bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nexus between financial inclusion and economic growth
Authors: Sharma Dipasha
Published: May 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the nexus between the vast dimensions of financial inclusion and economic development of the emerging Indian economy.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, vector auto-regression (VAR) models and Granger causality test were followed to test the main research question in Indian context. The data were collected on various dimensions of financial inclusion and economic development for the period 2004-2013.

Findings

Empirical results and discussion suggest that there is a positive association between economic growth and various dimensions of financial inclusion, specifically banking penetration, availability of banking services and usage of banking services in terms of deposits. Granger causality analysis reveals a bi-directional causality between geographic outreach and economic development and a unidirectional causality between the number of deposits/loan accounts and gross domestic product. The results obtained favor social banking experiments in India with a deepening of banking institutions.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the banking institutions and specifically to the emerging and developing economies.

Practical implications

This study analyzes the quantitative value of social banking experiments and governments’ efforts to enhance financial inclusion in terms of economic growth.

Social implications

Financial inclusion plays a key role in developing a strong and an efficient financial infrastructure, which facilitates the growth of an economy. The findings of the study reveal that there is a strong association between banking penetration and growth. The discussion leads in the favor of deepening of the banking institutions, and therefore, policymakers can look forward to these findings to maintain a sustainable-inclusive-developed economic system in an emerging economy like India.

Originality/value

This study is original in nature and includes recent evidence and efforts to promote financial inclusion in the Indian economy. The findings of this study will be of value to banks and policymakers.
The New Keynesian Phillips Curve in a Small Open Economy: Empirical Evidence from Australia
Authors: Abbas Syed Kanwar , Bhattacharya Prasad Sankar , Mallick Debdulal , Sgro Pasquale
Published: May 2016

This study estimates the new Keynesian Phillips curve (NKPC) of Gali and Monacelli for a small open economy using Australian data. Our detailed investigation hinges on estimating the structural parameters in five different variants of the Gali–Monacelli NKPC, which relates the inflation process to terms of trade and the real exchange rate; the marginal cost and output gap as proxies for real economic activity and the hybrid version incorporating both forward‐ and backward‐looking inflation expectations. The analysis and extensive robustness checks overwhelmingly establish that the Gali–Monacelli NKPC cannot explain the dynamics of inflation and is rejected by the Australian data.
Tuning the Functional Properties of Polysaccharide–Protein Bio‐Based Edible Films by Chemical, Enzymatic, and Physical Cross‐Linking
Authors: Benbettaïeb Nasreddine , Gay Jean‐Pierre , Karbowiak Thomas , Debeaufort Frédéric
Published: May 2016

Among natural biopolymers, polysaccharides and proteins are very promising for biodegradable and edible wraps with different characteristics, so that their formulations can be tailor‐made to suit the needs of a specific commodity. Films prepared from polysaccharides have good gas barrier properties but exhibit lower resistance to moisture compared to protein films (edible) or polylactide films (biodegradable). Protein‐based films show better mechanical and oxygen barrier properties compared to polysaccharide films. For that reason, film performances may be enhanced by producing blend systems, where hydrocolloids (mixtures of proteins and/or polysaccharides) form a continuous and more cohesive network. However, the lower water barrier properties of hydrocolloid films and their lower mechanical strength in comparison with synthetic polymers limit their applications in food packaging. Therefore, the enhancement of biopolymer film properties has been studied to attain appropriate applications. This review provides an extensive synthesis of the improvement of the properties of edible polysaccharide–protein films by way of various chemical, enzymatic, and physical methods. These methods primarily aim at improving the mechanical resistance. They also permit to ameliorate the water and gas barrier properties and related functional properties.
Blood Pressure and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients: A Systematic Review of an Ongoing Debate
Authors: Khan Yusra Habib , Sarriff Azmi , Adnan Azreen Syazril , Khan Amer Hayat , Mallhi Tauqeer Hussain
Published: May 2016

Hypertension is prevalent in 75–80% of hemodialysis patients and remains the most controversial prognostic marker in end stage kidney disease patients. In contrast to the general population where systolic blood pressure of ≤120 mm Hg is considered normal, a debate remains regarding the ideal target blood pressure in hemodialysis patients. Using the PUBMED and EMBASE databases, the research studies that evaluated the relationship between blood pressure measurements and mortality in hemodialysis patients were searched. Thirteen studies were identified from different regions of the world. Five studies reported low predialysis systolic blood pressure as a prognostic marker of mortality. Other studies showed varying results and reported postdialysis systolic blood pressure as well as ambulatory blood pressure as better predictors of mortality and emphasized their optimized control. One study in this review concluded that there is no direct relationship between mortality and blood pressure if the patients are on anti‐hypertensive medications. The observed all‐cause mortality varied from 12% to 36%, whereas the cardiovascular mortality varied from 16% to 60%. On the basis of studies included in the current review, a low predialysis systolic blood pressure (<120 mm Hg) is shown to be a widely accepted prognostic marker of mortality while ambulatory blood pressure best predicts CV mortality. Therefore, we recommend that apart from routine BP (pre, post and intradialysis) monitoring in centers, assessment of ambulatory BP must be mandatory for all patients to reduce CV mortality in hemodialysis patients.
Comparison and Characterization of Compounds with Antioxidant Activity in Lycium barbarum Using High‐Performance Thin Layer Chromatography Coupled with DPPH Bioautography and Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Lam Shing‐Chung , Luo Zhen , Wu Ding‐Tao , Cheong Kit‐Leong , Hu De‐Jun , Xia Zu‐Meng , Zhao Jing , Li Shao‐Ping
Published: May 2016

