bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Team Faultline Measures
Authors: Meyer Bertolt , Glenz Andreas
Published: May 2013

Team faultlines—hypothetical dividing lines based on member attributes that split a team into relatively homogeneous subgroups—influence team processes across contexts, as recent meta-analytic findings show. We review the available faultline measures with regard to their properties and identify several limitations, including dealing with more than two subgroups. We thus propose a new cluster-based approach, average silhouette width (ASW), that identifies the number of subgroups and subgroup membership. We then compare the measures with 1,400 simulated teams with varying properties and investigate their factor structure and their behavior under missing values. We also investigate the predictive validity of the measures with data from real work teams. Results show that different measures respond to different team features in different ways but that most of them load on two correlated factors. Taken together, the ASW measure had the most favorable attributes and was the only measure that accurately determined subgroup membership in the presence of more than two subgroups. We discuss limitations and further research opportunities pertaining to faultline measures and provide software for calculating all investigated measures at http://www.group-faultlines.org .
Why Do Donors Donate?
Authors: Boenigk Silke , Helmig Bernd
Published: May 2013

With an empirical study in two nonprofit industries (a money-collecting and blood-collecting organization), the authors investigate how organizational identification and identity salience together function in relation to satisfaction, loyalty, and behavior. They develop and test a model that best represents relationships featuring donor-nonprofit identification and donor identity salience in existing satisfaction-loyalty studies. Overall, the study empirically confirms that donor-nonprofit identification and donor identity salience are distinct constructs and that both have direct positive effects on loyalty, but not that much on donations. Within the money donation context, both identification constructs have stronger total effects on donor loyalty than donor satisfaction, whereas in the blood donation context, donor satisfaction has a stronger effect on loyalty. In testing the causal direction between donor-nonprofit identification and donor satisfaction, the authors also find that the path should be conceptualized from satisfaction to identification. The study contributes to the theory of organizational identification and identity salience by highlighting the advantages of taking a combined theoretical approach. Finally, the study suggests several means to implement donor identification management, including group activities, development of online communities, donor events, and more long-term-oriented tactics, all of which treat the donor as a cocreator of value.
The state of affairs: critical performativity and the online dating industry
Authors: Roscoe Philip , Chillas Shiona
Published: May 2013

In this article we pursue a dialogue between Callon’s (1998) ‘performativity thesis’ and Critical Management Studies (CMS). We make use of the performativity thesis to elaborate on the construction of a market and the generation of calculative and rational economic agency in a specific empirical setting: the markets for relationships offered by dating services. We find evidence for ‘effective’ performativity, where technical processes and outcomes are shaped by academic theory. We link the performativity analysis with three critical perspectives: a novel enclosure in the commodification and sale of relationships; the politics of standardization, classification, expertise and responsibility; and the enactment of instrumentally rational, self-interested social relations through the individualist assumptions of matching systems. We argue that a performativity analysis must begin with a critical politics: what kind of world would we like to see performed?
Measurement of depressive symptoms among cardiac patients: Should sex differences be considered?
Authors: Grace Sherry L , Yee Jonathan , Reid Robert D , Stewart Donna E
Published: May 2013

Confounding of depressive and cardiac symptoms may hold implications for assessment. This study investigated psychometric properties and sex differences in two depression scales among cardiac patients. Cardiac inpatients from 11 hospitals were recruited and completed a mailed survey including the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Gotland Scale of Male Depression 1 year later. The scales were significantly correlated and both were associated with social desirability. Females scored higher than males on the fatigue factor only ( p < .001). Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II were more favorable in this population. Practitioners must not overlook reports of fatigue in female cardiac patients.
Struggle with the divine in Swiss patients visited by chaplains: Prevalence and correlates
Authors: Fitchett George , Winter-Pfändler Urs , Pargament Kenneth I
Published: May 2013

A body of evidence is developing that describes harmful effects of religious struggle that includes struggle with the divine (e.g. feeling abandoned or punished by God). We examined the prevalence and correlates of divine struggle among 540 Swiss hospital patients. Some divine struggle was reported by 46 percent of the sample. Unexpected hospital admission and scores on a measure of faith were associated with a greater likelihood of reporting any divine struggle. Higher levels of anxiety and depression were also associated with divine struggle. Screening for divine struggle or other forms of religious struggle will permit, where indicated, appropriate religious assessment and care to mitigate the harmful effects that may accompany religious struggle.
Networked regulation as a solution to human rights abuse in global supply chains? The case of trade union rights violations by Indonesian sports shoe manufacturers
Authors: Connor Tim , Haines Fiona
Published: May 2013

