bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of hot and cold extraction of bioactive compounds in teas
Authors: de Carvalho Rodrigues Vanessa , da Silva Marcos V. , dos Santos Adriele R. , Zielinski Acácio A. F. , Haminiuk Charles W. I.
Published: June 2015

This study evaluated the bioactive compounds of different types of tea by comparing hot and cold infusions. A multivariate data analysis was carried out, where the principal components analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used. Phenolic compounds varied between 267.27–2896.00 mg GAE L−1 and 215.10–7351.33 mg GAE L−1 for hot (80 °C) and cold extraction (20–25 °C), respectively. In the case of their antioxidant activity, results with DPPH were 43.10‐73.67% for hot extraction and 46.80‐77.13% for cold extraction. The average values for the ABTS˙+ method ranged between 2535.43 and 33 300.17 μmol TE L−1 and between 1110.34 and 38 300.67 μmol TE L−1, respectively, for hot and cold extraction. Different compounds were identified by liquid chromatography in the samples evaluated, where caffeine presented the higher concentrations in the teas. Samples of green and black tea (hot extraction) and white tea (cold extraction) showed bacteriostatic activity for S. aureus and E. coli. No extract had any bactericide activity. The current study revealed that cold infusion was more efficient in the extraction of bioactive compounds.
Associations of sedentary time patterns and TV viewing time with inflammatory and endothelial function biomarkers in children
Authors: Gabel L. , Ridgers N. D. , Della Gatta P. A. , Arundell L. , Cerin E. , Robinson S. , Daly R. M. , Dunstan D. W. , Salmon J.
Published: June 2015

Objective

Investigate associations of TV viewing time and accelerometry‐derived sedentary time with inflammatory and endothelial function biomarkers in children.

Methods

Cross‐sectional analysis of 164 7–10‐year‐old children. TV viewing time was assessed by parental proxy report and total and patterns of sedentary time accumulation (e.g. prolonged bouts) were assessed by accelerometry. C‐reactive protein (CRP), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, interleukin‐2, ‐6, ‐8, ‐10, tumour necrosis factor alpha, adiponectin, resistin, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, soluble intercellular and vascular adhesion molecule 1, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and soluble E‐selectin were assessed. Generalised linear models assessed the associations of TV viewing and sedentary time with biomarkers, adjusting for sex, waist circumference, moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity physical activity and diet density.

Results

Each additional h week−1 of TV viewing was associated with 4.4% (95% CI: 2.1, 6.7) greater CRP and 0.6% (0.2, 1.0) greater sVCAM‐1 in the fully adjusted model. The association between frequency and duration of 5–10 min bouts of sedentary time and CRP was positive after adjustment for sex and waist circumference but attenuated after adjustment for diet density.

Conclusions

This study suggests that TV viewing was unfavourably associated with several markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. The detrimental association between 5 and 10 min bouts of sedentary time and CRP approached significance, suggesting that further research with a stronger study design (longitudinal and/or experimental) is needed to better understand how the accumulation of sedentary time early in life may influence short and longer term health.
Low grandparental social support combined with low parental socioeconomic status is closely associated with obesity in preschool‐aged children: a pilot study
Authors: Lindberg L. , Ek A. , Nyman J. , Marcus C. , Ulijaszek S. , Nowicka P.
Published: June 2015

While the influence of parental socioeconomic status (SES) on children's weight status is well known, the impact of other family‐related aspects such as parental and grandparental social support is less understood. This study investigates the importance of parents'SESand social support (functional and structural) for weight status in a clinical sample of preschoolers 4–6 years old with obesity (n = 39, 56% girls; 73% of parents were overweight/obese, 50% were of non‐Swedish origin). Linear regression analyses, simple and multiple, were performed onSESand social support with childBMI SDS(body mass index standard deviation score) as the dependent variable. The results show that parents' income and low emotional support from paternal grandparents were significantly associated with more severe obesity. The association between parental income and the child'sBMI SDSwas stronger among parents who had low emotional support from their own parents. In conclusion, grandparental social support may be protective against childhood obesity.
The role of mobile‐computing self‐efficacy in consumer information disclosure
Authors: Keith Mark J. , Babb Jeffry S. , Lowry Paul Benjamin , Furner Christopher P. , Abdullat Amjad
Published: June 2015

