bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Folate Status and Intake of Tribal Indian Adolescents Aged 10 to 17 Years
Authors: Jani Rati , Salian Nisha , Udipi Shobha , Ghugre Padmini , Lohia Neha , Haas Jere , Boy Erick
Published: November 2015

Background

Adequate folate intake and levels are advisable throughout life but are of particular importance during adolescence, a period of rapid growth. However, folate insufficiency in economically deprived Indian adolescents is understudied.

Objective

This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of folate deficiency and adequacy of folate intake of 224 tribal Indian adolescents (10 to 17 years of age). The secondary aim was to study the association between anemia status and folate status.

Methods

Radioimmunoassay, multiple-pass 24-hour dietary recall, and HemoCue were used to measure red blood cell (RBC) folate, folate intake, and anemia status, respectively.

Results

The geometric mean (95% CI) RBC folate concentration (nmol/L) was 360.2 (329.7 to 393.6), and the mean ± SD folate intake (μg/day) and hemoglobin level (g/L) were 159.9 ± 44.7 and 125.4 ± 13.0, respectively. Almost half of boys and girls aged 10 to 12 and 13 to 15 years and 66.7% of girls aged 16 to 17 years were deficient in RBC folate (< 340 nmol/L). The mean ± SD folate intake (μg/day) of girls (139.4 ± 34.5) was lower than that of boys (173.8 ± 45.5) ( p < .001). With respect to adequacy of folate intake, a greater proportion of girls in the age group of 13–15 years (78.5% vs 38.6%, p < 0.001) and 16–17 years (100.0% vs 76.9%, p = 0.04) had intakes below their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). No association was observed between folate intake and RBC folate deficiency or between anemia status and RBC folate deficiency.

Conclusions

Folate insufficiency was widespread in tribal Indian adolescents. There is an urgent need to develop culturally sensitive strategies for improvement.
Acceptability and Utility of an Innovative Feeding Toolkit to Improve Maternal and Child Dietary Practices in Bihar, India
Authors: Collison Deborah Kortso , Kekre Priya , Verma Pankaj , Melgen Sarah , Kram Nidal , Colton Jonathan , Blount Wendy , Girard Amy Webb
Published: November 2015

Background

Dietary practices in India often fail to provide adequate nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life.

Objective

To explore the acceptability and utility of a low-cost and simple-to-use feeding toolkit consisting of a bowl with marks to indicate meal volume and frequency, a slotted spoon, and an illustrated counseling card to cue optimal dietary practices during the first 1,000 days.

Methods

In Samastipur District, Bihar, India, we conducted 16 focus group discussions and 8 key informant interviews to determine community acceptability and obtain feedback on design and delivery of the feeding toolkit. We conducted 14 days of user testing with 20 pregnant women, 20 breast-feeding women 0 to 6 months postpartum, and 20 mothers with infants 6 to 18 months of age.

Results

The toolkit, which is made of plastic, was well accepted by the community, although the communities recommended manufacturing the bowl and spoon in steel. The proportion of pregnant and breast-feeding women taking an extra portion of food per day increased from 0% to 100%, and the number of meals taken per day increased from two or three to three or four. For children 6 to 18 months of age, meal frequency, quantity of food consumed during meals, and thickness of the foods increased for all age groups. Children 6 to 8 months of age who had not yet initiated complementary feeding all initiated complementary feeding during the testing period.

Conclusions

Simple feeding tools are culturally acceptable and can be appropriately used by families in Bihar, India, to improve dietary practices during the first 1,000 days of life. Research is needed to assess whether the tools promote dietary and nutritional improvements over and above counseling alone.
Gardening Practices in a Rural Village in South Africa 10 Years after Completion of a Home Garden Project
Authors: Zimpita Tisungeni , Biggs Chara , Faber Mieke
Published: November 2015

Background

Few studies have documented whether the behavior changes produced by home garden projects have been maintained after completion of the projects.

Objective

To determine the benefits and challenges affecting production and consumption of β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits in a rural South African village 10 years after completion of a home garden project.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey assessed gardening practices and household consumption of β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits using a questionnaire ( n = 186). Benefits and challenges affecting production and consumption of β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits were assessed through focus group discussions.

Results

Thirty-nine percent of the households currently planted β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits. Major challenges included lack of fencing, animals eating crops, and lack or shortage of water. Planting materials for β-carotene—rich vegetables were sourced from the community nursery, while papaya was grown from its own seed. Shops were the most likely alternative sources of β-carotene—rich vegetables. The frequency of consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potato, butternut, spinach, and papaya when in season differed significantly, with households planting β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits having more frequent consumption than households not planting these vegetables and fruits. Households planting β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits were perceived as “well-to-do” and “healthy” households and as “givers.”

