bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic Integration, Growth and Income Distribution
Authors: Kuo Kuo‐Hsing , Lee Cheng‐Te
Published: September 2016

This paper constructs a two‐sector growth model with heterogeneous labour, to explore the impact of the economic integration on growth and income distribution. There are two sectors in each country, including the consumption‐good sector and the R&D sector. We suppose that the R&D sector produces new blueprints or ideas for these innovations, and hence provides the engine of growth. Assume that the talent's distribution of workers is the uniform distribution. We show that the economic integration will stimulate the developing countries' economic growth and then decrease its income inequality. In addition, we also demonstrate that if the growth rate of the advanced country rises after the integration, then income inequality of that will increase, and vice versa.
The Born‐Again Favela: The Urban Informality of Pentecostalism in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Lanz Stephan
Published: September 2016

Since the 1980s, the metropolitan spaces of Brazil have seen a significant upsurge of the Christian Pentecostal movement, which today dominates the religious landscape of the favelas. In Rio de Janeiro, the rise of Pentecostalism coincided with the establishment of drug gangs as actors controlling favela territories. Based on an ethnographic field study conducted in a favela complex in the city's Zona Norte, this article examines the role and significance of the Pentecostal churches in Rio's favelas, both in everyday urban life and in the ways these areas are governed. One of my focal points of analysis is the increasing entanglement of actors in the drug industry and church actors. The article posits that the Pentecostal churches' role and significance, their institutional shape and their followers' practices are inextricably intertwined with the favela's social, spatial and political structural patterns. It shows the ways in which the evolving Pentecostal movement has permeated all aspects of the favela's informal way of urban life and government and has produced a new urban religious configuration in which the Pentecostal movement and the favela are intertwined and transform each other.
Building, Marketing and Living in an Islamic Gated Community: Novel Configurations of Class and Religion in Istanbul
Authors: Çavdar Ayşe
Published: September 2016

This article analyses the development and marketing of Islamic gated communities in Basaksehir, Istanbul. It demonstrates how a blueprint of public–private urban development was appropriated by middle‐class Islamists. The gated communities in Basaksehir—which, at the outset, were not explicitly religious—gradually became attractive to religious actors searching for enclosed urban enclaves where Islamic communities would be protected against perceived moral‐urban threats. While urban‐religious enclaves appear to bear similarities to pre‐modern Ottoman Islamic urban enclaves, the rise of contemporary Islamic gated communities should be understood in light of the recent coming to power of the Islamist Turkish government. In cooperation with this government, housing development agencies approached Islamic investors to find capital for their public–private housing projects. One of the results of this form of urban development is that, contrary to pre‐modern Ottoman Islamic urban enclaves, the Islamic gated communities are homogenous in terms of economic class, catering specifically to the Islamic middle classes. Moreover, people who invest in Basaksehir desire an urban‐religious lifestyle that differs from the ‘traditional' religious lifestyle experienced in ‘traditional' Islamic neighbourhoods. The specific urban‐religious configuration generates a new type of Islam that better fits middle‐class values and a middle‐class lifestyle.
Student involvement in the UK sex industry: motivations and experiences
Authors: Sagar Tracey , Jones Debbie , Symons Katrien , Tyrie Jacky , Roberts Ron
Published: September 2016

The Student Sex Work Project was set up in 2012 in the United Kingdom (UK) to locate students who are involved in the sex industry, to discover their motivations and needs, and in doing so provide an evidence base to consider the development of policy and practice within Higher Education. As part of this initiative, a large survey was undertaken comprising students from throughout the UK. Reporting on the findings from this survey, the article sheds some light on what occupations students take up in the sex industry, what motivates their participation and how they experience the work. The study also offers a much‐needed empirical input to the ongoing academic debates on the nature of sex work. The results suggest that there can be little doubt of a student presence within the sex industry in the UK. The motivations and experiences of student sex workers cover elements of agency and choice as well as of force and exploitation and it is suggested that student sex work is best understood from a polymorphous framework which leaves room for a wide variety of experiences and challenges.
Nutritional status, management and clinical outcomes in patients with esophageal and gastro‐oesophageal cancers: A descriptive study
Authors: Mak May , Bell Katherine , Ng Weng , Lee Mark
Published: September 2016

Aim

The aims of this study were to investigate the nutritional management practice and nutritional status of patients with oesophageal and gastro‐oesophageal cancers, and to propose strategies for improving their nutritional and clinical outcomes.

Methods

All patients diagnosed with oesophageal and gastro‐oesophageal cancers and treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy at the Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre (between August 2010 and February 2014) were included in this retrospective study. Patient and tumour characteristics, nutritional status and management were compared to clinical outcomes.

