bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An overlooked resource? Public libraries’ work with older people – an introduction
Authors: Vincent John
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to highlight work with older people being undertaken by public libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws on responses from libraries working with older people, outlining their approaches, and also on the report, “Library services for older people – good practice guide”.

Findings

– There is a large and varied programme of work being delivered by public libraries and their partner organisations. However, much of it is “under the radar”, so, when spending cuts are made, the knock-on effects are often not recognised.

Practical implications

– Highlights examples of work that other library services could replicate. Also highlights work that potential partner organisations may not know about, and therefore can use this paper as a “way in” to libraries. Stresses the importance of recognising the wide range of people under the umbrella term, “older people”.

Social implications

– This paper aims to draw attention to a key area of work which may not be well known outside libraries themselves, with the potential to bring other partners and funders on board.

Originality/value

– The paper draws together examples of different initiatives developed by public libraries, all of which have an enormous impact on the older people (and their families) involved.
Early experiences in extending personal budgets in one local authority
Authors: Norrie Caroline , Weinstein Jenny , Jones Ray , Hood Rick , Bhanbro Sadiq
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report on the introduction of individual personal budgets for older people and people with mental health problems in one local authority (LA) in 2011.

Design/methodology/approach

– Jenny Weinstein is a Hon Senior Lecturer at Kingston University, Professor Ray Jones and Rick Hood are based at the Joint Faculty of Health and Social Care, St George's, University of London and Kingston University, London, UK.A qualitative study is described in which structured interviews were carried out with participants belonging to each service user group. The study aimed to explore the following issues: first, service users’ experiences of the assessment process, second, whether service users wanted full control of their budgets and third, if personal budgets make a difference to quality of life.

Findings

– xService users (n=7 older people and carers; n=7 people with mental health problems) found the personal budgets system and assessment process difficult to understand and its administration complex. Older people in particular were reluctant to assume full control and responsibility for managing their own personal budget in the form of a Direct Payment. Participants in both groups reported their continued reliance on traditional home care or day care services. These findings were reported back to the LA to help staff review the implementation of personal budgets for these two user groups.

Research limitations/implications

– Study participant numbers are low due to difficulties recruiting. Several potential participants were not interviewed due to their frailty.

Practical implications

– Studies of this type are important for constructing local knowledge about national policies such as the implementation of personal budgets in social care.

Originality/value

– Studies of this type are important for constructing local knowledge about national policies such as the implementation of personal budgets in social care.
The Silver Line Helpline: a “ChildLine” for older people
Authors: Emily Wilcox Miriam
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the work of the new, free telephone helpline The Silver Line in empowering older people to overcome social isolation and loneliness, and where appropriate refer cases of abuse and neglect to specialist services.

Design/methodology/approach

– Beginning with a family member's description of how the helpline made a difference to her relative this paper then outlines the rationale, methods and outcomes of The Silver Line, including a role it may play in reducing demand for NHS services.

Findings

– The paper highlights that social isolation and loneliness can be tackled through a helpline which leaves control firmly in the hands of callers while offering them a gateway to activities and services.

Practical implications

– It seems that telephone contact is a particularly helpful way for isolated people to begin to build social contact given that there is evidence of a stigma associated with admitting to loneliness.

Social implications

– Given a straightforward way to connect to others, people are empowered to overcome their own loneliness, improve their well-being and sometimes to rejoin their community. The charity reports that callers to the helpline may themselves become volunteer befrienders (“Silver Line Friends”) providing support to others and gaining evidence of their own value to society. In addition, a friendly chat over the phone can be an enabling link to gaining new skills, such as computer literacy, which may otherwise seem out of reach or irrelevant.

Originality/value

– The paper emphasises the importance of this helpline specifically and the wider need for hard to reach, isolated older people to have an accessible stepping stone to greater social contact and a higher quality of life.
Mycostatic effect of recombinant dermcidin against Trichophyton rubrum and reduced dermcidin expression in the sweat of tinea pedis patients
Authors: Arai Satoru , Yoshino Takashi , Fujimura Takao , Maruyama Sachie , Nakano Toshiaki , Mukuno Akira , Sato Naoya , Katsuoka Kensei
Published: November 2014

Trichophytosis, a common dermatophytosis, affects nearly 20–25% of the world's population. However, little is known about mechanisms for preventing colonization of Trichophyton on the skin. Dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide that provides innate immunity to the skin and is constitutively secreted even in the absence of inflammatory stimulation, was studied to elucidate its antimycotic activity against Trichophyton. Recombinant dermcidin was determined to have antimycotic activity against Trichophyton rubrum, as evaluated by colony‐forming unit (CFU) assays. The killing rate of dermcidin was 40.5% and 93.4% at 50 μg/mL (the average dermcidin concentration in healthy subjects) and 270 μg/mL, respectively. An effect of dermcidin treatment was found to be a reduction of the metabolic activity of Trichophyton as determined by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide assay. Further, dermcidin concentrations in sweat of tinea pedis patients were found to be lower than those of healthy subjects. These findings suggest a mycostatic role for dermcidin, at normal sweat concentrations. Accordingly, we suspect that dermcidin, at normal sweat concentrations, inhibits growth of Trichophyton, where Trichophyton is subsequently eliminated in conjunction with epidermis turnover. Dermcidin, therefore, appears to play a role in the skin protection mechanism that prevents colonization of tinea pedis.
Distribution of small phytoflagellates along an Arctic fjord transect
Authors: Piwosz Kasia , Spich Katarzyna , Całkiewicz Joanna , Weydmann Agata , Kubiszyn Anna M. , Wiktor Józef M.
Published: November 2014

