bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dissociating Neural Correlates of Action Monitoring and Metacognition of Agency
Authors: Miele David B. , Wager Tor D. , Mitchell Jason P. , Metcalfe Janet 
Published: May 2011

AbstractJudgments of agency refer to people's self-reflective assessments concerning their own control: their assessments of the extent to which they themselves are responsible for an action. These self-reflective metacognitive judgments can be distinguished from action monitoring, which involves the detection of the divergence (or lack of divergence) between observed states and expected states. Presumably, people form judgments of agency by metacognitively reflecting on the output of their action monitoring and then consciously inferring the extent to which they caused the action in question. Although a number of previous imaging studies have been directed at action monitoring, none have assessed judgments of agency as a potentially separate process. The present fMRI study used an agency paradigm that not only allowed us to examine the brain activity associated with action monitoring but that also enabled us to investigate those regions associated with metacognition of agency. Regarding action monitoring, we found that being “out of control” during the task (i.e., detection of a discrepancy between observed and expected states) was associated with increased brain activity in the right TPJ, whereas being “in control” was associated with increased activity in the pre-SMA, rostral cingulate zone, and dorsal striatum (regions linked to self-initiated action). In contrast, when participants made self-reflective metacognitive judgments about the extent of their own control (i.e., judgments of agency) compared with when they made judgments that were not about control (i.e., judgments of performance), increased activity was observed in the anterior PFC, a region associated with self-reflective processing. These results indicate that action monitoring is dissociable from people's conscious self-attributions of control.
Solutions to the Vertical Structure Equation for Simple Models of the Tropical Troposphere
Authors: Ortland David A. , Alexander M. Joan 
Published: May 2011

Abstract
Observation and modeling studies indicate that the wave flux from tropical heating sources that propagates into the lower stratosphere is sensitive to the buoyancy frequency profile N(z) in the troposphere. This sensitivity is explained by examining analytic solutions to the vertical structure equation for various simplified models of the tropical troposphere. An efficient method for obtaining expressions for these analytic solutions when N(z) is piecewise constant is presented. The solution is expressed in terms of reflection and transmission coefficients. It is found that the response to heating for Hough modes with small equivalent depth is quite sensitive to the shape of the heating profile, the magnitude of N(z) within the heating profile, and the internal wave reflections that result from the sharp change in N(z) at the tropopause. The location of the primary peak in the wave response, which occurs where the wavelength is twice the depth of the heating for a constant N(z) profile, is also sensitive to the occurrence of internal wave reflection.
Sphenopalatine Artery Ligation
Authors: Shires Courtney B. , Boughter John D. , Sebelik Merry E. 
Published: May 2011

ObjectiveTo clarify endoscopic anatomy of the sphenopalatine artery (SPA) in relation to intranasal endoscopic landmarks using a human cadaver model and to simplify the surgical approach to SPA ligation.Study DesignProspective anatomic study from November to December 2009.SettingUniversity of Tennessee Health Science Center Gross Anatomy Lab.SubjectsFifty human cadaveric sagittally sectioned heads.MethodsThe cadaveric nasal cavities were examined using a 0° endoscope, and the SPA and foramen were identified. The number of nasal cavities in which a transnasal approach successfully revealed the SPA foramen was compared with those that required maxillary antrostomy. The distance from the posterior edge of the maxillary natural ostium to the anterior edge of the SPA foramen was measured.ResultsSuccessful ligation of the SPA via a lateral nasal wall incision was achieved in 45 of 50 specimens (90%). The mean distance from the posterior edge of the maxillary natural ostium to the anterior edge of the SPA foramen was 23.79 mm (95% confidence interval, 22.03‐25.55).ConclusionThe method of performing SPA ligation via lateral nasal wall incision alone was successful in 90% of human cadaveric heads. Maxillary antrostomy revealed the SPA in the remainder. No specimen required uncinectomy. The mean distance from the maxillary natural ostium to SPA foramen was more than 2 cm. The routine use of maxillary antrostomy and uncinectomy is not needed to locate the SPA in most nasal cavities and moreover produces unnecessary mucosal trauma in the often medically fragile or coagulopathic patient.
Detection of Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus using a Heterologous Antigen-Capture Enzyme Immunoassay
Authors: Osorio Fernando A. , Anderson Gary A. , Sanders John , Grotelueschen Dale 
Published: May 2011

