bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiologically documented infections in patients undergoing high‐dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation for the treatment of light chain amyloidosis
Authors: Taimur S. , Nader C. , Lloyd‐Travaglini C. , Seldin D.C. , Sanchorawala V.
Published: December 2012

Background

Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis can be treated with high‐dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT). Risk factors for infections may include hyposplenism, hypogammaglobulinemia, treatment‐related neutropenia, melphalan‐induced mucositis, and nosocomial exposures.

Methods and design

A review of 493 patients with AL amyloidosis undergoing treatment with HDM/SCT from August 1994 to August 2009 was performed. The objectives were to determine the rate and types of infections following HDM/SCT, to identify factors associated with microbiologically documented infections, and to assess the contribution of infections to all‐cause treatment‐related mortality (TRM; defined as deaths within 100 days of SCT).

Results

Microbiologically documented infections after HDM/SCT occurred in 24% (n = 119) of patients. TRM was 10% (n = 48) overall, and 21% (n = 25) in patients who had a documented infection. Thus, the relative risk of TRM in a patient with a documented infection was 3.42 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.02–5.79). Infections were caused by gram‐positive bacteria in 51%, anaerobic bacteria in 16%, gram‐negative bacteria in 13%, and fungi in 9% of cases. Serum creatinine >2 mg/dL was associated with increased risk of post‐SCT infection (38% vs. 21%, P = 0.0007) with an odds ratio of 2.27 (95% CI 1.40–3.68). No significant association for infection was found for age, gender, cardiac involvement, prior steroid therapy, dose of melphalan, multiorgan involvement, days to neutrophil engraftment, or dose of CD34 +  cells infused.

Conclusion

Serum creatinine >2 mg/dL is a risk factor for infections in patients with AL amyloidosis undergoing HDM/SCT. The relative risk of TRM in a patient with a documented infection was increased >3‐fold. A broad spectrum of infections, similar to that in other SCT patients, is seen in this population in the early post‐SCT period.
Seroprevalence of varicella‐zoster virus infection in children from Cochabamba: tropical or temperate pattern?
Authors: Masuet‐Aumatell Cristina , Ramon‐Torrell Josep Mª , Casanova‐Rituerto Aurora , Banqué‐Navarro Marta , Dávalos‐Gamboa María del Rosario , Montaño‐Rodríguez Sandra Lucía
Published: December 2012

Objectives

To determine the seroprevalence of varicella‐zoster viral (VZV) infections in schoolchildren from the Cochabamba region (Bolivia), and its association with socio‐demographic variables, socio‐economic status and geographical location.

Methods

Seroepidemiological survey (n = 436) on VZV of schoolchildren living in the Cochabamba region of Bolivia in 2010. An ELISA test was used to measure varicella antibodies. Parents or guardians completed a questionnaire regarding socio‐demographic information (age, gender, living area, parental educational level, presence of siblings and number of family members in the household), and a blood sample was collected from each child to check for VZV antibodies. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed.

Results

The global prevalence of VZV was 78.2% (95% CI 74.3–82.1). It was higher in females (82.1%), pre‐adolescents (aged 10.1–13 years: 81.4%) and adolescents (aged >13 years: 80.2%), in children with less well‐educated parents (81.3% to 81.6%), in warmer municipalities (81.4% to 82.2%), in rural areas (80.0%), in children with siblings (80.1%), those who although the latter association was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

The prevalence of VZV infection in childhood was relatively high for a tropical country, and much closer to that of temperate countries prior to the introduction of varicella vaccine into vaccination programmes.
AXR1 promotes the Arabidopsis cytokinin response by facilitating ARR5 proteolysis
Authors: Li Yan , Kurepa Jasmina , Smalle Jan
Published: December 2012

The plant hormone cytokinin plays essential roles in many aspects of growth and development. The cytokinin signal is transmitted by a multi‐step phosphorelay to the members of two functionally antagonistic classes of Arabidopsis response regulators (ARRs): type B ARRs (response activators) and type A ARRs (negative‐feedback regulators). Previous studies have shown that mutations in AXR1, encoding a subunit of the E1 enzyme in the RUB (related to ubiquitin) modification pathway, lead to decreased cytokinin sensitivity. Here we show that the cytokinin resistance of axr1 seedlings is suppressed by loss of function of the type A ARR family member ARR5. Based on the established role of the RUB pathway in ubiquitin‐dependent proteolysis, these data suggest that AXR1 promotes the cytokinin response by facilitating type A ARR degradation. Indeed, both genetic (axr1 mutants) and chemical (MLN4924) suppression of RUB E1 increased ARR5 stability, suggesting that the ubiquitin ligase that promotes ARR5 proteolysis requires RUB modification for optimal activity.
Tension–Torsion Combined Loading Test Equipment for a Minute Beam Specimen
Authors: Namazu Takahiro , Yamagiwa Hiroya , Inoue Shozo
Published: December 2012

