bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review article: portal vein obstruction – epidemiology, pathogenesis, natural history, prognosis and treatment
Authors: Kumar A. , Sharma P. , Arora A.
Published: December 2014

Background

Portal vein obstruction may be due to portal vein thrombosis (PVT) or its sequale, the portal cavernoma. PVT is a common complication in liver cirrhosis, however, it may also occur as a primary vascular disorder, in absence of any liver disease.

Aim

To review the current knowledge on nomenclature, etiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic workup and management of adult patients with obstruction in the portal vein, either as a primary vascular disease in adults, or as a complication of liver cirrhosis.

Methods

A structured search in PubMed was performed using defined keywords (portal vein obstruction, extra‐hepatic portal vein obstruction, PVT and portal cavernoma), including full text articles and abstracts in English language.

Results

Several causes, operating both at local and systemic level, might play an important role in the pathogenesis of PVT. Frequently, more than one risk factor could be identified; however, occasionally no single factor is discernible. Diagnosis of portal vein obstruction depends on clinical presentation, imaging and laboratory investigations. Prompt treatment greatly affects the patient's outcome.

Conclusions

Portal vein obstruction occurring either due to thrombosis in the portal vein or due to the portal cavernoma, can contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in patients with or without cirrhosis. In recent years our understanding of etio‐pathogenesis of portal vein obstruction has evolved tremendously, which has led to significant improvement in treatment outcomes. There are still areas where more studies are needed to better clarify the management issues of portal vein obstruction.
Gaseous emissions, growth performance and pork quality of pigs housed in deep‐litter system compared to concrete‐floor system
Authors: Zhou Chuanshe , Hu Jinjie , Zhang Bin , Tan Zhiliang
Published: December 2014

This study measured gaseous emissions, growth performance and pork quality in a deep‐litter system and concrete‐floor system. Three hundred and twenty weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.0 ± 0.3 kg were assigned randomly into three treatments. Treatments 1 and 2 included four pens with 20 pigs for each pen respectively in the deep‐litter system, and the ratio of sawdust to chaff was 5:5 and 3:7 for treatments 1 and 2 respectively, the probiotics inoculated into the fermentation bedding for both treatments were composed of Saccharomycetes, Bacillus subtilis and Actinomycetes; treatment 3 was the conventional concrete‐floor system including eight pens with 20 pigs for each pen. The concentration of NH3 and CO2 in the deep‐litter system was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than that in the concrete‐floor system. The ratio of feed to gain for pigs raised in the deep‐litter system was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that for pigs housed in the concrete‐floor system. The carcass weight and length, color score and rate of cooking meat for pork from the deep‐litter system were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those from the concrete‐floor system. Results indicate that pigs raised in the deep‐litter system had some animal welfare improvements and an odor nuisance reduction; in the meantime, pork quality also improved from the deep‐litter system compared to the pigs housed in the concrete‐floor system.
Evaluation of embryonic age and the effects of different proteases on the isolation and primary culture of chicken intestinal epithelial cells in vitro
Authors: Yuan Chao , He Qiang , Li Jun‐ming , Azzam Mahmoud Mostafa , Lu Jian‐jun , Zou Xiao‐ting
Published: December 2014

The present study evaluates the effects of embryonic age and proteolytic enzymes on the isolation and primary culture of chicken enterocyte and to establish an effective technique for chicken intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) cultivation. Fourteen‐day‐old, 16‐day‐old and 18‐day‐old embryos (average weight: 52.23 ± 0.76 g, 50.86 ± 0.99 g, 48.98 ± 1.03 g) were the source for preparation of enterocyte culture, and trypsin‐ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, collagenase, thermolysin and combination of collagenase and thermolysin were used for digestion medium. Optimal culture protocols were determined by qualitative assays of proliferation. Cells isolated by using 14‐day‐old embryo and collagenase obtain the best attachment and growth in culture, and the production of continuously growing IEC cultures. Thus, we conclude that the use of collagenase as a dissociating enzyme and 14‐day‐old embryo as a source can be advantageously applied to the isolation of chicken IEC and this method may be useful for various applications and basic studies of the intestinal tract concerning such objects as physiology, immunology and toxicology.
Correlations between the behavior of recreational horses, the physiological parameters and summer atmospheric conditions
Authors: Janczarek Iwona , Wilk Izabela , Zalewska Edyta , Bocian Krzysztof
Published: December 2014

The aim of this paper was to select atmospheric factors and their values, which may disrupt the correct behavior and physiological condition of recreational horses. The studies were carried out from 1July until 1September on 16Anglo‐Arabian geldings. Each day, from 09.00 to 10.00 hours, the horses worked under saddle. The riders and the authors gave a qualitative behavioral assessment for each horse. Mood and willingness to work were evaluated. The quantitative assessment was called ‘incorrect behavior of the horse while riding’ (IBHR). The percentage time of duration and the number of occurrences of the features while riding were calculated. Heart rate, body temperature and respiratory rate were taken at 08.00 hours (resting measurement) and at 10.05 hours (post‐exercise measurement). Air temperature, relative air humidity, wind speed and atmospheric pressure were measured at 08.00 and 10.00 hours. The results showed that adverse changes in the behavior of recreational horses can occur if the horse is ridden when the air temperature is above 26°C and when wind speeds exceed 5.5 m/s. Such conditions may cause a reduction in the mood and willingness to work in horses. Physiological parameters like heart rate and body temperature seem to be more sensitive indicators of the horse body reaction to the weather than behavioral reactions.
Managing cattle grazing and overstorey cover for the conversion of pine monocultures into mixedMediterranean woodlands
Authors: Osem Yagil , Fogel Tom , Moshe Yossi , Brant Shlomo
Published: December 2014