Based on the marked antigenic similarities that exist between antigens of the human and bovine strains of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) designed to detect human RSV was used to detect bovine RSV. The commercial test kit (RSV EIA) consists of a solid phase (beads) coated with a capture antiserum prepared against the Long strain of human RSV. The RSV EIA test was compared with the method of inoculation of cell cultures and fluorescent antibody (FA) staining of lung tissue for the detection of bovine RSV. Using a cell culture-propagated stock of strain 375 of bovine RSV, the threshold of sensitivity of the EIA test for the cattle strain of RSV was determined to be ≤ 102,3 CCID50/ml. In addition, RSV EIA detected the bovine RSV in nasal samples obtained from 3 experimentally inoculated cattle. The RSV EIA exhibited a sensitivity of ≥ 80% during the period that shedding of infectious virus took place. All of the bovine RSV FA-positive lung samples (n = 37) were positive by the RSV EIA. Twenty-six of the remaining 214 bovine RSV FA-negative lung samples were positive by the RSV EIA. The RSV EIA was also used to test 137 nasal swabs obtained from cases of bovine respiratory disease. Of these, 38 tested positive by RSV EIA. All samples that tested positive by EIA were confirmed by blocking assays using hyperimmune serum anti-bovine RSV and a pool of monoclonal antibodies specific for that virus.
Cocklebur Toxicosis in Cattle Associated with the Consumption of Mature Xanthium Strumarium
Authors: Witte Scott T. , Osweiler Gary D. , Stahr Henry M. , Mobley Greg 
Published: May 2011

Cockleburs ( Xanthium spp.) are herbaceous annuals with worldwide distribution. Toxicoses are usually associated with the consumption of the seedlings in the cotyledon stage, which contain a high concentration of the toxic principle, carboxyatractyloside. The seeds are also known to contain the toxin, but it has long been assumed that the spiny capsule would deter their consumption. Six of 70 yearling calves died while being fed round bale hay composed predominately of foxtail and mature cocklebur plants with burs. Clinical signs ranged from acute death to hyperexcitability, blindness, tense musculature, and spastic gaits with heads held high and ears erect. Some symptomatic calves would stumble, fall to lateral recumbency, convulse, and later recover. Overall, the herd was very uneasy. Prominent gross lesions were ascites and a firm, pale liver with a mottled hemorrhagic pattern on cut surface. The rumen contained numerous intact burs and well-ruminated grass. Histological examination of the liver revealed marked centrolobular degeneration and necrosis with associated hemorrhage and congestion. Brain lesions were present. Plant and tissue samples were analyzed for carboxyatractyloside with various results. Samples of rumen contents, urine, and burs contained 100–200 ppm, 0.1–0.05 ppm, and 0.1 ppm, respectively. Based on the history, clinical signs, pathological lesions, and chemical analyses, cocklebur toxicosis associated with consumption of mature Xanthium strumarium in hay was confirmed.
Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns and Plasmid Profiles of Streptococcus Suis Isolates
Authors: Cantin Mario , Harel Josée , Higgins Robert , Gottschalk Marcelo 
Published: May 2011

Streptococcus suis isolates recovered from diseased animals in Quebec and western Canada and from human cases in Europe were tested for their susceptibility to different antimicrobial agents and screened for their plasmid content. Most isolates from Quebec were clindamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline resistant; animal isolates from western Canada were notably less resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin, whereas human isolates were considerably more susceptible to most antimicrobials tested.1 More than 60% of isolates had plasmids that ranged from 1.5 to 35 kilobases (kb). Of the 7 plasmid profiles found, 2 were particularly frequent in isolates from Quebec and western Canada, suggesting the presence of epidemic strains in the swine population. A particular plasmid band of about 5 kb was present in most Canadian isolates. When this band was used as a probe in colony and Southem blot hybridization, most isolates harboring the 5-kb plasmid hybridized, even though their plasmid profiles were different. Human isolates from Europe differed in their plasmid content from Canadian isolates of animal origin. Although a high degree of antimicrobial resistance was associated with the presence of plasmids in most isolates, it was not possible to establish a causative relationship.
L-amphetamine improves memory in MS patients with objective memory impairment
Authors: Sumowski James F , Chiaravalloti Nancy , Erlanger David , Kaushik Tanya , Benedict Ralph HB , DeLuca John 
Published: May 2011

