News and Views

Volume 11, no. 2 of our newsletter, News and Views, was distributed to those attending the annual meeting of CSE at Daytona Beach, Florida. It contained the program for the meeting, information about the Center, and the order form for Memoir No. 1, The lady beetles of far eastern Russia. (The order form is also printed on page 352 of this issue of Insects Mundi.). Copies of the symposium issue of the newsletter may be obtained in hard copy on request to the editor. However, for those connected to the internet, it is also reproduced on our web page. Volume 11, nos. 3 & 4 was distributed by mail to all members, all Research Associates of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, and to a selection of other systematic entomologists. These latter, the non-members receiving copies, are urged to join the society

Volume 11 - 1980: KEEPING CURRENT WITH GEOSCIENCE INFORMATION - Proceedings of the 15th Meeting of the Geoscience Information Society

Proceedings of the 15th Meeting of the Geoscience Information Society held November 16-20, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgi

Report on the 6th ADBIS’2002 conference

The 6th East European Conference ADBIS 2002 was held on September~8--11, 2002 in Bratislava, Slovakia. It was organised by the Slovak University of Technology (and, in particular, its Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology) in Bratislava in co-operation with the ACM SIGMOD, the Moscow ACM SIGMOD Chapter, and Slovak Society for Computer Science. The call for papers attracted 115 submissions from 35~countries. The international program committee, consisting of 43 researchers from 21 countries, selected 25 full papers and 4 short papers for a monograph volume published by the Springer Verlag. Beside those 29 regular papers, the volume includes also 3 invited papers presented at the Conference as invited lectures. Additionally, 20 papers have been selected for the Research communications volume. The authors of accepted papers come from 22~countries of 4 continents, indicating the truly international recognition of the ADBIS conference series. The conference had 104 registered participants from 22~countries and included invited lectures, tutorials, and regular sessions. This report describes the goals of the conference and summarizes the issues discussed during the sessions

Dopaminergic Nigrostriatal Connectivity in Early Parkinson Disease:In Vivo Neuroimaging Study of C-11-DTBZ PET Combined with Correlational Tractography

Previous histopathologic and animal studies have shown axonal impairment and loss of connectivity of the nigrostriatal pathway in Parkinson disease (PD). However, there are conflicting reports from in vivo human studies. C-11-dihydrotetrabenazine (C-11-DTBZ) is a vesicular monoamine type 2 transporter PET ligand that allows assessment of nigrostriatal presynaptic dopaminergic terminal integrity. Correlational tractography based on diffusion MRI can incorporate ligand-specific information provided by C-11-DTBZ PET into the fiber-tracking process. The purpose of this study was to assess the in vivo association between the integrity of the nigrostriatal tract (defined by correlational tractography) and the degree of striatal dopaminergic denervation based on C-11-DTBZ PET. Methods: The study involved 30 subjects with mild to moderate PD (23 men and 7 women; mean age, 66 +/- 6.2 y; disease duration, 6.4 +/- 4.0 y; Hoehn and Yahr stage, 2.1 +/- 0.6; Movement Disorder Society [MDS]-revised Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS] [I-III] total score, 43.4 +/- 17.8) and 30 control subjects (18 men and 12 women; mean age, 62 +/- 10.3 y). C-11-DTBZ PET was performed using standard synthesis and acquisition protocols. Correlational tractography was performed to assess quantitative anisotropy (QA; a measure of tract integrity) of white matter fibers correlating with information derived from striatal C-11-DTBZ data using the DS! Studio toolbox. Scans were realigned according to least and most clinically affected cerebral hemispheres. Results: Nigrostriatal tracts were identified in both hemispheres of PD patients. Higher mean QA values along the identified tracts were significantly associated with higher striatal C-11-DTBZ distribution volume ratios (least affected: r = 0.57, P = 0.001; most affected: r = 0.44, P = 0.02). Lower mean QA values of the identified tract in the LA hemisphere associated with increased severity of bradykinesia sub-score derived from MDS-UPDRS part III (r = 0.42; P = 0.02). Cross-validation revealed the generalizability of these results. Conclusion: These findings suggest that impaired integrity of dopaminergic nigrostriatal nerve terminals is associated with nigrostriatal axonal dysfunction in mild to moderate PD. Assessment of nigrostriatal tract integrity may be suitable as a biomarker of earlyor even prodromal-stage PD

