bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preserved Covert Cognition in Noncommunicative Patients With Severe Brain Injury?
Authors: Schnakers Caroline , Giacino Joseph T. , Løvstad Marianne , Habbal Dina , Boly Melanie , Di Haibo , Majerus Steve , Laureys Steven
Published: August 2014

Background. Despite recent evidence suggesting that some severely brain-injured patients retain some capacity for top-down processing (covert cognition), the degree of sparing is unknown. Objective. Top-down attentional processing was assessed in patients in minimally conscious (MCS) and vegetative states (VS) using an active event-related potential (ERP) paradigm. Methods. A total of 26 patients were included (38 ± 12 years old, 9 traumatic, 21 patients >1 year postonset): 8 MCS+, 8 MCS−, and 10 VS patients. There were 14 healthy controls (30 ± 8 years old). The ERP paradigm included (1) a passive condition and (2) an active condition, wherein the participant was instructed to voluntarily focus attention on his/her own name. In each condition, the participant’s own name was presented 100 times (ie, 4 blocks of 25 stimuli). Results. In 5 MCS+ patients as well as in 3 MCS− patients and 1 VS patient, an enhanced P3 amplitude was observed in the active versus passive condition. Relative to controls, patients showed a response that was (1) widely distributed over frontoparietal areas and (2) not present in all blocks (3 of 4). In patients with covert cognition, the amplitude of the response was lower in frontocentral electrodes compared with controls but did not differ from that in the MCS+ group. Conclusion. The results indicate that volitional top-down attention is impaired in patients with covert cognition. Further investigation is crucially needed to better understand top-down cognitive functioning in this population because this may help refine brain-computer interface–based communication strategies.
Lacrimation as an Ictal Autonomic Event in a Patient With Seizures Originating From the Right Hemisphere
Authors: Erdener Sefik Evren , Dericioglu Nese , Ergun Eser Lay , Saygi Serap
Published: August 2014

In dacrystic seizures lacrimation has previously been reported as an ictal autonomic event accompanying emotional and somatic signs. However, it has not been observed as an isolated event in autonomic seizures. We report a patient experiencing complex partial seizures characterized by lacrimation as the initial and most prominent ictal event, with no sign of crying. The patient’s ictal electroencephalogram (EEG) suggested a focus in the right hemisphere, along with interictal single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) and positron emission tomographic (PET) studies demonstrating hypoperfusion-hypometabolism in the right temporoparietal lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not show any structural abnormalities. Involvement of the temporal lobe has been suggested for dacrystic seizures, and both dominant and nondominant hemispheric foci were detected in such cases. Therefore, partially in concordance with previous reports, our case may point to neurobiologic interaction, between the temporoparietal region and the hypothalamus, for mediating lacrimation.
Minimizing Morbidity of Hypoglycemia in Diabetes
Authors: Chung Stephanie T. , Haymond Morey W.
Published: August 2014

Type 1 diabetes is a common chronic disease of childhood and one of the most difficult conditions to manage. Advances in insulin formulations and insulin delivery devices have markedly improved the ability to achieve normal glucose homeostasis. However, hypoglycemia remains the primary limiting factor in achieving normoglycemia and is a frequent complication in children with acute gastroenteritis and/or poor oral intake. In situations of impaired carbohydrate intake or absorption, glucagon therapy is the only out-of-hospital treatment option available to families and caregivers. Glucagon is recommended for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia and rapidly increases blood glucose by increasing hepatic glucose production from glycogenolysis. Mini-dose glucagon is a widely utilized off-label treatment for managing mild or impending hypoglycemia and is administered as a small subcutaneous injection. It was initially described for use in children who were unable to tolerate or absorb oral carbohydrates but not in need of advanced medical care. Yet, mini-dose glucagon may be useful in any individual with relative insulin excess. The regimen aims to prevent severe hypoglycemic episodes and is safe, effective, and easily administered by patients and caregivers in the out-of-hospital setting. By empowering patients and their families, this important tool could help to alleviate the physical, psychosocial, and financial burden evolving from impending hypoglycemia.
Bioreactors Addressing Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Minteer Danielle M. , Gerlach Jorg C. , Marra Kacey G.
Published: August 2014

The concept of bioreactors in biochemical engineering is a well-established process; however, the idea of applying bioreactor technology to biomedical and tissue engineering issues is relatively novel and has been rapidly accepted as a culture model. Tissue engineers have developed and adapted various types of bioreactors in which to culture many different cell types and therapies addressing several diseases, including diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2. With a rising world of bioreactor development and an ever increasing diagnosis rate of diabetes, this review aims to highlight bioreactor history and emerging bioreactor technologies used for diabetes-related cell culture and therapies.
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the liver mimicking an infiltrative malignancy in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging with Gd-EOB
Authors: Durmus Tahir , Kamphues Carsten , Blaeker Hendrik , Grieser Christian , Denecke Timm
Published: August 2014

