bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Market Interest in Nonfinancial Information
Authors: Eccles Robert G. , Serafeim George , Krzus Michael P.
Published: December 2011

During the past two decades, more and more companies have volunteered to provide “corporate social responsibility” or “sustainability” reports that include information about their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies and performance. Such reporting has come about largely in response to demands by a wide range of stakeholders for information about how the company's operations are affecting society in a number of different ways. But do investors really care about companies' ESG performance and policies?

Using data from Bloomberg, the authors provide the first broadly based empirical evidence of investors' interest in ESG data. More specifically, the authors show how interest in the top 20 ESG metrics varies with geographical location (European vs. American), asset class (fixed income vs. equity), and firm type. At the aggregate market level, there is greater interest in environmental and governance information than in “social” information. U.S. investors are more interested than their European counterparts in governance and less interested in environmental information. Equity investors are interested in a wider range of nonfinancial information than are fixed income investors. And whereas sell‐side analysts are primarily interested in greenhouse gas emissions, money managers tend to focus on a broader set of metrics. Similarly, pension funds and hedge funds have shown interest in more nonfinancial metrics than insurance companies.

The authors' bottom line: Companies need to recognize the growing market interest in nonfinancial information and ensure that they are providing it according to the specific information needs of market users.
Synthesis and In Vitro Antifungal Evaluation of 1,3,5‐Trisubstituted‐2‐Pyrazoline Derivatives
Authors: Deng Hui , Yu Zhi‐Yi , Shi Guan‐Ying , Chen Ming‐Jing , Tao Ke , Hou Tai‐Ping
Published: December 2011

Pyrazolines, the well‐known five‐membered nitrogen‐containing heterocyclic compounds, have received considerable interests in the fields of medicinal and agricultural chemistry because of their broad spectrum of biological activities. To discover more potent antifungal compounds, a series of structurally related 1,3,5‐trisubstituted‐2‐pyrazoline derivatives have been synthesized by introducing furan rings regarded as bioactive substructure into the scaffold of pyrazolines and tested for their activities against six plant pathogenic fungi in vitro. The preliminary bioassays indicated that almost all synthesized compounds had displayed variable growth inhibitory effects on the tested pathogenic fungi. In particular, compounds 4, 7, 9, 12, 18, 19, and 38 displayed excellent antifungal activities against Rhizoctonia solani and their inhibition of growth reached 100% at the concentration of 20 mg/L. Additionally, compounds 9 and 19 bearing two furan rings, respectively, at site 3 and site 5 of the pyrazoline cycle showed the strongest activities against R. solani (the EC50 were 3.46 mg/L and 3.20 mg/L). The bioactivity results provide good starting templates for further structural optimization of pyrazoline derivatives.
Institutional Recalibration and Judicial Delimitation
Authors: Chinn Stuart
Published: December 2011

Throughout American history, a peculiar and recurrent disjunction has often arisen between the substance of transformative reforms and the decidedly less-radical governing arrangements that arise in the aftermath of reform. To account for this disjunction, this article puts forth a theory of postreform “recalibration.” Political processes of recalibration are the means by which vague, indeterminate principles of reform are given operational meaning and translated into new governing arrangements. This article illuminates recalibration processes by examining two case-studies: African American rights in the post-Reconstruction era of the 1870s and 1880s, and labor rights in the post–New Deal era of the late 1930s. Finally, the article also highlights the crucial role of the Supreme Court in recalibration processes and sets forth a theory of judicial behavior as driven by an institutional interest in stability.
Legislative-Executive Conflict and Private Statutory Litigation in the United States: Evidence from Labor, Civil Rights, and Environmental Law
Authors: Farhang Sean
Published: December 2011

Examining qualitative historical evidence from cases of federal regulation in the areas of labor, civil rights, and environmental policy, this article provides support for the hypothesis that divergence between legislative and executive preferences—a core and distinctive feature of the American constitutional order—creates an incentive for Congress to rely upon private lawsuits, as an alternative to administrative power, to achieve its regulatory goals. It also shows that this mechanism encouraging statutory mobilization of private litigants had been operative long before its powerful growth started in the late 1960s, that it operated in similar fashion with Republican legislators facing Democratic presidents and Democratic legislators facing Republican presidents, and that it remained a source of controversy and an active influence on congressional decision making throughout the half century covering the 1940s through the 1980s.
Employment Discrimination Law and Industrial Psychology: Social Science as Social Authority and the Co-Production of Law and Science
Authors: Stryker Robin , Docka-Filipek Danielle , Wald Pamela
Published: December 2011

