bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chapter 2. The need for needs analysis in technology-mediated TBLT
Authors: González-Lloret Marta
Published: July 2014

Needs analysis (NA) is an important component of any well-developed language curriculum and an essential component of a task-based language curriculum (Long & Crookes 1993; Long & Norris 2000). It is actually “the first stage in the design of a TBLT program” (Long 2007, p. 124). In this chapter, the tasks that make up such a program are understood in real-world terms, as something that the “learners need to do with the language” (Norris 2009, p. 578) in order to function in a certain situation which is based on authentic needs (Long & Norris 2000). It is through a NA that the tasks to be included in the program are identified, as well as the language needed to be able to conduct them effectively and appropriately. In a technology-mediated TBLT program, the NA should address not just the language necessities (linguistic and pragmatic) to complete the tasks, but also the informational and multimodal digital skills needed to effectively engage with the technology. In addition, a NA should help us gather information about what innovations and technological tools are most appropriate for the curriculum, as well as inform us about the necessary training for students and teachers to be able to use them successfully. Although NAs have been reported in the literature in the field of language teaching since the early 1980s, they are not yet a systematic practice in language educational curriculum development. This chapter defends the importance of such a practice, especially for technology-mediated language teaching. It presents the steps necessary to conduct a well-balanced, reliable NA for a technology-mediated TBLT program that would target not only the language needs and wants of students, teachers, and administrators, but also their multimodal, digital and informational needs. The chapter includes examples of several NAs conducted for task-based technology curricula and discusses the possible challenges of conducting such NAs.
Chapter 3. Prior knowledge and second language task production in text chat
Authors: Adams Rebecca , Nik Mohd Alwi Nik Aloesnita
Published: July 2014

The Cognition Hypothesis framed by Robinson (2001; 2003; 2005) has generated a large body of research on how varying task complexity may influence second language (L2) production and learning opportunities; however, most of these studies were conducted in a face-to-face setting (e.g. Gilabert 2007; Gilabert, Baron & Llanes 2009; Kim 2009; Michel, Kuiken & Vedder 2007; Nuevo 2006; Nuevo, Adams & Ross-Feldman 2011). As computer-mediated communication becomes more pervasive in educational contexts, research that extends current understandings of principles of second language learning is increasingly important to help learners and teachers understand how best to make use of this technology to promote specific learning goals (see Kern 2006). The role of task complexity in computer-mediated environments may be particularly important, as this may influence how learners commit attentional resources to language processing during communication (Robinson 2005; Skehan 1998). This study examines the role of one task complexity factor, prior knowledge, on second language production in text-based chat. Analysis of the language produced by first language Malay engineering students engaged in text-based chat group tasks in English indicated that prior knowledge of the task subject area had a limited effect on the complexity and accuracy of language production. We conclude with a critical discussion of the applicability of the Cognition Hypothesis to task-based communication via text chat. We also provide suggestions for how L2 tasks can be implemented in computer-mediated contexts in order to promote attention to form, noting that considering language production and learning in CMC tasks challenges task-based theories and requires transformation of research methods and analysis.
Chapter 5. Promoting foreign language collaborative writing through the use of Web 2.0 tools and tasks
Authors: Oskoz Ana , Elola Idoia
Published: July 2014

This chapter reports on the benefits of embedding chats and wikis, two Web 2.0 social tools, within a module designed to teach the process model of writing with argumentative and expository essays. Sixteen learners enrolled in an advanced Spanish writing course at a mid-sized, east-coast university in the United States completed two three-week essay writing modules working collaboratively in pairs: the first writing piece was in the argumentative genre and the second concerned expository writing. In each module, the same sequence of pedagogic tasks scaffolded the learners through the writing stages of planning, drafting, getting feedback, revising, and publishing. Students were asked to use chats and wikis at specific points during the completion of the modules. Content analysis of the chat and wiki data showed that the synchronous nature of the chats encouraged learners to focus on the content and structure of their writing, while the wikis allowed learners to focus more on localized aspects of text production, such as grammar, fine-tuning of chosen vocabulary, and editing. Comparison of data across the two genres further indicated that while working on the argumentative essay learners focused on syntactic complexity, whereas for the expository essay (completed later in the same semester) learners focused more on accuracy. We conclude that the task-based collaborative approach to teaching process writing, with the mediation of the social tools, allowed learners to construct and reconstruct their content knowledge, to engage with various writing conventions, and to adopt an appropriate, genre-specific language register.
Chapter 6. TBLT and synthetic immersive environments
Authors: Sykes Julie M.
Published: July 2014

