bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning the requirements for compassionate practice
Authors: Curtis Katherine
Published: March 2013

Student nurses’ professional development arises through socialisation in nursing knowledge, values and behaviours. Students are expected to demonstrate compassion; however, compassion is a complex concept, one that creates emotional challenges. A grounded theory study was undertaken to explore student nurse socialisation in compassionate practice. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 19 students in the north of England during 2009–2010, and their concerns and concern management emerged. Students expressed several concerns, one being their emotional vulnerability and uncertainty of the emotional requirements for compassionate practice. A core category of ‘balancing future intentions’ was identified: that students managed feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty through balancing their intentions towards and away from engagement in compassionate practice, depending upon perceived impact on their emotional well-being. The findings are discussed in relation to emotional labour and moral distress, and courage, resilience and self-compassion are explored as a means to enable sustainable compassionate practice.
Understanding the Group Size Effect in Electronic Brainstorming
Authors: Paulus Paul B. , Kohn Nicholas W. , Arditti Lauren E. , Korde Runa M.
Published: March 2013

A number of studies on electronic brainstorming have found that large electronic groups can facilitate the number of ideas generated relative to control groups of similar numbers of solitary performers (nominal groups). Thus far there is no clear evidence for the basis of this facilitative effect. The most likely explanation is that group members benefit from exposure to the wide range of ideas in large groups. Since most electronic brainstorming studies appear to divide the presented ideas into subfolders to avoid overloading participants with too many ideas, this practice may be important for demonstration of a benefit of exposure to a large number of ideas. The present study was designed to assess the role of number of ideas and number of folders on individual idea generation and to eliminate some alternative interpretations for the group size effect. Participants performed an idea generation task on computers while being exposed to either no ideas, 28 ideas, or 112 ideas. The 28 and 112 ideas were presented in either one, four, or eight folders. The results indicated that only the number of ideas factor was important for facilitating idea generation.
Stories of Rediscovering Agency
Authors: Lindström Maria , Sjöström Stefan , Lindberg Margareta
Published: March 2013

As part of a larger study, we offered Everyday Life Rehabilitation (ELR) as a model for integrated occupational therapy in sheltered or supported housing facilities, to enable meaningful daily occupations for people with psychiatric disabilities. Our aim with this study was to understand how participants made sense of their occupational transformations in the context of their everyday life and life history. We carried out qualitative interviews and field observations with 16 participants with psychosis-related disorders. We used narrative analysis and disclosed stories of “rediscovering agency,” referring to occupational and identity transformations. A parallel outcome study has shown positive results for participants, and by using narrative inquiry we contribute with a deeper understanding of the meaning making of their transformations and mechanisms of the intervention; i.e., hope, extended value of reaching goals, reentering the majority world, transparency of process, and attunement to the individual. The findings support the use of the ELR intervention.
The Language of Compassion in Acute Mental Health Care
Authors: Crawford Paul , Gilbert Paul , Gilbert Jean , Gale Corinne , Harvey Kevin
Published: March 2013

In this article we examine the language of compassion in acute mental health care in the United Kingdom. Compassion is commonly defined as being sensitive to the suffering of others and showing a commitment to relieve it, yet we know little about how this is demonstrated in health professional language and how it is situated in the context of acute mental health care services. We report on a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of 20 acute mental health practitioner interview narratives about compassion and find a striking depletion in the use of “compassionate mentality” words, despite the topic focus. The language used by these practitioners placed more emphasis on time pressures, care processes, and organizational tensions in a way that might compromise best practice and point to the emergence of a “production-line mentality.”
Barriers to Improving Primary Care of Depression
Authors: Whitebird Robin R. , Solberg Leif I. , Margolis Karen L. , Asche Stephen E. , Trangle Michael A. , Wineman Arthur P.
Published: March 2013

Using clinical trials, researchers have demonstrated effective methods for treating depression in primary care, but improvements based on these trials are not being implemented. This might be because these improvements require more systematic organizational changes than can be made by individual physicians. We interviewed 82 physicians and administrative leaders of 41 medical groups to learn what is preventing those organizational changes. The identified barriers to improving care included external contextual problems (reimbursement, scarce resources, and access to/communication with specialty mental health), individual attitudes (physician and patient resistance), and internal care process barriers (organizational and condition complexity, difficulty standardizing and measuring care). Although many of these barriers are challenging, we can overcome them by setting clear priorities for change and allocating adequate resources. We must improve primary care of depression if we are to reduce its enormous adverse social and economic impacts.
Accuracy of Self-Reported Body Weight and Height in Remitted Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Wolfe Barbara E. , Kelly-Weeder Susan , Malcom Alexis W. , McKenery Michael
Published: March 2013