Conclusions

This study showed that 10 years after the endline evaluation of a home garden project, approximately one-third of the households in the village planted β-carotene—rich vegetables and fruits, which is very similar to the proportion at project completion and a postintervention study that was done 6 years later, despite various challenges, indicating that the practice of planting these vegetables and fruits was continued over the years.
Assessing Alternative Industrial Fortification Portfolios: A Bangladesh Case Study
Authors: Fiedler John L. , Lividini Keith , Guyondet Christophe , Bermudez Odilia I.
Published: November 2015

Background

Approximately 1.2 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are lost annually in Bangladesh due to deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and zinc.

Objective

To provide evidence on the coverage, costs, and cost-effectiveness of alternative fortification interventions to inform nutrition policy-making in Bangladesh.

Methods

Combining the 2005 Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey with a Bangladesh food composition table, apparent intakes of energy, vitamin A, iron, and zinc, and the coverage and apparent consumption levels of fortifiable vegetable oil and wheat flour are estimated. Assuming that fortification levels are those established in official regulations, the costs and cost-effectiveness of the two vehicles are assessed independently and as a two-vehicle portfolio.

Results

Vegetable oil has a coverage rate of 76% and is estimated to reduce the prevalence of inadequate vitamin A intake from 83% to 64%. The coverage of wheat flour is high (65%), but the small quantities consumed result in small reductions in the prevalence of inadequate intakes: 1.5 percentage points for iron, less than 1 for zinc, and 2 for vitamin A, while reducing average Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) gaps by 8%, 9%, and 15%, respectively. The most cost-effective 10-micronutrient wheat flour formulation costs US$1.91 million annually, saving 129,212 DALYs at a unit cost of US$14.75. Fortifying vegetable oil would cost US$1.27 million annually, saving 406,877 DALYs at an average cost of US$3.25. Sensitivity analyses explore various permutations of the wheat flour formulation. Divisional variations in coverage, cost, and impact are examined.

Conclusions

Vegetable oil fortification is the most cost-effective of the three portfolios analyzed, but all three are very cost-effective options for Bangladesh.
From Diets to Foods: Using Linear Programming to Formulate a Nutritious, Minimum-Cost Porridge Mix for Children Aged 1 to 2 Years
Authors: De Carvalho Irene Stuart Torrié , Granfeldt Yvonne , Dejmek Petr , Håkansson Andreas
Published: November 2015

Background

Linear programming has been used extensively as a tool for nutritional recommendations. Extending the methodology to food formulation presents new challenges, since not all combinations of nutritious ingredients will produce an acceptable food. Furthermore, it would help in implementation and in ensuring the feasibility of the suggested recommendations.

Objective

To extend the previously used linear programming methodology from diet optimization to food formulation using consistency constraints. In addition, to exemplify usability using the case of a porridge mix formulation for emergency situations in rural Mozambique.

Methods

The linear programming method was extended with a consistency constraint based on previously published empirical studies on swelling of starch in soft porridges. The new method was exemplified using the formulation of a nutritious, minimum-cost porridge mix for children aged 1 to 2 years for use as a complete relief food, based primarily on local ingredients, in rural Mozambique.

Results

A nutritious porridge fulfilling the consistency constraints was found; however, the minimum cost was unfeasible with local ingredients only. This illustrates the challenges in formulating nutritious yet economically feasible foods from local ingredients. The high cost was caused by the high cost of mineral-rich foods. A nutritious, low-cost porridge that fulfills the consistency constraints was obtained by including supplements of zinc and calcium salts as ingredients.

Conclusions

The optimizations were successful in fulfilling all constraints and provided a feasible porridge, showing that the extended constrained linear programming methodology provides a systematic tool for designing nutritious foods.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Combination of sorafenib and gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) attenuates dimethylnitrosamine(DMN)-induced liver fibrosis in rats
Authors: Liu Cheng , Yang Zongguo , Wang Lei , Lu Yunfei , Tang Bozong , Miao Hui , Xu Qingnian , Chen Xiaorong
Published: November 2015

Background/aims

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and Kupffer cells (KCs) are involved in the development of liver fibrosis and represent a potential therapeutic target. The therapeutic effects on liver fibrosis of sorafenib, a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and gadolinium chloride (GdCl3), which depletes KCs, were evaluated in rats.

Methods

Liver fibrosis was induced in rats with dimethylnitrosamine, and the effects of sorafenib and/or GdCl3 in these rats were monitored. Interactions among ECs, HSCs and KCs were assessed by laser confocal microscopy.

Results

The combination of sorafenib and GdCl3, but not each agent alone, attenuated liver fibrosis and significantly reduced liver function and hydroxyproline (Hyp). Sorafenib significantly inhibited the expression of angiogenesis-associated cell markers and cytokines, including CD31, von Willebrand factor (vWF), and vascular endothelial growth factor, whereas GdCl3 suppressed macrophage-related cell markers and cytokines, including CD68, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and CCL2. Laser confocal microscopy showed that sorafenib inhibited vWF expression and GdCl3 reduced CD68 staining. Sorafenib plus GdCl3 suppressed the interactions of HSCs, ECs and KCs.

