bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How likely is it that the European Union will disintegrate? A critical analysis of competing theoretical perspectives
Authors: Webber Douglas
Published: January 2013

This article turns existing theories of European integration on their head, exploring the conditions under which they would predict that the European Union will disintegrate, and assessing to what extent these conditions currently exist. It argues that these theories, especially the most ‘optimistic’ ones, have an insufficiently comparative inter-spatial as well as inter-temporal focus. Combining insights from domestic politics approaches to international relations and hegemonic stability theories, it suggests that the future of European integration and the European Union is more contingent than most integration theories allow. First, they do not take sufficient account of the role of domestic politics in the member states, in many of which the last decade has witnessed a major upsurge of ‘anti-European’ political attitudes and movements. Second, they overlook the extent to which Europe’s uniquely high level of political integration depends on the engagement and support of the region’s economically most powerful ‘semi-hegemonic’ state, Germany. Even though a fundamental reorientation of German European policy at the present time seems unlikely, it is not inconceivable. The European Union has confronted and survived many crises in the past — but has never had to confront a crisis ‘made in Germany’. The European Union’s current crisis is symptomatic of a broader crisis or malaise of regional and international multilateralism.
Constructivism meets critical realism: Explaining Pakistan’s state practice in the aftermath of 9/11
Authors: Fiaz Nazya
Published: January 2013

This article investigates the theoretical added-value of critical realist incursions into International Relations constructivism. While constructivism focuses on providing multi-causal explanations, its conceptual horizon and subsequent methodological framework fundamentally obscure and limit the opportunity to conceptualize social dialectic and multi-causality in world politics. In this respect, a critical realist meta-theory can provide constructivism with a greatly expanded conceptual framework that transcends material–ideational divisions, and a framework that is able to envision more clearly the process of social dialectic. Second, critical realism affords a methodological diversity that can withstand simultaneous constructivist investigations into the material, agential, ideational, or structural. Using the synthesis of critical realism and constructivism, I illustrate by way of example by employing Pakistan’s participation in the ‘war on terror’ as a case study. While constructivism can show that Pakistan’s role in the war on terror was preceded by a legitimizing narrative, it is a critical realist depth analysis that sheds new light on how a complex social reality was achieved through the convergence of multi-causal explanatory factors.
‘I had to help my child!’:
Authors: Salmane-Kulikovska Ieva , Mezinska Signe
Published: January 2013

Recent studies suggest that a number of common cold medicines, including nasal decongestants are not suitable for small children. In Latvia nasal decongestants are primarily over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, and patient information leaflets generally permit use of these medicines for small children. The previous studies in Latvia investigating the use of medicines in cases of common cold demonstrated extensive use of decongestants in children less than six years of age, marking a necessity for more profound research. As a result a qualitative study was implemented in 2011 to identify sources of information that offer advice for the use of decongestants in children. The caregivers’ perception of risks, trust, and the role of emotions associated with use of these medicines was considered. The study results suggested that emotions have a considerable effect on the decisions of caregivers. Even though caregivers are aware of the risks associated with the use of decongestants, they still frequently administer these medicines for the sake of the comfort of both the child and the caregiver. It is essential to raise a discussion about the inappropriate use of common cold medications in small children in Latvia.
Reframing and reconsidering the cultural innovations of the anime boom on US television
Authors: Daliot-Bul Michal
Published: January 2013

The Japanese animation (i.e. anime) boom on US television, which caused a great sensation in the early 2000s, is over. This article explores the business mechanisms that created this boom, the cultural innovations it stimulated, and some of the reasons for its decline. Methodologically, I argue that instead of analyzing the anime boom as an epochal break, it should be analyzed within the context of postwar animation as a global creative industry since the 1960s. By thus reframing it, I can delineate new distribution channels of anime since the 1990s. I also demonstrate that, beyond more series and new genres, the anime boom helped push the envelope of US animation towards adult-oriented productions and that ‘anime’ became a source of inspiration for US animators for formulations of cultural otherness. I argue that the end of the boom was unavoidable because in global creative industries cultural innovations soon become the industry’s mainstay. Finally, I consider the possible futures of the ‘local–global’ nexus in the animation industry.
Technology of imagination: a card-based public engagement method for debating emerging technologies
Authors: Felt Ulrike , Schumann Simone , Schwarz Claudia G , Strassnig Michael
Published: January 2013

This article introduces and reflects on a group discussion method for public engagement exercises and for qualitative research into citizens’ practices of developing and negotiating positions on emerging technologies. The method consists of card sets and a specific choreography in order to facilitate the development of citizens’ imaginations on nanotechnology and society in the Austrian context. Drawing on concepts from Science and Technology Studies, we discuss the method’s design as well as how citizens in four discussion groups appropriate the setting. The cards’ materiality, their content and the discussion choreography invites participants to move between individual and collective positioning work, to creatively engage with the elements available and imagine how an emerging technology – in our case nanotechnology – could develop in future. For the analyst, it allows reconstructing participants’ ordering, assessment and projection practices. The article concludes with reflections on the potential and limits of the method and how it could be employed as a tool for qualitative research more broadly.
An international experience of research with children: moving forward on the idea of children’s participation
Authors: Mazzoni Valentina , Harcourt Deborah S
Published: January 2013