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMT) are a benign tumor entity, which rarely develop in the liver. Surgery is the most common treatment for these lesions as it is difficult to distinguish them from malignant liver tumors and local recurrent growth may occur. IMT is a diagnostic challenge for imaging. Only a limited number of reports of single cases or small number of patients described the imaging features on computed tomography. Reports on IMT appearance on magnetic resonance imaging are scarce. We present a case of IMT of the liver with infiltration of the abdominal wall treated with surgery and describe the imaging features with the use of the hepatobiliary contrast agent, gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB).
Young Women’s Satisfaction With Sex and Romance, and Emotional Reactions to Sex
Authors: Zimmer-Gembeck Melanie J. , See Laurenne , O’Sullivan Lucia
Published: August 2014

In this study of 364 young women (18–25 years old), self-efficacy theory and social interactionist perspectives were drawn upon to identify personal and situational factors that could account for sexual and romantic satisfaction and positive and negative emotional reactions to sex. As expected, young women were more satisfied and reported more positive emotional reactions and fewer negative reactions to their most recent sexual encounters, when they had elevated psychological sexual health, such as feeling more entitled to desire and reporting greater sexual self-efficacy. Also supporting study hypotheses, multivariate modeling results showed that young women who reported current steady partners and fewer negative influences of alcohol/other drug use on their sexual behavior were more satisfied and had more positive emotional reactions to sex. Condom use and the number of sexual partners were not uniquely associated with satisfaction or emotional reactions to sex in these models.
12 Years of Universal Access to Hepatitis C Treatment
Authors: Naveira Marcelo , Barbosa Jarbas , Sereno Leandro , Domanico Andrea , Mesquita Fábio , de Souza Laura Alves
Published: August 2014

Hepatitis C is considered one of the most neglected diseases in world. Worldwide about 150 million people are chronically infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV), and 60% to 70% of them will develop severe liver disease. This article describes Brazil’s response to hepatitis C, from the first steps in 1993 to a national program in 2002. We reviewed the available literature, most of it in Brazilian Portuguese, and compiled them in order to share this experience with those seeking some pragmatic solutions. After 12 years, the national program has achieved universal coverage of treatment, resulting in saved lives and resources for the health system. There is abundant evidence that the HCV epidemic deserves attention. The overall consequence of long-term HCV infection is a negative impact on the health care economy. The Brazilian experience can be adapted to many countries in the world, in compliance with the 2010 World Health Organization World Health Assembly Resolution.
Nonpermissive HLA-DPB1 mismatch increases mortality after myeloablative unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Pidala Joseph , Lee Stephanie J. , Ahn Kwang Woo , Spellman Stephen , Wang Hai-Lin , Aljurf Mahmoud , Askar Medhat , Dehn Jason , Fernandez Viña Marcelo , Gratwohl Alois , Gupta Vikas , Hanna Rabi , Horowitz Mary M. , Hurley Carolyn K. , Inamoto Yoshihiro , Kassim Adetola A. , Nishihori Taiga , Mueller Carlheinz , Oudshoorn Machteld , Petersdorf Effie W. , Prasad Vinod , Robinson James , Saber Wael , Schultz Kirk R. , Shaw Bronwen , Storek Jan , Wood William A. , Woolfrey Ann E. , Anasetti Claudio
Published: August 2014

Key Points

High-resolution matching for HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 is required for optimal survival in myeloablative-unrelated donor transplantation. HLA-DPB1 nonpermissive mismatches should be avoided in otherwise matched transplants to minimize overall mortality.
Dental education evaluation in China: a systematic review
Authors: Yang Jingyi , Zhang Ying , Ye Xiaolong , Xie Cheng , Ge Xv , Lu Fan , Yu Qing , Sun Hantang
Published: August 2014

Background

Accreditation of education is very important for maintaining and improving education quality. With the development of modern dental education, more and more attention is being paid to accreditation of dental education in China. Current accreditation of dental education in China is called “dental education evaluation”. By using a systematic review, this paper aims to provide the general profile of the standards and process of dental education evaluation in China (DEEC).

Methods

A systematic review on DEEC was performed, CAJD and VIP databases were employed to identify all literatures which were relevant to DEEC. Profile and features of DEEC were compared with those of the Accreditation Standards for Dental Education Programs of the USA (ASDEPU).

Results

The current standards for the evaluation are composed of six modules and twenty-four items, the evaluation process consists of three stages There was some difference between DEEC and its American counterparts.

Conclusions

Accreditation on dental education is very important for the maintenance and improvement of education quality. As the primary form of dental education accreditation, DEEC is basically suitable for current dental education conditions in China, however, in order to keep pace with the changing conditions, both the standards and actions of DEEC should often be revised.
Effects of starting powder and thermal treatment on the aerosol deposited BaTiO3 thin films toward less leakage currents
Authors: Yao Zhao , Wang Cong , Li Yang , Kim Hong-Ki , Kim Nam-Young
Published: August 2014

