bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Balance Between Investment Protection and Sustainable Development in BITs
Authors: Bonzon Anne-Juliette
Published: November 2014

The objective of this article is to examine how substantive and procedural rights granted to foreign investors by Swiss bits are gradually being balanced with social and environmental provisions. Switzerland has enjoyed a long bit practice, as it signed its first treaty with Tunisia fifty years ago. Swiss bits rely on the post-establishment model and include usual standards of treatment. From 1981, they also systematically provide for a dispute settlement mechanism for disputes arising between an investor and a host State. Since the Switzerland – El Salvador bit in 1994, sustainable development concerns have been expressly inserted in some Swiss bits, as well as in several recent free trade agreements. Provisions on this theme are however far from being systematic in Switzerland’s bit practice and essentially remain declaratory in nature. The trend towards wider inclusion of sustainable development provisions in bits still faces several practical and political challenges.
Poverty and Investment Law: Starting the Discussion
Authors: Schefer Krista Nadakavukaren
Published: November 2014

Poverty reduction is one of the international community’s highest priorities, but until today, there has been little attention to the impacts of the legal rules of the investment protection regime on poverty and on poverty’s effects on investment law’s goals. This article makes an initial effort to uncover the interactions of poverty and investment protection rules. A particular emphasis is given to the role of relative poverty in this relationship, as laws securing property protection are likely to have different impacts on extreme poverty than they do on inequalities of wealth.
Article: Investment Treaties and Transition from Authoritarian Rule
Authors: Bonnitcha Jonathan
Published: November 2014

Following recent events in Egypt, Libya, Myanmar (Burma) and Tunisia, foreign investors have lodged international claims under investment treaties. Several of these cases follow a common fact pattern. They concern foreign investments acquired from authoritarian governments substantially below market value through transactions that were not arms’ length. Subsequently, new governments sought to renegotiate these contracts and concessions, or to change the regulatory arrangements that govern them. The investors then invoked the protections of an investment treaty.

This article draws on political science scholarship on transition. It argues that investment treaties risk constraining the ability of incoming democratic regimes to consolidate their position, and questions the normative justifications for applying the principle of full market value compensation to situations in which investments were not acquired on a full market value basis. These conclusions are relevant to wider debates about the tension between legal stability and political change in international law.
Lebanon: The Refugee Issue and the Threat of a Sectarian Confrontation
Authors: Meier Daniel
Published: November 2014

This article highlights the many dimensions of the threat that exists nowadays in Lebanon regarding the impact of the Syrian uprising turning into a civil war. To do so, I will firstly focus on the issue of Syrian refugee in Lebanon. Recalling the Syrian-Lebanese complex relationship, the article delves in the collective memory of the Palestinian issue in Lebanon that pops up again as thousands of them are fleeing Syria to seek refuge in Palestinian camps. In the second part, the article addresses the related question of Sunnis/Shiites tensions that have become a significant factor in the Syrian civil war and that have been imported into Lebanon by major political parties and entrepreneurs of violence.
Fungi of the Russian Far East 2. New species and new records of Marasmius and Cryptomarasmius (Basidiomycota)
Authors: Kiyashko Anna A. , MALYSHEVA EKATERINA F. , ANTONÍN VLADIMÍR , SVETASHEVA TATIANA YU. , BULAKH EUGENIA M.
Published: November 2014

During the study of mycobiota in the Russian Far East several interesting collections belonging to the genera Marasmius and Cryptomarasmius were made. Here we report the first records of Marasmius cf. ochroleucus, M. occultatiformis and Cryptomarasmius aucubae for the investigated territory. Two species (Marasmius macrocystidiosus, M. insolitus) and one variety (M. cohaerens var. mandshuricus) are described as new. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations are given. The relationships of the studied taxa with close species are discussed. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions based on ITS and nrLSU data sets were conducted.
A revision of the New Zealand species of Howickia Richards
Authors: MARSHALL S.A. , LUK S.P.L. , DONG H.
Published: November 2014

Howickia Richards 1951 is redefined to include all wingless or strongly brachypterous Sphaeroceridae in New Zealand as well as two newly described fully winged species, H. oliveri and H. lepidostylus. Biroina Richards 1973 is newly treated as a junior subjective synonym of Howickia. The following new flightless species are described from New Zealand: H. bicolor, H. cordata, H. exasperata, H. harrisoni, H. mercurialis, H. nigrilegula, H. nigriventer, H. nudistylus, H. omamari, H. palmai, H. regalis, H. tangata, H. wahaika and H. zonula.
Short-Term Precipitation and Temperature Trends along an Elevation Gradient in Northeastern Puerto Rico
Authors: Van Beusekom Ashley E. , González Grizelle , Rivera Maria M.
Published: November 2014