While previous work has identified a strong connection between tasks and digital games, very little empirical evidence exists to aid in our understanding of how tasks within these complex digital spaces should be designed, implemented, and evaluated so as to optimally support language learning. This chapter synthesizes evidence from 120 hours of in-game behavior data and 30 hours of interview data, collected in a larger study (Sykes 2008), in which 53 advanced learners of Spanish participated in Croquelandia, a synthetic immersive environment (SIE) explicitly designed for learning how to appropriately perform requests and apologies in Spanish. The chapter focuses on quest restarts, a design capability of SIEs that allows a player to repeat a task by resetting the conditions prior to a follow-up attempt. Through the empirical examination of how quest restarts were or were not actualized in participants’ choices while playing the SIE, I will demonstrate that restart elements of in-game tasks for language learning are critical to the successful design of SIEs. My discussion includes attention to designer intentions versus player actualization and a focus on ‘playing to learn’ versus ‘learning to play’ perspectives.
Chapter 9. Lessons from the fandom
Authors: Sauro Shannon
Published: July 2014

This chapter builds upon work in media and fandom studies to explore the use of fandoms (online networks of fans of books, movies, bands, etc.) and fandom tasks as pedagogical tools in technology-enhanced language classes. This fandom-oriented task-based approach to computer-assisted language learning (CALL) looks at the creative and practical work of several online fandoms, and focuses on examples of four different technology-mediated language tasks that offer both technological and linguistic continuity with language learners’ target online activities. The chapter explores the linguistic skills and proficiency levels targeted by each of the four tasks and discusses curriculum implications. Finally, this chapter concludes with a discussion of specific technology-influenced pedagogical considerations associated with fandom tasks.
Effortful text production in translation
Authors: Alves Fabio , Pagano Adriana , da Silva Igor Antônio Lourenço
Published: July 2014

This article analyzes data generated by the combined use of keylogging and eye tracking to examine grammatical (de)metaphorization as a case of explicitation/implicitation (Steiner 2001). It also aims at investigating effortful text production from the perspective of automaticity and monitoring in the translation process (Tirkkonen-Condit 2005). Brazilian and German physicists and professional translators were recruited to translate one of two versions of an English (L2) source text into Brazilian Portuguese or German, respectively (L1). The versions differed in the level of grammatical metaphoricity of the sentences. Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed to determine the impact of metaphoricity level on target text renditions as evidence of effort in the translation process. Results showed that regardless of which of the two versions was translated, most subjects opted for a particular wording from the start of their text production process; subsequent changes had to do with attempting more delicate choices in lexis rather than in grammar, evidence in favor of Tirkkonen-Condit’s claims about automatism in the translation process. Variables used to measure effort (i.e., number of renditions in microunits, pause duration, and drafting time) indicated that (de)metaphorization is an effortful procedure. Eye tracking, eliciting more fine-grained data, was instrumental in mapping instances of grammatical (de)metaphorization. The results have implications for issues related to the development of professional competence in translation, suggesting that instances of grammatical (de)metaphorization relate to higher levels of monitoring.
Pulling strings
Authors: Valli Paola
Published: July 2014

Current forms of web-based external support can easily log user activity and provide researchers with large quantities of an additional type of process data. This paper aims to present a multilingual concordancer used by translators at the EU institutions as an instance of this new data source. To analyze concordance data, a methodological approach will be developed to include searches across multiple language combinations. A concordance search will be broken down into individual components that will be analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively with a special focus on the problem unit and the cognitive aspects of problem solving. Results show that searches can be both static (spot searches) and dynamic (search sessions). Moreover, translators often tend to refine their queries by reducing the initial search and progressively highlighting the actual problematic item.
Revision and cohesion in translation
Authors: Johnsen Åse
Published: July 2014

This article reports on a study with two main purposes: on the one hand to look into the revision process in translation from Norwegian into Spanish, especially the revision of the title of a text, and on the other hand to compare the translation behavior of three different groups of participants with regard to the translation and revision of the title. The study was carried out by analyzing Translog keystroke data from language students, translation students, and professional translators during the 2011–2012 academic year at the University of Bergen, Norway. The study results show a lack of cohesion between the title and the body of the text in some of the target texts, and indicate that the number of revisions and the variations in the solutions of the translation of the title increase according to the subjects’ experience and translation training. The study also indicates that an additional phase of the translation process may be identified in keystroke data from Translog.
The role of self-regulatory processes in the development of interpreting expertise
Authors: Hild Adelina
Published: July 2014

This article argues for the need to integrate self-regulatory processes in models of adaptive interpreting expertise. It presents the results of an analysis of self-regulatory competence of experts and novice interpreters, using data from retrospective studies, interviews, and performance analysis. The findings revealed differences between the two groups with respect to the following processes: metacognition, emotion regulation, self-observation, and self-judgment. On the basis of these findings, recommendations for training and professional development opportunities as well as for further research are discussed.
Effect of seasonal and experimental temperature on de novo synthesis of fatty acids in C. crangon
Authors: Mika Adriana , Skorkowski Edward , Stepnowski Piotr
Published: July 2014

