bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemostatic Treatment Using Factor VIII Concentrates for Neutralizing High-Responding Inhibitors Prior to CVAD Insertion for Immune-Tolerance Induction Therapy
Authors: Shibata Masaru , Nakagawa Takashi , Akioka Shinji , Giddings John C. , Kanehiro Hiromichi , Matsumoto Tomoko , Ogiwara Kenichi , Yada Koji , Shima Midori
Published: July 2011

We have utilized high-dose factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates in 4 hemophilia A patients with inhibitors prior to surgery for the insertion of a central venous access device. In total, 3 patients out of 4 had high responding inhibitors. Dosing algorithms for this type of therapy have not been previously validated and established. We devised an effective formula to calculate the initial dose required to neutralize the inhibitors, although some of the patients demonstrated a lower recovery of FVIII than expected. An anamnestic inhibitor response was evident in 3 cases, but overall our strategy provided a reliable hemostatic effect for at least 4 days after surgery. In addition, our protocol appeared to be more cost-effective than FVIII bypass therapy. The financial saving in 1 case for the initial 3 days was estimated to be approximately US$49 122. Our results demonstrated that high-dose FVIII therapy provided clinically effective and economically viable results even in high responders.
Interaction Between MMP-9 Gene Polymorphisms and Smoking in Relation to Myocardial Infarction in a Uighur Population
Authors: Wang Lei , Ma Yi-Tong , Xie Xiang , Yang Yi-Ning , Fu Zhen-Yan , Li Xiao-Mei , Liu Fen , Huang Ying , Ma Xiang , Chen Bang-dang , Yuan Shan , Sun Ming-Hui , Peng Xiao , Wang Bao-Zhu
Published: July 2011

Objectives: Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) plays a pivotal role in early atherosclerosis, vascular remodeling, and development of arterial plaque rupture. The potentially functional MMP-9 gene polymorphism may contribute to the susceptibility of myocardial infarction (MI). We aimed to investigate the association between the interaction of 2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms ([SNPs] −1562C>T and R279Q) of the MMP-9 gene and smoking with MI in a Uighur population of China.Methods: A case–control study composed of 384 coronary angiography proven patients with MI and 451 sex-matched and ethnically matched control participants were enrolled in the study. The genotypes of the 2 selected SNPs were determined by the method of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).Results: Analysis of 2 SNPs, the frequency of −1562 CT and TT genotypes in MI group was significantly higher than in control group (25.52% vs 17.29%; P = .004). And the −1562 T allele showed significant association with MI (MI vs controls: 14.19% vs 9.31%; P = .002). R279Q locus did not show significant differences between patients and controls ( P > .05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that −1562 T allele (CT or TT genotype; odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-1.40; P = .004), the interaction between −1562 T allele and smoking (OR 4.42, 95% CI 2.74-7.13; P < .001), and the interaction between 279 Q allele and smoking (OR 2.07, 95% CI: 1.04-4.13; P = .021) were independent risk factors for MI.Conclusions: There findings suggest that MMP-9 −1562C>T polymorphism could be associated with the susceptibility to MI. Another SNP (R279Q) polymorphism was not significantly associated with MI. The −1562C>T or R279Q polymorphism of MMP-9 gene and smoking have a synergistic effect and are significantly associated with the risk of MI in Chinese Uighur population, respectively.
Compliance With Antithrombotic Guidelines in Surgery Patients in German Hospitals
Authors: Hohmann Carina , Eickhoff Christiane , Kaemmerer Wolfgang , Schulz Martin
Published: July 2011

Despite the existence of antithrombotic guidelines, there is low compliance with these guidelines in clinical practice. Until now pharmacy interns (PIs) have not been involved in this process. The objectives were to involve PIs to evaluate compliance with antithrombotic guidelines for VTE prophylaxis in surgery patients, and in cases of noncompliance to carry out pharmaceutical interventions. The study was conducted in 7 hospitals in Germany involving 27 PIs within the project “Pharmacy interns on the ward” (P-STAT 2). Pharmacy interns determined the thromboembolic risk, documented antithrombotic medication, and checked the compliance with current antithrombotic guidelines. A total of 6491 patients were enrolled; 5695 patients received antithrombotic prophylaxis. Antithrombotic guideline was followed in 77.5% patients. Many patients are not receiving appropriate VTE prophylaxis or heparin bridging regimen despite the fact that evidence-based antithrombotic guidelines are available. Pharmacy interns may play an important role in antithrombotic management.
The Role of Factor V Leiden in Adult Patients With Venous Thromboembolism: A Meta-Analysis of Published Studies from Turkey
Authors: Eroglu Aydan , Sertkaya Durdu , Akar Nejat
Published: July 2011

