bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A taxonomy of possible reasons for and against sperm donation
Authors: Bossema Ercolie R. , Janssens Pim M.W. , Landwehr Frieda , Treucker Roswitha G.L. , van Duinen Kor , Nap Annemiek W. , Geenen Rinie
Published: November 2012

Objective

Various reasons may guide the decision of men to become a sperm donor. Our aim was to identify a comprehensive set of possible reasons for and against sperm donation.

Design

Concept mapping.

Setting

Assisted reproduction clinics.

Sample

Nine sperm donors and seven non‐sperm donors.

Methods

Interviews to obtain statements for and against sperm donation, card‐sorting tasks to categorize these statements according to similarity, and hierarchical cluster analysis to structure these categorizations.

Main outcome measures

Hierarchical structure with reasons for and against sperm donation.

Results

The hierarchical structure with 91 reasons comprised selfishness (including narcissism and procreation), psychosocial drives (including altruism, detached procreation, and sexual/financial satisfaction), and psychosocial barriers (including normative and moral barriers related to oneself, one's spouse, the donor child, and society).

Conclusions

The identified hierarchical overview of reasons for and against sperm donation may help potential sperm donors when considering becoming a sperm donor, enable more systematic counseling of potential sperm donors, and guide further research on reasons for and against sperm donation.
Epithelial mesenchymal transition from a natural gestational orchestration to a bizarre cancer disturbance
Authors: Shirkoohi Reza
Published: November 2012

The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), a pathologic phenomenon in cancer, has a twin in the embryonic period of life. In the first one, its promotion will cause metastasis to become a life‐threatening stage of cancer, while in the second it will lead to organogenesis, which is necessary for all living creatures. There is one more from this phenomenon, which occurs during the wound healing process and if dys‐regulated can lead to fibrosis. In both there are stimulants in common and one that are different. Stages start from cell–cell junction dissociation followed by morphological changes and behavioral and essence alterations. To control the EMT as a bizarre disturbance in cancer and metastasis, initially it is better to understand the wonder of natural gestational orchestration in early life. In this review, first the structure of the two heads of the spectrum is described followed by the cellular and micro‐environmental alterations during this phenomenon. Understanding cellular behavior in this process and what makes them invasive resistant stemness cells will be of great importance in highlighting roads to cancer treatment. (Cancer Sci 2013; 104: 28–35)
Role ofCCL18 in asthma and lung immunity
Authors: Tsicopoulos A. , Chang Y. , Ait Yahia S. , de Nadai P. , Chenivesse C.
Published: November 2012

Allergic asthma is a prototypic Th2 mediated disease, where chemokines orchestrate the inflammatory cell recruitment. Most chemokines have a pro‐inflammatory role. In this review, we focus on the potential role, in asthma and lung immunity, ofCCL18 a chemokine both constitutively expressed at high levels in the lung and induced in inflammatory conditions. This chemokine is mainly produced by antigen presenting cells, and induced by Th2 type cytokines. The available data suggest that this chemokine may exhibit dual functions, with both pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory properties, the latter through its ability to generate adaptive regulatory T cells in healthy subjects, with a loss of function in allergic patients. However, the functional implications are at the moment hampered by the lack of data on the nature of its putative receptor, and the absence of murine orthologue.
Experimental periodontitis and peri‐implantitis in dogs
Authors: Carcuac Olivier , Abrahamsson Ingemar , Albouy Jean‐Pierre , Linder Elena , Larsson Lena , Berglundh Tord
Published: November 2012

Aim

To analyze the tissue reactions following ligature removal in experimental periodontitis and peri‐implantitis in dogs.

Material and methods

Four implants with similar geometry and with two different surface characteristics (turned/TiUnite Nobel BioCare AB, Göteborg) were placed pair‐wise in a randomized order in the right side of the mandible 3 months after tooth extraction in 5 dogs. Experimental peri‐implantitis and periodontitis were initiated 3 months later by ligature placement around implants and mandibular premolars and plaque formation. The ligatures were removed after 10 weeks, and block biopsies were obtained and prepared for histological analysis 6 months later.

Results

It was demonstrated that the amount of bone loss that occurred during the period following ligature removal was significantly larger at implants with a modified surface than at implants with a turned surface and at teeth. The histological analysis revealed that peri‐implantitis sites exhibited inflammatory cell infiltrates that were larger, extended closer to the bone crest and contained larger proportions of neutrophil granulocytes and osteoclasts than in periodontitis.

Conclusion

It is suggested that lesions produced in experimental periodontitis, and peri‐implantitis are different and that implant surface characteristics influence the inflammatory process in experimental peri‐implantitis and the magnitude of the resulting tissue destruction.
The needs, concerns, and characteristics of younger Australian adults with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Browne J. L. , Scibilia R. , Speight J.
Published: November 2012

Aims

The mean age of onset of Type 2 diabetes mellitus is decreasing in Australia and internationally. We conducted an internet‐based survey to improve our understanding of the emotional well‐being and unmet needs of younger adults with Type 2 diabetes, and to inform service provision for this group.

