bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Predictive Sciences
Authors: Lehoux Daryn
Published: October 2015

This article examines the science and folklore of Greek and Roman methods of weather prediction, dividing techniques into astrometeorological practices (those that looked at the motions of the stars and planets to predict the weather) and “Theophrastan” practices (those that looked at signs on earth or in the atmosphere, from the behavior of animals to the colors of clouds). It includes some discussion of how and when the ancients thought about the causal links between both kinds of signs and the ensuing weather, and discusses the uses of weather prediction in agriculture and seafaring, and its place in ancient didactic literature.
Burmese Buddhist Politics
Authors: Walton Matthew J.
Published: October 2015

This article looks thematically at several important aspects of Buddhist politics in Myanmar, from the precolonial period to the present. It considers a number of arguments regarding the use of Buddhism in both supporting and opposing political authority, especially as they are rooted in a dualistic conception of human nature. It presents several examples of Burmese Buddhist political thought that creatively combine traditional Buddhist ideas with other political ideologies and practices, revealing a once-vibrant tradition that will hopefully be revitalized with the country’s current political transition. The role of monks in politics is controversial in Myanmar, and the article looks at some of the unique aspects of monastic activism, using examples from the 2007 “Saffron Revolution” and the current anti-Muslim Buddhist nationalist movements. Finally, it offers several different strands of democratic thought, including a provocative Burmese Buddhist notion of “moral democracy.”
Early Enteral Nutrition in Children With Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Abu‐El‐Haija Maisam , Wilhelm Rebecca , Heinzman Christie , Siqueira Bruna Nabuco Freire , Zou Yuanshu , Fei Lin , Cole Conrad R.
Published: October 2015

Nutrition is an integral part of acute pancreatitis (AP) management and is not adequately studied in pediatrics. The goal from the present study was to evaluate the effect of nutrition and fat content on the length of stay and pain severity in patients with AP. This is a retrospective review of our nutrition database between May 1, 2014 and December 1, 2014. Pain levels were similar between patients who were allowed to feed and patients kept nill per os. Higher fat intake grams per kilogram per day was associated with significantly lower pain scores. Early feeds are feasible in pediatric patients with AP. Pain was not increased in the group that had more fat in their diet.
A process-output classification for customer participation in services
Authors: Dong Beibei , Sivakumar K.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a classification for customer participation (CP) in services. Furthermore, it develops research propositions examining the moderating role of the proposed classification on the link between the magnitude of CP and service outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Building on the process-output framework, the paper explores the contingent nature of the effect of CP magnitude on service outcomes (satisfaction and efficiency).

Findings

– The research propositions suggest that specific output enhances the positive effect of CP magnitude on satisfaction but also intensifies the negative effect of CP magnitude on efficiency; conversely, generic output diminishes the positive effect of CP magnitude on satisfaction but mitigates the negative effect of CP magnitude on efficiency. The effect of CP magnitude on satisfaction is stronger for a structured participation process than for an unstructured process; while the negative effect of CP magnitude on efficiency is stronger for an unstructured participation process than for a structured process. Further, process structure has an asymmetric enhancing effect on the negative link between CP magnitude and efficiency such that the enhancing effect of process structure is stronger for specific output than for generic output; likewise, process structure has an asymmetric enhancing effect on the positive link between CP magnitude and satisfaction such that the enhancing effect of structure is stronger for generic output than for specific output.

Research limitations/implications

– The research provides a conceptual approach to classify CP. Further research can focus on empirical validation as well as expanding the scope and variables examined.

Practical implications

– The research points to guidelines to structure CP activities based on the nature of the participation process and the type of service output to achieve the competing goals of customer satisfaction and efficiency.

Originality/value

– The proposed classification offers a new method to visualize CP in services. The framework is applicable to a wide variety of services, service contexts, and resources contributed by customers during their participation.
Effects of Lowering Dialysate Calcium Concentration on Mineral and Bone Disorders in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients: Conversion from 3.0 mEq/L to 2.75 mEq/L
Authors: Yamada Shunsuke , Ueki Kenji , Tokumoto Masanori , Suehiro Takaichi , Kimura Hiroshi , Taniguchi Masatomo , Fujimi Satoru , Kitazono Takanari , Tsuruya Kazuhiko
Published: October 2015