As is true of many tropical regions, northeastern Puerto Rico is an ecologically sensitive area with biological life that is highly elevation dependent on precipitation and temperature. Climate change has the potential to increase the risk of losing endemic species and habitats. Consequently, it is important to explore the pattern of trends in precipitation and temperature along an elevation gradient. Statistical derivatives of a frequently sampled dataset of precipitation and temperature at 20 sites along an elevation gradient of 1000 m in northeastern Puerto Rico were examined for trends from 2001 to 2013 with nonparametric methods accounting for annual periodic variations such as yearly weather cycles. Overall daily precipitation had an increasing trend of around 0.1 mm day−1 yr−1. The driest months of the annual dry, early, and late rainfall seasons showed a small increasing trend in the precipitation (around 0.1 mm day−1 yr−1). There was strong evidence that precipitation in the driest months of each rainfall season increased faster at higher elevations (0.02 mm day−1 more increase for 100-m elevation gain) and some evidence for the same pattern in precipitation in all months of the year but at half the rate. Temperature had a positive trend in the daily minimum (around 0.02°C yr−1) and a negative trend in the daily maximum whose size is likely an order of magnitude larger than the size of the daily minimum trend. Physical mechanisms behind the trends may be related to climate change; longer-term studies will need to be undertaken in order to assess the future climatic trajectory of tropical forests.
Changing Ties in a Far-Flung, Multidisciplinary Research Network
Authors: Dimitrova Dimitrina , Mok Diana , Wellman Barry
Published: November 2014

We study a multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed, and multi-institutional research network that shows the complex relationships in collaborative research. Although collaborative work ties declined, the number of friendship and advice ties stayed stable and acquaintanceship ties grew. Most researchers seem satisfied with the network and relish the opportunities for cross-disciplinary exchanges. The benefits of the network do not lie in the traditional academic output of publications and artifacts, but in intellectual exchanges, knowledge transfer, fostering long-term ties within and across disciplines and universities, and the development of a collaborative culture.
The Social and Developmental Antecedents of Legal Cynicism
Authors: Nivette Amy E. , Eisner Manuel , Malti Tina , Ribeaud Denis
Published: November 2014

Objectives:

This study explores the social and developmental antecedents of legal cynicism. This study comprises a range of indicators organized into four domains—bonds to institutions, predispositions, experiences, and delinquent involvement—that bear on theoretically plausible mechanisms involved in the development of legal cynicism.

Methods:

This study examines four pathways to legal cynicism using data from two waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development of Children and Youths ( N = 1,226). Ordinary least squares (OLS) procedures are used to regress legal cynicism at t2 (age 15) on social and psychological characteristics measured at t1 (age 13), and retrospective variables measured at t2. Baseline legal cynicism was included as a covariate in all models.

Results:

The results show that self-reported delinquency is the strongest predictor of legal cynicism. There is also evidence that alienation from society, negative experiences with police, and association with deviant peers can foster legal cynicism.

Conclusions:

This study shows that legal cynicism is to a small extent the result of alienation from social institutions and negative experiences with the police. To a much larger degree, legal cynicism seems to represent a cognitive neutralization technique used to justify one’s previous self-reported delinquency.
Improving mental health in schools
Authors: Rossen Eric , Cowan Katherine C.
Published: November 2014

Students do not leave their mental health at the front door when they come to school. From wellness to serious illness, a student’s mental health status is integral to how they think, feel, interact, behave, and learn. Decades of research and experience have laid a solid foundation and framework for effectively providing mental health services in schools that protect student well-being, promote learning, reduce stigma, and improve access. Providing mental health services, ideally in a multitiered system of supports, is good for students, their families, educators, the community, and society at large. Until we take seriously the role of mental health in learning, school reform efforts, largely focused on teacher quality and instruction today, will fall far short of the goal of having all students thrive in school, at home, and in life.
Get families on board to navigate mental health issues
Authors: Minke Kathleen M. , Vickers Harleen S.
Published: November 2014

Effective family-school collaboration is essential for promoting students’ success at school, but collaborative relationships must be proactively developed and intentionally nurtured. These relationships are particularly critical when children are struggling behaviorally or emotionally. Strategies for building effective relationships are reviewed.
The best mental health programs start with all students
Authors: Desrochers John E.
Published: November 2014

The most efficient and effective framework for organizing mental health services in schools is through a multitiered system of support. This framework typically features three increasingly intense tiers intervention providing a continuum of care for all students in the school, not simply those identified as having a disability. Tier 1 universal interventions are programs designed for all students; Tier 2 targeted interventions are designed for students identified as at risk for developing emotional or behavioral problems; and Tier 3 intensive interventions are designed for students identified as at very high risk for or already experiencing a significant mental health problem.
Interventions can salve unseen anxiety barriers
Authors: Minahan Jessica , Schultz Jerome J.
Published: November 2014

Teachers who understand anxiety and its effect on a student's learning and behavior, and use a few common strategies in different and more effective ways, will be less frustrated and more effective in their work with anxious or emotionally fragile students.
School-community alliances enhance mental health services
Authors: Vaillancourt Kelly , Amador Andria
Published: November 2014