Methods

A random sample of National Diabetes Services Scheme registrants (n = 1,417) with Type 2 diabetes, aged 18–39 years, living in the Australian state of Victoria received an invitation to complete the online survey. The study was also advertised state‐wide. The survey included validated scales (PAID‐5: diabetes‐related distress; WHO‐5: general emotional well‐being) and study‐specific items. A total of 149 eligible respondents participated.

Results

Almost two‐thirds (63%) of respondents reported severe‐diabetes related distress; more than a quarter (27%) had impaired general emotional well‐being. Most (82%) were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25); most (77%) had at least one other co‐morbidity. Lack of motivation, feeling burned out, and being time‐poor were identified as top barriers to self‐management. More than half (59%) of respondents had not participated in structured diabetes education. Respondents perceived that younger adults with Type 2 diabetes had different health‐care needs than their older counterparts (68%), and that most Type 2 diabetes information/services were aimed at older adults (62%). Of a range of potential new services, respondents indicated greatest interest in an online forum specifically for younger adults with Type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions

Younger adults with Type 2 diabetes have impaired emotional well‐being and physical health. Population‐based research is needed to confirm the current findings, to further inform service delivery and optimise outcomes for this group.
Institutional environment, ownership and firm taxation
Authors: Wu Wenfeng , Rui Oliver M. , Wu Chongfeng
Published: November 2012

This paper examines how ownership type and institutional environment affect firm taxation. Using a sample of Chinese‐listed firms from 1999 to 2006, we find that private firms enjoy a lower effective tax rate than local state‐owned enterprises. In addition, the preferential taxation of private firms is associated with local government incentives to promote local economic growth. We find that private firms located in regions with a lower level of privatization receive preferential tax treatment. Our results also suggest that decentralization and interjurisdictional competition lead to financial interdependence between local governments and private firms.
Non‐linear geographics and the economics of transition and democratization1
Authors: Brezis Elise S. , Verdier Thierry
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyse the effects of geography on the transition process in authoritarian political regimes, and to investigate the nature of the links between political change, economic reforms and geographical location. A simple model of transition and democratization is presented wherein we show that the effectiveness of repression by the incumbent elite is a negative function of the distance to the ‘free world’. In consequence, geography has conflicting effects on shifts in political power. This article provides a rationale for the counterintuitive fact that the first authoritarian country to start a transition process towards democratization is not necessarily the one nearest to the free world.
The effects of winter ice cover on the trophic ecology of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) in subarctic lakes
Authors: Hayden Brian , Harrod Chris , Kahilainen Kimmo K.
Published: November 2012

Lakes in Arctic and subarctic regions display extreme levels of seasonal variation in light, temperature and ice cover. Comparatively little is known regarding the effects of such seasonal variation on the diet and resource use of fish species inhabiting these systems. Variation in the diet of European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus (L.) during periods of ice cover in this region is often regarded as ‘common knowledge’; however, this aspect of the species' ecology has not been examined empirically. Here, we outline the differences in invertebrate community structure, fish activity, and resource use of monomorphic whitefish populations between summer (August–September) and winter (February–March) in three subarctic lakes in Finnish Lapland. Benthic macroinvertebrate densities did not exhibit measurable differences between summer and winter. Zooplankton diversity and abundance, and activity levels of all fish species (measured as catch per unit effort) were lower in winter. The summer diet of C. lavaretus was typical of a generalist utilising a variety of prey sources. In winter, its dietary niche was significantly reduced, and the diet was dominated by chironomid larvae in all study sites. Pelagic productivity decreases during winter, and fish species inhabiting these systems are therefore restricted to feeding on benthic prey. Sampling time has strong effect on our understanding of resource utilisation by whitefish in subarctic lakes and should be taken into account in future studies of these systems.
Alterations in Purkinje cell GABAA receptor pharmacology following oxygen and glucose deprivation and cerebral ischemia reveal novel contribution of β1‐subunit‐containing receptors
Authors: Kelley Melissa H. , Ortiz Justin , Shimizu Kaori , Grewal Himmat , Quillinan Nidia , Herson Paco S.
Published: November 2012

Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) are particularly sensitive to cerebral ischemia, and decreased GABAA receptor function following injury is thought to contribute to PC sensitivity to ischemia‐induced excitotoxicity. Here we examined the functional properties of the GABAA receptors that are spared following ischemia in cultured Purkinje cells from rat and in vivo ischemia in mouse. Using subunit‐specific positive modulators of GABAA receptors, we observed that oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and cardiac arrest‐induced cerebral ischemia cause a decrease in sensitivity to the β2/3‐subunit‐preferring compound, etomidate. However, sensitivity to propofol, a β‐subunit‐acting compound that modulates β1–3‐subunits, was not affected by OGD. The α/γ‐subunit‐acting compounds, diazepam and zolpidem, were also unaffected by OGD. We performed single‐cell reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction on isolated PCs from acutely dissociated cerebellar tissue and observed that PCs expressed the β1‐subunit, contrary to previous reports examining GABAA receptor subunit expression in PCs. GABAA receptor β1‐subunit protein was also detected in cultured PCs by western blot and by immunohistochemistry in the adult mouse cerebellum and levels remained unaffected by ischemia. High concentrations of loreclezole (30 μm) inhibited PC GABA‐mediated currents, as previously demonstrated with β1‐subunit‐containing GABAA receptors expressed in heterologous systems. From our data we conclude that PCs express the β1‐subunit and that there is a greater contribution of β1‐subunit‐containing GABAA receptors following OGD.
An evolutionary explanation for the presence of cancer nonstem cells in neoplasms
Authors: Sprouffske Kathleen , Athena Aktipis C. , Radich Jerald P. , Carroll Martin , Nedelcu Aurora M. , Maley Carlo C.
Published: November 2012

Contrary to conventional views that assume all cells in a neoplasm can propagate the tumor, the cancer stem cell hypothesis posits that only a fraction of the cells (the cancer stem cells) can act as tumor‐propagating cells, while most of the tumor is composed of cells with limited replication potential. Here, we offer an evolutionary approach to this controversy. We used several evolutionary, computational models to investigate cancer cell dynamics and conditions consistent with the stem cell hypothesis. Our models predict that if selection acts at the cell level, neoplasms should be primarily comprised of cancer stem cells, in contrast to experimental data indicating that neoplasms contain large fractions of cancer nonstem cells. We explore several solutions explaining the paradoxical existence of cancer nonstem cells in neoplasms, including the possibility that selection acts at the level of multicellular proliferative units.
Higher temperatures enhance the effects of invasive sportfish on mountain zooplankton communities
Authors: MESSNER JORDAN S. , MACLENNAN MEGAN M. , VINEBROOKE ROLF D.
Published: November 2012

1. Decades of introductions of exotic sportfish to mountain lakes around the world have impoverished them biologically, and this may be exacerbated by global warming. We assessed the current status of invasive salmonids and native zooplankton communities in 34 naturally fishless lakes along an elevational gradient, which served as an environmental proxy for the expected effects of climate change.

2. Our main goal was to explore how climate‐related variables influence the effects of stocked salmonids on the total biomass, species richness and taxonomic composition of zooplankton. We predicted that warmer conditions would dampen the negative predatory effects of exotic brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) on zooplankton communities because more temperate lakes contain a greater diversity of potentially tolerant species.

3. Instead, we discovered that the persistence of stocked brook trout in the warmer lakes significantly amplified total zooplankton biomass and species richness. In colder and deeper lakes, zooplankton were relatively unaffected by S. fontinalis, which however persisted better in alpine lakes than at lower elevations after stocking practices were halted over two decades ago. Warmer lake conditions and higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were significant primary drivers of zooplankton species turnover, both favouring greater species diversity.

4. Our findings of an ecological surprise involving potential synergistic positive effects of climate warming and exotic trout on native zooplankton communities presents a conundrum for managers of certain national mountain parks. Present mandates to eradicate non‐native trout and return the mountain lakes to their naturally fishless state may conflict with efforts to conserve biodiversity under a rapidly changing climate.
Reduction of Medication Costs After Detoxification for Medication‐Overuse Headache
Authors: Shah Asif M. , Bendtsen Lars , Zeeberg Peter , Jensen Rigmor H.
Published: November 2012

Objective

To examine whether detoxifying patients with medication‐overuse headache can reduce long‐term medication costs.

Background

Direct costs of medications in medication‐overuse headache have been reported to be very high but have never been calculated on the basis of exact register data. Long‐term economic savings obtained by detoxification have never been investigated.

Methods

We conducted a registry‐based observational retrospective follow‐up study on 336 medication‐overuse headache patients treated and discharged from the Danish Headache Center over a 2‐year period. By means of the Danish Register of Medicinal Product Statistics, we collected information on the costs and use of prescription‐only medication 1 year before admission and 1 year after discharge from Danish Headache Center.

Results

The average medication costs per patient per year decreased with 24%, from US$971 before treatment to US$737 after (P = .001), and the average medication use decreased with 14.4% (P = .02). Savings were most pronounced for patients overusing triptans. In this group, the average medication costs per patient per year decreased with 43% (P < .001), while the average triptan use decreased with 38% (P < .001).

