bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SMALL GASTROINTESTINAL STROMAL TUMOR OF THE STOMACH SHOWING RAPID GROWTH AND EARLY METASTASIS TO THE LIVER
Authors: Tanaka Junji , Oshima Tadayuki , Hori Kazutoshi , Tomita Toshihiko , Kim Yongmin , Watari Jiro , Oh Koushi , Hirota Seiichi , Matsumoto Takayuki , Miwa Hiroto
Published: September 2010

A 65‐year‐old man received upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. At that time, no abnormalities were identified in the stomach except for a submucosal tumor approximately 1 cm in maximal diameter at the gastric cardia. Two months later, he developed tarry stools and anemia. Colonoscopy revealed no abnormal findings in the colon or terminal ileum. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was re‐evaluated in our hospital. Macroscopically, the previously detected submucosal tumor had grown to 3.0 cm in maximal diameter and the tumor was exposed by extensive ulceration. Biopsy specimens of the lesion indicated KIT‐positive gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with a probability of high risk. Total gastrectomy was carried out and the resected GIST was found to comprise spindle‐shaped tumor cells with 23 mitoses in 10 high‐power fields. Mutation of the c‐kit gene was studied using the surgical specimens, and deletion of five amino acids from codons 554–558 in exon 11 was detected. Liver metastasis was found 6 months postoperatively, and molecular target therapy was carried out. However, the patient died 2 years after the finding of liver metastasis.
Impact of physical activity and performance on medical care costs among the Japanese elderly
Authors: Yang Guang , Niu Kaijun , Fujita Kazuki , Hozawa Atsushi , Ohmori‐Matsuda Kaori , Kuriyama Shinichi , Nakaya Naoki , Ebihara Satoru , Okazaki Tatsuma , Guo Hiu , Miura Chihaya , Takahashi Hideko , Arai Hiroyuki , Tsuji Ichiro , Nagatomi Ryoichi
Published: September 2010

Aim:  Physical activity (PA) is known to be inversely associated with medical care costs. The amount of PA is strongly associated with the level of physical performance among the elderly population. Therefore, it is possible that known relation between PA and medical care merely shows the relation between physical performance and medical care. To know whether PA itself relates to medical care, considering physical performance is necessary. The aim of this study was to ascertain the impact of PA on medical care expenditure by considering the physical performance in an elderly community‐dwelling population.

Methods:  We investigated 483 subjects who did not have any history of diseases relating to limited PA and who completed both a self‐administered questionnaire including questions on PA and underwent a physical performance measurement. We ascertained the total medical care costs through a computerized linkage with claims lodged between August 2002 and March 2008 with the Miyagi National Health Insurance Association.

Results:  The physical performance was positively associated with their level of PA. After multivariate adjustment for covariables including the levels of physical performance, the per capita medical care costs were found to be $US 827.3 (598.0–1056.7) (mean, 95% confidence interval), $US 711.1 (476.4–945.8) and $US 702.0 (461.6–942.4) (P for linear trend = 0.02) per month for those who had the lowest, average and the highest level of PA, respectively.

Conclusion:  This prospective study indicates that a higher level of PA is associated with lower medical care costs among the Japanese elderly irrespective of physical performance. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 157–165.
Accelerated rates of climatic‐niche evolution underlie rapid species diversification
Authors: Kozak Kenneth H. , Wiens John J.
Published: September 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 1378–1389

A major goal of ecology is to explain differences in species richness between regions and among clades. The diversification rate of clades is a key parameter for understanding both patterns. Here, we combine phylogenetic and climatic data for 250 species of plethodontid salamanders and show for the first time that rapid species diversification is associated with accelerated climatic‐niche evolution among species. Both rates are particularly rapid in tropical regions, and where few clades geographically overlap. These results offer a surprising ecological explanation for why diversification rates are often higher in the tropics: rapid shifts between climatic regimes, rather than specific environmental conditions (e.g. high productivity, energy) drive higher diversity. They also suggest that climatic‐niche evolution may be particularly rapid in regions where climate is particularly stable. Finally, these results indicate that evolutionary conservatism in climatic niches may be influenced by interactions between species and clades, rather than physiological tolerances alone.
Central and peripheral administration of human relaxin‐2 to adult male rats inhibits food intake
Authors: McGowan B. M. C. , Minnion J. S. , Murphy K. G. , White N. E. , Roy D. , Stanley S. A. , Dhillo W. S. , Gardiner J. V. , Ghatei M. A. , Bloom S. R.
Published: September 2010

Aim: Relaxin is a polypeptide hormone involved in pregnancy and lactation. It is mainly secreted by the corpus luteum and placenta, but is expressed in a number of other tissues, including heart and brain. Within the brain, relaxin is expressed in the olfactory and limbic systems, the cortex and the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). Its cognate receptor, relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1), is also widely expressed in the brain, including the hypothalamic ARC and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), areas important in appetite regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether relaxin influences food intake through central hypothalamic circuits.

