bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lipid parameters in patients with acute coronary syndromes versus stable coronary artery disease
Authors: Vonbank Alexander , Saely Christoph H. , Rein Philipp , Drexel Heinz
Published: August 2015

Background

Differences in lipid parameters between patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) are unclear and are addressed in this study.

Methods

We enrolled 582 patients with angiographically proven stable CAD (of whom 26·9% had diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM)) and 182 patients with ACS (of whom 35·8% had T2DM).

Results

HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 levels were significantly lower in patients with ACS than in patients with CAD (46 ± 16 mg/dL vs. 50 ± 16 mg/dL, P < 0·001, and 139 ± 30 mg/dL vs. 155 ± 31 mg/dL, P < 0·001, respectively). Analysis of covariance (ancova) adjusting for age, gender, smoking, BMI, statin therapy, alcohol use, hypertension and diabetic state confirmed an independent impact of ACS on HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 levels (F = 24·1; P < 0·001). In contrast, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non‐HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels did not differ significantly between patients with ACS and patients with stable CAD.

Conclusion

HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 levels are lower in patients with ACS than in patients with stable CAD.
Additional Prognostic Value of EAS index in predicting the occurrence of rehospitalizations in chronic heart failure: data from the Daunia Heart Failure Registry
Authors: Correale Michele , Totaro Antonio , Ferraretti Armando , Musaico Francesco , Passero Tommaso , De Rosa Fiorella , Abruzzese Silvia , Ieva Riccardo , Di Biase Matteo , Brunetti Natale Daniele
Published: August 2015

Background

Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) may be useful in identifying subjects at higher risk among patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The clinical role of newly developed TDI parameters, however, still needs to be documented.

Methods

A total of 287 consecutive patients with CHF enrolled in the Daunia Heart Failure Registry underwent echocardiography assessment and were followed prospectively for a median 255 (204–316) days. Conventional echocardiography and TDI parameters were calculated. We also quantified by TDI a combined index (EAS index) of diastolic and systolic performance E’/(A'xS’) and assessed its possible additional prognostic role in combination with ‘traditional’ parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and myocardial performance index (MPI).

Results

Subjects readmitted for worsening HF were characterized by higher levels of EAS index (median 0·14 (95% C.I. 0·12–0·21) vs. 0·11 (0·10–0·12, P < 0·05)). Increased rates of rehospitalization were found in subjects with EAS index >median (0·115) (21% vs. 10%, P < 0·05); higher EAS index values predicted the incidence of readmissions for worsening HF during follow‐up, even at multivariable analysis. The assessment of EAS index in addition to LVEF and MPI showed an adjunctive prognostic value (log‐rank P < 0·001 and P < 0·05, respectively).

Conclusions

EAS index assessed by TDI may be helpful in predicting the risk of rehospitalizations in subjects with CHF. EAS index may represent an independent adjunctive tool for the risk stratification of patients with CHF in addition to ‘traditional’ tools such as LVEF or MPI.
The African rainforest: odd man out or megafaunal landscape? African and Amazonian forests compared
Authors: Terborgh J. , Davenport L. C. , Niangadouma R. , Dimoto E. , Mouandza J. C. , Schultz O. , Jaen M. R.
Published: August 2015

Africa has been called the ‘odd man out’ because the hectare‐scale tree diversity of African equatorial forests is lower than that of forests in other parts of the tropics. Low diversity has been attributed to the smaller area of the African forest and a history of drought, fire and contraction. Several facts shed doubt on this interpretation. The current area of the central African forest is roughly 2 million km2. Even during periods of Pleistocene contraction, numerous moist refugia remained, including 6 posited for Gabon, a country the size of the U. S. state of Colorado. The gamma‐diversity of Gabon is high, implying higher alpha diversities. Finally, tree diversities on small islands in the Solomons and Fiji archipelagos are twice those prevalent in Gabonese forests, suggesting that historical contractions may not have been sufficient to reduce diversity to its current level.

To place the African situation in perspective, we compared tree stands in Gabon and the Peruvian Amazon. Peruvian forests contained a mean of 618 trees ≥ 10 cm dbh per ha vs 377 for Gabon, or 64% more. Peruvian forests contained relatively more small trees (≥ 10, <20 cm dbh) and many fewer large trees (≥ 20 cm dbh) than Gabonese forests. These structural differences were consistent across 10 Gabonese and 10 Peruvian sites and transcended local gradients in climate and geology, suggesting that they are intrinsic to the two continents. Tree species diversity in Perú is concentrated in the small tree class (≥ 10, <20 cm dbh), whereas it is highest in the larger tree classes in Gabon. Alpha diversity is apparently lower relative to gamma diversity in Africa than it is in Amazonian Perú , implying higher beta diversity. The densities of small plants (<1 m tall) are similar in Gabonese and Peruvian forests; the observed structural differences develop later at the sapling and small tree stages. Explaining the low hectare‐scale diversity of African forests thus reduces to understanding why the density and diversity of small trees is so anomalously low.
Non‐anaemic iron deficiency – a disease looking for recognition of diagnosis: a systematic review
Authors: Pratt Jeremy J. , Khan Khalid S.
Published: August 2015

Objective

To capture all data meeting a rigid definition of non‐anaemic iron deficiency (NAID) and determine whether it is associated with poor outcomes compared with normal iron status and whether iron supplementation improves outcomes in NAID.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

EMBASE, Medline, Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and Central from database inception to April 2014.

