bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between the existence of the palisades of Vogt and limbal epithelial thickness in limbal stem cell deficiency
Authors: Le Qihua , Yang Yujing , Deng Sophie X , Xu Jianjiang
Published: September 2016

Background

The aims of the study were to investigate limbal epithelial thickness in subjects with limbal stem cell deficiency and to evaluate the correlation between the palisades of Vogt and limbal epithelial thickness.

Design

Cross‐sectional observational study.

Participants

Twenty‐four subjects (39 eyes) with limbal stem cell deficiency and 20 normal controls (20 eyes).

Methods

Anterior segment optical coherence tomography and laser scanning confocal microscopy were performed to assess each quadrant of the limbus.

Main Outcome Measures

Limbal epithelial thickness and palisades of Vogt morphology in each quadrant were characterized. The correlation between limbal epithelial thickness and palisades of Vogt was analysed.

Results

The average limbal epithelial thicknesses in eyes with limbal stem cell deficiency were 19.9%, 23.4%, 13.8% and 13.5% less than normal controls at superior, inferior, nasal and temporal limbus (P = 0.008, 0.006, 0.014 and 0.011, respectively). Limbal epithelial thicknesses within limbal quadrants with palisades of Vogt were similar to those measured in the same quadrants in normal controls, whereas limbal epithelial thicknesses in the superior, inferior, nasal and temporal quadrants without palisades of Vogt were 27.8%, 29.8%, 14.7% and 15.6% less than the limbal epithelial thickness in corresponding regions of normal eyes (superior and inferior: P < 0.001; nasal and temporal: P = 0.005). Limbal epithelial thickness in the nasal and temporal quadrants was significantly less than that in the superior and inferior quadrants, both in normal controls and in limbal stem cell deficiency subjects(P < 0.001 and P = 0.019). Regression analysis showed that limbal epithelial thickness had a significant correlation with the presence of palisades of Vogt in each quadrant (superior, P = 0.002; inferior, P = 0.001; nasal, P = 0.047; temporal, P = 0.030).

Conclusions

A significant correlation was found between limbal epithelial thickness and the presence of palisades of Vogt. Limbal epithelial thinning as observed with anterior segment optical coherence tomography is a sign of limbal stem cell deficiency.
Cosmetic components causing contact urticaria: a review and update
Authors: Verhulst Lien , Goossens An
Published: September 2016

Immediate skin reactions are common in dermatological practice, but may often be overlooked. The main objective of this article is to provide an update of the literature concerning immediate‐type reactions or contact urticaria/contact urticaria syndrome caused by cosmetic ingredients in terms of immediate clinical symptoms, positive reactions following open, scratch or, most often, prick testing, and sometimes the detection of specific IgE antibodies. To this end, a selective search in different medical literature databases was performed. This yielded a list of cosmetic ingredients causing immediate reactions, including hair dyes and bleaches, preservatives, fragrance and aroma chemicals, sunscreens, hair glues, plant‐derived and animal‐derived components, permanent makeup and tattoos, glycolic acid peel, lip plumper, and alcohols. Many of the reported cases, however, lack appropriate controls and detailed investigation. Contact urticaria may occur with or without systemic symptoms, which are sometimes life‐threatening.
Multiple Large Shareholders, Excess Leverage and Tunneling: Evidence from an Emerging Market
Authors: Boateng Agyenim , Huang Wei
Published: September 2016

Manuscript Type

Empirical

Research Question/Issue

Past empirical efforts in corporate governance have examined the effects of large shareholders with excess control rights on tunneling activities. However, no study has systematically investigated the effects of multiple large shareholders on excess leverage policies and tunneling in an emerging country environment where minority rights protection is weak. In this study, we examine the role of multiple large shareholders and the effects of control contestability of multiple large shareholders on firm excess leverage decision and tunneling by controlling shareholders.

Research Findings/Insights

Using a sample of 2,341 Chinese firms for the years 2001 to 2013, we document that the contestability of multiple non‐controlling large shareholders relative to controlling shareholders reduces the adoption of excess leverage policies, tunneling and enhances capital investment. Another intriguing finding is that the government, as a controlling shareholder, exerts significant influence and reduces the monitoring effectiveness of multiple larger shareholders.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

By addressing the role of multiple large shareholders on excess leverage decisions, this study makes an important contribution to the corporate governance literature. We extend the recent developments in agency theory regarding the role of multiple large shareholders in constraining expropriation of controlling shareholders with excess control rights and their effect on firm leverage decisions. Our results support the theoretical models which indicate that the presence of multiple large shareholders is an important and efficient internal governance mechanism that mitigates a firm's agency costs, particularly, in an emerging market environment where corporate governance is weak and inadequate to curb the tunneling problem.
Rethinking Development Space in Emerging Countries: Turkey's Conservative Countermovement
Authors: Güven Ali Burak
Published: September 2016

