bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The kaleidic world of entrepreneurs
Authors: H. Chiles Todd , R.S.T.A. Elias Sara , G. Zarankin Tal , M. Vultee Denise
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– Austrian economics figures centrally in organizational entrepreneurship research. However, researchers have focussed almost entirely on the Austrian school's “gales of creative destruction” and “entrepreneurial discovery” metaphors, which are rooted in equilibrium assumptions and thus downplay the more subjective and dynamic aspects of entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to question such assumptions, proposing instead a “kaleidic” metaphor drawn from the radical subjectivist strand of Austrian economics. The paper develops, grounds, and enriches the theoretical concepts this metaphor embodies in order to advance the general understanding of entrepreneurship as a radically subjective, disequilibrium phenomenon, as well as the specific knowledge of entrepreneurs’ career and venture experiences. In doing so, the paper highlights creative imagination as a wellspring of entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper employs a case study design to inductively develop the theoretical concepts embodied in the kaleidic metaphor and deductively ground them in the accounts 12 entrepreneurs provided about their career and venture experiences. The paper employs symbolist methods to develop thicker descriptions, generate alternative understandings, and facilitate richer interpretations. Moreover, the paper adopts a reflexive approach in considering the study's implications.

Findings

– The results suggest the kaleidic metaphor comprises five overarching ideas that resonate, often very strongly, with entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

– The study is the first to theoretically develop and empirically ground the ideas the kaleidic metaphor embodies. The paper contributes to a growing body of conceptual work and joins a handful of empirical studies by organizational entrepreneurship scholars using the radical Austrian perspective.
Immunohistochemical characterization of non‐epithelial cells in spiradenoma
Authors: Iida Kohji , Iwai Shinsaku , Hosaka Hiroomi , Kitami Yuki , Akiyama Masaki , Suzuki Takao , Sueki Hirohiko
Published: October 2013

Spiradenoma is unique with respect to the presence of a large number of non‐epithelial cells, including S100 protein+ cells, most of which are presumably Langerhans cells, in the parenchyma as shown in the published work. However, the characterization of these non‐epithelial cells to date is insufficient. Immunohistochemistry of CD1a, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD68, intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), and HLA‐DR, as well as double‐immunofluorescence labeling of S100 protein/CD1a and CD1a/CD3, was performed using paraffin‐embedded specimens from five cases of spiradenoma retrospectively. Non‐epithelial cells evenly distributed throughout the parenchyma of spiradenoma primarily consisted of CD1a+ Langerhans cells and CD3+ T cells. ICAM‐1 was expressed by epithelial cells and non‐epithelial cells in the parenchyma. HLA‐DR on the epithelial cells was limited to the focal area. In double‐immunofluorescence labeling, approximately one‐half of Langerhans cells were spatially related to T cells in the parenchyma, suggesting their functional interaction.
Managers' Choices of Performance Measures in Promotion Decisions: An Analysis of Alternative Job Assignments
Authors: GRABNER ISABELLA , MOERS FRANK
Published: October 2013

In this study, we investigate the choice of performance measures in promotion decisions. In particular, we examine the extent to which managers incorporate different performance measures for different types of job assignment. Based on a simple theoretical framework, we predict that, in making promotion decisions, the weight on current job performance decreases with increases in the change in tasks upon promotion, while the weight on subjective assessments of ability increases. This result basically follows from the premise that, with increased changes in tasks between hierarchical levels, the ability to master the current job says little about the ability needed in the next job, which makes current job performance less informative and increases the emphasis on subjective assessments. Using panel data of a retail bank, we find that individual managers behave according to our predictions. By examining the choice of performance measures in promotion decisions, we are able to provide unique insights into the incentive versus sorting roles of promotions, which has important implications for performance measurement and incentive system design.
Ischemic Stroke and Intestinal Bleeding Under Dabigatran in Metabolic Myopathy
Authors: Finsterer Josef , Stöllberger Claudia , Paul Gernot , Bastovansky Adam
Published: October 2013

Objectives

The subsequent occurrence of an ischemic thromboembolic event and a bleeding shortly after discontinuation of dabigatran has not been published.

Case report

In an 89‐year‐old female with atrial fibrillation dabigatran had been started 11 days before admission, following a transitory ischemic attack. Phenprocoumon had been stopped 1 month earlier because of a hematoma after a fall. Although dabigatran was discontinued already on hospital day 1, she experienced an intestinal bleeding on hospital day three and an ischemic stroke on hospital day 6. As blood coagulation parameters were still abnormal on hospital day 2, intestinal bleeding was attributed to the prolonged antithrombotic effect or the interaction of dabigatran with the comedication. Stroke was attributed to the absence of a sufficient antithrombotic effect or a rebound effect 5 days after discontinuation of dabigatran. Clinical neurological examination additionally suggested a neuromuscular disorder.

