bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polymerization Kinetics Stability, Volumetric Changes, Apatite Precipitation, Strontium Release and Fatigue of Novel Bone Composites for Vertebroplasty
Authors: Panpisut Piyaphong , Main Kirsty , Adnan Khan Muhammad , Arshad Mayda , Xia Wendy , Petridis Haralampos , Margaret Young Anne
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The aim was to determine effects of diluent monomer and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM) on polymerization kinetics and volumetric stability, apatite precipitation, strontium release and fatigue of novel dual-paste composites for vertebroplasty.

Materials and methods

Polypropylene (PPGDMA) or triethylene (TEGDMA) glycol dimethacrylates (25 wt%) diluents were combined with urethane dimethacrylate (70 wt%) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (5 wt%). 70 wt% filler containing glass particles, glass fibers (20 wt%) and polylysine (5 wt%) was added. Benzoyl peroxide and MCPM (10 or 20 wt%) or N-tolyglycine glycidyl methacrylate and tristrontium phosphate (15 wt%) were included to give initiator or activator pastes. Commercial PMMA (Simplex) and bone composite (Cortoss) were used for comparison.

ATR-FTIR was used to determine thermal activated polymerization kinetics of initiator pastes at 50-80 °C. Paste stability, following storage at 4-37 °C, was assessed visually or through mixed paste polymerization kinetics at 25 °C. Polymerization shrinkage and heat generation were calculated from final monomer conversions. Subsequent expansion and surface apatite precipitation in simulated body fluid (SBF) were assessed gravimetrically and via SEM. Strontium release into water was assessed using ICP-MS. Biaxial flexural strength (BFS) and fatigue properties were determined at 37 °C after 4 weeks in SBF.

Results

Polymerization profiles all exhibited an inhibition time before polymerization as predicted by free radical polymerization mechanisms. Initiator paste inhibition times and maximum reaction rates were described well by Arrhenius plots. Plot extrapolation, however, underestimated lower temperature paste stability. Replacement of TEGDMA by PPGDMA, enhanced paste stability, final monomer conversion, water-sorption induced expansion and strontium release but reduced polymerisation shrinkage and heat generation. Increasing MCPM level enhanced volume expansion, surface apatite precipitation and strontium release. Although the experimental composite flexural strengths were lower compared to those of commercially available Simplex, the extrapolated low load fatigue lives of all materials were comparable.

Conclusions

Increased inhibition times at high temperature give longer predicted shelf-life whilst stability of mixed paste inhibition times is important for consistent clinical application. Increased volumetric stability, strontium release and apatite formation should encourage bone integration. Replacing TEGDMA by PPGDMA and increasing MCPM could therefore increase suitability of the above novel bone
composites for vertebroplasty. Long fatigue lives of the composites may also ensure long-term durability of the materials.
Identification of proteins involved inTrypanosoma bruceiDNA replication fork dynamics using nascent DNA proteomics
Authors: Rocha-Granados Maria C , Bermudez Yahaira , Dodard Garvin , Vandoros Anthula V , Günzl Arthur , Klingbeil Michele M
Published: November 2018

DNA replication, transcription and chromatin remodeling are coordinated to ensure accurate duplication of genetic and epigenetic information. In regard to DNA replication, trypanosomatid parasites such asTrypanosoma bruceidisplay unusual properties including significantly fewer origins of replication than model eukaryotes, a highly divergent Origin Replication Complex (ORC), and an apparent lack of several replication factor homologs. Although recent studies inT. bruceiindicate functional links among DNA replication, transcription, and antigenic variation, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we adapted an unbiased technology for the identification of replication fork proteins called iPOND (isolation ofproteinsonnascentDNA) toT. brucei, its first application to a parasite system. This led to the mass spectrometric identification of core replication machinery and of proteins associated with transcription, chromatin organization, and DNA repair that were enriched in the vicinity of an unperturbed active replication fork. Of a total of 410 enriched proteins, among which DNA polymeraseαand replication factor C were scoring in the top, around 25% of the proteins identified were of unknown function and, therefore, have the potential to be essential trypanosome-specific replication proteins. Initial characterization of a protein annotated as a Replication Factor C subunit (Tb927.10.7990), and a protein of unknown function (Tb927.3.5370) revealed that both proteins retain nuclear localization throughout the cell cycle. While Tb927.3.5370 appeared to be a dispensable gene, Tb927.10.7990 proved to be essential since its silencing caused a growth defect in procyclic cells, accumulation of zoids and impaired DNA replication. Future studies on the generated proteins list can contribute to the understanding of DNA replication dynamics inT. bruceiand how replication is coordinated with other cellular processes to maintain genome integrity.
Trust in scientists and rates of noncompliance with a fisheries rule in the Brazilian Pantanal
Authors: Shirley Ethan A. , Gore Meredith L.
Published: November 2018

