bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Punishing Perpetrators or Seeking Truth for Victims: Serbian Opinions on Dealing with War Crimes
Authors: Parmentier Stephan , Weitekamp Elmar
Published: January 2013

The debate on how to deal with the past in Serbia is still ongoing almost twenty years after the end of the armed conflict in the former Yugoslavia. From the very start the international community has put major emphasis on the criminal prosecution and conviction of the persons mostly responsible for the war crimes in the region, both by establishing the ICTY and encouraging national prosecutions. In the discussions about ‘dealing with the past’ in Serbia little if any attention has been devoted to the views and expectations of the local population, although they provide an additional source of information about the strategies and the mechanisms for dealing with the crimes of the past and reconstructing the future. The objective of this chapter is to find out what people in Serbia think about the central debates around impunity and accountability for war crimes, and more specifically which importance they attach to criminal prosecutions and truth commissions in the country. For this purpose, it reports about the main findings of a quantitative survey conducted in Serbia in 2007, and concludes that the picture is not black and white but complex instead.
The Influence of Dating Violence on Adolescent Girls’ Educational Experiences
Authors: Chronister Krista M. , Marsiglio Mary C. , Linville Deanna , Lantrip Kali R.
Published: January 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of dating violence on adolescent girls’ educational experiences and relationships with peers, family members, and school personnel. We used a constructivist–interpretivist research paradigm and conducted semistructured interviews with 19 adolescent female participants who experienced abuse from a dating partner during the past year. Using grounded theory analytical methods, findings included identification of specific types of abuse girls experienced in different contexts, what strategies girls used to cope with the abuse, how girls made meaning of their abuse experiences, and the subsequent consequences of the abuse on girls’ health, relationships, self-concepts, and school experiences. Implications for school- and family-based interventions and dating violence research are provided.
A New Method for Analyzing Content Validity Data Using Multidimensional Scaling
Authors: Li Xueming , Sireci Stephen G.
Published: January 2013

Validity evidence based on test content is of essential importance in educational testing. One source for such evidence is an alignment study, which helps evaluate the congruence between tested objectives and those specified in the curriculum. However, the results of an alignment study do not always sufficiently capture the degree to which a test adequately represents the intended content domain. In this study, we present and evaluate a method for analyzing alignment data that uses multidimensional scaling to determine whether the dimensions underlying subject matter experts’ (SME) ratings of test items conform to the dimensions delineated in the test specifications. The results suggest this procedure provides an enhanced view of content domain representation by portraying the content similarities among items along continuous, rather than discrete, dimensions. The additional types of information provided by this procedure, in relation to that provided by traditional analysis of SME data, are discussed.
People getting a grip on arthritis II: An innovative strategy to implement clinical practice guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients through Facebook
Authors: Brosseau Lucie , Wells George A , Brooks Sydney , De Angelis G , Bell Mary , Egan Mary , Poitras Stephane , King Judy , Casimiro Lynn , Loew Laurianne , Novikov Michael
Published: January 2013

Objective:

The purpose of the study is to determine if an updated online evidence-based educational programme delivered through Facebook is effective in improving the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of patients with arthritis in relation to evidence-based self-management rehabilitation interventions for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods:

Adult patients (>18 years old) with self-reported OA or RA were eligible for the study. One-hundred-and-ten participants were recruited from the general public and different arthritis patient organizations throughout Canada. Eleven participants were selected to participate in focus groups to select effective self-management strategies for OA and RA according to level of implementation burden. Ninety-nine participants were then selected to participate in the online Facebook intervention which included a ‘group’ web page providing case-based video clips on how to apply the selected self-management interventions. Over a three-month period participants were asked to complete three online questionnaires regarding their previous knowledge, intention to use/actual use of the self-management strategies, self-efficacy and confidence in managing their condition.

Results:

Knowledge acquisition scores improved among OA and RA participants with a mean difference of 1.8 ( p < 0.01) when compared from baseline to immediate post-intervention. At three months post-intervention, almost all self-management strategies were successful with participants following through on their intention to use the self-management strategies; however, statistically significant results were only demonstrated for ‘aquatic jogging’ ( p < 0.05) and ‘yoga’ ( p < 0.05) among OA participants, and ‘aquatic therapy’ ( p < 0.01) among RA participants. Self-efficacy was maintained from immediate post-intervention to three months follow-up, and confidence improved as the study progressed.

Conclusions:

This online programme can provide patient organization representatives with the opportunity to learn about and integrate evidence-based self-management strategies for OA and RA in their daily lives, to increase their awareness of useful community resources, and support their efforts to disseminate the information to others with arthritis.
Health information needs of men
Authors: Robinson Mark , Robertson Steve
Published: January 2013

Objective:

To understand the views of men and service providers concerning the health information needs of men.

