bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Livestock guardian dogs as surrogate top predators? How Maremma sheepdogs affect a wildlife community
Authors: van Bommel Linda , Johnson Chris N.
Published: August 2016

Use of livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) to reduce predation on livestock is increasing. However, how these dogs influence the activity of wildlife, including predators, is not well understood. We used pellet counts and remote cameras to investigate the effects of free ranging LGDs on four large herbivores (eastern gray kangaroo, common wombat, swamp wallaby, and sambar deer) and one mesopredator (red fox) in Victoria, Australia. Generalized mixed models and one‐ and two‐species detection models were used to assess the influence of the presence of LGDs on detection of the other species. We found avoidance of LGDs in four species. Swamp wallabies and sambar deer were excluded from areas occupied by LGDs; gray kangaroos showed strong spatial and temporal avoidance of LGD areas; foxes showed moderately strong spatial and temporal avoidance of LGD areas. The effect of LGDs on wombats was unclear. Avoidance of areas with LGDs by large herbivores can benefit livestock production by reducing competition for pasture and disease transmission from wildlife to livestock, and providing managers with better control over grazing pressure. Suppression of mesopredators could benefit the small prey of those species. Synthesis and applications: In pastoral areas, LGDs can function as a surrogate top‐order predator, controlling the local distribution and affecting behavior of large herbivores and mesopredators. LGDs may provide similar ecological functions to those that in many areas have been lost with the extirpation of native large carnivores.
Effects of remote monitoring on clinical outcomes and use of healthcare resources in heart failure patients with biventricular defibrillators: results of the MORE‐CARE multicentre randomized controlled trial
Authors: Boriani Giuseppe , Da Costa Antoine , Quesada Aurelio , Ricci Renato Pietro , Favale Stefano , Boscolo Gabriele , Clementy Nicolas , Amori Valentina , Mangoni di S. Stefano Lorenza , Burri Haran ,   on behalf of the MORE‐CARE Study Investigators
Published: August 2016

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of remote monitoring in patients with heart failure implanted with a biventricular defibrillator (CRT‐D) with advanced diagnostics.

Methods and results

The MORE‐CARE trial is an international, prospective, multicentre, randomized controlled trial. Within 8 weeks of de novo implant of a CRT‐D, patients were randomized to undergo remote checks alternating with in‐office follow‐ups (Remote arm) or in‐office follow‐ups alone (Standard arm). The primary endpoint was a composite of death and cardiovascular (CV) and device‐related hospitalization. Use of healthcare resources was also evaluated. A total of 865 eligible patients (mean age 66 ± 10 years) were included in the final analysis (437 in the Remote arm and 428 in the Standard arm) and followed for a median of 24 (interquartile range = 15–26) months. No significant difference was found in the primary endpoint between the Remote and Standard arms [hazard ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–1.30, P = 0.89] or in the individual components of the primary endpoint (P > 0.05). For the composite endpoint of healthcare resource utilization (i.e. 2‐year rates of CV hospitalizations, CV emergency department admissions, and CV in‐office follow‐ups), a significant 38% reduction was found in the Remote vs. Standard arm (incidence rate ratio 0.62, 95% CI 0.58–0.66, P < 0.001) mainly driven by a reduction of in‐office visits.

Conclusions

In heart failure patients implanted with a CRT‐D, remote monitoring did not reduce mortality or risk of CV or device‐related hospitalization. Use of healthcare resources was significantly reduced as a result of a marked reduction of in‐office visits without compromising patient safety.

Trial registration: NCT00885677
Hydrogen and Atom Transfer Activity of Saffron Extracts by Square Wave Voltammetry
Authors: Armellini Rita , Compagnone Dario , Scampicchio Matteo , Pittia Paola
Published: August 2016

Saffron is an edible spice with highly appreciated sensory and antioxidant properties. One of the most representative redox species found in saffron extracts is crocin, whose content is used to evaluate the quality and value of the resulting spice. In this study, a voltammetry method based on the direct detection of crocin at a bare glassy carbon electrode is presented. The principle of the method is based on the monitoring of the anodic wave exhibited by crocin (0.1–1.0 mM) after its mixing with the azo radical initiator AAPH (20 mM) in ethanol:acetonitrile (1 : 1) solution. The decay rate of the anodic peak (E=+434 mV vs. Ag/Ag+), as a result of the consumption of crocin by AAPH, was used as index of the hydrogen transfer capacity and, thus, of its antioxidant activity. With a decay rate of k=0.02 h−1, crocin exhibits only a weak antioxidant activity in comparison with tocopherols (k=0.13 h−1), but still sufficient to protect against the oxidation of safranal, a further redox species found in saffron extracts and mainly responsible for its flavor. The proposed approach was finally applied to discriminate saffron extract samples from different geographical origins. The proposed approach is suitable to characterize the quality of saffron extracts and estimate its antioxidant properties.
First‐Year Village: Experimenting With an African Model for First‐Year Adjustment and Support in South Africa
Authors: Speckman McGlory
Published: September 2016

