bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SNF5/INI1 Deficiency Redefines Chromatin Remodeling Complex Composition during Tumor Development
Authors: Wei Darmood , Goldfarb Dennis , Song Shujie , Cannon Courtney , Yan Feng , Sakellariou-Thompson Donastas , Emanuele Michael , Major Michael B. , Weissman Bernard E. , Kuwahara Yasumichi
Published: July 2014

Malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT), a pediatric cancer that most frequently appears in the kidney and brain, generally lack SNF5 (SMARCB1/INI1), a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex. Recent studies have established that multiple SWI/SNF complexes exist due to the presence or absence of different complex members. Therefore, the effect of SNF5 loss upon SWI/SNF complex formation was investigated in human MRT cells. MRT cells and primary human tumors exhibited reduced levels of many complex proteins. Furthermore, reexpression of SNF5 increased SWI/SNF complex protein levels without concomitant increases in mRNA. Proteomic analysis, using mass spectrometry, of MRT cells before and after SNF5 reexpression indicated the recruitment of different components into the complex along with the expulsion of others. IP–Western blotting confirmed these results and demonstrated similar changes in other MRT cell lines. Finally, reduced expression of SNF5 in normal human fibroblasts led to altered levels of these same complex members. These data establish that SNF5 loss during MRT development alters the repertoire of available SWI/SNF complexes, generally disrupting those associated with cellular differentiation. These findings support a model where SNF5 inactivation blocks the conversion of growth-promoting SWI/SNF complexes to differentiation-inducing ones. Therefore, restoration of these complexes in tumors cells provides an attractive approach for the treatment of MRTs.

Implications: SNF5 loss dramatically alters SWI/SNF complex composition and prevents formation of complexes required for cellular differentiation. Mol Cancer Res; 12(11); 1574–85. ©2014 AACR.
The Antiproliferative Response of Indole-3-Carbinol in Human Melanoma Cells Is Triggered by an Interaction with NEDD4-1 and Disruption of Wild-Type PTEN Degradation
Authors: Aronchik Ida , Kundu Aishwarya , Quirit Jeanne G. , Firestone Gary L.
Published: July 2014

Human melanoma cells displaying distinct PTEN genotypes were used to assess the cellular role of this important tumor-suppressor protein in the antiproliferative response induced by the chemopreventative agent indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural indolecarbinol compound derived from the breakdown of glucobrassicin produced in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I3C induced a G1-phase cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis by stabilization of PTEN in human melanoma cells that express wild-type PTEN, but not in cells with mutant or null PTEN genotypes. Importantly, normal human epidermal melanocytes were unaffected by I3C treatment. In wild-type PTEN-expressing melanoma xenografts, formed in athymic mice, I3C inhibited the in vivo tumor growth rate and increased PTEN protein levels in the residual tumors. Mechanistically, I3C disrupted the ubiquitination of PTEN by NEDD4-1 (NEDD4), which prevented the proteasome-mediated degradation of PTEN without altering its transcript levels. RNAi-mediated knockdown of PTEN prevented the I3C-induced apoptotic response, whereas knockdown of NEDD4-1 mimicked the I3C apoptotic response, stabilized PTEN protein levels, and downregulated phosphorylated AKT-1 levels. Co-knockdown of PTEN and NEDD4-1 revealed that I3C-regulated apoptotic signaling through NEDD4-1 requires the presence of the wild-type PTEN protein. Finally, in silico structural modeling, in combination with isothermal titration calorimetry analysis, demonstrated that I3C directly interacts with purified NEDD4-1 protein.

Implications: This study identifies NEDD4-1 as a new I3C target protein, and that the I3C disruption of NEDD4-1 ubiquitination activity triggers the stabilization of the wild-type PTEN tumor suppressor to induce an antiproliferative response in melanoma. Mol Cancer Res; 12(11); 1621–34. ©2014 AACR.
Prognostic Value of 11C-Choline PET/CT and CT for Predicting Survival of Bladder Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Cystectomy
Authors: Maurer Tobias , Horn Thomas , Souvatzoglou Michael , Eiber Matthias , Beer Ambros J. , Heck Matthias M. , Haller Bernhard , Gschwend Jürgen E. , Schwaiger Markus , Treiber Uwe , Krause Bernd J.
Published: July 2014

Background: In patients with bladder cancer (BCa) preoperative staging with 11C-choline positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) could be used to derive prognostic information and hence stratify patients preoperatively with respect to disease management. Methods: From June 2004 to May 2007, 44 patients with localized BCa were staged with 11C-choline PET/CT before radical cystectomy. The results of imaging were correlated to overall survival (OS) and cumulative incidence of cancer-specific death (CSD). Results: There was no statistically significant difference in OS and CSD between the patient groups when stratified for organ-confined versus non-organ-confined disease or lymph node involvement defined by either 11C-choline PET/CT (OS: p = 0.262, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.60; p = 0.527, HR = 0.76; CSD: p = 0.144, HR = 2.25; p = 0.976, HR = 0.98) or CT (OS: p = 0.518, HR = 1.34; p = 0.228, HR = 1.67; CSD: p = 0.323, HR = 1.90; p = 0.136, HR = 2.38). The limitation of this study is the small number of included patients. Conclusion: In our prospective trial neither CT nor 11C-choline PET/CT were able to sufficiently predict OS or CSD in BCa patients treated with radical cystectomy albeit trends and moderately increased HRs could be demonstrated without significant differences between CT or 11C-choline PET/CT. However, these trends might prove statistically significant in bigger patient cohorts. Therefore initial transsectional imaging might be of clinical relevance in respect to prognosis and could play a role in the counseling of BCa patients.
Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome: Don't Jump the Gun
Authors: Nelson Barnaby
Published: July 2014

Attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS) was introduced in DSM-5 as a condition for further study. A number of concerns have been raised regarding APS, including its validity as a clinical entity, issues relating to stigma, the potential that it is an unnecessary diagnosis of what might be a self-limiting phase of attenuated psychotic symptoms, and treatment implications of the diagnosis. The current paper presents a number of conceptual and practical issues that should be addressed in deciding whether APS should be accepted as an official diagnosis in subsequent editions of DSM. These include the problem of transferring the established validity of ‘at-risk' criteria to APS given some non-trivial differences between the criteria sets, the relationship between attenuated psychotic symptoms and other presenting non-psychotic disorders, the difficulties of operationalising the subthreshold or ‘attenuated' concept in standard clinical practice, and the likelihood of the diagnosis leading to overprescription of antipsychotic medication for this group of patients.
The Astronomy of the Qumran Fragments 4Q208 and 4Q209
Authors: Duke Dennis , Goff Matthew
Published: July 2014

This article puts forth a mathematical and astronomical model that helps explain the structure of the Aramaic Astronomical Book (aab; 4Q208–211), in particular the sequences of fractions in 4Q208 and 4Q209. The article confirms and builds upon Drawnel’s reconstruction of this highly formulaic composition. The model proposed here demonstrates that the numerous fractions of the aab, although they seem bewildering and incomprehensible to many readers today, constitute genuine and authentic astronomical knowledge. While there are parallels between the aab and Mesopotamian astronomical texts, especially the Enūma Anu Enlil, they do not necessarily indicate that the author of the aab had direct or extensive access to centers of astronomical knowledge in Babylon.
4Q249 Midrash Moshe: A New Reading and Some Implications
Authors: Ben-Dov Jonathan , Ezra Daniel Stökl Ben
Published: July 2014

This article proves that the title “Midrash Sepher Moshe,” written in Jewish square characters on the verso of the cryptic scroll 4Q249, is the product of a correction. Initially it had been “Sepher Moshe” which was subsequently corrected to “Midrash Moshe.” This is therefore a rare attestation of canonical awareness on the part of Qumran librarians. The terms “midrash” and “sepher” are discussed accordingly. In addition, the paleography of this title is submitted to close scrutiny, proving that the dating of these words to the early second century b.c.e. in not substantiated. Rather, both the first and second hands should be dated to around 100 b.c.e. like many other scrolls. This fresh analysis has important consequences for the dating of the entire cryptic corpus, which is not as early as previously suggested.
Muslim Separatism in Post-Revolt India: A British Game of Divide et Impera?
Authors: Belmekki Belkacem
Published: July 2014

The emergence of a separatist tendency among the majority of the Muslim community in British India in the wake of the happenings of 1857 has been a bone of contention among scholars concerned with the history of the Indian Subcontinent. In this regard, various theories and explanations have been put forward. While some claim that this separatism was in fact a ploy used by the elite of the Muslim community to safeguard their interests, others consider the fear of the overwhelming Hindu majority as a bona fide factor that triggered alienation with the latter, and still others evoke the many religious cum cultural divergences that exist between the Muslims and Hindus. Nevertheless, the present article seeks to set out another element of equal importance, namely British rule, whose role was to a large extent instrumental in polarizing the Indian society, dividing it into two main separate communities, Muslim and Hindu.
Multifrequency Radar Observations Collected in Southern France during HyMeX-SOP1
Authors: Bousquet O. , Berne A. , Delanoe J. , Dufournet Y. , Gourley J. J. , Van-Baelen J. , Augros C. , Besson L. , Boudevillain B. , Caumont O. , Defer E. , Grazioli J. , Jorgensen D. J. , Kirstetter P.-E. , Ribaud J.-F. , Beck J. , Delrieu G. , Ducrocq V. , Scipion D. , Schwarzenboeck A. , Zwiebel J.
Published: July 2014

The radar network deployed in southern France during the first special observing period (SOP 1) of the Hydrological Cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment (HyMeX) was designed to precisely document the 3D structure of moist upstream flow impinging on complex terrain as a function of time, height, and along-barrier distance, and surface rainfall patterns associated with orographic precipitation events. This deployment represents one of the most ambitious field experiments yet, endeavoring to collect high-quality observations of thunderstorms and precipitation systems developing over and in the vicinity of a major mountain chain.