Conclusion

Sorafenib plus GdCl3 can suppress collagen accumulation, suggesting that this combination may be a potential therapeutic strategy in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Solutions of the equilibrium equations with finite mass subject
Authors: Shi Junguo , Liao Yadong
Published: November 2015

In this paper, we investigate the slow equilibrium equations with finite mass subject to a homogeneous Neumann type boundary condition. Based on an auxiliary function method and a differential inequality technique, the existence of equilibrium equations is obtained if the angular is bounded and the blow-up occurs in finite time.
Computerized tomography based tumor-thickness measurement is useful to predict postoperative pathological tumor thickness in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Madana J. , Laliberté Frederick , Morand Grégoire B. , Yolmo Deeke , Black Martin J. , Mlynarek Alex M. , Hier Michael P.
Published: November 2015

Background

Tumor thickness has been shown in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) to be a predictor of cervical metastasis. The postoperative histological measurement is certainly the most accurate, but it would be of clinical interest to gain this information prior to treatment planning. This retrospective study aimed to compare the tumor thickness measurement between preoperative, CT scan, and surgical specimens.

Methods

We retrospectively included 116 OTSCC patients between 2001 and 2013. Thickness was measured on computer tomography imaging and again surgical specimens.

Results

The median age was 66 years. 62.8 % of patients were smokers with a mean of 31.4 pack-years. Positive nodal disease was reported in 41.2 %. Mean follow-up time was 33.1 months. The correlation between CT scan-based tumor thickness and surgical specimens based thickness was significant (Spearman rho = 0.755, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Tumor thickness assessed by CT scan may provide an accurate estimation of true thickness and can be used in treatment planning.
Viscoelasticity of periodontal ligament: an analytical model
Authors: Bosiakov Sergei M. , Koroleva Anna A. , Rogosin Sergei V. , Silberschmidt Vadim V.
Published: November 2015

Background

Understanding of viscoelastic behaviour of a periodontal membrane under physiological conditions is important for many orthodontic problems. A new analytic model of a nearly incompressible viscoelastic periodontal ligament is suggested, employing symmetrical paraboloids to describe its internal and external surfaces.

Methods

In the model, a tooth root is assumed to be a rigid body, with perfect bonding between its external surface and an internal surface of the ligament. An assumption of almost incompressible material is used to formulate kinematic relationships for a periodontal ligament; a viscoelastic constitutive equation with a fractional exponential kernel is suggested for its description.

Results

Translational and rotational equations of motion are derived for ligament’s points and special cases of translational displacements of the tooth root are analysed. Material parameters of the fractional viscoelastic function are assessed on the basis of experimental data for response of the periodontal ligament to tooth translation. A character of distribution of hydrostatic stresses in the ligament caused by vertical and horizontal translations of the tooth root is defined.

Conclusions

The proposed model allows generalization of the known analytical models of the viscoelastic periodontal ligament by introduction of instantaneous and relaxed elastic moduli, as well as the fractional parameter. The latter makes it possible to take into account different behaviours of the periodontal tissue under short- and long-term loads. The obtained results can be used to determine loads required for orthodontic tooth movements corresponding to optimal stresses, as well as to simulate bone remodelling on the basis of changes in stresses and strains in the periodontal ligament caused by such movements.
Properties of short double-stranded RNAs carrying randomized base pairs: toward better controls for RNAi experiments
Authors: Zagalak Julian A. , Menzi Mirjam , Schmich Fabian , Jahns Hartmut , Dogar Afzal M. , Wullschleger Florian , Towbin Harry , Hall Jonathan
Published: November 2015

Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are mediators of RNA interference (RNAi), a commonly used technique for selective down-regulation of target gene expression. Using an equimolar mixture of A, G, C, and U phosphoramidites during solid-phase synthesis, we introduced degenerate positions into RNA guide and passenger strands so that, when annealed, a large pool of distinct siRNA duplexes with randomized base pairs at defined sites was created. We assessed the randomization efficiency by deep sequencing one of the RNAs. All possible individual sequences were present in the pool with generally an excellent distribution of bases. Melting temperature analyses suggested that pools of randomized guide and passenger strands RNAs with up to eight degenerate positions annealed so that mismatched base-pairing was minimized. Transfections of randomized siRNAs (rnd-siRNAs) into cells led to inhibition of luciferase reporters by a miRNA-like mechanism when the seed regions of rnd-siRNA guide strands were devoid of degenerate positions. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of a select set of genes associated with siRNA off-target effects were measured and indicated that rnd-siRNAs with degenerate positions in the seed likely show typical non-sequence-specific effects, but not miRNA-like off-target effects. In the wake of recent reports showing the preponderance of miRNA-like off-target effects of siRNAs, our findings are of value for the design of a novel class of easily prepared and universally applicable negative siRNA controls.
The recruitment of chromatin modifiers by long noncoding RNAs: lessons from PRC2
Authors: Davidovich Chen , Cech Thomas R.
Published: November 2015