Methods: The human form of relaxin, human relaxin‐2 (H2) was administered centrally and peripherally to male Wistar rats and food intake measured. Behaviour was also assessed.

Results: Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of H2 significantly decreased 1‐h food intake in the early dark phase [2.95 ± 0.45 g (saline) vs. 0.95 ± 0.18 g (180 pmol H2), p < 0.001]. ICV administration of H2 decreased feeding behaviour and increased grooming and headdown behaviour. Intraparaventricular injections of H2 significantly decreased 1‐h food intake in the early dark phase [3.13 ± 0.35 g (saline) vs. 1.35 ± 0.33 g (18 pmol H2), p < 0.01, 1.61 ± 0.31 g (180 pmol H2), p < 0.05 and 1.23 ± 0.32 g (540 pmol H2), p < 0.001]. Intraperitoneal (IP) administration of H2 significantly decreased 1‐h food intake in the early dark phase [4.63 ± 0.46 g (vehicle) vs. 3.08 ± 0.15 g (66 nmol H2), p < 0.01, 3.00 ± 0.17 g (200 nmol H2), p < 0.01 and 2.26 ± 0.36 g (660 nmol H2), p < 0.001].

Conclusions: Central and peripheral administration of H2 reduces the food intake in rats. This effect may be mediated via the PVN and/or other brain regions.
Does intervention by an allied health professional discussing adherence to medicines improve this adherence in Type 2 diabetes?
Authors: Doggrell S. A.
Published: September 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 1341–1349 (2010)

Aims  Increasing adherence to medicines should improve glycaemic control and be cost effective in patients with Type 2 diabetes. It is assumed that the intervention of an allied health professional will improve adherence to medicines, but this has not been well documented. The aim of this review was to determine whether an intervention by an allied health professional, including a discussion of adherence to medicines, improved adherence to medicines in these subjects.

Methods  A comprehensive review of the literature was undertaken to determine this. All available studies were included and critically reviewed.

Results  When adherence to medicines was high in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, an intervention by an allied health professional did not improve adherence. In studies in which the adherence could be improved the results were varied, with some studies showing improvement and some not. This variation existed whether the allied health professional was a nurse, a pharmacist or a diabetes educator, and whether the intervention was by phone or by counselling in person.

Conclusions  In conclusion, prior to undertaking an intervention to improve adherence to medicines in Type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to know the baseline level of adherence, and if adherence is already high there is no point in undertaking an intervention. When adherence to medicines is low, it is not clear which interventions will improve adherence, and further studies are needed to clarify this.
Self management and patient understanding of diabetes in the older person
Authors: Hewitt J. , Smeeth L. , Chaturvedi N. , Bulpitt C. J. , Fletcher A. E.
Published: September 2010

Diabet. Med. 28, 117–122 (2011)

Aim  To examine knowledge and management of diabetes by older people.

Methods  A representative sample of 1047 people with Type 2 diabetes, aged 75 years and over, were asked a series of questions relating to their diabetes management and their understanding of self management. The impact of cognitive impairment and socio‐economic status were assessed.

Results  The majority of people, 1015 (96.9%), were under the care of a health professional and 1018 (97.2%) were taking insulin, tablets, controlling their diet or a combination. Cognitive impairment (Mini‐Mental State Examination ≤ 23) was found in 235 (22.5%) people. Recent eye, foot and dietician assessment was reported by 813 (77.7%), 836 (79.7%) and 326 (31.1%) people, respectively. A quarter overall and 70% of those taking insulin tested their blood glucose. In the insulin group, 78 (54.2%) reported hypoglycaemia and those with cognitive impairment gave more incorrect responses when asked about diabetes management. Socio‐economic status made very little difference to any of these outcomes.

Conclusions  Most older people with diabetes, regardless of their socio‐economic status, are under the care of a healthcare professional and use medication or diet to manage their disease. Large numbers also attend foot and eye examinations. However, over one fifth of older people with diabetes have cognitive impairment. Older people had a reasonable understanding of their diabetes management but this was worse in those people with cognitive impairment.
The Effects of Self‐Regulatory Strength, Content, and Strategies on Close Relationships
Authors: Luchies Laura B. , Finkel Eli J. , Fitzsimons Gráinne M.
Published: September 2010

This article reviews the growing literature on the effects of self‐regulatory strength (how much self‐regulatory ability people have), self‐regulatory content (the goals toward which people self‐regulate), and self‐regulatory strategies (the manner in which people self‐regulate) on close relationships. The extant literature indicates that close relationships benefit when relationship partners (a) have greater versus less self‐regulatory strength, (b) prioritize relationship‐promotion goals versus self‐protection goals, (c) facilitate versus obstruct each other's personal goal pursuits, (d) enact positive relationship behaviors using approach versus avoidance strategies, and (e) pursue shared goals using complementary versus similar regulatory focus strategies. Future research could fruitfully (a) delve deeper into the influences of self‐regulatory content and strategies on relationships and (b) integrate multiple lines of research examining the effects of self‐regulation on relationships.
Corporate response to an ethical incident: the case of an energy company in New Zealand
Authors: Eweje Gabriel , Wu Minyu
Published: September 2010