Radar observations collected during HyMeX represent a valuable, and potentially unique, dataset that will be used to improve our knowledge of physical processes at play within coastal orographic heavy precipitating systems and to develop, and evaluate, novel radar-based products for research and operational activities. This article provides a concise description of this radar network and discusses innovative research ideas based upon preliminary analyses of radar observations collected during this field project with emphasis on the synergetic use of dual-polarimetric radar measurements collected at multiple frequencies.
Canadian Acute Respiratory Illness and Flu Scale (CARIFS) for Clinical Detection of Influenza in Children
Authors: Fischer Jason B. , Prasad Priya A. , Coffin Susan E. , Alpern Elizabeth R. , Mistry Rakesh D.
Published: July 2014

Background. Validated clinical scales, such as the Canadian Acute Respiratory Illness and Flu Scale (CARIFS), have not been used to differentiate influenza (FLU) from other respiratory viruses. Methods. Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort presenting to the emergency department (ED) with an influenza-like infection from 2008 to 2010. Subjects were children aged 0 to 19 years who had a venipuncture and respiratory virus polymerase chain reaction. Demographics and CARIFS items were assessed during the ED visit; comparisons were made between FLU and non-FLU subjects. Results. The 203 subjects had median age 30.5 months; 61.6% were male. Comorbid conditions (51.2%) were common. FLU was identified in 26.6%, and were older than non-FLU patients (69.7 vs 47.9 months, P = .02). Demographic, household factors, and mean CARIFS score did not differ between FLU (33.7), and non-FLU (32.0) (mean difference 1.6, 95% CI: −2.0 to 5.2) groups. Conclusions. CARIFS cannot discriminate between FLU and non-FLU infection in ED children with influenza-like infection.
Not-So-Minimal Models
Authors: Casini Lorenzo
Published: July 2014

What can we learn from “minimal” economic models? I argue that learning from such models is not limited to conceptual explorations—which show how something could be the case—but may extend to explanations of real economic phenomena—which show how something is the case. A model may be minimal qua certain world-linking properties, and yet “not-so-minimal” qua learning, provided it is externally valid. This, in turn, depends on using the right principles for model building and not necessarily “isolating” principles. My argument is buttressed by a case study from computational economics, namely, two agent-based models of asset pricing.
Power and the Multitude
Authors: Kwek Dorothy H. B.
Published: July 2014

Benedict Spinoza (1634–1677) is feted as the philosopher par excellence of the popular democratic multitude by Antonio Negri and others. But Spinoza himself expresses a marked ambivalence about the multitude in brief asides, and as for his thoughts on what he calls “the rule of (the) multitude,” that is, democracy, these exist only as meager fragments in his unfinished Tractatus Politicus or Political Treatise. This essay addresses the problem of Spinoza’s multitude. First, I reconstruct a vision of power that is found in the Ethics but that tends to be overlooked in the scholarly literature: power is not just sheer efficacy or imposition of will, but rather involves a capacity for being-affected; I call this the conception of power as sensitivity. The second part of my argument shows how, given Spinoza’s emphatic political naturalism, the conception of power as sensitivity can be extended to his political philosophy to shed light on what Spinoza calls potentia multitudinis, or “the power of the multitude”—a term found solely in the Political Treatise and nowhere else in his oeuvre. This juxtaposition reveals significant qualifications to the liberatory potential of the multitude currently claimed in the scholarly literature.
Cultural cosmopolitanization and the politics of television in 1960s Ireland
Authors: Dolan Paddy
Published: July 2014

Many long-term perspectives on television tend to reduce the medium to a vehicle of social control. Here, following the figurational approach of Norbert Elias, the ambivalent meanings that the advent of television evoked, as discussed by politicians in Ireland during the 1960s, are examined. The consuming public were used as a discursive resource to either justify the introduction of television into Irish homes, or claim its inevitably deleterious effects. Politicians introduced a national television service as an emotional response to the existing British service and its imagined capacity to erode the nation. National distinction was embedded in the historical colonizer–colonized relations between Ireland and Britain. Television came to be considered as a medium of modernity and as a vehicle for the visual display of global commodities enticing emigrants. This we-feeling of national decline produced a positive emotional valence with other nations and global processes.
The sweetness of forbidden fruit
Authors: Wu Karen , Chen Chuansheng , Greenberger Ellen
Published: July 2014

Past research on interracial dating has focused on demographic and adjustment factors while ignoring the traits most valued in romantic partners. We examined whether interracial and intraracial daters differ in the extent to which they possess various desirable attributes. In Study 1, undergraduates estimated their partners’ ratings of them on 27 attributes. A factor analysis yielded attractiveness (e.g., physically attractive), cerebral (e.g., intelligent), relational (e.g., compassionate), and vibrancy (e.g., confident) attributes. Compared with intraracial daters, interracial daters reported that their partners saw them more positively on attractiveness, cerebral, and relational attributes (Study 1), rated their partners more positively on attractiveness and cerebral attributes (Study 2), and were rated by independent coders as more physically attractive (Study 3). Implications are discussed.
Use of communication technologies in romantic relationships
Authors: Ruppel Erin K.
Published: July 2014