The intensity of in vivo lipogensis was measured and in this purpose, the radioactivity of incorporation of tritium into fatty acids (FAs) in tissues of C. crangon was determined. De novo synthesis of FAs was five times higher in hepatopancreas than in muscle in summer period but not much higher in autumn. The higher FAs synthesis was recorded at 25 °C, both for hepatopancreas and muscle, and the summer was higher than the autumn in the hepatopancreas and in the muscles of the opposite situation was observed. The higher amounts of SFAs in hepatopancreas from autumn, when in experimental conditions the ambient temperature C. crangon changed from 6 °C to the experimental higher temperature. When content of PUFAn-3 declined dramatically (Autumn 1 h, 25 °C). In contrast, at a lower temperature, the amount of polyunsaturated FAs is much higher than at 25 °C (Autumn 1 h 6 °C).
Reproducing affective norms with lexical co-occurrence statistics: Predicting valence, arousal, and dominance
Authors: Recchia Gabriel , Louwerse Max M.
Published: July 2014

Human ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance are frequently used to study the cognitive mechanisms of emotional attention, word recognition, and numerous other phenomena in which emotions are hypothesized to play an important role. Collecting such norms from human raters is expensive and time consuming. As a result, affective norms are available for only a small number of English words, are not available for proper nouns in English, and are sparse in other languages. This paper investigated whether affective ratings can be predicted from length, contextual diversity, co-occurrences with words of known valence, and orthographic similarity to words of known valence, providing an algorithm for estimating affective ratings for larger and different datasets. Our bootstrapped ratings achieved correlations with human ratings on valence, arousal, and dominance that are on par with previously reported correlations across gender, age, education and language boundaries. We release these bootstrapped norms for 23,495 English words.
Regulation of cell polarity in bacteria
Authors: Treuner-Lange Anke , Søgaard-Andersen Lotte
Published: July 2014

Bacteria are polarized cells with many asymmetrically localized proteins that are regulated temporally and spatially. This spatiotemporal dynamics is critical for several fundamental cellular processes including growth, division, cell cycle regulation, chromosome segregation, differentiation, and motility. Therefore, understanding how proteins find their correct location at the right time is crucial for elucidating bacterial cell function. Despite the diversity of proteins displaying spatiotemporal dynamics, general principles for the dynamic regulation of protein localization to the cell poles and the midcell are emerging. These principles include diffusion-capture, self-assembling polymer-forming landmark proteins, nonpolymer forming landmark proteins, matrix-dependent self-organizing ParA/MinD ATPases, and small Ras-like GTPases.
A New Fixation Technique for French-Door Cervical Laminoplasty
Authors: Harshavardhana Nanjundappa S. , Dabke Harshad V. , Mehdian Hossein
Published: July 2014

Design:

A case series of 5 patients with multilevel cervical myelopathy treated by French-door cervical laminoplasty (FDCL) and use of unicortical iliac crest graft as spacer fixed with titanium miniplates and screws is described.

Objective:

To report a minimum of 6-year follow-up results of our new plate-screw fixation technique for FDCL.

Summary of Background Data:

Hardware-assisted laminoplasty has the potential advantage of preventing restenosis by holding the laminar door “open” while healing progresses and also prevents spacer dislodgement. The use of titanium miniplates as internal fixation device for FDCL by our novel technique has not been reported.

Methods:

Five patients suffering from multilevel cervical myelopathy harboring constitutionally narrow cervical canal (3) and multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (2) who underwent 2–3 level FDCL and followed up prospectively for 6 years is presented. Modified Kurokawa and colleague’s technique of FDCL was performed and autologous iliac crest bone graft was interposed between the sagittaly split spinous processes. A 12- to 15-hole titanium miniplate was contoured into a trapezoidal shape to sit flush with the posterior elements. The plate was anchored to bone graft and posterior elements with screws and patients mobilized without any external orthosis.

Results:

The mean follow-up was 90.5 months. The mean improvement in Neck disability index at final follow-up was 35% and mean improvement in Visual analog scale was 4 points. Japanese orthopaedic association score improved from a mean of 10 to a mean of 14.8 postoperatively. The final outcome was good (3) and excellent (2) by Odom’s criteria. All patients improved to Nurick’s grade 0 or I and reported significant relief from their myelopathic symptoms and axial neck pain. There were no postoperative hardware-related complications or pseudoarthrosis.

Conclusions:

Titanium miniplates are excellent devices for stabilizing the interspinous spacers used in FDCL. They prevent cervical canal deformation, restenosis, spacer dislodgement and are durable, cost-effective in facilitating early mobilization at intermediate-term follow-up of 6 years.
Novosphingobium
aquiterrae sp. nov., isolated from ground water
Authors: Lee Jae-Chan , Kim Song-Gun , Whang Kyung-Sook
Published: July 2014

A Gram-staining-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, yellow and rod-shaped bacterium, designated E-II-3T, was isolated from ground water at Daejeon in Korea. Strain E-II-3T grew between 4 and 45 °C (optimal growth at 28 °C), between pH 6.0 and 9.0 (optimal growth at pH 7.5) and at salinities of 0–2.0 % (w/v) NaCl, growing optimally with 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain E-II-3T was shown to belong to the genus

Novosphingobium

and showed closest phylogenetic similarity to ‘Novosphingobium ginsenosidimutans’ FW-6 (97.7 %),

