bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary analysis of hepatitis C virus gene sequences from 1953
Authors: Gray Rebecca R. , Tanaka Yasuhito , Takebe Yutaka , Magiorkinis Gkikas , Buskell Zelma , Seeff Leonard , Alter Harvey J. , Pybus Oliver G.
Published: August 2013

Reconstructing the transmission history of infectious diseases in the absence of medical or epidemiological records often relies on the evolutionary analysis of pathogen genetic sequences. The precision of evolutionary estimates of epidemic history can be increased by the inclusion of sequences derived from ‘archived’ samples that are genetically distinct from contemporary strains. Historical sequences are especially valuable for viral pathogens that circulated for many years before being formally identified, including HIV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, surprisingly few HCV isolates sampled before discovery of the virus in 1989 are currently available. Here, we report and analyse two HCV subgenomic sequences obtained from infected individuals in 1953, which represent the oldest genetic evidence of HCV infection. The pairwise genetic diversity between the two sequences indicates a substantial period of HCV transmission prior to the 1950s, and their inclusion in evolutionary analyses provides new estimates of the common ancestor of HCV in the USA. To explore and validate the evolutionary information provided by these sequences, we used a new phylogenetic molecular clock method to estimate the date of sampling of the archived strains, plus the dates of four more contemporary reference genomes. Despite the short fragments available, we conclude that the archived sequences are consistent with a proposed sampling date of 1953, although statistical uncertainty is large. Our cross-validation analyses suggest that the bias and low statistical power observed here likely arise from a combination of high evolutionary rate heterogeneity and an unstructured, star-like phylogeny. We expect that attempts to date other historical viruses under similar circumstances will meet similar problems.
Characterization of messenger RNA termini in Schmallenberg virus and related Simbuviruses
Authors: Coupeau Damien , Claine François , Wiggers Laetitia , Martin Beer , Kirschvink Nathalie , Muylkens Benoît
Published: August 2013

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is an emerging arbovirus infecting ruminants in Europe. SBV belongs to the Bunyaviridae family within the Simbu serogroup. Its genome comprises three segments, small (S), medium (M) and large (L), that together encode six proteins and contain NTRs. NTRs are involved in initiation and termination of transcription and in genome packaging. This study explored the 3′ mRNA termini of SBV and related Simbuviruses. In addition, the 5′ termini of SBV messenger RNA (mRNA) were characterized. For the three SBV segments, cap-snatching was found to initiate mRNA transcription both in vivo and in vitro. The presence of extraneous nucleotides between host RNA leaders and the viral termini fits with the previously described prime-and-realign theory. At the 3′ termini, common features were identified for SBV and related Simbuviruses. However, different patterns were observed for the termini of the three segments from the same virus type.
The impact of organizational culture and social desirability on Australian CEO leadership
Authors: Densten Iain L. , Sarros James C.
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the effect of cultural and social acceptance on CEO leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Several instruments were used to capture key concepts (i.e. Organisational Culture Profile, Marlowe‐Crowne Social Desirability Scale, Transformational Leadership Inventory, and Leader Reward and Punishment Questionnaire), which were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Data were collected from 635 Australian CEOs.

Findings

The results of hierarchical multi‐regression analysis clarified the importance of self‐deception and impression management as influential context factors, and how both operate at the pinnacle of organisations. The study also identifies that transformational and transactional leadership behaviours were uniquely influenced by specific cultural dimensions, and suggests that CEOs use combinations of these behaviours to respond to four cultural dimensions (i.e. emphasis on rewards, performance orientation, innovation, and stability) in order to produce competitive advantages.

Research limitations/implications

The study highlights how CEOs are still vulnerable to conforming to the social norms of their organisation and also how CEOs use a repertoire of leadership behaviours, in response to the importance of different cultural dimensions.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the leadership literature by directly addressing how context impacts on CEO leadership in three specific areas: social acceptance needs, demographics and culture. Further, the study investigates CEO transformational and transactional leadership behaviours rather than global constructs, and directly addresses the common method variance issue.
Examining the Japanese leadership orientations and their changes
Authors: Mujtaba Bahaudin G. , Isomura Kazuhito
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the leadership tendencies of Japanese people and relevant changes over time while exploring their task and relationship orientations on the basis of culture.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to explore the behavioural tendencies of working adults in the Japanese workplace, the paper focused on comparing the leadership orientations of 231 respondents on the basis of age, gender and public/private sector work experience. To deepen the understanding of Japanese leadership orientation, the authors precisely examine Japanese culture, organisation and management practices.

Findings

Japanese respondents have a significantly higher score on the relationship orientation. Their task score is also in the moderately high range. Japanese males were found to be more task‐oriented. No differences were found based on public/private sector work experience. However, older Japanese have a significantly higher focus on task orientation compared to their younger colleagues.