Despite an increasingly flexible global policy context, most emerging countries refuse to venture beyond their pre‐existing development strategies. This article contends that in some cases domestic political constraints under liberalized markets might preclude policy dynamism. In particular, it draws attention to the tension between market expansion and social cohesion as a formative influence over policy patterns. This tension is sometimes addressed through a conservative countermovement whereby liberally‐oriented governments entice sections of the poor into broad electoral coalitions by employing palliative interventions alongside market‐expanding policies. Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is one example. Central to the Turkish case has been the redeployment of the country's historic foreign capital‐dependent pattern of growth in the service of selective redistribution and credit‐fuelled consumerism. The ensuing deficit‐led neoliberal populism assured stable and equitable growth in the extraordinary international and domestic context of the mid‐2000s, but has proven unfeasible since the global crisis. However, this coupling of market and social preferences has become politically so firmly entrenched in time that it now constrains the policy options to address Turkey's developmental impasse.
Coconut Crisis in Kerala? Mainstream Narrative and Alternative Perspectives
Authors: Sportel Terah , Véron René
Published: September 2016

India's oilseeds sector, which includes its coconut economy, experienced drastic changes in the wake of agricultural liberalization in the mid‐1990s. A persistent coconut crisis ‘narrative’ emerged after sharp price declines between 2000 and 2002 in which small farmers in the state of Kerala, India's main coconut producer, were identified as victims of the liberalized importation of cheap palm oil. This article describes this crisis narrative based on a literature review of academic and official reports, and challenges its problem analysis by juxtaposing it with information from ethnographic research with local farmers and traders. The research indicates that local labour shortages and increased regional competition also had a strong impact on Kerala's coconut market, production and processing, which varied from region to region. Furthermore, small farmers, with their diversified livelihoods, did not recognize a ‘crisis’ as such. Drawing upon the ‘advocacy coalition framework’, the article also indicates reasons for the emergence and persistence of the coconut crisis narrative and points to complex processes of restructuring social space in the age of globalization.
Capturing change: participation trajectories in cerebral palsy during life transitions
Authors: Khetani Mary A
Published: September 2016

This commentary is on the original article by Imms and Adair on pages 174–182 of this issue.
How the German crisis of 1931 swept across Europe: a comparative view from Stockholm†
Authors: Straumann Tobias , Kugler Peter , Weber Florian
Published: September 2016

According to conventional wisdom, the fall of the Swedish currency in September 1931 was caused by the sterling crisis. This article shows that the road towards devaluation began earlier and that financial linkages with Germany proved to be more important than Sweden's economic and monetary relations with Great Britain. It all started in late 1929 when the Swedish financier Ivar Kreuger gave a loan to the German government in exchange for the match monopoly, thus tying his business ventures to Germany's solvency. In addition, a part of this loan was financed by large US dollar credits from the two largest Swedish banks that, in turn, accumulated a sizeable foreign short‐term deficit. When in June 1931 the German fiscal crisis began to escalate, international investors ceased to consider Sweden a safe haven because they knew about the linkages between the German government, Kreuger, and the Swedish banking system. This downgrading, in combination with the foreign short‐term deficit of the banking sector, proved lethal for the reserve position of the Swedish central bank, once the international liquidity crisis in mid‐July 1931 erupted. The sterling crisis only put the final nail in the coffin.
Second malignancies in hydroxyurea and interferon‐treated Philadelphia‐negative myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Hansen Iben Onsberg , Sørensen Anders Lindholm , Hasselbalch Hans Carl
Published: September 2016

Objective

In an era of controversy in regard to ‘hydroxyurea‐leukaemogenicity’ and when interferon‐alfa2 (IFN) is being revived in the treatment of Philadelphia‐negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), we aim in this single‐centre observational study to describe the frequencies of second malignancies in a cohort of MPN patients treated with hydroxyurea (HU) or IFN monotherapy or the combination of these agents.

Patients and methods

Records of a MPN cohort of 196 patients were reviewed, and a retrospective analysis was performed on 90 patients treated with HU, 38 patients treated with IFN and 68 patients treated with both IFN and HU. Logistic regression was used to compare frequencies in second malignancies.

Results

Patients treated with HU had a significantly higher risk of developing all second malignancies compared with patients treated with IFN [HU vs. IFN: OR of 4.01 (95%CI: 1.12–14.27, P‐value: 0.023) and HU‐IFN vs. IFN: OR 5.58 (95%CI: 1.55–20.15, P‐value: 0.004)].

Conclusion

We have found an increased risk of second malignancies in MPN patients treated with HU compared with patients treated with IFN.
Heart rate as emerging risk indicator in stroke – the beat goes on
Authors: Böhm M.
Published: September 2016

Click here to view the accompanying paper in this issue.
Symptomatic post‐thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage is not related to the cause of stroke
Authors: Curtze S. , Sibolt G. , Melkas S. , Mustanoja S. , Haapaniemi E. , Putaala J. , Sairanen T. , Tiainen M. , Tatlisumak T. , Strbian D.
Published: September 2016

Background and purpose

The development of intracerebral hemorrhage following intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) can be influenced by various confounders related to the underlying vessel and tissue conditions. There are some data on association of cause of the stroke and the hemorrhage transformation. We tested the hypothesis that the cause of stroke is associated with the development of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) following IVT.