This article examines a research collaboration in which an Australian and an Italian researcher came together in order to develop a project with young children to document their standpoints on the quality of their experiences of the early childhood services they were attending. As such, this article provides a reflection on working from different international viewpoints and narrates a research story that identifies some of the questions met, both in the conceptual framework and in the research design. In order to realize this research project, the collaborators’ challenge was to construct a shared understanding of their work, which meant addressing philosophical, ethical and practical points of tension. These points are described in the article as they emerged within the research endeavour, rather than being theoretically illustrated. The aim here is to offer the reader a lived experience example of meaning-making: how the researchers worked together, exploring the commonalities and differences that characterized each individual’s research practice, with the aim to construct a synergistic approach to working with children in research.
Countertransference in qualitative research: a critical appraisal
Authors: Holmes Joshua
Published: January 2013

The adoption of countertransference, an idea drawn from psychoanalytic theory, by qualitative researchers is examined. It is argued that its definition in the qualitative research literature has often been muddled due to the too-simple mapping of a clinical concept into the research setting. Most definitions either examine countertransference in terms of feeling states or behaviours that participants ‘put into’ or ‘project’ into researchers, or make a sharp distinction between this interpretation of countertransference and another that involves the activation of the researchers’ own neuroses. Various manifestations in the research setting that have been described as potentially containing elements projected from the participant are outlined, such as changes in feeling and bodily states, or ‘mistakes’ on the part of the researcher. Alternative suggestions for the use of the researcher’s feeling and bodily states are put forward. These include, cross-comparing these data with other elements and seeing them as potentially created in the intersubjectivity between participant and researcher.
Resilience in a cultural context: Taiwanese female earthquake survivors
Authors: Liu Chu-Li Julie , Mishna Faye
Published: January 2013

The aim of the current study was to examine how females survive natural disaster in non-western culture and to gain understanding of their unique experiences in rebuilding their lives. In September 1999, a major earthquake, named ‘921 Earthquake,’ measuring 7.3 on the Richter Scale occurred in Taiwan. Many people survived, struggling a great deal in their efforts to reconstruct their lives. Five years after this earthquake, many survivors, including women, were reported to have rebuilt self-sufficient lives. Given the vulnerability of women and their greater difficulties in resuming their lives, an important question was how these women were able to be successful in this endeavor. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, 16 female 921 Earthquake survivors who had been helped by social workers, no longer received government aid and had successfully regained their selfsufficiency, voluntarily participated in this study. The study findings revealed that the coping strategies guided by female gender norms in the family, embedded in Taiwanese culture, including: children’s needs are the first priority as a maternal role norm; men working outside and women working inside; and female gender norms of supporting the family when husbands could not, were the major resources participants accessed and utilized to successfully cope with the difficulties after the 921 Earthquake. The participants’ narratives demonstrated that cultural norms can serve as coping resources for survivors. Implications for social work practice are addressed.
Performing a more-than-human material imagination during fieldwork: muddy boots, diarizing and putting vitalism on video
Authors: Richardson-Ngwenya Pamela
Published: January 2013

Sarah Whatmore has argued that ‘[t]here is an urgent need to supplement the familiar repertoire of humanist methods that rely on generating talk and text with experimental practices that amplify other sensory, bodily and affective registers and extend the company and modality of what constitutes a research subject’. But how does one do this? What kinds of research practices are useful? And more specifically, what kinds of methods can help to conjure and enact a vitalist materialism in the field? This essay offers a brief and critical account of how the author attempted to perform a vitalist materialism through fieldwork practices undertaken in 2007. Research into Caribbean agronomic responses to the EU Sugar Reform involved ‘muddy boots’, diary writing, and video documentation methods. Participating in the thick of agronomic experiments facilitated a greater sensitivity to and awareness of the interactions and miscommunications involved between different vital agencies and video provided an evocative way of communicating more-than-human materialities. In sum, these methods were successful with regard to Whatmore’s call, but proved to be more useful as memory-prompting tools. This author found that practising vitalist fieldwork did not mean that one had to enrol fantastical new methods to reveal or get at ‘the vital’. Rather, the cultivation of a vitalist geographical imagination that was receptive and open to the liveliness of materialities and the significance of relational becomings was much more important.
Association of sulphonylurea treatment with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Forst Thomas , Hanefeld Markolf , Jacob Stephan , Moeser Guido , Schwenk Gero , Pfützner Andreas , Haupt Axel
Published: January 2013