Factor V Leiden (FVL) is the most common inherited risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The frequency of FVL in patients with VTE has been reported from different parts of Turkey. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the risk of VTE associated with FVL in Turkish population. Published studies were retrieved from Pubmed and Science Citation Index/Expanded. We selected studies comparing the prevalence of FVL in patients with VTE with controls. The analysis was performed by the software comprehensive meta-analysis. The analysis consisted of 10 studies including 1202 patients with VTE and 1283 controls. The pooled frequency of FVL was significantly higher in patients with VTE (22.8%) than controls (7.6%). The pooled odds ratio (OR) was 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-4.5). The study showed homogeneity ( Q value, 9.955). No publication bias was observed in any comparison model. Our meta-analysis showed an association of FVL with VTE in Turkey.
The effect of enteral nutrition supplements on serum voriconazole levels
Authors: Williams Devona
Published: July 2011

This is the case of a 13-year-old Hispanic boy (34.2 kg, 1.14 m2) who had achieved stable therapeutic levels on voriconazole who later experienced levels reported as ‘none detected’ after the initiation of tube feeds. This case outlines the temporal relationship of the effect of tube feeds on voriconazole serum levels. Based on this information, voriconazole suspension should not be prescribed to patients also receiving supplemental enteral nutrition. In absence of formal animal or human pharmacokinetic studies, it is the recommendation of the author to separate this combination and to be very vigilant about checking serum voriconazole levels in patients on voriconazole suspension and enteral nutrition supplements.
An Unforgettable Client
Authors: Retherford Robin
Published: July 2011

It can be easy to work with patients when they have a positive prognosis, but what happens when a person becomes terminally ill and has not yet come to terms with it? This story addresses both the challenge and value of honesty in conversations between health care workers and their clients when confronted with difficult questions surrounding the issue of death. It is told from a nursing student’s point of view.
OASIS Update
Authors: Niewenhous Susan S.
Published: July 2011

Home care had undergone yet another round of changes during the first quarter of 2011. Changes in therapy documentation and the “face-to-face” requirement both settled in for good on April 1st. Yet only one question was posed to CMS during the preceding 3 months regarding either of these new requirements. Instead, insightful questions concerning a wide variety of OASIS items were posed for clarification, the synopsis of which follows.
Customer Engagement
Authors: Brodie Roderick J. , Hollebeek Linda D. , Jurić Biljana , Ilić Ana
Published: July 2011

In today’s highly dynamic and interactive business environment, the role of “customer engagement” (CE) in cocreating customer experience and value is receiving increasing attention from business practitioners and academics alike. Despite this interest, systematic scholarly inquiry into the concept and its conceptual distinctiveness from other, associated relational concepts has been limited to date. This article explores the theoretical foundations of CE by drawing on relationship marketing theory and the service-dominant (S-D) logic. The analysis also examines the use of the term “engagement” in the social science, management, and marketing academic literatures, as well as in specific business practice applications. Five fundamental propositions (FPs) derived from this analysis are used to develop a general definition of CE, and distinguish the concept from other relational concepts, including “participation” and “involvement.” The five propositions are used in the development of a framework for future research, the undertaking of which would facilitate the subsequent refinement of the conceptual domain of CE. Overall, CE, based on its relational foundations of interactive experience and the cocreation of value, is shown to represent an important concept for research in marketing and service management.
Relational Damage and Relationship Repair
Authors: Jones Tim , Dacin Peter A. , Taylor Shirley F.
Published: July 2011

Using attribution and balance theories, the authors argue that service employee-customer relationship transgressions are events that can damage particular service relationships. The results of two experiments involving service customers and two different service types demonstrate two different damaging effects of service transgressions—a locus effect and a transference effect that stem from customers' commitment to various relationships with service providers. The findings illustrate the need for service managers to focus efforts on relationship repair alongside service recovery. An examination of two different approaches to relationship repair suggest that proactive approaches (i.e., building customer commitment, such as extra-role relationships with customers) appear to be more effective than more reactive ones enacted in concert with basic recovery efforts. The findings also suggest that while extra-role relationships between service employees and customers entail risks to the firm, since transgressions in these relationships can damage the customer-company relationship, encouraging these relationships can act as a proactive repair strategy since these relationships can also serve to buffer the effects of service transgressions.
What is “New” about Fatherhood?
Authors: Gregory Abigail , Milner Susan
Published: July 2011

This article reviews the way that fatherhood is constructed in the public discourse and more broadly in the public sphere in the UK and France by examining (1) the fatherhood regime and its influence on the construction of fatherhood in the two countries; (2) gender attitudes and parenting roles; and (3) popular images of fatherhood, particularly as represented in women’s and men’s magazines in France and in the UK. The authors explore to what extent “new” features of fatherhood in the two countries are reflected in its public representation and how this representation is influenced by national fatherhood regimes and notably social policy. The authors find that “new fatherhood” is finding its way into popular representations of fatherhood in both countries, but that cultural products tend to be conservative in their representations and reinforce existing stereotypes rather than innovative in representations of gender relations.
A qualitative exploration of Child Clinical Psychologists’ understanding of user involvement
Authors: Dexter Gemma , Larkin Michael , Newnes Craig
Published: July 2011

