bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Processes Underlying 50 Years of Local Forest-Cover Change in Yunnan, China
Authors: Frayer Jens , Müller Daniel , Sun Zhanli , Munroe Darla , Xu Jianchu
Published: December 2014

Recognition of the importance of forests for local livelihoods, biodiversity and the climate system has spurred a growing interest in understanding the factors that drive forest-cover change. Forest transitions, the change from net deforestation to net reforestation, may follow different pathways depending on a complex interplay of driving forces. However, most studies on forest transitions focus on the national level rather than the local level. Here, case studies from 10 villages in Yunnan, China, are used to clarify the complex interactions among various pathways of forest transitions, derive insights on the underlying drivers that shaped the forest transitions, and determine the importance of changes in drivers over time. The results demonstrate that China’s recent forest transition was caused by a range of interrelated pathways that were mediated by local circumstances. The degradation of forest ecosystem services caused by rampant deforestation and forest degradation created a scarcity of forest products and triggered state-initiated afforestation efforts, particularly in the 1990s, which continue to be important. More recently, economic development concomitant with smallholder intensification spurred reforestation, while the importance of state forest policy declined. The complexity of local land-use changes demonstrates the difficulty of identifying distinct transition pathways and calls for a more diverse approach that recognizes the interdependence of local processes.
Metabolic Influence of Psychrophilic Diatoms on Travertines at the Huanglong Natural Scenic District of China
Authors: Sun Shiyong , Dong Faqin , Ehrlich Hermann , Zhao Xueqing , Liu Mingxue , Dai Qunwei , Li Qiongfang , An Dejun , Dong Hailiang
Published: December 2014

Diatoms are a highly diversified group of algae that are widely distributed in aquatic ecosystems, and various species have different nutrient and temperature requirements for optimal growth. Here, we describe unusual psychrophilic diatoms of Cymbella in a travertine deposition environment in southwestern China in winter season. Travertine surfaces are colonized by these psychrophilic diatoms, which form biofilms of extracellular polysaccharide substances (EPS) with active metabolic activities in extremely cold conditions. The travertine in Huanglong, is a typical single crystalline calcite with anisotropic lattice distortions of unit cell parameters along axes of a and c, and this structure is suggestive of some level of metabolic mediation on mineralization. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) results further confirmed the occurrence of biogenic distortion of the crystal lattice of travertine calcite. Overall, our results imply that the metabolic influence of psychrophilic diatoms may be particularly important for promoting formation and dissolution of travertine in extremely cold environments of Huanglong. The EPS of psychrophilic diatoms will protect travertine from HCO3− etching and provide template for forming travertine when water re-flowing, in warm season.
Chlorpyrifos Exposure and Respiratory Health among Adolescent Agricultural Workers
Authors: Callahan Catherine , Al-Batanony Manal , Ismail Ahmed , Abdel-Rasoul Gaafar , Hendy Olfat , Olson James , Rohlman Diane , Bonner Matthew
Published: December 2014

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a commonly used organophosphate insecticide (OP). In adults, exposure to OPs has been inconsistently associated with reduced lung function. OP exposure and lung function has not been assessed in adolescents. The objective of this study was to assess CPF exposure and lung function among Egyptian adolescents. We conducted a 10-month study of male adolescent pesticide applicators (n = 38) and non-applicators of similar age (n = 24). Urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TPCy), a CPF-specific metabolite, was analyzed in specimens collected throughout the study. Spirometry was performed twice after pesticide application: day 146, when TCPy levels were elevated and day 269, when TCPy levels were near baseline. Applicators had higher levels of TCPy (mean cumulative TCPy day 146 = 33,217.6; standard deviation (SD) = 49,179.3) than non-applicators (mean cumulative TCPy day 146 = 3290.8; SD = 3994.9). Compared with non-applicators, applicators had higher odds of reporting wheeze, odds ratio = 3.41 (95% CI: 0.70; 17.41). Cumulative urinary TCPy was inversely associated with spirometric measurements at day 146, but not at day 269. Although generally non-significant, results were consistent with an inverse association between exposure to CPF and lung function.
Dengue in Florida (USA)
Authors: Rey Jorge
Published: December 2014

Florida (USA), particularly the southern portion of the State, is in a precarious situation concerning arboviral diseases. The geographic location, climate, lifestyle, and the volume of travel and commerce are all conducive to arbovirus transmission. During the last decades, imported dengue cases have been regularly recorded in Florida, and the recent re-emergence of dengue as a major public health concern in the Americas has been accompanied by a steady increase in the number of imported cases. In 2009, there were 28 cases of locally transmitted dengue in Key West, and in 2010, 65 cases were reported. Local transmission was also reported in Martin County in 2013 (29 cases), and isolated locally transmitted cases were also reported from other counties in the last five years. Dengue control and prevention in the future will require close cooperation between mosquito control and public health agencies, citizens, community and government agencies, and medical professionals to reduce populations of the vectors and to condition citizens and visitors to take personal protection measures that minimize bites by infected mosquitoes.
Distribution and Ecology of Cyanobacteria in the Rocky Littoral of an English Lake District Water Body, Devoke Water
Authors: Pentecost Allan
Published: December 2014

