bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing Space–Time Crime Incidents Using Eigenvector Spatial Filtering: An Application to Vehicle Burglary
Authors: Chun Yongwan
Published: April 2014

Poisson models generally are utilized in analyzing spatial patterns of crime count data. When spatial autocorrelation is present, these models are extended to account for it. Among various methods, eigenvector spatial filtering (ESF) furnishes an efficient means of analysis. However, because space–time crime data have temporal components as well as spatial components, Poisson models need to be further adjusted to reflect the two types of components simultaneously. This article discusses how theESFmethod can be utilized to model space–time crime data, extending the generalized linear mixed model specification for it. This approach is illustrated with an application to space–time vehicle burglary incidents in the city ofPlano,Texas, during 2004–2009.

Los modelos de Poisson generalmente se utilizan en el análisis de los patrones espaciales de los datos de recuento de crimen. Cuando hay autocorrelación espacial, estos modelos son modificados para dar cuenta de ello. Entre los diversos métodos existentes, el métodoEigenvector(autovector, vector propio) de filtrado espacial (Eigenvector Spatial Filtering‐ESF) proporciona un medio eficaz para dicho análisis. Sin embargo, dado que los datos de criminalidad espacio‐temporales tienen tanto componentes temporales como espaciales, los modelos tipo Poisson requieren de un ajuste adicional para reflejar ambos tipos de componentes de manera simultánea. El artículo presente expone cómo el método ESF puede ser utilizado para modelar datos espacio‐temporales sobre delitos mediante la modificación del modelo mixto lineal generalizado (Generalized Linear Mixed Model‐GLMM). El procedimiento propuesto se ilustra con el caso de incidentes espacio‐temporales de robos de vehículos en la ciudad de Plano, Texas, durante 2004–2009.

泊松模型一般用于犯罪计数数据的空间模式分析中，当空间自相关关系呈现时，这类模型可扩展以解释潜在的分布特征。在各种模型中，特征向量空间滤波（ESF）提供了一种有效的分析方法。然而，由于时空犯罪数据包含时间和空间组分，因此泊松模型需要进一步调整以同时反映这两种不同类型的数据。本文讨论了如何利用特征向量空间滤波(ESF)模型对时空犯罪数据进行建模，并采用扩展广义线性混合模型(GLMM)进行规范。最后，以德克萨斯州普莱诺市2004‐2009年的车辆盗窃案数据进行了实证验证。
A warmer world will reduce tree growth in evergreen broadleaf forests: evidence from Australian temperate and subtropical eucalypt forests
Authors: Bowman David M. J. S. , Williamson Grant J. , Keenan R. J. , Prior Lynda D.
Published: April 2014

Aims

Understanding how tree growth is influenced by climate is vital for predicting how forests will respond to climate change, yet there have been few studies of tree growth spanning macroclimatic gradients. The aim of this study is to correlate growth of a single lineage of broadleaf evergreen trees with continental‐scale variability in climate.

Location

Australia's temperate mesic eucalypt forests, spanning latitudes from 23 to 43° S and longitudes from 115 to 153° E.

Methods

We compiled and analysed a dataset containing around half a million measurements of growth in eucalypt tree diameter, collected from 2409 permanent forestry plots. These plots spanned a range of 558–2105 mm mean annual precipitation and 6–22 °C mean annual temperature. Generalized additive models were used to study the relationship between growth in tree diameter and several temperature and water availability variables.

Results

Tree growth increased with precipitation, but with a diminishing response above a mean annual precipitation of 1400 mm. There was a peaked response to temperature, with maximum growth occurring at a mean annual temperature of 11 °C and maximum temperature of the warmest month of 25–27 °C. Lower temperatures directly constrain growth. High temperatures primarily reduced growth by reducing water availability, but they also appeared to exert a direct negative effect. Our best model, which included maximum temperature of the warmest month and the ratio of precipitation to evaporation, explained 28% of the deviance.

Main conclusions

The productivity of Australia's temperate eucalypt forests could decline substantially as the climate warms, given that 87% of these forests currently experience a mean annual temperature above 11 °C, where the highest growth rates were observed. This will reduce carbon sequestration and slow recovery after catastrophic disturbances such as wildfire.
Ecological and life‐history traits explain recent boundary shifts in elevation and latitude of western North American songbirds
Authors: Auer Sonya K. , King David I.
Published: April 2014

Aim

Species are expected to move uphill or poleward in response to climate change, yet their distributions show idiosyncratic responses; many species are moving in the predicted direction, but others are not shifting at all or are shifting downhill or towards the equator. Fundamental questions remain about the causes of interspecific variation in range responses and whether shifts along elevational and latitudinal gradients are correlated. We examined whether shifts in northern‐latitude and upper‐elevation boundaries of western North American songbirds over a 35‐year period were correlated and whether species ecological and life‐history traits explained interspecific variation in observed shifts.

Location

North America.

Methods

We used data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey to determine shifts in northern‐latitude and upper‐elevation boundaries of 40 North American songbird species between two time periods, 1977–81 and 2006–11. We used an analysis of covariance approach that controlled for species population trends and changes in survey effort to test whether: (1) songbirds shifted in elevation, latitude or both; (2) shifts in elevation and latitude were correlated; and (3) responses could be explained by species‐level traits including life history, ecological generalization and dispersal capability.

