bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Different Configurations of the East Asian Polar Front Jet and Subtropical Jet and the Associated Rainfall Anomalies over Eastern China in Summer
Authors: Huang Dan-Qing , Zhu Jian , Zhang Yao-Cun , Huang An-Ning
Published: August 2014

To investigate the concurrent impacts of the East Asian polar front jet (EAPJ) and subtropical jet (EASJ) on the summer rainfall over eastern China, positive (strengthened EAPJ with weakened EASJ) and negative (weakened EAPJ with strengthened EASJ) configurations are identified. In the positive configuration, rainfall decreases in the northern part of eastern China and increases in the southern part, vice versa in the negative configuration. The possible mechanisms maintaining the two jet configurations are further proposed from the perspectives of sea surface temperature (SST) and synoptic-scale transient eddy activities (STEA). In the positive configuration, meridional distributed cold–warm SST anomalies over the eastern North Pacific may induce regional circulation and meridional temperature gradient anomalies, which can strengthen the EAPJ and weaken the EASJ. The central Pacific La Niña–like SST anomalies are related with the Arctic vortexlike anomalies in the stratosphere, which may strengthen the EAPJ. Furthermore, the divergence of Eliassen–Palm vectors and the conversion from eddy kinetic energy to mean kinetic energy over the active region of the EAPJ may strengthen the EAPJ, vice versa for the weakened EASJ. In the negative configuration, associated with the warm SST anomalies over the western North Pacific, the enhanced convective activities may lead to a strengthened EASJ via meridional teleconnection. The teleconnection may be intensified by the strengthened easterly vertical shear. Additionally, eastern Pacific La Niña–like SST anomalies may intensify the Walker circulation, which may strengthen the EASJ via the Hadley circulation. The STEA-related anomalies are almost opposite those in the positive configuration, especially for the weakened EAPJ.
Knowledge and Belief Understanding Among Iranian and Australian Preschool Children
Authors: Shahaeian Ameneh , Nielsen Mark , Peterson Candida C. , Aboutalebi Maedeh , Slaughter Virginia
Published: August 2014

For more than three decades, considerable research effort has been expended in documenting children’s development of a theory of mind (ToM), or the recognition that behavior is determined by mental states. Studies comparing ToM development in children from Western and non-Western countries have shown differences in patterns of development in various ToM tasks. Specifically, Iranian children are slower than their Australian counterparts to acknowledge that people have diverse beliefs, but at the same time they have relatively advanced understanding of how people acquire new knowledge. In the current study, our aim was to further investigate this cross-cultural pattern by evaluating 3- and 4-year-old Australian and Iranian children’s belief and knowledge understanding across a range of distinct tasks designed to reflect culturally familiar situations. Results confirmed that the Iranian children were faster than the Australians in mastering tasks assessing the understanding of how and when knowledge is acquired. Iranian children, however, lag behind in passing diverse belief tasks. Scores in false belief tasks were comparable across both countries. These findings are discussed with reference to socio-cultural differences across the two countries.
On the Measurement and Properties of Ambiguity in Probabilistic Expectations
Authors: Pickett Justin T. , Loughran Thomas A. , Bushway Shawn
Published: August 2014

Survey respondents’ probabilistic expectations are now widely used in many fields to study risk perceptions, decision-making processes, and behavior. Researchers have developed several methods to account for the fact that the probability of an event may be more ambiguous for some respondents than others, but few prior studies have empirically compared the approaches. This article contrasts two of the most prominent methods using data from an experiment embedded in a recent Web survey of 926 volunteer panelists. Specifically, we comparatively evaluate the descriptive and relational properties of ambiguity scores obtained by placing follow-up questions after items eliciting expectations that ask either for (1) a range of probabilities that the respondent is confident to contain the true probability or for (2) a verbal response indicating assuredness. Our results show that these two methods produce measures that have more similarities than differences. Both methods yield ambiguity scores that (1) are not strongly associated with exposure to sources of relevant information, (2) are correlated across seemingly unrelated events, and (3) are consistently related to the level of reported risk.
A Preliminary Experimental Examination of the Effect of Emotion Dysregulation and Impulsivity on Risky Behaviors Among Women With Sexual Assault–Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Weiss Nicole H. , Tull Matthew T. , Gratz Kim L.
Published: August 2014

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with a wide range of risky behaviors (e.g., substance use and risky sexual behaviors); however, few studies have examined mechanisms that may underlie risky behaviors in this population. The present study utilized a prospective experimental design to examine the effects of emotion dysregulation and impulsivity on risky behaviors across time. Thirty women with sexual assault–related PTSD were randomly assigned to receive emotion modulation (EM), impulsivity reduction (IR), or healthy living (HL; comparison condition) skills trainings. Participants completed measures of emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and risky behaviors pre-manipulation and 1-month post-manipulation. Participants in the EM and IR conditions reported a significant reduction in risky behaviors from pre- to post-manipulation relative to the HL condition. Changes in emotion dysregulation from pre- to post-manipulation fully accounted for reductions in risky behaviors over time. Results provide preliminary experimental support for the role of emotion dysregulation in risky behaviors.
Outcome of repair of bronchial injury in 10 patients with blunt chest trauma
Authors: Bagheri Reza , Afghani Reza , Haghi Seyed Ziaollah , Fattahi Masoum Seyed Hossein , Sadrizadeh Ali
Published: August 2014

Background

Bronchial avulsion is a serious complication of blunt chest trauma, which can be easily missed on initial presentation of a patient with multiple injuries. Missing the diagnosis may increase the risk of mortality and morbidity.

