bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LRRK2 mutations and neurotoxicant susceptibility
Authors: Lee Jang-Won , Cannon Jason R
Published: April 2015

Interactions between genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of the majority of Parkinson’s disease (PD) cases. However, our understanding of these interactions is at an early stage. Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common cause of hereditary PD. Penetrance of LRRK2 mutations is incomplete and variable, suggesting that other environmental or genetic factors may contribute to the development of the disorder. Recently, using animal models, several attempts have been made to understand if LRRK2 may mediate sensitivity to environmental neurotoxicants. Here, we critically review the most current data on how LRRK2 mutations influence neurotoxicity in PD models.
Elementary school lunch categorisation and correlations with dietitian recommendations
Authors: Latimer Lara A , Pasch Keryn E , Bartholomew John B
Published: April 2015

Aims:

Numerous interventions have been designed to impact children’s diet in the elementary school setting. One popular strategy is to label foods in the elementary cafeteria as more or less healthy. An example is the Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) labels of ‘go’, ‘slow’, or ‘whoa’ foods. In many respects, this has been successful, as food purveyors have responded by offering more healthy versions of popular foods (e.g. hamburgers with a high soy content) in an effort to avoid the less healthy, ‘whoa’ label. While this provides an obvious benefit to children’s dietary choices and overall risk of obesity, it may have the unintended consequence of not setting up youth to make healthy choices in the environment outside of schools where these foods have not been altered. In response, the current study was designed to compare school labels and registered dietitian (RD) recommendations of common elementary lunch options.

Methods:

In the spring of 2010, 28 RDs provided their recommendation of ‘generally healthy, choose often’; ‘generally less healthy, choose less often’; and ‘generally unhealthy, choose rarely’ for 48 common school lunch options. RDs were not told how schools categorised each selection. Kappa analyses were used to determine agreement between school labels and RD recommendations.

Results:

Results indicate some disagreement between school labels and RD recommendations, with higher fat/calorie entrées showing greater discrepancies.

Conclusions:

Given these inconsistencies, nutrition education in schools should be designed to help children and their parents understand how foods offered in school may differ from those outside the school environment.
Is Operative Treatment of Achilles Tendon Ruptures Superior to Nonoperative Treatment?
Authors: Erickson Brandon J. , Mascarenhas Randy , Saltzman Bryan M. , Walton David , Lee Simon , Cole Brian J. , Bach Bernard R.
Published: April 2015

Background:

Multiple meta-analyses have been published in efforts to determine whether operative or nonoperative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures affords superior outcomes.

Purpose:

To perform a systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses comparing operative and nonoperative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures to determine which meta-analyses provide the highest level of evidence for treatment recommendations.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify meta-analyses that fit the study inclusion criteria. Data were extracted from these meta-analyses regarding patient outcomes and reruptures. Meta-analysis quality was assessed using the Oxman-Guyatt and QUOROM (Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses) systems. The Jadad algorithm was applied to determine the meta-analyses with the highest level of evidence.

Results:

Nine meta-analyses met the eligibility criteria, with all but 1 study including level 1 evidence. A total of 5842 patients were included. Seven studies found a higher rate of rerupture in the nonoperative group but a higher rate of complications in the operative group. One study found no differences in rerupture or complication rates, and 1 study found surgery decreased rerupture rates only when compared with nonoperative treatment without a functional brace. Three studies also identified an earlier return to work in the operative group. Almost all (8 of 9) of the meta-analyses had Oxman-Guyatt scores >3, indicating no major flaws.

Conclusion:

Operative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures decreases rerupture rates but increases the risk for minor complications when compared with nonoperative treatment. Additionally, surgical treatment may allow earlier return to work.
Extended-Duration Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Acutely Ill Medical Patients
Authors: Tellor Katie B. , Armbruster Anastasia L. , Hollands James M.
Published: April 2015

Objective: To evaluate the risks and benefits of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis (EDT) beyond hospitalization in acutely ill medical patients. Data Sources: PubMed was searched from inception (1946) through February 2015 for the search terms venous thrombosis/prevention and control, venous thromboembolism/prevention and control, anticoagulants, and aspirin. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant clinical trials evaluating pharmacologic strategies for EDT were screened for inclusion. Bibliographies of articles were extensively reviewed for additional sources. Data Synthesis: Three studies, and one additional subgroup analysis, were identified for inclusion. Enoxaparin and rivaroxaban demonstrated a significant reduction in venous thromboembolism (VTE) with EDT, but the benefit with enoxaparin was limited to the highest risk groups and women. The improved efficacy in both studies was accompanied by a ~2.5-fold increase in risk of major hemorrhage. Apixaban was unable to demonstrate a reduction of VTE and was also associated with a significant increase in bleeding. Conclusions: EDT should not be routinely provided to all medically ill patients. It may be considered in patients at the highest risk for VTE, but careful consideration must be used due to the increased risk of bleeding.
Pesticide contaminants in Clarias gariepinus and Tilapia zilli from three rivers in Edo State, Nigeria; implications for human exposure
Authors: Ezemonye Lawrence I , Ogbeide Ozekeke S , Tongo Isioma , Enuneku Alex A , Ogbomida Emmanuel
Published: April 2015