In this article, the development of quasi-static tension–torsion combined loading test equipment for a microscale beam specimen is described. The equipment is composed of a piezoelectric actuator in actuator case for uniaxial tensile loading, a load cell for measuring X-Y-Z-axes forces and θ-axis torque, a stepping motor for rotating sample stage, X-Y-Z-stages for alignment, and a CCD camera for measuring tensile elongation using original image analysis software. The shape and dimension of all the mechanical jigs were designed by means of finite element analysis (FEA). The tension and torsion loading systems are able to be individually operated, so that uniaxial tension, pure torsion, and combined tension–torsion loadings can be realized. The specimen that was designed in consideration of typical optical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices consists of a mirror plate supported by two microbeam structures, four springs, and a frame with chucking holes. Single crystal silicon (SCS) specimens were fabricated by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). It was confirmed that the above-described three types of loadings were able to be successfully applied to the beam specimens. All the specimens fractured in a brittle manner and showed different-shape fracture surfaces under different deformation modes.
Vortex Generation in Low-Speed Flow Over an Oscillating and Deforming Arc Airfoil
Authors: Molki Majid , Sattari Negin
Published: December 2012

A computational investigation is carried out to study the effect of oscillations on vortex generation and vorticity flux for flow over a deforming arc airfoil. The flow is laminar, incompressible, and two-dimensional at Re = 10,000. The computations are performed using the finite-volume method and a deforming mesh. The vorticity flux is evaluated on the surface of the airfoil. A variety of flow features are observed. Boundary layer flows, vortical structures, rolling vortices, and vortex layers are all present and have some degree of influence on the aerodynamic characteristics of the arc airfoil. Tangential pressure gradient on the surface and tangential acceleration of the airfoil are local sources of vorticity generation, and they result in the flux of vorticity from airfoil into fluid.
Cyclic GMP-AMP Is an Endogenous Second Messenger in Innate Immune Signaling by Cytosolic DNA
Authors: Wu Jiaxi , Sun Lijun , Chen Xiang , Du Fenghe , Shi Heping , Chen Chuo , Chen Zhijian J.
Published: December 2012

DNA Sensing Is a (c)GAS

DNA is normally localized to the nucleus, and so its cytoplasmic localization sends off alarm bells to the immune system because it indicates that a virus may have entered. But how does the immune system actually detect the DNA (see the Perspective by

O'Neill

)?

Sun
et al.

(p.
786
, published online 20 December) identify cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) cyclase (cGAS), which can bind to cytoplasmic DNA directly and catalyze the production of cGAMP. cGAMP then acts as a second messenger to activate downstream signaling events that trigger antiviral immunity.

Wu
et al.

(p.
826
, published online 20 December) show that cGAMP, produced in response to cytoplasmic DNA, binds to and activates the signaling adaptor protein STING.
Photonic Boson Sampling in a Tunable Circuit
Authors: Broome Matthew A. , Fedrizzi Alessandro , Rahimi-Keshari Saleh , Dove Justin , Aaronson Scott , Ralph Timothy C. , White Andrew G.
Published: December 2012

Computing Power of Quantum Mechanics

There is much interest in developing quantum computers in order to perform certain tasks much faster than, or that are intractable for, a classical computer. A general quantum computer, however, requires the fabrication and operation a number of quantum logic devices (see the Perspective by

Franson

).

Broome
et al.

(p.
794
, published online 20 December) and

Spring
et al.

(p.
798
, published online 20 December) describe experiments in which single photons and quantum interference were used to perform a calculation (the permanent of a matrix) that is very difficult on a classical computer. Similar to random walks, quantum walks on a graph describe the movement of a walker on a set of predetermined paths; instead of flipping a coin to decide which way to go at each point, a quantum walker can take several paths at once.

Childs
et al.

(p.
791
) propose an architecture for a quantum computer, based on quantum walks of multiple interacting walkers. The system is capable of performing any quantum operation using a subset of its nodes, with the size of the subset scaling favorably with the complexity of the operation.
Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase Is a Cytosolic DNA Sensor That Activates the Type I Interferon Pathway
Authors: Sun Lijun , Wu Jiaxi , Du Fenghe , Chen Xiang , Chen Zhijian J.
Published: December 2012

DNA Sensing Is a (c)GAS

DNA is normally localized to the nucleus, and so its cytoplasmic localization sends off alarm bells to the immune system because it indicates that a virus may have entered. But how does the immune system actually detect the DNA (see the Perspective by

O'Neill

)?

Sun
et al.

(p.
786
, published online 20 December) identify cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) cyclase (cGAS), which can bind to cytoplasmic DNA directly and catalyze the production of cGAMP. cGAMP then acts as a second messenger to activate downstream signaling events that trigger antiviral immunity.

Wu
et al.