Results

The majority of species shifted uphill and poleward during this period, but there was no correlation between the distances that species range boundaries shifted in elevation and latitude. Species with smaller clutch sizes and narrower diet breadths exhibited greater northward shifts, while species with larger clutch sizes and narrower diet breadths exhibited greater uphill shifts.

Main conclusions

Shifts in latitude and elevation were not correlated. However, a common set of species‐level traits explained differential responses among species to climate change. Consideration of shifts in both elevation and latitude is needed to understand the full extent to which species are tracking changing climates.
Education for Elimination in Nineteenth-Century Hawai‘i: Settler Colonialism and the Native Hawaiian Chiefs' Children's Boarding School
Authors: Kaomea Julie
Published: April 2014

On August 27, 1862, the much-loved crown prince and heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai'i died tragically and inexplicably at the tender age of four. Prince Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa, the beloved child of a long line of chiefs, was the only son of Alexander Liholiho (Kamehameha IV) and Emma Na'ea (Queen Emma). He was believed to be the last child to be born to a reigning Hawaiian monarch and the last hope of the Kamehameha Dynasty. Adored by the Hawaiian public, his birth was celebrated for days throughout the islands. Likewise, his untimely death was mourned for years to come as it left his parents heartbroken and the Hawaiian nation without a constitutionally recognized heir. One of the Hawaiian newspapers is quoted as saying, “The death of no other person could have been so severe a blow to the King and his people.” The following year, the King himself died of grief and despair.
Effect of Temperature on Reaction of Hexagonal BN Powder in Wet Air Between 1073 and 1373 K
Authors: Xinmei Hou , Yanxiang Liu , Ziyou Yu , Kuo‐Chih Chou
Published: April 2014

The reaction of hexagonal BN powder in wet air at 1073–1373 K for 18 h was investigated using TG, XRD, and SEM analysis. Initially, the oxidation occurred rapidly with simultaneous volatile reaction. At long times, a steady state was achieved and the degradation rate was determined by the volatilization reaction. Temperature affected the reaction behavior. At 1073 K, it consisted of two linear processes. With temperature increasing, initially, the paralinear kinetics was observed and then followed the linear rate. The sample shape also affected the reaction behavior. The reaction kinetics was dealt with Chou's model and gotten good agreement.
The characteristics of healthy adults with hardly palpable vein—Relations between easy venous palpation and physical factors
Authors: Ichimura Mika , Matsumura Yuko , Sasaki Shinsuke , Murakami Naoki , Mori Masaharu , Ogino Tetsuya
Published: April 2014

This study aimed to investigate relations between ease of venous palpation and various venous factors, and to elucidate characteristics of hardly palpable veins. Healthy adult volunteers (n = 110) were enrolled. The ease of venous palpation was scored from 0: impalpable to 3: well palpable. Venous factors, namely venous depth, elevation, area and minimal pressure that starts to collapse vein, were measured using an ultrasonography before and after tourniquet inflation at 60 mmHg for 60 s. Tourniquet inflation significantly increased the venous area and venous palpation score. The four venous factors correlated significantly with venous palpation score with the following correlation coefficient: Depth (r = −0.542), Elevation (0.486), area (0.258) and start‐to‐collapse pressure (−0.220). The characteristics of hardly palpable veins were small size, deep location and little elevation. Although vasodilatation facilitated venous palpation, venous depth and elevation were also important and should be included in future studies in which vasodilatation methods are evaluated.
Regulatory focus and burnout in nurses: The mediating effect of perception of transformational leadership
Authors: Shi Rui , Zhang Shilei , Xu Hang , Liu Xufeng , Miao Danmin
Published: April 2014

This correlation study investigated the relationship between nurses' regulatory focus and burnout, as mediated by their perceptions of transformational leadership, using a cross‐sectional research design with anonymous questionnaires. In July–August 2012, data were collected from 378 nurses from three hospitals in Shaanxi Province, China, using self‐report questionnaires for measuring the nurses' regulatory focus, their level of burnout and their perception of whether the leadership of their supervisor was transformational. Structural equation modelling and bootstrapping procedures were used to identify the mediating effect of their perceptions of transformational leadership. The results supported our hypothesized model. The type of regulatory focus emerged as a significant predictor of burnout. Having a perception of transformational leadership partially mediated the relationship between regulatory focus and burnout. Having a promotion focus reduced burnout when the participants perceived transformational leadership, whereas having a prevention focus exhibited the opposite pattern. The mediating effect of the perception of transformational leadership suggests that a promotion focus may help diminish burnout, directly and indirectly. Nurse managers must be aware of the role of a regulatory focus and cultivate promotion focus in their followers.
Efficacy and tolerability of tamsulosin 0.4 mg in Asian patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia refractory to tamsulosin 0.2 mg: A randomized placebo controlled trial
Authors: Kim Jung Jun , Han Deok Hyun , Sung Hyun Hwan , Choo Seol Ho , Lee Sung Won
Published: April 2014

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tamsulosin dose increase to 0.4 mg daily in Asian patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia refractory to tamsulosin 0.2 mg treatment.