Predicated on the principles of success and contextuality, this chapter shares an African perspective on a first‐year adjustment programme, known as First‐Year Village, including its potential and challenges in establishing it.
Impacts of land use on the hydrological response of tropical Andean catchments
Authors: Ochoa‐Tocachi Boris F. , Buytaert Wouter , De Bièvre Bert , Célleri Rolando , Crespo Patricio , Villacís Marcos , Llerena Carlos A. , Acosta Luis , Villazón Mauricio , Guallpa Mario , Gil‐Ríos Junior , Fuentes Paola , Olaya Dimas , Viñas Paúl , Rojas Gerver , Arias Sandro
Published: August 2016

Changes in land use and land cover are major drivers of hydrological alteration in the tropical Andes. However, quantifying their impacts is fraught with difficulties because of the extreme diversity in meteorological boundary conditions, which contrasts strongly with the lack of knowledge about local hydrological processes. Although local studies have reduced data scarcity in certain regions, the complexity of the tropical Andes poses a big challenge to regional hydrological prediction. This study analyses data generated from a participatory monitoring network of 25 headwater catchments covering three of the major Andean biomes (páramo, jalca and puna) and links their hydrological responses to main types of human interventions (cultivation, afforestation and grazing). A paired catchment setup was implemented to evaluate the impacts of change using a ‘trading space‐for‐time’ approach. Catchments were selected based on regional representativeness and contrasting land use types. Precipitation and discharge have been monitored and analysed at high temporal resolution for a time period between 1 and 5 years. The observed catchment responses clearly reflect the extraordinarily wide spectrum of hydrological processes of the tropical Andes. They range from perennially humid páramos in Ecuador and northern Peru with extremely large specific discharge and baseflows, to highly seasonal, flashy catchments in the drier punas of southern Peru and Bolivia. The impacts of land use are similarly diverse and their magnitudes are a function of catchment properties, original and replacement vegetation and management type. Cultivation and afforestation consistently affect the entire range of discharges, particularly low flows. The impacts of grazing are more variable but have the largest effect on the catchment hydrological regulation. Overall, anthropogenic interventions result in increased streamflow variability and significant reductions in catchment regulation capacity and water yield, irrespective of the hydrological properties of the original biome. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Hydrological Processes. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Plerixafor as preemptive strategy results in high success rates in autologous stem cell mobilization failure
Authors: Worel Nina , Fritsch Gerhard , Agis Hermine , Böhm Alexandra , Engelich Georg , Leitner Gerda C. , Geissler Klaus , Gleixner Karoline , Kalhs Peter , Buxhofer‐Ausch Veronika , Keil Felix , Kopetzky Gerhard , Mayr Viktor , Rabitsch Werner , Reisner Regina , Rosskopf Konrad , Ruckser Reinhard , Zoghlami Claudia , Zojer Niklas , Greinix Hildegard T
Published: August 2016

Plerixafor in combination with granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) is approved for autologous stem cell mobilization in poor mobilizing patients with multiple myeloma or malignant lymphoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of plerixafor in an immediate rescue approach, administrated subsequently to G‐CSF alone or chemotherapy and G‐CSF in patients at risk for mobilization failure. Eighty‐five patients mobilized with G‐CSF alone or chemotherapy were included. Primary endpoint was the efficacy of the immediate rescue approach of plerixafor to achieve ≥2.0 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg for a single or ≥5 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg for a double transplantation and potential differences between G‐CSF and chemotherapy‐based mobilization. Secondary objectives included comparison of stem cell graft composition including CD34+ cell and lymphocyte subsets with regard to the mobilization regimen applied. No significant adverse events were recorded. A median 3.9‐fold increase in CD34+ cells following plerixafor was observed, resulting in 97% patients achieving at least ≥2 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg. Significantly more differentiated granulocyte and monocyte forming myeloid progenitors were collected after chemomobilization whereas more CD19+ and natural killer cells were collected after G‐CSF. Fifty‐two patients underwent transplantation showing rapid and durable engraftment, irrespectively of the stem cell mobilization regimen used. The addition of plerixafor in an immediate rescue model is efficient and safe after both, G‐CSF and chemomobilization and results in extremely high success rates. Whether the differences in graft composition have a clinical impact on engraftment kinetics, immunologic recovery, and graft durability have to be analysed in larger prospective studies.
Current role of percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration: from palliative to curative management for acute cholecystitis
Authors: Komatsu Shohei , Tsuchida Shinobu , Tsukamoto Tadashi , Wakahara Tomoyuki , Ashitani Hiroshi , Ueno Nozomi , Toyokawa Akihiro , Watanabe Akihiko , Sugahara Atsushi , Mukai Hidekazu
Published: August 2016

Background

The present study assessed conservative management of acute cholecystitis (AC) with a focus on percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration (PTGBA).