Self-disclosure is vital to the maintenance and development of personal relationships, but research regarding the use of communication technologies (CTs) for self-disclosure in relationships is mixed. This study extends previous research on the topic by examining associations between reduced-cue CT use, relationship development, and self-disclosure in specific conversations in proximal romantic relationships. Participants ( N = 64) reported on each conversation with their partners over a 4-day period. Use of a reduced-cue CT in a conversation was negatively associated with self-disclosure breadth and depth in that conversation. Furthermore, the negative association between text-based CT use (text messaging, instant messaging, and e-mail) and self-disclosure breadth was weaker at higher levels of relationship development, and the negative association between voice-based CT use (telephone) and self-disclosure depth was stronger at higher levels of relationship development. These findings suggest that CTs function differently in proximal romantic relationships than in previous studies of interactions between strangers and that relationship development is an important factor in understanding self-disclosure via CTs.
The probability of spontaneous regression of lumbar herniated disc: a systematic review
Authors: Chiu Chun-Chieh , Chuang Tai-Yuan , Chang Kwang-Hwa , Wu Chien-Hua , Lin Po-Wei , Hsu Wen-Yen
Published: July 2014

Objective:

To determine the probability of spontaneous disc regression among each type of lumbar herniated disc, using a systematic review.

Data sources:

Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched using key words for relevant original articles published before March 2014. Articles were limited to those published in English and human studies.

Review methods:

Articles had to: (1) include patients with lumbar disc herniation treated conservatively; (2) have at least two imaging evaluations of the lumbar spine; and (3) exclude patients with prior lumbar surgery, spinal infections, tumors, spondylolisthesis, or spinal stenosis. Two reviewers independently extracted study details and findings. Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Furthermore, if the classification of herniation matched the recommended classification of the combined Task Forces, the data were used for combined analysis of the probability of disc regression of each type. Nine studies were applicable for probability calculation.

Results:

The rate of spontaneous regression was found to be 96% for disc sequestration, 70% for disc extrusion, 41% for disc protrusion, and 13% for disc bulging. The rate of complete resolution of disc herniation was 43% for sequestrated discs and 15% for extruded discs.

Conclusions:

Spontaneous regression of herniated disc tissue can occur, and can completely resolve after conservative treatment. Patients with disc extrusion and sequestration had a significantly higher possibility of having spontaneous regression than did those with bulging or protruding discs. Disc sequestration had a significantly higher rate of complete regression than did disc extrusion.
Clinical correlation of a new and practical magnetic resonance grading system for cervical foraminal stenosis assessment
Authors: Park Hee Jin , Kim Ji Hyun , Lee Joon Woo , Lee So Yeon , Chung Eun Chul , Rho Myung Ho , Moon Jung Won
Published: July 2014

Background

No systematic and quantitative system for evaluation of cervical neural foraminal stenosis (CNFS) has been reported.

Purpose

To evaluate whether the new magnetic resonance (MR) grading system for CNFS correlates with clinical manifestations and to propose a modified grading system more useful for clinical practice.

Material and Methods

We examined 356 patients who underwent MR imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine. The presence and grade of cervical foraminal stenosis at the maximal narrowing point were assessed using the new grading system suggested by Kim et al. (Kim system) and a modification of this grading system (modified Kim system) based on T2 axial images. Grade 0: narrowest neural foramen > extraforaminal root; Grade 1: ≤ extraforaminal root; Grade 2: <50% of extraforaminal root. Modified Kim system: Grade 0: >80%, Grade 1: <80% but >50%, Grade 2 as for the Kim system. Results were correlated with clinical manifestations and neurologic physical examination findings (positive neurologic manifestation [PNM]).

Results

Analysis of correlation coefficients (Rs) showed moderate correlation between grades and clinical manifestations using the Kim system (0.484–0.562) and moderate to high correlation between grades and PNMs using the modified Kim system (0.517–0.782).

Conclusion

The Kim system showed moderate correlation clinical findings, while the modified Kim system still showed moderate but slightly stronger correlation. In both systems, grade 0 could denote negative neurologic manifestations. Although a considerable number of grade 1 and 2 cases in both systems had PNM, fulfilling the criteria for grades 1 and 2 CNFS, it does not perfectly predict PNM.
Hemodynamic alterations in unilateral chronic middle cerebral artery stenosis patients and the effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting: a perfusion-computed tomography study
Authors: Cheng Xiao Qing , Tian Jian Ming , Zuo Chang Jing , Zhang Long Jiang , Zhou Chang Sheng , Zhao Yan E , Luo Song , Zhang Qi , Lu Guang Ming
Published: July 2014

Background

The Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial indicated that most patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis are not good candidates for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) because of a higher complication risk than with conservative treatment. However, enrollment of SAMMPRIS patients was based on lesion severity only, without functional imaging.

Purpose

To determine whether perfusion computed tomography (PCT) can effectively evaluate hemodynamic compromise in unilateral chronic middle cerebral artery stenosis and the alterations of hemodynamics after PTAS.

Material and Methods

In this prospective study, 89 patients with unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis/occlusion were enrolled and classified into four groups according to the degree of stenosis. Cerebral hemodynamics was evaluated by measuring cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and time to peak (TTP) in the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres by PCT before and after intervention with PTAS. Differences in hemodynamic parameters before and after intervention were analyzed.

