bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How useful are smartphones for learning? Perceptions and practices of Library and Information Science students from Hong Kong and Japan
Authors: Dukic Zvjezdana , Chiu Dickson K.W. , Lo Patrick
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of higher education students’ experiences in using smartphones for learning purposes, and their perceptions of the suitability of smartphones for learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative research method is applied to data collection and analysis by following the grounded theory approach. Data were gathered by an online focus group involving Library and Information Science (LIS) students from University of Hong Kong and University of Tsukuba (Japan).

Findings

– LIS students at both universities regularly use smartphones for communication, socializing, entertainment and other daily information needs. The findings show that LIS students commonly use smartphones for learning and consider smartphones to be very useful for their academic work. They use smartphones to access course materials, search library catalog, discuss course assignments with peers, take notes, etc. Although both academic libraries involved offer a variety of services for mobile devices, these services are still not used frequently. A major barrier to using smartphone for academic learning is the smartphone’s small screen.

Research limitations/implications

– The study relies on a convenience sample, restricted to students from two universities, one from Hong Kong and the other from Japan. Further research on a larger sample is recommended.

Originality/value

– The study adds to the knowledge of smartphone actual use for learning purposes and provides study participants’ insights on the usefulness of smartphones for learning.
Makers on the move: a mobile makerspace at a comprehensive public high school
Authors: Craddock IdaMae Louise
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of a mobile makerspace program in a public school setting. Insights, challenges, successes, projects as well as recommendations will be shared.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper describes a mobile makerspace program in a public high school in Virginia. It discusses the growth of mobile making, the advantages and disadvantages of mobility, and how the program was implemented.

Findings

– Mobile makerspaces are a fast-growing manifestation of maker culture. It is possible to have a makerspace in a public school and take the maker culture to other schools in the area. Having a steady supply of students or library interns that are willing to travel to other schools is critical.

Originality/value

– Makerspaces in libraries is still a relatively new phenomenon. While the research is coming on stationary makerspaces, mobile making is a new horizon for the maker movement. This paper seeks to provide a description of one such program.
When makerspaces go mobile: case studies of transportable maker locations
Authors: Moorefield-Lang Heather Michele
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of mobile makerspaces in libraries and educational settings. Insights, decisions, challenges, and mobile makerspace projects will also be shared.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper delves into six case studies of librarians and educators who made the decision to go mobile with a makerspace. The case studies include public and school librarians, as well as educators in higher education settings. The author of this paper will describe the cases, projects, challenges, along with other aspects of implementing of a mobile makerspace.

Findings

– Makerspaces, while becoming very popular in the field of librarianship, can be incredibly exciting to employ but often come with their own challenges and successes. What happens when the brick and mortar location is not enough? Librarians and educators begin to think creatively and bring the makerspace to the patrons if the clients cannot come to the space.

Originality/value

– Currently the research on makerspaces is growing but there is still a limit to scholarly material in this field. When focussing on mobile makerspaces there are only blog posts and popular pieces. Nothing has been written on a wider range of case studies focussing on mobile makerspaces. This paper sets the foundation for further exploration in how librarians and educators can further serve patrons by making makerspaces mobile.
The MobileMaker: an experiment with a Mobile Makerspace
Authors: Gierdowski Dana , Reis Daniel
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design, implementation, and pilot of a Mobile Makerspace at a private, southeastern liberal arts institution that did not have a campus-wide makerspace. In an effort to give students in a residential hall access to maker tools and technologies and also meet the needs of a campus-wide writing initiative, a team of administrators and staff worked to build and design programing for the “MobileMaker,” a pop-up Mobile Makerspace.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors explain how the equipment was chosen based on a variety of user skill levels. The technical specifications of the MobileMaker are also detailed, which includes 3D printing and crafting tools, and a variety of electronics. In addition, they explain how a mobile cart was modified to house and secure the equipment so it could be stored in an unsecured area. The team experienced several challenges with the MobileMaker project, including the overall durability of the mobile cart and the lack of a dedicated staff to manage the equipment.

Findings

– The authors conclude that mobility and security were mutually exclusive with the mobile design that was chosen. Greater mobility was sacrificed to achieve greater security via locked doors and compartments that added weight to the cart. While the goal of increased student access to maker tools and technologies was met, the level of access was often limited due to staffing limitations.

Originality/value

– An unanticipated outcome of the project was the conversations that were generated about the need and demand for a dedicated makerspace open to the entire campus community.
Developing the collection graph
Authors: Blanke Tobias , Bryant Michael , Speck Reto
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– In 2010 the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) was funded to support research into the Holocaust. The project follows on from significant efforts in the past to develop and record the collections of the Holocaust in several national initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the efforts by EHRI to create a flexible research environment using graph databases. The authors concentrate on the added features and design decisions to enable efficient processing of collection information as a graph.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper concentrates on the specific customisations EHRI had to develop, as the graph database approach is new, and the authors could not rely on existing solutions. The authors describe the serialisations of collections in the graph to provide for efficient processing. Because the EHRI infrastructure is highly distributed, the authors also had to invest a lot of effort into reliable distributed access control mechanisms. Finally, the authors analyse the user-facing work on a portal and a virtual research environment (VRE) in order to discover, share and analyse Holocaust material.