Question

A large proportion (70%) of coniferous forest area in Israel is used for livestock grazing. Recently, the possibility of managing these monospecific plantations to form mixed conifer–broad‐leaved woodlands via natural regeneration processes has been considered. In light of this we pose the question, how does the interaction of cattle grazing and overstorey thinning (hereafter, thinning) affect natural regeneration in east Mediterranean pine plantations?

Location

Menashe region, Mediterranean Israel (rainfall = 600 mm·yr−1).

Methods

The experiment was carried out in a mature (50 yr)Pinus brutiaplantation. Ten plots (0.25 ha) were selected, representing thinned (five plots, ≈100 trees·ha−1, leaf area index,LAI≈3) and non‐thinned (five plots, ≈230 trees·ha−1,LAI≈6) forest patches. Paired 100‐m2subplots were positioned within each plot, one of which was fenced to exclude cattle grazing while the other remained available for grazing. Recruitment, growth and shoot water potential of pines and broad‐leaved tree species were measured after 10 yr of grazing exclusion.

Results

The density of newly emerged (up to 3‐mo‐old) pine seedlings was decreased by thinning but not affected by grazing. However, pine sapling (established seedlings) density and height were increased by thinning and decreased by grazing. Sapling density of the dominant native oakQuercus ithaburensiswas reduced by both thinning and grazing. Thinning enhanced the growth ofQ. ithaburensissaplings while grazing restricted their height. Grazing and thinning had no significant effect on the total sapling density of broad‐leaved tree species, but grazing restricted their height and reduced species richness. Grazing reduced topsoil water content in non‐thinned plots but had no effect in the thinned plots. Grazing increased the water potential of pine seedlings while thinning reduced it. Both grazing and thinning had no effect on the water potential of maturePistacia lentiscusshrubs.

Conclusions

Natural regeneration within east Mediterranean pine plantations is limited by both dense overstorey cover and cattle grazing. While grazing exclusion is necessary for the establishment and early growth of recruits, reintroduction of grazing at later phases may facilitate the development of young forests by controlling competition.
Grassland restoration by seeding: seed source and growth form matter more than density
Authors: Walker Emer A. , Hermann Julia‐Maria , Kollmann Johannes
Published: December 2014

Question

What is the relative significance of seed source, growth form and seeding density in contributing to restoration of calcareous grasslands?

Location

Experimental field site on calcareous gravel in the lowlands north of Munich (S Germany).

Methods

The research question was investigated using a dominant grass (Festuca rubra) and three subordinate forbs (Buphthalmum salicifolium, Dianthus carthusianorum, Linum perenne). A randomized split‐block design consisting of six blocks was established with two growth forms of F. rubra (rhizomatous, tussock) from two sources (cultivars, ‘regional’ plants from the region of the field experiment) seeded at two densities (800, 1600 seed·m−2) and inter‐seeded with forbs from cultivar and regional sources (100 seed·m−2). Each combination of plant source, growth form and seeding density of the dominant species was replicated six times. Individual numbers of F. rubra (Year 1), the subordinate species (Year 1 and Year 2) and the spontaneously invading alien plant Erigeron annuus (Year 2) were counted, and total cover of vascular plants in each subplot and average number of flowers per area were recorded in Year 2.

Results

Regional seed generally had higher establishment than the cultivar counterpart in both the dominant and subordinate species. Growth form and seeding density of F. rubra differed little in their effects on establishment of the forbs, but fewer E. annuus invaded subplots with regional F. rubra, and subplots with the tussock growth form. Only in D. carthusianorum did regional rather than cultivar subordinates produce more flowers.

Conclusions

Seed source and growth form are the most significant factors for designing seed mixtures for restoration of calcareous grasslands.
Mentalization in children and mothers in the context of trauma: An initial study of the validity of the Child Reflective Functioning Scale
Authors: Ensink Karin , Normandin Lina , Target Mary , Fonagy Peter , Sabourin Stéphane , Berthelot Nicolas
Published: December 2014

