bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between public consumption and private consumption
Authors: Parisini Roberto
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to analyze the problematic relationship between the Left, the commercial revolution and the progressive growth of mass consumption during the Italian economic miracle.

Design/methodology/approach

– Taking for example the city of Bologna, the most important city run by the Italian communist party, the paper problematizes the socio-economic and political – institutional processes connected with the emergence of “American-like” commercial and distribution strategies, and of consumerist identities.

Findings

– Bologna’s administrators governed the commerce through a rationalization supported by urban planning, including the establishment of a chain of “associated supermarkets”, built on municipal areas and financed by a mixed-capital company set up for that purpose. At the same time, they sought to protect small retailers to gain their political consensus and to contain crisis-related anxieties among the consumers, a category which has still an uncertain identity in Italy.

Originality/value

– Much remains to be seen in the characteristics of the Italian miracle, and in the manner it was ruled. The case of Bologna illuminates an important piece of the Italian Left’s attempt to interpret and to lead the modernization of the country.
The impact of lease structures on the optimal holding period for a commercial real estate portfolio
Authors: Amédée-Manesme Charles-Olivier , Baroni Michel , Barthélémy Fabrice , Mokrane Mahdi
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the impact of lease duration and lease break options on the optimal holding period for a real estate asset or portfolio.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors use a Monte Carlo simulation framework to simulate a real estate asset’s cash flows in which lease structures (rent, indexation pattern, overall lease duration and break options) are explicitly taken into account. The authors assume that a tenant exercises his/her option to break a lease if the rent paid is higher than the market rental value (MRV) of similar properties. The authors also model vacancy duration stochastically. Finally, capital values and MRVs, assumed to be correlated, are simulated using specific stochastic processes. The authors derive the optimal holding period for the asset as the value that maximizes its discounted value.

Findings

– The authors demonstrate that, consistent with existing capital markets literature and real estate business practice, break options in leases can dramatically alter optimal holding periods for real estate assets and, by extension, portfolios. The paper shows that, everything else being equal, shorter lease durations, higher MRV volatility, increasing negative rental reversion, higher vacancy duration, more break options, all tend to decrease the optimal holding period of a real estate asset. The converse is also true.

Practical implications

– Practitioners are offered insights as well as a practical methodology for determining the ex-ante optimal holding period for an asset or a portfolio based on a number of market and asset-specific parameters including the lease structure.

Originality/value

– The originality of the paper derives from its taking an explicit modelling approach to lease duration and lease breaks as additional sources of asset-specific risk alongside market risk. This is critical in real estate portfolio management because such specific risk is usually difficult to diversify.
The directs costs of A-REIT IPOs
Authors: Dimovski Bill
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Direct costs of Australian Real Estate Investment Trust (A-REIT) initial public offerings (IPOs) were last reported in the literature using data to 2004. Much has occurred since then. The purpose of this paper is to introduce and include the A-REIT IPOs over the last ten years and examine the cost and the factors influencing the percentage underwriting and percentage total direct costs by A-REITs IPOs. The study also investigates specifically whether the utilization of an underwriter (who guarantees the success of the capital raising) rather than a stockbroker (who does not guarantee such success) costs significantly more.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study examines 87 A-REIT IPOs from January 1994 until December 2013. An OLS regression is performed to identify significant influencing factors on percentage underwriting costs and percentage total direct capital raising costs.

Findings

– The study finds that larger capital raisings and those with large investor or institutional involvement identified in the prospectus are significant in reducing underwriting costs. The study does not find that underwritten IPOs are significantly more expensive (or cheaper) than those not underwritten. Additionally, the size of the issue, whether the firm offers stapled securities (is internally managed) and has higher net asset to issue price characteristics reduces the total cost of underwritten IPOs.

Practical implications

– The paper provides information to new A-REIT issuers, underwriters and advisors broadly on new issue costs and on factors influencing the IPO issue costs.

Originality/value

– The study is the first to examine the costs of A-REIT IPO capital raising data in the years prior to and following the recent global financial crisis period.
Exploring the relationships between the learning organization and organizational performance
Authors: Pokharel Mohan P. , Ok Choi Sang
Published: February 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the Dimensions Of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) framework from the perspective of public sector organizations. We have used performance indicator data after organizational learning inspired intervention in a semi-autonomous network of public sector organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used original administrative data to track the learning progress, as measured by a ratio of access to funding sources. The study also collected survey data using tailored DLOQ instruments and then determined the efficacy of DLOQ framework for public sector organizations. Several data analysis techniques were used to specify a final set for the learning organization instrument with construct validity and instrument reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis was selected to test the construct validity for the measurement of the dimensions of the learning organization and to verify the adequacy of the item to factor associations and the number of dimensions underlying the construct.