Methods

We carried out a 12‐week, single‐center, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial in 220 patients. Patients treated with 0.2 mg tamsulosin daily without other lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia medication for more than 3 months and refractory to this treatment were enrolled. We defined “refractory” as an International Prostate Symptom Score of 13 or greater and a maximum flow rate of 15 or under despite medication. Patients with a surgical history related to lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia or a postvoid residual of 150 mL or greater were excluded. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the 0.4 mg group (two tablets of 0.2 mg tamsulosin once daily) or the 0.2 mg group (one tablet of 0.2 mg tamsulosin and one tablet of placebo once daily). International Prostate Symptom Score, maximum flow rate, blood pressure, heart rate, and adverse events were compared between the two groups at 4 weeks and 12 weeks.

Results

A total of 220 patients were enrolled and analyzed. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. After 12 weeks of medication, the International Prostate Symptom Score was not different between the two groups. However, the improvement in maximum flow rate was greater in the 0.4 mg group than the 0.2 mg group (3.0 ± 0.48 mL/s vs −0.25 ± 0.30 mL/s, P < 0.01). The proportion of patients who showed an increase in maximum flow rate of more than 5 mL/s was 10.9% in the 0.2 mg group versus 16.3% in the 0.4 mg group (P = 0.209). There were no significant differences in bother score or postvoid residual between the two groups. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were also not different between the two groups. The incidence of adverse events was 10.9% in the 0.2 mg group (dizziness 5.5%; abnormal ejaculation 1.8%; palpitation 1.8%; and headache 1.8%) and 9.09% in the 0.4 mg group (dizziness 3.6%; abnormal ejaculation 1.8%; palpitations 1.8%; and headache 1.8%).

Conclusions

Tamsulosin 0.4 mg appears to be a safe treatment regimen for treating lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia in Asian patients who do not respond to 0.2 mg treatment. Increasing the dose of tamsulosin results in a significant improvement in maximum flow rate without any increase in cardiovascular complications.
Clinical characteristics and oncological outcomes of testicular cancer patients registered in 2005 and 2008: The first large‐scale study from the Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association
Authors: Miki Tsuneharu , Kamoi Kazumi , Fujimoto Hiroyuki , Kanayama Hiro‐omi , Ohyama Chikara , Suzuki Kazuhiro , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Eto Masatoshi , Naito Seiji , Fukumori Tomoharu , Kubota Yoshinobu , Takahashi Satoru , Mikami Kazuya , Homma Yukio
Published: April 2014

Objectives

To describe the clinical and pathological characteristics and oncological outcomes of testicular cancer diagnosed in Japan, we report the results of the testicular cancer registration carried out by the Japanese Urological Association.

Methods

Testicular cancer survey was conducted by the Japanese Urological Association in 2011 to register newly diagnosed testicular cancers in 2005 and 2008. The survey included details such as age, presenting symptoms, physical examination findings, tumor markers, histopathology, clinical stage, initial treatment and clinical outcomes.

Results

We analyzed 1121 cases of testicular primary germ cell tumor among 1157 registered patients. The median age was 37.0 years. Seminomas and non‐seminomatous germ cell tumors accounted for 61.9% and 38.1%, respectively. Measurements of tumor markers were documented in 98.6% of the patients; however, there was an unsatisfactory uniform measurement of human chorionic gonadotropin, which made it difficult to evaluate the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification in all patients. The 1‐ and 3‐year overall survival rates from the entire cohort were 98.3% and 96.8%, respectively. According to the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification, 3‐year overall survival rates in the good, intermediate, and poor prognosis group were 99.1%, 100% and 79.9%, respectively.

Conclusions

The present report is the first large‐scale study of the characteristics and survival of testicular cancer patients in Japan based on multi‐institutional registry data, and showed a good prognosis even in an advanced stage. The improved survival attributed substantially to accurate diagnosis and effective multimodal treatment.
Game immersion experience: its hierarchical structure and impact on game‐based science learning
Authors: Cheng M.‐T. , She H.‐C. , Annetta L.A.
Published: April 2014

Many studies have shown the positive impact of serious educational games (SEGs) on learning outcomes. However, there still exists insufficient research that delves into the impact of immersive experience in the process of gaming on SEG‐based science learning. The dual purpose of this study was to further explore this impact. One purpose was to develop and validate an innovative measurement, the Game Immersion Questionnaire (GIQ), and to further verify the hierarchical structure of game immersion by construct validity approaches, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n = 257) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (n = 1044). The second purpose was to investigate the impact of game immersion on science learning through SEG play (n = 260). Overall, the results supported the internal structure of the GIQ with good reliability and validity, and the inter factor bivariate correlations for each construct indicated a high internal consistency. Players did learn from playing an SEG, and game immersion experience did lead to higher gaming performance. Moreover, players' gaming performance plays a role in mediating the effect of immersion on science learning outcomes through SEG play. However, as players became more emotionally and subjectively attached to the game, the science learning outcomes were not definitively reliable.
African American Adolescents and Mental Health Care: A Metasynthesis
Authors: Bains Ranbir Mangat
Published: April 2014

Problem

African American adolescents access mental health services at lower rates than their Caucasian counterparts, thus resulting in a large disparity. The purpose of the study was to understand the experiences of African American adolescents in dealing with mental health conditions and what led to or hindered their access to mental health services.

Methods

A metasynthesis of six qualitative studies was conducted using the meta‐ethnographic approach by Noblit and Hare.