Phytoflagellates < 10 μm substantially contribute to the abundance, biomass and primary production in polar waters, but information on the distribution of specific groups is scarce. We applied catalysed reporter deposition‐fluorescence in situ hybridization to investigate the distribution of total phytoflagellates and of eight specific groups along a 100 km transect west off Kongsfjorden (Spitsbergen) from 29 to 31 July 2010. Phytoflagellates contributed to > 75% of the depth‐integrated abundance and biomass of total eukaryotes < 10 μm at all stations. Their depth‐integrated abundance and biomass decreased along the transect from 1.5 × 1012 cells m−2 (6.6 × 1012 pgC m−2) at the outermost station to 1.7 × 1010 cells m−2 (4.7 × 1010 pgC m−2) at the innermost station. Chlorophytes contributed to the total abundance of phytoflagellates with a range from 13% to 87% (0.7–30.5 × 103 cells ml−1), and predominated in open waters. The contribution of haptophytes was < 1–38% (10–4500 cells ml−1). The other groups represented < 10%. The temperature and salinity positively correlated with the total abundance of phytoflagellates, chlorophytes, haptophytes, bolidophytes and pelagophytes. Cryptophytes, pedinellids and pavlovophytes were negatively associated with the nutrient concentrations. The community composition of phytoflagellates changed along the transect, which could have implications on food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycles between the open ocean environment and Kongsfjorden investigated here.
Dual analysis of host and pathogen transcriptomes in ostreid herpesvirus 1‐positive Crassostrea gigas
Authors: Rosani U. , Varotto L. , Domeneghetti S. , Arcangeli G. , Pallavicini A. , Venier P.
Published: November 2014

Ostreid herpesvirus type 1 (OsHV‐1) has become a problematic infective agent for the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. In particular, the OsHV‐1 μVar subtype has been associated with severe mortality episodes in oyster spat and juvenile oysters in France and other regions of the world. Factors enhancing the infectivity of the virus and its interactions with susceptible and resistant bivalve hosts are still to be understood, and only few studies have explored the expression of oyster or viral genes during productive infections. In this work, we have performed a dual RNA sequencing analysis on an oyster sample with a high viral load. High sequence coverage allowed us to thoroughly explore the OsHV‐1 transcriptome and identify the activated molecular pathways in C. gigas. The identification of several highly induced and defence‐related oyster transcripts supports the crucial role played by the innate immune system against the virus and opportunistic microbes possibly contributing to subsequent spat mortality.
Ethnicity and Trust: A Multifactorial Experiment
Authors: Criado Henar , Herreros Francisco , Miller Luis , Ubeda Paloma
Published: November 2014

This article reports the results of an online experiment conducted in two ethnically fragmented societies in Spain: the Basque Country and Catalonia. It tests the effect of co-ethnicity on trust and reciprocity. Ethnicity was manipulated in the experimental context using three ethnic attributes: ancestors' origin, language and name. Additionally, the article reports a comparison of general levels of trust in the two regions. No co-ethnicity effect on trust is found, but there is significantly more reciprocal behaviour between Catalan speakers in Catalonia. Higher levels of trust and reciprocity are found in the more homogeneous society of the Basque Country. The lack of co-ethnicity effect on trust is especially significant given that the Basque Country has experienced decades of terrorism along ethnic lines.
Food Competition in World Markets: Some Evidence from a Panel Data Analysis of Top Exporting Countries
Authors: Baiardi Donatella , Bianchi Carluccio , Lorenzini Eleonora
Published: November 2014

This paper investigates the relevance of relative prices and world income as determinants of food exports for the top trading countries in the period 1992–2012 using a panel data framework. We find that price elasticities generally take lower values for processed goods, and the opposite holds for income elasticities. Processed goods are also characterised by an inverse relationship between price elasticities and average unit values. The analysis suggests that both emerging and advanced countries can be expected to increase their export specialisation in processed goods. Furthermore, developed economies can face fierce competition from emerging countries by enhancing the quality content of their processed good exports.
Factors influencing ceftriaxone use in community‐acquired pneumonia: Emergency doctors’ perspectives
Authors: Almatar Maher Ali , Peterson Gregory M , Thompson Angus , Zaidi Syed Tabish R
Published: November 2014

Objective

To explore the perceptions of ED doctors regarding the use of ceftriaxone in patients with community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods

Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with ED doctors in an Australian tertiary public hospital. A semi‐structured interview method was used for collecting data and a framework analysis approach utilised to identify emerging themes regarding the influences on ED prescribers when using ceftriaxone for CAP.