BACKGROUND: The literature reflects contradictory evidence on the ability of persons with anorexia nervosa (AN) to accurately report body weight and height. Furthermore, it is currently unknown if individuals are able to correctly report their weight and height following weight recovery from AN. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the accuracy of self-reported body weight and height following remission from anorexia nervosa (RAN). DESIGN: Individuals included women with RAN ( n = 45), anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 23), and controls (CON; n = 71). Subjective body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) was calculated from self-reported weight and height; objective BMI was calculated using values obtained with standard measures. RESULTS: Subjective weights were significantly less than objective weights for the RAN and CON groups ( p < .005). These groups reported being taller resulting in lower subjective BMIs ( p < .001). The AN group did not significantly differ on subjective and objective weight, height, or BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the importance of objective measures for early identification/relapse prevention.
The dance of communication: Retaining family membership despite severe non-speech dementia
Authors: Walmsley Bruce D. , McCormack Lynne
Published: March 2013

There is minimal research investigating non-speech communication as a result of living with severe dementia. This phenomenological study explores retained awareness expressed through non-speech patterns of communication in a family member living with severe dementia. Further, it describes reciprocal efforts used by all family members to engage in alternative patterns of communication. Family interactions were filmed to observe speech and non-speech relational communication. Participants were four family groups each with a family member living with non-speech communication as a result of severe dementia. Overall there were 16 participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. One superordinate theme, Dance of Communication, describes the interactive patterns that were observed during family communication. Two subordinate themes emerged: (a) in-step; characterised by communication that indicated harmony, spontaneity and reciprocity, and; (b) out-of-step; characterised by communication that indicated disharmony, syncopation, and vulnerability. This study highlights that retained awareness can exist at levels previously unrecognised in those living with limited or absent speech as a result of severe dementia. A recommendation for the development of a communication program for caregivers of individuals living with dementia is presented.
Determination of heat transfer by radiation in textile fabrics by means of method with known emissivity of plates
Authors: Bogusławska-Baczek Monika , Hes Lubos
Published: March 2013

High thermal resistance of thermal insulating fabrics is a major factor in the decision to use them in protective apparel applications, sleeping bags and other functional textiles. New standards and new applications of fibre layers in industrial textiles require more accurate methods of testing of their thermal resistance and conductivity, which minimise the dependence of the measured parameters on the testing conditions, such as the temperature drop between the plates of testing instrument and infrared radiation properties of these plates. In this article, the use of a testing method based on two different temperature drops between the plates of the ALAMBETA testing instrument revealed that the portion of heat transferred by radiation through the tested woven fabrics reached 12–17%. From the second series of measurements it follows that decrease in surface emissivity of the plates of the mentioned testing instrument influences the level of heat transfer by radiation between the plates of the ALAMBETA testing instrument and may cause the changes in the experimentally determined thermal conductivity and thermal resistance of certain porous fabrics. These changes presented up to 8% for the studied non-woven fabrics with low density.
Proactive versus reactive recruitment to a physical activity intervention for breast cancer survivors: Does it matter?
Authors: Zhou Eric S , Dunsiger Shira I , Pinto Bernardine M
Published: March 2013

Background

There is a gap in the current breast cancer survivorship literature identifying potential sample biases that may result from recruiting participants via different methods.

Purpose

To document whether participant recruitment method influences baseline demographic or psychosocial variables and trial participation among breast cancer survivors recruited for a physical activity intervention trial.

Methods

Participants were recruited for the trial via either a reactive method (letters mailed through their oncologist’s office inviting them to contact the research staff) or a proactive method (referred in person by their oncologist at a clinic appointment). The groups of participants recruited via the two methods were compared based on baseline sociodemographic characteristics, weight, time since diagnosis, stage of disease, treatment, motivational readiness for physical activity, level of physical activity, self-reported physical and mental health, willingness to receive the intervention, and study retention.

Results

Participants recruited proactively were closer to the point of diagnosis (mean = 2.5 years, standard deviation (SD) = 1.9 years) than participants recruited reactively via letter mailings (mean = 3.4 years, SD = 2.3 years; p < .05). The two groups were similar with respect to all other baseline characteristics and retention.

Limitations

Recruitment via the two methods was not concurrent. Also, proactive recruitment occurred at a single hospital site. Mailings were made by the oncologists; we are unable to estimate how many letters were mailed. Similarly, we have no information for the patients who were not referred to the study during proactive recruitment.

