A blast of mistakes: undiagnosed cervical ppondylolisthesis following a bomb explosion

Background: A case of spinal trauma had an unusual clinical course due to medical mistakes, from which we can learn some important lessons. Case Report: We report a case of spondylolisthesis following a bomb explosion, which went undiagnosed for a long time because of a series of mistakes that are highlighted in this article. What makes this case unique is that the spondylolisthesis developed during hospital stay, but the patient had no loss of mobility, strength, or sensitivity. Conclusions: This case shows that establishing the conditions of an organ or a body part upon admission to hospital may not be enough when a patient has suffered extensive and serious trauma, and that it is necessary to carry out more checkups over time, especially if there are new clues and symptoms

The cream rises to the top: a very severe case of diabetic dyslipidaemia

Newmark J, Pitts S, Millar E, Bowman J, West L, Wierzbicki A, Simpson

The Sandia Fracture Challenge: blind round robin predictions of ductile tearing

Existing and emerging methods in computational mechanics are rarely validated against problems with an unknown outcome. For this reason, Sandia National Laboratories, in partnership with US National Science Foundation and Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, launched a computational challenge in mid-summer, 2012. Researchers and engineers were invited to predict crack initiation and propagation in a simple but novel geometry fabricated from a common off-the-shelf commercial engineering alloy. The goal of this international Sandia Fracture Challenge was to benchmark the capabilities for the prediction of deformation and damage evolution associated with ductile tearing in structural metals, including physics models, computational methods, and numerical implementations currently available in the computational fracture community. Thirteen teams participated, reporting blind predictions for the outcome of the Challenge. The simulations and experiments were performed independently and kept confidential. The methods for fracture prediction taken by the thirteen teams ranged from very simple engineering calculations to complicated multiscale simulations. The wide variation in modeling results showed a striking lack of consistency across research groups in addressing problems of ductile fracture. While some methods were more successful than others, it is clear that the problem of ductile fracture prediction continues to be challenging. Specific areas of deficiency have been identified through this effort. Also, the effort has underscored the need for additional blind prediction-based assessments

ParadisEO-MOEO: A Software Framework for Evolutionary Multi-Objective Optimization

This chapter presents ParadisEO-MOEO, a white-box object-oriented software framework dedicated to the flexible design of metaheuristics for multi-objective optimization. This paradigm-free software proposes a unified view for major evolutionary multi-objective metaheuristics. It embeds some features and techniques for multi-objective resolution and aims to provide a set of classes allowing to ease and speed up the development of computationally efficient programs. It is based on a clear conceptual distinction between the solution methods and the problems they are intended to solve. This separation confers a maximum design and code reuse. This general-purpose framework provides a broad range of fitness assignment strategies, the most common diversity preservation mechanisms, some elitistrelated features as well as statistical tools. Furthermore, a number of state-of-the-art search methods, including NSGA-II, SPEA2 and IBEA, have been implemented in a user-friendly way, based on the fine-grained ParadisEO-MOEO components

SHH1, a Homeodomain Protein Required for DNA Methylation, As Well As RDR2, RDM4, and Chromatin Remodeling Factors, Associate with RNA Polymerase IV

DNA methylation is an evolutionarily conserved epigenetic modification that is critical for gene silencing and the maintenance of genome integrity. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the de novo DNA methyltransferase, DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYLTRANSFERASE 2 (DRM2), is targeted to specific genomic loci by 24 nt small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) through a pathway termed RNA–directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Biogenesis of the targeting siRNAs is thought to be initiated by the activity of the plant-specific RNA polymerase IV (Pol-IV). However, the mechanism through which Pol-IV is targeted to specific genomic loci and whether factors other than the core Pol-IV machinery are required for Pol-IV activity remain unknown. Through the affinity purification of NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE D1 (NRPD1), the largest subunit of the Pol-IV polymerase, we found that several previously identified RdDM components co-purify with Pol-IV, namely RNA–DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2 (RDR2), CLASSY1 (CLSY1), and RNA–DIRECTED DNA METHYLATION 4 (RDM4), suggesting that the upstream siRNA generating portion of the RdDM pathway may be more physically coupled than previously envisioned. A homeodomain protein, SAWADEE HOMEODOMAIN HOMOLOG 1 (SHH1), was also found to co-purify with NRPD1; and we demonstrate that SHH1 is required for de novo and maintenance DNA methylation, as well as for the accumulation of siRNAs at specific loci, confirming it is a bonafide component of the RdDM pathway

Negotiating employability: migrant capitals and networking strategies for Zimbabwean highly skilled migrants in the UK

In this paper we focus on highly skilled migration from Zimbabwe to the UK, exploring these migrants’ social capital sources/structures and content. In doing so we pay attention to routes of migration and how they shape migrants’ networking capabilities and patterns. We further take a Bourdieusian perspective and explore the intersection between social capital and cultural capital in the process of migrants’ negotiation of employment opportunities, giving closer attention to how the distinctive habitus associated with being highly skilled migrants from Zimbabwe shape migrants’ attitudes towards work. By exploring the interplay between external processes and internalised structures, we bring to the fore the multiple positioning of our participants, who we see not as simply depending on social networks, but as complex actors whose negotiation of employability in the UK is shaped by various factors including intersecting aspects of differentiation