Findings

– Using the novel graph database approach, the authors first present how we can model collection information as graphs and why this is effective. Second, we show how we make collection information persistent and describe the complex access management system we have developed. Third, we outline how we integrate user interaction with the data through a VRE.

Originality/value

– Scholars require specialised access to information. The authors present the results of the work to develop integrated research with collections on the Holocaust researchers and the proposals for a socio-technical ecosystem based on graph database technologies. The use of graph databases is new and the authors needed to work on several innovative customisations to make them work in the domain.
Preventing school violence: assessing armed guardians, school policy, and context
Authors: Crawford Charles , Burns Ronald
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– Recent highly publicized acts of violence and shootings on campus have prompted numerous crime prevention suggestions including having an armed presence in the schools. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of protective measures, policies, and school/neighborhood characteristics on school violence.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data used in this study were part of the School Survey on Crime and Safety collected in 2006. The dependent measures of school violence include reports of violence, threatened attack with a weapon, attack with weapon, and gun possession. The sample was divided into high schools and all other grades to consider differences in levels of school violence among grade levels in relation to various law enforcement security measures, school security measures, and school characteristics.

Findings

– Findings revealed mixed and often counterproductive results for law enforcement and school security efforts to control school violence. School characteristics, such as reports of bullying, location, and gang activity yielded numerous statistically significant findings. Policy recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.

Originality/value

– This study differs from much of the previous literature, which typically examines student and administrator attitudes about victimization and crime prevention. The current study examines detailed information on the actual effects of school violence prevention efforts. Furthermore, this study moves beyond most other works (that typically focus on high schools) as it considers school safety approaches by different grade levels.
Police staffing levels: disaggregating the variation
Authors: Hollis Meghan E , Wilson Jeremy M.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between community type classifications and police strength. Prior research has examined other correlates, but no attempts have been made previously to examine the relationship between community type (as outlined and defined by Chinni and Gimpel, 2010) and police staffing levels.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using a combination of NDLEA data on police strength, Uniform Crime Report data on crime, census data, and Chinni and Gimpel’s (2010) community classifications, this paper analyzes the relationship between a variety of correlates and police strength in 15,917 communities.

Findings

– The study found that police staffing does differ by community type as well as by a variety of other key community characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

– This implies that further research on appropriate tools to determine appropriate staffing levels is needed.

Practical implications

– This work indicates that traditional “peer benchmarking” approaches used to determine police strength should not be considered the best practice. Other approaches may be more appropriate and should be examined.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to incorporate classifications of community type in the analysis of police strength.
Policies and practices in cold cases: an exploratory study
Authors: Davis Robert C. , Jensen Carl , Kuykendall Lorrianne , Gallagher Kristin
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– As a result of advances in DNA and other forensic technologies, police agencies are showing increased interest in cold-case investigations, with larger departments dedicating staff to conducting these investigations or forming cold-case squads. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on how police agencies organize and conduct cold-case investigations.

Design/methodology/approach

– To assess the current practices used in cold-case investigations, an exploratory survey was sent to a stratified random sample of police agencies across the US survey findings are based on 1,051 returns.

Findings

– Results include the following. Most agencies do little cold-case work, with only 20 percent having a protocol for initiating cold-case investigations, 10 percent having dedicated cold-case investigators, and 7 percent having a formal cold-case unit. Cold-case funding is tenuous: 20 percent of cold-case work is funded through line items in the budget, with most funded by grants or supplemental funds. Success rates for cold-case investigations are low: about one in five cases are cleared. Agency factors associated with higher clearance rates included level of funding and access to investigative databases.

Practical implications

– As new forensic tools are developed, cold-case investigations will become an increasingly prominent activity of criminal investigation units. The survey reported on in this paper gives the first glimpse of how agencies are handling these cases.

Originality/value

– To the knowledge, there are no other empirical studies on how agencies structure and conduct cold-case investigations.
Factors influencing public satisfaction with the local police: a study in Saskatoon, Canada
Authors: Cheng Hongming
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore determining factors that account for variation in public satisfaction with the local police in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

– An integrated method was used to gather the data for this study, including official survey data conducted by Insightrix, and interviews with citizens in Saskatoon.

Findings

– This research found that demographic factors including age, race (in this study, Aboriginal status in particular), education, and income, perception of neighborhood safety, citizen-police interaction, and learning about crime from news media all have impact on public attitudes toward the police, to different degrees. The gap or distance between the police and the Aboriginal community was highlighted as a major factor.