We conducted a meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies to evaluate all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who received sulphonylurea (SU) treatment, when compared to any other diabetes treatment. Only studies reporting raw data on mortality during SU treatment were included. Data were combined using random-effects (RE) models. Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) are presented. Of 4991 publication titles and abstracts reviewed, 20 studies ( n = 551,912 patients) were included. For cohort studies ( n = 276,050), patients receiving SU monotherapy or combination treatment had significantly higher all-cause and CV mortality risks compared to any non-SU treatment [all-cause, 13 studies: OR = 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.48–2.49; CV, 5 studies: OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.95–3.79]. Validity was limited by the high treatment group heterogeneity ( I2 > 90%) and study-inherent biases/design differences. In conclusion, patients receiving SU treatment had increased all-cause and CV mortality risks. However, the meta-analysis was limited by the high heterogeneity of non-randomized studies.
Isolated post-challenge hyperglycaemia and risk of cardiovascular events: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study
Authors: Barzin Maryam , Hosseinpanah Farhad , Malboosbaf Ramin , Hajsheikholeslami Farhad , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: January 2013

Objective:

To evaluate the risk of cardiovascular events in diabetes defined by isolated post-challenge hyperglycaemia (IPH).

Methods:

We followed 3794 subjects aged ≥40 years without known history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline for CVD events. Participants were categorized as subjects without diabetes [fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 126 mg/dL and 2-h post-challenge plasma glucose (2-hPG) < 200 mg/dL], IPH (FPG < 126 mg/dL and 2-h PG ≥ 200 mg/dL) and fasting hyperglycaemia (fasting blood glucose (FBS) ≥ 126 mg/dL). Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated with the use of Cox proportional-hazards regression models to evaluate the risk of CVD events.

Results:

At baseline, of 486 subjects with newly diagnosed diabetes, 190 (39%) had IPH. Over the next 8 years, age and sex-adjusted HR for incident CVD was 1.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–2.64; p = 0.005) in subjects with IPH compared with subjects without diabetes. After further adjustment for potential confounders, the HR for CVD was not significant [1.32 (95% CI: 0.88–1.99; p = 0.2)].

Conclusions:

IPH in middle-aged adults adds nothing for identifying CVD risks when other risk factors are taken into account. Associated metabolic risk factors seem to be more important than hyperglycaemia per se.
Assessing Response to Basic Concept Instruction
Authors: Bowers Lisa M. , Schwarz Ilsa
Published: January 2013

Research has demonstrated that academic success is significantly related to word knowledge. Basic concept words are important because of their use in classroom directions and assessment instructions. It is important that educators assess a child’s understanding of basic concept vocabulary at school entry. For children who demonstrate basic concept deficits, progress monitoring is needed to make certain that they acquire these vocabulary items through instruction. This preliminary study used a single-participant design to determine whether an experimental basic concept–curriculum based measure (BC-CBM) was able to accurately assess and monitor progress in basic concept acquisition as a result of instruction. Four children who were deaf or hard of hearing ( M age = 4 years 6 months) participated in the experiment. Results revealed that the BC-CBM scores improved during intervention. The results of this experiment provide evidence to support the development of additional larger scale field-testing of the BC-CBM.
Old versus New: The Comparative Efficiency of Mail and Internet Surveys of State Legislators
Authors: Fisher Samuel H. , Herrick Rebekah
Published: January 2013

Internet surveys of the general population have been growing in use over the last few years because they are less expensive, faster, and greener than most other survey modes. However, they have been used less frequently to survey elites, and little is known about the representativeness of their results. This article helps fill that void by using an experiment where half of a sample of state legislators are given an Internet survey and half a mail survey, and then the response rate, representativeness of respondents, and similarity of responses are compared. The results indicate that mail and Internet surveys generate fairly representative samples, albeit with few biases, and similar responses; however, mail surveys generate a significantly higher response rate than Internet surveys. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Using Cognitive-Functional Assessment to Predict Self-Care Performance of Memory Care Tenants
Authors: Schaber Patricia , Klein Theresa , Hanrahan Erin , Vencil Pamela , Afatika Kaitlyn , Burns Theressa
Published: January 2013

A challenge in admitting individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias into memory care residential facilities is determining the appropriate level of service based on abilities and care needs. At intake, the incoming tenant’s functional performance capacity is obtained through family or proxy report corroborated with screening results of global cognitive function. Based on this information, the agency determines the level of service needs; if misjudged, inadequate placement can be stressful for the individual and family and costly for the facility. This study examined the predictive validity of a clinically administered assessment of cognitive-functional performance, Cognitive Performance Test (CPT), in gauging service needs in 4 activities of daily living (ADL; dressing, eating/feeding, showering, and toothbrushing) with 57 tenants residing in a memory care-assisted living facility. Linear regression results revealed a significant relationship between CPT scores and ADL performance in all areas ( P < .001) with CPT scores accounting for 51% to 62% of the variability in performance.
Unsuspected Iatrogenic Vertebral Artery Cannulation With a Dialysis Catheter
Authors: Lim Chung S. , Nott David M.
Published: January 2013