This study examined the validity of theChildReflectiveFunctioningScale (CRFS:Ensink,Target, &Oandason, 2013,Child reflective functioning scale scoring manual: for application to the Child Attachment Interview.London,UK:AnnaFreudCentre –UniversityCollegeLondon), a measure designed to assess reflective functioning (RF) or mentalization during middle childhood. Participants were 94 mother–child dyads divided into two subgroups; 46 dyads where children had histories of intrafamilial (n = 22 dyads) or extrafamilial (n = 24 dyads) sexual abuse, and a community control group composed of 48 mother–child dyads.RFof children and their mothers was assessed using videotaped and transcribed data gathered using the Child Attachment Interview and the Parent Development Interview (PDI:Slade,Aber,Bresi,Berger, &Kaplan, 2004,The parent development interview‐Revised.NewYork,NY:TheCityUniversity ofNewYork). The findings indicate that theCRFSproved reliable, with excellent intraclass correlation coefficients for generalRF, as well asRFregarding self and others. Significant differences inRFwere found between sexually abused children and the control group, and also between children who had experienced intrafamilial and extrafamilial sexual abuse. This provides support for the discriminant validity of theCRFS. Furthermore, maternalRFwas associated with childRF. Both abuse and maternalRFmade significant contributions to predicting children'sRFregarding themselves, but child sexual abuse was the only variable that made a significant contribution to explaining variance in children'sRFregarding others.
The own‐age face recognition bias is task dependent
Authors: Proietti Valentina , Macchi Cassia Viola , Mondloch Catherine J.
Published: December 2014

The own‐age bias (OAB) in face recognition (more accurate recognition of own‐age than other‐age faces) is robust among young adults but not older adults. We investigated the OAB under two different task conditions. In Experiment 1 young and older adults (who reported more recent experience with own than other‐age faces) completed a match‐to‐sample task with young and older adult faces; only young adults showed an OAB. In Experiment 2 young and older adults completed an identity detection task in which we manipulated the identity strength of target and distracter identities by morphing each face with an average face in 20% steps. Accuracy increased with identity strength and facial age influenced older adults' (but not younger adults') strategy, but there was no evidence of an OAB. Collectively, these results suggest that the OAB depends on task demands and may be absent when searching for one identity.
Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15 521 men
Authors: Veale David , Miles Sarah , Bramley Sally , Muir Gordon , Hodsoll John
Published: December 2014

Objective

To systematically review and create nomograms of flaccid and erect penile size measurements.

Methods

Study key eligibility criteria: measurement of penis size by a health professional using a standard procedure; a minimum of 50 participants per sample. Exclusion criteria: samples with a congenital or acquired penile abnormality, previous surgery, complaint of small penis size or erectile dysfunction. Synthesis methods: calculation of a weighted mean and pooled standard deviation (sd) and simulation of 20 000 observations from the normal distribution to generate nomograms of penis size.

Results

Nomograms for flaccid pendulous [n = 10 704, mean (sd) 9.16 (1.57) cm] and stretched length [n = 14 160, mean (sd) 13.24 (1.89) cm], erect length [n = 692, mean (sd) 13.12 (1.66) cm], flaccid circumference [n = 9407, mean (sd) 9.31 (0.90) cm], and erect circumference [n = 381, mean (sd) 11.66 (1.10) cm] were constructed. Consistent and strongest significant correlation was between flaccid stretched or erect length and height, which ranged from r = 0.2 to 0.6. Limitations: relatively few erect measurements were conducted in a clinical setting and the greatest variability between studies was seen with flaccid stretched length.

Conclusions

Penis size nomograms may be useful in clinical and therapeutic settings to counsel men and for academic research.
Demographic and socio‐economic differences between men seeking infertility evaluation and those seeking surgical sterilization: from the National Survey of Family Growth
Authors: Hotaling James M. , Patel Darshan P. , Brant William O. , Myers Jeremy B. , Cullen Mark R. , Eisenberg Michael L.
Published: December 2014

Objective

To identify differences in demographic and socio‐economic factors between men seeking infertility evaluation and those undergoing vasectomy, to address disparities in access to these services.

Patients and Methods

Data from Cycle 6 and Cycle 7 (2002 and 2006–2008) of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) were reviewed. The NSFG is a multistage probability survey designed to capture a nationally representative sample of households with men and women aged 15–45 years in the USA. The variables analysed included age, body mass index, self‐reported health, alcohol use, race, religious affiliation, marital status, number of offspring, educational attainment, income level, insurance status and metropolitan home designation. Our primary outcome was the correlation of these demographic and socio‐economic factors with evaluation for male infertility or vasectomy.

Results

Of the 11 067 men identified through the NSFG, 466 men (4.2%) sought infertility evaluation, representing 2 187 455 men nationally, and 326 (2.9%) underwent a vasectomy, representing 1 510 386 men nationally. Those seeking infertility evaluation were more likely to be younger and have fewer children (P = 0.001, 0.001) and less likely to be currently married (78 vs 74%; P = 0.010) or ever married (89 vs 97%; P = 0.002). Men undergoing a vasectomy were more likely to be white (86 vs 70%; P = 0.001). Men seeking infertility evaluation were more likely to have a college or graduate degree compared with men undergoing a vasectomy (68 vs 64%; P = 0.015). There was no difference between the two groups for all other variables.