This article combines Monahan and Walker's classification of social facts, social authority, and social frameworks with political-institutionalism's view of law and science as competing institutional logics to explain how, and with what consequences, employment discrimination law and industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology became co-produced. When social science is incorporated into enforcement of legislative law as social authority—rationale for judicial rule making—law's institutional logic of relying on precedent and reasoning by analogy ensures that social science will have ongoing influence on law's development. By helping set research agendas and providing new professional opportunities, institutionalized legal doctrine shapes social science knowledge. But because of differences in institutional logic, wherein legal cumulation is backward looking whereas scientific cumulation is forward looking, co-production of law and science may produce institutional mismatch between legal doctrine and scientific knowledge.
Antagonistic Activities of Lactobacilli against Helicobacter pylori Growth and Infection in Human Gastric Epithelial Cells
Authors: Chen Xiaohua , Liu Xiao‐ming , Tian Fengwei , Zhang Qiuxiang , Zhang He‐ping , Zhang Hao , Chen Wei
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Lactobacilli have positive effects on bowel microflora and health in humans and animals. In this study, the antagonistic activities of Lactobacillus gasseri Chen, and L. plantarum 18 were assessed by agar plate diffusion assay and tests that determined the growth and urease activity of Helicobacter pylori cocultured with lactobacilli and the adherence of H. pylori to human gastric epithelial cells in the presence of lactobacilli. The results showed that the 2 Lactobacillus strains had significant anti‐H.pylori activity, and this activity may be contributed by the cell‐free supernatants (CFS) of lactobacilli and live Lactobacillus strains in vitro. The antagonistic activity of the CFS against H. pylori depended on the pH and the presence of metabolites, such as organic acids and proteases. Our results also indicated that 2 Lactobacillus strains could inhibit H. pylori adherence human gastric epithelial cells.

Practical Application:  Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer, and it infects about 50% of the world's population. Lactobacilli have been reported to have an inhibitory effect on H. pylori and can be used as probiotic to manufacture dairy products preventing H. pylori infection.
Phenolics Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Wine Produced from Spine Grape (Vitis davidii Foex) and Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata Michx.) Fruits from South China
Authors: Meng Jiangfei , Fang Yulin , Gao Jinshan , Qiao Lingling , Zhang Ang , Guo Zhijun , Qin Minyang , Huang Jizhuang , Hu Ying , Zhuang Xifu
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Wines made from 3 spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex) genotypes—Junzi 1# (JZ 1#), Junzi 2# (JZ 2#), and Liantang (LT)—and Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata Michx., CR) were evaluated for their phenolics composition and antioxidant activities by several assays, including 2,2′‐azino‐bis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS scavenging capacity, cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity, and metal‐chelating capacity). The results showed that CR wine had higher contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins than the 3 spine grape genotype wines and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) wine. Among the 3 varieties of spine grape wines, JZ 1# had higher contents than the 2 other genotypes. Moreover, the total monomeric anthocyanins in JZ 1# was about 4.5‐fold higher than those in CS wine and CR wine. A significance analysis demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity (as measured by the ABTS scavenging capacity and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) of CR wine was significantly higher than that of the control and spine grape wines. With respect to metal‐chelating capacity, the CR wine was the strongest amongst all the wine samples tested, followed by JZ 1#. This indicates that CR and JZ 1# wines can potentially be considered as wild fruit wines with abundant phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities.

Practical Application:  Spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex) and Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata Michx.) are 2 species of important wild plants in South China. However, they have not yet been effectively developed and utilized. Recently, some researchers attempted to convert their juice to wine. We anticipate that this research will provide sufficient experimental evidence for their good antioxidant activity and potential for further development and utilization.
Carvedilol‐Lisinopril Combination Therapy and Endothelial Function in Obese Individuals With Hypertension
Authors: Kelly Aaron S. , Gonzalez‐Campoy J. Michael , Rudser Kyle D. , Katz Harold , Metzig Andrea M. , Thalin Melissa , Bank Alan J.
Published: December 2011

The authors hypothesized that carvedilol controlled‐release plus lisinopril combination therapy (C+L) would increase endothelial function and decrease oxidative stress to a greater extent than hydrochlorothiazide plus lisinopril combination therapy (H+L) in obese patients with hypertension. Twenty‐five abdominally obese patients (aged 54.4±7.3 years; 14 women) with hypertension/prehypertension were enrolled in a 7‐month (two 3‐month treatment periods separated by a 1‐month washout), randomized, double‐blind, controlled, crossover clinical trial comparing C+L vs H+L. Endothelial function, measured by digital reactive hyperemic index (RHI), circulating oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (oxLDL), 8‐isoprostane, and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) were obtained at baseline, post‐period 1, post‐washout, and post‐period 2. Analyses were adjusted for baseline measurements by analysis of covariance, with robust variance estimation for confidence intervals and P values. C+L treatment compared to H+L treatment significantly improved RHI (0.74, 95% confidence interval, 0.31–1.19, P =.001). This difference persisted after adjustment for the change in systolic blood pressure. No significant treatment differences were observed for oxLDL, 8‐isoprostane, or ADMA. These data provide evidence that independent of blood pressure–lowering, C+L therapy improves endothelial function to a greater extent than H+L therapy. Levels of oxidative stress were not significantly different between treatments, suggesting that other mechanisms may be responsible for the improvement in endothelial function.
Translational and clinical research in Singapore: ethical issues in a longitudinal study of the prodromal phase of schizophrenia
Authors: Lysaght Tamra , Capps Benjamin , Subramaniam Mythily , Chong Siow‐Ann
Published: December 2011

Aims: This paper aims to provide an overview of the ethical issues that have been raised by The Longitudinal Youth at Risk Study, which is being led by the Institute of Mental Health in Singapore as part of a multi‐centre and multinational study in translational and clinical research in psychosis. This project is designed to identify the biomarkers of the trajectory to psychosis. As well as providing insights into the psychopathology and psychophysiology of the disease, the study will prospectively identify those in the Singaporean population with an ultra‐high risk of developing psychosis. The project will collect both observational and clinically relevant data from an at‐risk group: adolescents and young adults.