Methanol extracts from 50 batches of Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum, wolfberry) in China were compared and characterized using high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography coupled with 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) bioautography (HPTLC‐DPPH) and electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐Q‐TOF‐MS/MS), respectively. Results showed that similar components occupying the major antioxidant activity existed in L. barbarum collected from different origins. However, the average antioxidant capacities of methanol extracts of L. barbarum collected in Ningxia were significantly higher than those of Qinghai, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu, which may contribute to rational use of L. barbarum in China. Furthermore, the chemical structure of compound with the highest antioxidant capacity was tentatively identified as 2‐O‐β‐d‐glucopyranosyl‐l‐ascorbic acid using ESI‐Q‐TOF‐MS/MS analysis, which possessed high potentials to be used as an antioxidant biomarker for the quality control of L. barbarum. Results are helpful for the bioactivity‐based quality control of L. barbarum, and beneficial for the improvement of their performance in functional/health foods area, suggesting that HPTLC‐DPPH bioautography with ESI‐Q‐TOF‐MS/MS could be used as a routine approach for quality control of antioxidant components in L. barbarum.
Is there an increased risk of falls and fractures in people with early diagnosed hip and knee osteoarthritis? Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative
Authors: Smith Toby O. , Higson Emma , Pearson Matthew , Mansfield Michael
Published: May 2016

Aims

To assess the probability of individuals with early‐diagnosed hip or knee osteoarthritis experiencing a fall and/or fracture compared to a cohort without osteoarthritis.

Methods

Data were analyzed from the Osteoarthritis Initiative dataset. We identified all people who were diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis within a 12 month period, compared to those without osteoarthritis. We determined whether there was a difference in the occurrence of falls, with or without consequential fractures, between people newly diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis compared to those who had not, using odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

Five hundred and fifty‐two individuals with hip osteoarthritis were compared to 4244 individuals without hip osteoarthritis; 1350 individuals with knee osteoarthritis were compared to 3445 individuals without knee osteoarthritis. People with knee osteoarthritis had a 54% greater chance of experiencing a fall compared to those without (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.35–1.77). People with hip osteoarthritis had a 52% greater chance of experiencing a fall compared to those without hip osteoarthritis (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.26–1.84). People with knee and hip osteoarthritis demonstrated over an 80% greater chance of experiencing a fracture in the first 12 months of their diagnosis compared to those without hip or knee osteoarthritis (total knee arthroplasty: OR 1.81; total hip arthroplasty: OR 1.84).

Conclusions

There is an increased risk of falls and fractures in early‐diagnosed knee and hip osteoarthritis compared to those without osteoarthritis. International guidelines on the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis should consider the management of falls risk.
Fluorinated alkyl substances and technical mixtures used in food paper‐packaging exhibit endocrine‐related activity in vitro
Authors: Rosenmai A. K. , Taxvig C. , Svingen T. , Trier X. , van Vugt‐Lussenburg B. M. A. , Pedersen M. , Lesné L. , Jégou B. , Vinggaard A. M.
Published: May 2016

Migration of chemicals from packaging materials to foods may lead to human exposure. Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be used in technical mixtures (TMs) for use in food packaging of paper and board, and PFAS have been detected in human serum and umbilical cord blood. The specific structures of the PFAS in TMs are often unknown, but polyfluorinated alkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) have been characterized in TMs, food packaging, and in food. PAPs can be metabolized into fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs). Some PFAS have endocrine activities, highlighting the need to investigate these effects. Herein, we studied the endocrine activity of less characterized PFAS, including short‐chain PFCAs and FTOHs, PAPs, and TMs of unknown chemical composition. Long‐chain PFCAs were also included. We applied seven assays covering effects on estrogen, glucocorticoid, androgen, and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) activity, as well as steroidogenesis in vitro and ex vivo. In general, PAPs, FTOHs, TMs, and long‐chain PFCAs showed estrogenic activity through receptor activation and/or increasing 17β‐estradiol levels. Furthermore, short‐ and long‐chain PFCAs activated PPARα and PPARγ. Collectively, this means that (i) PAPs, FTOHs, and PFCAs exhibit endocrine activity through distinct and sometimes different mechanisms, (ii) two out of three tested TMs exhibited estrogenic activity, and (iii) short‐chain FTOHs showed estrogenic activity and short‐chain PFCAs generally activate both PPARα and PPARγ with similar potency and efficacy as long‐chain PFCAs. In conclusion, several new and divergent toxicological targets were identified for different groups of PFAS.
ECL‐cell carcinoids and carcinoma in patients homozygous for an inactivating mutation in the gastric H+K+ATPase alpha subunit
Authors: Fossmark Reidar , Calvete Oriol , Mjønes Patricia , Benitez Javier , Waldum Helge L.
Published: May 2016