(p.
826
, published online 20 December) show that cGAMP, produced in response to cytoplasmic DNA, binds to and activates the signaling adaptor protein STING.
Paediatric spinal Langerhans cell histiocytosis requiring corpectomy and fusion at C7 and at Th8–Th9 levels
Authors: Talamonti Giuseppe , D'Aliberti Giuseppe Antonio , Debernardi Alberto , Picano Marco
Published: December 2012

An 11-year-old girl was treated by corpectomy and anterior fusion because of the destruction of the C7 vertebral body. Pathological studies were not conclusive. The outcome was excellent, but 18 months later, she required thoracic corpectomy with anterior fusion owing to the impending kyphotic fracture of the Th8 vertebral body. Langerhans cell histiocytosis was now recognised and chemotherapy was given. 3 years later, the disease appears well controlled with normal shape of both the operated vertebral levels and maintenance of the movements of the adjacent vertebrae.
Ruptured Baker's cyst with compartment syndrome: an extremely unusual complication
Authors: Hamlet Mark , Galanopoulos Ilias , Mahale Avinash , Ashwood Neil
Published: December 2012

A 69-year-old man presented with sudden onset of pain with acute tense swelling of his left leg. Initially he was treated empirically with antibiotics for cellulitis while the possibility of deep vein thrombosis was ruled out. His symptoms gradually worsened with progressive distal neurological deficit and increasing pain. Further investigations suggested that he had a ruptured Baker's cyst in the calf with development of compartment syndrome.
Recurrent hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhages: what should we do when a new hemispheric ischaemic event strikes?
Authors: Amin Osama S M
Published: December 2012

Hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhage is usually a once in a lifetime event and recurrences are rare. Most recurrences usually develop within 2 years of the first event and the majority usually target the basal ganglia and thalami. Failure of blood pressure control is the most important, potentially preventable, culprit behind the development of primary intracerebral haemorrhages. However, the occurrence of a recurrent bleed in patients with optimally controlled hypertension should always prompt the physician to think of a new co-operating factor. We report on a 60-year-old hypertensive woman who developed right-sided thalamic haemorrhage 5 days after sustaining a lacunar infarct of the left thalamus for which she had been prescribed a dual antiplatelet therapy: aspirin and clopidrogrel. She had a history of two bilateral sequential hypertensive deep cerebellar haemorrhages which were developed 2 years ago.
Translating knowledge from Pakistan's second generation surveillance system to other global contexts
Authors: Adrien Alix , Thompson Laura H , Archibald Chris P , Sandstrom Paul A , Munro Michelle , Emmanuel Faran , Blanchard James F
Published: December 2012

Background

From 2004 to 2011, a collaborative project was undertaken to enhance the capacity of the Government of Pakistan to implement an effective second-generation surveillance system for HIV/AIDS, known as the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Project (HASP). In four separate rounds, behavioural questionnaires were administered among injection drug users, and female, male and hijra (transgender) sex workers. Dried blood spots were collected for HIV testing.

Methods

Through interviews with project staff in Pakistan and Canada, we have undertaken a critical review of the role of HASP in generating, using and translating knowledge, with an emphasis on capacity building within both the donor and recipient countries. We also documented ongoing and future opportunities for the translation of knowledge produced through HASP.

Results

Knowledge translation activities have included educational workshops and consultations held in places as diverse as Colombia and Cairo, and the implementation of HASP methodologies in Asia, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. HASP methodologies have been incorporated in multiple WHO reports. Importantly, the donor country, Canada, has benefited in significant ways from this partnership. Operational and logistical lessons from HASP have, in turn, improved how surveillance is performed in Canada. Through this project, significant capacity was built among the staff of HASP, non-governmental organisations which were engaged as implementation partners, data coordination units which were established in each province, and in the laboratory. As is to be expected, different organisations have different agendas and priorities, requiring negotiation, at times, to ensure the success of collaborative activities. Overall, there has been considerable interest in and opportunities made for learning about the methodologies and approaches employed by HASP.

Conclusions

Generally, the recognition of the strengths of the approaches and methodologies used by HASP has ensured an appetite for opportunities of mutual learning.
GRAVITATIONAL RENORMALIZATION OF QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
Authors: CASADIO ROBERTO
Published: December 2012

We propose to include gravity in quantum field theory nonperturbatively, by modifying the propagators so that each virtual particle in a Feynman graph move in the space–time determined by the four-momenta of the other particles in the same graph. By making additional working assumptions, we are able to put this idea at work in a simplified context, and obtain a modified Feynman propagator for the massless neutral scalar field. Our expression shows a suppression at high momentum, strong enough to entail finite results, to all loop orders, for processes involving at least two virtual particles.
SETTLING TIME MINIMIZATION OF THREE-STAGE CROSSED FEEDFORWARD REVERSED NESTED-MILLER AMPLIFIER
Authors: DIZABADI HASSAN RAMEZANNEJAD , ABBASZADE SABER
Published: December 2012

Conventional frequency response compensation methods for three-stage amplifier are not appropriate for fast transient response viewpoint. Therefore, herein, we have utilized the minimum settling time (MST) approach to compensate the crossed feed-forward reversed nested Miller compensation (CFRNMC) amplifier which was previously compensated by the conventional frequency response methods. Compensation rules for the considered amplifier are proposed based on time-domain parameters. The three-stage amplifier is designed in a 90 nm CMOS technology with the power supply of 1 V. The amplifier drives the capacitor load of 100 pF and its closed-loop time response to a unit-step input has a settling time less than 34 ns with 1% settling error.
PARAMETER-UNIFORM FINITE ELEMENT METHOD FOR TWO-PARAMETER SINGULARLY PERTURBED PARABOLIC REACTION-DIFFUSION PROBLEMS
Authors: KADALBAJOO M. K. , YADAW ARJUN SINGH
Published: December 2012