Methods

We evaluated the outcome of 10 patients with bronchial injury following blunt chest trauma, who underwent bronchial anastomosis in Quaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran and Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from 2001 to 2012. There were 8 men and 2 women with a mean age of 23.1 ± 4.72 years. Associated injuries were ruled out in all cases. Demographic characteristics, anatomical location of the injury, mechanism of injury, complications of bronchial anastomosis, and one-year follow-up of the patients were studied.

Results

Eight patients had injury to the right main bronchus and 2 had injury to the left main bronchus. The time between surgery and diagnosis ranged from immediately to 6 months after injury. One death occurred in the operating room immediately after injury, due to asphyxia. The other 9 patients underwent successful anastomosis of the avulsed bronchus. There were 7 complications after repair, which were managed by a conservative approach. In one year of follow-up, one patient with residual stenosis underwent stent placement.

Conclusion

Early diagnosis of major airway injury is an important factor in successful management and a favorable outcome. With improvements in surgical technique, regular follow-up, and effective management of complications, we can expect successful bronchial repair to save the lung, even with a late diagnosis.
Social policies at the crossroads
Authors: Marcuello-Servós Chaime
Published: August 2014

The 2008 global crisis impacted western societies in a number of ways, especially the way in which we understand the welfare state and social policies. In this context, examining the conceptual basis of social policies is needed. This review essay puts forward questions and data that analyse our difficult times of turbulence and uncertainty by considering two authors and their books. They offer two ways of thinking from different Anglo-Saxon perspectives about the question of social policies. These discussions are transferable to other contexts. That is because the economic crisis has been used to justify the mutation of social policies that had been in effect until less than a decade ago.
Places of pharmaceutical knowledge-making: Global health, postcolonial science, and hope in South African drug discovery
Authors: Pollock Anne
Published: August 2014

This article draws on ethnographic research at iThemba Pharmaceuticals, a small South African startup pharmaceutical company with an elite international scientific board. The word ‘iThemba’ is Zulu for ‘hope’, and so far drug discovery at the company has been essentially aspirational rather than actual. Yet this particular place provides an entry point for exploring how the location of the scientific knowledge component of pharmaceuticals – rather than their production, licensing, or distribution – matters. The article explores why it matters for those interested in global health and postcolonial science, and why it matters for the scientists themselves. Consideration of this case illuminates limitations of global health frameworks that implicitly posit rich countries as the unique site of knowledge production, and thus as the source of unidirectional knowledge flows. It also provides a concrete example for consideration of the contexts and practices of postcolonial science, its constraints, and its promise. Although the world is not easily bifurcated, it still matters who makes knowledge and where.
Re-embodying Eating
Authors: Natvik Eli , Gjengedal Eva , Moltu Christian , Råheim Målfrid
Published: August 2014

Health experts advise and expect patients to eat healthily after bariatric surgery. For patients, difficulties with eating might have been a long-standing, problematic part of life—a part that is not necessarily healed by surgery. Empirical research on patients’ experiences of eating practices after bariatric surgery is lacking. Aiming to contribute to the development of clinical practice, we explored meanings attached to eating in the long term and sought descriptions of change and bodily sensations. We interviewed 14 patients at least 5 years after bariatric surgery. The surgical restriction forced changes in the way patients sensed their own body in eating, but the uncertainty related to maintaining weight loss in the long term remained. Meanings attached to eating transcended food as choices situated in a nourishment and health perspective, and were not necessarily changed. Eating was an existential and embodied practice, which remained an ambiguous and sensitive matter after surgery.
Attachment Style Dimensions Can Affect Prolonged Grief Risk in Caregivers of Terminally Ill Patients With Cancer
Authors: Lai Carlo , Luciani Massimiliano , Galli Federico , Morelli Emanuela , Cappelluti Roberta , Penco Italo , Aceto Paola , Lombardo Luigi
Published: August 2014

Objective:

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive role of attachment dimensions on the risk of prolonged grief. Sixty caregivers of 51 terminally ill patients with cancer who had been admitted in a hospice were selected.

Methods:

Caregivers were interviewed using Attachment Scale Questionnaire, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Prolonged Grief Disorder 12 (PG-12).