Smartphones are increasingly penetrating business and consumer markets, and mobile applications (apps) have engendered a large and innovative market. Whereas apps are useful, they also present new forms of privacy risk associated with users' personal and location data. However, these dangers do not appear to increase the perceived risk or reduce the trust consumers demonstrate when using apps. Many information technology (IT) trust indicators are well documented such as the quality of the IT, trust assurances, brand recognition and social influences. However, these traditional indicators appear to have a lesser impact on the adoption of mobile commerce via apps because of the nature of mobile‐app adoption and subsequent information disclosure. As a result, we draw from social cognitive theory and its construct of self‐efficacy in particular to explain perceived mobile‐app risk and provider trust. Through two controlled experiments, we demonstrate the strong direct effect of mobile‐computing self‐efficacy on users' initial trust in location‐based app vendors as well as their perceived risk of disclosing information – regardless of the actual trustworthiness of the app vendor. The results imply that being skilled in the latest smartphones and apps can cause users to place greater trust in app providers and perceive less risk in the app itself, even when the intentions of the app providers cannot be verified.
Dynamic location problem under uncertainty with a regret‐based measure of robustness
Authors: Marques Maria do Céu , Dias Joana Matos
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we present a dynamic uncapacitated facility location problem that considers uncertainty in fixed and assignment costs as well as in the sets of potential facility locations and possible customers. Uncertainty is represented via a set of scenarios. Our aim is to minimize the expected total cost, explicitly considering regret. Regret is understood as a measure, for each scenario, of the loss incurred for not choosing that scenario's optimal solution if that scenario indeed occurred. We guarantee that the regret for each scenario is always upper bounded. We present a mixed integer programming model for the problem and we propose a solution approach based on Lagrangean relaxation integrating a local neighborhood search and a subgradient algorithm to update Lagrangean multipliers. The problem and the solutions obtained are first analyzed through the use of illustrative examples. Computational results over sets of randomly generated test problems are also provided.
Thermal Expansion Reduction in Alumina‐Toughened Zirconia by Incorporation of Zirconium Tungstate and Aluminum Tungstate
Authors: Romao Carl P. , Marinkovic Bojan A. , Werner‐Zwanziger Ulrike , White Mary Anne
Published: June 2015

A series of composites containing yttria‐stabilized zirconia, Al2O3, and the thermomiotic (negative thermal expansion) materials ZrW2O8 and Al2W3O12 were prepared by an in situ solid‐state reaction during sintering. Microstructural analysis of the composites indicated several sub‐micron sized components. 27Al MAS NMR was used to characterize the aluminum‐containing phase distribution. Measurement of the coefficients of thermal expansion showed that the addition of thermomiotic components reduced the thermal expansivity of the alumina‐toughened zirconia matrix, but the reduction was considerably smaller than what would be predicted by the rule of mixtures. The Turner model was much more accurate in predicting the coefficients of thermal expansion of the composites due to the large differences in stiffness between the components.
Biogeography of the land snail genus Allognathus (Helicidae): middle Miocene colonization of the Balearic Islands
Authors: Chueca Luis J. , Madeira María José , Gómez‐Moliner Benjamín J.
Published: June 2015

Aim

We infer the evolutionary history of the land snail genus Allognathus from a molecular phylogeny. An approximate temporal framework for its colonization of the Balearic Islands and diversification within the archipelago is provided according to palaeogeographical events in the western Mediterranean Basin.

Location

The Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean.

Methods

A 2461‐bp DNA sequence dataset was generated from one nuclear and two mitochondrial gene fragments in 87 specimens, covering all nominal taxa of the genus Allognathus. Through maximum‐likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic methods along with a Bayesian molecular clock, we examined the evolutionary history of the group. Ancestral distribution ranges were estimated for divergence events across the tree using a Bayesian approach. We also used genetic species‐delimitation models to determine the taxonomy of Allognathus.

Results

We provided the first molecular phylogeny of Allognathus, a genus endemic to the Balearic Islands. The origin of the genus in the Balearic Islands was dated to the middle Miocene based on palaeogeographical events in the Western Mediterranean. During the late Miocene and Pliocene, several diversification events occurred within the archipelago. The ancestral range of Allognathus was reconstructed as the north‐eastern Tramuntana Mountains of Mallorca.

Main conclusions

Three species were delimited within the genus, one of which has at least five subspecies. The phylogenetic reconstruction showed a high degree of parallelism between the divergence of the main Allognathus lineages and the palaeogeography of the Balearic Islands. The genus appears to have colonized Mallorca from the south‐east of the Iberian Peninsula during the middle Miocene. Sea level fluctuations that took place in the Western Mediterranean from the Messinian to the present are consistent with the diversification and secondary contacts of the phylogroups of Allognathus, as well as their distribution ranges. The middle Miocene could have been a period for the colonization of the Balearic Islands by other terrestrial organisms.
Comparison of clinical characteristics in patients with type 2 diabetes among whom different antihyperglycemic agents were prescribed as monotherapy or combination therapy by diabetes specialists
Authors: Fujihara Kazuya , Hanyu Osamu , Heianza Yoriko , Suzuki Akiko , Yamada Takaho , Yokoyama Hiroki , Tanaka Shiro , Yagyu Hiroaki , Shimano Hitoshi , Kashiwagi Atsunori , Yamazaki Katuya , Kawai Koichi , Sone Hirohito
Published: June 2015

Aims/Introduction

We compared clinical characteristics in patients with type 2 diabetes for whom different antihyperglycemic agents were prescribed as monotherapy or combination therapy by diabetes specialists in Japan.

Materials and Methods

Prescription data for 2005, 2008 and 2011 from diabetes specialists' patient registries identified variables related to prescription of different antihyperglycemic agents.