Research limitations/implications

– Further research should be done to compare statistical patterns in other same-level cities in Canada.

Practical implications

– This paper indicates that Saskatoon Police Service in the future should provide a more structured avenue for citizen participation in establishing safe neighborhoods, more structured cultural sensitivity training, and create a wider channel through which community residents with various social backgrounds can demand some measure of accountability for police work in their area.

Originality/value

– The paper is of value to law enforcement policy-makers and academic researchers with interest in policing and police-community relationship.
EDITOR'S CHOICE: How much would it cost to monitor farmland biodiversity in Europe?
Authors: Geijzendorffer Ilse R. , Targetti Stefano , Schneider Manuel K. , Brus Dick J. , Jeanneret Philippe , Jongman Robert H.G. , Knotters Martin , Viaggi Davide , Angelova Siyka , Arndorfer Michaela , Bailey Debra , Balázs Katalin , Báldi András , Bogers Marion M. B. , Bunce Robert G. H. , Choisis Jean‐Philippe , Dennis Peter , Eiter Sebastian , Fjellstad Wendy , Friedel Jürgen K. , Gomiero Tiziano , Griffioen Arjan , Kainz Max , Kovács‐Hostyánszki Anikó , Lüscher Gisela , Moreno Gerardo , Nascimbene Juri , Paoletti Maurizio G. , Pointereau Philippe , Sarthou Jean‐Pierre , Siebrecht Norman , Staritsky Igor , Stoyanova Siyka , Wolfrum Sebastian , Herzog Felix
Published: November 2015

To evaluate progress on political biodiversity objectives, biodiversity monitoring provides information on whether intended results are being achieved. Despite scientific proof that monitoring and evaluation increase the (cost) efficiency of policy measures, cost estimates for monitoring schemes are seldom available, hampering their inclusion in policy programme budgets.

Empirical data collected from 12 case studies across Europe were used in a power analysis to estimate the number of farms that would need to be sampled per major farm type to detect changes in species richness over time for four taxa (vascular plants, earthworms, spiders and bees). A sampling design was developed to allocate spatially, across Europe, the farms that should be sampled.

Cost estimates are provided for nine monitoring scenarios with differing robustness for detecting temporal changes in species numbers. These cost estimates are compared with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget (2014–2020) to determine the budget allocation required for the proposed farmland biodiversity monitoring.

Results show that the bee indicator requires the highest number of farms to be sampled and the vascular plant indicator the lowest. The costs for the nine farmland biodiversity monitoring scenarios corresponded to 0·01%–0·74% of the total CAP budget and to 0·04%–2·48% of the CAP budget specifically allocated to environmental targets.

Synthesis and applications. The results of the cost scenarios demonstrate that, based on the taxa and methods used in this study, a Europe‐wide farmland biodiversity monitoring scheme would require a modest share of the Common Agricultural Policy budget. The monitoring scenarios are flexible and can be adapted or complemented with alternate data collection options (e.g. at national scale or voluntary efforts), data mobilization, data integration or modelling efforts.
Low‐dose metronomic chemotherapy with cisplatin enhanced immunity in a murine model of ectopic cervical cancer
Authors: Tsai Ching‐Chou , Qiu Jian‐Tai , Tseng Chih‐Wen , Hsu Yi‐Chiang
Published: November 2015

Previous researchers have claimed that metronomic low‐dose/dense chemotherapy can enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of cisplatin treatment in the control of cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of metronomic drug delivery with regards to its effects on adaptive immunity in a murine model of ectopic cervical cancer. The effectiveness of long‐term low‐dose/dense cisplatin treatment in HPV E7‐expressing TC‐1 cells was evaluated via morphological observations. Tumour mass and survival curves were used to determine the antitumour effect against E7‐expressing tumours. After experimental mice had been treated with low‐dose/dense cisplatin therapy, flow cytometry was used to measure the expression of MHC class I surface antigens on cultured TC‐1 cells. Splenocytes expressing both interferon (IFN)‐γ and CD8 responsible for E7 antigens and the Treg population were also quantified using flow cytometry. The results indicate that in vivo treatment with metronomic cisplatin suppresses the growth of cultured TC‐1 cells. An increase was also observed in the number of splenocytes expressing both IFN‐γ and CD8 responsible for E7 antigens and the Treg population. These results support previous reports that metronomic low‐dose/dense cisplatin chemotherapy is an effective treatment against ectopic cervical cancer with E7‐expression.
Rethinking the connection between working memory and language impairment
Authors: Archibald Lisa M. D. , Harder Griebeling Katherine
Published: November 2015

Background: Working memory deficits have been found for children with specific language impairment (SLI) on tasks imposing increasing short‐term memory load with or without additional, consistent (and simple) processing load.

Aims: To examine the processing function of working memory in children with low language (LL) by employing tasks imposing increasing processing loads with constant storage demands individually adjusted based on each participant's short‐term memory capacity.