Methods

A consecutive cohort of 2485 IVT‐treated patients at the Helsinki University Central Hospital was classified according to the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria. An sICH was classified according to the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II criteria. The associations of sICH with nominal, ordinal and continuous variables were analyzed in a univariate binary regression model and adjusted in multivariate binary regression models.

Results

In univariate analyses, cardioembolism [odds ratio (OR), 1.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.79–1.64] and large‐artery atherosclerosis (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.85–2.00) were not associated with sICH, and small‐vessel occlusion was associated with lower odds for sICH (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.06–0.57). When adjusted for previously identified factors associated with sICH, none of the TOAST categories was associated with a higher or lower frequency of sICH.

Conclusions

The development of sICH in IVT‐treated patients is not related to the cause of stroke.
New Studies of Children's Work, Acquisition of Critical Skills, and Contribution to the Domestic Economy
Authors: Lancy David F.
Published: September 2016

In spite of the fact that the very earliest ethnographers who paid any attention to children took note of the “precocity” displayed by children in both learning the household (e.g., caring for a younger sibling) and subsistence (harvesting and processing grain), tasks characteristic of the societies under investigation, the first synthesis and cross‐cultural compilation of this large body of descriptive material is quite recent. This first, introductory, article in this collection reviews those efforts to systematize the study of children's work and leads the reader through a catalog of the major conclusions or generalizations that have emerged from this analysis. To take a single example, the ethnographic record shows clearly that the work children do, whether differentiated by age, gender, or competence, serves, in large part, to shape their emerging identity. The Introduction then proceeds to forecast the following three articles, all of which advance significantly beyond our current understandings. A finer‐grained analysis reveals significant cross‐cultural variation around many of the generalizations made earlier regarding how children become helpers and workers.
Best Practices for Collaboration in Research
Authors: Delgadillo Lucy M.
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this article was to explain academic collaboration, to describe typical activities that take place with collaborators, and to discuss some problems that could occur. Although research collaboration is usually rewarding, there can problems in communicating, sharing the workload, and assigning the order of authors in the publication of results. Recommendations to avoid conflict include formal and informal agreements and a good system of communication.
Embedding an Article in a Master's Paper
Authors: Borr Mari L.
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this article was to explain a process for embedding an article within a master student's thesis or paper. Embedding an article within the thesis or paper eliminates some of the work that comes with condensing and revising a master's paper into a publishable article. Once the student is aware of the format and the expectation of a publishable article, a target journal should be identified. Authorship is an element that needs to be carefully considered. This should be discussed at or before the proposal meeting and should be in the form of a written agreement. A final consideration is to determine what will happen if the graduate student does not take the initiative to publish.
Clothing Swaps: An Exploration of Consumer Clothing Exchange Behaviors
Authors: Matthews Delisia , Hodges Nancy Nelson
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this exploratory study was to discover the benefits individuals attained from participating in in‐person clothing swap parties and clothing swap Web sites. Data collection occurred through observation of five clothing swap parties, 16 in‐depth interviews with participants of swap parties, and observation of five online swap sites. The findings revealed three themes: (i) giving, (ii) receiving, and (iii) socializing. The findings suggest that the traditional consumption cycle may be broadened as clothing swaps allow acquisition and disposal to occur simultaneously. Findings also revealed the extent to which the swapping culture is contingent upon socializing.
Extended Families: Support, Socialization, and Stress
Authors: Kim Jinhee , Spangler Taylor L. , Gutter Michael S.
Published: September 2016

Modern American families take many shapes, and financial educators must meet the needs of diverse family structures, including extended families. Extended family households have increased since the recent recession, and additional family members can be both a source of support and a burden to the household. This article reviews the literature on extended and shared households and their impact on individuals’ financial behaviors. The article explains the types of extended and shared households, informal and formal support relationships, family financial socialization, and subgroup idiosyncrasies. The article concludes with implications and suggestions for financial educators and researchers.
Investigating the biochar effects on C‐mineralization and sequestration of carbon in soil compared with conventional amendments using the stable isotope (δ13C) approach
Authors: Yousaf Balal , Liu Guijian , Wang Ruwei , Abbas Qumber , Imtiaz Muhammad , Liu Ruijia
Published: September 2016