Results

A total of 33,251 prescriptions in 2005, 25,119 in 2008 and 20,631 in 2011 were analyzed. Prescribing insulin was related to younger age, long duration of diabetes and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥8.0%, but was negatively associated with obesity. Prescribing sulfonylureas was related to older age and long duration of diabetes, but not to obesity. Use of biguanides was related to younger age, short duration of diabetes and obesity, but was negatively associated with HbA1c ≥8.0%. A short duration of diabetes and HbA1c ≥8.0% were associated with use of a DPP‐4 inhibitor, but not with obesity. Prescribing GLP‐1 receptor agonists was related to younger age, obesity and HbA1c ≥8.0%. Odds ratios for each antihyperglycemic combination therapy were determined based on the characteristics of each included antihyperglycemic agent.

Conclusions

These results could be expected to reflect in part the consensus of diabetes specialists, and might provide guidance regarding pharmacotherapy in the clinical setting.
Influence of atherosclerosis‐related risk factors on serum high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein levels in patients with type 2 diabetes: Comparison of their influence in obese and non‐obese patients
Authors: Shimoda Masashi , Kaneto Hideaki , Yoshioka Hiroshi , Okauchi Seizo , Hirukawa Hidenori , Kimura Tomohiko , Kanda‐Kimura Yukiko , Kohara Kenji , Kamei Shinji , Kawasaki Fumiko , Mune Tomoatsu , Kaku Kohei
Published: June 2015

Aims/Introduction

Increased levels of high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) likely leads to the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is very important to know which factors largely influence hs‐CRP levels. In the present study, we examined the influence of various atherosclerosis‐related factors on hs‐CRP levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

A total of 275 patients (176 men, 99 women) were enrolled in this study. We tested the relationship between the number of risk factors reaching a desired value and hs‐CRP levels. The Mann–Whitney U‐test was used to compare two groups. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to carry out overall group comparisons, and the Steel–Dwass test was used to carry out between‐group comparisons. Spearman's rank correlation was carried out to study the correlation between hs‐CRP levels and clinical parameters. Multivariate regression method was used to analyze the factors independently contributing to hs‐CRP levels.

Results

Hs‐CRP levels were lower in patients with a larger number of risk factors reaching a desired value. In particular, triglyceride and body mass index (BMI) were independent risk factors determining hs‐CRP levels in a multivariate regression analysis. Furthermore, we compared the influence of various factors on hs‐CRP levels in both obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) and non‐obese patients with type 2 diabetes (BMI <25 kg/m2). In obese groups, BMI and urinary albumin were independent risk factors determining hs‐CRP levels, whereas triglyceride and statin were independent risk factors in non‐obese patients.

Conclusions

There is some difference in the factors responsible for hs‐CRP levels in obese and non‐obese patients with type 2 diabetes.
Adaptation and innovation: a grounded theory study of procedural variation in the academic surgical workplace
Authors: Apramian Tavis , Watling Christopher , Lingard Lorelei , Cristancho Sayra
Published: June 2015

Rationale, aims and objectives

Surgical research struggles to describe the relationship between procedural variations in daily practice and traditional conceptualizations of evidence. The problem has resisted simple solutions, in part, because we lack a solid understanding of how surgeons conceptualize and interact around variation, adaptation, innovation, and evidence in daily practice. This grounded theory study aims to describe the social processes that influence how procedural variation is conceptualized in the surgical workplace.

Method

Using the constructivist grounded theory methodology, semi‐structured interviews with surgeons (n = 19) from four North American academic centres were collected and analysed. Purposive sampling targeted surgeons with experiential knowledge of the role of variations in the workplace. Theoretical sampling was conducted until a theoretical framework representing key processes was conceptually saturated.

Results

Surgical procedural variation was influenced by three key processes. Seeking improvement was shaped by having unsolved procedural problems, adapting in the moment, and pursuing personal opportunities. Orienting self and others to variations consisted of sharing stories of variations with others, taking stock of how a variation promoted personal interests, and placing trust in peers. Acting under cultural and material conditions was characterized by being wary, positioning personal image, showing the logic of a variation, and making use of academic resources to do so. Our findings include social processes that influence how adaptations are incubated in surgical practice and mature into innovations.

Conclusions

This study offers a language for conceptualizing the sociocultural influences on procedural variations in surgery. Interventions to change how surgeons interact with variations on a day‐to‐day basis should consider these social processes in their design.
Mitigating flood consequences: analysis of private flood insurance in Slovakia
Authors: Solín Ľ. , Madajová M. , Skubinčan P.
Published: June 2015

The aim of this paper is to obtain more detailed information about flood insurance in municipalities of Slovakia situated in headwater basins. Analysis of insurance data from the period 2002–2011 showed a dramatic decrease in flood insurance. We found that the declining social status of the municipality's inhabitants is accompanied by a decrease in flood insurance policies. Further analysis revealed an increase in the number of flood insurance policies, flood insurance events and claims, with an increasing frequency of the occurrence of third‐level flood emergencies in municipalities. However, this influence was not substantiated when it came to the flood hazard potential of given municipalities. On the other hand, a comparatively high number of flood insurance events when no third‐level flood emergencies have been announced indicates that a relatively significant part of flood insurance events is caused by other types of flooding other than river flooding.
Assessment of climate change impact on floods from a techno‐social perspective
Authors: Devkota R.P. , Bhattarai U.
Published: June 2015

