bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conclusion
Authors: Adams-Prassl Jeremias
Published: June 2015

The concluding chapter tests whether the reconceptualization has been successful, both in practical terms and by addressing the fundamental tension head-on: the functional strand is strengthened, in particular by the development of a robust theoretical framework. It summarizes the argument presented in preceding chapters, and culminates in several examples of the functional concept of the employer at work in multilateral settings such as triangular agency work and the information and consultation of employees in a corporate group. A final section turns to the broader normative implications of widening the conceptual focus of employment law to include the concept of the employer as counterparty to the contract of employment, and suggests that the functional concept of the employer proposed is an important step towards the restoration of the personal scope of employment law.
Physics
Authors: Glasner Ruth
Published: June 2015

Gersonides seeks to resolve the incompatibility between Ptolemaic astronomy and Aristotelian physics by reworking both sciences. He elaborates his own astronomical system, based on the eccentric and equant hypotheses (avoiding epicycles), and was thus motivated to disassociate the physics of motion from cosmological premises. Gersonides radically revises Aristotle’s concepts of natural motion and natural place. Moreover, critical reading of Aristotle (most notably De caelo II.12 and Physics VIII.10) and inventive thought experiments led him to dismiss Aristotle’s conception of motion as a dynamic balance: he shows that no moving force is necessary to keep a body in motion and argues that in the celestial region a moving body does not encounter resistance. This argument leads him to the further conclusion that no separate intellects are necessary to keep the world moving. The chapter closes with a short summary of Gersonides’ contribution to the history of the principle of inertia.
Cosmology
Authors: Glasner Ruth
Published: June 2015

Two perceptions of celestial animation prevailed in the Middle Ages: [I] each sphere is animated by a soul [I.1], or an innate intellect [I.2], or a separate intellect [I.3]; [II] the entire universe is a single organism. Gersonides refutes [II] through an argument with Ptolemy, who was unable to account for the transmission of the daily and precession motions from the outermost spheres to the planets, and therefore eschewed the problem by introducing the bird metaphor. Gersonides dismisses [I.1] too and undermines [I.3] by showing that the separate intellects—the cornerstone of medieval Aristotelianism—are not needed to keep the world rotating. He cannot, however, dispose of celestial animation altogether. Not having the mathematical means to account for the non-simple equant motion, he compromises on [I.2]: innate intellects whose role is to keep a mental picture of the divine plan of the natural order of the world.
Metaphysics
Authors: Glasner Ruth
Published: June 2015

His empiricist tendency and his interest in the applied mathematical sciences led Gersonides to reconsider the philosophically oriented Platonic-Aristotelian hierarchical conception of the system of the sciences with the intention to upgrade the status of the mathematical sciences, and to expose several shortages of metaphysics. Gersonides approaches this subject in his early biblical commentaries (notably those on the books ascribed to King Solomon) after having abandoned his commentary on the Metaphysics. Relying on the authority of King Solomon, rather than on that of Aristotle, Gersonides comes up with a new notion of science and in particular of divine science.
Astronomy
Authors: Glasner Ruth
Published: June 2015

In his late years Gersonides does not come back to natural science or philosophy. He pursues the biblical commentaries’ project and devotes most of his effort to astronomical observations and computations, seeking to complete and perfect his astronomical models by computing the parameters with precision. To this end he developed a mathematical method of iterations, which he called ‘heuristic reasoning’ (heqesh taḥbuli). He is aware of the fact that observations and computations cannot lead to the certainty that he aspired to achieve in his middle period, when he devised his models using the method of the ‘parts of the contradictory’.
Concluding Remark
Authors: Glasner Ruth
Published: June 2015

The concluding remark comes back to the question raised in the Preface, whether Gersonides should be considered an Aristotelian philosopher. The conclusion is that although he followed Aristotle on a wide range of issues, Gersonides’ overall world picture was non-Aristotelian. His science was more empirical and less bound by metaphysical considerations than the scholastic science of his time. Throughout the book an attempt was made to avoid presenting Gersonides as a forerunner of modern science. The concluding remark addresses this issue briefly. Although mechanical philosophy was a product of the seventeenth century and the adjectives ‘mechanistic’ or ‘mechanical’ were not yet part of the conceptual vocabulary of the fourteenth century, it nonetheless seems that, without naming it, Gersonides strived to advance some aspects of it.
Fast-SL: an efficient algorithm to identify synthetic lethal sets in metabolic networks
Authors: Pratapa Aditya , Balachandran Shankar , Raman Karthik
Published: June 2015

Motivation: Synthetic lethal sets are sets of reactions/genes where only the simultaneous removal of all reactions/genes in the set abolishes growth of an organism. Previous approaches to identify synthetic lethal genes in genome-scale metabolic networks have built on the framework of flux balance analysis (FBA), extending it either to exhaustively analyze all possible combinations of genes or formulate the problem as a bi-level mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem. We here propose an algorithm, Fast-SL, which surmounts the computational complexity of previous approaches by iteratively reducing the search space for synthetic lethals, resulting in a substantial reduction in running time, even for higher order synthetic lethals.

