bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Degrees of Inclusion: Free Movement of Labour and the Unionization of Migrant Workers in the European Union
Authors: Thomas Adrien
Published: July 2015

This article discusses the shifting boundaries of inclusion and exclusion of migrant workers in trade unions. Drawing on the example of Luxembourg, an EU Member State with a long history of international migrations, the article examines the relationship between free movement of labour and the unionization of migrant workers before analysing the degree to which migrant workers’ access to social rights is accompanied by their access to effective decision‐making rights in trade unions. Trade unions have used European regulations on the free movement of labour as a legal infrastructure to develop services for migrant workers. At the same time, the free movement of labour and equality of treatment have come to permeate trade union strategies and rhetoric. However, with regard to the inclusion of migrant workers in decision‐making processes and access to leadership positions, numerous obstacles to effective participation by migrant workers persist.
Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Mexican Americans
Authors: Rote Sunshine , Chen Nai‐Wei , Markides Kyriakos
Published: July 2015

Objectives

To identify depressive symptom trajectories and factors associated with trajectory group membership in the very old segment of the rapidly growing and long‐living Mexican‐American population.

Design

Latent growth curve modeling was used to identify depressive symptom trajectories and multinomial logistic regression to identify factors associated with trajectory group membership.

Setting

Data spanning three waves and 7 years (2004–05, 2007–08, 2010–11) drawn from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly; homes of Mexican‐origin elderly adults.

Participants

Community‐dwelling Mexican Americans aged 75 and older living in the southwestern United States (N = 1,487).

Measurements

The 20‐item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.

Results

Three trajectory groups were identified: low throughout, increasing, and high but decreasing. Activity of daily living disability was the strongest predictor of depressive symptoms, followed by social support. Foreign‐born individuals were at greater risk than those who are U.S. born for high but decreasing depressive symptoms than for low depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

Early detection and treatment of chronic disabling conditions, especially heart disease, cancer, visual impairment, and cognitive impairment, and increasing access to social participation should be the focus of treatment and intervention strategies for depression in very old Mexican Americans.
Treatment of acute stroke: an update
Authors: Mikulik R. , Wahlgren N.
Published: July 2015

Stroke is the second leading cause of global mortality after coronary heart disease, and a major cause of neurological disability. About 17 million strokes occur worldwide each year. Patients with stroke often require long‐term rehabilitation following the acute phase, with ongoing support from the community and nursing home care. Thus, stroke is a devastating disease and a major economic burden on society. In this overview, we discuss current strategies for specific treatment of stroke in the acute phase, focusing on intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy. We will consider two important issues related to intravenous thrombolysis treatments: (i) how to shorten the delay between stroke onset and treatment and (ii) how to reduce the risk of symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage. Intravenous thrombolysis has been approved treatment for acute ischaemic stroke in most countries for more than 10 years, with rapid development towards new treatment strategies during that time. Mechanical thrombectomy using a new generation of endovascular tools, stent retrievers, is found to improve functional outcome in combination with pharmacological thrombolysis when indicated. There is an urgent need to increase public awareness of how to recognize a stroke and seek immediate attention from the healthcare system, as well as shorten delays in prehospital and within‐hospital settings.
Reporting quality of randomised controlled trials published in prosthodontic and implantology journals
Authors: Kloukos D. , Papageorgiou S. N. , Doulis I. , Petridis H. , Pandis N.
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the reporting quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in prosthodontic and implantology journals. Thirty issues of nine journals in prosthodontics and implant dentistry were searched for RCTs, covering the years 2005–2012: The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, The International Journal of Prosthodontics, The International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry, Clinical Oral Implants Research, Clinical Implant Dentistry & Related Research, The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants, Implant Dentistry and Journal of Dentistry. The reporting quality was assessed using a modified Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement checklist. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics followed by univariable and multivariable examination of statistical associations (α = 0·05). A total of 147 RCTs were identified with a mean CONSORT score of 69·4 (s.d. = 9·7). Significant differences were found among journals with the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation achieving the highest score (80·6, s.d. = 5·5) followed by Clinical Oral Implants Research (73·7, s.d. = 8·3). Involvement of a statistician/methodologist was significantly associated with increased CONSORT scores. Overall, the reporting quality of RCTs in major prosthodontic and implantology journals requires improvement. This is of paramount importance considering that optimal reporting of RCTs is an important prerequisite for clinical decision‐making.
The feasibility of using crime scene behaviour to detect versatile serial offenders: An empirical test of behavioural consistency, distinctiveness, and discrimination accuracy
Authors: Tonkin Matthew , Woodhams Jessica
Published: June 2015

Purpose

To test whether geographical, temporal, and modus operandi (MO) crime scene behaviours can be used to support behavioural case linkage (BCL) with crime series that contain several different types of offence.

