Ruth Magdalena | University of Southern Queensland (original) (raw)

Papers by Ruth Magdalena

Day Care & Early Education, 2008

Pre-school children with special needs face a complex transition to school, requiring additional ... more Pre-school children with special needs face a complex transition to school, requiring additional administrative, social and educational support. In this study, parents of 40 children with special needs reported on the transition to school experience of their 4–6-year-old child. They completed a measure of impact of the child’s disability on their family and an assessment of the quality of services experienced. Individual, semi-structured interviews contextualized these evaluations. Twenty children (pre-transition) were in preschool; 20 had already started school (post). Post-transition parents reported less average disability impact on family, generally lower perception of quality of care than pre-transition ones, and long waiting periods for school-based support. Most parents, however, reported satisfactory linkages between prior-to-school services and school. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that, despite the current climate of support for early child development, barriers for satisfactory transition to school still exist, and are largely due to low effectiveness of existing policies.

Cancer Treatment Reviews, 2011

Taxanes offer clear benefits in adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. This review examin... more Taxanes offer clear benefits in adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. This review examines evidence to date on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of their use in the adjuvant treatment of women with early breast cancer, based on three meta-analyses, one systematic review, five clinical practice guidelines and 16 randomized clinical trials. Against the background of a major increase in the use of docetaxel rather than paclitaxel in our setting over the past few years, implying a major increase in costs, we examined whether this higher use of docetaxel is supported by the available evidence. In this wide study, we found no evidence that regimens containing docetaxel yield greater benefits than those including paclitaxel. From an effectiveness standpoint, the change from paclitaxel to docetaxel in our setting is not justified.

Despite relatively high levels of total spending and enormous growth in the supply of services du... more Despite relatively high levels of total spending and enormous growth in the supply of services during five decades, the Dominican health system demonstrates low performance in addressing the health needs of its population, ensuring acceptable quality of care, reducing the financial burden of health care on the poor, or providing adequate insurance coverage for those with the ability to pay. The paper analyzes deficiencies in financing, organization and delivery of health services in both the public and private sectors. The paper argues that government failure has undermined the health system and health care. Despite calls for reforms, attempts to restructure the system have not yet taken shape.

Biological Conservation, 2011

Reintroduction of native species has become increasingly important in conservation worldwide for ... more Reintroduction of native species has become increasingly important in conservation worldwide for recovery of rare species and restoration purposes. However, few studies have reported the outcome of reintroduction efforts in plant species. Using data from the literature combined with a questionnaire survey, this paper analyses 249 plant species reintroductions worldwide by assessing the methods used and the results obtained from these reintroduction experiments. The objectives were: (1) to examine how successful plant species reintroductions have been so far in establishing or significantly augmenting viable, self-sustaining populations in nature; (2) to determine the conditions under which we might expect plant species reintroductions to be most successful; (3) to make the results of this survey available for future plant reintroduction trials. Results indicate that survival, flowering and fruiting rates of reintroduced plants are generally quite low (on average 52%, 19% and 16%, respectively). Furthermore, our results show a success rate decline in individual experiments with time. Survival rates reported in the literature are also much higher (78% on average) than those mentioned by survey participants (33% on average). We identified various parameters that positively influence plant reintroduction outcomes, e.g., working in protected sites, using seedlings, increasing the number of reintroduced individuals, mixing material from diverse populations, using transplants from stable source populations, site preparation or management effort and knowledge of the genetic variation of the target species. This study also revealed shortcomings of common experimental designs that greatly limit the interpretation of plant reintroduction studies:

Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2003

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) causes severe economic losses in livestock due to low production, animal... more Bovine tuberculosis (TB) causes severe economic losses in livestock due to low production, animal deaths and condemnation of carcasses. It is also an important constraint in international trade of animals and animal products. A scientific committee in Great Britain in 1997 concluded that the development of a cattle vaccine would be the best option for long-term control of TB. However, vaccination of cattle currently is not accepted because the vaccine interferes with the skin reaction to the tuberculin test in the field. Efficacy of M. bovis BCG in protecting bovine and other animal species against tuberculous infection has received much study. Vaccination of cattle prevents the spread of the disease in populations by reducing the number and size of the lesions, and the load of bacteria (rather than by preventing infection). We review the literature about the efficacy of BCG in protecting cattle and other animal species against infection with field strains of M. bovis and discusses its potential use in programs of TB control in high-prevalence populations.

