bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social workers' attitudes towards the unemployed in the Nordic countries
Authors: Kallio Johanna , Blomberg Helena , Kroll Christian
Published: June 2012

Kallio J, Blomberg H, Kroll C. Social workers' attitudes towards the unemployed in the Nordic countries

In recent decades, municipal social workers have become the implementers of new types of social policy measures aimed at activating the unemployed. These policies put a greater emphasis on the individual's own responsibility for being unemployed. Little is known, however, about how social workers view the unemployed – one factor that might influence how policies are in fact implemented. Therefore, our purpose was to analyse Nordic social workers' attitudes towards the unemployed and their determinants: Do social workers' attitudes correspond with a more individualistic view on unemployment? We utilised the data from surveys of professional social workers in four Nordic countries. Our analyses showed that individualistic attitudes towards the unemployed appeared to be rather rare among Nordic social workers. However, attitudinal differences were found between and within countries.
Apolipoprotein E/C1/C4/C2 Gene Cluster Diversity in Two Native Andean Populations: Aymaras and Quechuas
Authors: Gayà‐Vidal Magdalena , Athanasiadis Georgios , Carreras‐Torres Robert , Via Marc , Esteban Esther , Villena Mercedes , Vasquez René , Dugoujon Jean‐Michel , Moral Pedro
Published: June 2012

The APOE/C1/C4/C2 gene cluster presents high relevance in lipid metabolism and, therefore, has important epidemiological implications. Here, we study for the first time the variation patterns of 25 polymorphisms (10 short tandem repeats, STRs, and 15 single nucleotide polymorphismas, SNPs) in two native Andean samples from Bolivia (45 Aymaras and 45 Quechuas) as well as one European sample (n = 41) as external reference. We estimated diversity parameters, linkage disequilibrium patterns, population structure, and possible selective effects. In general, diversity was low and could be partly attributed to selection (probably due to its physiological importance), since the APOE/C1/C4/C2 region was highly conserved compared to the flanking genes in both Bolivians and Europeans. Moreover, the lower gene diversity in Bolivians compared to Europeans for some markers might indicate different demographic histories. Regarding the APOE isoforms, in addition to ɛ3 (94%) and ɛ4 (5%), isoform ɛ2 (1%) was also detected in Bolivians. In relation to previous hypotheses, our results support that genetic drift or founder effects rather than selection for increased cholesterol absorption are the main factors that have shaped the distribution of APOE isoforms observed in South America.
A Functional Genetic Variation of the 5‐HTR2A Receptor Affects Age at Onset in Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Manna Ida , Labate Angelo , Mumoli Laura , Palamara Grazia , Ferlazzo Edoardo , Aguglia Umberto , Quattrone Aldo , Gambardella Antonio
Published: June 2012

The 1354C>T polymorphism of the 5‐hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A gene (5‐HTR2A) was implicated in human memory performance. We investigated the relationship between this polymorphism and cognitive function in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We also evaluated if this polymorphism could influence the phenotype. There were 138 patients with TLE: 25% (34/138) of them found to be cognitively impaired, while the remaining 104 of 138 (75%) were found to be cognitively preserved after a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. dHPLC followed by DNA sequencing was used to detect the genetic variation. The distribution of 1354C>T did not differ between these two TLE groups, both in the comparison of genotype distribution (P= 0.177) and allele frequencies (P = 0.065). Nonetheless, patients with the T allele had a significantly earlier age at onset of the disease (P= 0.006). This effect was even stronger in patients with impaired memory (P= 0.00015). A second independent sample of 86 individuals with TLE satisfactorily confirmed the relationship between T allele and age at epilepsy onset. The results of this study have demonstrated that the T variant of 5‐HTR2A may influence an earlier age of onset of TLE, especially in those with impaired memory. Nonetheless, this polymorphism has no major impact on memory functions in such TLE patients.
Musical training facilitates the neural discrimination of major versus minor chords in 13‐year‐old children
Authors: Virtala P. , Huotilainen M. , Putkinen V. , Makkonen T. , Tervaniemi M.
Published: June 2012

Music practice since childhood affects the development of hearing skills. An important classification in Western music is the chords’ major‐minor dichotomy. Its preattentive auditory discrimination was studied here using a mismatch negativity (MMN) paradigm in 13‐year‐olds with active hobbies, music‐related (music group) or other (control group). In a context of root major chords, root minor chords and inverted major chords were presented infrequently. The interval structure of inverted majors differs more from root majors than the interval structure of root minors. However, the identity of the chords is the same in inverted and root majors (major), but different in root minors. The deviant chords introduced no new frequencies to the paradigm. Hence, an MMN caused by physical deviance was prevented. An MMN was elicited by the minor chords but not by the inverted majors. The MMN amplitude in the music group was larger than in the control group. Thus, the conceptual discrimination skills are present already in the preattentive processing level of the auditory cortex, and musical training can advance these skills.
Interactional influence of fatigue and task difficulty on cardiovascular response: Demonstrations involving an aerobic exercise challenge
Authors: Wright Rex A. , Shim Jin Joo , Hogan Beverly K. , Duncan Jessica , Thomas Casey
Published: June 2012