The ethical behaviour and social responsibility of private companies, and in particular large corporations, is an important area of enquiry in contemporary social, economic and political thinking. In the past, a company's behaviour would be considered responsible as long as it stayed within the law of the society in which it operated or existed. Although this may be necessary, it is no longer sufficient. In this paper, we examine an energy company's response to an ethical incident in New Zealand which prompted different responses across the country about the role of business in society. Thus, we argue that when a corporation is accused of unethical behaviour, executives of the company are usually compelled to offer responses to defend their actions and corporate image. Further, we use communicative response model, social issue life cycle theory, and organisational learning, to analyse the incident and how the company responded. Using social issues life cycle theory and organisational learning theory, we demonstrate that sustained pressure can potentially trigger a change of strategy that may serve to improve the ethical posture of a corporation and thereby improve the corporate image long term. We conclude that, although corporations may understand the significance of social issues to the performance and success of their business, this same understanding does not always translate into meaningful social action.
Data sets on pensions and health: Data collection and sharing for policy design
Authors: Lee Jinkook
Published: September 2010

A growing number of countries are developing or reforming pension and health policies in response to population ageing and to enhance the welfare of their citizens. The adoption of different policies by different countries has resulted in several natural experiments. These offer unusual opportunities to examine the effects of varying policies on health and retirement, individual and family behaviour, and well‐being. Realizing these opportunities requires harmonized data‐collection efforts. An increasing number of countries have agreed to provide data harmonized with the Health and Retirement Study in the United States. This article discusses these data sets, including their key parameters of pension and health status, research designs, samples, and response rates. It also discusses the opportunities they offer for cross‐national studies and their implications for policy evaluation and development.
Cortisol involvement in mechanisms of behavioral inhibition
Authors: Tops Mattie , Boksem Maarten A.S.
Published: September 2010

We studied whether baseline cortisol is associated with post‐error slowing, a measure that depends upon brain areas involved in behavioral inhibition. Moreover, we studied whether this association holds after controlling for positive associations with behavioral inhibition scores and error‐related negativity (ERN) amplitudes that cortisol and post‐error slowing may share. Healthy female volunteers performed a flanker task. Cortisol was independently positively associated with post‐error slowing and the ERN, supporting hypotheses that cortisol is involved in behavioral inhibition. Additionally, cortisol mediated an association between ERN and more post‐error slowing, which suppressed a direct association between ERN and less post‐error slowing. The results are relevant, not only for researchers of behavioral inhibition, but also for researchers of the basic mechanisms of the ERN and post‐error slowing, and may bring those literatures together.
Using presence‐only modelling to predict Asian elephant habitat use in a tropical forest landscape: implications for conservation
Authors: Rood Ente , Ganie Abdullah A. , Nijman Vincent
Published: September 2010

Aim  Asian elephants, Elephas maximus, are threatened throughout their range by a combination of logging, large scale forest conversion and conflict with humans. We investigate which environmental factors, both biotic and abiotic, constrain the current distribution of elephants. A spatially explicit habitat model is constructed to find core areas for conservation and to assess current threats.

Location  Ulu Masen Ecosystem in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Methods  A stratified survey was conducted at 12 sites (300 transects) to establish the presence of elephants. Presence records formed the basis to model potential habitat use. Ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) is used to describe their niche and to identify key factors shaping elephant distribution. An initial niche model was constructed to describe elephant niche structure, and a second model focused on identifying core areas only. To assess the threat of habitat encroachment, overlap between the elephants’ optimal niche and the occurrence of forest encroachment is computed.

Results  Elephants were recorded throughout the study area from sea level to 1600 m a.s.l. The results show that the elephant niche and consequently habitat use markedly deviates from the available environment. Elephant presence was positively related to forest cover and vegetation productivity, and elephants were largely confined to valleys. A spatially explicit model showed that elephants mainly utilize forest edges. Forest encroachment occurs throughout the elephants range and was found within 80% of the elephants’ ecological niche.

Main conclusions  In contrast to general opinion, elephant distribution proved to be weakly constrained by altitude, possibly because of movement routes running through mountainous areas. Elephants were often found to occupy habitat patches in and near human‐dominated areas. This pattern is believed to reflect the displacement of elephants from their former habitat.
A spatially explicit method for evaluating accuracy of species distribution models
Authors: Smulders Mary , Nelson Trisalyn A. , Jelinski Dennis E. , Nielsen Scott E. , Stenhouse Gordon B.
Published: September 2010

Aim  Models predicting the spatial distribution of animals are increasingly used in wildlife management and conservation planning. There is growing recognition that common methods of evaluating species distribution model (SDM) accuracy, as a global overall value of predictive ability, could be enhanced by spatially evaluating the model thereby identifying local areas of relative predictive strength and weakness. Current methods of spatial SDM model assessment focus on applying local measures of spatial autocorrelation to SDM residuals, which require quantitative model outputs. However, SDM outputs are often probabilistic (relative probability of species occurrence) or categorical (species present or absent). The goal of this paper was to develop a new method, using a conditional randomization technique, which can be applied to directly spatially evaluate probabilistic and categorical SDMs.