PLOS One, 2008

Background: The potential physiological significance of the nanophase transition of neutral lipid... more Background: The potential physiological significance of the nanophase transition of neutral lipids in the core of low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles is dependent on whether the rate is fast enough to integrate small (62uC) temperature changes in the blood circulation.

British Journal of Nutrition, 2007

Journal of High Energy Physics, 2011

A measurement is presented of the charged hadron multiplicity in hadronic PbPb collisions, as a f... more A measurement is presented of the charged hadron multiplicity in hadronic PbPb collisions, as a function of pseudorapidity and centrality, at a collision energy of 2.76 TeV per nucleon pair. The data sample is collected using the CMS detector and a minimum-bias trigger, with the CMS solenoid off. The number of charged hadrons is measured both by counting the number of reconstructed particle hits and by forming hit doublets of pairs of layers in the pixel detector. The two methods give consistent results. The charged hadron multiplicity density, dN ch /dη| η=0 , for head-on collisions is found to be 1612 ± 55, where the uncertainty is dominated by systematic effects. Comparisons of these results to previous measurements and to various models are also presented.

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since t... more In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.

British Journal of Nutrition, 2008

Revista Latino-americana De Enfermagem, 2009

This cross-sectional multi-centre study explored how family members and friends of illicit drug u... more This cross-sectional multi-centre study explored how family members and friends of illicit drug users perceived protective and risk factors, treatment facilities and policies and laws regarding illicit drug use. Family members and friends of illicit drug users were recruited in 10 urban health care outpatient units in 7 Latin American countries (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico) to complete a questionnaire. The majority of the respondents chose psycho-social factors over genetic or biological explanations as causes of drug problems. Respondents felt that families and governments were responsible for preventing drug problems. Church/religious institutions were most often mentioned in the context of accessible treatment. When asked about access to treatment facilities, the majority said that there were not enough. Shame about drug use, cost, and limited treatment options were most often cited as barriers to treatment.

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to W + W − in the fully leptonic final state i... more Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to W + W − in the fully leptonic final state in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV

Nature Neuroscience, 2005

Adult neurogenesis in mammals is restricted to two small regions, including the olfactory bulb, w... more Adult neurogenesis in mammals is restricted to two small regions, including the olfactory bulb, where GABAergic and dopaminergic interneurons are newly generated throughout the entire lifespan. However, the mechanisms directing them towards a specific neuronal phenotype are not yet understood. Here, we demonstrate the dual role of the transcription factor Pax6 in generating neuronal progenitors and also in directing them towards a dopaminergic periglomerular phenotype in adult mice. We present further evidence that dopaminergic periglomerular neurons originate in a distinct niche, the rostral migratory stream, and are fewer derived from precursors in the zone lining the ventricle. This regionalization of the adult precursor cells is further supported by the restricted expression of the transcription factor Olig2, which specifies transit-amplifying precursor fate and opposes the neurogenic role of Pax6. Together, these data explain both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms controlling neuronal identity in adult neurogenesis.

Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 2008

Interferon (IFN)-alpha2b plus ribavirin is approved for treatment of hepatitis C in children; how... more Interferon (IFN)-alpha2b plus ribavirin is approved for treatment of hepatitis C in children; however, little is known about efficacy and tolerability of pegylated IFN (PEG-IFN)-alpha2b in this population. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy and safety of PEG-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin in children with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty children 3-16 years of age who had detectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA for >or=3 years after exposure and elevated alanine aminotransferase values received PEG-IFN-alpha2b 1.0 microg/kg/wk plus ribavirin 15 mg/kg/d for 24 weeks (genotype 2/3) or 48 weeks (genotype 1/4). The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response (SVR), defined as undetectable HCV RNA (<50 IU/mL) at week 24 of follow-up. SVR was achieved in 50% of patients (3/3 genotype 3; 12/27 genotype 1/4). At week 12, 52% of patients were HCV RNA negative and 72% had a >2 log10 decrease in viral load, compared with baseline; 87% and 71% of these patients, respectively, attained an SVR. Therapy was discontinued in 3 patients as a result of adverse events. No patient required ribavirin dose reduction; PEG-IFN-alpha2b dose was reduced in 23% of patients to manage neutropenia. Combination therapy with PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin treatment was effective in children with chronic hepatitis C. Virologic status at week 12 identified future responders and nonresponders. PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin were reasonably well tolerated, with no unexpected or permanent adverse effects. Further studies are needed to identify the optimum treatment regimen for this patient population.

Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2007

ObjectiveThe observation of reduced circulating concentrations of the constitutive plasma pentrax... more ObjectiveThe observation of reduced circulating concentrations of the constitutive plasma pentraxin protein, serum amyloid P component (SAP), in serum samples obtained from a small number of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been reported as confirmation of an antifibrotic role of this protein. Because neither sustained SAP depletion in humans nor SAP deficiency in mice is associated with fibrosis, we sought to establish rigorously the serum SAP concentration in well-characterized patients with SSc.The observation of reduced circulating concentrations of the constitutive plasma pentraxin protein, serum amyloid P component (SAP), in serum samples obtained from a small number of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been reported as confirmation of an antifibrotic role of this protein. Because neither sustained SAP depletion in humans nor SAP deficiency in mice is associated with fibrosis, we sought to establish rigorously the serum SAP concentration in well-characterized patients with SSc.MethodsSerum concentrations of SAP were measured by electroimmunoassay in a cross-sectional cohort of 20 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc and 12 patients with limited cutaneous SSc, and in a separate 12-month longitudinal cohort of 13 patients with diffuse disease and 37 patients with limited disease. The extent and severity of disease were characterized in detail at the time of serum sampling. Serum concentrations of the classic acute-phase reactants, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A protein, were measured by immunonephelometric assays.Serum concentrations of SAP were measured by electroimmunoassay in a cross-sectional cohort of 20 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc and 12 patients with limited cutaneous SSc, and in a separate 12-month longitudinal cohort of 13 patients with diffuse disease and 37 patients with limited disease. The extent and severity of disease were characterized in detail at the time of serum sampling. Serum concentrations of the classic acute-phase reactants, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A protein, were measured by immunonephelometric assays.ResultsSAP values were entirely within the normal range, regardless of the extent and severity of disease, apart from a very few isolated raised values associated with acute intercurrent complications causing major acute-phase responses.SAP values were entirely within the normal range, regardless of the extent and severity of disease, apart from a very few isolated raised values associated with acute intercurrent complications causing major acute-phase responses.ConclusionWe observed no reduced circulating concentrations of SAP in patients with SSc, nor any evidence of an association between SAP levels and the extent or severity of fibrosis.We observed no reduced circulating concentrations of SAP in patients with SSc, nor any evidence of an association between SAP levels and the extent or severity of fibrosis.

Yields of prompt and non-prompt J/ψ, as well as Υ(1S) mesons, are measured by the CMS experiment ... more Yields of prompt and non-prompt J/ψ, as well as Υ(1S) mesons, are measured by the CMS experiment via their µ + µ − decays in PbPb and pp collisions at √ s NN = 2.76 TeV for quarkonium rapidity |y| < 2.4. Differential cross sections and nuclear modification factors are reported as functions of y and transverse momentum p T , as well as collision centrality. For prompt J/ψ with relatively high p T (6.5 < p T < 30 GeV/c), a strong, centrality-dependent suppression is observed in PbPb collisions, compared to the yield in pp collisions scaled by the number of inelastic nucleon-nucleon collisions.

Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2005

Mutations in genes encoding chromatin-remodeling proteins, such as the ATRX gene, underlie a numb... more Mutations in genes encoding chromatin-remodeling proteins, such as the ATRX gene, underlie a number of genetic disorders including several X-linked mental retardation syndromes; however, the role of these proteins in normal CNS development is unknown. Here, we used a conditional gene-targeting approach to inactivate Atrx, specifically in the forebrain of mice. Loss of ATRX protein caused widespread hypocellularity in the neocortex and hippocampus and a pronounced reduction in forebrain size. Neuronal "birthdating" confirmed that fewer neurons reached the superficial cortical layers, despite normal progenitor cell proliferation. The loss of cortical mass resulted from a 12-fold increase in neuronal apoptosis during early stages of corticogenesis in the mutant animals. Moreover, cortical progenitors isolated from Atrx-null mice undergo enhanced apoptosis upon differentiation. Taken together, our results indicate that ATRX is a critical mediator of cell survival during early neuronal differentiation. Thus, increased neuronal loss may contribute to the severe mental retardation observed in human patients.

Revista Latino-americana De Enfermagem, 2009

The objective of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to obtain the opinions of a group of... more The objective of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to obtain the opinions of a group of people about legal issues regarding addiction. Data collection was performed using a structured questionnaire with four themes. In order to participate, the individual could not use any drugs but should have a close relationship with a drug user. The data was processed using SPSS V. 14. There were 100 participants, 75% of whom were women, and 38% had a drug user as a friend, mainly cocaine and marijuana users. The participants had one opinion in common: laws should be more severe for people who use, sell, or transport drugs. The current laws do not improve consumers' criminal behavior. There is a need for further studies addressing people's opinion about this phenomenon in order to obtain a more realistic view of this drug issue.

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two Z bosons with subsequent decay into... more A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two Z bosons with subsequent decay into a final state containing two quark jets and two leptons, H → ZZ ( * ) → qq − + is presented. Results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb −1 of proton-proton collisions at √ s = 7 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. In order to discriminate between signal and background events, kinematic and topological quantities, including the angular spin correlations of the decay products, are employed. Events are further classified according to the probability of the jets to originate from quarks of light or heavy flavor or from gluons. No evidence for the Higgs boson is found, and upper limits on its production cross section are determined for a Higgs boson of mass between 130 and 600 GeV.

Day Care & Early Education, 2008

Pre-school children with special needs face a complex transition to school, requiring additional ... more Pre-school children with special needs face a complex transition to school, requiring additional administrative, social and educational support. In this study, parents of 40 children with special needs reported on the transition to school experience of their 4–6-year-old child. They completed a measure of impact of the child’s disability on their family and an assessment of the quality of services experienced. Individual, semi-structured interviews contextualized these evaluations. Twenty children (pre-transition) were in preschool; 20 had already started school (post). Post-transition parents reported less average disability impact on family, generally lower perception of quality of care than pre-transition ones, and long waiting periods for school-based support. Most parents, however, reported satisfactory linkages between prior-to-school services and school. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that, despite the current climate of support for early child development, barriers for satisfactory transition to school still exist, and are largely due to low effectiveness of existing policies.

Cancer Treatment Reviews, 2011

Taxanes offer clear benefits in adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. This review examin... more Taxanes offer clear benefits in adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. This review examines evidence to date on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of their use in the adjuvant treatment of women with early breast cancer, based on three meta-analyses, one systematic review, five clinical practice guidelines and 16 randomized clinical trials. Against the background of a major increase in the use of docetaxel rather than paclitaxel in our setting over the past few years, implying a major increase in costs, we examined whether this higher use of docetaxel is supported by the available evidence. In this wide study, we found no evidence that regimens containing docetaxel yield greater benefits than those including paclitaxel. From an effectiveness standpoint, the change from paclitaxel to docetaxel in our setting is not justified.

Despite relatively high levels of total spending and enormous growth in the supply of services du... more Despite relatively high levels of total spending and enormous growth in the supply of services during five decades, the Dominican health system demonstrates low performance in addressing the health needs of its population, ensuring acceptable quality of care, reducing the financial burden of health care on the poor, or providing adequate insurance coverage for those with the ability to pay. The paper analyzes deficiencies in financing, organization and delivery of health services in both the public and private sectors. The paper argues that government failure has undermined the health system and health care. Despite calls for reforms, attempts to restructure the system have not yet taken shape.