Results: We performed synthetic reaction and gene lethality analysis, using Fast-SL, for genome-scale metabolic networks of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Fast-SL also rigorously identifies synthetic lethal gene deletions, uncovering synthetic lethal triplets that were not reported previously. We confirm that the triple lethal gene sets obtained for the three organisms have a precise match with the results obtained through exhaustive enumeration of lethals performed on a computer cluster. We also parallelized our algorithm, enabling the identification of synthetic lethal gene quadruplets for all three organisms in under 6 h. Overall, Fast-SL enables an efficient enumeration of higher order synthetic lethals in metabolic networks, which may help uncover previously unknown genetic interactions and combinatorial drug targets.

Availability and implementation: The MATLAB implementation of the algorithm, compatible with COBRA toolbox v2.0, is available at https://github.com/RamanLab/FastSL

Contact:  kraman@iitm.ac.in

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Multidimensional Spatial Voting with Non-separable Preferences
Authors: Stoetzer Lukas F. , Zittlau Steffen
Published: June 2015

In most multidimensional spatial models, the systematic component of agent utility functions is specified as additive separable. We argue that this assumption is too restrictive, at least in the context of spatial voting in mass elections. Here, assuming separability would stipulate that voters do not care about how policy platforms combine positions on multiple policy dimensions. We present a statistical implementation of Davis, Hinich, and Ordeshook's (1970) Weighted Euclidean Distance model that allows for the estimation of the direction and magnitude of non-separability from vote choice data. We demonstrate in a Monte-Carlo experiment that conventional separable model specifications yield biased and/or unreliable estimates of the effect of policy distances on vote choice probabilities in the presence of non-separable preferences. In three empirical applications, we find voter preferences on economic and socio-cultural issues to be non-separable. If non-separability is unaccounted for, researchers run the risk of missing crucial parts of the story. The implications of our findings carry over to other fields of research: checking for non-separability is an essential part of robustness testing in empirical applications of multidimensional spatial models.
PrediXcan: Trait Mapping Using Human Transcriptome Regulation
Authors: Gamazon Eric R. , Wheeler Heather E. , Shah Kaanan P. , Mozaffari Sahar V. , Aquino-Michaels Keston , Carroll Robert J. , Eyler Anne E. , Denny Joshua C. ,   GTEx Consortium, Nicolae Dan L. , Cox Nancy J. , Im Hae Kyung
Published: June 2015

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of variants robustly associated with complex traits. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these associations are, in general, not well understood. We propose a gene-based association method called PrediXcan that directly tests the molecular mechanisms through which genetic variation affects phenotype. The approach estimates the component of gene expression determined by an individual’s genetic profile and correlates the “imputed” gene expression with the phenotype under investigation to identify genes involved in the etiology of the phenotype. The genetically regulated gene expression is estimated using whole-genome tissue-dependent prediction models trained with reference transcriptome datasets. PrediXcan enjoys the benefits of gene-based approaches such as reduced multiple testing burden, more comprehensive annotation of gene function compared to that derived from single variants, and a principled approach to the design of follow-up experiments while also integrating knowledge of regulatory function. Since no actual expression data are used in the analysis of GWAS data - onlyin silicoexpression - reverse causality problems are largely avoided. PrediXcan harnesses reference transcriptome data for disease mapping studies. Our results demonstrate that PrediXcan can detect known and novel genes associated with disease traits and provide insights into the mechanism of these associations.
Evolution and coexistence in response to a key innovation in a long-term evolution experiment withEscherichia coli
Authors: Turner Caroline B. , Blount Zachary D. , Mitchell Daniel H. , Lenski Richard E.
Published: June 2015

Evolution of a novel function can greatly alter the effects of an organism on its environment. These environmental changes can, in turn, affect the further evolution of that organism and any coexisting organisms. We examine these effects and feedbacks following evolution of a novel function in the long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) withEscherichia coli. A characteristic feature ofE. coliis its inability to consume citrate aerobically. However, that ability evolved in one of the LTEE populations. In this population, citrate-utilizing bacteria (Cit+) coexisted stably with another clade of bacteria that lacked the capacity to utilize citrate (Cit−). This coexistence was shaped by the evolution of a cross-feeding relationship in which Cit+cells released the dicarboxylic acids succinate, fumarate, and malate into the medium, and Cit−cells evolved improved growth on these carbon sources, as did the Cit+cells. Thus, the evolution of citrate consumption led to a flask-based ecosystem that went from a single limiting resource, glucose, to one with five resources either shared or partitioned between two coexisting clades. Our findings show how evolutionary novelties can change environmental conditions, thereby facilitating diversity and altering both the structure of an ecosystem and the evolutionary trajectories of coexisting organisms.

Evolution does not produce novelties from scratch. It works on what already exists, either transforming a system to give it new functions or combining several systems to produce a more elaborate one.