Design:

A men’s health programme was implemented aimed at developing new health information resources designed for use by local organizations with men in socially disadvantaged groups. Research was carried out at the scoping stage to assess the views of men and other programme stakeholders.

Setting:

The research was conducted within the north of England between Manchester, Bradford and Leeds. The region was selected as it is characterized by socio-economic and ethnic diversity.

Method:

A structured evidence review was conducted on current provision of health information. Qualitative interviews were carried out with men ( n = 46) across four groups, young men (aged 16–21), new fathers (25–45), middle-aged men (40–55), and older men (60+). Telephone interviews were carried out with stakeholders with expertise in men’s health, including health professionals, service providers and commissioners ( n = 20). All interviews were fully transcribed and analysed thematically.

Results:

Key themes emerging concerned: routines men follow for engaging with health information; support required for making effective use of information; preferred settings and media approaches; and what men would like to see in the future. The importance of personalization and settings-based approaches was explored, and factors engendering trust were outlined.

Conclusion:

The research outlined common themes and differences among men according to age and life stage. There is a need for targeting materials to more fine-grained ‘segments’ of men. The project contributes to producing actionable insights, while it remains important to explore complexities of men’s health information needs.
A new role for social work in remote Australia: Addressing psycho-social needs of farming families identified through financial counselling
Authors: Doxey Grant , McNamara Patricia
Published: January 2013

Farming families in rural and remote parts of the world are often marginalized from social care. This article describes a phenomenological exploration of problems presenting to financial counsellors in remote south-eastern Australia. Individual and family issues, referral processes and professional competencies have been identified, along with suggested changes to service delivery. Complex psycho-social difficulties are revealed. Financial counsellors, working in isolation, are unable to adequately address these. However, no social work service has been accessible to many consumers living in remote farming communities. Social work, within interdisciplinary partnerships, is being piloted as a result of this study.
Destructive Leadership
Authors: Krasikova Dina V. , Green Stephen G. , LeBreton James M.
Published: January 2013

In this article, we propose a framework for understanding destructive leadership that summarizes the extant destructive leadership research and extends it in new directions. By reviewing the current literature on destructive leadership and drawing on organizational leadership theory and the more general research on deviant behaviors in organizations, we identify the underlying features and mechanisms that define destructive leadership. Recognizing that each form of destructive leadership currently studied (e.g., abusive supervision, petty tyranny, and pseudo-transformational leadership) addresses aspects of destructive leadership but fails to capture the complete picture of the phenomenon, we clarify the boundaries among the constructs studied within the domain of destructive leadership, address some ambiguities about the nature of destructive leadership, make explicit some characteristics of destructive leadership that set it apart from other forms of leading, and integrate this thinking into a theoretical model that helps us understand the manifestations of destructive leadership, and their antecedents and consequences.
Advancing Our Understanding of Team Motivation
Authors: Park Guihyun , Spitzmuller Matthias , DeShon Richard P.
Published: January 2013

Although research on team motivation has been one of the fastest growing research domains in organizational science, progress in this domain has been hampered by a lack of integrative reviews. Thus, we develop a theoretical framework in this article to summarize and discuss different conceptual approaches to team motivation for the following six content areas: team design, team needs, team goals, team self-regulation, team efficacy, and team affect. Our framework organizes previous research according to two dimensions. First, we assess the degree of interdependence between team members’ motivational states, differentiating between models that conceptualize team motivation as functionally equivalent to individual level motivation and models that conceptualize team motivation as a truly collective phenomenon. Second, we assess the extent to which research conceptualizes team motivation as a dynamic phenomenon that evolves over time, with static models of team motivation and dynamic models of team motivation demarcating the opposite ends of this continuum. With this framework, we show that previous research on team motivation has overemphasized conceptual similarities between motivation constructs at the individual and team levels of analysis. We address this shortcoming by developing a theory of interdependent regulatory dynamics. This theory emphasizes the interdependent and dynamic nature of team motivation. It depicts the processes in which team members decide how to allocate their efforts and resources between individual goals and team goals, and it identifies the multiple pathways through which teams coordinate and regulate their collective efforts over time.
The (un)common law: Legal tradition and the diverging policies of the USA and Australia toward international human rights law
Authors: Zartner Dana
Published: January 2013

The USA and Australia have historically had similar foreign policies. Over the past several decades, however, a divergence has occurred between the two countries in one key area: policy toward international human rights law. This article examines the reason for this divergence and theorizes that Australia has been a more active participant in the international human rights regime because of its legal tradition, which facilitates the internalization of international law into society’s cultural perceptions about appropriate standards of behavior. The article concludes that while they share the same origins, there are differences in the US and Australian legal traditions that explain the two states’ differing policies on international human rights law.
Tailgate Warriors
Authors: Veri Maria J. , Liberti Rita
Published: January 2013