Methods & Procedures: School‐age groups with LL (n = 17) and typical language with either average (n = 28) or above‐average nonverbal intelligence (n = 15) completed complex working memory‐span tasks varying processing load while keeping storage demands constant, varying storage demands while keeping processing load constant, simple storage‐span tasks, and measures of language and nonverbal intelligence. Teachers completed questionnaires about cognition and learning.

Outcomes & Results: Significantly lower scores were found for the LL than either matched group on storage‐based tasks, but no group differences were found on the tasks varying processing load. Teachers’ ratings of oral expression and mathematics abilities discriminated those who did or did not complete the most challenging cognitive tasks.

Conclusions & Implications: The results implicate a deficit in the phonological storage but not in the central executive component of working memory for children with LL. Teacher ratings may reveal personality traits related to perseverance of effort in cognitive research.
Modelling body mass index and endometrial cancer risk in a pooled‐analysis of three case–control studies
Authors: Rota M , Rumi F , Bagnardi V , Dal Maso L , Zucchetto A , Levi F , La Vecchia C , Tavani A
Published: November 2015

Objective

To quantify the relation between body mass index (BMI) and endometrial cancer risk, and to describe the shape of such a relation.

Design

Pooled analysis of three hospital‐based case–control studies.

Setting

Italy and Switzerland.

Population

A total of 1449 women with endometrial cancer and 3811 controls.

Methods

Multivariate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were obtained from logistic regression models. The shape of the relation was determined using a class of flexible regression models.

Main outcome measure

The relation of BMI with endometrial cancer.

Results

Compared with women with BMI 18.5 to <25 kg/m2, the odds ratio was 5.73 (95% CI 4.28–7.68) for women with a BMI ≥35 kg/m2. The odds ratios were 1.10 (95% CI 1.09–1.12) and 1.63 (95% CI 1.52–1.75) respectively for an increment of BMI of 1 and 5 units. The relation was stronger in never‐users of oral contraceptives (OR 3.35, 95% CI 2.78–4.03, for BMI ≥30 versus <25 kg/m2) than in users (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.56–2.67), and in women with diabetes (OR 8.10, 95% CI 4.10–16.01, for BMI ≥30 versus <25 kg/m2) than in those without diabetes (OR 2.95, 95% CI 2.44–3.56). The relation was best fitted by a cubic model, although after the exclusion of the 5% upper and lower tails, it was best fitted by a linear model.

Conclusions

The results of this study confirm a role of elevated BMI in the aetiology of endometrial cancer and suggest that the risk in obese women increases in a cubic nonlinear fashion. The relation was stronger in never‐users of oral contraceptives and in women with diabetes.

Tweetable Abstract

Risk of endometrial cancer increases with elevated body weight in a cubic nonlinear fashion.
The race without a finishing line: legislative means for confronting bullying in the Australian workplace
Authors: Hanley Glennis M , O'Rourke Anne
Published: November 2015

In this paper we investigate the evolution of occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation aimed at harnessing workplace bullying. We begin with a brief discussion of workplace safety and literature covering workplace bullying. Then we present an overview of the development of Australian OHS legislation in recognising the influence of psychosocial hazards such as bullying. Following this we examine the Fair Work Commission's anti‐bullying jurisdiction which commenced on 1 January 2014. We argue that while the new anti‐bullying laws are a welcome response to the problem of workplace bullying, they offer a minimalist rather than a comprehensive remedy to the problem. We conclude that the only way to provide an adequate response is to create stand‐alone legislation that recognises bullying as a criminal offence with remedies sufficiently castigatory to act as a deterrent to would‐be workplace bullies and prompt proactive workplace cultural change.
The Power to Plunder: Rethinking Land Grabbing in Latin America
Authors: Mollett Sharlene
Published: November 2015

In this paper I rethink land grabbing in Latin America by decentering the rhetoric of novelty and the tendency to focus on large‐scale land transactions. To do this, I attend to the longevity of racial thinking bound up in everyday forms of land control. I look at the ways race is salient in the making of land and territorial arrangements. Drawing on my own research in Honduras and Panama, I situate land grabbing in relation to a range of scholarly insights that disclose how the early postcolonial dichotomy of “civilization” and “savagery”, and its inherently whitening logics, re‐appear in contemporary development projects of biodiversity conservation, land administration, and residential tourism. I argue, therefore, that land grabbing is a longstanding process that is routinely operationalized through the state and naturalized through development practices that are underpinned by ongoing racial hierarchies.
The politico‐ecological economy of neoliberal agribusiness: displacement, financialisation and mystification
Authors: Ioris Antonio A R
Published: November 2015