Methods

Consecutive 275 patients with AC who underwent PTGBA were reviewed. Patients aged ≥80 years and/or with American Society of Anesthesiologists score III to IV and/or performance status 3 to 4 were defined as high risk. Patients were classified according to duration from symptom onset to first PTGBA: within 3 days (early PTGBA) or over 3 days (late PTGBA). They were also classified according to duration from first PTGBA to surgery: within 30 days (early surgery) or over 30 days (late surgery).

Results

A total of 263 patients (95.6%) showed recovery after PTGBA. There were no significant differences in operating time, blood loss, operating procedure, conversion rate to open surgery, postoperative complications, or postoperative hospital stay between the early and late PTGBA groups or between the early and late surgery groups. No significant complications associated with PTGBA or surgery were observed, including in those at high risk.

Conclusions

Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration can be a useful alternative for most patients with AC, including those at high risk. Elective cholecystectomy can be performed safely regardless of the timing of PTGBA or surgery.
Antiviral effects of IFIT1 in human cytomegalovirus‐infected fetal astrocytes
Authors: Zhang Li , Wang Bin , Li Ling , Qian Dong‐meng , Yu Hong , Xue Mei‐lan , Hu Ming , Song Xu‐xia
Published: September 2016

The prominent feature of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is cell tropism specificity for human fetal nervous system, which leads to severe fetal nervous system damage especially in first‐trimester gestation. In this study, human astrocytes isolated from fetal brain were infected with HCMV AD169 and whole genome transcriptome profile was performed. The results showed that the gene expression of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), chemokine and chemokine receptors were significantly up‐regulated (P < 0.01). The antiviral replication effects of IFIT1 (Interferon‐induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1, Fc = 148.17) was investigated. Lentivirus with IFIT1 overexpression or knockdown was transduced into astrocytes, respectively. The viral mRNA, protein expression and HCMV titers were determined. The results showed that IE1, IE2, pp65, and viral titers were significantly decreased in IFIT1 overexpression group and enhanced in the knockdown group compared with control one (P < 0.01). Taken together, this study revealed IFIT1 played an important antiviral role in HCMV infected fetal astrocytes. The prominent feature of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is cellular tropism specificity for human fetal brain nervous system leading to severe fetal nervous damage especially in first‐trimester gestation. In this study, human astrocytes isolated from first‐trimester fetal brain were infected with HCMV AD169 and IFIT1 was studied for its antiviral replication effects. The results provided insights into the function of IFIT1 as a key factor in antiviral defense contributing to development of targeted therapeutics to fetal brain with HCMV infection. J. Med. Virol. 89:672–684, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome for the otolaryngologist
Authors: Bogle Jamie M. , Goodman Brent P. , Barrs David M.
Published: August 2016

Objective

To describe the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), including clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, and current management models.

Data Sources

PubMed, Cochrane Library were searched for articles available prior to October 30, 2015.

Methods

Review of the available English‐language literature.

Results

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome presentation is discussed, along with underlying associated physiology for POTS and recommended nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management strategies.

Conclusion

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome patients commonly present with complaints of postural lightheadedness, or dizziness, which can be associated with various other conditions. Nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment methods are available to improve the underlying pathophysiology of the disorder.Laryngoscope, 127:1195–1198, 2017
Inverse nodal problem for p–laplacian dirac system
Authors: Gulsen Tuba , Yilmaz Emrah , Koyunbakan Hikmet
Published: August 2016

In this study, we solve an inverse nodal problem for p‐Laplacian Dirac system with boundary conditions depending on spectral parameter. Asymptotic formulas of eigenvalues, nodal points and nodal lengths are obtained by using modified Prüfer substitution. The key step is to apply modified Prüfer substitution to derive a detailed asymptotic estimate for eigenvalues. Furthermore, we have shown that the functions r(x) and q(x) in Dirac system can be established uniquely by using nodal parameters with the method used by Wang et al. Obtained results are more general than the classical Dirac system. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neurochemical profile of the human cervical spinal cord determined by MRS
Authors: Hock Andreas , Wilm Bertram , Zandomeneghi Giorgia , Ampanozi Garyfalia , Franckenberg Sabine , Zoelch Niklaus , Wyss Patrik Oliver , De Zanche Nicola , Nordmeyer‐Maßner Jurek , Kraemer Thomas , Thali Michael , Ernst Matthias , Kollias Spyros , Henning Anke
Published: August 2016

MRS enables insight into the chemical composition of central nervous system tissue. However, technical challenges degrade the data quality when applied to the human spinal cord. Therefore, to date detection of only the most prominent metabolite resonances has been reported in the healthy human spinal cord. The aim of this investigation is to provide an extended metabolic profile including neurotransmitters and antioxidants in addition to metabolites involved in the energy and membrane metabolism of the human cervical spinal cord in vivo.