Selection of a lower dialysate calcium concentration (DCa) can reduce calcium burden and prevent vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients. However, decreased DCa can worsen mineral and bone disorders. This 1‐year retrospective observational study evaluated 121 hemodialysis patients at Fukuoka Renal Clinic who underwent conversion of DCa from 3.0 mEq/L to 2.75 mEq/L. The primary outcomes were changes in serum levels of calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone (PTH). The effects of baseline serum calcium and PTH levels on changes in biochemical parameters were also determined. One year after DCa conversion, mean serum calcium level decreased, while serum phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, and PTH concentrations increased. The rate of achievement of target PTH was higher in patients with lower serum PTH level at baseline, while patients with higher baseline serum PTH level tended to exceed the upper limit of the PTH target range. Patients with higher baseline serum calcium concentration showed a greater decrease in serum calcium level and a greater increase in serum PTH level at 1 year. Patients with a lower baseline serum PTH level can benefit from optimal PTH control following conversion of DCa from 3.0 mEq/L to 2.75 mEq/L. However, secondary hyperparathyroidism may be exacerbated in some patients with higher baseline serum calcium (Ca) and PTH levels. These results indicate that an individualized approach can maximize the benefits of Ca unloading after conversion to lower DCa.
THE COMPANY YOU KEEP? THE SPILLOVER EFFECTS OF GANG MEMBERSHIP ON INDIVIDUAL GUNSHOT VICTIMIZATION IN A CO‐OFFENDING NETWORK
Authors: PAPACHRISTOS ANDREW V. , BRAGA ANTHONY A. , PIZA ERIC , GROSSMAN LEIGH S.
Published: October 2015

The effects of gang membership on individual social, behavior, cognitive, and health outcomes are well documented. Yet, research consistently has shown that gang membership and the boundaries of gangs are often fluid and amorphous. The current study examines how social proximity to a gang member in one's co‐offending network influences the probability of being a gunshot victim. We re‐create and analyze the social network of all individuals who were arrested, summonsed for a quality‐of‐life violation, and subjected to noncustodial police contacts in Newark, New Jersey, during a 1‐year time period (N = 10,531). A descriptive network analysis finds an extreme concentration of fatal and nonfatal gunshot injuries within a small social network: Nearly one third of all shootings in Newark occur in a network that contains less than 4 percent of the city's total population. Furthermore, a series of logistic regression models finds that being directly or indirectly linked to a gang member in one's co‐offending network has a significant effect on one's probability of being a gunshot victim. Implications of these findings for the study of gangs, gun violence, and a public health approach to violence are discussed.
Patterns of IgE sensitization in house dust mite‐allergic patients: implications for allergen immunotherapy
Authors: Batard T. , Baron‐Bodo V. , Martelet A. , Le Mignon M. , Lemoine P. , Jain K. , Mariano S. , Horiot S. , Chabre H. , Harwanegg C. , Marquette C. A. , Corgier B. P. , Soh W. T. , Satitsuksanoa P. , Jacquet A. , Chew F. T. , Nony E. , Moingeon P.
Published: October 2015

Background

Understanding patterns of IgE sensitization in Dermatophagoides‐allergic patients living in various geographical areas is necessary to design a product suitable for worldwide allergen immunotherapy (AIT).

Methods

Using a HIFI Allergy customized microarray assay, IgEs specific for 12 purified allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or D. farinae were assessed in sera from 1302 house dust mite (HDM)‐allergic patients living in various areas. Comprehensive mass spectrometric (MS) analyses were conducted to characterize HDM extracts, as well as purified bodies and feces.

Results

Patterns of IgE reactivity to HDM allergens are comparable in all cohorts of patients analyzed, encompassing adults and 5‐ to 17‐year‐old children, as well as American, Canadian, European, and Japanese patients. Overall, >70% and >80% of HDM‐allergic patients are sensitized to group 1 and group 2 allergens, respectively, from D. pteronyssinus and/or D. farinae species. Furthermore, 20–47% of patients also have IgEs to allergens from groups 4, 5, 7, 13, 15, 21, and 23. All patients have IgEs to allergens present in mite bodies and feces. MS‐based analyses confirmed the presence of mite allergens recorded by IUIS in D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae extracts, with groups 2, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 20 prominent in bodies and groups 1, 6, 18, and 23 well represented in feces.

Conclusions

Mite‐specific AIT should rely upon a mixture of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae extracts, manufactured from both feces and bodies. Such a combination is appropriate to treat children and adult Dermatophagoides‐allergic patients from Asia, Europe, and North America.
Alternative regimens of magnesium sulfate for treatment of preeclampsia and eclampsia: a systematic review of non‐randomized studies
Authors: Pratt Jeremy J. , Niedle Polina S. , Vogel Joshua P. , Oladapo Olufemi T. , Bohren Meghan , Tunçalp Özge , Gülmezoglu Ahmet Metin
Published: October 2015

Introduction

The optimal dosing regimen of magnesium sulfate for treating preeclampsia and eclampsia is unclear. Evidence from the Cochrane review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was inconclusive due to lack of relevant data.

Material and methods

To complement the evidence from the Cochrane review, we assessed available data from non‐randomized studies on the comparative efficacy and safety of alternative magnesium sulfate regimens for the management of preeclampsia and eclampsia. Sources included Medline, EMBASE, Popline, CINAHL, Global Health Library, African Index Medicus, Biological abstract, BIOSIS and reference lists of eligible studies. We selected non‐randomized study designs including quasi‐RCTs, cohort, case‐control and cross‐sectional studies that compared magnesium sulfate regimens in women with preeclampsia or eclampsia.

