bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emotion in responses to the child with ‘additional needs’
Authors: Marrable Tish
Published: November 2012

The work that is done with children and young people by the practitioners of health, education or social care forms part of their experience of growing up, and can have a profound impact on their future outcomes. Children may find themselves ‘impotent at the hands of powerful others’, particularly where their behaviour causes concern. This paper reports on a key theme from the author's doctoral research, demonstrating the ways that the emotion‐laden interactions between practitioners in multi‐agency children's services, children and parents, affected the diagnosis, treatment, communication and outcomes for children's well‐being, as defined within Every Child Matters. Exploring the emotion within interactions permits a different perspective on ‘need’, and finally, the paper argues for a more careful and emotionally reflective practice from those who work with children.
Neurodevelopmental consequences of maternal distress: what do we really know?
Authors: Schuurmans C , Kurrasch DM
Published: November 2012

Schuurmans C, Kurrasch DM. Neurodevelopmental consequences of maternal distress: what do we really know?

A simple internet search of ‘maternal stress and pregnancy’ turns up hundreds of hits explaining that an adverse intrauterine environment can affect fetal development and potentially lead to various learning, behavioral, and mood disorders in childhood, as well as complex diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular conditions later in life. Indeed, a growing body of literature now links several intrauterine challenges, including maternal obesity and stress, with adverse developmental outcomes in the child. Over the past 5 years, nearly 5000 publications have explored the consequences of maternal distress on young offspring, a marked increase from the 475 published studies over a comparable period 20 years ago. Yet, despite this explosion of research and widespread warnings to pregnant mothers, we still lack a basic understanding of the pathophysiology linking adverse maternal health to the onset of disease in the child, especially regarding how prenatal and perinatal challenges might affect brain development. Recent studies have begun to explore the cellular basis of the abnormal brain cytoarchitecture associated with fetal exposure to intrauterine challenges. Here, our goal is to review the scientific evidence that maternal distress interferes with key neurodevelopmental steps, as an entry point toward mapping the pathophysiology of pre‐ and perinatal stress on the unborn child's brain.
A scientific evidence for the efficacy of biologic implants for soft tissue reconstruction
Authors: Smart N. J. , Bryan N. , Hunt J. A.
Published: November 2012

The challenges and complications arising from abdominal surgery frequently necessitate soft tissue reconstruction or augmentation. Soft tissue repair generally has been revolutionised by the introduction of synthetic meshes, but their use is contra‐indicated in contaminated or infected fields. Biologic materials derived from devitalised allo‐ or xenogeneic tissues have been proposed as a safer alternative to synthetics and provide an extracellular scaffold necessary for the in‐growth of new blood vessels and infiltration of native stromal cells. We review the scientific evidence behind commercially available biologic prostheses in relation to the impact of tissue source, manufacturing processes and supplemental cross‐linking on in vitro and in vivo (animal model and clinical) performance.

Cross‐linked meshes exhibit increased resistance to collagenase activity and degradation whilst still allowing tissue in‐growth. Mesh durability may be the most important characteristic in determining optimal clinical outcomes, particularly in the context of the increased collagenase activity seen in contaminated or infected fields. Of all the biologic meshes currently available, HDMI cross‐linked acellular porcine dermis has been associated with the best clinical outcomes in contaminated or infected fields.
Anal bulking agents for faecal incontinence
Authors: Watson N. F. S. , Koshy A. , Sagar P. M.
Published: November 2012

The aim of this review was to assess and evaluate reports of studies on the efficacy of anal bulking agents used in the treatment of faecal incontinence. A systematic review of the literature was carried out to identify studies that have reported on the use of anal bulking agents.

A variety of biomaterials have been employed for anal bulking. These include autologous fat, bovine glutaraldehyde cross‐linked collagen, carbon‐coated zirconium oxide beads, dextranomer microspheres in a gel, hydrogel cross‐linked with polyacrylamide, polydimethylsiloxane elastomer in a gel, porcine dermal collagen and synthetic calcium hydroxylapatitie ceramic microspheres. Although the ideal site of injection (submucosal or intramuscular) and the mechanism of action remain the subject of debate, most published studies report a significant improvement in continence in at least 50% of subjects with mild to moderate symptoms with little or no associated morbidity.We concluded that anal bulking agents may be used to alleviate symptoms of faecal seepage and soilage.
Autonomy in Action: Linking the Act of Looking to Memory Formation in Infancy via Dynamic Neural Fields
Authors: Perone Sammy , Spencer John P.
Published: November 2012

Looking is a fundamental exploratory behavior by which infants acquire knowledge about the world. In theories of infant habituation, however, looking as an exploratory behavior has been deemphasized relative to the reliable nature with which looking indexes active cognitive processing. We present a new theory that connects looking to the dynamics of memory formation and formally implement this theory in a Dynamic Neural Field model that learns autonomously as it actively looks and looks away from a stimulus. We situate this model in a habituation task and illustrate the mechanisms by which looking, encoding, working memory formation, and long‐term memory formation give rise to habituation across multiple stimulus and task contexts. We also illustrate how the act of looking and the temporal dynamics of learning affect each other. Finally, we test a new hypothesis about the sources of developmental differences in looking.
Lower incidence of recorded cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes using insulin aspart vs. those on human regular insulin: observational evidence from general practices
Authors: Rathmann W. , Kostev K.
Published: November 2012

Aims

Insulin aspart has a higher ability to treat postprandial glucose than regular human insulin, which may have favourable cardiovascular effects. The aim was to collect and compare the incidence of recorded macro‐ and microvascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes with insulin aspart or regular human insulin in general practices.