Results

Eight interviews were performed (two consultants, four registrars and two residents). Five main themes emerged as influencing decisions regarding the selection of ceftriaxone for patients with CAP: (i) clinical intuition versus structured evaluation of severity; (ii) clinical uncertainty; (iii) prior experience; (iv) source of guidance; and (v) prescribing etiquette.

Conclusion

As most cases of CAP are initially diagnosed and treated empirically in the ED, any interventions that aim to decrease inappropriate use of ceftriaxone for CAP should address the factors identified here that influence ED doctors’ prescribing decisions.
The paradoxical victim: Intimate violence narratives on trial in Italy
Authors: GRIBALDO ALESSANDRA
Published: November 2014

Victims’ testimony plays a pivotal role in domestic violence hearings in Italy. In examining this role, I approach the Italian legal field as a heterogeneous system of knowledge and power that engages in complex relations with techniques of subjection and discourses of truth and, thus, as eminently suited to investigating the production of the victim‐subject. Paradoxically, the testimony of female victims of abuse is trapped between the normativity of justice system requirements and the confessional device, rendering it legally insignificant and thus essentially inadequate. In this context, the women's credibility and agency are central. I outline one legal case in which race and class intersect and the required modes of testimony are disrupted through the use of communication styles drawn from popular culture.
Prime‐time politics: News, parody, and fictional credibility in Chile
Authors: ASHLEY JENNIFER
Published: November 2014

Chile's public television station, TVN, relies on a programming structure that places a telenovela before and after the national news hour. This programming model's popularity is due to what producers call its “umbrella effect,” meaning that the ratings of one program help to protect what comes before and after. In the months leading up to the 2009–10 presidential election, TVN blurred the boundaries between these two televisual genres by producing one telenovela that parodied the inner workings of a news station and another that enlisted a well‐known journalist to serve as its narrator. Drawing on fieldwork with media producers and telenovela fans, I argue that the overlaps between these two genres make visible the relation between media, political, and economic infrastructures. Analysis of these programming flows in the context of the electoral campaign provides insight into the role of transitions as places of politics making.
Unearthing Women's Anti‐Mining Activism in the Andes: Pachamama and the “Mad Old Women”
Authors: Jenkins Katy
Published: November 2014

Women play an important role in social activism challenging the expansion of extractive industries across Latin America. In arguing that this involvement has been largely unrecognised, this paper explores Andean Peruvian and Ecuadorian women's accounts of their activism and the particular gendered narratives that the women deploy in explaining and legitimising this activism. These discussions contribute to understanding the patterning of grassroots activism and making visible the gendered micro‐politics of resistance and struggle around natural resource use, as well as to understanding the gendered and strategic ways in which women contest dominant discourses of development.
Retinitis pigmentosa caused by mutations in the ciliary MAK gene is relatively mild and is not associated with apparent extra‐ocular features
Authors: van Huet Ramon A. C. , Siemiatkowska Anna M. , Özgül Riza K. , Yücel Didem , Hoyng Carel B. , Banin Eyal , Blumenfeld Anat , Rotenstreich Ygal , Riemslag Frans C. C. , den Hollander Anneke I. , Theelen Thomas , Collin Rob W. J. , van den Born L. Ingeborgh , Klevering B. Jeroen
Published: November 2014

Purpose

Defects in MAK, encoding a protein localized to the photoreceptor connecting cilium, have recently been associated with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The aim of this study is to describe our detailed clinical observations in patients with MAK‐associated RP, including an assessment of syndromic symptoms frequently observed in ciliopathies.

Methods

In this international collaborative study, 11 patients carrying nonsense or missense mutations in MAK were clinically evaluated, including extensive assessment of the medical history, slit‐lamp biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy, kinetic perimetry, electroretinography (ERG), spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT), autofluorescence imaging and fundus photography. Additionally, we used a questionnaire to evaluate the presence of syndromic features and tested the olfactory function.

Results

MAK‐associated RP is not associated with syndromic features, not even with subclinical dysfunction of the olfactory apparatus. All patients experienced typical RP symptoms of night blindness followed by visual field constriction. Symptoms initiated between childhood and the age of 43 (mean: 23 years). Although some patients experienced vision loss, the visual acuity remained normal in most patients. ERG and ophthalmoscopy revealed classic RP characteristics, and SD‐OCT demonstrated thinning of the overall retina, outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor–pigment epithelium complex.