Biomass‐derived black carbon (biochar) is considered to be an effective tool to mitigate global warming by long‐term C‐sequestration in soil and to influence C‐mineralization via priming effects. However, the underlying mechanism of biochar (BC) priming relative to conventional biowaste (BW) amendments remains uncertain. Here, we used a stable carbon isotope (δ13C) approach to estimate the possible biochar effects on native soil C‐mineralization compared with various BW additions and potential carbon sequestration. The results show that immediately after application, BC suppresses and then increases C‐mineralization, causing a loss of 0.14–7.17 mg‐CO2–C g−1‐C compared to the control (0.24–1.86 mg‐CO2–C g−1‐C) over 1–120 days. Negative priming was observed for BC compared to various BW amendments (−10.22 to −23.56 mg‐CO2–C g−1‐soil‐C); however, it was trivially positive relative to that of the control (8.64 mg‐CO2–C g−1‐soil‐C). Furthermore, according to the residual carbon and δ13C signature of postexperimental soil carbon, BC‐C significantly increased (P < 0.05) the soil carbon stock by carbon sequestration in soil compared with various biowaste amendments. The results of cumulative CO2–C emissions, relative priming effects, and carbon storage indicate that BC reduces C‐mineralization, resulting in greater C‐sequestration compared with other BW amendments, and the magnitude of this effect initially increases and then decreases and stabilizes over time, possibly due to the presence of recalcitrant‐C (4.92 mg‐C g−1‐soil) in BC, the reduced microbial activity, and the sorption of labile organic carbon (OC) onto BC particles.
Screening Tool for Older Persons’ Appropriate Prescriptions for Japanese: Report of the Japan Geriatrics Society Working Group on “Guidelines for medical treatment and its safety in the elderly”
Authors: Kojima Taro , Mizukami Katsuyoshi , Tomita Naoki , Arai Hiroyuki , Ohrui Takashi , Eto Masato , Takeya Yasushi , Isaka Yoshitaka , Rakugi Hiromi , Sudo Noriko , Arai Hidenori , Aoki Hiroaki , Horie Shigeo , Ishii Shinya , Iwasaki Koh , Takayama Shin , Suzuki Yusuke , Matsui Toshifumi , Mizokami Fumihiro , Furuta Katsunori , Toba Kenji , Akishita Masahiro ,   Working Group on Guidelines for Medical Treatment and its Safety in the Elderly
Published: September 2016

Aim

In 2005, the Japan Geriatrics Society published a list of potentially inappropriate medication that was an extract from the “Guidelines for medical treatment and its safety in the elderly 2005.” The 2005 guidelines are due for a revision, and a new comprehensive list of potentially inappropriate medications is required.

Methods

A total of 15 diseases, conditions and special areas related to their clinical care were selected. We originated clinical questions and keywords for these 15 areas, carried out a systematic review using these search criteria, and formulated guidelines applying the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system advocated by Minds2014. If we did not find good evidence despite the drug being clinically important, we looked for evidence of efficacy and for disease‐specific guidelines, and incorporated them into our guidelines.

Results

We selected 2098 articles (140 articles per area), and extracted another 186 articles through a manual search. We further added guidelines based on disease entity and made two lists, one of “drugs to be prescribed with special caution” and the other of “drugs to consider starting,” primarily considering individuals aged 75 years or older or those who are frail or in need of special care.

Conclusions

New lists of potentially inappropriate medications and potential prescribing omissions called “Screening Tool for Older Person's Appropriate Prescriptions for Japanese” were constructed. We anticipate that future studies will highlight more evidence regarding the safety of high‐quality drugs, further improving the provision of appropriate medical care for the elderly. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016: 16: 983–1001.
Molecular data reveal a cryptic species within the Culex pipiens mosquito complex
Authors: Dumas E. , Atyame C. M. , Malcolm C. A. , Le Goff G. , Unal S. , Makoundou P. , Pasteur N. , Weill M. , Duron O.
Published: September 2016

The Culex pipiens mosquito complex is a group of evolutionarily closely related species including C. pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus, both infected by the cytoplasmically inherited Wolbachia symbiont. A Wolbachia‐uninfected population of C. pipiens was however described in South Africa and was recently proposed to represent a cryptic species. In this study, we reconsidered the existence of this species by undertaking an extensive screening for the presence of Wolbachia‐uninfected C. pipiens specimens and by characterizing their genetic relatedness with known members of the complex. We first report on the presence of Wolbachia‐uninfected specimens in several breeding sites. We next confirm that these uninfected specimens unambiguously belong to the C. pipiens complex. Remarkably, all uninfected specimens harbour mitochondrial haplotypes that are either novel or identical to those previously found in South Africa. In all cases, these mitochondrial haplotypes are closely related, but different, to those found in other C. pipiens complex members known to be infected by Wolbachia. Altogether, these results corroborate the presence of a widespread cryptic species within the C. pipiens species complex. The potential role of this cryptic C. pipiens species in the transmission of pathogens remains however to be determined. The designation ‘Culex juppi nov. sp.' is proposed for this mosquito species.
Minimal clinically important difference for change in 6‐minute walk test distance of adults with pathology: a systematic review
Authors: Bohannon Richard W. , Crouch Rebecca
Published: September 2016

Rationale, aims, and objectives

The 6‐minute walk test (6MWT) is widely used as a test of functional exercise capacity. Several studies have reported the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the 6MWT; however, the findings of the studies have not been examined in the context of one another. In this review, we aimed to summarize available information on the MCID for the 6MWT performed by patients with pathology.