Polycomb repressive complex-2 (PRC2) is a histone methyltransferase required for epigenetic silencing during development and cancer. Among chromatin modifying factors shown to be recruited and regulated by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), PRC2 is one of the most studied. Mammalian PRC2 binds thousands of RNAs in vivo, and it is becoming a model system for the recruitment of chromatin modifying factors by RNA. Yet, well-defined PRC2-binding motifs within target RNAs have been elusive. From the protein side, PRC2 RNA-binding subunits contain no known RNA-binding domains, complicating functional studies. Here we provide a critical review of existing models for the recruitment of PRC2 to chromatin by RNAs. This discussion may also serve researchers who are studying the recruitment of other chromatin modifiers by lncRNAs.
Influenza A virus preferentially snatches noncoding RNA caps
Authors: Gu Weifeng , Gallagher Glen R. , Dai Weiwei , Liu Ping , Li Ruidong , Trombly Melanie I. , Gammon Don B. , Mello Craig C. , Wang Jennifer P. , Finberg Robert W.
Published: November 2015

Influenza A virus (IAV) lacks the enzyme for adding 5′ caps to its RNAs and snatches the 5′ ends of host capped RNAs to prime transcription. Neither the preference of the host RNA sequences snatched nor the effect of cap-snatching on host processes is completely defined. Previous studies of influenza cap-snatching used poly(A)-selected RNAs from infected cells or relied on annotated host genes to define the snatched host RNAs, and thus lack details on many noncoding host RNAs including snRNAs, snoRNAs, and promoter-associated capped small (cs)RNAs, which are made by “paused” Pol II during transcription initiation. In this study, we used a nonbiased technique, CapSeq, to identify host and viral-capped RNAs including nonpolyadenylated RNAs in the same samples, and investigated the substrate–product correlation between the host RNAs and the viral RNAs. We demonstrated that noncoding host RNAs, particularly U1 and U2, are the preferred cap-snatching source over mRNAs or pre-mRNAs. We also found that csRNAs are highly snatched by IAV. Because the functions of csRNAs remain mostly unknown, especially in somatic cells, our finding reveals that csRNAs at least play roles in the process of IAV infection. Our findings support a model where nascent RNAs including csRNAs are the preferred targets for cap-snatching by IAV and raise questions about how IAV might use snatching preferences to modulate host-mRNA splicing and transcription.
Effect of sex in the MRMT-1 model of cancer-induced bone pain
Authors: Falk Sarah , Al-Dihaissy Tamara , Mezzanotte Laura , Heegaard Anne-Marie
Published: November 2015

An overwhelming amount of evidence demonstrates sex-induced variation in pain processing, and has thus increased the focus on sex as an essential parameter for optimization of in vivo models in pain research. Mammary cancer cells are often used to model metastatic bone pain in vivo, and are commonly used in both males and females. Here we demonstrate that compared to male rats, female rats have an increased capacity for recovery following inoculation of MRMT-1 mammary cells, thus potentially causing a sex-dependent bias in interpretation of the data.
Evaluation of immunologic response of salivary sIg-A in pediatric tuberculosis patients to antigen Ag38-rec of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Indonesian strain
Authors: Raras Tri Yudani Mardining , Pritta Santi Diah Erma , Kusuma HMS Chandra
Published: November 2015

Objective: We studied the immune response of salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIg-A) from a pediatric tuberculosis (TB) group (scoring of 6) and non-TB group (scoring <6) against recombinant Ag38 (Ag38-rec) fromMycobacterium tuberculosis Indonesian strain.

Materials and Methods: Seventy-eight children were divided into three groups; those with TB (n=26), those with suspected TB (n=26), and healthy children (n=26), their saliva was collected, and salivary sIg-A was challenged with purified Ag38-rec using the dot blot method. A change of color from white to dark blue indicated a positive reaction.

Results: The immune response of sIg-A of children with TB and those with suspected TB to Ag38-rec was not significantly different. In the TB group, Ag38-rec showed a higher sensitivity than protein purified derivative (PPD) (70.8% vs. 62.5%), but a lower specificity (26.9% vs. 34.62%). However, within both groups (scoring of 6) as well as non-TB group (scoring <6) Ag38-rec was able to identify children with a positive TST (tuberculin skin test) better than PPD.

Conclusion: The antigen Ag38-rec could not distinguish between children with TB scores of 6 and <6.1. However, it demonstrated the potential of Ag38-rec for use in screening for TB infection among children with suspect TB (scores <6).
Roman Jakobson and the birth of linguistic structuralism
Authors: Keith Percival W.
Published: November 2015