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that detoxification of medication‐overuse headache at a tertiary headache center has a long‐lasting effect on the medication costs and use, in particular among patients overusing triptans. The results may not be generalizable to all countries and may be sensitive to the costs of triptans.
Understanding the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: Cash Seizure and Frontline Policing
Authors: Cram Frederick
Published: November 2012

Recent shifts in modes of criminal justice have precipitated a startling expansion of police powers in England and Wales (Brownlee 1998; Reiner 2007). The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) (as amended) is an example of a growing trend towards the use of hybrid civil‐criminal legislation. The Act can be situated within a criminal justice paradigm, often referred to as the ‘new penology’ of risk, or ‘actuarial justice’ (Feeley and Simon 1992, p.449). Part 8 provides frontline police officers with additional, extensive and far‐reaching cash seizure powers for the disruption and frustration of serious, often organised, acquisitive crime. Though laudable in its aims, the legislation is susceptible to manipulation by officers wanting to secure broader social and disciplinary objectives, often pertaining to the organisational subcultural norms of rank‐and‐file police officers. Its provisions have become part of mainstream policing powers. An exploration of the broader implications of mainstreaming the cash seizure powers into frontline policing has, therefore, become timely. In this article, I conduct such an examination, concluding by setting out an agenda for more critical research than has been undertaken to date.
The Relationship between Job Stressors and Job Involvement among Correctional Staff: A Test of the Job Strain Model
Authors: Lambert Eric G. , Hogan Nancy L. , Cheeseman Kelly , Barton‐Bellessa Shannon M.
Published: November 2012

Much of the research on correctional staff over the past two decades has focused on how the job environment and demographic variables influence job stress and job satisfaction. The issue of job involvement has largely been ignored. As correctional employees are such an important part of corrections, understanding how job stressors affect job involvement is essential. An analysis of survey data from a private correctional facility in the US Midwest examined the effects of the relationship between the job stressors of role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and perceived dangerous of the job with job involvement. Multivariate analysis with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression indicated that role conflict and dangerousness of the job had significant effects on job involvement, but role ambiguity and role overload did not. It is hoped that this study will spark further research in the area.
Evaluation of chlorhexidine 0.05% with the adjunct of fluoride 0.05% in the inhibition of plaque formation: a double blind, crossover, plaque regrowth study
Authors: De Siena F , Del Fabbro M , Corbella S , Taschieri S , Weinstein R
Published: November 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mouthrinses containing 0.05% chlorhexidine + 0.05% fluoride solution on early dental plaque regrowth.

Materials and methods

Thirty periodontally healthy subjects were included in the study. A crossover 4‐day plaque regrowth protocol was adopted. The test product was initially used in 15 patients, while a placebo was administered to the other 15 patients. Then, after a washout period, each patient used the other product. No other oral hygiene manoeuvre was allowed. Full‐mouth plaque and bleeding scores (FMPS and FMBS) were evaluated at baseline and after 4 days.

Results

All subjects completed the study. The mean age was 27 ± 8.4 years. Five patients were smokers with a mean daily consumption of 1 ± 2.5 cigarettes. FMPS at baseline was 8.0 ± 4.4 for control group and 7.9 ± 3.8 for test group, without significant difference. After the 4‐day plaque regrowth the mean FMPS significantly increased to 31.9 ± 16.5 and 36.3 ± 16.1 for control and test group, respectively (no significant difference between the two groups).

Conclusions

The test product was safe and well tolerated by subjects. The similar outcomes of the two experimental groups suggest that the two products have an equivalent effect on early dental plaque regrowth. Studies with longer follow‐up are needed to clarify whether there is a beneficial long‐term effect of daily rinses with the tested solution.
The quality of the face‐to‐face counselling in paediatric ambulatory tonsillectomy: Parental point of view
Authors: Klemetti Seija , Kinnunen Ilpo , Suominen Tarja , Vahlberg Tero , Grenman Reidar , Leino‐Kilpi Helena
Published: November 2012

The objective of this study was to examine parental opinion on the quality of preoperative face‐to‐face counselling about the child's preoperative fasting. Families, whose child was admitted for ambulatory tonsillectomy were randomly assigned to the study groups (n = 116; 58/58). The intervention group received the information with face‐to‐face counselling, and the control group in written form. The parents assessed (visual analogue scale) the level of clarity, intelligibility and adequacy of the information, how well they had understood the meaning and the implementation of the child's preoperative fast, as well as their own skills and success to implement the child's fast. The parents in the intervention group felt that the information was significantly clearer, more intelligible and adequate and that they succeeded well. Face‐to‐face counselling is an effective way to educate the parents.
Secondary lymphoedema after breast cancer surgery: A survival analysis
Authors: Huang HuaPing , Zhou JianRong , Zeng Qing
Published: November 2012