Internal jugular vein cannulation is a common clinical procedure but not without risks including inadvertent artery puncture. The incidence of vertebral artery puncture during internal jugular vein cannulation is unclear but is thought to be much less than carotid artery involvement. Here, we describe an unsuspected case of vertebral artery cannulation with a Vas Cath dialysis catheter which was used for hemofiltration before the inadvertent artery cannulation was discovered later during open surgical retrieval.
Differential Adaptations of Muscle Architecture to High-Velocity Versus Traditional Strength Training in Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Moreau Noelle G. , Holthaus Katy , Marlow Nicole
Published: January 2013

Background. Everyday activities for youth with cerebral palsy (CP) require muscle power, but the velocity component of muscle contraction is neglected with traditional strength training (ST). Objective. To determine whether velocity training (VT), which includes resistance training at increasingly higher velocities, would induce specific muscle adaptations not observed with ST. Methods. Sixteen ambulatory youth with CP were randomized to VT or ST. Participants trained the knee extensors 3 times per week for 24 sessions on a Biodex dynamometer. At each session, 6 sets of 5 concentric repetitions were performed either at 30 deg/s (ST group) or progressively higher velocities from 30 deg/s to 120 deg/s (VT group). Outcomes included muscle architecture, power, strength, walking speed, and functional walking performance. Results. A significant increase in rectus femoris fascicle length was observed after VT with a decrease after ST. Rectus femoris cross-sectional area increased in both groups. Both showed significant increases in isokinetic strength at all tested speeds; however, peak velocity and power improved after VT only. Self-selected and fast walking speed and functional walking performance improved after VT only. Conclusions. Muscle architecture in CP is capable of adapting differentially to the training stimulus. VT was equally effective as traditional ST in improving isokinetic strength of the knee extensors but more effective in improving velocity of movement, muscle power, and walking performance. Differences may be partially attributed to specificity of training effects on muscle architecture, such as the increase in fascicle length after VT. Strengthening interventions involving higher velocity movements should be incorporated into clinical practice.
A Retrospective Review of the Primus First MTP Joint Double-Stemmed Silicone Implant
Authors: Lawrence Bruce R. , Thuen Eric
Published: January 2013

Implant arthroplasty has been a surgical alternative for correction of hallux rigidus for many decades. A study is presented reviewing the authors’ experience using the (Tornier/Futura) Primus double-stemmed silicone implant. A total of 144 patients representing 201 implants were identified and invited to participate in the study. The postoperative period ranged from 32 to 108 months, with an average of 66.4 months. Chart review was performed on all cases. This review revealed that there were 2 implants that had been removed, each for reasons other than implant breakdown. Several indications in addition to hallux rigidus were found, including hallux valgus with arthritis, geriatric bunion, rheumatoid arthritis, and iatrogenic and traumatic arthritis. The outcomes are presented for all patients, with additional breakdown by their indication for surgery. In all, 54 patients involving 70 implants responded and were clinically evaluated. This study included a Visual Analogue Scale, Foot and Ankle (VAS FA) patient outcome and satisfaction questionnaire, clinical examination, and X-ray evaluation. Patients with hallux rigidus had an average postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score of 88.2, and those with hallux valgus with arthritis had an average score of 88.6. The average AOFAS score for all patients was 87.4. The average VAS patient satisfaction for all patients was 8.5 (with 10 being highest satisfaction). Implant arthroplasty continues to be a viable alternative for surgical correction of hallux rigidus as well as other degenerative conditions of the first MTP joint. This procedure is particularly effective in older, less-active patients with lower functional demand.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV, Retrospective case series
Modified Minimal Incision Subcapital Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus Correction
Authors: Scala Andrea , Vendettuoli Domenico
Published: January 2013

The potential advantages of minimal incision surgery for hallux valgus (HV) correction are the following: reduced surgical exposure, diminished soft-tissue stripping, and less blood supply impairment. These advantages imply fewer complications. We retrospectively reviewed patients who were consecutively treated with a modified minimally invasive osteotomy from January 2006 until December 2009 for HV deformity. We radiographically assessed the HV angle, 1-2 intermetatarsal (IM) angle, and tibial sesamoid position. Clinical outcomes were determined using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Hallux Metatarsophalangeal Interphalangeal (AOFAS HMI) Clinical Rating Scale. A paired Student’s t test was used to determine significance, with P < .01. There were 126 patients (146 feet) with an average age of 52.6 years and an average postoperative follow-up of 29.1 months. Preoperatively, the average HV angle was 32.3°, and postoperatively, it was 4.5° (P < .01). The preoperative average IM angle was 14.4°, whereas postoperatively, it was 4.8° (P < .01). The average tibial sesamoid position was 6.3 preoperatively and 2.5 postoperatively (P < .01). The average AOFAS HMI score was 54.6 preoperatively and 85.3 postoperatively (P < .01). There were 15 postoperative complications (10.3%) that included hallux varus, painful hardware, and delayed union. The results are comparable with those of traditional open techniques, with the additional advantages of a minimally invasive procedure.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Retrospective case series
Comparison of Two Rapid Response Teams Models
Authors: Ritter Garry , Johnson Tim , Walden Heath , Sharma Cordelia , Corley Alison , Ravikumar Thanjavur S. , Barrera Rafael
Published: January 2013