Effective adaptation measures require proper understanding of the impacts of climate change (CC) on the livelihood of the local people, especially the poor who are more vulnerable to CC. In this study, trend analysis of the climatic parameters (precipitation and temperature) was carried out using RClimDex complemented by household surveys and focus group discussions to assess perceptions of the local people towards CC, its indicators and effects in the West Rapti River Basin (WRRB) of Nepal. Observed increasing trend in the temperature throughout the basin and increasing precipitation trend in some parts of the basin while decreasing trends in others demonstrate a spatial variation of CC thus affecting livelihood of local people. Survey results in selected Village Development Committees of Banke and Dang districts within the WRRB showed that agriculture was the most vulnerable to such changes. People perceived increased frequency of heavy rainfall along with unusual rainfall pattern as major indicators of CC, which is likely to cause floods damaging agricultural and settlement areas. This research tried to quantify trends of climate parameters, and also identified and prioritised causes of floods and impacts based on the people's perception which help to design effective plans and programmes to reduce CC impacts. This interdisciplinary research provides an overall framework for deriving climate change impact analysis for a river basin in particular and other Nepalese river basins in general with similar socioeconomic, topographic, and climatic conditions.
Design hydrograph estimation in small and fully ungauged basins: a preliminary assessment of the EBA4SUB framework
Authors: Petroselli A. , Grimaldi S.
Published: June 2015

Design hydrograph estimation in small and ungauged basins is still a critical issue in hydrological studies. Although a great effort has been devoted to improving the knowledge on this topic in the last 10 years, some unresolved problems still limit the practitioners. Indeed, in small and ungauged watersheds located in areas where regionalisation analyses are not available, hydrologists still typically apply the rational formula. In a recent contribution, we proposed an event‐based framework illustrating its potential benefits over the widely used rational formula and underlining its tendency to be less sensitive and less subjective. In the present contribution, we present a preliminary assessment of the proposed framework, analysing its application to five watersheds for which enough observed data are available to provide an evaluation of the model's performance. Although the results confirm that the design hydrograph estimation in small and ungauged basins is affected by relevant errors and uncertainty, they also show that the proposed framework is promising for practical hydrology.
The Aging Brain Care Medical Home: Preliminary Data
Authors: LaMantia Michael A. , Alder Catherine A. , Callahan Christopher M. , Gao Sujuan , French Dustin D. , Austrom Mary G. , Boustany Karim , Livin Lee , Bynagari Bharath , Boustani Malaz A.
Published: June 2015

The Aging Brain Care (ABC) Medical Home aims to improve the care, health outcomes, and medical costs of Medicare beneficiaries with dementia or depression across central Indiana. This population health management program, funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center, expanded an existing collaborative dementia and depression care program to serve 1,650 older adults in a local safety‐net hospital system. During the first year, 20 full‐time clinical staff were hired, trained, and deployed to deliver a collaborative care intervention. In the first 18 months, an average of 13 visits was provided per person. Thirty percent of the sample had a diagnosis of dementia, and 77% had a diagnosis of depression. Sixty‐six percent of participants with high depression scores (Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 score ≥14) had at least a 50% reduction in their depressive symptoms. Fifty‐one percent of caregivers of individuals with dementia had at least a 50% reduction in caregiver stress symptoms (measured by the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor‐Caregiver Version). After 18 months, the ABC Medical Home has demonstrated progress toward improving the health of older adults with dementia and depression. Scalable and practical models like this show initial promise for answering the challenges posed by the nation's rapidly aging population.
Current approaches to enhance glutamate transporter function and expression
Authors: Fontana Andréia C. K.
Published: June 2015

l‐glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in theCNSand has a central role in a variety of brain functions. The termination of glutamate neurotransmission by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) is essential to maintain glutamate concentration low in extracellular space and avoid excitotoxicity.EAAT2/GLT‐1, being the most abundant subtype of glutamate transporter in theCNS, plays a key role in regulation of glutamate transmission. Dysfunction ofEAAT2 has been correlated with various pathologies such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, among others. Therefore, activators of the function or enhancers of the expression ofEAAT2/GLT‐1 could serve as a potential therapy for these conditions. Translational activators ofEAAT2/GLT‐1, such as ceftriaxone andLDN/OSU‐0212320, have been described to have significant protective effects in animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and epilepsy. In addition, pharmacological activators of the activity ofEAAT2/GLT‐1 have been explored for decades and are currently emerging as promising tools for neuroprotection, having potential advantages over expression activators. This review describes the current status of the search forEAAT2/GLT‐1 activators and addresses challenges and limitations that this approach might encounter.

image

Termination of glutamate neurotransmission by glutamate transporter EAAT2 is essential to maintain homeostasis in the brain and to avoid excitotoxicity. Dysfunction of EAAT2 has been correlated with various neurological pathologies. Therefore, activators of the function or enhancers of the expression of EAAT2 (green arrows) could serve as a potential therapy for these conditions. This review describes the current status of the search for EAAT2 activators and addresses challenges and limitations of this approach.
2, 2′‐ and 4, 4′‐Cyanines are transporter‐independent in vitro dopaminergic toxins with the specificity and mechanism of toxicity similar to MPP+
Authors: Kadigamuwa Chamila C. , Le Viet Q. , Wimalasena Kandatege
Published: June 2015

