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Introduction Methods Results Conclusions To evaluate use and utility of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Hub Australia website.Online REDCap user survey incorporating the Website Evaluation Questionnaire, open ended questions, Google metrics data and an accessibility audit.Seventy‐six participants: researchers (32%), health professionals (29%) and policymakers/advocates (16%) completed the survey. Most were from Australia (95%) and were likely or very likely to recommend the FASD Hub to colleagues (92%), friends (74%) and patients (72%). The mean Website Evaluation Questionnaire score was at least 3.45/5 for all dimensions (ease of use, hyperlinks, structure, relevance, comprehension, completeness, layout, search option); range 3.45 (search option) to 4.04 (relevance). Participants found the content trustworthy (92%) but wanted more information for, and to support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and improved search capacity. Google metrics identified 25,534 unique users over 6 months (82% new users); 83% aged 18–44 years, 72% female and 35% international.Users found the FASD Hub accessible, authoritative and useful and suggested improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the incidence of and identify risk factors associated with poor quality of recovery in dogs recovering from general anaesthesia. Case controlled study. All dogs undergoing general anaesthesia at the University of Liverpool Small Animal Teaching Hospital between January 2020 and January 2021 were eligible for recruitment. Signalment, anaesthetic case management and a recovery score were recorded. Univariable and multivariable logistic and ordinal logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors which impact incidence of poor quality of recovery. A total of 247 dogs undergoing general anaesthesia were included. Overall, 72 [29.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 23.8%–35.1%] dogs experienced a poor quality recovery. Of these, 40 (55.5%) required sedation to manage behaviours associated with poor recovery. Multivariable logistic regression revealed American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification of III or higher was associated with a decreased incidence of poor quality recovery [odds ratio (OR) = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12–0.93, p = 0.037] and the use of multiple inhalational anaesthetics during one procedure was associated with an increased incidence of poor quality of recovery (OR = 42.5, 95% CI 3.0–598.3, p = 0.005). Poor quality recovery is common in dogs recovering from general anaesthesia and sedation is often required for resolution. It is more likely to occur in healthy veterinary patients (ASA I and II). The use of multiple inhalational anaesthetic agents during one procedure should be discouraged as this may increase the likelihood of poor quality of recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a 32-year-old male 14 years post-living-related kidney transplant presenting with new-onset hematuria and BK viremia. He was found to have BK virus-associated urothelial carcinoma originating in the renal allograft with locally advanced disease and metastases to multiple sites. He also developed acute T-cell-mediated rejection in the setting of immunosuppression reduction for BK viremia prior to undergoing transplant nephrectomy. Eight months following transplant nephrectomy and immunosuppression cessation, distant metastases persisted with partial response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Here, we discuss this unique presentation and compare it with other BK virus-associated allograft carcinomas reported in the literature, in addition to discussing evidence for the role of BK virus in oncogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary is marked by one of the largest mass extinctions in Earth's history, with geological evidence for this event being expressed in hundreds of locations worldwide. An extensively studied section located near El Kef, northwestern Tunisia, is characterized by the classic iridium-rich K/Pg boundary layer, abundant and well-preserved microfossils, and apparently continuous sedimentation throughout the early Danian with no previously described structural complication. These features led to its designation in 1991 as the Global Stratigraphic Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Danian (i.e., the K/Pg boundary). However, the outcrop section has become weathered, and the "golden spike" marking the GSSP is difficult to locate. Therefore, the El Kef Coring Project aimed to provide a continuous record of unweathered sediments across the K/Pg transition in cores recovered from five rotary-drilled holes located close to the El Kef GSSP. Here, we present new, high-resolution lithologic, biostratigraphic, and geochemical data from these cores. The recovered stratigraphic successions of each hole (all drilled within ~75 m of one another) are unexpectedly different, and we identified a formerly unknown unconformity within planktic foraminiferal biozone P1b. Our results provide evidence that sedimentation at El Kef was not as continuous or free from structural complication as previously thought. Despite these challenges, we present a new composite section from the five El Kef holes and an age model correlated to the orbitally tuned record at Walvis Ridge, South Atlantic Ocean, which is critical in placing the paleoenvironmental and paleoecological records from El Kef in a global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: An 18‐year‐old multiparous Thoroughbred mare with a 2‐month‐old foal at foot presented for investigation of colic. A right dorsal displacement of the large colon with a retroflexion of the pelvic flexure was corrected under general anaesthesia and interventional recovery using head and tail ropes was performed. The mare made multiple attempts to stand, using the ropes for support before achieving and maintaining a standing position. The following day, marked swelling around the perineal and vulval region was noted, combined with reduced tail tone. Urination, but not defaecation, had been observed following surgery. Transrectal ultrasonography indicated formation of a haematoma adjacent and ventral to the caudal sacral and first coccygeal vertebrae. Initial radiographic evaluation was suggestive of an oblique fracture of the caudal endplate of the first coccygeal vertebra, which was confirmed on repeat radiography 7 days later. Treatment included cold compresses to reduce swelling, multimodal analgesia, dietary modification to soften faecal consistency and regular manual evacuation of the rectum to avoid impaction. The mare was discharged after 19 days hospitalisation, gradually recovered the ability to defaecate and produced a viable foal the following year without assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital rectal examination revealed frank blood and investigations revealed a coagulopathy with a prolonged prothrombin time of 115 sec, international normalized ratio of 14.7 and activated partial thromboplastin time of 222.5 sec with normal hemoglobin concentration (125 g/L) and platelet count (199 k/uL [199 × 10 SP 9 sp /L]). Her coagulation profile showed a prolonged thrombin time (>60 sec) and less prolonged prothrombin time (28.9 sec), international normalized ratio (2.9), and partial thromboplastin time (61.3 sec). Had the activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time been normal, management would have differed as the focus would have turned to non-anticoagulant etiologies of bleeding. [Extracted from the article]

