bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Customized humanoptics silicone iris prosthesis in eyes with posttraumatic iris loss: outcomes and complications
Authors: Spitzer Martin Stephan , Nessmann Anja , Wagner Julia , Yoeruek Efdal , Bartz‐Schmidt Karl Ulrich , Szurman Peter , Szurman Gesine B.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

Posttraumatic partial or total iris defects often cause significant debilitating glare, photophobia, decreased vision and cosmetic problems. Currently, the best cosmetic results can be obtained with a customized silicone iris prosthesis. However, little is known about the functional results and the rate of complication if this type of iris prosthesis is implanted into severely traumatized eyes. The aim of this study is to analyse the functional and cosmetic outcomes as well as complications after Artificial Iris implantation.

Methods

A consecutive series of 34 patients who received a customized silicone iris prosthesis after severe globe injury with total or sub‐total iris loss was analysed retrospectively. Additionally, patients were interviewed regarding change in subjective complaints.

Results

Median follow‐up was 24 months (range 12.0–48.8). Mean visual acuity prior to Artificial Iris implantation was 1.1 logMAR (range 0.3–2.6). Five patients (15%) had pre‐existing glaucoma and eight patients (24%) had pre‐existing hypotony. Visual acuity 12 months after surgery was 1.4 logMAR (range 0.2–2.6). Complications included newly diagnosed glaucoma in three eyes (9%) and hypotony in three eyes (9%), persisting intraocular inflammation or macular oedema in seven patients (21%), and corneal endothelial decompensation requiring corneal transplantation in six patients (18%). Patients’ satisfaction increased by reducing glare and enhanced cosmetic appearance.

Conclusion

The customized silicone iris prosthesis is an individualized treatment approach with appealing cosmetic results. Therefore, especially traumatized eyes with highly different posttraumatic conditions could benefit. However, in some patients, the implantation of this device may cause an increase of intraocular pressure, corneal endothelial decompensation or persisting inflammation.
Retinal vessel diameters in a Japanese population: the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study
Authors: Tano Takatoshi , Ono Koichi , Hiratsuka Yoshimune , Otani Koji , Sekiguchi Miho , Konno Shinichi , Kikuchi Shinichi , Onishi Yoshihiro , Takegami Misa , Yamada Masakazu , Fukuhara Shunichi , Murakami Akira
Published: January 2016

Purpose

To describe the relationship between retinal vascular calibre and cardiovascular risk factors in a Japanese population.

Methods

The Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study is a population‐based, cross‐sectional survey that included 2346 persons (56.1% of the eligible population) aged 40 to 74 years old. Retinal vascular calibre was measured from digital retinal photographs using a validated standardized protocol. Data on major cardiovascular risk factors were collected from all participants.

Results

Of the 1787 participants with available retinal vascular calibre data, the mean retinal arteriolar calibre (CRAE) was 141.6 ± 18.6 μm, the mean venular calibre (CRVE) was 209.3 ± 26.1 μm, and the mean arteriole‐to‐venule ratio was 0.68 ± 0.08. A smaller CRAE was associated with male sex, increasing quartiles of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, history of hypertension, current alcohol intake and higher quartiles of serum creatinine. A larger CRAE was associated with increasing quartiles of total cholesterol. A larger CRVE was associated with current cigarette smoking. Multivariate analyses showed that a smaller CRAE was associated with male sex, elevated mean arterial blood pressure and a history of hypertension; and a larger CRVE was associated with cigarette smoking.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that a narrowed diameter of the retinal arteriole in Japanese people is related to hypertension and sex (male) and that an enlarged retina venular diameter is related to a history of smoking. The pattern of these associations is similar to that in white populations and other Asian populations.
Genetic basis of TNF‐α antagonist associated psoriasis in inflammatory bowel diseases: a genotype‐phenotype analysis
Authors: Vedak P. , Kroshinsky D. , St. John J. , Xavier R. J. , Yajnik V. , Ananthakrishnan A. N.
Published: January 2016

Background

Anti‐tumour necrosis factor (anti‐TNF) biologic associated psoriasis has been reported in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. However, little is known regarding its pathogenesis.

Aim

To identify potential genetic predispositions to anti‐TNF associated psoriasis in IBD patients.

Methods

This retrospective chart review included IBD patients enrolled in a prospective registry. Cases of anti‐TNF associated psoriasis and idiopathic psoriasis unrelated to anti‐TNF exposure were confirmed by an expert dermatologist. All patients were genotyped on the Illumina Immunochip. A weighted genetic risk score ascertaining genetic pre‐disposition towards psoriasis was calculated and overall genetic pre‐disposition as well as differential distribution of individual polymorphisms was compared across the three groups.