Natural resource rules exist to manage resources and the people that interact with them. These rules often fail because people do not comply with them. Decisions to comply with natural resource rules often are based on attitudes about legitimacy of rules and the perceived risks of breaking rules. Trust in agencies promulgating rules in part may determine perceptions of legitimacy of the rule, and in turn depends on individuals’ trust in different agency actors. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between fishing rule noncompliance and trust in scientists, a key group within management agencies. We interviewed 41 individuals in one rural fishing community in the Brazilian Pantanal from April to August, 2016, to assess (1) noncompliance rates, (2) noncompliance-related attitudes, and (3) the relationship between trust in scientists and noncompliance decisions in the region. We found that among study participants, noncompliance was common and overt. Trust in scientists performing research in the region was the best predictor of noncompliance rate with a fishing rule (nonparametric rank correlation ρ = −0.717; Probit model pseudo-R2 = 0.241). Baseline data from this research may help inform future interventions to minimize IUU fishing and protect the Pantanal fishery. Although our results are specific to one community in the Pantanal, trust in scientists is potentially an important factor for compliance decisions in similar situations around the world. These results build not only on compliance theory but also speak to the important role that many scientists play in the geographic areas in which they conduct their research.
Body composition and growth in full-term small for gestational age and large for gestational age Swedish infants assessed with air displacement plethysmography at birth and at 3-4 months of age
Authors: Larsson Anna , Ottosson Peter , Törnqvist Caroline , Olhager Elisabeth
Published: November 2018

Background:

Being born small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) has short and long term metabolic consequences. There is a growing interest in the extent to which body composition, both in the short and the long term, differs in infants born at the extremes of these birth weights.

Methods:

Body composition in 25 SGA and 25 LGA infants were assessed during the first days of life and at 3-4 months of age using air displacement plethysmography.

Results:

SGA infants had significantly lower body fat (%) at birth compared to LGA infants. SGA infants increased their body weight and length at a significantly higher rate between birth and 3-4 months than LGA infants. Fat mass (g) in SGA infants increased 23 times between birth and 3-4 months of age compared to 2.8 times for LGA infants. At 3-4 months of age LGA infants reached a threshold in body fat (%) while SGA infants were still gaining body fat (%).

Conclusion:

Several significant differences have been identified between SGA and LGA infants, indicating that the effects of intrauterine life continues to play an important role in body composition and growth during the first 3-4 months of life.
The role of glycaemic, lipid, blood pressure and obesity risk factors as mediators of the effect of height on Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Mendelian Randomisation Study
Authors: Marouli Eirini , Fabiola Del Greco M. , Astley Christina , Yang Jian , Ahmad Shafqat , Berndt Sonja , Caulfield Mark J. , Evangelou Evangelos , McKnight Barbara , Medina-Gomez Carolina , van Vliet-Ostaptchouk Jana V. , Warren Helen R. , Zhu Zhihong ,   GIANT Consortium
Published: November 2018

We investigated by Mendelian Randomisation (MR) analyses the causal effect of adult height on coronary artery disease (CAD) (23,755 cases, 425,339 controls) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) (29,427 cases, 416,908 controls) in UK Biobank. We then examined whether such effects are mediated via known cardiometabolic risk factors including body mass index (BMI), glycaemic traits, lipid levels and blood pressure. We further cross-checked our findings by two-sample MR and Multivariate MR analyses with publicly available summary statistics data. One standard deviation (SD) higher genetically determined height (~6.5 cm) was causally associated with a 14% decrease in CAD risk (OR= 0.86, 95% CI= 0.790.94). This causal association remained significant after performing sensitivity analyses relaxing pleiotropy assumptions. The causal effect of height on CAD risk appeared to be independent of risk factors such as lipid levels, blood pressure and BMI; association was reduced by only 1-3% after adjustment for potential mediators. We observed no direct causal effect of height on T2D risk, once its effect on BMI was taken into account (OR= 0.99, 95% CI= 0.96-1.02), suggesting that BMI acts as a mediator.
Women’s leadership and well-being: incorporating mindfulness into leadership development programs
Authors: Beddow Helen
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

Leadership development programs should include tools and strategies to help women cope with the unique challenges facing them in leadership roles. One such tool is mindfulness, which could help reduce stress and promote greater well-being.

Practical implications

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers’ hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
Epidemiological spreading of mortgage default
Authors: Schweikert Jochen , Höchstötter Markus
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce mathematical models to capture the spreading of epidemics to explain the expansion of mortgage default events in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the state of infectiousness and death to represent the subsequent steps of payment elinquency and default, respectively. As the local economic structure influences regional unemployment, which is a strong driver of mortgage default, the authors model interdependencies of regional mortgage default rates through employment conditions and vicinity.

Findings

Based on a large sample between 2000 and 2014 of loan-level data, the estimation of key parameters of the model is proposed. The model’s forecast accuracy shows an above-average performance compared to well-known approaches such as linear regression or logit models.