Methods

Crime scene data relating to 749 solved commercial burglaries and robberies were extracted from the databases of the Metropolitan Police Service, London, England. From these data, 2,231 linked crime pairs (containing two crimes committed by the same offender) and 273,422 unlinked crime pairs were created (two crimes committed by different offenders). Three measures of similarity were calculated for each crime pair: (1) the kilometre distance between crimes (intercrime distance [ICD]); (2) the number of days between crimes (temporal proximity [TP]); and (3) a statistical measure of similarity in MO behaviour (Jaccard's coefficient). Statistical tests of difference, binary leave‐one‐out logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic analysis were used to determine whether the three measures of similarity could be used to distinguish between linked and unlinked crime pairs, some containing only burglaries (burglary pairs), some containing only robberies (robbery pairs), and some containing both burglaries and robberies (cross‐crime pairs).

Results

Linked and unlinked crime pairs could be distinguished with a high level of accuracy (AUCs > .90), with the highest accuracy when combining ICD, TP, and Jaccard's coefficient. These findings were replicated with the burglary pairs, robbery pairs, and cross‐crime pairs.

Conclusions

Offender behaviour is sufficiently consistent and distinctive to support the use of BCL with versatile crime series, as well as with burglary crime series and robbery crime series.
Macroscopic hematuria caused by congenital portosystemic shunt and concomitant nutcracker syndrome
Authors: Lee Sang Hyub , Lee Dong‐Gi
Published: June 2015

Nutcracker syndrome (NCS) is an uncommon vascular abnormality that causes a variety of symptoms that range from asymptomatic microscopic hematuria to severe pelvic congestion. Congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) is an extremely rare anomaly that causes serious complications. Many cases of NCS and CPSS that have presented separately have been reported, but no cases of concomitant NCS and CPSS have been reported. We present a case of intermittent macroscopic hematuria in a patient with both NCS and CPSS. We diagnosed NCS on pressure gradient between the left renal vein (LRV) and the inferior vena cava. The presence of CPSS, which emerged from the LRV and connected to the extrahepatic portal vein, was confirmed on computed tomography. The interaction between NCS and CPSS resulted in mild intermittent macroscopic hematuria only, rather than the more common symptoms that occur when NCS or CPSS present separately.
Primary central chondrosarcoma of long bone, limb girdle and trunk: Analysis of 174 cases by numerical scoring on histology
Authors: Konishi Eiichi , Nakashima Yasuaki , Mano Masayuki , Tomita Yasuhiko , Nagasaki Ikumitsu , Kubo Toshikazu , Araki Nobuhito , Haga Hironori , Toguchida Junya , Ueda Takafumi , Sakuma Toshiko , Imahori Masaya , Morii Eiichi , Yoshikawa Hideki , Tsukamoto Yoshitane , Futani Hiroyuki , Wakasa Kenichi , Hoshi Manabu , Hamada Shinshichi , Takeshita Hideyuki , Inoue Takeshi , Aono Masanari , Kawabata Kenji , Murata Hiroaki , Katsura Kanade , Urata Yoji , Ueda Hideki , Yanagisawa Akio
Published: July 2015

The aims of this study were: (i) to elucidate clinicopathological characteristics of pcCHS of long bones (L), limb girdles (LG) and trunk (T) in Japan; (ii) to investigate predictive pathological findings for outcome of pcCHS of L, LG and T, objectively; and (iii) to elucidate a discrepancy of grade between biopsy and resected specimens. Clinicopathological profiles of 174 pcCHS (79 male, 95 female), of L, LG, and T were retrieved. For each case, a numerical score was given to 18 pathological findings. The average age was 50.5 years (15–80 years). Frequently involved sites were femur, humerus, pelvis and rib. The 5‐year and 10‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) rates [follow‐up: 1–258 months (average 65.5)] were 87.0% and 80.4%, respectively. By Cox hazards analysis on pathological findings, age, sex and location, histologically higher grade and older age were unfavorable predictors, and calcification was a favorable predictor in DSS. The histological grade of resected specimen was higher than that of biopsy in 37.7% (26/69 cases). In conclusion, higher histological grade and older age were predictors for poor, but calcification was for good prognosis. Because there was a discrepancy in grade between biopsy and resected specimens, comprehensive evaluation is necessary before definitive operation for pcCHS.
Deleveraging in a Highly Indebted Property Market: Who does it and are there Implications for Household Consumption?
Authors: McCarthy Yvonne , McQuinn Kieran
Published: July 2015

A distinguishing feature of the period preceding the 2007/2008 financial crisis was the sizeable increase in private sector debt observed across many countries. A key component of household liabilities is mortgage debt and with many countries experiencing persistent increases in house prices from the mid‐1990s, a marked increase in this aspect of household leverage was observed. While aggregate statistics across countries confirm reductions in personal debt levels in recent years, relatively few sources of micro data are available to examine the nature of the deleveraging process at the household level. In this paper, using a unique dataset, we examine deleveraging amongst a representative sample of mortgaged Irish households. We identify the characteristics of households engaged in deleveraging and find that it is those households who can afford to deleverage who do. Furthermore we find some tentative evidence to suggest that the decision to deleverage has negative implications for household consumption.
Waving or Drowning: An Exploration of Adaptive Strategies Amongst Fishing Households and Implications for Wellbeing Outcomes
Authors: Coulthard Sarah , Britton Easkey
Published: July 2015