Although primary pancreatic lymphoma is a rare cause of pancreatic mass, this diagnosis should be considered during work‐up. Furthermore, when adequate diagnostic material is available from biopsy, complete workup of the lymphoma, including not only type but also subtype when applicable, should be performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Males are victims of sexual violence at a rate almost as high as females; however, reports of male sexual violence are often left unscreened, unaddressed, and unacknowledged. Genitourinary complaints without an obvious cause should trigger the primary care provider to consider sexual violence as part of a differential diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg; 66 Ma) mass extinction was caused by a bolide impact on the Yucatán platform near modern Chicxulub, Mexico. Calcareous nannoplankton, a dominant group of primary producers, were almost eradicated at this time. Post-impact nannoplankton assemblages from Northern Hemisphere sites were characterized by a shortlived series of high-dominance, low-diversity acmes ("boom-bust" successions), which likely represent an unstable post-impact environment. Although these boom-bust successions are a global signal, the mechanisms that controlled the taxonomic switchovers between acmes are currently unknown. Here, we present detailed analyses of calcareous nannoplankton and planktic foraminiferal assemblages in a new K-Pg section from the peak ring of the Chicxulub crater. We show that although nannoplankton assemblages resemble the typical series of acmes at Tethyan sites, the termination of the "disaster" acme in the crater is delayed by at least 500 k.y. The coincidence between shifts in the dominant planktic foraminiferal trophic group and switchovers in nannoplankton boom-bust taxa suggests that this series of acmes may represent a gradual trend toward oligotrophy driven by the global restoration of biological pump efficiency. Thus, the global diachroneity of boom-bust successions likely reflects the differential pacing of biological pump restoration between oceanic basins and settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperhemolysis syndrome (HHS) is an uncommon transfusion reaction described in several hematologic disorders, including sickle cell disease (SCD). HHS is characterized by a decline in hemoglobin (Hb) values below pre-transfusion levels following transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs), coupled with laboratory markers consistent with hemolysis. The proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying HHS include increased phosphatidylserine expression, macrophage activation, and complement dysregulation. Many pathophysiologic mechanisms thought to contribute to HHS have been similarly described in cases of severe COVID-19. A 28-year-old male with a history of HbSS presented with shortness of breath, right-sided chest pain, and a two-day history of fever. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected SARS-CoV-2 infection with the omicron variant. The patient required an RBC transfusion (pre-transfusion hemoglobin [Hb]5.8 g/dL) with an immediate post-transfusion Hb of 6.3 g/dL. However, Hb rapidly declined to 1.7 g/dL, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) rose to 8701 u/L. The absolute reticulocyte count of 538 × 109/L correspondingly fell to 29 × 109/L. Despite additional RBC transfusions and initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, he expired on Day 9(D9). Given the similarities in their proposed pathophysiology, patients with SCD and concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection may be predisposed to developing HHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Experiencing mental health difficulties during pregnancy predicts a variety of quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes for Black women. However, one area of prenatal mental health remains underresearched: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Given the impairments reported by adults with significant symptoms of ADHD and the linkages between depression and ADHD in nonpregnant samples, the current study aimed to examine the relationships among ADHD symptoms, depression, and QoL in Black pregnant women. Materials and Methods: Participants for this study were 116 pregnant Black women aged 18–43 years (mean age = 27.14, standard deviation = 5.67) presenting to an urban women's health clinic. We investigated associations among maternal ADHD symptoms, risk of maternal depression, and different aspects of QoL, including relationships, life outlook, and life productivity. Results: Linear hierarchical regressions were performed to investigate the ability of maternal depression risk to mediate the relationship between maternal ADHD symptoms and QoL. Moderate to large negative correlations were found between maternal ADHD symptoms, depression risk, and quality of life (p's ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, maternal depression risk either partially or fully explained the relationship between ADHD symptoms and the different QoL variables. Conclusions: This study illustrates that symptoms of both ADHD and depression are important clinical considerations for Black women during pregnancy. As significant ADHD symptoms can lead to the development of depression, future research should investigate the temporal relationship between depression and QoL in pregnant women diagnosed with ADHD, as well as study whether ADHD treatment results in improvements in depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare surgical outcomes in patients undergoing bilateral salpingectomy (salpingectomy group) with those who had partial salpingectomy (partial salpingectomy group) during cesarean delivery. Materials and methods: A chart review from July 2015 to November 2016 was performed. We included women who had sterilization during cesarean delivery. We excluded sterilization by occlusive methods. Our primary outcomes were total operative time and a composite score of transfusion rate, internal organ injury, hospital readmission, and endometritis. Secondary out-comes included menstrual abnormalities, pelvic pain, quality of life assessment, and regrets rate. We compared these outcomes between women in the salpingectomy and partial salpingectomy groups. Chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, t-test, and Mann–Whitney U were utilized for statistical analysis where appropriate. A P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: We included a total of 160 pregnancies. Of these, 41 were in the salpingectomy and 119 in the partial salpingectomy group. The median total operative time was longer for the salpingectomy group (62 [IQR 54, 71] vs 60 minutes [IQR 46, 72]; P=0.03). The composite of surgical complications (19.5% vs 12.6%; P=0.28) was not significantly different between our study groups. Menstrual irregularities (P≥0.99), quality of life (P≥0.99), dyspareunia (P≥0.99), dysmenorrhea (P=0.36), and regrets (P≥0.99) were not different between groups. Conclusion: Salpingectomy during cesarean delivery increased the median operative time by 2 minutes and may not be associated with an increased risk of surgical complications. We acknowledge the need for larger multi-center trials to corroborate our outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxious and depressive symptoms often co-occur and are