Location  Eastern slopes, Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada.

Methods  We used predictions from seasonal grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) resource selection functions (RSF) models to demonstrate our spatial evaluation technique. Local test statistics computed from bear telemetry locations were used to identify areas where bears were located more frequently than predicted. We evaluated the spatial pattern of model inaccuracies using a measure of spatial autocorrelation, local Moran’s I.

Results  We found the model to have non‐stationary patterns in accuracy, with clusters of inaccuracies located in central habitat areas. Model inaccuracies varied seasonally, with the summer model performing the best and the least error in areas with high RSF values. The landscape characteristics associated with model inaccuracies were examined, and possible factors contributing to RSF error were identified.

Main conclusions  The presented method complements existing spatial approaches to model error assessment as it can be used with probabilistic and categorical model output, which is typical for SDMs. We recommend that SDM accuracy assessments be done spatially and resulting accuracy maps included in model metadata.
Family Transitions and Juvenile Delinquency*
Authors: Schroeder Ryan D. , Osgood Aurea K. , Oghia Michael J.
Published: September 2010

There is a large body of research that shows children from non‐intact homes show higher rates of juvenile delinquency than children from intact homes, partially due to weaker parental control and supervision in non‐intact homes. What has not been adequately addressed in the research is the influence of changes in family structure among individual adolescents over time on delinquent offending. Using the first and third waves of the National Youth Study, we assess the effect of family structure changes on changes in delinquent offending between waves through the intermediate process of changes in family time and parental attachment. Although prior research has documented adolescents in broken homes are more delinquent than youth in intact homes, the process of family dissolution is not associated with concurrent increases in offending. In contrast, family formation through marriage or cohabitation is associated with simultaneous increases in offending. Changes in family time and parental attachment account for a portion of the family formation effect on delinquency, and prior parental attachment and juvenile offending significantly condition the effect of family formation on offending.
Taxonomic notes on the genus Holepyris (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) from Korea with descriptions of six new species
Authors: LIM Jongok , TERAYAMA Mamoru , SHIN Sangchul , LEE Seunghwan
Published: September 2010

Six new species of the genus Holepyris (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae: Epyrinae) from Korea are described: H. brevicarinatus sp. nov., H. crinitus sp. nov., H. dimidiatus sp. nov., H. longicephalus sp. nov., H. mucro sp. nov. and H. multo sp. nov. They are described with illustrations of male genitalia and the biometric measurement data. A key to the Korean species of Holepyris based on males is provided.
Subterranean species of the ant genus Crematogaster in Asia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: HOSOISHI Shingo , YAMANE Seiki , OGATA Kazuo
Published: September 2010

Three Crematogaster ant species, C. (Orthocrema) javanica Menozzi, C. (O.) myops Forel and C. (O.) masukoi sp. nov., share reduced compound eyes which characterizes them among Asian species of the subgenus Orthocrema. The new species is described based on material from Borneo. It can be distinguished from C. javanica and C. myops by its smooth surface of clypeus and acutely produced subpetiolar process. Reduced compound eyes and yellowish body suggest that these three species are subterranean.
Phylogeny of Rhus gall aphids (Hemiptera : Pemphigidae) based on combined molecular analysis of nuclear EF1α and mitochondrial COII genes
Authors: YANG Zi‐xiang , CHEN Xiao‐ming , HAVILL Nathan P. , FENG Ying , CHEN Hang
Published: September 2010

Rhus gall aphids (Fordinae : Melaphidini) have a disjunct distribution in East Asia and North America and have specific host plant relationships. Some of them are of economic importance and all species form sealed galls which show great variation in shape, size, structure, and galling‐site. We present a phylogeny incorporating ten species and four subspecies of Rhus gall aphids based on 1694 base pairs of nuclear elongation factor‐1α (EF1α) and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) DNA sequence data. The results suggest that Melaphidini is monophyletic and at the genus level, Schlechtendalia, Nurudea, and Floraphis were each monophyletic. Kaburagia and Meitanaphis were not monophyletic and therefore inconsistent with the current classification. The North American sumac gall aphid, Melaphis rhois, was most closely related to the East Asian Floraphis species, although this was poorly supported. The conservation of gall morphology with respect to aphid phylogeny rather than their host plants suggests that gall morphology is largely determined by the aphids. While there is no evidence of strict co‐speciation between the aphids and their primary host plants, switching between recently diverged host plants may be involved in the speciation process in Melaphidini.
Nymphal trophic behaviour of two Nemouridae species (Insecta, Plecoptera) in the Curone creek (northern Apennines, Italy)
Authors: LÓPEZ‐RODRÍGUEZ Manuel J. , BO Tiziano , TIERNO DE FIGUEROA J. Manuel , FENOGLIO Stefano
Published: September 2010