Conclusion

While differences in demographic characteristics such as age, offspring number and marital status were identified, measures of health, socio‐economic status, religion and insurance were similar between men undergoing vasectomy and those seeking infertility services. These factors help characterize the utilization of male reproductive health services in the USA and may help address disparities in access to these services and improve public health strategies.
Late Triassic initial subduction of the Bangong‐Nujiang Ocean beneath Qiangtang revealed: stratigraphic and geochronological evidence from Gaize, Tibet
Authors: Zeng Min , Zhang Xiang , Cao Hui , Ettensohn Frank R. , Cheng Wenbin , Lang Xinghai
Published: December 2014

Sedimentological and geochronological studies along a north–south traverse across the Bangong‐Nujiang suture zone (BNSZ) in Gaize, Tibet provide evidence for a Late Triassic–Jurassic accretionary wedge accreted to the south margin of Qiangtang. This wedge, preserved as the Mugagangri Group (MG), records evidence for the northward subduction of the Bangong‐Nujiang Ocean (BNO) beneath Qiangtang. The MG strata comprise two coarser intervals (lower olistostromes and upper conglomerates) intercalated within sandy turbidites, which are consistent with timing and forearc stratigraphy during subduction initiation predicted by geodynamic modelling. Following the model, the northward subduction of the BNO beneath Qiangtang and subsequent arc‐magmatism are inferred to have begun, respectively, at ca. 220 Ma and ca. 210 Ma, with respect to depositional ages constrained by youngest detrital‐zircon ages. The initiation of arc‐magmatism is also supported by provenance transition reflected by sandstone detrital modes and age patterns of detrital zircons. Previously, evidence for an incipient arc was lacking, but the timing of Late Triassic BNO subduction and related arc‐magmatism is coincident with an important Late Triassic magmatic event in central Qiangtang that probably represents the ‘missing’ arc. Other Qiangtang events, such as exhumation of the Qiangtang metamorphic belt as a source area, and development of the Late Triassic Nadigangri deposits and bimodal volcanism, are more easily explained in the tectonic context of early northward subduction of the BNO beneath Qiangtang, beginning at about 220 Ma.
Basin evolution of Upper Cretaceous–Lower Cenozoic strata in the Malargüe fold‐and‐thrust belt: northern Neuquén Basin, Argentina
Authors: Balgord Elizabeth A. , Carrapa Barbara
Published: December 2014

The Andean Orogen is the type‐example of an active Cordilleran style margin with a long‐lived retroarc fold‐and‐thrust belt and foreland basin. Timing of initial shortening and foreland basin development in Argentina is diachronous along‐strike, with ages varying by 20–30 Myr. The Neuquén Basin (32°S to 40°S) contains a thick sedimentary sequence ranging in age from late Triassic to Cenozoic, which preserves a record of rift, back arc and foreland basin environments. As much of the primary evidence for initial uplift has been overprinted or covered by younger shortening and volcanic activity, basin strata provide the most complete record of early mountain building. Detailed sedimentology and new maximum depositional ages obtained from detrital zircon U–Pb analyses from the Malargüe fold‐and‐thrust belt (35°S) record a facies change between the marine evaporites of the Huitrín Formation (ca. 122 Ma) and the fluvial sandstones and conglomerates of the Diamante Formation (ca. 95 Ma). A 25–30 Myr unconformity between the Huitrín and Diamante formations represents the transition from post‐rift thermal subsidence to forebulge erosion during initial flexural loading related to crustal shortening and uplift along the magmatic arc to the west by at least 97 ± 2 Ma. This change in basin style is not marked by any significant difference in provenance and detrital zircon signature. A distinct change in detrital zircons, sandstone composition and palaeocurrent direction from west‐directed to east‐directed occurs instead in the middle Diamante Formation and may reflect the Late Cretaceous transition from forebulge derived sediment in the distal foredeep to proximal foredeep material derived from the thrust belt to the west. This change in palaeoflow represents the migration of the forebulge, and therefore, of the foreland basin system between 80 and 90 Ma in the Malargüe area.
Group Size Dynamics over 15+ Years in an African Forest Primate Community
Authors: Gogarten Jan F. , Jacob Aerin L. , Ghai Ria R. , Rothman Jessica M. , Twinomugisha Dennis , Wasserman Michael D. , Chapman Colin A.
Published: December 2014

Group size affects many aspects of the ecology and social organization of animals. We investigated group size stability for five primate species in Kibale National Park, Uganda from 1996 to 2011 at three nested spatial scales. Survey data indicated that group sizes did not change for most species, with the exception of red colobus monkeys (Procolobus rufomitratus), in which group size increased at all spatial scales. Mangabey (Lophocebus albigena) group size increased in old‐growth forest, but the sample size and increase were small. To augment this survey data, we collected several years of demographic data on three habituated groups of redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius), eight groups of black‐and‐white colobus (Colobus guereza), and one red colobus group. The red colobus group increased from 59 to 104 individuals, while redtail monkey and black‐and‐white colobus group sizes were stable, mirroring our survey results. To understand mechanisms behind group size changes in red colobus versus stability in other primates, we monitored forest dynamics at two spatial scales between 1990 and 2013, considered changes in predator population, and explored evidence of disease dynamics. The cumulative size of all trees and red colobus food trees increased over 24 yr, suggesting that changing food availability was driving group size changes for red colobus, while predation and disease played lesser roles. Overall, our results and evidence of changing primate densities suggest that the Kibale primate community is in a non‐equilibrium state. We suggest future conservation and management efforts take this into consideration.
Seed Dispersal by Avian Frugivores: Non‐random Heterogeneity at Fine Scales
Authors: Viswanathan Ashwin , Naniwadekar Rohit , Datta Aparajita
Published: December 2014