Experiments were executed to provide new evidence relevant to the recent suggestion that fatigue should augment or retard cardiovascular response depending on the difficulty of the challenge at hand. Participants walked on a treadmill while wearing a vest fitted with 5 or 25 pounds of weight. Later, they mounted a recumbent stationary bicycle and were asked to pedal with the chance to earn a modest incentive if they attained a low or high cycling standard (i.e., if they met an easy or difficult cycling challenge). Analysis of CV responses during the cycling period indicated expected interactions for systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Whereas responses were stronger for the Heavy‐Vest (i.e., high‐fatigue) group when the standard was low, they were weaker for this group when the standard was high. Experiments 2 and 3 evaluated a nonfatigue interpretation of the main results and yielded findings that supported the fatigue interpretation.
The role of sustained posterior brain activity in the serial chaining of two cognitive operations: A MEG study
Authors: Fan Zhao , Muthukumaraswamy Suresh D. , Singh Krish D. , Shapiro Kimron
Published: June 2012

A fundamental necessity in human cognition is to link sequential mental operations where appropriate execution of the second task requires input from the first. The present study explores the neural basis of such “chaining” using a novel psychological refractory period (PRP) task. Participants were required to make speeded responses to two sequential visual tasks that were chained or independent.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals were recorded simultaneously to reveal the brain's response to these similar but fundamentally different conditions. RTs to Task 1 and 2 were slower in the Chained condition, and their temporal coupling weakened, relative to the Independent condition. MEG analysis of the accompanying event‐related fields (ERFs) revealed an increased sustained posterior component in the Chained condition beginning approximately 350 ms after Task 2 onset and lasting for 450 ms. Beamformer localization of this ERF effect revealed a left hemisphere source near the junction of the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes. These results extend our understanding of the behavioral and corresponding neural mechanisms required by everyday decision making.
Influence of manufacturing conditions and discrimination of Northern Spanish cheeses using multi‐element analysis
Authors: MORENO‐ROJAS RAFAEL , CÁMARA‐MARTOS FERNANDO , SÁNCHEZ‐SEGARRA PEDRO JOSÉ , AMARO‐LÓPEZ MANUEL ÁNGEL
Published: June 2012

Thirty‐three samples of cheeses belonging to different Protected Designation of Origin (PDOs) located in Northern Spain were analysed with the aim of studying the influence of processing conditions on the minerals and trace elements content in cheeses. The use of sheep milk, animal rennet, salting by immersion in a brine bath and ripening in cheeses reported, in general, the highest levels of trace elements. Moreover, pattern recognition analysis of multi‐elemental data, based on mineral and trace element content, was used to determine geographical traceability and to detect possible imitations with a correct classification in 98.5% of cases.
Eating disorders: challenges in the later phases of the recovery process
Authors: Pettersen Gunn , Thune‐Larsen Kari‐Brith , Wynn Rolf , Rosenvinge Jan H.
Published: June 2012

Scand J Caring Sci; 2013; 27; 92–98

Eating disorders: challenges in the later phases of the recovery process

Little is known about how patients experience the later recovery phases of eating disorders. The aim of this study was to describe such experiences using an explorative and descriptive design based on content analysis. Thirteen female patients participated in qualitative interviews. The analysis resulted in four main categories, that is, (i) realising negative consequences, (ii) searching for alternative coping, (iii) searching for normality and identity and (iv) accepting the losses. The categories represent normal psychological processes related to grief, commitment and reconciliation. Such processes may be functionally or dysfunctionally resolved. The clinical implication is that patients in the later recovery phases may need professional help or counselling to accomplish a functional resolving. While in the initial phases of illness and recovery, a focus is on controlling symptoms and the changing of overvalued ideas about weight and shape, therapy in the later recovery phases should focus on the psychological management of the challenges represented in the four categories resulting from the present study.
Towards geographies of ‘alternative’ education: a case study of UK home schooling families
Authors: Kraftl Peter
Published: June 2012

In this paper, I argue for the development of geographies of ‘alternative’ education. In light of growing geographical interest in education, I argue for a focus on sites that explicitly offer non‐mainstream, non‐state‐sanctioned forms of learning in contexts where it is assumed that children will go to school. I exemplify my discussion through interviews with 30 UK‐based homeschooling families. In seeking to advance geographical research on education, I make three key contributions. First, I exemplify how focusing on learning itself – and not just spatial contexts for learning – uncovers how spatial experiences and discourses are key to the constitution of alternative educational practices like homeschooling. Second, I consider the multiple and contradictory ways in which homeschooling constituted an ‘alternative’ educational space, discuss whether and how geographers should seek to affirm (all) such spaces and attend to some of the potential political/moral dilemmas that are provoked by the place of emotion in homeschoolers’ accounts. Third, I outline briefly some implications of this paper for further research on geographies of education, and family/inter‐generational relations.
Petrarch's letters of recommendation
Authors: AUSTIN KENNETH
Published: June 2012

