bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of High-dose Nebulized Colistin in Ventilator-associated Pneumonia Caused by Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Lu Qin , Luo Rubin , Bodin Liliane , Yang Jianxin , Zahr Noël , Aubry Alexandra , Golmard Jean-Louis , Rouby Jean-Jacques
Published: November 2012

Background

Colistin often remains the only active agent against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. The aim of the study was to assess efficacy of nebulized colistin for treating ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Methods

One hundred and sixty-five patients with VAP caused by P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii were enrolled in a prospective, observational, and comparative study. The sensitive strain group included 122 patients with VAP caused by P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii susceptible to β-lactams, aminoglycosides, or quinolones and treated with intravenous antibiotics for 14 days. The multidrug-resistant strain group included 43 patients with VAP caused by multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii and treated with nebulized colistin (5 million international units every 8 h) either in monotherapy (n=28) or combined to a 3-day intravenous aminoglycosides for 7-19 days. The primary endpoint was clinical cure rate. Aerosol was delivered using vibrating plate nebulizer.

Results

After treatment, clinical cure rate was 66% in sensitive strain group and 67% in multidrug-resistant strain group (difference -1%, lower limit of 95% CI for difference -12.6%). Mortality was not different between groups (23 vs. 16%). Among 16 patients with persisting or recurrent P. aeruginosa infection, colistin minimum inhibitory concentration increased in two patients.

Conclusion

Nebulization of high-dose colistin was effective to treat VAP caused by multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa or A. baumannii. Its therapeutic effect was noninferior to intravenous β-lactams associated with aminoglycosides or quinolones for treating VAP caused by susceptible P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii.
Thiazolidinediones improve hepatic fibrosis in rats with non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis by activating the adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase signalling pathway
Authors: Zhang Wei , Wu Rong , Zhang Feng , Xu Yizhi , Liu Bo , Yang Yingying , Zhou Huamei , Wang Lulu , Wan Keqiang , Xiao Xiaoqiu , Zhang Xia
Published: November 2012

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) markedly reduce hepatic steatosis in both rodents and humans. However, the effects and mechanisms of action of TZDs on hepatic fibrosis remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of TZDs on histological changes in the liver and on the modulation by adiponectin via the AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling pathway in rats with non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Forty rats were divided into normal control, high‐fat diet (HFD), pioglitazone control and pioglitazone intervention groups. After 24 weeks treatment with pioglitazone (10 mg/kg per day by gavage), changes in liver histology, serum aminotransaminase, triglyceride (TG), free fatty acid (FFA), glucose, insulin, adiponectin and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 concentrations and hepatic adiponectin, AMPK, α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) and collagen I expression were evaluated.

The degree of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was significantly higher in HFD‐induced NASH rats compared with normal controls, as were serum concentrations of aminotransaminase, TG, FFA, glucose, insulin and TGF‐β1 and hepatic expression of α‐SMA and collagen I protein. Serum adiponectin concentrations and hepatic expression of adiponectin mRNA and AMPK protein were significantly lower in the HFD‐induced NASH rats compared with the normal control.

Pioglitazone significantly reduced the degree of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, as well as serum concentrations of aminotransaminase, TG, FFA, glucose, insulin and TGF‐β1 and hepatic expression of α‐SMA and collagen I protein. In addition, pioglitazone significantly increased serum adiponectin concentrations and hepatic expression of adiponectin mRNA and AMPK protein.

In conclusion, the TZD pioglitazone improved hepatic fibrosis in rats with NASH by upregulating adiponectin expression and activating AMPK, thus subsequently inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells and the overproduction of extracellular matrix.
Smoking behaviour in pregnancy and its impact on smoking cessation at various intervals during follow‐up over 21 years: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Rattan D , Mamun A , Najman JM , Williams GM , Doi SA
Published: November 2012

Please cite this paper as: Rattan D, Mamun A, Najman J, Williams G, Doi S. Smoking behaviour in pregnancy and its impact on smoking cessation at various intervals during follow‐up over 21 years: a prospective cohort study. BJOG 2013;120:288–296

Objective  To determine whether mothers who quit or reduce their level of smoking in pregnancy comprise a group of health‐conscious women who are disproportionally likely to adopt a healthier smoking lifestyle in the medium to longer term, compared with women who continue to smoke during pregnancy.

Design  A prospective cohort study.

Setting  A public hospital in Australia.

Population  A cohort of 6703 individual mothers who completed both initial phases of data collection in 1981–1983; mothers who smoked daily (2992) before pregnancy were included in this study.

Methods  Mothers were interviewed at 3–5 days post‐delivery, 6 months, 5 years, 14 years and 21 years to determine their smoking status. An inverse probability‐weighted Poisson regression with a robust error variance was fitted to the data using a log‐link function and a binary response variable for smoking outcome, and adjusting for several possible confounding factors.

Main outcome measure  Smoking cessation at several follow‐up points, for up to 21 years.