Findings

Four reciprocal themes illuminating the experiences of African American adolescents with mental health issues were revealed: uncertainty and soul searching, strength of the inner circle, shame and reluctance, belief in the system. Each of the themes was explored in detail through the rich quotations of the adolescents.

Conclusions

The findings provided an insight and understanding into the process the adolescents went through before seeking help and may aid as a framework for designing interventions to better serve this vulnerable population.
PMC, a potent hydrophilic α‐tocopherol derivative, inhibits NF‐κB activation via PP2A but not IκBα‐dependent signals in vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Hsieh Cheng‐Ying , Hsiao George , Hsu Ming‐Jen , Wang Yi‐Hsuan , Sheu Joen‐Rong
Published: April 2014

The hydrophilic α‐tocopherol derivative, 2,2,5,7,8‐pentamethyl‐6‐hydroxychromane (PMC), is a promising alternative to vitamin E in clinical applications. Critical vascular inflammation leads to vascular dysfunction and vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and abdominal aortic aneurysms. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of PMC in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) exposed to pro‐inflammatory stimuli, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) combined with interferon (IFN)‐γ. Treatment of LPS/IFN‐γ‐stimulated VSMCs with PMC suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 in a concentration‐dependent manner. A reduction in LPS/IFN‐γ‐induced nuclear factor (NF)‐κB activation was also observed in PMC‐treated VSMCs. The translocation and phosphorylation of p65, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inactivation and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were significantly inhibited by PMC in LPS/IFN‐γ‐activated VSMCs. However, neither IκBα degradation nor IκB kinase (IKK) or ribosomal s6 kinase‐1 phosphorylation was affected by PMC under these conditions. Both treatments with okadaic acid, a PP2A‐selective inhibitor, and transfection with PP2A siRNA markedly reversed the PMC‐mediated inhibition of iNOS expression, NF‐κB‐promoter activity and p65 phosphorylation. Immunoprecipitation analysis of the cellular extracts of LPS/IFN‐γ‐stimulated VSMCs revealed that p65 colocalizes with PP2A. In addition, p65 phosphorylation and PP2A inactivation were induced in VSMCs by treatment with H2O2, but neither IκBα degradation nor IKK phosphorylation was observed. These results collectively indicate that the PMC‐mediated inhibition of NF‐κB activity in LPS/IFN‐γ‐stimulated VSMCs occurs through the ROS‐PP2A‐p65 signalling cascade, an IKK‐IκBα‐independent mechanism. Therapeutic interventions using PMC may therefore be beneficial for the treatment of vascular inflammatory diseases.
Prospective long‐term study of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with hematologic malignancy
Authors: Tamori Akihiro , Hino Masayuki , Kawamura Etsushi , Fujii Hideki , Uchida‐Kobayashi Sawako , Morikawa Hiroyasu , Nakamae Hirohisa , Enomoto Masaru , Murakami Yoshiki , Kawada Norifumi
Published: April 2014

Background and Aim

To elucidate the clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBV‐R), we performed a prospective long‐term study of patients with hematologic malignancy, including both hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and those with resolved HBV infection.

Methods

Twenty‐one patients with hematopoietic stem‐cell transplants (HSCT) and 36 patients given rituximab‐based chemotherapy were enrolled. Entecavir was administered prophylactically to eight patients with HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). HBV‐DNA was measured every month in 49 patients with resolved HBV infection, and preemptive therapy was given to eight patients with HBV‐R.

Results

HBV‐R developed in five (26%) of 19 patients with HSCT and three (10%) of 30 patients given rituximab‐based chemotherapy. HBV‐R occurred a median of 3 months (range: 2–10) after the end of rituximab‐based chemotherapy and 22 months (range: 9–36) after HSCT. HBV‐R did not develop in patients with an antibodies against HBsAg (anti‐HBs) titer exceeding 200 mIU/mL at baseline. Mutations in the “a” determinant region with amino acid replacement were detected in four of the eight patients with HBV‐R. Preemptive therapy prevented severe hepatitis related to HBV‐R. Entecavir treatment was stopped in four patients with HBV‐R. Since the withdrawal of entecavir, HBV‐DNA has not been detected in two patients persistently positive for anti‐HBs. No patient had fatal hepatitis.

Conclusions

Proper management of patients with HBsAg or resolved HBV infection prevented fatal hepatitis related to HBV‐R in patients who received immunosuppressive or cytotoxic therapy. Entecavir could be safely discontinued in patients with HBV‐R who had acquired anti‐HBs.
Assessment of safety of non‐anesthesiologist‐assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography based on performance status in elderly patients
Authors: Park Tae Young , Choi Jung Sik , Oh Hyoung‐Chul , Kim Ju Wan , Do Jae Hyuk , Jung Yong Hun
Published: April 2014

Background and Aim

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been increasingly performed in the elderly patients, yet little is known concerning objective criteria of safety. This study aimed to determine the potential predictors for the procedure‐related outcomes.

Methods

Two hundred eighty‐one patients older than 70 years who were indicated for ERCP (group A [n = 195], 70–79 years of age; group B [n = 86], ≥ 80 years of age) were prospectively enrolled and analyzed for the development of serious adverse events related to ERCP.