‘Service User Involvement’ is a key directive for mental health services. This is thought to be especially complex in child services—despite evidence that it can be achieved—because of the need to use developmentally-appropriate tools. Children are in a multi-faceted position of disempowerment when they enter mental health services; attempts to involve them in these services are entangled with intricate power issues. To explore these issues, eight Clinical Psychologists who work with children were interviewed about their views and experiences of User Involvement. Their accounts were analysed by drawing on Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. The resulting account demonstrates how children are consistently positioned as both vulnerable and powerless (in contrast to parents and professionals). This has the effect of rendering them as less-than-ideal candidates for involvement in service evaluation and planning, in a context where parents may seem to offer a more straightforward option to professionals, and where those professionals see themselves as having to operate within certain constraints.
Combining individual Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and caregiver–child sessions for childhood depression: An open trial
Authors: Eckshtain Dikla , Gaynor Scott T.
Published: July 2011

The objective was to obtain preliminary evidence on the feasibility and efficacy of combining individual cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with complimentary caregiver–child sessions for depressed youths. Fifteen children participated in an open clinical trial. Treatment included 16 CBT sessions combined with seven caregiver/caregiver–child sessions over 12 weeks. Data were collected at pre-, mid-, and post-treatment and at one- and six-month follow-ups. Significant decreases in depressive symptoms were apparent, with the majority showing clinically meaningful improvement. Benchmarked against the literature, the combination equaled or outperformed CBT in other studies and was superior to control conditions. Mother and teacher reports of child functioning significantly improved, providing social validation of the effects. Mothers reported improved caregiver–child relationships and less parenting stress. Children did not report acute improvements in relations with their caregivers. However, when a father participated, improved father–child relations were reported in the follow-up period. Younger age and lower pretreatment severity predicted greater symptom change. The positive treatment effects provide support for the combined intervention and suggest a further research focus on the effects of caregiver involvement in the treatment of depressed youths.
Emotion regulation and internalizing symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Rieffe Carolien , Oosterveld Paul , Terwogt Mark Meerum , Mootz Saskia , van Leeuwen Edwin , Stockmann Lex
Published: July 2011

The aim of this study was to examine the unique contribution of two aspects of emotion regulation (awareness and coping) to the development of internalizing problems in 11-year-old high-functioning children with an autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) and a control group, and the moderating effect of group membership on this. The results revealed overlap between the two groups, but also significant differences, suggesting a more fragmented emotion regulation pattern in children with HFASD, especially related to worry and rumination. Moreover, in children with HFASD, symptoms of depression were unrelated to positive mental coping strategies and the conviction that the emotion experience helps in dealing with the problem, suggesting that a positive approach to the problem and its subsequent emotion experience are less effective in the HFASD group.
Early indicators of autism spectrum disorders at 12 and 24 months of age: A prospective, longitudinal comparative study
Authors: Veness Carly , Prior Margot , Bavin Edith , Eadie Patricia , Cini Eileen , Reilly Sheena
Published: July 2011

Prospective questionnaire data from a longitudinal population sample on children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental delay, specific language impairment, or typical development (TD), were collected at ages eight, 12 and 24 months, via the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scale Developmental Profile (CSBS) – Infant Toddler Checklist, and the Actions and Gesture section of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI):Words and Gestures. The four groups were compared at four years of age to identify whether any early behaviours differentiated the groups. While children with ASD differed from TD children on most social communicative measures by 12 months of age, the only social communication characteristic which could differentiate the children with ASD from the other groups were gesture scores on the CDI at 12 months and the CSBS at 24 months. Significant markers of ASD were identifiable in this community sample at an early age, although discrimination between clinical groups was rarely evident.
The relationship between gender segregation in the workplace and long-term sickness absence in Sweden
Authors: Bryngelson Anna , Bacchus Hertzman Jennie , Fritzell Johan
Published: July 2011

Background: The aim of the study is to investigate whether the gender composition in workplaces is related to long-term sickness absence (LSA). We start off with Kanter’s theory on ‘‘tokenism,’’ suggesting an increased risk of stress among minority groups (tokens), which, in turn, might increase the risk of ill health and LSA. Methods: The dataset consists of information obtained from the Swedish level of Living Survey (LNU) and the Swedish Establishment Survey (APU), linked to register-based data from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. The longitudinal data is representative for the Swedish population and consists of 496 women and 566 men, aged 20—55 at baseline. Our study group consisted of employed persons in 1991 and we analyze, by means of piecewise constant intensity regressions, the first entry into LSA with a follow-up period of nine years. Results: Compared with women in gender-integrated workplaces, women’s risk of LSA is most elevated at both extremely male-dominated (0—20% females) and extremely female-dominated workplaces (80—100% females), although the result among women in the most male-dominated group did not reach statistical significance at the 5% level. Men’s risk seems less varied by gender composition. Conclusions: The present study suggests that the gender composition in the workplace has an impact on the risk of LSA, especially among women. Our findings lend no support for Kanter’s theory on the effects of being a token. Most likely, women’s and men’s different status positions have an impact on the different associations found.
The personalization of care services and the early impact on staff activity patterns
Authors: Jacobs Sally , Abell Jessica , Stevens Martin , Wilberforce Mark , Challis David , Manthorpe Jill , Fernandez Jose-Luis , Glendinning Caroline , Jones Karen , Knapp Martin , Moran Nicola , Netten Ann
Published: July 2011