Conclusions

Ischemic stroke and intestinal bleeding may consecutively occur shortly after stopping dabigatran. Coagulation parameters may remain abnormal even 2 days after discontinuation of dabigatran. Dabigatran should be applied with caution in elderly patients with renal insufficiency who also take drugs, which enhance the absorption of dabigatran.
Influence of Feeding and Intracoronary Dose on Insulin‐Mediated Relative Akt Phosphorylation in the Porcine Myocardium
Authors: Slettom Grete , Jonassen Anne Kristine , Breivik Lars , Seifert Reinhard , Nordrehaug Jan Erik
Published: October 2013

Aims

Insulin promotes Akt‐dependent prosurvival signaling and reduces experimental ischemia reperfusion injury, but its clinical impact has been limited. Further understanding of the interplay between insulin and Akt in the myocardium of relevant large animal models is needed. We aimed to investigate (1) Akt phosphorylation, (2) influence of feeding state, and (3) impact of dose on the Akt response following intracoronary insulin administration in the nonischemic porcine heart.

Methods

Pigs fed 2 h preprocedure received 0.1 U (unit) or 1.0 U of insulin in the left coronary artery and fasting pigs 0.1 U. Left and right ventricle tissues harvested 15 min postinsulin administration were analyzed for Akt phosphorylation by densitometric analyses of total Akt and phosphorylated Akt immunoblots expressed as a ratio and normalized against left auricle biopsies at baseline.

Results

Median relative Akt phosphorylation across all biopsy locations increased significantly from baseline in both fasting and fed animals after insulin infusion: 371.4% (P < 0.001) in the fasting‐0.1 U insulin group, 202.7% (P = 0.003) in the fed‐1.0 U group and 131.5% (P < 0.001) in the fed‐0.1 U group. The increase was significantly higher for the fasting‐0.1 U and the fed‐1.0 U groups as compared with the fed‐0.1 U group. Baseline serum glucose in fed and fasting pigs was 6.3 ± 0.3 versus 5.2 ± 0.4 mm (P = 0.050), respectively.

Conclusions

Preexperimental feeding attenuates the median relative rise in Akt phosphorylation mediated by exogenous insulin in the porcine heart, and higher insulin doses are therefore required in fed compared with fasting animals.
Quantifying spatial phylogenetic structures of fully stem‐mapped plant communities
Authors: Shen Guochun , Wiegand Thorsten , Mi Xiangcheng , He Fangliang
Published: October 2013

Analysis of the phylogenetic similarity of co‐occurring species at different spatial scales is increasingly used for decoding community assembly rules. Here, we integrated the analysis of phylobetadiversity and marked point pattern analysis to yield a new metric, the phylogenetic mark correlation function, kd(r), to quantify spatial phylogenetic structure of fully stem‐mapped communities.

kd(r) is defined as the expected phylogenetic distance of two heterospecifics separated by spatial distance r, and normalized with the expected phylogenetic distance of two heterospecifics taken randomly from a study area. It measures spatial phylogenetic turnover relative to spatial species turnover and is closely related with the spatially explicit Simpson index.

We used simulated fully stem‐mapped plant communities with known spatial phylogenetic structures to assess type I and II errors of the phylogenetic mark correlation function kd(r) under a null model of random phylogenetic spatial structure, and to test the ability of the kd(r) to detect scale‐dependent signals of phylogenetic spatial structure. We also compared the performance of the kd(r) with two existing measures of phylobetadiversity that have been previously used to analyse fully stem‐mapped plots. Finally, we explored the spatial phylogenetic structure of a 24‐ha fully stem‐mapped subtropical forest in China.

Simulation tests showed that the new metric yielded correct type I and type II errors and accurately detected the spatial scales at which various processes (e.g. habitat filtering and competition) were invoked to generate spatial phylogenetic structures. The power of the kd(r) was not affected by a phylogenetic signal in species abundance and different topologies of the phylogenetic tree.

Replacing phylogenetic distance by functional distance allows for application of the kd(r) to estimate spatial correlations in functional community structure. Thus, the kd(r) allows trait and phylogenetic structure to be analysed in the same framework. The phylogenetic mark correlation function is a powerful and accurate tool for revealing scale‐dependent phylogenetic/functional footprints in community assemblages and allows ecologists to keep up with the increasingly available data of fully stem‐mapped plots, functional traits and community phylogenies.
Anaphylactic responses to histamine in mice utilize both histamine receptors 1 and 2
Authors: Wechsler J. B. , Schroeder H. A. , Byrne A. J. , Chien K. B. , Bryce P. J.
Published: October 2013

Background

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life‐threatening reaction that can occur in response to common triggers, including food allergens (e.g., peanut), insect stings, and several medications. Activation of mast cells and basophils to release preformed mediators, such as histamine, is thought to be an important process that underlies reactions. Histamine can exert effects through four different receptors, termed H1R–H4R. Despite clinical use of both H1R and H2R blockers in the therapy for acute allergic reactions, there is little mechanistic evidence to support the necessity for blocking H2R, a receptor best characterized for its role in stomach acid production.