This article uses the letters of recommendation that Petrarch included in his published collections of letters as a case study to illuminate several aspects of Renaissance epistolarity. It considers the relationships between Petrarch, the people he was recommending, and the recipients of his letters, and analyses the rhetorical strategies that he adopted in them. In particular, it highlights the significance of friendship as providing both a context for, and a justification of, the requests these letters contained. More broadly, it examines how Petrarch sought to resolve the apparent contradiction between the supposedly spontaneous nature of the ‘familiar’ letter and the rather more formulaic character associated with a letter intended for a specific purpose. In addition, these letters are considered as elements within ‘constructed’ texts in order to shed light on the relationship between published letter collections and letter‐writing manuals. These two genres have tended to be treated separately, but it is clear that they overlapped in a number of ways.
Fine mapping of hepatitis B virus pre‐S deletion and its association with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Kao Jia‐Horng , Liu Chun‐Jen , Jow Guey‐Mei , Chen Pei‐Jer , Chen Ding‐Shinn , Chen Bing‐Fang
Published: June 2012

Background

Naturally occurring pre‐S deletion mutants have been identified in hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Aims

This study investigated whether specific deletions within the pre‐S region were associated with HCC development.

Methods

The virologic characteristics of 56 HBV chronic carriers and 112 age‐matched patients with HBV‐related HCC were examined.

Results

The HCC patients had a significantly higher frequency of high viral load, basal core promoter mutation and pre‐S deletion than chronic carriers. Sequencing analysis showed that the deleted regions were clustered mainly in the C terminus of pre‐S1 (70.5%) and the N terminus of pre‐S2 (72.7%) in HCC patients. Immuno‐epitope mapping of these pre‐S deletion sequences showed that all the deletion regions encompassed T‐ and B‐ cell epitopes and the B‐cell epitope at amino acid 1–6 of pre‐S2 was significantly deleted in HCC patients (60.0% vs. 0.0%; P = 0.036). Functional mapping of these deletion mutants showed that most of HCC patients lost one or more functional sites and the deletion of site for viral secretion (aa 1–5 of pre‐S2 domain) was significantly detected in HCC patients than chronic carriers (62.5% vs. 0.0%; P = 0.029). Computational protein function prediction indicated that these mutants may have different molecular functions and participate in other biological processes compared with wild‐type pre‐S.

Conclusions

Deletion of B‐cell epitope at amino acid 1–6 of pre‐S2 region and the site for virion secretion are significantly associated with the development of HCC in HBV carriers.
Prognostic indicators of survival in patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis
Authors: Zipprich Alexander , Garcia‐Tsao Guadalupe , Rogowski Sebastian , Fleig Wolfgang E. , Seufferlein Thomas , Dollinger Matthias M.
Published: June 2012

Background/Aims

Patients with cirrhosis are classified in a compensated and a decompensated stage. Portal hypertension is responsible for most of the complications of cirrhosis that mark the transition from compensated to decompensated cirrhosis. The objectives of this study were (a) to analyse survival of the different stages and substages of cirrhosis and (b) to examine the prognostic value of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) at each of the stages.

Methods

A total of 729 patients with suspected cirrhosis underwent routine measurement of portal pressure and systemic haemodynamics between 11/1995 and 12/2004. The primary end‐point of the study was death, collected until November 30th, 2006. Multivariable analysis was performed using two models to determine predictors of death at each stage.

Results

A total of 443 patients were included in the study. The 1‐year mortality was 5.4% in compensated and 20.2% in decompensated patients. Compensated patients in stage 1 (no varices) had a longer survival than stage 2 patients (varices present) (P = 0.015). In decompensated patients, survival was not different between stage 3 (ascites, with or without varices) and stage 4 (variceal haemorrhage, with or without ascites). Age and HVPG (cut‐off 10 mmHg) were independent predictors of death in compensated patients, whereas MELD was in decompensated patients.

Conclusion

Survival rates and predictors of death are different between patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. Unlike the Italian cohort staging system, ascites is a better stratifying clinical event than variceal haemorrhage in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The presence of clinically significant portal hypertension has prognostic value in compensated cirrhosis.
Mode of anaesthetic for category 1 caesarean sections and neonatal outcomes
Authors: Beckmann Michael , Calderbank Susan
Published: June 2012

Background

Birth by emergency caesarean section (CS) is common and often considered urgent (category 1). In the UK, over half of all category 1 CS are performed under general anaesthesia (GA). In this setting, little is known about the effect of the mode of anaesthesia on the neonate.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed using routinely collected de‐identified data from Mater Health Services, Brisbane, Australia. The data set included 533 term babies born by category 1 CS for presumed fetal compromise between 2008 and 2011. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken.