Results

Of 6178 citations identified, 248 were reviewed in full text and five studies of low to very low quality were included. Compared with standard regimens, lower‐dose regimens appeared equally as good in terms of preventing seizures [odds ratio (OR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–2.28, 899 women, four studies], maternal morbidity (OR 0.47, 95%CI 0.32–0.71, 796 women, three studies), and fetal and/or neonatal mortality (OR 0.87, 95%CI 0.38–2.00, 800 women, four studies). Comparison of loading dose only with maintenance dose regimens showed no differences in seizure rates (OR 0.99, 95%CI 0.22–4.50, 146 women, two studies), maternal morbidity (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0.15–1.93, 146 women, two studies), maternal mortality (OR 0.63, 95%CI 0.05–7.50, 146 women, two studies), and fetal and/or neonatal mortality (OR 0.49, 95%CI 0.23–1.03, 146 women, two studies).

Conclusion

Lower‐dose and loading dose‐only regimens could be as safe and efficacious as standard regimens; however, this evidence comes from low to very low quality studies and further high quality studies are needed.
Changes in dental fear among Finnish adults: a national survey
Authors: Liinavuori Arja , Tolvanen Mimmi , Pohjola Vesa , Lahti Satu
Published: October 2015

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in dental fear among adult Finns aged 19 years and over at the beginning of the study in 2000–2011 in a nationally representative sample.

Methods

The study was based on Health 2000 and 2011 Surveys by the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland. The Health 2000 Survey used a stratified two‐stage cluster sampling design (N = 9 922). Those who participated in 2000 (n = 7 964) were invited to participate in 2011. The number of participants was 3 961. Dental fear was assessed by a single question: ‘How afraid are you of visiting a dentist?’ (not at all, somewhat, very much). Background variables included were age (categories 30–34, 35–39, 40–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–74, 75+ years), gender, marital status (nonsingle, single), and education (basic, secondary, higher). To match the population sizes in different areas and thus forming a nationally representative data, the data were weighted based on age, gender, and area. General linear modeling for repeated measures was used to evaluate changes in dental fear and associations with background variables.

Results

Between 2000 and 2011, dental fear decreased more often than increased among adults in Finland. Change from being very afraid to not at all afraid of visiting a dentist was most common in the oldest group. For most participants, dental fear remained stable; being very afraid of visiting a dentist was more stable among participants from 35 to 54 years of age than among younger or older participants.

Conclusions

Dental fear is still common among adult Finns and it seems to depend on age. As the most obvious consequence of dental fear is avoidance of dental care, reducing dental fear should be taken into account when planning and reorienting oral healthcare services.
Financial costs for families of children with Type 1 diabetes in lower‐income countries
Authors: Ogle G. D. , Kim H. , Middlehurst A. C. , Silink M. , Jenkins A. J.
Published: October 2015

Aims

To assess the direct costs of necessary consumables for minimal care of a child with Type 1 diabetes in countries where the public health system does not regularly provide such care.

Methods

Supply costs were collected between January 2013 and February 2015 from questionnaires submitted by centres requesting International Diabetes Federation Life for a Child Program support. All 20 centres in 15 countries agreed to the use of their responses. Annual costs for minimal care were estimated for: 18 × 10 ml 100 IU/ml insulin, 1/3 cost of a blood glucose meter, two blood glucose test strips/day, two syringes/week, and four HbA1c tests/year. Costs were expressed in US dollars, and as % of gross national income (purchasing power parity) per capita.

Results

The ranges (median) for the minimum supply costs through the private system were: insulin 10 ml 100 IU/ml equivalent vial: $5.10–$25 ($8.00); blood glucose meter: $15–$121 ($33.33); test strip: $0.15–$1.20 ($0.50); syringe: $0.10–$0.56 ($0.20); and HbA1c: $4.90–$20 ($9.75). Annual costs ranged from $255 (Pakistan) to $1,185 (Burkina Faso), with a median of $553. Annual % gross national income costs were 12–370% (median 56%). For the lowest 20% income earners the annual cost ranged 20–1535% (median 153%). St Lucia and Mongolia were the only countries whose governments consistently provided insulin. No government provided meters and strips, which were the most expensive supplies (62% of total cost).