Novosphingobium aromaticivorans

F199T (96.9 %) and

Novosphingobium subterraneum

B0478T (96.5 %). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and sphingoglycolipid. The predominant ubiquinone and polyamine components were Q-10 and spermidine, respectively. The major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c (34.0 %), C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH (23.8 %) and C17 : 1ω6c (19.3 %). The DNA G+C content of this novel isolate was 62.7 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain E-II-3T and ‘N. ginsenosidimutans’ KACC 16615,

N. aromaticivorans

KCTC 2888T and

N. capsulatum

KCTC 22844T was 38, 33 and 29 %, respectively. On the basis of polyphasic analysis from this study, strain E-II-3T represents a novel species of the genus

Novosphingobium

for which the name Novosphingobium aquiterrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is E-II-3T ( = KACC 17599T = NBRC 109812T = NCAIM B 02537T).
Cohnella
nanjingensis sp. nov., an extracellular polysaccharide-producing bacterium isolated from soil
Authors: Huang Zhi , Yu Ya-jun , Bao Yuan-yuan , Xia Li , Sheng Xia-fang , He Lin-yan
Published: July 2014

A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium, strain D45T, was isolated from soil in Nanjing, China. The organism grew optimally at 30 °C, pH 7.0 and with 0 % NaCl (w/v). The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate showed similarities lower than 97 % with respect to species of the genus

Cohnella

. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7, with MK-6 present as a minor component; anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 were the major fatty acids. The polar lipids of strain D45T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two aminophospholipids, four phospholipids, two glycolipids, one aminolipid and two lipids. The DNA G+C content was 59.5 mol%. DNA–DNA hybridization of the isolate with two reference strains showed relatedness values of 33.4 % with

Cohnella ginsengisoli

DSM 18997T and 25.8 % with

Cohnella thermotolerans

DSM 17683T. The phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data supported the classification of strain D45T as a representative of a novel species of the genus

Cohnella

, for which the name Cohnella nanjingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is D45T ( = CCTCC AB 2014067T = DSM 28246T).
List of new names and new combinations previously effectively, but not validly, published
Authors: Oren Aharon , Garrity George M.
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this announcement is to effect the valid publication of the following effectively published new names and new combinations under the procedure described in the Bacteriological Code (1990 Revision). Authors and other individuals wishing to have new names and/or combinations included in future lists should send three copies of the pertinent reprint or photocopies thereof, or an electronic copy of the published paper to the IJSEM Editorial Office for confirmation that all of the other requirements for valid publication have been met. It is also a requirement of IJSEM and the ICSP that authors of new species, new subspecies and new combinations provide evidence that types are deposited in two recognized culture collections in two different countries. It should be noted that the date of valid publication of these new names and combinations is the date of publication of this list, not the date of the original publication of the names and combinations. The authors of the new names and combinations are as given below. Inclusion of a name on these lists validates the publication of the name and thereby makes it available in the nomenclature of prokaryotes. The inclusion of a name on this list is not to be construed as taxonomic acceptance of the taxon to which the name is applied. Indeed, some of these names may, in time, be shown to be synonyms, or the organisms may be transferred to another genus, thus necessitating the creation of a new combination.
2,6-Diamino-4-chloropyrimidinium 4-carboxybutanoate
Authors: Edison Bellarmin , Balasubramani Kasthuri , Thanigaimani Kaliyaperumal , Khalib Nuridayanti Che , Arshad Suhana , Razak Ibrahim Abdul
Published: July 2014

In the title molecular salt, C4H6ClN4+·C5H7O4−, the cation is essentially planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.037 (1) Å for all non-H atoms. The anions are self-assembled through O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a supramolecular zigzag chain with graph-set notationC(8). In the crystal, the protonated N atom and the 2-amino group of the cation are hydrogen bonded to the carboxylate O atoms of the anionviaa pair of N—H...O hydrogen bonds with anR22(8) ring motif. This motif further self-organizes through N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds, generating an array of six hydrogen bonds, the rings having graph-set notationR32(8),R22(8),R42(8),R22(8) andR32(8). In addition, another type ofR22(8) motif is formed by inversion-related pyrimidinium cationsviaN—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming a two-dimensional network parallel to (101).
2-[(4,6-Diaminopyrimidin-2-yl)sulfanyl]-N-(2-methylphenyl)acetamide
Authors: Subasri S. , Kumar Timiri Ajay , Sinha Barji Nayan , Jayaprakash Venkatesh , Velmurugan Devadasan
Published: July 2014

In the title compound, C13H15NOS, the plane of the pyrimidine ring makes a dihedral angle of 54.73 (9)° with that of theo-tolyl ring. The molecule adopts an extended conformation, which is evident from the C—C(=O)—N—Car(ar = aromatic) torsion angle of 178.42 (15)°. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviapairs of N—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers with anR22(8) ring motif. The dimers are linked by N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, with the O atom accepting three such interactions, forming sheets parallel to (100).
4-Bromo-2-[(phenylimino)methyl]phenol
Authors: Yan Xu-Xiu , Lu Li-Ping , Zhu Miao-Li
Published: July 2014