This study provides a textual analysis of the 2009/2010 Food Network series, Tailgate Warriors ( TW). The show features teams representing National Football League (NFL) cities in competition to determine who has the best tailgate fare. TW is part of an evolution in Food Network programming from an instructional model with a largely female audience to a competition-based entertainment spectacle geared increasingly toward men. Hegemonic masculinity is reinforced across the four themes identified in our analysis of the mediated intersection of food and sport. Competitive spectacle, the preoccupation with meat, the complexity of menus and food preparation, and discourses around place identity all work to distance cookery from the femininely coded domestic space of the kitchen.
Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
Authors: Choi Gi Won , Choi Woo Jin , Youn Hyun Kook , Park Yoo Jung , Lee Jin Woo
Published: January 2013

Background:

Among the types of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs), the osteochondral and chondral types make up the majority of OLTs. There is a possibility that between these two types of lesions, the clinical outcomes and characteristics may differ.

Purpose:

This study was designed to compare the clinical outcomes, demographics, and characteristics of osteochondral- and chondral-type lesions of OLTs.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The authors retrospectively analyzed 298 ankles that underwent arthroscopic marrow-stimulating procedures for OLTs between 2001 and 2009 that had been arthroscopically determined as either chondral type (210 ankles) or osteochondral type (88 ankles). Clinical outcomes, demographics, and characteristics of the lesions were compared.

Results:

The age distribution showed that the chondral type reached its peak in patients in their 50s, whereas the osteochondral type had a peak distribution for those in their 20s. The average duration of symptoms was greater in the chondral type (28.3 months; range, 7-240 months) than in the osteochondral type (14.4 months; range, 8-120 months) ( P < .001). With regard to the characteristics of the lesions, differences only existed in the combined intra-articular lesions between the two types. Subchondral cysts (odds ratio [OR], 3.71; 95% CI, 1.61-8.55; P = .001) and soft tissue impingement (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.10-3.03; P = .021) were more frequently present in the chondral type. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain showed significant improvement from preoperative to postoperative scores in both groups. However, the preoperative and postoperative VAS and AOFAS scores did not differ significantly between the groups.

Conclusion:

Differences were found with age distribution, duration of symptoms, and combined intra-articular lesions between the osteochondral- and chondral-type lesions of OLTs. We achieved similar successful clinical outcomes in both types of lesions using arthroscopic marrow stimulating procedures, such as microfracture or abrasion arthroplasty.
Relation between respiratory function tests and life habits of the university students
Authors: Saygin Mustafa , Ongel Kurtuluş , Caliskan Sadettin
Published: January 2013

Among the university students especially in adolescence period, smoking habits and unhealthy lifestyles are major problems in social life. In this study, it is intended to reveal smoking habits and lifestyles of the students from Suleyman Demirel University and to determine the effects of smoking and lifestyles on pulmonary functions.

Materials and methods:

Participants were 94 university students who were getting formal education in the Suleyman Demirel University central campus. Data were analysed by analysis of variance and chi-square tests. For all analysis, p value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

Students’ mean age was 19.9 ± 0.9 years, and of all the students 74 (78.7%) were undergraduate students; remaining 20 (21.3%) were graduate students. Of all the students, 27 (28.7%), which comprised the largest group of the students, were living in state dormitory. Body mass index (BMI) was examined for the study group; according to BMI, body weight was generally within normal limits but 17.39% of girls’ were found to be underweight.

Conclusions:

Respiratory parameters can be affected by many factors. Smoking habit of university students can be prevented, and it is an important point that they have a healthy lifestyle both for their own health and for future generations.
Pharmaceutical Care for Patients Undergoing S-1 Plus Cisplatin Therapy for Unresectable Recurrent Gastric Cancer
Authors: Kimura Michio , Usami Eiseki , Yoshimura Tomoaki , Yasuda Tadashi , Kaneoka Yuji , Teramachi Hitomi , Sugiyama Tadashi , Tsuchiya Teruo
Published: January 2013

We examined the adverse gastrointestinal events associated with tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil potassium (S-1) plus cisplatin therapy for unresectable recurrent gastric cancer and risk factors for discontinuing therapy due to adverse events. A total of 65 subjects who had received S-1 plus cisplatin therapy for gastric cancer at Ogaki Municipal Hospital were examined. We found that the risk factors for discontinuation of the therapy due to adverse events were serum albumin (Alb) level less than 3.5 g/dL (odds ratio [OR]: 321.14, P = .0015), creatinine clearance (CrCl) rate less than 78 mL/min (OR: 35.23, P = .0123), and performance status (PS) more than 1 (OR:12.62, P = .0243). Moreover, grade 3 or 4 nonhematological toxicities (including malaise and anorexia) were significantly higher in subjects with Alb less than 3.5 g/dL and CrCl less than 78 mL/min ( P < .01). In conclusion, we should pay attention to the safety and continuity of S-1 plus cisplatin therapy in cases where the Alb level is <3.5 g/dL, CrCl level is <78 mL/min, and PS level is >1. Pharmacists should consider reducing the treatment dosage and providing nutritional support in such cases.
Effect of centers of rotation on spinal loads and muscle forces in total disk replacement of lumbar spine
Authors: Han Kap-Soo , Kim Kyungsoo , Park Won Man , Lim Dae Seop , Kim Yoon Hyuk
Published: January 2013

