bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Documentation of Swedish Patchwork Quilts: 1830 to 1929
Authors: Rikert Susan L. , Harp Shelley S. , Horridge Patricia E. , Shroyer JoAnn L.
Published: April 2013

Patchwork quilts are recognized as a valid data source for historical research and are no longer deemed important solely for artistic workmanship and aesthetic value. The purpose of this research was to record and interpret data concerning Swedish patchwork quilts dated between 1830 and 1929. Forty-three dated patchwork quilts identified in 31 Swedish museum collections were examined on site. Characteristics utilized for systematic quilt documentation were design, textile, construction, and surface embellishment. Data indicated that all-over style, diamond shape, and Star pattern were the most frequent designs. Quilt fabrics were primarily a solid color, silk and cotton fibers, and plain weave. Hand sewn top sections and hand quilting around quilt blocks were the predominant quilt construction methods, with the greatest number of quilts without surface embellishment. Patchwork quilts studied reflected Sweden's industrial advancements, economic growth and decline, social conditions, and national pride across the time line investigated.
Point of tool change time and monitoring program for microscale milling process
Authors: Koo Joon-Young , Kim Jeong-Suk , Jang Su-Hoon
Published: April 2013

In this article, a point in time at which tool change should take place and a program to monitor tool condition are proposed for microscale milling processes. The response surface method, which is one of designs of experiments, was used to determine cutting conditions. The independent variables were the spindle speed, axial depth of cut, and feed per tooth; each variable was divided into five levels. After tool life measurement experiments were performed with the determined cutting conditions, a second-order tool life equation was derived, and optimal cutting conditions were obtained by means of the tool life equation. A point of tool change time for the microscale milling process was proposed by analyzing the characteristics of cutting force signals and acoustic emission signals acquired during the experiments. Then the values were determined by analyzing the experimental results and were used to determine the tool change time in a machining monitoring program. The results of this study may be used to enhance machining efficiency in microscale milling processes.
The Teenage Brain
Authors: Spear Linda
Published: April 2013

The high levels of alcohol consumption characteristic of adolescence may be in part biologically based, given that elevated consumption levels are evident during this developmental transition in other mammalian species as well. Studies conducted using a simple animal model of adolescence in the rat have shown adolescents to be more sensitive than adults to social facilitatory and rewarding effects of alcohol but less sensitive to numerous alcohol effects that may serve as cues to limit intake. These age-specific alcohol sensitivities appear related to differential rates of development of neural systems underlying different alcohol effects, as well as to an ontogenetic decline in rapid brain compensations to alcohol, termed acute tolerance. In contrast, these adolescent-typical sensitivities to alcohol do not appear to be notably influenced by pubertal increases in gonadal hormones. Although data are sparse, there are hints that similar alcohol sensitivities may be seen in human adolescents, with this developmentally decreased sensitivity to alcohol’s intoxicating effects possibly exacerbated by genetic vulnerabilities also characterized by an insensitivity to alcohol intoxication, thereby perhaps permitting especially high levels of alcohol consumption among vulnerable youths.
The Teenage Brain
Authors: Romeo Russell D.
Published: April 2013

Adolescence is a time of many psychosocial and physiological changes. One such change is how an individual responds to stressors. Specifically, adolescence is marked by significant shifts in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity, resulting in heightened stress-induced hormonal responses. It is presently unclear what mediates these changes in stress reactivity and what impacts they may have on an adolescent individual. However, stress-sensitive limbic and cortical brain areas that continue to mature during adolescence may be particularly vulnerable to these shifts in responsiveness. Consequently, perturbations of the maturing adolescent brain may contribute to the increase in stress-related psychological dysfunctions, such as anxiety, depression, and drug abuse, often observed during this stage of development. The purpose of this review is to describe the changes that occur in HPA function during adolescence, as well as to briefly discuss the possible ramifications of these changes on the developing brain and psychological health.
Prediction of Antiplatelet Effects of Aspirin In Vivo Based on In Vitro Results
Authors: Yokoyama Haruko , Ito Naoko , Soeda Shinji , Ozaki Masahiro , Suzuki Yuji , Watanabe Masayuki , Kashiwakura Emiko , Kawada Tsutomu , Ikeda Noriyuki , Tokuoka Kentaro , Kitagawa Yasuhisa , Yamada Yasuhiko
Published: April 2013

The aim of this study was to establish a method to predict the antiplatelet effects of aspirin in vivo based on in vitro results. Aspirin in 5 different concentrations was added to the platelet-rich plasma samples, and the rates of platelet aggregation induced by collagen were determined in vitro. In addition, platelet aggregation and plasma drug concentration values were determined in vivo before and after the administration of aspirin (162 mg). The 50% effective concentration (EC50) values obtained from the in vivo and in vitro experiments were shown to have relevance, because the EC50 ratio for each subject was the same (0.23 ± 0.03). The actual and predicted values for the rate of inhibition of platelet aggregation were well correlated ( P < .0001, r = .95) when the predicted rate was determined using the present method. Our results suggest that the antiplatelet effects of aspirin can be predicted using blood samples obtained before its administration.
Application of a magnetorheological damper modeled using the current–dependent Bouc–Wen model for shimmy suppression in a torsional nose landing gear with and without freeplay
Authors: Atabay Elmas , Ozkol Ibrahim
Published: April 2013