Results

Three different hemodynamic patterns were observed in these patients. Patients with severe MCA stenosis (70–99%) or MCA occlusion demonstrated a significant increase of ipsilateral CBV and TTP, indicating hemodynamic compromise. Ten severe stenosis patients with recurrent ischemic symptoms despite of maximal conservative therapy were selected for PTAS. PTAS induced a rapid recovery of cerebral hemodynamics (especially TTP) at 1 week post intervention.

Conclusion

PCT appears to be a valuable noninvasive technique to evaluate hemodynamic compromise in unilateral chronic MCA stenosis and the improvements after PTAS.
The Relationship of the Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Attachment to the Distal Femoral Physis
Authors: Farrow Lutul D. , Alentado Vincent J. , Abdulnabi Zakaria , Gilmore Allison , Liu Raymond W.
Published: July 2014

Background:

No published study has ever described the relationship of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) attachment to the distal femoral physis in skeletally immature cadaveric specimens. As such, there continues to be much confusion about this relationship, which is important when considering MPFL reconstruction in the skeletally immature patient.

Hypothesis:

The MPFL footprint is distal to the medial border of the distal femoral physis.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Sixteen skeletally immature cadaveric specimens were used for this study. The average age of the specimens was 12 years (range, 10-15 years). The MPFL femoral attachment, adductor tubercle, and medial epicondyle were identified in all specimens, and the topography of the distal femoral physis was carefully described. Measurements were then taken of the distance from the medial aspect of the distal femoral physis to the MPFL femoral attachment and the horizontal distance from the MPFL femoral attachment to the point where a femoral tunnel would intersect the undulating femoral physis. All measurements were made with digital calipers.

Results:

The MPFL attachment was distal to the medial aspect of the femoral physis in all specimens. The MPFL attachment was an average of 8.5 mm distal to the medial aspect of the distal femoral physis. In the coronal plane, the undulating physis was 10.5 mm medial to the MPFL attachment. In all specimens, the undulations of the medial physis were concave directly posterior and lateral to the MPFL attachment and convex anterior to the MPFL attachment. Both the adductor tubercle and the medial epicondyle were also distal to the femoral physis in all specimens.

Conclusion:

This study has confirmed the findings of others, who have shown that the MPFL femoral attachment lies distal to the medial aspect of the distal femoral physis. In addition, the study findings show that the MPFL femoral attachment is in very close proximity to the distal femoral physis.

Clinical Relevance:

To facilitate anatomic MPFL reconstruction, Schottle et al described a radiographic method to identify the MPFL femoral attachment on lateral radiographs in skeletally mature patients. Because of the complex physeal anatomy, much confusion exists concerning whether an MPFL femoral tunnel can be placed safely in the pediatric patient. The findings of this study suggest that anatomic MPFL reconstruction may be accomplished with a tunnel angled distally and anteriorly to avoid injury to the distal femoral physis.
The Social Unconscious and the Large Group Part II: A Context that Becomes Text
Authors: Tubert-Oklander Juan , Hernández-Tubert Reyna
Published: July 2014

This is the second of a series of three articles, based on the lecture we delivered at the International Workshop ‘Studies of Large Groups and Social Unconscious’, which took place in Belgrade in June 2013. In the first part we compared the British and the Latin American traditions of group analysis. In this one, we discuss the conception of the social unconscious in both traditions and the group analytic large group, leaving the subject of our own approach to large groups for the third and last article.
Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior Induced by Levetiracetam
Authors: Fujikawa Mayu , Kishimoto Yuri , Kakisaka Yosuke , Jin Kazutaka , Kato Kazuhiro , Iwasaki Masaki , Nakasato Nobukazu
Published: July 2014

A novel antiepileptic drug, levetiracetam, has been reported to cause several psychiatric adverse effects in spite of its effectiveness on epilepsy. However, a possible relationship between levetiracetam and obsessive-compulsive behavior has only been reported in a few studies with adult epilepsy patients. We treated a pediatric patient with epilepsy without past or family history of psychiatric disorder. Levetiracetam was started to control generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Two months after initiation of levetiracetam with favorable seizure control, she started to show an obsessive-compulsive behavior such as repetitive checking of her back, pants, and chair. Based on the course of its appearance, levetiracetam administration was identified as a possible cause. After termination of levetiracetam, her obsessive-compulsive behavior completely disappeared with reappearance of seizures. This case provides clear evidence that levetiracetam may cause obsessive-compulsive behavior even in a pediatric epilepsy patient without psychiatric background, possibly mediated by modulation of the glutamate system by levetiracetam.
Korean Consumers’ Motivations and Perceived Risks Toward the Purchase of Organic Cotton Apparel
Authors: Han Tae-Im , Chung Jae-Eun
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this research is to gain insight into collectivist consumers' perception of purchasing organic cotton apparel. An extended TRA model was employed to identify major factors that influence consumers' purchase decisions. Data were collected through a Web-based survey of 200 female South Korean residents older than 18 years of age. The results of SEM showed that perceived benefits, importance of individual expression through dressing well, performance risk, financial risk and subjective norm significantly influenced attitude toward purchasing organic cotton apparel products. In addition, financial risk, attitude, and subjective norm had significant effects on consumers' purchase intention. It was revealed that subjective norm played a critical role in the purchase process: subjective norm was one of the strongest antecedents of attitude among the six variables under examination and exerted a similar influence on purchase intention as attitude. Based on the findings, practical implications for organic cotton marketers and suggestions for future research are proposed.
Incidence of Tardive Dyskinesia in Older Adult Patients Treated With Olanzapine or Conventional Antipsychotics
Authors: Kinon Bruce J. , Kollack-Walker Sara , Jeste Dilip , Gupta Sanjay , Chen Lei , Case Mike , Chen Jian , Stauffer Virginia
Published: July 2014