The title compound, C13H10BrNO, is essentially planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.026 Å) and the dihedral angle between the planes of the two aryl rings is 1.5 (3)°. An intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond generates anS(6) ring.
Relationship between metabolic syndrome and meal‐induced glucagon like peptide‐1 response in type 1 diabetic patients在1型糖尿病患者中代谢综合征与进餐诱导的胰高血糖素样肽‐1应答之间的关系
Authors: Blaslov Kristina , Bulum Tomislav , Zibar Karin , Duvnjak Lea
Published: July 2014

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is found in approximately% 30–40% of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Meal‐induced glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) secretion in T1DM patients with MS is yet to be clarified. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between total fasting GLP‐1 concentrations and the meal‐induced GLP‐1 response with MS prevalence in T1DM patients compared with lean, normal glucose tolerance (NGT), control subjects.

Methods

The study included 77 T1DM patients (61% male), 26 (34%) with MS, who had a mean age of 45.08 years, mean body mass index (BMI) of 25.42 kg/m2, and median diabetes duration of 21 years. Ten age‐, gender, and BMI‐matched NGT control subjects were also included in the study. Circulating GLP‐1 concentrations ere measured before and 30 min after a meal by ELISA. The difference between the 30‐min postprandial and fasting GLP‐1 concentration (ΔGLP‐1) was calculated by subtracting fasting GLP‐1 concentrations from postprandial GLP‐1 concentrations.

Results

The NGT group had significantly higher total fasting, postprandial, and meal‐induced GLP‐1 concentrations than the T1DM groups. The T1DM patients without MS had a higher increase in circulating GLP‐1 concentrations compared with the T1DM group with MS. After adjustment for age, gender, disease duration, and meal caloric value, GLP‐1 response levels were inversely correlated with MS prevalence in binary logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion

A higher meal‐induced GLP‐1 response is associated with lower MS prevalence, but whether GLP‐1 has a protective role in MS development is yet to be determined. This may provide further insight into the implementation of GLP‐1‐based therapies in the T1DM population.
Comparing the effectiveness of metagenomics and metabarcoding for diet analysis of a leaf‐feeding monkey (Pygathrix nemaeus)
Authors: Srivathsan Amrita , Sha John C. M. , Vogler Alfried P. , Meier Rudolf
Published: July 2014

Faecal samples are of great value as a non‐invasive means to gather information on the genetics, distribution, demography, diet and parasite infestation of endangered species. Direct shotgun sequencing of faecal DNA could give information on these simultaneously, but this approach is largely untested. Here, we used two faecal samples to characterize the diet of two red‐shanked doucs langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) that were fed known foliage, fruits, vegetables and cereals. Illumina HiSeq produced ~74 and 67 million paired reads for these samples, of which ~10 000 (0.014%) and ~44 000 (0.066%), respectively, were of chloroplast origin. Sequences were matched against a database of available chloroplast ‘barcodes’ for angiosperms. The results were compared with ‘metabarcoding’ using PCR amplification of the P6 loop of trnL. Metagenomics identified seven and nine of the likely 16 diet plants while six and five were identified by metabarcoding. Metabarcoding produced thousands of reads consistent with the known diet, but the barcodes were too short to identify several plant species to genus. Metagenomics utilized multiple, longer barcodes that combined had greater power of identification. However, rare diet items were not recovered. Read numbers for diet species in metagenomic and metabarcoding data were correlated, indicating that both are useful for determining relative sequence abundance. Metagenomic reads were uniformly distributed across the chloroplast genomes; thus, if chloroplast genomes were used as reference, the precision of identifications and species recovery would improve further. Metagenomics also recovered the host mitochondrial genome and numerous intestinal parasite sequences in addition to generating data useful for characterizing the microbiome.
Grader learning effect and reproducibility of Doppler Spectral‐Domain Optical Coherence Tomography derived retinal blood flow measurements
Authors: Rose Kalpana , Jong Monica , Yusof Firdaus , Tayyari Faryan , Tan Ou , Huang David , Sadda Srinivas R , Flanagan John G , Hudson Christopher
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To investigate grader learning effect and to quantify intergrader reproducibility of Doppler Spectral‐Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD‐OCT) derived retinal blood flow measurements.

Methods

Fifteen healthy young subjects (mean age 28.44; SD 3 years) underwent Doppler SD‐OCT scans of one eye using the circumpapillary double circular scan protocol of the Optovue RTVue by one of two experienced operators. One trained (i.e. having undergone certification) and one novice (i.e. preliminary training comprising five standard practice data sets) individual then graded a standardized set of scans, consisting of 15 data sets (session 1) using custom Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Circulation (doctorc) software. One week later (session 2), the novice grader underwent further training by grading an additional 15 practice data sets and then both graders subsequently regraded the original 15 data sets.

Results

Measurements achieved by a novice grader during session 1 showed a trend to be higher in terms of total retinal venous blood flow (TRBF) and also to be significantly (p = 0.03) higher for venous area, compared with a trained grader. Session 2 results were not significantly different for either grader. The mean TRBF for session 2 for the trained and novice grader was 45.29 ± 9.28 μl/min and 44.39 ± 7.36 μl/min, respectively. The coefficient of repeatability (COR) of session 2 TRBF values between the trained and novice grader was 8.09 μl/min.

