bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prefrontal cortex rTMS enhances action naming in progressive non‐fluent aphasia
Authors: Cotelli M. , Manenti R. , Alberici A. , Brambilla M. , Cosseddu M. , Zanetti O. , Miozzo A. , Padovani A. , Miniussi C. , Borroni B. 
Published: March 2012

Background and purpose: Progressive non‐fluent aphasia (PNFA) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by non‐fluent speech with naming impairment and grammatical errors. It has been recently demonstrated that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) improves action naming in healthy subjects and in subjects with Alzheimer’s disease.Purpose: To investigate whether the modulation of DLPFC circuits by rTMS modifies naming performance in patients with PNFA.Methods: Ten patients with a diagnosis of PNFA were enrolled. High‐frequency rTMS was applied to the left and right DLPFC and the sham (i.e. placebo) condition during object and action naming. A subgroup of patients with semantic dementia was enrolled as a comparison group.Results: A repeated‐measure anova with stimulus site (sham, left and right rTMS) showed significant effects. Action‐naming performances during stimulation of both the left and right DLPFC were better than during placebo stimulation. No facilitating effect of rTMS to the DLPFC on object naming was observed. In patients with a diagnosis of semantic dementia, no effect of stimulation was reported.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that rTMS improved action naming in subjects with PNFA, possibly due to the modulation of DLPFC pathways and a facilitation effect on lexical retrieval processes. Future studies on the potential of a rehabilitative protocol using rTMS applied to the DLPFC in this orphan disorder are required.
Exercise‐Related QT Interval Shortening with a Peaked T Wave in a Healthy Boy with a Family History of Sudden Cardiac Death
Authors: CHINUSHI MASAOMI , SATO AKINORI , IIJIMA KENICHI , SUZUKI KATUYA , HIROSHI FURUSHIMA , IZUMI DAISUKE , WATANABE HIROSHI , KANAE HASEGAWA , AIZAWA YOSHIFUSA 
Published: March 2012

An asymptomatic 15‐year‐old boy, who had a family history of sudden cardiac death, was referred for screening for cardiac disease. The 12‐lead electrocardiogram at rest showed a short QT/QTc(Bazett)/QTc(Fredericia) interval of 320/388/364 ms, but the intervals were further shortened to 200/339/284 ms after the treadmill test concomitant with appearance of a peaked T wave. Other conventional cardiac examinations were normal, but effective refractory period was less than 180 ms in both ventricles, and double ventricular extrastimulation reproducibly induced nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Intravenous administration of epinephrine also induced a short QT interval and a peaked T wave, and a hump was manifested on the T wave of the first postpacing beat with a longer preceding R–R interval. Furthermore, a couple of premature ventricular complexes originated from a similar timing as the hump. Genetic analysis did not show the mutation in KCNQ1, KCNH2, KCNE1, KCNE2, KCNJ2, SCN5A genes but revealed single nucleotide polymorphism (C5457T) in SCN5A gene.(PACE 2012; 35:e239–e242)
Histamine: an undercover agent in multiple rare diseases?
Authors: Pino‐Ángeles Almudena , Reyes‐Palomares Armando , Melgarejo Esther , Sánchez‐Jiménez Francisca 
Published: March 2012