Eligibility criteria

Ferritin <16 μg/L (<12 μg/L if age <5 yr) in the absence of anaemia in observational studies or randomised trials. Where populations were deemed to be sufficiently similar, meta‐analysis was undertaken.

Results

There were 21 studies included. NAID in pregnancy associated with reduction in birthweight (P = 0.028). Iron supplementation in NAID was associated with improvement in objective scores (P = 0.005) and self‐rating (P = 0.03) of fatigue. Meta‐analysis was limited and, where possible, was not statistically significant including the comparison of NAID with cardiovascular function in adults (VO2max P = 0.21, RERmax P = 0.68), educational attainment in children (P = 0.14), infant mental (P = 0.29) and psychomotor (P = 0.07) development, and iron supplementation in NAID with educational attainment in language (P = 0.31).

Conclusions

There is emerging evidence that NAID is a disease in its own right, deserving of further research in the development of strategies for detection and treatment.
Long‐term remission in idiopathic Castleman's disease with tocilizumab followed by consolidation with high‐dose melphalan—two case studies
Authors: Jerkeman Mats , Lindén Ola
Published: August 2015

Multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disorder, often associated with a clinically aggressive behavior. No standard treatment has been established, but patients are usually treated with lymphoma‐type regimens such as rituximab or combination chemotherapy. Recently, immunotherapies targeting IL‐6 have proven effective and have been approved for this indication. However, these agents require long‐term administration. Here, we describe the clinical course of two patients, refractory to rituximab and chemotherapy, showing long‐term remission (18 and 24 months), following an induction phase with tocilizumab (an anti‐IL‐6 receptor antibody) and a consolidative phase with high‐dose melphalan accompanied by autologous stem cell support. This may prove to be an effective option for this group of patients with an orphan disorder.
Neurology and psychiatry: waking up to opportunities of sleep. : State of the art and clinical/research priorities for the next decade
Authors: Bassetti C. L. , Ferini‐Strambi L. , Brown S. , Adamantidis A. , Benedetti F. , Bruni O. , Cajochen C. , Dolenc‐Groselj L. , Ferri R. , Gais S. , Huber R. , Khatami R. , Lammers G. J. , Luppi P. H. , Manconi M. , Nissen C. , Nobili L. , Peigneux P. , Pollmächer T. , Randerath W. , Riemann D. , Santamaria J. , Schindler K. , Tafti M. , Van Someren E. , Wetter T. C.
Published: August 2015

In recent years, evidence has emerged for a bidirectional relationship between sleep and neurological and psychiatric disorders. First, sleep−wake disorders (SWDs) are very common and may be the first/main manifestation of underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders. Secondly, SWDs may represent an independent risk factor for neuropsychiatric morbidities. Thirdly, sleep−wake function (SWF) may influence the course and outcome of neurological and psychiatric disorders. This review summarizes the most important research and clinical findings in the fields of neuropsychiatric sleep and circadian research and medicine, and discusses the promise they bear for the next decade. The findings herein summarize discussions conducted in a workshop with 26 European experts in these fields, and formulate specific future priorities for clinical practice and translational research. More generally, the conclusion emerging from this workshop is the recognition of a tremendous opportunity offered by our knowledge of SWF and SWDs that has unfortunately not yet entered as an important key factor in clinical practice, particularly in Europe. Strengthening pre‐graduate and postgraduate teaching, creating academic multidisciplinary sleep−wake centres and simplifying diagnostic approaches of SWDs coupled with targeted treatment strategies yield enormous clinical benefits for these diseases.
A Constructive Genetic Algorithm for Discrete Dispersion on Point Feature Cartographic Label Placement Problems
Authors: Gomes Sóstenes Pereira , Lorena Luiz Antonio Nogueira , Ribeiro Glaydston Mattos
Published: August 2015

This article concerns the point feature cartographic label placement (PFCLP) problem, which is a NP‐hard (Non‐deterministic Polynomial‐time hard) combinatorial problem. It is considered that when all points must be labeled and overlaps are inevitable, the map can be more readable if overlapping labels are placed in a dispersive way, that is, overlapping labels are distant from each other. This work presents a constructive genetic algorithm (CGA) for the discrete dispersion PFCLP that utilizes the notion of masking to preserve optimal subsequences in chromosomes. We also define the discrete dispersion PFCLP as a mixed integer linear programming model, considering the problem of the minimum number of labels in conflict as well. The computational results validate our CGA approach using instances up to 5,046 points.
Outpatient Combined Group and Individual Cognitive–Behavioral Treatment for Patients With Migraine and Tension‐Type Headache in a Routine Clinical Setting
Authors: Christiansen Sandra , Jürgens Tim P. , Klinger Regine
Published: August 2015

Objective

To test the long‐term clinical effectiveness (follow‐up at 3, 6 and 12 months) of an outpatient combined group and individual cognitive‐behavioral treatment (CBT) for headache patients following standard medical care. A decrease in headache intensity, frequency, headache‐specific impairment, depression, and change of pain‐related cognitions was expected.