This article analyses the capacity of global networks of civil society actors to supplement effectively weak state regulation in reducing human rights abuse by multi-national companies (MNCs). The effectiveness of non-government organizations as part of a network of control finds support both in the radical criminological literature as well as those explicitly advocating for a networked regulatory approach. This case study of the Indonesian sport shoe industry demonstrates that networked regulation has had a positive short- to medium-term impact on respect for trade union rights among some manufacturers producing for western MNCs. However, inconsistent approaches by the MNCs and ongoing resistance by manufacturers has made this influence difficult to sustain. Critically, the Indonesian state apparatus emerges as a powerful and primarily—but far from completely—complicit set of actors: applying criminal sanctions for trade union rights violations but failing to enforce them, and influencing networked regulation in complex, contingent ways. This case study suggests both that advocates and practitioners of networked regulation need to find more effective ways to respond to the corporate drive to maximize profit and that networked regulation’s long-term usefulness will likely depend on the extent to which it draws from and operates to strengthen progressive regulatory elements within Asian states.
The hukou and traditional virtue: An ethnographic note on Taiwanese policing
Authors: Martin Jeffrey T
Published: May 2013

This research note suggests that traditional ideals of virtue in Taiwan enable an order-making dynamic to operate in the backstage of state record-keeping processes. These virtues coordinate cooperation by policemen, civilians and politically empowered elites, simultaneously facilitating local order-maintenance and ensuring that police records serve the interests of the established political economic structure. I focus on the ways that this arrangement is grounded in the historical institution of the population registry, or hukou. I argue that Taiwan’s hukou has effectively translated traditional virtues into policeable objects of modern administration: inscribed in the documentary practices of population registration, embedded in a naturalized division of social control labor, and institutionalized as collective habits of response to trouble.
Factors influencing fracture healing
Authors: Mirhadi Sara , Ashwood Neil , Karagkevrekis Babis
Published: May 2013

Fracture is one of the commonest bone problems occurring as a result of injury in normal bone or as a consequence of bone weakening. It leads to morbidity and mortality in the young and old in particular in relation to hip fractures and is an important public health issue. Fracture healing is a continuous process that can be divided into three partially overlapping phases: inflammation, repair and remodelling. The success of the repair phase depends on mechanical conditions in the fracture healing zone and the outcome of fracture healing depends on various patient and fracture factors. An understanding of the complex physiological processes involved in bone healing is essential to enable fracture treatment by allowing the practitioner to create the optimal conditions for repair of the bone and to avoid potential complications. This review focuses on the physiology of fracture healing and the main factors affecting it.
Freeways, detours, and dead ends: Search journeys among disadvantaged youth
Authors: Robinson Laura
Published: May 2013

This study examines American high school students’ school-related information-seeking. Comparing advantaged and disadvantaged students’ practices, the research illuminates three phases of their information-seeking activities: 1) learning-opportunities for digital skill building, 2) information-retrieval tactics, and 3) information-evaluation strategies. The inquiry delineates several distinct categories of practice corresponding to each of these phases. In successful information-seeking, learning-opportunities enhance skill acquisition for effective information-retrieval that is followed by discerning information-evaluation. In unsuccessful information-seeking, inadequate learning-opportunities result in ineffective information-retrieval that is followed by disengaged information-nonevaluation. Significantly, gendered differences emerge in this final part of the sequence. Findings indicate that unskilled female information-searchers are more likely to adopt an overtrusting stance. By contrast, unskilled male information-searchers are more likely to adopt an undertrusting attitude towards online content. Both groups of unsuccessful information-searchers truncate this necessary evaluative stage and end the information-seeking process before it can bear fruit.
Combined anodizing and picosecond laser treatment to control the corrosion rate of biodegradable magnesium alloy AZ31
Authors: O’Brien Barry J , Carroll William M , Conneely Alan J , O’Connor Gerard M
Published: May 2013

The corrosion rate of magnesium alloys is generally too high for biodegradable implant applications. This work explored combinations of anodizing and picosecond laser surface treatments to modify the corrosion response of magnesium alloy AZ31. Anodizing of the AZ31 in NaOH solutions produced porous oxide layer structures. Shallow laser treatment of these anodized surfaces, using low pulse powers, resulted mainly in oxide ablation and impaired corrosion resistance. Higher pulse power, resulting in rapid melting and resolidification into the substrate, provided an improved corrosion response. The refined grain structure produced is approximately only 5 µm deep and therefore has minimal influence on bulk mechanical properties. It is therefore a suitable process for surface modifications on small medical device structures. Controlling the initial point of degradation has been demonstrated by the use of selective laser treatment of the AZ31 surface.
Friedrich Schiller on republican virtue and the tragic exemplar
Authors: Church Jeffrey
Published: May 2013