Conclusion

Nonsense and missense mutations in MAK give rise to a non‐syndromic recessive RP phenotype without apparent extra‐ocular features. When compared to other retinal ciliopathies, MAK‐associated RP appears to be relatively mild and shows remarkable resemblance to RP1‐associated RP, which could be explained by the close functional relation of these proteins.
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein E1 regulates protein disulphide isomerase translation in oxidized low‐density lipoprotein‐activated endothelial cells
Authors: Meng N. , Peng N. , Huang S. , Wang S. Q. , Zhao J. , Su L. , Zhang Y. , Zhang S. , Zhao B. , Miao J.
Published: November 2014

Aims

Endothelium‐derived protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) is required for thrombus formation in vivo. But, how to control PDI overproduction in oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (oxLDL)‐activated vascular endothelial cells (VECs) is not well understood. In this study, we try to answer this question using our newly identified activator of mTOC1 3‐benzyl‐5‐((2‐nitrophenoxy) methyl)‐dihydrofuran‐2 (3H)‐one (3BDO) that has been shown to protect VECs.

Methods

First, we performed a proteomics analysis on the oxLDL‐activated vascular VECs in the presence or absence of 3BDO. Next, we constructed the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein E1 (hnRNP E1) mutants at Ser43 and used the RNA‐ChIP technique to investigate the relationship between hnRNP E1 and PDI production. Furthermore, we examined the effect of 3BDO on oxLDL‐altered phosphorylation of Akt1 and Akt2. Finally, we studied the effect of 3BDO on oxLDL‐altered PDI protein level in apolipoprotein E−/− mice with advanced atherosclerosis.

Results

In VECs, oxLDL‐increased PDI protein level, induced hnRNP E1 phosphorylation at Ser43, suppressed the binding of hnRNP E1 to PDI 5′UTR and induced the phosphorylation of Akt2 but not Akt1. All of these processes were blocked by 3BDO. Importantly, Ser43 mutant of hnRNP E1 inhibited the increase of PDI protein level and the decrease of the binding of hnRNP E1 and PDI 5′UTR induced by oxLDL. Furthermore, 3BDO suppressed oxLDL‐induced PDI protein increase in the serum and plaque endothelium of apolipoprotein E−/− mice.

Conclusion

hnRNP E1 is a new regulator of PDI translation in oxLDL‐activated VECs, and 3BDO is a powerful agent for controlling PDI overproduction.
Is mechanical bowel preparation still necessary for gynecologic laparoscopic surgery? A meta‐analysis
Authors: Huang Huaping , Wang Haiyan , He Mei
Published: November 2014

Introduction

A number of studies have proven that mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) has no benefits in elective colorectal surgery. However, studies specifically related to gynecologic laparoscopic surgery are scant. We undertook a meta‐analysis to assess the necessity of MBP before gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.

Methods

The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials. Two authors independently extracted data from each study. The primary outcome of interest was the quality of surgical field. Secondary outcomes of interest included postoperative pain, abdominal swelling, nausea/vomiting, and length of hospital stay.

Results

Three studies involving 372 participants were included in the meta‐analysis. The results showed that MBP did not significantly increase the overall quality of surgical field exposure (odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46–1.49; P = 0.52). MBP also did not appear to significantly change the mean scores of postoperative pain (weighted mean difference, 0.09; 95%CI, −0.54–0.71; P = 0.79), the incidence of nausea/vomiting (odds ratio, 1.56; 95%CI, 0.80 to 3.03; P = 0.19), the mean scores of abdominal swelling (weighted mean difference, −0.26; 95%CI, −0.83–0.30; P = 0.36), and length of hospital stay (weighted mean difference, 0.05; 95%CI, −0.13–0.22; P = 0.62).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that routine use of MBP for gynecologic laparoscopic surgery should not be recommended. However, additional randomized controlled trials using large samples are needed to confirm these findings.
Comparative effectiveness and safety of various treatment procedures for lower pole renal calculi: a systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Lee Shaun Wen‐Huey , Chaiyakunapruk Nathorn , Chong Huey‐Yi , Liong Men‐Long
Published: November 2014

Objective

To compare the effectiveness of various treatments used for lower pole renal calculi.

Methods

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Collaboration's Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials as well as ClinicalTrials.gov for reports up to 1 April 2014. The search was supplemented with abstract reports from various urology conferences. All randomised, ‘blinded’ clinical studies including patients treated for lower pole renal calculi of <20 mm were included for review. Two authors independently reviewed 5 194 articles, and identified and selected 13 trials for analysis. Network meta‐analysis was performed to generate comparative statistics, while quality was assessed with the Jadad composite scale and risk of bias.

Results

All treatment methods examined: percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), ureterorenoscopy (URS) and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) with an adjuvant therapy (such as inversion, hydration and forced diuresis) were more effective than SWL therapy alone, with risk ratios (95% confidence intervals) of being stone free of: PNL 2.19 (1.62–2.96); URS 1.23 (1.03–1.48); and SWL with an adjuvant therapy 1.30 (1.03–1.63). However, patients treated with the other treatment methods also had a higher risk of adverse events (AEs) compared with SWL, but there was no evidence of a convincing difference between the various techniques and AEs.