In this study, shimmy of a nose landing gear model with torsional degree of freedom is analyzed. Equations governing the torsional nose landing gear model and the stretched string tire model are presented. Freeplay is incorporated into the model. A magnetorheological (MR) damper modeled using the current–dependent Bouc–Wen model is introduced to the torsional landing gear model with and without freeplay. Parameter identification of the Bouc–Wen model is accomplished using genetic algorithms. Incorporation of an MR damper into the landing gear model with and without freeplay is the advantage in this study. Implementation of the current–dependent Bouc–Wen model in such a landing gear model is another brand new concept.
Optimum viscoelastic absorbers for cubic nonlinear systems
Authors: Bavastri CA , Febbo M , Gonçalves VV , Lopes EMO
Published: April 2013

Dynamic vibration absorbers are efficient devices used in vibration and noise control of several mechanical systems. In recent years, some studies about these control devices comprising systems with nonlinear characteristics have emerged. In those cases, either the primary system or the dynamic absorber, or even both, can be nonlinear in terms of their stiffness. On the other hand, the absorber damping is generally modeled as viscous. The viscous damping model is widely used in numerical simulations but is very difficult to achieve in real situations. An alternative is the use of viscoelastic damping models, which brings flexibility for vibration control actions. In this work, a methodology to optimally design a viscoelastic dynamic vibration absorber when attached to a nonlinear single-degree-of-freedom system will be presented. The mathematical formulation of the problem is based on the generalized equivalent parameters concept along with the harmonic balance method. The cubic nonlinearity is considered in the primary system and the viscoelastic material is represented by the four-parameter fractional derivative model. Numerical simulations to find the optimal parameters of the absorber are performed for three different types of viscoelastic materials using nonlinear optimization techniques. For some conditions, the results show that the viscoelastic absorber "linearizes" the compound system when this device is properly designed and attached to it. This is mainly due to the reaction forces introduced by the absorber and the large dissipation of vibratory energy introduced by the viscoelastic material. A study of the stability of the compound system reveals that, for most of the time, the periodic solution remains stable for the whole frequency range of concern.
Chaotic vibration in fractional maps
Authors: Xiao Huang , Ma Yutian , Li Changpin
Published: April 2013

Starting from the kicked equations of motion with fractional derivatives, we obtain the fractional discrete maps. Then, we mainly show the chaotic vibration of the fractional discrete maps, the Zaslavsky map and logistic map, and their chaotic behaviors.
‘Big Citizen’ celanthropy and its discontents
Authors: Rojek Chris
Published: April 2013

Cultural Studies has not devoted much notice to one of the keynote developments in modern culture over the last 30 years: namely, the rise of various charity projects fronted and, in the public mind, defined by celebrities. Celanthropy – the transformation of causes into cause celebres via the public involvement of celebrities – is striking for the subtle shift in devolving the responsibilities of the state onto the shoulders of the citizens. It purports to offer ‘stateless solutions’, articulated by ‘Big Citizens’ (celebrities), for domestic problems and the ills of the world (hunger, inequality, injustice, corruption, pollution).
Making the unfamiliar personal: arts-based ethnographies as public-engaged ethnographies
Authors: Degarrod Lydia N
Published: April 2013

I present the installation Geographies of the Imagination, an arts-based ethnography about long-term exile, as a form of public ethnography that unveils the acquisition and transmission of ethnographic knowledge as interactive, emergent, and creative. I will show how the methods of collaboration and art making created bodily forms of knowledge among the participants and the audience at the exhibition of the installation that have the potential for stimulating new thinking. The use of these methods advanced the acquisition of ethnographic knowledge, and heightened the development of empathy among the participants and the researcher. Furthermore, the public exhibition of this installation allowed the participants to exercise social justice, and created a setting for socially experiencing embodied knowledge.
A theory of freedom
Authors: Edge Matt
Published: April 2013

The traditional dispute over whether there are one or two ‘concepts’ of freedom has recently been reignited. Despite this, Isaiah Berlin’s distinction between positive and negative freedom retains a significant amount of influence over academic and popular disputes about freedom, continuing to withstand recent attempts, in Eric Nelson’s words, to ‘lift the shadow’ of Berlin’s famous dichotomy. Berlin’s distinction has traditionally been assailed by two separate schools of thought. One line of argument, propounded by Quentin Skinner and Philip Pettit, has suggested that Berlin’s account includes (at least) one concept of freedom too few. Another line of attack, however, propounded by the likes of Nelson, Efraim Podoksik and Gerald MacCallum, has suggested that, to the contrary, Berlin’s account contains one concept of liberty too many. In this article, I will attempt to clear up this confusing picture by discussing how both of these lines of attack have a role to play in helping to dismantle Berlin’s ultimately misleading account of freedom. In the second half of the article, I then go on to explore the implications of this for contemporary political theory in the construction of a theory of freedom for modern political communities, discussing how the ‘spectrum’ of liberty I explore in the first half leads, naturally, to a social model of individual liberty.
Picturing the Profession
Authors: Ross Rebecca
Published: April 2013