Scholars have recently argued that Friedrich Schiller makes a signal contribution to republican political theory in his view of “aesthetic education,” which offers a means of elevating self-interest to virtue. However, though this education is lauded in theory, it has been denigrated as implausible, irresponsible, or dangerous in practice. This paper argues that the criticisms rest on a faulty assumption that artistic objects constitute the sole substance of this “aesthetic education.” Through a reading of Schiller’s work throughout the 1790s, I make the case that this “education” occurs also through an encounter with the “moral beauty” of individual exemplars. This interpretation fits with Schiller’s republican allegiances, saves Schiller’s project from political irrelevance, and enriches Schiller’s contribution to contemporary republican political theory. However, I argue that Schiller was attentive to the dangers of this “aesthetic education” in his play Wallenstein, in which Schiller dramatizes the tragic relationship between individual exemplar and political order.
Resilience, Trauma, Context, and Culture
Authors: Ungar Michael
Published: May 2013

This article reviews the relationship between factors associated with resilience, and aspects of the individual’s social ecology (environment) that promote and protect against the negative impact of exposure to traumatic events. It is shown that the Environment × Individual interactions related to resilience can be understood using three principles: (1) Resilience is not as much an individual construct as it is a quality of the environment and its capacity to facilitate growth (nurture trumps nature); (2) resilience looks both the same and different within and between populations, with the mechanisms that predict positive growth sensitive to individual, contextual, and cultural variation (differential impact); and (3) the impact that any single factor has on resilience differs by the amount of risk exposure, with the mechanisms that protect against the impact of trauma showing contextual and cultural specificity for particular individuals (cultural variation). A definition of resilience is provided that highlights the need for environments to facilitate the navigations and negotiations of individuals for the resources they need to cope with adversity. The relative nature of resilience is discussed, emphasizing that resilience can manifest as either prosocial behaviors or pathological adaptation depending on the quality of the environment.
Criminal Records and the Labor Market for Professional Athletes
Authors: Weir Kendall , Wu Stephen
Published: May 2013

We observe all 1,273 players drafted into the National Football League between 2005 and 2009 to determine the effects of character concerns on draft status and performance in the National Football League. Prospects that have a history of formal criminal charges or are suspended for team or university violations fall between 16and 22 spots in the draft. The impacts of character concerns on performance depend on the nature of the issue. Players who have a history of suspension (noncriminal related) perform worse than other players but having an encounter with law enforcement does not negatively predict performance.
Effect of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Supplementation on Inflammatory Factors and Matrix Metalloproteinase Enzymes in Rectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Mohammadzadeh Mohammad , Faramarzi Elnaz , Mahdavi Reza , Nasirimotlagh Behnam , Asghari Jafarabadi Mohammad
Published: May 2013

Objectives. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on inflammatory factors and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes in rectal cancer patients undergoing chemoradiothetrapy. Method and Material. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 34 volunteer patients with rectal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy assigned into the CLA group (n = 16), receiving 3 g CLA/d, and placebo group (n = 18) receiving placebo capsules (sunflower oil) for 6 weeks. The supplementation began 1 week before starting RT (loading period) and continued every day during treatment. Before and after intervention, serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, MMP-2, MMP-9, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits and immunoturbidimetric method, respectively. Independent t tests and paired t tests were used to compare parameters between and within groups, respectively. Results. In the CLA group, the mean serum TNF-α, IL-1β, hsCRP, MMP-9, and MMP-2 levels reduced insignificantly. However, significant changes in TNF-α ( P = 0.04), hsCRP ( P = 0.03), and MMP-9 ( P = 0.04) concentrations were observed in the CLA group when compared with the placebo group. The mean serum IL-6 level remained unchanged in the CLA group but increased remarkably in the placebo group. Conclusion. According to our results, CLA supplementation improved inflammatory factors, MMP-2, and MMP-9 as biomarkers of angiogenesis and tumor invasion. It seems that CLA may provide new complementary treatment by reducing tumor invasion and resistance to cancer treatment in patients with rectal cancer.
Infected Aortic Stent Graft With Propionibacterium acnes
Authors: Harlock John Anthony , Qadura Mohammad , Lee George , Szalay David A.
Published: May 2013

An infected aortic endograft is an uncommon event, and when it happens it can be of significant morbidity and mortality to the patient. We present here a case of a patient with an infected aortic endograft following percutaneous translumbar sac embolization for a type II endoleak leading to sac expansion. The cultured pathogen was Propionibacterium acnes, a commonly occurring skin bacterium that leads to the clinical condition “acne vulgaris.” The patient underwent graft explantation and reconstruction with autogenous femoral vein. To our knowledge, there are no previously published reports of aortic graft infections with P acnes.
Endovascular Removal of a Permanent “TrapEase” Inferior Vena Cava Filter
Authors: Yallampalli Sasidhar , Irani Zubin , Kalva Sanjeeva P.
Published: May 2013

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement has seen a rising trend over the past decade. Although effective in the prevention of future pulmonary emboli, filters are associated with several long-term complications including deep venous thrombosis, filter migration, filter fracture, and caval thrombosis. The IVC filters have evolved over the years to minimize these unwarranted sequelae. We describe a technique to remove a permanent IVC filter in a patient who no longer required mechanical protection.
Attracting Diverse Students to a Magnet School
Authors: Taggart Amanda , Shoho Alan R.
Published: May 2013