Results:

The consort caregivers showed higher PG-12 level compared to the sibling caregivers. Anxiety, depression, need for approval, and preoccupation with relationships levels were significantly correlated with PG-12 scores.

Conclusion:

Female gender, high levels of depression, and preoccupation with relationships significantly predicted higher levels of prolonged grief risk.
Locating the Semiotic Power of Writing in Science
Authors: Wickman Chad
Published: August 2014

This article explores how a doctoral student in theoretical physics constructs computational simulations and reports his work within the constraints of an academic dissertation. The author specifically identifies principal elements of the work ensemble that the student deployed to complete different tasks and analyzes two dissertation chapters in order to examine the semiotic resources that the student used to warrant the outcomes of his research. The study finds that these are not instrumental procedures in which the researcher represents material objects in a mimetic sense; they are epistemic practices through which he generates digital objects that do not have an experimental counterpart and must therefore be justified through references to technical production. Based on these findings, the author argues that theorizing writing as coextensive with the practical work of science demonstrates what makes it powerful as a semiotic resource and constructive rhetorical activity.
Navigating Multiple Identities Across Multiple Boundaries
Authors: MacLean Tammy L. , Webber Sheila Simsarian
Published: August 2014

Much of the existing research on organizational identification presumes a singular, central organizational identity with which individuals may come to identify rather than explicitly recognizing the multiple dimensions of identity likely embodied in the organization as well as the multi-dimensional nature of individual identity. In this cross-level, multi-method research, we provide a boundary perspective on identity and identification to illuminate the complex processes by which an organization manages a hybrid identity and individuals manage multiple personal identities within a hybrid identity context, and the impact this process has on organizational identification and member loyalty. The results show that organizational actions to integrate the hybrid identity create high- and low-status factions resulting in different levels of identification and member loyalty.
The Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Outcomes Research (OFAR) Network
Authors: Hunt Kenneth J. , Alexander Ian , Baumhauer Judith , Brodsky James , Chiodo Christopher , Daniels Timothy , Davis W. Hodges , Deland Jon , Ellis Scott , Hung Man , Ishikawa Susan N. , Latt L. Daniel , Phisitkul Phinit , SooHoo Nelson Fong , Yang Arthur , Saltzman Charles L. ,   OFAR (Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Outcomes Research Network)
Published: August 2014

Introduction:

There is an increasing need for orthopaedic practitioners to measure and collect patient-reported outcomes data. In an effort to better understand outcomes from operative treatment, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) established the Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Outcomes Research (OFAR) Network, a national consortium of foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons. We hypothesized that the OFAR Network could successfully collect, aggregate, and report patient-reported outcome (PRO) data using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS).

Methods:

Ten sites enrolled consecutive patients undergoing elective surgery for 1 of 6 foot/ankle disorders. Outcome instruments were collected preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively using the PROMIS online system: Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Foot Function Index (FFI), and PROMIS physical function (PF) and pain computerized adaptive tests (CAT). During the 3-month period, 328 patients were enrolled; 249 (76%) had completed preoperative patient-reported outcomes data and procedure-specific data. Of these, 140 (56%) also completed 6-month postoperative patient- reported outcomes data.

Results:

Ankle arthritis and flatfoot demonstrated consistently worse preoperative scores. Five of 6 disorders showed significant improvement at 6 months on PF CAT and FAAM, 4 of 6 showed improvement on pain interference CAT, and no disorders showed improvement on FFI. Ankle arthritis and flatfoot demonstrated the greatest magnitude of change on most patient-reported outcomes scales.

Conclusion:

We were able to enroll large numbers of patients in a short enrollment period for this preliminary study. Data were easily aggregated and analyzed. Substantial loss of follow-up data indicates a critical area requiring further effort. The AOFAS OFAR Network is undergoing expansion with goals to ultimately facilitate large, prospective multicenter studies and optimize the quality and interpretation of available outcome instruments for the foot and ankle population.

Level of Evidence:

Level II, prospective comparative study.
Myocardial Infarctions and Other Acute Coronary Syndromes in Rare Congenital Bleeding Disorders
Authors: Girolami Antonio , Ferrari Silvia , Sambado Luisa , Peroni Edoardo , Cosi Elisabetta
Published: August 2014

Objective:

To investigate the occurrence of myocardial infarction or other acute coronary syndromes in rare congenital bleeding disorders.

Patients:

All patients with factor I (FI), factor II (FII), factor V (FV), factor VII (FVII), factor X (FX), factor XI (FXI), or factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency or abnormality reported to have presented a myocardial infarction or another acute coronary syndrome were investigated. The condition had to be demonstrated by objective means, including a coronary/angiography. Cases of stable angina were excluded.

Results:

A total of 53 patients (4 had FI, 2 had FV, 2 had FVII, 36 had FXI, 1 had FXIII deficiency, and 8 patients had platelet disorders) met the inclusion criteria . No patient with FII or FX deficiency and acute coronary disease met the inclusion criteria. In the majority of patients, common risk factors were present, namely hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, and diabetes. Replacement therapy was involved in 5 cases.