Conclusion

In stones of <10 mm, SWL with an adjuvant therapy appears to have better stone clearance, lower risk of AEs, and need for further treatment. PNL was most effective treating larger stones, after considering both effectiveness and safety of treatment. These should be considered by both physicians and patients alike when considering the choice of treatment and in the revision of clinical practice guidelines.
Why We Think We Can't Dance: Theory of Mind and Children's Desire to Perform
Authors: Chaplin Lan Nguyen , Norton Michael I.
Published: November 2014

Theory of mind (ToM) allows children to achieve success in the social world by understanding others' minds. A study with 3‐ to 12‐year‐olds, however, demonstrates that gains in ToM are linked to decreases in children's desire to engage in performative behaviors associated with health and well‐being, such as singing and dancing. One hundred and fifty‐nine middle‐class children from diverse backgrounds in a Northeastern U.S. metropolitan area completed the study in 2011. The development of ToM is associated with decreases in self‐esteem, which in turn predicts decreases in children's willingness to perform. This shift away from performance begins at age 4 (when ToM begins to develop), years before children enter puberty.
Felt or False Smiles? Volitional Regulation of Emotional Expression in 4‐, 6‐, and 8‐Year‐Old Children
Authors: Kromm Helena , Färber Mechthild , Holodynski Manfred
Published: November 2014

The development of volitional emotion regulation of expression was examined with a modified disappointing gift paradigm and strategy for coding children's expressions. Forty‐nine boys and 49 girls aged 4, 6, and 8 were motivated to volitionally deceive an observer by false smiling, regardless of whether they received an attractive, unattractive, or no gift. Ten naïve observers watched children's videotaped behavior in random order and judged the quality of emotion and type of gift. This impression analysis indicated that children's competence to volitionally regulate their expressions increased with age. In addition, this ability was positively associated with children's emotion understanding of how to differentiate between emotion and expression. Unexpectedly, girls did not display a superior volitional regulation of expression than boys.
A gender‐dependent analysis of Cushing's disease in childhood: pre‐ and postoperative follow‐up
Authors: Libuit Laura G. , Karageorgiadis Alexander S. , Sinaii Ninet , Nguyen May Nina M. , Keil Margaret F. , Lodish Maya B. , Stratakis Constantine A.
Published: November 2014

Objective

To analyse gender differences in the clinical presentation and recovery of paediatric patients with Cushing's disease (CD) after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). Indeed, gender differences between paediatric patients with CD during presentation, after TSS and postoperative recovery have not been adequately studied.

Design

Data were obtained and retrospectively analysed from clinical reports and biochemical tests at the time of presentation, 5–9 days after TSS and at the 6 and 12 months postoperative follow‐up visits to determine hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPAA) recovery.

Patients

Data from 102 paediatric patients (48 females, 54 males, mean age 12·9 ± 3·0) with CD who underwent TSS at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Clinical Center between 1997 and 2011.

Results

There was equal distribution of paediatric CD between males and females (53% vs 47%; n = 102, P = 0·484). Males were more likely than females to present with higher mean BMI Z‐scores (2·2 ± 0·7 vs 1·9 ± 0·6, P = 0·0079), lower mean height Z‐scores (−1·2 ± 1·3 vs −0·7 ± 1·1, P = 0·0467) and higher median plasma ACTH (12·2 vs 8·5 pmol/l; P = 0·0495). Females did not present more frequently with any single sign or symptom. No significant differences were found between males and females for CD cure rates 5–9 days after TSS (87·0% males vs 87·5% females, P = 1·0), long‐term cure rates (86·5% vs 93·7%; n = 69; P = 0·4374) and HPAA recovery time (11·2 ± 2·5 vs 11·7 ± 2·5 months; n = 47; P = 0·1992).

Conclusions

Paediatric CD is found to have equal distribution between males and females, but male patients present with elevated BMI and potentially shorter height and higher plasma ACTH. There is no significant difference in the cure rate or HPAA recovery time after TSS between males and females.
A lateral ridge augmentation study to evaluate a synthetic membrane for guided bone regeneration: an experiment in the canine mandible
Authors: Vierra Matthew , Mau Lian Ping , Huynh‐Ba Guy , Schoolfield John , Cochran David L.
Published: November 2014

Objectives

To evaluate guided bone regeneration outcomes in defects protected with anin situformed polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel membrane as compared to a non‐cross‐linked collagen membrane (CM).

Material and methods

Four mandibular alveolar ridge defects were created in eight hound dogs. Regenerative procedures were randomly allocated to one of four groups consisting of freeze‐dried bone allograft, which is referred to in this study as freeze‐dried bone xenograft (FDBX) + PEG, autogenous bone (AB) + PEG, AB + CM, and AB alone. After 8 weeks, titanium dental implants were placed into augmented sites. After 8 weeks of allowed time for osseointegration, the animals were sacrificed to harvest block specimens for bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC) and ridge width histomorphometric analysis.

Results

Polyethylene glycol membranes had an exposure rate of 50% as compared to 12.5% for sites grafted with CM. Regenerative outcomes with respect to implant placement were least favorable for FDBX + PEG which had implants placed in 37.5% of augmented sites compared to 100% implant placement for all other groups. No statistically significant differences were noted between groups for ridge width measurements in implant and non‐implant histologic sections (P > 0.05). Buccal BIC (%) values between treatment groups also failed to reach statistical significant difference (FDBX + PEG [60.2 ± 9.4]; AB + PEG [58.8 ± 8.5]; AB + CM [57.9 ± 12.8]; AB [61.0 ± 10.2]).