Background

The efficacy of CBT for primary headaches has been confirmed in research, yet the translation into clinical practice has remained untested thus far.

Design

In this single‐group outcome study, 87 headache patients diagnosed with migraine and/or tension‐type headache received (1) headache‐specific medication for 10 weeks and (2) a subsequent CBT treatment made up of 13 individual and 12 group sessions consisting of psychoeducation, progressive muscle relaxation, coping strategies for pain and stress, and goal setting skills. Booster group sessions after 3 and 6 months were implemented to stimulate individual goal attainment, and follow‐up measures were recorded up to 12 months.

Results

A significant decrease was found for all primary and secondary outcome criteria, ie, average headache intensity (prae M: 6.0, standard deviation [SD]: 1.5 vs follow‐up [FU] 1 year M: 5.1, SD: 1.9), headache frequency (prae M: 16.0, SD: 9.5 vs FU 1 year M: 13.4, SD: 9.9), and catastrophizing (prae M: 3.4, SD: 1.0 vs FU 1 year M: 2.6, SD: 1.1). Coping strategies were increased (prae M: 3.4, SD: .9 vs FU 1 year M: 4.0, SD: 1.0).

Conclusion

CBT treatment is a useful component within a routine clinical setting and can improve standard medical care thereby helping patients in managing their headache pain.
Construction of tissue microarrays from core needle biopsies – a systematic literature review
Authors: Albanghali Mohammad , Green Andrew , Rakha Emad , Aleskandarany Mohamed , Nolan Chris , Ellis Ian , Cheung Kwok‐Leung
Published: August 2015

In some clinical circumstances, core needle biopsy (CNB) may be the only source of material from cancer tissue for diagnostic use. The volume of tissue available in a CNB is low, and opportunities for research use can therefore be limited. The tissue microarray (TMA) principle, if applied to the use of CNBs, could facilitate research studies in circumstances where CNB specimens are available. However, various challenges are expected in applying such a technique in CNBs, which has limited their use in research. We therefore conducted a systematic review of the literature on this subject. A systematic search was carried out with CINAHL, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, and MEDLINE, to identify studies that have primarily developed methods for constructing TMAs from CNBs. Eight studies were found to meet the inclusion criteria; six of these employed the vertical rearrangement technique, and two used multiple layers of biopsy tissue. Representation of the CNB was significantly influenced by the quantity of tumour cells present in the original biopsy and the degree of heterogeneity of biomarker expression. This review shows that technologies have been developed to enable construction of TMAs from CNBs. However, challenges remain to improve amplification and representation.
Schleiermacher and Reformed Scholastics on the Divine Attributes
Authors: Pedersen Daniel J.
Published: August 2015

Schleiermacher's doctrine of the divine attributes has been controversial from its day until the present, with various nineteenth‐ and twentieth‐century figures seeing it as a theological novum. Recent work has clarified Schleiermacher's understanding of the status of the attributes, challenging the simplistic readings of his critics. However, the charge of novelty still has not been addressed. I argue in response to this charge that Schleiermacher's doctrine is best explained as an inheritance of the Reformed tradition. Not only is Schleiermacher's doctrine of the divine attributes nearly identical to that of his Reformed Scholastic predecessors, but Schleiermacher holds the same conceptions for the same reasons.
Australian case managers' views about the impact of antipsychotic medication on mental health consumers
Authors: Morrison Paul , Meehan Tom , Stomski Norman J.
Published: August 2015

This study examined case managers' views about antipsychotic medications and the impact of side‐effects on mental health consumers in a community setting. Nine case managers were purposively sampled and interviewed. Content analysis was used to generate a series of themes. The findings indicated that case managers perceived that a lack of consumer insight was one of the main reasons for wanting to reduce, or altogether cease, antipsychotic medication. However, case managers lacked an adequate level of knowledge about antipsychotic medication side‐effects. Without a sufficient level of knowledge, case managers may be unable to fully address consumers' concerns.
Effects of group goal content on group processes, collective efficacy, and satisfaction
Authors: Winton Steven L. , Kane Thomas D.
Published: August 2015

We examined the efficacy of groups possessing learning as opposed to performance goals on an interactive group task. As such, we predicted that the possession of learning goals focuses groups more on strategic processes than the possession of performance or do‐best goals. We further hypothesized that collective efficacy beliefs are most strongly correlated with performance for groups that possess performance goals because performance goals direct attention to task outcomes. Results indicated that groups assigned learning goals discussed more strategic information and reported greater satisfaction with performance. In addition, the relationship between task performance and collective efficacy was stronger for performance‐goal groups than learning‐goal groups. Overall, results suggested that causing groups to attend to processes required for effective group performance influences how groups regulate behavior and interpret feedback.
Mobilizing cause supporters through group‐based interaction
Authors: Bongiorno Renata , McGarty Craig , Kurz Tim , Haslam S. Alexander , Sibley Chris G.
Published: August 2015