Conclusion:

The congenital hypocoagulability present in these patients was unable to allow a protection from acute coronary diseases. The significance of the findings is discussed.
Adolescent Maltreatment in the Child Welfare System and Developmental Patterns of Sexual Risk Behaviors
Authors: Fowler Patrick J. , Motley Darnell , Zhang Jinjin , Rolls-Reutz Jennifer , Landsverk John
Published: August 2014

In this longitudinal study, we tested whether adolescent maltreatment and out-of-home placement as a response to maltreatment altered developmental patterns of sexual risk behaviors in a nationally representative sample of youth involved in the child welfare system. Participants included adolescents aged 13 to 17 ( M = 15.5, SD = 1.49) at baseline ( n = 714), followed over 18 months. Computer-assisted interviews were used to collect self-reported sexual practices and experiences of physical and psychological abuse at both time points. Latent transition analyses were used to identify three patterns of sexual risk behaviors: abstainers, safe sex with multiple partners, and unsafe sex with multiple partners. Most adolescents transitioned to safer sexual behavior patterns over time. Adolescents exhibiting the riskiest sexual practices at baseline were most likely to report subsequent abuse and less likely to be placed into out-of-home care. Findings provide a more nuanced understanding of sexual risk among child welfare–involved adolescents and inform practices to promote positive transitions within the system.
Theorizing Low Levels of Reporting of Abuse of Older Immigrant Women
Authors: Roger Kerstin Stieber , Brownridge Douglas A. , Ursel Jane
Published: August 2014

Little research can be found describing abuse of older immigrant women, despite an increase in our aging population and increasing research on abuse of older adults. This article examines factors that may contribute to low levels of reporting of abuse of older immigrant women. The authors present empirical qualitative data collected through interviews and focus groups, which examined how people living in the community understand and define abuse of older adults. Four main themes will be discussed: first, the individual in a family and cultural community context; second, English as a foreign or second language as part of the mainstream; third, the question of “naming” abuse; and finally, age as a discriminator. Preliminary frameworks to better understand these findings are introduced. Recommendations for future research and programming are presented.
Childhood sexual abuse and depression in Latino men who have sex with men: Does resilience protect against nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy?
Authors: Sauceda John A , Wiebe John S , Simoni Jane M
Published: August 2014

This study tested depression as a mediator between childhood sexual abuse and adherence to antiretroviral therapy, an effect moderated by resilience. In total, 149 HIV+ Latino men who have sex with men were recruited for this study. Using a regression-based bootstrap approach, depression mediated the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and antiretroviral therapy adherence, with worse adherence for participants at lowest percentiles of the resilience index. The prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and depression in HIV+ men who have sex with men is high and must be addressed to better prevent disease progression and reduce transmission, especially in expanding Latino populations.
‘Spitting Lines – Spitting Brands’: A critical analysis of brand usage in Polish rap
Authors: Miszczynski Milosz , Tomaszewski Przemyslaw
Published: August 2014

In the rush towards neoliberal reality, which followed the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, Polish hip-hop emerged as a mass phenomenon. Rappers contributed to building new social solidarities and identities based on a critique of Polish capitalism. The present study is an exploration of how rap’s language forms and flow might function in the production of cultural values that merge or engage with brand identities. Focusing on the convention of employing brand names in rap texts, this article offers a critical textual analysis of over 8000 Polish rap lyrics from almost 20 years. Using data from our study, complemented by expert interviews, we conducted a study on how brands are employed in hip-hop, what symbolic functions they fulfil and how this usage reveals global hip-hop’s intertextuality.
University of California, Irvine–Pathology Extraction Pipeline: The pathology extraction pipeline for information extraction from pathology reports
Authors: Ashish Naveen , Dahm Lisa , Boicey Charles
Published: August 2014

We describe Pathology Extraction Pipeline (PEP)—a new Open Health Natural Language Processing pipeline that we have developed for information extraction from pathology reports, with the goal of populating the extracted data into a research data warehouse. Specifically, we have built upon Medical Knowledge Analysis Tool pipeline (MedKATp), which is an extraction framework focused on pathology reports. Our particular contributions include additional customization and development on MedKATp to extract data elements and relationships from cancer pathology reports in richer detail than at present, an abstraction layer that provides significantly easier configuration of MedKATp for extraction tasks, and a machine-learning-based approach that makes the extraction more resilient to deviations from the common reporting format in a pathology reports corpus. We present experimental results demonstrating the effectiveness of our pipeline for information extraction in a real-world task, demonstrating performance improvement due to our approach for increasing extractor resilience to format deviation, and finally demonstrating the scalability of the pipeline across pathology reports for different cancer types.
Inequality, state ownership and the European Union: How economic context and economic ideology shape support for the European Union
Authors: Garry John , Tilley James
Published: August 2014