Originality/value

The key findings may be useful in understanding the dynamics of mortgage defaults and its spatial spreading.
An analysis of regional house prices in Greece
Authors: White Michael , Papastamos Dimitrios
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the housing market in Greece after the Global Financial Crisis focussing on regional analysis and urban markets in Athens and Thessaloniki.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a data set of over 70,750 property values from 2007 until 2014 incorporating characteristics variables upon which hedonic models are estimated. These form the bases for calculating value indices for mix adjusted houses/apartments by year and region. The indices are used in a panel model in which regional and economic variables are included as independent variables. Using advances in dynamic panel data modelling, a bias-corrected least squares dummy variable corrected (LSDVC) model is applied.

Findings

Results indicate the importance of macroeconomic variables in terms of the role of disposable income and significantly different regional effects. Examining the major urban markets, results indicate significant differences in the response of house values to exogenous demand side influences, consistent with the finding of significant regional differences in the LSDVC.

Research limitations/implications

While data on valuations are used that may contain smoothing, the data set covers a large sample of residential properties. As regional economic differences are significant and persistent, housing markets will also behave differently, and hence national policies, unless targeted, will have regionally differentiated effects.

Practical implications

Regional heterogeneity needs to be considered in model estimation.

Social implications

Policymakers should consider regional differences to improve policy effectiveness.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to use a large sample of residential properties in Greece and apply the LSDVC model to overcome estimation biases.
Critical success factors in public-private partnerships (PPPs) on affordable housing schemes delivery in Tanzania
Authors: Kavishe Neema , Chileshe Nicholas
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) and key areas for improvement for public–private partnerships (PPP) in affordable housing schemes (AHS) projects, using Tanzania as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 public and private sector practitioners in Tanzania. The collected data and the interview transcripts were analysed using the standard qualitative analysis technique of content analysis.

Findings

The findings show the six most important CSFs as: a dedicated team of professionals to oversee the PPP projects, official and unofficial site visits and inspection, government support and guarantees, undertaking checks and balance from the design stage to construction stage, scrutiny of PPP project proposal and trust and integrity. The mapping of the CSFs across the PPP project lifecycle highlighted a higher incidence across the following phases: building (n = 11), preparation (n = 10) and operational (n = 9).

Practical implications

The identification of these CSFs would support PPP practitioners in successfully implementing PPP in AHS; besides, there is potential for their inclusion in the future development of the affordable housing PPP conceptual framework. Therefore, based on the identified CSFs, both the government and policy makers could use the findings as the basis for re-examining the existing PPP policy and regulations and reflecting on the existing situation with a view to improving the delivery of future PPP projects.

Originality/value

This paper provides the first empirical study by applying direct content analysis to identify and understand the CSFs and key areas for improvement for PPPs in AHS within the Tanzanian housing sector. This is rather an under researched subject around CSFs for PPPs from developing countries such as Tanzania.
The driving factors to rental depreciation of purpose built office (PBO) buildings
Authors: Wan Rodi Wan Norhishamuddin , Che-Ani Adi Irfan , Tawil Norngainy Mohd , Ting Kien Hwa , Aziz Fatin
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The rising awareness of the significance of protecting the environment and reducing the carbon footprints of buildings has led to the development of sustainable or green office buildings that are believed to be more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. Despite this, not many have studied the extent of impacts between green classification and rental depreciation in Malaysia, besides the other traditional causes. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study is to identify the relationship of building characteristics and location factors, namely, green building classifications (BCLs), location and site (LOT), building engineering and services (BES) and building appearance and design (BAD) that contribute to rental depreciation in the Golden Triangle Area of Kuala Lumpur.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey using a questionnaire was used in the data collection targeting the selected Kuala Lumpur commercial purpose built office building property managers. To establish the significance and relevance of the model, this study employed the PLS algorithm and bootstrapping procedures.

Findings

This research suggests that there were significant impacts of LOT, BAD, and BES towards rental depreciation. On the contrary, sustainable classifications were found insignificant towards rental depreciation.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is that it proposes the sustainable classifications as one of the components in analysing the commercial property depreciation.
The impact of Musharakah financing on the monetary policy in the Islamic economy
Authors: Adela Hatem
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to formulating the methodological framework for a paradigm of Islamic economics, using the development of the conventional economics, theoretical and mathematical methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The study based on the inductive and mathematical methods to contribute to economic theory within the methodological framework for Islamic Economics, by using the return rate of Musharakah rather than the interest rate in influence the economic activity and monetary policy.

Findings

Via replacement, the concept of the interest rate by the return rates of Musharakah. It concludes that the central bank can control the monetary policy, economic activity and the efficient allocation of resources by using the return rates of Musharakah through the framework of Islamic economy.

Practical/implications

The study is a contribution to formulate the methodological framework for a paradigm of Islamic economics, where it investigates the impact of return rates of Musharakah on the money market and monetary policy, by the mathematical methods used in the conventional economy. Also, the study illustrates the importance of further studies that examine the methodological framework for Islamic Economics.

