bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma Levels of Soluble HLA-E and HLA-F at Diagnosis May Predict Overall Survival of Neuroblastoma Patients
Authors: Morandi Fabio , Cangemi Giuliana , Barco Sebastiano , Amoroso Loredana , Giuliano Maria , Gigliotti Anna Rita , Pistoia Vito , Corrias Maria Valeria
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this study was to identify the plasma/serum biomarkers that are able to predict overall survival (OS) of neuroblastoma (NB) patients. Concentration of soluble (s) biomarkers was evaluated in plasma (sHLA-E, sHLA-F, chromogranin, and B7H3) or serum (calprotectin) samples from NB patients or healthy children. The levels of biomarkers that were significantly higher in NB patients were then analyzed considering localized or metastatic subsets. Finally, biomarkers that were significantly different in these two subsets were correlated with patient’s outcome. With the exception of B7H3, levels of all molecules were significantly higher in NB patients than those in controls. However, only chromogranin, sHLA-E, and sHLA-F levels were different between patients with metastatic and localized tumors. sHLA-E and -F levels correlated with each other but not chromogranin. Chromogranin levels correlated with different event-free survival (EFS), whereas sHLA-E and -F levels also correlated with different OS. Association with OS was also detected considering only patients with metastatic disease. In conclusion, low levels of sHLA-E and -F significantly associated with worse EFS/OS in the whole cohort of NB patients and in patients with metastatic NB. Thus, these molecules deserve to be tested in prospective studies to evaluate their predictive power for high-risk NB patients.
Oxidative Stress-Related Biomarkers in Essential Hypertension and Ischemia-Reperfusion Myocardial Damage
Authors: Rodrigo Ramón , Libuy Matías , Feliú Felipe , Hasson Daniel
Published: November 2013

Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, with hypertension being a major risk factor. Numerous studies support the contribution of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in the pathogenesis of hypertension, as well as other pathologies associated with ischemia/reperfusion. However, the validation of oxidative stress-related biomarkers in these settings is still lacking and novel association of these biomarkers and other biomarkers such as endothelial progenitor cells, endothelial microparticles, and ischemia modified albumin, is just emerging. Oxidative stress has been suggested as a pathogenic factor and therapeutic target in early stages of essential hypertension. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure correlated positively with plasma F2-isoprostane levels and negatively with total antioxidant capacity of plasma in hypertensive and normotensive patients. Cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation causes an ischemia/reperfusion event associated with increased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, two biomarkers associated with oxidative damage of cardiac tissue. An enhancement of the antioxidant defense system should contribute to ameliorating functional and structural abnormalities derived from this metabolic impairment. However, data have to be validated with the analysis of the appropriate oxidative stress and/or nitrosative stress biomarkers.
Ex Situ Conservation of Biodiversity with Particular Emphasis to Ethiopia
Authors: Kasso Mohammed , Balakrishnan Mundanthra
Published: November 2013

Biodiversity encompasses variety and variability of all forms of life on earth that play a great role in human existence. Its conservation embraces maintenance, sustainable utilization, and restoration, of the lost and degraded biodiversity through two basic and complementary strategies called in situ and ex situ. Ex situ conservation is the technique of conservation of all levels of biological diversity outside their natural habitats through different techniques like zoo, captive breeding, aquarium, botanical garden, and gene bank. It plays key roles in communicating the issues, raising awareness, and gaining widespread public and political support for conservation actions and for breeding endangered species in captivity for reintroduction. Limitations of ex situ conservation include maintenance of organisms in artificial habitats, deterioration of genetic diversity, inbreeding depression, adaptations to captivity, and accumulation of deleterious alleles. It has many constraints in terms of personnel, costs, and reliance on electric power sources. Ethiopia is considered to be one of the richest centers of genetic resources in the world. Currently, a number of stakeholders/actors are actively working on biodiversity conservation through ex situ conservation strategies by establishing gene banks, botanical garden, and zoo.
Imaging Ca
2+
Nanosparks in Heart With a New Targeted Biosensor
Authors: Shang Wei , Lu Fujian , Sun Tao , Xu Jiejia , Li Lin-Lin , Wang Yanru , Wang Gang , Chen Liangyi , Wang Xianhua , Cannell Mark B. , Wang Shi-Qiang , Cheng Heping
Published: November 2013

Rationale:

In cardiac dyads, junctional Ca
2+
directly controls the gating of the ryanodine receptors (RyRs), and is itself dominated by RyR-mediated Ca
2+
release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Existing probes do not report such local Ca
2+
signals because of probe diffusion, so a junction-targeted Ca
2+
sensor should reveal new information on cardiac excitation–contraction coupling and its modification in disease states.

Objective:

To investigate Ca
2+
signaling in the nanoscopic space of cardiac dyads by targeting a new sensitive Ca
2+
biosensor (GCaMP6f) to the junctional space.