associated with difficulties in academic, social, and emotional areas of functioning. The current study identified the factor structure and profiles of symptoms of anxiety and depression among 169 Black early adolescents in sixth through eighth grade (Mage = 12.6 years; 50% female) using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and latent profile analyses (LPA), respectively. CFAs supported a six-factor model for depressive symptoms (i.e., dysphoria, social problems, externalizing, self-deprecation, biological dysregulation, and school problems) and a four-factor model for anxiety symptoms (i.e., social evaluation, worry, affective response, and physiological symptoms/sleep problems). These factors formed the profiles for the LPA analyses, and results supported a three-profile solution that included: (a) a low-severity group who reported few anxious or depressive symptoms, (b) a group who reported high levels of externalizing behaviors and moderate levels of school and social evaluation problems, and (c) a group who reported high levels of social evaluation problems and physiological/sleep anxiety. The three groups differed significantly in their ratings of anger regulation difficulties (i.e., anger emotion regulation coping, anger inhibition, and anger dysregulated expression) and their perceptions of the quality of school interpersonal relationships (i.e., student-teacher relationships and student-student relationships). These findings add to our knowledge about how patterns of depressive and anxious symptoms present for Black youth during adolescence and have important implications for the conceptualization, treatment, and prevention of anxiety and depression using culturally sensitive approaches. Highlights: The experience and presentation of depressive and anxious symptoms differed for Black youth. Factor structures of depression and anxiety measures were confirmed prior to running latent profile analyses. Three profiles of anxious and depressive symptom dimensions were identified. Profiles differed in youths' ratings of anger regulation difficulties and perceptions of the quality of school interpersonal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To date, most investigations of mental health in pregnant women have focused on depression or substance use. This study aimed to (a) delineate the relationships between symptoms of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prenatal health behaviors and (b) explore whether the symptom clusters of ADHD differentially predict prenatal health behaviors (e.g., physical strain, healthy eating, prenatal vitamin use). Method: A total of 198 pregnant women (mean age = 27.94 years) completed measures of ADHD symptoms, prenatal health behaviors, and depression. Results: Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity/emotional lability all evidenced significant relationships with the prenatal health behaviors, each differentially predicting different prenatal health behaviors. Conclusion: As decreased engagement in adequate prenatal health behaviors puts both the mother and fetus at risk for negative birth outcomes, future research should work to develop a brief ADHD screen to be used in obstetric clinics and should investigate these relationships within a sample of women with a diagnosis of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal mentoring, or unstructured mentoring focused on both career and psychosocial development of trainees, has received far less attention in the literature than more formal, structured mentoring or advising focused predominantly on career development. The aim of this article is to describe the critical nature of informal mentoring for psychology doctoral students, particularly in light of recent national race-related events (e.g., killings of unarmed Black people by police, hate crimes following the 2016 U.S. presidential election). Using our experiences as a case illustration, we detail the varied experiences of Black graduate students in our Department of Psychology, as well as the departmental response and the specific actions of Black faculty and others, to foster a climate in which difficult discussions can occur in and between groups and individuals. Also, the role of White students and mentors in such discussions is presented. Finally, we outline several recommendations for graduate programs in psychology, designed to increase informal mentoring for all students around difficult race-related topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A randomized, parallel‐dose study assessed the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of etanercept in 61 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who received doses from 10 mg once‐weekly to 50 mg twice‐weekly for 4 weeks. Empiric application of a maximal‐effect (Emax) model to pooled steady‐state concentrations (Css) and PD markers provided half‐maximal‐effect concentration estimates of 567, 573, 465, 87, and 159 ng/mL for change from baseline in number of swollen joints, number of painful joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, interleukin‐6, and matrix metalloproteinase‐3, respectively. Css >∼2,000 ng/mL did not appear to offer additional benefit. It was concluded that the middle doses, 10 mg twice‐weekly, 50 mg every 2 weeks, and 50 mg once‐weekly, would provide Css in the target range of 500–2,000 ng/mL. The revised US Food and Drug Administration guideline for development of medicines for treatment of RA encourages a study design incorporating PK/PD assessment to inform later studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated relationships among parenting stress, parental readiness to change, and child externalizing behaviors in a sample of clinically referred families. Additionally, parenting stress was investigated as a potential moderator of the relationship between parental readiness to change and child externalizing behaviors. Sixty-nine parents of clinically referred children completed measures of parenting stress, readiness to change, and child externalizing behaviors. We found that child externalizing behaviors, specifically hyperactivity/impulsivity and oppositionality, had a significant positive relationship with parental readiness to change and parenting stress. Child conduct disorder symptoms did not significantly relate to parental readiness to change. Parenting stress emerged as a significant moderator of the relationship between child externalizing behaviors and parental readiness to change, such that at low levels of parenting stress, readiness to change increased as level of child externalizing behaviors increased. However, at high levels of parenting stress, parental readiness to change remained high and constant irrespective of level of child externalizing behaviors. The findings from this small pilot study have significant implications for clinicians and researchers. The parents most ready to engage in child mental health services may be those with high levels of parenting stress, regardless of the severity of the child's behaviors. These parents may benefit from learning stress management strategies in addition to receiving intervention services for their children. Researchers should further examine the clinical utility of measuring readiness to change in families of children with behavior problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the laws of war on prisoners of war in the 20th century, the Japanese occupation in World War II, and how international law influenced the treatment of prisoners of war in the Korean War.