Conclusion

When used in conjunction with FDBX, PEG had unpredictable bone formation and in most cases negatively impacted future implant placement.
Sea Snake Harvest in the Gulf of Thailand
Authors: VAN CAO NGUYEN , THIEN TAO NGUYEN , MOORE AMELIA , MONTOYA ALFRED , REDSTED RASMUSSEN ARNE , BROAD KENNETH , VORIS HAROLD K. , TAKACS ZOLTAN
Published: November 2014

Conservation of sea snakes is virtually nonexistent in Asia, and its role in human–snake interactions in terms of catch, trade, and snakebites as an occupational hazard is mostly unexplored. We collected data on sea snake landings from the Gulf of Thailand, a hotspot for sea snake harvest by squid fishers operating out of the ports of Song Doc and Khanh Hoi, Ca Mau Province, Vietnam. The data were collected during documentation of the steps of the trading process and through interviewers with participants in the trade. Squid vessels return to ports once per lunar synodic cycle and fishers sell snakes to merchants who sort, package, and ship the snakes to various destinations in Vietnam and China for human consumption and as a source of traditional remedies. Annually, 82 t, roughly equal to 225,500 individuals, of live sea snakes are brought to ports. To our knowledge, this rate of harvest constitutes one of the largest venomous snake and marine reptile harvest activities in the world today. Lapemis curtus and Hydrophis cyanocinctus constituted about 85% of the snake biomass, and Acalyptophis peronii, Aipysurus eydouxii, Hydrophis atriceps, H. belcheri, H. lamberti, and H. ornatus made up the remainder. Our results establish a quantitative baseline for characteristics of catch, trade, and uses of sea snakes. Other key observations include the timing of the trade to the lunar cycle, a decline of sea snakes harvested over the study period (approximately 30% decline in mass over 4 years), and the treatment of sea snake bites with rhinoceros horn. Emerging markets in Southeast Asia drive the harvest of venomous sea snakes in the Gulf of Thailand and sea snake bites present a potentially lethal occupational hazard. We call for implementation of monitoring programs to further address the conservation implications of this large‐scale marine reptile exploitation.

Cosecha de Serpientes Marinas en el Golfo de Tailandia
Occupational skin diseases in hairdressing apprentices – has anything changed?
Authors: Hougaard Majken G. , Winther Lone , Søsted Heidi , Zachariae Claus , Johansen Jeanne D.
Published: November 2014

Background

Hairdressers are at risk for occupational skin diseases. Since 2008, an educational programme has been conducted in Danish hairdressing schools to prevent occupational skin diseases. Its effect is unknown.

Objective

To examine the current frequency of self‐reported hand eczema and contact urticaria in Danish hairdressing apprentices as compared with controls, and to determine the occurrence of hand eczema and contact urticaria in hairdressing apprentices with different durations of exposure to the trade.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional, web‐based questionnaire study conducted among 504 hairdressing apprentices and a control group of 1400 adolescents from the general population.

Results

Hand eczema was significantly more prevalent in the hairdressing apprentices than in controls (34.5% versus 18.8%, p < 0.001). The incidence rate of hand eczema among hairdressing apprentices was 98 cases/1000 person‐years. Contact urticaria was also more prevalent in the hairdressing apprentices (7.3% versus 4.2%, p = 0.006). Both diseases increased with increasing duration of exposure to the trade.

Conclusion

Despite educational efforts to prevent occupational skin diseases in the hairdressing schools, Danish apprentices are still at increased risk for hand eczema and contact urticaria. Both diseases develop after only a few years of work in hairdressing. Further preventive strategies are warranted.
Effects of human‐modified landscapes on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic dimensions of bat biodiversity
Authors: Cisneros Laura M. , Fagan Matthew E. , Willig Michael R.
Published: November 2014

Aim

To identify characteristics of a human‐modified landscape that promote taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic (PD) dimensions of bat biodiversity.

Location

Caribbean lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica.

Methods

During the dry and wet seasons, we quantified TD (Simpson's diversity), as well as FD and PD (Rao's quadratic entropy) of phyllostomid bat assemblages at 15 sites that represented a forest loss and fragmentation gradient. FD was estimated separately for each of seven functional components that reflect particular niche axes (e.g. diet, foraging strategy) and for all functional components combined (FDall). PD was based on relatedness of species derived from a supertree. We identified the best explanatory landscape characteristics of each dimension using hierarchical partitioning.

Results

Landscape effects were dimension and season specific. During the dry season, TD and PD increased with increasing proportions of pasture or size of forest patches, whereas FDall decreased with increasing size of forest patches. During the wet season, TD increased with increasing forest patch size, whereas FDall and PD increased with increasing compactness of forest patches and decreasing proximity. Decomposition of FD into separate functional components revealed different landscape effects on ecological aspects of assemblages.