The intricacy of global agri‐food business today is, at once, product and also co‐producer of the hegemonic modernisation of capitalism according to the discourse and the strategies of neoliberalism. The expansion of neoliberal agribusiness, situated in the wider context of the politico‐ecological economy of contemporary capitalism, is considered with the assistance of an original analytical framework structured around three explanatory categories: displacement (sectoral and spatial transformations), financialisation (the priority of making money over agriculture outcomes) and mystification (dissimulation of the neoliberalising trends and of associated risks and disputes). The proposed analytical framework has significant implications for research in human geography, especially within politico‐economy and neoliberalism studies, to the extent that it encapsulates interdependent processes that are together responsible for the revitalisation of agribusiness and for the legitimisation of global agri‐food markets. The framework is then used to highlight the historico‐geographical repercussions of neoliberalised agribusiness in Brazil, which was an element of the conservative responses to the crisis of accumulation caused by the exhaustion of developmentalist policies and state‐led entrepreneurialism. Brazilian agribusiness seems to thrive on a peculiar combination of tradition and modernity, as its apparent success betrays a clear attempt to temporarily placate the structural contradictions of capitalist agriculture while tensions and reactions become increasingly evident.
Perceived Discrimination and Social Relationship Functioning among Sexual Minorities: Structural Stigma as a Moderating Factor
Authors: Doyle David Matthew , Molix Lisa
Published: November 2015

Work on structural stigma shows how public policy affects health outcomes for members of devalued groups, including sexual minorities. In the current research, structural stigma is proposed as a moderating variable that strengthens deleterious associations between perceived discrimination and social relationship functioning. Hypotheses were tested in two cross‐sectional studies, including both online (N = 214; Study 1) and community (N = 94; Study 2) samples of sexual minority men and women residing throughout the United States. Structural stigma was coded from policy related to sexual minority rights within each state. Confirming hypotheses, support for the moderating role of structural stigma was found via multilevel models across studies. Specifically, associations between perceived discrimination and friendship strain, loneliness (Study 1) and familial strain (Study 2) were increased for those who resided in states with greater levels of structural stigma and attenuated for those who resided in states with lesser levels. In Study 1, these results were robust to state‐level covariates (conservatism and religiosity), but conservatism emerged as a significant moderator in lieu of structural stigma in Study 2. Results are discussed in the context of the shifting landscape of public policy related to sexual minority rights within the United States.
Public education expenditures and private school enrollment
Authors: Estevan Fernanda
Published: November 2015

In this paper, I investigate whether increases in public education expenditures lead to reductions in private school enrollment. In order to deal with the endogeneity of public expenditures, I use as a natural experiment the 1998 FUNDEF reform in Brazil that caused exogenous variations in local public school funding. Using data from Brazilian School and Population censuses, I show that public education expenditures increases are associated with reductions in the share of private school enrollment for grade 1. However, the effect is smaller for grades 2 to 4, which is consistent with the existence of costs associated with switching schools.
Delayed absorbable synthetic plug (GORE® BIO‐A®) for the treatment of fistula‐in‐ano: a systematic review
Authors: Narang S. K. , Jones C. , Alam N. N. , Daniels I. R. , Smart N. J.
Published: November 2015

Aim

Recent advances in the treatment of fistula‐in‐ano have focused on surgical techniques that preserve sphincter integrity. Plugs that obliterate the lumen of the fistula track have been proposed as one such method, and may be derived from biological or delayed absorbable synthetic materials. Biological plugs have highly variable results and have not been widely adopted. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of a delayed absorbable synthetic plug (GORE® BIO‐A®) for treatment of anal fistula.

Method

A systematic review of all literature in the English language relevant to the use of a plug to treat anal fistula and published between 1 January 2008 and 15 February 2015 was carried out by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews/Controlled Trials for relevant literature. Relevant articles were identified, quality assessed using the methodological index for nonrandomized studies criteria and data were extracted by two independent researchers (SKN and NNA). The identified articles were assessed with regard to fistula healing rate, duration of follow‐up and complication rates related to the use of delayed absorbable synthetic fistula plugs.

Results

Twenty six potential articles were identified from the literature search. Using the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, six were included in the final analysis, data extraction and data synthesis. Of these included in the review only three were prospective in design. Complete data were available for 187 of the 221 patients who underwent this treatment. The age of the participants ranged from 19 to 82 years. The fistula healing rates were reported to be between 15.8% and 72.7% at a follow‐up ranging between 2 and 19 months. Early or delayed plug extrusion occurred in 16 (8.5%) of the 187 patients. Deterioration in continence was reported in 11 (5.8%) of 187 patients.