Conclusions

In less‐resourced countries, even minimal care is beyond many families’ means. In addition, families face additional costs such as consultations, travel and indirect costs. Action to prevent diabetes‐related death and morbidity is needed.
Open‐label randomized non‐inferiority trial of a fixed‐dose combination of glimepiride and atorvastatin for the treatment of people whose Type 2 diabetes is uncontrolled on metformin
Authors: Ambery P. , Stylianou A. , Atkinson G. , Dott C. , Baylor Curtis L. , Haque N. , LaCroix K. , Min K. W. ,   on behalf of the Glimepiride/Atorvastatin Investigational Team
Published: October 2015

Aims

To evaluate, in a randomized, open‐label study, the non‐inferiority of a bioequivalent fixed‐dose combination of glimepiride and atorvastatin vs. separately co‐administered tablets in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

Participants with HbA1c ≥ 53 to < 80 mmol/mol (≥ 7.0 to < 9.5%), average fasting blood glucose > 7.0 mmol/l, who were on metformin for ≥ 3 months, were randomized to combination (n = 215) or co‐administered glimepiride and atorvastatin (n = 212) once daily for 20 weeks. Up‐titration of glimepiride (1–4 mg) and atorvastatin (10–20 mg) were based on average fasting blood glucose and LDL cholesterol, respectively. Co‐primary endpoints were change from baseline to week 20 in HbA1c and LDL cholesterol.

Results

Non‐inferiority was demonstrated for both co‐primary endpoints: the upper limits of 95% CIs for differences (combination‐reference) were less than the prespecified margins of 3.3 mmol/mol (0.3%) for change from baseline in HbA1c [difference 0.1 mmol/mol (95% CI −1.6, 1.9); 0.01% (95% CI −0.15, 0.17)] and 6% for percentage change from baseline in LDL cholesterol [difference 0.87% (95% CI −2.47, 4.21)]. Similar proportions of participants on combination and reference had treatment‐emergent adverse events (64 vs. 61%). More participants on combination had hypoglycaemia (21 vs. 13%); most events were considered by the treating physician to be unrelated to study drug.

Conclusions

The combination was non‐inferior to separately co‐administered tablets and the safety profile was consistent with the known profiles of glimepiride and atorvastatin. The observed increase in hypoglycaemia on the combination cannot be explained, but may be attributable to non‐systematic collectiof glucose readings and may have been influenced by reporting bias in this open‐label trial.
Integration of genome‐wide association and extant brain expression QTL identifies candidate genes influencing prepulse inhibition in inbred F1 mice
Authors: Sittig L. J. , Carbonetto P. , Engel K. A. , Krauss K. S. , Palmer A. A.
Published: October 2015

Genetic association mapping in structured populations of model organisms can offer a fruitful complement to human genetic studies by generating new biological hypotheses about complex traits. Here we investigated prepulse inhibition (PPI), a measure of sensorimotor gating that is disrupted in a number of psychiatric disorders. To identify genes that influence PPI, we constructed a panel of half‐sibs by crossing 30 females from common inbred mouse strains with inbred C57BL/6J males to create male and female F1 offspring. We used publicly available single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data from these inbred strains to perform a genome‐wide association scan using a dense panel of over 150 000 SNPs in a combined sample of 604 mice representing 30 distinct F1 genotypes. We identified two independent PPI‐associated loci on Chromosomes 2 and 7, each of which explained 12–14% of the variance in PPI. Searches of available databases did not identify any plausible causative coding polymorphisms within these loci. However, previously collected expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) data from hippocampus and striatum indicated that the SNPs on Chromosomes 2 and 7 that showed the strongest association with PPI were also strongly associated with expression of several transcripts, some of which have been implicated in human psychiatric disorders. This integrative approach successfully identified a focused set of genes which can be prioritized for follow‐up studies. More broadly, our results show that F1 crosses among common inbred strains can be used in combination with other informatics and expression datasets to identify candidate genes for complex behavioral traits.
The lasting impact of early‐life adversity on individuals and their descendants: potential mechanisms and hope for intervention
Authors: Cowan C. S. M. , Callaghan B. L. , Kan J. M. , Richardson R.
Published: October 2015

The adverse effects of early‐life stress are pervasive, with well‐established mental and physical health consequences for exposed individuals. The impact of early adverse experiences is also highly persistent, with documented increases in risk for mental illness across the life span that are accompanied by stable alterations in neural function and hormonal responses to stress. Here, we review some of these ‘stress phenotypes’, with a focus on intermediary factors that may signal risk for long‐term mental health outcomes, such as altered development of the fear regulation system. Intriguingly, recent research suggests that such stress phenotypes may persist even beyond the life span of the individuals, with consequences for their offspring and grand‐offspring. Phenotypic characteristics may be transmitted to future generations via either the matriline or the patriline, a phenomenon that has been demonstrated in both human and animal studies. In this review, we highlight behavioral and epigenetic factors that may contribute to this multigenerational transmission and discuss the potential of various treatment approaches that may halt the cycle of stress phenotypes.
In search of predictive endophenotypes in addiction: insights from preclinical research
Authors: Belin D. , Belin‐Rauscent A. , Everitt B. J. , Dalley J. W.
Published: October 2015