In this article, I reconsider the significance of Daniel Burnham’s contribution to the professionalization of city planning in light of contemporaneous practices of viewing and depicting the city from above. A closer look at the working methods employed and images produced by Burnham and his staff reveals their role in cultivating a shared civic imaginary. That is, drawing upon existing widespread cultural enthusiasm for viewing the city from above, they stimulated the imagination toward the city as it might be, while positioning themselves as new kinds of experts tasked with reconciling discrepancies between the built and imagined city on behalf of the public. I structure the article in particular around the discussion of three images: San Francisco as envisaged from the Twin Peaks viewing platform, published in Report on a Plan for San Francisco (1905); a bird’s-eye view of Chicago as envisaged in a watercolor by Jules Guerin, published in The Plan of Chicago (1909); and a Chicago civic center as envisaged in another watercolor by Jules Guerin, published in The Plan of Chicago (1909). Through formal and discursive consideration of these images, I argue that a burgeoning sense of the civic imaginary shared by professionals, elites, and ordinary citizens played a crucial role in the institution of the city-planning profession in the first decade of the twentieth century. Regardless of the specific details and subsequent status of the plans to which they refer, the images are important to consider in their own right. As instruments in a recasting of urban form, they materialize a new sense of the city as both malleable and the object of concern for a new kind of specialist.
Transvaginal Ultrasound Simulation and its Effect on Trainee Confidence Levels: A Replacement for Initial Clinical Training?
Authors: Williams C J , Edie J C , Mulloy B , Flinton D M , Harrisont G
Published: April 2013

Introduction

The ScanTrainer transvaginal ultrasound simulator has been developed to facilitate initial training of transvaginal ultrasound skills without patient contact. Due to the intimate nature of the examination and in some cases, limited training opportunities, the need for simulation-based education in ultrasound has gained momentum. Currently, research into the effectiveness of the ScanTrainer is limited.

Methods

A mixed method study was conducted in a single institution between October 2011 and January 2012. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling and allocated to the control (clinical training) or experimental (simulation training) group following a pre-test. After 10 hours of their allocated transvaginal ultrasound training method a post-test assessment was conducted and the results statistically analysed. Participants then experienced the alternative method of training and completed questionnaires. The results were used to inform semi-structured interviews for each group. Interview transcripts were interpreted using theme analysis.

Results

A small number of doctors completed the study, nine (82%) out of the 11 recruited. The majority of participants (89%) felt that practice on the ScanTrainer can increase confidence prior to attempting a real transvaginal ultrasound scan. Average scores showed that the simulation training group outperformed the clinical training group on overall score and each of the five post-test components. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated for overall score ( U = 13, P = 0.556) or the five components ( P = 0.190–1).

Conclusions

Transvaginal ultrasound training on the ScanTrainer has the potential to replace initial clinical training; however, further larger trials are required to evaluate. Clinically significant outcomes exist if the ScanTrainer training is proven to be more effective than initial clinical training. The ScanTrainer prepares a trainee and builds confidence to progress to clinical scanning, which has the potential to improve the patient experience.
Colonialism and religion
Authors: Chidester David
Published: April 2013

As critical research on religion, the study of colonialism and religion directs attention to religious creativity within the asymmetrical power relations of contact zones, intercultural relations, and diasporic circulations. Taking the imperial ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics as a point of departure, this article recalls how the drama of the colonizing Prospero and the colonized Caliban has been a template for analyzing religion under colonial conditions. Like Shakespeare’s enchanted isle, colonizing and colonized religion have been shaped by oceans, with the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific worlds emerging as crucial units of analysis. As a contribution to a symposium on critical approaches to the study of religion, this article indicates some of the important landmarks, sea changes, and analytical possibilities in the study of colonialism and religion.
Religion and post-communism: A chronicle of absurdity
Authors: Kirova Milena
Published: April 2013

This article summarizes the history of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church after 1989 in the context of the post-communist situation. It highlights some of the changes that have taken place in the religious consciousness of Bulgarian people. Absurdity is the key concept. A string of absurd events are discussed; they are viewed as representative of the ambiguous mentality characteristic of the transitional period that is under way in the post-communist societies of Eastern Europe.
The critical theory of religion: From having to being
Authors: Siebert Rudolf J. , Ott Michael R. , Byrd Dustin J.
Published: April 2013