To prepare high-density integrated capacitors with low leakage currents, 0.2-μm-thick BaTiO3 thin films were successfully deposited on integrated semiconductor substrates at room temperature by the aerosol deposition (AD) method. In this study, the effects of starting powder size were considered in an effort to remove macroscopic defects. A surface morphology of 25.3 nm and an interface roughness of less than 50 nm were obtained using BT-03B starting powder. The nano-crystalline thin films achieved after deposition were annealed at various temperatures to promote crystallization and densification. Moreover, the influence of rapid thermal annealing process on the surface morphology and crystal growth was evaluated. As the annealing temperature increased from room temperature to 650°C, the root mean square (RMS) roughness decreased from 25.3 to 14.3 nm. However, the surface was transformed into rough performance at 750°C, which agreed well with the surface microstructure trend. Moreover, the crystal growth also reveals the changes in surface morphology via surface energy analysis.
ZnO-porous silicon nanocomposite for possible memristive device fabrication
Authors: Martínez Lizeth , Ocampo Oscar , Kumar Yogesh , Agarwal Vivechana
Published: August 2014

Preliminary results on the fabrication of a memristive device made of zinc oxide (ZnO) over a mesoporous silicon substrate have been reported. Porous silicon (PS) substrate is employed as a template to increase the formation of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO layer and promote suitable grain size conditions for memristance. Morphological and optical properties are investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The proposed device exhibits a zero-crossing pinched hysteresis current-voltage (I-V) curve characteristic of memristive systems.
Field models and numerical dosimetry inside an extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic bioreactor: the theoretical link between the electromagnetically induced mechanical forces and the biological mechanisms of the cell tensegrity
Authors: Mognaschi Maria Evelina , Di Barba Paolo , Magenes Giovanni , Lenzi Andrea , Naro Fabio , Fassina Lorenzo
Published: August 2014

We have implemented field models and performed a detailed numerical dosimetry inside our extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic bioreactor which has been successfully used inin vitroBiotechnology and Tissue Engineering researches. The numerical dosimetry permitted to map the magnetic induction field (maximum module equal to about 3.3 mT) and to discuss its biological effects in terms of induced electric currents and induced mechanical forces (compression and traction). So, in the frame of the tensegrity-mechanotransduction theory of Ingber, the study of these electromagnetically induced mechanical forces could be, in our opinion, a powerful tool to understand some effects of the electromagnetic stimulation whose mechanisms remain still elusive.
What has functional connectivity and chemical neuroimaging in fibromyalgia taught us about the mechanisms and management of `centralized' pain?
Authors: Napadow Vitaly , Harris Richard E
Published: August 2014

Research suggests that fibromyalgia is a central, widespread pain syndrome supported by a generalized disturbance in central nervous system pain processing. Over the past decades, multiple lines of research have identified the locus for many functional, chronic pain disorders to the central nervous system, and the brain. In recent years, brain neuroimaging techniques have heralded a revolution in our understanding of chronic pain, as they have allowed researchers to non-invasively (or minimally invasively) evaluate human patients suffering from various pain disorders. While many neuroimaging techniques have been developed, growing interest in two specific imaging modalities has led to significant contributions to chronic pain research. For instance, resting functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) is a recent adaptation of fMRI that examines intrinsic brain connectivity - defined as synchronous oscillations of the fMRI signal that occurs in the resting basal state. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is a non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging technique that can quantify the concentration of multiple metabolites within the human brain. This review will outline recent applications of the complementary imaging techniques - fcMRI and 1H-MRS - to improve our understanding of fibromyalgia pathophysiology and how pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies contribute to analgesia in these patients. A better understanding of the brain in chronic pain, with specific linkage as to which neural processes relate to spontaneous pain perception and hyperalgesia, will greatly improve our ability to develop novel therapeutics. Neuroimaging will play a growing role in the translational research approaches needed to make this a reality.
Monogenic forms of childhood obesity due to mutations in the leptin gene
Authors: Funcke Jan-Bernd , von Schnurbein Julia , Lennerz Belinda , Lahr Georgia , Debatin Klaus-Michael , Fischer-Posovszky Pamela , Wabitsch Martin
Published: August 2014

Congenital leptin deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive monogenic obesity syndrome caused by mutations in the leptin gene. This review describes the molecular and cellular characteristics of the eight distinct mutations found so far in humans.
Conceptions of Time and History in Modern Hebrew and Yiddish Train Stories
Authors: Stahl Neta
Published: August 2014

The train had a remarkable and meaningful role in the process of modernization and secularization within European Jewish society during the nineteenth century. Not surprisingly, this central role is reflected in the literature of the period, in what I would like to call “the train genre.” This essay examines the role of the train in three works by prominent Jewish writers: S.Y. Abramovitsh's “Shem ve-Yefet ba-agala” [“Shem and Japheth on the Train”], Sholem Aleichem's Di ayznbangeshikhtes [The Railroad Stories], and Shmuel Yosef Agnon's “Bi-kronin shel rakevet” [“In the Railroad Car”]. All three writers use the train to represent a common experience in pre-World War I Eastern Europe. However, Agnon, who published his story decades later, assumed that his audience would be unfamiliar with this experience and even with the language of his protagonists. This distance both in time and in language suggests that Agnon's story should be read as a retrospective look at the experience with which the earlier works deal. The essay traces the transformations of the train as a symbol of modernity and shows how Agnon uses a different mechanism to reconstruct the symbolic role of the train against the collective post-World War II memory that had come to associate it with the Holocaust. Mikhail Bakhtin's concept of the “chronotope” provides a theoretical tool that captures the unique characteristics of the use of time and temporality in the Jewish train genre. The speeding train and the interior of the railcars symbolize the conflict between dynamic changes and timeless space. These stories reflect the ambivalence that Jews felt toward the rapid changes of modernity and their dilemma about whether to take part in this process or to remain outside of it. Moreover, the theme of the train allowed Jewish writers to counter old and new understandings of causality and historical processes. These changes were represented both in the narrative content and in the structure of these works.
Imagining the U.s.-Mexico Drug War: The Critical Limits of Narconarratives
Authors: Zavala Oswaldo
Published: August 2014