The term “structuralism” was introduced into linguistics by Roman Jakobson in the early days of the Linguistic Circle of Prague, founded in 1926. The cluster of ideas defended by Jakobson and his colleagues can be specified but differ considerably from the concept of structuralism as it has come to be understood more recently. That took place because from the 1930s on it became customary to equate structuralism with the ideas of Ferdinand de Saussure, as expounded in his posthumous Cours de linguistique générale (1916). It can be shown, however, that Jakobson’s group rejected Saussure’s theory for ideological reasons. As the term “structuralism” became more widely used it came to be associated with positivist approaches to linguistics rather than with the original phenomenological orientation that had characterized the Linguistic Circle of Prague. The purpose of this paper is to clarify these different approaches and to suggest that because of its extreme porosity the word “structuralism” is an example of a “terminological pandemic”. More research on the varied uses to which the key terms “structure” and “structuralism” were put will undoubtedly further elucidate this important episode in 20th-century intellectual history.
Animals' consciousness and human self-consciousness
Authors: Skandalis Maximos , Skandalis Stefanos
Published: November 2015

Introduction: Consciousness consists of states of sentience, feeling or awareness while awake, not in comma and alive. The current neuroscientific trend suggests the correlation of conscious experience with certain corticothalamic circuits, thus constituting part of the brain function. Animals show signs of consciousness but distinctive human element appears to be self-consciousness, the acute sense of self-awareness.
Objectives: Our aim is to clarify whether animals are conscious, and if so, what the level of their consciousness is and what neuronal mechanisms are underlying in what is supposed to be humans unique feature of consciousness.
Methods & Results: A search of the literature in relevant journals (e.g. Nature Neuroscience, American Zoologist) and manually from identified articles reference list was conducted. Experiments (including mirror tests, language learning and comprehending tests, exposure to social competition environments, etc.) as well as the given of similarities in neuroanatomical architecture of mammals, behavior and the idea of evolutionary continuity propose that animals are conscious but the level of that remains to be investigated. On the other hand, humans feature, in addition, self-consciousness, being able to perceive and explain their emotions and actions.
Conclusion: The claim that animals dont share the state of consciousness is a remnant of the humans high belief of being a privileged species amongst others. Nonetheless, the particular characteristic of self-consciousness seems to be exclusively attributed to human kind. However, further research should be made to understand deeply the neuronal background of the enigmatic as it is now features of consciousness and self-consciousness.
Investigating the role of dendrites in pattern separation: A computational approach
Authors: Chavlis Spyridon , Petrantonakis Panagiotis , Poirazi Panayiota
Published: November 2015

Objectives: In order to distinguish similar memories, it is experimentally confirmed that the hippocampus forms distinct representations of them. The ability of the brain to disambiguate memories is known as pattern separation. It has been proposed that dentate gyrus (DG) accomplishes this task, specifically through its principal cells, called granule cells (GCs). In this project we investigate the role of GC dendrites in pattern separation by modifying their biophysical and morphological characteristics.
Methods & Results: We have implemented a morphologically simple, yet biologically relevant, computational model of the DG that implements pattern separation. The network consists of four well-studied neuronal types: granule, mossy, basket, and HIPP cells. The GC model consists of an integrate-and-fire somatic compartment connected to a variable numbers of active dendritic compartments. For simplicity reasons, without sacrificing detail, we used point neurons to simulate the remaining neuronal types. GCs major input from the Entorhinal Cortex (EC) is simulated as independent poisson spike trains at realistic firing frequencies. The output of the network corresponds to the spiking activity of GCs and is estimated on two highly overlapping input patterns. Pattern separation is accomplished when the similarity between these input patterns is greater than the similarity between the respective output patterns, as assessed by the Hamming Distance (HD) metric. Preliminary results show that there is a positive correlation between the separation efficiency and the number of GC dendrites.
Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggest that dendrites of GC cells facilitate the pattern separation capabilities of the DG.
Detecting brain connectivity changes during seizures using Granger causality measures on scalp EEG
Authors: Koutlis Christos
Published: November 2015

In this work the objective is to detect brain connectivity changes during epileptic seizures using methods of multivariate time series analysis on scalp multi-channel EEG. Different brain regions represented by the electrode positions interact in terms of Granger causality and these directed connections formulate the brain network at a certain time window. The numerous proposed network features are believed to capture the information of many network characteristics. The ability of a single network feature of the brain network to detect the transition of brain activity from preictal to ictal is examined. The connectivity of the brain is estimated by 13 Granger causality indices on 7 epochs from multivariate time series (19 channels per epoch) at 15 time windows of 20 seconds (5 min in total) before seizure and during the seizure. The characteristics of the networks are estimated by 379 network features. Finally, the discrimination task (preictal vs. ictal) for each network feature is evaluated by the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC).
The image of the elderly in German advertising: A systematic review
Authors: Otrebski Dennis
Published: November 2015

Background: Despite the wealth of literature across disciplines on the image of the elderly in German advertising, no-one has successfully managed to pull the existing work together and review the entire literature in a way that gives full consideration to the quality, validity and explanatory power of the findings. This paper is a first step to assess and systemise key aspects of 31 original studies, which were published between 1975 and 2010, on the topic.

Objectives: The objectives of the paper are threefold: Firstly, to identify existing original research on the image of the elderly in German advertising; secondly, to assess the quality of the existing works; and thirdly, to systemise key aspects regarding the topic.