In this paper, parameter-uniform numerical methods for a class of singularly perturbed one-dimensional parabolic reaction-diffusion problems with two small parameters on a rectangular domain are studied. Parameter-explicit theoretical bounds on the derivatives of the solutions are derived. The method comprises a standard implicit finite difference scheme to discretize in temporal direction on a uniform mesh by means of Rothe's method and finite element method in spatial direction on a piecewise uniform mesh of Shishkin type. The method is shown to be unconditionally stable and accurate of order O(N-2( ln N)2 + Δt). Numerical results are given to illustrate the parameter-uniform convergence of the numerical approximations.
A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study to Identify Biomarkers Associated with Active Treatment in Psoriatic Arthritis: Effects of Adalimumab Treatment on Lesional and Nonlesional Skin
Authors: de Groot Marjan , Picavet Daisy I. , van Kuijk Arno W.R. , Tak Paul P. , Bos Jan D. , de Rie Menno A. , Teunissen Marcel B.M.
Published: December 2012

Background: There is a need for biomarkers to screen the effectiveness of (novel) therapeutic agents for psoriasis at an early stage. Objective: We aimed to determine which of the changes in psoriatic skin correlates best with clinical improvement 4 weeks after effective adalimumab therapy. Methods: Twenty-two psoriatic arthritis patients were randomized to receive adalimumab or placebo. T cell numbers and markers of innate immunity were estimated in lesional and nonlesional skin biopsies at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: CD161+ and elastase+ dermal cells in lesional skin were significantly reduced upon 4 weeks of successful adalimumab treatment compared with placebo. Conclusion: Early improvement of psoriasis lesions during adalimumab therapy is associated with a marked reduction of infiltrated dermal CD161+ T cells and elastase+ neutrophils, suggesting that these parameters could be used as biomarkers to monitor early changes after active treatment in small proof-of-concept studies of short duration.
The Unifying Concept of Illness Behavior
Authors: Sirri Laura , Fava Giovanni A. , Sonino Nicoletta
Published: December 2012

The concept of illness behavior was introduced to indicate the ways in which given symptoms may be perceived, evaluated and acted upon at an individual level. Illness behavior may vary greatly according to illness-related, patient-related and doctor-related variables and their complex interactions. In the past decades, important lines of research have been concerned with illness perception, frequent attendance at medical facilities, health care-seeking behavior, treatment-seeking behavior, delay in seeking treatment, and treatment adherence. They have, however, mostly investigated single aspects separately. In this concise review, we suggest that the concept of illness behavior may provide a unifying framework and useful insights to observations and findings that would otherwise remain scattered and unrelated in the medical literature. The wide range of expressions of illness behavior is likely to affect the presentation of any disease and its identification, course and treatment. Assessing illness behavior and devising appropriate responses by health care providers may contribute to the improvement of final outcomes.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Chemotherapy: The Role of p53
Authors: Brito A.F. , Abrantes A.M. , Pinto-Costa C. , Gomes A.R. , Mamede A.C. , Casalta-Lopes J. , Gonçalves A.C. , Sarmento-Ribeiro A.B. , Tralhão J.G. , Botelho M.F.
Published: December 2012

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary neoplasm of the liver. A major proportion of HCCs also present mutation of the gene that encodes p53, which confers chemoresistance. The main goal of this work is to investigate the effect of cisplatin, doxorubicin and 5-fluoruracil (5-FU) in three human HCC cell lines which differ in p53 expression. Methods: HepG2 (expressing normal p53), HuH7 (expressing mutated p53) and Hep3B2.1-7 (not expressing p53) cell lines were cultivated in the presence of cisplatin, doxorubicin and 5-FU. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay (MTT assay). The type of cell death and Bax and Bcl2 activation were assessed by flow cytometry. Results: It was found that for all of the cell lines studied, the agent that gave the most satisfactory results was doxorubicin. 5-FU demonstrated no activity in these cell lines. Conclusions: For all the cell lines studied, doxorubicin was the most satisfactory agent. In HepG2 and HuH7 cell lines, it can activate Bax with statistical significance.
Developmental Trajectories of the Fronto-Temporal Lobes from Infancy to Early Adulthood in Healthy Individuals
Authors: Tanaka Chiaki , Matsui Mie , Uematsu Akiko , Noguchi Kyo , Miyawaki Toshio
Published: December 2012