AbstractHistamine is a biogenic amine performing pleiotropic effects in humans, involving tasks within the immune and neuroendocrine systems, neurotransmission, gastric secretion, cell life and death, and development. It is the product of the histidine decarboxylase activity, and its effects are mainly mediated through four different G‐protein coupled receptors. Thus, histamine‐related effects are the results of highly interconnected and tissue‐specific signalling networks. Consequently, alterations in histamine‐related factors could be an important part in the cause of multiple rare/orphan diseases. Bearing this hypothesis in mind, more than 25 rare diseases related to histamine physiopathology have been identified using a computationally assisted text mining approach. These newly integrated data will provide insight to elucidate the molecular causes of these rare diseases. The data can also help in devising new intervention strategies for personalized medicine for multiple rare diseases.
Interactions between inflammatory signals and the progesterone receptor in regulating gene expression in pregnant human uterine myocytes
Authors: Lee Yun , Sooranna Suren R. , Terzidou Vasso , Christian Mark , Brosens Jan , Huhtinen Kaisa , Poutanen Matti , Barton Geraint , Johnson Mark R. , Bennett Phillip R. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe absence of a fall in circulating progesterone levels has led to the concept that human labour is associated with ‘functional progesterone withdrawal’ caused through changes in the expression or function of progesterone receptor (PR). At the time of labour, the human uterus is heavily infiltrated with inflammatory cells, which release cytokines to create a ‘myometrial inflammation’ via NF‐κB activation. The negative interaction between NF‐κB and PR, may represent a mechanism to account for ‘functional progesterone withdrawal’ at term. Conversely, PR may act to inhibit NF‐κB function and so play a role in inhibition of myometrial inflammation during pregnancy. To model this inter‐relationship, we have used small interfering (si) RNA‐mediated knock‐down of PR in human pregnant myocytes and whole genome microarray analysis to identify genes regulated through PR. We then activated myometrial inflammation using IL‐1β stimulation to determine the role of PR in myometrial inflammation regulation. Through PR‐knock‐down, we found that PR regulates gene networks involved in myometrial quiescence and extracellular matrix integrity. Activation of myometrial inflammation was found to antagonize PR‐induced gene expression, of genes normally upregulated via PR. We found that PR does not play a role in repression of pro‐inflammatory gene networks induced by IL‐1β and that only MMP10 was significantly regulated in opposite directions by IL‐1β and PR. We conclude that progesterone acting through PR does not generally inhibit myometrial inflammation. Activation of myometrial inflammation does cause ‘functional progesterone withdrawal’ but only in the context of genes normally upregulated via PR.
Once or twice‐daily, algorithm‐based intravenous cephazolin for home‐based cellulitis treatment
Authors: Garrett Tim , Harbort Yvonne , Trebble Mary , Docherty Toni 
Published: March 2012

AbstractObjective: Cellulitis is a common presentation to the ED and a significant cause of hospitalization that can be managed in hospital‐in‐the‐home programmes. Current clinical‐practice guidelines recommend once or twice‐daily i.v. antibiotics; however, there is an absence of data describing the impact of these guidelines in real‐world practice‐based settings. This study aims to describe the safety and effectiveness of home‐based cellulitis treatment according to an online treatment algorithm.Methods: Over 12 months, 301 patients with a diagnosis of uncomplicated cellulitis requiring i.v. antibiotics and eligible for home‐based therapy completed once‐daily (cephazolin plus probenecid) or twice‐daily (cephazolin alone) treatment, according to the treatment algorithm. Time (days) until non‐progression of cellulitis was the primary outcome measure. Length of stay and treatment‐related side‐effects were also recorded.Results: The mean time until non‐progression was 2.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.98–2.23) days versus 2.13 (95% CI 1.81–2.45) days for the once‐daily (n = 213) and twice‐daily (n = 88) regimens, respectively (P = 0.92, difference in means 0.02 [95% CI −0.36–0.33]). The corresponding mean length of stay was 6.55 (95% CI 5.96–7.15) days versus 7.67 (95% CI 6.69–8.65) days (P = 0.06, difference in means 1.12 [CI 0.03–1.23]). Treatment‐related side‐effects were reported in 15.5% (33/213 [95% CI 10.6–20.3]) of patients receiving the once‐daily regimen compared with 9.1% (8/88 [95% CI 3.1–15.1]) treated twice‐daily. Application of the once‐daily strategy increased hospital‐in‐the‐home cellulitis‐related treatment capacity by 52% (1396/2688 [95% CI 50–54]).Conclusions: An online decision support algorithm can support the effective use of a once or twice‐daily treatment regimen for uncomplicated cellulitis. This approach can increase the efficiency and capacity of home‐based therapy, resulting in better alignment of treatment options with clinicians and patients' preferences.
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec : Je me souviens …
Authors: Morin Danielle , Megas Sarah 
Published: March 2012

