bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Much Does the Stock Market Risk Decline with the Investment Horizon? A Cross‐Country Comparison
Authors: Favero Carlo A. , Nucera Federico
Published: January 2014

We perform a cross‐country comparison of stock market risk. Stock market risk is defined as the standard deviation of cumulative stock market returns. We model stock market returns in a VAR(1) system jointly with bond returns and a set of predictive variables. Our results provide evidence of a strong negative horizon effect for US stock market returns and a weak negative horizon effect for Germany and France. When an open economy VAR(1) is considered, we find that stock market risk increases for the United States and Germany, while the evidence for France is mixed.
Lower functioning predicts identification of psychosis risk screening status in help‐seeking adolescents
Authors: Granö Niklas , Kallionpää Santeri , Karjalainen Marjaana , Edlund Virve , Saari Erkki , Itkonen Arja , Anto Jukka , Roine Mikko
Published: January 2014

Aim

There is some previous evidence suggesting that the risk state for psychosis is associated with decreased functioning ability, health‐related quality of life (QoL), anxiety and depression. The aim of this study is to identify which factors predict psychosis risk screening status.

Methods

The data were collected in Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, by an early intervention team. One hundred eighty‐one help‐seeking adolescents (mean age 15.3 years) completed questionnaires of QoL (16D), alcohol consumption (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), hopelessness (BBeck Hopelessness Scale) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory II). Functioning ability was assessed by the Global Assessment of Functioning, whereas the PROD‐screen was used to interview and assess risk symptoms for psychosis.

Results

In a logistic regression analysis, a lower functioning ability explained independently (P = 0.006) psychosis risk screening status after age, gender, alcohol consumption, QoL, anxiety, hopelessness and depression symptoms were adjusted.

Conclusions

The present results suggest that lower functioning ability is associated independently with psychosis risk screening status. Hence, therapeutic input for those at risk should focus upon improving functioning.
Equity in an Educational Boom: lessons from the expansion and marketisation of tertiary schooling in Poland
Authors: Herbst Mikolaj , Rok Jakub
Published: January 2014

This article shows how the probability of enrolment in tertiary schools has evolved for different social groups in Poland during the period of the educational boom. It also analyses how the socio‐economic status influences the choices between full‐time and part‐time studies (the latter being of relatively low quality), and the probability of admission to subsidised, free programmes versus programmes with tuition fees. Between 1994 and 2008, Poland improved the participation of students with a low socio‐economic status in university education. However, if we look at the change in the ratios of enrolment probabilities for different layers of the social strata, we find that the improvement refers to those with a low family educational background who live in small cities, but not to those from low income families. Further investigation shows that the policy makers should focus not only on ensuring equal access to tertiary education for all social strata, but on allowing the unprivileged groups access to education of acceptable quality.
The Dystonia Discomfort Scale (DDS): a novel instrument to monitor the temporal profile of botulinum toxin therapy in cervical dystonia
Authors: Dressler D. , Kupsch A. , Seitzinger A. , Paus S.
Published: January 2014

Background and purpose

Conventional scales measure the effect of botulinum toxin (BT) therapy only at specific points in time. The Dystonia Discomfort Scale (DDS), a novel, easy‐to‐use, self‐assessment scale to record temporal profiles of the effect of BT therapy in cervical dystonia (CD), is introduced and evaluated against the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS).

Methods

Seventy‐six patients with CD (age 54.4 ± 10.9 years, 34% male) receiving ≤5 cycles of incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin®; Merz Pharmaceuticals, Frankfurt am Main, Germany) injections at intervals ≥10 weeks used DDS to record the severity of their symptoms daily. DDS data were compared with TWSTRS‐Total scores and patients' subjective estimation (SE) of the onset (TO) and waning (TW) of the treatment effect.

Results

The Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale − Total scores correlated significantly with DDS (P ≤ 0.028 at all visits evaluated). TO‐DDS and TO‐SE were 7.9 ± 8.6 and 7.1 ± 4.1 days, respectively; TW‐DDS and TW‐SE were 41.8 ± 19.2 and 45.1 ± 21.5 days, respectively.

Conclusion

The Dystonia Discomfort Scale is a novel, easy‐to‐use, self‐assessment scale for valid and sensitive monitoring of the temporal profile of the effect of BT therapy in patients with CD. DDS provides important additional information about onset, duration, waning, stability and reproducibility of the effects of BT therapy.
Association of candidate genetic variants with restless legs syndrome in end stage renal disease: a multicenter case−control study in Taiwan
Authors: Lin C.‐H. , Chen M.‐L. , Wu V.‐C. , Li W.‐Y. , Sy H.‐N. , Wu S.‐L. , Chang C.‐C. , Chiu P.‐F. , Liou H.‐H. , Lin C.‐Y. , Chang H.‐W. , Lin S.‐Y. , Wu K.‐D. , Chen Y.‐M. , Wu R.‐M.
Published: January 2014

Background and purpose

Recent genome‐wide association studies have shown associations between multiple genetic variants and primary restless legs syndrome (RLS). Their roles in end stage renal disease (ESRD) related secondary RLS are not clear and studies in Asian populations are scarce. The association between candidate genetic variants and uremic RLS was investigated in a large cohort of Taiwanese dialysis patients.