Results

ERCP was not performed in six patients at high risk for the procedure. There were significant differences between group A and B in Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) (23.1 vs 14.9, P < 0.01) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (3 and 4, 49/195 vs 33/86, P < 0.05). Major ERCP‐related complications (hypotension, severe bradycardia, hypoxia, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction) occurred in five patients from group B and three from group A. Post‐ERCP pancreatitis occurred in one patient from group A and bleeding in one from group B. In univariate analysis, old age (≥ 80 years), American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥ 3, and DASI < 10 were statistically significant predictors for overall serious events related to ERCP. In the multivariate analysis, DASI < 10 (only manage to ambulate) was independent predictor for overall serious events related to ERCP.

Conclusion

DASI score is useful predictor for the feasibility assessment of safe ERCP in the elderly patients.
Oral antiviral therapy improves the diagnostic accuracy of alpha‐fetoprotein levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Shim Jae‐Jun , Kim Jung Wook , Lee Chang Kyun , Jang Jae Young , Kim Byung‐Ho
Published: April 2014

Background and Aims

Analysis of alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) levels affords limited diagnostic accuracy because of the high false‐positive rates, especially in those with active chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We measured AFP levels before and after commencement of oral antiviral therapy and explored the utility of these data in terms of early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with CHB.

Methods

A total of 207 patients with CHB who were treated with an oral antiviral agent were consecutively included. Dynamic changes in AFP levels and the diagnostic utility of such changes for HCC detection during the therapy were explored.

Results

The proportions of patients showing elevated AFP levels (≥ 20 ng/mL) were 22.2%, 5.5%, and 1.3% at baseline; and at 6 and 12 months after commencement of antiviral therapy, respectively. All patients who did not suffer from HCC exhibited normalization of AFP levels at 12 months. The cumulative incidence of HCC was 9.5% during 36 months of follow‐up. If AFP levels were over 20 ng/mL after 12 months of antiviral treatment, the probability of HCC development approached certainty. The positive predictive value for HCC development remained at 100% in patients prescribed long‐term (≥ 12 months) antiviral therapy, if AFP levels persistently or abruptly elevated more than 12 ng/mL.

Conclusions

In the era of oral antiviral agents, AFP might be a useful biomarker for HCC surveillance in patients with CHB.
Evaluation of the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of gastrointestinal mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma
Authors: Xu Xiaoxiao , Wang Zhenxing , Yu Yong , Wang Yafei , Zhang Lianyu , Sun Baocun , Da Wanming , Zhang Yizhuo
Published: April 2014

Background and Aim

This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and long‐term outcomes of patients with mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Methods

Clinical and pathological features of patients with MALT lymphoma in the GI tract, who were treated consecutively at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from 2001 to 2011, were evaluated retrospectively.

Results

Among a total of 99 identified cases, 79.79% of lymphomas were localized in the stomach, 20.20% in the intestinal tract, and disseminated disease was detected in 35.4% of cases. The estimated 5‐year overall survival (OS) and 5‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) rates were 73.1% and 65.1%, respectively. The comparison between stomach and intestinal tract lymphomas demonstrated no significant difference in characteristics, but nodal involvement was significantly lower in gastric MALT lymphoma (26.6%) as compared with intestinal tract MALT lymphoma (60%, P = 0.006). The outcomes of gastric and intestinal MALT lymphomas were similar (OS, P = 0.492; PFS, P = 0.408), and so was the survival between proximal and distal gastric lymphomas (OS, P = 0.077; PFS, P = 0.181). Serum lactate dehydrogenase level above normal was identified as the only adverse prognostic factor for both OS and PFS.

Conclusion

The clinical characteristics and outcomes demonstrated no significant differences between gastric and intestinal tract MALT lymphomas. Serum lactate dehydrogenase level was an independent prognostic factor for the survival of GI MALT lymphoma.
Second peak in the distribution of age at onset of ulcerative colitis in relation to smoking cessation
Authors: Takahashi Haruhiko , Matsui Toshiyuki , Hisabe Takashi , Hirai Fumihito , Takatsu Noritaka , Tsurumi Kozue , Kanemitsu Takao , Sato Yuho , Kinjyo Ken , Yano Yutaka , Takaki Yasuhiro , Nagahama Takashi , Yao Kenshi , Washio Masakazu
Published: April 2014

Background and Aim

The prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing steadily in Japan. In Western countries, a bimodal distribution, with UC onset peaks in youth and middle age, is observed, and smoking cessation is reported as a risk factor for UC. However, there are few reports on a bimodal distribution of onset age among Japanese patients. Therefore, the distribution of onset age and factors related to late onset (i.e. onset at 50 years old or later) were investigated in UC patients in Japan.

Methods

A questionnaire survey of UC patients was conducted to investigate the distribution of the age of onset and factors that may be related to UC onset in a Japanese university hospital.