Results  Of the mothers who smoked daily before pregnancy, 12, 23, 37 and 41% reported having ceased smoking at 6 months and at 5, 14 and 21 years, respectively. The decision to quit smoking during pregnancy was found to be independently associated with a higher rate ratio (RR) of smoking cessation at 6 months (RR 30.60, 95% CI 20.50–45.69), 5 years (RR 4.36; 95% CI 3.61–5.27), 14 years (RR 2.42, 95% CI 2.12–2.75) and 21 years (RR 1.86; 95% CI 1.60–2.15), after adjusting for several possible confounding factors.

Conclusions  Pregnancy appears to be an opportunity for successfully quitting smoking, regardless of socio‐economic circumstances or demographic background.
Forensic Applications of Light‐Element Stable Isotope Ratios of Ricinus communis Seeds and Ricin Preparations
Authors: Kreuzer Helen W. , West Jason B. , Ehleringer James R.
Published: November 2012

Seeds of the castor plant Ricinus communis are of forensic interest because they are the source of the poison ricin. We tested whether stable isotope ratios of castor seeds and ricin preparations can be used as a forensic signature. We collected over 300 castor seed samples worldwide and measured the C, N, O, and H isotope ratios of the whole seeds and oil. We prepared ricin by three different procedures, acetone extraction, salt precipitation, and affinity chromatography, and compared their isotope ratios to those of the source seeds. The N isotope ratios of the ricin samples and source seeds were virtually identical. Therefore, N isotope ratios can be used to correlate ricin prepared by any of these methods to source seeds. Further, stable isotope ratios distinguished >99% of crude and purified ricin protein samples in pairwise comparison tests. Stable isotope ratios therefore constitute a valuable forensic signature for ricin preparations.
Potential Use of Hydrocarbons for Aging Lucilia sericata Blowfly Larvae to Establish the Postmortem Interval
Authors: Moore Hannah E. , Adam Craig D. , Drijfhout Falko P.
Published: November 2012

Previous studies on Diptera have shown the potential for the use of cuticular hydrocarbons' analysis in the determination of larval age and hence the postmortem interval (PMI) for an associated cadaver. In this work, hydrocarbon compounds, extracted daily until pupation from the cuticle of the blowfly Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae), have been analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results show distinguishing features within the hydrocarbon profile over the period of the larvae life cycle, with significant chemical changes occurring from the younger larvae to the postfeeding larvae. Further interpretation of the chromatograms using principal component analysis revealed a strong correlation between the magnitudes of particular principal components and time. This outcome suggests that, under the conditions of this study, the cuticular hydrocarbons evolve in a systematic fashion with time, thus supporting the potential for GC–MS analysis as a tool for establishing PMI where such a species is present.
Differential effects of baclofen and oxytocin on the increased ethanol consumption following chronic psychosocial stress in mice
Authors: Peters Sebastian , Slattery David A. , Flor Peter J. , Neumann Inga D. , Reber Stefan O.
Published: November 2012

Chronic stress is known to enhance the susceptibility for addiction disorders including alcoholism. While these findings have been recapitulated in animal models, the majority of these studies have utilized non‐social rather than social stress paradigms; the latter of which are believed to be more relevant to the human situation. Therefore, the major aim of this study was to investigate, if 14 days of chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), a pre‐clinically validated psychosocial stress paradigm relevant for human psychiatric and somatic disorders, enhances ethanol (EtOH) consumption in male mice. To assess this, we employed the well‐established two‐bottle free‐choice paradigm where mice were given access to water and 2, 4, 6 and 8% EtOH solutions (with the concentrations increasing each fourth day) following termination of the stress procedure. After 14 days of CSC, stressed mice consumed significantly more EtOH at all concentrations tested and displayed increased EtOH preference at concentrations of 6 and 8%. This effect was not due to an altered taste preference in CSC mice as assessed by saccharine‐ and quinine‐preference tests, but was accompanied by increased anxiety‐related behavior. Systemic administration of baclofen (2.5 mg/kg) or oxytocin (OXT; 10 mg/kg) reduced the EtOH intake in single housed control (baclofen, OXT) and CSC (baclofen) mice, whereas intracerebroventricular OXT (0.5 μg/2 μl) was ineffective in both groups. Taken together, these results suggest that (i) chronic psychosocial stress enhances EtOH consumption, and (ii) baclofen and OXT differentially affect EtOH intake in mice.
Comparison between neoadjuvant and adjuvant gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy for muscle‐invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Matsubara Nobuaki , Mukai Hirofumi , Naito Yoichi , Nezu Masahiko , Itoh Kuniaki
Published: November 2012

Aim

Radical cystectomy plus platinum‐based perioperative chemotherapy is a standard treatment for patients with clinically localized muscle‐invasive bladder cancer. The standard perioperative chemotherapy is methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin (MVAC). However, no prospective randomized trial has been published that compares neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy for bladder cancer. Moreover, the efficacy of perioperative chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) has not been clarified. In this study we have compared the clinical outcomes between neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients receiving GC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who were scheduled to be treated with a radical cystectomy plus perioperative chemotherapy with GC from 2005 to 2010 at our institution. The primary outcome measure was recurrence‐free survival (RFS).

