474 research outputs found
Structural biology and phylogenetic estimation
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62633/1/388527a0.pd
Diagnostic Utility of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised in Two Samples of Survivors of War
The study aimed at examining the diagnostic utility of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) as a screening tool for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in survivors of war. The IES-R was completed by two independent samples that had survived the war in the Balkans: a sample of randomly selected people who had stayed in the area of former conflict (n = 3,313) and a sample of refugees to Western European countries (n = 854). PTSD was diagnosed using the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Prevalence of PTSD was 20.1% in the Balkan sample and 33.1% in the refugee sample. Results revealed that when considering a minimum value of specificity of 0.80, the optimally sensitive cut-off score for screening for PTSD in the Balkan sample was 34. In both the Balkan sample and the refugee sample, this cut-off score provided good values on sensitivity (0.86 and 0.89, respectively) and overall efficiency (0.81 and 0.79, respectively). Further, the kappa coefficients for sensitivity for the cut-off of 34 were 0.80 in both samples. Findings of this study support the clinical utility of the IES-R as a screening tool for PTSD in large-scale research studies and intervention studies if structured diagnostic interviews are regarded as too labor-intensive and too costly
Pelagic calcium carbonate production and shallow dissolution in the North Pacific Ocean
Planktonic calcifying organisms play a key role in regulating ocean carbonate
chemistry and atmospheric CO 2 . Surprisingly, references to the absolute and
relative contribution of these organisms to calcium carbonate production are
lacking. Here we report quantification of pelagic calcium carbonate produc-
tion in the North Pacific, providing new insights on the contribution of the
three main planktonic calcifying groups. Our results show that coccolitho-
phores dominate the living calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) standing stock, with
coccolithophore calcite comprising ~90% of total CaCO 3 production, and
pteropods and foraminifera playing a secondary role. We show that pelagic
CaCO 3 production is higher than the sinking flux of CaCO 3 at 150 and 200 m at
ocean stations ALOHA and PAPA, implying that a large portion of pelagic
calcium carbonate is remineralised within the photic zone; this extensive
shallow dissolution explains the apparent discrepancy between previous
estimates of CaCO 3 production derived from satellite observations/biogeo-
chemical modeling versus estimates from shallow sediment traps. We suggest
future changes in the CaCO 3 cycle and its impact on atmospheric CO 2 will
largely depend on how the poorly-understood processes that determine
whether CaCO 3 is remineralised in the photic zone or exported to depth
respond to anthropogenic warming and acidification
The hr1 and Fusion Peptide Regions of the Subgroup B Avian Sarcoma and Leukosis Virus Envelope Glycoprotein Influence Low pH-Dependent Membrane Fusion
The avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV) envelope glycoprotein (Env) is activated to trigger fusion by a two-step mechanism involving receptor-priming and low pH fusion activation. In order to identify regions of ASLV Env that can regulate this process, a genetic selection method was used to identify subgroup B (ASLV-B) virus-infected cells resistant to low pH-triggered fusion when incubated with cells expressing the cognate TVB receptor. The subgroup B viral Env (envB) genes were then isolated from these cells and characterized by DNA sequencing. This led to identification of two frequent EnvB alterations which allowed TVB receptor-binding but altered the pH-threshold of membrane fusion activation: a 13 amino acid deletion in the host range 1 (hr1) region of the surface (SU) EnvB subunit, and the A32V amino acid change within the fusion peptide of the transmembrane (TM) EnvB subunit. These data indicate that these two regions of EnvB can influence the pH threshold of fusion activation
Systematic review of communication technologies to promote access and engagement of young people with diabetes into healthcare
Background: Research has investigated whether communication technologies (e.g. mobile telephony, forums,
email) can be used to transfer digital information between healthcare professionals and young people who live
with diabetes. The systematic review evaluates the effectiveness and impact of these technologies on
communication.
Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched. Technologies were described and a narrative synthesis of all
studies was undertaken.