Results

A total of 69 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median weight loss prior to treatment commencement was 10.5% (Interquartile Range (IQR) = 6.6–15.4). A decline in nutritional status continued throughout the treatment course. The median percentage of weight loss during treatment was 3.53% (IQR = 0.00–6.84). Seven and 19 patients required nutrition intervention using a feeding tube or stent insertion to manage dysphagia, respectively. In patients treated with a curative intent, radiotherapy was completed in 100% of those with a nasogastric tube insertion as compared to 80% who had a stent insertion. There was a higher percentage of patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background, experiencing significant weight loss when compared with their non‐CALD counterparts (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Patients with oesophageal and gastro‐oesophageal cancers commonly present with significant weight loss and this continues during the course of their anti‐cancer treatment. A standardised protocol of nutrition management for these cancer patients is recommended, focusing on assisting patients from CALD backgrounds.
Does eating environment have an impact on the protein and energy intake in the hospitalised elderly?
Authors: Markovski Karon , Nenov Aranka , Ottaway Aurora , Skinner Elizabeth
Published: September 2016

Aim

This pilot study aimed to examine the difference in energy and protein intake of the midday meal in two different eating environments—the communal dining room and patient bedside—and to obtain feedback on patient preference at each location.

Methods

Elderly patients in two rehabilitation wards were observed consuming the midday meal on two consecutive days: day 1 in the dining room and day 2 at the bedside. The patients’ intake was recorded by a visual 5‐point assessment scale and analysed for protein and energy content using the hospital food services nutrient analysis of the menu. Patients were also surveyed on preference of eating environment through a written survey.

Results

This study found that patients consumed 20% more energy and protein when dining in a communal environment (P = 0.006 and 0.01, respectively). Patients with a body mass index of less than 22 (P = 0.01 and 0.01, respectively) and those with significant cognitive impairment (P = 0.001 and 0.007, respectively) ate 30% more protein and energy in the dining room, and those identified at risk of malnutrition (Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) ≥ 2) ate 42% more energy and 27% more protein in the dining room, although this was not statistically significant (P = 0.05 and 0.16). A total of 86% of surveyed patients favoured eating their midday meal in the dining room.

Conclusions

This study supports the contention that a dining room environment can increase food intake, increase patients’ opportunities to enjoy the social aspect of meal times, and potentially lead to weight gain and reduced malnutrition risk in the rehabilitation setting.
Associations of Emergency Department Length of Stay With Publicly Reported Quality‐of‐care Measures
Authors: Chang Anna Marie , Lin Amber , Fu Rongwei , McConnell K. John , Sun Benjamin
Published: September 2016

Objective

The Institute of Medicine identified emergency department (ED) crowding as a critical threat to patient safety. We assess the association between changes in publicly reported ED length of stay (LOS) and changes in quality‐of‐care measures in a national cohort of hospitals.

Methods

Longitudinal analysis of 2012 and 2013 data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Survey, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Cost Reports, and CMS Hospital Compare. We included hospitals reporting Hospital Compare timeliness measure of LOS for admitted patients. We used AHA and CMS data to incorporate hospital predictors of interest. We used the method of first differences to test for relationships in the change over time between timeliness measures and six hospital‐level measures.

Results

The cohort consisted of 2,619 hospitals. Each additional hour of ED LOS was associated with a 0.7% decrease in proportion of patients giving a top satisfaction rating, a 0.7% decrease in proportion of patients who would “definitely recommend” the hospital, and a 6‐minute increase in time to pain management for long bone fracture (p < 0.01 for all). A 1‐hour increase in ED LOS is associated with a 44% increase in the odds of having an increase in left without being seen (95% confidence interval = 25% to 68%). ED LOS was not associated with hospital readmissions (p = 0.14) or time to percutaneous coronary intervention (p = 0.14).

Conclusion

In this longitudinal study of hospitals across the United States, improvements in ED timeliness measures are associated with improvements in the patient experience.
The Impact of Emergency Department Census on the Decision to Admit
Authors: Gorski Jillian K. , Batt Robert J. , Otles Erkin , Shah Manish N. , Hamedani Azita G. , Patterson Brian W.
Published: September 2016

Objective

We evaluated the effect of emergency department (ED) census on disposition decisions made by ED physicians.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis using 18 months of all adult patient encounters seen in the main ED at an academic tertiary care center. Patient census information was calculated at the time of physician assignment for each individual patient and included the number of patients in the waiting room (waiting room census) and number of patients being managed by the patient's attending (physician load census). A multiple logistic regression model was created to assess the association between these census variables and the disposition decision, controlling for potential confounders including Emergency Severity Index acuity, patient demographics, arrival hour, arrival mode, and chief complaint.

Results

A total of 49,487 patient visits were included in this analysis, of whom 37% were admitted to the hospital. Both census measures were significantly associated with increased chance of admission; the odds ratio (OR) per patient increase for waiting room census was 1.011 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.001 to 1.020), and the OR for physician load census was 1.010 (95% CI = 1.002 to 1.019). To put this in practical terms, this translated to a modeled rise from 35.3% to 40.1% when shifting from an empty waiting room and zero patient load to a 12‐patient wait and 16‐patient load for a given physician.