Results

The outcomes of 81 babies born by GA CS were compared with 452 by CS under regional anaesthesia (RA). Compared with a category 1 CS under RA, the decision‐to‐delivery interval for a GA CS was almost eight minutes faster (24.7 vs 32.6 minutes; P < 0.001). When adjusted for confounders, babies born by category 1 GA CS were significantly more likely to have an Apgar score < 7 at five minutes (aOR 6.89; 95%CI 1.79–26.55; P = 0.005), to require Neopuff or bag/mask ventilation for > 60 seconds (aOR 2.34; 95%CI 1.13–4.84; P = 0.022) and to be admitted to a neonatal intensive care nursery (aOR 2.24; 95%CI 1.16–4.31; P = 0.016).

Conclusions

General anaesthesia was associated with short‐term neonatal morbidity of term babies born by category 1 CS for presumed fetal compromise, despite enabling a more rapid delivery of the baby. These data should help inform the discussion between anaesthetist and obstetrician, in balancing the risks and benefits of the mode of anaesthesia.
OSLdating of theMiddlePalaeolithicHotelCalifornia site,SierradeAtapuerca, north‐centralSpain
Authors: Arnold Lee J. , Demuro Martina , Navazo Marta , Benito‐Calvo Alfonso , Pérez‐González Alfredo
Published: June 2012

In this study we present optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results obtained at one of the most important open‐airMiddlePalaeolithic sites in theSierradeAtapuerca foothills –HotelCalifornia. We also assess the possibility of obtaining extended‐rangeOSLchronologies for a nearbyMiddlePleistocene fluvial deposit using several novel methods, namelyOSLdating of individual quartz ‘supergrains’, multi‐grain aliquot thermally transferredOSL(TT‐OSL) dating and the first application of a single‐grainTT‐OSLdating procedure. Four single‐grainOSLages constrain theMiddlePalaeolithic occupation ofHotelCalifornia to between 71±6 and 48±3 ka. TheHotelCalifornia single‐grain equivalent dose (De) distributions are highly overdispersed and contain several dose populations, which are probably attributable to post‐depositional sediment mixing, partial bleaching and intrinsic scatter. The reliability of multi‐grain aliquotOSLdating is compromised by the complex underlyingDedispersion affecting these samples, as well as by biasing multi‐grain averaging effects. Extended‐rangeOSLandTT‐OSLchronologies for the nearbyPicoRiver terrace are consistent with each other and with broad independent age control. These experimental approaches yield a weighted average age of 348±16 ka for terraceTA9of theArlanzónRiver sequence. Our results highlight the benefits of comparing ages obtained using severalOSLmethodologies to improve the robustness of luminescence chronologies. They also demonstrate the potential that single‐grainOSLtechniques offer for establishing improved age constraints on the many otherMiddlePalaeolithic sites found atAtapuerca and elsewhere across north‐centralSpain.
The Efficacy of Second‐Line Anti‐Helicobacter pylori Therapy Using an Extended 14‐Day Levofloxacin/Amoxicillin/Proton‐Pump Inhibitor Treatment – A Pilot Study
Authors: Chuah Seng‐Kee , Tai Wei‐Chen , Hsu Pin‐I , Wu Deng‐Chyang , Wu Keng‐Liang , Kuo Chung‐Mou , Chiu Yi‐Chun , Hu Ming‐Luen , Chou Yeh‐Pin , Kuo Yuan‐Hung , Liang Chih‐Ming , Chiu King‐Wah , Hu Tsung‐Hui
Published: June 2012

Background

Large meta‐analyses of second‐line
Helicobacter pylori eradication with fluoroquinolone triple therapy have shown that neither 7‐day nor 10‐day therapy provides 90% or better treatment success. Reports describing second‐line
H. pylori eradication using 14‐day fluoroquinolone‐containing triple therapy are few. Current study aimed to determine the efficacy of a 14‐day levofloxacin/amoxicillin/proton‐pump inhibitor regimen as second‐line therapy and the clinical factors influencing the outcome.

Materials and methods

One‐hundred and one patients who failed
H. pylori eradication using the standard triple therapy for 7 days were randomly assigned to either a levofloxacin/amoxicillin/esomeprazole group (levofloxacin 500 mg once daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, and esomeprazole 40 mg twice daily for 14 days) or a esomeprazole/metronidazole/bismuth salt/tetracycline group (esomeprazole 40 mg twice daily, metronidazole 250 mg four times daily, tripotassium dicitrate bismuthate 300 mg four times daily, and tetracycline 500 mg four times daily for 14 days). Follow‐up to assess treatment response consisted of either endoscopy or a urea breath test, which were carried out 8 weeks later.

Results

Eradication rates attained by levofloxacin/amoxicillin/esomeprazole and esomeprazole/metronidazole/bismuth salt/tetracycline treatments in the per‐protocol analysis were 44/47 (93.6%; 95% CI = 86–99.8) and 43/47 (91.8%; 95% CI = 83.2–98.5). In the intention‐to‐treat analysis, these were 43/47 (86.3%; 95% CI = 76.5–96.1) in the LAE group (four lost to follow‐up) and 43/50 (86%; 95% CI = 76–96) in the EMBT groups. The observed adverse events were 25.5% and 38.5% among the two groups. There was 100% drug compliance among the levofloxacin/amoxicillin/esomeprazole group. Levofloxacin‐resistant strains occurred at a frequency of 32.3%.
H. pylori eradication rates for the levofloxacin‐susceptible strains and levofloxacin‐resistant strains were 92% (11/12) and 33% (1/3) in the per‐protocol analysis.