Social adaptation is often touted as a desirable and necessary response to continued decline in the fisheries sector, however little is currently understood about the impacts of adaptive strategies on people's broader sense of ‘wellbeing’, or how the spread of impacts affect people in different ways. This article draws from research in Northern Ireland to explore the types of adaptation strategising that takes place within fishing households, and to specifically address how such strategies interplay with the wellbeing of people affected. We demonstrate some of the hard choices that arise through becoming adaptive, and discuss how the costs of adaptation are sometimes disproportionality born by particular individuals, especially women. We argue that greater consideration of the impacts of adaptation on wellbeing can give useful insights into why some people thrive, whilst others struggle, and can point to opportunities to strengthen both resilient and wellbeing outcomes.
Getting into Fishing: Recruitment and Social Resilience in North Norfolk's ‘Cromer Crab’ Fishery, UK
Authors: White Carole Sandrine
Published: July 2015

The intergenerational continuity of fishing communities is a growing concern for the sustainability of small‐scale fisheries around Europe. This is exemplified through the case of an English crab fishery where young people are being encouraged into fishing through funded training programmes with limited success. Opportunities for work have declined, most notably through a reduction in crew size to save costs. Interviews with fishermen of different ages are explored using access theory to elucidate how the social reproduction of fishing has changed. This shows how the agency of young aspiring fishermen is increasingly constrained by regulatory and financial factors. Improved social and spatial mobility among fishing families mean that recruitment into the fishery through a father‐to‐son pathway is increasingly uncommon. Youngsters from non‐fishing families face additional financial and relational barriers. Funded courses alone cannot provide a solution. A holistic approach to rural coastal development is required to build social resilience in fishing communities across Europe faced with similar problems.
Online Social Networks, Location, and the Dual Effect of Distance from the Centre
Authors: Lengyel Balázs , Jakobi Ákos
Published: July 2015

Online social networks (OSN) are major platforms of ICT‐enabled communication, supporting place‐independent social life. However, recent findings suggest that the geographical location of users strongly affects network topology. Therefore, OSNs may be simultaneously related to locations and also unlocked from offline geographies. Our paper addresses this dual‐faced phenomenon, analysing the location‐specific effect on OSN diffusion and OSN usage. Findings on iWiW (International Who Is Who), the leading OSN in Hungary in the 2000s with more than 4 million users, suggest that the rate of users (proxy for OSN diffusion) is positively associated with the geographical proximity of Budapest, the foremost urban centre in the country. On the contrary, the average number of connections (proxy for OSN usage) is independent of the geographical proximity of the capital, and it is even higher in peripheral regions when controlling for other offline factors.
An unusual euchelicerate linking horseshoe crabs and eurypterids, from the Lower Devonian (Lochkovian) of Yunnan, China
Authors: Selden Paul A. , Lamsdell James C. , Qi Liu
Published: July 2015

Two new specimens of the xiphosuran Kasibelinurus yueya Lamsdell, Xue & Selden, 2013 are described, from the same horizon and locality as the type. The new specimens are conspecific with the type, but show ventral morphology, which considerably alters interpretation of the species. It can no longer be referred to Kasibelinurus Pickett, 1993, and a new genus, Houia n. gen., is erected. Houia shows a unique combination of xiphosurid and chasmataspidid/eurypterid characteristics such as lack of opisthosomal pleura and possession of a large, ventral metastomal plate. Phylogenetic analysis of all the major chelicerate orders suggests that Houia branched from the main euchelicerate lineage prior to the divergence of the three constituent clades of the Dekatriata Lamsdell, 2013 (Eurypterida, Arachnida, Chasmataspidida). Together with bunodids and pseudoniscids, Houia provides evidence for basal dekatriatans persisting into the middle Palaeozoic alongside eurypterids and arachnids and that the morphological diversity of these basal forms was greater than previously thought.
Nilpotent-independent sets and estimation in matrix algebras
Authors: Corr Brian P. , Popiel Tomasz , Praeger Cheryl E.
Published: July 2015

Efficient methods for computing with matrices over finite fields often involverandomisedalgorithms, where matrices with a certain property are sought via repeated random selection. Complexity analyses for such algorithms require knowledge of the proportion of relevant matrices in the ambient group or algebra. We introduce a method for estimating proportions of families$N$of elements in the algebra of all$d\times d$matrices over a field of order$q$, where membership of a matrix in$N$depends only on its ‘invertible part’. The method is based on the availability of estimates for proportions of certain non-singular matrices depending on$N$, so that existing estimation techniques for non-singular matrices can be used to deal with families containing singular matrices. As an application, we investigate primary cyclic matrices, which are used in the Holt–ReesMEATAXEalgorithm for testing irreducibility of matrix algebras.
Extended Predictive Control: Stability and Performance
Authors: Viúdez-Moreiras Daniel
Published: July 2015