Collective action expresses group‐based identities, formed by supporters seeking to further particular social causes. While the development of groups linked to action necessitates interaction among supporters, little research has examined how these groups form. Utilizing responses of supporters who participated in 1 of 29 action‐planning sessions, this research presents an initial attempt to identify the ingredients important to this process. It shows that to the extent that the actions agreed on in the course of group interactions were seen as capable of making a difference (action efficacy), and worthy of public expression (action voice), supporters’ group‐based identification was enhanced. This in turn increased their willingness to engage in collective action. Practical implications and avenues for future research to understand the mobilization process are discussed.
Effects of TNF‐α blocking on experimental periodontitis and type 2 diabetes in obese diabetic Zucker rats
Authors: Grauballe Morten Bay , Østergaard Jakob Appel , Schou Søren , Flyvbjerg Allan , Holmstrup Palle
Published: August 2015

Objective

Tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) is considered a key signalling modulator in the pathogenesis of both periodontitis (PD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). This study aims at elucidating the effect of TNF‐α blocking on the interplay between PD and DM2.

Methods

Obese diabetic Zucker rats and their lean littermates were divided into five treatment groups with or without periodontitis. Anti‐TNF‐α treatment was provided with Etanercept injections. Diabetic state was evaluated by oral glucose tolerance test, the homeostatic model assessment, free fatty acids and blood glucose. Systemic inflammation was assessed by measurement of interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6 and TNF‐α in plasma. Kidney complications were evaluated by real‐time rtPCR, creatinine clearance rate, urinary albumin excretion and increase in weight. PD was evaluated by registration of alveolar bone level.

Results

After 4 weeks the diabetic state was modified by Etanercept treatment with lower insulin levels and lower homeostatic model assessment. Furthermore, while kidney complications were reduced by Etanercept treatment, PD had no effect. PD was influenced by diabetic state, but the impact was attenuated by Etanercept treatment.

Conclusion

In this study anti‐TNF‐α treatment improved glucose tolerance and compensated for the increased periodontal disease in obese diabetic Zucker. PD did not influence diabetic parameters assessed including complications of the rats kidneys.
Assessment of gastric emptying in children: Establishment of control values utilizing a standardized vegetarian meal
Authors: Malik Rohan , Srivastava Anshu , Gambhir Sanjay , Yachha Surender K , Siddegowda Murthy , Ponnusamy Madusudhanan , Poddar Ujjal
Published: August 2015

Background and Aim:

Disorders of gastric emptying constitute an important group of conditions in children. The diagnostic gold standard is scintigraphy, and recommendations for standardization have been published with adult normative data. Pediatric literature lacks standardized age specific normative values. Our aim was to establish normal values of solid phase gastric emptying utilizing scintigraphy in children (5–18 years) using the recommended imaging protocol and standardized meal.

Methods:

Gastric emptying was assessed by scintigraphy of a 99mTc‐labeled vegetarian meal. Image acquisition was dynamic for first hour and static at 2, 3, and 4 h. Results were reported as percent intragastric retention; lag phase defined as time to 5% emptying.

Results:

Thirty (17 boys) healthy children, mean ages of 9.5 ± 3.1 (range 5 to 16) years, were enrolled. Median values (5th and 95th percentiles) for percent gastric retention at 30 min, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h were 90% (76 and 100%), 77% (56 and 96%), 33% (10 and 71%), 16% (3 and 44%), and 7% (0.5 and 22%). The median (5th and 95th percentiles) lag phase was 18 min (6 and 60 min). Lag phase had no correlation with gastric retention at 4 h.

Conclusions:

This study provides valuable normative ranges for solid phase gastric emptying in children. Using adult normative data in children may be inappropriate.
Biphasic Effect of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on Anterior Pituitary Folliculostellate TtT/GF Cell Coupling, and Connexin 43 Expression and Phosphorylation
Authors: Vitale M. L. , Barry A.
Published: August 2015

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a mitogenic and differentiating cytokine. In the anterior pituitary, folliculostellate (FS) cells constitute the major source of bFGF. bFGF affects endocrine cell proliferation and secretion in the anterior pituitary. In addition, bFGF increases its own expression by acting directly on FS cells. FS cell Cx43‐mediated gap junction intercellular communication allows the establishment of an intrapituitary network for the transmission of information. In the present study, we assessed how bFGF regulates FS cell coupling. Time course studies were carried out on the FS cell line TtT/GF. Short‐term bFGF treatment induced a transient cell uncoupling and the phosphorylation in Ser368 of membrane‐bound Cx43 without modifying Cx43 levels. We demonstrated the involvement of the protein kinase C (PKC) isoform α in the phosphorylation of Cx43 in S368. Moreover, we showed that bFGF induced PKCα activation by stimulating its expression, phosphorylation and association with the plasma membrane. The long‐term incubation with bFGF increased TtT/GF cell coupling, total Cx43 levels and Cx43 accumulation at the cell membrane of cytoplasmic projections. The Cx43 level increase was a result of the stimulation of Cx43 gene transcription as mediated by the extracellular‐regulated kinase 1/2 signalling pathway. Taken together, the data show that bFGF modulates TtT/GF cell coupling by activating different pathways that lead to opposite effects on Cx43 phosphorylation and expression depending on the duration of the exposure of the cells to bFGF. A short‐term bFGF exposure reduces cell‐to‐cell communication as a mean of desynchronising FS cells. By contrast, long‐term exposure to bFGF enhances cell‐to‐cell communication and facilitates coordination among FS cells.
SAVINGS IN TIMES OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE: LESSONS FROM THE GERMAN EXPERIENCE
Authors: Börsch‐Supan Axel , Bucher‐Koenen Tabea , Coppola Michela , Lamla Bettina
Published: August 2015