Method: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was utilised to synthesise the available research and offer a scholarly critique of literature. 11 quality criteria were derived from SLR literature and general guidelines for good scientific practice in order to evaluate the studies transparency i.e., clarity about how, when, where, etc. the knowledge was generated. During this process, particular attention was paid to accommodate the high share of qualitative research within the field.

Results: Despite the specificity of the topic at first glance, the research turned out to be very heterogeneous, with studies addressing a combination of different aspects in order to investigate the image of the elderly in German advertising. Nevertheless, similar structural features could be identified. The quality assessment indicated an overall mediocre transparency for the studies found, with particular deficits concerning sample justification, placing findings into existing context and implications for practice and/or research.

Conclusions: Research on the topic has a long tradition in Germany, but lacks standardisation and sufficient transparency. Almost all studies worked to some extent in a vacuum i.e., ignored each other. Moreover, the heterogeneity impedes the findings comparability and makes deductions of long term trends mostly impossible. Consequently, only a select number of research is suitable for future alignment, as their findings can be sufficiently assessed for reliability.
Editorial Overview, Volume 2, Issue 1
Authors: McHugh Siobhan A
Published: November 2015

Overview of the nine audio features critiqued by Guest Reviewers, who are themselves eminent producers and curators of audio features. The works reviewed are from the US, UK, Canada, France, Poland and Denmark.
Advance Ordering for Healthier Eating? Field Experiments on the Relationship between the Meal Order–Consumption Time Delay and Meal Content
Authors: VanEpps Eric M. , Downs Julie S. , Loewenstein George
Published: November 2015

Encouraging consumers to select meals in advance rather than at mealtime has been proposed as a strategy to promote healthier eating decisions, taking advantage of the improved self-control that is thought to accompany decisions about the future. In two field studies at an employee cafeteria and a third in a university setting, we examine how time delays between placing a lunch order and picking it up affect the healthfulness of that lunch. The first study, a secondary data analysis, finds that longer delays between placing an order and picking up the meal are associated with reductions in calorie content. The second study tests the causality of this relationship by exogenously restricting some lunch orders to be substantially delayed, leading to a marginally significant (approximately 5%) reduction in calories among delayed orders. The third study compares orders for truly immediate consumption versus orders placed in advance and demonstrates a significant (100 calorie, or approximately 10%) reduction in lunch calories. We discuss evidence regarding possible theoretical mechanisms underlying this effect, as well as practical implications of our findings.
Expense Neglect in Forecasting Personal Finances
Authors: Berman Jonathan Z. , Tran An T.K. , Lynch John G. , Zauberman Gal
Published: November 2015

This article examines how consumers forecast their future spare money, or “financial slack.” Although consumers generally think that both their income and expenses will rise in the future, they underweight the extent to which their expected expenses will cut into their spare money, a phenomenon the authors term “expense neglect.” The authors test and rule out several possible explanations for this phenomenon and conclude that expense neglect is due in part to insufficient attention toward expectations about future expenses relative to future income. “Tightwad” consumers, who are chronically attuned to costs, show less severe expense neglect than “spendthrifts,” who are less attuned to costs. The authors further find that expectations regarding changes in income (and not changes in expenses) predict responses to the Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment, a leading macroeconomic indicator. Finally, the authors conduct a meta-analysis of their entire file drawer (27 studies, 8,418 participants) and find that (1) across studies, participants place 2.9 times greater weight on income change than they do on expense change when forecasting changes in their financial slack, and (2) expense neglect is stronger for distant than for near-future forecasts.
Plato on Women’s Natural Ability: RevisitingRepublicV andTimaeus41e3–44d2 and 86b1–92c3
Authors: Harry Chelsea , Ron Polansky
Published: November 2015

Despite the prominent argument for equal educational opportunity for women inRepublicV, commentators frequently question Plato’s sincerity, the quality of the case made, or its significance. Undermining confidence in Plato’s advocacy of female equality are derogatory remarks about women in this and other dialogues. Since we take Plato to be sincere in the argument inRepublicV, we reconcile his conclusions there about the equal educational opportunity for women with these seemingly problematic remarks by suggesting that the remarks reflect the interlocutors involved in the dialogue and conventional Athenian prejudices of that time rather than ideas that Plato held to be true. We take seriously the observation of Levin 1996, 14, “in none of those passages in which Plato makes derogatory remarks about women does he usephusisto explain why they behave in the ways of which he is critical.” Hence Plato never suggested that women were bynaturelimited to the position they occupied socially and politically in 5th or 4th century Athens; he understood the difference between the way they were by convention and the way that they could be, in accordance with their nature, were they to develop their natural capacities through education.