Methods

Relevant literature was identified by searches of 3 electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health), examination of article reference lists, and consultation with an expert. Inclusion necessitated that articles (1) be original, full length, and peer reviewed, (2) report an MCID for the 6MWT, and (3) focus on adults with medical issues. Articles were excluded if the MCID was determined by a procedure other than receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Articles were abstracted for information on participants, interventions, 6MWT distance, and the determination of MCID. Quality was assessed using a hybrid 9‐item (0‐ to 18‐point) instrument.

Results

Six articles were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The populations studied included people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, coronary artery disease, diffuse parenchymal lung disease, and non–cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and adults with fear of falling. Mean baseline 6MWT distances ranged from 295 to 551 m. The MCIDs for which the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was at least 0.70 ranged from 14.0 to 30.5 m.

Conclusions

Based on our findings, a change of 14.0 to 30.5 m may be clinically important across multiple patient groups.
Water immersion during labor and birth: is there an extra cost for hospitals?
Authors: Poder Thomas G.
Published: September 2016

Rationale, aims and objectives

Water immersion during labor and birth is growing in popularity, and many hospitals are now considering offering this service to laboring women. Some advantages of water immersion are demonstrated, but others remain uncertain, and particularly, few studies have examined the financial impact of such a device on hospitals. This study simulated what could be the extra cost of water immersion for hospitals.

Materials and methods

Clinical outcomes were drawn from the results of systematic reviews already published, and cost units were those used in the Quebec health network. A decision tree was used with microsimulations of representative laboring women. Sensitivity analyses were performed as regards analgesic use and labor duration.

Results

Microsimulations indicated an extra cost between $166.41 and $274.76 (2014 Canadian dollars) for each laboring woman as regards the scenario considered. The average extra cost was $221.12 (95% confidence interval, 219.97‐222.28).

Conclusion

While water immersion allows better clinical outcomes, implementation and other costs are higher than the savings generated, which leads to a small extra cost to allow women to potentially have more relaxation and less pain.
Assessing the role of host traits as drivers of the abundance of long‐lived parasites in fish‐stock assessment studies
Authors: Braicovich P. E. , Ieno E. N. , Sáez M. , Despos J. , Timi J. T.
Published: September 2016

In order to identify the best tools for stock assessment studies using fish parasites as biological indicators, different host traits (size, mass and age and their interaction with sex) were evaluated as descriptors of cumulative patterns of both parasite abundance and infracommunity species richness. The effect of such variables was analysed for a sample of 265 specimens of Percophis brasiliensis caught in the Argentine Sea. The abundances and species richness were modelled using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) with negative binomial and Poisson distribution respectively. Due to collinearity, separate models were fitted for each of the three main explanatory variables (length, mass and age) to identify the optimal set of factors determining the parasite burdens. Optimal GLMMs were selected on the basis of the lowest Akaike information criteria, residual information and simulation studies based on 10 000 iterations. Results indicated that the covariates length and sex consistently appeared in the most parsimonious models suggesting that fish length seems to be a slightly better predictor than age or mass. The biological causes of these patterns are discussed. It is recommended to use fish length as a measure of growth and to restrict comparisons with fish of similar length or to incorporate length as covariate when comparing parasite burdens. Host sex should be also taken into account for those species sexually dimorphic in terms of morphology, behaviour or growth rates.
Positive correlation between Aeromonas salmonicida vaccine antigen concentration and protection in vaccinated rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss evaluated by a tail fin infection model
Authors: Marana M H , Skov J , Chettri J K , Krossøy B , Dalsgaard I , Kania P W , Buchmann K
Published: September 2016

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), are able to raise a protective immune response against Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida (AS) following injection vaccination with commercial vaccines containing formalin‐killed bacteria, but the protection is often suboptimal under Danish mariculture conditions. We elucidated whether protection can be improved by increasing the concentration of antigen (formalin‐killed bacteria) in the vaccine. Rainbow trout juveniles were vaccinated by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection with a bacterin of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida strain 090710‐1/23 in combination with Vibrio anguillarum serotypes O1 and O2a supplemented with an oil adjuvant. Three concentrations of AS antigens were applied. Fish were subsequently challenged with the homologous bacterial strain administered by perforation of the tail fin epidermis and 60‐s contact with live A. salmonicida bacteria. The infection method proved to be efficient and could differentiate efficacies of different vaccines. It was shown that protection and antibody production in exposed fish were positively correlated to the AS antigen concentration in the vaccine.
Oral Care and Mortality in Older Adults with Pneumonia in Hospitals or Nursing Homes: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Sjögren Petteri , Wårdh Inger , Zimmerman Mikael , Almståhl Annica , Wikström Maude
Published: September 2016