A family with a missense variant of the ATP4A gene encoding the alpha subunit of the gastric proton pump (H+K+ATPase) has recently been described. Homozygous siblings were hypergastrinemic (median gastrin 486 pM) and had gastric tumours diagnosed at a median age of 33 years. In the current histopathological study, we further characterized the tumours found in the gastric corpus. The tumours had the histological appearance of carcinoids (NET G1 or G2) and were immunoreactive for the general neuroendocrine markers chromogranin A (CgA) and synaptophysin as well as the ECL‐cell markers vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and histidine decarbozylase (HDC). One of the tumours consisted of a NET G2 component, but also had a component with glandular growth, which morphologically was classified as an intestinal type adenocarcinoma. Many glands of the adenocarcinoma contained a large proportion of cells positive for neuroendocrine markers, especially the small vesicle marker synaptophysin and the cytoplasmic enzyme HDC. In conclusion, patients homozygous for an inactivating ATP4A mutation develop gastric ECL‐cell carcinoids in their 3rd or 4th decade. The adenocarcinoma may be classified as neuroendocrine with ECL‐cell differentiation.
Effects of thyrotrophin, thyroid hormones and thyroid antibodies on metabolic parameters in a euthyroid population with obesity
Authors: Temizkan Sule , Balaforlou Bilgken , Ozderya Aysenur , Avci Mehmet , Aydin Kadriye , Karaman Selin , Sargin Mehmet
Published: May 2016

Objective

To investigate whether thyroid function in the euthyroid range and thyroid autoimmunity status would affect metabolic measures in individuals with obesity.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Patients

We retrospectively evaluated 5300 consecutive obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) subjects attending the Obesity Outpatient Clinic. Subjects with overt or subclinical thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic disease or using any medication were excluded. After exclusion, 1275 euthyroid [TSH values >0·4 and <4·5 μIU/ml, free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) in the normal reference range] obese subjects (aged 18–65 years) were eligible for the study.

Measurements

The physical and biochemical records of the subjects at first admission to the obesity outpatient clinic were examined.

Results

Eighty‐three per cent (n = 1063) of the study population were women. Antithyroid peroxidase (anti‐TPO) positivity was 14%, and antithyroglobulin (anti‐TG) positivity was 15%. TSH was 1·8 μIU/ml (1·3‒2·4) in antibody‐negative subjects and 2·1 μIU/ml (1·4‒2·9) in antibody‐positive subjects. Neither TSH nor thyroid antibody positivity was associated with insulin resistance (IR) and atherogenic dyslipidaemia after adjustment for confounders. FT3 was positively associated with IR (P < 0·001) and atherogenic dyslipidaemia (P = 0·03); however, this association lost its significance after adjustment for age, gender and BMI. FT4 was negatively associated with IR and this association remained even after adjustment for confounders (P < 0·001).

Conclusion

TSH and thyroid antibody positivity were not related with metabolic measures. Low‐normal FT4 had an inverse association with HOMA‐IR even after adjustment for confounders.
Accuracy of digital impressions of multiple dental implants: an in vitro study
Authors: Vandeweghe Stefan , Vervack Valentin , Dierens Melissa , De Bruyn Hugo
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Studies demonstrated that the accuracy of intra‐oral scanners can be compared with conventional impressions for most indications. However, little is known about their applicability to take impressions of multiple implants.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of four intra‐oral scanners when applied for implant impressions in the edentulous jaw.

Material and methods

An acrylic mandibular cast containing six external connection implants (region 36, 34, 32, 42, 44 and 46) with PEEK scanbodies was scanned using four intra‐oral scanners: the Lava C.O.S. and the 3M True Definition, Cerec Omnicam and 3Shape Trios. Each model was scanned 10 times with every intra‐oral scanner. As a reference, a highly accurate laboratory scanner (104i, Imetric, Courgenay, Switzerland) was used. The scans were imported into metrology software (Geomagic Qualify 12) for analyses. Accuracy was measured in terms of trueness (comparing test and reference) and precision (determining the deviation between different test scans). Mann–Whitney U‐test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to detect statistically significant differences in trueness and precision respectively.

Results

The mean trueness was 0.112 mm for Lava COS, 0.035 mm for 3M TrueDef, 0.028 mm for Trios and 0.061 mm for Cerec Omnicam. There was no statistically significant difference between 3M TrueDef and Trios (P = 0.262). Cerec Omnicam was less accurate than 3M TrueDef (P = 0.013) and Trios (P = 0.005), but more accurate compared to Lava COS (P = 0.007). Lava COS was also less accurate compared to 3M TrueDef (P = 0.005) and Trios (P = 0.005).