Results

A total of 42 patients received perioperative chemotherapy with GC (25 neoadjuvant, 17 adjuvant). The median number of cycles of GC administered to the two groups was not significantly different. The median duration of follow up was 28.6 months. During the follow‐up period, recurrence was observed in nine and three patients in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups, respectively. The RFS rate at median follow up was 67 and 76% in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups, respectively. No significant difference in RFS at median follow up was observed between the two groups (P = 0.124).

Conclusion

Our results showed no statistically significant difference in RFS between neoadjuvant and adjuvant GC chemotherapy for muscle‐invasive bladder cancer. We expect to validate these findings in a prospective randomized trial.
The ‘Hygiene hypothesis’ and the sharp gradient in the incidence of autoimmune and allergic diseases between Russian Karelia and Finland
Authors: Kondrashova Anita , Seiskari Tapio , Ilonen Jorma , Knip Mikael , Hyöty Heikki
Published: November 2012

Autoimmune and allergic diseases have become a major health problem in the Western world during past decades. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that decreased microbial exposure in childhood leads to increasing prevalence of these diseases. This review summarizes epidemiological evidence and current immunological knowledge concerning the hygiene hypothesis. Recent results from Russian Karelia and Finland imply that environmental factors have greatly contributed to the increasing prevalence of immune‐mediated disorders. Infections, or lack of them, may indeed be strongly involved in the development of both autoimmune and allergic diseases.
Levels of satisfaction with current chronic constipation treatment options in Europe – an internet survey
Authors: Müller‐Lissner S. , Tack J. , Feng Y. , Schenck F. , Specht Gryp R.
Published: November 2012

Background

Data on treatment satisfaction in European men and women with chronic constipation are limited.

Aim

To assess satisfaction with current treatment among European men and women with chronic constipation.

Methods

An internet‐based survey was conducted in 2009 in 10 European countries: Austria, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. Participants had self‐reported chronic constipation (<3 bowel movements/week and ≥1 symptoms for ≥6 months of: pain during defecation; lumpy/hard faeces; and feeling of incomplete evacuation). Demographic data and disease history were collected. For participants using laxatives, drug name/class, satisfaction with treatment and interest in other treatments were collected.

Results

Of the 1941 participants screened, 1355 had chronic constipation and met the inclusion criteria (chronic constipation population). The majority of the chronic constipation population who disclosed their sex (n = 811) were women (82%). Sixty‐eight per cent of respondents (n = 855/1255) reported using laxatives, with the proportion of laxative users differing between subsets. Twenty‐eight per cent (n = 225/793) were (very) satisfied with their treatment, whereas 44% (n = 345/793) were neutral and 28% (n = 223/793) (very) dissatisfied. There was no relationship between type of laxative and degree of (dis)satisfaction. Interest in other treatments was high with 83% (n = 686/827) of respondents ‘absolutely’ or ‘probably’ interested. Respondents dissatisfied with their treatment were more likely to be interested in other treatments.

Conclusions

Laxative‐use is common for chronic constipation. In this large survey, 28% of participants were dissatisfied with their treatment, with the majority interested in other treatments.
Useful and convenient procedure for intermittent vascular occlusion in laparoscopic hepatectomy
Authors: Okuda Yukihiro , Honda Goro , Kurata Masanao , Kobayashi Shin
Published: November 2012

Introduction

While the amount of blood loss during laparoscopic hepatectomy tends to be smaller than that during open hepatectomy, intermittent vascular occlusion to control hepatic inflow can diminish blood loss during laparoscopic hepatectomy. Described herein is a useful and convenient method for intermittent vascular occlusion, which was standardized for laparoscopic hepatectomy.

Methods

A tourniquet system consisting of cloth tape and a 20‐cm catheter was used for intermittent vascular occlusion. This was placed through a hole in the abdominal wall from which a 5‐mm trocar had been extracted. By operating this tourniquet system outside the patient's body, we were easily able to repeat intermittent vascular occlusion. Twenty‐three patients underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy using this system.

Results

The mean time of operation and vascular occlusion were 311.6 and 83.6 min, respectively. The mean blood loss was 215.0 mL. There were no intraoperative blood transfusions or critical postoperative complications. The average length of postoperative hospital stay was 6.5 days. The mean time to place this system was 354 s, and there were no complications caused by this system.

Conclusion

During totally laparoscopic hepatectomy, surgeons can perform intermittent vascular occlusion safely by using this method.
Should Women Care Less? Intrinsic Motivation and Gender Inequality
Authors: Folbre Nancy
Published: November 2012

Gendered values, norms and preferences shape the intrinsic motivation to provide care for others. This article situates an analysis of this motivation within the broader literature on gender inequality, explaining why it has costly consequences for women in both the home and the labour market, even as it provides considerable personal satisfaction and social benefit. Further movement towards gender equality may depend on the success of political and cultural efforts to ‘de‐gender’ normative obligations to care.
Metabolism and bioactivation of famitinib, a novel inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinase, in cancer patients
Authors: Xie Cen , Zhou Jialan , Guo Zitao , Diao Xingxing , Gao Zhiwei , Zhong Dafang , Jiang Haoyuan , Zhang Lijia , Chen Xiaoyan
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose

Famitinib is a novel multi‐targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor under development for cancer treatment. This study aims to characterize the metabolic and bioactivation pathways of famitinib.