The objectives of the study were to compare the effect of intensified oral care interventions given by dental or nursing personnel on mortality from healthcare‐associated pneumonia (HAP) in elderly adults in hospitals or nursing homes with the effect of usual oral care. Systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the Health Technology Assessment database of the National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (August 2015). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were considered for inclusion. Data were extracted and risk of bias was assessed independently and agreed on in consensus meetings. Five RCTs, with some or major study limitations, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Based on meta‐analyses, oral care interventions given by dental personnel reduced mortality from HAP (risk ratio (RR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.25–0.76, P = .003), whereas oral care interventions given by nursing personnel did not result in a statistically significant difference in mortality from HAP (RR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.97–1.48, P = .09), in elderly adults in hospitals or nursing homes from usual oral care. Oral care interventions given by dental personnel may reduce mortality from HAP (low certainty of evidence, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) ⊕⊕○○), whereas oral care interventions given by nursing personnel probably result in little or no difference from usual care (moderate certainty of evidence, GRADE ⊕⊕⊕○) in elderly adults in hospitals or nursing homes.
Imaging mass spectrometry reveals loss of polyunsaturated cardiolipins in the cortical contusion, hippocampus, and thalamus after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Sparvero Louis J. , Amoscato Andrew A. , Fink Arthur B. , Anthonymuthu Tamil , New Lee Ann , Kochanek Patrick M. , Watkins Simon , Kagan Valerian E. , Bayır Hulya
Published: September 2016

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to changes in ion fluxes, alterations in mitochondrial function, and increased generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in secondary tissue damage. Mitochondria play important signaling roles in coordination of multiple metabolic platforms in addition to their well‐known role in bioenergetics. Mitochondrial signaling strongly depends on cardiolipin (CL), a mitochondria‐specific structurally unusual anionic phospholipid containing four fatty acyl chains. While our previous reports indicated that CL is selectively oxidized and presents itself as a target for the redox therapy following TBI, the topography of changes of CL in the injured brain remained to be defined. Here, we present a matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging study which reports regio‐specific changes in CL, in a controlled cortical impact model of TBI in rats. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging revealed that TBI caused early decreases in CL in the contusional cortex, ipsilateral hippocampus, and thalamus with the most highly unsaturated CL species being most susceptible to loss. Phosphatidylinositol was the only other lipid species that exhibited a significant decrease, albeit to a lesser extent than CL. Signals for other lipids remained unchanged. This is the first study evaluating the spatial distribution of CL loss after acute brain injury. We propose that the CL loss may constitute an upstream mechanism for CL‐driven signaling in different brain regions as an early response mechanism and may also underlie the bioenergetic changes that occur in hippocampal, cortical, and thalamic mitochondria after TBI.

image
Trends in paediatric practice in Australia: 2008 and 2013 national audits from the Australian Paediatric Research Network
Authors: Hiscock Harriet , Danchin Margie H , Efron Daryl , Gulenc Alisha , Hearps Stephen , Freed Gary L , Perera Prescilla , Wake Melissa
Published: September 2016

Aim

In adult medicine, rates of investigation and prescribing appear to be increasing. Such information is lacking for paediatrics. We audited Australian paediatricians’ practices in 2013 to determine changes since 2008 in: (i) conditions seen; (ii) consultation duration; (iii) imaging and pathology ordered; and (iv) prescribing.

Methods

This is a patient‐level prospective audit of paediatricians’ secondary care practice. Between November and December 2013, members of the Australian Paediatric Research Network were invited to complete standardised forms for 100 consecutive patients or all patients seen over 2 weeks, whichever was completed first. Main measures: diagnoses, consultation duration, pathology and/or imaging investigations ordered, rate of medication prescription. Analyses: hierarchical linear modelling clustered at the paediatrician level.

Results

One hundred and eighty paediatricians (48% of those eligible) contributed 7102 consultations. The proportion of developmental/behavioural conditions rose from 48% (SD 31%) to 60% (SD 30%) in new and 54% (SD 28%) to 66% (SD 28%) in review consultations in 2013 compared with 2008. More paediatricians reported diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (39–56%, P = 0.002), attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (47–55%, P = 0.05) and intellectual disability (18–36%, P = 0.001) in first consultations. Mean consultation duration and pathology/imaging ordering rates were stable. Prescribing rates increased from 39 to 45% of consultations for the top 10 new diagnoses and from 57 to 68% of consultations for the top 10 review diagnoses.

Conclusions

Paediatricians are seeing more children with developmental–behavioural conditions, prescribing more and demonstrating wide variation in their practice. The latter suggests both over‐ and under‐treatment.
The Varieties of Parsimony in Psychology
Authors: Dacey Mike
Published: September 2016

Philosophers and psychologists make many different, seemingly incompatible parsimony claims in support of competing models of cognition in nonhuman animals. This variety of parsimony claims is problematic. Firstly, it is difficult to justify each specific variety. This problem is especially salient for Morgan's Canon, perhaps the most important variety of parsimony claimed. Secondly, there is no systematic way of adjudicating between particular claims when they conflict. I argue for a view of parsimony in comparative psychology that solves these problems, based on Sober's (1994) view that parsimony claims are claims that one model is more plausible given background theory.
Early childhood growth patterns and school‐age respiratory resistance, fractional exhaled nitric oxide and asthma
Authors: Casas Maribel , den Dekker Herman T. , Kruithof Claudia J. , Reiss Irwin K. , Vrijheid Martine , de Jongste Johan C. , Jaddoe Vincent W.V. , Duijts Liesbeth
Published: September 2016

Background

Greater infant weight gain is associated with lower lung function and increased risk of childhood asthma. The role of early childhood peak growth patterns is unclear. We assessed the associations of individually derived early childhood peak growth patterns with respiratory resistance, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, wheezing patterns, and asthma until school‐age.