• Summary: This study examines the early impact on care coordinators’ (care managers’) work activity patterns of implementing the current personalization agenda within English local authorities. The Individual Budget (IB) pilots operated between 2005 and 2007 and provided a basis for personalization that, ultimately, sought to give personal care budgets to every eligible service user in England. Of particular interest was how the pilots impacted upon the roles, responsibilities and activity of care coordinators, who are expected to play a key role in this transformation of social care. A self-administered diary schedule was completed by 249 care coordinators, including teams directly involved in delivering IBs and a comparative sample of teams not involved in the pilots. These data were supplemented by semi-structured interviews with 48 care coordinators and 43 team managers.

• Findings: The study found that on most measures there were no differences in working patterns between care managers with and without IB holders on their caseload. However, the results do show that – contrary to expectations – more time was spent assessing needs, and that more time generally was required to conduct support planning activities.

• Application: The findings are necessarily dependent upon the early experiences of the pilot phase of IBs. As personal budgets are rolled out across all eligible service users, it will be interesting to examine whether the time-use of frontline staff, and indeed the wider organization, structure and function of local authority frontline teams, changes further.
Experimental study on identifying cracks of increasing size using ultrasonic excitation
Authors: An Jungeun , Haftka Raphael T , Kim Nam H , Yuan Fuh-Gwo , Kwak Byung Man , Sohn Hoon , Yeum Chul Min
Published: July 2011

In structural health monitoring, crack identification using scattered ultrasonic waves from a crack is one of the most active research areas. Crack size estimation is important for judging the severity of the damage. If measurements are frequently performed as the crack grows, then a better estimation of crack size may be possible by analyzing sensor signals for the same crack location with different sizes. The objective of this article is to explore the relationship between the sensor signal amplitude and crack size through experiments and simulation for estimating the size. Cracks are machined into an aluminum plate and measurements are carried out with ultrasound excitation using piezoelectric transducer arrays that alternate their role as actuators or sensors. Initially, a hole of 2.5 mm diameter is drilled in the plate, and it is gradually machined to a crack with a size up to 50 mm. Signal amplitude is measured from the sensor arrays. The migration technique is used to image the crack and to find the crack location. The maximum received signal amplitude is found to vary linearly with size from simulation and this agrees with measurements with crack size up to 30 mm. The deviation between the simulation and experiment increases as the crack grows.
The Potential Public Health Effects of a Police Announcement About HIV Nondisclosure: A Case Scenario Analysis
Authors: O'Byrne Patrick
Published: July 2011

In May 2010, a local police force released the details of an HIV-transmission-related criminal investigation. This involved the publication of the name and photograph of, and charges against a man who the police allege did not disclose his HIV status prior to engaging in sexual activities that pose a “significant risk” for HIV transmission. Presently, however, there are no public health analyses of this situation. Consequently, the available literature on Canadian criminal laws, HIV transmission within this jurisdiction, and HIV prevention are presented and discussed herein. The outcome of this analysis is the conclusion that the act of publicizing an HIV-related criminal investigation more likely inhibits than encourages STI/HIV testing among HIV-negative and HIV-positive men who have sex with men. It is the assertion here that this undertaking thus conflicts with the overall public health goals of HIV prevention, and should likely not occur in the future.
Inhibition of Radiation-Induced DNA Damage by Jamun, Syzygium cumini, in the Cultured Splenocytes of Mice Exposed to Different Doses of γ-Radiation
Authors: Jagetia Ganesh Chandra , Shetty Prakash Chandra , Vidyasagar Mamidipudi Srinivasa
Published: July 2011

The radioprotective property of 50 mg/kg body weight jamun ( Syzygium cumini) extract was studied in the cultured splenocytes of mice exposed to 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, or 4 Gy of γ-radiation. The spleens of irradiated mice were removed aseptically and the splenocytes were extracted from the individual spleens and cultured. The micronuclei were prepared 72 hours after irradiation in binucleate splenocytes by blocking cytokinesis with cytochalasin-B. Irradiation of mice resulted in a dose-dependent elevation in the micronucleated splenocytes. The exposure of mice not only elevated splenocytes bearing one micronucleus but also cells bearing 2 and multiple (>2) micronuclei indicating induction of complex DNA damage after irradiation. Oral treatment of mice with 50 mg/kg body weight of jamun leaf extract protected against the radiation-induced micronuclei formation. Jamun extract also protected against the formation of 2 and multiple micronuclei indicating repair or inhibition of complex DNA damage. The assessment of lipid peroxidation in mice brain homogenate has indicated a concentration dependent inhibition of lipid peroxidation by jamun extract. Studies in a cell free system revealed that jamun extract inhibited the formation of OH, O2−, DPPH, and ABTS+ free radicals in a concentration dependent manner. Our study demonstrates that jamun extract protected mice against the radiation-induced DNA damage and inhibition of radiation-induced free radical formation may be one of the mechanisms of radioprotection.
An Exploratory Study on the Quality of Life and Individual Coping of Cancer Patients During Mistletoe Therapy
Authors: Brandenberger Mathias , Simões-Wüst Ana Paula , Rostock Matthias , Rist Lukas , Saller Reinhard
Published: July 2011