The stability and performance of the extended predictive control depend on the driver block design and, specifically, on the three factors that determine this design, that is to say, the choice of the performance criterion, the reference trajectory dynamics, and the prediction horizon. This paper presents, for a particular choice of the performance criterion, a new method to determine the closed-loop stability and performance for the class of linear stable system, taking into account the reference trajectory dynamics and the prediction horizon value. Illustrative simulation examples show how, for a certain reference trajectory dynamics, which choice is based on specifications, the selection of the prediction horizon may determine the stability and the performance nature of the closed-loop.
Antibodies to influenza nucleoprotein cross-react with human hypocretin receptor 2
Authors: Ahmed Syed Sohail , Volkmuth Wayne , Duca José , Corti Lorenzo , Pallaoro Michele , Pezzicoli Alfredo , Karle Anette , Rigat Fabio , Rappuoli Rino , Narasimhan Vas , Julkunen Ilkka , Vuorela Arja , Vaarala Outi , Nohynek Hanna , Pasini Franco Laghi , Montomoli Emanuele , Trombetta Claudia , Adams Christopher M. , Rothbard Jonathan , Steinman Lawrence
Published: July 2015

Similarity between influenza nucleoprotein and hypocretin receptor 2 may trigger vaccine-associated narcolepsy.
In-Frame Deletions Allow Functional Characterization of Complex Cellulose Degradation Phenotypes in Cellvibrio japonicus
Authors: Nelson Cassandra E. , Gardner Jeffrey G.
Published: June 2015

The depolymerization of the recalcitrant polysaccharides found in lignocellulose has become an area of intense interest due to the role of this process in global carbon cycling, human gut microbiome nutritional contributions, and bioenergy production. However, underdeveloped genetic tools have hampered study of bacterial lignocellulose degradation, especially outside model organisms. In this report, we describe an in-frame deletion strategy for the Gram-negative lignocellulose-degrading bacterium
Cellvibrio japonicus
. This method leverages optimized growth conditions for conjugation and
sacB
counterselection for the generation of markerless in-frame deletions. This method produces mutants in as few as 8 days and allows for the ability to make multiple gene deletions per strain. It is also possible to remove large sections of the genome, as shown in this report with the deletion of the nine-gene (9.4-kb)
gsp
operon in
C. japonicus.
We applied this system to study the complex phenotypes of cellulose degradation in
C. japonicus
. Our data indicated that a Δ
cel5B
Δ
cel6A
double mutant is crippled for cellulose utilization, more so than by either single mutation alone. Additionally, we deleted individual genes in the two-gene
cbp2ED
operon and showed that both genes contribute to cellulose degradation in
C. japonicus
. Overall, these described techniques substantially enhance the utility of
C. japonicus
as a model system to study lignocellulose degradation.
Environmental Factors Associated with High Fly Densities and Diarrhea in Vellore, India
Authors: Collinet-Adler Stefan , Babji Sudhir , Francis Mark , Kattula Deepthi , Premkumar Prasanna Samuel , Sarkar Rajiv , Mohan Venkat Ragava , Ward Honorine , Kang Gagandeep , Balraj Vinohar , Naumova Elena N.
Published: June 2015

Diarrhea causes significant morbidity and mortality in Indian children under 5 years of age. Flies carry enteric pathogens and may mediate foodborne infections. In this study, we characterized fly densities as a determinant of infectious diarrhea in a longitudinal cohort of 160 urban and 80 rural households with 1,274 individuals (27% under 5 years of age) in Vellore, India. Household questionnaires on living conditions were completed at enrollment. Fly abundance was measured during the wet and dry seasons using fly ribbons placed in kitchens. PCRs for enteric bacteria, viruses, and protozoa were performed on 60 fly samples. Forty-three (72%) fly samples were positive for the following pathogens: norovirus (50%),
Salmonella
spp. (46.7%), rotavirus (6.7%), and
Escherichia coli
(6.7%). Ninety-one episodes of diarrhea occurred (89% in children under 5 years of age). Stool pathogens isolated in 24 of 77 (31%) samples included
E. coli
,
Shigella
spp.,
Vibrio
spp.,
Giardia
,
Cryptosporidium
, and rotavirus. Multivariate log-linear models were used to explore the relationships between diarrhea and fly densities, controlling for demographics, hygiene, and human-animal interactions. Fly abundance was 6 times higher in rural than urban sites (
P
< 0.0001). Disposal of garbage close to homes and rural living were significant risk factors for high fly densities. The presence of latrines was protective against high fly densities and diarrhea. The adjusted relative risks of diarrheal episodes and duration of diarrhea, associated with fly density at the 75th percentile, were 1.18 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 1.34) and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.29), respectively. Flies harbored enteric pathogens, including norovirus, a poorly documented pathogen on flies.
The Peptidoglycan-Binding Protein SjcF1 Influences Septal Junction Function and Channel Formation in the Filamentous Cyanobacterium
Anabaena
Authors: Rudolf Mareike , Tetik Nalan , Ramos-León Félix , Flinner Nadine , Ngo Giang , Stevanovic Mara , Burnat Mireia , Pernil Rafael , Flores Enrique , Schleiff Enrico
Published: July 2015