Feeding habits of the Euholognathan stoneflies Nemoura hesperiae and Amphinemura sulcicollis are studied in a little stream located in northern Italy. The former fed mainly on coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM), together with detritus, while the latter fed principally on detritus and, in a lower concern, on CPOM. Thus they can be catalogued fundamentally as shredder and collector‐gatherer, respectively. Shifts in diet composition were detected in relation to size in both taxa. Probably niche overlapping does not exist despite both species having similar size and nymphal development duration, and coinciding in time. This work supports that, though functional feeding groups are very useful, they should not be inferred from related species or higher taxonomical levels. Even intra‐population differences and ontogenetic shifts should be considered in fine scale studies.
Sexual difference in the photoperiodic induction of pupal diapause in the flesh fly Sarcophaga similis
Authors: TAGAYA Jun , NUMATA Hideharu , GOTO Shin G.
Published: September 2010

The flesh fly Sarcophaga similis enters pupal diapause in response to short days, but averts diapause under long days. This species shows a sexual difference in the photoperiodic induction of diapause, with females having shorter critical daylength than males. Here, we proposed two hypotheses to explain this sexual difference. First, we proposed a sexual difference in the qualitative evaluation of photoperiods. This hypothesis assumes under the external coincidence model that although the photoinducible phase of both sexes locates at late scotophase, in males, it locates at a slightly earlier phase. However, the results of night interruption experiments clearly ruled out this hypothesis. Because we verified that S. similis evaluated photoperiods quantitatively, we next proposed a sexual difference in the quantitative evaluation of photoperiods. This hypothesis incorporates concepts of a hypothetical substance accumulation that shows a diapause‐inducing effect and an internal threshold that serves as a reference to determine the diapause/nondiapause developmental program. In long‐day exposure experiments and night interruption experiments, females consistently showed a lower incidence of diapause than males. Thus, the present study data satisfactorily meet the second hypothesis, that is a sexual difference in the quantitative evaluation of photoperiods exists in S. similis.
Management Options to Treat Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients Supported on Rotary Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A Single‐Center Experience
Authors: Hayes Helen M. , Dembo Lawrence G. , Larbalestier Robert , O'Driscoll Gerry
Published: September 2010

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in ventricular assist devices (VADs) has been reported with rotary devices. The pathophysiological mechanisms and treatments are in evolution. We performed a retrospective review of GI bleeding episodes for all VADs implanted at our institution. Five male patients experienced GI bleeding—age 63.6 ± 3.64 years. VAD type VentrAssist n = 1, Jarvik 2000 n = 2, and HeartWare n = 2. All patients were anticoagulated as per protocol with antiplatelet agents (aspirin and/or clopidogrel bisulfate [Plavix] and warfarin (therapeutic international normalized ratio 2.0–3.5). There was no prior history of gastric bleeding in this group. Ten episodes of bleeding requiring blood transfusion occurred in five patients. Some patients had multiple episodes (1 × 5, 1 × 2, 3 × 1). The events occurred at varying times post‐VAD implantation (days 14, 21, 26, 107, 152, 189, 476, 582, 669, and 839). Octreotide (a long‐acting somatostatin analogue that reduces splanchnic arterial and portal blood flow) was administered subcutaneously or intravenously. Three patients received infusions of adrenaline at 1 µg/min to enhance pulsatility. Anticoagulation was interrupted during bleeding episodes but successfully introduced post bleeding event. GI bleeding is a significant complication of VAD therapy. In this article, we discuss diagnosis and management options.
Japanese Guidance for Ventricular Assist Devices/Total Artificial Hearts
Authors: Yamane Takashi , Kyo Shunei , Matsuda Hikaru , Abe Yusuke , Imachi Kou , Masuzawa Toru , Nakatani Takeshi , Sase Kazuhiro , Tabayashi Koichi , Takatani Setsuo , Tatsumi Eisuke , Umezu Mitsuo , Tsuchiya Toshie
Published: September 2010

To facilitate research and development (R&D) and to expedite the review processes of medical devices, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) founded a joint committee to establish guidance for newly emerging technology. From 2005 to 2007, two working groups held discussions on ventricular assist devices and total artificial hearts, including out‐of‐hospital programs, based on previous guidance documents and standards. Based on this discussion, the METI published the R&D Guidelines for innovative artificial hearts in 2007, and in 2008 the MHLW published a Notification by Director regarding the evaluation criteria for emerging technology.
How Does Cost‐Sharing Affect Drug Purchases? Insurance Regimes in the Private Market for Prescription Drugs
Authors: Dor Avi , Encinosa William
Published: September 2010

Insurance for prescription drugs is characterized by two types of cost‐sharing: flat copayments and variable coinsurance. We develop a theoretical model to show that refill purchases of drugs are lower under coinsurance due to the consumer’s exposure to variation in drug prices. We test this empirically using claims data from eight large firms. Propensity score methods are used to create matched samples for the two insurance regimes. We find that when coinsurance and copayments have the same expected out‐of‐pocket of $9, at least 34% of patients under copayments would fully refill their medication over 90 days, compared to only 24% under coinsurance.
Feedback in Tournaments under Commitment Problems: Experimental Evidence
Authors: Gürtler Oliver , Harbring Christine
Published: September 2010