This case study focuses on the ethics of advocating for a social justice perspective versus jeopardizing one’s career aspirations. There are numerous subplots to this case involving the start-up of a new magnet school, including its leaders’ concerns for meeting accountability measures and representing racially diverse, limited English proficient, and economically disadvantaged students. Through this case, we illustrate the conflicting choices school leaders may face when trying to balance their own career aspirations with their advocacy of social justice issues for underrepresented groups of students. By using Starratt’s ethical framework along with Strike, Haller, and Soltis’s and Shapiro and Stefkovich’s work on ethical dilemmas, this case highlights the importance of having an ethical framework to base administrative decision making that supports social justice actions for all students.
Victim Blaming Others
Authors: Hayes Rebecca M. , Lorenz Katherine , Bell Kristin A.
Published: May 2013

Rape myth acceptance which are false beliefs regarding the incidence of sexual assault, and are more prevalent among males, may influence how victims are treated. Acceptance of the just world belief (JWB), which argues that individuals believe that people get what they deserve, may be a predictor of rape myth acceptance. The present study examined the relationship among gender, belief in a just world, and rape myth acceptance. Findings suggest that while gender remained a significant predictor of rape myth acceptance the relationship between just world belief and rape myth acceptance was more complicated than hypothesized. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Participants’ perspectives on safety monitoring in clinical trials
Authors: Flynn Kathryn E , Kramer Judith M , Dombeck Carrie B , Weinfurt Kevin P
Published: May 2013

Background

Minimizing the risk to study participants is an essential requirement of ethical research. Respecting the rights of subjects is also paramount, which includes respecting their autonomy by making available important information about the evolving safety profile of an investigational product as the trial progresses. Little is known about what trial participants understand and expect regarding monitoring and communication of serious adverse events during the conduct of a trial in which they have agreed to participate.

Purpose

To explore understanding and expectations of potential trial participants concerning monitoring and communication of serious adverse events during a clinical trial.

Methods

A professional moderator led four 90-min, in-person focus groups: two groups with individuals who had never participated in a clinical trial and two groups with people who had. After relevant research terms were defined and existing regulations were explained, discussion focused on how participants expected safety to be monitored and communicated during the conduct of a clinical trial. Group comments were video-recorded and transcribed and then analyzed by the investigators.

Results

The 27 racially diverse focus group members were largely unaware of existing safeguards and regulations to manage risk in clinical trials. Many people expressed a desire for increased transparency about serious adverse events during the trial as well as shortened reporting deadlines. Focus group members also spontaneously expressed concerns about potential financial conflicts of interest in monitoring and reporting serious adverse events.

Limitations

This was a single-site, qualitative study and is not meant to establish the prevalence of beliefs.

Conclusions

Potential trial participants have limited understanding and a wide range of expectations about how safety monitoring in clinical trials should be managed and communicated. The overall tenor of opinion suggests unease about participant safety and a desire to have more information conveyed by sponsors to investigators and, in some cases, by investigators to participants. Additional study in other regions and settings may be useful to more broadly explore the range of participants’ beliefs and expectations. In the meantime, engaging patient advocates in the design of clinical trials and clearly communicating to trial participants the plan for oversight of their safety may help ease the types of concerns expressed in this study.
Media Choice and Informed Democracy
Authors: Aalberg Toril , Blekesaune Arild , Elvestad Eiri
Published: May 2013

It was previously perceived as a citizen’s responsibility to follow the news and to keep oneself informed about politics and current affairs. Recently, however, it appears as though a growing number of citizens ignore the information opportunities given to them. Changes in the media environment have given people cross-nationally more of a choice regarding the media diet they prefer. For the American case, Prior has demonstrated that in an era of cable TV and Internet, people more readily remove themselves from political knowledge and political action than previously. In this article, we study how the public’s consumption of news versus entertainment has developed over the last decade in countries with significantly different media systems. Is there a general increase in preference for entertainment across Europe, and has the gap between news- and entertainment-seekers increased such as documented by Prior for the U.S. case? Who are the European citizens who remove themselves from news and current affairs in the environment of increased choice? Based on data from five waves of the European Social Survey covering more than thirty European countries from 2002 to 2010, we demonstrate how national context or the media environment moderates the influence of individual-level factors in news consumption.
Recognizing familial myeloid leukemia in adults
Authors: Nickels Eric M. , Soodalter Jesse , Churpek Jane E. , Godley Lucy A.
Published: May 2013