Conclusions

There is a grader learning effect which impacts the venous area measurements. Reproducible and repeatable retinal blood flow measurements were achieved among trained graders using doctorc software.
Association between infant swimming and rhinovirus‐induced wheezing
Authors: Schuez‐Havupalo Linnea , Karppinen Sinikka , Toivonen Laura , Kaljonen Anne , Jartti Tuomas , Waris Matti , Peltola Ville
Published: July 2014

Aim

Infant swimming has been considered as a risk factor for wheezing, but the role that respiratory viruses play is unclear. We explored the effects of infant swimming on the risk of all wheezing illnesses and wheezing associated with rhinoviruses.

Methods

We followed up a birth cohort of 1827 children until 17 months of age, collecting data on infant swimming, other risk factors and physician‐diagnosed bronchiolitis or recurrent wheezing. Viral diagnostics were performed in a subset of children with all respiratory tract infections.

Results

Data on infant swimming were obtained for 1038 children, with viral follow‐up for 635 children. At least one wheezing illness was documented in 45/469 (9.6%) swimming children versus 39/569 (6.9%) nonswimming children (p = 0.11), and rhinoviruses were associated with wheezing in 11/296 (3.7%) swimming children versus 4/339 (1.2%) nonswimming children (p = 0.04). In adjusted logistic regression analyses, swimming had an odds ratio of 1.71 (p = 0.05) for bronchiolitis and 3.57 (p = 0.06) for rhinovirus‐associated wheezing. An association between infant swimming and rhinovirus‐associated wheezing was detected for children with atopic eczema (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

There may be a link between infant swimming and rhinovirus‐induced wheezing illnesses in atopic infants.
Vitrification of mouse preantral follicles versus slow freezing: Morphological and apoptosis evaluation
Authors: Taghavi Seyed Abdolvahab , Valojerdi Mojtaba Rezazadeh , Moghadam Mehdi Forozandeh , Ebrahimi Bita
Published: July 2014

The aim of this study was evaluation of survivability, maturation rate and apoptotic gene expression of preantral follicles after vitrification and slow freezing technique. Normal mouse preantral follicles were randomly divided into three experimental groups. In the control group, follicles were cultured immediately; in the vitrification and slow freezing groups, follicles were cultured after vitrification‐warming and slow freezing‐thawing procedures. Follicular viability was assessed by using 0.4% trypan blue, and molecular evaluation of messenger RNA levels of apoptosis‐related genes was performed by the semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR method after 3 h of culture. Oocyte maturation rates were also evaluated on day 14 of culture. Survival and maturation rate in the slow freezing group were significantly lower than those in control and vitrification groups (P ≤ 0.05). Although there was no difference in Survivin expression among the three experimental groups, Bcl‐2 expression was significantly lower in the slow freezing group compared to the other groups (P ≤ 0.05). The expression of Bax, P53, Fas and Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio in the slow freezing group was significantly higher than control and vitrification groups (P ≤ 0.05). Preantral follicle vitrification seems to be better than slow freezing as seen in the survival, maturation and expression rates of apoptotic gene variants.
The Brainstem Pathologies of Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Authors: Seidel Kay , Mahlke Josefine , Siswanto Sonny , Krüger Reijko , Heinsen Helmut , Auburger Georg , Bouzrou Mohamed , Grinberg Lea T. , Wicht Helmut , Korf Horst‐Werner , den Dunnen Wilfred , Rüb Udo
Published: July 2014

Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are among the human synucleinopathies, which show alpha‐synuclein immunoreactive neuronal and/or glial aggregations and progressive neuronal loss in selected brain regions (eg, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, pedunculopontine nucleus). Despite several studies about brainstem pathologies in PD and DLB, there is currently no detailed information available regarding the presence of alpha‐synuclein immunoreactive inclusions (i) in the cranial nerve, precerebellar, vestibular and oculomotor brainstem nuclei and (ii) in brainstem fiber tracts and oligodendroctyes. Therefore, we analyzed the inclusion pathologies in the brainstem nuclei (Lewy bodies, LB; Lewy neurites, LN; coiled bodies, CB) and fiber tracts (LN, CB) of PD and DLB patients. As reported in previous studies, LB and LN were most prevalent in the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, pedunculopontine and raphe nuclei, periaqueductal gray, locus coeruleus, parabrachial nuclei, reticular formation, prepositus hypoglossal, dorsal motor vagal and solitary nuclei. Additionally we were able to demonstrate LB and LN in all cranial nerve nuclei, premotor oculomotor, precerebellar and vestibular brainstem nuclei, as well as LN in all brainstem fiber tracts. CB were present in nearly all brainstem nuclei and brainstem fiber tracts containing LB and/or LN. These findings can contribute to a large variety of less well‐explained PD and DLB symptoms (eg, gait and postural instability, impaired balance and postural reflexes, falls, ingestive and oculomotor dysfunctions) and point to the occurrence of disturbances of intra‐axonal transport processes and transneuronal spread of the underlying pathological processes of PD and DLB along anatomical pathways.
Effect of a food supplementation and psychosocial stimulation trial for severely malnourished children on the level of maternal depressive symptoms in Bangladesh
Authors: Nahar B. , Hossain I. , Hamadani J. D. , Ahmed T. , Grantham‐McGregor S. , Persson L.‐A.
Published: July 2014

Background

Maternal depression is associated with poor child development and growth in low‐income countries. This paper evaluates the effect of a community‐based trial providing psychosocial stimulation and food supplements to severely malnourished children on maternal depressive symptoms in Bangladesh.