Methods and Results:

By fusing GCaMP6f to the N terminus of triadin 1 or junctin, GCaMP6f-triadin 1/junctin was targeted to dyadic junctions, where it colocalized with t-tubules and RyRs after adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. This membrane protein-tagged biosensor displayed ≈4× faster kinetics than native GCaMP6f. Confocal imaging revealed junctional Ca
2+
transients (Ca
2+
nanosparks) that were ≈50× smaller in volume than conventional Ca
2+
sparks (measured with diffusible indicators). The presence of the biosensor did not disrupt normal Ca
2+
signaling. Because no indicator diffusion occurred, the amplitude and timing of release measurements were improved, despite the small recording volume. We could also visualize coactivation of subclusters of RyRs within a single junctional region, as well as quarky Ca
2+
release events.

Conclusions:

This new, targeted biosensor allows selective visualization and measurement of nanodomain Ca
2+
dynamics in intact cells and can be used to give mechanistic insights into dyad RyR operation in health and in disease states such as when RyRs become orphaned.
Aglaopheniid hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Aglaopheniidae) from bathyal waters of the Flemish Cap, Flemish Pass, and Grand Banks of Newfoundland (NW Atlantic)
Authors: ALTUNA ÁLVARO , MURILLO FRANCISCO J. , CALDER DALE R.
Published: November 2013

Five species of aglaopheniid hydroids (Aglaophenopsis cornuta, Cladocarpus diana, C. formosus, C. integer, and Nematocarpus ramuliferus) were collected from the Flemish Cap, Flemish Pass, and Grand Banks of Newfoundland during surveys with bottom trawls, rock dredges, and scallop gear. All are infrequently reported species, with C. diana being discovered for the first time since its original description from Iceland. We document here the southernmost collections of C. diana and N. ramuliferus, both previously unknown in the western Atlantic. Each of the five species is described and illustrated based on fertile material, a key is provided for their identification, and bathymetric distributions are noted. Known depth ranges are extended for A. cornuta, C. diana, and C. integer. Aglaophenopsis and Nematocarpus are recognized as genera distinct from the polyphyletic Cladocarpus, based on the unique structure of the phylactocarp in the former, and the existence of appendages with nematothecae (ramuli) on almost all thecate internodes of hydrocladia in the latter. These appendages occur even in the absence of gonothecae, and are here considered defensive structures that protect the hydranths. In differing from typical phylactocarps, we accept the contention that they are characters of generic value.
Neostylidium, a new generic replacement name for Stylidium Dall 1907 (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Cerithiidae) non Eichwald 1855 (Anthozoa)
Authors: DOWELD ALEXANDER B.
Published: November 2013

The genus Stylidium (type species Turritella eschrichtii Middendorff, 1849, by original designation) was established by Dall (in Bartsch, 1907: 178) for a distinctive group of the gastropods in the Bittiinae (Cerithiidae) and remains in current active use (Houbrick, 1993; Bouchet & Rosenberg, 2013). However, the generic name Stylidium Eichwald (1855: 3) was established for a fossil coral prior to the mollusk generic name, which becomes a preoccupied junior homonym.
The Effect of Pollution Aerosol on Wintertime Orographic Precipitation in the Colorado Rockies Using a Simplified Emissions Scheme to Predict CCN Concentrations
Authors: Letcher Theodore , Cotton William R.
Published: November 2013

The impacts of enhanced CCN concentrations on various cloud and precipitation systems are potentially significant both to the large-scale climate system and local precipitation patterns. Precipitating stable orographic cloud systems are particularly susceptible to increases in CCN as parcel lifetimes within these clouds are typically short compared to clouds of similar depth. As such, even small perturbations to the precipitation efficiency within these clouds can have substantial impacts. In the mountainous regions of the western United States, where water resources are derived primarily from orographic precipitation during the cold season, this effect is of particular interest. The aims of this study are twofold. The first part is focused on the implementation of a simplified aerosol emissions scheme into the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). This scheme uses aerosol output from the Weather Research and Forecast Chemistry model (WRF-Chem) to initialize aerosol sources in RAMS. The second part of this study uses this scheme in the simulation of an orographic snow case that occurred in northwest Colorado during February 2007. The result of this study suggests that atmospheric CCN concentrations can be reasonably simulated using a simplified parameterization of aerosol emissions, despite a lack of explicit secondary aerosol (SA) within the model. Furthermore, the spatial and temporal variations in CCN predicted by this scheme produced a complicated response in the surface distribution of precipitation from the orographic snowstorm, a result not seen in studies where CCN concentrations are set to be horizontally homogenous.
A Search for Chaotic Behavior in Northern Hemisphere Stratospheric Variability
Authors: Badin Gualtiero , Domeisen Daniela I. V.
Published: November 2013