Drug addiction is widely recognized to afflict some but not all individuals by virtue of underlying risk markers and traits involving multifaceted interactions between polygenic and external factors. Remarkably, only a small proportion of individuals exposed to licit and illicit drugs develop compulsive drug‐seeking behavior, maintained in the face of adverse consequences and associated detrimental patterns of drug intake involving extended and repeated bouts of binge intoxication, withdrawal and relapse. As a consequence, research has increasingly endeavored to identify distinctive neurobehavioral mechanisms and endophenotypes that predispose individuals to compulsive drug use. However, research in active drug users is hampered by the difficulty in categorizing putatively causal behavioral traits prior to the initiation of drug use. By contrast, research in experimental animals is often hindered by the validity of approaches used to investigate the neural and psychological mechanisms of compulsive drug‐seeking habits in humans. Herein, we survey and discuss the principal findings emanating from preclinical animal research on addiction and highlight how specific behavioral endophenotypes of presumed genetic origin (e.g. trait anxiety, novelty preference and impulsivity) differentially contribute to compulsive forms of drug seeking and taking and, in particular, how these differentiate between different classes of stimulant and non‐stimulant drugs of abuse.
Yellow tails in the Red Sea: phylogeography of the Indo‐Pacific goatfish Mulloidichthys flavolineatus reveals isolation in peripheral provinces and cryptic evolutionary lineages
Authors: Fernandez‐Silva Iria , Randall John E. , Coleman Richard R. , DiBattista Joseph D. , Rocha Luiz A. , Reimer James D. , Meyer Carl G. , Bowen Brian W.
Published: October 2015

Aim

Broadly distributed reef fishes tend to have high gene flow mediated by a pelagic larval phase. Here, we survey a reef‐associated fish distributed across half the tropical oceans, from the Red Sea to the central Pacific. Our goal is to determine whether genetic structure of the broadly distributed Yellowstripe Goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus) is defined by biogeographical barriers, or facilitated via larval dispersal.

Location

Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean

Methods

Specimens were obtained at 19 locations from the Red Sea to Hawai'i. Genetic data include mtDNA cytochrome b (n = 217) and 12 microsatellite loci (n = 185). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), structure, a parsimony network and coalescence analyses were used to resolve recent population history and connectivity.

Results

Population structure was significant (mtDNA ϕST = 0.68, P < 0.001; microsatellite FST = 0.08, P < 0.001), but mostly driven by samples from the North‐western (NW) Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea) and Hawai'i. There was little population structure across the Indian Ocean to the central Pacific. Hawai'i was distinguished as an isolated population (mtDNA ϕST = 0.03–0.08, P = n.s.; microsatellites FST = 0.05–0.10, P < 0.001). Specimens from the NW Indian Ocean clustered as a distinct phylogenetic lineage that diverged approximately 493 ka (d = 1.7%), which indicates that these fish persisted in isolation through several Pleistocene glacial cycles.

Main conclusions

These data reinforce the emerging themes that: (1) phylogeographical breaks within species often coincide with biogeographical breaks based on species distributions, and (2) populations on the periphery of the range (NW Indian Ocean and Hawai'i) are isolated and may be evolutionary incubators producing new species.
Differences in the relative roles of environment, prey availability and human activity in the spatial distribution of two marine mesopredators living in highly exploited ecosystems
Authors: Navarro Joan , Cardador Laura , Fernández Ángel M. , Bellido José M. , Coll Marta
Published: October 2015

Aim

Identifying the main factors affecting the spatial distribution of marine predators is essential in order to evaluate their distribution patterns, predict the potential impact of human activities on their populations and design accurate management actions. This information is also valuable from a more general management perspective, as marine predators are often considered indicators of habitat quality. In this context, we aimed to determine the degree to which environmental features, prey availability and human activities interact and influence spatial distribution of two marine mesopredator elasmobranchs, the small‐spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and the Mediterranean starry ray (Raja asterias), living in a highly human‐exploited environment.

Location

Mediterranean Sea.

Methods

With information obtained from an extended experimental survey, we investigated the relative importance of environmental variables, prey availability and human activities on the spatial distribution of the abundance, biomass and occurrence rate of these marine mesopredators using deviance partitioning analyses.

Results

Our results revealed that environmental variables were the most important factors explaining the spatial distribution of Mediterranean starry ray, whereas small‐spotted catshark distribution was also influenced by prey availability and human factors. From a management point of view, these findings suggest that Mediterranean starry ray could be a good candidate as an indicator species of demersal environmental quality. On the other hand, the distribution of the small‐spotted catshark, which responds in an interactive and complex way to environment, prey availability and particular human activities, may be misleading as an environmental indicator.