Building effective school community partnerships requires recognition of barriers along with time and commitment from both the school district and community agencies to overcome those barriers. It may seem overwhelming to fully address each of the challenges while attempting to implement each element of effective school partnerships all at once, but it is necessary to ensure that the partnership is truly collaborative, effective, and improves mental health outcomes for children and youth.
Is Moneyball the next big thing in education?
Authors: Soland Jim
Published: November 2014

Predictive analytics in education can offer a benefit as long as educators heed the differences between how the tools are used in industry and how they should be used differently in schooling. Perhaps most important, teachers already know a great deal about their students — far more than an investor knows about a stock or a baseball scout about an up-and-coming pitcher. In fact, teachers are a veritable treasure trove of data on student behaviors, attitudes, and aspirations, information not typically included in a statistical model. Teachers also have far more power to shape what happens to students, an influence driven in part by their opinions of each child. Using predictive analytics in education while ignoring these differences may lead not only to misidentifying students at risk of dropping out but also negatively influence how teachers view those students.
Ed Law
Authors: Darden Edwin C.
Published: November 2014

Regarding teen pregnancy and schools, the law makes it simple: Educators must treat soon-to-be moms and dads or school-aged parents the same as other students. Most prominently, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 forbids pregnancy discrimination. While most people associate Title IX with sports equity, the law is much broader. It prohibits public schools and colleges from treating female students differently based on sex. Pregnancy falls naturally within its protections.
Social emotional learning in a Guatemalan preschool sample: Does socioeconomic status moderate the effects of a school-based prevention program?
Authors: Clinton Amanda B. , Edstrom Leihua , Mildon Heather A. , Davila Lesliann
Published: November 2014

Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of a universal social skills program and compared social emotional knowledge on individual skills interviews with 100 Guatemalan preschool children from resource rich ( N = 47) and resource poor ( N = 53) backgrounds. Participant ages ranged from 3- to 6-years-old. SEL was evaluated prior and subsequent to receiving a school-based social emotional educational program. Results were analysed in terms of effectiveness of SEL by error type. Data show that preschool children from both poor and wealthy families made significant gains in social-emotional knowledge as a result of SEL instruction. In order to better understand where SEL might be improved, analyses of incorrect responses provided by children from each SES group were analysed. Findings demonstrated no significant differences between the two groups in terms of incorrect or socially unacceptable responses although, overall, the groups differed in depth of social emotional knowledge. Implications for ‘closing the gap’ between children’s social emotional development in high and low SES groups are discussed.
Goal oriented and risk taking behavior: The roles of multiple systems for Caucasian and Arab-American adolescents
Authors: Tynan Joshua J. , Somers Cheryl L. , Gleason Jamie H. , Markman Barry S. , Yoon Jina
Published: November 2014

With Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological theory and other multifactor models (e.g. Pianta, 1999 ; Prinstein, Boergers, & Spirito, 2001 ) underlying this study design, the purpose was to examine, simultaneously, key variables in multiple life contexts (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem levels) for their individual and combined roles in predicting adolescent risk-taking and goal-oriented behaviors. Predictor variables were parenting behaviors (parenting style, monitoring, and involvement), the risk-taking and goal-oriented behavior of peers, and religiosity (attendance, involvement, and importance). General media consumption was also explored. The participants in this study were 272 9th to 12th grade Caucasian and Arab-American high school students (124 males and 148 females) from a suburban public school district in the midwestern United States (Mean age = 15.64). Results revealed several themes, including that peers appeared to have the primary role in explaining variance in risk behaviors, while parents have the primary role in explaining goal-oriented behavior. Religiosity contributed minimally. There were several noteworthy differences between the two cultural groups regarding which factors explained the most variance in criterion variables. Results are explored in more detail and implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.
Revisiting judgment of strategic self-promotion and competitor derogation tactics
Authors: Bendixen Mons , Kennair Leif Edward Ottesen
Published: November 2014

Competition for mates is a primary social psychological conflict. One may acquire a mate by promoting oneself by highlighting features that the opposite sex has evolved to desire in mates. One may also attack competitors, in an attempt to reduce their perceived mate value. The effectiveness judgment of 24 separate self-promotion and competitor derogation tactics were studied in two samples of Norwegian undergraduates ( n = 270 and n = 350) using a Sex of Actor by Mating Context (short-term and long-term) factorial design. Analyses of covariates (controlling for sociosexuality, sex of participant, and relationship status) replicate the original findings of Schmitt and Buss ((1996) Strategic self-promotion and competitor derogation: Sex and context effects on the perceived effectiveness of mate attraction tactics, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 1185–1204) in one of the world’s most gender-egalitarian culture. This suggests that sexual strategies theory predicts mate acquisition behavior cross-culturally.
Intravoxel incoherent motion MRI for liver fibrosis assessment: a pilot study
Authors: Chung Sae Rom , Lee Seung Soo , Kim Namkug , Yu Eun Sil , Kim Eunki , Kühn Bernd , Kim In Seong
Published: November 2014

Background

There has been a growing need for an imaging method for the accurate diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis as a non-invasive alternative to liver biopsy.