In Memory of Olin Sewall Pettingill

In Memory of Olin Sewall Pettingill Olin Sewall Pettingill, Jr., Ph.D., renowned ornithologist and teacher, passed away December 11, 2001, in Bedford, Texas. He was 94. Dr. Pettingill was born in Belgrade, Maine, on October 30, 1907. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1930 and received a Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1933. Honorary doctor of science degrees were awarded by Bowdoin College in 1956, Colby College in 1979, and the University of Maine in 1982. Dr. Pettingill taught ornithology at Carleton College for 17 years and at the University of Michigan Biological Station for 35 summers. He was director of the famed Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University from 1960 to 1973. Pettingill served on the National Audubon Society Board of Directors for 19 years. Among the books written by Dr. Pettingill are the classic textbook Ornithology in Laboratory and Field (1939) and his two-volume work, A Guide to Bird Finding East of the Mississippi (1951) and A Guide to Bird Finding West of the Mississippi (1953). The latter two works were the first of their kind to give specific information on when and where to find different species of birds in the contiguous 48 states

Evaluation of self-perception of mechanical ventilation knowledge among Brazilian final-year medical students, residents and emergency physicians

OBJECTIVE: To present self-assessments of knowledge about mechanical ventilation made by final-year medical students, residents, and physicians taking qualifying courses at the Brazilian Society of Internal Medicine who work in urgent and emergency settings. METHODS: A 34-item questionnaire comprising different areas of knowledge and training in mechanical ventilation was given to 806 medical students, residents, and participants in qualifying courses at 11 medical schools in Brazil. The questionnaire’s self-assessment items for knowledge were transformed into scores. RESULTS: The average score among all participants was 21% (0-100%). Of the total, 85% respondents felt they did not receive sufficient information about mechanical ventilation during medical training. Additionally, 77% of the group reported that they would not know when to start noninvasive ventilation in a patient, and 81%, 81%, and 89% would not know how to start volume control, pressure control and pressure support ventilation modes, respectively. Furthermore, 86.4% and 94% of the participants believed they would not identify the basic principles of mechanical ventilation in patients with obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome, respectively, and would feel insecure beginning ventilation. Finally, 77% said they would fear for the safety of a patient requiring invasive mechanical ventilation under their care. CONCLUSION: Self-assessment of knowledge and self-perception of safety for managing mechanical ventilation were deficient among residents, students and emergency physicians from a sample in Brazil

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome:The Berlin Definition

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was defined in 1994 by the American-European Consensus Conference (AECC); since then, issues regarding the reliability and validity of this definition have emerged. Using a consensus process, a panel of experts convened in 2011 (an initiative of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine endorsed by the American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine) developed the Berlin Definition, focusing on feasibility, reliability, validity, and objective evaluation of its performance. A draft definition proposed 3 mutually exclusive categories of ARDS based on degree of hypoxemia: mild (200 mm HgPaO2/FIO2300 mmHg), moderate (100mmHgPaO2/FIO2200mmHg), and severe (PaO2/FIO2100mmHg) and 4 ancillary variables for severe ARDS: radiographic severity, respiratory system compliance (40 mL/cm H2O), positive endexpiratory pressure (10 cm H2O), and corrected expired volume per minute(10 L/min). The draft Berlin Definition was empirically evaluated using patientlevel meta-analysis of 4188 patients with ARDS from 4 multicenter clinical data sets and 269 patients with ARDS from 3 single-center data sets containing physiologic information. The 4 ancillary variables did not contribute to the predictive validity of severe ARDS for mortality and were removed from the definition. Using the Berlin Definition, stages of mild, moderate, and severe ARDS were associated with increased mortality (27%;95%CI, 24%-30%; 32%;95% CI, 29%-34%; and 45%; 95% CI, 42%-48%, respectively; P.001) and increased median duration of mechanical ventilation in survivors (5 days; interquartile [IQR], 2-11; 7 days; IQR, 4-14; and 9 days; IQR, 5-17, respectively; P.001). Compared with the AECC definition, the final Berlin Definition had better predictive validity for mortality, with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.577 (95% CI, 0.561-0.593) vs 0.536 (95% CI, 0.520-0.553; P.001). This updated and revised Berlin Definition for ARDS addresses a number of the limitations of the AECC definition. The approach of combining consensus discussions with empirical evaluation may serve as a model to create more accurate, evidence-based, critical illness syndrome definitions and to better inform clinical care, research, and health services planning