Findings

We found evidence that confirms that the organizational level (particularly the system connection) has a positive impact on organizational performance and a mediating effect on the relationships between the individual/group levels of learning organization characteristics and organizational performance. This study extends the Watkins and Marsick’s (1993, 1996) learning–organization framework that helped to produce case-specific outcomes such as the extent of error reduction. This framework provides a useful structure for other researchers to study learning dimensions and their relationships with other organizational performance variables. The results also show evidence of internal consistency and the construct reliability of the dimensions of the learning organization.

Research limitations/implications

Care should be taken in generalizing the structural equation model identified in this study. Because of the multidimensional and complex nature of the learning organization, the research setting for this study might be only one of the possible settings that specify the relationships among different levels of the learning organization and performance outcomes. There are rather complicated interactions among these dimensions and in each attribute of a learning organization.

Originality/value

This study theoretically confirms that the organizational level (particularly the system connection) has a positive impact on organizational performance and a mediating effect on the relationships between the individual/group levels of learning organization characteristics and organizational performance. This study also methodologically shows evidence of internal consistency and the construct reliability of the learning organization measures along with significant efficiency gain in theory.
False‐positive serology following intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange through transfusion of fresh frozen plasma in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris
Authors: Nomura Hisashi , Honda Haruki , Egami Shohei , Yokoyama Tomoaki , Fujimoto Atsushi , Ishikawa Makiko , Sugiura Makoto
Published: February 2015

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and plasma exchange through transfusion of fresh frozen plasma are therapeutic options for patients with refractory pemphigus vulgaris. Passive acquisition of various clinically important antibodies through these therapies can occur, leading to false serology and negatively affecting patients' clinical care. It is recommended that dermatologists recognize the possibility of these phenomena and interpret them appropriately. Here, we report false‐positive serology following intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and plasma exchange through transfusion of fresh frozen plasma in a patient with refractory pemphigus vulgaris. We also discuss the measure for misinterpretation and unnecessary clinical intervention.
A prospective self‐controlled study of topical timolol 0.5% cream for large superficial infantile hemangiomas
Authors: Qiu Yajing , Yang Jingyan , Chen Minyan , Chang Lei , Wang Tianyou , Ma Gang , Jin Yunbo , Chen Hui , Lin Xiaoxi
Published: February 2015

Timolol has recently been reported to be an effective and safe treatment for small and superficial infantile hemangiomas (IH). However, it is controversial to choose it as an alternative to oral propranolol for large superficial IH. In this study, we generated a new modified timolol agent as the base of an ointment. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of this new agent, we recruited 20 patients with large superficial IH. The average age was 4 months old. The average area of the IH was 28.8 cm2. The treatment was continued for 2–6 months. Three assessors were asked to judge the changes in both the treated and untreated parts separately by comparing photographs. After an average of 3.25 months of treatment, the average visual analog scale scores were 5.5 and 4.3 for those with and without the medication, respectively. The treated parts regressed significantly more than the untreated parts (P < 0.05). There were no side‐effects observed during treatment. High performance liquid chromatography was used to detect the serum concentration of timolol, and no timolol was detected in any of the blood samples (<0.02 μg/mL). Our new modified timolol agent is proven to be an effective therapy option for IH. Prospective studies with high‐precision serum timolol concentrations, with heart rate or blood pressure monitoring during treatment, are needed to evaluate potential systemic absorption when using timolol on large IH.
Epidermal nevi with aberrant epidermal structure in keratinocytes and melanocytes
Authors: Oiso Naoki , Sugawara Koji , Yonamine Ayano , Tsuruta Daisuke , Kawada Akira
Published: February 2015

Epidermal nevi are congenital cutaneous hamartomas caused by embryonic somatic mutations. Ultrastructural features of adult epidermal nevi have rarely been investigated. Herein, we report a case involving a Japanese adult who had epidermal nevi with right congenital blindness and a right accessory nipple. The histopathologic and ultrastructural studies showed divergent abnormal epidermal structures in both melanocytes and keratinocytes. Our case indicates the need to further investigate histopathologic, ultrastructural, and genetic associations in adult epidermal nevi.
Understanding inter‐generational relations: the case of health maintenance by children
Authors: Mayall Berry
Published: February 2015

This paper aims to consider the sociology of childhood in relation to child health maintenance, restoration and promotion, through discussion of three intersecting themes: children as a minority social group; children as embodied social actors and children as agents in the inter‐generational division of labour. I build on my previous work on children's negotiations of their health status, at home and at school and review some important developments and research studies over the last 15 years or so. This period has seen the expansion of research on childhood, linguistically and geographically; and has focused attention on how children's health and well‐being relate to social expectations of them as paid workers and as schoolchildren.
Effects of a Single, High Oral Dose of 25‐Hydroxycholecalciferol on the Mineral Metabolism Markers in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Merino Jose Luis , Teruel Jose Luis , Fernández‐Lucas Milagros , Villafruela Juan José , Bueno Blanca , Gomis Antonio , Paraíso Vicente , Quereda Carlos
Published: February 2015