This study explores the time of occurrence and risk factors of secondary lymphoedema after breast cancer surgery. A cross‐sectional study of women with breast cancer (n = 230) recruited from Chongqing Breast Cancer Center from July 2009 to June 2010 provided data. A self‐reported questionnaire was used to evaluate the lymphoedema by telephone interview at 6 monthly intervals between 12 and 24 months after breast cancer surgery. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to analyse the collected data. The mean time reported by women who had lymphoedema after breast cancer surgery was 18 months; body mass index and preoperative chemotherapy associated with lymphoedema development were identified in the present study. Given these findings, oncologists and nurses should provide sufficient knowledge to patients to recognize the symptoms, risk factors of lymphoedema and know‐how to use interventions to prevent it.
A Tai Chi exercise programme improved exercise behaviour and reduced blood pressure in outpatients with hypertension
Authors: Lo Hui‐Ming , Yeh Ching‐Yi , Chang Shu‐Chuan , Sung Huei‐Chuan , Smith Graeme D
Published: November 2012

This two‐group pretest and posttest quasi‐experimental study aimed to evaluate the effects of a Tai Chi exercise programme on exercise behaviour and blood pressure (BP) in outpatients with hypertension. The experimental group (n = 27) received the Yang‐style Tai Chi exercise programme three times a week for 8 weeks. The control group (n = 31) received routine care with no Tai Chi exercise. Exercise behaviour and exercise time using Routine Health Care Behaviour scale and BP were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks. The experimental group had a significant improvement on exercise behaviour (t = 2.11, P < 0.001) and exercise time (t = 1.44, P = 0.003), and a significant reduction in systolic BP (t = 2.57, P < 0.001) and diastolic BPs (t = 2.86, P < 0.001) compared with those of the control group. Tai Chi is an inexpensive and viable exercise and can improve exercise behaviour and BP control in outpatients with hypertension. Tai Chi exercise might offer outpatients with hypertension additional options, such as an adjunct to formal cardiac rehabilitation or as an exercise alternative in their management of hypertension. Nursing staff can easily learn and incorporate this exercise in patient education or care planning in the care of patients with hypertension in outpatient settings.
Personal values of baccalaureate nursing students in Turkey
Authors: Kaya Hülya , Kaya Nurten , Şenyuva Emine , Işık Burçin
Published: November 2012

Value education is aimed at helping students develop a mode of reasoning, enabling them to make decisions and deal with conflicts on a daily basis. For this, it should firstly be assessment personal values of nursing students. The purpose of the study was to determine the personal values of nursing students with respect to certain variables. The population of the study, which had a cross‐sectional design, included all undergraduate students (n = 525) attending the nursing school. The sample group comprised 397 nursing students selected from among the nursing students attending a baccalaureate programme in Turkey using the disproportional cluster sampling method. Data were collected utilizing the Personal Information Form and Value Preferences Scale. The personal values of the students were found to be moral, social, financial/economic, aesthetic, political, religious and scientific/theoretical values. The study suggested that the age, year at school and economic level of the family affected the students' values. Values influence behaviours that are an essential component of humanistic nursing care. They are integral to professional socialization, evident in nursing care and fundamental decisions that affect practice.
Assessment of nurses' knowledge about magnetic resonance imaging in a university hospital in Sao Paulo
Authors: Lima Marcos Souza , Shigueoka David Carlos , Salvador Maria Elisabete , da Silva Canteras Lígia Mara , Carmagnani Maria Isabel Sampaio , Ajzen Sérgio Aron
Published: November 2012

The aims of this descriptive study were to determine the academic profile of nurses in a university hospital, assess their level of knowledge about magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and verify whether this knowledge was acquired during their undergraduate or graduate education. Ninety randomly selected nurses working in inpatient wards and outpatient units of a university hospital participated in the study. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by the participants between August and October 2009. Most nurses were females who have received specialized education. The participants had a limited knowledge about MRI, which was restricted to the procedures to prepare patients for MRI examination and MRI contraindications. Most of the nurses acquired information about MRI during the professional practice. The majority of nurses showed interest to know more about the MRI examination, especially regarding the exam environment, conditions and contraindications, in order to prevent accidents.
How relevant is the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to nursing care?
Authors: Geurden Bart JG , Stern Cindy , Piron Cécile , Gobert Micheline
Published: November 2012

Barriers obstructing evidence‐based nursing have been explored in many countries. Lack of resources and evidence has been noted as one of these barriers. We aimed to identify nursing care‐related systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1996 until 2009. Using a broad search strategy we identified titles of Cochrane systematic reviews and protocols that focused on nursing care. The abstract of each title was examined and predetermined data were collected and analysed. 1249 titles out of a possible 6244 records were identified as being relevant to nursing care. Most of them focused on newborn and adult populations and related to comparing one intervention with another, and management strategies. The most common nursing specialties represented were internal medicine (34%) and mother and child care (25%). Twenty one percent of reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews are of direct interest to those involved in nursing care however their relevance was not always obvious.
Does overweight influence the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma? Results of a multicenter study
Authors: Steffens Sandra , Ringe Kristina I , Schroeer Katharina , Lehmann Rieke , Rustemeier Julia , Wegener Gerd , Schrader Mark , Hofmann Rainer , Kuczyk Markus A , Schrader Andres J ,   German Renal Cell Tumor Network
Published: November 2012

Objectives

To assess the impact of overweight on prognosis of renal cell carcinoma patients.

