bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Femoral/Axillary Volume Flow Ratio as a New Index for the Assessment of Iliac Atherosclerosis
Authors: Furtado de Medeiros Charles Angotti , Ferreira Silveira Sandra Aparecida , Hüsemann Menezes Fábio
Published: August 2010

Objective: To measure the arterial volume flow (VF) with duplex scan, calculate femoral/axillary VF ratio, and discuss its applicability as a new index for the hemodynamic significance of an aorto-iliac occlusive lesion. Methods: Several measures of VF were obtained consecutively with duplex scan in both common femoral and axillary arteries of healthy volunteers with no signs of atherosclerosis and patients with documented evidence of occlusive aorto-iliac disease with segmental pressure measurement. Then the patient group was sent to complimentary evaluation for a second confirmatory examination. Results: There were a total of 635 measures of VF performed in 10 healthy volunteers and 8 patients with severe iliac stenoses or occlusion, 2 of then with bilateral disease. When comparing normal participants and patients with severe iliac stenoses or occlusion, there was statistical significant difference between these 2 groups (P < .01 Mann-Whitney). Similar result was found when comparing patient with diseased limbs with their own contralateral normal side (P < .05 Wilcoxon). And measuring the VF only during the systolic phase was a much more sensitive parameter for differentiating the normal from the diseased. Besides that a good correlation between proximal thigh pressure index and femoral/axillary systolic flow ratio was found in the patient group (P < .01 Spearman correlation). Conclusion: The femoral/axillary VF ratio is useful in assessing the hemodynamic significance of aorto-iliac disease, and the systolic femoral-axillary ratio may also be useful as a follow-up tool.
Decreased Neonatal Jaundice Readmission Rate After Implementing Hyperbilirubinemia Guidelines and Universal Screening for Bilirubin
Authors: Alkalay Arie L. , Bresee Catherine J. , Simmons Charles F.
Published: August 2010

Readmission rate for neonatal jaundice approximate 10 per 1000 live births. After applying hyperbilirubinemia guidelines and universal screening for bilirubin in term and near-term newborns, the readmission rate declined significantly from 24 to 3.7 per 1000 live births. Decreased readmission rate for neonatal jaundice may reduce kernicterus rate and health care costs. Further studies are necessary to explore these potential benefits.
Why Can’t We All Just Get Along: The Reasonable vs. the Rational According to Spinoza
Authors: Garver Eugene
Published: August 2010

Spinoza presents a picture of the good human life in which being rational and being reasonable or sociable are mutually supporting: the philosopher makes the best citizen, and citizenship is the best route to philosophy and adequate ideas. Crucial to this mutual implication are the roles of religion and politics in promoting obedience. It is through obedience that people can become “of one mind and one body” in the absence of adequate ideas, through the presence of shared empowering imaginations and emotions.
What is love? An empirically-based essentialist account
Authors: Hegi Kevin E. , Bergner Raymond M.
Published: August 2010

This two-part study investigates new possibilities in our understanding of the nature of love. Evidence collected lends preliminary support to the following contentions: First, Persons’ concepts of human love of various kinds may not be, as widely maintained, Roschian prototypical ones, but may instead be definable, essentialist ones. Second, Foremost among love’s essential characteristics in terms of transcending four different kinds of love (romantic, parental, companionate, and altruistic) may be “Investment in the well-being of the other for his or her own sake.” Third, Persons’ models or prototypes of romantic, parental, companionate, and altruistic relationships may be different from and broader than their essentialist concepts of love itself of each of these kinds.
Learning Non-linear Multivariate Dynamics of Motion in Robotic Manipulators
Authors: Gribovskaya E. , Khansari-Zadeh S.M. , Billard A.
Published: August 2010

Motion imitation requires reproduction of a dynamical signature of a movement, i.e. a robot should be able to encode and reproduce a particular path together with a specific velocity and/or an acceleration profile. Furthermore, a human provides only few demonstrations, which cannot cover all possible contexts in which the robot will need to reproduce the motion autonomously. Therefore, the encoding should be able to efficiently generalize knowledge by generating similar motions in unseen contexts. This work follows a recent trend in programming by demonstration in which the dynamics of the motion is learned. We present an algorithm to estimate multivariate robot motions through a mixture of Gaussians. The strengths of the proposed encoding are three-fold: (i) it allows a generalization of motion to unseen context; (ii) it provides fast on-line replanning of the motion in case of of spatio-temporal perturbations; (iii) it may embed different types of dynamics, governed by different attractors. The generality of the method to estimate arbitrary non-linear motion dynamics is demonstrated by accurately estimating a set of known non-linear dynamical systems. The platform-independency and real-time performance of the method are further validated to learn the non-linear motion dynamics of manipulation tasks with different robotic platforms. We provide an experimental comparison of our approach with a related state-of-the-art method.
Temporal profile of vascular changes induced by systemic nitroglycerin in the meningeal and cortical districts
Authors: Greco Rosaria , Meazza Cristina , Mangione Antonina Stefania , Allena Marta , Bolla Monica , Amantea Diana , Mizoguchi Hirocazu , Sandrini Giorgio , Nappi Giuseppe , Tassorelli Cristina
Published: August 2010

Background: Clinical studies indicated that nitric oxide (NO) donors cause regional changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), similar to those reported in spontaneous migraine. Systemic nitroglycerin (NTG), a NO donor, is a well-accepted experimental model of migraine. In this study we have examined the effects of NTG on the meningeal and cortical blood flow in rats.