Methods

Computerized data from 3154 aspart and 3154 regular insulin users throughout Germany (Disease Analyzer, January 2000 to July 2011) were analysed after matching for age (60 ± 10 years), sex (men: 57%), health insurance (private: 5.8%) and diabetes treatment period in practice (2.2 ± 2.5 years). Hazard ratios (HR; Cox regression) for macro‐ or microvascular outcomes (follow‐up: 3.5 years) were further adjusted for diabetologist care, practice region, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, co‐medication (basal insulin, oral antidiabetics, antihypertensives, lipid‐lowering agents and antithrombotic drugs), previous treatment with rapid‐acting insulins, hypoglycaemia and the Charlson co‐morbidity score. Furthermore, adjustment was carried out for baseline microvascular complications when analysing macrovascular outcomes and vice versa.

Results

Overall, the risk of combined macrovascular outcomes was 15% lower for insulin aspart users (p = 0.01). For insulin aspart there was also a decreased risk incident stroke [HR: 0.58; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45–0.74], myocardial infarction (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.54–0.88) and peripheral vascular disease (HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.69–0.93). For microvascular complications (retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy), no significant differences were observed (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.87–1.06).

Conclusion

Use of the rapid‐acting insulin analogue aspart was associated with a reduced incidence of macrovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes in general practices. It is important to confirm this finding in a randomized controlled trial.
Inverted Left Atrial Appendage Masquerading as a Cardiac Mass
Authors: Leong Ming Chern , Latiff Haifa Abdul , Hew Chee Chin , Mazlan Siti Laura , Osman Hanif
Published: November 2012

An inverted left atrial appendage is a rare phenomenon post cardiac surgery. The lesion presents as an additional mass in the left atrium, which would trigger unnecessary concerns and frequently, a battery of tests. The lesion can be easily diagnosed using echocardiography. We report a case of inverted left atrial appendage in a patient post repair of common arterial trunk. Echocardiographic pictures and features which help to identify this lesion as well as to differentiate it from other possible left atrial mass are described. This article aimed to improve the awareness of sonographers toward this rare but possible post operative lesion.
Many ways to make a novel structure: a new mode of sex comb development in Drosophilidae
Authors: Atallah Joel , Watabe Hideaki , Kopp Artyom
Published: November 2012

On macroevolutionary time scales, the same genes can regulate the development of homologous structures through strikingly different cellular processes. Comparing the development of similar morphological traits in closely related species may help elucidate the evolutionary dissociation between pattern formation and morphogenesis. We address this question by focusing on the interspecific differences in sex comb development in Drosophilids. The sex comb is a recently evolved, male‐specific structure composed of modified bristles. Previous work in the obscura and melanogaster species groups (Old World Sophophora) has identified two distinct cellular mechanisms that give rise to nearly identical adult morphologies. Here, we describe sex comb development in a species from a more distantly related lineage, the genus Lordiphosa. Although the expression of key regulatory genes is largely conserved in both clades, the cell behaviors responsible for sex comb formation show major differences between Old World Sophophora and Lordiphosa. We suggest that the many‐to‐one mapping between development and adult phenotype increases the potential for evolutionary innovations.
Segmental disinhibition suppresses C‐fiber inputs to the rat superficial medullary dorsal horn via the activation of GABAB receptors
Authors: Melin Céline , Jacquot Florian , Dallel Radhouane , Artola Alain
Published: November 2012