Background: Memory impairment is prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS), but no drugs are approved to treat these memory problems. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the effect of l-amphetamine versus placebo on auditory/verbal memory and visual/spatial memory in MS patients with and without baseline memory impairment. Methods: We conducted a re-analysis of a previously published clinical trial in which MS patients were randomly assigned to treatment (30 mg l-amphetamine, N = 99) or placebo ( N = 37) in a four-week, double-blind, parallel-group, dose titration trial. Auditory/verbal memory (CVLT-II: Long Delay Free Recall) and visual/spatial memory (BVMT-R: Delayed Recall) were assessed at baseline and follow-up across subgroups of patients with intact baseline memory (mean = 50th percentile) or impaired baseline memory (mean = 2nd percentile). Primary analyses: 2 ( l-amphetamine, placebo) × 2 (baseline, follow-up), × 2 (baseline memory intact, baseline memory impaired) ANOVAs performed separately for auditory/verbal and visual/spatial memory. Results: For both auditory/verbal and visual/spatial memory, we observed significant 2 × 2 × 2 interactions whereby l-amphetamine improved memory more than placebo, and this effect was specific to patients with baseline memory impairment. Conclusions: Among memory-impaired patients, memory improved about 48.5% for those on l-amphetamine, but only 1.0% on placebo. Treatment with l-amphetamine produced large memory gains among memory-impaired MS patients.
Sibling disability risk at onset and during disease progression in familial multiple sclerosis
Authors: Wellek Anne , Korsukewitz Catharina , Bach Jan P , Schock Sabine , Eienbröker Christian , Seitz Florian , Spengler Anna , Hemmer Bernhard , Schlegel Kerstin , Oertel Wolfgang H , Sommer Norbert , Tackenberg Björn 
Published: May 2011

Background: The objective of this study was to address the differences in onset and disease progression between familial and sporadic multiple sclerosis (MS) and the association within sibling pairs. Methods: Ninety-eight siblings and their controls were included from a database of 763 sporadic MS-patients, randomly pair-matched for age, gender, clinical course, disease duration and treatment. Sixty-eight available siblings completed a prospective six-year follow-up. Outcome parameters included baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), age at onset, mono- or multifocal onset, disease progression and conversion to secondary progression of initially relapsing–remitting MS. For statistical analyses Wilcoxon’s signed-rank statistics for categorical differences, t-statistics for continuous variables, McNemar’s test for relative frequencies of categories, intra-class correlations for within sibling-pair associations, or Kaplan–Meier analysis for survival analyses were used; all two-sided at the 5% level. Results: Disease onset was slightly earlier (29.01 vs. 29.44 years, p = 0.0492) and multifocal onset significantly more often ( p = 0.0052) in familial than in sporadic MS. Notably, a substantial within sibling-pair correlation for disease progression (rho = 0.40; p = 0.0062) as well as a higher risk for siblings than for controls to convert into secondary progression (0.545 vs. 0.227; p = 0.018) could be observed. Conclusions: Familial MS differs from sporadic cases with respect to age at onset, multifocal involvement as first clinical event, and conversion into secondary progression. The progression rate of one out of two affected siblings may act as a predictor for the other sib.
Building capacity and capability in patient safety, innovation and service improvement: an English case study
Authors: Butterworth Tony , Jones Kate , Jordan Simone 
Published: May 2011