Northern Hemisphere stratospheric variability is investigated with respect to chaotic behavior using time series from three different variables extracted from four different reanalysis products and two numerical model runs with different forcing. The time series show red spectra at all frequencies and the probability distribution functions show persistent deviations from a Gaussian distribution. An exception is given by the numerical model forced with perpetual winter conditions—a case that shows more variability and follows a Gaussian distribution, suggesting that the deviation from Gaussianity found in the observations is due to the transition between summer and winter variability. To search for the presence of a chaotic attractor the correlation dimension and entropy, the Lyapunov spectrum, and the associated Kaplan–Yorke dimension are estimated. A finite value of the dimensions can be computed for each variable and data product, with the correlation dimension ranging between 3.0 and 4.0 and the Kaplan–Yorke dimension between 3.3 and 5.5. The correlation entropy varies between 0.6 and 1.1. The model runs show similar values for the correlation and Lyapunov dimensions for both the seasonally forced run and the perpetual-winter run, suggesting that the structure of a possible chaotic attractor is not determined by the seasonality in the forcing, but must be given by other mechanisms.
Conditional Cooperation and Climate Change
Authors: Tingley Dustin , Tomz Michael
Published: November 2013

It is widely believed that international cooperation can arise through strategies of reciprocity. In this paper, we investigate whether citizens in the United States and 25 other countries support reciprocity to deal with climate change. We find little public enthusiasm for intrinsic reciprocity, in which countries restrain their consumption of fossil fuels if and only if other countries do the same. In contrast, we find significant support for extrinsic reciprocity, in which countries enforce cooperation by linking issues. Citizens support economic sanctions against polluters and are willing to shame them in international forums, especially when the polluters are violating a treaty. Cooperation could, therefore, emerge from efforts to link climate with other issues and to embed climate commitments in international law.
Federalism and the governance of international trade negotiations in Canada: Comparing CUSFTA with CETA
Authors: Paquin Stéphane
Published: November 2013

When the European Union (EU) and the Canadian government announced the launching of negotiations to create a “new generation” free trade agreement, the EU insisted that provincial representatives be included on the Canadian negotiating team. The goal of this article is to explain why the provinces have gradually become key, indeed indispensable, actors in international trade negotiations. I examine how international trade negotiations are conducted in Canada, noting the enhanced role for provincial governments, and I focus on a comparison between the Canada–US free trade negotiations and the discussions for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Europe.
Closing the deal: What role for the provinces in the final stages of the CETA negotiations?
Authors: Fafard Patrick , Leblond Patrick
Published: November 2013

Why have the negotiations of a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union taken so long? We argue that the delay is in good part the result of a weakly designed process for intergovernmental decision making: the role for provincial and territorial governments in international trade negotiations is still too limited and does not extend to final decisions about the text of any agreement. The limited role for provinces and the fact that there is no process that requires them to formally commit to an agreement leave open the real possibility that one or more provinces could choose not to fully implement any deal that is concluded. As a result, provinces possess negotiating leverage vis-à-vis Ottawa, thereby making it difficult for the federal government to agree to the trade-offs—which are of a geographical nature in CETA’s case—that are necessary for reaching a positive agreement.
The voice of Quebec in the CETA negotiations
Authors: Johnson Pierre Marc , Muzzi Patrick , Bastien Véronique
Published: November 2013

Canada and the European Union (EU) began negotiating a comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) in May 2009. The authors survey both the process and the content of CETA from the perspective of the province of Quebec. For the first time, Canadian provinces and territories have fully participated in international trade negotiations that will impact them directly and engender important economic benefits. CETA will ensure that Canadian provinces and territories obtain real market access for their goods and services to the EU’s 500 million consumers. It will encourage and increase foreign investment as well as create further labour mobility between Canada and the EU. Quebec will benefit from a growing and deeper relationship with the EU through trade and cooperation, thereby fostering economic globalization and integration.
Canada’s humanitarian reach and Maggie Helwig’s Where She Was Standing
Authors: Callahan David
Published: November 2013

Canada’s official rhetoric situates the nation as one capable of perceiving and arbitrating upon humanitarian need on a global scale. Unofficial discourses confirm this perception of Canada’s humanitarian credentials. One unofficial discourse that tends to question official rhetoric, however, is that of fiction. This article examines the representation of humanitarian concerns in Canadian Maggie Helwig’s novel Where She Was Standing. The novel’s portrayal of the nature of evidence, and of its own status as a type of evidence, are discussed, leading to the proposal of Lauren Berlant’s “cruel optimism” as a potentially appropriate conceptual tool with which to deal with the difficulties in the position of Western observers of humanitarian issues in distant cultures.
Effect of temperature on fatigue strength of carbon nanotube/epoxy composites
Authors: Jen Yi-Ming , Huang Chien-Yang
Published: November 2013

The monotonic and fatigue tensile strengths of acid-treated carbon nanotube/epoxy composites with various carbon nanotube contents were experimentally studied at −25℃, 0℃, 25℃, and 40℃. Experimental results reveal that the monotonic and fatigue strengths of the nanocomposites decreased as the temperature increased. The temperature-dependent S-N curves of the nanocomposites with various carbon nanotube contents were experimentally determined. The fatigue strength exponents in the power laws that described the S-N curves were independent of the carbon nanotube content and the testing temperature, and the reciprocals of the fatigue strength coefficients were related to the testing temperature according to the Arrhenius model. Nanocomposites with higher monotonic strength had a lower pre-exponential factor and activation energy. The epoxy-based nanocomposites presented obvious cyclic softening and dynamic creep characteristics in the fatigue tests conducted at 40℃. However, adding carbon nanotubes in the epoxy can diminish these phenomena significantly. The fracture surfaces demonstrated that the length of the pull-out carbon nanotubes increased with the testing temperature, indicating that a high temperature weakened the adhesion strength between the carbon nanotube surfaces and the polymer matrix.
Teaching Melodic Dictation in Advanced Placement Music Theory
Authors: Paney Andrew S. , Buonviri Nathan O.
Published: November 2013