–Francois Jacob
Detection of virulence‐associated genes characteristic of intestinal Escherichia coli pathotypes, including the enterohemorrhagic/enteroaggregative O104:H4, in bovines from Germany and Spain
Authors: Cabal Adriana , Geue Lutz , Gómez‐Barrero Susana , Barth Stefanie , Bárcena Carmen , Hamm Katharina , Porrero M.Concepción , Valverde Aránzazu , Cantón Rafael , Menge Christian , Gortázar Christian , Domínguez Lucas , Álvarez Julio
Published: June 2015

Cattle are reservoirs of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; however, their role in the epidemiology of other pathogenic E. coli remains undefined. A new set of quantitative real‐time PCR assays for the direct detection and quantification of nine virulence‐associated genes (VAGs) characteristic of the most important human E. coli pathotypes and four serotype‐related genes (wzxO104, fliCH4, rbfO157, fliCH7) that can be used as a surveillance tool for detection of pathogenic strains was developed. A total of 970 cattle fecal samples were collected in slaughterhouses in Germany and Spain, pooled into 134 samples and analyzed with this tool. stx1, eae and invA were more prevalent in Spanish samples whereas bfpA, stx2, ehxA, elt, est and the rbfO157/fliCH7 combination were observed in similar proportions in both countries. Genes characteristic of the hybrid O104:H4 strain of the 2011 German outbreak (stx2/aggR/wzxO104/fliCH4) were simultaneously detected in six fecal pools from one German abattoir located near the outbreak epicenter. Although no isolate harboring the full stx2/aggR/wzxO104/fliCH4 combination was cultured, sequencing of the aggR positive PCR products revealed 100% homology to the aggR from the outbreak strain. Concomitant detection by this direct approach of VAGs from a novel human pathogenic E. coli strain in cattle samples implies that the E. coli gene pool in these animals can be implicated in de novo formation of such highly‐virulent strains. The application of this set of qPCRs in surveillance studies could be an efficient early‐warning tool for the emergence of zoonotic E. coli in livestock.
Construction of an attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A vaccine strain harboring defined mutations in htrA and yncD
Authors: Zhu Chunyue , Xiong Kun , Chen Zhijin , Hu Xiaomei , Li Jianhua , Wang Yiran , Rao Xiancai , Cong Yanguang
Published: June 2015

The global epidemic features of enteric fever have changed greatly in recent years. The incidence of enteric fever caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A has progressively increased. In some areas of Asia, infections with S. Paratyphi A have exceeded those with S. Typhi, resulting in S. Paratyphi A becoming the main causative agent of enteric fever. However, two currently licensed typhoid vaccines do not confer adequate cross‐protection against S. Paratyphi A infection. Therefore, development of specific vaccines against enteric fever caused by S. Paratyphi A is urgently needed. In the present study, an attenuated strain was constructed by double deletion of the htrA and yncD genes in a wild‐type strain of S. Paratyphi A and its safety and immunogenicity assessed. In a mouse model, the 50% lethal dose of the double deletion mutant and the wild‐type strain were 3.0 × 108 CFU and 1.9 × 103 CFU, respectively, suggesting that the double deletion resulted in remarkably decreased bacterial virulence. Bacterial colonization of the double deletion mutant in the livers and spleens of infected mice was strikingly less than that of the wild‐type strain. A single nasal administration of the attenuated vaccine candidate elicited high concentrations of anti‐LPS and anti‐flagellin IgG in a mouse model and protected immunized mice against lethal challenge with the wild‐type strain. Thus, our findings suggest that the attenuated vaccine strain is a promising candidate worthy of further evaluation both as a human enteric fever vaccine and as a vaccine delivery vector for heterologous antigens.
Endangered Florida panther population size determined from public reports of motor vehicle collision mortalities
Authors: McClintock Brett T. , Onorato Dave P. , Martin Julien
Published: June 2015

Reliably estimating the abundance of rare or elusive animals is notoriously difficult. An archetypical example is the endangered Florida panther, whose conservation status is intrinsically linked to population size, but for which reliable abundance information is lacking across its range. This is due not only to the inherent difficulty of sampling a rare and elusive species over a large geographic area, but also because of restricted scientific access to private land.

Human interactions with wildlife are a regular occurrence, and interactions with non‐scientists constitute an important and underutilized source of information about species distribution and abundance. For example, motor vehicle collisions with Florida panthers are recurrent on the vast network of roads within the public and private lands comprising its range in southern Florida, USA.

Capitalizing on a tendency for the public to report collisions with species of concern to wildlife officials, we describe a novel methodology using public reports along with routine telemetry monitoring data to produce the first statistically defensible population estimates for the Florida panther across its entire breeding range. In essence, our approach uses traffic volume and road density to estimate the probability of motor vehicle collision mortality from telemetered animals and models counts reported by the public accordingly.