Methods: Regional blood flow was monitored in male Sprague-Dawley rats using laser Doppler flowmetry before and after NTG/saline injection over 150 minutes. The effect of pre-treatment with Nω-nitro-L-arginine ester (L-NAME) or 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) on NTG-induced changes on blood flow was also investigated.

Results: In the dura NTG caused a biphasic response represented by an initial decrease in blood flow followed by a significant increase. At variance, in the cortex NTG caused only an increase in blood flow. Pre-treatment with either L-NAME or 7-NI prevented NTG-induced increase in blood flow in both districts, while only L-NAME also prevented NTG-induced decrease in dural blood flow.

Conclusion: The present findings provide additional information on the timing of effects of NTG on blood flow at both the meningeal and cortical levels. These effects seem to be related to vasoregulatory mechanisms and/or metabolic activity in response to the synthesis of endogenous NO.
Critical Reflection as a Rationalistic Ideal
Authors: van Woerkom Marianne
Published: August 2010

There is a growing interest in the concept of critical reflection in the adult learning and management literature. In this article, the author examines four different intellectual traditions that inform the use of the term critical reflection on the different ideals they express and the different definitions of critical reflection they use. On the basis of this analysis, the author argues that all conceptualizations of critical reflection have a normative character in common, indicating “good thinking” rather than describing observed ways of thinking. Moreover, the author argues that most of these definitions share a common rationalistic bias, implicitly defining critical reflection as a cognitive and rational process under full awareness and rationalizing the impact of emotions on the learning process. Next, the author discusses the problems related to the underdeveloped role of the unconscious and emotions in conceptualizations of critical reflection. It is proposed that we need to start thinking about critical reflection in ways that go beyond dualistic assumptions about good and bad learning and acknowledge the importance of implicit learning and emotions. Moreover, it is proposed that we need to ground our conceptualizations of critical reflection in empirical studies.
Cognitive Proficiency Index for the Canadian Edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition
Authors: Saklofske Donald H. , Jianjun Zhu  , Coalson Diane L. , Raiford Susan E. , Weiss Lawrence G.
Published: August 2010

The Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) developed for the most recent Wechsler intelligence scales comprises the working memory and processing speed subtests. It reflects the proficiency and efficiency of cognitive processing and provides another lens for analyzing children’s abilities assessed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). This article provides the various tables needed to calculate and use the CPI based on Canadian norms.
Sodium Disturbances Commonly Encountered in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Murphy-Human Theresa , Diringer Michael N.
Published: August 2010

Disorders of sodium and water balance are common in patients with central nervous system (CNS) disease. These disorders frequently complicate the treatment course by precipitating or worsening neurological symptoms. These patients are not only at risk for symptoms secondary to dysnatremia but also at risk from the consequences of treatment. If not treated properly, this electrolyte disturbance can vastly increase morbidity and can even lead to death. Appropriate diagnosis and intervention requires an understanding of the physiologic and pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in sodium and water homeostasis.
The impact of the EUSCLE core set questionnaire for the assessment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus
Authors: Kuhn A. , Patsinakidis N. , Bonsmann G.
Published: August 2010

Epidemiological data and standard European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) are lacking in the current literature. In order to provide a standardized tool for an extensive consistent data collection, a study group of the European Society of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (EUSCLE) recently developed a Core Set Questionnaire for the assessment of patients with different subtypes of CLE. The EUSCLE Core Set Questionnaire includes six sections on patient data, diagnosis, skin involvement, activity and damage of disease, laboratory analysis, and treatment. An instrument like the EUSCLE Core Set Questionnaire is essential to gain a broad and comparable data collection of patients with CLE from different European centres and to achieve consensus concerning clinical standards for the disease. The data will also be important for further characterization of the different CLE subtypes and the evaluation of therapeutic strategies; moreover, the EUSCLE Core Set Questionnaire might also be useful for the comparison of data in clinical trials. In this review, the impact of the EUSCLE Core Set Questionnaire is discussed in detail with regard to clinical and serological features as well as therapeutic modalities in CLE. Lupus (2010) 19, 1144—1152.
Epidemiologic, socioeconomic and psychosocial aspects in lupus erythematosus
Authors: Aberer E.
Published: August 2010

Epidemiologic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors play an important role in health care and handling of patients with the various clinical forms of lupus erythematosus (LE). Patients with LE are mostly young women; adolescents and some ethnic groups are especially prone to a severe course of disease. The unpredictable and fluctuating flares of disease, the need for longterm treatment, and the side effects and damage caused by the disease itself severely reduce quality of life. Problems arise, involving family members, adherence to medical advice and therapy, communication and self management. Socioeconomically, patients are often unable to take regular employment and to pay for health insurance. Stress factors that arise have a negative impact on the course of disease, increasing both fatigue and the basic burden of illness. Healthcare professionals must pay careful attention to all these items, as they attempt to treat flares, minimize drug side effects, provide pain relief, arrange communication and exercise programs along with behavioral and psychosocial interventions in multidisciplinary cooperation, and also involve and support family members. Lupus (2010) 19, 1118—1124.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the rhetorical construction of “bad” scientific work
Authors: Attenborough Frederick Thomas
Published: August 2010