Main conclusions

The spatial distribution of elasmobranchs in highly human‐impacted marine areas can reflect the interactive and combined effects of multiple factors. To avoid misunderstandings, attention should be paid to statistical procedures allowing the separation of pure and joint contribution of the factors driving the observed spatial patterns.
Control of parental investment changes plastically over time with residual reproductive value
Authors: Takata M. , Doi H. , Thomas C. E. , Koyama S.
Published: October 2015

Evolutionary conflict between parents and offspring over parental resource investment is a significant selective force on the traits of both parents and offspring. Empirical studies have shown that for some species, the amount of parental investment is controlled by the parents, whereas in other species, it is controlled by the offspring. The main difference between these two strategies is the residual reproductive value of the parents or opportunities for future reproduction. Therefore, this could explain the patterns of control of parental investment at the species level. However, the residual reproductive value of the parents will change during their lifetime; therefore, parental influence on the amount of investment can be expected to change plastically. Here, we investigated control of parental investment when parents were young and had a high residual reproductive value, compared to when they were old and had a low residual reproductive value using a cross‐fostering experiment in the burying beetle Nicrophorus quadripunctatus. We found that parents exert greater control over parental investment when they are young, but parental control is weakened as the parents age. Our results demonstrate that control of parental investment is not fixed, but changes plastically during the parent's lifetime.
Preparedness for End of Life—a Survey of Jerusalem District Nursing Homes
Authors: Shaulov Adir , Frankel Meir , Rubinow Alan , Maaravi Yoram , Brezis Mayer
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the quality of end‐of‐life (EOL) care in nursing homes.

Design

Survey and semistructured interviews.

Setting

Jerusalem district nursing homes.

Participants

Staff members of 28 long‐term care and skilled nursing facilities in the Jerusalem area in Israel of various ethnic, religious, and administrative affiliations (N = 207).

Measurements

Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews and statistical analysis of questionnaires.

Results

Most staff members reported that EOL preferences were unknown for more than 90% of residents and that fewer than 10% had a healthcare proxy. Most staff members recalled conducting fewer than five EOL conversations over the past year with residents or family members and could recall fewer than five cases in which a resident was allowed to die in the nursing home. According to staff opinions the prevalence of tube feeding was estimated at greater than 10%, initiated because of aspiration, malnutrition, and understaffing, often against family's preferences. More than 25% of staff members believed that pain management was inadequate. Knowledge about management of chronic pain was poor in half of nurses and nearly one‐third of physicians. Most staff would rather not receive the treatments they administered to residents.

Conclusion

Nursing homes in Jerusalem lack competency for quality EOL care, and there are multiple psychological, training, and policy challenges to improvement.
Increase in Disability Prevalence Before Hip Fracture
Authors: Smith Alexander K. , Cenzer Irena Stijacic , John Boscardin W. , Ritchie Christine S. , Wallhagen Margaret L. , Covinsky Kenneth E.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To establish the prevalence and correlates of disability during the 2 years before hip fracture.

Design

Data from participants who experienced hip fracture in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) with hip fracture identified using linked Medicare claims. Each participant was interviewed at varying time points in the 2 years before hip fracture. Disability was defined as self‐report of the need for assistance in any activity of daily living (walking across the room, eating, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, transferring). Based on the timing between interview and hip fracture, prevalence of disability was calculated in the cohort as a whole over the 2 years before hip fracture and in subgroups defined according to demographic and clinical characteristics.

Setting

The HRS is a nationally representative longitudinal study (1992–2010).

Participants

HRS participants aged ≥65 with hip fracture (mean age at fracture 84, 77% female).

Results

The adjusted prevalence of disability was 20% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 14–25%) 2 years before hip fracture, with little change until approximately 10 months before fracture, when it started to rise, reaching 44% (95% CI = 33–55%) in the month before hip fracture. The prevalence of disability was highest in the last month before fracture for persons aged 85 and older (53%) and for those with dementia (60%).

Conclusion

Care models for hip fracture need to consider not only the acute medical and surgical needs, but also the high level of need for supportive care and caregiver assistance that chronically disabled individuals require.
Diabetes Mellitus Care Provided by Nurse Practitioners vs Primary Care Physicians
Authors: Kuo Yong‐Fang , Goodwin James S. , Chen Nai‐Wei , Lwin Kyaw K. , Baillargeon Jacques , Raji Mukaila A.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To compare processes and cost of care of older adults with diabetes mellitus cared for by nurse practitioners (NPs) with processes and cost of those cared for by primary care physicians (PCPs).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Primary care in communities.

Participants

Individuals with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in 2009 who received all their primary care from NPs or PCPs were selected from a national sample of Medicare beneficiaries (N = 64,354).

Measurements

Propensity score matching within each state was used to compare these two cohorts with regard to rate of eye examinations, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) testing, nephropathy monitoring, specialist consultation, and Medicare costs. The two groups were also compared regarding medication adherence and use of statins, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (for individuals with a diagnosis of hypertension), and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs).

Results

Nurse practitioners and PCPs had similar rates of LDL‐C testing (odds ratio (OR) = 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94–1.09) and nephropathy monitoring (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.98–1.03), but NPs had lower rates of eye examinations (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.84–0.93) and HbA1C testing (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79–0.98). NPs were more likely to have consulted cardiologists (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.21–1.37), endocrinologists (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.48–1.82), and nephrologists (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.67–2.17) and more likely to have prescribed PIMs (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01–1.12). There was no statistically significant difference in adjusted Medicare spending between the two groups (P = .56).