Methods: A normative analysis was used to consider the ethical issues that arise as a result of this study, its methods, sample population and clinical management policy.

Results: The project was found to raise particular and sensitive ethical and legal issues relating to the conduct of research with vulnerable populations who may be entering the prodromal phase of psychosis. Issues raised included notions of consent, privacy, confidentiality, stigmatization, duty of care and therapeutic misconception.

Conclusion: Whereas some of the issues raised by this study present with manageable solutions, others may be justifiable within the cultural context of Singapore and warrant further discussion.
Relationship between CA 19‐9 levels and glucose regulation in a middle‐aged and elderly Chinese population
Authors: HUANG Yun , XU Yu , BI Yufang , XU Min , LU Jieli , WANG Tiange , LI Mian , CHEN Yuhong , LIU Yu , HUANG Fei , XU Baihui , ZHANG Jie , WANG Weiqing , NING Guang
Published: December 2011

Objective:  To investigate carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19‐9 levels in subjects with different glucose regulation status and assess the relationship between CA 19‐9 and glucose regulation status in a Chinese population aged 40 years and older.

Methods:  A total of 2792 participants aged 40 years or older with no history of diabetes were enrolled in the present study from the Songnan region, Shanghai, China. Each participant received a two‐point (at 0 and 2 hours) 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test and measurements of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and CA 19‐9 were made.

Results:  The CA 19‐9 levels increased gradually from normal glucose regulation to impaired glucose regulation to new‐onset diabetic patients (8.81, 9.84, and 11.08 U/mL, respectively, P < 0.0001 for trend). In new‐onset diabetic patients, the CA 19‐9 levels were positively and significantly associated with fasting plasma glucose (r = 0.20, P < 0.0001), 2 h post‐load plasma glucose (r = 0.17, P = 0.0007), and HbA1c (r = 0.19, P = 0.0001). Meanwhile, patients with new‐onset diabetes had 3.31‐fold (OR, 4.31; 95% CI, 2.00–9.32) increased higher odds ratio of elevated CA 19‐9 as compared with those with normal glucose regulation after adjustments for confounders.

Conclusions:  The CA 19‐9 levels were significantly higher in diabetic and patients with impaired glucose regulation compared with subjects with normal glucose regulation. Diabetic status was independently associated with elevated CA 19‐9. These results imply that CA 19‐9 might also relate to the endocrine function of the pancreas.
Developing genomic resources in two Linum species via 454 pyrosequencing and genomic reduction
Authors: FU YONG‐BI , PETERSON GREGORY W.
Published: December 2011

Recent advances in next‐generation DNA sequencing (NGS) have enhanced the development of genomic resources such as contigs or single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for evolutionary studies of a nonmodel species with a complex and unsequenced genome. This study presents an application of a NGS technique in combination with genomic reduction and advanced bioinformatics tools to identify contigs and SNPs from multiple samples of two Linum species. A full Roche 454 GS FLX run of 16 diverse Linum samples representing cultivated flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and its wild progenitor (Linum bienne Mill.) generated approximately 1.6 million sequence reads with a total length of 498 Mbp. Application of the computational pipeline de novo identification of alleles identified 713 contigs and 1067 SNPs. A blast search revealed alignments of all 713 contigs with 491 existing Linum scaffolds and gene annotations associated with 512 contigs. Sanger sequencing confirmed 95% of 79 selected contigs and 94% of 272 SNPs and identified 211 new SNPs and 19 new indels. The scored 454 SNP data were highly imbalanced for assayed samples. These findings not only are useful for evolutionary studies of Linum species but also help to illustrate the utility of NGS technologies in SNP discovery for nonmodel organisms.
Reform or reversal: implications of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF) in developing countries
Authors: Khatun Kaysara
Published: December 2011

In the European Union (EU), the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has an ambivalent legacy, in that agricultural production is distorted in favor of the EU economy which has had a direct impact on a broader scale on land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF) outside of the EU. The absence of tariffs for animal feed has evolved to a situation where the EU cheaply imports animal feed from Latin America, including soybeans that are among the main causes of deforestation in the Amazon and the Cerrado region. On the other hand, there is a huge potential for mitigating climate change by reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). This article focuses on one aspect—soy and REDD+ and attempts to make a modest contribution to policy debates by showing that REDD+ and agriculture are closely linked. The 2013 reforms (or lack thereof) of CAP may well have far‐reaching impacts on the multifaceted and already complex landscape under which REDD+ will operate, to the extent that it may be in danger of derailing the mechanism in its infancy.
Carex dapanshanica sp. nov. (C. sect. Mitratae, Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang, China
Authors: Zhao Yin‐Jia , Shen Ting‐Ting , Zheng Yi , Chen Zi‐Lin , Jin Xiao‐Feng
Published: December 2011