Patients And Methods

A total of 2030 patients who underwent surgery for renal cell carcinoma from 1990 to 2011 in three University Medical Centers were included in this retrospective analysis. For all patients, height and weight measurements at the time of diagnosis were available for review. The median (mean) follow up was 56.6 months (66.0 months).

Results

A low body mass index was significantly associated with poor tumor differentiation, histology, microscopic vascular invasion and metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. A lower‐than‐average body surface area – stratified according to the European average for men (1.98 m2) and women (1.74 m2) – was significantly related to older age, poor tumor differentiation, the histological subtype and microscopic vascular invasion. In addition, a low visceral fat area calculated in a subgroup of 133 evaluable patients was associated with a higher risk of advanced disease (pT3‐4 and/or N/M+) at diagnosis. The tumor‐specific 5‐year survival rate was 71.3, 78.7 and 80.1%, for patients with a body mass index of, <25, 25–30 and ≥30. Multivariate analysis confirmed body mass index as an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that overweight represents an independent prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma patients. Further research should address the question of why obese people have a higher incidence of renal cell carcinoma, but at the same time a significantly better prognosis than other patients, particularly in the case of localized disease.
The neonatal susceptibility window for inhalant allergen sensitization in the atopically predisposed canine asthma model
Authors: Royer Christopher M. , Rudolph Karin , Barrett Edward G.
Published: November 2012

Allergic asthma often begins in early life and, although many risk factors have been enumerated, the specific factors that initiate disease progression in an individual remain unclear. Using our dog model of early life allergen inhalation, we tested the hypothesis that the atopically biased neonatal immune system would exhibit tolerance to ragweed if allowed to mature normally before exposure or artificially through innate immune stimulation with early life exposure. Dogs were subjected to a series of inhalational ragweed exposures from 1 to 20 weeks old, with or without inhalation of a Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonist (CRX‐527), or from 13 to 31 weeks old. Serum allergen‐specific antibody response was assessed at 4, 8 and 20 weeks after the last sensitizing exposure. At 24 or 35 weeks old, airway hyper‐responsiveness to methacholine and ragweed challenges and pulmonary inflammation by bronchoalveolar lavage were tested 1 and 4 days after ragweed challenge at 28 or 39 weeks old. Allergen‐free immune maturation resulted in no airway hyper‐responsiveness and very little ragweed‐specific IgE relative to the control group, but eosinophilia developed upon ragweed challenge. TLR4 agonism yielded no airway hyper‐responsiveness, but a strong airway neutrophilia developed upon ragweed challenge. Our data indicate that an atopic predisposition creates a critical window in which allergen exposure can lead to an asthmatic phenotype. Allergen‐free immune maturation may lead to allergen tolerance. TLR4 agonism before early life allergen exposure may abrogate the development of allergen‐specific bronchonconstriction, but allergen‐specific pulmonary inflammation remains a strong concern.
Household economic impact and attitudes toward school closures in two cities in Argentina during the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic
Authors: Basurto‐Dávila Ricardo , Garza Roberto , Meltzer Martin I. , Carlino Oreste L. , Albalak Rachel , Orellano Pablo W. , Uez Osvaldo , Shay David K. , Santandrea Cora , Weis María del Carmen , Averhoff Francisco , Widdowson Marc‐Alain
Published: November 2012

Please cite this paper as: Basurto‐Dávila et al. (2012) Household economic impact and attitudes toward school closures in two cities in Argentina during the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. DOI: 10.1111/irv.12054.

Background  School closures were widely implemented in Argentina during the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic.

Objectives  To assess the economic impact of school closures on households, their effectiveness in preventing children from engaging in social group activities, and parental attitudes toward them.

Methods  Three schools that closed for 2 weeks in response to the pandemic were identified in two socioeconomically distinct cities in Argentina. All households with children enrolled in these schools were surveyed. Direct and indirect costs attributable to closures were estimated from the household perspective. Other information collected included children activities during the closures and parental attitudes toward the intervention.

Results  Completed questionnaires were returned by 45% of surveyed households. Direct and indirect costs due to closures represented 11% of imputed monthly household income in the city with lower socioeconomic status, and 3% in the other city (P = 0·01). Non‐childcare expenses and loss of workdays were more common in the city with lower socioeconomic status. Childcare expenses were less common and were experienced by a similar percentage of households in both cities. About three‐quarters of respondents in both cities agreed with the closures. The main concern among those who disagreed with closures was their negative impact on education. Children in more than two‐thirds of affected households left their home at least once during the closures to spend time in public places.

