bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is a Baccalaureate in Nursing Worth It? The Return to Education, 2000–2008
Authors: Spetz Joanne , Bates Timothy
Published: October 2013

Objective

A registered nurse (RN) license can be obtained by completing a baccalaureate degree (BSN), an associate degree (AD), or a diploma program. The aim of this article is to examine the return to baccalaureate education from the perspective of the nurse.

Data Sources

National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Study Design

The effect of education on RN wages is estimated using multivariate regression, both for initial education and for completing a second degree. The coefficients are used to calculate lifetime expected earnings. Multinomial logistic regression is used to examine the relationship between education and job title.

Principal Findings

Lifetime earnings for nurses whose initial education is the BSN are higher than those of AD nurses only if the AD program requires 3 years and the discount rate is 2 percent. For individuals who enter nursing with an AD, lifetime earnings are higher if they complete a BSN. The BSN is associated with higher likelihood of being an advanced practice registered nurse, having an academic title, and having a management title.

Conclusions

Because baccalaureate education confers benefits both for RNs and their patients, policies to encourage the pursuit of BSN degrees need to be supported.
Legal Geography: An Australian Perspective
Authors: BARTEL ROBYN , GRAHAM NICOLE , JACKSON SUE , PRIOR JASON HUGH , ROBINSON DANIEL FRANCIS , SHERVAL MEG , WILLIAMS STEWART
Published: October 2013

Law is a powerful influence on people and place. Law both creates and is created by the relationship between people and place, although it rarely acknowledges this. Law frequently operates as if space does not matter. Law and legal processes, therefore, deserve greater attention from geographers. Legal geography is an emerging field of inquiry that facilitates much‐needed attention to the interrelationships among the environment, people and social institutions, including formal laws but also informal rules, norms and lore. Legal geographers seek to make the invisible visible: to bring the law into the frame of geography, and space and place into focus for the law. Both critical and applied in approach, legal geography offers descriptive, analytical and normative insight into economics, justice, property, power, geopolitics, governance and scale. As such it can enrich most areas of geographic inquiry as well as contribute to current policy debates about the regulation of space and place. Legal geography is a way for enlarged appreciations of relationality, materiality, multiscalarity and agency to be used to interrogate and reform the law. This introduction to a special ‘themed paper’ section of Geographical Research provides a window on legal geography scholarship, including its history, contribution and ambition. The papers in the collection explore issues grounded in the legal geographies paradigm, variously analysing matters empirically detailed while engaging in broader, theoretical debates and using both Australian and international case studies.
An Isochrone Map of the Prehistoric Seascape around Samoa
Authors: DI PIAZZA ANNE
Published: October 2013

This paper presents a new geometry of the western Pacific based on an analysis of the time necessary for canoes to sail to islands around Samoa. Using methods proposed by Francis Galton in 1866 and 1881, updated by a computer simulation of sailing trajectories, the author demonstrates the existence of a navigational threshold east of Samoa through systematic ‘displacement’ of islands according to sailing time in winter and summer – a threshold that helps explain the ca 2000 year pause between the Lapita era settlement of Melanesia–West Polynesia and the settlement of East Polynesia.
Proceedings of the November 2011 Traceability Research Summit
Authors: Hickey Caitlin , Bhatt Tejas
Published: October 2013

Fifty thought leaders in the area of food traceability met for a 3rd time to discuss methodologies and finalize the principles that define their vision for traceability. Participants in the summit included representatives from industry, trade associations, government, academia, consumer groups, and more.

One main focus of this summit included a discussion on the current regulations and voluntary initiatives in place regarding traceability. Overall, it was recognized that the recommendations from this summit group would be more specific and stringent in comparison to these current regulations and initiatives. The participants sought to be leaders in the traceability arena, with their recommendations leading the industry to optimal traceability systems and methods.

Participants agreed on many principles for their vision of traceability, emphasizing the importance of access to traceability data. They discussed having industry be asked for “basic” tracing data prior to the need for a large‐scale investigation, having standards for sharing data, and having the data in electronic form. Participants foresaw the importance of capturing data electronically in the future, although they recognized that many firms do not currently do this. The group also saw a need for a transition period to implement changes, and to provide implementation training and resource aid to small businesses.

Summit participants discussed specific definitions and examples for key data elements and critical tracking events that could be used by industry to capture tracing data at specific points within the supply chain. Overall, participants refined the goals of the summit group and started to identify specific ways to achieve those goals.
Vacuum immobilisation reduces tumour excursion and minimises intrafraction error in a cohort study of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for pulmonary metastases
Authors: Siva Shankar , Devereux Tomas , Kron Tomas , Gill Suki , MacManus Michael , Bressel Mathias , Chesson Brent , Callahan Jason , Pham Daniel , Hicks Rodney , Foroudi Farshad , Ball David
Published: October 2013

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a vacuum immobilisation system on reproducibility of patient set‐up, interfraction stability and tumour motion amplitude.