We examine carefully Plato’s argument for the equal nature of women inRepublicV to defend its viability. The provocation is our not finding in the extensive secondary literature a really detailed treatment of the actual argument and appreciation that it is intended as a sound philosophical argument. We then turn to the devolution schemes inTimaeus41e–44d and 86b–92c, which again touch on the nature of women and appear to counter the position we attribute to Plato, to show that they are really supportive of our account. Both theRepublicandTimaeuslimit the natural differences between males and females to body-type. Therefore, even relative physical weakness of women’s bodies does not much problematize for Plato that their natural abilities are equal to those of men, where nature in these contexts means suitability to perform certain functions.
Optimal Scheduling Method of Controllable Loads in DC Smart Apartment Building
Authors: Shimoji Tsubasa , Tahara Hayato , Matayoshi Hidehito , Yona Atsushi , Senjyu Tomonobu
Published: November 2015

From the perspective of global warming suppression and the depletion of energy resources, renewable energies, such as the solar collector (SC) and photovoltaic generation (PV), have been gaining attention in worldwide. Houses or buildings with PV and heat pumps (HPs) are recently being used in residential areas widely due to the time of use (TOU) electricity pricing scheme which is essentially inexpensive during middle-night and expensive during day-time. If fixed batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) can be introduced in the premises, the electricity cost would be even more reduced. While, if the occupants arbitrarily use these controllable loads respectively, power demand in residential buildings may fluctuate in the future. Thus, an optimal operation of controllable loads such as HPs, batteries and EV should be scheduled in the buildings in order to prevent power flow from fluctuating rapidly. This paper proposes an optimal scheduling method of controllable loads, and the purpose is not only the minimization of electricity cost for the consumers, but also suppression of fluctuation of power flow on the power supply side. Furthermore, a novel electricity pricing scheme is also suggested in this paper.
The influence of the trace element zinc on the immune system
Authors: Schubert Claudia , Guttek Karina , Reinhold Annegret , Grüngreiff Kurt , Reinhold Dirk
Published: November 2015

Clinical and experimental examinations showed a close relationship between zinc as an essential trace element and the immune system. Thus, cellular and humoral components from both the innate and the adaptive immune system are affected by zinc. Human zinc deficiencies are frequently connected with disturbed immune functions. Controlled zinc substitution results in a normalization of zinc serum levels, zinc homeostasis, and the immunological parameters. As shown in in vitro experiments, low zinc concentrations stimulate functional parameters of immune cells, but high zinc concentrations are suppressive or cytotoxic for these cells. Recently, the immunosuppressive effect of zinc was demonstrated in animal models of T-cell-dependent autoimmune diseases, like experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Moreover, decreased serum/plasma zinc concentrations have been detected in patients with different autoimmune diseases. Prospective studies should verify the possibility of controlled immunosuppressive zinc therapies for these diseases.
Resources and Innovation in Family Businesses: The Janus-Face of Socioemotional Preferences
Authors: Miller Danny , Wright Mike , Breton-Miller Isabelle Le , Scholes Louise
Published: November 2015

Family business socio-emotional preferences are often Janus-faced. Some strive to create a strong business they can pass on to offspring by building innovation-promoting resources such as human, relational, and financial capital. Other family firms cater to family desires for unqualified nepotism, altruism towards undeserving kin, and appropriation of firm assets to fulfill parochial desires that erode these resources. This article explores how such preferences, together with their impact on resources and the innovation demands of their markets, shape the approach to innovation.
Family Assets and Liabilities in the Innovation Process
Authors: Bennedsen Morten , Foss Nicolai
Published: November 2015

Innovation in family firms is often driven by family assets, valuable resources that are particularly prevalent in family firms. For example, they have particularly strong networks that can be deployed in an innovation context. These family assets can over time atrophy and stifle rather than stimulate innovation performance. However, family firms can fight this process by institutionalizing innovation within the family and the firm by means of family and corporate governance and through incentivizing key individuals in the innovation process.
Diagnosing Innovation Readiness in Family Firms
Authors: Holt Daniel T. , Daspit Joshua J.
Published: November 2015

Innovation is essential for family firms to remain competitive. One means to enhance the success of innovation within family firms is to assess readiness prior to beginning the innovation process. This article introduces the Readiness for Innovation in Family Firms (RIFF) framework, which provides a diagnostic assessment and identifies multiple factors associated with innovation readiness. By applying the RIFF framework, managers of family firms can focus on specific factors that prepare the firm to engage in the innovation adoption process, increasing success.
Endocrine abnormalities in ring chromosome 11: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Lange Renata , Von Linsingen Caoê , Mata Fernanda , Moraes Aline Barbosa , Arruda Mariana , Vieira Neto Leonardo
Published: November 2015