Conclusions

Despite the potential for differences in characteristics and degree of trial participation between trial participants recruited proactively and reactively, in this investigation, the two groups were similar. Information from other trials in other conditions may confirm or modify our conclusion.
Parenting with disabilities
Authors: Starke Mikaela , Wade Catherine , Feldman Maurice A , Mildon Robyn
Published: March 2013

This article reports on the initial stages of implementing an Australian-based education programme for parents with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in Sweden. The clinical utility of the programme, Parenting Young Children (PYC), in the new country context is explored through Swedish professionals’ experiences in learning and using it. Study participants found PYC well suited for use in their working environment. Most of them reported the programme to have strengthened their work with parents. The programme was seen as benefiting both the study participants in their work with parents with IDs and these parents themselves, and its structure and content were found to be helpful in several ways. The checklists forming part of PYC were considered useful, but their purpose was sometimes misunderstood. The reported study helps to identify what is needed to improve the translation of the programme into the new country context, to promote appropriate and more effective use of programme materials.
Non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity analysis of the model of structural systems with interval variables whose state of dependence is determined by constraints
Authors: Xiao Ning-Cong , Huang Hong-Zhong , Li Yan-Feng , Wang Zhonglai , Zhang Xiao-Ling
Published: March 2013

Non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity analysis for structural systems plays an important role in determining key design variables that affect structural reliability strongly. Traditional non-probabilistic model assumes that all interval variables are mutually independent. However, this assumption may not be true in practical engineering. In this article, the dependency of interval variables is introduced into the non-probabilistic model by using both inequality and equality constraints. The non-probabilistic index model and optimization method for structural systems with interval variables, whose state of dependence is determined by constraints, are proposed on the basis of the existing non-probabilistic index theory. The linear optimization model is alternative when nonlinear optimization model cannot find any solution. Non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity analysis model and optimization method for structural systems, with the interval variables whose state of dependence is determined by constraints, are established based upon the finite difference theory. The proposed method is demonstrated via several examples.
Paraneoplastic and Other Autoimmune Disorders of the Central Nervous System
Authors: McKeon Andrew
Published: March 2013

As a result of the burgeoning growth of disease-specific neural autoantibody markers available for diagnostic patient evaluation, there has been increasing awareness of autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) disorders in hospital practice. Hospital-based neurologists have also taken great interest in these disorders since many occur in the setting of an occult systemic cancer which can be detected and treated at an early stage, and many affected patients are responsive to immunotherapy. Associated neurological disorders are typically subacute in onset, some are common or classic (eg, limbic encephalitis, cerebellar degeneration), but others have atypical or multifocal presentations. For patients with a suspected paraneoplastic disorder, many and costly oncological evaluations may be required for diagnosis. Comprehensive serological and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evaluation for neural autoantibodies may permit a focused cancer evaluation (eg, antineuronal nuclear antibody type 1 [ANNA-1] is associated with small cell lung carcinoma), and in some circumstances may indicate the likelihood of a good response to therapy (eg, voltage-gated potassium channel complex antibody) or poor neurological prognosis (eg, purkinje cell cytoplasmic antibody type 1 [antiYo]). Positron-emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) imaging of trunk may increase the diagnostic yield for certain cancers where other modalities have been negative. For some patients, rapid treatment with immunotherapy may facilitate marked improvement, or full recovery; multiple sequential trials of one or more of steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange, or combination therapy are often required. For patients with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antibody encephalitis, early treatment with immunosuppressants and weeks or months of supportive intensive care may additionally be required. One or more of clinical examination, electroencephalogram (including video telemetry), and imaging provide objective parameters to which posttreatment outcomes can be compared.
Novel therapies for peripheral T-cell lymphomas
Authors: Shustov Andrei
Published: March 2013

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are a diverse family of lymphoid neoplasms with poor prognosis. They represent approximately 6–10% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas with significant geographic variation. The median age at diagnosis varies with histology, however the majority of patients with PTCL are in their fifth or sixth decade of life. Until recently clinical development of new agents for PTCL was slow due to difficulties in making the correct diagnosis, lack of uniform classification and combination of rarity and biologic diversity of the group. In the last 5 years, significant advances were made to overcome these obstacles, leading to the approval of three new agents for relapsed and refractory PTCL by the Food and Drug Administration, based on well conducted prospective studies. Pralatrexate, a unique antifol, was the first agent granted approval, followed by romidepsin, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and brentuximab vedotin, an immunoconjugate. Owing to the unique nature of these agents, durable responses were seen in patients with highly refractory disease, and some of these responses are long lasting after discontinuation of therapy. Accumulating data indicate that these novel agents have little cumulative toxicity and can be administered continuously to patients who are not candidates for consolidative stem-cell transplantation (SCT), with little impact on quality of life. They might also provide a new salvage option for patients eligible for SCT with no impact on autologous stem-cell collection or subsequent engraftment. New studies are underway to evaluate efficacy and safety of new agents in combination regimens for both newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory PTCL. Several other investigational drugs showed promise in recent trials. This review focuses on novel therapies for T-cell lymphomas, their place in current treatment paradigms and future directions.
Ramón y Cajal as an Analytical Chemist of Bottled Water? Use (and Misuse) of the Great Savant’s Repute by the Industry
Authors: Triarhou Lazaros C. , del Cerro Manuel
Published: March 2013