In the last decade, violence attributed to Latin American drug cartels has become a common theme in a proliferation of fiction and non-fiction about the drug trade written both in Mexico and the U.S. This essay shows how the majority of Mexican narconarratives—in particular the works of writers such as Orfa Alarcón, Yuri Herrera, Élmer Mendoza, Heriberto Yépez, and Juan Pablo Villalobos—while conceived as critical literary interventions, are in fact marketable commodities reproducing hegemonic discourses that frame the drug trade as a phenomenon operating outside of the state. Mexican narconarratives reify a mythology of drug cartels and their kingpins: that the violence threatening the country is attributable only to narcos, who radically oppose civil society and its government. However, there is an emerging current of narconarratives that articulate an effective critique of the drug trade as a dimension located within state structures, historically determined by state power and subject to it. The novels analyzed include Contrabando (Contraband) by Mexican author Víctor Hugo Rascón Banda, 2666 by Chilean author Roberto Bolaño, and The Power of the Dog and Down by the River by U.S. writers Don Winslow and Charles Bowden, respectively. Reconsidering the classical notion of mimesis, this essay contends that, despite their varying proximity to their common referent—the drug trade—and their differing practices of realism, most narco-narratives replicate official representations of drug cartels. It is through a critical approach to the drug trade, as it intersects the power of the state, that alternative narconarratives resist the mediation of hegemonic discourses that permeate the fields of journalism, academic research, and literature.
Postcatastrophic Utopias
Authors: Beck John , Dorrian Mark
Published: August 2014

Space colonization and subterranean dwelling have been staples of speculative fiction since at least the nineteenth century, but the invention of nuclear weapons and the prospect of global environmental collapse have, certainly since the Cold War, made proposals offering vertical escape from the surface of the planet a matter worthy of serious consideration among engineers, planners, military strategists, and countercultural futurologists. The shift in the conception of utopia, from the lateral displacements typical of its classical formations to the vertical modes of descent and ascent considered in this article, suggests a structural relationship between utopia and catastrophe produced out of the new conditions of global threat inaugurated by atomic weapons. While the prospect of impending global catastrophe would appear to lead to a dystopian or even fatalistic acceptance of the limits of human life on Earth, the most devastating assessments of humanity’s future have also produced utopian proposals for the reimagining of human potentiality below and above the surface of the planet. In a real sense, then, catastrophe has become the precondition for the establishment of utopia, both as the compelling threat that demands a plausible response to impending annihilation and as the necessary event that apocalyptically clears the ground for new modes of living.
System, Totality, Representation
Authors: Harris Jonathan
Published: August 2014

This essay highlights post-1945 intertwined aesthetic and political radicalisms in the visual arts, drawing on key examples from the United States and Western Europe in the decades from the end of World War II to the present. It seeks to explore the complex relations between selected artists, practices, and products, and nascent spectacular global capitalism (including some of spectacle’s “technical means of production,” such as perspectival representations). Drawing on elements of the well-known critique of spectacle developed by Guy Debord, the essay posits a tradition, or lineage, of “utopian globalism” in the visual arts, traceable back to the time of the Russian Revolution and active, in mutating form, across the world in the period from 1917 up until the late capitalist 1990s. In a discussion linking artworks by Vladimir Tatlin, Pablo Picasso, and Joseph Beuys to the work of 1960s artists Robert Smithson, Jan Dibbets, and Douglas Huebler, the essay posits the existence of a tradition of “anti-anti-utopian” thinking and art making. Inspired by Fredric Jameson’s recent analyses of science fiction, the identification of this tradition constitutes a means to keep alive the possibility of systemic social transformation and an end to destructive and self-destructive Cold War legacies.
Visualising lymph movement in anuran amphibians with computed tomography
Authors: Hedrick Michael S. , Hansen Kasper , Wang Tobias , Lauridsen Henrik , Thygesen Jesper , Pedersen Michael
Published: August 2014