Conclusion

There are insufficient high‐quality data on the delayed absorbable synthetic (GORE® BIO‐A®) fistula plug to draw meaningful conclusions regarding its effectiveness. It does, however, appear to be a simple and safe technique associated with low complication rates and a minor deterioration in continence in a few cases.
Cardiac imaging in patients with chronic liver disease
Authors: Wiese Signe , Hove Jens D. , Møller Søren
Published: November 2015

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is characterized by an impaired contractile response to stress, diastolic dysfunction and the presence of electrophysiological abnormalities, and it may be diagnosed at rest in some patients or demasked by physiological or pharmacological stress. CCM seems to be involved in the development of hepatic nephropathy and is associated with an impaired survival. In the field of cardiac imaging, CCM is not yet a well‐characterized entity, hence various modalities of cardiac imaging have been applied. Stress testing with either physiologically or pharmacologically induced circulatory stress has been used to assess systolic dysfunction. Whereas echocardiography with tissue Doppler is by far the most preferred method to detect diastolic dysfunction with measurement of E/A‐ and E/E′‐ratio. In addition, echocardiography may also possess the potential to evaluate systolic dysfunction at rest by application of new myocardial strain techniques. Experience with other modalities such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiac computed tomography is limited. Future studies exploring these imaging modalities are necessary to characterize and monitor the cardiac changes in cirrhotic patients.
Is Right Ventricular Remodeling in Pulmonary Hypertension Dependent on Etiology? An Echocardiographic Study
Authors: Giusca Sorin , Popa Elena , Amzulescu Mihaela Silvia , Ghiorghiu Ioana , Coman Ioan Mircea , Popescu Bogdan A. , Delcroix Marion , Voigt Jens‐Uwe , Ginghina Carmen , Jurcut Ruxandra
Published: November 2015

Aims

Survival in patients (pts) with pulmonary hypertension (PH) differs between subgroups at similar levels of pressure overload. We set to analyze right ventricular (RV) morphology and function in different types of PH using conventional and deformation imaging echocardiography.

Material and Methods

Thirty‐four pts with PH: 12 pts with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH, 42.2 ± 13 years), 11 pts with chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH, 50.8 ± 12 years), 11 pts with Eisenmenger syndrome [ES 41.2 ± 15 years, 4 with atrial septal defect (ASD) and 7 with ventricular septal defect (VSD)], and 13 age‐matched healthy individuals (38.1 ± 15 years) were evaluated. The following echocardiographic parameters were measured: echo‐derived systolic pulmonary pressure (sPAPecho), RV end‐diastolic diameter (RVEDD), RV wall thickness (RVWT), TAPSE, RV fractional area change (RVFAC), Tei index, peak systolic velocity of the tricuspid ring (S't), and speckle tracking‐derived RV free wall strain. Furthermore, right heart catheterization (RHC) was performed in pts with PH and mean, and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (mPAPcath, sPAPcath), cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (COi), and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were noted.

Results

The levels of mPAPcath and sPAPcath were similar between pts with PH (pANOVA = NS). Patients with ES had higher COi compared to other groups (2.94 ± 0.79, 2.28 ± 0.69, and 1.74 ± 0.46 L/min/m2 for pts with ES, IPAH, and CTEPH respectively, pANOVA = 0.004, P post hoc ES versus all other groups < 0.05). TAPSE, Tei index, and S't were similar between groups and impaired versus controls (pANOVA < 0.001, P post hoc between groups of patients = NS). Patients with ES had better RVFAC (41.1 ± 9, 30.5 ± 10.8, 23.2 ± 9.8%) and RV free wall strain (−20.6 ± 3.5, −16.3 ± 7.5, −10.8 ± 5%), as well as an increased thickness of the RV free wall compared to other groups of patients (9.2 ± 1.5, 7.2 ± 1 and 7.2 ± 1.6 mm for pts with ES, IPAH and CTEPH, respectively) (pANOVA<0.001, P post hoc <0.05 ES versus all other groups). RVFAC and RV free wall strain significantly correlated with COi (r = 0.53, P = 0.006 and r = −0.77, P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Patients with ES have a more hypertrophied RV free wall, better RV performance as assessed by RVFAC and RV free wall strain and increased COi compared to other types of PH. Furthermore, RV performance appears to be less dependent on the level of pressure overload. These findings could contribute to the better survival profile of patients with ES.
The influence of hydrogeological disturbance and mining on coal seam microbial communities
Authors: Raudsepp M. J. , Gagen E. J. , Evans P. , Tyson G. W. , Golding S. D. , Southam G.
Published: November 2015

The microbial communities present in two underground coal mines in the Bowen Basin, Queensland, Australia, were investigated to deduce the effect of pumping and mining on subsurface methanogens and methanotrophs. The micro‐organisms in pumped water from the actively mined areas, as well as, pre‐ and post‐mining formation waters were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The methane stable isotope composition of Bowen Basin coal seam indicates that methanogenesis has occurred in the geological past. More recently at the mine site, changing groundwater flow dynamics and the introduction of oxygen in the subsurface has increased microbial biomass and diversity. Consistent with microbial communities found in other coal seam environments, pumped coal mine waters from the subsurface were dominated by bacteria belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and the family Rhodocyclaceae. These environments and bacterial communities supported a methanogen population, including Methanobacteriaceae, Methanococcaceae and Methanosaeta. However, one of the most ubiquitous micro‐organisms in anoxic coal mine waters belonged to the family ‘Candidatus Methanoperedenaceae’. As the Archaeal family ‘Candidatus Methanoperedenaceae’ has not been extensively defined, the one studied species in the family is capable of anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction. This introduces the possibility that a methane cycle between archaeal methanogenesis and methanotrophy may exist in the anoxic waters of the coal seam after hydrogeological disturbance.
On‐farm habitat restoration counters biotic homogenization in intensively managed agriculture
Authors: Ponisio Lauren C. , M'Gonigle Leithen K. , Kremen Claire
Published: November 2015