Ring chromosomes (RCs) are uncommon cytogenetic findings, and RC11 has only been described in 19 cases in the literature. Endocrine abnormalities associated with RC11 were reported for two of these cases. The clinical features of RC11 can result from an alteration in the structure of the genetic material, ring instability, mosaicism, and various extents of genetic material loss. We herein describe a case of RC11 with clinical features of 11q-syndrome and endocrine abnormalities that have not yet been reported. A 20-year-old female patient had facial dysmorphism, short stature, psychomotor developmental delays, a ventricular septal defect, and thrombocytopenia. Karyotyping demonstrated RC11 (46,XX,r(11)(p15q25)). This patient presented with clinical features that may be related to Jacobsen syndrome, which is caused by partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 11. Regarding endocrine abnormalities, our patient presented with precocious puberty followed by severe hirsutism, androgenic alopecia, clitoromegaly, and amenorrhea, which were associated with overweight, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and hyperinsulinemia; therefore, this case meets the diagnostic criteria for polycystic ovary syndrome. Endocrine abnormalities are rare in patients with RC11, and the association of RC11 with precocious puberty, severe clinical hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and T2DM has not been reported previously. We speculate that gene(s) located on chromosome 11 might be involved in the pathogenesis of these conditions. Despite the rarity of RCs, studies to correlate the genes located on the chromosomes with the phenotypes observed could lead to major advances in the understanding and treatment of more prevalent diseases.

Learning points

We hypothesize that the endocrine features of precocious puberty, severe clinical hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and T2DM might be associated with 11q-syndrome.

A karyotype study should be performed in patients with short stature and facial dysmorphism.

Early diagnosis and adequate management of these endocrine abnormalities are essential to improve the quality of life of the patient and to prevent other chronic diseases, such as diabetes and its complications.
Risk of Infection Using Peripherally Inserted Central and Umbilical Catheters in Preterm Neonates
Authors: Shalabi Mohamed , Adel Mohamed , Yoon Eugene , Aziz Khalid , Lee Shoo , Shah Prakesh S. ,   on behalf of the Canadian Neonatal Network
Published: November 2015

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the rates of catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CABSI) in preterm infants born at <30 weeks’ gestation who received a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) versus an umbilical venous catheter (UVC) immediately after birth as their primary venous access.

METHODS:

This retrospective matched cohort study examined data from infants born at <30 weeks’ gestation and admitted between January 2010 and December 2013 to neonatal units in the Canadian Neonatal Network. Eligible infants who received a PICC on the first day after birth (day 1) were matched with 2 additional groups of infants, those who received a UVC on day 1 and those who received a UVC on day 1 that was then changed for a PICC after 4 days or more. The primary outcome was number of infants with CABSI per 1000 catheter days, which was compared between the 3 groups using multivariable analyses.

RESULTS:

Data from 540 eligible infants were reviewed (180 per group). There was no significant difference in infants with CABSI/1000 catheter days between the 3 groups (9.3 vs 7.8 vs 8.2/1000 catheter days, respectively; P > .05) despite lower rates of late onset sepsis in the group of infants who received only a UVC.

CONCLUSIONS:

There was no significant difference in the incidence of CABSI between very preterm neonates who received a PICC, UVC, or UVC followed by PICC as the primary mode of venous access after birth. A prospective randomized controlled trial is justified to further guide practice regarding primary venous access and reduction of infection.
A Context-Aware mHealth System for Online Physiological Monitoring in Remote Healthcare
Authors: Zhang Weiping , Thurow Kerstin , Stoll Regina
Published: November 2015

Physiological or biological stress is an organism’s response to a stressor such as an environmental condition or a stimulus. The identification of physiological stress while performing the activities of daily living is an important field of health research in preventive medicine. Activities initiate a dynamic physiological response that can be used as an indicator of the overall health status. This is especially relevant to high risk groups; the assessment of the physical state of patients with cardiovascular diseases in daily activities is still very difficult. This paper presents a context-aware telemonitoring platform, IPM-mHealth, that receives vital parameters from multiple sensors for online, real-time analysis. IPM-mHealth provides the technical basis for effectively evaluating patients’ physiological conditions, whether inpatient or at home, through the relevance between physical function and daily activities. The two core modules in the platform include: 1) online activity recognition algorithms based on 3-axis acceleration sensors and 2) a knowledge-based, conditional-reasoning decision module which uses context information to improve the accuracy of determining the occurrence of a potentially dangerous abnormal heart rate. Finally, we present relevant experiments to collect cardiac information and upper-body acceleration data from the human subjects. The test results show that this platform has enormous potential for use in long-term health observation, and can help us define an optimal patient activity profile through the automatic activity analysis.
Examining a Public Montessori School’s Response to the Pressures of High-Stakes Accountability
Authors: Block Corrie Rebecca
Published: November 2015

 

In order to succeed in the current school assessment and accountability era, a public Montessori school is expected to achieve high student scores on standardized assessments. A problem for a public Montessori elementary school is how to make sense of the school’s high-stakes assessment scores in terms of its unique educational approach. This case study examined a public Montessori elementary school’s efforts as the school implemented the Montessori Method within the accountability era. The research revealed the ways the principal, teachers, and parents on the school council modified Montessori practices, curriculum, and assessment procedures based on test scores. A quality Montessori education is designed to offer children opportunities to develop both cognitive skills and affective components such as student motivation and socio-emotional skills that will serve them beyond their public school experiences. Sadly, the high-stakes testing environment influences so much of public education today. When quality education was measured through only one narrow measure of success the result in this school was clearly a restriction of priorities to areas that were easily assessed.

 