Despite low motor vehicle collision mortality probabilities, our methodology achieved abundance estimates of reasonable precision (29% CV) that was similar to that of previous panther studies using conventional approaches on much smaller study areas. While recovery criteria require establishment of three distinct populations of 240 Florida panthers, we found this single population may never have exceeded 150 individuals from 2000 to 2012.

Synthesis and applications. By extracting critical demographic information from underutilized aspects of human–wildlife ecology, our citizen‐based approach can cost less than conventional alternatives and could conceivably be used for long‐term population monitoring of other species over broad geographic areas, for example from reports of avian wind farm collisions, beached whales or marine mammal boat strikes. An additional benefit is that it can be applied to historical data sets of carcass recovery programmes, in our case permitting abundance estimation over a 13‐year period.
Spatial occupancy models for predicting metapopulation dynamics and viability following reintroduction
Authors: Chandler Richard B. , Muths Erin , Sigafus Brent H. , Schwalbe Cecil R. , Jarchow Christopher J. , Hossack Blake R.
Published: June 2015

The reintroduction of a species into its historic range is a critical component of conservation programmes designed to restore extirpated metapopulations. However, many reintroduction efforts fail, and the lack of rigorous monitoring programmes and statistical models have prevented a general understanding of the factors affecting metapopulation viability following reintroduction.

Spatially explicit metapopulation theory provides the basis for understanding the dynamics of fragmented populations linked by dispersal, but the theory has rarely been used to guide reintroduction programmes because most spatial metapopulation models require presence–absence data from every site in the network, and they do not allow for observation error such as imperfect detection.

We develop a spatial occupancy model that relaxes these restrictive assumptions and allows for inference about metapopulation extinction risk and connectivity. We demonstrate the utility of the model using six years of data on the Chiricahua leopard frogLithobates chiricahuensis, a threatened desert‐breeding amphibian that was reintroduced to a network of sites in Arizona USA in 2003.

Our results indicate that the model can generate precise predictions of extinction risk and produce connectivity maps that can guide conservation efforts following reintroduction. In the case ofL. chiricahuensis, many sites were functionally isolated, and 82% of sites were characterized by intermittent water availability and high local extinction probabilities (0·84, 95% CI: 0·64–0·99). However, under the current hydrological conditions and spatial arrangement of sites, the risk of metapopulation extinction is estimated to be <3% over a 50‐year time horizon.

Low metapopulation extinction risk appears to result from the high dispersal capability of the species, the high density of sites in the region and the existence of predator‐free permanent wetlands with low local extinction probabilities. Should management be required, extinction risk can be reduced by either increasing the hydroperiod of existing sites or by creating new sites to increase connectivity.

Synthesis and applications. This work demonstrates how spatio‐temporal statistical models based on ecological theory can be applied to forecast the outcomes of conservation actions such as reintroduction. Our spatial occupancy model should be particularly useful when management agencies lack the funds to collect intensive individual‐level data.
Less Haste, More Speed: TheFit for the FutureReform Program in New South Wales Local Government
Authors: Drew Joseph , Dollery Brian
Published: June 2015

In August 2011 the New South Wales (NSW) Government established the Independent Local Government Review Panel to examine the options for improving the sustainability of the NSW local government sector. In October 2014 the NSW Government set out its response in its Fit for the Future reform program. This paper provides a critical assessment of the Fit for the Future program. We show that it contains errors, relies on unreliable data, and neglects important factors, which may be ascribed to the haste with which it has been constructed. This could have serious consequences given the potential impact the Fit for the Future program will have on NSW local government. We thus conclude that it would be prudent to address these matters before proceeding further with the program.
Inclusive special education: development of a new theory for the education of children with special educational needs and disabilities
Authors: Hornby Garry
Published: June 2015

Inclusive education and special education are based on different philosophies and provide alternative views of education for children with special educational needs and disabilities. They are increasingly regarded as diametrically opposed in their approaches. This article presents a theory of inclusive special education that comprises a synthesis of the philosophy, values and practices of inclusive education with the interventions, strategies and procedures of special education. Development of inclusive special education aims to provide a vision and guidelines for policies, procedures and teaching strategies that will facilitate the provision of effective education for all children with special educational needs and disabilities.
MetroDogs: the heart in the machine
Authors: Lemon Alaina
Published: June 2015

Dogs in the Moscow Metro, some say, have evolved a unique sentience: they navigate a human‐scaled infrastructure and interpret human motives there. Such assertions about dogs, and encounters with them on public transit, invoke Soviet‐era moral projects that wove sentiment (‘compassion’) and affect (‘attention’) through technical dreams: to erase material suffering and physical violence, to traverse the globe and the cosmos, to end wars and racisms. Dogs, after all, helped defeat the Nazis and took part in the space race. In the Metro now, their wags and barks stir debate about access and exclusion, resonating across assemblages of materials and meanings, social connections and signs. MetroDogs invite us to theorize the ways people extend connections in the moment well beyond the here‐and‐now.
Real Existing Regionalism: The Region between Talk, Territory and Technology
Authors: Addie Jean‐Paul D. , Keil Roger
Published: June 2015