Carex dapanshanica X. F. Jin, Y. J. Zhao & Z. L. Chen, a new species of Cyperaceae from Mount Dapan, Zhejiang Province, eastern China is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to C. chungii C. P. Wang, but differs in having 2 or 3spikes, pistillate scales with brown margins and short‐awned at apex, and glabrous perigynia. Micromorphological photographs of the achenes of C. dapanshanica and C. chungii under SEM (scanning electron microscope) are provided as well.
Seed micro‐morphology and its systematic significance in Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae) and allied genera
Authors: Amini Elham , Zarre Shahin , Assadi Mostafa
Published: December 2011

In order to examine the systematic application of seed‐coat micro‐morphology in Gypsophila and allied genera, seed surfaces of 30 species and two varieties representing four genera of tribe Caryophylleae were examined with scanning electron microscope. The seeds of examined species range between 0.5–2.1 mm in length and 0.3–2.4 mm in diameter. The exomorphology of the seed coat shows two distinctive cell patterns. The epidermis is constructed either of elongated polygonal or of broad polygonal cells. The elongated type is the most common among the studied species, but the variation in alignment of testa cells, their size and shape as well as the density of protuberances may provide further information and useful diagnostic characters at generic and specific rank. The testa cells in Gypsophila and Saponaria are shallowly undulate, deeply undulate, lobed and armed at anticlinal walls. Deeply undulate anticlinal walls were observed in both Gypsophila and Ankyropetalum and a few species of Saponaria. Non‐ or indistinctly grooved anticlinal walls is the more common type in Allochrusa. Seed‐coat characters support the separation of Gypsophila and Saponaria to some extent but disagree with recognition of Ankyropetalum as a genus separate from Gypsophila.
Nepenthes robcantleyi sp. nov. (Nepenthaceae) from Mindanao, Philippines
Authors: Cheek Martin
Published: December 2011

Nepenthes robcantleyi Cheek sp. nov. from Mindanao, Philippines is described and illustrated in the Regiae group of Danser, as the second taxon of that group known from the Philippines. The conservation status of the species is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR) as the only known population, found in 1997, has allready been logged and the species may then has gone extinct in the wild.
Demand spillovers and market outcomes in the mutual fund industry
Authors: Gavazza Alessandro
Published: December 2011

When consumers concentrate their purchases at a single firm, firms that offer more products than their rivals gain market share for all their products. These spillovers induce firms to offer a greater variety of products rather than lower prices, and a concentrated industry with few large firms can arise if spillovers are strong enough. This article presents a simple model that illustrates this mechanism explicitly. The empirical analysis documents strong demand spillovers in the retail segment of the U.S. mutual fund industry, in which fees are nontrivial, families offer many funds, and the market is quite concentrated. Instead, spillovers are weaker, fees are lower, families offer fewer funds, and the market structure is more fragmented in the institutional segment.
Exclusive contracts and demand foreclosure
Authors: Spector David
Published: December 2011

A firm may induce some customers to sign exclusive contracts in order to deprive a rival of the minimum viable size, exclude it from the market, and enjoy increased market power. This strategy may result in socially inefficient exclusion even if the excluded firm is present at the contracting stage and can make counteroffers. In addition, allowing for breach penalty clauses decreases firms’ incentives to exclude rivals, because such clauses allow a firm to use customers as a conduit for the transfer of another firm’s profits.
Prizes and lemons: procurement of innovation under imperfect commitment
Authors: Ding Wei , Wolfstetter Elmar G.
Published: December 2011

The literature on research and development contests implicitly assumes that contestants submit their innovation regardless of its value. This ignores a potential adverse selection problem. The present article analyzes the procurement of innovations when the procurer cannot commit himself to never bargain with innovators who bypass the contest. We compare fixed‐prize tournaments with and without entry fees, and optimal scoring auctions with and without minimum score requirement. Our main result is that preventing bypass is more costly in the optimal auction, and the optimal fixed‐prize tournament is more profitable than the optimal auction.
Consumer search and dynamic price dispersion: an application to gasoline markets
Authors: Chandra Ambarish , Tappata Mariano
Published: December 2011

This article studies the role of imperfect information in explaining price dispersion. We use a new panel data set on the U.S. retail gasoline industry and propose a new test of temporal price dispersion to establish the importance of consumer search. We show that price rankings vary significantly over time; however, they are more stable among stations at the same street intersection. We establish the equilibrium relationships between price dispersion and key variables from consumer search models. Price dispersion increases with the number of firms in the market, decreases with the production cost, and increases with search costs.
Hepatobiliary membrane transporters in primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: Takeyama Yasuaki , Sakisaka Shotaro
Published: December 2011