Seed dispersal studies have primarily examined dispersal as a function of distance from the parent tree and/or heterogeneity in dispersal due to animal use of nesting, roosting and sleeping sites. However, non‐random heterogeneity in seed dispersal is also likely to result from the post‐foraging behavior and movement of frugivores which prefer certain trees. To characterize variation in seed rain at fine scales, we studied the dispersal curve of Prunus ceylanica, a primarily bird‐dispersed species. We compared seed rain at conspecifics, heterospecific fruiting trees with similar frugivore assemblages, emergent trees, and the landscape surrounding these trees. Seed rain of P. ceylanica was found to peak globally under the canopy of conspecifics but to peak locally under the canopy and immediate neighborhood of heterospecific fruiting trees. Our results demonstrate that seed rain is highly clumped even at fine spatial scales. A large proportion of seeds are dispersed in specific, localized regions. This variation can have important implications for plant population dynamics and might significantly alter the impact of post‐dispersal processes. Seed dispersal models may need to incorporate this heterogeneity to explain manifestations of spatially explicit dynamics like mixed species ‘orchards’.
Testing Chronosequences through Dynamic Approaches: Time and Site Effects on Tropical Dry Forest Succession
Authors: Mora Francisco , Martínez‐Ramos Miguel , Ibarra‐Manríquez Guillermo , Pérez‐Jiménez Alfredo , Trilleras Jenny , Balvanera Patricia
Published: December 2014

Chronosequences, commonly used to assess succession, have been questioned because of their failure to project successional trajectories. Here, we develop a simple analytical approach combining both chronosequence and dynamic data to test the power of age of abandonment and site factors to explain and predict succession. The approach proceeds by first fitting statistical models relating age to attribute values (the chronosequence model) and their observed changes (the dynamic model) to test explanatory power. Predictive power is then tested by bootstrapping the chronosequence model to derive confidence intervals for expected changes and comparing them with the dynamic model. Finally, residuals from both models are tested against site factors. The procedure was applied to six attributes (basal area, plant density, mean plant height, species richness, evenness, and composition) of the woody community (plants >1 cm dbh within 0.1‐ha plots) in nine abandoned cattle pastures (0–12 yr) and three old growth tropical dry forests monitored over 6 yr. Age explained 60–97 percent of the variance in community attributes and only 32–57 percent in observed changes. It significantly overestimated basal area and mean height, while species richness and composition were highly predicted. Besides age, management history also explained successional dynamics. Our results suggest age is not necessarily a reliable predictor of short‐term successional dynamics, and explanatory power is not indicative of predictive power. Because of this low reliability, caution is needed when applying chronosequences to evaluate ecosystem services' recovery. The analytical approach developed here contributes to a better exploration of those possible limitations.
Synthesis, Docking, In Vitro and In Vivo Antimalarial Activity of Hybrid 4‐aminoquinoline–1,3,5‐triazine Derivatives Against Wild and Mutant Malaria Parasites
Authors: Bhat Hans Raj , Singh Udaya Pratap , Gahtori Prashant , Ghosh Surajit Kumar , Gogoi Kabita , Prakash Anil , Singh Ramendra K.
Published: December 2014

A new series of hybrid 4‐aminoquinoline–1,3,5‐triazine derivatives was synthesized by a four‐step reaction. Target compounds were screened for in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine‐sensitive (3D‐7) and chloroquine‐resistant (RKL‐2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Compounds exhibited, by and large, good antimalarial activity against the resistant strain, while two of them, that is 8g and 8a, displayed higher activity against both the strains of P. falciparum. Additionally, docking study was performed on both wild (1J3I.pdb) and quadruple mutant (N51I, C59R, S108 N, I164L, 3QG2.pdb) type pf‐DHFR‐TS to highlight the structural features of hybrid molecules.
Value of sonographic features in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules diagnosed as follicular neoplasm on cytology
Authors: Chng Chiaw‐Ling , Kurzawinski Tom R. , Beale Tim
Published: December 2014

Background

The cytological diagnosis of follicular neoplasm (Thy3F) remains a diagnostic challenge. The main aim of this study was to stratify the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules diagnosed as Thy3F on cytology (Thy3F) using thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TIRADS).

Methods

A database of thyroid nodules with Thy3F cytological results from ultrasound‐guided FNA (US‐FNA) between January 2007 and March 2014 was studied retrospectively. Information on patient demographics, ultrasound characteristics and final histology of the nodules was collated. The number of suspicious US features of each thyroid nodule was counted based on TIRADS. The malignancy rate of each of the TIRADS category was also calculated based on the final histological outcomes of the nodules and compared to that calculated using a recently proposed thyroid malignancy risk prediction model.