The name of the eminent neurohistologist Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) was occasionally mentioned in commercial labels by the Spanish industry advertising mineral waters from natural spring sources and their medical benefits. Concomitantly with his landmark neuroanatomical research, Cajal had served as director of the Alfonso XIII National Institute of Hygiene. In that capacity, his name had to be included in certificates as a mere bureaucratic formality. Cajal had an early interest in bacteriology, and introduced a pioneering chemical vaccine against cholera during the 1885 epidemic in Spain. However, in a letter to the Madrid press, he vehemently denied any involvement with actual chemical analyses or commercial promotion of products such as bottled water, medicinal wines, disinfectants, and even toothpaste. In this episode, we realize that Cajal’s view was absolutely contrary to the impression one might have gathered on the basis of the commercial documents alone.
Early molecular response and female sex strongly predict stable undetectable BCR-ABL1, the criteria for imatinib discontinuation in patients with CML
Authors: Branford Susan , Yeung David T. , Ross David M. , Prime Jodi A. , Field Chani R. , Altamura Haley K. , Yeoman Alexandra L. , Georgievski Jasmina , Jamison Bronte A. , Phillis Stuart , Sullivan Brad , Briggs Nancy E. , Hertzberg Mark , Seymour John F. , Reynolds John , Hughes Timothy P.
Published: March 2013

Key Points

Independent predictors of stable, undetectable BCR-ABL1 during first-line imatinib therapy were female sex and the BCR-ABL1 value at 3 months. Time to achieve an MMR influenced time to stable, undetectable BCR-ABL1, suggesting slower dynamics of BCR-ABL1 decline with delayed MMR.
On the spectral radius of bipartite graphs which are nearly complete
Authors: Das Kinkar Chandra , Cangul Ismail Naci , Maden Ayse Dilek , Cevik Ahmet Sinan
Published: March 2013

For

p
,
q
,
r
,
s
,
t
∈

Z
+

with

r
t
≤
p

and

s
t
≤
q

, let

G
=
G
(
p
,
q
;
r
,
s
;
t
)

be the bipartite graph with partite sets

U
=
{

u
1

,
…
,

u
p

}

and

V
=
{

v
1

,
…
,

v
q

}

such that any two edges

u
i

and

v
j

are not adjacent if and only if there exists a positive integer k with

1
≤
k
≤
t

such that

(
k
−
1
)
r
+
1
≤
i
≤
k
r

and

(
k
−
1
)
s
+
1
≤
j
≤
k
s

. Under these circumstances, Chen et al. (Linear Algebra Appl. 432:606-614, 2010) presented the following conjecture:

Assume that

p
≤
q

,

k
<
p

,

|
U
|
=
p

,

|
V
|
=
q

and

|
E
(
G
)
|
=
p
q
−
k

. Then whether it is true that

λ
1

(
G
)
≤

λ
1

(
G
(
p
,
q
;
k
,
1
;
1
)
)

=

p
q
−
k
+

p
2

q
2

−
6
p
q
k
+
4
p
k
+
4
q

k
2

−
3

k
2

2

.

In this paper, we prove this conjecture for the range

min

v
h

∈
V

{
deg

v
h

}
≤
⌊

p
−
1

2

⌋

.

MSC:05C05, 05C50.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a cohort of Chinese schoolchildren: comparison of two definitions and assessment of adipokines as components by factor analysis
Authors: Wang Qiaoxuan , Yin Jinhua , Xu Lu , Cheng Hong , Zhao Xiaoyuan , Xiang Hongding , Lam Hugh Simon , Mi Jie , Li Ming
Published: March 2013

Background

Although attention to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children has increased, there is still no universally accepted definition and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Our aim was to compare the current definitions of childhood MetS in a Chinese cohort and to examine the clustering pattern of MetS risk factors, particularly inclusion of leptin and adiponectin as additional components.

Methods

3373 schoolchildren aged 6 to 18 years were recruited. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters and adipokines were measured. MetS was identified using both the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and a modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) definitions. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to establish grouping of metabolic characteristics.

Results

For children ≥10 years, the prevalence of MetS was 14.3% in the obese group and 3.7% in the overweight group according to the new IDF definition, and 32.3% in the obese group and 8.4% in the overweight group according to the modified ATPIII definition. Frequency of hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), impaired fasting glucose, elevated blood pressure, and central obesity according to the new IDF definition was 16.7%, 20.7%, 15.8%, 25.5% and 75.5% in obese boys and 14.7%, 24.0%, 12.0%, 11.0% and 89.0% in obese girls, respectively. Metabolic abnormalities in children under 10 years of age were also noted. Using factor analysis on eight conventional variables led to the extraction of 3 factors. Waist circumference (WC) provided a connection between two factors in boys and all three factors in girls, suggesting its central role in the clustering of metabolic risk factors. Addition of leptin and adiponectin also led to the extraction of 3 factors, with leptin providing a connection between two factors in girls. When using WC, mean arterial pressure, triglyceride/HDL-C ratio, HOMA-IR and leptin/adiponectin ratio as variables, a single-factor model was extracted. WC had the biggest factor loading, followed by leptin/adiponectin ratio.