SommaireLa Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec a été créée dans le courant de la Révolution tranquille qui a débuté le 22 juin 1960 avec l'élection du Parti libéral dont le chef, Jean Lesage, prônait la réappropriation de leur destinée par les Québécois francophones. Ainsi, la contribution au développement économique du Québec était non seulement la raison d'être de la Caisse, mais aussi sa raison d'exister. Cette noble mission a été celle défendue par les gouvernements subséquents jusqu'au début des années 2000. En 2008, alors que des institutions financières que l'on croyait jusque‐là invincibles, comme la banque américaine Lehman Brothers par exemple, faisaient faillite, la Caisse affichait des pertes de 40 milliards $. Nous avançons que la chute de la Caisse a été précipitée par des actions révolutionnaristes, au sens donné par Kahn (2006), prises par les dirigeants de la Caisse et le gouvernement Charest dans les années précédant sa chute. En 2008, la Caisse était devenue d'abord et avant tout un fonds de placement destiné à faire fructifier les avoirs des déposants. Cette mise à K.‐O. de la Caisse illustre éloquemment un revers de la logique de marché lorsque transcrite sans vergogne à l'administration de fonds publics.
A computerized scheme for lung nodule detection in multiprojection chest radiography
Authors: Guo Wei , Li Qiang , Boyce Sarah J. , McAdams H. Page , Shiraishi Junji , Doi Kunio , Samei Ehsan 
Published: March 2012

Purpose:Our previous study indicated that multiprojection chest radiography could significantly improve radiologists' performance for lung nodule detection in clinical practice. In this study, the authors further verify that multiprojection chest radiography can greatly improve the performance of a computer‐aided diagnostic (CAD) scheme.Methods: Our database consisted of 59 subjects, including 43 subjects with 45 nodules and 16 subjects without nodules. The 45 nodules included 7 real and 38 simulated ones. The authors developed a conventional CAD scheme and a new fusion CAD scheme to detect lung nodules. The conventional CAD scheme consisted of four steps for (1) identification of initial nodule candidates inside lungs, (2) nodule candidate segmentation based on dynamic programming, (3) extraction of 33 features from nodule candidates, and (4) false positive reduction using a piecewise linear classifier. The conventional CAD scheme processed each of the three projection images of a subject independently and discarded the correlation information between the three images. The fusion CAD scheme included the four steps in the conventional CAD scheme and two additional steps for (5) registration of all candidates in the three images of a subject, and (6) integration of correlation information between the registered candidates in the three images. The integration step retained all candidates detected at least twice in the three images of a subject and removed those detected only once in the three images as false positives. A leave‐one‐subject‐out testing method was used for evaluation of the performance levels of the two CAD schemes.Results: At the sensitivities of 70%, 65%, and 60%, our conventional CAD scheme reported 14.7, 11.3, and 8.6 false positives per image, respectively, whereas our fusion CAD scheme reported 3.9, 1.9, and 1.2 false positives per image, and 5.5, 2.8, and 1.7 false positives per patient, respectively. The low performance of the conventional CAD scheme may be attributed to the high noise level in chest radiography, and the small size and low contrast of most nodules.Conclusions: This study indicated that the fusion of correlation information in multiprojection chest radiography can markedly improve the performance of CAD scheme for lung nodule detection.
Quality of secondary prevention measures in TIA patients: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lager K E , Wilson A , Khunti K , Mistri A K 
Published: March 2012

Abstract

Objective
Pharmacological and lifestyle interventions are recommended for the reduction of stroke risk in people who have had a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). This study aimed to investigate the quality of secondary stroke prevention in primary care following diagnosis of TIA in a specialist clinic.

Methods
Quality standards were identified from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) national clinical guideline for stroke and the general practice Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicators. Patients who were diagnosed with TIA between February and October 2009 were identified from a TIA clinic database. Achievement of quality standards was assessed 12–24 months following clinic attendance.

Results
General practices were sent structured data collection forms for 233 patients, and the response rate was 80% (n=186). Complete data were available for 163 eligible patients (70%). Overall, 94% were prescribed antithrombotic medication. QOF standards were achieved by 82% for blood pressure (≤150/90 mm Hg) and 61% for total cholesterol (≤5.0 mmol/l). RCP standards were achieved by 35% for blood pressure (≤130/80 mm Hg) and 28% for total cholesterol (&lt;4.0 mmol/l). RCP standards for the provision of dietary and exercise advice were achieved by 29% and 34% of patients, respectively.