Background. Although rapid response teams (RRTs) decrease in-house cardiac arrests, significant debate exists surrounding their impact on patient outcomes. We have implemented the continuum of care (CoC) model for the surgical services in our center as a novel approach to patient care. Methods. This study was designed to assess the utilization of RRT resources and cardiac arrests between RRT and CoC coverage. Results. Whereas hospital-wide RRT activations increased in incidence from 2007 to 2010 by 45%, CoC patients experienced steadily decreasing percentage of total RRT activations. Rapid response triggers that led to cardiac arrest under the CoC were 8% in comparison with 17% in the control group. Non-CoC model/RRT activations increased dramatically from 0.3% to 1.5% of total admissions over 4 years whereas CoC RRT activation rates minimally increased from 0.3% to 0.4% (events per total admission per year). Cardiac arrests occurred in 0.4% of non-CoC patients while only occurring in 0.03% of CoC patients, P < .0001. Conclusion. The implementation of the CoC model reduces events requiring RRT activations, preserves continuity of care by closely following high-risk patients, and reduces cardiac arrests via proactive intervention by critical care specialists.
Reflections on Communication and Sport
Authors: Messner Michael
Published: January 2013

In this essay, Michael Messner focuses on a key part of a broader research agenda on gender and sport and reflects on the context and meanings of media characterizations of men and masculinities in the sport setting. The first part of the essay focuses on how one’s core identity as a male who grew up experiencing understandings of sport through the lens of media continues to be influenced by sensibilities that can conflict with revised beliefs about gender. The second part of the essay reflects on the author’s scholarly journey in focusing on gender and televised sport and the importance of extending one’s work beyond academia and into the public sphere. The focus section of the essay on “Men and Masculinities” examines four clusters of research on: (1) scandals and fallen heroes, (2) consumption of sports media as a male preserve, (3) sports, masculinities, politics, and war, and (4) female athletes as visible cultural icons. The essay closes with observations for future directions in research on gender, sport, and media.
Reflections on Communication and Sport
Authors: Raney Arthur A.
Published: January 2013

In this essay, Arthur Raney reflects on how decades of media scholarship have explored the importance of affective dispositions toward teams and contest outcomes to viewer enjoyment of live televised sport events. The introduction to the essay focuses on personal experiences that shaped his interests in understanding how spectator responses to mediated sport were culturally and psychologically significant. Raney reflects on his studies and collaboration with many of the scholars who were foundational in understanding how the role of affective disposition and enjoyment relates to sport media consumption. Throughout this essay, key themes emerging from empirical studies examining sports media enjoyment are identified. Further consideration is given to how new media technologies might impact sports enjoyment in the future.
A Media Frames Analysis of the Legacy Discourse for the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games
Authors: Misener Laura
Published: January 2013

The media play a particularly important role in shaping audiences’ perceptions and actively create the frames of reference that public readers and viewers use to interpret and discuss particular ideas, events, and politics (Entman, 2007). A frames analysis of local and national print media was utilized to examine the framing of “legacies” around the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympic Games. The analysis shows that despite the rhetoric from the host committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee about the increased media attention of these Paralympic Games, very little attention was given to legacy concepts despite an increasing discourse about its importance for all types of events. The framing of Paralympic legacy centered upon “othering” athletes with a disability through the supercrip narrative, highlighting potential opportunities for legacy and focusing on tangible economic developments. These issues do not represent a broadening of the scope of the legacy of the Paralympic Games and, in fact, the critical role of the media in reframing the discourse about disability and accessibility was largely absent from the media frames.
A Sports Journalism of Their Own
Authors: McCarthy Brigid
Published: January 2013

This article relates the findings of a questionnaire investigating the motivations and attitudes of fan sports bloggers who take on the cultural labour of mainstream media by reporting and commentating on quotidian sports performances. Part of a larger, multimethod comparative case study, it investigates the attitudes of bloggers of a niche and nonniche sport toward the output of mainstream media. While these bloggers differed in terms of output and motivations, the questionnaire found they shared similar attitudes to mainstream sports media (MSSM) and the role of blogging as distinct styles of sports communication. The findings suggest that blogging can be seen as a way for fans to react to and critique the work of the mainstream media in communicating sports. It could also be well as a means to supplementing and augmenting the work of MSSM in ways that reflect the nature and the media discourses surrounding their particular sport. Finding that social elements were also a fundamental pleasure and motivation, further research into the particularities of social experience is indicated.
Preparation and characterization of poly(3-octyl thiophene)/polyvinyl chloride polymer blends
Authors: Ibrahim SS , Ayesh Ayman S
Published: January 2013