Cyanobacteria were sampled along two vertical and two horizontal transects in the littoral of Devoke Water, English Lake District. Profiles of cyanobacterium diversity and abundance showed that both attained a maximum close to the water line, but declined rapidly 20–40 cm above it. The distribution of individual species with height together with species and site ordinations showed that several taxa occurred in well-defined zones. A narrow “black zone” in the supralittoral was colonised mainly by species of Calothrix, Dichothrix and Gloeocapsa with pigmented sheaths. There was no evidence of lateral variation of species around the lake, but the height of the black zone correlated positively with wind exposure. The flora of Devoke Water is that of a base-poor mountain lake with some elements of a lowland, more alkaline water-body.
t-Test at the Probe Level: An Alternative Method to Identify Statistically Significant Genes for Microarray Data
Authors: Boareto Marcelo , Caticha Nestor
Published: December 2014

Microarray data analysis typically consists in identifying a list of differentially expressed genes (DEG), i.e., the genes that are differentially expressed between two experimental conditions. Variance shrinkage methods have been considered a better choice than the standard t-test for selecting the DEG because they correct the dependence of the error with the expression level. This dependence is mainly caused by errors in background correction, which more severely affects genes with low expression values. Here, we propose a new method for identifying the DEG that overcomes this issue and does not require background correction or variance shrinkage. Unlike current methods, our methodology is easy to understand and implement. It consists of applying the standard t-test directly on the normalized intensity data, which is possible because the probe intensity is proportional to the gene expression level and because the t-test is scale- and location-invariant. This methodology considerably improves the sensitivity and robustness of the list of DEG when compared with the t-test applied to preprocessed data and to the most widely used shrinkage methods, Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) and Linear Models for Microarray Data (LIMMA). Our approach is useful especially when the genes of interest have small differences in expression and therefore get ignored by standard variance shrinkage methods.
Toxicity of Evodiae fructus on Rat Liver Mitochondria: The Role of Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Permeability Transition
Authors: Cai Qingyan , Wei Jingjing , Zhao Wei , Shi Si , Zhang Yu , Wei Renrong , Zhang Yue , Li Weirong , Wang Qi
Published: December 2014

Evodiae fructus (EF) has been used in China for thousands of years as an analgesic, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal drug. EF is a toxic drug and causes hepatotoxicity in humans. Although recent chronic toxicity studies performed on aqueous extract of EF has revealed that it can produce obvious cumulative hepatotoxicity, the mechanism behind this toxicity is still uncertain. In the present study, we investigated the influence of EF on oxidative stress, mitochondrial permeability transition, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and cytochrome C release of hepatic mitochondria. Rats were divided into four groups and fed distilled water, 6, 12, 24 g/kg of aqueous extract of EF daily for 15 days. Evodiamine, rutaecarpine and evodine were quantified in the aqueous extract by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV). The results showed that aqueous extract of EF could significantly (p < 0.05) decrease MnSOD levels to 56.50%, 46.77% and 19.67% of control group, GSH level was decreased to 74.24%, 53.97% and 47.91% of control group and MDA level was increased to 131.55%, 134.34% and 150.81% of control group in the 6, 12 and 24 g/kg groups, respectively; extract also induced mitochondria swelling, vacuolation, MPT pore opening and a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in mitochondrial potential, while ATP levels were significant decreased (p < 0.05) to 65.24%, 38.08% and 34.59% of control group in the 6, 12 and 24 g/kg groups, respectively, resulting in ATP depletion and CytC release, finally trigger cell death signaling, which are the partial hepatotoxicity mechanisms of EF.
Correction: Scaioni M., et al. Remote Sensing for Landslide Investigations: An Overview of Recent Achievements and Perspectives. Remote Sens. 2014, 6, 9600-9652
Authors: Office Remote
Published: December 2014

Due to an error on our part, the pagination and the doi number of this manuscript [1] were missing during updating. The correct pagination is 9600–9652, and the doi number is 10.3390/rs6109600. Here is the correct version:[...]
Nanocrystalline Tin Oxide Nanofibers Deposited by a Novel Focused Electrospinning Method. Application to the Detection of TATP Precursors
Authors: Santos José , Fernández Maria , Fontecha José , Matatagui Daniel , Sayago Isabel , Horrillo Maria , Gracia Isabel
Published: December 2014

A new method of depositing tin dioxide nanofibers in order to develop chemical sensors is presented. It involves an electrospinning process with in-plane electrostatic focusing over micromechanized substrates. It is a fast and reproducible method. After an annealing process, which can be performed by the substrate heaters, it is observed that the fibers are intertwined forming porous networks that are randomly distributed on the substrate. The fiber diameters oscillate from 100 nm to 200 nm and fiber lengths reach several tens of microns. Each fiber has a polycrystalline structure with multiple nano-grains. The sensors have been tested for the detection of acetone and hydrogen peroxide (precursors of the explosive triacetone triperoxide, TATP) in air in the ppm range. High and fast responses to these gases have been obtained.
Effects of Story Marketing and Travel Involvement on Tourist Behavioral Intention in the Tourism Industry
Authors: Li Yi-Min
Published: December 2014