In this essay, we propose the notion of real existing ‘lived’ regionalism as a rejoinder to the normative and ideological debates around new regionalism. Regional forms have shown little convergence in this age of globalized regionalization. Instead of an ideational construct or set of predictable practices, we argue that regionalism is a contested product of discourses (talk), territorial relationships (territory) and technologies (material and of power). The concept of real existing regionalism confronts the tensions between the discursive constructions and normative interventions characterizing much current regionalist debate and the territorial politics and technologies reflecting, generating and directing new state spatial strategic choices. The essay demonstrates the utility of the real existing regionalism framework through an analysis of the greenbelt, transport planning and post‐ suburbanization in Southern Ontario. We argue that regulatory institutions capture the Toronto region in a mix of rhetorical and technological change that complies with neither preconceived notions of regionalization nor the pessimism of total regional dysfunctionality. Rather, the lived experience of regionalization illuminates the emergent assemblages, multiplicity of everyday flows and ongoing multiscalar negotiations of diverse communities that produce the real existing region.
Current practices of dietitians in the assessment and management of malnutrition in elderly patients
Authors: Demeny Dallas , Jukic Katherine , Dawson Beryl , O'Leary Fiona
Published: June 2015

Aim

This study aimed to determine the strategies used by dietitians to assess, treat and monitor elderly patients diagnosed with, or at increased risk of, malnutrition and to compare these with evidence‐based guidelines and the current literature.

Methods

An online survey was distributed to members of the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) working in an inpatient/outpatient facility or private practice/consultancy. Dietitians working with elderly people (≥65 years old) were invited to participate. The survey was informed by DAA's evidence‐based guidelines and was pre‐tested. Responses of dietitians were analysed by years of experience, service setting and approaches taken to assess and manage malnutrition.

Results

One hundred sixty surveys were returned. Fourteen per cent of respondents worked in services that had no malnutrition policies. A Subjective Global Assessment tool was used by 59% of respondents and 95% recommended oral nutrition supplements when malnutrition or risk of malnutrition was diagnosed. Eighty‐three per cent focused on increasing both energy and protein intake; however, 64% of respondents did not consider the nature of the protein source and only 62% discussed sarcopenia. Patients at risk of malnutrition were monitored slightly less frequently than those with diagnosed malnutrition.

Conclusions

Respondents generally use practices that align with current assessment and treatment practice guidelines and use validated assessment tools; however, at sites where no policies exist, protocols are needed. Treatment protocols exist in less than 50% of workplaces, suggesting that specific malnutrition treatment guidelines for the elderly may be needed.
Are dietetics educators' attitudes to assessment a barrier to expanding placement opportunities? Results of a Delphi study
Authors: Palermo Claire , Capra Sandra , Beck Eleanor J. , Ash Susan , Jolly Brian , Truby Helen
Published: June 2015

Aim

Assessment of entry‐level health professionals is complex, especially in the work‐based setting, placing additional pressures on these learning environments. The present study aims to gain understanding and ideally consensus regarding the setting for assessment of all elements of competence for entry‐level dietitians across Australia.

Methods

Seventy‐five experienced academic and practitioner assessors were invited to participate in an online Delphi survey. The 166 entry‐level performance criteria of the competency standards for dietitians formed the basis of the questions in the survey, with rating on which ones could be assessed in the practice setting, those which could be assessed in a classroom/university setting and which could be assessed in either setting. Forty‐three of 75 invited assessors responded to the first round of the Delphi. A second modified survey was sent to the 43 participants with 34 responding.

Results

Consensus was achieved for the assessment setting for 86 (52%) of the performance criteria after two rounds of surveying. The majority of these performance criteria achieved consensus at round one (n = 44) and were deemed to be best assessed in the practice setting (n = 55). This study highlighted the perspectives of assessors and their preference for the work‐based setting for assessment.

Conclusions

To reduce the focus on work‐based settings as the only place for competence‐based assessment of health professionals, there is a need to support individual and organisational change through challenging existing norms around assessment.
Uptake of nutrition informatics in Australia compared with the USA
Authors: Maunder Kirsty , Walton Karen , Williams Peter , Ferguson Maree , Beck Eleanor , Ayres Elaine , Hoggle Lindsey
Published: June 2015

Aim

To determine the method and extent of health information technology (HIT) utilisation, roles in relation to HIT in the workplace and perceived barriers and benefits of HIT by dietitians in Australia and provide a comparison with dietitians in the USA.

Methods

A survey adapted from the 2011 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) was utilised and circulated electronically to Dietitians Association of Australia members and advertised through a professional nutrition website in 2013. The survey encompassed 25 questions on computer access and use, data sources, experience using HIT, organisational involvement and perceived barriers and benefits to HIT. Descriptive statistics, independent t‐tests, chi‐square tests and z‐tests were computed to investigate and compare responses from the 2013 Australian and 2011 Academy surveys.