Methods

Sixteen RLS‐related genetic variants at six loci, including MEIS1, BTBD9, MAP2K5/SKOR1, PTPRD, TOX3/BC034767 and the intergenic region of chromosome 2p14, in a total of 993 ESRD patients (259 subjects with and 734 subjects without RLS) were genotyped using TaqMan® genotyping assays. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test for associations between the genotypes and RLS in ESRD. Power calculations were completed using the CATs Genetic Power Calculator with settings of a multiplicative genetic model.

Results

A modest association between the PTPRD variant rs4626664 and uremic RLS (odds ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.03–2.23, P = 0.03) and a trend that TOX3/BC034767 variant rs3104767 may associate with the occurrence of RLS were observed in our dialysis population (odds ratio 1.74, 95% CI 0.97–3.11, P = 0.06). No associations between other genetic variants and risk and severity of RLS were observed in our ESRD cohort.

Conclusions

The genetic variants of primary RLS candidate genes did not play a major role in our uremic RLS populations. The ethnic difference and heterogeneous etiologies underlying renal failure may partly explain the minor genetic contribution to uremic RLS in our populations. Further studies for other ethnicities will be of worth.
Evaluation of pain in rats through facial expression following experimental tooth movement
Authors: Liao Lina , Long Hu , Zhang Li , Chen Helin , Zhou Yang , Ye Niansong , Lai Wenli
Published: January 2014

This study was carried out to evaluate pain in rats by monitoring their facial expressions following experimental tooth movement. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into the following five groups based on the magnitude of orthodontic force applied and administration of analgesics: control; 20 g; 40 g; 80 g; and morphine + 40 g. Closed‐coil springs were used to mimic orthodontic forces. The facial expressions of each rat were videotaped, and the resulting rat grimace scale (RGS) coding was employed for pain quantification. The RGS score increased on day 1 but showed no significant change thereafter in the control and 20‐g groups. In the 40‐ and 80‐g groups, the RGS scores increased on day 1, peaked on day 3, and started to decrease on day 5. At 14 d, the RGS scores were similar in control and 20‐, 40‐, and 80‐g groups and did not return to baseline. The RGS scores in the morphine + 40‐g group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Our results reveal that coding of facial expression is a valid method for evaluation of pain in rats following experimental tooth movement. Inactivated springs (no force) still cause discomfort and result in an increase in the RGS. The threshold force magnitude required to evoke orthodontic pain in rats is between 20 and 40 g.
Spatial Nest‐Settlement Decisions in Digger Wasps: Conspecifics Matter more than Heterospecifics and Previous Experience
Authors: Asís Josep D. , Ballesteros Yolanda , Tormos José , Baños‐Picón Laura , Polidori Carlo
Published: January 2014

Research into the driving forces behind spatial arrangement of wasp nests has considered abiotic environmental factors, but seldom investigated attraction or repulsion towards conspecifics or heterospecifics. Solitary female digger wasps (Hymenoptera) often nest in dense aggregations, making these insects good models to study this topic. Here, we analysed the nesting patterns in an area shared by three species of the genusBembix, in a novel study to discover whether female wasps are attracted to or repulsed by conspecific nests, heterospecific nests or their own previously established nests when choosing nest‐digging locations. Early in the season, each species showed a clumping pattern of nests, but later in the season, a random distribution of nests was more common, suggesting an early conspecific attraction. Such behaviour was confirmed by the fact that females started building their nests more frequently where other females of their species were simultaneously digging. The distances between subsequent nests dug by individual females were shorter than those obtained by random simulations. However, this pattern seemed to depend on the tendency to dig close to conspecifics rather than remain in the vicinity of previous nests, suggesting that females' experience matters to future decisions only on a large scale. Nesting patches within nest aggregations largely overlapped between species, but the nests of each species were generally not closer to heterospecific nests than expected by chance, suggesting that females are neither repulsed by, nor attracted to, congenerics within nest aggregations. A role of the spatial distribution of natural enemies on the observed nesting patterns seemed unlikely.Bembixdigger wasp nest aggregations seem thus to be primarily the result of female–female attraction during nest‐settlement decisions, in accordance with the ‘copying’ mechanisms suggested for nesting vertebrates.
The osteopathic treatment of somatic dysfunction causing gait abnormality in 51 horses
Authors: Colles C. M. , Nevin A. , Brooks J.
Published: January 2014