To achieve this, data quality was improved by using a custom‐made, cervical detector array together with constructive averaging of a high number of echo signals, which is enabled by the metabolite cycling technique at 3T. In addition, the improved spinal cord spectra were extensively cross‐validated, in vivo, post‐mortem in situ and ex vivo. Reliable identification of up to nine metabolites was achieved in group analyses for the first time. Distinct features of the spinal cord neurochemical profile, in comparison with the brain neurotransmission system, include decreased concentrations of the sum of glutamate and glutamate and increased concentrations of aspartate, γ‐amino‐butyric acid, scyllo‐inositol and the sum of myo‐inositol and glycine.
Extended exposure to sugar and/or caffeine produces distinct behavioral and neurochemical profiles in the orbitofrontal cortex of rats: Implications for neural function
Authors: Franklin Jane L. , Mirzaei Mehdi , Wearne Travis A. , Homewood Judi , Goodchild Ann K. , Haynes Paul A. , Cornish Jennifer L.
Published: September 2016

Caffeine is a psychostimulant commonly consumed with high levels of sugar. The increased availability of highly caffeinated, high sugar energy drinks could put some consumers at risk of being exposed to high doses of caffeine and sugar. Notably, research that has examined the consequences of this combination is limited. Here, we explored the effect of chronic exposure to caffeine and/or sugar on behavior and protein levels in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of rats. The OFC brain region has been implicated in neuropsychiatric conditions, including obesity and addiction behaviors. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated for 26 days with control, caffeine (0.6 g/L), 10% sugar, or combination of both. Locomotor behavior was measured on the first and last day of treatment, then 1 week after treatment. Two hours following final behavioral testing, brains were rapidly removed and prepared for proteomic analysis of the OFC. Label‐free quantitative shotgun analysis revealed that 21, 12, and 23% of proteins identified in the OFC were differentially expressed by sugar and/or caffeine. The results demonstrate that the intake of high levels of sugar and/or low to moderate levels of caffeine has different behavioral consequences. Moreover, each treatment results in a unique proteomic profile with different implications for neural health.
A separation method of transmission delays and data packet dropouts from a lumped input delay in the stability problem of networked control systems
Authors: Shao Hanyong , Han Qing‐Long , Zhao Jianrong , Zhang Dan
Published: August 2016

This paper proposes a separation method of a transmission delay and data packet dropouts from a lumped input delay in the stability problem of a networked control system, where both the transmission delay and the data packet dropouts are involved. By modeling data packet dropouts as sampling processes and the transmission delay as a state delay, the networked control system is represented as a sampled‐data system with aperiodic sampling and a state delay. In order to separate the state delay and the sampling, the sampled‐data system is transformed into a new system with an integral operator, where the sampling is embedded into the integral operator. By investigating the integral operator's gain and passivity, a novel Lyapunov functional is constructed to address the stability problem. The obtained stability results are dependent on both the data packet dropouts and the time delay. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate that the stability results are less conservative than some existing ones. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quiescence Preconditioned Human Multipotent Stromal Cells Adopt a Metabolic Profile Favorable for Enhanced Survival under Ischemia
Authors: Moya Adrien , Larochette Nathanaël , Paquet Joseph , Deschepper Mickael , Bensidhoum Morad , Izzo Valentina , Kroemer Guido , Petite Hervé , Logeart-Avramoglou Delphine
Published: August 2016

A major impediment to the development of therapies with mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent stromal cells (MSC) is the poor survival and engraftment of MSCs at the site of injury. We hypothesized that lowering the energetic demand of MSCs by driving them into a quiescent state would enhance their survival under ischemic conditions. Human MSCs (hMSCs) were induced into quiescence by serum deprivation (SD) for 48 hours. Such preconditioned cells (SD-hMSCs) exhibited reduced nucleotide and protein syntheses compared to unpreconditioned hMSCs. SD-hMSCs sustained their viability and their ATP levels upon exposure to severe, continuous, near-anoxia (0.1% O2) and total glucose depletion for up to 14 consecutive days in vitro, as they maintained their hMSC multipotential capabilities upon reperfusion. Most importantly, SD-hMSCs showed enhanced viability in vivo for the first week postimplantation in mice. Quiescence preconditioning modified the energy-metabolic profile of hMSCs: it suppressed energy-sensing mTOR signaling, stimulated autophagy, promoted a shift in bioenergetic metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis and upregulated the expression of gluconeogenic enzymes, such as PEPCK. Since the presence of pyruvate in cell culture media was critical for SD-hMSC survival under ischemic conditions, we speculate that these cells may utilize some steps of gluconeogenesis to overcome metabolic stress. These findings support that SD preconditioning causes a protective metabolic adaptation that might be taken advantage of to improve hMSC survival in ischemic environments.
Investigations on the punching shear behaviour of eccentrically loaded footings
Authors: Wieneke Katrin , Kueres Dominik , Siburg Carsten , Hegger Josef
Published: August 2016

The punching shear design provisions according to various codes have been derived from the results of tests conducted on centrically loaded flat slabs. The application of these provisions for footings and ground slabs might lead to inconsistent results since more compact dimensions and soil‐structure interaction lead to higher punching shear capacities. In this context, Eurocode 2 introduced a new design equation for column bases, which was derived from the evaluation of test results from centrically loaded footings.