Results

Our study included 724 IBD patients who initiated anti‐TNF therapy and did not develop psoriasis, 35 patients with anti‐TNF associated psoriasis, and 38 patients with idiopathic psoriasis. Anti‐TNF users who developed psoriasis had a modest but statistically significantly greater psoriasis genetic risk score than anti‐TNF controls (mean 0.64 vs. 0.61, P = 0.04), and had a similar genetic risk score as those with idiopathic psoriasis (0.64 vs. 0.62, P = 0.22). Two loci associated with NOS2 and ETS1 genes achieved P < 0.05 when comparing anti‐TNF associated psoriasis to anti‐TNF controls. Three loci were significantly different between anti‐TNF associated psoriasis and idiopathic psoriasis including a polymorphism near NOS2 encoding for inducible nitric oxide synthase that is produced by dendritic cells in skin lesions in psoriasis.

Conclusion

Patients with anti‐TNF associated psoriasis had a modestly greater genetic pre‐disposition towards psoriasis but no single causative polymorphism was identified.
Nanosize of zinc oxide and the effects on zinc digestibility, growth performances, immune response and serum parameters of weanling piglets
Authors: Li Ming‐Zhe , Huang Jie‐Ting , Tsai Yi‐Hao , Mao Syuan‐Yian , Fu Chao‐Ming , Lien Tu‐Fa
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of nanosize zinc on zinc digestibility, growth performances, immune response and serum parameters of weanling piglets. Ninety‐six LYD weanling piglets were assigned to control, zinc oxide (ZnO), organic‐Zn (Zn‐methionine) and nanosize ZnO (nano‐Zn) groups with four replicates. The zinc was at the 120 mg/kg level in the treatment group's diet, while the control group's was 80 mg/kg Zn. The experiment results indicated that the nano‐Zn and organic‐Zn groups had significantly higher Zn digestibility compared to the ZnO and control groups. For the immune response traits, the IgG level and goat red blood cells (GRBC) antibody titer were nano‐Zn and organic‐Zn>ZnO>control; in the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) challenge test result, nano‐Zn>organic‐Zn>ZnO>control; in regard to the γ‐globulin level, nano‐Zn and organic‐Zn>ZnO and control, with significant difference between groups. In the serum parameters aspect, serum Zn concentration in nano‐Zn and organic‐Zn groups were higher than in the ZnO and control groups, serum growth hormone concentration was increased in the nano‐Zn group than in the other groups. In conclusion, nanosize zinc oxide for dietary supplementation can increase zinc digestibility, serum growth hormone levels and carbonic anhydrase activity and enhance the immune response of weanling piglets.
Scaling factors for the in vitro–in vivo extrapolation (IV–IVE) of renal drug and xenobiotic glucuronidation clearance
Authors: Knights Kathleen M. , Spencer Shane M. , Fallon John K. , Chau Nuy , Smith Philip C. , Miners John O.
Published: January 2016

Aim

To determine the scaling factors required for inclusion of renal drug glucuronidation clearance in the prediction of total clearance via glucuronidation (CLUGT).

Methods

Microsomal protein per gram of kidney (MPPGK) was determined for human ‘mixed’ kidney (n = 5) microsomes (MKM). The glucuronidation activities of deferiprone (DEF), propofol (PRO) and zidovudine (AZT) by MKM and paired cortical (KCM) and medullary (KMM) microsomes were measured, along with the UGT 1A6, 1A9 and 2B7 protein contents of each enzyme source. Unbound intrinsic clearances (CLint,u,UGT) for PRO and morphine (MOR; 3‐ and 6‐) glucuronidation by MKM, human liver microsomes (HLM) and recombinant UGT1A9 and 2B7 were additionally determined. Data were scaled using in vitro–in vivo extrapolation (IV–IVE) approaches to assess the influence of renal CLint,u,UGT on the prediction accuracy of the calculated CLUGT values of PRO and MOR.

Results

MPPGK was 9.3 ± 2.0 mg g−1 (mean ± SD). The respective rates of DEF (UGT1A6), PRO (UGT1A9) and AZT (UGT2B7) glucuronidation by KCM were 1.4‐, 5.2‐ and 10.5‐fold higher than those for KMM. UGT 1A6, 1A9 and 2B7 were the only enzymes expressed in kidney. Consistent with the activity data, the abundance of each of these enzymes was greater in KCM than in KMM. The abundance of UGT1A9 in MKM (61.3 pmol mg−1) was 2.7 fold higher than that reported for HLM.

Conclusions

Scaled renal PRO glucuronidation CLint,u,UGT was double that of liver. Renal CLint,u,UGT should be accounted for in the IV–IVE of UGT1A9 and considered for UGT1A6 and 2B7 substrates.
Utility of Pilot Studies for Predicting Ratios and Intrasubject Variability in High‐Variability Drugs
Authors: Moreno Isabel , Ochoa Dolores , Román Manuel , Cabaleiro Teresa , Abad‐Santos Francisco
Published: January 2016