In this study approaches to teaching melodic dictation skills used by Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory teachers were examined. Twelve high school teachers from four states were interviewed. Four themes emerged from the interview transcripts: cognitive frameworks, processing strategies, rhythm, and course design. Participants generally confirmed established understandings of aural skills pedagogy, particularly in areas of pattern instruction, connecting aural and written theory, connecting sight-singing and dictation, incorporating scale degree function, targeting melodic “bookends,” focusing on the big picture, sequencing curricula, and incorporating familiar melodies. Unique to the findings of this study were participants’ positive attitudes toward a standardized test and their concern for the students’ psychological barriers inherent in learning aural skills. A general indifference to rhythm counting systems and a common acknowledgment of students’ difficulties with rhythmic notation also were found. Recommendations for further research include a large-scale survey of melodic dictation strategies taught by AP Music Theory teachers, empirical investigation of the efficacy of specific counting systems, comparison of students’ reported dictation strategies and their success with dictation on the AP exam, and exploration of the influence of psychological fortitude on the dictation process.
Simulations and fuzzy systems for resource reallocation
Authors: Muñoz V , Callero Y , Aguilar R M
Published: November 2013

This paper presents a strategy that combines fuzzy logic and discrete event simulation to address the resource relocation problem. In any system with limited resources, the way in which said resources are distributed influences the quality of the services that can be provided. Making these decisions requires studying the various implications that increasing or distributing the resources has on the system. In this paper, we propose the combined use of simulation and fuzzy logic to determine a proper method for distributing resources. We have used the SIGHOS library to model a case involving a hospital process. The resource reallocation process can be monitored throughout the simulation, allowing for a study of the effects that increasing or distributing the resources has on the system.
Measuring self-help home improvements in Texas colonias: A ten year ‘snapshot’ study
Authors: Durst Noah J , Ward Peter M
Published: November 2013

This paper builds on earlier data presented in an Urban Studies paper for a major household survey in 2002 that evaluated the impact of title regularization intervention among low-income homeowners in ten colonias in Starr County, Texas. In 2011 the research team returned to those low-income households, oversampling more than half of them in order to compare and analyse the extent and nature of housing improvement, levels of overcrowding and access to home amenities, and the methods of financing for home improvement and extension. Significant improvements and investments were observed totalling an average of almost US$9000 over ten years, mostly financed out of income and savings, although an increasing trend to seek loans from the formal market was observed. Correlation analysis explores how self-help and self-managed dwelling environments are adapted to family and household dynamics over the life course. Awareness of ‘green’ housing applications and sustainability is discussed.
Relationships Between Support for the Death Penalty and Cognitive Processing
Authors: Miller Monica , Wood Steve M. , Chomos Julianna C.
Published: November 2013

Cognitive Experiential Self-Theory (CEST) posits that individuals process information rationally (measured by Need for Cognition [NFC]) or experientially (measured by Faith in Intuition [FI]). This study investigated whether information processing traits (NFC and FI) and states (CEST logic problems) are related to general death penalty attitude and sentencing verdict—and whether these relationships differed for students versus community members. FI and NFC were related to sentencing verdicts. An increase in FI was related to a higher likelihood of a death sentence; an increase in NFC was related to a higher likelihood of a life sentence. CEST logic problems were related to sentencing verdicts and general attitudes. However, these relationships were moderated: For community members, but not students, a decrease in rational processing was related to a higher likelihood of a death sentence and support for the death penalty. Results have implications for psychology and the legal system.
Constitutional choices: Uncertainty and institutional design in democratising nations
Authors: Jung Jai Kwan , Deering Christopher J.
Published: November 2013

Why do democratising nations make the constitutional choices they do? Conceiving democratic transition as a critical juncture, we propose a theory of constitutional choice. We place the degree of uncertainty at the centre of our theorising efforts to explain the relationship between constitutional bargains among competing political groups and the type of executive–legislative relations adopted during democratisation. We posit that parliamentarism is more likely to be adopted under high-uncertainty conditions, while presidentialism is more likely under low-uncertainty conditions. Identifying four factors that affect the level of uncertainty in the transition process, we examine how the choices of executive–legislative relations are made under strong influences of historical and geographic factors.
Nursing Staffing and Quality of Life in Western New York Nursing Homes
Authors: Shin Juh Hyun , Park Taesung , Huh Ik-soo
Published: November 2013