This article investigates the extent to which economic ideology affects people's support for European Union integration and how this is conditioned by economic context. We argue that people on the economic left who live in a country with conditions of high income inequality and little state ownership will support European integration, because more integration would move public policy in a left-wing direction. By contrast, people on the left who live in a country with conditions of low income inequality and widespread public ownership are likely to be eurosceptic, as further integration would result in a more right-wing public policy. We empirically confirm our hypotheses and discuss the implications for European Union democracy.
Worrying about what others think: A social-comparison concern intervention in small learning groups
Authors: Micari Marina , Pazos Pilar
Published: August 2014

Small-group learning has become commonplace in education at all levels. While it has been shown to have many benefits, previous research has demonstrated that it may not always work to the advantage of every student. One potential problem is that less-prepared students may feel anxious about participating, for fear of looking “dumb” in front of their peers. This study examines the impact of an intervention to reduce that sort of anxiety—termed social-comparison concern—in small learning groups at the university level. Over the course of an academic quarter (10 weeks), 144 students in 33 small learning groups participated in the study. Approximately one-third received an intervention designed to reduce social-comparison concern by modifying theories of intelligence and attributions for failure. One-third received a study-skills intervention, and the remaining third received no extra resources. The findings suggest that the intervention was successful and that instructors may want to infuse small-group work with discussion of the malleable nature of intelligence and of the reasons for academic success and failure.
The Power of Place Revisited
Authors: Kubrin Charis E. , Desmond Scott A.
Published: August 2014

Contrary to popular opinion, scholarly research has documented that immigrant communities are some of the safest places around. Studies repeatedly find that neighborhood immigrant concentration is either negatively associated with crime and delinquency or not related to crime and delinquency at all. Less well understood, however, is why this is the case. A critical limitation of existing research is the exclusion of measures that capture the intervening processes by which immigrant concentration influences crime and delinquency. The current study begins to address this gap in the literature. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine the relationship between neighborhood immigrant concentration and adolescent violence and to assess the extent to which social capital and personal and vicarious victimization may account for this relationship. Contrary to our expectations, social capital and personal and vicarious victimization do not mediate the relationship between neighborhood immigrant concentration and adolescent violence.
Endoscopic Adhesiolysis of the Flexor Hallucis Longus Muscle
Authors: Lui T.H.
Published: August 2014

Flexor hallucis longus muscle can adhere to the distal tibia after tibial fracture. The patient may complain of deep posteromedial ankle pain, checkrein deformity of the hallux, hallux flexus or development of hallux rigidus. Surgical treatment of release of the FHL muscle or lengthening of the FHL tendon has been proposed. We described an endoscopic approach of release of the FHL muscle from the distal tibia with the advantage of minimal soft tissue dissection.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level V: Expert Opinion/Technique
Educator and Parent Views of the Effectiveness of Individualized Learning Plans for Students With Disabilities
Authors: Skaff Laura F. , Kemp Jennifer N. , Sternesky McGovern Laura A. , Fantacone Julia M.
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this study was to gather information from educators and parents on their perceptions of the effectiveness of Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) in assisting students with disabilities in gaining the experiences needed to develop college and career readiness skills. Results from focus groups and surveys of 1,117 parents and 484 educators in three states indicated that while a majority of parents and educators felt that transition assistance was helpful for youth without disabilities, less positive perceptions emerged regarding the adequacy of preparation for youth with disabilities and, particularly among educators, regarding the readiness of youth with disabilities to transition into higher education and careers. Based on these findings, implications for strengthening ILP efforts in schools are discussed.
An Overview of the Western Anatolian Early Bronze Age
Authors: Fidan Erkan , Sari Deniz , Türkteki Murat
Published: August 2014

For a long time, assessments and evaluations of the western Anatolian Early Bronze Age (EBA) have only been based on the excavation results of Tarsus, Karataş-Semayük, Beycesultan, Demircihüyük, and Troy. However, excavations and surface surveys carried out in the last two decades have increased our knowledge enormously. In particular, the excavations of Liman Tepe, Küllüoba, and Seyitömer have made an immense contribution to the establishment of a reliable West Anatolian EBA chronology. The surface surveys have also made it possible to define better the borders of the cultural areas and pottery zones of the region. Based on these new data, new theories are presented here on the cultural and socio-political development of the region, as well as on regional and inter-regional relationships during the EBA.
Cdk4 and Cdk6 cooperate in counteracting the INK4 family of inhibitors during murine leukemogenesis
Authors: Rodríguez-Díez Esther , Quereda Victor , Bellutti Florian , Prchal-Murphy Michaela , Partida David , Eguren Manuel , Kollmann Karoline , Gómez de Cedrón Marta , Dubus Pierre , Cañamero Marta , Martínez Dolores , Sexl Veronika , Malumbres Marcos
Published: August 2014