Over a 19‐year period, 51 horses showing chronic lameness or gait abnormality that was not fully responsive to veterinary treatment at other referral clinics were referred to us for further treatment. All had either failed to have a diagnosis made, or treatment for the diagnosed conditions had shown only partial response. After further examination, we concluded that they showed abnormal function of the neck or back, but there was no obvious pathological cause. A diagnosis of ‘somatic dysfunction’ was made, characterised by altered muscle tone, tenderness or subtle changes in gait, similar to the condition recognised in human medicine. These cases subsequently underwent osteopathic treatment under sedation. Forty‐six cases (90.2%) responded to treatment in the short term (6 months after treatment). Seventeen (53.1%) were working at the same level or better than previously at least a year after treatment. Ten (31.2%) worked at a reduced level for between 1.5 and 10 years. Nineteen cases were lost to long‐term follow‐up. The findings of this study suggest that neck and back problems may be overlooked when investigating chronic lameness. When no pathology can be pinpointed as a cause of lameness, a diagnosis of somatic dysfunction as a primary problem should be considered. The presence of somatic dysfunction as a secondary complicating factor should not be overlooked. Stiffness and/or low grade pain in the spine of horses can result in persistent abnormal posture, gait, or behaviour, similar to ‘somatic dysfunction’ seen in the human patient. The cause is neuromuscular in origin, rather than resulting from tissue pathology. The diagnosis made clinically can be confirmed with thermography. This study confirms that osteopathic manipulation of the spine of horses can be a valuable treatment for cases of lameness that do not respond fully to standard veterinary treatments.
Ascites in a 13‐year‐old miniature horse mare with an ovarian granulosa theca‐cell tumour: A manifestation ofMeigs' syndrome?
Authors: Hector R. C. , Cruz A. M.
Published: January 2014

A 13‐year‐old miniature horse mare presented for evaluation of ascites. Abdominal ultrasound showed severe free peritoneal fluid accumulation as well as a caudal abdominal mass. The peritoneal fluid was characterised as a transudate with no evidence of sepsis. Surgical exploration of the abdomen was performed; copious free peritoneal fluid and a large right ovarian mass were discovered. The abnormal ovary was removed, and the mass was determined histologically to be a benign granulosa theca‐cell tumour. Although there was mild peritoneal fluid accumulation in the immediate post operative period, the ascites effectively resolved with removal of the tumour, and the mare returned to a normal lifestyle. This is similar to reports ofMeigs' syndrome in human women, in which a benign ovarian mass of significant size causes ascites that resolves once the mass is removed.
Loosely Coupled Results Control in Dutch Municipalities
Authors: van Hengel Hugo , Budding Tjerk , Groot Tom
Published: January 2014

This paper analyses the implementation of the ‘dual system’ in Dutch municipalities which was part of a package of New Public Management‐reforms. This system was stimulated by Dutch central government and called for more accountability for performance of municipal managers and the board of mayor and aldermen, as well as for the use of more output and outcome information. Interviews of participants on four different hierarchical levels in 12 municipalities show that the practices of output management at different hierarchical levels are only loosely coupled to each other (‘vertical loose coupling’). We also found some degree of ‘horizontal loose coupling’ at each hierarchical level between result orientation, the development of output indicators and the use of output information for performance evaluation. The paper analyses the reasons why municipalities encounter difficulties in designing a comprehensive and coherent performance management system.
Carbon adsorption onto Fe oxyhydroxide stalks produced by a lithotrophic iron‐oxidizing bacteria
Authors: Bennett S. A. , Toner B. M. , Barco R. , Edwards K. J.
Published: January 2014

Iron (Fe)‐oxidizing bacteria have the potential to produce morphologically unique structures that may be used as biosignatures in geological deposits. One particular example is Mariprofundus ferrooxydans, which produces extracellular twisted ribbon‐like stalks consisting of ferrihydrite, co‐located with organic and inorganic elements. It is currently thought that M. ferrooxydans excrete and co‐precipitate polysaccharides and Fe simultaneously; however, the cellular production of these polysaccharides has yet to be confirmed. Here, we report on a time‐series study that used scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy and C 1s and Ca 2p near‐edge X‐ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy to investigate production of polysaccharides over the growth cycle of M. ferrooxydans. The production and morphology of twisted iron stalks were consistent with previous observations, but unexpectedly, in the log phase, the carbon content of the stalks was extremely low. It was not until stationary growth phase that a significant component of carbon was detected on the stalks. During the log phase, low levels of carbon, only detectable when the stalks were thin, suggested that M. ferrooxydans produce an extracellular polysaccharide template onto which the Fe precipitates. By stationary phase, the increased carbon association with the stalks was a result of adsorption of organic compounds that were released during osmotic shock post‐stalk production. In the environment, elevated concentrations of DOC could adsorb onto the Fe stalks as well as a number of other elements, for example, Si, P, Ca, which, by preventing chemical interactions between the Fe nanoparticles, will prevent structural deformation during recrystallization and preserve the structure of these filaments in the rock record.
Periodontal disease associated with blood glucose levels in urban Koreans aged 50 years and older: the Dong‐gu study
Authors: Jung Young‐Suk , Shin Min‐Ho , Kweon Sun‐Seog , Lee Young‐Hoon , Kim Ok‐Joon , Kim Young‐Joon , Chung Hyun‐Ju , Kim Ok‐Su
Published: January 2014

Objective

To investigate the association of periodontal disease and the number of teeth present with the risk of prediabetes and diabetes as well as with blood glucose and HbA1c levels in adult Koreans.

Background

The relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes has not been fully elucidated.