The concentrations of 16 pesticides residues (alpha BHC, gamma BHC (lindane), beta BHC, Heptachlor, Aldrin, Heptachlor Epoxide, Endosulfan I, Dieldrin, Endrin, Endosulfan II, 4, 4 DDT, Endosulfan Aldehyde, Endosulfan sulfate, Atrazine, Phosphomethylglycine and Carbofuran) in two fish species (Tilapia zilli and Clarias gariepinus) from selected rivers (Illushi, Owan and Ogbesse) in Edo State, Nigeria was investigated and the associated human health risks from the consumption of contaminated fishes was also determined. Fish species were collected for a period of 18 months, and pesticides analyses was carried out using Gas Chromatography (GC) equipped with Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). The distribution of pesticide residues was more in the tissues of Clarias gariepinus (5.53-9.98 μg/g wet weight) than Tilapia zilli (3.49- 4.98 μg/g wet weight), while the most dominant pesticide in all the stations and all fish species was the persistent organochlorine; ∑BHC. Furthermore, the estimated dose for alpha BHC, beta BHC, Endosulfan Aldehyde, DDT, Endosulfan I, Endosulfan II, gamma BHC, Heptachlor, Endosulfan sulfate, Atrazine, Phosphomethylglycine and Carbofuran, do not pose direct hazard to human health since values were lower than the reference dose and Hazard quotient (HQ) were lower than toxic threshold of 1. However, estimated dose for, Heptachlor epoxide, Dieldrin, Endrin and Aldrin exceeded the reference dose and were higher than toxic threshold indicating a potential toxicity in humans.
Assessment of microbiological quality of some drinks sold in the streets of Dhaka University Campus in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Mahbub Murshed , Islam Md Tazul , Chowdhury Mohammed Mehadi Hassan , Alim Sharmin Rumi
Published: April 2015

Background

Various kinds of fruit juices and sherbets sold by the street vendors are widely consumed in Dhaka city. These street vended fruit juices and sherbets are usually high in microbial loads. So, the present study was undertaken to assess the microbiological load, possible risk factors and identity of freshly squeezed juices and sherbets and their safety for human consumption in terms of pathogens.

Result

For the study purpose papaya juice, sugarcane juice, tukmaria sherbet, lemon sherbet and wood apple sherbet were taken as samples. The study showed a high microbial load in the drinks. The range of average total viable count (microbial load) and total coliforms were 7.7 × 103 - 9 × 108 cfu/ml and 210–1100 cfu/100 ml, indicated the heavy presence of microorganisms in all the drinks analyzed in this study. The study revealed that tukmaria sherbet was most contaminated with a count of 9 × 108 cfu/ml. The least contamination was observed in lemon sherbet. A count of 1.98 × 106 cfu/ml was observed in papaya juice and 3.4 × 105 cfu/ml was in wood apple sherbet. Total coliforms were present in all samples and average count for total coliforms was high in tukmaria sherbets than others. Various pathogenic species of bacteria such as Proteus sp., Enterobacter sp, E. coli, Shigella sp, Citrobacter sp, Vibrio sp, Yersinia sp and Hafnia sp were isolated from the juices and sherbets. Unhygienic water for dilution, dressing with ice, prolonged use without refrigeration, insanitary surroundings, raw materials, chemical properties, equipment, fruit flies and airborne dust are the risk factors of contamination.

Conclusion

It was revealed that consumption of these street drinks were harmful for people. These drinks can cause various food borne illnesses. People should avoid these drinks.
Design and formative evaluation of the Policy Liaison Initiative: a long-term knowledge translation strategy to encourage and support the use of Cochrane systematic reviews for informing health policy
Authors: Brennan Sue E , Cumpston Miranda , Misso Marie L , McDonald Steve , Murphy Matthew J , Green Sally E
Published: April 2015

The Policy Liaison Initiative (PLI) is a long-term knowledge translation initiative designed to support the use of Cochrane systematic reviews in health policy. A joint initiative between the Australasian Cochrane Centre and Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the PLI includes: 1) a community of practice for evidence-informed policy, 2) skill building workshops, and 3) a website and summaries of policy-relevant reviews. This paper describes the development of the initiative and reports the findings of a formative evaluation, using interviews with policy makers and qualitative analysis to investigate perceptions of the PLI and its potential to enable research use.
Analysis of deaths in a Nigerian hospital: the case of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia
Authors: Ekpenyong Emmanuel , Emenike Iheanyi
Published: April 2015

A Poisson regression model was fitted to the causes of death in Federal Medical Center (FMC), Umuahia. The basic violation of the model which is over-dispersion was confirmed absent with the use of a plot of residual against fitted values, the Pearson statistics and the comparison of the log-likelihoods of the Poisson regression and Negative Binomial regression models. Diseases affecting the excretory and neurological systems respectively were found to be insignificant in the model, while the rest of the other causes of deaths â€“ were found to be significant in the model at 5% level of significance. The leading causes of death in the hospital were determined to be diseases affecting the digestive and circulatory system, injuries, endocrine and neonatal related diseases, and cancers.
Exposure of gasoline professionals to leaded gasoline in Asyut governorate
Authors: Ahmed Hatem , Ahmed Shaaban M.
Published: April 2015