We theoretically as well as experimentally analyze tournaments in which one of the agents leads over the other before entering the tournament, that is, in which one of the competitors benefits from a head start. The principal may decide upon informing the agents about the degree of this asymmetry. She cannot commit to giving feedback ex ante or not and, thus, chooses the strategy that is optimal for her ex post. In equilibrium, the principal reveals information if the asymmetry is not too large. Our experimental findings qualitatively confirm our theoretical prediction. Moreover, behavior of the principal and the agents is well aligned to each other.
Cancer chemotherapy induces cardiotoxicity by targeting cardiac stem cells
Authors: Li Yong‐mei , Guo Yue‐ping , Liu Yan
Published: September 2010

Overwhelming data indicate that cancer survivors are at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases because chemotherapy induces cardiotoxicity. Mechanistic explanation of this phenomenon is necessary to advise the clinical practice on the prevention of cardiotoxicity in cancer patients. Here we propose that chemotherapy induces cardiotoxicity by inadvertently interrupting the homeostasis of cardiac stem cells and depleting the resident cardiac stem cells pool. As a result, the heart loses the capability of regeneration and repair and demonstrates the cardiotoxicity symptoms. Our hypothesis is supported by several lines of emerging evidence: the high incidence of cardiotoxicity in paediatric cancer patients who still have more cardiac stem cells in the myocardium; the rescue of anthracycline cardiomyopathy by injection of cardiac stem cells; and the adverse cardiotoxicity induced by inhibitors of oncogenic kinases or pathways which target cardiac stem cells besides cancer cells. This may promote our growing appreciation that cardiac stem cells represent new targets of chemotherapy that contribute to cardiotoxicity and open up novel strategies for the preservation or expansion of the cardiac stem cells pool to overcome cardiotoxicity associated with chemotherapy.
Telocytes accompanying cardiomyocyte in primary culture: two‐ and three‐dimensional culture environment
Authors: Zhou Jin , Zhang Ye , Wen Xinyu , Cao Junkai , Li Dexue , Lin Qiuxia , Wang Haibin , Liu Zhiqiang , Duan Cuimi , Wu Kuiwu , Wang Changyong
Published: September 2010

Recently, the presence of telocytes was demonstrated in human and mammalian tissues and organs (digestive and extra‐digestive organs, genitourinary organs, heart, placenta, lungs, pleura, striated muscle). Noteworthy, telocytes seem to play a significant role in the normal function and regeneration of myocardium. By cultures of telocytes in two‐ and three‐dimensional environment we aimed to study the typical morphological features as well as functionality of telocytes, which will provide important support to understand their in vivo roles. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and cultured as seeding cells in vitro in two‐dimensional environment. Furthermore, engineered myocardium tissue was constructed from isolated cells in three‐dimensional collagen/Matrigel scaffolds. The identification of telocytes was performed by using histological and immunohistochemical methods. The results showed that typical telocytes are distributed among cardiomyocytes, connecting them by long telopodes. Telocytes have a typical fusiform cell body with two or three long moniliform telopodes, as main characteristics. The vital methylene blue staining showed the existence of telocytes in primary culture. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that some c‐kit or CD34 immuno‐positive cells in engineered heart tissue had the morphology of telocytes, with a typical fusiform cell body and long moniliform telopodes. Also, a significant number of vimentin+ telocytes were present within engineered heart tissue. We suggest that the model of three‐dimensional engineered heart tissue could be useful for the ongoing research on the functional relationships of telocytes with cardiomyocytes. Because the heart has the necessary potential of changing the muscle and non‐muscle cells during the lifetime, telocytes might play an active role in the heart regeneration process. Moreover, telocytes might be a useful tool for cardiac tissue engineering.
Prevalence of asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity in Danish schoolchildren: no change over 10 years
Authors: Zilmer M , Steen NP , Zachariassen G , Duus T , Kristiansen B , Halken S
Published: September 2010

Aim:  To describe the point prevalence of current physician‐diagnosed asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) in 2001 among unselected Danish schoolchildren aged 6–17 years, compared with the prevalence from a similar study from 1990 to 1991.

Methods:  Cross‐sectional study using parental questionnaire on asthma and respiratory symptoms combined with a 6‐min free running test with peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measurement (n = 1051, response rate 89.3%). Results were compared with those of a similar study in the same area from 1990 to 1991. Main outcome measures were current physician‐diagnosed asthma or BHR in children without physician‐diagnosed asthma measured by either a decrease in lung function after standardized running test and/or variability in PEFR on home monitoring.