Results

Among 465 UC patients, 343 patients responded. In the distribution of onset age, a large peak was seen in patients aged 10–20s, and small peaks were seen at age 40–44 years and then in 50–60s. In addition, the onset age was older in the UC patients diagnosed in 2001 or later than in those diagnosed in 2000 or earlier. Late onset was more common among the UC patients diagnosed in 2001 or later (vs 2000 or earlier: interaction odds ratio = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.21–11.25, P < 0.01) and among former smokers (vs never‐smokers: interaction odds ratio = 2.93, 95% CI: 1.40–6.14, P < 0.01) on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Similar to UC patients in Western countries, a bimodal distribution of onset age was also observed in Japanese UC patients, and smoking cessation may partly contribute to the increase in late‐onset UC patients in recent years in Japan.
CD34+ cell therapy is safe and effective in slowing the decline of hepatic reserve function in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis
Authors: Nakamura Toru , Torimura Takuji , Iwamoto Hideki , Kurogi Jyunichi , Inoue Hiroto , Hori Yukie , Sumie Shuji , Fukushima Nobuyoshi , Sakata Masahiro , Koga Hironori , Abe Mitsuhiko , Ikezono Yu , Hashimoto Osamu , Ueno Takato , Oho Kazuhiko , Okamura Takashi , Okuda Seiya , Kawamoto Atsuhiko , Ii Masaaki , Asahara Takayuki , Sata Michio
Published: April 2014

Background and Aim

Preclinical studies in rodent models of chronic liver fibrosis have shown that transplantation of peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cells leads to hepatic regeneration and a reduction of liver fibrosis by suppressing hepatic stellate cell activity and increasing matrix metalloproteinase activity. The aim of this study was to examine the safety and clinical efficacy of intrahepatic transplantation of autologous granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF)‐mobilized PB‐CD34+ cells in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.

Methods

PB‐CD34+ cells were isolated from G‐CSF‐mobilized apheresis products. Ten patients were treated with G‐CSF‐mobilized PB‐CD34+ cells (treatment group) and seven patients were treated with standard medical therapy. For mobilization, patients in the treatment group received subcutaneous injections of 10 μg G‐CSF/kg/day for 5 days. The cells were then injected at three different doses (5 × 105, 1 × 106 and 2 × 106 cells/kg) through the hepatic artery. Thereafter, all patients were followed up for 24 months.

Results

G‐CSF treatment and leukapheresis were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were observed. Patients in the treatment group had a significant but transient splenomegaly. After 24 weeks, serum albumin was significantly increased in patients who had received middle or high doses of CD34+ cells compared with baseline. Doppler ultrasound showed a significant increase in hepatic blood flow velocity and blood flow volume after CD34+ cell therapy. The hepatic vein pressure gradient decreased in two patients who received high‐dose CD34+ cells at week 16.

Conclusions

CD34+ cell therapy is feasible, safe and effective in slowing the decline of hepatic reserve function.
The role of Fbxw7 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non‐tumor liver tissue
Authors: Imura Satoru , Tovuu Lkhagva‐Ochir , Utsunomiya Tohru , Morine Yuji , Ikemoto Tetsuya , Arakawa Yusuke , Kanamoto Mami , Iwahashi Shuichi , Saito Yu , Takasu Chie , Yamada Shinichiro , Ishikawa Daichi , Bando Yoshimi , Shimada Mitsuo
Published: April 2014

Background and Aim

Fbxw7 is a tumor suppressor gene through ubiquitination and degradation of multiple oncoproteins. Loss of Fbxw7 expression is frequently observed in various human cancers. In the present study, we examined the role of Fbxw7 expression in both non‐tumor liver tissues and tumor tissues on clinicopathological significance.

Methods

Sixty‐six patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), who underwent hepatectomy, were divided into two groups: high and low gene‐expression group, based on the Fbxw7 expression level. We compared the clinicopathological factors between the high expression and low expression groups in both tumor and non‐tumor tissues.

Results

Fbxw7 messenger RNA expression level in the non‐tumor tissues was significantly higher than that in the tumor tissues. In the analysis of Fbxw7 expression in tumor and non‐tumor tissues, disease‐free survival rate in the Fbxw7 high expression group was significantly higher than that in the low expression group. In multivariable analysis, Fbxw7 low expression in both tumor and non‐tumor tissue was detected as the strongest independent risk factor for HCC recurrence.

Conclusions

Low Fbxw7 expression in both tumor and non‐tumor tissue may be an independent prognostic factor for tumor recurrence after hepatectomy in patients with HCC.
Inverse Effects of Midlife Occupational and Leisure Time Physical Activity on Mobility Limitation in Old Age—A 28‐Year Prospective Follow‐Up Study
Authors: Hinrichs Timo , von Bonsdorff Mikaela B. , Törmäkangas Timo , von Bonsdorff Monika E. , Kulmala Jenni , Seitsamo Jorma , Nygård Clas‐Håkan , Ilmarinen Juhani , Rantanen Taina
Published: April 2014

Objectives

To evaluate in a sample of initially middle‐aged municipal employees whether leisure time (LPA) or occupational physical activity (OPA) was associated with mobility limitation (ML) in old age.

Design

Prospective population‐based follow‐up.

Setting

Municipalities in Finland.

Participants

Public sector employees from the Finnish Longitudinal Study on Municipal Employees (FLAME) initially aged 44 to 58 (N = 5,200).

Measurements

Baseline data were collected in 1981, including LPA (average exercise within previous year: inactive (no exercise), moderate (some form of exercise ≤1 time per week), vigorous (brisk exercise ≥1 time per week)) and OPA (usual activities at work within previous year: light (light work sitting, standing, or moving around), moderate (moderate work moving around), vigorous (heavy physical work)). Number of MLs was assessed using a questionnaire (8 items) in 1985, 1992, 1997, and 2009; the latest mobility score available for each subject was used for analyses. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for LPA and OPA predicting ML were estimated in a joint Poisson regression model adjusted for survival data; the other type of PA; and sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health‐related factors.