Key Points

A Cdk6 R31C knock-in mutation resistant to INK4 inhibitors cooperates with Cdk4 hyperactivity in the development of hematopoietic tumors. In Cdk6 R31C cells, p16INK4a increasingly binds and inhibits Cdk4, suggesting that both kinases cooperate in sequestering INK4 proteins in cancer.
A turn-on fluorescent solid-sensor for Hg(II) detection
Authors: De la Cruz-Guzman Mayela , Aguilar-Aguilar Angelica , Hernandez-Adame Luis , Bañuelos-Frias Alan , Medellín-Rodríguez Francisco J , Palestino Gabriela
Published: August 2014

A rhodamine organosilane derivative (Rh-UTES) has been obtained by one-pot synthesis. The chemical structure of Rh-UTES was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (FTIR) techniques. To obtain an inorganic-organic hybrid sensor, Rh-UTES was covalently immobilized on a porous silicon microcavity (PSiMc) via triethoxysilane groups. The attachment of the organic derivative into PSiMc was confirmed by FTIR, specular reflectance, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optical performance of Rh-UTES receptor for Hg2+ detection was investigated by fluorescent spectroscopy and microscopy. Upon the addition of increasing amounts of Hg2+ ions, a remarkable enhancement in emission intensity was produced in both systems. In the solid phase, an increase of integrated fluorescent emission of 0.12- and 0.15-fold after Hg2+ receptor coordination was observed. The light harvesting capability of PSiMc devices allowed obtaining an enhanced fluorescent emission after Rh-UTES immobilization (277-fold). The fluorescence microscopy of hybrid PSiMc sensor provided an optical qualitative test for Hg2+ detection.
Response of an aspartic protease gene OsAP77 to fungal, bacterial and viral infections in rice
Authors: Alam Md Mahfuz , Nakamura Hidemitsu , Ichikawa Hiroaki , Miyao Akio , Hirochika Hirohiko , Kobayashi Kappei , Yamaoka Naoto , Nishiguchi Masamichi
Published: August 2014

Background

Aspartic protease (APs) plays important roles in plant growth, development and biotic and abiotic stresses. We previously reported that the expression of a rice AP gene (OsAP77, Os10g0537800) was induced by probenazole (PBZ), a chemical inducer of disease resistance. In this study we examined some characteristics of this gene in response to fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens.

Results

To elucidate the spatial and temporal expression of OsAP77, the chimeric gene was constructed carrying the structural gene encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS) driven by the OsAP77 promoter. This construct was introduced into rice and the transgenic lines were tested to analyze gene expression by fungal, bacterial and viral infections. Inoculation with Magnaporthe oryzae or Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae revealed the enhanced GUS activities in vascular tissues surrounding the symptom sites by each pathogen. Moreover, GUS activity also increased after inoculation with Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Transgenic plants immersed in a solution containing salicylic acid (SA), isonicotinic acid (INA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or abscisic acid (ABA) showed an increased level of GUS activity exclusively in vascular tissues. RT-PCR analysis showed that OsAP77 was induced not only by infection with these pathogens, but also after treatment with SA, INA, H2O2 or ABA. A knockout mutant line of OsAP77 by the insertion of Tos17 after inoculation with M. oryzae, X. oryzae pv. oryzae or CMV showed an enhanced susceptibility compared to wild type.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the expression of OsAP77 is induced by pathogen infection and defense related signaling molecules in a vascular tissue specific manner and that this gene has a positive role of defense response against fungal, bacterial and viral infections.
How to manage aspergillosis in non-neutropenic intensive care unit patients
Authors: Bassetti Matteo , Righi Elda , De Pascale Gennaro , De Gaudio Raffaele , Giarratano Antonino , Mazzei Tereesita , Morace Giulia , Petrosillo Nicola , Stefani Stefania , Antonelli Massimo
Published: August 2014

Invasive aspergillosis has been mainly reported among immunocompromised patients during prolonged periods of neutropenia. Recently, however, non-neutropenic patients in the ICU population have shown an increasing risk profile for aspergillosis. Associations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and corticosteroid therapy have been frequently documented in this cohort. Difficulties in achieving a timely diagnosis of aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients is related to the non-specificity of symptoms and to lower yields with microbiological tests compared to neutropenic patients. Since high mortality rates are typical of invasive aspergillosis in critically ill patients, a high level of suspicion and prompt initiation of adequate antifungal treatment are mandatory. Epidemiology, risk factors, diagnostic algorithms, and different approaches in antifungal therapy for invasive aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients are reviewed.
Mortality of patients infected with HIV in the intensive care unit (2005 through 2010): significant role of chronic hepatitis C and severe sepsis
Authors: Medrano José , Álvaro-Meca Alejando , Boyer Alexandre , Jiménez-Sousa María A , Resino Salvador
Published: August 2014