Background. Although several clinical studies have shown that mistletoe therapy ( MT, Viscum album) may improve cancer patients’ quality-of-life (QoL), qualitative information on the improvement’s nature is still lacking. Design. This exploratory, prospective, cohort-study comprised 25 patients with different types of cancer. The patients filled in the EORTC QLQ-C30 Version 3.0 questionnaire at the beginning of MT (n = 25) and three months later (n = 21). If patients agreed, they were interviewed on both occasions (n = 17); the interviews were transcribed verbatim and submitted to a qualitative content analysis (n = 12). Results. Analysis of the questionnaires showed significant improvements in several subscales during MT. The interviews analysis revealed that most patients adopted the MT with a supportive goal, with all patients undergoing conventional therapies. After three months of MT, most interviewed patients revealed higher vitality and autonomy. MT was often seen as a chance to make an own personal contribution to the therapy, which was particularly appreciated in cases in which no conventional therapy was (anymore) advised. Concrete personal achievements such as changes in the private and/or in the professional environment were spontaneously mentioned by the patients, illustrating and corroborating their improvements in QoL. Conclusion. Our results show that the patients experienced an improvement of QoL during MT. This therapy seemed to offer a platform for an integrative coping with the disease, which might be important in reconciling the perceived shock of an existential illness with a good QoL.
Impact of Yoga on Functional Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors With Aromatase Inhibitor–Associated Arthralgias
Authors: Galantino Mary Lou , Desai Krupali , Greene Laurie , DeMichele Angela , Stricker Carrie Tompkins , Mao Jun James
Published: July 2011

Arthralgia affects postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (BCSs) receiving aromatase inhibitors (AIs). This study aims to establish the feasibility of studying the impact of yoga on objective functional outcomes, pain, and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) for AI-associated arthralgia (AIAA). Postmenopausal women with stage I to III breast cancer who reported AIAA were enrolled in a single-arm pilot trial. A yoga program was provided twice a week for 8 weeks. The Functional Reach (FR) and Sit and Reach (SR) were evaluated as primary outcomes. Pain, as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), self-reported Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast (FACT-B) were secondary outcomes. Paired t tests were used for analysis, and 90% provided data for assessment at the end of the intervention. Participants experienced significant improvement in balance, as measured by FR, and flexibility, as measured by SR. The PSFS improved from 4.55 to 7.21, and HR-QOL measured by FACT-B also improved; both P < .05. The score for the Pain Severity subscale of the BPI reduced. No adverse events nor development or worsening of lymphedema was observed. In all, 80% of participants adhered to the home program. Preliminary data suggest that yoga may reduce pain and improve balance and flexibility in BCSs with AIAA. A randomized controlled trial is needed to establish the definitive efficacy of yoga for objective functional improvement in BCSs related to AIAA.
Chemotherapeutic Effects of Bioassay-Guided Extracts of the American Cockroach, Periplaneta americana
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yu , He Zheng Chun , Song Li-Yan , Spencer Shawn , Yang Lei Xiang , Peng Fang , Liu Guang-Ming , Hu Ming-Hui , Li Hai Bo , Wu Xiu-Mei , Zeng Su , Hilgenfeld Rolf , Stöckigt Joachim , Zhao Yu , Qian Jin Fu
Published: July 2011

The organic extract of Periplaneta americana L. (Dictyoptera; Blattidae) has been traditionally used in southwestern China as an alternative medicine against disorders such as hepatitis, trauma, gastric ulcers, burns, and heart disease. The present study describes bioassay-guided purification and chemotherapeutic evaluation of the 60% ethanolic fraction of P americana organic extracts (PAE60). The most effective cytotoxic fraction was determined by way of repeated in vitro screenings against 12 distinct cultured human carcinoma cell lines: Eca 109, BGC823, HO8910, LS174T, CNE, HeLa, K562, PC-3, A549, BEL 7404, HL-60, and KB, followed by in vivo antitumor assays of the lead fraction (PAE60). The complexity of enriched active fraction was qualitatively evaluated using thin layer chromatography. Reconstituted PAE60 was effective at inhibiting HL-60, KB, CNE, and BGC823 cell growth with IC50 values <20 µg mL−1. PAE60 reduced tumor growth in S180-bearing immunocompetent mice by 72.62% after 10 days following oral doses of 500 mg kg d−1 compared with 78.75% inhibition following 40 mg kg d−1 of cyclophosphamide (CTX). Thymus and spleen indices of S180-bearing mice treated with PAE60 were significantly greater ( P < .05) than CTX treatment groups, suggesting potential immunomodulation of antitumor host defenses by PAE60. Antiviral activity was also investigated and PAE60 inhibited herpes simplex type-2 replication (IC50 = 4.11 ± 0.64 µg mL−1) with a selectivity index (CC50 to IC50 ratio) of 64.84 in Vero cells but was less effective on type-1 virus (IC50 of 25.6 ± 3.16 µg mL−1). These results support future clinical trials on P. americana as an alternative or complementary medicinal agent.
Combined Analysis of Cortical (EEG) and Nerve Stump Signals Improves Robotic Hand Control
Authors: Tombini Mario , Rigosa Jacopo , Zappasodi Filippo , Porcaro Camillo , Citi Luca , Carpaneto Jacopo , Rossini Paolo Maria , Micera Silvestro
Published: July 2011