Germline testing for familial cases of myeloid leukemia in adults is becoming more common with the recognition of multiple genetic syndromes predisposing people to bone marrow disease. Currently, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments approved testing exists for several myeloid leukemia predisposition syndromes: familial platelet disorder with propensity to acute myeloid leukemia (FPD/AML), caused by mutations in RUNX1; familial AML with mutated CEBPA; familial myelodysplastic syndrome and acute leukemia with mutated GATA2; and the inherited bone marrow failure syndromes, including dyskeratosis congenita, a disease of abnormal telomere maintenance. With the recognition of additional families with a genetic component to their leukemia, new predisposition alleles will likely be identified. We highlight how to recognize and manage these cases as well as outline the characteristics of the major known syndromes. We look forward to future research increasing our understanding of the scope of inherited myeloid leukemia syndromes.
Are Children of Immigrants Born in Sweden More Law-Abiding Than Immigrants? A Reconsideration
Authors: Kardell Johan , Martens Peter L.
Published: May 2013

Previous Swedish studies have found that second-generation immigrants participate in offending less than first-generation immigrants, which is a striking finding from an international perspective. The aim of this study is to critically investigate the idea that second-generation immigrants have lower rates of registered offending than first-generation immigrants. The population of the present study consists of all 4.4 million persons who were registered as living in Sweden at the end of 1996. These people were followed for 5 years. During this time, 280,000 persons were registered for 1.5 million offenses. As far as the participation in overall offending is concerned the previous results were reproduced. However, when focusing on the offending rates in different offense types, the first-generation immigrants have the highest risks of being registered for violent crimes and second-generation immigrants with no Swedish-born parents have the highest risks for property crimes. The pattern found is further discussed in relation to the risk of second-generation immigrants with no Swedish-born parent to develop a criminal career and thereby frames the problem of criminality in culture differences, immigration policy, and so on.
Nurses’ Experiences of Grieving When There Is a Perinatal Death
Authors: Jonas-Simpson Christine , Pilkington F. Beryl , MacDonald Cynthia , McMahon Eileen
Published: May 2013

Many nurses grieve when patients die; however, nurses’ grief is not often acknowledged or discussed. Also, little attention is given to preparing nurses for this experience in schools of nursing and in orientations to health care organizations. The purpose of this research was to explore obstetrical and neonatal nurses’ experiences of grieving when caring for families who experience loss after perinatal death. A visual arts-informed research method through the medium of digital video was used, informed by human science nursing, grief concepts, and interpretive phenomenology. Five obstetrical nurses and one neonatal intensive care nurse who cared for bereaved families voluntarily participated in this study. Nurses shared their experiences of grieving during in-depth interviews that were professionally audio- and videotaped. Data were analyzed using an iterative process of analysis-synthesis to identify themes and patterns that were then used to guide the editing of the documentary. Thematic patterns identified throughout the data were growth and transformation amid the anguish of grief, professional and personal impact, and giving–receiving meaningful help. The thematic pattern of giving–receiving meaningful help was made up of three thematic threads: support from colleagues; providing authentic, compassionate, quality care; and education and mentorship. Nurses’ grief is significant. Nurses who grieve require acknowledgment, support, and education. Supporting staff through their grief may ultimately have a positive impact on quality of work life and home life for nurses and quality of care for bereaved families.
The Hermeneutics of Frames and Framing
Authors: Carter Michael J.
Published: May 2013

Frames are organizing principles that are socially shared and persistent over time, and that work symbolically to meaningfully structure the social world. The study of framing has grown over the past decades as mass media has become more and more ubiquitous in society. People rely on media for information and access to local, national, and world events. This reliance on the media is important to address as news stories are essentially narratives and interpretations—By focusing on one aspect of an event and presenting it to an audience, media outlets construct reality. This construction operates by making certain aspects of stories more salient than others. This salience then “frames” an event and provides a reference point for viewers in which all subsequent information is judged upon. This article examines the current literature on framing and examines what techniques and methodologies are used by past and present sociologists and media scholars. Particular attention is given to the hermeneutics of frames, that is, how frames and framing influence individuals to interpret events in various ways.
Effect of overheating treatment on microstructure and crystal orientation of TbDyFe alloy
Authors: Yu Y , Li X P , Ye X M , Hu J
Published: May 2013

TbDyFe is a kind of magnetostrictive material with good magnetostrictive properties, especially in <111> direction. The effect of overheating treatment on the microstructure and crystal orientation of Tb0·27Dy0·73Fe1·9 alloy was investigated. The results show that overheating treatment has considerable effect on the process of solidification, microstructure and crystal orientations. Under the condition of single overheating, the grain size decreased and the crystal orientation changed from <113> to <125> direction with the increase in overheating temperature. Under four times overheating treatment, the microstructure initially became coarser with the overheating temperature, then turned to become finer, and crystal orientations compete each other when overheating temperature is ∼200°C. Under eight overheating treatments, the microstructure was kept almost the same at different overheating temperatures, and <110> and <113> oriented grains were in the majority when overheating temperature was ∼200°C.
Influence of bath temperature on zinc plating and passivation process
Authors: Yu Y D , Wei G Y , Lou J W , Ge H L , Sun L X , Zhu L Z
Published: May 2013