Background:

The risk of persistent tardive dyskinesia (TD) was compared in patients with acute psychosis or agitation aged 55 years or older who were treated with olanzapine (OLZ) or conventional antipsychotic (CNV) drug therapy.

Methods:

Patients without TD were randomized to treatment with OLZ (2.5-20 mg/d; n = 150) or CNV (dosed per label; n = 143). Following a 6-week drug tapering/initiation period, patients without TD were treated with OLZ or CNV for up to 1 year. The a priori defined primary outcome end point was persistent TD defined as Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) scores = 2 on at least 2 items or ≥3 on at least 1 item (items 1-7) lasting at least for 1 month (Criterion A). Post hoc analyses assessed persistent TD meeting the criterion of moderate severity defined as AIMS score ≥3 on at least 1 item persisting for 1 month (Criterion B) and probable TD defined as elevated AIMS scores (Criterion A or B) not persisting for 1 month. Treatment groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier curve with log-rank exact test.

Results:

On average, patients were 78 years of age; the predominant diagnosis was dementia (76.7% in the OLZ group and 82.5% in the CNV group). Approximately, 40.6% of patients in the CNV group received haloperidol. No significant difference in time to developing persistent TD was observed during treatment with OLZ or CNV (cumulative incidence: OLZ, 2.5% [95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.5-7.0]; CNV, 5.5% [95% CI: 2.1-11.6], P = .193). The exposure-adjusted event rates per 100 person-years were not significantly different between treatment groups: OLZ (2.7) and CNV (6.3; ratio: 0.420; 95% CI: 0.068-1.969). Post hoc analyses revealed a significantly lower risk of at least moderately severe persistent TD persisting for 1 month ( P = .012) and probable TD not persisting for 1 month (Criterion A, P = .030; Criterion B, P = .048) in OLZ-treated patients. For those patients without significant extrapyramidal symptoms at baseline, significantly more patients in the CNV treatment group developed treatment-emergent parkinsonism than for patients in the OLZ treatment group (CNV: 70%, 35 of 50 patients; OLZ 44%, 25 of 57 patients; P = .011). No significant difference between the groups was observed for treatment-emergent akathisia (CNV: 6%, 7 of 117 patients; OLZ: 10%, 13 of 130 patients; P = .351).

Conclusion:

The cumulative incidence of persistent TD was low and the risk of persistent TD did not differ significantly among predominantly older adult patients having dementia with acute psychosis or agitation treated with OLZ or CNV.
Reduction of turbine tip clearance losses at design and off-design incidences by non-uniform tip injection
Authors: Gao Jie , Zheng Qun , Liu Yunning , Zhao Zhan
Published: July 2014

Tip injection has shown potential for controlling turbine tip clearance flows; however, the effects of tip injection may behave differently at design and off-design incidences. This paper computationally investigates the sensitivity of endwall flowfields and aerodynamics to flow incidence for flat and cavity tips at different injection locations, in an attempt to explore the potential of further reduction of tip clearance losses at various incidences by non-uniform tip injection concept. First, a linear cascade validation is introduced, and the computations were compared with the experimental data to identify the ability of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code to predict the tip leakage flow. Flow patterns over the blade tip without injection (WI) at different incidences were shown, and then the sensitivity of endwall flowfields and aerodynamics to incidence at different injection locations was investigated. Also, the effects of non-uniform tip injection on aerodynamic performance at design and off-design incidences were examined. The results show that the injection in the front part performs better performance than that in the rear part, while it causes turbine performance to be more sensitive to flow incidence than the injection in the rear part. Compared to the flat tip, the coupling effect between cavity tip and tip injection reduces the sensitivity of turbine performance to incidence variation. The non-uniform tip injection, which takes into account the tip leakage flow mechanisms at different incidences, optimizes the mixing process between the tip clearance flow and the passage flow, further improving the design and off-design performance of turbines.
Partly colored or almost white? Racial intermediacy and identificational ambivalence of grown children of Korean immigrants
Authors: Son Inseo
Published: July 2014