Background: Gasoline is a complex manufactured mixture that does not exist naturally in the environment and produced from petroleum in the refining process. Gasoline discussed in this profile is automotive gasoline used as a fuel for engines in automobiles and other vehicles. Unleaded gasoline was introduced in the greater area Asyut, and 10% of the total sales of gasoline were unleaded. There were no previous studies on pollution caused by gasoline exposure in Asyut governorate in Upper Egypt, so, in this study we try to concern on the effect of air pollution from automobile exhaust on hematological and biochemical parameters of professionals.Materials and methods: Hundred and twenty samples from professionals have been collected from Asyut Governorate; they divided into four groups each group contain thirty samples. 10 milliliter of venous blood sample was withdrawn, over EDTA, from each individual, to determine the values of hematological, biochemical parameters and blood-lead level.Results and discussion: According to the present study, it was found that there was a significant increase in blood-lead level, hemoglobin levels and white blood cells count in all of the exposed groups. On the other hand, creatinine level shows significant decrease but there were a significant increase urea level and increase in some liver function's levels (ALT and AST) in all tested groups.Conclusion: The exposure to gasoline caused some toxic lesions on some parameters (hematological and biochemical). It is also observed that enzyme activity (AST, ALT) increase significantly compared with control.
Birth outcomes of cases with different congenital heart defects - a population-based study
Authors: Vereczkey Attila , Gerencsér Balázs , Czeizel Andrew E , Szabó István
Published: April 2015

Background: In general, previous epidemiological studies evaluated congenital heart defects (CHDs) together. The aim of the present study was to identify possible etiological factors of different CHD-entities, because the underlying causes are unclear in the vast majority of patients.Objectives: Different CHD-entities as homogeneously as possible with confirmed diagnoses were analyzed in the population-based large dataset of the Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities.Methods: 3,750 live-born singleton CHD-patients were analyzed according to birth outcomes, i.e. gestational age at delivery and birth weight, the rate of preterm birth, low birthweight and small for gestational age.Results: The major findings of the study showed that cases with different CHD-entities had shorter gestational age at delivery and lower mean birth weight, and these variables associated with a higher rate of preterm birth and particularly with a much higher rate of low birthweight and small for gestational age. This study showed the importance of sex in the birth outcomes of some CHD-entities. The question is why several CHD-entities manifested more frequently in newborns with intrauterine growth restriction because fetal heart has a passive role before birth without pulmonary circulation.Conclusions: The birth outcomes of cases indicate the effect of CHDs for fetal development. In addition maternal confounders have to consider. Finally, CHDs and intrauterine growth restriction as two developmental errors may have a common route, thus fetal growth and birthweight associated gene polymorphisms may have a role in the origin of CHDs.
Determination of fingernail chromium, cadmium, and lead in tannery workers
Authors: Liao Yen-Hsiung
Published: April 2015

Purpose: To determine whether chromium, cadmium, and lead levels in human Fingernails reflected the exposure to workplace contamination in tanneries.Approach: 49 exposed tanning workers and 33 controls were monitored for fingernail levels of chromium, cadmium, and lead by graphite furnace and hydride atomic absorption spectroscopy.Results: The mean levels of fingernail chromium, cadmium, and lead in the exposed workers were significantly higher than those in the controls. In regression models for the tannery workers, the significant risk factor that affected the fingernail chromium, Cadmium, and lead level were occupational exposure, respectively. Current smoker it showed a significant change in trend of increased fingernail cadmium levels.Conclusion: These findings indicate that chromium, cadmium, and lead absorbed from. Leather tanning compounds result in raised levels of chromium, cadmium, and lead in fingernails and that improvement of the industrial health should be more practiced in the tanneries in Taiwan.
Evaluation of anthelmintic efficacy of triclabendazole, nitroxynil and albendazole against naturally acquired fascioliasis in cattle of Bangladesh with special reference to its residual effect
Authors: Aktaruzzaman Md. , Mohamed Zahurin , -Ul-Alam Naim , Islam Md. Siddiqu , Howlader Md. Matiar Rahman
Published: April 2015

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of triclabendazole, nitroxynil and albendazole against fascioliasis in naturally infected cattle of government dairy farm, Sylhet, Bangladesh. The study included 50 cattle breed of which 30 were naturally infected and randomly selected 20 based on their weight and egg count. Twenty cattle of 2-3 years old irrespective of sex infested with fascioliasis were selected for this experiment and randomly divided into four equal groups (group A, B, C and D) where each group consisted of 5 cattle and cattle of group D were kept as control group. One injectable nitroxynil (10 mgkg-1 body weight, S/C) preparations (Renata Ltd. Bangladesh) and two solid triclabendazole, albendazole (12 mgkg-1, 15 mgkg-1 body weight, orally) preparations (Novartis Ltd. and Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Bangladesh) were used for positive control of fascioliasis as group A, B and C. Cattle of group D was kept as control without giving any treatment. Before trials (day 0), total egg count, blood samples and initial body weight were recorded. During the study period the fecal and blood samples were collected directly from rectum and examined on 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day using McMaster fecal egg counting method. Body weight was recorded on day 28 following the treatments. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated through determination of parasitic prevalence, body weight gain/loss and hematological findings. Pre and post-treatment EPG (eggs per gram) values were recorded, and efficacies compared. The results showed that the efficacy of nitroxynil was 92.57%, followed by triclabendazole 91.55% and albendazole 84.53%, which were significant (p<0.01). The observed differences in efficacy between these three brands of anthelmintics were most likely due to variations either in quality or the administered doses. The body weight of the treated animals was increased, which were significant (p<0.01). After treatment triclabendazole, nitroxynil and albendazole, Total Erythrocyte Count (TEC), Hemoglobin (Hb) content and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) were increased significantly (p<0.01 and p>0.05) in cattle but Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and Total Leukocyte Count (TLC) were decreased significantly (p<0.05 and p>0.01) in all treated cattle and body weight was increased significantly (p<0.01) on day 28. Â The farm management practices along with results of the present study revealed the efficacy of multiple anthelmintics against fascioliasis in cattle. Additional detailed studies are required to clarify the current status of the efficacy of the anthelmintics widely used in different agro ecologies, animal species, and livestock management systems in Bangladesh.
Evolution and Existentialism
Authors: Kaye Sharon
Published: April 2015