Materials and methods

Cross‐sectional data from 5535 participants aged ≥50 years were obtained from 2008 to 2010. Periodontal status was measured as pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP) recorded. The percentage of sites with a PD ≥4 mm, CAL ≥4 mm (CAL4) and BOP (BOP%) were recorded. Participants were divided into three groups according to PD4, CAL4 and BOP% measurements. Number of teeth present was divided into four groups. Participants were classified as normoglycaemic, prediabetic or diabetic based on HbA1c and fasting glucose levels.

Results

After full adjustment, the highest tertile of CAL4 (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.18–2.02, p < 0.001), PD4 (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.26–1.97, p < 0.001) and BOP% (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.07–1.75, p = 0.012) had significantly increased odds of diabetes. The number of teeth present was inversely related to diabetes (p < 0.001) and prediabetes (p = 0.032) risk. Periodontal disease severity was positively associated with HbA1c and glucose levels. The number of teeth present was positively associated with HbA1c, but not glucose, levels.

Conclusion

Periodontal disease and the number of teeth present are associated with an increased risk of diabetes and increased blood glucose and HbA1c levels in Koreans aged ≥50 years.
Variations in vernalization requirements among ecotypes of Festuca hallii
Authors: Palit R. , Bai Y. , Romo J. , Coulman B. , St Pierre R.
Published: January 2014

Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii [Vasey] Piper) is an important forage grass species in the Northern Great Plains of Canada. Its seed is in demand for forage production and habitat restoration, but erratic seed production limits supply. A comprehensive understanding of factors influencing flowering and seed production in this species is needed. This study evaluated the morphological and phenological variation among six ecotypes of F. hallii from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Seeds were germinated, and seedlings were grown in the field and then transplanted to a greenhouse in November. Plants not flowering in the greenhouse were vernalized under 5°C and 8‐h light for 11 weeks. In a separate experiment, plants were subjected to temperature regimes of 15/5°C, 10/0°C and 5/−5°C with day‐length treatments of 12 h, 8 h and a gradually changing daylength from 12 to 8 h respectively. This study demonstrated the existence of considerable variation in morphological and phenological characteristics, and in growth and vernalization requirements among ecotypes of F. hallii. Vernalization requirements were not met for the ecotype from the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion when it was grown under common conditions, whereas ecotypes from other ecoregions were vernalized in at least one of the 2 years in the field experiment. Northern ecotypes tended to flower earlier after artificial vernalization treatments. Overall, 15/5 to 5/−5°C d per night temperature regimes with photoperiods between 12 and 8 h were effective in inducing flowering. The seed source of F. hallii should be regarded as an important consideration affecting its use, both for habitat restoration and for forage production.
The Prevalence of Migraine in Restless Legs Syndrome
Authors: Gozubatik‐Celik Gokcen , Benbir Gulcin , Tan Funda , Karadeniz Derya , Goksan Baki
Published: January 2014

Objective

While previous studies have investigated the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with migraine, we aimed to explore the prevalence and characteristics of migraine in adult patients diagnosed with RLS.

Backgrounds

The association of primary headaches, especially of migraine, with RLS has recently attracted much attention. Migraine prevalence was reported to be higher in patients with RLS than in the general population, and the role of dopamine was strengthened.

Methods

We evaluated 265 consecutive adult RLS patients (137 males and 128 females) followed up in a Sleep Disorders Unit and diagnosed according to criteria defined by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). RLS characteristics, and the severity, were performed by using the IRLSSG severity scale. The diagnosis of headache subtypes was defined by the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Gender, age, age at RLS onset, duration of RLS, family history of RLS, family history of headache, presence of depression, any treatments given for RLS, and the change in headache following RLS treatment were questioned.

Results

The mean age of the study population was 50.4 ± 12.8 years, mean age at RLS onset was 41.6 ± 13.2 years, and mean disease duration was 8.40 ± 8.6 years. Of these, 163 patients had headache; 40 of them were diagnosed to have migraine‐type headache (15.1%). The presence of migraine‐type headache was 9.4% in males with RLS, and 21.1% in female RLS patients. In RLS patients with migraine, 67.5% were females, while 48.0% of RLS patients with other types of headache were females (P = .032), and only 41.2% of RLS patients without headache were females (P = .005). The severity of RLS was significantly higher in patients with migraine compared with those without headache (P < .001). The presence of depression, the family history of RLS, and headache were also higher in patients with migraine compared with RLS patients with other types of headache or those without headache. Thirty‐six patients with headache reported partial or substantial benefit from RLS treatment.

Conclusions

Our results did not suggest higher rates of migraine‐type headache in RLS patients when compared with population‐based prevalence studies from Turkey. Alternatively, the severity of RLS was significantly higher in patients with migraine. Although the increase in these scores does not constitute a relationship etiopathogenetic, it suggests a correlation between the type cross‐model nociceptive systems. Moreover, the family history of RLS was higher in patients with migraine. The prevalence of migraine in patients with RLS, however, waits to be better demonstrated.
Response of Cervicogenic Headaches and Occipital Neuralgia to Radiofrequency Ablation of the C2 Dorsal Root Ganglion and/or Third Occipital Nerve
Authors: Hamer John F. , Purath Traci A.
Published: January 2014

Objective

This article investigates the degree and duration of pain relief from cervicogenic headaches or occipital neuralgia following treatment with radiofrequency ablation of the C2 dorsal root ganglion and/or third occipital nerves. It also addresses the procedure's complication rate and patient's willingness to repeat the procedure if severe symptoms recur.