Conclusions

A 14‐day levofloxacin/amoxicillin/esomeprazole triple therapy approach provides a >90% per‐protocol report card with the caveat that this approach is markedly less effective in the presence of fluoroquinolone resistance. Levofloxacin‐resistant strains are increasing in Taiwan.
The Late Medieval Kidney—Nephrology in and about the Fourteenth Century
Authors: Eknoyan Garabed
Published: June 2012

The Late Medieval Period was a decisive period in the history of medicine. It was then that medical education was integrated into the universities that were coming into existence and when medicine made its transition from a menial trade to a regulated profession with a statutory basis of learning and graduation. It was also then that the necessities of understanding the fabric of the body was realized; for the first time in history, the study of anatomy and of human dissection were incorporated into the medical curriculum. This was a defining change whose subsequent expansion and evolution would bring about the study of function (physiology) and changes in disease (pathology). Few advances were made in the study of the kidney, which was considered part of the venous circulation, whose function was subservient to that of nutrition in eliminating excess fluid. Uroscopy flourished and reached unrealistic levels of dominance in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognostication of any and all diseases, especially in the hands of quacks and charlatans. Alchemy, a mysterious pseudo‐science, blossomed into a discipline that nurtured experimentation and laid the rudimentary foundations of scientific study, chemistry, and pharmacology. It was also then that surgery took form as a specialty that actually provided much of the medical care of the period including that of the principal diseases of the kidney, obstruction and calculi, and thereby laid the foundations of what in time would become urology.
Father's Incarceration and Youth Delinquency and Depression: Examining Differences by Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Swisher Raymond R. , Roettger Michael E.
Published: June 2012

This article examines associations between biological father's incarceration and internalizing and externalizing outcomes of depression and serious delinquency, across White, Black, and Hispanic subsamples of youth in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Among respondents whose father was first incarcerated during childhood or adolescence, father's incarceration is found to be associated with increased depression and delinquency. On the whole, results indicate that associations between father's incarceration and depression and delinquency do not vary by race and ethnicity or gender. One exception is among Hispanic respondents, for whom having a biological father incarcerated is associated with an even higher propensity of delinquency than among White and Black respondents with incarcerated fathers.
Developing and Testing a Theoretical Framework for Computer‐Mediated Transparency of Local Governments
Authors: Grimmelikhuijsen Stephan G. , Welch Eric W.
Published: June 2012

This article contributes to the emerging literature on transparency by developing and empirically testing a theoretical framework that explains the determinants of local government Web site transparency. It aims to answer the following central question: What institutional factors determine the different dimensions of government transparency? The framework distinguishes three dimensions of transparency—decision making transparency, policy information transparency, and policy outcome transparency—and hypothesizes three explanations for each: organizational capacity, political influence, and group influence on government. Results indicate that each dimension of transparency is associated with different factors. Decision‐making transparency is associated with political influence; when left‐wing parties are strong in the local council, local government tends to be more transparent. Policy information transparency is associated with media attention and external group pressure, and policy outcome transparency is associated with both external group pressure and the organizational capacity. The authors discuss the implications for policy and administration.
A Dialogue between Naturopathy and Critical Medical Anthropology:
Authors: Baer Hans A. , Beale Cheryl , Canaway Rachel , Connolly Greg
Published: June 2012

Building on a dialogue between three trained naturopaths and a proponent of critical medical anthropology (CMA), this article highlights the relationship between health and society from the viewpoint of two fields that share this focal concern. Both naturopathy and CMA are committed to the notion of holistic health, although their approaches have historically been somewhat different. The responses of the three naturopaths to CMA exhibit both similarities and differences, particularly in terms of insights that CMA may make to naturopathy. This essay also articulates the CMA perspective of naturopathy and posits lessons that naturopathy can teach CMA.[naturopathy, critical medical anthropology, holistic health]
Assessing the Utility of Digital Rectal Exams in the ED
Authors: Kessler Chad
Published: June 2012

This lecture can be accessed online by visiting http://dl.dropbox.com/u/43902343/DRE‐re‐edit.mp4.

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19:693 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Standardized Reporting Guidelines for Emergency Department Syncope Risk‐stratification Research
Authors: Sun Benjamin C. , Thiruganasambandamoorthy Venkatesh , Cruz Jeffrey Dela ,   for the Consortium to Standardize ED Syncope Risk Stratification Reporting
Published: June 2012

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2012; 19:694–702 © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

There is increasing research interest in the risk stratification of emergency department (ED) syncope patients. A major barrier to comparing and synthesizing existing research is wide variation in the conduct and reporting of studies. The authors wanted to create standardized reporting guidelines for ED syncope risk‐stratification research using an expert consensus process. In that pursuit, a panel of syncope researchers was convened and a literature review was performed to identify candidate reporting guideline elements. Candidate elements were grouped into four sections: eligibility criteria, outcomes, electrocardiogram (ECG) findings, and predictors.