Conclusion

Nurse practitioners were similar to PCPs or slightly lower in their rates of diabetes mellitus guideline–concordant care. NPs used specialist consultations more often but had similar overall costs of care to PCPs.
Neuroprotective effects of levetiracetam target xCT in astrocytes in parkinsonian mice
Authors: Miyazaki Ikuko , Murakami Shinki , Torigoe Nao , Kitamura Yoshihisa , Asanuma Masato
Published: October 2015

Astrocytes but not neurons express cystine/glutamate exchange transporter (xCT), which takes up cystine, and consequently supplies the substrate for GSH synthesis in neurons. It is recognized that GSH synthesis in neurons is dependent on the expression of xCT in astrocytes. Previous studies reported that levetiracetam (LEV), an anti‐epileptic drug, increased xCT expression in vivo. The purpose of this study was to examine neuroprotective effects of LEV in parkinsonian models and demonstrate xCT in astrocytes as a target of neuroprotection against dopaminergic neurodegeneration. We identified striatal astrocytes cultured with LEV showed significant increase in xCT expression and GSH levels. Preincubation of primary cultured mesencephalic dopamine neurons with conditioned media from LEV‐treated astrocytes protected against 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA)‐induced neurotoxicity. These protective effects were canceled by xCT inhibitor. Furthermore, reduction of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in 6‐OHDA‐lesioned parkinsonian mice was significantly abrogated by repeated injections of LEV. Treatment with LEV significantly increased the expression of xCT in striatal astrocytes in the hemi‐parkinsonian mice. In conclusion, LEV exerts neuroprotective effects against neurodegeneration via up‐regulation of xCT and GSH in astrocytes. Thus, xCT in astrocytes could be a potential target in novel neuroprotective approaches to prevent degeneration of dopaminergic neurons.

image

Glutathione (GSH) is the most potent intrinsic antioxidant. Since extracellular cysteine is readily oxidized to form cystine, cystine transport mechanisms are essential to provide cells with cysteine. Cystine uptake is mediated by cystine/glutamate exchange transporter (xCT), expressed primarily on astrocytes, but not on neurons. Astrocytes take up cystine via xCT and reduce it to cysteine to supply cysteine, the substrate for GSH synthesis in neurons. This study demonstrated that levetiracetam (LEV), an anti‐epileptic drug, increased GSH in/from astrocytes via xCT up‐regulation. GSH derived from astrocytes protects dopamine neurons against neurotoxicity induced by dopaminergic neurotoxin 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA). Thus, xCT in astrocytes could be a potential target in novel neuroprotective approaches to prevent degeneration of dopaminergic neurons.
Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase regulates the synthesis of microtubule‐related proteins in neurons
Authors: Kenney Justin W. , Genheden Maja , Moon Kyung‐Mee , Wang Xuemin , Foster Leonard J. , Proud Christopher G.
Published: October 2015

Modulation of the elongation phase of protein synthesis is important for numerous physiological processes in both neurons and other cell types. Elongation is primarily regulated via eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K). However, the consequence of altering eEF2K activity on the synthesis of specific proteins is largely unknown. Using both pharmacological and genetic manipulations of eEF2K combined with two protein‐labeling techniques, stable isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture and bio‐orthogonal non‐canonical amino acid tagging, we identified a subset of proteins whose synthesis is sensitive to inhibition of eEF2K in murine primary cortical neurons. Gene ontology (GO) analyses indicated that processes related to microtubules are particularly sensitive to eEF2K inhibition. Our findings suggest that eEF2K likely contributes to neuronal function by regulating the synthesis of microtubule‐related proteins.

image

Modulation of the elongation phase of protein synthesis is important for numerous physiological processes in neurons. Here, using labeling of new proteins coupled with proteomic techniques in primary cortical neurons, we find that the synthesis of microtubule‐related proteins is up‐regulated by inhibition of elongation. This suggests that translation elongation is a key regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics in neurons.
Surgical anatomy and pathology of the middle ear
Authors: Luers Jan Christoffer , Hüttenbrink Karl‐Bernd
Published: October 2015

Middle ear surgery is strongly influenced by anatomical and functional characteristics of the middle ear. The complex anatomy means a challenge for the otosurgeon who moves between preservation or improvement of highly important functions (hearing, balance, facial motion) and eradication of diseases. Of these, perforations of the tympanic membrane, chronic otitis media, tympanosclerosis and cholesteatoma are encountered most often in clinical practice. Modern techniques for reconstruction of the ossicular chain aim for best possible hearing improvement using delicate alloplastic titanium prostheses, but a number of prosthesis‐unrelated factors work against this intent. Surgery is always individualized to the case and there is no one‐fits‐all strategy. Above all, both middle ear diseases and surgery can be associated with a number of complications; the most important ones being hearing deterioration or deafness, dizziness, facial palsy and life‐threatening intracranial complications. To minimize risks, a solid knowledge of and respect for neurootologic structures is essential for an otosurgeon who must train him‐ or herself intensively on temporal bones before performing surgery on a patient.
When is a Bedroom Not a Bedroom? Bringing a Space of Flows to the Design of Apartment Interiors in YO! Home
Authors: Chittenden Tara
Published: October 2015