Biological Conservation, 2011

Reintroduction of native species has become increasingly important in conservation worldwide for ... more Reintroduction of native species has become increasingly important in conservation worldwide for recovery of rare species and restoration purposes. However, few studies have reported the outcome of reintroduction efforts in plant species. Using data from the literature combined with a questionnaire survey, this paper analyses 249 plant species reintroductions worldwide by assessing the methods used and the results obtained from these reintroduction experiments. The objectives were: (1) to examine how successful plant species reintroductions have been so far in establishing or significantly augmenting viable, self-sustaining populations in nature; (2) to determine the conditions under which we might expect plant species reintroductions to be most successful; (3) to make the results of this survey available for future plant reintroduction trials. Results indicate that survival, flowering and fruiting rates of reintroduced plants are generally quite low (on average 52%, 19% and 16%, respectively). Furthermore, our results show a success rate decline in individual experiments with time. Survival rates reported in the literature are also much higher (78% on average) than those mentioned by survey participants (33% on average). We identified various parameters that positively influence plant reintroduction outcomes, e.g., working in protected sites, using seedlings, increasing the number of reintroduced individuals, mixing material from diverse populations, using transplants from stable source populations, site preparation or management effort and knowledge of the genetic variation of the target species. This study also revealed shortcomings of common experimental designs that greatly limit the interpretation of plant reintroduction studies:

Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2003

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) causes severe economic losses in livestock due to low production, animal... more Bovine tuberculosis (TB) causes severe economic losses in livestock due to low production, animal deaths and condemnation of carcasses. It is also an important constraint in international trade of animals and animal products. A scientific committee in Great Britain in 1997 concluded that the development of a cattle vaccine would be the best option for long-term control of TB. However, vaccination of cattle currently is not accepted because the vaccine interferes with the skin reaction to the tuberculin test in the field. Efficacy of M. bovis BCG in protecting bovine and other animal species against tuberculous infection has received much study. Vaccination of cattle prevents the spread of the disease in populations by reducing the number and size of the lesions, and the load of bacteria (rather than by preventing infection). We review the literature about the efficacy of BCG in protecting cattle and other animal species against infection with field strains of M. bovis and discusses its potential use in programs of TB control in high-prevalence populations.

PLOS One, 2008

Background: The potential physiological significance of the nanophase transition of neutral lipid... more Background: The potential physiological significance of the nanophase transition of neutral lipids in the core of low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles is dependent on whether the rate is fast enough to integrate small (62uC) temperature changes in the blood circulation.

British Journal of Nutrition, 2007

Journal of High Energy Physics, 2011

A measurement is presented of the charged hadron multiplicity in hadronic PbPb collisions, as a f... more A measurement is presented of the charged hadron multiplicity in hadronic PbPb collisions, as a function of pseudorapidity and centrality, at a collision energy of 2.76 TeV per nucleon pair. The data sample is collected using the CMS detector and a minimum-bias trigger, with the CMS solenoid off. The number of charged hadrons is measured both by counting the number of reconstructed particle hits and by forming hit doublets of pairs of layers in the pixel detector. The two methods give consistent results. The charged hadron multiplicity density, dN ch /dη| η=0 , for head-on collisions is found to be 1612 ± 55, where the uncertainty is dominated by systematic effects. Comparisons of these results to previous measurements and to various models are also presented.

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since t... more In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.

British Journal of Nutrition, 2008

Revista Latino-americana De Enfermagem, 2009

This cross-sectional multi-centre study explored how family members and friends of illicit drug u... more This cross-sectional multi-centre study explored how family members and friends of illicit drug users perceived protective and risk factors, treatment facilities and policies and laws regarding illicit drug use. Family members and friends of illicit drug users were recruited in 10 urban health care outpatient units in 7 Latin American countries (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico) to complete a questionnaire. The majority of the respondents chose psycho-social factors over genetic or biological explanations as causes of drug problems. Respondents felt that families and governments were responsible for preventing drug problems. Church/religious institutions were most often mentioned in the context of accessible treatment. When asked about access to treatment facilities, the majority said that there were not enough. Shame about drug use, cost, and limited treatment options were most often cited as barriers to treatment.