Vitamin D deficiency is common in dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease. Low levels have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. We evaluated the administration of a high, single oral dose of 25‐OH cholecalciferol (3 mg of Hidroferol, 180 000 IU) in patients on chronic hemodialysis. The 94 chronic hemodialysis patients with vitamin D deficiency 25 (OH)D <30 ng/mL included in the study were randomized into two groups. Follow‐up time was 16 weeks. Neither the usual treatment for controlling Ca/P levels nor the dialysis bath (calcium of 2.5 mEq/L) were modified. Of the 86 patients who finished the study, 42 were in the treated group and 44 in the control group. An increase in 25(OH)D levels was observed in the treated group that persisted after 16 weeks and was associated with a significant decrease in parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels during the 8 weeks post‐treatment. Baseline 1,25(OH)2D levels of the treated group increased two weeks after treatment (5.9 vs. 21.9 pg/mL, P < 0.001) but gradually reduced to 8.4 at week 16. The administration of a single 3 mg dose of 25‐OH cholecalciferol seems safe in patients on hemodialysis and maintains sufficient levels of 25(OH)D with a decrease in PTH for 3 months.
Safety and Efficacy of Citrate Anti‐Coagulation Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies in Post‐Cardiac Surgery Patients With Liver Dysfunction
Authors: De Vico Pasquale , Messino Valentina , Tartaglione Alessandra , Beccaris Camilla , Buonomo Chiara , Talarico Daniela , Prati Paolo , Sabato Alessandro Fabrizio , Colella Dionisio Fernando
Published: February 2015

The study's aim was to examine safety and efficiency of citrate anticoagulated continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) in cardiac surgery patients with acute kidney injury and associated liver dysfunction. The study was conducted on critical ICU patients, hospitalized after cardiac surgery, who developed renal and liver acute failures due to low‐flow syndrome. CRRT in continuous veno‐venous hemodiafiltration with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) was prescribed to address renal failure and avoid bleeding‐risk. Patient Ca++ was measured to monitor RCA safety, while thromboelastography (TEG) and circuit Ca++ were used to verify efficacy. CRRT effectiveness was evaluated through creatinine and urea levels, while liver function was monitored through bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST GOT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GT) levels. The study did not require ethical approval. Hepatic and renal failures were confirmed by baseline levels (total bilirubin = 3.1 ± 3.37 mg/dL, AST GOT = 153 ± 147 U/L and gamma GT = 93.3 ± 86 IU/L, creatinine = 1.97 ± 0.88 and blood urea nitrogen [BUN] 98.13 ± 71.34) assessed in 15 patients. During treatment, Ca++ (patient and circuit) remained stable and within range for the whole therapy thanks to low citrate dose (2.8 ± 0.3 mmol/L of blood), while hepatic markers did not show any significant changes the therapy, although treatment with citrate is contraindicated in patients with hepatic failure. RCA quality was confirmed by TEG values, which showed an anticoagulated circuit with no effects on patients. These results involved a high filter lifespan (49.76 ± 22.10 h) and with an effective creatinine and BUN clearance. No episodes of citrate intoxication were reported (total/ionized calcium ratio remained stable and physiologic). RCA during CRRT with dilute solutions proved both effective and safe, even in patients with acute liver failure.
Development of a structured diabetes self‐management education program specific to the cultural and ethnic population of New Zealand
Authors: Gamble Eirean , Parry‐Strong Amber , Coppell Kirsten J. , McBain Lynn , Bingham Lorna J. , Dutton Liz , Tapu‐Ta'ala Sera , Smith Robert B.W. , Howells Joe , Metekingi Howard , Krebs Jeremy D.
Published: February 2015

Aim

To develop and pilot a diabetes self‐management education (DSME) program specific to the needs of New Zealanders with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

There were two parts in the present study. The first was the development of the program. This involved a literature review, consultation with end‐user groups and drafting the content of the program. In the second part, the program was tested and modified according to feedback provided by both participants and facilitators.

Results

The present study achieved its primary goal of developing, piloting and modifying a DSME program specific to the New Zealand population. The DSME program was developed using concepts and content of international DSME programs. The content and concept was extensively tested via discussion groups with 71 individuals with T2DM and practice nurses to ensure the program met the unique cultural needs of New Zealanders with T2DM. Twenty‐seven participants with T2DM were recruited into the pilot, of which 13 attended four of six sessions. Feedback from participants, observing nurses and facilitators was incorporated into the final program.