Specific uptake through dopamine transporter followed by the inhibition of the mitochondrial complex‐I have been accepted as the cause of the specific dopaminergic toxicity of 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP+). However, MPP+ is taken up into many cell types through other transporters, suggesting that, in addition to the efficient uptake, intrinsic vulnerability of dopaminergic cells may also contribute to their high sensitivity to MPP+ and similar toxins. To test this possibility, two simple cyanines were employed in a comparative study based on their unique characteristics and structural similarity to MPP+. Here, we show that they freely accumulate in dopaminergic (MN9D and SH‐SY5Y) as well as in liver (HepG2) cells, but are specifically and highly toxic to dopaminergic cells with IC50s in the range of 50–100 nM, demonstrating that they are about 1000‐fold more toxic than MPP+ under similar experimental conditions. They cause mitochondrial depolarization non‐specifically, but increase the reactive oxygen species specifically in dopaminergic cells leading to the apoptotic cell death parallel to MPP+. These and other findings suggest that the specific dopaminergic toxicity of these cyanines is due to the inherent vulnerability of dopaminergic cells toward mitochondrial toxins that lead to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the specific dopaminergic toxicity of MPP+ must also be, at least partly, due to the specific vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons. Thus, these cyanines could be stronger in vivo dopaminergic toxins than MPP+ and their in vivo toxicities must be evaluated.

image

Here, we show that cationic lipophilic cyanines with structural similarity to 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP+) freely accumulate non‐specifically, but only toxic to dopaminergic cells. They are 1000‐fold more toxic than MPP+ under similar conditions. They cause mitochondrial depolarization non‐specifically, but increase the ROS specifically in dopaminergic cells leading to the apoptotic cell death parallel to MPP+. Thus, the specific dopaminergic toxicity of MPP+ and related toxins could be due to the intrinsic vulnerability of dopaminergic cells toward mitochondrial oxidative stress.
Near‐infrared spectroscopy for intracoronary detection of lipid‐rich plaques to understand atherosclerotic plaque biology in man and guide clinical therapy
Authors: Erlinge D.
Published: June 2015

Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. The common denominator for plaques causing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is lipid accumulation, either as a lipid core or lipid pools. An intracoronary imaging device to detect lipid‐rich plaques (LRPs) could therefore identify most of the plaques causing ACS and sudden death. Near‐infrared spectroscopy combined with intravascular ultrasound (NIRS‐IVUS) is a promising new intracoronary imaging method that is able to specifically quantify lipid accumulation measured as the lipid core burden index (LCBI). NIRS‐IVUS is highly specific for the identification of ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non‐ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) culprit plaques usually in the form of a circular LRP. NIRS‐IVUS may assist in defining the aetiology of coronary events. The effect of cholesterol‐lowering therapy on the lipid core can be measured in coronary plaques in patients, and NIRS‐IVUS may be a useful tool for drug development in phase II studies as a surrogate end‐point for future ACS. Plaques with a high LCBI have an increased risk of peri‐procedural events. NIRS‐IVUS can help to define the diameter and length of stents to avoid procedure‐related complications. Increased coronary LCBI predicts a higher risk of future cardiovascular events. Lipid core detection using NIRS may help to identify vulnerable plaques to treat them before they cause ACS or sudden death.
The Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study: objectives and design
Authors: Bergström G. , Berglund G. , Blomberg A. , Brandberg J. , Engström G. , Engvall J. , Eriksson M. , de Faire U. , Flinck A. , Hansson M. G. , Hedblad B. , Hjelmgren O. , Janson C. , Jernberg T. , Johnsson Å. , Johansson L. , Lind L. , Löfdahl C.‐G. , Melander O. , Östgren C. J. , Persson A. , Persson M. , Sandström A. , Schmidt C. , Söderberg S. , Sundström J. , Toren K. , Waldenström A. , Wedel H. , Vikgren J. , Fagerberg B. , Rosengren A.
Published: June 2015

Cardiopulmonary diseases are major causes of death worldwide, but currently recommended strategies for diagnosis and prevention may be outdated because of recent changes in risk factor patterns. The Swedish CArdioPulmonarybioImage Study (SCAPIS) combines the use of new imaging technologies, advances in large‐scale ‘omics’ and epidemiological analyses to extensively characterize a Swedish cohort of 30 000 men and women aged between 50 and 64 years. The information obtained will be used to improve risk prediction of cardiopulmonary diseases and optimize the ability to study disease mechanisms. A comprehensive pilot study in 1111 individuals, which was completed in 2012, demonstrated the feasibility and financial and ethical consequences of SCAPIS. Recruitment to the national, multicentre study has recently started.
Strategies of Legitimacy Through Social Media: The Networked Strategy
Authors: Castelló Itziar , Etter Michael , Årup Nielsen Finn
Published: June 2015