Methods

Here, we sought to define the necessity for histamine receptors in the pathology of anaphylaxis using H1R and H2R knockout (KO) mice, as well as a H1R/H2R double KO strain.

Results

In response to IgE‐mediated systemic anaphylaxis, the symptoms and decreases in core body temperature observed in wild‐type mice were reduced but not ablated in either H1R or H2R KO. In contrast, H1R/H2R KO were significantly protected and were indistinguishable from histamine‐deficient mice. Intravenous injection of histamine was sufficient to elicit these responses, and similar to IgE‐mediated anaphylaxis, loss of both H1R and H2R was necessary for complete protection.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate definitively that both H1R and H2R participate in the immediate systemic responses during histamine‐associated pathophysiology and mechanistically support the utility of H2R‐blocking therapeutics in alleviating symptoms of anaphylaxis.
Protein Kinase C and its Inhibitors in the Regulation of Inflammation: Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase as an Example
Authors: Leppänen Tiina , Tuominen Raimo K. , Moilanen Eeva
Published: October 2013

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of ten isoenzymes that play a crucial role in cellular signal transduction. Studies with PKC knockout animals have revealed that many of the isoenzymes are involved in cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. Several PKC isoenzymes have also been shown to be important mediators in inflammation and immunity, particularly in lymphocyte responses. However, less is known about the role of PKC in the regulation of the expression of inflammatory genes. In inflammatory processes, nitric oxide is primarily produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in inflammatory cells, such as macrophages. In innate immunity, nitric oxide functions as an effector molecule towards the infectious organisms. Increased levels of nitric oxide are also produced by inflammatory and tissue cells in inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and arthritis. In this MiniReview, the role of PKC isoenzymes in the pathogenesis and as a potential drug target in inflammation will be discussed presenting iNOS as an example of an inflammatory gene regulated by the pleiotropic PKC signalling pathway.
Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a promising novel targeted treatment for B cell lymphomas
Authors: Aalipour Amin , Advani Ranjana H.
Published: October 2013

Constitutive or aberrant signalling of the B cell receptor signalling cascade has been implicated in the propagation and maintenance of a variety of B cell malignancies. Small molecule inhibitors of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), a protein early in this cascade and specifically expressed in B cells, have emerged as a new class of targeted agents. There are several BTK inhibitors, including ONO‐WG‐307, LFM‐A13, dasatinib, CC‐292, and PCI‐32765 (ibrutinib), in preclinical and/or clinical development of which ibrutinib is currently in phase III trials. Recent clinical data suggest significant activity of ibrutinib as a first in class oral inhibitor of BTK. This review provides an overview of ongoing clinical studies of BTK inhibitors.
Can we improve the definition of high‐risk, hormone naïve, non‐metastatic prostate cancer?
Authors: Tombal Bertrand , Alcaraz Antonio , James Nicholas , Valdagni Riccardo , Irani Jacques
Published: October 2013

To identify criteria beyond Tumour‐Node‐Metastasis (TMN)‐, prostate‐specific antigen (PSA)‐ and Gleason score‐based standard classifications to enhance the stratification of non‐metastatic high‐risk prostate cancer.

A detailed search of the literature was performed using PubMed.

The authors reviewed the literature and used a modified Delphi approach to identify relevant approaches to enhance standard classifications.

Specific criteria for high‐risk prostate cancer vary across guidelines and clinical trials, reflecting the differing perspectives concerning the definition of ‘risk’ between different specialities within the urology/radiation oncology community.

In addition to the present classifications, evidence exists that the measure of cancer volume can provide additional prognostic value.

More accurate imaging, especially multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging can also provide information concerning staging and cancer volume, and thus may assist in the identification of patients with high‐risk prostate cancer.

A refined definition of non‐metastatic high‐risk prostate cancer is proposed.

Within this high‐risk cohort, patients with multiple high‐risk criteria are especially at risk of prostate cancer‐specific mortality.
Drawing a Waddington landscape to capture dynamic epigenetics
Authors: Nicol‐Benoit Floriane , le Goff Pascale , Michel Denis
Published: October 2013

Epigenetics is most often reduced to chromatin marking in the current literature, whereas this notion was initially defined in a more general context. This restricted view ignores that epigenetic memories are in fact more robustly ensured in living systems by steady‐state mechanisms with permanent molecule renewal. This misconception is likely to result from misleading intuitions and insufficient dialogues between traditional and quantitative biologists. To demystify dynamic epigenetics, its most famous image, a Waddington landscape and its attractors, are explicitly drawn. The simple example provided, is sufficient to highlight the main requirements and characteristics of dynamic gene networks, underlying cellular differentiation, de‐differentiation and trans‐differentiation.
Single doses of THC and cocaine decrease proficiency of impulse control in heavy cannabis users
Authors: van Wel J H P , Kuypers K P C , Theunissen E L , Toennes S W , Spronk D B , Verkes R J , Ramaekers J G
Published: October 2013

Background and Purpose

Cannabis is the most popular drug used in the European Union, closely followed by cocaine. Whereas cannabis impairs neurocognitive function in occasional cannabis users, such impairments appear less prominent in heavy users, possibly as a result of tolerance. The present study was designed to assess whether the impairing effects of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in heavy cannabis users would present in a wide range of neuropsychological functions or selectively affect specific performance domains. We also assessed the acute effects of cocaine on neurocognitive functions of heavy cannabis users.