As Ireland prepares to mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, Heather Jones traces how this failed military insurrection against British rule - mounted by a small, unrepresentative minority of Irish republicans - has evolved as a source of pride, division and controversy across the island over the course of a tumultuous century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underrepresentation of patients with non-white skin in rheumatology educational resources impairs practitioners' competence in caring for patients with skin of colour and reduces patients' confidence in the medical system. Medical publishers and educators should reconsider how to promote equal representation and care of patients with all skin types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ventilator-induced lung injury is a form of acute lung injury that develops in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation and has a high degree of mortality. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase is an enzyme that is highly upregulated in ventilator-induced lung injury and exacerbates the injury when given exogenously. Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) directly inhibits downstream pathways activated by Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase and is protective in other models of acute lung injury. Methods: We administered nicotinamide i.p. to mice undergoing mechanical ventilation with high tidal volumes to study the effects of nicotinamide on ventilator-induced lung injury. Measures of injury included oxygen saturations and bronchoalveolar lavage neutrophil counts, protein, and cytokine levels. We also measured expression of nicotinamide phosophoribosyltransferase, and its downstream effectors Sirt1 and Cebpa, Cebpb, Cebpe. We assessed the effect of nicotinamide on the production of nitric oxide during ventilator-induced lung injury. We also studied the effects of ventilator-induced lung injury in mice deficient in C/EBPε. Results: Nicotinamide treatment significantly inhibited neutrophil infiltration into the lungs during ventilator-induced lung injury, but did not affect protein leakage or cytokine production. Surprisingly, mice treated with nicotinamide developed significantly worse hypoxemia during mechanical ventilation. This effect was not linked to increases in nitric oxide production or alterations in expression of Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase, Sirt1, or Cebpa and Cebpb. Cebpe mRNA levels were decreased with either nicotinamide treatment or mechanical ventilation, but mice lacking C/EBPε developed the same degree of hypoxemia and ventilator-induced lung injury as wild-type mice. Conclusions: Nicotinamide treatment during VILI inhibits neutrophil infiltration of the lungs consistent with a strong anti-inflammatory effect, but paradoxically also leads to the development of significant hypoxemia. These findings suggest that pulmonary neutrophilia is not linked to hypoxemia in ventilator-induced lung injury, and that nicotinamide exacerbates hypoxemia during VILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated relationships among self-reported peer victimization, suicidality, and depression in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Sixty-seven adolescent psychiatric inpatients at a Midwestern children’s hospital completed measures of bullying and peer victimization, suicidal ideation, and depression during their inpatient stay. Analyses indicated significant moderate correlations among victimization, suicidal ideation, and depression in adolescents. Results from mediational analyses found that negative self-esteem mediated the relationship between peer victimization and suicidal ideation. To date, this study is the first to directly examine the mechanisms underlying the relationship between peer victimization and suicidal ideation in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Historian Heather Jones argues for commemorations of the Great War to advance beyond left-right politics and simple nationalistic triumphalism, to take a broad international perspective of the social, cultural and political changes brought by the war and its lessons for modern diplomacy and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This historiographical review explores the impact of new interdisciplinary, comparative, and cultural approaches to studying the First World War upon the historiography, as the centenary of the conflict approaches in 2014. It assesses to what extent these approaches have led to new consensus regarding five key established historiographical questions: why did war break out; why did the Allies win; were the generals to blame for the high casualty rates; how did men endure trench warfare; and to what extent did civilian society accept and endorse the war effort? It also examines how these historiographical approaches have led to the emergence of new themes – in particular, military occupation, radicalization, race, and the wartime body – in the war's historiography. Ultimately, it concludes that how the war is understood has undergone radical revision since the 1990s as a result of these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Australia's commitment to consumer and community participation in health and medical research has grown over the past decade. Participatory research models of engagement are the most empowering for consumers. Methods: As part of a project to develop a diagnostic instrument for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in Australia (FASD Project), the Australian FASD Collaboration (Collaboration), including a consumer advocate and two consumer representatives, was established. On completion of the FASD Project an on-line survey of Collaboration members was conducted to assess their views on consumer involvement. Women in the community were also invited to participate in Community Conversations to discuss real life situations regarding communications with health professionals about alcohol and pregnancy. Community Conversation feedback was analysed qualitatively and attendees were surveyed about their views of the Community Conversation process. Results: The on-line survey was completed by 12 members of the Collaboration (71%). Consumer and community participation was considered important and essential, worked well, and was integral to the success of the project. The 32 women attending the Community Conversations generated 500 statements that made reference to prevention, how information and messages are delivered, and appropriate support for women. Nearly all the attendees at the Community Conversations (93%) believed that they had an opportunity to put forward their ideas and 96% viewed the Community Conversations as a positive experience. Conclusions: The successful involvement of consumers and the community in the FASD Project can be attributed to active consumer and community participation, which included continued involvement throughout the project, funding of participation activities, and an understanding of the various contributions by the Collaboration members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the studies of fate and transport of air emissions from animal feeding operations, Gaussian based dispersion models have been commonly used to predict downwind pollutant concentrations through forward modeling approach, or to derive emission rates and emission factors through inverse dispersion modeling approach. In the Gaussian dispersion modeling process, downwind sampling location and sampling height could generate significant impact on accuracy of the model validation, or inverse modeling results based upon field measurements. This study theoretically analyzed the impact of downwind locations and sampling height on Gaussian dispersion modeling. It was discovered that the field sampling needs to be conducted at the locations beyond the plume touching-ground distance, at a downwind distance as short as 5 m for the case scenario with zero rise of emission plume under the atmospheric stability class C, or as long as 297 m for the case scenario with 15 m rise of emission plume under the atmospheric stability class F. In order to measure the PM concentrations of the dispersion plume, the minimum sampling