Methods

From February 2010 to February 2012 as part of a prospective clinical trial 12 patients with solitary pulmonary metastases had consecutive four‐dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scans performed with and without vacuum immobilisation. The displacement of the tumour centroid position was recorded in each of the 10 phases of the 4DCT reconstruction. A further six patients with seven metastases underwent single fraction stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) during this period (a total of 19 targets) and were included in an analysis of positional reproducibility and intrafraction immobilisation. Couch shifts recorded in the medio‐lateral (X), cranio‐caudal (Y) and ventero‐dorsal (Z) planes.

Results

For the 19 treatments delivered, the median (0–90% range) shift required immediately pretreatment was 1 mm (0–3) in the X‐plane, 2 mm (0–6) in the Y‐plane and 4 mm (0–8) in the Z‐plane, respectively. The mean (+/− standard deviation) of mid‐treatment shifts were 0.3 mm (+/− 0.7), 1.1 mm (+/− 2) and 0.8 mm (+/− 1.5) in the X, Y and Z planes, respectively. Mid‐treatment shifts were <2 mm in all directions (P = < 0.001). The length of treatment time correlated to the required shifts in the Z plane (r2 = 0.377, P = 0.005), but not in the X or Y planes (P = 0.198 and P = 0.653, respectively). In the subset of 12 patients who had two 4DCTs, the median (range) amplitude of tumour displacements in the X, Y and Z planes when immobilised were 0.9 mm (0.3–2.9), 2.6 mm (0.2–10.6) and 1.6 mm (0.5–5.5), respectively. Immobilisation reduced the volume of tumour displacement during respiration by a median of 52.6% (P = 0.021).

Conclusions

Vacuum immobilisation reduces total tumour excursion, facilitates reproducible positioning and provides robust intrafractional immobilisation during SABR treatments for pulmonary metastases.
Level of lactate in amniotic fluid and its relation to the use of oxytocin and adverse neonatal outcome
Authors: Wiberg‐Itzel Eva , Pembe Andrea B. , Wray Susan , Wihlbäck Anna‐Carin , Darj Elisabeth , Hoesli Irene , Åkerud Helena
Published: October 2013

Objective

To assess whether the frequency of adverse neonatal outcome at delivery is related to the level of lactate in amniotic fluid and to the use of oxytocin.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

Soder Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Population

Seventy‐four women in active labor with a gestational age ≥36 weeks and mixed parity.

Methods

Levels of lactate in amniotic fluid were analyzed bedside from an intrauterine catheter every 30 min during labor. Deliveries were divided into groups with and without oxytocin.

Main outcome measures

The frequency of adverse neonatal outcome at delivery.

Result

Of the deliveries 13.5% (10/74) concluded with an adverse neonatal outcome. The levels of lactate in amniotic fluid increased during labor, more so in deliveries where oxytocin was used. In the group with an adverse neonatal outcome, the level of lactate in amniotic fluid was significantly higher in the final sample before delivery (p = 0.04). In 18 deliveries, stimulation with oxytocin was temporarily halted for at least 30 min due to overly stimulated labor contractions. A decreasing level of lactate in amniotic fluid was shown within a median 5%/30 min. In the group where the administration of oxytocin was halted, there was no adverse neonatal outcome.

Conclusion

The frequency of adverse neonatal outcome was associated with the level of lactate in amniotic fluid and with the use of oxytocin. The level of lactate in amniotic fluid may be an additional valuable tool when oxytocin is administered during labor.
Pilot study of a brief intervention based on the theory of planned behaviour and self‐identity to increase chlamydia testing among young people living in deprived areas
Authors: Booth Amy R. , Norman Paul , Goyder Elizabeth , Harris Peter R. , Campbell Michael J.
Published: October 2013

Objectives

This study sought to estimate the effects of a novel intervention, compared with usual chlamydia testing promotion, on chlamydia test uptake and intentions among young people living in deprived areas. The intervention was based on the theory of planned behaviour, augmented with self‐identity, and targeted the significant predictors of chlamydia testing intentions identified in the previous research.

Methods

Cluster randomization was used to allocate college tutor groups (intervention n = 10; control n = 11) to the intervention or control group. The sample comprised 253 participants (intervention n = 145, control n = 108). The primary outcome was test offer uptake at the end of the session. Other outcomes measured at immediate follow‐up were intention, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and self‐identity.

Results

Generalized estimating equations, controlling for cluster effects and sexual activity, found a small but non‐significant effect of condition on test offer uptake, OR = 1.65 (95% CI 0.70, 3.88) p = .25, with 57.5% of intervention participants accepting the offer of a test compared with 40.2% of control participants. Using the same analysis procedure, small‐to‐medium intervention effects were found on other outcome variables, including a significant effect on attitudes towards chlamydia testing, OR = 1.37 (95% CI 1.00, 1.87), p = .05.

Conclusions

The results provide encouraging initial evidence that this theory‐based intervention, targeting the key determinants of chlamydia testing, may help to improve chlamydia testing uptake in a high‐risk group. They support the conduct of a larger trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Young people living in areas of increased socio‐economic deprivation have been identified as a high‐risk group for chlamydia.

Previous research within an extended model of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) found that attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and self‐identity all significantly predicted chlamydia testing intentions in this high‐risk group.

What does this study add?

Development and testing of a novel, TPB‐based intervention targeting predictors of chlamydia testing intentions.

The intervention led to significantly more positive attitudes towards chlamydia testing.