The placement of artificial disks can alter the center of rotation and kinematic pattern; therefore, forces in the spine during the motion will be affected as a result. The relationship between the location of joint center of artificial disks and forces in the spinal components is not investigated. A musculoskeletal model of the spine was developed, and three location cases of center of rotation were investigated varying 5 mm anteriorly and posteriorly from the default center. Resultant joint forces, ligament forces, facet forces, and muscle forces for each case were predicted during sagittal motion. No considerable difference was observed for joint force (maximum 14%). Anterior shift of center of rotation induced the most ligament forces (200 N) and facet forces (130 N) among the three cases. Posterior and anterior shifts of centers of rotation from the default location caused considerable changes in muscle forces, respectively: 108% and 70% of increase in multifidi muscle and 157% and 187% of increase in short segmental muscle. This study showed that the centers of rotation due to the design and the surgical placement of artificial disk can affect the kinetic results in the spine.
Environmental Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Policy Assessment at Five Venues in Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Xu Yue , Wu QingQing , Xu ShuiYang , Xu JinHang , Wan Xia , Guo YuJie
Published: January 2013

The objective of this study was to assess environmental secondhand smoke exposure and tobacco control policy at 5 venues. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 134 settings and 2727 adults in Zhejiang, China. The results show that the proportions of venues that had complete smoking ban were as follows: health administrative organizations (71.9%), hospitals (70.0%), schools (66.7%), public transportation vehicles (24.0%), and government agencies (11.8%). The proportions of venues where smoking was noticed were as follows: public transportation vehicles (88.0%), government agencies (47.1%), hospitals (46.7%), health administrative organizations (40.6%), and schools (30.0%). Venues with completely indoor smoking ban were 5 times more likely to be smoke-free at the time of survey than other venues without smoking ban (odds ratio = 5.39, 95% confidence interval = 1.92-15.14). It indicated that implementation of indoor smoking ban can reduce indoor secondhand smoke exposure.
The Domestic Environment and Respiratory Health of School Children in Zongshan, China
Authors: Spickett Jeffery , Rumchev Krassi , Jing He
Published: January 2013

There have been many reports on the adverse impacts of exposures to particulate matter in the air but relatively few of these have been related to exposures to ultrafine particles (UFP) in the indoor environment. To investigate exposures to (UFP) in domestic environments, and the association with childhood respiratory symptoms in Zongshan, China a modified Thoracic Society questionnaire was completed by 359 households with children. Air quality monitoring took place in 37 households using a P-Trak instrument to determine concentration of UFPs in rooms. The mean number of UFP was 4.1 × 104 cm−3. A range of factors was found to be associated with UFP concentration and self-reported childhood respiratory symptoms. In conclusion, the evidence suggests that behavioural and environmental factors contribute to increased UFP concentrations indoors although there was no statistically signification correlation between indoor ultrafine particle concentration and any reported repeated episodes of respiratory symptoms.
Intravenous chemotherapy preparation errors: Patient safety risks identified in a pan-Canadian exploratory study
Authors: White Rachel , Cassano-Piché Andrea , Fields Anthony , Cheng Roger , Easty Anthony
Published: January 2013

Background

This exploratory study was launched following a critical chemotherapy medication incident to thoroughly and proactively examine the current processes for ordering, preparing, labeling, verifying, administering, and documenting ambulatory intravenous chemotherapy in Canada, and to identify factors that may contribute to preventable adverse drug events.

Methods

Field observations in six Canadian cancer centers to identify end-to-end processes in clinic, pharmacy, and treatment areas; analysis of processes to identify risks.

Results

Three types of previously locally unrecognized potential chemotherapy preparation errors in Canadian oncology pharmacies were uncovered, all of which are undetectable if they occur. Although the frequency of these errors is unknown, their impact is potentially catastrophic.