Originality/value

The study aims to contribute to formulating the Islamic economic theory, through the return rate of Musharakah financing instead of the interest rate, and its effectiveness of the monetary policy. As well as reformulating the concepts of the investment function, the present value and the marginal efficiency rate of investment according to the Islamic economy approach.
Talent Rising; people analytics and technology driving talent acquisition strategy
Authors: Walford-Wright Gavin , Scott-Jackson William
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to study the opportunities that have been created through technological advancement in the talent acquisition industry and how this links to strategic HR management (SHRM) and business strategy. It focuses on how an organisation can embrace the world’s leading technology and compose a unique technology stack to overcome its challenges in talent acquisition.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper opted for a blend of qualitative and quantitative data gathered through interviews, online questionnaires and the literature review of relevant secondary data. The justification of the primary research methodology was to gather valid and reliable data to inform decisions and address the research question.

Findings

The analysis of the data shows a significant improvement in all the key metrics related to the talent acquisition process after the implementation of “Talent Rising” model. The role of a recruiter and the talent acquisition team has radically changed and has now become an internal strategic partner with aligned interest, an advisor to the organisation. There is an increase in the use of new media/technology to attract candidates and with the increase in millennial candidates entering the workforce, social media will be increasingly important in talent branding and attraction; the digital by default generation is already here.

Research limitations/implications

The “Talent Rising” model has been specifically created and designed to be used by others: organisations, academics and policy makers. It is a “plug and play” tech stack model which can be used like an a la carte menu dependent on the actual requirements (and investment appetite) for each organisation.

Practical implications

This paper includes implications for the creation of a people analytics and talent technology framework to reduce cost per hire, reduce time to hire and increase quality of hire.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to study how people analytics and technology can drive talent acquisition strategy.
Les Miraculées de Lourdes: Sacred Celebrities in the Age of Mass Spectacle
Authors: Kaufman Suzanne K.
Published: November 2018

Scholars have claimed that the rise of modern print media and the mass production of goods turned the promotion of saints and other exceptional religious figures into a mass cultural phenomenon. That these same technologies provided new opportunities for lay Catholics to experience a parallel kind of celebrity‐making has gained less attention. Focusing on the development of the Lourdes pilgrimage in late nineteenth‐century France, this article argues that the practices at this shrine produced a new cultural rhetoric of miraculous healing, one that focused primarily on humble women who had suffered years of devastating illness and ineffective medical treatment only to be healed by the Virgin's intervention. Marketing these cured women as embodied evidence of the miraculous, the Church positioned the female miraculé as a novel kind of sacred celebrity that proved God's continuing intervention on earth. In the new setting of mass pilgrimage, commercialised media enabled celebratory practices that were widespread but also relatively fleeting. Despite the short‐lived nature of this fame, however, I will suggest that the process of transforming otherwise‐ordinary miraculées into public figures was crucial to the popularity of twentieth‐century Lourdes, while also enabling these cured women to act with sacred authority in their home communities.
Guideline‐concordant initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy for stroke prevention in older veterans with atrial fibrillation eligible for Medicare Part D
Authors: Done Nicolae , Roy Amanda M. , Yuan Yingzhe , Pizer Steven D. , Rose Adam J. , Prentice Julia C.
Published: November 2018

Objective

To characterize the rate of guideline‐concordant initiation of oral anticoagulation (OAC) among elderly Veterans with atrial fibrillation (AF) and high stroke risk.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW) linked with Medicare claims 2011‐2015.

Study Design

We identified 6619 elderly, high stroke‐risk patients with a new episode of AF initially diagnosed in the VHA during fiscal years 2012‐2015. We used logistic regression to estimate marginal effects of associations between patient characteristics and OAC initiation within 90 days of the first AF episode.

Data Extraction Methods

We identified OACs using generic drug names. We calculated comorbidities and risk scores using diagnosis codes from 1 year of baseline data.

Principal Findings

Overall, 66.5% of Medicare‐eligible Veterans with AF at high risk of stroke initiated an OAC within 90 days. We found lower initiation rates for patients enrolled in Medicare Part D and those ineligible for drug co‐payment subsidies. OAC initiation rates increased during the study among VHA‐reliant patients but not among dual VHA‐Part D enrollees.