Pilot studies can be used to identify adequate test formulations for pivotal bioequivalence trials. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of pilot studies in predicting ratios and the intrasubject coefficient of variation (CVw) for pivotal studies of high‐variability drugs. Seven cross‐over and replicate bioequivalence trials were selected. A hundred simulations of pilot studies were performed for different sample sizes and designs. The pharmacokinetic data of the selected formulations were analysed using WinNonLin based on an analysis of variance (anova). The CVw was estimated using the formula recommended by the European Medicines Agency based on the mean square of the anova. We calculated the predictivity index ± 10% and ± 20% of the real value. The predictivity index of ± 20% in the 2 × 2 design with 12 volunteers was 100% for AUC0–t ratio, 87% for Cmax ratio, 50% for the CVw of AUC0–t and 52% for the CVw of Cmax. The results of the 4 × 4 design with 8 volunteers were similar to those of the 2 × 2 design with 12 volunteers. These results were worse for the predictivity index of ± 10% in both designs. Pilot studies do not seem useful for predicting sample size. However, they were very good for predicting the AUC0–t ratio and good for predicting the Cmax ratio. The most adequate design for pilot studies seems to be the 2 × 2 design with at least 12 volunteers.
Pediatric Chiropractic Care: The Subluxation Question And Referral Risk
Authors: Homola Samuel
Published: January 2016

Chiropractors commonly treat children for a variety of ailments by manipulating the spine to correct a ‘vertebral subluxation’ or a ‘vertebral subluxation complex’ alleged to be a cause of disease. Such treatment might begin soon after a child is born. Both major American chiropractic associations – the International Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association – support chiropractic care for children, which includes subluxation correction as a treatment or preventive measure. I do not know of any credible evidence to support chiropractic subluxation theory. Any attempt to manipulate the immature, cartilaginous spine of a neonate or a small child to correct a putative chiropractic subluxation should be regarded as dangerous and unnecessary. Referral of a child to a chiropractor for such treatment should not be considered lest a bad outcome harms the child or leads to a charge of negligence or malpractice.
Alternative Medicine and the Ethics Of Commerce
Authors: Macdonald Chris , Gavura Scott
Published: January 2016

Is it ethical to market complementary and alternative medicines? Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are medical products and services outside the mainstream of medical practice. But they are not just medicines (or supposed medicines) offered and provided for the prevention and treatment of illness. They are also products and services – things offered for sale in the marketplace. Most discussion of the ethics of CAM has focused on bioethical issues – issues having to do with therapeutic value, and the relationship between patients and those purveyors of CAM. This article aims instead to consider CAM from the perspective of commercial ethics. That is, we consider the ethics not of prescribing or administering CAM (activities most closely associated with health professionals) but the ethics of selling CAM.
Moral Legitimacy: The Struggle Of Homeopathy in the NHS
Authors: Crawford Louise
Published: January 2016

This article deploys a well‐established theoretical model from the accountability literature to the domain of bioethics. Specifically, homeopathy is identified as a controversial industry and the strategic action of advocates to secure moral legitimacy and attract public funding is explored. The Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital (GHH) is used as the location to examine legitimizing strategies, from gaining legitimacy as a National Health Service (NHS) hospital in 1948, followed by maintaining and repairing legitimacy in response to government enquires in 2000 and 2010. An analysis of legitimizing strategies leads to the conclusion that advocates have been unsuccessful in maintaining and repairing moral legitimacy for homeopathy, thus threatening continued public funding for this unscientific medical modality. This is an encouraging development towards open and transparent NHS accountability for targeting limited public resources in pursuit of maximizing society's health and well‐being. Policy implications and areas for future research are suggested.
On the different experimental manifestations of two‐state ‘induced‐fit’ binding of drugs to their cellular targets
Authors: Vauquelin Georges , Van Liefde Isabelle , Swinney David C
Published: January 2016

‘Induced‐fit’ binding of drugs to a target may lead to high affinity, selectivity and a long residence time, and this mechanism has been proposed to apply to many drugs with high clinical efficacy. It is a multistep process that initially involves the binding of a drug to its target to form a loose RL complex and a subsequent isomerization/conformational change to yield a tighter binding R'L state. Equations with the same mathematical form may also describe the binding of bivalent antibodies and related synthetic drugs. Based on a selected range of ‘microscopic’ rate constants and variables such as the ligand concentration and incubation time, we have simulated the experimental manifestations that may go along with induced‐fit binding. Overall, they validate different experimental procedures that have been used over the years to identify such binding mechanisms. However, they also reveal that each of these manifestations only becomes perceptible at particular combinations of rate constants. The simulations also show that the durable nature of R'L and the propensity of R'L to be formed repeatedly before the ligand dissociates will increase the residence time. This review may help pharmacologists and medicinal chemists obtain preliminary indications for identifying an induced‐fit mechanism.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of 4‐Chloro‐3‐Nitrophenylthiourea Derivatives Targeting Bacterial Type II Topoisomerases
Authors: Bielenica Anna , Stępień Karolina , Napiórkowska Agnieszka , Augustynowicz‐Kopeć Ewa , Krukowski Sylwester , Włodarczyk Marta , Struga Marta
Published: January 2016

