors: Babu N Kishore , Pan D , Sun Z , Wei J , Talari M K
Published: May 2012

Grain refinement of aluminium weld metal involves the transition from coarse columnar grains to smaller, more equiaxed grains (sometimes referred to as columnar to equiaxed transition). This refinement in grain size and shape results in both improved mechanical properties (ductility and toughness) and significant improvement in weldability. The present study has investigated the influence of Tibor additions on the structure and mechanical properties of AA 2219 gas tungsten arc (GTA) weldments. Controlled amounts of Tibor grain refiner (containing Ti and B in a ratio of 5∶1) were introduced into the molten pool of AA 2219 by predeposited cast inserts under different welding conditions by GTA welding. Full penetration GTA welds were prepared using alternating current. It was observed that grain size was decreased with increasing amounts of Tibor. The observed grain refinement was shown to result in an appreciable increase in fusion zone hardness, strength and ductility. It is also found that welds subjected to post-weld aging treatment displayed superior mechanical properties.
Transient liquid phase bonding of aluminium alloy using two-step heating process
Authors: Wang X G , Li X G , Wang C G
Published: May 2012

5A02 aluminium alloy was joined by transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding using the two-step heating process as follows: the faying area was first heated to 600°C and kept for 5 s and then cooled down to 595°C and kept for 3 min. The microstructure and properties of the joint were investigated and compared with that of conventional TLP bond at 595°C for 3 min. The results show that the two-step heating process can produce a wave bond line that is different from the planar interface associated with conventional TLP bonding at a constant temperature. The defects at the bond line are greatly reduced, and metal to metal contacts are established along the wave bond line using the two-step heating process. Therefore, the tensile strength and bending ductility of the joint are dramatically improved.
Strain effects on annealing behaviours of moderately deformed nanocrystalline nickel
Authors: Ni H T , Zhang X Y , Chen X , Yu L
Published: May 2012

We report the annealing behaviours of nanocrystalline nickel as a function of plastic strain. A broad exothermic reaction due to primary and secondary recrystallisations appears in moderately deformed samples that are enhanced by plastic strain. Texture analysis shows that predeformation and recrystallisation play an important role in grain orientation. A certain difference in texture evolution exists in samples predeformed to different strains. Defects such as stacking faults and twinning should be considered to pin down the underlying mechanisms. The final grain orientation indicates that twinning plays an important role in grain growth due to orientation selection.
Microstructure refinement of Fe40Ni40B20 alloy in non-equilibrium solidification: possibility of nanostructure formation
Authors: Zhang K , Liu F , Xu J F , Yang G C
Published: May 2012

Microstructure refinement of ternary eutectic Fe40Ni40B20 alloy in undercooling and rapid cooling solidification has been studied. In natural cooling conditions, two kinds of microstructure refinement take place with increasing undercooling. For melts with the same undercooling, the as solidified microstructure refines first and then coarsens with increasing cooling rate. On this basis, repeatable experiments show that the combination of melt undercooling at ∼50 K with Ga–In alloy bath rapid cooling produces very fine eutectic cells (∼5 μm in diameter with the lamellae spacing <100 nm). This indicates that an appropriate initial melt undercooling combined with a proper cooling rate is a potential way to produce a bulk nanostructure in ternary Fe40Ni40B20 alloy.
Depth dependence and strain rate sensitivity of indentation stress of 6061 aluminium alloy
Authors: Haghshenas M. , Wang L. , Klassen R. J.
Published: May 2012

Indentation tests were performed on samples of 6061 aluminium alloy in the annealed, T4 and T6 temper conditions. The tests were performed over a range of loading rates to study the effect of indentation strain rate [Formula: see text] on the indentation depth dependence of the average indentation stress σind. While [Formula: see text] changes by several orders of magnitude during the constant loading rate nano-/microscale indentation tests, we observed that the strain rate sensitivity of σind increases with decreasing indentation depth for all the samples tested. By applying an obstacle limited dislocation glide description of the deformation process, we were able to demonstrate that the apparent activation energy of the obstacles to dislocation glide increases with decreasing indentation depth and is also dependent upon the heat treatment condition of the 6061 test material. This suggests that, based upon the assumption of the operative deformation mechanism chosen, the strength of the dislocation–obstacle interactions that limit the rate of deformation is significantly increased in indentations of depth <∼4 μm.