Filamentous, heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria exchange nutrients and regulators between cells for diazotrophic growth. Two alternative modes of exchange have been discussed involving transport either through the periplasm or through septal junctions linking adjacent cells. Septal junctions and channels in the septal peptidoglycan are likely filled with septal junction complexes. While possible proteinaceous factors involved in septal junction formation, SepJ (FraG), FraC, and FraD, have been identified, little is known about peptidoglycan channel formation and septal junction complex anchoring to the peptidoglycan. We describe a factor, SjcF1, involved in regulation of septal junction channel formation in the heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium
Anabaena
sp. strain PCC 7120. SjcF1 interacts with the peptidoglycan layer through two peptidoglycan-binding domains and is localized throughout the cell periphery but at higher levels in the intercellular septa. A strain with an insertion in
sjcF1
was not affected in peptidoglycan synthesis but showed an altered morphology of the septal peptidoglycan channels, which were significantly wider in the mutant than in the wild type. The mutant was impaired in intercellular exchange of a fluorescent probe to a similar extent as a
sepJ
deletion mutant. SjcF1 additionally bears an SH3 domain for protein-protein interactions. SH3 binding domains were identified in SepJ and FraC, and evidence for interaction of SjcF1 with both SepJ and FraC was obtained. SjcF1 represents a novel protein involved in structuring the peptidoglycan layer, which links peptidoglycan channel formation to septal junction complex function in multicellular cyanobacteria. Nonetheless, based on its subcellular distribution, this might not be the only function of SjcF1.

IMPORTANCE
Cell-cell communication is central not only for eukaryotic but also for multicellular prokaryotic systems. Principles of intercellular communication are well established for eukaryotes, but the mechanisms and components involved in bacteria are just emerging. Filamentous heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria behave as multicellular organisms and represent an excellent model to study prokaryotic cell-cell communication. A path for intercellular metabolite exchange appears to involve transfer through molecular structures termed septal junctions. They are reminiscent of metazoan gap junctions that directly link adjacent cells. In cyanobacteria, such structures need to traverse the peptidoglycan layers in the intercellular septa of the filament. Here we describe a factor involved in the formation of channels across the septal peptidoglycan layers, thus contributing to the multicellular behavior of these organisms.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Transcriptional Landscape Is Shaped by Environmental Heterogeneity and Genetic Variation
Authors: Dötsch Andreas , Schniederjans Monika , Khaledi Ariane , Hornischer Klaus , Schulz Sebastian , Bielecka Agata , Eckweiler Denitsa , Pohl Sarah , Häussler Susanne
Published: July 2015

Phenotypic variability among bacteria depends on gene expression in response to different environments, and it also reflects differences in genomic structure. In this study, we analyzed transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) profiles of 151
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
clinical isolates under standard laboratory conditions and of one
P. aeruginosa
type strain under 14 different environmental conditions. Our approach allowed dissection of the impact of the genetic background versus environmental cues on
P. aeruginosa
gene expression profiles and revealed that phenotypic variation was larger in response to changing environments than between genomically different isolates. We demonstrate that mutations within the global regulator LasR affect more than one trait (pleiotropy) and that the interaction between mutations (epistasis) shapes the
P. aeruginosa
phenotypic plasticity landscape. Because of pleiotropic and epistatic effects, average genotype and phenotype measures appeared to be uncorrelated in
P. aeruginosa
.

IMPORTANCE
This work links experimental data of unprecedented complexity with evolution theory and delineates the transcriptional landscape of the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. We found that gene expression profiles are most strongly influenced by environmental cues, while at the same time the transcriptional profiles were also shaped considerably by genetic variation within global regulators. The comprehensive set of transcriptomic and genomic data of more than 150 clinical
P. aeruginosa
isolates will be made publically accessible to all researchers via a dedicated web interface. Both
Pseudomonas
specialists interested in expression and regulation of specific genes and researchers from other fields with more global interest in the phenotypic and genotypic variation of this important model species can access all information on various levels of detail.
An unusual cause of febrile hepatitis
Authors: Stelzer Teresa , Kohler Sibylle , Marques Maggio Ewerton , Heuss Ludwig Theodor
Published: June 2015

We describe the case of a 51-year-old man with recently diagnosed ulcerative colitis who developed fever and elevated liver enzymes as well as cholestasis a few weeks after starting treatment with mesalazine. As no obvious cause was found and fever persisted, liver biopsy was performed and revealed granulomatous hepatitis. The patient recovered completely after cessation of mesalazine, so that a drug-induced granulomatous hepatitis after exclusion of other differential diagnoses in an extensive work up was assumed. The present case demonstrates that even though drug-induced liver injury due to mesalazine is rare, it should be considered in unclear cases and lead to prompt discontinuation of mesalazine.
Hepatitis C and leptospirosis: simultaneous acute infections or recurrence of occult hepatitis C
Authors: Ferraz Rita Veiga , Pereira Nuno Rocha , Carvalho Cláudia , Sarmento António
Published: July 2015