It is clear that for at least the next decade, funding for many health systems across the world will be challenged by serious uncertainties in country economies. In facing these challenges nurses have to respond positively to innovations in the delivery of care, increases in productivity and the eradication of errors that result in harm to patients. In committing to supporting this necessary change, quality improvement and innovation programmes are now available from national, not-for-profit organisations, such as the Health Foundation (UK) and the Institute for Health Improvement (USA) and the National Health Service Institute for Innovation an Improvement (UK) that specifically address these important issues. Although the targets for these programmes are often health care systems at the macro level, the role of nurses in understanding and delivering innovative practices at a more micro level is vital. Evidence is now available that demonstrates the outputs of such programmes and the impact from making consequent changes to nursing practice. Education programmes and research activity by nurses can also take advantage of this activity and begin to ask questions that focus on those subject areas, as well as adding positive value to people who use health care services. This paper briefly describes background developments during the last decade, offers one example of innovation programme content, describes the results of introducing patient safety, quality improvement and innovation into education curricula and suggests potential areas for future research by clinical academic nurse researchers.
Controlling risk in the built environment — evaluation of a risk assessment algorithm
Authors: Knox Alison , Pollock Kevin GJ , Ritchie Lisa M 
Published: May 2011

This study describes a small-scale evaluation of an environmental risk assessment algorithm. The risk assessment algorithm was developed in response to a local need to adapt the Healthcare Associated Infection System for Controlling Risk in the Built Environment (HAI-SCRIBE) guidance (Health Facilities Scotland, 2007a) for use with routine maintenance and repair works in order to ensure measures were put in place to protect patients from environmental contamination during such work. The suitability and acceptability of the risk assessment algorithm was evaluated by Estates and Maintenance staff using a two-stage staff questionnaire. We present the results of the evaluation and describe the advantages of implementing this model of environmental assessment. Limitations and possible further work are considered, including the use of the risk assessment algorithm to confirm its suitability within a larger study group.
Effects of the JAK2 mutation on the hematopoietic stem and progenitor compartment in human myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Anand Shubha , Stedham Frances , Beer Philip , Gudgin Emma , Ortmann Christina A. , Bench Anthony , Erber Wendy , Green Anthony R. , Huntly Brian J. P. 
Published: May 2011

Abstract
The JAK2 V617F mutation is present in the majority of patients with a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) and is sufficient to recapitulate an MPN in murine models. However, the consequences of JAK2 mutations for myeloid differentiation are poorly understood. After systematic analyses of a large cohort of JAK2-mutated MPN patients, we demonstrate in vivo that JAK2 mutations do not alter hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell com-partment size or in vitro behavior but generate expansion of later myeloid differentiation compartments, where homozygous expression of the mutation confers an added proliferative advantage at the single-cell level. In addition, we demonstrate that these findings may be partially explained by the expression pattern of JAK2, which markedly increases on myeloid differentiation. Our findings have potential clinical relevance, as they predict that JAK2 inhibitors may control myeloproliferation, but may have limited efficacy in eradicating the leukemic stem cells that sustain the human MPN.
Divergence in cis-regulatory sequences surrounding the opsin gene arrays of African cichlid fishes
Authors: O'Quin Kelly E , Smith Daniel , Naseer Zan , Schulte Jane , Engel Samuel D , Loh Yong-Hwee E , Streelman J Todd , Boore Jeffrey L , Carleton Karen L 
Published: May 2011

Abstract

Background
Divergence within cis-regulatory sequences may contribute to the adaptive evolution of gene expression, but functional alleles in these regions are difficult to identify without abundant genomic resources. Among African cichlid fishes, the differential expression of seven opsin genes has produced adaptive differences in visual sensitivity. Quantitative genetic analysis suggests that cis-regulatory alleles near the SWS2-LWS opsins may contribute to this variation. Here, we sequence BACs containing the opsin genes of two cichlids, Oreochromis niloticus and Metriaclima zebra. We use phylogenetic footprinting and shadowing to examine divergence in conserved non-coding elements, promoter sequences, and 3'-UTRs surrounding each opsin in search of candidate cis-regulatory sequences that influence cichlid opsin expression.