In our essay we trace the evolution of the critical theory of religion, or comparative dialectical religiology, out of the critical theory of society of the Institute for Social Research or the Frankfurt School. For us, the history of religions reflects the history of humanity’s intellectual and spiritual evolution. As we developed our critical theory of religion, we have tried to supersede concretely the great accomplishments of three generations of critical theorists, particularly in the field of religion. One main theme of our critical theory of religion is the dialectic of two modes of existence: having and being; egoism and altruism. As we determinately negated the critical theory of society into our comparative dialectical religiology, we also penetrated deeper into its roots in the works of Kant and Hegel, Marx and Freud, Judaism and Christianity, particularly into the mystical theology of the great dialectician Meister Eckhart and of his many modern followers. We conclude our essay with the vision of the City of Being.
Usage of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Severe Hemophilia A Patients in India
Authors: Jadhav Uma , Mukherjee Kanchan , Thakur Harshad
Published: April 2013

Documented evidence of the usage of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with rare disease such as hemophilia is limited. Therefore, we explored the types of complementary and alternative medicines used, the associated sociodemographic and clinical factors, and the cost and reasons for usage among severe hemophilia A patients in India. Our study demonstrates an increased usage of complementary and alternative medicine (42.3%) among hemophiliacs. Significant factors associated with usage of these therapies were economic status, comorbidity status, and education of head of households. Among users of complementary and alternative medicine, cost of these therapies was found to be higher (17.22%) compared with hemostatic drugs (5.63%) from the average cost of treatment (Rs 29 029). The findings of this study warrant multicenter research to explore different dimensions of complementary and alternative medicine and also incorporate it in comprehensive hemophilia care programs to address issues of treatment gap and quality of life of hemophiliacs.
Mechanisms of Change in Public Management Projects
Authors: Soininen Tiina
Published: April 2013

This article draws conclusions from four separate case evaluations from different development programs in Finland and aims to discuss the role of welfare state values in new public management. The study develops a comprehensive picture of the change in public management since 2000. The synthesis of the four case studies follows the critical realism tradition. This article shows that cooperation forms the key mechanism in all public administration projects and in any changes to their structure. The new structure is the postmodern service production sector that still faces many challenges with regard to the traditional welfare state values. One of these is the conflict between the deep-seated moral imperatives of the old welfare state and the goal-attainment priorities of the new public management. While evaluation research has become one of the operations in public administration that fulfills the control function, the value bases of society, management, and evaluations should be balanced together. Also the objectives of public management and evaluations should be more clearly defined in relation to values other than efficiency. An applied science, like evaluation, needs basic social research to formulate, recognize, and conceptualize the new public management structure. Furthermore, there is an urgent requirement to address those values that underpin society as a whole.
Motivations for Naming: The Development of a Toponymic Typology for Australian Placenames
Authors: Tentand Jan , Blair David
Published: April 2013

AbstractOne of the main obstacles to having a meaningful discussion on, or analysis of, placenaming practices of a region or an era is the absence of an effective, consistent and standardized typology for toponym specifics. Surprisingly few attempts have been made to construct such a typology. Of those which have been developed, almost all show inconsistencies in their structure and include categories which are too wide or too narrow, which overlap with each other, or deal only with indigenous placenames. In this paper, we review existing typologies and then propose a classification scheme for the Australian context based on the motivation for the naming of the feature in question.
MicroRNA-17∼92 regulates effector and memory CD8 T-cell fates by modulating proliferation in response to infections
Authors: Khan Arif A. , Penny Laura A. , Yuzefpolskiy Yevgeniy , Sarkar Surojit , Kalia Vandana
Published: April 2013

Key Points

miR-17∼92 promotes proliferation and terminal effector differentiation in CD8 T-cells by upregulating PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling.
Revised response criteria for polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia: an ELN and IWG-MRT consensus project
Authors: Barosi Giovanni , Mesa Ruben , Finazzi Guido , Harrison Claire , Kiladjian Jean-Jacques , Lengfelder Eva , McMullin Mary F. , Passamonti Francesco , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Besses Carlos , Gisslinger Heinz , Samuelsson Jan , Verstovsek Srdan , Hoffman Ronald , Pardanani Animesh , Cervantes Francisco , Tefferi Ayalew , Barbui Tiziano
Published: April 2013

Key Points

Evidence exists that ELN criteria for response in ET and PV issued in 2009 do not provide relevant measures of benefit for patients. Revised recommendations for assessing response are provided.
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin in acute myeloid leukemia: a remarkable saga about an active drug
Authors: Rowe Jacob M. , Löwenberg Bob
Published: April 2013