The mean precision was 0.066 mm for Lava COS, 0.030 mm for 3M TrueDef, 0.033 mm for Trios and 0.059 mm for Cerec Omnicam. There was no statistically significant difference between 3M TrueDef and Trios (P = 0.119). Cerec Omnicam was less accurate compared to 3M TrueDef (P < 0.001) and Trios (P < 0.001), but no difference was found with Lava COS (P = 0.169). Lava COS was also less accurate compared to 3M TrueDef (P < 0.001) and Trios (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this in vitro study, the 3M True Definition and Trios scanner demonstrated the highest accuracy. The Lava COS was found not suitable for taking implant impressions for a cross‐arch bridge in the edentulous jaw.
Screening for adolescent suicidality in primary care: the bullying–insomnia–tobacco–stress test. A population‐based pilot study
Authors: Binder Philippe , Heintz Anne‐Laure , Servant Coralie , Roux Marie‐Thérèse , Robin Stéphane , Gicquel Ludovic , Ingrand Pierre
Published: May 2016

Aim

Adolescents at risk for suicide often see their general practitioner solely for somatic or administrative reasons. A simple screening test given during a conversation would be of substantial help to send a signal and tackle the problem. We propose to update a screening test previously validated in France – the TSTS‐Cafard – because of significant changes in the lives of adolescents with the growth of the cyber world since 2000.

Methods

The design and setting was a cross‐sectional study involving 912 15‐year‐old adolescents in 90 French schools. They completed a questionnaire that included the TSTS‐Cafard and risk factors extracted from the Health Behaviour in School‐Aged Children survey. To improve the test, we selected questions drawn from the recent literature. Answers were analysed according to ‘suicidality’ = at least one suicide attempt in life or suicidal ideation often over the past 12 months.

Results

Suicidality rates were 9.6% for boys and 23.1% for girls. Although the TSTS‐Cafard test was generally effective, one question was no longer discriminating. A new test, entitled ‘BITS’, included only four questions on bullying, insomnia, tobacco and stress, with three levels of response and scores ranging from 0 to 8. Improvement was achieved without loss of performance. Using a cut‐off score of 3, we achieved 78% accuracy (area under the curve), 75% sensitivity and 70% specificity.

Conclusion

The BITS test could allow the question of suicide risk to be addressed during a routine check‐up in primary care but the results need to be validated with 13 to 18‐year olds.
Factors associated with health‐related decision‐making in older adults from Southern Brazil
Authors: Morsch Patricia , Mirandola Andrea Ribeiro , Caberlon Iride Cristofoli , Bós Ângelo José Gonçalves
Published: May 2016

Aim

To analyze older adults’ health‐related decision‐making profile.

Methods

Secondary analysis of a population‐based study with 6945 older‐adults (aged ≥60 years) in Southern Brazil. Multiple logistic regressions were calculated to describe the odds of deciding alone or asking for advice, compared with the chance of letting someone else decide about health‐related issues. Associated variables were age, sex, marital status, education level, number of chronic morbidities, having children and quality of life.

Results

The odds of asking for advice instead of letting others decide were significantly higher in the younger group and those with better levels of quality of life, independent of other variables. The chance of asking for advice was lower for unmarried (62%), widowed (76%) and those with children (50%). The chance of men deciding for themselves about their health instead of letting others decide was 47% higher compared with women (P = 0.0002), but 45% lower in the older group (P < 0.0001). Participants who where unmarried and childless, and individuals with better levels of quality of life were more likely to decide alone instead of letting others decide (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Decision‐making is fundamental for older adults’ good quality of life. Aging makes older adults more vulnerable to dependence; however, it does not necessarily mean that they lose or decrease their ability to make decisions regarding their own health and desires. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 798‐803.
Stent graft repair of iatrogenic femoral arteriovenous fistula with acute bleeding after hemodialysis catheter insertion
Authors: Lee Chih‐Hsien
Published: May 2016

An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein. Double‐lumen catheters are widely used for gaining temporary access in patients requiring acute hemodialysis (HD). Several complications are associated with the insertion of these catheters, including bleeding, infection, arterial injuries, and deep venous thrombosis. An iatrogenic AVF is a rare and severe complication following catheterization for temporary HD. Here, we report the case of a patient who developed an iatrogenic AVF following catheterization for acute HD resulting in acute bleeding. A 61‐year‐old male experienced acute renal failure with pulmonary edema. A 12 French (Fr) dialysis catheter was inserted into the right femoral vein for emergent HD. Active pulsation bleeding was observed around the catheter at the right inguinal area after first HD. A thrill was felt at the superficial femoral artery after the repair of its anterior side. Angiography revealed iatrogenic AVF, which was successfully treated with stent graft repair.
Safety and efficacy of faldaprevir in combination with pegylated interferon α‐2b and ribavirin in Japanese patients with genotype‐1 chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Nishiguchi Shuhei , Urano Yasuhisa , Suzaki Keiko , Taniguchi Atsushi , Scherer Joseph , Berger Kristi L. , Quinson Anne‐Marie , Stern Jerry O. , Omata Masao
Published: May 2016

Aim

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A A protease inhibitor faldaprevir plus pegylated interferon α‐2b and ribavirin (PegIFNα‐2b/RBV) in Japanese patients with HCV genotype‐1 infection.