Methods

This is a single‐center retrospective observational study of 40 patients with refractory cervicogenic headaches and or occipital neuralgia. Patients were all referred by a headache specialty clinic for evaluation for radiofrequency ablation of the C2 dorsal root ganglion and/or third occipital nerves. After treatment, patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months to a year. Patient demographics and the results of radiofrequency ablation were recorded on the same day, after 3‐4 days, and at 6 months to 1 year following treatment.

Results

Thirty‐five percent of patients reported 100% pain relief and 70% reported 80% or greater pain relief. The mean duration of improvement is 22.35 weeks. Complication rate was 12‐13%. 92.5% of patients reported they would undergo the procedure again if severe symptoms returned.

Conclusions

Radiofrequency ablation of the C2 dorsal root ganglion and/or third occipital nerve can provide many months of greater than 50% pain relief in the vast majority of recipients with an expected length of symptom improvement of 5‐6 months.
D‐dimer use for deep venous thrombosis exclusion in elderly patients: a comparative analysis of three different approaches to establish cut‐off values for an assay with results expressed in D‐dimer units
Authors: Cini M. , Legnani C. , Frascaro M. , Sartori M. , Cosmi B. , Palareti G.
Published: January 2014

Introduction

The use of adapted cut‐off values in the elderly, combined with clinical probability (PTP), increases the proportion of patients in whom venous thromboembolism (VTE) can be safely excluded, compared with the conventional cut‐off value of 500 μg/L fibrinogen equivalent units (FEU). We evaluated the clinical performance of three different approaches to establish cut‐off values for a D‐dimer assay whose results are expressed in D‐dimer units (D‐DU).

Methods

HemosIL D‐dimer HS assay (Instrumentation Laboratory) was performed in 279 consecutive outpatients with suspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and nonhigh PTP.

Results

Considering patients >60 years, the number of negative D‐dimer results increased using the modified (376 ng/mL if ≥60 years) and the age‐adjusted cut‐off (age years × 5 ng/mL if >50 years) compared to the conventional one (230 ng/mL for all patients; 54.6%, 58.2%, and 25.0%, respectively), with no false‐negative results. The higher increase was observed in patients >80 years (43.9%, 56.1%, and 8.8%, respectively).

Conclusion

For the HemosIL D‐dimer HS, the use of specific cut‐off values in older subjects with suspected DVT and nonhigh PTP increases the number of patients in whom DVT can be safely excluded.
A ‘Glaring Misunderstanding'? Schleiermacher, Barth and the Nature of Speculative Theology
Authors: Gordon James
Published: January 2014

Both Friedrich Schleiermacher and Karl Barth attempted to keep Christian dogmatic theology free from abstract philosophical speculation. However, Barth thinks that Schleiermacher is guilty of the very speculative theology to which Schleiermacher is so averse. This article will defend the claim that Barth misreads Schleiermacher's Glaubenslehre, such that Schleiermacher's theological method and formulations are just as anti‐speculative as Barth's. To defend this claim, this article examines what Barth considers to be speculative theology as well as his accusation that Schleiermacher is guilty of such speculative proposals. After considering Barth's challenges, this article defends Schleiermacher's methodology and theology as anti‐speculative. Finally, several additional accusations against Schleiermacher (those of Bruce McCormack and Thomas Curran) are overcome.
A Broken Engagement: Reassessing Barth's Relationship to Kierkegaard on the Grounds of Subjectivity and Preaching
Authors: Edwards Aaron
Published: January 2014

Despite Barth's initial appropriations of Kierkegaard, he famously discarded the Dane from the theological ‘canon’ due to the latter's alleged anthropocentric subjectivism. Yet Kierkegaard was himself a preacher and polemical homiletician, seeking merely to appropriate the objective truth of the proclaimed word. Barth's Basel prison sermons reveal this same endeavour to render the eternally significant message temporally significant for his hearers. In Kierkegaard's Christendom, a corrective focus on subjectivity was the only way to remain faithful to the ‘objective’ truth of the gospel. Barth and Kierkegaard are juxtaposed here not in contrast (as Barth might have preferred) but in affinity, in that both sought to evoke the dialectical subjectivity of objectivity through preaching.
Clinical Outcome After Intra‐Articular Administration of Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in 33 Horses With Stifle Injury
Authors: Ferris Dora J. , Frisbie David D. , Kisiday John D. , McIlwraith C. Wayne , Hague Brent A. , Major Michael D. , Schneider Robert K. , Zubrod Chad J. , Kawcak Christopher E. , Goodrich Laurie R.
Published: January 2014

Objective

To report outcome of horses with femorotibial lesions (meniscal, cartilage or ligamentous) treated with surgery and intra‐articular administration of autologous bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).

Study Design

Prospective case series.

Animals

Horses (n = 33).