Experimental Approach

Heavy cannabis users, who had a history of cocaine use (n = 61), participated in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, three‐way crossover study. Subjects received single doses of cocaine HCl (300 mg), cannabis (THC 300 μg·kg−1) and placebo, and completed a number of tests measuring impulse control and psychomotor function.

Key Results

Single doses of cannabis impaired psychomotor function and increased response errors during impulsivity tasks. Single doses of cocaine improved psychomotor function and decreased response time in impulsivity tasks, but increased errors.

Conclusions and Implications

Heavy cannabis users display impairments in a broad range of neuropsychological domains during THC intoxication. Impairments observed in psychomotor tasks, but not in impulsivity tasks, appeared smaller in magnitude as compared with those previously reported in occasional cannabis users. Heavy cannabis users were sensitive to the stimulating and inhibitory effects of cocaine on psychomotor function and impulsivity respectively. The reduction in proficiency in impulse control may put drug users at increased risk of repeated drug use and addiction.
Hypoxia‐induced downregulation of miR‐30c promotes epithelial‐mesenchymal transition in human renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Huang Jiwei , Yao Xiaoying , Zhang Jin , Dong Baijun , Chen Qi , Xue Wei , Liu Dongming , Huang Yiran
Published: October 2013

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which negatively regulate protein expression by binding protein‐coding mRNAs, have been integrated into cancer development and progression as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. miR‐30c was reported to be downregulated in several types of cancer. However, its role in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains largely unknown. Here, we show that miR‐30c is significantly downregulated in human RCC tissues and cell lines. We found that miR‐30c downregulation could be induced by hypoxia in RCC cells in a hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs) dependent manner. Repression of miR‐30c through its inhibitor resulted in reduction of E‐cadherin production and promotion of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), while overexpression of miR‐30c inhibited EMT in RCC cells. We identified Slug as a direct target of miR‐30c in RCC cells. Slug was upregulated in RCC tissues and its expression could be induced by hypoxia, which is consistent with downregulation of miR‐30c by hypoxia. Forced overexpression of Slug in 786‐O cells reduced E‐cadherin production, and promoted EMT as well as cell migration. Moreover, Slug overexpression abrogated the inhibitory role of miR‐30c in regulating EMT and cell migration, indicating miR‐30c regulates EMT through Slug in RCC cells. Our findings propose a model that hypoxia induces EMT in RCC cells through downregulation of miR‐30c, which leads to subsequent increase of Slug expression and repression of E‐cadherin production, and suggest a potential application of miR‐30c in RCC treatment.
Transport of Pru p 3 across gastrointestinal epithelium – an essential step towards the induction of food allergy?
Authors: Tordesillas L. , Gómez‐Casado C. , Garrido‐Arandia M. , Murua‐García A. , Palacín A. , Varela J. , Konieczna P. , Cuesta‐Herranz J. , Akdis C. A. , O'Mahony L. , Díaz‐Perales A.
Published: October 2013

Background

Since intestinal absorption of food protein can trigger an allergic reaction, the effect of plant food allergen on intestinal epithelial cell permeability and its ability to cross the epithelial monolayer was evaluated.

Objective

To study the interaction of Pru p 3 with intestinal epithelium, its natural entrance, analyzing transport kinetics and cellular responses that trigger.

Methods

This was achieved using Pru p 3, the peach LTP, as a model. Enterocytic monolayers were established by culturing Caco 2 cells, as a model of enterocytes, on permeable supports that separate the apical and basal compartments. Pru p 3 was added to the apical compartment, the transepithelial resistance (TEER) was measured, and the transport was quantified.

Results

The peach allergen that crossed the cell monolayer was detected in the cell fraction and in the basal medium by immunodetection with specific antibodies and the quantity was measured by ELISA assay. Pru p 3 was able to cross the monolayer without disturbing the integrity of the tight junctions. This transport was significantly higher than that of a non‐allergenic peach LTP, LTP1, and occurred via lipid raft pathway. The incubation of Caco 2 cells with Pru p 3 and LTP1 produced the expression of epithelial‐specific cytokines TSLP, IL33 and IL25.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Pru p 3 was able to cross the cell monolayer by the transcellular route and then induce the production of Th2 cytokines. The results of the present study represent a step towards clarifying the importance of Pru p 3 as a sensitizer.