Experimental Approach

The metabolites in human plasma, urine and feces were identified via ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole‐time of flight‐mass spectrometry and confirmed using synthetic standards. Biotransformation and bioactivation mechanisms were investigated using microsomes, recombinant metabolic enzymes and hepatocytes.

Key Results

Famitinib was extensively metabolized after repeated oral administrations. Unchanged famitinib was the major circulating material, followed by N‐desethylfaminitib (M3), whose steady‐state exposure represented 7.2 to 7.5% that of the parent drug. Metabolites in the excreta were mainly from oxidative deamination (M1), N‐desethylation (M3), oxidative defluorination (M7), indolylidene hydroxylation (M9‐1 and M9‐5) and secondary phase‐II conjugations. CYP3A4/5 was the major contributor to M3 formation, CYP3A4/5 and aldehyde dehydrogenase to M1 formation and CYP1A1/2 to M7, M9‐1 and M9‐5 formations. Minor cysteine conjugates were observed in the plasma, urine and feces, implying the formation of reactive intermediate(s). In vitro microsomal studies proved that famitinib was bioactivated through epoxidation at indolylidene by CYP1A1/2 and spontaneously defluorinated rearrangement to afford a quinone‐imine species. A correlation between famitinib hepatotoxicity and its bioactivation was observed in the primary human hepatocytes.

Conclusion and Implications

Famitinib is well absorbed and extensively metabolized in cancer patients. Multiple enzymes, mainly CYP3A4/5 and CYP1A1/2, are involved in famitinib metabolic clearance. The quinone‐imine intermediate formed through bioactivation may be associated with famitinib hepatotoxicity. Co‐administered CYP1A1/2 inducers or inhibitors may potentiate or suppress its hepatotoxicity.
The correlation between T helper type 17 cells and clinical characters in Chinese paediatric patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Zhu S , Zhang H , Dong Y , Xu Z , Chen D , Wang L , Gan Y , Wang F , Wang Y , Xing X , Hu S , Li Z , Long L , Liu L , Zhong Y
Published: November 2012

Interleukin (IL)-17-mediated immune response has been shown to play a critical role in inflammation-associated disease. However, its role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) in paediatric patients remains unknown. We investigated the frequency of T helper type 17 (Th17) cells and evaluated the association between the Th17 and clinical characters in paediatric patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The frequency of Th17 cells was detected by flow cytometry analyses from 65 paediatric patients with CHB and nine healthy controls. The degree of hepatic inflammation was graded using the histological activity index (HAI). Compared with healthy controls, the frequency of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was significantly higher in paediatric patients with CHB. The proportion of Th17 cells was higher in the patients with higher HAI score (G2–G3) compared to those subjects with lower HAI score (G0–G1), but the frequency of Th17 cells had no correlation with serum HBV DNA loads or alanine aminotransferase levels. Compared with the younger age group (age 1–6 years), Th17 cell frequency was higher in the older age group (age 7–18 years). Peripheral Th17 cell frequency is associated closely with inflammation activity of liver tissues in paediatric patients with CHB.
Unmasking Kabuki syndrome
Authors: Bögershausen N , Wollnik B
Published: November 2012

The identification of de novo dominant mutations in KMT2D (MLL2) as the main cause of Kabuki syndrome (KS) has shed new light on the pathogenesis of this well‐delineated condition consisting of a peculiar facial appearance, short stature, organ malformations and a varying degree of intellectual disability. Mutation screening studies have confirmed KMT2D as the major causative gene for KS and have at the same time provided evidence for its genetic heterogeneity. In this review, we aim to summarize the current clinical and molecular genetic knowledge on KS, provide genotype–phenotype correlations and propose a strategic clinical and molecular diagnostic approach for patients with suspected KS.
Refugee species: which historic baseline should inform conservation planning?
Authors: Kuemmerle Tobias , Hickler Thomas , Olofsson Jörgen , Schurgers Guy , Radeloff Volker C.
Published: November 2012

Understanding species' historical ranges can provide important information for conservation planning in the face of environmental change. Cromsigt et al. (this issue) comment on our recent European bison (Bison bonasus) range reconstruction, suggesting that bison were already 8000 years ago a refugee species (i.e. restricted to marginal habitat due to past human pressure) and that species distribution models (SDM) are generally of limited use for refugee species conservation. While we welcome this discussion, we find no evidence for the claim that human pressure prior to 8000 BP determined where bison occurred. More importantly, as human pressure is generally high and increasing, attempts to restore species across their former range may fail where the factors that relegated species into refugee status are still at play or where their optimal habitat has vanished. Identifying areas where human pressure is low and where refugee species have persisted over the last millennia is crucial, and SDM based on historical data are important for doing so. Refugee species suffer from the shifting baseline syndrome, but careful reality checks are needed and all available data should be considered before determining the baseline that should inform conservation planning.
Intensification of diabetes medication and risk for 30‐day readmission
Authors: Wei N. J. , Wexler D. J. , Nathan D. M. , Grant R. W.
Published: November 2012

Aim

To examine the association of in‐hospital diabetes regimen intensification with subsequent 30‐day risk for unplanned readmission/emergency department admission.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 1949 adults with Type 2 diabetes receiving primary care within an academic health network admitted to the hospital between January 2007 and December 2009. Glucose therapy intensification was defined as new start of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic agents, or addition of prandial insulin or insulin mixtures. The association of glucose therapy intensification with subsequent 30‐day risk for unplanned readmission/emergency department admission was examined, with focus on medicine service patients with poorly controlled glycaemia (baseline HbA1c ≥ 64 mmol/mol).