Methods

Treatment‐naïve patients were randomized (1:1) to faldaprevir 120 mg q.d. for 12 or 24 weeks (response‐guided therapy [RGT], n = 44), or faldaprevir 240 mg q.d. for 12 weeks (n = 43), each combined with PegIFNα‐2b/RBV for 24 or 48 weeks (RGT). Response‐guided therapy was based on early treatment success (HCV RNA <25 IU/mL at week 4 and <25 IU/mL undetected at week 8). Treatment‐experienced patients received 240 mg q.d. for 24 weeks, plus PegIFNα‐2b/RBV RGT (24 or 48 weeks, prior relapsers, n = 29) or PegIFNα‐2b/RBV (48 weeks, 5 prior partial responders/breakthroughs, 10 prior null responders). The primary objective was safety; sustained virologic response 12 weeks post‐treatment (SVR12) was a secondary end‐point.

Results

All except one patient experienced drug‐related adverse events. Adverse events led to faldaprevir discontinuation in 1 (2%), 13 (20%), and 3 (6.8%) patients on faldaprevir 120 mg, faldaprevir 240 mg 12 weeks, and faldaprevir 240 mg 24 weeks, respectively. The SVR12 rates were: 86% with faldaprevir 120 mg and 74% with faldaprevir 240 mg among treatment‐naïve patients; and 86%, 60%, and 40% among prior relapsers, partial responders/breakthroughs, and null responders, respectively.

Conclusions

In treatment‐naïve Japanese patients, faldaprevir 120 mg q.d. plus PegIFNα‐2b/RBV was better tolerated than faldaprevir 240 mg q.d. plus PegIFNα‐2b/RBV, with at least comparable efficacy. In treatment‐experienced patients, most prior relapsers achieved SVR12 with 24 weeks of faldaprevir 240 mg q.d. plus PegIFNα‐2b/RBV. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01579474.
The Conditions of Movement: a Discussion of Academic Mobility between Two Early Career Scholars
Authors: Gopaul Bryan , Pifer Meghan J.
Published: May 2016

Academic mobility is an increasingly crucial topic to the current and future dynamics of doctoral study and the professoriate. Much of the research has focused on US, UK and European contexts. This research explores academic mobility and the manifold issues that arise between the jurisdictions of Canada and the US, in ways that parallel and diversify previous research based on various understandings of mobility. The qualitative perspective is grounded in a reflective narrative approach that enables exploration of powerful themes. The findings indicate that there are costs, tensions and benefits to academic mobility that serve to emphasise specific personal and professional elements to the pursuit of academic life that need explicit articulation. These findings encourage additional scholarly and practical attention to the changing nature of doctoral study and of academic work and life across jurisdictions.
BRAFV600E and NRASQ61L/Q61R mutation analysis in metastatic melanoma using immunohistochemistry: a study of 754 cases highlighting potential pitfalls and guidelines for interpretation and reporting
Authors: Kakavand Hojabr , Walker Emily , Lum Trina , Wilmott James S , Selinger Christina I , Smith Elizabeth , Saw Robyn P M , Yu Bing , Cooper Wendy A , Long Georgina V , O'Toole Sandra A , Scolyer Richard A
Published: May 2016

Background and aims

BRAF or NRAS mutations occur in approximately 60% of cutaneous melanomas, and the identification of such mutations underpins the appropriate selection of patients who may benefit from BRAF and MEK inhibitor targeted therapies. The utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect NRASQ61L mutations is currently unknown. This study sought to assess the sensitivity and specificity of anti‐BRAFV600E (VE1), anti‐NRASQ61R (SP174) and anti‐NRASQ61L (26193) antibodies for mutation detection in a large series of cases.

Methods and results

Mutation status was determined using the OncoCarta assay in 754 cutaneous melanomas. IHC with the anti‐BRAFV600E antibody was performed in all cases, and the anti‐NRASQ61R and anti‐NRASQ61L antibodies were assessed in a subset of 302 samples utilizing tissue microarrays. The staining with the anti‐BRAFV600E and anti‐NRASQ61R antibodies was diffuse, homogeneous and cytoplasmic. The anti‐NRASQ61L antibody displayed variable intensity staining, ranging from weak to strong in NRASQ61L mutant tumours. The sensitivity and specificity for anti‐BRAFV600E was 100 and 99.3%, anti‐NRASQ61R was 100 and 100% and anti‐NRASQ61L was 82.6 and 96.2%, respectively.

Conclusions

The use of IHC is a fast, efficient and cost‐effective method to identify single specific mutations in melanoma patients. BRAFV600E and NRASQ61R antibodies have high sensitivity and specificity; however, the NRASQ61L antibody appears less sensitive. IHC can help to facilitate the timely, appropriate selection and treatment of metastatic melanoma patients with targeted therapies. Detection of melanoma‐associated mutations by IHC may also provide evidence for a diagnosis of melanoma in metastatic undifferentiated neoplasms lacking expression of melanoma antigens.
MODERNITY AND THE PROBLEM OF ITS CHRISTIAN PAST: THE GEISTESGESCHICHTEN OF BLUMENBERG, BERGER, AND GAUCHET
Authors: GRIFFIOEN SJOERD
Published: May 2016