Lymph flux rates in anuran amphibians are high relative to those of other vertebrates owing to ‘leaky’ capillaries and a high interstitial compliance. Lymph movement is accomplished primarily by specialised lymph muscles and lung ventilation that move lymph through highly compartmentalised lymph sacs to the dorsally located lymph hearts, which are responsible for pumping lymph into the circulatory system; however, it is unclear how lymph reaches the lymph hearts. We used computed tomography (CT) to visualise an iodinated contrast agent, injected into various lymph sacs, through the lymph system in cane toads (Rhinella marina). We observed vertical movement of contrast agent from lymph sacs as predicted, but the precise pathways were sometimes unexpected. These visual results confirm predictions regarding lymph movement, but also provide some novel findings regarding the pathways for lymph movement and establish CT as a useful technique for visualising lymph movement in amphibians.
Diversity of the Dimer Structures of Toluene: Exploration by the GRRM Method
Authors: Omori Kio , Nakayama Hideyuki , Ishii Kikujiro
Published: August 2014

Quantum chemical calculations were performed to explore the equilibrium structures (EQs) of the toluene dimer using the GRRM (global reaction route mapping) method, and 23 EQs were found. 11 EQs among these exhibited only slight changes in the structure and relative order of the stability even when the structures were refined at higher calculation levels. The EQs with the largest stabilization included the interactions between a methyl C–H bond of one molecule and the π-electron system of another molecule.
Structure of RNA 3′-phosphate cyclase bound to substrate RNA
Authors: Desai Kevin K. , Bingman Craig A. , Cheng Chin L. , Phillips George N. , Raines Ronald T.
Published: August 2014

RNA 3′-phosphate cyclase (RtcA) catalyzes the ATP-dependent cyclization of a 3′-phosphate to form a 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate at RNA termini. Cyclization proceeds through RtcA–AMP and RNA(3′)pp(5′)A covalent intermediates, which are analogous to intermediates formed during catalysis by the tRNA ligase RtcB. Here we present a crystal structure of Pyrococcus horikoshii RtcA in complex with a 3′-phosphate terminated RNA and adenosine in the AMP-binding pocket. Our data reveal that RtcA recognizes substrate RNA by ensuring that the terminal 3′-phosphate makes a large contribution to RNA binding. Furthermore, the RNA 3′-phosphate is poised for in-line attack on the P–N bond that links the phosphorous atom of AMP to Nε of His307. Thus, we provide the first insights into RNA 3′-phosphate termini recognition and the mechanism of 3′-phosphate activation by an Rtc enzyme.
One year adjustable intragastric balloon: safety and efficacy of the Spatz3 adjustable balloons
Authors: Machytka Evzen , Brooks Jeffrey , Buzga Marek , Mason John
Published: August 2014

Background: The Spatz3 Adjustable balloon system is approved for 1 year implantation and allows multiple changes in the balloon volume during the course of implantation.

Other intragastric balloons are currently approved for 6 months and their balloon volumes cannot be adjusted after implantation.

Aim: To determine the efficacy and safety of the Spatz3 adjustable balloon system.

Methods:  Seventy seven consecutive patients (66 females and 11 males) in two medical centers were implanted with the Spatz3 adjustable balloon device and were followed prospectively. The patients’ mean BMI was 37.2; the mean weight was 108.7 kg; the mean age was 41 (16-68); the mean balloon volume was 469 ml (450-500 ml). Adjustments were made for intolerance or weight loss plateau.

Results: The mean weight loss at 1 year was 17.2 kg with 15.9 % weight loss and 42.9 % Excess Weight Loss (%EWL). Eighteen patients underwent balloon volume adjustments: three downward adjustments of 100 -150 cc which alleviated early intolerance; 15 upward adjustments (mean 320 ml; range 200-500) at a mean 4.1 months (range 2-5 months) yielded additional mean wt loss of 8.2 kg (range 0-25 kg) after the adjustment. Three balloons were removed before the 1 year completion date due to intolerance and three others were removed for other reasons (pregnancy, gall bladder surgery, and alcoholism). There was one episode of gastric ulceration which required endoscopic therapy and balloon removal. There were no deflations or perforations.                                                                                                                                                            

Conclusions: The Spatz3 adjustable balloon is a safe and effective treatment for weight loss. The adjustability function can yield greater weight loss for those who show weight loss plateau and can mitigate intolerance.
Difficult mask ventilation in general surgical population: observation of risk factors and predictors
Authors: Cattano Davide , Killoran Peter V. , Cai Chunyan , Katsiampoura Anastasia D. , Corso Ruggero M. , Hagberg Carin A.
Published: August 2014

Background: There are few predictors of difficult mask ventilation and a simple, objective, predictive system to identify patients at risk of difficult mask ventilation does not currently exist. We present a retrospective - subgroup analysis aimed at identifying predictive factors for difficult mask ventilation (DMV) in patients undergoing pre-operative airway assessment before elective surgery at a major teaching hospital.

Methods: Data for this retrospective analysis were derived from a database of airway assessments, management plans, and outcomes that were collected prospectively from August 2008 to May 2010 at a Level 1 academic trauma center. Patients were stratified into two groups based on the difficulty of mask ventilation and the cohorts were analyzed using univariate analysis and stepwise selection method.