Results

The survey completion rate represented 14.5% of Dietitians Association of Australia members (747) and 5% of Academy members (3342). The Australian and Academy respondents reported similar high levels of comfort using technology, awareness of workplace HIT benefits (such as enhanced time management and improved ability to access data) and low levels of organisational involvement. However, there were a significantly greater number of Academy organisations utilising electronic health records (P < 0.05), and significantly more Academy respondents (55%) reported ‘no barriers’ to using HIT compared with Australians (37%) (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Educational programmes will be central to ensuring dietitians are equipped with technology and information management skills required to be involved in and make informed decisions about dietetic‐related HIT projects as these will soon be fundamental to dietetic practice.
Elevated autoantibodies against interleukin‐17F correlate with disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Yang Lin , Bai Li , Wei Feifei , Liu Yuan , Sun Lin , Wang Wenming , Liu Xiangyuan , Wang Yongfu
Published: June 2015

Aim

To investigate the presence of autoantibodies (aAbs) against interleukin (IL)‐17A andIL‐17F and observe whether anti‐IL‐17A orIL‐17FaAbs are associated with disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA).

Methods

At present, 60 patients withERA, 72 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 61 healthy controls (HC) have been included in a database. Clinical assessment and laboratory data were recorded. We detected the titer ofaAbs againstIL‐17A andIL‐17F using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and analyzed the correlation of theseaAbs in patients with ERA.

Results

Our results showed that the levels ofaAbs againstIL‐17A andIL‐17F were significantly higher inERA OAandHC(P < 0.0001). The level ofaAbs againstIL‐17F was correlated with Disease Activity Score‐28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P = 0.0457) andESRalone (P = 0.0032) in patients withERA. In addition, in theERAgroup, the level of C‐reactive protein and rheumatoid factor immunoglobulin M was lower in patients withaAbs againstIL‐17F than patients withoutaAbs (P = 0.0247;P = 0.0439). No significant correlation was observed between the clinical characteristics and level ofaAbs againstIL‐17A in patients withERAexceptESR(P = 0.0239).

Conclusions

ElevatedaAbs againstIL‐17F correlate with disease activity in patients withERA. This evidence suggests that anti‐IL‐17FaAbs may have a protective role in the pathogenesis of ERA.
Faecal cortisol metabolites to assess stress in wildlife: evaluation of a field method in free‐ranging chamois
Authors: Hadinger Ulrike , Haymerle Agnes , Knauer Felix , Schwarzenberger Franz , Walzer Chris
Published: June 2015

Non‐invasive faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) analysis is a well‐established tool to quantify stress in captive and free‐ranging species. While the method has great potential, its suitability in field studies might be limited when faecal samples from unknown individuals are used. Possible factors affecting final results and thus jeopardizing correct data interpretation are individual and sex‐specific variation, storage conditions and uneven distribution of metabolites in the faeces.

We tested these factors on a population of free‐ranging Alpine chamois Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra in the Austrian Alps. Faecal samples (n = 183) were analysed with an established enzyme immunoassay (EIA). To further validate the assay for FCM in chamois, a high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed. Sex‐specific differences in metabolite excretion were evaluated. Effects of storage length and temperature on FCM were tested with two experiments. The distribution of metabolites in the faeces was determined by the analysis of subsamples of single faecal samples. Potential individual effects on FCM levels and individually variable reactions to stressful events were evaluated with a simulation experiment.

Patterns of immunoreactive peaks after HPLC separation were similar for different faecal samples, except in one sample of a male. In the stability tests, storage time at ambient temperature prior to freezing and the individual were the most important variables in modulating FCM. Concentrations within single samples varied significantly between pellets. Analysis of faecal samples collected from June to October showed a highly significant seasonal trend (P < 0·001) and a considerable variance of FCM levels within the population. Simulations confirmed that individual reactions to stressors in terms of varying gradients and FCM levels can explain the observed FCM patterns.

Using FCM to assess adrenocortical function requires measuring extensively metabolized products of glucocorticoids, whose excretion and detection in faeces depend on several environmental, endogenous and methodological factors. In free‐ranging wildlife, these factors and the intrinsic individual differences in FCM excretion generate systemic noise and substantially distort final results. Therefore, sampling of unknown individuals inevitably jeopardizes meaningful interpretation of data, if the above named factors are not taken into consideration.
Survey of dental clinic patients: smoking and preferences for cessation support
Authors: Ford PJ , Tran P , Cockburn N , Keen B , Kavanagh DJ , Gartner C
Published: June 2015

Background

Smoking cessation interventions delivered by dental practitioners can be as effective as those delivered by general medical practitioners. However, concern that addressing smoking may cause offence to their patients is a reason cited by dental practitioners for not regularly addressing patient smoking behaviours, despite believing they should play a role in smoking cessation. This study aimed to elicit the smoking behaviour and smoking cessation preferences of dental patients to determine if these concerns accurately reflect patient attitudes.