Purpose

To evaluate the feasibility of intra-voxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging for classifying the severity of liver fibrosis.

Material and Methods

Fifty-seven patients who underwent navigator-triggered, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the liver on a 1.5-T system using nine b-values and had a reliable reference standard for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis (histopathologic findings [ n = 27] or clinical findings for normal [ n = 18] or cirrhotic liver [ n = 12]), were included in our study. Liver apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), pure diffusion ( Dslow), perfusion fraction ( f), and perfusion-related diffusion ( Dfast), and the product f · Dfast were compared with the liver fibrosis stages (F). The accuracies of these parameters in diagnosing severe liver fibrosis (F ≥3) were evaluated using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

The liver fibrosis stages had the strongest negative correlation with f · Dfast ( ρ = –0.52). All of the parameters, except for Dslow, were significantly lower in patients with F ≥3 than in those with F ≤2 ( P ≤ 0.001). The area under the ROC curve for diagnosing severe fibrosis was the largest for f · Dfast (0.844) with an overall accuracy of 79.0% (45/57) at the optimal cutoff value and followed by f (0.834), Dfast (0.773), ADC (0.762), and Dslow (0.656).

Conclusion

IVIM imaging is a promising method for classifying the severity of liver fibrosis, with the product f · Dfast being the most accurate parameter.
Status Update
Authors: Tufts Shannon Howle , Jacobson Willow S. , Stevens Mattie Sue
Published: November 2014

Social media use has quickly become an integral part of people’s personal and professional lives. Although many scholars highlight the benefits of social media for engagement, communication, and outreach, leveraging social media platforms for human resource (HR) practices continues to present interesting questions and challenges. This article examines how municipal and county governments are using social media in recruiting, hiring, monitoring, and disciplining employees. Many local governments are not taking advantage of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media as potential tools for recruitment and screening because of concerns related to liability. The same organizations are conducting workplace monitoring and addressing disciplinary issues around employee social media use, often without guiding policies in place. Based on the findings from this research, recommendations are provided on how and when local government HR departments can more effectively use social media in their practices.
The effect of benzo[α]pyrene on expression and signaling cross talk of aryl hydrocarbon receptor and NFATc1 in mouse lung tissue
Authors: Parsa Maliheh , Ostad Seyed Nasser , Moogahi Seyed Mohammad Hossein Noori , Bayat Mohammad , Ghahremani Mohammad Hossein
Published: November 2014

Objective:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potent environmental pollutants. Benzo[α]pyrene (B[α]P) is the major compound of PAHs that acts by activating aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in cells. B[α]P is a known carcinogen and an immunotoxicant; however, its role with regard to nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) pathway is unclear. AhR and NFAT signaling pathways have common roles in pathological functions in immunotoxicity and lung cancer. In this study, the effect of AhR activation on expression and signaling cross talk of AhR and NFATc1 pathways in mouse lung tissue has been investigated.

Methods:

Swiss albino mice were randomly allocated to five groups and administered with cyclosporin A (CsA) and B[α]P for seven constitutive days. Animals were then killed, and lung tissues were obtained after washing the whole blood. Paraffin-embedded blocks were prepared, and 5 µm sections were cut for histopathological and immunohistochemical assessments. The results were scored by observer and digitally analyzed using ImageJ software.

Results:

Our data showed that CsA administration resulted in a significant reduction of AhR expression. This effect was partly blocked in mice coadministrated with B[α]P and CsA. NFATc1 expression was also reduced in CsA-treated animals. Furthermore, CsA inhibited the pathological effects of B[α]P in mouse lung tissue.

Conclusion:

AhR expression is dependent on NFATc1 activation, and NFATc1 inhibition remarkably decreases AhR expression. However, it seems that total expression of NFATc1 is not dependent on AhR expression or activation. Moreover, CsA can prevent B[α]P-induced lung tissue damage, and it remarkably decreases NFATc1 expression. The results from this study point toward the molecular interactions of AhR and NFATc1 activation in lung tissue and the benefit of CsA treatment in B[α]P-induced lung damage.
Corticosteroid Treatments in Males With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Kim Sunkyung , Campbell Kimberly A. , Fox Deborah J. , Matthews Dennis J. , Valdez Rodolfo ,   the MD STARnet
Published: November 2014

This population-based study examines the association between corticosteroid treatment and time to loss of ambulation, stratifying by treatment duration (short: 0.25-3 years, long: >3 years), among 477 Duchenne muscular dystrophy cases identified by the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance Tracking and Research Network (MDSTAR net). Those cases who received short-term corticosteroid treatment had a time to loss of ambulation that was 0.8 years shorter ( t test) and an annual risk of losing ambulation 77% higher than the untreated (Cox regression). Conversely, cases who received long-term corticosteroid treatment had a time to loss of ambulation that was 2 years longer and an annual risk of losing ambulation 82% lower than the untreated, up to age 11 years; after which the risks were not statistically different. The relationship of corticosteroids and time to loss of ambulation is more complex than depicted by previous studies limited to treatment responders or subjects who lost ambulation during study follow-up.
Networks in New York City
Authors: Wohlstetter Priscilla , Houston David M. , Buck Brandon
Published: November 2014