Conclusion  School closures may more significantly impact low‐income households. Authorities should consider the range of economic impacts of school closures among families when planning their implementation.
The significance of increased influenza notifications during spring and summer of 2010–11 in Australia
Authors: Kelly Heath A. , Grant Kristina A. , Tay Ee Laine , Franklin Lucinda , Hurt Aeron C.
Published: November 2012

Please cite this paper as: Kelly et al. (2012) The significance of increased influenza notifications during spring and summer of 2010–11 in Australia. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. DOI: 10.1111/irv.12057.

Background & objective  During the temperate out‐of‐season months in Australia in late 2010 and early 2011, an unprecedented high number of influenza notifications were recorded. We aimed to assess the significance of these notifications.

Methods  For Australia, we used laboratory‐confirmed cases notified to the WHO FluNet surveillance tool; the percentage of these that were positive; notifications by state and influenza type and subtype; and surveillance data from Google FluTrends. For the state of Victoria, we used laboratory‐confirmed notified cases and influenza‐like illness (ILI) proportions. We compared virus characterisation using haemagglutination‐inhibition assays and phylogenetic analysis of the haemagglutinin gene for seasonal and out‐of‐season notifications.

Results  The increase in notifications was most marked in tropical and subtropical Australia, but the number of out‐of‐season notifications in temperate Victoria was more than five times higher than the average of the previous three seasons. However, ILI proportions in spring‐summer were not different to previous years. All out‐of‐season viruses tested were antigenically and genetically similar to those tested during either the 2010 or 2011 influenza seasons. An increase in the number of laboratories testing for influenza has led to an increase in the number of tests performed and cases notified.

Conclusion  An increase in influenza infections in spring‐summer of 2010–11 in tropical and temperate Australia was not associated with any differences in virus characterisation compared with viruses that circulated in the preceding and following winters. This increase probably reflected a natural variation in out‐of‐season virus circulation, which was amplified by increased laboratory testing.
Yellowing, morphology and behaviour in sexually mature gynandromorphs of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria
Authors: NISHIDE YUDAI , TANAKA SEIJI
Published: November 2012

The morphology, colouration and sexual behaviour of two gynandromorph adults of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria Forskål are described. In each of these specimens, the left half of the external genitalia has male characteristics and the right half has female characteristics. Yellowing of the epidermis occurs to different degrees in normal sexually mature male and female adult S. gregaria under crowded conditions. Two hypotheses are known to explain this phenomenon. One suggests involvement of a sex‐hormone/receptor complex, whereas the other proposes different sensitivities of the epidermis to the same hormonal environment. To examine which hypothesis is more likely, one gynandromorph adult is kept under crowded conditions and the other is maintained under isolated conditions. In the former, the left half of the body turns bright yellow, as in a sexually mature crowded male, and the right half is brownish with little yellowing, as in a sexually mature crowded female of the same age. The bilaterally divided body colouration may support the second hypothesis. In the second gynandromorph, which is isolated after adult emergence, the body colour remains brownish. Upon sexual maturity, this individual is kept together with normal male or female adults for behavioural observations. It attempts to mount a female but is approached and mounted by males.
‘Patience, hormone replacement therapy and rain!’ Women, ageing and drought in Australia: Narratives from the mid‐age cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health
Authors: Rich Jane L. , Wright Sarah L. , Loxton Deborah
Published: November 2012

Objective:  This paper explores women's experiences of drought in Australia. Despite the significance of drought for rural life in Australia, there is little research seeking to understand its psychological consequences. There is also a need to recognise gendered experiences of drought and for research that addresses its long‐term effects as people age in prolonged drought‐affected areas.

Design:  The study explores longitudinal qualitative data collected by the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Free‐text comments (n = 217), collected via mailed survey at five time points (1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007) from the same 77 women, were subjected to a narrative analysis.

Participants:  Participants from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health who were aged 45–50 when the study began in 1996.

Results:  Findings indicate that drought has an impact on women as they age, particularly in reference to menopause, access to support systems and retirement.