Interpretation

Dispensing errors in high-risk intravenous preparation have been studied in the past, but it is unlikely that these studies have detected these errors because of the inherent limitations of the detection methods used. Research on preparation errors using more sensitive methods is therefore urgently needed to establish the extent to which pharmacy preparation practices may be error-prone, and to allow reliable evaluation of the impact of mitigation strategies. Widespread practice changes in Canadian oncology pharmacies are necessary, and are currently underway.
Panitumumab following disease progression on cetuximab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: A retrospective review
Authors: Lau S Cecilia , Chung Vincent , Lim Dean , Shibata Stephen
Published: January 2013

Despite advances in treatment options for metastatic colorectal cancer over the past decade, the number of chemotherapy agents available remains limited. We report here a retrospective review of 11 patients who were treated with panitumumab following documented disease progression on cetuximab. Two patients demonstrated minor radiographic responses, albeit only for a short period of time. We conclude that the use of one epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor following failure on the other may be of benefit to patients who would otherwise have no other treatment options. However, studies to help identify the subset of patients who might benefit from this strategy are needed.
The Childhood Executive Function Inventory
Authors: Catale Corinne , Meulemans Thierry , Thorell Lisa B.
Published: January 2013

Objective: The aim was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of the French adaptation of the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI) in children and to explore the cross-cultural validity of the CHEXI in discriminating between children with ADHD and controls in two culturally different samples (Belgian and Swedish). Method: Study I included normally developing children ( n = 242), whereas Study II included both children diagnosed with ADHD ( n = 87) and controls ( n = 87). CHEXI ratings were collected from parents. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the two-factor solution, referred to as inhibition and working memory, which had been identified previously. Both subscales had good psychometric properties. Furthermore, the CHEXI was found to discriminate, with high sensitivity and specificity, between children with ADHD and controls in both cultural samples. Conclusion: The CHEXI can be considered as a valuable screening measure for ADHD in children, but the cross-cultural clinical implications of ratings have to be considered.
Using a Health Message With a Testimonial to Motivate Colon Cancer Screening
Authors: Dillard Amanda J. , Main Jackie L.
Published: January 2013

Research suggests that testimonials, or first-person narratives, influence health behavior and health-related decision making, but few studies have examined conceptual factors that may be responsible for these effects. In the current study, older adults who were due for colorectal cancer screening read a message about screening that included a testimonial from a similar other who had previously made the screening decision. We assessed participants’ identification with the testimonial character and the degree to which they found the message to be vivid. We explored associations between these factors and participants’ knowledge following the message, mood, certainty about screening, and their behavioral intentions to look for more information about screening and to have a test in the next year. In bivariate analyses, identification and vividness were both significantly, positively associated with knowledge and behavioral intentions to have screening in the next year. However, multivariate analyses revealed that only vividness remained significantly associated with knowledge and intentions to be screened.
The semiotic landscape and 3-year-olds’ emerging understanding of multimodal communication practices
Authors: Yamada-Rice Dylan
Published: January 2013

This article considers the impact of the increasing use of the visual mode in texts found in urban landscapes on two 3-year-olds’ understanding of communication practices. The data discussed are taken from a study into a group of 3- to 6-year-olds’ interaction with and emerging comprehension of the visual mode and its connection to writing in multimodal texts. The research took place over a 6-month period in Japan. The data were collected using children’s photographs of their interest in the visual mode, video recordings of environmental walks, interviews and mapping. They were analysed using content analysis, stop-motion animation and emerging themes. The data illustrates how the two 3-year-olds make meaning of the visual mode primarily through their knowledge of and interest in the physical world. It also shows how some of their visual mode comprehension is emerging through interest in fictional visual texts such as manga (Japanese comics), animation and digital games. It is hoped that the findings will initiate wider discourse in early childhood education around the importance of the visual mode to young children’s comprehension of contemporary multimodal communication practices. This is important because the continuing development of digital media means the visual mode is increasingly foregrounded in multimodal communication practices.
Quantifying Arm Nonuse in Individuals Poststroke
Authors: Han Cheol E. , Kim Sujin , Chen Shuya , Lai Yi-Hsuan , Lee Jeong-Yoon , Osu Rieko , Winstein Carolee J. , Schweighofer Nicolas
Published: January 2013

Background. Arm nonuse, defined as the difference between what the individual can do when constrained to use the paretic arm and what the individual does when given a free choice to use either arm, has not yet been quantified in individuals poststroke. Objectives. (1) To quantify nonuse poststroke and (2) to develop and test a novel, simple, objective, reliable, and valid instrument, the Bilateral Arm Reaching Test (BART), to quantify arm use and nonuse poststroke. Methods. First, we quantify nonuse with the Quality of Movement (QOM) subscale of the Actual Amount of Use Test (AAUT) by subtracting the AAUT QOM score in the spontaneous use condition from the AAUT QOM score in a subsequent constrained use condition. Second, we quantify arm use and nonuse with BART by comparing reaching performance to visual targets projected over a 2D horizontal hemi–work space in a spontaneous-use condition (in which participants are free to use either arm at each trial) with reaching performance in a constrained-use condition. Results. All participants (N = 24) with chronic stroke and with mild to moderate impairment exhibited nonuse with the AAUT QOM. Nonuse with BART had excellent test-retest reliability and good external validity. Conclusions. BART is the first instrument that can be used repeatedly and practically in the clinic to quantify the effects of neurorehabilitation on arm use and nonuse and in the laboratory for advancing theoretical knowledge about the recovery of arm use and the development of nonuse and “learned nonuse” after stroke.
Neurological Complications of Solid Organ Transplantation
Authors: Pruitt Amy A. , Graus Francesc , Rosenfeld Myrna R.
Published: January 2013