Conclusion
Only a minority of TIA patients achieved RCP standards whereas QOF standards were generally well achieved. Substantial benefits in terms of stroke prevention stand to be gained if risk factors are managed in line with more stringent RCP standards.
Sources of Hospital Variation in Short-Term Readmission Rates After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Yeh Robert W. , Rosenfield Kenneth , Zelevinsky Katya , Mauri Laura , Sakhuja Rahul , Shivapour Daniel M. , Lovett Ann , Weiner Bonnie H. , Jacobs Alice K. , Normand Sharon-Lise T. 
Published: March 2012

Background—
Risk-standardized all-cause 30-day readmission rates (RSRRs) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have been endorsed as a national measure of hospital quality. Little is known about variation in the performance of hospitals on this measure, and whether high hospital rates of readmission after PCI are due to modifiable deficiencies in quality of care has not been assessed.

Methods and Results—
We estimated 30-day, all-cause RSRRs for all nonfederal PCI-performing hospitals in Massachusetts, adjusted for clinical and angiographic variables, between 2005 and 2008. We assessed if differences in race, insurance type, and PCI and post-PCI characteristics, including procedural complications and discharge characteristics, could explain variation between hospitals using nested hierarchical logistic regression models. Of 36 060 patients undergoing PCI at 24 hospitals and surviving to discharge, 4469 (12.4%) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Hospital RSRRs ranged from 9.5% to 17.9%, with 8 of 24 hospitals being identified as outliers (4 lower than expected and 4 higher than expected). Differences in race, insurance, PCI, and post-PCI factors accounted for 10.4% of the between-hospital variance in RSRRs.

Conclusions—
We observed wide variation in hospital 30-day all-cause RSRRs after PCI, most of which could not be explained by identifiable differences in procedural and postprocedural factors. A better understanding of etiologies of hospital variation is necessary to determine whether this measure is an actionable assessment of hospital quality, and, if so, how hospitals might improve their performance.
Comparative Analysis of Tumor‐Infiltrating Lymphocytes in a Syngeneic Mouse Model of Oral Cancer
Authors: Judd Nancy P. , Allen Clint T. , Winkler Ashley E. , Uppaluri Ravindra 
Published: March 2012

ObjectiveTo perform a comparative analysis of infiltrating immune cells in a newly developed C57BL/6 background syngeneic transplantable mouse oral cancer (MOC) model.Study Design/SettingScientific study in an academic medical center.MethodsUse of carcinogen‐induced tumorigenesis, tissue culture, cell line transplantation, and flow cytometric analysis techniques.ResultsPreviously, the authors established a series of cell line models that displayed dichotomous growth phenotypes when transplanted into immunocompetent mice. They now show that the indolent growth pattern of the MOC1‐generated tumors is associated with increased baseline and inducible major histocompatibility complex class I expression and increased CD8+ T‐cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment. Conversely, the aggressive and metastatic pattern of MOC2‐generated tumors has decreased basal and inducible class I expression and is associated with FOXP3+CD4+ regulatory T‐cell infiltration. Delayed primary tumor growth after targeted monoclonal antibody therapy of these FOXP3+ regulatory cells further suggests that these immune cells contribute to the aggressive phenotype of MOC2.ConclusionThese data validate that key infiltrating immune cells identified here parallel findings in human head and neck cancer, making this newly developed syngeneic model a critical platform for the continued dissection of tumor‐host interactions in head and neck cancer.
Honey bee drones maintain humoral immune competence throughout all life stages in the absence of vitellogenin production
Authors: Gätschenberger Heike , Gimple Olaf , Tautz Jürgen , Beier Hildburg 
Published: March 2012