Different weight ratios of poly(3-octyl thiophene) / polyvinyl chloride blends were prepared using the casting method by dissolving poly(3-octyl thiophene) and polyvinyl chloride polymers in chloroform and Tetrahydrofuran, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicates the existence of carbonyl group in both polyvinyl chloride neat and poly(3-octyl thiophene)–polyvinyl chloride blends. Electrical measurements reveal that the impedance values are increased with the increasing of both weight fraction of poly(3-octyl thiophene) and temperature. Optical results reveal that the increase of poly(3-octyl thiophene) weight fraction in blends enhances the UV-visible absorption of polyvinyl chloride and reduces the optical energy gap of blends. Differential scanning calorimetric measurements and thermal gravimetric analysis show that the glass transition temperature value and thermal stability of blend increases with increasing of poly(3-octyl thiophene) weight ratio. The obtained results, generally, indicate that the increase of poly(3-octyl thiophene) weight fraction enhances the interaction between poly(3-octyl thiophene)–polyvinyl chloride chains and as a result will restrict the chain mobility of polymers.
Exhaled breath profiling in diagnosing wheezy preschool children
Authors: van de Kant Kim D.G. , van Berkel Joep J.B.N. , Jöbsis Quirijn , Lima Passos Valéria , Klaassen Ester M.M. , van der Sande Linda , van Schayck Onno C.P. , de Jongste Johan C. , van Schooten Frederik Jan , Derks Eduard , Dompeling Edward , Dallinga Jan W.
Published: January 2013

Although wheeze is common in preschool children, the underlying pathophysiology has not yet been disentangled. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath may serve as noninvasive markers of early wheeze. We aimed to assess the feasibility of VOC collection in preschool children, and to study whether a VOC profile can differentiate between children with and without recurrent wheeze.

We included children (mean (range) age 3.3 (1.9–4.5) yrs) with (n=202) and without (n=50) recurrent wheeze. Exhaled VOCs were analysed by gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry. VOC profiles were generated by ANOVA simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) and sparse logistic regression (SLR).

Exhaled breath collection was possible in 98% of the children. In total, 913 different VOCs were detected. The signal-to-noise ratio improved after correction for age, sex and season using ASCA pre-processing. An SLR model with 28 VOCs correctly classified 83% of the children (84% sensitivity, 80% specificity). After six-fold cross-validation, 73% were correctly classified (79% sensitivity, 50% specificity).

Assessment of VOCs in exhaled breath is feasible in young children. VOC profiles are able to distinguish children with and without recurrent wheeze with a reasonable accuracy. This proof of principle paves the way for additional research on VOCs in preschool wheezing.
New approaches for unravelling reassortment pathways
Authors: Svinti Victoria , Cotton James A , McInerney James O
Published: January 2013

Background

Every year the human population encounters epidemic outbreaks of influenza, and history reveals recurring pandemics that have had devastating consequences. The current work focuses on the development of a robust algorithm for detecting influenza strains that have a composite genomic architecture. These influenza subtypes can be generated through a reassortment process, whereby a virus can inherit gene segments from two different types of influenza particles during replication. Reassortant strains are often not immediately recognised by the adaptive immune system of the hosts and hence may be the source of pandemic outbreaks. Owing to their importance in public health and their infectious ability, it is essential to identify reassortant influenza strains in order to understand the evolution of this virus and describe reassortment pathways that may be biased towards particular viral segments. Phylogenetic methods have been used traditionally to identify reassortant viruses. In many studies up to now, the assumption has been that if two phylogenetic trees differ, it is because reassortment has caused them to be different. While phylogenetic incongruence may be caused by real differences in evolutionary history, it can also be the result of phylogenetic error. Therefore, we wish to develop a method for distinguishing between topological inconsistency that is due to confounding effects and topological inconsistency that is due to reassortment.

Results

The current work describes the implementation of two approaches for robustly identifying reassortment events. The algorithms rest on the idea of significance of difference between phylogenetic trees or phylogenetic tree sets, and subtree pruning and regrafting operations, which mimic the effect of reassortment on tree topologies. The first method is based on a maximum likelihood (ML) framework (MLreassort) and the second implements a Bayesian approach (Breassort) for reassortment detection. We focus on reassortment events that are found by both methods. We test both methods on a simulated dataset and on a small collection of real viral data isolated in Hong Kong in 1999.

Conclusions

The nature of segmented viral genomes present many challenges with respect to disease. The algorithms developed here can effectively identify reassortment events in small viral datasets and can be applied not only to influenza but also to other segmented viruses. Owing to computational demands of comparing tree topologies, further development in this area is necessary to allow their application to larger datasets.
Injury-elicited stressors alter endogenous retrovirus expression in lymphocytes depending on cell type and source lymphoid organ
Authors: Lee Kang-Hoon , Lim Debora , Green Tajia , Greenhalgh David , Cho Kiho
Published: January 2013

Background

Murine leukemia virus-type endogenous retroviruses (MuLV-ERVs) constitute ~10% of the mouse genome and are associated with various pathophysiologic processes. In this study, we examined whether MuLV-ERVs’ response to burn-elicited stressors is specific for certain lymphocyte populations and/or locations of lymphoid organ.