A series of novel 4‐chloro‐3‐nitrophenylthiourea derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their antimicrobial, antibiofilm and tuberculostatic activities. Most of compounds exhibited high antibacterial activity against both standard and hospital strains (MIC values 0.5–2 μg/mL), as compared to Ciprofloxacin. Derivatives with 3,4‐dichlorophenyl (11) and 3‐chloro‐4‐methylphenyl (13) substituents were the most promising towards Gram‐positive pathogens. Both of them exhibited antibiofilm potency and effectively inhibited the formation of biofilms of methicillin‐resistant and standard strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Two N‐alkylthioureas (20, 21) showed twofold to fourfold increase in in vitro potency against isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as compared to Isoniazid. An action of 7, 10, 11, 13, 20 and 21 against activity of topoisomerases isolated from Staphylococcus aureus was studied. Synthesized compounds were found as non‐genotoxic.
Synthesis of Novel Oxazolo[4,5‐b]pyridine‐2‐one based 1,2,3‐triazoles as Glycogen Synthase Kinase‐3β Inhibitors with Anti‐inflammatory Potential
Authors: Tantray Mushtaq A. , Khan Imran , Hamid Hinna , Alam Mohammad Sarwar , Umar Sadiq , Ali Yakub , Sharma Kalicharan , Hussain Firasat
Published: January 2016

A novel series of oxazolo[4,5‐b]pyridine‐2‐one based 1,2,3‐triazoles has been synthesized by click chemistry approach and evaluated for in vitro GSK‐3β inhibitory activity. Compound 4g showed maximum inhibition with IC50 value of 0.19 μm. Keeping in view the effect of GSK‐3β inhibition on inflammation, compounds 4g, 4d, 4f, 4i, 4n and 4q exhibiting significant GSK‐3β inhibition were examined for in vivo anti‐inflammatory activity in rat paw edema model. The compounds 4g, 4d, 4f and 4i showed pronounced in vivo anti‐inflammatory activity (76.36, 74.54, 72.72 and 70.90%, respectively, after 5h post‐carrageenan administration) and were further found to inhibit the pro‐inflammatory mediators, viz. NO, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 substantially in comparison with indomethacin, an anti‐inflammatory drug as well as SB216763, a GSK‐3β inhibitor, reported to exert a similar effect. Histopathology studies confirmed the tolerance of gastric mucosa to these compounds.
Who returns home? Study on placement outcomes of Flemish foster children
Authors: Vanderfaeillie Johan , Van Holen Frank , De Maeyer Skrallan , Belenger Laurence , Gypen Laura
Published: January 2016

Until recently, Flemish family foster care was a temporary measure with as its most important goal, the reunification of the foster child with the birth parents. To date, nothing is known on the number of reunifications, nor has any study been undertaken into the factors (child, parent, foster parent and foster care process) associated with reunification. Case files of 127 foster children who exited foster care in 2007 were analysed. Dependent variables were type of foster care placement outcome (reunification, successful placement without reunification or breakdown) and place of residence after placement ending (with birth parents, extended family, foster family, residential care or living independently). After placement ending, only 40% of foster children went living with their parents, including foster children who were reunified (26%) and foster children who moved to their parents after a placement breakdown (14%). Characteristics of the foster children, and in particular absence of problem behaviour, were associated mainly with a return home. This may indicate that too much attention is paid to the functioning of the foster child and too little to improving the competencies of the parents and the (future) home environment.
A Taxonomy and Survey of Dynamic Graph Visualization
Authors: Beck Fabian , Burch Michael , Diehl Stephan , Weiskopf Daniel
Published: January 2016

Dynamic graph visualization focuses on the challenge of representing the evolution of relationships between entities in readable, scalable and effective diagrams. This work surveys the growing number of approaches in this discipline. We derive a hierarchical taxonomy of techniques by systematically categorizing and tagging publications. While static graph visualizations are often divided into node‐link and matrix representations, we identify the representation of time as the major distinguishing feature for dynamic graph visualizations: either graphs are represented as animated diagrams or as static charts based on a timeline. Evaluations of animated approaches focus on dynamic stability for preserving the viewer's mental map or, in general, compare animated diagrams to timeline‐based ones. A bibliographic analysis provides insights into the organization and development of the field and its community. Finally, we identify and discuss challenges for future research. We also provide feedback from experts, collected with a questionnaire, which gives a broad perspective of these challenges and the current state of the field.
Effects of payments for ecosystem services on wildlife habitat recovery
Authors: Tuanmu Mao‐Ning , Viña Andrés , Yang Wu , Chen Xiaodong , Shortridge Ashton M. , Liu Jianguo
Published: January 2016

Conflicts between local people's livelihoods and conservation have led to many unsuccessful conservation efforts and have stimulated debates on policies that might simultaneously promote sustainable management of protected areas and improve the living conditions of local people. Many government‐sponsored payments‐for‐ecosystem‐services (PES) schemes have been implemented around the world. However, few empirical assessments of their effectiveness have been conducted, and even fewer assessments have directly measured their effects on ecosystem services. We conducted an empirical and spatially explicit assessment of the conservation effectiveness of one of the world's largest PES programs through the use of a long‐term empirical data set, a satellite‐based habitat model, and spatial autoregressive analyses on direct measures of change in an ecosystem service (i.e., the provision of wildlife species habitat). Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) habitat improved in Wolong Nature Reserve of China after the implementation of the Natural Forest Conservation Program. The improvement was more pronounced in areas monitored by local residents than those monitored by the local government, but only when a higher payment was provided. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of a PES program depends on who receives the payment and on whether the payment provides sufficient incentives. As engagement of local residents has not been incorporated in many conservation strategies elsewhere in China or around the world, our results also suggest that using an incentive‐based strategy as a complement to command‐and‐control, community‐ and norm‐based strategies may help achieve greater conservation effectiveness and provide a potential solution for the park versus people conflict.
Sorbitan sesquioleate; a rare cause of contact allergy in consecutively patch tested dermatitis patients
Authors: Bennike Niels Højsager , Johansen Jeanne Duus
Published: January 2016