Specialized primary afferents, although they terminate in different laminae within the dorsal horn (DH), are known to interact through local circuit excitatory and inhibitory neurons. That a loss of segmental inhibition probably contributes to persistent pain hypersensitivity during chronic pain raises the question as to how disinhibition‐induced changes in cross‐modal interactions account for chronic pain symptoms. We sought to characterize how pharmacological blockade of glycine and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors modifies synaptic transmission between primary afferent fibers and second‐order neurons by recording field potentials in the superficial medullary dorsal horn (MDH) of anesthetized rats. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation evokes three negative field potentials elicited by, from earliest to latest, Aβ‐, Aδ‐ and C‐fiber primary afferents. Blocking segmental glycine and/or GABAA receptors, with strychnine and bicuculline, respectively, strongly facilitates Aβ‐ and Aδ‐fiber‐evoked polysynaptic field potentials but, conversely, inhibits, or even abolishes, the whole C‐fiber field potential. Blocking segmental GABAB receptors, with phaclofen, reverses such suppression of C‐fiber field potentials. Interestingly, it also potentiates C‐fiber field potentials under control conditions. Finally, activation of segmental GABAB receptors, with baclofen, preferentially inhibits C‐fiber field potentials. Our results suggest that activation of A‐fiber primary afferents inhibits C‐fiber inputs to the MDH by the way of polysynaptic excitatory pathways, last‐order GABAergic interneurons and presynaptic GABAB receptors on C‐fiber primary afferents. Under physiological conditions, activation of such local DH circuits is closely controlled by segmental inhibition but it might contribute to paradoxically reduced pain hypersensitivity under pathological disinhibition.
Heterotrimeric guanosine triphosphate‐binding protein‐coupled modulatory actions of motilin on K+ channels and postsynaptic γ‐aminobutyric acid receptors in mouse medial vestibular nuclear neurons
Authors: Todaka Hiroshi , Tatsukawa Tetsuya , Hashikawa Tsutomu , Yanagawa Yuchio , Shibuki Katsuei , Nagao Soichi
Published: November 2012

Some central nervous system neurons express receptors of gastrointestinal hormones, but their pharmacological actions are not well known. Previous anatomical and unit recording studies suggest that a group of cerebellar Purkinje cells express motilin receptors, and motilin depresses the spike discharges of vestibular nuclear neurons that receive direct cerebellar inhibition in rats or rabbits. Here, by the slice‐patch recording method, we examined the pharmacological actions of motilin on the mouse medial vestibular nuclear neurons (MVNs), which play an important role in the control of ocular reflexes. A small number of MVNs, as well as cerebellar floccular Purkinje cells, were labeled with an anti‐motilin receptor antibody. Bath application of motilin (0.1 μm) decreased the discharge frequency of spontaneous action potentials in a group of MVNs in a dose‐dependent manner (Kd, 0.03 μm). The motilin action on spontaneous action potentials was blocked by apamin (100 nm), a blocker of small‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ channels. Furthermore, motilin enhanced the amplitudes of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and miniature IPSCs, but did not affect the frequencies of miniature IPSCs. Intracellular application of pertussis toxin (PTx) (0.5 μg/μL) or guanosine triphosphate‐γ‐S (1 mm) depressed the motilin actions on both action potentials and IPSCs. Only 30% of MVNs examined on slices obtained from wild‐type mice, but none of the GABAergic MVNs that were studied on slices obtained from vesicular γ‐aminobutyric acid transporter‐Venus transgenic mice, showed such a motilin response on action potentials and IPSCs. These findings suggest that motilin could modulate small‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ channels and postsynaptic γ‐aminobutyric acid receptors through heterotrimeric guanosine triphosphate‐binding protein‐coupled receptor in a group of glutamatergic MVNs.
How did this snail get here? Several dispersal vectors inferred for an aquatic invasive species
Authors: VAN LEEUWEN CASPER H. A. , HUIG NAOMI , VAN DER VELDE GERARD , VAN ALEN THEO A. , WAGEMAKER CORNELIS A. M. , SHERMAN CRAIG D. H. , KLAASSEN MARCEL , FIGUEROLA JORDI
Published: November 2012

1. How species reach and persist in isolated habitats remains an open question in many cases, especially for rapidly spreading invasive species. This is particularly true for temporary freshwater ponds, which can be remote and may dry out annually, but may still harbour high biodiversity. Persistence in such habitats depends on recurrent colonisation or species survival capacity, and ponds therefore provide an ideal system to investigate dispersal and connectivity.

2. Here, we test the hypothesis that the wide distributions and invasive potential of aquatic snails is due to their ability to exploit several dispersal vectors in different landscapes. We explored the population structure of Physa acuta (recent synonyms: Haitia acuta, Physella acuta, Pulmonata: Gastropoda), an invasive aquatic snail originating from North America, but established in temporary ponds in Doñana National Park, southern Spain. In this area, snails face land barriers when attempting to colonise other suitable habitat.

3. Genetic analyses using six microsatellite loci from 271 snails in 21 sites indicated that (i) geographically and hydrologically isolated snail populations in the park were genetically similar to a large snail population in rice fields more than 15 km away; (ii) these isolated ponds showed an isolation‐by‐distance pattern. This pattern broke down, however, for those ponds visited frequently by large mammals such as cattle, deer and wild boar; (iii) snail populations were panmictic in flooded and hydrologically connected rice fields.

4. These results support the notion that aquatic snails disperse readily by direct water connections in the flooded rice fields, can be carried by waterbirds flying between the rice fields and the park and may disperse between ponds within the park by attaching to large mammals.