How can corporations develop legitimacy when coping with stakeholders who have multiple, often conflicting sustainable development (SD) agendas? We address this question by conducting an in‐depth longitudinal case study of a corporation's stakeholder engagement in social media and propose the concept of a networked legitimacy strategy. With this strategy, legitimacy is gained through participation in non‐hierarchical open platforms and the co‐construction of agendas. We explore the organizational transition needed to yield this new legitimacy approach. We argue that, in this context, legitimacy gains may increase when firms are able to reduce the control over the engagements and relate non‐hierarchically with their publics. We contribute to the extant literature on political corporate social responsibility and legitimacy by providing an understanding of a new context for engagement that reconfigures cultural, network, and power relations between the firm and their stakeholders in ways that challenge previous forms of legitimation.
Who and What Really Counts? Stakeholder Prioritization and Accounting for Social Value
Authors: Hall Matthew , Millo Yuval , Barman Emily
Published: June 2015

Research in stakeholder management has theorized extensively the prioritization of stakeholders as a key dynamic of firms’ value creation, but has paid less attention to the organizational practices involved in the process of deciding ‘who and what really counts.’ We examine changes underpinning managers’ prioritization of stakeholders and focus on how managers’ attention to salient stakeholders is represented and communicated in a firm's accounting and reporting system. We study the emergence and development of Social Return on Investment (SROI): an accounting methodology intended to permit managers both to incorporate stakeholders’ voices and to communicate the social value created by the firm for those stakeholders. We find that the ability of SROI to account for specific stakeholders, thus categorizing them as salient for the firm, is shaped by managers’ epistemic beliefs and by the organization's material conditions. Our findings contribute to stakeholder theory by showing that the prioritization of stakeholders is not solely a managerial decision, but instead is dependent on the construction of an appropriate accounting and reporting system, as shaped by managers’ epistemic beliefs and by the organization's material conditions.
Financializing Stakeholder Claims
Authors: Crane Andrew , Graham Cameron , Himick Darlene
Published: June 2015

This paper examines the role of accounting in assigning financial values to stakeholder claims. Stakeholder theorists have called for metrics managers can use to coordinate stakeholder claims. We argue that accounting already serves as the dominant example of such a tool, and that its role in measuring and representing stakeholder claims, and how those representations are used by stakeholders and managers, is not well understood. We suggest that accounting financializes stakeholder claims along three inductively‐developed dimensions, namely time, security, and priority. We analyse the case of pension accounting at General Electric to theorize concerning how these dimensions shape stakeholder claims and are used by stakeholders and managers to trade‐off claims, demarcate claimants into groups, and reconstruct claims during negotiations.
Institutional‐level bullying: Exploring workplace bullying during union organizing drives
Authors: Samnani Al‐Karim , Boekhorst Janet A. , Harrison Jennifer A.
Published: June 2015

We investigated bullying behaviour within the context of trade union organizing drives. We conducted an archival search using the Ontario Labour Relations Board database, which yielded 146 cases over a 10‐year period. We found that the three core features of workplace bullying were present in 20 of these cases. Through a qualitative content analysis, we found a number of instances in which managers were reported to have repeatedly and persistently engaged in acts of bullying towards union organizers and supporters, intensified the hostility of these acts over time, and exploited their power through threats to job security and captive audience meetings. We also shed light on the role of observers of bullying behaviour and how observers may have distanced themselves from or concealed contact with the target.

Practitioner points

Managers in organizations may resort to bullying behaviour during the organizing drive, which can produce fear among employees and result in significant legal consequences.

Bullying tends to start with subtle and indirect behaviours, but often escalates into more intense forms of bullying.

Senior management should ensure that managers and other employees in the organization understand the potential repercussions of their bullying behaviours.
An Alternative Design to Overcome the Problem of Unfavorable Implant Angulations for a Screw‐Retained, Implant‐Supported Fixed Prosthesis: Two Clinical Reports
Authors: Chatzistavrianou Despoina , Shahdad Shakeel
Published: June 2015

Two clinical reports present an alternative design to address the problem of unfavorable implant angulations if a screw‐retained prosthesis is desired. The restorations were designed as screw‐retained prostheses, except in the area with the unfavorable implant screw emergence. The frameworks in these areas were customized to receive individual cement‐retained crowns. This design offers retrievability and helps to minimize complications associated with excess cement without compromising the functional or esthetic outcome.
Characterization of Botryosphaeria dothidea and Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae from English Walnut in China
Authors: Li GuoQing , Liu FeiFei , Li JieQiong , Liu QianLi , Chen ShuaiFei
Published: June 2015

China is the largest walnut producer in the world, and walnut trees, especially English walnut, are widely distributed in the country. Species of Botryosphaeriaceae include important plant pathogens that can cause diseases on many tree crops including English walnut. Recently, disease symptoms caused by Botryosphaeriaceae were observed on English walnut branches or kernels from Beijing, Henan and Sichuan provinces in China. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the ITS rDNA sequences and translation elongation factor 1‐alpha (TEF‐1α) gene regions, Botryosphaeria dothidea and Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae were identified. Pathogenicity tests showed that both species are virulent to English walnut. To our knowledge, this is the first report of L. pseudotheobromae infecting English walnut in the world.
Valuable New Leaf or Inflorescence Resistances Ensure Improved Management of White Rust (Albugo candida) in Mustard (Brassica juncea) Crops
Authors: Barbetti Martin J. , Li Cai Xia , You Ming Pei , Singh Dhiraj , Agnihotri Abha , Banga Shashi K. , Sandhu Prabhjodh S. , Singh Rajender , Banga Surinder S.
Published: June 2015