Conclusion

Waiting room census and physician load census at time of physician assignment were positively associated with the likelihood that a patient would be admitted, controlling for potential confounders. Our data suggest that disposition decisions in the ED are influenced not only by objective measures of a patient's disease state, but also by workflow‐related concerns.
Diagnosis and surgical treatment of mediastinal solitary fibrous tumor
Authors: Zhang Lei , Liu Xuegang , Li Xiaojun , Tang Zhen , Shi Chao , Wang Gengming
Published: September 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features as well as the diagnosis and treatment methods for mediastinal solitary fibrous tumor (MSFT).

Methods

The clinical data of 13 patients treated for pathologically confirmed MSFT were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical symptoms were mainly cough, chest tightness, chest pain and chest discomfort. It was difficult to distinguish MSFT from other types of tumors simply via imaging results, hence, the confirmative diagnosis required pathological and immunohistochemistry analysis.

Results

The tumors were completely resected for all patients. All patients were discharged after surgery and followed up for 2–85 months. One patient died of cerebral hemorrhage 2 months after the surgery, and the rest of the patients experienced no recurrence or metastasis during the follow‐up period.

Conclusions

MSFT is a rare type of mediastinal tumor, and the diagnosis requires pathological and immunohistochemical analysis. Surgical treatment is preferred, and a complete resection can achieve a good prognosis; however, postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy might be necessary for cases with extensive external invasion.
Ideologically Sophisticated Donors: Which Candidates Do Individual Contributors Finance?
Authors: Barber Michael J. , Canes‐Wrone Brandice , Thrower Sharece
Published: September 2016

Individuals are the single largest source of campaign contributions, yet we know little about their motivations. For instance, the existing literature questions whether individual contributors sophisticatedly differentiate among candidates according to policy positions, particularly among same‐party candidates. We analyze this issue by combining data from a new survey of over 2,800 in‐ and out‐of‐state donors associated with the 2012 Senate elections, FEC data on contributors’ professions, and legislative records. Three major findings emerge. First, policy agreement between a donor's positions and a senator's roll calls significantly influences the likelihood of giving, even for same‐party contributors. Second, there is a significant effect of committee membership corresponding to a donor's occupation; this holds even for donors who claim that other motivations dominate, but it does not appear to be motivated by an expectation of access. Third, conditional upon a donation occurring, its size is determined by factors outside a legislator's control.
Indigenous Archaeological Field Technicians at Tiwanaku, Bolivia: A Hybrid Form of Scientific Labor
Authors: Leighton Mary
Published: September 2016

Archaeology is a science with an intimate investment in the bodies that labor to produce its objects of knowledge. Data comes into being through tactile skills: eyes that see, hands that touch, voices that name and debate. It matters, therefore, who constitutes and controls the labor force; yet little has been written about archaeological workers. Here I outline the relationship between archaeologists and indigenous workers at Tiwanaku, Bolivia, showing that archaeologists did not have direct control over labor on their sites, including who was hired, how much they were paid, and how jobs were defined. These decisions are made by the community's Mallkus in active (sometimes protracted) negotiation with the archaeologists. While active and constant, the process of bargaining was not necessarily conflicted; moreover, it led to a form of labor organization and scientific practice that was neither entirely “Aymara/indigenous” nor entirely “archaeological/scientific.” It thus forms an intriguing example of a form of hybrid scientific practice that incorporates two very different conceptualizations of labor, both as it relates to specific individuals (who is capable of occupying specific jobs) and how it is valued (what the underlying purpose of scientific work should be).
Vacuum extraction in fetal macrosomia and risk of neonatal complications: a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Åberg Katarina , Norman Mikael , Pettersson Karin , Ekéus Cecilia
Published: September 2016

Introduction

High birthweight is associated with complicated childbirth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between birthweight, mode of delivery, and neonatal complications among infants born at term with a birthweight ≥3000 g.

Material and methods

This population‐based cohort study used data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register from 1999 to 2012, including 1 030 775 births at >36 completed weeks. Exposure was mode of delivery, categorized into non‐instrumental vaginal delivery (VD), emergency cesarean section (CS), vacuum extraction (VE) or cesarean section following attempted vacuum extraction (VE + CS), and birthweight was divided into five categories (3000–3999 g, 4000–4499 g, 4500–4999 g, and ≥5000 g). The following outcomes were assessed: 5‐min Apgar score <7, neonatal convulsions, intracranial hemorrhage, and brachial plexus injury. Infants born after VD with a birthweight of 3000–3999 g were used as reference in the logistic regression analysis.