Results: Of 20,925 publications identified, 19 met the inclusion criteria, with 18 technologies assessed. Five
categories of communication technologies were identified: video-and tele-conferencing (n = 2); mobile telephony
(n = 3); telephone support (n = 3); novel electronic communication devices for transferring clinical information (n =
10); and web-based discussion boards (n = 1). Ten studies showed a positive improvement in HbA1c following the
intervention with four studies reporting detrimental increases in HbA1c levels. In fifteen studies communication
technologies increased the frequency of contact between patient and healthcare professional. Findings were
inconsistent of an association between improvements in HbA1c and increased contact. Limited evidence was
available concerning behavioural and care coordination outcomes, although improvement in quality of life, patientcaregiver
interaction, self-care and metabolic transmission were reported for some communication technologies.
Conclusions: The breadth of study design and types of technologies reported make the magnitude of benefit and
their effects on health difficult to determine. While communication technologies may increase the frequency of
contact between patient and health care professional, it remains unclear whether this results in improved
outcomes and is often the basis of the intervention itself. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness
and cost effectiveness of increasing the use of communication technologies between young people and
healthcare professionals
How and When Socially Entrepreneurial Nonprofit Organizations Benefit From Adopting Social Alliance Management Routines to Manage Social Alliances?
Social alliance is defined as the collaboration between for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Building on the insights derived from the resource-based theory, we develop a conceptual framework to explain how socially entrepreneurial nonprofit organizations (SENPOs) can improve their social alliance performance by adopting strategic alliance management routines. We test our framework using the data collected from 203 UK-based SENPOs in the context of cause-related marketing campaign-derived social alliances. Our results confirm a positive relationship between social alliance management routines and social alliance performance. We also find that relational mechanisms, such as mutual trust, relational embeddedness, and relational commitment, mediate the relationship between social alliance management routines and social alliance performance. Moreover, our findings suggest that different types of social alliance motivation can influence the impact of social alliance management routines on different types of the relational mechanisms. In general, we demonstrate that SENPOs can benefit from adopting social alliance management routines and, in addition, highlight how and when the social alliance management routines–social alliance performance relationship might be shaped. Our study offers important academic and managerial implications, and points out future research directions
Recommended from our members
Measurements of the transverse-momentum-dependent cross sections of J /ψ production at mid-rapidity in proton+proton collisions at s =510 and 500 GeV with the STAR detector
We present measurements of the differential cross sections of inclusive J/ψ meson production as a function of transverse momentum (pTJ/ψ) using the μ+μ- and e+e- decay channels in proton+proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 510 and 500 GeV, respectively, recorded by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The measurement from the μ+μ- channel is for
Pre-natal and post-natal exposure to respiratory infection and atopic diseases development: a historical cohort study
BACKGROUND: According to the hygiene hypothesis, infections in early life protect from allergic diseases. However, in earlier studies surrogate measures of infection rather than clinical infections were associated with decreased frequencies of atopic diseases. Exposure to infection indicating sub-clinical infection rather than clinical infection might protect from atopic diseases. Objective: to investigate whether exposure to acute respiratory infections within pregnancy and the first year of life is associated with atopic conditions at age 5–14 years and to explore when within pregnancy and the first year of life this exposure is most likely to be protective. METHODS: Historical cohort study: Population level data on acute respiratory infections from the routine reporting system of the former German Democratic Republic were linked with individual data from consecutive surveys on atopic diseases in the same region (n = 4672). Statistical analyses included multivariate logistic regression analysis and polynomial distributed lag models. RESULTS: High exposure to acute respiratory infection between pregnancy and age one year was associated with overall reduced odds of asthma, eczema, hay fever, atopic sensitization and total IgE. Exposure in the first 9 months of life showed the most pronounced effect. Adjusted odds ratio's for asthma, hay fever, inhalant sensitization and total IgE were statistical significantly reduced up to around half. CONCLUSION: Exposure to respiratory infection (most likely indicating sub-clinical infection) within pregnancy and the first year of life may be protective in atopic diseases development. The post-natal period thereby seems to be particularly important
- …