Conclusions

DSME programs are an effective vehicle for providing individuals with T2DM the initial information and support to start self‐managing their diabetes. However, to ensure DSME programs help individuals with the highest rates of diabetes and diabetes‐related complications, it is important end‐users participate in the development of the program. This DSME program now requires longitudinal trial to determine if in the New Zealand context it is able generate the same improvements in both clinical and qualitative outcomes as seen in similar international programs.
Fragmented Energy Governance and the Provision of Global Public Goods
Authors: Escribano Gonzalo
Published: February 2015

This article analyses global energy governance from an international political economy and global public goods (GPG) perspective. It first describes the fragmentation that characterises energy governance and its current trend towards an increasingly inter‐polar and polycentric pattern. Then, it shows how the myriad of dedicated international energy regimes conform to an energy regime complex that provides a diverse set of GPG rather than a single international energy regime. Then, global energy governance is analysed from a global public good angle, (1) categorizing the different institutional energy‐related arrangements according to the public good they intend to provide; and (2) highlighting that the supply of such institutional arrangements is greatly influenced by the different provision technologies that are applied to the different energy‐related global public goods.
Changes in the Methylation Status of DAT,SERT, and MeCP2 Gene Promoters in the Blood Cell in Families Exposed to Alcohol During the Periconceptional Period
Authors: Lee Bom‐Yi , Park So‐Yeon , Ryu Hyun‐Mee , Shin Chan‐Young , Ko Ki‐Nam , Han Jung‐Yeol , Koren Gideon , Cho Youl‐Hee
Published: February 2015

Background

Alcohol exposure has been shown to cause devastating effects on neurobehavioral development in numerous animal and human studies. The alteration of DNA methylation levels in gene‐specific promoter regions has been investigated in some studies of human alcoholics. This study was aimed to investigate whether social alcohol consumption during periconceptional period is associated with epigenetic alteration and its generational transmission in the blood cells.

Methods

We investigated patterns of alcohol intake in a prospective cohort of 355 pairs of pregnant women and their spouses who reported alcohol intake during the periconceptional period. A subpopulation of 164 families was established for the epigenetic study based on the availability of peripheral blood and cord blood DNA. The relative methylation changes of dopamine transporter (DAT), serotonin transporter (SERT), and methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) gene promoters were analyzed using methylation‐specific endonuclease digestion followed by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The relative methylation level of the DAT gene promoter was decreased in the group of mothers reporting above moderate drinking (p = 0.029) and binge drinking (p = 0.037) during pregnancy. The relative methylation level of the DAT promoter was decreased in the group of fathers reporting heavy binge drinking (p = 0.003). The relative methylation levels of the SERT gene promoter were decreased in the group of newborns of light drinking mothers before pregnancy (p = 0.012) and during pregnancy (p = 0.003). The methylation level in the MeCP2 promoter region of babies whose mothers reported above moderate drinking during pregnancy was increased (p = 0.02). In addition, methylation pattern in the DAT promoter region of babies whose fathers reported heavy binge drinking was decreased (p = 0.049).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that periconceptional alcohol intake may cause epigenetic changes in specific locus of parental and newborn genomes as follows: Alcohol consumption decreases the methylation level of the DAT promoter region of the parent themselves, maternal alcohol drinking during the periconceptional period decreases the methylation level of the SERT promoter region of newborns, and maternal alcohol consumption increases the methylation level of the MeCP2 promoter region of newborns.
A review of co‐morbid tobacco and cannabis use disorders: Possible mechanisms to explain high rates of co‐use
Authors: Rabin Rachel Allison , George Tony Peter
Published: February 2015

Background

Tobacco and cannabis are among the most commonly used psychoactive substances worldwide, and are often used in combination. Evidence suggests that tobacco use contributes to an increased likelihood of becoming cannabis dependent and similarly cannabis use promotes transition to more intensive tobacco use. Further, tobacco use threatens cannabis cessation attempts leading to increased and accelerated relapse rates among cigarette smokers. Given that treatment outcomes are far from satisfactory among individuals engaged in both tobacco and cannabis use highlights the need for further exploration of this highly prevalent co‐morbidity.

Objective

Therefore, this review will elucidate putative neurobiological mechanisms responsible for facilitating the link between co‐morbid tobacco and cannabis use.

Method

We performed an extensive literature search identifying published studies that examined co‐morbid tobacco and cannabis use.

Results

Evidence of both synergistic and compensatory effects of co‐morbid tobacco and cannabis use have been identified. Following, co‐morbid use of these substances will be discussed within the context of two popular theories of addiction: the addiction vulnerability hypothesis and the gateway hypothesis. Lastly, common route of administration is proposed as a facilitator for co‐morbid use.

Conclusions & Scientific Significance

While, only a paucity of treatment studies addressing co‐morbid tobacco and cannabis use have been conducted, emerging evidence suggests that simultaneously quitting both tobacco and cannabis may yield benefits at both the psychological and neurobiological level. More research is needed to confirm this intervention strategy and future studies should consider employing prospective systematic designs. (Am J Addict 2015;24:105–116)
Rare copy number variants are common in young children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Eriksson Mats Anders , Liedén Agne , Westerlund Joakim , Bremer Anna , Wincent Josephine , Sahlin Ellika , Gillberg Christopher , Fernell Elisabeth , Anderlid Britt‐Marie
Published: February 2015

Aim

Several studies have suggested that rare copy number variants (CNVs) are an important genetic contributor to autism spectrum disorders. The aims of the study were to use chromosomal microarray to investigate the presence of rare copy number variants in a population‐based cohort of well‐characterised young children with autism spectrum disorders and to relate the genetic results to neurodevelopmental profiles and medical conditions.