Introduction

The combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has led to decreased opportunistic infections and hospital admissions in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, but the intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate remains constant (or even increased in some instances) during the cART era. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with an increased risk for hospital admission and/or mortality (particularly those related to severe liver disease) compared with the general population. The aim of this study was to assess the mortality among HIV-infected patients in ICU, and to evaluate the impact of HIV/HCV coinfection and severe sepsis on ICU mortality.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective study based on patients admitted to ICU who were recorded in the Minimum Basic Data Set (2005 through 2010) in Spain. HIV-infected patients (All-HIV-group (n = 1,891)) were divided into two groups: HIV-monoinfected patients (HIV group (n = 1,191)) and HIV/HCV-coinfected patients (HIV/HCV group (n = 700)). A control group (HIV(-)/HCV(-)) was also included (n = 7,496).

Results

All-HIV group had higher frequencies of severe sepsis (57.7% versus 39.4%; P < 0.001) than did the control group. Overall, ICU mortality in patients with severe sepsis was much more frequent than that in patients without severe sepsis (other causes) at days 30 and 90 in HIV-infected patients and the control group (P < 0.001). Moreover, the all-HIV group in the presence or absence of severe sepsis had a higher percentage of death than did the control group at days 7 (P < 0.001), 30 (P < 0.001) and 90 (P < 0.001). Besides, the HIV/HCV group had a higher percentage of death, both in patients with severe sepsis and in patients without severe sepsis compared with the HIV group at days 7 (P < 0.001) and 30 (P < 0.001), whereas no differences were found at day 90. In a bayesian competing-risk model, the HIV/HCV group had a higher mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.44 (95% CI = 1.30 to 1.59) and aHR = 1.57 (95% CI = 1.38 to 1.78) for patients with and without severe sepsis, respectively).

Conclusions

HIV infection was related to a higher frequency of severe sepsis and death among patients admitted to the ICU. Besides, HIV/HCV coinfection contributed to an increased risk of death in both the presence and the absence of severe sepsis.
Deciphering intratumor heterogeneity and temporal acquisition of driver events to refine precision medicine
Authors: Hiley Crispin , de Bruin Elza C , McGranahan Nicholas , Swanton Charles
Published: August 2014

The presence of multiple subclones within tumors mandates understanding of longitudinal and spatial subclonal dynamics. Resolving the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of subclones with cancer driver events may offer insight into therapy response, tumor evolutionary histories and clinical trial design.
Technical Advance: Ascorbic acid induces development of double-positive T cells from human hematopoietic stem cells in the absence of stromal cells
Authors: Huijskens Mirelle J A J , Walczak Mateusz , Koller Nicole , Briedé Jacob J , Senden-Gijsbers Birgit L M G , Schnijderberg Melanie C , Bos Gerard M J , Germeraad Wilfred T V
Published: August 2014

The efficacy of donor HSCT is partly reduced as a result of slow post-transplantation immune recovery. In particular, T cell regeneration is generally delayed, resulting in high infection-related mortality in the first years post-transplantation. Adoptive transfer of in vitro-generated human T cell progenitors seems a promising approach to accelerate T cell recovery in immunocompromised patients. AA may enhance T cell proliferation and differentiation in a controlled, feeder-free environment containing Notch ligands and defined growth factors. Our experiments show a pivotal role for AA during human in vitro T cell development. The blocking of NOS diminished this effect, indicating a role for the citrulline/NO cycle. AA promotes the transition of proT1 to proT2 cells and of preT to DP T cells. Furthermore, the addition of AA to feeder cocultures resulted in development of DP and SP T cells, whereas without AA, a preT cell-stage arrest occurred. We conclude that neither DLL4-expressing feeder cells nor feeder cell conditioned media are required for generating DP T cells from CB and G-CSF-mobilized HSCs and that generation and proliferation of proT and DP T cells are greatly improved by AA. This technology could potentially be used to generate T cell progenitors for adoptive therapy.
High IP-10 levels decrease T cell function in HIV-1-infected individuals on ART
Authors: Ramirez L A , Arango T A , Thompson E , Naji M , Tebas P , Boyer J D
Published: August 2014

HIV-1-infected subjects, despite control of viral replication with ART, have an altered immune cytokine/chemokine milieu. Changes in systemic cytokines and chemokines can alter immune responses. IP-10, in particular, has been associated with pathogenesis in a number of conditions, and we found that IP-10 is increased in serum in subjects who are HIV-1 infected and on stable ART compared with HIV-1-uninfected individuals. In a series of in vitro studies, we found that PBMCs exposed to IP-10 showed a significant decrease in the number of cells capable of secreting IFN-γ, as well as other cytokines, when stimulated with recall antigens. Furthermore, treatment with IP-10 led to decreased antigen-specific calcium signaling and MAPK38 phosphorylation. Importantly, the cytokines, as well as proliferative responses, could be enhanced with an IP-10 Nab. Our findings suggest that IP-10-modulating drugs may potentially enhance T cell responses to vaccination and HIV-1 in HIV+ subjects on ART.
Performance Evaluation of Seismic Force–Resisting Systems for Low-Rise Steel Buildings in Canada
Authors: Yang T. Y. , Murphy M.
Published: August 2014