This study investigated the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of life (QOL) in Western New York State nursing homes. This was a cross-sectional, correlational study. The independent variables were hours per resident day (HPRD), skill mix, and turnover rate of nursing staff. The outcomes were measured using the self-reported QOL instrument. No coefficients were statistically significant with registered nurses’ (RNs) HPRD. Certified nursing assistant (CNA) HPRD had a statistically significant positive impact on the spiritual well-being domain. There was a statistically negative relationship between the amount of licensed practical nurse (LPN) HPRD and food enjoyment; and the ratio of more RNs to fewer LPNs and CNAs had a statistically significant negative influence on the meaningful-activity, food-enjoyment, and security domains. The turnover of RNs had a statistically negative relationship with the sum of each domain. None of the coefficients was statistically significant with LPN turnover.
Pulmonary artery banding for univentricular heart beyond the neonatal period
Authors: Sasikumar Navaneetha , Ramanan Sowmya , Rema Krishna Manohar Soman , Subramanyan Raghavan , Kumar Raghavannair Suresh , Cherian Kootturathu Mammen
Published: November 2013

Background

It is standard practice to band the pulmonary artery at 2 to 4 weeks of age in patients with univentricular hearts with increased pulmonary blood flow. The behavior of patients banded beyond the neonatal period has not been well elucidated.

Patients and methods

This was a retrospective chart review of 32 consecutive patients (one neonate) who underwent pulmonary artery banding for functionally univentricular heart. The mean age at banding was 5.7 ± 6.0 months, and 34.4% were over 6-months old.

Results

Mortality was 15.6%. The mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 43.6 ± 9.7 to 29.6 ± 7.0 mm Hg. The mean pre-discharge echocardiographic band gradient was 60.6 ± 13.6 mm Hg (mean systemic systolic pressure 73.7 ± 11.0 mm Hg) and systemic oxygen saturation was 81.7% ± 5.8%. At a mean follow-up period of 44.9 ± 30.0 months, 6 patients were lost to follow-up, 13 had undergone bidirectional Glenn shunt, and 7 had Fontan operations. Pulmonary artery mean pressure was 17.2 ± 4.6 mm Hg at pre-Glenn catheterization. Of the 5 patients who had not undergone further surgery, only one was inoperable. All were in functional class I or II.

Conclusion

Pulmonary artery banding beyond the neonatal period in suitable patients with univentricular hearts provides reasonable palliation in the intermediate term, with a significant number successfully undergoing Fontan stages.
Trends and practice patterns in the management of thoracic empyema
Authors: Vyas Krishna S , Saha Sibu P , Davenport Daniel L , Ferraris Victor A , Zwischenberger Joseph B
Published: November 2013

Background

This study explored the modern treatment of thoracic empyema. We evaluated outcomes of various operative approaches in both academic and nonacademic institutions.

Methods

We queried the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database for patients undergoing thoracic procedures with a primary diagnosis of empyema between 2009 and 2011. We compared treatment outcomes of patients having procedures at academic ( n = 1101, 28.3%) and nonacademic ( n = 2790, 71.7%) medical centers.

Results

Empyema treatments recorded in the database included tube thoracostomy ( n = 325, 8.4%), video-assisted thoracic surgery ( n = 1992, 51.2%), and thoracotomy ( n = 1574, 40.5%). Academic centers had higher rates of treatment by thoracostomy (13.8% vs. 6.2%), similar treatment rates of video-assisted thoracic surgery (49.9% vs. 51.7%), and lower rates of thoracotomy (36.3% vs. 42.1%) compared to nonacademic centers ( p < 0.001). Academic centers treated almost twice as many complicated empyemas with fistulas (11.4% vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001). Postoperative length of stay was higher in the academic centers (interquartile range 5–13 vs. 4–11 days, p = 0.001), while mechanical ventilation >48 h was more frequent in the nonacademic centers (7.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.013).

Conclusion

Surgeons in both academic and nonacademic centers use selective surgical approaches for treatment of thoracic empyema, depending on the clinical condition of the patient, with fairly equivalent results across all procedure types.
Synchronous hybrid repair for ruptured aneurysm of bovine aortic arch
Authors: Viswanathan Sidharth , Savlania Ajay , Agrawal Vivek , Parameshwarappa Shashidhar Kallapa , Raman Kapilamoorthy Tirur , Madathipat Unnikrishnan
Published: November 2013

Rupture of an aortic arch aneurysm is a life-threatening emergency with the risk of mortality escalating by the hour. We describe the successful hybrid repair of a ruptured bovine aortic arch aneurysm in a 75-year-old man, which involved aortic arch debranching by ascending aorta-bicarotid bypass followed by relining of the aortic lumen with a stent-graft. The procedure was not only lifesaving but also resulted in an active gentleman at 2-year follow-up. Considering the morbidity and mortality of open surgery using circulatory arrest, state-of-the-art synchronous hybrid repair seems to be an effective alternative for ruptured aortic arch aneurysms.
Aspergillus colonization in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma
Authors: Ali Sana , Malik Abida , Bhargava Rakesh , Shahid Mohammad , Fatima Nazish
Published: November 2013

Background

Aspergillus antigens such as galactomannan antigen, a cell wall polysaccharide, can be detected in patient’s serum or bronchoalveolar lavage. To study the prevalence of Aspergillus infection in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma, we measured galactomannan antigen in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage samples of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma.