Since centrically loaded footings represent an exception in practice, Eurocode 2 and ACI 318‐14 consider load eccentricities by increasing the applied load, while the fib Model Code 2010 proposes a reduced length of the control perimeter to determine the punching shear resistance. The different approaches were derived from the evaluation of tests on eccentrically loaded flat slabs and have not been verified for footings yet.

Theoretical and experimental investigations on the punching shear behaviour of eccentrically loaded footings indicate a reduction of the multi‐axial stress state along the column face with increasing load eccentricity. Based on punching tests on eccentrically loaded footings described in literature, non‐linear finite‐element simulations were performed and subsequently the influence of load eccentricities on the punching shear behaviour was examined in parametric studies. In this article, the results of the numerical simulations are presented and compared to experimental results and various code provisions.
Whose Job Is It to Change?
Authors: Nielsen Kathryn L.
Published: September 2016

This chapter explores the role of transformative learning in fostering organizational change in higher education.
Power allocation in wireless asynchronous localization networks
Authors: Zhang Tingting , Li Jiaxiang , Li Chuanying , Xu Hongguang , Molisch Andreas F.
Published: August 2016

Wireless localization systems based on determination of signal runtime, such as time of arrival and time difference of arrival, are of great importance for a variety of applications. In many cases, synchronization of the clocks of the agent nodes to those of the network nodes (anchors) has to be performed together with the localization. The current paper investigates the fundamental accuracy limits of such a joint localization/synchronization. In particular, we analyze the impact of allocating power to the different anchor nodes and optimize this power allocation to maximize accuracy. Optimal trade‐offs between localization and synchronization can be drawn according to the presented frameworks. Simulation results confirm the importance of proper power allocation; known special cases (time difference of arrival localization, localization with already‐synchronized clocks) are recovered from our general solution. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Addition of Dexmedetomidine to Analgesia for Patients After Abdominal Operations: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Cheng Minhua , Shi Jialiang , Gao Tao , Shen Juanhong , Zhao Chenyan , Xi Fengchan , Li Weiqin , Li Qiurong , Yu Wenkui
Published: September 2016

Background

Postoperative pain and anxiety are two common factors influencing patient’s recovery. Benefits and safety in the use of sedative agents after abdominal operations to improve recovery are not well known. The present study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine use in this population.

Methods

A prospective randomized controlled trial of 145 patients undergoing abdominal operations was conducted in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of Jinling Hospital between October and December 2015. Thirty‐two patients were excluded, and 113 were included and divided into the experimental group (59 patients) receiving dexmedetomidine and analgesics for 72 h after abdominal operations, and the control group (54 patients) receiving only analgesics. Postoperative pain, inflammatory response, recovery of gastrointestinal function, adverse events, and sedation level were analyzed.

Results

Pain scores, assessed by Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS), in the experimental group were significantly lower than in the control group on the first (1.53 vs. 2.07, p ≤ 0.01), second (1.07 vs. 1.63, p ≤ 0.01), and third day (1.08 vs. 1.82, p = 0.01). Time to defecation was 0.60 days shorter in the experimental group than the control group (2.51 vs. 3.11, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference between inflammatory responses in the two groups (p > 0.05). Both groups had similar blood pressure, heart rate, prevalence of bradycardia, and hypotension requiring interventions (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The addition of dexmedetomidine to analgesia after abdominal operations is safe and could enhance gastrointestinal function recovery and pain control when monitored carefully. The capacity of dexmedetomidine to attenuate inflammatory responses requires further investigation.
Single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy for quantitative biological applications
Authors: Liu Ruchuan , Li Yuliang , Liu Liyu
Published: August 2016

Single molecule techniques emerge as powerful and quantitative approaches for scientific investigations in last decades. Among them, single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (SMFS) is able to non‐invasively characterize and track samples at the molecular level. Here, applications of SMFS to fundamental biological questions have been briefly summarized in catalogues of single‐molecule counting, distance measurements, force sensors, molecular tracking, and ultrafast dynamics. In these SMFS applications, statistics and physical laws are utilized to quantitatively analyze the behaviors of biomolecules in cellular signaling pathways and the mechanisms of biological functions. This not only deepens our understanding of bio‐systems, but also provides a fresh angle to those fundamental questions, leading to a more quantitative thinking in life science.
Mexican American adolescent couples' vulnerability for observed negativity and physical violence: Pregnancy and acculturation mismatch
Authors: Williams Lela Rankin , Rueda Heidi Adams
Published: August 2016