The purpose of this paper is to report findings from an exploratory study of the early implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards in New York City by a sample of charter management organizations (CMOs) and Children First Networks (CFNs). Using the existing literature on policy implementation—specifically the concepts of boundary spanners and mutual adaptation—this research investigated the role of networks as they facilitated the implementation of the new standards. We conducted in-depth interviews with leaders in both types of networks. The interviews focused on the strategies used to implement the Common Core and the challenges faced in the process. Our findings included evidence of varying capacity among CFNs and CMOs. More decentralized networks expressed greater difficulties with the transition, and the existence of a distinct network-level department with exclusively instructional responsibilities facilitated the adoption of the standards.
The Sound of Power
Authors: Ko Sei Jin , Sadler Melody S. , Galinsky Adam D.
Published: November 2014

The current research examined the relationship between hierarchy and vocal acoustic cues. Using Brunswik’s lens model as a framework, we explored how hierarchical rank influences the acoustic properties of a speaker’s voice and how these hierarchy-based acoustic cues affect perceivers’ inferences of a speaker’s rank. By using objective measurements of speakers’ acoustic cues and controlling for baseline cue levels, we were able to precisely capture the relationship between acoustic cues and hierarchical rank, as well as the covariation among the cues. In Experiment 1, analyses controlling for speakers’ baseline cue levels found that the voices of individuals in the high-rank condition were higher in pitch and loudness variability but lower in pitch variability, compared with the voices of individuals in the low-rank condition. In Experiment 2, perceivers used higher pitch, greater loudness, and greater loudness variability to make accurate inferences of speakers’ hierarchical rank. These experiments demonstrate that acoustic cues are systematically used to reflect and detect hierarchy.
Emergency Department–Based Brief Intervention to Reduce Risky Driving
Authors: Sommers Marilyn S. , McDonald Catherine C. , Fargo Jamison D.
Published: November 2014

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) has promise as a clinical intervention for health-compromising behaviors. We used a randomized controlled design in an Emergency Department (ED) setting to determine the efficacy of a nurse-delivered SBIRT to address risky driving in people 18 to 44 years of age. Risky drivers ( n = 476) were randomized to brief intervention (BIG), contact-control (CCG), or no-contact-control (NCG) groups and were followed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Outcomes included safety belt use, speeding, and driving through traffic lights. Safety belt use, times speeding between 10 and 19 mph over speed limit, and times driving through a yellow light declined significantly in the BIG as compared with the CCG at 3, 6, and 9 months. SBIRT reduced risky driving in our sample, but its effects did not persist after 9 months. We suggest that SBIRT has the potential to reduce vehicular-related injury in the 9 months after a brief intervention.
Staple Fixation for Akin Proximal Phalangeal Osteotomy in the Treatment of Hallux Valgus Interphalangeus
Authors: Neumann Julie A. , Reay Kathleen D. , Bradley Kendall E. , Parekh Selene G.
Published: November 2014

Background:

The Akin proximal phalangeal osteotomy is commonly used in conjunction with metatarsal osteotomies to treat hallux valgus. Multiple fixation methods including suture, wire, screw, and staple fixation have been described. The aims of this study were to assess the intraoperative and postoperative complications and to evaluate short-term postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent Akin osteotomy with staple fixation.

Methods:

Forty-four patients (51 feet) with painful hallux valgus were retrospectively reviewed at an average of 40.4 ± 15.8 (range, 25.9 to 79.9) weeks following an Akin osteotomy with staple fixation. Patient reported preoperative and postoperative Visual Analog Score (VAS) (0 to 10, 0 = no pain) was recorded. Level of activity was reported postoperatively. Hallux valgus angles (HVAs), intermetatarsal angles (IMAs), and hallux valgus interphalangeus angles (IPAs) were evaluated on preoperative as well as final postoperative radiographs. Postoperative clinical and radiographic examinations were used to evaluate for complications.

Results:

Mean VAS improved from 4.4 ± 2.6 to 1.0 ± 1.2 ( P < .001). Activity level was classified as ability to bear weight as tolerated 3/51 (5.9%), ambulate 1 to 4 blocks 2/51 (3.9%), ambulate a minimum of 6 blocks 18/51 (35.3%), and ambulate an unlimited distance 28/51 (59.4%). Average HVA, IMA, and IPA improved from 25.6 ± 10.0 degrees to 14.1 ± 8.1 degrees ( P < .001), 13.1 ± 4.6 degrees to 8.0 ± 3.0 degrees ( P < .001), and 7.9 ± 3.4 degrees to −3.1 ± 6.4 degrees ( P < .001), respectively. No major postoperative complications, including infections, nonunions, or recurrent deformities, were recorded. Two patients sustained breaches of the lateral cortex, but this was without appreciable complication. Three patients (5.9%) reported unilateral proximal-medial great phalanx tenderness. There was 1 revision for persistent deformity, specifically in the HVA and IPA angles.