Preliminary indication that a TPB‐based intervention may help to improve chlamydia testing in a high‐risk group.
Experiences of the implementation of a learning disability nursing liaison service within an acute hospital setting: a service evaluation
Authors: Castles Amy , Bailey Carol , Gates Bob , Sooben Roja
Published: October 2013

Accessible Summary

This article is about learning disability liaison nurses, and whether they help people with learning disabilities to have a better experience when they are in hospital.

We talked to people with learning disabilities, their carers and hospital staff to find out what they thought about learning disability liaison nurses in acute hospitals.

Everybody thought that these nurses were very important, and that they helped patients and hospital staff to talk to each other and understand each other better.

This work shows that learning disability liaison nurses working in an acute hospital can help people with learning disabilities to receive a better service.

It has been well documented that people with learning disabilities receive poor care in acute settings. Over the last few years, a number of learning disability liaison nurse services have developed in the United Kingdom as a response to this, but there has been a failure to systematically gather evidence as to their effectiveness. This article reports on a service evaluation that sought to establish whether implementing a learning disability liaison nurse service improved hospital experiences for patients with learning disabilities, and their carers, whilst in an acute hospital setting. Quantitative data were collected on all patients with learning disabilities referred to this service over a six‐month period, and this included numbers referred (elective and emergency), length of time for referral, presenting conditions and age profile, as well as activities of the liaison nurses. These data suggest an incremental rise in referral of patients with learning disabilities to this service over time, relatively few inappropriate referrals, referrals from hospital staff and community services were similar, and these nurses found that some patients with learning disabilities were not referred to the service. Concerning activities of these nurses, these were dominated by discharge planning, assisting in making reasonable adjustments, liaison work and assisting with mental capacity issues. In addition, patients with learning disabilities, their carers and hospital staff who had experience of this learning disability nursing liaison service were interviewed. It was found from these interviews that all participants understood the role of the liaison nurse and articulated that they improved communication as well as promoting holistic care. Those interviewed highlighted the importance of such a role and the need for it to continue. This service evaluation makes an important contribution to an ongoing gap in learning disability literature concerning the importance of such a service.
The role of ATP‐sensitive potassium channels in cellular function and protection in the cardiovascular system
Authors: Tinker Andrew , Aziz Qadeer , Thomas Alison
Published: October 2013

ATP‐sensitive potassium channels (KATP) are widely distributed and present in a number of tissues including muscle, pancreatic beta cells and the brain. Their activity is regulated by adenine nucleotides, characteristically being activated by falling ATP and rising ADP levels. Thus, they link cellular metabolism with membrane excitability. Recent studies using genetically modified mice and genomic studies in patients have implicated KATP channels in a number of physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we focus on their role in cellular function and protection particularly in the cardiovascular system.
Autoacceleration of clinoform progradation in foreland basins: theory and experiments
Authors: Leva López J. , Kim W. , Steel R. J.
Published: October 2013

Understanding the relationship between sedimentation and tectonics is critical to the analysis of stratigraphic evolution in foreland basins. Previous models of foreland basins have explained stratal development, but were done generally under the assumption that steady allogenic forcing produces a steady stratigraphic response. They did not consider autogenic shoreline behaviour during the development of the subsidence pattern characteristic of foreland basins. We present a mathematical model and flume experiments that explore how subsidence and sediment‐supply rates control the shoreline trajectory and the stratal patterns that fill foreland basins. Through these models, we found differing autogenic responses in the rate and direction of shoreline migration, and these generated three distinct styles of stratal architecture, despite the constant external forcing (i.e. constant sediment discharge and basin substrate tilting). The first response was ‘autoretreat’, where shoreline migration switched from initial progradation to retrogradation. The second response was progradation followed by constant aggradation of the shoreline. The third response was maintained progradation with a markedly accelerating rate. We termed this latter newly observed autogenic behaviour ‘shoreline autoacceleration’. These three modes of shoreline behaviour and their accompanying stratal architecture provide a basic framework for the relationship between sedimentation and tectonic activity in foreland basins under the simplified conditions presented here.
Normal fault array evolution above a reactivated rift fabric; a subsurface example from the northern Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea
Authors: Whipp P. S. , Jackson C. A‐L. , Gawthorpe R. L. , Dreyer T. , Quinn D.
Published: October 2013