Methods

We performed chromosomal microarray on samples from 162 children who had been referred to the Stockholm Autism Centre for Young Children in Sweden after being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder between 20 and 54 months of age.

Results

Pathogenic aberrations were detected in 8.6% of the children and variants of uncertain significance were present in another 8.6%. CNVs were more frequent in children with congenital malformations or dysmorphic features as well as in the subgroup with intellectual disability.

Conclusion

Our results support the use of chromosomal microarray methods for the first tier genetic analysis of autism spectrum disorder. However, it is likely in the near future that chromosomal microarray methods will probably be replaced by whole‐exome and whole‐genome sequencing technologies in clinical genetic testing.
Outcomes 18 years after implementation of a nonoperative caries preventive program – the Nexö‐method – on children in Moscow, Russia
Authors: Kuzmina Irina , Ekstrand Kim R.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

To report the long‐term effect (18 years) of the Nexö‐method, initially implemented in groups of children in Moscow in 1994.

Methods

Three groups of children were included in the initial study in 1994. This study is a follow‐up study of two of the three initial groups: a group of 6‐year‐olds (test group6; control group6) and a group of 11‐year‐olds (test group11, control group11), n = 50 individuals in each of the four subgroups. In 2012, >80% of the participants in the two groups (now aged 24 and 28 years old) were re‐examined by the original examiner, who was blinded to which group the patients had belonged in the initial study. After re‐examination, the participants were interviewed by a person not otherwise attached to the study. Finally, caries data were collected from 100 24‐year‐olds and 100 28‐year‐olds who attended the dental school (50%) and private clinic (50%) in Moscow (External control groups24,28). The outcome variables of the study were plaque and gingival status, and DMFT/S.

Results

In 2012, the control groups24,28 displayed significantly higher plaque scores than the test groups24,28 (P‐values < 0.05). No differences were seen regarding gingivitis scores (P‐values > 0.41). Mean DMFT/S in 2012 was test group24 = 6.98/10.51, control group24 = 8.84/13.14 (P = 0.02/0.06). External control group24 = 8.89/15.86 (test24 versus external control group24, P = 0.01/0.007; control24 versus external control group24, P = 0.94/0.16). Test group28 = 6.74/10.83, control group28 = 8.70/14.48 (P = 0.02/0.008). External control group28 = 9.03/18.06 (test28 versus external control28, P = 0.03/0.001; control28 versus external control28, P = 0.68/0.07). The interview indicated that the participants in the test groups were more aware of factors that are considered important for control of caries than participants in the control groups.

Conclusions

The data from this group of Moscow citizens suggest a long‐term positive effect of the Nexö‐method implemented during childhood.
Signalling pathways involved in the process of mesenchymal stem cells differentiating into hepatocytes
Authors: Ye Jun‐Song , Su Xiao‐San , Stoltz J.‐F. , de Isla N. , Zhang Lei
Published: February 2015

End‐stage liver disease can be the termination of acute or chronic liver diseases, with manifestations of liver failure; transplantation is currently an effective treatment for these. However, transplantation is severely limited due to the serious lack of donors, expense, graft rejection and requirement of long‐term immunosuppression. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted considerable attention as therapeutic tools as they can be obtained with relative ease and expanded in culture, along with features of self‐renewal and multidirectional differentiation. Many scientific groups have sought to use MSCs differentiating into functional hepatocytes to be used in cell transplantation with liver tissue engineering to repair diseased organs. In most of the literature, hepatocyte differentiation refers to use of various additional growth factors and cytokines, such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), oncostatin M (OSM) and more, and most are involved in signalling pathway regulation and cell–cell/cell–matrix interactions. Signalling pathways have been shown to play critical roles in embryonic development, tumourigenesis, tumour progression, apoptosis and cell‐fate determination. However, mechanisms of MSCs differentiating into hepatocytes, particularly signalling pathways involved, have not as yet been completely illustrated. In this review, we have focused on progress of signalling pathways associated with mesenchymal stem cells differentiating into hepatocytes along with the stepwise differentiation procedure.
Bioimpedance phase angle indicates catabolism in Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Dittmar M. , Reber H. , Kahaly G. J.
Published: February 2015

Aims

Body cell mass is directly proportional to the bioimpedance phase‐angle which is an indicator of the amount of electrical charge that cell membranes can hold and is an index of cellular health and function. To evaluate whether the bioimpedance phase angle is relevant for indicating catabolism in people with diabetes and whether it discriminates between people with diabetes receiving different types of therapy.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was performed in 182 people with Type 2 diabetes and 107 age‐ and BMI‐matched control subjects. The phase angle was measured at 5, 50 and 100 kHz using multifrequency bioimpedance analysis. The phase angles were compared among different diabetes therapy groups (untreated patients with diabetes, patients receiving oral antidiabetic drugs and patients receiving insulin therapy).