Results

One in six patients (324/1949, 17%) had early readmission/emergency department admission. Compared with patients without early readmission, readmitted patients were more often male (58 vs. 52%, P = 0.03), had higher Charlson co‐morbidity score [mean (sd) 3.0 (2.0) vs. 2.8 (1.8), P = 0.02], longer length of stay [5 (4.4) vs. 3.9 (3.3) days, P < 0.01] and were more often discharged home with nursing services (38 vs. 32%, P = 0.03). Overall, glucose therapy intensification was not associated with early hospital readmission/emergency department admission (odds ratio 0.94, 95% CI 0.64–1.37, P = 0.74). However, among medicine service patients with baseline HbA1c ≥ 64 mmol/mol (8%), glucose therapy intensification was associated with a significantly decreased early readmission risk (adjusted odds ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.12–0.88, P = 0.03) and lower post‐discharge HbA1c {mean decrease (sd): 20 (26) mmol/mol [1.8 (2.4)%] vs. 7 (15) mmol/mol [0.6 (1.4)%], P < 0.01}.

Conclusions

Diabetes medical regimen intensification during hospitalization was not associated with early readmission. Among patients with elevated HbA1c, glucose therapy intensification was associated with a decreased 30‐day readmission/emergency department admission risk and lower outpatient HbA1c levels. Our findings support the safety and durable impact of diabetes regimen optimization during hospital admission.
The impact of regional deprivation and individual socio‐economic status on the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Germany. A pooled analysis of five population‐based studies
Authors: Maier W. , Holle R. , Hunger M. , Peters A. , Meisinger C. , Greiser K. H. , Kluttig A. , Völzke H. , Schipf S. , Moebus S. , Bokhof B. , Berger K. , Mueller G. , Rathmann W. , Tamayo T. , Mielck A. ,   for the DIAB‐CORE Consortium
Published: November 2012

Aim

Our objective was to test the hypothesis that the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes increases with increasing regional deprivation even after controlling for individual socio‐economic status.

Methods

We pooled cross‐sectional data from five German population‐based studies. The data set contained information on n = 11 688 study participants (men 50.1%) aged 45–74 years, of whom 1008 people had prevalent Type 2 diabetes (men 56.2%). Logistic multilevel regression was performed to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for diabetes prevalence. We controlled for sex, age and lifestyle risk factors, individual socio‐economic status and regional deprivation, based on a new small‐area deprivation measure, the German Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Results

Adjusted for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, smoking status and alcohol consumption, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes showed a stepwise increase in risk with increasing area deprivation [OR 1.88 (95% CI 1.16–3.04) in quintile 4 and OR 2.14 (95% CI 1.29–3.55) in quintile 5 compared with the least deprived quintile 1], even after controlling for individual socio‐economic status. Focusing on individual socio‐economic status alone, the risk of having diabetes was significantly higher for low compared with medium or high educational level [OR 1.46 (95% CI 1.24–1.71)] and for the lowest compared with the highest income group [OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.18–1.99)].

Conclusion

Regional deprivation plays a significant part in the explanation of diabetes prevalence in Germany independently of individual socio‐economic status. The results of the present study could help to target public health measures in deprived regions.
CD14++CD16+ monocytes in patients with acute ischaemic heart failure
Authors: Wrigley Benjamin J. , Shantsila Eduard , Tapp Luke D. , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: November 2012

Background

Monocytes play important roles in inflammation, angiogenesis and tissue repair and may contribute to the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF).

Objectives

We examined differences in monocyte subset numbers and expression of cell surface markers of activation (CD14) and chemotaxis (CCR2) in patients with acute HF (AHF), stable HF (SHF), and controls and evaluated their impact on clinical outcomes.

Methods

Three monocyte subsets [CD14++CD16−CCR2+ (Mon1), CD14++CD16+CCR2+ (Mon2) and CD14+CD16++CCR2− (Mon3)] were analysed by flow cytometry in 51 patients with AHF, 42 patients with SHF, 44 patients with stable coronary artery disease and without HF (CAD) and 40 healthy controls (HC). The prognostic impact of monocyte subsets was examined in AHF.