Conclusions

One‐third of elderly Veterans at risk of stroke are not receiving recommended therapy. Increased coordination between Medicare and VHA providers may lead to improvements in anticoagulation quality and stroke prevention.
Diel Activity and Effect of Carcass Decomposition on the Attractiveness to the Forensically Important SpeciesOxelytrum Discicolle(Coleoptera: Silphidae)†
Authors: Lira Luiz Antonio , Macedo Marcos Patrício , Pujol‐Luz José Roberto , Vasconcelos Simão Dias
Published: November 2018

Oxelytrum discicolleis a carrion beetle commonly found in the Neotropical region, mainly associated with cadavers and carcasses. Information on behavior related to the likelihood of cadaver colonization is scarce. We performed two field experiments in peri‐urban forest in Brazil in order to strengthen our knowledge onO. discicollebehavior. In the first experiment, we assessed the preference for piglet carcasses at different stages of decomposition offered simultaneously in two seasons, dry and rainy, while in the second experiment we investigated the diel activity of adults. A total of 493 adults were collected in the experiments. A significantly higher abundance was detected in the rainy season. There was a marked preference for carcasses at advanced stages. Adults exhibited a typical nocturnal behavior, the number trapped at night was 17 times greater than those collected during the day.Oxelytrum discicolleis nocturnal species that prefers carcasses in advanced stage of decomposition.
Regulation of osteoblasts by alkaline phosphatase in ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Jo Sungsin , Han Jinil , Lee Young L. , Yoon Subin , Lee Jaehyun , Wang Sung E. , Kim Tae‐Hwan
Published: November 2018

Aim

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterized by excessive spinal ankylosis and bone formation. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity is reported to be high in AS, but little is known about the molecular relationship between ALP and AS. The aims of this study were to investigate the relevance of ALP to AS and the role of ALP in the regulation of osteoblast differentiation in AS.

Methods

High‐throughput data with accession numbers GSE73754 and GSE41038 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. We retrospectively collected and compared the ALP levels of male patients with AS to those of sex‐ and age‐matched healthy controls (HC) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Total serum ALP and ALP activity were measured in the AS and RA groups. ALP gene expression and intracellular ALP activity were analyzed in microarray data from primary diseases control (Ct) and AS‐bone‐derived cells (BdCs) and in vitro experiments. Furthermore, the effect of ALP inhibitor was examined in both primary Ct‐ and AS‐BdCs under osteoblast differentiation. Regulation of runt‐related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) by ALP was also analyzed.

Results

Alkaline phosphatase level was higher in AS compared with RA and HC and was associated with radiograph progression. ALP expression was also enriched in the bone tissue of AS patients. Furthermore, AS‐BdCs exhibited increasing ALP activity, leading to accelerated osteoblastic activity and differentiation. Intriguingly, inhibition of ALP reduced RUNX2 expression, a master transcriptional factor in osteoblasts, and differentiation status of both primary Ct‐ and AS‐BdCs. Treatment of ALP activator or inhibitor modulated RUNX2 protein level and RUNX2 regulated ALP promoter activity, indicating a reciprocal ALP‐RUNX2 positive feedback to regulate osteoblast differentiation.

Conclusion

Alkaline phosphatase was highly expressed in AS patients, may be involved in the ankylosis of AS, and represents a possible therapeutic target for ankylosis.
Elderly onset of early rheumatoid arthritis is a risk factor for bone erosions, refractory to treatment: KURAMA cohort
Authors: Murata Koichi , Ito Hiromu , Hashimoto Motomu , Nishitani Kohei , Murakami Kosaku , Tanaka Masao , Yamamoto Wataru , Mimori Tsuneyo , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: November 2018

Aim

Age at disease onset has been implicated as an indicator of disease activity and severity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to investigate how old age at disease onset affects patient treatment and prognosis in early RA.

Methods

Data from the Kyoto University Rheumatoid Arthritis Management Alliance (KURAMA) cohort was analyzed. From 2011 to 2015, a total of 2182 patients with RA were enrolled in the cohort; 239 patients were newly diagnosed with RA and were followed up for 2 years. The patients were divided into the following two groups: the young‐onset RA (YORA) which included patients <60 years old (n = 117) and elderly‐onset RA (EORA) which comprised patients ≥60 years old (n = 122). The clinical and laboratory data were compared at baseline, at 1 year, and at 2 years after onset.

Results

Disease activity was higher in EORA than in YORA at baseline. Although disease activity was equivalent between EORA and YORA at 1 or 2 years, more EORA patients had bone erosions at baseline and at 2 years. More than 25% of the anti‐citrullinated protein autoantibody (ACPA)‐positive EORA patients without erosions at baseline had bone erosions even if they attained clinical remission at 1 or 2 years, while ~10% of YORA patients had erosions.