Clinical relevance

The capacity of food allergens to cross the intestinal monolayer could explain their high allergenic capacity and its fast diffusion through the body associating to severe symptoms.
Comparison ofSLA®orSLActive®implants placed in the maxillary sinus with or without synthetic bone graft materials – an animal study in sheep
Authors: Philipp Alexander , Duncan Warwick , Roos Malgorzata , Hämmerle Christoph H. , Attin Thomas , Schmidlin Patrick R.
Published: October 2013

Aims

To assess the influence of an activated implant surface and a synthetic graft material in the maxillary sinus in combination with sinus floor elevation on bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC) as compared to implants with conventional surfaces.

Material and methods

In 16 sheep, sinus bone augmentation was performed using a synthetic bone graft material according to the methods described by Haas et al (Clinical Oral Implants Research,9, 1998, 107;Clinical Oral Implants Research,13, 2002, 396). Another 16 sheep received a sinus floor elevation procedure without graft material. Using a paired design, in one sinus of each animal, a conventional implant was placed, whereas an implant with activated surface was placed in the other. Eight animals of each group were sacrificed at 12 weeks and the others at 26 weeks after surgery. Histological analysis was performed to analyseBIC. Results were statistically compared at a significance level ofP < 0.05.

Results

After 12 weeks, theBICfor conventional and activated implants with or without graft showed comparable results, with mean values of 14.8%, 16.5%, 21.5% and 20.1% (P > 0.05). For ungrafted sinuses after 26 weeks, no increase inBICwas recorded (12.1% conventional surface, 15.8% activated surface;P > 0.05). In grafted sinuses after 26 weeks, mean values increased to 28.7% for conventional and 34.1% for activated implants (P = 0.014;P = 0.015). However, onlyBICof the latter was statistically significantly higher compared with ungrafted sinuses (P = 0.038).

Conclusion

After 12 weeks of healing, neither grafting nor implant type seemed to influenceBIC. Use of an activated implant surface did not increaseBICwhen compared with a conventional implant. The synthetic graft seemed to improveBICvalues after 26 weeks.
Adaptive Comanagement of a Marine Protected Area Network in Fiji
Authors: WEEKS REBECCA , JUPITER STACY D.
Published: October 2013

Adaptive management of natural resources is an iterative process of decision making whereby management strategies are progressively changed or adjusted in response to new information. Despite an increasing focus on the need for adaptive conservation strategies, there remain few applied examples. We describe the 9‐year process of adaptive comanagement of a marine protected area network in Kubulau District, Fiji. In 2011, a review of protected area boundaries and management rules was motivated by the need to enhance management effectiveness and the desire to improve resilience to climate change. Through a series of consultations, with the Wildlife Conservation Society providing scientific input to community decision making, the network of marine protected areas was reconfigured so as to maximize resilience and compliance. Factors identified as contributing to this outcome include well‐defined resource‐access rights; community respect for a flexible system of customary governance; long‐term commitment and presence of comanagement partners; supportive policy environment for comanagement; synthesis of traditional management approaches with systematic monitoring; and district‐wide coordination, which provided a broader spatial context for adaptive‐management decision making.

Co‐Manejo Adaptativo de una Red de Áreas Marinas Protegidas en Fiyi
BRAF mutation is associated with distinct clinicopathological characteristics in colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Clancy C. , Burke J. P. , Kalady M. F. , Coffey J. C.
Published: October 2013

Aim

Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease with multiple underlying genetic mutations resulting in different phenotypes. Mutation in the v‐Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) proto‐oncogene is an important event in the methylator pathway. There is no consensus, however, on the clinicopathological characteristics associated with BRAF mutation.

Method

A comprehensive search for published studies examining the effect of BRAF mutation on colorectal cancer was performed. Random effects methods were used to combine data.

Results

Data were retrieved from 21 studies describing 9885 patients. BRAF associated colorectal cancer is associated with proximal tumour location (OR 5.222, 95% CI 3.801–7.174, P < 0.001), T4 tumours (OR 1.761, 95% CI 1.164–2.663, P = 0.007) and poor differentiation (OR 3.816, 95% CI 2.714–5.365, P < 0.001) and is negatively associated with male sex (OR 0.623, 95% CI 0.505–0.769, P < 0.001), age of diagnosis under 60 years (OR 0.453, 95% CI 0.280–0.733, P = 0.001) and rectal cancer (OR 0.266, 95% CI 0.122–0.422, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

BRAF mutation appears to be associated with distinct, unfavourable clinicopathological characteristics in colorectal cancer.
Clinicopathologic analysis of 66 Japanese thin melanomas with metastasis of sentinel or regional lymph node
Authors: Mori Mayumi , Sugiura Mitsuhiro , Kono Michihiro , Matsumoto Takaaki , Sawada Masaki , Yokota Kenji , Yasue Satoshi , Shibata Shinichi , Sakakibara Akihiro , Nakamura Shigeo , Tomita Yasushi , Akiyama Masashi
Published: October 2013

Background

Assessment of sentinel lymph node status is commonly performed in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma. However, there are no definite guidelines for thin melanomas with Breslow tumor thickness <1.0 mm, in part because thin melanomas are relatively infrequently positive for lymph node metastasis.