Results

The odds ratios for all complications increased at higher birthweights among infants born after VE/VE + CS and VD. The highest risks were seen after VE/VE + CS with an adjusted odds ratio for neonatal convulsions of 2.6 (95% CI 2.1–3.2) in the reference birthweight group and 6.3 (95% CI 4.3–9.2) among infants with a birthweight of ≥4500 g. The corresponding adjusted odds ratios for intracranial hemorrhage were 2.6 (95% CI 1.7–3.9) and 6.7 (95% CI 3.3–13.6) and for brachial plexus injury 4.0 (95% CI 3.3–4.9) and 88.4 (95% CI 71.9–108.4).

Conclusion

Vacuum extraction is a risk factor for serious neonatal complications, in particular when used in macrosomic fetuses.
Distribution of disease phase, treatment prescription and severe liver disease among 1598 patients with chronic hepatitis B in the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, 2006–2013
Authors: Spradling P. R. , Xing J. , Rupp L. B. , Moorman A. C. , Gordon S. C. , Teshale E. T. , Lu M. , Boscarino J. A. , Schmidt M. A. , Trinacty C. M. , Holmberg S. D. ,   for the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study Investigators
Published: September 2016

Background

Limited information exists regarding the distribution of disease phases, treatment prescription and severe liver disease among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in US general healthcare settings.

Aim

To determine the distribution of disease phases, treatment prescription and severe liver disease among patients with CHB in general US healthcare settings.

Methods

We analysed demographic and clinical data collected during 2006–2013 from patients with confirmed CHB in the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, an observational cohort study involving patients from healthcare organisations in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Hawaii. CHB phases were classified according to American Association for the Study of Liver Disease guidelines.

Results

Of 1598 CHB patients with ≥12 months of follow‐up (median 6.3 years), 457 (29%) were immune active during follow‐up [11% hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive, 16% HBeAg‐negative, and 2% HBeAg status unknown], 10 (0.6%) were immune tolerant, 112 (7%) were inactive through the duration of follow‐up and 886 (55%) were phase indeterminate. Patients with cirrhosis were identified within each group (among 21% of immune active, 3% of inactive and 9% of indeterminate phase patients) except among those with immune‐tolerant CHB. Prescription of treatment was 59% among immune active patients and 84% among patients with cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA >2000 IU/mL.

Conclusions

Approximately, one‐third of the cohort had active disease during follow‐up; 60% of eligible patients were prescribed treatment. Our findings underscore the importance of ascertainment of fibrosis status in addition to regular assessment of ALT and HBV DNA levels.
End of an Era? China's One‐Child Policy and its Unintended Consequences
Authors: Abrahamson Peter
Published: September 2016

At the end of 2015, China put an end to the one‐child policy (OCP), thereby terminating the largest family planning program in human history. For nearly four decades it had shaped relations between generations and between men and women to an extent never before seen. Today, China struggles with the unintended consequences of the OCP. It has resulted in the so‐called 4‐2‐1 family structure, in which the only children had four grandparents and two parents to care for them when they grew up, but where they have to shoulder the care of four grandparents and two parents when they come of age, because both cultural values and legal prescriptions foresee reciprocal care responsibilities between generations. This has led to an enormous care deficit, which triggers conflicts between both genders and generations. A second major unintended consequence has been a skewed gender ratio of only 18 women per 20 men because of the strong preference for boys, which has led to so‐called “bare branches:” Chinese men who are not able to find a spouse or have to rely on “mail‐order brides.” The paper concludes that the OCP has come to an end, but the unintended consequences prevail.
Prevalence and characteristics of adverse drug reactions at admission to hospital: a prospective observational study
Authors: Chan Sze Ling , Ang Xiaohui , Sani Levana L. , Ng Hong Yen , Winther Michael D. , Liu Jian Jun , Brunham Liam R. , Chan Alexandre
Published: September 2016

Aims

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) contribute to poorer patient outcomes and additional burden to the healthcare system. However, data on the true burden, relevant types and drugs causing ADRs are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ADR‐related hospitalization in the general adult population in Singapore and to investigate their characteristics.

Methods

We prospectively recruited 1000 adult patients with unplanned admission to a large tertiary‐care hospital. Two independent reviewers evaluated all suspected ADRs for causality, type, severity and avoidability. The prevalence of ADR‐related hospitalization was calculated based on ‘definite’ and ‘probable’ ADRs. Logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors for having an ADR at admission.

Results

The prevalence of all ADRs at admission was 12.4% (95% CI: 10.5–14.6%) and ADRs causing admission was 8.1% (95% CI: 6.5–10.0%). The most common ADRs were gastrointestinal‐related. The most common drug category causing ADRs were cardiovascular drugs. Patients with ADRs had a longer length of stay than those who did not (median 4 vs. 3 days, P = 1.70 × 10−3). About 30% of ADRs at admission were caused by at least one drug with a clinical annotation in the Pharmacogenomics KnowledgeBase (PharmGKB), suggesting that some of these ADRs may have been predicted by pharmacogenetic testing.