Results
We identified 20 conserved non-coding elements surrounding the opsins of cichlids and other teleosts, including one known enhancer and a retinal microRNA. Most conserved elements contained computationally-predicted binding sites that correspond to transcription factors that function in vertebrate opsin expression; O. niloticus and M. zebra were significantly divergent in two of these. Similarly, we found a large number of relevant transcription factor binding sites within each opsin's proximal promoter, and identified five opsins that were considerably divergent in both expression and the number of transcription factor binding sites shared between O. niloticus and M. zebra. We also found several microRNA target sites within the 3'-UTR of each opsin, including two 3'-UTRs that differ significantly between O. niloticus and M. zebra. Finally, we examined interspecific divergence among 18 phenotypically diverse cichlids from Lake Malawi for one conserved non-coding element, two 3'-UTRs, and five opsin proximal promoters. We found that all regions were highly conserved with some evidence of CRX transcription factor binding site turnover. We also found three SNPs within two opsin promoters and one non-coding element that had weak association with cichlid opsin expression.

Conclusions
This study is the first to systematically search the opsins of cichlids for putative cis-regulatory sequences. Although many putative regulatory regions are highly conserved across a large number of phenotypically diverse cichlids, we found at least nine divergent sequences that could contribute to opsin expression differences in cis and stand out as candidates for future functional analyses.
Fusidic acid resistance among clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Taiwanese hospital
Authors: Chen Chih-Ming , Huang Mei , Chen Huei-Fen , Ke Se-Chin , Li Chia-Ru , Wang Jen-Hsien , Wu Lii-Tzu 
Published: May 2011

Abstract

Background
The prevalence of resistance to fusidic acid of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was increased each year in a Taiwan hospital. Thirty-four MRSA clinical isolates collected in 2007 and 2008 with reduced susceptibility to FA were selected for further evaluation the presence of resistance determinants.

Results
The most common resistance determinant was fusC, found in 25 of the 34 MRSA isolates. One of the 25 fusidic acid-resistant MRSA harboured both fusB and fusC, which is the first time this has been identified. Mutations in fusA were found in 10 strains, a total of 3 amino-acid substitutions in EF-G (fusA gene) were detected. Two substitutions with G556S and R659L were identified for the first time. Low-level resistance to fusidic acid (MICs, ≤ 32 μg/ml) was found in most our collection. All collected isolates carried type III SCCmec elements. MLST showed the isolates were MRSA ST239. PFGE revealed nine different pulsotypes in one cluster.

Conclusions
Our results indicate that the increase in the number of fusidic acid resistant among the MRSA isolates in this hospital is due mainly to the distribution of fusC determinants. Moreover, more than one fusidic acid-resistance mechanism was first detected in a same stain in our collection.
Identification of a novel temperature sensitive promoter in cho cells
Authors: Thaisuchat Haruthai , Baumann Martina , Pontiller Jens , Hesse Friedemann , Ernst Wolfgang 
Published: May 2011

Abstract

Background
The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) expression system is the leading production platform for manufacturing biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of numerous human diseases. Efforts to optimize the production process also include the genetic construct encoding the therapeutic gene. Here we report about the successful identification of an endogenous highly active gene promoter obtained from CHO cells which shows conditionally inducible gene expression at reduced temperature.

Results
Based on CHO microarray expression data abundantly transcribed genes were selected as potential promoter candidates. The S100a6 (calcyclin) and its flanking regions were identified from a genomic CHO-K1 lambda-phage library. Computational analyses showed a predicted TSS, a TATA-box and several TFBSs within the 1.5 kb region upstream the ATG start signal. Various constructs were investigated for promoter activity at 37°C and 33°C in transient luciferase reporter gene assays. Most constructs showed expression levels even higher than the SV40 control and on average a more than two-fold increase at lower temperature. We identified the core promoter sequence (222 bp) comprising two SP1 sites and could show a further increase in activity by duplication of this minimal sequence.

Conclusions
This novel CHO promoter permits conditionally high-level gene expression. Upon a shift to 33°C, a two to three-fold increase of basal productivity (already higher than SV40 promoter) is achieved. This property is of particular advantage for a process with reduced expression during initial cell growth followed by the production phase at low temperature with a boost in expression. Additionally, production of toxic proteins becomes feasible, since cell metabolism and gene expression do not directly interfere. The CHO S100a6 promoter can be characterized as cold-shock responsive with the potential for improving process performance of mammalian expression systems.