The impact of a pre‐existing rift fabric on normal fault array evolution during a subsequent phase of lithospheric extension is investigated using 2‐D and 3‐D seismic reflection, and borehole data from the northern Horda Platform, Norwegian North Sea. Two fault populations are developed: (i) a population comprising relatively tall (>2 km), N‐S‐striking faults, which have >1.5 km of throw. These faults are up to 60 km long, penetrate down into crystalline basement and bound the eastern margins of 6–15 km wide half‐graben, which contain >3 km of pre‐Jurassic, likely Permo–Triassic, but possibly Devonian syn‐rift strata; and (ii) a population comprising vertically restricted (<1 km), NW‐SE‐striking faults, which are more closely spaced (0.5–5 km), have lower displacements (30–100 m) and not as long (2–10 km) as those in the N–S‐striking population. The NW‐SE‐striking population typically occurs between the N‐S‐striking population, and may terminate against or cross‐cut the larger structures. NW–SE‐striking faults do not bound pre‐Jurassic half‐graben and are largely restricted to the Jurassic‐to‐Cretaceous succession. Seismic‐stratigraphic observations, and the stratigraphic position of the fault tips in both fault populations, allow us to reconstruct the Late Jurassic‐to‐Early Cretaceous growth history of the northern Horda Platform fault array. We suggest the large, N‐S‐striking population was active during the Permo–Triassic and possibly earlier (Devonian?), before becoming inactive and buried during the Early and Middle Jurassic. After a period of relative tectonic quiescence, the N‐S‐striking, pre‐Jurassic fault population propagated through the Early‐Middle Jurassic cover and individual fault systems rapidly (within <10 Ma) established their maximum length in response to Late Jurassic extension. These fault systems became the dominant structures in the newly formed fault array and defined the locations of the main, Late Jurassic‐to‐Early Cretaceous, syn‐rift depocentres. Late Jurassic extension was also accommodated by broadly synchronous growth of the NW‐SE‐striking fault population; the eventual death of this population occurred in response to the localization of strain onto the N–S‐striking fault population. Our study demonstrates that the inheritance of a pre‐existing rift fabric can influence the geometry and growth of individual fault systems and the fault array as a whole. On the basis of observations made in this study, we present a conceptual model that highlights the influence of a pre‐existing rift fabric on fault array evolution in polyphase rifts.
Conservation of Tropical Plant Biodiversity: What Have We Done, Where Are We Going?
Authors: Krupnick Gary A.
Published: October 2013

Plant biodiversity in the tropics is threatened by intense anthropogenic pressures. Deforestation, habitat degradation, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, global climate change, and the synergies among them have had a major impact on biodiversity. This review paper provides a brief, yet comprehensive and broad, overview of the main threats to tropical plant biodiversity and how they differ from threats in temperate regions. The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, an international program with 16 global targets set for 2020 aimed at understanding, conserving, and using sustainably the world's plant biodiversity, is then used as a framework to explore efforts in assessing and managing tropical plant conservation in a changing world. Progress on 13 of the 16 outcome‐oriented targets of the Strategy is explored at the pantropical scale. Within each target, I address current challenges in assessing and managing tropical plant biodiversity, identify key questions that should be addressed, and suggest ways for how these challenges might be overcome.
An exploration into political ecology and nonhuman agency: The case of the wild horse in western Canada
Authors: Notzke Claudia
Published: October 2013

Free‐ranging wild/feral horse populations are found worldwide in a variety of habitats. The animals have varied ecological impacts and socio‐cultural significance which are reflected in profoundly different management approaches. Using qualitative methods, this article investigates divergent perceptions of wild horses in western Canada employing two different frameworks: that of political ecological constructivism and that of nonhuman agency in a more‐than‐human geography. Government authorities mostly view the wild horse as an alien introduced species which competes with native wildlife and negatively impacts native ecosystems as well as interferes with resource industries. In this article, I suggest that the prevalent government view may be interpreted as an example of environmental orthodoxies. This view will be contrasted with an interpretation of wild horses as reintroduced wildlife, based on the findings of molecular biology using mitochondrial DNA analysis, and adopting a paleoecological perspective. However, this view, too, can be challenged as to its objectivity. Finally, this article will show that an engagement with wild horses as nonhuman agents, particularly through the lens of nonhuman charisma, is crucial for understanding the dynamics of change in government approaches to wild horse management as well as a culturally differentiated relationship with these animals.
Whole exome sequencing is an efficient and sensitive method for detection of germline mutations in patients with phaeochromcytomas and paragangliomas
Authors: McInerney‐Leo Aideen M. , Marshall Mhairi S. , Gardiner Brooke , Benn Diana E. , McFarlane Janelle , Robinson Bruce G. , Brown Matthew A. , Leo Paul J. , Clifton‐Bligh Roderick J. , Duncan Emma L.
Published: October 2013

Background

Genetic testing is recommended when the probability of a disease‐associated germline mutation exceeds 10%. Germline mutations are found in approximately 25% of individuals with phaeochromcytoma (PCC) or paraganglioma (PGL); however, genetic heterogeneity for PCC/PGL means many genes may require sequencing. A phenotype‐directed iterative approach may limit costs but may also delay diagnosis, and will not detect mutations in genes not previously associated with PCC/PGL.

Objective

To assess whether whole exome sequencing (WES) was efficient and sensitive for mutation detection in PCC/PGL.

Methods

Whole exome sequencing was performed on blinded samples from eleven individuals with PCC/PGL and known mutations. Illumina TruSeq™ (Illumina Inc, San Diego, CA, USA) was used for exome capture of seven samples, and NimbleGen SeqCap EZ v3.0 (Roche NimbleGen Inc, Basel, Switzerland) for five samples (one sample was repeated). Massive parallel sequencing was performed on multiplexed samples. Sequencing data were called using Genome Analysis Toolkit and annotated using annovar. Data were assessed for coding variants in RET, NF1, VHL, SDHD, SDHB, SDHC, SDHA, SDHAF2, KIF1B, TMEM127, EGLN1 and MAX. Target capture of five exome capture platforms was compared.