Results

Patients with AHF had significantly higher Mon1 counts compared to the three control groups (P < 0·001 for all). Similarly, Mon2 levels were increased in AHF compared to SHF (P = 0·004) and CAD (P < 0·001) and increased in SHF vs. CAD (P = 0·009). There were no differences in Mon3 counts between the groups. Twenty patients (39·2%) with AHF reached the primary end‐point of death or re‐hospitalisation, and after adjustment for confounders, Mon2 count remained negatively associated with a combined end‐point of death and re‐hospitalisation [hazard ratio (per 10 cells/μL): 0·79; confidence interval: 0·66–0·94; P = 0·009].

Conclusions

Mon2 counts are increased in patients with both acute and stable HF, with enhanced expression of surface markers of activation (CD14) and chemotaxis (CCR2). This subset was also associated with an adverse prognosis in patients with AHF.
Mitogen‐ and stress‐activated protein kinase 1 modulates photic entrainment of the suprachiasmatic circadian clock
Authors: Cao Ruifeng , Butcher Greg Q. , Karelina Kate , Arthur J. Simon , Obrietan Karl
Published: November 2012

The master circadian clock in mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), is under the entraining influence of the external light cycle. At a mechanistic level, intracellular signaling via the p42/44 mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway appears to play a central role in light‐evoked clock entrainment; however, the precise downstream mechanisms by which this pathway influences clock timing are not known. Within this context, we have previously reported that light stimulates activation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase effector mitogen‐stress‐activated kinase 1 (MSK1) in the SCN. In this study, we utilised MSK1−/− mice to further investigate the potential role of MSK1 in circadian clock timing and entrainment. Locomotor activity analysis revealed that MSK1 null mice entrained to a 12 h light/dark cycle and exhibited circadian free‐running rhythms in constant darkness. Interestingly, the free‐running period in MSK1 null mice was significantly longer than in wild‐type control animals, and MSK1 null mice exhibited a significantly greater variance in activity onset. Further, MSK1 null mice exhibited a significant reduction in the phase‐delaying response to an early night light pulse (100 lux, 15 min), and, using an 8 h phase‐advancing ‘jet‐lag’ experimental paradigm, MSK1 knockout animals exhibited a significantly delayed rate of re‐entrainment. At the molecular level, early night light‐evoked cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, histone phosphorylation and Period1 gene expression were markedly attenuated in MSK1−/− animals relative to wild‐type mice. Together, these data provide key new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which MSK1 affects the SCN clock.
How Did the Spanish Financial System Survive the First Stage of the Global Crisis?
Authors: Royo Sebastián
Published: November 2012

This article analyzed the impact of the global crisis on the Spanish financial system between 2008 and 2010. It shows that, overall, the performance of the largest Spanish financial institutions was positive. The article examined why, and outlined some lessons. It contendedthat this response was largely driven by institutional, political, and cultural factors. At the same time, the article showed that as the crisis intensified, Spain's banking sector could not escape its dramatic effects.

Deteriorating economic conditions, the implosion of the real estate market, the dependence on wholesale funding, weaknesses in the regulatory framework, and the role of the Bank of Spain all helped to explain this reversal.

Finally, the article considered the Spanish experience within the framework of the varieties of capitalism literature. It showed that differences among financial systems persist. Indeed, in Spain, the crisis has led to extensive regulatory intervention, reinforcing the preexisting model.
The British Nutrition Transition and its Histories
Authors: Otter Chris
Published: November 2012

This paper argues that food has become an increasingly important topic in British historiography. To frame this historiographical analysis, the paper focuses on the “nutrition transition” in Britain, which took place between around 1750 and 1950. This transition marked a shift towards a diet rich in refined wheat, sugar, dairy and meat. The paper explores various phenomena related to the nutrition transition, notably changes in the standard of living, the relationship between the state and the economy, the impact of war, and the development of globalization. These various historical developments have all become rich areas for historiographical analysis and debate. In general, we can observe a historiographical drift from “social” approaches to the history of food through “cultural” ones to today’s situation, which is one of methodological innovation and profusion. This situation suggests that some of the most interesting writing on British history is currently about food.
The Legal Status of Piracy in Medieval Europe
Authors: Tai Emily Sohmer
Published: November 2012

This article discusses the history of maritime theft, or piracy, in medieval Europe, not so much as a crime but rather as a case study in legal pluralism: the operation of competing systems of law across a common region. Although scholarship has often interpreted sources for medieval European piracy through the filter of early modern conditions, the parameters of how disputes over piracy were settled within the conflicting legal systems of medieval Europe may have heuristic implications for understanding twenty‐first century piracy. On the one hand, statutes of royal and civic polities across medieval Europe uniformly adhered to Roman legal precedents in condemning piracy as a capital crime. On the other hand, selective campaigns of maritime predation, referred to in the Latin sources as sailing ad piraticam or in cursum, (hence the term corsair), were sanctioned by medieval European polities when directed against political and economic rivals. Legal and narrative sources for maritime theft nevertheless indicate that piracy was often conflated with the operation of enemy corsairs in a manner that carried implications for the imposition of capital penalties on maritime marauders as well as for merchants who attempted to obtain compensation, or restitution, for cargo seized in a corsair raid from polities charged with authorizing their operations. Attempts to obtain restitution could also be complicated by commercial patterns subtly interwoven with maritime theft.
“Can We still Use ‘Separate Spheres’? British History 25 Years After Family Fortunes”
Authors: Steinbach Susie
Published: November 2012