Conclusion:

Akin osteotomy with staple fixation was a safe and effective procedure as part of a hallux valgus correction with improvement in pain and hallux valgus deformity with a low risk for complications.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
What do nurses and midwives value about their jobs? Results from a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Scott Anthony , Witt Julia , Duffield Christine , Kalb Guyonne
Published: November 2014

Objectives

To examine nurses’ and midwives’ preferences for the characteristics of their jobs.

Methods

A discrete choice experiment of 990 nurses and midwives administered as part of a survey of nurses and midwives in Victoria, Australia.

Results

Autonomy, working hours, and processes to deal with violence and bullying were valued most highly. Nurses and midwives would be willing to forgo 19% and 16% of their annual income for adequate autonomy and adequate processes to deal with violence and bullying, compared to poor autonomy and poor processes for violence and bullying. They would need to be paid an additional 24% to increase their working hours by 10% ($73 per hour). Job characteristics that were less important were shift work, nurse to patient ratios, and public or private sector work.

Conclusions

Policies to improve retention and job satisfaction of nurses and midwives should initially focus on autonomy, processes to deal with violence and bullying, and reasonable working hours. Further research on the cost-effectiveness of these different policies is needed.
A survey assessing knowledge and perception of prescribers towards generic medicines in Hospital Seberang Jaya
Authors: Hassali Mohamed Azmi , Saleem Fahad , Hanif Atisha Abdul , Tze Yinn Catherine Lim , Pui Chee Leong , Fen Teoh Tsyr , Gin Nie Chua , Khan Tahir Mehmood
Published: November 2014

Promoting the use of generic medicine has provided an opportunity for policy makers to make effective use of medicines. The current study aims to explore the prescribers’ knowledge, perceptions and willingness to prescribe generic medicines in Hospital Seberang Jaya Penang State, Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a 23-item questionnaire among physicians practicing at Hospital Seberang Jaya, Malaysia. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS®) version 16. The majority of the respondents 121 (68.4%) were from the age group less than 30 years. Overall, only 7 (4.0%) were aware of the correct National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau’s bioequivalence range that was 80–125%. About 81 (45.8%) of the respondents were unaware of the safety of the generic medicines. Nearly one-third, 57 (32.2%), of the respondents had doubts about the efficacy of generic medicines. Most of the prescribers, 159 (89.8%), insisted on the need for the availability of guidelines or a protocol on brand substitution. The majority 152 (85.9%) believed that collaboration between pharmacist and physicians will be an option to promote the quality use of medicines. In physicians’ personal perspectives, 81 (45.7%) disclosed that it is simpler for them to remember the brand names and 93 (52.5%) stated that advertisements/marketing by the drug companies will influence their prescription pattern. Malaysian medical graduates were found to have poor knowledge about quality; safety and efficacy of generic medicines were common barriers to generic prescription. Marketing and promotional activities by the pharmaceutical companies will be the potential factors that may affect the prescription practices of the physicians.
New antiepileptic medication linked to blue discoloration of the skin and eyes
Authors: Clark Sarah , Antell Alexandra , Kaufman Kimberly
Published: November 2014

Ezogabine is an antiepileptic medication approved in June 2011 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an adjunctive treatment for partial seizures. Minimal drug interactions and a novel mechanism of action made ezogabine an appealing new treatment option. However, adverse effects reported during clinical trials and following drug approval have been alarming. A Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program has been established for urinary retention. A safety alert was published in April 2013 warning ezogabine may cause retinal pigment abnormalities and/or blue-gray discoloration, most notably on or near the lips, nail beds, sclera and conjunctiva with long-term use. In October 2013, the FDA announced a formal label change to ezogabine to include a black boxed warning emphasizing the previously reported warnings of eye and skin discoloration and permanent vision changes. Given the unknown nature of the pathophysiology, consequences and potential for reversibility of these effects, GlaxoSmithKline and the FDA have published recommendations for patients currently receiving ezogabine. Further data from published case reports and long-term safety trials in the future may lend additional insight into these concerning effects.
A Peer-Led HIV Medication Adherence Intervention Targeting Adults Linked to Medical Care but without a Suppressed Viral Load
Authors: Enriquez Maithe , Cheng An-Lin , Banderas Julie , Farnan Rose , Chertoff Keyna , Hayes Deana , Ortego Gerry , Moreno Jose , Peterson Jane , McKinsey David
Published: November 2014

Background:

Non-adherence to antiretroviral (ART) treatment remains a prevalent problem even among the segment of the U.S. HIV population that is ‘linked’ to medical care.

Methods:

Controlled pilot feasibility study with ART experienced adult patients (n = 20) linked to HIV medical care without suppressed viral load. Patients were randomized to a peer-led HIV medication adherence intervention named `Ready' or a time equivalent `healthy eating' control arm. Lay individuals living with HIV were trained to facilitate `Ready'.