A two‐round, modified Delphi consensus process was conducted using an Internet‐based survey application. In the first round, candidate elements were rated on a five‐point Likert scale. In the second round, panelists rerated items after receiving information about group ratings from the first round. Items that were rated by >80% of the panelists at the two highest levels of the Likert scale were included in the final guidelines.

There were 24 panelists from eight countries who represented five clinical specialties. The panel identified an initial set of 183 candidate elements. After two survey rounds, the final reporting guidelines included 92 items that achieved >80% consensus. These included 10 items for study eligibility, 23 items for outcomes, nine items for ECG abnormalities, and 50 items for candidate predictors. Adherence to these guidelines should facilitate comparison of future research in this area.
Plant‐herbivore coevolution in a changing world
Authors: Leimu Roosa , Muola Anne , Laukkanen Liisa , Kalske Aino , Prill Nadine , Mutikainen Pia
Published: June 2012

Current anthropogenic environmental change causes rapid loss of biodiversity. Although the effects of the main causes of this loss (habitat fragmentation, climate change, and invasive species) on single species have been widely studied, the effects on species interactions are poorly understood. In particular, we do not yet understand how these phenomena affect the evolutionary processes that impact species interactions. Coevolution is a dominant process that organizes the web of life: most species are involved in at least one coevolved interaction. Due to rapid human modification of landscapes it is important to understand how subsequent changes in biotic and abiotic environment and in the level and distribution of genetic variation, as well as changes in population structures, influence the elements of the coevolutionary process. In this review, we synthesize recent development of theoretical work on the coevolution of interacting species with conservation genetics and the impact of anthropogenic environmental changes on single species to address the potential effects of habitat fragmentation, climate change, and invasive species on plant‐herbivore coevolution.
The effects of China's growth on the food prices and the food exports of other developing countries
Authors: Villoria Nelson
Published: June 2012

This article explores the impacts of China's growth in the international markets of agricultural products along two dimensions: food price inflation and export growth in other developing countries. China's food imports of vegetable oils have grown dramatically over the last decade, linking China's economic growth to the recent increases in global food prices. If China is a source of global food price inflation, exporting countries will benefit whether they sell directly to China or not. These direct and indirect linkages are explored using a short‐run, partial‐equilibrium model of international trade in agricultural products in which consumer prices and trade costs are derived from bilateral trade flows. China's effects on food prices and exports are estimated by reducing Chinese food expenditures in 2007 by half, roughly China's level of expenditures in 1995. Results indicate that food prices as measured by CES price indexes in developing Asia, Africa, and Latin America would have been reduced by 1.27%, 0.32%, and 0.22%, respectively. China has been an important source of growth for exporters selling directly to China. There is no evidence of export growth due to an overall increase in food prices caused by China's growth.
Dopaminergic‐like cells from epigenetically reprogrammed mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Zhang Zhiying , Alexanian Arshak R.
Published: June 2012

A number of recent studies have examined the ability of stem cells derived from different sources to differentiate into dopamine‐producing cells and ameliorate behavioural deficits in Parkinsonian models. Recently, using the approach of cell reprogramming by small cell‐permeable biological active compounds that involved in the regulation of chromatin structure and function, and interfere with specific cell signalling pathways that promote neural differentiation we have been able to generate neural‐like cells from human bone marrow (BM)‐derived MSCs (hMSCs). Neurally induced hMSCs (NI‐hMSCs) exhibited several neural properties and exerted beneficial therapeutic effect on tissue preservation and locomotor recovery in spinal cord injured rats. In this study, we aimed to determine whether hMSCs neuralized by this approach can generate dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Immunocytochemisty studies showed that approximately 50–60% of NI‐hMSCs expressed early and late dopaminergic marker such as Nurr‐1 and TH that was confirmed by Western blot. ELISA studies showed that NI‐hMSCs also secreted neurotrophins and dopamine. Hypoxia preconditioning prior to neural induction increased hMSCs proliferation, viability, expression TH and the secretion level of dopamine induced by ATP. Taken together, these studies demonstrated that hMSCs neurally modified by this original approach can be differentiated towards DA‐like neurons.
Suicide seasonality and antidepressants: a register‐based study in Sweden
Authors: Makris G. D. , Reutfors J. , Ösby U. , Isacsson G. , Frangakis C. , Ekbom A. , Papadopoulos F. C.
Published: June 2012

Objective:  Seasonality of completed suicides with a peak in spring and early summer is a well‐documented finding. The circannual serotonergic functioning is hypothesized to be central in this phenomenon. Antidepressant medications exert their pharmacological action mainly by regulating serotonin. Our aim is to study the amplitude of the seasonal effect among suicide victims positive for different classes of antidepressants or without any antidepressants at the time of death.