Brain development during early life in healthy individuals is rapid and dynamic, indicating that this period plays a very important role in neural and functional development. The frontal and temporal lobes are known to play a particularly important role in cognition. The study of healthy frontal and temporal lobe development in children is therefore of considerable importance. A better understanding of how these brain regions develop could also aid in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Some devel-opmental studies have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine infant brains, but it remains the case that relatively little is known about cortical brain development in the first few years of life. In the present study we examined whole brain, temporal lobe and frontal lobe developmental trajectories from infancy to early adulthood in healthy individuals, considering gender and brain hemisphere differences. We performed a cross-sectional, longitudinal morphometric MRI study of 114 healthy individuals (54 females and 60 males) aged 1 month to 25 years old (mean age ± SD 8.8 ± 6.9). We measured whole brain, temporal and frontal lobe gray matter (GM)/white matter (WM) volumes, following previously used protocols. There were significant non-linear age-related volume changes in all regions. Peak ages of whole brain, temporal lobe and frontal lobe development occurred around pre-adolescence (9-12 years old). GM volumes for all regions increased significantly as a function of age. Peak age was nevertheless lobe specific, with a pattern of earlier peak ages for females in both temporal and frontal lobes. Growth change in whole brain GM volume was larger in males than in females. However, GM volume growth changes for the temporal and frontal lobes showed a somewhat different pattern. GM volume for both temporal and frontal lobes showed a greater increase in females until around 5-6 years old, at which point this tendency reversed (GM volume changes in males became greater), with male GM volume increasing for a longer time than that of females. WM volume growth changes were similar across regions, all increasing rapidly until early childhood but slowing down thereafter. All regions displayed significant rightward volumetric asymmetry regardless of sex. Furthermore, the right temporal and frontal lobes showed a greater volumetric increase than the left for the first several years, with this tendency reversing at around 6 years of age. In addition, the left frontal and temporal lobes increased in volume for a longer period of time. Taken together, these findings indicated that brain developmental trajectories differ depending on brain region, sex and brain hemisphere. Gender-related factors such as sex hormones and functional laterality may affect brain development.
Mortality Rate in Bullous Pemphigoid: A Retrospective Monocentric Cohort Study
Authors: Cortés B. , Khelifa E. , Clivaz L. , Cazzaniga S. , Saurat J.H. , Naldi L. , Borradori L.
Published: December 2012

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering skin disease and is associated with an increased mortality. The end points of our study were to evaluate the mortality rate in a retrospective cohort of BP patients followed up to 5 years after the diagnosis and to determine prognostics factors. Methods: All new cases of BP diagnosed between 1990 and 2003 in the University Hospital of Geneva were retrospectively collected. 60 patients were included, 47 (88.6%) of whom were treated with a combination of corticosteroids and chlorambucil. Results: The 1-year, 2-year and 5-year probabilities of death were 26.7, 37.1 and 60.8%, respectively. Old age, dementia and use of chlorambucil at initial doses of 6 mg/day, but not at lower doses, were associated with poor prognosis in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Our study confirms that BP is associated with a high mortality. The observed mortality rates are however higher than those of previous studies, which is probably related to the inclusion of more debilitated patients.
VACTERL-H Association and Fanconi Anemia
Authors: Alter B.P. , Rosenberg P.S.
Published: December 2012

Patients with Fanconi anemia (FA) often have birth defects that suggest the diagnosis of VATER association. A review of 2,245 cases of FA reported in the literature from 1927 to 2012 identified 108 cases with at least 3 of the defining features of VATER association; only 29 had been so noted by the authors. The FA VATER signature was the significantly higher frequency of renal and limb (radial and/or thumb) anomalies (93% of cases had both) compared with less than 30% of VATER patients; the presence of one or both of these birth defects should lead to testing for FA. The relative frequencies of the genotypes of the patients with FA VATER were strikingly different from those expected from the general FA population; only 19% were FANCA, while 21% were FANCB, 14% FANCD1/BRCA2, and 12% FANCD2. Consistent with their genotypes, those with the FA VATER phenotype had a worse prognosis than FA patients with milder phenotypes, with shorter median survival and earlier onset of malignancies. The early identification of FA patients among infants with VATER association should lead to earlier more proactive management, such as cancer surveillance and genetic counseling.
Proportions du ciel d’Anaximandre
Authors: Corre Jean-François
Published: December 2012

Abstract

The doxography for Anaximander’s account of the rings of the sky gives proportions for them that are discrepant. So a widely accepted hypothesis proposes that, since the circles of the celestial bodies are compared to wheels, we should add the thickness of their ‘rims’ to the measurements for the celestial rings. This paper proposes an entirely different hypothesis which avoids this awkward expedient by suggesting that there is a ‘geometrical’ reading of the numerical data. The discrepancies can then be explained by there being two different methods for calculating the circumference of the circles.
The impact of internship in public organizations on university students’ perceptions and career choice
Authors: Ko Kilkon , Sidhu Dalvin Jit Kaur
Published: December 2012

Although internship has substantial implications for public administration, little is known about how it affects students. This article analyzes whether internships change students’ perceptions of public organizations, and whether they ultimately affect their choice between public and private sector jobs. We surveyed 818 Singapore university students and measured their perceptions of public organizations using a masculinity index. Then, we analyzed whether those with internship experience had different perceptions from those without it. Finally, we used logistic regression to test whether perceptions of public organizations and public internship experiences explain the probability of students’ job choices. These analyses were complemented by interviews with students. The with-internship group shows significantly lower masculinity index scores than the without-internship group. The less masculine their image of public organizations, the stronger their preference for public sector jobs. Students with an unsatisfactory internship confirm or strengthen their masculine image of public organizations and avoid public sector jobs.