Historians of Britain often call the period between 1780 and 1850 the age of ‘separate spheres’ or ‘domestic ideology’ for men and women, and when they do, they are likely to reference Leonore Davidoff and Catherine Hall’sFamily Fortunes: Men and Women of the English Working Class, 1780–1850(1987). This essay takes the 25th anniversary ofFamily Fortunesas an occasion on which to assess the book and its treatment of the ideology of separate spheres. Careful reading reveals that whileFamily Fortunesis often remembered as championing an historical focus on the emergence of separate spheres ideology, it is in fact an account of the formation of the English middle class that interprets separate spheres ideology in complex and nuanced ways. The principal contribution ofFamily Fortunesis its demonstration that notions of gender were central to class as it was constructed and as it was experienced and lived out. Gender was not merely an aspect of social life; rather, gender and class were mutually constitutive.
Loss of genetic diversity and increased genetic structuring in response to forest area reduction in a ground dwelling insect: a case study of the flightless carabid beetle Carabus problematicus (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Authors: Gaublomme Eva , Maebe Kevin , Van Doninck Karine , Dhuyvetter Hilde , Li Xiang , Desender Konjev , Hendrickx Frederik
Published: November 2012

Old growth temperate broadleaved forests are characterised by a large proportion of forest specialists with low dispersal capability. Hence, species bound to this habitat are expected to be highly susceptible to the effects of decreasing patch size and increasing isolation.

Here, we investigate the relative effect of both factors by genotyping individuals of a flightless and forest specialist beetle Carabus problematicus from 29 populations, sampled in 21 different forest fragments in Belgium, at eight microsatellite loci.

A high degree of genetic differentiation among fragments was observed, with populations from smaller forests being considerably more differentiated and characterised by a lower genetic diversity compared to those of larger forests.

A more detailed study on forest remnants of a former historic continuous woodland area revealed that population differentiation was high among, but not within remnants, irrespective of geographical distance. This suggests that patch fragmentation rather than geographical distance is the ultimate factor that hampers gene flow in this species.

The results indicate that gene flow among suitable habitat patches is primarily reduced by the inability of this specialised species to traverse the landscape matrix. This lack of dispersal may pose a serious threat for the persistence of C. problematicus and ecologically similar species, and suggests that present populations can best be protected by securing or increasing the size of existing habitat patches.
Developmental structure of the vertebral column, fins, scutes and scales in bester sturgeon, a hybrid of beluga Huso huso and sterlet Acipenser ruthenus
Authors: Zhang X. , Shimoda K. , Ura K. , Adachi S. , Takagi Y.
Published: November 2012

In the larval bester, a hybrid sturgeon of beluga Huso huso and sterlet Acipenser ruthenus, development of cartilage around the notochord began 7 days post hatch (dph) (14·0 mm, total length, LT). The vertebral cartilage develops in the following sequence: basidorsals and basiventrals, neural canals, neural spines and ribs. The development of ribs remained incomplete in the largest specimen (181 dph, 179 mm LT) that was examined. Endoskeletal development of the fins began 4 dph for the dorsal and anal fins, 6 dph for the pectoral fin and 10 dph for the caudal and pelvic fins. Complete elements of all fins were observed by 91 dph and complete ossification of fin rays was observed by 122 dph in the double‐stained specimens. Observation of the histological sections, however, suggested that ossification occurred soon after the formation of the organic matrix in the fin rays. Dorsal scutes were first visible by 25 dph, followed by the lateral and ventral scutes, which were visible by 37 and 44 dph, respectively. The number of scutes was fixed at 44, 59 and 91 dph and ossification was complete by 59 (dorsal) and 91 dph (lateral and ventral scutes) in the double‐stained specimens. Ossification occurred soon after the formation of the scute organic matrix in the histological sections. Four types of scales were observed in the H. huso×A. ruthenus hybrid. Median predorsal, preanal and small scales on the anterior section of the head were visible by 59 dph. Scales on the caudal fin were visible by 91 dph and a variable assemblage of scales anterior to the anal fin was visible by 122 dph. Both the scutes and scales developed in a process that is similar to that of intramembranous ossification.
Day and night trophic variations of dominant fish species in a lagoon influenced by freshwater seeps
Authors: Arceo‐Carranza D. , Vega‐Cendejas M. E. , Hernández de Santillana M.
Published: November 2012

The aim of this study was to determine the trophic structure and nycthemeral variations in the diet of dominant fish species (Ariopsis felis, Bairdiella chrysoura, Micropogonias undulatus, Eucinostomus gula, Eucinostomus argenteus, Lagodon rhomboides and Sphoeroides testudineus) in Celestun Lagoon, a biosphere reserve located in the southern Gulf of Mexico, and influenced by freshwater seeps. A total of 1473 stomachs were analysed and nine trophic groups were recorded. Bray–Curtis analyses with analyses of similarity (ANOSIM) statistical tests were used to determine two groups of feeding guilds: zoobenthivores and omnivores, with significant differences between time and habitat. The relationships between fish feeding habits, size class and environmental variables were investigated using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Most of the species showed a low niche breadth with high specialization towards amphipod consumption, with the exception of L. rhomboides (0·60), which indicated generalist feeding. This study in a protected area is an important source of information for drawing up conservation policies in relation to the management of aquatic resources, and will aid in the establishment of priority areas for conservation.
Gene profiling in partially resistant and susceptible near‐isogenic tomatoes in response to late blight in the field
Authors: Cai Guohong , Restrepo Silvia , Myers Kevin , Zuluaga Paola , Danies Giovanna , Smart Christine , Fry William
Published: November 2012