Methods

Inclusion criteria included horses that had lameness localized to the stifle by diagnostic anesthesia, exploratory stifle arthroscopy and subsequent intra‐articular administration of autologous BMSCs. Case details and follow‐up were gathered from medical records, owner, trainer or veterinarian. Outcome was defined as returned to previous level of work, returned to work, or failed to return to work.

Results

Follow‐up (mean, 24 months) was obtained; 43% of horses returned to previous level of work, 33% returned to work, and 24% failed to return to work. In horses with meniscal damage (n = 24) a higher percentage in the current study (75%) returned to some level of work compared to those in previous reports (60–63%) that were treated with arthroscopy alone, which resulted in a statistically significant difference between studies (P = .038). Joint flare post injection was reported in 3 horses (9.0%); however, no long‐term effects were noted.

Conclusions

Intra‐articular administration of BMSC postoperatively for stifle lesions appeared to be safe, with morbidity being similar to that of other biologic agents. Improvement in ability to return to work may be realized with BMSC treatment compared to surgery alone in horses with stifle injury.
A DOUBLE‐BLIND COMPARISON OF FLUPHENAZINE DECANOATE AND FLUPENTHIXOL DECANOATE IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE SCHIZOPHRENIA
Authors: Johnson D. A. W. , Malik N. A.
Published: January 2014

A double‐blind comparison of fluphenazine decanoate and flupenthixol decanoate in 40 consecutive admissions showed no difference in anti‐psychotic effect or extrapyramidal side effects after 56 days. However, the trial identified a different effect of the drugs on mood. Flupenthixol decanoate had an elating effect that was most marked during the week following injection. Fluphenazine decanoate tended to lower mood. The results would suggest that in acute schizophrenia, fluphenazine decanoate would be the more appropriate drug in elated or acutely disturbed patients, but that in patients with a lowered mood or a history of depression, flupenthixol decanoate would be the more appropriate drug. It was emphasised that these mood changes were observed in patients with acute schizophrenia and that extrapolation from these results to maintenance therapy of chronic relapsing schizophrenia should only be made with caution. The results suggest that 40 mg of flupenthixol decanoate is approximately equal to 25 mg of fluphenazine decanoate. Analyses of covariance showed a significant positive correlation between the incidence of extrapyramidal side effects and duration of illness.
BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH INTO PSYCHOSIS
Authors: van Praag H. M. , Korf J.
Published: January 2014

A strategy is presented for biological psychosis research with neuroleptics acting as a point of crystallisation like antidepressants do in biological depression research.

The neuroleptics chlorpromazine, haloperidol and oxypertine were studied, and it was found that they influence central catecholamine (CA) metabolism in man. An increased central dopamine (DA) turnover was found to occur in psychotic disorders, mostly in the form of motor agitation.

As the first of a planned series of studies, chlorpromazine with presumed ability to reduce both DA‐ergic and noradrenaline (NA)‐ergic transmission and oxypertine as a more selective blocker of NA‐ergic transmission were selected for comparison. The overall therapeutic effect of oxypertine was inferior to that of chlorpromazine, whereas oxypertine proved more effective in cases where loss of initiative was predominant. On the other hand, chlorpromazine exerted a more marked influence on extrapyramidal motor functions than oxypertine. In chronic psychotic disorders with inertia, oxypertine thus seems to be a neuroleptic which is strong enough to prevent exacerbation of delusions and hallucinations while at the same time increasing the level of motivation. These findings were in accordance with our predictions.

The comparative study is illustrative of the practical significance of the research approach in this study: The biochemical action profile of a neuroleptic seems to be a more reliable indicator of its clinical action than does its chemical structure.
FOLLOW‐UP OF 97 YOUNG NON‐PSYCHOTIC MALE OPIATE ABUSERS: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACHIEVING ABSTINENCE, AGE, AND DURATION OF ABUSE
Authors: Thorsen K. , Haastrup S.
Published: January 2014

Ninety‐seven young non‐psychotic men with intravenous opiate abuse, who had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, were seen at follow‐up 3 years after admission. All were traced. At follow‐up, 19 % were abstinent, 9 % had died, whereas the remainder were still addicted. Those who had become abstinent had done so around the age of 20 and/or before they had been addicted to opiate for 3–4 years, almost regardless of the time at which their total drug abuse had started.
Cardiac miR‐133a overexpression prevents early cardiac fibrosis in diabetes
Authors: Chen Shali , Puthanveetil Prasanth , Feng Biao , Matkovich Scot J. , Dorn Gerald W. , Chakrabarti Subrata
Published: January 2014