Zinc films were prepared by a typical chloride zinc system electrodeposition on iron substrate. Effects of different temperatures on deposition rate, structures and surface morphology of zinc films were investigated in the paper. Trivalent chromium passivation technology was also studied in the paper to improve corrosion resistance of zinc films. Higher temperature could dramatically improve bath conductivity, which contributed directly to the rise in mass transfer and deposition rate. The deposited films were crystalline and showed characteristic peaks of zinc. However, zinc films with bad crystallinity would be obtained at higher temperatures due to thermal decomposition of additives. With the increase in temperature, zinc films with rough surface could be observed. Zinc passivation layer with optimal corrosion resistance could be obtained at passivation time of 30 s, temperature of 303 K and pH 3.
Forced miR-146a expression causes autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome in mice via downregulation of Fas in germinal center B cells
Authors: Guo Qiuye , Zhang Jinjun , Li Jingyi , Zou Liyun , Zhang Jinyu , Xie Zunyi , Fu Xiaolan , Jiang Shan , Chen Gang , Jia Qingzhu , Li Fei , Wan Ying , Wu Yuzhang
Published: May 2013

Key Points

miR-146a may be involved in the pathogenesis of ALPS by targeting Fas. Sustained expression of miR-146a in B cells is the major factor leading to the enhanced homeostatic expansion of B and T cells.
Influence of KIR gene copy number on natural killer cell education
Authors: Béziat Vivien , Traherne James A. , Liu Lisa L. , Jayaraman Jyothi , Enqvist Monika , Larsson Stella , Trowsdale John , Malmberg Karl-Johan
Published: May 2013

Key Points

KIR gene copy number variation influences NK cell education at the repertoire level due to a linear effect on KIR expression. No effect of KIR gene dose on NK cell education at the single cell level.
Inhibition of HPA-1a alloantibody-mediated platelet destruction by a deglycosylated anti–HPA-1a monoclonal antibody in mice: toward targeted treatment of fetal-alloimmune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Bakchoul Tamam , Greinacher Andreas , Sachs Ulrich J. , Krautwurst Annika , Renz Harald , Harb Habi , Bein Gregor , Newman Peter J. , Santoso Sentot
Published: May 2013

Key Points

The study describes a potential novel treatment of fetal alloimmune thrombocytopenia by dissecting the effector activities of an epitope-specific IgG antibody. Neither the in vivo transplacental transport nor the inhibiting properties of the blocking antibody are impaired by the N-glycan modification.
Increased risk of CVD after VT is determined by common etiologic factors
Authors: Roach Rachel E. J. , Lijfering Willem M. , Flinterman Linda E. , Rosendaal Frits R. , Cannegieter Suzanne C.
Published: May 2013

Key Points

Patients with VT have an increased risk of subsequent CVD compared with control participants. The increased risk of CVD in these patients can be explained by etiologic factors leading to both diseases.
Respiratory syncytial virus: co-infection and paediatric lower respiratory tract infections
Authors: Yoshida Lay-Myint , Suzuki Motoi , Nguyen Hien Anh , Le Minh Nhat , Dinh Vu Thiem , Yoshino Hiroshi , Schmidt Wolf-Peter , Nguyen Thi Thuy Ai , Le Huu Tho , Morimoto Konosuke , Moriuchi Hiroyuki , Dang Duc Anh , Ariyoshi Koya
Published: May 2013

Comprehensive population-based data on the role of respiratory viruses in the development of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) remain unclear. We investigated the incidence and effect of single and multiple infections with respiratory viruses on the risk of LRTIs in Vietnam.

Population-based prospective surveillance and a case–control study of hospitalised paediatric patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI) were conducted from April 2007 through to March 2010. Healthy controls were randomly recruited from the same community. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected and tested for 13 respiratory viruses using multiplex PCRs.

1992 hospitalised ARI episodes, including 397 (19.9%) with LRTIs, were enrolled. Incidence of hospitalised LRTIs among children aged <24 months was 2171.9 per 100 000 (95% CI 1947.9–2419.7). The majority of ARI cases (60.9%) were positive for at least one virus. Human rhinovirus (24.2%), respiratory syncytial virus (20.1%) and influenza A virus (12.0%) were the most common and 9.5% had multiple-viral infections. Respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus infections independently increased the risk of LRTIs. Respiratory syncytial virus further increased the risk, when co-infected with human rhinovirus, human metapneumovirus and parainfluenza virus-3 but not with influenza A virus. The case–control analysis revealed that respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A virus increased the risk of ARI hospitalisation but not human rhinovirus.