To slow the rate of global species loss, it is imperative to understand how to restore and maintain native biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Currently, agriculture is associated with lower spatial heterogeneity and turnover in community composition (β‐diversity). While some techniques are known to enhance α‐diversity, it is unclear whether habitat restoration can re‐establish β‐diversity. Using a long‐term pollinator dataset, comprising ∼9,800 specimens collected from the intensively managed agricultural landscape of the Central Valley of California, we show that on‐farm habitat restoration in the form of native plant ‘hedgerows’, when replicated across a landscape, can boost β‐diversity by approximately 14% relative to unrestored field margins, to levels similar to some natural communities. Hedgerows restore β‐diversity by promoting the assembly of phenotypically diverse communities. Intensively managed agriculture imposes a strong ecological filter that negatively affects several important dimensions of community trait diversity, distribution, and uniqueness. However, by helping to restore phenotypically diverse pollinator communities, small‐scale restorations such as hedgerows provide a valuable tool for conserving biodiversity and promoting ecosystem services.
Limitations and mechanisms influencing the migratory performance of soaring birds
Authors: Miller Tricia A. , Brooks Robert P. , Lanzone Michael J. , Brandes David , Cooper Jeff , Tremblay Junior A. , Wilhelm Jay , Duerr Adam , Katzner Todd E.
Published: November 2015

Migration is costly in terms of time, energy and safety. Optimal migration theory suggests that individual migratory birds will choose between these three costs depending on their motivation and available resources. To test hypotheses about use of migratory strategies by large soaring birds, we used GPS telemetry to track 18 adult, 13 sub‐adult and 15 juvenile Golden EaglesAquila chrysaetosin eastern North America. Each age‐class had potentially different motivations during migration. During spring, the migratory performance (defined here as the directness of migratory flight) of adults was higher than that of any other age‐classes. Adults also departed earlier and spent less time migrating. Together, these patterns suggest that adults were primarily time‐limited and the other two age‐classes were energy‐limited. However, adults that migrated the longest distances during spring also appeared to take advantage of energy‐conservation strategies such as decreasing their compensation for wind drift. During autumn, birds of all age‐classes were primarily energy‐minimizers; they increased the length of stopovers, flew less direct routes and migrated at a slower pace than during spring. Nonetheless, birds that departed later in autumn flew more directly, indicating that time limitations may have affected their decision‐making. During both seasons, juveniles had the lowest performance, sub‐adults intermediate performance and adults the highest performance. Our results show age‐ and seasonal variation in time and energy‐minimization strategies that are not necessarily exclusive of one another. Beyond time and energy, a complex suite of factors, including weather, experience and navigation ability, influences migratory performance and decision‐making.
Flow cytometry in hematological nonmalignant disorders
Authors: Béné M. C. , Le Bris Y. , Robillard N. , Wuillème S. , Fouassier M. , Eveillard M.
Published: November 2015

Multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) has become an integral part of the diagnosis and classification of hematological malignancies. However, several nonmalignant or premalignant disorders may benefit from this technology in hematology laboratories. This review provides information on the normal immunophenotypic characteristics of peripheral blood leukocyte subsets and their modifications in several clinical conditions. The usefulness ofMFCand the specific markers that can be investigated in hyperlymphocytosis, infection, hypereosinophilia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, and large granular lymphocyte disorders is described. Mention is also made of the developments ofMFCfor analyses of red blood cells or platelets.
Sedation protocols to reduce duration of mechanical ventilation in the ICU: a Cochrane Systematic Review
Authors: Aitken Leanne M. , Bucknall Tracey , Kent Bridie , Mitchell Marion , Burmeister Elizabeth , Keogh Samantha
Published: November 2015

Aims

Assess the effects of protocol‐directed sedation management on the duration of mechanical ventilation and other relevant patient outcomes in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients.

Background

Sedation is a core component of critical care. Sub‐optimal sedation management incorporates both under‐ and over‐sedation and has been linked to poorer patient outcomes.

Design

Cochrane systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Data sources

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, LILACS, Current Controlled Trials and US National Institutes of Health Clinical Research Studies (1990–November 2013) and reference lists of articles were used.