Background. Interfacing an amputee’s upper-extremity stump nerves to control a robotic hand requires training of the individual and algorithms to process interactions between cortical and peripheral signals. Objective. To evaluate for the first time whether EEG-driven analysis of peripheral neural signals as an amputee practices could improve the classification of motor commands. Methods. Four thin-film longitudinal intrafascicular electrodes (tf-LIFEs-4) were implanted in the median and ulnar nerves of the stump in the distal upper arm for 4 weeks. Artificial intelligence classifiers were implemented to analyze LIFE signals recorded while the participant tried to perform 3 different hand and finger movements as pictures representing these tasks were randomly presented on a screen. In the final week, the participant was trained to perform the same movements with a robotic hand prosthesis through modulation of tf-LIFE-4 signals. To improve the classification performance, an event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) procedure was applied to EEG data to identify the exact timing of each motor command. Results. Real-time control of neural (motor) output was achieved by the participant. By focusing electroneurographic (ENG) signal analysis in an EEG-driven time window, movement classification performance improved. After training, the participant regained normal modulation of background rhythms for movement preparation (α/β band desynchronization) in the sensorimotor area contralateral to the missing limb. Moreover, coherence analysis found a restored α band synchronization of Rolandic area with frontal and parietal ipsilateral regions, similar to that observed in the opposite hemisphere for movement of the intact hand. Of note, phantom limb pain (PLP) resolved for several months. Conclusions Combining information from both cortical (EEG) and stump nerve (ENG) signals improved the classification performance compared with tf-LIFE signals processing alone; training led to cortical reorganization and mitigation of PLP.
When Might a Cane Be Necessary for Walking Following a Stroke?
Authors: Guillebastre Bastien , Rougier Patrice R. , Sibille Brice , Chrispin Anne , Detante Olivier , Pérennou Dominic Alain
Published: July 2011

Background. For individuals with lateral postural imbalance after stroke, the decision to adopt a cane for walking often is not based on objective findings. Objective. The authors investigated the explanatory value of 2 posturographic criteria for lateral postural imbalance on the walking abilities of poststroke subjects. Methods. Indices of postural asymmetry (percentage of body weight on the less loaded lower limb) and instability (mediolateral variance of center-of-pressure displacements) were measured in 40 healthy individuals and 52 patients (mean 94.2 days after first hemispheric stroke), who stood still on a double force platform. Cut-off values (mean ± 2 standard deviations) were calculated and compared. The predictive value of both postural indices on walking abilities with or without a cane was analyzed. Results. Of the patients, 34.6% were unstable along the mediolateral axis (variance >7 mm2), and 44.2% were asymmetrical (body weight <40%); 30% needed a technical aid and 35% walked without a cane. The probability of being able to walk without a cane was less than 5% if the paretic lower limb was not loaded more than 40%. The postural instability index was less informative. Conclusions. This study suggests that patients who do not load more than 40% of their body weight on their paretic lower limb may benefit from the prescription of a cane.
7/7 and connective memory: Interactional trajectories of remembering in post-scarcity culture
Authors: Hoskins Andrew
Published: July 2011

The 2005 London bombings is both marked by and is a marker of a post-scarcity memorial-media boom. There is a new contagion of the past driven by a memorial culture unstoppably equipped with the availability, portability and pervasiveness of digital devices, enabling the instant aggregation and archiving of everything. The ‘digital’, it can be said, insinuates itself in the past. In such circumstances, what are the prospects for the development and maintenance of individual memories? And, how can we consider such questions beyond the traditional dichotomous models of memory that assume memory as an orientation to something once complete and residual, and thus always already partial and in decline?