Respiratory syncytial virus is the leading pathogen associated with risk of ARI hospitalisation and LRTIs in Vietnam.
Expression of phosphatase of regenerating liver family genes during embryogenesis: an evolutionary developmental analysis among Drosophila, amphioxus, and zebrafish
Authors: Lin Ming-Der , Lee Hsun-Tzu , Wang Szu-Chieh , Li Han-Ru , Hsien Hsin-Lun , Cheng Kai-Wen , Chang Yu-Di , Huang Min-Lang , Yu Jr-Kai , Chen Yau-Hung
Published: May 2013

Background

Phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL) family is classified as class IVa of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP4A) that removes phosphate groups from phosphorylated tyrosine residues on proteins. PRL phosphatases have been implicated in a number of tumorigenesis and metastasis processes and are highly conserved. However, the understanding of PRL expression profiles during embryonic development is very limited.

Results

In this study, we demonstrated and characterized the comprehensive expression pattern of Drosophila PRL, amphioxus PRL, and zebrafish PRLs during embryonic development by either whole mount immunostaining or in situ hybridization. Our results indicate that Drosophila PRL is mainly enriched in developing mid-guts and central nervous system (CNS) in embryogenesis. In amphioxus, initially PRL gene is expressed ubiquitously during early embryogenesis, but its expression become restricted to the anterior neural tube in the cerebral vesicle. In zebrafish, PRL-1 and PRL-2 share similar expression patterns, most of which are neuronal lineages. In contrast, the expression of zebrafish PRL-3 is more specific and preferential in muscle.

Conclusions

This study, for the first time, elucidated the embryonic expression pattern of Drosophila, amphioxus, and zebrafish PRL genes. The shared PRL expression pattern in the developing CNS among diverse animals suggests that PRL may play conserved roles in these animals for CNS development.
A data-driven approach to preprocessing Illumina 450K methylation array data
Authors: Pidsley Ruth , Y Wong Chloe C , Volta Manuela , Lunnon Katie , Mill Jonathan , Schalkwyk Leonard C
Published: May 2013

Background

As the most stable and experimentally accessible epigenetic mark, DNA methylation is of great interest to the research community. The landscape of DNA methylation across tissues, through development and in disease pathogenesis is not yet well characterized. Thus there is a need for rapid and cost effective methods for assessing genome-wide levels of DNA methylation. The Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (450K) BeadChip is a very useful addition to the available methods for DNA methylation analysis but its complex design, incorporating two different assay methods, requires careful consideration. Accordingly, several normalization schemes have been published. We have taken advantage of known DNA methylation patterns associated with genomic imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), in addition to the performance of SNP genotyping assays present on the array, to derive three independent metrics which we use to test alternative schemes of correction and normalization. These metrics also have potential utility as quality scores for datasets.

Results

The standard index of DNA methylation at any specific CpG site is β = M/(M + U + 100) where M and U are methylated and unmethylated signal intensities, respectively. Betas (βs) calculated from raw signal intensities (the default GenomeStudio behavior) perform well, but using 11 methylomic datasets we demonstrate that quantile normalization methods produce marked improvement, even in highly consistent data, by all three metrics. The commonly used procedure of normalizing betas is inferior to the separate normalization of M and U, and it is also advantageous to normalize Type I and Type II assays separately. More elaborate manipulation of quantiles proves to be counterproductive.

Conclusions

Careful selection of preprocessing steps can minimize variance and thus improve statistical power, especially for the detection of the small absolute DNA methylation changes likely associated with complex disease phenotypes. For the convenience of the research community we have created a user-friendly R software package called wateRmelon, downloadable from bioConductor, compatible with the existing methylumi, minfi and IMA packages, that allows others to utilize the same normalization methods and data quality tests on 450K data.
Temporal changes of cytochrome P450 (Cyp) and eicosanoid-related gene expression in the rat brain after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Birnie Matthew , Morrison Ryan , Camara Ramatoulie , Strauss Kenneth I
Published: May 2013

Background

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces arachidonic acid (ArA) release from cell membranes. ArA metabolites form a class of over 50 bioactive eicosanoids that can induce both adaptive and/or maladaptive brain responses. The dynamic metabolism of ArA to eicosanoids, and how they affect the injured brain, is poorly understood due to their diverse activities, trace levels, and short half-lives. The eicosanoids produced in the brain postinjury depend upon the enzymes present locally at any given time. Eicosanoids are synthesized by heme-containing enzymes, including cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and arachidonate monoxygenases. The latter comprise a subset of the cytochrome P450 “Cyp” gene family that metabolize fatty acids, steroids, as well as endogenous and exogenous toxicants. However, for many of these genes neither baseline neuroanatomical nor injury-related temporal expression have been studied in the brain.

In a rat model of parietal cortex TBI,Cypand eicosanoid-related mRNA levels were determined at 6 h, 24 h, 3d, and 7d postinjury in parietal cortex and hippocampus, where dynamic changes in eicosanoids have been observed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction with low density arrays were used to assay 62 ratCyps, 37 of which metabolize ArA or other unsaturated fatty acids; 16 eicosanoid-related enzymes that metabolize ArA or its metabolites; 8 eicosanoid receptors; 5 other inflammatory- and recovery-related genes, plus 2 mouseCyps as negative controls and 3 highly expressed “housekeeping” genes.