Conclusions

We have quantified the burden and characteristics of clinically impactful ADRs in the Singaporean general adult population. Our results will provide vital information for efforts in reducing ADRs through targeted vigilance, patient education and pharmacogenomics in Singapore.
Parental decisions about children's oral health behaviour: relative or absolute?
Authors: Trubey Rob J. , Moore Simon C. , Chestnutt Ivor Gordon
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To test the extent to which parents' judgements about their children's oral health behaviour conform to the principles of a specific theory of cognitive decision making – Range‐frequency Theory.

Methods

Experimental study with an opportunity sample of 121 parents of young children (3–6 years old) living in areas of relative deprivation in South Wales. Parents were allocated to four different experimental groups, and each completed a pen‐and‐paper exercise, which involved being presented with (and rating) how often other parents brushed their children's teeth. The brushing frequencies presented varied between the groups, directly test the rank and range principle of Range‐frequency Theory.

Results

Parents' ratings of other toothbrushing frequencies were predicted by the range and rank principle of Range‐frequency Theory. A comparison between Group 1 and Group 2 showed that parents' ratings of similar brushing frequencies were affected by their relative rank among other brushing frequencies presented. A comparison between Group 3 and Group 4 showed that parents in a group who were presented with a very high brushing frequency (21 times a week) rated all other brushing frequencies as relatively less healthy than the comparison group.

Conclusions

The principles of Range‐frequency Theory predicted parents' judgement about children's oral health behaviour – specifically toothbrushing frequency. These findings provide a theoretical framework on which to develop future oral health education and interventions aimed at promoting twice‐daily toothbrushing to parents of young children.
Permanent caries experience is associated with primary caries experience: a 7‐year longitudinal study in China
Authors: Du Qin , Yu Ming , Li Yueling , Du Haojing , Gao Wenlan , Mei Hao , Liu Shijian
Published: September 2016

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between caries experience in primary teeth and caries experience in permanent teeth in a longitudinal study.

Methods

Teeth were examined at 5 years of age and a follow‐up examination was conducted 7 years later at 12 years of age in all children from Jiading District, Shanghai, China. A total of 1885 participants were recruited in the study; 1683 students were followed up and 202 students (10.7%) were lost to follow up. Data were analyzed using the chi‐square test, t‐test and risk ratio.

Results

The followed‐up samples comprised 883 boys (52.5%) and 800 girls (47.5%). At initial examination, the prevalence of dental caries was 67.4% in boys and 66.5% in girls (χ² = 0.2, P = 0.70), with mean decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) scores of 3.5 ± 0.1 and 3.4 ± 0.1, respectively (t = 0.1, P = 0.90). At follow‐up, the prevalence of dental caries was 33.9% in boys and 37.9% in girls (χ² = 2.9, P = 0.11), with mean DMFT scores in permanent teeth of 0.7 ± 0.0 and 0.8 ± 0.1, respectively (t = 1.2, P = 0.24). The group of 5‐year‐olds with caries had a significantly higher prevalence of caries in permanent teeth (45.5%) at 12 years of age than the group of 5‐year‐olds without caries (16.0%) (χ2 = 141.1, P < 0.001, risk ratio = 1.5). Caries risk in permanent teeth was significantly higher with greater dmft scores (χ2 for trend = 31.1, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Caries in primary teeth is a major risk factor for caries in permanent teeth. The likelihood of caries in permanent teeth is higher with greater dmft scores in primary teeth.
Th2 and Th9 responses in patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and hyper‐IgE syndrome
Authors: Becker K. L. , Rösler B. , Wang X. , Lachmandas E. , Kamsteeg M. , Jacobs C. W. , Joosten L. A. , Netea M. G. , van de Veerdonk F. L.
Published: September 2016

Background

STAT1 mutations cause chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), while STAT3 mutations cause hyper‐IgE syndrome (HIES). CMC and HIES patients have T helper (Th) 17 defects suffering from mucosal Candida infections, but only patients with HIES show an allergic phenotype with eczema, eosinophilia and high IgE levels.

Objective

We investigated whether differential Th2 and Th9 responses may explain the clinical differences.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with CMC (n = 4), patients with HIES (n = 4), patients with atopic dermatitis (n = 4) and healthy volunteers (n = 13) were stimulated with Candida and Staphylococcus aureus, with and without IL‐4. The cytokines IL‐5, IL‐13, IL‐9, IL‐17 and TGFβ and regulatory T cells were measured in cell culture supernatants by ELISA or flow cytometry, respectively.

Results

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with CMC showed a significantly impaired production of the Th2 cytokines IL‐5 and IL‐13, especially in the presence of IL‐4. Moreover, IL‐9 production was significantly lower in patients with CMC compared to healthy controls. In contrast, patients with HIES and patients with AD showed normal IL‐5 and IL‐13 production, while IL‐9 production was significantly lower in patients with HIES compared to healthy controls. Although TGFβ was involved in the IL‐4‐induced IL‐9 production, TGFβ levels and the frequency of regulatory T cells did not differ between patients with HIES and controls. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated an IL‐9+IL‐17+CD4+ subset in healthy controls after stimulation with Candida which was less present in patients with HIES.