Results

B- and T-cells, which were sorted from nine lymphoid organs of C57BL/6J mice after burn, were subjected to MuLV-ERV expression analyses. Overall, the post-burn MuLV-ERV expression pattern was dependent on lymphocyte type, time after injury, location of lymphoid organ, and MuLV-ERV type. For instance, the MuLV-ERV expression in T-cells from the thymus and three cervical lymph nodes decreased at 3 hours post-burn while the expression of some MuLV-ERVs was augmented in B-cells derived from the mesenteric lymph node. The MuLV-ERV U3 sequences population of the burn-24 hours group was less diverse in comparison to the no burn and burn-3 hours groups. In addition, it was apparent that at the 24 hours time point, the U3 populations of B-cells from both no burn and burn groups were less heterogeneous than the T-cells’ U3 populations. Using the U3 sequences, some of which were isolated only from specific experimental groups (B- vs. T-cells; no burn vs. burn), as probes, 51 putative MuLV-ERVs, including 16 full-length proviruses, were mapped followed by characterization of their biologic properties.

Conclusion

MuLV-ERVs’ response to burn-elicited stressors may be differentially controlled depending on lymphocyte type, location of lymphoid organ, MuLV-ERV type, and stress duration.
Allelotypes of lung adenocarcinomas featuring ALK fusion demonstrate fewer onco- and suppressor gene changes
Authors: Ninomiya Hironori , Kato Motohiro , Sanada Masashi , Takeuchi Kengo , Inamura Kentaro , Motoi Noriko , Nagano Hiroko , Nomura Kimie , Sakao Yukinori , Okumura Sakae , Mano Hiroyuki , Ogawa Seishi , Ishikawa Yuichi
Published: January 2013

Background

A subset of lung adenocarcinomas harboring anEML4-ALKfusion gene resulting in dominant oncogenic activity has emerged as a target for specific therapy.EML4-ALKfusion confers a characteristic histology and is detected more frequently in never or light smokers and younger patients.

Methods

To gain insights into etiology and carcinogenic mechanisms we conducted analyses to compare allelotypes of 35ALKfusion-positive and 95 -negative tumours using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and especially designed software which enabled precise global genomic profiling.

Results

Overall aberration numbers (gains + losses) of chromosomal alterations were 8.42 and 9.56 in tumours with and withoutALKfusion, respectively, the difference not being statistically significant, although patterns of gain and loss were distinct. Interestingly, among selected genomic regions, oncogene-related examples such as 1p34.3(MYCL1), 7q11.2(EGFR), 7p21.1, 8q24.21(MYC), 16p13.3, 17q12(ERBB2) and 17q25.1 showed significantly less gain. Also, changes in tumour suppressor gene-related regions, such as 9p21.3 (CDKN2A) 9p23-24.1 (PTPRD), 13q14.2 (RB1), were significantly fewer in tumours withALKfusion.

Conclusion

Global genomic comparison with SNP arrays showed tumours withALKfusion to have fewer alterations in oncogenes and suppressor genes despite a similar overall aberration frequency, suggesting very strong oncogenic potency ofALKactivation by gene fusion.
Structural and functional characteristics of cGMP-dependent methionine oxidation in Arabidopsis thaliana proteins
Authors: Marondedze Claudius , Turek Ilona , Parrott Brian , Thomas Ludivine , Jankovic Boris , Lilley Kathryn S , Gehring Chris
Published: January 2013

Background

Increasing structural and biochemical evidence suggests that post-translational methionine oxidation of proteins is not just a result of cellular damage but may provide the cell with information on the cellular oxidative status. In addition, oxidation of methionine residues in key regulatory proteins, such as calmodulin, does influence cellular homeostasis. Previous findings also indicate that oxidation of methionine residues in signaling molecules may have a role in stress responses since these specific structural modifications can in turn change biological activities of proteins.

Findings

Here we use tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomics to show that treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana cells with a non-oxidative signaling molecule, the cell-permeant second messenger analogue, 8-bromo-3,5-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP), results in a time-dependent increase in the content of oxidised methionine residues. Interestingly, the group of proteins affected by cGMP-dependent methionine oxidation is functionally enriched for stress response proteins. Furthermore, we also noted distinct signatures in the frequency of amino acids flanking oxidised and un-oxidised methionine residues on both the C- and N-terminus.