5. The potential for aquatic snails such as Physa acuta to exploit several dispersal vectors may contribute to their wide distribution on various continents and their success as invasive species. We suggest that the interaction between different dispersal vectors, their relation to specific habitats and consequences at different geographic scales should be considered both when attempting to control invasive freshwater species and when protecting endangered species.
Ecosystem size structure response to 21st century climate projection: large fish abundance decreases in the central North Pacific and increases in the California Current
Authors: Woodworth‐Jefcoats Phoebe A. , Polovina Jeffrey J. , Dunne John P. , Blanchard Julia L.
Published: November 2012

Output from an earth system model is paired with a size‐based food web model to investigate the effects of climate change on the abundance of large fish over the 21st century. The earth system model, forced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special report on emission scenario A2, combines a coupled climate model with a biogeochemical model including major nutrients, three phytoplankton functional groups, and zooplankton grazing. The size‐based food web model includes linkages between two size‐structured pelagic communities: primary producers and consumers. Our investigation focuses on seven sites in the North Pacific, each highlighting a specific aspect of projected climate change, and includes top‐down ecosystem depletion through fishing. We project declines in large fish abundance ranging from 0 to 75.8% in the central North Pacific and increases of up to 43.0% in the California Current (CC) region over the 21st century in response to change in phytoplankton size structure and direct physiological effects. We find that fish abundance is especially sensitive to projected changes in large phytoplankton density and our model projects changes in the abundance of large fish being of the same order of magnitude as changes in the abundance of large phytoplankton. Thus, studies that address only climate‐induced impacts to primary production without including changes to phytoplankton size structure may not adequately project ecosystem responses.
Enhancement of meristem formation by bouquet‐1, a mis‐sense allele of the VERNALIZATION INDEPENDENCE 3 gene encoding a WD40 repeat protein in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Takagi Naoto , Ueguchi Chiharu
Published: November 2012

In higher plants, the shoot apical meristem (SAM) is the ultimate source supplying cells that constitute the aboveground tissues and organs. The cells supplied from the SAM begin to proliferate rapidly and then concomitantly start to differentiate. We identified a novel mutant, named bouquet‐1 (boq‐1), exhibiting highly pleiotropic shoot growth phenotypes. The boq‐1 plants showed an increase in the inflorescence stem number accompanied by frequent fasciation. This particular phenotype appeared to be due to the development of extra SAMs in a SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM)‐dependent manner. Expression of STM was also expanded widely in the boq‐1 shoot apex, suggesting that the repressive state of the STM transcription may not be established or maintained, leading to the misexpression. Molecular cloning of the relevant gene showed that the BOQ gene encodes a WD40 repeat protein, which has been reported as VERNALIZATION INDEPENDENCE 3 (VIP3). In addition, the finding that overproduction of the boq‐1 allele in the wild‐type background mimicked the boq‐1 phenotypes in a dose‐dependent manner suggested that the mutant BOQ‐1 protein acts in a dominant negative manner. Taking these results together, we propose that the boq‐1 mutation affects the proper progression of cell differentiation process.
Primary brachial vein transposition for hemodialysis access: Report of a case and review of the literature
Authors: Lambidis Constantinos , Galanopoulos Georgios
Published: November 2012

The superiority of autogenous fistulae in patients with end‐stage renal disease, performing hemodialysis, is well established and largely accepted. However, in case that superficial veins in the upper arm are not available for fistula construction, brachial vein transposition may be a viable alternative prior to graft placement. This transposition could be done as a primary or staged procedure, depending on the vein size. We present the case of a 63‐year‐old male patient with a thrombosed arteriovenous graft in the forearm and a large brachial vein in the ipsilateral upper arm. A one‐stage (primary) brachial vein transposition was performed. The fistula, 10 months after its construction, is still patent. No complications have occurred.
Evaluation of fragmented red cell (FRC) counting using Sysmex XE‐5000 – Does hypochromia play a role?
Authors: Chalvatzi K. , Spiroglou S. , Nikolaidou A. , Diza E.
Published: November 2012

Introduction

Schistocytes are major signs of micro‐ and macroangiopathic haemolytic anaemia. The aim was to evaluate automated fragmented red cell (FRC) count compared to visual microscopy, and to assess FRCs in the presence of microcytosis and hypochromia using Sysmex automated counters.

Methods

Schistocytes were determined with visual microscopy after the observation of 1000 erythrocytes, and the automated counting with Sysmex XE‐5000. Indices of microcytosis (%MicroR) and hypochromia (%Hypo‐He) were also analysed in the XE‐5000 analyser.

Results

Linear regression analysis showed a good correlation between automated and manual FRC% count (r = 0.824, P < 0.0001), but Bland–Altman's plot revealed an overestimation of FRC of 0.82%. There is a global correlation between %MicroR and FRCs. In subgroup analysis of %MicroR (reference value: 0.3–3%, mild microcytosis: 3.1–7.2% and severe microcytosis: 7.3–56.7%), no correlations with automated %FRC were noticed (P > 0.05). Based on %Hypo‐He subgroups (mild hypochromia: 1.2–5.2%, and severe hypochromia: 5.3–35.4%), a significant correlation of automated %FRC with mild hypochromia was found (r = 0.621, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Despite the agreement between FRC count and the manual method, the overvaluation of FRC was high, leading to false‐positive results. Microcytosis appeared to have no impact on FRC count, whereas mild hypochromia seemed to be related with FRC count. Particular attention is required to assess automated FRCs in samples with mild hypochromia.
Trends of influenza infection in Suriname
Authors: Adhin Malti R. , Grunberg Meritha , Labadie‐Bracho Mergiory
Published: November 2012

Please cite this paper as: Adhin et al. (2012) Trends of Influenza infection in Suriname. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/irv.12037.