Conclusions

MetS was highly prevalent amongst obese children and adolescents in this cohort, regardless of the definition used. Central obesity is the key player in the clustering of metabolic risk factors in children, supporting the new IDF definition. Moreover, our findings suggest that a common factor may underlie MetS. Leptin/adiponectin ratio as a possible component of MetS deserves further consideration.
Health system delay in pulmonary tuberculosis treatment in a country with an intermediate burden of tuberculosis: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Jurcev-Savicevic Anamarija , Mulic Rosanda , Kozul Karlo , Ban Bozica , Valic Jasna , Bacun-Ivcek Ljiljana , Gudelj Ivan , Popijac-Cesar Gordana , Marinovic-Dunatov Snjezana , Simunovic Aleksandar
Published: March 2013

Background

Delayed diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis increase both the severity of the disease and the duration of infectivity. A number of studies have addressed the issue of health system delays in the treatment of tuberculosis, but mostly in countries with a high or low incidence of the disease. Our understanding of delay is quite limited in settings with an intermediate burden of tuberculosis. We explore the duration and factors associated with delays in the Croatian health system which has free health care and a sufficient network of health services providing tuberculosis diagnosis and care.

Methods

A total of 241 consecutive adults with culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis were interviewed in seven randomly selected Croatian counties and their medical records were evaluated. A health system delay was defined as the number of days from the first consultation with a physician to the initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment. A long delay was defined as a period exceeding the median delay, while an extreme delay was considered to be above the 75th percentile delay.

Results

The median health system delay was 15 days while the 75th percentile was 42 days (the 5th and 95th percentile being 1 and 105 days respectively). Almost 30% of tuberculosis patients remained undiagnosed for more than 30 days after the initial health care visit. Female patients (p = 0.005), patients with a negative sputum smear (p = 0.002) and patients having symptoms other than the usual ones (0.027) were found to be in significant correlation with a long delay. In a multivariate model, a long delay remained associated with the same variables (p = 0.008, p = 0.003, and p = 0.037, respectively).

A significant association was demonstrated between both the female gender (p = 0.042) and a negative sputum smear (p < 0.001) and extreme delay, while only a negative sputum smear (p < 0.001) remained significant in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that some groups of tuberculosis patients experienced a health system delay. In such a setting where tuberculosis incidence is decreasing, which leads to a lack of physician experience and expertise, training in tuberculosis is required. Such measure may be useful in reducing the number of missed opportunities for tuberculosis diagnosis.
Pre-analytical stability of the plasma proteomes based on the storage temperature
Authors: Pasella Sara , Baralla Angela , Canu Elisabetta , Pinna Sara , Vaupel James , Deiana Marta , Franceschi Claudio , Baggio Giovannella , Zinellu Angelo , Sotgia Salvatore , Castaldo Giuseppe , Carru Ciriaco , Deiana Luca
Published: March 2013

Background

This study examined the effect of storage temperature on the protein profile of human plasma. Plasma samples were stored for 13 days at -80°C, -20°C, +4°C and room temperature (20-25°C) prior to proteomic analysis. The proteomic comparisons were based on the differences of mean intensity values of protein spots between fresh plasma samples (named “time zero”) and plasma samples stored at different temperatures. To better understand the thermally induced biochemical changes that may affect plasma proteins during storage we identified proteins with different expressions with respect to the time zero sample.

Results

Using two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by MALDI-TOF MS and /or LC-MS/MS 20 protein spots representing 10 proteins were identified with significant differences in abundance when stored at different temperatures. Our results, in agreement with various authors, indicate that during storage for a short period (13 days) at four different temperatures plasma proteins were more affected by degradation processes at +4°C compared to the other temperatures analysed. However, we founded that numerous protein spots (vitamin D binding protein, alpha-1-antitrypsin, serotransferrin, apoplipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein E, haptoglobin and complement factor B) decrease in abundance with increasing temperature up to 4°C, but at room temperature their intensity mean values are similar to those of time zero and -80°C. We hypothesize that these proteins are labile at 4°C, but at the same time they are stable at room temperature (20-25°C). Furthermore we have grouped the proteins based on their different sensitivity to the storage temperature. Spots of serum albumin, fibrinogen gamma chain and haptoglobin are more resistant to the higher temperatures tested, as they have undergone changes in abundance only at room temperature; conversely, other spots of serum albumin, fibrinogen beta chain and serotransferrin are more labile as they have undergone changes in abundance at all temperatures except at -80°C.