The secretion of bile normally depends on the function of a number of membrane transport systems in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. The transport of solutes from the blood to the bile is driven by transport systems in the plasma membrane of the basolateral and canalicular surfaces of the hepatocytes. In cholestatic animal models, the expression of hepatobiliary transporters changes in response to functional impairment of the efflux of bile salts and various organic anions. In recent years, several studies have led to an improved understanding of the function and regulation of hepatobiliary transport systems in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). This review focuses on the adaptations in hepatobiliary transporters in PBC patients.
Difference in malignancies of chronic liver disease due to non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease or hepatitis C in Japanese elderly patients
Authors: Arase Yasuji , Kobayashi Mariko , Suzuki Fumitaka , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Kawamura Yusuke , Akuta Norio , Imai Norihiro , Kobayashi Masahiro , Sezaki Hitomi , Matsumoto Naoki , Saito Satoshi , Hosaka Tetsuya , Ikeda Kenji , Kumada Hiromitsu , Ohmoto Yuki , Amakawa Kazuhisa , Hsieh Shiun Dong , Ogawa Kyoko , Tanabe Maho , Tsuji Hiroshi , Kobayashi Tetsuro
Published: December 2011

Aim:  Malignancies that include hepatocellular carcinoma often occurred in patients with chronic liver disease. The aim of this retrospective match control study was to assess the cumulative development incidence and predictive factors for total malignancies in elderly Japanese patients with non‐alcoholic hepatic diseases (NAFLD) or hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Methods:  A total of 1600 NAFLD patients with age of ≥60 years were enrolled, and 1600 HCV patients with age of ≥60 years were selected as control by matching 1:1 with NAFLD group for age, sex, and follow‐up period. The primary goal is the first development of malignancies. Evaluation was performed by the use of the Wilcoxon rank sum test, the Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox proportional hazard model. The mean observation period is 8.2 years in both NAFLD and HCV group, respectively.

Results:  The number of patients with the development of malignancies was 167 in the NAFLD group and 395 in the HCV group. The 10th development rate of malignancies was 13.9% in the NAFLD group and 28.2% in the HCV group (risk ratio 2.27; P < 0.001). The incident rates of hepatocellular carcinoma in all the malignancies were 6.0% (10/167) in the NAFLD group and 67.6% (267/395) in the HCV group (P < 0.001). The malignancies in the NAFLD group were observed in the following order: gastric cancer 34 cases (20.4%) > colon cancer 31 cases (18.6%) > prostate cancer 21 cases (12.6%).

Conclusions:  The incident rates of hepatocellular carcinoma in all the malignancies were approximately 6% in the NAFLD group and two‐thirds in the HCV group.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis B with nucleos(t)ide analogues
Authors: Ohishi Waka , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: December 2011

Recently antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B using nucleos(t)ide analogues have become standard treatment modalities on the basis of several independent guidelines, starting with those of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and other such organizations and bodies, including the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL), and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)'s research team. The philosophies underlying such treatment strategies are considered basically equivalent. MHLW's guidelines define subjects for medical intervention to be cases measuring alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥31 IU/L, with serological hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level ≥5 log copies/mL for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive cases, and serological HBV DNA level ≥4 log copies/mL for HBeAg‐negative cases. These Japanese guidelines advocate entecavir as the first‐line treatment option for nucleos(t)ide‐naïve patients, and combination treatment of lamivudine and adefovir as the basis of treatment for patients with lamivudine‐ and/or entecavir‐resistant viruses. Of particular note for patients undergoing lamivudine treatment with persistent HBV DNA level < 2.1 log copies/mL is the recommendation of a switch to entecavir. Early detection of drug‐resistant virus is desirable after initiation of nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment, but such a procedure is not uniformly available at all medical institutions. Nevertheless, timely estimation of potential early‐stage drug‐resistant virus development is crucial for getting a head start on treatment. HBV core‐related antigen (HBcrAg) level or HBV DNA level are considered useful markers for the appearance of such drug‐resistant viruses.
Impact of balloon‐occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration on management of isolated fundal gastric variceal bleeding
Authors: Akahoshi Tomohiko , Tomikawa Morimasa , Kamori Masao , Tsutsumi Norifumi , Nagao Yoshihiro , Hashizume Makoto , Maehara Yoshihiko
Published: December 2011

Aim:  Although endoscopic injection of cyanoacrylate (CA) is the only effective method for treating isolated fundal gastric variceal bleeding, the rebleeding rate is relatively high. This study investigated the efficacy of balloon‐occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B‐RTO) for management of isolated fundal gastric variceal bleeding.

Methods:  Patients (n = 110) with acute or recent bleeding from isolated fundal gastric varices (GV) were retrospectively studied. Acute bleeding was treated by CA injection or balloon tamponade. 44 patients underwent additional endoscopic injection of CA and ethanolamine oleate (EO) weekly until obturation of GVx from 1994 to 2002 (group A). 42 patients from 2003 to 2010 underwent B‐RTO after initial hemostasis (group B). Both groups were assessed for the number of sessions required to achieve GV obturation, hospital stay, recurrent bleeding rate, morbidity and mortality.