Prior research suggests that Asian Americans fall between whites and African Americans in the American racial stratification system. However, scholars know relatively little about how this position shapes Asian Americans’ understandings of racial discrimination. This article examines the discourses surrounding individual experiences of racism among Korean Americans and the association between discourses and Korean Americans’ intermediate race position. Drawing upon 69 in-depth interviews with 1.5- and second-generation Korean Americans, I identify three discursive subgroups: honorary whites, racial intermediaries, and racial progressives. The tendency to deny, minimize, or acknowledge the significance of experienced racism characterizes the three groups. A critical discourse analysis reveals that the largest subgroup employs discourse minimizing racism, reflecting the respondents’ ambivalent racial identification. These respondents do not consider themselves part of a minority, yet say they are not white. Findings suggest that the Korean Americans’ racial ambivalence is closely associated with racial intermediacy.
Quantifying Holocene variability in carbon uptake and release since peat initiation in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, Canada
Authors: Packalen Maara S , Finkelstein Sarah A
Published: July 2014

Northern peatlands are a globally significant carbon (C) reservoir, yet also function as dynamic methane (CH4) sources to the atmosphere. The fate of peatland C stores and related climate system feedbacks remain uncertain under scenarios of a changing climate and enhanced anthropogenic pressure. Here, we present a synthesis of Holocene peatland C dynamics for the Hudson Bay Lowlands (HBL), Canada, in relation to the past atmospheric CH4 trends, glacial isostatic adjustment, and paleoclimate. We report that peatland age and trophic status, together with paleoclimate, contribute to explaining some of the temporal variation in C accumulation rates (CARs) in the HBL. Our results show that younger, minerotrophic peatlands accumulate C faster, and although detailed paleoclimate data are not available, the results suggest the possibility of higher CARs in association with warmer Holocene climates. Peat initiation rates and CARs were greatest during the mid-Holocene; however, our results reveal that two-thirds of the HBL C pool is stored in peat of late Holocene age, owing to long-term peatland expansion and development. Whereas the HBL has been a net C sink since mid-Holocene peat initiation, the HBL also appears to have been a modest C source, with 85% of the losses occurring during the late Holocene as a consequence of the gradual decay of previously accrued peat. Late Holocene peat decay, under wetter climatic conditions, and from a landscape occupied by an abundance of minerotrophic peatlands, indicates that the HBL may have been a natural terrestrial source of CH4 to the late Holocene atmosphere. While the peatlands of the HBL may continue to function as a globally significant C store, ongoing C losses from the HBL may have important implications for the global C budget and climate system.
HF/E Audit of a Locomotive Remote Control Device
Authors: McDonald Joseph D. , Kazi Sadaf , Darling Cale M. , Durso Francis T. , Glover Kenneth A.
Published: July 2014

Conducting a complete human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) audit of a unique technological device can be complicated. Designing an instrument to aid HF/E practitioners in this process can help to ensure that organizational and operator needs are taken into consideration, relevant HF/E principles are followed, and future audits for similar devices are streamlined. Our team designed such an instrument to evaluate a locomotive remote control device. We provide illustrations of the process cycle and time requirements for each phase to be used as a planning tool for HF/E practitioners who are faced with a similar challenge.
Improving the Effectiveness of Consumer Health IT
Authors: Zayas-Cabán Teresa , Chaney Kevin J.
Published: July 2014

Many of the most successful health information technology (IT) applications have made it easier for clinicians to provide high-quality care to patients. However, despite the demonstrated effectiveness of consumer health IT applications to improve health outcomes, their uptake lags. Improved design of consumer health IT applications may enable broader acceptance and increase use. Thus, a project supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was conducted to uncover design methods used in other industries that might be extended to the design of consumer health IT applications. This paper summarizes the findings from that project.
Displaced African Female Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
Authors: Akinsulure-Smith Adeyinka M.
Published: July 2014

Conflict throughout Africa has created havoc for many. This overwhelming chaos has led to the disintegration of social order and generated widespread gender-based violence. As a result, African women have become casualties, experienced brutal acts of sexual violence, and been forced into exile. Drawing on the tribulations of displaced African female survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, this article discusses these women’s experiences and highlights the barriers and struggles encountered while seeking refuge. The article concludes by exploring the challenges of providing culturally informed, strength-focused mental health services to these women as they rebuild their lives in a new sociocultural context.
Policymaking Under Uncertainty
Authors: Dagher Rada K. , Garza Mary A. , Kozhimannil Katy Backes
Published: July 2014

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue affecting around three million U.S. women during their lifetimes; this article provides guidance to policymakers on addressing IPV. In 2011, an Institute of Medicine panel recommended routine IPV screening for women and adolescents as part of comprehensive preventive care services, which is in conflict with the 2004 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. The current evidence base for policymaking suffers weaknesses related to study design, which should be addressed in future research. Meanwhile, policymakers should consider available evidence in their settings, assess local needs, and make recommendations where appropriate.
Revisiting the Fuel Tax–Based Transportation Funding System in the United States
Authors: Zhao Zhirong , Guo Hai , Coyle David , Robinson Ferrol , Munnich Lee
Published: July 2014