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to W + W − in the fully leptonic final state i... more Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to W + W − in the fully leptonic final state in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV

Nature Neuroscience, 2005

Adult neurogenesis in mammals is restricted to two small regions, including the olfactory bulb, w... more Adult neurogenesis in mammals is restricted to two small regions, including the olfactory bulb, where GABAergic and dopaminergic interneurons are newly generated throughout the entire lifespan. However, the mechanisms directing them towards a specific neuronal phenotype are not yet understood. Here, we demonstrate the dual role of the transcription factor Pax6 in generating neuronal progenitors and also in directing them towards a dopaminergic periglomerular phenotype in adult mice. We present further evidence that dopaminergic periglomerular neurons originate in a distinct niche, the rostral migratory stream, and are fewer derived from precursors in the zone lining the ventricle. This regionalization of the adult precursor cells is further supported by the restricted expression of the transcription factor Olig2, which specifies transit-amplifying precursor fate and opposes the neurogenic role of Pax6. Together, these data explain both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms controlling neuronal identity in adult neurogenesis.

Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 2008

Interferon (IFN)-alpha2b plus ribavirin is approved for treatment of hepatitis C in children; how... more Interferon (IFN)-alpha2b plus ribavirin is approved for treatment of hepatitis C in children; however, little is known about efficacy and tolerability of pegylated IFN (PEG-IFN)-alpha2b in this population. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy and safety of PEG-IFN-alpha2b plus ribavirin in children with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty children 3-16 years of age who had detectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA for &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;or=3 years after exposure and elevated alanine aminotransferase values received PEG-IFN-alpha2b 1.0 microg/kg/wk plus ribavirin 15 mg/kg/d for 24 weeks (genotype 2/3) or 48 weeks (genotype 1/4). The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response (SVR), defined as undetectable HCV RNA (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;50 IU/mL) at week 24 of follow-up. SVR was achieved in 50% of patients (3/3 genotype 3; 12/27 genotype 1/4). At week 12, 52% of patients were HCV RNA negative and 72% had a &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;2 log10 decrease in viral load, compared with baseline; 87% and 71% of these patients, respectively, attained an SVR. Therapy was discontinued in 3 patients as a result of adverse events. No patient required ribavirin dose reduction; PEG-IFN-alpha2b dose was reduced in 23% of patients to manage neutropenia. Combination therapy with PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin treatment was effective in children with chronic hepatitis C. Virologic status at week 12 identified future responders and nonresponders. PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin were reasonably well tolerated, with no unexpected or permanent adverse effects. Further studies are needed to identify the optimum treatment regimen for this patient population.

Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2007

ObjectiveThe observation of reduced circulating concentrations of the constitutive plasma pentrax... more ObjectiveThe observation of reduced circulating concentrations of the constitutive plasma pentraxin protein, serum amyloid P component (SAP), in serum samples obtained from a small number of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been reported as confirmation of an antifibrotic role of this protein. Because neither sustained SAP depletion in humans nor SAP deficiency in mice is associated with fibrosis, we sought to establish rigorously the serum SAP concentration in well-characterized patients with SSc.The observation of reduced circulating concentrations of the constitutive plasma pentraxin protein, serum amyloid P component (SAP), in serum samples obtained from a small number of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been reported as confirmation of an antifibrotic role of this protein. Because neither sustained SAP depletion in humans nor SAP deficiency in mice is associated with fibrosis, we sought to establish rigorously the serum SAP concentration in well-characterized patients with SSc.MethodsSerum concentrations of SAP were measured by electroimmunoassay in a cross-sectional cohort of 20 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc and 12 patients with limited cutaneous SSc, and in a separate 12-month longitudinal cohort of 13 patients with diffuse disease and 37 patients with limited disease. The extent and severity of disease were characterized in detail at the time of serum sampling. Serum concentrations of the classic acute-phase reactants, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A protein, were measured by immunonephelometric assays.Serum concentrations of SAP were measured by electroimmunoassay in a cross-sectional cohort of 20 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc and 12 patients with limited cutaneous SSc, and in a separate 12-month longitudinal cohort of 13 patients with diffuse disease and 37 patients with limited disease. The extent and severity of disease were characterized in detail at the time of serum sampling. Serum concentrations of the classic acute-phase reactants, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A protein, were measured by immunonephelometric assays.ResultsSAP values were entirely within the normal range, regardless of the extent and severity of disease, apart from a very few isolated raised values associated with acute intercurrent complications causing major acute-phase responses.SAP values were entirely within the normal range, regardless of the extent and severity of disease, apart from a very few isolated raised values associated with acute intercurrent complications causing major acute-phase responses.ConclusionWe observed no reduced circulating concentrations of SAP in patients with SSc, nor any evidence of an association between SAP levels and the extent or severity of fibrosis.We observed no reduced circulating concentrations of SAP in patients with SSc, nor any evidence of an association between SAP levels and the extent or severity of fibrosis.

