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Abstract: The scoring of student essays by computer has generated much debate and subsequent research. The majority of the research thus far has focused on validating the automated scoring tools by comparing the electronic scores to human scores of writing or other measures of writing skills, and exploring the predictive validity of the automated scores. However, very little research has investigated possible effects of the essay prompts. This study endeavoured to do so by exploring test scores for three different prompts for the ACCUPLACER ® WritePlacer ® Plus test which is scored by the IntelliMetric ® automated scoring system. The results indicated that there was no significant difference among the prompts overall; among males, between males and females, by native language or in comparison to scores generated by human raters. However, there was a significant difference in mean scores by topic for females. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background & Aims: A large outbreak of acute gastroenteritis at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (CSGNA) was attributed to food-borne norovirus. A prospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence and natural history of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). Methods: Questionnaires addressing demographics, medical history, acute illness, prior bowel function, and current symptoms were mailed to all delegates within 1 month of the outbreak. Follow-up questionnaires were mailed at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. The prevalence of new Rome I IBS among participants with and without acute enteric illness during the outbreak was calculated for each time point. Risk factors were assessed by multiple logistic regression. Results: Baseline surveys were returned by 139 of 197 delegates (70.6%; mean age, 48 ± 6 years; 95.0% female), of whom 135 (97.1%), 133 (95.7%), 128 (92.1%), and 116 (83.4%) returned the 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month surveys, respectively. One hundred seven respondents (76.9%) reported an acute enteric illness during the outbreak. Eighteen subjects reported premorbid IBS. Among the remainder, 21 of 89 who experienced gastroenteritis (23.6%) reported symptoms consistent with PI-IBS at 3 months versus 1 of 29 (3.4%) who remained well (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–48.7; P = .014). At 6, 12, and 24 months, the prevalence of IBS was similar among exposed versus nonexposed individuals. In multiple logistic regression, vomiting during the acute illness independently predicted risk of PI-IBS at 3 months (odds ratio, 10.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–85.5; P = .028). Conclusions: PI-IBS is common after presumptive viral gastroenteritis but might be more transient than after bacterial dysentery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: How do scores from writing samples generated by computerized essay scorers compare to those generated by “untrained” human scorers and what combination of scores, if any, is more accurate at placing students in composition courses? This study endeavored to answer this two-part question by evaluating the correspondence between writing sample scores generated by the IntelliMetric™ automated scoring system and scores generated by University Preparation English faculty, as well as examining the predictive validity of both the automated and human scores. The results revealed significant correlations between the faculty scores and the IntelliMetric™ scores of the ACCUPLACER™OnLine WritePlacer Plus test. Moreover, logistic regression models that utilized the IntelliMetric™ scores and average faculty scores were more accurate at placing students (77% overall correct placement rate) than were models incorporating only the average faculty score or the IntelliMetric™ scores. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background & Aims: Nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) users are at increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. We aimed to assess the pattern and extent of fecal blood loss (FBL) with ibuprofen, which is considered to have a favorable gastrointestinal safety profile. Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of 2 separate randomized, parallel-group, double-blind studies, in which ibuprofen was used as a positive control. FBL was measured by radioactive analysis of chromium-51 labeled red cells in stools during baseline and then followed by 4 weeks of treatment with ibuprofen (800 mg 3 times daily) or placebo in 68 healthy volunteers. FBL was considered significant when blood loss was >2 mL daily. Results: The baseline period was identical for all subjects, with an average FBL of 0.36 mL (standard deviation, ±0.075) per day. During the study period, all subjects receiving ibuprofen had a daily mean FBL >2 mL, with a group daily mean loss 3.64-fold greater than in the placebo group (2.55 mL [±3.2] vs 0.7 mL [±0.37], P < .001). In the ibuprofen group (n = 31), 26 subjects had between 1 and 7 random episodes of microbleeding with FBL >3 mL. Nine had a maximum FBL >10 mL (29.35 ± 23.32 mL), and in 2 subjects blood loss reached 73 mL and 66 mL, respectively. Conclusions: Treatment with a therapeutic dose of ibuprofen, a commonly used nonselective NSAID, in healthy subjects is associated with significant FBL, which occurs randomly with spikes of bleeding, sometimes exceeding 66 mL in a single day. Chronic anemia or gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking nonselective NSAIDs should be thoroughly investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent evidence suggests antimicrobial peptides protect the urinary tract from infection. Ribonuclease 7 (RNase 7), a member of the RNase A superfamily, is a potent epithelial-derived protein that maintains human urinary tract sterility. RNase 7 expression is restricted to primates, limiting evaluation of its antimicrobial activity in vivo. Here we identified ribonuclease 6 (RNase 6) as the RNase A superfamily member present in humans and mice that is most conserved at the amino acid level relative to RNase 7. Like RNase 7, recombinant human and murine RNase 6 has potent antimicrobial activity against uropathogens. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblot analysis indicate that RNase 6 mRNA and protein are upregulated in the human and murine urinary tract during infection. Immunostaining located RNase 6 to resident and infiltrating monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils. Uropathogenic E. coli induces RNase 6 peptide expression in human CD14+ monocytes and murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. Thus, RNase 6 is an inducible, myeloid-derived protein with markedly different expression from the epithelial-derived RNase 7 but with equally potent antimicrobial activity. Our studies suggest RNase 6 serves as an evolutionarily conserved antimicrobial peptide that participates in the maintenance of urinary tract sterility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-five patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy underwent serial electrocardiographic (ECG) testing and were evaluated for evidence of ECG progression. Over a median of 43 months, 89% of the patients had evidence of progression, with S-wave prolongation being the most prevalent marker of ECG progression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bromelain is a complex mixture of proteinases typically derived from pineapple stem. Similar proteinases are also present in pineapple fruit. Beneficial therapeutic effects of bromelain have been suggested or proven in several human inflammatory diseases and animal models of inflammation, including arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. However, it is not clear how each of the proteinases within bromelain contributes to its anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. Previous in vivo studies using bromelain have been limited by the lack of assays to control for potential differences in the composition and proteolytic activity of this naturally derived proteinase mixture. In this study, we present model substrate assays and assays for cleavage of bromelain-sensitive cell surface molecules can be used to assess the activity of constituent proteinases within bromelain without the need for biochemical separation of individual components. Commercially available chemical and nutraceutical preparations of bromelain contain predominately stem bromelain. In contrast, the proteinase activity of pineapple fruit reflects its composition of fruit bromelain>ananain∼stem bromelain. Concentrated bromelain solutions (>50 mg/ml) are more resistant to spontaneous inactivation of their proteolytic activity than are dilute solutions, with the proteinase stability in the order of stem bromelain>fruit bromelain∼ananain. The proteolytic activity of concentrated bromelain solutions remains relatively stable for at least 1 week at room temperature, with minimal inactivation by multiple freeze–thaw cycles or exposure to the digestive enzyme trypsin. The relative stability of concentrated versus dilute bromelain solutions to inactivation under physiologically relevant conditions suggests that delivery of bromelain as a concentrated bolus would be the preferred method to maximize its proteolytic activity in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]