Results

Six of seven mutations were detected using Illumina TruSeq™ exome capture. All five mutations were detected using NimbleGen SeqCap EZ v3.0 platform, including the mutation missed using Illumina TruSeq™ capture. Target capture for exons in known PCC/PGL genes differs substantially between platforms. Exome sequencing was inexpensive (<$A800 per sample for reagents) and rapid (results <5 weeks from sample reception).

Conclusion

Whole exome sequencing is sensitive, rapid and efficient for detection of PCC/PGL germline mutations. However, capture platform selection is critical to maximize sensitivity.
Global clinical response in Cushing's syndrome patients treated with mifepristone
Authors: Katznelson Laurence , Loriaux D. Lynn , Feldman David , Braunstein Glenn D. , Schteingart David E. , Gross Coleman
Published: October 2013

Objective

Mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, improves clinical status in patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS). We examined the pattern, reliability and correlates of global clinical response (GCR) assessments during a 6‐month clinical trial of mifepristone in CS.

Design

Post hoc analysis of secondary end‐point data from a 24‐week multicentre, open‐label trial of mifepristone (300–1200 mg daily) in CS. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to examine rater concordance, and drivers of clinical improvement were determined by multivariate regression analysis.

Patients

Forty‐six adult patients with refractory CS along with diabetes mellitus type 2 or impaired glucose tolerance, and/or a diagnosis of hypertension.

Measurements

Global clinical assessment made by three independent reviewers using a three‐point ordinal scale (+1 = improvement; 0 = no change; −1 = worsening) based on eight broad clinical categories including glucose control, lipids, blood pressure, body composition, clinical appearance, strength, psychiatric/cognitive symptoms and quality of life at Weeks 6, 10, 16, and 24.

Results

Positive GCR increased progressively over time with 88% of patients having improved at Week 24 (P < 0·001). The full concordance among reviewers occurred in 76·6% of evaluations resulting in an ICC of 0·652 (P < 0·001). Changes in body weight (P < 0·0001), diastolic blood pressure (P < 0·0001), two‐hour postoral glucose challenge glucose concentration (P = 0·0003), and Cushingoid appearance (P = 0·022) were strong correlates of GCR.

Conclusions

Mifepristone treatment for CS results in progressive clinical improvement. Overall agreement among clinical reviewers was substantial and determinants of positive GCR included change in weight, blood pressure, glucose levels and appearance.
Parathyroidectomy improves cardiovascular outcome in nondiabetic dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Lin Ho‐Cheng , Chen Chien‐Liang , Lin Huey‐Shyan , Chou Kang‐Ju , Fang Hua‐Chang , Liu Shiuh‐Inn , Hsu Chih‐Yang , Huang Wei‐Chieh , Huang Chien‐Wei , Huang Chun K. , Chang Tsu‐Yuan , Chang Yun‐Te , Lee Po‐Tsang
Published: October 2013

Objective

Secondary hyperparathyroidism and its associated abnormalities in mineral metabolism and haemodynamic changes increase the cardiovascular risk in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). Our objective was to determine the association of parathyroidectomy (PTX) with major cardiovascular events in nondiabetic dialysis patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPTH).

Design and Patients

We performed a cohort study with fifty‐three nondiabeticESRDpatients who were treated with maintenance haemodialysis and who had intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels > 800 pg/ml. Participants received either only medical therapy or medical therapy and totalPTXwith autotransplantation forSHPTH.

Measurements

We evaluated the associations betweenPTXand major cardiovascular events including death, cerebrovascular accident and myocardial infarction. The biochemical and haemodynamic changes associated withPTXwere measured.

Results

During the mean follow‐up of 72 months, twenty‐three patients received only medical treatment (medical group) while thirty patients underwentPTXin addition to medical treatment (PTXgroup). The two groups were comparable in respect of baseline characteristics.PTXgroup was found to be associated with a reduced incidence of major cardiovascular events (P = 0·021). A multiple Cox regression analysis showed that the variable significantly associated with major cardiovascular events was treatment modality (medical therapyvsmedical therapy and parathyroidectomy, hazard ratio = 26·12, 95% CI = 1·30–526·27,P = 0·033). Blood pressure, haemoglobin, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, phosphate and calcium × phosphate product significantly improved afterPTX.

Conclusions

PTXwas associated with better cardiovascular outcome in nondiabetic dialysis patients with severeSHPTH.
Whole exome sequencing unravels disease‐causing genes in consanguineous families in Qatar
Authors: Fahiminiya S. , Almuriekhi M. , Nawaz Z. , Staffa A. , Lepage P. , Ali R. , Hashim L. , Schwartzentruber J. , Abu Khadija K. , Zaineddin S. , Gamal H. , Majewski J. , Ben‐Omran T.
Published: October 2013