height at the locations within the plume touching-ground distance varied from ground level to as high as almost 14 m, whereas for the locations beyond the plume touching-ground distance, a sampling height of ground level would be acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates a simple clinical audit tool for assessing quality of care and blood pressure control among persons with hypertension in primary care clinics. A systematic random sampling of persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) attending five health centers in Kingston, Jamaica, was conducted. A modified Ministry of Health paper-based audit tool captured quality of care and outcome indicators (blood pressure and glycemic control). Additional chart audits were conducted by a physician and nurse to assess reliability. One hundred and forty-nine charts were audited between January and September 2017. One hundred and thirty-eight persons (92.6%) had hypertension (27 men and 111 women); 77 persons (51.7%) had DM (14 men and 63 women). The median age was 64 years old. Approximately two-thirds of persons with HTN and DM had electrolytes, lipid profile, and ECG done within the last year. One-fifth of persons with hypertension (18.5% men and 19.8% women, P = 1.000) had adequate blood pressure control with greater control among persons with HTN only compared to persons with both DM and HTN. Poor glycemic control was recorded for 69% of persons with DM (57% men and 71% women, P = .297). Moderate to substantial inter-rater agreement was observed for quality of care indicators. Our findings confirmed that hypertension and glycemic control are inadequate among persons attending primary care clinics in Jamaica's capital city. Simplified clinical audits can provide important quality of care and outcome indicators without losing the meaningfulness of the data collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the contexts of Christian poetry of Charles Heavysege. It discusses the contexts that expose the failure of the Canadian literary criticism to recognize and assign value to the evangelical religiosity in the poetry of Heavysege. The representation of the working class in the work of Heavysege is also analyzed.

Aquaporins are transmembrane proteins that move water specifically and bidirection-aUy in response to internal cell signaling. With aquaporins, plant cells can control how, where, and when water moves across membranes, Thus, plants are in strong control of their environmental responses. Therefore, it seems likely that aquaporins would have a key role in water balance in xerophytic ferns, particularly in the gametophyte stage. To investigate the role of aquaporins in desiccation avoidance in xerophytic ferns gametophytes, Cheilanthes lanosa gametophytes were poisoned with micromolar mercury solutions, which block aquaporin channels, exposed to several osmolytes, and quantified the efflux of water from the cells was quantified. Results strongly suggest that aquaporins may very well play a role in water balance, but also pose some questions concerning the ability of the protonemal stage to fully manage water flow [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cesium-131 is a newer radioisotope being used in prostate brachytherapy (PB). This study was conducted to determine the predictors of urinary morbidity with Cs-131 PB. Methods and Materials: A cohort of 159 patients underwent PB with Cs-131 at our institution and were followed by using Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) surveys to determine urinary morbidity over time. EPIC scores were obtained preoperatively and postoperatively at 2 and 4 weeks, and 3 and 6 months. Different factors were evaluated to determine their individual effect on urinary morbidity, including patient characteristics, disease characteristics, treatment, and dosimetry. Multivariate analysis of covariance was carried out to identify baseline determinants affecting urinary morbidity. Factors contributing to the need for postoperative catheterization were also studied and reported. Results: At 2 weeks, patient age, dose to 90% of the organ (D90), bladder neck maximum dose (D max), and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) predicted for worse function. At 4 weeks, age and EBRT continued to predict for worse function. At the 3-month mark, better preoperative urinary function, preoperative alpha blockers, bladder neck D max, and EBRT predicted for worse urinary morbidity. At 6 months, better preoperative urinary function, preoperative alpha blockers, bladder neck D max, and EBRT were predictive of increased urinary problems. High bladder neck D max and poor preoperative urinary function predicted for the need for catheterization. Conclusions: The use of EBRT plus Cs-131 PB predicts for worse urinary toxicity at all time points studied. Patients should be cautioned about this. Age was a consistent predictor of worsened morbidity immediately following Cs-131 PB, while bladder D max was the only consistent dosimetric predictor. Paradoxically, patients with better preoperative urinary function had worse urinary morbidity at 3 and 6 months, consistent with recently published literature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To study the influence of prostatic edema on postimplant physical and radiobiological parameters using 131Cs permanent prostate seed implants. Methods and Materials: Thirty-one patients with early prostate cancer who underwent 131Cs permanent seed implantation were evaluated. Dose-volume histograms were generated for each set of prostate volumes obtained at preimplantation and postimplantion days 0, 14, and 28 to compute quality indices (QIs) and fractional doses at level x (FD x ). A set of equations for QI, FD x , and biologically effective doses at dose level D x (BED x ) were defined to account for edema changes with time after implant. Results: There were statistically significant differences found between QIs of pre- and postimplant plans at day 0, except for the overdose index (ODI). QIs correlated with postimplant time, and FD x was found to increase with increasing postimplant time. With the effect of edema, BED at different dose levels showed less improvement due to the short half-life of 131Cs, which delivers about 85% of the prescribed dose before the prostate reaches its original volume due to dissipation of edema. Conclusions: Results of the study show that QIs, FD x , and BEDs at the level of D x changed from preneedle plans to postimplant plans and have statistically significant differences (p < 0.05), except for the ODI (p = 0.106), which suggests that at the time of 131C seed implantation, the effect of edema must be accounted for when defining the seed positions, to avoid the possibility of poor dosimetric and radiobiologic results for 131Cs seed implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Type I interferons are critical antiviral cytokines produced following herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection that act to inhibit viral spread. In the present study, we identify HSV-infected and adjacent uninfected corneal epithelial cells as the source of interferon-α. We also report mice deficient in the A1 chain of the type I IFN receptor (CD118−/−) are extremely sensitive to ocular infection with low doses (100 PFU) of HSV-1 as seen by significantly elevated viral titers in the cornea compared to wild type (WT) controls. The enhanced susceptibility correlated with a loss of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell recruitment and aberrant chemokine production in the cornea despite mounting an adaptive immune response in the draining mandibular lymph node of CD118−/− mice. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of IFN production in both the innate immune response as well as eliciting chemokine production required to facilitate adaptive immune cell trafficking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a case study of a 60-year-old Japanese man who was taken to his primary care physician because of fever, myalgia, fatigue, and sore throat for two weeks. The patient had no history of travel, exposure to sick individuals, or animal exposures. It cites that the patient has taken medications including metformin and rosuvastatin.