Stress and vulnerability for dating violence may be heightened among acculturating Mexican American (MA) adolescents, and MA adolescent parents, because of differing cultural values and norms within romantic relationships. We hypothesized, in a sample of MA heterosexual couples (N = 30, 15–17 years), that: 1) within‐couple level acculturation discrepancies, and pregnancy/parenting, would predict physical violence perpetration, and 2) that this association would have an indirect effect through couple‐level negativity during an observed dyadic video‐taped discussion of conflict. Using a path model we found that pregnant/parenting adolescents (B = .37, SE = .16, p = .002), and couples with greater acculturation mismatch resulted in greater couple negativity (B = .16, SE = .06, p = .01), which was associated with self‐reported physical violence perpetration (B = .41, SE = .22, p = .02; indirect effect, B = .15, SE = .07, p = .03). Within‐couple acculturation discrepancies and pregnancy/parenting may be a pathway to dating violence through poor communication skills around conflict for MA youth. Support services that strengthen communication skills, particularly for pregnant/parenting couples, are recommended.
Falling off the ladder: Using focal theory to understand and improve the educational experiences of young people in transition from public care
Authors: Hollingworth Katie , Jackson Sonia
Published: August 2016

Coleman's focal theory, developed in relation to adolescents in the general population, appears to offer some explanation for the poor educational achievement and social exclusion of care leavers, but has been little tested empirically. This paper revisits data from two studies of care‐experienced young people aged 18–25, drawing on qualitative interviews in the UK and four other European countries, to see if focal theory would have helped to predict their educational progression or otherwise. The lives of research participants were found to be characterised by disruptions and uncertainty, with multiple challenges confronting them in quick succession, making it hard for them to pace their transitions as, according to focal theory, other young people do. Findings suggest that the theory could be used to inform policy designed to improve educational outcomes and should be incorporated into training for those responsible for supporting care leavers through their transition to adulthood.
Suicidal ideation among single, pregnant adolescents: The role of sexual and religious knowledge, attitudes and practices
Authors: Chan L.F. , Mohamad Adam B. , Norazlin K.N. , Siti Haida M.I. , Lee V.Y. , Norazura A.W. , Ek Zakuan K. , Tan Susan M.K.
Published: August 2016

Pregnant adolescents are a high‐risk population for suicide. However, a knowledge gap still exists on how sexual and religious knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) influence suicidal ideation (SI) in teenage pregnancy. We aim to explore the interplay between psychiatric diagnoses, sociodemographic factors and KAP of sexual and religious issues as risk factors of SI among 114 pregnant Malaysian adolescents from 6 rehabilitation centers and a tertiary hospital. Single sexual partner was an independent predictor of SI, suggesting the role of less sexual experience as a risk factor for SI after controlling for major depression. Participants who were unsure versus those who agreed with the statement that most religions' viewed sex outside marriage as wrong had a lower risk of SI after controlling for major depression. Pregnant adolescents with a single sexual partner were significantly associated with current SI. Ambivalence towards religious prohibitions on premarital sex may protect against suicidal ideation.
The effects of parental mental health and social‐emotional coping on adolescent eating disorder attitudes and behaviors
Authors: Martinson Laura E. , Esposito‐Smythers Christianne , Blalock Dan V.
Published: August 2016

This study examined whether social‐emotional coping skills moderate the association between parental mental health symptoms and adolescent disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in a clinical sample of adolescents with internalizing and/or externalizing symptoms. Fifty‐nine adolescent‐parent dyads (N = 118 total participants) recruited from a metropolitan area in the Northeastern United States completed assessments at baseline and 12‐month follow‐up. Generally, higher parental depression and anxiety were only found to be associated with greater disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among adolescents who reported poorer (versus stronger) emotional awareness/expression skills and less (versus greater) ability to regulate emotions. Results may suggest that adolescents who lack the ability to effectively recognize, express, and manage negative emotions that arise in the context of a challenging home environment may be at greater risk for engaging in maladaptive coping behaviors, such as disordered eating. Thus, bolstering adolescent social‐emotional coping skills may help protect against adolescent disordered eating.
Evolution of adolescent fertility after decriminalization of abortion in Montevideo, Uruguay
Authors: Antón José‐Ignacio , Ferre Zuleika , Triunfo Patricia
Published: August 2016

Objective

To analyze the effect on adolescent fertility in Montevideo of the Uruguayan law on the voluntary termination of pregnancy that was passed in 2012.

Methods

The change in the number of births to teenage mothers between 2010 and 2014 was analyzed, along with their characteristics before and after decriminalization of abortion.

Results

Descriptive analysis of abortion before and after decriminalization showed that there was no reduction, during the period analyzed, in adolescent fertility, nor any changes in the distribution of births.

Conclusion

The normative change brought about by the law on the voluntary termination of pregnancy was not associated with any substantial change in the reproductive behavior of adolescents in Montevideo. We recommend that this analysis is taken further with impact evaluation methodologies.
From risk and harm reduction to decriminalizing abortion: The Uruguayan model for women's rights
Authors: Briozzo Leonel
Published: August 2016

Objective

To describe public policies, social actions, particularly those of obstetricians/gynecologists, and changes in abortion‐related legislation in the different historical periods between 1990 and 2015, and to analyze temporal correlations with a reduction in maternal mortality.