Conclusion

Patients with CMC have a general Th defect including Th2 and Th9, while patients with HIES have normal Th2 cytokines. These differences are in line with their clinical presentation. Surprisingly, the allergic cytokine IL‐9 was deficient in both HIES and CMC, suggesting a Th‐17‐derived origin.
“It's Not Just a Bunch of Buildings”: Social Psychological Investment, Sense of Community, and Collective Efficacy in a Multiethnic Low–Income Neighborhood
Authors: Walton Emily
Published: September 2016

This analysis of social life in a poor, multiethnic public housing neighborhood presents an opportunity for refinement of social disorganization theory. Drawing on data from interviews, focus groups, and participant observations among residents, I find that this neighborhood exhibits substantial collective efficacy, despite social disorganization theory's predictions that the structural conditions of high poverty and racial and ethnic diversity result in low collective efficacy. I explicate two social psychological investment strategies—sense of ownership and symbolic representation—that appear to facilitate a sense of community and ultimately collective efficacy, helping to explain this apparent anomaly. I argue that even in the presence of structural disadvantage, having a strong sense of community provides a basis for beneficial action on behalf of the collective because it constitutes a source of shared expectations about values and norms in the neighborhood. These findings suggest refinements to the social disorganization framework, but also provide foundational ideas for policy interventions that may improve the social lives of residents in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The Doors of the Church are Now Open: Black Clergy, Collective Efficacy, and Neighborhood Violence
Authors: Pegram Kashea , Brunson Rod K. , Braga Anthony A.
Published: September 2016

Prior research has documented the historical significance of the black church beyond serving parishioners’ religious and spiritual needs. Specifically, several black churches are involved in community organizing, social service activities, and political action. Scholars, however, have paid less attention to its role as a potent social institution in community crime control and prevention efforts. We conducted face–to–face interviews with 30 members of Boston's Ten Point Coalition of activist black clergy to document the motivations for and mechanisms through which ministers became involved in efforts to reduce street violence, the varied methods through which ministers develop strategic coalitions and manage violence reduction initiatives, and the ways ministers address the complex challenges involved in doing this work. Study findings suggest that black churches can serve as sources of collective efficacy that can help mobilize other churches, community organizations, police departments, and neighborhood residents in a coordinated effort to address urban youth violence.
Setting conservation priorities for migratory networks under uncertainty
Authors: Dhanjal‐Adams Kiran L. , Klaassen Marcel , Nicol Sam , Possingham Hugh P. , Chadès Iadine , Fuller Richard A.
Published: September 2016

Conserving migratory species requires protecting connected habitat along the pathways they travel. Despite recent improvements in tracking animal movements, migratory connectivity remains poorly resolved at a population level for the vast majority of species, thus conservation prioritization is hampered. To address this data limitation, we developed a novel approach to spatial prioritization based on a model of potential connectivity derived from empirical data on species abundance and distance traveled between sites during migration. We applied the approach to migratory shorebirds of the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway. Conservation strategies that prioritized sites based on connectivity and abundance metrics together maintained larger populations of birds than strategies that prioritized sites based only on abundance metrics. The conservation value of a site therefore depended on both its capacity to support migratory animals and its position within the migratory pathway; the loss of crucial sites led to partial or total population collapse. We suggest that conservation approaches that prioritize sites supporting large populations of migrants should, where possible, also include data on the spatial arrangement of sites.
Gold nanoparticle–conjugated quercetin inhibits epithelial–mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis and invasiveness via EGFR/VEGFR‐2‐mediated pathway in breast cancer
Authors: Balakrishnan S. , Bhat F. A. , Raja Singh P. , Mukherjee S. , Elumalai P. , Das S. , Patra C. R. , Arunakaran J.
Published: September 2016

Objectives

Epidermal growth factor plays a critical role in breast malignancies by enhancing cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial process by which epithelial cells lose polarity and acquire migratory mesenchymal properties. Gold nanoparticles are an efficient drug delivery vehicle for carrying chemotherapeutic agents to target cancer cells and quercetin is an anti‐oxidative flavonoid known with potent anti‐malignant cell activity.

Materials and methods

Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay, and protein expression was examined by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. Cell invasion was monitored using invasion chambers, and cell migration was analysed by scratch wound‐healing assay. In vitro and ex vivo angiogenesis studies were performed by capillary‐like tube formation assay and chick embryo angiogenesis assay (CEA). 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced mammary carcinoma in Sprague‐Dawley rats.