Methods

We analyzed the clinicopathologic relationship among tumor thickness, mitotic index, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), tumor size, regional lymph node metastasis and prognosis in 66 Japanese patients with thin melanomas. Immunohistochemical evaluations for TIL were also performed.

Results

Thirty‐one of the 66 melanomas were Clark level I without lymph node metastasis (0/31, 0%). In tumors of Clark level II or higher (35/66), there were five (14%) regional lymph node metastasis. Melanomas with two or more mitoses in 1 mm2 per high‐power fields showed higher frequencies of lymph node metastasis (2/3, 67%), compared to those with fewer than two mitoses (3/32, 9%). Tumors with intensive TIL that partially or completely surrounded the tumor revealed higher frequencies of lymph node metastasis (5/28, 18%), compared to those with none or slight TIL (0/7, 0%). The main components of TIL were CD8‐positive T lymphocytes. No metastasized tumors were under 2.0 cm2.

Conclusions

The presence of mitotic activity, large tumor size and an intense lymphocytic infiltrate should prompt sentinel lymph node biopsy in thin melanomas.
Smoldering multiple myeloma: present position and potential promises
Authors: Tageja Nishant , Manasanch Elisabet E. , Korde Neha , Kwok Mary , Mailankody Sham , Bhutani Manisha , Roschewski Mark , Landgren Ola
Published: October 2013

Since smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) was first described over three decades ago based on a case series of six patients, its definition and our understanding of the entity have evolved considerably. The risk of progression to symptomatic myeloma (MM) varies greatly among individuals diagnosed with myeloma precursor disease. Epidemiologic, molecular, flow cytometric and radiological techniques have demonstrated that this transformation to MM from precursor states is not sudden but rather a continuous overlapping series of events with evidence of end‐organ damage that could manifest in the earliest stages of disease. Contemporary antimyeloma therapies can yield rapid, deep, and durable responses with manageable toxicities, and molecular‐cell‐based measures are now available to rule out minimal residual disease. With this information, clinical studies with correlative measures can now be developed to test the fundamental hypothesis that intervention in early myeloma may provide a measurable clinical benefit to patients by either delaying progression or eradicating plasma cell clones.
Defining and Measuring College and Career Readiness: A Validation Framework
Authors: Camara Wayne
Published: October 2013

This article reviews the intended uses of these college‐ and career‐readiness assessments with the goal of articulating an appropriate validity argument to support such uses. These assessments differ fundamentally from today's state assessments employed for state accountability. Current assessments are used to determine if students have mastered the knowledge and skills articulated in state standards; content standards, performance levels, and student impact often differ across states. College‐ and career‐readiness assessments will be used to determine if students are prepared to succeed in postsecondary education. Do students have a high probability of academic success in college or career‐training programs? As with admissions, placement, and selection tests, the primary interpretations that will be made from test scores concern future performance. Statistical evidence between test scores and performance in postsecondary education will become an important form of evidence. A validation argument should first define the construct (college and career readiness) and then define appropriate criterion measures. This article reviews alternative definitions and measures of college and career readiness and contrasts traditional standard‐setting methods with empirically based approaches to support a validation argument.
Efficacy of a trauma‐focused treatment approach for dental phobia: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Doering Stephan , Ohlmeier Marie‐Christin , de Jongh Ad , Hofmann Arne , Bisping Vanessa
Published: October 2013

It has been hypothesized that treatment specifically focused on resolving memories of negative dental events might be efficacious for the alleviation of anxiety in patients with dental phobia. Thirty‐one medication‐free patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐IV‐TR) criteria of dental phobia were randomly assigned to either Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) or a waitlist control condition. Dental anxiety was assessed using the Dental Anxiety Questionnaire (DAS), the Dental Fear Survey (DFS), a behavior test, and dental attendance at 1‐yr of follow up. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing was associated with significant reductions of dental anxiety and avoidance behavior as well as in symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effect sizes for the primary outcome measures were d = 2.52 (DAS) and d = 1.87 (DFS). These effects were still significant 3 months (d = 3.28 and d = 2.28, respectively) and 12 months (d = 3.75 and d = 1.79, respectively) after treatment. After 1 yr, 83.3% of the patients were in regular dental treatment (d = 3.20). The findings suggest that therapy aimed at processing memories of past dental events can be helpful for patients with dental phobia.
Equine piroplasmosis: An updated review
Authors: Tamzali Y.
Published: October 2013