People who inject drugs are vulnerable to several infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of a simultaneous diagnosis of leptospirosis and acute infection or recurrence of occult hepatitis C in an HIV-infected drug user. We report a case of a 47-year-old Caucasian man with HIV infection, on antiretroviral therapy, and with a history of hepatitis C (positive anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCV RNA persistently negative) who was admitted with febrile acute hepatitis. He was a former injecting drug user, on opioid substitution therapy, who relapsed to injection drug use 3 weeks prior to admission. Work up revealed positive HCV RNA andLeptospiraDNA in his urine. Four weeks later he had an undetectable HCV load, and also at 6 months of follow-up. This case highlights the presence of two concomitant infectious aetiologies of acute hepatitis in an HIV-infected drug user.
Acute on chronic liver failure in a patient with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS)
Authors: Im Dana DaEun , Essien Utibe , DePasse Jacqueline W , Chiappa Victor
Published: July 2015

A man in his late 40s with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) presented to the emergency department with 2 weeks of diffuse oedema, increased abdominal girth and dyspnoea. His anasarca was thought to be indicative of an acute decompensation of his known liver cirrhosis with transfusion-induced haemosiderosis. While his anasarca improved with diuresis, his direct hyperbilirubinaemia suddenly worsened without any signs of haemolysis, biliary disease or obstruction. He also developed an acute worsening in serum creatinine (1.17–7.0 mg/dL in 7 days) despite subsequent treatment for presumed hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). Given his clinical decline, the patient's goals of care were transitioned to comfort measures only. His clinical presentation and rapid liver and renal deterioration were most typical of sickle cell intrahepatic cholestasis (SCIC). SCIC can lead to rapid deterioration in renal function and can be mistaken for HRS. When SCIC is suspected, consideration of exchange transfusions should be made early.
NecrotisingCandidaoesophagitis after thoracic radiotherapy: significance of oesophageal wall oedema on CT
Authors: Saito Hirotake , Sueyama Hiroo , Fukuda Takanori , Ota Kyuma
Published: July 2015

Although oesophageal candidiasis is usually a superficial mucosal infection, necrotisingCandidaoesophagitis has been reported to cause oesophageal perforation or lung abscess. We report the case of an elderly Japanese man presenting with painless dysphagia after thoracic radiotherapy for oesophageal cancer. Non-contrast CT demonstrated segmental and oedematous thickening of the oesophageal wall. Endoscopy revealed white plaques on the oesophageal mucosa. The patient's oesophagitis responded to systemic antifungal therapy, and did not lead to oesophageal perforation. He died of recurrent oesophageal cancer several months later. The importance of severe radiation-induced oesophagitis without pain, our pathophysiological hypothesis on the local oedema caused byCandidainfection and the usefulness of CT in evaluating abnormal thickening of the gastrointestinal tract are discussed separately in the article.
Athletic groin pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical versus physical therapy rehabilitation outcomes
Authors: King E , Ward J , Small L , Falvey E , Franklyn-Miller A
Published: July 2015

Background

Athletic groin pain (AGP) is an encompassing term for the multitude of chronic conditions presenting as pain in the inguinal region. The purpose of this review was to compare the return to play rates (RTPrate) and return to play times (RTPtime) between surgical and rehabilitation interventions in the treatment of AGP.

Methods

A systematic review of English language peer review journals was carried out between 1980 to June 2013 using PubMed, Embase, CINHAL and Google Scholar searching for all papers relating to AGP (and its various pseudonyms) and all surgical and rehabilitative interventions which reported RTPrate and/or RTPtime. AGP literature has been subdivided by many eponymous diagnoses but anatomical diagnostic groupings of (1) abdominal wall, (2) adductor and (3) pubic related pain were used in this review. Meta-analysis was then carried out on the data to compare results between the surgical and rehabilitation groups.

Results

Fifty-six papers out of the 561 discovered in the initial search were included in the review with 3332 athletes included. Evidence was mostly level IV. Using the Black and Downs checklist we found poor study quality overall with a high risk of bias especially among surgical studies. The results showed comparable RTPrate between surgical and rehabilitative interventions within the three diagnostic groups. Rehabilitation had significantly quicker RTPtime for pubic related groin pain compared to surgery (10.5 weeks and 23.1 weeks respectively). The abdominal group had the fastest return of the three groups for the rehabilitation and surgery.

Conclusions

The review suggested better outcomes with rehabilitation for pubic-related groin pain with no difference between the adductor and abdominal groups. The review highlighted the poor quality and risk of bias in the literature making accurate comparison difficult.
Prospective comparison of running injuries between shod and barefoot runners
Authors: Altman Allison R , Davis Irene S
Published: July 2015

Background

Advocates of barefoot running suggest that it is more natural and may be a way to minimise injury risk. In contrast, opponents believe shoes are needed to adequately cushion and support the foot. However, to date, there have been no prospective studies of injury patterns in barefoot and shod runners. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence and rate of injuries between shod and barefoot runners.

Methods

A prospective survey was conducted over the course of a year among 201 (107 barefoot and 94 shod) adult runners. Information regarding injuries and mileage was logged monthly using a custom, web-based database program. The number of injured runners, number of injuries per runner and injury rates were compared between habitual barefoot and habitual shod runners. Both musculoskeletal and plantar surface injuries were assessed.