Conclusion

Bone erosions were more frequently found in EORA. Clinical remission at 1 or 2 years was not enough to protect bone erosions in the ACPA‐positive EORA patients. Optimal treatment strategies preventing radiological damage should be considered for EORA.
Assessing the Progress of Women in Corporate America: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Authors: Dworkin Terry M. , Schipani Cindy A. , Milliken Frances J. , Kneeland Madeline K.
Published: November 2018

Overt gender discrimination in the workplace is now less frequent since the passage of the Civil Rights Act; however, subconscious workplace gender biases persist. These subtle biases continue to contribute to gender inequality in the employment context, hindering women's ability to reach the top ranks of corporate leadership and their ability to achieve pay equity. To combat this inequity, in this article, we advance several suggestions. First, we urge states to pass legislation requiring paycheck fairness and urge firms to institute policies of salary transparency. Next, when there is a lack of women in the highest corporate ranks of the company, a presumption of discrimination should replace the current legal framework in the courts for disparate treatment analysis in Title VII cases of gender discrimination. We further suggest that firms would do well to improve mentoring and networking programs for women to help even the playing field and call on companies to offer implicit bias training for men. Finally, we urge firms to improve the environment for women in the workplace by adopting and sincerely promoting family‐friendly policies. Not only would these recommendations be just, they would also likely increase productivity in the corporate world and help resolve the paradox surrounding the paucity of women in top leadership positions.
Conservation implications of habituation in Nubian ibex in response to ecotourism
Authors: Saltz D. , Berger‐Tal O. , Motro U. , Shkedy Y. , Raanan N.
Published: November 2018

Increased fragmentation and easier access to natural areas (e.g. ecotourism) is bringing man in closer contact to wild populations. Such encounters, even when they don't pose a direct threat to wildlife, may induce behavioral changes in animals that in the long run may have negative fitness consequences. We studied changes to the vigilance/group‐size effect in Nubian ibex Capra nubiana in response to increased non‐threatening anthropogenic disturbance in six sites, subject to different levels of ecotourism. In each site we regressed the average time ibex individuals devoted to vigilance on the size of the group they were with. We then compared the slopes and intercepts of the vigilance/group‐size function between the six sites. We complimented these data with a study of how flight initiation distance (FID) changed between the six sites, as an indicator of the level of tolerance that ibex exhibit to increased anthropogenic presence. We found that as anthropogenic presence increased the vigilance/group‐size function waned (i.e. the group‐size effect was weaker). These findings were associated with reduced FID reflecting increased levels of tolerance, likely as a result of habituation in sites subject to high levels of ecotourism. The loss of the vigilance response as a function of group size may decrease the behavioral diversity in the ibex population. Wildlife habituation to increased non‐threatening human activity alters key behavioral attributes that may ultimately impact social structure and other fitness‐related characteristics.
Progression‐free survival in oncology: Caveat emptor!
Authors: Bergmann Troels K. , Christensen Mette Marie H. , Henriksen Daniel P. , Haastrup Maija Bruun , Damkier Per
Published: November 2018

Overall survival (OS) is the undisputed gold standard efficacy end‐point in cancer drug trials. It is with growing concern that we observe how progression‐free survival (PFS) gains ground as surrogate end‐point in its place. PFS has appeal because it is resource‐efficient, but it has severe shortcomings. Our concern is that uncritical use of PFS will harm the evidence‐based evaluation of cancer drugs when considering them for standard use in publicly financed health care systems. PFS is only valid as a surrogate end‐point for OS if it correlates strongly with OS and if the cancer drug being investigated has the same effect on PFS and OS such that effects on one predict effects on the other. The latter might be less obvious than the former but is no less critical. Research indicates that in a majority of cases, correlation between surrogate end‐points and OS is of medium strength or lower. PFS is therefore unreliable as a surrogate for OS. We do not find it justified to use PFS as surrogate for OS without first having assessed its validity. Stakeholders who take part in evaluating cancer drugs considered for standard use in a health care system must be particularly vigilant about this issue to minimize the risk of introducing cancer drugs that have an unacceptable cost‐risk‐benefit profile.
Sentinel node biopsy in clinical stage I testicular cancer enables early detection of occult metastatic disease
Authors: Blok Joost M. , Kerst J. Martijn , Vegt Erik , Brouwer Oscar R. , Meijer Richard P. , Bosch J.L.H. Ruud , Bex Axel , van der Poel Henk G. , Horenblas Simon
Published: November 2018

Objectives

To report the long‐term results of the sentinel node (SN) approach in patients with clinical stage I testicular tumours in our facility.

Patients and Methods

We conducted an analysis of 27 consecutive patients suspected of clinical stage I testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) and treated with an SN procedure at our tertiary referral centre. SNs were identified using lymphoscintigraphy with or without single‐photo‐emission computed tomography with CT (SPECT/CT). Patients underwent laparoscopic retroperitoneal SN excision with inguinal orchiectomy. Patients with a tumour‐positive SN underwent adjuvant treatment. Follow‐up was conducted according to then‐current guidelines.

Results

In two patients, no SNs were visualized on scintigraphy. In the remaining 25 patients, a median (range) of 3 (1–4) SNs per patient were removed. Two patients showed no malignancy on histopathological examination of the testis. Of the 23 patients diagnosed with TGCT (16 seminomas, seven non‐seminomas), three (13.0%) had occult metastatic disease. All 23 patients were without evidence of disease at a median (range) follow‐up of 63.9 (29.0–143.4) months.