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a cascade of complex events leading to eventual failure of the heart and cardiac fibrosis being considered as one of its major causes. miR‐133a is one of the most abundantly expressed microRNAs in the heart. We investigated the role of miR‐133a during severe hyperglycaemia. And, our aim was to find out what role miR‐133a plays during diabetes‐induced cardiac fibrosis. We saw a drastic decrease in miR‐133a expression in the hearts of streptozotocin‐induced diabetic animals, as measured by RT‐qPCR. This decrease was accompanied by an increase in the transcriptional co‐activator EP300 mRNA and major markers of fibrosis [transforming growth factor‐β1, connective tissue growth factor, fibronectin (FN1) and COL4A1]; in addition, focal cardiac fibrosis assessed by Masson's trichome stain was increased. Interestingly, in diabetic mice with cardiac‐specific miR‐133aa overexpression, cardiac fibrosis was significantly decreased, as observed by RT‐qPCR and immunoblotting of COL4A1, ELISA for FN1 and microscopic examination. Furthermore, Cardiac miR‐133a overexpression prevented ERK1/2 and SMAD‐2 phosphorylation. These findings show that miR‐133a could be a potential therapeutic target for diabetes‐induced cardiac fibrosis and related cardiac dysfunction.
Editorial: Mood disorders in families: ways to discovery
Authors: Stringaris Argyris
Published: January 2014

Medical discovery occasionally involves understanding the first causes of problems before solving them. Yet, solutions to complex medical problems often come about by looking not at the beginning but rather at the middle or the final parts of the causal chain. Five new papers in this issue of the Journal illustrate this much‐needed approach in the field of mood disorders. They range from an in‐depth review into possible intrauterine effects of maternal depression to an experimental intervention to elucidate the effects of sleep deprivation on young people's mood regulation.
Nondestructive Analysis to Monitor Potato Quality during Cold Storage
Authors: Bianchi Giulia , Scalzo Roberto Lo , Testoni Armando , Maestrelli Andrea
Published: January 2014

Samples of potatoes were harvested in 2007 in Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy) and were stored at 6.5C for 6 months to assess quality characteristics, mainly related to the sprouting trend of tubers. The quality changes during cold storage were monitored using conventional measures (i.e., weight, visual appearance, morphological control, number and length of buds, °Brix) and nondestructive methods (fluorometry and colorimetry). Among 17 cultivars, seven were stored at a lower temperature (0C) for 4 months and then 10C for 15 days to verify the reversible interconversion between starch and sugar induced by the storage temperature. The most important results were given by fluorometric analysis, which provided useful information for predicting the sprouting trend of tubers, as well as other objective analytical tests: the quantum yield had in most cultivars the minimum value in predicting sprouting time. After the low‐temperature storage, the quantum yield was irreversibly reduced.

Practical Applications

Nondestructive techniques based on chlorophyll fluorescence measurements are used to monitor quality changes during post harvest storage of fruit and vegetables. Fluorometric values give indications not only about the chlorophyll amount, but also on the physiological state of photosynthetic apparatus. Even if potato tubers in good storage conditions don't produce chlorophyll, they possess a photosynthetic apparatus whose physiological state can be measured by fluorometry. Potatoes stored at low temperatures are subject to the sweetening process, but starch is synthesized again when potatoes are transferred to normal temperatures. The photosynthetic apparatus is damaged by low temperatures, as indicated by the decrease of fluorometric values, and this process is not reversible. The fluorometric indexes can be measured in order to check if potatoes were properly stored and evaluate differences of behavior in storage. The nondestructive method will enhance monitoring of potatoes quality during storage, thus minimizing both time and food wastages.
Identification and characterization of genes involved in the jasmonate biosynthetic and signaling pathways in mulberry (Morus notabilis)
Authors: Wang Qing , Ma Bi , Qi Xiwu , Guo Qing , Wang Xuwei , Zeng Qiwei , He Ningjia
Published: January 2014

Jasmonate (JA) is an important phytohormone regulating growth, development, and environmental response in plants, particularly defense response against herbivorous insects. Recently, completion of the draft genome of the mulberry (Morus notabilis) in conjunction with genome sequencing of silkworm (Bombyx mori) provides an opportunity to study this unique plant‐herbivore interaction. Here, we identified genes involved in JA biosynthetic and signaling pathways in the genome of mulberry for the first time, with the majority of samples showing a tissue‐biased expression pattern. The analysis of the representative genes 12‐oxophytodienoic acid reductase (OPRs) and jasmonate ZIM‐domain (JAZs) was performed and the results indicated that the mulberry genome contains a relatively small number of JA biosynthetic and signaling pathway genes. A gene encoding an important repressor, MnNINJA, was identified as an alternative splicing variant lacking an ethylene‐responsive element binding factor‐associated amphiphilic repression motif. Having this fundamental information will facilitate future functional study of JA‐related genes pertaining to mulberry‐silkworm interactions.
Comparative proteomic and metabolomic analyses reveal mechanisms of improved cold stress tolerance in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) by exogenous calcium
Authors: Shi Haitao , Ye Tiantian , Zhong Bao , Liu Xun , Chan Zhulong
Published: January 2014