Whole exome sequencing (WES) has greatly facilitated the identification of causal mutations for diverse human genetic disorders. We applied WES as a molecular diagnostic tool to identify disease‐causing genes in consanguineous families in Qatar. Seventeen consanguineous families with diverse disorders were recruited. Initial mutation screening of known genes related to the clinical diagnoses did not reveal the causative mutations. Using WES approach, we identified the definitive disease‐causing mutations in four families: (i) a novel nonsense homozygous (c.1034C>G) in PHKG2 causing glycogen storage disease type 9C (GSD9C) in a male with initial diagnosis of GSD3; (ii) a novel homozygous 1‐bp deletion (c.915del) in NSUN2 in a male proband with Noonan‐like syndrome; (iii) a homozygous SNV (c.1598C>G) in exon 11 of IDUA causing Hurler syndrome in a female proband with unknown clinical diagnosis; (iv) a de novo known splicing mutation (c.1645+1G>A) in PHEX in a female proband with initial diagnosis of autosomal recessive hypophosphatemic rickets. Applying WES as a diagnostic tool led to the unambiguous identification of disease‐causing mutations in phenotypically complex disorders or correction of the initial clinical diagnosis in ˜25% of our cases.
PTEN inactivation by germline/somatic c.950_953delTACT mutation in patients with Lhermitte–Duclos disease manifesting progressive phenotypes
Authors: Chen X.‐Y. , Lu F. , Wang Y.‐M. , Yang Y. , Wei G.‐Q. , Wu D. , Wang L.‐F. , Wu Y.‐M.
Published: October 2013

Lhermitte–Duclos disease (LDD), a neurological manifestation of Cowden syndrome (CS), is a rare and benign cerebellar disorder, featured by dysplastic cerebellar ganglion cells which replace granular and Purkinje cells. Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) is confirmed as the susceptibility gene for CS which represents the most complex features and is not easily recognizable. We reported two index patients with LDD diagnosed either in an isolated form or coexist with CS. These two patients displayed progressive though comparable phenotypes and were found to carry an identical PTEN c.950_953delTACT mutation in either germline or somatic sources of DNA, respectively. Negative or moderate expression levels of PTEN were validated by immunohistochemistry in the corresponding patients' affected tissues. This study has revealed a novel pathogenicity locus to LDD/CS as a candidate for early molecular diagnosis. In addition, the differential PTEN mutation status with corresponding LDD phenotypes suggests a potential correlation between germline or somatic mutation and coexisting LDD/CS or isolated LDD, respectively. Furthermore, our data could lend some reference to the underlying molecular mechanism of LDD pathogenesis in the future.
Huntington disease and Huntington disease‐like in a case series from Brazil
Authors: Castilhos R.M. , Souza A.F.D. , Furtado G.V. , Gheno T.C. , Silva A.L. , Vargas F.R. , Lima M.‐A.F.D. , Barsottini O. , Pedroso J.L. , Godeiro C. , Salarini D. , Pereira E.T. , Lin K. , Toralles M.‐B. , Saute J.A.M. , Rieder C.R. , Quintas M. , Sequeiros J. , Alonso I. , Saraiva‐Pereira M.L. , Jardim L.B.
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to identify the relative frequency of Huntington's disease (HD) and HD‐like (HDL) disorders HDL1, HDL2, spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), SCA17, dentatorubral‐pallidoluysian degeneration (DRPLA), benign hereditary chorea, neuroferritinopathy and chorea‐acanthocytosis (CHAC), in a series of Brazilian families. Patients were recruited in seven centers if they or their relatives presented at least chorea, besides other findings. Molecular studies of HTT, ATXN2, TBP, ATN1, JPH3, FTL, NKX2‐1/TITF1 and VPS13A genes were performed. A total of 104 families were ascertained from 2001 to 2012: 71 families from South, 25 from Southeast and 8 from Northeast Brazil. There were 93 HD, 4 HDL2 and 1 SCA2 families. Eleven of 104 index cases did not have a family history: 10 with HD. Clinical characteristics were similar between HD and non‐HD cases. In HD, the median expanded (CAG)n (range) was 44 (40–81) units; R2 between expanded HTT and age‐at‐onset (AO) was 0.55 (p = 0.0001, Pearson). HDL2 was found in Rio de Janeiro (2 of 9 families) and Rio Grande do Sul states (2 of 68 families). We detected HD in 89.4%, HDL2 in 3.8% and SCA2 in 1% of 104 Brazilian families. There were no cases of HDL1, SCA17, DRPLA, neuroferritinopathy, benign hereditary chorea or CHAC. Only six families (5.8%) remained without diagnosis.
Long‐Term Evaluation ofANKYLOS® Dental Implants, PartI: 20‐Year Life Table Analysis of a Longitudinal Study of More Than 12,500 Implants
Authors: Krebs Mischa , Schmenger Kai , Neumann Konrad , Weigl Paul , Moser Walter , Nentwig Georg‐Hubertus
Published: October 2013

Purpose

Scientific evidence is limited regarding the long‐term (>10 years) outcomes of large enough numbers of implants (>500) to allow for reliable comparison of subgroups. The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes of dental implants placed in an active University Clinic setting and followed for up to 20 years.

Materials and Methods

Data documenting the implant placement, prosthetic reconstruction, and annual follow‐up of patients treated at Frankfurt University were extracted from a Structured Query Language database and patients' written records and evaluated statistically.