Points for practitioners

Public organizations can utilize internship programs not only to draw talent into the public service but also to improve their image. This does not happen automatically, however. Universities and public organizations should closely monitor what students actually do during an internship and why they are satisfied or dissatisfied with it. Our research shows that a negative internship experience can have a more negative impact on the image of public organizations and the decision to work in these organizations than no internship at all. This finding suggests that the government should pay more attention to the needs of interns and institutionalize a procedure to evaluate students’ satisfaction with internship programs.
Making Location Quotients More Relevant as a Policy Aid in Regional Spatial Analysis
Authors: Crawley Andrew , Beynon Malcolm , Munday Max
Published: December 2012

Location Quotients (LQs) remain an important tool for geographical analysis, particularly in terms of assessing industrial specialisation and clustering. LQs as decision aids are typically understood through the use of arbitrarily set cut-off values. However, LQs are rarely accompanied by an associated level of variance that can be connected with the estimated data used to calculate them. This paper reveals the importance of understanding this variance and shows how confidence intervals can be estimated for employment-based LQs. A systematic process is introduced, through which the arbitrariness of cut-off-value choice can be mitigated and borderline industry cases in terms of their LQ values and the considered cut-off value, identified. A case from a UK region is used to illustrate the issues covered in the paper.
Cumulative Exams in the Introductory Psychology Course
Authors: Lawrence Natalie K.
Published: December 2012

Many teachers require their students to take cumulative exams, but there are surprisingly few studies that examine the benefits of such exams. The purpose of this study was to determine whether introductory psychology students who take cumulative exams throughout the semester would have better long-term retention than students who take a cumulative final exam after a series of unit (i.e., noncumulative) exams. As expected, the students who took cumulative exams throughout the semester did better on the cumulative portion of the final exam. This main effect evolved into an interaction on a follow-up test administered 2 months after the course ended. The long-term retention of good students was unaffected by the type of exams they took. However, low-scoring students remembered more of the course material when they took cumulative exams throughout the semester.
The Effects of Student Response Systems on Student Learning and Attitudes in Undergraduate Psychology Courses
Authors: Fortner-Wood Cheryl , Armistead Leigh , Marchand Anna , Morris F. Benjamin
Published: December 2012

Student response systems (SRSs) are reported to increase student interest, interaction, and engagement and result in “deeper” learning. However, the effects on learning are still suspect. Here, outcomes were compared for students in SRS and traditional sections of 200-level and 500-level psychology courses. Results showed SRS students reported more engagement, gave higher evaluations, and had fewer absences. There were also main effects of course and interaction effects of SRS and course on engagement and absenteeism. The SRS effect on student achievement varied by course. These findings add to our understanding that the effects of SRS are the result of a mix of learner, teaching, and course characteristics.
Desperately constructing ethnic audiences: Anti-immigration discourses and minority audience research in the Netherlands
Authors: Awad Isabel
Published: December 2012

This article examines how minority ethnic audiences are measured, and thus constructed, in the Netherlands today. The analysis shows that this process is tightly woven into the dominant assimilationist and neoliberal discourse. This discourse portrays specific minority groups as deviant in relation to an essentialized notion of Dutchness. Furthermore, it presents social inclusion as an opportunity that is limited to well-adjusted, profitable consumers. Different attempts to represent minority audiences – including efforts to promote a more just minority representation in Dutch media – are compelled to accommodate to this dominant discourse. The article underscores the limited scope for contesting current hegemonic representations of minority groups and national belonging in the Netherlands.
Missing geographies
Authors: Parr Hester , Fyfe Nicholas
Published: December 2012

This paper argues that human geography has neglected the issue of ‘missing people’. Following an introduction, the paper uses four thematics, ‘mapping, searching, feeling and moving’, in order to explore a range of responses to missing absence and missing experience. It argues that attention to the voices of returned adult missing people would help establish new emotional geographies of embodied absence which would complement, and in places challenge, ‘left behind’ knowledges of absence. It is also argued that ‘peopling’ missing research would enable sensitive reconstructions of missing mobilities which both (1) challenge operational categorizations and cartographies of missing people as disembodied units, and (2) contribute to conceptual reassessments of disruptive human mobilities.
Racialization, Resistance, and the Migrant Rights Movement: A Historical Analysis
Authors: Ponce Albert
Published: December 2012