An apartment is commonly seen as a place. Accepting it as a process, the act of creating and performing interiors becomes a collaborative flow involving designers, makers, and users. Simon Woodroffe, British entrepreneur, recognized what the dynamic performance spaces of the theater could bring to the design of residential interiors and in 2012 he launched YO! Home—his reconceptualization of the city center apartment, drawing on the mechanisms of stage design to create fluid and changeable interiors. The ability to create a number of credible interactive environments from a single cubic space offers much potential to design interiors that are responsive to the multiple daily needs of inhabitants, especially those who need to optimize every centimeter of space. YO! Home promotes a reappraisal of the role of design in relation to the expressive and transformative possibilities of an apartment interior at the stage of material conception. In so doing it demonstrates the possibility to provide homes for more people within the same residential footprint, but also that those “shoebox dwellers” can get a lot more interior for their space. In this paper, I draw on Castells’ concept of the space of flows as both metaphor and provocateur to help question the design of interiors that are shaped by the flows of inhabitants, and how these flows manifest in the prototype of YO! Home.
Ecological scaling laws link individual body size variation to population abundance fluctuation
Authors: Xu Meng
Published: October 2015

Scaling research has seen remarkable progress in the past several decades. Many scaling relationships were discovered within and across individual and population levels, such as species–abundance relationship, Taylor's law, and density mass allometry. However none of these established patterns incorporate individual variation in the formulation. Individual body size variation is a key evolutionary phenomenon and closely related to ecological diversity and species adaptation. Using a macroecological approach, I test 57 Long‐Term Ecological Research data sets and show that a power‐law and a generalized power‐law function describe well the mean‐variance scaling of individual body mass. This relationship connects Taylor's law and density mass allometry, and leads to a new scaling pattern between the individual body size variation and population abundance fluctuation, which is confirmed using freshwater fish and forest tree data. Underlying mechanisms and implications of the proposed scaling relationships are discussed. This synthesis shows that integration and extension of existing ecological laws can lead to the discovery of new scaling patterns and complete our understanding of the relation between individual trait and population abundance.

Synthesis

Scaling relationships are useful for community ecology as they reveal ubiquitous patterns across different levels of biological organizations. This work extends and integrates two existing scaling laws: Taylor's law and density‐mass allometry, and derives a new variance allometry between individual body mass and population abundance. The result shows that diverse individual body size is associated with stable population fluctuation, reflecting the effect of individual traits on population characteristics. Confirmed by several empirical data sets, these scaling relationships suggest new ways to study the underlying mechanisms of Taylor's law and have profound implications for fisheries and other applied sciences.
Poetics of Murmur in Chateaubriand's René
Authors: Valeur Peter Svare
Published: October 2015

This article looks at the conspicuous use of the word murmure in Chateaubriand's influential narrative René (1802), and it argues that murmur signifies a foundational communicational and aesthetic principle in the text. The investigation into murmur as a mode of enunciation that withdraws from semantic clarity is pursued by means of three interpretative axes: murmur as symptom of desire versus repression, of nostalgia and of a pneumatic conception of poetry.
Electrophysiological signatures of the race model in human primary motor cortex
Authors: Hughes Matthew E. , Fulham W. Ross , Michie Patricia T.
Published: October 2015

For 30 years, the independent race model has been used to account for the attempt to reactively inhibit on‐going responses in the stop‐signal task (reactive behavioral inhibition). The success of the race model derives in part by assuming that motor response activation speed is not different on inhibition trials compared to trials where inhibition is not required. To date, neurophysiological evidence supporting this assumption (context independence) has been limited, especially in human participants. In this study, we used EEG to investigate stop‐signal task performance in human participants, focusing on lateralized readiness potentials (LRPs) to examine context independence in human primary motor cortex (M1). The current results provided support for the context independence assumption, and further showed that successful inhibition was largely contingent upon the timing of response activation in M1 relative to stop‐signal onset. These data afford a valuable insight into how stop‐signal response inhibition is effected in the human brain.
Towards a Trans‐border Identity in the Upper Rhine Area? Regional Cohesion in the Grip of the Nation‐State
Authors: Koukoutsaki‐Monnier Angeliki
Published: October 2015

How should we discuss trans‐border identities across the Franco‐German‐Swiss border area? Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, this article aims to establish a conceptual framework in order to apprehend and study border regions. Focusing on the Franco‐German‐Swiss border area usually designated as the ‘Upper Rhine’, the article seeks to show how actors' strategies – mainly those of institutional agents – articulate with, complement, or contradict the habitus (i.e. the practices and materialities of everyday life), giving rise to a diverse set of identity constructions and sketching a more or less precise contour of this region, and of border territories in general.