Despite living in an era of unprecedented progress in the understanding of the genetic and molecular biology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), this has not translated into significant advances in therapy. Never before have so many potential targets been studied. Yet most have not advanced beyond the phase 1 and, occasionally, phase 2 studies. The few ongoing phase 3 studies seem unlikely to have more than a marginal benefit, if at all. Thus, it is not surprising that in past few decades almost no new drugs for AML have received regulatory approval. In 2000, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) was granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration based on promising phase 2 data in relapsed older adults with AML. GO held promise as a new agent that also could be efficacious in newly diagnosed AML with acceptable toxicity. Several phase 3 studies were designed to test GO in this setting. The results of a randomized study by the Southwest Oncology Group led in 2010 to the voluntary withdrawal of this agent when improved efficacy could not be demonstrated and toxicity appeared excessive. Since then, 4 randomized studies have been completed that, in aggregate, strongly support the efficacy of this agent in newly diagnosed AML with acceptable toxicity. There is a very plausible explanation for this discrepancy, making a compelling case for reapproval of GO in AML.
Visualising single molecules of HIV-1 and miRNA nucleic acids
Authors: Jones Kate L , Karpala Adam , Hirst Bevan , Jenkins Kristie , Tizard Mark , Pereira Cândida F , Leis Andrew , Monaghan Paul , Hyatt Alex , Mak Johnson
Published: April 2013

Background

The scarcity of certain nucleic acid species and the small size of target sequences such as miRNA, impose a significant barrier to subcellular visualization and present a major challenge to cell biologists. Here, we offer a generic and highly sensitive visualization approach (oligo fluorescent in situ hybridization, O-FISH) that can be used to detect such nucleic acids using a single-oligonucleotide probe of 19–26 nucleotides in length.

Results

We used O-FISH to visualize miR146a in human and avian cells. Furthermore, we reveal the sensitivity of O-FISH detection by using a HIV-1 model system to show that as little as 1–2 copies of nucleic acids can be detected in a single cell. We were able to discern newly synthesized viral cDNA and, moreover, observed that certain HIV RNA sequences are only transiently available for O-FISH detection.

Conclusions

Taken together, these results suggest that the O-FISH method can potentially be used for in situ probing of, as few as, 1–2 copies of nucleic acid and, additionally, to visualize small RNA such as miRNA. We further propose that the O-FISH method could be extended to understand viral function by probing newly transcribed viral intermediates; and discern the localisation of nucleic acids of interest. Additionally, interrogating the conformation and structure of a particular nucleic acid in situ might also be possible, based on the accessibility of a target sequence.
Worldwide population distribution of the common LCE3C-LCE3B deletion associated with psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders
Authors: Bassaganyas Laia , Riveira-Muñoz Eva , García-Aragonés Manel , González Juan R , Cáceres Mario , Armengol Lluís , Estivill Xavier
Published: April 2013

Background

There is increasing evidence of the importance of copy number variants (CNV) in genetic diversity among individuals and populations, as well as in some common genetic diseases. We previously characterized a common 32-kb insertion/deletion variant of the PSORS4 locus at chromosome 1q21 that harbours the LCE3C and LCE3B genes. This variant allele (LCE3C_LCE3B-del) is common in patients with psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders from certain ethnic groups.

Results

Using array-CGH (Agilent 244 K) in samples from the HapMap and Human Genome Diversity Panel (HGDP) collections, we identified 54 regions showing population differences in comparison to Africans. We provided here a comprehensive population-genetic analysis of one of these regions, which involves the 32-kb deletion of the PSORS4 locus. By a PCR-based genotyping assay we characterised the profiles of the LCE3C_LCE3B-del and the linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern between the variant allele and the tag SNP rs4112788. Our results show that most populations tend to have a higher frequency of the deleted allele than Sub-Saharan Africans. Furthermore, we found strong LD between rs4112788G and LCE3C_LCE3B-del in most non-African populations (r2 >0.8), in contrast to the low concordance between loci (r2 <0.3) in the African populations.

Conclusions

These results are another example of population variability in terms of biomedical interesting CNV. The frequency distribution of the LCE3C_LCE3B-del allele and the LD pattern across populations suggest that the differences between ethnic groups might not be due to natural selection, but the consequence of genetic drift caused by the strong bottleneck that occurred during “out of Africa” expansion.
Distance-based training in two community health centers to address tobacco smoke exposure of children
Authors: Hipple Bethany , Nabi-Burza Emara , Hall Nicole , Regan Susan , Winickoff Jonathan P
Published: April 2013

Background

The CEASE (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure) intervention was developed to help pediatricians routinely and effectively address the harms of family smoking behaviors. Based on paper versions of CEASE, we partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ online education department and developed a completely distance-based training, including an online CME training, handouts and education materials for families, and phone and email support.

Methods

The pediatric offices of two low income health clinics with primarily Medicaid populations were selected for the study. Pre and post intervention data by survey of the parents was collected in both practices (Practice 1 n = 470; Practice 2 n = 177). The primary outcome for this study was a comparison of rates of clinician’s asking and advising parents about smoking and smoke-free home and cars.

Results

Exit surveys of parents revealed statistically significant increases in rates of clinicians asking about parental smoking (22% vs. 41%), smoke-free rules (25% vs. 44%), and asking about other smoking household members (26% vs. 48%).