Field resistances/susceptibilities against Albugo candida race 2V were determined for 29 Indian Brassica juncea varieties and compared with resistant varieties from China (6) and Australia (7). ‘Basanti’ (AUDPC incidence 46.7; AUDPC severity 29.2) represents the first high‐level resistance to race 2V in Indian varieties. Several others showed lower but still useful levels of resistance, including Narendra Ageti Rai‐4 (AUDPC incidence 150.6; AUDPC severity 66.8) and JM1 (AUDPC incidence 167.1; AUDPC severity 83.7). Highly susceptible Indian varieties had AUDPC incidence values >200 and severity >100. ‘Basanti’ had least stagheads/plant (0.32), while Narendra Ageti Rai‐4 had lowest % plants with stagheads (2.48). In contrast, almost half of Indian varieties had stagheads/plant >1 and % plants with stagheads >4, and >26 for ‘Kranti’. The resistance in ‘Basanti’ paves the way forward towards significantly improved white rust management in mustard in India. JM06011, JM06021, JR049 from Australia and CJB‐003 from China had zero leaf incidence. There were significant (P < 0.001) relationships between disease incidence with severity (R2 0.92), stagheads/plant (R2 0.69) and also % plants with stagheads (R2 0.60); between disease severity with stagheads/plant (R2 0.68) and also % plants with stagheads (R2 0.69); and between stagheads/plant with % plants with stagheads (R2 0.59).
Evaluation of biohydrogenation rate of canola vs. soya bean seeds as unsaturated fatty acids sources for ruminants in situ
Authors: Pashaei S. , Ghoorchi T. , Yamchi A.
Published: June 2015

An experiment was conducted to study disappearance of C14 to C18 fatty acids, lag times and biohydrogenation (BH) rates of C18 fatty acids of ground soya bean and canola seeds in situ. Three ruminally fistulated Dallagh sheep were used to determine ruminal BH of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). Differences in the disappearance of fatty acids through the bags and lag times were observed between the oilseeds. We saw that the longer the incubation time of the oilseeds in the rumen, the lower the content of C18:2 and C18:3. Significantly higher lag times for both C18:2 and C18:3 were observed in ground canola compared to ground soya bean. BH rates of C18:2 and C18:3 fatty acids in soya bean were three times higher than those of canola. These results suggest that the fatty acid profile of fat source can affect the BH of UFAs by rumen micro‐organisms. So that UFAs of canola had higher ability to escape from ruminal BH. It seems that fatty acid profile of ruminant products is more affected by canola seed compared to soya bean seed.
Wnt3a signaling induces murine dental follicle cells to differentiate into cementoblastic/osteoblastic cells via an osterix‐dependent pathway
Authors: Nemoto E. , Sakisaka Y. , Tsuchiya M. , Tamura M. , Nakamura T. , Kanaya S. , Shimonishi M. , Shimauchi H.
Published: June 2015

Background and Objective

Dental follicle cells, putative progenitor cells for cementoblasts, osteoblasts and periodontal ligament cells, interplay with Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) cells during tooth root formation, in which HERS is considered to have an inductive role in initiating cementogenesis by epithelial–mesenchymal interaction. However, the specific mechanisms controlling the cementoblast/osteoblast differentiation of dental follicle cells are not fully understood. Canonical Wnt signaling has been implicated in increased bone formation by controlling mesenchymal stem cell or osteoblastic cell functions. This study examined the possible expression of canonical Wnt ligand in HERS and the role of Wnt signaling during the cementoblast/osteoblast differentiation of dental follicle cells.

Material and Methods

The expression of Wnt3a, a representative canonical Wnt ligand, in HERS was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The differentiation and function of immortalized murine dental follicle cells were evaluated by measuring alkaline phosphatase (ALP, Alpl) activity and osteogenic gene expression.

Results

We identified the expression of Wnt3a in HERS during mouse tooth root development by immunohistochemistry as well as in cultured human epithelial rest cells of Malassez by real‐time polymerase chain reaction, while no expression of Wnt3a was detected in cultured dental mesenchymal cells. Exposure of immortalized murine dental follicle cells to Wnt3a‐induced ALP activity as well as expression of the Alpl gene. Pretreatment of cells with Dickkopf‐1, a potent canonical Wnt antagonist, markedly attenuated the effect of Wnt3a on ALP expression. Furthermore, Wnt3a induced transcriptional activity of runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and expression of osterix at gene and/or protein levels. Treatment with osterix–small interfering RNA significantly inhibited Wnt3a‐induced ALP expression at gene and protein levels.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that HERS has a potential role in stimulating cementoblast/osteoblast differentiation of dental follicle cells via the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway.
Tumor necrosis factor‐α antagonist infliximab inhibits osteoclast formation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells but does not affect periodontal ligament fibroblast‐mediated osteoclast formation
Authors: de Vries T. J. , Yousovich J. , Schoenmaker T. , Scheres N. , Everts V.
Published: June 2015

Background and Objective

The inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) is elevated in inflamed periodontal tissues and may contribute to periodontitis progression. TNF‐α stimulates formation and activity of osteoclasts, the cells that are recruited in periodontitis, that cause alveolar bone degradation and subsequent tooth loss. We previously showed that TNF‐α is elevated in co‐cultures of periodontal ligament fibroblast (PDLF) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Hence, TNF‐α could be a determining factor in osteoclast formation in these cultures, as osteoclasts are formed despite the fact that prototypical osteoclast differentiation factor receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand is outnumbered at least 100‐fold by its inhibitor osteoprotegerin in these cultures.