Results

The overall malignancy rate of Thy3F cytology was 24·3%. There were significantly higher percentages of malignant nodules with irregular margins (20·0% vs 0%, P = 0·000), hypo‐echogenicity (74·3% vs 51·4%, P = 0·013) and taller‐than‐wide morphology (17·1% vs 0·9%, P = 0·001) when compared to benign nodules. The risk of malignancy increased with advancing TIRADS score: TIRADS 4A (14·3%), TIRADS 4B (23·1%), TIRADS 4C (87·5%) and TIRADS 5 (100%). The malignancy rate calculated using the prediction model similarly increased with advancing TIRADS score: TIRADS 4A (6·2%), TIRADS 4B (32·5%), TIRADS 4C (79·9%) and TIRADS 5 (90%).

Conclusion

Thyroid nodules with TIRADS scores 4C and 5 should be considered for single definitive surgery in view of the high malignant rate.
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in women in early pregnancy: does it increase with maternal age?
Authors: Diéguez Marta , Herrero Ana , Avello Noelia , Suárez Patricio , Delgado Elías , Menéndez Edelmiro
Published: December 2014

Objective

Recent studies report high rates of thyroid disorders in pregnant women. However, the need for universal thyroid screening remains controversial. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction (TD) during pregnancy and to analyse the association with maternal age.

Design and methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study in a referral centre in collaboration with the primary care units from April 2010 to March 2011. The study included 2509 consecutive pregnant women resident in an iodine‐sufficient area, mean age 32 years (range 16–47) who were universally screened for TD in their first trimester (median gestation 8 weeks, range 4–13 weeks). Thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) and free T4 (FT4) were analysed during the first antenatal visit. We applied first trimester‐specific population‐based TSH and FT4 reference ranges.

Results

We identified 416 women with positive TD screening [16·6%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 15·1–18·0]. Of these, 47 had overt hypothyroidism (1·9%), 90 subclinical hypothyroidism (3·6%), 23 overt hyperthyroidism (0·9%), 20 subclinical hyperthyroidism (0·8%) and 236 had isolated hypothyroxinaemia (9·4%). Applying a logistic regression model, age ≥30 years was not associated with a higher risk of TD [odds ratio (OR) 0·85, 95% CI 0·67–1·08] or hypothyroidism (OR 0·72, 95% CI 0·50–1·06).

Conclusions

TD affects one in six pregnant women in an iodine‐sufficient population. Maternal age ≥30 years do not increase the risk of TD.
Learning and development journeys towards effective communication with children
Authors: Lefevre Michelle
Published: December 2014

There are continuing concerns about the quality of social workers' communication and engagement with children. This has led to a focus in England on whether qualifying courses prepare students sufficiently for practice. Although research has uncovered the capabilities social workers need to engage and communicate effectively with children, there has continued to be limited evidence in relation to which pedagogical approaches might best enable students to develop capability. This paper attempts to address some of this deficit by reporting in‐depth case study findings from a larger longitudinal study into the factors that supported a cohort of students in England in learning to communicate with children. Case analyses are presented in respect of two participants whose learning journeys were emblematic of many in the cohort. Their trajectories draw attention to the significant role that pre‐course experience with children can play in the development of students' self‐efficacy and in providing a rich source of experiential learning that can be built upon. Suggestions are made for how qualifying courses might provide alternative experiential learning opportunities, including role play, child observation and opportunities for reflection on pre‐course experience with adults to help students establish the transferability of their learning.
Getting behind the closed door of care leavers: understanding the role of emotional support for young people leaving care
Authors: Adley Natasha , Jupp Kina Victoria
Published: December 2014

There have been significant changes in the legislative frameworks and guidance that surround social work practice with young people leaving the care system over the recent years. However, care leavers continue to face a range of challenges, achieve poor outcomes and research has consistently highlighted the insufficient attention paid to sources of emotional support. This paper provides empirical data from a small number of care leavers reflecting on their experiences of transitioning to independence. The findings provide further evidence of the lack of attention paid to emotional support by professionals and highlight the impact that this had on the young people's experiences. The young people identify their changing perceptions and needs as their experiences post‐care change, the complex reasons for why they may have rejected offers of support and make key recommendations for practice. This paper provides valuable insight into the process of leaving the care system from the perspective of care leavers themselves and raises key questions that challenge the structure of the current support systems, the nature of the professional relationship with young people in care and the priorities of current policy initiatives.
Challenging the generational transmission of tobacco smoking: a novel harm reduction approach in vulnerable families
Authors: Robertson Francesca
Published: December 2014

Anti‐smoking measures have been effective in reducing smoking in the general population but have been less effective with people in lower economic quintiles. The effects of parental smoking on children are adverse, long reaching and increase the likelihood of smoking in adulthood. Thus, persistent tobacco smoking is often a feature in generational patterns of poverty and marginalization. In this project, the researcher, a social worker, developed a hypothesis about how links between poverty, smoking and its impact on children at risk could be challenged. A literature review was conducted to explore the hypothesis and the findings were used to develop a strategy to work with impoverished, marginalized parents of children considered at risk by the Child Protection system. The strategy was applied as an exploratory study using qualitative methods to garner insights into factors that changed smoking behaviour at home. Quantitative methods were used to measure change. The study indicated that the strategy is promising, with all parents either ceasing or significantly reducing daily smoking. The number of children exposed to tobacco smoke at home was reduced from 36 to 5. The promising results of this study may enhance the range of solution behaviours for parents and social workers seeking to improve the health and well‐being of vulnerable children.
Comparison of different surface modifications for titanium implants installed into the goat iliac crest
Authors: van Oirschot Bart A. J. A. , Meijer Gert J. , Bronkhorst Ewald M. , Närhi Timo , Jansen John A. , van den Beucken Jeroen J. J. P.
Published: December 2014