Recent years have seen the rise of “post‐secularism,” a new perspective that criticizes the dominant secularization narrative according to which “modernity” and “religion” are fundamentally antagonistic concepts. Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Gianni Vattimo are the most prominent defenders of such a post‐secularist account. But though post‐secularism presents itself as a necessary rectification of the secularization story, it has not been able to come up with a credible and generally accepted alternative account. In this article I will explain why, arguing that the use of “essentially contested concepts” such as “Christianity” and “modernity” rest on normative standpoints of the narrators that are incompatible with one another. To show this I will analyze the position of three older voices in the debate, namely those of Hans Blumenberg, Peter Berger, and Marcel Gauchet. These authors seem to agree in understanding the modern disenchanted worldview in relation to Christian transcendence, but I will show that beneath their similar narratives lie incompatible normative beliefs on which their use of the concepts of “Christianity” and “modernity” is founded. After having laid bare the roots of the contemporary debate by exploring these three fundamental positions, I will finally argue that we should not take their accounts as objective, historical descriptions but as what Richard Rorty has called “Geistesgeschichte“: a speculative history that is aimed at conveying a moral, in which essentially contested concepts play a constitutive role. Each author draws his own moral, and consequently each author will construct his own corresponding history. This lesson can then be applied to the contemporary debate on secularization. The value of the debate does not lie in its historical claims but in the visions of the protagonists; at the end of this article I will explain how we can capitalize on this value.
ARRIVAL OF COURTLY LOVE: MOVING IN THE EMOTIONAL SPACE
Authors: Bonneuil Noël
Published: May 2016

Courtly love appeared in twelfth‐century Europe as a dissent from the emotional regime established by the Gregorian Reform, by setting the lady, instead of God, as the object of worship. From a game‐theory perspective, courtly love and hedonism correspond to Nash equilibria, in contrast to Christian marriage, whose stability is threatened by sex‐as‐appetite on one side and devotion to God on the other, and whose maintenance depends on moral control. The Church developed fear and shame, which are counter‐emotions to desire‐as‐appetite. Courtly love restored the thrill of forbidden adventure. It also shared traits common to innovations in the natural world: it added complexity (by increasing costs, emphasizing courtship, self‐restraint, and extremes of suffering); it was made possible by the plasticity of mating relationships; it introduced a small disorder in the ordered regime of Christian marriage; it demanded an adaptive effort, requiring the man to face ever more perilous trials and the woman to appear ever more attractive. Though obtained as a small deviation from the existing emotional regime, it had thoroughgoing and long‐lasting consequences for social control and for the political power of the Church. It also deeply modified the dynamic of longing in ego's representation. By taking the temporal form of a capture, it contrasts with twelfth‐century Bengal, where love was characterized by maintenance in an indefinitely repeating worship, by the absence of a here‐now versus target‐later dualism. It also contrasts with eleventh‐century Heian Japan, where love was intermingled with the melancholy of an impossible return, which is the antithesis of the concept of capture.
Recurrence rates of periocular basal cell carcinoma following Mohs micrographic surgery: a retrospective study
Authors: Sin Chun W. , Barua Ankur , Cook Anne
Published: May 2016

Background

The incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has increased during the previous decade. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is the gold standard technique for BCCs. The aim of this study was to investigate the recurrence rate of periocular BCCs following MMS in a regional Mohs treatment facility in the United Kingdom.

Materials and methods

The study comprised a retrospective case note review of 480 patients who underwent MMS from 2001 to 2006 for periocular BCC. Patients were identified via hospital coding databases. Medical records were reviewed, and the parameters collected include age, gender, previous BCCs and treatment modality, postoperative complications and subsequent management, site, size of lesion, histological subtype, and recurrence following MMS.

Results

Three hundred and ninety of the 480 patients identified were included. The remaining patients had died before the 5‐year analysis (65), were lost to follow‐up (20), or were identified as having Gorlin's syndrome (5). The majority of BCCs were 6–10 mm (42%) and nodular (45%). Six recurrences were identified (1.5%), including one (0.3%) primary BCC and five (6.5%) recurrent BCCs at the time of the MMS. The mean follow‐up was 30 months (range 1–120 months).

Conclusion

For BCC in the periocular region, MMS should be the treatment of choice for both primary and recurrent periocular BCCs. The increased recurrence rate, demonstrated by recurrent BCCs, highlights the need for a comprehensive follow‐up.
Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) as fat replacer in sweet pan breads
Authors: Zettel Viktoria , Hitzmann Bernd
Published: May 2016

The effects of gel from ground chia (Salvia hispanica L.) were studied as a fat replacer in sweet pan breads. This substitution was addressed to reduce the total amount of fat in the product and to improve the nutritional value of the products regarding the fatty acid composition. The effects on the baking results were determined by assessing common baking evaluations and texture analysis after 2 and 48 h. The doughs were characterised with rheometer and rheofermentometer measurements. Rheometer measurements revealed that the replacement resulted in softer doughs with decreasing values for storage and loss moduli with increasing chia content. The yeast activity was increased with incorporated chia gel compared to the control. The best results for the baking experiments were obtained with 25% fat replacement through ground chia gel. Here, the highest volume yield with the softest crumb even after 48 h was achieved.
TSLP, IL‐31, IL‐33 and sST2 are new biomarkers in endophenotypic profiling of adult and childhood atopic dermatitis
Authors: Nygaard U. , Hvid M. , Johansen C. , Buchner M. , Fölster‐Holst R. , Deleuran M. , Vestergaard C.
Published: May 2016

Background

Recent years have seen growing interest in identifying new biomarkers in atopic dermatitis (AD) that could serve as indicators of disease severity and predictors of treatment response.