In order to better understand resistance to Phytophthora infestans in tomato, we compared the global gene expression of the susceptible tomato, M82, with its more resistant near‐isogenic line, 6‐2 (IL6‐2), under field conditions using a microarray with more than 12 800 tomato expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Because variance in the field was a major concern, we investigated the likelihood of false positives or false negatives and demonstrated that either probability was very low. The two isolines had indistinguishable constitutive gene expressions prior to inoculation. However, a few genes were particularly prone to variation in both isolines in the absence of P. infestans. Included among these genes were catalase, genes coding for pathogenesis‐related proteins, endochitinase and cytochrome P450. In response to inoculation with P. infestans, a time course of gene expression identified 1248 transcripts that were similarly induced or repressed in each line, and 991 that were differentially expressed between the two lines. These differences provide hypotheses to explain the difference in resistance between the two isolines. For example, one hypothesis is that genes up‐regulated in IL6‐2 in response to inoculation with P. infestans, but not up‐regulated in M82, contribute to the resistance in IL6‐2. Using virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS), we were able to partially silence two such genes—one encoded a protein with homology to an R gene with the Toll/interleukin‐1 receptor–nucleotide‐binding site–leucine‐rich repeat (TIR‐NBS‐LRR) motif (37O19) and the other encoded a peroxisomal membrane protein (35P7). Partial silencing of 37O19 reduced the resistance in IL6‐2 (P = 0.001), but had no effect on the response of M82. Partial silencing of 35P7 reduced the resistance in IL6‐2 moderately significantly (P = 0.067), but had no effect in M82. We expect that hypotheses developed from this gene expression study performed under field conditions will provide an important avenue to an accurate understanding of the genes involved in resistance.
Molecular cloning and characterization of an endogenous digestive β‐glucosidase from the midgut of the fungus‐growing termite Macrotermes barneyi
Authors: Wu Y. , Chi S. , Yun C. , Shen Y. , Tokuda G. , Ni J.
Published: November 2012

β‐glucosidase from the midgut of the fungus‐growing termite Macrotermes barneyi was first cloned and characterized to gain a better understanding of cellulolytic systems in fungus‐growing termites. β‐glucosidase activity was proven to present primarily in the midgut of M. barneyi and two β‐glucosidases were partially purified from the midgut. Based on the N‐terminus sequence of one of the β‐glucosidases, a full‐length cDNA fragment of 1708 bp was obtained. This sequence encodes a 493 amino acid protein belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 1. Quantitative real‐time PCR analysis proved that the β‐glucosidase gene was primarily expressed in the midgut. β‐glucosidase was expressed heterologously and biochemically characterized. Results indicate that β‐glucosidase is an endogenous, midgut‐origin termite digestive enzyme. It may have applications in understanding the mechanism of lignocellulose degradation in fungus‐growing termites.
The impact of staff and service user gender on staff responses towards adults with intellectual disabilities who display aggressive behaviour
Authors: Kleinberg I. , Scior K.
Published: November 2012

Background

The impact of staff and service user gender on responses of staff in intellectual disability (ID) services is poorly understood. The present study set out to assess the role of gender in influencing staff emotions, attributions and behavioural intentions in response to aggression displayed by adults with ID.

Method

A new scale measuring staff behavioural intentions was developed. A two × two (staff gender × service user gender) between subjects design was used to compare the responses of day and residential support staff to physical aggression by a hypothetical service user. In response to a vignette depicting a service user with ID assaulting a member of staff, 160 respondents completed measures of affective responses, causal attributions and behavioural intentions while imagining themselves as the target of the service user's assault.

Results

Female participants reported feeling more fear/anxiety, more depression/anger and less confident/relaxed than male participants. The longer staff had worked with people with ID, the more likely they were to favour safety‐focused behaviours. More confident female participants were less likely to favour safety‐focused behaviours, but confidence had no effect on male participants' endorsement of these behaviours. Increased confidence in both was associated with lower agreement of safety‐focused behaviours in relation to the female vignette, regardless of participant gender. The more control women believed the service user had over their behaviour, the more likely they were to choose safety‐focused behaviours. Punitive behaviours were favoured more in response to the male rather than the female service user. Punitive behaviours were also favoured more by more junior staff and by participants who expected feeling more depressed/angry in response to the vignettes.

Conclusions

Both staff and service user gender influenced staff responses to aggression, yet the latter played a smaller role than expected. The role of gender in staff–service user interactions should be the focus of further research and should be considered in service delivery.