Objectives

This in vivo study with implants installed in the goat iliac crest was performed to determine whether the biological and mechanical properties of the bone‐to‐implant interface are influenced by (i) the type of implant anchorage (i.e., mono‐ vs. bicortical placement), and (ii) the presence of a bioactive hydroxyapatite (HA) or composite HA/bioactive glass (BG) coatings.

Materials and methods

A total of 96 titanium (Ti) implants w/‐ coatings (Ti, Ti‐HA & Ti‐HABG; n = 8) were mono‐ or bicortically placed in the iliac crest of eight goats. At installation and after 4 weeks, implant stability was determined using insertion and removal torque testing (ITQ & RTQ). The peri‐implant bone response was histologically and histomorphometrically evaluated by means of bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC%) and bone area (BA%).

Results

Monocortical implants demonstrated significantly lower RTQ values in comparison to ITQ values, whereas for bicortical implant placement RTQ and ITQ were similar. Further, mean RTQ values for monocortical implants were significantly lower in comparison to bicortical implants. Histomorphometrical evaluation demonstrated higher BIC% and BA% for bicortical implants compared to monocortical implants. For bicortical implants, BA% in the inner peri‐implant region (0–500 μm) was significantly higher compared to the middle (500–1000 μm) and outer (1000–1500 μm) region. Also, a significant correlation was observed for monocortical implants between RTQ and BIC% and BA%. For surface modifications, no significant differences were found in ITQ and RTQ, for neither mono‐ nor bicortical implants. Histomorphometrically, HABG‐coated implants demonstrated significantly higher BIC% compared to GAE surfaces for both mono‐ and bicortical implants. Bicortical HA‐coated implants revealed significant higher BA% in the inner peri‐implant region (0–500 μm) in comparison to bicortical GAE implants.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that bicortical implant placement beneficially affects implant stability during the early phase of osseointegration. A significant correlation between removal torque and bone‐to‐implant contact and bone area for monocortical implants was observed, but not for bicortical implants. Therefore, histomorphometrical data should be interpreted with caution to predict the biomechanical implant fixation of bone implants over time. Regarding surface modifications, in the present implantation model, the addition of BG to an RF magnetron sputtered HA coating enhanced the biological behavior of the coating compared to grit‐blasted/acid‐etched implants.
Impact of payments for environmental services and protected areas on local livelihoods and forest conservation in northern Cambodia
Authors: Clements Tom , Milner‐Gulland E. J.
Published: December 2014

The potential impacts of payments for environmental services (PES) and protected areas (PAs) on environmental outcomes and local livelihoods in developing countries are contentious and have been widely debated. The available evidence is sparse, with few rigorous evaluations of the environmental and social impacts of PAs and particularly of PES. We measured the impacts on forests and human well‐being of three different PES programs instituted within two PAs in northern Cambodia, using a panel of intervention villages and matched controls. Both PES and PAs delivered additional environmental outcomes relative to the counterfactual: reducing deforestation rates significantly relative to controls. PAs increased security of access to land and forest resources for local households, benefiting forest resource users but restricting households’ ability to expand and diversify their agriculture. The impacts of PES on household well‐being were related to the magnitude of the payments provided. The two higher paying market‐linked PES programs had significant positive impacts, whereas a lower paying program that targeted biodiversity protection had no detectable effect on livelihoods, despite its positive environmental outcomes. Households that signed up for the higher paying PES programs, however, typically needed more capital assets; hence, they were less poor and more food secure than other villagers. Therefore, whereas the impacts of PAs on household well‐being were limited overall and varied between livelihood strategies, the PES programs had significant positive impacts on livelihoods for those that could afford to participate. Our results are consistent with theories that PES, when designed appropriately, can be a powerful new tool for delivering conservation goals whilst benefiting local people.
Young children's automatic encoding of social categories
Authors: Weisman Kara , Johnson Marissa V. , Shutts Kristin
Published: December 2014

The present research investigated young children's automatic encoding of two social categories that are highly relevant to adults: gender and race. Three‐ to 6‐year‐old participants learned facts about unfamiliar target children who varied in either gender or race and were asked to remember which facts went with which targets. When participants made mistakes, they were more likely to confuse targets of the same gender than targets of different genders, but they were equally likely to confuse targets within and across racial groups. However, a social preference measure indicated that participants were sensitive to both gender and race information. Participants with more racial diversity in their social environments were more likely to encode race, but did not have stronger racial preferences. These findings provide evidence that young children do not automatically encode all perceptible features of others. Further, gender may be a more fundamental social category than race.
Dravet syndrome, lamotrigine, and personalized medicine
Authors: Andrade Danielle M
Published: December 2014