Story marketing has been widely applied to modern societies. As a matter of fact, attraction is a critical part of tourism for any visitor attractions throughout the world. A visitor attraction requires sufficient attraction to appeal to customers’ interests. Story marketing is currently the most popular marketing strategy. The success of using stories in visitor attractions as a marketing tactic for tourism attraction lies in the fact that story-telling is able to best attract people. Both adults and children love listening to stories, which can lead a way to people’s hearts and stories are also the best strategy for communication with others. Aimed at visitors to the Wushe Township as the research participants, a total of 500 copies of questionnaires were distributed, and 287 valid ones retrieved, with a retrieval rate of 57%. The research results show: (1) a significantly positive effect of story marketing on travel involvement; (2) a notably positive effect of travel involvement on behavioral intention; (3) remarkably positive effect of story marketing on behavioral intention.
TRADE OPENNESS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM INDIA
Authors: Hye Qazi Muhammad Adnan , Lau Wee-Yeap
Published: December 2014

The main objective of this study is to develop first time trade openness index and use this index to examine the link between trade openness and economic growth in case of India. This study employs a new endogenous growth model for theoretical support, auto-regressive distributive lag model and rolling window regression method in order to determine long run and short run association between trade openness and economic growth. Further granger causality test is used to determine the long run and short run causal direction. The results reveal that human capital and physical capital are positively related to economic growth in the long run. On the other hand, trade openness index negatively impacts on economic growth in the long run. The new evidence is provided by the rolling window regression results i.e. the impact of trade openness index on economic growth is not stable throughout the sample. In the short run trade openness index is positively related to economic growth. The result of granger causality test confirms the validity of trade openness-led growth and human capital-led growth hypothesis in the short run and long run.
USAGE OF CONTROL CHARTS FOR TIME SERIES ANALYSIS IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Authors: Kovářík Martin , Sarga Libor , Klímek Petr
Published: December 2014

We will deal with corporate financial proceeding using statistical process control, specifically time series control charts. The article outlines intersection of two disciplines, namely econometrics and statistical process control. Theoretical part discusses methodology of time series control charts, and in research part, the methodology is demonstrated on two case studies. The first focuses on analysis of Slovak currency from the perspective of its usefulness for generating profits through time series control charts. The second involves regulation of financial flows for a heteroskedastic financial process by EWMA and ARIMA control charts. We use Box-Jenkins methodology to find models of time series of annual Argentinian Gross Domestic Product available as a basic index from 1951–1998. We demonstrate the versatility of control charts not only in manufacturing but also in managing financial stability of cash flows. Specifically, we show their sensitivity in detecting even small shifts in mean which may indicate financial instability. This analytical approach is widely applicable and therefore of theoretical and practical interest.
TRADE-OFF THEORY VERSUS PECKING ORDER THEORY: CAPITAL STRUCTURE DECISIONS IN A PERIPHERAL REGION OF PORTUGAL
Authors: Serrasqueiro Zélia , Caetano Ana
Published: December 2014

This paper seeks to analyse whether the capital structure decisions of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are closer to the assumptions of Trade-Off Theory or to those of Pecking Order Theory. We use a sample of SMEs located in the interior region of Portugal, using the LSDVC dynamic estimator as method of estimation, the empirical evidence obtained allows us to conclude that the most profitable and oldest SMEs resort less to debt, which corroborates the forecasts of Pecking Order Theory. SMEs, with greater size, resort more to debt, corroborating the forecasts of Trade-Off Theory and Pecking Order Theory. In addition, SMEs adjust noticeably their current level of debt towards the optimal debt ratio, which corroborates what is forecast by Trade-Off Theory. Therefore, this paper enhances that Trade-Off and Pecking Order Theories are not mutually exclusive in explaining the capital structure decisions of SMEs. The results suggest that younger and smaller SMEs should be object of public financing support, when the internal financing is clearly insufficient to fund those firms’ activities.
EUROPEAN BANKING INTEGRATION: IS FOREIGN OWNERSHIP AFFECTING BANKING EFFICIENCY?
Authors: Gallizo José Luis , Moreno Jordi , Salvador Manuel
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study is to analyze how European integration and, especially, changes in ownership, has affected banking efficiency in Central and Eastern European countries which have recently experimented this process more intensely. Using a stochastic frontier approach, applied to panel data, we have estimated bank efficiency levels in a sample of 189 banks from 12 countries during the period 2000 to 2008 and we have analyzed the influence of some bank characteristics on these efficiency levels. The results show that European integration has significantly improved the cost efficiency of banks in these countries, but profit efficiency has significantly decreased. We have found very small differences between different ownership types and only a very small impact of foreign ownership on cost efficiency, showing that the entry of foreign ownership is not enough to explain the significant variations in banking efficiency after the accession.
A COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND RANKING METHODOLOGY UNDER A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Hsu Li-Chang , Ou Shang-Ling , Ou Yih-Chang
Published: December 2014