Pension reforms in many developed countries make individuals shoulder a bigger share of longevity and income risks. The desired response is that individuals accumulate private assets for retirement. Whether this actually takes place, is of paramount relevance for scientists and policy makers. We take Germany as an example: Twenty years of pension reform have transformed the monolithic German pension system into a multipillar system. Formerly generous public pension benefits are gradually being reduced, whereas substantial incentives are granted to occupational and private saving schemes. Has this transition worked out? We survey the reform steps and households’ reactions: How did individuals adjust their labor market behavior? How did private and occupational pension plans take off? How do behavioral adjustments vary in the population? Most Germans adapted to the new situation. Both actual and expected retirement decisions changed and the share of households without supplementary pensions decreased from 73% to 39% in little more than a decade. This is a remarkable success. Nonetheless, households with low education, low income and less financial education did neither adjust their retirement behavior nor pick up supplementary pension plans and are thus likely to face difficulties in bridging the gap arising in future pension income.
GENUINE SAVINGS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Authors: Hanley Nick , Dupuy Louis , McLaughlin Eoin
Published: August 2015

Genuine Savings (GS) has emerged as the leading economic indicator of sustainable economic development at the country level. It derives from the literatures on weak sustainability, wealth accounting and national income accounting. We discuss the theoretical underpinnings of GS, focusing on the relationship between changes in a nation's extended capital stock and the future path of consumption. The indicator has entered widespread use propelled by the World Bank's publications, despite its varying performance as a predictor for future consumption. Notwithstanding the extensive body of literature reviewed, promising future research avenues are identified.
DEFINING THE GOVERNMENT'S DEBT AND DEFICIT
Authors: Irwin Timothy C.
Published: August 2015

Although the budget deficit and the public debt feature prominently in political debate and economic research, there is no agreement about how they should be measured. They can be defined for different sets of public institutions, including the nested sets corresponding to central government, general government, and the public sector, and, for any definition of government, there are many measures of the debt and deficit, including those generated by four kinds of accounts (cash, financial, full accrual, and comprehensive), which can be derived from four nested sets of assets and liabilities. Each debt and deficit measure says something about public finances, but none tells the whole story. Each is also vulnerable to manipulation, and is likely to be manipulated if it is subject to a binding fiscal rule or target. Narrow definitions of government encourage the shifting of spending to entities outside the defined perimeter of government. Narrow definitions of debt and deficit encourage operations involving off‐balance‐sheets assets and liabilities, while broad measures are susceptible to the mismeasurement of on‐balance‐sheet assets and liabilities. Reviewing the literature on these issues, the paper concludes that governments should publish several measures of the debt and deficit in a form that clearly reveals their interrelationships.
STUDENT DEBT EFFECTS ON FINANCIAL WELL‐BEING: RESEARCH AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Authors: Elliott William , Lewis Melinda
Published: August 2015

Reviewing the data regarding effects of student debt on students’ financial outcomes following college – whether successful graduation or premature exit – makes clear that there is a price to pay for having to borrow money to go to college. Indebted college graduates have lower net worth, less home equity, and compromised ability to accumulate assets, as compared to their peers with the same level of education but no student debt. They may also experience poorer educational outcomes, with independent effects on earning power and, then, later wealth accumulation. Especially given the relationship between initial household wealth and children's later educational outcomes, these findings about the post‐college financial outcomes of indebted students and graduates raise the specter of ongoing, sustained, and cross‐generational perpetuation of societal divides. In the United States, higher education is valued not just as a good in itself, but also as a means to the end of greater economic security and the primary lever for economic mobility. Evaluating student loans through this lens underscores the long‐term, volatile, and often hidden effects of student loan dependence and raises the stakes for consideration of alternative approaches to higher education finance.
Perspectives on next steps in classification of oro‐facial pain – part 2: role of psychosocial factors
Authors: Durham J. , Raphael K. G. , Benoliel R. , Ceusters W. , Michelotti A. , Ohrbach R.
Published: August 2015

This study was initiated by a symposium, in which the present authors contributed, organised by the International RDC/TMD Consortium Network in March 2013. The purpose of the study was to review the status of biobehavioural research – both quantitative and qualitative – related to oro‐facial pain (OFP) with respect to the aetiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of OFP conditions, and how this information can optimally be used for developing a structured OFP classification system for research. In particular, we address representation of psychosocial entities in classification systems, use of qualitative research to identify and understand the full scope of psychosocial entities and their interaction, and the usage of classification system for guiding treatment. We then provide recommendations for addressing these problems, including how ontological principles can inform this process.
Pharmacokinetics of tildipirosin in pig tonsils
Authors: Torres F. , Santamaria R. , Jimenez M. , Menjón R. , Ibanez A. , Collell M. , Azlor O. , Fraile L.
Published: August 2015