To what extent was a nascent international humanitarian sphere challenged by the rise of nationalist aid efforts during the First World War? How did wartime nationalisms influence humanitarian mobilisation? Taking the aid effort to prisoners of war as its central case study, this article contends that the similar evolution of national wartime charities in the different belligerent states was due to a transnational learning process, based on nationalism and reciprocity dynamics, rather than simply a manifestation of a shared culture of international humanitarianism. Comparing similar national aid actors in different countries highlights the fact that the national aid response did not develop solely as a result of 'international' norms, but often on the basis of other motivations, predominantly the desire to help the war effort. This transnational learning process has been identified in some historiographical analysis as evidence for the existence of shared international humanitarian norms within belligerent countries; in fact it is also evidence that certain welfare sectors - for example, registration of the missing and dead, military aid bureaucracies or local scouting or Red Cross associations - evolved similarly in response to the logistical challenges created by total war. This paper contends that the nationalist-orientated evolution of charity at the local level during the war created increasing tensions between the national and international humanitarian spheres and it argues that it is necessary to explore this contested evolution of wartime charity in order to understand the complex nature of wartime mobilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the effect of prostatic edema on various dosimetric quality indices following transperineal permanent 131Cs seed implant. Thirty-one patients with early prostate cancer, who received 131Cs permanent seed implant, were included in this study. Each patient received a prescribed dose of 115 Gy from the implant. Transrectal ultrasound (U.S.) was used to measure the preimplant prostate volume and pre- and postneedle implant volumes, and postimplant CT images were used to obtain postimplant prostate volumes at days 0, 14, and 28 for all patients. The magnitude of edema was determined by comparing the preneedle and postimplant prostate volumes, which was used to compute the half life of the edema using the least-squares method. Dose volume histograms were generated for each set of volumes to determine the percentage of the prostate volume that received a dose equal to or greater than the prescribed dose to compute the quality index (V100) and fractional D90 (FD90). There were no statistically significant differences between the postneedle and postimplant (day 0) volumes obtained by U.S. and CT scanned images (student’s t-test p=0.56). The mean half life of the edema was found to be (9.72±8.31) days (mean±1 SD), ranging from 3.64 to 34.48 days. The mean values of V100 and FD90 from preimplant plan to postimplant plan at day 0 were decreased by 8.0% and 6.3%, respectively. On the other hand, the mean values of V100 and FD90 increased with increasing postimplant time and attained optimal values when postimplant volume reached the original volume of the prostate. The short half life 131Cs radioactive source delivered about 85% of the prescribed dose before the prostate reached its original volume. Therefore, improvement in V100 and FD90 due to edema decay does not improve the physical dose delivery to the prostate. It is important to note that at the time of 131Cs implant, the effect of edema must be accounted for when defining the seed positions. Implants performed based only on the guidance of a preimplant volume study would result in poor dosimetric results for 131Cs implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evidence many problems in the classroom. Teacher in-service training is routinely used to inform school professionals about a number of special topics; however, the efficacy of such in-service training for ADHD has not been established. The present study examined the efficacy of brief in-service training focused on evidence-based assessment and treatment of ADHD. Teachers from six schools (N = 142) in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area were randomly assigned at the school level to receive in-service training immediately or to a waitlist control group that received in-service training 1 month later. Measures of ADHD knowledge and use of behavior modification techniques were obtained at pre- and post-in-service intervention. Results indicated that the in-service training resulted in increased ADHD knowledge. Special education teachers also reported increased use of behavior modification techniques resulting from the in-service training. Clinical and research implications are presented. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Physician reimbursement for services and thus income are largely determined by the Medicare Resource-Based Relative Value Scale. Patients’ assessment of the value of physician services has never been considered in the calculation. This study sought to compare patients’ valuation of health-care services to Medicare’s relative value unit (RVU) assessments and to discover patients’ perceptions about the relative differences in incomes across physician specialties. Design Cross-sectional survey. Participants and setting Individuals in select outpatient waiting areas at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Methods Data collection included the use of a visual analog ‘value scale’ wherein participants assigned value to 10 specific physician-dependent health-care services. Informants were also asked to estimate the annualized incomes of physicians in specialties related to the abovementioned services. Comparisons of (i) the ‘patient valuation RVUs’ with actual Medicare RVUs, and (ii) patients’ estimations of physician income with actual income were explored using t-tests. Outcomes Of the 206 eligible individuals, 186 (90%) agreed to participate. Participants assigned a significantly higher mean value to 7 of the 10 services compared with Medicare RVUs ( P < 0.001) and the range in values assigned by participants was much smaller than Medicare’s (a factor of 2 vs. 22). With the exception of primary care, respondents estimated that physicians earn significantly less than their actual income (all P < 0.001) and the differential across specialties was thought to be much smaller (estimate: $88 225, actual: $146 769). Conclusion In this pilot study, patients’ estimations of the value health-care services were markedly different from the Medicare RVU system. Mechanisms for incorporating patients’ valuation of services rendered by physicians may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 55-kDa TNFR1 (type I tumor necrosis factor receptor) can be released to the extracellular