Methods

The study was conducted on 45 bronchogenic carcinoma patients. The diagnosis of lung cancer was confirmed by bronchoscopy, histopathological and radiological examinations. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid collected from each patient by fiberoptic bronchoscopy was subjected to direct microscopy and culture on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar and Czapek-Dox agar, and Aspergillus galactomannan antigen was measured in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage samples.

Results

The majority of patients were male (93.3%) in the age group 51–60 years, 88.9% were addicted to gutka chewing, and 82.1% were addicted to smoking. Most patients complained of cough (73%) and shortness of breath (51.1%). Squamous cell carcinoma (64.4%) was the most common malignancy, followed by adenocarcinoma (13.3%). On culture of bronchoalveolar lavage samples, 35.5% showed growth of Aspergillus spp. ( Aspergillus fumigatus in 17.8%, Aspergillus flavus in 13.3%, and Aspergillus niger in 4.4%). Galactomannan antigen was detected in 58.3% of bronchoalveolar lavage samples and 47.2% of serum samples.

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of aspergillosis in patients with lung carcinoma, especially among smokers and gutka chewers.
Effects of remifentanil on processing of auditory stimuli: A combined MEG/EEG study
Authors: Quaedflieg Conny WEM , Münte Sinikka , Kalso Eija , Sambeth Anke
Published: November 2013

Remifentanil (Ultiva®) is a potent ultra-short acting mu-opioid receptor agonist used for perioperative pain treatment and anaesthesia. So far, it is not known how sensitive the cognitive processing of auditory perception elicited by the mismatch negativity (MMN) paradigm is to opioids. The present exploratory study investigated how the opioid remifentanil modulates different stages of auditory processing as reflected in the MMN(m) and P3a(m). We recorded electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) during auditory stimulation under remifentanil or placebo infusion in 20 healthy participants. For the MMN, a gender effect was found for tones deviating in frequency (± 10%) from the standard tone. Remifentanil increased the amplitude of the frequency MMN at F3 in females but not in males. No effect of treatment was found for the MMN(m) or the novel P3a(m). These results suggest that while the bottom-up stimulus change detection system for auditory stimuli appears to be relatively insensitive to opioids, the automatic attention switch caused by the change detection seems to be modulated by the opioid system in females. The multiple deviant paradigm including novel sounds is a promising tool for investigating pharmacological manipulation of different stages of auditory processing. Furthermore, combining the two techniques will yield more specific information about the drug effects on MMN(m).
Adult response to olanzapine or clozapine treatment is altered by adolescent antipsychotic exposure: A preclinical test in the phencyclidine hyperlocomotion model
Authors: Shu Qing , Hu Gang , Li Ming
Published: November 2013

This study examined how repeated olanzapine (OLZ) or clozapine (CLZ) treatment in adolescence alters sensitivity to the same drug in adulthood in the phencyclidine (PCP) hyperlocomotion model. Male adolescent Sprague-Dawley rats (postnatal day (P) 44–48) were first treated with OLZ (1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg, subcutaneously (sc)) or CLZ (10.0 or 20.0 mg/kg, sc) and tested in the PCP (3.2 mg/kg, sc)-induced hyperlocomotion model for five consecutive days. Then a challenge test with OLZ (0.5 mg/kg) or CLZ (5.0 mg/kg) was administered either during adolescence (~P 51) or after the rats matured into adults (~P 76 and 91). During adolescence, repeated OLZ or CLZ treatment produced a persistent inhibition of PCP-induced hyperlocomotion across the five test days. In the challenge test during adolescence, rats previously treated with OLZ did not show a significantly stronger inhibition of PCP-induced hyperlocomotion than those previously treated with vehicle (VEH). In contrast, those previously treated with CLZ showed a weaker inhibition than the VEH controls. When assessed in adulthood, the enhanced sensitivity to OLZ and the decreased sensitivity to CLZ were detected on ~P 76, even on ~P 91 in the case of OLZ. These findings suggest that adolescent OLZ or CLZ exposure can induce long-term alterations in antipsychotic response that persist into adulthood.
Effects of cranial electrotherapy stimulation on preoperative anxiety, pain and endocrine response
Authors: Lee Se-Hwa , Kim Woon-Young , Lee Chang-Hyung , Min Too-Jae , Lee Yoon-Sook , Kim Jae-Hwan , Park Young-Cheol
Published: November 2013

Objectives

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is used as a treatment for depression and anxiety, and as an adjunctive intervention for pain management. This prospective study investigated whether CES could decrease preoperative anxiety, the injection pain of rocuronium, postoperative pain and stress hormone levels.

Methods

Female patients undergoing thyroidectomy were randomly assigned to two groups, to receive either no pretreatment (control group) or CES pretreatment. Anxiety score, withdrawal response on rocuronium injection, and pain scores at 1, 4, 12 and 24 h post surgery were evaluated. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and glucose levels were measured. Patients were blinded to the treatment condition.