Objectives

We compared serum levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin(IL)‐31, IL‐33 and soluble(s)ST2 in AD patients and healthy controls, investigated the possible correlation with disease severity, investigated if other atopic comorbidities could play a role, and assessed their potential as biomarkers in AD.

Methods

Using standard enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay techniques, we measured target serum levels in 71 adults and 61 children with AD, and 31 adult controls. We characterized our cohort by disease severity, radioallergosorbent test status concerning both dietary and inhalant allergens, and anamnestic reports of food allergy, concomitant allergic asthma and/or allergic rhinitis.

Results

Serum levels of TSLP, IL‐31 and IL‐33, but not sST2, were significantly elevated in AD patients compared with controls. In AD patients, both IL‐31 and IL‐33 serum levels were higher in children than in adults, while the opposite was the case for sST2. We observed no correlation between disease severity and any of the investigated targets. While serum TSLP levels were unaffected by concomitant allergies and atopic comorbidities, serum levels of IL‐31, IL‐33 and sST2 were affected to a small extent. We found a positive correlation between TSLP, IL‐31 and IL‐33, and an inverse relationship between IL‐33 and sST2.

Conclusions

The studied targets hold little potential as indicators of disease severity. The serum values of our targets show robustness against atopic comorbidities, allergies and changes in disease severity. This robustness strengthens their potential use in biomarker‐based stratification and could be instrumental in identifying subgroups and predicting the possible benefit of therapeutic and prevention approaches.
Assessment of vitamin D receptors in alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia
Authors: Fawzi Marwa M T , Mahmoud Sara Bahaa , Ahmed Shereen Fathi , Shaker Olfat Gamil
Published: May 2016

Background

Alopecia areata (AA) is a frequent autoimmune disease, the pathogenesis of which is still unknown. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a noncicatricial type of patterned hair loss. Expression of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) on keratinocytes is essential for maintenance of normal hair cycle, especially anagen initiation.

Objective

To assess VDRs in the skin and blood of AA and AGA patients, in order to evaluate their possible role in these hair diseases.

Methods

This study recruited 20 patients with AA, 20 patients with AGA, and 20 healthy controls. Blood samples and lesional scalp biopsies were taken from all participants for detection of VDR levels.

Results

Serum and tissue VDR levels were lower in AA as well as AGA patients when compared to controls (P = 0.000). Serum and tissue VDR were positively correlated in each group. Tissue VDR was significantly lower in female patients with AA than males (P = 0.046) although serum and tissue VDR levels were significantly higher in female AGA patients than males (P = 0.004).

Conclusion

This study suggests an important role for VDR in the pathogenesis of AA and AGA through documenting lower serum and tissue VDR levels in AA and AGA patients in comparison with controls.
POLLUTION MOBILITY, PRODUCTIVITY DISPARITY, AND THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF POLLUTING AND NONPOLLUTING FIRMS
Authors: Wu JunJie , Reimer Jeffrey J.
Published: May 2016

This paper first develops a model to characterize the equilibrium distribution of polluting and nonpolluting firms and then turns to the larger question of whether the equilibrium distribution is socially optimal. We find that the equilibrium distribution of polluting firms differs from the social optimum when they generate a large amount of stationary pollution and have much higher or lower productivity than clean firms. In these cases, conventional pollution control approaches generally do not bring about an optimal distribution. Consideration of transport costs along with productivity and pollution changes some of the classic results of the new economic geography literature.
Privacy, CCTV, and School Surveillance in the Shadow of Imagined Law
Authors: Perry-Hazan Lotem , Birnhack Michael
Published: May 2016

How do managers make decisions that affect human rights of other people? The article examines one such case: the decision-making process of Israeli school principals in installing Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) systems in schools. One unexpected source that principals relied on was that of imagined law: they wrongly assumed that there was a law that guided them in the matter. The deployment of CCTV systems in Israeli schools is relatively new and takes place at an accelerated pace. School principals are the ones that make the decision about introducing such systems into their schools. The study traced and explored this process. Based on semi-structured interviews, the findings portray a picture of partial isomorphism among schools. We frame the findings within institutional theory, which differentiates between exogenous and endogenous sources of decision-making. Most school principals relied on endogenous sources that were shaped by practical considerations and their own perceptions as to security, privacy, and education. Yet, the interviews indicate an additional and surprising source of organizational decision-making: imagined law. Some of the principals assumed the existence of specific legal rules. The principals did not search for professional guidance, and did not consult others. Instead, they filled the imagined law with endogenous sources, namely, their own perceptions.
Sauces, spices, and condiments: definitions, potential benefits, consumption patterns, and global markets
Authors: García‐Casal Maria Nieves , Peña‐Rosas Juan Pablo , Malavé Heber Gómez‐
Published: May 2016