The trends of influenza infection in Suriname were assessed from February 2010 through February 2011. Testing of 393 patients with symptoms of acute respiratory infection (ARI) revealed 15·3% Influenza B and 18·6% could be identified as influenza A positive, consisting of 56% influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and 44% seasonal A(H3N2). Influenza infection occurred throughout the year, and all three influenza types affected young children as the primary population. The annual incidence of A(H1N1)pdm09 was 6·88 per 100 000 inhabitants [CI] 4·87–9·45. The spread of influenza could neither be linked to tourist flow from the Netherlands nor to contact rates related to school schedules.
Body fat distribution in relation to smoking and exogenous hormones in British women
Authors: Kwok See , Canoy Dexter , Soran Handrean , Ashton David W. , Lowe Gordon D. O. , Wood David , Humphries Stephen E. , Durrington Paul N.
Published: November 2012

Objective  Both cigarette smoking and use of exogenous hormones are associated with changes in regional distribution of body fat, but their combined effects are less investigated. We examined the interrelation between smoking, exogenous hormones and fat distribution in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Method  We used data from 20 962 women without known cardiovascular disease (CVD) who were employees of a major department store in Britain. They completed a health questionnaire and attended a clinical examination that included waist and hip circumference measurements. The cross‐sectional analyses were conducted using linear regression models.

Results  Cigarette smoking, particularly smoking ≥20 cigarettes/day, was associated with larger waist circumference and higher waist/hip ratio (WHR) in pre‐ and postmenopausal women after adjusting for potential confounding factors (all P < 0·001). Premenopausal women using combined oral contraceptive (COC) and postmenopausal women using oestrogen‐only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had lower WHR than non‐hormone users in both smokers and nonsmokers. However, smokers had higher WHR than nonsmokers in both groups of hormone users and nonusers. There was no significant interaction between smoking and hormone use in premenopausal and postmenopausal women (P > 0·05).

Conclusion  Although exogenous hormones use was related to a more favourable fat distribution in women, smoking was associated with greater abdominal fat accumulation.
The impact of CO2 on the electrical properties of water bearing porous media – laboratory experiments with respect to carbon capture and storage
Authors: Börner Jana H. , Herdegen Volker , Repke Jens‐Uwe , Spitzer Klaus
Published: November 2012

We conducted a detailed experimental investigation of the effect of CO2 injection on the electrical conductivity of water bearing porous media, needed for an improved geophysical monitoring of CO2 storage reservoirs. Therefore, we developed an experimental set‐up that allows to investigate electrical characteristics of the injection process as well as the impact of dissolved CO2 on pore water conductivity. We found that a gaseous, fluid and supercritical pure CO2 phase bears no relevant conductivity at pressures up to 13 MPa and temperatures up to 50° C. When CO2 dissolves in pore water, pressure‐dependent dissociation processes can double the pore water conductivity, that can be used in leakage detection. This is quantified by an adaptation of Archie’s law. The empirical adaptation and the experimental data are confirmed by combined geochemical‐geoelectrical modelling. Furthermore, water‐saturated sand samples were investigated while CO2 displaced the pore water at pressures up to 13 MPa and temperatures up to 40° C. A decrease in electrical conductivity by a factor of up to 33 was measured, corresponding to a residual water saturation of 14–19%. Qualitatively, a decrease was also demonstrated under supercritical conditions. As an integrative interpretation, a conceptual model of electrical rock properties during CO2 sequestration is presented.
Non‐permissive C6/36 cell culture for the Australian isolate of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus
Authors: Hayakijkosol O , Owens L
Published: November 2012

Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV) that causes white tail disease (WTD) is an emerging disease that contributes to serious production losses in Macrobrachium hatcheries worldwide. Mosquito cell lines (C6/36) have been reported to support the growth of MrNV and used to observe the cytopathic effects (CPE) in infected cells. This study determined the susceptibility of C6/36 mosquito cells to the Australian isolate of MrNV in order to use fewer animals in further investigations. Different staining methods were used to observe MrNV viral activity in C6/36 cells. Typical cytopathic effects such as vacuolation and viral inclusion bodies were observed in infected C6/36 cells with H&E and Giemsa staining. With acridine orange, it was easier to detect presumptive MrNV messenger ribonucleic acid in the infected cells. Using neutral red staining to measure mitochondrial activity showed light absorption of infected cells maximized at day 4 (O.D. = 0.6) but was significantly lower (chi‐square = 41.265, df = 1, P < 0.05) than control groups (O.D. = 2) which maximized at day 12. Using trypan blue staining to count the number of cells with disrupted cell membranes, the maximum number of presumptively dead cells at day 8 (4 × 105 cells) in infected treatments was higher than the control treatment at day 10 (1.8 × 105 cells). However, TaqMan real‐time PCR did not confirm the replication of MrNV in the cells over 14 days. The mean viral copies and mean cycle times of positive samples were stable at 2.07 × 104 and 24.12, respectively. Limited evidence of viral replication was observed during four serial passages. This study determined the mortality of the C6/36 cell line to the Australian isolate of MrNV but suggests limited patent replication was occurring. Trying different cell lines or adapting the virus to the C6/36 cells may be necessary to successfully replicate Australian MrNV in cell lines.
The impact of prolonged violent video‐gaming on adolescent sleep: an experimental study
Authors: King Daniel L. , Gradisar Michael , Drummond Aaron , Lovato Nicole , Wessel Jason , Micic Gorica , Douglas Paul , Delfabbro Paul
Published: November 2012