Method:  By using Swedish Registers, 12 448 suicides with forensic data for antidepressive medication and information on in‐patient‐treated mental disorder were identified during 1992–2003. Seasonality was estimated with a Poisson regression variant of the circular normal distribution of completed suicides.

Results:  Higher suicide seasonality was found for individuals treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) compared to those with other antidepressant treatment or without any antidepressant treatment. The finding is more evident for men and violent suicide methods and those without history of in‐patient treatment.

Conclusion:  Our results provide preliminary support for the serotonergic hypothesis of suicide seasonality and raise the question of a possible accentuation of the natural suicide seasonality in patients treated with SSRIs, a hypothesis that warrants further investigation.
A new diagnostic technique for tinea incognito: In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy. Report of five cases
Authors: Turan Enver , Erdemir Asli Turgut , Gurel Mehmet Salih , Yurt Nurdan
Published: June 2012

Background/purpose

In vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a modern non‐invasive method for investigation of the skin that allows real‐time visualization of individual cells and subcellular structures with the highest resolution imaging comparable to the routine histopathology. Our aim was to demonstrate the potential of CLSM for non‐invasive diagnosis of difficult tinea incognito cases.

Methods

Clinically atypical lesions in five cases of tinea incognito due to dermatophyte spp. were demonstrated using reflectance confocal laser scanning microscopy (RCM), parallel to KOH preparation and fungal culture of skin scrapings performed in the same patients.

Results

The morphological features characteristic for tinea incognito, namely linear branched hyphae in the intercellular area of the stratum corneum, were readily detectable by means of CLSM. In vivo tissue imaging were performed at three different wavelengths (785, 658, 445 nm) and the best images of fungal elements were obtained at 445 nm. All of our five cases had similar reflectance confocal microscopical findings.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest the potential of CLSM as a non‐invasive tool for the diagnosis of tinea incognito having atypical clinical appearance. Although at present the reflectance confocal microscopy cannot replace the current diagnostic standards for tinea incognito, it may be successfully used as in vivo non‐invasive screening tool to facilitate the diagnosis and point to the need for further investigation of the patient.
Parental quality‐of‐life impacts following children's dento‐alveolar trauma
Authors: Porritt Jenny M. , Rodd Helen D. , Baker Sarah R.
Published: June 2012

Background/Aim

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the impacts of children's dental injuries on parents and explore how demographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics influence parental adaptation to dental injuries over time.

Materials and methods

A total of 244 families attending a UK‐based Dental Hospital, for management of their child's traumatized permanent teeth, were invited to participate. Clinical information relating to the child's injury was collected from patient notes. Self‐report questionnaires collected baseline information on children's oral health‐related quality‐of‐life (OHRQoL), parental satisfaction with dental treatment and parental health‐related quality‐of‐life (HRQoL) and worry. Parental outcomes were assessed again at a six‐month follow up.

Results

108 children and 113 parents participated in the baseline study (44% and 46% response rates), and of this group, a total of 73 parents completed follow‐up questionnaires (65% response rate). Parents reported improved HRQoL at follow up; however, parental worry did not decrease over time. Parental satisfaction with treatment and children's OHRQoL were the only significant predictors of parental HRQoL at the six‐month follow up.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the inter‐relationship between child and parental outcomes following their children's dental injuries and the importance of the dental team delivering a family‐centred approach for the management of their children's dental injuries.
Human periodontal ligament cells reaction on a novel hydroxyapatite–collagen scaffold
Authors: Guo Jing , Wang Ying , Cao Chengbo , Dziak Rosemary , Preston Brian , Guan Guoqiang
Published: June 2012

Background

Periodontal tissue regeneration presents a highly promising method for restoring periodontal structures. The development of a suitable bioactive scaffold that promotes cell proliferation and differentiation is critical in periodontal tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of a novel 3‐dimensional hydroxyapatite–collagen scaffold with human periodontal ligament (hPDL) cell culture.

Methods

The scaffold was produced from a natural collagen matrix ‐ purified porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM), which was then treated with hydroxyapatite (HA) through a biomimetic chemical process to obtain hydroxyapatite–porcine acellular dermal matrix (HA‐PADM) scaffold. The hPDL cells were cultured with HA‐PADM scaffolds for 1, 3, 6, 14, and 28 days. The cell viability assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunohistochemistry, and confocal microscopy were employed in different time points to evaluate the biocompatibility of the scaffolds with hPDL cells.

Results

The cell viability assay (WST‐1 test) verified cell proliferation on the HA‐PADM scaffolds. The SEM study showed unique morphology of hPDL cells, which attach and spread on the surface of the scaffolds. The H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, and confocal microscopy demonstrated that hPDL cells were able to grow into the HA‐PADM scaffolds and maintain viability after prolonged culture.