Steel is one of the most popular seismic force–resisting systems (SFRS) in use worldwide. In Canada, several SFRS have been prequalified for use in the national and provincial building codes. The design of each SFRS has been covered comprehensively in literature. However, no guidance has been provided in selecting the optimum system for a project. In this paper, a prototype building located in Vancouver, Canada, was designed nine times to utilize each of the prequalified SFRS. Detailed seismic hazard and finite element models were developed for each system. The performance in terms of initial construction and life-cycle cost was used to rank each SFRS. The result of this analysis shows that the eccentrically braced configuration has the lowest material usage and life cycle maintenance cost; it is therefore the most economic system in this study. The presented methodology is transparent and can be easily adopted by engineers to select the most economic seismic system for projects with different configurations and geometries than those given in this research. Furthermore, this system introduces a metric with which to estimate the life-cycle costs of a structure taking into account seismic damage over the service life.
Comorbidity-Age Index: A Clinical Measure of Biologic Age Before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Authors: Sorror Mohamed L. , Storb Rainer F. , Sandmaier Brenda M. , Maziarz Richard T. , Pulsipher Michael A. , Maris Michael B. , Bhatia Smita , Ostronoff Fabiana , Deeg H. Joachim , Syrjala Karen L. , Estey Elihu , Maloney David G. , Appelbaum Frederick R. , Martin Paul J. , Storer Barry E.
Published: August 2014

Purpose

Age has long been used as a major factor for assessing suitability for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The HCT-comorbidity index (HCT-CI) was developed as a measure of health status to predict mortality risk after HCT. Whether age, comorbidities, or both should guide decision making for HCT is unknown.

Patients and Methods

Data from 3,033 consecutive recipients of HLA-matched grafts from five institutions contributed to this analysis. Patients were randomly divided into a training set to develop weights for age intervals and a validation set to assess the performance of prognostic models.

Results

In the training set, patients age 20 to 39 years, 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, and ≥ 60 years had hazard ratios for nonrelapse mortality (NRM) of 1.21 (P = .29), 1.48 (P = .04), 1.75 (P = .004), and 1.84 (P = .005), respectively, compared with those age younger than 20 years. Consequently, age ≥ 40 years was assigned a weight of 1 to be added to the HCT-CI to constitute a composite comorbidity/age index. In the validation set, the composite comorbidity/age score had statistically significantly higher c-statistic estimates for prediction of NRM (0.664 v 0.556; P < .001) and survival (0.682 v 0.560; P < .001) compared with age, respectively. Patients with comorbidity/age scores of 0 to 2 had comparable mortality risks regardless of conditioning regimens. Patients with scores of 3 to 4 and ≥ 5 had statistically significant higher mortality risks after high-dose versus nonmyeloablative regimens.

Conclusion

Age is a poor prognostic factor. The proposed composite measure allows integration of both comorbidities and age into clinical decision making and comparative-effectiveness research of HCT.
There Is a Mismatch Between the Medicare Benefit Package and the Preferences of Patients With Cancer and Their Caregivers
Authors: Taylor Donald H. , Danis Marion , Zafar S. Yousuf , Howie Lynn J. , Samsa Gregory P. , Wolf Steven P. , Abernethy Amy P.
Published: August 2014

Purpose

To identify insured services that are most important to Medicare beneficiaries with cancer and their family caregivers when coverage is limited.

Methods

A total of 440 participants (patients, n = 246; caregivers, n = 194) were enrolled onto the CHAT (Choosing Health Plans All Together) study from August 2010 to March 2013. The exercise elicited preferences about what benefits Medicare should cover for patients with cancer in their last 6 months of life. Facilitated sessions lasted 2.5 hours, included 8 to 10 participants, and focused on choices about Medicare health benefits within the context of a resource-constrained environment.

Results

Six of 15 benefit categories were selected by > 80% of participants: cancer care, prescription drugs, primary care, home care, palliative care, and nursing home coverage. Only 12% of participants chose the maximum level of cancer benefits, a level of care commonly financed in the Medicare program. Between 40% and 50% of participants chose benefits not currently covered by Medicare: unrestricted cash, concurrent palliative care, and home-based long-term care. Nearly one in five participants picked some level of each of these three benefit categories and allocated on average 30% of their resources toward them.

Conclusion

The mismatch between covered benefits and participant preferences shows that addressing quality of life and the financial burden of care is a priority for a substantial subset of patients with cancer in the Medicare program. Patient and caregiver preferences can be elicited, and the choices they express could suggest potential for Medicare benefit package reform and flexibility.