Background

Sorbitan sesquioleate (SSO) has been added to fragrance mix I (FM I) as an emulsifier since the 1990s. Being a contact allergen itself, SSO has the potential to cause false‐positive reactions to FM I. Recent results obtained with selected FM I‐positive patients have shown that 5% have concomitant positive reactions to SSO.

Objectives

To investigate the 5‐year prevalence of contact allergy to SSO and evaluate the importance of SSO allergy when patch test results for FM I are interpreted.

Methods

This was a retrospective database study of consecutively patch tested eczema patients (n = 4 6 3 7) from 2010 to 2014. All patients were tested with our baseline series including FM I and SSO 20% in pet.

Results

Sensitization to SSO was identified in 9 (0.2%) patients. The proportion of FM I‐positive patients with concomitant positive reactions to SSO was 1.4%.

Conclusions

SSO is a rare cause of contact allergy, with a 5‐year prevalence of 0.2% in consecutively tested patients. Contact allergy to the emulsifier does not play a major role when the overall frequency of contact allergy to FM I is evaluated. However, to correctly diagnose individual patients, concomitant patch testing with FM I and SSO is encouraged.
Regional variation in climate change winners and losers highlights the rapid loss of cold‐dwelling species
Authors: Tayleur Catherine M. , Devictor Vincent , Gaüzère Pierre , Jonzén Niclas , Smith Henrik G. , Lindström Åke
Published: January 2016

Aims

Climate change is known to drive both the reshuffling of whole assemblages and range shifts of individual species. Less is known about how local colonizations and extinctions of individual species contribute to changes at the community level. Our aim was to estimate the contribution of individual species to a change in community composition attributed to climate change and to relate these species‐specific contributions to species’ commonness, climatic niche characteristics and life history traits most likely to influence species sensitivity to climate change.

Location

Sweden.

Methods

Focussing on birds, we analysed changes from 1998 to 2012 in the Community Temperature Index (CTI), a measure of the average climatic niche of a community. Using a jackknife approach we assessed the contribution of individual species to the temporal trend in CTI in four different regions across Sweden, controlling for habitat distribution. We further tested whether species contribution was related to population trends and rarity to identify species most vulnerable to climate change.

Results

Community Temperature Index had increased over time with the greatest gains occurring in the north of the country, reflecting the larger temperature increases in this area. Changes in the regional CTI were driven both by warm‐dwelling species colonizing new sites and by extirpations of cold‐dwelling species. Furthermore, the community changes were influenced by both rare and common species. At the same time, the distribution changes of a large number of species were seemingly unaffected by climate change.

Main conclusions

Both range expansion and contractions contributed to the relative increase of warm‐dwelling species in Swedish bird communities. We successfully identified the climatic impacts on some of Sweden's rarest species, including cold‐dwelling species in the mountainous north. Our approach may be an efficient tool to use when characterizing the impacts of climate change on species and communities.
New findings about the spatial and temporal use of the Eastern Atlantic Ocean by large juvenile loggerhead turtles
Authors: Varo‐Cruz Nuria , Bermejo Juan A. , Calabuig Pascual , Cejudo Daniel , Godley Brendan J. , López‐Jurado Luis F. , Pikesley Stephen K. , Witt Matthew J. , Hawkes Lucy A.
Published: January 2016

Aims

Effective conservation of threatened or endangered species requires a robust understanding of their spatio‐temporal distribution. Although a huge amount is known about the movements of Atlantic adult sea turtles, much less is known about juvenile turtles, and much of the life history model is therefore inferred. We set out to describe the spatio‐temporal distribution of juvenile loggerheads turtles found around the Canary Islands.

Location

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean.

Methods

Between 1999 and 2012, we satellite‐tracked 24 healthy large juvenile loggerhead turtles (mean straight carapace length = 47.4 cm, range = 34.6–54.5 cm) captured in the waters around the Canary Islands. We describe their regional distribution, identify high‐use areas and create a model for habitat suitability using minimum convex polygons, density rasters and ensemble ecological niche modelling, integrated with physical and biological environmental data.

Results

Turtles used a huge oceanic area (2.5 million km2) with particularly high usage around the Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Western Sahara. In spring and summer, turtles generally moved further north towards the Iberian Peninsula. Ecological niche modelling identified sea surface temperature as the most important contributory variable to the habitat models. We also recorded three juvenile turtles making westward migrations away from the eastern Atlantic Ocean, presumably back towards their original natal beaches near sexual maturity.