Material and Methods

To assess the role of TNF‐α in periodontitis‐associated osteoclast formation in vitro, osteoclast formation was analyzed in the presence of the anti‐TNF‐α therapeutic agent infliximab in two culture systems: (i) PBMC in co‐culture with PDLFs from controls and patients with periodontitis, or (ii) with PBMC only. PDLFs from control and patients with periodontitis were exposed to infliximab, PBMCs were added and the formation of osteoclast‐like cells was assessed.

Results

TNF‐α was highest levels in supernatants at 7 d in co‐cultures and declined at 14 and 21 d. TNF‐α was undetectable in cultures that received infliximab. The formation and activity of osteoclasts in co‐cultures was not affected by infliximab. In contrast, infliximab in cultures of only PBMC significantly reduced the formation of osteoclasts. This reduction was accompanied by a decreased number and size of cell clusters, a step that precedes the formation of osteoclasts. TNF‐α was again undetectable in the supernatant of infliximab‐treated cultures, but was detectable at similar levels in cell lysates of control and infliximab‐treated PBMC cultures.

Conclusion

Our study shows that the contribution of TNF‐α to osteoclast formation is cell system dependent. It contributes to PBMC‐induced osteoclast formation, possibly by establishing stronger cell–cell interactions that precede osteoclast formation.
Aesthetic and Functional Outcomes of Neovaginoplasty Using Penile Skin in Male to Female Transsexuals
Authors: Buncamper Marlon E. , Honselaar Jara S. , Bouman Mark Bram , Özer Müjde , Kreukels Baudewijntje P.C. , Mullender Margriet G.
Published: June 2015

Introduction

In the treatment of transgender women, the surgical construction of a neo vagina, or vaginoplasty, is the final stage in the transition to the desired gender. Surgeons aim to create a neovagina that is in function and appearance as close to a biological vagina as possible. However, to date, it is insufficiently clear whether transgender women are satisfied with the functional and cosmetic outcomes of vaginoplasty.

Aims

Our aim was to assess if penile skin inversion neovaginoplasty performed in transgender women meet the objectives strived for, by determining functional and aesthetic outcomes, as well as the physical and sexual well being and satisfaction.

Methods

We performed a retrospective survey study on 49 transgender women who underwent vaginoplasty using the penile skin inversion technique. Participants were asked to fill out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a combination of the Amsterdam Hyperactive Pelvic Floor Scale—Women (AHPFS W) and the Female Genital Self Imaging Scale, and a short questionnaire for self evaluation of vaginoplasty. Photographs of the genitalia were taken for objective assessment by an independent panel.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary outcomes were the functional and aesthetic evaluation as perceived by the trangender women themselves. Secondary outcomes were the aesthetic evaluation of the vaginoplasty by an independent panel.

Results

Functionality and appearance were both given an average score of 8 out of 10. Despite this high score, 56% is sexually dysfunctional according to the FSFI, mainly because of not being sexually active, or due to problems with lubrication and discomfort. In 75%, the result met the expectation and 70% thinks their genital is feminine enough.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that, despite relatively low FSFI scores, this group of transgender women is very satisfied with both the functional and aesthetic results of neovaginoplasty using penile skin inversion.
Testing for a Unit Root in Noncausal Autoregressive Models
Authors: Saikkonen Pentti , Sandberg Rickard
Published: June 2015

This work develops maximum likelihood‐based unit root tests in the noncausal autoregressive (NCAR) model with a non‐Gaussian error term formulated by Lanne and Saikkonen (2011, Journal of Time Series Econometrics 3, Issue 3, Article 2). Finite‐sample properties of the tests are examined via Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that the size properties of the tests are satisfactory and that clear power gains against stationary NCAR alternatives can be achieved in comparison with available alternative tests. In an empirical application to a Finnish interest rate series, evidence in favour of an NCAR model with leptokurtic errors is found.
A Note on the Behaviour of Nonparametric Density and Spectral Density Estimators at Zero Points of their Support
Authors: Paparoditis Efstathios , Politis Dimitris N.
Published: June 2015

The asymptotic behaviour of nonparametric estimators of the stationary density and of the spectral density function of a stationary process have been studied in some detail in the last 50–60years. Nevertheless, less is known about the behaviour of these estimators when the target function happens to vanish at the point of interest. In the article at hand, we fill this gap and show that asymptotic normality still holds true but with super‐efficient and different rates of convergence for the density and for the spectral density estimators that are affected also by the dependence structure of the process.