Conclusion:  This study concludes that the experience of drought cannot be disentangled from the realities of gender and ageing.
The Impact of Refinement on the Accuracy of Time‐driven ABC
Authors: Hoozée Sophie , Vermeire Lea , Bruggeman Werner
Published: November 2012

Recently, time‐driven activity‐based costing (ABC) has been developed as a cost modelling technique in which transaction times (that is, times required for particular occurrences of an activity) are calculated using time equations. This paper develops a model of the error structures in time‐driven ABC and examines the impact of adding terms to time equations on the accuracy of estimated transaction times. The results provide some fundamental insights into the balancing of errors when refining time equations and lead to some general recommendations that may be followed in the design process of a time‐driven ABC system to enhance the accuracy of times calculated by means of time equations.
Empirical Likelihood for Compound Poisson Processes
Authors: Li Zhouping , Wang Xiping , Zhou Wang
Published: November 2012

Let {N(t), t > 0} be a Poisson process with rate λ > 0, independent of the independent and identically distributed random variables with mean μ and variance . The stochastic process is then called a compound Poisson process and has a wide range of applications in, for example, physics, mining, finance and risk management. Among these applications, the average number of objects, which is defined to be λμ, is an important quantity. Although many papers have been devoted to the estimation of λμ in the literature, in this paper, we use the well‐known empirical likelihood method to construct confidence intervals. The simulation results show that the empirical likelihood method often outperforms the normal approximation and Edgeworth expansion approaches in terms of coverage probabilities. A real data set concerning coal‐mining disasters is analyzed using these methods.
Markerless Vision‐Based Augmented Reality for Urban Planning
Authors: Carozza Ludovico , Tingdahl David , Bosché Frédéric , van Gool Luc
Published: November 2012

Augmented Reality (AR) is a rapidly developing field with numerous potential applications. For example, building developers, public authorities, and other construction industry stakeholders need to visually assess potential new developments with regard to aesthetics, health and safety, and other criteria. Current state‐of‐the‐art visualization technologies are mainly fully virtual, while AR has the potential to enhance those visualizations by observing proposed designs directly within the real environment.

A novel AR system is presented, that is most appropriate for urban applications. It is based on monocular vision, is markerless, and does not rely on beacon‐based localization technologies (like GPS) or inertial sensors. Additionally, the system automatically calculates occlusions of the built environment on the augmenting virtual objects.

Three datasets from real environments presenting different levels of complexity (geometrical complexity, textures, occlusions) are used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed system. Videos augmented with our system are shown to provide realistic and valuable visualizations of proposed changes of the urban environment. Limitations are also discussed with suggestions for future work.
The Politics of Unconditional Basic Income: Bringing Bureaucracy Back In
Authors: De Wispelaere Jurgen , Stirton Lindsay
Published: November 2012

We challenge the view, typically assumed by advocates of unconditional basic income (UBI), that its administration is uncontroversial. We identify three essential tasks which, from the point of view of the administrative cybernetics literature, any income maintenance policy must accomplish: defining criteria of eligibility, determining who meets such criteria and disbursing payments to those found to be eligible. Building on the work of Christopher Hood, we contrast two alternative ways in which the design of a UBI might apply the principle of ‘using bureaucracy sparingly’ to the performance of each of these three tasks. Relating these alternative designs to the politics of basic income, we show a correspondence between contrasting senses of using bureaucracy sparingly and ‘redistributive’ and ‘aggregative’ UBI models.
World Englishes and postcolonialism: Reading Kachru and Said
Authors: LOK IAN MAI CHI
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACT:  Prompted by a recurrent question from students, this paper examines perspectives from world Englishes and postcolonial studies in relation to one another. Focusing on two critical thinkers, Braj B. Kachru and Edward W. Said, each section highlights relevant themes and ideas from selected works of each scholar and discusses points of convergence and divergence between the various positions. One argument here is that while ‘Englishes’ are conceived as relatively static categories constricted to specific geopolitical boundaries, such Englishes are at the same time used by individuals whose cultural consciousness and experience are dynamic. Insight such as this, drawn from a juxtaposed study of the work of Braj B. Kachru and Edward Said, can inspire the world Englishes project. At a broader level, it is suggested that a more comprehensive understanding of language and culture may be reached by approaching world Englishes and postcolonial studies in counterpoint.
Pulmonic ingressive speech in Shetland English
Authors: SUNDKVIST PETER
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACT:  This paper presents a study of pulmonic ingressive speech, a severely understudied phenomenon within varieties of English. While ingressive speech has been reported for several parts of the British Isles, New England, and eastern Canada, thus far Newfoundland appears to be the only locality where researchers have managed to provide substantial evidence from audio recordings. The present investigation is based on a digital speech corpus consisting of over 40 hours of interviews, recorded between 1980 and 1985 throughout the entire Shetland archipelago, including the most remote isles; speech samples from 49 men and 47 women are included in the corpus. Ingressive speech was found throughout the Shetland Isles, and occurred on discourse particles representing ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses, such as ‘yeah’, ‘aye’, ‘no’, and ‘mmm’. It was attested for 27 per cent of males and 32 per cent of females, although significantly more tokens were contributed by females. Both voiced and voiceless ingressives were encountered, which revealed further clues to potential gender marking: 72 per cent of all tokens from males were voiceless, and 65 per cent of tokens from females were voiced. While the paper provides firm evidence for ingressive speech in Shetland, it also discusses recent observations indicative of a decline in ingressive speech within the isles.