Main conclusions

The results of the present study provide insight into a significant knowledge gap on the spatio‐temporal distribution of large juvenile loggerhead turtles in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. The data highlight that turtles occupy a vast open oceanic area, which hampers the ability of static conservation approaches to afford effective protection. However, ensemble ecological niche modelling highlights key suitable habitat for juvenile loggerhead turtles, which could be used in dynamic conservation protection.
Beyond the Sterility of a Distinct African Bioethics: Addressing the Conceptual Bioethics Lag in Africa
Authors: Ssebunnya Gerald M.
Published: January 2016

In the current debate on the future of bioethics in Africa, several authors have argued for a distinct communitarian African bioethics that can counter the dominancy of Western atomistic principlism in contemporary bioethics. In this article I examine this rather contentious argument and evaluate its validity and viability. Firstly, I trace the contextual origins of contemporary bioethics and highlight the rise and dominance of principlism. I particularly note that principlism was premised on a content‐thin notion of the common morality that is in need of enrichment. I also contend that bioethics is essentially two‐dimensional, being both conceptual and empirical, and indicate the lag in Africa with regard to conceptual bioethics. I then appeal for authentic engagement by 1) African health care professionals, 2) African health care training institutions, 3) Africa's bioethics development partners, and 4) African bioethicists and philosophers, towards addressing this critical lag. I underline the need to maintain the essential universality of bioethics as a discipline. I particularly argue against the pursuit of a distinct African bioethics, as it appears to be rooted in sterile African ethno‐philosophy. Rather, African bioethicists and philosophers would do well to elucidate the universalisability of insights from traditional African thought, for the benefit of bioethics as a whole. Thus we must engage beyond the sterility of a distinct African bioethics ‐ authentically reflecting on the essentially universal contemporary bioethical concerns ‐ to effectively articulate a viable trajectory for bioethics in Africa.
Australia and the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register for the birth cohort 1993 to 2006
Authors:   Australian Cerebral Palsy Register Group
Published: January 2016

This is a brief background paper for a supplementary issue of Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology by the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register Group. It provides context for the reader of the supplement including a description of the establishment and development of state and territory cerebral palsy registers in Australia.
Identification of Factors that Predict whether the Right Parasternal View Is Required for Accurate Evaluation of Aortic Stenosis Severity
Authors: Cho Eun Jeong , Kim Sung‐Mok , Park Sung‐Ji , Lee Sang‐Chol , Park Seung Woo
Published: January 2016

Background

To accurately assess aortic stenosis (AS) severity, multiple windows should be used to best align the Doppler beam with the flow direction of the stenotic jet. To evaluate: (1) the frequency at which the highest peak AV velocity is found in the right parasternal window (RPW), (2) the extent of correlation between aortic root angulation and the location of the highest peak AV jet velocity, and (3) which patients would benefit most from RPW‐based assessment of AS severity.

Methods

We evaluated AS velocity in the apical window (AW) and RPW by continuous‐wave Doppler (CWD) in 263 patients with more than moderate AS. If the AV was inaccessible by the left parasternal long‐axis view, the aortoseptal angle was measured by echocardiography and a sagittal view of a computed tomography (CT).

Results

Patients were divided into two groups, the RPW group and the AW group. Significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding the sinus of Valsalva diameter, the aortoseptal angle as measured by echocardiography, and the type of valve. The aortoseptal angle as measured by echocardiography was larger in the AW group compared with the RPW group. Aortoseptal angle (P < 0.001) and valve type (P = 0.036) were independent predictors that the highest AV Vmax would be obtained from the RPW.

Conclusions

The right parasternal window must be evaluated to achieve the most accurate assessment of AS severity, especially in patients with an aortoseptal angle <119° in the parasternal long‐axis view as measured by echocardiography.
The contribution of inner and outer retinal photoreceptors to infra‐slow oscillations in the rat olivary pretectal nucleus
Authors: Orlowska‐Feuer Patrycja , Allen Annette E. , Storchi Riccardo , Szkudlarek Hanna J. , Lewandowski Marian H.
Published: January 2016

A subpopulation of olivary pretectal nucleus (OPN) neurons discharges action potentials in an oscillatory manner, with a period of approximately two minutes. This ‘infra‐slow’ oscillatory activity depends on synaptic excitation originating in the retina. Signals from rod‐cone photoreceptors reach theOPNvia the axons of either classic retinal ganglion cells or intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), which use melanopsin for photon capturing. Although both cell types convey light information, their physiological functions differ considerably. The aim of the present study was to disentangle how rod‐cone and melanopsin photoresponses contribute to generation of oscillatory activity. Pharmacological manipulations of specific phototransduction cascades were used whilst recording extracellular single‐unit activity in theOPNof anaesthetized rats. The results show that under photopic conditions (bright light), ipRGCs play a major role in driving infra‐slow oscillations, as blocking melanopsin phototransmission abolishes or transiently disturbs oscillatory firing of theOPNneurons. On the other hand, blocking rod‐cone phototransmission does not change firing patterns in photopic conditions. However, under mesopic conditions (moderate light), when melanopsin phototransmission is absent, blocking rod‐cone signalling causes disturbances or even the disappearance of oscillations implying that classic photoreceptors are of greater importance under moderate light. Evidence is provided that all photoreceptors are required for the generation of oscillations in theOPN, although their roles in driving the rhythm are determined by the lighting conditions, consistent with their relative sensitivities. The results further suggest that maintained retinal activity is crucial to observe infra‐slow oscillatory activity in theOPN.
Daclizumab high‐yield process reduced the evolution of new gadolinium‐enhancing lesions to T1 black holes in patients with relapsing−remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Radue E.‐W. , Sprenger T. , Vollmer T. , Giovannoni G. , Gold R. , Havrdova E. , Selmaj K. , Stefoski D. , You X. , Elkins J.
Published: January 2016