Yields of prompt and non-prompt J/ψ, as well as Υ(1S) mesons, are measured by the CMS experiment ... more Yields of prompt and non-prompt J/ψ, as well as Υ(1S) mesons, are measured by the CMS experiment via their µ + µ − decays in PbPb and pp collisions at √ s NN = 2.76 TeV for quarkonium rapidity |y| < 2.4. Differential cross sections and nuclear modification factors are reported as functions of y and transverse momentum p T , as well as collision centrality. For prompt J/ψ with relatively high p T (6.5 < p T < 30 GeV/c), a strong, centrality-dependent suppression is observed in PbPb collisions, compared to the yield in pp collisions scaled by the number of inelastic nucleon-nucleon collisions.

Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2005

Mutations in genes encoding chromatin-remodeling proteins, such as the ATRX gene, underlie a numb... more Mutations in genes encoding chromatin-remodeling proteins, such as the ATRX gene, underlie a number of genetic disorders including several X-linked mental retardation syndromes; however, the role of these proteins in normal CNS development is unknown. Here, we used a conditional gene-targeting approach to inactivate Atrx, specifically in the forebrain of mice. Loss of ATRX protein caused widespread hypocellularity in the neocortex and hippocampus and a pronounced reduction in forebrain size. Neuronal "birthdating" confirmed that fewer neurons reached the superficial cortical layers, despite normal progenitor cell proliferation. The loss of cortical mass resulted from a 12-fold increase in neuronal apoptosis during early stages of corticogenesis in the mutant animals. Moreover, cortical progenitors isolated from Atrx-null mice undergo enhanced apoptosis upon differentiation. Taken together, our results indicate that ATRX is a critical mediator of cell survival during early neuronal differentiation. Thus, increased neuronal loss may contribute to the severe mental retardation observed in human patients.

Revista Latino-americana De Enfermagem, 2009

The objective of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to obtain the opinions of a group of... more The objective of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to obtain the opinions of a group of people about legal issues regarding addiction. Data collection was performed using a structured questionnaire with four themes. In order to participate, the individual could not use any drugs but should have a close relationship with a drug user. The data was processed using SPSS V. 14. There were 100 participants, 75% of whom were women, and 38% had a drug user as a friend, mainly cocaine and marijuana users. The participants had one opinion in common: laws should be more severe for people who use, sell, or transport drugs. The current laws do not improve consumers' criminal behavior. There is a need for further studies addressing people's opinion about this phenomenon in order to obtain a more realistic view of this drug issue.

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two Z bosons with subsequent decay into... more A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two Z bosons with subsequent decay into a final state containing two quark jets and two leptons, H → ZZ ( * ) → qq − + is presented. Results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb −1 of proton-proton collisions at √ s = 7 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. In order to discriminate between signal and background events, kinematic and topological quantities, including the angular spin correlations of the decay products, are employed. Events are further classified according to the probability of the jets to originate from quarks of light or heavy flavor or from gluons. No evidence for the Higgs boson is found, and upper limits on its production cross section are determined for a Higgs boson of mass between 130 and 600 GeV.