Effects and Clinical Significance of GII.4 Sydney Norovirus,United States, 2012–2013

During 2012, global detection of a new norovirus (NoV) strain, GII.4 Sydney, raised concerns about its potential effect in the United States. We analyzed data from NoV outbreaks in 5 states and emergency department visits for gastrointestinal illness in 1 state during the 2012–13 season and compared the data with those of previous seasons. During August 2012–April 2013, a total of 637 NoV outbreaks were reported compared with 536 and 432 in 2011–2012 and 2010–2011 during the same period. The proportion of outbreaks attributed to GII.4 Sydney increased from 8% in September 2012 to 82% in March 2013. The increase in emergency department visits for gastrointestinal illness during the 2012–13 season was similar to that of previous seasons. GII.4 Sydney has become the predominant US NoV outbreak strain during the 2012–13 season, but its emergence did not cause outbreak activity to substantially increase from that of previous seasons.     

A span of control tool for clinical managers

During the second half of the 1990s, healthcare in Canada experienced significant downsizing and reform. One of the consequences of these reorganizations has been a reduction in the number of clinical managers and a significant increase in their span of control, to the point that often their abilities to fulfil their role as clinical managers are hindered (Altaffer 1998; Counsell et al. 2001; Pabst 1993). The first-line manager plays a critical role in the delivery of healthcare, in particular, within nursing services. Therefore, providing support for the professional practice of clinical managers should become a priority.     

Regulation of the IGFBP-5 and MMP-13 genes by the microRNAs miR-140 and miR-27a in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes

Background  

MMP-13 and IGFBP-5 are important factors involved in osteoarthritis (OA). We investigated whether two highly predicted microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-140 and miR-27a, regulate these two genes in human OA chondrocytes.     

Use of the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform System of Task Analysis for persons with schizophrenia: A preliminary study

Background/aim:  Task analysis that targets information processing skills is an essential tool to understanding difficulties encountered by people with schizophrenia in their daily activities. The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the use of the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis for this clientele. The specific objectives were to describe information processing difficulties as measured by the PRPP and to examine preliminary evidence of construct validity and interrater reliability.
Methods:  In the first part of this study, 10 participants with schizophrenia living in the community were assessed using the PRPP during both a simple and a complex meal preparation task. Community functioning was measured using the Independent Living Skills Survey. In the second part, interrater reliability was appraised using three trained raters, who scored 15 participants preparing the complex meal preparation task.
Results:  Analysis of performance demonstrates that people with schizophrenia have difficulties especially in the Perceive and Plan quadrants of the PRPP and are more challenged in the complex task. The PRPP total score for the complex task is strongly related to the community functioning score. Results indicate good interrater reliability for the PRPP total score and moderate interrater reliability for the quadrant scores.
Conclusion:  Despite the small sample size, results from this preliminary study support the use of the PRPP System of Task Analysis to further explore the impact cognitive deficits have on daily task performance and thus on community functioning in people with schizophrenia.     

Calretinin expression in the differential diagnosis of human ameloblastoma and keratocystic odontogenic tumor

Ameloblastoma is a benign, locally aggressive epithelial odontogenic tumor that has the potential to become malignant and produce metastasis to distant sites such as lungs and kidneys. The histologic presentation can be, in some instances, mistaken for keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) (formerly known as odontogenic keratocyst). The expression of calretinin [calbindin2 (CALB2)] was investigated on both ameloblastoma and KCOT. Nineteen cases of ameloblastoma and 17 cases of KCOT were stained with calretinin antiserum 18-0211 (Zymed, San Francisco, CA). All cases (100%) of ameloblastoma showed positive calretinin staining, restricted to the neoplastic epithelial component and none (0%) of the 17 KCOTs showed positive calretinin staining. Gene expression profiling of ameloblastomas showed CALB2 expressed in the basal cell layer of columnar cells resembling preameloblasts, in all 5 of the ameloblastomas evaluated. Taken together, the results of this study strongly support calretinin as a useful immunohistochemical marker for ameloblastoma and malignant ameloblastoma and it can also be used in the differential diagnosis of KCOT.