Results:  Acute gastric variceal bleeding was successfully treated in all patients by CA injection or balloon tamponade. B‐RTO was successfully performed except in two patients in group B. The average number of sessions required for obturation was 3.8 for groups A and 2.2 for B (P < 0.05). Recurrent bleeding was observed in 16 and two patients in groups A and B, respectively. The cumulative non‐rebleeding rate at 5 years was 58.3% and 98.1% in groups A and B, respectively. The cumulative survival rate at 5 years was 53.8% and 87.6% in groups A and B, respectively.

Conclusion:  Balloon‐occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration may be superior to endoscopic injection with CA and EO for prevention of rebleeding in patients with isolated fundal GVs with a major shunt.
Prevalence of Selected Bacterial and Parasitic Agents in Feces from Diarrheic and Healthy Control Cats from Northern California
Authors: Queen E.V. , Marks S.L. , Farver T.B.
Published: December 2011

Background

Bacterial and parasitic agents are commonly implicated as causes of diarrhea in cats, but there is a paucity of information evaluating epidemiological and prevalence factors associated with most of these organisms in cats.

Objectives

Determine the prevalence of selected enteropathogens in diarrheic and nondiarrheic cats.

Animals

A total of 219 diarrheic and 54 nondiarrheic cats.

Methods

Prospective study. Fresh fecal specimens were submitted for centrifugation flotation, culture,ELISA(Giardia,Cryptosporidium,Clostridium perfringensenterotoxin [CPE], andC. difficiletoxin A [TcdA]) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing (Tritrichomonas foetusandCampylobacterspp.). An epidemiologic questionnaire was completed for each cat.

Results

Campylobacterwas isolated from significantly fewer diarrheic (21/219 or 9.6%) versus nondiarrheic cats (15/54 or 27.8%,P = .001), and was detected in 74 of 131 cats (56.5%) viaPCR.Campylobacter jejuni, C. helveticus, and C. upsaliensiswere detected in 6.8, 100, and 44.6% of the 74 cats. MultipleCampylobacterspp. were identified in 47.3% of these cats. All cats were negative on fecal culture forSalmonellaand forC. difficileTcdAviaELISA.CPEwas detected in 9/219 diarrheic (4.1%) and in 1/54 nondiarrheic cats (1.9%,P = .69). Cats < 2 years were significantly more likely to be infected with intestinal parasites (P < .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Routine fecal cultures and toxin immunoassays for detection of bacteria are of limited diagnostic value in diarrheic cats. Molecular‐based testing is superior to fecal cultures for detection and identification ofCampylobacterspp., but positive test results do not correlate to the presence of disease.
Multicenter Prospective Trial of Hypofractionated Radiation Treatment, Toceranib, and Prednisone for Measurable Canine Mast Cell Tumors
Authors: Carlsten K.S. , London C.A. , Haney S. , Burnett R. , Avery A.C. , Thamm D.H.
Published: December 2011

Background

Mast cell tumors (MCT) are common cutaneous tumors in dogs and when not amenable to surgical excision can present a therapeutic challenge. New treatment protocols for unresectable MCT are needed.

Hypothesis

The combination of toceranib, prednisone, and hypofractionated radiation treatment (RT) will be well tolerated and efficacious.

Animals

Seventeen client‐owned dogs with measurable MCT amenable to RT.

Methods

Prospective clinical trial. All dogs received prednisone, omeprazole, diphenhydramine, and toceranib. Toceranib was administered for 1 week before initiating RT, consisting of 24 Gy delivered in 3 or 4 fractions.

Results

On an intent‐to‐treat basis, the overall response rate was 76.4%, with 58.8% of dogs achieving a complete response and 17.6% a partial response. The median time to best response was 32 days, and the median progression‐free interval was 316 days. The overall median survival time was not reached with a median follow‐up of 374 days. The most common toxicoses were gastrointestinal and hepatic.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The combination of hypofractionated RT, toceranib, and prednisone was tolerated and efficacious in the majority of dogs. Response rates and durations were higher than those reported for toceranib as a single‐agent treatment for MCT. This combination is a viable treatment option for unresectable MCT.
Effects of Recent Leptospira Vaccination on Whole Blood Real‐Time PCR Testing in Healthy Client‐Owned Dogs
Authors: Midence J.N. , Leutenegger C.M. , Chandler A.M. , Goldstein R.E.
Published: December 2011

Background

Bacterin‐based canine Leptospira vaccines could present a challenge for the use of whole blood real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool. Recent vaccination could induce positive results if the targeted DNA fragment is present within the vaccine and in the blood of the recently vaccinated dog.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to assess whether 2 available 4‐serovar vaccines induce a positive real‐time PCR reaction in the blood of healthy recently vaccinated dogs.

Animals

Twenty healthy dogs.