Conclusion

The SN procedure allows early identification of patients with occult metastatic disease in clinical stage I TGCT, enabling early treatment.
Sex bias in preclinical research and an exploration of how to change the status quo
Authors: Karp Natasha A , Reavey Neil
Published: November 2018

There has been a revolution within clinical trials to include females in the research pipeline. However, there has been limited change in the preclinical arena; yet the research here lays the ground work for the subsequent clinical trials. Sex bias has been highlighted as one of the contributing factors to the poor translation and replicability issues undermining preclinical research. There have been multiple calls for action, and the funders of biomedical research are actively pushing the inclusion of sex as a biological variable. Here, we consider the current standard practice within the preclinical research setting, why there is a movement to include females and why the imbalance exists. We explore organizational change theory as a tool to shape strategies needed at an individual and institute level to change the status quo. The ultimate goal is to create a scientific environment in which our preclinical research automatically implements sex‐sensitive approaches.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed section on The Importance of Sex Differences in Pharmacology Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.21/issuetoc
Germination of pollen grains in the oesophagus of individuals with eosinophilic oesophagitis
Authors: Armentia Alicia , Martín‐Armentia Sara , Álvarez‐Nogal Rafael , Armentia Blanca Martín , Gayoso Manuel José , Fernández‐González Delia
Published: November 2018

Background

Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is characterized by oesophageal dysfunction and, histologically, by eosinophilic inflammation. There is no a clear aetiologic treatment. EoE exacerbations are often seasonal. We hypothesized that the inflammatory response of the oesophageal mucosa in patients with high levels of antibodies to pollen allergens and worsened seasonal EoE might be due to swallowing airborne pollen and the intrusion into the oesophageal mucosa of pollen allergens and pollen tubes, which encounter a pH and humidity resembling the stigma at pollination.

Objective

The aim of our study was to demonstrate the possible pathogenic role of environmental allergens in EoE through molecular and anatomopathological studies

Methods

One hundred and twenty‐nine patients with EoE were tested for environmental and food allergens. Component resolved diagnosis (CRD), histological and botanical analysis was performed. Microscopic examination of oesophageal biopsies of 129 adults patients with EoE, 82 of them with seasonal exacerbation, and 100 controls, with gastroesophageal reflux without eosinophilic infiltrate, were made to verify the presence of callose (polysaccharide abundant in pollen tubes but absent in animal tissues) in the oesophagus.

Results

Component resolved diagnosis detected pollen allergens in 87.6% of patients with EoE. The predominant allergens were group 1 grass (55%), Art v 3 (11.3%) and lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) (19.4%) of common Mediterranean foods such as peach, hazelnuts, walnuts and wheat. Callose from pollen tubes was found in 65.6% of biopsies.

Conclusion

Alteration of the mucosal barrier in EoE might cause the penetration of pollen grains into the oesophageal tissues. In EoE patients, anatomopathological studies searching for intrusion to plant foods and pollen, and specific‐guided diet and immunotherapy after plant structures detection in biopsies, might be effective.

Clinical relevance

It is possible to see the intrusion into animal tissues (oesophagus mucosa) of plant structures (pollen grains or pollen tubes) using an adecuate histologic botanical analysis. Molecular and anatomopathological studies can help to demonstrate a possible pathogenic role of environmental allergens in EoE.
Impact of water exposure on skin barrier permeability and ultrastructure
Authors: Ogawa‐Fuse Chie , Morisaki Naoko , Shima Kyoko , Hotta Mitsuyuki , Sugata Keiichi , Ichihashi Toshiki , Oguri Masashi , Yoshida Osamu , Fujimura Tsutomu
Published: November 2018

Background

Skin occlusion caused by the use of diapers or sanitary napkins often results in irritant contact dermatitis. Furthermore, prolonged occlusion and exposure to body fluids are known to increase skin hydration and permeability, thus leading to irritant contact dermatitis.

Objective

To investigate the effects of water exposure on the skin and its barrier functions, in order to obtain more insights into the mechanisms of irritant contact dermatitis.

Methods

Water patches were applied to the volar forearm skin of 10 human subjects for 3 hours. Permeability of the stratum corneum (SC) was examined with methyl nicotinate (MN). Alterations in the hydration and ultrastructure of the SC were measured with Raman spectroscopy and multiphoton microscopy, respectively.

Results

Water profiles found with Raman spectroscopy showed notable increases in water content throughout the SC and skin surface. Multiphoton microscopy showed morphological changes in the intercellular space of the SC. Emerged pools seemed to contribute to increased MN absorption.