Spices and condiments are an important part of human history and nutrition, and have played an important role in the development of most cultures around the world. According to the Codex Alimentarius, the category of salts, spices, soups, sauces, salads, and protein products includes substances added to foods to enhance aroma and taste. Spices have been reported to have health benefits as antioxidant, antibiotic, antiviral, anticoagulant, anticarcinogenic, and anti‐inflammatory agents. Health claims about the benefits of condiments for disease prevention or health improvement need to be science based and extensively supported by evidence; data on their preventive or protective potential in humans are currently limited. The condiments market has been growing continuously over the last few years, with the quantity of products sold under the category of sauces, dressings, and condiments during the period 2008–2013 increasing from 31,749,000 to 35,795,000 metric tons. About 50 of the 86 spices produced in the world are grown in India. From 2008 to 2013, the United States was the largest importer of spices, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Russia. The main buyers of fish sauce are Vietnam and Thailand, with purchases of 333,000 and 284,000 metric tons in 2013, respectively. The sauces and condiments category is dynamic, with large differences in consumption in habits and practices among countries. This paper aims to establish definitions and discuss potential health benefits, consumption patterns, and global markets for sauces, spices, and condiments.
Confucian Role Ethics: A Critical Survey
Authors: Ramsey John
Published: May 2016

This article surveys recent scholarship on Confucian role ethics, examines some of its fundamental commitments, and suggests future directions for scholarship. Role ethics interprets early Confucianism as promoting a relational conception of persons and employs this conception to emphasize how a person's roles and relationships are the source of her ethical obligations and ethical growth. While there is much consensus among role ethic scholars, they disagree over the role of theory in further explicating the view and about the metaphysical basis of relational persons. Strong and moderate versions of role ethics emerge, and the article explores the strengths and weaknesses of both.
SEARCHING FOR ANOTHER EARTH: THE RECENT HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF EXOPLANETS
Authors: Wilkinson David
Published: May 2016

The discovery of exoplanets is a small part of the array of scientific arguments for and against the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Yet the recent stunning achievement of this program of observational astronomy has had a significant effect on scientific opinion and public interest. It also raises some key theological questions. New observing techniques are leading to the discovery of extrasolar planets daily. Earth‐like planets outside of our Solar System can now be identified and in future years explored for signs of life. This article maps the history of these discoveries and highlights some of the theological issues which are important to bring into dialogue with these scientific insights.
DESIGNING CONFUCIAN CONSCIENCE INTO SOCIAL NETWORKS
Authors: Wang Tom
Published: May 2016

Several scholars have argued that Internet use might be fundamentally incompatible with Confucian ethics, because the values that are embedded in the Internet might be in conflict with Confucian values. In addition, the design of various social network services (SNS) considers very little of non‐Western values in its engineering. Against this background, this article explores the philosophical question of whether Internet use, particularly social network services, is compatible with the fundamental values and norms of Confucian ethics. In addition, the article discusses the Confucian notion of tian xia (under heaven), and argues that tian xia, as a basic structuring principle of Confucian philosophy, helps to innovate a different social media.
An Effective Approach to Solve Design Optimization Problems With Arbitrarily Distributed Uncertainties in the Original Design Space Using Ensemble of Gaussian Reliability Analyses
Authors: Lin Po Ting , Lin Shu-Ping
Published: May 2016

Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) algorithms have been developed to solve design optimization problems with existence of uncertainties. Traditionally, the original random design space is transformed to the standard normal design space, where the reliability index can be measured in a standardized unit. In the standard normal design space, the modified reliability index approach (MRIA) measured the minimum distance from the design point to the failure region to represent the reliability index; on the other hand, the performance measure approach (PMA) performed inverse reliability analysis to evaluate the target function performance in a distance of reliability index away from the design point. MRIA was able to provide stable and accurate reliability analysis while PMA showed greater efficiency and was widely used in various engineering applications. However, the existing methods cannot properly perform reliability analysis in the standard normal design space if the transformation to the standard normal space does not exist or is difficult to determine. To this end, a new algorithm, ensemble of Gaussian reliability analyses (EoGRA), was developed to estimate the failure probability using Gaussian-based kernel density estimation (KDE) in the original design space. The probabilistic constraints were formulated based on each kernel reliability analysis for the optimization processes. This paper proposed an efficient way to estimate the constraint gradient and linearly approximate the probabilistic constraints with fewer function evaluations (FEs). Some numerical examples with various random distributions are studied to investigate the numerical performances of the proposed method. The results showed that EoGRA is capable of finding correct solutions in some problems that cannot be solved by traditional methods. Furthermore, experiments of image processing with arbitrarily distributed photo pixels are performed. The lighting of image pixels is maximized subject to the acceptable limit. Our implementation showed that the accuracy of the estimation of normal distribution is poor while the proposed method is capable of finding the optimal solution with acceptable accuracy.