Conclusions

Although there are many studies concerning protein stability of clinical samples during storage these findings may help to provide a better understanding of the changes of proteins induced by storage temperature.
A retrospective study: platinum-based induction chemotherapy combined with gemcitabine or paclitaxel for stage IIB-IIIA central non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Lv Chao , Ma Yuanyuan , Wu Nan , Yan Shi , Zheng Qingfeng , Sun Yu , Li Shaolei , Fang Jian , Yang Yue
Published: March 2013

Background

Several encouraging phase III clinical trials have evaluated platinum-based induction chemotherapy against stage IIB-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Chemotherapy efficacy was assessed using common regimens in this retrospective analysis.

Methods

From 2007 to 2011, the clinical records of stage IIB-IIIA NSCLC patients undergoing surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were reviewed. Gathered data were tested for significance and variables impacting survival were assessed by univariate and Cox regression analyses.

Results

Overall, 84% of patients were male and 93% had central disease. Platinum-based chemotherapy protocols with gemcitabine or paclitaxel gave an overall response rate of 55% (45/82) and 6.1% pathological complete response (5/82). Clinical response was unassociated with regimen or histology, while more pneumonectomies were performed in the stable compared to partial response disease group (P =0.040). Postoperative mortality was 1.2% (1/82), and complications, unassociated with regimen or histology, were atelectasis (26.8%) and supraventricular arrhythmias (13.4%). Right-sided procedures appeared to increase the incidence of bronchopleural fistula (P =0.073). The median disease-free survival time was 18 months and median overall survival time was not reached. Disease-free survival rates at one, two, and three years were 54%, 47%, and 33%, while the overall survival rate was 73%, 69%, and 59%, respectively. Disease-free survival predictors were radiographic response and mediastinal lymphadenopathy before chemotherapy (P =0.012 and 0.002, respectively).

Conclusions

Two cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy with gemcitabine or paclitaxel is efficacious for patients with stage IIB-IIIA central disease. Patients achieving clinical response had improved disease-free survival times, while those with mediastinal lymphadenopathy had a higher postoperative recurrence risk.
Evaluation of visible light communication channel delay profiles for automotive applications
Authors: Lee SeokJu , Kwon Jae Kyun , Jung Sung-Yoon , Kwon Young-Hoon
Published: March 2013

In this article, we present channel delay profiles based on simulated data regarding the practical conditions for the use of visible light communication (VLC) in automotive applications such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Practical vehicular LED headlamp and street lamp that consider the lighting regulation for transportation are used to design the ITS scenarios based on VLC. We modeled two usage scenarios, crossroad and metropolitan street, using the CATIA V5 tool. Measurements for the VLC channel delay profile evaluation were then gathered by using a ray-tracing scheme employing commercial LightTools software under the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication links. From the obtained channel impulse responses from both scenarios, we derived the VLC channel delay profiles. From them, we found that the common property of the delay profile was composed of dominant multiple line of sight (LOS) links and a less number of non-LOS delay taps. However, the channel delay profile for the V2I link and metropolitan scenario show more dispersive channel characteristics due to the reflection and diffusion of the visible light.
Immune response profiling identifies autoantibodies specific to Moyamoya patients
Authors: Sigdel Tara K , Shoemaker Lorelei D , Chen Rong , Li Li , Butte Atul J , Sarwal Minnie M , Steinberg Gary K
Published: March 2013

Background

Moyamoya Disease is a rare, devastating cerebrovascular disorder characterized by stenosis/occlusion of supraclinoid internal carotid arteries and development of fragile collateral vessels. Moyamoya Disease is typically diagnosed by angiography after clinical presentation of cerebral hemorrhage or ischemia. Despite unclear etiology, previous reports suggest there may be an immunological component.

Methods

To explore the role of autoimmunity in moyamoya disease, we used high-density protein arrays to profile IgG autoantibodies from the sera of angiographically-diagnosed Moyamoya Disease patients and compared these to healthy controls. Protein array data analysis followed by bioinformatics analysis yielded a number of auto-antibodies which were further validated by ELISA for an independent group of MMD patients (n = 59) and control patients with other cerebrovascular diseases including carotid occlusion, carotid stenosis and arteriovenous malformation.

Results

We identified 165 significantly (p < 0.05) elevated autoantibodies in Moyamoya Disease, including those against CAMK2A, CD79A and EFNA3. Pathway analysis associated these autoantibodies with post-translational modification, neurological disease, inflammatory response, and DNA damage repair and maintenance. Using the novel functional interpolating single-nucleotide polymorphisms bioinformatics approach, we identified 6 Moyamoya Disease-associated autoantibodies against APP, GPS1, STRA13, CTNNB1, ROR1 and EDIL3. The expression of these 6 autoantibodies was validated by custom-designed reverse ELISAs for an independent group of Moyamoya Disease patients compared to patients with other cerebrovascular diseases.