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick‐borne protozoal disease. The causative agents are Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. Horses infected with T. equi remain carriers for life. Iatrogenic means can also be factors for transmission. Typical clinical signs of acute EP can include fever, anorexia, anaemia, icterus, congested mucous membranes, tachypnoea and tachycardia, sweating, and limb and supraorbital oedema. In severe cases, haemoglobinuria and bilirubinuria are present as well as a variety of atypical presentations due to organ damage and dysfunction. Because clinical pathology is not specific of EP, accurate diagnosis requires specific diagnostic tests. The value and the pertinence of blood smears, polymerase chain reaction and serological tests are presented. Imidocarb propionate is considered as the drug of choice against EP. However, treatment strategies differ greatly between endemic and nonendemic regions. In endemic regions the goal is to reduce clinical disease because premunition plays an important role in the protection of horses, while in nonendemic regions the goal of treatment is to eliminate the risk of transmission with sterilising treatment protocols. As there is no effective vaccine available to date, prevention relies mainly on drug therapy, restriction in the movement of infected horses, and control of tick vectors.
Dynamic epiglottic retroversion in six adult horses: A good example of dynamic endoscopy and critical thinking
Authors: Ahern B.
Published: October 2013

See also article by Terrón‐Canedo and Franklin
Moose (Alces alces) reacts to high summer temperatures by utilizing thermal shelters in boreal forests – an analysis based on airborne laser scanning of the canopy structure at moose locations
Authors: Melin Markus , Matala Juho , Mehtätalo Lauri , Tiilikainen Raisa , Tikkanen Olli‐Pekka , Maltamo Matti , Pusenius Jyrki , Packalen Petteri
Published: October 2013

The adaptation of different species to warming temperatures has been increasingly studied. Moose (Alces alces) is the largest of the ungulate species occupying the northern latitudes across the globe, and in Finland it is the most important game species. It is very well adapted to severe cold temperatures, but has a relatively low tolerance to warm temperatures. Previous studies have documented changes in habitat use by moose due to high temperatures. In many of these studies, the used areas have been classified according to how much thermal cover they were assumed to offer based on satellite/aerial imagery data. Here, we identified the vegetation structure in the areas used by moose under different thermal conditions. For this purpose, we used airborne laser scanning (ALS) data extracted from the locations of GPS‐collared moose. This provided us with detailed information about the relationships between moose and the structure of forests it uses in different thermal conditions and we were therefore able to determine and differentiate between the canopy structures at locations occupied by moose during different thermal conditions. We also discovered a threshold beyond which moose behaviour began to change significantly: as day temperatures began to reach 20 °C and higher, the search for areas with higher and denser canopies during daytime became evident. The difference was clear when compared to habitat use at lower temperatures, and was so strong that it provides supporting evidence to previous studies, suggesting that moose are able to modify their behaviour to cope with high temperatures, but also that the species is likely to be affected by warming climate.
The Scrutinized Priest: Women in the Church of England Negotiating Professional and Sacred Clothing Regimes
Authors: Page Sarah‐Jane
Published: October 2013

This article examines the integration of women priests in the Church of England through the lens of dress. Clothing is a salient dynamic in occupational cultures, particularly in relation to the regulation of gendered bodies. Women's ordination to the priesthood was only sanctioned in 1992. Complex clothing regimes are negotiated, for ordination bestows upon the priest certain clothing rights and responsibilities. However, such attire has traditionally been associated only with the male body, creating tension in relation to women's appropriation of this sacred and professional dress. Based on in‐depth interviews with 17 Anglican clergy women, this article will focus both on the scrutiny the women experienced in relation to their clothing choices, as well as the relationship the women themselves negotiated with their clothes. It will be argued that as representatives of both a sacred and professional domain, clothing had to be carefully managed by clergy. Dress functioned as a key test in women's integration into the organization, often operating as a constraining and exclusionary mechanism.
HIV‐1 drug resistance prevalence, drug susceptibility and variant characterization in the Jacobi Medical Center paediatric cohort, Bronx, NY, USA
Authors: de Mulder M , York VA , Wiznia AA , Michaud HA , Nixon DF , Holguin A , Rosenberg MG
Published: October 2013

Objectives

With the advent of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), perinatally HIV‐infected children are surviving into adolescence and beyond. However, drug resistance mutations (DRMs) compromise viral control, affecting the long‐term effectiveness of ART. The aims of this study were to detect and identify DRMs in a HIV‐1 infected paediatric cohort.

Methods

Paired plasma and dried blood spots (DBSs) specimens were obtained from HIV‐1 perinatally infected patients attending the Jacobi Medical Center, New York, USA. Clinical, virological and immunological data for these patients were analysed. HIV‐1 pol sequences were generated from samples to identify DRMs according to the International AIDS Society (IAS) 2011 list.