Results

Fifty patients entered the study ( n = 25 per group). Anxiety score and withdrawal responses during rocuronium injection were significantly reduced in the CES group compared with the control group. Pain score was significantly lower in the CES group than in the control group, 1 h and 4 h post surgery. There were no significant differences in ACTH, cortisol and glucose levels.

Conclusions

CES pretreatment appears to reduce the level of preoperative anxiety, injection pain of rocuronium and postoperative pain. However, CES pretreatment did not affect stress hormone responses.
Emergency diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding by detection of haemoglobin in nasogastric aspirate
Authors: Colak Sahin , Erdogan Mehmet Ozgur , Sekban Hilal , Afacan Mustafa Ahmet , Uras Ahmet Rıza , Ibrahim Abdullah , Okay Nahide Gizem
Published: November 2013

Objective

To determine the accuracy of the Faecal Occult Blood–Transferrin test (FOB–T; Certest Biotec, San Mateo de Gállego, Spain) for detection of blood in nasogastric aspirate, and its emergency diagnostic value for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB).

Methods

Nasogastric aspirate was collected from patients with haematemesis on admission to hospital. Haemoglobin was quantified on admission and after 12 h. FOB–T test was used to assess each nasogastric aspirate sample for the presence of haemoglobin and transferrin.

Results

Of 64 patients included in the study, 28 (43.8%) were hospitalized for UGIB based on physical examination, haemoglobin level. 24 were confirmed with endoscopy findings. Four were excluded from study due to lack of endoscopic confirmation. The remaining 36 patients had no clinical evidence of UGIB. FOB–T test findings were positive in 26/60 patients, including all 24 patients with UGIB. The FOB–T test had sensitivity 100%, specificity 94.4%, positive predictive value 92.3% and negative predictive value 100% for UGIB.

Conclusions

A negative FOB–T test may be sufficient to exclude the possibility of UGIB without other diagnostic tests.
Does Empowering Resident Families or Nursing Home Employees in Decision Making Improve Service Quality?
Authors: Hamann Darla J.
Published: November 2013

This research examines how the empowerment of residents’ family members and nursing home employees in managerial decision making is related to service quality. The study was conducted using data from 33 nursing homes in the United States. Surveys were administered to more than 1,000 employees on-site and mailed to the primary-contact family member of each resident. The resulting multilevel data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. The empowerment of families in decision making was positively associated with their perceptions of service quality. The empowerment of nursing staff in decision making was more strongly related to service quality than the empowerment of nonnursing staff. Among nursing staff, the empowerment of nursing assistants improved service quality more than the empowerment of nurses.
Is Contracting Out Good or Bad for Employees? A Review of International Experience
Authors: Vrangbæk Karsten , Petersen Ole Helby , Hjelmar Ulf
Published: November 2013

The past decades have witnessed an upsurge in governments’ use of contracting out as a means of reforming and privatizing public service delivery. This development has to a large extent been driven by efficiency and cost-effectiveness concerns, but may also result in important changes in the working conditions and work environment for the personnel in public organizations. In this article, we present the findings from a systematic review of studies documenting the consequences of contracting out for employees. The review is based on 26 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2012. We find both positive and negative effects for employees documented in the literature, although with a predominance of negative effects, including reductions in the workforce and other changes in the workforce composition such as the replacement of experienced employees with younger workers, poorer working conditions, lower salaries, fewer benefits, and reduced job satisfaction. We conclude that poorer conditions for the public service personnel are well documented as a short-term consequence of contracting out, while more studies covering a longer time-span are needed to assess whether the predominantly negative effects are transitory or will persist over time.
Does Public Service Motivation Influence the College Students’ Intention to Work in the Public Sector? Evidence From Korea
Authors: Lee Geon , Choi Do Lim
Published: November 2013

Previous studies have produced significant distinctions between public- and private-sector employees with respect to public service motivation (PSM) and PSM-related variables. Little, however, is known about whether those variables are associated with employment choice at a pre-entry level. This article will address this gap in the literature by exploring the effect of PSM on college students’ sector choice in Korea. In previous research on PSM, three types of PSM measures—Perry’s PSM scale, work values, and prosocial behaviors—were utilized as a PSM variable. In exploring the association between PSM and sector choice, we employed the three measures. The empirical model showed that PSM and prosocial behaviors were not associated with public-sector choice. Only job security was found to be a main reason why college students intended to enter the public sector in Korea. We will discuss the implications of our findings in this article.
Antioxidant status and hormonal profile reflected by experimental feeding of probiotics
Authors: Ghoneim Magdy A , Moselhy Said S
Published: November 2013