Main conclusions

One dimension of biodiversity was not a good surrogate for another. Rather, decomposition of biodiversity into different dimensions and functional components facilitated identification of the aspects of assemblages that are most affected by forest conversion and fragmentation. Areas with intermediate amounts of forest and pasture during the dry season harboured highest diversity from taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic perspectives. During the wet season, areas with large, compact forest patches promoted the dimensions of biodiversity. Placement of areas with even amounts of forest and pasture adjacent to large, compact forest patches (e.g. reserves) may maintain high biodiversity of bats and the ecosystem functions that they provide throughout the year.
Reviewing HIV‐Related Research in Emerging Economies: The Role of Government Reviewing Agencies
Authors: Sexton Patrina , Hui Katrina , Hanrahan Donna , Barnes Mark , Sugarman Jeremy , London Alex John , Klitzman Robert
Published: November 2014

Little research has explored the possible effects of government institutions in emerging economies on ethical reviews of multinational research. We conducted semi‐structured, in‐depth telephone interviews with 15 researchers, Research Ethics Committees (RECs) personnel, and a government agency member involved in multinational HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) research in emerging economies. Ministries of Health (MOH) or other government agencies often play pivotal roles as facilitators or barriers in the research ethics approval process. Government agency RECs reviewing protocols may face particular challenges, as they can lack resources, be poorly organized, have inconsistent review processes and limited expertise, and use differing definitions of national interests, including upholding national reputation and avoiding potential exploitation and stigma of the country's population. The MOH/governmental review body may be affected by power dynamics and politics in study reviews; may consider issues both related and unrelated to research ethics as understood elsewhere; and may prioritize particular diseases, treatments, or interventions over other topics/types of research. Poor communication and deeply‐rooted tensions may exist between sponsor and host countries, impeding optimal interactions and reviews. Investigators must understand and plan for the potential effects of governmental agencies on multinational collaborative research, including preserving adequate time for agency review, and contacting these agencies beforehand to address issues that may arise. Better understanding of these issues can aid and advance appropriate global scientific collaboration.
Insulin‐like growth factor 1 can promote proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells via mTOR pathway
Authors: Feng Xingmei , Huang Dan , Lu Xiaohui , Feng Guijuan , Xing Jing , Lu Jun , Xu Ke , Xia Weiwei , Meng Yan , Tao Tao , Li Liren , Gu Zhifeng
Published: November 2014

Insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) is a multifunctional peptide that can enhance osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). However, it remains unclear whether IGF‐1 can promote osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). In our study, DPSCs were isolated from the impacted third molars, and treated with IGF‐1. Osteogenic differentiation abilities were investigated. We found that IGF‐1 activated the mTOR signaling pathway during osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs. IGF‐1 also increased the expression of runt‐related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteocalcin (OCN), osterix (OSX) and collagen type I (COL I) during this process. Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, blocked osteogenic differentiation induced by IGF‐1. Meanwhile, CCK‐8 assay and flow cytometry results demonstrated that 10–200 ng/mL IGF‐1 could enhance proliferation ability of DPSCs and 100 ng/mL was the optimal concentration. In summary, IGF‐1 could promote proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs via mTOR pathways, which might have clinical implications for osteoporosis.
Lymphatic vessels: an emerging actor in atherosclerotic plaque development
Authors: Kutkut Issa , Meens Merlijn J. , McKee Thomas A. , Bochaton‐Piallat Marie‐Luce , Kwak Brenda R.
Published: November 2014

Background

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of large‐ to medium‐sized arteries and is the main underlying cause of death worldwide. The lymphatic vasculature is critical for processes that are intimately linked to atherogenesis such as the immune response and cholesterol metabolism. However, whether lymphatic vessels truly contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is less clear despite increasing research efforts in this field.

Design

PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE databases were searched. In addition, key review articles were screened for relevant original publications.

Results

Current knowledge about lymphatic vessels in the arterial wall came from studies that examined the presence and location of such vessels in human atherosclerotic plaque specimens, as well as in a variety of arteries in animal models for atherosclerosis (e.g. rabbits, dogs, rats and mice). Generally, three experimental approaches have been used to investigate the functional role of plaque‐associated lymphatic vessels; experimental lymphostasis was used to investigate lymphatic drainage of the arterial wall, and more recently, studies with genetic interventions and/or surgical transplantation have been performed.