Methods

Severely underweight (weight‐for‐age Z‐score < −3) hospitalized children aged 6–24 months (n = 507), were randomly assigned to: psychosocial stimulation (PS), food supplementation (FS), PS+FS, clinic control (CC) and hospital control (CH) at discharge. PS included play sessions with children and parental counselling to mothers during fortnightly follow‐up visit at community clinics, conducted by trained play leaders for 6 months. FS involved cereal‐based supplements (150–300 kcal/day) for 3 months. All groups received medical care, micronutrient supplements and growth monitoring. We used Bayley scales, Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (HOME) inventory and a parenting questionnaire to assess child development, home stimulation and mothers' child‐rearing practices, respectively. We assessed mothers' depressive symptoms using a modified version of Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at baseline and at 6 months post intervention.

Results

Maternal depressive symptoms were significantly lower in the CH group at baseline (P = 0.014). After 6 months of intervention there was no significant effect of intervention after adjusting for baseline scores and all possible confounders. Maternal depressive symptoms were higher among poorer (P = 0.06), older (P = 0.057) and less educated (P = 0.019) mothers, who were housewives (P = 0.053), and whose husbands had more unstable jobs (P = 0.058). At 6 months post intervention, children's cognitive (P = 0.045) and motor (P = 0.075) development, HOME (P = 0.012) and mother's parenting score (P = 0.057) were higher among mothers with lower depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

The study did not show a significant effect of the intervention on the level of maternal depressive symptoms. Interventions with higher intensity and/or of longer duration focusing directly on maternal psychosocial functioning are probably needed to reduce maternal depressive symptoms.
Inequalities in oral impacts and welfare regimes: analysis of 21 European countries
Authors: Guarnizo‐Herreño Carol C. , Watt Richard G. , Pikhart Hynek , Sheiham Aubrey , Tsakos Georgios
Published: July 2014

Objective

Very few studies have analysed the relationship between political factors and oral health inequalities, and only one study has compared the magnitude of inequalities in oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) across welfare state regimes. This study aimed to compare socioeconomic inequalities in oral impacts on daily life among 21 European countries with different welfare state regimes (Scandinavian, Anglo‐Saxon, Bismarckian, Southern, and Eastern).

Methods

We analysed data from the Eurobarometer 72.3, a survey carried out in 2009 among adults in European countries. Inequalities in oral impacts by education, occupational social class and subjective social status (SSS) were estimated by means of age‐standardized prevalence rates, odds ratios (ORs), the relative index of inequality (RII) and the slope index of inequality (SII).

Results

Educational inequalities in the form of social gradients were observed in all welfare regimes. The Scandinavian and Southern welfare regimes also showed gradients for all SEP measures. There were not significant differences in the magnitude of relative inequalities (RII) across welfare state regimes. Absolute educational inequalities were largest in the Anglo‐Saxon welfare regime (SII = 17.57; 95% CI: 7.80–27.33) and smallest in the Bismarckian (SII = 3.32; 95% CI: −2.18 to 8.83).

Conclusions

A significant difference in the magnitude of inequalities across welfare regimes was found for absolute educational inequalities but not for relative inequalities. Welfare state regimes may influence the relationship between knowledge‐related resources and oral impacts on daily life.
Bevacizumab modulates the process of fibrosis in vitro
Authors: Zhang Min , Chu Sanjun , Zeng Fanxing , Xu Haifeng
Published: July 2014

Background

Fibrosis is the most common side effect after anti‐vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy (intravitreal bevacizumab) for retinal or choroidal neovascularization. This study was to investigate the efficacy of bevacizumab on the expressions of fibrosis‐related cytokines in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro.

Methods

Cultured HUVECs were divided into groups of controls (group 1), hypoxia (group 2) and hypoxia combined with bevacizumab (group 3). No treatment was given in group 1. In group 2, cobalt(II) chloride (CoCl2) (200 μm) was added to the medium. In group 3, in addition to CoCl2, bevacizumab was mixed in the medium, with a final concentration of 0.25 mg/mL, roughly equal to the concentration used clinically. The expressions of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), transforming growth factor‐β2 (TGF‐β2) and basic fibroblast growth factor‐2 (bFGF‐2) were evaluated by SYBR green real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)‐2 was detected by SYBR green real‐time PCR and Western blotting at each time point.