Methods

We performed a population‐based prospective cohort study among 5364 children. Repeated growth measurements between 0 and 3 years of age were used to derive standard deviation scores (s.d.s) of peak height and weight velocities (PHV and PWV, respectively), and body mass index (BMI) and age at adiposity peak. Respiratory resistance and fractional exhaled nitric oxide were measured at 6 years of age. Wheezing patterns and asthma were prospectively assessed by annual questionnaires. We also assessed whether any association was explained by childhood weight status.

Results

Greater PHV was associated with lower respiratory resistance [Z‐score (95% CI): −0.03 (−0.04, −0.01) per s.d.s increase] (n = 3382). Greater PWV and BMI at adiposity peak were associated with increased risks of early wheezing [relative risk ratio (95% CI): 1.11 (1.06, 1.16), 1.26 (1.11, 1.43), respectively] and persistent wheezing [relative risk ratio (95% CI): 1.09 (1.03, 1.16), 1.37 (1.17, 1.60), respectively] (n = 3189 and n = 3005, respectively). Childhood weight status partly explained these associations. No other associations were observed.

Conclusions

PWV and BMI at adiposity peak are critical for lung developmental and risk of school‐age wheezing. Follow‐up studies at older ages are needed to elucidate whether these effects persist at later ages.
Fish intake during pregnancy or infancy and allergic outcomes in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhang Guo‐Qiang , Liu Bo , Li Jun , Luo Chun‐Qi , Zhang Qiao , Chen Jin‐Liang , Sinha Anju , Li Zhong‐Yue
Published: September 2016

It has been suggested that n‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 LC‐PUFAs) have anti‐inflammatory properties and may reduce the risk of allergic disease. Fish is a great source of n‐3 LC‐PUFAs. However, the effect of fish on allergic disease remains controversial. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohort studies regarding the effect of fish intake during pregnancy or infancy on allergic outcomes in children. The outcomes of interest were atopy, eczema, allergic rhinitis, wheeze, asthma, and food allergy. One RCT and 17 publications from 13 prospective cohort studies were included for maternal fish intake during pregnancy, and eight publications from five prospective cohort studies for fish intake in infancy. Pooled analysis suggested that maternal fish intake during pregnancy was not associated with lower risk of any allergic outcome, both in RCT and observational studies. Consumption of fish during the first year of life reduced the risk of eczema (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.47, 0.80; p = 0.0003; I2 = 68%) and allergic rhinitis (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.36, 0.81; p = 0.003; I2 = 74%). Current evidence indicates that fish intake in infancy could reduce the risk of eczema and allergic rhinitis in children, whereas maternal fish intake during pregnancy does not affect any atopic outcome. The intake of fish per se in infancy, not specially n‐3 LC‐PUFAs, may have an allergy protective effect. High‐quality and adequately powered RCTs are warranted to confirm this.
Is there a march from early food sensitization to later childhood allergic airway disease? Results from two prospective birth cohort studies
Authors: Alduraywish Shatha A. , Standl Marie , Lodge Caroline J. , Abramson Michael J. , Allen Katrina J. , Erbas Bircan , von Berg Andrea , Heinrich Joachim , Lowe Adrian J. , Dharmage Shyamali C.
Published: September 2016

Background

The march from early aeroallergen sensitization to subsequent respiratory allergy is well established, but it is unclear whether early life food sensitization precedes and further increases risk of allergic airway disease.

Objective

To assess the association between food sensitization in the first 2 years of life and subsequent asthma and allergic rhinitis by age 10–12 years.

Methods

We used data from two independent cohorts: the high‐risk Melbourne Atopic Cohort Study (MACS) (n = 620) and the population‐based LISAplus (n = 3094). Food sensitization was assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months in MACS and 24 months in LISAplus. Multiple logistic regressions were used to estimate associations between sensitization to food only, aeroallergen only, or both and allergic airway disease.

Results

When compared to non‐sensitized children, sensitization to food only at 12 months in MACS and 24 months in LISAplus was associated with increased risk of current asthma (aOR = 2.2; 95% CI 1.1, 4.6 in MACS and aOR = 4.9; 2.4, 10.1 in LISAplus). Similar results were seen for allergic rhinitis. Additionally, cosensitization to food and aeroallergen in both cohorts at any tested point was a stronger predictor of asthma (at 24 months, aOR = 8.3; 3.7, 18.8 in MACS and aOR = 14.4; 5.0, 41.6 in LISAplus) and allergic rhinitis (at 24 months, aOR = 3.9; 1.9, 8.1 in MACS and aOR = 7.6; 3.0, 19.6 in LISAplus).