This commentary is on the case report by Dalic et al. on pages 200–202 of this issue.
The recognition and treatment of autoimmune epilepsy in children
Authors: Suleiman Jehan , Dale Russell C
Published: December 2014

There is emerging interest in autoimmune epilepsy, which represents a small but potentially treatable form of epilepsy. Most insights into autoimmune epilepsy derive from the recent descriptions of autoimmune encephalitis that takes two general forms: a focal encephalitis (such as limbic) or a diffuse encephalitis (such as anti‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor [NMDAR] encephalitis). The features of autoimmune epilepsy include acute or subacute onset of seizures, usually in the context of encephalopathy, and inflammation of the central nervous system on testing cerebrospinal fluid or magnetic resonance imaging. Neuronal antibodies associated with autoimmune encephalitis and seizures in children include NMDAR, voltage‐gated potassium channel complex, glycine receptor, γ‐Aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR), γ‐Aminobutyric acid type B receptor (GABABR), and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies. These antibodies support the diagnosis of autoimmune epilepsy, but are not essential for diagnosis. When autoimmune epilepsy is suspected, first‐line immune therapy with corticosteroids in addition to intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange should be considered. Second‐line therapy with rituximab or cyclophosphamide can be considered if the syndrome is severe. A response to immune therapy supports the diagnosis of autoimmune epilepsy. Neuronal antibodies are increasingly found in patients with focal epilepsy of unknown cause who do not have ‘encephalitis’. Recent epidemiological studies support the link between epilepsy and autoimmune diseases. Future studies need to define the spectrum of autoimmune epilepsy and focus on early identification and treatment.
Calcifediol improves lipid profile in osteopenicatorvastatin‐treated postmenopausal women
Authors: Catalano Antonino , Morabito Nancy , Basile Giorgio , Cucinotta Domenico , Lasco Antonino
Published: December 2014

Background

Low vitamin D serum levels have been associated with unfavourable lipid profile and poorer response to atorvastatin. Aims of this study were to test the effects of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 (calcifediol) compared to parental vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation on modifications of plasma 25(OH)D levels and lipid profile.

Materials and methods

Fifty‐seven postmenopausal women (aged 59·03 ± 6·73 years) who were at low risk of fracture and with basal plasma 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL were included if they were on atorvastatin treatment prescribed as appropriate. Recruited women were randomized to receive oral calcifediol or cholecalciferol, both at a dose of 140 μg according to a weekly regimen.

Results

At baseline, 25(OH)D was negatively associated with BMI (r = −0·37; P = 0·004), total cholesterol (r = −0·31; P = 0·01) and LDL‐C (r = −0·32; P = 0·02). After 24 weeks, 25(OH)D increased significantly in both groups (P < 0·001), although higher levels were obtained with calcifediol as compared with cholecalciferol (P < 0·001). Only in the calcifediol group, a significant reduction of LDL‐C (P = 0·01) and an increase of HDL‐C (P = 0·02) were obtained, even after adjustment for age, and baseline BMI, 25(OH)D and lipid levels (P < 0·05). The percentage changes in 25(OH)D levels were associated with the variations of LDL‐C (r = −0·44; P = 0·01) and HDL‐C levels (r = 0·30; P = 0·10).

Conclusion

Calcifediol administration in osteopenic and dyslipidemic postmenopausal women with low 25(OH)D improves lipid profile when added to an ongoing atorvastatin treatment.
Phylogenetic clustering increases with succession for lianas in a Chinese tropical montane rain forest
Authors: Roeder Mareike , McLeish Michael , Beckschäfer Philip , de Blécourt Marleen , Paudel Ekananda , Harrison Rhett D. , Slik Ferry
Published: December 2014

Previous research found that phylogenetic clustering increased with disturbance for tropical trees, suggesting that community assembly is mainly influenced by abiotic factors during early succession. Lianas are an important additional component of tropical forests, but their phylogenetic community structure has never been investigated. Unlike tropical trees, liana abundance is often high in disturbed forests and diversity can peak in old secondary forest. Therefore, phylogenetic structure along a disturbance gradient might also differ from tropical tree communities. Here we determined phylogenetic community structure of lianas along a disturbance gradient in a tropical montane forest in China, using the net relatedness index (NRI) from 100 equivalent phylogenies with varying branch length that were constructed using DNA‐barcode sequences. Three additional phylogenetic indices were also considered for comparison. When NRI was used as index phylogenetic clustering of liana communities decreased with decreasing tree basal area, suggesting that liana competitive interactions dominate during early succession, which is in contrast to the pattern reported for trees. Liana communities in mature forests, on the other hand, were phylogenetic clustered, which could be caused by dispersal limitation and/or environmental filtering. The three additional phylogenetic indices identified different, sometimes contradicting predictors of phylogenetic community structure, indicating that caution is needed when generalizing interpretations of studies based on a single phylogenetic community structure index. Our study provides a more nuanced picture of non‐random assembly along disturbance gradients by focusing on a non‐tree forest component.