The penetration of antimicrobials in pig tonsils is hardly known. The objective of the study was to quantify the tildipirosin (TD) penetration in tonsils. Animals were randomly divided into six groups (control, T1, T2 (1), T2(5), T2(10), and T2(15)) of eight animals. T1 and T2 groups received a dose of 2 and 4 mg of TD/kg bw in one shot (Zuprevo® MSD Animal Health), respectively, and the control group received 2 mL of saline solution. The animals were sacrificed by intravenous administration of pentobarbital sodium 24 h after finishing the treatment for the control, T1, and T2(1) groups, whereas animals of T2(5), T2(10), and T2(15) groups were sacrificed at 5, 10, and 15 days, post‐treatment, respectively. Tonsils and blood samples were taken at necropsy to obtain plasma, and the tildipirosin concentration was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection. The concentration in plasma was always significantly lower than in tonsil. Average TD tonsil concentrations increased significantly in a dose‐dependent manner, and the tonsil TD vs. plasma TD concentration ratio was approximately 75 for the doses of 2 and 4 mg of TD/kg bw at 24 h post‐treatment. Moreover, the maximum concentration of tildipirosin in tonsil was observed at 1 day postadministration, and this concentration decreased gradually from this day until 15 days postadministration for the dose of 4 mg of TD/kg bw. Finally, the ratio AUCtonsil/AUCplasma was 97.9, and the T1/2 (h) was clearly higher in tonsil than in plasma.
Liver transplant recipients and prioritization of anti‐HCV therapy: an Italian cohort analysis
Authors: Lanini Simone , Nanni Costa Alessandro , Grossi Paolo A. , Procaccio Francesco , Ricci Andrea , Capobianchi Maria R. , Terrault Norah A. , Ippolito Giuseppe
Published: August 2015

Background and Aims

In patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), recurrence of infection after liver transplant (LT) is universal and associated with worst survival. We present the results of an Italian cohort to compare the 3‐year outcome of HCV‐Ab‐positive and HCV‐Ab‐negative LT recipients and to assess the potential interaction between HCV‐Ab sero‐status and other risk factors for LT failure.

Methods

The study is a multicentre cohort including a sample of liver transplant centres. Participant's information was collected at the local level. The best functional form of variables was decided according to the objective methods based on information theory. Association between transplant failure and potential risk factors was assessed in univariate and multivariate Poisson regression model with random intercept.

Results

Between June 2007 and May 2009, 1164 LT recipients were enrolled in 16 Italian transplant centres, of them 275 (23.63%) experienced LT failure. Incidence rates of LT failure was 0.32 and 0.23 per 1000 person‐days in HCV‐Ab‐positive and HCV‐Ab‐negative recipients respectively (P = 0.003). Inferential models according to Akaike information criterion indicated that donor–recipient age difference and donor–recipient sex matching were more informative to predict LT failure than the age and the sex as separate variables. Multivariate analysis provided evidence that HCV‐Ab sero‐status, time after LT, donor–recipient age difference, donor–recipient sex matching and recipient's MELD score were significantly associated with LT failure. Moreover, the effect of HCV‐Ab sero‐status on LT failure was modified by the simultaneous action of time after LT and donor–recipient age difference. No interaction was found between recipient's HCV‐Ab sero‐status and either recipient's MELD or donor–recipient sex matching.

Conclusion

In view of the imminent introduction of new anti‐HCV therapies, our study provides information to assess which LT recipients should be prioritized for receiving these highly effective, but expensive, new treatments. This is particularly relevant for those clinical settings where healthcare prioritization is endorsed by national authorities.
The core microbiome bonds the Alpine bog vegetation to a transkingdom metacommunity
Authors: Bragina Anastasia , Berg Christian , Berg Gabriele
Published: August 2015

Bog ecosystems fulfil important functions in Earth's carbon and water turnover. While plant communities and their keystone species Sphagnum have been well studied, less is known about the microbial communities associated with them. To study our hypothesis that bog plants share an essential core of their microbiome despite their different phylogenetic origins, we analysed four plant community plots with 24 bryophytes, vascular plants and lichen species in two Alpine bogs in Austria by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing followed by bioinformatic analyses. The overall bog microbiome was classified into 32 microbial phyla, while Proteobacteria (30.8%), Verrucomicrobia (20.3%) and Planctomycetes (15.1%) belonged to the most abundant groups. Interestingly, the archaeal phylum Euryarcheota represented 7.2% of total microbial abundance. However, a high portion of micro‐organisms remained unassigned at phylum and class level, respectively. The core microbiome of the bog vegetation contained 177 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (150 526 seq.) and contributed to 49.5% of the total microbial abundance. Only a minor portion of associated core micro‐organisms was host specific for examined plant groups (5.9–11.6%). Using our new approach to analyse plant–microbial communities in an integral framework of ecosystem, vegetation and microbiome, we demonstrated that bog vegetation harboured a core microbiome that is shared between plants and lichens over the whole ecosystem and formed a transkingdom metacommunity. All micro‐ and macro‐organisms are connected to keystone Sphagnum mosses via set of microbial species, for example Burkholderia bryophila which was found associated with a wide spectrum of host plants and is known for a beneficial plant–microbe interaction.
The Limits to Wage‐Led Growth in A Low‐Income Economy
Authors: Razmi Arslan
Published: August 2015