Results

We observed a significant reduction in protein expression of vimentin, N‐cadherin, Snail, Slug, Twist, MMP‐2, MMP‐9, p‐EGFR, VEGFR‐2, p‐PI3K, Akt and p‐GSK3β, and enhanced E‐cadherin protein expression in response to AuNPs‐Qu‐5 treatment. AuNPs‐Qu‐5 inhibited migration and invasion of MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 cells compared to free quercetin. AuNPs‐Qu‐5‐treated HUVECs had reduced cell viability and capillary‐like tube formation. In vitro and in vivo angiogenesis assays showed that AuNPs‐Qu‐5 suppressed tube and new blood vessel formation. Treatment with AuNPs‐Qu‐5 impeded tumour growth in DMBA‐induced mammary carcinoma in SD rats compared to treatment with free quercetin.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that AuNPs‐Qu‐5 inhibited EMT, angiogenesis and metastasis of the breast cancer cells tested by targeting the EGFR/VEGFR‐2 signalling pathway.
Impact of river regulation and hydropeaking on the growth, condition and field metabolism of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Authors: Kelly Brianne , Smokorowski Karen E. , Power Michael
Published: September 2016

Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is an important fish species in Ontario, Canada, supporting recreational fisheries that contribute significantly to local economies. Hydroelectric dams disrupt the river continuum, altering downstream conditions and impacting riverine fish populations. Specifically, Brook Trout activity has been found to increase during hydropeaking periods, when dam operators rapidly increase river discharge to meet electricity demands. Higher energetic outputs driven by hydropeaking may decrease the energy available to allocate towards fish growth and condition, negatively impacting Brook Trout. We investigated the impact of two different hydropeaking regimes on resident Brook Trout populations downstream from a 15‐MW dam used for hydropeaking, compared to a population in a nearby naturally flowing river. Length‐at‐age as determined by otolith back‐calculations was higher in the regulated river relative to the naturally flowing river. Muscle tissue caloric content and weight–length relationships did not differ between rivers. Field metabolism, as inferred from fish otolith δ13C values, was higher in the regulated river relative to the naturally flowing river and was significantly positively related to time spent hydropeaking. Higher metabolic outputs in the regulated river were likely offset by an increased food supply, allowing for higher Brook Trout length‐at‐age. The opposing and complicated impacts of river regulation on Brook Trout highlight the need for studies to consider multiple indicators of fish health when characterising the response of fish populations to river regulation.
SPINART study: validation of the extended magnetic resonance imaging scale for evaluation of joint status in adult patients with severe haemophilia A using baseline data
Authors: Hong W. , Raunig D. , Lundin B.
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Most previous joint imaging scales for haemophilia have focused on earlier disease stages observed in younger patients.

Aim

We sought to demonstrate that the 45‐item extended magnetic resonance imaging (eMRI) scale is a valid instrument for measuring joint status in adults with severe haemophilia A.

Methods

Six scale categories (effusion/haemarthrosis, synovial hypertrophy, hemosiderin, erosion, subchondral cysts and cartilage loss) in two domains (soft tissue [range = 0–9] and osteochondral [range = 0–36]) were evaluated for each joint. eMRI scores were derived using baseline data from a randomized, controlled, parallel‐group clinical trial (SPINART). Quantitative analysis of linearity included assessments of the relationship between scores derived from the eMRI scale vs. the 17‐point International Prophylaxis Study Group (IPSG) MRI scale and Colorado Adult Joint Assessment Scale (CAJAS).

Results

Patient eMRI scores correlated with age (r = 0.58), consistent with the expectation of arthropathy progression and more severe joint changes in older patients. eMRI scores demonstrated excellent between‐reader agreement for overall patient score (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.88) and outstanding agreement for knee evaluations (ICC = 0.95). There was a strong linear relationship of the eMRI score with the CAJAS (r = 0.7). Adding individual bone evaluations for each joint increased the sensitivity of the instrument to detect change at low scores. There was minimal ceiling effect (5% maximum scores for all evaluated joints) compared with the IPSG MRI scale (20%). Internal reliability was good (overall Cronbach's alpha = 0.75).

Conclusions

Overall, the eMRI scale represents a valid and reliable measure of joint status in adolescents and adults with severe haemophilia A.
Structure‐function relationship of phenolic antioxidants in topical skin health products
Authors: Jung K. , Everson R. J. C. , Joshi B. , Bulsara P. A. , Upasani R. , Clarke M. J.
Published: September 2016

Objectives

The present work analysed the antioxidative activity of phenol‐based antioxidants using an electron spin resonance method to predict the activity and stability of these antioxidants in cosmetic products.

Methods

The antioxidative power (AP) method was chosen to measure both the capacity and kinetics of an antioxidative reaction by detecting the DPPH (diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) radical. The antioxidative capacity (wc) relates to the amount of free radicals that can be reduced, whereas the antioxidative reactivity (tr) relates to the reaction speed and offers a fingerprinting of the redox state of the antioxidant molecules. Fifteen phenolic molecules have been analysed. They differed in the position of the hydroxyl groups and substituents on the aromatic ring. The AP of two distinct formulations containing hydroxytyrosol is presented as well as three phenol‐based antioxidants within the same formulation vehicle.