Many philosophers embrace both evolution and existentialism as though these two views provide a mutually supportive foundation for atheism. The story goes that evolution tells us life is meaningless while existentialism tells us what to do about it. In this paper, I aim to debunk this story. I begin by explaining the existentialist quest for the meaning of life. Then I explain why it is inconsistent with the principles of evolution. In the end, I argue that the quest for the meaning of life should be abandoned. It is a misleading project that science renders unnecessary. Looked at in this light, existentialism appears as a stripped down version of religion, vainly clinging to dramatic fantasies about human life. Evolution has had a deep and valuable impact upon philosophy. It will not have completed its work, however, until it stamps out existentialism and its atavistic angst once and for all.
Atheist Jesus
Authors: Scalzo Nicolò
Published: April 2015

This article examines Jesus of Nazareth through the lens of a theory that challenges the weak points of the two paradigms that dominate the current historical research in this field, while more effectively explaining traits ascribed to the figure of Jesus revealing an incredible humanistic profile. Anthropology, psychology and sociology will contribute in a very important way to the analyses developed in this article. The strength of the logic based on evidence would have prevailed on propositions which were not demonstrated, nor they were necessary, whose only effectiveness was in being deeply rooted inside men’s minds. (Frova and Maranzana 1998, 29) Galileo Galilei
Omniversal Liberty
Authors: Crowther Thomas
Published: April 2015

‘Liberty’, as a word, is thrown about contemporary society as casually as a ball is on a summer’s day, and yet, does anyone have a grasp on what it is? If it is freedom from limitation, then liberty must represent nothing less than consciousness without restraint. But though this straightforward definition implies its acquisition to be equally straightforward, the full spectrum of liberty would certainly prove to be one of the most elusive concepts imaginable. As a result, what we have, and what we throw about so indifferently, is a Substitute - a poor kind of replica of the real thing. True liberty - Omniversal liberty - is much less tangible however, and represents the equilibrium that occurs when anything is possible, but where the capacity to ever allow one possibility to dominate over another becomes impossible to maintain.
Values for Humanists
Authors: Kitcher Philip
Published: April 2015

As we make up our ideal for our own life and in pursuing it, we must not impinge upon the like freedom of other people. But that’s not enough for life. I suggest that the idea of the responsiveness to others lying at the heart of the ethical project also lies at the heart of the idea of the valuable life. The valuable life is the one that makes a difference to others. Lives that matter are those that touch the lives of others.
Learning to Understand Others
Authors: Eddy Beth
Published: April 2015

This article examines literature from cultural anthropology for insights into ethics. It particularly addresses the moral issue of justly understanding those people different from oneself. Clifford Geertz, pragmatist as well as anthropologist, draws upon the rhetorical theory of Kenneth Burke in his 1988 book Works and Lives. Just this sort of cross-disciplinary borrowing offers resources for understanding what were once religiously-based ethics in a humanistic context. The rhetorical style of various cultural anthropologists serves to inform the rhetorical forms of appeal of theistic and non- theistic ethics.
Santayana and His "Hero"
Authors: Spiro Daniel
Published: April 2015

The philosophy of George Santayana is best considered as a complement to that of Spinoza, to whom Santayana once referred as his “hero.” Like Spinoza, Santayana refused to accept any God steeped in revelation or mythology, yet he appreciated Spinoza’s wisdom in reclaiming the name of God non-anthropomorphically. For Santayana, God symbolizes a single “omnificent” natural power that transcends human understanding. Santayana went beyond his hero by striving to love not merely the real but also the ideal. We should view people and things in their greatest possible beauty, and love them with depth and passion.
Is Dexamethasone a Better Partner for Abiraterone Than Prednisolone?
Authors: Dizdar Omer
Published: April 2015

Dexamethasone may be a better partner for abiraterone compared with prednisolone in the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Upfront use of dexamethasone with abiraterone or a switch from prednisolone to dexamethasone at prostate-specific antigen progression might be feasible options and are currently being tested in larger trials.
Potential for Improvement in Cancer Management: Reducing Mortality in the European Union
Authors: La Vecchia Carlo , Rota Matteo , Malvezzi Matteo , Negri Eva
Published: April 2015