Methods

We surveyed 726 adult dental patients attending The University of Queensland's School of Dentistry dental clinics, Brisbane Dental Hospital and four private dental practices in South‐East Queensland.

Results

Most (80%) current daily smokers had tried to quit smoking. Smokers and non‐smokers both agreed that dentists should screen for smoking behaviour and are qualified to offer smoking cessation advice (99% and 96% respectively). Almost all participants (96%) said they would be comfortable with their dentist asking about their smoking and that if their smoking was affecting their oral health their dentist should advise them to quit.

Conclusions

Patients are receptive to dental practitioners inquiring about smoking behaviour and offering advice on quitting. Smoking patients showed considerable motivation and interest in quitting smoking, particularly in the context of health problems related to smoking being identified. These results should encourage dentists to raise the issue with their patients.
Nonreceipt of antenatal magnesium sulphate for fetal neuroprotection at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide 2010–2013
Authors: Siwicki Kasia , Bain Emily , Bubner Tanya , Ashwood Pat , Middleton Philippa , Crowther Caroline A.
Published: June 2015

Background

Australian and New Zealand clinical practice guidelines, endorsed by the NHMRC in 2010, recommend administration of antenatal magnesium sulphate to women at risk of imminent preterm birth at less than 30 weeks' gestation to reduce the risk of their very preterm babies dying or having cerebral palsy. The purpose of the ongoing Working to Improve Survival and Health for babies born very preterm (WISH) implementation project is to monitor and improve the uptake of this neuroprotective therapy across Australia and New Zealand.

Aims

To quantify and explore reasons for nonreceipt of antenatal magnesium sulphate at the Women's and Children's Hospital, in Adelaide, South Australia.

Materials and Methods

Data from the case records of women who gave birth between 23+0 and 29+6 weeks' gestation from 2010 to mid‐2013 were reviewed to determine the proportion of eligible mothers not receiving antenatal magnesium sulphate and to explore reason(s) for nonreceipt over this time period.

Results

There was a reduction in the proportion of eligible mothers not receiving antenatal magnesium sulphate from 2010 (69.7%) to 2011 (26.9%), which was maintained in 2012 and 2013 (22.5%). In 2012–2013, nonreceipt was predominantly associated with immediately imminent (advanced labour, rapid progression of labour) or indicated emergent birth (actual or suspected maternal or fetal compromise).

Conclusions

Use of antenatal magnesium sulphate at the Women's and Children's Hospital is now predominantly in‐line with the binational guideline recommendations. Ongoing education and enhanced familiarity with procedures may facilitate timely administration in the context of some precipitous or immediately imminent births.
Photopatch testing in Bogota (Colombia): 2011–2013
Authors: Valbuena Mesa Martha C. , Hoyos Jiménez Elsa V.
Published: June 2015

Background

Photopatch tests are used to diagnose photoallergic contact dermatitis and identify the causal agents. The frequencies of positive results and associated allergens vary by country; therefore, it is necessary to know the information specific to each country.

Objective

To establish the frequency of positive photopatch test results, and their relevance, in patients with suspected photoallergic contact dermatitis in a national dermatology centre located in Bogota, Colombia.

Materials and methods

One hundred patients investigated for possible photoallergic contact dermatitis were enrolled in the study. They were photopatch tested with a selected group of allergens, and occluded for 48 hours; the duplicate right‐hand panel was irradiated with 5 J/cm2 ultraviolet (UV)A. The readings were performed on day (D)2, D4, and D6, in accordance with the guidelines of the ICDRG, and the relevance was evaluated with the COADEX system.

Results

There were a total of 20 photopatch reactions in 15 patients, 95% of which were caused by UV filters, most frequently benzophenone‐3 (55%). Eight of the positive reactions (53.3%) appeared on D6.

Conclusions

UV filters continue to be the most common causes of photoallergic contact dermatitis in our patients. Readings up to D6 (96 h after irradiation) are important to identify delayed positive reactions.
Short and frequent skin contact with nickel
Authors: Erfani Behnaz , Lidén Carola , Midander Klara
Published: June 2015

Background

The existing EU nickel restriction does not sufficiently protect the population from skin exposure to nickel. Better understanding is needed of the extent to which short and frequent contact with nickel‐releasing items contributes to nickel deposition on skin.

Objectives

To quantify nickel skin exposure from short and frequent contact with nickel‐releasing materials.

Materials/methods

Sequences of short contact events were assessed in (i) touch tests for measurement of nickel skin dose, (ii) wipe tests to similarly quantify the nickel release during a touch, and (iii) immersion tests in artificial sweat, for nickel‐containing alloys and pure nickel.

Results

Nickel skin doses from a single touch were 0.024–4.7 µg/cm2 for all materials. Touching or wiping five untouched surfaces resulted in more accumulated nickel than five repeated touches of the same surface. The released amounts of nickel were generally lower at immersion, but increased with the number of repeated immersion periods.