Results: A total of 1399 pre-operative assessments were completed with documentation stating that mask ventilation was attempted. Of those 1399, 124 (8.9%) patients were found to be difficult to mask ventilate. A comparison of patients with and without difficult mask ventilation identified seven risk factors for DMV: age, body mass index (BMI), neck circumference, history of difficult intubation, presence of facial hair, perceived short neck and obstructive sleep apnea. Although seven risk factors were identified, no individual subject had more than four risk factors.

Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that in a real world clinical setting, the incidence of DMV is not negligible and suggest the use of a simple bedside predictive score to improve the accuracy of DMV prediction, thereby improving patient safety. Further prospective studies to validate this score would be useful.
Developing a real-time assessment of staffing needs in delivery suites
Authors: Ball Jean A , Washbrook Marie
Published: August 2014

The workload in delivery suites can not easily be managed as women arrive in labour and give birth at any time in the day or night, and emergencies can arise at any time. Matching this dynamic work pattern with the necessary numbers and skills of midwives to meet agreed care standards is difficult.

The Birthrate Plus Acuity tool has been designed to give midwives a prospective and predictive measure of client needs and the staff needed to meet those needs, and to assist the development of care policies in clinical governance.

First developed with services in Wales, the Acuity system has now been used in a variety of maternity services. This is the third article in the series.
Family Reflections on the Foundations of Self-Determination in Early Childhood
Authors: Summers Jean Ann , Brotherson Mary Jane , Erwin Elizabeth J. , Maude Susan P. , Palmer Susan B. , Haines Shana J. , Stroup-Rentier Vera , Wu Hsiang-Yi , Farstad Peck Nancy , Zheng Yuzhu Z.
Published: August 2014

This study investigated families' perspectives about and strategies used to develop foundational skills (i.e., choice-making, self-regulation, and engagement) leading to the development of the self-determination of their young children with disabilities. Two research questions guided the study: (1) What do families believe is important when working with practitioners in partnership to build foundational skills leading to self-determination at home and school? (2) What do families think about providing opportunities for developing these skills, and how do they provide such opportunities? Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and an open-ended online survey. Families reported a variety of strategies used to develop choice-making, self-regulation, and engagement skills. Results can assist early education service providers to better understand how families conceptualize choice-making, self-regulation, and engagement for their children to successfully build partnerships and engage families.
Scalable multiplexing for parallel imaging with interleaved optical coherence tomography
Authors: Lee Hee Yoon , Marvdashti Tahereh , Duan Lian , Khan Saara A. , Ellerbee Audrey K.
Published: August 2014

We demonstrate highly parallel imaging with interleaved optical coherence tomography (iOCT) using an in-house-fabricated, air-spaced virtually-imaged phased array (VIPA). The air-spaced VIPA performs spectral encoding of the interferograms from multiple lateral points within a single sweep of the source and allows us to tune and balance several imaging parameters: number of multiplexed points, ranging depth, and sensitivity. In addition to a thorough discussion of the parameters and operating principles of the VIPA, we experimentally demonstrate the effect of different VIPA designs on the multiplexing potential of iOCT. Using a 200-kHz light source, we achieve an effective A-scan rate of 3.2-MHz by multiplexing 16 lateral points onto a single wavelength sweep. The improved sensitivity of this system is demonstrated for 3D imaging of biological samples such as a human finger and a fruit fly.
Modeling of Effect of Glucose Sensor Errors on Insulin Dosage and Glucose Bolus Computed by LOGIC-Insulin
Authors: Van Herpe Tom , De Moor Bart , Van den Berghe Greet , Mesotten Dieter
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND

Effective and safe glycemic control in critically ill patients requires accurate glucose sensors and adequate insulin dosage calculators. The LOGIC-Insulin calculator for glycemic control has recently been validated in the LOGIC-1 randomized controlled trial. In this study, we aimed to determine the allowable error for intermittent and continuous glucose sensors, on the basis of the LOGIC-Insulin calculator.

METHODS

A gaussian simulation model with a varying bias (0%–20%) and CV (−20% to +20%) simulated blood glucose values from the LOGIC-1 study (n = 149 patients) in 10 Monte Carlo steps. A clinical error grid system was developed to compare the simulated LOGIC-Insulin–directed intervention with the nominal intervention (0% bias, 0% CV). The severity of error measuring the clinical effect of the simulated LOGIC-Insulin intervention was graded as type B, C, and D errors. Type D errors were classified as acutely life-threatening (0% probability preferred).

RESULTS

The probability of all types of errors was lower for continuous sensors compared with intermittent sensors. The maximum total error (TE), defined as the first TE introducing a type B/C/D error, was similar for both sensor types. To avoid type D errors, TEs <15.7% for intermittent sensors and <17.8% for continuous sensors were required. Mean absolute relative difference thresholds for type C errors were 7.1% for intermittent and 11.0% for continuous sensors.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous sensors had a lower probability for clinical errors than intermittent sensors at the same accuracy level. These simulations demonstrated the suitability of the LOGIC-Insulin control system for use with continuous, as well as intermittent, sensors.
The Influence of Initial Possession Level on Consumers' Adoption of a Collection Goal: A Tipping Point Effect
Authors: Gao Leilei , Huang Yanliu , Simonson Itamar
Published: August 2014