How are secondary accounts of “bad” scientific practice constructed? How do they engage with the primary data produced by “bad” scientists? And what happens to those primary data as generations of secondary accounts purporting to describe them accumulate? This paper addresses such questions via a case study of Dr. Hong, a microbiologist accused of “bad” scientific practice by numerous secondary accounts of the 2003 SARS outbreak. Bringing Hong’s own account of his own actions into dialogue with one of the most influential secondary accounts of his actions, the paper highlights the gross disparity between the two. Having argued that the rhetorical structuring of the secondary account is, ultimately, responsible for Hong’s characterisation as a “bad” scientist, it then moves to explore how subsequent accounts developed their own characterisations. What becomes clear is that as secondary accounts began feeding off one another, references to Hong’s account disappeared. Aided by the concepts of the “vanishing” and the “phantasm,” the paper concludes with a consideration of how this process left Hong’s work with a very peculiar form of existence.
The legitimacy of collective actors and trade union renewal
Authors: Dufour Christian , Hege Adelheid
Published: August 2010

Over the last three decades, during a period of deep and far-reaching change, European trade unions have lost both regulatory power and membership. Nevertheless, though their strength may have been impaired, trade unions continue to fulfil their customary roles. This is because the legitimacy of European trade unions as social actors is both rooted in history and consolidated in institutions. In this article we argue that the crisis of trade unionism is not one of external legitimacy but rather the loss of internal legitimacy. An understanding of this phenomenon requires close consideration of the nature of representation itself, and of the way in which the relationship between representatives and those they represent is continually constructed and reconstructed. The hypothesis developed in this article is that the construction of relations of representation — a matter to which studies of trade union systems frequently pay scant attention — is fundamental to trade union legitimacy. Union actors’ understanding of and action on their own representative capacity is therefore decisive for their transformation in a globalized world.
Neue Wege für die kollektive Interessenvertretung: Einleitung DE
Authors: Dufour Christian , Murray Gregor , Peetz David , Yates Charlotte
Published: August 2010

In dieser Ausgabe von Transfer geht es um die analytischen Kategorien, die wir verwenden, um Gewerkschaften und ihr Handeln zu verstehen. Sie fragt nach den Bedingungen für die Erneuerung der Gewerkschaften und untersucht Schlüsselkonzepte, die Denkanstöße zur Wiederbelebung der Gewerkschaften und zur Gestaltung künftiger Formen kollektiver Interessenvertretung geben sollen. In jedem Beitrag dieser Ausgabe wird ein konzeptueller Rahmen vorgeschlagen, der es dem Leser ermöglichen soll, sein eigenes Verständnis und seine Vorstellungen von kollektiver Vertretung zu überdenken. Zu den dargestellten Konzepten gehören Kategorien wie Politik, Macht, Legitimität, Demokratie, Individualismus und Kollektivismus, Gender- Framing und Frausein sowie um Klimawandel.
Time in Video Games: A Survey and Analysis
Authors: Zagal José P. , Mateas Michael
Published: August 2010

This article introduces a conceptual tool for analyzing video game temporality, the temporal frame, and a methodology by which new temporal frames can be constructed as needed during analysis. A temporal frame is a set of events, along with the temporality induced by the relationships between those events. The authors discuss four common temporal frames: real-world time (events taking place in the physical world), gameworld time (events within the represented gameworld, including events associated with gameplay actions), coordination time (events that coordinate the actions of players and agents), and fictive time (applying sociocultural labels to events, as well as narrated event sequences). They use frames to analyze the real-time/turn-based distinction, various temporal anomalies, and temporal manipulations as a form of gameplay. These discussions illustrate how temporal frames are useful for gaining a more nuanced understanding of temporal phenomena in games. Additionally, their relationist characterization of temporal frames supports analysis and design.
Identifying Organizational Faultlines With Latent Class Cluster Analysis
Authors: Lawrence Barbara S. , Zyphur Michael J.
Published: August 2010

Faultline theory proposes that when the distributions of individuals’ attributes in groups are aligned, they create homogeneous subgroups, characterized by within-group similarities and between-group differences. As homogeneity increases, these differences are increasingly likely to acquire meaning to subgroup members and thus to influence behavior. Although the face validity of faultlines is appealing, empirical methods have been difficult. The most commonly used, Fau and FLS, have several limitations, for instance difficulty with integrating nominal, categorical, and continuous variables. This article proposes latent class cluster analysis (LCCA) as an additional analytical tool. After reviewing the literature involving interdependent attributes, the most common faultline measures are described and compared with LCCA. A study of faultlines in a large organization is presented. LCCA induces a five-class model of organizational faultlines. A comparison of work-related communication contacts indicates that subjects have more within-subgroup than between-subgroup contacts, supporting the criterion-related validity of the faultline solution.
What is the impact of age of second language acquisition on the production of consonants and vowels among childhood bilinguals?
Authors: MacLeod Andrea A. N. , Stoel-Gammon Carol
Published: August 2010