This article employs a concept of ‘connective memory’ as a sensitizing tool to highlight the moment of connection as the moment of memory. Through examining the archival (institutional) and individual remembrances of the London bombings, I treat ‘memory’ as a trajectory of connections that contribute to but also collide with the emergent post-scarcity memorial-media boom.
Dynamics of memory: Commemorating the 2005 London bombings in British television news
Authors: Lorenzo-Dus Nuria , Bryan Annie
Published: July 2011

This article seeks to examine coverage of the 2005 London bombings’ first year anniversary commemorations vis-à-vis reportage of the attacks as a breaking news story. Adopting a multimodal discourse analysis approach, informed by both qualitative and quantitative methods, the study explores the thematic relationship between the two sets of coverage. Although our results show a number of dynamic processes at work, a key finding is the strong tendency for new themes to appear in the commemorative story. Our analyses also highlight the cathartic function that the event’s anniversary itself seemingly fulfils. Such empirical insights have important implications for the ways in which (catastrophic) past events are commemorated through the mass media, especially through the medium of television.
Embodiment and living memorials: The affective labour of remembering the 2005 London bombings
Authors: Allen Matthew J. , Brown Steven D.
Published: July 2011

The 2005 London bombings have been the subject of numerous commemorative practices, ranging from public silence to the Hyde Park memorial. In this article we discuss a less well-studied commemorative practice that we term, following Esther Hyman, a ‘living memorial’. This type of commemoration differs from other memorials in that it functions by making connections at the level of life rather than that of symbols. It constitutes an ‘affect economy’ in which the affective labour of participants weaves thick relations of care and emotion that accomplish a salvation of the commemorated person or event. Drawing on interview data from people who have created and maintained living memorials, we show the centrality of the body and embodied acts of caring as central to how commemoration is enacted. Such commemoration may ultimately involve the erasure of the story of what is commemorated, but not the embodied relations in which the remembered lives inhere directly.
The London bombings: Mobile witnessing, mortal bodies and globital time
Authors: Reading Anna
Published: July 2011

Most cultural theorists argue that time in the digital and globalized media era is accelerating, with the future and past collapsed into an extended present. This would seem to be the case with the 2005 London bombings: mobile witnessing through the use of mobile camera phones provided co-present personal communicative memory of the events by survivors and witnesses. This was rapidly transformed by mainstream media organizations into mediated witnessing which within days was being reassembled as part of a process of commemoration through online memorials. More than five years on from the terrorist attacks, however, there is an unevenness in the trajectories of mobile witnessing over time in what may be termed the ‘globital memory field’. As well as compression and speed, ‘globital time’ is folded to intersect with ‘slow’ and ‘long’ time that is very much part of each citizen’s lifeworld and subsequently is an important dimension within any process of commemoration, conflict resolution and justice.
Rotavirus-induced IFN-β promotes anti-viral signaling and apoptosis that modulate viral replication in intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Frias Amena H , Jones Rheinallt M , Fifadara Nimita H , Vijay-Kumar Matam , Gewirtz Andrew T
Published: July 2011

Rotavirus (RV), a leading cause of diarrhea, primarily infects intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Rotavirus-infected IEC produce IFN-β and express hundreds of IFN-dependent genes. We thus hypothesized that type 1 IFN plays a key role in helping IEC limit RV replication and/or protect against cell death. To test this hypothesis, we examined IEC (HT29 cells) infected with RV (MOI 1) ± neutralizing antibodies to IFN-α/β via microscopy and SDS-PAGE immunoblotting. We hypothesized that neutralization of IFN would be clearly detrimental to RV-infected IEC. Rather, we observed that blockade of IFN function rescued IEC from the apoptotic cell death that otherwise would have occurred 24-48 h following exposure to RV. This resistance to cell death correlated with reduced levels of viral replication at early time points (< 8 h) following infection and eventuated in reduced production of virions. The reduction in RV replication that resulted from IFN neutralization correlated with, and could be recapitulated by, blockade of IFN-induced protein kinase R (PKR) activation, suggesting involvement of this kinase. Interestingly, pharmacologic blockade of caspase activity ablated RV-induced apoptosis and dramatically increased viral protein synthesis, suggesting that IFN-induced apoptosis helps to control RV infection. These results suggest non-mutually exclusive possibilities that IFN signaling is usurped by RV to promote early replication and induction of cell death may be a means by which IFN signaling possibly clears RV from the intestine.
Virtue and Virility
Authors: Cohen Dov , Leung Angela K.-y.
Published: July 2011

In many honor cultures, honor as martial honor and honor as character/integrity are often both subsumed under the banner of honor. In nonhonor cultures, these qualities are often separable. The present study examines political elites, revealing that Presidents, Congresspeople, and Supreme Court Justices from the Southern United States with a greater commitment to martial honor (as indexed by their military service) also show more integrity, character, and moral leadership. This relationship, however, does not hold for nonsoutherners. The present studies illustrate the need to examine both between-culture differences in cultural logics (as these logics connect various behaviors under a common ideal) and within-culture differences (as individuals rise to meet these cultural ideals or not).
The histone methyltransferase inhibitor, DZNep, up-regulates TXNIP, increases ROS production, and targets leukemia cells in AML
Authors: Zhou Jianbiao , Bi Chonglei , Cheong Lip-Lee , Mahara Sylvia , Liu Shaw-Cheng , Tay Kian-Ghee , Koh Tze-Loong , Yu Qiang , Chng Wee-Joo
Published: July 2011