Results

Statistically fewer overall, diagnosed, musculoskeletal injuries/runner were noted in the barefoot group. However, injury rates were not statistically different between groups due to significantly less mileage run in the barefoot group. As expected, barefoot runners sustained a statistically greater number of injuries to the plantar surface of the foot. The descriptive analysis suggests a greater number of calf injuries, but lower number of knee and hip injuries in the barefoot group. Additionally barefoot runners reported less plantar fasciitis than the shod group.

Conclusions

Barefoot running is associated with fewer overall musculoskeletal injuries/runner, but similar injury rates. A larger scale cohort is needed to more accurately assess differences in individual injuries between these two groups.
An observational study of patient characteristics and mortality following hypoglycemia in the community
Authors: Elwen Francesca R , Huskinson Alice , Clapham Linda , Bottomley Matthew J , Heller Simon R , James Cathryn , Abbas Afroze , Baxter Paul , Ajjan Ramzi A
Published: July 2015

Objectives

Characterize patients with diabetes with severe hypoglycemia requiring emergency services intervention at home and investigate 12-month mortality.

Research design and methods

Emergency services call-outs for hypoglycemia were recorded between 2005 and 2013 in an area covering 34 000 patients with diabetes. Patient characteristics were documented together with capillary blood glucose (CBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and treatment for hypoglycemia; 12-month mortality and variables influencing survival were analyzed.

Results

In 1835 episodes among 1156 patients, 45% had type 1 diabetes (68.2% males) and 44% had type 2 diabetes (49.4% males), with a minority unclassified. CBG at presentation (mean±SD) was 1.76±0.72 mmol/L in patients with type 1 diabetes and 1.96±0.68 mmol/L in patients with type 2 diabetes (p<0.0001), with a higher HbA1c in the former group (8.3±1.52% (67.5±16.4 mmol/mol) and 7.8±1.74% (61.6±19.0 mmol/mol), respectively; p<0.0001). A third of patients with type 2 diabetes were not on insulin therapy and displayed lower HbA1c compared with insulin users. Glucagon was used in 37% of patients with type 1 diabetes and 28% of patients with type 2 diabetes (p<0.0001). One-year mortality was 4.45% in type 1 diabetes and 22.1% in type 2 diabetes. Age and type of diabetes were predictive of mortality in multivariable analysis, whereas CBG levels/frequency of hypoglycemia had no effect.

Conclusions

Severe hypoglycemia in the community is common with a male predominance in type 1 diabetes. Severe hypoglycemia in non-insulin treated patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with lower HbA1c compared with insulin users. Severe hypoglycemia appears to be associated with increased mortality at 12 months, particularly in type 2 diabetes.
Approaches to supporting lactation and breastfeeding for very preterm infants in the NICU: a qualitative study in three European regions
Authors: Bonet Mercedes , Forcella Emanuela , Blondel Béatrice , Draper Elizabeth S , Agostino Rocco , Cuttini Marina , Zeitlin Jennifer
Published: July 2015

Objectives

To explore differences in approaches to supporting lactation and breastfeeding for very preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in 3 European regions.

Design

Qualitative cross-sectional study carried out by means of face-to-face semistructured interviews. Verbatim transcripts were coded using a theoretical framework derived from the literature and supplemented by data-driven concepts and codes.

Setting

4 purposively selected NICUs in each of 3 European regions in 2010 (Ile-de-France in France, Lazio in Italy, and the former Trent region in the UK).

Participants

NICU staff members (n=22).

Results

Policies and practices for managing mother's own milk for very preterm babies differed between regions, and were much more complex in Ile-de-France than in the Trent or Lazio regions. Staff approaches to mothers to initiate lactation differed by region, with an emphasis on the nutritional and immunological value of human milk in the Trent region and on the ‘normalising’ effect of breastfeeding on the mother-child relationship in Lazio. French and English staff expressed conflicting opinions about the use of bottles, which was routine in Italy. Italian informants stressed the importance of early maternal milk expression and feeding, but also mentioned discharging infants home before feeding at the breast was established. In Ile-de-France and Trent, successful feeding from the breast was achieved before discharge, although this was seen as a factor that could prolong hospitalisation and discourage continued breastfeeding for some women.

Conclusions

Targeted health promotion policies in the NICU are necessary to increase the number of infants receiving their mother's milk and to support mothers with transfer of the infant to the breast. Integrating knowledge about the different approaches to lactation and breastfeeding in European NICUs could improve the relevance of recommendations in multiple cultural settings.
Husbandry, health and biosecurity of the smallholder and pet pig population in England
Authors: Gillespie A. V. , Grove‐White D. H. , Williams H. J.
Published: June 2015

Three hundred and thirteen pet and smallholder pig owners in England responded to an online questionnaire regarding husbandry and healthcare of their pigs. There was a lack of knowledge of the legislation regarding Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) registration, animal movements and feeding of domestic food waste. Only 83.8 per cent of respondents had registered their pigs with DEFRA, while 17.7 per cent were not familiar with the movement regulations, and 23.9 per cent were feeding their pigs with household scraps. Contact with veterinary surgeons may be positively associated with DEFRA registration, legal feeding practices and knowledge of vaccination. Furthermore, the veterinary surgeon was considered to be the primary source of husbandry and healthcare knowledge. This paper identifies the pet and smallholder pig population as a potential risk for the incursion and spread of infectious disease, while highlighting the need for improved owner education.
Faltering Steps Into the Galaxy: The Boundary Regions of the Heliosphere
Authors: Zank G.P.
Published: July 2015