Conclusions

Lymphatic vessels seem to be mostly present in the adventitial layer of the arterial walls of animals and humans. They are involved in reverse cholesterol transport from atherosclerotic lesions, and arteries with a dense lymphatic network seem naturally protected against atherosclerosis. Lymphangiogenesis is a process that is an important part of the inflammatory loop in atherosclerosis. However, how augmenting or impeding the distribution of lymphatic vessels impacts disease progression remains to be investigated in future studies.
IS ECONOMICS A HOUSE DIVIDED? ANALYSIS OF CITATION NETWORKS
Authors: Önder Ali Sina , Terviö Marko
Published: November 2014

We investigate divisions within the citation network in economics using citation data between 1990 and 2010. We consider all partitions of top institutions into two equal‐sized clusters and pick the one that minimizes cross‐cluster citations. The strongest division is much stronger than could be expected to be found under idiosyncratic citation patterns and is consistent with the reputed freshwater/saltwater division in macroeconomics. The division is stable over time but varies across the fields of economics. (JEL A11, D85, I23)
Newly identified host range of European mountain ash ringspot‐associated virus (EMARaV) and its distribution in the Czech Republic
Authors: Grimová L. , Marek M. , Konrady M. , Ryšánek P.
Published: November 2014

It has been previously shown that European mountain ash ringspot‐associated virus (EMARaV), a multipartite, negative‐strand RNA plant virus, is pathogenic for European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia L.). However, its transmissibility to and replication in other host species remains poorly understood. In this work, we performed experimental inoculations of seventeen virus‐tested species and interspecies hybrids of subfamily Maloideae (family: Rosaceae) with buds from EMARaV‐infected S. aucuparia trees. Surprisingly, a majority of the graft‐inoculated tree species, for instance Sorbaronia, Aronia and Amelanchier, developed symptoms typical for EMARaV infection. These symptoms included chlorotic spots of various size and shape and mottling on leaves but not on flowers and fruits. The propagation of EMARaV in graft‐inoculated tree species was subsequently confirmed by molecular detection tools. Based on these results, we carried out a systematic survey throughout the Czech Republic and identified the presence of EMARaV in wild growing trees in all explored regions, with massive disease infestation in several locations. More importantly, EMARaV infection was newly detected in S. aucuparia subsp. moravica, S. aucuparia × Crataegus sanguinea cv. Granatnaja, (Sorbus aria × Aronia arbutifolia) × S. aucuparia cv. Burka, cv. Finskaja (a Sorbus hybrid of unknown origin) and Aronia melanocarpa; all these EMARaV‐infested trees were grown in production orchards. The sequencing of the nucleocapsid (NC)‐coding gene from several of these EMARaV isolates provided insight into the population structure and phylogenetic relationships of the EMARaV variants occurring in the Czech Republic. Together, our biological and molecular findings extend our knowledge on the host range of EMARaV and provide the first evidence of its natural occurrence in hosts dissimilar to S. aucuparia.
Complement C5‐deficient mice are protected from seizures in experimental cerebral malaria
Authors: Buckingham Susan C. , Ramos Theresa N. , Barnum Scott R.
Published: November 2014

Studies have demonstrated that the membrane attack complex (MAC) of complement can evoke seizures when injected directly into rodent brain. In the course of studies that examine the role of complement in the development of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM), we observed fewer seizures in mice deficient in C5, a component required for MAC formation. To determine if the MAC contributed to the tonic–clonic seizures characteristic of ECM, we performed long‐term video–electroencephalography (EEG) on C5−/− mice with Plasmodium berghei ANKA‐induced cerebral malaria and observed significantly reduced spike and seizure frequency compared to wild‐type mice. Our data suggest a role for the MAC in malaria‐induced seizures and that inhibition of the terminal complement pathway may reduce seizures and seizure‐related neurocognitive deficits.
A comparison of seven methods for continuous therapeutic cooling of the equine digit
Authors: van Eps A. W. , Orsini J. A.
Published: November 2014

Reasons for performing study

Digital hypothermia may be effective for laminitis prophylaxis and therapy, but the efficacy of cooling methods used in clinical practice requires evaluation.

Objectives

To use hoof wall surface temperature (HWST) to compare several cooling methods used in clinical practice.

Study design

Experimental crossover design with a minimum washout period of 72 h.

Methods

Seven cooling methods (commercially available ice packs, wraps and boots) and one prototypical dry‐sleeve device were applied to a single forelimb in 4 horses for 8 h, during which HWST of the cooled forelimb and the uncooled (control) forelimb was recorded hourly. Results were analysed descriptively.

Results

The median (range) HWST from 2–8 h was lowest for the ice and water immersion methods that included the foot and extended proximally to at least include the pastern: 5.2°C (range: 4.8–7.8°C) for the fluid bag and 2.7°C (2.4–3.4°C) for the ice boot. An ice boot that included the distal limb but not the foot resulted in a median HWST of 25.7°C (20.6–27.2°C). Dry interface applications (ice packs) confined to the foot only resulted in a median HWST of 21.5°C (19.5–25.5°C) for the coronet sleeve and 19.8°C (17.6–23°C) for a commercial ice pack. For the dry interface applications that included the foot and distal limb, the median HWST was much higher for the ice pack device, 19.9°C (18.7–23.1°C), compared with the perfused cuff prototype of 5.4°C (4.2–7°C).

Conclusions

Immersion of the foot and at least the pastern region in ice and water achieved sustained HWST <10°C as did a prototype perfused cuff device with a dry interface. Variation between cooling methods may have a profound effect on HWST and therefore efficacy in clinical cases where laminitis prophylaxis or therapy is the goal.