Recent studies have shown that 3-Deazaneplanocin A (DZNep), a histone methyltransferase inhibitor, disrupts polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2), and preferentially induces apoptosis in cancer cells, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. The present study demonstrates that DZNep induces robust apoptosis in AML cell lines, primary cells, and targets CD34+CD38− leukemia stem cell (LSC)–enriched subpopulations. Using RNA interference (RNAi), gene expression profiling, and ChIP, we identified that TXNIP, a major redox control molecule, plays a crucial role in DZNep-induced apoptosis. We show that disruption of PRC2, either by DZNep treatment or EZH2 knockdown, reactivates TXNIP, inhibits thioredoxin activity, and increases reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to apoptosis. Furthermore, we show that TXNIP is down-regulated in AML and is a direct target of PRC2-mediated gene silencing. Consistent with the ROS accumulation on DZNep treatment, we also see a signature of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-regulated genes, commonly associated with cell survival, down-regulated by DZNep. Taken together, we uncover a novel molecular mechanism of DZNep-mediated apoptosis and propose that EZH2 may be a potential new target for epigenetic treatment in AML.
Rapamycin and IL-2 reduce lethal acute graft-versus-host disease associated with increased expansion of donor type CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells
Authors: Shin Ho-Jin , Baker Jeanette , Leveson-Gower Dennis B. , Smith Aaron T. , Sega Emanuela I. , Negrin Robert S.
Published: July 2011

Previous work has demonstrated that both rapamycin (RAPA) and IL-2 enhance CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T-cell (Treg) proliferation and function in vitro. We investigated whether the combination of RAPA plus IL-2 could impact acute GVHD induction after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). RAPA plus IL-2 resulted in improved survival and a reduction in acute GVHD lethality associated with an increased expansion of donor type CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs and reduced CD4+CD25− conventional T cells (Tcons). RAPA plus IL-2, but not either drug alone, increased both expansion of donor natural Tregs and conversion of induced Tregs from donor CD25− Tcons while IL-2 alone increased conversion of Tregs from CD25− Tcon. RAPA plus IL-2 treatment resulted in less production of IFN-γ and TNF, cytokines known to be important in the initiation of acute GVHD. These studies indicate that the pharmacologic stimulation of T cells with IL-2 and the suppression of Tcon proliferation with RAPA result in a selective expansion of functional Tregs and suppression of acute GVHD.
The vitronectin-binding function of PAI-1 exacerbates lung fibrosis in mice
Authors: Courey Anthony J. , Horowitz Jeffrey C. , Kim Kevin K. , Koh Timothy J. , Novak Margaret L. , Subbotina Natalya , Warnock Mark , Xue Bing , Cunningham Andrew K. , Lin Yujing , Goldklang Monica P. , Simon Richard H. , Lawrence Daniel A. , Sisson Thomas H.
Published: July 2011

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is increased in the lungs of patients with pulmonary fibrosis, and animal studies have shown that experimental manipulations of PAI-1 levels directly influence the extent of scarring that follows lung injury. PAI-1 has 2 known properties that could potentiate fibrosis, namely an antiprotease activity that inhibits the generation of plasmin, and a vitronectin-binding function that interferes with cell adhesion to this extracellular matrix protein. To determine the relative importance of each PAI-1 function in lung fibrogenesis, we administered mutant PAI-1 proteins that possessed either intact antiprotease or vitronectin-binding activity to bleomycin-injured mice genetically deficient in PAI-1. We found that the vitronectin-binding capacity of PAI-1 was the primary determinant required for its ability to exacerbate lung scarring induced by intratracheal bleomycin administration. The critical role of the vitronectin-binding function of PAI-1 in fibrosis was confirmed in the bleomycin model using mice genetically modified to express the mutant PAI-1 proteins. We conclude that the vitronectin-binding function of PAI-1 is necessary and sufficient in its ability to exacerbate fibrotic processes in the lung.
Accumulation of oxidative DNA damage restricts the self-renewal capacity of human hematopoietic stem cells
Authors: Yahata Takashi , Takanashi Tomomi , Muguruma Yukari , Ibrahim Abd Aziz , Matsuzawa Hideyuki , Uno Tomoko , Sheng Yin , Onizuka Makoto , Ito Mamoru , Kato Shunichi , Ando Kiyoshi
Published: July 2011

Stem cells of highly regenerative organs including blood are susceptible to endogenous DNA damage caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic stress. Response mechanisms to such stress equipped in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are crucial in sustaining hematopoietic homeostasis but remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that serial transplantation of human HSCs into immunodeficient mice triggers replication stress that induces incremental elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the accumulation of persistent DNA damage within the human HSCs. This accumulation of DNA damage is also detected in HSCs of clinical HSC transplant patients and elderly individuals. A forced increase of intracellular levels of ROS by treatment with a glutathione synthetase inhibitor aggravates the extent of DNA damage, resulting in the functional impairment of HSCs in vivo. The oxidative DNA damage activates the expression of cell-cycle inhibitors in a HSC specific manner, leading to the premature senescence among HSCs, and ultimately to the loss of stem cell function. Importantly, treatment with an antioxidant can antagonize the oxidative DNA damage and eventual HSC dysfunction. The study reveals that ROS play a causative role for DNA damage and the regulation of ROS have a major influence on human HSC aging.