Solid organ transplantation (SOT) is the preferred treatment for an expanding range of conditions whose successful therapy has produced a growing population of chronically immunosuppressed patients with potential neurological problems. While the spectrum of neurological complications varies with the type of organ transplanted, the indication for the procedure, and the intensity of long-term required immunosuppression, major neurological complications occur with all SOT types. The second part of this 2-part article on transplantation neurology reviews central and peripheral nervous system problems associated with SOT with clinical and neuroimaging examples from the authors’ institutional experience. Particular emphasis is given to conditions acquired from the donated organ or tissue, problems specific to types of organs transplanted and drug therapy-related complications likely to be encountered by hospitalists. Neurologically important syndromes such as immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), and posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) are readdressed in the context of SOT.
Prevalence and clinical significance of the MYD88 (L265P) somatic mutation in Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and related lymphoid neoplasms
Authors: Varettoni Marzia , Arcaini Luca , Zibellini Silvia , Boveri Emanuela , Rattotti Sara , Riboni Roberta , Corso Alessandro , Orlandi Ester , Bonfichi Maurizio , Gotti Manuel , Pascutto Cristiana , Mangiacavalli Silvia , Croci Giorgio , Fiaccadori Valeria , Morello Lucia , Guerrera Maria Luisa , Paulli Marco , Cazzola Mario
Published: January 2013

Key Points

Using a sensitive method, the MYD88 (L265P) mutation is detectable in all patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, therefore representing a hallmark of the disease. MYD88 (L265P) is also found in a substantial proportion of patients with IgM-MGUS.
Clostridium leptum group bacteria abundance and diversity in the fecal microbiota of patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a case–control study in India
Authors: Kabeerdoss Jayakanthan , Sankaran Vijayalakshmi , Pugazhendhi Srinivasan , Ramakrishna Balakrishnan S
Published: January 2013

Background

Alterations in the fecal bacterial flora occur in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We examined the abundance and diversity of Clostridium leptum group, an important group of carbohydrate-fermenting bacteria, in the feces of patients with IBD and compared them with healthy controls.

Methods

Seventeen healthy controls (HC), 20 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 22 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) participated in the study. DNA extracted from fecal samples was amplified by PCR targeting 16S rRNA gene sequences specific to C. leptum group. The PCR product was subjected to temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis (TTGE) and the number and position of individual bands were noted and diversity was estimated. The identity of bands at different positions was confirmed by cloning and sequencing. Real time quantitative PCR with Mesa Green, targeted at specific 16S rRNA gene sequences, was used to quantitate C. leptum group and its most prominent constituent, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.

Results

Twenty five different operational taxonomic units (OTUs, equivalent to species) were identified constituting the C. leptum group in these participants. Their sequences were deposited in GenBank [accession numbers GQ465348 to GQ465370]. OTU number was significantly reduced in CD (7.7±3.7, mean±SD) and UC (9.0±3.0) compared to HC (11.9±2.2) (P=0.0005). The Simpson D index of alpha diversity was not significantly different between the three groups. Total numbers of C. leptum group bacteria and F. prausnitzii were reduced in both CD and UC compared to HC (P=0.0036 and P<0.0001 respectively). Disease activity did not influence numbers of C. leptum or F. prausnitzii in patients with CD or UC.

Conclusion

C. leptum numbers and diversity were significantly reduced in both CD and UC suggesting that alterations noted were not specific to one disease. This could contribute to reduced short chain fatty acid production in IBD.
Associations of epicardial fat with coronary calcification, insulin resistance, inflammation, and fibroblast growth factor-23 in stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease
Authors: Kerr Jasmine D , Holden Rachel M , Morton Alexander R , Nolan Robert L , Hopman Wilma M , Pruss Cynthia M , Garland Jocelyn S
Published: January 2013

Background

Epicardial fat, quantified in a single multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) slice, is a reliable estimate of total epicardial fat volume (EFV). We sought to determine risk factors for EFV detected in a single-slice MSCT measurement (ssEFV) in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Our primary objective was to determine the association between ssEFV and coronary artery calcification (CAC).

Methods

94 pre-dialysis stage 3–5 CKD patients underwent MSCT to measure ssEFV and CAC. ssEFV was quantified at the level of the left main coronary artery. Measures of inflammation, traditional and kidney-related cardiovascular disease risk factors were collected.