Methods

The 1990–2015 period was divided into three different stages to permit evaluation of the legislation, health regulations, healthcare system, and professional practices related to the care provided in cases of unsafe abortion: 1990–2001, characterized by illegality and the healthcare system's denial of abortion; 2001–2012, when the model for reducing the risk and harm of unsafe abortions was developed; and 2012–2015, when abortion was finally decriminalized.

Results

Changes in public policies and expansion of the risk reduction model coincided with changes in the social perception of abortion and a decrease in maternal mortality and abortion rates, probably due to a set of public policies that led to the decriminalization of abortion in 2012.

Conclusion

Changes in public policies and health actions such as the model for reducing the risk and harm of unsafe abortions coincided with a marked reduction in abortion‐related maternal mortality. The challenges still to be faced include managing second trimester abortions, ensuring the creation of multidisciplinary teams, and offering postabortion contraception.
Overall and abortion‐related maternal mortality rates in Uruguay over the past 25 years and their association with policies and actions aimed at protecting women's rights
Authors: Briozzo Leonel , Gómez Ponce de León Rodolfo , Tomasso Giselle , Faúndes Anibal
Published: August 2016

Objective

To evaluate changes in maternal mortality rates in Uruguay over the past 25 years, as well as their distribution by cause, and their temporal relationship with social changes and Human Development Index (HDI) indicators.

Methods

Data on maternal mortality obtained directly from the Uruguayan Ministry of Public Health for the 2001 to 2015 period were analyzed together with data from the United Nations Inter‐Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation for the 1990 to 2015 period. The swiftness of the decrease in maternal mortality per five‐year period, the variation in the percentage of abortion‐related deaths, and the correlation with HDI indicators were evaluated.

Results

Maternal mortality decreased significantly, basically due to a reduction in the number of deaths from unsafe abortion, which was the principal cause of maternal mortality in the 1990s. The reduction in maternal mortality over the past 10 years also coincides with a reduction in poverty and an improvement in the HDI.

Conclusion

A rapid reduction occurred in maternal mortality in Uruguay, particularly in maternal mortality resulting from unsafe abortion. This coincided with the application of a model for reducing the risk and harm of unsafe abortions, which finally led to the decriminalization of abortion.
Conscientious objection as a barrier for implementing voluntary termination of pregnancy in Uruguay: Gynecologists’ attitudes and behavior
Authors: Coppola Francisco , Briozzo Leonel , Nozar Fernanda , Fiol Verónica , Greif Diego
Published: August 2016

Objective

To analyze the attitudes and behavior of gynecologists in Uruguay with respect to the right to conscientious objection that is included in the law concerning voluntary termination of pregnancy.

Methods

The relevant laws and decrees, academic articles, legal or administrative claims, and the positions published by the institutions representing physicians or by groups of gynecologists were analyzed.

Results

In general, the institutions positioned themselves in favor of correct application of conscientious objection and the immense majority of gynecologists followed this conduct. Small groups mounted a strong opposition and in one department (province) all gynecologists declared themselves to be objectors.

Conclusion

Most gynecologists, whether or not they are objectors, proved to have a “loyalty to duty,” fulfilling their primary obligation to abide by the ethical duty to give treatment to the persons who need it. A small group used conscientious objection to impede the provision of care to the women who needed the service, some group members being genuine objectors and others pseudo‐objectors.
The role of medical abortion in the implementation of the law on voluntary termination of pregnancy in Uruguay
Authors: Fiol Verónica , Rieppi Leticia , Aguirre Rafael , Nozar María , Gorgoroso Mónica , Coppola Francisco , Briozzo Leonel
Published: August 2016

Objective

To evaluate the implementation of the law that liberalizes voluntary abortion in Uruguay and enables health services to offer these services to the population.

Methods

The legal and regulatory provisions are described and the national data—provided by the Ministry of Public Health's National Information System (SINADI)—on the number of voluntary terminations of pregnancy, the abortion method (medical or surgical), and whether it was performed as an outpatient or inpatient are analyzed. To determine complications, the number of maternal deaths and admissions to intensive care units for pregnant women was used. The study period ran from December 1, 2012, to December 31, 2014.

Results

A total of 15 996 abortions were performed during the study period; only 1.2% were surgical and 98.8% were medical. Of the latter, only 3.4% required hospitalization. Less than half of the pregnancies were terminated up to 9 weeks of gestation and 54% were at 10 to 12 weeks in a sample from the Pereira Rossell Hospital.