Mimotope ELISA for Detection of Broad Spectrum Antibody against Avian H5N1 Influenza Virus

Science and Technology Foundation of Fujian Province [2009YZ0002]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [30901077]; National High Technology Research and Development Program [2010AA022801]Background: We have raised a panel of broad spectrum neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, which neutralize the infectivity of, and afford protection against infection by, most of the major genetic groups of the virus evolved since 1997. Peptide mimics reactive with one of these broad spectrum H5N1 neutralizing antibodies, 8H5, were identified from random phage display libraries. Method: The amino acid residues of the most reactive 12mer peptide, p125 (DTPLTTAALRLV), were randomly substituted to improve its mimicry of the natural 8H5 epitope. Result: 133 reactive peptides with unique amino acid sequences were identified from 5 sub-libraries of p125. Four residues (2,4,5.9) of the parental peptide were preserved among all the derived peptides and probably essential for 8H5 binding. These are interspersed among four other residues (1,3,8,10), which exhibit restricted substitution and probably could contribute to binding, and another four (6,7,11,12) which could be randomly substituted and probably are not essential for binding. One peptide, V-1b, derived by substituting 5 of the latter residues is the most reactive and has a binding constant of 3.16x10(-9) M, which is 38 fold higher than the affinity of the parental p125. Immunoassay produced with this peptide is specifically reactive with 8H5 but not also the other related broad spectrum H5N1 avian influenza virus neutralizing antibodies. Serum samples from 29 chickens infected with H5N1 avian influenza virus gave a positive result by this assay and those from 12 uninfected animals gave a negative test result. Conclusion: The immunoassay produced with the 12 mer peptide, V1-b, is specific for the natural 8H5 epitope and can be used for detection of antibody against the broad spectrum neutralization site of H5N1 avian influenza virus

A randomised controlled trial of the Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) for childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An abundance of literature is dedicated to research for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Most, is in the area of pharmacological therapies with less emphasis in psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions and even less in the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).</p> <p>The use of CAM has increased over the years, especially for developmental and behavioral disorders, such as ADHD. 60–65% of parents with children with ADHD have used CAM. Medical evidence supports a multidisciplinary approach (i.e. pharmacological and psychosocial) for the best clinical outcomes. The Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), a branch of Chiropractic, was designed to address the biopsychosocial aspects of acute and chronic conditions including non-musculoskeletal conditions. Anecdotally, it has been suggested that ADHD may be managed effectively by NET.</p> <p>Design/methods</p> <p>A placebo controlled, double blind randomised clinical trial was designed to assess the effectiveness of NET on a cohort of children with medically diagnosed ADHD.</p> <p>Children aged 5–12 years who met the inclusion criteria were randomised to one of three groups. The control group continued on their existing medical regimen and the intervention and placebo groups had the addition of the NET and sham NET protocols added to their regimen respectively. These two groups attended a clinical facility twice a week for the first month and then once a month for six months.</p> <p>The Conners' Parent and Teacher Rating Scales (CRS) were used at the start of the study to establish baseline data and then in one month and in seven months time, at the conclusion of the study. The primary outcome measures chosen were the Conners' ADHD Index and Conners' Global Index. The secondary outcome measures chosen were the DSM-IV: Inattentive, the DSM-IV:Hyperactive-Impulsive, and the DSM-IV:Total subscales from the Conners' Rating Scales, monitoring changes in inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.</p> <p>Calculations for the sample size were set with a significance level of 0.05 and the power of 80%, yielding a sample size of 93.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The present study should provide information as to whether the addition of NET to an existing medical regimen can improve outcomes for children with ADHD.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registration Number: ANZCTRN 012606000332527</p

Why so serious? Theorising playful model-driven group decision support with situated affectivity

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via the DOI in this record.An integrative approach to theorising behavioural, affective and cognitive processes in modeldriven group decision support (GDS) interventions is needed to gain insight into the (micro-)processes by which outcomes are accomplished. This paper proposes that the theoretical lens of situated affectivity, grounded in recent extensions of scaffolded mind models, is suitable to understand the performativity of affective micro-processes in model-driven GDS interventions. An illustrative vignette of a humorous micro-moment in a group decision workshop is presented to reveal the performativity of extended affective scaffolding processes for group decision development. The lens of situated affectivity constitutes a novel approach for the study of interventionist practice in the context of group decision making (and negotiation). An outlook with opportunities for future research is offered to facilitate an integrated approach to the study of cognitive-affective and behavioural micro-processes in model-driven GDS interventions.This work was supported in part by the EU FP7-ENERGY- SMARTCITIES-2012 (314277) project STEEP (Systems Thinking for Comprehensive City Efficient Energy Planning