Overall age-standardized cancer mortality rates in the European Union (EU) have declined by approximately 20% through 2010 (17% in women, 22% in men) since the peak value reached in 1988. This corresponds to the avoidance of more than 250,000 cancer deaths in 2010 alone and approximately 2.2 million deaths over the 1989–2010 22-year period. A more than twofold difference remains between the highest cancer mortality rates (in Hungary and other central European countries) and the lowest (in selected Nordic countries and Switzerland). Part of this gap is due to tobacco, alcohol, and other lifestyle and environmental exposures, and another part is attributable to differences in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management. There are also appreciable differences in 5-year cancer survival across the EU, with lower survival rates in central and eastern Europe. If overall cancer survival in EU countries with low rates could be raised to the median, approximately 50,000 additional cancer deaths would be avoided per year, and more than 100,000 would be avoided if overall survival in all countries were at least that of the 75% percentile—4% and 8%, respectively, of the approximately 1.3 million cancer deaths registered in the EU in 2010. There is, however, substantial uncertainty about any such estimate because differences in cancer survival are partly or largely attributable to earlier diagnosis, in variable proportion for each cancer site and probably to different degrees in different countries, even in the absence of changes in the date of death or avoidance of death. Consequently, these approximations are the best available and may be used cautiously to compare countries, health care approaches, and changes that occur over time.
Learn From Others, but Don't Forget to Think on Your Own
Authors: Tanneberger Stephan
Published: April 2015

There is no easy way to discuss the end of life, as a doctor or as a patient; however, communication is a two-way street, and this should never be forgotten. Although clinicians may be most concerned about how to help patients, these experiences illustrate how patients can help clinicians.
Synthesis and application of fluorinated epoxy compounds
Authors: Li Lingling , Li Ying , Wang Xia , Dong Qingzhi
Published: April 2015

A novel fluorinated epoxy compound (FO) is synthesised via one-step method using potassium and sodium aqueous solutions as catalysts. The structure is characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electro spray ionisation-mass spectrometry. The effects of the reaction time and catalysts are measured. The results show that using sodium aqueous solutions can improve FO yield, and the optimal reaction time is 5 hours. Using FO as monomers, we obtain a new fluorinated polyether glycol with fluorinated side chain (FPO). The number-average molecular weight (Mn) of FPO is investigated. We find that the increase in Mn depends on the FO concentration; mixed solvent (dichloromethane/toluene) can have an impact on the number-average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. Polymers with lower polydispersities lead to a decrease in the polymerisation reaction rate because toluene can decrease the FO activity.
Stigma From Professional Helpers Toward Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Crowe Allison , Murray Christine E.
Published: April 2015

The authors explored experiences of stigma from professional helpers toward survivors of intimate partner violence in two related studies with a combined sample of 231 participants. Qualitative interview and quantitative survey data were analyzed with content analysis procedures using an a priori coding strategy. Results suggest that survivors felt stigmatized by mental health professionals, attorneys and judges, health care professionals, law enforcement, professionals in the employment or education systems, parenting-related professionals, as well as friends and family. The most frequently occurring stigma categories were feeling dismissed, denied, and blamed. Participants cited the most common sources of stigma occurred from interactions with professionals in the court system and law enforcement officers. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Gender, Provocation, and Intimate Partner Aggression
Authors: Felson Richard B. , Savolainen Jukka , Hughes Lorine A. , Ellonen Noora
Published: April 2015

The fact that men tend to be more aggressive than women implies that they requirelessprovocation to assault their partners. However, men may requiremoreprovocation to overcome normative constraints against harming women. This research examined the implications of these offsetting processes using data from a survey of 13,459 Finnish adolescents in 6th- and 9th-grade classrooms (ages 12–15 years). The youth served as informants regarding their parents’ aggressive behavior toward each other. Parents’ abusive behavior toward the reporting child was used as an indicator of aggressive tendencies outside the intimate partner relationship. We found the association between child abuse and intimate partner victimization to be stronger among mothers than fathers, which suggests that men require more, not less, provocation to attack their partners. The link between aggression toward partners and abuse of children also was stronger for female offenders. Women’s more consistent offending also suggests that aggressive men are inhibited about assaulting their female partners. Overall, findings suggest that inhibitions related to the victim’s gender have a stronger effect on heterosexual conflicts than gender differences in the tendency to offend.
The Hemoglobin Glycation Index Identifies Subpopulations With Harms or Benefits From Intensive Treatment in the ACCORD Trial
Authors: Hempe James M. , Liu Shuqian , Myers Leann , McCarter Robert J. , Buse John B. , Fonseca Vivian
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE

This study tested the hypothesis that intensive treatment in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial disproportionately produced adverse outcomes in patients with diabetes with a high hemoglobin glycation index (HGI = observed HbA1c − predicted HbA1c).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

ACCORD was a randomized controlled trial of 10,251 patients with type 2 diabetes assigned to standard or intensive treatment with HbA1c goals of 7.0% to 7.9% (53 to 63 mmol/mol) and less than 6% (42 mmol/mol), respectively. In this ancillary study, a linear regression equation (HbA1c = 0.009 × fasting plasma glucose [FPG] [mg/dL] + 6.8) was derived from 1,000 randomly extracted participants at baseline. Baseline FPG values were used to calculate predicted HbA1c and HGI for the remaining 9,125 participants. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used to assess the effects of intensive treatment on outcomes in patients with a low, moderate, or high HGI.