Conclusions

In both cohorts, food sensitization (with or without aeroallergen sensitization) in the first two years of life increased the risk of subsequent asthma and allergic rhinitis. These findings support the role of early life food sensitization in the atopic march and suggest trials to prevent early onset have the potential to reduce the development of allergic airways disease.
Comparative Performance between Two Photogrammetric Systems and a Reference Laser Tracker Network for Large‐Volume Industrial Measurement
Authors: Martin Oliver C. , Robson Stuart , Kayani Amir , Muelaner Jody E. , Dhokia Vimal , Maropoulos Paul. G.
Published: September 2016

This paper determines the capability of two photogrammetric systems in terms of their measurement uncertainty in an industrial context. The first system – V‐STARS inca3 from Geodetic Systems Inc. – is a commercially available measurement solution. The second system comprises an off‐the‐shelf Nikon D700 digital camera fitted with a 28 mm Nikkor lens and the research‐based Vision Measurement Software (VMS). The uncertainty estimate of these two systems is determined with reference to a calibrated constellation of points determined by a Leica AT401 laser tracker. The calibrated points have an average associated standard uncertainty of 12·4 μm, spanning a maximum distance of approximately 14·5 m. Subsequently, the two systems’ uncertainty was determined. V‐STARS inca3 had an estimated standard uncertainty of 43·1 μm, thus outperforming its manufacturer's specification; the D700/VMS combination achieved a standard uncertainty of 187 μm.
A recombinant chimeric protein composed of human and mice‐specific CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cell epitopes protects against visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Martins V. T. , Duarte M. C. , Lage D. P. , Costa L. E. , Carvalho A. M. R. S. , Mendes T. A. O. , Roatt B. M. , Menezes‐Souza D. , Soto M. , Coelho E. A. F.
Published: September 2016

In this study, a recombinant chimeric protein (RCP), which was composed of specific CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cell epitopes to murine and human haplotypes, was evaluated as an immunogen against Leishmania infantum infection in a murine model. BALB/c mice received saline were immunized with saponin or with RCP with or without an adjuvant. The results showed that RCP/saponin‐vaccinated mice presented significantly higher levels of antileishmanial IFN‐γ, IL‐12 and GM‐CSF before and after challenge, which were associated with the reduction of IL‐4 and IL‐10 mediated responses. These animals showed significant reductions in the parasite burden in all evaluated organs, when both limiting dilution and quantitative real‐time PCR techniques were used. In addition, the protected animals presented higher levels of parasite‐specific nitrite, as well as the presence of anti‐Leishmania IgG2a isotype antibodies. In conclusion, the RCP/saponin vaccine could be considered as a prophylactic alternative to prevent against VL.
Overview of dendritic cell‐based vaccine development for leishmaniasis
Authors: Bagirova M. , Allahverdiyev A. M. , Abamor E. S. , Ullah I. , Cosar G. , Aydogdu M. , Senturk H. , Ergenoglu B.
Published: September 2016

Leishmaniasis is one of the most serious vector‐borne diseases in the world and is distributed over 98 countries. It is estimated that 350 million people are at risk for leishmaniasis. There are three different generation of vaccines that have been developed to provide immunity and protection against leishmaniasis. However, their use has been limited due to undesired side effects. These vaccines have also failed to provide effective and reliable protection and, as such, currently, there is no safe and effective vaccine for leishmaniasis. Dendritic cells (DCs) are a unique population of cells that come from bone marrow and become specialized to take up, process and present antigens to helper T cells in a mechanism similar to macrophages. By considering these significant features, DCs stimulated with different kinds of Leishmania antigens have been used in recent vaccine studies for leishmaniasis with promising results so far. In this review, we aim to review and combine the latest studies about this issue after defining potential problems in vaccine development for leishmaniasis and considering the importance of DCs in the immunopathogenesis of the disease.
A case of Timothy syndrome with adrenal medullary dystrophy
Authors: Kawaida Miho , Abe Tokiya , Nakanishi Toshio , Miyahara Yoko , Yamagishi Hiroyuki , Sakamoto Michiie , Yamada Taketo
Published: September 2016

Timothy syndrome (TS) is a congenital long QT syndrome that is associated with syndactyly and mutations in CACNA1C, encoding an L‐type voltage‐dependent calcium channel, Cav1.2. Recently, TS has been associated with autism and other psychological disorders. This case indicated bradycardia by prenatal screening and was diagnosed as TS by the occurrence of syndactyly and QT prolongation at birth. Despite therapy with anti‐arrhythmia reagents and a pacemaker, the patient died 2 months after birth and was autopsied. The heart showed mild dilation and mild hypertrophy with a focal disarray pattern, which may be inconsistent with typical cardiomyopathy. Unexpectedly, bilateral adrenal glands showed marked shrinkage and severe fibrosis of the medulla with a small number of single‐strand DNA positive medullary cells and accumulation of hemosiderin‐containing macrophages. This finding suggests that CACNA1C mutation may induce drop‐out of medulla cells via apoptosis. This may be due to increased concentration of calcium ions consistent with Cav1.2 expression in adrenal glands as well as in the brain and the heart. This is the first report describing a systemic autopsy of TS with adrenal medullary dystrophy.