Previous research has typically treated collection as a top-down process and focused on its later stages. However, collections may start by accident and are often triggered by incidental, bottom-up factors. The authors propose that a small number of possessions (i.e., a few more than one) represent an unjustified and, thus, unstable possession level that prompts a status change. They examine the collection tipping point at which obtaining items belonging to a series (e.g., a couple of collectible Coke cans) often gives rise to a decision to start a collection. Consumers then seek additional items to fulfill their emerging goal. In six lab studies and one field study, the authors investigate the tipping point at which a collection “project” begins and explore the psychological processes underlying that tipping point. In addition, they discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of this research.
Footprints in the Sands of Time: A Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Customer Satisfaction and Customer–Company Identification over Time
Authors: Haumann Till , Quaiser Benjamin , Wieseke Jan , Rese Mario
Published: August 2014

Previous research has identified customer satisfaction and customer–company identification as two of the most important concepts in relationship marketing. Yet despite their proclaimed importance, research on their long-term effectiveness is surprisingly scarce. Furthermore, comparative research acknowledging the concepts' different theoretical roots and illuminating the differences in their long-term effectiveness is lacking. In addition, little is known about how competitive actions affect the long-term effectiveness of both concepts. This study makes a first attempt to address these research gaps and offers a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of customer satisfaction and customer–company identification in driving important customer outcomes over time. Latent growth analyses of rich longitudinal data from customers over nine measurement points spanning 43 weeks (n = 6,930) show that customer satisfaction and customer–company identification have positive initial effects on customers' loyalty and willingness to pay but differ in their ability to maintain these positive effects over time. Whereas the positive effects of customer satisfaction decrease more rapidly, the effects of customer–company identification are significantly more persistent. Analysis of the moderating effects of relative competitive advertising suggests that customer–company identification is more effective at immunizing customers against competitive actions.
M
9-free groups
Authors: Pölzing Juliane , Waldecker Rebecca
Published: August 2014

We give a characterisation of all finite groups whose subgroup lattice
does not contain a sublattice isomorphic to M
9.
“Functional” Inspiratory and Core Muscle Training Enhances Running Performance and Economy
Authors: Tong Tomas K. , McConnell Alison K. , Lin Hua , Nie Jinlei , Zhang Haifeng , Wang Jiayuan
Published: August 2014

Tong, TK, McConnell, AK, Lin, H, Nie, J, Zhang, H, and Wang, J. “Functional” inspiratory and core muscle training enhances running performance and economy. J Strength Cond Res 30(10): 2942–2951, 2016—We compared the effects of two 6-week high-intensity interval training interventions. Under the control condition (CON), only interval training was undertaken, whereas under the intervention condition (ICT), interval training sessions were followed immediately by core training, which was combined with simultaneous inspiratory muscle training (IMT)—“functional” IMT. Sixteen recreational runners were allocated to either ICT or CON groups. Before the intervention phase, both groups undertook a 4-week program of “foundation” IMT to control for the known ergogenic effect of IMT (30 inspiratory efforts at 50% maximal static inspiratory pressure [P0] per set, 2 sets per day, 6 days per week). The subsequent 6-week interval running training phase consisted of 3–4 sessions per week. In addition, the ICT group undertook 4 inspiratory-loaded core exercises (10 repetitions per set, 2 sets per day, inspiratory load set at 50% post-IMT P0) immediately after each interval training session. The CON group received neither core training nor functional IMT. After the intervention phase, global inspiratory and core muscle functions increased in both groups (p ≤ 0.05), as evidenced by P0 and a sport-specific endurance plank test (SEPT) performance, respectively. Compared with CON, the ICT group showed larger improvements in SEPT, running economy at the speed of the onset of blood lactate accumulation, and 1-hour running performance (3.04% vs. 1.57%, p ≤ 0.05). The changes in these variables were interindividually correlated (r ≥ 0.57, n = 16, p ≤ 0.05). Such findings suggest that the addition of inspiratory-loaded core conditioning into a high-intensity interval training program augments the influence of the interval program on endurance running performance and that this may be underpinned by an improvement in running economy.
The Hippo Pathway Controls Border Cell Migration Through Distinct Mechanisms in Outer Border Cells and Polar Cells of the Drosophila Ovary
Authors: Lin Tzu-Huai , Yeh Tsung-Han , Wang Tsu-Wei , Yu Jenn-Yah
Published: August 2014