Video‐gaming is an increasingly prevalent activity among children and adolescents that is known to influence several areas of emotional, cognitive and behavioural functioning. Currently there is insufficient experimental evidence about how extended video‐game play may affect adolescents' sleep. The aim of this study was to investigate the short‐term impact of adolescents' prolonged exposure to violent video‐gaming on sleep. Seventeen male adolescents (mean age = 16 ± 1 years) with no current sleep difficulties played a novel, fast‐paced, violent video‐game (50 or 150 min) before their usual bedtime on two different testing nights in a sleep laboratory. Objective (polysomnography‐measured sleep and heart rate) and subjective (single‐night sleep diary) measures were obtained to assess the arousing effects of prolonged gaming. Compared with regular gaming, prolonged gaming produced decreases in objective sleep efficiency (by 7 ± 2%, falling below 85%) and total sleep time (by 27 ± 12 min) that was contributed by a near‐moderate reduction in rapid eye movement sleep (Cohen's d = 0.48). Subjective sleep‐onset latency significantly increased by 17 ± 8 min, and there was a moderate reduction in self‐reported sleep quality after prolonged gaming (Cohen's d = 0.53). Heart rate did not differ significantly between video‐gaming conditions during pre‐sleep game‐play or the sleep‐onset phase. Results provide evidence that prolonged video‐gaming may cause clinically significant disruption to adolescent sleep, even when sleep after video‐gaming is initiated at normal bedtime. However, physiological arousal may not necessarily be the mechanism by which technology use affects sleep.
The enigma of solitary necrotic nodule of the liver
Authors: Pananwala Hasitha , Pang Tony C. , Eckstein Robert P. , Hudson Bernard J. , Newey Allison , Samra Jaswinder S. , Hugh Thomas J.
Published: November 2012

Background

Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver (SNNL) is a rare benign lesion with an uncertain aetiology. There are no typical diagnostic clinical or radiological features, and this lesion is usually detected incidentally during imaging for other purposes.

Methods

We describe the clinical and radiological findings in three patients with histologically confirmed SNNL. The pertinent presenting features were documented and subsequent serological testing for parasites was performed.

Results

All three patients underwent resection because it was not possible to exclude a solitary malignancy on preoperative imaging. All three nodules had a serpiginous shape with areas of necrosis that showed marked staining for eosinophil granules. However, no viable parasites were seen in any specimen. There were no specific radiological features that were present in all three patients. Two patients had travelled to areas where parasitic infections are endemic and one patient had an eosinophilia on presentation. The histopathological findings in conjunction with the clinical presentation suggest that SNNL may be parasitic in origin.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of SNNL is usually made after surgical excision. A preoperative diagnosis is difficult to make even with the use of multiple imaging modalities. The clinical and histopathological findings described in our three patients suggest that a transient parasitic infection is likely to be the cause in many cases. A history of potential exposure to parasites and serological testing for an eosinophilia or parasitic antibodies may help make the diagnosis of SNNL without the need for resection.
How should children with speech sound disorders be classified? A review and critical evaluation of current classification systems
Authors: Waring R. , Knight R.
Published: November 2012

Background

Children with speech sound disorders (SSD) form a heterogeneous group who differ in terms of the severity of their condition, underlying cause, speech errors, involvement of other aspects of the linguistic system and treatment response. To date there is no universal and agreed‐upon classification system. Instead, a number of theoretically differing classification systems have been proposed based on either an aetiological (medical) approach, a descriptive–linguistic approach or a processing approach.

Aims

To describe and review the supporting evidence, and to provide a critical evaluation of the current childhood SSD classification systems.

Methods & Procedures

Descriptions of the major specific approaches to classification are reviewed and research papers supporting the reliability and validity of the systems are evaluated.

Main Contribution

Three specific paediatric SSD classification systems; the aetiologic‐based Speech Disorders Classification System, the descriptive–linguistic Differential Diagnosis system, and the processing‐based Psycholinguistic Framework are identified as potentially useful in classifying children with SSD into homogeneous subgroups. The Differential Diagnosis system has a growing body of empirical support from clinical population studies, across language error pattern studies and treatment efficacy studies. The Speech Disorders Classification System is currently a research tool with eight proposed subgroups. The Psycholinguistic Framework is a potential bridge to linking cause and surface level speech errors.