As an important second messenger, calcium is involved in plant cold stress response, including chilling (<20 °C) and freezing (<0 °C). In this study, exogenous application of calcium chloride (CaCl2) improved both chilling and freezing stress tolerances, while ethylene glycol‐bis‐(β‐aminoethyl) ether‐N,N,N,N‐tetraacetic acid (EGTA) reversed CaCl2 effects in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.). Physiological analyses showed that CaCl2 treatment alleviated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and cell damage triggered by chilling stress, via activating antioxidant enzymes, non‐enzymatic glutathione antioxidant pool, while EGTA treatment had the opposite effects. Additionally, comparative proteomic analysis identified 51 differentially expressed proteins that were enriched in redox, tricarboxylicacid cycle, glycolysis, photosynthesis, oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, and amino acid metabolisms. Consistently, 42 metabolites including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols were regulated by CaCl2 treatment under control and cold stress conditions, further confirming the common modulation of CaCl2 treatment in carbon metabolites and amino acid metabolism. Taken together, this study reported first evidence of the essential and protective roles of endogenous and exogenous calcium in bermudagrass response to cold stress, partially via activation of the antioxidants and modulation of several differentially expressed proteins and metabolic homeostasis in the process of cold acclimation.
Legal Investor Protection and Takeovers
Authors: BURKART MIKE , GROMB DENIS , MUELLER HOLGER M. , PANUNZI FAUSTO
Published: January 2014

This paper examines the role of legal investor protection for the efficiency of the market for corporate control when bidders are financially constrained. In the model, stronger legal investor protection increases bidders' outside funding capacity. However, absent effective bidding competition, this does not improve efficiency, as the bid price, and thus bidders' need for funds, increases one‐for‐one with the pledgeable income. In contrast, under effective competition for the target, the increased outside funding capacity improves efficiency by making it less likely that more efficient but less wealthy bidders are outbid by less efficient but wealthier rivals.
Risk assessment of lymph node metastasis before surgery in endometrial cancer: Do we need a clinical trial for low‐risk patients?
Authors: Kang Sokbom , Todo Yukiharu , Watari Hidemichi
Published: January 2014

Due to advances of radiological imaging and tumor biomarkers, the extent of information provided by preoperative assessment is rapidly growing. The Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group (KGOG) recently proposed new preoperative criteria to identify patients at low risk for lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer. In the multicenter study, serum carbohydrate antigen 125 levels and three magnetic resonance imaging parameters were found to be independent risk factors for nodal metastasis, and classified 53% of patients as part of a low‐risk group. The false‐negative predictive value (NPV) was 1.7%, and was 1.4% in the validation set. Furthermore, the KGOG low‐risk criteria were validated in 319 Japanese patients with endometrial cancer. The criteria identified 181 of 319 patients as a low‐risk group (51%), and three false‐negative cases were found (1.9%). These results indicate that we are able to identify low‐risk patients with a negligible NPV before surgery. In addition, the low false NPV implies that there is great difficulty in performing a randomized trial to determine the efficacy of routine lymphadenectomy in patients at low risk of lymph node metastasis. Based on these data, the challenges and possible solutions for developing a consensus on the optimized management of low‐risk endometrial cancer will be discussed in this review.
Rare case of peritoneal complete hydatidiform mole
Authors: Ota Hajime , Oda Chikara , Hayashi Masaki , Mikoshiba Takao , Kushima Miki
Published: January 2014

A 23‐year‐old woman, gravida 1, para 1, was transferred to our hospital with acute lower abdominal pain and vital signs consistent with shock. Her urine concentration of human chorionic gonadotrophin was 8000 mIU/mL. Transvaginal ultrasound revealed an echo‐free space with mosaic echo pattern in the right adnexal area and no gestational sac in the uterus. With a preoperative diagnosis of ruptured ectopic pregnancy, emergency laparotomy was performed. The rectouterine pouch was filled with many clots containing small amounts of villous tissue. After removal of the conceptus, which was infiltrating into the peritoneum of the Pouch of Douglas, bleeding was controlled by Argon laser. Histological examination of the conceptus by immunohistochemical staining with p57kip2 showed features of complete hydatidiform mole. This case demonstrates that the peritoneum in the Pouch of Douglas is a possible site of ectopic complete hydatidiform mole occurrence and that immunohistochemical stain is useful to confirm the diagnosis of ectopic complete hydatidiform mole.
Massive perivillous fibrin deposition in the placenta and uterine metastasis of gastric adenocarcinoma during pregnancy
Authors: Jeong Bada , Shim Jae‐Yoon , Kim Chong Jai , Won Hye‐Sung , Lee Pil Ryang , Kim Ahm
Published: January 2014

The prognosis of gastric cancer during pregnancy is unfavorable because of delayed diagnosis and advanced stage. We present a case of gastric carcinoma metastasized to the placenta and uterus during pregnancy. Pathological examination revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach with lymph node metastasis. After counseling, the patient decided to terminate the pregnancy and begin immediate treatment for gastric cancer. Hysterectomy and subtotal hysterectomy were performed because medical termination of the pregnancy was unsuccessful. Pathological examination of the placenta and uterus revealed metastases of gastric adenocarcinoma. All the uterine vessels were packed with tumor cells and the myometrium showed extensive coagulative necrosis. Moreover, microscopic findings of the placenta were consistent with massive perivillous fibrin deposition. Our case clearly suggests that massive perivillous fibrin deposition in the placenta can be associated with malignancy during pregnancy and that uterine metastasis of maternal malignancy may result in myometrial dysfunction unresponsive to uterotonics.