Results

BetweenApril of 1991 andMay of 2011, 12,737ANKYLOS® (DENTSPLY Implants Manufacturing GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) implants were placed in 4,206 patients for a variety of clinical indications. The Kaplan–Meier cumulative survival rate (CSR) was 93.3% after 204 months. Most of the failures (198/1.6%) occurred during the first year after implant placement and before prosthesis delivery. A significantly higher (p < .001) number of implants placed in the mandible and in hard quality bone failed than those placed in the maxilla or in weak and normal quality bone. Female patients had significantly higherCSRs(93.7% 204 months) than male patients (92.8% 204 months/p = .029). The implants showed low rates of peri‐implant bone loss after 204 months (horizontal: ≤1 mm: 85.7%, vertical: ≤1 mm: 85.2%).

Conclusion

ANKYLOSdental implants followed for up to 20 years have highCSRsand low rates of peri‐implant bone loss.
Crestal Bone Stability around Implants with Horizontally Matching Connection after Soft Tissue Thickening: A Prospective Clinical Trial
Authors: Linkevicius Tomas , Puisys Algirdas , Linkeviciene Laura , Peciuliene Vytaute , Schlee Markus
Published: October 2013

Background

It has been shown that thin mucosal tissues may be an important factor in crestal bone loss etiology. Thus, it is possible that mucosal tissue thickening with allogenic membrane might reduce crestal bone loss.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how implants with traditional connection maintain crestal bone level after soft tissue thickening with allogenic membrane.

Materials and Methods

One hundred three patients received 103 internal hex implants of 4.6 mm diameter with regular connection. According to gingiva thickness, patients were assigned into A (thin tissues, n = 34), B (thin, thickened with allogenic membrane, n = 35), and C group (thick tissues, n = 34). Groups A and C had one‐stage approach, and in group B, implants were placed in two stages. Radiographic examination was performed after implant placement, 2 months after healing, after restoration, and after 1‐year follow‐up. Crestal bone loss was calculated medially and distally. Significance was set to 0.05.

Results

After 1‐year follow‐up, implants in group A had 1.65 ± 0.08‐mm bone loss mesially and 1.81 ± 0.06 mm distally. Group B had 0.31 ± 0.05 mm mesially and 0.34 ± 0.05 mm distally. C group implants experienced bone loss of 0.44 ± 0.06 mm mesially and 0.47 ± 0.07 mm distally. Differences between A and B, and A and C were significant (p = .000) both mesially and distally, whereas differences between B and C were not significant mesially (p = .166) and distally (p = .255).

Conclusions

It can be concluded that thin mucosal tissues may cause early crestal bone loss, but their thickening with allogenic membrane may significantly reduce bone resorption. Implants in naturally thick soft tissues experienced minor bone remodeling.
Contracting for Canola in the Great Plains States
Authors: Wilson William W. , Dahl Bruce
Published: October 2013

Canola has become an important crop in the last decade in the United States. Production of canola is risky and competes with other crops that have varying risk reduction mechanisms. Processors develop and offer contracts with varying specifications that allow growers to reduce risk and attract canola production. In this study, preplant contracting strategies were evaluated in terms of risk and return for growers and processors. Alternative contracts include fixed‐price‐variety‐specific with and without act‐of‐God provisions, and an oil‐premium contract. Grower returns and processor gross margins were simulated and resulting distributions were evaluated using stochastic efficiency with respect to a function. In the dominant growing region, growers would prefer fixed‐price‐variety‐specific contracts versus contracts with oil premiums. The latter would only be preferred by crushers that are highly risk averse. The results vary regionally suggesting that contract types should vary by region to be acceptable to a broader range of growers and processors.
Oblong, a program to analyse phylogenomic data sets with millions of characters, requiring negligible amounts of RAM
Authors: Goloboff Pablo A.
Published: October 2013

Oblong, a program with very low memory requirements, is presented. It is designed for parsimony analysis of data sets comprising many characters for moderate numbers of taxa (the order of up to a few hundred). The program can avoid using vast amounts of RAM by temporarily saving data to disk buffers, only parts of which are periodically read back in by the program. In this way, the entire data set is never held in RAM by the program—only small parts of it. While using disk files to store the data slows down searches, it does so only by a relatively small factor (4× to 5×), because the program minimizes the number of times the data must be accessed (i.e. read back in) during tree searches. Thus, even if the program is not designed primarily for speed, runtimes are within an order of magnitude of those of the fastest existing parsimony programs.
Volumetric dimensional changes of autogenous bone and the mixture of hydroxyapatite and autogenous bone graft in humans maxillary sinus augmentation. A multislice tomographic study
Authors: Cosso Mauricio G. , de Brito Rui B. , Piattelli Adriano , Shibli Jamil A. , Zenóbio Elton G.
Published: October 2013

Purpose

This multislice tomographic study evaluated the dimensional changes after maxillary sinus augmentation using autogenous bone or a mixture of hydroxyapatite and autogenous bone.

Materials and methods

Ten selected patients, requiring a bilateral maxillary sinus augmentation, were divided, in a split mouth, design as follows: control group (CG n = 10 sinus grafted with autogenous bone) and test group (TG, n = 10 sinus grafted with a mixture of hydroxyapatite and autogenous bone at 80 : 20 w/w). Follow a healing period of 15 and 180 days, computed tomography (CT) measurements were taken by two blinded and calibrated examiners to verify the volumetric dimensional changes of the both groups.