Under industry globalization and the intensely competitive environment, a company's competitiveness must constantly be upgraded in order to achieve the goal of sustainability. Therefore, the correct and valid evaluation of companies’ sustainable performance has become an important issue. The main purpose of this study is to discuss and establish a sustainable performance evaluation criteria and model for companies. First, the measurements of companies’ financial, credit risk, environmental and social responsibility are integrated to create sustainable business performance evaluation criteria. Then, we integrate grey relational analysis and an improved TOPSIS method to construct a sustainable performance evaluation model for companies. In order to verify the findings of this study, we adopt Taiwan's high-tech listed companies as the research object to explore sustainable operating performance and ranking in 2011. The empirical results will help companies to build future business strategies and can also be used as an important reference for investor and bank credit auditing.
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AFFECTING DECISION-MAKING STYLE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN FOUR COUNTRIES
Authors: Dabić Marina , Tipurić Darko , Podrug Najla
Published: December 2014

The aim of this paper was to identify the impact of national culture on decision-making styles in selected countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary. The estimation of Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures and comparative analyses was carried out by using a narrow-sample strategy. The estimated positions on each dimension confirmed the Hofstede's original research ranking. The result with significant value was the confirmation of the global trend of decreasing power distance and significant movement towards the individualism. Besides the standardization procedure of comparative cross-cultural analyses, variance analyses were used to identify cultural differences in decision-making styles related to complex decisions. The proposition is that complex decisions are, above and beyond all others, the consequence of social and cultural values installed in every individual. Statistically significant dependency was identified for hyper-vigilant and vigilant decision-making style and national culture's dimensions. A beneficial goal was to identify the differences and the similarities in value orientation and those in the decision-making style which should not be mistreated as they may influence future business cooperation and political and economic integrations within the CEE context.
FACTORS DRIVING TURNOVER AND RETENTION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS
Authors: Korsakienė Renata , Stankevičienė Asta , Šimelytė Agnė , Talačkienė Milda
Published: December 2014

Taking into consideration turnover phenomenon and retention issues, the purpose of the paper is to reveal the employee perceptions on organisational and job-related factors impacting decisions to leave and to stay with the current employer. Based on theoretical discussion related to voluntary turnover and retention of employees, the research instrument was developed. A total of 143 responses were collected from employees working in private IT companies of Lithuania. The results revealed that base pay and challenging work content were perceived as the most important employment characteristics. Turnover prediction models disclose turnover intentions of project managers, which can be explained by participation in strategy development, support of top managers and negative perception of the base pay. Meanwhile, turnover intensions of heads of departments/ high level managers can be explained by negative associations with performance incentives/ bonuses, career opportunities and working conditions. The findings of the paper let us to develop theoretical insights and provide manager recommendations leading to the retention of information technology professionals.
LOGISTICS FREIGHT CENTER LOCATIONS DECISION BY USING FUZZY-PROMETHEE
Authors: Elevli Birol
Published: December 2014

Fuzzy Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluation (F-PROMETHEE) was applied for choosing among potential logistics center locations. The method combines the concept of fuzzy sets to represent uncertain information with the PROMETHEE, a subgroup of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods. Criteria are identified based on review of scientific and trade literature and inputs received from experts. The suitability of areas have been evaluated on the basis of these criteria. There are substantial uncertainties and subjectivity about site information. Therefore F-PROMETHEE method is preferred. The case study shows that this application provides reasonable results.
ANALYSIS OF THE ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OCCURRING DURING THE TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS BY RAILWAY TRANSPORT
Authors: Batarlienė Nijolė , Jarašūnienė Aldona
Published: December 2014

The article examines the accidents and incidents taking place while transporting dangerous goods by railway transport. The paper presents and considers research results indicating the way the respondents estimate the main factors related to risk in rail transport. Also, the correlation of the annual losses encountered by enterprises due to accidents and the losses caused by other factors are analysed. The work suggests recommendation measures for reducing accidents in railway transport while shipping dangerous cargoes.
ECONOMETRIC MODELS OF THE IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC PROCESSES ON THE STOCK MARKET IN THE BALTIC COUNTRIES
Authors: Rudzkis Rimantas , Valkavičienė Roma
Published: December 2014

The article examines the dependencies of individual sectoral stock price indices of OMX Baltic security market on macroeconomic indicators, using econometric methods. Regression models are constructed using quarterly time series of 2000–2011 years while the methodology is backed with the findings of Lithuanian and foreign scientists from an extensive overview of specific literature. Regression equations, obtained in the paper, allows us to identify the key macroeconomic and global indicators that statistically significantly affect the Baltic securities market and to quantify their impact on the stock price indices of individual sectors in the Baltic countries. Econometric analysis of OMX Baltic security market proves the hypothesis that the set of macroeconomic regressors may vary considerably depending on the individual sector's price indices, especially in the case of small open economy with immature stock markets. The paper provides investors who are shaping their portfolios taking into account the macroeconomic forecasts with additional opportunities on the basis of sectoral stock price indices regression equations.
The Interleukin 33/ST2 Axis in Patients with Primary Sjögren Syndrome: Expression in Serum and Salivary Glands, and the Clinical Association
Authors: Jung Seung Min , Lee Jaeseon , Baek Seung Ye , Lee Jae Ho , Lee Jennifer , Park Kyung-Su , Park Sung-Hwan , Kim Ho-Youn , Kwok Seung-Ki
Published: December 2014

Objective.