Results

Mean age at baseline was 50.3 ± 3.6; 56.9% of participants were female. Participants with vigorous OPA in midlife had greater risk of a unit increase in ML in old age than those with light OPA (fully adjusted IRR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.03–1.16). Participants with vigorous LPA had lower risk of ML than inactive participants (fully adjusted IRR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.76–0.86).

Conclusion

Findings suggest that LPA and OPA in midlife have independent, inverse effects on mobility in old age in terms of a harmful effect of vigorous OPA and a protective effect of vigorous LPA.
Porters to Heaven
Authors: Ward Kate
Published: April 2014

This essay presents Augustine as a rich ethical resource on issues of wealth and poverty. Contrary to prevalent views that he had little to say on issues of economic justice, Augustine decries wealth as morally dangerous, promotes the agency of the poor in advocating for themselves with the wealthy, and supports distributive justice. Augustine envisions an interdependent Christian community where the wealthy not only help the poor, but rely on the poor to help them achieve salvation by “bearing their goods to heaven,” as Augustine describes the receipt of alms. Augustine's view of wealth's moral danger is an apt resource for ethicists interested in virtue. His insistence on poor people's moral agency and interdependence among poor and wealthy speak to pressing issues of justice in today's unequal societies.
Fine Art as Preparation for Christian Love
Authors: Rottenberg Ian
Published: April 2014

This essay links Jean‐Luc Marion's phenomenology of fine art to his description of Christian love. It does so by carefully showing how Marion's overall project is closely related to Kant's well‐known account of the relationship between aesthetics and morality. While Kant and Marion both believe that aesthetic experience can lay the groundwork for moral action, their contrasting views of morality lead them to very different articulations of such a relationship. While Kant sees encounters with fine art as preparing individuals for the particular kinds of disinterested judgments characteristic of moral decision‐making, Marion sees artwork as preparing the subject for the openness toward intuitive excess that is necessary for love.
Thick or Thin?
Authors: Lloyd Vincent
Published: April 2014

If liberal Protestantism begins with suspicion of tradition, is “thick” liberal Protestant theology possible or must liberal Protestant theology always be “thin”? This review essay examines several recent contributions to “thick” theology that make use of, and speak to, social and political engagement. The books under review describe and reflect on the varied forms of Christian political activism and organizing that have emerged in recent years around issues of immigration, fair wages, and global justice. I argue that a distinction between Christian activism and Christian organizing must be made, where the former denotes advocacy on behalf of a community and the latter means standing together with a community, bringing out the capacities of community members, and allowing oneself to be transformed in the process. Further, I reflect on whether liberal Christian theology necessarily results in liberal politics.
Two cases of tinea ciliaris with blepharitis due to Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton verrucosum and review of the literature
Authors: Sahin Gulay Ozel , Dadaci Zeynep , Ozer Turkan Toka
Published: April 2014

Dermatophytes are rarely taken into account among the causes of blepharitis. In our report, we describe a 69‐year‐old man and a 40‐year‐old woman with chronic blepharitis for 10 years and 4 years respectively, in whom we examined the scales and pulled eyelashes on direct microscopy and isolated Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton verrrucosum in the culture. We emphasise that dermatophytes may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of chronic blepharitis. In chronic, treatment resistance blepharitis fungal infections may be considered as possible cause.
Blockade of interleukin‐8 receptor signalling inhibits cyst development in vitro, via suppression of cell proliferation in autosomal polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Lee Eun Ji , Song Seon Ah , Mun Hyo Won , Yoo Kyung Hyun , Choi Soo Young , Park Eun Young , Park Jong Hoon
Published: April 2014

Aim

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a highly prevalent inherited disorder and results in the progressive development of cysts in both kidneys. In recent studies, several cytokines and growth factors secreted by the cyst‐lining epithelia were identified to be upregulated and promote cyst growth. According to our previous study, chemokines with a similar amino acid sequence as human interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) are highly expressed in a rodent model with renal cysts. Therefore, in this study, we focused on whether IL‐8 signalling is associated with renal cyst formation, and tested the possibility of IL‐8 as a new therapeutic target for ADPKD.

Methods

Expression of IL‐8 and its receptor were screened either by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or Western blot. Inhibited IL‐8 signalling by antagonist for IL‐8 receptor or gene silencing was tested in molecular levels, mainly through Western blot. And cell proliferation was measured by XTT assays. Finally, a three‐dimensional culture was performed to understand how IL‐8 affected cyst formation, in vitro.

Results

Interleukin‐8 secretion and expression of its receptor highly increased in two different human ADPKD cell lines (WT9‐7 and WT9‐12), compared to normal human renal cortical epithelial cell line. Cell proliferation, which is mediated by IL‐8 signal, was inhibited either by an antagonist or siRNA targeting for IL‐8 receptor. Finally, a three‐dimensional culture showed an alleviation of cystogenesis in vitro, after blocking the IL‐8 receptor signals.