This study investigated bilinguals’ ability to produce language-specific acoustic values for consonants and vowels that are highly similar across the two languages. To investigate this ability, we targeted early bilinguals who had acquired two languages before the age of 12 and continued to use both languages on a daily basis. These adult bilinguals were separated into two groups: simultaneous bilinguals (or nearly so) who acquired both languages by their third year, and sequential bilinguals who acquired their second language between the ages of 8 and 12 years. Their speech production was studied through an acoustic analysis of stop consonants (voice onset time) and vowels (formant structure). Despite the differences in age of acquisition, these bilinguals used both languages on a regular basis at work and at home and were very proficient in both languages. In contrast to other early bilinguals who undergo a change in language dominance from their first language to their second, the participants in this study maintained relatively balanced abilities in both languages. This study revealed that childhood bilinguals can maintain contrasts across their two languages, even for very similar phonemes.
Attitudes to new smoking restrictions and second-hand smoke among young Finnish males
Authors: Nieminen Pentti , Toljamo Tuula , Hamari Anna , Kinnula Vuokko L.
Published: August 2010

Aims: Relatively little is known about the attitudes of young people to restrictions on smoking in public places and to environmental second-hand smoke in housing estates. The objective was to explore the attitudes of young male adults after the new smoke-free legislation was implemented in Finland. Methods: A survey of 1167 Finnish male military conscripts was performed. The main outcome variables were their attitudes to the new restrictions on smoking in public places and concerns about second-hand smoke in the home originating from their neighbours. Results: Almost half of the youths (43.5%) reported that they supported the more restrictive smoking regulations, with 44.8% having a neutral view. Only 16.0% of the respondents were irritated about the second-hand smoke entering to their house from outside and 48.6% were not concerned about smoking in their neighbourhood. A total of 555 (47.6%) conscripts were current smokers. Current smokers were more often totally opposed to the legislation and had less negative views about the exposure to second-hand smoke than non-smokers. Strong nicotine dependence increased the feelings of anxiety and stigmatisation when the new restrictions were introduced. Conclusions: Finnish young men do accept new smoking restrictions. However, smoking with high nicotine dependence was surprisingly common among these young men and the negative attitude to the legislation can be traced to this group of smokers. The repulsion felt towards second-hand smoke by non-smokers represents an opportunity for public health initiatives to guarantee a smoke-free environment in public and private places.
The performance of occupancy-based lighting control systems: A review
Authors: Guo X. , Tiller DK , Henze GP , Waters CE
Published: August 2010

This paper reviews the literature on occupancy-based lighting control as a prelude to the application of sensor networks to building management. Many buildings include systems to detect occupancy and control building services. Current systems use single measurement points to detect occupancy, and there can be significant uncertainty associated with the measurement of occupancy. Long time delay and high detector sensitivity settings compensate for this uncertainty, but these diminish the savings that could be achieved with more accurate occupancy measurement. More effective control may be provided by more extensive sensing, using a network of occupancy sensors, and more extensive analysis of sensor data. The literature reviewed in this paper establishes the need for an investigation of the performance of sensor networks when used for lighting control.
Screening and Intervention for Domestic Violence During Pregnancy Care: A Systematic Review
Authors: O'Reilly Rebecca , Beale Barbara , Gillies Donna
Published: August 2010

Domestic violence (DV) against women during pregnancy affects many women and unborn infants worldwide. Pregnancy presents a window of opportunity for health care providers to identify DV and provide appropriate intervention. The aim of this systematic review was to appraise the effectiveness of DV screening and interventions for women identified for DV through screening in pregnancy. The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched from January 1995 to November 2009 to identify potentially relevant studies. Studies using any comparative methodology from both national and international arenas were included but had to be in the English language. Nine studies (13 references) met the inclusion criteria, five for screening and four for interventions. Of the five screening studies, the identification of DV was significantly higher compared to studies that used a nonstandardized screen or no screen at all. There was also evidence that recurrent screening throughout the pregnancy further increased identification rates. There was some evidence that interventions for pregnant women who had experienced DV reduced the amount of violence experienced by these women, but the evidence is very limited by the small number of randomized studies with small participant numbers. Further research is required to establish the most effective interventions for women who are identified at risk of DV during pregnancy.
Measurement of islet cell antibodies in the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium: efforts to harmonize procedures among the laboratories
Authors: Bingley Polly J , Williams Alistair JK , Colman Peter G , Gellert Shane A , Eisenbarth George , Yu Liping , Perdue Letitia H , Pierce June J , Hilner Joan E , Nierras Concepcion , Akolkar Beena , Steffes Michael W ,   T1DGC
Published: August 2010

Background and Purpose Three network laboratories measured antibodies to islet autoantigens. Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65 [GADA]) and the intracellular portion of protein tyrosine phosphatase (IA-2ic [IA-2A]) were measured by similar, but not identical, methods in samples from participants in the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC).