To evaluate the expression of interleukin 33 (IL-33) and its receptor in sera and salivary tissues of patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS), and to investigate the association with clinical profiles.

Methods.

Serum IL-33 and soluble ST2 (sST2) of 55 patients with pSS and 48 controls were determined by ELISA and assessed for clinical correlation. The expression of IL-33/ST2 in salivary tissues was investigated by immunohistochemical staining and was further characterized by confocal microscopy. We also measured IL-33 production in salivary glandular epithelial cells by proinflammatory stimuli.

Results.

Serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 were higher in patients with pSS compared to those in controls (p = 0.018 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Among patients with pSS, sST2 concentration was associated with thrombocytopenia (p = 0.029) and correlated with disease duration (p = 0.013) and the European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren Syndrome Disease Activity Index (p = 0.042). The expression of IL-33 and ST2 was elevated in salivary glands of patients with pSS with grade 2 inflammation, and diminished in advanced inflammation. In patients with pSS, IL-33 was mainly observed in epithelial and endothelial cells of glandular tissue. The production of IL-33 mRNA by salivary gland epithelial cell line increased under stimulation with interferon-γ.

Conclusion.

The expression of IL-33 and its receptor was elevated in sera and salivary tissues of patients with pSS. These results suggest that the IL-33/ST2 axis might have a role in the pathogenesis of pSS.
Elevated Serum Levels of Syndecan-1 Are Associated with Renal Involvement in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Kim Ki-Jo , Kim Ji-Young , Baek In-Woon , Kim Wan-Uk , Cho Chul-Soo
Published: December 2014

Objective.

Syndecan-1 (SDC-1) is a major constituent of the endothelial glycocalyx, which plays a role in maintaining vascular homeostasis and functions as a glomerular filtration barrier. SDC-1 is readily shed into the blood under various conditions, but the clinical implication of circulating SDC-1 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of serum SDC-1 level with certain clinical manifestations of SLE.

Methods.

We measured serum SDC-1 levels by ELISA in 111 patients with SLE, 18 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 20 healthy subjects, and investigated its association with clinical manifestations and laboratory variables.

Results.

Serum SDC-1 levels were higher in patients with SLE than in those with RA and healthy controls (both p < 0.001) and were positively correlated with SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI; r = 0.367, p < 0.001) and anti-dsDNA antibody level (r = 0.259, p = 0.007), but inversely correlated with serum C3 and CH50 levels (r = −0.305, p = 0.001 and r = −0.244, p = 0.012). Patients with active nephritis had higher serum SDC-1 levels than patients with inactive nephritis and those without nephritis (both p < 0.001). In addition, serum SDC-1 levels were correlated with renal SLEDAI score (r = 0.540, p < 0.001) and excretion of proteinuria as measured by spot urine protein/creatinine ratio (r = 0.538, p < 0.001). In 14 patients with lupus nephritis (LN) whose serum samples were obtained at the time of renal biopsy, there was a positive correlation between serum SDC-1 levels and activity index (r = 0.632, p = 0.015).

Conclusion.

Serum SDC-1 levels are increased in SLE patients with nephritis, indicating that SDC-1 might be a useful serum biomarker for active LN.
Remission in Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis Treated with Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor-α Drugs: An Italian Multicenter Study
Authors: Lubrano Ennio , Perrotta Fabio Massimo , Marchesoni Antonio , D’Angelo Salvatore , Ramonda Roberta , Addimanda Olga , Olivieri Ignazio , Punzi Leonardo , Salvarani Carlo
Published: December 2014

Objective.

To investigate the possibility of achieving partial remission (PR) in patients with nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) versus ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists, such as adalimumab (ADA), etanercept (ETN), and infliximab (IFX), in a real clinical practice setting. The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) 20, ASAS40, and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score were also calculated.

Methods.

A retrospective study was conducted in patients with axSpA treated with ADA, ETN, and IFX from 2000 to 2013. All patients fulfilled the ASAS or the modified New York criteria. PR was reached when the score was < 20 mm (on a visual analog scale of 0–100 mm) in each of these domains: (1) patient global assessment, (2) pain, (3) function, and (4) inflammation.

Results.