Conclusions

Nickel skin doses were quantified after one single touch for all study materials. Touch tests, and potentially wipe tests as a proxy for skin dose measurements, are preferred to immersion tests for the assessment of short and frequent skin contact with nickel.
Identification of novel Fgf enhancers and their role in dental evolution
Authors: Tapaltsyan Vagan , Charles Cyril , Hu Jianxin , Mindell David , Ahituv Nadav , Wilson Gregory M. , Black Brian L. , Viriot Laurent , Klein Ophir D.
Published: June 2015

Mammalian dental morphology is under strong evolutionary pressure because of its importance for mastication and diet. While the mechanisms underlying tooth development have been widely studied in model organisms, the role of genetic regulatory elements in patterning the different elements of the occlusal surface and crown height across species is not well understood. Previous studies showed that Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) genes are important regulators of tooth development that influence morphological variation. We hypothesized that inter‐specific variation in rodent dental morphology could be governed by nucleotide variation in genetic regulatory elements that modulate the spatial and temporal expression of the genes encoding FGF signaling molecules. In this study, we compared the variation in dental morphology across nine taxa of rodents to the variation in sequences of non‐coding evolutionary conserved regions (ECRs) of Fgf3, 4, 8, 9, and 10. We correlated the variation in molar tooth cusp shape and the evolution of high molar crowns (hypsodonty) to the patterns of sequence variation in two ECRs, Fgf10ECR3, and Fgf9ECR1, respectively. By conducting luciferase and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we determined that these ECRs could function as enhancers. These data suggest that emergence of hypsodonty and occlusal cusp patterning may have happened through the evolutionary changes in enhancers, such as Fgf9ECR1 and Fgf10ECR3, which affected the expression of major signaling molecules involved in tooth development.
The most‐cited articles in dental, oral, and maxillofacial traumatology during 64 years
Authors: Jafarzadeh Hamid , Sarraf Shirazi Alireza , Andersson Lars
Published: June 2015

Background and aim

Citation analysis helps to identify the research trends within a research field and helps to identify the most frequently occurring parameters. The aim of this study was to identify the 100 most‐cited articles in the field of dental, oral, and maxillofacial traumatology over the past 64 years.

Material and methods

A comprehensive list of the most‐cited articles in dental, oral, and maxillofacial trauma was compiled using ‘All Databases’ section of the ISI Web of Knowledge. Related articles were considered to be those articles in which part or all of the experiment or study was related to dental and/or oral and maxillofacial trauma. In case reports, if a part of a treatment plan was related to the topic, that article was considered to be relevant. The characteristics analyzed included number of citations, authors, journals, institution, country of origin, publication year, article type, study material, and topic.

Results

The number of citations for each article ranged from 69 to 229. The journal Dental Traumatology was the most represented, followed by the journal Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Of the 100 articles, 83% were original articles, 15% were review articles, and 2% were case report/case series. Therapy and prognosis‐related topics were the most common topics. Most articles came from institutions in the United States, followed by the Scandinavian countries. University Hospital of Copenhagen was the source of the highest number (34) of the most‐cited articles; the same author wrote or co‐wrote 22 of the 100 most‐cited articles.

Conclusion

The list of most‐cited articles in the field of dental, oral, and maxillofacial traumatology gives a good scientometric picture of trauma research in the world. A large number of the most‐cited articles are mainly from the field of dental traumatology and originate from a few research teams.
Analysis of elderly patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma: aggressive therapy is a reasonable approach for ‘unfit’ patients classified by comprehensive geriatric assessment
Authors: Yoshida Masahiro , Nakao Takafumi , Horiuchi Mirei , Ueda Hideya , Hagihara Kiyoyuki , Kanashima Hiroshi , Inoue Takeshi , Sakamoto Erina , Hirai Manabu , Koh Hideo , Nakane Takahiko , Hino Masayuki , Yamane Takahisa
Published: June 2015

Background

The treatment strategy for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in elderly patients is problematic. Although several researchers have reported the effectiveness of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and the futility of curative treatment in ‘unfit’ patients with DLBCL, these propositions are not firmly established.

Patients and methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis using a database. Patients with DLBCL were eligible if ≧ 60 yr old. CGA stratification was performed using medical records.

Results

One hundred and 35 patients were identified. Anthracycline‐based chemotherapy with curative intent was performed in 115 (85%) patients. According to CGA, 82 (61%) patients were classified as ‘fit’. Their 1‐yr overall survival (OS) was significantly better than that of ‘unfit’ patients [91.3% vs. 53.8%, P < 0.001]. Patients classified as ‘unfit’ treated with curative intent had a significantly better 1‐yr OS when compared with those receiving palliative measures [66.1% vs. 19.0%, P < 0.001].

Conclusions

CGA is an effective tool for predicting outcomes in older patients with DLBCL. The patients treated with curative intent had significantly better outcomes compared with those receiving palliation, irrespective of CGA stratification. Curative treatment should be considered even for ‘unfit’ patients.