Methods All laboratories used radiobinding assays to detect antibodies to in vitro transcribed and translated antigen, but with different local standards, calibrated against the World Health Organization (WHO) reference reagent. Using a common method to calculate WHO units/mL, we compared results reported on samples included in the Diabetes Autoantibody Standardization Program (DASP), and developed standard methods for reporting in WHO units/mL. We evaluated intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation (CV) in blind duplicate samples and assay comparability in four DASP workshops.

Results Values were linearly related in the three laboratories for both GADA and IA-2A, and intra-assay technical errors for values within the standard curve were below 13% for GADA and below 8.5% for IA-2A. Correlations in samples tested 1—2 years apart were >97%. Over the course of the study, internal CVs were 10—20% with one exception, and the laboratories concordantly called samples GADA or IA-2A positive or negative in 96.7% and 99.6% of duplicates within the standard curve. Despite acceptable CVs and general concordance in ranking samples, the laboratories differed markedly in absolute values for GADA and IA-2A reported in WHO units/mL in DASP over a large range of values.

Limitations With three laboratories using different assay methods (including calibrators), consistent values among them could not be attained.

Conclusions Modifications in the assays are needed to improve comparability of results expressed as WHO units/mL across laboratories. It will be essential to retain high intra- and inter-assay precision, sensitivity and specificity and to confirm the accuracy of harmonized methods. Clinical Trials 2010; 7: S56—S64. http:// ctj.sagepub.com
Practicing Strategically: The Difference Between Knowledge and Action in Two Eighth-Grade Students’ Independent Instrumental Practice
Authors: Christensen Stephanie E.
Published: August 2010

This qualitative collective case study examined the practice strategies of two eighth-grade instrumentalists. Participants included two student—parent pairs from the author’s school district. Data were obtained through interviews and videotaped practice sessions. Results are presented according to two main themes: practice description versus practice action and personal enjoyment. The findings of this study suggest that a gap exists between the students’ knowledge and their application of effective strategies to their independent practicing.
Emotional Differences Between Early and Late Degree Program Music Teacher Education Students Using a Concise Emotional Inventory
Authors: Fredrickson William E. , Madsen Clifford K.
Published: August 2010

Teaching music can be a stressful profession. How current and future teachers perceive stress, and the personal emotions that result from stressful situations, raises many questions. This study investigated differences in perception of levels of emotional stress between early and late program students in music teacher education using a concise emotional inventory. The scale was developed as an expedient device to be used with young adults to access a person’s emotional state across a wide variety of defined life content areas. The version of the scale used in this study was specifically developed and validated for use with college-age students. In the present study, comparisons were made between students in an introductory music education class ( n = 45) versus advanced music education undergraduates ( n = 45) in the semester prior to their student teaching. Results indicated that although some similarities between the two groups did exist, there were indeed differences. The question concerning finances was rated the lowest for both groups indicating high stress. The question concerning future career was rated the highest for both groups indicating the lowest level of perceived stress. In addition, suggestions for use of the instrument in music teacher education programs and music teacher in-service were outlined.
PPARγ activation normalizes resolution of acute sterile inflammation in murine chronic granulomatous disease
Authors: Fernandez-Boyanapalli Ruby , Frasch S. Courtney , Riches David W. H. , Vandivier R. William , Henson Peter M. , Bratton Donna L.
Published: August 2010

Absence of a functional nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase predisposes chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) patients to infection, and also to unexplained, exaggerated inflammation. The impaired recognition and removal (efferocytosis) of apoptotic neutrophils by CGD macrophages may contribute to this effect. We hypothesized that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activation during CGD inflammation is deficient, leading to altered macrophage programming and decreased efferocytosis, and that PPARγ agonism would enhance resolution. using the gp91phox−/− murine model of X-linked CGD in a well-characterized model of sterile, zymosan-induced peritonitis, it was demonstrated that PPARγ expression and activation in CGD macrophages were significantly deficient at baseline, and acquisition was delayed over the course of inflammation relative to that of wild-type. Efferocytosis by macrophages reflected PPARγ activation during peritonitis and was impaired in CGD mice (versus wild-type), leading to accumulation of apoptotic neutrophils. Importantly, provision of the PPARγ agonist, pioglitazone, either prophylactically or during inflammation, significantly enhanced macrophage PPARγ-mediated programming and efferocytosis, reduced accumulation of apoptotic neutrophils, and normalized the course of peritonitis in CGD mice. As such, PPARγ may be a therapeutic target for CGD, and possibly other inflammatory conditions where aberrant macrophage programming and impaired efferocytosis delay resolution of inflammation.
Randomized study of induction therapy comparing standard-dose idarubicin with high-dose daunorubicin in adult patients with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia: the JALSG AML201 Study
Authors: Ohtake Shigeki , Miyawaki Shuichi , Fujita Hiroyuki , Kiyoi Hitoshi , Shinagawa Katsuji , Usui Noriko , Okumura Hirokazu , Miyamura Koichi , Nakaseko Chiaki , Miyazaki Yasushi , Fujieda Atsushi , Nagai Tadashi , Yamane Takahisa , Taniwaki Masafumi , Takahashi Masatomo , Yagasaki Fumiharu , Kimura Yukihiko , Asou Norio , Sakamaki Hisashi , Handa Hiroshi , Honda Sumihisa , Ohnishi Kazunori , Naoe Tomoki , Ohno Ryuzo
Published: August 2010