Conclusions

We report the first high-throughput analysis of autoantibodies in Moyamoya Disease, the results of which may provide valuable insight into the immune-related pathology of Moyamoya Disease and may potentially advance diagnostic clinical tools.
Effect of substrate stiffness on early human embryonic stem cell differentiation
Authors: Eroshenko Nikolai , Ramachandran Rukmani , Yadavalli Vamsi K , Rao Raj R
Published: March 2013

Background

The pluripotency and self renewing properties of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) make them a valuable tool in the fields of developmental biology, pharmacology and regenerative medicine. Therefore, there exists immense interest in devising strategies for hESC propagation and differentiation. Methods involving simulation of the native stem cell microenvironment, both chemical and physical, have received a lot of attention in recent years. Equally important is evidence that cells can also sense the mechanical properties of their microenvironment. In this study, we test the hypothesis that hESCs accept mechanical cues for differentiation from the substrate by culturing them on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of varying stiffness.

Results

PDMS substrates were prepared using available commercial formulations and characterized for stiffness, surface properties and efficiency of cell attachment and proliferation. Across different substrate stiffness, cell numbers, cell attachment and cell surface area were found to be similar. Expression of pluripotency markers decreased with increased time in culture across all PDMS substrates of varying stiffness. Analysis of gene expression of differentiation markers indicates that the differentiation process becomes less stochastic with longer culture times.

Conclusions

We evaluated the utility of PDMS substrates for stem cell propagation and substrate mediated differentiation. The stiffness affected gene expression of pluripotent and differentiation markers with results indicating that these substrate systems could potentially be used to direct hESC fate towards early mesodermal lineages. This study suggests that coupled with soluble factors, PDMS substrates could potentially be useful in generating defined populations of differentiated cells.
3-M syndrome associated with growth hormone deficiency: 18 year follow-up of a patient
Authors: Meazza Cristina , Lausch Ekkehard , Pagani Sara , Bozzola Elena , Calcaterra Valeria , Superti-Furga Andrea , Silengo Margherita , Bozzola Mauro
Published: March 2013

3-M syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that causes short stature, unusual facial features and skeletal abnormalities. Mutations in the CUL7, OBSL1 and CCDC8 genes could be responsible for 3-M syndrome.

Here we describe the growth and evolution of dismorphic features of an Italian boy with 3-M syndrome and growth hormone deficiency (GHD) from birth until adulthood. He was born full term with a very low birth weight (2400 g=−3.36 standard deviation score, SDS) and length (40.0 cm =−6.53 SDS). At birth he presented with a broad, fleshy nose with anteverted nostrils, thick and patulous lips, a square chin, curvilinear shaped eyebrows without synophrys, short thorax and long slender bones. Then, during childhood tall vertebral bodies, hip dislocation, transverse chest groove, winged scapulae and hyperextensible joints became more evident and the diagnosis of 3-M syndrome was made; this was also confirmed by the finding of a homozygous deletion in exon 18 of the CUL7 gene, which has not been previously described.

The patient also exhibited severe GHD (GH <5 ng/ml) and from the age of 18 months was treated with rhGH. Notwithstanding the early start of therapy and good compliance, his growth rate was always very low, except for the first two years of treatment and he achieved a final height of 132 cm (−6.42 SDS).
Possible rheumatoid arthritis subtypes in terms of rheumatoid factor, depression, diagnostic delay and emotional expression: an exploratory case-control study
Authors: Tillmann Taavi , Krishnadas Rajeev , Cavanagh Jonathan , Petrides KV
Published: March 2013

Introduction

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been implicated in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly as vulnerable personality types are exposed to chronic stress. Emotions are powerful modulators of stress responses. However, little is known about whether patients with RA process emotions differently to matched controls. In this study we: 1) assessed whether the trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) scores of patients with RA differ from healthy controls at the facet level; 2) explored any subgroups in RA, in terms of trait EI and common risk factors.

Methods

A total of 637 patients with RA were compared to 496 controls on the trait EI Questionnaire (TEIQue). RA subgroups were explored in terms of trait EI, rheumatoid factor status (RF+/-), depression and time from onset of symptoms until diagnosis (diagnostic delay).

Results

The RA group rated themselves lower on Adaptability, Stress-management, Emotion management, Self-esteem, Sociability, Assertiveness, Impulsiveness and Well-being, and higher on Empathy and Relationships than healthy controls. The RF- subtype reported more time with depression (25.2 vs. 11.3 months), a longer diagnostic delay (3.0 vs. 1.7 years), and greater emotional expression (5.15 vs. 4.72), than the RF+ subtype. These differences were significant at the P <0.05 level, but not following strict Bonferroni corrections and should therefore be treated as indicative only. RF- patients with a longer diagnostic delay reported depression lasting three times longer (42.7 months), when compared to three other subtypes (11.0 to 12.7 months).