Methods

This was a prospective study. Dogs were assigned to 1 of 2 vaccine groups. Both vaccines were culture‐based and include Leptospira interrogans serovars Pomona, Canicola, and Icterohaemorrhagiae and Leptospira kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa. Whole blood for real‐time PCR and serum for the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) were collected prior to and 3 and 7 days after vaccination and weekly thereafter for 8 weeks. Two real‐time PCR tests targeting 2 different genes were performed independently in a blinded fashion.

Results

Both Leptospira vaccines produced positive real‐time PCR reactions when assayed undiluted or diluted 1 : 100 in canine blood. However, blood samples drawn from all dogs at all time points after vaccination were negative on PCR. All dogs developed MAT titers.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Recent vaccination with 2 commercially available vaccines does not interfere with the use of real‐time PCR for the identification of acute Leptospira infection in dogs.
Use of single‐ and multi‐drug regimens in the management of classic (idiopathic) trigeminal neuralgia: an 11‐year experience at a single Sri Lankan institution
Authors: Ariyawardana Anura , Pallegama Ranjith , Sitheeque Mohaideen , Ranasinghe Ajith
Published: December 2011

Aim:  The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of medical treatment of classic trigeminal neuralgia and to assess the factors affecting the choice of drug regimen (single or multiple), and the duration of treatment for pain control.

Methods:  A total of 260 consecutive patients were included in the study. Sixty‐one patients with less than 6 months’ follow up were excluded. All patients were treated with carbamazepine alone or in combination with other drugs. The dosage was adjusted according to the level of pain control and side‐effects.

Results:  Treatment was terminated in 99 patients (49.7%) after a mean follow‐up period of 36.46 months (standard deviation: ±26.5). Of these, 39.4% were on a single drug. Carbamazepine was the drug used in 36 patients. The rest (61%) needed various combinations of drugs. One‐hundred patients (50.3%) continued with medical treatment during the follow‐up period. Of these, 67.4% were on multi‐drug therapy.

Conclusion:  The present study showed that the administration of multidrug regimens is a useful alternative in controlling trigeminal neuralgia in patients who are unable to tolerate higher doses of carbamazepine. Age, sex, ethnicity, and the side of affliction did not have a significant influence on the choice of drug regimen and the duration of treatment for pain control.
Efficacy of locally‐delivered doxycycline microspheres in chronic localized periodontitis and on Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Rao Sampath K. , Setty Swati , Acharya Anirudh B. , Thakur Srinath L.
Published: December 2011

Aim:  This study aimed to assess the efficacy and effect of locally‐delivered doxycycline microspheres with scaling and root planing in periodontal pocket therapy and on Porphyromonas gingivalis, respectively.

Methods:  Twenty sites with a probing pocket depth of 4–6 mm were divided into two groups: a control group consisting of scaling and root planing, with one application of doxycycline microspheres only at baseline, and a test group consisting of scaling and root planing, with an application of doxycycline microspheres at baseline and 1 and 3 months. Clinical readings included the plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth, and relative attachment level. Rapid polymerase chain reaction method was used for the detection of P. gingivalis.

Results:  A statistically‐significant reduction in probing pocket depth and attachment gain was found in both groups; the test group showed a significant reduction in probing pocket depth and attachment gain compared with the control at 3 and 6 months. P. gingivalis cell count in the test group was significantly reduced at all the time periods, except from 1 to 3 months.

Conclusion:  Local drug delivery of doxycycline microspheres significantly improved the treatment outcomes in periodontal pocket therapy and reduced P. gingivalis in the periodontal pocket.
PRACTICING ANTHROPOLOGY ON A COMMUNITY‐BASED PUBLIC HEALTH COALITION: LESSONS FROM HEAL
Authors: Everett Margaret
Published: December 2011

The author has served on the north Portland Healthy Eating Active Living Coalition since 2008. HEAL is a community‐based health promotion program whose goal is to reduce and prevent childhood obesity in a predominantly Hispanic community. The author's role on the coalition is to conduct evaluation research and assist the coalition in identifying and addressing assets and barriers in the physical and social environment of this community so that children and their families have improved access to healthy food and recreation. Coalition work provides important opportunities for anthropologists to engage in community projects, and can help academic anthropologists develop collaborative research opportunities. Anthropologists can bring assets to such coalitions, including participatory research skills and familiarity with mediation. The time commitment and pace of community work can pose challenges for anthropologists who balance coalition work with other applied projects and academic positions. The methodology and focus of community‐based work can also provide challenges for anthropologists, especially in publishing the findings and outcomes of their work. Finally, the participation of anthropologists on coalitions could be enhanced by additional graduate and postgraduate training in evaluation research, grant writing, and fiscal management.
ASSESSING AND ACHIEVING DIVERSITY OF PARTICIPATION IN THE GRANT‐INSPIRED COMMUNITY‐BASED PUBLIC HEALTH COALITION
Authors: Morris Chad T.
Published: December 2011