We conducted a multi-institutional randomized study to determine whether high-dose daunorubicin would be as effective as standard-dose idarubicin in remission-induction therapy for newly diagnosed adult patients younger than 65 years of age with acute myeloid leukemia. Of 1064 patients registered, 1057 were evaluable. They were randomly assigned to receive either daunorubicin (50 mg/m2 daily for 5 days) or idarubicin (12 mg/m2 daily for 3 days) in combination with 100 mg/m2 of cytarabine by continuous infusion daily for 7 days as induction therapy. Complete remission was achieved in 407 (77.5%) of 525 patients in the daunorubicin group and 416 (78.2%) of 532 in the idarubicin group (P = .79). Patients achieving complete remission received intensive postremission therapy that consisted of either 3 courses of high-dose cytarabine or 4 courses of standard-dose therapy. Overall survival rates at 5 years were 48% for the daunorubicin group and 48% for the idarubicin group (P = .54), and relapse-free survival rates at 5 years were 41% and 41% (P = .97), respectively. Thus, high-dose daunorubicin and standard-dose idarubicin were equally effective for the treatment of adult acute myeloid leukemia, achieving a high rate of complete remission and good long-term efficacy. This study is registered at http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctrj/ as C000000157.
Evidence of dysregulation of dendritic cells in primary HIV infection
Authors: Sabado Rachel Lubong , O'Brien Meagan , Subedi Abhignya , Qin Li , Hu Nan , Taylor Elizabeth , Dibben Oliver , Stacey Andrea , Fellay Jacques , Shianna Kevin V. , Siegal Frederick , Shodell Michael , Shah Kokila , Larsson Marie , Lifson Jeffrey , Nadas Arthur , Marmor Michael , Hutt Richard , Margolis David , Garmon Donald , Markowitz Martin , Valentine Fred , Borrow Persephone , Bhardwaj Nina
Published: August 2010

Myeloid and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) are important mediators of both innate and adaptive immunity against pathogens such as HIV. During the course of HIV infection, blood DC numbers fall substantially. In the present study, we sought to determine how early in HIV infection the reduction occurs and whether the remaining DC subsets maintain functional capacity. We find that both myeloid DC and plasmacytoid DC levels decline very early during acute HIV in-fection. Despite the initial reduction in numbers, those DCs that remain in circulation retain their function and are able to stimulate allogeneic T-cell responses, and up-regulate maturation markers plus produce cytokines/chemokines in response to stimulation with TLR7/8 agonists. Notably, DCs from HIV-infected subjects produced significantly higher levels of cytokines/chemokines in response to stimulation with TLR7/8 agonists than DCs from uninfected controls. Further examination of gene expression profiles indicated in vivo activation, either directly or indirectly, of DCs during HIV infection. Taken together, our data demonstrate that despite the reduction in circulating DC numbers, those that remain in the blood display hyperfunctionality and implicates a possible role for DCs in promoting chronic immune activation.
A comparative study of two-versusone-lung ventilation for needlescopic bleb resection
Authors: Kim H. , Kim H.K. , Kang D-Y. , Lee D-K. , Choi Y.H. , Lim S.H.
Published: August 2010

This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of two-lung (TL) ventilation with low tidal volume anaesthesia compared with one-lung (OL) ventilation for needlescopic bleb resection.

Patients with spontaneous pneumothorax that underwent bleb resection with a 2-mm thoracoscope were enrolled. During the operation, the tidal volume was set at 4.0 mL·kg−1in the TL group and 8.0 mL·kg−1in the OL group; the respiration rate was set at 23 and 12 breaths·min−1, respectively, at the same inspiratory oxygen fraction (50%).

A total of 108 patients (55 patients in the TL group and 53 in the OL group) were included in this study. Airway pressure was significantly lower in the TL group (mean±sd8.0±3.3versus24.0±3.9 mmHg in the OL group; p<0.001). The time from endotracheal intubation to the incision was 17.1±4.0 min in the TL group and 35.3±7.6 min in the OL group, which was significantly different (p<0.001). However, the operation time was not different in comparisons between the two groups. Therefore, the total anaesthesia time was significantly longer in the OL group (77.9±21.6versus64.9±14.7 min in the TL group; p = 0.002).

Needlescopic bleb resection using TL ventilation anaesthesia with low tidal volume was technically feasible, cost-effective and time-saving compared with OL ventilation anaesthesia.
Pulmonary hypertension in smoking mice over-expressing protease-activated receptor-2
Authors: De Cunto G. , Cardini S. , Cirino G. , Geppetti P. , Lungarella G. , Lucattelli M.
Published: August 2010

The mechanism(s) involved in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in COPD is still the object of investigation. Cigarette smoke (CS) may lead to remodelling of intrapulmonary vessels and dynamic changes in vascular function, at least in some smokers. A role for proteases in PH has been recently put forward.