The racialization of migrants is constitutive of the socio-political and economic order in the United States. Racial violence has been and continues to be a fact of life for Mexican and Latino migrants in the United States. In 2006 ‘illegal’ migrants throughout the United States rose up to challenge the processes of dehumanization they face on a daily basis. The central question of this study is what compelled ‘illegal’ migrants to organize resistance leading to the marches of 2006? Was this a response to a single external threat? Or was this act of resistance linked to or informed by previous historical struggles of Mexicans and Latinos in the US? In surveying the phenomenon of 2006 while advancing a conception of resistance within the Mexican and Latino community, this study will attempt to link the processes of racialization and their socio-political construction of ‘illegal’ subjects to the formation of migrant resistance.
An analysis of the impact of the 2008–9 recession on the provision of training in the UK
Authors: Felstead Alan , Green Francis , Jewson Nick
Published: December 2012

This article examines the impact of the 2008–9 recession on training activity in the UK. In international terms, the UK is assumed to have a deregulated training market which is sensitive to changing economic conditions. However, national datasets and qualitative interviews suggest that, despite the severity of the recession, employers cut training expenditures by a small amount and the impact on training participation rates was minimal. Contrary to the starting assumption of a deregulated training market, the article shows that employers in the UK do not have a completely free hand and that a combination of market intervention and business requirements obliged most of them to sustain training despite the recession. These constraints included: compliance with legal requirements, meeting operational needs and satisfying customer demands. However, the recession prompted many employers to find ways of maintaining training coverage to meet these obligations, or as several respondents put it, ‘train smarter’.
Synthesis and properties of polyimides-containing benzoxazole units in the main chain
Authors: Song Guangliang , Wang Daming , Zhao Xiaogang , Dang Guodong , Zhou Hongwei , Chen Chunhai
Published: December 2012

A series of polyimide (PI) films were prepared from a diamine-containing benzoxazole unit (5,4′-diamino-2-phenyl benzoxazole) and five dianhydrides via two-step polymerization process. The PI films showed outstanding mechanical properties with tensile modulus up to 7.3 GPa without preorientation process. According to the results of thermal analysis, the glass transition temperature of the films was up to 412°C, and the films showed good thermodimensional stability. Thermal analysis and wide-angle x-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the PIs were semicrystalline. Excellent properties of these PIs were attributed to the benzoxazole group in the main chain and accordingly to the rigid-rod structure and high level of linearity of the polymer backbones. These results correlate with each other and contribute to our overall understanding of the effects of benzoxazole moiety on the properties of the PI films.
Asynchronous Holocene colluvial and alluvial aggradation: A matter of hydrosedimentary connectivity
Authors: Houben Peter , Schmidt Michael , Mauz Barbara , Stobbe Astrid , Lang Andreas
Published: December 2012

Based on Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon dating we establish chronologies of colluviation and alluviation in different floodplain sections of the northwestern Wetterau loess basin (Germany). Similar to some other European valley floors, Holocene floodplain aggradation is marked by two important breaks: (1) a millennial-scale delay between the Neolithic agricultural colluviation and floodplain aggradation. In loess catchments agricultural colluviation started at about 7000 cal. BP and anthropogenic floodplain aggradation only at about 2200 ± 200 cal. BP; (2) a centennial-scale variability in a temporary rise in rates of anthropogenic floodplain aggradation (up to 3.6 ± 1.7 mm/yr) during the High Middle Ages in directly neighbouring reaches. Independent archaeologic, historic, and vegetation records document distinct agricultural histories of hillsides and floodplains and highlight the importance of hydrosedimentary connectivity as compared with land use intensity. The late Iron Age start of alluviation can be linked to the introduction of an integrated land use system with intense cultivation on hillsides and immediate neighbouring floodplains. The centennial-scale variability of medieval peak aggradation is a result of the successive introduction (or temporal failure) of hydraulic water milling infrastructure. Using palaeoecological and geomorphological information for reconstructing cause and consequence of sediment redistribution in coupled human–natural systems requires firm information about the spatial organisation and technological abilities that are associated with socio-agricultural transformations.
Concentration-controlled treatment of lupus nephritis with mycophenolate mofetil
Authors: Daleboudt GMN , Reinders MEJ , Hartigh J den , Huizinga TWJ , Rabelink AJ , de Fijter JW , Berger SP
Published: December 2012

Background:

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has recently been established as a potent drug in maintenance treatment for lupus nephritis. However, there is no consensus on the optimal dosing regimen because of a high inter-individual variability of mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active metabolite of MMF. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the effect of an individualized dosing regimen through concentration-controlled treatment on MPA exposure and renal outcome in patients with lupus nephritis.

Methods:

Sixteen patients with lupus nephritis and treatment with low-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide followed by MMF were included. MPA area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 hours (MPA-AUC0–12) was assessed within a month after MMF initiation. After determination of MPA-AUC0–12, MMF doses were titrated to achieve a target MPA-AUC0–12 of 60–90 mg*h/l. After on average six months, MPA-AUC0–12 measures were repeated to assess the effect of dose adjustment.