Research limitations/implications

One of the limitations is the small number of responses. One specific limitation is the fact that this study was conducted with a convenient sample population. Future studies can compare specific populations in different parts of the country with similar working backgrounds and demographic variables.

Practical implications

The findings that Japanese employees are more focused on their relationship but that they also have a moderately high task orientation score are useful for managers and expatriates working in Japan to understand the behavioural tendencies of Japanese people and the relevant changes over time.

Originality/value

Japan is a high‐context culture; therefore Japanese people are traditionally regarded to be relationship‐oriented, and this was confirmed academically in the findings of this research. However, the paper showed that the Japanese also have a moderately high task orientation.
A review of research on direct‐to‐consumer advertising of prescription drugs
Authors: Mukherjee Avinandan , Limbu Yam , Wanasika Isaac
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review empirical research on direct‐to‐consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs published in journals over the period from 1997 to 2012.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured review of 130 published studies on direct‐to‐consumer advertising of prescription drugs was conducted.

Findings

Based on the structured review, the authors identified seven key research themes in DTCA. These are: consumers' attitudes toward direct‐to‐consumer advertising, physician‐patient interaction, content of DTC advertisements, awareness, literacy and memory, consumer information source and search, effect of DTCA expenditures on financial performance, and physicians' attitudes toward DTCA.

Research limitations/implications

Avenues for future research are proposed. Future research needs to focus on more empirical studies, television DTCA, online and emerging media DTCA, new and improved measures, ethical issues and regulations, diverse countries, and nurse and pharmacist attitudes towards DTCA.

Originality/value

The primary contribution of this paper is a thorough understanding of the state‐of‐the‐art in research on DTCA and future research directions.
The influence of team knowledge sourcing on team creativity
Authors: Khedhaouria Anis , Ribiere Vincent
Published: August 2013

Purpose

In a knowledge economy where innovation is a way for an organization to gain a competitive advantage, team creativity becomes an important factor of success. This paper aims to look at how a team's creativity is influenced by the degree of the team's knowledge sourcing.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model is developed and tested to assess the influence of four main antecedents of team knowledge sourcing and creativity: learning orientation, intellectual demands, risk aversion, and relational capital. The research model is tested using PLSPM.

Findings

The findings show the significant influence of all the independent variables, but more particularly the strong influence of learning orientation on team knowledge sourcing and on team creativity.

Research limitations/implications

Team creativity was examined as team member perceptions of the creative processes in the team task. Data were gathered from graduate students working in a team on an e‐commerce development project. The data set was relatively small (148). Despite these limitations, the initial findings show some interesting patterns that will be worth investigating on a larger scale and in various environments.

Practical implications

The results provide considerable support for the idea that knowledge sourcing and the learning orientation of the team members can play an important role in supporting team creativity.

Originality/value

This research adapts the construct of knowledge sourcing from Gray and Meister to the team level of analysis. It conceptualizes the perspective that individually held knowledge influences creativity primarily through the process of knowledge sourcing (internal and external) at the team level.
Can organizational learning foster customer relationships? Implications for performance
Authors: Battor Moustafa , Battour Mohamed
Published: August 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of both organisational learning and customer relationship management (CRM) on a firm's performance, as well as the potential mediating role of CRM in the link between organisational learning and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature, the authors designed a framework that links organisational learning, CRM, and performance. Data were collected through a self‐administered questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis is used to purify the measurement scales, and structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings provide support for a positive relationship between organisational learning and CRM. The results also indicate that organisational learning has a significant indirect effect (through CRM) on performance.

Originality/value

Knowledge of the learning‐CRM‐performance chain is limited to a few conceptual articles. This research is one of the first empirical studies designed to examine the importance of CRM as one of the mediating mechanisms that can explain the association between learning and performance.
Quantifying and comparing intraspecific functional trait variability: a case study with Hypochaeris radicata
Authors: Mitchell Rachel M. , Bakker Jonathan D.
Published: August 2013

The importance of intraspecific trait variation is increasingly recognized, but the ways in which this variation is quantified and compared have not been rigorously assessed.

We reviewed 5 years of ecological literature quantifying intraspecific variation (64 published studies) and identified commonly applied statistical methods. Analysis of variance techniques (n = 43) was the most commonly applied method. Levene's tests (n = 14), linear techniques (both general and generalized models) (n = 12) and mixed effects modelling (n = 9) were also used. Qualitative comparisons of plant phenotype using descriptive statistics (n = 10) and coefficients of variation (n = 8) were also applied. Bayesian analysis was used in a single study.

We compared the efficacy and interpretation of analysis of variance, tests for homogeneity of variance, qualitative comparisons, mixed effects models and Bayesian hierarchical modelling in a case study measuring variation in specific leaf area (SLA) and rosette diameter among 10 populations (n = 241 individuals) of Hypochaeris radicata. We also examined whether data base‐ and literature‐based trait values provided good estimates for measured populations.

Intraspecific variation was substantial, and significant differences existed in both means and variation across populations for both measured traits. There was a 27‐fold variation in SLA (1·7–46·1 mm2 mg−1) and a 34‐fold variation in rosette diameter (1·7–59·1 cm). The choice of statistical technique influenced the interpretation of results. Permutational anova was reasonably successful in detecting differences among populations, particularly when combined with a permutational test of dispersion within populations. Only Bayesian estimates were able to simultaneously quantify and compare variation within and across populations and to estimate trait values and variation on a larger, regional scale. Literature‐based trait values had poor fit for four of 10 populations and differed from the estimated regional trait distribution.

Synthesis. Although both classical and Bayesian techniques yielded similar results, Bayesian techniques were more sensitive to differences in intraspecific variation, could simultaneously examine variation within and across populations, could estimate regional trait distributions and did not require that the assumption of homogeneity of variance be met. Bayesian techniques and hierarchical models in particular represent a powerful analytical tool for studies of intraspecific variation.
Analysis of neoadjuvant therapies in breast cancer with respect to pathological complete response, disease‐free survival and overall survival: 15 years follow‐up data from Kuwait
Authors: Krishnan Yamini , Al Awadi Shafika , Sreedharan P.S , Sujith Nair Susovana , Thuruthel Sanjay
Published: August 2013

Aims

Optimizing neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens is essential for achieving maximal pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with breast cancer. pCR is usually considered as a surrogate marker for survival. The aim of this study was to analyze pCR with respect to various neoadjuvant regimens and its effect on survival.

Methods

This retrospective analysis included 377 patients with stages II and III breast cancer treated between 1998 and 2009 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant regimens were analyzed with respect to pCR, disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

The median age of our population was 50 years with the majority being premenopausal and locally advanced. The overall pCR rate was 13.7% with higher rates seen in patients receiving combination of anthracyclines and taxanes (14.2%). The practice of sandwiching surgery and chemotherapy was inferior to true neoadjuvant chemotherapy of eight cycles. Addition of trastuzumab to Her2 positive patients resulted in higher pCR rates (P = 0.006). Achievement of pCR with neoadjuvant chemotherapy resulted in significantly higher DFS and OS.

Conclusion

pCR is associated with better survival in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Initial anthracycline‐based chemotherapy followed by non‐cross‐resistant taxane‐based chemotherapy along with the addition of trastuzumab in Her2 positive patients might be the optimal neoadjuvant regimen in breast cancer patients.
Do Heterogeneous Background Risks Matter to Household Asset Allocation?
Authors: Cai Mingchao , Shi Jing , Ni Yang , Pan Rulu
Published: August 2013

This paper extends the literature reviews of Curcuru et al. (2009, Handbook of Financial Econometrics, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam), on the heterogeneity of background risk during investment into the following categories: income from labor and entrepreneurial firm, housing, wealth, health, professional knowledge and risk aversion attitude. Referring to the literature on asset allocation, the paper designs a survey and sets up a two‐stage decision model to empirically test the relationship between households' risky assets demand and their heterogeneous background risks. Based on questionnaires administered to 770 Chinese households, the paper shows that a background risk substitution effect does not exist during households' market participation decisions and that their risky assets ratio mainly depends on subjective market expectations. Moreover, background factors are not properly considered; individuals with a higher income risk or older individuals exhibit a higher proportion of risky assets. Furthermore, households do not consider the background factors regarding housing and subjective risk preference attitudes significantly. The paper further finds that the value‐at‐risk of representative household's wealth in the sample is underestimated by approximately 29% when the housing background factor is not included.
Effect of topsoil removal and plant material transfer on vegetation development in created Mediterranean meso‐xeric grasslands
Authors: Muller Isabelle , Mesléard François , Buisson Elise
Published: August 2013

Question

Can plant material transfer combined with topsoil removal be an efficient method of restoring Mediterranean meso‐xeric grassland plant communities? Does increasing topsoil removal depth increase the success of plant material transfer establishment?

Location

The Camargue, Rhône delta, France.

Methods

A small‐scale restoration experiment involving Mediterranean meso‐xeric grasslands was conducted in a former rice field area. During 3 yr, plant species richness and composition were compared on permanent plots subject to the following four treatments: 5 cm topsoil removal, 20 cm topsoil removal, 5 cm topsoil removal with plant material transfer, and 20 cm topsoil removal with plant material transfer. Additionally, the seed bank at 0‐ to 5‐cm deep, at 5‐ to 20‐cm deep and at 20‐ to 40‐cm deep were studied in order to evaluate the effect of topsoil removal.

Results

After 4 mo, species richness, number of target species and similarity to the reference Mediterranean meso‐xeric grassland significantly increased with plant material transfer relative to the no transfer treatment (topsoil removal without transfer). However, we found no significant difference in plant species number between the two depths of topsoil removal. This can be explained by the absence of any variation in soil seed bank between 5 cm and 20 cm. The species richness and number of target species decreased significantly in transfer treatment between the first and the second monitoring. Despite this general decrease in the first year, the plant material transfer treatment showed significantly more target species than the no transfer treatment and a higher similarity to the Mediterranean meso‐xeric grassland.

Conclusion

In order to restore a Mediterranean meso‐xeric grassland plant community, plant material transfer combined with topsoil removal appears to be a relevant method. Removing 5 cm of topsoil eliminates half of the density of the undesired seed bank in a former rice field. However, the ability of target species to establish and persist in restored vegetation communities will require good management. Conditions with low competition in early stages of succession seem to be essential for transferred species to persist, and appropriately timed grazing and adequate stocking rates will be needed to limit the negative effects of competition.
MicroRNAs – Novel Therapeutic Targets of Eicosanoid Signalling
Authors: Ochs Meike J. , Steinhilber Dieter , Suess Beatrix
Published: August 2013

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important regulators in human physiological and pathological processes. We summarize the current knowledge about the role of miRNA involved in the control of inflammatory responses with a special focus on eicosanoid signalling. Cyclooxygenase 2 – the key enzyme of the prostanoid pathway – is regulated by different miRNAs such as miRNA‐101, miR199a, miR26b and miR‐146a. In contrast to this, the understanding of miRNA regulation on enzymes of the leukotriene biosynthesis is just at the beginning. The knowledge of miRNAs regulating enzymes of the eicosanoid pathway offers a new way for the development of new therapeutic concepts for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Variability in the Response to Non‐Steroidal Anti‐Inflammatory Drugs: Mechanisms and Perspectives
Authors: Bruno Annalisa , Tacconelli Stefania , Patrignani Paola
Published: August 2013

Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a chemically heterogeneous group of compounds that provide unmistakable and significant health benefits in the treatment of pain and inflammation. They include traditional NSAIDs (tNSAIDs), which act by inhibiting both cyclooxygenase (COX)‐1 and COX‐2 and selective COX‐2 inhibitors (coxibs). The development of biomarkers predictive of the impact of NSAIDs on COX‐1 and COX‐2 activities in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo has been essential to read out the clinical consequences of selective and non‐selective inhibition of COX isozymes in human beings. The analgesic and anti‐inflammatory effects of NSAIDs are COX‐2‐dependent effects, unrelated to COX‐2 selectivity. The intensity and duration of these effects are influenced by dose and half‐life of the NSAID. However, the inhibition of COX‐1 in cells of the gastrointestinal (GI) system and COX‐2 in vascular cells translates into increased risk of serious GI adverse events and atherothrombosis and hypertension, respectively. The COX‐2 selectivity of NSAIDs can predict, at least in part, the GI toxicity. In contrast, the CV effects are largely COX‐2‐dependent effects, unrelated to COX‐2 selectivity but are dose dependent. The reduction in the dose is recommended and presumably will limit the number of patients exposed to a CV or a GI hazard by NSAIDs and coxibs. It will not, however, eliminate the risk on an individual level because there is a marked variability in how different people react to these drugs, based on their genetic background. The challenge of the next future will be to develop biomarkers useful to identify the individuals who react abnormally to COX inhibition.
LissitzRobert W & HongJiao ed (2012) Computers and their impact on state assessmentsIAP (Charlotte, NC) isbn 978‐1‐61735‐725‐1 326 pp $45.99 http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Computers‐and‐Their‐Impact‐on‐State‐Assessments
Authors: Garcia Laborda Jesus
Published: August 2013

This long awaited volume on computer based tests covers many of the aspects that general practitioners in education involved in the many different forms of state assessments have been missing. Although based on practice in the US, its application is universal in these times of educational accountability. Undoubtedly researchers in testing will find it full of well organised ideas that apply to their own work. If this book is likely to be relevant to your work, I recommend that you buy a copy for your own use.

Jesus Garcia Laborda
Wildflower, Leni (2013) The hidden history of coachingOpen University Press (McGraw‐Hill Maidenhead UK & New York) isbn 978‐0‐3352‐4540‐6 165 pp £22.99 http://mcgraw‐hill.co.uk/html/0335245404.html
Authors: Cowan John
Published: August 2013

In a scholarly yet readable style, the writer presents a history which goes beyond the foundations of coaching. However, she chooses not to present the history chronologically, but rather by themes with clear and meaningful links within the text. Anyone with a keen interest and involvement in facilitation, mentoring or counselling will find this a rich and valuable source book. If you are such a person, I recommend you buy a copy of this book for your own use.

John Cowan
Semi‐parametric proportional hazards models with crossed random effects for psychometric response times
Authors: Loeys Tom , Legrand Catherine , Schettino Antonio , Pourtois Gilles
Published: August 2013

The semi‐parametric proportional hazards model with crossed random effects has two important characteristics: it avoids explicit specification of the response time distribution by using semi‐parametric models, and it captures heterogeneity that is due to subjects and items. The proposed model has a proportionality parameter for the speed of each test taker, for the time intensity of each item, and for subject or item characteristics of interest. It is shown how all these parameters can be estimated by Markov chain Monte Carlo methods (Gibbs sampling). The performance of the estimation procedure is assessed with simulations and the model is further illustrated with the analysis of response times from a visual recognition task.
Combined 3D‐QSAR, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, and Binding Free Energy Calculation Studies on the 5‐Hydroxy‐2H‐Pyridazin‐3‐One Derivatives as HCV NS5B Polymerase Inhibitors
Authors: Yu Haijing , Fang Yu , Lu Xia , Liu Yongjuan , Zhang Huabei
Published: August 2013

The NS5B RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) is a promising therapeutic target for developing novel anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) drugs. In this work, a combined molecular modeling study was performed on a series of 193 5‐hydroxy‐2H‐pyridazin‐3‐one derivatives as inhibitors of HCV NS5B Polymerase. The best 3D‐QSAR models, including CoMFA and CoMSIA, are based on receptor (or docking). Furthermore, a 40‐ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and binding free energy calculations using docked structures of NS5B with ten compounds, which have diverse structures and pIC50 values, were employed to determine the detailed binding process and to compare the binding modes of the inhibitors with different activities. On one side, the stability and rationality of molecular docking and 3D‐QSAR results were validated by MD simulation. The binding free energies calculated by the MM‐PBSA method gave a good correlation with the experimental biological activity. On the other side, by analyzing some differences between the molecular docking and the MD simulation results, we can find that the MD simulation could also remedy the defects of molecular docking. The analyses of the combined molecular modeling results have identified that Tyr448, Ser556, and Asp318 are the key amino acid residues in the NS5B binding pocket. The results from this study can provide some insights into the development of novel potent NS5B inhibitors.
Microbiota in experimental periodontitis and peri‐implantitis in dogs
Authors: Charalampakis Georgios , Abrahamsson Ingemar , Carcuac Olivier , Dahlén Gunnar , Berglundh Tord
Published: August 2013

Aim

To analyze the microbial profile around teeth and implants following ligature removal in experimental periodontitis and peri‐implantitis in dogs.

Material and methods

Four implants with similar geometry and with two different surface characteristics (implant A: turned/implant B: TiUnite; NobelBiocare AB) were placed pairwise in the right side of the mandible 3 months after tooth extraction in five dogs. Experimental periodontitis and peri‐implantitis were initiated 3 months later by ligature placement around implants and mandibular premolars and plaque formation. The ligatures were removed after 10 weeks. Microbial samples were obtained using paper points immediately after ligature removal, at 10 and 25 weeks after ligature removal. The microbiological analysis was performed by “checkerboard” DNA‐DNA hybridization, including a panel of 16 bacterial species.

Results

The amount of bone loss that occurred during the period following ligature removal was significantly larger at implants with a modified surface than at implants with a turned surface and at teeth. The microbiological analysis revealed that the total bacterial load increased during the period following ligature removal and established an anaerobic Gram‐negative microflora.

Conclusion

It is suggested that the large variation in regard to the microbial profiles makes interpretation of a correlation between disease progression and microbial profiles difficult.
A systematic review on marginal bone loss around short dental implants (<10 mm) for implant‐supported fixed prostheses
Authors: Monje Alberto , Suarez Fernando , Galindo‐Moreno Pablo , García‐Nogales Agustín , Fu Jia‐Hui , Wang Hom‐Lay
Published: August 2013

Purpose

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of implant length on peri‐implant marginal bone loss (MBL) and its associated influencing factors.

Material and methods

An electronic search of the PubMed and MEDLINE databases for relevant studies published in English from November 2006 to July 2012 was performed by one examiner (AM). Selected studies were randomized clinical trials, human experimental clinical trials or prospective studies (e.g., cohort as well as case series) with a clear aim of investigating marginal bone loss of short dental implants (<10 mm) supporting fixed prostheses. A random‐effect meta‐regression model was used to determine the relationship between the effect size mean MBL and the covariate “implant length.” Additionally, a subgroup analysis, by means of a random‐effect one‐way ANOVA model, comparing mean MBL values at different levels of each factor (“type of connection” and “type of prostheses”) was also performed.

Results

The meta‐regression of mean MBL on the moderator “implant length” was found to be insignificant (P = 0.633). Therefore, it could not be concluded that implant length had an effect on peri‐implant MBL. In addition, standardized differences in mean MBL on the subgroups short (<10 mm) and standard (≥10 mm) implants, as determined by the meta‐analysis (random‐effect model), were found to be statistically insignificant (P = 0.222).

Conclusions

Within limitations of the present systematic review, it could be concluded that short dental implants (<10 mm) had similar peri‐implant MBL as standard implants (≥10 mm) for implant‐supported fixed prostheses.
Demyelination Initiated by Oligodendrocyte Apoptosis through Enhancing Endoplasmic Reticulum–Mitochondria Interactions and Id2 Expression after Compressed Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Authors: Huang Si‐Qin , Tang Cheng‐Lin , Sun Shan‐Quan , Yang Cheng , Xu Jin , Wang Ke‐Jian , Lu Wei‐Tian , Huang Juan , Zhuo Fei , Qiu Guo‐Ping , Wu Xiu‐Yu , Qi Wei
Published: August 2013

Background

Demyelination is one of the most important pathological factors of spinal cord injury. Oligodendrocyte apoptosis is involved in triggering demyelination. However, fewer reports on pathological changes and mechanism of demyelination have been presented from compressed spinal cord injury (CSCI). The relative effect of oligodendrocyte apoptosis on CSCI‐induced demyelination and the mechanism of apoptosis remain unclear.

Aims

In this study, a custom‐designed model of CSCI was used to determine whether or not demyelination and oligodendrocyte apoptosis occur after CSCI. The pathological changes in axonal myelinated fibers were investigated by osmic acid staining and transmission electron microscopy. Myelin basic protein (MBP), which is used in myelin formation in the central nervous system, was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot assays. Oligodendrocyte apoptosis was revealed by in situ terminal‐deoxytransferase‐mediated dUTP nick‐end labeling. To analyze the mechanism of oligodendrocyte apoptosis, we detected caspase‐12 [a representative of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress], cytochrome c (an apoptotic factor and hallmark of mitochondria), and inhibitor of DNA binding 2 (Id2, an oligodendrocyte lineage gene) by immunofluorescence and Western blot assays.

Results

The custom‐designed model of CSCI was successfully established. The rats were spastic, paralyzed, and incontinent. The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale scores were decreased as time passed. The compressed spinal cord slices were ischemic. Myelin sheaths became swollen and degenerative; these sheaths were broken down as time passed after CSCI. MBP expression was downregulated after CSCI and consistent with the degree of demyelination. Oligodendrocyte apoptosis occurred at 1 day after CSCI and increased as caspase‐12 expression was enhanced and cytochrome c was released. Id2 was distributed widely in the white matter. Id2 expression increased with time after CSCI.

Conclusion

Demyelination occurred after CSCI and might be partly caused by oligodendrocyte apoptosis, which was positively correlated with ER–mitochondria interactions and enhanced Id2 expression after CSCI in rats.
A positive cobalt spot test falsely indicating an occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt
Authors: Bruze Magnus , Hamada Haneen , Dahlin Jakob , Dunér Kari , Persson Lena
Published: August 2013

Background

For investigation of chemical exposure in allergic individuals, spot tests are invaluable. A reagent may react with a specific compound to give a specific typical colour, and thus indicate the presence of the specific substance. Spot tests can give both false‐negative and false‐positive reactions. To confirm the presence of the substance and quantify it, more sophisticated methods are required. On the basis of a positive cobalt spot test result, a woman was initially diagnosed with an occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by cobalt.

Objectives

To investigate cobalt release from three different metal weaves to which our patient was occupationally exposed.

Methods

The cobalt gel test and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) were used to investigate the metal weaves. Two types of extract based on artificial sweat and nitric acid, respectively, were investigated with AAS.

Results

No cobalt release was demonstrated with AAS.

Conclusions

When a diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis caused by a sensitizer based on a positive spot test result will have far‐reaching consequences, such as change of work, retraining, and claim on and payment of worker's compensation, conformational analysis must be performed.
Hand eczema and health‐related quality of life; a comparison of EQ‐5D and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in relation to the hand eczema extent score (HEES)
Authors: Lindberg Magnus , Bingefors Kerstin , Meding Birgitta , Berg Mats
Published: August 2013

Background

Health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) is associated with the extent and severity of hand eczema. We still lack a consensus about which HRQoL instrument to use as the standard, and how to measure the extent and severity of hand eczema.

Objectives

To compare the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) with EQ‐5D (a standardized instrument for use as a measure of health outcome), and to evaluate how the Hand Eczema Extent Score (HEES) relates to these instruments.

Methods

Ninety‐three patients (61 females) were included. The HEES was recorded by a dermatologist, and the DLQI and EQ‐5D by the patients. The results were analysed with factor analysis and non‐parametric statistics.

Results

The DLQI and EQ‐5D showed decreased HRQoL. Using factor analysis, we could not establish an association between the DLQI and EQ‐5D. There were, however, correlations between the DLQI and the HEES (0.31), the EQindex and the HEES (− 0.32), the DLQI and the EQVAS (− 0.62), and the DLQI and the EQindex (− 0.67) (the EQVAS and the EQindex are calculated from EQ‐5D).

Conclusions

We could not link factors in the DLQI to EQ‐5D, which has previously been done for SF‐36 (Short Form 36). On the basis of this, we cannot recommend EQ‐5D over SF‐36 for hand eczema studies. The DLQI correlates with the EQVAS and the EQindex, and can probably be used as an approximation for EQ‐5D. Our findings with the HEES are interesting, as it can be used by patients.
Children Use Temporal Cues to Learn Causal Directionality
Authors: Rottman Benjamin M. , Kominsky Jonathan F. , Keil Frank C.
Published: August 2013

The ability to learn the direction of causal relations is critical for understanding and acting in the world. We investigated how children learn causal directionality in situations in which the states of variables are temporally dependent (i.e., autocorrelated). In Experiment 1, children learned about causal direction by comparing the states of one variable before versus after an intervention on another variable. In Experiment 2, children reliably inferred causal directionality merely from observing how two variables change over time; they interpreted Y changing without a change in X as evidence that Y does not influence X. Both of these strategies make sense if one believes the variables to be temporally dependent. We discuss the implications of these results for interpreting previous findings. More broadly, given that many real‐world environments are characterized by temporal dependency, these results suggest strategies that children may use to learn the causal structure of their environments.
A Quantitative Empirical Analysis of the Abstract/Concrete Distinction
Authors: Hill Felix , Korhonen Anna , Bentz Christian
Published: August 2013

This study presents original evidence that abstract and concrete concepts are organized and represented differently in the mind, based on analyses of thousands of concepts in publicly available data sets and computational resources. First, we show that abstract and concrete concepts have differing patterns of association with other concepts. Second, we test recent hypotheses that abstract concepts are organized according to association, whereas concrete concepts are organized according to (semantic) similarity. Third, we present evidence suggesting that concrete representations are more strongly feature‐based than abstract concepts. We argue that degree of feature‐based structure may fundamentally determine concreteness, and we discuss implications for cognitive and computational models of meaning.
A systematic review of activities of daily living measures for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy
Authors: James Sarah , Ziviani Jenny , Boyd Roslyn
Published: August 2013

Aim

This study aimed to systematically review the psychometric properties and clinical utility of measures of activities of daily living (ADL) for children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 5 to 18 years.

Method

Five electronic databases were searched to identify available ADL measures with published psychometric data for school‐aged children with CP. Measures were included if at least 60% of the items addressed ADL in the full assessment or in an independent domain. A modified CanChild Outcome Rating Form was used to report the validity, reliability, responsiveness, and clinical utility of the measures.

Results

Twenty‐six measures were identified and eight met inclusion criteria. The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) had the strongest psychometric properties but was limited by its age range. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) was the most comprehensive evaluation of underlying motor and cognitive abilities yet further psychometric testing is required for children with CP.

Interpretation

The PEDI should be used to measure ADL capability in elementary school aged children. The AMPS is the best measure to evaluate ADL performance or capacity and is suitable for all ages. Future research should examine the reliability of the AMPS to determine its stability in children and adolescents with CP.
Modelling the world economy at the 2050 horizon
Authors: Fouré Jean , Bénassy‐Quéré Agnès , Fontagné Lionel
Published: August 2013

Economic analysis is increasingly addressing long‐term issues (such as global warming) that require a dynamic baseline for the world economy. In this article, we develop a three‐factor (capital, energy, labour) macroeconometric (MaGE – Macroeconometrics of the Global Economy) model, and project growth for 147 countries to 2050. We improve on the literature by the following: (i) accounting for the energy constraint through dynamic modelling of energy productivity, (ii) modelling female participation rates consistent with education catch‐up, (iii) departing from the assumptions of either a closed economy or full capital mobility (by applying a Feldstein–Horioka type relationship between saving and investment rates), and (iv) offering a fully consistent treatment of the Balassa–Samuelson effect. These innovative features have a sizeable impact on projected GDP.
Commentary on the practical guide for the study of sebaceous glands
Authors: Nejati Reza , Skobowiat Cezary , Slominski Andrzej T.
Published: August 2013

For many years, the function of the sebaceous gland (SG) was underestimated and suggested by Albert M. Kligman as a remnant of human development, a ‘living fossil with a past but no future’. However, the last two decades of studies and the discovery of neuro‐endocrine pathways in skin have determined the importance of the SG in cutaneous biology and homeostasis. SGs play their role in cutaneous homeostasis by contribution to local steroidogenic pathways, antimicrobial activity and display of immune (both pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory) properties. Despite several important manuscripts and reviews regarding SG biology and function, there was an urgent need for a high‐quality methodological guide through SG identification and quantitative evaluation. In this issue of Experimental Dermatology, Hinde et al. present a practical guide to SG research – outlining methods, defining immunohistochemical markers and providing guidance to both novice and more experienced SG researchers.
The neonate nutrition hypothesis: early feeding affects the body stoichiometry of Daphnia offspring
Authors: Lukas Marcus , Frost Paul C. , Wacker Alexander
Published: August 2013

Aquatic herbivores consume variable quantities and qualities of food. In freshwater systems, where phosphorus (P) is often a primary limiting element, inadequate dietary P can slow maternal growth and reduce body P content. There remains uncertainty about whether and how dietary effects on mothers are transferred to offspring by way of egg provisioning.

Using the keystone herbivore Daphnia, we tested a novel explanation (the ‘neonate nutrition hypothesis’) to determine whether the early nutrition of newborns affects their elemental composition and whether the indications of differences in maternal P nutrition found previously might be overestimated.

We thus examined the P content of mothers and their eggs from deposition through development to the birth of neonates. We examined further whether very short periods of ingestion (3 h) by the offspring alter the overall P content of juvenile Daphnia.

We showed that strong dietary P effects on mothers were not directly transferred to their eggs. Irrespective of the supply of P in the maternal diet, the P content of eggs in different developmental stages and in (unfed) neonates did not differ. This indicates that Daphnia mothers do not reduce the quality (in terms of P) of newly produced offspring after intermittent periods (i.e. several days) of poor nutrition. In contrast, the P content of neonates reflected that of their food after brief periods of feeding, indicating that even temporary exposure to nutrient poor food immediately after birth may strongly affect the elemental composition of neonates.

Our results thus support the neonate nutrition hypothesis, which, like differential maternal provisioning, is a possible explanation for the variable elemental quality of young Daphnia.
Subtyping of gliomas of various WHO grades by the application of immunohistochemistry
Authors: Popova Svetlana N , Bergqvist Michael , Dimberg Anna , Edqvist Per‐Henrik , Ekman Simon , Hesselager Göran , Ponten Fredrik , Smits Anja , Sooman Linda , Alafuzoff Irina
Published: August 2013

Aims

In 2010, four subtypes (classical, proneural, mesenchymal, and neural) of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were defined by molecular genetic analyses. The objective of this study was to assess whether gliomas, independently of the type and grade, could be subdivided into protein‐based subtypes.

Methods and results

A tissue microarray (TMA) approach was applied to incorporate tissue samples of low‐grade and high‐grade gliomas into five TMAs. High expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), CD44, c‐MER proto‐oncogene tyrosine kinase (MERTK), platelet‐derived growth factor receptor α, p53, oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 with the R132H mutation were assessed using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Glioma could be subdivided into four subtypes by IHC. The majority of the low‐grade gliomas were of the proneural subtype, i.e. high p53 expression (63% of grade II). The classical subtype, with high EGFR and low p53 expression, was most common in GBMs (39%), followed by the proneural (29%) and mesenchymal (with high CD44 and MERTK expression) (29%) subtypes, a frequency that is in line with previously published data based on molecular genetics.

Conclusions

Assessment of the expression of the five proteins EGFR, CD44, MERTK, p53 and OLIG2 is sufficient for subtyping gliomas, and can be recommended for implementation in clinical practice for both low‐grade and high‐grade gliomas.
Health‐related quality of life in people with overactive bladder symptoms: reliability and validity of the traditional Chinese version of the Kings' Health Questionnaire
Authors: Chiu Aih‐Fung , Huang Mei‐Huang , Chiu Jui‐Fang , Kuo Hann‐Chorng
Published: August 2013

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common medical condition. A number of health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) measurements for OAB have been developed during recent years, including the linguistic validation of the traditional Chinese version of the Kings' Health Questionnaire (KHQ). However, limited studies are available for this version of KHQ. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the reliability and discriminant validity of this traditional Chinese version within the communities of Taiwanese. A cross‐sectional and case–control study was designed. On the basis of a convenience sampling, participants were recruited at a community health center in Pingtung County, Taiwan from March to July 2010. The collected data included OAB symptoms assessed by the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), the HRQOL assessed by the traditional Chinese version of the KHQ and demographic characteristics. Subjects with urinary urgency at least once a week and a total score of OABSS ≥ 3 were assigned to the OAB group. Participants without OAB but with matched age and gender were selected as the control group. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α, and discriminant validity was examined by Student's independent t‐test. A total of 173 pairs of observations were matched and analysed. The Cronbach's α value was above 0·80 for the traditional Chinese version of KHQ and all its subscales, suggesting a good internal consistency reliability for this measurement. The participants in OAB group showed poor quality of life than the controls (all p < 0·001), which display a good discriminant validity of traditional Chinese version of KHQ. Only 39·9% (n = 69) participants with OAB had discussed their symptoms with a doctor during the past year. As the HRQOL could be improved by medical help, health care providers should educate the public about OAB and encourage patients to seek medical attention.