Results

Sixteen arachidonate monoxygenases, 17 eicosanoid-related genes, and 12 otherCyps were regulated in the brain postinjury (p < 0.05, Tukey HSD). Discrete tissue levels and distinct postinjury temporal patterns of gene expression were observed in hippocampus and parietal cortex.

Conclusions

The results suggest complex regulation of ArA and other lipid metabolism after TBI. Due to the temporal nature of brain injury-inducedCypgene induction, manipulation of each gene (or its products)at a given time after TBIwill be required to assess their contributions to secondary injury and/or recovery. Moreover, a better understanding of brain region localization and cell type-specific expression may be necessary to deduce the role of these eicosanoid-related genes in the healthy and injured brain.
Fish oil administration in older adults: is there potential for adverse events? A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Villani Anthony M , Crotty Maria , Cleland Leslie G , James Michael J , Fraser Robert J , Cobiac Lynne , Miller Michelle D
Published: May 2013

Background

Omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation is becoming increasingly popular. However given its antithrombotic properties the potential for severe adverse events (SAE) such as bleeding has safety implications, particularly in an older adult population. A systematic review of randomized control trials (RCT) was conducted to explore the potential for SAE and non-severe adverse events (non-SAE) associated with n-3 supplementation in older adults.

Methods

A comprehensive search strategy using Medline and a variety of other electronic sources was conducted. Studies investigating the oral administration of n-3 fish oil containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or both against a placebo were sourced. The primary outcome of interest included reported SAE associated with n-3 supplementation. Chi-square analyses were conducted on the pooled aggregate of AEs.

Results

Of the 398 citations initially retrieved, a total of 10 studies involving 994 older adults aged ≥60 years were included in the review. Daily fish oil doses ranged from 0.03 g to 1.86 g EPA and/or DHA with study durations ranging from 6 to 52 weeks. No SAE were reported and there were no significant differences in the total AE rate between groups (n-3 intervention group: 53/540; 9.8%; placebo group: 28/454; 6.2%; p = 0.07). Non-SAE relating to gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances were the most commonly reported however there was no significant increase in the proportion of GI disturbances reported in participants randomized to the n-3 intervention (n-3 intervention group: 42/540 (7.8%); placebo group: 24/454 (5.3%); p = 0.18).

Conclusions

The potential for AEs appear mild-moderate at worst and are unlikely to be of clinical significance. The use of n-3 fatty acids and the potential for SAE should however be further researched to investigate whether this evidence is consistent at higher doses and in other populations. These results also highlight that well-documented data outlining the potential for SAE following n-3 supplementation are limited nor adequately reported to draw definitive conclusions concerning the safety associated with n-3 supplementation. A more rigorous and systematic approach for monitoring and recording AE data in clinical settings that involve n-3 supplementation is required.
Plasma metabolomics identifies lipid abnormalities linked to markers of inflammation, microbial translocation, and hepatic function in HIV patients receiving protease inhibitors
Authors: Cassol Edana , Misra Vikas , Holman Alexander , Kamat Anupa , Morgello Susan , Gabuzda Dana
Published: May 2013

Background

Metabolic abnormalities are common in HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART), but the biochemical details and underlying mechanisms of these disorders have not been defined.

Methods

Untargeted metabolomic profiling of plasma was performed for 32 HIV patients with low nadir CD4 counts (<300 cells/ul) on protease inhibitor (PI)-based ART and 20 healthy controls using liquid or gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Effects of Hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection and relationships between altered lipid metabolites and markers of inflammation, microbial translocation, and hepatic function were examined. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), Random forest, pathway mapping, and metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA) were performed using dChip, Metaboanalyst, and MSEA software.

Results

A 35-metabolite signature mapping to lipid, amino acid, and nucleotide metabolism distinguished HIV patients with advanced disease on PI-based ART from controls regardless of HCV serostatus (p<0.05, false discovery rate (FDR)<0.1). Many altered lipids, including bile acids, sulfated steroids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and eicosanoids, were ligands of nuclear receptors that regulate metabolism and inflammation. Distinct clusters of altered lipids correlated with markers of inflammation (interferon-α and interleukin-6), microbial translocation (lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and LPS-binding protein), and hepatic function (bilirubin) (p<0.05). Lipid alterations showed substantial overlap with those reported in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD). Increased bile acids were associated with noninvasive markers of hepatic fibrosis (FIB-4, APRI, and YKL-40) and correlated with acylcarnitines, a marker of mitochondrial dysfunction.

Conclusions

Lipid alterations in HIV patients receiving PI-based ART are linked to markers of inflammation, microbial translocation, and hepatic function, suggesting that therapeutic strategies attenuating dysregulated innate immune activation and hepatic dysfunction may be beneficial for prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders in HIV patients.