Conclusions & Implications

There is a need for a universally agreed‐upon classification system that is useful to clinicians and researchers. The resulting classification system needs to be robust, reliable and valid. A universal classification system would allow for improved tailoring of treatments to subgroups of SSD which may, in turn, lead to improved treatment efficacy.
Filling the gaps: the need for more research on portion size of pre‐packaged foods and intake behaviour
Authors: Arnold H. , Hackett R.
Published: November 2012

The portion size of pre‐packaged food and drink products is one of the suggested areas of focus within the calorie reduction pledge of the UK government's Public Health Responsibility Deal. Food businesses are encouraged to commit to this pledge to help consumers decrease their overall energy intake. There is a lack of evidence, however, to suggest that changes in the portion size of pre‐packaged food and drinks will lead to a decrease in overall energy intake.

The Institute of Grocery Distribution's (IGD) Industry Nutrition Strategy Group convened a working group to review the evidence available on the portion size of pre‐packaged food and drink and its relation to consumption behaviour. This involved input from a stakeholder workshop that identified gaps in the evidence base. The working group also documented informal aspects that can influence portion size from the perspective of the food industry.

In their Report, the working group concluded that there is a need for more evidence in relation to the portion size of pre‐packaged food and drink and its impact on consumption behaviour. Further research will help determine how portion sizes may be optimised to support consumers in managing their energy intake, while satisfying appetite and avoiding any unintended consequences. The Report makes recommendations for priority areas. These include determining whether portion size of pre‐packaged products is the best instrument to help consumers manage their energy intake and understanding the impact of promotional dynamics on consumption behaviour.

It is anticipated that investigation of these areas will inform the debate on the portion size of pre‐packaged foods and drinks and provide evidence to help guide decisions about portion size in practice.
An overview of the SATIN project
Authors: Johnstone A.M. , Gonzalez R. R. , Harrold J.
Published: November 2012

SATIN, or SATiety INnovation, is a 5‐year European‐funded research project to develop and test new food products with satiating qualities to help control appetite, manage weight and combat obesity. It is a €6 million Framework 7 project funded by the European Commission, designed to develop foods that regulate appetite by reducing hunger, accelerating within‐meal satiation and enhancing between meal satiety. The SATIN project employs novel food processing methods to modify food structure to produce functional foods for weight management. This article provides a useful summary of the work plans and describes how industry and academia will work together to produce products ready to commercialise and with proven consumer benefits. The SATIN project involves seven small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises, four industry and seven academic partners. SATIN will also seek to educate consumers and other stakeholders about satiety to optimise the impact of weight management outcomes.
An overview of the role of rice in the UK diet
Authors: Schenker S.
Published: November 2012

Rice is a staple food for over half of the world's population. Eighty percent of the British population buy rice, predominantly white rice, with the average person consuming approximately 5.6 kg per year. Rice consumption in the UK is expected to increase slightly, as a result of the growing ethnic population and food diversification. Starchy foods such as rice, potatoes, bread and cereals are our main source of carbohydrate and play an important role in a healthy diet. As well as providing energy, rice contains other essential nutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, iron and fibre. On cooking, rice swells to at least three times its original weight and therefore benefits from a low‐energy density compared to other starchy carbohydrate foods (e.g. bread), as well as a low‐sodium content (unless salt is added to rice products). It has a low allergenicity and is relatively easy to digest, making it a useful food for early weaning or during convalescence.

The Department of Health encourage the selection of wholegrain versions of starchy carbohydrate foods as these are higher in fibre. Brown rice also has a higher proportion of important bioactive phytochemicals such as hemicelluloses and lignans with antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties that may benefit health.

Despite the common perception that starchy carbohydrate foods are ‘fattening’, diets containing rice have been shown to achieve weight loss in obese subjects, although greater weight reduction has been shown with mixed rice compared with white rice. Although the reported glycaemic index (GI) of different rice varieties is inconsistent, most types of rice are classified as low or medium ‘GI’ foods but this is influenced by cooking time, the degree of gelatinisation and rice type. While there are numerous studies that have examined the link between high‐carbohydrate intakes and risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, relatively few have investigated the role of rice specifically, particularly in western populations. In Asian populations in whom rice is a staple food, higher white rice consumption has been associated with elevated risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Some prospective cohort studies in the US have linked regular consumption of white rice with higher risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas brown rice intake was associated with lower risk. These studies were however observational in nature and so cannot determine a ‘cause and effect’ relationship, whilst their findings may be subject to residual confounding. Future studies should consider potential differences of white rice varieties, which vary in amylose content, as well as the effect of processing methods.
Learning from a new learning landscape: Visualisation of location sensing data in the Augustine House Experiment
Authors: Peng Chengzhi
Published: November 2012