Conclusion

These results suggest that IL‐8 and its signalling molecules could be new biomarkers and a therapeutic target of ADPKD.
Population screening for Wilson's disease
Authors: Hahn Si Houn
Published: April 2014

Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper transport caused by mutations in the gene encoding an ATPase, ATP7B. Early detection of Wilson's disease is critical because effective medical treatments such as chelating agents and zinc salts are available, which can prevent lifelong neurological disabilities and/or cirrhosis. It is unfortunate that most patients are brought to our attention after they have developed serious complications such as brain damage or cirrhosis, despite the availability of effective treatments. The diagnosis is usually made through copper measurement in the liver tissue, followed by confirmation with genetic testing of the ATP7B gene. Currently, there are no effective biomarkers or methods suitable for newborn screening for Wilson's disease. Ceruloplasmin has been tested for pediatric and newborn screening with limited outcome. Recently, liquid chromatography–multiple reaction monitoring–mass spectrometry (LC‐MRM‐MS) has emerged as a robust technology that may enable multiplex quantification of signature proteotypic peptides with low abundance. The application of this technology may help facilitate the research on Wilson's disease for protein expression, biomarker study, diagnosis, and, hopefully, screening.
Explicit thoughts of security activate implicit self‐doubt in anxiously attached participants
Authors: PETERSON JULIE L.
Published: April 2014

People high in attachment‐related anxiety experience greater anxieties and ambivalence (e.g., M. Mikulincer, P. R. Shaver, N. Bar‐On, & T. Ein‐Dor, ) when feelings of relationship security are activated. The current research suggests that anxiously attached people also experience a decrease in implicit feelings of self‐worth. Across two studies participants high (vs. low) in attachment anxiety reported more negative implicit self‐evaluations after thinking about a time they felt loved and cared for by a close other. Study 2 further revealed that more negative implicit self‐evaluations are not a function of differences in the type of events recalled by high anxiety participants. These latter results suggest that security‐enhancing thoughts automatically activate a negative association with the self that is not consciously reflected in participants' written responses.
A marriage of convenience; a simple food chain comprised of Lemna minor (L.) and Gammarus pulex (L.) to study the dietary transfer of zinc
Authors: Lahive E. , O'Halloran J. , Jansen M. A. K.
Published: April 2014

Macrophytes contribute significantly to the cycling of metals in aquatic systems, through accumulation during growth and release during herbivory or decomposition. Accumulation of high levels of metals has been extensively documented in Lemnaceae (duckweeds). However, the degree of trophic transfer of metals from Lemnaceae to secondary consumers remains poorly understood. This study demonstrates that zinc accumulated in Lemna minor is bioavailable to the herbivore consumer Gammarus pulex. Overall, the higher the zinc content of L. minor, the more zinc accumulated in G. pulex. Accumulation in G. pulex was such that mortality occurred when they were fed high zinc‐containing L. minor. Yet, the percentage of consumed zinc retained by G. pulex actually decreased with higher zinc concentrations in L. minor. We hypothesise that this decrease reflects internal zinc metabolism, including a shift from soluble to covalently bound zinc in high zinc‐containing L. minor. Consistently, relatively more zinc is lost through depuration when G. pulex is fed L. minor with high zinc content. The developed Lemna–Gammarus system is simple, easily manipulated, and sensitive enough for changes in plant zinc metabolism to be reflected in metal accumulation by the herbivore, and therefore suitable to study ecologically relevant metal cycling in aquatic ecosystems.
Faster acquisition of conditioned fear to fear‐relevant than to nonfear‐relevant conditional stimuli
Authors: Ho Yiling , Lipp Ottmar V.
Published: April 2014

Prepared learning theory posits that prepared associations are acquired rapidly and resist extinction. Although it has been shown repeatedly that prepared associations resist extinction, there is currently little evidence to support the proposal of faster acquisition. The current study provides such evidence using a within‐subjects conditioning procedure with a 50% reinforcement schedule. Participants were presented with pictures of four animals, two fear‐relevant (snake, spider) and two nonfear‐relevant (fish, bird), one of each paired with an unpleasant electrotactile stimulus on 50% of the trials during acquisition. Differential electrodermal responding was observed within the first two blocks of acquisition for fear‐relevant but not for nonfear‐relevant conditional stimuli, confirming the prediction that prepared associations are acquired faster than nonprepared associations.
A Note on Estimation in Hilbertian Linear Models
Authors: Hörmann Siegfried , Kidziński Łukasz
Published: April 2014

We study estimation and prediction in linear models where the response and the regressor variable both take values in some Hilbert space. Our main objective is to obtain consistency of a principal component‐based estimator for the regression operator under minimal assumptions. In particular, we avoid some inconvenient technical restrictions that have been used throughout the literature. We develop our theory in a time‐dependent setup that comprises as important special case the autoregressive Hilbertian model.
Hesitant Europeanisation: two decades of practice in two city governments
Authors: Dukes Thea , Van der Wusten Herman
Published: April 2014

Like many other cities in Europe, from the early 1990s, Amsterdam and The Hague have over time intensified their EU engagement. In both cities there has been a switch from a view on Europe as problem solver, threat or duty, towards Europe as a means of profiling and identity building, as reflected in a change from passive towards active behaviour vis‐à‐vis Europe. Whereas European activities initially were rather a formal practice, they have finally been put on the local political agendas. At the same time, this process of Europeanisation seems to fare under the aegis of a wider process of internationalisation. The basic driving force is not aimed at Europe at all.