SUMMARYDrones are haploid male individuals whose major social function in honey bee colonies is to produce sperm and mate with a queen. In spite of their limited tasks, the vitality of drones is of utmost importance for the next generation. The immune competence of drones – as compared to worker bees – is largely unexplored. Hence, we studied humoral and cellular immune reactions of in vitro reared drone larvae and adult drones of different age upon artificial bacterial infection. Haemolymph samples were collected after aseptic and septic injury and subsequently employed for (1) the identification of immune-responsive peptides and/or proteins by qualitative proteomic analyses in combination with mass spectrometry and (2) the detection of antimicrobial activity by inhibition-zone assays. Drone larvae and adult drones responded with a strong humoral immune reaction upon bacterial challenge, as validated by the expression of small antimicrobial peptides. Young adult drones exhibited a broader spectrum of defence reactions than drone larvae. Distinct polypeptides including peptidoglycan recognition protein-S2 and lysozyme 2 were upregulated in immunized adult drones. Moreover, a pronounced nodulation reaction was observed in young drones upon bacterial challenge. Prophenoloxidase zymogen is present at an almost constant level in non-infected adult drones throughout the entire lifespan. All observed immune reactions in drones were expressed in the absence of significant amounts of vitellogenin. We conclude that drones – like worker bees – have the potential to activate multiple elements of the innate immune response.
Optimal Taxation of Wealth Transfers When Bequests are Motivated by Joy of Giving
Authors: Brunner Johann K. , Pech Susanne 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
Inherited wealth creates a second distinguishing characteristic of individuals, in addition to earning abilities. We incorporate this fact into a model of optimal labor-income taxation, with bequests motivated by joy of giving. We find that taxes on bequests or on inheritances allow further redistribution if, in the parent generation, initial wealth and earning abilities are positively related. However, these taxes distort the bequest decision and thus, the overall effect on social welfare is ambiguous. On the other hand, a tax on all expenditures of a generation (a uniform tax on consumption plus bequests) has the same redistributive effect as an inheritance tax but does not distort the bequest decision.
Six Steps to a Quick Hazards Assessment at Village Level: A Participatory Assessment Approach Applied in Nawalparasi District, Nepal
Authors: Malakar Yuwan , Bhandari Dinanath 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe use of participatory approaches in devising disaster risk reduction strategies has increased. With the emergence of this new risk management approach, the concepts of vulnerability assessment and hazards analysis have been put into practice. This paper introduces an efficient, empirically tested, and user‐friendly hazards assessment tool (HAT). HAT follows six steps for a quick hazards assessment. They are i) identification of hazards, ii) historical overview of disasters, iii) severity and frequency analyses, iv) hazard ranking of communities, v) vulnerability scenario building, and vi) summary of hazards analysis. This paper describes each step in a very detailed way demonstrating its application in three village development committees of Nawalparasi District in Nepal. The applicability of HAT is reviewed in terms of promoting learning, fostering local empowerment and building participation, which are the basis of participatory methods of assessment. HAT bears generic criticism of participatory approaches which can be resolved with proper preparation and facilitation. HAT is an attempt to analyze people's perception of vulnerability and suffering from hazards by fostering their active participation in the process that pave the way to holistic disaster risk reduction strategies.
In the News
Authors: Nicogossian Arnauld 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn the Editors' opinion, the information summarized for this section has the potential for development of health policies, standards, or for use in the daily practice and counseling of patients in preventative care. For additional information, readers might wish to visit Internet‐based medical news websites, some free of charge, such as PLoS Medicine, MedScape, Stone Heart, Cochrane Collaboration, American College of Physicians, and the World Medical Association.
N-terminal acetylation and other functions of Nα-acetyltransferases
Authors: Hollebeke Jolien , Van Damme Petra , Gevaert Kris 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
Protein N-terminal acetylation by Nα-acetyltransferases (NATs) is an omnipresent protein modification that affects a large number of proteins. The exact biological role of N-terminal acetylation has, however, remained enigmatic for the overall majority of affected proteins, and only for a rather small number of proteins, N-terminal acetylation was linked to various protein features including stability, localization, and interactions. This minireview tries to summarize the recent progress made in understanding the functionality of N-terminal protein acetylation and also focuses on noncanonical functions of the NATs subunits.
A Monte Carlo based analysis of optimal design criteria
Authors: Banks H. T. , Holm Kathleen J. , Kappel Franz 
Published: March 2012

Abstract.
Optimal design methods (designed to choose optimal sampling distributions through minimization
of a specific cost function related to the resulting error in parameter estimates) for
inverse or parameter estimation problems are considered. We compare a recent design criteria,
SE-optimal design (standard error optimal design) with the more traditional D-optimal and
E-optimal designs. The optimal sampling distributions from each design are used to compute and
compare standard errors; here the standard errors for parameters are computed using the optimal
mesh along with Monte Carlo simulations as compared to asymptotic theory based standard
errors. We illustrate ideas with two examples: the Verhulst–Pearl logistic population model
and the standard harmonic oscillator model.