Results:

Patients had been prescribed a mean of three prior ART regimens. The group randomized to `Ready' had significantly improved adherence. MEMS and pharmacy refill data correlated with viral load log drop. Higher readiness for healthful behavior change correlated with viral load drop and approached significance.

Conclusion:

A peer-led medication adherence intervention had a positive impact among adults who had experienced repeated non-adherence to HIV treatment. A larger study is needed to examine intervention dissemination and efficacy.
Correlation between structure and properties of annealed electroless Ni–W–P coatings
Authors: Liu H. , Yao H. L. , Thompson G. E. , Liu Z. , Harrison G.
Published: November 2014

Ni–W–P coatings with different structures were prepared by electroless deposition. The correlation between the coating structure before and after annealing with hardness and corrosion resistance has been examined by microhardness measurement, potentiodynamic polarisation and corrosion weight loss tests, and by quantitative X-ray diffraction technology and scanning electron microscopy observation of the corrosion morphology. The results indicate that incorporation of tungsten (4–5 wt-%) in Ni–P deposits does not change the amorphous structure of the Ni–11·3 P (wt-%) coating or the mixed structure of the Ni–6·8 P (wt-%) coating, but it changes the Ni–5·1 W–9·3 P (wt-%) coating into a critical amorphous structure. The coating with a critical amorphous structure develops a higher degree of crystallisation, larger crystal size and smaller number of Ni3P crystallites after annealing at >300°C. It also exhibits the highest peak hardness and the poorest corrosion resistance after annealing at 400°C compared with the other two structural coatings (e.g. amorphous and mixed structures).
Therapeutic targeting of the BCR-associated protein CD79b in a TCR-based approach is hampered by aberrant expression of CD79b
Authors: Jahn Lorenz , Hombrink Pleun , Hassan Chopie , Kester Michel G. D. , van der Steen Dirk M. , Hagedoorn Renate S. , Falkenburg J. H. Frederik , van Veelen Peter A. , Heemskerk Mirjam H. M.
Published: November 2014

Key Points

B-cell malignancies were efficiently recognized by T cells expressing high-affinity alloHLA-restricted TCRs specific for CD79b. Aberrant expression of CD79b in non–B cells caused unwanted reactivity, rendering CD79b unsuitable for TCR-based immunotherapies.
Plasmodium vivax: restricted tropism and rapid remodeling of CD71-positive reticulocytes
Authors: Malleret Benoit , Li Ang , Zhang Rou , Tan Kevin S. W. , Suwanarusk Rossarin , Claser Carla , Cho Jee Sun , Koh Esther Geok Liang , Chu Cindy S. , Pukrittayakamee Sasithon , Ng Mah Lee , Ginhoux Florent , Ng Lai Guan , Lim Chwee Teck , Nosten François , Snounou Georges , Rénia Laurent , Russell Bruce
Published: November 2014

Key Points

Plasmodium vivax merozoites preferentially infect a subgroup of reticulocytes generally restricted to the bone marrow. Accelerated “maturation” of infected reticulocytes.
Constitutive activation of the ERK pathway in melanoma and skin melanocytes in Grey horses
Authors: Jiang Lin , Campagne Cécile , Sundström Elisabeth , Sousa Pedro , Imran Saima , Seltenhammer Monika , Pielberg Gerli , Olsson Mats J , Egidy Giorgia , Andersson Leif , Golovko Anna
Published: November 2014

Background

Constitutive activation of the ERK pathway, occurring in the vast majority of melanocytic neoplasms, has a pivotal role in melanoma development. Different mechanisms underlie this activation in different tumour settings. The Grey phenotype in horses, caused by a 4.6 kb duplication in intron 6 of Syntaxin 17 (STX17), is associated with a very high incidence of cutaneous melanoma, but the molecular mechanism behind the melanomagenesis remains unknown. Here, we investigated the involvement of the ERK pathway in melanoma development in Grey horses.

Methods

Grey horse melanoma tumours, cell lines and normal skin melanocytes were analyzed with help of indirect immunofluorescence and immunoblotting for the expression of phospho-ERK1/2 in comparison to that in non-grey horse and human counterparts. The mutational status of BRAF, RAS, GNAQ, GNA11 and KIT genes in Grey horse melanomas was determined by direct sequencing. The effect of RAS, RAF and PI3K/AKT pathways on the activation of the ERK signaling in Grey horse melanoma cells was investigated with help of specific inhibitors and immunoblotting. Individual roles of RAF and RAS kinases on the ERK activation were examined using si-RNA based approach and immunoblotting.