This article explores motivation for coalition participation alongside perceptions of diversity of participation as revealed through observation and interviews with members and leaders of five grant‐inspired community‐based public health coalitions in Kentucky and in Florida. Coalition members and former members were asked about the expectations that led to their initial coalition participation, as well as about expectations for ongoing participation as coalition goals and outcomes have become more, or less, clear. Roads to coalition membership were found to be largely a function of existing professional networks, and thus a challenge to diverse participation. There is remarkable similarity by sector (e.g., social services sector, business sector), however, in factors promoting ongoing coalition participation. These factors include knowledge of coalition goals, benefit to self, agency or business, and effective leadership. These commonalities might be used to promote diverse coalition membership. Members and former members were also asked to share their thoughts on the diversity of their coalition's membership, noting possible reasons for membership omissions. These reasons reveal patterns of perceived apathy and frustration with coalition effectiveness, but also effective strategies for maximizing diversity of coalition participation. The article concludes with suggested expansions to Community Coalition Action Theory and a discussion of avenues for anthropological support of coalition practice.
BUILDING LIVING ALLIANCES: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY‐BASED PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITY ELDERS
Authors: Radda Kim E. , Schensul Jean J.
Published: December 2011

This article describes the process of creating and maintaining alliances to address the health and well‐being of older adults. These relationships, that we call “living alliances,” are developed and nurtured through long‐term relationships with individuals and organizations from across diverse sectors of communities in which we work, and very often live. Utilizing brief case examples of research conducted by the Institute for Community Research (Hartford, CT), in collaboration with local and national partners on topics of concern to older adults, we present a history of the development of specific alliances and how they were implemented. These provide concrete examples of the alliance building process, the challenges faced, and how an initial set of associations has grown into a dynamic network of alliances that we can draw on to conduct community‐based partnership research. We also include a discussion of lessons learned in the processes of building and sustaining these living alliances.
Roberts’ Cognates of Space Four-Bar Mechanisms With Two General Constraints
Authors: Soni A. H. , Harrisberger L.
Published: December 2011

Thirty space, four-link mechanisms with two general constraints are investigated to study the existence of their coupler-curve cognates (Roberts’ cognates). The present study shows that the space-cognate mechanisms neither necessarily require the same pair order nor the same types of kinematic pairs.
Displacement Analysis of Spatial Five-Link Mechanisms Using (3×3) Matrices With Dual-Number Elements
Authors: Yang A. T.
Published: December 2011

A closure equation, in terms of matrices with dual-number elements, for spatial five-link mechanisms, is presented in this paper. From the equation, a set of displacement equations for a RCRCR mechanism with general proportions is obtained; the input-output relationship is expressed as a fourth-degree algebraic equation and formulas to determine other linkage variables are expressed in closed form.
Effect of Tolerance and Clearance in Linkage Design
Authors: Garrett R. E. , Hall Allen S.
Published: December 2011

In designing a linkage to transform one motion into another motion, consideration is given to the design sensitivity by analyzing the difference between the function generated by an ideal model of the mechanism and a model which incorporates manufacturing tolerances and clearances. The effects of these tolerances and clearances are presented in the form of mobility bands for the linkages.
A Unified Theory for the Finitely and Infinitesimally Separated Position Problems of Kinematic Synthesis
Authors: Chen P. , Roth B.
Published: December 2011

A rigid body is studied in a series of different positions. These positions can be finitely separated, infinitesimally separated, or a combination of the two. A general method for determining the locations of points or lines (in the rigid body) which have their different multiple positions satisfying the constraints of binary links or combined link chains is developed. In a companion paper [10] equations governing the locations of these special points and lines are derived.
A New Method for Completely Force Balancing Simple Linkages
Authors: Berkof R. S. , Lowen G. G.
Published: December 2011

A new method, herein referred to as the “Method of Linearly Independent Vectors,” is shown to permit the complete force balancing of certain planar linkages. This method consists of writing the equation describing the position of the total mechanism center of mass in such a way that the coefficients of the time-dependent terms may be set equal to zero. In this way, the total center of mass can be made stationary, and the shaking force vanishes. Derivations as well as practical applications are shown for four-bar and six-bar linkages with arbitrary link mass distributions.
Type Determination of Skew Four-Bar Mechanisms
Authors: Freudenstein F. , Kiss I. S.
Published: December 2011

With the aid of the geometrical surface described by the relative motion of a spatial link dyad, rules are derived for the determination of type (crank-and-rocker, drag link, and double rocker) of the skew four-bar mechanism. The results are closely related to Grashof’s rule for plane four-bar linkages.
Small Cryogenic Regenerator Performance
Authors: Ackermann R. A. , Gifford W. E.
Published: December 2011

The small, highly efficient, thermal regenerators used in cryogenic refrigerators present a very complex problem in analysis and design. Many effects which are negligible in larger, less efficient, regenerators produce sizable thermal losses in these small units and must be considered if their performance is to be calculated accurately. Included among these are longitudinal heat conduction, temperature-dependent property variations, surface, feed gas flow, and end effects. This paper describes these effects and presents the results of an analytical and experimental investigation conducted to determine the magnitude and physical nature of the resulting thermal losses. Included also is a description of the mathematical parallel flow analogy that was used to overcome the poor computational time accuracy characteristics of the finite difference method used to calculate regenerator performance.