Results:

One month after introducing MMF, MPA-AUC0–12 was low and showed a high inter-individual variability. Dose adjustment with a target MPA-AUC0–12 of 60–90 mg*h/l resulted in individualized MMF dosing, significantly higher MPA-AUC0–12 levels, and a non-significant reduction in variability of MPA-AUC0–12. Adverse effects were reported by 37.5% of patients, which resulted in a switch to azathioprine in two patients. There was no significant relationship between the occurrence of adverse effects and MPA-AUC0–12. At 12 months of follow-up 87.5% of patients had achieved either partial (18.7%) or complete (68.8%) remission.

Conclusion:

Concentration-controlled dose adjustments with a target MPA-AUC0–12 of 60–90 mg*h/l was associated with optimized MPA exposure and an excellent renal outcome at 12 months of follow-up in a small sample of SLE patients with lupus nephritis.
Epidemiological Associations of Hearing Impairment and Health Among a National Cohort of 87 134 Adults in Thailand
Authors: Yiengprugsawan Vasoontara , Hogan Anthony , Harley David , Seubsman Sam-ang , Sleigh Adrian C. ,   the Thai Cohort Study Team
Published: December 2012

Studies on socioeconomic and epidemiological effects of hearing impairment in middle-income countries of Southeast Asia are still quite scarce. This study examines the association between hearing impairment and health outcomes in Thailand. Data derived from a cohort of 87 134 Open University adults aged 15 to 87 years residing throughout Thailand. Approximately 8.5% of cohort members reported trouble hearing and 0.13% reported being deaf. After adjusting for age and gender, poor self-assessed health was strongly associated with some trouble hearing (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.48-2.93) and deafness (OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.73-5.50). Population attributable fractions for hearing impairment were 12.9% for poor self-assessed health, 9.8% for poor psychological health, 3.3% for metabolic disorders, and 4.1% for cardiovascular conditions. More attention needs to be paid on hearing impairment with regular check-ups and early detections.
Unsafe Abortion as a Birth Control Method
Authors: Hegde Shalika , Hoban Elizabeth , Nevill Annemarie
Published: December 2012

Reproductive health research and policies in Cambodia focus on safe motherhood programs particularly for married women, ignoring comprehensive fertility regulation programs for unmarried migrant women of reproductive age. Maternal mortality risks arising due to unsafe abortion methods practiced by unmarried Cambodian women, across the Thai-Cambodia border, can be considered as a public health emergency. Since Thailand has restrictive abortion laws, Cambodian migrant women who have irregular migration status in Thailand experimented with unsafe abortion methods that allowed them to terminate their pregnancies surreptitiously. Unmarried migrant women choose abortion as a preferred birth control method seeking repeat “unsafe” abortions instead of preventing conception. Drawing on the data collected through surveys, in-depth interviews, and document analysis in Chup Commune (pseudonym), Phnom Penh, and Bangkok, the authors describe the public health dimensions of maternal mortality risks faced by unmarried Cambodian migrant women due to various unsafe abortion methods employed as birth control methods.
The Efficacy of Text Messaging to Improve Social Connectedness and Team Attitude in Student Technical Communication Projects
Authors: Lam Chris
Published: December 2012

This experimental study investigates the impact of short-messaging service (SMS)—text messaging—on social connectedness and group attitude in student technical communication projects. It also investigates message types and communication medium preferences. Using a between-subjects design, the experiment compares two student groups: SMS only and non-SMS. The results indicated several statistically significant differences. Compared to students in the non-SMS group, students in the SMS-only group (a) communicated more, (b) felt more connected, and (c) sent more questions, answers, and nonproject-related messages. These results provide empirical evidence for using SMS in team contexts.
Aldosterone synthase gene polymorphism and renal histopathologic changes in kidney transplant patients receiving a calcineurin inhibitor
Authors: Ruiz-Palacios Patricia C , Rodríguez-Castellanos Francisco E , Mancilla-Urrea Eduardo , Ávila-Casado María Del Carmen , Inofuentes-Rivero Mónica X , Rodriguez-Illana Francisco , Fragoso José M , Vargas-Alarcón Gilberto
Published: December 2012

Introduction:

Aldosterone participates in the pathogenesis of calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity (CIN), producing renal vasoconstriction and transforming growth factor beta (TGFß) expression. The objective of this study was to assess aldosterone polymorphisms and relationships to plasma aldosterone levels and the development of renal histological lesions in kidney transplant patients.

Material and methods:

Patients with kidney graft biopsy were divided according to the presence or absence of CIN. We determined aldosterone synthase (AS) -344 T/C and int 2 W/C gene polymorphisms and plasma aldosterone levels. Histological, biochemical and clinical variables were measured.

Results:

Calcineurin inhibitor (CI) levels were significantly higher in patients with the int 2 WW genotype than in patients with WC or CC genotypes. There was a greater degree of interstitial fibrosis in patients with int 2 CC genotype. No relationship was found between the different polymorphisms and a higher degree and/or frequency of CIN. There was also no relationship with plasma aldosterone levels.

Conclusion:

The frequency of the different polymorphisms studied was not related to plasma aldosterone levels or the development of CIN; however, the int 2 CC genotype was related to a greater degree of interstitial fibrosis, whereas the WW genotype was related to higher CI serum levels.