Conclusions

Through a completely distance based intervention, we were able to train pediatricians who see low income children to ask parents about smoking, smoke-free home and car rules, and whether other household members smoke. Implementing a system to routinely ask about family tobacco use and smoke-free home and car rules is a first step to effectively addressing tobacco in a pediatric office setting. By knowing which family members use tobacco, pediatricians can take the next steps to help families become completely tobacco-free.

Trial registration

Clinical trials number:NCT01087177
Screening for latent tuberculosis in Norwegian health care workers: high frequency of discordant tuberculin skin test positive and interferon-gamma release assay negative results
Authors: Gran Gerd , Aßmus Jörg , Dyrhol-Riise Anne Ma
Published: April 2013

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) presents globally a significant health problem and health care workers (HCW) are at increased risk of contracting TB infection. There is no diagnostic gold standard for latent TB infection (LTBI), but both blood based interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) and the tuberculin skin test (TST) are used. According to the national guidelines, HCW who have been exposed for TB should be screened and offered preventive anti-TB chemotherapy, but the role of IGRA in HCW screening is still unclear.

Methods

A total of 387 HCW working in clinical and laboratory departments in three major hospitals in the Western region of Norway with possible exposure to TB were included in a cross-sectional study. The HCW were asked for risk factors for TB and tested with TST and the QuantiFERON®TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT). A logistic regression model analyzed the associations between risk factors for TB and positive QFT or TST.

Results

A total of 13 (3.4%) demonstrated a persistent positive QFT, whereas 214 (55.3%) had a positive TST (≥ 6 mm) and 53 (13.7%) a TST ≥ 15 mm. Only ten (4.7%) of the HCW with a positive TST were QFT positive. Origin from a TB-endemic country was the only risk factor associated with a positive QFT (OR 14.13, 95% CI 1.37 - 145.38, p = 0.026), whereas there was no significant association between risk factors for TB and TST ≥ 15 mm. The five HCW with an initial positive QFT that retested negative all had low interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) responses below 0.70 IU/ml when first tested.

Conclusions

We demonstrate a low prevalence of LTBI in HCW working in hospitals with TB patients in our region. The “IGRA-only” seems like a desirable screening strategy despite its limitations in serial testing, due to the high numbers of discordant TST positive/IGRA negative results in HCW, probably caused by BCG vaccination or boosting due to repetitive TST testing. Thus, guidelines for TB screening in HCW should be updated in order to secure accurate diagnosis of LTBI and offer proper treatment and follow-up.
Effects of bulking agents, load size or starter cultures in kitchen-waste composting
Authors: Abdullah Norazlin , Chin Nyuk Ling , Mokhtar Mohd Noriznan , Taip Farah Saleena
Published: April 2013

Background

To prevent the interruption of the carbon cycle by the disposal of waste to landfills, organic kitchen waste requires proper treatment such as composting to reduce its uncontrolled degradation on disposal sites and subsequent greenhouse gases, odour emissions and nutrient losses. This study investigated the effects of bulking agent, newspaper and onion peels, composting waste load sizes of 2 and 6 kg, or the use of starter culture on kitchen-waste composting consisting of nitrogen-riched substrates, vegetable scraps and fish processing waste in an in-vessel system. The optimised formulation of kitchen waste mixture was used for a 30-day composting study, where the temperature profiles were recorded and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratios were measured as an indication of compost maturity. The kitchen-waste composting process was conducted in parallel in two fabricated kitchen waste composters.

Results

It was found that the onion peels were more suitable in producing matured compost where the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio reduced to 10 within 16 days of composting. A smaller kitchen waste load size of 2 kg gave a shorter composting time by half when compared to the 6 kg. The use of a microbial cocktail consisting seven types of bacteria and eight types of fungi isolated from soils as a starter culture for this kitchen-waste composting did not show advantages in accelerating the composting process.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the in-vessel kitchen-waste composting can be efficient with a minimal load of about 2 kg using onion peels without additional starter culture.
Anti-inflammatory properties of a dual PPARgamma/alpha agonist muraglitazar in in vitro and in vivomodels
Authors: Paukkeri Erja-Leena , Leppänen Tiina , Lindholm Mira , Yam Mun Fei , Asmawi Mohd Zaini , Kolmonen Anne , Aulaskari Paula H , Moilanen Eeva
Published: April 2013

Introduction

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists are widely used drugs in the treatment of diabetes and dyslipidemia. In addition to their metabolic effects, PPAR isoforms PPARα and PPARγ are also involved in the regulation of immune responses and inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a dual PPARγ/α agonist muraglitazar on inflammatory gene expression in activated macrophages and on carrageenan-induced inflammation in the mouse.