Increasing concerns are noted over the current transportation funding system based on fuel taxes, but there has been little scholarly literature that evaluates the fuel tax system in a comprehensive manner. As a synthesis, this article reviews the background of fuel taxes designated for transportation and examines issues related to the fuel taxes with four tax-evaluation principles, including economic efficiency, social equity, revenue adequacy, and political and administrative feasibility. Although the analysis does not indicate an absolute denial of fuel taxes as a revenue source to support transportation, it shows that the current transportation funding system based on fuel taxes is no longer sustainable with the rapid erosion of fuel tax base.
Death, personhood, and relatedness in the South Andes a thousand years ago
Authors: Acuto Félix A , Kergaravat Marisa , Amuedo Claudia
Published: July 2014

This article examines the nature of personhood in the Calchaquí region, in the South Andes, during the second part of the Late Intermediate Period (AD 1250–1450). Through the study of the location of graves, architecture, and offerings, the authors explore the type of personhood that Calchaquí communities built and represented through the materiality of funerary practice. They claim that in this cultural and historical context, death became a realm in which relatedness was interwoven. Death, symbolically and materially, built bridges, connecting and entangling people with place and with each other. The funerary sphere was not strategically used to celebrate particular biographies and personal accomplishments, but rather it was another realm, like daily life, where individual identity dissolved into place and into the collective.
Age-Dependent Reorganization of Peri-Infarct “Premotor” Cortex With Task-Specific Rehabilitative Training in Mice
Authors: Tennant Kelly A. , Kerr Abigail L. , Adkins DeAnna L. , Donlan Nicole , Thomas Nagheme , Kleim Jeffrey A. , Jones Theresa A.
Published: July 2014

Background. The incidence of stroke in adulthood increases with advancing age, but there is little understanding of how poststroke treatment should be tailored by age. Objective. The goal of this study was to determine if age and task specificity of rehabilitative training affect behavioral improvement and motor cortical organization after stroke. Methods. Young and aged mice were trained to proficiency on the Pasta Matrix Reaching Task prior to lesion induction in primary motor cortex with endothelin-1. After a short recovery period, mice received 9 weeks of rehabilitative training on either the previously learned task (Pasta Matrix Reaching), a different reaching task (Tray Reaching), or no training. To determine the extent of relearning, mice were tested once weekly on the Pasta Matrix Reaching Task. Mice then underwent intracortical microstimulation mapping to resolve the remaining forelimb movement representations in perilesion motor cortex. Results. Although aged mice had significantly larger lesions compared with young mice, Pasta Matrix Reaching served as effective rehabilitative training for both age-groups. Young animals also showed improvement after Tray Reaching. Behavioral improvement in young mice was associated with an expansion of the rostral forelimb area (“premotor” cortex), but we failed to see reorganization in the aged brain, despite similar behavioral improvements. Conclusions. Our results indicate that reorganization of motor cortex may be limited by either aging or greater tissue damage, but the capacity to improve motor function via task-specific rehabilitative training continues to be well maintained in aged animals.
Association Between Physical Fitness and Cognitive Function in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Sandroff Brian M. , Pilutti Lara A. , Benedict Ralph H. B. , Motl Robert W.
Published: July 2014

Background. Cognitive impairment is a highly prevalent, poorly managed, and disabling consequence of multiple sclerosis (MS). Exercise training that improves physical fitness represents a promising approach for managing cognitive impairment in persons with MS. There is limited evidence that physical fitness is associated with multiple domains of cognitive dysfunction across levels of MS disability. Objective. This cross-sectional study examined the associations among aerobic capacity, lower limb muscle strength, and cognitive functions in persons with mild, moderate, and severe MS disability. Methods. The sample included 62 persons with mild (n = 20), moderate (n = 21), and severe (n = 21) MS disability. The participants underwent neuropsychological assessments of cognitive processing speed (CPS; Symbol Digit Modalities Test [SDMT]), verbal memory (California Verbal Learning Test-2 [CVLT-2]), and visual memory (Brief Visuospatial Memory Test–Revised [BVMT-R]). All participants further underwent testing for measuring aerobic capacity (ie, peak oxygen consumption) and muscular strength (ie, peak torque of knee flexors and extensors). Results. Aerobic capacity and muscular strength outcomes were associated with SDMT ( r = .35-.41), but not CVLT-2 or BVMT-R ( r < .19) scores in the overall sample. Aerobic capacity ( r = .42) and knee flexor peak torque ( r = .39) were associated with SDMT scores in persons with mild disability, but not in those with moderate ( r < .06) and severe ( r < .14) disability. Conclusions. These results support examining aerobic and resistance exercise training programs for improving CPS, particularly among persons with mild MS disability.
Has the Work Ethic Run Out of Steam?
Authors: Roth William F.
Published: July 2014

The Work Ethic originated during the Reformation Period as a way to reach heaven and improve one’s life on earth. During the Industrial Revolution, it became the driving force behind the striving for ever-greater profits. Hard work led to the improvement of one’s situation. Gradually, however, employees began demanding the opportunity for more than financial improvement. They wanted to participate more in workplace decisions. As a result, The Work Ethic no longer suffices. It should be replaced by the Development Ethic, first proposed by the Ancient Greeks who said that the primary purpose of life should be to develop and enjoy one’s positive potential to the fullest possible extent, and then to use that potential to help improve society.