Conclusions

This study proved that HA‐PADM scaffold is ‐biocompatible for hPDL cells. The cells were able to proliferate and migrate into the scaffold. These observations suggest that HA‐PADM is a potential cell carrier for periodontal tissue regeneration.
Species presence/absence sometimes represents a plant community as well as species abundances do, or better
Authors: Bastow Wilson J.
Published: June 2012

Question

Many broad‐scale surveys are made, and local communities described, with time spent recording some measure of the abundance of each species. The results are always somewhat different from those obtained with presence/absence records, but which best represents the underlying structure of the community? Two partial answers to this question are suggested and tested here: which analysis correlates best with the habitat, and which gives more stable ordination scores under subsampling?

Methods

Tests were made on ten field data sets, ranging widely in habitat type, spatial extent, spatial grain and measure of abundance. Correlation with the habitat was examined for the four larger‐extent data sets with reasonably complete environmental information, using multiple regression of detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) ordination scores on environmental factors. Stability was tested for each data set using random subsets of the quadrats, and measuring stability as correlation between quadrat ordination scores in the subset and those using all quadrats.

Results

Correlation with the habitat for the four data sets, where possible, was closer with presence/absence in most comparisons. Stability was greater with presence/absence in some cases and with abundance in others. Where abundance analyses were more stable, reduction to abundance categories, which are often used in field sampling, resulted in a loss of stability, although in two out of three data sets some advantage of abundance information over presence/absence was retained. Jittering to simulate subjective recording gave no further degradation.

Conclusions

The data sets in which stability was higher in abundance analyses suggest that abundance is of value only in the rather homogeneous vegetation types that tend to occur over short distances, and with high‐quality abundance data. From this, and environmental correlations being on the whole better with presence/absence analyses, I conclude that in broader‐scale survey work, abundance information is unnecessary and may even be misleading. It seems that the primary assembly rule control on communities is on the presence of species, not their abundance.
Hypoallergenic profilin – a new way to identify allergenic determinants
Authors: Paulus Kathrin E. , Schmid Benedikt , Zajic Doreen , Schäfer Alice , Mahler Vera , Sonnewald Uwe
Published: June 2012

Plant profilins are important panallergens, contributing to numerous food and pollen allergies. They fulfil essential functions in all eukaryotic cells, including yeast and mammals, making breeding of profilin‐deficient crop plants an impossible task. To obtain hypoallergenic profilin‐variants, a novel yeast based screening system to select for fully active but hypoallergenic profilins was developed. Despite similar biological functions, plant profilins share only limited amino acid sequence identity to nonplant profilins. Thus, it should be possible to select for hypoallergenic profilin variants that have kept their biological function. These variants were subsequently tested for IgE‐binding and their 3D folding was analyzed. As prerequisites, we developed a conditional profilin‐deficient yeast mutant strain and made use of a newly‐discovered profilin variant from tomato that enabled pre‐selection for efficient mutagenesis. After random mutagenesis and transformation of tomato profilin (Lyc e 1) into the designed yeast strain, we were able to screen for functional tomato profilin variants. Testing these variants for IgE binding revealed that two variants showed a strong reduction in IgE binding of four Lyc e 1 sensitized patients and one birch pollen allergic patient. This result, for the first time, provides strong evidence that selection of hypoallergenic Lyc e 1 variants is possible. Furthermore, this knowledge provides the basis for the molecular breeding of hypoallergenic profilin alleles in tomato.
Structure and characterization of RNase H3 from Aquifex aeolicus
Authors: Jongruja Nujarin , You Dong‐Ju , Angkawidjaja Clement , Kanaya Eiko , Koga Yuichi , Kanaya Shigenori
Published: June 2012

The crystal structure of ribonuclease H3 from Aquifex aeolicus (Aae‐RNase H3) was determined at 2.0 Å resolution. Aae‐RNase H3 consists of an N‐terminal TATA box‐binding protein (TBP)‐like domain (N‐domain) and a C‐terminal RNase H domain (C‐domain). The structure of the C‐domain highly resembles that of Bacillus stearothermophilus RNase H3 (Bst‐RNase H3), except that it contains three disulfide bonds, and the fourth conserved glutamate residue of the Asp‐Glu‐Asp‐Glu active site motif (Glu198) is located far from the active site. These disulfide bonds were shown to contribute to hyper‐stabilization of the protein. Non‐conserved Glu194 was identified as the fourth active site residue. The structure of the N‐domain without the C‐domain also highly resembles that of Bst‐RNase H3. However, the arrangement of the N‐domain relative to the C‐domain greatly varies for these proteins because of the difference in the linker size between the domains. The linker of Bst‐RNase H3 is relatively long and flexible, while that of Aae‐RNase H3 is short and assumes a helix formation. Biochemical characterizations of Aae‐RNase H3 and its derivatives without the N‐ or C‐domain or with a mutation in the N‐domain indicate that the N‐domain of Aae‐RNase H3 is important for substrate binding, and uses the flat surface of the β‐sheet for substrate binding. However, this surface is located far from the active site and on the opposite side to the active site. We propose that the N‐domain of Aae‐RNase H3 is required for initial contact with the substrate. The resulting complex may be rearranged such that only the C‐domain forms a complex with the substrate.