Results

Mean age: 63.7 ± 14 years, 56% male, 39% had diabetes, and mean eGFR: 25.1 ± 11.9 mL/min/1.73 m2. Mean ssEFV was 5.03 ± 2.4 cm3. By univariate analysis, body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.53; P = <0.0001), abdominal obesity (r = 0.51; P < 0.0001), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r = − 0.39; P = <0.0001), insulin resistance (log homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (log HOMA-IR)) (r = 0.38, P = 0.001), log interleukin-6 (IL-6) (r = 0.34; P = 0.001), and log urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) (r = 0.30, P = 0.004) demonstrated the strongest associations with ssEFV. Log coronary artery calcification (log CAC score) (r = 0.28, P = 0.006), and log fibroblast growth factor-23 (log FGF-23) (r = 0.23, P = 0.03) were also correlated with ssEFV. By linear regression, log CAC score (beta =0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.01-0.80; P = 0.045), increasing levels of IL-6 (beta = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.38 – 1.61; P = 0.002), abdominal obesity (beta = 1.86; 95% CI, 0.94 - 2.8; P < 0.0001), lower HDL cholesterol (beta = −2.30; 95% CI, – 3.68 to −0.83; P = 0.002) and albuminuria (log UACR, beta = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.2 to 1.4; P = 0.01) were risk factors for increased ssEFV.

Conclusions

In stage 3–5 CKD, coronary calcification and IL-6 and were predictors of ssEFV. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism by which epicardial fat may contribute to the pathogenesis of coronary disease, particularly in the CKD population.
Insulin resistance and adipokines serum levels in a caucasian cohort of hiv-positive patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy: a cross sectional study
Authors: Arama Victoria , Tiliscan Catalin , Streinu-Cercel Adrian , Ion Daniela , Mihailescu Raluca , Munteanu Daniela , Hristea Adriana , Arama Stefan Sorin ,   the SLD-ART study group
Published: January 2013

Background

Insulin resistance is frequent in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and may be related to antiretroviral therapy. Cytokines secreted by adipose tissue (adipokines) are linked to insulin sensitivity. The present study is aimed to assess the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and its association with several adipokines, in a non-diabetic Romanian cohort of men and women with HIV-1 infection, undergoing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in an unselected sample of 89 HIV-1-positive, non-diabetic patients undergoing stable cART for at least 6 months. Metabolic parameters were measured, including fasting plasma insulin, and circulating adiponectin, leptin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Insulin resistance was estimated by measuring the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI), using a cut-off value of 0.33. A linear regression model was fitted to QUICKI to test the association of IR and adipokines levels.

Results

A total of 89 patients (aged 18–65, median: 28 years) including 51 men (57.3%) and 38 women (42.7%) were included in the study. Fifty nine patients (66.3%) were diagnosed with IR based on QUICKI values lower than the cut-off point. IR prevalence was 72.5% in men and 57.6% in women. The presence of the IR was not influenced by either the time of the HIV diagnosis or by the duration of cART. Decreased adiponectin and increased serum triglycerides were associated with increased IR in men (R=0.43, p=0.007). Hyperleptinemia in women was demonstrated to be associated with the presence of IR (R=0.33, p=0.03).

Conclusions

Given the significant prevalence of the IR in our young non-diabetic cohort with HIV infection undergoing antiretroviral therapy reported in our study and the consecutive risk of diabetes and cardiovascular events, we suggest that the IR management should be a central component of HIV-infection therapeutic strategy. As adipokines play major roles in regulating glucose homeostasis with levels varying according to the sex, we suggest that further studies investigating adipokines should base their analyses on gender differences.
Neural stem cell-like cells derived from autologous bone mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of patients with cerebral palsy
Authors: Chen Guojun , Wang Yali , Xu Zhenyu , Fang Feng , Xu Renmei , Wang Yue , Hu Xiaoli , Fan Lixing , Liu Houqi
Published: January 2013

Background

Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for cerebral palsy, which refers to a category of brain diseases that are associated with chronic motor disability in children. Autologous MSCs may be a better cell source and have been studied for the treatment of cerebral palsy because of their functions in tissue repair and the regulation of immunological processes.

Methods

To assess neural stem cell–like (NSC-like) cells derived from autologous marrow mesenchymal stem cells as a novel treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe cerebral palsy, a total of 60 cerebral palsy patients were enrolled in this open-label, non-randomised, observer-blinded controlled clinical study with a 6-months follow-up. For the transplantation group, a total of 30 cerebral palsy patients received an autologous NSC-like cells transplantation (1-2 × 107 cells into the subarachnoid cavity) and rehabilitation treatments whereas 30 patients in the control group only received rehabilitation treatment.