Neo‐Kaleckian literature has actively debated whether growth is wage‐ or profit‐led in capitalist economies. However, existing studies tend to ignore the non‐tradable sector and heterogeneity within the tradable sector. This article shows that incorporating these features renders wage‐led growth in an open developing economy unfeasible in the traditional (Kaleckian) sense of the term. This result—which follows even if one sets aside the competitiveness considerations generally seen as impeding such growth—occurs due to the presence of a homogeneous goods‐producing tradable sector that sets the ceiling to steady‐state growth. A corollary, in light of findings from the ‘new new trade theory’ literature, is that increasing South‐South trade may tend to narrow room for wage‐led growth regardless of the other desirable effects of higher wages.
Capsule expression in Streptococcus mitis modulates interaction with oral keratinocytes and alters susceptibility to human antimicrobial peptides
Authors: Rukke H.V. , Engen S.A. , Schenck K. , Petersen F.C.
Published: August 2015

Streptococcus mitis is a colonizer of the oral cavity and the nasopharynx, and is closely related to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Both species occur in encapsulated and unencapsulated forms, but in S. mitis the role of the capsule in host interactions is mostly unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine how capsule expression in S. mitis can modulate interactions with the host with relevance for colonization. The S. mitis type strain, as well as two mutants of the type strain, an isogenic capsule deletion mutant, and a capsule switch mutant expressing the serotype 4 capsule of S. pneumoniae TIGR4, were used. Wild‐type and capsule deletion strains of S. pneumoniae TIGR4 were included for comparison. We found that capsule production in S. mitis reduced adhesion to oral and lung epithelial cells. Further, exposure of oral epithelial cells to encapsulated S. mitis resulted in higher interleukin‐6 and CXCL‐8 transcription levels relative to the unencapsulated mutant. Capsule expression in S. mitis increased the sensitivity to human neutrophil peptide 1‐3 but reduced the sensitivity to human β‐defensin‐3 and cathelicidin. This was in contrast with S. pneumoniae in which capsule expression has been generally associated with increased sensitivity to human antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Collectively, these findings indicate that capsule expression in S. mitis is important in modulating interactions with epithelial cells, and is associated with increased or reduced susceptibility to AMPs depending on the nature of the AMP.
Periodontal and peri‐implant diseases: identical or fraternal infections?
Authors: Robitaille N. , Reed D.N. , Walters J.D. , Kumar P.S.
Published: August 2015

Peri‐implant diseases (peri‐implantitis and peri‐implant mucositis) are bacterially driven infections. Peri‐implantitis leads to aggressive bone resorption and eventual loss of the implant. Traditionally, peri‐implantitis was regarded as microbially similar to periodontitis, and translocation of periodontal pathogens into the peri‐implant crevice was considered as a critical factor in disease causation. However, evidence is emerging to suggest that the peri‐implant and periodontal ecosystems differ in many important ways. The purpose of this review is to examine the evidence supporting microbial congruence and discordance in these two communities. Current evidence suggests that osseointegrated implants truly create unique microenvironments that force microbial adaptation and selection. Further studies that revisit the “microbial reservoir” hypothesis and identify species that play an etiologic role in peri‐implant disease and examine their transmission from teeth are needed.
Ethnic differences in peanut allergy patterns in South African children with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Gray Claudia L. , Levin Michael E. , du Toit George
Published: August 2015

Background

The prevalence of peanut allergy in South Africa is unknown, but previously thought to be low, particularly in black South Africans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of component patterns and predictive values of screening tests in peanut allergy in South African children with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methodology

This was a prospective, observational study in a pediatric university hospital in Cape Town. Children with AD, aged 6 months to 10 years, were recruited randomly. They were assessed for sensitization and allergy to peanut by questionnaire, skin prick tests (SPT), Immuno Solid Phase Allergen Chip test, ImmunoCAP component tests to Ara h 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9, and incremental food challenges.

Results

A total of 100 participants (59 black Africans and 41 of mixed race) were enrolled, median age 42 months. There was a high and comparable rate of peanut sensitization in both black African (41%) and mixed race patients (50%), but a significantly lower prevalence of peanut allergy in the black African group (15% vs. 38%, p = 0.01). The component Ara h 2 was the most useful in differentiating allergy from tolerance in both ethnic groups, but had a significantly lower predictive value for peanut allergy in blacks (53%) vs. mixed race (93%). Overall, SPT and Ara h 2 produced the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. A total of 95% positive predictive values (PPV) for SPT, peanut‐specific IgE, and Ara h 2 levels varied significantly between the two ethnic groups.