Results

The phase angle at 100 kHz strongly correlated with total body potassium (r = 0.70, P = 0.001), and was therefore a good indicator of body cell mass. The phase angle at 100 kHz discriminated more strongly between patients with Type 2 diabetes and control subjects than did the phase angle at 50 kHz. Compared with control subjects, patients with Type 2 diabetes had a smaller phase angle at 100 kHz (men: 5.2° vs. 4.5°, P < 0.0001; women: 4.8° vs. 4.2°, P < 0.0001) and a smaller phase angle at 50 kHz (men: 5.9° vs. 5.3°, P < 0.0001; women: 5.4° vs. 4.8°, P = 0.0001), but a larger phase angle at 5 kHz (men: 2.0° vs. 2.6°, P = 0.0001; women: 2.3° vs. 3.0°, P = 0.00001). Phase angle ratios better discriminated between patients and control subjects than phase angles alone (phase angle at 5 kHz/ phase angle at 50 kHz ratio, P = 1.51 × 10−16; phase angle at 5kHz/phase angle at 100 kHz ratio, P = 2.13 × 10−15). No differences were found among phase angles in the different therapy groups. In patients with diabetes, the phase angle at 50 kHz and the phase angle at 100 kHz correlated inversely with duration of disease (men: P = 0.026, P = 0.016; women: only phase angle at 100 kHz, P = 0.003) and with HbA1c concentration (men: P = 0.010, P = 0.001; women: P = 0.007, P = 0.043).

Conclusions

The phase angle at 100 kHz is a promising measurement for assessing catabolic state in people with diabetes.
Investment and Growth: The Impact of Britain's Post‐War Trunk Roads Programme
Authors: Starkie David
Published: February 2015

In Great Britain, a basic inter‐urban network of motorways was completed in a very short period between the end of 1959 and 1972. We calculate that this substantial investment had the potential to reduce most inter‐urban journey times by about one third. In spite of this, a recent OECD study suggested that the investment had no discernible positive impact on the trend rate of economic growth. We attribute this outcome to a serious misalignment of the early investments with the then predominant flows of industrial and commercial traffics and a significant, and probably endogenous, increase in real wages in a road transport industry in which labour productivity was slow to improve. We conclude with a number of policy recommendations.
Is It Time to Revisit the Savings Rate Floor in the ECCU?
Authors: Mounsey Allister , Polius D. Tracy
Published: February 2015

Member states of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) experienced a secular decline in growth following the great recession circa 2008, resulting in increased unemployment and social dislocation. Given the ECCU's currency board arrangement and current fiscal challenges, policy options for resuscitating growth are limited to supply‐side adjustments. This paper contends that the 3 per cent interest rate floor on savings deposits has contributed to higher lending rates and lower levels of capital formation. Ultimately it is a drag on growth and a threat to the banking sector's health as it has resulted in reduced risk compensation when default and other banking sector risks have risen. Revisiting the floor is advocated as an integral component of this structural adjustment policy response.
Regulating Work: Measuring the Scope and Burden of Occupational Licensure Among Low‐ and Moderate‐Income Occupations in the United States
Authors: Carpenter Dick M. , Knepper Lisa , Erickson Angela C. , Ross John K.
Published: February 2015

This study examines the scope and burden of occupational licensing laws in the United States for 102 low‐ and moderate‐income occupations. Findings indicate that the licences studied require of aspiring workers, on average, $US209 in fees, one exam, and about nine months of education and training, plus minimum grade and age levels. Data also indicate striking disparities in requirements within and between occupations and within and between states. These inconsistencies likely reflect not the relative public health and safety risks of occupations, but instead the lobbying prowess of practitioners in securing laws to shut out competition.
Large‐scale fuzzy rule‐based prediction for suitable chestnut ink disease sites: a case study in north‐east Italy
Authors: Dal Maso E. , Montecchio L.
Published: February 2015

In the past few decades, economic interest in the cultivation of chestnuts for both timber and nut production has resurfaced in the Mediterranean area. However, chestnut cultivation has suffered in recent years from the spread of exotic pests, such as the gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus, and from the resurgence of previously present diseases, most likely due to anomalous climate dynamics. This is the case with chestnut ink disease, caused by the soilborne pathogens Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. cambivora. Scientific and technical support in monitoring and management, that utilizes new forecasting approaches incorporating related environmental variables, is therefore essential. The main aim of this study was to develop a mathematical model assessing the potential for the establishment of chestnut ink disease at a large scale. Towards this goal, fuzzy rule‐based theory was applied to the environmental variables associated with host presence, pathogens' ecological niches and ink disease symptoms expression. The effectiveness of the rule‐based modelling outcomes, provided with uncertainty maps to facilitate their correct interpretation, was confirmed by detailed field data collected from a large chestnut‐growing area where ink disease has been increasing in recent years. The final model gave consistent predictions for disease presence. For this reason, it represents a flexible and valuable decision‐support tool to forecast which sites are at risk from CID.
Osteopontin deficiency affects imiquimod‐induced psoriasis‐like murine skin inflammation and lymphocyte distribution in skin, draining lymph nodes and spleen
Authors: Frenzel Denis F. , Borkner Lisa , Scheurmann Jan , Singh Kamayani , Scharffetter‐Kochanek Karin , Weiss Johannes M.
Published: February 2015