space by two mechanisms, the proteolytic cleavage and shedding of soluble receptor ectodomains and the release of full-length receptors within exosome-like vesicles. We have shown that the brefeldin A-inhibited guanine nucleotide exchange protein BIG2 associates with TNFR1 and selectively modulates the release of TNFR1 exosome-like vesicles via an ARF1- and ARF3-dependent mechanism. Here, we assessed the role of BIG2 A kinase-anchoring protein (AKAP) domains in the regulation of TNFR1 exosome-like vesicle release from human vascular endothelial cells. We show that 8-bromo-cyclic AMP induced the release of full-length, 55-kDa TNFR1 within exosome-like vesicles via a protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent mechanism. Using RNA interference to decrease specifically the levels of individual PKA regulatory subunits, we demonstrate that RIIβ modulates both the constitutive and cAMP-induced release of TNFR1 exosome-like vesicles. Consistent with its AKAP function, BIG2 was required for the cAMP-induced PKA-dependent release of TNFR1 exosome-like vesicles via a mechanism that involved the binding of RIIβ to BIG2 AKAP domains B and C. We conclude that both the constitutive and cAMP-induced release of TNFR1 exosome-like vesicles occur via PKA-dependent pathways that are regulated by the anchoring of RIIβ to BIG2 via AKAP domains B and C, Thus, BIG2 regulates TNFR1 exosome-like vesicle release by two distinct mechanisms, as a guanine nucleotide exchange protein that activates class I ADP-ribosylation factors and as an AKAP for RIIβ that localizes PKA signaling within cellular TNFR1 trafficking pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The First World War was marked by a series of violent reprisals against prisoners of war which have long been overlooked by historians. This article explores one such sequence of collective reprisals, instigated by the German army in spring 1917, when it opted deliberately to use British and French prisoners of war to carry out forced labour on starvation rations under shellfire in the German trenches. As this article shows, this German reprisal occurred in retaliation for the British and French armies' use of German prisoner labourers, in particular, the French army's appalling treatment of German prisoners forced to work on the Verdun battlefield. The German army's use of harsh prisoner reprisals on the Eastern Front in 1916 is also revealed here as the model for these 1917 reprisals. Ultimately, this article contends that the 1917 reprisal action was successful: reprisal prisoners were encouraged to write home about their predicament, leading to public pressure upon the British and French governments that forced them to agree to limit their use of German prisoner labour to a distance of thirty kilometres from the front in exchange for Germany ending the reprisals. This study contends that prisoner reprisals illustrate new forms of violence--and thus a process of escalation or totalization operating during the war, It also emphasizes, through a comparison of the British, French and German armies' use of prisoner labour, that such totalization was not inevitable or unlimited. Finally, it suggests that prisoner reprisals reveal wartime violence in a new light--as highly rational and discriminating, deliberately directed towards obtaining a particular goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the historiography of military captivity, prisoner of war camps, and the first World War. Topics include the capture rates for soldiers in various countries on the eastern and western fronts, descriptions of the prison camps by ex-prisoners who mention the inadequate sanitary conditions that led to the spread of typhus, the legal framework of the Geneva and Hague Conventions, the privileged treatment of officer prisoners, an increase in the use of forced labor throughout Europe, the development of the first prisoner of war labor company system in Germany, and the impact of inspection systems on prisoner treatment.

Abstract: Purpose: To determine whether the effect of an additional “boost” radiation after breast conservative therapy (BCT) on local control depends on age and evaluate the impact of a treatment policy with a threshold for age. Patients and methods: We used data from EORTC 22881-10882 trial, with median follow-up of 77.4 months. Patients receiving BCT and 50Gy whole breast irradiation were randomized to no boost and 16Gy boost (N =5318). Results: In univariate analysis, a boost reduced local failure by a factor of 2 (P <0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed local control increased with age (P =0.0003). There was no evidence that the relative effect of a boost on local control depends on age (P =0.97) However in younger patients the 5-year local failure was higher, therefore the absolute reduction was greater. If the threshold-age for boost treatment were set at 40 years, 8.4% of the study population would receive a boost, resulting in a 5-year local failure of 6.1% in the study population. Changing the threshold-age to 60 years, 67% of the study population would receive a boost and the 5-year local failure would be reduced to 4.4%. Conclusions: In younger patients a boost dose resulted in a greater absolute reduction of local failure. The relative risk reduction was however similar for all ages. Applying a treatment policy with a threshold-age of 60 would result in 0.6% increase in local failure in the total study population, while sparing the boost to 1/3 of the patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at risk for adverse outcomes such as substance abuse and criminality, particularly if they develop conduct problems. Little is known about early predictors of the developmental course of conduct problems among children with ADHD, however. Parental psychopathology and parenting were assessed in 108 children who first met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) Criteria for ADHD at 4–7 years old. When demographic variables and baseline ADHD and conduct problems were controlled, maternal depression predicted conduct problems 2–8 years following the initial assessment, whereas positive parenting during the structured parent—child interaction task predicted fewer future conduct problems. These findings suggest that maternal depression is a risk factor, whereas early positive parenting is a protective factor, for the developmental course of conduct problems among children with ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the prisoner of war labor system in the German Army during the last year of World War I with focus the treatment of British and French prisoner workers and violence in German prisoner of war labor companies. Violence was used as a disciplinary tool in the prisoner of war labor company system. The structure of the German Army resulted to increased violence against prisoners.

Abstract: Despite the vast literature supporting the efficacy of stimulant medication in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), several limitations of pharmacological treatments highlight the clear need for effective psychosocial treatments to be identified. A large evidence base exists for behavioral interventions, including parent training and school interventions, which has resulted in their classification as “empirically validated treatments.” Additionally, social skills training with generalization components, intensive summer treatment programs, and educational interventions appear promising in the treatment of ADHD. Given the chronic impairment children with ADHD experience across multiple domains of functioning, multimodal treatments are typically necessary to normalize the behavior of these children. The state of the ADHD treatment literature is reviewed, important gaps are identified (e.g., treatment for adolescents), and directions for future research are outlined within a developmental psychopathology framework. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Brefeldin A-inhibited guanine nucleotide-exchange proteins, BIG1 and BIG2, are activators of ADP-ribosylation factor GTPases that are essential for regulating vesicular traffic among intracellular organelles. Biochemical analyses and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated BIG1 in nuclei as well as membranes and cytosol of serum-starved HepG2 cells. Within 20 min after addition of 8-BrocAMP, BIG1 accumulated in nuclei, and this effect was blocked by protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors H-89 and PKI, suggesting a dependence on PKA-catalyzed phosphorylation. BIG2 localization was not altered by cAMP, nor did BIG2 small interfering RNA influence nuclear accumulation of BIG1 induced by cAMP. Mutant BIG1 (S883A) in which Ala replaced Ser-883, a putative PKA phosphorylation site, did not move to the nucleus with cAMP addition, whereas replacement with Asp (S883D) resulted in nuclear accumulation of BIG1 without or with cAMP exposure, consistent with the mechanistic importance of a negative charge at that site. Mutation (712KPK714) of the nuclear localization signal inhibited BIG1 accumulation in nuclei, and PKA-catalyzed phosphorylation of S883, although necessary, was not sufficient for nuclear accumulation, as shown by the double mutation S883D/nuclear localization signal. A role for microtubules in cAMP-induced translocation of BIG1 is inferred from its inhibition by nocodazole. Thus, two more critical elements of BIG1 molecular structure were identified, as well as the potential function of microtubules in a novel PKA effect on BIG1 translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the role of the S4–S5 linker in the trafficking of the intermediate (human (h) IK1) and small (rat SK3) conductance K+ channels using a combination of patch-clamp, protein biochemical, and immunofluorescence-based techniques. We demonstrate that a lysine residue (Lys197) located on the intracellular loop between the S4 and S5 domains is necessary for the correct trafficking of hIK1 to the plasma membrane. Mutation of this residue to either alanine or methionine precluded trafficking of the channel to the membrane, whereas the charge-conserving arginine mutation had no effect on channel localization or function. Immunofluorescence localization demonstrated that the K197A mutation resulted in a channel that was primarily retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, and this could not be rescued by incubation at 27 °C. Furthermore, immunoblot analysis revealed that the K197A mutation was overexpressed compared with wild-type hIK1 and that this was due to a greatly diminished rate of channel degradation. Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that the K197A mutation did not preclude multimer formation. Indeed, the K197A mutation dramatically suppressed expression of wild-type hIK1 at the cell surface. Finally, mutation of this conserved lysine in rat SK3 similarly resulted in a channel that failed to correctly traffic to the plasma membrane. These results are the first to demonstrate a critical role for the S4–S5 linker in the trafficking and/or function of IK and SK channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the NH2-terminal leucine zipper and dileucine motifs of hIK1 in the assembly, trafficking, and function of the channel was investigated using cell surface immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), immunoblot, and whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Mutation of the NH2-terminal leucine zipper at amino acid positions 18 and 25 (L18A/L25A) resulted in a complete loss of steady-state protein expression, cell surface expression, and whole-cell current density. Inhibition of proteasomal degradation with lactacystin restored L18A/L25A protein expression, although this channel was not expressed at the cell surface as assessed by cell surface immunoprecipitation and wholecell patch clamp. In contrast, inhibitors of lysosomal degradation (leupeptin/pepstatin) and endocytosis (chloroquine) had little effect on L18A/L25A protein expression or localization. Further studies confirmed the rapid degradation of this channel, having a time constant of 19.0 ± 1.3 min compared with 3.2 ± 0.8 h for wild type hIK1. Co-expression studies demonstrated that the L18A/L25A channel associates with wild type channel, thereby attenuating its expression at the cell surface. Co-IP studies confirmed this association. However, L18A/L25A channels failed to form homotetrameric channels, as assessed by Co-IP, suggesting the NH2 terminus plays a role in tetrameric channel assembly. As with the leucine zipper, mutation of the dileucine motif to alanines, L18A/L19A, resulted in a near complete loss in steady-state protein expression with the protein belng similarly targeted to the proteasome for degradation. In contrast to our results on the leucine zipper, however, both chloroquine and growing the cells at the permissive temperature of 27 °C restored expression of L18A/L19A at the cell surface, suggesting that the defect in the channel trafficking is the result of a subtle folding error. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the NH2 ter- minus of hIK1 contains overlapping leucine zipper and dileucine motifs essential for channel assembly and trafticking to the plasma membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]