Results

The interobserver agreement obtained ranged from good to excellent for both groups. Both groups presented significant dimensional changes after 180 days period healing (P < 0.05). The volumetric reduction in test group was lower (25.87%) when compared with the CG (42.30%) (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The both graft materials improved the bone volumetric ability to anchorage a dental implant. Moreover, the mixture of HA and autogenous bone graft showed lower degree of resorption and higher dimensional stability when compared with autogenous bone graft alone, at least at 180 days of healing. The CT exam protocol should be used as an important tool to measure bone grafts volumetric alterations.
Development of a standardized procedure for testing the efficacy of workplace cleansers
Authors: Elsner Peter , Seyfarth Florian , Sonsmann Flora , John Swen‐Malte , Diepgen Thomas , Schliemann Sibylle
Published: October 2013

Background

Occupational skin cleansing is a risk factor for cumulative irritant dermatitis. Standardized methods are required to assess the cleaning efficacy of occupational skin cleansers, allowing us to choose the optimal cleanser with minimal irritation for specific workplaces.

Objectives

To develop a standardized procedure for testing the cleaning efficacy of occupational skin cleansers.

Methods

In this single‐blind, randomized, monocentric clinical trial in 24 healthy volunteers, the cleaning efficacy of generic reference cleansers was assessed against standardized test dirts. The test procedure included standardized dirt application, standardized washing with an automated skin cleaning device, and quantification of the cleaning efficacy by chromametry. For two cleansers, reproducibility of the cleaning efficacy assessment was studied. Furthermore, the performance of two cleansers was compared with that of commercial skin cleansers.

Results

Cleaning factors ranged from 12% up to 97% for the respective model dirts. A high reproducibility of the washing and the assessment procedure could be shown. The comparison of the washing efficacies for two reference cleansers with those of commercial cleansers showed partly similar performances, but also a higher cleaning efficacy for some dirts of the reference cleansers.

Conclusions

The testing procedure proved to be applicable to a wide spectrum of cleansers and model dirts.
Filaggrin loss‐of‐function mutations and atopic dermatitis as risk factors for hand eczema in apprentice nurses: part II of a prospective cohort study
Authors: Visser Maaike J. , Verberk Maarten M. , Campbell Linda E. , McLean W. H. Irwin , Calkoen Florentine , Bakker Jan G. , van Dijk Frank J. H. , Bos Jan D. , Kezic Sanja
Published: October 2013

Background/objectives

Environmental exposure and personal susceptibility both contribute to the development of hand eczema. In this study, we investigated the effect of loss‐of‐function mutations in the filaggrin gene (FLG), atopic dermatitis and wet work exposure on the development of hand eczema in apprentice nurses.

Methods

Dutch apprentice nurses were genotyped for the four most common FLG mutations; atopic dermatitis and hand eczema history were assessed by questionnaire. Exposure and hand eczema during traineeships were assessed with diary cards.

Results

The prevalence of hand eczema during traineeships was higher among subjects with a history of hand eczema reported at inclusion. Hand washing during traineeships and at home increased the risk of hand eczema. After adjustment for the effects of exposure and FLG mutations, an odds ratio of 2.5 (90% confidence interval 1.7–3.7) was found for a history of atopic dermatitis. In this study, an increased risk of hand eczema conferred by FLG mutations could not be shown, but subjects with concomitant FLG mutations and atopic dermatitis showed the highest risk of hand eczema during traineeships.

Conclusion

A history of atopic dermatitis, a history of hand eczema and wet work exposure were the most important factors increasing the risk of hand eczema during traineeships.
Factors related to lymph node harvest: does a recovery of more than 12 improve the outcome of colorectal cancer?
Authors: Moro‐Valdezate D. , Pla‐Martí V. , Martín‐Arévalo J. , Belenguer‐Rodrigo J. , Aragó‐Chofre P. , Ruiz‐Carmona M. D. , Checa‐Ayet F.
Published: October 2013

Aim

The nodal harvest was studied to identify factors that affected the number of lymph nodes (LNs) retrieved in patients undergoing curative surgery for colorectal cancer. The influence of predictive factors on overall and disease‐free 5‐year survival was analysed.

Method

All patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer who underwent oncological resection consecutively from January 1996 to December 2011 in a single institution have been studied. Factors influencing LN retrieval were analysed. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors that predicted a recovery of more than 12 LNs. A Cox regression analysis was made to identify the predictive factors of overall and disease‐free 5‐year survival.

Results

A total of 1166 patients were included in the study. The factors associated with the number of LNs harvested in surgical resections were age, colorectal surgeon, right colectomy, total colectomy, year of surgery, number of LN metastases and lymphocyte response. The factors that predicted a recovery of ≥ 12 LNs were age < 60 years, right colectomy, year of surgery and expert pathologist. A recovery of ≥ 12 LNs did not show significant differences in overall and disease‐free 5‐year survival, but the factor of colorectal surgeon did.

Conclusion

Number of LN metastases, lymphocyte response, type of surgical resection, age of patient and colorectal surgeon can predict the LN harvest. Survival in colorectal cancer, however, is probably more influenced by the performance of the operation by an expert surgeon than by recovery of more than 12 LNs.