Results:  The prevalence of current physician‐diagnosed asthma was 4.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7–5.3%] in 1990–1991 and 3.6% (95% CI 2.4–4.8%) in 2001. The prevalence of BHR was 3.2% (95% CI 2.0–4.4%) in 1990–1991 and 2.0% (95% CI 1.1–2.9%) in 2001. The combined prevalence was 7.2% (95% CI 5.4–8.9%) in 1990–1991 and 5.6% (95% CI 4.2–7.1%) in 2001.

Conclusion:  The point prevalence of current physician‐diagnosed asthma and BHR among unselected Danish schoolchildren aged 6–17 years was unchanged over 10 years between 1990–1991 and 2001.
China's Below‐Replacement Fertility: Government Policy or Socioeconomic Development?
Authors: Cai Yong
Published: September 2010

The article challenges the notion that below‐replacement fertility and its local variation in China are primarily attributable to the government's birth planning policy. Data from the 2000 census and provincial statistical yearbooks are used to compare fertility in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, two of the most developed provinces in China, to examine the relationship between socioeconomic development and low fertility. The article demonstrates that although low fertility in China was achieved under the government's restrictive one‐child policy, structural changes brought about by socioeconomic development and ideational shifts accompanying the new wave of globalization played a key role in China's fertility reduction.
Health as a Context for Social and Gender Activism: Female Volunteer Health Workers in Iran
Authors: Hoodfar Homa
Published: September 2010

Having reversed its pronatalist policies in 1988, the Islamic Republic of Iran implemented one of the most successful family planning programs in the developing world. This achievement, particularly in urban centers, is largely attributable to a large women‐led volunteer health worker program for low‐income urban neighborhoods. Research in three cities demonstrates that this successful program has had a host of unintended consequences. In a context where citizen mobilization and activism are highly restricted, volunteers have seized this new state‐sanctioned space and successfully negotiated many of the familial, cultural, and state restrictions on women. They have expanded their mandate from one focused on health activism into one of social, if not political, activism, highlighting the ways in which citizens blur the boundaries of state and civil society under restrictive political systems prevalent in many of the Middle Eastern societies.
The Implications of Increased Survivorship for Mortality Variation in Aging Populations
Authors: Engelman Michal , Canudas‐Romo Vladimir , Agree Emily M.
Published: September 2010

The remarkable growth in life expectancy during the twentieth century inspired predictions of a future in which all people, not just a fortunate few, will live long lives ending at or near the maximum human life span. We show that increased longevity has been accompanied by less variation in ages at death, but survivors to the oldest ages have grown increasingly heterogeneous in their mortality risks. These trends are consistent across countries, and apply even to populations with record‐low variability in the length of life. We argue that as a result of continuing improvements in survival, delayed mortality selection has shifted health disparities from early to later life, where they manifest in the growing inequalities in late‐life mortality.
Heart rate variability after horse trekking in leading and following horses
Authors: MATSUURA Akihiro , TANAKA Masaya , IRIMAJIRI Mami , YAMAZAKI Atusi , NAKANOWATARI Toshihiko , HODATE Koichi
Published: September 2010

Horse trekking (HT) is having a stroll on a horse along a walking trail in a forest, field, and/or sandy beach. Generally in HT, horses exercise in tandem line outside the riding facilities. Because the leading horse will be confronted with stressors in the forefront, we hypothesized that the leading horse shows higher stress responses than the following one. In order to verify the hypothesis, we compared short‐term stress responses between each position in six horses. Exercise consisted of 15 min of ground riding and 45 min of HT with walking and trotting. Heart rate variability was analyzed for 5 min at 30, 60, and 90 min after the exercising period. There was no significant difference in heart rate during exercise between leading and following positions. The high frequency / low frequency power band of heart rate variability, an index of sympathetic nervous activity, after exercise, tended to be higher in the leading position than following one (P < 0.1). The result in this study can suggest that the leading horse was in a higher stressed state than the following horse after HT.
Food insecurity is associated with attitudes towards exclusive breastfeeding among women in urban Kenya
Authors: Webb‐Girard Aimee , Cherobon Anne , Mbugua Samwel , Kamau‐Mbuthia Elizabeth , Amin Allison , Sellen Daniel W.
Published: September 2010

This study aimed to document whether food insecurity was associated with beliefs and attitudes towards exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among urban Kenyan women. We conducted structured interviews with 75 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐affected and 75 HIV‐status unknown, low‐income women who were either pregnant or with a child ≤24 months and residing in Nakuru, Kenya to generate categorical and open‐ended responses on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards EBF and food insecurity. We facilitated six focus group discussions (FGD) with HIV‐affected and HIV‐status unknown mothers (n = 50 women) to assess barriers and facilitators to EBF. Of 148 women with complete interview data, 77% were moderately or severely food insecure (FIS). Women in FIS households had significantly greater odds of believing that breast milk would be insufficient for 6 months [odds ratio (OR), 2.6; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.0, 6.8], that women who EBF for 6 months would experience health or social problems (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.0, 7.3), that women need adequate food to support EBF for 6 months (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0, 6.7) and that they themselves would be unable to follow a counsellor's advice to EBF for 6 months (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.3, 8.3). Qualitative analysis of interview and FGD transcripts indicated that the maternal experience of hunger contributes to perceived milk insufficiency, anxiety about infant hunger and a perception that access to adequate food is necessary for successful breastfeeding. The lived experience of food insecurity among a sample of low‐income, commonly FIS, urban Kenyan women reduces their capacity to implement at least one key recommended infant feeding practices, that of EBF for 6 months.
Natural and amyloid self‐assembly of S100 proteins: structural basis of functional diversity
Authors: Fritz Günter , Botelho Hugo M. , Morozova‐Roche Ludmilla A. , Gomes Cláudio M.
Published: September 2010