A total of 321 patients with axSpA were treated. Among them, 62 were nr-axSpA while the remaining 259 were AS. Log-rank test to compare survival curves showed that the probability of obtaining PR in nr-axSpA and AS during treatment with anti-TNF-α was not significantly different. At 12 weeks of exposure to the first anti-TNF-α drug, PR was achieved in 7 patients with nr-axSpA (11.3%) and in 68 patients with AS (26.2%).

Conclusion.

Our results, obtained from clinical practice, showed that PR is an achievable target of anti-TNF-α treatment in nr-axSpA. The PR rate, as a reliable indicator of sustained effectiveness, is similar in nr-axSpA and in AS.
Is Statin Exposure Associated with Occurrence or Better Outcome in Giant Cell Arteritis? Results from a French Population-based Study
Authors: Pugnet Grégory , Sailler Laurent , Bourrel Robert , Montastruc Jean-Louis , Lapeyre-Mestre Maryse
Published: December 2014

Objective.

To investigate the potential association between statin use and giant cell arteritis (GCA) course.

Methods.

Using the French National Health Insurance system, we included patients with incident GCA from the Midi-Pyrenees region, southern France, from January 2005 to December 2008 and randomly selected 6 controls matched by age, sex, and date of diagnosis. Statin exposure was compared between patients with GCA and their controls before GCA occurrence with a logistic regression. Influence of statin exposure on prednisone requirements during GCA course was explored with a Cox model, considering statin exposure as a time-varying variable.

Results.

The cohort included 103 patients (80 women, mean age 74.8 ± 9 yrs, mean followup 48.9 ± 14.8 mos), compared to 606 controls. Statin exposure (27.2% of patients with GCA and 23.4% of controls) was not associated with GCA occurrence (adjusted OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.76–1.96; p = 0.41). Diabetes mellitus was significantly associated to GCA occurrence (adjusted OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.11–0.72; p = 0.008). After diagnosis, exposure to statins up to 20 months was associated with maintenance while taking low prednisone doses (p = 0.01).

Conclusion.

Statin exposure was not associated with GCA occurrence in the general population. However, exposure to statins up to 20 months may favor a quicker corticosteroid tapering. Based on those results, statin effect on GCA course should not be definitively ruled out.
La construction juridique de la prostitution. Trois récits différenciés
Authors: Lê Emmanuelle
Published: December 2014

Cet article aborde la question de la sexualité rémunérée en interrogeant la façon dont le droit français différencie des activités qui impliquent toutes des pratiques sexuelles échangées contre de l’argent. Mon hypothèse est que ces activités s’inscrivent dans des espaces discursifs très différents, qui ont produit des figures ‘prostitutionnelles’ contrastées qu’on ne saurait réduire à des stéréotypes de genre prédéterminés. Une analyse du droit au prisme du genre implique ainsi que l’on reste attentive à la transformation de ces stéréotypes — à la multiplicité des intérêts des femmes, donc, et à l’inversion possible des rapports de pouvoir, les conséquences de ces régimes pouvant faire l’objet d’interprétations variées.
Luttes revendicatives et syndicalisme : le ‘travail d'émancipation' des femmes salariées
Authors: Le Quentrec Yannick
Published: December 2014

À distance des analyses sociologiques qui se centrent exclusivement sur l’exploitation capitaliste et la domination et mettent en scène des salariées impuissantes et résignées, il s’agit d’interroger dans cet article les conditions du travail d’émancipation des femmes salariées, au croisement des rapports sociaux de classe, de sexe et de race. Après avoir montré dans, un premier temps, les enjeux pour le féminisme de reconnaître l’existence d’espaces de liberté dans le travail et dans le syndicalisme, je m’appuie sur quelques cas de figure de luttes de femmes pour mettre au jour et discuter, dans un second temps, trois dimensions du travail d’émancipation des femmes : l’auto-nomination collective, la praxis émancipatrice et la sororité de classe et de race.
Les femmes dans la médiation sociale : une minorité ‘complémentaire' ou discriminée
Authors: Divay Sophie
Published: December 2014

La mise en place des emplois de médiation sociale dans le cadre du programme « Nouveaux services – emplois-jeunes » représente l’un des épisodes de l’histoire des mesures de lutte contre le chômage, en l’occurrence des jeunes. Toutefois, le chômage demeure d’actualité et il est utile de tirer les leçons de ce dispositif récent afin d’éviter la répétition des effets pervers de certaines orientations idéologiques impensées qui ont sanctionné les hommes et plus particulièrement les femmes engagées dans ces contrats aidés, notamment en raison d’une invisibilisation des rapports sociaux de sexe au profit d’une catégorisation d’âge.
Social Policy Arrangements across Europe : Continuing Disparities between Social Models in the EU ?
Authors: Kostadinova Petia
Published: December 2014