RESULTS

Intensive treatment was associated with improved primary outcomes (composite of cardiovascular events) in the low (hazard ratio [HR] 0.75 [95% CI 0.59–0.95]) and moderate (HR 0.77 [95% CI 0.61–0.97]) HGI subgroups but not in the high HGI subgroup (HR 1.14 [95% CI 0.93–1.40]). Higher total mortality in intensively treated patients was confined to the high HGI subgroup (HR 1.41 [95% CI 1.10–1.80]). A high HGI was associated with a greater risk for hypoglycemia in the standard and intensive treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

HGI calculated at baseline identified subpopulations in ACCORD with harms or benefits from intensive glycemic control. HbA1c is not a one-size-fits-all indicator of blood glucose control, and taking this into account when making management decisions could improve diabetes care.
Contrasting Effects of Lixisenatide and Liraglutide on Postprandial Glycemic Control, Gastric Emptying, and Safety Parameters in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes on Optimized Insulin Glargine With or Without Metformin: A Randomized, Open-Label Trial
Authors: Meier Juris J. , Rosenstock Julio , Hincelin-Méry Agnès , Roy-Duval Christine , Delfolie Astrid , Coester Hans-Veit , Menge Bjoern A. , Forst Thomas , Kapitza Christoph
Published: April 2015

OBJECTIVE

This mechanistic trial compared the pharmacodynamics and safety of lixisenatide and liraglutide in combination with optimized insulin glargine with/without metformin in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, three-arm trial comparing lixisenatide 20 µg and liraglutide 1.2 and 1.8 mg once daily for 8 weeks in combination with insulin glargine after optimized titration. The primary end point was change from baseline to week 8 in incremental area under the postprandial plasma glucose curve for 4 h after a standardized solid breakfast (AUC PPG0030–0430 h). Changes from baseline in gastric emptying, 24-h plasma glucose profile, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 24-h ambulatory heart rate and blood pressure, amylase and lipase levels, and adverse events (AEs) were also assessed.

RESULTS

In total, 142 patients were randomized and treated. Lixisenatide 20 µg achieved greater reductions of AUC PPG0030−0430 h compared with liraglutide (marginal mean [95% one-sided CI] treatment difference, −6.0 [−7.8] h ⋅ mmol/L [−108.3 (−140.0) h ⋅ mg/dL] vs. liraglutide 1.2 mg and −4.6 [−6.3] h ⋅ mmol/L [−83.0 (−114.2) h ⋅ mg/dL] vs. liraglutide 1.8 mg; P < 0.001 for both), and gastric emptying was delayed to a greater extent than with liraglutide 1.2 and 1.8 mg (P < 0.001 for treatment comparisons). FPG was unchanged in all treatment arms. At week 8, mean ± SD HbA1c was 6.2 ± 0.4% (44 ± 5 mmol/mol), 6.1 ± 0.3% (44 ± 4 mmol/mol), and 6.1 ± 0.3% (44 ± 4 mmol/mol) for lixisenatide 20 µg and liraglutide 1.2 and 1.8 mg, respectively. At week 8, both liraglutide doses increased marginal mean ± SE 24-h heart rate from baseline by 9 ± 1 bpm vs. 3 ± 1 bpm with lixisenatide (P < 0.001). Occurrence of symptomatic hypoglycemia was higher with lixisenatide; gastrointestinal AEs were more common with liraglutide. Lipase levels were significantly increased from baseline with liraglutide 1.2 and 1.8 mg (marginal mean ± SE increase 21 ± 7 IU/L for both; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Lixisenatide and liraglutide improved glycemic control in optimized insulin glargine-treated T2D albeit with contrasting mechanisms of action and differing safety profiles.
Effectiveness of Intelligent Tutoring Systems
Authors: Kulik James A. , Fletcher J. D.
Published: April 2015

This review describes a meta-analysis of findings from 50 controlled evaluations of intelligent computer tutoring systems. The median effect of intelligent tutoring in the 50 evaluations was to raise test scores 0.66 standard deviations over conventional levels, or from the 50th to the 75th percentile. However, the amount of improvement found in an evaluation depended to a great extent on whether improvement was measured on locally developed or standardized tests, suggesting that alignment of test and instructional objectives is a critical determinant of evaluation results. The review also describes findings from two groups of evaluations that did not meet all of the selection requirements for the meta-analysis: six evaluations with nonconventional control groups and four with flawed implementations of intelligent tutoring systems. Intelligent tutoring effects in these evaluations were small, suggesting that evaluation results are also affected by the nature of control treatments and the adequacy of program implementations.
Cochlear implantation outcomes in older adults
Authors: Castiglione Alessandro , Benatti Alice , Girasoli Laura , Caserta Ezio , Montino Silvia , Pagliaro Michela , Bovo Roberto , Martini Alessandro
Published: April 2015

Objective:

More than 40% of the population above 65 years of age suffers from hearing impairment and approximately 1% has a severe to profound loss, which cannot benefit from hearing aids. There is strong evidence that hearing loss in older adults is associated with both cognitive impairment and aging. Cochlear implantation improves auditory function and speech perception. The aim of this paper was to analyse outcomes and complications of cochlear implantation in elderly patients.

Methods:

We used a retrospective observational study on 30 hearing impaired patients over 65 years of age, unilaterally implanted for severe to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The results were statistically evaluated through the Student's t-test for paired data.