Conclusion

The rapid nationwide rollout of voluntary termination of pregnancy services to all women was possible to a large degree thanks to the availability and broad acceptance of medical abortion, facilitated by the prior experience in applying the risk and harm reduction strategy.
Implementation of the risk and harm reduction strategy against unsafe abortion in Uruguay: From a university hospital to the entire country
Authors: Labandera Ana , Gorgoroso Monica , Briozzo Leonel
Published: August 2016

The history of the creation of the risk and harm reduction model applied to unsafe abortion is reviewed, from its initial implementation by a small group of gynecologists at the Pereira Rossell Hospital Center in Uruguay to its spread to the rest of the country. Its ethical rationale, its successful application in the hospital, the decision to disseminate it with the cooperation of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), and the intervention procedures are explained. It was evaluated from the epidemiological and anthropological viewpoints, from the changes in professionals’ and users’ perception of the care offered and its impact on complications and maternal deaths. A very favorable change was seen in the number and quality of the services, the providers’ attitude, and maternal morbidity and mortality were reduced. It also brought visibility to women with unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and an improved understanding of their problems, which contributed to the legislative changes that were made subsequently.
A replication of the Uruguayan model in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a public policy for reducing abortion‐related maternal mortality
Authors: Matía Marisa G. , Trumper Eugenia C. , Fures Nery Orlando , Orchuela Jimena
Published: August 2016

Objective

To describe the application of the risk and harm reduction model at primary care level to decrease the mortality due to unsafe abortion in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and evaluate the results.

Methods

The services offered at primary health units to women undergoing abortion are described—first, only risk reduction and later, legal termination of the pregnancy—including their evolution between 2010 and 2015. The changes in abortion‐related maternal mortality are also evaluated. The χ2 test was used to evaluate the differences in the percentage of abortion‐related deaths out of the total number of maternal deaths.

Results

Primary care services increased progressively, both for risk reduction and for legal termination of pregnancy, which was carried out successfully, including manual vacuum aspiration, by general physicians and midwives. The proportion of abortion‐related maternal deaths with respect to total maternal deaths fell by two‐thirds between 2010 and 2014 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The Uruguayan risk reduction model was successfully applied in primary care in the Province of Buenos Aires.
Legal termination of pregnancy as an opportunity for expanding postabortion contraception: Experience at the Pereira Rossell Hospital, Montevideo, Uruguay
Authors: Nozar Fernanda , Greif Diego , Coppola Francisco , Fiol Verónica , Briozzo Leonel
Published: August 2016

Objective

To determine to what extent women adopted highly effective contraceptive methods after a legal abortion.

Methods

The data available during a period before and another period after liberalization of the abortion law were reviewed. The data gathering was incomplete and reliable only during certain periods, which were used in the study.

Results

There was an increase in the proportion of women who returned for contraception and in the proportion who used any method and long‐acting methods; however, no contraception was administered immediately after abortion and only 16% of all women treated started to use a long‐acting method during the period after the law was liberalized.

Conclusion

The proposed objective was not being achieved, the recommended guidelines were not being followed, and data gathering was incomplete. Good intentions are not enough and it is always necessary to evaluate the performance of a program. The results indicate that immediate reforms are necessary in postabortion contraception services.
OBSIDIAN CONSUMPTION IN THE LATE PLEISTOCENE – EARLY HOLOCENE AEGEAN: CONTEXTUALISING NEW DATA FROM MESOLITHIC CRETE
Authors: Carter Tristan
Published: August 2016

This paper details the characterisation of four obsidian artefacts from the Mesolithic site of Livari Skiadi, one of only a handful of such pre-Neolithic sites on Crete. Elemental analysis using EDXRF sources the raw materials to Sta Nychia on Melos; in concert with other data, it can be suggested that this was the preferred Melian source for Late Pleistocene – Early Holocene populations. The Livari material represents the earliest Melian obsidian on Crete and by implication the first evidence of its inhabitants' connections to the Cycladic islands. When located within a broader review of Melian obsidian use in the Upper Palaeolithic – Mesolithic Aegean, it can be shown that the main consumers of these raw materials were island-based groups with immediate access to waterways that led to the Cyclades. It is suggested that distinctions between island and mainland toolkits (technical and raw material choices) may have been the product of seasonal, and environmental influences, rather than reflecting the products of different populations. Finally, certain datasets, including Livari, suggest the procurement of obsidian via intermediaries. These exchanges are viewed in avowedly social terms, with gift-giving a fundamental manner through which inter-group relations were created and maintained, whereby the circulation of obsidian can be viewed as one of those mechanisms through which Mesolithic Aegean cultural traditions came to be produced and reproduced.
Incorrect ventricular lead placement into the systemic right ventricle of a patient with D-transposition of the great vessels after Mustard procedure
Authors: Powell Adam W. , Kimball Thomas R.
Published: September 2016

Incorrect pacemaker lead placement into the systemic ventricle is a complication that has rarely been described in patients with D-transposition status after atrial baffle palliation. We present a case of ventricular lead misplacement in the systemic right ventricle of a patient with D-transposition of the great arteries after Mustard procedure. This case demonstrates the challenges with proper imaging of lead placement in patients with atrial baffles and long-term management of a lead in the systemic ventricle.