Gardant à l’esprit la classification existante des régimes de protection sociale, ce document passe en revue les différentes typologies afin d’examiner les cinq politiques sociales - les prestations de vieillesse, de maladie et de maternité, d’accident du travail, de chômage, et les allocations familiales - réparties dans 30 pays européens. Ces programmes sont comparés de deux points de vue : (1) les sources de financement, à savoir, le gouvernement central, les employeurs, les personnes assurées, ou bien une combinaison des trois, et (2) les restrictions d’admissibilité, à savoir, l’emploi, les critères de revenus, et/ou la couverture universelle. Ces deux dimensions comprennent la solidarité et les aspects de l’inclusion des programmes sociaux, qui sont essentielles en les replaçant dans le contexte du modèle social européen. En outre, par le développement de cette nouvelle base de données des politiques sociales à travers l’Europe, le document met en évidence la diversité continue des dispositifs institutionnels à travers plusieurs types de modèles d’État providence en Europe, ainsi que l’absence de modèle postcommuniste commun.<
L'étude des parcours de vie, démarche descriptive ou causale ?
Authors: Robette Nicolas
Published: December 2014

Au cours des dernières décennies, l’évolution de la mobilité résidentielle, des structures familiales, des études et des parcours professionnels, ainsi que l’importance de l’interdépendance entre ces différentes sphères de la vie, a suscité un intérêt croissant pour les trajectoires biographiques. Progressivement, l’analyse des parcours de vie ( life course analysis ) est devenue une perspective majeure des sciences sociales, entraînant un passage de la structure au processus, du macro au micro.
Le pragmatisme et l'internationalisation du débat philosophique autour de 1910
Authors: Fabiani Jean-Louis
Published: December 2014

Ce texte est une tentative pour évaluer l'actualité philosophique européenne à la veille de la Première Guerre mondiale. C'est autour du pragmatisme, philosophie américaine par excellence, que se constituent de nouvelles formes de circulation des idées, associées à la nouveauté et à la dimension internationale. On montre comment le pragmatisme occupe l'espace d'attention et comment il recompose partiellement les réseaux philosophiques en France. L'importance inattendue du rapport entre philosophie et religion est analysée, et la notion de philosophie nationale est mise en question.
The Scholarship of Application: Recognizing and Promoting Nurses’ Contribution to Knowledge Development
Authors: Limoges Jacqueline , Acorn Sonia , Osborne Margaret
Published: December 2014

The generation of knowledge is fundamental to the practice of nursing and occurs through various forms of scholarship. Boyer recognized this and described knowledge production through research, integration, teaching, and application. The focus of this article is on the scholarship of application and its role in the development of nursing knowledge. Examples of achievement in the scholarship of application are provided with outcomes of work between community and education partners and innovative clinical practice changes. The scholarship of application is of particular importance to nursing as it bridges research, practice, and education, and documents and disseminates nursing knowledge to enable peer critique. Approaches for developing a climate of scholarship are discussed, including differentiating scholarly practice from clinical scholarship and how the scholarship of application is situated in practice arenas. The role of clinical scholars and clinical leaders and the continuing development of future scholars are proposed.

J Contin Educ Nurs.
2015;46(2):77–82.
Música y sensación sonora: John Tavener
Authors: Alvarado Boris , Espinoza Lolas Ricardo , Landaeta Mardones Patricio
Published: December 2014

Lo que busca este artículo es investigar el bello y difícil acto de la sensación sonora de la obra de John Tavener (1944-2013) a la luz de una lógica de la sensación de Gilles Deleuze (1925-1995) y de la fenomenología del cuerpo de Xavie Zubiri (1898-1983). Creemos que con los conceptos acuñados por ambos filósofos pueden dar cuenta de un modo más acabado de ese estilo único de la experiencia sonora en la vibración que propone el arte sacro de la música minimal del compositor anglosajón.
Computational Modeling Predicts IL-10 Control of Lesion Sterilization by Balancing Early Host Immunity–Mediated Antimicrobial Responses with Caseation duringMycobacterium tuberculosisInfection
Authors: Cilfone Nicholas A. , Ford Christopher B. , Marino Simeone , Mattila Joshua T. , Gideon Hannah P. , Flynn JoAnne L. , Kirschner Denise E. , Linderman Jennifer J.
Published: December 2014

Although almost a third of the world’s population is infected with the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, our understanding of the functions of many immune factors involved in fighting infection is limited. Determining the role of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 at the level of the granuloma has proven difficult because of lesional heterogeneity and the limitations of animal models. In this study, we take an in silico approach and, through a series of virtual experiments, we predict several novel roles for IL-10 in tuberculosis granulomas: 1) decreased levels of IL-10 lead to increased numbers of sterile lesions, but at the cost of early increased caseation; 2) small increases in early antimicrobial activity cause this increased lesion sterility; 3) IL-10 produced by activated macrophages is a major mediator of early antimicrobial activity and early host-induced caseation; and 4) increasing levels of infected macrophage derived IL-10 promotes bacterial persistence by limiting the early antimicrobial response and preventing lesion sterilization. Our findings, currently only accessible using an in silico approach, suggest that IL-10 at the individual granuloma scale is a critical regulator of lesion outcome. These predictions suggest IL-10–related mechanisms that could be used as adjunctive therapies during tuberculosis.
Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate–Activated Protein Kinase Regulates IL-10–Mediated Anti-Inflammatory Signaling Pathways in Macrophages
Authors: Zhu Yanfang Peipei , Brown Jonathan R. , Sag Duygu , Zhang Lihua , Suttles Jill
Published: December 2014