The interaction of the heliosphere with the local interstellar medium (LISM) results in a complicated series of boundary regions. The Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft are exploring these distant boundaries in situ, as is the Interstellar Boundary Explorer from 1 AU, which measures energetic neutral atoms created in the distant reaches of the heliosphere and LISM. Lyman-α absorption and backscatter measurements also probe the structure and physics of the interface of the heliosphere and LISM. We survey the suite of observations, the underlying theory, and the resulting models that describe the boundary regions of the solar wind and LISM.
Materials Informatics: The Materials “Gene” and Big Data
Authors: Rajan Krishna
Published: July 2015

Materials informatics provides the foundations for a new paradigm of materials discovery. It shifts our emphasis from one of solely searching among large volumes of data that may be generated by experiment or computation to one of targeted materials discovery via high-throughput identification of the key factors (i.e., “genes”) and via showing how these factors can be quantitatively integrated by statistical learning methods into design rules (i.e., “gene sequencing”) governing targeted materials functionality. However, a critical challenge in discovering these materials genes is the difficulty in unraveling the complexity of the data associated with numerous factors including noise, uncertainty, and the complex diversity of data that one needs to consider (i.e., Big Data). In this article, we explore one aspect of materials informatics, namely how one can efficiently explore for new knowledge in regimes of structure-property space, especially when no reasonable selection pathways based on theory or clear trends in observations exist among an almost infinite set of possibilities.
Physiological role of NBCe2 in the regulation of electrolyte transport in the distal nephron
Authors: Wen Donghai , Sansom Steven C.
Published: July 2015

The electrogenic Na+-HCO3− cotransporter 2 (NBCe2) is a newly discovered protein in the distal nephron. Our understanding is minimal regarding its physiological role in renal electrolyte transport. In this mini-review, we summarize the potential function of NBCe2 in the regulation of blood pressure, acid-base, and K+ and Ca2+ transport in the distal nephron.
The Physiology of Proinsulin C-Peptide: Unanswered Questions and a Proposed Model
Authors: Yosten Gina L. C. , Kolar Grant R.
Published: July 2015

C-peptide is produced, processed, and secreted with insulin, and appears to exert separate but intimately related effects. In this review, we address the existence of the C-peptide receptor, the interaction between C-peptide and insulin, and the potential physiological significance of proinsulin C-peptide.
MicroRNA network changes in the brain stem underlie the development of hypertension
Authors: DeCicco Danielle , Zhu Haisun , Brureau Anthony , Schwaber James S. , Vadigepalli Rajanikanth
Published: July 2015

Hypertension is a major chronic disease whose molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. We compared neuroanatomical patterns of microRNAs in the brain stem of the spontaneous hypertensive rat (SHR) to the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY, control). We quantified 419 well-annotated microRNAs in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), from SHR and WKY rats, during three main stages of hypertension development. Changes in microRNA expression were stage- and region-dependent, with a majority of SHR vs. WKY differential expression occurring at the hypertension onset stage in NTS versus at the prehypertension stage in RVLM. Our analysis identified 24 microRNAs showing time-dependent differential expression in SHR compared with WKY in at least one brain region. We predicted potential gene regulatory targets corresponding to catecholaminergic processes, neuroinflammation, and neuromodulation using the miRWALK and RNA22 databases, and we tested those bioinformatics predictions using high-throughput quantitative PCR to evaluate correlations of differential expression between the microRNAs and their predicted gene targets. We found a novel regulatory network motif consisting of microRNAs likely downregulating a negative regulator of prohypertensive processes such as angiotensin II signaling and leukotriene-based inflammation. Our results provide new evidence on the dynamics of microRNA expression in the development of hypertension and predictions of microRNA-mediated regulatory networks playing a region-dependent role in potentially altering brain-stem cardiovascular control circuit function leading to the development of hypertension.
Robust Output Feedback Model Predictive Control for a Class of Networked Control Systems with Nonlinear Perturbation
Authors: Chen Qiuxia , Liu Ying , Zhu Haoqi
Published: July 2015

This paper is concerned with the design problem of robust dynamic output feedback model predictive controllers for a class of discrete-time systems with time-varying network-induced delays and nonlinear perturbation. The designed controllers achieve on-line suboptimal receding horizon guaranteed cost such that the system can be stabilized for all admissible uncertainties. A novel delay compensation strategy is proposed to eliminate the effects of the time-varying network-induced delays. By using multistep prediction and the receding optimization, the delay-dependent sufficient condition is derived for the existence of delay compensation controllers. By employing the cone complementarity linearization (CCL) idea, a nonlinear minimization problem with linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints is formulated to design the desired output feedback controllers, and an iterative algorithm involving convex optimization is presented to solve the nonlinear minimization problem. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed results.