We investigated, in smoking mice, the role of protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 in the pathogenesis of PH associated with emphysema.

We demonstrated that CS exposure can modulate PAR-2 expression in mouse lung. Acute CS exposure induces in wildtype (WT) and in transgenic mice over-expressing PAR-2 (FVBPAR−2-TgN) a similar degree of neutrophil influx in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. After chronic CS exposure WT and FVBPAR−2-TgNmice show emphysema, but only transgenic mice develop muscularisation of small intrapulmonary vessels that precedes the development of PH (∼45% increase) and right ventricular hypertrophy. Smoking in FVBPAR−2-TgNmice results in an imbalance between vasoconstrictors (especially endothelin-1) and vasodilators (i.e.vascular endothelial growth factor, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase) and enhanced production of growth factors involved both in fibroblast-smooth muscle cell transaction (i.e.platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor β) and vascular cell proliferation (PDGF).

PAR-2 signalling can influence the production and release of many factors, which may play a role in the development of PH in smokers.
Treatment of latent infection withMycobacterium tuberculosis: update 2010
Authors: Leung C.C. , Rieder H.L. , Lange C. , Yew W.W.
Published: August 2010

Much remains unknown about latent infection withMycobacterium tuberculosis. Existing immunodiagnostic tools for this condition have various limitations, most importantly in their ability to predict disease. Randomised controlled trials have established protective efficacy of isoniazid therapy for 6–12 months among non-HIV-infected and HIV-infected subjects. While efficacy may reach 90%, acceptance and adherence to prolonged therapy are less than desired. Rifampicin plus pyrazinamide for 2 months, though efficacious, has been associated with excess hepatotoxicity in non-HIV-infected persons. Isoniazid plus rifampicin for 3 months has proven efficacy, but adverse effects may be more frequent than isoniazid or rifampicin monotherapy. Rifampicin monotherapy for 3–4 months is well tolerated, but efficacy data are currently limited, and concerns remain over possible selection of rifampicin-resistant mutants. For contacts of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, expert opinions differ on whether to treat with at least two drugs or just a fluoroquinolone, and for how long. With the existing diagnostic and treatment tools, efficacy of preventive therapy does not necessarily translate into field effectiveness. A targeted approach is required to maximise cost-effectiveness. Each geographic region needs to set its own priority after taking into account available scientific data and local circumstances.
A noninvasive algorithm to exclude pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Bonderman D. , Wexberg P. , Martischnig A.M. , Heinzl H. , Lang M-B. , Sadushi R. , Skoro-Sajer N. , Lang I.M.
Published: August 2010

Current guidelines recommend right heart catheterisation (RHC) in symptomatic patients at risk of pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) with echocardiographic systolic pulmonary artery pressures ≥36 mmHg. Growing awareness for PH, a high prevalence of post-capillary PH and the inability to distinguish between pre- and post-capillary PH by echocardiography have led to unnecessary RHCs. The aim of our study was to assess whether standard noninvasive diagnostic procedures are able to safely exclude pre-capillary PH.

Data from 251 patients referred for suspicion of pre-capillary PH were used to develop a noninvasive diagnostic decision tree. A prospectively collected data set of 121 consecutive patients was utilised for temporal validation.

According to the decision tree, patients were stratified by the presence or absence of an electrocardiographic right ventricular strain pattern (RVS) and serum N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels below and above 80 pg·mL−1. In the absence of RVS and elevated NT-proBNP, none of the patients in the prospective validation cohort were diagnosed with pre-capillary PH by RHC. Combining echocardiography with the diagnostic algorithm increased specificity to 19.3% (p = 0.0009), while sensitivity remained at 100%.

Employing ECG and NT-proBNP on top of echocardiography helps recognise one false positive case per five patients referred with dyspnoea and echocardiographic suspicion of PH, while not missing true pre-capillary PH.
Association between human rhinovirus C and severity of acute asthma in children
Authors: Bizzintino J. , Lee W-M. , Laing I.A. , Vang F. , Pappas T. , Zhang G. , Martin A.C. , Khoo S-K. , Cox D.W. , Geelhoed G.C. , McMinn P.C. , Goldblatt J. , Gern J.E. , Le Souëf P.N.
Published: August 2010

A new and potentially more pathogenic group of human rhinovirus (HRV), group C (HRVC), has recently been discovered. We hypothesised that HRVC would be present in children with acute asthma and cause more severe attacks than other viruses or HRV groups.

Children with acute asthma (n = 128; age 2–16 yrs) were recruited on presentation to an emergency department. Asthma exacerbation severity was assessed, and respiratory viruses and HRV strains were identified in a nasal aspirate.