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase with a critical function in the regulation of metabolic pathways in eukaryotic cells. Recently, AMPK has been shown to play an additional role as a regulator of inflammatory activity in leukocytes. Treatment of macrophages with chemical AMPK activators, or forced expression of a constitutively active form of AMPK, results in polarization to an anti-inflammatory phenotype. In addition, we reported previously that stimulation of macrophages with anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10, IL-4, and TGF-β results in rapid activation of AMPK, suggesting that AMPK contributes to the suppressive function of these cytokines. In this study, we investigated the role of AMPK in IL-10–induced gene expression and anti-inflammatory function. IL-10–stimulated wild-type macrophages displayed rapid activation of PI3K and its downstream targets Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin complex (mTORC1), an effect that was not seen in macrophages generated from AMPKα1-deficient mice. AMPK activation was not impacted by treatment with either the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 or the JAK inhibitor CP-690550, suggesting that IL-10–mediated activation of AMPK is independent of PI3K and JAK activity. IL-10 induced phosphorylation of both Tyr705 and Ser727 residues of STAT3 in an AMPKα1-dependent manner, and these phosphorylation events were blocked by inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β, an upstream activator of AMPK, and by the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin, respectively. The impaired STAT3 phosphorylation in response to IL-10 observed in AMPKα1-deficient macrophages was accompanied by reduced suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 expression and an inadequacy of IL-10 to suppress LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine production. Overall, our data demonstrate that AMPKα1 is required for IL-10 activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 and STAT3-mediated anti-inflammatory pathways regulating macrophage functional polarization.
Indice del Vol. 91
Authors: Italiana Società Entomologica
Published: December 2014

Indice del Vol. 91
International Aid and Natural Disasters: A Pre- and Post-Earthquake Longitudinal Study of the Healthcare Infrastructure in Leogane, Haiti
Authors: Kligerman Maxwell , Barry Michele , Walmer David , Bendavid Eran
Published: December 2014

The reconstruction of healthcare systems in developing countries after natural disasters is poorly understood. Using data collected before and after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, we detail the response of aid agencies and their interaction with local healthcare providers in Leogane, the city closest to the epicenter. We find that the period after the earthquake was associated with an increase in the total number of healthcare facilities, inpatient beds, and surgical facilities and that international aid has been a driving force behind this recovery. Aid has funded 12 of 13 new healthcare facilities that have opened since the earthquake as well as the reconstruction of 7 of 8 healthcare facilities that have been rebuilt. Despite increases in free, aid-financed healthcare, private Haitian healthcare facilities have remained at a constant number. The planned phase-out of several aid-financed facilities, however, will leave Leogane with fewer inpatient beds and healthcare services compared with the pre-earthquake period.
Foodborne Outbreak of Human Brucellosis Caused by Ingested Raw Materials of Fetal Calf on Jeju Island
Authors: Yoo Jeong Rae , Heo Sang Taek , Lee Keun Hwa , Kim Young Ree , Yoo Seung Jin
Published: December 2014

Since the first reported case of human brucellosis in 2002 in South Korea, its incidence has been increasing nationally. However, bovine brucellosis has not been present from 2005 to date on Jeju Island. Despite Jeju Island being considered a clean area for bovine brucellosis, we experienced an outbreak of human brucellosis between 2012 and 2013. Herein, we report cases with human brucellosis after ingestion of raw materials of fetal calf at a restaurant. Patients were identified by isolation of the Brucella abortus in their blood and joint tissue. Because all patients developed zoonosis by a faulty folk remedy, we emphasize the importance of educational programs to increase the awareness of zoonosis, and the need for active surveillance and detection of illegal distribution channels of the infected animal. After the outbreak, we took control of the involved restaurant and its illegal distribution channel, and there have been no further outbreaks.
Isolation and Characterization of Mayaro Virus from a Human in Acre, Brazil
Authors: Terzian Ana Carolina B. , Auguste Albert J. , Vedovello Danila , Ferreira Marcelo U. , da Silva-Nunes Mônica , Sperança Márcia A. , Suzuki Rodrigo B. , Juncansen Camila , Araújo João P. , Weaver Scott C. , Nogueira Maurício L.
Published: December 2014

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is widely distributed throughout South America and is the etiologic agent of Mayaro fever, an acute febrile illness often presenting with arthralgic manifestations. The true incidence of MAYV infection is likely grossly underestimated because the symptomatic presentation is very similar to that of dengue fever and other acute febrile tropical diseases. We report the complete genome sequence of a MAYV isolate detected from an Acrelândia patient presenting with fever, chills, and sweating, but with no arthralgia. Results show that this isolate belongs to genotype D and is closely related to Bolivian strains. Our results suggest that the Acre/Mayaro strain is closely related to the progenitor of these Bolivian strains that were isolated between 2002 and 2006.