Results

The rate at which phenol (ArOH) reacts with DPPH radicals, defined by the term reactivity (tr) in this paper, was dependent upon the bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of the OH bond. Molecules having weak OH bonds and consequently low BDE values showed high antioxidant reactivity. On the other hand, the capacity factor (wc), which is the concentration of phenol required to reduce a fixed concentration of DPPH radical, depends on the number and position of hydroxyl groups. The results showed that ortho and para positions of the two hydroxyl groups are important for higher capacity. If one of the two hydroxyl groups is blocked by methylation, both the antioxidative capacity and reactivity are reduced, mainly for ortho disubstituted compounds. The presence of a vinylic side chain improved reactivity and capacity tremendously. AP values may be useful in formulation design when identifying antioxidants that are likely to be physically and chemically stable. The importance of optimization of the formulation vehicle itself for a given antioxidant is also illustrated.

Conclusion

Based on the presented findings, it is possible to predict the antioxidative performance of a phenol‐based molecule and its stability and oxidation resistance within a cosmetic formulation. This is essential for antioxidant containing dermal formulations designed to combat skin ageing.
iPSC‐derived mesenchymal stem cells exert SCF‐dependent recovery of cigarette smoke‐induced apoptosis/proliferation imbalance in airway cells
Authors: Li Xiang , Zhang Yuelin , Liang Yingmin , Cui Yuting , Yeung Sze C. , Ip Mary S.M. , Tse Hung‐fat , Lian Qizhou , Mak Judith C.W.
Published: September 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a potential cell‐based therapy for pulmonary emphysema in animal models. Our previous study demonstrated that human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived MSCs (iPSC‐MSCs) were superior over bone marrow–derived MSCs (BM‐MSCs) in attenuating cigarette smoke (CS)‐induced airspace enlargement possibly through mitochondrial transfer. This study further investigated the effects of iPSC‐MSCs on inflammation, apoptosis, and proliferation in a CS‐exposed rat model and examined the effects of the secreted paracrine factor from MSCs as another possible mechanism in an in vitro model of bronchial epithelial cells. Rats were exposed to 4% CS for 1 hr daily for 56 days. At days 29 and 43, human iPSC‐MSCs or BM‐MSCs were administered intravenously. We observed significant attenuation of CS‐induced elevation of circulating 8‐isoprostane and cytokine‐induced neutrophil chemoattractant‐1 after iPSC‐MSC treatment. In line, a superior capacity of iPSC‐MSCs was also observed in ameliorating CS‐induced infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils and apoptosis/proliferation imbalance in lung sections over BM‐MSCs. In support, the conditioned medium (CdM) from iPSC‐MSCs ameliorated CS medium‐induced apoptosis/proliferation imbalance of bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. Conditioned medium from iPSC‐MSCs contained higher level of stem cell factor (SCF) than that from BM‐MSCs. Deprivation of SCF from iPSC‐MSC‐derived CdM led to a reduction in anti‐apoptotic and pro‐proliferative capacity. Taken together, our data suggest that iPSC‐MSCs may possess anti‐apoptotic/pro‐proliferative capacity in the in vivo and in vitro models of CS‐induced airway cell injury partly through paracrine secretion of SCF.
Changes in Medication Use After Dementia Diagnosis in an Observational Cohort of Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Sarkar Urmimala , Lyles Courtney , Steinman Michael , Huang Elbert S. , Moffet Howard H. , Whitmer Rachel A. , Warton E. Margaret , Karter Andrew J.
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To assess changes in medication use after a diagnosis of dementia in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Design

Difference‐in‐differences analysis of changes in the number of dispensed chronic medications between individuals with and without newly diagnosed dementia.

Setting

Integrated healthcare delivery system, Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Participants

Individuals aged 50 and older without prevalent dementia with type 2 diabetes mellitus enrolled in a baseline survey. During 5 years of follow‐up, 193 individuals with a new diagnosis of dementia were identified, and risk‐set sampling was used to randomly select five reference subjects per case matched on 5‐year age categories and sex (965 matched participants), resulting in an analytical sample of 1,158.

Measurements

The exposure was new diagnosis of dementia. The primary outcome was change in number of current chronic medications (total, cardiovascular (blood pressure and lipid control), diabetes mellitus) at three times: 1 year before index date (preindex date), date of diagnosis of dementia or matched reference date (index date), and up to 1 year after index date or end of follow‐up if censored before 1 year (postindex date).

Results

After adjustment, the number of chronic medications and the subset of cardiovascular medications declined after a dementia diagnosis in the overall cohort and in age‐, sex‐, and time‐matched reference individuals, but the decline was significantly greater in the group with dementia (0.71 medications fewer than the reference group, P = .02). The number of diabetes mellitus medications declined in both groups, but the declines were not statistically different (0.18 medications fewer than the reference group, P = .008).

Conclusions

Use of cardiometabolic medications fell after a diagnosis of dementia, as recommended in national guidelines.