Background and purpose

In the SELECT study, treatment with daclizumab high‐yield process (DAC HYP) versus placebo reduced the frequency of gadolinium‐enhancing (Gd+) lesions in patients with relapsing−remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The objective of this post hoc analysis of SELECT was to evaluate the effect of DAC HYP on the evolution of new Gd+ lesions to T1 hypointense lesions (T1 black holes).

Methods

SELECT was a randomized double‐blind study of subcutaneous DAC HYP 150 or 300 mg or placebo every 4 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed at baseline and weeks 24, 36 and 52 in all patients and monthly between weeks 4 and 20 in a subset of patients. MRI scans were evaluated for new Gd+ lesions that evolved to T1 black holes at week 52. Data for the DAC HYP groups were pooled for analysis.

Results

Daclizumab high‐yield process reduced the number of new Gd+ lesions present at week 24 (P = 0.005) or between weeks 4 and 20 (P = 0.014) that evolved into T1 black holes at week 52 versus placebo. DAC HYP treatment also reduced the percentage of patients with Gd+ lesions evolving to T1 black holes versus placebo.

Conclusions

Treatment with DAC HYP reduced the evolution of Gd+ lesions to T1 black holes versus placebo, suggesting that inflammatory lesions that evolved during DAC HYP treatment are less destructive than those evolving during placebo treatment.
Association between eye position on brain scan and hospital mortality in acute intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Frusch K. J. M. , Houben R. , Schreuder F. H. B. M. , Postma A. A. , Staals J.
Published: January 2016

Background and purpose

Conjugate eye deviation (CED) and horizontal skew deviation are often seen in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but its prognostic significance is unclear. In this study, the association between brain scan assessed eye position and hospital mortality in patients with supratentorial ICH was tested.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed in 316 patients with supratentorial ICH. Eye position was measured on first brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Patients with CED, horizontal skew deviation or no deviation were distinguished. The association between eye position and hospital mortality was assessed using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Conjugate eye deviation was present in 96 (30.4%), skew deviation in 44 (13.9%) and no deviation in 176 (55.7%) patients. In patients with CED, 81.3% had an eye position to the ipsilateral side of the hemorrhage. In univariable regression analysis, skew deviation was associated with mortality (odds ratio 3.10, 95% confidence interval 1.57–6.11; P = 0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, adjusting for age, ICH volume, intraventricular extension and Glasgow Coma Scale, eye position was not independently associated with mortality.

Conclusion

Horizontal skew eyes were found to be an unfavorable prognostic factor. However, this was not independent of other important predictors of ICH mortality and is most probably explained by its association with worse initial clinical presentation.
Fuzzy risk assessment of mortality after coronary surgery using combination of adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system and K‐means clustering
Authors: Nouei Mahyar Taghizadeh , Kamyad Ali Vahidian , Sarzaeem MahmoodReza , Ghazalbash Somayeh
Published: January 2016

In this paper, a fuzzy expert system based on adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is introduced to assess the mortality after coronary bypass surgery. In preprocessing phase, the attributes were reduced using a univariant analysis in order to make the classifier system more effective. Prognostic factors with a p‐value of less than 0.05 in chi‐square or t‐student analysis were given to inputs ANFIS classifier. The correct diagnosis performance of the proposed fuzzy system was calculated in 824 samples. To demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed system, the study compared the performance of fuzzy system based on ANFIS method through the binary logistic regression with the same attributes. The experimental results showed that the fuzzy model (accuracy: 96.4%; sensitivity: 66.6%; specificity: 97.2%; and area under receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.82) consistently outperformed the logistic regression (accuracy: 89.4%; sensitivity: 47.6%; specificity: 89.4%; and area under receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.62). The obtained classification accuracy of fuzzy expert system was very promising with regard to the traditional statistical methods to predict mortality after coronary bypass surgery such as binary logistic regression model.
Quantifying subjective human dimensions of recreational fishing: does good health come to those who bait?
Authors: Griffiths Shane P , Bryant Joanne , Raymond Henry F , Newcombe Peter A
Published: January 2016