Excessive production of free radicals can result in tissue damage, which mainly involves generation of hydroxyl radical and other oxidants. Such free radical-induced cell damage appears to play a major role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Probiotics have been used therapeutically to modulate immunity, improve digestive processes, lower cholesterol, treat rheumatoid arthritis, and prevent cancer. The proposed research was designed to evaluate the changes in oxidative and antioxidative profile in addition to metabolic-related hormones of living animal model, which may generally affect the health status. Two groups of rabbits (10 animals each) were allocated in hygienic cages of controlled animal house. Control group received standard diet, and the other group received the same diet containing one probiotic for 30 days. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in leukocytes, blood glucose, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were estimated in different tissues. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total proteins were also determined in different tissues. Certain hormones related to metabolism and growth were also evaluated. Leukocytic LDH activity was significantly increased along with nonsignificant increase of blood glucose in probiotics-fed animals. Results showed significant decreases in the levels of triiodothyronine and thyroid-stimulating hormone but showed significant elevations in thyroxine, insulin, growth hormone, and testosterone levels in animals fed with probiotics. Total proteins content was highly significantly elevated in liver, kidneys, and muscles of probiotic-administered animals. Microsomal GSH level was significantly decreased only in skeletal muscles of probiotic-treated animals. MDA was significantly lowered in animal tissues fed with probiotics. GSH-Px activity was elevated in hepatic and muscular microsomes of probiotic-supplemented animals while it was nonsignificantly increased in renal microsomes. Microsomal SOD activity was elevated in liver, kidneys, and skeletal muscles of probiotics-administrated animals. It is concluded that supplementation of probiotic may enhance antioxidant efficacy and scavenge free radicals and thus may be used as a preventive measure for protection against free radicals-induced disorders.
Epilepsy and Sleep-Disordered Breathing as False Friends
Authors: Vitelli Ottavio , Miano Silvia , Tabarrini Alessandra , Mazzotta Anna Rita , Supino Maria Chiara , Forlani Martina , Villa Maria Pia
Published: November 2013

Because signs of nocturnal seizures can overlap with sleep respiratory events, clinicians can have difficulty distinguishing abnormal events related to sleep disorders from epileptic seizures. We describe the case of a 3-year-old child presenting with ictal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity associated with a particular form of atypical obstructive sleep apnea, characterized by increased respiratory rate, paradoxical breathing, desaturations, and tonic-dystonic posture associated with movement artifacts. Following cardiorespiratory polysomnography, the patient was initially misdiagnosed as having severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Operational effectiveness of blended e-learning program for nursing research ethics
Authors: Cho Kap-Chul , Shin Gisoo
Published: November 2013

Background:

Since 2006, the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and the National Research Foundation of Korea have taken the lead in developing an institutional guideline for research ethics.

Objectives:

The purpose was to identify the effectiveness of the Good Research Practice program, developed on a fund granted by the National Research Foundation of Korea, for nurses and nursing students whose knowledge and perception of research ethics were compared before and after the implementation of the Good Research Practice program.

Research design:

This study was conducted to compare the levels of knowledge and perception of research ethics in the participants before and after the program was implemented.

Participant and research context:

The participants included 45 nurses and 69 nursing students from hospitals, colleges of nursing, and the Korean Nurses Association, located in Seoul, Korea.

Ethical considerations:

This study was approved by the Institutional Research Board in Korea.

Findings:

Based on the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model, the Good Research Practice program was made up of a total of 30 h of the blended learning both online and off-line. The results of this study showed that there were statistically significant differences in both knowledge and perception of research ethics in nursing students and nurses before and after the program had been implemented.

Discussion:

The concepts of professional nursing ethics, moral issues, and bioethics were often confused with one another and not clearly defined. Therefore, the concept and scope of bioethics, moral judgment, and overall nursing ethics should be well defined and conceptualized in the future.

Conclusions:

This study suggested integrating research ethics education in the nursing curriculum as a required course of study for nursing students and as part of the in-service training program for nurses in order to improve research ethics in nursing research in Korea.
Values in a Science of Social Work
Authors: Longhofer Jeffrey , Floersch Jerry
Published: November 2013

While social work must be evaluative in relation to its diverse areas of practice and research (i.e., values-informed research), the purpose of this article is to propose that values are within the scope of research and therefore research on practice should make values a legitimate object of investigation (i.e., research-informed values). In this article, the fact/value debate in social work research is considered by offering reflection on the history and philosophy of this debate and by offering summary thoughts on how social work must engage with normativity (i.e., the ought, what matters most to people, and how the world and people matter) so the debate moves beyond mere questions about the relevance of values to the questions we ask, the methodologies we engage, the theories we promote, the interventions we support, our engagements with our many and diverse publics, and the investigation of values as causes.
A Comprehensive Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Cancer Center in Jordan
Authors: Shamieh Omar , Hui David
Published: November 2013

Context:

The palliative care program in King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) is growing rapidly to serve the needs of patients with cancer and their families.

Objective:

To describe the KHCC palliative care program and its integration into the oncology care.

Methods:

Narrative review of our palliative care program.

Results:

Patients with cancer at KHCC have access to an interprofessional palliative care at different settings. In 2012, the inpatient team saw 400 consultations and 979 referrals and admissions. The outpatient clinic had a total of 1133 patient visits. The home care program provided a total of 1501 visits. Our program is a regional center for education and training and actively conducts research.

Conclusion:

Our palliative care program may be a model for successful delivery of comprehensive cancer care in the Middle East.