Conclusion

The prevalence of peanut allergy is high in South African children with AD, but significantly lower in blacks compared to mixed race patients. The component Ara h 2 is useful for differentiating allergy from tolerance in both ethnic groups. Ninety‐five% PPV for peanut allergy tests may need to be revised by ethnic group.
Factor structure of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale as per DSM‐5
Authors: Park Eun‐Young , Kim Joungmin
Published: August 2015

Background

The DSM‐5 recently proposed new diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although many new or updated tools have been developed since the DSM‐IV was published in 1994, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) has been used consistently in ASD diagnosis and research due to its technical adequacy, cost‐effectiveness, and practicality. Additionally, items in the CARS did not alter following the release of the revised DSM‐IV because the CARS factor structure was found to be consistent with the revised criteria after factor analysis. For that reason, in this study confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify the factor structure of the CARS.

Method

Participants (n = 150) consisted of children with an ASD diagnosis or who met the criteria for broader autism or emotional/behavior disorder with comorbid disorders such as attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, intellectual or developmental disabilities. Previous studies used one‐, two‐, and four‐factor models, all of which we examined to confirm the best‐fit model on confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

Appropriate comparative fit indices and root mean square errors were obtained for all four models. The two‐factor model, based on DSM‐5 criteria, was the most valid and reliable. The inter‐item consistency of the CARS was 0.926 and demonstrated adequate reliability, thereby supporting the validity and reliability of the two‐factor model of CARS.

Conclusions

Although CARS was developed prior to the introduction of DSM‐5, its psychometric properties, conceptual relevance, and flexible administration procedures support its continued role as a screening device in the diagnostic decision‐making process.
Elevated serum ghrelin, tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐6 in congenital heart disease
Authors: Wang Dandan , Fang Jian , Wang Ruigeng , Sun Dongming , Xia Kun , Yin Wei , Zhang Sai , Sun Liqun
Published: August 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of congenital heart disease (CHD) with serum ghrelin, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin (IL)‐6.

Method

Sixty‐three children with CHD, hospitalized between January 2012 and September 2014 at Wuhan Women and Children's Health Care Center, were selected as the study group. Additionally, 28 healthy individuals who had physical examinations at this hospital were selected as the control group. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum ghrelin, TNF‐α and IL‐6. SPSS 18.0 and Comprehensive Meta‐analysis 2.0 were used for data analysis.

Results

There was significant difference in weight, height and body mass index (BMI; all P < 0.05) but not in age or sex (both P > 0.05) between the cyanotic CHD (CCHD), acyanotic CHD (ACHD) and control groups. On one‐way analysis of variance serum ghrelin, TNF‐α and IL‐6 in both the CCHD and ACHD groups had a tendency to be higher compared with the control group (all P < 0.05), whereas, on Pearson correlation analysis, there was a correlation between serum ghrelin and BMI (all P < 0.05), and TNF‐α was negatively, and IL‐6 positively, correlated with BMI (all P < 0.05). Meta‐analysis further demonstrated that serum ghrelin, TNF‐α and IL‐6 in both the CCHD and ACHD groups were higher than in the control group (all P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Serum ghrelin, TNF‐α and IL‐6 are elevated in children with CHD, and may play a role in the development and progression of CHD.
Problems with Norms of Assertion
Authors: Pagin Peter
Published: August 2015

In this paper I draw attention to a number of problems that afflict norm accounts of assertion, i.e. accounts that explain what assertion is, and typically how speakers understand what assertion is, by appeal to a norm of assertion. I argue that the disagreements in the literature over norm selection undermines such an account of understanding. I also argue that the treatment of intuitions as evidence in the literature undermines much of the connection to empirical evidence. I further argue that appeals made to conversational patterns do not require the existence of any norms at all.
Restoring for the present or restoring for the future: enhanced performance of two sympatric oaks (Quercus ilex and Quercus pyrenaica) above the current forest limit
Authors: Leverkus Alexandro B. , Castro Jorge , Delgado‐Capel Manuel J. , Molinas‐González Carlos , Pulgar Manuel , Marañón‐Jiménez Sara , Delgado‐Huertas Antonio , Querejeta José I.
Published: August 2015

Reforestation is common to restore degraded ecosystems, but tree‐species choice often neglects ongoing environmental changes. We evaluated the performance of planted seedlings of two oak species at two sites in a Mediterranean mountain (Sierra Nevada, SE Spain): one located within the current altitudinal forest range (1,600–1,760 m), and one above the upper forest limit (1,970–2,120 m). The forest service planted 1,350 seedlings of the deciduous Pyrenean oak and the evergreen Holm oak in a postfire successional shrubland. After 2 years, seedlings were monitored for survival, and a subset of 110 Pyrenean oaks and 185 Holm oaks were harvested for analyses of biomass and foliar nutrient status, δ13C, and δ18O. Both species showed the highest survival and leaf N status above the upper forest limit, and survival increased with altitude within each plot. The deciduous oak benefited most from planting at higher altitude, and it also had greater biomass at the higher site. Correlations between foliar N, δ18O, and δ13C across elevations indicate tighter stomatal control of water loss and greater water‐use efficiency with increasing plant N status at higher altitude, which may represent a so‐far overlooked positive feedback mechanism that could foster uphill range shifts in water‐limited mountain regions. Given ongoing trends and future projections of increasing temperature and aridity throughout the Mediterranean region, tree‐species selection for forest restoration should target forecasted climatic conditions rather than those prevailing in the past. This study highlights that ecosystem restoration provides an opportunity to assist species range shifts under rapidly changing climate.