The S100 proteins are 10–12 kDa EF‐hand proteins that act as central regulators in a multitude of cellular processes including cell survival, proliferation, differentiation and motility. Consequently, many S100 proteins are implicated and display marked changes in their expression levels in many types of cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The structure and function of S100 proteins are modulated by metal ions via Ca2+ binding through EF‐hand motifs and binding of Zn2+ and Cu2+ at additional sites, usually at the homodimer interfaces. Ca2+ binding modulates S100 conformational opening and thus promotes and affects the interaction with p53, the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts and Toll‐like receptor 4, among many others. Structural plasticity also occurs at the quaternary level, where several S100 proteins self‐assemble into multiple oligomeric states, many being functionally relevant. Recently, we have found that the S100A8/A9 proteins are involved in amyloidogenic processes in corpora amylacea of prostate cancer patients, and undergo metal‐mediated amyloid oligomerization and fibrillation in vitro. Here we review the unique chemical and structural properties of S100 proteins that underlie the conformational changes resulting in their oligomerization upon metal ion binding and ultimately in functional control. The possibility that S100 proteins have intrinsic amyloid‐forming capacity is also addressed, as well as the hypothesis that amyloid self‐assemblies may, under particular physiological conditions, affect the S100 functions within the cellular milieu.
Amyloid structure – one but not the same: the many levels of fibrillar polymorphism
Authors: Pedersen Jesper S. , Andersen Christian B. , Otzen Daniel E.
Published: September 2010

Many proteins and peptides can form amyloid‐like structures both in vivo and in vitro. Although strikingly similar fibrillar structures can be observed across a variety of amino acid sequences, the fibrils formed often exhibit a stunning wealth of polymorphisms at the level of electron or atomic force microscopy. This appears to violate the Anfinsen principle seen for globular proteins, where each protein sequence codes for just one well‐defined fold. To a large extent, polymorphism reflects variable packing of a single protofilament structure in the mature fibrils. However, we and others have recently demonstrated that polymorphism can also reflect real structural differences in the molecular packing of the polypeptide chains leading to several possible protofilament structures and diverse mature fibrillar structures. Glucagon has been a particularly useful model system for studying the fibrillogenesis mechanisms that lead to the formation of structural polymorphism, thanks to its single tryptophan residue and the availability of large quantities at pharmaceutical‐grade quality. Combinations of structural investigations and seed extension experiments have revealed the reproducible formation of at least five different self‐propagating fibril types from subtle variations in growth conditions. These reflect the underlying complexity of the peptide conformational landscape and provide a link to natively disordered proteins, where structure is dictated by context in the form of different binding partners. Here we review some of the latest advances in the study of glucagon fibrillar polymorphism and their implications for mechanisms of fibril formation in general.
TMPRSS13, a type II transmembrane serine protease, is inhibited by hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 and activates pro‐hepatocyte growth factor
Authors: Hashimoto Tomio , Kato Minoru , Shimomura Takeshi , Kitamura Naomi
Published: September 2010

Type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) are structurally defined by the presence of a transmembrane domain located near the N‐terminus and a C‐terminal extracellular serine protease domain. The human TTSP family consists of 17 members. Some members of the family have pivotal functions in development and homeostasis, and are involved in tumorigenesis and viral infections. The activities of TTSPs are regulated by endogenous protease inhibitors. However, protease inhibitors of most TTSPs have not yet been identified. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 (HAI‐1), a Kunitz‐type serine protease inhibitor, on several members of the TTSP family. We found that the protease activity of a member, TMPRSS13, was inhibited by HAI‐1. A detailed analysis revealed that a soluble form of HAI‐1 with one Kunitz domain (NK1) more strongly inhibited TMPRSS13 than another soluble form of HAI‐1 with two Kunitz domains (NK1LK2). In addition, an in vitro protein binding assay showed that NK1 formed complexes with TMPRSS13, but NK1LK2 did not. TMPRSS13 converted single‐chain pro‐hepatocyte growth factor (pro‐HGF) to a two‐chain form in vitro, and the pro‐HGF converting activity of TMPRSS13 was inhibited by NK1. The two‐chain form of HGF exhibited biological activity, assessed by phosphorylation of the HGF receptor (c‐Met) and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, and scattered morphology in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. These results suggest that TMPRSS13 functions as an HGF‐converting protease, the activity of which may be regulated by HAI‐1.