Osteopontin (OPN) that enhances autoimmunity is expressed in psoriasis lesions; however, its functions in psoriatic inflammation are unknown. We investigated the role of OPN in OPN deficient mice (OPN−/−) by inducing psoriasis‐like inflammation through skin application of imiquimod (IMQ). OPN−/− mice treated with IMQ showed delayed onset ear swelling and attracted less inflammatory cells to the skin. IMQ‐induced lymph node swelling was reduced in the absence of OPN, and IMQ‐mediated expansion of B cells was inhibited. Further, reduction of CD4+ T‐cell numbers by IMQ in lymph nodes was suppressed in OPN−/− mice, with an increase in the CD4/CD8 ratio. A comparable pattern was found in spleen. Importantly, IMQ‐induced IL‐17 and IL‐4 expression by CD4+ lymph node T cells was reduced in OPN−/− mice. In conclusion, OPN may modulate psoriasis‐like inflammation through altering lymphocyte distribution in skin and draining lymph nodes and by inducing IL‐17 expression of inflammatory T cells.
Long‐term effects of exercise and amino acid supplementation on muscle mass, physical function and falls in community‐dwelling elderly Japanese sarcopenic women: A 4‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Kim Hunkyung , Suzuki Takao , Saito Kyoko , Kojima Narumi , Hosoi Erika , Yoshida Hideyo
Published: February 2015

Aim

To determine the long‐term effects of interventions carried out for the improvement of muscle mass, strength, walking ability and fall rate, 4 years after the completion of the intervention.

Methods

Out of 304 elderly sarcopenic women aged over 75 years, 155 participated in an intervention and 149 were excluded from the intervention. Those excluded were considered as non‐participants and included in the analysis. Follow‐up data were available for 259 women (135 intervention participants; 124 non‐participants). Muscle mass was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Physical fitness measurements and interview surveys were carried out at baseline and at 4‐year follow up.

Results

Compared with the non‐participants, women in the intervention group had significantly smaller reductions in measures of muscle mass, strength and walking speed from baseline to follow up. The absolute mean difference between the two groups was 3.7% (95% confidence interval −6.5 to −0.8; P = 0.012) for leg muscle mass, 10.7% (−21.0 to −0.3; P = 0.011) for knee extension strength and 8.4% (−16.0 to −0.9; P = 0.029) for usual walking speed. Instrumental activities of daily living disability significantly increased in both participants and non‐participants in 4 years. The fall rate of the previous 1 year in intervention participants was 18.5% in 2008 and 23.0% in 2012 (χ2 = 2.122, P = 0.145), and 17.7% in 2008 and 29.0% in 2012 among non‐participants (χ2 = 15.415, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Participation in an intervention could prevent significant declines in lower extremity muscle mass, strength and mobility, even in the long‐term, and might be beneficial in suppressing otherwise significant rises in fall rates. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 175–181.
Predictors of difficulty in carrying out basic activities of daily living among the old‐old: A 2‐year community‐based cohort study
Authors: Sakamoto Ryota , Okumiya Kiyohito , Ishine Masayuki , Wada Taizo , Fujisawa Michiko , Imai Hissei , Ishimoto Yasuko , Kimura Yumi , Fukutomi Eriko , Chen Wenling , Sasiwongsaroj Kwanchit , Kato Emiko , Otsuka Kuniaki , Matsubayashi Kozo
Published: February 2015

Aim

To present practical predictors for the difficulty of carrying out basic activities of daily living (ADL) among the old‐old during a 2‐year period.

Methods

Assessment was carried out using data obtained from the Tosa Longitudinal Aging Study, a community‐based cohort survey on geriatric functions in the elderly. Predictor variables measured at baseline included age; sex; height; weight; blood pressure; oxygen saturation; neurobehavioral functions, such as Mini‐Mental State Examination, Kohs Block Design test, Timed Up and Go test, button score, functional reach test, geriatric depression scale, cardio‐ankle vascular index, ankle brachial pressure index; and blood chemical results, such as hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, serum lipids, serum albumin and serum creatinine. The outcome variable was the presence of difficulties while carrying out basic ADL after 2 years.