The Hippo pathway is a key signaling cascade in controlling organ size. The core components of this pathway are two kinases, Hippo (Hpo) and Warts (Wts), and a transcriptional coactivator, Yorkie (Yki). Yes-associated protein (YAP, a Yki homolog in mammals) promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cell migration in vitro. Here, we use border cells in the Drosophila ovary as a model to study Hippo pathway functions in cell migration in vivo. During oogenesis, polar cells secrete Unpaired (Upd), which activates JAK/STAT signaling of neighboring cells and specifies them into outer border cells. The outer border cells form a cluster with polar cells and undergo migration. We find that hpo and wts are required for migration of the border cell cluster. In outer border cells, overexpression of hpo disrupts polarization of the actin cytoskeleton and attenuates migration. In polar cells, knockdown of hpo and wts or overexpression of yki impairs border cell induction and disrupts migration. These manipulations in polar cells reduce JAK/STAT activity in outer border cells. Expression of upd-lacZ is increased and decreased in yki and hpo mutant polar cells, respectively. Furthermore, forced expression of upd in polar cells rescues defects of border cell induction and migration caused by wts knockdown. These results suggest that Yki negatively regulates border cell induction by inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling. Together, our data elucidate two distinct mechanisms of the Hippo pathway in controlling border cell migration: (1) in outer border cells, it regulates polarized distribution of the actin cytoskeleton; (2) in polar cells, it regulates upd expression to control border cell induction and migration.
Efficient Marker-Free Recovery of Custom Genetic Modifications with CRISPR/Cas9 in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Arribere Joshua A , Bell Ryan T , Fu Becky X H , Artiles Karen L , Hartman Phil S , Fire Andrew Z
Published: August 2014

Facilitated by recent advances using CRISPR/Cas9, genome editing technologies now permit custom genetic modifications in a wide variety of organisms. Ideally, modified animals could be both efficiently made and easily identified with minimal initial screening and without introducing exogenous sequence at the locus of interest or marker mutations elsewhere. To this end, we describe a coconversion strategy, using CRISPR/Cas9 in which screening for a dominant phenotypic oligonucleotide-templated conversion event at one locus can be used to enrich for custom modifications at another unlinked locus. After the desired mutation is identified among the F1 progeny heterozygous for the dominant marker mutation, F2 animals that have lost the marker mutation are picked to obtain the desired mutation in an unmarked genetic background. We have developed such a coconversion strategy for Caenorhabditis elegans, using a number of dominant phenotypic markers. Examining the coconversion at a second (unselected) locus of interest in the marked F1 animals, we observed that 14–84% of screened animals showed homologous recombination. By reconstituting the unmarked background through segregation of the dominant marker mutation at each step, we show that custom modification events can be carried out recursively, enabling multiple mutant animals to be made. While our initial choice of a coconversion marker [rol-6(su1006)] was readily applicable in a single round of coconversion, the genetic properties of this locus were not optimal in that CRISPR-mediated deletion mutations at the unselected rol-6 locus can render a fraction of coconverted strains recalcitrant to further rounds of similar mutagenesis. An optimal marker in this sense would provide phenotypic distinctions between the desired mutant/+ class and alternative +/+, mutant/null, null/null, and null/+ genotypes. Reviewing dominant alleles from classical C. elegans genetics, we identified one mutation in dpy-10 and one mutation in sqt-1 that meet these criteria and demonstrate that these too can be used as effective conversion markers. Coconversion was observed using a variety of donor molecules at the second (unselected) locus, including oligonucleotides, PCR products, and plasmids. We note that the coconversion approach described here could be applied in any of the variety of systems where suitable coconversion markers can be identified from previous intensive genetic analyses of gain-of-function alleles.
Can we Modulate the Autonomic Nervous System to Improve the Life of Patients with Heart Failure? The Case of Vagal Stimulation
Authors: Schwartz Peter J ,   Professor and Head, Centre for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Casa di Cura San Carlo, Via Pier Lombardo, 22, 20135 Milan, Italy. E: peter.schwartz@unipv.it
Published: August 2014

An imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, with reduced vagal and increased sympathetic activity, contributes to pathogenesis and clinical deterioration in heart failure (HF). Experimental studies have demonstrated that vagal stimulation (VS) has an antifibrillatory effect that has proved beneficial in animal models of HF. The potential value of chronic VS in man was first investigated with an implantable neuro-stimulator capable of delivering low current pulses with adjustable parameters to stimulate the right vagus. The results of a pilot study and a small multicentre clinical trial of VS in HF patients appeared to show a favourable clinical effect, and feasibility and safety data were encouraging. An ongoing pivotal clinical trial will provide a definitive assessment of the efficacy and usefulness of chronic VS in HF patients.This approach represents a new and exciting possibility for the management of HF that will provide clinicians with a novel tool to modulate non-pharmacologically the autonomic nervous system in patients with moderate-to-advanced HF.
Short QT Syndrome – Review of Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Rudic Boris , Schimpf Rainer , Borggrefe Martin ,   Fellow in Cardiac Electrophysiology, 1st Department of Medicine-Cardiology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany. E: boris.rudic@umm.de,   Associate Professor and Senior Electrophysiologist,   Director of the Department 1st Department of Medicine-Cardiology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Germany
Published: August 2014

Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is an inherited cardiac channelopathy characterised by an abnormally short QT interval and increased risk for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Diagnosis is based on the evaluation of symptoms (syncope or cardiac arrest), family history and electrocardiogram (ECG) findings. Mutations of cardiac ion channels responsible for the repolarisation orchestrate electrical heterogeneity during the action potential and provide substrate for triggering and maintaining of tachyarrhythmias. Due to the malignant natural history of SQTS, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is the first-line therapy in affected patients. This review summarises current data and addresses the genetic basis and clinical features of SQTS.