Results

We found that the ERK pathway is constitutively activated in Grey horse melanoma tumours and cell lines in the absence of somatic activating mutations in BRAF, RAS, GNAQ, GNA11 and KIT genes or alterations in the expression of the main components of the pathway. The pathway is mitogenic and is mediated by BRAF, CRAF and KRAS kinases. Importantly, we found high activation of the ERK pathway also in epidermal melanocytes, suggesting a general predisposition to melanomagenesis in these horses.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that the presence of the intronic 4.6 kb duplication in STX17 is strongly associated with constitutive activation of the ERK pathway in melanocytic cells in Grey horses in the absence of somatic mutations commonly linked to the activation of this pathway during melanomagenesis. These findings are consistent with the universal importance of the ERK pathway in melanomagenesis and may have valuable implications for human melanoma research.
Soft UV nanoimprint lithography-designed highly sensitive substrates for SERS detection
Authors: Cottat Maximilien , Lidgi-Guigui Nathalie , Tijunelyte Inga , Barbillon Grégory , Hamouda Frédéric , Gogol Philippe , Aassime Abdelhanin , Lourtioz Jean-Michel , Bartenlian Bernard , de la Chapelle Marc Lamy
Published: November 2014

We report on the use of soft UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) for the development of reproducible, millimeter-sized, and sensitive substrates for SERS detection. The used geometry for plasmonic nanostructures is the cylinder. Gold nanocylinders (GNCs) showed to be very sensitive and specific sensing surfaces. Indeed, we demonstrated that less than 4 ×106 avidin molecules were detected and contributed to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal. Thus, the soft UV-NIL technique allows to obtain quickly very sensitive substrates for SERS biosensing on surfaces of 1 mm 2.
Evaluation of a modified clinical prediction rule for use with spinal manipulative therapy in patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Dougherty Paul E , Karuza Jurgis , Savino Dorian , Katz Paul
Published: November 2014

Background

Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Active Exercise Therapy (AET) have both demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of Chronic Lower Back Pain (CLBP). A Clinical Prediction Rule (CPR) for responsiveness to SMT has been validated in a heterogeneous lower back pain population; however there is a need to evaluate this CPR specifically for patients with CLBP, which is a significant source of disability.

Methods

We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Veteran Affairs and civilian outpatient clinics evaluating a modification of the original CPR (mCPR) in CLBP, eliminating acute low back pain and altering the specific types of SMT to improve generalizability. We enrolled and followed 181 patients with CLBP from 2007 to 2010. Patients were randomized by status on the mCPR to undergo either SMT or AET twice a week for four weeks. Providers and statisticians were blinded as to mCPR status. We collected outcome measures at 5, 12 and 24-weeks post baseline. We tested our study hypotheses by a general linear model repeated measures procedure following a univariate analysis of covariance approach. Outcome measures included, Visual Analogue Scale, Bodily pain subscale of SF-36 and the Oswestry Disability Index, Patient Satisfaction and Patient Expectation.

Results

Of the 89 AET patients, 69 (78%) completed the study and of the 92 SMT patients, 76 (83%) completed the study. As hypothesized, we found main effects of time where the SMT and AET groups showed significant improvements in pain and disability from baseline. There were no differences in treatment outcomes between groups in response to the treatment, given the lack of significant treatment x time interactions. The mCPR x treatment x time interactions were not significant. The differences in outcomes between treatment groups were the same for positive and negative on the mCPR groups, thus our second hypothesis was not supported.

Conclusions

We found no evidence that a modification of the original CPR can be used to discriminate CLBP patients that would benefit more from SMT. Further studies are needed to further clarify the patient characteristics that moderate treatment responsiveness to specific interventions for CLBP.

Trial registration

ISRCTN30511490
Effectiveness of inhaled furosemide for acute asthma exacerbation: a meta-analysis
Authors: Inokuchi Ryota , Aoki Ai , Aoki Yuta , Yahagi Naoki
Published: November 2014

No abstract
The fluid management of adults with severe malaria
Authors: Hanson Josh , Anstey Nicholas M , Bihari David , White Nicholas J , Day Nicholas P , Dondorp Arjen M
Published: November 2014

Fluid resuscitation has long been considered a key intervention in the treatment of adults with severe falciparum malaria. Profound hypovolemia is common in these patients and has the potential to exacerbate the acidosis and acute kidney injury that are independent predictors of death. However, new microvascular imaging techniques have shown that disease severity correlates more strongly with obstruction of the microcirculation by parasitized erythrocytes - a process termed sequestration. Fluid loading has little effect on sequestration and increases the risk of complications, particularly pulmonary edema, a condition that can develop suddenly and unpredictably and that is frequently fatal in this population. Accordingly, even if a patient is clinically hypovolemic, if there is an adequate blood pressure and urine output, there may be little advantage in infusing intravenous fluid beyond a maintenance rate of 1 to 2 mL/kg per hour. The optimal agent for fluid resuscitation remains uncertain; significant anemia requires blood transfusion, but colloid solutions may be associated with harm and should be avoided. The preferred crystalloid is unclear, although the use of balanced solutions requires investigation. There are fewer data to guide the fluid management of severe vivax and knowlesi malaria, although a similar conservative strategy would appear prudent.