Results

Forty‐seven perinatally infected patients were selected, with a median age of 17.7 years, of whom 97.4% were carrying subtype B. They had a mean viral load of 3143 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL and a mean CD4 count of 486 cells/μL at the time of sampling. Nineteen patients (40.4%) had achieved undetectable viraemia (< 50 copies/mL) and 40.5% had a CD4 count of > 500 cells/μL. Most of the patients (97.9%) had received cART, including protease inhibitor (PI)‐based regimens in 59.6% of cases.

The DRM prevalence was 54.1, 27.6 and 27.0% for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), PIs and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), respectively. Almost two‐thirds (64.9%) of the patients harboured DRMs to at least one drug class and 5.4% were triple resistant. The mean nucleotide similarity between plasma and DBS sequences was 97.9%. Identical DRM profiles were present in 60% of plasma−DBS paired sequences. A total of 30 DRMs were detected in plasma and 26 in DBSs, with 23 present in both.

Conclusions

Although more perinatally HIV‐1‐infected children are reaching adulthood as a result of advances in cART, our study cohort presented a high prevalence of resistant viruses, especially viruses resistant to NRTIs. DBS specimens can be used for DRM detection.
The ‘Meanings’ of Female Staff in Male Therapeutic Community Prisons: Gender as Symbolism and Specialism
Authors: Stevens Alisa
Published: October 2013

Informed by observations of, and interviews with, male prisoners and female staff, this article proposes that women working in democratic therapeutic communities (TCs) are credited by prisoners with two ‘meanings’: as symbolic representatives of familial and intimate nurturers and as gender specialists. The former allows for the emergence of transference relationships, which invites analysis of prior, present, and prospective attachments. The latter enables the communication and translation of ‘the woman's perspective’, which encourages the development of empathy. Both increase appreciation, and advance reduction, of male offenders' risk factors. Accordingly, the gender of female staff represents a significant rehabilitative resource.
Oral health status and behaviours of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a case–control study
Authors: El Khatib Amira A. , El Tekeya Magda M. , El Tantawi Maha A. , Omar Tarek
Published: October 2013

Background

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neuro‐developmental disorder characterized by abnormalities in social interactions and communication and by stereotyped, repetitive activities.

Purpose

Assess the oral health status and behaviours of children with ASD.

Methods

The study included 100 children with ASD and 100 healthy children from Alexandria, Egypt. Data were collected using a questionnaire and clinical examination. Questionnaire assessed socio‐demographics, medical history, dental history, oral hygiene, dietary habits, and presence of self‐injurious behaviours. Clinical examination assessed behaviour during examination, gingival condition, plaque accumulation, caries, and other oral conditions.

Results

Children with ASD had significantly poorer oral hygiene and gingival condition than healthy children (P < 0.001 for both). No significant differences were found in caries prevalence or experience in primary or permanent dentition. More children with ASD behaved ‘negatively’ or ‘definitely negatively’ (37% and 11%) than did healthy controls (11% and 2%) (P < 0.0001). Self‐injurious behaviour and bruxism were more practised by children with ASD (32% of children with ASD and 2% of healthy children, P < 0.001). More children with ASD had difficulty in accessing dental care (P = 0.002).

Conclusions

The oral condition of children with ASD might increase the risk of developing dental diseases. Their behaviour and life factors may complicate provision of services and limit access to dental care. Therefore, individualized oral health education programmes should be implemented for those children.
Host plant availability potentially limits butterfly distributions under cold environmental conditions
Authors: Hanspach Jan , Schweiger Oliver , Kühn Ingolf , Plattner Matthias , Pearman Peter B. , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Settele Josef
Published: October 2013

Species ranges are shaped by both climatic factors and interactions with other species. The stress gradient hypothesis predicts that under physiologically stressful environmental conditions abiotic factors shape range edges while in less stressful environments negative biotic interactions are more important. Butterflies provide a suitable system to test this hypothesis since larvae of most species depend on biotic interactions with a specific set of host plants, which in turn can shape patterns of occurrence and distribution. Here we modelled the distribution of 92 butterfly and 136 host plant species with three different modelling algorithms, using distribution data from the Swiss biodiversity monitoring scheme at a 1 × 1 km spatial resolution. By comparing the ensemble prediction for each butterfly species and the corresponding host plant(s), we assessed potential constraints imposed by host plant availability on distribution of butterflies at their distributional limits along the main environmental gradient, which closely parallels an elevational gradient. Our results indicate that host limitation does not play a role at the lower limit. At the upper limit 50% of butterfly species have a higher elevational limit than their primary host plant, and 33% have upper elevational limits that exceed the limits of both primary and secondary hosts. We conclude that host plant limitation was not relevant to butterfly distributional limits in less stressful environments and that distributions are more likely limited by climate, land use or antagonistic biotic interactions. Obligatory dependency of butterflies on their host plants, however, seems to represent an important limiting factor for the distribution of some species towards the cold, upper end of the environmental gradient, suggesting that biotic factors can shape ranges in stressful environments. Thus, predictions by the stress gradient hypothesis were not always applicable.