Results:

Thirty patients (16 males and 14 females) between 65 and 79 years of age (median = 70.5) underwent cochlear implantation in the last four years at our clinic. They were unilaterally implanted for profound hearing loss: the left side was implanted in 19 cases, the right side in 11 cases. Pre-operative pure tone average at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz improved from 111.8dB HL (± 17.8) without hearing aids to 42.6dB HL (± 10) with the cochlear implant during the post-operative period of follow-up; speech recognition threshold mean improved from 90dB SPL to 65dB SPL. No major complications were noticed during post-operative follow-ups.

Discussion:

Cochlear implantation is a safe procedure even among elderly patients who can significantly benefit from hearing threshold (p < 0.001) and speech perception (p < 0.01) improvements. Familial and professional supports are essential, as well as specific conditions, such as long time deprivation, entity and type of hearing loss, cognitive status, depression and anxiety, which can greatly influence the results of auditory rehabilitation and its perceived benefits.

Conclusion:

Cochlear implantation should be considered a safe and effective treatment of hearing loss even in older adults.
Early Afrikaner Missionaries and the Central African Natural Ecology: A History of Ambiguous Interactions
Authors: Müller Retief
Published: April 2015

Abstract:

This article assesses the role of late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century Afrikaner missionaries in their ecological positioning in Nyasaland. As envoys of South Africa's Dutch Reformed Church, they were predisposed to self-identify with the dominant colonial culture as representative of “European civilization.” However, their own environmental sensibilities were also shaped by the rural agricultural background from which many of them had come. This article considers their role in the ecological values they directly or indirectly propagated. The theme of “hunting” is especially emphasized here, as well as the planting of trees. A following section concerns indigenous environmental concerns, especially dealing with the theme of rain, and the missionary response. The argument is made that the missionary discourse was implicitly infiltrated by the indigenous point of view, to the point that missionaries were occasionally convinced to go along with the indigenous perspective in order to get their message across. In the final analysis the suggestion is made that the missionary discourse effectively became hybridized, and that this historical example might in fact serve as an analogy for the kind of methodological conversion that this article suggests as something that might helpfully challenge dominant contemporary globalization norms that threaten the environment.
Eros, Agape, and Neighbour-Love as Ontological Gift
Authors: Gonwa Janna
Published: April 2015

Abstract:

In Eros and Self-Emptying, Lee Barrett suggests a reading of Augustine and Kierkegaard that interprets the believer's love for God as eros for God's agape-nature. While Barrett's analysis suggests how one might mediate between the teleological necessity of eros and the gratuitous movement of agape in the love between God and the believer, it does not answer the question of how this same mediation can be accomplished in the case of neighbour-love. As a result, it leaves unaddressed certain lingering worries in Augustine and Kierkegaard studies about how the neighbour can be the proper object of love rather than an indirect recipient of the believer's love for God. This article suggests that the problem of neighbour-love can be addressed by extending Barrett's account of God's love as ontological gift in light of Augustine's assertion in De Trinitate that God “loves us in order that we might become.” The resultant picture grounds love for the neighbour in her particular individuality as she is being called into fellowship with God, rather than in the application of a universal ethical law or as a by-product of the believer's obligation to Christ.
L'Œdipe : Freud, Lacan, et aujourd'hui ?
Authors: Marie Pierre
Published: April 2015

À l’occasion d’une visite interrogative du complexe d’Œdipe, il est intéressant, aujourd’hui, au-delà de l’hypothèse heuristique freudienne, d’en préciser les raisons langagières, c’est-à-dire d’en montrer les ressorts dans le discours des acteurs de la scène familiale, de manière à ce que les notions freudiennes accèdent peu ou prou au statut de concepts, entreprise indispensable qui oblige les psychanalystes à poursuivre la réflexion de Freud, puis de Lacan.
La réception de Totem et Tabou par les anthropologues, un débat encore actuel ?
Authors: Douville Olivier
Published: April 2015

L’auteur explore les diverses logiques selon lesquelles les trois essais de Freud composant Totem et Tabou ont été reçus dans le milieu anthropologique, alors en pleine mutation. Si des grandes figures de l’anthropologie ont récusé les prétentions de Freud à prendre appui sur leur champ disciplinaire et ont, du même coup, refusé que ce texte puisse avoir une importance dans la formation des anthropologues, d’autres ont nuancé leurs critiques, et tout en exprimant leurs embarras et réserves, ils ont pu faire place, pour la discuter, à l’idée que le champ social pouvait connaître ses scènes inconscientes (c’est un peu l’exemple de Kroeber, plus nettement celui de Mauss). Dans le même temps que la pratique de terrain d’un Malinowski déjoue une compréhension trop familialiste de l’Œdipe.
À propos de la seconde théorie freudienne de l’Œdipe
Authors: Pickmann Claude-Noële
Published: April 2015

Une fois posé que le phallus est le seul représentant du sexe dans l’inconscient, Freud fut contraint de s’intéresser aux particularités du complexe d’Œdipe féminin. Cela lui permit de découvrir une dimension de la castration qui ne doit rien au père et de remettre en cause l’universalité de sa théorie de l’Œdipe.
La ponctuation « œdipienne » des phrases
Authors: Pommier Gérard
Published: April 2015