Funded by the UK JISC Institutional Innovation Programme, the Augustine House Experiment sets out to investigate how the location sensing data collected over students’ uses of the iBorrow notebooks can be visualised to reveal aspects of the new learning landscape during a 1‐week sensing period. Indoor real‐time location sensing technologies are considered new tools for collecting quantitative evidence in search of emerging patterns of occupation and uses of the learning spaces. The experiment centred on testing a novel data visualisation method designed to render the location sensing and associated user data sets with reference to three‐dimensional (3D) virtual architectural models of the Augustine House. The hypothesis is that an overlay of the iBorrow notebooks tracking data collated with student user data on the 3D virtual architectural models could facilitate a better intuitive grasp of the learning landscape. Questions and lessons are drawn from this experiment regarding how indoor location sensing, learning space user data collection and interactive architectural modelling can be synthesized into a credible research apparatus applicable to longer‐term post‐occupancy evaluation of new learning spaces.
Education undergraduates and ICT‐enhanced academic dishonesty: A moral panic?
Authors: Byrne Kevin , Trushell John
Published: November 2012

This paper reports an illuminative small‐scale study that trialled a survey instrument with 55 final‐year undergraduates categorised by age. The survey investigated students' use of information and communication technologies (ICT), including the Internet, and students' engagement in lecturer impressing strategies and cheating behaviours such as plagiarism. The study disclosed differences in ICT usage by age, but these differences did not achieve significance. The study disclosed also that 0.27 of the sample had reported a single instance of cheating behaviours while 0.2 of the sample had reported multiple instances of cheating behaviours. Analyses of data discerned no significant correlations between these cheating behaviours and age or ICT capability, but significant negative correlations were found between cheating behaviours and engagement in certain Internet activities. Inferences are tentatively drawn for further research and for academic practices.
Computational Nonlinear Thermomechanical Model of Large Light Partition Walls Based on Experimental Analysis and Probabilistic Models
Authors: Do T. T. , Soize C. , Heck J.‐V.
Published: November 2012

Abstract: This article is devoted to the construction of a computational nonlinear thermomechanical model of large light partition walls made up of cardboard‐plasterboard‐cardboard (CPC) plates screwed to a metallic frame, and is submitted to mechanical and thermal loadings induced by fire. The computational model, based on experimental analysis and a probabilistic modeling, is developed for the prediction of a large light partition wall for (1) its linear thermal behavior, (2) its nonlinear mechanical behavior, and (3) its nonlinear thermomechanical behavior.
Spatial coherence of meteorological droughts in the UK since 1914
Authors: Rahiz Muhammad , New Mark
Published: November 2012

We apply the drought severity index (DSI) on a multi‐temporal basis to a monthly precipitation dataset to study the spatial coherence of meteorological droughts in the UK since 1914. Analyses are undertaken for the wet (October–March) and dry (April–September) seasons and for moderate and extreme drought severities. We develop a drought covariance index that allows us to quantify the spatial coherence of droughts based on the fraction of years with extreme (or moderate) droughts that each pair of grid points has in common. Results show greater coherence in (and more widespread) moderate, short duration and wet season droughts. Results are discussed in terms of the relationship between the North Atlantic Oscillation and precipitation, the spatial variability of precipitation and the detectability of droughts. Finally, we examine the implications of our study for drought management with a focus on water transfers.
Inequality of Happiness in the U.S.: 1972–2010
Authors: Dutta Indranil , Foster James
Published: November 2012

It is well accepted that a country's GDP may not fully reflect its level of well‐being. In recent years, happiness has emerged as an alternative indicator of well‐being, and research has mainly focused on determining the level of happiness. While it is important to look at the level, the distribution of happiness is also a salient aspect in any evaluation of inequality. There has been a growing interest in the distribution of happiness, although the ordinal nature of the data makes the use of standard inequality measures problematic. Our paper contributes to the literature by exploring the distributions for the U.S. from 1972 to 2010. Based on new methods developed for ordinal data, we are able to overcome the problems associated with ordinality and obtain unambiguous rankings of happiness distributions. We also compute the level of happiness inequality using existing measures based on median centred approaches. Further, we decompose the median based inequality measures of happiness by gender, race, and region.
Pension Wealth Uncertainty
Authors: Guiso Luigi , Jappelli Tullio , Padula Mario
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACT

Using a representative sample of Italian investors, we measure the uncertainty of social security benefits by eliciting for each individual the subjective distribution of the replacement rate as a summary indicator of pension uncertainty. We find that pension uncertainty varies across individuals in a way that is consistent with what one would expect a priori, given different information sets and pension schemes. In particular, individuals who are a long way from retirement, and thus face more career uncertainty, report more subjective pension uncertainty. Since expectations reveal information about people's understanding of pension reforms, our findings suggest that they should also be an important determinant of how people respond to reforms.
Narrative Freedom1
Authors: Zussman Robert
Published: November 2012

This article is based on the presidential address delivered by Robert Zussman at the 2012 annual meetings of the Eastern Sociological Society.