Conclusions

Given both a structural and functional bias in methionine oxidation events in response to a signaling molecule, we propose that these are indicative of a specific role of such post-translational modifications in the direct or indirect regulation of cellular responses. The mechanisms that determine the specificity of the modifications remain to be elucidated.
Softwares and methods for estimating genetic ancestry in human populations
Authors: Liu Yushi , Nyunoya Toru , Leng Shuguang , Belinsky Steven A , Tesfaigzi Yohannes , Bruse Shannon
Published: January 2013

The estimation of genetic ancestry in human populations has important applications in medical genetic studies. Genetic ancestry is used to control for population stratification in genetic association studies, and is used to understand the genetic basis for ethnic differences in disease susceptibility. In this review, we present an overview of genetic ancestry estimation in human disease studies, followed by a review of popular softwares and methods used for this estimation.
Coordinating transmit power and carrier phase for wireless networks with multi-packet reception capability
Authors: Choi Wooyeol , Kim Taewoon , Park Daeyoung , Lee Heung-No , Lim Hyuk
Published: January 2013

Driven by advances in signal processing and multiuser detection (MUD) technologies, it has become possible for a wireless node to simultaneously receive multiple signals from other transmitters. In order to take full advantage of MUD in multi-packet reception (MPR) capable wireless networks, it is highly desirable to make the compound signals from multiple transmitters more separable on its constellation at the receiver by coordinating both the transmit power level and carrier phase offsets of the transmitters. In this article, we propose a feedback-based transmit power and carrier phase adjustment scheme that estimates the symbol energy and the carrier phase offset for each transmitter’s received signal, computes the optimal received power level and carrier phase shift to maximize the minimum Euclidean distance between the constellation points, and finally feeds the optimal transmit power level and phase shift information back to the transmitters. We then evaluate the performance of the proposed transmit power and carrier phase adjustment scheme and subsequently show that the proposed scheme significantly reduces the error probability in a multiuser communication system having MPR capability.
Comparative modeling and docking studies of p16ink4/Cyclin D1/Rb pathway genes in lung cancer revealed functionally interactive residue of RB1 and its functional partner E2F1
Authors: e Zahra Syeda Naqsh , Khattak Naureen Aslam , Mir Asif
Published: January 2013

Background

Lung cancer is the major cause of mortality worldwide. Major signalling pathways that could play significant role in lung cancer therapy include (1) Growth promoting pathways (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor/Ras/ PhosphatidylInositol 3-Kinase) (2) Growth inhibitory pathways (p53/Rb/P14ARF, STK11) (3) Apoptotic pathways (Bcl-2/Bax/Fas/FasL).Insilicostrategy was implemented to solve the mystery behind selected lung cancer pathway by applying comparative modeling and molecular docking studies.

Results

YASARA [v 12.4.1] was utilized to predict structural models ofP16-INK4andRB1genes using template 4ELJ-A and 1MX6-B respectively. WHAT CHECK evaluation tool demonstrated overall quality of predicted P16-INK4 and RB1 with Z-score of −0.132 and −0.007 respectively which showed a strong indication of reliable structure prediction. Protein-protein interactions were explored by utilizing STRING server, illustrated thatCDK4andE2F1showed strong interaction withP16-INK4andRB1based on confidence score of 0.999 and 0.999 respectively. In order to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between candidate genes with their functional interactors, GRAMM-X server was used. Protein-protein docking investigation ofP16-INK4revealed four ionic bonds illustrating Arg47, Arg80,Cys72 and Met1 residues as actively participating in interactions withCDK4while docking results ofRB1showed four hydrogen bonds involving Glu864, Ser567, Asp36 and Arg861 residues which interact strongly with its respective functional interactorE2F1.

Conclusion

This research may provide a basis for understanding biological insights ofP16-INK4andRB1proteins which will be helpful in future to design a suitable drug to inhibit the disease pathogenesis as we have determined the interacting amino acids which can be targeted in order to design a ligandin-vitroto propose a drug for clinical trials. Protein -protein docking of candidate genes and their important interacting residues likely to be provide a gateway for developing computer aided drug designing.
A specific family of interspersed repeats (SINEs) facilitates meiotic synapsis in mammals
Authors: Johnson Matthew E , Rowsey Ross A , Shirley Sofia , VandeVoort Catherine , Bailey Jeffrey , Hassold Terry
Published: January 2013

Background

Errors during meiosis that affect synapsis and recombination between homologous chromosomes contribute to aneuploidy and infertility in humans. Despite the clinical relevance of these defects, we know very little about the mechanisms by which homologous chromosomes interact with one another during mammalian meiotic prophase. Further, we remain ignorant of the way in which chromosomal DNA complexes with the meiosis-specific structure that tethers homologs, the synaptonemal complex (SC), and whether specific DNA elements are necessary for this interaction.

Results

In the present study we utilized chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and DNA sequencing to demonstrate that the axial elements of the mammalian SC are markedly enriched for a specific family of interspersed repeats, short interspersed elements (SINEs). Further, we refine the role of the repeats to specific sub-families of SINEs, B1 in mouse and AluY in old world monkey (Macaca mulatta).

Conclusions

Because B1 and AluY elements are the most actively retrotransposing SINEs in mice and rhesus monkeys, respectively, our observations imply that they may serve a dual function in axial element binding; i.e., as the anchoring point for the SC but possibly also as a suppressor/regulator of retrotransposition.