Freud avait déjà une idée de l'origine de la parole lorsqu'il décrivit dans l' Esquisse la fonction de message du cri. La psychanalyse a expérimenté ensuite les performances de la parole avant de les théoriser, essentiellement dans l'article de Freud sur l'inconscient dans la Métapsychologie . L'effectuation de la parole grâce au déroulement des représentations de mots refoule les représentations de choses pulsionnelles. Lacan a voulu schématiser ce processus grâce à l'algorithme célèbre de Ferdinand de Saussure. Cet énorme avantage a cependant beaucoup réduit la nature du refoulé. Quoiqu'il en soit, Freud comme le schématisme saussurien ont passé sous silence le problème de la verbalisation, c'est-à-dire de la performance du sujet, évidente dans la parole ordinaire ; la ponctuation courante montre la structure œdipienne de toute parole. Cette importance de la performance est devenue manifeste depuis les travaux d’Austin, et elle remet à l'ordre du jour la linguistique du Moyen-Âge.
Des effets de l’interprétation dans la cure
Authors: Donnelly Anne
Published: April 2015

L’interprétation, un des outils essentiel de la cure analytique, va évoluer depuis Freud jusqu’à Lacan. L’auteur propose trois vignettes cliniques. Elles mettent en relief le rôle de l’équivoque : du côté de l’analyste quand il interprète ; du côté de l’analysant lorsqu’il produit, par exemple, un symptôme de langage. L’auteur souligne aussi la place du signifiant, pour l’analyste et pour le patient, dans la cure.
Le synode africain, dix ans après
Authors: Ramazani Bishwende Augustin
Published: April 2015

Dix ans après le Synode africain de 1994, le pape Jean-Paul II avait annoncé un nouveau synode pour les Églises d’Afrique. Benoît XVI vient de réitérer le même appel : il souhaite un rassemblement synodal des évêques d’Afrique. Quelle est l’actualité théologique et pastorale du Synode africain de 1994, dix ans après sa tenue ? Quelles sont les questions pertinentes hypothéquant l’avenir des Églises africaines, soulevées par les évêques africains et que Rome semble déconsidérer ? Quels sont les défis lancés aux Églises africaines ? Celles-ci ont-elles encore besoin d’un rassemblement synodal ou d’un autre rassemblement plus important, « œcuménique », « universel », et pourquoi pas conciliaire ?
Jean et les traditions juives anciennes sur l’Exode : dépendances et oppositions
Authors: Remaud Michel
Published: April 2015

Un midrash sur la scène du buisson ardent peut éclairer doublement certains passages des écrits johanniques. Il apporte une confirmation à l’idée classique d’une corrélation entre l’épisode des noces de Cana et la crucifixion de Jésus. Il autorise aussi l’hypothèse que certains thèmes ou expressions des textes johanniques (la comparaison de Jésus au serpent, la désignation de Jésus par l’expression « celui-là ») pourraient être un écho de la polémique entre la première génération chrétienne et la Synagogue.
Le rôle conjoint de la Trinité et des attributs divins jusqu’en christologie dans le Discours catéchétique de Grégoire de Nysse
Authors: Durand Emmanuel
Published: April 2015

Faut-il mettre au point nos idées sur Dieu Un et Trine, afin de percevoir la puissance du Salut opéré par le Christ ? La présente étude interroge en ce sens la méthode du Discours catéchétique de Grégoire de Nysse. Au principe d’une catéchèse complète des mystères de la foi, centrée sur l’Incarnation et la Rédemption, Grégoire pose une doctrine trinitaire étroitement articulée aux attributs divins, en partie accessibles à la raison philosophique commune. Cette mise de fonds joue un rôle bien précis dans l’interprétation des mystères de l’économie dans la chair. La relation instituée entre « une digne conception de Dieu » et la révélation de l’identité divine dans les voies singulières du Salut constitue l’objet central de cet article. La question se pose finalement de l’importance décisive de la doctrine trinitaire pour un exposé christologique de facture narrative.
Sur les pas du Fils de l’homme : la christologie selon saint Marc
Authors: Begasse de Dhaem Amaury
Published: April 2015

En suivant l’Évangile selon Marc, depuis le « prologue » jusqu’aux deux finales, l’auteur laisse se déployer au fil du récit la christologie ascendante et contrastée de Marc, où le portrait humain de Jésus et sa mission révélatrice, suscitant le questionnement sur son origine, sont lieu de manifestation de sa relation au Père et à l’Esprit. Les titres humains et seigneuriaux (Christ, Fils de Dieu, Seigneur) de Jésus prennent sens dans l’autorévélation du « Fils de l’homme », crucifié et ressuscité, permettant d’éclairer les grands symboles de foi de l’Église.
Dynamiques des marges de manœuvre et santé au travail : le cas d’un projet d’organisation en « opérateurs tournants »
Authors: Morvan Evelyne , Delecroix Bertrand , Quillerou Edwige
Published: April 2015

Cet article discute des notions de marges de manœuvre et de pouvoir d’agir à partir d’une étude des conditions de travail menée dans un contexte de transformation organisationnelle dans une entreprise en lean manufacturing. Il invite les ergonomes et les préventeurs à une analyse différenciée des marges de manœuvre selon plusieurs critères et à accorder de l’importance aux dynamiques de redéfinition de celles-ci.