Review methods

Randomized controlled trials conducted in intensive care units comparing management with and without protocol‐directed sedation were included. Two authors screened titles, abstracts and full‐text reports. Potential risk of bias was assessed. Clinical, methodological and statistical heterogeneity were examined and the random‐effects model used for meta‐analysis where appropriate. Mean difference for duration of mechanical ventilation and risk ratio for mortality, with 95% confidence intervals, were calculated.

Results

Two eligible studies with 633 participants comparing protocol‐directed sedation delivered by nurses vs. usual care were identified. There was no evidence of differences in duration of mechanical ventilation or hospital mortality. There was statistically significant heterogeneity between studies for duration of mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions

There is insufficient evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of protocol‐directed sedation as results from the two randomized controlled trials were conflicting.
Arterial Stiffness, Central Pulsatile Hemodynamic Load, and Orthostatic Hypotension
Authors: Liu Kai , Wang Si , Wan Shixi , Zhou Yufei , Pan Pei , Wen Bo , Zhang Xin , Liao Hang , Shi Di , Shi Rufeng , Chen Xiaoping , Jangala Tulasiram
Published: November 2015

The association between central pulsatile hemodynamic load, arterial stiffness, and orthostatic hypotension (OH) is unclear. The authors recruited 1099 participants from the community. Questionnaire, physical examination, and laboratory tests were performed. To assess the correlation between central pulsatile hemodynamic load, arterial stiffness, and OH, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed, and the discriminatory power was assessed by the area under the receiver operating curve. The prevalence of OH in this population was 5.6%. After adjusting for potential confounders, brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) was significantly and positively correlated with OH in both the hypertension and nonhypertension groups (all P<.05), while central systolic blood pressure (CSBP) was only significantly associated with OH in the hypertension subgroup. In addition, BaPWV seemed to have a better discriminatory power than CSBP in both subgroups. BaPWV appears to be a better indicator of OH than CSBP in routine clinical practice.
The human rs1050286 polymorphism alters LOX‐1 expression through modifying miR‐24 binding
Authors: Morini Elena , Rizzacasa Barbara , Pucci Sabina , Polidoro Chiara , Ferrè Fabrizio , Caporossi Daniela , Helmer Citterich Manuela , Novelli Giuseppe , Amati Francesca
Published: November 2015

The up‐regulation of lectin‐like oxidized low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐1 (LOX‐1), encoded by the OLR1 gene, plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Moreover, OLR1 polymorphisms were associated with increased susceptibility to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and coronary artery diseases (CAD). In these pathologies, the identification of therapeutic approaches that can inhibit or reduce LOX‐1 overexpression is crucial. Predictive analysis showed a putative hsa‐miR‐24 binding site in the 3′UTR of OLR1, ‘naturally’ mutated by the presence of the rs1050286 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Luciferase assays revealed that miR‐24 targets OLR1 3′UTR‐G, but not 3′UTR‐A (P < 0.0005). The functional relevance of miR‐24 in regulating the expression of OLR1 was established by overexpressing miR‐24 in human cell lines heterozygous (A/G, HeLa) and homozygous (A/A, HepG2) for rs1050286 SNP. Accordingly, HeLa (A/G), but not HepG2 (A/A), showed a significant down‐regulation of OLR1 both at RNA and protein level. Our results indicate that rs1050286 SNP significantly affects miR‐24 binding affinity to the 3′UTR of OLR1, causing a more efficient post‐transcriptional gene repression in the presence of the G allele. On this basis, we considered that OLR1 rs1050286 SNP may contribute to modify OLR1 susceptibility to AMI and CAD, so ORL1 SNPs screening could help to stratify patients risk.
Predictors of depressive symptoms in older Japanese primiparas at 1 month post‐partum: A risk‐stratified analysis
Authors: Iwata Hiroko , Mori Emi , Tsuchiya Miyako , Sakajo Akiko , Maehara Kunie , Ozawa Harumi , Morita Akiko , Maekawa Tomoko , Aoki Kyoko , Tamakoshi Koji
Published: November 2015

Aim

Older maternal age has become more common in Japan. Studies suggest that older maternal age and primiparity are associated with post‐partum depression. The present study aimed to identify predictors of post‐partum depression in older Japanese primiparas at 1 month post‐partum.

Methods

Participants were 479 primiparas aged 35 years and over, drawn from a prospective cohort study. Data were collected using self‐report questionnaires. Depression was measured with the Japanese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted on binary outcome variables of depression at 1 month post‐partum, along with a stratified analysis based on the risk status of depression.

Results

Five predictors were identified: (i) the depression score during hospital stay; (ii) financial burden; (iii) dissatisfaction with appraisal support; (iv) physical burden in daily life; and (v) concerns about infant caretaking. Stratified analysis identified dissatisfaction with instrumental support in the low‐risk group, and the Child‐care Value Scale score as unique predictors in the high‐risk group.

Conclusion

These results highlight the importance of early assessment of depressive symptoms and the provision of continuous care.