Conclusions

RA patients and controls differ in their emotion-related personality traits, as operationalized by trait EI. These differences may make people with RA more susceptible to chronic stress and HPA-axis dysregulation. RA may be a highly heterogeneous illness where at least two subtypes may be characterized by personality, psychiatric and immunological differences. RF- status, as well as diagnostic delay and emotional expression, may predict future risk of depression. Research on the causes of RA could benefit from a systems science approach.
Frequency-dependent seismic anisotropy due to fractures: Fluid flow versus scattering
Authors: Baird Alan F. , Kendall J.-Michael , Angus Doug A.
Published: March 2013

Anisotropy is a useful attribute for the detection and characterization of aligned fracture sets in petroleum reservoirs. Unfortunately, many of the traditional effective medium theories for modeling the seismic properties of fractured rock are insensitive to the size of the constituent fractures. For example, the same pattern of anisotropy may be produced by a high concentration of small, stiff cracks or by a lower concentration of large, compliant fractures. The distinction between these models is important for assessing permeability anisotropy because fluid flow is dominated by the largest fractures. One method to gain further insight is through the analysis of frequency-dependent shear-wave splitting in microseismic data because fracture compliance is frequency dependent, and microseismic data are relatively rich in frequency content. We compared two potential mechanisms causing frequency-dependent compliance of fractures: (1) squirt flow in fractured porous rock and (2) wave scattering over rough fractures. Both models showed a sensitivity to average fracture size or compliance of the constituent fractures, and thus they provide a potential means to differentiate between anisotropy produced by small cracks or large fractures. We used both mechanisms to model frequency-dependent anisotropy data obtained from a fractured gas reservoir and invert for fracture parameters. Under certain conditions, the squirt-flow mechanism can cause significant frequency dependence in the microseismic band. However, the model is highly sensitive to the empirically derived mineral-scale relaxation time, which is poorly known and requires laboratory measurements to constrain. Conversely, producing a similar frequency response using the scattering model requires implausible fracture parameters; therefore, the squirt-flow model appears to be the most likely mechanism for microseismic applications. At higher frequencies, however, scattering may become more significant. Care should be taken when upscaling ultrasonic laboratory results for field-scale problems because different mechanisms may be at play within different frequency bands.
L1 pseudo-Vz estimation and deghosting of single-component marine towed-streamer data
Authors: Ferber Ralf , Caprioli Philippe , West Lee
Published: March 2013

We present a novel technique estimating the vertical component of particle motion from marine single-component pressure data. The particle motion data, bar an angle-dependent obliquity factor, is computed by convolution of the output from L1 deconvolution of the pressure ghost wavelet with the corresponding ghost wavelet of the particle motion. The estimated particle motion data is then used in a conventional 2D technique for receiver ghost attenuation by combination with the original pressure-wave data. The proposed new technique operates in the τ-[Formula: see text] domain of individual shot-streamer records and in overlapping windows along the intercept-time axis. In each window, the L1 deconvolution is achieved by an iteratively reweighted-norm least squares algorithm. We applied our technique to deep-tow streamer data of a 3D over/sparse-under marine survey, in which six streamers were towed at a shallow depth, with two additional streamers towed deeper. Over/sparse-under technology allows using seismic measurements from a shallow streamer to be complemented by a low-frequency limited measurement from a deep streamer to achieve an estimate of the up-going pressure wave recording. The low frequencies of the deep streamer are used to boost the low frequencies of the shallow streamer, which have been heavily attenuated by the shallow tow ghost response. Our technique achieves, on this particular data, set improvements in bandwidth of the single-component pressure data, while not fully reaching the quality of the optimally deghosted data from the over/sparse-under survey.
Variable-depth streamer acquisition: Broadband data for imaging and inversion
Authors: Soubaras Robert , Lafet Yves
Published: March 2013

Conventional marine acquisition uses a streamer towed at a constant depth. The resulting receiver ghost notch gives the maximum recoverable frequency. To push this limit, the streamer must be towed at a quite shallow depth, but this compromises the low frequencies. Variable-depth streamer (VDS) acquisition is an acquisition technique aimed at achieving the best possible signal-to-noise ratio at low frequencies by towing the streamer very deeply, but by using a depth profile varying with offset in order not to limit the high-frequency bandwidth by notches as in conventional constant-depth streamer acquisition. The idea is to use notch diversity, each receiver having a different notch, so that the final result, combining different receivers, will have no notches. The key step to process VDS acquisitions is the receiver deghosting. We found that the optimal receiver deghosting, instead of being a preprocessing step, should be done postimaging, by using a dual-input, migration and mirror migration, and a new joint deconvolution algorithm that produces a 3D real amplitude deghosted output. This method can be applied poststack, the inputs being the migration and mirror migration images and the output being the deghosted image. Using a multichannel joint deconvolution, the inputs are the migrated and mirror migrated image gathers and the outputs are the prestack deghosted image gathers. This method preserves the amplitude-versus-offset behavior, as the deghosted output can be seen on synthetic examples to be equal to a reference computed by migrating the data modeled without any reflecting water surface. A real data set was used to illustrate this method, and another one was used to check the possibility of performing prestack elastic inversion on the deghosted gathers.