Results

We recorded the gross motor function measurement scores, language quotients, and adverse events up to 6 months post-treatment. The gross motor function measurement scores in the transplantation group were significantly higher at month 3 (the score increase was 42.6, 95% CI: 9.8–75.3, P=.011) and month 6 (the score increase was 58.6, 95% CI: 25.8–91.4, P=.001) post-treatment compared with the baseline scores. The increase in the Gross Motor Function Measurement scores in the control group was not significant. The increases in the language quotients at months 1, 3, and 6 post-treatment were not statistically significant when compared with the baseline quotients in both groups. All the 60 patients survived, and none of the patients experienced serious adverse events or complications.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that NSC-like cells are safe and effective for the treatment of motor deficits related to cerebral palsy. Further randomised clinical trials are necessary to establish the efficacy of this procedure.
Midterm results after treatment of gram-positive deep sternal wound infections with daptomycin for cardiac surgery patients
Authors: Ort Katharina R , Jebran Fawad A , Bireta Christian , Danner Bernhard C , Bougioukas Ioannis , Schoendube Friedrich A , Popov Aron F
Published: January 2013

Daptomycin in combination with surgical therapy has shown to be effective for treatment of deep sternal wound infection in cardiac surgery. However, till now midterm results in terms of re-infection or re-operation in patients who were successfully treated with daptomycin for gram-positive deep sternal wound infection are not published. Herein, we present midterm results in patients treated successfully with daptomycin after cardiac surgery.
Mitochondrial quality, dynamics and functional capacity in Parkinson’s disease cybrid cell lines selected for Lewy body expression
Authors: Cronin-Furman Emily N , Borland M Kathleen , Bergquist Kristen E , Bennett James P , Trimmer Patricia A
Published: January 2013

Background

Lewy bodies (LB) are a neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. The role their formation plays in disease pathogenesis is not well understood, in part because studies of LB have been limited to examination of post-mortem tissue. LB formation may be detrimental to neuronal survival or merely an adaptive response to other ongoing pathological processes. In a human cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) neural cell model that expresses mitochondrial DNA from PD patients, we observed spontaneous formation of intracellular protein aggregates (“cybrid LB” or CLB) that replicate morphological and biochemical properties of native, cortical LB. We studied mitochondrial morphology, bioenergetics and biogenesis signaling by creating stable sub-clones of three PD cybrid cell lines derived from cells expressing CLB.

Results

Cloning based on CLB expression had a differential effect on mitochondrial morphology, movement and oxygen utilization in each of three sub-cloned lines, but no long-term change in CLB expression. In one line (PD63CLB), mitochondrial function declined compared to the original PD cybrid line (PD63Orig) due to low levels of mtDNA in nucleoids. In another cell line (PD61Orig), the reverse was true, and cellular and mitochondrial function improved after sub-cloning for CLB expression (PD61CLB). In the third cell line (PD67Orig), there was no change in function after selection for CLB expression (PD67CLB).

Conclusions

Expression of mitochondrial DNA derived from PD patients in cybrid cell lines induced the spontaneous formation of CLB. The creation of three sub-cloned cybrid lines from cells expressing CLB resulted in differential phenotypic changes in mitochondrial and cellular function. These changes were driven by the expression of patient derived mitochondrial DNA in nucleoids, rather than by the presence of CLB. Our studies suggest that mitochondrial DNA plays an important role in cellular and mitochondrial dysfunction in PD. Additional studies will be needed to assess the direct effect of CLB expression on cellular and mitochondrial function.
Monitoring and kinetic analysis of the molecular interactions by which a repressor protein, PhaR, binds to target DNAs and poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]
Authors: Yamada Miwa , Takahashi Shuntaro , Okahata Yoshio , Doi Yoshiharu , Numata Keiji
Published: January 2013

The repressor protein PhaR, which is a component of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] granules, functions as a repressor of the gene expression of the phasin PhaP and of PhaR itself. We used a quartz crystal microbalance to investigate the binding behavior by which PhaR in Ralstonia eutropha H16 targets DNAs and amorphous poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] thin films. Binding rate constants, dissociation rate constants, and dissociation constants of the binding of PhaR to DNA and to amorphous poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] suggested that PhaR bind to both in a similar manner. On the basis of the binding rate constant values, we proposed that the phaP gene would be derepressed in harmony with the ratio of the concentration of the target DNA to the concentration of amorphous poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] at the start of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] synthesis in R. eutropha H16.
Highly impulsive rats: modelling an endophenotype to determine the neurobiological, genetic and environmental mechanisms of addiction
Authors: Jupp Bianca , Caprioli Daniele , Dalley Jeffrey W.
Published: January 2013

Impulsivity describes the tendency of an individual to act prematurely without foresight and is associated with a number of neuropsychiatric co-morbidities, including drug addiction. As such, there is increasing interest in the neurobiological mechanisms of impulsivity, as well as the genetic and environmental influences that govern the expression of this behaviour. Tests used on rodent models of impulsivity share strong parallels with tasks used to assess this trait in humans, and studies in both suggest a crucial role of monoaminergic corticostriatal systems in the expression of this behavioural trait. Furthermore, rodent models have enabled investigation of the causal relationship between drug abuse and impulsivity. Here, we review the use of rodent models of impulsivity for investigating the mechanisms involved in this trait, and how these mechanisms could contribute to the pathogenesis of addiction.