Results

Both messenger RNA and protein levels of CTGF, bFGF, TGF‐β2 and MMP‐2 in group 2 were higher than group 1 (P < 0.05). In group 3, the expressions of CTGF, bFGF, TGF‐β2 and MMP‐2 were upregulated compared with group 2 (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Bevacizumab at clinical doses can exert pro‐fibrotic effects on HUVECs by upregulating the expressions of CTGF, bFGF, TGF‐β2 and MMP‐2. This may be involved in fibrosis after anti‐VEGF therapy.
Development of Different Forms of Skill Learning Throughout the Lifespan
Authors: Lukács Ágnes , Kemény Ferenc
Published: July 2014

The acquisition of complex motor, cognitive, and social skills, like playing a musical instrument or mastering sports or a language, is generally associated with implicit skill learning (SL). Although it is a general view that SL is most effective in childhood, and such skills are best acquired if learning starts early, this idea has rarely been tested by systematic empirical studies on the developmental pathways of SL from childhood to old age. In this paper, we challenge the view that childhood and early school years are the prime time for skill learning by tracking age‐related changes in performance in three different paradigms of SL. We collected data from participants between 7 and 87 years for (1) a Serial Reaction Time Task (SRT) testing the learning of motor sequences, (2) an Artificial Grammar Learning (AGL) task testing the extraction of regularities from auditory sequences, and (3) Probabilistic Category Learning in the Weather Prediction task (WP), a non‐sequential categorization task. Results on all three tasks show that adolescence and adulthood are the most efficient periods for skill learning, since instead of becoming less and less effective with age, SL improves from childhood into adulthood and then later declines with aging.
Metformin and the risk of head and neck cancer: a case–control analysis
Authors: Becker C. , Jick S. S. , Meier C. R. , Bodmer M.
Published: July 2014

Aims

Metformin use has been associated with a decreased risk of some cancers, although data on head and neck cancer (HNC) are scarce. We explored the relation between the use of antidiabetic drugs and the risk of HNC.

Methods

We conducted a case–control analysis in the UK‐based Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) of people with incident HNC between 1995 and 2013 below the age of 90 years. Six controls per case were matched on age, sex, calendar time, general practice and number of years of active history in the CPRD prior to the index date. Other potential confounders including body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption and comorbidities were also evaluated. The final analyses were adjusted for BMI, smoking and diabetes mellitus (or diabetes duration in a sensitivity analysis). Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Use of metformin was neither associated with a statistically significant altered risk of HNC overall (1–29 prescriptions: adjusted OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.61–1.24 and ≥30 prescriptions adjusted OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.53–1.22), nor was long‐term use of sulphonylureas (adjusted OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.59–1.30), or any insulin use (adjusted OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.63–1.35). However, we found a (statistically non‐significant) decreased risk of laryngeal cancer associated with long‐term metformin use (adjusted OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17–1.03).

Conclusions

In this population‐based study, the use of antidiabetic drugs was not associated with a materially altered risk of HNC. Our data suggest a protective effect of long‐term metformin use for laryngeal cancer.
Specificity and sensitivity of commercially available assays for glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1): implications for GLP‐1 measurements in clinical studies
Authors: Bak M. J. , Wewer Albrechtsen N. J. , Pedersen J. , Knop F. K. , Vilsbøll T. , Jørgensen N. B. , Hartmann B. , Deacon C. F. , Dragsted L. O. , Holst J. J.
Published: July 2014

Aims

To evaluate the performances of commercially available glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) assays and the implications for clinical studies.

Methods

Known concentrations (5–300 pmol/l) of synthetic GLP‐1 isoforms (GLP‐1 1‐36NH2, 7‐36NH2, 9‐36NH2, 1‐37, 7‐37 and 9‐37) were added to the matrix (assay buffer) supplied with 10 different kits and to human plasma, and recoveries were determined. Assays yielding meaningful results were analysed for precision and sensitivity by repeated analysis and ability to discriminate low concentrations. Endogenous GLP‐1 levels in clinical samples were assessed using three commercial kits.

Results

The USCN LIFE assay detected none of the GLP‐1 isoforms. The active GLP‐1 enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) from Millipore and DRG appeared identical and were specific for intact GLP‐1 in buffer and plasma. The Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) total GLP‐1 kit detected all six GLP‐1 isoforms, although recovery of non‐active forms was incomplete, especially in plasma. Millipore total GLP‐1 ELISA kit detected all isoforms in buffer, but mainly amidated forms in plasma. The Alpco, Phoenix and Bio‐Rad kits detected only amidated GLP‐1, but the Alpco kit had a limited measurement range (30 pmol/l), the Phoenix kit had incomplete recovery in plasma and the Bio‐Rad kit was insensitive (detection limit in plasma 40 pmol/l). The pattern of postprandial GLP‐1 responses in clinical samples was similar between the kits tested, but the absolute concentrations measured varied.

Conclusions

The specificity and sensitivity of commercially available kits for the analysis of GLP‐1 levels vary considerably. This should be taken into account when selecting which assay to use and when comparing data from different studies.