The majority of the children studied had moderate-to-severe asthma (85.2%) and 98.9% were admitted to hospital. HRV was detected in 87.5% and other respiratory viruses in 14.8% of children, most of whom also had HRV. HRVC was present in the majority of children with acute asthma (59.4%) and associated with more severe asthma. Children with HRVC (n = 76) had higher asthma severity scores than children whose HRV infection was HRVA or HRVB only (n = 34; p = 0.018), and all other children (n = 50; p = 0.016). Of the 19 children with a non-HRV virus, 13 had HRV co-infections, seven of these being HRVC.

HRVC accounts for the majority of asthma attacks in children presenting to hospital and causes more severe attacks than previously known HRV groups and other viruses.
Bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell therapy attenuates silica-induced lung fibrosis
Authors: Maron-Gutierrez T. , Castiglione R.C. , Xisto D.G. , Oliveira M.G. , Cruz F.F. , Peçanha R. , Carreira-Junior H. , Ornellas D.S. , Moraes M.O. , Takiya C.M. , Rocco P.R.M. , Morales M.M.
Published: August 2010

This study tests the hypothesis that bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BMDMC) therapy may reduce lung inflammation and fibrosis leading to an improvement in respiratory mechanics in a murine model of silicosis.

52 female C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into four groups. In the silica group (SIL), silica suspension (20 mg/50 μL in saline) was intratracheally instilled. In the control animals, 50 μL saline was administered intratracheally. At 1 h, the control and SIL groups were further randomised, receiving BMDMC (2×106i.v.control–cell and SIL–cell) or saline (50 μLi.v.control and SIL). BMDMC were obtained from male donor mice. At day 15, lung mechanics, histology, and the presence of Y chromosome, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1α, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN), IL-1 receptor type 1, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and caspase-3 mRNA expressions in lung tissue were analysed.

In the SIL–cell group, the fraction area of granuloma, the number of macrophages and the collagen fibre content were reduced, yielding improved lung mechanics. The presence of male donor cells in lung tissue was not confirmed using detection of Y chromosome DNA. Nevertheless, caspase-3, IL-1β, IL-1α, IL-1RN and TGF-β mRNA expression diminished after cell therapy.

In conclusion, BMDMC acted on inflammatory and fibrogenic processes improving lung function through paracrine effects.
PeakAnalyzer: Genome-wide annotation of chromatin binding and modification loci
Authors: Salmon-Divon Mali , Dvinge Heidi , Tammoja Kairi , Bertone Paul
Published: August 2010

Background

Functional genomic studies involving high-throughput sequencing and tiling array applications, such as ChIP-seq and ChIP-chip, generate large numbers of experimentally-derived signal peaks across the genome under study. In analyzing these loci to determine their potential regulatory functions, areas of signal enrichment must be considered relative to proximal genes and regulatory elements annotated throughout the target genome Regions of chromatin association by transcriptional regulators should be distinguished as individual binding sites in order to enhance downstream analyses, such as the identification of known and novel consensus motifs.

Results

PeakAnalyzer is a set of high-performance utilities for the automated processing of experimentally-derived peak regions and annotation of genomic loci. The programs can accurately subdivide multimodal regions of signal enrichment into distinct subpeaks corresponding to binding sites or chromatin modifications, retrieve genomic sequences encompassing the computed subpeak summits, and identify positional features of interest such as intersection with exon/intron gene components, proximity to up- or downstream transcriptional start sites andcis-regulatory elements. The software can be configured to run either as a pipeline component for high-throughput analyses, or as a cross-platform desktop application with an intuitive user interface.

Conclusions

PeakAnalyzer comprises a number of utilities essential for ChIP-seq and ChIP-chip data analysis. High-performance implementations are provided for Unix pipeline integration along with a GUI version for interactive use. Source code in C++ and Java is provided, as are native binaries for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows systems.
Primary psoas abscess extending to thigh adductors: case report
Authors: Zhou Zhongjie , Song Yueming , Cai Qianyun , Zeng Jiancheng
Published: August 2010

Background

Psoas abscess is a rare condition consisting of pyomyositis of the psoas. The worldwide incidence was 12 cases per 100,000 per year in 1992, but the current incidence is unknown. Psoas abscess can descend along the psoas sheath and reach the inner upper third of the thigh, but only infrequently does it penetrate the sheath and involve the thigh adductors. Because of insidious clinical presentation, the diagnosis of psoas abscess is a challenge. Delayed diagnosis can result in poor prognosis.

Case presentation

A 45-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented with pain in the left thigh, and limitation of movement at the left hip and knee joint for one month. Ultrasound, CT, and MRI revealed a liquid mass in the left psoas. Percutaneous drainage of this mass yielded 300 ml pus from the psoas. After surgery, the patient reported relief of pain; however, ten days after removal of the drainage tube, the patient complained of persistent pain in his left thigh. CT revealed that the psoas abscess had extended inferiorly, and involved the entire set of adductors of the left thigh. Open surgical drainage was performed at the flank and at the thigh, yielding 350 ml of pus from the thigh. After open drainage and adequate antibiotic therapy, the patient made a good recovery. Follow-up CT confirmed complete resolution of the abscess.

Conclusions

Large psoas abscess can penetrate the psoas sheath, and descend to thigh adductors even after percutaneous drainage. Appropriate treatment includes open surgical drainage along with antibiotic therapy.