Inflammatory Burden of Cardiac Allograft Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque Is Associated With Early Recurrent Cellular Rejection and Predicts a Higher Risk of Vasculopathy Progression

ObjectivesThis study was designed to investigate tissue characterization of the coronary allograft atherosclerotic plaque with virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) imaging to assess the presence and predictors of vessel wall inflammation and its significance in cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) progression.BackgroundA unique form of accelerated atherosclerosis, CAV remains the leading cause of late morbidity and mortality in heart transplant patients. The pathogenesis of CAV is not fully elucidated.MethodsA total of 86 patients with coronary allograft vasculopathy underwent VH-IVUS examination of the left anterior descending coronary artery 3.61 ± 3.04 years following cardiac transplantation. Based on the VH-IVUS plaque characteristics, coronary allograft plaque was divided on virtual histology intravascular ultrasound-derived “inflammatory” (VHD-IP) (necrotic core and dense calcium ≥30%) and “noninflammatory” plaque (VHD-NIP) (necrotic core and dense calcium <30%). Total rejection scores were calculated based on the 2004 International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation rejection grading system.ResultsIn the whole study population, the mean percentage of fibrous, fibrofatty, dense calcified, and necrotic core plaques in a mean length of 62.3 ± 17.4 mm of the left anterior descending coronary artery were 50 ± 17%, 16 ± 11%, 15 ± 11%, and 18 ± 9%, respectively. Patients with a 6-month total rejection score >0.3 had significantly higher incidence of VHD-IP than those with a 6-month total rejection score ≤0.3 (69% vs. 33%, p = 0.011). The presence of VHD-IP at baseline was associated with a significant increase in plaque volume (2.42 ± 1.78 mm3/mm vs. –0.11 ± 1.65 mm3/mm, p = 0.010), plaque index (7 ± 9% vs. 0 ± 8%, p = 0.04), and remodeling index (1.24 ± 0.44 vs. 1.09 ± 0.36, p = 0.030) during 12 months of follow-up when compared with the presence of VHD-NIP at baseline and during follow-up.ConclusionsThe presence of VHD-IP as assessed by VH-IVUS is associated with early recurrent rejection and with higher subsequent progression of CAV. A VH-IVUS assessment may add important information in the evaluation of transplant recipients

Europska iskustva i nacionalni kurikulum za obvezno obrazovanje u Hrvatskoj: (uvod u raspravu o rezultatima istraživanja)