Recreational fishing is a popular sport and leisure activity in many countries worldwide. There has been growing interest by recreational fishing groups and researchers in the perceived physical and psychological health and social (or ‘biopsychosocial’) benefits of recreational fishing. However, quantifying the key subjective ‘human dimensions’ of fishing that satisfy both the needs of recreational fishing groups and fishery managers is a major obstacle. We propose the use of psychometrically valid health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) measures widely used in the medical and health sciences – namely the Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐36) – as rapid, reliable and cost‐effective instruments for quantifying HRQOL of recreational fishers. The widespread use of SF‐36 and availability of population normative data allows comparisons of the HRQOL of recreational fishers across multiple temporal and spatial scales, with participants of other activities, and the general population. The use of such measures in periodic surveys allows the biopsychosocial status of a recreational fishery's participants to be assessed using a modified Kobe plot, a graphical format that is easily interpretable and consistent with existing reporting formats used in fisheries stock assessment. Future biopsychosocial research in recreational fisheries can further benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration to develop a suite of standardized psychometrically valid and reliable instruments for assessing specific issues that commonly affect recreational fisheries from regional to international scales, such as drivers of fisher motivation, behaviour and satisfaction.
TGF‐β signalling and liver disease
Authors: Fabregat Isabel , Moreno‐Càceres Joaquim , Sánchez Aránzazu , Dooley Steven , Dewidar Bedair , Giannelli Gianluigi , ten Dijke Peter ,   the IT‐LIVER Consortium
Published: January 2016

The transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) family signalling pathways play essential roles in the regulation of different cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, migration or cell death, which are essential for the homeostasis of tissues and organs. Because of the diverse and pleiotropic TGF‐β functions, deregulation of its pathways contributes to human disease. In the case of the liver, TGF‐β signalling participates in all stages of disease progression, from initial liver injury through inflammation and fibrosis, to cirrhosis and cancer. TGF‐β has cytostatic and apoptotic effects in hepatocytes, promoting liver differentiation during embryogenesis and physiological liver regeneration. However, high levels of TGF‐β, as a consequence of chronic liver damage, result in activation of stellate cells to myofibroblasts and massive hepatocyte cell death, which contributes to the promotion of liver fibrosis and later cirrhosis. During liver tumorigenesis, TGF‐β may behave as a suppressor factor at early stages; however, there is strong evidence that overactivation of TGF‐β signalling might contribute to later tumour progression, once cells escape from its cytostatic effects. For these reasons, targeting the TGF‐β signalling pathway is being explored to counteract liver disease progression. In this review, we aim to shed light on the state‐of‐the‐art in the signalling pathways induced by TGF‐β that are involved in different stages of liver physiology and pathology.
SMAD7 prevents heterotopic ossification in a rat Achilles tendon injury model via regulation of endothelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: Zhang Chi , Zhang Yang , Zhong Biao , Luo Cong‐feng
Published: January 2016

The endothelial–mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is known to play a central role in the pathological process of heterotopic ossification (HO). Based on the ability of SMAD7 (mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7) to block EndMT‐related processes such as myofibroblast transformation, we hypothesized that SMAD7 may be a potential therapeutic target for HO. We constructed a lentivirus overexpressing SMAD7 and tested on rat aortic endothelial cells for optimal titre and transduction efficiency. The lentivirus was then injected into a surgical rat model of Achilles tendon injury. Expression of endothelial markers and mesenchymal markers at the injury sites was subsequently quantified by qPCR and western analysis. Lentiviral delivery of SMAD7 in vivo resulted in an upregulation of endothelial markers (CD31, VE‐cadherin) and a downregulation of mesenchymal markers (N‐cadherin and vimentin), suggesting that EndMT is blocked due to local SMAD7 overexpression. The difference is more apparent at 10 weeks than at 6 weeks after surgery. X‐ray imaging and histological staining further confirmed the absence of ossified structure in the tendon tissue injected with SMAD7‐delivering lentivirus, as opposed to the control groups. Post‐surgical HO may be prevented in vivo by local delivery of SMAD7 without affecting the normal wound‐healing process. These data advance our understanding of the HO process at the molecular level, and provide additional avenues for the prevention and treatment of postoperative HO.
Coupled fracture modes of discs and plates under anti‐plane loading and a disc under in‐plane shear loading
Authors: Pook L. P. , Campagnolo A. , Berto F.
Published: January 2016

Three‐dimensional effects near crack tips have been deeply investigated in the past, but the topic is still ongoing and under investigation. However, the understanding is in some cases limited, and the problem requires further attention. Three‐dimensional effects are in fact neglected in situations where they may play an important role. The main aim of this review paper is to summarise some recent results of a study carried out on the coupled in‐plane fracture mode induced by a nominal anti‐plane (mode III) loading applied to plates and discs weakened by a straight crack. Only linear elastic conditions are considered herein. The results derived by a large bulk of finite element models allow a better understanding of coupled modes generated by anti‐plane loading. The influence of plate/disc bending on three‐dimensional stress fields is considered in the investigation, showing that it becomes non‐negligible as the thickness decreases. Some considerations on the trend of KIII as the corner point is approached are also part of this paper. In addition, the trend of the strain energy density (SED) in a volume surrounding the crack tip is shown and commented on. This parameter allows the precise determination of the weakest point of the component through the thickness becoming a useful tool. Some new results for a disc under in‐plane shear loading are included. These results clarify the influence of disc bending under anti‐plane loading.