Methods

J774 murine macrophages were activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with dual PPARγ/α agonist muraglitazar, PPARγ agonist GW1929 or PPARα agonist fenofibrate. The effects of PPAR agonists on cytokine production and the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) pathway were investigated by ELISA, Griess method, Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR. Nuclear translocation, DNA-binding activity and reporter gene assays were used to assess the activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) transcription factor. Carrageenan-induced paw oedema was used as an in vivo model of acute inflammation.

Results

Muraglitazar as well as PPARγ agonist GW1929 and PPARα agonist fenofibrate inhibited LPS-induced iNOS expression and NO production in activated macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of iNOS expression by muraglitazar included both transcriptional and post-transcriptional components; the former being shared by GW1929 and the latter by fenofibrate. All tested PPAR agonists also inhibited IL-6 production, while TNFα production was reduced by muraglitazar and GW1929, but not by fenofibrate. Interestingly, the anti-inflammatory properties of muraglitazar were also translated in vivo. This was evidenced by the finding that muraglitazar inhibited carrageenan-induced paw inflammation in a dose-dependent manner in mice as did iNOS inhibitor L-NIL and anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone.

Conclusions

These results show that muraglitazar has anti-inflammatory properties both in vitro and in vivo and these effects reflect the agonistic action through both PPARα and PPARγ.
Visitation policies and practices in US ICUs
Authors: Liu Vincent , Read Julia Lindeman , Scruth Elizabeth , Cheng Eugene
Published: April 2013

Introduction

Prior reports suggest that restrictive ICU visitation policies can negatively impact patients and their loved ones. However, visitation practices in US ICUs, and the hospital factors associated with them, are not well described.

Methods

A telephone survey was made of ICUs, stratified by US region and hospital type (community, federal, or university), between 2008 and 2009. Hospital characteristics were self-reported and included the hospitals' bed number, critical care unit number, and presence of ICU leadership. Hospital and ICU visitation restrictions were based on five criteria: visiting hours; visit duration; number of visitors; age of visitors; and membership in the patient's immediate family. Hospitals or ICUs without restrictions had open visitation policies; those with any restriction had restrictive policies.

Results

The study surveyed 606 hospitals in the Northeast (17.0%), Midwest (26.2%), South (36.6%), and West (20.1%) regions; most were community hospitals (n = 401, 66.2%). The mean hospital size was 239 ± 217 beds; the mean percentage of ICU beds was 11.6% ± 13.4%. Hospitals often had restrictive hospital (n = 463, 76.4%) and ICU (n = 543, 89.6%) visitation policies. Many ICUs had ≥ 3 restrictions (n = 375; 61.9%), most commonly related to visiting hours and visitor number or age. Nearly all ICUs allowed visitation exceptions (n = 474; 94.8%). ICUs with open policies were more common in hospitals with < 150 beds. Among restrictive ICUs, the bed size, hospital type, number of critical care units, and ICU leadership were not associated with the number of restrictions. On average, hospitals in the Midwest had the least restrictive policies, while those in the Northeast had the most restrictive.

Conclusion

In 2008 the overwhelming majority of US ICUs in this study had restrictive visitation policies. Wide variability in visitation policies suggests that further study into the impact of ICU visitations on care and outcomes remains necessary to standardize practice.
Control of Endothelin-A Receptor Expression by Progesterone Is Enhanced by Synergy With Gata2
Authors: Zhang Yanping , Knutsen Gregory R. , Brown Matthew D. , Ruest L. Bruno
Published: April 2013

The endothelin-A receptor (Ednra) is involved in several physiological, pathological, and developmental pathways. Known for its function in vasoconstriction after being activated by endothelin-1, Ednra also controls cephalic neural crest cell development and appears to play a role in several pathologies, including cancer and periodontitis. However, the mechanisms regulating Ednra expression have not been identified despite its important functions. In this study, we investigated the role progesterone plays in Ednra gene expression in vivo and in vitro. In mice, pregnancy promotes Ednra expression in the heart, kidney, lung, uterus, and placenta, and the up-regulation is mediated by progesterone. We determined that the conserved region between −5.7 and −4.2 kb upstream of the mouse Ednra gene is necessary for the progesterone response. We also found that progesterone mediates Ednra activation through progesterone receptor B activation by its recruitment to PRE6, one of the 6 progesterone response elements found in that locus. However, gene activation by means of a GATA2 site was also necessary for the progesterone response. The Gata2 transcription factor enhances the progesterone response mediated by the progesterone receptor B. Together these results indicate that progesterone regulates Ednra expression by synergizing with Gata2 activity, a previously unknown mechanism. This mechanism may have an impact on pathologies involving the endothelin signaling.
Minireview: Androgen Metabolism in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Sharifi Nima
Published: April 2013

The decades-old terminology of androgen independence has been replaced in recent years with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Biological and clinical evidence have together conspired to support the use of this revised terminology by demonstrating that in the vast majority of cases tumors are neither truly depleted of androgens, nor are they free of the requirement for androgens to sustain growth and progression. Abiraterone acetate, an androgen synthesis inhibitor, and enzalutamide, a potent androgen receptor antagonist, both exploit the continued requirement for androgens. A central question, given the therapeutic gains enabled by further suppression of the androgen axis with these newer agents, is whether there may be additional clinical benefit gained by moving the goal posts of androgen suppression even further. The answer lies in part with the mechanisms utilized by tumors that enable resistance to these therapies. The aims of this review were to give a broad outline of steroidogenesis in prostate cancer and to highlight recent developments in understanding resistance to hormonal therapies.
Beneficial effect of prolonged heme oxygenase 1 activation in a rat model of chronic heart failure
Authors: Collino Massimo , Pini Alessandro , Mugelli Niccolò , Mastroianni Rosanna , Bani Daniele , Fantozzi Roberto , Papucci Laura , Fazi Marilena , Masini Emanuela
Published: April 2013

We and others have previously demonstrated that heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) induction by acute hemin administration exerts cardioprotective effects. Here, we developed a rat model of heart failure to investigate whether a long-term induction of HO-1 by chronic hemin administration exerted protective effects. Sprague Dawley rats that underwent permanent ligation of the left coronary artery were closely monitored for survival rate analysis and sacrificed on day 28 post-operation. Administration of hemin (4 mg/kg body weight) every other day for 4 weeks induced a massive increase in HO-1 expression and activity, as shown by the increased levels of the two main metabolic products of heme degradation, bilirubin and carbon monoxide (CO). These effects were associated with significant improvement in survival and reduced the extension of myocardial damage. The ischemic hearts of the hemin-treated animals displayed reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis in comparison with the non-treated rats, as shown by the decreased levels of lipid peroxidation, free-radical-induced DNA damage, caspase-3 activity and Bax expression. Besides, chronic HO-1 activation suppressed the elevated levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) production and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) production that were evoked by the ischemic injury, and increased the plasma level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Interestingly, HO-1 inhibitor zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP-IX; 1 mg/kg) lowered bilirubin and CO concentrations to control values, thus abolishing all the cardioprotective effects of hemin. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that chronic HO-1 activation by prolonged administration of hemin improves survival and exerts protective effects in a rat model of myocardial ischemia by exerting a potent antioxidant activity and disrupting multiple levels of the apoptotic and inflammatory cascade.
Lipid phosphate phosphatase 3 participates in transport carrier formation and protein trafficking in the early secretory pathway
Authors: Gutiérrez-Martínez Enric , Fernández-Ulibarri Inés , Lázaro-Diéguez Francisco , Johannes Ludger , Pyne Susan , Sarri Elisabet , Egea Gustavo
Published: April 2013

The inhibition of phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAP) activity by propanolol indicated that diacylglycerol (DAG) is required for the formation of transport carriers at the Golgi and for retrograde trafficking to the ER (Fernádez-Ulibarri et al. 2007, Mol. Biol. Cell 18, 3250–3263). We here report that the PAP2 family member lipid phosphate phosphatase 3 (LPP3, also known as PAP2b) localizes in compartments of the secretory pathway from ERES to the plasma membrane. The depletion of human LPP3: (i) reduces the number of tubules generated from the ERGIC and the Golgi, with those formed from the Golgi being longer in LPP3-silenced cells than in control cells; (ii) impairs the Rab6-dependent retrograde transport of Shiga toxin subunit B from the Golgi to the ER, but not the anterograde transport of VSV-G or ssDsRed; and (iii) induces a high accumulation of Golgi-associated membrane buds. LPP3 depletion also reduces de novo synthesized DAG and the Golgi-associated DAG contents. Remarkably, the overexpression of a catalytically inactive form of LPP3 mimics the effects of LPP3 knockdown on Rab6-dependent retrograde transport. We conclude that LPP3 participates in the formation of retrograde transport carriers at the ER/Golgi interface, where it transitorily cycles, and during its route to the plasma membrane.
The IGFBP7 homolog Imp-L2 promotes insulin signaling in distinct neurons of the Drosophila brain
Authors: Bader R. , Sarraf-Zadeh L. , Peters M. , Moderau N. , Stocker H. , Köhler K. , Pankratz M. J. , Hafen E.
Published: April 2013

In Drosophila, the Insulin-like peptide 2 (Dilp-2) is expressed by insulin producing cells (IPCs) in the brain from which it is secreted into the hemolymph to activate insulin signaling (IIS) systemically. Within the brain, however, a more local activation of IIS may be required to couple behavioral and physiological traits to nutritional inputs. We show that a small subset of neurons in the larval brain possesses high Dilp-2 mediated IIS activity. This local IIS activation is accompanied by selective Dilp-2 uptake and depends on the expression of the Imaginal morphogenesis protein-Late 2 (Imp-L2) in the target neurons. We suggest that Imp-L2 acts as a licensing factor for neuronal IIS activation via Dilp-2 to further increase the precision of insulin activity in the brain.