Rad predstavlja uvodni tekst u tematski blok u kojem su prezentirani rezultati komparativne analize nacionalnih okvirnih kurikuluma 11 europskih zemalja (uzorak starih i novih članica Europske unije) i Hrvatske provedene u razdoblju od 2002. do 2005. Rezultati analize su ukazali na značajne konceptualne, strukturne i sadržajne razlike između nastavnih programa u Hrvatskoj i nacionalnih kurikuluma analiziranih zemalja. Iako između nacionalnih kurikuluma analiziranih zemalja postoje evidentne razlike, za razliku od Hrvatske, sve imaju outcome based nacionalne kurikulume (orijentirane na odgojno-obrazovne ishode, odnosno operacionalno iskazane ciljeve obrazovanja). Nadalje, za razliku od Hrvatske koja ima centralizirane i međusobno nedovoljno povezane predmetne programe, nacionalni kurikulumi analiziranih zemalja su integriraniji. Većina ih ima nacionalni kurikulumski okvir koji sagledava nacionalni kurikulum kao cjelinu, široko definirana kurikulumska područja čije sadržaje povezuju zajednički odgojno-obrazovni ishodi te eksplicite definirane krozkurikulumske teme. Kurikulumi europskih zemalja također razvijaju učeničke kompetencije kojih nema u hrvatskim nastavnim programima: napr. poduzetništvo, informatičko-komunikacijska kompetencija kao krozkurikulumsko poučavanje. I konačno, razvoj nacionalnih kurikuluma u europskim zemljama se odvija u smjeru razvoja temeljnih učeničkih kompetencija potrebnih za život u društvu znanja. U toku je proces integracije temeljnih kompetencija u društvo znanja (koncept cjeloživotnog učenja) definiranih na europskoj razini u Europskom kompetencijskom okviru. (IN ENGLISH: The article is an introductory summary of the thematic volume that presents the results of the comparative analysis of the national framework curricula of 11 European countries (a sample of old and new EU members) and Croatia conducted between 2002 and 2005. The results of the analysis show significant conceptual, structural and content-oriented differences between teaching programmes in Croatia and the national curricula of the countries in the sample. Although there are significant differences between the national curricula of the countries in the sample, unlike Croatia, all the countries have outcome based national curricula (documents focused on educational outcomes, or operationally formulated goals of education). Furthermore, in contrast to the Croatian case where the teaching programmes are centralised and insufficiently internally coherent (i.e. with insufficient interconnections between the individual subject programmes), the national curricula of the countries in the sample exhibit higher degree of integration. Most countries have a national curricular framework that approaches the national curriculum as a unified whole, widely defined curricular area whose content is interlinked through common educational outcomes and explicitly defined cross-curricular topics. The curricula of European countries also develop students’ competences that are absent from the Croatian teaching programmes: such as entrepreneurship, and information-communication competence as a cross-curricular outcome. Finally, the development of the national curricula in European countries charts a course of development of basic competences the students need in order to live in the knowledge society. They are currently working on integrating the key competences for knowledge society (the concept of lifelong learning) defined on the pan-European level through the European competence framework.

Evaluation of self-perception of mechanical ventilation knowledge among Brazilian final-year medical students, residents and emergency physicians

OBJECTIVE: To present self-assessments of knowledge about mechanical ventilation made by final-year medical students, residents, and physicians taking qualifying courses at the Brazilian Society of Internal Medicine who work in urgent and emergency settings. METHODS: A 34-item questionnaire comprising different areas of knowledge and training in mechanical ventilation was given to 806 medical students, residents, and participants in qualifying courses at 11 medical schools in Brazil. The questionnaire's self-assessment items for knowledge were transformed into scores. RESULTS: The average score among all participants was 21% (0-100%). Of the total, 85% respondents felt they did not receive sufficient information about mechanical ventilation during medical training. Additionally, 77% of the group reported that they would not know when to start noninvasive ventilation in a patient, and 81%, 81%, and 89% would not know how to start volume control, pressure control and pressure support ventilation modes, respectively. Furthermore, 86.4% and 94% of the participants believed they would not identify the basic principles of mechanical ventilation in patients with obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome, respectively, and would feel insecure beginning ventilation. Finally, 77% said they would fear for the safety of a patient requiring invasive mechanical ventilation under their care. CONCLUSION: Self-assessment of knowledge and self-perception of safety for managing mechanical ventilation were deficient among residents, students and emergency physicians from a sample in Brazil.Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Cirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Paraiba, Dept Cardiol, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, BrazilUniv Evangel Anapolis, Anapolis, Go, BrazilDuke Univ, Med Ctr, Duke Clin Res Inst, Durham, NC USAUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Cirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc