bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explaining National Differences in Education-work Transitions
Authors: Raffe David
Published: August 2013

In the 1980s and 1990s the study of education-work transitions took a comparative turn. Researchers sought to identify national differences in transition processes and outcomes and explain them in terms of institutional characteristics of national ‘transition systems’. This was an ambitious aim because it required the study of transitions to develop as a field of ‘macro’ social-science research, while continuing also to use theories, techniques of analysis and data associated with ‘micro’ research. This paper reviews the progress of transition-system research over the past 20 years. It describes the development of the research field and how it has been shaped by its theoretical origins, the political context, the availability of data and the organisation of research. The research has made significant if uneven progress towards explaining national differences in transitions; its achievements appear more significant when viewed from a perspective which emphasises the case-oriented rather than variables-oriented aims of comparative research.
Generic incarnations of quadratic transforms
Authors: Abhyankar Shreeram
Published: August 2013

The generic incarnation of a quadratic transform is obtained by adjoining an indeterminate. This is applied to proving some useful facts about intersection, such as the commutativity of contact numbers and the mixed characteristic generalization of Max Noether’s Theorem on Refined Bezout.
Boarfish (Capros aper) target strength modelled from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of its swimbladder
Authors: Fässler Sascha M. M. , O'Donnell Ciaran , Jech J. M.
Published: August 2013

Fässler, S. M. M., O'Donnell, C., and Jech, J.M. 2013. Boarfish (Capros aper) target strength modelled from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of its swimbladder. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: . Boarfish (Capros aper) abundance has increased dramatically in the Northeast Atlantic from the early 1970s after successive years of good recruitment attributed to an increase in sea surface temperature. Due to increased commercial fishing over recent years, an acoustic boarfish survey funded by the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation was initiated by the Marine Institute to establish a baseline for the future management of this stock. In the absence of any species-specific boarfish target strength (TS), acoustic backscatter was estimated by a Kirchhoff-ray mode model using reconstructed three-dimensional swimbladder shapes which were computed from magnetic resonance imaging scans of whole fish. The model predicted TS as a function of size, fish tilt angle, and operating frequency. Standardized directivity patterns revealed the increasing importance of changes in the inclination of the dorsal swimbladder surface at higher frequencies (120 and 200 kHz) and a less directive response at lower frequencies (18 and 38 kHz). The model predicted a TS-to-total fish length relationship of TS = 20 log10(L) − 66.2. The intercept is ∼1 dB higher than in the general physoclist relationship, potentially reflecting the bulky nature of the boarfish swimbladder with its relatively large circumference.
The influence of catch quotas on the productivity of the Portuguese bivalve dredge fleet
Authors: Oliveira M. M. , Camanho A. S. , Gaspar M. B.
Published: August 2013

Oliveira, M. M., Camanho, A. S., and Gaspar, M. B. 2013. The influence of catch quotas on the productivity of the Portuguese bivalve dredge fleet. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: . Among the Portuguese artisanal fishing fleets, the bivalve dredge fleet is one of the most profitable. In the last decade, after the implementation of a quotas system, the management of this fishery has been largely focused on adjusting catch to the conservation status of the resources exploited. The present work aims to understand how changes in the amount of quota attributed to each vessel each year and shifts in the quota regime affected vessel productivity. Boostrapped Malmquist indices, complemented with an efficiency assessment using a directional distance function, were used to quantify productivity changes between 1999 and 2011 for the fleets operating in two areas along the Portuguese coast (northwest and southwest). The results showed that the implementation of a weekly quota, as opposed to a daily quota, led to a significant improvement in productivity. This was mainly due to the decrease in fishing days and fuel consumption. It is predicted that the implementation of weekly quotas in the south area would lead to an overall reduction of about 12% in fishing days and fuel consumption, even though the variation in fuel consumption may be affected by the status of the resources. The results achieved provide important insights for future management actions and showed the potential advantages of applying this type of management to other fisheries worldwide, mainly those using active gear.
Identification of a Novel Spinal Dorsal Horn Astroglial d-Amino Acid Oxidase–Hydrogen Peroxide Pathway Involved in Morphine Antinociceptive Tolerance
Authors: Gong Nian , Li Xin-Yan , Xiao Qi , Wang Yong-Xiang
Published: August 2013

Background:

d-Amino acid oxidase (DAAO) is a flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent peroxisomal flavoenzyme which is almost exclusively expressed within astrocytes in the spinal cord. DAAO catalyzes oxidation of d-amino acids to hydrogen peroxide, which is a stable and less active reactive oxygen species, and may represent a final form of reactive oxygen species. This study tested the hypothesis that the spinal astroglial DAAO–hydrogen peroxide pathway plays an important role in the development of morphine antinociceptive tolerance.

Methods:

Rat and mouse formalin, hot-plate, and tail-flick tests were used, and spinal DAAO expression and hydrogen peroxide level were measured. Sample size of animals was six in each study group.

Results:

Subcutaneous and intrathecal DAAO inhibitors, including 5-chloro-benzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol, AS057278, and sodium benzoate, completely prevented and reversed morphine antinociceptive tolerance in the formalin, hot-plate, and tail-immersion tests, with a positive correlation to their DAAO inhibitory activities. Intrathecal gene silencers, small interfering RNA/DAAO and small hairpin RNA/DAAO, almost completely prevented morphine tolerance. Intrathecal 5-chloro-benzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol and small interfering RNA/DAAO completely prevented increased spinal hydrogen peroxide levels after chronic morphine treatment. Intrathecal nonselective hydrogen peroxide scavenger phenyl-tert-N-butyl nitrone and the specific hydrogen peroxide catalyst catalase also abolished established morphine tolerance. Spinal dorsal horn astrocytes specifically expressed DAAO was significantly up-regulated, accompanying astrocyte hypertrophy after chronic morphine treatment.

Conclusions:

For the first time, the authors’ result identify a novel spinal astroglial DAAO–hydrogen peroxide pathway that is critically involved in the initiation and maintenance of morphine antinociceptive tolerance, and suggest that this pathway is of potential utility for the management of morphine tolerance and chronic pain.
Protocell design through modular compartmentalization
Authors: Miller David , Booth Paula J. , Seddon John M. , Templer Richard H. , Law Robert V. , Woscholski Rudiger , Ces Oscar , Barter Laura M. C.
Published: August 2013

De novo synthetic biological design has the potential to significantly impact upon applications such as energy generation and nanofabrication. Current designs for constructing organisms from component parts are typically limited in scope, as they utilize a cut-and-paste ideology to create simple stepwise engineered protein-signalling pathways. We propose the addition of a new design element that segregates components into lipid-bound ‘proto-organelles’, which are interfaced with response elements and housed within a synthetic protocell. This design is inspired by living cells, which utilize multiple types of signalling molecules to facilitate communication between isolated compartments. This paper presents our design and validation of the components required for a simple multi-compartment protocell machine, for coupling a light transducer to a gene expression system. This represents a general design concept for the compartmentalization of different types of artificial cellular machinery and the utilization of non-protein signal molecules for signal transduction.
Environmental and historical imprints on beta diversity: insights from variation in rates of species turnover along gradients
Authors: Fitzpatrick Matthew C. , Sanders Nathan J. , Normand Signe , Svenning Jens-Christian , Ferrier Simon , Gove Aaron D. , Dunn Robert R.
Published: August 2013

A common approach for analysing geographical variation in biodiversity involves using linear models to determine the rate at which species similarity declines with geographical or environmental distance and comparing this rate among regions, taxa or communities. Implicit in this approach are weakly justified assumptions that the rate of species turnover remains constant along gradients and that this rate can therefore serve as a means to compare ecological systems. We use generalized dissimilarity modelling, a novel method that accommodates variation in rates of species turnover along gradients and between different gradients, to compare environmental and spatial controls on the floras of two regions with contrasting evolutionary and climatic histories: southwest Australia and northern Europe. We find stronger signals of climate history in the northern European flora and demonstrate that variation in rates of species turnover is persistent across regions, taxa and different gradients. Such variation may represent an important but often overlooked component of biodiversity that complicates comparisons of distance–decay relationships and underscores the importance of using methods that accommodate the curvilinear relationships expected when modelling beta diversity. Determining how rates of species turnover vary along and between gradients is relevant to understanding the sensitivity of ecological systems to environmental change.
Environmental stability and the evolution of cooperative breeding in hornbills
Authors: Gonzalez Juan-Carlos T. , Sheldon Ben C. , Tobias Joseph A.
Published: August 2013

Reproductive cooperation in social animals has been the focus of intensive research, yet the role of environmental factors in promoting such cooperation remains uncertain. A recent global analysis suggested that cooperative breeding in birds is a ‘bet-hedging’ strategy associated with climatic uncertainty, but it is unclear whether this mechanism applies generally or is restricted to the insectivorous passerines that predominate as cooperative breeders at the global scale. Here, we use a phylogenetic framework to assess the effect of climate on the evolution of cooperation in hornbills (Bucerotidae), an avian family characterized by frugivory and carnivory. We show that, in contrast to the global pattern, cooperative reproduction is positively associated with both inter- and intra-annual climatic stability. This reversed relationship implies that hornbills are relatively insensitive to climatic fluctuations, perhaps because of their dietary niche or increased body mass, both of which may remove the need for bet-hedging. We conclude that the relationship between climatic variability and cooperative breeding is inconsistent across taxa, and potentially mediated by life-history variation. These findings help to explain the mixed results of previous studies and highlight the likely shortcomings of global datasets inherently biased towards particular categories.
Simple life-history traits explain key effective population size ratios across diverse taxa
Authors: Waples Robin S. , Luikart Gordon , Faulkner James R. , Tallmon David A.
Published: August 2013

Effective population size (Ne) controls both the rate of random genetic drift and the effectiveness of selection and migration, but it is difficult to estimate in nature. In particular, for species with overlapping generations, it is easier to estimate the effective number of breeders in one reproductive cycle (Nb) thanNeper generation. We empirically evaluated the relationship between life history and ratios ofNe,Nband adult census size (N) using a recently developed model (agene) and published vital rates for 63 iteroparous animals and plants.Nb/Nevaried a surprising sixfold across species and, contrary to expectations,Nbwas larger thanNein over half the species. Up to two-thirds of the variance inNb/Neand up to half the variance inNe/Nwas explained by just two life-history traits (age at maturity and adult lifespan) that have long interested both ecologists and evolutionary biologists. These results provide novel insights into, and demonstrate a close general linkage between, demographic and evolutionary processes across diverse taxa. For the first time, our results also make it possible to interpret rapidly accumulating estimates ofNbin the context of the rich body of evolutionary theory based onNeper generation.
Do naive juvenile seabirds forage differently from adults?
Authors: Riotte-Lambert Louise , Weimerskirch Henri
Published: August 2013

Foraging skills of young individuals are assumed to be inferior to those of adults. The reduced efficiency of naive individuals may be the primary cause of the high juvenile mortality and explain the deferment of maturity in long-lived species. However, the study of juvenile and immature foraging behaviour has been limited so far. We used satellite telemetry to compare the foraging movements of juveniles, immatures and breeding adult wandering albatrossesDiomedea exulans, a species where foraging success is positively influenced by the distance covered daily. We showed that juveniles are able to use favourable winds as soon as the first month of independence, but cover shorter distances daily and spend more time sitting on water than adults during the first two months after fledging. These reduced movement capacities do not seem to be the cause of higher juvenile mortality. Moreover, juveniles almost never restrict their movement to specific areas, as adults and immatures frequently do over shelf edges or oceanic zones, which suggest that the location of appropriate areas is learned through experience. Immatures and adults have equivalent movement capacities, but when they are central place foragers, i.e. when adults breed or immatures come to the colony to display and pair, immatures make shorter trips than adults. The long duration of immaturity in this species seems to be related to a long period of learning to integrate the foraging constraints associated with reproduction and central place foraging. Our results indicate that foraging behaviour of young albatrosses is partly innate and partly learned progressively over immaturity. The first months of learning appear critical in terms of survival, whereas the long period of immaturity is necessary for young birds to attain the skills necessary for efficient breeding without fitness costs.
From trickle to flood: the large-scale, cryptic invasion of California by tropical fruit flies
Authors: Papadopoulos Nikos T. , Plant Richard E. , Carey James R.
Published: August 2013

Since 1954, when the first tropical tephritid fruit fly was detected in California, a total of 17 species in four genera and 11 386 individuals (adults/larvae) have been detected in the state at more than 3348 locations in 330 cities. We conclude from spatial mapping analyses of historical capture patterns and modelling that, despite the 250+ emergency eradication projects that have been directed against these pests by state and federal agencies, a minimum of five and as many as nine or more tephritid species are established and widespread, including the Mediterranean, Mexican and oriental fruit flies, and possibly the peach, guava and melon fruit flies. We outline and discuss the evidence for our conclusions, with particular attention to the incremental, chronic and insidious nature of the invasion, which involves ultra-small, barely detectable populations. We finish by considering the implications of our results for invasion biology and for science-based invasion policy.
Escalation of aggressive vocal signals: a sequential playback study
Authors: Hof David , Podos Jeffrey
Published: August 2013

Rival conspecifics often produce stereotyped sequences of signals as agonistic interactions escalate. Successive signals in sequence are thought to convey increasingly pronounced levels of aggressive motivation. Here, we propose and test a model of aggressive escalation in black-throated blue warblers, presenting subjects with two sequential and increasingly elevated levels of threat. From a speaker outside the territorial boundary, we initiated an interaction (low-threat level), and from a second speaker inside the territory, accompanied by a taxidermic mount, we subsequently simulated a territorial intrusion (escalated threat level). Our two main predictions were that signalling behaviours in response to low-threat boundary playback would predict signalling responses to the escalated within-territory threat, and that these latter signalling behaviours would in turn reliably predict attack. We find clear support for both predictions: (i) specific song types (type II songs) produced early in the simulated interaction, in response to boundary playback, predicted later use of low-amplitude ‘soft’ song, in response to within-territory playback; and (ii) soft song, in turn, predicted attack of the mount. Unexpectedly, use of the early-stage signal (type II song) itself did not predict attack, despite its apparent role in aggressive escalation. This raises the intriguing question of whether type II song can actually be considered a reliable aggressive signal. Overall, our results provide new empirical insights into how songbirds may use progressive vocal signalling to convey increasing levels of threat.
Decades-long social memory in bottlenose dolphins
Authors: Bruck Jason N.
Published: August 2013

Long-term social memory is important, because it is an ecologically relevant test of cognitive capacity, it helps us understand which social relationships are remembered and it relates two seemingly disparate disciplines: cognition and sociality. For dolphins, long-term memory for conspecifics could help assess social threats as well as potential social or hunting alliances in a very fluid and complex fission–fusion social system, yet we have no idea how long dolphins can remember each other. Through a playback study conducted within a multi-institution dolphin breeding consortium (where animals are moved between different facilities), recognition of unfamiliar versus familiar signature whistles of former tank mates was assessed. This research shows that dolphins have the potential for lifelong memory for each other regardless of relatedness, sex or duration of association. This is, to my knowledge, the first study to show that social recognition can last for at least 20 years in a non-human species and the first large-scale study to address long-term memory in a cetacean. These results, paired with evidence from elephants and humans, provide suggestive evidence that sociality and cognition could be related, as a good memory is necessary in a fluid social system.
Lactobacillus silagei sp. nov., isolated from orchardgrass silage
Authors: Tohno Masanori , Kitahara Maki , Irisawa Tomohiro , Masuda Takaharu , Uegaki Ryuichi , Ohkuma Moriya , Tajima Kiyoshi
Published: August 2013

A Gram-reaction-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-spore-forming and catalase-negative rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated IWT126T, was isolated from orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) silage preserved in Hachimantai, Iwate, Japan. The isolate showed growth at 15–45 °C, pH 3.5–7.5 and with 4.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The cell wall peptidoglycan did not contain meso-diaminopimelic acid, and the DNA G+C content was 45.6 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0 and C19 : 1 cyclo 9,10. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain IWT126T was classified as a member of the genus

Lactobacillus

and was most closely related to

Lactobacillus odoratitofui

YIT 11304T (98.7 %),

Lactobacillus similis

JCM 2765T (98.5 %),

Lactobacillus collinoides

JCM 1123T (97.6 %),

Lactobacillus paracollinoides

DSM 15502T (97.6 %) and

Lactobacillus kimchicus

DCY51T (96.9 %). Based on sequence analysis of the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthase α-subunit (pheS) gene, strain IWT126T was well separated from its phylogenetic neighbours in the genus

Lactobacillus

. Based on physiological, biochemical and genotypic results, as well as low DNA–DNA relatedness to recognized phylogenetic relatives in the genus

Lactobacillus

, classification of strain IWT126T as a representive of a novel species named Lactobacillus silagei sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IWT126T ( = JCM 19001T = DSM 27022T).
Quantitative interaction screen of telomeric repeat-containing RNA reveals novel TERRA regulators
Authors: Scheibe Marion , Arnoult Nausica , Kappei Dennis , Buchholz Frank , Decottignies Anabelle , Butter Falk , Mann Matthias
Published: August 2013

Telomeres are actively transcribed into telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), which has been implicated in the regulation of telomere length and heterochromatin formation. Here, we applied quantitative mass spectrometry (MS)–based proteomics to obtain a high-confidence interactome of TERRA. Using SILAC-labeled nuclear cell lysates in an RNA pull-down experiment and two different salt conditions, we distinguished 115 proteins binding specifically to TERRA out of a large set of background binders. While TERRA binders identified in two previous studies showed little overlap, using quantitative mass spectrometry we obtained many candidates reported in these two studies. To test whether novel candidates found here are involved in TERRA regulation, we performed an esiRNA-based interference analysis for 15 of them. Knockdown of 10 genes encoding candidate proteins significantly affected total cellular levels of TERRA, and RNAi of five candidates perturbed TERRA recruitment to telomeres. Notably, depletion of SRRT/ARS2, involved in miRNA processing, up-regulated both total and telomere-bound TERRA. Conversely, knockdown of MORF4L2, a component of the NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complex, reduced TERRA levels both globally and for telomere-bound TERRA. We thus identified new proteins involved in the homeostasis and telomeric abundance of TERRA, extending our knowledge of TERRA regulation.
ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE3 Family of Dynamin-Like GTPases Mediates Homotypic Endoplasmic Reticulum Fusion and Is Essential for Arabidopsis Development
Authors: Zhang Miao , Wu Fuyun , Shi Juanming , Zhu Yimeng , Zhu Zhengmao , Gong Qingqiu , Hu Junjie
Published: August 2013

In all eukaryotic cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms a tubular network whose generation requires the fusion of ER membranes. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the membrane-bound GTPase ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE3 (RHD3) is a potential candidate to mediate ER fusion. In addition, Arabidopsis has two tissue-specific isoforms of RHD3, namely RHD3-like (RL) proteins, and their function is not clear. Here, we show that a null allele of RHD3, rhd3-8, causes growth defects and shortened root hairs. A point mutant, rhd3-1, exhibits a more severe growth phenotype than the null mutant, likely because it exerts a dominant-negative effect on the RL proteins. Genetic analysis reveals that the double deletion of RHD3 and RL1 is lethal and that the rhd3 rl2 plants produce no viable pollen, suggesting that the RL proteins are redundant to RHD3. RHD3 family proteins can replace Sey1p, the homolog of RHD3 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), in the maintenance of ER morphology, and they are able to fuse membranes both in vivo and in vitro. Our results suggest that RHD3 proteins mediate ER fusion and are essential for plant development and that the formation of the tubular ER network is of general physiological significance.
Determination of nanostructure of liposomes containing two model drugs by X-ray scattering from a synchrotron source
Authors: Nasedkin Alexandr , Davidsson Jan , Kumpugdee-Vollrath Mont
Published: August 2013

Small-angle X-ray scattering has been employed to study how the introduction of paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid into a liposome bilayer system affects the system's nanostructure. An X-ray scattering model, developed for multilamellar liposome systems [Pabstet al.(2000),Phys. Rev. E,62, 4000–4009], has been used to fit the experimental data and to extract information on how structural parameters, such as the number and thickness of the bilayers of the liposomes, thickness of the water layer in between the bilayers, size and volume of the head and tail groups, are affected by the drugs and their concentration. Even though the experimental data reveal a complicated picture of the drug–bilayer interaction, they clearly show a correlation between nanostructure, drug and concentration in some aspects. The localization of the drugs in the bilayers is discussed.
Assessment of the serotonin pathway as a therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Gray Emily A. , Tsuchimochi Hirotsugu , Pearson James T. , Sonobe Takashi , Fujii Yutaka , Yoshimoto Misa , Umetani Keiji , Shirai Mikiyasu , Schwenke Daryl O.
Published: August 2013

Blockade of the serotonin reuptake transporter (5-HTT), using fluoxetine, has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for preventing and, importantly, reversing pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study utilized synchrotron radiation microangiography to determine whether fluoxetine could prevent or reverse endothelial dysfunction and vessel rarefaction, which underpin PH. PH was induced by a single injection of monocrotaline (MCT; 60 mg kg−1). Following MCT administration, rats received daily injections of either saline or fluoxetine (MCT+Fluox; 10 mg kg−1) for three weeks. A third group of rats also received the fluoxetine regime, but only three weeks after MCT (MCT+FluoxDelay). Control rats received daily injections of saline. Pulmonary microangiography was performed to assess vessel branching density and visualize dynamic changes in vessel diameter following (i) acute fluoxetine or (ii) acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside, BQ-123 (ET-1Areceptor blocker) and L-NAME (NOS inhibitor). Monocrotaline induced PH that was inevitably terminal. `Delayed' treatment of fluoxetine (MCT+FluoxDelay) was unable to reverse the progression of PH. Early fluoxetine treatment pre-PH (i.e.MCT+Fluox) attenuated but did not completely prevent vascular remodeling, vessel rarefaction and an increase in pulmonary pressure, and it did not prevent pulmonary endothelial dysfunction. Interestingly, fluoxetine treatment did counter-intuitively prevent the onset of right ventricular hypertrophy. Using synchrotron radiation microangiography, selective blockade of the serotonin reuptake transporter alone is highlighted as not being sufficient to prevent pulmonary endothelial dysfunction, which is the primary instigator for the inevitable onset of vascular remodeling and vessel rarefaction. Accordingly, potential therapeutic strategies should aim to target multiple pathways to ensure an optimal outcome.
Light regulates motility, attachment and virulence in the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000
Authors: Río‐Álvarez Isabel , Rodríguez‐Herva José Juan , Martínez Pedro Manuel , González‐Melendi Pablo , García‐Casado Gloria , Rodríguez‐Palenzuela Pablo , López‐Solanilla Emilia
Published: August 2013

Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 (Pto) is the causal agent of the bacterial speck of tomato, which leads to significant economic losses in this crop. Pto inhabits the tomato phyllosphere, where the pathogen is highly exposed to light, among other environmental factors. Light represents a stressful condition and acts as a source of information associated with different plant defence levels. Here, we analysed the presence of both blue and red light photoreceptors in a group of Pseudomonas. In addition, we studied the effect of white, blue and red light on Pto features related to epiphytic fitness. While white and blue light inhibit motility, bacterial attachment to plant leaves is promoted. Moreover, these phenotypes are altered in a blue‐light receptor mutant. These light‐controlled changes during the epiphytic stage cause a reduction in virulence, highlighting the relevance of motility during the entry process to the plant apoplast. This study demonstrated the key role of light perception in the Pto phenotype switching and its effect on virulence.
The Knowledge Brokering Role of the Hybrid Middle Level Manager: the Case of Healthcare
Authors: Burgess Nicola , Currie Graeme
Published: August 2013

In the literature it is argued that middle level managers (MLMs) enact a strategic role in public sector organizations, at the same time as there exist calls for their delayering so that frontline services can be protected. Such calls do not recognize the strategic importance of the hybrid MLM, who crosses professional frontline and managerial domains. Drawing upon the example of their managerial role in healthcare, we highlight that the hybrid MLM enacts a strategic knowledge brokering role and outline contingent factors framing this more strategic role.
The Translation of Hospital Management Models in European Health Systems: A Framework for Comparison
Authors: Kirkpatrick Ian , Bullinger Bernadette , Lega Federico , Dent Mike
Published: August 2013

In this paper we develop a framework for comparing changes in the management of public hospitals across different national health systems, drawing on insights from institutional theory. Using a range of secondary sources we show how one particular form of hospital management, pioneered originally at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, has been translated differently in four health systems: England, Denmark, Italy and France. This analysis builds on the notion of editing rules, which derive from the institutional context, and illustrates how these rules broaden our understanding of variable translations of global templates for hospital management. The paper concludes by highlighting wider implications for theory and policy.
A Moral Vision: Human Dignity in the Eyes of the Founders of Sociology
Authors: Hodgkiss Philip
Published: August 2013

The case argued in this paper is not that the concerns of the founders of sociology are uniformly and in every particular still our own ( Runciman, 2008 ), but that the concepts and methods used to address just one of their concerns were both ground breaking and of enduring value ( Shilling and Mellor, 2001 , 2011 , for example, make a similar claim). Such a concern focused on the kind of morality grounded in a capitalist social order and, by implication, how it might be theorized. This generated in the process the uniquely sociological operationalization of what had seemed hitherto a philosophical concept: human dignity, along with the freedom and autonomy that attend it. Certainly, the priorities differed in each of the contributions to this endeavour but, in coming at the problem from different standpoints, the concept of dignity came to appear more rounded, more substantive and more relevant to the human condition in all its historical specificity. Quite crucially, there is also in these sources from the classical period of sociology an intimation of method: both the way in which human dignity is to be ‘perceived’ within an inter-personal dialectic at a micro-level and, at a macro-level, how we can discern that dignity transcends artificial confinement by any one aspect of life (be it economic, political or cultural). 1
Facilitative Leadership and the Challenge of Renewing Local Democracy inItaly
Authors: Bussu Sonia , Bartels Koen P.R.
Published: August 2013

Participatory arrangements have become a popular way of addressing modern challenges of urban governance but in practice face several constraints and can trigger deep tensions. Facilitative leadership can play a crucial role in enabling collaboration among local stakeholders despite plural and often conflictual interests. Surprisingly, this style of leadership has received limited attention within debates linking urban governance and participatory democracy. We summarize the main insights of the literature on facilitative leadership and empirically develop them in the context of participatory urban governance by comparing recent participatory processes in two Italian cities. Whereas in one city facilitative leadership gradually emerged and successfully transformed a deep conflict into consensual proposals, in the other city, participatory planning further exacerbated pre‐existing antagonism, and local democratic culture was only later slowly reinvigorated through bottom‐up initiative. These diverging pathways explain how facilitative leadership is: (1) important for making things happen; (2) best understood as situated practices; (3) an emergent property of the practices and interactions of a number of local actors and (4) a democratic capacity for dealing with continuous challenges. Key to this style of leadership is understanding participatory urban governance as an ongoing democratic process.
Platelet reactivity changes significantly throughout all trimesters of pregnancy compared with the nonpregnant state: a prospective study
Authors: Burke N , Flood K , Murray A , Cotter B , Dempsey M , Fay L , Dicker P , Geary MP , Kenny D , Malone FD
Published: August 2013

Objective

Platelets play an important role in the pathophysiology of uteroplacental disease and platelet reactivity may be an important marker of uteroplacental disease activity. However, platelet reactivity has not been evaluated comprehensively in normal pregnancy. We sought to evaluate platelet reactivity using a number of agonists at defined time points in pregnancy using a novel platelet assay and compare these with a nonpregnant cohort.

Design

Prospective longitudinal study.

Setting

Outpatient department of a large tertiary referral centre.

Sample

Eighty participants with 30 nonpregnant women and 50 pregnant women assessed longitudinally.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study performed longitudinally throughout uncomplicated singleton pregnancies with participants recruited before 15 weeks of gestation. They were controlled for a number of factors known to affect platelet reactivity. Blood samples were obtained in each trimester. Thirty nonpregnant healthy female volunteers also had a platelet assay performed. A modification of standard light transmission aggregometry was used to assess platelet function, with light absorbance measured following the addition of five different agonists at submaximal concentrations. Dose–response curves were plotted for each agonist for the nonpregnant cohort and in each trimester for the pregnant cohort.

Main outcome measures

Dose–response curves and median effective concentration.

Results

When compared with the nonpregnant controls a significant reduction was demonstrated in platelet reactivity to collagen during the first trimester of pregnancy (P < 0.0001). Platelet aggregation increased significantly from the first to third trimesters in response to collagen and arachidonic acid.

Conclusion

Platelet reactivity varies according to pregnancy state, gestational age and agonist. The finding that platelet reactivity is reduced in the first trimester of pregnancy may be useful for the interpretation of further studies examining the role of platelet reactivity in the first trimester of pregnancies that develop uteroplacental disease.
Frequency of the congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Howard EJ , Xiong X , Carlier Y , Sosa‐Estani S , Buekens P
Published: August 2013

Background

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is endemic in much of Latin America. With increased globalisation and immigration, it is a risk in any country, partly through congenital transmission. The frequency of congenital transmission is unclear.

Objective

To assess the frequency of congenital transmission of T. cruzi.

Search strategy

PubMed, Journals@Ovid Full Text, EMBASE, CINAHL, Fuente Academica and BIREME databases were searched using seven search terms related to Chagas disease or T. cruzi and congenital transmission.

Selection criteria

The inclusion criteria were the following: Dutch, English, French, Portuguese or Spanish language; case report, case series or observational study; original data on congenital T. cruzi infection in humans; congenital infection rate reported or it could be derived. This systematic review included 13 case reports/series and 51 observational studies.

Data collection and analysis

Two investigators independently collected data on study characteristics, diagnosis and congenital infection rate. The principal summary measure – the congenital transmission rate – is defined as the number of congenitally infected infants divided by the number of infants born to infected mothers. A random effects model was used.

Main results

The pooled congenital transmission rate was 4.7% (95% confidence interval: 3.9–5.6%). Countries where T. cruzi is endemic had a higher rate of congenital transmission compared with countries where it is not endemic (5.0% versus 2.7%).

Conclusions

Congenital transmission of Chagas disease is a global problem. Overall risk of congenital infection in infants born to infected mothers is about 5%. The congenital mode of transmission requires targeted screening to prevent future cases of Chagas disease.
Maternal and neonatal morbidity in relation to the instrument used for mid‐cavity rotational operative vaginal delivery: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Bahl R , Van de Venne M , Macleod M , Strachan B , Murphy DJ
Published: August 2013

Objective

To compare the maternal and neonatal morbidity associated with alternative instruments used to perform a mid‐cavity rotational delivery.

Design

A prospective cohort study.

Setting

Two university teaching hospitals in Scotland and England.

Population

Three hundred and eighty‐one nulliparous women who had a mid‐cavity rotational operative vaginal delivery.

Methods

A data collection sheet was completed by the research team following delivery.

Main outcome measures

Postpartum haemorrhage, third‐ and fourth‐degree perineal tears, low cord pH, neonatal trauma, and failed or sequential operative vaginal delivery.

Results

One hundred and sixty‐three women (42.8%) underwent manual rotation followed by non‐rotational forceps delivery, 73 (19.1%) had a rotational vacuum delivery, and 145 (38.1%) delivered with the assistance of rotational (Kielland) forceps. The rates of postpartum haemorrhage were similar when comparing manual rotation with rotational vacuum (adjusted OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.66–3.98), and when comparing manual rotation with Kielland forceps (adjusted OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.71–2.88). The results were comparable for third‐ and fourth‐degree perineal tears (adjusted OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.13–1.89; adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.39–1.82), low cord pH (adjusted OR 1.76, 95% CI 0.44–6.91; adjusted OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.44–2.83), neonatal trauma (adjusted OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.16–1.55; adjusted OR 3.25, 95% CI 0.65–16.17), and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (adjusted OR 1.47, 95% CI 0.45–4.81; adjusted OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.49–2.19). The sequential use of instruments was less likely with manual rotation and forceps than with rotational vacuum delivery (0.6 versus 36.9%, OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.002–0.090).

Conclusions

Maternal and perinatal outcomes are comparable with Kielland forceps, vacuum extraction, and manual rotation, with few serious adverse outcomes. With appropriate training mid‐cavity rotational delivery can be practiced safely, including the use of Kielland forceps.
How often are late preterm births the result of non‐evidence based practices: analysis from a retrospective cohort study at two tertiary referral centres in a nationalised healthcare system
Authors: Morais M , Mehta C , Murphy K , Shah PS , Giglia L , Smith PA , Bassil K , McDonald SD
Published: August 2013

Objective

To determine the proportion, characteristics, and predictors of late preterm birth (LPTB) in relation to evidence‐based (EB) and non‐evidence based (NEB) indications.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Two Canadian tertiary referral centres.

Population

All live singleton LPTBs over 1 year from 2010 to 2011, excluding major congenital anomalies.

Methods

Indications for LPTB were classified a priori as EB (i.e. based on practice guidelines or on evidence from randomised controlled trials) or NEB. Data were abstracted from maternal antenatal and labour records. Univariate analyses were completed using Fischer's exact, Pearson's chi‐square, or analysis of variance (anova) F–tests. Logistic regression included gestation at birth, delivery provider, previous stillbirth, previous caesarean section, corticosteroid administration, and previous preterm birth as predictors for NEB LPTB.

Main outcome measures

The proportion, characteristics, and predictors of women with NEB versus EB LPTBs.

Results

Of 524 LPTBs, 25.2% (n = 132) were NEB. Logistic regression revealed that NEB LPTBs were less likely if patients were delivered by their own doctor or their doctor's practice partner (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34–0.83). However, NEB LPTBs were more likely in women who had experienced a previous stillbirth (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.20–5.49).

Conclusions

Approximately one‐quarter of LPTBs are NEB. Further research is needed to see if a review of the indications for LPTB, and subsequent reduction in NEB LPTBs, translates into improved neonatal outcomes and cost savings.
The management and outcomes of placenta accreta, increta, and percreta in the UK: a population‐based descriptive study
Authors: Fitzpatrick KE , Sellers S , Spark P , Kurinczuk JJ , Brocklehurst P , Knight M
Published: August 2013

Objective

To describe the management and outcomes of placenta accreta, increta, and percreta in the UK.

Design

A population‐based descriptive study using the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS).

Setting

All 221 UK hospitals with obstetrician‐led maternity units.

Population

All women diagnosed with placenta accreta, increta, and percreta in the UK between May 2010 and April 2011.

Methods

Prospective case identification through the monthly mailing of UKOSS.

Main outcome measures

Median estimated blood loss, transfusion requirements.

Results

A cohort of 134 women were identified with placenta accreta, increta, or percreta: 50% (66/133) were suspected to have this condition antenatally. In women with a final diagnosis of placenta increta or percreta, antenatal diagnosis was associated with reduced levels of haemorrhage (median estimated blood loss 2750 versus 6100 ml, P = 0.008) and a reduced need for blood transfusion (59 versus 94%, P = 0.014), possibly because antenatally diagnosed women were more likely to have preventative therapies for haemorrhage (74 versus 52%, P = 0.007), and were less likely to have an attempt made to remove their placenta (59 versus 93%, P < 0.001). Making no attempt to remove any of the placenta, in an attempt to conserve the uterus or prior to hysterectomy, was associated with reduced levels of haemorrhage (median estimated blood loss 1750 versus 3700 ml, P = 0.001) and a reduced need for blood transfusion (57 versus 86%, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Women with placenta accreta, increta, or percreta who have no attempt to remove any of their placenta, with the aim of conserving their uterus, or prior to hysterectomy, have reduced levels of haemorrhage and a reduced need for blood transfusion, supporting the recommendation of this practice.
Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: associations with maternal gestational diet and lifestyle factors in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study
Authors: Chortatos A , Haugen M , Iversen PO , Vikanes Å , Magnus P , Veierød MB
Published: August 2013

Objective

To investigate primarily the dietary intake, as well as demographics and selected lifestyle factors, of women experiencing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, nausea only, or women who are symptom free.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, a population‐based pregnancy cohort.

Sample

Analyses were based on 51 675 Norwegian pregnancies.

Methods

Dietary intake was assessed by a self‐reported food frequency questionnaire answered in the first trimester of pregnancy, as were data regarding nausea and vomiting. Chi‐squared tests, one‐way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression were used.

Main outcome measures

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP), gestational weight gain (GWG), and dietary intake.

Results

We found that 17 070 (33%) women experienced NVP, 20 371 (39%) experienced only nausea, and 14 234 (28%) were symptom free. Women with NVP were younger and heavier at pregnancy onset, with the lowest GWG and highest energy intake during pregnancy, primarily from carbohydrates and added sugars, compared with the other groups (P < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis of GWG and group adjusted for body mass index (BMI), gestational length, smoking during pregnancy, and energy intake, a significant interaction was found between BMI and group (P < 0.001). A significant effect of group (P < 0.001) was found in all BMI strata, except among underweight women (P = 0.65).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that women with NVP are characterised by high intakes of carbohydrates and added sugar, primarily from sugar‐containing soft drinks. Whether higher intakes of carbohydrates are a response aimed to alleviate symptoms, or are actually provoking the condition, is not known.
Particle Size Distribution of Brown and White Rice during Gastric Digestion Measured by Image Analysis
Authors: Bornhorst Gail M. , Kostlan Kevin , Singh R. Paul
Published: August 2013

The particle size distribution of foods during gastric digestion indicates the amount of physical breakdown that occurred due to the peristaltic movement of the stomach walls in addition to the breakdown that initially occurred during oral processing. The objective of this study was to present an image analysis technique that was rapid, simple, and could distinguish between food components (that is, rice kernel and bran layer in brown rice). The technique was used to quantify particle breakdown of brown and white rice during gastric digestion in growing pigs (used as a model for an adult human) over 480 min of digestion. The particle area distributions were fit to a Rosin–Rammler distribution function. Brown and white rice exhibited considerable breakdown as the number of particles per image decreased over time. The median particle area (x50) increased during digestion, suggesting a gastric sieving phenomenon, where small particles were emptied and larger particles were retained for additional breakdown. Brown rice breakdown was further quantified by an examination of the bran layer fragments and rice grain pieces. The percentage of total particle area composed of bran layer fragments was greater in the distal stomach than the proximal stomach in the first 120 min of digestion. The results of this study showed that image analysis may be used to quantify particle breakdown of a soft food product during gastric digestion, discriminate between different food components, and help to clarify the role of food structure and processing in food breakdown during gastric digestion.