Results

Age of ≥85 years, Timed Up and Go test of ≥15 s, button score of >17 s and presence of knee pain were independent predictors of difficulty in carrying out basic ADL after 2 years. Elderly individuals who have had at least two positive findings out of these four variables were likely to have impaired basic ADL during a 2‐year period with a positive predictive value of 52.0%, negative predictive value of 90.2%, sensitivity of 70.3% and specificity of 80.8%.

Conclusions

Assessment of age, Timed Up and Go test, manual dexterity, and presence of knee pain is a useful and relevant way to identify patients who should be informed about their likelihood of developing difficulties in carrying out basic ADL. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 214–222.
Episodic and Chronic Migraine Headache: Breaking Down Barriers to Optimal Treatment and Prevention
Authors: Lipton Richard B. , Silberstein Stephen D.
Published: February 2015

Migraine is a common disabling primary headache disorder that affects an estimated 36 million Americans. Migraine headaches often occur over many years or over an individual's lifetime. By definition, episodic migraine is characterized by headaches that occur on fewer than 15 days per month. According to the recent International Classification of Headache Disorders (third revision) beta diagnostic criteria, chronic migraine is defined as “headaches on at least 15 days per month for at least 3 months, with the features of migraine on at least 8 days per month.” However, diagnostic criteria distinguishing episodic from chronic migraine continue to evolve. Persons with episodic migraine can remit, not change, or progress to high‐frequency episodic or chronic migraine over time. Chronic migraine is associated with a substantially greater personal and societal burden, more frequent comorbidities, and possibly with persistent and progressive brain abnormalities. Many patients are poorly responsive to, or noncompliant with, conventional preventive therapies. The primary goals of migraine treatment include relieving pain, restoring function, and reducing headache frequency; an additional goal may be preventing progression to chronic migraine. Although all migraineurs require abortive treatment, and all patients with chronic migraine require preventive treatment, there are no definitive guidelines delineating which persons with episodic migraine would benefit from preventive therapy. Five US Food and Drug Association strategies are approved for preventing episodic migraine, but only injections with onabotulinumtoxinA are approved for preventing chronic migraine. Identifying persons who require migraine prophylaxis and selecting and initiating the most appropriate treatment strategy may prevent progression from episodic to chronic migraine and alleviate the pain and suffering associated with frequent migraine.
Psychosocial Adjustment of Children With Migraine and Tension‐Type Headache – A Nationwide Study
Authors: Arruda Marco A. , Arruda Renato , Guidetti Vincenzo , Bigal Marcelo E.
Published: February 2015

Objective

To describe patterns of psychosocial adjustment and psychological attributes in preadolescent children as a function of headache status in univariate and adjusted analyses.

Methods

Target sample of children (n = 8599) was representative of Brazil by demographics. Parents were interviewed using validated headache questionnaires and the “Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire,” which measures behavior in 5 domains. One‐year prevalence estimates of headaches were derived by demographics. Relative risk of abnormal Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores were separately modeled in children with episodic migraine and episodic tension‐type headache using logistic regression.

Results

Sample consisted of 5671 children (65.9% of the target sample), from 5 to 12 years old (49.3% girls). Prevalence estimates in children were 20.6% for “no headache,” 9% for episodic migraine, and 12.8% for episodic tension‐type headache. Abnormal scores in psychosocial adjustment were significantly more likely in children with episodic migraine, relative to children without headaches and children with episodic tension‐type headache, and was significantly influenced by frequency of headache attacks, nausea, school performance, prenatal exposure to tobacco, as well as by phonophobia and photophobia.

Conclusions

Children with migraine are at an increased risk of having impairment in psychosocial adjustment, and the factors associated with this impairment have been mapped. Future studies should address the directionality of the association and putative mechanisms to explain it.
Collaborative mental health services in primary care systems in Latin America: contextualized evaluation needs and opportunities
Authors: Sapag Jaime C. , Rush Brian , Ferris Lorraine E.
Published: February 2015

Aim

This study examined Latin American evaluation needs regarding the development of a collaborative mental health care (CMHC) evaluation framework as seen by local key health‐care leaders and professionals. Potential implementation challenges and opportunities were also identified.

Methods

This multisite research study used an embedded mixed methods approach in three public health networks in Mexico, Nicaragua and Chile. Local stakeholders participated: decision‐makers in key informant interviews, front‐line clinicians in focus groups and other stakeholders through a survey. The analysis was conducted within site and then across sites.

Results

A total of 22 semi‐structured interviews, three focus groups and 27 questionnaires (52% response rate) were conducted. Participants recognized a strong need to evaluate different areas of CMHC in Latin America, including access, types and quality of services, human resources and outcomes related to mental disorders, including addiction. A priority was to evaluate collaboration within the health system, including the referral system. Issues of feasibility, including the weaknesses of information systems, were also identified.

Conclusion

Local stakeholders strongly supported the development of a comprehensive evaluation framework for CMHC in Latin America and cited several dimensions and contextual factors critical for inclusion. Implementation must allow flexibility and adaptation to the local context.