Conclusion

Excessive skin hydration leading to changes in the SC ultrastructure might result in increased skin permeability to skin irritants and allergens.
Synovial sarcoma diagnosis on fine needle cytology sample confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation
Authors: Ronchi Andrea , Panarese Iacopo , Aquino Gabriella , Gambardella Antonio , Franco Renato , Cozzolino Immacolata
Published: November 2018

The cytological diagnosis of a monomorphic synovial sarcoma can be challenging, especially when it presents in a rare intramuscular location. As synovial sarcoma is characterized by the specific balanced chromosomal translocation t(X;18)(p11;q11), an integrated cytological and molecular approach is considered mandatory.
Decreasing prevalence of cerebral palsy in birth cohorts in South Carolina using Medicaid, disability service, and hospital discharge data, 1996 to 2009
Authors: Li Qing , Kinsman Stephen L , Jenkins Dorothea D , Hovell Melbourne F , Ryan Rita M
Published: November 2018

Aim

Since cross‐sectional trends of 8‐year‐old cerebral palsy (CP) birth prevalence based on record review were stable from 1985 to 2002 in Metropolitan Atlanta, we examined birth cohort trends using administrative data sets promptly.

Method

Among 755 433 live births from 1996 to 2009 in South Carolina, 2080 received CP diagnosis by age 4 years from linked Medicaid claims with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes 343.X (contributing 1061 [51%] unique cases), hospital discharge data (57 [3%] unique cases), and Department of Disabilities and Special Needs program (64 [3%] unique cases). Trends were assessed using negative binominal regression.

Results

Including 3.7 percent of cases who died before age 4 years, CP prevalence per 1000 live births decreased significantly from 3.6 in 1996 to 2.1 in 2006 (–3.0% average annual change; 95% confidence interval –4.4 to –1.6). The overall prevalence was 2.8 per 1000 live births, 46.0 per 1000 very‐low‐birthweight (VLBW) live births, and 53.0 per 1000 VLBW 1‐year survivors. Disparities and downward trends persisted across subgroups with higher rates among non‐Hispanic black infants than non‐Hispanic white and among males compared to females.

Interpretation

Downward CP prevalence rates and persistent disparities remain in South Carolina. Further research should validate this methodology, including early deaths, and develop broad surveillance systems to inform clinical practices and etiology.

What this paper adds

Birth cohort cerebral palsy (CP) prevalence decreased in South Carolina from 1996 to 2009.

CP prevalence was higher in very‐low‐birthweight infants, non‐Hispanic blacks, and males.

Three administrative data sets captured 2080 patients with CP in South Carolina.

Medicaid claims contributed 51% of unique cases of CP to the cohort.

CP diagnoses included 76 patients who died before age 4 years.
Ecumenism and the Will‐for‐Friendship: A Contribution from Latin America
Authors: Iván Jiménez Jiménez Leonel
Published: November 2018

Through Latin American theologies and liberation theologies, ecumenism can be understood as a space of interrelations where the will‐for‐friendship takes place. These theologies share an epistemology in which diversity is essential to life on earth, as each subject needs the other. Liberation theologies also locate theology in the context of and from the invisible, and share an epistemology that encompasses the total experience of being human. In this epistemology, the theological starting points of mestizaje/hybridity, migration/fluidity, and diversity/pluralism lead to practical love. A theology that is committed to justice creates the possibility of healing the oikos. The will‐for‐friendship is the beginning of the desire of being friends, which is a condition for achieving the eschatological “us” that allows the diverse and plural life on earth to be one.
The Ethics of Solidarity and Human Rights: Insights from the World Council of Churches on United Nations Reform
Authors: Ludji Irene
Published: November 2018

In 2006, the World Council of Churches (WCC), at its 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, produced a “Statement on UN Reform” focusing on the need to prolong the quality of the United Nations’ work to fight for human rights, justice, and peace. This article attempts to show that this statement provides essential learning points on the ethics of solidarity through the relationship between the WCC and the UN. In its discussion of solidarity, the article builds on the work of Richard Rorty and Anselm K. Min. With reference to Rorty, the author discusses the notion of solidarity as the ability to expand the concept of “us” and the importance of reason in creating solidarity as a moral obligation; and Min’s work grounds the article’s discussion of the concept of twofold dialectic solidarity and “global solidarity of the different.” This article concludes that enlarging the circle of “us” as promoted by Rorty is possible when one acknowledges the reality of the twofold dialectic as presented by Min – that is, the dialectic of differentiation and the dialectic of interdependence. Both of these characteristics can be found in the WCC’s 2009 “Statement on UN Reform.”
Church, Society, and Earth in The Church and Together towards Life: A Reflection from a Post‐communist Context
Authors: Bargár Pavol
Published: November 2018

This article explores the topics of church, society, and earth in two recent documents by the World Council of Churches (WCC): The Church: Towards a Common Vision and Together towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes. Regarding society and earth not as mere objects or “props” of the church’s mission, the article suggests that the church must be viewed as an intrinsic part of both society and earth if it is to faithfully pursue God’s mission of justice and peace toward the “kin‐dom” characterized by life in fullness for all. Mission, understood in terms of missio Dei, will therefore be recognized as encompassing all three of these categories. The contribution reflects on these issues from a post‐communist perspective, drawing insights from both historical experience and current reality.